Letter to the editor: Vergennes student urges open debate

I have been disappointed with the recent coverage of the issue of school closure in Addison and Ferrisburgh. It has emphasized the drama surrounding the issue, and has not provided the complete picture for the community to have a productive discussion. I also understand the frustration about a lack of communication from the school board. I think the way this has been covered has only served to exacerbate this issue. While I, as a student of the Addison Northwest School District, believe that the alternative … (read more)

FERRISBURGH — The Ferrisburgh selectboard is urging town residents to oppose the Addison Northwest School District’s proposal to close Ferrisburgh Central School. “Your selectboard under the leadership of Vice Chair Jessica James voted tonight to send out … (read more)

In your editorial of Oct. 24, you write: “Surely, when the idea of consolidated governance was conceived in Act 46, no one imagined district boards would rule like kings.” That is incorrect. From the very outset of Act 46 the constant refrain of many of u … (read more)

The ACSD School Board seems to be moving quickly in the direction of closing town schools. I strongly urge everyone from all towns to pay attention and become involved. Below is an edited version of the letter I wrote to our school board when they solicit … (read more)

The two main selling points for school unification are lowering school costs and improving student performance by providing a wider experience. We have no guarantees that this will happen. Research actually shows the opposite. West Virginia decided to for … (read more)

Editor’s note: This letter is in response to a letter by Addison Central School District Board Chairman Peter Conlon that ran in the Oct. 10 edition. Dear Peter Conlon, With reference to your letter to the editor, and with all due respect, I believe that … (read more)

VERGENNES — The Addison Northwest School District will host two voter information meetings on Monday, Nov. 4 — the night before elementary school-closure votes in Addison and Ferrisburgh. The first meeting will be held at 5 p.m. at the Addison Central Sch … (read more)

Although I cannot dispute that the Addison Central School District’s push to consolidate our elementary schools is one plausible solution to what they deem a taxpayer issue, as an elementary school parent of four I cannot help but question if the board’s … (read more)

VERGENNES — It’s official. The Addison Northwest School District has scheduled school-closure votes for Tuesday, Nov. 5, in the towns of Addison and Ferrisburgh. The ANWSD is asking voters in those two towns to approve its plan to close the elementary sch … (read more)

Editor’s note: This is a letter to Sue Rakowski, chair of the Addison Northwest School Board, in response to a letter she submitted on behalf of the board that ran in the Independent’s letters forum on Oct. 10. I am a Ferrisburgh resident and parent of tw … (read more)

As many of you know, we the Board of the Addison Northwest School District have asked the voters of Ferrisburgh and Addison to consider closing their schools. We want to make clear why we are doing this and why we haven’t acted in other ways. It is worth … (read more)

Editor’s note: This letter was written by Rob Backlund of Lincoln on behalf of his five-month-old. To The Community Members of Lincoln, I want to thank each and every Lincoln community member (a robust and diverse group!) who showed up last night for the … (read more)

FERRISBURGH/ADDISON — After selectboards in Addison and Ferrisburgh early last week declined a school board request to hold votes on closing the elementary schools in those towns, the future of that vote proposal was only partially clarified by Friday aft … (read more)

ADDISON/FERRISBURGH — While the fate of the votes on whether to close Addison and Ferrisburgh central schools remained uncertain late last week (see related story), many in those communities remained deeply skeptical of the Addison Northwest School Distri … (read more)

The process of Act 46 consolidation in the Addison Central School District has, in my view, lacked the necessary transparency and level of enfranchisement that one would expect in a democratic society. First, the 2016 Town Meeting Day school district cons … (read more)