It’s been a great start to the 2024-2025 school year at Blue Mountain High School in Wells River, Vermont. According to BMU’s Elementary Principal, Scott Blood, and Dean of Students, Parrish Eiskamp, the 2024-2025 school year started strong. Blood shared that “kids and staff seem re-energized and ready to go” after having a little over two months off of school for summer break.

Blood added that “all staffing levels are just about 100%” this year. This is extraordinary because, since COVID, it’s been hard to hire and retain teachers. Last year, a large number of new staff members started at BMU, and this year there was a much smaller turnover. 

This year is also running smoothly because of the new schedule.  Eiskamp explained that despite this newness, the “kids have settled in.”  In previous years, BMU ran on A and B days with alternating classes.  Last year, the schedule included semester-long 90-minute and year-long 45-minute classes. This year, BMU adopted a 70-minute semester-long schedule.

Blood remarked that  “All [of] the pieces [are] falling into place.”