WSESD Board Meeting Minutes – Nov 28, 2023

Superintendent Mark Speno, Curriculum Coordinator Brin Tucker, BUHS teacher Celena Romo, Oak Grove Principal Mary Kaufmann, Putney Central School Principal Jon Sessions, and Academy School teacher Laureen Reavey presented an update on the implementation of Multi-Layered Systems of Support (MLSS)


WSESU Board Meeting Minutes Nov 29, 2023

CALL TO ORDER—6:03 p.m. – Anne Beekman, Chair

On a motion by the chair the board voted to amend the agenda to include retirements.

On a motion by Deborah Stanford the board moved to approve the minutes of November 8, 2023.

Mark announced the upcoming retirements of Sue Mitchell, a Special Education para at BAMS, and Paul Smith, the WSESU Curriculum Coordinator.


WSESD Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Nov 28, 2023

WSESU Business Administrator Frank Rucker shared and reviewed a document: “Windham Southeast School District General Ledger – Elementary FY25 Proposed Budget [By School].” Highlights included:
• This document is on the website.
• It contains two different summary formats: by school site, and detailed.
• An explanation of how the two different summary formats are organized.
• The total spending on this part of the proposed budget is $26,450,000, up from the current year’s budget of $26,437,000. This is for all three secondary school sites: BUHS, BAMS, and WRCC. This budget is almost level-funded.
• FY25 goes from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.


WSESD Board Meeting Minutes – Nov 14, 2023

Summary:
● Student representatives spoke about bullying and inappropriate behavior that is going unaddressed in classes at BUHS, and the need to cultivate a positive and loving culture in the community.
● Superintendent Speno introduced a book, “Introduction to the Governance Code,” that Board members and administrators will read and discuss at next June’s retreat.
● Putney Central School Principal Jon Sessions and Guilford Central School Principal John Gagnon gave presentations about family and community engagement via the leadership council and parent-teacher organization.
● WSESU Business Administrator Frank Rucker gave an outline of the timeline for the budget development process over the next few months.
● The Board voted to approve pre-qualification for four firms to bid on the Oak Grove School HVAC project.
● The Board approved payrolls and warrants that included the final payment on the 22-year bond for renovations to BUHS.


WSESU Board Meeting Minutes – Nov 8, 2023

On a motion by Tim Maciel the board moved to enter the consent agenda for action.

On a motion by Tim Maciel the board approved the minutes of October 11, 2023.

Frank Rucker reviewed the Budget Development Overview process including the preliminary timeline, FTE ratios, and projections in the area of Special Education. Frank walked through the previous year’s budget giving an overview of the majors sections, both the summary data and the more detailed information that is available for both revenue and expenditures.


Mariam Diallo on “Here We Are”

With teens like this, who needs adults ?!! A sophomore at BUHS, Mariam Diallo is grounded, talented and enthusiastic. She’s involved in bringing more youth voices and perspectives to all aspects of our community.


WSESD Finance Committee Meeting Agenda

Agenda
1. Approval of Minutes
2. FY25 Preliminary Budget Development Planning Discussion
3. Capital Project Implementation updates, discussion to include; Recommendation on selection of prequalified Contractors eligible to bid on the Oak Grove Heat pump & HVAC controls project
4. Recommendation to Board to Approve Warrants and Payrolls


WSESD Social Justice Committee Meeting Minutes

III. Updates

Mike Kelliher gave an update on efforts to recruit a more diverse staff. The district has just launched an employee referral program. For certain positions, if an employee refers a candidate who doesn’t already work for the organization, and they end up being hired, the referring employee will receive a bonus: $250 at time of hiring and $250 after six months of employment. There have already been a couple of inquiries. As of today there are 38 open positions but not all are part of this referral program – it is reserved for positions which the leadership team has identified as difficult to fill.