
November is the season of thanks, and Slate Valley students are putting gratitude right where it belongs—into action! 💚✨
Students drew secret appreciation prompt slips—like "Bring this to someone who turns hard lessons into fun games" or "Bring this to the person who helped you gain confidence"—and delivered them directly to teachers and staff members across our schools. From joyful high-fives to warm hugs, seeing the smiles on our educators' faces made this activity extra special!
Click the link to see the full video: https://youtube.com/shorts/ioytgH6iTao?feature=share
Thank you to our incredible teachers, staff, and school heroes who go above and beyond for our students every single day. 🌟




Throwback Thursday: Class of 2014 Turkey Trot! 🦃🏃♂️
Taking it back 13 years to November 2013! Check out these photos from when the Class of 2014 hosted their 1st Annual 5K Turkey Trot as a class fundraiser. It turned out to be a fantastic community event that sparked a fun tradition carried on by subsequent classes for a few years.
The stakes were high (and delicious)—the top overall male and female runners each won a Thanksgiving turkey, and category winners were awarded freshly baked pies! Beyond the fun and competition, participants showed true community spirit by bringing non-perishable food donations to support Slate Valley Cares and help stock the local food shelf.
While the high school no longer holds this annual trot, you can still keep the Thanksgiving morning run tradition alive! The Castleton Recreation Department is holding a Turkey Trot this Thanksgiving morning, so grab your running shoes and gear up for race day.

Tonight, two of our exceptional educators were honored at the 46th Annual Vermont Outstanding Educator Awards, hosted by the University of Vermont's College of Education and Social Services and the Vermont Agency of Education at the Dudley H. Davis Center in Burlington!
Please join us in celebrating:
🍎 Margaret Quinn – Fourth Grade Teacher, Fair Haven Grade School
💙 Michael Lenox – Special Education Teacher, Fair Haven Union Middle & High School
Thank you, Ms. Quinn and Mr. Lenox, for your unwavering dedication, passion for teaching, and commitment to student success every single day. We are so proud to have you on the Slate Valley team!


 and district address: "Slate Valley Unified School District • 33 Mechanic Street, Fair Haven, VT 05743 • 802-265-4905".](https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/slate_valley_unified_school_district_ar/live_feed_image/image/31818081/large_clipped-image__16_.jpeg)
For November’s “Where Are They Now Wednesday” feature, Slate Valley is proud to highlight Kerrigan Allen, a 2023 graduate of Fair Haven Union High School.
Since graduating from FHUHS, Kerrigan has earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Work with a minor in Sociology from Vermont State University–Castleton. Continuing her education, she is now pursuing an accelerated Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at the University at Albany, with plans to graduate this May.
As part of her graduate studies, Kerrigan serves as a clinical social work intern at Bessey House, a Vanderheyden group home in Troy, New York. In this role, she works with older adolescents in foster care, supporting young people with developmental diagnoses and complex trauma histories.
After earning her master’s degree, Kerrigan plans to return to Vermont to pursue her goal of becoming a licensed clinical social worker.
During her time at FHUHS, Kerrigan was an active member of the Student Council. She credits Mr. Ruby with helping shape her academic interests, sharing that his philosophical approach to teaching continues to influence her work in the social sciences.
Kerrigan’s passion for advocacy and helping others was evident throughout her undergraduate studies. She conducted independent research focused on individuals experiencing homelessness in Rutland County. Through interviews with local service providers, she identified community strengths, areas of need, and opportunities for future funding and research. Her work earned her the opportunity to present her findings at a national social work conference in New Orleans.
Kerrigan finds daily inspiration in a favorite quote from scholar and author Shawn A. Ginwright: “We have to see the humanity in others, even if they refuse to see the same in us.”
Reflecting on her journey, Kerrigan shares that she once questioned whether college was even a possibility for her, much less earning an accelerated master’s degree. Today, she encourages Slate Valley students to believe in themselves and remain open to new opportunities. Her advice is simple: Build strong connections, ask questions, and never sell yourself short.
The Slate Valley community extends its sincere thanks to Kerrigan for sharing her journey and offering such meaningful advice to current students and fellow alumni. We congratulate her on her many accomplishments and wish her continued success as she completes her MSW degree at the University at Albany and prepares to return to Vermont to make a difference in her community!

The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons were never deflated. How did organizers actually get rid of them at the end of the route?
Wait for it...
They were RELEASED! From 1928 to 1932, the balloons were set free into the sky as part of the grand finale. How crazy is that? (The practice ended after too many air traffic hazards.)
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! In the early years, live animals from the Central Park Zoo marched down the streets, but they proved too frightening for many spectators—especially young children. To replace them, organizers introduced the parade's very first balloon in 1927: a giant Felix the Cat filled with regular air and carried like an upside-down puppet on sticks. It wasn't until 1928 that balloons were filled with helium, allowing them to truly float high above the crowds for the first time.

For our November Meet Monday feature, we are honored to celebrate Deb Infurna, Principal of Fair Haven Grade School! As Deb prepares to retire at the end of this school year, we take this opportunity to highlight her incredible career, dedicated leadership, and lifelong connection to Slate Valley.
Deb’s journey with our district runs deep, as she is both a former student of Fair Haven Grade School and a proud graduate of Fair Haven Union High School. Her career in education spans nearly 25 years within Slate Valley/ARSU. She began her work in the district in 1995 as a speech-language instructor at FHUHS for five years, following prior speech-language roles in New Hampshire and the Southwest Supervisory Union. After serving as a special educator at Mill River Union High School for seven years, she returned to Slate Valley in 2007 as the Administrator of Special Education at FHGS. She transitioned to Assistant Principal in 2015 before becoming Principal of Fair Haven Grade School in 2018.
Outside of school, Deb leads an active and fulfilling personal life. She enjoys spending time on the water swimming, boating, and fishing, and finds great joy working in her flower and vegetable gardens. She and her husband also love traveling, spending time with their seven grandchildren who live in Vermont and Costa Rica, and cheering on Vermont Green FC at soccer games.
Deb finds daily inspiration in Jane Goodall’s quote, "What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." She also strives to live by the core norms developed at FHGS: to assume good intentions, ask questions to seek understanding, and know that what you permit, you promote.
Reflecting on her tenure, Deb shares that serving this community for 25 years as an educator and administrator has been a true honor. She leaves with immense gratitude for the people, relationships, and experiences that have defined her career, and she feels especially grateful for the opportunity to lead and support the extraordinary staff at Fair Haven Grade School as they educate, nurture, and care for students and families. Slate Valley will always hold a special place in her heart. Thank you, Principal Infurna, for your quarter-century of heart, guidance, and unwavering commitment to our community!

Congratulations to our outstanding October SOAR Award recipients! These Falcons were recognized for consistently demonstrating our core values of Safety, Ownership, Acceptance, and Respect throughout the month.
We are so proud of the positive leadership, hard work, and kindness these students bring to our school community every single day.












Spirit Week continued with one of our favorite traditions: Teacher-Student Swap Day! Students dressed up like their teachers, and teachers traded in their professional wear to dress like students.
From hoodies, cartoon pajama pants, and Crocs in the classrooms to button-down shirts, lanyards, and fake beards on the basketball court—everyone came ready to play the part!



As part of our Red Ribbon Week Spirit Days, students and staff celebrated Book Character Day—and our teachers definitely brought the magic!
Our Kindergarten and 1st-grade team brought the Hundred Acre Wood to life as Winnie the Pooh and friends, while our U Pre-K team showed up in spot-on style as Cruella de Vil and her adorable Dalmatian puppy! 🐾🍯
Thank you to our amazing educators for making learning so much fun and showing off their school spirit!


We invite all community members, parents, and district partners to attend our upcoming Slate Valley Community Advisory Council meeting! Your voice and input are essential as we discuss important initiatives shaping our schools.
📅 Date: Monday, November 2, 2026
⏰ Time: 5:45 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Central Office Conference Room
📋 Meeting Agenda:
Introductions
FY28 Budget
Act 170 District and School Merger / Elementary Reorganization
Set Agenda for Next Meeting
Word on the Street
We hope to see you there! Thank you for partnering with us to support our students and community.

The Slate Valley Unified Union School District is pleased to announce that Kim Alexander, currently Assistant Principal at Fair Haven Union Middle and High School, will become the next Principal of Fair Haven Grade School on July 1, 2027. She will succeed longtime Principal Deb Infurna, who will retire at the end of the school year.
To ensure a smooth transition for students, families, and staff, Ms. Alexander and Ms. Infurna are already working closely together. Throughout the remainder of the school year, Ms. Alexander will participate in school meetings, Professional Learning Communities, and staff training opportunities, allowing her to reconnect with familiar colleagues, build relationships with newer staff members, and prepare for her new role.
Ms. Alexander brings more than three decades of experience in education and deep connections to the Slate Valley community. Her career began in 1991 as an instructional assistant at Fair Haven Grade School under Principal Skip Cook. From 1992 to 2003, she taught physical education and health at several schools, including Orwell Village School, Benson Village School, West Haven, and Castleton Village School.
During her time at Orwell Village School, colleague Chris Stanton helped her develop the classroom management skills that would become an important foundation for her teaching career.
In 2003, Ms. Alexander returned to Fair Haven Grade School as its full-time physical education teacher, a position she held for 18 years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she adapted her teaching to provide physical education remotely through Google Classroom before helping students safely transition back to in-person learning.
In the fall of 2021, Ms. Alexander expanded her leadership responsibilities when she became Slate Valley's District Athletic Director, serving in that role until the spring of 2024. She then transitioned to her current position as Assistant Principal at Fair Haven Union Middle and High School. Her experience as both a teacher and administrator across nearly every school in the district has given her a unique Kindergarten through Grade 12 perspective and a strong understanding of students' academic, social, and emotional development.
Throughout her career, Ms. Alexander has remained committed to creating a safe, welcoming, and supportive school environment where every student feels seen, known, and heard. She believes in meeting students where they are, providing consistent support, and building meaningful relationships, beginning with something as simple as learning every student's name.
Having previously worked alongside approximately 85 percent of Fair Haven Grade School's current staff, Ms. Alexander is excited to return to a school community she knows well. She looks forward to building on the school's strong sense of pride, teamwork, and dedication to students. As a lifelong member of the community who raised her two children in the district, she also understands the importance of maintaining strong connections between the school and the families it serves.
Ms. Alexander earned her Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Castleton State University and completed her administrative licensure through Vermont State University–Castleton. Outside of school, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, reading, and spending time with her three grandchildren.
The Slate Valley community congratulates Ms. Alexander as she prepares to take on this new leadership role and looks forward to welcoming her back to Fair Haven Grade School. The district also extends its sincere appreciation to Principal Deb Infurna for her years of dedicated service, leadership, and commitment to the students, staff, and families of Fair Haven Grade School as she approaches her well-deserved retirement.
Did you miss the chance to fill out our survey the first time around? We’ve reopened the Slate Valley Elementary School Reorganization Survey from now through Thursday, October 29th!
We want to hear from as many parents, families, and community members as possible to help guide our district's decisions.
👉 Click here to complete the survey: https://ik12.surveysparrow.com/s/slate-valley-community-survey/tt-QiF9U
⏰ Deadline: Thursday, October 29th

You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified Union School District Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Fair Haven Union Middle & High School Band Room.
This meeting will be in person. Virtually connect by going to:
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/zti-ijhg-znw
Or dial: (US) +1 317-961-0434 PIN: 674 207 357#
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.

Upcoming Community Event: Join Slate Valley Unified School District and the Fair Haven Rescue Squad for our annual "Stuff an Ambulance" drive! We are coming together to support Slate Valley Cares, and we need your help to fill an ambulance to the brim!
🗓️ Dates & Locations:
Friday, November 13, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Fair Haven Shaw's
Saturday, November 14, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Fair Haven Shaw's
📦 Accepted Items:
Non-perishable foods, household supplies, health and beauty products, pet supplies, gift cards, cash, or checks!
Every donation makes a difference for families right here in our community. Let’s pack that ambulance!
❤️📞 Questions? Contact Carrieann Wolcott at 802-265-0676.

🗓️ The Act 170 Merger Committee Meeting – Group 2 will take place next week on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 4:00 PM.
This is a hybrid meeting, offering options to participate either in person or virtually:
📍 In Person: Barstow Memorial School, Chittenden, VT
💻 Virtually: Access the Zoom link and view full meeting details on the agenda at https://aptg.co/7j4Pp8
We encourage community members to tune in and stay informed!


