Lamoille North District Update
Lamoille North Supervisory Union l November 15, 2024
Dear Lamoille North Community and Staff,
We are excited to introduce another opportunity for community engagement. On Monday, December 2, 2024, we will host from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., after a special School Board meeting at 5:00 p.m., a community event to include dinner and discussion as we begin conversations around the development of our district budgets. We will provide a transparent and collaborative space to share ideas and priorities as we continue to analyze and review our resources for the year ahead. Please see below for more details and consider joining us for this important event. We want and need to hear from you!
Lamoille North Community Budget Discussion
Lamoille North warmly invites you to dinner and discussion on Monday, December 2nd, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the CEC at Green Mountain Tech for an early overview of the FY26 school budgets. Your insights and engagement are key to shaping the future of our schools.
This discussion provides an early look into the diligent work that has gone into the budget development process so far. While these initial budget drafts are preliminary and will likely evolve as we approach Town Meeting Day in March, this is an invaluable opportunity to understand the considerations, challenges, and priorities that have guided our work so far.
The discussion on Monday, December 2nd, will focus on the Modified Unified Union School District budgets, which includes the district's elementary schools (Johnson, Waterville/Belvidere, Eden, and Hyde Park), Lamoille Union Middle School, High School, and Green Mountain Technology & Career Center.
Cambridge residents vote on budgets for the Lamoille Union Middle School, High School, and Green Mountain Technology & Career Center, but vote on a separate elementary school budget that will not be discussed in detail at this December 2nd meeting.
Your voice is an integral part of this process. Community feedback ensures that our budgets reflect shared values and address the needs of students, staff, and families alike. Together, we can build a budget that truly supports equity, access, and opportunity for all. Please join us Monday, December 2nd.
Winter Weather Reminders
As we all know, our weather and its impacts are often unpredictable. Lamoille North towns span approximately 251 square miles and weather conditions can often be quite different from one end of the district to the other. Also, we know that in addition to being very unpredictable, weather can change drastically in a short period of time. Safety is the most important factor.
Our transportation system is centralized and all buses travel from each of our towns to the Lamoille Union Campus. If one town experiences freezing rain, and the roads are considered potentially unsafe by our road crews in that town, we will close school even if the weather conditions and roads in every other town are safe for travel. Decisions must be made based on the safety of all of our students and staff in all of our towns.
We give consideration to our students who are new drivers on winter roads and to whether the faculty, at large, commuting from all over the state, will be able to arrive safely, and if we will adequately be able to staff schools for the day. We will usually not have a delayed opening unless our road crews make that suggestion. Sometimes a little extra time to treat the roads is needed, especially if a storm hits after the roads have been sanded, but that is the crews’ decision alone to make. Most of the time, crews are able to manage weather and road conditions to ensure that the roads designated as bus routes are ready in time for a regular opening of the school day.
We rely on the expertise of our road crews when it comes to evaluating the weather conditions because they are already out on the roads and have the best 'real time' knowledge. We have our cell phones set up for alerts from the State of Vermont. Also, we regularly monitor the following sources for forecasts and predictions: The National Weather Service, WCAX, and the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
We will make every attempt to make school closure decisions by 5:30 am, after talking with road crews from each town. A message will be sent to all families and staff using contact information we have for you in Infinite Campus. Please make sure you have created your Parent Portal and that your contact information is accurate.
It is important to note that school in coordination with our bus providers can sometimes delay, cancel, or modify individual roads and routes based on weather impacts. If those changes need to be made, school administrators will contact parents and caregivers who live along those routes early in the morning. We have had situations where the roads are fine at the time we need to make a 5:30 a.m. call for delay or closure, only to have unpredicted freezing rain or other situations that make travel less safe. In situations where buses are already on the road and road conditions become worse, bus drivers pull over and call our road crews for assistance with sanding or plowing. The drivers at Lamoille Valley Transportation and all other drivers will not attempt roads that do not appear safe.
Ultimately, we try to make the best decision we can every single day using all available
information. As an important reminder – parents/caregivers have the final determination on whether to send their child to school on inclement weather days. If a parent/caregiver feels that the roads in their area are too hazardous, they can contact their child’s school and that missed day or missed class time will be counted as excused.
Lastly, we’re thrilled to highlight the incredible collaboration within our community, first with news about the 2025 Legislative Breakfast Series from Lamoille Economic Development Corporation and other news from Healthy Lamoille Valley! Together, we continue to build a strong, safe, and inclusive district for all.
We thank you, as always, for your strong partnership with our schools.
Catherine Gallagher, M.Ed.
Superintendent of Schools
Lamoille North Supervisory Union