The HUUSD School Board met in person (with an option for remote participation) Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
The meeting began with time for public comment.
Board Reports:
- Leadership - No questions were raised regarding the Leadership Report.
- Superintendent - Dr. Mike highlighted some items from his written report and Ashley provided some further details regarding potentially including the Waterbury Roundabout as a newspaper of record.
Topics for discussion:
- First Read of policies - Suggestions for changes to E25 will be addressed in Procedures, and proposed changes to G4 will be taken into consideration for another draft. Concerns regarding D1’s ‘historical inequity’ language were addressed.
- D1 Personnel Recruitment, Selection, Appointment, and Background Checks
- D10 Public Complaints about Personnel
- E25 Naming of Facilities
- F23 Participation of Home Study Students
- F27 Pupil Privacy Rights
- G4 Selection of Library Materials
- G11 Responsible Computer, Network, and Internet Use
- Second read of policies:
- G1 Curriculum Development & Coordination
- G7 Tiered System of Supports and Educational Support Team
- Budget - Lisa Estler presented some updated budget information, and she and Dr. Mike answered questions from Board members. Discussion followed, considering several aspects of potential areas for budget reductions and strategies for educating voters. It was agreed to move ahead with warning a vote for a $48,888,319 budget, to be tentatively held on April 30, 2024. An ad-hoc Publicity Committee may be created to provide educational information to the community prior to the budget vote. Bobbi and Steve volunteered for this committee.
- Possible formation of an Equity Policy Committee to create an Equity Policy - This would be separate from the Policy Review Committee - Life explained some of the work that would potentially be undertaken by this group; Life and Tori volunteered to be on this committee.
- Possible formation of a Finance Committee - Steve, Bobbi, Jonathan, Mike volunteered to be on this committee.
In action items, the Board:
- Approved a motion to accept for First Read policies:
- D1 Personnel Recruitment, Selection, Appointment, and Background Checks
- D10 Public Complaints about Personnel
- E25 Naming of Facilities
- F23 Participation of Home Study Students
- F27 Pupil Privacy Rights
- G11 Responsible Computer, Network, and Internet Use
- Approved a motion to warn Policies G1: Curriculum Development and Coordination and G7: Tiered System of Supports and Educational Support Team.
- Approved a motion to adopt Policies E15: Prevention of Conflict of Interest in Procurement and E14: Security Cameras.
Board Members present: Mike Bishop (Fayston), Danielle Dukette (Fayston), Life LeGeros (Duxbury), Bobbi Rood (Waitsfield), Steve Rosenberg (Moretown), Cindy Senning (Duxbury),Tori Taravella (Waterbury), Ashley Woods (Warren), Jonathan Young (Warren).
The Board welcomes feedback from our community and one of the easiest ways to share your thoughts is to send an email to [email protected], which will go to every Board member. Additionally, at the beginning of each Board meeting we invite public comment. Alternately, reach out to one of your neighbors who is on the school board and share your thoughts in a personal email or phone call (see a list of Board members and contact information at https://tinyurl.com/523wtrnj).
The Board’s next meeting will be on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Community members may attend in person in the Harwood library or remotely via zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/386460007#success), or watch it broadcast live on YouTube (http://tinyurl.com/huwebapp-youtube-live). Agendas and other related documents are available at huusd.org.