HARDWICK – Cuts to teaching positions at Hardwick’s Hazen Union School are planned for the next school year due to budget constraints and Vermont’s efforts to enlarge class sizes at small schools. The cuts include one position from each department and several staff members who do not belong to a specific department.
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As community members brace for changes, staff members being cut are figuring out what’s next, with two already having left before the end of the current school year.
Andrew Koehler, the now former Tech Integrationist at Hazen, left after learning his position at the school would not continue into next school year.
“I was certainly caught off-guard by the news,” he said. “In 2024, I left my previous job to become Hazen Union’s Technology Integrationist, and the school seemed very motivated to get somebody to fill that role. I feel strongly that the technology integrationist role is vital for a school to function efficiently, especially in this age of AI and evolving technology. Not only do I teach middle school technology classes, but I assist all of the faculty with their classroom technology, learning management systems and various other online platforms. Many of my colleagues have commented on the value of this role in supporting their work as teachers, and I do hope Hazen is able to bring back a Tech Integrationist in the future.”
Koehler explained his aspirations for the role he filled. “In addition to serving as a Schoology {learning management system} coach and member of the Personalized Learning Plan (PLP) Committee, I collaborated with the Hazen Music Department to set up and configure an audio recording studio, and have been working hard to help establish a video recording studio (although that is still a work in progress). I implemented new systems to help improve student Chromebook tracking transparency (to reduce lost and stolen devices), helped with A.V. setup in the auditorium and gymnasium, designed custom spreadsheets to assist the registrar with eligibility, managed the Adaptive Scheduler support block system and sent weekly tech tips to the staff to keep them up-to-date on the latest developments.”
Hazen’s Principal, Dr. Jason Di Giulio, talked about budgeting and cut positions, saying, “At Hazen, our approach to staffing changes is grounded in a commitment to maintaining student access to high-quality learning experiences,” he said. “While reductions are never easy, especially when bound to class size minimum standards, we are working intentionally to mitigate their impact through thoughtful scheduling, strategic use of our existing staff and continued alignment with our Multi-Tiered System of Supports and Community Schools framework. This includes prioritizing core instructional areas, preserving student supports where possible and leveraging partnerships and flexible programming to ensure students continue to have meaningful opportunities both in and beyond the classroom.”
Khoehler said “it’s true that the school board tasked Dr. Di Giulio with reducing the budget while simultaneously moving Hazen towards larger class sizes.”
Part of the reason to cut staff is because of the pressure on schools to increase class sizes, as well as increase student to teacher ratios, said Koehler. “Class size minimums were likely a contributing factor for eliminating the other five teaching positions, but my position being cut was purely for budget related reasons; in an effort to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
“While I am a fully licensed teacher, the technology integrationist job description does not have a teaching requirement; my classes could be eliminated from the school schedule without it impacting my value or other responsibilities to the school.
The classes he was teaching are important because of the digital literacy skills students learn in them, said Koehle.
Online learning, usually through the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative (VTVLC), the Community College of Vermont (CCV), or Eduscere, is becoming increasingly common at Hazen.. “…we do not anticipate a significant shift toward fully online classes as a primary solution,” Di Giulio said.
“Our goal remains to provide in-person, relationship-based learning as the foundation of the Hazen experience. That said, we may continue to use virtual or blended options selectively (particularly for specialized or hard-to-staff courses, or for those students who prefer to learn in this modality) to expand access without compromising quality.”
Di Giulio said, “Looking ahead, I would say that these changes represent both a challenge and an opportunity. Like many schools across Vermont, we are navigating declining enrollment and fiscal pressures (as well as a state law mandating class sizes). At the same time, this moment invites us to be more intentional about how we deliver education. We will continue to focus on what matters most for student engagement, belonging, and success.”
“I would also add that our strength lies in our community. Our faculty, staff, students, and families continue to show resilience, creativity, and care for one another. Even in times of constraint, that foundation allows us to move forward in a way that keeps students at the center of our decisions,” Di Giulio added.
Koehler said he will be taking the position of membership coordinator at the Vermont National Education Association.
Will Helms is a Hazen Union High School student intern this semester for the Hardwick Gazette.
