Hit the Slopes ECRWSS PRSRT STD before they close US Postage PAID for Spring Permit #90 White River Jct., VT Skiing & Riding POSTAL CUSTOMER FREE MARCH 28, 2018 | WWW.VERMONTJOURNAL.COM VOLUME 18, ISSUE 13 Maple Open House weekend GMUSD vision committee BY RON PATCH is sure to increase with the warm weather predicted for The Vermont Journal & The Shopper looks back to Act 46 promises this week. WEATHERSFIELD, Vt. - Saturday The next stop was Willis BY SHARON HUNTLEY bullet points in the Act 46 study com- their concern, “If we add foreign lan- and Sunday, March 24 and 25 was Wood’s on the Weathersfield The Vermont Journal mittee report that was completed in guage, what is being taken away?” A Vermont Maple Open House Week- Center Road. Wood’s opera- March of 2017. In reviewing the goals discuss ensued that suggested other end. Around the state of Vermont, tion was an interesting mix CAVENDISH, Vt. – The Green outlined for the TRSU in the docu- options might be implemented such sugarhouses were open to the public. of old and new technologies. Mountain Unified School Dis- ment, CTES Principal George Thom- as a longer school day, teachers stag- Maple producers were very friendly Willis uses reverse osmosis, trict vision committee met for son began to outline some efficiencies gering their schedule, and eliminat- and happy to explain their processes a process where water mol- the first time on Monday, March that had been achieved including a ing homework as a result. McBride with the public. ecules are extracted, creating 26 to begin the process of revis- common master contract, group pur- praised Mahusky for leading the dis- This reporter, with Danny Clem- a more sugary concentrated ing the GMUSD school budget chasing efficiencies, after school pro- cussion by looking at “outside of the ons, travelled around Vermont this sap. Sap directly from the that was rejected by voters earlier grams for all schools, collaboration box thinking.” past weekend. On the Bowen Hill tree has a sugar content of this month. The vision commit- for professional development, teacher The board discussed other ideas for Road, just out of Weathersfield Bow, about 2 percent. With Wil- tee is comprised of five GMUSD mentoring, and a shared data man- improving educational opportuni- we found the Dana Brothers sugar- lis’s reverse osmosis, he has board members; the principals agement system. ties for students including language ing operation. Alden Dana was there Alden Dana standing in front of his depleting a sugar content anywhere from Chester Andover Elementary As the board began to hone in on the immersion program, more online to greet visitors. Dana’s evaporator is woodpile that feeds the woodfired arch. from 6 to as much as 8 per- School, Cavendish Town Elemen- specifics of what had been outlined in classes, more AP class offerings, more a wood fired arch. Dana doesn’t use PHOTO BY RON PATCH cent. tary School, and Green Mountain the document and specifically turned music and drama offerings, as well as reverse osmosis. While they do use What this increased sugar Union High School; TRSU Super- their attention to the final list, which a new concept called a J-Term, a 2-4 plastic lines instead of the old fashion some time and wearing a woolen concentrate accomplishes is amaz- intendent Meg Powden; and TRSU outlined what the educational im- week span during which students im- buckets, pumps are not used. All of jacket. Much later that evening the ing. The concentrate will boil Curriculum Director Michael Ep- provements would result in the merg- merse themselves in a hands-on, non- the sap is gravity fed to holding tanks aroma of the steam was still present down to maple syrup a lot sooner polito. It was formed specifically to er, Cavendish board member Doug traditional single subject. Requiring located around the area. on my jacket. that straight 2 percent sap. This address one of the key criticisms McBride summed it up, “We have a volunteer hours as a graduation re- At least once a day when the sap is Normally, February is not a great way much less fuel is used and the by community members that the real problem where there seems to quirement was also discussed as long running well, the Danas’ drive their month for producing maple syrup. boiling time dramatically short- budget did not reflect the promises have been lots of promises made, but as there was “a learning aspect to their truck to the holding tanks and trans- March is traditionally a much bet- ened. Willis also has a wood-fired made by the Act 46 study com- not much has been achieved.” service.” fer the sap to a tank on the truck. The ter month. Dana said he normally arch but uses much less firewood mittee back when merging of the Attention turned specifically to one Board member Kate Lamphere truck then delivers the sap to the sug- produces about a hundred gallons of than Dana because of his reverse TRSU was first considered. item mentioned for the elementary kept returning to the need to priori- arhouse. syrup in February. This February, he osmosis. The vision committee’s task is to schools, which read, “Assure foreign tizing goals. She requested that they Approaching Danas’ sugarhouse, produced 300 gallons. You will re- When Willis’s syrup is almost revisit those earlier goals and make languages in all elementary schools.” look at the data that they already have the first thing you noticed was the member the warm February we had. ready, it is sent to a smaller evapo- sure they are reflected in the retool The lack of a foreign language teacher and “see a presentation rooted in re- billowing steam exiting the top of Cold nights and warm, sunny days rator that is fired by propane. Here of the budget that is put before the had been a criticism heard at many of search to help guide us” to develop the sugarhouse through a stainless are needed for the sap to run well and the syrup is finished and then fil- community for a revote. the budget meetings leading up to the which programs to pursue. steel stack. Upon entering the sugar- such was February. tered. Filtering was a process I Newly elected board chair Mari- vote. Discussion turned to determining house was the delightful aroma of the As of March 24, Dana had produced lyn Mahusky began leading the Thomson responded that he had sap evaporating. I was there for quite a total of 500 gallons. That number See MAPLE on Page 2A group through some of the key heard from CTES teachers who voiced See GMUSD on Page 2A Chester reviews EMS and garage infrastructure BY LYZA DANGER GARDNER the feasibility-study phase toward a warned, minutes kept, and the public The board expressed approval for The Vermont Journal design phase. Veliz explained that is welcome. This will help with trans- the proposed siting for a new so- the “primary function [of the study] parency, to “keep it all out there,” as lar farm on Eddy Road after several CHESTER, Vt. - The Chester Se- was demonstrating that there is ample Board Chair Arne Jonynas described board members were able to tour the lect Board meeting on the evening space” on the property that emerged it. The goal of the committee is to suc- area. “Being there myself, I thought of March 21 included discussions as the most promising - the site of the cessfully move the project toward the it was a great site for it,” said Jony- and decisions about the future of current town garage. “The actual con- design phase. nas, explaining that the site is located the town’s EMS and town garage in- figuration is going to be whatever the Two area publications, the Ver- in “an old gravel pit that’s not doing frastructure, its tree canopy man- design team and the town decide on.” mont Journal and The Message for much of anything else right now.” The agement program, a proposed solar The board formed an EMS Building the Week, each submitted bids to be board passed a motion to draft and farm, and its newspaper of record. Committee to tackle questions and considered for the town’s official pa- sign a letter requesting preferred-site The Board also appointed members challenges with the process such as per of record. Donna Allen from The status for the project. to the Planning Commission and De- can upright supports from the town’s Message emphasized that she felt the Also during the meeting, Scott velopment Review Boards. current garage be retained as part of paper had done a good job over the Wunderle gave a presentation on the The EMS feasibility study, which future structures, and how can con- past year as the current paper of re- town’s Canopy Management Plan, analyzes several candidate properties struction proceed without disrupting cord, while Robert Miller of the Ver- with maps and visualizations of a March for our Lives for EMS infrastructure improvement, vital public-safety operations? The mont Journal cited a significantly re- more tree-filled future for the com- has been completed. Claudio Veliz committee is composed of the town’s designed website, free web placement munity. Naomi Johnson was appoint- LUDLOW, Vt. - Black River students would like to thank everyone who sup- and Robert Bucham were present to three department heads, Town Man- of legal notices, and a late deadline as ed to the Planning Commission for a ported their trip to Washington, D.C.