Around the River Bend

9/7-no school

9/22- RBCTC Regional Advisory Board Meeting

9/23-RBCTC Progress Reports

10/3-Groton Fall Foliage Parade

Attendance and punctuality are more than school expectations—they are essential employability skills. In every career field, employers depend on employees to arrive on time, be prepared, communicate when an absence is unavoidable, and follow through on missed responsibilities. River Bend Career & Technical Center helps students build these habits now so they are ready to meet workplace expectations after graduation.

Students and families share responsibility for regular, on-time attendance. When a student is absent, they are responsible for completing all missed learning, activities, and assignments. Program instructors will assign make-up work at their discretion, and assignments not completed within the established timeline may receive a zero. This expectation mirrors the workplace: when responsibilities are missed, employees are expected to communicate, catch up, and meet deadlines.

Families are notified of attendance concerns as they arise. Sending schools verify daily absences as soon as possible. After three absences, the program instructor will contact the family by phone and administration will send a letter. At five absences, administration will send an additional letter and refer the student to the Educational Support Team (EST) for review. Tardiness is also monitored; families will receive phone and written notification after four tardies or when tardiness results in the equivalent of one full day absent, whichever occurs first.

Absences exceeding five days in a semester are considered excessive. Verified absences may include documented health-related absences, college visits, school-sponsored extracurricular or co-curricular events, and other absences approved by the director. All other absences—including in-school and out-of-school suspensions—count toward the maximum allowable total.

The EST meets weekly to review attendance and other student concerns, identify barriers, and coordinate support. The team includes the School Counseling Coordinator, Special Services Coordinator, Assistant Director, Work-Based Learning Coordinator, and additional staff as needed. When needed, families may be invited to develop an attendance contract or success plan. Continued excessive absenteeism may result in removal from the center.

By prioritizing attendance, punctuality, communication, and responsibility, students strengthen the professional habits employers value most—and build a foundation for success in their technical program, future workplace, and community.

For Parker Calley, an Oxbow High School senior in River Bend Career and Technical Center’s Building Trades program, learning to build has also meant building confidence, independence, and a foundation for a future career in carpentry.

Parker chose Building Trades because he wanted to learn a skilled trade and pursue a career in the carpentry industry. One of his favorite parts of the program is the opportunity to leave the traditional classroom behind and learn in a hands-on environment. “I like getting out of the traditional classroom and having access to a shop where I can learn hands-on,” he says. That hands-on experience has helped him develop more than technical skills.

One of the things he is most proud of learning at River Bend is how to solve problems independently. “With only a couple teachers and lots of students, you can't always get an answer from a teacher immediately,” he explains. “That has helped me develop my ability to figure things out on my own.”

His River Bend experience also opened the door to a valuable work-based learning opportunity with Housewright Construction in Newbury, Vermont. Last year, he completed a job shadow at Housewright. The experience led to a position as a laborer with the company, and through River Bend’s Work-Based Learning program, he was able to continue working there throughout the summer.

During his summer placement, Parker gained valuable experience and continued developing the skills he learned at River Bend. His hard work and attitude made a strong impression on his supervisor. “Parker was an outstanding addition to our team. He demonstrated an impressive ability to learn and retain new skills, approached each task with patience and attention to detail, and represented our company in a professional manner throughout the season.”

The experience has helped build confidence in both his abilities and the quality of his work. “River Bend has helped improve the confidence I have in myself and the work I do by giving me an outlet to practice,” he says.

Of course, some of his favorite River Bend memories aren't necessarily about construction. The cookouts shared by the Building Trades and Automotive programs last year were a highlight. Other highlights include the daily karaoke. “We do a lot of karaoke in the shop while working,” he says. Not always in tune, but always fun.

After high school, Parker plans to attend college and major in construction/project management, with a minor in business. His long-term goal is to own his own carpentry company.

His advice to students considering River Bend is straightforward: apply yourself and put yourself out there. “In construction especially, but any of the other courses too, the more you put into it, the more you get out,” he says. “River Bend is a great way to make connections for jobs and other opportunities. By applying yourself and using those connections, you will get the most out of your time here.”

And while the technical skills he has gained will undoubtedly be important to his future, Parker believes the friendships and connections he has made at River Bend may be what he values most in the years ahead. Bringing students together from different schools throughout the region creates opportunities for friendships that might never have happened otherwise. River Bend brings together students with shared interests and gives them the chance to learn alongside like-minded peers.

“In 10 years, I hope to still communicate and work with the other Building Trades students that I am working with now.”

From learning in the shop to working on real job sites, Parker is already putting his River Bend education to work building the skills, confidence, and connections that will help shape his future.

River Bend’s Emergency Services program gives students a hands-on introduction to careers in emergency medicine, firefighting, technical rescue, search and rescue, and law enforcement. At the center of the program is the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) curriculum, which helps students build the knowledge, clinical skills, professionalism, and confidence needed to respond in high-stakes situations and serve their communities.

Students gain experience with the emergency response system, patient care, personal protective equipment, teamwork, communication, and decision-making. They also explore how the many parts of public safety work together—from ambulance services and fire departments to emergency management and law enforcement.

Credentials That Matter

Emergency Services students have the opportunity to graduate with industry-recognized credentials that can support both immediate employment and continued education. Depending on successful completion of course requirements and applicable exams, students may earn:

• National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) certification

• Vermont or New Hampshire EMT licensure

• Incident Command System (ICS) certificate

• American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

• Stop the Bleed certification

• Emergency Vehicle Driver Training (EVDT) certificate

The NREMT credential is especially valuable because Vermont bases initial EMS licensure on National Registry certification along with affiliation with a Vermont-licensed ambulance or first responder agency. In other words, this training can give graduates a meaningful first step toward entering the EMS field after high school.healthvermont+1

College Credit and Career Pathways

Students can begin earning college credit while still enrolled at River Bend. During junior year, students may earn three credits in Medical Terminology through River Valley Community College. During senior year, the EMT course includes six embedded college credits through Northern Vermont University.

The program supports a wide range of next steps. Some graduates pursue employment right away with 911 or interfacility transport ambulance services. Others continue to college or specialized training in areas such as:

• Emergency management

• Paramedicine

• Nursing

• Radiology

• Pre-medical studies

• Fire science

• Law enforcement and corrections

Graduates have also used their Emergency Services experience as a foundation for service in the National Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, police academies, and other public-safety pathways.

For students considering EMS as a career, the work can provide both a direct entry point into healthcare and public safety and a strong foundation for future training. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a Vermont annual mean wage of $39,350 for EMTs in its most recently available state-level data, while national median annual pay for EMTs was $44,470 in May 2025. Actual earnings vary based on employer, experience, certification level, schedule, and location.

What’s Happening Now

The school year is off to an active start in Emergency Services. Students and staff are organizing turnout gear and preparing new fire closets, helping ensure that equipment is accessible, maintained, and ready for training.

First-year students are becoming familiar with bunker gear, learning about the emergency response system, and beginning to explore the many careers available in emergency services. Second-year students are refreshing their American Heart Association BLS skills and preparing to begin clinical ride time with local ambulance services—an important opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world emergency medical care.

A Strong Option for Students

Emergency Services is an excellent option for students who are still deciding exactly where they want to go after graduation. The EMT curriculum provides practical, transferable skills that apply across many healthcare, public-safety, military, and service-oriented careers.

Whether a student hopes to begin working in EMS, attend nursing or paramedic school, become a firefighter, pursue law enforcement, or explore another helping profession, National Registry EMT preparation offers a valuable starting point. Students leave with experience, credentials, college credit opportunities, and a clearer understanding of how they can make a difference when their communities need them most.

River Bend’s Emergency Services instructor, Mr. Tom Leeman, brings a unique combination of emergency medical experience, leadership, and hands-on problem-solving to the classroom. Drawn to River Bend by its close-knit culture, Mr. Leeman values the way staff and students support one another and work to create an inclusive learning community. “I like the smaller community that River Bend offers,” Mr. Leeman shared. “Staff and students are willing to support each other and be inclusive.”

Mr. Leeman’s path to emergency services began in college, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Ski Resort Management with a minor in Marketing. While completing college, he received ski patrol certification through Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC). Working alongside EMTs and paramedics on ski patrol inspired him to pursue National Registry EMT certification—and launched a career dedicated to emergency medical services.

Since then, Mr. Leeman has served as an EMT, Advanced EMT, and now as a paramedic. His experience includes work in both rural EMS systems and busy urban environments, along with clinical roles as an Advanced EMT/medical assistant and emergency department technician. He has also held leadership roles, including leading a bike patrol squad and serving as an operations manager for both a small rural ambulance agency and a moderately sized EMS service.

That breadth of experience gives students a practical window into the many directions an emergency services career can take. In the classroom, Mr. Leeman’s favorite moments come when students begin connecting individual skills—such as patient assessment, communication, and emergency procedures—into realistic, dynamic response scenarios.

Mark your calendars!

River Bend will be hosting EXPO 2027 on March 26 and 27, 2027.

The River Bend Career & Technical Center provides educational opportunity without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital/civil union status, or any other characteristic prohibited by Federal or State law.