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NewBrook Elementary School

NewBrook School News - April 13, 2026

Posted Date: 04/13/26 (05:00 PM)
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NewBrook School News

April 13, 2026
 

NewBrook School News - April, 2026

NewBrook Families,

I hope that you and your families enjoyed your weekend. The sun is bright, the flowers are pushing up through the duff, and the birds are singing in the morning! How nice! I spent a lot of time outdoors this weekend. It was wonderful.

This is our last week before Spring Break! Please enjoy your time with your families over the break. It will be a little quieter here at NewBrook after break. Our fifth graders are spending the week at Keewaydin Environmental Education Center (KEEC), on Lake Dunmore, in Salisbury, Vermont. KEEC is an immersive environmental experience for our students, and there has been a lot of excitement surrounding the trip. I will be attending on Monday and Tuesday, and Joyce VanPamelen will be there all week, so that the NewBrook students always have a familiar person to support them. I LOVE going to camp. It is a blast, and the food is great!

It is my intention to communicate the information that NewBrook families need to know in this newsletter. Please offer me your suggestions about our methods of family communication. And do not hesitate to call or email me to set up an appointment if you have any questions or concerns. Please let us know when difficulties arise. We would love to help and we all have time for you!

Scotty Tabachnick, School Principal
stabachnick@windhamcentral.org | ph: 802-365-7536

We are a community of kind, responsible learners.

Upcoming Calendar Items

Apr 20-24 - Spring Break no school
Apr 27-May 1 - Camp Keewaydin Grade 5
Apr 30 - Grade 2 Field Trip to Hildene 8:00-2:00
May 1 - Principal Appreciation Day
May 4-8 - Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week!
May 4 - School Chef Appreciation Day!
May 6 - School Nurse Appreciation Day!
May 6 - Teacher In-Service Early Release at 11:50
May 21, Grade 3 Trip to Grafton Nature Museum 8:45-2:30
May 22 - Farm and Field Day!
May 25 - Memorial Day Holiday, no school
May 28 - Farm and Field Day (RAIN DATE)
May 28 - Science Fair 5:30-6:30
May 29 - Grade 5 Move Up Day at Leland and Gray 7:50 AM-11:50 AM
Jun 3 - Grade 1 VINS Field Trip 8:00--2:10
Jun 4 - Teddy Bear Tea, Library 1:00-2:00
Jun 5 - Playground Dedication
Jun 8 - Playground Dedication RAIN DATE
Jun 10 - Kindergarten Orientation Day no school for current kindergarteners
Jun 16 - Grade 5 Graduation 6:00
Jun 17 - Final Student Day early release at 11:50
 

What's New?

  • West River Board Meeting - Tonight at 7:00 PM, the West River Education District board is meeting. They will set our course for addressing the news from the vote last week: while the residents of Jamaica voted to close the Jamaica Village School, the voters did not pass the budget. So, the WRED board will decide how they want to move forward. If you would like to take part in the meeting, or if you want to observe it, please follow this link at 7:00 PM tonight. Or, you can join us in person at L&G.
  • Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) Update: This month, we are focused upon earning pennies by “following classroom community agreements,” hoping to earn a school-wide celebration: All School DANCE PARTY! Thanks to our generous and hardworking PTO for collaborating with staff to create this incentive event! When we meet the goal, earning 24 "falcon bucks,” our generous PTO will then donate real money to our friends at West River Valley Thrives! Nice!  
  • Recess-Ready Reminder - Here at NewBrook, we spend time outside almost every day! Please send your children to school with clothing and outerwear that is appropriate for the weather. This time of year, the temperature varies widely throughout the day, so please keep that in mind! Thank you! If your child comes home with clothing that is not yours, please launder it and send it back to school so we have clothing and outerwear to lend. Please try to label your child’s clothing…our lost and found is getting bigger and bigger!

Parent Teacher Organization Updates

  • Flower sale: It's time for our spring flower sale! These lovely potted floral arrangements make a perfect Mother's Day gift. This year we have an online shop to make ordering even easier, and a paper order form will also be available. Please order by May 1st. The pickup date will be May 8th. 
  • Save the dates: Please mark your calendar for our next bingo night, May 2nd, and keep an eye out for a food and volunteer sign-up sheet. And on May 17th we'll hold our annual work party at the playground, with lots of fun improvements in the works.
  • Gear Swap: Doing some spring cleaning? Give your used winter gear a new life through the PTO's online gear swap page! Swap rainboots, coats, cleats, gloves, and more. 
  • Next Meeting: Join us Thursday, May 14th at 8:30 AM to discuss upcoming events and fundraisers. Questions? Email newbrookpto@gmail.com.
 

West River Valley Thrives Update

  • Looking for summer camp options? Check out the April Parent Connect Newsletter for a summer camp resource list along with local events, Earth Day info, and other parent resources.
  • Positive Action Team at the State House - The Leland & Gray Positive Action Team (PAT) travelled to the state house this past Thursday to participate in Prevention Day, an event that highlights youth-led prevention efforts happening across Vermont. The PAT presented about the work they have been doing to support the L&G community, which includes funding and installation of hygiene stations in student bathrooms, designing and selling their own Positive Project swag (clothing items with positive messaging that raise funds for their projects), teacher appreciations, and plans for a Fun Run in May. The PAT also toured the statehouse, spoke to legislators, and were introduced to the House and Senate while in session. Learn more about the L&G PAT and Prevention Day!
 

Friendly Reminders

  • THANK YOU to the NEWBROOK PTO! - Again, a HUGE thank you to our PTO for all that they have done for our programming and our students!  The NewBrook PTO are truly incredible in their organization, their diligence and their efforts to make our school a great place to learn and to work.   
  • Calendaring - You can find our Google Calendar on our website. If you would like to add it to your Google calendar, so you can overlay it with calendars you use, go to the bottom righthand corner of the calendar, and click the Google button. If you need a hand, please send me an email, or give me a call.
  • After School Planning - Please be sure to communicate your child(ren)’s after school plans with us either by sending a note in the morning, or by emailing your child’s classroom teacher and cc’ing Priscilla Halvey, our administrative assistant. Email is preferable to phone calls. If you need to change your plans, please call or email before 2:00 PM so we have time to communicate. Thank you!
  • Family Support - We know that, at times, things get tough for our families. I encourage you to call or email us, if you or your family are in crisis. Our understanding of the assets available in the community make us a wonderful resource for families who need a hand. We are here to serve you. Please reach out to Carrie Towle, our School Counselor at ctowle@windhamcentral.org, Bre Madison, our School Social Worker, at bmadison@windhamcentral.org, or Scotty Tabachnick, our School Principal, at stabachnick@windhamcentral.org
  • Curriculum and Instruction - Our Curriculum and Instruction web page outlines the curriculum we employ, and the standards that we teach. All of our programming is intended to create cohesion among schools in the WCSU, while respecting and enhancing the professionalism and creativity of our instructors.
  • Volunteering Opportunities @ NewBrook - Our school community is enriched by the volunteer efforts from our families. Please consider offering your time.  Our PTO meets once a month (remote/ in-person). Contact Sara Webb for more information. Our Family Input Group (FIG) meets monthly (after our All School Sing!) to discuss issues important to NewBrook students, staff and families. Contact Scotty Tabachnick for more information. Our Farm to School team meets several times throughout the year to plan educational and social events that revolve around sustainability, local procurement, and place-based and environmental education. Contact Amy Duffy to learn more. If you enjoy books, our Librarian, Monica Sullivan, is looking for help shelving books and organizing our library collection. If you are interested, please contact Monica Sullivan.
  • School Meals - NewBrook offers universal free meals for all students.  Lunch Menus are available online at our school website, and will also be sent home in physical form priorto the beginning of each month.  Please send your children with water bottles; we have a bottle filling station here at school.
 

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