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 FEBRUARY 25, 2025
REGULAR BOARD MEETING – 6 PM
CUSICK CONFERENCE ROOM, WRCC AND REMOTELY
THIS MEETING INCLUDES THE WARNING ARTICLE FOR SCHOOL BOARD
DIRECTOR ELECTIONS.
DRAFT MINUTES
Present
Deborah Stanford (DS), Kim Price (KP), Jessica Everlith (JE), Tim Maciel (TM), Ruby
McAdoo (RM), Shaun Murphy (SM), Brian Remer (BR), Colleen Savage (CS) remote,
Matt Schibley (MS)
WSESD staff and administration present (includes remote attendance) – Mark Speno, Keith Lyman, Nancy Wiese, Mary Kaufmann, Kerri Beebe, Julianne Eagan, Whitney Lynde, John Gagnon, Hannah Parker, Brin Tucker, Janet Slesinski, Kelly Dias, Brin Tucker,
Others present – BCTV, Michelle Green, Kelly Young, Jody Normandeau, Liz Adams, Jocelyn F. Olivia, .
Absences – Anne Beekman (AB), Theia Wepaloki (TW), Laiba Eager (LE)
Summary
● The Board debriefed two important Summits held in the past two weeks, 2/12/25 with the three School Boards and 2/24/25 with local legislators.
● The Board accepted, with regret, the resignation of Christopher Brewer, Dean of Students at BUHS.
● Three policies (D1, F16, F28) were presented to the Board for a first reading.
● The Board entered Executive Session under 1VSA §313 (a)(1)(A) Contracts.
AGENDA
I. Call to Order @ 6:04 pm
-If appropriate, agenda items are subject to Potential Action.
-If any Board Member feels that an item on the Consent Agenda warrants discussion, that item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and will be set aside for discussion. In this way the Consent Agenda will be approved in one motion. That request should be made now – or before the vote on the Consent Agenda.
-Amendments to the Agenda
DS amended the agenda
Administrative Report – will hold the discussion about the reporting of student rank on report cards
There will be only one Executive Session this evening with action anticipated. The other sessions will be held until later.
II. Student Matters
None presented at this time.
III. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
-This is a time for the Board to listen and to take notes. It is not a time for the Board to respond to comments or to engage in dialogue with the public. If appropriate – the Board and Administration will work on next steps.
Jody Normandeau, Dummerston resident, thanked the Board for hosting the meeting last evening for the public.
Liz Adams, Putney resident, echoes Jody’s previous comment and notes legislators increasing awareness.
IV. Board Matters
A. Leadership Council Updates
None noted at this time
B. Board Sub-Committees and SU Updates
DS Noted no WSESU updates to be presented this evening.
The Policy Committee is meeting tomorrow, 2/26/25 at 2 pm.
C. Summit 2/12/25: Follow-up discussion and questions
MLSS to Support Student Achievement
A discussion was held about the presentation given at the Summit on 2/12/25. Appreciation for the data presented and the wide range of information about the work of the district was expressed. Noted was that the presentation offered an enormous amount of information in a very short time. Appreciation for the Administration and their guidance of the district was expressed. Some suggestions were made when for the planning of future Summit meetings.
Comments were made about Act 46 and the effect it has had on the taxpayers and the schools from the meeting last evening (Monday 2/24/25). DS asked, that as Act 46 is not on this particular agenda, further discussion on this topic be held for this evening.
Michelle Green, Dummerston resident, expressed appreciation for the 2/12/25 presentation.
She highlighted the pleasure of watching the staff share about the work they are engaged in.
The time, even though it was long, was worth every minute of it.
D.Debrief the Special Board Meeting 2/24/25 re: Proposed Reforms to Education System
Discussion was held noting positives and negatives about the evening and next steps to consider as we navigate the future of education in Vermont. Approximately 40-45 people showed up in person. With the zoom attendees it was closer to 100 people in attendance – a success.
Break was entered at 7:25 pm.
Rose from break at 7:30 pm
E. Discussion of Board Response to Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
Policy C3 allows for responses to the public per the discretion of the Board Chair.
The practice of not responding to public comment arose from the season of dealing with legal matters that the Board could not respond to. This topic was presented to encourage consideration of the practice of this Board related to the public comment section of the agenda.
A discussion ensued, no formal changes were made at this time.
F. Discussion of Board Contributions to Agenda Building
It was noted that agenda topics can be generated on future Board agendas as a result of comments shared by the public in the ‘Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items’.
A discussion was held about how the topics for an agenda are generated. It was suggested that setting long range goals can guide the agenda.
V. Administrative Report
-Hires, Resignations, Retirements
Resignation – Christopher Brewer, Dean of Students, BUHS
KP MOVED TO ACCEPT WITH PROFOUND REGRET THE RESIGNATION OF CHRISTOPHER BREWER. SECONDED.
A question was raised about exit interviews. Appreciation was expressed for the work and impact Chris Brewer has had on the district.
VOTE CALLED. VOTE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
A call for a Board member or two to participate in the hiring committee for Dean of Students at BUHS. A discussion was held about the commitment required for participating on this committee. MS and BR volunteered.
Mark Speno shared that a preferred candidate for the Director of the Food Service has been identified. This is a WSESU hire, but Mr. Speno wanted the WSESD to know that Harley Sterling will be joining the district in this role as early as April.
-Update on Committee assessing use of class rank on transcripts
VI. Consent Agenda
Approval of Minutes February 11, 2025, February 12, 2025
MS MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. SECONDED.
VOTE WAS CALLED. VOTE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
VII. New Business
Policy and Amendment presents for a 1 st Reading:
● D1 Personnel Recruitment, Selection, Appointment and Background Checks
● F16 Head Lice
● F28 Student Athletics, Clubs, and Activities
VIII. Executive Session
– 1 V.S.A. §313(a)(1)(A) Contracts [Action Anticipated]
MS CALLED FOR A MOTION TO FIND THAT THE PREMATURE GENERAL PUBLIC
KNOWLEDGE WOULD CLEARLY PLACE THE PUBLIC BODY OR PERSON INVOLVED AT A
SUBSTANTIAL DISADVANTAGE UNDER 1VSA §313 (a)(1)(A) CONTRACTS. SECONDED.
VOTE WAS CALLED. VOTE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
MS CALLED FOR A MOTION ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER 1VSA §313
(a)(1)(A) CONTRACTS INVITING IN MARK SPENO AND KEITH LYMAN. SECONDED.
VOTE WAS CALLED. VOTE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Entered into Executive session at 8:15 pm.
Rose from Executive Session at 8:24 pm
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN
– 1 V.S.A. §313(a)(7) the academic records or suspension or discipline of students [No Action Anticipated]
– 1 V.S.A. §313(a)(7) the academic records or suspension or discipline of students [No Action Anticipated]
MS MOTIONED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE WSESD BOARD. SECONDED.
VOTE WAS CALLED. VOTE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:26.
Minutes respectfully submitted on 03/01/2025 by Board Clerk with special recognition to
Tracey Drotts, Board Recorder.
A recording of this meeting is available on the WSESU website
