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Brattleboro School Endowment Fall Fund Raiser – Mum Sale

by JillStahlTyler | Education

Happy fall!  The Brattleboro School Endowment is once again holding its one-and-only fundraiser:  the annual mum sale!  Order now for pick-up at Lilac Ridge Farm on Saturday, September 19th, starting at 11 AM. 

Lilac Ridge will also have their creemee stand open that day, and they have a fantastic selection of cut flowers and all sorts of freshly harvested veggies.

Mums come in yellow, orange, white, red and pink/purple. You choose color and size:  4-inch for $3.50; 8.5-inch for $9, 10-inch hanging for $18, or huge patio pots of 12-inches for $25.  The mums are all late-blooming varieties, and will arrive with some color starting to show. Plan on color well into October, potentially into early November still.  Mums tolerate temperatures down to around 25F.  Many often come back next year, depending on where they are planted and how cold the winter drops.

WSESU Area Students Excel on Standardized Tests

by Not Signed In | Education

Test scores for area students are on a positive trajectory according to recent statistics released by the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union (WSESU). Over the past two academic years, students in the towns of Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, Putney, and Vernon improved their proficiency in literacy by 10% and in math by 14%. “This remarkable growth is the result of a solid curriculum and the dedication of our teaching staff,” said Mark Speno, Superintendent.

According to an analysis of student test results, six of the eight schools that were measured for literacy improved their scores. Two schools, Green Street School and Guilford Central School, had scores that improved by 10% and 13% respectively. Of nine schools measured for math proficiency, five improved their scores. Brattleboro Union High School, Putney Central School, and Vernon Elementary School improved their scores by 10% while Guilford Central School improved by 19%.

Windham Southeast School District Board Seeks Feedback on Communication

by Not Signed In | Education

The WSESD Board has created a survey to gather stakeholder feedback on two-way communication within the district. Participation is anonymous, and we would sincerely appreciate your assistance. All data collected during this pilot will remain anonymous and we encourage you to share thoughts and feedback. At the end of the survey, you will be given the opportunity to share any feedback about what worked well, what didn’t, and any suggestions for improvements or additional content.

Windham Southeast School District Board Seeks Brattleboro Applicants to Fill Vacant Seat

by Not Signed In | Education

[Brattleboro, Vermont] — Windham Southeast School District Board announces that a seat on the Board has recently been vacated. The Board is seeking Brattleboro residents who may be interested in serving the remainder of the term.

School Board members play a vital role in shaping the direction of schools in Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford and Putney, including setting policy, guiding budget planning, affirming and growing Social Justice systems, examining procedures that support student and staff growth, and ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education. This is an opportunity for a committed community member to contribute directly to the governance of WSESD.

Interfaith Youth Group Seeks to Raise Another $3800 for Service Trip in April

by Nanci Leitch | Education

The Brattleboro Area Interfaith Youth Group has only a month before they depart on a weeklong service and learning trip to South Carolina during April spring break and they are still $3800 away from their fundraising goal. The group will learn about the history of Charleston and its connection to issues of systemic poverty, inadequate housing and racism while building their own skills of leadership and agency.

To date the group has raised money through initiatives such as a spaghetti supper, a chili supper, and a concert and presentations each week to businesses and churches.  The group has many newcomers in it as well as young people raised locally. In order to take all the interested youth, regardless of their ability to pay, they need help from the community. If you would like to contribute any amount, please visit the Youth Group’s GoFundMe page at this link:   https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-brattleboro-youths-charleston-service-trip

Howard Prussack on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Education

HOWARD PRUSSACK works hard to produce vegetables, plants and hemp on his farm, High Meadows Farm in Westminster West – he serves our community and beyond. His bounty is available locally and at the Brattleboro Farmer’s Market which he co-founded. Howard also tells wonderful stories of his travels with an international farmer-to-farmer exchange program.

Windham Southeast Supervisory Union Implements Interim Plan to Support Oak Grove School Students During Facility Repairs

by Not Signed In | Education

[WINDHAM SOUTHEAST, BRATTLEBORO, FEBRUARY 12, 2026] — The Windham Southeast Supervisory Union has developed a comprehensive interim plan to ensure continuity of learning for Oak Grove School students while repairs to the school’s heating system are completed.

Oak Grove School was closed on February 9th and 10th as crews worked to identify and repair a heating unit and conduct required safety testing. While progress is being made, the timeline for completion is likely another week.

To minimize disruption to students’ education, Oak Grove School students and staff are temporarily attending Academy School and Green Street School. The interim placements were thoughtfully designed with students’ academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs as the primary consideration.

Maeve Bald on “Here We Are”

by Wendy O'Connell | Education

Always enlightening to hear from our local BUHS students! Maeve has thrived in our local public schools and is a strong voice and presence in many leadership roles, youth activism and sports. She talks about her experiences and influences and looks forward to following a career in Early Childhood education.

WSESU Board Meeting Minutes – Dec 10 and 15, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

Harley Sterling gave the board an overview of the food service programs first months of operation and plans for the future. His team is constantly seeking out additional revenue sources to support the program and last month received $99,000 from the Kendall Foundation’s Food Vision program for kitchen infrastructure. Over the summer the food service team hosted the 3rd largest summer food program in Vermont. They are looking to increase to 15% the percentage of local foods used as well as expanding participation in our schools.

WSESD / Senate Listening Session on Proposed Vermont Education Reform

by Not Signed In | Education

The Board of the Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) invites you to an upcoming WSESD Board meeting that will include a listening session with our local senators. The purpose of the listening session will be to provide an opportunity for comments and concerns regarding changes to the education system and school district redistricting. This listening session will take place during a WSESD Board meeting:

WSESU Board Meeting Minutes Dec 3, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

The main components of the $2 million dollar increase in Special Education funding includes:

● An increase in intensive services at the elementary level including medically fragile students and the need for specialized equipment and technologies.

● An increase of $700,000 in benefits with the majority in health insurance as well as about $500,000 in contractual salary increases. It was noted that it is a new occurrence that an increase in benefits is now larger than salary. The balance of the increase is from the additional need for contracted services for evaluations and specialists such as speech language pathologist and psychologist services.

WSESD Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Dec 1, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

Ruby McAdoo noted that the next step in the budget development process will be at the full WSESD Board meeting 12/16/25. Working with the Board Chair, the budget review will be earlier on the agenda to encourage public involvement. The Communications Committee will be spreading the word about this meeting.

WSESD Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Nov 24, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

Frank Rucker reviewed the proposed budget summary (linked above). The percent change is currently at a 2% change. When developing a budget, meeting student needs as well as inflation rates are heavily considered in order to put forth a fiscally responsible budget.

Nancy Wiese shared information about the budget development for WRCC. She spoke to the challenge specific to WRCC; if a position is reduced, then a program is eliminated. Using carefully designed solutions, this year she is able to present a zero increase budget. This will not be sustainable in the future, but is the case this year. Currently the culinary program is being rebuilt and will be offered again next year.

WSESU Board Meeting Minutes Nov 19, 2025

by Not Signed In | Education

● WSESU’s poverty level has been decreasing over the past three years relative to the national rate. As a result, Title I funding for FY27 is projected to drop to about 80% of current levels.
● The Vermont AOE has also indicated that there is no reliable information yet about the status of any Title grants for FY27.