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The Cabot Chronicle

May 2026 · Issue Record

← From the Cabot Chronicle

The community record for this issue of the Cabot Chronicle, extracted from the original pages. Reprinted with permission from the Cabot Chronicle.

Original issue: Download the May 2026 pages (PDF)

Automated extraction, spot-checked. Advertisements, the business directory, and puzzles are omitted; obituaries appear as individual entries.

In This Issue

Equine Therapy Volunteer Work

Published: March 26, 2026 at 6:48 P.M. EST “Meg Schroeder has two passions in life: art and animals,” began the March 26, 2026, episode of WCAX’s Super Seniors segment by Joe Carroll, awardwinning journalist for WCAX. The Cabot resident was highlighted not only for her artistry, but also her work at Rhythm of the Rein horse therapy program at Marshfield’s Three Fold Farm. We also spied former Cabot resident Erica Heilman was interviewed in April by Erica Heilman for Libby Hale in the segment—she’s the A conversation about collecting sap for maple Vermont Public radio. To listen, go to verphysical therapist on site. You can syrup, and making a resourceful living. Local montpublic.org and enter “Brian Blaisdell.” watch the whole interview at https:// sugarmaker Brian Blaisdell of Blaisdell Maple www.wcax.com/video/2026/03/26/cabot-

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Debuts Album in Plainfield

in the next issue of the Chronicle. As of today, we have not yet voted on H.955 which is the bill related to Act 73, the Education Transformation Act. H.955 gives a framework for shared services within mapped districts and allows for voluntary mergers of schools. It also creates a study committee to help schools look at merging with others. I am struggling with the fiscal component of this bill. There is legitimate concern that another layer of management necessary to mainCabot singer-songwriter Dana Robinson releases his 14th studio album, “The Sound tain the shared services will not create of the Word”. With a concert at the Plainfield Town Hall Opera House on May 1. cost savings. Taxpayers continue to April 2, 2026, Updated April 2, 2026 read more, go to NorthStarMonthly.com make it clear that we need cost savings Cabot, Vt. - Cabot singer-songwriter and search “Dana Robinson.” His per- in every sector of our government. H.955 Dana Robinson will celebrate the release formance schedule may be found at does not contain language that requires of his new album, “The Sound of the https://www.robinsongs.com/, including consolidation and budget decreases at Word”, at the Plainfield Town Hall Op- local area concerts in May. the supervisory level that are crucial to era House, on Friday May 1, at 7 p.m. To proved quality of education. I will see how I vote based on possible floor amendments made tomorrow in the statehouse. It looks like Act 181 may see some drastic improvements. The chair of the House Environment Committee has said on record that they will offer a bill to repeal Tier 3 and the Road Rule. This is important because as it stands, Act 181 would greatly expand the influence of Act 250 in rural Vermont. Repealing the Road Rule and Tier 3 (wildlife habitat corridors) will keep our current development laws in place, ensuring affordable and predictable development in Cabot. I can give a lot of updates on bills that have passed out of the House Ag committee that I sit on, but I’ll save it for the end of the session so I can give you more facts and less speculation. On the farm- still boiling. Almost done. Not quite an average crop but enough to pay the bills. The crew have been hard at work pruning 10,000 apple trees. They’re doing a great job. It sure is nice to see green grass and hear the peepers.

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Cabot Chronicle Mission Statement: The Cabot Chronicle is a home-delivered newspaper devoted to telling the story of the Cabot community.

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Act 181: Cabot Was Heard

by Brittany Butler, Town Clerk (Now), Zoning Administrator (When it Started and Still!) During legislative session 2024, I knew there was a bill aimed at reforming Act 250. Everyone thought, good, great, this is necessary. We need more homes, and it should be easier to build housing, less permitting. Sounded positive. We now know differently! Turns out that bill passed. How, during that legislative session, were any of us to know what exactly that bill meant, when little to none of the rules were yet written? You read the bill, and it doesn’t really make sense, but you realize there’s more to come and it’s an update to Act 250, so it has to be good, right? Early last fall I heard that the work of the LURB (Land Use Review Board, created by Act 181 and responsible only to the Legislature) was coming to fruition, in the form of maps depicting Tier 1A&B areas, all of Tiers 2 and 3, and the Road Rule. The map came out in October 2025. I studied the map and saw the impact that Tier 3 and the Road Rule would have on Cabot, and started sharing and spreading the word immediately. The very next month the selectboard and I (in my role as Zoning Administrator) went in front of our Regional Planning Commission and said that, yes, we wanted to opt in to tier 1B. But we would not qualify for Tier 1B at the moment because we do not have subdivision regulations. would still need 250 permit, and ten acres would tion. We spoke to Also, the creamery to comply with its Act only parcels less than qualify for an exemp-

our regional planning commission mere weeks after the Tier 3 and Road Rule maps came out. Many

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in the State House

Sign on US Route 2 in Cabot

municipalities had told their regional planning commission how they’d like to be incorporated into a land use map, Tier 1A or 1B areas, before they ever saw the Tier 3 map or the Road Rule maps! How are any of us able to make informed decisions when none of the rules have been written, or if they have, they can be changed by the LURB, an unelected salaried board appointed by the legislature which quite obviously holds an immense amount of power. Legislators and the LURB members themselves are saying the maps should have never been public! We haven’t begun to understand Tiers 1A and B fully, nor the implications that they may have on municipalities. Criterion 8C is another portion of the bill which adds an additional benchmark to Act 250. Its rules are still being written currently by the LURB. Act 181 was passed under the guise of Act 250 reform and making housing development easier in certain downtown areas with municipal water, sewer and zoning. slashes However, it single-handedly the hope of rural municipalities and tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of private landowners who want the ability to grow. Act 181 is also Act 59’s little brother. The goal of Act 59 is to accomplish 50% land conservation in perpetuity by 2050. Tier 3 could have helped to meet some of that goal. We could meet 50% of that ambition by including acreage enrolled in Current Use. But current use land is not being factored into the conserved land database for the simple fact that it could be developed. Anything could be developed with enough money and patience (for a period of waiting, filling out the right permit, mitigating enough wetland, planting enough trees, etc.). Act 181 isn’t stopping development anywhere except for normal residential construction on their own land of actual Vermonters who want to live and stay in Vermont, and whose taxes have gone up over 40% since COVID-19. After finally hearing from other Vermonters about the impact of this legislation, I can say the Cabot selectboard has changed my mind; rather than making

Haircuts every Monday from 10-3 at TVSC. $25 per haircut for men or women, by licensed and experienced stylist. By appointment only. Call

Coming in May: Nancy Chapman to host a six-week Watercolor Painting Workshop 2:30-4:30 pm on Fridays starting May 1 to June 12 (no class on May 22nd) at Twin Valley Senior Center. RSVP quickly as the class will fill. changes, I now agree with them and support FULL REPEAL of Act 181. Cabot made itself heard, and besides the selectboard and planning commission, I’d like to give credit to Ian Ackermann and Greg Burtt, as well as Jean Goodrich, Ken Denton, Paul Strecker and many others for making our concerns known to the Vermont House and Senate.

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Act 181 Definitions:

Road Rule : New road more than 800 feet, or driveway more than 2500 feet. Tier 1A & B : Areas exempt from Act 250 regulation, in locations where water and sewer or suitable soils are located. Existing Act 250 permits are not exempted (like the creamery). Tier 2 : Act 250 regulations remain the same as currently in place. Tier 3: Environmentally-sensitive location-based areas which require full Act 250 review.

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Director@twinvalleyseniors.org

Monday, June 1 - Medicare Fraud Prevention Bingo (with prizes) presented by Jean McDermott, Senior Medicare Patrol. Delicious lunches every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, noontime at the center. Chef Paul is always preparing something fresh. Click https:// www.twinvalleyseniors.org/meals Looking for Meals on Wheels volun-

how you can help.

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BITUARIES

Amelia Ryan W.C. Bothfeld Lamery Ryan Lamery, W. 42, C. of Graniteville, passed away unexpectedly on March 25, 2026. Ryan grew up in Cabot and attended school there, where he excelled in math, science, basketball and soccer. He had an uncanny ability to figure out how things worked, and how to fix them; a gift recognized by many. Ryan loved to spend time with his family and friends, but his heart belonged to his daughter, Livy and being there for all those childhood milestones. She loved him like the hero he was to her. He also loved grilling and cooking for his family and working in the garage with Mason on his truck, snowmobile or dirt bike. Ryan is survived by his daughter, Livy Lamery, his parents, Linda Fowler of Barre, Bill Lamery (Marie Webber) of

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Seth E. Pitkin

Seth Edward Pitkin, 66, of Cabot, passed away peacefully on April 17. Seth was born January 29, 1960, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Belmont Royce Pitkin and Clotilde Whitney Dorman. The family returned to Vermont in 1961, where Seth lived for the rest of his life, aside from time away at college. He attended Twinfield High School, Johnson State College, and The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, where he earned his undergraduate degree and met his future wife, Susan Curley. They married in 1987. In 1994, Seth earned a graduate degree in hydrogeology from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, where he worked with John Cherry to develop new techniques for sampling groundwater contamination. Seth built a distinguished career in hydrogeology, specializing in groundwater remediation. He became one of the country’s leading contaminant hydrogeologists and developed strong teams within both local and national engineering firms. Travel was defining thread throughout Seth’s life. His early experiences began with childhood camping trips and an eight-month family journey across Europe, the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In his late teens and early twenties, he continued exploring— camping and traveling through the Northwest and Alaska with his father and others, embarking on several crosscountry hitchhiking adventures, and spending semesters in the field with Susan in Hawaii and Death Valley. Many years later, he shared a two-week trip through France, Spain, Greece, and Morocco with his daughter Molly. His work also took him around the world, including Australia, Japan, Brazil, Middlesex, and sister Lindsey (Bobby) Henry of Topsham. He is also survived by Livy's mom, Shannon Davis, and Livy's siblings, Mason and Ava Davis of East Calais. His maternal grandmother, Waneta Mayhew of Marshfield, and special mention of Mary Haak, Shannon's mom, who was also very close to Ryan. Ryan was predeceased by his sister, Abbie Fowler and his grandparents, Robert and Arlene Lamery and Clinton Holt, Sr. Ryan had a very large family of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who sadly miss him. There were no calling hours. A private family graveside service will be held at Eaton Cemetery in Marshfield at a later date. A celebration of life will follow where friends are welcome to join the family. The family requests no flowers please. Arrangements are in the care of Pruneau-Polli Funeral Home in Barre. Those wishing to express online condolences may do so at: www.pruneaupolli funeralhome.com.

Europe, and each of the 50 states. These travels became the source of many cherished stories—both interesting and hilarious. No matter how far he travelled, how long he was away, or how big the adventure, Seth felt fortunate to return home to Vermont. He always remarked on his love for the green mountains. He strongly valued community engagement. Seth served on the Cabot School Board for several years, coached basketball during his daughters’ school years, and was an enthusiastic supporter of their activities and passions. He also chaperoned numerous field trips, including a memorable week in Belize with the high school biology class, and served on the Board of Directors of The Health Center in Plainfield. Seth was a storyteller whose quick wit kept his family and friends laughing endlessly. He loved his family deeply. He will be greatly missed. Seth is survived by his wife, Susan; daughters Molly (Eric Clark) and Rachael; brother Caleb (Mary Carpenter); mother-in-law Kay Curley; brotherin-law Bobby Curley (Violette-Anne Onfroy); his pup, Zuma; his grand-dog, Josie; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by his mother, Clotilde Pitkin, who died in February. A celebration of Seth’s life will be announced at a later date.

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Dylan Prutsman

Dylan Prutsman, 22, passed away on January 29, 2026. Dylan was a rare "old soul" who seemed to arrive on this planet already pondering the secrets of the universe. His brilliance showed up early; while other toddlers were focused on toys, Dylan was busy navigating the world of Harry Potter. He never stopped educating himself. Although he left formal classrooms at age 14, he completed his diploma with scores that astonished his examiners. He became the complete autodidact, the man who teaches himself, which was very Dylan. He possessed a sense of humor so effortless he often didn't realize he was the funniest person in the room. His happy place was Cabot, Vermont. Surrounded by family, green pastures, blue-violet mountains, and the clear water of East Long Pond, Dylan's soul

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May 19 Public Presentation

by Gary Gulka

The Cabot Garage relocation study results will be presented at a special Flood Resiliency Task Force meeting on May 19 at 7 p.m. in the Willey Building. This engineering and architectural study looks at two sites for relocating the business in order to move forward on the village center flood mitigation project. The two sites are the town property occupied by the Willey Building and Cabot Creamery property across from Cabot Commons senior housing on Whittier Hill Road. The study includes site grading plans, building design, architectural renderings to visualize the appearance, and cost estimates for

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Kathy Charlestream

The Cabot United Church was filled with lovely classical music Friday evening, April 10, when the youthful members of the Highlands View Chamber Ensemble played to a good crowd of appreciative listeners. Music by Rachmaninov, Handel, Bach, Vivaldi and others was lovingly performed and sounded wonderful within the fine acoustics of the 175-year-old church. After the concert, Connie Hourihan shared her impressions. “That concert was wonderful,” she said. “It made my heart soar to see these young people making such beautiful sound.” Four of the musicians, including their leader, Kathy Charlestream, are from Cabot. One is from Walden and one is from Danville. The rest come from Kirby, St. Johnsbury, seemed to find its truest, most peaceful rhythm. For a long time, Dylan fought a quiet, heavy battle with a darkness that ultimately became too much to carry. While his story ended far too soon, the chapters he did write were filled with a wideranging intellectual curiosity, moving from Greek Philosophy to the knotty pages of Immanuel Kant to detailed articles culled from online on the Gauchos of 19th century Brazil. Dylan is survived by his mother, Tiana; his father, Devin; his brother, Ethan; and his sister, Teagan. He also leaves behind his loving grandparents, Matt, Linda, and Doug; his greatgrandmother, Lorrie; and a large circle of aunts, uncles, and cousins. We will forever miss his amazing cooking, his surprising insights, and the sound of him singing from the other room. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honor Dylan's memory by cooking a great meal, reading a challenging book, or turning up the Johnny Cash and singing along - loudly, and slightly off-key.

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Study -

building out these sites. Presentations will be made by our engineering consultant, DuBois & King, and an architectural firm, Scott + Partners. This study was funded by Vermont Emergency Management, which has been very supportive of the efforts of the Flood Resiliency Task Force. We do not have the funding yet to do the flood mitigation project – which will involve a bridge to replace the double culverts that will provide a much larger opening for storm waters and debris. But this study will help to overcome the hurdle of relocating the business. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and provide comments on the relocation effort.

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With the

Fairlee and Canada. Kathy and her family moved to Cabot in 2000. She had lived in Massachusetts where she taught string instruments from 1987 - 20 and she was director for several ensembles. The Vermont group was formed in 2001 with members from all over New England. They toured throughout the area. In 2016 the group renamed themselves the Highlands View Chamber Ensemble because the group is based in the northeast kingdom (NEK) and the original name for the NEK was Northeast Highlands. Over the years the group has included harp, flute and oboe players which allowed the group to perform a wide repertoire. Anyone who would like to take lessons or audition to be in the string orchestra are invited to contact Kathy Charlestream at: excellentstrings@gmail.com.

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Cabot Tree Warden

In May, ephemeral plants will emerge and signal the onset of new growth within local forests. Invasive species such as honeysuckle typically leaf out before native woody shrubs, making their identification straightforward during this period. As May progresses, most deciduous trees will begin to display the vibrant green foliage characteristic of spring. In late May, Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) will emerge from ash trees and begin a new flight season as adult EAB, spreading this infestation further around town. Following the Spring snowmelt this year, I conducted assessments along town roads to survey roadside ash trees for EAB infestation. Cabot contains over three thousand ash trees within the roadside rights-of-way on over sixtyfive miles of roads, providing a substantial population for observation. EAB infestation on multiple properties is confirmed, and my initial ash tree surveys have taken the infestation into account by focusing on the nearby roadways. Removal efforts for ash trees situated within roadside rights-of-way will commence in May once road conditions permit access. Rights-of-way measure three rods wide—approximately fifty feet, or twenty-five feet from the roadway centerline in each direction. I am only accessing ash trees within this right-of-way. The initial phase of removals will target the most hazardous trees, identified by structural defects,

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T REE W ARDEN

declining health, or EAB infestation. This May, ten hazardous ash trees will be removed as part of a longer-term initiative that will continue over the next decade as EAB spreads. These ash trees marked with orange paint will indicate those selected for removal and distinguish them from the electric utility right-of-way markings, which are blue and designate removal by utility tree removal crews. Landowners will be contacted regarding the removal process and options for disposition of the wood, including retaining it for firewood, chipping, or removal from their property. Upon completion of the currently planned ash tree removals, a public hearing will be scheduled to discuss the next round of ash tree removal budgeted for 2027, allowing landowners to express concerns or provide feedback for the removal process. Given that EAB infestation causes an ash tree mortality rate exceeding 99 percent on the three species of ash trees present in Cabot, I would estimate that fewer than fifty resistant ash trees would be present within the roadside rights-of-way. The three types of ash trees present in town include white ash, green ash, and black ash. I can only hope that landowners will preserve some ash trees in their private forests, to enable the species' continued survival and increase the likelihood that certain areas may avoid infestation and survive this invasive pest as it inevitably spreads through town. Stay rooted.

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Consulting and Gardening

Gardening is a physical act, requiring movement, coordination, flexibility, and strength. While it can be fun to exercise your muscles out in the garden, do you really want to make it more difficult than it has to be? With a few good tools, gardening transforms from a difficult chore to a delight. Here are my picks for musthave garden tools.

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Trowel

A good trowel is a wonderful garden tool. Unfortunately, most trowels are poorly designed, with blunt ends, dull edges, and awkward handles. My favorite type of trowel is the hori-hori, with one sharp edge and one serrated edge, and a point that is actually pointy. You can dig, weed, and cut small roots with this tool.

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Pruners

Also known as secateurs, these small pruners are designed much like scissors, and are operated with one hand. Good pruners have ergonomic handles and sharp blades, which is very important for one-handed operation. My favorite brand is Felco, which offers them in different sizes such as left-handed versions. These are great for maintaining fruit bushes, vines, and stiff-stemmed perennials.

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Spring Wildflower and

by Gary Gulka Join the Conservation Committee for two outings in May that have become annual events and an opportunity to learn about our natural environment and the wonders of spring – wildflowers and birds.  May 3 – Spring Wildflowers and Ephemerals, 2 pm – Meet at the Talbert sugarhouse at Talbert Farm Trails on Bothfeld Hill Road. This walk will be led by Bob Popp, ecologist from Marshfield. You will learn a lot about natural communities and plants.  May 17 – Bird Walk along the

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Cabot Community Service

by Chris Tormey In an effort to celebrate the valuable contributions made by many people in our community, the Cabot Select Board and the Cabot School Board are soliciting nominations for the 2026 Cabot Community Service Award. The award recognizes a Cabot resident whose contributions of time, talent and energy over a number of years have had a significant impact on Cabot School and/or the larger Cabot community. Previous recipients of this award have contributed to the strength and vitality of our community in a number of ways. Last year’s recipient of

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Wheelbarrow, cart, bucket, or tarp

When you are weeding or trimming, don’t just make a pile on the ground…you will regret it later when it’s cleanup time. As you work, pile weeds and trimmings into a wheelbarrow, cart, bucket, or onto a tarp. I really like tarps: you can kneel on them to keep your knees clean, while piling up debris next to you. Any of these tools will keep your garden workspace tidy, and make cleanup quick and easy. If you already own these tools, great! Take good care of them: Rinse off soil after use Store them indoors Sharpen cutting edges as needed, including shovel blades If you are buying new tools, make sure to invest in good ones. A little extra money now will mean easier gardening for years to come. Look for the following: Comfortable handles Feels balanced when you hold it in a working position Rugged construction Enjoy your comfortable, efficient gardening! This garden article is brought to you by Susan Socks, aka the Garden Goddess. Stay tuned for upcoming articles on green lawn care, pruning, garden tools, edible landscapes, and more. For gardening help, email gardengoddess802@gmail.com, or visit www.SocksFamilyFarm.weebly.com

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Bird Walks in May

Lamoille Valley Rail Trail – 7:30 am – Meet at Channel Drive off Route 15. This walk will be led by bird enthusiast, Tom Berriman. Last year we identified over 50 birds in a few hours! Directions: Channel Drive is on Route 15, 2.2 miles west of the junction of Route 2 and 15, and 3.3 miles east of the junction of Routes 215 and 15. Note: You will be directed to off-road parking on Channel Drive on the right after you turn off Route 15. Please carpool where possible and arrive early so we can start promptly. Bring binoculars if you have them. This walk is for all levels of birding knowledge.

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Award

the Cabot Community Service Award was Gary Gulka. If you know of an individual welldeserving of this award, please send a letter prior to June 1 that describes their contributions to either the Cabot School Board or the Cabot Select Board at the addresses listed below. Cabot Select Board, Jenn Miner, chair ℅ Town Clerk’s Office, Willey Building Cabot, VT 05647 tc@cabotvt.us Cabot School Board, Chris Tormey, chair ℅ Cabot School, 25 Common Rd. Cabot, VT 05647 chris.tormey@ccsuvt.net

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Proposed School Merger

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

Chris read a letter dated February 9 from the Twinfield School Board, at the March 23 meeting of the School Board. The letter was about having a conversation regarding potential for a merger. Chris said that since receiving the letter, Twinfield has reached out to U32 to hold discussions, too. He asked the board if they wanted to have a conversation with them now, or later, after there is more clarity from the state. Ellen Cairns said that she would want to bring all the stakeholders to the meeting. Melissa Pratt said that she agreed and they should include Danville and Hazen. Jason Monaco agreed too. Alicia Heber stated that they should hear from the community first, perhaps they could put out a survey. Ellen agreed, and said they should focus on high school merger, and not look at middle school. Matt Foster told the board that Twinfield was going to do a study that included both the high school and middle school. He added that it was not going to be a scientific study, but one that looks

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Part 1: Proposed School

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

On April 2, Chris Tormey, School Board Chair, made a post on Front Porch Forum announcing a special board meeting the next day to discuss a Reduction in Force (RIF) proposal from the school administration. The proposal included eliminating the high school theatre teacher (performing arts) position, the foreign language (Spanish) teacher, and reducing the art teacher from full-time to part-time at 60%. The post stated that the School Board had "tentatively agreed to these reductions in order to free up budget dollars to hire additional staff to assist in math and literacy instruction and support.” Chris also stated in his post that the board had an April 15 deadline to make a final decision. He pointed out that given the number of students opting for regional choice, attending the technical center or early college, the number of students attending classes at the high school was less than 25. At the board meeting on the 3rd, Chris provided more details about the proposal and the justification. He started off his presentation by noting that the contract with the teachers stated that anyone that could possibly be affected by a RIF be notified by April 1. Chris added that since they have until April 15 to make a decision, they were having this meeting to collect public input. Chris shared with the large group in

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Talks

at historical data, trends and weaknesses. And include a summary of each community. The board then discussed the status of Act 73, and Chris shared that he testified at the state legislature. He said he shared his testimony with the board. He talked about the current plan setting the goal to cut the number of districts in half. Chris added that in the draft language of the plan, the AOE (Agency of Education) would have the ability to force districts to consolidate. He said that he testified against forced mergers, and the task force already said it wouldn’t save money. Chris said that forced mergers would have a tough impact on communities. He relayed that at least a couple of the committee members asked if there isn’t a force method, how does the state get the numbers of districts down? Ellen told the board that she wouldn’t mind working on the survey even before the board talks with Twinfield and Danville. Alicia volunteered to work with Ellen. Chris said the sustainability committee could help, but preferred the board creates the initial survey.

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Layoffs

attendance that over the past couple years the school has needed to provide a lot of students assistance to improve their math and literacy skills. He presented the standardized test results from the previous fall showing that 41% of the students in grades 1-10 are proficient in literacy, and 36% of the students in grades 2-10 are proficient in math. He added that the RIF would free up money to address these needs. He then presented a slide showing the elementary enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year.

Grades 1-2

Grades 3-4

Grade 5

Grade 6 17 students

25 students

11 students

14 students

Chris went on to talk about how the large class sizes have a diverse set of skills, and that a class of 24 would benefit from additional support or instruction. He then described that schedule for the elementary classes, noting that nonmath or literacy classes are called specials, which consist of Spanish, art, library, music and physical education. He said that the schedule has two 45 minute blocks of specials each day, and the administration is proposing to reduce that and increase math and literacy classes. Chris said the money saved from the quality of community life for those in the governance and management for the purpose of keeping community via Zoom for those who would like Forum, or you can call the Town Clerk's by clicking on "Selectboard Meetings.

the RIF would be used to hire additional support to teach math and literacy. Chris then presented the projected high school enrollment, presenting another slide showing the changes from

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Cabot School Board Chair

After Chris gave an overview of the proposed Reduction in Force (RIF) at the April 2 meeting, the room full of public had the opportunity to voice their concerns and opinions. Bryeanne Russillo asked about Spanish for the elementary students, and if they would be bussed to Twinfield. Matt responded that Spanish was for middle and high school students. Bryeanne then asked if a foreign language was needed to graduate and if the RIF would create a hardship. Matt said that they would decide next week how foreign language would be offered, either online, by bus, or having the teacher come to Cabot. Robert Herdling, Cabot High School student said that the elementary music teacher does not work with the high school, and wondered why removing the high school music teacher would make more time for the elementary students. Chris said that the position would be eliminated to pay for a math and literacy intervention position. Molly Paire, Cabot High School student, asked about the reduction in the Art teacher position, and Matt Foster said that Danville has 175 students and they only have a 60% part-time art teacher. Freya Van Deusen, Cabot High School student, commented that she has taken band class in the past and that Johnny is a brilliant teacher, noting that he took over after Dove left, and that he is better at teaching Luna. Ellen told Freya that they don’t want to talk about specific teachers, and that the discussion is about positions, not people. Alicia Heber told those in attendance that it was important to go back to the slide that shows proficiencies across the whole school. Chris said the testing in the state is not done for all high school grades, and stops at 10th grade. Ellen added that it was in no way a reflection on anyone’s teaching ability. She added that they were talking about allocating resources. Robert spoke again and said that with a $4.5 million dollar budget, that there residing, doing business, and visiting of our town. members informed about issues to listen in person. Instructions for

Regional Choice

Total 44 10

48

this year to next year. He added that the school didn’t know about the enrollment numbers until the past Monday or Tuesday. Chris noted that the students attending the technical center typically have to return to Cabot in the afternoon to take classes to fulfill their high school requirements. The board then opened the floor to public comment.

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Out

must be a better way. Chris responded that the board heard his comment. Sandy Pond said that it seemed like a band-aid covering up the real problem that students are not learning the basics of math and literacy. She said she would like to know why the students are not learning. Ellen said that it is not a Cabot issue, and is really a national issue, and definitely a state issue. She added that it is partly due to the pandemic. Rory Thibault noted that the state average on proficiencies is 56% and 38% and that Cabot isn’t that far below these averages. He also asked how much money was in the reserve fund, and noted that some of it was used to spend down the tax rate. He proposed that it could be used to hire the math and literacy interventionist positions. Brandy asked what percentage of kids are on IEPs and 504s, and how that impacted the test scores. Matt responded that with the small number of students, they are challenged to share that information without possibly revealing confidential information. Matt added that there are limits on what accommodations can be made on the standardized tests, and it does not allow for all IEP accommodations. Rodney asked what happens if the cuts to the Arts position causes the teacher to quit. Chris expressed that they understand that it is hard to find teachers in Vermont, and it's even harder to sustain a part time position. Darcy said she has five kids in the school, noting that her oldest is thriving. But she added that she had to pull out one of her kids because of bullying, and that her kid only got through the day because of art class. Anna Helfand asked if the high school were to close, would it make for a more balanced elementary. Chris said that sometimes with just preK-8, there aren't enough students to have a full time music teacher. Aedan Scribner asked if it was possible to integrate PBL with more math and literacy, noting that most of the (see, “Part 2”, page 11)

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Quest! One Play to

by Karen Mueller-Harder You won’t want to miss Cabot Community Thea-

c o full-length m e d y adventure: Quest! One Play to Rule Them All. In this show, heroes with the most questionable choices, most ridiculous excuses, and the most dubious motives each share their stories of adventures in the Imaginary Realms. The play, featuring multigenerational 48-person cast of community members, will be performed Thursday through Saturday, May 7-9, at 7:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday matinees on May 9 & 10 at 2:00 pm. Performances will be at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center, located behind the main school building at 25 Common Road. General admission is $10 for everyone; pay with cash, check, or Venmo at the door. If that's more than you can

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School Board Update

by Chris Tormey, Cabot School Board During the past month the Cabot School Board has been working to find a balance between sustaining a strong and valued arts program and providing additional support in math and literacy skills. After getting input from our administrators, community members and a team of Cabot School teachers, we settled on a plan that we believe strikes that balance. In late March we discussed the possibility of reducing or eliminating several positions at Cabot School in order to free up budget dollars to assist in additional instruction and intervention in both math and literacy- and particularly in two large combined-grade classes in the Elementary grades. The positions on the table for potential reduction included Art, World Language, and Theatre Arts. At a special school board meeting held Friday, April 3, a large number of students, parents , teachers and community members came out to voice their strong opposition to making those cuts, and at the same meeting we asked one of our Interim Assistant Principals (Mark Mooney) to pull together a group of Cabot School staff to explore how the increased assistance with math and literacy could be accomplished in-house and without cutting programs/positions. Also during the first week in April, we received specific information on the number of Cabot students expected to pursue their high school education next year outside of Cabot High School. Those numbers are a good deal higher than the current year’s: they include eleven students taking advantage of career and technical education programs, four students enrolled in “Early College” or CCV courses, and ten students opting to attend other public high schools through the Vermont Regional High School Choice Program. This leaves the number of students expected to be taking the

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Rule Them All

easily afford, just ask for the $5 sliding scale option at the door (you don't have to give a reason). Most of our performances do sell out, especially the matinees, so we recommend making reservations: https://tinyurl.com/ Questreservations. Seating is not reserved, unless you need special accommodations. The theater and bathroom are wheelchair accessible; there is designated accessible parking by the school cafeteria. This is a full-length play with a few slightly scary characters, so may not be a good choice for quite young kids. The play is made up of nine different Tales, with the more nuanced plots and most of the scarier characters being in Act 2, so attending just Act 1 might be a good option if you have a younger child (feel free to opt for the $5 sliding scale). And if you have a child who may need to leave or take a break, you can request easy-exit seating on the reservation form; reseating is allowed!) Email info@cct.aroundvt.org if you need more information. See poster on back page.

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on Staffing Decisions

majority of their courses at Cabot High School next year at 23. Because the deadline for notifying teachers of any potential “Reductions in Force” the following school year is April 1, there was in this case no time for our Board to consider reducing core high school staff to teach the reduced numbers of students expected at the high school next year. At a subsequent special School Board meeting held on Thursday, April 9, the team of Cabot School staff organized by Interim Principal Mark Mooney presented a proposal to increase support in math and literacy next year by taking the following steps: 1. Use a combination of the classroom teacher, the school’s Math and Literacy Interventionists, and Special Educators to provide math and literacy instruction in the two combined classes of Grades 1/2 and 3/4. These are larger classes that will require that extra level of support. 2. Use a combination of High School and Specials teachers to assist with support and intervention in math and literacy across the campus. There may be more integrated, longer learning blocks for the high school students in order to free up the staff to do this; as Mark said, that is the type of learning he has long been an advocate for, and will benefit the high school students as well. 3. Replace one of the current two daily specials in the Elementary grades with a daily “WIN Block” that will allow time for students to explore interdisciplinary projects, get extra help with math and literacy skills or have other enrichment opportunities. WIN stands for “What I Need,” and is a way to personalize that time to ensure all students get their needs met. This could also be a time when the art and music teachers could assist with small group work to provide integrated learning opportunities in those areas. These WIN blocks would be on a six-week schedule, so they would provide multiple opportunities for students throughout the school year. Our board then went into Executive Session to discuss “the appointment or employment of employees”(teachers). After a lengthy discussion, our Board came out of Executive Session and unanimously approved the following actions: 1. To not reduce the current World Language Teacher position from 0.6 to 0.0 Full Time Employee (FTE) 2. To reduce the current Art Teacher position from 1.0 to 0.8 FTE 3. To add a new 0.2 FTE paraeducator position 4. To reduce the current Theatre Arts Position from 1.0 to 0.0 FTE

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Cabot Children’s

Cabot Children’s Center teachers (left to Shannon Ducharme. Photo taken by Heather

by Frank Kampf

Cabot is lucky to have a Childcare Center located right in the village. There has been a persistent shortage of childcare in the State of Vermont. One of the key problems facing the state is a shortage of childcare staff. Just last September, the Cabot Children’s Center had to close due to insufficient staffing. After a short hiatus, the center reopened at the beginning of April with new staff and is already serving children from our community, and the surrounding communities. The Children’s Center is located in the lower level of the United Church of

tion (CCA) is the lease-holder for the space and owns all of the equipment, which helps ensure the future presence of childcare in Cabot. The Children’s Center is operated by ABC & LOL Child Care, a high-quality child care service provider, based in St. Johnsbury, that has proven experience in creating environments that are child focused and family friendly. They have centers in St. Johnsbury, Peacham and Cabot. The new staff here in Cabot is deeply passionate about providing high-quality childcare that nurtures each child’s growth, curiosity, and sense of belonging. They are committed to creating a safe, caring, and engaging environment 5. To add a new 1.0 Position in Secondary Language Arts Intervention (to work primarily with students in grades 7-12) 6. To add a new 0.5 position in High School/Middle School Music Our Board greatly appreciates the input that we received from students, staff and community members in reaching these difficult decisions, and regret that (for a variety of reasons) we didn’t give earlier warning and explanation for our reasons for considering these changes. Along with the recommendations from the staff summarized above, we believe that the decisions we reached will serve to sustain our school’s arts and interdisciplinary programs while also increasing the support for developing critical skills in literacy and math. Please reach out with any questions that you may have, and thanks again for your interest and input during this process.

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Center Reopens

right) Holly Gonyaw, Ashley Hatcher, and Smires.

where children feel supported, valued, and encouraged to learn through play and meaningful relationships. Ms. Ashley : I believe children learn best when they feel safe, supported and encouraged to explore. I am passionate about creating a positive environment that nurtures creativity, curiosity and learning through play! Ms. Shannon : I am so excited to be working with your kiddos! I have eight years of experience working with children of all ages, and I also have three of my own. I am a Cabot High School graduate, and I am excited to be back and working in such a tight-knit community. Ms. Holly : I am a native Vermonter and have a great love for the outdoors and exploring new places. I have worked in early childhood education for 22 years. I have worked with all age groups, and I am excited to bring my experience to Cabot as the infant teacher. Along with being an early childhood teacher, I am also a mother to two wonderful kids of my own. The Cabot Children’s Center still has one infant, one toddler, and possibly one preschool spot open, as well as a couple of part-time spots. The center is also looking for substitutes. If you are interested, please contact the center at cabotchildrenscenter@gmail.com or 802-

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Samuel Churchill

 Thomas Brink My future plan is to teach history to middle school students, giving back to them in the same way my teachers supported me.

 Samuel Churchill Samuel Churchill will earn his Commercial Driver’s License and expand Churchill Excavation.

 John Delgaudio-Searles John Delguadio-Searles plans to attend college in the fall to study digital animation art.

 Ethan Garrison Ethan Garrison will be attending Norwich University to major in Electrical and Computer Engineering while competing in the football team.

 Lauren Pecor Lauren Pecor plans to attend college to acquire a degree in the medical field.

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Ben Monaco

 Dave Veroneau Dave Veroneau plans to take to the open road in a truck with his welding equipment and skills.

 Ben Monaco Ben Monaco plans to pursue his second year of college at Community College of Vermont and obtain his Associate’s Degree in Business.

 Cheyenne Showalter (Herdling) Cheyenne Showalter (Herdling) will graduate from the Community College of Vermont in June 2026 with an associate degree in Early Childhood Education, along with an Early Childhood Education Administrator Certificate and a Child Care Certificate. She has earned a place on the Presidents List and is graduating at just 17 years old, completing both her high school diploma and her college degree.

 Raleigh Mousaw Raleigh Mousaw is graduating early and will pursue a degree in ecology at college next fall.

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AND MIDDLE SCHOOL

GRADUATION IS FRIDAY, JUNE 12, AT 5:00 P.M. ON CSPAC LAWN. PUBLIC IS INVITED. by Mark Christensen

For this month's article I thought I would share my personal story with mentoring. In 2010 Richard Bushey was mudding and taping drywall at our house and he casually mentioned that I would be a good mentor for a kid. I made excuses for why I could not but I couldn’t let go of the idea. I’d been thinking: I’ve lived here for over ten years and it’s about time I started giving back to the community. So next thing you know I’m in Kathleen Hoyne’s office and she’s interviewing me. She said she had two boys who were ready to be matched. One was a middle-schooler and the other was age seven and in first grade. My son, Blue, was eight at the time, so I said the older boy might be a better fit, but I also said that I would work with whoever had the greatest need. As it turned out, the older boy wasn’t available after all, so I was matched with Elijah, with whom I had a wonderful eight-plus years of mentoring. We got together a few times a month and did all sorts of things, like playing games, seeing movies, visiting museums, sledding, hunting for frogs, and I took him to the Nutcracker ballet in Barre, which he loved. I had him over for dinner with our family several times, but mostly we did things one-on-one. The last couple years he was in high school, and we switched to In-School mentoring, where I would meet him at the school once a week and for an hour we’d walk around the village, usually getting a snack and playing UNO or some other game at the hardware store or at a picnic table at the Willey Building. He nearly always trounced me at UNO. After that I mentored a couple other boys In-School which worked great with my school bus driving schedule. Mostly we'd go weekly for walks around the village, exploring creeks and trails and maybe get a snack at the store. All four of the boys I did this with seemed to really appreciate getting an hour of break from school and the one-on-one attention of an adult. I know the school teachers and counselors also appreciated this. In 2023 I began mentoring Orion, who's now 11, and we’re still together. The first year we did In-School, but then switched to Community Mentoring. We’ve done so many fun things together, including cross-country skiing at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center and last spring, with Ride the Ridges funds, the mentoring program purchased a secondhand refurbished bicycle from The Old Spokes Home in Burlington which is on loan to Orion until he grows out of it. After we picked up the bike, we went down to the waterfront park on Lake Champlain, and he learned to ride a bicycle all over again. Since then we’ve had many great after-school rides, mostly on the rail trail in Danville, Walden or Hardwick, often followed by an ice cream cone. The greatest gift I receive from being a mentor is the break I get from my busy life. Often, when our time together is approaching, I become a bit stressed thinking that I don’t have the time, but usually after we’ve been hanging together for a couple of hours and I’m having fun, I’ll become relaxed and turn to him and say, thank you for spending time with me because I forgot about my busy list of things to do! The Cabot Mentoring Program has Cabot youth waiting to be matched with a volunteer adult. The initial commitment is for one year of meeting with the mentee four-to-six hours a month. Please contact us if you would like to learn more about the program at:

Mark Christensen, Cabot Mentoring Coordinator Email: cabotmentoring@gmail.com Website: cabotmentoring.org

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Part 2

(continued from page 6) applied math she learned was from building houses. Amy Richardson, current Art teacher at Cabot, noted that there isn’t a written art curriculum at Cabot School, and that she is in the process of building the curriculum. She added that she has kids in her room all day, and talked about the possibility of integrating math or literacy into the art program. Trish Brochu-Cox noted that it seems that the high school is getting close to closing. She said that either the students chose to go somewhere else and get a better education, or stay here and get a mediocre education. She told the board they need to make that decision, even if it’s hard. Chris said that he agreed. Stephany Searles addressed Trish’s comment, and noted that the town has voted to keep the high school, and wondered why any issue always ends up being about the decision of closing the high school. Shannon pointed out that the 2nd grade is doing PBL, but is transitioning back to more classical classes and wondered why that can’t be given some time to see if it improves proficiencies. Matt said he appreciated her comment but said it usually takes 3-5 years to have a significant impact on student scores. Aaliyah wondered if the administration considered any other options to address the math and literacy problem. Matt said they want more time on core education, noting that there is 90 minutes of class time not focused on math or literacy. Aaliyah followed up by asking everyone if anyone else thought that cutting was a good solution. Ellen said that she is not in favor of cutting music and art. She added that she preferred to look at positions in school to meet our students' needs. Ellen said that as school board members, they listen to the administrators, and they would not be responsible school board members if they didn't listen to their advice. Katy Kowalk, foreign exchange student attending Cabot High School, said that from her experience at high level school in Germany, that she doesn’t think time in class is the problem, it is how the time is used. She added that cutting arts is not going to help anyone, and it is going to make the students less motivated. Alison Morrow, the 3rd and 4th grade teacher at Cabot, said that she doesn’t understand where the STAR test data the School Board is sourced. She added that the STAR testing is no longer done in 1st and 2nd grade, so the numbers don’t seem to be accurate. Alison also said that there hasn’t been a lot of communication with the educators about the scores. Brittany Butler stated that arts at Cabot School is tremendously important. She said that seeing her high school children creating short films with music demonstrated a type of learning experience that they wouldn’t get at a larger school.

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UPDATES

Frank Kampf expressed concern that reducing the resources in the high school will further erode the PBL program. He asked whether the current situation is a result of the budget already being passed, and whether staffing needs are now being identified that were not accounted for in that budget. Matt explained that after reviewing staffing levels, student enrollment, and program needs, Cabot can continue to offer specials with fewer staff members. Jenn Tidd, Executive Assistant at Cabot School, said that the percentage of students that are going to attend the tech programs shows that Cabot School is doing the right thing. She said that admittance is highly competitive and based upon attendance and grades. Jenn added that the number of students attending early college means they’ve done the work. She asked how can such a small school sustain itself if up to 12 slots (25%) are open for regional choice when the state says to limit it to 4%. Alicia said that there are more students that are opting to go elsewhere. Jenn replied that it was not sustainable and Alicia agreed that the school was not sustainable. Bryeanne Russillo noted that she took her daughter out of the school because of the behaviors of other kids in class. She said the teachers are phenomenal, but the school doesn’t seem to be addressing the behavior issue, and questioned whether adding more time and resources was going to solve the problem. Molly Paire, stating that she is only 15 and doesn’t know about money or decision making, that she doesn’t really have any other option than to attend Cabot School. She expressed that the board should really consider how they are going about this, perhaps adjust the curriculum in a different way rather than getting rid of stuff. Molly said to add more English to art, and more math in music. She emphasized that she is going to be one of those 23 attending classes next year, and asked the board to think about the 23. Sandy Pond said she didn’t feel like the RIF proposal was the answer. She stated that the School has been discipline in Cabot atrocious. She relayed that she has taught pottery classes at Twinfield with 24 students and it was a delight, they knew when to speak. She said that here at Cabot she has five students and she has to teach the class how not to be rude, rather than teaching pottery. Sandy said that there is no learning when there are behavioral issues, and the discussion should be more about why there is no learning. Alison asked her question again about where the assessment data originated. Chris said that the data was from the curriculum director, and was from the STAR assessment conducted in the fall of 2025. He admitted that he may have gotten the grade range incorrect when he copied the data. The board ended the public comment segment of the meeting and started a board discussion about the proposed RIF. Jason Monaco asked when the curriculum changed to two specials. Rory Thibault answered, since no one in administration or the board were sure, and said it was in 2018 or 2019 when they went to multi-grade classrooms in the elementary grades. Ellen said they heard from the community, and the preponderance of opinion was not to move forward with the RIF. She added that the administration was for the RIF, but she was swayed to wait for the new principal. Alicia said that since Act 73 came out, it became clear that Cabot was on shaky ground. She noted that class size minimums can’t be avoided. She said that Cabot School doesn’t work for everyone, and that it won’t work for her children, adding that the high school is not sustainable. Alicia stated that it would be a disservice for the students not to have access to the arts. She said the best thing they can do is close the High School.

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Part 3: School Staff

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The April 9 special meeting of the School Board saw a lot of Cabot teaching staff attend. It became apparent as to why when Chris Tormey announced that a number of staff have been working on ways to address the issue. Chris said that the board had directed Mark Mooney to assemble the staff members to discover ways to get more math and reading instruction without the need to have a Reduction in Force (RIF). Mark told the board that a lot of the team was present at the meeting, and he was encouraged while working with the group of educators. He said that the staff considered all students at Cabot as their students, whether they are teaching them or not. Mark stated that their proposal shifted the silos, providing an example of an English teacher offering literacy intervention. He explained the three goals the group set out to fulfill. First, make sure they continue Tier 1 instruction (regular education). Second, establish tier 2 instruction (intervention) across K-12. Third, return to a schedule that supports project-based learning (PBL). Ellen Cairns said her understanding was that K-4 needs intervention more than the middle or high schools. Mark went on to explain the plan. He said that starting at the bottom, where K-4 are the largest classes, there were a couple of ways to approach the problem. Mark noted that they could either pull the kids in need out of class, or they could put more teachers in the class to provide support. He added that they would do a little of both. Mark went on to explain that the heart of the day is the long math block, and the long literacy block. He said that the interventionist would be in the class during these blocks, noting that a paraeducator and a special educator might also be in those classes too. He explained that the group looked a lot at what was done in the past, when the high school had longer blocks, and the project classes covered more subjects (i.e. English combined with science). Mark noted that they have high school teachers licensed to work with 7th and 8th graders, and some with 5th and 6th Chris asked Alicia if she supported the RIF, and she responded that the RIF is just a band-aid. Melissa Pratt expressed that she didn’t support taking away any of the arts programs. She added that they need to find solutions, and be creative with our staff. Jason said there are needs regardless of the test scores, and said the kids can’t read. He stated there are ways to add staff using the reserved funds. He expressed that they may still have to do some of the RIF. Mark Mooney told the board that he and Steve Owens, and some of the teachers, have given the issue some thought. He added that things need to change, but there are a lot of things that they can do. Chris reminded everyone that they were not making any decision about the RIF that night, and they would be meeting next week to finalize their decision.

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Makes Proposal

graders. He noted that the current high school math teacher could get his interventionist license reinstated and he could work with all grades. Mark then proposed a “win” block. He explained they had something like it at Twinfield, and the block would be used to provide instruction to meet individual students’ needs. He added that one way to free up teachers would be shifting the responsibility of covering lunch and changing planning time to integrated planning time. Peter Stratman added that the proposal focused on utilizing resources differently than we have in the past. Chris questioned if the plan would create the equivalent of two full-time positions in supporting math and literacy. Peter responded that they couldn’t predict who would still be teaching at Cabot next year because contracts hadn't been issued yet, but they targeted the equivalent of two full-time positions for intervention. Chris asked for more information about the “win” block. Matt Foster explained that it would take the place of the second special in the Elementary class schedule, and it would be where the neediest kids get support. He added that if a kid was meeting proficiency, it was a block where they could get extra facilitation. Matt also said the “win” block would prepare students for PBL. After some more discussion, Chris asked Mark for his assessment, and Mark thought it was possible. He said that some teachers would need to look at additional endorsements. Ellen asked about returning to the longer block in high school and stated that the schedule was changed so they would more align with the other high schools. Mark responded that longer blocks with multiple teachers are easier to figure out, rather than a seven-block day which would tie each teacher to specific classes. Alicia Heber asked how the high school schedule varied for the different grades. Laura McCaffrey explained the high school schedule, noting there was a home room advisory and a number of project classes. Laura said that in the past, the projects were more integrated (see, “Part 3”, page 12)

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Part 3

(see, “Part 3”, page 11) across the subjects, for instance English and social studies, and students would get credit for both. Thomas Dunbar added that the previous administration reduced the integration of multiple subjects to put students into smaller groups. Laura explained that most of the classes are 9th and 10th graders with a

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Part 4: Board Makes

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

After listening to the proposal from Mark Mooney and the staff at Cabot School, the School Board went into executive session under authorization of Vermont State statute: 1 V.S.A. § 313(a) (3) to discuss the appointment or employment of a public officer or employee. The board spent more than 90 minutes in executive session, after which they made a series of motions to RIF several teaching positions at Cabot School. The board decided unanimously to eliminate the full-time theater arts position and post open positions for a secondary language arts position, and a 50% part-time high school and middle school music teacher. (NOTE: the theater arts teacher had been teaching high school and middle school music, but he was not licensed to teach music.)

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Cabot’s Park and Ride

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

Neighbors in Action (NIA) was present at the April 21 Selectboard meeting to discuss an issue with the Town’s Park and Ride located next to the Masonic Hall, owned by NIA and used for all their Cabot events. Judy Dunnan, the chair of the board of directors, spoke about an issue they had with the use of the Park and Ride lot. She reminded the board that NIA bought the property from the town, which includes the parking lot, but the town continues to operate the Park and Ride under the terms of the grant it received to pave the parking lot. Judy relayed the story behind the issue, telling the board that an individual started parking their truck in the lot this past October. She said that he would move the truck whenever they had an event, otherwise he left the truck parked there all the time. Judy told the board that the truck broke down during the winter and the individual left the truck there, which interfered with use of the lot during NIA events. She said that the issue with the truck has since been resolved, but noted that situation has brought a concern that needs to be addressed. Judy said that the NIA wants to prevent this situation from happening in the future. Judy talked about having the town set parameters on the use of the Park

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UPDATES

few 11th graders, and other classes are generally 10th and 11th graders with a few 12th graders. She added with the different grades, learning has to be done in a more personalized way. Mark reminded the board about what one student, Molly Paire, said at the last meeting: “don’t forget about the 24 students that will be here” attending classes at Cabot High School.

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Decision

The board also decided unanimously to reduce the art teacher position to 80% part-time, and post an open position for a 20% part-time para-educator. Additionally, the board made two decisions regarding the Spanish teacher position, but at separate meetings. At this meeting the board decided unanimously to keep the 60% part-time Spanish teacher position. However, the board held another special meeting on April 13, where they again went into executive session to discuss the appointment or employment of a public officer or employee. Upon exiting the executive session, the board announced the decision not to offer a contract for the 2026-2027 school year to the current Spanish teacher, Soledad Herrera.

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UPDATES

and Ride lot. She mentioned that Plainfield has done that for their municipal Park and Ride. Judy added that the state has regulations governing the state-run Park and Rides. Mike Hogan said the true definition of a Park and Ride means that it is not meant for long term parking. Peggy Miller suggested that maybe signage would help, and recalled that some places have had problems with people setting up living out of vans and campers in a Park and Ride. Judy asked how that can be done. She pointed out that NIA owns the land, but the Town maintains the Park and Ride for another eight years. She added that the Plainfield regulations only allow people to park for a maximum of 72 hours. Fred Ducharme stated that Cabot’s Park and Ride is not for overnight parking. Brittany Butler suggested they look at the Park and Ride grant parameters, and noted that it might be 21 days before they can tow a car. Jenn Miner said they can have tighter regulations than the state imposes, but not looser regulations regarding the Park and Ride. Jenn added that the town can look at possible signage. Dale Brown of NIA mentioned that the vehicle that was parked all winter in the NIA lot was not legal. He suggested that requiring a vehicle be registered and inspected should be part of the rules for the Park and Ride.

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Cabot Garage Relocation

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer The Cabot Garage relocation project came to the forefront of Selectboard discussions at the April 7 meeting. Gary Gulka told the board that they do not have funding yet for the south tributary flood mitigation project yet, but that moving the Cabot Garage would be a prerequisite for the project. He reminded the board that the town obtained a grant to evaluate alternative sites onto which the Cabot Garage could be located, and the sites had been narrowed down to the Whittier Hill Road site, and the opposite side of the Willey Building. Gary also reminded them that at the last meeting the board stipulated that a relocation onto the Willey Building property must not create a net loss of parking spots. Gary presented a diagram which showed a conceptual sketch of where Cabot Garage could be located on the opposite side of the Willey Building, and how parking spots could be rearranged. He also had a handout showing the Whittier Hill Road location and where the building would be located across from Cabot Commons. He added that they have the funding to do a detailed analysis of both sites. Emily, from Dubois and King, started with an explanation of the Whittier Hill Road site. She said that it was simpler because it was flat, and the only constraints were the zoning setbacks. Emily said there was room to make adjustments to the size of the building. She added that because it was on Cabot Creamery property, any building or parking lot would trigger Act 250. She said that in the conceptual sketch they were trying to keep the impervious surface less than ½ acre to avoid triggering additional permit requirements. Mike Hogan asked about the size of the building and Emily said it was 60 feet by 40 feet. Then Mike asked about the opinion of Cabot Creamery, and Gary said they are open to selling it, and that they expect some sort of compensation. Brittany Butler said she doesn’t see any obstacles for an Act 250 subdivision. Mike Cookson said that, from a business point of view, it doesn’t have the visibility of a village center location. He said that the space was a plus, but being on a back road is a detriment to business. Emily then described the Willey Building site. She said they tried to maximize the number of parking spaces in the current lot, as well as adding parking adjacent to the playground, but it would be

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Community Dance

by Karen Mueller-Harder

On Friday, May 8, come kick up your heels at the Cabot Community Contra Dance, featuring the friendly calling of Don Stratton! The dance takes place in the lovely third floor space in the Willey Building (Cabot Town Hall, 3084 Main Street), from 79:30 pm. Live music is provided by a great group of local musicians--feel free to just come and listen if you prefer! Enjoy a great sense of community and reconnecting with others after the elevated. The conceptual sketch also had additional parking located on the townowned property situated behind the house that sits above and behind the Willey Building, which was referred to as the “flag” lot. Jenn Miner asked about the flag lot, and if anyone understood its relationship to the stream bank. Emily said that in the drawing it was set back 50 feet, and because there is an existing trail, it is relatively flat and would involve less grading. She added that the flag lot could be a future addition because the existing lots plus the playground lot might create enough parking spaces. Mike Cookson suggested a conceptual drawing might be more helpful, saying the average person may not be able to visualize the concept well. Fred Ducharme mentioned that everyone he has talked to is totally against the Willey Building site, and he agrees. Gary said the flood resilience task force has the same opinion as Fred, and they felt the Whittier Hill Road location is a more reasonable proposal. He added that since the Willey Building site is town land, the town would need to vote on selling the land. There was some additional discussion about room for the flat bed truck, and the possibility of gaining parking spaces over the current layout of the parking lot. Jenn proposed moving the playground over to the green space that remained after removing Cabot Garage and building the bridge. R.D. Eno pointed out that a condition of the buyout would require the green space not be used for any structure. The board approved moving forward with further analysis of both locations, with Fred opposing the motion. The discussion then turned to the topic of debris catchers. Gary recalled a discussion he and Jenn had with Sid Griggs and Sid’s concern about the debris from the tributary. Gary reminded the board that they don’t have permission to access the stream from the Glinka property, but he proposed accessing the stream from the area of the conceptual flag lot. He noted that they still had the funding to do the evaluation of debris catchers, and it was worth looking at an alternative location. Gary said it might work, or may not work, but that would have to be determined by the engineers. At the April 21 meeting the board approved amending the contract with Dubois and King to evaluate the feasibility of placing debris catchers in the stream at the location accessible from the conceptual flag lot.

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on May 8

long winter! and all ages No partner is needed, and abilities are welcome. We use genderless terminology and all dances are taught, and easy to learn, but if you’ve never been to a contra, you are encouraged to arrive right at 7:00 to learn the basics, and then we’ll build upon what you learn throughout the evening. Admission is on a sliding scale, $510 suggested, but nobody is turned away for lack of funds! Come see what contra dancing is all about--you’ll only wish you’d discovered it sooner!

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Summer Youth Job Opportunity -

The library is looking for 1-2 teens to assist with summer programming and library related projects. Must be at least 15 years old, have transportation to and from the library, love working with kids of all ages, and have a strong work ethic! Email amandaotto.cabotlibrary @gmail.com for more information. Applications are due by Monday, May 11. This opportunity is made possible by the Wiswell Foundation.

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Plant Share (all ages) - Saturday,

May 2, 5 - 7 pm - The Library and Nama Farm team up for discussion and celebration of how Cabot feeds people in times like these. Bring: Seeds, extra garden Seedlings, family Photos, farm and garden Stories, a clearly labeled Grandparent's Dish to Share, or just COME & BE FED - all are welcome!

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Knitting Group - 1st & 3rd Satur-

days of the Month - 10:30 - 11:30 am Whether you've been knitting for decades or days, join this welcoming group of stitchers at the library. If you're a beginner, we will teach you some basic stitches to get you started; if you already knit or crochet, bring a current project to work on. Materials provided - all are welcome!

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Wednesday of the month, 10 am -

noon - Play the ancient tile game with friends and neighbors. Game sets will be available for use, no equipment is needed. Both fun and challenging, the game of Mah Jongg is said to improve memory, decision-making skills and patience. Story & Activity Time (birth - ages 5+) - Ongoing, Wednesdays - 10:30 - 11:30 am - Cabot Rec Field Pavilion - Join Amanda Otto for stories, songs, crafts, snacks and open play. All are welcome!

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Reading with Rudy! (ages 5+) -

Wednesday, May 6 - 2:30 - 3:30 pm Discover the joy of reading to a furry friend through a Read to a Therapy Dog program. Rudy is a specially trained therapy dog who has years of experience with children and the Cabot community. Bring a book, or borrow one from the

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Spring Foraging: Morels & More -

Thursday, May 14 - 9 - noon - Spring is prime time for some of the most sought-after wild fungi in the northeast — and morels top the list. Join Annabelle Langlois, local mycologist, for a three-hour session combining an indoor talk on spring fungal species (identification, ecology, and a few cautionary look-alikes) with an optional outdoor walk to put that knowledge to the test. The walk will be weather permitting. If conditions aren’t cooperative, we’ll keep the conversation going inside. Either way, you'll leave with a sharper eye for what's emerging underfoot this time of year. All experience levels are welcome!

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Cabot Book Group - Thursday, May

28 - 2 - 3 pm - May’s book selection is One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad. From award-winning novelist and journalist Omar El Akkad comes a powerful reckoning with what it means to live in a West that betrays its fundamental values. One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This is a chronicle of that painful realization, a moral grappling with what it means, as a citizen of the U.S., as a father, to carve out some sense of possibility in a time of carnage. Email cabotlibrary@yahoo.com for more info and to be added to the book group email list. Thanks so much to our library volunteers Vicky Palmer and Beth Wade, and to our program volunteers and collaborators Losada Stoddard, Kay Ghose, Katherine Chatot, Niall McCallum, Christina Ducharme, Dana Glazier, Kerri Moll and K9 Member Rudy! Additional thanks to the Wiswell Foundation and Roman Kokodyniak for their donations to support youth and to Peter Dannenberg and the estate of Bonnie Dannenberg for donating a beautiful assortment of yarn for our Knitting Group. We are so grateful to our Library Trustees who provide support and direction: Angela Ogle, Leah Sare, Kurt Steinert, Erin Ruddell, and Taeryn Robbins. See you at the library! Kathleen Hoyne - Library Co-Director Amanda Otto - Library Co-Director Christina Sacalis - Assistant Librarian

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May Day Community Celebration

and Trunk Sale Saturday, May 2, from 1 to 4 pm Join the Friends of the Jaquith Library for a May Day celebration with live music., Maypole dancing, children’s crafts, bake and book sale and a communitywide trunk sale. To participate in the trunk sale, contact the library. This event is rain or shine. All proceeds to benefit the Friends of the Jaquith’s support of library events, including summer concerts.

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Green-up Day at the Old School-

house Common in Marshfield Saturday, May 2, from 10 to 1 pm Please help us clean up the grounds around the Old Schoolhouse Common. There is trash that was buried under the snow and is now popping up all over the place. Help us beautify our outside space before the May Day Festival.

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Thursday, May 14, at 6:30 pm

A construction worker makes an accidental discovery which reveals that many public figures, politicians and newscasters are aliens disguised as humans. When he is found out, the world of influential “people” spares nothing to track him down and get rid of him. (1998) For the title contact the library.

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At the Stranahan Town Forest

Join naturalists Bob Popp and Betsy Ziegler to meet some of the many species of birds who are returning to our Vermont woods after their long spring migrations. We’ll learn to identify species by both sight and sound, and also discuss bird behavior and ecology. We will meet at the Stranahan Town Forest parking lot at the beginning of Thompson Road (right off of Hollister Hill Road). This event is cosponsored by the Marshfield Conserva-

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Song for a Place and Its People

(Rootstock Publishing). Through Nadine’s role as the Literary Executor of the David Budbill Literary Estate, she stewards her beloved late father’s body of work and creative legacy. In his lifetime (1940-2016), David Budbill authored eight books of poems, seven plays, two novels, a collection of short stories, a picture book for children, the libretto for an opera, and dozens of essays. He was posthumously named “The People’s Poet of Vermont." In addition to this role, Nadine has made a long career in the nonprofit sector, having worked with myriad mission-driven organizations focused on gender and racial equity, social justice, and education (passions she inherited from her social-justice-minded father). Nadine grew up in Wolcott, surrounded by the hills, back roads, trees, and people that provided the inspiration for her father’s writing. She will be reading a selection of David's timeless poetry, spanning from his prose-like poems about people and place in rural Vermont, to his simple-yet-poignant ancient Chineseinspired poems. In addition to the Jaquith Library Staff, hosts for the Sunday afternoon poetry readings will be PSOV board members, David Hartnett and Elizabeth McCarthy. The readings are free and open to the public. A collaboration between the Poetry Society of Vermont and the Jaquith Public Library.

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Thursday, May 21, at 6:30 pm

Vermont's rivers have long shaped where and how communities grew, but recent storms have made clear just how vulnerable those same waterways can leave us today. Devastating recent rain events, including in July 2023 and 2024 and Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, have demonstrated that many communities in Vermont are vulnerable to damage from flooding. In this presentation historian Alan Berolzheimer examines how the development of settlement patterns over time have contributed to the problem of flooding in Vermont. Presentations will be adapted with town-specific content to the extent possible.

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Reflections on Memorial

by Jane Brown As Memorial Day approaches, my thoughts go back to how one of Cabot’s ministers honored Cabot’s service men and women throughout the WI years. Rev. Emery H. “Nick” Nickerson, his pretty young wife, Ruth, and their little daughter came to serve at Cabot’s united church around 1941. They lived in the parsonage across the road from the church, and dove into their service through the church with enthusiasm, opening their home to young people and the community, doing what they could to ease the pain and worry about loved ones who had gone into the service. There was no easy or quick way for families to keep in touch. Telephone calls were expensive even if accessible, and mail was slow. Sometimes weeks or even months went by without hearing from those in the military. At the same time, those young men and women who were away from home, many for the first time, worried about family, friends, or spouses left back here. Many were homesick for the hills of Vermont and longed for any news from home. Rev. Nickerson wanted to establish a connection between the community and its young men and women scattered across the nation and serving in two theaters of war. He decided to compose and send a monthly newsletter to each service member in Cabot and a few in neighboring towns like Marshfield and Walden. To do this, he solicited the cooperation of townspeople to help pay production costs and postage, and enlisted the help of Ruth and some young women from the church youth group. He composed the newsletter and typed it onto stencils that were printed on legal-size paper using the school’s mimeograph machine, a state-of-the-art printing mechanism at the time. Ruth and her helpers ran off, assembled, addressed, and mailed 200 copies or more each month. The first CONTACT was sent in March 1942. It consisted of four pages with town news and a few funny quips. The April edition was a bit larger and had names and rank of everyone from Cabot serving in the military. Of those, 21 were serving overseas. At that time the list included only one woman, Lt. May Wheeler. Names on the list included several Barnett boys, a couple of

Service flag dedication, June, 1944. Photo lection.

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Day

SSgt. Ernest Maynard, USAF, KIA Mar. 6, 1944, somewhere in Italy, European Theater. Photo from Cabot Oral History Committee collection. Boltons, six Ennis boys from South Cabot, two Maynard boys and two Foster boys from Cabot Plain, several Wheelers – most had gone to school together in Cabot. There were also thankyou notes from several young men, grateful for the first newsletter, and also thanking the Goodrich family for sending maple candy. There would be more packages sent over the next three years, and many grateful letters in response. That April issue also noted the first Cabot boy to be killed in action in that war, Sgt. Ernest Maynard, the eldest son of Fred and Julia Maynard on Cabot Plain. Ernest was a gunner on a B-17 bomber shot down over Italy. His brother, Martin, was serving in the Marines. The community was stunned – it was a sobering reminder of what being at war meant. Also in that issue was news from town meeting. George Carpenter was moderator, and the town clerk and treasurer was C. S. Martin. Selectman was Ed C. Gould; Overseer of the Poor, W. D. Barnett; Road Commissioner, Leon Perry; School Director, H. J. Tebbetts; Lister, George Carpenter; Tax

from Cabot Oral History Committee colCollector, Charles Carpenter; Auditors: R. M. Hoyt, Richard Bothfeld, Mary C. Rogers; Grand Juror, Arthur Bartlett; Budget Commissioner, Dr. Raymond B. Bolton; Cemetery Trustee, Charles Harvey; Sexton, Maurice Wheeler. This was the sort of back-home news the young men were craving. At the end of that newsletter there was a short paragraph offering to connect readers with friends in the service, stressing that while addresses couldn’t be published in the CONTACT, Nick would act as a go-between. He asked for letters and promised to respond, which he did faithfully. From that point on, the CONTACT issues grew to include dozens of excerpts from letters received at the parsonage or shared by families, plenty of jokes and funny poems, town news, and just a sprinkling of religious references. New Testaments were sent when requested and “Nick” made sure everyone knew his door was always open to them. The newsletter was a hit and many Cabot families “subscribed” as a way to keep in touch with Cabot’s heroes. The excerpts from those letters helped unify the community, so when notice was received that someone was missing in action or wounded, neighbors reached out to offer help and comfort the worried families. In June, 1944, the newsletter announced that the town had a new ser-

August 1944 CONTACT cover honoring Sgt. Claire Knapp, KIA June 2, 1944. Photo by Jane Brown

vice flag, eight by twelve feet, with a single gold star and the number “1” under it to honor Sgt. Maynard. It had a blue star with the number “103” under it, honoring all service members at that time. Both numbers would change as months and years went by. The flag was displayed across Main Street between Rogers Store and the Common. A somber Memorial Day celebration was held at Willey Hall that spring. Members of the Woman’s Club, school students, and guest speakers participated with meaningful readings, songs, and comments. The hall was filled with community members acutely aware of the serious business of war. A year later, in June 1945, the newsletter had grown to 12 pages and inCabot’s Service Memorial, Willey Hall, Main Street, with plaque honoring WI and WI service. Photo by Jane Brown

cluded both town and commencement news along with more quotes from service members’ letters. The excerpts from letters received included bits about life in the service, but details like places and dates were not allowed – the risk of information getting to the enemy was great. The newsletter was filled with news about town, local farmers who were operating with more stock to fulfill government needs for farm products, but who had about 50% less help because so many young men were serving in the war, and how neighbors were banding together to assist one another to make up for the shortage in manpower. There was a section about Cabot students who were home from universities – Pauline Simpson graduated from Johnson; Ilene Goodrich was home from Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y.; Betty Walker graduated from University of Vermont and was joining the WAC, and Susan Walker was home briefly from UVM but would continue her studies at summer school. Cabot’s high school graduating class that year was Loris Harrington, Roberta Perry, Bette Colomb, Margaret Joyal, James Carleton, and Walter Bothfeld. At graduation services, Principal Charles Boright read the names of 20 alumni who were serving in the military. A special service was held at the church on Saturday, June 2, 1945, in honor of Sgt, Claire Knapp who was killed on June 2 the year before in Italy. The service was opened with appropriate hymns by the choir and organist, Betty (Pike) Bolton. After scripture readings, Rev. Nickerson spoke about Claire and directed comforting remarks to his family. A white cross was in place in front of the podium, with flowers on either side and a photo of Claire in uniform. At the close of the service, Thomas Cerasoli, in his uniform as S/Sgt. in the Air Corps, came forward and laid an evergreen wreath at the base of the cross. He then placed Claire’s overseas cap on top of the cross. He stepped back and held a salute while Mrs. Bolton played “taps” on the organ. More than 100 people were present at that service. The following year in the June, 1946, issue, Rev. Nickerson wrote:: “. . . the next issue brings us to the close of CONTACT after 3 ½ years. We are grateful to you for the many letters you wrote to us. Cabot will not soon forget what you did (see, ’Reflections’, page 15)

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← From the Cabot Chronicle