WSESD Finance Committee Meeting Minutes – Jan 9, 2024

WSESU Business Administrator Frank Rucker shared and reviewed a document: “Windham Southeast School District FY25 Proposed Budget Summary.” Highlights included:

• The Finance office recently received some new statistics and information from the Agency of Education.
• There have been some updates Mr. Rucker has received since the prior draft:
◦ The state is essentially requiring the District to “pay itself,” by making Brattleboro Union High School (BUHS) pay the Windham Regional Career Center (WRCC) for the approximately 63 students that will attend. The Legislature is reviewing the funding formula.
◦ An addition of $150,000 for the Oak Grove capital project, due to bids being slightly higher than anticipated.
• The Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) statistics are fiscally unfavorable. If there are no changes, this will have a negative affect on the homestead tax rate.


Windham Southeast School District Board Executive Session Minutes January 16, 2024

The board rose from Executive Session at 8:17.

Sherri Keefe commented that she is here to bear witness for all those who are waiting for the resolution to these issues and for the transparency that the board has promised. For healing for survivors, their family members, and all community members that have been affected, and have been waiting for answers, some for over 50 years. She expressed hope that we can achieve this through this process.


Windham Southeast School District Board Meeting Minutes – Jan 9 , 2024

Summary:
● Student representative concerns included a question of whether the compost materials are going into the trash and concerns about students feeling inhibited in expressing their identity and differences in learning styles.
● Administrators provided an update on Early Education Services and a proposed new public Pre-K classroom in Brattleboro at the Canal Street School
● The superintendent initiated the search process for two administrative positions, The Director of Curriculum and Principal of Brattleboro Union High School, by inviting board members to select representatives for the screening committees.
● The Board awarded a bid for the Oak Grove heat pump improvement project to BG Mechanical, for $2,453,438.
● The Board did a second review of the FY2025 draft budget. The budget is less than a 3% increase from the previous year but changes in the yield and the Common Level of Appraisal are projected to have a large impact on the tax rate for homeowners making more than $140,000 in annual income.


Open Seats on the WSESD and Vernon School Boards, Petitions Due by 1/29/24

The Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) has 5 open seats and the Vernon School District (VSD) has 2 open seats up for election on 3/5/24 — petitions are due by 1/29/24! Please consider running for the WSESD or VSD Board. Here’s a press release from the district central office.

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Empower Your Community: Run for School Board Seats in Windham Southeast and Vernon School Districts

Brattleboro, January 10, 2024 — As the Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) and the Vernon School District (VSD) seek dedicated individuals to serve on their school boards, community members are encouraged to consider running for open seats to make a meaningful impact on local education. The WSESD Board is comprised of ten (10) members from Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford and Putney, with each board member governing the schools in all four towns. The VSD Board is comprised of five (5) members and governs the Vernon School. There are open seats on the WSESD and VSD Boards, which require residents of each town as follows:


WSESD Social Justice Committee Minutes

Eva Nolan called the meeting to order at 10:09.

The committee welcomed a visitor, Claire Halverson from the NAACP Education Committee. This committee has recently re-activated and is reaching out to strengthen connections with other local organizations with a related mission.


WSESD Board Meeting Minutes – Dec 20, 2023

Summary:
● The Board approved the hire of a new Auto Shop instructor for WRCC.
● Finance Director Frank Rucker presented the first draft of the WSESD FY2025 Budget for the Board to review. The budget is level-funded at $65,707,962, a 2.8% increase from last year’s budget, and will result in a projected tax rate of 1.59.
● The Board closely reviewed the budget items for Board-specific expenditures.
● The Board announced that they will be scheduling an executive session soon to review information regarding the Sexual Abuse Investigation.
● The Programmatic and Performance Equity reported on their meeting to discuss food access equity across the district. The committee is interested in looking into the possibility of establishing a district-wide or supervisory union-wide Independent Food Service program.
● The Board discussed the possibility of hiring an administrative assistant to support the Board and will vote on this matter at the next meeting on January 9, 2024.


WSESD – Personnel Committee Meeting Minutes Dec 19, 2023

CALL TO ORDER: 4:50 PM – Anne Beekman, Chair

On a motion by Kim Price the committee moved to accept a single application for 1% funds from Dummerston in the amount of $1,983.59.

On a motion by Kim Price the committee moved to accept a single application for 1% funds from Oak Grove School in the amount of $1,355.30.


WSESD Board Meeting Minutes – Dec 12, 2023

Summary:

● A student representative spoke about a lack of respect between teachers and students at BUHS.

● District administrators and staff gave a presentation about Social Emotional Learning in WSESD schools.

● Representative Emilie Kornheiser (Windham-7) discussed the Commisioner of Taxes’ FY2025 Education Tax Rate Letter and how school districts and legislators can work together to mitigate the tax impact of education spending.

● Superintendent Speno provided an update on the food services issues at BUHS and other district schools.

● Mr. Speno announced changes to the structure of the Curriculum Department that will take place after Curriculum Coordinator Paul Smith retires at the end of the school year.

● The board voted to re-adopt an updated version of Policy D1 – Personnel Recruitment, Selection, Appointment, and Background Checks.

● Three more policies are under consideration for re-adoption: F32 – Student Distribution of Literature, D7 Volunteers and Work Study Students, and F36 Student Freedom of Expression in School Sponsored Media

● Board Chair Kelly Young asked board members to consider the idea of establishing a part-time position to serve as an administrative assistant to the Board.