SOLON SALUTES
- BIPOC Affinity Space: We are excited to inform you that there will be a BIPOC Affinity Space within our school to finish our school year. The space has been requested by our students and will be open Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Student activist and MHS alumnus Noel Riby-Williams will hold the space on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM to support and create programming for BIPOC students during those days and times. The BIPOC Affinity Space is for sole use by MHS BIPOC students to connect with each other. Students, faculty and school leadership are looking ahead to next school year and are considering spaces that will be available for affinity use by our BIPOC student population. The BIPOC Affinity Space (for this year) will be located in room 221 in the science wing on the second floor of MHS.
Free Outdoor Film Screening of Minari
Friday, May 28, 2021, 7:30pm, State House Lawn
This free screening of the highly acclaimed film Minari (2020, PG13, 1hr55mins) is sponsored by the Montpelier High School Racial Justice Alliance, the MHS Library, and the Vermont Human Rights Commission in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month. Bring your chairs, blankets, snacks, and masks.
"A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home." - a24films.com
Please check out the Spring Letter to Families that was sent by mail on May 12th, 2021. Included in that mailing is our new MHS Schedule 2021-2022.
Summer Program Opportunity at MHS: There are still a few available spaces in the MHS-based summer program "Food, Farm, and Society." This unique four week program offers student academic credit and pay for the learning and work associated with maintaining the MHS greenhouses, gardens, chickens and beehives. You can apply and/or find more information here. Direct further questions to Tom Sabo (toms@mpsvt.org).
Check out the MRPS Summer Camp Offerings for all students! Farming, mountain biking, lacrosse, and many more opportunities available for our students. Sign up soon!
- 12-15 year olds can now get vaccinated! The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommended and endorsed the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in 12- through 15-year-old adolescents and the FDA authorized its emergency use. If you are looking for where you can get your child vaccinated, check out this list that includes both school and community based clinics. You’ll see the MRPS clinic being held at Montpelier High School on Sunday, May 23rd 2021 on page 10. Need help with the registration process? The Vermont Department of Health has you covered HERE.
- Graduation Rehearsal Dates/Times:It is mandatory that every senior attend the rehearsal dates scheduled for June 3rd and June 11th from 10:45-12;45. CVCC will be notified of these dates, and we will ask that seniors be released from these days to attend the rehearsals. If any student is unable to attend either of these rehearsals for any reason, please reach out to me, Renee DeVore, at reneed@mpsvt.org directly.Senior Awards Brunch and Banquet:We invite all seniors to attend a Class of 2021 brunch in the MHS gym on June 8th from 11-12:30. Unfortunately, we will not be able to invite families to attend the awards ceremony; however, ORCA will be streaming the event and it will be made available to all families either live or recorded.GraduationGraduation will be held on Friday, June 11th at 5 pm on the field. Each senior will be provided four lawn seats and two bleacher seats at their first rehearsal. Although the guidelines have shifted as a state, we have been planning since late April and have designated 6 seats for each senior as a safe way for all to attend graduation and enough room for all graduate family and friends seating. ORCA will also be live streaming this event. Additionally, there will be plenty of space outside of the lawn/bleacher seating should someone want to bring their own chair and sit outside of the designated, ticketed areas.Should there be inclement weather on June 11th, we will graduate seniors the following morning of June 12th at 11:00 a.m.All seniors should be at MHS, in attendance, 45 minutes prior to the ceremony time.
- For those who applied to college this year, please update your Naviance account to show the college admissions outcomes for each school you applied to (ex, admitted, denied, waitlisted, etc). Set the college you have decided to attend. Without this important piece of information, we don't know where to send your final transcript and your college will be asking for that. This anonymously recorded data also is really helpful in helping younger students figure out the general grades and scores they need to get into the colleges they are considering.On Tuesday, 6/1, seniors will be receiving an email from Wanda Arce at Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC). The email contains a link to a survey. It is a survey given to all Vermont seniors. It is important that you take a few minutes and fill out the survey. Please contact Nancy Fitpatrick if you have any questions about this.
- Update as of 5/3/21: Please read the Senior Letter that was sent by mail to all Class of 2021 families.
- VSAC (Vermont State Association of Colleges) Opportunity:
The Legislature, the Vermont State Colleges and VSAC have teamed to offer a gift to Green Mountain Grads: one tuition-free course at any of the 4 Vermont State Colleges – Castleton, CCV, NVU Johnson or Lyndon, or Vermont Tech.
You choose what, where, and when for courses beginning July 1, 2021 through Spring 2022.
Now is the perfect time to take the next steps in your education future. All you need to do is enroll.
How it works:
Explore classes online at each of the State Colleges’ websites
Apply for admission to the school of your choice
Register for your one course via the school’s website or admissions office.
Choose from in-person, hybrid or online courses.
If you’ve already enrolled in a program at one of the 4 Vermont State Colleges, one of our courses will now be tuition free!
That’s it! VSAC will work with your school to pay the tuition for your course.
- Are you interested in learning more about career possibilities? Check out this Career Lab Series. Upcoming explorations include Cybersecurity, Mechanics and Road Maintenance, and Health Care. Gain insights into a variety of careers through group conversations with professionals. Email Sarah Loveless at sarahl@mpsvt.org or Heather McLane at heathermc@mpsvt.org if you’re interested in registering or learning more.
- Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) cards for September 2020 - February 2021 are being issued to qualified MRPS families and should be received by April 29, 2021. These cards can be used to purchase food and other essentials. Please read this important update letter for information regarding this benefit, who qualifies, how to apply for free and reduced price meals if you have not already done so, and who to contact should you have questions.
- Please check out the 2021-2022 District Calendar for next year.
Please join us Weds, May 26, from 6-7:30pm for an engaging virtual book talk with the authors of Parenting 4 Social Justice: Tips, Tools, and Inspiration for Conversation and Action with Kids. REGISTER HERE.
