State board to Ripton: You’re on your own

The Vermont State Board of Education (VSBE) on Wednesday morning officially granted Ripton’s wish to become independent from the Addison Central School District. Now comes the hard part.

Lincoln and Ripton, which voted last year to withdraw from their school districts, have begun exploring the idea of creating a new supervisory union to handle the administrative services they might not be able to afford individually.

Willem Jewett, a Ripton resident and former majority leader of the Vermont House of Representatives, died Wednesday afternoon using a prescription obtained through Act 39, a law that allows terminally ill Vermonters to take pharmaceutical drugs to end the … (read more)

Dissatisfied with the pace and effectiveness of talks toward a possible compromise with the Addison Central School District, the Ripton School Board is exploring a public education union with the town of Lincoln.

A bright purple, custom-made, 12-foot trailer with rustic wooden accents is a new regular at Rikert Nordic Center in Ripton.

I am writing to provide context to the quote attributed to me in the Dec. 16, 2021 article, “ACSD Board cool to Ripton rule changes,” and am doing so because I believe these are important details for the ACSD community to contemplate in this broad convers … (read more)

A majority of the board on Monday reiterated its opposition to amending the ACSD’s charter in a manner that would give member-communities more power in electing their board representatives and a final say on whether their own elementary schools should clo … (read more)

As a member of Ripton’s uniquely school-less school board, a day doesn’t go by that I don’t try to summarize our strange situation to an acquaintance.

A summary and update of Ripton’s ongoing withdrawal efforts.

The reading, at Tourterelle Restaurant in New Haven, is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 21, 4:30-6 p.m., and is open to the public.

I was astounded by Oliver Olsen’s comments in the Addison Independent article last week referring to Ripton’s withdrawal from ACSD.

The Vermont State Board of Education (VSBE) is giving Ripton a two-month extension to negotiate an agreement that could avert the town’s planned exit from the Addison Central School District.

Positions on both sides appear to make the chances for an accord unlikely before the Vermont State Board of Education (VSBE) re-examines Ripton’s withdrawal bid in November.

A few runners opted for the virtual race, but well over 100 participants came out to enjoy one of two race courses and a to-go lunch of homemade chili, cornbread, and a cookie.

“I don’t know of any school that celebrates the start of the year by burning something the students spent a month creating and building,” said Tal Birdsey, head teacher and co-founder of the school.