Brookside launches 62 fourth graders to middle school
June 19, 2026 | By Lisa Scagliotti 
Parents, siblings, grandparents and teachers joined Brookside Primary School's 62 fourth graders in the school gym on Wednesday morning for the rite of passage many have awaited since preschool and kindergarten.
Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
The entire student body filled the bleachers as well, watching as the school’s three oldest classes filed in for the final time with their teachers Emilie Diller, Christian Guggemos and Heather Morehouse.
Co-Principals Sarah Schoolcraft and Chris Neville called each student by name to stand with their classmates and teachers as parents snapped photos and admired the scene. They noted that the fourth-graders are the first class the two have known since kindergarten because they both began as co-principals the same year. “We’ve watched you learn to read, solve problems, make friends, overcome challenges and grow in countless other ways,” Neville said.
“This class is truly special. You’ve brought energy, kindness, curiosity, humor and determination to our school community,” Schoolcraft said, getting some laughter with, “You’ve supported one another—challenged every teacher in the building—celebrated each other’s successes and helped make our school a wonderful place to be.”
Together, the children were joined by the audience in singing the Vermont state song, “These Green Hills,” and the class performed “Count on Me” by Bruno Mars.
The school’s pops choir also sang “One Call Away” by Charlie Puth with music teacher Jannifer Macri accompanying them on guitar.
A highlight of the annual ceremony is the class slideshow pairing photos of the fourth graders today with pictures from their younger days as toddlers or preschoolers and set to music.
Taking turns at the microphone, one student from each of the three fourth-grade classes read a short poem. Beck Lea read “See it Through” by Edgar Albert Guest; Sawyer LaRocca read “You Belong Here” by Rachel Huckel. Anna Bay Adler surprised some in the audience as she introduced her original selection, saying its title, “‘Legacy,’ by me.”
The ceremony concluded with the school tradition where the fourth-grade teachers give each of their students a parting gift—a wrapped book, chosen for each student with a note inside as they move on to middle school.
Each 4th grader receives a gift of a book picked out by their teacher. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti