LUDLOW, Vt. – As summer has officially come to a close and another school year starts, the Expeditionary School at Black River (ESBR) shares exciting first week updates for the 2024-2025 school year. To start, it is with great honor that we announce that ESBR’s approval as a State of Vermont Approved Independent School stands for another year, whereby families may continue to utilize their duly deserved education tax dollars at ESBR rather than solely depending on volunteer fundraising efforts. This has always been one of our primary goals to provide a financially feasible option for our community.
Next, we welcome our new head of school, Michael Kell. The ESBR heads of school have always been beyond dedicated to this cause, and Kell is no exception. Several amazing returning staff members join him, and he has been busy recruiting new instructors to join ESBR’s team. With many years of experience in education, including innovative learning opportunities, we are grateful to have him leading as our new head of school.
Following in the footsteps of the community’s flood recovery theme last school year, this year’s theme is “What Makes Vermont Strong.” Examining both history and current events, as well as exploring resources available right here in the Green Mountain State, the school year is already off to an exciting start. Last week, the students visited both the adventure (ropes) course at Okemo for team building, and partook in a field trip to Fort Ticonderoga to discover the early history of Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys. On top of this, we couldn’t have asked for better weather to start the year with these outdoor expeditions.
Furthermore, we have a new meal plan implemented this fall. Every Wednesday, we have a different community member volunteer to prepare a meal to bring in for the students. So far, we’ve had a barbecue to kickstart the first day back on Wednesday, Aug. 28, just recently a mac and cheese extravaganza, with a chili and cornbread meal to follow. About three months worth of Wednesday volunteers have been scheduled, but we hope to keep it going as long as possible; if anyone wishes to volunteer, please reach out. We can be flexible with the Wednesday meal plan to accommodate volunteers. The students love it, and it’s clear they really benefit from this meal plan. Again, anyone interested is more than welcome to reach out.
As for fundraising, there are always supplies, programs, and support to expand upon, so we’ll continue to host fun events to help raise funds for these resources. We are excited to announce the American Legion is once again hosting a chicken barbecue benefit for ESBR on Saturday, Sept. 21. Volunteers start grilling around 8 or 9 a.m., and meals will be available by 10:30 or 11 a.m., and will go until sold out. This is a really fun and easy fundraiser, and we cannot thank the Legion enough, they do a lot of work to give back to the community as a whole. Keep your eyes out for more details in the near future, as we are also planning a holiday craft fair on Saturday, Nov. 30; we look forward to this fun and exciting fundraiser as well.
Another local upcoming event will be the 40th annual Harvest Fair. This is hosted by the parent-teacher group (PTG) of the Ludlow Elementary School. It is a great fundraiser for the PTG, whose goal is to provide strong programs and fun events that the grade school might not otherwise get to benefit from. The Harvest Fair will be held on the front lawn of the ESBR premises, and it is a longstanding tradition many of us at ESBR are familiar with, so it is an honor that they have chosen to host it there for several years running now. With fun crafts, games, and delicious food, it is the perfect fall setting for peak leaf peeping season. Please visit the Ludlow Elementary School Parent-Teacher Group Facebook page for further information.
Lastly, several board positions were up for renewal this cycle, and there was a rotation of member roles. Gary Blodgett remains a board of trustees member, but our current chairperson is Patrick Pullinen, with Suzy Buckley as vice chair. The rest of the board is grateful to have these members remain so dedicated to the school and wellbeing of the students and their families. There are openings for more board members, any interested persons are welcome to reach out to Pullinen. We’d be honored to expand our board; a diverse group of thinkers is what helps keep a school innovative.
As always, thank you to everyone for your support. There are already 11 students for this school year, which is up from last year. As news of our growth and approval travel, we know enrollment will continue to expand. We could not have done this without the community’s support, and the students and their families. Again, anyone with interest is welcome to inquire, whether it is for your student, or to volunteer. You may reach out to Pullinen at ppullinen@esblackriver.org, or leave a message for Kell on the school’s line at 802-228-3727.