Culture story sections
Eva Nolan called the meeting to order at 10:09.
The committee welcomed a visitor, Claire Halverson from the NAACP Education Committee. This committee has recently re-activated and is reaching out to strengthen connections with other local organizations with a related mission.
The Windham Southeast School District Finance Committee will meet Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 5:00pm at Oak Grove School, 15 Moreland Avenue, Brattleboro and remotely via Zoom
AGENDA
I. Call to Order [6:00 to 6:05]
II. Executive Session [8:30]
1VSA §313 (a)(1)(F) confidential attorney-client communications made for the purpose of providing professional legal services to the body.
● Eva Nolan has officially withdrawn as a voting board member of the Policy and Amendment Committee.
● The following policies were presented for a first reading on 12/12/23 and will go for a second reading on 1/9/24:
o D7 Volunteers and Work Study Students
o F36 Student Freedom of Expression in School Sponsored Media
I. Call to Order / Introductions / Recognition of Visitors
II. Clerk & Minutes
III. Updates
IV. Discussion about when applicants who do not answer diversity questions.
Monday, December 25, 2023
6:00 am Couch Potatoe Productions – Sweetback Sisters Country Christmas Spectacular Sing-Along
7:55 am Ezlerh’s Random Videos – Shirley Squires’ Touch of Heaven
8:00 am Democracy Now! – Democracy Now! Daily Broadcast
9:00 am Energy Week with George Harvey – Energy Week #552 – 12/14/2023
What would you do if you found out your children suffer from addiction? Listen to this show, and hear one woman’s story on how and where she found resources, comfort and courage……and the wisdom to keep love alive and available for her family. Susan’s mission is to help others with similar stories.
Frank Rucker presented the current WSESU FY25 Proposed budget.
On a motion by Kerry Amidon the board voted to approve the FY25 WSESU budget as presented in the amount of $30,541,647.
Summary:
● The Board approved the hire of a new Auto Shop instructor for WRCC.
● Finance Director Frank Rucker presented the first draft of the WSESD FY2025 Budget for the Board to review. The budget is level-funded at $65,707,962, a 2.8% increase from last year’s budget, and will result in a projected tax rate of 1.59.
● The Board closely reviewed the budget items for Board-specific expenditures.
● The Board announced that they will be scheduling an executive session soon to review information regarding the Sexual Abuse Investigation.
● The Programmatic and Performance Equity reported on their meeting to discuss food access equity across the district. The committee is interested in looking into the possibility of establishing a district-wide or supervisory union-wide Independent Food Service program.
● The Board discussed the possibility of hiring an administrative assistant to support the Board and will vote on this matter at the next meeting on January 9, 2024.
Need some local holiday entertainment? Here’s a collection of classics we’ve created over the years.
From a few years back, A COVID Christmas Anti-Viral Holiday Special:
CALL TO ORDER: 4:50 PM – Anne Beekman, Chair
On a motion by Kim Price the committee moved to accept a single application for 1% funds from Dummerston in the amount of $1,983.59.
On a motion by Kim Price the committee moved to accept a single application for 1% funds from Oak Grove School in the amount of $1,355.30.
Summary:
● A student representative spoke about a lack of respect between teachers and students at BUHS.
● District administrators and staff gave a presentation about Social Emotional Learning in WSESD schools.
● Representative Emilie Kornheiser (Windham-7) discussed the Commisioner of Taxes’ FY2025 Education Tax Rate Letter and how school districts and legislators can work together to mitigate the tax impact of education spending.
● Superintendent Speno provided an update on the food services issues at BUHS and other district schools.
● Mr. Speno announced changes to the structure of the Curriculum Department that will take place after Curriculum Coordinator Paul Smith retires at the end of the school year.
● The board voted to re-adopt an updated version of Policy D1 – Personnel Recruitment, Selection, Appointment, and Background Checks.
● Three more policies are under consideration for re-adoption: F32 – Student Distribution of Literature, D7 Volunteers and Work Study Students, and F36 Student Freedom of Expression in School Sponsored Media
● Board Chair Kelly Young asked board members to consider the idea of establishing a part-time position to serve as an administrative assistant to the Board.
Next Stage Arts presents improvisational artist and musician Lonnie Holley in performance with multi-generational, gender, genre non-conforming amalgam of Black culture Mourning [A] BLKstar at Next Stage on Friday, January 19 at 7:30 pm
Since 1979, Lonnie Holley has devoted his life to the practice of improvisational creativity. His art and music, born out of struggle, hardship, but perhaps more importantly, out of furious curiosity and biological necessity, has manifested itself in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, performance, music, and filmmaking. Holley’s sculptures are constructed from found materials in the oldest tradition of African American sculpture. Objects, already imbued with cultural and artistic metaphor, are combined into narrative sculptures that commemorate places, people, and events. His work is now in collections of major museums throughout the world (The Museums of Fine Arts, San Francisco; The Metropolitan Museum of Art; The Philadelphia Museum of Art; The Smithsonian American Art Museum; The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, and many others), on permanent display in the United Nations, and been displayed in the White House Rose Garden.
AGENDA
I. Call to Order [6:00 to 6:05]
II. Student Issues [6:05 to 6:15]
III. Administrative Report [6:15 to 6:40]
– Follow up on MLSS & Social Emotional Learning [20 Minutes]
– WRCC New Hire [5 Minutes]
I. Call to Order / Introductions / Recognition of Visitors
II. Review of minutes
III. Focus item for discussion:
a. Food Services in the district: how can the board assess equity in food access across schools in the district? (Consider info to request from Frank after budget is finalized)
Monday, December 18, 2023
6:00 am Windham Solid Waste Management District Presents – Food Scrap Diversion: Basics for Businesses
6:15 am Vernon Selectboard – Vernon SB Mtg 12/5/23
8:00 am The David Pakman Show – The David Pakman Show – Weekly Broadcast
9:00 am Windham Elementary School Board – Windham Elementary School Bd Special Mtg 12/8/23
• The following policy was presented for a first reading on 11/28/23 and will go for a second reading on 12/12/23:
o F32 Student Distribution of Literature
• The following policy went for a second reading on 11/28/23 and will be presented for adoption on 12/12/23:
o D1 (Personnel Recruitment, Selection, Appointment and Background Checks)
When Brattleboro’s ski jump was first built, there were no stairs! Ski jumpers and anyone else hoping to reach the top had to climb the hill.
This Vermont Phoenix article from Dec 15, 1922 explains the many improvements being made at the hill shortly after it was built. In addition to the stairs, the committee was planning to build a small building at the top of the hill for ski jumpers to sit and await their turn, plus add a really neat mechanical innovation to allow and encourage others to start their ski jumping careers with ease. The take-off of the jump was to be made adjustable, so beginners could simply slide down the hill before raising it a bit and trying to jump.
Interesting, too, to note that they had scheduled two events (January and February) for jumping, and that they were considering building a skating rink in town.
Tate introduced the team who discussed their areas of focus for improvement and the work they continue to do to meet the Continuous Improvement Plan goals. Brandy discussed the pre-school area and the new classroom being added at the Canal Street facility. Whitney spoke of her elementary groups focus on literacy and how changes in the law allow special educators to spend more time on teaching reading. According to a recent survey, the new case management model is working very well. Kevin also discussed how the case management model is working at BAMS and their desire to expand it to BUHS. They will use a vacancy to add a case manager, without adding to the budget, to build more capacity to keep kids in classrooms and work toward the CIP goal of 80% of students spending 80% of their time in core classes.
WSESU Business Administrator Frank Rucker shared a document: a spreadsheet, “All WSESU Students Except Students Tuitioned Out BW Prime Source.”
Mr. Rucker shared and reviewed a document: a spreadsheet, “WSESU Budget FY25 Prime.”
