Maple Run Connection

I hope you all had a great April break. After a busy stretch, I hope you were able to slow down a bit, enjoy some family and friends, and soak up that Vermont sunshine we were lucky enough to get. It really felt like a true spring reset.

We’re now heading into the final stretch of the school year, about 7 ½ weeks to go. It always goes quickly from here, so let’s take it one step at a time and make the most of it.

Even though school was out last week, there’s still a lot happening across Maple Run as we look ahead:

District Music Festival Week
This Friday, SATEC will host the rehearsal day for the District Music Festival, followed by the performance at the Complex on Saturday. It’s always a great event that brings students together from across our schools and highlights their hard work in music.

Spring Sports
Spring athletics are in full swing. It’s a great time of year for our student-athletes, and we’re looking forward to seeing them compete and grow through the season.

Weekly Inspiration
That Vermont sunshine over break was exactly what we needed. Hopefully it gave everyone a chance to recharge a bit before we jump into the final weeks of the year.

There’s a lot of energy across our schools right now. Let’s carry that forward supporting students, celebrating progress, and finishing the year strong together.

Stay informed. Stay connected. New issue every week!

This past weekend was the Vermont Maple Festival in Saint Albans, a long-standing community tradition that celebrates our region’s maple syrup heritage and really kicks off spring in Franklin County. It’s one of those events that brings the whole community together and shows a lot of local pride.

The parade is always a highlight, and our Maple Run students were right in the middle of it.

The BFA marching band did a fantastic job, great energy, and those costumes really stood out along Main Street. It was great to see them out representing the school and community.

Even better was seeing our middle school bands come together as one group, with students from Fairfield Center School, Saint Albans City School, and Saint Albans Town Educational Center all marching side by side. Each school had their new shirts on, but they came together as one Maple Run group for the parade.

There were a lot of students involved in different parts of Maple Festival weekend, and it’s always good to see them out in the community performing, participating, and being part of something that’s such a big tradition here.

Thanks to our music staff, families, and students for making it such a great showing for Maple Run and for Sainr Albans.

Each week in the Maple Run Connection, we highlight something positive happening in our schools or across the district. It’s a chance to recognize the everyday work of students, staff, and families.

This week, we want to highlight something simple but important the Maple Run Student & Family Handbook.

The handbook gives us a shared set of expectations across all Maple Run schools. It helps students and families know what to expect, what’s expected of them, and how we support one another through the school day. That clarity matters. When things are clear and consistent, students are able to focus more on learning, relationships, and solving real-world problems in their classrooms.

We’re seeing that play out in different ways across our schools, students navigating their day more independently, staff reinforcing the same expectations, and families having a clear reference point for support.

It’s not flashy work, but it’s the kind of foundation that makes everything else in school work better.

Thanks to everyone for helping put those expectations into practice every day across Maple Run.

The latest episode of Tap Into Maple Run is now available, and we highlight the Maple Run Core Value of Collaboration & Relationships and take listeners inside Fairfield Center School, where students and staff are showing what this looks like every day through teamwork, connection, and hands-on learning.

We also head to STARBASE Vermont, where 5th graders recently spent a five-day STEM experience in Burlington. Students explored engineering, physics, and flight while working together to solve problems, test ideas, and strengthen their understanding of how collaboration drives learning.

This episode also includes a wellness tip focused on building stronger connections through active listening, along with reflections from students and staff on what collaboration means to them in real life.

Thanks for listening and for continuing to support the work happening across Maple Run. Episode 14 is a reminder that learning is strongest when we work together.

Music: Chill Guitars by BFA student Sam Olsen

Collaboration and strong relationships don’t just happen, they’re built through intentional effort over time.

One simple way to strengthen both is to make sure everyone has a voice in the conversation. When people feel included and heard, trust grows, ideas improve, and teams work more effectively together.

This can be as simple as pausing to invite input from someone who hasn’t spoken yet, asking for another perspective, or being open to ideas that are different from your own. These small actions help create a sense of belonging and respect.

When we take the time to include others, we not only strengthen relationships, we also create better outcomes for everyone involved.

We’re excited to welcome new Kindergarten students to Maple Run Unified School District! Children must be five years old on or before September 1, 2026, to enroll.

If your child is new to Maple Run, please complete the School Interest Form: School Registration

Once approved, you’ll receive instructions to create a Parent Portal account and complete enrollment forms: Parent Portal

Timing Matters: Early registration helps our schools plan staffing, classroom supports, and meet-and-greet opportunities—ensuring a smooth, welcoming start for every child.

Required Documents: You may be asked to provide a birth certificate and proof of residency. If uploading is difficult, you can bring documents to your school or contact your school to discuss other options.

Contact Your School for Support:

Fairfield Center School: Judy Magnan | (802) 827-6639 | jmagnan@maplerun.org

Saint Albans City School: Darcy Millette | (802) 527-0565 | sacsregistrar@maplerun.org

Saint Albans Town Educational Center: Michelle Dow | (802) 752-2600 | mdow@maplerun.org

Thank you for partnering with us to ensure every child has a strong, welcoming start to Kindergarten!

Hope everyone had a good April Break and some time to recharge.

We’re now into the final stretch of the school year. Attendance continues to be one of the biggest factors in student success. Our goal is 95% attendance, which over a 177-day school year means missing fewer than 9 days total.

That adds up quickly. When students are in school, they’re getting instruction, staying connected to routines, and keeping up with learning that builds day to day.

We understand that illness and unexpected things come up. When possible, it really does help students to limit extended absences and schedule appointments outside of school hours.

Thanks for your continued partnership with this. Every day really does matter.

Maple Run MISSION Statement

Maple Run ensures a meaningful, flexible, rigorous, and safe education for all to thrive and excel.

Maple Run VISION Statement

At Maple Run Unified School District, we are committed to cultivating a welcoming environment where our students and community can tap into their love of learning.

OUR CORE VALUES

In partnership with our families and community we value:

Children, first and foremost;
Safety and security;
Collaboration and relationships,
Joy and curiosity;
Relevance and rigor;
Independence and perseverance;
Flexibility and adaptability;
Respect and diversity;
Accountability and integrity;

And commit to provide equity in access to a quality education.