Superintendent Updates

Addison Northwest School District

Annual Meeting & FY27 Budget Informational Meeting

Dear ANWSD Community, 

We warmly invite you to join us for our Annual and Budget Informational Meetings on Monday, March 2nd, beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the VUMHS Library. This is an important opportunity to learn about district finances, hear updates from school principals, and participate in key votes ahead of Town Meeting Day on March 3rd.

What to Expect at the Meeting

• Floor Voting on Articles 1–6: Community members will have the opportunity to vote from the floor on Articles 1 through 6. You can review the full Annual Report — including all articles — in advance at: https://issuu.com/anwsd/docs/fy27_anwsd_annual_report
   
• FY27 Budget Presentation: The School Board and District leadership will present the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget, providing a clear picture of how resources are planned to support our students and schools.
   
• School Principal Highlights: Each school principal will share highlights and updates from their building, giving you a firsthand look at the great work happening across our district.

Why Your Attendance Matters

This meeting is your chance to be an active voice in our school community. Decisions made here directly impact our students, staff, and schools. We encourage all parents, guardians, and community members to attend, ask questions, and cast their votes.

Meeting Details

Date: Monday, March 2, 2026

Time: 5:00 p.m.

Location: VUMHS Library

We look forward to seeing you on March 2nd! Together, we can ensure our schools continue to thrive. If you have any questions in advance of the meeting, please don't hesitate to reach out to the district office.

Warm regards,

Sheila Soule, Superintendent 

 

A quick reminder and clarification that Josh Brooks’ 5th grade students will be on hand tomorrow between 5:30-6:00 (before the board meeting) outside the VUMHS  Library to showcase their recent projects on power and leadership. Some of our local legislators will also be on hand to hear our students’ perspectives and recommendations. We hope to see you there.

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Our administrative team is currently reading 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People by David Yeager, a groundbreaking book that explores how we can best support and motivate young people during a critical developmental window. Yeager is a leading developmental psychologist who challenges traditional assumptions about adolescence by presenting a “mentor mindset”, which can be characterized as pairing high expectations with high support to unlock young people’s potential. This approach aligns with our district’s focus on fostering student-agency- emphasizing autonomy, problem-solving, and flexible pathways to learning. 

One of the book’s core insights is that young people aged 10 to 25 are not simply "unknowing" or "immature", but rather, are highly sensitive particularly to signals of social respect and status. As we know, all children are capable of remarkable growth, especially when given the right support. Yeager’s research shows that adopting a mentor mindset by validating young people’s perspectives, asking questions instead of dictating, and being transparent about goals can help young people feel respected and capable. This fosters their intrinsic motivation and resilience which are key components of agency.

For parents and educators in our community, 10 to 25 provides a roadmap for fostering agency in children by balancing high standards with supportive relationships. It encourages us to ask rather than tell, to listen actively, and to provide feedback that builds confidence and competence. These practices align seamlessly with our district’s values and can inspire all of us to create environments where young people feel empowered to take initiative, solve problems, and grow into capable, motivated individuals.

We are looking forward to Yeager’s visit to Vermont later this Spring. 

Suggested Links for Further Exploration:

• David Yeager’s book 10 to 25
• FutureEd Q&A with David Yeager

 

Dear ANWSD Families,

I wanted to share a few quick updates on this chilly Sunday morning. First, a reminder that these temperatures are genuinely dangerous. While we try not to delay or cancel school solely due to cold, the reality is that buses do not always operate consistently in conditions like these. That can result in delays where students are left waiting outside longer than usual, increasing the risk of frostbite.

We are often not aware of these issues until routes are underway, sometimes leaving students waiting unexpectedly. For these reasons, please do not have children waiting at the bus stop alone. Make sure they have access to a warm car or a nearby house to retreat to if a bus is delayed. Frostbite can occur in as little as 10 minutes in these temperatures. We will ensure that students are able to come directly into the building upon arrival. However, please do not drop students off earlier than usual, as staff may not be available to let them inside. Thank you for your understanding and support. If we do need to delay in the morning we will try to get word out as soon as possible. 

BUDGET UPDATE

The FY27 School Budget was approved by the board at their January 21 meeting. Our budget maintains student programming at current levels, allowing us to provide high-quality educational programs, academic and social/emotional supports, and enriching co-curricular, athletics, access to Career and Technical education, and advanced course offerings at the High School level. The expenditure budget increased by only 2.39% for a total of $28,314,179. Due to an unanticipated budget surplus in FY25, we were able to apply $1M to the bottom line resulting in per student spending at $15,647;  a 3.14% increase from last year. You can see the final budget presentation linked here and come to our Annual Meeting and Budget Presentation on March 2 at 5:00 in the VUMHS Library. 

The most challenging part of our budget is yet to come- that is making sure voters turn out on Town Meeting day, March 3, 2026! Our voter turn out is typically quite low. I would love for that to be different this year. Please take advantage of early voting to avoid missing the chance for your voice to be heard. 

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS

I hope that you are able to read the Principal’s weekly updates showing all the amazing things going on in our schools. Just this week a parent shared appreciation for the elementary PE Winter Olympics, noting the excitement and positive energy they’ve brought to the school. The experience has gone beyond physical education to include learning about world cultures, teamwork, sportsmanship, and healthy competition. Bringing a global event into a small-school setting has created a memorable, joyful experience for students and a strong sense of connection and community. 

Coming up at our February 16 board meeting, Josh Brooks’ fifth-grade students will be sharing their learning about how governance and responsibility operate within social systems, using their own educational experiences as a lens. As part of this work, students created visual presentations showing how decision-making flows from the state level to schools and students. Families are invited to stop by the hallway outside the VUHS library before the 6 p.m. meeting, and then listen in as students present their own ideas for improving education in Vermont.

SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH

Lastly, February is School Board appreciation month. Serving on a school board is a significant act of public service—one that requires navigating complex issues, engaging deeply with policy, budgets, and governance, and making decisions that have lasting impact. Our board members volunteer countless hours to understand the work, ask hard questions, and thoughtfully represent the needs of our students, staff, and broader community. We are deeply grateful for their commitment and care.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. We are always happy to connect and support your family. Thank you for your ongoing engagement and partnership.

GO PATS! 

 

Dear ANWSD Families,

I am writing to share a brief update on the development of the FY27 school budget and highlight a few key details as the process continues to move forward.

Where we are in the process

The School Board is now reviewing the final budget details and will see the 4th draft of the budget at our Monday, January 12 meeting. The board then anticipates taking action on the proposed budget at its January 21st meeting, after which the budget will move forward to Town Meeting Day for a community vote. You can view the current budget presentation by clicking on the link below

Budget Presentation January 12, 2026

Key budget facts

• The proposed FY27 expenditure budget represents a 2.39% increase over FY26.
• Depending on how the board ultimately applies available surplus funds, per-pupil education spending would increase by either:
  • 2.81%, or
  • 4.13%

Educational priorities reflected in the FY27 budget
The FY27 budget was developed to support the following priorities:

• Maintaining high-quality instructional programs across all grade levels
• Preserving co-curricular and athletic opportunities that support student engagement and belonging
• Aligning staffing with class size policies while managing costs responsibly
• Meeting student support, special education, and safety obligations
• Strengthening social-emotional learning (SEL), multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), and behavioral supports

These priorities guided budget decisions and helped shape how resources are allocated.

Understanding statewide tax factors
In Vermont, local school budgets are only one factor that influences education property taxes. Statewide mechanisms such as the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) also play a significant role. The CLA is used by the state to align property values used for tax calculations with current market values. When property values change faster than reappraisals occur, the CLA can affect the tax rate applied to homes, regardless of changes in local school spending.

Because of this, even in years when a district’s local (Union) tax rate increases very little, or is close to flat, some property owners may still see increases on their tax bills due to statewide adjustments.

State discussions on property tax relief
Governor Scott has indicated that they are again exploring a statewide property tax “buydown” to help offset projected tax increases. Any such measure would require legislative approval and is separate from local school district budgeting decisions.

Use of surplus funds
The School Board is also continuing to consider how best to apply approximately $1.1 million in surplus funds. Options under discussion include using surplus to help reduce tax impacts, support one-time needs, or strengthen long-term financial stability. No final decisions have been made at this time.

Looking ahead
Additional budget information will be shared as it becomes available. We encourage families to attend the board meetings either remotely or in person, review budget materials on the district website,  and stay informed as we approach Town Meeting Day.

Thank you for your continued interest in and support of our schools.

Sincerely,
Sheila Soule
Superintendent, Addison Northwest School District

 

Superintendent Update Dec. 7, 2025

I can’t believe how quickly this school year seems to be going- how can it already be December? As a result of our two weather related calls this week - I wanted to follow up on the process for calling delays and cancellations. The last thing we ever want to do is 1) put students on dangerous roads in poor weather or 2) cancel or delay unnecessarily. This past week I feel like both of those things happened and for that I sincerely apologize. 

To begin, Vermont’s National Weather Service meteorologists hold Zoom briefings with Superintendents the night before and again early the morning of any potential weather event. After those calls, the Addison County Superintendents confer to determine a coordinated decision. This is important because we all share the same transportation provider and the same regional technical center. In addition, we each request updates from our local road crews, but frankly most do not respond to those inquiries, with Ferrisburgh being the consistent exception.

Despite all of that, the timing and severity of the storms can surprise us which was the case on both days this past week. Tuesday was much worse than expected in the early morning hours such that a delay or cancellation would have been better, and Thursday’s storm rolled in later than expected such that an on-time start would have been better. I sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding and hope that we can do better with any subsequent storms. As always, you should make the best decision for your family on any day the weather is challenging. 

To ensure you receive all communications seamlessly, please make sure your contact information is up-to-date in our system. Families can update their contact information by completing the back-to-school information updates through the PowerSchool Parent Portal at anwsd.powerschool.com/public. Contact your child’s school with questions.  Note that all phone call communications will come from telephone number (866) 788-4564. Make sure you set your phone preferences to receive calls from this number so that it is not marked as “spam”. This number cannot receive return calls.