Saint Michael Roman Catholic School

09/16/2026

A little Brattleboro history this morning.

On Sept. 1, 1902 President Theodore Roosevelt visited Brattleboro and spoke at the Common. Here's how the local paper reported the news..."When the procession reached the Common the carriages proceeded to the front of the bandstand, which was trimmed for the occasion in red, white and blue, and the president and his party alighted. As they ascended the stairs to the bandstand a group of girls dressed in white scattered flowers in his pathway. President Roosevelt showed his appreciation by his repeated bows to the girls…President Roosevelt spoke for about 15 minutes. Here’s some of what he said,
“I am glad to end my visit in this state in the home of the venerable Governor Holbrook, the man who was one of those who in the great crisis of our nation fought well to the honor of the great cause, the cause of the Union, and won the proud title of War Governor.
Now, gentlemen and ladies, there isn’t any patent devise that can be newly coined for getting good government. It can be achieved on the same terms and by the same means it was achieved in the days when your Governor Holbrook upheld the arms of Abraham Lincoln. In the first place, be cautious in promising. You look over the writing of Abraham Lincoln, you look over his speeches; he never promised the millenium. He promised what could be performed, he kept his word and he did a little better too. Abraham Lincoln was able to defend a cause of righteousness because while he strove to get, he never promised to get, never attempted to get the impossible. He recognized that there was a good deal of human nature in mankind…
Really the fair dealing of honest, decent men is one of the first essentials of good government. If a man has not decency in him then the abler he is the more dangerous he is. Mere ability unaccompanied by moral sense is a curse to any community…We do not need to talk about, we do not need to preach about it, but we need to practice the virtues of Abraham Lincoln.”
It was on this date, in 1901, that Theodore Roosevelt became the youngest man to serve as President of the United States, at the age of 42.

09/16/2026

09/16/2026

Expanding opportunities for our young ladies in women's golf⛳🏌🏽‍♀️
This past year, Richard and Sue Stromberg stepped up to take over our golf program. They are passionate about the sport and excited to see such interest from our students.

Sue is eager to expand opportunities for our girls in the golf realm, so she is working behind the scenes, communicating with local courses and the LPGA in Vermont to prepare for next spring. She shares the following about an opportunity some of our students had this past summer:

At the end of the school year, a few of our girls had the privilege of spending a day at VSWGA Middlebury College for golf and instruction with LPGA professionals. A total of 45 girls participated, representing a wide range of ages and experience levels. The day was filled with confidence-building mentorship along with techniques and fundamental golf skills. Chipping and putting games incorporated challenges on how to improve, accompanied by cheers from the group and coaching support from the pros, such a positive environment! Golf can be difficult. The girls were taught to learn from their mistakes, to slow down and focus. During lunch, the girls listened to a panel discussion from the LPGA pros as they gleaned insights into the mental aspects of being a female athlete. To close out the clinic, Chelsey, Lilly and Norah got to play 9 holes of golf alongside two incredibly talented women, Libby Smith and Katie Kempter!

🍁FUN VERMONT FACT: Libby Smith played basketball and golf at the University of Vermont, becoming the only woman in the U.S. to compete on an NCAA Division I men's golf team while serving as team captain. She was inducted into the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame.

If you are excited about our golf program and would like to get involved this spring, please reach out to Sue at [email protected]

We are blessed to have a wonderful partnership with , allowing our students access to a spectacular championship golf course each spring.

09/14/2026

Our soccer season is off to a great start. Here are some photo highlights of our first HS game against Charlemont. The Saints defeated the Aardvarks 4-3 in a very closely matched, exciting game! This week, our HS team faces off in two home games, and our middle school team will take to the pitch for their first game of the season against Hilltop. Let's go SAINTS! ⚽️

09/12/2026

Lots of great photos and important information in our school's newsletter this week:

Hark the Herald

09/04/2026

Rejoice! A freezer has been procured for the school lunch program thanks to the generosity of one of our families. 💝THANK YOU to Matt and Lauren Pelis for your donation this week. We had several other families reach out, offering referrals and a willingness to help. We are so grateful for this wonderful community. This will ease the storage burden placed on St. Brigid's Kitchen for our lunch program, but also provide us with some much-needed freezer space for events like the Fun Run. 🥳

09/03/2026

We were delighted to welcome Ashuelot Concerts to Saint Michael Catholic School for a wonderful live classical music experience! 🎶 Students had the opportunity to hear three beautiful works from Ashuelot Concerts’ current program, Bohemian Beginnings: Piano Quartets of Central Europe. The pieces were performed by an incredible quartet featuring Louisa Stonehill on violin, Nicholas Burns on piano, Nina Lee on cello, and Nicholas Cords on viola. Ashuelot Concerts’ Schools Program brings live classical music directly into local classrooms, giving students the opportunity to experience the energy and beauty of a live performance while learning to listen, connect, and engage with the music. We are so grateful to these talented musicians for sharing their artistry with our students and making classical music come alive in our school! 🎻🎹❤️
Here is what some of our students and faculty had to say afterwards:

"I love hearing all the different sounds that the instruments make. I saw it on the schedule for my class yesterday and I was looking forward to this morning when they come to play for us. It was a very special day." - Nora, elementary student

"I really liked learning about the cello. The music helps me to feel calm and happy. It makes me feel nice about school and learning." - Riley, elementary student

"It's so wonderful that our kids can be exposed to music like this. They can sit on the floor and really feel the music throughout the room and in their bodies. I never had a musical experience like this at their age and you can tell how impactful it is for their development to be exposed to such beauty." -Drama Teacher

"The first time they came to our school, I couldn't believe how different live music sounds. I was literally in shock and awe. The immersive experience of hearing music like that was overwhelming and I will truly never forget it. It's sad to think some people don't think classical music is for little children, when I see how it affects their faces, their demeanor, their movement to the music- it is a treasured gift for everyone. And what a delight to be just a few feet away and watch it all unfold... I can't explain what it means to my students and to me."
-Preschool Director

To learn more about their Music in Schools Program, visit https://ashuelotconcerts.org/schools-program/

09/03/2026

We enjoyed our first school Mass of the 2026/2027 school year with Most Reverend Bishop John McDermott presiding, joined by Father Henry Furman and Father Victor Cruz. It was a beautiful morning and parents- your students were SO well-behaved! 😇After Mass, the Bishop joined Father Furman and Principal Farrington for a visit to classrooms. He exercised his powers as Bishop to excuse all students from homework on Wednesday night, to which all the students clapped and cheered. A great start to the school year!
with Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington

09/02/2026

09/01/2026

You've driven past this Berkshires hilltop a hundred times without ever knowing what sits at the top - 350 acres, life-sized statues in the fields, and relics of saints most people never expect to find so close to home. It's open to everyone, and wandering the grounds costs nothing.