Vote YES!
appropriate town funds to Northshire day School
Thank you, residents of Manchester, Dorset, and Sunderland!
Every $1 invested in quality early childhood programs can yield returns between $4 and $16.
Increased
- High School Graduation
- College Matriculation
- Economic Development & Personal Income
Decreased
- Special Education/Remediation
- Dependence on Social Welfare
- Crime Related Costs & Incarceration Rate
What do town funds do?
Town Appropriations help NDS fulfill our commitment to deliver top-quality early childhood education to as many children and families as possible. Early childhood is the best opportunity to invest in a child, yielding the highest returns of any investment made in their lifetime.
Your appropriation provides a nurturing and inclusive place to access early childhood education while families serve our community as bakers, builders, landscapers, cleaners, lawyers, electricians, mechanics, teachers, volunteers, veterinarians, firefighters, doctors, and so much more.
NDS earned 5 STARS in the Vermont Step Ahead Recognition System (STARS), the highest quality rating for early childhood education in Vermont. We hire talented educators and staff, offer affordable access to families from all backgrounds, and are committed to providing top-quality early learning experiences. We strengthen families and communities through early childhood education, family support, and community partnerships.
NDS is where our youngest children grow and thrive!
For 55 years, Northshire Day School has provided exceptional high-quality early childhood education to area families.
We are a five-star, licensed non-profit early childhood education center providing essential learning through play experiences for children six weeks through age six. NDS is for every child: no family is turned away due to their inability to pay, and we are an advanced specialized care provider for children with special health needs or in foster care.
Our Mission: Northshire Day School cultivates a nurturing and inclusive community where children grow and thrive.
![](https://www.northshiredayschool.org/wp18/wp-content/uploads/brizy/imgs/NDS-Enrollment-and-Cost-483x322x27x0x428x322x1706192307.png)
The Family Tree Program
Our Family Tree Program was established in December 2022 and is built on the strengths-based philosophy of the Strengthening Families framework and protective factors.
The Family Tree Program promotes strong families and healthy development for children prenatally through age six, provides resources, service coordination and support to help all families thrive during everyday circumstances as well as persevere during times of stress or crisis.
2023 Family Tree Program Data
$120,687
ALL
200
$4,000
15
in Tuition Relief distributed to support families access to high quality early childhood education.
families who needed it received transportation to and from school daily, or as-needed.
hours of van transportation
spent on Family Support (diapers/clothing/medical/ rental assistance, etc.)
early educators from Bennington County completed 12-week Spanish Language in Early Childhood course
"We cannot express how much we appreciate this financial support. It is really a relief!"
- Family with two children at NDS
What is Act 76 - the Child Care Bill?
![](https://www.northshiredayschool.org/wp18/wp-content/uploads/brizy/imgs/maple-indoors-550x413x3x0x545x413x1706110622.jpg)
Children work together in a preschool classroom at Northshire Day School.
Beginning in April 2024, more families will qualify for state aid to pay for child care; in October 2024, the eligibility criteria expands again.
By the end of 2024, families earning up to 575% of the federal poverty level will be eligible. This expansion will help more than 7,000 Vermont families! Additionally, more families will qualify for 100% financial assistance.
The state is implementing a new payroll tax of 0.44%, with 0.33% paid by the employer and 0.11%paid by the employee. Self-employed individuals will pay only the employee share of 0.11%. This will fund child care investments alongside the continued general fund monies.
Public Support
Vote Yes for Northshire Day School!
Stephanie Thompson-Roy, Manchester Resident
As a Former NDS Employee, Alumni Parent and Community Member, I cannot say enough about the truly invaluable impact Northshire Day School has on our community. Northshire Day School offers a safe and nurturing environment for parents to feel comfortable leaving their most precious littles while they are out making a living and providing for our greater community through their daily work.
My two daughters spent their entire early childhood years learning and growing at NDS. The foundation and lifelong friendships that they brought with them to Elementary School was so important for their success. A strong start like that can only be made possible with a committed group of educators that love children and take sincere pride in the work that they do.
![](https://www.northshiredayschool.org/wp18/wp-content/uploads/brizy/imgs/Willow-outdoors-555x417x0x0x555x416x1706111373.jpg)
Toddlers play in the courtyard at Northshire Day School.
![](https://www.northshiredayschool.org/wp18/wp-content/uploads/brizy/imgs/evergreen-sledding-295x393x0x0x295x393x1706195024.jpg)
A child sleds outdoors at Northshire Day School.
Vote Yes for the workforce behind the workforce!
Robyn Harrington, Sunderland Resident
Treasurer, NDS Board of Trustees
I’m writing, as a resident of Sunderland, to advocate for the appropriation of town funding for Northshire Day School at the upcoming Town Meeting. I have two sons, both of whom attended and thrived at NDS and, in an effort to give back to this wonderful, community-driven organization, I have spent the last three years as Treasurer of its Board of Trustees.
Having spent the amount of time I have trying to help solve the puzzle of financial stability for an early childhood education center, where the crisis is national in scale, I can relay that it’s truly an impossible task without the support of the communities NDS in turn supports every day. NDS is truly exemplary in its work to both pay its highly-qualified educators and staff a professional wage, as well as provide ALL families who wish their children to attend NDS the opportunity to do so, regardless of ability to pay.
As we like to say, supporting NDS is not only supporting our community’s workforce, but the workforce BEHIND the workforce. I urge you to, as I will, vote YES to continue town support of Northshire Day School in Sunderland. I prioritize NDS in my own giving, and will always be grateful for the nurturing, positive environment NDS provided for my two boys. Early childhood education is essential.
The Youngsters at NDS are our Future!
Betsy Bleakie, Manchester Resident
I’d like to add my voice to the Northshire Day School’s request for support from the public. Quality early childhood education is an essential foundational building block, setting kids on the pathway for success in school and in life–and that benefits us all! Looking past “just” the individual benefits, these youngsters are our future high-school and college graduates, neighbors, tradespeople, volunteers, innovators, citizens, and employees.
Twenty years ago, I personally could not have directed myself fully into my career without the trust and resources provided by NDS and beloved teachers such as Becky, Julee, and Nicole (still there!) who cared for and educated my daughter. I find Northshire Day School to be an integral part of the infrastructure required to support a vibrant, functional community.
Transportation, communication, utility and emergency management, housing, recreation are all critical–the availability and affordability of educational and cultural institutions are also critical to attract, retain, support, and affect the quality of life for residents and workers.
Not unusual for a non-profit school, the cost to educate a child at NDS outstrips tuition, and community-based support helps to bridge the gap, providing a stable source of revenue to balance an ever-tightening annual budget.
The amount requested in Manchester is a reduction from last year, and the amounts requested in Dorset and Sunderland are level to last year, demonstrating responsible stewardship by the NDS board of directors.
I encourage voters to view this kind of support as an investment--in the future and in the success of our communities. Please vote Yes and support Northshire Day School.
NDS is a vital resource to our community!
Danny Sawtelle, Manchester Resident
Member, NDS Board of Trustees
This year, Northshire Day School(NDS) is reducing our appropriations request in Manchester to $80,000. For the past two years, Manchester residents have shown their support for NDS by voting to approve annual town appropriations in the amount of $87,000. As a community-based non-profit organization, NDS has been a vital resource to Manchester families since 1968. Your town funds helped to subsidize tuition for our Manchester children.
NDS accepts all families regardless of their ability to pay. We have made strides in reducing our annual budget deficit through a substantial tuition increase in 2023 and from tremendous fundraising work by our director of development Jen Luty. We still face a substantial budget deficit again this year.
We also recognize and appreciate the many significant challenges facing town budgets which is part of the reason why we are reducing our appropriations request for 2024 to $80,000.
Unfortunately, early childhood education exists outside of the state funded public education system and is left to fend for itself financially. As a board member, I can attest to the fact that early childhood educators do this crucial work for relatively low pay and benefits. Our teachers forgo health insurance while also making significantly less than their public-school colleagues with the same level of education, in addition to working longer days and fulfilling a year-round commitment to children and families.
As a parent, I can attest to the incredible education and care that these teachers provide on a daily basis. I also understand that this quality comes with a price. For families at NDS, it has meant significant tuition increases over the last several years as we work to retain our talented and qualified educators. The recently enacted Act 76 substantially expands the eligibility for state-subsidized tuition relief and provides a modest injection of funds to early childhood programs. This is a huge financial boost for families, but does not close the gap between tuition and our overall costs.
The NDS Board of Trustees is committed to creating long-term financial sustainability for our program so that our greater community can rely on us for years to come. I ask that Manchester residents join me in voting YES for NDS on March 5.
Northshire Day School supports kids, families and the community
Laurie Metcalfe, Manchester Resident
NDS Executive Director
I am filled with gratitude for the support Northshire Day School (NDS) receives from the towns of Manchester, Sunderland and Dorset. I am fortunate to work and live in a community that prioritizes early childhood education and understands the importance of this early foundation for learning.
When people think of NDS, it is often with fond memories of their child or grandchild’s time in our school. Most people think of child care and making sure families have a place for their child to go so they may work. Both the history of our 55 plus years and the long standing critical infrastructure to our region are important. Today though, I want to share some things that you might not know or think about when we are asking you to say yes to NDS.
At Northshire Day School, we serve children with differing and varied needs. All children who come to our school receive child development screeners and assessments for early identification of any developmental concerns. We know that early intervention for a young child can make a significant difference in both their development now and their success in the future. Between 35- 40% of our students receive specialized services as part of children’s integrated services or through their local school district’s early childhood special education services. Several providers, from Occupational Therapists to Early Childhood Mental Health Clinicians to Speech and Language Pathologists, can be found at our program daily providing specialized services and supporting our early childhood educators with tips and information to work with the child for optimal learning outcomes. By the time children leave Northshire Day School, they are less likely to continue to need those services through special education when they begin Kindergarten. The cost savings from not needing these continued services is worth the investment where it yields the highest return, directly reducing the tax burden on our communities.
Another part of our work at NDS is family support services. Children don’t grow up in programs, they grow up in families and communities. We must support both if we are going to fully serve the child and support their early learning needs. The Family Tree Program at NDS expands our scope of service beyond early childhood education and focuses on the entire family. By providing transportation, parenting support and education, play group opportunities, concrete items such as clothing and groceries to meet basic needs, assisting with challenges that we all face sometimes, we are supporting families in equitable ways that build upon their strengths. We are there for our families so they can be active and supported members of our communities.
NDS contributes to the success and well being of our communities with our enrichment opportunities, our regional professional development support, our community outreach efforts and by providing resources and referrals to anyone who inquires about enrollment at our school. I welcome each of you to visit NDS, see our work firsthand and learn more about how NDS supports the children we serve. For now though, I must discuss money and the investment our communities will consider on this year’s ballot.
Northshire Day School is a non-profit organization. We will not and do not ask for money that we don’t need. We are sensitive to the needs of our communities and during my seven years at NDS, there have been times when we have chosen to not ask for financial support, recognizing the struggles that our town budgets face. When we can, we reduce our financial ask. We have no interest in burdening our taxpayers. There are sacrifices we make to balance our budget including not offering our employees health insurance because, although incredibly necessary, it is not something we can afford right now. We also level fund all expenses except for those that demand an increase for which we have no control over such as fuel oil, utilities and taxes. We, like all of you, are taxpayers in our communities. We know all sides of the financial equation. We do not ask for support lightly and are not entering into additional expenses that cannot be supported through grants and state funding outside of our town funding. We are committed to saving our communities money both in the upcoming fiscal year and into the future with the services we provide and the thoughtful financial requests we bring to the towns we serve. Please know this is what you are supporting when you say yes to NDS on this year’s ballot in Manchester, Sunderland, and Dorset.
On behalf of our school, our families and our children, I thank you for your continued support.
Vote YES!
We invite you to attend your Town Meeting
A representative from NDS will be in attendance to answer your questions.
Manchester
Town Floor Meeting:
March 2, 2024, 1pm
Manchester Elementary/Middle School
Town Meeting Voting:
March 5, 2024, 8am-7pm
Manchester Town Hall
Article 21 To appropriate $80,000 for the support of Northshire Day School?
Dorset
March 4, 2024, 7pm
The Dorset School
Article Shall the voters appropriate the sum of $13,000 to the Northshire Day School to help defray the cost of early childhood education in the region?
Sunderland
March 4, 2024, 7pm
Sunderland Elementary School
Article Shall the Town of Sunderland vote to raise, appropriate and expend the sum of $11,000.00 for support of Northshire Day School to provide services to residents of the Town?
Frequently Asked Questions
Last year, every child at NDS benefitted from an average of $10,039 in tuition subsidy from NDS. We are requesting less than $2,000 per child enrolled from your town.
Family tuition covers 27% of the total cost of running our early childhood education program, with CCFAP and Act 166 PreK Funding also going toward tuition expenses. These funding sources combined to pay an average of $14,672 per child during the 2022-2023 school year.
The difference between the $24,711 we spend on each student and the $14,672 received in tuition reflects the $10,039 annual subsidy enjoyed by every family, thanks to the resources provided by endowment earnings, grants, and gifts. A third of our families receive additional subsidy and/or tuition relief based on their ability to pay.
Family tuition covers 27% of the total cost of running our early childhood education program, with CCFAP and Act 166 PreK Funding also going toward tuition expenses. These funding sources combined to pay an average of $14,672 per child during the 2022-2023 school year.
The difference between the $24,711 we spend on each student and the $14,672 received in tuition reflects the $10,039 annual subsidy enjoyed by every family, thanks to the resources provided by endowment earnings, grants, and gifts. A third of our families receive additional subsidy and/or tuition relief based on their ability to pay.
Family tuition covers 27% of the total cost of running our early childhood education program, with CCFAP and Act 166 PreK Funding also going toward tuition expenses. These funding sources combined to pay an average of $14,672 per child during the 2022-2023 school year.
The difference between the $24,711 we spend on each student and the $14,672 received in tuition reflects the $10,039 annual subsidy enjoyed by every family, thanks to the resources provided by endowment earnings, grants, and gifts. A third of our families receive additional subsidy and/or tuition relief based on their ability to pay.
Yes, and we are so grateful for our donors. Annual giving is our most critical revenue source and these investments enhance every aspect of our program. These investments help us close a significant operational deficit. NDS also relies on multiple grants each year to further support our program.
Northshire Day School accesses public funds that are a direct pass-through benefit to families.
Child Care Financial Assistance Program from the State of Vermont and Act 166 PreK Funding help families afford their tuition, but they do not reduce the gap between the tuition we receive and the cost of exceptional care. Additionally, NDS participates in the Child Adult Care Food Program - federal funds that make our Farm to Early Childhood Food Program possible, which includes breakfast, lunch, and a snack every day.
The state is implementing a new payroll tax of 0.44%, with 0.33% paid by the employer and 0.11% paid by the employee. Self-employed individuals will pay only the employee share of 0.11%. This will fund child care investments alongside continued general fund monies.
Beginning in April 2024, more families will qualify for state subsidy to pay for child care; in October 2024, the eligibility criteria expands again. By the end of 2024, families earning up to 575% of the federal poverty level will be eligible. This expansion will help more than 7,000 Vermont families! Additionally, more families will qualify for 100% financial assistance.
These funds help NDS by reimbursing tuition for qualifying families at a rate that is closer to the tuition rates we set for all families. These funds do not support the subsidy NDS offers to every child enrolled or the tuition relief NDS offers to families in need.
Northshire Day School accesses public funds that are a direct pass-through benefit to families.
Child Care Financial Assistance Program from the State of Vermont and Act 166 PreK Funding help families afford their tuition, but they do not reduce the gap between the tuition we receive and the cost of exceptional care. Additionally, NDS receives Child Adult Care Food Program - federal funds that make our Farm to Early Childhood Food Program possible, which includes breakfast, lunch, and a snack every day.
![](https://www.northshiredayschool.org/wp18/wp-content/uploads/brizy/imgs/STARS_LOGOhoriz-555x245x0x0x555x245x1622128200.jpeg)
Northshire Day School is recognized as a 5 STARS program through
the “Step Ahead Recognition System” in Vermont.
Northshire Day School is a pre-approved Pre-Kindergarten provider through the VT Agency of Education.
To learn more about recent events at Northshire Day School, please visit our News page.
To learn more about NDS, we invite you to view the annual Growth Report.
If you have any questions, please contact Jen Luty, NDS Development Director,
at jluty@northshiredayschool.org or 802.362.1395.
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
SUPPORT.
We couldn't do it without you!