Robert Millar

Can't make it tonight? All the info you could possibly ask for is also available online at www.winooskivt.gov/townmeeting & www.wsdvt.org/school-board...

Town Meeting Day is tomorrow (3/3)! Are you ready to vote, Winooski? 💚

If not, come down to the WSD TONIGHT at 6pm for the Annual Meeting! You'll hear from District & City staff & elected officials about this year's budgets & ballot items, as well as actually voting on a few. Don't miss it!

Don't forget! Join us today (2/28) at 2pm at Scout for another Coffee with your School Board Trustees Event. Let's get those Town Meeting Day questions answered! 💚

Read the full Annual report here: www.wsdvt.org/wp-content/u...

Friends and Neighbors, As always, I want to start by thanking the voters of Winooski for your past and continued support of our Schools. Winooski has made clear in recent years that you support the District’s work and the direction the Schools are heading. And that support is yielding results! Recent standardized test scores have shown improvement across grade levels in math and English. While we have a long way to go, it’s clear that investments in curriculum, in the multilingual liaison program, in the school building itself, and elsewhere, are making a difference. It’s also important to remember that, given the reality of the world we live in and the way Vermont chooses to fund human services, your support means much more than just improvement in academic outcomes. It means children being fed who might not otherwise have access to nutritious meals. It means children with access to medical and dental care they might not otherwise have. It means investments in mental healthcare amidst a spiraling youth mental health crisis. It means support for families dealing with housing insecurity. It means a stronger, more connected community for all of us. But believe me, your Board of School Trustees understands that our tiny City can only take on so much. That’s why, over the past several months, we’ve once again worked closely with administrators to build a budget that both meets the needs of our students and is hopefully affordable for taxpayers. This year, we not only had several adult “Budget Buddies” from the community join us for our discussions, but also a few High School students, whose input was invaluable. The budget the Board adopted and that you will vote on March 3rd represents an increase of 4.59% from last year. With the information we currently have from the State, this should mean a slight reduction in the education tax rate for most Winooski taxpayers of about a penny. This minimal increase was accomplished despite many complicating budget factors. Healthc…

In order to keep the budget increase as low as possible, the administration worked hard to be creative and do more with less. That means reducing about ten staff positions – mainly through attrition, with few or no layoffs projected. It means prioritizing the most important building needs, such as updated boilers for the Elementary School, while putting off less pressing priorities. But it also means investing in identified student needs, such as expanding work based learning opportunities, partnering with GMT to expand public transit options for students, and increasing our Spanish Language Liaison position from Part Time to Full Time. It also means exploring a new way to support some of our students with the most acute special needs and behavioral concerns. Typically, these students must be placed in private, out-of-district programs, at great expense and sometimes hours away. That’s why the administration has proposed creating a new, District managed program, which is why you will see a separate ballot item asking voter permission to use surplus funds from previous years to purchase a property near the school to house this program. How you vote on this item will not affect the budget we are presenting, but this program should save the District money in the long run and could even be a source of revenue in the future. I hope we can count on your support for both this ballot item and the budget on Town Meeting Day (March 3rd)! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Robert Millar, WSD Board President

My letter to voters from this year's Winooski School District Annual Report. Don't forget to vote March 3rd! 💚

If that doesn't work, you can also find lots of info online here: www.wsdvt.org/school-board...

Or check out our 2026 budget presentation on CCTV here:
www.cctv.org/watch-tv/pro...

Or I'll see you next Monday (3/2) at 6pm in the WSD Performing Arts Center for Winooski's Annual Meeting!

Still have questions about this year's Winooski School District budget or ballot items? Join us this Saturday (2/28) at 2pm at Scout for another Coffee with your School Board Trustees Event! 💚

Dear Winooski community, The Winooski School District received significant news from the state today: for the first time in recent memory, all three of our schools have moved off the "Comprehensive Support and Improvement" list. Congratulations to all. This great achievement is a testament to the investments this community has made over the years and the tireless work of Winooski educators and staff. I want to say that this is yet one more thing that makes me feel incredibly proud. There is much work ahead, but let this be a reminder that our work together can have a tangible impact on all fronts. With pride and appreciation, Wilmer

Huge news from Superintendent Chavarria today! Way to go, Winooski! 💚

37th Annual KidSafe Collaborative Annual Outstanding Service Award Save the Date announcement, featuring our Presenting Sponsor: Myers Container Service. This year's winners are: Wanda Audette, Lund, Lifetime Achievement Lauren Porell, Steps To End Domestic Violence, Promising Professional Dayva Savio, Janet s Munt Family Room, Janet s. munt prevention award Jennie Davis, Champlain Valley School District, Outstanding Professional Monica Van Ollefen, Spectrum Youth and Family Services, Gregory Packan Outstanding advocacy Winooski School District Multilingual Liaisons, Outstanding Collaboration April 14th, 2026 DoubleTree by Hilton, 9:30-11:30am

We are honored and excited to announce our 2026 Outstanding Service Awardees! The awardees have demonstrated commitment to protecting children, supporting families, and strengthening our community.
Join us April 14th, we can't wait to celebrate their impact! kidsafeawards2026.eventbrite.com

If that doesn't work for you, stay tuned for more events, or you can also find lots of info about the budget and ballot items online here: www.wsdvt.org/school-board...

Or check out our 2026 budget presentation on CCTV here:
www.cctv.org/watch-tv/pro...

Did you miss the Community Supper, or still have questions about the budget or ballot items? Don't worry, there are more opportunities coming up to connect with your SB Members! 💚

First up, you can join us THIS Sunday (2/8) at 2pm at Specs Café for a Coffee with your School Board Trustees Event.

Now that both Winooski City & School District have approved our budgets, the next step falls to all of you, the voters! Need more info before the vote on 3/3? Then don't miss the Community Supper 2/3 at 5pm in the District Cafeteria! As always, there will be plenty of great local food. 💚

Congratulations to Rep. Chloe Tomlinson (Chittenden-21) for being recognized as a 2026 Environmental Rising Star ⭐️

Tonight (1/20)! The Winooski School District Board will be presenting information on the budget we just adopted last week on Town Meeting TV. Watch live on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEto...

Now that's must see TV!

The Vermont Progressive Party

The Vermont Progressive Party, free of corporate donations/interest, is recruiting candidates for TMD & beyond.

The VPP is hosting regional trainings on Jan 17 in Montpelier and Jan 31 in Manchester. Sign up at www.progressiveparty.org.

Join the most successful third party in the United States!

There's no denying 2025 was a difficult year. And 2026 is off to a rough start. There is hope for a brighter future, but how do we get through the tough times now?

I shared some of my thoughts in my most recent School Board Update for the Winooski Newsletter: www.winooskivt.gov/DocumentCent...

Statement from the Winooski Board of School Trustees: The Winooski Board of School Trustees was devastated and horrified to learn this week that one of our 2nd grade students and his mother were abducted by federal agents over the Thanksgiving break and are being held in a facility in Texas. There is no justification for detaining a student – it is amoral, unjust, and inhumane. This is not only a direct trauma to this student and his family, but has rippled throughout the entire School and Winooski community. We are grateful for the decisive and compassionate leadership Superintendent Chavarria has shown in supporting this student, his family, and our District during this time. We call on our local, state, and federal elected representatives to advocate on behalf of this student and his mother and secure their immediate release. We call upon all Vermonters to stand in solidarity with our community and demand their immediate release. Families belong together, and students belong in the classroom, not in detention facilities.

Last night the Winooski School Board issued a statement condemning the inhumane detention of members of our community, including a 2nd grade student. I'm proud to live in a place where the response to this abhorrent act is empathy, anger, & most importantly, action. 💚

Winooski Second Grader in ICE Detention in Texas | Seven Days The boy, who attends JFK Elementary, is the first Winooski School District student to be detained by immigration officials this year.

The school district activated its “rapid response” protocol to try to locate the child and help his family with legal support.

Donate to Emergency Legal Fees for Winooski Family Impacted by ICE, organized by sarah lowry While traveling out of state over the Thanksgiving holiday, a sec… sarah lowry needs your support for Emergency Legal Fees for Winooski Family Impacted by ICE

A GoFundMe has been created to support our Winooski student & their family who were cruelly detained by ICE over break: www.gofundme.com/f/legal-fees...

Wilmer Chavarria Is Leading — and Advocating for — Winooski Students The superintendent of schools shares similarities with his diverse student body. He’s using his platform to stand up for them.

“As a superintendent, I can’t stop standing for the things I stand for. I can’t stop speaking out for the rights of our families. I’m not going to be one more manager or bureaucrat,” Chavarria said. “This is where we’re tested.” 💚 www.sevendaysvt.com/news/educati...

Sept 24-30 2025 | Seven Days Wilmer Chavarria Is Leading — and Advocating for — Winooski Students; Burlington Seeks a Spot for an Overdose-Prevention Center; Vermont Textile Producers Eye a “Farm-to-Closet” Movement; Eating and…

Seven Days is back to school! ✏️ On the cover this week: Wilmer Chavarria Is Leading — and Advocating for — Winooski Students

Grab it where you get Seven Days or read it online:

Come join me on the WSD Board! We've had an unexpected vacancy we need to fill ASAP, before budget season starts. Contact me know if you're interested or have questions or send a resume or Letter of Interest to info@wsdvt.org by 9/26 to apply. 💚

h/t WSD Comms Director for the great image!

Convocation 2025. Credit: Miriam Greenfield

NOTICE Winooski Progressive Party City Caucus All Progressive voters of the City of Winooski, in the County of Chittenden, are hereby notified, in accordance with 17 V.S.A. § 2303, to meet in caucus on Saturday, September 20th, 2025, at 1:00 pm, at the O’Brien Community Center, 32 Malletts Bay Ave. The Agenda for this Caucus is as follows: I. Election of City Committee II. Election of Officers by the City Committee III. Election of County Committee Members IV. Discussion: 2026 Elections V. Discussion: Organizing in Winooski VI. New Business Robert Millar, City Chair For more information, email info@progressiveparty.org LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY AT WWW.PROGRESSIVEPARTY.ORG!

Yep, it's that time again! For the one hundred & eleventy time I am leading reorg in Winooski for the VT Progressive Party.

See you there? 💚

RSVP: vtprogressiveparty.nationbuilder.com/winooski_tow...

Hello Everyone! It’s an honor to once again have the opportunity to stand up here as Winooski’s School Board President and welcome you all to another new school year. I’m so consistently proud of the work all our teachers, staff, and administrators do here every day to make sure our City’s kids get the best education possible. You all are truly amazing. But I’m going to be honest with you. I can’t just stand up here like last time and try to claim this is going to be a great, wonderful year. I won’t sugarcoat what’s obvious to all of us. We all know these are difficult times, especially for anyone working in education. Especially for anyone working with students like ours. None of us can really say for sure what education is going to look like here in Winooski – or in Vermont – in the coming years. None of us knows for sure what the Legislature or the Federal government might throw at us next. On top of that, it feels like almost every day now brings some fresh attack from Washington on the basic humanity of our friends, our neighbors, our families, and ourselves. It’s exhausting. It’s overwhelming. And I don’t know about you, but it leaves me feeling unsure what to do next, what I can possibly do to make a real difference in the face of just so much… noise. So what I do want to talk about today are two things that have helped me keep my bearings and keep moving forward, even in the face of all of that. They aren’t solutions. But they help me and they might help you. The first is rest. That might sound strange, given the constancy of everything that’s going on. But the reality is, rest is revolutionary. You can’t take care of anyone else if you don’t take care of yourself first. If you burn out, if you push yourself too hard or too long, you won’t be of help to anyone.

But why is rest especially important right now? Because one of the main points of all the noise, all the chaos, all the consistent cruelty, is to keep us all off kilter and confused about where to focus next. Rest grounds us and brings us back to ourselves. Rest is necessary and human. So rest first and then deal with what you can – and never, ever feel like you have to do it all. Focus on the levers you can reach and let others take care of theirs. The second thing that has helped me is community. I was reminded of this a few months back at the District’s community Ishtar event. Hundreds of people from Winooski and well beyond came out to celebrate and support our Muslim community members, even in the face of so much hate in the larger world. It felt incredibly important and powerful to me. And the food was amazing. You might recall that community actually shows up in our District ENDS statement. There’s a reason for that. “WSD students will lead healthy, productive and successful lives and engage with their local and global community.” Think about that for a minute. Why is the ability to successfully engage with their communities a fundamental part of what we consider a successful graduate? So they can make a difference in those communities? Of course! But I’d also argue, community is one of our fundamental needs as human beings. We need our fellows. We need support. Being in community grounds us. It certainly grounds me. It reminds me I’m not alone, that it’s not just me versus the world, that we are all in this together. So those are my suggestions to you today. Find rest, when you can. Find community, wherever you can. And you know what, forget what I said earlier. This IS going to be a great year. Thank you.

Just finished giving my welcome speech at the Winooski School District 25/26 Convocation. Full text here, sans inevitable on the fly edits.

Thank you, teachers, staff, admin, & everyone, for inviting me to be a part of your celebration! 💚

What happened to Superintendent Chavarria was by no means an isolated incident. Enough is enough! We must not let this become the new normal. 💚

‘Psychological terror’: What happened when border agents detained this Vermont superintendent Wilmer Chavarria fears that student data may have been compromised during his detention.

Wilmer Chavarria fears that student data may have been compromised during his detention.

‘Praying for it to end’: Vermont superintendent speaks out after ICE interrogation YouTube video by MSNBC

“I told them I was an American citizen. I questioned why they were using those tactics on me. I asked about my constitutional rights. An officer outright said out loud that I have no constitutional rights at a point of entry,” says Wilmer Chavarria, a school superintendent in Vermont.

On Monday, Winooski School District Superintendent Wilmer Chavarria was detained and interrogated for more than five hours by U.S. Customs and Border Protection after returning from Nicaragua.

Superintendent Chavarria is a U.S. citizen.

The actions of this Administration make (cont in image...)

Gay educator & U.S. citizen detained for hours at border: “The definition of psychological terror” - buff.ly/1WuHaXp