School district eyes staff, program cuts
Final budget meeting set for Jan. 8
LIBERTY DARR STAFF WRITER
South Burlington School Board members are considering a variety of staff and programming reductions as the district grapples with what officials call “undoubtedly the hardest budget season” it has ever experienced.
“This was an extremely difficult budget to put together,” super-
intendent Violet Nichols said last week. “We knew that we were facing the real fact that we had really limited financial supports this year and far more diminished than any other year that we’ve faced.”
On the heels of a year that saw a third of Vermont’s school budgets
See BUDGET on page 7
Hometown coach reflects on Cardiac Cats’ title win
PATRICK BILOW STAFF
WRITER
Brad Cole grew up on Spear Street in South Burlington, right across the street from the University of Vermont’s sport complex, where he now helps coach a championship soccer team.
As the program’s associate head coach, Cole was on the sideline last week when the Catamounts won their first national championship in Cary, N.C., with an overtime goal by Maximilian Kissel that shocked the nation.
Cole said the victory was years in the making. He joined the team
as associate head coach two years ago after coaching at Cornell University and the University of Portland. Before that, he played soccer at UVM and held a few early-career coaching positions with the team.
Cole is originally from South Hero, but his family moved to South Burlington when he was in sixth grade. He attended Mater Christi Elementary School, Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School and South Burlington High School, all the while playing soccer with
See COLE on page 2
look back at 2024
continued from page 1
the Far Post Soccer Club. He transitioned to a coaching career at UVM after graduating.
The Other Paper caught up with Cole after the team’s major victory last week.
Q: How did you celebrate the big win?
BC: We had a huge gathering of friends, family and alumni supporters down in Cary, so we spent the night with everyone at the hotel after. We completely took over the lobby bar and meeting space — I mean it was ours.
Q: Can you take us to the sideline of Monday’s game?
BC: I think we had around 3,000 fans travel to the game for us, and there were probably eight to 10,000 people in the stadium. The energy was amazing. Our fans were directly behind our bench, so it felt like we were celebrating with them.
Q: And there was a lot to celebrate toward the end of the game with two late goals — Marcel Papp in the 81st minute and Maximilian Kissel in overtime to win.
BC: Marcel’s goal was huge, and the game-winner was crazy. We all saw it coming after the ball was played in from behind. You almost had time to see it coming, if that makes sense? It was like a three-, four-second run, which felt like a long time from the sidelines.
Q: It was a very suspenseful goal, hence the nickname “Cardiac Cats.” What was the reaction from the bench after the ball hit the net?
BC: The team went ballistic, and I collapsed where I was standing and didn’t move at all. That moment felt like the culmination of a lot of work, you know,
from myself and the other coaches and the players and all our support groups. There was just a lot of emotion and stress leaving the body all at once.
Q: What was it like to have so many fans there for that moment?
BC: It was unbelievable. Vermont is a super tight-knit community and that really showed. I played at UVM, so it was unique to have a lot of my old teammates there, and a lot of people I looked up to.
Q: You were recruited to play at UVM after playing for the Far Post Soccer Club throughout high school and you committed to the Catamounts as a junior. It seems like you came into college with a lot of momentum, but you’ve been open about your struggles as a student and the mental health issues you dealt with off the field. Can you tell us more about that experience?
BC: After my first year and a half at school, I started having these off-field issues — depression — and I stopped playing soccer for two years.
I realized I made mistakes that I wanted to make right, so I set up a meeting with the coach. I mostly wanted to apologize for not giving a full explanation for why I stopped playing. I was in the coach’s office explaining how I’d gone down a wrong path and, much to my surprise, he asked if I wanted to come back to the team. I didn’t think that was even possible from an eligibility standpoint, but they helped me figure it out, and I got back on the team with one season left to play. They made me a captain. Then I got into coaching and the rest is history.
Q: Did playing soccer again
help with those off-field issues, or did you address them before coming back to the sport?
BC: Soccer was always a huge part of my life and that didn’t change. When I decided to step away it was not because of soccer. It was because I didn’t want to be in school anymore. I had a therapist, which was helpful, and I worked to put all the pieces of my life back together. I didn’t necessarily envision being back on the team, but I knew I needed to finish school and try to overcome some of the obstacles that I wasn’t able to overcome previously. I felt that was part of becoming a better person.
Q: As a kid who grew up on Spear Street, and a player and early-career coach at UVM, what was it like to come back to the school and help guide the program?
BC: It has been a big goal
Above: Brad Cole, University of Vermont’s associate head coach for men’s soccer, celebrates a play with forward Yaniv Bazini.
Below: The University of Vermont men’s soccer team gathers behind an ‘underdog’ sign after Monday’s national championship victory.
of mine to be here and realize the success we’re having. This community means a lot to me, and
I wanted to give back to it. It’s a place that doesn’t have as many resources as other places, but we believe in ourselves and our ability to compete.
That’s easy to say after you’ve won a national championship, but we’ve always held that belief. We’ve recruited the players by telling them the vision was to win. At the beginning of the season, our objective was to win the regular season, the conference tournament, and the national title. It’s special to help raise the bar here and redefine what we think is doable.
Q: You were in uncharted waters as things heated up in the post season. Was the team nervous for the championship game?
BC: We didn’t play very well in the semifinal, but at the same time, you need to keep competing, keep running, keep doing your job. It got to a point where
COURTESY PHOTOS
School News
South Burlington students learn about propulsion technology
Science research lab teacher Nathaniel Moore and career coordinator Nikki St. Mary took 21 high school students from the robotics team and the STEM Academy to
Benchmark Space Systems.
They learned how the Vermont-based start-up is developing propulsion technology for satellites using sustainable energy sources. Two of the engineers gave them a tour of the facility and spent some time with students in a question-and-answer session.
Orchard Elementary and Gertrude Chamberlin School held winter concerts this week, celebrating the end of the year.
South Burlington Police Blotter: Dec. 16-23
Total incidents: 242
Arrests:
Stacy M. Silva, 34, of Pittsford, was arrested for failure to return a rented or leased motor vehicle in a Dec. 13 incident on Williston Road.
Dec. 16 at 3:30, Phillip A. Romulus, 31, of Winooski, was arrested for disorderly conduct and unlawful mischief on Williston Road.
Dec. 16 at 10:31 p.m., Kaylee Elizabeth Sevene, 25, of Calais, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Obrien Drive.
Dec. 18 at 1:21 a.m., Katrina A. Lemire, 53, of South Burlington was arrested on an in-state warrant on Proctor Avenue.
SBHS Music Fundraiser Christmas Tree Pick-up
Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025
Trees need to be out at the curb by 10 a.m.*
Make your check to ‘SBHS Music’ and attach to your tree in a plastic bag $15 small & medium tree/$20 large tree
Recycle your Christmas Tree AND Support SBHS Music Students!
All prots will be used to fund new instruments and provide awesome musical experiences (clinics, scholarships, lessons)
*If your tree is not picked up by 1:45 on Saturday, Jan. 11, please call Christina at (802) 373‐6937 and we'll send someone to pick it up! Please note that we nish our pick‐up by 2:30.
New Year! New Home?
A fresh start begins at home. As we step into 2025, there’s no better time to find the perfect place to start new traditions, build memories,and create your dream life. Whether you’re buying or selling, I’m here to guide you every step of the way.
Let’s make this year the one where you find your new home!
Dec. 18 at 5:06 a.m., Ellery Fairweather, 29, of Essex Town, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Williston Road.
Dec. 18 at 2:01 p.m., Mancy L. Wells, 49, of South Burlington, was arrested on an in-state warrant and for retail theft on Dorset Street.
Dec. 18 at 8:52 p.m., Justin B. Thayer, 37, of Winooski, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Stonehedge Drive.
Dec. 19 at 12:47 p.m., Logan Ballard, 36, of Woodbury, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
Dec. 20 at 2:11 a.m., Cormick M. Cantwell,
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COURTESY PHOTOS
Rick Marcotte Central School,
BLOTTER
continued from page 3
41, of Colchester, was arrested for violating conditions of release and disorderly conduct on Williston Road.
Dec. 20 at 2:46 p.m., Tonya J. Willette, 44, of Colchester, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Hinesburg Road.
Dec. 20 3:33 p.m., Solomon J. Little, 31, of Colchester, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Williston Road.
Dec. 21 at 1:58 p.m., Heather M. Rayta, 39, of Milton, was arrested for driving with a criminally suspended license at Williston and Hinesburg roads.
Dec. 21 at 7:44 p.m., Gaby R. Burrows, 42, of Essex Junction, was arrested on an in-state warrant on Williston Road.
Dec. 22 at 2:45 a.m., Ajeing
Ayok Dau, 29, of Charlotte, was arrested for unlawful mischief, simple assault, two instances of violating conditions of release and on an in-state warrant on Dorset Street.
Dec. 22 at 7:48 p.m., Deborah Corrie Sheridan, 41, of Barre Town, was arrested for retail theft on Dorset Street.
Dec. 22 at 10:41 p.m., Rose Marie Benoit, 51, of Colchester, was arrested for driving with a criminally suspended license and for driving without an ignition interlock device on Williston Road.
Note: Charges filed by police are subject to review by the Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office and can be amended or dropped.
Cottonwood Vizslas in Shelburne has a litter of AKC registered Vizsla puppies born 12/11/24. Puppies ready to go home the first week in February. Please reach out to Karen and Jess Oppenheimer at cottonwoodvizslavt@gmail.com or contact us through our website https://www.cottonwoodvizslas.com.
South Burlington’s Community Newspaper Since 1977 A publication of Vermont Community Newspaper Group LLC otherpapersbvt.com
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COURTESY PHOTO
Firefighter and Advanced EMT Katia Graf, firefighter and EMT Simon Abramson and firefighter and EMT William “Joey” Harrison complete their probationary year requirements at the South Burlington Fire Department.
OPINION
Letters to the Editor
Local representatives should put our city’s interests first
To the Editor:
Act 127 is a failure and needs to be fixed, otherwise South Burlington schools and residents will continue to suffer. This act was intended to make education funding more equitable. The result has been the exact opposite.
I am glad to see our representatives making it a top priority to fix during the next legislative session. They should also be prioritizing South Burlington’s interests, not rural school districts. The new education funding methodology brought about by Act 127 disproportionally removes funding from high density growth areas with higher enrollment. It does this by design to redistribute education funds to low-density, low-enrollment schools.
The Legislature is taking funds from growing towns to subsidized declining enrollment in rural schools. In absolute terms, South Burlington added more residents than any other town in Vermont between 2020 and 2024, roughly 1,000. For all this growth, we are not getting more funding, we are getting less. Why? So that schools like Woodford Hollow School, which has 28 kids, can stay open and Woodford residents can get a tax break.
While South Burlington was having its messy budget battle last year, the district governing Woodford Hollow decreased its property tax contribution by 12 percent. They are planning another decrease of 7 percent in 2025. No cuts were required; instead they increased their budget by $2.9 million.
Act 127 was designed this way. In the study that Act 127 was based on, funding to South Burlington dropped by $4.4 million based on fiscal year 2020 funding levels, forcing an equalized property tax increase of 9.7 percent. The Woodford district, by contrast, was granted a $2.1 million funding increase, and a 9.5 percent tax rate decrease.
Act 127 finally shattered the illusion of local control. Most of the funding is directed by the Legislature. The local budget processes are now just a way of shifting blame onto the local district. If the Legislature wants to direct funding, then they need to make hard choices about school consolidation and cost savings. You can’t keep punishing the few growing areas of Vermont and subsidizing the shrinking ones.
I want local control, too, but right now South Burlington residents are being forced to pay for rural town schools. We are decimating our schools and simultaneously making South Burlington less affordable. I hope that our representatives can understand that they should be putting the interests of South Burlington first, otherwise no one will.
Ethan Baldwin South Burlington
Time for South Burlington School Board to step up
To the Editor:
Leadership is a tough job. This is certainly true when things are going well and is particularly true when things are challenging.
During these latter times, experienced, thoughtful and confident leaders take the time to listen to their people, to understand the challenges on the ground in daily interactions and to trust the wisdom these folks carry. These leaders understand that more will be asked of their people going forward and that trust in leadership will be an essential component for success in the path ahead.
This is why historically, superintendents in South Burlington and other districts have looked to school leadership teams to make recommendations for necessary cuts. They asked broad questions like: How can we lower expenses while impacting student needs the least? How can principals, who understand their teams and programs and staffing needs the best, create a vision for going forward that you can meaningfully articulate to your staff?
These questions drew on the experience and relationships these principals had with their staff.
Sadly, this has not been the case in the South Burlington School District in the last couple of years. The superintendent, supported by the board, has made decisions without the collaboration of school principals, leaving staff confused, frustrated and angry, wondering what criteria are being used as the basis for these cuts. This is both dismissive of the expertise of the school administrators and corrosive to staff morale.
It is time for the school board to ask for something different. Demand that the superintendent Violet Nichols consult more closely with her leadership teams. Request the rationale for cuts at each school, articulated by those leadership teams. Insist the criteria for making those cuts be made transparent to staff and the community at large.
Finally, it is time for the South Burlington School Board to respond to community concerns about whether the current superintendent is the best person for the job by opening a search for the next one. Should a search committee determine the current superintendent is the right person for the job, excellent. The community at large can at least be assured that due diligence was done.
Tim Wile
South Burlington
Wile has worked with the school counseling departments at South Burlington High School, Burlington High School, Champlain Valley Union High School and Winooski Middle/High School for more than 25 years.
Chess champs Community Notes
Mahler Festival offers Beethoven’s Ninth
The Green Mountain Mahler Festival presents a New Year’s concert of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with orchestra and chorus under the direction of conductor Daniel Bruce and concertmaster Mary Jane Austin, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 3 p.m., at the Elley-Long Music Center in Colchester.
The annual performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony will feature vocal soloists Annelise Shelmandine, Nessa Rabin, Adam Hall and Erik Kroncke.
Proceeds benefit the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit vtmahler.org
Have a Flamy New Year’s Eve
Looking for a way to celebrate New Year’s with the whole family?
In a celebration of joy and new beginnings, First Congregational Church of Burlington, 38 S. Winooski Ave., hosts Flamy Grant, an award-winning and Billboard chart-topping, shame-slaying, hip-swaying, singing-songwriting drag queen from western North Carolina.
It promises to be a Flamy New Year’s Eve.
The evening opens at 7 p.m. with local drag performers, hosted by community favorites, Beaux Peepers and Prudie Peepers. Following Flamy’s performance, chairs will be pushed away to make space for a dance floor. At 10 p.m., the ball will drop, leav-
ing plenty of time to get kids to bed and beat the fireworks traffic home. This event is family-friendly and drug- and alcohol-free. Learn more at bit.ly/FlamyNYE.
Obituaries
Clarence J. Braun
Clarence James “Chaunce” Braun of South Burlington died on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, at the age of 86.
Chaunce was born on Dec. 24, 1937, in Pittsburgh, Pa., to Clarence Sylvester Braun and Mary Wilson Braun. After graduating from Munhall High School in 1955, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy serving on the USS Dashiell 659.
Post-military, he embarked on a successful career as a financial advisor, co-founding The Braun Group with his wife, Tracy. The group focused on educating and assisting individuals and businesses in achieving their financial and retirement goals. Chaunce’s career was further distinguished by his national recognition as a top salesperson with National Life.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Chaunce was a man of deep faith. He spent countless hours studying the Bible and sharing his knowledge with others. Much of his ministry centered on helping young people.
He is survived by his wife Tracy, to whom he was married for 46 years. He is also survived by his brother, Jim (Alice); daughter, Denise (Jeff); sons, Jim (Molly), Wayne (Julie), Adam (Leah) and Matt (Jen); and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at St. Anthony’s Church in Burlington on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Everyone’s Child, an organization supporting education and food for Kenyan orphans (everyoneschild.net).
Chaunce will be remembered for his unwavering faith, his kind heart and his dedication to his family.
Dolores Korpos
Dolores Korpos, nee Dolores Ursula Zguzenski, 93, died on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, All Saints Day, with her two daughters, Lynn and Michele and son-in-law, Roger by her side.
In addition to her daughters and son-in-law, Dolores is survived by her two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and dear friends.
She was the second mother and grandmother to many.
Dolores was born on Jan. 9, 1931.
In 1950, she married the love of her life, John Korpos, to whom she was married for 60 years before he died in 2010. They shared a wonderful life of love, friendship and adventure.
Dolores, aka Duz, Duzzie, Mommy Dearest, MOM-Mommy and Mamacita, was almost always smiling and brightened every room she entered. She loved to dance, play cards, Mahjong and Scrabble, and was the life of the party. Truly, the hostess with the mostess.
She had a soft spot for underdogs and strays. When asked how she wanted to be remembered, she said “Happy. I want to be remembered as being happy.”
Her loving and bright spirit will live on in the many hearts she touched.
Her family is very grateful to the wonderful caregivers and staff from Hope Hospice and The Key; they helped us tremendously.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in remembrance of Dolores Korpos to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Disabled American Veterans, or a charity of your choice.
Dolores Korpos
Clarence J. Braun
COURTESY PHOTO
Orchard Elementary students recently participated in the Northern Vermont Scholastic Chess Tournament at Stowe Middle and High School. Fifth grader Shriyan Vinjamuri got third place, and fourth grader Harsha Chadive took first. Orchard Elementary School got the overall trophy in the K-5 group.
continued from page 2
we were learning on the job a bit, but that’s the point of raising the bar, right? We just tried to bring our own identity to the field and not let any stage get too big.
Q: How would you describe that Catamount identity?
BC: We’re pretty strange. We’re weird. Our guys are super competitors, but they love each other. They love being around one another. We take the games and training very seriously, but we have fun, too. A lot of people started to travel with us in the postseason —I think our travel party at the last game was 65 people — so they all got a good look at the team. Most people said there was a good energy and brotherhood in the group and that our guys are just comfortable in their own skin.
Q: With 20 goals scored after the 76th minute this season and 16
BUDGET
continued from page 1
fail on Town Meeting Day, school leaders have been sounding the alarm since September about this budget cycle, which was poised to be just as, if not more, difficult for the school district due to several factors outside of its control. Some blame the statewide budget failures on changes to the state’s education funding formula enacted by the Legislature.
The school’s current budget, slightly over $68 million, passed after two other proposed budgets failed. The associated tax increase of 8.18 percent is the second lowest tax rate increase in Chittenden County, behind Winooski, which saw a 42 percent tax rate decrease. Other neighboring towns throughout the county saw increases of up to 14 percent.
The district last year was able to leverage $3.2 million from its budget surplus to keep the tax increases well below 10 percent. Without that surplus money, the budget would have seen a nearly 15 percent tax increase.
But this year, without $3 million in extra funds, school officials Wednesday night outlined three potential scenarios for the board, and at its worst-case scenario, it could include the reduction of more than 16 full-time equivalent positions, cuts to co-curricular programs like sports, and the reduction in supplies, curriculum materials and professional development for staff.
No final budget numbers were presented but potential tax rate increases associated with each scenario were 6.65 percent, 7.99 percent and 8.45 percent. Those numbers correspond to a
after the 83rd, maybe you should be referred to as the “Cardio Cats.” What can you say about the conditioning your guys go through to have that type of stamina so late in the game, when other teams are running out of juice?
BC: That’s a good question. We train hard, especially at the beginning of the season, and it tapers off a bit as the season progresses and the games ramp up. We have GPS trackers and other technology to monitor our training load, but I would say we’re pretty old school. The physical load we put on the players in the preseason is high, so it’s a very fit team.
We have a lot of depth, too. If you look at some of these late goals, a lot of times it’s a guy coming off the bench who’s fresh. Our starters will wear down a team and then we bring on more talented players who have every
right to start, and they push the game forward.
We talk a lot as a team about never giving up, never lying down, never dying. I like to give the guys a quote before every game and one of my favorites is, ‘Bring them into deep water and let them drown.’ There’s another one about being a Sherpa. The gist is we want to be the team that can climb a mountain and breathe while other teams are suffocating. We talk about doing anything it takes to win. If you’re feeling tired or pain in your legs, well so is the other guy. That motivates us.
Q: What does this victory say about UVM’s program and soccer in Vermont?
BC: The big thing is that we are Vermont’s team, and we want everyone in Vermont to be proud of this victory. This isn’t just our
team. I’d like to see the sport of soccer grow in Vermont and I think that’s happening. I also hope there’s a kid out there growing up
6.1 percent, 7.9 percent and 8.2 percent increase in spending, respectively.
The board received a glimmer of hope earlier this month when the state’s tax commissioner predicted the yield and common level of appraisal numbers — two other factors in the state’s education funding formula that affect tax rates — which is estimated to provide a more favorable outcome than expected, although those numbers will not be finalized until the end of the legislative session.
In addition to other factors, like an anticipated 2 percent inflation rate and an 11 percent increase in health care costs, several of the factors at the state level used to determine tax rates are often not finalized until after a budget is approved and voted on and are likely to fluctuate even after the board adopts a budget.
“We’ll remind you that that number is not finalized until the end of the legislative session next spring, and yet it’s a critical factor for what our tax rate is going to be starting on July, 1 next year,” Tim Jarvis, the district’s senior director of operations and finance, said of the state’s yield number projection. “Unfortunately, the timing of all the state-provided factors is not aligned with the way that we warn and vote on our budgets. So, things could literally change day by day.”
Several teachers, staff and residents took to the mic to urge the board to retain certain positions or programs considered integral to the district on Wednesday night.
Kristen Corcelle is the last lone information technology inte-
gration specialist at the district after two of the positions were cut during last year’s round of staffing reductions — the district cut seven full-time equivalent positions last year. The most drastic model presented by officials Wednesday night would include the reduction of this last IT position.
“This position helps educators implement innovative teaching practices, streamline lesson plans and provide tailored learning experiences for students in an environment like South Burlington where technology is central to student engagement and achievement,” Corcelle said. “The loss of this position will significantly hinder the district’s ability to maintain its commitment to excellence of education.”
Meghan Sweet, director of counseling services at the district, spoke against the proposed reduction of a school counselor position at the high school. Following on the same sentiment, Christie Nold, a staff member of the school district for over 10 years, told the board that a proposed budget that includes the reduction of paraeducators, nurses, school counselors and increased class sizes does not reflect the needs of the district’s most vulnerable students.
“Suggesting that this budget keeps equity at the forefront, feels deeply disingenuous and out of step with the needs of our most vulnerable youth,” she said.
The board will receive the third budget presentation on Jan. 8, which is also the last day for the board to adopt and approve a budget for the March Town Meeting Day warning.
COURTESY PHOTO
Associate head coach Brad Cole erupts with joy after winning the national championship.
South Burlington
2024 Year in Review
OPPOSITE PAGE
Above: Members of the South Burlington Fire Department undergo training on confined space rescues. The entire crew of the department works with their counterparts at Vermont Air National Guard Fire Department on the training. In these photos, members work in the pump station on Hinesburg Road. Faithful rescue mannequin “Randy” sustained a severe lower body injury at the bottom of the pit, which required members to provide emergency medical services, and then package and extricate him to safety.
Top right: Members of the South Burlington Fire Department employ a ladder truck to get closer to April’s total eclipse of the sun.
Middle right: Sarah Dopp on the land she donated to the South Burlington Land Trust. Dopp died in March.
Bottom right: Grads celebrate and pose for pictures with family and friends at the South Burlington High School graduation in June.
Top: A crowd gathers at South Burlington’s Illuminate VT event in December.
Bottom left: In January, protesters rally outside of Vermont’s only women’s prison to advocate not to build a new one.
Bottom right: Alganesh Michael cooks her Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine at a kitchen in South Burlington. She was a semifinalist in the James Beard Awards as one of the best chefs in the Northeast in 2023.
2024 Year in Review South Burlington
Below right: This shot of the Tsuchinshan–ATLAS comet was taken just after sunset on Oct. 12 when it was closest to Earth (44 million miles) and at its brightest. Thomas Ahern of South Burlington took the photo from South Burlington in the fields off Route 116.
OPPOSITE PAGE
Top left: A behind-the-scenes look at the Sticks and Stones concert at SB Nite Out in August.
Right: In October, Migrant Justice protests outside the Hannaford grocery store on Shelburne Road.
Top right: South Burlington Police Chief Shawn Burke testifies before the House Judiciary Committee at the Statehouse in Montpelier in January.
Middle left: Cirque de Fuego entertains at City Center in April.
Middle right: The South Burlington High School key club makes 1,500 necklaces for every one of the city’s elementary students and staff depicting photos of Martin Luther King.
Bottom left: Members of Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School’s Queer Straight Alliance, South Burlington High School’s Gay Straight Alliance, and staff and families pose for a photo at the Vermont Pride Parade in September.
Bottom right: Kids and their families make memories at the South Burlington Recreation Department’s 27th annual Valentine Dance in February at the Delta Hotel.
Year in Review
LAUREN READ CORRESPONDENT
As the year 2024 ends, we look back at some of the best moments in sport in South Burlington.
From lifting championship trophies to winning medals and earning lifetime honors, the city saw its share of top moments.
Here are five of our favorites:
Boys’ volleyball wins South Burlington first-ever program title
The South Burlington boys’ volleyball team came oh-so-close in 2023, pushing Burlington to five sets and narrowly missing its first Division I state title.
And then, in 2024, the Wolves swept through the regular season without losing a match while also dealing with mid-season coaching changes.
This year, the team would not be denied. South Burlington finished the season with a 14-0 record and the D-I state title that it had been chasing.
It was a big payoff for the Wolves, who have been steadily climbing the volleyball ranks as they built up the program. It was also historic, as the team’s 18-year-old coach, Jake Dougherty — who stepped in mid-season when the team’s coach had to step away for family reasons — is likely the youngest state championship winning coach in Vermont history.
For the eight seniors on the South Burlington team, it was the perfect way to cap off their high school experience — by hanging the banner they had just missed the year before.
Wolves capture baseball title
With a large senior class, the South Burlington baseball team had one goal in mind during the 2024 spring season: Win a state title.
The Wolves pulled off that feat in June, beating Champlain Valley 6-2 to capture the program’s first state title since 2018.
South Burlington was led by a group of 10 seniors, including winning pitcher Nick Kelly, who allowed just two runs (none earned) on four hits in seven innings. On top of that, the Wolves downed rival and defending champ Champlain Valley.
The win, which was helped by a six-run first inning, sent the South Burlington seniors off as winners and was the culmination of four years of work for some on the team.
Barry Stone inducted into sports hall
Barry Stone of South Burlington was named the 2024 David Hakins inductee to
FILE PHOTOS
Above: The Division I boys’ volleyball state champions.
Below: The South Burlington Wolves celebrate their 6-2 Division I baseball championship win over the CVU Redhawks University of Vermont’s Centennial Field.
SPORTS YEAR IN REVIEW continued from page 12
the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame and was inducted into the hall in April.
The Hakins inductee award goes to an individual or group for exceptional promotion of sports, athletics and recreation in the Green Mountain State.
Stone was involved in sports and athletics in the state and served as director or chair on many boards representing athletics organizations, both nationally and in Vermont. Stone was the past chair of Vermont’s U.S. Olympic Committee and served on the finance committee of the U.S. Olympic Committee. He also was a past chair of the International Skiing History Association.
An avid tennis player and skier, Stone was a past president of the Burlington Tennis Club, where he and Ted Hoehn were instrumental in the organization of the Jeff Stone Memorial Tennis Tournament that ran for 25 years until 2009.
Stone died in May 2024, just a month after his induction into the sports hall.
South
Burlington dancers win eighth straight state title
When you talk about winning ways, you might as well be talking about the South Burlington dance team, which captured its eighth state title in 2024.
The Wolves came out on top in the pom category for the eighth time in a row and represented Vermont in the New England Dance Championships.
And with only three seniors on the 2024 team, the Wolves hope to make it nine in a row in 2025 as the winter season gets underway.
South Burlington skater wins gold with Team USA hockey
South Burlington native Megan Healy traveled to Zug, Switzerland as part of the
Team USA high-school team and came back with a gold medal.
The U.S. beat the Czech Republic 5-1 Sunday in the gold medal game of the International Ice Hockey Federation U-18 women’s world championship.
Healy currently plays at Bishop Kearney Select High School in Rochester, N.Y., and will attend Princeton University after high school.
FILE PHOTOS
Above: The Wolves celebrate their baseball championship win over the CVU Redhawks.
Below: Brendan McGinley spikes the ball past two Champlain Valley Union players in a Wolves’ volleyball win in October. See more sports photos online
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