COMMENTARY: We, the Cyberpatriots
Harwood Union High School junior Jeswin Antony of Waterbury represented Vermont at the American Legion’s National Oratorical Finals held in Indianapolis in April.
LETTER: State should ban seclusion, restraints for school students
“Vermont legislators, I am writing to advocate for children in Vermont with disabilities who are restrained and secluded in our schools at disproportionate rates compared to children without disabilities.”
COMMENTARY: On restraint and seclusion, ‘we can and must do better’
A prone restraint begins with a "takedown," where the staff forcibly takes a student down to the ground. The staff then turn a student onto their front and hold their arms and legs.
LETTER: Walk & Bike to School Day a success
On Wednesday, May 25, close to 200 students, parents, and community members participated in the Walk & Bike to School Day in Waterbury.
OPINION: Vermont’s top elected officials on the Uvalde, Texas, school murders
On Tuesday, May 24, the world absorbed the news from Uvalde, Texas, where an 18-year-old murdered 19 students and two teachers and wounded many others at Robb Elementary School.
COMMENTARY: Child abuse is preventable, and gun violence is child abuse
It is difficult to comprehend that there is yet another mass murder of children in our country.
Vermont’s school librarians weigh in on gun violence
On behalf of the Vermont School Library Association, we have issued a statement on gun violence in the wake of the preventable tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Rep. Stevens: Historic steps taken as Legislature ends session on ‘normal’ note
The final weeks of the legislative session were busy with bills flying between the House and Senate but our work was recently completed with a “normal” end to a very abnormal biennium.
LETTER: Donate, don’t dump
Duxbury, Waterbury and surrounding towns have recently completed another successful Green Up Day held each year in Vermont on the first Saturday in May.
Rep. Wood: Legislative session sought transformational change
The 2022 legislative session has wrapped up after passing a $8.3 billion budget.
Two years of Waterbury Roundabout
Two years ago, the Waterbury Roundabout website launched to cover local news in our community.
OPINION: On public school, pandemic politics, and the poison of personal responsibility
Republican Gov. Phil Scott decided to veto the pension bill that includes school workers and other public employees on the first day of Teacher Appreciation Week, the day after May Day.
Words matter in our efforts to keep children safe
The news has taken notice that some are misusing a word that is important to protecting children from the risk of experiencing child sexual abuse. At Prevent Child Abuse Vermont, we want to help parents know how to protect children, so it is important that miscommunication be avoided.
Waterbury’s legislative districts remain intact
Gov. Phil Scott on April 6 signed H.722 which updates Vermont’s districts of the House of Representatives and the senatorial districts of the Senate.
Regarding the use of restraints and seclusion in HUUSD schools
The Waterbury Area Anti-Racism Coalition calls for the Harwood Union Unified School District School Board to immediately cease in all HUUSD schools the use of restraints that restrict breathing (i.e., prone and supine restraints).
COMMENTARY: Beardsley remembers Peter Dean
Editor’s note: The following are lightly edited remarks by longtime WDEV staffer and broadcaster Tom Beardsley made April 25 when he guest-hosted the Vermont Viewpoint program.
Early childhood educators deserve appreciation
As a home-based childcare provider for 13 years and a Vermont Early Childhood Network leader for the past 12 years, I am extremely fortunate to have a wonderful group of childcare providers participating in the Waterbury Area Network.
LETTER: School board should review Restraint and Seclusion Policy
I encourage the Harwood Unified Union School District School Board to vote on May 11 to add a review of the Restraint and Seclusion Policy to a future agenda.
COMMENTARY: The value of human life
Either human life is intrinsically valuable, or it is not. Assisted suicide denies its intrinsic value. Much more sane, humane, and compassionate is to recognize the value of human life, full stop.
LETTER: Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance forms local chapter
As a longtime second home owner in Waterbury, I would like to invite others in this community who own or manage a short-term rental property to a social networking event to start a Waterbury chapter of the Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance.