District Newsletter

Dear HUUSD Community,

Welcome back! It has been wonderful to see our students and staff return to our schools and to feel the energy that comes with the beginning of a new year.

The Voyage Ahead

When our staff gathered before students returned, I used “The Voyage Ahead” as our theme for the 2026–2027 school year. We talked about a world being reshaped by artificial intelligence, big data, robotics, and other rapidly developing technologies. Our students will graduate into a world very different from the one many of us entered, and part of our responsibility is to prepare them to think critically, adapt to change, and use emerging technologies responsibly.

Charting Our Course Carefully

Preparing students for that future, however, does not mean embracing every new technology simply because it is available. Part of navigating the voyage ahead is charting our course carefully. Schools, like society more broadly, adopted technology rapidly over the past two decades, and we have learned a great deal about both its possibilities and its limitations. This year, our administrative team is taking a coordinated look at technology use across HUUSD, considering its purpose, frequency, duration, developmental appropriateness, and the evidence supporting the tools we use. This thorough examination is particularly important for our youngest learners, where technology should be purposeful and balanced with books, conversation, movement, play, hands-on learning, and relationships. Our goal is not more technology or less technology, but thoughtful choices about when it adds value to learning and when it does not.

Navigating Changes in Vermont Education

There are other important waters to navigate this year as well. Vermont's Act 170 creates new Cooperative Educational Service Areas (CESAs), which will bring school districts together to explore opportunities for collaboration and shared services. The law also requires the HUUSD School Board to participate in a regional district merger study. At the same time, the new statewide spending threshold will continue to place considerable downward pressure on school district finances and require us to find ways to further reduce per-pupil costs. After several years of significant budget reductions, this financial reality is also leading our School Board to carefully consider questions of scale, including how we use and sustain our school buildings over the long term. These are complex conversations with significant implications for our communities, and there are no predetermined outcomes. We will approach them thoughtfully and keep our community informed and engaged as the work develops.

Keeping Our Destination in Sight

Whether we are considering new technologies, examining how our schools work together, or simply helping a student navigate a new classroom, a successful voyage requires us to be willing to learn, adjust course when necessary, and keep our destination in sight. For HUUSD, that destination remains the same: providing every student with an excellent education and the relationships, experiences, and opportunities they need to thrive.

We are only a few days into this year's voyage. I am grateful to our teachers, support staff, principals, families, and community members for helping us get off to such a positive start.

I hope everyone enjoys the upcoming long weekend and a little more Vermont summer. There is much ahead, and I look forward to navigating the voyage together.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike

The high school fall season kicked off August 28th. Golf, boys and girls soccer, girls volleyball, and cross country are all in action. For updated schedules and information please click here.

Middle school games start September 10th.

We are very excited that our new Athletic Trainer, Rebekah Bernard, has arrived and is working with our student athletes. You will see her around everyday in the HUMHS building and out at practices and games. Her typical schedule will be 1:00 PM until that day's events are finished.