Education

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.

AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 p.m. – Kelly Young, Board Chair
II. Warning Article for School Director Elections – Action Needed

Agenda
I. Call to order
II. Approve minutes
III. Discuss budget, review tax rate explanation rough draft
IV. Other business
V. Adjourn

Mark introduced Rebecca, Jean and Nicole, who gave a presentation around the Wellness Programs available in our SU that promote healthy lifestyles for our employees, both physical and mental. An interesting statistic provided was that $1 spent on wellness can reap a $5.81 return. The full presentation can be found here:

AGENDA
I. Call to Order / Introductions / Recognition of Visitors
II. Review of minutes
III. Focus item for discussion:
a. Food Services in the district: how can the board assess equity in food access across schools in the district? (review of recent conversations at board meetings)

Due to anticipated poor weather/driving conditions, the following meetings of the Windham Southeast School District have been re-warned as remote-only for this evening, January 9, 2024. 

WSESD Board Meeting 6:00 pm

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.

The Windham Southeast School District Finance Committee will meet Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 5:00pm at Oak Grove School, 15 Moreland Avenue, Brattleboro  and remotely via Zoom

AGENDA
I. Call to Order [6:00 to 6:05]
II. Executive Session [8:30]
1VSA §313 (a)(1)(F) confidential attorney-client communications made for the purpose of providing professional legal services to the body.

● Eva Nolan has officially withdrawn as a voting board member of the Policy and Amendment Committee.

● The following policies were presented for a first reading on 12/12/23 and will go for a second reading on 1/9/24:
o D7 Volunteers and Work Study Students
o F36 Student Freedom of Expression in School Sponsored Media

I. Call to Order / Introductions / Recognition of Visitors
II. Clerk & Minutes
III. Updates
IV. Discussion about when applicants who do not answer diversity questions.

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.

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.

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.

AGENDA
I. Call to Order [6:00 to 6:05]
II. Student Issues [6:05 to 6:15]
III. Administrative Report [6:15 to 6:40]
– Follow up on MLSS & Social Emotional Learning [20 Minutes]
– WRCC New Hire [5 Minutes]

I. Call to Order / Introductions / Recognition of Visitors

II. Review of minutes

III. Focus item for discussion:
a. Food Services in the district: how can the board assess equity in food access across schools in the district? (Consider info to request from Frank after budget is finalized)

• The following policy was presented for a first reading on 11/28/23 and will go for a second reading on 12/12/23:
o F32 Student Distribution of Literature
• The following policy went for a second reading on 11/28/23 and will be presented for adoption on 12/12/23:
o D1 (Personnel Recruitment, Selection, Appointment and Background Checks)