Released 8-6-2018 - RJW, chair
Questions have been answered here, comments have been recorded and reported
publicly.
These are from the two RVUSD Board Meetings in June and July 2018.
Comments from Dover Meeting - June
We voted on
keeping both schools open and running/ operating the same…..Option B had only
Wardsboro making a change- Why?
Wardsboro will lose our identity.
·
Citizens voted on the Articles of Agreement.
Article 3 – Grades included states “The
Unified District will operate schools for students in Pre-Kindergarten through
Grade Six and will pay tuition for the students in Grades Seven through Twelve
pursuant to Vermont statutes.”
For option B- P.D. $
for multi-grade not listed
·
$3,000 has been estimated for Option B
multi-grade additional professional development
Re: Option B-I really
resent the public comment that “you are taking away” students from
Wardsboro. *Change the Rhetoric!!” I see
that what is really happening is that you are fully meeting the goal stated of
“giving students more opportunities”
·
Public Comment
Rich request- option
B+- A new school building in between the towns
·
Public Comment
If option B was
chosen why would Wardsboro pay/ train for IB program only for prek-2nd
graders? Option A was presented and
voted upon
·
Equity of Offerings: Article 1 – Educational
Opportunities – “the Unified Board will
allow for educational opportunities provided at each school to be extended to
all students in the district.”
Comments from Wardsboro meeting- July
If Dover
students/school has little to no change, whereas Wardsboro changes immensely,
how does this keep the culture and identity of Wardsoro (what was identified as
an important aspect) and also keep equity between the two schools?
·
Honoring the Culture – Wardsboro. It appears all
things listed are possible in Option B
·
Slide at end of the answers
In option B, there
are combined classrooms (pre-k3-K) and 1-2, in Wardsboro. Does Dover combine these grades and if not,
how does this meet the equity in education that is required?
·
The plan does not propose the combining of
grades on the Dover Campus
·
The Board will discuss Equity as it designs the
new district
·
Working Definition of Equity at end of
the answers
If the other schools
in the district combine and send their 6th graders to L&G middle
school, what will happen to our 6th graders who are now going to
Dover in Option B or staying in Wardsboro in Option A? Will they then be “behind” in a year, or set
back in any way?
·
No, All 5th grade students receive
instruction in the Vermont Educational Quality Standards
IB in Wardsboro is a
“non-starter”
·
Public Comment
Have transportation
costs been factored in to Option B, or the most likely addition of a teachers
Aide in the pre-K3 class? (same card separate question)- If 2 teachers will
lose their job, are all of the teachers going to have to re-apply for a
position?
·
No transportation has not been added and neither
has an additional Aide. In Option B, 15-18 students are expected in the prek3 –
K class with a teacher, Aide, and Principal/Interventionist.
·
The Board will devise a procedure for employment
that respects existing and future Collective Bargaining Agreements. That
process is unknownat this time.
Families being
involved was a goal mentionedin the beginning of the presentation. Low parental involvement is already an issue,
how will splitting siblings into 2 schools help with this? Parents will have even more events to attend,
ie: Open Houses, P/T conferences, Authors Teas, etc.
·
Under one District Board, coordination is
possible and expected to address this
I think the Board
(Rich) needs to understand this was a discussion and the rudeness was not a
great show of “blending” our towns.
Would have been nice to hear from Wardsboro members!
·
Public Comment
Wardsboro- I don’t
think this is what Wardsboro Town people voted for. We want equal opportunities for our children
but I feel going in this direction will eventually mean the closing of our town
school which will be harmful to our community.
·
Public Comment
Bus safety seems like
a BIG issue. We should not be
bussing children over that mountain
·
Public Comment
It’s unfortunate to
(especially with the comm. That came) have a meeting without discussion- only
questions no answers
·
Public Comment
IB Program works in
Dover… is it an expense that we need to spend to bring it to Wardsboro School?
·
Future Board Decision
I strongly agree with
operating each building as is and reassess next year
·
Public Comment
Dover and Wardsboro
went into this merger to continue to operate both schools- this complied with
the States Act 46 requirements and Option A does this without compromising the
culture of each school. Option B changes
everything in only Wardsboro.
·
Public Comment
Would you put your
kids in a bus to go from Wardsboro to Dover?
I live on that hill and would not
·
Public Comment
Thank you for your
work and dedication in trying to bring the most equitable resources to help our
children flourish in their education
·
Public Comment
Option B has definite
travel for Wardsboro. It would be
helpful to know what it looks like before comments can be made. I am not sure I want any kids traveling-
unless building choice.
·
Public Comment
I would like to be
part of the 7-12 transportation discussion.
When will this happen?
·
Fall of 2018
Safety Ask any Dover Police Officer how safe it is
to drive a bus full of children over the mountain and back. Rich could answer this
·
Public Comment
If you can estimate
the numbers on A & B options now- why not provide “hard numbers”?
·
Once a defined structure has been decided upon, more
detail can be provided
Wardsboro
Safety-
transportation over Mtn. on Rte 100- what measure/ arrangements will be made
w/AOT to maintain the rte better?
-Smaller class room
size = equity
-student/ teacher
ratio
·
Transportation- unknown at this time
Would we have
multiple buses with Plan B?
·
Future Board Decision
What are anticipated
classroom sizes with Plan B
Dover Campus: Wardsboro
Campus
PreK3-4: 16-19 PreK3-
K 15-18
K: 12-14
1: 10-12 1-2 10-14
2: 10-12
3: 15-17
4: 15-17
5: 19-21
6: 17-19
Options A seems liker
a good fit, in my opinion, with minimal change and efforts to improve both
schools (mostly Wardsboro). However it’s
the more expensive option.
·
Public Comment
How does this alter
the level of Special Ed
·
Option A – no change
·
Option B- more concentrated at Dover Campus
Wardsboro
Separating family’s
with siblings being in different school
I drove that mountain for
25 years very dangerous drive. Safety of
our children is a number 1 priority
·
Campus
Comment: it seems as
though my childrens safety is based off a savings “EQUITY”
·
Public Comment
Obviously option B is
not favorable- whats next?
Educational equity means that each student
receives the resources and educational opportunities they need to learn and
thrive.
· Equity means that a student’s
success is not predicted nor predetermined by characteristics such as race,
ethnicity, religion, family economics, class, geography, disability, language,
gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or initial proficiencies.
· Equity means that every school
provides high quality curriculum, programs, teachers and administrators,
extracurricular activities and support services.
· Equity goes beyond formal
equality where all students are treated the same. Achieving equity may require
an unequal distribution of resources and services.
· Equity involves disrupting
inequitable practices, acknowledging biases, employing practices that reflect
the reality that all students will learn, and creating inclusive multicultural
school environments for adults and children.
Vermont School Boards Association
Vermont Principals Association
Vermont Superintendents Association