Input Needed Regarding Homework Policy

http://www.wsesu.net/news/2016/10/31/input-needed?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Weathersfield School

October 31, 2016

Input Needed

Homework
As you may have heard, many schools in the state of Vermont have decided not to give homework any more.  The reaction has been mixed among, students, their families and educators.  Our supervisory union is also considering adopting a No Homework policy.

Currently, we do give homework and we follow the procedure defined below, (which can be found on pages 25 and 26 in the 2016-2017 Parent/Student Handbook).

WS is very interested in what you think about the possibility of WS becoming a No Homework school.  

Please send us your thinking.  You may send it in to your child's teacher or email the teacher or me, (jmoakman@wsesu.net).  You do not have to sign your name if you care not too.

We are anxious for input from as many parents, children, community members, and teachers, as possible.  I hope to share the results with our school board and superintendent in the weeks ahead.

Sincerely,
JeanMarie

XIII. HOMEWORK PROCEDURE

Weathersfield School recognizes that homework is an integral part of the instructional program. Homework must have a valid educational purpose and should pertain to the objectives of the course, unit, or lesson in which the student is participating. Only through a planned schedule of in-class and home assignments, closely monitored by the classroom teacher, can the habit and discipline for consistent home study be developed.

RESPONSIBILITIES
-     The teacher will provide help in developing good study skills and ensure that assignments are purposeful, clear, and appropriate. Homework will be an extension of classwork and should be explained in class to enable students to ask questions and receive initial assistance.
-     The student is responsible for the timely completion of homework and should make sure he or she understands the purpose and requirements of the assignment, as well as any preparation that will be needed. It is the student’s responsibility after an absence to find out from the teacher what work he or she missed. The student should use study time properly and efficiently and take full advantage of materials, resources, and supplementary assistance.
-     The parents should provide a home atmosphere conducive to study and encourage their child to complete homework assignments. Parents should not unduly contribute to student work and should provide only that assistance and guidance which will enable the student to independently complete his or her own homework assignments.
-     If a student is experiencing difficulty with homework, the student or parent should contact the teacher as soon as possible. Both teachers and parents may request that a student attend a help session.

CRITERIA
The following criteria will be considered when assigning homework. Teachers consider these and other criteria in the development of their class homework assignments.
1.         All assignments will serve a purpose.
2.         Homework will be fitted to the needs and capabilities of the students within each grade level.
3.         Directions will be clearly explained so students know what is expected.
4.         The assignment will add to the student’s knowledge and understanding.
5.         Assignments will be relevant to the curriculum covered within the school setting.

PURPOSE
1.         To complete work begun in class.
2.         To provide opportunities for field observation, researching and reporting.
3.         To extend and reinforce classroom experiences and to practice skills introduced in the classroom.
4.         To promote growth in responsibility among students.
5.         To explore creatively many areas of interest and need.
6.         To expand and enrich students’ vocabulary.
7.         To provide rote memorization of essential basic skills.
8.         To extend interests that develop in class.
9.         To develop good cooperation between parents and the school.
10.       To develop independent study skills.
11        To prepare for quizzes and tests.
12.       To read for background information in different subject areas.
13.       To prepare for future classwork.

HELP SESSIONS
Help sessions are times set aside by the teacher in order to aid students with classwork, offer remedial assistance, or provide focused attention for homework or other skills. Teachers may require a help session for a student, and parents or students may request a help session as well. Help session days and times will vary depending on the teacher’s schedule. Help sessions take precedence over any school sponsored extracurricular activities. Parents are welcome to contact the school regarding this valuable service.

JeanMarie K. Oakman, Principal
Weathersfield School
135 Schoolhouse Road
Ascutney, Vermont 05030
(802) 674-5400, ext. 129
Fax: (802) 674-9963
jmoakman@wsesu.net

Safety Tips For a Happy Halloween!!

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's photo.

https://www.facebook.com/missingkids/photos/a.10151856717871988.469085.32507971987/10155339418026988/?type=3&theater

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

#Halloween costumes are ready, candy bowl is stocked, but have you reviewed our safety tips before going out tonight? Take a few moments to help make your child's Halloween a safer night of fun!

https://goo.gl/5SooEK

Thank You Message From Autumn Sanville's Parents

Help Find Autumn Sanville's photo.

https://www.facebook.com/HelpFindAutumn/?fref=ts

Help Find Autumn Sanville

First, we’d like to thank everyone for their support and willingness to help over the past three weeks.

In what was easily the worst time in our lives, this community rallied together to help find our daughter, and we are truly humbled and amazed by your love and unwavering support. We have Autumn with us now. While this story ended much better than we anticipated, there are other missing girls out there who won’t have such happy endings, and our thoughts are with them too, right now.

As you may have read, Autumn was found at her boyfriend’s father’s house. The police have been in contact with her boyfriend, who is an adult, several times throughout the investigation, but he denied knowing Autumn’s whereabouts each time. The VSP are labeling this a criminal investigation. We are sad that Autumn chose to leave on her own and did not reach out to us. There is a long road ahead of us, and our family will need time and professional help to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again. We need to heal and deal with the consequences of what has occurred.

We hope Autumn's story will help other parents become more involved in their children's lives, learn who their friends are and learn to talk to them. We have just arrived home and have barely come to learn of the circumstances in Autumn’s disappearance ourselves. We can’t answer any questions right now. We know that you have become emotionally invested in Autumn’s story, and felt it was right to provide as detailed of an update as we could, and we hope this serves as just that. In addition, we will be refunding all money received through the GoFundMe account.

Again, from the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank you for all the support, encouragement, prayers, and loyalty you have shown not just as a community, but across the United States. While we need time to triage and rebuild our family, we wanted to first put out this update of gratitude to you. 💙💙

State Sex Offender Registeries in Northeast

NE Emergency News & Wx

Since Halloween is tomorrow, we felt it would be appropriate to post the links to all of the State sex offender registries in the Northeast to ensure parents know who is where and to keep our kids safe:

Connecticut: http://www.sheriffalerts.com/cap_office_disclaimer.php…
Delaware: https://sexoffender.dsp.delaware.gov/…

Maine: http://sor.informe.org/cgi-bin/sor/index.pl
Maryland: http://www.dpscs.state.md.us/sorSearch/
Massachusetts: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/sorb/
New Hampshire: http://www.homefacts.com/offenders/New-Hampshire.html
New Jersey: http://www.njsp.org/sex-offender-registry/index.shtml
New York: http://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/nsor/
Pennsylvania: https://www.pameganslaw.state.pa.us/
Rhode Island: http://www.paroleboard.ri.gov/sexoffender/agree.php
Vermont: http://sheriffalerts.com/cap_office_disclaimer.php…
Washington DC: http://sexoffender.dc.gov/

 https://www.facebook.com/NeEmergencyNewsWxFeed/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf

DPS-VSP Press Release/Missing Person Autumn Sanville LOCATED/16D002431

October 30, 2016

DPS-VSP press release/missing person Autumn Sanville located/16D002431

Vermont State Police Press Release

Missing Person Autumn Sanville

16D002431

Autumn Sanville, 17, reported missing on October 6, 2016, was located earlier this afternoon.

Sanville was found at the Royalton residence of her boyfriend.  The boyfriend, Shadoe Benson, 22, lives with his father in Royalton.  When Benson’s father came home unexpectedly he found Sanville in his kitchen and made Benson contact the State Police.

Detectives contacted Shadoe Benson several times throughout this investigation, and he denied having knowledge of Sanville’s whereabouts.  Benson claimed to not know Sanville was at the residence until she was found there by his father.

Sanville was uninjured and claimed to have spent the last three and a half weeks alone, camping with just a sleeping bag in the woods. She claimed she did this all on her own, no one assisted her, and that she subsisted on a diet of bread, jelly, river water, and goldfish crackers.  

Despite her claims, Sanville was clean and dry, and her clothing and sleeping bag showed no signs of wear and tear or use in the woods.  

Sanville said she threw her cell phone into the Connecticut River the day she went missing.

Sanville returned home with her parents.  State Police are continuing this criminal investigation and thank the public for their assistance and cooperation.  Anyone with further information about where Sanville has been can contact detectives at 802 722-4600.

 http://vtstatepolice.blogspot.com/2016/10/dps-vsp-press-releasemissing-person.html

Warning for Vermont General Election / Nov. 08, 2016

WARNING—VERMONT GENERAL ELECTION—NOVEMBER 8, 2016
A statewide GENERAL Election will be held on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2016 to vote for candidates for the following offices:
U.S. President and Vice-President
U.S. Senator State Treasurer State Senator(s)
U.S. Representative Secretary of State State Representative(s)
Governor Auditor of Accounts High Bailiff
Lieutenant Governor Attorney General Justice of the Peace
The polls will open at 8:00 a.m. and will close at 7:00 p.m. The polling place is  located at:
Martin Memorial Hall / 5259 Route 5, Ascutney, VT


VERMONT NOTICE TO VOTERS AND VERMONT VOTER RIGHTS
CHECKLIST: posted at town clerk's office by Sunday, October 9, 2016. If your name is not on it, then you must register to vote.
SAMPLE BALLOTS POSTED: Wednesday, October 19, 2016.
REGISTER TO VOTE: Your application must be received by 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 2, 2016, at your town clerk's office.
EARLY or ABSENTEE BALLOTS: You can request early absentee ballots at any time during the election year. The latest you can request ballots for the General Election is the close of the town clerk's office on November 7, 2016. You or a family member can request early ballots in person, in writing or by telephone. An authorized person can request ballots for you in writing.
Methods of voting early absentee in the 45 days before the election (ballots available by September 23, 2016):
1. Vote in town clerk's office on or before November 7, 2016.
2. Voter may take the ballots out of the clerk's office for him or herself and return in same manner as if the ballots were received by mail.
3. Have ballot mailed to you and return it to clerk's office before Election Day or to polling place before 7 p.m. on Election Day.
4. If you are sick or have a disability, you may ask the town clerk on or before November 7, 2016, to have two justices of the peace bring a ballot to you at your home on any day preceding the day of the election (once ballots are prepared) or the day of election.
Identification Required for First Time Registrants by Mail: If you have never voted in Vermont before and you registered individually by mail, you must provide identification before you can vote a regular ballot: current valid photo I.D., or a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document showing your name and current address. If you do not provide I.D., you will be offered a provisional ballot.
CASTING A PROVISIONAL BALLOT: If you accept the offer to vote a provisional ballot, you must complete a sworn affidavit on the provisional ballot envelope swearing that you are qualified to vote in Vermont and in the polling place where you are, and that you submitted an application to register to vote before the deadline. You will be given a card explaining how you can find out if your ballot was counted one week after the election by calling the Vermont Secretary of State's Office at 1-800-439-8683.
If your name was dropped from the checklist in error, or has not been added even though you submitted an application before the deadline for applications: Explain the situation to your town clerk or presiding officer and ask that your name be added to the checklist. The town clerk or presiding officer will investigate the situation and then either have you complete a sworn affidavit and then add your name to the checklist or explain why you cannot be added.
If the town clerk or presiding officer cannot determine that you are entitled to be added to the checklist on Election Day, you may appeal to a superior court judge, who will give you a decision on Election Day OR you may vote a provisional ballot. It is your choice.
Any voter who wants assistance for any reason may bring the person of his or her choice into the voting booth to help or may ask for assistance from two election officials.
Voters who cannot get from the car into the polling place may have a ballot brought to a car outside the polls by two election officials.
Any U. S. citizen and resident of a Vermont town or city who submitted an application to register to vote before the deadline is entitled to vote regardless of race or physical ability.
THE LAW PROHIBITS THE FOLLOWING--DO NOT:
• Vote more than once per election, either in the same town or in different towns.
• Mislead the board of civil authority about your own or another person's eligibility to vote.
• Socialize in a manner that will disturb other voters inside the polling place.
• Offer a bribe, threaten, or intimidate a person to vote for a candidate.
• Hinder or interfere with the progress of a voter going into or from a polling place. Vermont law provides that a person cannot campaign within a polling place, but does NOT specify any number of feet that campaigners need to be away from the polls outside. The presiding officer will set reasonable rules for where campaigners can stand.
The Election Officials at the polling place are here to serve you.
If you have any questions, or need assistance while voting, ask your town clerk or any election official for help.
If you do not understand something, or you believe a mistake has been made that has not been corrected, or you have a question that cannot be answered to your satisfaction at the polling place:
Call the Elections Division, Office of the Secretary of State
1-800-439-VOTE (439-8683)
(Accessible by TDD)
If you believe that any of your voting rights have been violated, you may call the Elections Division at 800-439-8683 or (802) 828-2363. You may also file an Administrative Complaint with the Secretary of State’s Office, 128 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633-1101.
If you believe you have witnessed efforts to commit any kind of fraud or corruption in the voting process, you may report this to your local United States Attorney’s Office, the County State’s Attorney or the Vermont Attorney General.
If you have witnessed actual or attempted acts of discrimination or intimidation in the voting process, you may report this to the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice at (800) 253-3931.
VOTING PROCESS--INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOTERS
• Go to the entrance checklist table, give your name, and if asked, your street address to the election official in a loud voice.
• Wait until your name is repeated and checked off by the official.
• If you want to use the Vote-by-Telephone voting system to hear an audio ballot instead of marking a paper ballot, tell the entrance checklist official at this time. An election official will take you to a tabletop voting booth with the telephone, will call the system, enter a security code and a ballot code, and then hand the telephone to you for you to press any number to begin voting. More details about how you can practice and preview this telephone voting system are available on our website at http://www.sec.state.vt.us, click on Elections, then click on Voters, then click on Vote-by-Telephone.
• Take the ballot from the election official and enter a voting booth. Once inside the voting booth, mark your ballot for each race.
• To vote for a candidate, fill in the oval to the right of the name of the candidate. Do not vote for more candidates than the “Vote for not more than #” for each or office. If you vote for more than the “Vote for not more than #,” your vote will not count for that race.
• WRITE-IN candidate(s). To vote for someone whose name is not
printed on the ballot, use the blank "write-in" line on the ballot and either write in the name or paste on a sticker, then fill in the oval.
• If you make a mistake or change your mind, DO NOT try to erase. Return your spoiled ballot and ASK an election official for a new ballot. If you make a mistake again, you may ask for another ballot and you may want to ask for assistance. Each voter may have up to 3 ballots.
• To cast your voted ballot: either insert your voted ballot into the tabulator machine, or in a hand count town, fold your voted ballot and insert it into the ballot box.
• Go to the exit checklist table, if any, and state your name. Wait until your name is repeated and checked off by the official.
• Leave the voting area immediately by passing outside the guardrail.
• All voters who are in line at the polling place at 7p.m. will be permitted to vote. No voter can enter the polling place to vote after 7p.m

VTrans / I-91 Bridge Deck Replacement Project - 11/21/2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 7, 2016
 
Weathersfield, VT – A Regional Concerns Meeting on the project listed below will be held on Monday, November 21, 2016 beginning at approximately 7:00 PM, during the regularly scheduled Select Board Meeting at Martin Memorial Hall located at 5259 VT Route 5 in Ascutney, Vermont. The meeting will be held by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans).

Bridge deck replacement project:
• Weathersfield IM 091-1(69) – Interstate I-91 Bridges #30N and 30S over VT Route 131 at Exit 8.

The preferred alternative includes the replacement of both northbound and southbound bridge decks with traffic maintained on one lane of traffic in each direction at all times.
The intent of the meeting is to provide an overview of this project to Town Officials, local residents and businesses, emergency services and other interested parties. 

Representatives from both VTrans and the Town of Weathersfield will be available at the meeting to hear public concerns about the project.

A copy of the Scoping Report for this project may be seen at the office of the Weathersfield Town Clerk in Ascutney, Vermont or at the Structures Section of the Agency of Transportation’s office in Montpelier, Vermont. An electronic copy is also available online at:

https://outside.vermont.gov/agency/vtrans/external/Projects/Structures/13a096

FOUND!!! SAFE!!!! Autumn Found Safe!!!!

Missing Pieces Network's photo.

Missing Pieces Network with Chris Rogstad and Karlene Rogstad.

4

Autumn has been located and we are told she is "OK" but we know nothing further than that at this point. I am posting for Karlene and Chris as they are on their way to get her. They will let us all know more details soon but for now, they are requesting we give them privacy to see Autumn and figure out what happened. Thank you everyone for all of your prayers and shares. We will update more later today!! We are all crying out of happiness!!!

FOUND! ALIVE! SAFE! Missing Girl's Mom: 'Things Don't Add Up'

Happenings in and around Springfield VT
 WEATHERSFIELD BOW — It’s been three weeks since Autumn Sanville, a junior at Springfield High School, disappeared.

While Vermont State Police remain active in the case, they have not issued a press release for more than two weeks. In the last one, they said Sanville, 17, had told friends before she disappeared that she was going to run away from home.

But Sanville’s mother, Karlene Rogstad of Weathersfield Bow, remains convinced her only daughter is being held — somewhere — against her will.

Members of the Rogstad family have launched a GoFundMe page to raise funds so the family can hire a private investigator to augment the work of the Vermont State Police. They are also offering a reward ***EDITED.. The family is NOT offering a reward YET *** for information leading to Sanville’s return, and promoting the Facebook page, “Help Find Autumn Sanville.”

As of Friday, “Help Find Autumn Sanville” has raised $890, with a $5,000 goal.

Rogstad said the last three weeks have been straight from hell, but she is convinced her daughter never intended to leave.

“What teenage girl leaves behind hundreds of dollars of cash, her makeup, all her clothes and her car? Her car was her pride and joy, it was her prized possession,” said Rogstad this week. “Nothing is missing.”

Her daughter’s 1999 silver Saab was found in the parking lot at the boat landing; the car was locked but the keys and Sanville’s backback were nowhere to be found.

Sanville had three part-time jobs and was studying health careers at the River Valley Technical Center, which is affiliated with Springfield High School, with the goal of being a nurse.

Since Oct. 6, there has been no activity on Sanville’s cellphone or her Facebook page, another bad sign, her mother said.

Rogstad said she has talked with State Police Detective Sgt. Richard Holden every day.
“But they have no evidence,” she said.

Holden did not return a call asking for comment.

“There’s nothing. There’s nothing on her phone,” Rogstad said. “I just know she’s being held against her will.”

Rogstad said two of her daughter’s male friends did not show up at a vigil held Sunday night at the boat landing, where her car was found. Close to 150 people joined together at the vigil, she said.

Police have questioned the two young men, she said. “Neither of them showed up. If you really cared ... I don’t know,” Rogstad said.

“Nobody’s coming forward, nobody’s speaking up,” she said.

“I just want people to know that things don’t add up,” Autumn’s mother said. “People think, ‘Oh, she ran away,’ but things just don’t add up.”

Rogstad said the details of the reward, which would be handled by the Vermont State Police, were still being worked out.

The family says the last time she has been seen reliably was at a family friend’s home in Weathersfield the morning of Oct. 6. She never turned up at school.

The family has also said that she was seen getting into a maroon-colored sedan at Hoyt’s Landing, the state boat launch in Springfield, at the confluence of the Black and Connecticut rivers.

But Rogstad said she is beginning to doubt that information; it came from a man working on the construction project on the Cheshire Bridge, which is next to the boat landing.

Rutland Herald
10/29/16

Weathersfield Weekly Blog by Nancy Nutile-McMenemy

Weathersfield Weekly Blog Oct. 26

Nancy Nutile-Mcmenemy, nancynm1413@gmail.com, Jeffrey Lane

Weathersfield select board news: The board met on Oct. 17 at the Bow Baptist Church on Route 5. The full board was present and a few folks from town were too. Town manager Ed Morris reported that the Conservation Commission is applying for a grant to synchronize the Town Plan and Zoning Bylaws. He also reported that the Amsden School Road paving project is complete and the expense came in under budget. Budget discussion for FY2018 has begun and town accountant Colin Bulter told the board that the town currently has about $1 million in the bank. Mr. Morris asked the board to draft a mission statement. Ms. Esty asked that the Town Plan be included in the Strategic Plan. More information about the select board and the town, contact Ed Morris at 802-674-2626 or townmanager@weathersfield.org.

READ MORE: http://photosbynanci.blogspot.com/2016/10/weathersfield-weekly-blog.html

Snowfall Reports and Map for October 27-28, 2016

NE Emergency News & Wx shared US National Weather Service Eastern Region HQ's post.

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Total snowfall reports and map for October 27-28th.





 https://www.facebook.com/NWSEastern/photos/pcb.1130433307034833/1130432793701551/?type=3&theater

 US National Weather Service Eastern Region HQ added 2 new photos

Volunteers Wanted for Valley Court Diversion Program

Valley Court Diversion Programs:

Volunteers are needed in Weathersfield/Springfield areas to work with low level offenders in the community.

The group meets once a month at the Springfield Police Department, your commitment will require about three hours a month.

Training is provided.

For more information please visit our website at vcdp.org or call Maureen at 802-281-5213.

It's Not To Late to Register To VOTE!

Register to Vote: in Ascutney until Wednesday Nov. 2 at 5 p.m. at the Town Clerks Office in Martin Memorial Hall on Route 5. Early or Absentee Ballots can be requested until Monday Nov. 7 at 4 p.m. General Election voting will be at Martin Memorial Hall on Tuesday Nov 8 from 8 a.m.-7 p.m..

Veterans Day Ceremony, November 11, 11 am

Weathersfield Veterans Memorial Committee
Veterans Day Ceremony
November 11, 2016
11:00 A.M.
Veterans Memorial Park
Perkinsville, Vermont

Weathersfield School Band Members
Clarinet: Sage Birsky, Bailey Eddy, Brandon Hennessey
Alto Saxophone: Garrett Corliss
Baritone Saxophone: Samuel Bonds
Trumpet: Ryan Antonivitch, Jonathan Dexter, Ethan
Lawyer, Maximus Martin, Merle Russell, Hunter Watkins,
Aria Yuengling
French Horn: Nicholas Lenahan
Trombone: Heather Papineau
Tuba: Tyler Davidson
Percussion: Jasmine Martens, Dakota Merritt, Natalie
Nichols