Mount Holly School

10/05/2026

Dear TRSU Community,

School districts across Vermont are working to manage significant changes to public education resulting from recent legislative action. In addition to the work of school district merger study committees, the state is lowering the per-student spending threshold above which districts face significant financial penalties. The reduction taking effect during this budget season is substantial, with further reductions scheduled each year through 2032.

We will not know the exact impact until the state provides the necessary financial information in December, but we anticipate cuts of at least hundreds of thousands of dollars this year in each district. Reductions of this magnitude will require us to consider restructuring how programs and services are provided to all students. As we evaluate these difficult decisions, we need your perspectives and input.

To share information with the public and hear from our communities, we will hold the first of a series of monthly open forums and listening sessions at the end of October, with additional meetings continuing through March. It remains unclear how the two districts can sustain the work needed to continue the gains in student achievement made over the past few years. Regardless, we must find a path forward within the increasingly limited financial constraints established by the state legislature.

The LMHUUSD open forum will be held on October 22, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the media center at Mount Holly School. Remote access is available here: https://trsu.zoom.us/j/85768101879?jst=2

The GMUSD open forum will be held on October 27, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the media center at Green Mountain High School. Remote access is available here: https://trsu.zoom.us/j/89521147007?jst=2



Sincerely,



Layne Millington

TRSU Superintendent

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10/05/2026

Did You Know?

Vermont’s education transformation process requires school districts to participate in regional merger study committees and evaluate new district structures.

The Ludlow–Mount Holly Unified Union School District is participating in Group 3. Merger Group Three represents 3,111 students and includes Ludlow-Mount Holly, Mettawee, Readsboro, River Valleys, Searsburg, Somerset, Southwest Vermont Technical Center, Stamford, Stratton, Taconic and Green, Wellspring, Windham, and Winhall.
Green Mountain Unified School District is participating in Group 7. Merger Group Seven represents 2,768 students and includes Green Mountain, Athens-Grafton, Bellows Falls, River Valley Technical Center, Rockingham, Springfield, and Westminster.
Our districts may follow different paths: Because Ludlow–Mount Holly and Green Mountain are in separate study groups, one committee’s recommendation may differ from the other’s. That could open a broader discussion about the long-term structure or continued role of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union.
Study is not approval: Committee participation does not change a district, close a school, end school choice, or reorganize the supervisory union. Those outcomes would depend on the details of a formal proposal, passing state review, and a local vote by the general populous in each district.
Participation in a merger is voluntary, and a district assigned to a study group may decide not to join the proposed merger. The remaining districts may still proceed if every district identified as “necessary” approves the proposal.
What Are the Merger Committees Expected to Do?
Determine whether merging the districts would be beneficial. Specifically, would a merger:
Improve students’ access to academic programs, career and technical education, extracurricular activities, specialized staff, and other services?
Reduce costs or use resources more efficiently?
Establish a governance structure that preserves meaningful local voice?
How Can Community Members Stay Informed?
Watch for merger committee agendas, meeting dates, minutes, and materials posted by the participating districts or supervisory union. Currently, the TRSU is posting notices of these meetings on the warning calendar found on the main page of the TRSU website TRSU.org.
Attend public meetings and ask questions about educational opportunity, cost, transportation, governance, school choice, and local representation.
Follow updates from Ludlow–Mount Holly, Green Mountain, and the Two Rivers Supervisory Union as the committees develop and compare options.
The first meeting of each merger committee is set.
Group Seven’s (GMUSD) first meeting is scheduled for October 13, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at Bellows Falls Union High School, 406 High School Road, Westminster, VT 05158, Universal Room.
Group Three’s (LMHUUSD) first meeting is scheduled for October 28, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at Equinox Valley Middle School, 80 Memorial Avenue, Manchester Center, Vermont.

09/22/2026

Dear TRSU Community,

Just a quick reminder of the informational meeting on September 23 at 6:00 p.m. in Room 3 at Ludlow Elementary School to learn about the recently completed Special Education Program review.

The meeting is also accessible via Zoom: https://trsu.zoom.us/j/83798661680

The review was conducted to identify ways to better serve our students while reducing the impact of special education funding on the district’s overall budget. This meeting will provide an overview of what was learned and introduce the first steps on the path forward.

We hope you will join us for this conversation.



Most Sincerely,



Layne Millington

TRSU Superintendent

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

03/16/2026

Dear TRSU Community,

We want to keep you informed about ongoing efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

Recently, the district conducted comprehensive Radon testing in all schools within both the Ludlow-Mount Holly and Green Mountain districts. We are pleased to report that all areas tested below the strict safety threshold set by the state of Vermont, with one exception. A small storage space at Chester Andover Elementary School was found to have Radon levels above the action threshold. This area has historically seen minimal use and, as a precaution, has been closed off until mitigation work is completed. The necessary mitigation is tentatively scheduled for next weekend and no students or staff will have access to this space until the work and post testing is completed.

A quick reminder: Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that is slightly radioactive. In Vermont, it is generally caused by the natural decay of uranium found in granite and black shales. Radon can move through soil and may enter buildings through cracks and openings in the foundation.

The good news is that the mitigation process is straightforward, affordable, and can be completed in a single day. Once finished, we will retest the area to ensure that Radon levels are well within safe limits before reopening the space.

We take the health and safety of our school community very seriously and will update the Chester-Andover community as the mitigation work gets underway as well as the results of the post mitigation testing.

Most Sincerely,

Layne Millington

TRSU Superintendent

03/11/2026

Two Open Seats on the Ludlow Mount Holly School Board



The Ludlow-Mount Holly Unified Union School District (LMHUUSD) is seeking a Mount Holly Town Resident and a Ludlow Town Resident who are interested in filling current vacancies on the local school board. The successful applicants will serve until Town Meeting Election Day in March 2027. Board meetings are typically held on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m., with additional meetings scheduled as needed. Board members may also be asked to participate on committees or take on other responsibilities as part of their service.



Application Deadline: All application materials must be received by 3:00 PM on April 3, 2026.



To apply, please submit your materials to the central office at the address below or email them directly to [email protected]



Your application should include the following:

A statement of intent explaining your interest in serving on the board
A current resume or summary of your qualifications


Applications may also be mailed to, or dropped off at:



Two Rivers Supervisory Union

609 VT Route 103 South

Ludlow, Vermont 05149

03/06/2026

Dear Parents and Families,

Due to icy conditions in our area and the resulting travel concerns, all schools within the Two Rivers Supervisory Union will be closed today. Typically, we would implement a delayed start, but because today was already scheduled as a half-day, we have made the decision to cancel school for the entire day.

Please stay safe, and thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,

Layne Millington

TRSU Superintendent

02/26/2026

Ludlow-Mount Holly
Frequently Asked Questions
2026-27 Proposed School Budget and Estimated Tax Rates

Did You Know?
In Vermont, the school taxes you pay are determined by the total cost of education across the entire state, not just your local school budget. This means your tax bill is linked to statewide education spending, rather than solely to your community's expenses.
All Vermont residents contribute to funding every public school in the state. Your property taxes support students not only in your district, but throughout Vermont.

What Does This Mean for You?
Even if your local school budget is reduced, your property taxes can still increase if other districts across Vermont raise their budgets. The statewide nature of the funding system means changes in other districts affect your local tax rates.
As a result, you have limited control over your local school tax rates. Decisions made in other communities and statewide education funding trends have a more direct impact on the school taxes you pay.

Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) and Tax Increases
The Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) is an adjustment that changes your tax rates to ensure you are paying taxes on the fair market value of the properties in your town. Since fair market property values have increased significantly in recent years, so too have your school taxes; and these increases have nothing to do with school spending.

What Does This Mean for You?
This statewide trend means that the CLA has had a much greater impact on your tax bill than education spending decisions.
In Mount Holly, under this proposed budget, your school tax rate will increase by 30 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
Changes in education spending will reduce your current tax rate by 2 cents.
The CLA adjustment will increase your tax rate by 32 cents.
In Ludlow, under this proposed budget, your school tax rate will increase by 15 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Changes in education spending will reduce your current tax rate by 2 cents.
The CLA adjustment will increase your tax rate by 17 cents.
Towns and their school districts have little control over CLA adjustments, as they are based on market conditions and state calculations not on education spending.

Please do not forget that LMHUUSD is a K-12 District
It is important to remember that the Ludlow-Mount Holly district budget funds more than just the two elementary schools; it also covers the cost of tuition for all students from both towns in grades 7 through 12 to attend schools in other districts.

02/24/2026

Dear LMHUUSD Community,

This is a friendly reminder about tonight’s Annual Informational Meeting for the Ludlow Mount-Holly School District. The meeting will take place at Ludlow Elementary School, Room 3, at 6:00 PM. You can also participate remotely by using the following link: https://trsu.zoom.us/j/87442013056?jst='2 .

On Friday, we will send out electronically and post updated school tax rate information for both Ludlow and Mount Holly. Due to recent changes, the estimated tax rates are now slightly better than what was contained in the annual report. We want to ensure everyone has the most current information as they head to the polls next week.

Most sincerely,

Layne Millington

TRSU Superintendent

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

02/09/2026

Dear Ludlow-Mount Holly School District Community,

For your convenience, the LMHUUSD annual report is available on the Two Rivers Supervisory Union’s website at www.TRSU.org .

This document contains essential information to help voters make informed decisions at the polls in March. The superintendent’s report within the annual report explains how school taxes and education funding are determined in the state of Vermont. It is important to understand that your school taxes are influenced by factors beyond statewide education spending. The superintendent’s report clarifies how much of the change in your taxes is due to increased education spending across Vermont versus changes in the market values of local property.



For the 2026-27 school year, LMHUUSD is proposing a "level service budget." In practical terms, this means the district is requesting just enough funding to maintain all current programs, staffing, services, and daily operations exactly as they are—without adding or eliminating anything. To achieve this, we are seeking a modest increase in our budget to account for rising costs associated with providing these same services next year.



The current LMH budget is $10,153,619, we are seeking a level service budget for 2026-27 of $10,455,017. This is a 2.97% increase.



We appreciate your attention to these details and encourage you to review the attached annual report and visit our website for more information. If you have questions or would like further clarification, please reach out to the district office.

Most Sincerely,

Layne Millington

TRSU Superintendent

Two Rivers Supervisory Union

02/06/2026

Dear TRSU Community,



In today’s age of social media, it can be difficult to distinguish between casual comments, hearsay, and genuine concerns. While online discussions are common, it is not always clear which issues require our attention. To ensure that concerns are addressed appropriately, TRSU has a straightforward protocol for reporting and resolving issues. We strongly encourage anyone with a genuine concern to follow this process, outlined below, so we can resolve matters thoughtfully and fairly.



Most sincerely,

Layne Millington

TRSU Superintendent









General Guidelines for Addressing Complaints and Ensuring Fairness



Our organization is dedicated to fostering a respectful, collaborative, and inclusive environment for all members of our community. Conflicts and concerns may arise from time to time, and it is important that these issues are addressed promptly, fairly, and transparently. This conflict resolution protocol outlines the steps to ensure all complaints are handled professionally, with the goal of resolving issues constructively while protecting the rights and dignity of everyone involved.

Conflict Resolution Steps
Direct Discussion: Complainants are encouraged to first bring their concerns directly to the individual involved. Open and honest communication often leads to the swift resolution of misunderstandings or minor disputes.
Escalation to Supervisor or Administrator: If the issue cannot be resolved through direct discussion, the complainant should present the concern to the immediate supervisor or administrator (generally the principal). At this stage, the complaint should be submitted in writing and clearly state the issue along with any supporting facts or documentation.
Opportunity for Response: If the complaint involves an employee, that individual will be given the opportunity to provide an explanation, comment on the issue, and present any facts or perspectives relevant to the situation. This ensures fairness and allows for all sides to be considered.
Principal Review: The principal will review the complaint, gather necessary information, and attempt to mediate a satisfactory resolution.
Appeal to Superintendent: If the principal's review does not lead to a satisfactory outcome, the complainant may submit the issue to the Superintendent for further review and decision.
Assurance Against Retaliation
Our organization is committed to protecting the rights of everyone involved in a conflict resolution procedure, retaliation against any individual who files a complaint in good faith or who participates in the resolution process will not be tolerated under any circumstances. We encourage all members to come forward with concerns, knowing that they will be treated with respect and fairness.