Appreciation

Teachers Colleen O’Connell, left, and Michelle Fountain get loud cheers and big thank-you poster from the Hiller family as the Teacher Appreciation Week parade departs Woodstock Union High School in Woodstock, Vermont, on Friday. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

Much has changed this school year, but the community of Woodstock, Vermont, was determined to celebrate its teachers and staff during Teacher Appreciation Week, despite the pandemic. And they found a way.

Parents from the elementary, middle and high school levels joined together and lined up their cars to create a special parade on Friday evening, with cars starting at the high school, going through the village, and back. Balloons and grateful signage of different colors adorned the vehicles, with smiling faces enjoying the occasion. Organizers asked everyone to stay in their cars, and anyone who had to get out of their vehicle during prep time was asked to wear a mask.

As cars departed the high school for the 6 p.m. start, high school teachers Colleen O'Connell and Michelle Fountain stood near the school's entrance, waiving to cars passing by. Car horns honked, and excited students and parents cheered and greeted them from a distance. It was the first time the teachers had seen the students face to face in weeks.

"Just to see a couple of them, not on a Zoom screen," Fountain said, describing what she loved most about the occasion.

That goes to the heart of the first thing people missed in self-isolation: in-person connections. It's also a testament to our indomitable spirit — obstacles appear, but we overcome them and express our unity through love and kindness. We'll gradually make our way back to the interactions we're missing, but for now, let's keep maintaining connections and showing appreciation for the great work that's happening in the community, though it may be from afar. Much appreciation to our educators, for continuing their great work and perseverance amid the profound challenges faced by many students and families. Their leadership has made a mountain of difference.

— Gareth Henderson

Spring success

Horticulture teacher John Hiers talks about some of the plants for sale at a greenhouse at Woodstock Union High School in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

People usually flock to the spring plant sale at Woodstock Union High School in Woodstock, Vermont, during the week leading up to Mother’s Day. But this year, they couldn’t wait that long.
Spurred by the doldrums of self-isolation amid the pandemic, customers jumped right on the annual sale once word got around.
“Last week, we almost sold in one week what we do in an entire month,” said John Hiers, longtime horticulture teacher at WUHS, on Monday. “It was neighbors telling neighbors, everyone just wanting to get out.”
All five weekdays last week were busy. When customers walked in, they lit right up at the colorful spring-time scene.
“Just a breath of fresh air,” Hiers said.
The spring sale is an annual favorite that people look forward to for weeks, and Hiers knows it well. He’s retiring this year, after over three decades of teaching at WUHS. His pride was unmistakable as he shared this fact: The sale actually funds nearly two-thirds of the WUHS horticulture program’s budget.
“Sixty percent of our program funds itself,” he said.
Hiers’ last plant sale of his Woodstock career is a bit different. Though interest was high in the first week, the main greenhouse wasn’t packed. That’s because, in accordance with state regulations, the plant sale team limited the number of people allowed inside, practiced social distancing and wore masks, while constantly disinfecting equipment after use. Hiers is deemed an essential employee, and the greenhouse an essential service, he said.
The school’s horticulture program has a firm place in the community as well. The program makes all the big flower baskets that hang in Woodstock Village; it also donates tomato plants to the senior center and the Woodstock Food Shelf.
“We’re very tied to the community here in our greenhouses,” Hiers said.
Meanwhile, his students are home, immersed in horticulture projects. They’re building their own greenhouses with their parents, Hiers said, and sometimes they drop by the main WUHS greenhouse to get seeds.
Over the years, the horticulture program has become a special resource for students interested in this field. It drives education, inspires careers, and helps the community. Speaking as one of Hiers’ first horticulture students in the late 1990s, it’s an uplifting feeling for me to see how the program has grown over the years. This week, a number of local families took home the results of that work, which will brighten up their homes and add to their gardens. It couldn’t have come at a better time.

— Gareth Henderson