Superintendent Updates

 

Dear ANWSD Families,

When I last wrote, the Vermont Legislature was still considering H. 454. On Monday, June 16th, this law passed, which lays the groundwork for a long-term transformation of Vermont’s public education system. While most of the changes are still several years away, here’s what families need to know now:

• Class Size Minimums: Starting in July 2026, the state will require schools to meet minimum average class sizes (e.g., 10 students in grade 1, 18 in high school required courses). This may influence future staffing and school configuration decisions.
   
• Graduation Requirements & School Calendar: The state will begin developing statewide graduation standards (by 2026) and a statewide school calendar (to start in 2028–29). These will not affect students immediately but are expected to bring more alignment across districts.
   
• School District Consolidation: A state task force will propose new district boundaries by the end of 2025. This could lead to larger districts across Vermont, but no immediate changes to our district are planned.
   
• Independent School Tuition: Starting in 2025, public tuition to independent schools will be more limited and subject to new criteria. Students currently enrolled or accepted for the 2025–26 year will not be impacted.
   
• Foundation Formula & Property Tax Changes: A new education funding model will phase in starting in 2029. This will gradually shift how school budgets and property taxes are calculated, with some transition support built in.

These changes aim to improve equity, efficiency, and transparency across the state but will unfold over several years. It’s worth noting that many of these long-term changes depend on future legislative decisions and may evolve before they’re implemented. We will keep families informed as more guidance becomes available.

As always, thank you for your partnership and support.

Warm regards,

Sheila Soule
Superintendent, ANWSD

 

Superintendent Update

Week of Jun 15, 2025

 

Dear ANWSD Families,

As another school year wraps up, I want to thank you all for your unwavering support of the ANWSD schools. There are many things we would struggle to do effectively without the ongoing support of our families. This means everything from volunteering, to reading about and keeping up with what’s happening in your child’s classes, to showing up at events, and reaching out when you have questions or information to share. We deeply appreciate your care and the connection you’ve built with us.

As we head into the summer months, consider ways to support your child in maintaining both their academic skills and the important relationships they have with peers. We strongly encourage setting limits on technology use and substituting screen time with activities like trips to the library, meeting up with friends at the pool or lake, or diving into a family learning project.

Check out Echo Museums Find and Go Seek summer planner for a list of family friendly events throughout the summer. Or see what The Bixby Library is offering for their summer reading program. Vergennes Rec is also packed with summer activities and options. 

I hope this summer brings your family time to recharge, reconnect, and make memories together. Thank you again for being such vital partners in your child’s education and in the life of our schools. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in the fall, refreshed and ready for another great year of learning and growth.

Warm regards,

Sheila M. Soule, M.A. Ed.
Superintendent of Schools

 

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H. 454 Update
 

On Monday morning, June 16, the Vermont Legislature will vote on H.454, a bill that would fundamentally reshape public education in our state. While early versions held promise, the final version—negotiated between the House and Senate—has shifted in ways that make it impossible for us to support.

Along with many of my peers and other state level organizations, I am urging lawmakers to vote No on H.454.

 

We need strong, equitable support for public education. But this bill has become too focused on expanding access and funding for private schools, while sidelining the needs of the public school communities it was meant to serve.

 

Here are a few key concerns:

• The bill lowers the bar for private schools to receive public tuition, making it easier for them to draw resources away from public districts.
   
• Two private CTE schools are exempt from tuition caps and can continue to charge whatever they want—with no clear rationale.
   
• New district boundary decisions will be made mostly by legislators, with too few voices from school boards or communities.
   
• A new group will decide how future school boards are structured, but only 2 of its 7 members are appointed by the VSBA.
   
• Earlier versions included funding for school facility improvements—those funds have now been diverted elsewhere.
   

Our Addison County youth deserve a public education system that is well-resourced, equitable, and built for the future—not one that opens more doors for private interests while undercutting the work of our educators and communities.

 

If you feel moved to act, I encourage you to contact your legislators before Monday morning’s vote and urge them to vote No on H.454.
 

Rep. Rob North rnorth@leg.state.vt.us
Rep. Matt Birong mbirong@leg.state.vt.us
Senator Ruth Hardy rhardy@leg.state.vt.us
Senator Steve Heffernan sheffernan@leg.state.vt.us
 

We need thoughtful, community-driven reform—not one that shifts resources and control away from our public schools.

 

 

Happy Spring! It seems that time is going incredibly quickly as we approach the last 7 weeks of the school year. There are so many things happening in schools to celebrate the culmination of learning, such as the capstone projects happening in the Middle School right now. If you have a student in the Middle School, you already know this, but for everyone else, know that this is an incredibly empowering time for our learners to take the reins and go deep into a self-directed learning experience that culminates in a presentation for friends and family. It is a very exciting time! I am very grateful for our teaching staff who makes this type of learning available to students. 

This is Teacher Appreciation week for all faculty and staff in our schools. Please consider dropping a note of thanks to all of your child’s teachers and other staff members. Our teachers do incredible work navigating the unexpected, solving complex challenges, and bringing day to day learning to life for our students. Our school community is a place where students feel safe and valued. Our teachers and staff feel immense pride in watching our students grow and gain confidence. None of this is possible without their dedication and craft. I hope this week brings each and every staff member the appreciation they deserve. Thank you for doing your part to make this possible. 

Lastly, I hope you’ll consider attending the upcoming K-12 Education Community Forum hosted by Senator Ruth Hardy on May 10th at the Vergennes Union Middle and High School auditorium beginning at 10:00 a.m. The Legislature is proposing sweeping changes to the governance and funding of public schools in Vermont meant to lessen the tax burden on Vermont taxpayers. I have serious concerns with the latest changes proposed by the Senate Education committee, as they have removed some parts of the Bill as passed by the House that addressed class size, and other aspects of scale. While it is expected that new District boundaries will emerge from this version, that alone will not address costs as savings at the State level will be limited to only about 5% overall. 

The tax burden in the state is incurred as a result of the collective decision making at the local level all across the state. A state level funding formula requires state level solutions on matters of equitable programming, staffing, and scale. Fundamentally, this Legislation needs to result in improved opportunities for ALL students at a cost affordable to our taxpayers. In its current state, this Bill will not achieve that. Simply put, Vermont can have two of these three things: a quality education, reasonable tax rates, or small schools—but not all three. We cannot continue allowing this to play out over many years, at the expense of our students, who will lose more and more learning opportunities just to create the pain points needed to drive different local decisions. I am disappointed that the Senate Education Committee has made decisions to the House version of the Bill that seem to prioritize special interests over what’s best for all of Vermont’s students. 

I hope you will come to learn more and let your voices be heard. 

May the Fourth Be With You! 

 

 

Happy April Break! I hope you all have a chance to enjoy some time with your family during this vacation week. This week I wanted to share some incredible resources from the Cook Center for Human Connection. I learned about the Cook Center for Human Connection at a recent National Conference I attended and was impressed with the wide range of supports and resources they offer. 

 

The Cook Center for Human Connection is a family foundation established by Greg and Julie Cook to support childhood mental wellness and behavioral health—areas often overlooked in traditional fundraising. Motivated by personal experiences and a desire to make a local impact, the Cooks focus on preventing suicide, strengthening human connection, and supporting mental health for children, families, and schools. The foundation provides grants, parent programs, and global resources to raise awareness and offer critical support to those affected by mental health challenges. As someone who has been directly impacted by suicide, I am deeply committed to breaking the silence, expanding access to support, and fostering meaningful connections that can save lives.

 

I have included access to a set of parenting resources developed by the Cook Center, through their parent portal https://parentguidance.org/all-courses/ These are a FREE set of courses  on a number of topics that can help navigate some of the more challenging aspects of parenting. These topics include anxiety, behavior, technology, bullying and so many more. These courses require no sign up and are (again) free to use. 

 

I hope you take the time to explore this website and find it useful. Enjoy the week!