Lakeview Union School Community Forum

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Since last summer, the Lakeview Union School Board has been assessing the functionality of our school facilities.  The existing Lakeview Union School building has served students from the Greensboro and Stannard communities well for the past 30 years.  Our facility, however, is now in need of significant repairs and upgrades to remain not only safe and code-compliant, but also to meet the demands of a 21st century learning environment.  We want Lakeview to continue to provide our students with an inviting space to learn and grow.

We would like to invite the residents of Greensboro and Stannard to the first in a series of conversations about this issue on Wednesday, May 24 at 7 PM at the Lakeview School.  This is an opportunity for us to share with you the challenges we as a community are facing when it comes to our building and our options for addressing them.  But most importantly, this is a chance for us to hear from you, the school’s stakeholders, to help us get a better understanding of what the community feels would be an appropriate direction to take on this critical issue.

We hope you can join us on the evening of May 24.  For more information, please visit the Lakeview school board website at https://lakeviewschoolboard.ossu.org

 

 

Circus Smirkus News: Camp Work Party, Saturday, June 3

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That’s right, this is not an oxymoron!  You are invited to camp at 409 Breezy Ave on Saturday June 3rd and together we’ll get camp set up for the summer season, Smirkus style! This involves painting, gardening, cleaning and lots of fun! Bring your foam hammers, your polychromatic paintbrushes, and your clown work boots for a day of fun and can-do spirit as we ready the new camp facility for its fabulous third summer.

We’ll be working from 9-5pm, any time you can spare is appreciated!  Lunch and snacks are provided. To sign up, visit  https://www.smirkus.org/whoswhoboard/volunteer/

 

The 2017 Circus Smirkus Big Top Tour theme is Night at the Museum, and the Greensboro shows will be held on July 2nd at 1 and 6 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at the Smirkus website,  https://www.smirkus.org .

Protect our Lake: Spring Cleaning Tips & Tricks to Help Protect Greensboro’s Lakes

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It’s the time of year when camp owners return and begin opening cottages for summer use.  With all the cleaning that is often needed to make a camp homey again, it’s easy to lose sight of the importance of choosing safe cleaning products for our lakes.  Avoiding phosphates, bleach, and other chemical detergents and cleaners can contribute to helping keep our lakes clean.  Willey’s carries many eco-friendly cleaning products for home use.   Other alternatives to chemical cleaners include white vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach.

Happy camp opening season!

Greensboro Arts Alliance & Residency Announces Summer Season

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The Greensboro Arts Alliance & Residency recently announced plans for its summer season in our community.  Plans include a production of William Saroyan’s The Time of Your Life.  Directed by Sabra Jones, the production will take place in the GUCC Sanctuary on August 19.  Auditions will be held over the Memorial Day Weekend.

In addition, GAAR will hold its Second Annual Sowles Gala on Sunday, August 13 at the Highland Lodge.  Come and enjoy an evening of delicious food and joyful music and theater as GAAR’s artists present songs, dances, and monologues to round out a lovely summer evening.

Finally, under the direction of Heidi Lauren Duke, GAAR will present Bon Appetit, an opera about Julia Child.  Performances are scheduled for June 30, July 1, and July 5 at the Hardwick Town House.  The shows will also feature additional arias and songs related to food, as well as tasty chocolate cake and other provisions provided by area restaurants and food producers.

Stay tuned for information about show times and tickets.

 

Ticks

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Winter in Greensboro and across Vermont was on the milder side this year.  As a result, health agencies are anticipating a challenging tick season for anyone who enjoys being outside in Vermont.   There are several varieties of ticks in Vermont, and not all are prone to biting humans.  For photos and information on each tick variety, visit here:

https://www.healthvermont.gov/immunizations-infectious-disease/mosquito-tick-zoonotic-diseases/types-ticks-vermont

Unfortunately, despite our far northern location, we are not immune to these concerns, and anecdotal reports of people removing ticks from pets and themselves have already been shared around town.

While we all enjoy Greensboro for its natural beauty and plentiful opportunities for outside recreation, gardening, and forest management, we want you to remain safe and healthy.  The Vermont Department of Health provides some excellent resources for tracking ticks across the state, performing tick checks, as well as information on prevention and removal.   Find more information here:

https://www.healthvermont.gov/immunizations-infectious-disease/mosquito-tick-zoonotic-diseases/prevent-tick-bites

Summer Camps Still Have Availability!

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Summer is right around the corner!  Have you firmed up your family member’s summer camp plans?  Some camps have filled, but others still have availability.

Circus Smirkus has openings for its 1- and 2-day camps in late June.  These are a great introduction to Circus Smirkus, or for kids that have not had an overnight camp experience before.  Campers get a full sampling of what great fun Circus Smirkus camp can be, and they have the chance to “pie” their family members after their final performance!  For more information and to check availability, visit here:

https://www.smirkus.org/smirkus-camp/

Wonder & Wisdom’s collaboration with The Art House in Craftsbury will also provide exciting opportunities for day campers this summer.  Several of their camps have already filled, but they do still have openings for camps in late July and they maintain a wait list for camps without current availability.   For more information and to register, visit https://wonderwisdom.org/summer-journeys/

Highland Center for the Arts Opening Festivities

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Finishing touches are being put on the new Highland Center for the Arts, and the anticipation for the grand opening of Greensboro’s new theater is building.  The Highland Center for the Arts released its opening weekend schedule of events this past week.  All events are free and open to the public and include music, theater, the opening of the art gallery, and more.  The schedule for the opening, as well as information on additional events planned for this summer, is available here:

https://highlandartsvt.org/events/

Fishing & Boating News

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As of the last weekend in April, the ice is out on Caspian Lake, and anglers have already been spotted on Caspian.  The State of Vermont’s Department of Fish and Wildlife provides extensive information on fishing locations and regulations, events and family fishing programs, the 2017 fish stocking schedule, and boating safety and regulations.  For more information, visit here:

https://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=73163&pageId=7147424

In addition, while the waters look enticing for fishing and boating, please remember that the ice has only just gone out and it is still dangerously cold.  While Vermont has no formal guidelines for cold water boating safety, they do recommend that boaters and anglers wear a personal flotation device during the spring and fall cold water temperatures.

The Highland Center for the Arts Opening Performance with Hazen Union School

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Join Hazen Union High School’s drama students — the first actors to set foot on the brand new Highland Center for the Arts Main Stage — for their unique take on Shakespeare’s most popular comedy. The cast and production team for this abbreviated Midsummer is made up of students from Hazen Union High School who are working diligently with Hazen Union’s theater teachers and professional actors and directors from Northern Stage to bring this show to life.  This arts education program is underwritten in its entirety by the Highland Center for the Arts.

Seats are limited! Save your place by emailing [email protected] (include your name, contact information, and number of attendees in your email

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Abbreviated!)
By William Shakespeare
April 13, 2017, multiple performance times
At the Highland Center for the Arts
2875 Hardwick Street
Greensboro, Vermont 05841

School Performances at 10:00 am and 1:00 pm
Public Tour of Highland Center for the Arts at 6:00 pm
Public Performance of Midsummer at 7:00 pm (runs 1 hour 15 minutes with no intermission)
Free to all; appropriate for ages 4 and up.
Free reception following the show (8:15 pm)

About Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream

When run-away couples and a band of hapless actors leave the safety of Athens’ city walls and head to the nearby woods, they are thrown into a magical world of fairies, Kings and Queens, love potions, and a impish sprite who will stop at nothing to create romantic and comic havoc for all. Filled with magic, royal battles, fools in love, and bumbling buffoons, this dream is extremely accessible to the old and young alike

About the Highland Center for the Arts

HCA’s mission is to develop and operate a welcoming venue for assembly, artistic expression, entertainment, education and refreshment. HCA features a state-of-the-art main theater with multiple thrust stage configurations and seating for up to 275 people, a 100-seat small performance space, a full-service café and an art gallery, along with outdoor terraces and support spaces. The campus was designed to provide exceptional opportunities to create, exhibit, view, experience, perform, learn about and talk about art through performances, programs, workshops, festivals, classes and multi-disciplinary events. HCA’s goal is to achieve a balanced, year-round schedule of locally and nationally-sourced performances and events suited to serving the residents and artists living in the Northeast Kingdom. HCA is also committed to developing partnerships with local schools and school districts to enhance arts education and support students’ and families’ participation in the arts.

About Northern Stage

NS, a regional, professional, nonprofit theater company is dedicated to changing lives, one story at a time. Located in White River Junction, Vermont, NS’s intimate 240-seat setting (the new Barrette Center for the Arts), sophisticated productions, and expansive education and outreach programs set the stage for active engagement with all of its community and audience members. Founded in 1997, Northern Stage has offered more than 115 high-quality, professional productions of new works, classics, and musicals. The company celebrates its 20th Anniversary Season this year and annual attendance is now over 30,000.

 

 

Hazendale Farmstand Will Not Open for Summer

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We are saddened to report to you that a Greensboro landmark business will not be reopening this summer.  For decades, David Allen and Diana Griffiths have provided our community with locally-grown, organic vegetables, fruits, meats and chceses and in recent years, specialty pantry items – not to mention The New York Times every day.  Several years ago, David and Diana decided to try a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model for their farmstand business, in which people could buy a “share” in advance for the summer and use their balance toward Hazendale’s abundant and high quality offerings.

In a letter to past CSA members this week, Diana and David wrote, “After much thought and deliberation we have decided not to open the farmstand this summer.  Our decision is fueled by the lack of young workers coming forward and a low CSA response. […] A big thank you to those who have continued to support us over the years and we look to seeing you around this summer.  You will find some of our produce in both Willey’s Store and Buffalo Mt. Co-op.”

We thank them for their many years as a bright spot in the Greensboro landscape.

2017 Town Meeting

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The 2017 Town meeting held on March 7, 2017 at Fellowship Hall was civil, very well attended and productive.   The minutes will be available on the town website;  also, Kyle Gray videotaped the proceedings.   We will post links to those when available.  The annual report is here.

Highlights included:

1) The Greensboro Award was given to Janet Long, recognizing her many, many years of service to the Town and its institutions.

2) Kim Greaves was elected as Town Clerk, replacing Valdine Hall who is retiring from the post.  Denise Stuart was elected as Town Treasurer, also replacing Valdine.

3)  Peter Romans and Sean Thomson were re-elected to the Selectboard, serving 3 year terms.   Mike LaPierre was elected to a two year term.   They join Sue Wood and Judy Carpenter as members of the Select Board.

4) The FY 2017-18  Town Budget was passed as amended – $1,801,607, a 3% increase over 2016-17.  The only amendment increased the proposed town grant to the Hardwick Area Food Shelf by $500 to $2500.    There was a lengthy discussion of the $1500 budgeted request for funding the Grange renovation, which was approved.

5)  The FY 2017-18 Greensboro School budget was passed as presented.

6)  A discussion occurred about whether the day and time of Town Meeting should be changed.   Some suggested that the current Tuesday morning (workday) meeting reduces the number of younger and working community members who can attend.  Other choices were presented, including a Saturday morning meeting, an Australian ballot for Select Board elections, and an evening meeting.   Some felt that the tradition of a Tuesday Town meeting was worth keeping.   All agreed that a well attended Greensboro Town Meeting is a great benefit for the town and its residents.    The Select Board welcomes input from all residents related to the timing of Town Meeting.

7)  Several requests were made to clarify town employees salary and benefits by position in next years budget.    Also, the Select Board will schedule one regular meeting each quarter at a venue in Greensboro Bend instead of at the Greensboro Town Hall.

8)  A motion was approved to set the Property Tax Due Date to November 2, 2017 at 4pm.  The Town is also instituting an electronic payment system, which will be available to tax payers with an additional fee.

9) A delicious lunch was again served by the Four Seasons of Early Learning!  Thank you Four Seasons!

10) The Funky Fourth Celebration parade and fireworks are tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 1, 2017.

Local Event Venues for Summer Festivities          

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Are you in the planning stages for a special event in Greensboro?  We are fortunate that our town offers several venues that can be reserved for your gathering.  We’ve taken a moment to compile some information to help you locate the perfect spot in Greensboro.

The Mountain View Country Club:  Clubhouse rental is available for members, non-profit groups, and non-members with the recommendation of a member.

Highland Lodge: Please note that the Highland Lodge’s new website is still under construction.  Contact information, room and cottage descriptions, and online booking are currently available.

Greensboro Barn: This venue, located just down the road from the Mountain View Country Club, is a landmark in Greensboro and is now available to host a wide variety of events from weddings to indoor picnics.  Contact information and details are provided on the website.

Town Meeting March 7

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Materials for the 2017 Greensboro Town Meeting are now available for online viewing. Click here

Please note that town offices will be closed on Monday, March 6 and Tuesday, March 7.

Greensboro Historical Society Presentation: Car Talk: The History of Garages in Greensboro

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The Greensboro Historical Society will present “Car Talk: The History of Garages in Greensboro”.  Featured will be Tim Nisbet for Greensboro Garage, Janet Long for Lyles’ Garage and Jacquie Molleur and Anne Hanson for Tanguay Garage.

Join us at the GUCC Fellowship Hall on Sunday, March 5 from 2-4 pm. Refreshments will be served.

The Highland Center for the Arts Announces Interim Partnership with Northern Stage

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The Highland Center for the Arts (HCA) in Greensboro, Vermont has engaged Northern Stage (NS), a professional producing theater company based in White River Junction, Vermont to assist with artistic and educational programming and general management consultation services on an interim basis, beginning immediately and extending through September 2017. The partnership will draw on NS’ expertise in the management of rural arts centers to help HCA launch its inaugural summer season. This new collaboration will be headed by NS Managing Director Eric Bunge and supported by the resources and talents of NS’ leadership team of world-class professional arts producers and managers. The HCA and NS partnership will focus on three areas: readying the new HCA facility for opening; working with staff to advance HCA’s artistic and administrative skills; and curating and producing an introductory series of artistic offerings for HCA’s inaugural summer season.

HCA’s board chair Melanie Clarke led the negotiations to enlist NS in this unique partnership. Clarke states, “I am thrilled that HCA will have the opportunity to work with and learn from the artists and producers of Northern Stage during our opening season. Our board chose this route as an ideal way forward to steward the extraordinary gift of the Highland Center for the Arts to Greensboro. What impresses me most about Northern Stage is their history of success serving their audiences and connecting with their community through artistically excellent productions and innovative programming. In addition to their talent, passion and artistry, they utilize superb systems of management and control which have allowed them to realize their artistic goals and achieve financially sound results. This collaboration will empower Highland to be what it aspires to be for our community and will help us incorporate what matters to our community in our ongoing planning and programming.”

NS will shepherd HCA through its opening summer season with two pilot programs designed to lay the groundwork for HCA’s future productions. The first program is a Shakespeare in the Schools partnership with Hazen Union High School in Hardwick, Vermont. NS Director of Education Eric Love will assist classroom teachers in exploring Shakespeare’s text, acting techniques, history and team-building. The project will culminate in a final presentation of scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream slated for public performance on HCA’s mainstage in April, 2017. “We have seen an incredible impact on the students Northern Stage has worked with through this type of program,” Bunge says. “It is thrilling to know that Hazen Union students will be the very first performers on the HCA stage. It’s a perfect fit for HCA’s vison of gathering people together to participate in the arts.”

The second pilot program will be a full production of Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to be performed on HCA’s mainstage during the summer. This community/ professional collaboration will be the Highland Center’s first self-produced play and will involve professional actors and professional theater support personnel as well as community members in on-stage and off-stage roles. Bunge states, “HCA’s Midsummer will bring Shakespeare’s most popular comedy to beautiful life while involving members of the Greensboro area community in myriad creative ways.” Audition dates and crew calls for community members will be announced in April.

Additional programming for HCA’s upcoming summer season is in the final planning stages and will be announced in early April, 2017. This includes music performances, film series, educational programming and events produced by several of the area’s arts and civic organizations. Art exhibits and curated shows featuring the region’s visual artists are also planned and will rotate from June 2017 through May 2018. HCA’s official opening weekend is June 2,3 and 4, 2017 and will feature free performances and receptions.

Since last summer, HCA has welcomed local residents and representatives from local and state-wide arts organizations to tour its construction site. When the building is completed, HCA will resume tours of the campus and will host a series of forums for the public to learn about HCA’s programs and to encourage the public to participate and contribute to the development of HCA based on the community’s interest.

In addition to securing a collaboration with Northern Stage, HCA’s Board is actively searching for an Executive Director to lead artistic planning and programming and forge partnerships and collaborations in support of enriching art experiences and engaging the local community. Plans to recruit new members to HCA’s board are ongoing.

Upcoming Town Meetings

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Greensboro’s Town Meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 10:00 AM. For information on seats up for election at this year’s meeting, as well as town committees looking for appointees, visit https://www.greensborovt.org .

The annual meeting of the Lakeview Union School District will be Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 7:00 PM in the Lakeview Union School Multipurpose Room.  Budget information is available here:

https://lakeviewschoolboard.ossu.org

 

Annual town and school reports are currently at the printer.  We will provide more details and links to relevant documents for these important annual meetings as they become available.

Children’s Summer Camps: Lots of Options!

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Children’s Summer Camps: Registration Open for The Art House /Wonder & Wisdom Summer Journeys Camps, Circus Smirkus, and Hosmer Point Saplings Day Camp and Traditional Overnight Camps

 

The Art House in Craftsbury has teamed up with Wonder & Wisdom of Greensboro to diversify and expand their 2017 summer camp offerings for children.  Registration information is available here:

https://wonderwisdom.org/summer-journeys/

Hosmer Point is a traditional summer camp located in Craftsbury on Big Hosmer Pond.  They offer both sleep-away and day camps, sculling camps for children ages 12-15, and two sessions of Little Bellas Mountain Biking Camp, which is a program for girls ages 11-15.  Some camps fill quickly, and registration is currently open here:

https://www.hosmerpoint.com/camps/camp-dates-for-2017/

Circus Smirkus Camp still has openings for several of its sessions, including BIG KID CAMP!  Have you ever wanted to run away to the circus?  Now is your chance to learn some of the skills younger campers develop and still have down time to experience all the other great things Greensboro has to offer.  Big Kid Camp is for adults age 21 and up and runs from August 20th to the 27th.

Registration info here:

https://www.smirkus.org/smirkus-camp/camp-sessions/

Sterling College School of the New American Farmstead 2017 Programs

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Sterling College’s School of the New American Farmstead continues to offer a wide range of year-round continuing education opportunities.  This year you can discover your inner agrarian, teamster (working horses and cattle), weaver and basket maker, orchardist, bee keeper, brewer, baker, and much more. Information and registration is available here:

https://www.sterlingcollege.edu/school-of-the-new-american-farmstead/

Craftsbury Outdoor Center to Highland Lodge Shuttle

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Interested in skiing from the Highland Lodge to Craftsbury but not interested in dealing with the logistics of leaving a car in two locations?  With great ski conditions now available this winter, the Craftsbury Outdoor Center has resumed its shuttle service from the Center to the Highland Lodge on weekends.  The shuttle leaves the Outdoor Center at 9:30 AM for the Lodge.  They do request a payment of $5 in the Activity Center to help cover the cost of running the shuttle.

For more information and to confirm that the shuttle will run on any given weekend (it really can change from week to week), check the Center’s website at

https://www.craftsbury.com/skiing/nordic-center/nordic-center-home/

Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation to Host Community Meeting About Great Hosmer Pond

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The Great Hosmer Pond Task Force worked throughout 2016 to find solutions to reduce conflict on the waters of Great Hosmer between scullers and motor boaters.  As part of these conversations, it became clear that an exploration of whether a revision of the “Use of Public Water Rules” could help reduce conflict.

Members of the Watershed Management Division of the Vermont DEC will host a public meeting on this issue to gain additional input from the communities that use the pond as the DEC moves forward with the rule-making process.  The meeting will be this Saturday, January 21, at 10 AM at the Craftsbury Academy gymnasium.

While not in Greensboro, this process could possibly impact the uses of other lakes in our region.  We encourage those of you interested in issues surrounding the public use of state-owned water bodies to attend this meeting.

For more information about this issue and the rule-making process, please visit:

https://dec.vermont.gov/watershed/lakes-ponds/lakes-ponds/public-outreach-and-rulemaking