Windham Southeast School District
Finance Committee Meeting – Tuesday January 11, 2022
5:00pm Meeting @ WRCC Cusick Conference Room
Members: Shaun Murphy – Chairperson, Michelle Luetjen Green, Jaci Reynolds
Board Recorder: Wendy Levy
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Agenda
1. Approval of Minutes
2. FY23 Budget Planning & Development
● Revenue Assumptions
3. Year to Date Financial Statements Review
4. Recommendation to Board to Approve Warrants and Payrolls
5. Other
…..
WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT
Independent Budget Review Committee
53 Green Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301
www.wsesu.org
NOTICE OF MEETING
The Windham Southeast School District Independent Budget Review Committee
will meet at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 11 in the WRCC Cusick Conference
Room and via Zoom:
For Zoom Link – Refer to WSESD Finance Committee 12/21 Agenda
AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Attend WSESD Finance Committee FY ’23 Budget Meeting
IV. Other Business
…….
Note: These proposed minutes should be considered preliminary until they are approved by the
board at a future meeting.
WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT (WSESD) FINANCE COMMITTEE &
WSESD INDEPENDENT BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2021
REGULAR MEETING – 5PM
HYBRID MEETING: WRCC CUSICK CONFERENCE ROOM & ONLINE
DRAFT MINUTES
WSESD Finance Committee Members Present: Chairperson Shaun Murphy (SM), Michelle Luetjen
Green (MG), Jaci Reynolds (JR)
WSESD Finance Committee Members Absent: none
WSESU Administrators Present: Frank Rucker (Finance Director); Mark Speno (Interim
Superintendent of Schools)
Others Present: Barbara Charkey, Maggie Foley, Casey Murrow, Kristina Naylor, Wendy M. Levy
(WSESD Board Recorder)
Please note: Because of incomplete attendance records, this attendance record may be incomplete.
CALL TO ORDER:
Chairperson SM called the meeting to order at 5:05pm.
I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION BY JR TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 30, 2021. SM SECONDED.
II. FY23 BUDGET PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
– Elementary Programs
Frank Rucker shared a document, “General Ledger Elementary Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Summary
Draft.” He reviewed the document. Highlights included:
• The elementary schools’ budget for Fiscal Year 2023 is approximately $33,540,000, which is up 3% over the assessment budget.
• The current budget is amended for ESSER grants.
• It’s difficult to make year-to-year comparisons because of the pandemic.
• Much of this budget’s focus is on helping students catch up. Some students are struggling, so many resources are going toward investments in student engagement and social-emotional learning.
• An explanation of how (and why) this document’s information is organized, and what is included in some of the line items.
• Details on the ESSER grants.
• By September, 2024, all ESSER funds should be spent, as per federal regulations.
• A review of the individual elementary schools’ budgets—and district-wide programs that serve all of the schools—including capital projects, and ESSER funds.
Frank also shared the same document, “General Ledger Elementary Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Summary Draft,” but this version included his notes. Highlights from this segment included:
• Areas of significant increase.
• Where, in the budget documents, one can find explanations for these increases.
• How to use the budget code system.
• A review of the cost per student at each school, including pre-Kindergarten when on-site.
• Frank noted this is a different figure from the education spending tax rate, because that figure includes grants and other funding.
• The per-school review is to assess equity across the district.
A discussion ensued on capital planning costs, the operating budget, and how it relates to ESSER
funding.
A discussion ensued on food service, USDA subsidies, USDA commodities, and Putney’s separate food
service program.
A discussion ensued on the philosophy and priorities of allocating ESSER funds to schools, which are
maintaining the school experience for students, and capital needs used for improving the learning
environment.
A discussion ensued on sharing staff among schools, and engaging the Leadership Councils in the budget development process.
SM said the school equity information was helpful.
MOTION BY JR TO ADJOURN. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting adjourned at 6:13pm.
DOCUMENTS PRESENTED:
• General Ledger Elementary Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Summary Draft
• General Ledger Elementary Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Summary Draft, a separate version with
Frank Rucker’s notes.
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 Finance Committee meeting.
Note: These proposed minutes should be considered preliminary until they are approved by the
board at a future meeting.
WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT (WSESD) FINANCE COMMITTEE &
WSESD INDEPENDENT BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2021
REGULAR MEETING – 5PM
HYBRID MEETING: WRCC CUSICK CONFERENCE ROOM & ONLINE
DRAFT MINUTES
WSESD Finance Committee Members Present: Chairperson Shaun Murphy (SM), Michelle Luetjen
Green (MG)
WSESD Finance Committee Members Absent: Jaci Reynolds
WSESU Administrators Present: Keith Lyman (BAMS Principal), Steve Perrin (BUHS Principal),
Frank Rucker (Finance Director), Mark Speno (Interim Superintendent of Schools), Nancy Wiese
(WRCC Director)
Others Present: Maggie Foley, Wendy M. Levy (WSESD Board Recorder), Kristina Naylor, Barbara
Charkey
Please note: Because of incomplete attendance records, this attendance record may be incomplete.
CALL TO ORDER:
Chairperson SM called the meeting to order at 5:04pm.
I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
SM tabled this item.
II. FY23 BUDGET PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
– Secondary Programs
Frank Rucker shared a document, “General Ledger – Fiscal Year 2023 Secondary Summary Budget
Draft.” He reviewed the document. Highlights included:
• An explanation of how the information is organized: by functions.
• “Direct instruction” is the largest budget item, and it is up by 3%.
• A review of grants, and some of their uses at BAMS, BUHS, and WRCC. Keith Lyman reviewed highlights of the BAMS proposed budget, which included:
• There are not many changes. Some changes are due to shuffling of items into different categories in the budget.
• Most of the increases reflect the need to spend the ESSER grants.
• Some increases are due to students’ social-emotional needs being high.
• Staffing is mostly level-funded.
• BAMS is experiencing a slight dip in anticipated enrollment for next year.
• Some new positions are grant-funded.
• A discussion of supports for students, especially those with greater social-emotional needs, and those who are struggling for a variety of reasons, including being marginalized.
• A discussion on proposed uses for ESSER funding, including a late bus, new lockers, field trips, and more.
Steve Perrin reviewed highlights of the BUHS proposed budget, which included:
• Enrollment should be stable into the next year.
• Some of the ways BUHS is supporting students who are struggling, and how this will affect the staffing budget.
• Staffing increases, where they are happening (for example, health and wellness, music instruction, and other electives), and how this will serve students.
• Frank noted where ESSER will fund staffing.
Nancy Wiese reviewed highlights of the WRCC proposed budget, which included:
• A slideshow: “WRCC FY23 Budget Presentation.”
• Big staffing increases to meet requirements for instruction and instructors’ credentials.
• How these requirements will change staffing.
• Staff changes in programs for public safety, health, filmmaking, and digital editing.
• Increases in administration to do outreach.
• Increases in materials and supplies for the construction-related programs.
• Nancy will write grants to cover some of the increases.
• Nancy does not anticipate a large budget increase for FY24.
• Nancy decided to close the performing arts program last year because the WRCC Needs Assessment did not indicate there are local and regional performing arts jobs that paid adequately.
• A discussion on the different types of grants and funds available to WRCC, and some of the work Nancy does to secure them.
A discussion ensued on the equalized student data and how it affects school spending. Frank noted the
state has not submitted this information yet.
Frank mentioned a recent letter from the state tax commissioner and what information it contains that is relevant to school funding. Frank said it looks favorable.
Frank reviewed some recovery steps, including relevant information, on drafting the budget, and the
timeline for developing and presenting the budget.
MOTION BY MG TO ADJOURN. SM SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting adjourned at 6pm.
DOCUMENTS PRESENTED:
• General Ledger – Fiscal Year 2023 Secondary Summary Budget Draft
• WRCC FY23 Budget Presentation (slideshow)
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 Finance Committee meeting.
Note: These proposed minutes should be considered preliminary until they are approved by the
board at a future meeting.
WINDHAM SOUTHEAST SCHOOL DISTRICT (WSESD) FINANCE COMMITTEE &
WSESD INDEPENDENT BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2021
REGULAR MEETING – 5PM
HYBRID MEETING: DUMMERSTON SCHOOL & ONLINE
DRAFT MINUTES
WSESD Finance Committee Members Present: Chairperson Shaun Murphy (SM), Michelle Luetjen
Green (MG), Jaci Reynolds (JR)
WSESD Independent Budget Review Committee Members Present: Barb Charkey, Kristina Naylor
WSESU/SD Administrators Present: Julianne Eagan, Steve Perrin, Frank Rucker, Paul Smith, Mark
Speno
Others Present: Wendy M. Levy (WSESD Board Recorder), Tim Maciel
Please note: Because of incomplete attendance records, this attendance record may be incomplete.
CALL TO ORDER:
Chairperson SM called the meeting to order at 5:07pm.
I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
SM tabled this item.
II. FY23 BUDGET PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
• Budget Overview Pre-K-12 Programs
Frank Rucker shared and reviewed a document, “WSESD FY23 Proposal Draft Summary.” Highlights
included:
• This is early in the process.
• This is the first draft of the full budget for review.
• At the second Tuesday in January, the WSESD Board should get the whole budget to review.
• Some of the large increases in the budget are because there are new significant resources,
including federal grants.
• Because of these new resources, the budget includes increases in staffing, student support
services, operations, and maintenance.
• The reduction in the food service portion of the budget does not indicate a reduction in the
program; only a reduction in the cost because of more federal support.
• Frank is awaiting equalized student data from the state, which should come this week.
A discussion ensued on Special Education funding in the Supervisory Union.
Frank shared and reviewed a document, “WSESD Staffing Overview, FTE Budget Comparison.”
Highlights included:
• An overview of the collaborative system Frank uses with school administrators to develop
staffing plans and budgets.
• There is 424 FTE [full-time equivalent] staff at WSESD, which is higher than normal. This is because of additional services to meet recovery plan goals and meet student needs.
• How the information on this document is organized: by location and funding source.
• Federal grant criteria regarding staffing increases.
• A review of each school’s FY23 staffing changes, if any, for WSESD and WRCC.
• A review of the comparisons between FY21 (pre-pandemic), FY22, and FY23, and how this all relates to recovery plans.
• On January 13, the Agency of Education should have updated the funding law numbers for the tax impact estimates.
• This committee may have to adapt its schedule, depending on if the state continues emergency Australian ballot voting for 2022 Town Meeting.
pivot table format of “WSESD FY23.22.21 Budget FTE Analysis.”
I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (CONTINUED)
MOTION BY JR TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 7, 2021 MEETING.
MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
III. RECOMMENDATION TO BOARD TO APPROVE WARRANTS AND PAYROLLS
SM noted there are many warrants and payrolls because they have not been reviewed in a long time.
MOTION BY JR TO RECOMMEND THE WARRANTS AND PAYROLLS TO THE FULL
BOARD FOR APPROVAL. MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
MOTION BY KRISTINA NAYLOR TO ADJOURN THE INDEPENDENT BUDGET REVIEW
COMMITTEE. BARB CHARKEY SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
The Independent Budget Review Committee adjourned at 5:52pm.
MOTION BY MG TO ADJOURN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING. JR SECONDED.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting adjourned at 5:54pm.
DOCUMENTS PRESENTED:
• WSESD FY23 Proposal Draft Summary
• WSESD Staffing Overview, FTE Budget Comparison
• Timeline Budget FY2023
• WSESD FY23.22.21 Budget FTE Analysis (pivot table format)
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 Finance Committee meeting.
