ACSD sixth-graders to gather for youth summit

Sixth-grade teachers have organized the 5th Addison Central School District Youth Citizen Summit, bringing together a wide range of workshop leaders from local and statewide organizations.

Shoreham Elementary School has been flagged as one of a dozen Vermont public schools in line to receive assistance from the state of Vermont due to declining student performance.

Two of the four looming vacancies on the Addison Central School District board have failed to draw candidates.

The Addison Central School District board on Monday overwhelmingly endorsed K-5 school choice within the district’s seven towns, but with limits.

The school board on Monday agreed to use $650,000 in capital reserve funds to bankroll security improvements at all of the ACSD’s operational school facilities.

The Addison Central School District board is considering a policy change that would give Middlebury-area parents more flexibility in determining which among the ACSD’s soon-to-be five K-5 schools they’d like to enroll their children.

It’s looking increasingly likely that the ACSD might have to shed programming in order to afford even a fraction of the more than $60 million in physical upgrades at its schools.

Barring any major, 11th-hour subtractions or additions, ACSD voters on March 3 will be asked to approve $53 million in spending to educate Middlebury-area PreK-12 students during the 2026-2027 academic year.

The Addison Central School District board on Monday received an initial draft of a fiscal year 2027 PreK-12 budget of $52.9 million that reflects a 4.9% increase in overall spending and an estimated 3.7% increase in education taxes.

ACSD Superintendent Wendy Baker says the school board’s decision to merge the two elementary schools is final.

Proposed improvements to the crowded middle school building include expansions to the gym, library, kitchen and cafeteria, along with new classrooms and common space.

The ACSD board on Monday voted 8-1 in favor of a plan to blend Shoreham’s kindergarten through 5th-grade students into Bridport Central School beginning next fall, and convert Shoreham Elementary School into a district Pre-K hub.

The ACSD board on Monday agreed to initiate the formal closing of Ripton Elementary School, a move that will still require a positive vote by district voters on Town Meeting Day.

During a Tuesday forum about Act 73, ACSD Superintendent Wendy Baker described the changing education policy landscape that could shape Addison County schools.

The numbers presented to the ACSD board on Monday were a very tentative, birds-eye view of Middlebury Union High School’s repair, maintenance and upgrade needs.