In 2006, Academy School was in trouble.
The scores from the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) tests found 30 percent of Academy students tested “substantially below proficient” in math, and 12 percent were at that level in reading.
Five years later, Academy led all elementary and middle schools in the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union with more than 70 percent of students at or above proficiency in math.
And Academy was third, just behind Brattleboro Area Middle School and Dummerston School, with nearly 80 percent proficiency in reading.
Is the Supreme Court, like the pope, infallible? Like the pope, the justices are appointed for life. If a bad and dangerous decision is handed down, we are stuck with it unless it is subsequently overturned. Considering the history of corporate personhood encroachment since before the Lincoln administration, it...
Jacob Alan Roberts and Jessica Jean Weston recently established Equilibrium, a new community gathering place, calling it, “a positive lifestyle environment.” Equilibrium aims to add balance to people's lives by providing space that nurtures art, culture, community, and personal well being, according to its website. The founders envision this...
The magic season of the Bellows Falls field hockey team came to an abrupt end on Saturday, as the second-seeded Terriers were shocked at home by the No. 7 North Country Falcons, 1-0, in a Division III quarterfinal. This was a classic example of allowing an underdog to hang around until the end by not finishing your chances to put the game away early. BF outshot North Country by a 20-4 margin, and dominated play for most of the 60...
Independent gubernatorial candidate Emily Peyton said if she's elected, she could change Vermont. Peyton is looking to recast the state on a very deep level. Are people ready for it? According to Peyton, electing her would signify people's willingness to embrace a new future. “I'm not submissive,” said Peyton. “I want to inject this truth serum.” Peyton said that Vermonters have turned away from the system, disenfranchised. This is the Putney resident's second bid for governor. Peyton said she used...
Obituaries • Paul Henry George Appel, 91, of Gatlinburg, Tenn. Died Oct. 16. Husband of the late Jeanette Ida (Schwartz) Appel for 65 years. Father of Paul L. and Susan Appel of Elijay, Ga; Tom and Teri Appel of Brattleboro; and Rick and Deborah Appel of Vero Beach, Fla. Born in Alpena, Mich., the son of the late Rev. Edmund Appel and Alvena (Peper) Appel, in 1942 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and trained to become a pilot.
Last night, my friend Bayo called to tell me about her shopping triumph. For several weeks, she'd been searching in stores and online for good-quality wooden clothespins made in America. Her resolve to locate the perfect clothespins had reached epic proportions, similar to a quest for the Holy Grail. I'd suggested that she search online for the Penley Corporation in West Paris, Maine. A couple of nights later, Bayo called to report that Penley had laid off its manufacturing employees...
Artists and arts organizations are often trying to find money and other resources to fulfill a vision or a project. The topic of the next artists' forum to be held Nov. 7 will cover the sources of funding for artists in Windham County. The workshop will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Sylvester Studio, Cotton Mill A-357, in Brattleboro. The Arts Council of Windham County, in partnership with the Vermont Arts Council (VAC), is presenting this forum...
On Oct. 7, musicians performing an “Afternoon at the Opera” graced the sanctuary of First Baptist Church in an early-20th-century Estey organ and mezzo-soprano concert that was absolutely heaven on earth! Local virtuosi Clark Anderson and Jenna Rae filled the air with Verdi, Wagner, Handel, Massenet, and Mozart. All stops sounded in the “March” from Aida as well as Wagner's “Ride of the Valkyries.” The opening waltzes from Richard Strauss set the tone, and even Johann Strauss II and Jacques...
Beth Pearce, the incumbent Democratic candidate for state treasurer, has served in the treasurer's office over seven years. Pearce stepped into the role of state treasurer in January 2011 when her predecessor, Jeb Spaulding, was appointed Secretary of Administration for Gov. Peter Shumlin. This year, she tackles her first campaign. Surprisingly, she has enjoyed the run for office. Campaigning gives her the opportunity to talk to people, understand their experiences and perspectives, Pearce said. “I love to talk finance,” said...
On Sunday, Nov. 4, at 3 p.m., the Brattleboro Music Center presents faculty members Junko Watanabe, soprano, Dan Farina, trumpet, and Susan Dedell, piano, in a collaboration that opens the door to a wide variety of musical expression and range of styles. The program includes works by Bach, Handel, Barat, Goedicke, Stephenson, Barber, and Dedell. Works for Soprano, Trumpet & Piano begins and ends with music from the Baroque period, starting with Handel's famous arias Eternal Source of Light and...
With the tremendous support of more than 80 local donors and four grants, Putney Historical Society (PHS) has been successful in its effort to raise $40,000 to install new ADA-compliant bathrooms and a rear fire exit for the 1841 historic former United Church of Putney. The building is now used by PHS and Next Stage Arts. The work on the bathrooms and the new fire exit will be done soon, along with moisture-sealing the building's crawl space. The project also...
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is sending notification to patients who were given drugs manufactured by the New England Compounding Center (NECC). Under the joint recommendation of Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, all drugs manufactured by NECC have now been recalled. NECC has been linked with an outbreak of meningitis caused by tainted steroid injections (methylprednisolone acetate) resulting in patient deaths. BMH did not receive any of this tainted injectable steroid. Approximately 200 patients were administered...
Area youth bands will compete at Youth Services' Battle of the Bands at the River Garden on Friday, Nov. 2, during Gallery Walk night, from 7 to 10 p.m. This event is part of Youth Services' 40th Anniversary celebration. The public is encouraged to attend and vote for their favorite group with their applause. The Snaz, Brain Saw, Suffolk Punch, Sidewalk Prophets, and Perfectly Imperfect are local bands scheduled to compete together, with one possible late entrant. The actual line-up...
Rep. David Deen, D-Westminster, was honored by the Windham County Democratic Committee with the Ron Squires Award, presented at the annual Davenport Day Dinner on Oct. 19 at the American Legion. Deen was cited for his 20 years as a Vermont legislator, focusing on public policy and advocating for river protections. For most of his legislative time, he has been a member of the Natural Resources/Water Resources committees. Currently, he is chair of the Fish, Wildlife and Water Resources Committee...
Winter is approaching, and this means it's likely that the moods of more people will be affected by the change in season. When we turn back the clocks the first weekend of November, the shortened days and compromised daylight will be especially apparent. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that usually occurs in the fall and winter months when there is a scarcity of daylight. In the United States, it is especially prevalent in more northern regions.
It's still true today, the age-old complaint that most Hollywood movies are made by men for teenage boys who like to see things blown up, with an occasional romantic comedy that always surprises the film establishment with its popularity (i.e. director Nancy Meyers, the acting Dianes - Keaton and Lane, and the hilarious Kristin Wiig.) The image of women in Hollywood certainly takes a beating, figuratively and sometimes literally - unless, of course, the women are in a James Bond...
At its core, The Atomic States of America is about ordinary people asking questions. It's about people tending to accept their circumstances as normal until these questions yield disturbing patterns that obliterate the faith that everyone wishes to have in presumed experts charged with keeping us safe. The film, which premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival, does an excellent job crisply laying out the basic issues surrounding nuclear power in the U.S. Since one in every three Americans lives...
The Brattleboro Film Festival (BFF) will launch this Friday through Sunday, Nov. 2–4, with what festival organizers describe as “an eclectic mix of films reflecting the unique character of Brattleboro itself.” All films will be shown at the Latchis Theatre, 50 Main St. Tickets will be sold at the door before the shows; unless otherwise noted, at $8.50 for adults, $6.50 for students and seniors, and $5 for children younger than age 12. Please see brattleborofilmfestival.org for updates. Following are...
The seemingly ordinary P.S. 22 in Staten Island, New York, became extraordinary for a group of fifth graders when a woman in a black blazer strolled into the elementary school in late 2010 and invited the P.S. 22 Chorus to perform “Over the Rainbow” at the 2011 Academy Awards. The woman was none other than actress (and Oscar host) Anne Hathaway. Not surprisingly, the kids erupted in screams, tears, and laughter. Director Jonathan Kalafer's 80-minute documentary Once in a Lullaby...
Whether you are an avowed dog lover or have merely found yourself smiling at the antics of a puppy, the documentary One Nation Under Dog is a film well worth seeing. The film is divided into three segments that, taken together, explore the complicated and often-eccentric relationships people have with dogs. The first segment, “Fear,” could have just as easily been titled “Failure.” Focusing on a dog bite case in Connecticut, it's apparent that both the bite victims and the...
Dramatic finishes are a given when the Leland & Gray Rebels and the Stowe Raiders meet up in the boys' soccer playoffs. In 2009, the Rebels and Raiders met in the Division III semifinals where the Rebels lost by one missed penalty kick. In 2010, the Rebels beat the Raiders in overtime in the semifinals, 2-1, and went on to win the state championship. On Friday, these two teams met again, this time in the quarterfinals, and No. 7 Stowe...
Rivalry games are always dangerous, and they are especially dangerous in the playoffs. But coming off a game with three red cards and fight, the officiating crew made sure that last Wednesday's Division III girls' soccer playdown between Leland & Gray and Bellows Falls didn't get out of hand. Referee Bud Laudenslager lined both teams up at midfield before the match and gave them a pre-game lecture on sportsmanship. “Don't say anything you wouldn't say to your grandmother at the...
When a new Scottish actor appeared on the scene many years ago, I took note. This was no Sean Connery or Ewan McGregor, but a strange creature, mercurial in the extreme. I watched Alan Cumming through the years, in films and television, in everything from Julie Taymor's Titus to the current CBS production of The Good Wife. He just finished the National Theatre of Scotland's one-man show of Macbeth, and his face is now familiar to countless Americans as host...
The last local team standing in the high school playoffs is the team that is playing its games 25 miles away from its home field. The Twin Valley Wildcats boys' soccer team got flooded out of Baker Field last season. This season, they got booted off Baker Field again a couple of weeks ago for a regrading project. So, the Wildcats are back to their home away from home, Sawyer Field at Brattleboro Union High School. Despite the inconvenience of...
Read, learn, and play during International Games Day at RFPL BELLOWS FALLS – The Rockingham Free Public Library (RFPL) will join hundreds of libraries throughout the world on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., to celebrate International Games Day. The library will offer gaming for people of all ages including Nintendo, Wii, and console games, board games, modern table-top games, role-playing games, card games, and more. “Libraries are family destinations that continuously offer new formats and innovative programs and...
A federal U.S. District Court judge dismissed Entergy's lawsuit against the state of Vermont for imposing a higher generating tax for power from the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant. Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell said the court ruled in favor of the state's arguments that remedies through the Vermont tax department and the state court system are “totally adequate.” “Our argument prevailed,” Sorrell said. “We're very pleased with the decision.” This past legislative session, the Legislature raised the generating tax...
Our special supplement for the first annual Brattleboro Film Festival, Friday through Sunday, Nov. 2 through 4: Overview -Films that movie lovers from Brattleboro would appreciate seeing: A new festival celebrates worlds where people might be demented, enlightened, brave, interesting, vulnerable, charming, gifted, and sometimes even joyously happy, by Joyce Marcel. Schedule -First annual Brattleboro Film Festival, Nov. 2-4, to feature 12 films, special discussions, and events Reviews -Staten Island kids sing at the Oscars. Review of Once in a...
It seems quite fitting that Karl Rove's super PAC is named American Crossroads. America is indeed at a major crossroads, one we have been approaching for some time. Both paths forward are adorned with a bizarre mix of genuine diamonds and gaudy costume jewelry. Both paths are fraught with hazards - many known, many hidden from sight. Both are far from perfect. It might be that neither is adequate. Still, we have at least the appearance of being able to...
Rutland City Treasurer Wendy Wilton wants to bring Rutland's financial success to the rest of Vermont. The former Republican state senator is challenging incumbent State Treasurer Beth Pearce for Vermont's top financial position. “I'm really good at big picture analysis,” said Wilton. Wilton said she decided to run for state office after spending 5½ years helping reverse Rutland's municipal financial picture. According to Wilton, the city had run itself into the ground. The city Aldermen had spent years trusting the...
The race for state representative for the Windham-Bennington-Windsor district is more critical than some might think. Our incumbent representative, Republican Oliver Olsen, has decided not to run again; subsequently, voters must choose between two new candidates, my opponent, Tim Goodwin and me. Both of us are running as independents. Since voters are going to be electing a freshman state representative this year, it's important that that person has the relevant experience and knowledge to hit the ground running on day...
Last year, when Hurricane-turned-Tropical-Storm-Irene hit Windham County, the flooding-to-the-point-of-catastrophe part happened so quickly. Only after predicted widespread flooding from actually happened did the prospect become real for so many of us, past the point where it was too late to do anything but react. This time around, our nerves have been on edge. For almost a week, those of us who survived that terrible ordeal have been waiting for the other shoe to drop. For those of us who lived...
RE: “'It's all about Vermonters': U.S. Rep. Welch campaigns for fourth term” [News, Oct. 24]: Where is the money coming from? The United States of America is broke, the Democrats want more, and “We the People” get the bill - why? As Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston has recently said, “When candidates go negative, it means they have nothing to talk about.” That describes Obama and Biden in all four debates. The liberal media will not tell the truth -
RE: “Dunbar conscious of climate change” [Letters, Oct. 24]: The real cause of global warming is the heat emitted by our energy use, not the carbon dioxide byproduct of fossil fuel combustion. There are no correlations of carbon dioxide to temperature where it can be stated that carbon dioxide was a cause, although the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would have you believe that from its paleoclimatology data a climate sensitivity to carbon dioxide can be determined. It was solar...
Thank you, Jeebus! And thank you, Wendy M. Levy [“A union-busting law firm separates Co-op from its expressed ideals,” Letters, Oct. 17], for your articulation of the problem.
Emmett Dunbar is the better choice for representative to the Vermont House. He is best situated to work on issues that are important to our district towns of Jamaica, Londonderry, Stratton, Weston, and Winhall in the counties of Bennington, Windham, and Windsor. Although our towns in this district are dispersed, we share vital resources and have the same barriers to economic growth. As a small-business owner, Emmett has offered his ideas on how a rural lifestyle can survive in a...
You can tell a lot about a person or a political party by what they think about women and how they treat them. For those folks still undecided about whom to support on Nov. 6, here are some startling facts that might help. During the 112th Congress, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted 55 times to undermine women's health, roll back women's rights, and defund programs and institutions that provide health care and support for women. In a recent column...
Bill and Lou, two oxen who have been worked by Green Mountain College (GMC) in Poultney for the past 10 years, will be killed any day now. Lou suffered a minor injury, and instead of allowing him and his companion to retire to VINE Sanctuary - where they would receive loving care as well as top-quality veterinary care - the college has elected to slaughter them and serve them up in their cafeteria. Since the time VINE's offer was refused,
In a free presentation/discussion, “What's Wrong with American Taxes?: A Progressive View” certified public accountant Richard Witty will describe “design characteristics that should be in a tax system,” and where he believes “the American tax system is falling short.” “The law is so complex, unstable, and unpredictable that it's impossible for the average taxpayer to know what the law is,” said Witty, who lives in Greenfield, Mass. and will speak at Brooks Memorial Library, 224 Main St., at 8 p.m.
Southern Vermont breathed a sign of relief on Tuesday, having avoided the worst from Hurricane Sandy. After a night of high winds and heavy rain, Windham County appears to be in good shape in the wake of the biggest and most complex autumn storm in U.S. history. “We got very, very lucky,” said Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin in a radio interview with WTSA on Tuesday morning. All major state highways are open, and no deaths or serious injuries have been...