School news
WUHS students gain valuable experience with the VYCC
WUHS students Des Early and Lyon Maksimovic successfully completed a four week Vermont Youth Conservation Corps crew experience. They worked at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park on a variety of projects from lumber management to kiosk installation to creating new water drainage on their network of hiking trails.
Des and Lyon learned valuable leadership skills when they worked with The Community Campus campers to maintain trails, and walked away with a long list of new technical skills.
Des is earning school credit for this experience through Woodstock Union’s Center of Community Connections (C3).
Well done, Des and Lyon!
Plant sale happening September 24-27
The Woodstock Union High School Agriculture Department will host our second annual Native Plant Sale this fall! The sale will run from 9am to 6pm Wednesday, September 24th and 9am-2pm Thursday, September 25th through Saturday, September 27th. If these dates do not work for you, please contact Abbie (abbie.castriotta@mtnviews.org) to set up an appointment to shop for your plants.
Native plants are the keystone species for our local food webs. By planting native plants, you are providing food and habitat for insects, birds, and other wildlife. They are adapted to live in our local ecosystems and, therefore, require less maintenance, less water, and no fertilizer. And they are beautiful!
Students in the agriculture classes collected seeds for many of these plants last fall, planted them in pots to cold stratify over the winter, and cared for and divided them over the spring and summer. Now they are ready to be planted into your garden! Fall is a great time to plant native plants because the soil and temperature in the fall provides ideal conditions for new growth. Next spring, the plant will come back strong and ready to bloom.
We have 32 different species for sale this year! We are offering the native plants at a sliding scale cost ($0 - $15). We estimate that it costs us approximately $5 to grow each native plant though to buy the same plant through a nursery would likely cost $10-$20. All proceeds directly benefit the Woodstock Union Agriculture Department. Your support helps to ensure that our greenhouse and gardens are thriving spaces where we can continue to teach and learn about agriculture, stewardship, sustainability, and systems thinking through experiential learning. We take cash or checks. The sale will take place behind the Woodstock Union High School. Please bring a cardboard box or tray.
To learn more about our CRAFT (Community and Climate Resilience through Agriculture, Forestry, and Technology) program visit www.wuhsmscraft.org. Click on the “plant sale information” to see our plant list.
Students complete original scientific research at CRREL
Recently graduated Izzy Cellini and current senior Brody Allen presented scientific posters about their work this summer at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL). Izzy, a second year intern, and Brody, a first year intern, worked over the summer to gain hands-on research experience in cold regions science and engineering.
AP Art History starts year in a prehistoric cave
Dr. Gravel’s AP Art History students didn’t just learn about prehistoric art on their first day of class—they lived it. To kick off Unit 1, Dr. Gravel transformed her classroom into a prehistoric cave. The room was dimly lit with lanterns and candles, and students used charcoal to sketch animals and human figures on simulated “cave walls.”
The immersive activity wasn’t just for fun—it illustrated the way early artwork reveals what mattered most to cultures without a written language. Students discussed why animals were depicted with intricate detail while people were drawn as simple stick figures: animals were vital to survival, as they provided food in a world where the next meal was never guaranteed.
Using charcoal connected students to history in another way—it’s an organic material that archaeologists and historians rely on for radiocarbon dating, stratigraphic dating, and contextual evidence to understand when and why buried art was made.
Students left with a deeper appreciation for the idea that art is more than images on a wall—it is a record of survival, culture, and human experience. As one student shared, “It felt like we were really in a cave making history.” Another commented, “How cool it was… this is where it all started.”
By stepping into the past, students began to see how art tells the story of humanity when words are not available.
Using charcoal connected students to history in another way—it’s an organic material that archaeologists and historians rely on for radiocarbon dating, stratigraphic dating, and contextual evidence to understand when and why buried art was made.
Students left with a deeper appreciation for the idea that art is more than images on a wall—it is a record of survival, culture, and human experience. As one student shared, “It felt like we were really in a cave making history.” Another commented, “How cool it was… this is where it all started.”
By stepping into the past, students began to see how art tells the story of humanity when words are not available.
Middle School recognized as a School of Distinction
We're thrilled to share that Woodstock Union Middle School has been named a 2025 AMLE School of Distinction, an honor that recognizes outstanding middle schools worldwide. Only 24 schools across the globe received this recognition from the Association for Middle Level Education this year!
Our school’s AMLE profile, included below, highlights some of what makes WUMS special.
Key Practices
Place-based Education
Outdoor Community Building
Advisory
SEL
Teaming
Shared MS/HS resources
Wide Variety of Extracurricular Opportunities
Integrated Units of Study
Highlights of Exemplary Practices
Essential Attribute: An Education for Young Adolescents Should Be Responsive
At Woodstock Union Middle School, we weave a narrative of responsiveness, where student voice is the heartbeat of our community, driving meaningful change. Students shape their learning environment by influencing clubs, classroom topics, and vibrant events like the Winter and Spring Carnivals. Our diverse electives—ranging from computer programming and robotics to cooking and performing and visual arts—empower students to explore new passions and skills. When students voiced a need for more downtime, we reinstated recess after lunch, supporting their mental and physical well-being. A full-time social-emotional learning (SEL) specialist provides tailored support, while our advisory program, strengthened through professional development led by the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE), ensures we listen and adapt to meet student needs. This deep commitment to responsiveness creates a school where every voice matters and every student thrives.
Essential Attribute: An Education for Young Adolescents Should Be Engaging
Woodstock Union Middle School tells a story of engagement, fostering a dynamic, hands-on, and inquiry-driven environment where students grow through real-world experiences and meaningful connections. Annual camping trips and student-led carnivals build community and nurture independence, while regular celebrations strengthen our sense of togetherness. In the classroom, students dive into exploration—experimenting with dry ice, constructing Rube Goldberg machines, or studying biodiversity in partnership with a local National Park. Our Innovation Lab, a unique collaboration with NuVu School, empowers students to tackle real-world challenges using cutting-edge tools like 3D printers and CAD software. Integrated projects invite students to explore profound questions about identity, community, and their future, creating a learning environment that sparks curiosity and inspires growth.
Essential Attribute: An Education for Young Adolescents Should Be Empowering
At Woodstock Union Middle School, empowerment is at the core of our mission, enabling students to take charge of their learning and growth as individuals and community members. Through student-led conferences, a wide array of elective choices in arts, technology, and environmental studies, and personalized inquiry-based learning, students actively shape their educational journeys. Goal-setting is woven into core Student's classes, supported by guidance in developing executive functioning skills. We encourage self-advocacy, with counselors readily available to provide support. Leadership opportunities abound, from designing the yearbook to organizing school-wide initiatives like Empathy Week. Clubs such as the Queer-Straight Alliance and Leadership Club foster inclusivity and community, while our unique theatre program and competitive mountain biking bike team celebrate creative expression and athletic excellence. At Woodstock Union, we empower every student to leave their mark, building a vibrant, inclusive community where they are both challenged and supported to soar.