Looking Thanksgiving 2020 right in the eyes
Looking Thanksgiving 2020 right in the eyes
November 20, 2020
When I was an undergraduate, a band called Poi Dog Pondering gave a fantastic spring concert. In the middle of it Adam Sultan, one of the guitarists, took over the vocals for a single song, one he had penned himself. I’ve used it around this time in classes for years because of the way Sultan reframes the […]
On Community
November 8, 2020
On Community. This coming Friday is Grandparents and Grand Friends Day, a yearly tradition we keep, recognizing and celebrating the irreplaceable and essential influence of our community’s Elders on our lives. While every child’s learning is a path of discovery based on moments of clear and uninterrupted observation and connection with the world, always a […]
Fall into Winter
November 3, 2020
The childing autumn, angry winter, change Their wonted liveries, and the mazed world, By their increase, now knows not which is which… -Titania, Midsummer Night’s Dream You know the seasonal change is upon us when you have to start checking the weather for snow predictions when planning school activities! That’s good news […]
School in the Time of Coronavirus
October 2, 2020
Fall is here at last. October rains, change of leaves, the golden hour before sunset. Whenever the weather happens to be good, it’s the time for getting that hike or bike in, a stroll by the water or the neighbor’s yard. Any chance to be out in the warmth is a chance […]
VCS Seniors Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
September 22, 2020
Vermont Commons School seniors Sophie Dodds (left) of Burlington, VT and Benjamin Poulin (right) of Shelburne, VT, have been recognized as semifinalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. Vermont Commons is one of only 16 schools in the state to have students recognized as semifinalists. Over 1.5 million juniors in nearly 21,000 high […]
And we’re off!!!
September 11, 2020
The start to any school year is a pretty special thing. All that preparation, all the nervousness leading up to it. The questions from faculty and administrators: Will this actually work? Can we pull it off once again? Did we fix that problem the right way or plan for that initiative successfully? Will our students be […]
Outdoor Education and Field Study Fall 2020
August 29, 2020
We are excited to share a sampling of our fall Encounter Experiences continuing the tradition of learning outside of the classroom. This year is obviously very different. We have adapted our Encounter Program to be full-day, outdoor, in-person experiential education every Wednesday. These multi-week Short Courses will be held outside in small, socially-distanced, cross-grade […]
Changing the Community Through Connections: a COVID-19 Story
June 24, 2020
Vermont Commons School science instructor Mark Keegan assembling face shields for donation to local health care organizations Written by Kent Vaccaro, Class of 2020: One of the strongest places for community and connection across fields is locally at schools. Local Middle and High School, Vermont Commons School, began an intracommunity partnership seeking to help […]