5.25

   

Hi All,

I hope that you all had a good weekend. We're getting into the final countdown as wild as that seems. Let's make sure we stay hydrated, focused and relying on our team and we'll be cruising to the finish line in no time. Let's ride!

Observations from the Field

• An amazing team of teachers supporting our students in multiple performances 
• Staff being extra thoughtful around supporting students
• Staff taking time to review routines even at the end of the year 
• Staff giving clear and actionable feedback 

News and Announcements

• Goals Meetings---Please schedule with Lori 
• Hiring Committee Volunteers- We are in need of a hiring team for the Art Teacher (.4 Opening). If you are interested in this position please reach out to me asap. 
• I don't have a time set yet but can get one set as soon as we have a team up and going. 
• Here are some great summer reading resources as put out by the VPA. Take a peek, I'll be reading at least a few of them! The picture should be clickable to a link for a clearer image of the texts. 
  
  
• Here's a great article: https://www.naesp.org/resource/the-power-of-school-home-partnerships/

Marshall Memo 1138

• This week's quotes and articles come from Education Week, Stefan Bauschard, "Collective Impact" (a book), Edutopia, The Learning Dispatch, American Educational Research Journal, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Reading Research Quarterly, Knowledge Quest, and Kappan. Here are the headlines:

  • Twelve ways principals can build collective efficacy
  • Angela Duckworth on willpower, cellphones, and AI
  • Can students learn instructional content from TikTok andYouTube?
  • Using an automated scoring program with middle-school writing
  • Hidden linguistic difficulties in math word problems
  • Key factors that affect beginning readers
  • Teen novels about surviving emotional trauma
  • Troubling data on high-school sophomores
  • If you want an HTML version of this week's Memo, please click here.

  To listen to a podcast of last week's issue (#1137), click here.

  For a podcast of this week's Memo, log in at  here. www.marshallmemo.com later this week and click Podcasts.

What's Happening at BES?

Monday 5/25	No School
Tuesday 5/26
Wednesday 5/27	Teacher PD 8:20-9:20  Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 *Please bring shoes you can walk in Board Meeting 6:00
Thursday  5/28
Friday 5/29	Team Meetings K-2 Academic

Where is Celia?

Monday 5/25
Tuesday 5/26	Goals Meeting 2:30-3:00
Wednesday 5/27	Teacher PD 8:20-9:20  Student Meeting 10:00  WCLT Nuts and Bolts 1:00-2:00
Thursday  5/28	Student Meeting 9:00-10:00 BES SST 10:00-10:45
Friday 5/29	**Celia Out** Rowan No School

5.17

Hi All, 

I hope that you are all still out relishing in the beauty that has been this weekend. While we're all extra dirty and filled with bug bites I am so grateful for the sunshine and the promise that the "big green payback" is coming! 

You all are navigating all the end of the year chaos very well. Keep up the fantastic work. 

Observations from the Field

• Staff communicating need to each other clearly and respectfully
• Staff working to provide new opportunities for students 
• Staff who are going the extra mile to make sure that kids feel connected and supported
• Staff working together to make sure that we are pulling in the same direction 
• Students expressing themselves using multiple modes of expression (written, visual, audio)     

News and Announcements

• Given the announcement of class configuration and who is teaching where I wanted to give a heads up of how students will be placed. 
• First, current grade level teachers will make lists 
• Second, the lists will be reviewed/feedback with interventionists and special education teacher 
• Third, lists will be reviewed/feedback by specials teachers 
• Fourth, lists will be reviewed by classroom teachers
• Celia makes final placement/decisions. Letters are sent over summer.  
• Please note that class placement is confidential and parents will be notified over the summer of where their child is/will be placed. 
• Memorial Day Whole School Meeting--- DATE CHANGE 
• We will be having a whole school meet on Friday May 22nd from 2:50-3:20. I apologize, we have a scheduling meeting off campus. I mixed up my dates. 
• Whole School Meeting/Den Groups through the end of the year 
• Whole School Meeting--- May 14th 
• Whole School Meeting--- May 22nd 
• Den Groups w/Special Video Request--- June 4th  
• Whole School Meeting/Activity--- June 15th 9:30-10:45
• Upcoming Dates
• May 19th: Art/Music Show
• May 22nd-- Whole School Meeting 
• June 9th— 6th Step-Up Day
• June 10th--- Field Day/BBQ 
• June 16th– 6th Grade Graduation at 6:00 
• June 17th–Half Day Grading 

• June 18th—Inservice Day 

Field Trips
• Thursday, May 28 - 1st Grade goes to Book Buddies at U32
• Friday, May 29 - Kindergarten goes to Autumn Raynes Farm
• Friday, June 5 - 5th & 6th Grade goes to Great Escape
• Tuesday, June 9 - 4th Grade goes to VT Statehouse and History Museum

• Tuesday, June 9 - 1st and 2nd Grade goes to Montshire Museum

• Marshall Memo 1137

  This week's quotes and articles come from Learning on Purpose, The Rithm Project, The Power of Why, Education Disrupted, The New Yorker, Educational Leadership, Edutopia, Principal Leadership, Communique, Scientists in the Making, Principal, Adrian's Newsletter, and Leadership Freak. Here are the headlines:

  • What is the role of brick-and-mortar schools in the years ahead?
  • A parent worries about AI in her children's classrooms
  • Jim Knight on fast-track instructional coaching
  • How to prevent tearful last-minute pleas for grade changes
  • Dealing with kids' withdrawal symptoms after playing addictive games
  • Getting the most out of small erasable whiteboards
  • Talking so parents understand
  • A teacher's year-end to-do list
  • Complainers and builders

  If you want an HTML version of this week's Memo, please click here.

  To listen to a podcast of last week's issue (#1136), click here.

  For a podcast of this week's Memo, log in at www.marshallmemo.com later this week and click Podcasts.

I want to highlight these two articles from the Marshall Memo:

7. Getting the Most Out of Small Erasable Whiteboards

            In this Scientists in the Making article, Marcie Samayoa says mini-whiteboards can be an excellent way to check for understanding with every student in a class – and use real-time data to adjust instruction accordingly. But in her high-school science classes, Samayoa noticed a problem:

-   She explained a concept and gave a worked example.

-   She gave students a new problem and they solved it on their whiteboards.

-   When the whiteboards were held up, half the class had incorrect answers.

-   She explained it again, addressing the error she saw on the boards.

-   But when students tried a new problem, half the class still got wrong answers.

What was going on? Samayoa believes it was because “despite the teacher providing students feedback on their answers, students are not applying the feedback to their own work.”

            It took her a while to figure out a solution, but she finally found it in Tick-Trick, a system for getting students to apply feedback to their mini-whiteboard responses. Here’s how it works:

-   Students solve a problem on their whiteboards.

-   The teacher scans the responses, visibly craning to see all whiteboards.

-   The teacher refrains from providing individual feedback (Angela, you really understand this.).

-   The teacher goes over the solution, telling students to put a checkmark by each part they have correct, which gets students applying feedback to their work in real time.

-   In her class, Samoya reports hearing a lot of “Ohhhhhhhs” as students do this.

-   Students write their number of checkmarks in the top corner of their whiteboards.

-   Students hold up their whiteboards again for accountability.

-   If some students are faking their checkmarks, Samayoa spots them and follows up individually.

“The Missing Piece to Mini Whiteboards” by Marcie Samayoa in Scientists in the Making, May 6, 2026; Samayoa can be reached at scientistsinthemakingblog@gmail.com; her previous article on mini-whiteboards is here.

Back to page one

8. Talking So Parents Understand

            In this article in Principal, Windy Lopez-Aflitto (Learning Heroes) says the words educators use can confuse or worry parents. Some examples and suggested alternatives:

What we say: self-regulation

What parents hear: This sounds like my child is going through some kind of therapy.

Try this: self-control

What we say: grit

What parents hear: dirt, difficulty, something hard

Try this: taking on challenges, pushing yourself, learning from mistakes and effort

What we say: growth mindset

What parents hear: The ability of child’s mind to expand and grow increases over time.

Try this: learning from mistakes, hard work pays off, it’s all in the effort

What we say: executive function

What parents hear: Is this going to the bathroom?

Try this: organizational skills, setting goals, ability to focus, managing time well

What we say: resilience, perseverance, persistence

            What parents hear: Their child is unhappy or struggling.

            Try this: bouncing back, sticking with it, learning from mistakes, overcoming obstacles

“The Power of School-Home Partnerships” by Windy Lopez-Aflitto in Principal, May/June 2026; the full report is Developing Life Skills in Children: A Road Map for Communicating with Parents, 2018

Back to page one

What's Happening at BES?

Monday 5/18	HJC 8:15
Tuesday 5/19	Concert Rehearsal 1:00 Concert 5:30-7:00
Wednesday 5/20	Teacher PD 8:20-9:20  No Staff Meeting  Board Meeting 6:00
Thursday  5/21
Friday 5/22	Team Meetings 3-6 Academic Whole School Meeting---Memorial Day 2:55-3:20

Where is Celia?

Monday 5/18	HJC 8:15 Union Meeting 10:00-10:30  Student Meeting 11:00-12:00 SPED Meeting 11:40 Student Meeting 3:45
Tuesday 5/19	WCLT In Person 8:30-12:00 **Celia Out until 12:30
Wednesday 5/20	Joelle Recap virtual 8:00-8:30 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20  Student Meeting 10:00  WCLT Nuts and Bolts 1:00-2:00 Board Meeting
Thursday  5/21	Student Meeting 8:15 BES SST 10:00-10:45 Elementary School Scheduling Bootcamp 1:00-4:00
Friday 5/22	Student Meeting 12:00-12:45 Team Meetings 3-6 Academic

5.10

Hi All, 

I hope that you all had a lovely weekend. I apologize that I am late in my blog this week. We ended up spending more time in Waterford than we had originally planned. I am looking forward to another beautiful and joy filled week with you all. 

                                                   

 

Here are a couple of snapshots of the joy last week! I wanted to give a huge shoutout to the 5/6 team for putting on an amazing spaghetti dinner and silent auction. There was an immense amount of excitement and a full spirit of teamwork present on Friday evening. Thank you to everyone who made it happen. 

Observations from the Field

• Staff communicating clearly about needs 
• Staff reflecting and making team decisions 
• Students feeling comfortable in asking for help
• Staff supporting students in unique ways 
• Adults listening carefully for finding ways to help 

News and Announcements

• Climate Surveys:
• Faculty/staff Climate Survey 
• Grade 2nd-6th need to fill out this student survey 
• All surveys must be filled out by this Friday, May 15th. Families and the broader community will also receive this survey again this week. 
• If you need help in getting this completed with students please let me know what I can do to help. 
• Memorial Day Celebration---
• Kim Knapp and i had a lovely conversation. We are going to move the lunchoen to happen around Veteran's Day next year. 
• The "drop everything and learn" together will happen in the gym. So, instead of classroom learning we will engage in a whole school meeting. 
• We are going to strike a balance between learning, reverence and understanding. 
• All School Meeting will take place March 21. 
• Whole School Meeting/Den Groups through the end of the year 
• Whole School Meeting--- May 14th 
• Whole School Meeting--- May 21st 
• Den Groups w/Special Video Request--- June 4th  
• Whole School Meeting/Activity--- June 15th 9:30-10:45
• Grade Level Configurations 26-27 
• K 
• 1
• 2
• 3/4
• 3/4
• 5
• 5
• 6
• Decision on where teacher's will be teaching will be made early in the week. I want all teaching staff to be in the building when the announcements are made. 

Upcoming Dates: 

• May 13th--- Half Day Dismissal
• May 19th All School Dress rehearsal for Music Show ---- 1:00 pm 
• May 19th: Art/Music Show 
• June 9th— 6th Step-Up Day
• June 10th--- Field Day/BBQ 
• June 16th– 6th Grade Graduation at 6:00 
• June 17th–Half Day Grading 

• June 18th—Inservice Day 

Field Trips

• Tuesday, April 28 - BES Band and Chorus Students go to U32
• 3rd goes to the Farm (???)
• Friday, May 15 - 3rd Grade goes to Shelburne Museum
• Thursday, May 28 - 1st Grade goes to Book Buddies at U32
• Friday, May 29 - Kindergarten goes to Autumn Raynes Farm
• Friday, June 5 - 5th & 6th Grade goes to Great Escape
• Tuesday, June 9 - 4th Grade goes to VT Statehouse and History Museum

• Tuesday, June 9 - 1st and 2nd Grade goes to Montshire Museum

Marshall Memo 1136 This week's quotes and articles come from Education Gadfly, Grading for Growth, Psychology Today, Education Week, The Learning Professional, two Coaching Letters, Communique, and Cult of Pedagogy. The headlines: Five principles of learning and how they can be put to work in schools Zaretta Hammond on countering the effects of "cognitive redlining" Challenges when successful practices are taken to scale Workplace accommodations for neurodivergent adults Jennifer Gonzalez on lesson plans that stand the test of time If you want an HTML version of this week's Memo, please click here. To listen to a podcast of last week's issue (#1135), click here. For a podcast of this week's Memo, log in at www.marshallmemo.com later this week and click Podcasts.

What's Happening at BES?

• Monday 5/11	Curriculum Council 4:00-5:30
  Tuesday 5/12	Paraeducator Monthly Meeting 3:40-4:40
  Wednesday 5/13	Teacher PD 8:20-9:20  Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room
  Thursday  5/14	PTNA Meeting 6:00-7:30
  Friday 5/15	Team Meetings K-2 Attendance/Behavior 3-6 Academic

  Where is Celia?

  Monday 5/11	Meeting 9:00-10:00  Union Meeting 10:00-10:30  Meeting w/Julia 10:30-11:00 SPED Meeting 11:40 Student Meeting 1:00-2:30 Curriculum Council 4:00-5:30
  Tuesday 5/12	Student Meeting 10:00  Student Meeting 1:00  Para Monthly Meeting 3:30-4:30
  Wednesday 5/13	Teacher PD  Student Meeting 11:00-12:00  Early Dismissal
  Thursday  5/14	Student Meeting 8:15 Meeting with Capstone Action 9:00 BES SST 10:00-10:45
  Friday 5/15	Studnet Meeting Team Meetings K-2 Attendance/Behavior 3-6 Academic

5.3

Hi All, 

I hope that you all had a lovely end to your week and that you made the best of this kind dreary weekend. Some how the two days we have "off" always feel way shorter than they should! I'm looking forward to another great week ahead. One of my goals for the week is to have a more clear plan for staffing and placement by the end of the week, at the start of next week at the latest. Thank you for your patience as we've waited for returning of contracts, etc.  What is one of your goals for the week? Write it down, share it with a colleague, or stop me and let me know what you're working on. 

As we are approaching the typical parent's day celebrations, I wanted to share a few reminders from writing and personal experience. These days are particularly challenging for students who have:

• experienced loss
• are living in foster care 
• have strained parental relationships 

https://www.naesp.org/resource/helping-kids-cope-on-mothers-day-and-fathers-day/

Shifting the focus to being a "hero" day or celebrating someone special is an okay shift and please make sure to check in with the student first and make sure that they have an "out" if they'd like. I know that personally it always felt like an afterthought and I would have deeply appreciated a personal check-in and plan with my teachers prior to the class project or discussion. 

Observations from the Field: 

• Teachers flexing schedules and supporting students with multiple entry points 
• Staff supporting each other's work in celebration 
• Conversations staying student centered 
• Professional conversations 
• Solution focused thinking 
• Staff supporting the creation of a new schedule for next year
• Staff stepping in and supporting the finishing of VTCAP

News and Announcements: 

• This week is BES Staff Appreciation Week, expect some fun surprises throughout the week. Wednesday Morning the PTNA is hosting an appreciation breakfast starting at 8:00 in the Art Room. Please know that this is a small gesture of how thankful we are for all of you. 
• The 5th/6th Grade Team is hosting a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser on Friday Night. Please support our oldest learners. Sign-Up Here https://forms.gle/dt9p8djJUE1y8vvC7
• End of Year--Reflections
• We will be scheduling meetings in the first weeks of June to reflect on your goals. Please make sure to login and identify progress, upload documents and start to think about that conversation. 
• End of Year-- Field Trips 
• Please know that I am working on placements for adults on Field Trips and will be working with special educators on ensuring that all students are supported. If you know now that you are able/unable to attend one of the trips and support a student please let me know ASAP. 
• Heads Up: Relocation 
• By the end of the year we will have to do a relocation drill-- we will spend some time as a staff on May 6th and May 29th talking about and walking to our "rally points" and will have discussions with our students about where we could go in the event of a run.  

Upcoming Events/Dates:

• May 6th: Community in Bloom Library Night 
• May 8th: 6th Grade Spaghetti Dinner 
• May 13th: Half Day Release---Inservice
• May 19th All School Dress rehearsal for Music Show ---- 1:00 pm 
• May 19th: Art/Music Show 
• May 26th: No School---Memorial Day
• June 10th--- Field Day/BBQ 
• June 16th– 6th Grade Graduation at 6:00 
• June 17th–Half Day Grading 
• June 18th—Inservice Day 

Field Trips

• Friday, May 15 - 3rd Grade goes to Shelburne Museum
• Thursday, May 28 - 1st Grade goes to Book Buddies at U32
• Friday, May 29 - Kindergarten goes to Autumn Raynes Farm
• Friday, June 5 - 5th & 6th Grade goes to Great Escape
• Tuesday, June 9 - 4th Grade goes to VT Statehouse and History Museum
• Tuesday, June 9 - 1st and 2nd Grade goes to Montshire Museum

What's Happening at BES?

• Monday 5/4	HJC 8:15-9:00 Steven in Building 10:00-12:00 Curriculum Council 4:00-5:30
  Tuesday 5/5
  Wednesday 5/6	PTNA Staff Appreciation Breakfast 8:00-8:45 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room  Community Library Night 5:30-7:30
  Thursday  5/7
  Friday 5/8	Team Meetings K-2 Academic 3-6 Attendance/Behavior

  Where is Celia?

  Monday 5/4	Union Meeting 9:30-10:15  Meet with Steven 10:00-12:00 SPED Meeting 11:40 Curriculum Council 4:00-5:30
  Tuesday 5/5	WCLT 8:30-12:30 **Celia Out
  Wednesday 5/6	Teacher Appreciation Breakfast  WCLT Nuts and Bolts 1:00-2:00  Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room
  Thursday  5/7	Meeting w/Stephanie 8:15 BES SST 10:00-10:45 UVM CSC Site Visit and Grant Review 12:00-3:00
  Friday 5/8	Team Meetings K-2 Academic  3-6 Attendance/Behavior