Welcome to Chester-Andover Elementary School!

CAES is a K-6 school of 240 students and 60 staff. This year we have two Kindergarten classrooms, two first grade classrooms and two second grade classrooms. Our upper grade rooms consist of two third grade, two fourth grade and four 5/6 combined classrooms.

All students at CAES attend Library, Music, Physical Education, Art, Guidance and Mindfulness. We have a vibrant Afterschool Program (ASP) which currently has fifty-five students enrolled. The ASP program also runs for a full day for eight weeks during the summer. During the winter students participate in the Winter Sports Program (WSP), which includes skiing, ice-skating, bowling, swimming and a Kindergarten program.

Every other year our 5/6 grade classes attend the Keewaydin Environmental Education Center (KEEC), which is located on Lake Dunmore in Salisbury. The week spent at KEEC is a full, active, exciting learning experience. Living away from home with teachers and friends creates a sense of class cohesiveness as well as individual independence.

CAES is recognized as a Vermont Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) School of Merrit. This means that we have been successfully implementing PBIS with fidelity for three school years. At Chester-Andover Elementary we are known as the CAES Eagles who SOAR at learning when we are Safe, On Task, Accountable and Respectful. Students start their day with a classroom meeting and we have a school-wide assembly twice a month to celebrate our community and the learning that has occurred.

Two years ago Chester-Andover became one of the ten Vermont Promise Communities. This is a grant project through the Department of Children and Families for towns to create opportunities to improve Kindergarten readiness. The $150,000 grant enabled us to purchase new playground equipment, build a pavillionn and upgrade our garden. It has been wonderful to see so many families and summer camps enjoyong our beautiful outdoor space over the past few months.

CAES is on the list of Vermont schools needing to show improvement in the areas of reading and math. We continue to work on our plan of improvement through the use of Title 1 teachers, coaches and professional development. the process of moving toward Proficiency Based Education and Personalized Learning. While the process will be moving slowly, I am excited about students having a greater understanding of how they learn and having more voice in the process.

This year we have started a volunteer program called Eagle Buddies. We have parents and community members helping students in the lunchroom, reading to classrooms or individual students and working along side teachers in the classrooms. As we look to build this program over the next few months we will be hosting informational evenings.

It is both an honor and a pleasure to be working with the staff, parents and community members of Chester-Andover Elementary School. As we make the transition into a new unified district I will be working diligently to find new and expanded opportunities for our children through our valuable school-community connections. If you would like to learn more about our school please give me a call or consider attending a Friday morning coffee hour! We meet on the first Friday of the month from 7:45-8:45 a.m. in the school conference room for coffee and conversation.

Sincerely,

Katherine Fogg

CAES Principal