School news
French 4 and AP Classes—Expression Culturelle
Nathalie Kramer's French 4 and AP classes made posters of resistance and protest for human/women's rights, the unhoused, and the environment.
The French 4 class wrote poems accompanied by drawings based on the famous French poem: Soyez Polis by Jacques Prevert—an ode to the planet and reminder of kindness toward mother earth and each other.
And in the AP French class, students made posters as an invitation to a call of awareness for the community; this was inspired by a gathering of women in Guadeloupe who formed a union and fought for their rights to be seen and heard.
George comes to WUHS
George the therapy dog visited with his owner Polly Stone this week. Polly and George traveled one hour and 40 minutes one way from southern Vermont to visit with students during ARE time and middle school lunch. George is a certified therapy dog from Therapy Dogs of Vermont. Therapy Dogs of Vermont have been outstanding in connecting us with therapy dogs around Vermont to support our students. Rain, the Bernese Mountain Dog, will be returning later this month with his owner Buffy Bell.
Hacky sacks are making a comeback
Principal Cinquemani and several high school students circle up to enjoy kicking around the hacky sack before the holiday break... This cooperative "sport" has been making a fierce comeback here at Woodstock!
December library news and book club festivities
In this week's From the Library newsletter, learn about the Young Adult Diverse Books Book Club's winter party and book swap, see a snow-themed book display and read about Red Stars, the new Middle School Book Club book by Davide Morosinotto.
Young Adult Book Books Book Club
On December 9, members of the Young Adult Diverse Books Book Club gathered for a festive winter celebration during ARE time. The cozy event combined delicious treats, literary discoveries, and the joy of sharing favorite reads with fellow book lovers.
Schuyler Hagge brought a homemade hot cocoa cake, while Maya Sluka contributed tasty toffee for everyone to enjoy. As students sampled the sweet treats, they dove into discussions about this year's National Book Award finalists and winner in Young Adult Literature, exploring what makes these books stand out in contemporary teen fiction.
The group also looked ahead to Teen Lit Mob in April, an event that celebrates young adult literature and brings readers together around powerful stories. Students shared enthusiastic book recommendations with each other, highlighting diverse voices and perspectives in YA literature, before participating in a book swap where everyone could take home a new-to-them title.
The Young Adult Diverse Books Book Club continues to create a welcoming space for students to discover stories that reflect a wide range of experiences and identities while building community around their shared love of reading.
Middle School Book Club
The Middle School Book Club is just finishing up The Lost Year by Katerine Marsh and looking forward to their next book Red Stars: The Case of Viktor and Nadya's Notebooks by Davide Morosinotto. During the first quarter students have been reading The Lost Year, discussing Russian and Ukranian history during the 1930s and journaling in their notebooks about the characters' experiences and their own. With this background knowledge, students will be learning about Russian history during World War II in the 1940s through the notebooks of Viktor and Nadya. Red Stars is translated from the Italian into English and is told through journal entries, photos, maps and documents. The publisher's note states, "... this fictionalized account of the Nazi siege of Leningrad during the Second World War, this heart-stopping story of danger, courage and bravery emphasizes the power of truth and what it means to be a hero."
Yoh Theatre performs "Alice by Heart"
Photo by Nancy Nutile-McMenemy
The Yoh Theatre players recently brought the musical "Alice by Heart" to life with performances from December 12-14, 2025. This acclaimed show by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater reimagines Alice in Wonderland against the backdrop of the London Blitz, weaving together themes of love, loss, and the power of imagination.
The story follows young Alice and her ailing friend Alfred as they escape into the fantastical world of Wonderland to cope with the trauma and uncertainty of war. Through Sheik and Sater's evocative music and lyrics—from the creative team behind "Spring Awakening"—the production explores how storytelling and friendship can offer solace in the darkest times.
Over 50 students from grades 7-12 participated in this ambitious production, taking on roles both onstage and behind the scenes as tech crew members. Their dedication and talent brought this complex, emotionally rich musical to our community.
Congratulations to all of our Yoh Theatre players and theatre director Marcia Bender on a remarkable show!
The student group’s next show is Treasure Island. More photos from Alice by Heart are available on the Yoh Theatre website.