By: Lani Duke
Change in student achievement recognition targets positive behaviors
BENSON—New guidelines, adopted by the Addison Rutland Supervisory Union in July, have resulted in a new student achievement procedure. Adults will recommend students for recognition who have accomplished goals or improved academics or behavior.
Benson students are part of the nationwide Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) school-wide behavior program. It relies on specific core values recognized by the acronym PAWS, standing for positive attitude, act responsibly, work hard, and Safety first. During September, the emphasis is on positive attitude.
Benson Village School student achievements will be celebrated the first Monday of each month beginning Oct. 3 at 8 a.m. Parents and community members are invited.
A Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) representative will meet with Benson middle schoolers once a month, talking with young people about colleges and careers.
Hazardous waste days announced
Residents of the Solid Waste Alliance towns of Benson, Chittenden, Fair Haven, Middletown Springs, Pawlet, Rutland Town, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Tinmouth and West Haven will be able to dispose of hazardous waste at the Benson transfer station, 8-9:30 a.m., and at Fair Haven’s transfer station, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17. They may also use the Rutland Town transfer station Saturday, Sept. 24, 9-11:30 a.m. For more info, call the Rutland County Solid Waste District, 802-775-7209, or Pam at Solid Waste Alliance Communities, 802-342-5701.
Lake Beebe vanquishes milfoil with aquatic herbicide
HUBBARDTON—Don Sondergeld, Lake Beebe Watershed Association leader, recently proclaimed that there is no more milfoil in Lake Beebe—nor was there until about 15 years ago. When it appeared, locals hired divers to hand pull it. They fought it with a chemical called Sonar™, with a one-year permit for the selective aquatic herbicide.
The 2004 purchase of a suction harvester float with help from hired divers worked fairly well, but Sonar™ use was needed again last May. All the lakes along Route 30, regardless of size, are fighting milfoil. Echo is the smallest, at 54 acres. Beebe is 110, Hortonia is 479, St. Catherine is 904, and Bomoseen is 2,360.
Divers are expensive, mechanical equipment breaks down, and volunteers may be difficult to find. The state offers some grant money, but only Lake St. Catherine receives municipal help, from Poultney and Wells. Not all property owners are willing or able to help with the expense.
There may well be better solutions. Sondergeld encourages approving greater chemical use, either Sonar™ lakewide or the chemical Renovate™ for spot treatment.
Benson festival a success
BENSON—Even though a storm unloaded more than an inch of rain on Benson Aug. 11, the Benson Family Day & Burdock Festival was a success, including both the parade and the annual garden tractor pull. First prize in the parade went to the Ted Kellogg family for their “Yellow Submarine” float. Second prize winners were the Bartholomew family who presented the “Jail House Rock” with Elvis on board. Third prize recipient was the “Flower Children” Float by Elsie Lussier and family. William Manley exhibited the tallest burdock.
John Hagan and Mary Elberson won the prize for Best Equine with their two donkeys, sponsored by Mill Pond Farms.
The Benson Burdock Groovy shirt is being sold to raise funds for the town’s fire department. Anyone who missed buying one at the festival may call Gina Cull to order one, 537-2063.
GMC welcomes new, returning faculty and staff
POULTNEY—The visiting scholar for Green Mountain College’s master’s level annual four-day residency is Richard Heinberg, senior fellow of the Post Carbon Institute. Considered one of the world’s leading advocates in shifting away from our reliance on fossil fuels to renewable solutions, Heinberg has written 13 books including The End of Growth: Adapting to our New Economic Reality.
New to GMC are Evan Cuttitta, academic coach for first-year students and financial literacy program developer; Peggy Gregory, College Wellness Center director; Amy Jackson, learning specialist at the College Calhoun Learning Center; David Morris, new women’s head soccer and lacrosse coach; Timothy Oliver as director of campus security; and Rebecca Wolfgang, Diversity and Inclusion VISTA in Student Involvement.
