FY27 ANWSD Annual Report

FY27 PROPOSED BUDGET www.anwsd.org/budget2

Photo Credit: Bill Clark

YEAR OF REPORT 2026

ANNUAL REPORT

Voting Day: Tuesday, March 3 Register ahead of time at your town/city clerk’s office or at the polls on the day of the vote.

Can’t make it to the polls to vote? Early & Absentee voting available by contacting your Town Office.

Visit sos.vermont.gov/elections for more information.

Polling Places & Times Addison Community Center 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Ferrisburgh Town Hall & Community Center 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Panton Town Hall 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Vergennes St. Peter’s Parish Hall** (new location) 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Waltham Town Hall 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Annual Meeting Monday, March 2, 2026 5:00 PM VUMHS Library

Legal voters who attend via Zoom may not act upon Articles from the floor, but may participate for informational purposes only.

https://tinyurl.com/ANWSDAnnualMtg2026 Ballots will be commingled and counted on Wednesday, March 4 at the ANWSD Central Office.

Table of Contents Message from School Board

4

Superintendent Letter

5

School Reports - Principal’s Message

7

Department Reports

11

District Overview

22

Annual Meeting & Budget Information

23

Glossary of Acronyms & Terms

46

ANWSD Vision Statement We envision a kind, collaborative, and creative community for all that nurtures a diverse and accessible learning environment. Students will flourish as critical thinkers and productive citizens, cultivating resilience in an ever-changing world.

ANWSD Board Statement Reaffirming its Commitment to Safe, Civil, and Anti-Racist Schools The Superintendent and Directors of the Addison Northwest School District wish to reassure the members of our educational community in these uncertain times.

We remain committed to maintaining safe and welcoming schools regardless of race, gender, disability, national origin, documentation, religion, sexual orientation, political orientation, or family income. In addition to compliance with the law, we also have a moral and ethical duty to protect all who pass through the doors of our schools and to provide our students with an equitable education.

The Board emphatically endorses and supports a learning environment and shared community void of hate, bias, bigotry, and racism. We condemn white supremacy and unequivocally believe that Black lives matter. We charge the members of the ANWSD community with creating a safe, civil, and kind learning environment. Everyone -- parents, students, staff, board members, community members -- must take seriously the need to speak openly against hate of all kinds. We will recognize, respond to, and redress bias and inequities in our systems, policies, and practices. We will create and sustain an equitable learning environment in which we treat one another with respect and dignity. We can each lead through example, and with this statement the ANWSD Board hereby reaffirms its commitment to providing an equitable, just, and inclusive learning environment for all students.

December 14, 2020, Board adopted

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Message from the School Board Dear Members of the Addison Northwest School District Community, “Cultivating resilience in an ever-changing world.” This portion of our vision statement has never been more relevant and I am glad it is part of the work we do. I would like to thank our administrators, teachers, and staff who continue to offer quality educational experiences to our students, and to our students and families who demonstrate adaptability, resiliency, patience, and nurturing in each other every day.

The work of the Board this year has been conducted in the midst of considerable change at the state and national level.

Here in Vermont, the enactment of Act 73 has added to the general discussion regarding reform, funding, and the future shape of public education.

Simultaneously, the uncertainty and disruption emerging at the federal level stresses the importance of resilient local institutions of democracy based on inclusion and data-driven policy making.

In this context, the Board's overall goal has not changed: provide a high-quality education for our students at a cost reasonable to taxpayers. This year, our work has focused on raising student academic achievement, increasing student belonging and engagement, easing students through important transition points, and caring for our facilities – all while positioning our District to weather any potential statewide reforms.

First I want to thank our Student Representatives, Quincy Sabick and Isabelle Van Voorst. Their ongoing involvement serves as a reminder that student educational experience, rather than the bottom line, is the Board's primary concern.

We all benefit when young people are involved in the institutions of a democracy, and the community is lucky to have their voices help inform our work.

The Community Engagement Committee continued its work on the Portrait of a Graduate. The evolution of education is founded in understanding the knowledge, skills, and attitudes we expect our students to acquire. This committee's work is especially relevant as Act 73 inspires school districts to look past conventional structures.

The Facilities Committee updated the District's Facilities Stewardship Plan, integrating safety and maintenance considerations with long-term planning. These investments demonstrate our obligation to steward public resources while cultivating healthy and safe communities of learning.

The Policy Committee reviewed District policies to ensure that they are consistent with Vermont and federal law, current best practices, and the strategic goals of the Board.

Having clear and up-to-date policies is particularly important in periods of change by providing guidance and fairness to staff, students, and families.

The Finance Committee continued to fulfill the Board’s fiduciary responsibilities with diligence and care. Rising fixed costs – particularly health care – remain significant pressures on school budgets statewide. In this environment, thoughtful financial planning and honest communication with voters are more important than ever.

The Board began work on its proposed budget in June 2025 and has discussed it in every board meeting since. This budget maintains a delicate balance between investing in our students and staff while remaining conscious of the impact to our taxpayers. It will fund educational programming, student social and emotional needs, professional development, as well as ongoing maintenance of our classrooms and buildings. In addition, this budget should help the District respond appropriately and responsibly to any future changes required by ACT 73.

In an era when many public institutions are being challenged by actions at the national level, the ANWSD Board remains committed to openness, engagement, and decision-making based on sound research. Local control makes a difference.

Our schools are strongest when they mirror the values, needs, and concerns of our community. We face serious obstacles, but there is much for use to cherish. We are a close-knit community of caring people who support each other through uncertain times and changing circumstances. I thank all of you for your confidence in the ANWSD Board and for our joint mission to educate our children with dignity, heart, and purpose.

I encourage you to remain engaged – attend meetings, ask questions, and participate in shaping our schools. Together, we will continue to serve our students well, now and in the years ahead.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Addison Northwest School District Board of Directors.

Mark Koenig, Chair

February is School Board Appreciation Month

Thank you board members for all you do!

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ANWSD Board Members Mark Koenig (Chair) Chris Kayhart (Vice Chair) Kristina MacKulin (Clerk)

Vergennes Ferrisburgh Ferrisburgh

Amy Kittredge Carole McBride Erica Andrus Nikki Bearor

Addison Addison Ferrisburgh Ferrisburgh

Martha DeGraaf Chrystal Little Michael Kane Jon Kidde Mimi Clark

Panton Vergennes Vergennes Vergennes Waltham

Superintendent Letter Dear Community Members,

It is my privilege to present the Addison Northwest School District’s Annual Report for 2026. Serving as your Superintendent continues to be an honor, and I am deeply grateful for the collective efforts of our School Board, staff, students, and community partners who work each day to support high-quality learning experiences across our district.

This year’s report highlights the proposed FY27 budget and the thoughtful decisions that guided its development. In a time of declining enrollment, reduced federal funding, and rising costs largely outside the district’s direct control, the School Board and administration worked carefully to align resources with student needs while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The proposed FY27 budget of $28,314,179 reflects a 2.39% increase from the prior year and continues our commitment to keeping per-pupil spending below the state’s excess spending threshold, while limiting tax impacts for our five-town community.

Highlights of the Proposed FY27 Budget Educational Priorities Maintaining high-quality instructional programs across all grade levels, including co-curricular and athletic opportunities.

Sustaining student support services, special education, and required safety obligations.

Preserving MTSS, social-emotional, and behavioral supports despite the loss of federal grant funding.

Aligning staffing and resource levels with enrollment trends while protecting student access to programs and opportunities.

Fiscal Stewardship Applying $1,000,000 in available surplus to reduce perpupil costs and moderate tax impacts.

Managing controllable cost drivers while addressing unavoidable increases related to health insurance, collective bargaining, special education mandates, and inflation.

Implementing staffing reductions primarily through unfilled positions and program adjustments, without eliminating student programs or opportunities.

Across our schools, we continue to see the positive impact of strong instruction, expanded student leadership, inclusive practices, and meaningful community partnerships. From early learning through graduation, our students benefit from dedicated educators and support staff who remain focused on belonging, engagement, and academic growth.

On March 3, 2026, voters will be asked to consider the proposed FY27 budget, as well as the assignment of $102,838.70 from the FY25 fund balance to the District’s Capital Improvement Fund. This investment supports the long-term stewardship of our facilities and reflects our commitment to planning responsibly for the future.

I am deeply appreciative of the trust our community places in our schools. Together, we are preparing students for academic success, engaged citizenship, collaboration, and resilience in an ever-changing world. Thank you for your continued partnership and engagement.

With appreciation, Sheila M. Soule, M.A. Ed. Superintendent of Schools

Across our schools, we continue to see the positive impact of strong instruction, expanded student leadership, inclusive practices, and meaningful community partnerships.

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Our District Leaders & Educators

Sheila Soule Superintendent

Dr. Laura Nugent Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services

Gabriel Hamilton Director of Learning

Superintendent’s Office

Sheila Soule Elissa Galvez, HR Benefits Admin Glory Martin, Executive Assistant

Student Support Services

Dr. Laura Nugent Tammy Petersen, Admin Assistant

Office of Learning

Gabriel Hamilton April Wortmann, MTSS Coordinator / Title IX Melissa Strong, Data Manager

Finance

Stephanie Hurlburt, Business Manager Michael Cardinal, Fiscal Analyst Vicky Rao, Accts Payable/Payroll Specialist

Facilities/Maintenance

Gary Wright, Director Bob Hall, Assistant Director Debbi Smith, Admin Assistant

Technology

Tim White, Director Tom Haselton, Tech Specialist Andrew Bynum, Tech Specialist

Child Nutrition

Kathy Alexander, Director (shared with MAUSD)

Licensed Professional - Level of Degree BA - Bachelors MA - Masters CAG/MM - Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study/Double Masters

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Students Grades PK-12

798

PreK Partnership Enrollment

70

Licensed Staff

125

All Other Employees

89

Total Employees

214

Principal Beth Bearor

Ferrisburgh Central School

Students, staff, families, and community members continue to make FCS a wonderful place to learn, work, play, and grow. This year, we welcomed new members to our school community while honoring long-standing traditions and launching new ones. We look forward to continued collaboration across the district and an exciting spring ahead, including our Olympic Winter Games, expanded theater opportunities for students in preschool through grade 5, and the return of Troy from Wunderle’s Big Top Adventures as our circus artist in residence.

Points of Pride Welcomed new staff: Taylor Krupp (Kindergarten), Ema Gernander (1st Grade), Ellie Kiel (2nd Grade), Alison DaBica (5th Grade), Jess Unrein (School Counselor), JT Henley (Special Educator), Dasha Kalisz (Art Teacher), Ashli DeMent (SLP), Hailey LaFrance (Food Service), Sam Hill (Pre-K Paraeducator), Riley Cunningham (Pre-K Paraeducator), Amanda Graves, (Paraeducator), Delphine DeLorze (Paraeducator) and Carmen Clendaniel (Paraeducator) and Emma Pankuck (Intern).

Offered student leadership opportunities through our Student Leadership/PBIS Team and P2C2 (Positive Power and Community Connections) in collaboration with Up For Learning Celebrated a bountiful harvest with a Garden Harvest Party in September Engaging students and families with our new Project Play activities Implemented student and staff recognitions with Student of the Month, Employee of the Month, and Seed Slips (notes of positivity) Came together at monthly All School Morning Meetings hosted by a different class each month Spent Early Release Days engaging in “Wild Wednesday” activities in multi-aged groups with an emphasis on plants, animals, and habitats Re-established a partnership with the National Bank of Middlebury to bring the Schoolhouse Savings Program to FCS Brought VUES along on the annual Hike for Hunger and collected a carload of food and household items that were donated to the Vergennes Food Shelf 5th Grade class signed up for the Trout in the Classroom Program and are looking forward to raising the trout from eggs until their release in May Community collaboration with the Union Meeting Hall (Thankful Tree), Town of Ferrisburgh (tapping maple trees), and Ferrisburgh Road Crew (spreading woodchips in the Outdoor Classroom)

Facts and Figures Student Enrollment 2025-2026

123

2024-2025

137

2023-2024

150

2022-2023

159

2021-2022

145

PreK 2025-2026

28

Faculty & Staff Numbers (FTE) PreK-5 teachers Special Educators Speech Language Pathologist

13.6

Strategic Priority Areas

4 1.8

Interventionists

2

Library Media Specialist

.5

School Counselor

1

School Nurse

1

Support Staff

18.76

Continuing to refine how we recognize positive student behaviors Growing our restorative practices and social-emotional learning Finding new ways to engage families and the community Revamping our PBIS system to support student success Revitalizing ABL (Action Based Learning) Strengthening and streamlining our MTSS work

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Vergennes Union Elementary School

Principal Matthew DeBlois We had an exciting year at VUES last year filled with a lot of learning and collaboration. We look forward to increased partnerships with FCS and others throughout our district. We continue to look for ways to engage families, staff and students in learning.

Points of Pride The ANWSD Outstanding elementary educator for 24-25 is Joshua Brooks.

We continue to refine Action Based Learning for first graders through work in professional learning groups headed by Robyn Newton, Melissa Haggett and Jennifer Kingsley.

The Beacon program for students in grades K-3 came to VUES this year to serve students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This endeavor is a collaborative model of inclusion under the leadership of Heather Paquin, with collaboration from Sue Rakowski, SLP; Josh Cummings, Special Education Teacher; Alyssa Saunders, Classroom Teacher; and Emily Intemann, Classroom Teacher. This team also is made up of support staff Jen Coyle, Jacob Paquin, Emma Huestis, Janel Laflam, and Marcella Hoffman.

New employees this year included paraeducators Jacob Paquin, Sammi Willard, Emma Huestis, Janel Laflam, Marcella Hoffman, as well as custodians Adam Morin and Kevin Norton.

Employees new to VUES - Sue Rakowski, SLP; Heather Paquin, Special Educator; Anissa Martin, School-Wide Behavior Interventionist; Kathie Pudvar, Math Intervention; Garrett McMillan, Special Educator; Sara Donnelly, Paraeducator; and April Wortmann, Coordinator of Learning Access and Supports.

Expanded access to mental health services through the University of Vermont and the Counseling Service of Addison County. This includes Emily Smith, an intern through UVM; Judy Chugg, a School Based Clinician from CSAC; and Natalie Curtis, an intern through CSAC. Student leadership opportunities through all school meetings, P2C2 and Up for Learning, and our PBIS team.

We earned a bronze recognition from the State of Vermont PBIS team and were acknowledged by the Vermont Secretary of Education resultantly.

Facts and Figures Student Enrollment 2025-2026

243

2024-2025

245

2023-2024

307

2022-2023

299

2021-2022

287

Strategic Priority Areas

Faculty & Staff Numbers (FTE) K-5 teachers

17.8

Special Educators

6

Speech Language Pathologist

3

Social Worker

1

Interventionists

6

Library Media Specialist

1

School Counselor

1

School Nurse

1

Support Staff

26.13

Continue to recognize positive behaviors through regular and routine actions Refine expectations related to communicating around curricular goals Refine multi-tiered systems of support Re-establish how to effectively manage inputs and outputs of social emotional learning across levels of interventions Decrease need for specialized services by increasing the efficacy of layer one instruction through data based conversations and small group instruction Retain highly trained teachers and staff to ensure effective educational access for all students

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Vergennes Union Middle School

Principal Colden Golann VUMS is well into its second year as a 6th-8th Middle School and I’m proud to report that we continue to see the benefits of a focused and intentional middle school experience. Our goals this year were to continue the variety of new efforts we have undertaken in the past few years and build them to feel like comfortable fixtures of our school. Our exploratory offerings such as student clubs and literacy circles continued into their third year with improvement and changes in structure to better serve our students. It is exciting to feel VUMS begin to transition from a new thing, to a school with standing and traditions, and a regular part of the landscape of Addison Northwest!

Points of Pride Great people make great schools! We were able to maintain almost our entire staff coming into the 25/26 school year which is a fantastic testament to all of the teachers and staff here!

We added Math and Literacy interventionists as a coordinator of learning access to oversee and significantly improve our academic support systems for students.

At the end of last year all students completed a personalized year end project. 6th graders did a passion project, 7th a service learning project, and 8th graders participated in our Capstone project, a hallmark of our program. All students explored topics they chose, and displayed their learning in front of an authentic audience of peers, staff, and community members!

Students have visited The Grand, senior living community to connect with and support our local elderly population.

Student clubs in the first semester include offerings such as woodworking, fiber arts, basketball, and video production.

These clubs meet twice per week and allow students to explore non traditional school topics.

6th grade took their annual scavenger hunt field trip before winter break but added a new wrinkle with the use of the Amtrak train to visit spots in Middlebury!

We instituted YONDR pouches in September to support students to detach from their phones at school and increase focus. Our kids have done a remarkable job adapting to this changing and reducing the presence of phones in our school.

We launched gender specific leadership groups for our 8th graders. Our groups discuss gender based issues such as sexual harassment, cultural pressures, and school focused issues that need to be addressed. These groups have been a really great experience for all involved and we look forward to expanding the opportunity.

Facts and Figures Student Enrollment 2025-2026 (6-8)

168

2024-2025 (6-8)

193

2023-2024 (7-8)

129

2022-2023 (7-8)

120

2021-2022 (7-8)

119

Faculty & Staff Numbers (FTE) Teachers

15

Special Educators

3

School Counselor

2

Support Staff

Strategic Priority Areas

3.8

Shared Staff with high school Teachers

7

Special Educators

2

Interventionists

2

Library Media Specialist

1

School Nurse

1

Support Staff

19.4

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MTSS and systematic use of our interventionists to increase student outcomes across the school.

Increase community involvement in our school and bring our school out into the community to connect and learn!

Build a consistent schedule of traditions that fit VUMS specifically and allow us to represent and celebrate our core values.

Increase student voice and leadership opportunities through event planning, data analysis and directed initiatives to continue to improve our students’ experience.

Principal Jody Chamberlin

Vergennes Union High School

Over the past year, Vergennes Union High School has focused on strengthening student voice, leadership, and connection, with an emphasis on ensuring students play an active role in shaping their school experience and school culture. I am proud to be part of a school community grounded in kindness and collaboration, and this work continues to inform how we design opportunities for students and support their learning and growth.

Points of Pride Expanded student leadership opportunities through Class Presidents and Vice Presidents working together on assemblies, spirit weeks, student feedback, and review of student testing data Supported student-led climate and belonging work through Space Club, including identifying welcoming and supportive spaces within the school and developing a middle school to high school mentorship initiative Partnered with Up for Learning to support a group of 25 students in learning restorative practices and designing and leading professional development for staff Recognized student leadership and civic engagement at the state and national level with Quincy Sabick selected as Vermont’s delegate to the United States Senate Youth Program Continued strong student involvement in community organizations through work, volunteerism, and service with partners such as the Vergennes Fire Department, Leos, the Vergennes Recreation Department, and the Scouts Offered a wide range of student clubs and activities reflecting diverse interests, including FFA, The Current, Green Team, Space Club, Commodore Singers, Jazz Band, Math Team, National Honor Society, and German National Honor Society Supported student-led events and celebrations including Social Justice Fest, Environmental Day, Ag Day, Peace One Day, and Homecoming Strengthened connections to the broader Vergennes community through the annual Homecoming parade, Winter Ball at the Vergennes Opera House, and Prom at the Bixby Memorial Library Redesigned student learning spaces with direct student input, resulting in increased use of flexible learning environments such as the Turret for independent work, collaboration, and small group learning Welcomed biennial German Exchange students and implemented intentional supports to ensure full inclusion and connection as members of the Commodore community Welcomed new staff members Jonna Keith, Science, and Barrett Swinhart, Spanish, whose expertise and enthusiasm have strengthened instructional programming Celebrated Cailin O’Hara as the ANWSD Outstanding Middle and High School Educator for 2024–2025 in recognition of her leadership in choral education and contributions to musical festivals and the annual school musical

Facts and Figures Student Enrollment (9-12) 2025-2026

239

2024-2025

257

2023-2024

250

2022-2023

291

2021-2022

292

Faculty & Staff Numbers (FTE) Teachers

14

Special Educators

3

School Counselor

2

Support Staff

4

Strategic Priority Areas Expand meaningful student voice and leadership opportunities so students play an active role in shaping school culture, learning experiences, and decision making Strengthen coordinated academic, social, and emotional supports so students remain engaged throughout the school day Clarify expectations around learning, feedback, and assessment so students understand their progress toward proficiencies, graduation requirements, and transferable skills Sustain a positive school culture grounded in kindness, trust, and connection so everyone feels supported and welcomed Support thoughtful and responsible student and staff use of technology and digital tools to enhance learning, critical thinking, and responsible practices

Shared Staff with middle school Teachers

7

Special Educators

2

Interventionists

2

Library Media Specialist

1

School Nurse

1

Support Staff

19.4

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Afterschool & Summer Programs

Joanna Cicha Kruse

Director of Afterschool & Summer Programs

The Addison Northwest School District offers a range of afterschool and extended-day programs designed to support students’ academic, social, and emotional development while providing reliable care for families. These programs create safe, engaging environments that extend learning beyond the “bell” of the traditional school day.

The ANWSD Afterschool Program also provides consistent, high-quality childcare at three licensed locations: Vergennes Union Elementary School (Thunder Care), Ferrisburgh Central School (Cougar Care), and (Pre-K Extended Care). All services are offered throughout the school year, including afterschool hours, early release days, February and April vacations, and seven weeks of summer programming.

Points of Pride Served 320 students (PreK - grade 12) during summer of 2025.

Fusion Afterschool Program funding from the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Grant and the State Afterschool Grant allows delivery of enrichment programming and extended school day opportunities addressing the social and emotional needs of students.

In March 2025, four VUMHS students - “Jalapeño Hotties,” participated in the Jr. Iron Chef Competition and earned their third consecutive title in the Mise en Place category for their winning dish. In April 2025, the team was invited to the Vermont State House to attend the Jr. Iron Chef VT Resolution Reading.

In partnership with the City of Vergennes Recreation Department and in collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Vergennes, launched the Commodore Club—a new afterschool initiative designed to support local youth during the Boys & Girls Club’s temporary programming pause.

Fourteen ANWSD students competed in the VT Historical Society’s annual VT History Day Contest, held at Saint Michael’s College. Several students received special recognition or were awarded within their division, with three qualifying for the National History Day contest in Washington DC.

Strategic Priority Areas Securing additional funding through the Program Trek Afterschool Grant to help offset the sustainability cliff created by a $55,231 funding reduction. The grant award provides $75,000 annually over a 3.5-year period, totaling $262,500.00.

We are thrilled to see our afterschool and childcare programs thriving, with a continued increase in enrollment.

Looking ahead, we are eagerly planning another successful February and April Vacation Camp, as well as our Summer Program, to serve the ANWSD community.

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Cost of 2025 Summer Operations Salary & Benefits: Childcare Elementary Fusion VUMHS Fusion

$105,294.34 $ 40,374.85 $ 35,852.67

Supplies

$

3,301.53

Summer Meals: Breakfast & Lunch Snacks

FREE $ 2,637.44

Betcha Transportation

$ 9,262.28

Pool

$ 5,350.00

Vermont Institute of Science

$

537.50

Marquis Theatre

$

285.00

TOTAL

$202,895.61

Photo Credit: Bill Clark

Peter Maneen

Athletics

Director of Athletics & Extracurricular

The past year in Vergennes athletics has truly been one to celebrate. From thrilling victories to hard-fought challenges, our student-athletes demonstrated resilience, dedication, and sportsmanship every step of the way. Even more meaningful than the wins and losses are the lasting memories and life lessons gained, lessons that will stay with our athletes long after the final whistle. Vergennes is proud to offer outstanding facilities, exceptional coaches, and an incredibly supportive community that makes our athletic programs so special. On behalf of everyone involved in Vergennes athletics, thank you for your continued generosity and unwavering support. We look forward with excitement to all that lies ahead.

Points of Pride 1st ever Unified Basketball Team in spring 2025.

Varsity Wrestlers take home two state titles (Isaac Preston & Peyton Lavoie).

Peyton Lavie named the wrestling state tournament’s most outstanding wrestler.

Vergennes Union High School hosts state championships in cheerleading (16 years), dance (12 years) and elementary wrestling (1st year).

Boys basketball player, Ryker Mosehauer, named Lake Division Player of the Year.

370 fall athletes (K-12) including football & volleyball.

441 winter athletes (K-12) including nordic, gymnastics, boys & girls ice hockey.

Community soccer & basketball clinics run by high school coaches and players each season.

Varsity Girls Soccer 2025 D3 State Champions!

Girls soccer player, Ava Francis, named Mountain Division Player of the Year and nominated for Gatorade Player of the Year.

Football running back, Cole Gagnon, once again goes over 1000 yards for the season, finishing with a program record 1841 yards.

Girls basketball player, Ashtin Stearns, becomes the 2nd female to eclipse the 1000 career point milestone.

Strategic Priority Areas Continue to develop elementary programs to support high school teams.

We have added cheerleading & wrestling since becoming a districtwide athletic program.

Continue work to develop an athletic student leadership program.

Supporting coaches development by making coaching clinics more accessible for all.

Developing an electronic database for school records and championships that will be accessed via touchscreen outside the high school gym.

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Division III State Champs

Early Education Program

Marcie Tierney

Director of Preschool

The ANWSD Early Education Program is a licensed early childhood program with the State of Vermont, located within the Ferrisburgh Central School.

We are very lucky to have highly qualified educators who make a strong team for our young ANWSD students. This year, we operate two full-time preschool classrooms with 12-14 students each.

We provide intensive support to students with special needs. We currently have four staff members supporting students 1-on-1 in our preschool setting. Having quality paraeducators, allows both our students with learning differences, as well as typically developing peers, access to important preschool curriculum and learning.

Points of Pride We hold 5 stars with the Step Ahead Recognition Program and are a Vermont pre-qualified pre-kindergarten program.

We provide outreach among the District’s early education community as well.

Our extended day care program provides a fuller day experience for students and families after preschool hours. It operates five days a week, until 4:30pm. Additional enrichment activities are offered to children during this time such as Taekwon Do, Yoga, Art, etc. On average, 12 students attend our extended day program.

This year, thanks to the Ferrisburgh Friends of the Union Meeting Hall and the FCS PTO, our preschool program was able to participate in Music Together with the Middlebury Community Music Company. We participated in a “sampler” session for 12 weeks that included 17 songs.

We invited our families to join us in November to share our Music Together experience, and families were given access to music digitally with songbooks.

Having access to Augmentative Alternative Communication (ACC) devices provided by the district this year has helped three of our preschool students tremendously in their speech and language development.

Strategic Priority Areas We plan to hold our annual Child Developmental Screening days in March 2026.

Our Fall 2026 enrollment will follow the screening.

We continuously assess our programming in order to serve as many children in our community as possible.

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Act 166 - Universal PreK 90 children participating in UPK 24 at the FCS Early Ed Program and 25 at Evergreen 45 4-year old's and 45 3-year old's $3,982 per student is paid to the partner programs 17 partner programs New partner with The Growing Tree at the Addison Community building

Annual Enrollment & Tuition Per Student Paid by School District FY23

FY25

FY26

58

70

90

$3,610 / $209,380

$3,884 / $271,880

$3,982 / $358.380

Gabriel Hamilton

Office of Learning

Director of Learning

This year’s focus, Rooted in Belonging, emerged from the work of our Equity Assessment Committee—a diverse group of students, teachers, administrators, and community members. Facilitated by Esther Charlestin, the committee engaged in thoughtful dialogue and data analysis to better understand students’ experiences and identify ways to strengthen connection, engagement, and access to learning. This challenging and important work has resulted in actionable recommendations that are shaping the work across the district this year. At its core, Rooted in Belonging is grounded in the Vermont Education Quality Standards, recognizing belonging, engagement, and equity as essential levers for closing achievement gaps and ensuring academic success is accessible to all learners.

Points of Pride

Strategic Priority Areas

Inclusive, community-driven equity work The Equity Assessment Committee elevated student voice and community perspectives, grounding our work in lived experience and meaningful data.

Professional Learning Groups (PLGs) PLGs focus on specific work connected to foundational literacy skills, writing, social-emotional learning, Universal Design for Learning, or Project-based Learning. This work is teacher driven and student outcome focused, providing teachers with time and space to collaborate on important and complicated elements of their work with students.

Youth-led professional learning Students are co-facilitating professional learning and community dialogues, deepening adult understanding of student experience and strengthening school-student partnerships.

Strong transition supports Ongoing partnership with Up for Learning is supporting thoughtful transition work at the elementary and middle school levels, with a focus on connection and continuity.

Academic performance In our third year of VTCAP implementation, students continue to outperform the state in many grades and content areas.

Robust local assessment system FAST Math and ELA screeners (grades K–11) provide timely, actionable data three times per year, supporting both system-level decision-making and individualized student support. Ongoing curriculum alignment aims to strengthen continuity across schools and grade levels.

Positive SEL indicators Panorama data reflects strengths in areas such as supportive relationships and school safety, affirming the foundation we have built for student well-being.

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Deepen Rooted in Belonging initiatives Continue implementing Equity Assessment Committee recommendations, with an emphasis on student voice, inclusive practices, and school-toschool transitions.

Close achievement gaps Target persistent inequities in academic outcomes— particularly for students who are economically disadvantaged—through aligned instruction, intervention, and professional learning on Universal Design for Learning.

Increase overall academic proficiency Focus on increasing the percentage of students meeting proficiency across content areas, using multiple measures to guide continuous improvement.

Strengthen engagement and school climate Use Panorama data and student-staff collaboration to address areas of growth related to student engagement and school climate, ensuring students feel connected, valued, and motivated.

Align systems for equity and access Continue refining assessment, MTSS, and professional learning systems to ensure academic achievement and social-emotional supports are accessible to all learners.

Data Brief ELA Mixed results: Grades 3–4 rebounded to state levels; Grades 6–9 declined. Grade 5 shows incomplete recovery.

Transitions matter: Strong early gains, but a recurring dip from Grade 5 6.

What it means: Strengthen vocabulary, reading stamina, and comprehension—especially in middle school.

→

Math Overall decline: Greatest challenges in Grades 6–8.

Bright spots: Grades 7 and 9 improved and exceeded state averages.

What it means: Improve middle school coherence and strengthen algebra readiness across grades.

Science Upward trend: Grades 5 and 8 show steady gains beyond state growth.

High school concern: Grade 11 performance declined.

What it means: Maintain strong early science while reinforcing engagement and NGSS-aligned instruction in high school.

Overall Direction: 1.Strengthen layer 1 literacy and numeracy instruction aligned with proficiency scales.

2.Build vertical curriculum alignment and coherence particularly across grade transitions.

3.Leverage FAST data for formative decision-making.

4.Emphasize UDL and engagement strategies to stabilize growth trajectories.

5.Continue to explore classroom proficiency scores to understand discrepancies and inform planning.

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Panorama screeners help us to gather information from students, staff, and families about school climate, safety, engagement, and sense of belonging. The student data below shows areas of strength in some areas, like supportive relationships and school safety, while other areas like engagement and school climate have room for growth.

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Gary Wright

Director of Buildings, Grounds, & Safety

Operations & Maintenance

As we reflect on our past year, we would like to recognize the retiring of two long time employees in our department.

Sue Jerome and Randy Gaboriault. We thank them for their contributions through the years.

We are pleased we were able to replace them with Kevin Norton and Adam Morin. Troy Daudelin was also able to join our Ferrisburgh School team. Together with our current team, we will continue to provide to our school community with a clean and safe environment.

Points of Pride Vergennes Union Middle/High School Summer work began with the replacement of the B and C Wing roof.

Vergennes Union Elementary School Two classrooms were re-carpeted.

Siding work continued on the building.

Heating systems in the B Wing boys’ and girls’ bathrooms were upgraded.

Ferrisburgh Elementary School Bathroom floors in four classrooms were refinished.

Two ADA ramps were reconstructed.

Anticipated Facilities Needs FY26

2-5 Years

6-10 Years

Districtwide

$158,000

$354,000

$173,000

FCS

$78,075

$966,734

$539,104

VUES

$118,500

$786,950

$376,500

VUMHS

$1,0332,326

$1,845,523

$539,000

11-15 Years

16-20 years

20 +

Districtwide

$263,000

$125,000

$125,000

FCS

$764,640

$1,039,410

$0

VUES

$94,000

$654,600

$360,000

VUMHS

$450,000

$250,000

$607,500

Strategic Priority Areas Stormwater Project C & D Wing siding and Windows Continued commitment to provide efficient running of all our buildings.

For more details of the Facilities Stewardship Plan, check it on our website at www.anwsd.org/departments/facilities

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Kathy Alexander Director of School Nutrition Services

School Nutrition Services Proudly serving students healthy meals so the only thing they are hungry for in school is knowledge.

The focus of 2024-2025 was on building program capacity and efficiency, expanding staff expertise and engaging more with students in order to maintain high program quality and participation.

Points of Pride Over 110,000 free lunches and 55,000 free breakfasts prepared for and served to students. Ensuring students are ready to learn each day.

10 hours intensive culinary training for all staff. Building skill & expertise.

King Arthur Flour Baking Class On-Site Culinary Skills Workshop with four professional Chef Trainers.

State of the Art Combi Oven installed in VUMHS Kitchen using Healthy Meals Initiative Grant Funds District Awarded an “Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals” Award from Healthy Meals Incentive, USDA, Action for Healthy Kids, and the Chef Ann Foundation Provided over 12,000 Free Summer Lunch Meals and 10,000 Free Summer Breakfast Meals for children 0-18 years old between June 26 and August 12. Both MEAL KITS FOR KIDS and program meals were served.

Purchased 17% of total foods from local sources resulting in a Local Food Incentive Grant for $15,000. Local foods purchased include produce, dairy, ground beef, maple syrup, and chicken from many Addison County farmers putting money back into our local economy and supporting our neighbor farm families.

Successfully passed AOE-Child Nutrition Administrative Program Review, an extensive review of Child Nutrition operations conducted every five years.

Strategic Priority Areas Increase breakfast participation in grades 6-12.

Build adult participation and options.

Serve afterschool meals in eligible schools.

Build Summer Meals program options in eligible schools and areas.

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Meal Participation Numbers Breakfast

Lunch

FY24

FY25

FY24

FY25

FCS

52%

65%

78%

77%

VUES

36%

45%

83%

84%

VUMHS

24%

31%

71%

72%

Dr. Laura Nugent

Student Support Services

Assistant Superintendent of Student Supports

The work of Student Support Services in supporting students and families through inclusive, compliant, and student-centered systems. Over the past year, the focus has been on strengthening consistency across schools, stabilizing core practices, and addressing areas of risk. The priorities outlined below reflect both current needs and longer-term system improvement.

Points of Pride Improved consistency in IEP development and documentation across schools Clearer eligibility and service decision-making aligned with state and federal requirements Expanded access to inclusive and in-district supports for students with complex needs Strengthened coordination among special education, counseling, and related services Improved timelines and monitoring for evaluations and annual reviews Increased clarity and communication for families regarding services and processes Stabilization of high-need programs through staffing and structure More consistent use of data to inform service decisions

Strategic Priority Areas Strengthen consistency of student support practices across schools Collaboratively improve progress monitoring and use of data to guide instructional and service decisions Clarify roles, responsibilities, and communication pathways Expand inclusive and preventative supports for students with complex needs Stabilize staffing and build internal capacity Improve family communication and understanding of services Align district practices with evolving regulatory expectations Develop sustainable systems for documentation and oversight

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District Programs and Services Wellness & Learning Center (WLC at FCS & VUMHS) Embedded Therapeutic Program IEP or 504 Plan not required

FCS WLC serves 4 students grade K-3 VUMHS WLC serves 8 students grades 6-12

Beacon Program (VUES) Embedded academic, behavioral and sensory support for students with Autism IEP required

Enrollment: 8 students Grades K-3 Enrollment Required

In-School Support Program (CSAC ISSP)

Counseling Services of Addison County Intensive School Supports Program

Multilingual Learners Supporting students in developing English proficiency while ensuring full access to grade-level learning

21 students PreK-12 12 students receiving services

Homelessness

Ensuring students experiencing homelessness have equal access to education, stability, and support services.

Tim White

Technology Director

Technology

The perfect Technology Department is one that goes about its business quietly but effectively. In our small district, we function as the "Swiss Army Knife" of the organization: managing everything from high-level cybersecurity to fixing a jammed printer with a fraction of the staff and budget of larger peers. We strive for the proper balance of in-house and contracted services, squeezing all of the value out of every dollar.

Points of Pride Fiscal Stewardship: We secured E-rate funding that helped ensure that our infrastructure remains modern without placing the full burden on the local budget. Our "repair-first" and “make it last” approaches saved the district substantially in device replacement costs.

Operational Reliability: No significant work-stopping outages occurred, ensuring that administration, state testing, and daily classroom instruction were never interrupted. Our three-member team resolved nearly 700 help desk tickets from July 1 - Dec 31.

Security & Data Privacy: In this era of ever-increasing digital threats, we reached a major milestone: 100% staff adoption of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and guarded our District's risk profile via aggressive protection and collaboration with our Cyber-Insurance carrier.

Cybersecurity Tips AI and other advanced technologies are threats to our privacy, but at the same time, many of us just give away information for free and make it easy. What many don't realize is that the bad guys will scrape hundreds of web pages that each might contain a tiny piece of personal information, and then use AI to assemble all of that data into what amounts to a dossier on each of us, for sale to the highest bidder on the dark web (a very real virtual place).

Here’s how to protect yourself: Don’t post personal details (like your high school, pet’s name or favorite color) online.

Use fake answers for identity challenge

Strategic Priority Areas Without question, our number one priority in the year ahead will be learning how to manage and navigate the integration of Artificial Intelligence into our District’s technology array. AI will affect everything from cybersecurity to door locks to Kindergarten instruction. A firm grasp of the processes, theories, and what’s coming next will be essential.

It will remain our priority to continue to make technology “invisible”.

Technology should enhance and never interfere with either the Administrative or Teaching aspects in our schools. This requires paying attention to what’s happening, and what’s likely to happen in the world of technology.

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questions – and write them down somewhere safe (offline or a photo of a handwritten list works great).

Update your Facebook birthday to a fake one – or at least leave off the year – to throw off data scrapers and spot who’s relying on Facebook reminders.

Use a secure password manager (like 1Password or KeeperSecurity) to store encrypted notes with your made-up answers and passwords.

In the Spotlight These moments reflect the dedication, creativity, and commitment that help make our schools a place where people thrive.

UVM Outstanding Teachers of the Year Every year, the College of Education and Social Services (CESS) at the University of Vermont, together with Vermont supervisory unions and school districts, the Vermont Agency of Education, and the Vermont NEA, join to honor the accomplishments of our state’s outstanding educators. In November, our own elementary and secondary level teachers were celebrated.

JOSH BROOKS VUES Grade 5

CAILIN O’HARA VUMHS Choral

VT State Elementary Health Teacher of the Year Anna Smith was honored at the Annual SHAPE Conference on March 21, 2025 as the recipient of the Vermont State Elementary Health Teacher of the Year.

Her nomination articulated Ms. Smith’s high quality elementary health and primary prevention programming being the bedrock for all subsequent learning for students in health.

Vergennes FFA attends Nationals Our Vergennes FFA members attended Nationals in Indianapolis in October. We are incredibly proud of Matthew Beenen, Delaney Bicknell, Wyatt Kennett, and Colton Reed, who represented Vermont in the Agricultural Mechanics and Technology Career Development Event. We also congratulate Calvin Almeida, who competed as part of Vermont’s team in the Forestry Career Development Event, and Caroline Allen, who represented Vermont in the Creed Speaking Event. Each team and individual earned recognition in the bronze category.

VT Boys & Girls State US Senate Page Quincy Sabick represented Vergennes Union High School with distinction, being elected Governor at Vermont Girls State and later served as a Page in the United States Senate in Washington, D.C. and will again this summer.

This past summer, Sawyer Garthaffner represented Vergennes Union High School with distinction, serving as Governor at Vermont Boys State and going on to attend Boys Nation in Washington, D.C.

VT History Day Contest Winners

We're incredibly proud to announce that 14 ANWSD students competed in the Vermont Historical Society's annual History Day Contest at Saint Michael's College.

Our talented 7-12th graders, participating through the ANWSD Fusion Afterschool program, presented impressive historical research projects on this year's theme: "Rights and Responsibilities in History."

Special congratulations to our National History Day qualifiers heading to Washington DC in June: Jing Williams, Quincy Sabick, and Georgia Kunkel Other award winners are: Sophia Johnson, Charlotte Coffey, Keegan Lisko and Eli Morrill

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Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution. ~ Aristotle

This is ANWSD

TOTAL ENROLLMENT: 798 PreK

28

123

FCS

Schools

Grades

Ferrisburgh Central School

PK-5

Vergennes Union Elementary School

K-5

Vergennes Union Middle & High School

6-12

VUES

243

169

VUMS

235

VUHS 0

White

50

100

150

200

250

DEMOGRAPHICS

Other Races

Other Races 8%

36% of students come from low socioeconomic households

20% of students qualify for Special Education Services

White 92%

GRADUATION STATISTICS

ENROLLMENT TRENDS Enrollment figures are as of October 1st of given year.

PreK is not included in these totals.

1400 1285

1200

1155

983

1000

829 789

800

600

2005-06

2010-11

2015-16

2020-21

2025-26

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Year of # of 4-Year 2-Year Graduation graduates College or Tech

Gap Year

Entered Workforce

US Armed Services

2024

60

52%

10%

.05%

18%

0

2025

71

52%

13%

.05%

20%

0

ANNUAL MEETING

& BUDGET INFORMATION 2026 - 2027

Annual Meeting Monday, March 2, 2026 5:00 PM VUMHS Library

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WARNING ADDISON NORTHWEST SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNUAL MEETING MARCH 2, 2026 The legal voters of the Addison Northwest School District, consisting of the towns of Addison, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Vergennes, and Waltham, are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Vergennes Union Middle & High School in Vergennes, VT on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. to learn about the 2026-27 budget and transact any of the following business.

Article 1:

To elect the following officers: a) Moderator b) Clerk c) Treasurer

Article 2:

To authorize stipends to be paid district officers including the directors, clerk and treasurer.

Article 3:

Board Chair:

$1,750

Board Member: $1,250

Moderator:

$150

Clerk: $500

Treasurer: $5,500

To authorize the Board of Directors, under 16 VSA 562 (9), to borrow money by issuance of bonds or notes not in excess of anticipated revenue for the school year.

Article 4:

To elect a community representative to serve on the Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center District Board of Directors for a term of three (3) years.

Article 5:

To authorize the Board of Directors to electronically distribute the annual report.

Article 6:

To hear and act upon the reports of the Addison Northwest School District Officers.

Dated this __ 21st day of

January

, 2026.

John Stroup, District Clerk

Mark Koenig, Chair of Board of Directors

Addison Northwest School District

Addison Northwest School District

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WARNING ADDISON NORTHWEST SCHOOL DISTRICT MARCH 3, 2026 The legal voters of the Addison Northwest School District, consisting of the towns of Addison, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Vergennes, and Waltham, are hereby notified and warned to meet at the following polling places on March 3, 2026 to vote by Australian ballot on the following articles of business:

Article 7:

Municipality

Polling Hours

Location

Addison

7:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.

Addison Community Center

Ferrisburgh

7:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.

Ferrisburgh Town Hall

Panton

7:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.

Panton Town Hall

Vergennes

9:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.

St. Peter’s Parish Hall

Waltham

10:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.

Waltham Town Hall

Shall the voters of the school district approve the school board to expend $28,314,179.03 which is the amount the school board has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year? It is estimated that this proposed budget, if approved, will result in education spending of $15,647 per pupil. This projected spending per pupil is 3.26% higher than spending for the current year.

Article 8:

Shall the voters of the Addison Northwest School District authorize the assignment of $102,838.70 pursuant to the provisions of 24 VSA §2804, from the fiscal year 2025 fund balance to the ANWSD Capital Improvement Fund, established by the electorate on March 7, 2017?

Dated this __ 21st day of

January

, 2026.

John Stroup, District Clerk

Mark Koenig, Chair of Board of Directors

Addison Northwest School District

Addison Northwest School District

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FY27 BUDGET PROCESS AND TIMELINE September / October 2025 Board Reviews Budget Timeline (Sept 15) Budget Drivers and Preliminary Considerations (Oct 20) Administration receives budget guidance from ANWSD Board (Oct 20) November 2025 Budget Presentation #1 (Nov 10) December 2025 State Information - December 1st Letter Budget Presentation #2 (Dec 8) January 2026 Budget Presentation #3 (Jan 12) Budget Presentation #4 (Jan 21) adopt March 2, 2026 ANWSD Annual & Budget Information Meeting at 5 PM March 3, 2026 Town Meeting and vote by Australian ballot

EDUCATIONAL GOALS

These goals guided budget decisions and created priorities for FY27 spending Maintain high quality instructional programs including enriching co-curricular and athletic opportunities Align staffing and resource levels with enrollment trends and fiscal constraints Meet student support needs, special education, and safety obligations Maintain MTSS, SEL, and behavioral supports despite loss of Federal Funding

BUDGET COST DRIVERS

Factors Contributing to FY27 Cost Increases Increases in employee health insurance costs and benefit obligations Compensation adjustments resulting from ongoing collective bargaining with teachers and support staff Continued growth in special education service needs and mandated supports Inflationary pressures affecting utilities, operations, and contracted services.

These factors are largely outside the District’s direct control and are managed while preserving student programs and opportunities.

BUDGET CHANGES From FY26 Budget

Lower than expected VEHI insurance rates (7.4%) *Reduction of 10.3 total positions Shifted 4.0 intervention roles from grants to operating budget due to reduced Federal Funding Reduced Technology and Athletic budgets ~2.5% Reduced revenues due to declining enrollment *Staffing reductions were made without eliminating student programs or opportunities

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Expenditure Budget Increase from FY26 FY26

FY27 Proposed

Difference

Direct Instruction

$14,792,094

$15,055,304

$263,210

Student Support Services

$4,017,093

$4,463,055

$445,962

Administration

$2,322,917

$2,328,152

$5,235

Business/Tech/Wellness

$1,690,165

$1,528,249

($161,916)

Operations & Maintenance

$2,261,972

$2,456,303

$194,331

Transportation Services

$1,281,952

$1,217,613

($64,339)

Debt Service

$990,528

$969,224

($21,304)

Nutrition & Other Fund Trans

$296,279

$296,279

0

$ 27,653,000

$ 28,314,179

$ 661,179

TOTAL BUDGET

2.39% increase

Expenditures by Departments

Operations/ Maintenance Facilities Maintenance Safety Insurance Rent Utilities and Services

Business /Tech / Wellness Bus. Office Admin Technology Human Resources Short Term Debt Website Employee Wellness

Administration

Transportation Student Transportation for all reasons

Transportation 4.3% Operations & Maintenance 8.7%

Child Nutrition Child Nutrition Contribution High School Completion

Debt Services Principal and Interest on Long Term Debt

Business/ Tech/ Wellness 5.4%

Legal Services

Board Services Office of Superintendent Office of Principals

Direct Instruction 53.2%

Administration 8.2%

Afterschool/ Childcare Admin

Student Support Services Attendance Counseling Nursing/ Health SLP Services OT/ PT Services Intervention Curriculum Office of Learning Prof. Development

Direct Instruction

Student Support Services 15.8%

Regular Ed Special Ed Tech Center Ed Athletics Co-Curricular English Lang. Learning

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TAX CALCULATIONS FY27 Expenditure Budget

$28,314,179

Surplus Applied

$1,000,000

Less Projected Revenue

$3,565,032

Per Pupil Ed Spending

$15,647 (3.26% increase)

Union Tax Rate

$1.7513 ($0.0112 increase)

*ESTIMATED - For illustrative purposes only Town

Comparable Homestead Tax Rate (FY26)

*FY27 Proposed Homestead Tax Rate

Change

Change per $100K of Assessed Value*

Addison

$1.8916

$1.9995

$0.11 / 5.7%

$110.00

Ferrisburgh

$2.0139

$2.0942

$0.08 / 3.98%

$80.00

Panton

$1.1922

$1.2691

$0.08 / 6.45%

$80.00

Vergennes

$1.1046

$1.1653

$0.06 / 5.49%

$60.00

Waltham

$1.1436

$1.2016

$0.06 / 5%

$60.00

*ESTIMATED - For illustrative purposes only

Property Tax Reduction You may be eligible for an education property tax reduction if your household income is less than $115,400.

To apply for a tax reduction, contact the VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF TAXES www.tax.vermont.gov/property/tax-credit or call (802) 828-2505

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Fund Balance Analysis As of June 30, 2025 (Audited Final) General Fund Per accounting guidelines and our Fund Balance Policy we designate the type of funds that make up our total Fund Balance. As of June 30, 2025, the General Fund has a Positive Fund Balance comprised of the following: Nonspendable (Prepaids) Restricted Committed Assigned (Health Reserve) Assigned (Education Reserve) Assigned (Capital Reserve) Assigned (FY25 Budget) Unassigned Total Fund Balance

$ 99,502 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 7,274 $ 750,696 $ 800,000 $ 1,113,498 $ 2,770,970

The unassigned fund balance is the amount that must be determined to apply to designated reserves as approved by voters or applied to the FY26 budget as revenue to reduce education spending.

Child Nutrition - In FY25, this program continued to operate through the Food Service Cooperative agreement with Mt. Abraham Unified School District. FY25 resulted in a positive Fund Balance of $32,105 of which $15,381 is Nonspendable (Inventory) and the remaining $16,723 Restricted. Restricted Fund Balance in an Enterprise or Special Revenue fund such as this can be carried forward to FY26 to offset future budget shortfalls.

Capital Project Funds – These funds are reserves set aside specifically for property improvements or repairs. To allocate funds from any given year to these reserves, the Board must approve during the budget process and then warn an article for voters to authorize. Last year, $750,696 was voter approved from FY24 surplus to add to these reserves.

This amount is included above under the General Fund as Assigned Capital Reserve and was deposited in FY26. To use the funds from reserves, administration must propose the use and intended project to the board, and they may approve at a duly warned board meeting.

Capital Improvement Fund

FCS

VUES

VUMHS

ANWSD

$ 0

$ 0

$ 4,862

$806,487

Health Insurance Reserve Fund – Voters approved this fund to establish and allocate up to an amount not to exceed $200,000. According to the approved warning, funds can be allocated to this reserve account based on unspent budget funds specifically for Health Insurance Premiums or HRA/HSA account usage. In FY25, there was over $208,000 unspent in such accounts, however due to the approved cap on this reserve, the District cannot add any more funds to the account. Funds reserved in this account can be spent on Health Insurance Premiums or HRA/HSA usage that exceeds any given year’s budget for such, with the approval of the Board at a duly warned board meeting.

Education Stabilization Reserve Fund – Voters approved this fund to establish and allocate funds not to exceed 4% of the current operating budget. $7,274 from FY24 surplus is included above under General Fund as Assigned Education Reserve and was deposited in FY26. This fund is designed to pay for future budget shortfalls for items unforeseen in any given year’s budget process. To utilize funds from this reserve, the administration must track unbudgeted items and propose funding them to the Board, at the close of each fiscal year. The Board has the authority to approve the usage at a duly warned board meeting. During FY25 Management identified no unbudgeted expenditures, therefore there was no board approved use of this fund.

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Debt Service

Principal Long-Term Debt Service as of June 30, 2025: Ferrisburgh Central School

Two current Bond Notes with Principal Balances of $450,000 and $152,000.

These notes mature in November 2030, and November 2027, respectively.

Vergennes Elementary School

No Current Loans or Bond Notes.

Vergennes Union Middle/High School

One current Bond Note with a Principal Balance of $1,400,000.

This note matures November 2034.

Addison Northwest School District

One Performance Contract Bond Note with a Principal Balance of $5,934,444.

This note matures November 2038.

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FY27 Calculations for Proposed Budget Our Total Local Education Spending amount of $23,749,146.98 is the first and only figure used in calculating our union tax rate that we have control over. The other components in the formula are estimates supplied by the State of Vermont. **All figures used in calculations are subject to changes by the State Legislature**

Forecasted FY27 Homestead Yield Post State Adjustment

$ 8,849.00

Forecasted FY27 Income Yield

$12,154.00

Forecasted FY27 Non-Homestead Rate Post State Adjustment

$ 1.785

Projected FY27 Education Spending Threshold

$16,331.00

Estimated FY27 Long Term Weighted ADM:

1,517.77

Expenditure Budget Proposed FY26

$28,314,179.03

Minus - Local Revenue (Not including On Behalf Tech Center payment)

$3,565,032.05

Minus - Surplus Funds to Reduce Education Spending

$1,000,000

Equals - Balance to Fund with Education Spending

$23,749,146.98

Divided By – Long Term Weighted Average Daily Membership (ADM)

1517.77

Equals – Long Term Weighted ADM per Pupil (increase of 3.26%)

$15,647.40

Projected Threshold for Education Spending

$16,331.00

Amount (Below) or Above Projected Threshold

($683.60)

Spending Per Pupil Divided by Homestead Tax Yield Post Statewide Average CLA (70.33%)

$8,849.00

Equals – Estimated Union Tax Rate Without Discount

$1.7684

Equals – Estimated Union Tax Rate With Discount

$1.7513

Equals – Estimated Average Post ANWSD Town CLA (Increase) in cents or 8.25%

$0.1104

The estimated union tax rate is divided by each town’s Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) post adjustment by the Statewide CLA Average as set by the Vermont Department of Taxes to determine each town’s tax rate. The school district is not responsible for these calculations.

The Forecasted Homestead Tax Yield for this estimate is based on the original forecast given by the State of Vermont.

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GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS & TERMS ANWSD

Addison Northwest School District

FCS

Ferrisburgh Central School

AOE

Agency of Education

VUES

Vergennes Union Elementary School

CSAC

Counseling Service of Addison County

VUMHS

Vergennes Union Middle & High School

PAHCC

Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center

Act 73

A major Vermont education reform law aimed at restructuring school governance and funding to address high per-pupil spending and declining enrollment. It mandates the creation of a School District Redistricting Task Force to consolidate districts into larger units of 4,000–8,000 students

by July 1, 2028, and introduces a new foundation formula for school funding, effective FY29.

Board of Education

Activities of the elected body that has been created according to state law and vested with responsibilities for educational activities in a given administrative unit.

Capital Spending

Long-term fund for planned facility needs, warned as a separate Article on the ballot.

CIP - Continuous Improvement Plan

The process cycle of school improvement with the major components of creating the vision, gathering data related to that vision, analyzing the data, planning the work of the school to align with the vision, implementing the strategies and action steps outlined in the plan, and gathering data to measure the impact of the intervention.

CLA – Common Level of Appraisal

A method used by the state in an attempt to tax properties based on fair market value since towns can go many years between re-appraisals.

Collaborative Teaching (Co-Teaching)

A teaching strategy in which two or more teachers work together, sharing responsibilities to help all students succeed in the classroom.

Debt Service

The amount of funds required to cover the repayment of the interest and principal of a debt (loan, bond, lease, etc.)

E-Rate

The universal service Schools and Libraries Program provides discounts of up to 90 percent to help eligible schools and libraries in the United States obtain affordable telecommunications and internet access.

EEE - Essential Early Education

Children, ages three through five years old, who qualify for Essential Early Education receive special education and related services, provided by their school district, to meet their individual needs.

ELA

English Language Arts

EQS – Education Quality Standards

The purpose of these rules is to ensure that all students in Vermont public schools are afforded educational opportunities that are substantially equal in quality and enable them to achieve or exceed the standards approved by the State Board of Education.

EST – Educational Support Team

Written plan documenting a student’s learning or behavioral challenges and ways teachers can help the student to be successful in classes. This plan is developed by the Educational Support Team based on input from teachers who have worked with the student. Input from other service providers and parents, and test results may also be used in developing an EST Plan.

Education Fund

Vermont pays for education through the state’s education fund. There are four primary sources of money that comprise the fund: revenue transfer from the general fund, general purpose taxes, nonresidential property taxes, and homestead property taxes. Source: VSBA, Making Sense of Vermont’s Education Funding System

Education Spending

Defined as all of the money that a school district has determined is necessary to spend in the school year, less any offsetting revenueTotal district budget less ‘non-tax revenues’ such as federal and state grants as well as locally-generated revenues such as tuition and interest

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GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS & TERMS continued Fiscal Services

Activities concerned with the fiscal operations of the school district. Includes budgeting, receiving and disbursing, financial and property accounting, payroll, inventory control, internal auditing, investments and funds management.

FY – Fiscal Year

The school district operates, budgets and accounts for revenue and expenses on a 12-month fiscal year, which begins July 1st and ends the following June 30th.

General Fund

The main operating fund of the school district.

IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

A law that guarantees educational rights to all students with disabilities and makes it illegal for school districts to refuse to educate a student based on his or her disability.

IEP – Individualized Education Plan

A document describing an educational program designed to meet a student’s individual needs. An IEP includes a description of a student’s strengths, challenges, and needs, services that will be provided, accommodations necessary to allow the student to learn, and specific goals based on a student’s needs. Every student who is eligible for special education must have an IEP.

Long Term Average Daily Membership

A two-year weighted average of Average Daily Membership.Average Daily Membership is a count of resident and state-placed students who receive an elementary (including EEE and PreK) or secondary education (7-12) at public expenseResident students are counted during the period from the 11th to the 30th day of the current school year, while state-placed students are counted for the school year prior to the current census period.

MTSS - Multi-Tier System of Supports

A tiered framework, which promotes school improvement through engaging, research-based academic and behavioral practices. Tier 1 = Core classroom instruction Tier 2 = Targeted small group instruction Tier 3 = Intensive individual intervention

PBGR - Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements

A set of content knowledge and skills connected to state standards that, when supplemented with any additional locally developed requirements, have been determined to qualify a student for earning a high school diploma.

PBIS - Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports

A proactive approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional and academic success.

PLP - Personalized Learning Plan

Establishes individual student goals based on academic and career objectives and personal interests; sequences content and skill development to achieve those goals and ensure that a student can graduate college and career-ready; and is updated based on information about student performance in a variety of learning experiences - including assessments - that indicate progress towards goals.

Property Yield

The estimated amount districts have to spend per pupil to have an equalized tax rate of $1.00 while generating enough money for the State’s Education Fund.

Revenue

Refers to receipts from all taxes, fees, licenses, and permits as established in current law, and any other sources of income including federal funding.

SEL

Social Emotional Learning - the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success.

SLP - Speech-Language Pathologist

A professional who diagnoses and treats communication and swallowing disorders.

STEM

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

UDL

Universal Design for Learning – a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.

VSBIT

Vermont School Boards Insurance Trust

VTCAP

Vermont Comprehensive Assessment Program is to assess students in grades 3 through 9 in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math and students in grades 5, 8, and 11 in Science. The ELA and mathematics assessments measure the Common Core State Standards (CSSS) for English and mathematics, respectively. The science assessment measures the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

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Services for Children with Disabilities Attention residents of Addison, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Vergennes, and Waltham: Addison Northwest School District offers special education services to eligible children three through 21, and early intervention for children birth to age three.

Eligible students with disabilities are entitled to receive a free, appropriate, public education.

ANWSD may not be aware of all resident children and youth with a disability. If you know of a child who has a disability and is not in school, homeless, attending an independent school, enrolled in home study, or not otherwise being educated at public expense, please notify us by contacting your local school principal or by calling 802-8773332 ext. 2113, or writing: Laura Nugent, Director of Student Support Services, ANWSD, 11 Main Street, Suite B100, Vergennes, VT 05491

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Annual Meeting Monday, March 2 5 PM VUMHS Library

VOTE

Tuesday, March 3 at your local polling location

Contact Details: Phone: 802-877-3332 Website: www.anwsd.org

Address: 11 Main Street, Suite B100 Vergennes, VT 05491