The HUUSD School Board met in person (with an option for remote participation) last Wednesday, May 25, 2022.
The meeting began with a presentation by the student representatives on the current events at Harwood, including spring sports, Spirit Week, fundraising for Ukraine, Harkness leadership, and an all-school dialogue focused on school safety.
Finance Director Michelle Baker was present to answer any questions the Board had regarding her latest report, which covered the state-set Property Yield and its tax implications (actual tax rates decreasing in our district on average by 1.49%). Her report also covered legislative updates on PCB remediation funding, the state's new pupil weighting formula, the new block grant model for special education funding, and universal school meals. Michelle shared her concerns for the fiscal implications of these changes in upcoming years as well as the strengths that HUUSD has to help face these challenges.
Next, Facilities Director Ray Daigle led the Board in a discussion about the PCB testing that will be scheduled for every Vermont school over the next few years. He outlined the requirements for remediation based on varying levels of PCB concentrations identified after testing and the fiscal and logistical impacts that could have on our district.
The Board spent some professional development time on the topic of Robert's Rules, answering questions and clarifying expectations. Additionally, the Board discussed the idea of hosting meet and greet events across the district this summer and fall, with the goal of introducing the new superintendent, Dr. Mike, to the community after he starts on July 1st.
In action items, the Board:
There is currently a vacant Board seat for a Fayston representative. To apply for the position, please send a letter of interest to Board Chair Kristen Rodgers ([email protected]) and to Superintendent Brigid Nease ([email protected]). You can find more information about the district and the Board at huusd.org, and you will find answers to frequently asked questions ("Join the School Board FAQ") here: https://huusd.org/board-information.
As always, the Board welcomes feedback from our community. One of the easiest ways to share your thoughts is to send an email to [email protected], which will go to every Board member. There is also time at every Board meeting for 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, June 8th at 6PM. 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.