Harwood Union High School Driver’s Education Program Overview

 

Harwood Union High School will continue to provide Driver’s Education opportunities to our students eligible with a valid permit through private driving schools during the 2024-2025 school year.  The following are some important points about this program.

 

• Driver Education shall be made available at no cost to all students enrolled in Harwood Unified Union School District, approved independent schools, or home study programs who reside within the supervisory district prior to graduation. 

• The Vermont Agency of Education stipulates that schools like Harwood Union High School who use a private driver education school shall pay 100% of the fee to the private driver education school in advance. Students/families will not be asked to pay such fees in advance for later reimbursement.

• Students who have the opportunity to take driver education through Harwood Union High School before they graduate but choose to independently enroll for driver education at a private driving school shall be solely responsible for the fee charged by the private driving school.

• Each student must possess an official Learner’s Permit prior to registering for a public-school driver education program. If a student possesses only a temporary permit issued by the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, then the school offering driver education shall not enroll the student in their driver education program until after they have received their official learner’s permit. This requirement applies even if the school chooses to use a private driver education school to provide instruction to its students. 

 

Program details:

 

Jerry Cassel and Paul Dudley will each be providing 2 different courses - for a total of 4 - summer, fall, winter and spring. 

 

As dictated by the Department of Motor Vehicles, Jerry Cassels or Paul Dudley will provide the following in order for students to complete a “Vermont Driver Safety Certification”:

- 30 hours of classroom instruction

- 6 hours of supervised driving

- 6 hours of in-car observation time 

 

All instruction, driving and observation time will be completed outside of school hours.  Please see below for additional details:  

- Parent night will be held in advance of course starting

- Instruction will be in person  

- In person instruction will take place at Harwood Union High school

- Courses will run for 6-8 weeks depending on the session

- 4 sessions will be provided - summer, fall, winter & spring

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2024 Courses:

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Winter Course: (Mad River Valley Driving)

January 15th - February 20th 

 

Spring Course: (Mad River Valley Driving)

April 7th - May 15th

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Summer Course: (Dudley's Driving Academy)

June 17th - August 9

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Fall Course: (Dudley's Driving Academy)

October 28 - December 20

 

Please note -

• All students shall be given the opportunity to participate in this program before they graduate. Registration priority will be given according to age with 12th, 11th, then 10th and finally 9th grade.

• Students will not receive Harwood credit for Driver’s Education courses. 

• Harwood Union High School will be billed directly for the cost of each student's course. 

 

For more information or to register students, families should call or email Jerry Cassels or Paul Dudley depending on the session.  Please see contact information below.
 

*details regarding each course will be communicated to families and students upon request to the instructor.