Schools

Early dismissal on Wednesdays to start next year

DEERFIELD VALLEY- Last week many parents of students attending Windham Southwest Supervisory Union schools were surprised by an email or robocall announcing a change in the weekly school calendar. Starting the first week of school next year, student will be released from school at 12:45 pm every...

Windham Southwest goes maskless

WILMINGTON- As of Monday, March 14, masks will no longer be required in Windham Southwest Supervisory Union schools or on school buses, following a supervisory union board vote Wednesday to rescind their existing mask policy.
The move is in response to changes in state policy announced by...

Agency of Education Secretary Dan French

Keeping schools safe

Local districts working out logistics on test to stay NEWFANE - In late September, Secretary of Education Dan French announced the state would pivot to a test to stay approach for limiting the spread of COVID-19 in schools. Locally, school administrators are grappling with how...

Agency of Education Secretary Dan French File photo

Scott calls for employer virus vaccine mandates

MONTPELIER- Gov. Phil Scott said booster shots are on the horizon, urged employer vaccine mandates, and announced new school guidance at his COVID-19 press conference Tuesday.
Gov. Scott said booster shots were a topic of discussion at his meeting earlier in the day with governors and...

Vermont Agency of Education Secretary Dan French at Tuesday's press briefing

State wants kids in schools this fall

MONTPELIER- State officials are advising school districts to return to in-person learning this fall with students and staff wearing masks, at least for the first few weeks. An official advisory memo will be issued sometime this week, according to the Agency of Education.
At his press...

Vermont Department of Mental Health Commissioner Sarah Squirrell

Vermont children struggling with pandemic

MONTPELIER- Gov. Phil Scott's COVID-19 briefing Friday focused on the pandemic's impact on Vermont children.
Gov. Scott also announced that Walgreens Pharmacy would begin offering the COVID-19 vaccine to customers 65 and older. “Because Walgreens received doses directly from the...

State officials say schools will reopen in the fall

MONTPELIER - Gov. Phil Scott and education secretary Dan French announced Wednesday that Vermont schools will be open for in-person instruction this fall.
“We recognize that as much as COVID-19 has been an unprecedented public health emergency, in many cases it has also been an education...

Schools sorting out online challenges

By Mike Eldred
HALIFAX- Southern Valley School Board members held their regular meeting remotely Wednesday evening, following recent guidance from the state regarding open meetings via teleconference during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Windham Southwest Supervisory Union Superintendent...

Gov. Scott closes schools, health department expands testing

By Mike Eldred MONTPELIER- Late Thursday afternoon, Gov. Phil Scott issued an order dismissing in-person education at Vermont schools for the remainder of the school year.
The latest order supersedes his earlier order, which closed schools until April 6. Under the order, districts...

Gov. Scott orders orderly closure of Vermont preK-12 schools this week

15 MARCH 2020 Montpelier, Vt. – In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Phil Scott has announced a Continuity of Education Plan for the orderly dismissal of all schools, and cancellation of all school related activities, no later than Wednesday, March 18. This directive, which will be...