Note: These proposed minutes should be considered preliminary until they are
approved as reflected in the minutes of the next board meeting.
WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT (WSESD) BOARD
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2025
REGULAR BOARD MEETING – 6:00 PM
WRCC CUSICK CONFERENCE ROOM AND REMOTELY VIA ZOOM
DRAFT MINUTES
Present
Deborah Stanford (DS), Kim Price (KP), Anne Beekman (AB), Riley Bristol (RB).
Jocelyn Fritts (JF), Tim Maciel (TM), Ruby McAdoo (RM), Colleen Savage (CS) Matt
Schibley (MS), Willow Sharma (WS), Jessica Everlith (JE), Brian Remer (BR)
WSESD staff and administration present (includes remote attendance)
Mark Speno, Frank Rucker, Brin Tucker, Stacey Sawyer, Janet Slesinski, Mikaela
Simms, Kerri Beebe, Nancy Wiese, Julianne Eagan, Mary Kaufmann, jgagnon, brandy
Levesque, Mikaela Simms, Keith Lyman, Kelly Dias,
Others present
BCTV, Martha Noyes, John’s iPhone, Jodi Nutting,
Absences
Summary
● The Board engaged in a presentation about the district’s professional development and equity work.
● Suzy’s Little Peanuts Day School was approved as a universal PreK partner.
● The hiring of Elizabeth Rosenberg, WRCC Culinary Instructor & BUHS Family and Consumer Science Teacher was approved.
● Action is being taken towards community engagement as related to the newly adopted Board Goals.
AGENDA
I. Call to Order
DS called the meeting of the WSESD board to order at 6:01 pm and read the statement
about the hybrid meeting format. She also noted that:
– If appropriate, agenda items are subject to Potential Action.
– If any Board Member feels that an item on the Consent Agenda warrants
discussion, that item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and will
be set aside for discussion. In this way, the Consent Agenda will be
approved in one motion. That request should be made now – or before
the vote on the Consent Agenda.
– Amendments to the Agenda
DS requested to move the new universal PreK in advance of the presentation to the board.
DS Noted today’s holiday and spoke to acknowledging future holidays that occur on days that the board meets.
II. Student Matters
RB, BUHS requested information from Mark Speno regarding Teney Field. Inquired about the pace of the renovations. Mr. Speno noted that approximately 80% completed.
They are waiting for a ramp to arrive and be installed, followed by the installation of chairs.
III. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
This is a time for the Board to listen and to take notes. It is not a time for the Board to respond to comments or to engage in dialogue with the public. If appropriate – the Board and Administration will work on next steps.
Martha Noyes, Brattleboro resident, requested follow up on her previous inquiry about fiscal responsibility and communication with the public. She also requested being mindful about spending, noting the challenges community members are facing financially.
TM requested that responses from the board to community members be sent to all board members.
IV. Administrative Report
– New Universal PreK Agreement – Action Needed
Kerri Beebe, PreK Coordinator for the district, brought a new PreK partner forward for approval, Suzy’s Little Peanuts Day School.
JF MOTIONED TO APPROVE SUZY’S LITTLE PEANUTS AS A NEW UNIVERSAL
PREK PARTNER. SECONDED.
VOTE WAS CALLED. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
– Presentation: Professional Development and Social Justice League
Assess how the District supports teachers and staff so that they are empowered to support students.
Mikaela Simms, Brin Tucker, Stacey Sawyer, and Janet Slesinski shared the linked presentation to the Board. This presentation speaks to school leadership and needs based Professional Development (D2) as well as the District Equity Policy (F37)
To hear the presentation and discussion that followed, view the BCTV recording.
– Hires, Resignations, Retirements
Elizabeth Rosenberg – WRCC Culinary Instructor & BUHS Family and Consumer Science Teacher
AB MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE HIRE OF ELIZABETH ROSENBERG AS THE
WRCC CULINARY INSTRUCTOR & BUHS FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE
TEACHER. SECONDED.
VOTE CALLED. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Nancy Wiese expressed her excitement of the hiring of Ms. Rosenberg.
Entered break at 7:13
Rose from break at 7:23
V. Fiscal Report
Frank Rucker shared that the field work with the auditor team was completed at the end of last week. The final audit report is anticipated to be delivered towards the end of October.
The next Finance Committee meeting will be held 10/7/25 from 3-4:30. Work at this meeting will include a budget planning calendar.
VI. Board Matters
A. Leadership Council Updates
KP attended the Putney LC on 9/11/25. Highlights are that a greenhouse will be built. The afterschool programming will begin this coming Monday, 9/29/25. Finally, the Putney School was awarded a two year Community Schools Grant.
Dummerston’s LC will be meeting 10/9/25 at 6 pm.
Mark Speno shared that the orientation for LC chairs will be held the week of 10/20/25.
A specific date is yet to be determined.
B. Board Sub-Committees and SU Updates
RM shared that the Communications Council met today. The plan is to meet again soon to continue to develop plans for community engagement to align with the new Board goals.
The finance committee meeting will hold their next meeting 10/7/25 at 3:00-4:30 pm at the Central Office.
JE shared that the Board goals task force met last night (9/22). A review of the time milestones were reviewed and consideration of how to meet them was discussed. This committee requested they be invited to join the district committee discussing the goal, Safe and Healthy Schools & Climate. The committee is developing a tool to assist in this work.
The Policy Committee meets tomorrow 9/24/25 at the Central Office.
AB reported that at the SU board meeting last week they had a presentation on the food service program. The presentation is available on the website. The new Elementary Special Education Coordinator, Kaleigh Richardson was introduced followed by a discussion regarding BOCES for special education.
Following an inquiry about the situation related to transportation, Mark Speno shared that an agreement was signed and steps forward are being taken. Beacon is preparing to institute use of a program, Transfinder, which will assist with route development. A feature is that parents will be able to see their student’s bus in real time.
RM remarked about education reform vis a vis BOCES at the SU Board. DS encouraged reviewing the attachment that is linked to the agenda for the WSESU meeting tomorrow night.
The full discussion from this portion of the meeting about BOCES can be viewed in the BCTV recording of the meeting.
C. Update on legislative issues related to education (Tim & Jocelyn) Legislative Update and Webinar.
TM reported that at the RSCA Meeting Margaret MacLean, chair of the steering committee, asked Superintendents to provide data on financial implications of potential mergers.
MS shared that the committee is reaching out to contiguous districts to begin conversations.
D. Admin/Board Calendar – as it now aligns with Board Goals
The Admin/Board calendar has been edited adding a column “Aligned Board Goals”. It is a work in progress and is evolving. TM asked to return to the topic of reviewing the Climate Survey. Also referenced policy C7 regarding the Superintendent meeting with Administration and presenting a report to the board in October.
The discussion that ensued can be viewed on the BCTV recording.
E. Update on VSBA Resolutions
DS shared that the VSBA is reaching out to the Board looking for a representative for our region.
TM defended the WSESD Board’s resolution to the VSBA Resolution Committee as did several other district representatives. As a result, the VSBA Resolution Committee then drafted a single resolution in lieu of having multiple similar statements. A robust discussion followed.
VII. Consent Agenda
– Approval of Minutes for September 9, 2025
MS MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. SECONDED.
VOTE WAS CALLED. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
IX. Adjourn
AB MOTIONED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE WSESD BOARD.
SECONDED.
VOTE WAS CALLED. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting of the WSESD Board adjourned at 8:22 pm.
Minutes respectfully submitted on 9/26/25 by Board Clerk with special recognition to Tracey Drotts, Board Recorder.
A recording of this meeting can be found here as well as on the WSESU website.
WSESD PARKING LOT
Date put in parking lot Key People Parking lot item
09/23/2025 Tim Panorama Student Climate data
09/23/2025 Tim/Deb/Mark Policy C7 Report to the board in October
09/09/2025 Mark/Deb Board Members attending VSBA Annual conference
Resolved – No longer accepting enrollment
