Essex Middle School

The EWSD Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is inviting families for a free night out to meet other families, learn about available resources, and establish connections in a safe and inclusive environment. Save the date for this fun event that will take place on May 19 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Founders Memorial School. There will be dinner, music, active games and quiet activities for kids, and community connections! Please RSVP to this event by Wednesday, May 14. . . https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe9ik2C6mg344lLH8IoT7FyzCHKbiQh-QujWAOIPUgWO4kMrw/viewform

EMS students Sammy, Paige, and Alice represented Vermont’s Level 6 State Gymnastics team at the Northeast Regionals in Springfield, MA, where the top seven gymnasts from each New England state and New York competed.

Please be advised that there may be increased traffic near Essex High School on May 8, 9, and 10, as EHS will be hosting the Vermont All-State Music Festival.

Essex Middle School celebrated Literacy Day by focusing on expanding their definition of "literacy" because it's more than just reading or writing in classes. Literacy is the ability to communicate ideas, understandings, or perspectives in a way that’s engaging for others. For some, that might mean composing music to process tragedy. For others, it could mean using natural materials in a piece of art to advocate for climate change. Students celebrated this diverse concept through word games, nature, writing, art, music, and more. EMS was also beyond thrilled to host Vermont author Kekla Magoon! Ms. Magoon kicked off Literacy Day with a keynote address about the power and love of reading and writing and then led two writing workshops with some students. 📚👏

The Heavenly Food Pantry, located at the First Congregational Church on Main Street in Essex Junction, will be open to families residing in Essex, Essex Junction, and Westford on Thursday, April 24, from 3-6 p.m. Families arriving will be given a number, asked to wait in the sanctuary for their number to be called, and registered before being directed to the pantry for food. A volunteer will greet and escort them around the pantry, allowing them to make selections of their choosing. After food is gathered, it will be weighed (information for pantry use only) and another volunteer will bring the food to the family’s vehicle. As usual, there are no income requirements to visit the food pantry and a variety of food is available to everyone; however, additional food is provided by the USDA to eligible families who fall below federally mandated guidelines. Families not able to attend the pantry may call the Church office at 878-5745 ext. 4 between 9 a.m. and noon today through Thursday to leave contact information (name, address, number of household members, phone number) so arrangements for delivery can be made. A follow up call to complete registration will take place on Thursday morning. Families are currently able to visit the pantry once each month- either the 2nd Monday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. or the 4th Thursday of the month from 3-6 p.m. The next food pantry distribution will be on Monday, May 12, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

🌿 The EWSD April Family Newsletter is out now 👉 https://secure.smore.com/n/2g4kz

🔔 Reminder there is no school on Monday, April 21 to Friday, April 25 for Spring Break. School will resume on Monday, April 28.

🎥 The #EWSD Board Meeting on April 15 is now available to watch thanks to the Media Factory 👉 https://www.mediafactory.org/?modal=77,episode,235648

The Heavenly Food Pantry, located at the First Congregational Church on Main Street in Essex Junction, will be open to families residing in Essex, Essex Junction and Westford on Monday, April 14, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Families can visit the pantry once each calendar month- either the 2nd Monday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. or the 4th Thursday of the month from 3-6 p.m. (except for November and December when it is the 3rd Thursday). The next food pantry distribution will be on Thursday, April 24, from 3-6 p.m.

Tonight is the EWSD Fine Arts Night! This event will be held at Essex High School. The evening performance schedule begins at 5:30 p.m. with opening remarks, followed by the orchestra, band, chorus, and then a theater performance. For more information, visit www.ewsd.org/fineartsnight 🖌️🎨🎭🥳👏💙🎶🎤🎻🎷

Voting will take place today, Tuesday, April 8, from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. at the following locations: City residents at the Champlain Valley Expo; Essex Town residents outside the City at Essex Middle School; and Westford residents at Westford School.

📚 Today kicks off National Library Week! National Library Week is a time to celebrate our nation's libraries, library workers' contributions and promote library use and support. Share a memory or shoutout an EWSD librarian 👉 https://bit.ly/42pnXah

Essex Middle School students participated in the Vermont STEM Fair at Norwich University, presenting independent research alongside 200+ projects. Judges from diverse fields evaluated entries then awarded cash prizes and scholarships.

✨ Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just getting started, the Dream Big 5K: Run, Walk, Roll is a race for everyone—of all ages and abilities! This exciting charity event benefits EDD Adaptive Sports programs for individuals with disabilities in our community. Together, we’re aiming to raise $14,000 to fund life-changing adaptive sports programs. ✨ So grab your family, friends, or co-workers, create a team, and get ready for some friendly competition and amazing prizes. Let's Dream Big together. For more information and to register: https://runsignup.com/dreambig5krunwalkroll

The EWSD held five virtual BudgetTalk sessions where Board members and administration had conversations with the public to talk about the proposed budget. If you missed any of those, you can view each of the recordings on the EWSD budget webpage (www.ewsd.org/budget).

We are 1 week out until the highly anticipated EWSD Fine Arts Night! This event is a showcase of all K-12 artists and musicians. For more information, and the evening performance schedule, visit www.ewsd.org/fineartsnight 🎨🖌️🎶🎻🎤♥️🎉👏

One week from today, the polls will be open, and you will be able to vote on the FY26 EWSD budget. Visit www.ewsd.org/budget to learn more about the budgeting process, including the latest updates and answers to many frequently asked questions.

As we get closer to the budget vote, we want to explain some of the language you will see on the ballot to help avoid confusion. The proposed budget keeps school spending at the same level as this year, which was a big challenge. To do this, we had to cut $5.6 million. This means that any changes in property taxes will come from the state’s funding rules and rising home values, not from local school spending decisions. 👇👇

🔔 Reminder there is no school on Monday, March 31. School will resume on Tuesday, April 1.