Canaan Community Schools: "This Is Home to Me"
Dr. Theresa Mercier, left, and Megan Prehemo, RN are key figures in Canaan’s Community Schools programs.
The Heart of the Top of the Map
In Canaan, Vermont, the phrase "pride of place" isn’t just a slogan; it is the living pulse of a community. Whether a family has lived in this geographically remote corner of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont for generations or has recently arrived, there is a shared understanding that the school is more than just a building. It is the primary economic and social engine of the town, a vibrant hub where the borders between "school," "family," and "home" beautifully blur.
As a community anchor at the "top of the map," Canaan Schools is proving that being small and rural is a powerful asset. Through its Community Schools Program, funded by grants from the University of Vermont and the Vermont Agency of Education, the school has established itself as a place where every resident—from first graders to great-grandparents—can find connection and opportunity.
A Foundation of Belonging: The Five Pillars
The Community Schools model is a fundamental structure designed to meet the full needs of students and families so that learning can truly flourish. Under the leadership of Theresa Mercier, Ed.D., the Curriculum Director, Grant Manager, and Community Schools Coordinator for the Essex North Supervisory Union, the program is built on five strategic pillars:
Pillar 1: Integrated Student Supports
Pillar 2: Expanded Learning Time
Pillar 3: Family and Community Engagement
Pillar 4: Collaborative Leadership:
Pillar 5: Safe, Equitable, and Inclusive Environments
(To learn more about Community Schools and the Five Pillars, visit the VREC website: https://www.vtruraledu.org/community-schools)
Theresa, who moved to the area with her husband and "three littles" to be near family, views her role as uncovering the assets that already existed in Canaan. "It has been a great joy to discover what already existed here and needed to be brought to the light and given the opportunity to flourish," she says.
Theresa Mercier and Megan Prehemo accompany students from the Canaan Schools EPIC program to NEK Day at the Vermont State House in Montpelier.
EPIC: Empowering the Next Generation
Hayden, a student in the Canaan Schools EPIC program, shows off her latest delicious creation.
Fun with “Holiday Science” in the Epic program.
At the center of the youth experience is the EPIC program—Empower, Prepare, Inspire, Connect. Managed by School Nurse and EPIC Coordinator Megan Prehemo, the program provides afterschool and summer enrichment for approximately 160 students, grades 1–12.
In a town so rural that students might otherwise have few options outside of school hours, EPIC is a lifeline. The offerings are as diverse as the students themselves:
Students in the Canaan EPIC program enjoying winter in the NEK.
Creative Arts: Rock Band, StoryTelling, and Drama Club.
Skill Building: Woodworking, Cooking, and Lego Club.
Outdoor Adventure: Utilizing a fleet of bikes, skis, and snowshoes to explore the local landscape.
Community Connection: New partnerships with the Essex County Natural Resources Conservation District allow students to work as "Trailmasters" in the Canaan Community Forest.
The program also taps into "hidden talents" within the faculty. When new third-grade teacher Lena Bourdreau was overheard giving mini-French lessons in her classroom, she was quickly recruited to share her talent with both the EPIC students and the adult learners in the Canaan Academy.
Canaan Academy: Learning for a Lifetime
The spirit of "home" extends to the Canaan Academy for Adult Learning, led by Chris Masson. Chris’s story is a testament to the deep roots of the community; he attended Canaan Schools from kindergarten through 12th-grade, graduated from Canaan High in 1987, served Canaan as a teacher, principal, and superintendent, and now returned from "semi-retirement" to lead this program.
Chris Masson has deep roots in both the Canaan community and the school itself, right down to the floor of the gymnasium, which his grandfather installed.
A participant in the bread baking class proudly wears an apron created by her grandchildren.
The Academy offers free classes based directly on community interest. On any given Saturday, visitors might be greeted by the smell of fresh bread from Judy Jaques’s baking class—Judy taught Chris in second grade over 40 years ago. While down the hall, Chantal Carney (Chris’ cousin) leads a rug-hooking group where women share laughter and creativity over wool and frames built by the high school’s Industrial Arts teacher. "It’s a wonderful program and it’s great that it’s free," says student Donna Mersden. "It helps to beat the winter doldrums."
One of the most touching examples of this intergenerational bond is Megan Prehemo and her mother, Sharon Young, taking the rug hooking class together. This shared experience highlights the program's success in not just providing a service, but in creating a space where families can reconnect and learn side-by-side, regardless of age. The connection to the school runs even deeper for the family, as Sharon also serves as a special education paraeducator at Canaan Schools.
Sharon Young hooks a maple leaf on a Saturday morning at the Canaan Academy for Adult Learning.
Adult Learning student Donna Marsden is all smiles, enjoying the social opportunities the Canaan Adult Academy offers.
Generations at the Table: The Chess Tradition
Katie and Frankie Sawicki are at home in both the Canaan Schools and the Town of Canaan.
Perhaps nothing captures the family focus better than the bi-annual chess tournament. Organized by IT Coordinator Frankie Sawicki, known to his "Knights of the Round Table" club members as “King Arthur”, and his wife, second-grade teacher Katie Sawicki, "Queen Guenivere", the tournament brings together students and community members of all ages.
The Sawickis' presence in Canaan is part of a larger story of family migration. A few years ago, Katie’s two sisters and their families moved to Canaan, drawn by the promise of a close-knit environment. A few years later, Katie and Frankie followed suit, settling in Canaan where Frankie served as a selectman for over five years. Their decision was driven by a single, powerful goal: to be close to family and to ensure their children could attend a "small, safe school."
This sense of security and proximity allows for moments like those shared by Brian Van Benschoten, who makes a four-hour trip from New Hampshire twice a year to play in the chess tournament against his grandson, Caleb Benoit. "I like to play chess," Caleb says. "It makes me feel really satisfied."
Brian Van Benschoten and his grandson look forward to competing in Canaan EPIC program chess tournaments.
A Song for the 250th Anniversary
This summer, Canaan will celebrate its 250th anniversary. In preparation, the EPIC students collaborated with the folk duo "The Rough and Tumble" to write an anthem for their town. The lyrics of "This Is Home To Me" serve as the perfect summary of the Canaan Community Schools mission:
Moose out back by the sugar shack / This is home to me
Maple, oak and a tall pine tree / This is home to me
Friends and family in Fletcher Park / Living in harmony
Meet me in the old town square / This is home to me
Green Mountains in my backyard / This is home to me
Bobcats scream and the coyote’s howl / This is home to me
White tailed buck in the snow / Going to track it down
Eagle’s flying over town / This is home to me
Way up North with all my friends / This is home to me
Ski days math and music class / This is home to me
Sledding at recess with my friends / This is home to me
We are Eagles through and through / Purple, gold—we soar
The best teachers all around / This is home to me
EPIC students plant trees at the Canaan Community Forest, in collaboration with the Essex County Natural Resources Conservation District.
The Path Forward
Canaan Schools proves that when a rural school and the community align their expertise, they do more than improve academic outcomes; they build resilience. By providing the resources, support, and space for multi-generational learning, Canaan is creating a "safety net" that allows children to come to school ready to learn and adults to remain connected to their neighbors.
As Megan Prehemo puts it, "Being in a rural school is a true definition of family. I know every student by name and most of their parents. Families trust us." In Canaan, the school isn't just a place to learn — it's home.
