Ripton Elementary School is at a crossroads

RIPTON — Ripton’s bid to withdraw from the Addison Central School District will again take center stage before the Vermont State Board of Education (SBE) next Wednesday, May 19. Officials and attorneys representing Ripton have already delivered an initial round of testimony to the SBE, back on April 21, in an attempt to convince the panel that the community should get permission to leave the seven-town ACSD and become its own independent school district. Ripton leaders see independence as a path toward main … (read more)

RIPTON — You’ll forgive Ripton residents this year for being more preoccupied by their neighbors’ town meeting results than their own. That’s because residents in Bridport, Cornwall, Middlebury, Salisbury, Shoreham and Weybridge on March 2 will decide whe … (read more)

Ripton’s choice to withdrawal its elementary school from the Addison Central Supervisory Union should be just that: the town’s choice. On Jan. 12 this year, town residents voted 163-107 to withdraw from the school district and become an independent school … (read more)

Dear Voters of Bridport, Cornwall, Middlebury, Salisbury, Shoreham and Weybridge. My name is Maggie Hoyler and I am a fifth-grader at Ripton Elementary School. It is my last year at Ripton because the district is moving sixth grade to MUMS and I want to l … (read more)

We came to Vermont 36 years ago when George was appointed to serve as pastor of the United Methodist churches in Middlebury, East Middlebury and Ripton. We loved this area and the people here. We found Ripton to be a very special place, a unique community … (read more)

Democracy — perhaps the most important reason to vote yes to ratify Ripton’s town vote to secede from Addison Central School District. The people of Ripton came out in impressive numbers and voted to secede. That vote should be respected and honored. The … (read more)

I will be voting YES to release Ripton from the Addison Central School District.  This is not because I want to weigh in on whether Ripton School should remain open or not, nor because I want Ripton to leave, but because, as a resident of Shoreham, it is … (read more)

I read in the Ripton Elementary School newsletter that students have been spending part of each day this winter learning and playing, sled dogging and skiing in the great outdoors.  No doubt they have delighted in our almost nightly snowfall and learning … (read more)

I live in Middlebury and feel a lot of sympathy with both Ripton and Weybridge as they face the likely closure of their elementary schools if they remain within the Addison Central School District. I’m interested that the two towns have voted differently … (read more)

“If the spirit of liberty should vanish in other parts of the State, and support of our institutions should languish, it could all be replenished from the generous store held by the people of this brave little town of Ripton.” Shamelessly paraphrasing Pre … (read more)

I assure readers that Ripton is taking correct action to remove itself from the Addison Central School District to take control and preserve their small town school. Costs for education can now come under their control to lower their town taxes. They can … (read more)

RIPTON — Ripton residents on Tuesday voted, 163-107, in favor of withdrawing from the Addison Central School District, while Weybridge residents opted against doing so by a 190-119 margin. The six other ACSD member towns must now vote in favor of Ripton’s … (read more)

This story was corrected after it was originally posted to correct an error. We found out after the story went to press that the ACSD had updated its FAQ on the Ripton and Weybridge secession votes, and that the two towns would not absolutely loose their … (read more)