Ripton commits to leave school district in 2023

The Ripton School District board last week voted unanimously to stick to a path that would make the community’s new preK-12 school system operational during the summer of 2023, rather than waiting until 2024.

Very preliminary budget modeling by the Ripton School District board indicates the town might be able to run its own K-12 public education system for an education property tax rate of $2.06 per $100 in property value during the 2023-2024 academic year — t … (read more)

Ripton residents on Monday, May 9, approved all of the financial items at their annual town gathering, and then went to the polls the next day to decide contested races for the selectboard and town constable.

Ripton residents will gather for a belated annual town meeting on Monday, May 9, to decide fiscal year 2023 budgets for their town, highway and school services, and then go to the polls on Tuesday, May 10, to elect two additional school board members and … (read more)

The Spirit in Nature (SpIN) annual meeting will honor Ross Conrad of Dancing Bee Gardens, Middlebury, with its Eco-Spirit Award for 2022 on Sunday, March 20, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Ripton Community House. 

An Addison Central School District board election firmly rooted in the debate over the future of small rural schools culminated in wins on Tuesday for two outspoken advocates for keeping all of the ACSD’s elementary schools open.

Defining a community: Is it a town or a school district? When is a small elementary school too small?

It is a critical time to ensure our school boards are led by dedicated public servants committed to meeting the needs of all students. Amy McGlashan is such a person.

As Lincoln withdraws from Mount Abraham Unified School District (MAUSD), there is misinformation that is circulating in the community.

In my opinion, Act 46 was intended specifically to bring about the closing of small towns’ schools in Vermont, despite what the text of the law itself states.

In a commentary last week that rebutted our editorial, State Board of Education Chair Oliver Olsen took us to task for suggesting the SBE had more leeway to rule on Ripton’s behalf and he denied the SBE was “targeting small schools for consolidation.”

Unable to obtain school services elsewhere, Ripton administrators are considering rejoining the district. And now, state officials and lawmakers are trying to make sure another departure like Ripton’s doesn’t happen again.

Unfortunately, Mr. Lynn’s editorial in the same edition missed the mark with an opinion that was based on a flawed understanding of Vermont education law and the powers of the State Board of Education.

Ripton school officials said they’ll try to make the best of what they believe was an incorrect decision by the Vermont State Board of Education on Jan. 19 to designate the town its own supervisory district.

Ripton’s Molly Witters is right on target; State Board of Education Chair Oliver Olsen is not.