To the editor:
Last week, a letter to the editor clarified the costs of repairs to Woodbury School (“A building we can all be proud of”). The repairs are modest considering the building is 112 years old, and good investments considering its longevity.
The building is worthy of being listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and one of only 11 schools in Vermont to receive Energy Star designation in 2013 (being in the top 25% nationally for energy efficiency, while meeting stringent standards for health, ventilation, comfort and lighting quality).
While the building itself is strong, its surroundings add to its value. It stands in the heart of Woodbury Village. To the east is the Woodbury Town Hall, built in 1842, one of the oldest town halls in Vermont. Between these historic buildings is a stream crossed by a footbridge, and the volunteer-run Community Ice Rink.
To the south, separated by little more than the width of a swing set, is the Community Room and Woodbury Community Library. Beyond are gardens, a greenhouse, woodlands, wetlands, hiking trails, primitive outdoor classroom and the site of a planned structured outdoor classroom.
To the west are ballfields, a playground and a basketball court.
And to the north runs Route 14, connecting the building to the community it serves as a school.
It’s a school we can all be proud of.
Standardized test results for 2024-2025 published by the Vermont Agency of Education show the percentage of Woodbury students assessed as “Proficient and Above” is consistently higher than the percentage in our supervisory union and across the state. (Note: quantity of test results are limited due to small class sizes.)
In addition to academics, the school succeeds in creative and educational programming. For example, Mock Town Meeting was twice recorded and broadcast by Vermont Public Radio. The Bears’ Hibernation Feast was filmed and broadcast by WCAX TV. And in a collaborative project with the Woodbury Library titled “Dirt Tracks & Thunder Roads: History and Stories of Auto Racing in Vermont,” students created a graphic novel and podcast on a subject that is popular in our community, but not traditionally featured in the library or school.
So, proud of the Woodbury building and school, and equally proud of Hardwick Elementary and Lakeview Early Education, we can support our students and teachers in the upcoming Mountain View Elementary School District Budget ballot, by voting Yes.
Stephen Murphy,
Woodbury
