001SBSD Owl Camera: But SBSD Owl Camera: call the regular meeting of the South Board to order on Wednesday, March 19, th 2,025 at 6 0. 1 PM. Agenda. Item, 2. Announcements and amendments to the agenda. Are there any announcements for amendments to the agenda? SBSD Owl Camera: I have one, I think we probably can do away with the executive sessions in the current, so we can mark that off. SBSD Owl Camera: You see it. SBSD Owl Camera: So I don't think we'll need that tonight. I wanted to make clear that under Item 5 d. In addition to board training retreat is just inclusive, included in that. Just to draw the Board's attention to that. SBSD Owl Camera: I'm going to ask for members tonight that when we're discussing things, you raise your hand, if you'd
002like to speak and I'll call on you and facilitate discussion that way just while we gel into a larger group. I think that will help with meeting efficiency. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, any other announcements or amendments. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, that brings us to agenda. Item, 3 comments from the public. SBSD Owl Camera: This is the community's opportunity to share feedback and concerns with the board. We ask that you keep your comments concise 2 to 3 min, and that you are using any information that would identify a specific person. Please raise your hand in the room or use the zoom raised pen feature. We will only use the online chat to manage any tech issues. We are not able to take action on any issues brought to us during public comment. However, any board member may
003suggest tonight that the issue or question be added to a future agenda for discussion. SBSD Owl Camera: We may also delegate addressing issues to our superintendent, Beth Nichols, and it is always helpful if you can email us a copy of your comments for a follow up. SBSD Owl Camera: So with that. Do we have any public comment in the room? SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you. Very welcome is this on already? Yes. Is the button illuminated in green? All right. Thank you. Yeah. I just wanted to 2 things. One, SBSD Owl Camera: let everybody know or remind everybody. The April 7.th There's going to be a public session for the master plan for parks and open space, and hopefully you can get the word out to the school community that this will not be the last
004public session. But it is an important 1st session, and there's a lot of work that's going into that master plan so hopefully, there'll be a lot of participation from SBSD Owl Camera: families within South Burlington, and secondly, I'm looking forward to serving with Violet on the new Police Chief Selection Committee. So thanks for stepping up for that, and I'll be representing the City Council on that selection group. SBSD Owl Camera: Thanks, Elizabeth. Can I come you to remind me of the time for the April 7th public session. Well, that's a good question. I think it's 5 30, but I can look it up. I'll verify thanks so much. Thanks. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: Any other public comments in the room. SBSD Owl Camera: I see what they have online. Could we
005unmute Sunderland, please. SBSD Owl Camera: hearing Erin Sutherland: Hi! Can you hear me? SBSD Owl Camera: Hi! We can hear me. Erin Sutherland: Okay. Great. I just I couldn't get there today. I'm heading right now out to the really awesome meeting that's going to be at the high school at 6 30, about drug and alcohol use with students. So I'm trying to get my kids dinner. But I did want to just say and push. Mark couldn't be there tonight, and we're all kind of spread thin in terms of this entire thing about honors, American. But as a Erin Sutherland: parent in the community and talking with people. It's just been extremely disappointing how that information about tomorrow tonight's meeting has gotten out to everybody. It's Erin Sutherland: to the point where people are really feeling
006a lot of Angst. And so we've emailed questions we've met with Mark and Lewis, like, we really have tried. And we're really trying to understand this, and just to see it was so embedded in John Craig's email, and it almost didn't even seem like anything. Erin Sutherland: it just comes as just like very untransparent. And I know, like, that's something you guys are all really trying to work towards. But Erin Sutherland: you know the fact that we are trying to implement something without a lot of research. The research that we've been shared with is from 2,016 that's basically not even available to like use as research for myself right now. So please put out something to remind people that we can go and have a conversation tomorrow night about honors American being changed for next
007year SBSD Owl Camera: As a follow up front was posted yesterday. There is a honors, American studies, information session being held at the High School in cafeteria, 2 at 7 PM. SBSD Owl Camera: So that will help. SBSD Owl Camera: I just want to make a quick note on that initially, it was scheduled, as I understand, for the auditorium, and it's been moved to caf 2. So I we corrected that in in the district's front porch Forum, too. So but for anyone listening. Caf 2 and we'll get some signs up at the high school as well. SBSD Owl Camera: Any other public comments. SBSD Owl Camera: I do just want to know for the zoom. It looks like some new board members are using links from other board members. So, and we also promote Jennifer
008Lawrence to the analyst. Please thank you SBSD Owl Camera: oops. SBSD Owl Camera: So moving on, we'll go to agenda. Item, 4 books on student learning. But 1st we have a student spotlight at the Orchard School Student Leadership council. So this is one of my very favorite ways that we showcase student learning. And this evening we have a wonderful team. Welcome, my friends, come on in SBSD Owl Camera: so great to see you welcome. So you all told me you wanted to stand, which is good because I don't think we have enough chairs in the house. It's always a good problem. So come on up, make yourselves comfortable. We're so happy to see you. So this is the Orchard Student Leadership Council, and this is the subgroup, which is the Humane Society team. And they
009did a really fun thing recently some of you might have SBSD Owl Camera: seen is that they got to hide Principal Kane in the face, all cool whip and a little bit got up her nose. But she lived to tell a lot a lot. She's lived to tell the tale. So I'm going to welcome Principal Kane to the floor and just talk loudly, my friend, yeah, sure. Absolutely teach your voice. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, thank you. Everybody. So this is a subgroup of our Student Leadership Council. This is the Humane Society group, and they're going to explain to you how they SBSD Owl Camera: thought of this idea as a fundraiser, how they organized it, advocated and worked really hard in school during their lunch and recess times. They're working lunches during their council times
010to make this happen. They also want a quick shout out to right here our social, emotional learning, Coach Abby Hill and our certified counselor, Nina Viewlich. They are facilitators of Student Leadership Council. SBSD Owl Camera: and they really let the students do the work. It's the most wonderful one of the most wonderful things in our school, and they do amazing work to help our students continue it. So they're going to hand. I'm going to hand it off to them. I've got the clicker. So if it's your turn, I will click to you. But you want to come close and speak. Okay. So who's ever 1st SBSD Owl Camera: about Slc. SBSD Owl Camera: Slc. Student Leadership Council is a group we all have at Orchard for 5th grade students. And this is all about helping
011and giving back to our community. This year at Slc we have many groups who are working hard and have been making great progress and achievements with their projects. Some examples are bake sales, Raffles, fundraisers, etc. SBSD Owl Camera: Why we chose the Humane Society. We chose the Humane Society because we care about the animals. Animals deserve the care they need, and if we donate, then maybe they will get more care and they will than they have. Now. We think that if we were to donate some money, then all the animals will get the care they need. SBSD Owl Camera: We all love animals so much. We chose the Humane Society because we love animals, dog, cat, bunny, etcetera. We love every single one. We hope this money helps the animals to a fun toy or
012sweet treat, and maybe this inspires you to raise some money for a good cause. SBSD Owl Camera: You can also adopt any of these animals. From the Humane Society of Kittening County. SBSD Owl Camera: our Pine face contest. SBSD Owl Camera: We were interested in a fun activity that our whole school could be a part of, and that could raise money for the Humane Society. SBSD Owl Camera: We decided to do a pie in the face contest, because it's a fun way to raise money, and everyone can watch and have a good laugh. SBSD Owl Camera: We asked 5 teachers to volunteer. They all very different reactions and asked us SBSD Owl Camera: to show them this was a serious, quite serious. SBSD Owl Camera: different like they show different conjunctions. SBSD Owl Camera: People
013voted for the teacher. They wanted to see. Get time to face this year by putting money in that teacher's jar SBSD Owl Camera: the winners. We raised $270. We had 2 staff members tied. For 1st place. SBSD Owl Camera: the Humane Society is coming tomorrow. The Humane Society is coming to our school. They will be bringing a tiny animal, such as a guinea pig. They are coming so they can pick up the money that we raise. They will bring the animal, but unfortunately we cannot touch the animal, all the Mlc groups will be able to enjoy the fun time with the animal. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you. Thank you for inviting us to talk about what we did for the Humane Society about Slc. We appreciate, we appreciate your time and we appreciate that. You
014listen. Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: Can we go one time so you can say your name's Isaac. Hi. My name's Emery. My name's Nola. My name's Bina. My name's Claire. My name's Kaylin. My name is Granite. My name is Layla. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you all so much for being here. Thank you, Principal Kane, and thank you, Nita and Abby, and all of the parents we so appreciate. You all being here. I know it's not a small feat to get these ones out at this hour on a school night. What time is the guinea pig coming tomorrow? Because I think I might have to cancel a meeting. SBSD Owl Camera: 3, 5. SBSD Owl Camera: I'm gonna see what I can do here, alrighty, you are so inspiring. Thank you so much. SBSD Owl Camera:
015No, it's okay. No one can touch anything. There's no yeah. Yeah. SBSD Owl Camera: All right. Up. Next, we have our student representative. Thank you. This past week Gretchen Wortley, a junior at South Burlington High School, was named the runner up in the poetry out loud for Vermont. We want to congratulate Gretchen. This was definitely a tough feat, and there's lots of competition. So we're really proud of her. SBSD Owl Camera: and also congratulations to the sophomores for winning the Sbhs talent night. Last weekend all grades put an admirable amount of effort into their skits, and they pull off 2 amazing performances both on Friday and Saturday. Thank you. To all the community members that came out to support both the students and Sbhs. Key Club. SBSD Owl Camera: There is an Sbhs band concert
016this Sunday, March 23, rd and a 7th and 8th grade band concert on Monday, March 24.th Both will be held in the High School auditorium, and the community is welcome to attend. SBSD Owl Camera: and last Thursday, Sbhs boys, hockey team competed in the division one finals for the second consecutive year. Sbh pride was highlighted. So many students showed up to support the team. The Sbhs dance team also traveled for their big New England competition as well. We're so proud of all the winter sports teams for their hard work this season. SBSD Owl Camera: and finally the care closet at South Burlington High School is now open. This space is located in the library and extra room can be accessed by asking a teacher or guidance counselor to unlock the door. The care closet has
017winter apparel, clothing, shoes, snacks, and hygiene products and is open to all students. SBSD Owl Camera: I have one more student celebration because it's about a Sbhs sophomore. I just have to. And I think Seamus will get a kick out of this, and I know 2 of our audience members will as well. So freshman, not sophomore. So mia cone fell is a finalist in the Bernie Sanders essay contest, and so she'll be representing at the 29.th I don't know Richard will be there, but her topic is on the rising costs of health care SBSD Owl Camera: couldn't help. But I had to mention that. So yeah, lots of pride for all of our K to 12 students. Thanks for letting me at that. SBSD Owl Camera: And if I can give a shout out we
018did have 5 students go down to the New England Chorus festival and participate. And I happened to go to that concert, and it was. It was absolutely phenomenal. There were over 200 1,215 kids from across New England. There they did Mozart. They did all kinds of stuff it was. It was pretty phenomenal, so SBSD Owl Camera: just, and my one of my daughters was in it. I'm just for sharing that. That's amazing. So where? Where do you get the supplies for the care closet? Yeah. So the Key club earlier this year, did a winter clothing drive, and we donated a lot of it, but kept some coats that were in really good condition to store in there, and we also have sweatshirts from that. And then Key Club also gets SBSD Owl Camera: a ton
019of funding from Talent night we get all the ticket sale money, and so we were able to SBSD Owl Camera: use our Amazon account to buy snacks, and we got some sneakers and boots and things like that. We can donate items, too. Yeah, okay. SBSD Owl Camera: yeah, that's good. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, that brings us to agenda. Item, 5 discussion items. And at 1st we have a legislative Update regarding the future of public education and State Representative Bridget Burkhart. SBSD Owl Camera: Oh, go ahead! Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: Thanks for having me sounds so formal. Future public education. Yes, but it is what we are spending a lot of time working on this session. I didn't know how you guys wanted to frame it. I can sort of run through what we're working
020on with regard to education, education funding, or if you had specific things you wanted to know about, I'm happy to go into that as well, 1st of all, thank you for being here, especially on Crossover day. I feel lucky to have you in the seat right now. SBSD Owl Camera: And because I know you've had a busy and long day, and you must be. It's a busy week, but it is. It is going smoothly so far. Well, well, not exactly. But I'm not going to go into. It's going, I think, at this point we've shared information. And I've given updates on broadly laying the you know the framework for the conversation. The Governor's plan it's about, you know. We're looking at SBSD Owl Camera: you know, 5 districts and thinking about State boards, and you
021know, with the costs of increasing and quality and decreasing costs. So I think those pieces have been established. The nitty, gritty pieces, or anything that's, you know, a new update, I think, would just be wonderful, you know, as we hear more about the financials, those kind of just on the floor updates, or anything we have SBSD Owl Camera: Bridget's on the Ways and Means Committee, which is an exceptional feather in her cap, which is so well deserved as a freshman legislator, and that's the committee, who is really, you know, driving the ship as far as Ed, funding formulas. And so we'd love to just SBSD Owl Camera: bend your ear on anything you can share. That's kind of hot off the press, if if you can. Sure. So SBSD Owl Camera: just to be clear.
022So the governor's proposal is out there. It's it sort of was drip fed to us over the 1st few weeks of the session it took, you know, each week we would get some new bucket of information about some piece of it. There is now a very large bill. I think it's 176 pages, or something like that that outlines his whole proposal. I think we've known for since the outset that there are some issues with that proposal. I think even the Administration sort of says, well, this is kind of a SBSD Owl Camera: 1st offer, if you will. In the discussion we're delighted that the Administration came with something, because we've been asking, what? Not we? But the Legislature has been asking for something for years from the Administration to say, you have a staff who
023works all year round and an agency, and we're just part time. Legislators like it'd be great if we could really have some real collaboration. So at least there is that SBSD Owl Camera: That being said, a lot of the things don't work. So 5 districts, I think, is broadly sort of widely known not to work, especially the way that they were laid out. And so that's just an example. So what the legislature has been working on is a very large bill that will probably be coming out in the next couple of weeks. We have a little dispensation, if you will, from crossover. SBSD Owl Camera: Crossover is when we all have to vote all the bills that are going to go over to the Senate, and the Senate has to do the same crossover for
024policy was actually last Friday. Crossover for money bills is this Friday? Which is why my week is kind of piled up a little bit. SBSD Owl Camera: We have a little bit of a dispensation on education, because it is such a multi-pronged issue that they understood that we couldn't move that as quickly. So the Policy Committee, the Education Committee and ways and means are working very closely together as well as with some other committees. So, for example, commerce and economic development, I think somewhat oddly, has jurisdiction over career, technical education. There are other groups. SBSD Owl Camera: Government operations has been working on potentially maps for potential districts, those kinds of things. So we're all kind of working together. SBSD Owl Camera: The policy side of this big, this big bill will likely. And all
025this is will likely, because we're working on these bills. It's until we sort of see the whole thing together, and we really discuss the whole thing together. It's hard to say what will stay in and what will get broken out into separate bills, or what might get sort of demoted to maybe next year. But for now the policy side of SBSD Owl Camera: this big bill will likely address scale both in terms of class size minimums, school sizes and district sizes, or at least start to think about district sizes. I'll get to that in a minute. The whole issue is really at some point we know as a state with declining enrollment. We need kids in fewer buildings and and with probably less administrative overhead as a State not saying anything about specific districts, but
026just as a State SBSD Owl Camera: statewide cohesion will be another sort of bucket of work in that big bill so trying to sync up the calendar across the State. Since we all have different school calendars trying to have real graduation requirements across the State that don't have to match perfectly, but need to be a little bit more in lockstep with one another, so that kids are all getting an equitable education across the State, seeking up things like student information systems. SBSD Owl Camera: I know we've been through several different information systems in the last decade. There are some school districts that really don't have any at all. So trying to get everyone on on systems that can work together. This is all kind of building up to that idea that we probably do need
027fewer school districts than we have now. SBSD Owl Camera: We're sort of laying the groundwork for getting to a point where it would be easier to combine them. SBSD Owl Camera: Leadership and accountability is another big bucket of work that the Policy Committee is working on. The Governor's proposal takes pretty much all rulemaking authority away from the State Board, and puts it all at the agency of education, which is a challenge for some of us who would like to perhaps see the State board be strengthened and have a different set of appointees that, you know have a little bit more representation of the State and different groups. SBSD Owl Camera: So leadership and accountability is one bucket of of bill or bills that will likely be part of this bigger bill. SBSD Owl Camera: Some
028of the items that were left out, or sort of under, focused in the Governor's proposal, were career, technical education, special education, nutrition, services, and transportation. So those are all things that will hopefully be addressed somewhat. So, for example, nutrition services for right now we're fighting really hard to keep universal school meals, and that has been a little bit. It's become more challenging with the chaos at the Federal level. SBSD Owl Camera: But I think there's broad support on both sides of the aisle for universal school meals, because it would create a little bit of administrative chaos to try to put back in a means tested program on nutrition. So it will be interesting to see where that goes. But right now it's got very broad support SBSD Owl Camera: on the funding side, which is
029where I live all day. There are really sort of 4 main buckets of work in that side as well. One is that the State has a very uneven property assessment system, which means that our grand list isn't very tidy, and it means that some people are being taxed fairly. Some people are being taxed too little. Some people are probably being taxed too much. And so there is a bill that SBSD Owl Camera: sort of make statewide reappraisal. Sort of the way we are going to move forward, I think. Getting a little pushback from Listers. SBSD Owl Camera: who right now are sort of folks in especially a lot more and rural communities or smaller communities than ours, who do a lot of both. The grand list maintenance, as well as the reappraisals when it's time
030to redo them. But I think we're we're finding how to work with the Listers and assessors because they have a lot of experience, so that Bill will likely be like, I said, this is sort of like building the foundation for how we will tax fairly, and how we will make sure that we're taxing appropriately to support education. SBSD Owl Camera: We are also going to talk about, not talk about. We have a bill that will probably move ahead in the next day or 2 about breaking out the Non Homestead property tax base into buckets. And the reason to do that is that everyone there's been a big push to tax things like second homes. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, more stringently than we do small businesses, for example, everyone also has to remember that the
031non homestead side of the grand list are apartment buildings. So a lot of lower, middle, low, and moderate income, Vermonters tend to live more in apartment buildings, and if we just increase non homestead rates without sort of breaking them apart, we end up raising their rents and so trying to break out non homestead so that we can tax fairly across homestead and non homestead. SBSD Owl Camera: The property Tax credit program probably has some changes coming. So we've been talking a lot, and this one's a little hazier about where we'll land, because there's a lot of modeling work going on at the joint fiscal office about. The Governor has proposed moving away from property tax credits to a system where you would be able to exempt a portion of your property value based on your
032income. SBSD Owl Camera: The challenge and the good thing about that is that simpler. It would definitely be a simplified administrative system. It also would reduce the lag. So right now, you sort of get a property tax credit based on whatever's happening this year. You don't get to apply that credit until next year. So there's this gap, and the exemption would eliminate that gap. The challenges. The original proposal from the Governor had a lot of red in terms of who is paying more SBSD Owl Camera: in the lower and moderate income buckets, and we really didn't like that when we 1st saw it. So there's a lot of modeling going on to see if there is something that can be done to SBSD Owl Camera: move to an exemption system, but make it fair and
033progressive, because we're really sort of proud of how progressive property taxes actually are in Vermont as much as people complain about them. And then the big one is the foundation formula. So I do think that everyone is kind of landing on the fact that there will be a foundation formula. The challenge with the Governor's foundation formula is, it was based on one of the 3 types of ways that people normally make SBSD Owl Camera: foundation formulas. One is an evidence-based model, where they take sort of best practice in education and say, this is what an ideal school would look like, and what an ideal district would look like in terms of size in terms of staffing, in terms of programming, and then they cost that out. And they say, this is what your foundation payment
034should be for a school, you know, per pupil in a system like that. And then here's some weights for SBSD Owl Camera: for students who are English language learners who are living in poverty or are lower income. And the governor's proposal also proposes to put more weight on small schools and schools that are in sparsely populated areas, so where there might not be another school. SBSD Owl Camera: So his is based entirely on an evidence based model best practices to take an evidence-based model and or a cost factor, analysis model and combine it with professional judgment panels, which is more than just sort of a listening and learning tour like, it's actual, real, deep discussion with education, professionals and administrators to say, Okay, here's what the ideal looks like. What does our current system look
035like? And how do we need to adjust it? That adjustment piece wasn't really done in the modeling that the Governor gave to us. SBSD Owl Camera: So right now, I think in the background there is some cost factor analysis, which is the 3rd way of doing it. Which sort of says, What does our system look like right now? If we were to just take what we have now turn that into a foundation formula, and then set out some goals and some milestones and some parameters, to improve the sustainability of our system, or to make sure that all kids are getting opportunities that our kids in South Burlington have, or the kids at CPU have? How do we move from where we are to a different SBSD Owl Camera: sort of level. In a few years.
036But let's start with where we are now. So I think that that's SBSD Owl Camera: broadly where we're going to go is for this cost factor, analysis, and some addition of professional judgment panels. SBSD Owl Camera: This is all to say. The Governor sort of wants to snap us all into a foundation formula right away. You know, within another fiscal year, which I think there's SBSD Owl Camera: there's pretty broad feeling that that would break our current system. And we're not starting from scratch. We're not starting from a blank page where you can just build an evidence-based model from scratch. We have a system in place that is serving kids. It's not perfect, but we definitely don't want to move too fast and break things. So the governor's whole plan, he thinks, would take 3
037to 5 years to implement. We're thinking more, 5 to 7 years. And so SBSD Owl Camera: it may be that we don't get to a foundation formula by the end of this session that we say, here's the roadmap for how we're going to get there. I forgot to mention on the governance piece that we were talking about, you know, with maps and districts and all of that. I think there's likely to have the dreaded summer study committee, but it really is going to take more work than we can do in 2 weeks, as a group of people who SBSD Owl Camera: don't really have any background in setting maps or setting district lines and that kind of stuff. We've been all kinds of discussions about different ways to do it, but because we don't have
038a lot of regionalization in our government in Vermont to start with, there's not really a great starting place. So everyone's just kind of throwing ideas in the bucket and arguing for their various ideas. So I think that's probably we're probably going to convene a group of folks that are all stakeholders, probably some superintendents, you know. SBSD Owl Camera: some other folks that are really involved in the system, and then people with backgrounds in, you know, mapping and and all of that to give us a set of masks. So SBSD Owl Camera: the current estimates probably we would end up with between 10 and 20 districts. SBSD Owl Camera: That's much more likely than 5 and so I can't really tell you exactly how this will look. As I said, as I said, there's a lot
039more work to do on that so of course. SBSD Owl Camera: we're all trying to keep in mind that the goal is a sustainable education system that gets all kids in Vermont what they need, because there are pockets of Vermont. SBSD Owl Camera: big portion of the month where kids aren't getting what they need. There are portions, even within our own district where kids aren't getting what they need, because we simply can't hire the people, or we don't have the resources to provide it. And so building a system that gets all kids what they need at a cost that the taxpayers can afford. And I do want to set some expectations about that, because I think there's a bit of a misconception based on a lot of the press releases that came out over the
040early part of the session that SBSD Owl Camera: going to save 183 million dollars by going to a foundation formula. SBSD Owl Camera: None of this work points in that direction. What a foundation for me would do is it? Would it would provide more predictability. It would stabilize the system so that property taxes aren't jumping up 14% in one year and 5% in the next year that they they will likely continue to grow, but at a much, much slower rate. That would be a little bit more in control of the districts. SBSD Owl Camera: and the overall administration of the system. So sorry that that took up so much time. I didn't mean to take up so much of the agenda, but that's sort of the omnibus education. The other piece that's not related to
041this. What's related to it. But it is just sort of. We have a couple of years where we're going to have to continue to use the system we have until there's a foundation formula or some other future formula in place. So we are getting ready in the next couple of days to set the yield. SBSD Owl Camera: which, as you guys know from discussions, is how we set property taxes. And so the Governor has a proposal to use 77 million dollars of one time, funding from the general fund to transfer that to the Ed Fund to buy down property tax rates. So he set that number originally, because that was the estimate of what it would take to get the average statewide tax rate to grow SBSD Owl Camera: not at all at 0. Right
042now the estimate is 77 million applied would make the non homestead, or both tax rates grow by 1% which for us in South Burlington would mean we would still be growing more than that, but much less than the 8% that we assumed. We voted SBSD Owl Camera: the problem with one time money, as most of you know, is that when you use it you're starting in that 77 million dollars hole next year, and we don't know, especially given the chaos of what's happening at the national level, and because so much of what's in the Ed Fund now is based on sales and use tax. We don't know what's going to happen with the economy. We don't know if there's even going to be as much funding next year, as we have this year, and it
043could be significantly less. And so there's a big debate right now. SBSD Owl Camera: In my committee, and amongst even the broader legislature about? Do we apply that full 77 million? Do we not use any of it because a lot of budgets passed? You know ours was amongst a very big group of budgets that passed those budgets passed, based on tax rate calculations that were based on roughly the December 1st letter that came out months ago. SBSD Owl Camera: Do we break that into? Do we put some in reserve fund for next year in case we need that money to buy down rates and lower property taxes a little bit this year. And then the other thing is, if we put any of it, the 77 million or half of that 77 million in reserve
044fund. Can we keep a wall around it because there are so many different needs right now? SBSD Owl Camera: I think, appropriations. The last tally was the Appropriations Committee is kind of our sister committee. They're the ones who spend the money. The Ways and Means Committee is supposed to set tax rates to raise money appropriations. Kind of decides how budgets are going to be spent, and they had 300 million dollars of additional requests SBSD Owl Camera: from various organizations and agencies and things above and beyond what was in the Governor's recommended budget that he presented to us in January. So they're working around the clock to try to prioritize and figure all that out. It's really hard when there's 77 million dollars of money sitting there. If we don't use it in education, it's really
045hard to say no one else SBSD Owl Camera: can use it. So that was a very rambly download. But anybody have any questions. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you, Bridget, and I know you're you're on the House side. Correct? I am on the House Committee. Yeah. Senate. Finance is kind of our sister. So I just wonder if you could. So we have an emergency Vsba meeting on the new Senate bill. Yes, so I just wonder if you I don't know if you could, but they're now. This bill is moving. It sounds like it's moving pretty quickly, and SBSD Owl Camera: I don't know if the time and care is being taken. I'm very concerned about Chitman County. What's going to happen. But if they are now proposing 9 large governments, 6 supervisory districts, and 3 supervisory
046unions SBSD Owl Camera: to existing small interstate districts. Does that sound about you heard of this, or I have heard of this? So, my senator, one of the senators from Chittenham County at a previous meeting that I was at CDU last week termed it map Wars. They're kind of map wars going on in the Senate, and everybody has a plan, and they're running around, really focusing for some reason on maps when there's so many other things that kind of need to be focused on. SBSD Owl Camera: I didn't get to the fact that really what we all should be focusing on and and other committees are focusing on are things like healthcare costs that are actually the real cost drivers in the education system. SBSD Owl Camera: so yes, I understand. There is a Senate
047bill. I have not seen the Senate Bill yet, because we're still in crossover. So I think we passed SBSD Owl Camera: 8 or 9 bills out of my committee today, which just means, like, yeah, just hyper speed. So I don't know what's in the Senate bill. I. They definitely move in a different way than we move in the house, so it seems to be moving faster. And so maybe so you're right. So I think the number of districts is going to be constantly changing. I don't think, yeah, okay, yeah, definitely not settled, and there will have to be so much work done about the logistics of that. Someone has SBSD Owl Camera: multiple times in meetings that there aren't enough lawyers in Vermont to handle the transition that will have to take place. SBSD Owl
048Camera: The other thing that I forgot to mention that we don't have enough of in Vermont is capacity of the agency of education. So there have been a lot of great ideas asked by the Legislature over the last few years, and the agency has just been so understaffed and under resourced that they can't actually even implement those, let alone something of this scale. So the governor has 4 million dollars in his proposed budget for the agency of education they are proposing to use most of that on consultants and communication folks. And we're like. SBSD Owl Camera: maybe not like. That's that's not what the legislature would choose to use that for. I can't speak for the full legislature. That's not what ways and means, and and the Ed committees would use that for so SBSD
049Owl Camera: lots more discussions to be had very rapidly. But I think, at least for the Legislature. The point is to try to slow this down to a pace where it can actually be managed thoughtfully. Bridget, it's really interesting that you mentioned capacity at the Aoe I I you know, though many of us view it at an all time low and SBSD Owl Camera: as the Champlain Valley superintendents, who represent about half of our State's population and one district in the original modeling. SBSD Owl Camera: As we came together on Friday, we each regional group of superintendents through the Vermont Superintendents Association are essentially giving this professional judgment and offering it up. You know my hope is that it will be this. You know this trio of the evidence-based SBSD Owl Camera: and as well
050as you know the cost factors. With this professional judgment. And I, our group SBSD Owl Camera: focused on you know, some pretty finite factors. So we gave feedback to Vsa. And of course our feedback in Chittenham County is gonna look really different than a lot of Vermont, because we have SBSD Owl Camera: more resources as compared to many of the rural areas in Vermont. At any rate, one of the 1st things that our team talked about was capacity at the agency of education. SBSD Owl Camera: And how, if schools or districts or students, teachers are going to be successful through this process, that we need an agency of education who has the capacity to support us through this change. So that was a top concern that I hadn't really heard in the discussion that I've
051been a part of so far at any level, and we also talked about SBSD Owl Camera: class sizes and our our team overwhelmingly thought they should be increased. You know there's a lot of evidence to suggest that that's better for learning teaching. We talked about larger school sizes. We talked about larger district sizes, and when we started having these conversations in. SBSD Owl Camera: I don't know. 6 months ago the team had different thinking overall. But it's really shifted, as as we've you know, continued the conversation, so I thought it was really interesting. But aoe capacity, such an important piece. You know, the Aoe is really going to need to roll this out and to provide technical assistance, and so I would advocate for rather than one time consultants to use that money for SBSD
052Owl Camera: hire, you know, recruiting, hiring, retaining staff, and to develop that staff to do. You know, train the trainer and build the capacity in house. I realize that's not your responsibility, but that's critical importance on our side for implementation. Yeah. And the Vsa has been absolutely great. I have watched some of the testimony, and, by the way, I didn't really SBSD Owl Camera: understand before I was in the legislature that you can watch testimony and every committee. It's all like you can watch hours and hours and hours of Youtube video. If you want, you just go to the committee webpage within the legislative page and click on live stream, and it will pop up all you can go all the way back to the beginning of the session. But I do watch a lot
053of the testimony in SBSD Owl Camera: House education, and the Vsa. Gave very impactful testimony. So yesterday, or is it Friday? I can't remember. But anyway, in the last few days there's been some very impactful testimony from the Vsa. So we really appreciate that? Can I ask you a technical question? Sure, I think you have to be called on SBSD Owl Camera: chair. SBSD Owl Camera: The the bill regarding the grand list. Yes. SBSD Owl Camera: How do you think that's going to impact the Cla based on what discussion has occurred so far? Yeah, the hope is that the Cla will probably always be there. It's sort of one of those things that's really kind of hard to get away from. Given how fast. So the common level appraisal. I won't go into it, because
054I think most of you know what it is. SBSD Owl Camera: The hope is that that Cla will stabilize if everyone's being reappraised more often. So there are literally dozens of towns in Vermont that have not had a reappraisal in 2 decades. SBSD Owl Camera: And so you could just imagine, like, we're kind of guessing at what actual market rate you know, appropriate rate is for that town. And yeah. So I think the hope is that if everyone can get on a 6 year cycle at the very minimum, like some places might be even faster than that. But to get everyone at the bare minimum on a 6 month or 6 year cycle. So that SBSD Owl Camera: yeah, the grams is just cleaner. We just know what's there. I think the Cla will not
055see it as much volatility. SBSD Owl Camera: I think we're in a tricky spot in Genet County, because I think there's always going to be a lot of volatility, just because people really want to be here. And I think there's a lot of pressure on our on our market. But but yeah, hopefully, it will stabilize. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you. Yeah, not gonna change it. SBSD Owl Camera: So class size, is that going to be set by aoe or or statute? SBSD Owl Camera: So I have not seen the actual legislative language yet. My understanding is that they would set class size minimums, and I don't know how they'll phrase them whether they'll be minimums or guidelines. I don't think South Burlington should have any trouble with the class size minimums because we're already meeting
056them or exceeding them. The real idea behind class size minimums SBSD Owl Camera: is, I mean, that's how you end up cutting costs out of the system is to have, you know, kids in classes of scale. It's also how, as Violet alluded to, you have better opportunities for kids. You know, my younger son was at a very small school for his kindergarten and 1st grade, where he had 6 kids in his class. And that's fine if you're in kindergarten. But by the time you get to second or 3rd grade, like your social circle, is very tiny. And it really does impact your learning in a negative way. And SBSD Owl Camera: and so really, the class size minimums was a way, sort of from the ground up to encourage the discussion organically at some of
057the districts where they have these tiny schools that have, you know, 25, or 40 kids in the whole school like to think about, you know. Maybe it would be better for our kids if we merged with some other school close by. There will always be small schools in Vermont, because some of them geographically, you just can't SBSD Owl Camera: close the school, even if it's only got a few kids in it, because there just isn't 1 close enough by. But there are many that are close enough, and the communities just haven't been able to kind of come to an agreement about how to do that. SBSD Owl Camera: I had info to that to answer James's question. So I did give our class size policy to Vsa and it is definitely regarded as SBSD Owl
058Camera: more ideal, because we with our population, have the ability to have larger class sizes. And we think these 2 were probably a part of a lot of this development. But we have a minimum and an optimal ranges for these policy. G. 6. If you want to take a peek but the maximum average not to be exceeded. That we have right now is set forth in the Ed quality standards which is currently regulated by the State, anyway. So SBSD Owl Camera: just to make, just so, you had that info. Yeah, there's been a lot of interest around our class size policy, which we changed a year ago. So March 6, th and we intentionally increased each band by a student or 2, knowing that we wanted to retain and quality preparing for the Fy 25
059budget cycle. So SBSD Owl Camera: that's well. Would have been in preparation for Fy 26. So just wanted to provide that information SBSD Owl Camera: chill. SBSD Owl Camera: Thanks, Bridget, for being here. I have one short comment, and then one brief question of what we can answer. You may not be able to answer the question, but so it was interesting because I did watch the testimony yesterday or yesterday, or this morning from the Bsa. And it was extremely interesting, because, a lot of the testimony I've heard so far is from supervisor unions and districts that have a lot of small schools, and I feel SBSD Owl Camera: listening to it sort of out of place in South Burlington. I was working at the school here in the nineties when Act 60 passed, and I
060remember one of the teachers commenting that Act 60 was designed to take the mountaintops down to fill in the valleys, and I will say that to some extent I have a little bit of concern that there is this perspective, that South Burlington and Chittenham County has what it's need. SBSD Owl Camera: There's a lot of testimony around filling in what the other regions, and I'm not denigrating at all. They have significant needs, and I'm not going to dispute that at all. My concern is that from where we sit there's going to potentially be this perspective that well, don't worry about them because they've got the population, and it'll work itself out. SBSD Owl Camera: So I just want to make that comment. And I I do respect the the testimony that I heard. It was
061very compelling from these superintendents who have these districts that are small schools. And one basically, said he, struggles, do I? If I try to hit, you know? Do I divide up into 2, or do I try to hit the minimum? And then it was really, really a very interesting SBSD Owl Camera: testimony from him. My one question I did have was, I recall, was there a bill introduced to move to income based taxation, and did it? Does it move forward at all? So this has been an idea that's been floated session after session after session, for probably at least the last decade. I know that I think when Martin was when we were on school board. I think we talked to Martin about like income based SBSD Owl Camera: education funding Public Assets Institute, which
062is a very well respected kind of advocacy and think Tank has proposed this several times. yeah. So we've had lots of proposals. There is. There are 2 legislators that did get together to actually put it into a bill and came and testified about it. The chair of my committee, Emily Kornheiser. SBSD Owl Camera: had a summer study committee. I guess it was like 2 summers ago or 3 summers ago, and she really thought she was going into that study committee with the the purpose of. We're moving to income based SBSD Owl Camera: education funding. And she really thought that was going to be the way to go. And after a summer of work on it. She's highly convinced it is not the way, so I can't give all of her reasons. One of the struggles
063is that income tax is so corporate tax is the most volatile kind of tax income tax is sort of next, and then sales and use. SBSD Owl Camera: And then property tax is the most stable. And so, while we don't love property tax, it's the most hated tax in America, as everyone keeps reminding me, it is much more stable, and it's just a little bit easier to know what you're working with for the next year versus income tax. And SBSD Owl Camera: yeah, I can't go to all the reasons it has not moved forward. We had testimony on it. It is what they call on the wall. So this wall, all the bills that have been introduced in our committee. It is not one that's going to move forward, not least because the governor hates
064the idea, and we do not have a super majority anymore. So even if we wanted to move income based funding forward, there's no way we could get it through right now. Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: Any other questions about that. SBSD Owl Camera: It's not a question to say, so to speak. SBSD Owl Camera: the Governor was on the radio this morning, and he stated that you know that Number 5 wasn't set. So that was a starting point, which is great. SBSD Owl Camera: and I believe the original plan was done, or hope was to get this thing implemented within the next 3 years. SBSD Owl Camera: you stated maybe 3 to 5, but you're looking at 5 to 7, and the only thing I would request this and no disrespect. Government is not as
065efficient as the private sector, and they have a habit of dragging things out. SBSD Owl Camera: and that is not going to be good for the taxpayers, for this thing to be dragged out, and everybody knows it's a problem. It needs to be fixed. SBSD Owl Camera: and it needs to be fixed as quickly as possible, getting it and getting the best results. SBSD Owl Camera: We're putting the best plan in place. But please don't drag it out 7 years. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. And I would say that no one is dragging it out. Everyone is trying to be cautious with our kids, because if we get it wrong, you know, there's a very big impact on our kids and and on our taxpayers. If we get it wrong, there could also be a very
066big impact on our taxpayers. So SBSD Owl Camera: no one is purposely dragging it out. We are trying to just do the work that needs to be done, because what we found with the Governor's proposal is that it was very big, and as soon as we started to dig into any of the details underneath there were none like the work had not been done. So they're basically what happened is the Commission on the Future of public education was set up over the summer to start over the summer, and it was meant to give its final recommendations SBSD Owl Camera: in December of 2026, so we were supposed to get kind of a preview of their recommendations. This past December, which we did. And then their final work was supposed to be done after a full
067year of public outreach. And you know, sort of input from stakeholders all around the State. SBSD Owl Camera: The administration was part of this commission, and they kind of did an end run around the Commission. I mean, they kind of took a little bit of the work that was done and put together this big, bold, loud plan. And then there are sprint teams operating in the background right now to try to fill in all the details about how those things would actually work. So every time you push on it a little bit. You kind of get. Well, that exact detail has not been worked out yet, and some of these details are really critical. So SBSD Owl Camera: for example, figuring out how towns are actually legally going to merge districts or not towns, but
068how districts are going to merge it. It takes some work, and that work just hasn't been done, and so we can do that work as fast as we can. We are, as I said, a citizen legislature that's only there for a few months a year. We don't have staff SBSD Owl Camera: so we are doing our very best to move as quickly as we can without making giant mistakes, because we have made mistakes in the past. So we have a whole list of unfunded mandates, that sort of torture, all of you, when you have to do budgets. And part of those are people with a really good idea, moving really fast and getting it into statute and asking districts to figure it out, and then never really coming up with funding or some way of
069making those things sustainable. SBSD Owl Camera: And yeah, I I could. I could name a list of things have been challenging because we probably moved pretty quickly on them. SBSD Owl Camera: One of the things, for example, and this goes back to the Aoe capacity is Act 173. That was implemented a few years back. The idea was SBSD Owl Camera: better services for kids. You know, really helping kids more at the same time bending the cost curve on special education and bringing down those extraordinary special education costs, and that has never been fully implemented, partly because the Aoe was so underfunded and under resourced that there wasn't. There just was no one to help implement act 173. SBSD Owl Camera: That being said, I could come back we could have a whole other session on
070Act 173, because I feel like we are one of the the communities that has invested very deeply in Act 173. And even with all of that investment and all of that expenditure, we still have families saying the kids aren't getting what they need, and we had to put out a letter in the fall that said, we can't even hire enough people to meet the Ieps that we have, because the whole idea was like, if you intervene with kids earlier in their education and in the regular classroom. SBSD Owl Camera: maybe not, as many of them need ieps like maybe more of them can sort of operate with less resource later on. It wasn't just about resources, but it was about sort of earlier intervention, and it hasn't been fully implemented, and even in the places
071where it has been implemented SBSD Owl Camera: it has not really bent the cost curve, and it has not necessarily produced SBSD Owl Camera: perfect results. Let's just say, for kids. And so that is an example of something that was really pushed really hard and really quickly, and districts just spent a ton of time on it if they have the resource to, and it has not really done what we hoped it would do. And so that's why I think people are right to be cautious, and we are working very hard to work as quickly as we can. SBSD Owl Camera: With a good outcome. So I would just say, I just want to manage people's expectations, because I think the Governor's plan was highly unrealistic in terms of 3 years to, you know, fairly full
072implementation with a couple more years to to clean up around the edges. I I really no one's dragging it out, but I do think we need to take time to do it correctly. SBSD Owl Camera: I can add to the timeline piece to that. So part of what? I think the phasing it is important that won't start at 3 years. Some of the things we we talked about with Cvsa and Vsa is that the 3 to 5 years might look like things even next year, like Statewide calendar or looking at school, common school information systems. Or here's the big one school financial systems. SBSD Owl Camera: So unless we're all on the same financial systems, they're not going to have a good grip of the money. So phasing those things in have to happen for
073them to get to the later stages. Cbsa is anticipating that those 3 things will happen sooner, based on what we hear, and while it might look like a statewide calendar isn't part of this brand. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, project or information systems or financial software. Those are really foundational pieces. So. And and again, my understanding is that the statewide calendar could happen. SBSD Owl Camera: Sure. SBSD Owl Camera: On that last, on 173 is, there seems like there might be bipartisan interest in the cost savings that could come from relaxing. SBSD Owl Camera: Maybe part of 1 73 is that SBSD Owl Camera: I haven't really heard. I keep asking question meetings, and I keep getting a little defensiveness from the folks in the room who were there for 173. SBSD Owl Camera: So
074the chair of the committee was one of the people who wrote and sort of implemented 173, and I step on his toes like every time we have a joint session. He's a lovely man, and he's working really hard, and he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was on the commission all summer, so he never really got a break. I have not heard anyone say that Act 1, 73 should be changed or go away. There's sort of this broad discussion of what are we going to do about special education? Because the costs continue to increase and increase? And yet outcomes for students still aren't SBSD Owl Camera: great, and they're better than they probably would have been without F. 173. But we're paying an awful lot for not the results that we
075are hoping for. So I don't get the sense that that's a high priority right now, just given all the other workload. Because, as I said, they're working on multiple multiple bills. And Ed, and we're working on multiple bills and ways and means. And we have only so much session left. And then we'll see what the Senate sends over and see if they're good ideas in that as well. That can be. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, I just want to say we have about 35 min left for this entire agenda item. So we're going to start to wrap up. Allie and I have been working alongside some other student representatives on the Cbsd board and the Harwood Union Board, and we're really interested in increasing student voice and perspective in the policy SBSD Owl Camera: drafting process. So
076I'm actually going to the State House on Friday to testify in front of the House Ed Committee with those other Board reps, and I guess my question is, just how do you see students being helpful in this process? And what kind of SBSD Owl Camera: perspective or like feedback? Do you think legislators would like to hear from students what would be helpful to you? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, so I always struggled. I testified a few times before I became a legislator. So when I was on the School Board. I testified about master Plan, so about our building projects and a few other various education things, and I think the best advice is to just SBSD Owl Camera: bring your your own full self and just know that that's enough like you don't have to like
077have like a grand, you know, plan for trying to impact some specific thing that we're working on. They just want to hear your perspective. So I think I think one perspective that would be helpful is what it's been like to be in high school over the last couple of years with the budget cuts. Because, you know, both Cbu and I don't know Harwood as well in terms of like, how their budget SBSD Owl Camera: has worked, but I know Cvu and us have really struggled with programs being cut or changed. And it's helpful to hear how that impacts students and what your priorities are. You know what is helpful to you. So we talk a lot, for example, about we were just debating it today, the importance of the early college program. So I did
078not realize it was this big a number, supposedly 6% of seniors SBSD Owl Camera: in Vermont disenroll from public schools, and they go to early college. And because it's so few per district it ends up meaning that the districts can't really lower capacity. So you can't. SBSD Owl Camera: You don't lose a teacher because you only lost a couple of students per district. But then we're also paying for that early college through the system. And so things like our kids excited about early college and dual enrollment, and all these things that the grownups in the room talk about, but it's helpful to hear like what that means to students and people may be focused on other things. We do hear a lot from students SBSD Owl Camera: that have been in the State House previously
079about career, technical education, and like what an impact that has made on their career path and their life path. So yeah, just hearing what's important to you is really helpful because you bring a completely different perspective than the folks who are working in education, or your parents, or for all of us who spend all of our days thinking SBSD Owl Camera: awesome. Thank you. And I'm sorry I would love to come. Watch you testify. Unfortunately, Friday, I think, is is our. It's my crossover day for all the money bills other than like the big bill, like the budget, and stuff. All of them have to be out by the end of the Friday, so I have a feeling I can't make any promises. I was supposed to go watch Bretchen at poetry out loud on
080Friday. And and that's gonna take him. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you. Yeah. Just any other questions or comments SBSD Owl Camera: I put a plug for so we are. I reached out to SBSD Owl Camera: Megan. She's the chair of the SBSD Owl Camera: the subgroup for the commission of the future of public education, and well, I guess she's a chair. But SBSD Owl Camera: thinking subgroup like it's connected to this plan. So anyway, Megan, Roy is the chair of that commission, and we are hosting a session from one to 4 Pm. On April 7.th In this room would love for folks to attend board members. We'll do our usual scheduling thing. But bridget would be great to have you there. Student reps lovely to have you there along with any other students. SBSD Owl
081Camera: I reached out to Adam Bunting, the Cvsd suit, and we're trying to coordinate to get our 2 teams together with the administrators and the student reps. So did you see those? Suggested dates. I just pulled those up. I didn't see them because it hadn't gotten forwarded. So I was emailing you, what time. Are you testifying? So we'll connect offline. Okay? So I want to be there to support. Yeah, and let me know when you are there. I can. I can try to see what I can do. SBSD Owl Camera: But I would love to anytime. There's a South Burlington person, especially a student. I would love to see it. SBSD Owl Camera: Thanks. Thank you. Thanks for giving me so much time. SBSD Owl Camera: Thanks for all the work you're doing. It's not
082easy. SBSD Owl Camera: All right. Up. Next we have a staffing and the motor Fy 26 budget. SBSD Owl Camera: We added this item to discussion after hearing public comment last week. SBSD Owl Camera: and I think it's important for the Board to offer some clear perspective on that SBSD Owl Camera: shameless if you have something prepared to review. SBSD Owl Camera: Yes, there. SBSD Owl Camera: So I think that the superintendent and her staff are experts in Vermont education, quality standards, and SBSD Owl Camera: we on the board are not experts, and we're not SBSD Owl Camera: supposed to be. Some of us are professional educators, not me. But we're representatives of the residents of South Burlington. And according to statute, we're responsible, for for example, taking quote, any action that is required for
083the sound administration of the school district. SBSD Owl Camera: and we're also responsible for presenting budgets. SBSD Owl Camera: So with regard to SBSD Owl Camera: us being directly asked about staffing and budgeting changes. I just have 2 thoughts first, st if we intervened in staffing decisions I think we would be breaking the part of the statute that talks about sound administration. Because, again, we're not professional educators. SBSD Owl Camera: We do not. We're not experts in the education quality standards. And there may be other considerations. And, second of all, if we SBSD Owl Camera: suggested or forced the superintendent to change the budget after the vote, then that would also go back on our duty to build consent of the voters. SBSD Owl Camera: The only thing I would say is, and I agree.
084Which is heart wrenching, because it was very difficult to hear those the commentary last week, and the students who were so directly impacted. And I think that there's been some good discussion and dialogue, and there's been some communication. But SBSD Owl Camera: I almost wonder if it's worth taking some of the feedback like this one and thinking of a way that we can get that out to the community in a better way than just, you know, because there was such an outpouring of support. And I don't know that they're going to add, you know, have the closure that maybe they need on it, and the and the understanding of why the decisions were made SBSD Owl Camera: right. And I think that, you know, going back to Seamus's point, which you keep bringing up. And
085I have to say, I, 100% agree with you, you know. Get it at a specific reading level that people can understand that it's digestible that people can take it and go. Okay, I get this SBSD Owl Camera: and send something out whether it's through Front page forum, whether it's through the the other paper. I know we've had some discussions about social media. I mean people. You've got to have multiple channels, because not everybody's going to go to our website right? But I think there has to be something to communicate that back to say we heard you. SBSD Owl Camera: And here's the reason that we're responding in this way. That would be my own feedback. SBSD Owl Camera: That was my primary concern, too, is supporting our students and our staff. So the next day
086I had a meeting with the full South Burlington High School administrative team and the Central office team, and it was. SBSD Owl Camera: please work with the guidance counselors, the team, the director of school guidance, and make sure that students are working with individually, and that there's broader communication about SBSD Owl Camera: that, you know, with the message they will be supported. And here's our plan to support you. And what do you need right now? So that was, you know, step one behind the scenes. Something that's been going on since the budget passed. Administrators and I were talking as we developed the budget about how we're going to support the changes with these SBSD Owl Camera: nearly 15 fte reductions from fiscal year 26. So, planning to support students and staff and make changes has
087been underway. So I you know, I said to the High school team, bring in that guidance department closer and really work with them on. What do they need? And kind of kick that to the top of the list of what supports are in place. Our school counseling department does have SBSD Owl Camera: talking about numbers. I'm a numbers person, too, so we allocate $55,000 annually for our school counseling department to come and do summer work and come for the year. So you know, there's both time, space, and resources dedicated to that future planning. So those are really, you know, from an operational lens. Those are some steps that are underway that I wanted to share with you, that SBSD Owl Camera: on the forefront of my mind. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, I mean, and I
088guess just to kind of follow up on that. I think the thing is, and that's all that's all great. And I think SBSD Owl Camera: it's going back and having that communication with the community like, Hey, this is what we've seen, you know. Here's some, you know, highlights from the 1st month of the new board together, and this is how we're responding and actioning these. But I think, having that loop back, that communication loop back is is really important. We hear you. This is what we heard. And this is the response, and why we act, you know, are actioning it in this way. Right? SBSD Owl Camera: And again, I think multiple communication avenues is also really important because people are going to get their news from a lot of different sources. So it's great
089for the students. And it's also, how do you take that back and and share that with the broader community like, Oh, yeah. Well, Board, you're actually, you know, this is some of the work that's going on behind the scenes right SBSD Owl Camera: sure in their session. SBSD Owl Camera: Can I add that if folks do see changes I will bring them to the board. For instance, you've seen superintendents add contingency teachers. So if we get huge spikes in enrollment which usually happens at the elementary level, then we may add a classroom teacher right? So those are times we're required to meet the needs of students who have ieps that require staffing. SBSD Owl Camera: Sometimes that looks like an interventionist. So I just wanted to make sure that information is known, that there are
090certain situations where we're attending to add quality standards, and we have to meet standards which requires staff changes those would be, the board would be SBSD Owl Camera: Those would be made known to the board, and I'm still accountable for both ftes and dollar amount. SBSD Owl Camera: Can I just add on to what Jennifer said? That was, I like I liked what you were talking about in a way to try to loop back with the people who took the time and were brave enough to come up and talk about something, and I think it's important to explain why, and also to say, we understand you. You're still disappointed, like, even though there's a reason. It's still disappointing that what you were hoping for isn't SBSD Owl Camera: possible. SBSD Owl Camera: so I think
091that looping back and also just being like, just because there's an answer doesn't mean that a 15 year old kid is going to be like, oh, okay, I get it sometimes I don't, even as a 45 year old. So that's another piece like getting to the community that we didn't know that SBSD Owl Camera: heard them, in that we understand that they're going to be disappointed with the answer. But I think that's an important message to deliver, too. I think the community needs to hear that as well. Right? There's going to be things that are going to be tough. And these are some of the tough decisions that we have to make when we're in a constrained environment. And that's just the reality of SBSD Owl Camera: the circumstances that we're faced with right. SBSD
092Owl Camera: But SBSD Owl Camera: up next, we have board members employment status from the district. So did you have a little? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, I guess I can speak to this one. This will be pretty brief. SBSD Owl Camera: So you know, while we I don't know what kind of follow up we want here, I mean, according to statute school board directors are elected officials of the municipality of the district. So not only that, but I did actually look at our conflict of interest, statement, and conflict of interest, statement, policy, and the bullet point number 7. Should a board member apply for employment here, she must 1st resign from the board, so it may be just a SBSD Owl Camera: up to SBSD Owl Camera: whatever the financial issue is. But but technically,
093I legally, I don't think we're employees of the demo. SBSD Owl Camera: Can. SBSD Owl Camera: We discussed the stipend in this thing. So I understand. Last year the stipend was SBSD Owl Camera: suspended for lack of a better way of putting it, and it was a symbolic gesture to try and get the budget passed, although I really don't think that $3,700 in a 68 million dollar budget SBSD Owl Camera: swayed anybody. But I understand a symbolic gesture. Now it would be 5,200, or just above that, and 71 million dollar budget. So it's not that large of a SBSD Owl Camera: a line item, but given the the time that the board puts in SBSD Owl Camera: you know modest transportation costs, and looking around and seeing that you know we are SBSD Owl Camera:
094probably have received the lowest stipend out of the surrounding school districts. SBSD Owl Camera: not asking that we be raised it with them. But SBSD Owl Camera: I just think it would. It's fair that, given what the time and effort SBSD Owl Camera: that each stipend we agreed state with, so that the statement SBSD Owl Camera: It's it's not gone. It's before went to as A- as a team at the time. We. SBSD Owl Camera: I guess, had consensus that we were not going to accept our segment for the year, and we had just heard testimony from principal work that some of the co-curriculars that were being cut, I I believe, was like $650 would bring back, and so it felt like, there's 5 of us at the table. We could bring back 5 of
095those co-curriculars. SBSD Owl Camera: So that's just some of the context. I believe that at this time, if any board member would like to take their stipend, they just need to email me with Violet on copy. And we have the funding available for that. So it's not. It wasn't specifically budgeted for Fy. 26. But it is as you spend such a small amount. It could be taken like a contingency line. Item. SBSD Owl Camera: I mean, just what I was SBSD Owl Camera: gonna suggest. This way we can. Anybody doesn't want to take it. SBSD Owl Camera: They can contact the School Board or the the district, and say, you don't have to SBSD Owl Camera: pay. That person's right. SBSD Owl Camera: I don't think we need a formal quote. SBSD Owl Camera: I'm
096just email me with Bio, please. SBSD Owl Camera: And anyone who doesn't want to take their statement. Same goes just email. And SBSD Owl Camera: yeah, I think, it's part of a broader issue that I think we should invest in our own effectiveness, and I think that, like some of the ideas around paying for training, you know that the weekend thing and the accelerator. And I think that we should just take seriously whatever small investments can make us more effective. And if that means, you know, the stipend means somebody on fixed income can SBSD Owl Camera: be at a meeting instead of driving somebody to the airport because they couldn't afford a taxi or could afford a Babysitter that otherwise they'd have to stay home or leave early. I think it's just like it's a
097great. SBSD Owl Camera: it's a it's a small dollar that goes a long way towards making us more effective. And like Dan says, it's also a small dollar compared to. And and the training is also in there. It's small dollars compared to everything else SBSD Owl Camera: it could really help with policy governance. The professional development funds from the board are separate from like stipend. So it's not it. While it may seem like the same pot of money, they're budgeted differently. SBSD Owl Camera: at this time any board member is welcome to email and request that they're that they would like to accept or not to accept their stipend SBSD Owl Camera: in the amount of $750. And I'm not exactly clear on this, but it seems like taxes are withheld even once you fill
098out a W. 2 SBSD Owl Camera: that's not my understanding of how statements work, but I think that's I just want you to have the expectation. It will likely be less than $750 under taxes SBSD Owl Camera: that's expected. I think we had to fill out the W. 2. Did you fill that paperwork? Well, I that's what I when I started I questioned like, Why am I doing this? Because I didn't think I was an employee, and then I was told I was an employee, told, not an employee, and so I was wondering, why am I, filling out all these employee forms. So? And that's when I found out the stipend had been SBSD Owl Camera: suspended suspended. Or however, you want to refer to it. SBSD Owl Camera: So because stipends are not tax
099exempt. Therefore you have to fill out the W. 2 so that you can get taxed on it. Yeah. So that's why. And and when I've talked about that you know employee of the district, it's because of the W. 2. It's it's just that. So. And I'm assuming if anybody wants to SBSD Owl Camera: accept the stipend that would probably also have to fill out the direct deposit forms. SBSD Owl Camera: let me all check the one payment my personal preference. SBSD Owl Camera: We've really been producing paper the last couple of years. I don't know if you noticed we are not cutting paper checks as a practice anymore SBSD Owl Camera: email, Chelsea and me. And and we can. We'll work this out for you. SBSD Owl Camera: Let's see. SBSD Owl Camera: considering we've
100gone pretty much over time on quite a bit of this, and I really appreciate Bridget being here because her time is pretty valuable. I'd like to move that we take the student representative recruitment process and public comment topics and postpone them to next week. SBSD Owl Camera: I think I can keep student of recruitment process. Yeah, so I wanna just so we can get over with the public comment. SBSD Owl Camera: doesn't show it on the agenda SBSD Owl Camera: right? But my motion is right now. So if we nobody wants to second it, I guess you don't have to. You're gonna die. But so I put a motion on right. So SBSD Owl Camera: so Tim moves to move public comment to our next item, is there a second. I I move to to
101student representative recruitment process and public comment. SBSD Owl Camera: to postpone that until the next meeting. So that's the motion. I'll second thanks, John. SBSD Owl Camera: I think the public comment is a fairly SBSD Owl Camera: simple change that I think would help make the public or understanding of how we SBSD Owl Camera: want them to give us feedback, and so it would be nice if it disappeared from the agenda in the sense of like SBSD Owl Camera: that. If the discussion exceeds 5 min, that we move to. SBSD Owl Camera: We still have till 7 30, so maybe we can motion on the table. SBSD Owl Camera: So my second daughter. SBSD Owl Camera: can I ask a question? So there's nobody here to. Sorry if you're going to provide public comment. Is there
102anybody online? I'm not able to see? Okay, it's a discussion item for how we conduct public comment. Not that it is okay. SBSD Owl Camera: No, that's great any from. I think we're ready to move on to school board. We still have a motion on the floor SBSD Owl Camera: that's been amended. So now we're only talking about. SBSD Owl Camera: So your motion. So you had the subsidiary motion which we approve, which was to. If the student representative one goes over SBSD Owl Camera: 5 min, we'd move it right? So my motion still stands. That would mean public comment would get moved to next week. SBSD Owl Camera: right? SBSD Owl Camera: I thought I was amending for both topics. But SBSD Owl Camera: Is that interpretation? I'm just. I'm just trying to be very
103clear, because SBSD Owl Camera: I'm not here. I understand the amendment right? We're we're learning SBSD Owl Camera: So I was suggesting, I think I can cover student representative recruitment process in less than 5 min, and if, after 5 min of public comment discussion, we do not have consensus, then we'll put it on. The next agenda is what I was suggesting. SBSD Owl Camera: and if that wasn't clear and you voted for that because that wasn't clear, please raise your hand. Indicate that. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, so that's what we're gonna vote on now is the main, because that's what you mentioned it to improve that SBSD Owl Camera: that we just fill in. SBSD Owl Camera: So my motions. Okay, so all in favor of moving student representative recruitment process and public comment to our next
104agenda if it exceeds 5 min. SBSD Owl Camera: Yep, SBSD Owl Camera: okay, thank you, everybody. So we have 10 min left to discuss board members, and we're done with that school board trainings student, representative recruitment process and public comment. SBSD Owl Camera: So school board trainings, if we could. At least, I had some emails from what board members would like to see. Generally, I'm getting consensus that SBSD Owl Camera: everybody would like training. It seems like most of it is around policy governance. SBSD Owl Camera: If you would please raise your hand to indicate if I'm yeah, I apologize. I I didn't send my SBSD Owl Camera: my notes to you, actually wrote it up today, but did not fail them. Just a couple of quick comments on that as a retreat. I would like to
105ask that it not contain information that requires public meeting, that I think the retreat should be just for the board to get together and and form ourselves so obviously public. SBSD Owl Camera: so any public stuff should be left out. It would just be a training meeting. Because I felt last year when we did it, we had it as an open meeting, so public meeting, and it really sort of tamp down on kind of what we did. It felt more like a board meeting than anything else. SBSD Owl Camera: That would be my one thought. My second ask if we're doing training is to potentially review some of the basic Roberts rules, just so that we're all like some of the key ones, right, you know, and maybe even practice a little bit. So I
106don't forget motions going forward, and such. SBSD Owl Camera: That was my my suggestion. Thank you. I do want to just clarify to the board. I think it is a little confusing. We have this listed as board trainings. SBSD Owl Camera: and it feels like the intention is to also discuss our retreat. But those are 2 very different things. Training and a retreat are different things. So I also have collected a lot of feedback from the board about what you'd like to see the retreat be, which is great. I don't think we have time to discuss it right now, frankly. But, Laura oh, I just would like the retreat sooner next summer, like April. And May. SBSD Owl Camera: I think that that would be really important for us to to get together and jealous
107that that would, even if it's a short SBSD Owl Camera: short one, like on a weekday from like 5 to 7 or something like that. I I really think that is is critical. Because I you know, we don't know each other, and that's just SBSD Owl Camera: oh, with that can we put that? Can we put the retreat on the next agenda so we can talk about that? Should I think? Tim raised a good point about that and then on the trainings. The one that I wanted to add was social media training. SBSD Owl Camera: Can you clarify? Are you asking for a training on our guidelines, or like how to use social media? SBSD Owl Camera: So there are consultants who do training for districts on how to use social media, and if and
108to the extent that they can train boards on how to use social media, I think that would be a good preview to us then reviewing our social media policy. Which basically treats it like a taboo. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, okay, any other comments at this time? We'll have to discuss at our next meeting as well. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, so just really quickly. Student, representative recruitment process. We have 2 student representatives. One is a senior and one is a junior, which means the senior will be leaving us in a few short months. And historically, we SBSD Owl Camera: would recruit that new student member in the fall, and that process takes time. And then usually they were on boarded right at the beginning of the budget season, which is not like the nicest time to
109onboard a new board member. SBSD Owl Camera: So I have put together. I did this. I did the recruitment SBSD Owl Camera: for Gracie. Right? Yeah. And then board members. Since I did the recruitment process for Allie. Is there a board member who feels passionate about being part of the process? And before you sign up I will tell you that I put together some resources that include step by step what you need to do, and some like copy of materials that we've used in the past like an ad. Interview questions the application questions, SBSD Owl Camera: anyway, a rubric for scoring applicants. So hopefully, you would have all of the materials and it and you would just meet with the student reps and tweak how you'd like it for this year. But it wouldn't. Wouldn't
110be going in blind to have a step by step process. It doesn't have to be one board member. It could be up to SBSD Owl Camera: 3. SBSD Owl Camera: But historically, since I've been on the board. It's been one person giving it, so does anyone feel SBSD Owl Camera: we could also talk about this next week. But I just wanted to kind of like, get it out there that we need to start doing this this spring. SBSD Owl Camera: Can I add a timeline? SBSD Owl Camera: We were thinking that applications would be due April 27.th So then the Board member would probably have to review applications the week of the 28, th and then hold interviews week of May 5, th SBSD Owl Camera: that's good. So just masters. Yeah, totally. SBSD Owl
111Camera: I'd be happy to help. SBSD Owl Camera: I'd like to if it was. I don't know that we get social media training before that, but that would be something great, because that would probably cast a wider net for potential applicants. SBSD Owl Camera: Knowing how you could communicate. SBSD Owl Camera: How could you go and tell me about that. SBSD Owl Camera: Oh, that's crazy. SBSD Owl Camera: There are any other board members. SBSD Owl Camera: Oh, Jesus, potentially help. I just wanna think about the timeline. And then SBSD Owl Camera: you don't have to make a firm commitment right now. But that's that's helpful. Okay. SBSD Owl Camera: it can also be helpful if there's more than one of you is scheduling interviews with students can sometimes be a scheduling nightmare. And so
112if there was more than one board member available that would be helpful. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, excellent. How are we doing on time? 3 min? Okay? All right. So that brings us to public comment. Again, this is a discussion of how this board would like to conduct public comment at this time we'll take feedback from the board SBSD Owl Camera: genus. SBSD Owl Camera: So the I think the 2 main problems with public comment are that many of our constituents view our meetings is confusing. SBSD Owl Camera: and at the same time, if we're not careful about how we run the public comments, it might break open meeting law. If we talk about something that's not warned, and it can disrupt the business of the board. So I think that SBSD Owl Camera: I have 3
113ideas. SBSD Owl Camera: the 1st one which everything else kind of hinges on. I don't have clarity on how to implement, but I think the other 2 might point towards what to do so. I think we have to have something like these public forums, and I know that there's been a little bit of SBSD Owl Camera: skepticism around those, because sometimes people didn't come, and so I have a feeling that maybe they should be like. SBSD Owl Camera: instead of a normal board meeting at the time to kind of make it feel serious. SBSD Owl Camera: I think we should also have a prominent section on our front page of our website that says how to talk at board meetings. SBSD Owl Camera: and then I think, we should on the agenda template. SBSD Owl
114Camera: have language that is meant to be read. SBSD Owl Camera: th, that I I think that this comes across as a little bit like we're trying to control what people say which we are. SBSD Owl Camera: But just with a little bit more explanation there SBSD Owl Camera: so small changes to the website and to the agenda template a bigger question about what is a public forum. SBSD Owl Camera: So can I ask that you draft SBSD Owl Camera: what you would think would look good on the website as well as changes to the agenda, and send them to me and blind copy the board, so the board can see your suggestions, and then we can talk about this again. I agree with you about the public forums. I think that's going to take
115a little bit more conversation. SBSD Owl Camera: Could I also ask the other Board members if you have thoughts about what a public forum should be? If you've had experience with trying to run some, and they don't work, or whatever would you blind copy the board on your experience? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, or prepare to discuss that in an important meeting. I think that would probably be SBSD Owl Camera: okay. Let me check. SBSD Owl Camera: I just wanted to add to what Shema said. I think it's a good idea. Because I think managing the expectations of people who are going to speak. Here is a great, great way to help it be more comfortable and a better understanding of what to expect in that SBSD Owl Camera: situation. So. SBSD Owl Camera: and to
116that end the one thing that I would add, I totally agree also, and I think that it might be helpful, because some people may show up. I've been to board meetings before, I think, too previously, and then called in before, but where you show up and you want to provide comment. But you're not exactly sure, because it is so formal that even if you have something that we print them out and we have it. And it's like, Hey, if you're interested in providing a comment. SBSD Owl Camera: here's some handout information that people can get when they're here, because they may not have done the research in advance, but that's just an easy thing. You're here. Oh, it's an easy, again, digestible thing. You can pick it up in SBSD Owl Camera: along those lines.
117If if we do update the statement, I know we read it out at the start of every meeting. I'm not sure if in Zoom, you can actually post that for online participants, so they have to dismiss it when they join. I know there is a feature. I think some tools have that it'd be something to look at. I also, I mean, I said this last week I I do glean a lot from public comment. I know it, however, can derail meetings sometimes. SBSD Owl Camera: So I would encourage the chair as we go into public comment to, you know. Look at the room the topics and ensure, you know, because I think we could look. If there's only 2 people we can let comment go on for a little bit longer per person and such,
118but that that would be important to enforce. The only other thought I would have is that as we look at the agenda, and we're doing agenda planning. SBSD Owl Camera: We make it very clear where we would like to have public comment and where we would. SBSD Owl Camera: We, you know, we really don't, because I think as a participant, and sitting there or watching online, I may feel like I want to have a make a comment on something, but I don't know if I'm supposed to ask or not. So if it's in the agenda, hey? In this discussion area at the end, you know public comment at this point that would at least clue in the community as to when we can. SBSD Owl Camera: when they can expect to purchase. Right? SBSD Owl
119Camera: Give it. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, thank you. So we did that training, Michael Keely. I did type out something which I thought I sent all of you blind copy to, and evidently SBSD Owl Camera: not because that was a suggestion, and I have it written out so I can send that out again to see if it's something that SBSD Owl Camera: and just be an outliers. SBSD Owl Camera: Sorry. SBSD Owl Camera: So we're going to move public comment to the next meeting for further discussion, and then point of reference, don't you? If you have feedback, you can't be sort of like all working on the same doc. So email the feedback to Chelsea, on the doc that you're all sent. SBSD Owl Camera: But SBSD Owl Camera: so we are at 7, 32.
120We usually, for some reason, are putting our recess right before SBSD Owl Camera: agenda items that aren't going to take very long. I'd like to suggest that if we want to take a recess tonight that we do it now, and if not, we're just gonna move right through the meeting. What would you prefer? SBSD Owl Camera: Just seems a little silly to get most of the heavy lifting done. Then take a recess and come back for 10 min or 15 min, so SBSD Owl Camera: anyone like a likely like a break. SBSD Owl Camera: Stop the meeting that will move on to the superintendent's report. SBSD Owl Camera: So we so the connected to the city charter. The city is charged with selecting our auditor. So one of our financial reports. SBSD Owl Camera: well, many of
121our financial reports through the monitoring that you all will do is connected to this audit. So you'll notice that if you look at the board schedule, the monitoring report to look at our audit is not going to happen in March. It's going to happen in April, because our auditors schedule and the fact that they're still looking, they're still in the process of completing an audit right now. SBSD Owl Camera: So the city charter speculates, specifies rather that the city will select an auditor, and that we have conversation with the city the city SBSD Owl Camera: has recommended, and we agreed, and they have thus extended the engagement with Rh. R. Smith, who has been preparing our audits for some time. It's a two-year extension, and I am just notifying the board of this. It's for
122fiscal years 25 and fiscal year 26 SBSD Owl Camera: The school tours are happening on April first, st and I wanted to make sure that board members know that they could join for any one of those tours, one of them 5 of them, or none of them. We just want to make sure that no one that we do not have a quorum for any one of those at a time, so I wanted to make sure those options were out there. So Orchard is 9 to 9 SBSD Owl Camera: 30, Marcotte 9, 45 to 1015, Chamberlain, 1030 to 11, our middle school, 1115 to 12, high school, 1215 to 1245. Again, I want you in our schools, seeing, teaching and learning, and the life, and why we're here. So really happen to happy to open those
123up to you. I know many of you work during the day. And again, that's when the life is in the schools. So we can do more of these. SBSD Owl Camera: but wanted to make this available to you now. SBSD Owl Camera: So you were just saying we cannot have a forum of that right? So whenever you could be talking about board business, and we are going to be talking about only board business. It's going to be teaching learning facilities, the full gamut at those tours. So no more than 4 people, or more than no more than 3. That's correct. Student reps don't count toward Forum. SBSD Owl Camera: and they're invited to. In fact, I would love to have either of you. Should your schedules allow to be a part of that high school
124tour? I'm going to give all these tours. But wouldn't it be, you know, more interesting if you did. So the high school tour is 1245, 1215 to 1245 on April. First.st Should you have the availability. Let me know. Good recruitment, too, for the incoming student. SBSD Owl Camera: Going some discussion. Will be may 1st in this room from 4 to 5 pm. We have changed the date and the time of day. We've gotten a lot of feedback. That SBSD Owl Camera: changing the time of day is helpful and broadening the audience. So we really want to make sure that we get as much as engagement as possible. Again, student reps are welcome at that don't count for quorum and board members are also welcome no more than 3. So far I've got Emily and Jennifer
125for that one may 1st 4 to 5 in this room here the boardroom. SBSD Owl Camera: Should I pop you on the list? SBSD Owl Camera: Understood? Yes, I'm the same way. I also wanted to SBSD Owl Camera: provide an update. I have been in touch with Anna Lalande, who is the Charter Committee chair, and the City Council has provided the direction to move forward with discussion about an evidence finding regarding a charter change which I have advocated, for in several SBSD Owl Camera: board members have advocated, for which would be to do what some of our neighbors in Burlington SBSD Owl Camera: which is to expand voting to be all resident voting. So, for example, we've got a growing number of property owners in South Burlington who have children in our schools, and each
126year at budget season, they say, Violet, I really want to vote. We love our schools. We, you know we would love to have a voice, and because we are not SBSD Owl Camera: residents, albeit property owners, we cannot vote. So I'm going to be taking a meeting with Anna and providing feedback from my end, and I would like to SBSD Owl Camera: offer the opportunity for board members to provide feedback to me, to give to Anna. You can email me directly if you'd like and if you're interested in speaking with Anna I can certainly pass along your contact information and have her connect with you. Can you explain that? SBSD Owl Camera: Apologize? I lost over that? So there's SBSD Owl Camera: there. So the south Burlington City has a charter committee, and the city
127charter has SBSD Owl Camera: rules that impact the city and schools. And, in fact, the schools are really heavily connected to the city through the charter. And one topic that we hear a lot about is voting. And so right now the charter as written, which supersedes State Charter, which is really interesting, but the charter states that if SBSD Owl Camera: one is a homeowner so you could own your a single family home here, your children could go to schools or not. And you do not have the ability to vote if you are not a resident. So if you're not considered a citizen. SBSD Owl Camera: and so some of our communities, such as Winooski Burlington. I think Montpeliers has made the change. Now. Have opened up voting to the All Resident voting. So it means
128that anyone who is a Yes may vote. SBSD Owl Camera: So that is something that the Charter Committee has reached out to me, and I'll be meeting with the chair. So I wanted to make the Board aware of that. SBSD Owl Camera: Yes, so the Charter Committee is considering changing city charter to allow this. They are gathering feedback, which they will present to the Council for a decision SBSD Owl Camera: is my understanding, Elizabeth. If if you I realize we're SBSD Owl Camera: getting, you know we could, we could actually tack this onto an agenda item. I'm just going to be meeting with her before our next board meeting. So we can certainly add this on to a future agenda item. But for now I wanted to let you know I have been approached by
129her. And then again, like this isn't seeking a full board feedback. It would be just connecting folks as individuals, but you would not be speaking as a board. You would be speaking as SBSD Owl Camera: as an individual and again, because of the timing. Had we had another board meeting sooner, and there will be so we can pop it on. You could talk about a board stance. SBSD Owl Camera: So am I allowed to ask questions about the superintendent. Mention of the auditing. SBSD Owl Camera: Got you, man? Awesome. So SBSD Owl Camera: I understand that you're putting in a new SBSD Owl Camera: Erp or a new finance financial system. New software. Is that right? Implemented? And could you just go through like, what are the top 3 benefits of that. One thing I
130remember is like, if we want benchmarking against other districts in terms of cost, that's an important 1st step. So like, what are the what are the big high level items that that come out of that new financial system? Where do I begin? Alright? So we've moved from like SBSD Owl Camera: a 1995 Toyota Camry, which, like SBSD Owl Camera: it is, I use that example because, like all of the many people in my family, have Toyota cameras, what we've done is we've modernized our system so that we have greater SBSD Owl Camera: accuracy and record keeping. And we have increased financial controls. We've synced it with our time and effort system. So with our employment records and our Hr records. So we've increased the accuracy of how we're paying people, and then the financial system
131that we had before was no longer going to be supported by the company either. So if there were many functions in it that were in fact. SBSD Owl Camera: obsolete. And we're no longer supported. So the issue that we were trying to solve, anticipating the question you ask, or what are we trying to fix? Here is I wanted SBSD Owl Camera: finances to be extremely accurate. So we you know, this is a transition year, and that Fy 26 is the 1st budget built under Tyler, our our erp and SBSD Owl Camera: We spent a lot of time and care looking at, you know, hundreds of thousands of lines trying to make sure nothing fell through the cracks, but it'll improve accuracy of budgeting each year. SBSD Owl Camera: and, in fact I had mentioned to
132you all. Engaging with Hassant, who SBSD Owl Camera: does work on budgets. They've worked with Burlington for a few years, and when I approached them the year before the last. They wouldn't work with us because our financial records were not in good enough shape for them to be able to SBSD Owl Camera: pull the data they needed to say. SBSD Owl Camera: Hey, we recommend that the cost of art per student and the K 2 band is X number of dollars per student. So I want to get us to a place where we're using much better metrics. Than we have been. Our equity matrix. That we implemented the last couple of years is our best guess, based on our financial software. But this should really allow us to. Now we can engage with Tossan, and
133they can SBSD Owl Camera: really? Dig down into detail to improve the equity of how we budget, which is the goal. SBSD Owl Camera: meet our students needs and support our staff. SBSD Owl Camera: So with one quick question top of the statement. So it's been, how long have they been? The owners? SBSD Owl Camera: Oh, so the city? Alright. So SBSD Owl Camera: the city just ex. Yeah, they just extended the contract by 2 years, and I think it was a 4 year. Are you this you think the same thing? Yeah. So SBSD Owl Camera: It's their SBSD Owl Camera: They're an extremely reputable firm and we were pleased when the city said, Hey, we're moving forward, and so SBSD Owl Camera: not trying to disparage anybody. Just I think it's important that SBSD
134Owl Camera: you use different auditors every once in a while, because, you know, history has shown, like you go back with Arthur Anderson, 2 of the best firms companies in the nation. SBSD Owl Camera: and they were cooking the books. So I'm not accusing anybody of doing it. It's just important to change things, because that's the way you find out if there is a problem, it does point well taken. Yep, so like, I said, this is connected to the charter. The city extended it. So it'll be for 2 more years. We have had that discussion with Martha Machar at the city already, and my understanding is that the city has that same. SBSD Owl Camera: It's so funny. You say, Cook, in the books I took a SBSD Owl Camera: accounting my freshman year of
135college, my Professor Ross Amando, who's a New Yorker, he'd say. You could talk about Enron cook in the books, cook in the books, and it's like one of the big things that sticks with me. So I haven't heard that expression in a while. SBSD Owl Camera: So no, it's I remember that. So yeah, great point just wanted to ask SBSD Owl Camera: good question and back to the school tours. If we wanted to go on school tour, we should email to let us let you know what time and which school, so you can make sure SBSD Owl Camera: as well for scheduling purposes. Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: The and then just one. To conclude my point. I just want to say again for clarity. The honors American conversation will be happening tomorrow night. Thursday,
136March 20.th It'll be at 7 Pm. At Svhs. And it's in caf 2, and all are welcome. SBSD Owl Camera: and please reach out to John Craig acting principal directly. If you have any questions. He is happy to meet with you with you, and and set a time to do so. SBSD Owl Camera: You know it's in person, only I don't know if it's being recorded. Do you? Have you all heard anything of that? This is not event that the district is scheduling? Typically, the district SBSD Owl Camera: wouldn't make decisions on course offerings. That's something. That goes through, you know, the director of school counseling and the SBSD Owl Camera: the school based administration make those decisions. So I don't want to give the false idea that this is something the district is hosting.
137I did ask Acting principal to Craig to host this session when we started hearing discussion at the board level. Because when something hits my email, I know it's, you know, there's concern. So I said, Hey, let's do a forum? So, and I said, Let's have information provided. SBSD Owl Camera: But really the important piece is the QA. So that folks can get their questions SBSD Owl Camera: I can just clarify. You are encouraging members of the community to reach out to John Greg directly, and I'm encouraging School Board members to reach out to John Greg directly. That's correct for folks in the community. If they've got questions, school Board members, you would email me with your chair. SBSD Owl Camera: I'm glad to be with. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, I think, while you had sent
138out the document for us to fill in, and I noticed that there were 3 names. I there was one space left and I took it. I just wanted to make sure that everybody was aware that we have 3 people submitted already. SBSD Owl Camera: There are SBSD Owl Camera: So I have on my list. Please correct me now, if I'm wrong. Jen and Tim and Gracie and Allie. SBSD Owl Camera: is there anyone else who's interested in joining the honors. American conversation. SBSD Owl Camera: I wonder if it was SBSD Owl Camera: sorry I thought there were 3 of us on there. I didn't probably didn't pay attention. Laura, are you attending the honors. American conversation tomorrow at the high School at 7. SBSD Owl Camera: I am not okay. So there's 2 board members
139currently, in addition to our student reps. So if someone else would like to attend that is an option for you. SBSD Owl Camera: That concludes my report. Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, so we're foregoing our recess because we're actually pretty close to being done now. Next we have agenda. Item, 8 action items. SBSD Owl Camera: The South Burlington School district calendar for the 2,025, 2,026 school year, I would entertain the motion. SBSD Owl Camera: I moved to approve them. SBSD Owl Camera: School year calendar is presented. SBSD Owl Camera: No, no, I just have one question. It's just clarification, Violet. There are several entries in here like Rosh Hashanah that aren't. They don't look like there's school closings or anything just for clarification. I'm just wondering SBSD Owl Camera: so to to answer that
140I want to provide a little bit of background. We're required to have 175 student days. We need 175 common days with those in our region. Which ranges from Addison County you know, up to fnesu and SBSD Owl Camera: we have the obligation to have 1 75 common days for cte, so career technical education centers. Some of you might know those as vocational tech centers. That's what they were SBSD Owl Camera: used to be called the vernaculars changed so ctes and with that cbsa strive to make a common calendar. Last year our community gave a lot of feedback to me about how really didn't work. So I went to Cbsa with SBSD Owl Camera: I, you know, I just said, Hey, based on our our collective bargaining agreement. I can't make those commitments. We're unique in
141that. We are the only district who doesn't make up snow days. So we always have 180 student days in our calendar. SBSD Owl Camera: The teachers, collective bargaining agreement states that teachers will work 189 days and 1 80 must be with students. SBSD Owl Camera: and with that there are 8 in service days. So with those parameters. We were not able to move forward with the the common calendar. So we got forgiveness. There, however, we made a commitment as a team that we would not have after school activities. On certain days that are noted on the calendar. SBSD Owl Camera: And that's why they're noted here. That will be in alignment with the Vpa. The Vermont Principals Association who does scheduling for sports. SBSD Owl Camera: So that's an important connection there after school activities
142that will take place are things like our schools out, which is our after school program. So that will still happen. But there won't be, you know, soccer games, football games, things of that nature SBSD Owl Camera: any other questions? SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you. Thanks. SBSD Owl Camera: Motion passes unanimously said, yes, thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: All right. Up next we have agenda, item 9 agenda planning. SBSD Owl Camera: Looking at the April second meeting we have Finance Committee listed under discussion items. SBSD Owl Camera: Do we need that? SBSD Owl Camera: So just some context for the Board in our last retreat in our last confirmation of the Board, we SBSD Owl Camera: We set out a finance committee, and the intention was for it to dissolve after a budget pass, and then
143the Board of any given time would have the option to SBSD Owl Camera: Stand up that committee again if we need it for another budget. So it's not meant to be a committee that is just standing in perpetuity. The intention was to give each individual board control over their committee work. SBSD Owl Camera: So I'd like to remove this from the April second. Unless anybody needs to discuss finance committee. SBSD Owl Camera: Just one question procedure. Do we need to SBSD Owl Camera: make a motion to disband the finance committee, or is it just something we can't do? Question. I would have to check the committee charge that we drafted up, but I don't think so. You don't should there be contention to add it back at the onset of a meeting, so to change
144an agenda in the meeting would require a two-thirds majority. SBSD Owl Camera: However, in agenda planning, there's no action. I don't think he's asking about removing it from the agenda. He's asking, do we need a formal motion to dissolve the committee as it currently stands. And I'm saying I need to check the committee charge to see what we wrote out. But I'm pretty sure in that committee. Charge it, says SBSD Owl Camera: the committee, like automatically dissolves after a budget pass. So so I'd say we leave it on, and then just wrap it up with the next meeting to this, if you could let us know. SBSD Owl Camera: Sure. So we'll just leave it on. Just so you can let us know what's happening in case we have to make a motion to dissolve.
145SBSD Owl Camera: Have the charge in front of me. Do you want me to? Yeah, that'd be great, I guess SBSD Owl Camera: so. SBSD Owl Camera: the committee operates at the direction of the Board and shall conclude its activities each year. Following the success successful adoption of a budget. Therefore we do not need to have it on the agenda SBSD Owl Camera: also, looking at the April second SBSD Owl Camera: draft agenda, we already have School board, retreat planning student representative recruitment process. SBSD Owl Camera: we only need school work. Retreat on there one time, and then what I've heard so far SBSD Owl Camera: is we need to add public comment to discussion. SBSD Owl Camera: We'll need to add a city school update. SBSD Owl Camera: The previous board wanted the chair
146to use our front for tomorrow post to inform the community about our upcoming work. I heard tonight that also, perhaps, like the highlights, would be helpful. We will be monitoring 2 monitoring reports at our April second meeting. They are 2.4 financial condition and Activities audit review. SBSD Owl Camera: which that's not gonna be many, though SBSD Owl Camera: we are hearing it could be ready. If it's if it's not, then we won't monitor it. The other is 2.2 treatment of community and some of the feedback I've already heard from this board is SBSD Owl Camera: making sure that not just the board, but the community. Understand how we're monitoring and and what that looks like, and what the importance is. So I'm wondering if you'd like for me to post something on push for them.
147But I'm asking now, because SBSD Owl Camera: I won't have an opportunity to ask you before our next meeting, and that is when we are SBSD Owl Camera: reviewing these so timely communication of the community would need to go out before the next meeting teams. SBSD Owl Camera: Do you have the tool to make to check the copy. Of course. SBSD Owl Camera: Do you have the tool to check the reading level? Because I have a professional subscription to it? I paid for it. I will send it to you. And get your feedback. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, I love that tool SBSD Owl Camera: any. I'm just looking for, general. The 1st time I sent him something he's like, that's grade level 14. Okay, my job is to provide you with a technical answer, though.
148So when I communicate with you. I'm going to give you that technical response. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, so just to be clear, I'm getting the green light from the board to post on the unfortunately, about our monitoring reports. Specifically. SBSD Owl Camera: can I ask what other mechanisms are there to communicate? Because I'm not on you should be SBSD Owl Camera: the other paper, I don't think is a good mechanism for delayed. It's too delayed. And I don't want to just guarantee that we always have space in the other paper. SBSD Owl Camera: other than that like we can ask our superintendent to put things in her newsletter which really covers the school community. I would love to. If you want to add that as an agenda item to talk about SBSD Owl Camera: what
149the media are. SBSD Owl Camera: that's a big topic. I don't know if we're ready for it, but the board does have SBSD Owl Camera: monthly space reserved in the other paper, and so we should. I don't know where you are at with the topic for that, but I imagine. SBSD Owl Camera: we're due for an art. You all are due for an article. I do. I've been adding to my board meeting wrap up email that I send to you all after our board meetings, and I already have board members to consider tactically how public forums or something similar might improve Board communications, slash public engagement, perhaps a part of that could be the mechanisms by which we share information with our community. SBSD Owl Camera: So so you're saying that the agenda item. SBSD
150Owl Camera: will we have an agenda item on public forum? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, per public comment. And then we would and then in the public comment section also. But wait. I thought you were just saying we would also talk about how we tell people about that. So that's so the separate. I was just, and and they should be listed separately on the agenda. SBSD Owl Camera: So SBSD Owl Camera: What would be what we call that community engagement strategies, because you also have, like I follow, like the Instagram page, there's South Burlington School district, Instagram Page. Well, the district is different than the board. But right? Yeah. And and again, social media training. I think that's just SBSD Owl Camera: further context. The reason the School Board has not been active on our own
151social media accounts is because that would require SBSD Owl Camera: someone to stay on board long enough to be consistent when that. So no problem. SBSD Owl Camera: That's strategies. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, we also will need to add as discussion. SBSD Owl Camera: sorry. I have a lot of thoughts about this by contract review to evaluate our superintendent by May 15, th and in order to do that, we have to start that process now. So I will add that to the agenda SBSD Owl Camera: we may need an executive session, but I don't think we'll need it by the 7, maybe sixties. So I'll share information about that as well. SBSD Owl Camera: That be on our next agenda. SBSD Owl Camera: the previous board got feedback about making sure that the public is
152aware of on this evaluation is going on. And so again I asked, do you want me to include that? We're working on SBSD Owl Camera: okay, anything else, for our April second meeting is filling up fast. SBSD Owl Camera: Know what you would. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay. SBSD Owl Camera: that brings us to agenda. Item, 10. Consent agenda. Are there any questions with any of the items on the consent. Agenda SBSD Owl Camera: 24 to 7. SBSD Owl Camera: No, I just. I just did read Eliza Prescott, so SBSD Owl Camera: resume, or whatever it was, and she has a German degree from University of Vermont, which I'm sort of proud of, because that's where my degree has come from. So I'd like to just SBSD Owl Camera: welcome her to the team and say
153she probably knows some of the same professors that I know. That's so funny. I talked to her so I, you know I have a I welcome I on board all of our new staff, and I talked to her and I didn't have that connection, so I don't know but she is really excited, and we're glad to have her coming in. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, and no further questions or comments SBSD Owl Camera: when you say consent. Agenda. Do you mean all of those 3 bullets that are there? The ABC. Okay. I had a couple of questions. SBSD Owl Camera: So regarding the Ap. Reports. Oh, I guess I'm out of order here. Approval. Minutes. I have nothing to say for that more to them. But on the Ap. Orders I was just curious what the
154categories represented, and how they're classified on the accounts? Payable summary. SBSD Owl Camera: And are there general budgets for each of those categories? And if so, how is that determined? SBSD Owl Camera: Those are really excellent questions. And I do think we need to do like an Ap or training. Well, let's make that an agenda item, because I can't answer that for you quickly. But we can answer that for the whole team. SBSD Owl Camera: That is, I couldn't do that in 5 min. Sorry, that's okay? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, that would be a good one to have SBSD Owl Camera: okay? So that was one of the questions. And then the other one was with Eliza, I was just curious with the salary. Is that inclusive of benefits? Or is that is that separate? Is
155that like all the full package? Or that's first.st Okay? And then we can handle that all separately. I was just curious. The best salary. Only. Okay. SBSD Owl Camera: Any other questions. SBSD Owl Camera: Just who does the minutes? SBSD Owl Camera: Julia Mcguire. She's our communications coordinator. Yeah, they're really good. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. Open meeting law requires like this much. It requires like basic things like, you know, who's who provided public comment, and who made the motions and like what the you know. But yep, they're far more detailed than I don't know if any of you read other board meetings, but ours are more robust. SBSD Owl Camera: So thank you, Julia, she's on right now. So if I make a comment that Julia Mcguire does a great job with our minutes that
156ends up in minutes. She won't put it in there. SBSD Owl Camera: Which brings us to agenda. Item 11. Adjournment. And do I have a motion to adjourn. SBSD Owl Camera: I move to adjourn any discussion. SBSD Owl Camera: It's really early. I don't know. Guys all in favor signify by saying, Aye, aye, thanks, everyone