1496 Kinsley Rd
Jeffersonville, VT 05464

I hate giving it a 2 because the teachers and most of the staff are terrific at what they do and really care about the kids they teach. They also have lots of choices/availability for parents to be involved within the school and a lot of parents are involved in one way or another. The downside: The principal and the behavioral program. The principal does not make himself available to parents, he seems to push you off if he knows you are upset about something (he told me he didn't check his school voice-mail when I asked why he hadn't returned my calls. Didn't check it? You are the principal!) And he doesn't seem to take things seriously unless you get extremely upset (I would rather let him know what my issue is and stay calm, then start raising my voice/yelling to get my point across). The behavioral progam does not encourage kids to do better, they get prizes and if they are good long enough they get to play the Wii (yes video games at school). I understand you want to reward good behavior, but there needs to be a plan to help them transition off the plan. When these kids go to high school no one's going to give them a prize! There are exceptions, but it still needs improvement.

The middle school structure and staff have offered my two students solid support and connection. My students have grown academically and socially, and I always have quick collaboration from teachers/administrators around any concerns. I believe student success hinges not on school resources alone, but on how parents/caregivers are able to build partnerships with school teams. The middle school team at BFA Fairfax has been a great partner in these hard years of pandemic learning, with teachers clearly invested in the school community. Also, the school board approaches problem solving with a practical and fiscally conservative lens, while encouraging initiatives that build on strengths and include diverse perspectives. School everywhere are trying to respond to so many demands with not enough resources, but what I can say is BFA Fairfax is doing a nice job providing an experience that models the importance of commitment to learning.