A student exchange program is a program in which a student, typically in secondary or higher education, chooses to live in a foreign country to learn, among other things, language and culture. These programs are called 'exchanges' because originally the goal was an exchange of students between different countries. No trade off is actually required, so a student is allowed to go to another country without finding a counterpart in that country to exchange with. Students live with a host family, who are usually unpaid volunteers and can be a traditional family, a single parent, or a couple with no children at home. Host families are vetted by the organization coordinating the program. In the United States, the Department of State requires that each person 18 or older in a host family receive a criminal background check.

U-32 has worked with the following foreign exchange programs:
AFS Intercultural Programs
Education First (EF)
Program Academic Exchange PAX
Youth for Understanding (YFU)
ERDT Share

In order to receive a diploma, students must earn a minimum of 22 credits as listed below, or meet the requirements designated in a multi‐year plan:

English 4

• 1 credit Composition & Literature 1 & 2
• ½ credit Group 1 English courses
• ½ credit Group 2 English courses
• 2 credits English Elective

Social Studies – 3

• 1 credit United States History 1&2
• 2 credits Social Studies Elective

Mathematics 3
Science 3
Health ½
Physical Education 1½
Fine Arts/Music 1
Electives 6
TOTAL 22

Students are expected to earn credits necessary for graduation through participation in U‐32 offerings. On a case by case basis, credit may also be granted for other programs and activities if they are preapproved by the Principal or Principal's designee. The amount and type of credit to be granted will be determined in the pre‐approval process.

Reminder to parents: Students must be up-to-date with all their immunizations in order to attend school. Students who are out of compliance will not be able to come to school. If you have immunizations or physicals over the summer, please send a note so that it can be recorded on your student’s records.

To new students: We must have a copy of your health records before you are allowed to enter school. Please bring one with you when you come to register (see below). Thank you.

Immunizations	Kindergarten	7th Grade	Post Secondary
DTaP/DTP/Td/Tdap(3	5 doses DTaP	5 doses DTaP/DTP and 1 Tdap booster	1 Tdap/Td booster within last 10 years
Polio(4	4 doses	4 doses	N/A
MMR(5	2 doses measles, 2 doses mumps, 2 doses rubella	2 doses measles, 2 doses mumps, 2 doses rubella	2 doses measles, 2 doses mumps, 2 doses rubella
Hepatitis B(5	3 doses	3 doses	3 doses
Varicella(5.6 (Chicken Pox)	2 doses	2 doses	2 doses
Meningococcal	N/A	1 dose required for all students living in dormitories or campus based housing	1 dose required for first year students living in dormitories or campus based housing

NECAP Testing

Since 2005, Vermont students have been participating in the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP), a series of reading, writing, mathematics and science achievement tests, administered annually, which were developed in collaboration with the Rhode Island and New Hampshire departments of education. The NECAP tests measure students’ academic knowledge and skills relative to the Grade Expectations for Vermont’s Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities. Student scores are reported at four levels of academic achievement; Proficient with Distinction, Proficient, Partially Proficient and Substantially Below Proficient. Reading and math are assessed in grades 3-8 and 11, writing is assessed in grades 5, 8 and 11, and science is assessed in grades 4, 8 and 11. The reading, math and writing tests are administered each year in October. The science tests are administered in May. Use the following links to view:

• General Information & Reporting
• Assessment Results (e.g., statewide data results, school summary data results) (Updated 2/5/09)
• Resources (Reading, Writing, Mathematics & Science)
  • Released Test Items & Support Materials
  • Practice Tests & Resource Materials
  • Administration Manuals & Workshop Materials
  • Other Resources (e.g., tip sheets, FAQs, alignment charts, etc.)
• Access Options for Students with Special Assessment Needs

NECAP Resources
http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/pgm_assessment/necap/resources.html
Use this link for information and links to practices tests, released test items, manuals and workshop materials for reading, writing, mathematics and science, as well as other resources such as tip sheets, hundreds tables, multiplication charts, scoring guides, alignment charts, target documents, test taking strategies, unifying themes, etc.  

New Student Information

Registrations are by appointment only. Vermont State law requires that students under the age of 18 attend school in the district in which their parent/s reside i.e. your PRIMARY residence. Therefore, if you are under 18 and have at least one parent who resides in any of the five towns that make up the U-32 school district ( Berlin, Calais, E. Montpelier, Middlesex and Worcester) you are eligible to attend U-32.

If you are over 18, residency is in the district in which you reside. Proof of residency is required. The following documents may be requested at the time of registration. Please plan to bring the information with you when you come to register.

Home Owners:
Property Tax Statement
Driver's License
Voter Registration Form
Telephone/Utility Bills

Renters:
Lease/Rental agreement (on standard form)
Driver's License
Voter Registration Form
Telephone/Utility Bills

Other documents may be requested.

To arrange for an appointment to register, please contact the Guidance Office at 229-0322. In addition to the residency documentation listed above, please plan to bring with you copies of the following:

• Unofficial copy of your transcript if you are entering grades 10, 11, 12
• Most recent report card if you are entering grades 7, 8 or 9
• Health/Immunization record (see below)
• Identification for the student; i.e. passport, birth certificate, certificate of baptism
• Most recent IEP and psych evaluation if your child is receiving special education services 504 plan if your child has one

Plan for an hour for your interview.

Report Card Dates for 2012-2013

Home Report Dates

Semester 1	Date Mailed Home
Quarter 1 HS/MS Home Reports	Thursday, October 4, 2012
Quarter 2 HS/MS Home Reports	Thursday, December 13, 2012
Semester 2
Quarter 3 HS/MS Home Reports	Thursday, February 21, 2013
Quarter 4 HS/MS Home Reports	Thursday, May 16, 2013

Report Card Dates

Semester 1	Date Sent Home with Students
Quarter 1 HS/MS Report Cards	Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Quarter 2 HS/MS Report Cards	Monday, January 28, 2013
Semester 2
Quarter 3 HS/MS Report Cards	Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Quarter 4 HS/MS Report Cards	TBA mailed pending snow days

School Choice, Exchange & Tuition

U-32 participates in a School Choice agreement with 17 other schools (listed below) in the Winooski Valley Region Public School Choice Program. In this program students may apply to go, at no cost, to a high school other than the one in their own school district. Students are chosen by lottery from all the applicants for each school district based on the number of open slots. Parents/guardians are responsible for providing their student’s transportation if they are chosen. Students must apply through the Guidance Office.

The Exchange Program offers a student an opportunity to attend another school if there is a student from that school interested in attending U-32. Exchange spaces are for one year only. Parents/Guardians can apply for the Exchange Program by submitting a letter requesting an exchange, including the name of the school, to the principals of both their district school and U-32. Student applications will be considered in the order in which they are received in the Guidance Office as indicated by postmark. Parents/guardians are responsible for providing their student’s transportation.

If a student does not qualify for any of the above programs, students may inquire about attending U-32 on a tuition basis. The tuition for the 2013-2014 school year is $14,753. Students living in towns without a high school may be tuitioned by their town. Please send a letter expressing interest and requesting an interview to Lisa Laplante, Director of Guidance.

Winooski Valley Region public school choice participating schools

Cabot School
Chelsea High School
Craftsbury Academy
Harwood Union HS
Hazen Union HS
Lamoille Union HS
Montpelier HS
Northfield HS
Peoples Academy
Randolph Union HS
Rochester School South
Royalton School
Spaulding HS
Stowe HS
Twinfield Union HS
U-32
Whitcomb HS
Williamstown HS

Study Skills

Click here for Study Skills for Parents, 8 page booklet (pdf).

Click here for Study Guides and Strategies.

Encourage your child to review class notes and add details, make corrections, and highlight the most important information.

Help your children to improve reading skills by having them pre-read non-fiction reading assignments (reviewing the headings, picture captions, reviewing tables, charts, and graphs). Children can pre-read fiction by reading the front cover, back cover, and introduction, and skimming the first quarter to determine setting, character, and plot.

Encourage your child to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words by using the context or by looking them up in a dictionary and writing them down.

Help your child learn effective reading techniques such as SQ3R, where the reader:
Surveys: Looks over the material before beginning to read to obtain a general orientation.
Questions: Writes down questions about the material before beginning to read.
Reads through the material in the normal way.
Recites and Writes: Writes down or gives the answers to another person.
Reviews: Goes over the material several times before being tested.

Encourage your child to outline or "map" reading material for better understanding. To "map," a child places the main topic in the middle of a blank sheet of paper. He then draws a branch for each subheading, and places supporting details on smaller branches going out from the subheadings. This creates a visual aid that increases organization and comprehension.

Make sure your children understand their textbooks. Children should be able to read 9 out of 10 words accurately and answer a least 3 out of 4 questions correctly.

Help your child predict outcomes, distinguish fact from opinion, discern emotional appeals, recognize bias, and discern inference as they read.

Encourage your children to organize their thoughts before beginning a written assignment, and write at least two drafts.

Have your child proofread and check for success or failure in answering the purpose of the assignment, legibility, neatness, spelling, complete sentences, and punctuation errors.

Help your child to see tests as an opportunity to "show off" what they have learned, rather than something to be feared.

Help your children predict test questions as they study for tests.

Encourage your child to space studying over several sessions instead of cramming the night before. Five hours of study spread over a week is better than studying five hours the night before the test. Cramming for tests increases anxiety and causes lower grades.

Avoid acting as a tutor for your child.

Have your children assess their own homework completion each week by reviewing returned papers, tests and quizzes, and current grades. With your children, note their progress, improvements, areas of need, and jointly plan how to solve any problems.

Teacher Advisor (TA) System
Your student’s TA is your first and most important contact person at U-32. This person will help you to learn about the system and find the answers to questions you may have. He or she also acts as a support person for both of you whenever it may be appropriate. The relationships between TAs and their families are unique and can add a special dimension to the student’s total experience at U-32.

The role of the TA in your student’s educational experience will change as she/he matures. There are some aspects of this relationship which should always be present, however.

The TA should COMMUNICATE with you
The TA should provide you with INFORMATION
The TA should COOPERATE with you to help provide the best education for your child
The TA should provide SUPPORT and INTERVENE on behalf of your child when appropriate
For more information, click here for the U-32 Parent TA Brochure (PDF) or the Student TA Brochure (PDF)

communication
The first communication with your TA will take place just prior to the opening of school when you receive your ‘introduction’ call. You will be able to meet your child’s TA at MEET YOUR TA NIGHT which generally occurs the Tuesday before the opening of school. In September, you will be invited to our fall OPEN HOUSE where you will have an opportunity to talk with your child’s TA and teachers.

Throughout the year, you will receive periodic calls from your TA. You should feel free to contact your TA at any time during the year, whether you have concerns or would just like to talk.

At the mid point of each marking period, Home Reports are mailed home. At this time, you and your TA may need to talk about how things are going. You may feel that your child needs some special help or you may want to have a meeting with some of your child’s teachers. Whatever the situation may be, your initial contact will be made through the TA.

Report Cards are distributed by the TA each quarter. A copy is kept in the TA folder. If you have a ‘second parent’ not living in your household that you wish to have copies of documents, make sure your TA is aware so that the appropriate copies may be sent.

cooperation
It is important to remember that the relationship between parent and TA is a two-way street. The needs of each student differ, and each parent may have a different area of concern. Therefore, it is important to let your TA know about your student and about your expectations. This allows you to work cooperatively in the best interest of your student.

support - intervention
One of the most important functions of the TA is to provide support to his or her students. During the six years that a student spends at U-32, there are going to be times when things don’t work out as well as everyone would like them to. It is hoped that the students will see their TA as the person who can help or who can locate a source of help when necessary. The TA system is supported by three counselors and a number of outside agencies, to which referrals may be made.

Vermont Academy of Science & Technology (VAST) - Dual Enrollment

The Vemont State College Dual Enrollment Program allows high school students to earn college credit while still in high school or the summer after they graduate. Successful high school students have earned anywhere from 3 to 18 college credits—reducing the time it takes to get a college degree, reducing the costs associated with college, and challenging themselves through college-level curriculum.

Vermont Technical Colleges hosts the Vermont Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), a full-year alternative to the senior year of high school for motivated high school seniors and home-schooled students who have a successful academic record and strong interest in math, science and technology. VAST students take standard college courses at VTC to complete the senior year of high school and the freshman year of college simultaneously—tuition free. VAST is recognized as an independent high school with the authority to grant diplomas.