2.15

Hi All, 

Happy last week before break! Last week was wild with the 100th day and Valentine's Day. You all did a wonderful job showing up for kids and bringing joy even when things feel hard. I see you and the work that you are putting in, thank you. 

Rowan does not have school on Monday so I will be home with her tomorrow. If you need my I will be available via phone. 

Observations from the Field 

• Folks asking questions to understand our new approach to attendance 
• Teams working hard to meet student needs 
• Folks utilizing direct conversations with respect and understanding 
• People stepping in and offering help in multiple ways 
• Folks enjoying sweets and savories and giving thanks 

News and Announcements 

• I'm looking for coverage for a Thursday 3-6 recess and a Friday K-2 Lunch. If you are interested you will be paid extra for your time. Please reach out to me asap! 
• President's Day Idea
• Math Night: We are thrilled to host our first Math night. Thank you to all of you who volunteered to come on Tuesday. If you didn't sign up and are still able to come please let Megan Mitchell know asap! 
• Budget: On Wednesday at staff meeting I will have more information about our new budget to share with you all. 
• Cellphone Use Reminders:
• Please do not have your personal devices out during the day. If you must use your phone please do so away from students. 
• Students should never have possession of your personal device. 
• You may only communicate with families via text with permission from myself and with the understanding that communication must be professional and follow FERPA. 
• Recess Reminders: 
• Proximity is key---please move around outside as much as possible 
• Please be timely and arrive outside at the start of recess 
• Announcements from Mr. Smith
• Monday and Tuesday are 3/4 Tetherball Days
• Wednesday and Thursday are 5/6 Tetherball Days
• On Friday, games will alternate one game of 3/4, one of 5/6 and so on.  To play a game on Friday, students will need to pick their partner for their one game, there is no "winner stays".
• Underground Spirit Week 2/16-2/20 
• Monday - Wear your favorite color! Keeping it simple to start, just wear your favorite color.
• Tuesday - Numbers! In honor of Math night, we thought it would be fun if everyone wore something with numbers on it! It could be a sports jersey, something with a year on it, 67. . . any number
• Wednesday - Ugly sweater day! Or any other top or pants that are silly/ugly/funny.
• Thursday - Decades day! Dress up as the decade you were born in or whichever is your favorite. . . tie dye, poodle skirts, flare jeans, layered tops, or butterfly clips!
• Friday - Cozy day! Dress in jammies, sweats, fuzzy robe . . . whatever you feel comfy and cozy in

From VPA Leads

• Legislative Update, Report #1

  Linked here is the first legislative report for the significant education related discussions/bills occurring during the 2026 Vermont legislative session. This legislative report was put together by and distributed to several Vermont education associations. This is also posted at VPANEWS where  you can see additional written VPA testimony from this past week. 

• Marshall Memo 1124

  This week's quotes and articles come from Boston Focus, Edutopia, Mike Kentz, Education Gadfly, Carl Hendrick, The New York Times, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The 74, Dave Stuart Jr., The Education Daily, Leadership Lenses, Education Next, Leadership Freak, and Retro Reports. Here are the headlines:

  • Seven principles for teaching and learning
  • Can the boy-girl reading gap be closed?
  • The troubling impact of GenAI on young people's social skills
  • A college English professor goes full low-tech
  • Bronx and Brooklyn teachers experiment with an AI platform
  • Suggestions for talking with parents and guardians about homework
  • The epidemic of online teen gambling
  • A different take on daily leadership huddles
  • A book about U.S. curriculum culture wars
  • When faced with a tough dilemma, dial some friends
  • Free classroom videos and lesson plans

  If you want an HTML version of this week's Memo, please click here. To listen to a podcast of last week's issue, click here.

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

  Preview YouTube video Marshall Memo 1123Preview YouTube video Marshall Memo 1123

What's Happening at BES?

Monday 2/16
Tuesday 2/17	Math Night 5:30-7:00
Wednesday 2/18	K-6 Teacher PD 8:45-9:20 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room  Board Meeting at U-32 6:15
Thursday  2/19	NAEP Testing for 4th Grade Den Groups 2:55-3:25
Friday 2/20	Team Meetings K-2 Attendance/Behavior  3-6 Academic

Where is Celia?

Monday 2/16	**Celia Out*** Available via phone
Tuesday 2/17	WCLT Meeting **Celia out until 1:00 Math Night 5:30-7:00
Wednesday 2/18	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 Berlin Future Capital Meeting 10:00-11:00 WCLT Nuts and Bolts 1:00-2:00 Student Meeting 1:30-2:45 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room  Board Meeting 6:15-?
Thursday  2/19	Student Meeting 8:15  BES SST 10:00-10:45 District Safety Team Meeting 1:00 **Celia Out 12:45- End of Day
Friday 2/20	Team Meetings K-2 Attendance/Behavior 3-6 Academic

2.8

Hi All, 

I hope that this blogpost finds you all warm. I know that I'm seeking sunspots in my house like a cat! Also, I hope that this meme makes you laugh. I saw it online and I laughed out loud so I thought I would share it with you. Last week was one where I very much felt like some of our ducks may have been pigeons! Thank you to you all for making every duck and pigeon feel like they belong. 

This month is Black History Month. As we think about books and experiences that we are creating for young people. Think about mirrors, windows and sliding glass doors for our students. A mirror is a book or experience (something that reflects their life) a window is a book or experience that opens their minds to a world beyond what they experience and a sliding glass door is a book or experience that allows a student to create deep empathy and understanding for the character. 

Here's a Quick Article with an explanation of this and some resources.  Age-Appropriate Resources for Difficult Conversations with Students. I'd also like to highlight a longer collection of articles from the Marshall Memo Supporting Students. This are not light topics but are of utmost importance to our students. 

Observations from the Field

• Adults modeling proactive reminders and setting expectations 
• Teams of teachers collaborating 
• Folks showcasing flexiblity and jumping in to learn new things
• Adults regulating themselves before engaging with students 

News and Announcements

• Request: If you have students that may be interested in promoting math night in a video please let me know in person or via email. 
• Reminder: Please fill out your DESSA. 
• Reminder: We will have a quick staff check in Wednesday morning after the votes of the towns of Calais and Worcester. 8:15-8:45 on Wednesday morning. 
• Here is the mailer that's been sent out. There is also a section on the WCUUSD webpage if you're interested. 

Last week, the Agency of Education released a statement on the ongoing violence against American citizens and members of immigrant communities at the hands of federal agents. In addition to the needless and tragic loss of life, the Agency is deeply concerned about the impact on children — children in immigrant communities who are living in fear of being detained by federal agents, children across Minneapolis who are traumatized by the violence engulfing their communities, and children across America who are trying to make sense of events that even adults are struggling to comprehend in real time.

As students try to make sense of these events, the Agency recognizes it can be difficult for teachers to discuss and broach conversations on current events in the classroom. The Agency has compiled the following resources, which may be useful:

• Common Sense Education: Talking with Students About Shocking or Disturbing News
• Education Week: Doing the Nearly Impossible: Teaching When the World Delivers Fear
• Facing History & Ourselves: Teaching Current Events Educator Guide
• NPR: What to say to kids when the news is scary
• Mental Health America: Talking To Kids About Fear And Violence
• National Association of School Psychologists: Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Families
• Sesame Workshop: Violence

Marshall Memo 1123

This is a good month to check out the Best of Memo website's sections on Race and the Education of American Students and Coaching Teachers. Each has a super-curated collection of Memo summaries that you can preview, download as a PDF, and listen to.

This week's quotes and articles come from Education Next, The New York Times, The Principal Center, Edutopia, Coaching Letter, The Learning Dispatch, American Enterprise Institute, Education Week, The 74, and Education Gadfly. Here are the headlines:

• Focusing on student learning during classroom observations
• Institutional "architecture" that fosters effective teaching and learning
• The critical importance of a coherent K-12 curriculum sequence
• The best use of primary source documents in history classes
• What does real student engagement look like?
• Tween and teen graphic novels about mental health
• State-by-state reading scores and SES
• A new K-12 research website

If you want an HTML version of this week's Memo, please click here. To listen to a podcast of last week's issue (#1122), click here. For a podcast of this week's issue, just log in at www.marshallmemo.com later this week and click Podcasts.

What's Happening at BES?

Monday 2/9	HJC 8:15 Curriculum Council 4:00-5:30
Tuesday 2/10	Para Monthly Meeting 4:00
Wednesday 2/11	K-6 Teacher PD 8:45-9:20 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room  Board Meeting at U-32 6:15
Thursday  2/12	All School Meeting 2:55-3:25 District Wide HJC Meeting 12:30-1:55
Friday 2/13	Team Meetings K-2 Academic 3-6 Attendance/Behavior  **Staff Surprise at Lunch**

Where is Celia?

Monday 2/9	HJC 8:15-8:45 Union Meeting 9:15  Science Conversation w/JMA 9:30 EST Check In 10:00-11:15 w/JMA and Julia SPED Team 11:40  Meeting 2:00  Curriculum Council
Tuesday 2/10	Student Meeting 9:00  Meeting 10:30  Student Meeting 12:00-12:45 Principals Check in 12:30  Para Monthly Meeting 3:30-4:30
Wednesday 2/11	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 WCLT Nuts and Bolts 1:00-2:00 Student Meeting 2:15-3:00 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room
Thursday  2/12	Stephanie/Celia 8:15 BES SST 10:00-10:45
Friday 2/13	Team Meetings K-2 Academic 3-6 Attendance/Behavior Student Meeting 3:45

2.1

Hi All, 

I hope that all is going well and that you are staying warm. I'm grateful for the sunshine and also wondering why it needs to be so darn cold to be sunny! I wanted to take a moment to thank you all again for making Friday night so special for so many kids. We had a very full house and it was a lovely night of community. Look a the JOY from the faces of the PK kids watching dress rehearsal. 

I'm looking forward to another opportunity to bring our families together on Math Night, February 17th.

Observations from the Field 

• Saw lots of teachers meeting with students for lunches and playing with kids in practice 
• Teams problem solving to meet the needs of kids 
• Staff advocating for what is best for students 
• Staff showing excitement for thinking about school in different ways 
• Staff supporting families by giving them rides to performances 
• Creative problem solving to make sure families get the food that they need 

News and Announcements

• Gearing up for the DESSA
• If you could login to Aperture Education. Please check your class roster and report to Tim Couture if something is missing or needs to be added 
• Friendly reminder--- I'm working hard to respond to emails in a more timely manner. My time frame is to respond within 24 hours. If you need an immediate response off hours please call/text or check in with Lori and have her reach out to me. 
• You may have noticed that we have new partnerships with some Mental Health providers. This is apart of our newly defined approach to creating pathways to supports for students. This partnership does not cost the school any money, the school counselors are screened using out background check/fingerprint process and clinicians are required to take insurance. The approval of the partnerships is contingent on space in the building. If you have any questions please let me know! Please see the approach that was shared with our broader community: 

Berlin Mental Health Approach

Berlin Elementary School recognizes the need for families and students to have access to regular, supportive mental health care. Our School Counselor is always available to support students, help with resources and connect families with additional services.

When a student and family wishes to access services for longer periods of time, or with outside trained professionals, Berlin Elementary will assist and support by: 

→ Maintaining a current list of providers that accept insurance locally

→ Assisting with referral and waitlist processes  

→ Decreasing barriers to accessing mental health services by supporting students in connecting with clinicians during the school day 

At times, the best way to connect students with clinicians and ensure that necessary care is provided is to offer use of space in the building, and access during school hours. For this to happen, 

Parents inform BES School Counselor and/or Principal of need 

BES coordinates with family to align scheduling in the least disruptive way to student’s

learning 

BES Counselor and Provider coordinate care 

Marshall Memo 1122

• This week's quotes and articles come from School Administrator, The Monthly Dispatch, Transcend, Ithaca College, Shanahan on Literacy, Scientists in the Making, The Journal of the Learning Sciences, Principal Leadership, and Edutopia. The headlines:

  • Using GenAI as a butler, a thinking partner, and a sparring partner
  • A vision for effective schools in the age of AI
  • Phonics, structured literacy, and comprehensive literacy
  • Timothy Shanahan on when to start teaching reading
  • Unpacking Tier 3 science words so students understand
  • Using students' everyday knowledge in math assessments
  • Onboarding a newly hired administrator
  • How to handle a meeting on problematic student behavior

  If you want an HTML version of this week's Memo, please click here. To listen to a podcast of last week's issue (#1121), click here. For a podcast of this week's Memo, just log in at www.marshallmemo.com later this week and click Podcasts.

What's Happening at BES?

Monday 2/2
Tuesday 2/3
Wednesday 2/4	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room  Board Meeting at U-32 6:15
Thursday  2/5	All School Meeting 2:55-3:25
Friday 2/6	Team Meetings K-2 Attendance/Behavior 3-6 Academics

Where is Celia?

Monday 2/2	Union Meeting 9:15  Growing Connections Planning 11:00  SPED Team 11:40  Student Meeting 2:30-3:15 Student Meeting 3:15-4:15
Tuesday 2/3	WCLT 8:30-11:00 **Celia Out until 11:30 Student Meeting 11:30
Wednesday 2/4	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 WCLT Nuts and Bolts 1:00-2:00 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room  Board Meeting 6:15 at Calais
Thursday  2/5	Student Meeting 8:00-9:00  Celia and Susanne Check in 10:00 BES SST 10:00-10:45 Student Meeting 2:15-3:00  Student Meeting 3:45-4:30
Friday 2/6	Team Meetings K-2 Attendance/Behavior 3-6 Academic Student Meeting 3:45

1.25

Hi All, 

I hope that you all have stayed warm and are ready for the snow. This week will be busy with the circus residency and the potential of a snowday tomorrow. I wanted to apologize for any confusion that my day on Friday caused. I had agreed to support CO in the application process for a new Executive Assistant. I didn't communicate that absence/change well and I apologize! 

Observations from the Field 

• Deep care and commitment to ensuring that all students understand the impact of their actions on others 
• Use of restorative questions 
• Commitment to transparent communication 
• Teams working to be solutions focused

News and Announcements 

• Circus Residency-- I will let you know ASAP if there are any changes to the timing or schedule if there is a snowday tomorrow. 
• Intervention Cycle 3: February 2- April 10th. Interventionists will connect with classroom teachers to make sure that their needs and their student needs are met next week. 
• Any student who is receiving IEP services will have their services at the same time. 
• Interventionist will prioritize the collection of the LCAP data. 
• LCAP Data---Please ensure that all data is entered by Friday afternoon. We will utilize time in teams and as a whole staff to analyze and look at our progress. We have some exciting things to celebrate! 
• Please take a peek at these resources. Given the events in our country I want to make sure that you have resources to support students if questions come up. 
• https://www.embracerace.org/resources/the-fear-never-goes-away
• https://migrantjustice.net/resources ***Go to educator resources
• https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Publications-Research/Publications/ASCA-Resources/Support-Immigrant-Students

Marshall Memo 1121

This week's quotes and articles come from The Los Angeles Times, Education Next, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Kappan, Adrian's Newsletter, Dave Stuart Jr.'s website, American Educator, Edutopia, Principal, Hechinger Report, and Education Gadfly. Here are the headlines:

• Getting students to do the most important work in class
• Literacy skills for the 21st century
• A strategy to get middle-school students reading good novels
• Should students memorize facts when they can just Google them?
• How general education teachers can support English learners
• A daily leadership team huddle
• Keys to the school success of African-American boys
• Stop blaming single-parent families for low achievement
• What makes tutoring effective
• If you want an HTML version of this week's Memo, please click here.

To list to a podcast of last week's issue (1120), click here.

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

What's Happening at BES?

Monday 1/26	HJC 8:15-8:45
Tuesday 1/27
Wednesday 1/28	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 No Staff Meeting---Give Time to Attend Circus on Friday 1/30
Thursday  1/29	SPED/Intervention Meeting 12:45-3:30
Friday 1/30	Team Meetings K-2 Attendance/Behavior 3-6 Academic

Where is Celia?

Monday 1/26	HJC 8:15-9:00 Check In 10:30 SPED Team 11:40  PK Check in 1:45 Curriculum Council 4:00-5:30
Tuesday 1/27	WCLT Meeting 8:30-11:00 **Celia Out  Student Meeting 3:15 Student Meeting 3:45
Wednesday 1/28	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 WCLT Nuts and Bolts 1:00-2:00 Verkada Training 2:00
Thursday  1/29	Student Meeting 8:15-9:00  BES SST 10:00-10:45 Student Meeting 1:00
Friday 1/30	Team Meetings K-2 Attendance/Behavior 3-6 Academic  Student meeting 2:15