Champlain Valley School District
Coverage of Champlain Valley School District in the Nexus archive.
- School boards exist to serve the public, not silence it
The article criticizes the Champlain Valley School District board for failing to engage the public transparently on an artificial turf project, including refusing to allow questions for their consultant and withholding a memorandum of understanding. It references a 2019 Brattleboro case where community debate led to shelving a similar proposal, emphasizing the need for accountability in multimillion-dollar decisions involving environmental and health risks.
- When did school boards stop answering to the public?
Residents of the Champlain Valley School District presented arguments against an artificial turf proposal at a school board meeting, but the board refused to address public questions, conducted a closed-door session, and approved the proposal without explanations. The decision faced criticism for lacking transparency, ignoring public preferences for natural grass, and failing to provide financial or safety justifications.
- Seeking technical education, schools may be looking inward
Vermont's career and technical centers face growing demand for technical education programs, with over 5,000 high school seniors graduating this year and many applying to programs that cannot accommodate all applicants. Schools are exploring ways to offer technical education internally as enrollment in state technical centers rises, with Essex Center reporting 681 applications for 405 spots in 2026.