Announcements


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.


Copyright free material for free use by any media

Issued on Feb. 15, 2017
Dear Community Members,                         
            On March 7th, Town Meeting Day, there will be a ballot vote at your town's designated polling place, with the two articles asking whether to consolidate the three Districts into a single unified governance district and, if consolidated, who will serve as Directors representing your town on the new district board.
            Recommended Articles of Agreement, forming and governing the new proposed Unified District, were agreed upon by the Dover, Marlboro, and Wardsboro Act 46 Study Committee at its duly warned meeting of November 17, 2016. The Dover, Marlboro, and Wardsboro Act 46 Study Committee recommends that the Articles of Agreement be voted on by the electorates of each of the named school districts in order to create a Unified Union School District to be named the River Valleys Unified School District (RVUSD). The “Articles of Agreement” has received approval of the State Board of Education.
Voting “Yes” on the consolidation question means:
·        We will have one single board with representation based on census population: Dover - 3, Marlboro - 3, Wardsboro – 3
·        Day to day operation of our schools will not change. They will continue to provide a high quality education for our students.
·        All of our children will be eligible to participate in the elementary school choice program of the unified district and the existing secondary school choice program.
·        The unified district will have a school-based school board that will take care of individual school business until 2019 and it will also provide information to the Unified Union School District—RVUSD.
·        Consolidation will minimize fluctuating tax rates that result from year-to-year changes in a town’s student population. If the new district were to have a change of 10-15 students, it will have a much smaller effect on the larger district than on our current smaller districts.
·        The new district will have $261,328 in small school grants that Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro currently receive continued as “merger grants.” Additionally, we will receive up to $150,000 to help with the organizational costs of the new district and we will receive decreasing annual tax breaks for four years starting with 8 cents.
·        The voters of the three districts will decide on Town Meeting Day 2017 whether to form this Unified District or not. If Dover and Wardsboro both approve the merger the unified district will be created.  Marlboro's positive vote would mean adding Marlboro to the unified district.
·        As this is a side by side governance consolidation, it is contingent upon the Leland & Grey vote.
·        In Marlboro, the 7 and 8 grade program will cease to exist and parents would have to choose a middle school for their child to enroll in with the cost paid by the new unified district.
A “No” vote means:
·        The proposed unified District will not replace the three district system currently in place.  It will not mean that consolidation goes away. Act 46 mandates consolidation by 2018 or the State Agency of Education has the authority to consolidate us with whichever district they choose in 2019.
·        A “no” vote may mean giving up our choice on how we consolidate governance.
·        With the Articles of Agreement that will be voted upon on Town Meeting Day, there are significant protections for each of our schools and towns against an unwanted school closure. This will most likely not be the case if we are joined to another district by the State Agency of Education.
·        A no vote in Marlboro is different than a no vote in the other towns.  Marlboro voters can, at any time before March 31 2018, re-vote to enter into the merger with Dover and Wardsboro.
Thank you, 
The Act 46 Study Committee
Dover: Richard Werner, Chairperson, Jonathan Vicary, Laura Sibilia, Randy Capitani
Wardsboro: Dwight Boerem, Vice Chair, Mike Murphy, Jill Dean
Marlboro: Celena Romo, Secretary, Lucy Gratwick, Dan MacArthur
Community Informational Meetings have been scheduled for February. Please come to one and ask your questions and we will answer them. The Articles of Agreement, can be found on the windhamcentralboard.org website or wcsu-committee.blogspot.com
Please mark your calendar: March 7th is Town Meeting Day and polling hours are 10AM to 7PM!



Issued on Feb.14, 2017
Public Service Announcement  ­ - please add dates to calendar of events
Final Two Public Information Meetings for the Two ACT 46 Study Committees of the WCSU
Information pertaining to
Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro
Brookline, Jamaica, Newfane, Townshend and Windham 
TOWNSHEND, February 14, 2017 — The following two dates are the final public information meetings for each of the two Act 46 Study Committees formed under the Windham Central Supervisory Union. At each meeting, committee members present a short slide presentation about the results of their study project, and then the floor is open for questions from the public.
ACT 46 Elementary Study Committee: Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro
FINAL MEETING — Monday, February 27, 2017, 6:30 pm to 8 pm at  Dover Town Hall, West Dover. Voters and interested residents from all three towns are invited to attend.
ACT 46 Leland &Gray Towns Study Committee: Brookline, Jamaica, Newfane, Townshend and Windham
FINAL MEETING  — Wednesday, March 1, 2017, 7 pm at Leland and Gray School, Townshend. Voters and interested residents from all five towns are invited to attend.
These public information meetings are video recorded by Brattleboro Community TV and are posted on the BCTV website (www.brattleborotv.org.) and on the Committees’ blog sites as soon as the video is edited and released. In addition, the study committees have written and posted the answers to the questions asked at the meetings on their individual blog sites.
Although the Reports and Articles of Agreement that the committees present are final and cannot be further altered or amended, having been reviewed and approved by the State of Vermont’s Agency of Education at the end of last year, public participation at earlier meetings held in late January and earlier this month has been fundamental in helping voters grasp the details of the proposed plans for the consolidation of school governance among these towns.
At their town’s meeting places on Vermont’s Town Meeting Day, Tuesday, March 7, 2017, voters can cast their ballot concerning two articles asking whether to consolidate existing school Districts into a single unified school governance district and, if consolidated, they will also be voting who will serve as Directors representing their towns on the new district board.
Each of the Aft 46 Study Committees has maintained their own individual archive of their proceedings on separate blog sites. Anyone can view the documents posted without signing in and without any password, and there are links on each of the sites where users may ask questions.
ACT 46 Elementary Study Committee: Residents of Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro who wish to be brought up date on the committee’s actions on the Act 46 initiatives can read all the minutes, watch full-length videos of the meetings, see the public information slides show, and read the Approved Report and Articles of Agreement by going to the committee’s blog site — wcsu.committee.blogspot.com
ACT 46 Leland &Gray Towns Study Committee: Residents of Brookline, Jamaica, Newfane, Townshend and Windham who wish to be brought up date on the committee’s actions on the Act 46 initiatives can read all the minutes, watch full-length videos of the meetings, see the public information slides show, and read the Approved Report and Articles of Agreement by going to the committee’s blog site — wcsu-lgtowns.blogspot.com.
Additional Information
Anyone interested in knowing more about the upcoming vote and who does not have online access is urged to contact any of the Study Committee members for the panels representing their town.
ACT 46 Elementary Study Committee Volunteer Members
Rich Werner, Dover
Laura Sibilia, Dover
Chip Vicary, Dover
Randy Capitani, Dover
Dan MacCarthur, Marlboro
Lucy Gratwick, Marlboro
Celena Romo, Marlboro
Jill Dean, Wardsboro
Dwight Boerem, Wardsboro
Mike Murphy, Wardsboro
ACT 46 Leland &Gray Towns Study Committee Members
Joe Winrich, Townshend, Chairperson
Brud Sanderson, Townshend
Heidi Russ, Townshend
Kris Jerz, Townshend
Antje Ruppert, Windham
Carolyn Partridge, Windham
Drew Hazelton, Jamaica
Pam Tweedy, Jamaica
Patti Dickson, Jamaica
Ian Doak, Newfane
Emily Long, Newfane
Kelli Warriner, Newfane
Ken McFadden, Newfane
Neil Pelsue, Newfane
Erin Zargo, Brookline

Sherry Greene, Brookline

December 15, 2016

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Time To Decide – Public Meetings to Inform Voters about Act 46 for Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro

DOVER, December 15, 2016 — Voters from Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro who are headed to the polls on Town Meeting Day this coming March, 2017, will be handed a ballot to cast their vote for or against adopting the Articles of Agreement for the consolidation of school governance which were prepared by the Act 46 Elementary Committee during a long process which began this past summer. To help voters, residents, and taxpayers of these towns become informed about how adopting the Articles of Agreement, or not approving the plan, might impact the future of education in these towns, the Study Committee has scheduled a series of public discussion sessions during January and February, 2017, as follows:

· January 12 Thursday 6:30pm - 8pm Marlboro Elementary School

· January 19 Thursday 6:30pm - 8pm Dover Town Hall

· January 23 Monday 6:30pm - 8pm Wardsboro Town Hall

· February 2 Thursday 6:30pm - 8pm Wardsboro Town Hall

· February 13 Monday 6:30pm - 8pm Marlboro Elementary School

· February 27 Monday 6:30pm - 8pm Dover Town Hall

The Report and Articles of Agreement, which is the document to be discussed at each session, is posted at wcsu-committee.blogspot.com. Anyone can attend any of the six sessions to ask questions, and are not limited to only those meetings held in their town. These sessions will last about 1-1/2 hours and be led by a moderator.

In the event a meeting is canceled due to weather or other reasons, people should plan to attend a meeting on a different date. Notice of canceled meetings will be on the Committee’s blog site or send an email to ask about scheduling to wcsu.media@windhamcentral.org

The Study Committee worked on this plan in order to comply with the requirements of Act 46, and throughout the process, adhered to this vision: “With respect for each town's local identity, we envision a unified school district that will represent how ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.’ By sharing resources and talents, we believe this alliance can provide students and teachers access to increased educational opportunities and improved services.”

There are other ways to comment , ask questions, or request a copy of the Report and Articles of Agreement. People may contact any Study Committee member in person, or send an email to wcsu.media@windhamcentral.org.



Anyone who wishes to be brought up speed on the proceedings so far, can read all the minutes or watch full-length videos of the meetings by going to the committee’s blog site.— wcsu-committee.blogspot.com. On that site, there are FAQ pages, where voters may also submit their questions. The site also has updated announcements, the full meeting schedules, and many useful links.





November 21, 2016

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 several 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.


A third way to stay informed is to visit the newly created blog at www.wcsu-committee.blogspot.com. This website contains the full minutes of every meeting, links to video tapings of the meetings, the full schedule of upcoming meetings, a page of Frequently Asked Questions, and a page of links to valuable information and articles about Act 46. Visitors to the blog may submit questions by email, which the Committee will answer and may post. Members of their local Front Porch Forums will also see the Committee's meeting schedule as a calendar event.

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Nov. 4, 2016

11/10/2016 Next Act 46 Elementary Study Committee Meeting
The next meeting of the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro is scheduled for Thursday, November 10, at 6:30 pm at the Marlboro Elementary School. This is an Open Public Meeting, by Vermont law. The agenda for this meeting is posted on the Committee's blog at http://wcsu-committee.blogspot.com. The Committee plans to discuss finalizing the report and Articles of Agreement that will be presented to voters regarding unification of school governance for these three towns to comply with the requirements of Act 46. The work that the Committee has done to date can be reviewed on the blog pages, including minutes of all the meetings, various announcements, and full length videos of prior meetings.


Nov. 4, 2016





Name This School District
The Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro is seeking a little help from their friends on what to call the new unified school district for these three towns, if approved by the voters in March 2017. One example might be the “Tri-Town School District,” however, the committee is optimistic that citizens can come up with a name for their potential future district that is both clever and easy to remember. The Study Committee is finalizing their report to the voters all this week and they hope to have some quick ideas from the public on what to call the district. Email your suggestions to wcsu.media@windhamcentral.org, or get in touch with the Committee members from your town. The study committee members are: from Wardsboro: Mike Murphy, school board member; Dwight Boerem, Wardsboro resident; and Jill Dean, Wardsboro resident. From Dover: Rich Werner, school board member; Laura Sibilia, school board member; Chip Vicary, school board member; and Randy Capitani, Dover resident. From Marlboro: Dan MacArthur, school board member; Celena Romo, school board member; and Lucy Gratwick, Marlboro resident.




Oct 31, 2016

Our Brochure


10-31-2016 Public Service Announcement




LOOK FOR ACT STUDY COMMITTEES’ BROCHURES ON NOV. 8 AT POLLING PLACES IN:




Brookline, Jamaica, Newfane, Townshend and Windham




and




Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro


TOWNSHEND, November 1 2016 — Voters headed to the polls on Election Day, November 8,2016, are encouraged to look for Act 46 Study Committee brochures at their towns’ polling places in Brookline, Jamaica, Newfane, Townshend, Windham, or in Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro. The brochures, prepared by the two separate Act 46 Study Committees are free. There is a short summary of the work that each Study Committee has done so far with regard to their participating schools, and the brochures contain helpful tips for voters to stay informed about when the committees’ reports will be ready for review.


Since last summer, each of the Study Committees has held regular open public meetings in an effort to comply with the requirements of Vermont’s Act 46. Although the State Agency of Education issued a workbook pertaining to Act 46, which study committees throughout the state have been using to draft their reports, each Study Committee must determine their own Articles of Agreement and rules for consolidated governance. The two committees are known as the Act 46 L&G Towns Study Committee for Brookline, Jamaica, Newfane, Townshend and Windham and the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro.



These committees are comprised of individuals who serve their towns in a variety of capacities. They were tasked with working towards agreements that will form new educational school districts for these towns that meet the goals of Vermont’s Act 46 — to provide better and more educational opportunities for students in these three towns.


Voters in each town will make the final decision, by Australian ballot, as to whether the Study Committees’ recommendations are accepted or rejected on Town Meeting Day in March 2017.


Voters who took part in early voting for the coming elections in their towns and anyone who wishes to be brought up speed on the proceedings so far, can read all the minutes or watch full-length videos of the meetings by going to the committees’ blog sites. The brochure is also posted on the blogsites.


They are:


For Brookline, Jamaica, Newfane, Townshend and Windham — wcsu-lgtowns.blogspot.com.


For Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro — wcsu-committee.blogspot.com.


On those sites, there are FAQ pages, where voters may also submit their questions. The sites also have updated announcements, the full meeting schedules, and many useful links, including a link to the presentation that each of the school principals brought to the past meetings of the Study Committees.








10-29-2016 Public Service Announcement

Stay Informed: Act 46 Elementary Study Committee Meetings Scheduled for 11/3and 11/10
The next meeting of the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro is Thursday, November 3, 2016 at 6:30pm at the Wardsboro Elementary School. The proposed agenda for the upcoming meeting is the continuation of the agenda for the prior meeting which was held on Oct. 27. This includes finalizing articles for the report, having previously reviewed earlier drafts of articles with John Everitt, a consultant who has been contracted to work with the group. Changing its 2-week meeting schedule to 1-week sessions, the committee has scheduled another meeting for Thursday, November 10, 6:30pm at Marlboro Elementary School. A tentative meeting date has been penciled in for Thursday, November 17, 6:30pm at Dover Elementary School, to be confirmed.
Residents, taxpayers and voters have several 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.
A third way to stay informed is to visit the newly created blog at www.wcsu-committee.blogspot.com. This website contains the full minutes of every meeting, links to video tapings of the meetings, the full schedule of upcoming meetings, a page of Frequently Asked Questions, and a page of links to valuable information and articles about Act 46. Visitors to the blog may submit questions by email, which the Committee will answer and may post. Members of their local Front Porch Forums will also see the Committee's meeting schedule as a calendar event.
The study committee members are: from Wardsboro: Mike Murphy, school board member; Dwight Boerem, Wardsboro resident; and Jill Dean, Wardsboro resident. From Dover: Rich Werner, school board member; Laura Sibilia, school board member; Chip Vicary, school board member; and Randy Capitani, Dover resident. From Marlboro: Dan MacArthur, school board member; Celena Romo, school board member; and Lucy Gratwick, Marlboro resident.
Vermont's Act 46 is an act relating to making amendments to education funding, education spending, and education governance. The Act 46 Study Committee is comprised of community members from Wardsboro, Marlboro and Dover who serve the towns in a variety of capacities and who were tasked with working towards an agreement that will form a new educational school district for these towns that meets the goals of Vermont's Act 46 — to provide better and more educational opportunities for students in these three towns. To complete the work on an expedited schedule, meetings are held twice a month, rotating locations in Wardsboro, Dover and Marlboro.


10-5-2016 Press Release – mid October — For Immediate Release
DOVER, VERMONT — Since late last summer, the Windham Central Supervisory Union (WCSU) Act 46 Elementary Study Committee concerning Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro has met twice monthly, rotating locations among the three towns. The committee consists of 10 members, volunteers from each of the three towns. They are: 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: Dan MacArthur, school board member; Celena Romo, school board member; and Lucy Gratwick, Marlboro resident; and from Wardsboro: Mike Murphy, school board member; committee second chair Dwight Boerem, Wardsboro resident; and Jill Dean, Wardsboro resident. These individuals, who serve the towns in a variety of capacities, were tasked with working towards an agreement that will form a new educational school district for these towns that meets the goals of Vermont’s Act 46 — to provide better and more educational opportunities for students in these three towns.
The goal of the Elementary Study Committee is to generate a report before the end of the year, a detailed document to be presented to the voters of the three towns well in advance of the annual Town Meeting Day in March 2017, which is when the voters will cast Australian ballots accepting or rejecting the plan for school governance consolidation. The report that comes from the study committee’s work is a record of their considerations and a path forward for increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the governance of the schools with the aim of increasing student opportunities into the future. Should the voters ultimately reject the recommendations of the Elementary Study Committee, Vermont’s Agency of Education will mandate changes to school administration for these towns.
John Everitt, an education consultant contracted by this Study Committee, said, “My role is to gather and present information needed by the study committee to make the most informed decisions possible. Committee members are volunteers and deserve assistance in uncovering the complexities involved in governance consolidation.” Everitt’s recommendations are intended to help the study committee more deeply understand the issues and possibilities in consolidating school governance, but he said, “The committee makes the decisions about if and how to move forward on a proposal for the voters to consider.”
At a meeting in September, Everitt presented his findings to the committee on how the elementary schools in each of the three towns differ and how that could affect voting on consolidation. He said, “Each of the schools has an individual culture, program, and relationship with the community. An important aspect of consolidating governance is to protect the great work already being done in these schools.” Through the Vermont School Boards Association, he has worked with several Vermont school districts on governance studies.
During its two September meetings, the committee reviewed Everitt’s findings in detail and studied the per-pupil costs and enrollment projections for Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro. The members have also been reviewing the successes and failures of other school districts have had in getting their consolidation plans accepted by the State and by voters. The conclusion of the committee up to now is that the number of variables, town by town, and school by school, complicates the task of creating an Act 46 report that voters can easily comprehend. Throughout October, the committee will continue to draft the Articles in what is called a “side-by-side” plan —that is, it is not about the elementary schools being side-by-side, it is about a union district that does not meet the criteria for incentives (Wardsboro-Marlboro-Dover) belonging to an SU (side-by-side) with another union district that does meet the criteria (L&G Towns). As it is being discussed, none of the schools in the three towns will close, but will be governed by a single school board. The make-up of that tri-town school board will be addressed in one of the final Articles as to how the towns, of unequal population and unequal pupil enrollment, are represented and as to the members’ voting powers.
Richard Werner of Dover, chair of this committee, says, “We are now in the process of working on the actual articles of agreement which is the second hardest part of this committee. Moving forward towards a vote and giving the public the information to make an informed decision will be the hardest job of the committee.”
WCSU Superintendent William Anton recently commented on the dedication of this study group. He said “I am amazed, yet not surprised by the progress of the Elementary Study group for Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro. The leadership of the WCSU Executive Committee immediately after the passage of Act 46 laid the groundwork for thoughtful, collaborative, and informed Study Committees to be created and to function. I look forward to seeing what this coalition of citizens can accomplish for our students, our schools, our communities, and our collective future. We are in very good hands.” He is superintendent of the union that serves ten towns, and geographically speaking it is the second largest supervisory union in Vermont, covering 365 square miles.
When asked about the group’s progress to date, Werner said, “The committee is working hard towards our goal of developing a framework for a new school district involving Marlboro, Wardsboro and Dover that could provide increased educational opportunities for our children and we are making progress on this goal.” He added, “I personally am very satisfied with John Everitt’s contributions. He is not coming to us with any preconceived thoughts, and has been thoughtfully listening to what the committee members are looking for with regard to our schools.” Voters may want to log into the committee’s blog site for links to videos of the meetings, which show the full extent of the discussions on the major issues, as well as the minor details of governance consolidation.
Werner said, “We hope to have a final report available sometime in late November or December, as it has to be reviewed at the Education Department.” In November, the committee plans meet with the Vermont Agency of Education to present its report for review and revision, if needed. Although the State has issued a workbook pertaining to Act 46, which study committees throughout the state have been using to draft their reports, each committee must determine their own articles and recommendations.
Additional information available for residents, taxpayers and voters
Residents, taxpayers and voters have several 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. A third way to stay informed is to visit the newly created blog at www.wcsu-committee.blogspot.com. This website contains the full minutes of every meeting, links to video tapings of the meetings, the full schedule of upcoming meetings, a page of Frequently Asked Questions, and a page of links to valuable information and articles about Act 46. Visitors to the blog may submit questions by email, which the Committee will answer and may post. Members of their local Front Porch Forums will also see the Committee's meeting schedule as a calendar event.


9-26-2016 PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT for media website updates/ future print editions
Stay Informed: Act 46 Elementary Study Group Meetings for October 2016
The October meetings for the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for the towns of Wardsboro, Dover, and Marlboro are scheduled for Thursday, October 13, 6:30 PM at the Marlboro Elementary School and Thursday, October 27, 6:30 PM at the Dover Elementary School.
The proposed agenda for the upcoming meeting on October 13 includes a review of the financial assets and liabilities of the elementary schools in Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro. Also on the agenda, the committee is planning to move forward on drafting articles for the report, having previously reviewed lists of sample articles with John Everitt, a consultant who has been contracted to work with the group. Through the Vermont School Boards Association, Mr. Everitt has worked with several Vermont school districts on governance studies.
Residents, taxpayers and voters have several 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.
A third way to stay informed is to visit the newly created blog at www.wcsu-committee.blogspot.com. This website contains the full minutes of every meeting, links to video tapings of the meetings, the full schedule of upcoming meetings, a page of Frequently Asked Questions, and a page of links to valuable information and articles about Act 46. Visitors to the blog may submit questions by email, which the Committee will answer and may post. Members of their local Front Porch Forums will also see the Committee's meeting schedule as a calendar event.
The study committee members are: from Wardsboro: Mike Murphy, school board member; Dwight Boerem, Wardsboro resident; and Jill Dean, Wardsboro resident. From Dover: Rich Werner, school board member; Laura Sibilia, school board member; Chip Vicary, school board member; and Randy Capitani, Dover resident. From Marlboro: Dan MacArthur, school board member; Celena Romo, school board member; and Lucy Gratwick, Marlboro resident.
Vermont's Act 46 is an act relating to making amendments to education funding, education spending, and education governance. The Act 46 Study Committee is comprised of community members from Wardsboro, Marlboro and Dover who serve the towns in a variety of capacities and who were tasked with working towards an agreement that will form a new educational school district for these towns that meets the goals of Vermont's Act 46 — to provide better and more educational opportunities for students in these three towns. To complete the work on an expedited schedule, meetings are held twice a month, rotating locations in Wardsboro, Dover and Marlboro.


9-17-2016 PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT for media website updates/ future print editions
Stay Informed: Act 46 Elementary Study Group Meetings Proceeding on Schedule
The next meeting of the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro is scheduled for Thursday, September 22 at 6:30pm at the Dover Elementary School. Residents, taxpayers and voters have several options if they wish to keep informed about the progress of the tri-town Elementary Study Committee. One way to keep up to date is to attend the monthly meetings. By Vermont law, these are open public meetings. In addition, anyone interested may sign up for periodic email news about the Elementary Study Committee by sending their name, address and email address to this email: wcsu.media@windhamcentral.org. A third way for the public to stay informed is to visit the newly created blog "WCSU Act 46 Elementary Committee Work" at www.wcsu-committee.blogspot.com. This website includes the meeting agendas, the full minutes of every meeting, links to video tapings of the meetings, the full schedule of upcoming meetings, a page of Frequently Asked Questions, and a page of links to valuable information and articles about Act 46. Visitors to the blog may submit questions by email, which the Committee will answer and may post. Members of their local Front Porch Forums will also see the Committee's meeting schedule as a calendar event.
Looking ahead, the October meetings for the Act 46 Elementary Study Committee for the towns of Wardsboro, Dover, and Marlboro are scheduled for Thursday, October 13, 6:30pm at the Marlboro Elementary School and Thursday, October 27, 6:30pm at the Dover Elementary School. The next meeting to be held at the Wardsboro Elementary School is scheduled for Thursday, November 10, at 6:30pm. Vermont's Act 46 is an act relating to making amendments to education funding, education spending, and education governance. The Act 46 Elementary Study Committee is comprised of community members from Wardsboro, Marlboro and Dover who serve the towns in a variety of capacities and who were tasked with working towards an agreement that will form a new educational school district for these towns that meets the goals of Vermont's Act 46 — to provide better and more educational opportunities for students in these three towns. To complete the work on an expedited schedule, meetings are held twice a month, rotating locations in Wardsboro, Dover and Marlboro. The members are: from Dover: Rich Werner, school board member; Laura Sibilia, school board member; Chip Vicary, school board member; and Randy Capitani, Dover resident. From Marlboro: Dan MacArthur, school board member; Celena Romo, school board member; and Lucy Gratwick, Marlboro resident. From Wardsboro: Mike Murphy, school board member; Dwight Boerem, Wardsboro resident; and Jill Dean, Wardsboro resident.