ACSD Newsletter January 2023

Bridport students build an igloo!

In December, I shared with our staff that I will be leaving ACSD after ten years as superintendent. As I reflect on the number of students, staff, board members, and community members that have shaped me as a person and given me hope in the power of community and learning together, I am struck with great gratitude. I have so many people to thank for the countless hours they have put in to support our work.

I know this represents significant change for our district but I trust our staff, leadership, and community to select and support a new superintendent who will lead the ACSD into the future. The ACSD Board is finalizing a timeline and process for the new superintendent hiring and we will continue to offer community updates about how to engage in that process. You can also read the Board's latest update here.

Our new Strategic Plan Action team had their first meeting. This is the group that will help to guide and write the next strategic plan. With my decision to leave the district, I have stepped back from this work but I leave it in the capable hands of other district leaders, staff, parents and an exceptional group of students. You can follow their work and look for opportunities to engage here.

January can be a long month, but the snow is finally here and our students have been enjoying everything our snow covered district has to offer. See some of our photo highlights from each school below!

It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of this district and community over the last 10 years. I look forward to spending the remainder of the school year with you.

With gratitude,
Peter Burrows, Superintendent

There are so many ways that our students learn to explore, take risks, and gain knowledge in our winter environment! Students take field trips and spend time in PE learning to snowshoe, skate, cross country, and downhill ski. During class, they may try weather-related experiments and at recess they use their natural environment to create and collaborate! Everyone is SO happy to have the snow back, here are a few moments across our district

ACSD Board Elections:

On March 7th, 2023 our ACSD district towns will vote on several open ACSD board seats. There will be elections for open seats in Bridport, Cornwall, Middlebury, and Salisbury. Although candidates run for a seat from individual towns, it is important to remember that our board members represent all students in the ACSD, not just the students in the school of their particular town. And, as members of the ACSD, you can vote for every open seat in the district, not only for the seat for your town. We encourage you to talk to any candidates who are running about your hopes, questions, and concerns and about their vision for how to serve all students within our district.

ACSD Annual Meeting:

The ACSD Annual Meeting will be held on February 28, 2023 at 7-9pm at Middlebury Union High School, 73 Charles Ave in Middlebury VT. All are invited to attend.

Budget Book
The Annual FY 2024 Budget Book is available here on the ACSD Website or by to view a hard copy you can visit ACSD's Central Office at 49 Charles Ave, Middlebury VT.

Thanks to so many who have offered feedback to guide our next website. We hope the new website will improve your ability to stay connected and find what you need! As we near completion, we will be looking for folks who are interested in giving user feedback before the website is ready to launch (estimated April 2023!). If you're interested, email Emily eblistein@acsdvt.org or call 802-382-1183

As we begin the search for a new superintendent we will send updates to the community by email and post them on our website here.

We are beginning the work to hire MUHS' next principal. We hope to create a hiring committee that represents the diverse interests and perspectives of our MUHS community. We encourage all interested MUHS staff, faculty, students, and parents to apply with this form.

We keep an "ACSD Events" calendar, which you can find here and download to your personal calendar. It holds all school breaks, early release days, and other dates that are helpful to our ACSD community. Here are a couple of important upcoming dates:

• Wednesday February 1st - Early Release Day
• February 20th-24th - Winter Break
• Tuesday February 28th ACSD Annual Meeting

You can find board meetings, agendas, and the zoom link to watch every board meeting on this webpage. The School Board's quarterly updates are sent to all ACSD community members by email, and can be found on the website here.

We use our newsletter and social media to stay connected and give you a peek into our classrooms. For more regular connection and lots of photos, follow us: Insta: @acsdvtschools FB: @acsdvt TW: @acsdvtschools

Remember to send a note in advance or call if your child will be late, absent, needs to leave early, or has a change in their after-school plans. Here are the numbers to every front office:

• Bridport Central School 802-758-2331 | 3442 VT Route 22A Bridport, VT 05734
• Cornwall Elementary School 802-462-2463 | 112 School Road Cornwall, VT 05753
• Mary Hogan School 802-388-4421 | 201 Mary Hogan Drive Middlebury, VT 05753
• Middlebury Union High School 802-382-1500 | 73 Charles Avenue Middlebury, VT 05753
• Middlebury Union Middle School 802-382-1600 | 48 Deerfield Lane Middlebury, VT 05753
• Ripton Elementary School 802-388-2208 | PO Box 155, 753 Lincoln Road Ripton, VT 05766
• Salisbury Community School 802-352-4291 | 286 Kelly Cross Road Salisbury, VT 05769
• Shoreham Elementary School 802-897-7181 | 130 School Road Shoreham, VT 05770
• Weybridge Elementary School 802-545-2113 | 210 Quaker Village Road Weybridge, VT 05753