WSESD Board Meeting Agenda and Minutes

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WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT

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,
March 22, 2022 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. CONSENT AGENDA

• CLERK’S REPORT – Approval of Minutes – December 14 (pending), January 25 (pending), March 8, March 10, March 15 (pending)

• FINANCES
Warrants of March 7, 2022
Warrant No. 1260 in the amount of $ 376.67
Warrant No. 1261 in the amount of 25,599.02
Warrant No. 1262 in the amount of 25,690.26
Warrant No. 1263 in the amount of 1,907.52
Warrant No. 1264 in the amount of 103,898.69
$157,472.16

Warrants of March 14, 2022
Warrant No. 1266 in the amount of $ 32,309.45
Warrant No. 1270 in the amount of 62,106.75
Warrant No. 1271 in the amount of 935.85
Warrant No. 1272 in the amount of 870,914.37
$966,266.42
Payrolls
March 11, 2022 $1,380,511.03

III. Public Comment on Non-agenda Items (10 minutes)

IV. Unfinished Business

A. Administrative Proposal for Guidelines RE: Policy C7 “Communications with Administrators (tabled from 1/25)
B. Sexual Abuse Investigation Update – Outreach and Education
C. Administration Proposal for K-12 Approach to Social Justice Curricula and Accountability (tabled from 2/8)
D. Recruitment of Diverse Candidates for Employment (tabled from 2/8)

V. Committee Appointments

VI. Administrative Report
• Resignations / Hiring

VII. Fiscal Report

VIII. New Business
A. Head Start/Early Head Start Refunding Application – Action Needed
B. VSBA Code of Ethics – Action Needed

C. 7:30 p.m. – EXECUTIVE SESSION – 1 V.S.A. §313(a)(3) the appointment or
employment of public officer or employee, provided that the public body shall
make a final decision to hire or appoint a public officer or employee in an open
meeting and shall explain the reasons for its final decision during open meeting.
EXECUTIVE SESSION (If Needed)

……….
WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT
March 10, 2022
Attending (all by Zoom): Lana Dever, Deborah Stanford, Emily Murphy Kaur, Anne Beekman,
David Schoales (Vice Chair), Kelly Young (chair), Tim Maciel (Clerk).
Guests: Atty. Aimee Goddard and Dr. Chris Overtree
The meeting was called to order at 4:35 pm.
At 4:36 on a motion by Lana Dever, second by Emily Murphy Kaur, the Board entered Executive Session – 1VSA §313 (a) (1) (F) confidential attorney-client communications made for the purpose of providing legal services to the body.
The Board rose from Executive Session at 6:36 with no action taken, and on a motion by Emily Murphy Kaur, second by Liz Adams, the meeting adjourned at that time.
….

Note: These proposed minutes should be considered preliminary until they are approved by the Board at a future meeting.

WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT (WSESD) BOARD
TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2022
REGULAR BOARD MEETING – 6:00PM
REMOTE MEETING
DRAFT MINUTES
WSESD Board Members Present: Liz Adams (LA), Anne Beekman (AB), Lana Dever (LD), Michelle Green (MG), Tim Maciel (TM), Emily Murphy Kaur (EMK), David Schoales (DSc), Deborah Stanford (DSt), Kelly Young (KY)
WSESD Board Members Absent: Shaun Murphy
WSESU Administrators Present: Interim Superintendent Mark Speno, Business Administrator Frank Rucker, BUHS Principal Steve Perrin, Oak Grove School Principal Mary Kauffman, BAMS Principal Keith Lyman, WRCC Director Nancy Wiese, Guilford Central School Principal John Gagnon, Green Street School Interim Principal Kate Margaitis, Facilities Director Robert Clark
Media Present: Chris Mays (Brattleboro Reformer)
Others Present: Wendy M. Levy (Board Recorder), Jaime Contois, Jody Normandeau, Benjamin Berg, Robin Morgan, Mindy Haskins Rogers
Please note: this attendance may be incomplete.
I. CALL TO ORDER
Interim Superintendent Mark Speno called the meeting to order at 6:01pm. Mark explained that, as per tradition at the annual reorganization meeting, the superintendent of schools calls the meeting to-order. Mark congratulated LD and DSt for their elections to the Board, and Shaun Murphy for being re- elected.
A. Nominations/Election of Board Chair
DS nominated KY.
AB nominated AB.
Vote:
AB unclear
KY 6
KY is the Board Chair.

B. Nominations/Election of Board Vice-Chair
KY nominated AB.
TM nominated DS.
Vote:
AB 2
DS 4
DS is the Board Vice-Chair.

C. Nominations/Election of Board Clerk
MG nominated TM.
Vote:
TM 5
TM is the Board Clerk.

D. Nominations/Election of WSESU Voting Members
• Brattleboro
LD nominated DS.
LA nominated LD. LD declined.
Vote:
DS 4
DS is the voting member representing Brattleboro at the WSESU.
• Dummerston
TM nominated MG.
Vote:
MG 8
MG is the voting member representing Dummerston at the WSESU.
• Guilford
MG nominated KY.
Vote:
KY 8
KY is the voting member representing Guilford at the WSESU.
• Putney
AB nominated LA.
Vote:
LA 6
LA is the voting member representing Putney at the WSESU.
E. Establish Meeting Days/Time
MOTION BY TM TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT MEETING SCHEDULE OF THE SECOND AND FOURTH TUESDAYS OF THE MONTH FROM 6-8PM. MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Jaime Contois of Putney asked if the Board will resume the practice of rotating the schedule to hold meetings in towns other than Brattleboro. MG responded: when the Board tried holding a meeting at the Dummerston School, the technology failed and the remote portion of the meeting could not happen. Jaime noted the Putney Central School has better technology. KY agreed to confirm technological capabilities with the school’s administrators.

VOTE ON THE TM/MG MOTION: THE MOTION CARRIED WITH 8 VOTES IN FAVOR.

II. CONSENT AGENDA
– CLERK’S REPORT –
Approval of Minutes – December 14 (pending), January 25 (pending), February 8, February 24, and
February 28
– FINANCES
Warrants of February 7, 2022
Warrant No. 1234 in the amount of $88,756.02
Warrant No. 1235 in the amount of 3,000.00
Warrant No. 1236 in the amount of 556.29
Warrant No. 1237 in the amount of 1,755.00
Warrant No. 1238 in the amount of 6,700.00
Warrant No. 1239 in the amount of 932.52
Warrant No. 1240 in the amount of 824,648.18
$926,348.01
Warrants of February 14, 2022
Warrant No. 1241 in the amount of $ 318.00
Warrant No. 1242 in the amount of 3,905.00
Warrant No. 1245 in the amount of 97.60
Warrant No. 1246 in the amount of 2,606.25
Warrant No. 1247 in the amount of 213.34
Warrant No. 1248 in the amount of 210,163.04
$217,303.23
Warrants of February 22, 2022
Warrant No. 1249 in the amount of $ 19,342.60
Warrant No. 1250 in the amount of 75.00
Warrant No. 1251 in the amount of 1,001.65
Warrant No. 1252 in the amount of 139,858.43
$170,277.68
Warrants of February 28, 2022
Warrant No. 1256 in the amount of $ 2,500.00
Warrant No. 1257 in the amount of 1,420.22
Warrant No. 1258 in the amount of 132.49
Warrant No. 1259 in the amount of 45,726.09
$49,778.80
Payrolls
February 11, 2022 $1,373,178.16
February 25, 2022 $1,440,899.53
MOTION BY DS TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
III. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Benjamin Berg, a sophomore at BUHS, spoke in favor of having Mark Speno continue as Superintendent. KY thanked Benjamin for his comments, and encouraged him to participate in the WSESU meetings, as hiring the superintendent is that Board’s purview. Other attendees spoke in support of Berg’s statement. KY noted she does not want to establish the precedent of the Board responding to public comment on non-agenda items.

Jody Normandeau expressed her gratitude, and a message of welcome, to the two new Board members: LD and DSt.
Jaime Contois introduced the topic of continuing a mask requirement for staff and students. She spoke in favor of continuing masking in the District’s schools. A lengthy discussion ensued, with staff, administrators, Board members, and parents/caregivers speaking both in favor of, and opposed to, a mask-mandate in the District’s schools.
MOTION BY EMK THAT MASKING BE REQUIRED FOR THE DISTRICT’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. LA SECONDED.
AB noted this motion is out-of-order because it was not properly warned. KY agreed.
THE EMK/LA MOTION FAILED.
A discussion ensued on warning a special meeting to discuss the future of the mask-mandate in the District’s schools.
IV. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
– Retirements / Resignations
Interim Superintendent Mark Speno noted staff just returned from a break, and they are stressed. Mark thanked the staff.
Mark announced the District is actively searching for a Putney Central School Principal, and they will begin interviewing candidates the following week. The goal, he said, is to choose a new principal by the first week of April, and he is confident in that happening.
BUHS Principal Steve Perrin read the BUHS resignations into the record.
MOTION BY AB TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATIONS OF SPANISH TEACHER ANGIE DODD AND ENGLISH TEACHER REBECCA SAVAGE WITH REGRET. MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Oak Grove School Principal Mary Kauffman read her school’s resignation into the record.
MOTION BY LD TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF SANDY STOCKTON, OAK GROVE STEP BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONIST, WITH REGRET. MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Guilford Central School Principal John Gagnon read his school’s resignation into the record.
MOTION BY MG TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF MICHELE NELSON, GUILFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL ACADEMIC SUPPORT, WITH REGRET. AB SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Green Street School Interim Principal Kate Margaitis read her school’s new hire into the record.
MOTION BY AB TO APPROVE THE HIRE OF CHRISSY COLON BRADT AS THE LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST AT THE GREEN STREET SCHOOL. MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
V. FISCAL REPORT
A. FY’23 Capital Plan Projects
B. Guilford Central School HVAC Project
Business Administrator Frank Rucker shared a document, “Windham Southeast Supervisory District Capital Plan.”
Frank introduced Facilities Director Robert Clark.
Frank reviewed the “Capital Plan Guiding Principles” section of the Capital Plan.
Frank reviewed some capital projects and the rules the District needs to follow to implement the Capital Plan.
Frank reviewed the summary plan of the Capital Plan. The total Capital Plan budget for Fiscal Year 2023 is $3,347,500; $1,885,000 of this will be funded by either indoor air quality funding or ESSER funding.
Frank reviewed items from the BAMS/BUHS/WRCC portion of the Capital Plan, with a focus on the ESSER-funded projects. They included:
• $200,000 for the hot water distribution system
• $450,000 for a related project: the HVAC control system
• $325,000 for heat recovery ventilation units
• $50,000 for cooling systems for summer- and after-school programs
• $100,000 for privacy- and general upgrades to the locker rooms
• $75,000 for Title IX requests to the Sawyer Field bathrooms
• The estimated total federal funding for these projects is $785,000
Frank mentioned Natowich Field, and noted it has not been revisited for discussion since 2019. The associated projects are to repair uneven grass surface and unstable goal posts. The total is $125,000, and Frank will return to the discussion when the Board is ready.
A discussion ensued on scheduling further Board conversations on this, including bringing in representatives from Gale Associates, the consulting firm working on this project.
A discussion ensued on the reserve funds and the funds for resurfacing Natowich Field.
A discussion ensued on the BAMS locker rooms and what needs to be upgraded.
Frank reviewed items from the Academy School portion of the Capital Plan. They included:
• $650,000 for HVAC and control system upgrades
• $400,000 for window systems
• $75,000 for the playground
• The total estimated federal funding for these projects is $1.1million
MOTION BY TM TO EXTEND THE MEETING BY 15 MINUTES. DS SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Frank reviewed items from the Green Street School portion of the Capital Plan. They included:

• $110,000 for roofing, which is not ESSER-eligible
• $25,000 for windows, which is ESSER-eligible

Frank reviewed items from the Oak Grove School portion of the Capital Plan. They included:
• $10,000 for the boiler
• $35,000 for the handicap-access ramp
• $16,000 for paving the basketball court
• $50,000 for windows
• The total estimated federal funding for these projects is $111,000
Frank reviewed items from the Dummerston School portion of the Capital Plan. They included:
For FY22:
• $350,000 for the boiler
• $180,000 for the air-handling unit
• The total estimated federal funding for these projects is $530,000
For FY23:
• $50,000 for heating fuel tanks and distribution
• $25,000 for playgrounds
• The total estimated federal funding for these projects is $75,000
Frank reviewed items from the Guilford Central School portion of the Capital Plan. They included:
For FY22:
• $165,000 for the unit ventilators
• $50,000 for windows
• The total estimated federal funding for these projects is approximately $215,000
For FY23:
• $50,000 for windows
• The total estimated federal funding for this project is $50,000
Frank reviewed an item from the Putney Central School portion of the Capital Plan:
• $75,000 for outdoor learning spaces
• The total estimated federal funding for this project is $75,000
Frank noted that of the 38 FY23 projects, for 18 of them, he is seeking federal funding.
MOTION BY MG TO APPROVE IMPLEMENTING THE FY23 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AS PRESENTED IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,347,500, OF WHICH IT IS ESTIMATED THAT $1,885,000 IN FEDERAL ESSER GRANT FUNDS WILL BE APPLIED FOR TO SUPPORT PROCUREMENT OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS. TM SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Frank said there are deadlines for spending ESSER funds, and this means the date the checks must be cut. For ESSER 2, it’s September, 2023. For ESSER 3, it’s September, 2024. Frank noted this is a tight deadline.

MOTION BY MG TO APPROVE COMPLETING THE GUILFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL UNIT VENTILATOR REPLACEMENT PROJECT FOR THE REMAINING EIGHT CLASSROOMS AND MOVING FORWARD IN FY22 WITH THE FIRST PHASE OF GUILFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL WINDOW REPLACEMENTS AT A TOTAL ESTIMATED COST OF $215,000, ALL OF WHICH WILL BE APPLIED FOR REIMBURSEMENT BY THE ESSER FEDERAL GRANT. DS SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

VI. COMMITTEE REPORTS

Tabled by KY. DS noted there are no committee reports for this meeting.
KY announced that at a future meeting, the Board can reorganize the committees and the leadership councils.
VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Sexual Abuse Investigation Update – Outreach and Education
DS announced the Board wants to issue regular reports, but they are limited in what it can say. He said the Board met with the investigators last week. Several people came forward with incidents of abuse, and the investigator is looking into them. The Board, said DS, encourages people to come forward.
Mindy Haskins Rogers said she sent an email to the Board today. She said she has received a great deal of feedback from affected people. She recommended the Board provide referrals and subsidized, unaffiliated counseling and therapy for affected individuals.
TM spoke about Erin’s Law.
Robin Morgan said she appreciates Mindy’s attention to detail, and her continued advice to the Board.
TM said he wants to have student representation on the Board.
MG spoke about collaborating on creating the agenda.
LA said the Board has not had enough time to address all it needs to address in meetings, and the
backlog grows.
B. Administrative Proposal for Guidelines RE: Policy C7 “Communications with Administrators” (tabled from 1/25)
C. Recruitment of Diverse Candidates for Employment (tabled from 2/8)
D. Administration Proposal for K-12 Approach to Social Justice Curricula and Accountability (tabled from 2/8)
Tabled by KY.
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
None.
MOTION BY AB TO ADJOURN. LA SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15pm.
DOCUMENTS PRESENTED:
• “Windham Southeast Supervisory District Capital Plan.”
Respectfully 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.

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