Windham Southeast Supervisory Union Board
53 Green Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301
www.wsesu.org
NOTICE OF MEETING
The Windham Southeast Supervisory Union Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 in WRCC Cusick Conference Room and remotely via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82247815096?pwd=QzNLaU9YalpsQUpIbmVFVmcyeUJVZz09
Meeting ID: 822 4781 5096
Passcode: CpB1Z3
One tap mobile
+13092053325,,82247815096#,,,,*678711# US
+13126266799,,82247815096#,,,,*678711# US (Chicago)
Dial by your location
+1 309 205 3325 US
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 931 3860 US
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 305 224 1968 US
+1 386 347 5053 US
+1 507 473 4847 US
+1 564 217 2000 US
+1 669 444 9171 US
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 689 278 1000 US
+1 719 359 4580 US
+1 253 205 0468 US
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 360 209 5623 US
Meeting ID: 822 4781 5096
Passcode: 678711
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kcFPGlYPMq
AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER—5:30 p.m. — Kerry Amidon, Board Chair
II. EXECUTIVE SESSION – 1 V.S.A. § 313 (a)(1)(A) – Contracts
III. CONSENT AGENDA
Approval of Minutes – December 14
Approval of Superintendent’s Goals
IV. Administrative Report
V. Unfinished Business
A. FY ’24 Budget – Possible Action
VI. New Business (if any)
EXECUTIVE SESSION (if needed)
WSESU REGULAR BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
WRCC Rm 194 and remotely via Zoom
DRAFT
Board members present: Kerry Amidon (KA, Chair), Kelly Young (KY, Vice Chair), Michelle Green (MG via Zoom), Tim Maciel (TM, Clerk), Liz Adams (LA via Zoom)
Also present: Mark Speno, Frank Rucker, Tate Erickson, Whitney Lynde, Joe Grutta, Kristina Naylor, Kate O’Conner, Cassie Damkoehler, Jaci Reynolds, Deborah Stanford, Rikki Risatti, Elaine Pinckney.
Note: Zoom attendance may be incomplete
Motion by KY to add Executive Session under 1VSA 313 (a) (3). Seconded and approved unanimously.
– Approval of Minutes of 12.07.22 meeting Motion by TM, seconded. Approved unanimously to accept with amendments.
– Approval of Warrants and Payroll. Motion by TM, seconded. Warrants of 11.07.22, 11.14, 22, 11,21.22, 11.28.22, and 12.05.22 + Payrolls of 11.04.22, 11.18,22, and 12.05.22 approved unanimously.
Rikki Risatti announced that they are running for a seat on the WSESD School Board and announced that they would be soliciting signatures to be placed on the ballot.
No update at this time.
a. FY24 Budget Preparation: Food Services and Revenue Assumptions. FR presented with handouts (WSESU FY24 Proposed Budget Program Summary (as of 12.13.22).
– Recommendation for $2.409m.
– $31.153m would be the total expenditure proposal if Board were to make a motion today. Down 3.2% from current budget.
– Much of reduction is due to exiting of ESSRIII funding.
– Summary of Food budget: Child Nutrition program funded by USDA with oversight by AOE Child Nutrition office which basically monitors fed rules and guidelines. All of our schools except PCS (that operates their own food service program) are part of a contracted agreement with Fresh Picks.
– VT surpasses minimum quality, service and nutrition requirements of USDA.
– Info organized by school site. Reviewed Academy School expenses.
– All schools in state budgeted according to a fixed price p/meal basis. Thus, $683K for Academy based on cost p/meal.
– This year we will “unwind” some of our deferred revenue. Enough in the fund to go another year without assessing at local level.
– $595K in projected revenues. Largest is in school lunch. $194K in breakfast subsidies.
– A budget shortfall of $745k was anticipated a couple of years ago and may be drawn from the reserve fund if legislature does not kick in for universal meals.
– Discussion of allocation methodology based on enrollment. SD is basically flat with 2,043 kids. Vernon up by nearly 4%.
– Allocation to schools is the same as in years past: basically how many SD students as a proportion of total times the “net” cost per students.
– Discussion of SpEd and Act173 that eliminated block grant. (State reimburses 95% after we meet $63k threshold in spending).
– Q. re. funding for speech therapy. R: It is funded.
– Discussion of main cost drivers: (1) increase in outside placement tuition ($1m increase), (2) new employment required by pandemic and also inflation (e.g. 5% in health insurance for staff per contract).
c. General Qs regarding the budget:
– Q’s re. proposed addition of HR Admin position?
– Mikaela in DEI in support of the position that will free up the HR Coordinator to put into diversity hiring. Currently, HR is almost entirely devoted to transactional business, left with very limited time for proactive recruitment.
– Discussion of need for specific goal in hiring. Perhaps address at summer retreat.
– Discussion of need for tutors to address learning gaps caused by the pandemic. Need for specific strategy to hire tutors to meet specified needs in each school. Need data from each school on how much increase in after-school programming.
– Currently, SU is hiring current teachers to extend their day in after-school enrichment programs. Curriculum Coordinator working on grant for summer and after-school enrichment. Each school working on enrichment and intervention. Big way of addressing learning gaps is by providing SpEd and providing SpEd professional development ops for our teachers. Hiring tutors within the building will provide a better quality of instruction. SEL is addressed in enrichment programs and SEL is a big reason for learning deficiencies.
– Q. regarding availability of transportation for kids at the conclusion of after- school programming (an issue that came up at a Student Advisory Committee meeting).
– There are late-run buses at the elementary level, MS will follow up to see if late- run buses are available at the high school. SAC reported there are none available.
– Note: There is $200K in the SD for after-school programming.
A. Executive Session. At 7:12 pm, KA called for motion to enter into two ES, both under VSA§313(a)(3). Mark Speno, Frank Rucker invited into first session and Mark Speno and Elaine Pinckney invited into second ES. KY made motion, seconded and all
approved the motion.
