Lawmakers toured North Country Union High School in Newport on June 16 to see firsthand the ongoing challenges the school faces after elevated PCB levels forced it out of its building in 2024. Students, teachers, and staff were relocated to temporary structures and tents at the start of that school year.
Principal Chris Young said the PCB contamination raised awareness but that the problems extend beyond environmental hazards. “We are also facing issues with an aging infrastructure and a facility that was not designed for education in the twenty-first century,” Young told elected police.
Rep. Michael Marcotte, R-Orleans-Lamoille, noted how little the building had changed since his own time as a student. “Going through the building today and seeing some of the places I saw 46 years ago, they look about the same,” Marcotte said. He said many things have not changed.
Sen. Russ Ingalls, R-Essex, said the school’s situation reflects a broader problem across Vermont with aging school buildings. “Look at the timeline of when these buildings were built and things are just aging out,” Ingalls said, adding that while communities may resist replacement, “it’s pretty evident… something needs to be done.”
School police said remediation work has allowed most classrooms to reopen, with only a few still closed. They are also considering what it would take to plan for a new school, as regional consolidation discussions continue.
Originally reported by WCAX.
Photo: Thirdman via Pexels. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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