Williston Observer

Nov. 26, 2008

Middlebury College falls short of Div. III Final Four

With former Champlain Valley Union High soccer standouts Tyler Macnee, a freshman, and Carson Cornbrooks, a sophomore, playing key roles, the Middlebury College Panthers advanced to the regional finals of the national Division III playoffs. But facing Stevens Institute of Technology on Sunday night, the Panthers bowed out on a penalty kick shootout in Hoboken, N.J.

Cornbrooks helped force the tie that led to the shootout when he assisted on a Middlebury goal midway through the second half, knotting the game at 1-1.

Macnee, who led the Panthers with 13 goals, scored the lone tally Saturday in Middlebury’s 1-0 third-round triumph over Carleton.

Meier helps Midd to cross country title

Former Champlain Valley Union High cross country runner Hannah Meier, a Middlebury College sophomore, helped the Panthers win a fifth NCAA women’s cross country title on Saturday. Meier placed 39th among 279 runners and second for her team in the title event at Hanover, Ind.

Volleyball title

Helped by some local residents, the Vermont Commons girls volleyball team took home the state title on Nov. 1. The Vermont Commons team defeated Enosburg Falls High School, 25-13, in the championship match. Team members included sophomore Mikela Boudette of Williston and senior Celina Hickson of St. George.

Vermont Commons is an independent college preparatory school in South Burlington.

Rec League basketball registration

Registration is open for the Williston Recreation Basketball League. The league runs from December to February. Register through Williston Town Clerk, 878-5121. Coaches are needed. For more information e-mail Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Finnegan at [email protected]

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Nov. 26, 2008

By Mal Boright

Observer correspondent

If the Vermont Principals’ Association approves the recommendation of the Vermont Interscholastic Football League coaches and athletic directors, Champlain Valley Union High will bid farewell to gridiron foes Bellows Free Academy of Fairfax, Oxbow High and Winooski High, and say hello to such powers as Middlebury High, Rice Memorial High and U-32.

The VIFL, in its biennial evaluation of its three divisions, voted at a meeting last week to boot CVU from its present Division 3 up to Division 2 over the objections of head coach Jim Provost.

“We are in Division 2,” Provost said this week, having fought the good fight and lost. “We are now fine with it. The move is two years ahead of schedule but the kids are excited.”

Provost originally felt that the Redhawks, even with a much higher boy enrollment then other schools in Division 3, had not yet shown an ability to dominate the division. The Redhawks had made the playoffs as a fourth and final seed in two of their four years in competition.

The formula that the organization uses to establish its three divisions is based on number of boys playing football at the school, its total boy enrollment and number of victories in the past four years.

CVU’s enrollment of 680 boys and 82 in football pads this past season apparently was the determining factor in swinging votes against its proposal to spend another two years in the lower division, where Provost said it has won 41 percent of its games.

Apparently there is no consideration of a school’s traditions. Middlebury, which is moving down from Division 1, has a respected history in football going back decades.

CVU’s fall tradition is rich and successful — in soccer and cross country. Football next fall will enter its fifth season as a varsity sport where the future looks bright, the numbers strong, but the competitive edge still in development.

“We are a fledgling program and are still trying to get our feet under us,” Provost said. “Two more years would have given us more of an opportunity to benefit from our youth program.”

The veteran coach sees the big difference between the two divisions as one of balance.

“From top to bottom there is not a weak team in Division 2,” he said.

Other prospective intra-division opponents include Mount Mansfield Union, Colchester High, Milton High, Lyndon Institute and North Country Union.

Provost noted that CVU is 0-6 thus far in games against Division 2 teams.

“I hope this inspires the kids,” Provost concluded. “We have to get better and more physically mature as a team.”

Provost said the commitments have been made by the boosters and the school.

“Now we need the commitment from the kids,” he said.

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Nov. 26, 2008

By Mal Boright

Observer correspondent

“I thought we looked okay,” Champlain Valley Union High basketball coach Scott Bliss said a day after his charges scrimmaged Hartford High at home on Saturday to top off the opening week of tryouts and practice.

The Redhawks have another week and three days of workouts before they begin the new season on Dec. 4 with a trip to Bellows Free Academy of St. Albans. The home opener is the following Saturday afternoon, when Mount Anthony Union High of Bennington comes north.

Bliss has to replace six graduated seniors, the losses including high scoring Ben Brooks and Greg Gause, the 6-foot-7-inch scorer, rebounder and shot blocker.

“We are going to be very athletic,” said Bliss. “We will be able to put five guys on the floor who can handle the ball and shoot. Our issue could be lack of a big man.”

The coach said that while there is no huge presence under the basket, the team will have very good average size, which no doubt means rebounding by committee.

Senior John Donnelly is the tallest of the returnees at 6-foot-4 and, according to Bliss, “can play the post or out on the perimeter,” where he can knock down the treys.

Sophomore Jake Donnelly at 6-foot-2 saw serious playing time last season as a freshman.

Senior Jack Jesset (6-foot-2) is a returning starter and is expected to be a significant presence for the Redhawks, as is 6-foot junior Chris Nigh, who is up from a solid jayvee season a year ago.

Ryan Poirier, a 6-foot senior and 2007-08 starter, and 5-foot-10 junior Chris Beaton, coming off a breakout jayvee season, are among the leaders for the backcourt slots.

Bliss also has seen good work from senior Jordan Duke, a reserve last year, who brings a lot of energy to the backcourt and at 5-foot-9 is even a high riser when rebounds are in the offing.

Chris Banbury, a 5-foot-11 senior, is a transfer from Winooski High and should be a solid performer.

Also in the mix for those valuable game minutes are senior Andrew Leckerling (6-feet), junior Will Hurd (6-foot-2) and sophomores Kevin Lambert (6-foot-2), Andrew Gale (6-foot-1) and Robert Russ (6-feet).

“We are not big, but we have decent size. The question will be, can we compensate athletically for the lack of a really big man,” said Bliss.

The 13-man varsity roster was set after three days of tryouts that involved 23 hopefuls at the varsity level and 39 for jayvee A and B squads.

Earlier this week, the Redhawks were slated to travel to Rutland for another scrimmage. They will wind up the practice game schedule Dec. 1 with a 6 p.m. home session with Bellows Free Academy of Fairfax.

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Nov. 26, 2008

By Tim Simard

Observer staff

The Williston Conceptual Frameworks Committee continued its work toward deciding a future configuration of the school district by holding a community forum Monday night. The event was held by the committee to get the community’s response on what residents found to be the most important aspects of configuration.

For parents, this was one of the first times their voices could be heard during the committee process. Some seemed optimistic the forum would yield positive results.

“There will be a good conversation that comes out of this,” parent John Hemmelgarn said.

About 60 parents and community members gathered in the Williston Central School cafeteria to vote on different criteria and brainstorm pros and cons of different configuration options.

Frameworks Committee Facilitator Mary Jane Shelley asked people to choose their top priorities from a list of more than 20 criteria options. Williston teachers had determined their top 10 list last Thursday during their own forum, and parents came up with similar choices on Monday.

For instance, both teachers and parents said fostering a strong sense of community and rich relationships over time, with continuity for students, families and teachers, was the number one issue in determining a future configuration.

Teachers and parents found similar ground on other issues, although their rank in importance tended to differ in each top 10 list. The top 10 lists of both parents and teachers can be found on the school district’s Web page, www.wsdvt.org, under the link for the Frameworks Committee.

Participants voted by putting multi-colored stickers on large sheets of paper next to their favorite items. Shelley allowed parents to make positive comments on why others should vote for certain criteria before decisions were made. She did not allow parents to make critical comments.

Some parents found the results of the earlier teacher’s forum encouraging.

“It seems like the teachers had a good sense of what was most important,” Melinda Friedlander said.

“They’re seeing what parents are seeing,” Pam Bouffard said.

Parent reactions

Hemmelgarn said he attended the meeting to make sure there were easier transitions for students in the future.

“Flexibility is a very important piece,” Hemmelgarn said.

Shelley Forrest, a parent and a teacher in Colchester, said her top issue was a greater focus on 21st century learning. She doesn’t want to see Williston students left behind.

“You have to know how to apply the knowledge you’ve learned,” Forrest said. “You have to be able to learn how to learn.”

Early in the evening, Shelley reiterated to community members the Frameworks Committee’s suggestions would not be done in time for the next school year, but instead for the 2010-2011 school year. Originally, work on configuration was to be completed by December and presented to the School Board in early January for budget considerations. In order not too rush the process, the committee and board decided to allow work to continue into the spring.

Beth LaStrada, the mother of five children, was unhappy to hear a new configuration would have to wait a year. She wants the community to be allowed to become more involved in School Board and Frameworks Committee meetings.

“If we’re going to do this (work) this intensely and drag this out, we should involve the community in every process,” LaStrada said.

She also said she wanted more debate on specific criteria items, rather than just hearing positive comments.

“They are trying to make this as sterile as possible,” LaStrada said.

Also during the forum, parents walked around the cafeteria to different flipchart stations where the pros and cons of certain topics — including multi-age classrooms, single-grade learning and different building configurations — could be discussed. Members of the Frameworks Committee and School Board wrote down the comments in appropriate columns. The large sheets of paper would also be used in future Frameworks discussions.

While looking at different flipcharts around the room, parent Tammy Pudlo said she liked the current multi-age system and likes the discussions the Frameworks Committee has had in its work. She said she would be open to changing the structure if it’s what the majority of the community wanted, but made it clear she was happy with the current set up.

“There is something to be said about having a four-year house,” Pudlo said. “Change is a little bit hard since it’s been working so well.”

Sue Scheer, parent of a second grader, said she was initially unsure of the house structure when her daughter started the first grade. She said it was a struggle initially with her daughter transitioning from half-day kindergarten to first grade last year, but this school year is much better with the help of teachers and older students.

“I’m seeing the benefits to (the current structure),” Scheer said. “The difference between the first grade and second grade for my daughter is huge.”

The Frameworks Committee meets again on Thursday, Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Another community forum is scheduled for Jan. 12.

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Nov. 26, 2008

Theft

• A juvenile stole books from Williston Central School on Nov. 17, according to police reports. The youth’s case was referred to the Williston Reparative Board.

• Zachary Shomer, 25, and Maria Jesuele, 30, both of Vergennes, were charged with retail theft from Wal-Mart on Nov. 18, according to police reports. Information about the value and type of merchandise allegedly stolen was not released.

• An ATV was stolen from a residence on Fay Lane on Nov. 21, according to police reports. The investigation is ongoing.

Assault

Darnell Stewart, 22, of Williston was charged with second-degree aggravated assault on Nov. 17, according to police reports. Stewart allegedly assaulted his girlfriend’s mother after the woman tried to stop him from taking an X-Box 360 gaming system as he was “in the process of packing his belongings” at the home he had shared with his girlfriend and her mother for more than three years, according to a police affidavit. Stewart, who has two previous convictions for domestic assault from February 2008, fled the scene after the altercation, according to the affidavit.

Police were unable to locate him, but Stewart subsequently called his probation officer, who advised him to “turn himself in,” according to Williston Police Sgt. Scott Graham. The probation officer met Stewart at the Vermont District courthouse, where he was arraigned on a charge of violation of probation in addition to the assault charge, according to Graham.

Stewart is being held for lack of $5,000 bail, Graham said. He is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 29.

Driving with a suspended license

Tawnja Suchoski, 32, of Burlington was charged with driving with a suspended license following a motor vehicle stop on Nov. 20, according to police reports. No information was available as to the nature of the suspension.

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