School district 2023-24 calendar set: students get Thanksgiving week off
Although this year’s last day of school has not been finalized yet, the school calendar for the 2023-24 school year has been posted with one new feature for families to note.
Harwood Harkness Initiative gets national recognition, Vermont interest
Harwood Unified Union School District is getting some national education community attention at the National School Boards Association annual convention this weekend while practitioners have been busy meeting with Vermont student and teacher groups to offer first-hand demonstrations.
School board wrestles with, but approves $879K school kitchen bid
Sticker shock didn’t deter the Harwood Unified Union School District’s School Board last week from voting to move ahead with plans to build a functional commercial kitchen into Waitsfield Elementary School later this year. Even if it ultimately costs over $1 million.
What goes around comes around – Tom Drake is a finalist for Crossett Brook co-principal job
Three finalists for Crossett Brook Middle School’s co-principal position have been announced and one of them is … current school Principal Tom Drake.
Waitsfield kitchen redo likely on hold after single, high bid pushes costs over $1 million
At its regular meeting this Wednesday, the Harwood Unified Union School District School Board will review plans for building maintenance projects for the next three years and likely will put the brakes on plans to overhaul the Waitsfield Elementary School kitchen.
Crossett Brook student chefs land Jr. Iron Chef award
Preparing a Fancy Farm Flatbread recipe landed one of Crossett Brook Middle School’s two student culinary teams an award for cooking with local ingredients at the 15th Junior Iron Chef Vermont competition at the Champlain Valley Expo last weekend.
Harwood School Board keeps ‘dream team’ leaders for the coming year
The Harwood Unified Union School Board unanimously re-elected its chair and vice chair for another year as what one board member dubbed its “dream team” leaders at this week’s organizational meeting following the Town Meeting Day election.
Career center passes its first budget test
Voters across the region last week gave a strong vote of approval to the budget for the Central Vermont Career Center. According to election results released on Monday, the $4.1 million budget passed by a vote of 6,535 to 1,806 on Town Meeting Day.
Reporter’s notebook: On voters’ minds in Waterbury, Moretown
On Town Meeting Day, students from the University of Vermont’s Community News Service reporting program traveled to communities around the region to sit in on town meetings and talk with voters at the polls. Student reporter Sam Jefferson visited Waterbury and Moretown and filed this report.
Harwood club fundraiser supports girls’ education in Ethiopia, Uganda
Nearly half of all girls around the world have no access to an education. Yet research shows that when a girl is educated, she can help lift her whole community out of poverty.
School annual meeting includes a budget overview ahead of Tuesday’s vote
Tonight at 6 p.m., the Harwood Unified Union School District holds its in-person annual meeting to cover housekeeping items ahead of the district-wide vote by ballot on school budget questions the following day. It will include a budget presentation with a chance to ask questions.
Career Center School District budget hike to fund all-day programs
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.
For the first time in 10 Years, Vermont may update its Educational Quality Standards
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.
Help wanted: Substitute teachers, bus drivers in short supply
The weather forecast was for sunshine last Monday when parents of local middle school students got word that school was canceled for the day.
Universal school meals on the menu for lawmakers
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.
Eight of 14 Harwood school board seats on the March ballot
Elections to fill seats on the Harwood Unified Union School Board this Town Meeting Day will be the busiest yet since the district merged and formed just one school board in 2017. Eight of the board’s 14 seats will be on local ballots across five of the district’s six communities in the March 7 election.
Harkness program to receive national award
The Harwood Unified Union School District received word this week that the Harwood Harkness Initiative has earned an award from the National School Boards Association.
Harwood travel program lands $134,000 in federal funding
The recent $1.7 trillion omnibus federal spending bill passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden contained millions for dozens of Vermont initiatives including $134,000 to begin growing Harwood Union High School’s International Travel Study program.
National Life program recognizes Warren elementary teacher
Warren elementary school teacher Heidi Hill has been recognized by a National Life Group Foundation program that honors K-12 public school educators and staff who exemplify excellence, positive influence and leadership.
Recent storm highlights need to improve communication with buses
Winter weather was particularly challenging recently when snowstorms led to one snow day at the start of the week and contributed to multiple mishaps with buses headed home later in the week.