The Vermont Principals’ Association opposes any type of hard cap on education spending set by the state, especially given the current structure of local control authority in budget approval and board oversight of educational spending within the constraints of Vermont’s school finance system. (Full Written Testimony)

For the record, I am Jay Nichols and I represent the Vermont Principals’ Association. Good afternoon Committee members and thanks for your service. I’ve been asked to speak about the Redistricting Task Force work on Act 73 as well as the VPA’s Legislative priorities.

Link to Full Testimony, VPA Legislative Priorities 2026

Good morning members of the House Committee on Education and I hope the start of the 2026 Legislative Session has been positive for you thus far. For the record, my name is Jay Nichols and I am here today as the Chair of the Commission on the Future of Public Education in Vermont. My task today is to provide you with testimony from the Commission’s findings. (Full Written Testimony) (House Education Youtube Channel)

The Vermont Principals’ Association is proud to announce Vermont’s 2026 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) delegates. Annually, two students from each state are selected for a $10,000 cash scholarship and an all-expenses paid week long trip to Washington D.C. While at the capitol, students learn about the inner workings of the federal government. They meet with members of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Presidential Administration. All high achieving juniors and seniors in Vermont high schools with interest in leadership, politics, law, and government are encouraged to apply. The scholarship and program are funded by the Hearst Foundation. 

This year’s selected student delegates to represent Vermont are Daniel Mann and Quincy Sabick. Daniel is a senior at Thetford Academy. Quincy is a senior at Vergennes Union High School. Both Daniel and Quincy are very impressive Vermont high school students. They submitted incredible application packets, had lots of evidence of great school and community leadership, and had very impressive interviews with the VPA USSYP committee that made the final selections. 

The USSYP committee is comprised of retired principals Dan Ryan and Meredith Voutras; current school leaders Greg Schillinger, Principal Rutland High School; Alicia Lyford, Principal East Montpelier Elementary School, Diane Reilly, Principal Hyde Park Elementary School; Kelly Dias, Principal Academy School; Mari Miller,  Principal Brighton Elementary School and, Jay Nichols, Senior Executive Director of the VPA.

The VPA, the United States Senate Youth Program, and the USSYP Committee all encourage Vermont students who will be in their junior or senior years, and hold an elected or appointed school or community position, to apply for this distinguished scholarship and opportunity next year. Completed applications for next year will be due in October. Learn more about the program here.

Does YOUR school have what it takes to earn the title of Food Drive State Champion?

With generous support from Market 32 and Price Chopper, we will be awarding “State Championships” for high school communities that collect the most food donations over the course of the 2025-2026 Academic Year. Winning high schools from four divisions (based on your high school’s basketball alignment) will receive a $500 Gift Card from Market 32 and Price Chopper and an exclusive Food Drive State Champs sign to be hung in your school! Plus, the school with the overall highest donation total will earn an additional $1,000 in gift cards!

Sign Up Your School Here

We encourage your schools to continue whatever Food Drive or Food Security campaigns you historically have organized but please count the items listed below toward your VPA Food Drive State Championship total.

Items that will count toward the final total include:

• Peanut Butter and Jelly
• Canned Soups/Meals
• Cereal/Oatmeal/Granola Bars
• Canned Fruit/Vegetables
• 100% Juice
• Canned Protein: Tuna, Chicken
• Beans
• Pasta
• Macaroni and Cheese

We ask that you prioritize low sodium low sugar and whole grain product. We CANNOT accept glass containers as donations.

Monthly request for updates will come from Will Cook, Sponsorships (will.cook@teallpropertiesgroup.com) and will be tracked on VPA social media channels and VPAOnline.org. Be sure to follow along to see where your school stands!

We thank Market 32 and Price Chopper for their support of Vermont’s communities and the VPA. And we thank YOU, our school leaders, for your tireless efforts in providing quality and equitable educational experiences for Vermont students.

Please reach out to Will Cook with any questions!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Northwest Designs Announced as the Official Merchandise Provider of the Vermont Principals’ Association The Vermont Principals’ Association is the governing body of high school athletics for Vermont. Today it announced that it has signed a multi-year Partnership with Northwest Designs as the Official Merchandise Provider of all VPA Championships.

Northwest Designs will be on site at all State tournaments—providing a wide selection of apparel offerings and giving each athlete, parent and fan the opportunity to customize their garments on demand. In addition, all Championship Gear will be available for purchase online before and after the tournament. Their ability to print all the products on demand means they will have sufficient inventory and make sure no one goes home without an item!

Northwest Designs has had successful Partnerships in the NFHS Section 1 with the NJSIAA (New Jersey), NHIAA (New Hampshire), MPA (Maine), MIAA (Massachusetts), CIAC (Connecticut), NYSPHSAA Section VIII (New York). We look forward to serving the VPA with local representatives out of the Burlington Area.

“We are so excited to be able to provide the best merchandise experience to the student-athletes, Families, and Fans of Vermont. We cannot wait to bring a new look to the Championship experience! Merch is a way for the kids to commemorate their accomplishments and to remember the memories that come with it. We look forward to serving the Vermont Community.” said Victor Sviridyuk, Director of Sales & Business Development for Northwest Designs.

ABOUT NORTHWEST DESIGNS
AS THE ORIGINAL ON-SITE EVENT APPAREL COMPANY since 1983, Northwest Designs specializes in on- site & online event specific apparel at the largest Youth & Collegiate Championships in the country. Today we partner with 22 NFHS High School Associations/Affiliate Associations, California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA), 6 NCAA Conferences, & we look forward to welcoming the VPA to our growing list of successful long-term partnerships. To learn more please check us out online at https://nwd.ink/

A walk through of the some example existing policies in Vermont schools and the need for care consideration of the bill’s language going forward. Click here, for the full presentation and youtube video

Elevating and credentialing the early childcare profession can provide assurances, accountability, and oversight that is transparent and distinct from the professional educator license granted by the Agency of Education. This should not result in regulatory duplication, increased costs, or application to any statute or rule that currently uses the term “educator license.” (click to view full presentation and youtube)

A walk through of the some example existing policies in Vermont schools and the need for care consideration of the bill’s language going forward. Click here, for the full presentation and youtube video

My comments for this committee are around governance, scale, and opportunity for students as I believe these issues are most germane for the committee on education. My comments are related directly to H.454 as passed in the House and related considerations. Full Senate Ed Written Testimony and Link to Youtube Version, Full Senate Finance Written Testimony and Link to Youtube Version.