Readsboro residents voted against closing their town’s only school on Wednesday in a 166–91 vote, according to official election results.
The election, conducted by Australian ballot, was scheduled after nearly 40 residents of the Bennington County town’s 600 registered voters signed a petition calling for the school’s closure. The number of people who signed the petition exceeded the 5% minimum of 30.85 voters needed for the town to call a special election.
In the petition, which was sent to the school board on April 4, people expressed doubts about the quality of education at Readsboro Central School, which has 39 students enrolled in pre-K through sixth grade.
Petitioners also raised concerns about staffing, emphasizing one instance in which two teachers were responsible for teaching three grade levels in one classroom. Since then, another classroom teacher was hired, according to Principal Robyn Oyer, returning the school to its standard ratio of two grades per classroom.
In April, Larry Hopkins, a former Readsboro school board member who was among those who drafted and signed the petition, told VTDigger that he did not think the town would vote to close the school but felt the petition was a necessary means of making “people aware of what’s going on” at Readsboro.
Ahead of the vote, Readsboro administrators, school board members and many other town residents expressed a desire to keep the school open.
Last month, residents wrote a letter to the editor at VTDigger arguing that closing Readsboro and sending local kids to other schools would have a negative impact on the young students’ senses of stability.
“The feedback we have received from the schools (that Readsboro graduates attend) points to the fact that we are properly preparing students socially, emotionally and academically to move forward and do well in other area schools,” Oyer wrote in an email to VTDigger in April. Oyer said many Readsboro graduates have made the honor roll at their current schools.
Following the vote that determined that the school would remain open, Readsboro residents discussed the election results on their town’s public Facebook page.
“Great turnout!” one resident wrote. “Hopefully this community can continue to support each other in a positive way.”
Tiffany Tan contributed reporting.