Embedded Files
Local School Meet & Greet Wednesday, April 1 at 6:30 - 7:30pm in Outback
Dana's Note from 3-13-26 Friday Notes
Some updates:
A meet-and-greet will be held on Wednesday, April 1st, from 6:00-7:30 in the Outback.
Food will be provided. More on that as the date approaches.
I have received RSVPs from Twin Valley, Halifax, Dover, Academy, Green Street, Dummerston, Oak Grove, Dover, and Newbrook. I have not yet heard from Putney. I believe that the Superintendent from WSESU will also be in attendance. Guilford is unable to attend because the date and time conflict with their Arts Night.
Soon after this event, we will be surveying families about which school(s) they would like their child(ren) to attend. This will not be a commitment by you, but will give the board an idea of where folks are leaning so that transportation can be figured out.
I know that there are families eager to have the survey sooner. I would like to be sure, for the sake of equity, that all families have the opportunity to gather information about schools before making a decision. That is the reason for the delay.
As always, my door is open. That said, there may not be a lot more information until we can connect families with other school leaders to learn about their schools.
Dana's Note from 3-12-26 Friday Notes
Now that the town has voted, some new work begins. There are many questions people have about next year, including school choices, transportation, and more. While I don't have all of the answers yet, I want to address some of the most common ones. You can also feel free to reach out to me.
Can the Marlboro students go to any public school using the per-pupil amount on the ballot?
Yes, Marlboro families can choose from all Vermont public schools. Families do not need to be concerned about the tuition costs of these schools, which may vary slightly, but will all be very similar. Families would not incur out-of-pocket tuition costs, regardless of the school they choose.
Can the other schools decline our students?
The Principals of each school can make decisions about their classroom capacities. If they have one 6th-grade class, for example, and that class is at capacity, they could decline; however, in our conversations with other schools, most have indicated they would be able to welcome Marlboro students. Every principal whom I spoke with indicated that they would welcome our students.
Which schools are on the list?
As mentioned above, really any school that can take public funding.
Some of the closest and/or most likely:
Newbrook, Dover, Twin Valley, Academy, Green Street, Oak Grove, Guilford, Dummerston, Putney
What about transportation?
The board has committed to providing transportation to the school (or schools) with the greatest number of students attending. Once we know where families are choosing to send their kids, they will be able to come up with a more specific plan.
How will this all be administered?
Other towns in our supervisory union send students to their choice schools. Folks from the Central Office take a role in that process as far as tuition, etc. The board is looking into having someone more familiar to everyone help with the transition over the summer. After that, most likely, support will come from the Central Office of the Supervisory Union.
I hope that this has answered some of the questions that you have. Please feel free to continue sending them to me. If I do not reply, it is because I want to consolidate my response so that everyone gets the information they need. Also, a reminder that we will be holding a meet and greet so that representatives from the above schools can come here to answer some of your questions for themselves. I know that the WSESU schools are also working together to determine a process for giving tours to interested families.
I know that these are unsettled times, but please know that our focus here is squarely on your kids. Their well-being, joy, safety, and security are always at the center of our days.
With gratitude and admiration, Dana
WSESU Letter to Marlboro Families 3.10.2026.pdfReport abuse