R-274 Page 1 of 2
2024
No. R-274. House concurrent resolution honoring Northfield Elementary School physical education instructor Michael Gonneville for his teaching excellence and for the establishment of the school’s Walking Wednesdays.
(H.C.R.209)
Offered by: Representatives Goslant of Northfield, Donahue of Northfield, Andriano of Orwell, Anthony of Barre City, Arsenault of Williston, Bartley of Fairfax, Brennan of
Colchester, Brown of Richmond, Burditt of West Rutland, Canfield of Fair Haven, Chapin of East Montpelier, Chesnut-Tangerman of Middletown Springs, Christie of Hartford,
Clifford of Rutland City, Demar of Enosburgh, Dickinson of St. Albans Town, Dolan of
Essex Junction, Dolan of Waitsfield, Galfetti of Barre Town, Garofano of Essex, Graham of Williamstown, Graning of Jericho, Gregoire of Fairfield, Hango of Berkshire, Harrison of Chittenden, Higley of Lowell, Hooper of Randolph, Hooper of Burlington, Hyman of
South Burlington, Jerome of Brandon, Labor of Morgan, LaLonde of South Burlington,
Laroche of Franklin, Marcotte of Coventry, Mattos of Milton, McCoy of Poultney, McFaun of Barre Town, Morgan of Milton, Morris of Springfield, Morrissey of Bennington, Notte of Rutland City, Oliver of Sheldon, Page of Newport City, Parsons of Newbury, Pearl of
Danville, Peterson of Clarendon, Quimby of Lyndon, Shaw of Pittsford, Small of
Winooski, Smith of Derby, Surprenant of Barnard, Taylor of Milton, Toof of St. Albans Town, Torre of Moretown, Whitman of Bennington, and Williams of Granby Whereas, Mike Gonneville has taught physical education for 46 years at Northfield Elementary School, and he has coached numerous generations of students in soccer,
hockey, golf, and life skills, and Whereas, in 2007, he started Walking Wednesdays, which was one of the first walk-to-
school programs in Vermont, and Whereas, Walking Wednesdays encompasses a mile-plus stretch that starts at Norwich University’s Sabin Field, proceeds down Main Street, and ends at Northfield Elementary School, and Whereas, students of all ages participate by walking to school instead of riding on the bus or in personal vehicles, and Whereas, Walking Wednesdays is based on a national initiative to encourage schools and communities to help youngsters increase their daily physical activity, and Whereas, the school’s healthy weekly endeavor has continued for 17 years, and it is one of the longest ongoing programs at Northfield Elementary School, and Whereas, Walking Wednesdays has the support and involvement of community members, parents, grandparents, local businesses, and Norwich University, and Whereas, Mike Gonneville finds the most rewarding part of Walking Wednesdays to be the regular stop in front of The Veterans’ Place Inc., a residential facility on Vine Street,
where, with hands on hearts, the students recite the Pledge of Allegiance with the Veterans,
and the facility’s director reports that residents “live for this moment” each week, now therefore be it VT LEG #376195 v.1
R-274 Page 2 of 2
2024
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly honors Northfield Elementary School physical education instructor Michael Gonneville for his teaching excellence and for the establishment of the school’s Walking Wednesdays, and be it further Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to
Mike Gonneville, Northfield Elementary School Principal Denise Russell, and Central Vermont Supervisory Union Superintendent Matthew Fedders.
VT LEG #376195 v.1