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Welcome back!

Posted Date: 8/25/25 (10:58 AM)
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A black paw print is displayed against a white background.

Peacham Elementary

Welcome Back!

August 25, 2025

Welcome Back!

Good afternoon PES Families,
We are all so excited to welcome you and your students back to school this Wednesday! In preparation, we spent the day on Friday together. We reviewed our data from last year to set our goal for the year, reviewed the schedule/duties, started to align on our whole school expectations, and set up our spaces. It was a great day! We are with the whole SU in Danville today and then back to Peacham on Tuesday. We are hopeful that we will see you at the Open House tomorrow! Jessie Davidson, our School Chef, is making her famous muffins and we will have fruit, coffee and tea to go with them.
In this newsletter, you will find information about upcoming events, Academic Proficiencies ( button at the bottom) and a few announcements.
Best,
Lydia

Oh yes, one more thing! The answer to the great Ms. C or Ms. Lydia debate is that I am ok with either.
A colorful 'Back to School' announcement with an apple, books, and pencils.
A black paw print is centered on a white background.

Peacham Pride and Handbook!

During our time together working on School Wide Expectations, we made a slight shift to our school values:

Positive
Respect
Inclusive
Diligent
Empathy

I will share more about these values and expectations in the next update. We've also been working on updating the Student/Family Handbook for the new school year. This will be a work in progress over the next few months. The button below previews it but also has the most relevant information - drop off, pick up, attendance, communication, medication info, lunch/recess, etc. Once things are finalized, I will send out the other parts. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Draft Student + Family Handbook
 
Three smiling people pose together, holding a bouquet of flowers.

Teacher of the Year

I am thrilled to announce that our very own Aimee Locke, Academic Interventionist, has been awarded the Teacher of the Year award for CCSU, as well as the UVM Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award!

She was nominated due to the endless commitment and care she shows for every student and staff member at Peacham. She stepped in to support last year while Sam was balancing two schools. On top of doing all of that work while still teaching, she is gracious about all the ways she supports. In fact I learned about how incredible Aimee is from all of her peers. She has been described by her colleagues and Sam as a master teacher with incredible skills. She has put her heart into making sure PES is a place where all students belong and can meet their goals. Now its our turn to celebrate her!
A room full of empty desks

School Space Updates

We made some moves this summer! (The classrooms are all in the same spots.)
  • The Nurse's office is now in the front hallway.
  • Ms. Aimee Locke (Interventionist) is in the office right next to Ms. Lyon.
  • Ms. Pam Young ( School Counselor) is in Mr. McLeod's old office.
  • I will be in Ms. Pam's old office across from the side door.

Upcoming Events

  • Tuesday, August 26th 7:30-9:30am - OPEN HOUSE!
  • Wednesday, August 27th -First Day of School for Grades K-6
  • Monday, September 1st - NO SCHOOL
  • Tuesday, September 2nd- First Day of PreK
  • Thursday, September 4th- DinoMan is coming to the school!
  • Friday, September 5th - Early Release/NO SCHOOL for PREK
  • Sunday, September 14th - Community Work Day and BBQ hosted by the PTF from 9-1pm
Example calendar with dates pinned
Children watch a presentation with large inflatable dinosaur figures in a gymnasium.

DinoMan!

Susan Smolinsky from the Peacham Library has invited DinoMan to the school! Click on DinoMan to find out more info. His performance dives into dinosaurs and fossils using very large puppets.
Huge Thank You to Susan and the Peacham Library!

REPEAT: Vermont Law: No School Cell Phones

Superintendent, Matt Foster, shared this info in his update on Friday but wanted to highlight it case anyone missed it.

The State of Vermont is the latest state to ban cell phones and electronic devices in public schools. Vermont is the first state to ban public schools from communicating with students through social media. This law aligns with our community members' thoughts around cell phones in schools. CCSU surveyed our families last fall to determine their opinion on cell phones in schools: 67% of families were for having a cell phone-free learning experience. The law does not go into effect until next school year, but CCSU schools and many other schools throughout the state are starting a year early to work out the kinks in the procedures. Our administrators have put together a set of procedures and frequently asked questions about why this move is positive for our students. CCSU families can view the procedures here. We believe that our new school messaging system- ParentSquare will help alleviate some of the concerns around students not having access to cellphones during school.

 
Academic Proficiencies for K-6
CCSU FY 25/26 Calendar
 
Ms. C in Kindergarten

Contact info

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can reach out via the following links:

  • 802 592 3513
  • Peacham_school@ccsuvt.net (goes to Marci and Lydia)
  • Lydia.Cochrane@ccsuvt.net