WSESD Virtual Board Meeting Scheduled

The Windham Southeast School District Board will meet at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at the Dummerston School. Please note that this meeting will take place remotely via GoToMeeting. It can accept up to 150 people, online or on the phone. The instructions to access remotely are listed below:


Vermont Schools Dismissed For 2019-2020 School Year

Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott today directed schools to remain dismissed through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Districts will close schools for in-person instruction and be required to implement continuity of learning plans for remote learning. This extends the Governor’s previous directive dismissing PreK-12 schools from March 18 to April 6. 

This decision was made in consultation with the Vermont Department of Health and the Agency of Education in the continued effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. To minimize disruption to students’ learning, the Governor’s order directs school districts to come up with plans for distance learning by April 13. 


VT Schools To Close

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott announced Sunday that all pre-K-12 schools in the state will close no later than Wednesday and remain closed until April 6, according to a news release from Scott’s office.

Students are not required to go to school Monday or Tuesday, if their parents or guardians would prefer to keep them home, Scott said.


Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, and Putney Residents Invited to WSESD Annual Meeting at BUHS

The Windham Southeast School District (“WSESD”) will hold its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 17th, 2020 at 7 p.m., in the gymnasium at Brattleboro Union High School (BUHS). BUHS is located at 131 Fairground Road, Brattleboro, Vermont. Childcare will be provided.

Warned items for the meeting include election of district officers, and a vote to approve the FY2020 budget, in the amount of $51,171,300. Your opinion matters, but you can only vote if you are present on the floor of the Annual Meeting.


Windham Southeast School District Board Encourages Action to Change Student Weighting Formula

On February 26th, 2020, the Windham Southeast School District school board (hereafter, “The Board”) unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Vermont Legislature to implement changes to the weighting formula used by the state to determine a district’s equalized pupil count, as recommended by a state-commissioned study. The equalized pupil count is used by the state to set education tax rates.

In December, 2019, a study group commissioned by the Vermont Agency of Education submitted a report to the House and Senate Education Committees (among other committees) examining the formula used by the state to determine per pupil spending. The formula gave varying weight to different types of students (e.g. a Pre-K student is counted as 0.46, a High School Student as 1.13). The report recommended a number of changes to the formula to reflect higher educational costs associated with English Language Learners, schools with higher poverty rates, and schools in rural communities.


WSESD Meeting Agendas

The Windham Southeast School District Board will hold a Public Information Meeting on the Proposed FY ’21 Budget at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, 2020 in the Brattleboro Area Middle School’s Multi-Purpose Room, 109 Sunny Acres, Brattleboro. (Note: Childcare will be provided)


WSESD Board Meeting Agenda

The Windham Southeast School District Board will meet at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 in the Windham Regional Career Center’s Cusick Conference Room, 80 Atwood Street, Brattleboro.

AGENDA

I. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 p.m. – Kristina Naylor

II. CLERK’S REPORT – Approval of Minutes – February 26, 2020 (to be distributed)


WSESU/WSESD Looking for Volunteers for Superintendent Search Committee

The board of the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union (WSESU), the supervisory union made up of Vernon and the four communities of the Windham Southeast School District (WSESD), is seeking a diverse group of parents and community members to serve on our upcoming Superintendent Search Committees. The Superintendent Search Committees will work to screen applications and interview candidates with a goal of recommending a list of finalists for the WSESU board’s consideration. 


WSESD Committee Agendas

The Windham Southeast School District Amendment and Policy Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, March 2, 2020 at the WSESU Central Office, 53 Green Street, Brattleboro.


Two Contested Seats for Windham Southeast School District Merged Board

Early voting is open. In person voting is on March 3.

There are two  three-year seats that are contested for the merged school district. These seats will set the tone for the next few years. So far the merged (against our will) board has done a tremendous amount of work with much more to come. Seven of the eight members of the current board were strongly against merging which helped this first year of operation to be collaborative rather than contentious. This sense of collaboration is critical for our merged schools to not become like many other areas of the state.


AAUW Offers Scholarships

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. – The Brattleboro Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is again offering scholarships of up to $1000 each to qualified female candidates who are residents of Windham County.

Both graduating high school senior girls and mature women continuing their higher education are eligible to apply.  Applications will be judged on academic performance, extra-curricular activities, community involvement, and financial need.


AAUW Valentine Fundraiser at Welcome Center

GUILFORD, Vt. – Valentine treats are some of the items that will be offered by the Brattleboro branch of the American Association of University Women at their fundraiser at the Guilford Welcome Center Friday, Feb. 14.

Profits from the event will benefit the AAUW scholarship fund that provides annual scholarships for female high school graduates and mature women working on degrees.


Brattleboro, Dummerston, Guilford, and Putney Citizens Invited to February 11th School Board Candidates Forum

The Windham Southeast School District (“WSESD”) school board will host a forum with candidates running for school board on Tuesday, February 11th, 2020, at 6pm, in the Multipurpose Room at Brattleboro Area Middle School (BAMS). BAMS is located at 109 Sunny Acres Road, Brattleboro. Enter via the main entrance and proceed straight ahead.