Letter to the editor: BIPOC folks put in tough spots

Ms. Esther Charlestin was hired to do and took on arguably the most unpopular position in any school, a charge she attempted to fill with grace and honesty.

I was sad but not a bit surprised to learn of the overt racism Esther Charlestin experienced during her year as Dean of Culture and Climate at Middlebury Union Middle School. 

We hear community members calling for us to do better and to respond. We want to share with certainty: We have moved beyond acknowledging the problem. We are committed to doing the work that will make change within our schools. 

I am writing in support of Esther Charlestin, the previous Dean of Climate & Culture at Middlebury Union Middle School. I am asking our community to hear the truth about racism in Vermont and acknowledge her concerns about lack of support. 

The Addison Central School District has announced new and ongoing efforts to battle racism and intolerance in wake of the recent resignation of Middlebury Union Middle School Dean of Climate & Culture Esther Charlestin, who cited two racially-charged inci … (read more)

Esther Charlestin’s decision to leave her position as the Middlebury Union Middle School Dean of Climate and Culture, in response to lackluster handling of race-related incidents last year, speaks to the need for the Addison Central School District to com … (read more)

Middlebury Union Middle School’s first-ever dean of climate & culture has resigned from her job after only one year.

The Addison Central School District (ACSD) board on Monday endorsed a search process and timeline for finding a new, permanent superintendent that calls for a preferred candidate to be identified by the end of this year and begin their duties on July 1 of … (read more)

Officials at Addison Central School District say they are lucky to have several staff moving to new roles within the district and have new faces across the nine schools and the central office.

I share my story for those who feel invisible, who can’t speak because it could jeopardize their jobs, for those whose BIPOC children are struggling and they have no choice but to keep them in our public schools, and for those who have been silenced.

Just as he did for the Hannaford Career Center, Tim Williams will — among many other things — help his employer find his replacement and assist in crafting a revenue-challenged 2024-25 school budget.

The ACSD — as well as many school districts throughout the country — are seeing 30-40% of the student population score “below proficient” on standardized assessments.

Shoreham Elementary School Principal Andy Johnson on June 16 resigned after just one year on the job.

Tim Williams has spent the past year as interim superintendent of the Patricia Hannaford Career Center, Addison County’s voc-tech hub that’s based a mere stone’s throw away from the ACSD central offices off Charles Avenue.

It was the end of an era for the Addison Central School District— or at least the conclusion of an eventful decade.