Dear SMS Community,
We have packed a lot into the last two weeks. Students are already hard at work in training and in the classrooms, and we have enjoyed seeing so many unmasked, smiling faces on campus! After a quiet summer, it is also wonderful to hear music from the dormitory, hear laughter on campus, and see students reconnecting with friends.
As students adjust to the pace of the SMS schedule, please remember that each child has a support network on campus. Each SMS student has been assigned an advisor, and we hosted our first advisory meal on campus this past week. Students enjoyed a family-style lunch to connect with both their advisor and the peers in their group. This connection is important, and parents are reminded to keep their child's advisor informed if they have any concerns. We want to work with students and parents to make this year successful, and we hope you will partner with us so that we can navigate the year together.
Included in this newsletter are some important reminders, including an update to our COVID protocols. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Holly
|
|
Holly Wendell
Assistant Head of School
802-856-1142
|
|
COVID-19 Protocols
The SMS community is increasing its number of vaccinated individuals each week as more students become fully vaccinated. We currently have 2 unvaccinated students on campus and 5 students who are in the process of completing their vaccination. While this high level of vaccination will provide us with some protection, it is also important that the entire community joins in the effort to keep COVID off campus. Please note the following protocols that were discussed with students and staff at this week's All School Meeting:
-
Following any use of public transportation, international travel, or known exposure, vaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask when indoors on campus and to test three days after the exposure. We will be using Orah to help track travel for all students going forward. SMS will provide testing three days following exposure, and masks will be worn until the results are confirmed.
- All staff and students are required to wear masks when in school vans.
- Unvaccinated individuals are required to participate in weekly surveillance testing. Unvaccinated individuals are required to quarantine off campus after exposure.
- All staff and students are required to take a COVID-19 test when they develop any symptoms of the virus. Students must report the onset of symptoms including fever, sore throat and cough.
We ask that each member of the community puts the health of others first by strictly following this guidance and making no exceptions to these protocols. Because we are tracking the behavior of our students so closely, in addition to our high vaccination rate, Dr. Dobson has not mandated the universal use of masks. We must all be aware that this policy will be adjusted if recommended by our medical director.
|
|
Kelly Brush Foundation Grant for B-netting
The Alpine program was recently awarded a $3,100 matching grant from the Kelly Brush Foundation for the purchase of B-netting as part of KBF's Ski Racing Safety Grant Program.
The Kelly Brush Foundation provides safety equipment grants, advocates for safety awareness, and educates stakeholders on proper safety practices across the US. To learn more about their important work and read about Kelly's inspiring story, check out the KBF website.
Student Leadership Applications Now Available
Stratton Mountain School’s Student Leadership program is designed to offer student engagement opportunities and increase ownership amongst the student body in the overall enhancement of Student Life at the school. All Student Leadership applications are due tonight, September 19.
|
|
All applications are reviewed by the Director of Student Leadership, Emily Daly. Please get in touch with Miss Daly directly if you have any questions. |
|
Picture Day: September 28, 2021
Stratton Mountain School is excited to offer our student-athletes and their families professional school portrait packages this year!
We have invited a local company, Eris Proctor Photography, to facilitate this year's picture day. Each student-athlete will be assigned a time throughout the school day to have their school picture taken. Eris recommends that students bring their best smiles and avoid wearing hats and hoodies on the day.
Families that are interested in ordering copies of their child's school portrait should fill out the form linked below. Please have your child(ren) bring the completed form and payment with them on picture day. Please input your advisor's name in the "teacher" portion of the form.
|
|
Please contact Communications Director Ashlee O'Hara if you have any questions regarding picture day or the packages offered.
|
|
The Parents Association at SMS
The purpose of the Stratton Mountain School Parents’ Association (PA) is to foster a positive spirit within the community, promote parent engagement, help orient new families, and promote and support the educational & athletic goals of Stratton Mountain School.
All families are members of the Parents’ Association. There are a variety of opportunities for all parents to become involved and stay connected. Please contact Holly Wendell if you are interested in learning more. We also invite you to join the SMS Parents Association Facebook group as another way to stay connected.
|
|
50th Anniversary Sponsorship Opportunities |
|
SMS will celebrate our 50th anniversary throughout 2022, and we are looking for corporate sponsors to support our efforts. Corporate sponsors will be acknowledged at each of our major events during 2022.
If your company is interested in joining us as a corporate sponsor for 2022, please check out our sponsorship packages. If you know someone who might be interested, please let us know!
|
|
Fall Orientation was a blast! Massive thanks to Ms. Shaihk and Holly Wendell for organizing such an amazing day for our entire student body. Check out more pictures from the day here!
|
The U16 Girls went on a great hike with Coach Mamie and Coach Kylies last week. The team plans to use this time to work on team goals and values each week. |
The first Middle School event -- our camping trip -- was a huge success! Thank you to the 7th and 8th graders for their enthusiasm and energy, to faculty members Tim & Morgan Taylor, Jamaica Kaercher, and Ethan Harris for their presence and guidance, and to mentors Eva Morin '22, Eliza Sullivan '22, Simon Baron '23, and Benji Richards '23 for their leadership on the trip. Click on the image above to watch a quick video from the trip!
The next Middle School event will be Friday, 10/22 -- Middle Sch' ULLR-FEST! This will be a dance in the PK, welcoming invited (and Covid-screened) local area middle schoolers to come and socialize, dance, and enjoy a bonfire to welcome in the winter and copious amounts of SNOW!
|
|
The Nordies set some PRs in our double pole test this week! Chip Freeman '23 tied his previous PR, and Caroline Tarmy '24 and Micah Bruner '25 set new PRs #gosms |
As part of VARA’s young athlete development programming, Elle Gilbert created an eight-part series titled, Kids Today and What They Need From Us. Check out part two, Understanding Our Young Athletes, to learn how we can help our student-athletes reach their academic and athletic potential by facilitating an understanding of an athlete’s stages of cognitive development.
|
Ladies and Gentlemen- we present to you the 2021 Mountain Bike Team. Here's a quick group pic from practice last week in Landgrove, VT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
