53 Green Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301
www.wsesu.org
NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING
The Windham Southeast School District Board will meet at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday,
January 10, 2023 in the WRCC Cusick Conference Room and remotely via Zoom
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AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 p.m. – Kelly Young, Board Chair
II. STUDENT MATTERS (5-10 Minutes)
III. CONSENT AGENDA
• CLERK’S REPORT – Approval of Minutes – December 20
• FINANCES
Warrant of December 12, 2022
Warrant No. 1180 in the amount of $254,564.58
Warrant No. 1181 in the amount of 5,025.00
Warrant No. 1183 in the amount of 150.00
Warrant No. 1184 in the amount of 37,816.33
Warrant No. 1185 in the amount of 11,070.00
Warrant No. 1186 in the amount of 1,866.81
Warrant No. 1187 in the amount of 921,565.01
$1,232,057.73
Warrant of December 19, 2022
Warrant No. 1188 in the amount of $2,115.00
Warrant No. 1194 in the amount of 1,958.39
Warrant No. 1195 in the amount of 131,158.56
$135,231.95
Warrant of December 27, 2022
Warrant No. 1197 in the amount of $1,596.18
Warrant No. 1198 in the amount of 858.14
Warrant No. 1200 in the amount of 821.82
Warrant No. 1201 in the amount of 7,973.00
Warrant No. 1202 in the amount of 127,735.99
$138,985.13
Warrant of January 3, 2023
Warrant No. 1207 in the amount of $122,386.30
Warrant No. 1209 in the amount of 1,600.00
Warrant No. 1210 in the amount of 1,417.94
Warrant No. 1211 in the amount of 172,531.20
$297,935.44
Payrolls
December 16, 2022 $1,616,074.46
December 30, 2022 $1,330,658.59
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS (10 minutes)
V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Sexual Abuse Investigation – Update
B. Policy Review:
• F38 – Prevention of Sexual Harassment as Prohibited by Title IX – re- adoption
• F10 – Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect – 2nd Reading
• F21 – Policy on the Use of Restraint and Seclusion – 2nd Reading
VI. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
VII. FISCAL REPORT
• FY ’24 Budget Discussion
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
A. District Social Worker Presentations
B. Rebecca Olmstead – Report on Wellness Committee Work
C. Retirements/Resignations
D. Schedule of Final Restorative Process Training
E. Executive Sessions – 1 VSA §313(a)(1)(A) – Contracts
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
A. District Social Worker Presentations
B. Rebecca Olmstead – Report on Wellness Committee Work
C. Retirements/Resignations
D. Schedule of Final Restorative Process Training
E. Executive Sessions – 1 VSA §313(a)(1)(A) – Contracts
EXECUTIVE SESSION (If Needed)
Note: These proposed minutes should be considered preliminary until they are approved by the board at a future meeting.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2022
REGULAR BOARD MEETING – 6:00PM
HYBRID MEETING: WRCC CUSICK CONFERENCE ROOM, BRATTLEBORO,
AND REMOTELY VIA ZOOM
DRAFT MINUTES
WSESD Board Members Present: Chair Kelly Young (KY), Liz Adams (LA), Anne Beekman (AB),
Lana Dever (LD), Michelle Green (MG), Tim Maciel (TM), Emily Murphy Kaur (EMK), Shaun
Murphy (SM), Deborah Stanford (DS). non-voting members: Benjamin Berg (BB), Kaiya Colby (KC)
WSESD Board Members Absent: [anyone?]
WSESU/SD Staff and Administrators Present: Mark Speno, Wendy M. Levy, Cassie Damkoehler, Paul
Smith, Frank Rucker
Media Present:
Others Present: David Schoales of Brattleboro
Please note: attendance may be incomplete.
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chair KY called the meeting to order at 6:03pm.
KY read the “hybrid meeting” statement.
II. STUDENT MATTERS
David Schoales of Brattleboro asked the members of the Student Advisory Council if they have found less-formal sexual abuse reporting opportunities, as per their recent request. BB and KC agreed the Council has put the matter aside for now, but they will advocate for their fellow students, and for better communications. KC noted an ongoing barrier is that the reporting is not completely anonymous.
III. CONSENT AGENDA
• CLERK’S REPORT – Approval of Minutes – December 13, 2022
MOTION BY SM TO APPROVE THE DECEMBER 13, 2022 MINUTES. LA SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
David Schoales asked that the monthly principals’ reports get posted on the website in a location that’s easy to find.
V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Sexual Abuse Investigation — Update
KY announced there was no new information.
VI. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Mr. Speno said this report would be brief to allow the Board to focus on the budget. Highlights of his report included:
• At that day’s regular staff meeting, there was an all-District staff meeting which featured a virtual visit from Jesse Hagopian.
• Mr. Hagopian serves as the director of the Black Education Matters Student Activist Award, is an organizer with the Black Lives Matter at School movement, and is a founding member of Social Equity Educators. The District’s Black Lives Matter week is coming at the end of January. At the staff meeting, school staff discussed with Mr. Hagopian how to prepare, and what events to include, during BLM week. Some of this work is reflected in the proposed budget.
• There are two new ELL (English-language learners) staff positions included in the proposed budget that directly support the new Afghan students who are refugees and have moved to the area.
• Cybersecurity needs are also included in this budget.
• HVAC and other facilities improvements continue, and are included in the budget.
• Also included in the budget are investments to support the Action Plan, such as those which address social-emotional learning and academic supports.
• Diversity and equity work continues, and the budget reflects this by including such things as stipends for the teacher-leaders who are part of the Diversity & Equity team. Mr. Speno noted this work does not just happen during BLM week; it happens every day.
VII. FISCAL REPORT
• FY24 Budget Discussion
• A review of the summary documents.
• Total proposed expenditures for Pre-Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade are $62,944,634, which represents a 3.2% increase over last year’s budget.
• The largest increases are in support services, which includes: special education, diversity and equity work, English-Language Learners staff, food, and transportation.
• A review of the “Financial Overview” portion of the budget document.
• An explanation of “equalized pupils” figures, and how this affects the budget. This process was established by the Legislature, and it involves using Agency of Education (AoE) calculations. These figures, supplied by the AoE, are late. When they arrive, Mr. Rucker will share this information with the Board.
• Major drivers for cost increases in this proposed budget: nine or ten new positions, increased health insurance rates, and an increase in the cost of special education services.
• Major cost reductions in this proposed budget: capital improvement expenditures are going down, as is the bond debt interest.
• Enrollment is stable. Projections show an increase, District-wide, of four students.
• A Capital Plan summary overview: the projected three-year cost is $10.5 million.
• The District is in good financial shape, with financially prudent practices.
• A review of the budget summary by school site for each school in the District:
◦ Academy School
◦ Dummerston School
◦ Guilford Central School
◦ Putney Central School
◦ BAMS
◦ BUHS
◦ Oak Grove School
◦ Green Street School
◦ WRCC
◦ And, District-wide Services
LA asked if anyone is working with the Student Advisory Council on their requests. Mr. Speno responded: their requests are already included in the budget, and they appear in various places in the budget. Ms. Damkoehler announced she is meeting with the Council this week to discuss furniture options for the modular-classrooms proposal.
Mr. Rucker noted the budget process is long, and includes many participants, such as the Finance Committee and District staff. It reflects the District’s reopening / student support goals. He noted the proposed budget is a first draft, and it may change when the AoE sends its equalized pupil data. A discussion ensued on the potential tax rate, and how the yield numbers from the state tax commissioner will affect the tax rate.
SM noted this budget is well thought-out and careful. A lot of energy, time, and care came from Mr. Rucker and other staff. Ms. Damkoehler said this budget is a team effort. KY thanked the Finance Committee, Mr. Speno, Mr. Rucker, and community members who helped create this budget. LD thanked everyone, and noted how great and accessible the document is. She also said the increases were not as high as she had feared.
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
A. Retirements/Resignations
Mr. Speno announced one retirement.
MOTION BY LD TO ACCEPT, WITH REGRET, THE RETIREMENT OF SUSAN JOHNSON, FIRST GRADE TEACHER AT GREEN STREET. MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Mr. Speno said he appreciates the comments of appreciation. He noted this Board is very supportive of the District’s work, and this also shows when the budget is presented to voters in March at the Annual Meeting.
MOTION BY AB TO ADJOURN. LA SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
The Board adjourned at 6:57pm.
• “Windham Southeast School District Fiscal Year 2024 Proposed Budget Summary.”
Submitted by Wendy M. Levy from minutes taken by Wendy M. Levy
This represents my understanding of the above dated meeting. If you have any changes, please submit at the next meeting.
