SJA News - September 16, 2026 | | |
Definition of Community
Senior Jude Rutter delivered the following message in Chapel this week.
When I was asked to write an essay on community last year, I did what any desperate student with a blank Google Doc would; I looked it up. I turned to Merriam-Webster to get an expert’s opinion, and found 3 main definitions and 12 subdefinitions. I read through each one and thought, “Oh, but it’s more than just that, isn’t it?”
Community has a giddy ring to it–that omnipotent term for you and me and us and we and all. It’s capable of describing intimate feelings like the comfort of a familiar street as well as the vast networks connecting people around the world who, if not for their shared love of dogs, or skiing, or video games, or sushi, would otherwise never connect and meet. It carries something reminiscent of nostalgic memories of your childhood town, ones you look upon fondly. Yet it's still so much more than that.
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Seniors Attend Green Mountain Girls State
Seniors Phoebe Donn and Poppy Shattuck attended Green Mountain Girls State over the summer, a program that gives Vermont high school students the opportunity to learn about government, civic engagement, and leadership. Both were elected editors-in-chief of the program’s newspaper and, in that role, helped facilitate a candidate debate—an experience that gave them a firsthand look at journalism, political discourse, and the responsibilities of student leadership.
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Jeremy Roberts ‘90 Named Director of Facilities
St. Johnsbury Academy has announced the appointment of Jeremy Roberts as its new Director of Facilities. Roberts brings extensive experience in electrical education, campus operations, safety, construction, community leadership, and facilities-related projects to the position.
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September 17, 18
School Photos, Fuller Stage, 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Friday, September 25
Walk for a Healthy Community, 1:20 - 2:30 PM
View the day's class schedule here.
Wednesday, September 30
Faculty Professional Development - Late Start Schedule
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School Photos
School photos will be taken on September 17 and 18 on the Fuller Hall stage. There is no charge for a yearbook photo. Prints can be ordered using the order envelopes that were sent home with students last week, or through this link on the website.
Students who are unable to attend these dates will be able to have their photo taken on the next photo day scheduled for October 29.
Seniors are also welcome to have their photo taken at no charge for the yearbook.
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Flu Clinic
St. Johnsbury Academy will be offering a Kinney Drug flu clinic on campus on October 13, 2026. If you would like your student to participate, please complete this form and return it to nurses@stjacademy.org
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Dental Care at School
Does your child have a dentist? If not, getting dental care at school is possible!
The mobile dental van is a modern, fully equipped dental office on wheels. The Health Center in Plainfield, Vermont provides the management, staff, and financial support to bring the van to local schools. Services from licensed dentists, hygienists, and assistants include cleanings, exams, fillings, X-rays, extractions, and sealants.
For students eligible for Medicaid, dental services are fully covered. If your student has private insurance, the insurance company will be billed, and parents will be responsible for paying the balance. A sliding scale fee is offered to families who do not qualify for Medicaid, who don't have insurance, or who have private insurance but may be considered low income.
If you are interested in taking advantage of these services, please reach out to school nurse, Abbie Sweet: abigail.montgomery@stjacademy.org. This form must be completed in order to be scheduled for these dental services, which will be offered at the St. Johnsbury School the weeks of September 21 or 28.
| | Members of the Improv Club warm up with an exercise called "Take Some Direction." | | Mr. Mitchell explains the difference between the Primary and Secondary Combustion Flames during one of his welding classes. | Mrs. Fox’s Photography I class began a new unit this week, attempting to answer the question, “What is a camera?” They started off by sitting inside a “camera” in the Fuller Hall Lobby. This Camera Obscura demonstration helped them visually understand that a camera is actually a simple tool made of a dark room, a lens (a small opening), and a light-sensitive surface. Any guesses as to why the image on the wall is projected upside down? | Mrs. Greenstone and some of her ESL students recently enjoyed a classic fall field trip, which included views of the Green Mountains and a stop at Burtt’s Apple Orchard in Cabot, Vermont. | On Tuesday, Chef Hashmonay shared a Chapel Talk exploring the significance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. He spoke about the traditions, history, and deeper meaning of these important Jewish holidays, offering our community an opportunity to learn, reflect, and better understand their significance. | | JV Volleyball photos from last week's match against Essex can be found here. | | Photos from last week's Girls' Golf Senior Recognition and match at SJCC are here. | Photos from Saturday's Mountain Bike races at Burke Mountain are available here. | | |
Over the summer, junior MaryJane Kissinger competed in the ProDownHill Series presented by Monster Energy, the only national downhill mountain bike series in the United States. The series features five races across the country and attracts top riders from throughout the U.S. and around the world.
MaryJane competed in two ProDownHill Series events this summer—one in Solitude, Utah, and the other in Big Bear, California. Racing in the 15–16 Cat. 1 Women’s division, she finished second in both events. The Big Bear race also served as the National Championship, making MaryJane the second-fastest 15–16-year-old female downhill racer in the country!
In addition to competing nationally, MaryJane is racing regionally in the Eastern States Cup (ESC) downhill series in the Pro Women’s category. She currently sits second in the overall standings. Last month at Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania, MaryJane took first place (photo above), finishing an impressive 20 seconds ahead of the field.
This past weekend at Burke Mountain, she finished first in the girls' varsity Enduro race.
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