Please join us Friday, March 13th for a Free Community Dinner and Movie Night sponsored by the National Honor Society. The film to be screened is Ratatouille, the story of a plucky young rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a chef and his partnership with a restaurant's garbage boy, Alfredo Linguine. Together they work to prove that "Anyone can cook." Doors open at 5:30. This free dinner will include ratatouille, of course, and quiche--two French classics--and linguine alfredo in honor of Remy's best friend and sidekick. The movie will begin at 6:00. The National Honor Society is also sponsoring a bake sale and concessions stand (popcorn!). Proceeds will benefit the Student Resource Center. Please join us for an evening of fun and bring your family.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NZjKXy5FtwTs0dsVY3L14ky0g9T4LLiPjFRMbKZg23U/edit?usp=sharing
The Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School Board would like to make a few announcements.
ANNUAL MEETINGS: The LRUEMSD Annual School Board Meeting will be on March 9th at Lake Region High School at 6 PM. You can grab a school report at your Town Clerk’s office, town library or on Town Meeting Day for more details. A big change this year has been our move to a sister-school model, and the feedback so far on that change has been mostly positive.
The Lake Region Union High School Annual School Board Meeting will be March 18, also at 6 PM at the high school.
SEATS: The Elementary-Middle School Board has eight elementary-middle school seats that will be up for election on March 9th, so if you or anyone that you know might be interested in joining a school board, there are opportunities available. Four of those seats have incumbents still willing to serve, but we've got vacant seats that need to be filled in Albany, Barton, Orleans and Westmore.
If you might be interested in running, come on out to the March 9th meeting - or if you can't make it, you can also try asking someone else to go and nominate you. Serving on this board is a time commitment of approximately two Monday evenings a month, either in-person or virtually, plus homework time and any meetings for committees that you join. If you're considering this and have questions about what it's like, current board members would be happy to chat with you!
PUBLIC MEETINGS: We’d also like to flag up a couple of big decisions that could come before the voters in the next year.
As our school buildings continue to age, we've been talking about going to the voters for a bond vote to finance building a new elementary-middle school building on the Lake Region High School property. You can read more about this in the Long Term Planning Committee report inside your town report! We'll be scheduling meetings to share information and get your feedback soon, so keep your eyes out for those.
We're also exploring merging the high school and elementary-middle school boards into a single board, with a single budget and single annual meeting. This is a decision that can only be made by voters. We'll also be having public forums to get input on this idea in the coming months.
ACT 73: There are also conversations happening in Montpelier about redistricting on a state-wide level, which could really shape the future of our schools. We're doing our best as a board to respond proactively to Act 73. However, like there was with Act 46, there's going to be a lot that we can't control at this level. So if you're interested in education in Vermont, keep following Act 73 and sharing your thoughts with our representatives in Montpelier.
Tickets will be sold at the door for $5. Concessions and merchandise will be available for purchase to support the theater program and the Barton Theater.
Shows are on February 13, 14, 20, and 21. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Barton Memorial Building.
We hope to see you there! Please reach out to jpastel@ocsu.org for more information.
Due to the extremely cold weather this weekend, the LR Modern Band concert has been rescheduled for Sunday, February 1st, 3:00 PM in the LR Cafeteria. I hope you can attend! Thank you
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HB6bVL87oreDvTplRzBzaBAu4yZBU31KJE6Q3ld5PfI/edit?tab=t.0
We hope to see everyone there!
Winter Modern Band Concert
The LR Music Department will present the Winter Modern Band concert on Sunday, January 25th, 3 pm. In the LR Gum. This is a fundraiser for music lessons and workshops. Admission is by donation. We will be having a bake sale and selling refreshments. This show will be a lot of fun and a great way to celebrate our OCSU community. Three of our bands will be presenting music by Chicago, 21 Pilots, Black Sabbath, Duke Ellington, Sublime, Stevie Wonder, Joe Cocker, Goodbye June, Lenny Kravitz, Pat Benetar and more, including three original works by students. For further information please contact Sara Doncaster at (802) 754 - 2500 x219 or email at sdoncaster@ocsu.org
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HB6bVL87oreDvTplRzBzaBAu4yZBU31KJE6Q3ld5PfI/edit?tab=t.0
Principal Sharon Gonyaw to Resign
Dear Lake Region Union High School Families,
I am writing to share some important news and to clarify recent reporting about my resignation. After much reflection, I have made the difficult decision to resign as Principal of Lake Region Union High School at the conclusion of the 2025–2026 school year. This was a very personal decision and is not connected in any way to district governance matters or the proposed unification study, despite how a recent news article portrayed the situation.
Serving the Lake Region Union community for the past ten years, nine as Assistant Principal and this year as Principal, has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Building strong relationships, fostering connections, and supporting students as whole people has always been at the heart of my work. My time here has been deeply meaningful, and I am grateful for the trust, support, and partnership of our families, faculty, and staff.
I want to reassure you that OCSU is in a strong and stable position. Thoughtful, systematic steps have been taken in response to the Governor’s request to address rising education costs, and the district has worked carefully to share information with the community and prioritize spending that provides our students with the education they deserve. There is no turbulence in our schools, and I am confident in the continued leadership of the district.
My decision to step down is rooted in my personal life. Becoming a grandmother has been a profoundly meaningful experience, and reflecting on the close bond I shared with my own grandmother has reminded me how powerful presence, time, and connection can be. I want to bring that same presence into my granddaughter’s life while still ensuring that Lake Region Union High School has a stable, thoughtful transition in leadership.
The OCSU Board and Superintendent will meet in early January to begin planning the next steps for leadership at Lake Region. They will communicate with our school community following that meeting to share the process for identifying my replacement.
It has been a privilege to serve this community. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and remain fully committed to supporting our students and staff throughout this transition. Thank you for your trust, partnership, and care over these past ten years, it has meant more than words can express.
Warm regards,
Sharon Gonyaw
Principal, Lake Region Union High School
I hope this email finds you all well.
We wanted to give you a heads up that Progress Reports are on their way home. They went out in the mail Tuesday afternoon and should reach your mailboxes soon. These are not final grades. We think of them as checkpoints–as indicators of how students are doing in their classes–and respond to these grades to the extent that we can in school by changing students’ study hall assignments when necessary or providing additional support in the classroom. In many instances, student absences and missing assignments are driving poor grades. Students can do some of the work of cleaning up poor grades at home during this vacation. If you need more information about how to support your student in catching up on missed work, please get in touch with your student’s teachers directly via their email, or reach out to a staff member in the office who can help you follow up with your student’s teachers:
Tim Chamberlin, Guidance Director (extension 315)
Chastity Urie, Guidance (extension 314)
Amy Kelley, MTSS Coordinator (extension 317)
Note: You can also check your student’s grades at any time in PowerSchool. Please call Mrs. King in the School Counseling Office if you have any questions about how to login to PowerSchool to review your student’s grades.
On another note, we also wanted to remind you that expectations around community service have changed. Until January 5th (the Monday we return from vacation), students can earn extra credit for completing community service and documenting their hours served. This is a special one-time offer designed to inspire students to get their paperwork completed ahead of schedule. I have attached a chart that should explain this offer more clearly. Please contact Ms. Powers at extension 109 with any questions about this shift.
Finally, we wanted to let you know that the deadline to register for Summer Drivers Ed at Lake Region is January 23rd, 2026. Students sign up for this opportunity in the School Counseling Office. They must have their permits in hand in order to register. Seats are limited, and first priority is given to our oldest students who have not yet had this opportunity. See Mrs. King or Mrs. Urie in the School Counseling Office with any questions.
As always, if there is anything we can do for you or your family, please feel free to contact us at Lake Region: 754-6521 or 754-2500. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have or to point you in the right directions.
Best wishes to you and your family. Have a wonderful vacation!
Amy Kelley
