12/9/16

Next Meeting & More Info for Voters


Click here to read the full 30-page Report & Articles of Agreement prepared by the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro. Instructions for HOW TO COMMENT.


Next Meeting
January 5th, 2017, Marlboro Elementary School, 6:30pm. Open Public Meeting.
Agenda
Time to decide! Over the next several weeks the Committee Members are scheduling six public information sessions to give voters many opportunities to discuss what will be on the ballot when they go to vote in March, 2017 at Town Meeting Day. Voters, parents of school children, and interested residents may go to any of these meetings in any of these towns. The schedule is as follows:
  • January 12  6:30pm - 8pm Marlboro Elementary School
  • January 19  6:30pm - 8pm  Dover Town Hall
  • January 23  6:30pm - 8pm  Wardsboro Town Hall
  • February 2  6:30pm - 8pm Wardsboro Town Hall
  • February 13 6:30pm - 8pm Marlboro Elementary School
  • February 27 6:30pm - 8pm Dover Town Hall
GO TO THIS SCHEDULE IN PRINT-FRIENDLY FORMAT - click here.






11/18/16

For Public Review: Report & Articles of Agreement / NEXT MEETING

Click here to read the full 30-page Report & Articles of Agreement prepared by the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro. Instructions for HOW TO COMMENT.

Next Meeting
December 8, 2016, Wardsboro Elementary School, 6:30pm. Open Public Meeting.

Read the Agenda

Public Service Announcement Regarding the Completion of the Report & Articles of Agreement

On November 17, 2016, the Windham Central Supervisory Union (WCSU) Act 46 Elementary Study Committee concerning Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro voted to approve the final draft of its Report and Articles of Agreement. Nine of the ten committee members were present, and the vote was 7 in favor, 2 abstaining. The committee members voting in favor were: from Dover: committee chair Richard Werner, school board member; Laura Sibilia, school board member; Chip Vicary, school board member; and Randy Capitani, Dover resident; from Marlboro: Celena Romo, school board member; and and from Wardsboro: Mike Murphy, school board member; committee second chair Dwight Boerem, Wardsboro resident. Those abstaining were Dan MacArthur, a Marlboro school board member and Lucy Gratwick, a Marlboro resident. Committee member Jill Dean, a Wardsboro resident, was absent. The principals of the schools in the three towns were also present, Matt Martyn from Dover Elementary School, Francie Marbury from Marlboro Elementary School, and Tammy Bates from Wardsboro Elementary School. Several citizens from the various towns also participated during the public comment portions of the meeting. The Committee members had set a goal when they began their sessions last summer to have a document completed by late November, and by adding a few extra meetings to their schedule in October and November, they were able to complete their report and the articles on schedule. The BCTV video of the November 17 meeting is available from a link on the Committee’s blogsite at wcsu-committee.blogspot.com.

The document that the Committee approved is a 30-page paper, consisting of a report from the Committee; 19 Articles of Agreement; recommendations prepared by the Committee’s consultant, John Everitt; and charts and tables in an appendix. The approved document outlines a plan for the consolidation of school governance that aligns with the goals of Vermont Act 46. The Articles of Agreement will go before the voters in Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro on Town Meeting Day, March, 2017. Before then, the Committee is planning to schedule open discussion sessions in each of the towns so that voters can have the opportunity ask questions about how each of the Articles in the document may or may not impact their town and their school. Overall, the Articles of Agreement includes no plans to close any elementary school in each of the three towns, and, by unanimous agreement of the Committee members, the document shows a strong intent to preserve the unique character of each of the elementary schools. Should the voters ultimately reject the recommendations of the Elementary Study Committee, Vermont’s Agency of Education can mandate changes to school governance for these towns. This can also result in the loss of several grants now received which could be in excess of $250,000.

The full document can be viewed on the Committee’s blog site at wcsu-committee.blogspot.com. Anyone who wishes to receive a copy by email should send their name and email address towcsu.media@windhamcentral.org. A printed copy is kept on file at the elementary schools in Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro. The public is also invited to attend the Committee’s next regularly scheduled meeting which will be held at the Wardsboro Elementary School at 6:30 pm on December 8, 2016. The agenda for that meeting is posted on the blog site at wcsu-committee.blogspot.com.

Part of the process of submitting the Articles of Agreement to the State Agency of Education requires that the new unified school district be given a new name. The Committee, with participation from everyone present at the meeting, chose the name “River Valleys Unified School District” (RVUSD). There would no longer be three separate school boards, but instead only one school board comprised of representatives from each town known by that name.

Additional information available for residents, taxpayers and voters

Residents, taxpayers and voters have options if they wish to keep informed about the progress of the tri-town Study Committee. One way to keep up to date is to attend the meetings.

In addition, voters may sign up for periodic email news about the Study Committee by sending their name, address and email address to this email: wcsu.media@windhamcentral.org.


11/11/16

Next Meeting

Next meeting - November 17, Thursday at 6:30 PM at Dover Elementary School  
Open Public Meeting.   MAP to location
Agenda

Public Comment period - November 11 through November 17
Click here to read the DRAFT of the Report from the Committee and the DRAFT of the Articles of Agreement  (document is 29 pages)
A little help from our friends? The Study Committee is seeking suggestions for the name of the new school district by which the three schools will be known, if the unified school governance is approved by voters in March 2017.
EMAIL your suggestions before Nov. 30, 2016


Our Brochure

Who's working on this Study? A little background on the people who have volunteered for this important work.

Consultant to the Study Committee - Mr. John Everitt  

Watch for notices of meeting dates in the local newspapers, on Front Porch Forum, on town websites, in the Marlboro Mixer, in the Bucketville News, and on bulletin boards in your town offices, libraries, and schools. 

Timeline by Month (updated 10/14/2016)

Where can I find information about each of these 3 school systems?   
This site about the work of the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for the WCSU towns of Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro, Vermont is updated frequently.
Click on the pages above for additional information available to date.
Bookmark this page to return to the site as new content is added.
Suggest content you would like to see added. EMAIL
To sign up for the email list, add your name here.





11/4/16

Keeping you informed!

Next meeting - November, 10, Thursday at 6:30 PM at Marlboro Elementary School  MAP to location
Open Public Meeting.  Public Service Announcement
Agenda
A little help from our friends? The Study Committee is seeking suggestions for the name of the new school district by which the three schools will be known, if the unified school governance is approved by voters in March 2017.
EMAIL your suggestions!

Our Brochure

Who's working on this Study? A little background on the people who have volunteered for this important work.

Consultant to the Study Committee - Mr. John Everitt  

Watch for notices of meeting dates in the local newspapers, on Front Porch Forum, on town websites, in the Marlboro Mixer, in the Bucketville News, and on bulletin boards in your town offices, libraries, and schools. 

Timeline by Month (updated 10/14/2016)

Where can I find information about each of these 3 school systems?   
This site about the work of the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for the WCSU towns of Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro, Vermont is updated frequently.
Click on the pages above for additional information available to date.
Bookmark this page to return to the site as new content is added.
Suggest content you would like to see added. EMAIL
To sign up for the email list, add your name here.





10/29/16

Next meeting 11/3

Next meeting - November, 3, Thursday at 6:30 PM at Wardsboro Elementary School  MAP to location
Open Public Meeting.  Public Service Announcement

Agenda for November 3 meeting is the continuation of the agenda for the October 27, 2016 meeting  Prepared on 10/14/2016 – updates may follow

Our Brochure

Who's working on this Study? A little background on the people who have volunteered for this important work.

Consultant to the Study Committee - Mr. John Everitt  

Watch for notices of meeting dates in the local newspapers, on Front Porch Forum, on town websites, in the Marlboro Mixer, in the Bucketville News, and on bulletin boards in your town offices, libraries, and schools. 

Timeline by Month (updated 10/14/2016)

Where can I find information about each of these 3 school systems?   
This site about the work of the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for the WCSU towns of Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro, Vermont is updated frequently.
Click on the pages above for additional information available to date.
Bookmark this page to return to the site as new content is added.
Suggest content you would like to see added. EMAIL
To sign up for the email list, add your name here.





10/14/16

Next Meeting! 10/27

Next meeting - October 27th, 6:30 PM at Dover Elementary School  MAP to location
Open Public Meeting.  Public Service Announcement

Agenda for October 27, 2016 meeting  Prepared on 10/14/2016 – updates may follow

Who's working on this Study? A little background on the people who have volunteered for this important work.

Consultant to the Study Committee - Mr. John Everitt  

Watch for notices of meeting dates in the local newspapers, on Front Porch Forum, on town websites, in the Marlboro Mixer, in the Bucketville News, and on bulletin boards in your town offices, libraries, and schools. 

Timeline by Month (updated 10/14/2016)

Where can I find information about each of these 3 school systems?   
This site about the work of the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for the WCSU towns of Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro, Vermont is updated frequently.
Click on the pages above for additional information available to date.
Bookmark this page to return to the site as new content is added.
Suggest content you would like to see added. EMAIL
To sign up for the email list, add your name here.

News Articles for Further Reading 
Deerfield Valley News September 2016   
Deerfield Valley News May 2016
Brattleboro Reformer May 2016 
VTDigger November 2015

Report and Recommendations from the WCSU



10/3/16

Next meeting 10/13

Next meeting - October 13th, 6:30 PM at Marlboro Elementary School.  MAP to location
Open Public Meeting.  Public Service Announcement


Agenda for October 13, 2016 meeting

Who's working on this Study? A little background on the people who have volunteered for this important work.

Watch for notices of meeting dates in the local newspapers, on Front Porch Forum, on town websites, in the Marlboro Mixer, in the Bucketville News, and on bulletin boards in your town offices, libraries, and schools. 

Timeline by Month 

Where can I find information about each of these 3 school systems?   
This site about the work of the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for the WCSU towns of Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro, Vermont is updated frequently.
Click on the pages above for additional information available to date.
Bookmark this page to return to the site as new content is added.
Suggest content you would like to see added. EMAIL
To sign up for the email list, add your name here.

Consultant to the Study Committee - Mr. John Everitt  

News Articles for Further Reading
Deerfield Valley News September 2016  

Deerfield Valley News May 2016
Brattleboro Reformer May 2016
VTDigger November 2015

Report and Recommendations from the WCSU