Cavendish Update 11/7/25: GMUSD/6th Grade/News/Events
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LINKS TO CAVENDISH CONNECTS: Facebook Blue Sky or Website
EVENTS THIS WEEKEND ARE ALL FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. See Events Section below for more information
TONIGHT - Wild Hope: Building for Birds and Pufflin Patrol films being screened at the Cavendish Library at 6 pm.
SATURDAY: Natural Dye and Cyanotype Workshop 1-4 pm at Create Together at Fletcher Farm.
SUNDAY: The Annual Proctorsville Ghost Walk gets underway at 2 pm. Meet at the Proctorsville War Memorial. IN THE EVENT OF HEAVY RAIN THIS EVENT WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL NOVEMBER 30TH.Check Facebook on Sunday.
11/7/25
1. GMUSD Board meeting-$20M to Fix GMUHS/Moving 6th grade
2. Cavendish Related News
3. Events Calendar
1. GMUSD BOARD MEETING-$20M TO FIX GMUHS/MOVING 6TH GRADE: At the October 30th Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) board meeting, a report was given on airborne PCB levels at GMUHS, indicating that they’ve been able to temporarily keep levels low enough to meet state standards. However, the long term fix would be more than $20 million. See the Chester Telegraph’s Estimates for PCB fix at GM High School Top $20 Million for more on the cost breakdowns.
PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls) are a group of man-made organic chemicals consisting of carbon, hydrogen and chlorine atoms domestically manufactured from 1929 until banned in 1979. PCBs were used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications including: Electrical, heat transfer and hydraulic equipment; Plasticizers in paints, plastics and rubber products; Pigments, dyes and carbonless copy paper. GMUHS was built in the late 1960s.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PCBs have been demonstrated to cause a variety of adverse health effects. They have been shown to cause cancer in animals as well as a number of serious non-cancer health effects in animals, including: effects on the immune system, reproductive system, nervous system, endocrine system and other health effects. Studies in humans support evidence for potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects of PCBs. The different health effects of PCBs may be interrelated. Alterations in one system may have significant implications for the other systems of the body.
More than just a follow up report on conditions at GMUHS, there is a push, coming from the Chester members of the GMUSD board to move the 6th grade students from Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) and Chester Andover Elementary School (CAES) to GMUHS starting in the fall of 2026. CAES desires this move to decrease crowding at their school, and it has been a possibility discussed since the creation of the GMUSD in 2017.
The Cavendish representatives to the GMUSD board are not in favor of this move, not only because it would significantly increase the risk of closing CTES but also because of developmental concerns.
Dr. Lisa Sanders, a developmental cognitive neuroscientist and one of Cavendish reps to the board, wrote an Op-ed: In defense of our sixth-graders for the Chester Telegraph. She writes, Why would sixth graders be sent to GMUHS despite the evidence? There are better alternatives. We haven’t been provided with a rationale for this change. However, I am concerned that administrators who fear losing their jobs under Act 73 are attempting to strengthen their position in reorganized districts, and are willing to do so on the backs of vulnerable 6th graders.
The research indicates that 6th graders who transition to middle school experience sharp drops in reading and math achievement and are 18% more likely to drop out of high school by the 10th grade. Where overall academic performance in a middle school is at least as strong as performance in elementary schools, those losses are typically recovered in two to three years. Where scores in the middle school are lower, recovery is not as complete and not as fast.
The transition to middle school for 6th graders is also marked by sharp increases in disciplinary problems, especially drug-related incidents. Those negative effects persist at least through the 9th grade. At GMUHS, there is the added risk of exposure to PCBs; continued monitoring will be required to determine if it is legal for 6th graders to be in the building.
There are better alternatives. Cavendish Town Elementary School was ranked as No. 2 of 139 Vermont elementary schools for performance “well above expectations.” CTES is currently at 60% of the listed building capacity. Moving some families from Chester-Andover Elementary School to Cavendish would relieve the space crunch and increase the performance of students who move and probably those who don’t. Note: The 2026 US News Reports ranks CTES at number 3 for VT elementary schools, and CAES at 92.
Can GMUHS be remediated in time to move the 6th grades in the fall of 2026? Where would funds come from to pay such costs? Is it even realistic to consider this in light of Act 73?
For a number of years, the closure of GMUHS has been an option that various people in Cavendish have asked to have discussed and considered. With an enrollment of less than 300 students in grades 7-12, would GMUHS be one of the schools closed as part of the Act 73 school district consolidations?
Saunders said, “I can understand Chester and nearby towns wanting to keep a high school through and after Act 73 redistricting. The way to do that is to strengthen the school to the point that fewer families seek other options. Despite multiple requests, I cannot access the data on the number of 12- to 18-year-olds who live in the district but are not educated at GMUHS. It is only my guess that those percentages are higher here than in other districts.
While we can’t answer that question for the district, we’ve attempted to try and understand what’s happening in Cavendish. At a minimum, seven 9-12th grade students from Cavendish are currently attending Woodstock High School and three attend Mt. St. Josephs in Rutland. For middle school, four Cavendish students attend Christ the King in Rutland. Springfield High School, Claremont Christian Academy and home schooling are other options being used by Cavendish families.
In May 2023, the CTES’s CPTG (Parent Teacher Group) held a forum on school restructuring. With approximately 40 people in attendance, one of the questions posed to the audience was how many wanted school choice for 7-12 grades. Nearly all in attendance raised their hands.
2. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS
• Respiratory Weekly Report: The health department’s Respiratory Illness Activity in Vermont reports Covid concentrations in Ludlow waste water are low as of Nov.5. As of Oct. 25, flu levels remain minimal in Vermont.
• Cavendish Fire Dept. Trees and Wreaths Sale: Trees and wreaths go on sale at the Cavendish Fire Dept station starting Nov. 18 from 9-4
• Chester Police Provide Finger Printing: Are you in need of civilian fingerprinting to work or volunteer at your local school, daycare, after school or mentorship program? Chester Police Department performs employment required fingerprint services, by appointment, during our open lobby hours. Please give us a call to schedule an appointment: (802)875-2035. You must have a fingerprint authorization form, signed by the requesting agency, and a government issued form of ID (license, non-driver ID, etc.). There is a $35 fee which can be paid by check or exact cash. Everything is digital - no inky fingers!
• State-funded food aid will arrive to Vermonters Friday amid unclear timing of new federal funds VT Digger
• Great American Smoke Out: The Great American Smoke Out is November 20. If you’ve been thinking about quitting or reducing your tobacco and nicotine usage, Vermont’s Health’s tobacco treatment specialist Dana has a few helpful tips to make your quitting journey a bit easier. Visit 802quits.org — you don’t have to do it alone!
3. EVENTS
NOVEMBER 7 (FRIDAY): The Cavendish Library and the Cavendish Community & Conservation Association are hosting two short films on migratory birds - Wild Hope: Building for Birds and Pufflin Patrol. Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. Proctorsville AT 6 pm. This is a free event for all ages.
NOVEMBER 8 (SATURDAY): Free Natural Dye and Cyanotype Workshop 1-4 pm at Create Together at Fletcher Farm.
NOVEMBER 9 (SUNDAY): Cavendish Historical Society’s Proctorsville Ghost Walk. Meet at the Proctorsville War Memorial at 2 pm. Wear comfortable walking shoes. This walk includes the Proctor Cemetery. We will be giving away free Cemetery Guides. FMI: 802-226-7807 or margocaulfield@icloud.com
NOVEMBER 18 (TUESDAY): Wreath and Tree sale begins at the Cavendish Fire Dept from 9-4 daily while supplies last.
NOVEMBER 21 (FRIDAY): Turkey Bingo at CTES 6-8 pm
NOVEMBER 27 (THURSDAY): HAPPY THANKSGIVING
NOVEMBER 28 (FRIDAY): Town Office Closed