Using simple ingredients, students explored how this unique mixture can act like both a liquid and a solid—squishing, pouring, and stretching it as they discovered its surprising properties. The room was full of curiosity, laughter, and a little bit of mess as students experimented and learned through play.
Thank you for your continued engagement and thoughtful participation throughout this year’s budget process. In response to the initial budget vote on Town Meeting Day, the School Board carefully reviewed the proposal and made targeted adjustments to reduce overall spending while continuing to support our students and staff.
The revised FY27 budget reflects a reduction of approximately $202,500 from the original proposal. These changes include:
Reducing one additional elementary teaching position in Orwell due to a smaller-than-anticipated kindergarten class size ($72,500)
Reducing tuition funds that had been allocated to support a Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program ($30,000)
Scaling back planned spending on buildings and grounds ($100,000)
With these adjustments, the revised budget is now $32.3 million, which is down from the original proposal. This brings the year-over-year increase to 2.16%, which is below the current inflation rate of 2.4% and the 2026 Cost of Living adjustment of 2.8%.
As Vermont continues to work to manage rising education costs, Slate Valley, one of 19 districts out of 114 whose budgets did not pass on Town Meeting Day, remains under significant fiscal pressure. These include rising healthcare and insurance costs, inflation, evolving student needs, and a growing number of unfunded state and federal mandates. Together, these factors make it increasingly challenging to balance educational priorities with affordability for taxpayers within the current state education funding formula.
As a district within Vermont's statewide education funding system, we operate within these broader fiscal realities. While neighboring districts may spend more per pupil, the system's structure means we collectively support all students across the state, not just those in our own communities.
At the same time, we want to recognize that last year, all Slate Valley communities experienced decreases in tax rates, and current estimates suggest that tax rates may decrease again this year in our largest town, Castleton.
Throughout this process, our focus has remained steady: supporting student learning, maintaining essential services, and aligning with the district’s long-term goals, while being mindful of our responsibility to taxpayers.
We invite you to join us for an informational meeting on Monday, March 30, at 6:30 PM in the band room at Fair Haven Union Middle and High School to learn more about the revised budget. Your voice and participation are important as we prepare for the revote on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
For more detailed information, please visit the FY27 Budget page on our website at www.slatevalleyunified.org.
Thank you for your continued support of our schools and our students.
Sincerely,
Slate Valley Unified Union School District
📅 Next Steps:
Information Meeting: March 30
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Fair Haven Union Middle & High School Band Room
🗳️ Budget Revote: March 31
Your voice and participation matter—thank you for being part of the conversation and staying informed.
Staff participated in collaborative sessions led by colleagues and district coaches, exploring topics such as OpenSciEd science instruction, Artificial Intelligence in education, teaching neurodivergent learners, vocabulary development, and school safety practices. Teachers rotated through short sessions, shared strategies, and engaged in professional learning rounds designed to strengthen instruction and support students.
Professional learning is an important part of keeping our classrooms innovative, supportive, and responsive to student needs. Thank you to all of our educators who continue to grow, collaborate, and bring new ideas back to their classrooms every day.
Spring athletics are getting ready to begin at Fair Haven Union Middle & High School, and we’re excited to see our student-athletes back in action!
High School (Grades 9–12)
Baseball & Softball: Pitchers and Catchers report March 23
Regular season begins March 30
Track & Field: First practice March 30 at 3:30 PM
Middle School (Grades 7–8)
Track & Field, Baseball, and Softball will begin the week of March 30. Practice times and locations will be shared soon.
Track & Field Opportunity: Students in grades 5–8 are welcome to participate.
📄 Important Reminder: A current athletic physical must be on file with the school before participating.
For questions, families can contact:
Baseball: agreenlese@svuvt.org
Softball: jhayes@svuvt.org
Track & Field: jon.oakman@svuvt.org
MS Track & Field: sarah.robles@svuvt.org
Please join the conversation!
All Slate Valley schools will have an early release tomorrow, Thursday, March 12, followed by No School on Friday, March 13.
📅 Thursday, March 12 – Early Release Day
📅 Friday, March 13 – No School
📚 Adventure Awaits at the Library! 🎨
Our first graders in Ms. Molis’s and Mrs. Doyle's classes had a "novel" experience with a special trip to the Castleton Free Library!
It was a day filled with imagination and discovery:
📖 Storytime: A huge thank you to Mrs. Arel for sharing two wonderful stories that kept our young readers hanging on every word.
✂️ Creativity: The kids tapped into their inner artists by making some fantastic crafts.
🧸 Playtime: We topped off the visit by exploring the library’s toy collection—because a little play goes a long way in learning!
We are so lucky to have such wonderful community partners.
Throughout the month of March, student artwork from Slate Valley schools is on display at the Fair Haven Welcome Center as part of a regional Youth Art Month exhibition featuring talented artists from several surrounding districts.
Visitors are invited to explore the building and discover student artwork displayed throughout the space. The pieces are thoughtfully placed among the center’s maps, books, and displays—almost like a safari for art, where each turn reveals another creative work from a talented young artist.
👏 Congratulations to our Slater student artists and to all the area students whose work was selected for display. And a special thank you to the dedicated art teachers across our region who inspire creativity and help nurture these incredible talents every day.
If you’re in the area, stop by the Fair Haven Welcome Center and take the journey to find these amazing works of art! 🎨
Student-athletes interested in participating in spring sports should register as soon as possible.
🖥 Register online:
Visit formreleaf.com or click the “Registration” link on the athletics page of your school’s website and select your sport.
📋 Important Reminder:
All athletes must have an updated sports physical on file at school in order to participate.
Spring sports are just around the corner—don’t miss your chance to get involved and represent the Slaters this season!
📣 Slate Valley Budget Challenge: What Changed & What’s Next?
Community members are invited to join us for an open conversation about the revised FY27 school budget.
📅 Monday, March 16
🕕 6:00 PM
📍 Fair Haven Union Middle & High School Library
🗣️This meeting will be held in person only, with no virtual option available.
This Executive Committee meeting will include an open forum with community members to discuss revisions to the FY27 budget and answer questions ahead of the upcoming revote.
Upcoming Meetings
• March 23 – School Board Meeting – 6:30 PM
• March 30 – Budget Revote Information Meeting – 6:30 PM
🗳 Budget Revote: Tuesday, March 31
Your voice matters. Join the conversation.
You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Fair Haven Grade School Library.
This meeting will be in person. Virtually connect by going to:
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/stt-quca-xys
Or dial: (US) +1 551-444-6618 PIN: 289 694 801#
Please note: To participate in conversation virtually and/or ask a question virtually, please use the “raise hand” icon in Google Meet. Typing responses or questions in chat is not an option.
https://mailchi.mp/36c096fa758c/slate-valley-district-newsletter
Friday Focus – March Spotlight: Work Based Learning at FHUHS
This month’s Friday Focus highlights the Work Based Learning (WBL) Program at Fair Haven Union High School, led by Ms. Eliza LeBrun. The program connects classroom learning with real-world experience by placing students in local businesses and organizations while they continue their academic studies.
Two students currently gaining valuable experience through the program are senior Kaidyn Runnells and junior Katie Bouzianis, both working with the Town of Fair Haven.
Kaidyn begins his day at 6:00 a.m. with Fair Haven Public Works, where he has become a paid member of the team. From plowing sidewalks to maintaining equipment, he is building hands-on skills and learning the responsibility that comes with serving the community.
Katie is exploring a future in law enforcement, spending her afternoons at the Fair Haven Police Department after completing her morning classes. She assists with administrative tasks, documentation, and court preparation while also gaining insight into the day-to-day operations of a police department.
Recently, Town Manager Joseph Gunter even placed an impromptu call to Superintendent Brooke Olsen-Farrell to share how impressed the town has been with both students and the program—recognizing their work ethic and the positive impact they are making.
A big thank you to the Town of Fair Haven and our community partners who help make opportunities like this possible.
Local businesses interested in mentoring a student through Work Based Learning are encouraged to reach out to Principal Ben Worthing (bworthing@svuvt.org) or Ms. Eliza LeBrun (elebrun@svuvt.org) at 802-265-4966.
Through the leadership of Ms. LeBrun and the support of community partners, students like Kaidyn and Katie are not only learning about careers—they are stepping into them.
