Reflections from the Class of 2022 

When asked to reflect on their years at the Village School as one of their writing assignments, our 6th graders shared many heart-warming stories and interesting perspectives in their own words. Several full-length perspectives were selected for publication, and additional reflections were excerpted for our website.

Nieve:

I have been in the Village School since Pre-K, and I have to say: I have never wished I were in a different school, not once. 

This one-of-a-kind school has become a second home for me. I have grown up in the protection of its walls. It has shaped me into an amazing human being. It holds an endless supply of opportunities. The teachers will quickly find your strengths and weaknesses and will help you grow from there. 

With each year, I have a greater respect for the effort put into helping us students be the best we can be. I know the school has certainly done so for me. 

There are many different things that I look back on with fondness: from Night of the Notables, to camping in second grade, to trail cams in third. 

I have created strong bonds and friendships with all of my classmates and the rest of the students and teachers. 

This year I feel that, even though Covid is still very much here, I have made stronger connections with the teachers. Mr. Kasulinous and Mrs. Coulter have put in much effort in helping me be a good student and an even better person. They taught me to be resilient and adaptive with online learning. I will be so very sad to leave next year but will definitely remember all my experiences for a very long time.

Thea:

I came to the Village School in first grade. I was nervous about being the new kid, but when I arrived my class invited me with open arms. This is just one of the qualities I love about the Village School. My class quickly became a school family to me. My teachers weren’t just my teachers but my friends. The Village School is an amazing school full of people who are kind, friendly, smart, and funny. I’ve made so many memories I can’t count, like the winter carnival, fun class traditions, science experiments, community projects, and field trips. 

I have had so many enjoyable experiences here. Some of my favorite field trips have been trips to Hildene, camping trips, Howe Caverns, and various museums. I love all of the school’s traditions like the Winter Carnival and Holiday Bazaar. 

When COVID struck, I was in fourth grade. I remember going into quarantine not knowing those were my last few days of “normal.” The school has worked so hard to keep us all safe. The school has coped so well with COVID. I was able to be in school for most of last year and this year. My teachers, despite challenges, have been able to teach me and help me throughout this virus. I was afraid that it would never go back to normal, and it has not, but this year is the closest to normal yet! 

This little school is really something else, and I will be sad to leave. The learning environment is upbeat and supportive, and the teachers are always ready to help. I have learned so much here! All and all the Village School is an awesome school.  

Addie:

VSNB is the school I have been learning at for most of my life. I came to VSNB in first grade and loved the teachers, education, and kind environment and still do today! VSNB is a unique and wonderful community. In a community, everyone knows each other. When new people come to our school everyone makes an effort to welcome them into our little community and make them feel comfortable here.

All the teachers and staff here are amazing. Mr.K is one of my favorite teachers. He has a great way of teaching and has a sense of humor. Ms. Gibbons is one of my favorite teachers too, she is always ready to help a student and will always believe in them, no matter what. 

These past two years have been different but our school has managed to persevere and become stronger together. This school is kind, welcoming, and supportive. I’m going to miss it next year.

Landon B

The Village School of North Bennington is a great school. My teachers encourage me to learn science, math, humanities, and writing. The friendships that I’ve made here are one of my favorite things at the Village School.

 At the Village School, I have done some skiing, saxophone practice, role playing games, and many other fun activities. One of my favorite memories from the Village School is when my fourth grade teacher gave me my very own spider plant named Baby Gibbons that me and my mom have kept alive. Another great memory is when my fifth grade teacher gave me my own Chinese money plant that my mom and I have also kept alive. It was nice of the teachers to give me these plants as gifts. Having nice teachers makes our school special.

The Village School is a unique place to learn, because it’s a smaller school than other elementary schools. Some schools have many more students and it would be easy to get lost, and I wouldn’t get as much attention and support. One time we went to Howe Caverns and my mom got to come with me and my class. At a bigger school we might not be able to do fun trips like this.

After thinking about what makes my school special, I realized I’m a lucky kid to be able to go here and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Thank you VSNB!

Eli:

When I first came to VSNB in 2nd grade I was scared and also happy. Before school started I was playing on the playground when Ms. Gibbons greeted my dad and me and showed us around the school. She introduced me to my teacher, Mr. Ulrich, and showed us where to go for my basic needs.

The first day of school I was welcomed and became friends with many people. The education was more positive than at my old school. My old school had a different learning environment. It was kind of like school and just school. There was no community and no kind and loving teachers. VSNB changed my whole outlook on school. VSNB is my favorite school and will be for a long long time.

  When we opened during Covid, VSNB managed the situation very safely while still maintaining a regular (in person) education. This school has helped me learn in many different ways (like how to do online work and zooms). I am very thankful to have a good, healthy place to learn and socialize with my friends. North Bennington is a great community and will always be a part of my life.

Evan:

I’m very lucky to be in this school from 4th-6th grade. I’ve had a lot of fun here.  I’ll miss this school a lot and all the teachers, and I won’t be seeing my little brother in school for a while. The best school ever is… VSNB!!! I’ll miss learning about what we learned here: the games, language arts, art, library, gym, and my friends.    

Reis:

This year has been flying by. This is my last year at VSNB, and this year is really awesome. 

All of the staff deserves a round of applause because what they have been doing this year is unbelievable! COVID-19 guidelines have been pretty easy to follow. I would rather do work in school than do work online.

This school offers the best field trips, even to the Statue of Liberty. I think that the Village School has the best education in Bennington County. VSNB makes learning fun, and that is why I go to VSNB.

The teachers’ helpers have been helping me so much this year, and I just wanted to say thank you.

Grace:

VSNB is a safe and unique learning environment. The staff has made a lot of activities, and things for the students to do possible, to let us eat in the cafeteria, play outside together, and so much more [during the pandemic].

My teachers, Mr. Kasulinous and Mrs. Coulter, have made these past years fun and helped make 2021-2022 enjoyable.

I came to this school in 5th grade, and our amazing library teacher, Mrs. Driscoll, helped me find my classroom when I didn’t know how to get there. Last year we went to Lye Brook Falls in Manchester, with the 6th grade. It was a great break to relax and have fun with each other.

I am so thankful that I am able to go to school. I really struggled when I learned online at my old school, but this school made learning online easier and possible. I will admit that like every school we have a couple of blips in the road, but the community and staff make facing the struggles anyone in the school might have possible to do together.

VSNB is the best school anyone could ask for.

Madison:

VSNB is an amazing school. I moved to this school when I was in 2 grade and ever since then I have fit into this school well. There have been struggles for the past two years with Covid, but all the staff have made it work. They are all supportive and kind, even through hard times.

Mrs. Coulter and Mr. K have been so helpful in classes and we have learned so much. Last year it was a little harder because on Wednesdays we had to go remote. That was very hard, but we made it work. It was the second time doing that for most of us. We had to do it at the end of 4th grade. 

In 5th grade we all had to start wearing masks. It wasn’t that bad in the beginning, but then it got worse. [The masks] made it less likely you would get Covid, so it was worth it. 

I was very happy that I moved to this school and became a part of the Village School family.

Landon H:

VSNB is a really unique and supportive learning environment. I think that everyone should have a chance to get to know a lot of the students and faculty. 

The faculty are the nicest people I have ever been around. They are really amazing. They help a lot of students who need help and everyone who doesn’t have the same skill base. That’s why the teachers sometimes have to help different people. 

The VSNB also is really good about keeping their masks on. I think that everyone should realize being a teacher takes a lot of skill. You have to stand in front of a class and speak, you have to teach everyone individually, and you have to be very smart. 

Even janitors are super active around the building picking up bathrooms, the cafeteria, wiping down everything because of Covid-19. Covid tried shutting down the school last year, but instead we just did remote learning on Wednesday for a deep cleaning and were in person otherwise. Now we are back to normal school days and keeping a mask on. 

I’m thankful for my teachers, my friends, and my school. I wouldn’t have wanted to go to school anywhere else for these important years of my learning.