All after school programs have been canceled today January 23, for all Maple Run Unified School District schools which includes Bellows Free Academy St. Albans, Northwest Technical Center, St. Albans Town Educational Center, St. Albans City School, Fairfield Center School.Stay Safe
I'm sure you know by now that schools are closed. Unfortunately I was unable to post to the website this morning, so only used the alert system.Here is the message: MRUSD schools will be closed today, January 9, 2019. This message from Superintendent Kevin Dirth is to notify you that because secondary roads are extremely bad and forecasts predict continuing bad weather...
The monthly newsletter has undergone another transformation, now being produced by our Outreach Coordinator. Enjoy this edition posted here: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws...
Between now and April 15, 2019 is the time to apply for elementary transfer. In a nut shell, if your elementary student would like to attend one of the other elementary schools in the district, you can apply for that. We don't need a reason, it is a purley non-discriminatory process. Up to ten students may be transferred, and if more than ten apply there is a lottery u...
Between now and April 15, 2019 is the time to apply for elementary transfer. In a nut shell, if your elementary student would like to attend one of the other elementary schools in the district, you can apply for that. We don't need a reason, it is a purley non-discriminatory process. Up to ten students may be transferred, and if more than ten apply there is a lottery u...
Video Three Good King Wenceslas - On November 30th a group of students from BFA, SATEC, and SACS performed at the Festival of Trees fundraiser to fight hunger in our area. The group in the videos is a middle school combined group that began playing their instruments this year. It's exciting to see our young string players off to such a greatstart!
MRUSD Central Office Staff had the pleasure of being visited by the BFA Chamber Singers caroling. Simply Fabulous!
Here's the second video - Twinkle Twinkle. On November 30th a group of students from BFA, SATEC, and SACS performed at the Festival of Trees fundraiser to fight hunger in our area. The group in the videos is a middle school combined group that began playing their instruments this year. It's exciting to see our young string players off to such a great start!
On November 30th a group of students from BFA, SATEC, and SACS performed at the Festival of Trees fundraiser to fight hunger in our area. The group in the videos is a middle school combined group that began playing their instruments this year. It's exciting to see our young string players off to such a great start! Here's a jingle Bells video; watch for two more to com...
Central Office Staff at MRUSD delivered mounds of baked goods to be packaged up and shipped out to staff at each of our buildings. I think this was our biggest haul to date!
The December Newsletter is now available. It can be found here: https://5il.co/5s4j Enjoy.
There is a Maple Run Unified School District Board meeting tonight at 6 pm at BFA in the library. Feel free to join us. You can see the agenda here: https://5il.co/5rjh
The MRUSD Speak Chorus is made up of students from each of our schools, ranging from grade 6 to high school. At the conclusion of the MRUSD SpeakChorus, Secretary of Education sent the following tweet:
Dan French (@danfrench)11/28/18, 1:09 PM
Very inspired by the Maple Run Speak Chorus. Great ending for a #vted SBOE meeting pic.twitter.com/TCHXrD2bRE
The State Board of Education held their meeting at BFA last week. To end the meeting, the Maple Run SpeakChorus performed. They did a fabulous job! You can see the video here:
Dear Members of the BFA Community, It is with deep sorrow that I need to let you know, one of our students died last evening. All of us at Bellows Free Academy are profoundly saddened by this news. Most importantly, our hearts go out to the families that are coping with such a difficult and personal loss.
Nothing affects a school community more than the loss of a...
Staff at Central Office of Maple Run Unified School District received the Gold Award from RiseVT, and are now designated a Gold Worksite. The Award recognizes leadership and innovation in accomplishing RiseVT Gold Standards in wellness policies and practices. Germaine Cross, MRUSD Benefits Coordinator, had a large hand in ensuring that we reached that level.
Elena Clark and Colby Brouillette of BFA Class of 2019 were two of the top ten Scholar Athletes for 2018 recognized by The Vermont State Athletic Directors Association at the LEadership Conference for their accomplishments.
Elena Clark is a three-sport athlete at BFA St. Albans, and by graduation will have earned twelve Varsity letters in soccer, basketball and lacro...
This is a message from Central Office of Maple Run Unified School District.
Due to the weather and road conditions, all Maple Run Unified School District's Elementary schools are cancelling after school programs tonight November 27. This includes Fairfield Center School, Saint Albans City School and Saint Albans Town Educational Center.Additionally the BFA (St. Alban...
Parents, teachers, support staff, administrators, community members - this is a time when you can be PROUD!!
Six of our St. Albans City School students travelled to Washington DC on November 14th representing the winners of the 2018 Student Voices Award. This is the first time a Vermont School has received the award - and the FIRST PreK-8 SCHOOL in the NATION to EVER ...
Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird, not the eagle.Americans eat 46 million turkeys each Thanksgiving.Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's first meal in space after walking on the moon was foil packets with roasted turkey.The heaviest turkey on record, according to the Guinness Book of Records, weighs 86 pounds.Californians consume the most turkey i...
Not to scare you, but rather to inform you that the state, including our District has seen a recurrence of a former trend now called RoboTripping or Purple Dank. Very similar, it is a dangerous mixture of cough medicine and caffeine, creating a "high" . Unfortunately it also causes dangerous side affects and has sent some of our students to the emergency room. Read the...
Dan Marlow, BFA Athletic Director, was presented with the Rick Manahan Civic Involvement Award at the FCIDC Annual Meeting & Reception.
Please congratulate Dan for this well earned recognition!
Despite an early storm closing the schools, BFA's Fall Drama Production of Shrek will be open tonight. Last night was a spectacular opening night, so don't miss it! 7 PM in the PAC.
Hello -
MRUSD schools will be closed today, November 16.
This message from Superintendent Kevin Dirth is to notify you that due to the winter storm, and at the recommendation of officials, all schools in the Maple Run Unified School District will be closed today. This includes Bellows Free Academy St. Albans, Northwest Technical Center, St. Albans Town Educational Ce...
With the storm due to strike (probably as I write this!) I want to remind folks of the District School delay/closing policy. Here is a link to the Superintendent's letter to Parents and Guardians. http://5il.co/1gvv
Each year, many schools participate in an event known as Day of Code. This year, St. Albans City School is hosting Day of Code on December 4th, 2018. This will be an exciting experience for kids who have and those who haven’t yet witnessed Day of Code before. 7th and 8th grade students have organized a day filled with fun activities. These students are the Day of Code ...
The District Art Show at Collins-Perley Complex starts Tuesday November 13 with a reception 5:00 - 6:30The Art Show runs through Sunday November 18 from 6:00 - 9:00Enjoy!
The November Newsletter is now available to read at http://5il.co/5isp. I hope that you enjoy it. Remember, if there are items you would like to see in the newsletters, please email me at bcomstock@maplerun.org.
The Colors of Halloween
Black is the color of death and Halloween is a time when the veil between the spirit world and the living is thin. Historically the Celts and Druids celebrated Samhain and welcomed the spirits of their ancestors. October 31 – November 2 Mexico celebrates Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
Orange – The Vibration of Life
Orange is ...
What a beautiful night and fantastic crowd for the culminating event of Homecoming week... BFA/MVU Powder Puff!! The game raises money for Camp Ta Kum Ta and the Jim Bashaw Cancer and Catastrophic Illness Fund at NMC. The score was MVU 21 and BFA 20. It was the tenth year of the event with the first MVU win. Previously we have had two ties and seven BFA victories. See...
Halloween is recognized as the 3rd biggest party day after New Year's and Super Bowl Sunday.
Halloween is the second-most commercial American holiday of the year. The candy industry in America rakes in an average of $2 billion annually thanks to Halloween (that's 90 million pounds of chocolate). Americans spend an estimated $6 billion on Halloween annually, including ...
Handy Chevrolet, a member of the Northern Chevrolet Dealers, provided SATEC with a generous sponsorship of the Sweethearts and Heroes program. This program provides a message of Sweethearts and Heroes to educate society about the impact bullying has on all of our schools, our neighborhoods, and individuals. Get more information about this program at this link.
Ever wonder why certain animals were associated with Halloween?The owl is a popular Halloween image. In Medieval Europe, owls were thought to be witches, and to hear an owl's call meant someone was about to die.Spiders: If you see a spider on this night, it could be the spirit of a dead loved one who is watching you.Black cats were once believed to be protectors of the...
Each year in September a group of 25 first-year students and 2-4 staff from BFA come to St. Albans City School to work in their gardens. Many are former St. Albans City School students. Their purpose is to provide a 2-hour source of donated labor in service to the greater St. Albans community. This year's group broke into five clusters. Two groups worked in the market ...
In some parts of Ireland, Halloween was celebrated by playing romantic fortune-telling games. These games allegedly predicted who they’d marry and when. Halloween, like Valentine’s Day, was one of the key annual celebrations where young people could mingle with the opposite sex and was considered a good day to scope out a sweetheart. In America, young people, particula...
Four-year old preschooler Olivia King did an amazing job coloring this page with glitter gel markers. Good Job, girl! She stayed within the lines better than I can! Give her a thumbs up.
We need your help. We are seeing an increase in use of e-cigarettes, or vaping, That we need your help discussing with your children. Please read the letter here for details: http://5il.co/5ec1.
The garden space next to the boys' soccer field at SACS is divided into halves. One portion is allotted to the thriving community garden. The other portion is planted to serve as a school market garden. Produce is harvested from the garden and sold to the SACS Abbey cafeteria program. A portion of the market garden produce is used for Farm to School instruction in the ...
Some towns, called Halloween “Cabbage Night.”
Cabbage Night originated from a Scottish fortune-telling game where young girls used cabbage stumps to predict information about their future husbands. In early Framingham, Massachusetts, teens skipped the fortune-telling and simply went around throwing cabbage at their neighbors’ houses, according to Framingham Legen...
For several years SACS has been focusing on planting and protecting milkweed and pollinator flowers to help monarch butterflies thrive. Indeed, they are now a certified monarch way station because of their efforts. They had seen a few butterflies each summer but nothing like this summer. Gardeners and people who spend time in the outdoors locally have noticed far more ...
The origin of Jack-O-Lanterns comes from a Celtic folk tale of a stingy farmer named Jack who would constantly play tricks on the devil. Once he died, Jack was sent off to roam Earth with only a burning coal for light. He put the coal into a turnip as a lantern, and Stingy Jack became “Jack of the Lantern” or “Jack o’ Lantern.” Based on this myth, the Irish carved sca...
BFA students who will be 18 years of age on or before November 6, 2018 are eligible to register to vote and can let their voice be heard in the upcoming mid-term election. Your vote matters. Local volunteers will be outside of the cafeteria on Wednesday October 24 and 31 from 11:00 until 1:00 to help you fill out the voter registration form and to answer questions. If...
Trick-or-treating has also been traced by some to the European practice of “mumming,” or “guysing”. During the practice costume-wearing participants would go door-to-door performing choreographed dances, songs and plays in exchange for treats.
Another origin comes from the Middle-Age practice of the poor dressing up in costumes and going around door to door during Hal...
At SACS, Chromebooks are essential to completing school work. Last year quite a few Chromebooks showed up at the makerspace damaged or broken. To help explain how to treat Chromebooks in a way that will make them last a long time, team Imagination created a video explaining how Chromebooks should be carried and used. Link to short video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/...
Black cats have long served as objects of superstition. In Medieval France and Spain, black cats were considered bringers of bad luck and curses to any human they came near and were associated with witchcraft. Many Medieval Germans believed themselves to be cursed if a black cat crossed their path from left to right.
So, how did black cats come to represent bad luck a...
Trick-or-treating evolved from the ancient Celtic tradition of putting out treats and food to placate spirits who roamed the streets at Samhain, a sacred festival that marked the end of the Celtic calendar year.
The tradition of adding pranks into the Halloween mix started to turn ugly in the 1930's and a movement began to substitute practical jokes for kids going...
It is the time of year for students to consider playing an instrument and signing up for music lessons and band practice. Ellis Music provided a demonstration of band musical instruments at the schools. The demonstrator was able to play all of the instruments shown in the photos.
A bonfire or balefire is a large controlled outdoor fire made from bales of straw or wood. The word is believed to come from "bone fire". In the time of the Celts, there were midsummer festivals where animal bones were burnt to ward off evil spirits.
Halloween was brought to North America by immigrants from Europe who would celebrate the harvest around a bonfire, shar...
SACS Team USA students presented 25 Samsung Chromebooks to be used at City School. The students are part of a team that were state winners of the Samsung For Tomorrow contest last spring. The contest is designed to boost interest and proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). This nationwide contest challenges public school teachers and studen...
Airforce Captain Michael Lamb, son of Family and Consumer Science teacher, Ms. Mary Ellen Lamb, visited Team USA students at SACS to talk about his career and deployment history. Captain Lamb went to St. Albans City School, BFA and Ithaca college. He is now the deputy chief of his squadron and an instructor for air battle management.
Students videoed and processed the...
Though common in horror movies and Halloween decorations with witches flying across the full moon, the next full moon on Halloween won't occur until 2020. The most recent Halloween full moon was in 2001, and before that it was in 1955.
SATEC's students Madison Gagner, Rebekah Dalmer, Olivia Polak and SATEC alumni and BFA's recent graduate, Julia Remillard has had some of their work being highlighted and submitted in our local paper.
These three students participated in SATEC Open Doors' Summer Camp "Unwritten" this past July. This article reviews all three local coffee shops in St. Albans. The camp ...
The tradition originated as a way for the Celtic and other European people to hide from the spirits who returned at this time of year. People wore masks when they left their homes after dark so the ghosts would think they were fellow spirits. To keep the ghosts out of their houses, people would place bowls of food outside to make them happy.
Since we are in Halloween season, I thought I'd bring some fun Halloween facts to you, as well as some jokes for the kids, to you between now and Halloween. I hope you enjoy!
How did Halloween Originate?
Halloween may be more Irish than St. Patrick's Day! It’s origins come from a Celtic festival for the dead called “Samhain.” Celts believed the ghosts of the dead roa...
It is with great enthusiasm that SATEC welcomed Matt Tavares to the school. Matt is an author and illustrator who has published nineteen books and won several awards including three Parents' Choice Gold Awards, an Orbis Pictus Honor, and two ALA Notable books. His artwork has been exhibited at the Museum of American Illustration, the Brandywine River Museum, and the Ma...
Students from St. Albans City School worked at the Mini Maker Faire, making pinwheels at Shelburne Farms on Saturday, September 22nd. They spent their time earlier in the week designing and creating 3D printed parts for the pinwheels.
The students worked hard to help kids create their own pinwheels using their 3D printed parts. They also had the opportunity to walk ar...
It's getting closer to bad weather days, so I wanted to direct you to the Superintendent's School closings letter that lets you know what to expect if we need to close school an our process. You can read his letter here: http://5il.co/1gvv
If you look closely, you'll see Chef Adam Monette and his students at the 11th Annual Taylor Park Food and Wine Festival. This was a sold out event! They served the infamous arpege egg created by the world-renowned master chef Alain Passard.
Chris Mosca, BFA Principal, announced that McCarthy Kennedy is the recipient of the UVM Green and Gold scholarship. McCarthy and his family were invited to attend a President’s Green and Gold Dinner Reception on Oct. 2, 2018 at UVM’s Dudley Davis Student Center.
McCarthy was selected based on achievement in course work completed in three years of high school. ...
A project at Bellows Free Academy to apply art to the walkways around campus ended in beautiful results for all to share. Thanks to Northern Vermont Aerial Photography and Armand Messier for these great shots of our newly decorated walkway.
The entire Maple Run Unified School District has had a whole new phone system installed. Going from several outdated systems to one universal district-wide system will mean easier access to staff. Now transfers can be made from building to building. There is a directory of all MRUSD staff. It is a voice over internet protocol (VOIP) system meaning there are more “lines...
What is Odyssey of the Mind?
A team creative thinking and problem-solving competition that runs from mid-October to March 16 (state competition day). (Typically, one practice a week)
Who can participate?
Any Maple Run Unifies School District student in grades K-8 (no cost, but there will be a fundraiser to participate in). Teams are put together based ...
October 6, 2018 St. Albans City School will be one of the locations in a new film called Soulmates. Twelve 9 to 13 year old City School students will be cast as extras or with small speaking parts for this section. Around 45 students auditioned September 20th.
According to the movie company; “The Soulmates Movie is a female buddy comedy about two 20 something women w...
The October Newsletter is available here: http://5il.co/53gq. Don't you just love the cover photo? It is so fun. It also reminds me to let everyone know that a large part of the newsletter as well as some of these posts are taken from co-worker's writings and pictures and re-worked a bit to meet my needs. They know about all of the amazing stuff going on within their w...
The SATEC Four Winds Nature Program is a great way to share a love of science and nature with your child in their classroom.
A SATEC Four Winds Nature Program volunteer does not require a science degree or a teaching certification; just an interest in learning, sharing, and being involved in your child’s classroom. Volunteers are supplied with all the materials and tr...
Substitute Nurses
The Maple Run Unified School District is looking for on call substitute nurses for our Bellows Free Academy and Northwest Technical Center. Applicants must hold a RN or LPN license. For more information, please contact Diana Kelly at (802) 370-3941 or dkelly@maplerun.org. Part time Custodian/Cafeteria Monitor Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) is see...
There is a Maple Run Unified School District Board Meeting Wednesday October 3 (do you BELIEVE it's already October!).The meeting Starts at 6:00 p.m. at Central Office at 28 Catherine St. in the Board Room. An agenda can be found at: http://5il.co/52ue.Join us!
Angela Stebbins, Principal of Saint Albans Town Educational Center reported that today, Monday, September 24th, at about 9:40 a.m. they detected what they thought was a gas leak in the building. All students and staff were evacuated outside the building and they were prepared to bus students home if needed.
The Fire Department arrived immediately and helped assess th...
The St. Albans Police Dept. responded to a potential dangerous incident on Diamond St. in St. Albans City this morning. As a precaution, local schools went into secure the schools. There were not any threats towards any school.
Note that a secure the schools command allows staff and students to move around freely within the school but NOT outside the school. Interior...
The September newsletter has been posted at http://5il.co/4o4x Enjoy - and remember to get article ideas to bcomstock@maplerun.org.
The Maple Run Unified School District Board Meeting will be held Wednesday September 6 at 6:00 PM at Central Office Board Room. The agenda is posted here: http://5il.co/4o33. Join us.
At the August Maple Run Unified School District convocation Lorna Jerome, Administrative Assistant/Registrar at St. Albans Town Education Center, was named for the Superintendent's Leadership award for 2018. Nominations for the Award is open to any non-administrative employee of the Maple Run Unified School District who displays exceptional performance in their action ...
At the 2018 convocation, Mary Cronin was recognized for not missing any time for the entire school year. No time at all - not one-hour! This is quite the feat for anyone, and in her position as Paraprofessional at City School it was appreciated! Well done Mary.
If you have never viewed a video I've posted, you will want to view this one. Parents, teachers, community members - you can be incredibly proud of our students. A diverse group of 28 students, grades 6 - 12, from each of our district schools came together to create a student leadership presentation at the district convocation. They presented to about 600 teachers and ...
School begins this week, and I invite you to please read the attached letter concerning threats to our schools. http://5il.co/4lf3
Maple Run School District has a new phone system being installed. We are in the process of updating voice mail and the extensions. Please be patient and if its easier for now dial 0 to get an answer and be directed to the person you are looking for. By next week we will have direct dial numbers on the staff section of the district page. Thanks!
Central Office has created a “map” of the office showing where staff is located, along with a chart of duties indicating who to go to for those areas people most often seek answers. This project started out as a way to help orient the three new staff joining Central Office. Making it more useful for everyone in the district made sense. So, to figure out who to call on ...
SATEC students received their copy of the Cat Tales annual featuring student-created literature and artwork. The hard work of the students, Mr. Flanagan and many others helped make this magazine possible.
Northwest Tech Center Appreciation Night was held on June 9. Great food, great fun, great people!
Jasmine and Aaron, past Culinary Arts students
It was wonderful to have alumni come to visit! Jasmine and Aaron, past Culinary Arts students, are both recent graduates of the Culinary Institute of America (Baking a...
The Greater St. Albans Middle School Band (GSAMSB) performed a concert on Thursday morning, June
21, at the Hirshhorn/Smithsonian Museum of Modern Art. The museum is located on the National Mall in Washington, DC. 100 band students from St. Albans City, SATEC and Fairfield performed next to the fountain on the ...
Pictured here is Alek Wolfe at Dynamic Landscapes Student Innovation Fair. His Live Radio Show,The Mixdown, was awarded "Most Engaging Presentation". Congrats Alek!
The July Newsletter has been released. We used this edition to highlight many student accomplishments as the school year wound down. Check it out here: http://5il.co/3xy9
SACS Graduation’s Trombone Ensemble which was made up of students and adults. Galen Schad and Dakota Hoague are 6th graders at the City School. Ethan Zawisza and Chris Comstock are music teachers and former SACS alumni. Sam Handy is a junior at BFA, Camille Gunther is a senior at BFA and Nate Gunther just graduated. Frank Mehaffey, Band Director at SACS and Kevin Dirth...
Special Olympics at UVM started the Summer Games off with the Unified Bocce Tournament. Athletes and Partners from around the state spent the weekend enjoying Bocce and Basketball. This link is a nice interview that aired featuring BFA's Grace Brooks, Unified Partner of the Year, and Marleigh Lamothe. Watch the interview from the link below. http://www.mychamplainval...
The Franklin County Art Show this year was a big success! Students, families, teachers and administrators from eleven area schools came together on May 15 at Collins-Perley Sports Center in St. Albans to celebrate the best artwork from Franklin County. Paintings, drawings, collages, clay mugs and bowls, windsocks, 3D sculptures and more were on display for a week in mi...
For the past eleven years, SETDA has honored one school annually across the USA; this is the first time a Vermont school has received the award and the first PreK-8 school to win the award.St. Albans City School has been immersed in digital based, project-based learning including the latest initiative - a schoolwide, PreK-8 project-based learning unit on economics, com...
A picture is, indeed, worth a thousand words.
An Early Childhood Programs preschool student at city school (SACS) who requires physical support for everything he does received a power car. His previous chair kept his body and head in an upright, seated position. All his mobility depended on family, physical therapist...
Fairfield Center School, St. Albans City School and St. Albans Town Educational Center hod 8th Grade graduations on June 13 at 6:00 p.m. BFA Graduates on June 16 at 11:a.m. at Collins Perley Sports Center.
SATEC 6th graders participated in the ROOTS science and engineering workshops at Champlain College. The Reaching Out On Technology & Science (ROOTS) program is sponsored by the Champlain College Division of Information Technology and Science and marked its fifth year of working with area schools to spark interest in science and technology among middle school students w...
Northwest Technical Center Building Trades students met with Governor Scott and helped him declare May 16th Careers in Construction Day. The aim of the day is to bring awareness of the jobs available in the construction industries.
The June Newsletter has been posted here. Remember to send ideas on what you would like to see included to bcomstock@maplerun.org.
Susan Palmer, BFA's Drama Teacher, has had her Arts Integration work at BFA featured in both the March/April (pg. 4) and May/June (pg. 3) issues of the Agency of Education’s Arts Newsletter, linked above.
Maple Run Unified School District is focusing on more advanced arts integration with all of our schools by bringing drama down from BFA to the elementary schools. De...
The Maple Run Unified School District Board meets Wednesday evening at 6 pm at Central Office - 28 Catherine St., St. Albans. Join us and learn about what's happening at your school district. The Agenda is posted at http://5il.co/3lzx
Enjoy the 'This Land is Your Land' Video It will be used to sing their Stewardship Song as part of the celebration process in the large gym on Stewardship Day, June 6th at City School.
City School's Stewardship Committee presented for Vermont’s Superintendents at their annual meeting in Lake Morey. Along with several other schools, the students shared their work and leadership skills. Watch the video of the presentation. https://www.youtube.com/embed/aPBTNp9F76A?rel=0.
Memorial Day was celebrated at Fairfield Center School by planting flags on the graves of our fallen military heroes buried at St. Patrick’s. An assembly taught more about the sacrifices our heroes have made for our freedom.
Jamilah Vogel, a school counselor at St. Albans City School, co-authored an article in Professional School Counseling, titled The Hand of Professional School Counseling Meets the Glove of Restorative Practices: A Call to the Profession
Jamilah played an integral authorship role in publishing the very first article that connects the role and function of school counselo...
On Monday, May 28, 2018, we will celebrate Memorial Day, the holiday set aside to pay tribute to those who died serving for our country in the military. Veteran’s Day, in November, is a day to thank to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military — in wartime or peacetime. Here’s an interesting history of Memorial Day. And here’s a more complete...
Jen Burt, Accounting Supervisor and Cathy Waine, Business Office Assistant take advantage of some nice weather to beautify the Central Office. Plantings include phlox, pansy’s, asters, zinnias and more. Thanks ladies, we sure do appreciate it!
Out of 49 applications received for the VT-NEA Maida F. Townsend Scholarship, only 10 were selected. BFA’s Robbie Maher was one of the 10!
As reported by Kristin Corrigan, a BFA employee, in a special to the St. Albans Messenger, the scholarship is awarded annually to sons and daughters of Vermont-NEA members. Applicants were given the following essay prompt “As you r...
Over 160 middle school students from Fairfield Center School, Mississquoi Valley Union Middle School, St. Albans City School, and St. Albans Town Educational Center descended on the BFA/NWTC campus to show off their STEM skills. This Tech and Engineering Day provides an opportunity for middle school students to think about and explore engineering and science educationa...
Close to 60 Northwest Technical Center students recently participated in the 2018 SkillsUSA State Leadership & Skills Competition. SkillsUSA tested our students with a variety of rigorous practical’s, written tests and professional interviews. The group is fundraising to finance a trip to nationals in Louisville, Kentucky this summer.
The Student Art Show is at Collins Perley this week through next Monday - 5 AM to 8:30 PM weekdays and 7 AM to 4 PM weekends. Its a really great exhibit of our student's work -- try to stop in and take a look - it'll make you proud of our kids!
The MRUSD Board Meeting will be held at Fairfield Center School on Wednesday May 16 at 6 p.m. Join us - the agenda is posted HERE.
A Maple Run Unified Team made up of two students from SATEC and two from SACS did a presentation to the MRUSD Board about Vermont 3D Town History Competition. They competed against 14 other teams and placed second. The annual competition combines historical research with 3D modeling and printing. Each school selected a building for their focus: The Old Post Office and ...
Congratulations to all our Maple Run Odyssey of the Mind Teams who competed in the State Tournament on Saturday, March 17, 2018. We are proud that we have four great teams from all schools in Maple Run! Thank you to our OOTM Coordinator, Lynn Tetreault and to all our volunteer parent coaches.The Balsa Team is Headed to Worlds!More exciting news for Maple Run/SATEC’s Od...
In April, 31 SATEC students in grades 4th-8th were involved in creating and presenting “Olivia”. This brilliant and innovative show, set in Victorian times, traced the steps of Olivia, from downtrodden orphan to star of the stage. On her journey to the bright lights of London, she was befriended by Eliza Doolittle [from “My Fair Lady”] and, after a series of adventures...
From Principal Mosca:Hello Everyone,
Early this afternoon we were notified that a verbal bomb threat was made against BFA. In consultation with the St. Albans Police Department we evacuated the building to ensure everyone’s safety. The person suspected of the threat is in police custody and a thorough search of the school was completed. Shortly after 2 PM all studen...
The May District Newsletter has been posted. See what's been happening at the schools with this link: http://5il.co/3fbu
The letter linked here http://5il.co/3fbj was written by the Vermont Superintendents Association (VSA) Board of Trustees and submitted to all Vermont newspapers. It expresses their thoughts about selecting a new Secretary of Education. Give it a read.
Maple Run Unified School District has another VEHI Thriving Rock Star! Nominations are made for an individual who models wellness - physical, emotional, social or spiritual. Thirty wellness rockstars are chosen to honor each year. Randi Lynch is an MRUSD employee who supports a special education student in drama and in three sports through the Unified Kids program. Wi...
At a previous MRUSD Board meeting the Board of Directors adopted the Working Definition of Equity as developed at the VSBA/VSA Retreat.Working Definition of Educational EquityEducational equity means that each student receives the resources and educational opportunities they need to learn and thrive.
Equity means that a student’s success is not predicted nor predeterm...
The MRUSD Board has set their dates and locations for the FY19 Board meetings. You can get the calendar HERE.
The FY18 calendar showing the new last day of school has been posted. (Last day is June 20 barring anymore cancellations).
The FY19 District School calendar was updated to fix an error where November 2 was highlighted and should have been November 9 as stated in the center. Thanks to those who brought it to our attention.
The April newsletter has been posted at http://5il.co/338x. Enjoy!
You can access the school calendar for all Maple Run Schools HERE.
We never want to think of all the bad stuff that might happen, but being prepared can be an asset if we are ever in a bad situation. The presentation given at St. Albans City Hall on March 14 is available to view.
Hundreds of geese visited Charcoal Creek in Swanton -- a sure sign that spring is here!
Hello:
There will be a 2-hour delay for schools today, Thursday March 15th. This message from Superintendent Kevin Dirth is to notify you that due to the winter storm, all schools in the Maple Run Unified School District will be on 2-hour delay today. This includes Bellows Free Academy St. Albans, Northwest Technical Center, St. Albans Town Educational Center, St. Alb...
On the recommendation of the bus company and bad roads that will continue to worsen, all schools in the Maple Run Unified School District will be closed today, Wednesday March 14th. This includes Bellows Free Academy St. Albans, Northwest Technical Center, St. Albans Town Educational Center, St. Albans City School, Fairfield Center School, and all pre-school and Kinde...
MRUSD Held it's budget information hearing last night, Feb. 28. There was good discussion, and many questions were answered. Something to consider as you look at the summary of expenses is that many of the line items that are up this year includes salaries and benefits. Salaries and benefits are nearly 90% of the total increase. Watch the meeting on Northwest Access TV...
I have posted the budget insert that was in the SA Messenger here.
We have answered some questions that we've received on the FY19 Budget, and from those questions made a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet. Please take a look at the FAQ and, if your questions aren't addressed feel free to call Central Office at 524-2600.
The Maple Run Unified School District Information Hearing is Wednesday 2/28 at Central Office Board Room, 28 Catherine St. St. Albans, at 6:00 p.m.. Join us and get answers to all of your budget questions before you vote on Town Meeting Day.
After a threat had BFA do an early release, Principal Mosca sent the following message:A message from BELLOWS FREE ACADEMY
To all Members of the BFA Community, I want to let you know that after a thorough inspection, BFA is now secure. We are resuming all customary activities and plan to open as usual tomorrow. We would like to thank St Albans PD for their support an...
Enjoy the talent of our BFA students at the 2018 BFA Poetry Out Loud Competition with this Vimeo Video.
The MRUSD Newsletter has taken on a new format, to provide insight in the District to some of the happenings at each building. This is the first edition, so feel free to send thoughts and things you'd like to see included to bcomstock@maplerun.org. View the newsletter here: http://5il.co/2sr7
Here's a link to a .pdf showing tax rate comparison information on the proposed budget for Fairfield, St. Albans City and St. Albans Town. Note the last box in the right column for a sense of impact.
Here's a link to a WCAX clip on How school district consolidations affect the schools. http://www.wcax.com/video?vid=...
Due to the winter storm warning, All schools in the Maple Run Unified School District will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday February 7th. This includes Bellows Free Academy St. Albans, Northwest Technical Center, St. Albans Town Educational Center, St. Albans City School, Fairfield Center School, and all pre-school and Kindergarten programs. The Maple Run School Board Mee...
The Maple Run Unified School District Annual Report is available here or from Central Office. Call 524-2600 or stop in at 28 Catherine St to pick one up.
Collins Perley has been named Vermont's Best Sports Center by American Towns
Media. Here is a link for more information: bestthingsvt.com/sportscenters/
Maple Run Unified School District was used as an example in the Vermont School Board Association video on education funding. The video makes sense of the complicated process of how education taxes are figured.
SATEC kids placed 4th in the statewide competition after winning the regionals. They were consistent, and the Tuttle school's coach (winners of the match) complimented their performance afterwards. The kids represented SATEC and their families very nicely! Shown above is the plaque received for winning the regional competition.
Group picture afterwards.
Before th...
BFA's own Grace Brooks was awarded Unified Sports partner of the year at the annual Special Olympics Vermont conference today! Congratulations Grace, we are very proud of you!
Maple Run Schools and offices are closed Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24 to celebrate the holiday. We hope you have a very happy and safe holiday.
Maple Run Unified School District wishes the communities a very happy and safe Thanksgiving. We are thankful for all our students who work so hard to be their best self; for our talented teachers and staff, who help nurture the students and provide an environment where they are safe to excel; and for our community for supporting the unified district as it moves forward...
VEHI's Path (Planned Action Toward Health) Wellness program gather's nominations for super achievers they deem "Rockstars"; an elusive list of some deserving superhero's. Mr. Naylor was named to that list and we want everyone to know it! Read the story.
On Tuesday, November 14, the voters approved allowing the district to purchase the building currently housing Central Office and Early Childhood Programs. The Board is moving forward with legalities and hope to own the building by January 1, 2018.
VOTE! The Maple Run Unifies School District Board of Directors will ask the voters to approve the purchase of the 24-34 Catherine St property which currently houses Central Office staff. This purchase will require no down payment, and there will be no interest charged. Central Office continues to make the same payment they are now making for rent – but it will go to a ...
This is the sixth and final in a series of quick videos, (not professionally done!) just to give a basic view of the Central Office building that the Maple Run Board is asking the voters to approve purchase of. This clip shows the outside of the property.
Special Vote - November 14, 2017 – The Maple Run Unifies School District Board of Directors will ask the vote...
This is the fifth in a series of quick videos, (not professionally done!) just to give a basic view of the Central Office building that the Maple Run Board is asking the voters to approve purchase of. This clip shows the Early Childhood programs offices.
Special Vote - November 14, 2017 – The Maple Run Unifies School District Board of Directors will ask the voters ...
Here is a link to the NWATV information on MRUSD Building Purchase:
The Maple Run Unified School Board is asking voters to approve purchase of the property located at 24 - 34 Catherine St., the current home of Central Office and Early Childhood Programs. We have posted the appraisal and Structural Engineers report for you to view.AppraisalStructural Engineer's Report
This is the fourth in a series of quick videos, (not professionally done!) just to give a basic view of the Central Office building that the Maple Run Board is asking the voters to approve purchase of. This clip shows the “west wing”.
Special Vote - November 14, 2017 – The Maple Run Unifies School District Board of Directors will ask the voters to approve the purchas...
The Maple Run Unified School District (MRUSD) Board has set a Special Vote for November 14 to ask the voters of Fairfield, St. Albans City and St. Albans Town to approve the purchase of the property at 28 Catherine St., St. Albans. Absentee ballots are available at your town clerk's office.
The property has been home to the District Central Office staff for more than...
This is the third in a series of quick videos, (not professionally done!) just to give a basic view of the Central Office building that the Maple Run Board is asking the voters to approve purchase of. This clip shows the back offices.Special Vote - November 14, 2017 – The Maple Run Unifies School District Board of Directors will ask the voters to approve the purchas...
This is the second in a series of quick videos, (not professionally done!) just to give a basic view of the Central Office building that the Maple Run Board is asking the voters to approve purchase of. This clip shows the business office.
Special Vote - November 14, 2017 – The Maple Run Unifies School District Board of Directors will ask the voters to approve the p...
SATEC has completed its solar project, installing 1,860 solar panels on the roof of the St. Albans Town Educational Center. This is a lot of panels, and will provide power to the school as well as other properties in the district. View the flyover video here:
This is the first in a series of quick videos, (not professionally done! ) just to give a basic view of the Central Office building that the Maple Run Board is asking the voters to approve purchase of. This clip shows the "East Wing".
The Maple Run Unifies School District Board of Directors will ask the voters to approve the purchase of the 24-34 Catherine St prope...
There was a great Board meeting Tuesday night, hosted at Northwest Technical Center. culinary students provided yummy snacks! Alumni shared their past and current experiences and how attending the Tech Center affected their future. Students pictured include Michelle Weaver, Alan Dubie, Jacob Remillard, Taylor Wolfe, Ross Lavoie, Colin Capsey, and Hilary Devarney. Pictu...
Maple Run Unified School District (MRUSD) Board of Directors receive statewide recognition receiving Vermont School Board Association’s (VSBA) Exceptional School Board Leadership Award at the VSBA Annual meeting October 19. James Farr, MRUSD Board Chair and Michael Malone, Vice Chair were present to receive the award.
Maple Run Unified School District has an ongoing need for on-call Substitutes, paraprofessionals, custodians, and nurses at our schools: St. Albans City School; St. Albans Town Educational Center, Fairfield Center School, Bellows Free Academy #48, Northwest Technical Center and the Franklin County Early Childhood programs. Applicants must be 18 years of age and have a ...
The merged district has allowed SATEC, who regularly has Odyssey of the Mind Teams to reach out to all of our K-8 schools and allow all district students to participate. This reach out has garnered enough student interest for five MRUSD teams! Odyssey of the Mind is a team creative thinking and problem-solving competition that runs from mid-October to March 17, which i...
Collins Perley will host a district-wide student art show. Art from students from Kindergarten through Seniors will have art on display. The displays run from Sunday October 23 through Sunday October 29. The opening celebration will be on Tuesday October 24 from 4:30 – 6:30. All are welcome. We hope you’ll take some time to visit the shoe – you’ll be impressed!
As a precaution, BFA St. Albans went into a secure the school command today due a student report. There was a post on a social media site that the student interpreted as threatening. School Resource Officer Will Furnari acted immediately and contacted St. Albans Police Department.Both local elementary schools, SACS and SATEC, went into a modified lockdown mode as a pre...
School Resource Officer Furnari bonds with BFA Football fans. Just great stuff!
Construction in front of Central Office looks like it is close to allowing throughtraffic. Hard pack is in place, and the expansion of the corner at Stebbins is moving along. It has been a long road to paving, but we can’t wait to share the before and after pictures with you!
Special Meeting to Vote on Building Purchase
The Maple Run Unified School District (MRUSD) Board has set a Special Vote for November 14 to ask the voters of Fairfield, St. Albans City and St. Albans Town to approve the purchase of the property at 28 Catherine St., St. Albans. Absentee ballots are available at your town clerk's office.
The property has been home to ...
Even through the gloom of Columbus Day you can see that Catherine St. is getting closer to being paved. We're excited to see the new look the neighborhood gets!
Despite the record breaking September heat the construction workers continue in front of Central Office. The work back in front of the office again today. This continues to make it tricky getting in and out of the office continues to be a challenge.
The Maple Run Board of Directors held their September 20 meeting at St. Albans City School. The presentation before the Board was on Conscious Discipline, which the school has fully embraced. For complete understanding of the concept, Board members and District Administrators participated in a few activities, pictured below.
In addition, Daniel Gregory, BFA Senio...
Central Office is truly in the midst of construction -- machinery digging on both sides of the building. Chip Sawyer, City of St. Albans, has dropped in regularly to be sure we can function in the midst of this. It is tricky getting to the office right now, so many of our meetings have been moved off site. If you must stop in to Central Office, use the side door! These...
The entire road is now dug up making parking a real challenge. The side entrance is the only option for those who must stop in. We know it will be great once its complete!
Join us for this free event for Maple Run Families. Tuesday September 26 from 6:00 - 7:30 at Collins Perley Sports Complex. Huge fun! See the FLYER.
Road construction in front of Central Office continues. When visiting the office, please park in the back of the building and use the side door (Business Office Entrance). Next week may be trickier as they are also beginning some work on Market Street behind Central Office.
The construction will continue next week and begin to involve the middle and north end of Catherine Street. You will still have access to the Central and Pre-School Offices but you may have to use Market Street (behind the building, parallel with the tracks). It's going to look so nice when it's done!
It is with bitter-sweet emotions that we celebrate this new beginning, as to have a new beginning we must first have an ending. In my relatively short tenure here, I have witnessed firsthand the total dedication and pride that our school board members bring to their positions. More often than not, it is a thankless job. Yet through divisions, differences of opinion and...
Just over a month ago, nearly all of the Franklin Central Supervisory Union’s more than six hundred employees gathered at the Collins Perley Sports and Fitness Center. The stated objective of the day was that all faculty and staff would have a greater understanding of the needs of the district’s LGBTQA+ students and would have some concrete ways to create a welcoming ...