Education

For the fifth year in a row, students from all over the state compete for a grand prize of a day in a professional recording studio.

Longtime Rutland radio personality Jack Healey is also the voice of all VTSU Castleton sports, and it’s a voice that streams across country.

Rutland Free Library celebrates Banned Books Week and starts new monthly book club.

Technology is making the pastime more accessible to Gen Z members, sparking a greater interest in the state’s natural communities. 

The students joined Team ROTifer, which uses a University of Vermont research vessel to study microscopic aquatic animals.

Legendary herbalists speak to the relationships they’ve built with plants and how others can do the same.

Connor Lin Frost makes Mandarin approachable and engaging for people of all ages.

Vermont artist brings his view of the state to the Dean Shirley A. Jefferson Gallery.

Two bills could change the way electronics are used in schools

More than $7,000 was raised through the Dawn Carlson Memorial Indoor Golf Tournament last month.

Small town history comes alive thanks to efforts of dedicated society members

Michael Fredieu always wanted to be a high school varsity baseball coach. Now, he finally has his chance.

Brian Glenney is on the front lines of skateboard research, working to bring his ideas to a wider audience.

Birding for Kids is a collaboration between various Vermont libraries and Audubon Vermont

H.817 would also help educators learn how to support students with substance abuse challenges.

Chittenden County schools compete for most sustainable practices.

The story of how a nearly century-old gift continues to give back to Hinesburg education.

Brylea Davenport will lead independent K-5 school housed on former Green Mountain College campus.

A student is considered chronically absent when they miss 20 or more unexcused days of school within the last school year, or 175 school days

S.233 could provide more resources for students with disabilities and their families

H.640 aims to give students a voice on school boards

Public access television is looking to the state government for additional funding to preserve programming.

“Do I like having higher taxes? No, I don’t. But I think we need to support our community,” one voter said.

Professor shares hopes for the future of Sterling as degree programs end

Tracking is a way to read stories in the environment about animals and how they interact with the world.

Students and experts offer testimony on a bill that would allow for online driver education

Schoolhouse Learning Center Head of School Liz Shayne has been announcing school closures through song for a decade.

Two VTSU professors sat down to discuss the changing attitudes toward cannabis and its uses.

Educators who support S.175 still have concerns about integrating the subject into their curriculum.

H.532 would align state law with federal ban on professor retirement

VTSU Castleton freshman is photographing professional sports teams including the New England Patriots, Boston Bruins and New England Revolution.

Brittney Staffieri has taught hundreds of students in American Sign Language

Thetford Academy regularly sends teams to the VEX Robotics World Championship.

At Farm to Go, youth build community while cooking dinner for their families.

Fifty cartoonists from across the country converged at the Fletcher Free Library Nov. 15

Students seek to address “a serious lack” of women’s history in the curriculum

Q&A with Kristyn Achilich, director of the Saint Michael’s Leahy Institute for the Environment

Rutland High School graduate Joe Ferris was always into government and always overachieving – and now he’s the leader of a city.

Beloved by students and neighbors alike, the retired teacher continues to share the joy of music from her home studio.

Student Government Association approves club after initial denial and pressure from a club member’s parent.

A national shortage of officials threatens to interrupt games across at over 70 high schools in the Vermont Principals’ Association.

It’s part of a new civic education program led by the Office of the Vermont Secretary of State.

Q&A with Evelyn Monje, Thrive after-school’s program director

“I came up with the idea in 2007. I said, ‘Well, anybody that wants it can run with it.’ And they have.”

Student musicians, singers, songwriters took the stage recently at Harwood Union High School

“Now look at it!”

Co-Principal of Winooski Middle and High School Kate Grodin reflects on her path into education and what she hopes students carry with them after graduation

Students and professors from two Vermont State University schools went to Canadian Arctic last spring to collect ice and snow samples for studies – including a search for microplastics.

Vermont is aging and many operators are retiring. But even before this issue, there weren’t enough operators to go around. 

“Most of our students have immigration backgrounds … and it has not been easy,” said Stevya Mukuzo, an outreach counselor and educator at Winooski High School.

More than 60 students at Brookside Primary participated in the annual live wax museum last Thursday.

Mary Bride has been a secretary at Mill River Union High School since 1989 and students and colleagues say she’s basically the glue of the school.

How community involvement helped Ava Nnochiri find her home

After 38 years, teacher Chris Costello is set to retire.

Three Rutland area students are headed to Georgia next month to represent the area in the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

Fair Haven annual fund-raiser leads to Duncan the dog serving as pet mayor of the town.

The Mill River marching band has a long history of excellence that current students and leaders are continuing.

Most of the people who go to college in Vermont — 57 percent — leave the state after graduation. That’s more than any other state.

The Champlain Longboats program has been introducing students in Addison County to boat building for 25 years.

Vermont State University adjunct professor Burnham Holmes is retiring after decades of inspiring students to learn to love writing.

Pre-K students at the Tinmouth Mountain School are learning traditional lessons in outdoor, natural classrooms as part of the Mill River Unified Union School’s Trailhead Initiative.

The Canadian students say they are frustrated by how tariffs affect their daily lives.

Rutland area residents who have struggled with addiction are writing their way to recovery in a unique workshop.

Two West Rutland High School musicians are gaining quite a local following, and they’re raising money for their senior class in the process.

“One thing that has always remained constant is, despite all of the noise of everything else, I walk into my room every day filled with immense purpose and immense hope,” Caitlin McLeod-Bluver said.

Program continues in its mission despite attacks and uncertainty.

Sen. Allison Clarkson, one of two lead sponsors, said licensure can provide consistency and professionalization, as well as increased wages. 

Said a South Burlington teacher: “There has to be a balance, right? I don’t want this to be my only focus because the more the student feels embroiled in this situation, the more unsteady they’re going to feel.”

Gov. Phil Scott is setting his sights on programs where he believes the state can afford to cut costs. 

Pam Arel couldn’t stay retired. The Castleton Free Library librarian has had a variety of careers, but loves her current role, in part because she loves kids. She recently sat down with report Emily Ely to talk about her life and her role among the books.

Bowers secured her victory on Town Meeting Day with just over 50% of the vote.

Taxes, spending at issue

Everybody Wins! Vermont is looking for new volunteers

Terry Bergen was a psychology professor at Castleton University for four decades, but those in Poultney may know him more for his dojo in town. He sat down to chat about life as a black belt professor.

Protesters described the event as anti-trans and the speakers as unqualified.

Former Rutland firefighter Ray Mooney now fills his days curating and sharing Rutland’s history through his Facebook page and YouTube videos.

Now, Winooski cardholders can access Fletcher Free Library’s materials, and vice versa.

“The budget we propose keeps a lot of our great offerings intact while at the same time, making some compromises to keep the spending increase in check,” Winooski Superintendent of Schools Wilmer Chavarria said.

The bill is modeled after California’s 2024 School Food Safety Act.

“We will not willingly unlock the doors if our legal counsel has not advised us to do that,” Winooski Schools Superintendent Wilmer Chavarria said.

Vermont State University’s DEI leader answers a variety of questions regarding new DEI challenges and personal questions about his life in Vermont.

Brooke Olsen-Farrell sat down with CNS reporter Madelyn Nonni to discuss her life as a school teacher and administrator.

The program, funded by a grant secured by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., helped spark discussions about community building and social activism.

As safeguards to ensure a degree of local input, Scott is calling for the creation of local school advisory councils, which his proposal states will “promote high levels of community engagement.”

Almogalli sees herself in the students: Winooski is the only majority-minority school district in Vermont, and its students come from more than two dozen countries.

Area high schools see high-stakes election as an important learning opportunity.

“I just came off a 14-hour workday to come to this meeting, and I’m sick of all this ridiculous spending,” said one Moretown resident.

Since 2016, the number of Vermont schools serving as polling places has decreased by more than half.

Harwood high schoolers are focused on tight presidential race.

Singer-songwriter students performed original compositions at a Waitsfield gallery in June

Backed by $7 million in grants, the center aims to study and grow partnerships between higher education and news outlets.

Capstone projects, a way for Academy of Visual and Performing Arts 12th graders to explore their artistic careers in a wider range, are the final phase of their years in high school.

The exhibit opened in Shelburne last month as the first stop on its national tour and will run until Oct. 20.

The federally funded aviation group undertakes search and rescue missions, helps after disasters and collects landscape data from the skies.

“We’re trying to start small and tackle this issue,” said a junior involved in the effort. “It’s hard to see the world destructing and not take action.”

The council is made up of 28 middle and high schoolers from around the state who serve an advisory role to the governor and Legislature.

Founded in 1989, Outright Vermont is a community based center that supports young people through leadership development.

Youth Lobby is a group of students from around Vermont who advocate for climate change-related legislation.

The Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network has enlisted more than 300 individuals since its founding.

Activists try to strike a balance between being passionate and getting burned out.

Most attendees said the school’s small size and project-based learning style gives students an edge over those from other schools.

The students in Cabot’s Class of 2024, like most graduating seniors around the world, started their high school careers in the thick of Covid-19 quarantines in 2020.

Former programming director at the Shelburne’s library, Broder took the Hinesburg position in October and said he tries to be funny and silly in an otherwise serious job.

“She knows the sport intimately, she’s been doing it for I don’t even know how many years at this point, and she has a style that draws people in, gets them fencing quickly.”

The storytimes give parents a chance to do a chore while their kids learn. Organizers hope people will turn out for the next event May 30.

The complicated state funding formula gave additional weight to students who speak a first language other than English and who live in low-income households.

After seven years, Fair Haven students and faculty share the merits, as well as the challenges, of the proficiency-based grading system.

The bill says companies that distribute PCBs must pay for the testing and removal of the chemicals in Vermont’s schools.

Right now, putting on sunscreen in Vermont schools is a tall order. 

Many Vermont schools faced dramatic increases in their proposed school budgets this year, partly due to state requirements for higher spending in areas such as special education and educator insurance.

A 9th grader at Harwood Union says he has experienced a multitude of racist incidents.

The changes address problems prompted by education officials.

The gallery’s co-owner said the idea stems from noticing a bond between one of his past students and a colleague.

Professional artists worked with students to design the community artwork.

Laura Collins bakes and decorates cookies by hand for events like children’s birthday parties and bachelorette parties.

Homelessness rates in Vermont have shot up by 18.5% since last year, as of this past January.

One selectboard member said he thinks the rise in the tax rate will come as a real shock to Charlotters. 

The steady flow of students across busy Main Street at University Heights creates constant conflict between vehicles and pedestrians.

The bill would dramatically limit the use of electronic devices, digital platforms and more in all Vermont schools.

“What does it hurt to do this? What if you’re a student who, for the first time, is getting a period, and you forgot something?” said the bill sponsor.

he population of Thetford is around 2,500. But each year on the first Saturday of October, that number doubles.

Teachers at Burlington High School are facing hard decisions about how to discuss the Israeli-Hamas war in class–or if they should discuss it at all. 

On Oct. 13, Colchester High School students flooded the hallways to witness the Grand Bathroom Opening Ceremony.

U-32 Middle and High School in East Montpelier has joined dozens of schools in the state testing positive for the toxins, also called polychlorinated biphenyls.

Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability initiative at Shelburne Community School connects Vermont schools to coordinators at Shelburne Farms and Up for Learning, a national organization that helps educators increase student engagement, to teach the future generation about sustainability and climate change.

“Chicken Coop Chaos,” released in October, is Tavares’ first published book.

Food insecurity doesn’t recognize state lines. New Hampshire and Vermont both battle the problem, and that’s where Rivendell Academy stepped in.

Adelman and fellow PFAS activists believe that preventing further damage from the chemicals requires public education.

Recent increases in substance abuse and addiction have made students at Burlington High School feel unsafe.

Middlebury College has had to scramble for housing solutions for its expanding student population.

Harwood Union High School has welcomed multiple exchange students each school year since 2003.

Students at River Bend Career and Technical Center in Bradford, Vermont, are doing more than hands-on learning. They’re preparing for careers that are facing an increase in labor shortages.

Just 12 schools in Vermont guarantee students a personal finance class as part of their graduation requirements — including Winooski High School, where business teacher Courtney Poquette is working hard to change that. 

Interacting with patients and learning nursing first-hand is more engaging than regular school for students of the Burlington Technical Center’s Introduction to Healthcare program (IHC).

A coalition of Vermont organizations has begun a new project to shed light on harassment, hazing and bullying in schools.

What looks like a new state-of-the-art shopping mall is actually the newly constructed home of Winooski schools. 

Now at 27, Trombly has been hired as the first full time, year-round editor of UVM student stories for the Community News Service—a program which provides student reported stories to local newspapers across Vermont.

The show, which opened June 1, came together through a collaboration between South Burlington Public Art Gallery Curator Jessica Manley and a team of dedicated art teachers from the district.

The Vermont Journalism Exchange Conference last Thursday kicked off with news from University of Vermont Provost Patricia Prelock.

Schaner’s first time bringing students from RUHS to MarineLab, a trip she’d run with previous students at other schools.

In late March, students traveled to New York City, where they learned about United Nations’ environmental policy and sustainability goals and sat in on a U.N. General Assembly session.

For more than a month, members of the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union (WNESU) community have told school officials they don’t want Principal John Broadley to leave.

The bill, H.483, looks to implement a nondiscriminatory admissions process for prospective students on public tuition.

Vermont students may have more protections when it comes to discrimination and harassment in schools as advocates are urging lawmakers to include them in a bill that right now only focuses on workplaces and places of public accommodations. 

The EAP course intends to help multilingual students develop reading and writing skills expected in an English-speaking college. The course covers classroom culture, academic expectations, history, and design of U.S. collegiate institutions.

Children across rural Vermont walk to school, but the city of Winooski poses a unique set of geographical challenges for students on foot.

Mandating and strengthening Holocaust education in schools has been brought up by lawmakers for the past few years, but the proposed bills are typically left untouched. This year, many representatives and senators are hoping that will change. 

The read-a-thon is a way to track students’ reading, encourage them to read more and to raise money for the Shelburne Parent Teacher Organization.

As lawmakers evaluate a bill focused on universal public preschool, they are also considering ways to strengthen Vermont’s fragile network of private child care providers.

Two seats on Winooski’s school board are up for grabs on Town Meeting Day, but only one of them is contested.

A year into its creation as a standalone school district, the Central Vermont Career Center is asking voters in the 18 towns it serves to approve a 17.8% increase in its annual budget to expand its offerings.

Guidelines for Vermont school districts’ curricula and reading materials may be changing for the first time in 10 years as a working group looks to push the state education board to put greater focus on racial and ethnic diversity and historically persecuted groups. 

A new bill would require Vermont public school students to take a personal finance course to graduate high school. 

Residents, teachers, and students turned out in recent weeks to persuade the Bellows Falls Union High School and Windham Northeast Supervisory Union (WNESU) boards to reinstate Principal John Broadley, who in a letter last month announced that he will not seek to renew his contract.

Harwood Basketball fans had much to cheer for in Wednesday night’s doubleheader as both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams took home victories for their senior night games.

Lawmakers are looking to pass a bill to make universal school meals permanent in Vermont — an extension of pandemic-era policies with a price tag pegged at $29 million for next year.

When the class of 2020 arrived at South Burlington High School four years ago, the students would be the first to encounter a new academic standard that administrators and educators had been working to prepare: proficiency-based learning. 

That’s when officials aim to see contractors finish up a floor replacement after a sprinkler head broke and flooded the school’s gym in September.

Vermont schools face “critical” staff shortages midway through the academic year.

One in every five taps tested was at or above the level requiring that it be removed, because it has a higher chance of harming children. Thousands of lead-tainted taps have been replaced or are no longer in use. Photo illustration by Natalie Williams; photo by Skitterphoto via Pexels State officials have been making the […]

have to do with funding grant projects?

At the Shelburne Community School, Dynamic Dates fundraiser raffles off adventures from teachers and staff to kids at the school.

Kids have the opportunity to learn to code with the Charlotte Coding Club.

The teachers, one from Morocco and one from Taiwan, will be working at the schools for the entire year as part of a U.S. State Department–sponsored program.

MONTPELIER — The Montpelier Roxbury Public School district is partnering with Talkspace, an online therapy platform, to deal with the growing need for mental health services in Vermont, particularly among youth. Superintendent Libby Bonesteel said the partnership came about after community members expressed concerns that there weren’t enough mental health providers in the area, especially […]

Many balked at merging the three institutions when the idea was first introduced. And the wariness remains.

After 20 years captaining Williston Central School’s mentorship program, Nancy Carlson has stepped ashore to let it sail on under new leadership. 

These tiny, all-weather libraries are built for neighborhood book exchanges where community members can take or leave a book.

The Vermont Law School unveiled a slight name change, along with an outline for long-term growth and restructuring plans at the school’s Burlington office on St. Paul Street, Tuesday.