School news
WUSHMS Trailblazer Speaker Series
Gordon MacMaster ‘16 recently spoke with Andy Smith’s AP Computer Principles class in our Innovation Lab. Gordon is currently living in Salt Lake City, Utah and working as a founding engineer for a small startup currently in stealth mode. Gordon’s computer programming experience began at Woodstock where he took courses in introductory programming as well as AP Computer Science.
We’re grateful to all of the WUHSMS alumni who have taken the time to chat with our current student body this past year and in 2022.
Gordon MacMaster '16
Gordon has gained programming experience in various languages and frameworks. He interned with the Vermont Agency of Digital Services, Pennsylvania Multifamily Asset Managers, and finally for Tesla Motors as a Digital Products Engineer. He enjoys his work immensely and is planning to stay in his current role for the foreseeable future. In this Trailblazer conversation, Gordon discusses all of the above and more with Andy Smith's AP Computer Principles class.
Kathleen Sheppard '14
Students form our Advanced French class met with Kathleen Sheppard ‘14. Kathleen studied Business Administration at Babson College, with a specific focus on Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, and Marketing. She graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in 2018 and began her career in digital marketing. The following year, Kathleen launched her sustainable swimwear brand, Tiller Swim. She utilized Kickstarter to crowdfund for her first collection of clothing and has been able to leverage profits and self-funding to propel the business since August 2019.
Sarah Andrews '10
Students from our Advanced Placement English Language class visited with and interviewed Sarah Andrews. Sarah is a member of Woodstock’s class of 2010 and is currently the campaign manager for the re-election campaign of Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Sarah was formally the Chief of Staff in the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Her experiences range from leading youth engagement efforts for Hillary Clinton, managing rural policy for U.S Senator Michael Bennet, and conducting scheduling & advance in the Obama White House. She’s a graduate of the University of Colorado in Boulder where she earned a degree in Political Science and Peace and Conflict Studies.
Andre Malerba '06
Andre is a fully accredited photojournalist based out of Bangkok, Thailand. He has worked throughout Southeast Asia and further afield, from Sri Lanka to Mongolia. From 2013-2016, he covered Myanmar exclusively, as the country struggled through the early days of democracy. In this interview, Andre describes how he got started with photography and shares a few of he favorite projects and stories. He also discusses how both political turmoil and the Covid-19 pandemic have impacted his life and work in Southeast Asia.
WUHSMS students present anti-bullying conference
On March 14th, a group of students gathered at Champlain College to conduct a workshop as part of the annual conference hosted by the Vermont Association for Middle-Level Education (VAMLE) on Anti-Bullying. The workshop was attended by participants from various middle-level schools across Vermont, including teachers, administrators, and students.
During the workshop, the students shared their expertise and insights on creating action plans and resources to encourage open and critical conversations within school communities. They emphasized the importance of driving social action and promoting positive change through meaningful dialogue and concrete steps toward progress. The students also presented a resource guide titled 'Vermont Students Critical Conversations Resource,' which they had created to provide valuable information and guidance for anyone seeking to initiate and facilitate critical conversations in their school community.
The workshop served as a valuable opportunity for the students to connect with others who share their passion for social justice and to inspire them to take action in their own schools and communities.
Thanks to our students Adelle Danilchek, Aidan Keough-Vella, Ava Rich, Ella Stainton, Farren Stainton, Morgan Putnem, and Owen Courcey.
CRAFT career panel and student retreat events
CRAFT has hosted two exciting events in the past week! The second in our trilogy of Career Panels focused on the theme of Conservation Careers. Students learned from the following panelists:
Holly Knox, US Forest Service
Hannah Dallas, Windsor County Forester
Rudi Ruddell, White River Partnership
Lorne Currier, Green Mountain Club
They were intrigued to learn about the winding and interconnected career paths of these folks, how mountain bike trails are cited, and designed, and how climate change is influencing each of their work in a variety of ways. We can sense some great collaborations and even internship possibilities cooking up with these fantastic community partners!
We also hosted our second student retreat. Each student currently working toward the CRAFT credential gathered at the Vermont Land Trust's King Farm this week to build community, reflect on stewardship and sustainability themes emerging in their learning, and to elicit some good old fashioned JOY.
Middle school winter carnival fun!
7th and 8th Grade Students and teachers enjoyed an afternoon of fun during our Middle School Winter Carnival on Thursday, March 9th.
After spirited games of students vs. faculty in dodgeball, students chose between sledding, ice skating, and indoor activities including a murder mystery, spaghetti tower building, and board games. More than 70 students took advantage of the opportunity to skate at Union Arena.
The afternoon wrapped up with the entire middle school enjoying cookies and cocoa outside in the sun.
Thanks to our middle school Student Leadership Club, Lucia Beckwith, Tilly Richardson, Nick Cellini, Julia Barry, Vasco Malik, Marshall Somerville, Jake Blackburn, Abby Kowalczyk, Morgan Darling, and Addison Tapley, for planning and organizing the Winter Carnival, as well as to Lexi Judson and Declan Haugh for helping with our snacks. It was a fantastic afternoon!
WUHSMS Principal's 2021-22 Report
Dear WCSU Community,
I am so grateful to share some of the accomplishments of Woodstock Union High School and Middle School students, faculty, and staff from the 2021-22 school year. First and foremost, I extend my heartfelt thanks to this community for supporting our school.
We offer personalized, authentic, and student-driven learning experiences for our students. During the 2021-22 school year, our enrollment was 486 students in grades 7-12. To meet student needs associated with the impacts of the pandemic, we added a social-emotional learning specialist to the faculty and small group academic support.
At the middle school level, we created a club and activity program providing students with more choices and opportunities to interact and build a middle school identity. The eighth-grade team created an end-of-the-year overnight experience celebrating students transitioning to high school. At the high school level, we continued to enhance our academic program by expanding offerings including the AP program, with 105 students taking 209 AP exams, STEM and design classes, and student-designed experiences via the Center for Community Connections, C3.
We launched teacher initiatives including the C.R.A.F..T. program, which integrates science, technology, and agriculture to promote deep learning about climate resiliency. The C3 Department created the Trailblazer Series, which hosted presentations and workshops by alums for current students. The modern and classical language department partnered with the international organization Soliya allowing students to engage in cross-cultural virtual dialogues with peers in Tunisia and Lebanon.
We are proud to recognize achievements and awards earned by members of our school community. The Social Action Club hosted the Leadership Summit for Social Justice. Participants considered barriers to inclusion experienced by students at WUHSMS, reviewed a draft of the WCSU proposed Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity in Education Policy, and inspired each other to take action for positive change. The Vermont Humanities Council awarded librarian Susan Piccoli the Victor R. Swenson Humanities Educator Award. Students had their work published in the VT Digger and Vermont Standard, broadcast on Vermont PBS, displayed in regional art galleries, and recognized by organizations including the University of Vermont Mathematics Department, American Junior Academy of Science, Future Business Leaders of America, and Vermont Holocaust Memorial.
We saw energy and enthusiasm in athletics and extracurricular activities with more than 70% of students participating and our biggest turnout of fans and audiences in recent memory. The Yoh Players performed four amazing shows, the Unified Sports soccer team won gold at the state tournament, and the girls’ ice hockey team made school history by winning the state championship!
I am deeply grateful for the support of our generous community, and I look forward to another successful year at Woodstock Union High School and Middle School.
Sincerely,
Garon Smail
WUHSMS Principal