The other thing that makes our kids happy is the fresh snow we have recently got ... and lots of it! We have been outside when it was snowing and on all the other days to sled, ice skate and climb snow mountains! Forts and caves are being made anew, promoting collaboration while having fun, breathing fresh winter air and taking in beautiful valley views that we are lucky to be surrounded by.Quality afterschool and summer learning programs keep kids safe and healthy, inspire learners, help working families, and support Vermont's vision for education. In addition, afterschool and summer programs are places to get healthy snacks and meals, participate in fun physical activities, and stay out of trouble.
We need to ask our legislators to support state funding of $2.5 million to the ELO Special Fund in the General Fund Budget FY18. An annual appropriation of $2.5 million would help to ensure all high-need communities in Vermont get the financial support they need to make sure that kids and families have access to quality afterschool and summer learning programs. We need to ask the legislature to support H.270, a bill that would create structure for ELO Special Fund.
To help advocate for this, I attended the Vermont Afterschool & Summer Learning day at the Vermont State House in Montpelier on Feb. 16 and met with our Legislators in the hope that they would support funding these programs. You can help too, by calling and writing our representatives with stories, data and information about how children will be affected if funds are cut.
Thank you!
Next week winter vacation starts and when we come back to school on March 8, One Planet will go into Session III with some new and exciting programs. Packets with all that information are going home with students this week and will also be published right here.
