Last year, six students in Warren virtually attended the private micro-school Mysa School, based in Washington, D.C. In response to students’ and families’ interest in this type of education, the school opened its doors to its second location, here in The Valley, this past fall. The school has been operating out of the Cricket Club at Mad River Glen with 11 students and three full-time staff members since September. School directors have been seeking a permanent home and may have found one in downtown Waitsfield. The school has submitted a conditional use permit application for relocation to 4429 Main Street in Waitsfield, the red building adjacent to Barrie Fisher photography and the 4orty Bridge Street shop.
Mysa is a nonprofit whose pedagogy is based on individualized, hands-on learning. Its application states the school anticipates growth to 30 students and four full-time staff members over the next three years, though elsewhere in the application it states that students and staff will not exceed 75 people.
The application acknowledges that traffic along Route 100 will be “lightly impacted” during drop-off (8:50 a.m.) and pick-up (3 p.m.) times, Monday-Friday. The school will conduct a traffic study to determine the projected impact on traffic in the village. Parking would be used in the lot behind Darrad Services and The Sweet Spot adjacent to the Mad River.
The application states, “Mysa School provides an alternative educational option for residents of Waitsfield. Mysa will foster growth for the town and cater to a diverse group of families, as well as support educational practices in the surrounding schools. Mysa students will learn in coordination with the surrounding areas including natural and community resources, as laid out in the Waitsfield town plan.”
The new location is not yet finalized and the school continues to explore other potential venues in the area for its permanent home.
