Essex Westford School District

Author Katherine Arden stopped by the EHS/CTE Library to meet with students for a talk and book signing! 📚✨

Representatives from the State of Vermont Banking Regulations visited EHS during FLEX block for a career talk. The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners talked with the students about career opportunities in the following industries - banking, insurance, securities (investing), and captive insurance. They also discussed personal financial awareness and what the Dept. of Financial Regulations does.

The Heavenly Food Pantry, located at the First Congregational Church on Main Street in Essex Junction, will be open to families residing in Essex, Essex Junction, and Westford on Thursday, November 21, from 3 to 6 p.m. Families will be given a number when they arrive and registered beginning at 3 p.m., then allowed to select their food. A volunteer will greet and escort them around the pantry, allowing them to make selections of their choosing. After food is gathered, it will be weighed (information for pantry use only) and another volunteer will bring the food to the family’s vehicle. Shopping carts will be made available for those within walking distance from the pantry. The pantry asks for proof of residence for each household in the form of a current utility bill with a physical address listed. In place of this, families may provide current correspondence from a government agency or other official mail. Identification for each household member may consist of a driver’s license, hospital card, insurance card, school-issued ID, social security ID, or birth certificate. As usual, there are no income requirements to visit the food pantry and a variety of food is available to everyone; however, additional food from the USDA is provided monthly to eligible families who fall below federally mandated guidelines. Families not able to attend the pantry may call the Church office at 878-5745 Ext. 4 between 9 a.m. and noon today through Thursday to leave contact information (name, address, phone number, number of people in household) so delivery arrangements can be made. A follow-up call to complete registration will take place on Thursday morning. Families are currently able to visit the pantry each time it is open on the 2nd Monday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and the 4th Thursday of the month from 3-6 p.m. (except for November and December when it is the 3rd Thursday). The next food pantry distribution will occur on Monday, December 9, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

The latest EHS Global Leadership Program Speaker Series, in partnership with the Institute for Global Engagement at Saint Michael's College, featured Loung Ung. Ung, an alumna of both Essex High School and Saint Michael's College, is an author, activist, and co-screenwriter.

Throwback to this EHS girls soccer game! ⚽🐝👏 ... 📸 Photo credit Lea Ann Smith

The #EWSD Board will next meet on Tue., November 19 starting at 6:30 p.m. The full meeting will be available to watch on Facebook Live thanks to the Media Factory (https://www.facebook.com/BTVMediaFactory). Agenda items for the meeting include: - Board Job Description - Communication and Support of the Board - Policy 4.3 Agenda Planning To learn more about the EWSD Board, please visit: http://www.ewsd.org/schoolboard

The EWSD District Office and Founders Memorial School recently won the Gold Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award. The Vermont Governor’s Award for Excellence in Worksite Wellness was developed by the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and presented in partnership with the Vermont Department of Health to employers across the state to create a standard of excellence for worksite wellness initiatives.

🎥 The #EWSD Board Meeting on November 12 is now available to watch thanks to the Media Factory 👉 https://www.mediafactory.org/?modal=77,episode,233111

Hey FMS! 😺👋

The CTE Engineering and Architectural Design students were tasked with designing and engineering their own bottle openers. Their objective was to create a functional bottle opener, test it on a bottle, and successfully remove the cap. Watch here👉 https://bit.ly/3YEl1VC

Hiawatha students had a pumpkin celebration! Pumpkins were scattered around outside near the playground, and all the students went outside to pick their very own pumpkins to keep. https://bit.ly/48f3A0U

The #EWSD Board will next meet on Tue., November 12 starting at 6:30 p.m. The full meeting will be available to watch on Facebook Live thanks to the Media Factory (https://www.facebook.com/BTVMediaFactory). Agenda items for the meeting include: - Superintendent Search Update - Literacy & Math Data with an Equity Lens - Questions on FY25 1st Quarter Financial Update To learn more about the EWSD Board, please visit: http://www.ewsd.org/schoolboard

EWSD Federal Grant Programs Manager Tamara Eklof and Hiawatha ELL teacher Terri Geffert presented at this year's World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) conference. Eklof co-led a workshop titled "Building Multilingual Programs in Rural Areas", and Geffert participated in a panel discussion focusing on instructional practices for equitable instruction of multilingual learners.

Hiawatha artists are working on Heather Galler-inspired masterpieces, exploring the elements and principles of art as they learn about geometric and organic shapes, and some are working on starlight pumpkins!

The EWSD Leadership Team was grateful to have Essex Police Chief Ron Hoague and Colleen Ballard from Essex Rescue attend a recent meeting. Both provided updates from their departments and talked about how we can continue to collaborate.

The Vermont State Board of Education met in the EHS Library. Prior to their meeting, the State Board took a tour of EHS and CTE. EWSD Director of Equity & Inclusion Erin Maguire also gave a presentation to the group on the District's equity journey. 👍👍

Daylight Saving Time Ends on Sunday, November 3! ⏰⏰

🎉 This week's employee spotlight is Madeleine Nyhagen! 🎉 "Madeleine consistently steps up to support the school by filling in as a behavioral interventionist when needed. Her ability to transition into this demanding role, while maintaining a calm and compassionate approach, shows her commitment to the students' well-being and the overall success of the school. Madeleine's adaptability and willingness to go above and beyond make her an invaluable asset to Hiawatha!" .... Is there an EWSD employee you'd like to nominate for the spotlight? Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/Aykx7NNp6bzdLgcB9

The Essex Westford School District is seeking a full-time Mainstream Instructional Assistant for grades K-8. This role assists and supervises assigned students instructionally, behaviorally, and physically in the general mainstream program. This position requires working with a student individually in collaboration with a special educator. For more information, and to apply, visit www.ewsd.org/jobs

The top nine runners from the EHS Girls Cross Country team competed in the Burnt Hills Invitational at Saratoga Springs. The team won the Division III race for the second consecutive year, with a 19-point lead! EHS’s top five runners finished in the top 25, and every EHS athlete placed within the top 75. 🐝🏆👍 #EWSD