The Barre Unified Union School District Board is pleased to announce that Superintendent JoAn Canning has been reappointed for the 2025-2026 school year, with an option for contract renewal in January 2026. Please join us in celebrating this continued partnership!

Click here for the full press release.

On December 18, 2024, Barre City Middle School performed their Winter Concert.

BCEMS students performed in a talent show on Thursday, October 24, 2024.

BCEMS 1st graders learn how composting works with John Jose from Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District (CVSWMD).

By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Adapted and directed by Mr. Adam Jacobs

We wanted to share a fun visit that Zero the Hero had with BCEMS kindergarteners this past Monday, the 100th day of school!  BCEMS Principal Brenda Waterhouse, BC Kindergarten teacher Allyson Healey, and the whole K team celebrated the 100th day with all of the students by working on their numeracy skills with a real superhero!  Check out the celebration.

This annual event is a fun and engaging way to make math connections for our students that the whole community looks forward to every year.  The kids absolutely loved it!

We also wanted to share this update:

Plans for April 8 Total Solar Eclipse

As most people are aware, central Vermont is going to be a popular part of the earth on April 8.  There will be a very rare total solar eclipse that day, and our part of the world will be a perfect place to see it!

Here is an excellent description of the event from UVM's Space Grant Consortium: 

Total Solar Eclipse

The timing for the event is not good for our school day unfortunately, with the prime time for viewing taking place right at dismissal.  Due to this timing, we will be joining most other districts in the region in holding an Early Release day for all students and staff on Monday, April 8.  A few other details for the BTMES and BCEMS communities:

* March 27 was a scheduled Early Release Day, but it will now be a regular day for all.

* April 11 will remain on the calendar for Parent/Teacher conferences.

Let's hope for a clear day for Vermont in early April so we can all experience this once in a lifetime event!

This short video helps explain how education taxes are calculated.

This short video helps to explain and give background about the terms that are used when calculating education taxes.

Our students and school community were honored to participate in this year's Memorial Day Parade this past Tuesday, and it was a powerful learning experience for all.  I had a chance to connect with BTMES, BCEMS, and SHS marching bands to hear their thoughts on participating in the ceremony, and we also go to catch up with the SHS J.R.O.T.C. program.

Command Sgt. Major Arianna Little (Junior, SHS) said it best:  "It's so important to honor those that have served our country and to show our patriotism."  Indeed it is, and all of our students respectfully honored our veterans on this perfect day for a parade!  Many thanks to our Band Directors Bobby Booth (SHS), Ally Tarwater (BTMES), and Angela Garcelon (BCEMS) for providing this opportunity for our students to shine on such an important day.  And of course, thank you to SHS J.R.O.T.C. Instructors Sgt. Danny Boone and Lt. Colonel Paul Stafford for leading our efforts in having our students be such an integral part of these events that honor our veterans.  It was a day to be truly proud of our school community!

This week's school showcase highlights a recent Math Night at BCEMS that brought the Barre Town and Barre City elementary communities together last Thursday night. BUUSD Math Coordinator Jen Bisson and Director of Curriculum Karen Fredericks put together a fun night for students and families, and this is just one example of how wonderful it has been to get the community back in our schools this year! Here is Karen's take on the night:

"We had an excellent turn out for our first post COVID Barre Math Night (with a count of 175 attendees). Jen Bisson, Barre UUSD PrK-8 Math Coordinator, organized the event in partnership with All Learners Network. It was such a pleasure to see equal representation of both Barre City and Barre Town families and teachers! Thank you for supporting our students, and the learning that is happening in the classroom."

Happy Spring!  The month of April has been a remarkable one for the performing arts in the BUUSD.  Among many highlights, last Friday saw the first drama production at BCEMS in 15 years!  For those who got to see the kids' production of "Barre Poppins'' last Friday night in a packed house, it was a treat indeed!  First year BCEMS 5th grade ELA teacher Adam Jacobs saw an opportunity to get a drama club together this year, and he took it!

For the second Showcase in a row, we are happy to welcome back an SHS alum into our schools!  Last week, 2010 SHS grad and BCEMS dad Steve Rich visited BCEMS Art Teacher Kate Hawley's 1st grade class.  Steve was interested in sharing his experiences as an artist in the granite trades with these young learners, and it was a great visit!

As many of you know, young students in the BUUSD are very fortunate to have the opportunity to build positive relationships with our local police officers.  This week, new Barre City Chief of Police Braedon Vail joined BCEMS Special Educator Allison Courtemanche for a Q & A with a group of 7th and 8th graders on the PEAK team.  It was an informative and enlightening experience for all! 

Happy New Year!  Our first School Showcase of 2023 brings us to Barre City Elementary and Middle School and 5th Grade teacher Jody Leone's WIN group.  Ms. Leone's 5th graders participated in a BUILD Design Challenge in December, and their work resulted in a $500 award for their classroom! 

For those who don't know, last week was "Computer Science Education Week", and all of our schools are participating in the nationwide Hour of Code event this month!  We got to spend time with all three of our district's Technology Integrationists the last three days as they collaborated with their colleagues to bring basic coding skills into the classroom.  First, BTMES's Jess Van Orman joined band teacher Ally Tarwater and her 6th graders coding "Edison" robots to play their musical pieces.  We then joined SHS's Angelique Fairbrother at the SEA program to hear how she is teaching their students to use Minecraft with their history lessons.  Finally, we joined BCEMS's Mike Martin in the 4th grade classes of Roberta Melnick and Charlotte Murphy to learn how to move Angry Birds through a maze.