February 5, 2025 School Board Meeting

001SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Good evening. I call the regular meeting of the South Burlington School Board to order on. Wait wait a minute here. February 5, th SBSD Helpdesk: 2025, at 6 Pm. 1st order of business announcements and amendments to the agenda. Are there any announcements? SBSD Helpdesk: There are none. Amendments to the agenda. SBSD Helpdesk: and then, Violet, any amendments from you, from you. Violet Nichols: Nothing from my end. Thank you, Tim. SBSD Helpdesk: I do have a couple I would like to. SBSD Helpdesk: I'd like to table the School Board retreat under discussion. Since Chelsea's not here, I think we should wait for her to have that discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: And then one thought, I have, I think we'll probably have public comment tonight. So I'm thinking, would people be okay

002moving the focus on student learning up to just before comments from the public. So that allows us to have some continuity in the public comment. SBSD Helpdesk: good with that. Okay? SBSD Helpdesk: And then I have one addition down in discussion. I'd like to add in just a quick update on contract negotiations. Violet Nichols: And what that be. SBSD Helpdesk: What's that? Violet Nichols: It'd be. Item 5 d. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, yeah, let's make that well. And oh, yeah, let's make that item 5 d, and I'm wondering if we can combine E and B, because I think those are gonna end up sort of being the same. Violet Nichols: B, and d. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, so B and E, we combine just to be, and then D becomes contract negotiations. Update. Violet Nichols: Great. Thank

003you. SBSD Helpdesk: Great. Thank you. All right. With that said, we'll move on to the student Representative report, then. SBSD Helpdesk: Great, thank you. Yesterday the Sbhs student leadership team had the opportunity to observe 2 classes at Cbu. These classes will use Harkness, a full class discussion model to learn about and deconstruct complex topics. The student leadership team will be sharing about their experience at Cvu to Sbhs faculty in the coming month with the hope of implementing these types of discussions into curriculum at our school. SBSD Helpdesk: Gracie and I also had the privilege to present to Junior and seniors about the proposed budget. Last week Tim was able to join us to answer some questions from students. So, thank you, Tim. We discussed how Ed funding works at the State level, the proposed reductions

004at Sbhs and advocacy efforts students could engage in both at the state and local levels. SBSD Helpdesk: and as part of our recommended advocacy efforts, Ali and I, along with the students on the Finance Committee introduced the Sbsd Budget student Advocacy Group. Our 1st meeting for high school students is during office hours at 8 15. This Monday, the 10, th and we're planning to write letters to our community about the importance of this budget and decorate cards with pro budget messages. So any students who are listening. Please can join us. SBSD Helpdesk: and Grace and I would like to congratulate Isabella Moa and Julia Todd on being selected as Vermont's 2025 Presidential scholars for this outstanding leadership and service to our community. They were recognized at the Vermont Statehouse last Monday, January 27, th and

005are now able to apply for the Us. Presidential scholars program at the national level. SBSD Helpdesk: We want to say a huge thank you to the both of them for all the community work they do around Sbsd and wish them a congratulations again. SBSD Helpdesk: And finally, Gracie and I would like to make a statement about the proposal of the honors American studies class being reconfigured at the High School. Although this is not specifically board related, we feel that it's important that Violet and other administrators who may not be here tonight are aware of this change and its consequences SBSD Helpdesk: as students who have both been heavily benefited from taking honors. American studies in 10th grade. We can personally say that this class prepared us extremely well for higher level classes by allowing us

006to grapple with complex texts and participate in an engaged and rigorous learning environment. The proposal of reconfiguring the 10th grade humanities model to an honors, distinction, option within non honors. Classes will immensely limit the opportunity for students who would like to challenge themselves with higher level school work. SBSD Helpdesk: Not only will this model decrease students motivation to challenge themselves in the classroom, but it also puts the burden on ambitious students to lift their peers up. This doesn't feel equitable, and we hope that administrators, both both at the High school and the district level. Reconsider this decision. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Alright. With that done, we'll move on to student spotlight, high school robotics team. Violet Nichols: Thank you so much, so I am so sorry not to be here in person, but

007I am extremely honored to be able to welcome our High School robotics team. I 1st met Myra and Sadan when we were at A. They were presenting to other superintendents and Violet Nichols: leaders around the State, and I was able to learn from them and manipulate toast, which is one of their machines and have been really impressed working with the team. Myra has done an incredible job of advocating for the expansion of robotics within the district, and has offered to continue to work with Ptos looking for funding for this really important Violet Nichols: programming in our schools and also working with principals and schools out leadership. So I'm just blown away by this incredible team and the amount of learning that they do from management and leadership business skills. Right? I think typically, we associate

008this with the incredible depth of Violet Nichols: science and math that is certainly involved. But the all around rounded learning that comes from this is really incredible, not to mention the friendships and the connections. So thank you, Sadan and Myra, for being here tonight, and Ryan Estes, the advisor, really grateful for all that you do, and Violet Nichols: and with that I'd like to welcome the team, and there are some slides sharing a bit about the programming that Nick will drive for us. Thank you so much. Welcome. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, thank you for saying that. So for you guys who don't know me and haven't really heard that my name is Myra, one of the co-capists of the team, and I've been doing robotics for 7 years through Southern. My name is Sadan, and I've

009been doing robotics for 7 years as well. So a little bit of background about the program. It 1st is an acronym which stands for for inspiration and recognition of science technology. And it is the leading stem program for youth worldwide. So even though in Vermont it's still a growing program. Students from the State have the opportunity to go compete in Massachusetts SBSD Helpdesk: and Houston in the world championships and really grow their skills in a bunch of different ways and hear a bunch of different diverse perspectives. SBSD Helpdesk: It's a 3 level program. So you start with 1st Lego League in elementary and middle school, and then that moves up to 1st tech challenge, which is the teams that we house at the High School, and then 1st robotics competition, which is what Superintendent Nichols

010got to drive with toast, the robot and all 3 of these programs are exponentially growing in Vermont. In the past 3 years you've seen 1st Lego League double from around 20 to 60 teams more than double 1st tech challenge has grown from SBSD Helpdesk: maybe 14 teams when we were 1st freshmen to now, being 24 and 1st abroads, competition has doubled in the past year alone. So our team battery is not included is a SBSD Helpdesk: 12 year returning team, and this season, where our competition is into the deep, that the whole team is water themed. SBSD Helpdesk: So. SBSD Helpdesk: diving a little bit into our team specifically what we have at the high School in the beginning of the year, as soon as our kickoff happened we broke up into different groups, and

011we came up with goals that way. We could have a really united group of goals for the season and really drive our team, hearing everyone's perspectives. SBSD Helpdesk: So we drew them or divided them up into outreach team and robot. And those are the general terms that we use, and that has helped us encompass having a business team on our team, having artwork, having graph design, having everything that you can like Superintendent Nichols mentioned having a lot more than just robotics on our team. SBSD Helpdesk: And something that we thought really encompassed our season this year has been this quote a rising title is all boats, basically saying that in every aspect of this competition everything we do we do to help the whole community. We help the team. And inevitably we want to make

012that our big goal never not just winning the robot game. SBSD Helpdesk: So diving into that is a bit of an outreach summary. This is something that our team does, and something that we think is really important. And one thing that's really cool about 1st is that it's not because we're trying to fill a certain number of hours. It's not to fill our graduation requirement. But it is because we like doing this outreach. We love doing these things, and that is the reason that we've been able to put over 800 h amongst a 7 person team into doing these community events this year. SBSD Helpdesk: We've reached over 3,000 people. We've reached borders. We've gone to different states. And it's really, really been impactful thing for us, including these are a few of our events that

013we want to highlight. So SBSD Helpdesk: yeah, alright. So. One of the ways that we helped is we hosted Kickoff for Ftc. Which is the middle of the road pipeline that Myra talked about, and we wanted to connect all of places from all over Vermont and try to inspire staff, because, you know, Vermont is a very rural place, as we all know, and just being able to connect with peers from Montpelier to SBSD Helpdesk: and everywhere around. It's a really nice experience. And another event that our team takes a lot of pride in. That helps. Our professional development has been Vermont tech jam, which is the biggest stem competition. But stem technology fair in Vermont, and we've had the privilege of presenting 1st not only to benefit our own team and get mentors and potential

014sponsors for us. SBSD Helpdesk: but to help person Vermont as a whole. And we've been there for 3 years, and it's been a really really great event, because it's helped me get my internship over the summer. It helps to not get his internship over the summer. This program works directly into the workforce. It really helps us grow those skills. I've had a lot of friends in college. Tell me, like, Oh, yeah, this is exactly what you're doing with Ftc back in high school. SBSD Helpdesk: And then we really inspire to be like full circle moment. We like to inspire you. And so we SBSD Helpdesk: have mentored multiple Fll teams, which is the bottom level of the pipeline, and all of us are alumni of them, and we're trying to just share our knowledge give

015guidance towards people. And so one of those teams is syntax terror, which is a boulder school. So it's more non-technical. And so, being able to share our expertise on electronics and technology has been really inspired. SBSD Helpdesk: And then one of the big things that we want to mention that we recently got to do last week was SBSD Helpdesk: like Superintendent Pickles mentioned to get the advocacy that we've been doing for this program because it is such an important program and such so widely recognized in other States. We want to make that recognition equally important in Vermont. So we invited Congresswoman, Becca Ballen to our team, and we just showed her around. We showed her what we do, the different aspects, all 3 of our teams at the High School, and really helped show her

016that SBSD Helpdesk: robotics is more than just bolts and screws. But it is. It's full running business. Within that we have a finance department. We have artwork, it's everything within that. And we've also done this at other events as well. Like the 1st leg of League qualifier, we were able to talk to different Senators, different decision makers. And we're really trying to push SBSD Helpdesk: student voice as much as possible on this team. So one thing that we take pride of at the High school is that it is SBSD Helpdesk: he has to do as little work as possible. Our coach. We hope we try to do as much of it as we can for him. And then one of the last things we want we've done this year, which has been a new addition,

017is, Do step rotation camps at our elementary schools. So, working with schools out, we've been able to host monthly weekly weekly month long SBSD Helpdesk: programs which has just fostered stem program stem programming. And we've been able to do that for the past 3 months in all of our elementary schools, with the hope that next year we can start 1st legally, teams at those schools with students from the high school being mentors. So the only job, like work that we have to do on the elementary school side is, have someone there and fill those requirements so that the kids can meet. And this has been a continuation of a program that we've been doing for 4 years with the middle school schools out. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah. So they're just a few of the pictures. SBSD

018Helpdesk: Yeah, of the 1st 3 photos are of us with our team Syntax Terror, which is one of 4 1st Lego League teams that we have started and mentored for 2 years, and then the second are photos from our visit with the congresswoman last week. SBSD Helpdesk: Alright. So for our robot overview we're again the middle level of the pipeline. So ftc, it's a more affordable option. SBSD Helpdesk: try to show as best as I can. But so for this year we were trying to get these rectangular prisms into like little baskets on the field. And so SBSD Helpdesk: this part is our intake, and allows us to suck the rectangular prisms inside of our robot, and that transfers into a little bucket that can dump it into the baskets. And if you can see

019over on the screen all of our SBSD Helpdesk: all of our robot is pretty much catted. And that's computer aided design. And it's 3D modeled. And so a little bit more personal on my end is the ability to be able to bolster the skills of 3D modeling has helped me with, as Myra has previously mentioned, for getting into Job Shadow at Beta technologies, because I was able to job Shadow the 3D printed design team. So it's a lot of ways this robotics team has allowed us to SBSD Helpdesk: go into the professional field in this skill, specifically with computer aid design is recognized in almost every tech company you'll go to if you ask anyone. Oh, what do you guys do to design your products ahead of time. It is this program, if not the

020exact same open SBSD Helpdesk: web based program that we use. SBSD Helpdesk: And then, as for the software side of things. We all the robots are coded in Java, and one of the really cool things about 1st is that we pride ourselves in saying you can join our team without any experience with any background or experience. So this is a skill that students have the opportunity to learn, even if they're not taking Ap computer science, or if they're not in that classroom. And it's really hands on learning. So one of the really really unique things that we've done this year, and to enhance our software has been to use odometry, which is a SBSD Helpdesk: you can see kind of in those photos. But also right here we have wheels that help us localize where

021our robot is in the field. So at any point we can use the sense sensors and the inputs that we're getting from those dead wheels to track where we are. And that's used a lot of different complicated math which me personally, I could not explain. But the inverse kinematics. Right? Yeah. So there's a lot of different complex math in here. And as Superintendent Nichols mentioned SBSD Helpdesk: that math, it's that's where you see the really heavy math stuff. And then, even if you are taking more of the more advanced classes, a lot of the times students are like, what do I do with this calculus knowledge like, am I ever going to solve an integral in real life? And this is where you can really apply it. You can show your application of what you're

022studying in those advanced courses into like more real world challenges. And, like Myra mentioned, you can use it, for example, in our robot for otometry. SBSD Helpdesk: and even and even on top of that, me personally, I've taken physics and calculus this year, and I've SBSD Helpdesk: there's been at least 30 times this year where I've been in physics. And I've gone. Hey, I already know that because of the things that we've done on this. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, thank you guys for listening. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you very much. That was great. Thank you. Yeah, really, really great. Thank you so much. I have a just 1, 1 or 2 questions really quickly. Do you have any interaction with any of our local? It businesses or so. SBSD Helpdesk: If you want to stand

023up and show them back in your sweatshirt. So that is SBSD Helpdesk: so we do. Our teams are self funded, and that's what what I mean by we have a business department is. Oh, so question to you guys, how much money do you think the robotics team has raised in the past 4 years? SBSD Helpdesk: Kind of $5,000 higher than higher. SBSD Helpdesk: So it's been right around $40,000 in the past 4 years, and that has been the culminated efforts of everyone on our team, and that's something that we foster as soon as you join the team as a freshman. No, you don't get to just sit around and do it work on the robot. You have to be involved in doing these fundraising efforts. And it's been really fun because we've gotten to work

024with like Joanna Bate from the business department a bunch of different people from the business department, and. SBSD Helpdesk: like I mentioned briefly, that is exactly what got me. My internship in the Finance department on Logic this summer, and they've been a returning sponsor for our team for 4 years, and it's something I personally take a lot of pride in. But yeah, we do interact with a lot of places. Even our T-shirt company, that prince these schers has sponsored us. Violet Nichols: Myra is the business manager of the team, and she's incredibly effective. My husband works for Rtx. Who you whose icon you might have noticed on the opening screen, and they're located in virgins. And I, you know, after I met with Myra I shared a ton of information with Rtx and we were

025able to develop a relationship where they sponsored Violet Nichols: girls in Stem Day. In addition to being a major sponsor of our robotics team, so many thanks to all of those on the team and Myra for her keen business sense, I have no doubt you will go far in finance. Should should that be a route you choose. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm hoping to double Major. So yes. Violet Nichols: No surprise. There. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you very much. Thank you for having us. Violet Nichols: Thank you so much for being here. SBSD Helpdesk: Great. SBSD Helpdesk: That's that's cool. Want to see it work, but SBSD Helpdesk: maybe they'll stick around or share later. Violet Nichols: The the demo is definitely the best part. SBSD Helpdesk: Oh, wait, guys, I forgot. So the thing that I forgot

026to mention is that our State championship is this weekend at South American high school, so it'll be all day, and after opening ceremony around 10 o'clock there will be 20 around 22 teams from all around Vermont, bunch of robots running around. So if you do want to come and ask more questions, or even drive the things that would be the day to do, it is that on Saturday, Saturday. Yes. SBSD Helpdesk: we expect a report in the next student. Report. Great. Thank you very much. Okay, moving on. We have now comments from the public. So this is the community's opportunity to share questions, feedback, and concerns with the board. We ask that you keep your comments concise, and that you refrain from using any information that would identify a specific person. Please raise your hand

027in the room or use the zoom raised hand feature. We'll only use the online chat to manage any tech issues. SBSD Helpdesk: We're not able to take action on any issues brought to us during public comment. However, any board member may suggest tonight that the issue or question be added to a future agenda for discussion. We may also delegate addressing issues to our superintendent, Violet Nichols. It's always helpful also, if you can email us a copy of your comments for follow up. So at this time I'd invite anybody who would like to make a public comment to come up and just make sure you state your name. SBSD Helpdesk: Yep, we're on that part. SBSD Helpdesk: My name is Mark Cable, and SBSD Helpdesk: not sure to be as eloquent as you guys were. SBSD

028Helpdesk: But I'm here tonight to address the concern about the cancellation of honors, American studies. SBSD Helpdesk: and in advance I will ask you to please give me the grace of an extra 20 seconds. I did my best go for it. Mark. SBSD Helpdesk: our eldest daughter, took this class, and it changed her life. SBSD Helpdesk: Barry went from being an average student to a confident, skilled learner who graduated with honors from South Brunton High School. SBSD Helpdesk: turned down the opportunity to attend Colby College to return to Canada, where she continues to thrive, and Mount Allison University in New Brunswick. SBSD Helpdesk: I often wonder where her path would have taken her without the leadership of Mark Mcfatten and Greg Lewis. SBSD Helpdesk: the primary driver behind our other daughter Libby, continuing South Burlington

029schools, is this class, after seriously considering both rice and boarding schools last year, because, the lack of challenge being offered in her classrooms, she came to us at the last minute with her decision to stay at South Burlington SBSD Helpdesk: because and I quote it would be her only opportunity to take honors. American studies. SBSD Helpdesk: Rama el Nami, who sat on your board as a student representative for 2 years and now attends Columbia University, told me quote. SBSD Helpdesk: there is no doubt in my mind that I would not be in this place I am today without that course, and that teaching pair. SBSD Helpdesk: her concern goes more broadly to include the disappearance of courses in higher level math and humanities. Voting lama. Again, I would like to remind those in power within

030the district that they have a responsibility to all students, even those that wish to push themselves academically. SBSD Helpdesk: Students in honors, American feel challenged and emulate the standards set by their teachers. They rise to a level academically and socially, and many didn't realize they were capable of until they were pushed in an environment filled with other students who hold similar values around this demanding course. SBSD Helpdesk: If the Administration's primary goal is equity. They consider the fact that in 20 plus years of this course being offered, a student has never been turned away, not even this year, when there were 94 students being split into 2 sections, 50% of the students from the current sophomore class elected to take honors, American. SBSD Helpdesk: regardless of its reputation for hours of homework and teachers, high

031expectations. They are coached by other students, siblings, teachers, and alumni. That this is the class, to quote, not be missed. SBSD Helpdesk: not gonna test. It's a minimum 2 h at least for our channel. SBSD Helpdesk: How is it that a school system, with so many areas crying for change and improvement SBSD Helpdesk: as an administration that's concentrating on the reconfiguring of a wildly successful class that has decades of data demonstrating how effective it has been impacting students, lives. How is it that an interim principal could decide to cancel this class, especially without the executive director of learning being consulted? SBSD Helpdesk: How can the sophomore class selection be released without the superintendent 1st reviewing it. SBSD Helpdesk: How is it that honors American studies isn't being used as a template for other classes to emulate?

032What a successful teaching classroom represents, rather than fixing what's not broken in the name of equity SBSD Helpdesk: in a time that there's so much negativity vying for our attention when we feel hopeless and impact much of what seems to be blasting around us. SBSD Helpdesk: Here's a chance to act locally and demand that the right thing be done. This is a time for students, teachers, parents, and alumni SBSD Helpdesk: to stand up and tell Violet Nichols to leave. SBSD Helpdesk: and with the support of Jody Valenkamp to reinstate honors, American studies unchanged from its original successful model. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. Thank you, Mark. Mark, would you mind emailing the board your your statement. SBSD Helpdesk: If you don't, that would be great. Thank you. Violet Nichols: And I'd like to take a minute

033to just respond to that Violet Nichols: Are you able to hear me. SBSD Helpdesk: Yes. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay. Violet Nichols: Yeah, I just want to take a minute to provide a bit of information about this. The high school team has been working on this transition for a few years. This is a really important equity issue. And I just wanted to clarify the point. The class is not being canceled, it's being expanded and the rigor shall maintain. I think you know, as we, as we think about Violet Nichols: support from teachers and administration for programs that support all students, this is something that acting Principal John Craig and Mary Ellen Schaeffer and director of school, counseling Megan sweet support. This is something that the curriculum area supervisors from both teams. Violet Nichols: and both departments support.

034John Craig has shared with me that there's been a rigorous process for developing this, which was something that Principal Burke started to lead several years ago, and I did want to share with folks. There is an FAQ. Document on the Sbhs homepage for folks to check out, so should you have any questions. Violet Nichols: Really great feature about that? FAQ. Is that there's an option to add any questions. So if you have any wonders that haven't been addressed. Please go ahead and pop those in so that the team can look at those really want to make sure that folks have the opportunity to have all their questions answered, and please feel free to reach out to John Craig or Mary Ellen Schaefer, Ryan, Navin, or Megan Sweet, if you've got any questions on that. Thank

035you so much. SBSD Helpdesk: And Kyle. SBSD Helpdesk: Are there other public comments? Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: Samantha Ayers, I'm here, not as an employee of this district, but as a parent of children in this district, and as a voter in this community I had to think long and hard about whether I would speak at the last. 2 meetings have illustrated that you are doing the minimum to follow governance procedures and hold space for public comment, and then choosing to make board decisions that do not in any way consider nor align with what the community is saying. Despite all of that, I believe that my voice matters. SBSD Helpdesk: I have huge concerns about this board, and the way it is currently operating, you are responding to comments and questions by providing unclear answers, half truths

036or not answering at all as evidenced. Last board meeting I asked, how you can happily proclaim that you are supporting early education by adding kindergarten parent positions, yet you have dismantled the pre-k classrooms by reducing 20% of the staff. SBSD Helpdesk: That question was not answered by the finely tuned statement that was read by an administrator. Another example is how you stated that the superintendent is getting a significant raise to remain competitive with neighboring districts. SBSD Helpdesk: However, the average superintendent in Vermont makes $101,188. The Burlington superintendent makes $181,273. Our superintendent now makes a base pay of $216,693. Your messaging to the community is targeted, political and deceitful. You make beautiful graphics with pictures of our children and teachers and programs. SBSD Helpdesk: Your pamphlets and newsletters and website incorrectly boast that you are protecting

037student facing positions and supporting early education. SBSD Helpdesk: You want support to pass this budget with the threat of more student facing positions being cut if it fails. Yet this current budget includes additions of administrative positions, while dismantling programs that include those who serve our youngest learners and giving extravagant raises to our leader. You are not listening to community voice. Your community has no trust in you and your decisions. How do we move forward? SBSD Helpdesk: Where do we go with grievances, questions, and concerns, if not to the School Board, who is currently proving that what our community is saying does not matter. There are no checks. And balances SBSD Helpdesk: this is a broken system, and it needs to be changed, thank you take care of SBSD Helpdesk: Hi, I'm Katie Farhank, and 2

038kids at work church, good evening members of the school Board, I want to take a moment to remind you of the responsibility that you've accepted. Choose or excuse me. You've accepted when you chose to serve in this role SBSD Helpdesk: as representatives of this community. Your duty is not just to make decisions, but to engage, listen, and respond to the people you serve right now that is not happening. The lack of transparency surrounding the superintendent's contract. Renewal, coupled with the dismissive remarks about community concerns. SBSD Helpdesk: has left many feeling unheard and frustrated when legitimate questions go unanswered, when emails sent 8 days ago are met with silence. It erodes public trust. Trust. That is essential for the success of our schools, our students, and the district. As a whole. SBSD Helpdesk: we are not

039here to undermine the work of the board. We are here to ensure that it is done with integrity, openness, and a true commitment to serving the public. That means responding to concerns, engaging in real dialogue and upholding the principles of good governance. You have an opportunity to rebuild trust that starts with transparency, accountability and a willingness to listen. We ask that you take that opportunity. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Hi. My name is Alex Sevendo. I'm a speech pathologist in the pre-k program SBSD Helpdesk: Chelsea stated in her letter to Staff. I myself have reviewed and seen the excel spreadsheets that were prepared by principals and building based administrators for preschool. This is not truthful. There, physically, is no data. I question if other programs are all in the same boat. SBSD Helpdesk: data is defined

040as facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis. Preschool is generally overlooked, so I don't fault anyone here on the board. I ask that from today forward you ask, where is the data that informs these decisions? SBSD Helpdesk: Data also includes the perceptions of students and families. SBSD Helpdesk: Today the preschool team met with a special Ed director and building brace principals. The team asked the Administration if the Administration has considered the number of interventionists that would be hired when 2 teachers are reduced, the administration did not account for those additional positions in this current budget. SBSD Helpdesk: In the event that the 1st budget does not pass, and I hope that it will, I would ask that the Board Review, the numbers of interventionists our students would need, and the financial impact of

041that. This isn't an option. Students need to have their faith SBSD Helpdesk: in our team's calculations. It's more cost effective to retain 2 highly qualified educators and maintain our current model instead of hiring interventionists. Given the cost of their health benefits. In the likely event, interventionists cannot be hired. We would legally not be providing fake to preschool students. There's a difference between fake and licensing. SBSD Helpdesk: This is why we had originally shifted our model years ago from 6 interventionists to 2 teachers. The community is not asking for the world's most competitive superintendent salary, or a $180,000. Associate special Ed. Director. The majority of community members are all asking for the same process. What are the needs of the students? Where are the voices of families? Where are the voices of staff? SBSD Helpdesk: How

042are decisions being made? And where is the data? Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: And just for my own edification, fape is FAPE. And that's free in public education. Correct? Yeah, free and appropriate. Thank you. I just wanted to make sure that that was. Thank you so much. SBSD Helpdesk: Are there other comments in the from the from the room? SBSD Helpdesk: Hi! My name is Deirdre Gill. I'm a mother of 2 South Burlington students. SBSD Helpdesk: In the light of what Superintendent Nichols just shared. SBSD Helpdesk: there is a lot that parents do not know, and students don't seem to know about the removal of the honors classes at South Burlington, so I am eager to find out what's going on and what the thought process is, but in the meantime I would like to share

043my concern. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm here to express my concern regarding the removal of honors classes at High School, I think striving to create equity in South Burlington schools is very important, and should be a top priority. SBSD Helpdesk: But I am concerned that while the intention of this particular decision might be good. It will not result in equity or higher outcomes for students, and will create even more disparities as more privileged families will pull their kids out of Sb. And put them in private school. SBSD Helpdesk: I believe that all students deserve to be challenged, because that is how we grow and learn. SBSD Helpdesk: For some students the regular track meets these needs, this need for others it does not. SBSD Helpdesk: and for many students they discover that they can learn more than

044they ever thought they could, because they took a chance and enrolled in honors classes. SBSD Helpdesk: I worry that kids who are not challenged in school will come away with the message. They don't need to work hard to succeed because they've already met the standard. All they need to do is coast. They will not experience that initial discomfort of being pushed beyond their academic abilities. Then rising to meet that challenge and the ultimate satisfaction and the growth that comes from thinking more expansively and working harder than they ever thought they could. SBSD Helpdesk: If we are not providing this opportunity for growth to a large portion of the student body. Can we really say we are providing a great or even a good education in South Burlington? SBSD Helpdesk: I have heard repeatedly, as we

045are hearing tonight how transformative the honors American class has been for students. SBSD Helpdesk: Clearly Mr. Mcfadden and Mr. Lewis have developed a model of teaching that should not only be lauded, but replicated for all students. SBSD Helpdesk: What a shame to throw away this class that has transformed so many students with different learning, strengths, and abilities for so many years. SBSD Helpdesk: instead of taking away educational opportunities for students who elect to take honors classes, we should be asking, How can we give this top rate educational experience to all students. SBSD Helpdesk: Now I know, the superintendent said. They're expanding this SBSD Helpdesk: for all students. But, as I have heard. SBSD Helpdesk: the teachers in this class were not aware this was even happening. So it's unclear to me, and I'm sure other

046people were concerned. SBSD Helpdesk: How could they be expanding it? If the 2 teachers were teaching. It were completely unaware that this was happening. So I'll leave it at that. Thank you for listening. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm the father of 2 South Burlington students, and I also want to address the honors. Course. SBSD Helpdesk: I would echo everything that everybody's already said, including the student representatives. And one thing I'd like to draw attention to is SBSD Helpdesk: the honors course is an interdisciplinary course. It's history. It's American studies. It's history. And it's literature together. When these kids get to college. This is how most of their classes are going to be. Not all. But many of their classes are interdisciplinary. They're taking political science, and they're learning about policy at the same time as they're learning

047about environment and science. SBSD Helpdesk: Interdisciplinarity is really important. The world is getting more complicated, not less complicated. American history is being complicated in ways that it never was before. It's a really important way to learn to have literature and history inform each other, and to talk about music and film, and the way that these things can all teach about the past. SBSD Helpdesk: Secondly, the idea of equity. I truly don't understand where this is coming from, why getting rid of this class somehow makes things more equitable. If you want the classes to be more challenging, make them all more challenging, and keep this honest with kids who were raising their hand and want to be in this environment. SBSD Helpdesk: And secondly, or thirdly, or whatever number I'm on now. The my understanding is

048that some kids will have the kids. All of the kids will have the option to do like extra work to basically extra credit. So called spicy option. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm a former educator myself. I taught at Middlebury, I taught at Mit, and I taught at community colleges and state schools, and the difference between a class where everybody expects excellence from each other and a class where you're just there because you're there, you're trying to maybe get an education. Maybe you're not. The culture in that room is so different. It's not close. And to have a challenging environment like that is so transformative and extra good at work is not going to replicate that SBSD Helpdesk: giving somebody an honors designation on their transcript because they did extra work is not going to replicate that it's

049depriving these students of the actual of being in that classroom and being challenged in that way. And it's frankly a little cynical to think that. Well, maybe that's what they really want is the transcript, or that's what the school gives out at the end of the day. SBSD Helpdesk: So I urge you to reconsider this, and if you have a minute superintendent to explain what we mean by being more equitable, and I just don't get how this is an issue with equity. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Is there anybody else in the room would like to make a comment before we move to the remote folks? SBSD Helpdesk: It's also about equity. I mean, I have Julie Mayor and I have 2 students. SBSD Helpdesk: one who's in the district, and one

050who I pulled out because I don't think SBSD Helpdesk: school is treating her that my students, equitably, because one has learning disabilities and one is not. Now. If they were both to be given the choice SBSD Helpdesk: to be in that class. SBSD Helpdesk: I wouldn't want them to be in the same class. I would want them to be in a different class, and because one of them can rise to the challenge of an honors, American history class, and the other needs to be in a different class. It goes at a different pace, and if they were in the same class, it would serve neither. SBSD Helpdesk: So that's why there needs to be different classes for different learners. And if you look at the science of learning. SBSD Helpdesk: That's what we learned. That's

051what students can learn at different rates, and they need to be taught different ways. Not every person in every SBSD Helpdesk: can fits fits into the same mold. And if we try that, we're serving no one SBSD Helpdesk: and that's what our education system right now is trying to do. And it's it isn't working. It's not serving everyone. So my average tonight student who's in 8th grade has been bored for the most part. And she's learned SBSD Helpdesk: basically helplessness. She, we talk, we try to teach about the growth mindset in school. But yet we don't actually SBSD Helpdesk: do it in an act because she's learned, basically, that everything comes easy to her now when she gets a challenge, she thinks, Oh, I can't do this. This is too hard, because she's never been

052challenged in school. SBSD Helpdesk: My other daughter, who has learning disabilities. I had to take her out because she gets to in class. She was given the same work as everybody else, without the support that she needed and without it adapted to her. SBSD Helpdesk: Because we don't adapt classes to what the kids need. So this model does not work. We try to make it the same for everyone. I mean, look at learning science. People. Children need to be taught differently need to be taught at their own speed. They also need to learn to teach different ways. But that's another discussion for another day. I'm sorry this is not going to work. SBSD Helpdesk: Yes, thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Is there anybody else in the room who would like to make a public comment? SBSD

053Helpdesk: Oh, Hi, SBSD Helpdesk: Just kind of want to show you what SBSD Helpdesk: everybody else has said. But pro student I'm only in 9th grade, but I've heard great in the honors class and SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: People in my English class. And we're we're all like at different levels. There are people who are like, Oh, I'm SBSD Helpdesk: like, I don't see them a lot in that class. And I wanna learn more. I want more of a challenge. SBSD Helpdesk: And if I were just in like an English and social studies class and the choice SBSD Helpdesk: like, Do I really want to do this like this is, gonna be hard SBSD Helpdesk: for, like a spicy option of an assignment that everybody's gonna do that SBSD Helpdesk: it's it's daunting.

054But if you're in a class SBSD Helpdesk: that and everybody is like, yes, I want to challenge myself, and I want to do more. SBSD Helpdesk: That link that helps to be able to do more with yourself. Because oh, okay. SBSD Helpdesk: But also, how do you know? SBSD Helpdesk: Having add is is hard to get work done. It's hard to focus on things. But when there are other people who are encouraging these SBSD Helpdesk: what what I want to do. It's easy to get things done SBSD Helpdesk: because I have support from people SBSD Helpdesk: who are encouraging me, encouraging everybody else. And I think that's that's really important for a lot of people SBSD Helpdesk: and it. It would not work for me to have like honors by distinction. So SBSD Helpdesk: yeah,

055asking more students about this decision is really important, because, like at at school, my SBSD Helpdesk: teachers, they they can't really tell us anything because they don't know anything. So, being here and hearing. SBSD Helpdesk: not really having an answer from the superintendent like SBSD Helpdesk: it makes me want to like, save more and encourage my peers. SBSD Helpdesk: To realize like this is a good thing to have this class and other higher level classes. SBSD Helpdesk: So thank you, Lucy. SBSD Helpdesk: My name is Kate Jarvis, being a South Burlington resident, and have twins in high school. SBSD Helpdesk: and my comment is just about encouraging people to support the budget and to vote. Yes, on time meeting day, if last year is anything to show SBSD Helpdesk: if the 1st budget gets. If

056this budget gets voted down. SBSD Helpdesk: it's not. It doesn't seem to me that it's going to be. Budget will then be increased. So we're going to. So then we would have a, you know, a less less amount of money for the budget at which would entail more cuts which would be more painful than it already is. SBSD Helpdesk: For for many people. So yeah, I'm just basically encouraging everybody to please vote. Yes, on time. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Anybody else in the room would like to speak. SBSD Helpdesk: Just share one other. Really quick. Please come right up, Mark. Sorry, Tim. SBSD Helpdesk: So okay. SBSD Helpdesk: There were 2 students. Oh, I'm sorry. SBSD Helpdesk: So Libby and one of her friends who are currently taking honors. America circulated a petition around the

057school over the course of last week collected over 250 names from students. So your peers are advocating for you this evening. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: the students are concerned. It's not just a handful of smart kids going. We need this class. 250 signatures was presented yesterday SBSD Helpdesk: to the principal. SBSD Helpdesk: the acting principle, and ignored respectfully ignored so, and they walked out of that meeting feeling dismissed. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm afraid the person who should be sitting here telling you this is at home with the flu SBSD Helpdesk: like way too many students. So I think it's important that that is brought up. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Anybody else. SBSD Helpdesk: seeing none. We'll move to folks who have their hands raised online, I think I see, can you unmute Bill Service. Phil

058Surks: Hello, and thank you for allowing me this opportunity to speak. Sorry I cannot be there in person tonight. Phil Surks: wanted to make a comment regarding the recent listening tour conducted throughout the South Burlington School district by members of the Vermont, Nea. 3 simple questions were asked objectively and consistently to each Sbsd staff member. The questions were, What's going well for you? Phil Surks: What do you find challenging? And if you could change anything about your work environment, what would it be? Phil Surks: I understand that you, as the Board, did not initiate this process, but as stewards and leaders of the school district. Phil Surks: I encourage you to be curious and not dismissive of the results. Phil Surks: Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Take your call. SBSD Helpdesk: Can we unmute Lauren. Lauren

059McBride (she/her): How you could. Lauren McBride (she/her): Hi! Good evening. My name is Lauren Mcbride. I have. I'm a parent of 2 students within this South Burlington School district. Lauren McBride (she/her): Good evening, members of the School Board. I'm here tonight. I wish I was there in person, but I'm here to express my continued disappointment in the Board's failure to show up, to engage with the community, and to even respond to direct communications as elected representatives. You have a civic duty to serve this community, not ignore it. Your silence now, 8 days after, a detailed email was sent outlining serious concerns only reinforces the perception that you are unwilling or unable to fulfill the responsibilities of this role. Lauren McBride (she/her): Your mishandling of the superintendent's contract renewal process, marked by a lack of transparency

060dismissive remarks and questionable financial decisions, has put this district on a path toward a doomed budget for which you all bear full responsibility. Lauren McBride (she/her): Board Member Tromblay's public statement that we that they are there. That he is sick of talking about contract negotiations is just unprofessional, and it's also unacceptable. SBSD Helpdesk: Well, then, I'm gonna stop. You just remind you, please, not to identify people personally. Lauren McBride (she/her): Okay. So so board members, a board members. Public statement. Last meeting, where they stated that they are sick of talking about contract negotiations is not just unprofessional. It's unacceptable. Dismissing community concerns does not make them go away. It only deepens public distrust. Lauren McBride (she/her): Ignoring the public. Is not leadership. Failing to follow Vermont's open meeting. Law is not governance. This board must

061do better. That starts with transparency, accountability and responsiveness. The chair must step out from behind closed doors. Board members must demonstrate engagement in meetings, and you all must start listening, really listening to district stakeholders and community members leadership requires curiosity and not avoidance. Lauren McBride (she/her): The public is watching, and it's time for action. Not only do we expect a response, we also deserve one. It is a fundamental responsibility of your role as public stewards. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you, Lauren, and can you unmute Jerry? Please. Gerry Silverstein: Can you hear me? SBSD Helpdesk: Yes, Jerry, we can hear you. Gerry Silverstein: So I'll start by just saying, I like to applaud the public turnout and the comments. It's good to see the public engaged. I'll also say I'm a strong proponent of honors,

062courses, and pushing students to as far as they can go. Gerry Silverstein: Having said that, I'm going to take an alternative perspective on some issues with regard to the budget. And I'll start by just comparing South Burlington to other communities in the area. I just finished doing my research on this. So in Burlington, they're reducing their budget by 2%, which turns out to be a 10 million dollars reduction Gerry Silverstein: in the Champlain Valley School district. They're reducing their budget by less than 1% compared to Fy. 25, Gerry Silverstein: and in the Essex Westford School district the Board, the School Board has asked the superintendent to come back and present to the board a level funded budget which means no increase in spending, which obviously means they're going to have to cut, and I won't

063go into the significant amount of cuts you're talking about between 40 and 55 fte cuts. Gerry Silverstein: I bring this up to remind you that economics are important, and you have 2 students on the board. So to those students, I'm just, I know I'm not supposed to use specific names. So I'll just say to all students in the district. Gerry Silverstein: what kind of world are adults leaving for you in terms of aggregate Federal deficit in the year 2,000. It was 5.7 trillion dollars. It's now 36.4 trillion dollars. 10 years from now. It's going to be 55 trillion dollars. That's what adults are leaving to society's children, the ones who we say we care about in the public school system Gerry Silverstein: in terms of living in South Burlington. It's getting more and more expensive.

064Will students who graduate from South Burlington High School ever be able to afford to live here? Gerry Silverstein: Vermont has the dubious distinction of having the lowest ratio of students to employees, 4.4 to one versus a national average of 7.4 5 to one, and Vermont has the second highest spending per pupil, and that being about $29,000 for the South Burlington School district in Fy. Gerry Silverstein: Fy. 29. What all this means is, economics are important. I believe in challenging students. I also believe in helping those students who need extra help. But at some point you have to say, what can we afford? Every family must do that unless you're independently wealthy through inheritance or some other means? You have to look at your budget, and if you don't look at your budget, if you don't

065make decisions based upon economics, you're going to run into trouble. Gerry Silverstein: That's why in Montpelier this year, they realize there's a problem. The problem is, the amount of the cost of public education has exceeded the ability of the general public to afford it. And now they have to come up with a way to reconfigure that budget spending system. And as I listen to the comments tonight, what I hear is, everybody wants more. But you all have to ask yourself. You have to balance what you desire with what you can afford, and I'll finish with that comment. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you, Jerry. SBSD Helpdesk: and I don't see any other hands. So SBSD Helpdesk: before I move on, does anybody else have a comment from the room? SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, thank you very much. And

066if you did prepare a statement and you'd like to send that to the board. So we have that on record as email that would be fantastic. So we appreciate that. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: All right. So I can read now. SBSD Helpdesk: all right, moving on. We are moving on to discussion items. 1st item on the agenda is Finance Committee. So I will take that one so really quickly. I think I received an email from Oliver. I do have a plan to try to meet with the Finance Committee SBSD Helpdesk: next week. Possibly after the after Wednesday, we're gonna be discussing a potential for another meeting. So but I do want to meet with them. They're they're very interested in engaging on this and seeing how they can help. So that is the goal I

067haven't been able to connect with with Chelsea on it. But I did reply to Oliver, and we'll hopefully get something going for us very soon. So SBSD Helpdesk: that's the update there the next item on the agenda. Any any comments before I move on? Sorry my apologies. SBSD Helpdesk: that's great. SBSD Helpdesk: Next item on the agenda is listed as fiscal year 26 budget communication. And we're going to combine that with the E, which is the February 19th community listening session. So I think, Karen, do you want to speak to this one? SBSD Helpdesk: Well, I had thought that. That it would be good to SBSD Helpdesk: have another public warned so that we all could be here information session, and actually go through the budget and try to clear up some of the confusion

068about what's in it, what's not in it, that is. SBSD Helpdesk: in a sort of more formally, a more formal environment than the SBSD Helpdesk: you know, hit or miss listening sessions, which are wonderful, and I'm not trying to poo them, but to actually have a place where we're all here, and Violet is here and perhaps go through SBSD Helpdesk: the the changes. I'm gonna call them changes because they're not just cuts that are in the budget SBSD Helpdesk: in perhaps a more systematic way and address some of the questions that we have had through email in public comment, and just actually address them formally in a in a session that's dedicated to that purpose before town meeting. SBSD Helpdesk: you know. And just so, you know, I have held many listening sessions, and not

069one person has attended. I've I've held them like since I've been on this board. SBSD Helpdesk: So it's baffled me, and I think your point is a good one, because clearly SBSD Helpdesk: I have made myself available, and people don't come. So I think that you're right that SBSD Helpdesk: we should be having more listening points, because this is a a business meeting where we need to get things done. So it's a public meeting. But it's not a meeting with the public, and I think some of the confusion is. SBSD Helpdesk: people want to come and ask their questions, which makes perfect sense to me. SBSD Helpdesk: and there's not the time to to answer them. SBSD Helpdesk: So I would say we should have more of those, and SBSD Helpdesk: I mean I'd be

070willing to come. Have meeting, you know, come to the School Board meeting every week, and the all weeks have this information session. SBSD Helpdesk: I think I think SBSD Helpdesk: more communication is definitely in order here. I feel like at this point in this process, that, having it be SBSD Helpdesk: a formally warrant so that we can all be present meeting, and that it's obviously SBSD Helpdesk: a public forum that is based on the SBSD Helpdesk: you know, we've gotten a lot of comments about, can we talk about the substance of the budget and and not just the percentages and so forth. And I feel like. It's really important that we do that before we get to town meeting. SBSD Helpdesk: So just just for clarification again, what I'm hearing is SBSD Helpdesk: we want

071to take one of our board meetings and the primary point of the agenda would be to cover a lot of the questions that have been. We fielded from the community and email and in public comment. And we want to address those more. SBSD Helpdesk: The the actual substance of the changes in the budget in a public warned SBSD Helpdesk: everybody present meeting. Yeah, I I know I I could not agree more with this. It's something that SBSD Helpdesk: anyway. Yeah, because really like, during this meeting, I know it's it's strange for people, but public comment. And then that's great. We write it down like I've been taking notes, and people follow up. And then. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, just making it clear that. Yes, like I, you know, I I've written these things down SBSD

072Helpdesk: and then but we're not going to respond because SBSD Helpdesk: just time doesn't allow there is business we have to do. And then the following week it's worn. I think that's what's wrong with listening sessions. Right? I don't think anyone takes them seriously. Well, I'm not faulting anybody. Well, and only 2 of us can be there. Yeah. And so I think something. I think you're right, like more formal. And where we then SBSD Helpdesk: when I say we, I mean, Tim, respond to actual questions. Yeah, sure. So again, it's we're basically taking one of our upcoming meetings, and we have, I think, one left, right? So, yeah. So we look at that. But that one would be dedicated as a form. I'm not sure, because I think somewhere on right. So we have to

073talk about the timing. I just want to clarify what we're SBSD Helpdesk: what we're looking at from an agenda perspective. So we're really, it's a board meeting. SBSD Helpdesk: because we would have every board member present. Right? We want to collect most a lot of the questions and address those. I wanna make sure that. We have a a good idea of what those questions are, and we don't you know, leave anything out inadvertently that somebody is really looking for? So SBSD Helpdesk: who would want to collate those questions? And are we gonna look at the the fact and the facts that are online and go through. And would you like, like myself and Chelsea, to potentially do that SBSD Helpdesk: agenda? What the questions would be. But I just want to make sure everybody's questions

074are. But you know what I you know in my vision it's sort of like, perhaps we have 3 sections to the meeting, and we kind of group like we're going to talk about. SBSD Helpdesk: You know these items in this section. Then take a break. Then we're going to talk about these items in this section. And then we're going to talk about these items. And I mean a lot of these things. We? I mean, we've all been reading the emails. We've SBSD Helpdesk: been sitting here listening to public comment. I think we understand. And I think we have our own questions, too, just personally, having sat down here. About the items that are on the budget. And I I just feel like it's really important SBSD Helpdesk: again that we that we set aside time,

075that we're gonna methodically go through it. And guess SBSD Helpdesk: one might say that that skip was that step was SBSD Helpdesk: hopped over and while we have warned the budget as it is, and we can't really make changes at this point, which I think is important to to say in terms of our warning. I think it's important that we make the effort to to SBSD Helpdesk: make sure that everybody has a sort of like the same list SBSD Helpdesk: and the same understanding at least what our understanding is in putting forth this budget. And we might be wrong, and you know, but at least everybody in the community community can see it at once. SBSD Helpdesk: instead of individually answering people's emails and and those sorts of things that yeah, anybody else comments. SBSD

076Helpdesk: Let me listen to it. SBSD Helpdesk: Violet, I do have a question for you, do we? Do we need to make a motion on this, or is this just an agenda change at this point. Violet Nichols: Oh! To add a meeting. SBSD Helpdesk: Well, I think we need to discuss when this would happen, because I know you're not available on the 19th right? So our only other time, I believe, to have this meeting would be next Wednesday on the 12.th If we're gonna have this before town meeting day. Violet Nichols: Yeah, I'm happy to. I appreciate having the opportunity to continue to engage with the community and to go through expenditures. I want to thank those who came out to donuts and discussion on Friday. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to just

077talk through some of the expenditures, and in public comment tonight, too. Just, you know, hearing some folks sharing comments that you know I'd love to be able to engage in discussion with Violet Nichols: the 12th would be something I'd be more than happy to attend. We wouldn't need any kind of motion on this. The Board has the ability to warn a special meeting at their whim. And so that's something that you all could, you know, date setting is logistics. So you could determine that at this point in time, in this agenda section. SBSD Helpdesk: Great, thank you, vile. So I and I guess my question is, are we SBSD Helpdesk: Would we be thinking of of not holding the meeting on the 19, th and instead holding it on the 12.th So we warn for

078a meeting on the 12.th SBSD Helpdesk: My understanding was that we've we weren't having them. I understood. That was we were talking about. And so I was suggesting. SBSD Helpdesk: Now I was, gonna suggest, how about we use that time to do this? But then I learned that Violet wouldn't be able to be there on the 19.th So it's gonna have to be a different day, which I think the 12.th That's your only option. Pretty much is. Violet Nichols: I like the idea of it being on a Wednesday, you know, board meetings are typically on Wednesdays. I'm happy to do that again. I would appreciate the opportunity. We've been doing the roadshow here, working with doing town meeting TV and giving the budget presentation at a number of places, and we'll continue that. But I

079find that the opportunity to have Violet Nichols: really that direct Q&A is incredibly important, especially for those in our school community who have specific questions. SBSD Helpdesk: So. And what we're looking for here is for us to sort of collate a lot of the central questions that we've received. We prepare some sort of information around that to make sure everybody's on the same page from the Board's perspective and your perspective. We're also looking for community engagement here to ask questions about those particular topics and to get some of their more specific questions answered, correct? What I'm hearing. Okay? Great. SBSD Helpdesk: any other comment on that. So I think when we get to the agenda plan. SBSD Helpdesk: sure, before we move on, because we talked a lot about community engagement here. I do want

080to just open the floor quickly to see if anybody has in the community any thoughts on what they might like to hear in that meeting. SBSD Helpdesk: or maybe we can invite people to send us. How about think that would be. Violet Nichols: Could I? Could I share a bit about the communication that we're engaging in right now. SBSD Helpdesk: Sure, and then after that you can SBSD Helpdesk: come on up first, st and, Violet, if we have a question in the room, I'll take that first, st then, if you want to speak, that'd be great. Violet Nichols: Yeah, sure. SBSD Helpdesk: Samantha Ayers. Just a clarifying question. You had mentioned a couple of different things. One was answering the questions during that time next week, and then the other. It sounded like it was

081more of a discussion. So I was just curious. SBSD Helpdesk: What? What was the decision? Was it gonna be SBSD Helpdesk: engaging in kind of a back and forth discussion? Or is it just answering some of the questions? I think the idea here Samantha, would be to for us to make sure we present some information first, st so that everybody is on the same page about what the perspectives are from the board and the administration, and then give you folks the opportunity to ask some additional questions or get clarification right? Because I think there's a lot of potential. I'm not going to call it misinformation. But you know, there's a lot of SBSD Helpdesk: different understandings about what's happening here. So I just want to make sure we're sort of on the same page at

082first, st and then we can get additional clarification and questions from you folks as well. Okay, great. Yeah. I mean, we want this to be your meeting, I think, is the idea here. Okay, yeah, I appreciate that. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm sorry, Violet. Do you want to go ahead? Violet. Violet Nichols: Thank you so much. Yeah. So I just wanted to. 1st of all, thank Tim Warren, who's come to a number of budget presentations with Ptos staffs, community organizations town meeting TV. It's been wonderful to have board support. This is, you know, the Board approved Budget. So I want to thank you for that, and to all of our board members who are working to share information with our community about our budget. Violet Nichols: The, you know, the tenor in the community, and

083the state is something that that can't be ignored. Many of our neighbors are introducing budgets with really significant cuts ranging from total decimation of arts. And we're seeing negative homestead tax rate increases across many Violet Nichols: parts of our region. And so, you know, it will very much take incredible community support to pass our near 8% homestead tax rate increase, which we know includes expenditures that our students really need. And so I want to just provide a quick update. We do have information on our budget web page. Violet Nichols: If you go to our sbschools.net and type in Fy 26 budget, you'll be able to find lots of materials that you can print and share. There are some folks who've reached out parents Pto members wanting to create flyers and have them printed. We did

084create a flyer, and that's also on our webpage. So if folks want to. Violet Nichols: you know, print that off, pass it out. If we can assist you in any way. Please reach out to Julia Mcguire, J. [email protected]. She is our communications coordinator, and she'd be happy to assist you with any kind of materials that you would like should you should you wish to share anything again, thanks to all those who've already reached out, and in addition to printables. Violet Nichols: are materials that can be posted on social media and online. So again, please reach out. Should you want to see anything else or have any questions. We know that it is our school community who passes budgets, and that 80% of our, the registered voters in South Burlington do not have a connection to

085our schools. So just putting that out there again. Violet Nichols: I also want to, you know. Thank the members of our Admin team, the full administrative team, with all directors, principals, and assistant principals are meeting once and some weeks, twice a week to discuss the budget. We know that because of the required mandatory. 30 day revote. You know, we've got to be prepared for anything that comes our way again. We, you know. Violet Nichols: firmly believe that everything in this 1st budget is needed to support our students and our staff. And also, you know, being planful is something that is important. So we're engaging in collaborative conversations there, in addition to continuing with the roadshow, please feel free to reach out. If you've got any questions on finances, you can email me or Tim Jarvis

086happy to connect Violet Nichols: and happy to meet or talk with parents and answer questions at any time, appreciate all those who came out for donuts in discussion, and I'm going to shamelessly use this opportunity to put in a plug for our next donuts in discussion, and that one is going to be on March 7th from one to 2 pm. At our central office would love to see you all there, and thanks so much to those who came Violet Nichols: last time. It was. It was really wonderful to have conversation and to to get into some of those budget expenditures. So thanks so much. And back to you, Tim. SBSD Helpdesk: I just wanna warn the community. If you come, you may have to bring your own donut, so you know. Violet Nichols: Oh, and

087coffee! I know. SBSD Helpdesk: You're right. Violet Nichols: Tightening the belt. Thanks so much. SBSD Helpdesk: And before I leave this topic I'm just looking, and I don't see any hands raised online. So I guess we'll go ahead and move on all right. So that brings us then to item C. Vermont School Board Association advocacy regarding Governor Scott's Education reform proposal. SBSD Helpdesk: Laura, do you want to introduce this topic, or would you like me to go ahead? You can introduce it, and then I'll chime in. Okay, all right. So, as everybody is aware, there is significant proposals being offered by the Scott administration around, not just changing the entire funding mechanism for schools, but also the governance model as well. SBSD Helpdesk: So at this point in time. The Vermont School Board Association, of

088course, is paying very close attention to this. They are also distributing some synopsis of the meetings and the committee meetings and hearings and testimony, and what they're looking for is feedback from boards specifically to understand some of our concerns. What we're following, what we would, what we need to know as well, because it's going to be very important that as this moves forward. SBSD Helpdesk: boards are attuned to, what the changes are and what the perspective impacts will be, so that we can also communicate out to the community because a lot of people may not be paying close attention, and this and through us, may be the one of the few opportunities they have to learn about this. So so that, said Laura, I know you are the Sba representative, so maybe you could clarify.

089No, that that was great, and I'm sorry everybody just left. SBSD Helpdesk: because we we have a 3 h meeting next Wednesday, 5 to 8. So I'll probably do that. Start it here, and kind of do open both of the meetings. SBSD Helpdesk: And if anybody does have SBSD Helpdesk: suggestions about. I mean this, this is this is a complete governance change to to education in Vermont and Sba really needs to hear from boards and board members, how they want, how they would need to know how they need how to. Lobby. The the legislators I like Tim and I both watched hours and hours of committee meeting video, read countless papers. That's what I've been spending my time doing. And really SBSD Helpdesk: there is no clear path forward as far as I can tell just

090yet. So this is all in the making. So if anybody has any questions you could send them to me, and I'll bring them to the executive director of the Sba. So SBSD Helpdesk: yeah, so I'll be doing that. I'm going to be doing Demos next week. I guess rig will be here, and then SBSD Helpdesk: I'll be doing my online meeting. So are you asking for questions right now? SBSD Helpdesk: I mean, yeah. Or if you want to say, if you wanted to send them to me. Well, yeah, I mean, one of my questions is why? Why, one of school districts is twice the size as the other 4. So that would be. That would be one of my main question. County Lamoyle, and what Addison I think it is. It would be so. It's

091about over 34,000 people. I think one of the reason students. One of the reasons like that happens is they couldn't figure out a way to divide it. SBSD Helpdesk: There is talk now of, I know, Armando Villaseca had suggested. He. He testified. He suggested, by County 14 counties. SBSD Helpdesk: That doesn't seem to to get anywhere. There is now talk, though, of 12 regional districts as opposed to 5. But again, I think I think it changes in the on the hour, and that that is a question everybody has, I mean, so there's would be 34,000 students in in one district in the Chitney County. SBSD Helpdesk: Washington. The other place, Hamilton, I can't remember, and then the other 4 would have between 10 to 12,000 right? And so you, your superintendent, should have 5. This

092would really be a very political position there. There would be no contacting the superintendent. It would be a very different SBSD Helpdesk: different like, why, you wouldn't just aim for. SBSD Helpdesk: Well, like an average of about 15,000 like cut up. And they're and they're really getting to the minutia. Now, too, about what's the the ideal, not like SBSD Helpdesk: number total for a high school is, and then a middle school and an elementary school. And SBSD Helpdesk: yeah, I it. There there are. There are definitely a lot of questions the School Boards would be. This is very similar to Florida. My dad lives in Sarasota for 30 years, and so, there being on school boards, big business. You get paid about $55,000 a year. You work 3 full days, so you there will be

093paid School Board members. SBSD Helpdesk: and then like by region. So this kind of interaction? I don't. I don't. I don't know what it does to that interaction, but I think that's the whole point. They are. They're they're centralizing control at the state level and not here. SBSD Helpdesk: So. Violet Nichols: The Vermont Superintendents Association has had a lot of very similar questions. I put a bit of information in this about this in my last Newsletter, and I'll do the same for tomorrow right now. The proposal and I have to say, shout out to Bridget Burkhart, too. She's on the Ways and Means Committee who's responsible for a lot of the funding formula changes. Violet Nichols: So she's a wonderful advocate for Sb. And you know, very knowledgeable on Ed funding in general, but I

094was just sending her some of our preliminary information based on. Violet Nichols: you know. There was a yesterday's house and committee meeting. There was discussion on the funding formula. And so, you know, we're looking at how this could impact our. You know our budgets at this point in time too early to tell, but I did want to just broadly say, you know, as some place setting the the discussion is around Governor Scott's plan to have 5 districts statewide. Violet Nichols: each of which would have wards. Violet Nichols: Just over 50% of the entire population of students in Vermont is in our ward, and it reaches nearly to the Canadian border, and then all the way through Addison County. So it's a really diverse area. I said to some folks the other day that you know,

095even for us to come up with a common calendar is a challenge Violet Nichols: because of the distinct differences in our region and the cultural and the diverse needs of community members and students. So I have a lot of concerns about that. I would encourage the Board to continue to keep in touch with our legislators around this as I will, and I also have passed along a number of questions. Everything. Violet Nichols: from Violet Nichols: what's going to happen to districts undergoing significant facilities, upgrades right now, those negotiating. What does this mean for town meeting day votes, budget timelines Violet Nichols: with the State Board structure that's outlined is their timeline feasible. Given that they'd be hiring superintendents and central office staffs in the fall, followed by, you know, those superintendents propping up central offices

096right away. So I think they're really looking into timelines at this point in time. Health insurance, I think, is a big piece of this. Teacher and staff pay is a big piece of this. Violet Nichols: If we look at the Champlain Valley region, or or, you know, in general. So this our large district. Violet Nichols: we see, you know, while South Burlington is is the highest paying employer in the State. Many of those who are in the same district that's been outlined have significantly different pay rates. So what would that look like? What would that you know the impact on the Ed fund be? Those are some of the big questions that Vsa is discussing at this point in time, and that Bridget and I have discussed preliminarily as well. Violet Nichols: so wanted to

097provide that info. So I guess many of the same questions that that you all are discussing at Vsba. SBSD Helpdesk: It's the same thing in the committee. They they're just hearing public expert testimony now SBSD Helpdesk: from people you know across the country about how how to do this, so nothing's been answered SBSD Helpdesk: to anybody else about it. SBSD Helpdesk: So I have a thought. So I have big feelings. But so, and I've listened to a lot of the testimony. SBSD Helpdesk: and I've read there some bills that have been proposed as well recently, and I've read through some of those one is about the redistricting that's come through and talking about a Max of 25 districts and stuff, I think if we so I SBSD Helpdesk: one comment that maybe you could share

098with the Vsba or whatnot. But I'm happy to as well my concern and I and I I love every all of the objectives in this right, you know, to, you know. Get the costs under control provide equitable educational opportunities. I think that that has been really well explained and SBSD Helpdesk: prepared on the slides that I've seen, and I don't disagree with any of that. I have some questions around the governance model. One of my main concerns is, I feel like SBSD Helpdesk: this, the new governance model around these smaller districts, and a lot of the other changes. For you know you have to understand where it's totally wiping the slate clean. This would be like reset. It's just like reset right to 0 and redo everything. SBSD Helpdesk: So there's tremendous statute implications. But

099my real primary concern here is, I see, a significant concentration of power in the agency of education, which to me is a political organization at this point, because it's directly appointed by the governor. And if you're going to consolidate power into 5 large districts with a few people who are paid, and how those people are appointed right. Are they elected? What's going on here? Because SBSD Helpdesk: one thing I see, if you're going to have 5 boards and you're going to have to get elected, and it's paid. You're going to shut out a lot of people who would normally want to be on a board. Nobody is, you know. Who are you then going to get to be on boards in that point? Right? So you potentially are going to politicize the entire process. And

100I know right now. It's very messy. It's expensive, it's messy. It feels like nothing gets done. SBSD Helpdesk: But I question the loss of the local voice and the local control. We can say what we want about. We hear a lot about lack of transparency, and I don't feel like I'm being heard. SBSD Helpdesk: But I think if you extrapolate that out, and you go to this huge district. Approach. You know. Be careful what you ask for. So in the name of efficiency. SBSD Helpdesk: you're going to lose potentially a lot more that I think Vermonters hold dear, and I hold dear. So to me, that is, and I've seen some of this. You know there was some stuff in one of the bills about. Certainly the the Secretary would have say over certain things,

101and there was testimony by the Board of Education today, and they voiced significant concern around that, too, as far as what would they be doing? And a lot would get shifted to the SBSD Helpdesk: agency and stuff. So yeah, eventually, that's kind of what I'm seeing here. And and because and I think the the Board of Education we can't remember her name. But she made a very good comment. If it if it moves that way, and we have a shift every 2 years in politics that significantly destabilizes the system. So SBSD Helpdesk: that that's my big concern with this. But hopefully, I've listened to testimony, and people are asking a lot better questions than I am. So I I SBSD Helpdesk: so yeah, no, no, so. And I guess my other question to the board

102is, How do? How would we like to communicate a lot of this to the community, right? How do we want to share? Or how do we feel like we want may want to engage the community on this. SBSD Helpdesk: because I feel like, you know, we should sort of be SBSD Helpdesk: kind of not in the lead. But we should. Well, we have. I have given. Vsba updates SBSD Helpdesk: and I don't know but SBSD Helpdesk: that's what we've done in the past. But but now we have this major Major may you know this potentially, life changing and life altering experience. So you know, I don't know. I I said, we we can make it an agenda item. And or or here's what I would say, Tim. SBSD Helpdesk: We can have a forum. SBSD

103Helpdesk: you know. That would be warned, I I think, to Karen's point. I if we don't warn it. Don't take it seriously, and and that I'm not criticizing. I totally get it. I mean, I I get it. I'd like, you know, so SBSD Helpdesk: I think something more formal. I I could not agree more. Yeah. And then, SBSD Helpdesk: you know. So maybe we could organ well, and you know, for doing what we are with one board meeting. Maybe there's with a new board coming on. Maybe we look at SBSD Helpdesk: potentially doing another board meeting around this particular topic. That's what I would say, like, I, SBSD Helpdesk: yeah, I mean, I don't think we can have too too much communication topic, 2 ideas that SBSD Helpdesk: yeah, that we have together. So yeah,

104always a big fan of like, lots of winter committees. But would it make sense to create SBSD Helpdesk: like a well, I'm already on the Vsba. Well, I mean, like a like an advisory committee like an advisor at the local level. So I mean, maybe they don't do anything yet. But like. SBSD Helpdesk: wouldn't it be nice to kind of be prepared. As this process rolls forward like we, we have a structure in place of how we're going to deal with this. SBSD Helpdesk: Well, yeah, something to think about the issues that we have no idea what we're dealing with SBSD Helpdesk: just yet. But yeah, yeah, like to think about, what would we want at the local level as a structure for us to be able to. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah. And they're going to

105be local advice. I kind of don't understand. But it's sort of you have these paid School Boards members, let's say, like SBSD Helpdesk: 7 School Board members for the 34,000 students, and then you'd have it is laughable, and then you'd have these in advisory groups which made up of students and parents. And I don't know what else. But this is such. It's a real skeleton outline. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, hopefully, that'll get picked apart by them. And that's what I'm hearing from the committees is they? They're looking for more detail. Yeah, this right? And I think that'll be for you. Yeah. Yeah. So yes. So sounds good. So all right, Tim, I've got that written down. Okay. SBSD Helpdesk: any other discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: Nobody. Anybody in the room on discussion items. SBSD Helpdesk: Oh, never

106mind. Sorry. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, Jarvis. Mom of twins in high school, not Wellington Resident. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm also, I hear what you're saying about sort of representation on school boards, and it just seems to me if they were going to stick with the current SBSD Helpdesk: delineation of 34,000 students in the Champlain Valley region, and you know, between 10 and 18,000 and the others, that our region would be severely disenfranchised and disadvantaged by having that many students with only the same number of same amount of representation on some kind of you know, centralized Champlain Valley School Board. So SBSD Helpdesk: you know, if if people, if the community is concerned now, feeling that they're, you know, worry like, am I being heard? Wait until we're you know we have 34,000 students interests being dealt with

107by 7 people. SBSD Helpdesk: And SBSD Helpdesk: you know it's it's just I. I just don't know how the needs of the students and the teachers in the community would be heard or represented in the current model. SBSD Helpdesk: So yeah, that's just my concern. SBSD Helpdesk: Great. Any other comment. And I don't see any hands raised online. SBSD Helpdesk: So we're going to agenda. We do have. I'm sorry we do have one. Can you unmute Jerry. Gerry Silverstein: I just wanted to update something, I said, which was incorrect earlier. With regard to Burlington's budget. Gerry Silverstein: They are decreasing the tax rate by 2%. And they're decreasing spending by 7% as opposed to South Burlington, which is increasing, spending by 5% and increasing its education tax rate by just under 8%, and that follows

108Fy. 25, where, after 2 failed budgets. Gerry Silverstein: the district came back to the community with a net reduction of 6.8 ftes, and of those 6.8 ftes 4 were unfilled positions. So in terms of actual personnel reduction after 2 failed budgets, the district had reduced personnel by 0 point 5 6%. If you compare South Burlington to the other regional districts. Gerry Silverstein: we are not in any way trying to economically balance costs against education and the other districts are, and it's for that reason that I hope the budget goes down because you can't ignore economics which the South Burlington school district has been doing year after year after year, and that's part of the reason we're in the situation we're in now. Gerry Silverstein: You just kicked the can down the road, and the road

109has come to an end. And now we must pay the piper for disregarding economic realities. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you, Jerry. Can I ask one question just for clarification when you say SBSD Helpdesk: increase in spending? And you mentioned the 5%. Are you talking, per pupil, or are you talking. Gerry Silverstein: No, I believe the increase in spending was 3.4 million dollars. So in 2,000 Fy. 25, it was 68 million dollars. And this year it's Fy 26. It's about 71. So it's about a 5 million dollars increase in spending, which turns out to be about a 5% increase in spending. But the tax rate which drives what we pay on city tax bills Gerry Silverstein: is up 8%. If you compare it to other regional districts. They won't come close to such a high education tax

110rate. And that's what drives city tax bills is your education tax rate and the assessed value of your home. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you, Jerry. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, moving on. I think the next item is just the contract negotiations. Update. SBSD Helpdesk: It's not on the agenda. I'm sorry during the agenda discussion. Sorry, just really quickly. So in the interest of keeping the community up to speed on contract negotiations, because I know there are a lot of questions that come our way around, that I am going to try to plan on providing an update as I can at each of the meetings. SBSD Helpdesk: I can't share clearly anything that's in proposals or anything like that. But I just want to let the community know where we are at in the process. So currently, we have

111initiated contract negotiations with both the teachers Union and with the Support Staff Union. So we've held our 1st meetings with each. And in those meetings it's an exchange of ground rules and just kind of coming together on the ground. SBSD Helpdesk: So those have been discussed that's looking pretty favorable. We have not signed off on the ground rules yet. That will potentially happen at the next meeting, and we do have those next meetings scheduled SBSD Helpdesk: at that point. Again, we would work to solidify the ground rules and then exchange actual proposals at that point. So that's sort of where we are at in the process. But I just want to keep everybody informed, and if anybody does have questions and they'd like to. SBSD Helpdesk: they, you know, they'd like more information on the

112negotiations. Clearly, again, I I can't go into specifics on any of the proposals at all, but I'm happy to provide an update on what the the process is, and where we are at. SBSD Helpdesk: and should ask there any questions from the board at all. SBSD Helpdesk: Discussion? SBSD Helpdesk: Any discussion from any comments from the room, any questions online down. SBSD Helpdesk: Great. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: All right. That brings us to the end of discussion items SBSD Helpdesk: that moves us to Item 7, we're way ahead on schedule. Do we need a break? I just want to ask that. Or do we want to? Just let's go right through. Okay. SBSD Helpdesk: all right. Number item, 7, agenda planning. So set the agenda for the March 5th meeting. SBSD Helpdesk: Go ahead SBSD

113Helpdesk: the February. So we're we're so. February 12. Yeah. The 1st item here actually is is set the agenda for the March 5th meeting. Okay. But I think we need to decide on what we're doing on the 12.th So is is it the boards SBSD Helpdesk: consensus that we are going to not have a meeting on the 19.th We're going to have our meeting up when it got a week on the 12, th and that it will essentially the agenda will be to review. SBSD Helpdesk: commonly asked questions about the budget and prepare feedback for that, and then entertain questions. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, that's my understanding. I have a conflict on the 12.th But I heard you. Okay, continue. SBSD Helpdesk: And I have my 3 h Psba meeting. But I'm going to be here doing

114it, and so be back and forth, and then I assume we would start at the regular scheduled time of 6 pm. Correct. SBSD Helpdesk: Violet, is there? Is that sound good? SBSD Helpdesk: Do you need? What do you need from okay, do you? What do you need from me on that? Do you need me to write that up and send that to you? Or is that something that Chelsea typically does. Violet Nichols: I am on top of it, I will make sure that we warn this and that we're good to go and I look forward to it. I'll have what I'm going to do is share the the slides that we've been going through with the expenditures, and I will provide rationale and information. And then really, though want this to not be presentation style,

115and have this be conversational and and have the chance to provide clarity. Because I think that's where Violet Nichols: that this real kind of engagement style that we're looking for can be productive. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, I I think and correct me if I'm I'm wrong, Karen. But what we're really probably looking for is is a. SBSD Helpdesk: There are some very specific items that keep coming up around the administrative role around. Other. You know, we've got these very common questions. And I'm not sure if you know, reiterating the the numbers, or is as important as like, here's the question. Here's the explanation for that. And and hopefully, like Violet at a level that we feel the community can interpret right? Because if we throw a lot of. SBSD Helpdesk: say, fuck rocket is a German

116word. Violet Nichols: Absolutely. Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: It's like. Violet Nichols: The domain. Speak right, you know. I think we want to try to avoid that, so that everybody can kind of be with us. Violet Nichols: I couldn't agree more. I think you know, in in public board meetings. Obviously, these are these are business meetings held by the Board, and you know we have that responsibility to share certain financials. I I will be prepared to speak to financials on a few of the expenditures right like the Assistant special Ed director. That's been really helpful when I've broken down that cost for folks. So but other than that, I think this is really just an opportunity for me to to to. SBSD Helpdesk: Connect with people and to dive deep into their comments. No gobbledygook, so you

117can look forward to not hearing that. Nothing. Fancy I'm happy to forego slides as well, and just take questions. SBSD Helpdesk: Think if we could just kind of avoid slides and just share the questions. And here's unless it's like. SBSD Helpdesk: here are the topics we're talking about. Violet Nichols: I mean, I'm happy to go through any changes on the on the slides. I can just have those teed up. But really I again, I want to focus on just just connecting with folks and answering questions. No gobbledygook. No spreadsheets, and of course, if folks want those we'll we'll provide those as well. But looking forward to the conversation, I will reach out to Delina and make sure that we've warned that for 6 Pm. On the 12.th SBSD Helpdesk: Great. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank

118you. All right. Any other discussion that. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay. Setting the agenda for the March 5th meeting. So this will be our 1st meeting with the new Board. While I assume that one of the items will be election of officers, you'll, I believe you start the meeting, and we do election of officers. Violet Nichols: That's right. So the 1st order of business we will have is board reorganization. So I will call the regular meeting to order. We'll continue with announcements and amendments to the agenda comments from the public. I will welcome our new School Board members, and then we'll have board reorganization. So election of a chairperson election of the clerk. We'll designate a School Board member to sign on behalf Violet Nichols: of contracts from the School Board. We'll look at Policy b, 1

119which is board Members code of conflict of interest. B. 2 board Members code of Conduct Board members, roles and responsibilities. I've also asked Joe Mcneil to come Joe Mcneil, District Council for several decades here counsel to the Board Violet Nichols: to come in to provide an in-person training to go into board members, roles, and responsibilities with some level of detail. We'll review the Board members job descriptions. All of this will be an open session. The one item that we'll discuss are the Vsba's training videos and looking Violet Nichols: at we'll have some discussion around that. Those typically are not watched in open session. Violet Nichols: And then we'll have our focus on on student learning. So it's just back further in the agenda. Because, item, those 1st few items are really on board reorganization discussion

120items. So we'll talk about election and budget results. That'll be an important area of conversation, and we'll be discussing the regional school calendar Violet Nichols: and then, Violet Nichols: you know, agenda planning consent agenda and possibly an executive session depending on for labor negotiations. Should that be required. SBSD Helpdesk: I think that we should definitely yeah, get a date. Get a get a plan, particularly with new board members coming on. SBSD Helpdesk: So can we add that, Violet, the we'll we'll discuss the in discussion. We'll talk about the Board retreat. SBSD Helpdesk: Considering, you know, the whatever the outcome of the budget is SBSD Helpdesk: while we have space to talk about next steps. If the budget does go down. SBSD Helpdesk: and what what that will look like, because I think that's I'm sure

121we'll probably have community engagement on that day and and I just wanna make sure that we've got that carved out. Violet Nichols: Yeah, I think the board should be prepared to provide guidance to me to move forward. Because, given that, we have a 30 day. Turnaround time. We only I won't be bringing a new budget to the community on the 5, th because we'll I will need feedback and direction. We will likely have to add a board meeting, though. I'm going to share timeline information. Violet Nichols: with the board looking at our calendar here for March. We've got that meeting on the 5.th So the day after town meeting day. So I will need significant feedback to bring forward a new budget that I will share. On the 12.th Violet Nichols: Again, we'll need feedback

122on that, and then we've got a meeting on the 19th as well. We do have the requirement for the 30 day revote, which would mean that the Violet Nichols: latest possible date that we could do that would be Thursday, April 3.rd and so I just want to make sure. You know, in community engagement is critically important on these budgets. So I want the board to be, you know, prepared for that. That quick turnaround time on the reboot date. Violet Nichols: and again. SBSD Helpdesk: We have. Violet Nichols: Principles and I are meeting now. I'm sorry. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt. When would we have to warn the budget by. Violet Nichols: Let me pull up that information for you, and I can share that. SBSD Helpdesk: And while we're talking, as

123she mentioned the the board providing guidance. SBSD Helpdesk: would it be helpful if if Chelsea or I prepared like a description of that, because we're gonna have new board members, and I feel like we may want to provide some background for them before they come on to the 1st meeting. I yeah, I I think so. And and honestly, we're going to be discussing. SBSD Helpdesk: you know. I hope the budget passes. So we all do you know, this is a lot of SBSD Helpdesk: anyway? SBSD Helpdesk: if if it doesn't, though I I really think that should be our sole focus like that has got like we have to go back, you know. Warn another meeting for listening. You know. I don't think SBSD Helpdesk: I I really think this is the Forum, because, having

124tried to do committees myself and tried to SBSD Helpdesk: do listening sessions like over the gate. SBSD Helpdesk: It just. I don't know something about this Wednesday night. SBSD Helpdesk: It's normal setting and everybody here. I think I'm sure I'm sorry. Go ahead. Violet Nichols: I just shot a timeline to the board, but I am going to pull up the dates here and just share with the community here. So March 18th would be when we would need to warn for a special budget meeting, which is tricky, because that only leaves the 5th and the 12.th Violet Nichols: So we we will probably need to discuss Violet Nichols: adding a special meeting for additional communication. I wouldn't be comfortable bringing forward a new budget on the 5th without engagement or direction from the board, especially since

125we'll have a new board, and then the 12th is the only regular meeting again. We've got a meeting on the 19, th but we'd have to warn for the special meeting by March 18, th Violet Nichols: and then, you know, we have to give Riff notifications. Violet Nichols: no later than March 15th to the Sbea. The teachers Union. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, any other thoughts on the March 5th meeting sounds good. We're good. SBSD Helpdesk: Alright, item B, future agenda items, parking lot else have any items they want to see on an upcoming agenda. SBSD Helpdesk: I'm just curious what our role is in terms of. This honors American question that's rolling around. I mean, I know that we're not, you know, we SBSD Helpdesk: and it don't intervene. And specific decisions like this. SBSD Helpdesk:

126But are we? Is it appropriate for us to advise SBSD Helpdesk: the superintendent. That's operations. So that's that's I mean, when people bring the comments to us like, what are we supposed to do with them? I guess that's what we write them down, and we bring them to the super, because that's really. And maybe Violet can speak to that next meeting, because that's operations right? That is not our purview, but we certainly can listen. SBSD Helpdesk: Sure, I did read the the FAQ. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah. SBSD Helpdesk: so I can. And Violet step in here. If I if I if you think I'm misspeaking, I I believe that it would. Clearly it's an operations decision. We're we're we're not going to SBSD Helpdesk: Say, bring them back or whatnot. You know, it's not our. That's

127not our role. What I feel the Board could do is we could ask for potentially for clarification. So the community is aware of why that decision was made. It certainly would, I think, would be within our purview to get an understanding of maybe the why for it. So there there is that that understanding? That's what I'm hoping like next week can be that SBSD Helpdesk: because I have. It's not a budget, and we should not mention it next week, because it doesn't have anything to do with somebody. It doesn't fall under the budget that we presented. I know that's sort of been floating around the school that it's part of the budget cuts SBSD Helpdesk: because somebody, a staff member told SBSD Helpdesk: somebody near and dear to my heart that it was a budget

128problem. SBSD Helpdesk: And so I think, you know that in and of itself like that doesn't have anything to do with the budget. I don't think it should come up next week if we're framing this as thing changes that have to do with the budget. SBSD Helpdesk: because I think that would be incredibly misleading. But I am curious about, you know, if SBSD Helpdesk: if people are, I don't know, not finding satisfaction by going to to SBSD Helpdesk: staff, and they feel like they have to come here to say something. Then what is our role SBSD Helpdesk: in in relation to those comments? I mean, I would say, that's that's a question for the for the principal, I mean, I think you'd have to know like, have you spoken to the principal? Have you spoken

129to the teachers. Have you spoken to the the head of school counseling? SBSD Helpdesk: So yeah, that- that, I think our role is to say, Have you know, like, you know. Please- please direct this, you know, to to SBSD Helpdesk: to the principal I like. SBSD Helpdesk: and this is where? Where Chelsea, honestly, who understands policy, governance better than I would probably have a better answer. Violet Nichols: Jump in here. Yeah. So I appreciate I appreciate hearing the feedback. You know, we're one of the largest school districts in the State. Empowering our principals and directors is is something that's critically important. And you know, listening to so so much of what we discuss and what's included in the budget and programmatic changes. From Violet Nichols: pre-k to this discussion are brought forward by teams of

130folks. So I think it's a you know there wouldn't be enough time in the day for the superintendent right to be in every single one of these meetings, and I have to deeply believe in empowering the experts within our district. I think that's the strength of a leader is someone who relies on their teams to Violet Nichols: bring forward information, and our principals are very much the experts of their schools. John Craig, acting principal, will be sharing some communication with the community in his regular newsletter on Monday, and the FAQ. Doc is awesome. I'd encourage folks to check it out again. If you've got questions that are unanswered. Violet Nichols: please do utilize that category to go ahead and have that added and asked. But, John Craig, did you know, really reiterate that they're willing

131to talk with people and meet with people in addition to just the FAQ. So I'd encourage folks to either. Call John Craig Megan Sweet Ryan Navin, who's the Cas of the social Studies department, Mary Ellen Schaeffer, who's also Violet Nichols: Cas of English and an Ap. They're happy to engage with folks to make sure that there's information that's answered, you know. Given the policy governance structure one of the important Violet Nichols: protections, I think, is for policies, and one of those is curriculum. So we've got our curriculum monitoring report given discussions nationally right now about curriculum and what will be changed or not changed. I think our policy governance model is a really important safeguard for our students and for our community. It says that boards, no matter who is on them or who is

132elected. Violet Nichols: do not have the authority to single handedly change curriculum. I would be very apprehensive to engage in a public board meeting conversation around curriculum. You'll notice that John Craig was in the room this evening, as well as others who are a part of developing this plan and bringing it forward, and I would not suggest we engage in a public conversation about Violet Nichols: curriculum. If we open it up for this, then we're opening it up to have a broad variety of discussions. Again, looking at the Federal discussions about curriculum, our board has chosen the model. It has to ensure that, you know it isn't single. It isn't boards who are making these decisions. But the educational experts. Violet Nichols: And I, you know I do very much trust in our high school

133teachers and the 2 departments of the Cas and the Administration, and Megan Sweet, who've brought this forward. So please do reach out to them. I think if there's further engagement needed, that would be something that I would ask the High school team to host at the High school specific Violet Nichols: rather than in a board meeting setting already had preliminary discussions with John Craig about that, and you know, similar to what we did when we were having school safety issues. Folks had concerns about some of the schools and principals hosted individual forums there, I think you know one Violet Nichols: subject the Board has grappled with pretty significantly this evening, and in past meetings is having to, you know, run the business meeting. And yet field a lot of comments about operational things, and I

134think the best venue for that is really for schools to host those individually. So each school community can get those questions answered. So that would be my advice on this, and that's the plan that I've discussed with administration Violet Nichols: so far. SBSD Helpdesk: Of course, reach out to me anytime. If you've got questions on that SBSD Helpdesk: from that. FAQ, there's a link to the Google form. SBSD Helpdesk: If you have any questions. So you should definitely do that. I mean, students can do it too. I think so SBSD Helpdesk: right. And I I think that I guess the reason I was asking that question is because I I think it's important to explicitly say that because we just had a whole bunch of people come to the board SBSD Helpdesk: saying these things

135about that are, you know, very well written comments, and so on, and so forth. And I think, you know. SBSD Helpdesk: speaking to this question of, are we responsive? I think it's really important for us to be clear that SBSD Helpdesk: you know. Yes, your comments are being heard by the superintendent. But the board, you know, is not going to formulate a response or make a comment, you know, like, like, I think that that's important to it to have the explicit SBSD Helpdesk: in communications with the public. SBSD Helpdesk: And I absolutely agree. And I think what we just heard Violet say is that she's heard the feedback, and she set up some communication, which is what we would expect as the board. Right? You're absolutely right. We're not going to go in and say

136we want to drop back, or anything like that. But I think this is, I do think it's appropriate for us to say, Gee, superintendent, this is clearly something that the public feels very strongly about. SBSD Helpdesk: What are your plans for gathering information? I think if it comes up next in the in the meeting on the 12.th I think it's a matter of here's here's what is happening now with this right? It's it's going into like potentially. SBSD Helpdesk: you know, the principal will have a session on it, or something like that. So the community knows these comments exactly. And we have heard that it's an important topic. SBSD Helpdesk: and we are happy to see that the superintendent and the principals are going to handle it SBSD Helpdesk: as an important topic. So SBSD

137Helpdesk: and and it it does sort of because I've SBSD Helpdesk: and I think maybe I'm going to stop. I'm going to paint myself right into a corner. My point is just I think it's really important to explicitly. SBSD Helpdesk: And Chelsea has, it has explicitly said that many, many times so, and perhaps it's never too much. SBSD Helpdesk: I just wanna warn people I tend to think out loud. And that's not a good thing. So I'm just pulling back. And I'm I'm I'm done. Okay, any other agenda planning comments. Violet Nichols: I have. SBSD Helpdesk: What. Violet Nichols: I have one more. This is not agenda item planning, but it is a current item. So, looking at our timeline, I am realizing that this will be our last board meeting with Chris Trombly, as

138he's not able to meet the 12, th of course, can't blame him. We just scheduled that, but I really want to thank Chris for stepping in when a Violet Nichols: time when the Board was really looking for people like Chris who have experience on boards. His financial experience. He jumped right into finance committee and negotiations Violet Nichols: and really values community engagement has deep connections with the city and has strengthened those relationships and advocate for our students across the board from in the schools to fair housing, and I just really want to appreciate you taking time from you know your life and your family and your kids, who we also support in our schools to support all of our children. So Violet Nichols: thank you so much. And you're not. You're not off the hook,

139too, because we're going to ping you for committee work and such. But I really want to thank you for all of your work and your time, Karen. I don't have to make this. I don't have to say this till next time for you, so, because I know you'll be there on the 12.th But, Chris, I just I really want to thank you, and it's been much appreciated. And again you step up at a time Violet Nichols: when you know, the Board really needed solid leadership, so just wanted to express gratitude to you publicly. Violet Nichols: Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Feel like I'm leaving with work to be done like just thinking about the work I have, and there's SBSD Helpdesk: respect for the School Board and the the work that that

140you're doing for on behalf of district. SBSD Helpdesk: It's not Douglas, it it. There is a lot of community support for folks, but it's SBSD Helpdesk: but a lot of folks I think we were just talking about like policy governance. And how does this all work? It does take some time to get ramped up. And SBSD Helpdesk: I don't know. I just have a large appreciation for what you typically do. And what that means putting in your time. I love hearing the student record reports. SBSD Helpdesk: and I love hearing the 1st feedback 2 issues. I'm going to continue to kind of rack afterwards is all resident voting. And also there's a SBSD Helpdesk: some feedback on some integration. SBSD Helpdesk: Yeah, policy that's become particularly important in Vermont. SBSD Helpdesk: Make sure our students

141are and staff parents are protected. SBSD Helpdesk: Thank you, that's great. Thank you. SBSD Helpdesk: Violet. Thank you for pointing that out. That was that would have been. That was a good call, Violet. SBSD Helpdesk: Alright consent, agenda. So on the consent agenda, we have approval of minutes for January 20. Second. Is there any discussion on the minutes. SBSD Helpdesk: I do have one so SBSD Helpdesk: Violet in the minutes, and and I don't have a page number here. I apologize. I can send it in an email. There is a statement that says, it's about halfway through, she said. The superintendent evaluation model period. SBSD Helpdesk: So I'm not sure if something got left off there, but it seemed to be like an abrupt ending. So I just want to make sure that that sentence

142either gets struck or is clarified. Violet Nichols: Thank you so much for catching that julia Mcguire, who takes our minutes, is on the call now. So that is registered. Julia, can you just confirm that you've heard that. Julia Maguire: Yep. Violet Nichols: All right. Thank you so much. SBSD Helpdesk: Okay, any discussion SBSD Helpdesk: right here? None. Actually, we won't approve those minutes. We'll pull that back because there has to be an edit. Okay? SBSD Helpdesk: And, by the way, Julie, I just want to say, I really appreciate your minutes here. They're very, very thorough and very, very well easy to read. So SBSD Helpdesk: next resignation, so resignation of Elizabeth Stockbridge. 1 point oh, Fte, 6th grade mathematics teacher at the middle school. SBSD Helpdesk: So Violet, at this point is, we ask for

143discussion and just. SBSD Helpdesk: it's just part of the consent. Agenda, great any discussion SBSD Helpdesk: and then approval of Ap. Orders. 1225, 1273, 1288, 1289, 13, 0, 1, 13, 0, 3, 1314, 1316, 1713, 1813, 1913, 20, and 1323. Any discussion. SBSD Helpdesk: Right? 30. Was there a discount on Ap. Orders? All right, hearing none. The Ap. Orders are approved. SBSD Helpdesk: All right. That brings us to adjournment. Anybody like to make a motion for adjourn, motion, to adjourn SBSD Helpdesk: second motion, to adjourn Chris. Motion to adjourn Laura. Seconds SBSD Helpdesk: all in favor. Aye, say aye, aye, aye, opposed SBSD Helpdesk: that the meeting of South Burlington SBSD Helpdesk: School Board for February 5, th 2,025. It is closed. Thank you. Violet Nichols: Thank you. Everyone. Good night. SBSD Helpdesk: Your last official.