Brattleboro, VT 05301
www.wsesu.org
NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING
The Windham Southeast School District Board will meet at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 in the WRCC Cusick Conference Room and remotely via Zoom
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AGENDA
I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 p.m. – Kelly Young, Board Chair
II. STUDENT MATTERS (5-10 Minutes)
III. PRESENTATION – Outdoor classrooms, school gardens, play based PLC’s
IV. CONSENT AGENDA
• CLERK’S REPORT – Approval of Minutes – January 18, January 24, January 26, January 30
• FINANCES
Warrant of January 9, 2023
Warrant No. 1212 in the amount of $17,666.59
Warrant No. 1214 in the amount of 1,240.00
Warrant No. 1215 in the amount of 2,204.50
Warrant No. 1116 in the amount of 3,873.75
Warrant No. 1117 in the amount of 690.00
Warrant No. 1118 in the amount of 1,091,820.97
$1,117,495.81
Warrant of January 17, 2023
Warrant No. 1219 in the amount of $10,332.91
Warrant No. 1223 in the amount of 2,089.47
Warrant No. 1224 in the amount of 675.00
Warrant No. 1225 in the amount of 1,066.04
Warrant No. 1226 in the amount of 136,014.43
$150,177.85
Warrant of January 23, 2023
12/16/22 ACH Purchasing Card Payment $19,820.32
1/13/23 ACH Purchasing Card Payment $17,961.14
Warrant No. 1227 in the amount of 5,978.00
Warrant No. 12228 in the amount of 7,250.24
Warrant No. 1229 in the amount of 4,250.00
Warrant No. 1230 in the amount of 12,981.44
Warrant No. 1231 in the amount of 60,287.67
$128,528.81
Warrant of January 30, 2023
Warrant No. 1233 in the amount of $42,739.69
Warrant No. 1238 in the amount of 2,164.98
Warrant No. 1240 in the amount of 6,033.56
Warrant No. 1241 in the amount of 177,343.74
$228,281.97
Warrant of February 6, 2023
Warrant No. 1243 in the amount of $2,359.81
Warrant No. 1244 in the amount of 766.80
Warrant No. 1245 in the amount of 319,034.63
$322,161.24
Payrolls
January 13, 2023 $1,449,462.89
January 27, 2023 $1,429,515.90
V. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS (10 minutes)
VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Sexual Abuse Investigation Update
B. Independent Budget Review Committee (IBRC) Outreach for Candidates to Serve
VII. BOARD TRAINING:
A. Final Restorative Process Training Review
B. VSBA Training Review
C. Transitioning to a new WSESD Board
VIII. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
IX. FISCAL REPORT
X. NEW BUSINESS
A. Approval of Warning Articles for March 21st Annual District Meeting
B. WSESD Board School Director Candidates’ Forum and related upcoming dates
C. Policy and Amendment Committee – Policies to be presented to the SD Board
• F35 School Animal Policy – 2nd Reading
• F10 Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect – 3rd Reading
EXECUTIVE SESSION under 1 V.S.A. §313(a)(1)(A) Contracts
….
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
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2023
REGULAR BOARD MEETING – 6:00PM
HYBRID MEETING: WRCC CUSICK CONFERENCE ROOM, BRATTLEBORO,
AND REMOTELY VIA ZOOM
DRAFT MINUTES
WSESD Board Members Present: Chair Kelly Young (KY), Liz Adams (LA), Anne Beekman (AB), Lana Dever (LD), Michelle Green (MG), Tim Maciel (TM), Emily Murphy Kaur (EMK), Shaun Murphy (SM), Deborah Stanford (DS). non-voting members: Benjamin Berg (BB), Kaiya Colby (KC)
WSESD Board Members Absent: none
WSESU/SD Staff and Administrators Present: Mark Speno, Wendy M. Levy, Cassie Damkoehler, Paul
Smith, Frank Rucker, Nancy Wiese, Julianne Eagan, Kate Margaitis, Tate Erickson, Brin Tucker, Jon Sessions, Keith Lyman, Kelly Dias, John Gagnon
Media Present: Peter (BCTV), Virginia Ray (The Commons), Chris Mays (Reformer)
Others Present: Faith Blouin of Brattleboro, Kerry Amidon (WSESU Board Chair), Jeff Kincaid, Robin Macy, Ruby MacAdoo of Putney, Jody Normandeau of Dummerston, Sherri Keefe of Brattleboro, Stephanie Bonin, Mariah Carney, Mindy Haskins Rogers of Northampton MA, Kristina Naylor of Dummerston
Please note: attendance may be incomplete.
I. CALL TO ORDER
Chair KY called the meeting to order at 6:03pm.
KY read the “hybrid meeting” statement. She noted more discussions about hybrid meetings will come soon.
MOTION BY DS TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO REMOVE THE REVIEW OF POLICY F10. SM SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
II. STUDENT MATTERS
Student Advisory Council members BB and KC said the Council meeting that was supposed to have occurred the previous week was cancelled because of snow. Thus, the Council has not met since the last Board meeting, but a meeting is scheduled and will happen soon.
III. CONSENT AGENDA
• CLERK’S REPORT – Approval of Minutes – January 9, January 10, January 12, January 16, 2023
MOTION BY DS TO APPROVE THE JANUARY 9, JANUARY 10, JANUARY 12, AND JANUARY 16, 2023 MINUTES. MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
KY read a statement about public comment and what a person making a comment can expect from the Board in response to their comment.
Faith Blouin of Brattleboro asked about her children being allowed to remain enrolled at the Green Street School and BUHS if she moves out of the District. Superintendent Mark Speno explained the process and invited Ms. Blouin to contact the Central Office.
V. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Sexual Abuse Investigation — Update
KY announced there was no new information.
B. Policy Review:
• F21 – Policy on the Use of Restraint and Seclusion – Readoption
MOTION BY DS FOR THE WSESD BOARD TO APPROVE POLICY F21 FOR READOPTION. LA SECONDED.
A discussion ensued. Highlights included:
• DS said the edits are in red ink.
• DS read edits to the policy.
• DS noted this policy requires an annual report from the Superintendent.
• DS said this policy is the result of many committee meetings with many participants.
• Whether Vernon provided input on this policy. Mr. Speno noted the WSESU Board could adopt the policy. WSESU Board Chair Kerry Amidon said she will ensure their related policy is consistent with this policy if, and when, they do their policy review.
• The difference in the procedure for a policy’s development and implementation at the WSESU and the WSESD.
• Mr. Speno recommended the WSESD Board approve this policy, and then the WSESU Board can review it.
VOTE ON THE DS MOTION: MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
• F10 – Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect – Readoption
DS said the committee is still working on this policy, and they seek comment from more people who will be affected by it. The current sexual abuse allegations inform its development, and this committee’s members want to be thorough.
C. Board Training
1. Final Restorative Process Training
KY announced the date of the final training with Mel Motel: February 1.
2. Board Retreats
The WSESU Board requested these retreats. Ms. Amidon spoke about the planned SU Board retreat in early-February, which will include a training from the VSBA. She would like the WSESD Board to participate. Ms. Amidon spoke about the retreat’s schedule, what they will discuss, when the administration will participate and on which subjects. The exact dates of the retreat are to be determined.
VI. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Mr. Speno gave his report. Highlights included:
• Tonight the budget review is on the agenda. Much of the discussion will be on buildings, facility maintenance, and staffing.
• There has been a lot of staff turnover in the last three years, but it looks like it is stabilizing. Some relevant figures: at this time of year in 2021, there were 60-70 workers leaving; in 2022 at this time there were 60 workers leaving; now, there are 30 workers leaving. The trend is better, but that still represents a lot of turnover. This budget reflects the associated need for more professional development and training to support the new staff.
• Human Resources Director Stacey Mousseau found four job fairs to attend in the spring. The administration is making recruitment videos, and this is a collaborative effort.
• Mr. Speno attended the recent VSA meeting, which included superintendents from across the state, representatives from the Vermont Agency of Education, and local Legislative representatives. A lot of the discussion at this meeting was about facilities management and challenges with aging buildings, which is statewide… except for the WSESD. Because the administration has been focused on maintaining our buildings, the district doesn’t have the depth of challenges other districts are facing. There is still work to be done, but this district and its buildings are in good shape.
• An update on the state’s PCB-removal initiative. All schools, as per the Legislature, must test for PCBs. Some of the district’s schools have been tested, and others will soon be tested. The process of this initiative has been poor due to a lack of communication, clear information, and organization on the state level. Mr. Speno and Finance Director Frank Rucker shared this feedback with state officials. Mr. Rucker added some history on the program and its deficiencies and challenges. Another challenge with the program is that it is unclear who is responsible to do what, and when, and how it is paid for. In the WSESD, Oak Grove School needs some abatement but with mitigation classes can continue as planned.
• SM thanked Mr. Rucker for his work on all of these projects, and he noted the focus on energy efficiency across the district’s schools. SM noted that only one district school building out of 10 is being heated with fossil fuels. Mr. Rucker said he is working on a grant to secure more funding for energy improvements, which is ongoing, and the initial costs for these projects is high. Mr. Speno noted the school principals have done a lot of community engagement to convey the importance of these capital projects.
VII. FISCAL REPORT
• FY24 Budget Discussion
Mr. Rucker shared a document, “Windham Southeast School District Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Tax Impact.” He reviewed the document.
• There are some small changes to the budget since the last meeting.
• Re pg. 3: the equalized tax rate was $1.515 and it is now $1.0513
• Re pg. 3: the CLA adjustments have brought Guilford down to under 8%, and Putney down to under 6%.
• Re pg. 3: Line 34, the income sensitivity provision shows that if people are eligible, the capped percentage of the property tax is 2.66%, which is lower.
• The increased legal fees and stipends have been added to this budget.
• An update on the WRCC: the six-semester average now shows a lower total enrollment, which reduced the district’s costs.
• There was an error in the Dummerston section of the budget because of a staff redundancy. It has been corrected.
• This version of the budget is down by $240,000. The budget is now $62,704,000, which is down by 3.7% from last year.
• A discussion ensued on the WRCC budget and how it interacts with the WSESD budget, and the state requirements affecting this.
• This budget version includes the latest information on equalized students and the WRCC enrollment.
• The Board approves the budget.
• The administration writes the Annual Report.
• The Board must warn the articles for the Annual Meeting on February 14.
• A public information session will be held on March 14.
• An in-person Annual Meeting will be held on March 21.
• All of this information is listed on the budget timeline document, which appears on the website.
A discussion ensued on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coach.
A discussion ensued on how the budget supports future initiatives to attract a more diverse workforce, gender equity in sports programs, and how the budget indicates the post-merger sharing of resources.
A discussion ensued on the lack of girls’ sports uniforms.
A discussion ensued on the challenges of scheduling the WSESD Annual Meeting, and the challenges it may present to Brattleboro residents who want to also attend Representative Town Meeting. Mr. Rucker noted the date of the Annual Meeting was determined in the merger Articles of Agreement. Kristina Naylor of Dummerston said the date of annual meetings can be changed by the electorate.
A discussion ensued on tuition reimbursement and where in the budget this is included. Mr. Rucker said it is listed in “Revenues” on page 6. A further discussion ensued on “public school choice.”
LD thanked Mr. Speno and Mr. Rucker for this budget, especially because most school districts have not found a way to lower taxes.
MOTION BY SM THAT THE WSESD BOARD APPROVE THE BUDGET, AS OUTLINED, OF $62,704,054 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024. MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
Retirements / Resignations
Mr. Speno announced one resignation: Jesse Kreitzer who teaches Film Studies at the WRCC is
resigning at the end of the school year.
MOTION BY AB TO ACCEPT, WITH REGRET, THE RESIGNATION OF JESSE KREITZER. LA SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Nancy Wiese announced that on February 6, the Vermont Secretary of Education will tour WRCC as part of the Governor’s cabinet visits.
Executive Session – 1 VSA §313(a)(1)(A) – Contracts
MOTION BY RM TO FIND THAT PREMATURE GENERAL PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE WOULD CLEARLY PLACE THE PUBLIC BODY OR PERSON INVOLVED IN SUBSTANTIAL DISADVANTAGE, REGARDING CONTRACTS. DS SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. MOTION BY LA FOR THE BOARD TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER 1 VSA §313(a)(1)(A), REGARDING CONTRACTS. MG SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
KY noted the Board will take action upon rising. KY invited Mr. Speno into executive session.
The Board entered into Executive Session at 8pm.
The Board rose from Executive Session at 8:08pm.
MOTION BY AB TO UPHOLD THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT IN REGARDS TO A CONTRACT. LA SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. MOTION BY AB TO ADJOURN. LA SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
The Board adjourned at 8:09pm.
Documents presented:
• “Windham Southeast School District Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Tax Impact.”
This represents my understanding of the above dated meeting. If you have any changes, please submit them at the next board meeting.
January 18, 2023
Executive Session
Remote via Zoom
Motion made by Michelle Green to enter Executive Session under 1VSA §313 (a) (4) a
disciplinary action or dismissal action against a public officer or employee. Seconded.
Attending (all via Zoom): Deborah Stanford, Robin Morgan, Kelly Young (Chair), Tim Maciel (Clerk), Michelle Green, Anne Beekman (Vice Chair), Liz Adams, Lana Dever, Shaun Murphy, and Emily Murphy-Kaur.
Entered into ES at 6:21 p.m.
Rose from Executive Session at 9:48 p.m.
Meeting adjourned at 9:48 pm until next ES on 01.25.23 at 6:15 pm.
January 26, 2023
Executive Session
Remote via Zoom
Called to order by Kelly Young at 5:06 pm, January 26, 2023.
Motion made by Deborah Stanford to enter Executive Session under
1VSA §313 (a) (4) a disciplinary action or dismissal action against a
public officer or employee. Seconded.
Squillante.
(Chair), Tim Maciel (Clerk), Michelle Green, Anne Beekman (Vice Chair),
Liz Adams, Lana Dever, Shaun Murphy, and Emily Murphy-Kaur.
Entered into ES at 5:06 p.m.
Rose from Executive Session at 8:23 p.m.
Meeting adjourned at 8:24 pm until next ES on 01.30.23 at 6:00 pm.
Minutes submitted by Tim Maciel, Clerk, from notes taken by him at
the meeting.
Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Board
January 30, 2023
Special Meeting
Remote via Zoom
Draft minutes
Called to order by Kelly Young at 6:02 pm, January 30, 2023.
the Independent Budget Review Committee and (2) an Executive Session under 1VSA §313 (a)
(4) a disciplinary action or dismissal action against a public officer or employee. Motion
seconded. Unanimous consent to amend the agenda.
(Clerk), Michelle Green, Anne Beekman (Vice Chair), Liz Adams, Lana Dever, Shaun Murphy, and
Emily Murphy-Kaur.
Guests: Attorney Sean Toohey, Chris Mays, Virginia Ray, Deb Schiller, Frank Rucker, Kristina
Naylor, Mindy Haskins Rogers, Sherry Keefe
– KY read the warning that was sent out to all WSESD Board Directors on 1.26.23. She noted that the location for the Dummerston meeting was changed to: Dummerston Town Offices, 1523 Middle Road, East Dummerston, from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm.
– Motion to approve the warning article for School Director Elections sent to the Board from the Central Office with the addition of the location for the Dummerston location made by TM, seconded and approved by unanimous vote.
– MG noted that the Communications Committee would be meeting via Zoom on Friday at 1:00 to discuss outreach for the budget approval meeting and elections of Board Directors.
– KY asked Board members to go to the Supervisory Union Office to sign the Warrant by the end of business day today or no later than 4:30 on Tuesday, 1.31.
II. Independent Budget Review Committee Outreach.
– Kristina Naylor noted that the IBRC, created by the voters to review the annual budget, is looking for candidates for the committee for next year. She asked the Board to consider the best way to recruit qualified candidates and suggested outreach to Leadership Councils and Selectboards.
– The committee will likely lose two members. Proper procedure is to nominate candidates from the floor, but to get qualified candidates – or those interested in learning the position – the committee feels outreach is important.
– Position is about a 40-hour commitment between Nov and Feb.
– Kristina will come to next regular Board meeting to make a motion to reach out to the community and will also discuss with the chair of the Comm Committee.
Motion made by LA to enter Executive Session under ruling that any premature general public knowledge would clearly place the body or person involved at a disadvantage. Motion seconded. Unanimous consent.
Motion made LD by to enter into Executive Session under 1VSA §313 (a) (4) a disciplinary action or dismissal action against a public officer or employee. Seconded. Invited guest: Attorney Sean Toohey.
Entered into ES at approximately 6:30 p.m.
Rose from Executive Session at 9:58 p.m.
Meeting
adjourned at 9:59 pm until next ES at a time and date TBD.
___________________________________
Submitted by Tim Maciel, Clerk, from notes taken by him at the meeting.
