Editor’s note: This commentary is by Santina Huskey of Groton.
[O]ne of the primary reasons we relocated to Vermont was to have our daughter attend a small local school where they knew her name and personally knew and cared about her. Not as a dollar amount to a school budget bottom line, we were searching for community and we found it at Blue Mountain Union School in Wells River.
Our daughter has health issues. A rare condition called periodic fever syndrome left her burning up with fever and pain plus joint swelling once a month. Ehler Danlos, a connective tissue disease, imposed a continuous wave of muscle/joint pain and easy dislocations doing what we take for granted daily.
We lived in Illinois and Illinois schools tested out as competent but the class size, pace, lack of close community and a willingness to work with a special needs child was lacking. We moved to Vermont based on the reputation of its small inclusive school system.
From Day 1 Blue Mountain Union school was different. No interviews shuffling paperwork and frowning at imposed extra costs. They welcomed us with a tour of a bright, beautiful, welcoming school where walls featured children’s art, positive upbeat banners and children laughing moved through halls alongside staff.
Our daughter was never classified as special needs per our request; instead, Blue Mountain Union accommodated her flares, allowing her to do her work at home when she was in too much pain to go to class. They sent assignments, good wishes and welcomed her back after each absence.
They stayed with her after class to explain the complex math. They encouraged, coached and walked a fine line of empathy for her health issues with a strong message of no limits to reaching her dreams.
Our daughter turned out to be gifted and she worked with the gifted teacher, Ms. Gay, who became a blessing in her life too immeasurable to describe. She again was nurtured, challenged, respected and befriended by an adult mentor she could trust to guide her.
There are too many others to thank at Blue Mountain Union. Ms. Gandin, Faith’s first student adviser, who took an overwhelmed sick educationally behind student and helped guide her to the confident, empathetic and early college achieving teen she is today.
Ms. French worked out pathways to success with infinite patience and encouragement. Mr. Barone, the curriculum director, who changed and rechanged what was offered to our daughter to challenge her. Jodi Hart, who fielded questions and kept us informed and up to date. Mr. Smith, who taught social studies but, knowing of our daughter’s desires to be a writer, found his NaNoWriMo, a writing challenge to share. Ms. Nelson and Ms. Fraser, who explained and re-explained the math concepts until my daughter got it. Ms. Carbee, a paraprofessional whose patience and kindness helped enhance learning in the classroom in all subjects. Ms. Davies, the librarian who offered her library as a place of rest, learning and solace for a child who struggled with her health and needed to simply rest at school daily. Linda Ide, who championed the Blue Mountain Union Garden Club, where students (our daughter included) learn the health benefits of growing, harvesting and eating healthy produce.
Too many to list and for all who have challenged, nurtured, befriended, guided, hugged and genuinely demanded nothing but the best for our daughter we as a family thank you.
As we wait on the state’s final plan of forced mergers and fear the worse, that Blue Mountain Union will be a pawn in their consolidation game, I know great sorrow for what will be lost for future students. I fear the loss of local control, a small school where the staff know and embrace their students not as monetary costs but as the precious and beloved future possibilities to be nurtured and unleashed.
That’s why we moved to Vermont. Not mountains and beauty; they exist elsewhere as well. I wanted my daughter to be in a school system so small that there were no strangers, only community.
Act 46 is destroying what is most precious in this state of Vermont, community. The state needs to stop before it’s too late.
