Author Archive for Shawn Cunningham
GM board restores priorities, bets on programs to attract more students At least two board members will not run for re-election
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC Presented with a 2020-21 budget that stripped out all of the educational priorities it adopted in mid-2019, the finance committee of the Green Mountain Unified School District on Monday pushed back to restore programs, teacher positions and supplies while taking a gamble that offering more would make […]
TRSU board mulls budget increases, LMH may lose transportation
By Shawn Cunningham © 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC While school officials asserted that an overall budget increase of 9.54 percent at the Two Rivers Supervisory Union level was necessary and that new special education programs are saving money, board members asked for details to show their school boards and the communities they represent. The board […]
TRSU proposes cutting GM educational priorities
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC Three weeks after the Finance Committee of the Green Mountain Unified School District asked the Two Rivers Supervisory Union to come back with a budget that would include several of its education priorities while trying to keep the per pupil cost as low as possible, members received […]
Chester board, Springfield officials talk Transfer Station fees
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC Following a question about the cost of the Springfield Transfer Station at its Dec. 4 meeting, the Chester Select Board heard from Springfield officials last Wednesday, Dec. 18. At that early December meeting, Lister and Chester resident Wanda Purdy had questioned the number of Chester residents buying […]
2 approaches: Green Mountain, Ludlow-Mt. Holly school boards tackle spending LMH over the 'excess spending' threshold
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC The two districts that make up the Two Rivers Supervisory Union are wrestling with controlling the spending in their FY 2021 budgets this year as one looks to increase its educational offerings and accommodate more students, while the other tries to manage the Act 46 downsizing that […]
GM school board, Cavendish library trustees seek solution over safety concerns
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC There was plenty to talk about – apart from the budget/governance related rumpus – at the Dec. 12 meeting of the Green Mountain Unified School District board, including a tour and discussion of the Cavendish Library and its relationship with the adjoining elementary school. Before the 6 […]
What’s your experience? Telegraph seeks perspective of special ed. families, teachers
© 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC Are you the parent of a current or former special education student within the Two Rivers Supervisory Union? Would you share your perspective on the education your child received or is receiving? Are you a teacher or a former special ed student who would like to share your unique point […]
Opinion: Put education legislation in timeout
By Shawn Cunningham ©2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC On Thursday, Agency of Education Secretary Dan French announced a new statewide initiative to improve reading and math skills. According to a press release, the agency will “partnering with MetaMetrics to roll out (its) … Frameworks for reading and math cost-free to all Vermont school districts.” To put […]
Chester property owner ticketed for unpermitted building fire
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC A property owner on Nudist Camp Road in Chester burned to the ground a cabin he bought in October on Monday afternoon sending fire trucks from a host of neighboring towns to the scene. Just before 5 p.m., the Chester Fire Department was alerted to a “fully […]
Sunday afternoon Tannerite blast shakes area
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC Area residents from Springfield to Andover heard and even felt an explosion Sunday afternoon that left many speculating what had happened, including that there might have been an earthquake. According to Vermont State Police Patrol Commander Bryson Lunderville, a homeowner in Cavendish had taken “a large quantity” […]
Chester board reviews budget, capital expenses
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing, LLC With department heads for fire, police, ambulance, highway, water and sewer present, the Chester Select Board continued its review of the 2021 budget at its Dec. 4 meeting. First up was Water and Sewer as the board put on their commissioners’ hats and looked at a budget […]
Santa visits Chester’s Overture to Christmas
© Telegraph Publishing, LLC Santa and Mrs. Claus made their annual visit to Chester as part of the Overture to Christmas this past weekend. The Chester Fire Department brought the jolly old elf to the Fullerton Inn where Santa lit the town tree, greeted children and spent some time hearing their Christmas gift wishes.
TRSU superintendent criticizes GM board budget decisions Powden: 'The spirit of collaboration is no longer there'
By Shawn Cunningham ©2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC Two Rivers Supervisory Union’s Meg Powden used her superintendent’s report at Thursday’s board meeting to chastise the Green Mountain Unified School District Board of Directors for what she said was its attitude toward a number of administration initiatives. “Indulge me,” said Powden, asking TRSU board members to look […]
TRSU pushes consolidations in transportation, food service, GM priority programs
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC Last week, a new committee of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union began discussing a plan to merge the transportation operation of the Green Mountain Unified School District with that of the Ludlow-Mount Holly Unified Union School District under one full-time transportation director as early as next July. […]
Christmas trees arrive for Chester Fire Dept. sale
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC Just before 8 a.m. on Black Friday, the scanner crackled to life with a loud piercing tone. “Chester Fire, Administrative tone. The truck with the trees has arrived. All available personnel to the field to unload.” And with that, a Chester holiday season tradition and a major […]
GM budget panel nixes CAES preschool, urges fund-raising for CTES playground Puts money into STEAM, literacy, early foreign language
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC The Green Mountain Unified School District Finance Committee rejected a number of administration initiatives on Monday night in favor of fully funding the priorities it established at a September retreat. The committee took up a two page document titled Administration Priorities, quickly calling it a “wish list.” […]
Chester board mulls cannabis sales, Historical Society loan, donation of old Jiffy Mart building
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC At the request of one member, the Chester Select Board last Wednesday took up a lengthy discussion of whether the town should ban the sales of cannabis (marijuana) if pending legalization legislation passes the Vermont House in the next session. Last January, the Vermont State Senate passed […]
Budget requests on GM finance agenda Monday include bank building, new CTES playground Panel seeks public input from Baltimore Andover, Cavendish, Chester
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC At its Nov. 12 meeting, the Green Mountain Unified School District Finance Committee expressed its desire for public participation in its decision-making and asked The Telegraph to publicize that. The Telegraph, in turn asked that all documents to be used in the meetings be made public in […]
GMUSD finance panel urges public participation
By Shawn Cunningham © 2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC If you live in the Green Mountain Unified School District, the Finance Committee of the Green Mountain District Board wants you. Noting that in past budget cycles, budget committees have recruited the public to become members and bring different perspectives to the table, committee chair Deb Brown […]
News analysis: Better process would yield better school budgets
By Shawn Cunningham © Telegraph Publishing LLC Two Rivers Supervisory Union Business Manager Cheryl Hammond recently told the Green Mountain Unified School District Board that the district ended the 2018/2019 school year with a deficit of approximately $149,000 or about 1.2 percent of the overall budget. That’s not especially surprising considering the fact that among […]
