Community Newsletter
St. Johnsbury School District Newsletter

A Note From Superintendent Conroy
Dear Members of Our School Community,
As the 2024–2025 school year winds down, I want to take a moment to reflect on all we have accomplished together. I am incredibly proud of our students, their growth, resilience, and achievements are a testament to the strength of our school community. Whether in academics, the arts, athletics, or service, our students continue to rise to the occasion and inspire us with their determination and heart.
These accomplishments are only possible because of the dedication and talent of our staff, educators, administrators, and the ongoing support of our parents and families. Every day, our team shows up for students, creating safe, welcoming spaces, nurturing strong relationships, and encouraging each learner to reach their full potential. At the same time, our families partner with us in countless ways to reinforce learning, provide encouragement, and strengthen our school community. Thank you all for your tireless efforts, collaboration, and steadfast commitment to our students.
As we look ahead to the 2025–2026 school year, we are thrilled to welcome a group of talented new educators and staff to the St. Johnsbury School community. Each brings unique strengths, fresh perspectives, and a shared commitment to our students’ growth and well-being. Please join us in welcoming:
- Amanda Percopo (Nurse)
- Theresa Pollner (Assistant Principal)
- Julieanne Doyle (Special Education, Grades 6–8)
- Chelsea Farquharson (Behavior Interventionist, Grades 4–5)
- Jennie Lund (8th Grade Humanities)
- Kerry Leavitt (Speech-Language Pathologist)
- Morgan Darrell (1st Grade Teacher)
- Rosa Lisboa (Special Educator)
We are excited to have them join our team and look forward to all they will contribute to our school community!
At the same time, we extend our heartfelt thanks and best wishes to those who are not returning next year, including, Barb Eidel, Carol Hale, Kathleen Herrin, and Eileen Wuerthele. Your contributions have left a lasting impact, and you will always be part of the St. Johnsbury family. We send our sincere gratitude and warmest wishes to all as they begin their next chapters.
As we approach the final stretch of the school year, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our families, students, and community partners for your continued support and collaboration. The last day of school is Tuesday, June 17, with a half-day dismissal at 12:30 PM.
We wish each of you a safe, joyful, and enriching summer. I look forward to welcoming everyone back in the fall with renewed energy, new opportunities, and a continued commitment to learning, wellness, and connection.
Sincerely,
Karen E. Conroy
Superintendent
St. Johnsbury School District
🎉 Honoring Our 2025 Retirees
As we close out the school year, we take a moment to honor and celebrate four exceptional members of the St. Johnsbury School community who are retiring. Their dedication, care, and years of service have left a lasting impact on generations of students, families, and colleagues.
Please join us in expressing our deepest gratitude and warmest wishes to the following retirees:
Carol Hale
For 26 years, Carol has been a dedicated and compassionate paraeducator at St. Johnsbury School, supporting students across a wide range of grade levels. Whether working in classrooms, supporting a small group of students, or providing 1:1 support, she has brought warmth, patience, and a deep commitment to student growth. Her impact has been felt by countless children and colleagues alike, making her an invaluable part of the school community. Thank you Carol!
Eileen Wuerthele
Eileen has been a valued member of the St. Johnsbury School nursing team for the past two years, bringing care, compassion, and professionalism to her work with students, families, and colleagues. Working alongside our two other nurses, she has played an essential role in keeping our school community healthy and supported. As she retires, we thank her for her dedication and wish her all the best in this next chapter. Thank you Eileen!
Kathleen Herrin
After 10 years of dedicated service, Kathy is leaving her role as a speech-language pathologist at St. Johnsbury School. Her work has been instrumental in supporting our youngest learners, with a focus on Pre-K and early intervention. She has consistently gone above and beyond—not only in her work with students but also in generously sharing her expertise and resources with colleagues. She will be deeply missed. Thank you Kathy!
Barb Eidel
Barb Eidel has been a phenomenal presence at the St. Johnsbury School, where she dedicated over a decade to inspiring young artists as an elementary art teacher. Her classroom was more than just a place to create—it was a welcoming space where students felt seen, heard, and encouraged to express their individual styles. Many students began their day by stopping in just to say hello and see what Barb was working on, a testament to the meaningful connections she fostered. Known for her caring nature, thoughtfulness, and unwavering commitment to growth, Barb continually sought new ways to enrich her practice and reach every child. Her impact here has been lasting, and her presence will be deeply missed. Thank you Barb!
Recent News
Celebrating Our Staff
From May 5–9, we celebrated Staff Appreciation Week as a heartfelt thank-you to the extraordinary team who make St. Johnsbury School such a nurturing and enriching environment. In partnership with the PTO, we organized a series of celebrations and small gestures to honor the dedication of our educators, support staff, and specialists. We are deeply grateful for their passion, professionalism, and care—and for all they do to inspire excellence and belonging every day.
Strengthening Community Safety
On May 29, Jeremy Ross, Kara Lufkin, and Karen Conroy attended the Public Safety Enhancement Summit at VTSU–Lyndon. This important event brought together community partners to discuss critical issues such as frequent service calls, gun-related violence, and gaps in services for substance use, housing, and mental health.
The summit included panels and breakout discussions with law enforcement and service providers, highlighting ways we can work together to create safer, healthier communities. The St. Johnsbury School will continue participating in this work through additional training—“Communities Working Together”—on June 26 and 27. We are proud to be part of these collaborative efforts!
Progress on Our New Alternative Program
Planning is well underway for our new therapeutic alternative classroom launching in the 2025–2026 school year. We are excited about this milestone and grateful for the strong partnership with Northeast Kingdom Human Services (NKHS) to assist with shaping our shared vision to support all learners. Our planning focuses on trauma-informed practices, experiential learning, social-emotional supports, and inclusive systems of support (MTSS).
📎More information on our program development can be found here.
Middle School Foreign Language Elective
Beginning this fall, we are proud to introduce a new foreign language elective for middle school students, offered through the Vermont Virtual Learning Collaborative (VTVLC). This course will expand access to world language learning and help prepare students to be thoughtful, engaged global citizens.
Health and Wellness Partnerships
Over the past few months, we have seen remarkable partnerships enhance the care we provide to students right here at school. From April 30 through June 3, we welcomed 11 Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) students from Vermont State University–Lyndon into our Health Office for their clinical rotation. Under the guidance of Charlotte Varney, Katherine Siner, and Eileen Wuerthele, these future nurses supported our students with health services ranging from vision and hearing screenings to care for sick or injured students.
This partnership not only supports the development of future healthcare professionals but also strengthens our school-based health services. We are deeply grateful to Charlotte, Katherine, and Eileen for their leadership in making this experience so successful.
📎 To learn more, read our full press release here.
Looking ahead, we are thrilled to announce that the Dental Van will return in the fall, offering on-site dental care to our students. Additionally, Shippee Family Eyecare has generously committed to dedicating their entire practice on November 19 to provide vision screenings for students in PreK, Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades. All three doctors and their full team will be on-site that day.
📎Registration paperwork for the Dental Van can be found here.
Thanks to Charlotte, Katherine, and Eileen for their unwavering dedication ensures that students receive the essential health services they need to thrive!
St. Johnsbury School Playground Receives Vermont Public Places Award
We are honored to announce that our federally funded playground project was recognized with an Honor Award from the Vermont Public Places Awards on April 30. The award ceremony, held at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, celebrated exemplary public spaces that foster meaningful community use. The jury praised the playground’s design for its inclusive, playful, and natural elements.
Aligned with our Strategic Plan, this space has truly become a vibrant hub for students, families, and community members. Thank you to our partners—SE Group, Black River Design, Engineering Ventures, and Ultiplay—for bringing this vision to life.
📎To learn more, view the award winning application here.
Education Reform Bill Update: H.454
The Vermont Senate has chosen not to advance its amended version of H.454, and the original House version is now under consideration in a conference committee. This committee will work to reconcile differences between the two chambers in the coming weeks. We will monitor the progress of this bill closely and continue to share updates with our school community.
Board Committees
We invite all members of the community to attend our School Board committee meetings, where we discuss important topics and work towards building a stronger educational environment for our students. We welcome your participation and encourage you to join us to engage in the discussions that shape our school. Agendas for each meeting are posted on our website for your reference and will resume in the fall.
Committee Meeting Schedule:
Community Relations: TBD
Facilities: 3:00 p.m. on the 4th Thursday of the Month
Finance: 8:15 a.m. on the 2nd Monday of the Month
Policy: 8:15 a.m. on the 3rd Thursday of the Month
School Board Retreat: June 19th, 2025 at 3:00pm.
📎School Board documents can be found on our website here.
Community Connections
St. Johnsbury School Alumni Spotlight
Are you or someone you know a St. Johnsbury School alumni? We want to hear from you! Whether you walked our halls five years ago or fifty, your story matters. Help us celebrate the legacy of St. Johnsbury School by sharing how your time here shaped who you are today. Fill out our short Alumni Spotlight Form to tell us where life has taken you—and don’t forget to upload a photo! Your story may be featured on our website or social media as we honor the incredible paths our graduates have taken.
Connect With Us form
Have a shoutout to share? We want to hear it! If a St. Johnsbury School staff member has made a difference in your day—or your child's—take a moment to let them know! Use our quick and easy Connect With Us form to share a kudo, kind word, or thank you. Your message will be passed directly to the staff member to brighten their day. There’s no wrong time to say “You’re appreciated!”
2025-2026 School Calendar
SY 25-26 Tuition Vouchers
Important Reminder: Tuition Vouchers
If your child will be attending high school next year, tuition vouchers are now being accepted. This is required each year. Tuition to your child’s school will not be paid until this form has been received and approved by the District Office.
To avoid any disruptions and ensure timely payment of tuition, please take the following actions:
- Complete the Request for Public Tuition Dollars Form (Voucher Form): Click the Parent Portal to log into your St. Johnsbury School District parent portal to access and complete the voucher.
- Don’t Have an Account?: If you do not yet have a parent portal account, please fill out the Parent Portal Request form.
Your prompt attention to this matter is essential for smoothly processing tuition payments. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Linda Hartwell in our District Office at (802) 745-2800.
Powerschool Cybersecurity Breach
PowerSchool, the vendor providing our Student Information System (SIS), recently experienced a cybersecurity incident. PowerSchool has partnered with Experian to offer complimentary identity protection and credit monitoring services to current and former students and educators
This notice is to inform the St Johnsbury School Community that anyone seeking information about the breach or seeking to obtain credit monitoring and identity protection from PowerSchool should visit the website https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/notice-of-united-states-data-breach/. This site provides the steps (and the activation code) for setting up credit monitoring for yourself or children. A toll free number is also available for assistance: 1-833-918-9464. (You will need the information from the website.)
You may receive additional communication from PowerSchool in the upcoming weeks. Regardless, you are eligible for this free service.
If you have immediate questions please contact Superintendent Karen Conroy at Karen.Conroy@stjsd.org.
Employment Opportunities
Vermont Rural Education Collaborative (VREC) Newsletter
The Vermont Rural Education Collaborative (VREC) supports school communities across the state in their mission to LEARN, SHARE, and THRIVE together.
📎 Read the latest edition of The Echo, VREC’s quarterly newsletter here to see what’s happening in rural education across Vermont.