MAUSD withholds school consolidation financial information

BRISTOL — This fall, as a subcommittee of the Mount Abraham Unified School District board discussed which school-closure and other cost-saving options it should recommend to Superintendent Patrick Reen, Starksboro resident Herb Olson showed up to meeting after meeting, expressing the same concern. In September Olson told the MAUSD Facilities Feasibility Study Subcommittee (FFSS) he thought there was a lack of financial information in their proceedings. In October he asked about projected savings for closing … (read more)

BRISTOL — During an Oct. 14 virtual town hall meeting hosted by the Mount Abraham Unified School District, discussion facilitator Sue McCormack reminded the district’s Community Engagement Committee, or CEC, that as recently as last fall Five-Town residen … (read more)

Last week’s op-ed, “ACSD must change, or face woeful cuts,” raises some important points. Yes, the district is at the excess spending threshold the state has mandated. For every dollar above the EST, we will be double-taxed. What’s missing in this op-ed, … (read more)

Act 46 is flawed, deceptive legislation that should be repealed. Act 46 consolidation is being carried out in the Addison Central School District as a process of disempowering and disenfranchising the small towns of the district. Rather than each town ele … (read more)

As the son of a former MUHS principal (1961-1979) who was then district business manager for a few years, I’m not sure how my father, Dr. Kenneth Severson, feels about Act 68. I may ask him. I myself am opposed to closing down the smaller schools. I think … (read more)

MDDLEBURY — The Addison Central School District board on Tuesday unanimously rejected two citizens’ petitions — based on a lawyer’s advice — that sought to give each of the seven ACSD-member towns more of a say in the election of their educational leaders … (read more)

Dear Friends and Neighbors in the Addison Northwest School District: In recent months I have had many private conversations with people in our district about the future of our schools, yet I have chosen not to speak publicly about the subject. I am involv … (read more)

WEYBRIDGE — Three Weybridge women have joined forces to infuse two ingredients they believe have been in short supply thus far in the school closure debate in the Addison Central School District: financial statistics and conversation that prioritizes stud … (read more)

In response to the letter of Jan. 6 (Invest in educators, not buildings) I am unable to contain my frustration at the blinkered and money-minded attitudes that led to the drive toward school consolidation. The writer’s statement that she has “sincere resp … (read more)

Writing helps me process life, and, because I am a slow processor, I tend to find myself putting words down in order to gain clarity and empathy for other people’s viewpoints. Last Wednesday, in the conference room at the Middlebury Town Offices, I sat am … (read more)

I believe some clarification is in order to anyone that signed, or is considering voting in favor of, the petition made by Save Our Schools to the Addison Central School District regarding school board composition and school consolidation procedures. It b … (read more)

VERGENNES — Opponents of school closure in the Addison Northwest School District suffered two defeats at Monday night’s board meeting. First, the board rejected, on legal grounds, a pair of petitions seeking a vote to amend the ANWSD’s articles of unifica … (read more)

The decision by the Addison Northwest School District board to reject two petitions seeking to amend the district’s articles of unification, and its decision to close Addison Central School for use as an elementary school and repurpose it for alternative … (read more)

We hear you. We don’t care. We’re doing what we want anyway. That’s the message I heard loud and clear at the ANWSD (Addison Northwest School District) board meeting Monday night. The board seemingly refused to warn a vote on petitions to change the artic … (read more)

I believe some clarification is in order to anyone that signed, or is considering voting in favor of, the petition made by Save Our Schools to the Addison Central School District regarding school board composition and school consolidation procedures. It b … (read more)