WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT
53 Green Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301
www.wsesu.org
NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING
The Windham Southeast School District Board will meet remotely at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 via Zoom:
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AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 p.m. – David Schoales, Board Chair
II. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
• Early Education / PreK Providers – Presentation
III. CONSENT AGENDA
• CLERK’S REPORT – Approval of Minutes – November 4, 2020
IV. COMMUNICATIONS
V. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
• Social Justice / Anti-Racist Commitment Update with Reports from Teacher Leaders
• Report on Parent Conference Participation
• Report on Student Attendance and Engagement to Date
VI. FISCAL REPORT
• Ongoing Budget Information
• Report on COVID Reimbursements and Where Those Funds Are Going
VII. COMMITTEE REPORTS
• Leadership Council Reports
• WSESD/WSESU Diversity/Equity Committee
• Finance Committee
• Personnel Committee
• Policy and Amendment Committee
• Programmatic and Performance Equity Committee
• Climate Crisis Task Force
• Communications Council
• Social Justice Committee
• WSESU Board
VIII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
IX. NEW BUSINESS
A. Proposal for Australian Ballot Vote on Town Meeting Day – Action Needed
• Given current COVID-19 restrictions, it is most unlikely that the District’s Annual Meeting can take place in-person on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. The proposal is for the District’s Annual Meeting warning articles; including, budget, district officers, and board salaries, etc. to be voted via Australian Ballot on Town Meeting Day, March 2, 2021.
B. Policy Review
• D16 – Electronic Communications Between Employees and Students – 1st Reading
• F37 – District Equity Policy – 1st Reading
• F38 – Prevention of Sexual Harassment as Prohibited by Title IX – 1st Reading
X. Public Comment on Non-agenda Items
EXECUTIVE SESSION (If Needed)
…..
Note: These proposed minutes should be considered preliminary until they are approved by the Board at a future meeting.
WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT (WSESD) BOARD
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2020
REGULAR BOARD MEETING – 6:00PM
REMOTE LOCATION
DRAFT MINUTES
WSESD Board Members Present: David Schoales, Chair (DS); Liz Adams (LA); Anne Beekman (AB); Michelle Green (MG); Tim Maciel (TM); Shaun Murphy (SM); Emily Murphy-Kaur (EMK); Thomas Nolan (TN); Jaci Reynolds (JR); Kelly Young (KY)
WSESU Administrators Present: Andrew Skarzynski (Superintendent); Frank Rucker (Finance Director)
Media Present: Rich Melanson (BCTV), Chris Mays (Brattleboro Reformer),
Others Present: [note: Zoom allows attendees to log in without providing their complete names.]
Wendy M. Levy (WSESD Board Recorder), Ali West, Beth Bristol, Chelsea Wiehl, Deb Kardane, Erin Tkaczyk, Herve Pelletier, Janice Stockman, John Gagnon, Jodi Nutting, Jody Normandeau, Joe Grutta, Kate O’Connor, Keith Lyman, Kelly Dias, Liz Dimick, Maribeth Fonda, Mark Speno, Mary Ann Runge, Mary Kaufmann, Mary Ross, Molly Stoner, Nancy Wiese, Paul Smith, Scott Noren, Shelley Wilson, Sheila Humphreys, Stephanie Pike, Tara Castine, Conor Floyd, Julianne Eagan, Crista Yagjian
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chair DS called the meeting to order at 6:02pm.
DS noted the passing of two members of the WSESD community: Liz Levock and Francis Jaquith. DS led a moment of silence for them.
II. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
– Food Connects
DS recognized Sheila Humphreys and Conor Floyd from Food Connect. Sheila and Conor announced Ali West will join them in the presentation on Food Connect’s Farm to School program.
Sheila, Conor, and Ali gave a presentation on Food Connects and what it does, and the Farm to School program. Highlights included:
• The Food Hub
• What’s changed during COVID, including positives, like the increase in school gardens
• Highlights from Food Connect’s work with the following WSESD schools in 2019 and 2020: Academy, Guilford, Oak Grove, and Putney Central
• The WSESD Meal Program, and updates on it
• The Brattleboro Town School District’s nutrition standards, the history of implementing them, what the guidelines include, and how they’ve inspired other school districts
• School officials’ and students’ positive feedback on the Food Connects programs.
DS thanked Conor and Sheila. DS noted this meeting is on BCTV, and he encouraged people not in attendance to watch it.
DS asked Conor and Sheila about Food Connect’s funding sources. Conor replied: contracts, grants, and member-fees from schools.
DS asked about growth in school and student participation, and if there are any charts showing this.
Conor replied: we have internal information, but no charts.
III. CONSENT AGENDA
– Clerk’s Report: The minutes of the October 21 and 27, 2020 meetings.
– Finance:
Warrants of October 5, 2020
Warrant No. 1090 in the amount of $ 5,516.50
Warrant No. 1093 in the amount of 379.00
Warrant No. 1094 in the amount of 770,654.69
$776,550.19
Warrants of October 13, 2020
Warrant No. 1095 in the amount of $ 2,459.99
Warrant No. 1096 in the amount of 175.00
Warrant No. 1097 in the amount of 12,409.98
Warrant No. 1101 in the amount of 1,835,675.21
Warrant No. 1103 in the amount of 2,933.34
Warrant No. 1104 in the amount of 83,134.75
$1,937,788.26
Warrants of October 19, 2020
Warrant No. 1106 in the amount of $ 9,477.00
Warrant No. 1107 in the amount of 650.00
Warrant No. 1108 in the amount of 420.99
Warrant No. 1109 in the amount of 174,581.86
Warrant No. 1110 in the amount of 582.50
Warrant No. 1111 in the amount of 317.40
$186,029.75
Warrants of October 26, 2020
Warrant No. 1113 in the amount of $ 8,415.86
Warrant No. 1117 in the amount of 449.00
Warrant No. 1118 in the amount of 6,044.14
Warrant No. 1119 in the amount of 641.26
Warrant No. 1120 in the amount of 137,692.70
$153,242.96
Payrolls
October 9, 2020 $1,277,566.87
October 23, 2020 $1,326,382.15
MOTION BY TN TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. JR SECONDED.
MOTION CARRIED 10-0.
SM amended the October 27 minutes to add KY to the attendees.
IV. COMMUNICATIONS
DS said all communications received by the Board will be addressed during Committee Reports.
V. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
– Elementary Principals, Outdoor Education
The principals of the Academy, Dummerston, Oak Grove, Green Street, Guilford Central, Putney Central, and Vernon schools spoke about their outdoor education programs and ongoing plans, which included outdoor learning and play spaces, rain gear for students, community and family partnerships, funding sources/fundraisers, and how students are responding to spending more time outdoors.
EMK thanked the principals for their reports. She noted that in the Programmatic and Performance Equity Committee, they had discussed the question of whether all schools have resources for winter outdoor learning, and she asked the principals to let her know what they need, and if there are funding gaps. Mark Speno thanked the community and the Board for their great budget support.
DS implored everyone to remember how students responded to being outdoors, and their level of engagement, attention, and behavior. He posited that making up for education loss from COVID is happening with outdoor learning.
Superintendent Andy Skarzynski praised the principals for their good work.
– Superintendent Current and Holiday Travel Planning
Andy gave his report. Highlights included:
• The District is following guidance.
• Let’s remember we’re still in a pandemic, and families, please plan accordingly.
• The District is keeping things the same until the next semester.
• There’s a new COVID question everyone is asked: Have you traveled to quarantine areas? The purpose behind asking is for contact tracing.
• A review of some new guidelines: distancing and close-contact, room-cleaning, and family quarantine information for drop-off lines. All were shared in leadership groups.
• Seating charts, including on buses, are for line-tracing in case there’s a positive COVID case.
• Surveys for all families in all grades for the second semester are in development, and are coming soon.
MG asked for a clarification on the surveys. Andy responded.
LA asked about changes in close-contact guidance. Andy responded.
LA asked if teachers are included in the second-semester planning. Andy explained the timeline and noted they are.
LA asked if it’s on tonight’s agenda to discuss Thanksgiving break. Andy said this is a volatile period for students, and we want them in the building, but we can go remote at any time; that’s for the leadership team to discuss.
Erin Tkaczyk asked Andy to clarify if the number of in-person days will change this semester. Andy replied: no, and he explained why.
– Special Education Presentation
Shelley Wilson, the new Director of Special Education, gave a presentation, including a slide show, on the school district’s Special Education services. Shelley was joined by Special Education Coordinators Liz Dimick and Joe Grutta, and Early Childhood Coordinator Janice Stockman, who introduced themselves and detailed their backgrounds.
Highlights from Shelley’s presentation and slide show:
• “Who we are” in Special Education: staff titles, such as teachers, paraeducators, therapists, etc.
• A snapshot of the Special Education system, including the current child-count, the number of students in the “new referral” process, and the number of centers.
• Act 173 (from May, 2018), what it is (enhances services for students who need additional support), and that it addresses funding.
• What Act 173 means for improving services for the district’s students.
• The Agency of Education’s theory of action: what the tenets are that schools should have in place to implement Act 173.
• What is Special Education?
• Core Special Education ideas.
• The concept of Free and Appropriate Public Education, and what that means for Special Education students.
• Eligibility guidelines for Special Education in Vermont.
• Categories of disability on the federal and state level.
• Basic skill areas: what the team looks at during evaluations.
• The concept of Least Restrictive Environments (LRE) and what that means for students’ classrooms.
• Accommodations and modifications.
• Parental involvement in all steps of the process.
• Areas of specific COVID-related need: technology and family training, non-technology supplies, staff (including substitutes), professional development.
• The bigger picture, beyond COVID: differentiating instruction for a wide range of student needs, and delivering direct services to students.
• The future: addressing pandemic learning-loss, and differentiating between what’s a disability and what’s learning-loss?
• Communication with families: strengths and challenges.
• Challenges within the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Areas of celebration.
TM thanked Shelley and pointed out it’s one of the best reports he’s heard all year.
TM noticed the district has an extremely high number of students in the Special Education program, or with IEPs. He asked why. Shelley responded: Vermont has some different ways of assessing students, and she explained some of them.
JR praised Shelley for this report, and said she was impressed Shelley and Liz took it on, especially considering last year’s list of complaints from families of Special Education students. JR noted that she was the person who presented the complaints before she was elected to the Board.
DS noted the Board will likely invite Shelley back in a few months for an update, especially on COVID-related Special Education subjects.
Crista Yagjian thanked Shelley for the presentation and asked if there is a current committee that Special Education can be a part of to continue the conversation. DS responded that he would like to request regular updates from the administrators, and he will keep it on the Board’s agenda. Shelley suggested including Special Education in Leadership Council meetings, or at the Supervisory Union Board level.
Crista Yagjian asked about compensatory services for Special Education students who have missed out because of COVID. Shelley responded: start with case managers to discuss eligibility.
Crista Yagjian asked Shelley if she’s considered providing commentary on Special Education regulations. Shelley responded: she will look into it.
TM asked about staffing vis-a-vis Act 173, and if the District needs to recruit more Special Education teachers, or if existing teachers can be reallocated. Shelley responded: we’re assessing this. TM asked Shelley to let the Board know how it can help.
Tara Castine thanked Shelley for her report. She expressed a need for better communications and details, and hoped the website’s updates would include these things.
Andy discussed the administration’s plans for staffing in response to Act 173, and repeated Shelley’s earlier comment that Act 173 does not only address Special Education concerns.
DS announced the Board will discuss Act 173 more in-depth later, and that the District needs more support from the Legislature to comply with it. DS thanked and praised Shelley for her report.
VI. FISCAL REPORT
Finance Director Frank Rucker deferred to SM to give the report during Committee Reports.
VII. COMMITTEE REPORTS
LEADERSHIP COUNCILS
Green Street: JR reported they met, but she missed it, and she is sorry. Principal Mark Speno reported the LC met on November 2, they hosted a “Spooky Story Night” on Zoom, and an in-person “Trunk-or- Treat.” They discussed supporting the staff, changes in arrival routines, outdoor education, and budget development.
Guilford Central School: SM reported they have not met, but will on November 19.
Dummerston School: MG reported they met on November 2 and discussed the Climate Crisis Task Force proposal and winter outdoor gear for students.
BUHS: KY reported they met last week, but she didn’t attend. Principal Steve Perrin gave the report: they met and discussed the role of LCs, that this LC wants guidance, how to build community and how the LC can lead parent education, and the controversy over the Colonels name. Steve noted he will work on it with Ricky Davidson, then the LC.
Putney Central School: Ruby McAdoo reported they are meeting on November 5, and have not met since the last Board meeting. The Nov. 5 meeting will be the first one with the new LC members. This LC wants to connect with other LCs.
Academy School: EMK announced they are meeting next week.
EMK asked MG about building community among remote-learners. MG, Ruby, and Julianne discussed some strategies.
Oak Grove School: Mary Kaufmann reported they met on October 27, and discussed many updates, including about the LC’s role, goals, budget development, how to engage parents, and creating a survey. The next meeting is November 10.
WSESD/WSESU DIVERSITY/EQUITY COMMITTEE
AB reported this committee has not met.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
SM reported this committee met at 5pm. They reviewed the budget planning timeline, featuring a great presentation by Frank, which reviewed guiding principles, the fund balance, capital planning, work on Dummerston’s heating system, and the Academy project. SM noted one of the warrants is very big—it’s two bond payments.
PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
KY reported this committee will soon schedule their next meeting.
POLICY AND AMENDMENT COMMITTEE
AB reported this committee has not met and is still scheduling their next meeting.
PROGRAMMATIC AND PERFORMANCE EQUITY COMMITTEE
EMK reported this committee will meet at 5:30pm on November 10. They will revamp the Title IX proposal, and all are welcome to join.
CLIMATE CRISIS TASK FORCE
TN reported this committee will meet soon.
COMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL
MG reported this council has not met, has a huge agenda, and is hoping to meet soon.
SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
TN announced this committee met on October 26 and they discussed training resources. They will meet on November 23, and possibly also sooner, and they will review the vendors and maybe choose one.
WSESU
Kerry Amidon reported the SU has not met and will soon.
VIII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Climate Crisis Task Force (CCTF) Proposal
This item was tabled from the last Board meeting.
DS announced he restructured the original document, and he presented the new version. DS reviewed the five policies included in the proposal. DS noted the Board is not discussing the recommendations at this meeting, only the policies, because that’s what the Board is sending to the Policy and Amendment Committee.
A lengthy discussion ensued, with multiple Board members and staff/administrators—including SM, Andy, KY, MG, BAMS Principal Keith Lyman, Academy School Principal Kelly Dias, Matt Betz, Deb Kardane, and LA asking questions and making recommendations. DS reminded attendees numerous times that the motion on the table is to send this list of priorities to the Policy and Amendment Committee, and it’s not a document stating policies. He added it’s that committee’s task to decide policies, but they will not design or assign curriculum. DS reminded Board members that before the Board can solicit public comment, they need a policy. AB noted the document as it’s written doesn’t represent a policy at all, and sending it to the Policy and Amendment Committee doesn’t mean the Board has to pass it once it comes back from them. She added the document won’t look the same once it comes out of committee.
MOTION BY EMK TO REFER THIS POLICY TO THE POLICY AND AMENDMENT COMMITTEE TO PROPOSE A POLICY TO THE BOARD. MG SECONDED. (Note: this motion, and it being seconded, was made at the October 21 WSESD Regular Board Meeting, and was tabled until this meeting.)
Chair DS took a roll-call vote on this motion. The results:
TN: YEA
MG: YEA
AB: YEA
LA: YEA
KY: ABSTAIN
SM: NAY
EMK: YEA
JR: YEA
TM: YEA
MOTION PASSED: 7 YEA, 1 NAY, 1 ABSTAIN
IX. NEW BUSINESS
A. Discussion — Student Engagement at Board Meetings
DS asked Board members to think about this for a future meeting, and he offered a few ideas.
B. WSESD Board Ethics Pledge
DS shared a document, “WSESD Board Ethics Pledge.” He noted nobody will be forced to sign it, and individuals can either commit to sign it or not. Board members can sign it at the Central Office. DS asked if anyone was opposed. Nobody was opposed. JR said she will sign it.
X. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
There was none.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
THE BOARD ENTERED INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER 1 VSA 313 AT 9:19PM TO DISCUSS A PERSONNEL ISSUE. MOTION TO ENTER MADE BY DS. SM SECONDED.
MOTION CARRIED 10-0.
The Board rose from Executive Session at 9:58pm. They took no action.
MOTION BY AB TO ADJOURN. LA SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 10-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:59pm.
Respectfully submitted by Wendy M. Levy from minutes taken by Wendy M. Levy.
This represents my understanding of the above dated meeting. If you have any changes, please submit them at the next Board meeting.
