Hartford School District Newsletter

Reminder: the first day of school is Wednesday, 8/26 for 9-12, and Thursday, 8/27 for PK-8

August 21, 2026

Dear HSD Teaching and Learning Community,

WELCOME BACK!!!

It is almost impossible to believe that our students will be returning to us next week! As summers often go, this was another edition of "blink and you'll miss it!"

We could not be more thrilled and delighted to welcome our students back into our buildings and campuses, and have spent the last several days reconnecting with one another and preparing for our students' arrival.

This year we plan to continue along our Vision of a Graduate "Learn" trajectory (see the Vision of a Graduate document below), and will be dedicating a lot of our professional learning time together reviewing the vertical and horizontal alignment of our curriculum to reaffirm and endorse our commitment to our students, each other, and to all of you that what we are delivering to our students each day, each year, is coherent and comprehensive and aligned to the Vision of a Graduate we developed with your feedback. We will also be ensuring that what we are doing is consistent with what the state has outlined through the Education Quality Standards, as well as what is to come when the state adopts their new graduation requirements. It's a lot, and we will need to move at just the right pace to do all of this well. Please expect to hear more about our efforts throughout the year!

We will also be sharing how all of this curriculum relates to our assessments, both locally and through the state, and the progress we are making on student outcomes across the board as we continue our efforts to review student data and to use our analyses to drive our pedagogical decisions in the classroom.

That all sounds pretty technical work, and it is, but it is also worth noting that we already do a lot of this really well, and we know that codifying what we are doing is extremely important in order to inform our instructional work.

We also don't want to ever forget that learning is fun and joyful and that kids learn best and engage in their learning when strong relationships are developed and their work is both relevant and rigorous. We are incredibly fortunate that our educators are innovative, creative, and incredibly fun human beings who know how to embed core content and skills into truly enjoyable learning experiences for our students.

Welcome back, everyone. We've been waiting for you!!

Can't wait to see you!

Warmly,

Caty

After a busy school year, Hartford teachers and staff love to enjoy a little summer fun! Here is a little peek at what some of our staff were up to this summer.

"My family spent 2 weeks in Austria (plus a day in Venice) hiking and doing some rock climbing, and then I spent a week in Madeira with friends hiking, trying mountain biking for the first time, and snorkeling. Next, my family spent 6 days in Colorado visiting my brother, and lastly my wife and I visited Mexico for a week of relaxing on the beach before the school year begins."

"I volunteered a few weeks at Camp Ventures This summer had a blast with the Hartford kids. 😀"

"I went with a team from HMMS to the Northeast Farm to School Institute at Shelburne Farms in June to learn and develop our farm to school plan. I also went on an adventure backpacking in the Pyrenees Mountains in France!"

"Eight multilingual learners from across our three elementary schools joined Holly Beckert and Amy DeMatteo in an animal research and art project for two weeks this July. The students chose an animal to learn more about while playing with different watercolor painting techniques to create trifold books that they wrote and illustrated. Everyone had a great time together and we hope to do more collaborative learning during the school year. It was a fun time to connect, meet new friends and learn new skills! "

"Our big summer adventure was all about the move to VT! We have been painting, landscaping, navigating dozens of boxes/bins, and exploring all this beautiful area has to offer!"

"The week after the 4th of July I partnered with the Tunbridge Library co-hosted an 18th century summer camp which we called "Liberty Library Camp". This was an idea I had a few years ago to help in the celebration of America's 250th (shocker, I know). I partnered with a few friends who also work on Antique Hill at the Tunbridge Fair and we planned it out. Our librarian was successful in applying for and receiving a Winnie Belle Learned grant which helped cover the expenses.

We opened it up exclusively to Tunbridge and Chelsea kids (First Branch) with the goal of getting 30 kids. We ended up having 26, plus a few younger siblings. The camp was a HUGE success! Two kids wore 18th century clothing and by the mid week, the majority were wearing 18th century clothing. Both of my boys (ages 6 and 9) attended and absolutely loved it. It was so successful that we are considering doing it again next year.

Kids were broken into three groups and rotated every 45 minutes. Midway they had an 18th century appropriate snack. Each day ended with the old school librarian reading a kids book about the Revolutionary War. At the end of most days kids had something tangible to bring home with them.

On day one we sheared sheep, made salt pork and ash cakes, and made decoder wheels

Day two: colonial dances, foraging skills, made spore prints, and made tin-punched lanterns

Day three: candle dipping, flint and steel fire making, and kids began making haversacks (military food ration bags)

Day four: weapons demonstrations and military drill, Dutch oven apple pie cooking, and needle felting

The last day included calligraphy with goose feather quill pens (which they kept) and writing the Declaration of Independence, playing 18th century games, completing their haversacks, and the salt pork was used to cook a "soldier's stew" in a period correct 18th century mess kettle.

Overall it was an excellent experience!"

"We welcomed our baby boy Oliver in February. This summer has been my best one yet! Being a new mom has brought me such joy. I have found my true purpose in life and I couldn’t be happier. I take delight in watching Oliver learn and grow. He has changed so much in a few short months. He is the sweetest and silliest baby there is. Being his Mommy is such a blessing! Here we are at the Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival in June. He has been a go go baby from the beginning and I look forward to many more adventures our family will have in the future. ❤️"

"I just wrapped the theater camp I am director of called Rising Stars this past Saturday. This was only our second year and enrollment was triple the number of campers from year one. We ran for one week, and the kids ages 5-11, pulled off a one hour, one act Junior version of Honk. They managed a lot of crafting and even snuck in a swim on the eve of opening, too! Their work ethic was inspiring! "

"I spent the summer finding joy in the heat, to include connecting with youth and providing prevention resources & artsy activities on Teen Pool Party evenings with Hartford Community Coalition & Hartford Parks and Recreation. The youth made rocks as a part of HMMS ROCKS! to place along the pathway entrance to HMMS. I spent time at the Hartford youth arts and sports camps at HHS & offered support to youth and families."

"On my summer vacation I went camping and rode my bike. We rode through old train tunnels. It was fun."

"Boston for the 4th of July! Boston Tea Party Museum is an amazing interactive experience led by people in character and you get to throw tea off the side of the boat."

Kristina, Liz, and Sarah all volunteered at Polly’s aid station for the Vermont-100. The VT-100 is a 100 mile foot race featuring 17,000 feet of elevation, where runners have a total of 30 hours to complete the race course. All proceeds benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sport, which is an organization that empowers people with disabilities through sport and recreation. Polly’s is the last aid station on the course, with runners having 4.5 miles to go until the finish. Kristina supported runners by making sure food, water, and electrolytes were ready for runners as they came in, Liz documented the timing of each runner as they entered the station, and Sarah provided HAM radio coverage to alert race officials of the first runners through, emergencies, and restock needs.

"One of the highlights of my summer was taking my two boys to their very first concert to see "Weird Al" Yankovic! To make the night even more special, they were surprised with a meet-and-greet at the end of the show. Seeing the pure joy and excitement on their faces, both during the performance and meeting him afterward, is a memory I will treasure for the rest of my life."

"One highlight of the summer for me was taking a last minute family trip to Maine where we stayed in an Airbnb on a lake, visited Popham Beach, and met up with old friends. Summer’s not complete until you can dip your feet in the ocean!"

Lucy and I have spent many hours near our pond. We swim, Lucy looks for frogs, I read and we both snooze in the sun. I am so happy to spend quiet summer evenings with family and friends, cooking hotdogs, roasting marshmallows and talking around a campfire.

My family had a wonderful summer exploring all around New England! One particular highlight was going with some friends to visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, ME and hunting down all of the giant trolls!

Hartford School District Administrators did their own professional development this summer with the VPA! They engaged in two workshops to strengthen their skills as leaders.

Step Up To Conflict: Shift from avoiding hard conversations to engaging them skillfully. Leaders learn tools to identify root causes of conflict, listen for what matters, and move into conflict in constructive ways that build connections.

Burn Bright:

Help leaders move from surviving to sustaining. This session focuses on energy, boundaries, and concrete habits that protect leaders well‑being while keeping students at the center.

I spent my down time this summer doing what I love most, adventuring with my family and listening to live music!

I was able to see some of my favorite artists this summer and believe that Mumford and Sons will be the show to top for a long time to come!

Pictured are me and my family hiking in Eagle Rock, Virginia. We hiked to Roaring Run Falls where the reward for our hard work was a natural rock slide where we got to slide down and splash into a wading pool below! It was a blast and such a beautiful place to spend time with my people!

Please practice safety with your students by making sure they are wearing a bike helmet if they are riding bike to school!

Here are a few resources you might find helpful:

• Florida DOT E-Bike Safety School Campaign Toolkit: A comprehensive, downloadable PDF toolkit that includes pre-written morning announcement PSAs, social media graphics, newsletter blurbs, and printable trifold brochures.
• Marin County Safe Routes to Schools (E-Bike Parent Resources): Offers a downloadable Tween/Teen E-Bike Safety Contract. It provides fantastic educational flyers on the difference between legal e-bikes (Class 1 & 2) and illegal, high-speed "e-motorcycles" often marketed to youth.
• PeopleForBikes "E-Bike Smart": Features short, interactive video modules and clean graphics on rider etiquette, battery safety, and speed control that are easy to share on school websites or student dashboards.
• NHTSA & Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (BHSI): Free printable guides on proper helmet fit (such as the "Eyes, Ears, Mouth" rule) and basic rules of the road for school-aged kids.

"It is the policy of the Hartford School District to maintain a cell phone-free school environment to promote focus, improved mental health, and increased social cohesion among our students. The goal of this policy is to enable both students and teachers to work free from distractions that impact learning by prohibiting student use of and access to cell phones and other prohibited devices during the academic day from arrival to dismissal"

Principals will be in touch as we get closer to the start of school with more specific information and details, but please discuss this topic with your students in advance of the start of school and let us know if you have any questions.

As shared previously and throughout the last few district newsletters and during board meetings toward the end of last school year, we were concerned about the potential ramifications of what was known as the “Yield bill.” This proposes shifting the excess spending threshold, or the amount of funding a given district can spend beyond the per pupil spending the state sets each year, from 118% of added and allowable funding to each district’s budget, down to 115.5%.

Well, that bill passed, and this means that we are beginning the board’s budget development with a 6% reduction to our budget. When we add the significant and continuing rising costs of healthcare, and the cost of living adjustments to staff salaries for next year, we are looking at around a 3.7 million dollar reduction to our budget for the next fiscal year.

I wish I could say that this significant and challenging impact will only be felt this year, but this same bill included cuts to the excess spending threshold throughout the next several years, with another percent decrease next year and the following, resulting in a reduction to the excess spending threshold of 112.5% by 2032. The legislature is considering this as a “bridge” to the use of a foundation formula, or a set amount of funding that can be spent per student, by the time any district mergers go into effect.

So, what does all of this mean for the HSD?

The short answer is that we are going to have to make some really difficult decisions about things like how we are currently using and configuring our students and staff in each building and at the central office, and the cost of programming and other aspects of what we do and have done in the district.

We are hoping you can all share your thinking and engage in this process with us this year and over the course of the next several years, as we grapple with how we serve our students in the absolute best way possible, while making impossible decisions about how we reduce how we fund education in the HSD.

Ways that you can engage with the board in this process are to attend board meetings and communicate with the board your thinking in relation to how they can approach the budget this year (schoolboard@hartfordschools.net). The next board meeting is on September 2, 2026 at 6:00pm in the HACTC BEST Room or you can join virtually. You can also reach out to your local legislators to ask clarifying questions and to advocate for our district in advance of the upcoming legislative session. Here is a link to the state directory, where you can look up their contact information by Town, but our current legislators are: Representatives Kevin Christie, Esme Cole, and Mike Hoyt, and our Senators are Alison Clarkson, Joe Major, and Becca White (although there may be some changes on election day on November 3). In fact, Senator Major has graciously accepted our invitation to present at our board meeting on 9/2 to talk about how the session ended and the impact of teh Yield bill on the HSD and many other district in the state. Finally, when the board seeks your input through a survey or community forum, please participate!

We are not alone: this is, and has been, a statewide conversation that communities have been having for a long time, but more acutely in the last several years and as the Governor's “Education Transformation” efforts have been underway. You may have already been hearing rumblings around the state, where several districts have had to make these decisions already.

Admittedly, this will not be easy, and that is an understatement, but we remain, and always will, optimistic and hopeful about how we can engage in these conversations collaboratively, productively, respectfully, and most importantly, with students at the center of each and every consideration.

Thank you all for your support as we begin to navigate these challenging and unprecedented conditions in the district.

It is hard to believe that August is already upon us! DBS is undergoing some big renovations this summer with a new roof and new parking lot currently being paved. It already looks amazing and we are grateful to all of you for your support.

My wife Stacey, our fur baby Grace, and I have settled in nicely in our new home and are super excited to be a part of such a beautiful and caring community.

I am incredibly excited for the upcoming school year and the opportunity to connect and collaborate with all of you and your children. Visibility is key to me so please look for me at arrival, dismissal, etc. to say hello and introduce yourself. Stay tuned for an announcement regarding "coffee chats" coming this fall. These are simply opportunities for us to spend some time together so we can get to know each other better and I can gather feedback on what you love about DBS and areas where we can be even better.

This community is so fortunate to have the most incredible staff that I have ever had the pleasure of collaborating with, and for better or worse, I have been around for quite some time! They are what I refer to as an "All-In" team and are absolutely student-centric to the core. What an honor it is to be a fellow Otter working with this team!

Lastly, please see below for the district's 2026-2027 School Calendar, Lunch Menu, and Parent Volunteer Forms. There is also a link to the Hartford Parks & Recreation website. These items will be included in every edition we send out throughout the school year.

As always, thank you for your support and I look forward to our partnership this year.

Regards,

Mr. Mascola (Mr. M)

(802) 295-8647 x5100

Important Dates:

• 8/4/26: Ice Cream Social (4:30-5:30, West Hartford Library)
• 8/5/26: Ice Cream Social (4:30-5:30, Frost Park)
• 8/21/26: Kindergarten Play Date (1:00-2:00)
• 8/26/26: PreK Open House (1:00-2:00)
• 8/26/27: Kindergarten Open House (5:00)
• 8/27/26: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!
• 9/10/26: DBS Open House -(6:00-7:00)

You Otter Know: August 10, 2026

Greetings Ottauquechee Families,

The summer has just flown by! I hope you have found time to enjoy the beautiful weather, longer days, summer celebrations and all that helps you to feel connected with family and friends. The Upper Valley is one of the most beautiful and plentiful places to enjoy summer; we are so lucky.

I always find that summer is an essential time for reflection and connection both with my people and the places I hold dear as well as the work that has been done over a school year and what's to come in the year ahead. As you can likely imagine, this summer has been a busy one for reflection and learning as I have been connecting with the great people who know and love the Ottauquechee School. There is still much to learn and my commitment as the Ottauquechee Principal will be to hold a lens of curiosity around what makes our school so special and what it needs most to continue to grow and thrive. I look forward to connecting with you as a part of that process since we will do the best by our community, school and students if we do that work together in partnership.

It is hard to believe that the first day of school, Thursday, August 27th, is just around the corner! Many teachers and staff members have been preparing for their start with students though they still have summer days remaining,. We are so lucky to have such a caring and dedicated team! I'm also so grateful for all the ways they have given of their time and OQS expertise to support my transition.

A new school year comes with a great deal of excitement and also a fair bit of first day jitters for students and adults alike. We know it can be hard to walk into the unknown on the first day of school and so this year the OQS staff and our PTO are working together to welcome all OQS families to a Back to School Walk Through and Ice Cream Social. This event will be held on Wednesday, August 26th. The walk through will take place from 1:30 - 2:30 pm followed directly by the ice cream social. Teachers will be working in their classrooms and welcome you to walk through, get a feel for the classroom and say hi! We'll all meet together for some staff introductions at 2:15 pm and then ice cream will be served at 2:30pm. Taking this brief moment to say hi can make a huge difference on the first day when everything feels so new. We hope you can make it!

Teachers will officially be back next week and you can expect to hear from your child(ren)'s teacher(s) once they return. Many families have been asking about materials and supplies that students need. We provide all materials that students need for learning and if a teacher has something special that they will need you to provide, they will share that in their back to school communication upon their return. Keep in mind it's always helpful that students come with a lunch (if not being ordered from school), a snack, comfortable clothes/shoes and a backpack to carry/organize their things. It's also very helpful if students have seasonably appropriate attire as all students spend time outside each day, weather permitting.

I hope that you are enjoying the last delightful morsels of summer and please know, we are looking forward to welcoming you all back for a great year ahead!

Warmly,

Sara Rose

Ottauquechee Principal

The Howler: August 13, 2026

Happy summer everyone!

With just a couple of weeks left of summer vacation I am reaching out with a few updates and reminders about what to expect.

Weekly Reviews!

You can expect to see a Weekly Review in your inbox and text messages every Thursday throughout the school year. Weekly Reviews have important information about what is going on at the school, upcoming events, and things care givers need to be aware of or do.

Thursday Things

Related to Weekly Review, we have Thursday Things Folders again this year. Any physical things that need to get sent home, get sent home on Thursdays! So if you only check your kids back packs once a week...check it Thursday night. Some things to expect are Monthly Events Calendar Pages, Menus, Report Cards, Graded work, fliers for events, and permission slips.

Dismissal Plans and Changes:

Please fill out the dismissal plan survey for EACH of your K-5 children. This year all K-5 students will be dismissed at 2:45 PM. We will continue to offer bus dismissal, car rider pick up, and walker pick up options.

Weekly Review: August 10, 2026

Welcome back! Each school year brings fresh energy, new opportunities, and a renewed sense of excitement throughout the building. We are incredibly proud to be part of HMMS and look forward to the year ahead.

Our core values, Be Here, Be You, Belong, will remain at the heart of our work. These words represent the community we want HMMS to be: a place where students and staff are present and engaged, feel comfortable being themselves, and know they are valued members of our school.

This year, we will continue strengthening the systems and experiences that support student success.

This year, our goals include strengthening our safe and supportive school climate, deepening students’ sense of belonging, improving attendance, and increasing achievement in reading and mathematics. This work will focus on high-quality instruction, meaningful feedback, intentional academic and social-emotional support for students, a continued emphasis on a strong Advisory system, and making more rich, hands-on learning opportunities available.

Our staff is excited about the year ahead and committed to making HMMS a welcoming, engaging, and supportive place for every student. We also recognize that the beginning of the school year can feel busy and sometimes overwhelming for families. If questions or concerns arise, please reach out. Our team is here to help.

Teachers will communicate directly with families about any supplies students may need. Please know that we have materials available, so families should not feel pressured to purchase anything. As the first day approaches, we will also share reminders about important dates, schedules, and back-to-school information.

We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with you and look forward to another great year at HMMS. Together, we will continue creating a school where everyone can Be Here, Be You, and Belong.

Thank you!

Cody TanCreti, Principal

Emily Marshia, Associate Principal

HMMS Newsletter: August 5, 2026

Dear Hartford High School Students, Faculty, Staff, Parents, Caregivers and Families,

Welcome to the start of the school year! I hope your summer has been filled with rest, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones.

I am deeply honored and thrilled to introduce myself as the new Principal of Hartford High School. Over the past few months, our dedicated custodial, facilities, and administrative teams have been hard at work getting the building spotless, organizing logistics, and planning for a fantastic year ahead. I want to extend a special thank you to our incredible summer buildings, grounds and custodial crew -- Allison, Jamie, Lisa, Matt, Marsha, Shelby, Troy and Jeff. This week, we are excited to welcome back our incredible educators for pre-service learning, collaboration, and prep work to ensure we are ready to support your children from day one.

As I step into this role, my focus is centered on listening, learning, and being an active, visible presence in our school and local community. I firmly believe that strong relationships are the foundation of a thriving school. You can count on seeing me regularly in our hallways, visiting classrooms, and cheering on our students at games, performances, and co-curricular events.

Working alongside our talented staff and inspiring young people is a privilege, and I am fully committed to cultivating an environment where every student feels valued, challenged, and empowered to succeed.

📅 Key Dates to Share

To help your family navigate the upcoming transition, please keep these key dates on your radar:

• Week of August 17: Educators start to return for Pre-Service planning, prep and learning!

• Thursday, August 20: 9th Grade Orientation (Welcoming the Class of 2030!)

• Wednesday, August 26: First Day of School for Returning Students (Classes begin for all students)

• Sunday, August 30: Senior Parking Spot Painting (Seniors, check your email)

📬 Back-to-School Mailing

By now, you should have received your back-to-school information in the USPS mail. If you have not received the following information, please contact Robin Martin and we will send you another copy (or you can access most through the links below).

• 9th Grade Link Crew Orientation (for 9th graders only) Flyer
• 10th-12th Grade New Student Orientation (for new students only) Flyer
• VTCAP assessment results (for School Year 25-26. 9th and 11th grade only)
• Welcome Back Letter and At-A-Glance Informational Flyer

Thank you for trusting us with your child's education and growth. It takes a true partnership between school and home to help our students thrive, and I look forward to meeting and collaborating with you this year.

My best,

Amy Molina

Principal, Hartford High School

In the Eye of the Storm: August 17, 2026

We are so happy that your child will be at the HACTC this year. For our new students, you may be nervous now, but you are going to love the learning you do here and the community that you find. For our returning students, we are excited to see your growth and are looking forward to helping you launch your journey.

As we head into the new year, I want to take a moment to reflect on our vision and our mission. Our vision is to launch students’ journeys. I’ve done lots of boating over the years and one thing I’ve learned is that launching with the right things makes the journey better (it was not great when our engine died and we had forgotten to pack any paddles!). Our goal is to give students a lot of things to fill their boat so that when they launch after graduation they have tools that will help them; We aim to support them in developing technical skills, communication skills, resumes, professionalism, and more. Students’ journeys sometimes take them to unexpected places as they learn what they truly enjoy, but our goal is to give them the tools and skills to be successful no matter where their journey takes them.

Our mission is six key words: Respect. Engage. Learn. Work. Serve. Grow. Over the course of the year, we talk in depth about each of these with students, but I want to focus on the last word: grow. Our goal as adults in the building is to help students grow. Each year, we survey students about the culture and climate of the HACTC. The students agree we help them grow: 99% of students agreed with the statements “My teacher challenges me to work to my potential” and “My teacher recognizes my weaknesses and helps to improve them.” We recognize that students will make mistakes and have things they struggle with; the conversations that we have with students are always focused on growing from those things.

Highlights from the HACTC: May 18, 2026

Welcome to another school year! We are so grateful for the trust you place in us, and we cannot wait to welcome our students back on August 27th. The building simply isn't the same without their energy and enthusiasm.

I would also like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Patrick Peters, and I am honored to serve as the new Principal at The Wilder School. Over my 15 years in education, I have had the privilege of working as a third-grade teacher, an instructional coach, and an interim principal at Dothan Brook School.

Throughout my career, my top priority has always been doing what is best for students—ensuring they feel supported and successful academically, socially, emotionally, and in their future endeavors. One of my primary goals this year is to make sure every child receives the individualized support they need to thrive.

True success happens through strong collaboration. When families and educators partner together, our students truly flourish. I look forward to working closely with all of you this year to ensure your child has a positive, engaging, and fulfilling experience at The Wilder School.

Please feel free to reach out to me anytime. Here's to a fantastic school year!

Patrick Peters, Ed.D.

Principal, The Wilder School

The Weekly Update: August 12, 2026

Please see the latest Equity Updates in the June 2026 Equity Newsletter!

Equity is at the center of all that we do in the Hartford School District! This year, we will focus on how we can better create neuroaffirming spaces as we engage in professional development around neurodiversity and inclusion. We’ll also continue to implement restorative practices, uphold our equity policies, and stay curious!

Each week, you can read the Curiosity Corner in your school’s newsletter. This year, we will have quick blurbs and videos about diverse holidays and their significance to people here and around the world.

Each month, there will be a District Equity Newsletter highlighting the equity work that staff, students, and administrators are doing.

Hartford School District has made an important change to how we organize support for students and families. Beginning this school year, the Department of Special Education will shift to the Department of Student Support Services.

This change reflects a broader view of student support. While special education remains an important part of our work, students may need many different types of support to be successful - including academic, behavioral, social-emotional, mental health, and other services.

Over the past several years, we have seen an increase in the complexity and level of student needs. This redesign allows us to shift our leadership model and existing resources so we can respond more effectively to those needs. It also strengthens our commitment to Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) by bringing together the people, resources, and systems that help schools provide the right level of support to students based on their individual needs.

This work also connects directly to our Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) and our commitment to using data, collaboration, and continuous improvement to ensure that all students have access to the supports and opportunities they need to be successful.

This redesign aligns with what other districts across Vermont are doing; bringing different areas of student support together so they can be better coordinated and more responsive to students and families.

As part of this change, we have reallocated existing resources to create two Associate Director positions.Together, this structure will create stronger connections between district leadership and our schools while allowing us to respond more directly and effectively to the evolving needs of staff, students, and families. It will also help us strengthen MTSS across the district by supporting consistent systems of intervention, collaboration, and problem-solving at every level.

Stephen will support our middle and high school students, families, and staff. He previously worked in Hartford as a teacher in the Regional Alternative Program. Most recently, he worked in the Mountain Views Schools, where he served as a Social Studies teacher, Special Educator, Coordinator of Student Support, and Dean of Students.

Stephen is excited to return to Hartford and looks forward to working alongside teachers and administrators to ensure that all students have access to their educational programs and the support they need to develop the skills and knowledge outlined in our Vision of the Graduate.

Finally, this work directly supports Hartford’s Vision of a Graduate: HURRICANES. We want every student to graduate ready to Learn, Lead, and Make a Difference - with the skills to care for their well-being, build relationships, communicate and collaborate, think critically, become independent, explore future pathways, and contribute to their communities.

Ultimately, this change is about better coordinating support around students and making sure our schools have the people, systems, and resources they need to help every student succeed. By strengthening our leadership structure, MTSS framework, and continuous improvement efforts, we can be more proactive in identifying student needs and more coordinated in responding to them.

The name is changing, but our commitment remains the same: to know our students, support their individual strengths and needs, and help every Hartford student thrive.

A link is here for your convenience!

Hartford Athletics

Jeff Moreno, CAA

Athletic Director

morenoj@hartfordschools.net

The agenda for the meeting on September 2 will be warned at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

If you would like to contact the school board, please access their page on our website.

To watch recordings of past meetings, including our last meeting on June 17, please access this link.

To reach all members of the school board collectively, email schoolboard@hartfordschools.net

Here is the link to apply: www.gobeacon.com/careers

http://www.gobeacon.com/careers

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