The Lamoille Ledger

February 23rd to March 3rd - NO SCHOOL (Winter Break)

March 26th - Early Release (Family conferences)

March 27th - NO SCHOOL (Family Conferences)

LSSU Strategic Plan

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Annual Report

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District 2025-26 Calendar

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Dear Lamoille South Community,

As we head into February break, this is an important time of year for our schools. On Town Meeting Day, we will ask our electorate to support our Fiscal Year 2027 Budget. In Elmore-Morristown, many of our households have already received their ballots. We have mailed this "fast facts" document to all EMUU registered voters. We have also published a version for Stowe that is on our website and will be distributed on Town Meeting Day. Over the past six months, our principals, central office team, and school boards have worked hard to put forward a budget that is fiscally responsible, while maintaining the services and supports that allow our students to thrive, both academically and socially.

Yesterday, the Vermont Agency of Education released the State Report Card. This document includes an overwhelming amount of data and rates schools and districts based on various criteria. You will note on page 154 that Lamoille South is one of only nine (9) districts or supervisory unions that is meeting or exceeding growth and proficiency levels across the state. We have been vocal that our two districts operate at a high level while spending significantly below the state average and this supports that position. This work is a testament to our educators, families, school boards, and community.

Please take a moment to review the important information below and I wish you all a restful break.

Sincerely,

Ryan Heraty

Superintendent

Lamoille South Supervisory Union

ryan.heraty@lamoillesouth.org

The Vermont legislature is debating new maps that would merge our two districts into either a larger district with Lamoille North or a larger supervisory union with both Lamoille North and Orleans Southwest. Last week, I had a chance to testify in the House Education Committee regarding the Lamoille South and Lamoille North map. Our response has been that we are open to change and recognize that the current system is not sustainable for taxpayers. However, before supporting any specific map or plan, we need to see clear evidence that this change would improve the educational outcomes of our students and be more cost-efficient. We have not been provided with any compelling evidence that creating larger districts or supervisory unions will do either of these two things. In fact, our data indicates that merging our two supervisory unions would be a costly endeavor.

In my testimony, I referenced the many data points that indicate Lamoille South is providing a high-quality education at a cost reasonable to taxpayers. Unfortunately, the response was that some people may need to give up things that are working well to advance more systemic change. As a parent and educator, I will continue to advocate that our children cannot take part in an experiment in educational reform that is not based on solid research and modeling. At this time however, we are in a wait and see moment while legislators navigate various proposals. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide testimony. If one of these maps starts to gain further traction, I will keep our community informed and potentially recommend a call to action to our local legislators.

This month, our district is honoring the legacy and ongoing contributions of Black Americans through a vibrant slate of activities across all grade levels. From interactive gallery walks highlighting unsung inventors, to library showcases that provide students with engaging texts. Throughout the year, we take many learning moments to showcase the various cultures that make our schools and country so special. Below Mr. Meier (Stowe Middle/High librarian) shows off his book collection and the second photo is from Morristown Elementary where students lined the halls with positive leaders.

Both Elmore-Morristown and Stowe will be facilitating a joint technology committee to review our current use of technology in the classroom and gather community and stakeholder input and we develop a new Artificial Intelligence Policy that will be recommended to both school boards. We are looking for interested community members that would like to serve on this committee. The time commitment is approximately six (6) meetings that will take place between March and June. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please send a letter of interest to Lisa Cross - lisa.cross@lamoillesouth.org

Here are a few examples of questions that will be discussed:

- What is the role of technology in our two school districts?

- How can we navigate new research that calls more attention to screen time and the social and emotional impact on our children?

- What role does artificial intelligence have in our schools and how can we prepare our students for an evolving and uncertain environment while protecting their cognitive and social development?

There are many moments to celebrate with our winter sports programming. We are extremely grateful to the many positive role models that have stepped up to dedicate their time as volunteers. From coaches, to boosters, to those grooming the cross-country trails, we see you and appreciate you!

As we head into the postseason, congratulations to our Stowe Nordic Team for taking the State Championship in the Division Two Skate Relay. More nordic competition will take place next week at Craftsbury. Our high school basketball, alpine skiing, and hockey teams will also begin their postseason soon so check out our athletics schedule as those games are finalized.

Also, a special shout-out to Peoples Academy Senior Jack Lafayette on reaching a monumental milestone by scoring 1,000 points over his high school career. Congratulations Jack!

Linked on our website, the calendar for the 2026-27 School Year has been published.

Our annual report is officially published! Click below to read the highlights from the past year. We have added more data and information to this year's report that we hope our community will find helpful.