STJSD Autumn Community Newsletter

Your input is invaluable as we begin crafting the 2026–2027 (FY2027) St. Johnsbury School District budget, which supports students in grades PreK-12. This survey is anonymous, but if you would like to discuss your input further, please use our new Connect With Us form and include your contact information. We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us.

Take the survey here: tinyurl.com/budgetsurveyfall2025

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:

• Morgan Darrell – First Grade
• Becky Shoenemann – Second Grade
• Kerry Leavitt – Speech Language Pathologist
• Cari Giddings – Special Education Case Manager
• Jennifer Costanzo – Special Educator
• Amanda Percopo – School Nurse

Upper School Staff:

• Chelsea Farquharson – Behavior Specialist
• Jennie Lund – Middle School Humanities
• Kyle Wu – Middle School Humanities
• Rosa Lisboa – Special Educator
• Julie Doyle – Special Educator

New Paraeducators:

• Shannon Kaufmann

• Heather Berner

• Olivia Aguirre

• Jennifer Phillips

• Cori Coles
• Mahalia Witter-Merithew.

We are excited to have them join our team and look forward to all they will contribute to our school community!

In recognition of outstanding service, several staff members were honored with district awards:

The St. Johnsbury School Board has announced the resignation of Board Chair Peter VanStraten, who will be relocating outside the district and therefore unable to continue in his role.

The St. Johnsbury School Board wishes to thank VanStraten for his dedicated service to the district and the community. His leadership has been invaluable, and he will be missed by both the board and the staff.

The St. Johnsbury School Board appointed Joseph Achilles as the newest member of our School Board at the September 15, 2025 School Board meeting. Joseph brings deep experience in education and a strong connection to our community, and we are excited for the perspective he will add to the Board’s work.

The St. Johnsbury School District is proud to announce it has been awarded a competitive $15,000 grant through the FY26 Region 3 Substance Misuse Prevention initiative, administered by the Northeast Vermont Prevention Consortium in collaboration with NVRH, Umbrella, and the Lamoille Family Center.

The awarded funds will support VermontHER at St. Johnsbury School: Empowering Girls & Strengthening Communities, a new and innovative program designed by district employees Sarah Marks and Melissa Maney. VermontHER is a bold, place-based initiative focused on empowering middle school girls through leadership development, mentorship, and nature-based exploration. Read more about the VermontHER programming here.

Longtime Co-Principal and educator Jeremy Ross has stepped into the newly established role of School Principal. Jeremy brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to student learning and teacher development.

Joining him on the school leadership team are Theresa Pollner, Assistant Principal for PreK–Grade 3, and Matthew McLean, who has transitioned from Dean of Students to Assistant Principal for Grades 4–8. Theresa brings decades of educational leadership experience from across Vermont, while Matt, a longtime St. Johnsbury School educator, contributes over 20 years of classroom experience and a strong commitment to fostering belonging and resilience in every student. Read more about our School Leadership team here.

The St. Johnsbury School District is excited to welcome back the Mobile Dental Unit, bringing essential dental care directly to our students. This fall, 75 St. Johnsbury School students are already scheduled to receive care through the program. To participate, students must have completed registration, medical, consent, and insurance forms with guardian approval.

This initiative is part of the school’s broader health efforts, led by the Health Services Department and spearheaded by School Nurse Katherine Siner. In addition to dental care, Nurse Siner has coordinated another valuable community partnership: Shippee Family Eyecare will provide student vision screenings on November 19th, exclusively for St. Johnsbury School. Their full staff will be on-site, aiming to screen students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, and 3rd grades. Read more here.

The St. Johnsbury School District has been recognized with the prestigious Gold-Level Award for the 2025 Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness, presented by the Vermont Department of Health and the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

This award honors Vermont organizations that demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting health and wellness in the workplace. The Gold-Level designation is the highest tier of recognition and reflects St. Johnsbury School District’s continued investment in the wellbeing of its educators, staff, and community. Read more about the Worksite Wellness Award here.

The St. Johnsbury School is thrilled to announce that its Preschool Program has earned a 5-STAR rating—the highest level awarded—through Vermont’s STARS (Step Ahead Recognition System). This prestigious recognition reflects the program’s unwavering commitment to high-quality early childhood education and continuous improvement. Read more about the 5-STAR rating here.

The St. Johnsbury School District is proud to announce that The St.

Johnsbury School has been awarded $45,650 in federal funding through the USDA Fresh Fruit

and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for the 2025–2026 school year.

This grant, administered by the Vermont Agency of Education, supports schools in providing

fresh, healthy snacks—at no cost to students—outside of regular meal times. The program is

designed to introduce children to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, particularly those they

may not regularly encounter at home, and to encourage lifelong healthy eating habits. Read more about the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program here.

The St. Johnsbury School District has launched a new webpage dedicated to Act 73, Vermont’s recent education law. This page provides families and community members with:

• An overview of what Act 73 is

• The goals of the law and its potential impact on schools

• The St. Johnsbury School Board’s draft statement to the Redistricting Task Force

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Helpful resources and links to learn more

We encourage everyone to visit the page to stay informed and engaged in this important process.

Read more about Act 73 here.

"The St. Johnsbury School Board is deeply invested in the necessary conversation at the state level regarding the transformation of Vermont's public education system. Vermonters must be able to afford to live in our thriving communities with access to quality education. We are hopeful legislative action will support this outcome and emphasize the need for such action to be based on real and relevant data.

As a community, St. Johnsbury consolidated into our current school district over 20 years ago, and we empathize with many of our neighbors who are having difficult conversations today. We believe our district’s current model (operating K-8 with choice for high school) is the best long-term approach for our community, provided our students continue to have access to a range of high school options including independent schools like the St. Johnsbury Academy and Lyndon Institute. We are closely watching the Taskforce’s progress and will continue engaging with local and regional leaders. We look forward to reacting to the Taskforce’s draft proposals as soon as they are shared."

We invite all members of the community to attend our School Board 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.

Attend the School Board Meeting Remotely
Community members are welcome to join the School Board meeting virtually. Please use the Zoom link below to access the meeting:

🔗 Join the Meeting
Meeting ID: 844 0888 1711
Passcode: 130985

📎School Board documents can be found on our website here.

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.

Have a shoutout to share? We want to hear it! If a St. Johnsbury School District 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!”

If your child is attending high school, tuition vouchers are due September 30th. This important document is required each year. Tuition to your child’s school cannot 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.

Complete the Household Income Form here.

📎 Read the latest edition of The Echo, VREC’s quarterly newsletter here to see what’s happening in rural education across Vermont.