VEGGIE VAN GO THIS FRIDAY APRIL 22: This event is the 4th Friday of each month and provides FREE fresh fruit and produce for ANYONE in the RNESU community. Come to OVUHS parking lot from 10 AM - 11 AM to get your produce!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR - FUTURE FRIDAY DATES: May 27, June 24, July 22, Aug 26
INPUT ON USE OF COVID FEDERAL FUNDS APRIL 26: On Tuesday, April 26th from 6 PM - 7 PM, Director of Curriculum Kristin Hubert will be hosting a virtual meeting to gather input on the potential use of federal funds within RNESU for the 2022-2023 school year.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87238186814?pwd=dUc1VVdjYXF1QmRGRUt6a1JJa2ZtZz09
OVUUSD - Ballots Now Available!
The OVUUSD Special Budget Re-vote is April 26, 2022. Ballots are available now at your local town clerk’s office. Call your town clerk’s office to make an appointment to vote at your convenience or stop by your polling location on April 26, 2022.
Please vote!
Vote early at your town clerk’s office or at the polls on April 26th!
Attend the virtual OVUUSD Special Informational Meeting on Monday, April 25,2022 at 6:30 PM to hear the budget presentation. To learn more about the budget re-vote, please see the articles providing details in the Reporter and the Rutland Herald.
OVUUSD SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WANTED! The Otter Valley UUSD School Board has three vacancies that need to be filled. Leicester (must be a Leicester resident), Pittsford (must be a Pittsford resident), At Large (can be a resident in any Otter Valley Unified Union town: Brandon, Pittsford, Goshen, Leicester, Whiting or Sudbury). Appointees will serve for one year and may run for their seat next March in the annual election. The board meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 6 PM (except for July). If interested, email Melinda Piper at mpiper@rnesu.org. There will be some questions to respond to prior to the May 4 board meeting.
COVID TESTS AVAILABLE: While our nurses continue to conduct diagnostic testing in school and make home antigen tests available on an as needed basis, there are times families want to have more testing done, such as before or after an event. We have been told that by April 4, families who wish to have antigen tests may make an appointment at a State of Vermont testing site to obtain up to eight rapid antigen tests or one LAMP test per appointment for their use at home. To make an appointment, click link: https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/testing/where-get-tested
RNESU Announces New Superintendent
The RNESU Board announces the appointment of a new superintendent to replace retiring Supt. Jeanné Collins in July. Dr. Kristin Hubert has accepted the position. Read the full article here: https://www.rnesu.org/article/681786
The Superintendent Search Committee has reviewed additional applications and has chosen one to interivew. Dr. Kristin Hubert, RNESU Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, will be interviewed by the search committee on March 8 followed by a community interview that evening. All are invited to join the virtual community forum to interview Dr. Hubert on Tuesday March 8 at 6:30 pm. The link will be on the RNESU.org website on Tuesday.
Update on mask mandates from the Agency of Education Feb 28:
On Feb. 25, 2022, the CDC updated their COVID-19 guidance on wearing masks indoors as well as on school buses. Vermont is currently evaluating that guidance. Schools should continue to follow the recommendations from the Agency of Education and Vermont Department of Health to guide their decision making. We will have an announcement later this week on next steps in our public health recommendations for schools.
SCHOOL CLOSED TODAY - Friday, Feb. 18, 2022
Due to the weather, flash flooding, and icy road conditions today, all RNESU schools will be closed Friday, February 18th, 2022.
Stay safe and warm.
GENTLE REMINDER! 👉Early Release Day TOMORROW Friday, February 11th!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
👉Early Release Day this Friday, February 11th
👉February Break is the week of February 21st through 25th
👉Election Day March 1, 2022. Absentee ballots available at the town clerk offices.
The 2022-2023 calendar has been posted on the RNESU web page at The first day of school is anticipated to be August 31, 2022. Find it here 👉https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VeImuY-JbamPlj47DzicUU5dCDvZdxM8/view
TEST AT SCHOOL DETAILS: Please note - when our schools do not have 2 pak or 5 pak antigen tests to send home, our nurses will test at school until our Test to Stay supplies are used up. Upon a close contact student's arrival at school, they should report to the health office at Otter Valley and to their classroom at the Elementary schools. 👉Students with symptoms need to stay home.
👉Asymptomatic presumptive contact students will be tested if consent is given and can remain in school with a negative test. Parents will be called to pick up their child if the child has a positive test or has symptoms .👉Parents need to alert the nurse that their child will be arriving for the antigen test.
Parents MUST register their children to allow antigen testing at school at the two links provided previously if they haven't already done so. Consent is optional but must be on file if you want your child to be given an antigen test at school. VT AOE COVID Response Testing Consent Form: https://www.cognitoforms.com/VermontAgencyOfEducation/SY22COVID19TestingProgramConsentForm
In addition to the consent form, please click on the link below and complete the form for your school(s). If you have more than one child, you will need to fill out the links for each. You do not need to provide the student id.
👉Barstow - https://www.simplereport.gov/register/WMN72
👉Lothrop - https://www.simplereport.gov/register/Z2M73
👉Neshobe - https://www.simplereport.gov/register/BJYUU
👉OCA - https://www.simplereport.gov/register/AMYCD
👉OV - https://www.simplereport.gov/register/KUZ8A
VEGGIE VAN GO TOMORROW FEBRUARY 7 at OVUHS PARKING LOT 10 AM - 11 AM: Veggie Van Go is a free fruit and vegetable distribution to all RNESU families and staff. They will be distributing tomorrow, Feb. 7, from 10 AM -11 AM at the OVUHS parking lot. This event is sponsored by the Vermont Foodbank and is open to all students, families, and staff affiliated with all Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union Schools: Barstow Memorial, Lothrop Elementary, Neshobe Elementary, Otter Creek Academy at Leicester, Sudbury and Whiting., & Otter Valley Middle and High School. There are no eligibility requirements and no reservations needed.
UPDATED COVID GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLS: Here are the new AOE guidelines as of Jan. 2022:
👉Fully Vaccinated Students should receive 2 tests and use them on the 4th and 5th day after learning of the presumptive exposure. Fully vaccinated for students means completion of the two shot Pfizer series.
👉Not Fully Vaccinated Students should receive 5 tests and use them before coming to school for the next 5 consecutive days after their presumptive exposure.
👉Individuals that have continuous household exposure should test daily while their household contact is in isolation and for 5 consecutive days after the household contact ends isolation.
👉Positive COVID Test Students that have had COVID in the last 90 days do not have to test or quarantine.
👉Students with any symptoms must quarantine. Students may return to school when they have 2 negative antigen tests, at least 24 hours apart, improved symptoms and no fever for 24 hours.
VACCINE CLINICS SCHEDULED FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS: Visit our FaceBook Events Page to see dates and sign up!
👉 https://www.facebook.com/rutlandnortheastSU
Feb. 4 2022
Dear Parents/Guardians
We are slowly moving forward as Omicron seems to be moving through. Cases continue to be down, though we see bumps now and then. The state perspective and guidance is not to assume the virus is widespread and rather than identify close contacts, move to presumptive contacts of everyone in a classroom space and notify the parents of that classroom or workspace, and then to send tests home. Last week, I detailed what that looks like. Please reach out, especially to your school nurse, if you have any questions.
This email covers (updated information on topics from last week)
Veggie Van Go Feb. 7
Superintendent Search Update
Vaccination Clinics
School Budget Informational Meeting and Voting Information
2022-2023 School Calendar Posted
Calendar Notes
School Board Meetings
VEGGIE VAN GO FEB DATE WILL BE FEB. 7
Veggie Van Go is a free fruit and vegetable distribution to all RNESU families and staff. February’s date will change to Feb. 7, from 10-11 am at the OVUHS parking lot. This event is sponsored by the Vermont Foodbank and is open to all students, families, and staff affiliated with all Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union Schools: Barstow Memorial, Lothrop Elementary, Neshobe Elementary, Otter Creek Academy at Leicester, Sudbury and Whiting., & Otter Valley Middle and High School. There are no eligibility requirements and no reservations needed.
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH UPDATE
As I write this, the RNESU school board and search committee had narrowed the candidate pool to three final candidates. As one withdrew, having accepted a position elsewhere, the other two spent Thursday Feb. 3 meeting virtually with schools, the search committee and the community. Hopefully, information on a new superintendent will be released early next week or, if not, what steps will be taken next. Stay tuned! RNESU has a web page to keep the community informed about the search process. You can follow it here. https://www.rnesu.org/page/superintendent-search
VACCINE CLINICS SCHEDULED FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS
Lothrop School will have a Vaccination Clinic Feb 16 from 1-4:15 pm in the gymnasium. Schedule an appointment at
https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/vaccine Or call 855-722-7878
Walkins are welcome. Children under 18 need a completed consent form from a parent/guardian and will not receive a vaccine or booster without that consent.
Please note children 12-18 are now eligible for a booster vaccine.
SCHOOL BUDGET INFORMATIONAL MEETING AND VOTING INFORMATION
Barstow and OV School boards have all finalized budgets for voter approval for the coming school year. Read about the budget proposals at the links below and watch for our annual reports to land in your mailboxes and to be posted on our web pages.
To learn more and to ask questions, both boards will hold annual district meetings in February.
Barstow’s will be Feb. 22 virtually at 6:30 pm
Presentation: BUUSD FY23 Budget
Otter Valley’s will be Feb. 23 in person at OVUHS at 6:30 pm.
FY23 OVUU Budget Presentation
Voting for all RNESU towns will be in person for school budgets on March 1 at town voting sites. Other voting options include requesting a mail in ballot from your town clerk or going into your town hall for early voting.
2022-2023 SCHOOL CALENDAR POSTED ON THE WEB
The RNESU District Calendar 2022-2023 has been posted on the RNESU web page at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VeImuY-JbamPlj47DzicUU5dCDvZdxM8/view. The first day of school is anticipated to be August 31, 2022.
Important Reminders:
CALENDAR NOTES
February Early Release Day Feb. 11
February break is the week of Feb. 21-25
Election Day March 1, 2022. Absentee ballots available at the town clerk offices.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
School Board meetings are open to the public. Meeting information can be found on the district calendar or on the district website, www.rnesu.org,
Upcoming meetings:
Barstow District Budget Informational Meeting Feb. 22, 6:30 pm virtual meeting
RNESU meets Feb 23, 5:00 pm at OVUHS
Otter Valley Annual District Meeting Feb. 23, 6:30 pm in person at OVUHS
Jeanné Collins, Superintendent of RNESU
www.rnesu.org
School Safety Hotline # (844) 723-3488 or www.SAFE4VT.org or
text to 274637, type in keyword SAFE4VT and then your tip
All Rutland Northeast Schools will be closed tomorrow, Feb. 4, 2022! Enjoy a snow day!
SCHOOL BUDGET INFORMATION AND ANNUAL REPORTS: Barstow and OV School boards have all finalized budgets for voter approval for the coming school year. Read about the budget proposals at the links below and watch for our annual reports to land in your mailboxes and to be posted on our web pages. To learn more and to ask questions, both boards will hold annual meetings in February. Barstow’s will be Feb. 22 virtually at 6:30 pm and Otter Valley’s will be Feb. 23 in person at OVUHS at 6:30 pm.
👉 FY23 OVUU Budget Presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1OcsK4LoHVKvR4zp90U1K0s8Z9GxGgQ2x53KEumumJ34/edit#slide=id.p
👉 Presentation: BUUSD FY23 Budget: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S36Us_yHyBNVelb400MS0RMAcVdXmvfZ/view
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH NARROWS TO TWO CANDIDATES! The Superintendent Search Committee has narrowed down the candidate field to two candidates! They will be visiting ALL schools virtually TODAY February 3, 2022. Watch for information on candidate forums! RNESU has a web page to keep the community informed about the search process. You can follow progress here 👉https://www.rnesu.org/page/superintendent-search
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH NARROWS TO THREE CANDIDATES! The Superintendent Search Committee has narrowed down the candidate field to three candidates! They will be visiting ALL schools TODAY February 3, 2022. Watch for information on candidate forums!
RNESU has a web page to keep the community informed about the search process. You can follow progress here: https://www.rnesu.org/page/superintendent-search