🌱 New Standards at VT DoH+ Nature Preschool In S. Burlington

Hey, Burlington! Let's get you started this Friday with everything you need to know going on in town today.

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First, today's weather:

Cloudy, breezy and cooler. High: 42 Low: 28.

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Here are the top stories today in Burlington:

1. The Vermont Department of Health has quietly updated the way it assesses airborne levels of cancer-causing chemicals, but the impact it will have on a Burlington school project is unclear. The newly created "action levels" are significantly higher than the "screening level" the state has previously used to flag excessive amounts of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in indoor air. Last year, Burlington High School exceeded the "screening level" and was subsequently shut down, with plans to build a new school in its place. However, most classrooms at the high school would not have met the new, higher "action levels." (Seven Days)
2. A nature-based preschool in South Burlington offers small class sizes in the big open forest. The classroom at Old School is as much outdoors as it is indoors, where nature provides the challenges and stimulation for growing minds and bodies. The preschool is now enrolling new families as its program grows to include twelve children daily, along with two teachers. (vtdigger.org)
3. The University of Vermont recently received a $5.5 million, five-year grant to participate in the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study, an initiative focused on gathering data on brain development from birth through early childhood. (Vermont Biz)
4. A number of COVID positive cases have forced Burlington's Integrated Arts Academy to go fully remote for two days. (WCAX)
5. From menorah lightings to robots, here's what to know about Burlington's Hanukkah celebrations this year. (Free: Yahoo! News; Paid: BurlingtonFreePress.com)

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— Danielle Fallon

About me: Danielle Fallon is a writer who loves using her creativity to fuel her passion for communication. She is an employee of content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master's Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.