Join us to learn more about Proficiency Based Learning and understand how your child's progress in Math & ELA is reported on their report cards.

Facilitated by: Amanda Riggleman, BUUSD Director of Curriculum

When: November 19, 2025, 5 pm- 6pm
Where: Spaulding High School Library
Virtual Option: https://meet.google.com/ofu-opop-skg

This fall, the Barre Town Middle School community participated in its 7th annual Rock, Paper, Scissors Challenge. This challenge is designed so that the last four participants represent their grade level from grades 5 to 8.

Barre Town Middle School 7th and 8th graders performed a Spring Concert on May 29, 2025.

Barre Town Middle School 5th and 6th graders performed a Spring Concert on May 28, 2025.

Stacy Emerson, NNE General Manager of Vermont & New Hampshire Student Transportation of America (STA) shares an update on why the two electric buses previously parked in front of BTMES have been removed.

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.

Barre Town Middle School 5th and 6th graders performed a Winter Concert on January 16, 2025.

Barre Town Middle School 7th and 8th graders performed a Winter Concert on December 19, 2024.

On November 15, BTMES Middle School Drama Club put on a Skit Night to raise funds for their spring show. What a splendid evening!

We have had a wonderful Teacher/Staff Appreciation week! Our school board has supported and sponsored Appreciation Breakfasts all week at each of our schools, and it was a terrific opportunity for many of our board members to connect with the people who work with our students every day. These breakfasts were well attended and greatly appreciated by all!

As I was enjoying breakfast on Wednesday morning at BTMES with a group of teachers, I got to join a wonderful conversation with 7th grade teacher Darby Heibert and some of her colleagues about Edgar Allen Poe and how she is introducing his works to her students.  BUUSD Director of Curriculum Karen Fredericks joined Darby and her students yesterday to see what's going on, and you can see here how incredibly engaging and fun this work has been after hearing from her and her students!

This work is typical of what is happening in all of our schools. We have much to be proud of!

With this pride in mind, I want to remind the community that our FY25 Budget Revote is next Tuesday, May 14. Everything you need to know about the budget, from the basics to deep details, can be found on our website here: BUUSD Budget Page

We think the link to Frequently Asked Questions is particularly helpful! Please remember to cast your ballot and spread the word to your friends and neighbors to remind them to do the same!

Have a great weekend, and Happy Spring!

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.

This week's School Showcase bring us into the woods with ECO at BTMES!  Our friends at the North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier have helped bring ECO (Educating Children Outdoors) to both BTMES and BCEMS for years, and we got to experience a wonderful hour in the woods with a group of BT 5th graders this week on a perfect autumn day.

After watching this video, you surely will have never seen a group of students more fascinated by fungus in your life!  BTMES teachers Kevin Rondeau and Luke Spencer bring their students out for ECO every Wednesday, and I was incredibly impressed with the whole lesson.  I learned more about mushrooms in that hour than I ever have!  North Branch teacher/naturalist Carrie Riker joined the team and also provided her expertise and fun, safe approach to learning about mushrooms.  The kids had such an engaging experience foraging for the diverse and wide variety of mushrooms to be found on the trail, and every single student was having a blast while experiencing that natural world.  The community can be proud that our schools provide opportunities like this for all of our students.

I recently joined the BTMES 7th grade team for their first Town Hall of the year, and it was a terrific and impressive experience!  7th grade teachers, BTMES principal Erica Pearson, and assistant principal Ted Mills led our students through an engaging session that focused on relationship building and social/emotional learning.  I found the presentation on Hazing, Harassment, and Bullying led by Mr. Mills to be particularly compelling, and our students had incredibly thoughtful questions to share with the group.  These Town Halls will be occurring across grades at BTMES all year; please reach out to the BTMES team if you'd like more information.  Check out our interview with the principals and some of our students.

Finally, we hope to see you at this weekend's Barre Heritage Festival!  The weather is looking great, and many of us from the BUUSD will be present for the fun on Saturday.  Check out this link with more information about the weekend.