Bridport Community Newletter

Last week, at Bridport, was filled with good learning, celebrations and connections all throughout our school. Some highlights for me, were:

• Playing outside at recess each day, under a beautiful warm sun
• Seeing everyone at Open House, and the excitement students had showing off our school
• Celebrating our students growth on our fall screeners with teachers on Wednesday afternoon
• Watching older students be role models, and helpers to our younger students
• Free Seat Friday at lunch!

Thank you, as always for your continued collaboration and support

Jenny

Background: In 2024–25, Superintendent Baker, Principals Sells and Urban, and ACSD leaders met with BCS and SES families to review student performance data and consider the grade configuration model to support improved student performance. Many agreed that single-grade classrooms were ideal, but a 2025-26 change felt rushed. In an April survey most families said they preferred keeping students in their town’s school with multi-grade classrooms for the 2025-26 year. In June, the Superintendent invited families to join a working group to design a single K–5 school model for the 2026-2027 school year. This group began meeting in July

Purpose: The Bridport & Shoreham Working Group brings together families and ACSD staff to define community values and inform the design of educating all K-5 students at Bridport, with an expanded PreK at Shoreham, in 2026–27. All BCS and SES families have several opportunities to be involved. In addition to the April 2025 survey and the August 2025 shared values survey, the Superintendent will host a meeting in each town in October and BCS and SES families will have an opportunity to vote again on the proposed design in October, prior to the Board meeting.

Timeline:

• July–August 2024: The working group drafted shared values in July and finalized them with input from a community survey in August.

• ACSD staff began designing a plan for Facilities, Transportation, Staffing & Programming, and Preschool, which they are sharing over 4 meetings for the working group’s feedback.

• In October, the Superintendent will hold community meetings to share the proposed 2026-27 design. It will also be sent to BCS and SES communities in a survey for their feedback.

• The ACSD Board will review the final design and community survey results in November 2025.

• Arrival for all students (K-5) begins at 7:40AM. Preschool Drop off Begins at 7:50. Please do not drop off students any earlier as there is no adult supervision until 7:40.
• Please help us keep arrival and dismissal safe for all students and be mindful as you are driving- Stay in the drop/off pick up lane and never drive around the buses.
• Please check out Bridport Central School's Family Handbook- its newly updated and PACKED with excellent information to have a great school year.

802 Smiles Dental Hygiene Program is returning this Fall to offer free dental screenings and preventative care to all ACSD students. Please complete the forms below by September 22, if you would like your child to participate. You can access the forms here, or there are paper copies available at your school.

Thursday October 2nd & Friday October 3rd- No School

Thursday October 2nd- FOBCS Mtg- 6:00

Check out our instagram @bridportschoolvermont to follow along!