001Good. >> Good evening everyone. It is Tuesday, December September December 16th, 2025. I'd like to call the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union Board of Directors meeting to order. Um, let's see. Before we get four more four uh minutes, can we just go around the room and uh announce who's here from from the board? Starting down with Todd >> on Todd Wilkins like Jeff Le from Texas board. Go ahead. Scott Mcini from board Chasbury, >> Beth Wallace, MAU board, >> one pter board, >> Katie Aken, MAU board, Bennington, >> Andy Foster, Panel, the country board. All >> right. Um, so first on the agenda this evening are public comments. Do we have any public comments? body. Nobody online put here. Uh item two on the agenda is the consent agenda which include minutes, warrants, retirements, resignations, and
002nominations. If there are no objections, I'd like to move those all as one. May I have a motion? >> I'll make that motion. >> Second. >> Motion made by Jeff, seconded by Glenn. Any discussion? Uh the only thing I point out is that for the new special hire, I do have an issue with w unlicensed provisional license. Um so I just kind of let that be known, >> you know, because they came from business world and going to special ed as a first year person. >> I feel the same way when I was it looks like there's no education training at all. So and they're working with our most needy, I guess. Sorry. >> Any further discussion? >> Okay. Hearing none. Uh, all those in favor of moving the consent agenda, please signify by saying
003I. >> I. >> Those opposed? >> I opposed. Uh, any abstensions? Right. Uh, item four on the agenda. Sorry. Item three on the agenda, operations, of which there are none. So, we'll move to item four, um, FY27, budget discussion. I think this goes to Renee. Um, so what I have um to actually present tonight is a little bit different than what's in the packet. Hopefully, it's going to be in a somewhat more digestible format for you. Um, so draft two, uh, to get us started. Um, excuse me. Uh, made another pass through, um, all of our staffing clear pretty much all the budget. Um, since we last met, uh, I did have a meeting, uh, with my colleagues across the state. We did have an update from VHI, the Vermont Education Health Initiative. Um the
004health insurance rates um we had had in the first draft of the budget at 8% um based on what they said on Friday, they're feeling pretty comfortable with uh what's happening with their back and forth between the Department of Federal Regulation. Um, as I mentioned actually last night, we since I've been in this role, this is my 10th budget season, I haven't seen DFR push back on high to change their rates the way that they have submitted them. Um, so I did pull back um from 8% down to the 7.4 um on the gold CDHP. Um, and then the other one is a 6.6 increase on the silver CDHP. So that is in this draft. However, with that, they also told us that the dental rates, which have been flat for the past several years,
005are going up 8%. So, those are factored in um the Vermont Municipal Employees Retirement System is also increasing a quarter of a percent um next year as it has been for the past several years. Um so, that has been factored in. Um just a couple of minor changes across the board otherwise. Um but we did uh see a somewhat of a decrease from draft one. So, we're down to a a 2.5% increase over um the previous version. Now, I do have um factors built in for all of our staff um for potential salary raises knowing that our collective bargaining agreements are all currently under negotiations for both um support staff and teachers. So, those are kind of unknowns. Um but we do we do have factors built in for those. Um no changes uh with
006FTEES as they were presented before. I did have one correction because I had missed one even though I had reported it on um the FTE listing in draft one was a clinician um that has been picked up in draft two. And then just to a reminder um from draft one is that we are pulling some u early ed staff um out of the consolidated federal programs federal grants um and pulling they're they're fractional FTE. So those that we pulled into this, it was in draft one as well. Um just with the the volatility and uncertainty as to what's happening at the federal level. Um slowly trying to inch things back into local budgets by little. So these were the first steps towards that. Um so with pulling them in, we also did have a reduction
007or we reduction of 1.8 8 FTEES um which is coming from our tech department um and early ed as well. So with that I will move on to um revenue streams. Um so we have several different revenue streams that come into the SU. I mean mainly the assessments from all the member districts are coming in to pay for um the expenditures. But before we get to that point of the assessments, um we do look at fund balances or any deficits for any of the departments or functions, how we break um break these out, any interest earnings get applied. Um we do have a census block grant which was introduced into legislation a couple of years ago which was basically the revamp of special education funding. So, um, act 173, I believe, not 73, 173 was,
008uh, special education, early essential education, and then our extraordinary reimbursements. We try to estimate those and apply those before the assessments go into the districts. So, the census block grant for FY27 coming into the SU is $7.7 million. This is based on um a a flat amount of $2,350 coming into the SU per long-term membership. And what that is is long-term membership is the average of the previous three years of average state of membership. So essentially what I do with this comes in as a a lump number, but I because we keep all of our special education costs by district, I take this number and break it out by district based on the ADM of every district and then apply that before those assessments go into the local budgets. So those are the dollar figures
009um for the census block grants for each of those districts. And then the triple E grants um that comes in at a a flat amount as well and is distributed or calculated on the average daily membership of grades 1, two, and three in the prior fiscal year. So again, it comes in as a lump. I break it out by district and that's how it gets allocated out. So those are just some examples of the revenues that are coming into the SU. So, we get to the assessments and what I did have in my the handout is my my not not really for presentation um working sheet. So, this is I know it's loaded with numbers. So I basically I'm trying to consolidate this down again, make it a little bit more digestible. But so our
010general services um basically everything outside of um admin and educ special education and early education is lumped into these lines here. Um you can see them broken out by member district and what the percentage changes are. Not every single one of these categories applies to every single district. So, those of you that are actually looking at that really big 11 by7 sheet, you'll see there are some spots where there are holes or no values in there. And it's either because it doesn't apply to that district or they're a non-operating district. Um, so it's uh like I said, it's a it's a working sheet of mine, but I know some people like to drill into the details. So, uh then we get into special education and early education. So these are the totals and the changes
011across the board. Special education administration assessments for each of the districts. This is just for the admin costs associated with um those folks basically working out of this office. So any associate directors that are in buildings or serving a particular district, those are built into the special education costs of that district. the special education services. So, this is covering everything else for every um every member district. And again, we we are budgeting these based on district. So, it's the staff that are serving in the schools of these districts and or serving the children um that are members of these school districts. uh triple E numbers and just kind of a a side note of uh ale E which is early essential education. So this is the special education portion of early ed. Um the the
012costs that are assessed out proportionately are are shared be and carried actually at the the SU which prior to Arlington and San Gate joining us. So that remains intact. those costs are shared um between North Bennington and SV uh UASD. The other costs that are also part of the SVS budget, however, they're mainly based out of the Arlington schools. Um but we do have some other learners that are outsourced um with Sandgate. So, we're tracking those separately. So, just so you're aware that some of it's proportional, some of it's not. And that's how this sheet kind of keeps getting longer and longer and longer because we're breaking things out more and more to track things um by district. And then our prek numbers, uh because Sandgate and Arlington do carry their prek costs in their
013local budgets, the only assessments for prek services are to North Bennington and SDWSD. So, um just to kind of share where we are in terms of uh at at the point in the year, um we we are at version 8 right now of long-term weighted ADM. Um what I have here are two member districts showing the ADM has looked like um since FY20. um ADM average daily membership and what that means is our census period which is days 11 to 30 of every school year. So this number um gets averaged with the prior year's ADM and then weights get applied for our long-term weighted AVM which is what we see in our local districts um kind of working into the long mathematical equation of how we get to our tax rates. And these are the
014other member districts and what's happening with their ADMs. So then to summarize um what we have here the budget before you draft two um expenditures of just over 38 million which is a 2.5% increase over the current year. The assessments to the member districts are 20.6 million which is just a.3% increase over the current year less than $53,000 across the board. and long-term weighted average daily memberships, not just the ADM per district, but this is long-term weighted. So, it's the two-year average plus the weights being applied. Um, as of version six, which I did say we were up to version eight as of yesterday. I suspect we'll probably have more versions coming. Um, we were at uh 5,900 and change. Last year, we were at 6200 and change. So, a pretty significant drop in what
015we're seeing. So, this translates into the tax um increases in most cases that we're seeing at at the local levels. So, that is what I have. Happy to answer any questions. Um there any questions for >> what what factors additional versions making you go over and redo look at why are you at version 8? Oh, it's not me. It's the state. Got it. Thank you. >> Yeah. So, they they pull data regularly out of our student information systems. And right now because the period that we're in, the AOE started last year, they're going to ask Superintendent Payne to certify >> that the number that they give us on this long-term lead ated ADM is correct. >> So, um, started late November. So, as soon as those data files are available, I download them and send
016them to our data folks and they've been scouring through making sure that our data is correct with what's in our student information system. Um and there have been iterations um where numbers are getting better, numbers are getting worse. Um trying to figure out why that is. We have um been advised that there was a change at the federal level of what qualifies for poverty. They shifted that by 3%. So people that or families that were previously on the cusp of qualifying no longer do. So that's really hitting um the weighted average daily membership in addition to just our student counts going down. I have a question in that regard and I realize there may be a an obvious answer but um has there been any real analysis done on um contribute well contributing factors or
017why the ADM continues to decline and you know people moving away or people not moving into the area is certainly the obvious one but people choosing to go to private schools versus um you know is there is there greater data? >> Birth rates are down too. Um >> I was on two separate phone calls yesterday um with superintendent spanning the length of the state. Everybody had the same concerns about ADM. The recclassification under at the federal level was not clearly communicated to folks. So the first initial and I remember Rene and I having this conversation too was like maybe we didn't do our count well and we went back and just went back through the numbers but that seems to be a statewide concern that the marker got moved. So that drops we didn't miraculously
018have more folks rise out of poverty. They just classified them in a different so that's one factor. And the other one is this matches the the graph that Renee shared with you that matches the Vermont trend which is fewer kids across districts. >> Um the poverty also is impacting Medicaid. So those families that were qualifying for Medicaid may have fallen off qualifying as well. >> So they dropped the federal poverty level down then. will be raised up. >> No, it's hard to get on. >> And that's a federal decision. >> Will that happen again in January? Because usually they updated in Jan. >> I speak to what's going to happen at the federal level. does have a real world impact on us though, but it it's not waiting kids as it did even last year.
019So, you're seeing less weight for and fewer kids and lower Yeah. It just impacts your taxes as well. >> Thank you, Renee. Any other questions before we >> There is a request. >> Yeah. like if if you are we need to get this set so we can lock things in. So if we either need some direction on what you want to see in a in a subsequent version or if you're satisfied with this and prepare to vote on it tonight. Um certainly do that. I >> have one other question. And I apologize if this was asked in a previous meeting, but can you speak a little bit about the jump in contracted services? >> Um, attributable to um a couple of things. So I I have actually I think it's on the second page of
020the handout. So one notable um piece was uh the Nick County, what are we calling it? apprentice is it apprenticeship program? >> Oh, the register. Yeah. >> So, we put we put money in the budget um to support those efforts. And then coupled with that um we had um some learners move into the district with um specific impairments that we we have hired for, but we also needed additional um contracted services for those and they're sizable. So, that's why there's such a jump there. So, >> it's safe to say the salaries and benefits should be locked down for now. We know those numbers are set for the most part. >> We don't we don't as far as negot negotiations are happening >> and they're not meeting again until the end of January. So, there will
021be 20th. >> So, there might be some wiggle room with the salaries then potentially. And then well, if if you wanted to wait until after they meet again, that's gonna bottleneck everybody else because you would have to vote. I'd have to rerun all the numbers and then we every board would have to meet again prior to the end of January. >> I would not recommend we wait. >> Flipping to the dental, I know you said there was an 8% increase. Is it true generally speaking that that dental is less than it would be for other companies even though it's 8% it just sounds bad. Thank you. But I mean it has been flat for probably four or five years if not longer. So it wasn't jump. It was a jump. Um and also since then
022I think yeah dental is now available to a greater population of our employees. So, it could have potentially had a greater impact, but thankfully it it really didn't. But has been adjusted. >> Thank you. >> I didn't print all of the sheets. Um, on the income side of things for carryover, under spend, fund balance carrying over, where are we with that and what's being built into this budget? So, we track that by um my auditors think we're nuts the way that there are so many categories, but we actually do break down all of the budgets, all of the spending by all these categories and then track them back. So, my second page of this is really not prepared, which is not included in stuff, but that's where all these numbers go. So um by each
023whether it's function um it's fund and function probably um I put all those fund balances that we have available in um I also allocate if we have interest earnings which we did um those pretty much stay within the general fund so they're helping to offset our costs of my department Nick's department administration um the fund balances varied greatly this year. Um, notably, um, Arlington had a significant fund balance for their special education for this current year, over $300,000. It's down to $22,000 for use for next year. So, that's why Arlington is seeing such a jump um in their special education costs. Um some of the heftier fund balances remain with uh special education um and it so those get applied by I look at mainly I'm looking right now at um SVUD and Mount Anthony.
024So I've really been trying to work to pull back on what we're budgeting along with um early education. Um Megan recognized that they have a dwindling enrollment with preK as well. Also, we've reduced our um what we're budgeting there because we've consistently had excess funds um for our prek tuition which impacts North Bond. Um yeah, there it really depends on how the you know the prior year has gone. So, it's not a blanket answer as to what who has fund balances or what departments do or don't. It's really across the board a But when we're approving a budget, we're we're approving expenses. >> Correct. >> So the assessment takes into account then the budget minus the fund balances that would carry in and then the difference of that being the assessment out to the member
025districts >> and any other. So the census block grant, the triple E grant. >> The difficulty in having a conversation just for like public consumption about having a conversation about a 2.5% increase is this doesn't reflect anything about what comes back in income, right? This is just what's being planned for expenditures, >> right? Your your assessments across the board are up collectively only by.3%. But again, when you break it down by district, it's, you know, some are more, some are less. And depending upon the category, you have some are more, some are less. Um, I did have Amy, I think a couple years ago, Nicole, you asked for kind of a comparison, like a year-by-year comparison. Um, I did put that together and put it um in had Amy upload it into the packet today.
026But the numbers that I gave you and they're here. I mean, there's I'm not hiding anything. >> No, I don't. No, I I just didn't print it. And I think for for people to understand that there is that other component. Yeah. Um that impacts ultimately then what gets charged out to the districts which then translates into a tax rate. >> Right. So, while the public doesn't vote on the $38 million budget, the $20 million assessments gets built into all the budgets that do get voted on, >> right? >> It's complicated. >> If you'd like. >> Yeah. So, I'll make the motion to move this as it stands. >> I'll second it. So, we have a motion made by Jeff and seconded by Ray. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? >> All right. Those
027opposed. Any abstensions? >> Okay. Thank you everyone. >> Thank you Rene Rene. >> Thank you. Um, up next on the agenda would be policies. There are none. So, we are on to the superintendent's report. The only item I will add to the discussion is that the treasurer's report has been moved from the consent agenda to FYI and that pointed out to us that the treasur's report is generated outside of our office and so it may not arrive on the same timeline as uh an agenda for the board. So it there uh for those folks who want to see that when we have money that's made available to us, we'll be putting it there for information. You're all set. >> All set. Okay. Um up next would be uh chair's report. I have two things. First
028one is um expand alluded to um I am sitting on the negotiation committee um with teachers and support staff. We are making progress but there is still work to do. We met most recently last night and um as was mentioned we have our next meeting on January 20th. So there will be more to come there. Um and then ne the next uh item that I would have would be um act 73. We all we all have been hearing an awful lot about act 73 for quite some time. Um when we thought there would be some clarity. there continues to be, excuse me, more flux um coming from the state and um I think it's uh past probably past time um to have conversations about what we would think of our next steps to be as
029a as a supervisory union. Um recognizing that you know around this table there are representatives from several districts all of each of whom probably have slightly different or substantially different perspectives on what they would like to see the most out of um for from a recommendation perspective from um from us from this body to to the state. Um, and so we are I've talked with Superintendent Payne about a process for collecting data, collecting uh information from constituents um and ourselves to help shape what that would what that looks like. So I'll turn it over to Superintendent Payne to share a little more color on that. >> Sure, if you would be will. >> Um, really quickly there uh I sent three separate Zoom meetings yesterday. The first one was a regional superintendence group. So these
030are superintendents from Rutland to us. Uh and then we moved into a conversation with representative elected officials mostly from the Rutland area. We did have a few folks representing Manchester and that group and then that rolled into a statewide uh superintendence conversation. Nothing I I wouldn't say anything revolutionary coming out of that. Um for the regional group uh most of us are in the midst of budget. All of us are in the midst of budget. So kind of a consistent theme came out of whatever changes act 73 or other that the legislature visit some um some consistency some predictability around the budgeting process would be really helpful. Um, we are not the only district that is struggling with increases and as a small as a smaller group of us, there's about eight of us, we
031all were pretty consistent on this would be really helpful if we could move toward a system that is transparent, that is predictable, and doesn't cause stress every year for folks. Um, no magic answers out of that. In talking to the elected officials, they did a lot of listening. Only a couple of them uh asked clarifying questions. Uh there was a comment made about they were aware that they bought down the tax rate last year. I was a little concerned as one member said they weren't aware that it was going to put us in a hole for this year. I couldn't see that jump. I can't imagine they wouldn't have had that explained to them, but the governor and the legislature buying down the tax rate last year was helpful in the immediate, but it has
032caused challenges this year. So, um, at the statewide level, I'll just share with the superintendent association, uh, the council that we received and we are working with an interim executive director as our executive director is on leave, uh, maternity leave. Uh, they counseledled to wait and see two first two weeks of the legislative session. I think everybody is, uh, interested to see the positioning that's going on. If you've seen the December 1st letter, you know that the governor had a had a statement to be made within hours of it being presented and legislative leaders have weighed in as well. So, um, with the curveball of no map going into that process, uh, at least at the superintendent level, folks were kind of, hey, take a minute. Let's see what everybody's what we see what the
033political winds are kind of lining up on. Um, but I we in all three meetings, I didn't hear anybody put forward a a bright idea to address what was the original group's concern around finances. Um, I do think it's important, Nicole and I have had a couple of conversations throughout the fall. I do think it's important uh to have a working group designated from this body. So, that would be my first suggestion. Second one is there was a survey that went out in the fall. There were lots of surveys that went out in the fall. There's a really good one. I think it came from the VPA originally and I had Katie West um cut it up and uh shorten it and I provide copies for everybody here to see as a suggestion of putting
034that out in the community as early maybe before we go away for break and then we could support it through you know social media and the banner saying hey there's this survey we'd really like your two cents worth on this get some feedback so that by the end of January we could bring that back to a working group and say here's your first snapshot at a community's thought around uh act 73. So I I brought copies if that's all right happy to share this so folks folks can take a look at it. It is uh it is a draft so if you have a question and you see a question that you feel is understand what you're asking here Tim or would you please consider this. It was probably twice as long when we started
035and we we kept chopping it thinking that it get to the question we're asking and also maybe encourage more folks to stop talking. >> As a matter of fact, there's a into the report that the redistricting put together to begin with. Yep. Excellence. Any questions, comments? Be great to get the survey out. I >> think it's relatively easy for us to do. Like I said, we would support it with uh some messaging in the community, making sure folks are aware that it's available. I think leaving it open for six weeks, I think, is fine. Uh it would give us time to get through the holiday rush when folks might be really busy, and then revisit it in the early part of January. to just encourage we can do that for you. >> Lines, two and
036three are going to give you a great, you know, data set of who's thinking what and then how to best target, you know, information to that demographic. I would say that the last two question well two six and seven it doesn't have anything to do um the notion of a district is pretty amorphous based on what act 73 means. >> Okay. uh they talk about districts and it's not clear what they're talking about. So I don't know if that's going to mean something to people but hopefully it will then or they'll ask maybe you should have a helpline. >> Well it might also give you information too. We might discover portions of the population who haven't been paying attention to it as closely and say, "Okay, this is where we could do some education pieces
037and we can share some information too." >> To your point, do you think it would be helpful maybe as part of the the lead in that would that would be maybe >> A glossery. I mean a def by by definition a district is a a super because I think you're right. I mean a lot of people don't understand the overall structure. Yeah. And you may including glossy may confuse. I'm not >> Yeah. You might want to just let it be districts and whatever way they interpret it. >> Because we may not have >> telling as well. >> Yeah. >> I assume there's a reason they talked about if you use larger districts versus consolidated districts. >> Yeah. I think just in I'm sorry. So, you're saying change it to that or >> Well, I'm just
038saying it seems intentional. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Yeah. I I had a couple people look at it and then consolidated has a little bit of a weight to it now in the conversation. So, >> yeah, >> we're trying to be aware of that. >> I would add um another option to questions four through seven so that people could um identify their own answers or add answers even though you have that comment section toward the end. Yes, >> if you're completing it on a phone, you may not see that. You may not complete the whole thing, you know. >> Um, it's a good piece of feedback. We did a communication survey and we included a comment in each one. >> Uhhuh. >> And it it blew up on us a little bit like the result sheet
039got. So, there was some discussion about, hey, can we put comments here and kind of consolidate them so that uh we didn't have comments throughout the result. Anyways, it was a more of a procedural thing than anything, but if you feel like a a comment section and we did have a spirited conversation about four, five, six, and seven should have uh >> and I think we just put it in one spot thinking that might help folks get through the whole thing. Oh, I forgot to This is an important idea I want people to consider. The only thing I think about that and and depending on like what form you're using whether your looks like a Google form um other with an option for comment is a little bit different than adding a whole other field
040for comment. It it consolidates it a little bit. Um, and the reason I would suggest that is because then it's less leading, you know, like here we've generated all of these potential, you know, harms of larger districts. Check which ones you agree with. Um, without offering like maybe there's something we haven't identified. Again, you could do that at the end, but it's just it's less specific. >> Okay. Happy to go back and take that. And we this list of for four, five, six, seven of the choices that came directly from the survey that we found. So we're hoping to >> state survey, right? >> Yes. >> So we we I just want we're using something that's been used before on the public. So I just >> you're very you are correct. We may have missed
041something, but I just want to be clear. We're not taking uh ownership of being that bright and having that many options for question. >> Great. It sounds like you would. You're good. No, it it could Beth answered my question. >> Is there any chance an extra one sitting in this? >> Yes. >> Do we? So, question number three about how familiar are you with with how Vermont currently funds its education system. Yes, it gives us good kind of foundational knowledge of who's completing the survey and what they know, but do we have any plan for how that data could inform um you know community engagement opportunities that we've talked about as wanting to elevate and concentrate on as a board? >> Well, I think it's a great I mean it it's a great point and
042I've heard multiple people talk about the presentation Superintendent Payne gave to select board. >> Yes. >> Talking about the funding of the education system and how many people may may think they know but but probably truly don't. I mean I think that the key a core part I would say that if we are developing a working committee a core part of that would be helping to continue to educate people about how the current system functions. >> Even I mean it doesn't have to be super involved right from the start either. if it was a recording of Rene's, you know, training that she does per new board members that was just posted on our website. I mean, that's like the first >> or the presentation that gave or both, right? >> Yeah. Well, you know, one
043thing I think is never clear is how much money we actually really spend because uh we talk about tax money, but a lot of it is tax money from the larger polity which is the United States federal government and that gets spent and it's not accounted for in this budget per se because it comes in and it gets distributed and used uh some of it you know we it's just not in in the budget it's there we spend it um I'm thinking about IDA IDA and other monies that come in that we do spend and use appropriately and report but they're never accounted for in the part that we see going to the public. And I think the public should understand how much is actually being spent in totality. We never talk about that because
044it's not uh we don't we vote on having those programs, but we don't vote on those programs as part of the budget because they're grant grant monies. Yeah. >> Um on question four, um is it possible? I mean, I think it's great that we have personable educators, but I think it's wonderful that we have great educators that are teaching So, is there another box that we could share that people share that our teachers are lovely and they're knowledgeable and they're they're sharing their wisdom with health children? >> Are you recommending just changing personable to something that's a little more affirming? >> I think it's nice to have personable people as well. Um and um I think it's also nice that we have great teachers, >> highly qualified or qualified personable figures and qualified, but it's
045not the only thing involved. be nice to help elementary school personal you >> did I miss um what the I think you're you're going to supplement this opening paragraph um or maybe not but is there a description of what I73 is that will accompany this >> uh we talked about that and we didn't want to put it on the survey and then folks can say I'm fully aware of act 73. I I think that was and again we we honestly we took a look at a survey and we said you know here's their introduction here are the questions we feel would be helpful as a first step to a working group. Um, I'm happy to I I would think as I think my thinking was is as we start to educate the community about Act
04673 and how it could impact us and what do we want to this group would then be telling us what are we advocating for? What do we want to maintain? Um, I would think this is just a first step but I'd be happy to come back if if people get results back and people an overwhelming group are like I have no idea how to explain act 73 then that would be all right. we need to do to get that out there to folks understand. But how about in a effort to keep us keep us moving and not look through all feel the need to go through all these questions uh now and give feedback if any if you want to take these home with you look through provide feedback to me directly. I can work
047with superintendent Payne on getting comments added um and we can move. Is it is the suggestion someone made a suggestion. Is the suggestion is every is everybody okay with getting it ready to be published the 19th is this Friday. Do we want to put it out over the holiday? And I mean it's ready to go. I'm happy to edit and add things but is the group comfortable with us putting it out there letting it sit over the vacation folks will have some time to do it and then we can absolutely agree and force it throughout January. Hey survey is available. I am I miss >> I would point out that one thing it does not mention is the actual report of the redistricting committee which is out there. >> Yeah. >> And u I'm not
048sure it's out there publicly very well but it's certainly with the legislative and according to will rear maybe it's just the house he's talking about. Maybe it's the overall legislature. Uh they're sort of going to run with it or they're going to at least take it up and review because that's the only report they got. It does have a map in it, although it's not a specific. You know, it's large districts just like the governor requested, but they're large for a different purpose for action. So, is there a place on your um survey where you could because you have a whole section on the SPSU site about Act 73? Yeah. >> Is there a place on the survey that could take you back to that site and link to the >> I was going to
049do two things with that suggestion. I think we should update the act 73 button and the map. >> We don't have that that uh >> that report from December 1st, do you? and we can put the redistricting committee's report in because it's finally in a >> Thank you for >> so if it's all right at the end I would again I don't want I want to get a kind of a more accurate picture of where people are but if they get to the end and they get to comments we could put a star you can find more resources on the SPSU's website here >> have them click and what I'll do is I'll remove the maps if everybody's all right with that and plug in the redistricting committees report >> got it definitely referred them
050to a place where we can get finger. >> Yep. I will make sure there's a link available to them at the end >> and you know you might sort of highlight that at the beginning too. Maybe they'll review it before they fill out the survey be a little more informed. >> I hope I hope. Well, so then thinking about this working potential working committee, is that something that >> we should have outlined >> tonight? Something that we work toward? >> I think we can work to Can this be the committee? >> Can can can it be it's totally up to you guys and and all you have to do is tell me, hey, we're going to have a working group. I don't think you have to choose it before we go on holiday break. I
051think if the group says when we come back in January we're going to have some we've talked to our membership this is who wants to participate it could be in the committee of the whole it could be a smaller working group that says this is what I'm passionate about happy to take direction what would be the the wish of of the board members there >> I guess it depends on what the if there's an agreed upon role that the working group would play that might help determine involvement because if the working group was going to meet and then everything still had to come back to the SPSU board or the member district boards if we're just adding in another >> entity that isn't going to streamline the process. >> I mean part of me was
052thinking what makes me part of me was thinking well you would want to have part of the working group be potentially a member from at least one member from every one of our every one of the districts on this board. At that point, you're almost like, "Well, why don't you just have it be the be the board?" Um, I'm I'm okay either way. It's it's it's more a matter of making sure everybody in this body feels as though they're represented. I mean, we're not going to do anything before the end of the year, basically. I think that sounds very important. >> So, um I think maybe you could appoint and have a task that everybody's read this, this, and this. >> We can work out. Yeah, >> we can we can close the What we
053could do. You're meeting your next meeting is January 28th. >> Yes. See, that's that's a problem. I think >> or because I think we need to have this group up and running before that. I don't expect it to be up and running before the end of the year. Though I need maybe we do need to use let the chair use his power to a point with your assistance and point and let everybody know. I mean, if we're going to use the whole whole SU body, that's I don't see that that's a big issue. It's larger, but you know, given our attendance, you know, what did we we made a quorum? Sometimes we don't, >> but we could close the survey prior to that, make the the results available to members prior to your meeting and
054then come in, >> you know, with a sense of >> I think that would be a good way to start. Okay. >> Okay. >> Because then we know what the legis >> I'm not optimistic about that piece. I will close the I will plan to close the survey on the 21st. That is one week before your next meeting. And that way we can have staff work on putting it in a format that's easy for you to read and have that available to you before your meeting. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Sure. >> Thanks. >> Um item eight on the agenda is FYI. We have budget status report to be posted and treasures report to be posted. Um with that I would like Yes. A couple things before executive session. Sure. Just announcements. >> Um
055the BSBA um regional update email came out today and one of the things that Jim and Melanie mentioned was um one way to follow current legislative activity and comply with district quality standard governance standard 113.3.6 um is to invite your state representatives to come to an upcoming schoolboard meeting. I just I don't know how closely we're tracking those district quality standards and how we are following them, which ones were incorporating into our practices, which ones were not um I don't want to lose sight of those expectations and then find time of evaluation, we've missed a whole segment of what we were supposed to be doing. Well, since all of us come from other boards, those boards are suspected follow these, right? >> All boards are our member district boards and this board. >> Yeah. But
056what I'm wondering, you know, I guess this board does enough distinctive that it probably has should meet its own EQs or whatever call. >> Yeah. Once the session starts, it's Mondays only for Friday nights. >> Yeah. >> So, that's the hard part. >> And I don't know if I I didn't go back and look at the district quality standard, but Tim's hosting the monthly legislative breakfasts and does that >> kind of >> I don't want to sneak by by the skin of our teeth, but I do want to make sure that we are paying attention to what those standards are. That's a good question. >> We have been meet we we have as a group been making an effort to invite elected officials. So yeah, I can double check to see if that helps us
057with that. >> And then the other thing just as a uh to let people here know that the um because it does involve school representatives. The Arlington Common is hosting a documentary screening of a film called Gone Guys. um says this film is the tackles the quiet crisis facing boys and young men in Vermont screening and community panel taking place. So it's a 45minute um film that has had selective screenings throughout the state and then discussion panel groups at the end of that. Um our we are hosting it in Arlington on January yeah January 11th. Um our panel is Todd will be um representing the school board. We have the Arlington school psychologist. We will have one student from Arlington and one student from MAU. And we have a um teacher from Southwest Tech who
058will also be participating in it. Katie is helping with some of the press releases and media and communication working with Missy. Um there will be outreach to local organizations. The intent is really to look at to look at data. It's national data about what's happening with boys and young men and how they're struggling. And the hope is that it starts a conversation within local communities about what resources are available. What are we doing to try to support boys and young men? Are they falling through the cracks? Are there different systems that we need to be thinking about. So, just to let people here know and to thank Tim for um having Katie help with >> some of the PR >> wheelhouse all day long. Remind me where are we meeting in Arlington for that? >>
059It's at the common. The Arlington Common is the um right in the center of town. >> Yep. Okay. >> Just past the bank on the right. >> Yep. Beautiful old Catholic church. >> All right. Um moving into executive session. of BSA 313A free appointment employment or evaluation of a public officer or employee. I have a motion to move into executive session. >> Make that motion. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Oh, and to uh I would also invite in director Nick Valt and Superintendent B. And I'll amend that motion to present. Thank you, Jeff. Do I have another and there's no second to the amendment? I can a by red. Uh uh any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor of moving into executive session. >> Those opposed? Any extensions? Uh, if you don't mind, I'm
060going to step up step up for one sec before we get started. >> Oh, thanks. Thanks. Okay. >> All right. Having left executive session now what I need is a motion to vote. >> Made by Ray, second by Jeff. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? >> Those opposed? Any abstensions? Thank you everyone. Everybody travel safe and have a