Former Kids VT editor Alison Novak now covers education and childcare for our parent publication, Seven Days. As a former elementary school teacher — and the parent of two teens — Novak draws from firsthand experience to cover her beat, which includes controversial topics such as the debate over whether and how to address PCB contamination in schools. Her stories are often among the most popular on the Seven Days website.
Earlier this month, Novak’s February 16, 2022, cover story, “Local Commotion: National Divisions on Race and Equity Are Roiling Vermont School Boards,” won the first-place award for education reporting in weekly newspapers from the New England Newspaper & Press Association; the prize was announced at NENPA’s convention in Waltham, Mass.
Here are a few of Novak’s stories from 2023. Find them weekly in Seven Days or on sevendaysvt.com — or sign up for Kids VT’s Wee-Mail email newsletter to have them delivered to your inbox weekly.
“Physical Education: Some Vermont Students Are Restrained or Secluded in School, With Detrimental Effects. Should the Practices Be Eliminated?“ (May 17)
Physical restraint and seclusion are employed thousands of times a year in Vermont’s public and so-called therapeutic schools.
“Compassionate Connections: Empty Arms Fosters Community Among Those Who Have Lost a Baby“ (May 10)
Founded in 2022, Empty Arms Vermont offers support to parents who have lost a baby before or after birth. While these experiences are not unusual, few resources exist to help those dealing with them. In this pre-Mother’s Day interview, cofounder Chelsea Levis speaks of the power of sharing grief with others and finding empathy.
“True 802: Teens Who Clean“ (May 10)
Several students at Champlain Valley Union High School have worked as part-time custodians, helping the school fill in the gaps amid a shortage of full-time custodial staff.
“A PCB ‘Fix’ at Wilmington School Actually Drives Levels Higher“ (May 1)
When elevated levels of airborne PCBs were found in several rooms at Twin Valley Elementary School in late March, state officials thought that installing carbon air filtration units would reduce the level of toxic chemicals. But instead of finding lower PCB levels, the second round of testing revealed significantly higher levels in every room retested.
“A Matter of Principal: The Tangled Tale Behind the Abrupt Resignation of Middlebury Union High School’s Top Administrator“ (April 26)
Novak told the backstory of Justin Campbell’s decision to leave his job.
“Tots for Profits: A French Private Equity Firm Now Owns Six Vermont Childcare Centers. Is it a Harbinger of What’s to Come?“ (April 5)
Little Sprouts, a Massachusetts-based company, recently announced tuition hikes at some of the six Vermont childcare centers and preschools it operates. Parents were none too happy — and many didn’t know that the company is actually owned by Antin Infrastructure Partners, a French private equity firm. Experts say such firms are driven by their bottom line more than by what’s good for families, and more could try to gain a foothold in Vermont.
“Chemical Crossroads: Lawmakers Consider Pausing Vermont’s Ambitious, Costly and One-of-a-Kind Plan to Address PCBs in Schools“ (March 22)
How many PCBs are too many PCBs? Burlington has opted to rebuild its high school rather than try to remediate the chemical contamination. But experts warn that Vermont’s standard for dangerous PCB concentrations is way out of line with the federal one and could lead to the costly scrapping of more buildings.
“Helping Hands: A Mental Health Agency in Washington County Provides Doula Services to Families — Free of Charge“ (March 1)
Washington County Mental Health Services is employing federal funds to provide doulas, the nonclinical birth workers who for decades have tended to expectant parents, in an effort to address an increase in anxiety and depression among pregnant and postpartum Vermonters.
“Precious Cargo: Amid a Statewide School Bus Driver Shortage, Jackie Terry Rolls Along. Confetti and Prizes Help.“ (February 8)
The first clue that Jackie Terry isn’t your typical driver is her bus itself. Every month, she redecorates the interior to reflect whatever holiday is near. To spend a morning school run in Vergennes with Terry is to get a glimpse of someone who embraces this crucial but unglamorous work with a whole heart, playful energy and enough resolve to keep a busload of young passengers in line during the ride.
“Hoax School Shooting Calls Target 21 Vermont Campuses“ (February 8)
Law enforcement descended on 21 schools across Vermont on the morning of February 8 after a spate of hoax calls reporting shootings on campus. State officials described the unnerving incidents as a widespread “swatting” event.
This article was originally published in Seven Days’ monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
Related Stories
Local Commotion: National Divisions on Race and Equity Are Roiling Vermont School Boards
Chemical Crossroads: Lawmakers Consider Pausing Vermont’s Ambitious, Costly and One-of-a-Kind Plan to Address PCBs in Schools
Physical Education: Some Vermont Students Are Restrained or Secluded in School, With Detrimental Effects. Should the Practices Be Eliminated?
This article appears in Kids VT, Summer 2023.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!