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Meeting Minutes
& Videos * unapproved v = video link [passcode] 2022 Special 3/10 Regular 1/4 Rev v 2021
Special 12/9 v 2020 ... earlier than 7/30 Mascot/Nickname Board Correspondence (October 2020 - June 6, 2021) Nov 2021: |
Danville School Board of Directors Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://ccsu.zoom.us/j/84961528062?pwd=bDFJLy91WGVNdHRGVFRJR1Z1ZVpSQT09 Passcode: 627519 Webinar ID: 849 6152 8062 Find your local number: https://ccsu.zoom.us/u/k0uJhMGeT You can also access the meeting through the Agenda. Scroll down for previous months' Highlights DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD
2 As a first step in the renovation and rejuvenation of the shop area, destined to be an integral part of the new CTE program, the board authorized the expenditure of $14,000 from the Ira Preston Endowment Fund for a new table saw, a new planer and other such items as would advance the skills of students in the program. The table saw and planer being retired are decades-old, effectively devoid of safety features and are not used by current students (and barely by teachers) given liability issues. 3 Principal Welch reported enthusiastically on the school's involvement in the DREAM program, which joins students enrolled at the University of Vermont to train Danville High School students to be mentors of our Elementary and Middle School kids. The first half-year was spent training the mentors, and now the mentors get to be hooked up with mentees. 4 The board authorized the participation of the School in the Vermont Public High School Choice program. This will permit up to 5 non-district students to attend Danville High School and 5 resident students to attend another public school in Vermont. This is a fiscal-neutral exchange. Danville typically receive 2-3 students per year, while in recent years no Danville student has chosen to elsewhere. 5 After five consecutive one-year terms on the current school board, Chairman Bruce Melendy and Director Robert Edgar indicated they would not be running for re-election for 2022-2023. DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD 1 The School Board adopted a budget for presentation to the Town which results in a $0.04 decrease in the Homestead Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2022-2023; the actual rate is $1.425. This budget's total spending is $6,723,233, an increase of 5.9% relative to that of FY 2021-2022. About 90% of the increased spending was due to increased personnel costs mostly associated regular educational instruction and student support required as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. The Actual Non-Residential Tax Rate has been set at $1.469 2 The board approved a new, two-year administrative position of a Director of Career, Technical and Experiential Learning [DCTEL] starting next year. The position is fully contingent upon and to be supported by the expected receipt of a federal ESSER [Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund] grant. The proposal for this position and the DCTEL program is primarily the work of Principal Schilling, strongly supported by Principal Welch and Superintendent Tucker, designed to expand "hands-on" learning opportunities to a significant number of our High School students, many covid-19 impacted, to facilitate their staying in school and profitably entering the Vermont workforce. The implementation of this program is likely to herald a new secondary principal for FY 22-23. DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD
1. In early December all Danville students engaged in ranked-choice voting and selected the name Danville "Bears" to officially represent the School in the capacity of a name, nickname. mascot, logo or other symbol. A school-community committee oversaw the selection process, which the board certified as in agreement with the requirements of Policy DB001, which it adopted in March of 2021. Graphics for association with the "Bears" name are being developed by Abi Bartell and her students at the school.
3. The initial draft of the Danville School FY22-23 budget proposal was presented to the board, but discussion of it was postponed until the next board meeting to provide an opportunity to assess it prior to its discussion. State-generated variables (equalized student counts, CLA and yield) had not been finalized by the State, so that an estimates of the new tax rates were precluded. The budget will be on the agenda for discussion at the January 4, 2022 regular meeting; relevant fiscal documents are on the board website's Home Page under the meeting notice.
4. The project to renovate the school's heating system -- the wood chip boiler and its chip delivery system -- is expected to be completed, and he system running fully by the end of December. Danville School Landscape Site Plan November 2021 (Click image to enlarge; link to largest image in Highlights #2 below) (Link to floor plans in Highlights #2)  DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES HIGHLIGHTS November 2, 2021 Full Minutes 1. The Covid-associated Test-to-Stay program's availability at the school is imminent as resources are acquired and procedures clarified. This program tests unvaccinated students who have been deemed "close contacts" and provides the student the option of being antigen-tested daily and remaining in school (if test-negative) or quaratining at home (if test-positive or untested). Pfizer covid-19 vaccine (for kids 5-11) availability at the school will not occur on December 8th, but supplies are expected a week or two afterward, as they are made available from the State. The Pfizer vaccine for 5-11 years old is available locally the week of the 8th: see Department of Heath website. 2. TruexCullins, the Burlington architectural firm working with the school on a proposed addition/renovation, engaged in a 36-minute presentation to the board of significantly updated plans. These included both a site landscape plan and building floor plans (links are to large pdf versions of the graphic plans). The plans have been designed to generate a cost estimate, which will be available at the board's meeting on Thursday, December 9th. A verbal summary and overview of their presentation are provided in the full minutes. A audio-visual recording of its entire presentation is provided here. 3. The board will also commence discussion of FY22-23 Danville School Budget at its December meeting, which will occur as a Special Meeting on Thursday, December 9th, replacing the usual Regular Meeting intended for December 7th. 4. The board approved the principals' recommendation of Thomas Edgar, Class of 2023, as a new student representative to the board. DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD 1. The board adopted new policies: C28 (Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students) and C31 (Covid-19 Mitigation). 2. Prior to voting on the Covid-19 Mitigation Policy for about 50 minutes the board listened to public concerns, questions and comments regarding the masking policy from nine persons, all but one a parent. Among the topics (with abbreviated superintendent/board responses) were: (a) potential use of ethylene-oxide-contaminated swabs being in PCR testing (question taken under advisement for checking, but viewed as not likely occurring) (e) who is paying for this (new) testing? (State of Vermont) (f) protocol for PPE to be used in "Test-to-Stay" Program (not yet known, guidelines of the Department of Health expected soon) (g) proof that masking works and the source(s) of information on masking on which the Superintendent bases his decisions? The Superintendent's answers were consistent with Policy C31, which has been developed over the past several months and adopted by this Board at this meeting: The Superintendent is directed [by the Danville School Board] to adopt appropriate practices and procedures to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19 among and within the school communities, based on applicable mandates, recommendations, or directives of the State of Vermont Agency of Human Services and Agency of Education, as well as applicable federal [e.g., Centers for Disease Control] guidance or mandates. And (h) the source of the masking mandate (Danville School Board Policy C31 Covid-19 Mitigation) Several parents spoke in support of the board's decisions regarding masking and its positive approach to recommendations from the Agency of Education. 3. The board approved the following expenditures: (a) new gymnasium bleachers, $90,000, (2) roof ventilation air handlers - maintenance, $60,000, and (3) security/safety equipment, $61,251. 4. The initial cost estimate for the school renovation project is expected from the architects (TruexCullins) in October.
ENROLLMENT.
EXPENDITURES The board has authorized the renovation of the school's heating system -- the woodchip boiler & its delivery system -- for $180,000. About $40,000 of this cost is expected to be met by grants through Efficiency Vermont. Additionally, it has also given tentative approval to the replacement of the gym bleachers, which are many decades old and mechanically fragile, for $90,000, and repairs to the roof air handlers for $60,000-$90,000 to increase the functionality and efficiency of the air circulation system in the school. A formal vote on approval of these two latter items is scheduled for the October 5, 2021 regular meeting of the board. AUDIT, SURPLUS & BOND VOTE An audit of the 2019-2020 Danville School budget found the accounting procedures in place to have been sufficiently compliant with accepted standards that the financial figures showed no evidence of a “deficiency or weakness of internal controls.” Over the past two years, the District has accumulated a unreserved fund balance surplus of nearly $600,000 (after covering the 3 expenditures described in the previous item). The board is looking at moving this surplus to its Capital Fund to contribute to the proposed school renovation project, which will likely be the subject of a bond vote by the Town in the Spring of 2022. NEW POLICIES The board has indicated its intent to adopt two new policies at its October 5th regular meeting: DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD 1. A sketch of a plan for new construction and renovation at Danville School was presented to the Board by the Burlington architectural firm, TruexCullins. The extensive plan includes (1) the addition of a new 40,000 square-foot elementary wing, including a gymnasium, over the existing playground, ball field and tennis courts, which will be relocated, (2) the demolition of the original 1937, two-story building facing Route 2 and its replacement, with a new building focused on the middle school, (3) a new auditorium, (4) relocation of the kitchen and cafeteria adjacent to the gymnasium, (5) additions to the physical plant section, (6) renovation of the room complex at the core of the current building, (7) renovation of the southern main entrance to the building and (8) a new traffic flow and revised parking areas. The meeting minutes report the basic issues discussed (see pages 2-5 ), and the meeting zoom video records the 38-minute session (passcode: b1$fz45W | start time 00:12:00 | end time 00:50:35). Further discussion of this proposal and updates have been placed on the agenda for the board's regular September 7th meeting. 2. The Board approved the expenditure of $66,100 for TruexCullins to finish and prepare a site plan for the new building proposal, including updated engineering and other costs, sufficient to present to the community for a bond vote. 3. Propane/biofuels and wood chips have historically been the major sources of heat for the school. The 14-year old wood chip burner/boiler has rarely been operational and with low efficiency when it has been. It however provides potentially the more cost effective means of heating the school. Consequently, the Board received advice on repairs and modifications to this system to effect a proposed energy efficiency of c. 85% and increased fuel savings accorded by an emphasis on wood chips. The cost of rehabilitation of this system is estimated at $150,000. The Board deferred further discussion on this proposal pending receipt of more information and clarification of the funding options; this proposal was placed on the agenda for the next regular meeting on September 7th. 4. Principal Schilling informed the Board that Seniors Ava Marshia and Liza Morse would be reappointed as School Board Representatives for the School Year 2021-2022. He was considering the appointment of a third student. DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES HIGHLIGHTS 1. In response to a petition from community members and others (526 signers, incl. 347 taxpayers) to "reverse" a policy (DB001) on school symbols adopted on March 23rd, the Board reaffirmed that policy by a vote of 4-1. The board considered the contents of the petition, remarks from 15 people during a nearly 2-hour-long Public Comments session at the meeting, and 29 letters of correspondence (since April 29th) regarding the petition in reviewing its March 23rd action. The petition requested that the board review Native American input to its decision. Based on correspondence, oral testimony and individual investigations, the board indicated it was clear that all chiefs of the four VT Abenaki tribes/bands support the Board's March 23rd decision to retire the "Indians" representation. The petition also requested that the policy, which retired the School's "mascot name" and "mascot figure" [logo], be reversed and those representations reinstalled. No reasons supporting such actions were addressed directly to the board in the petition. Although in a request directed at the Vermont Legislature and the VPA , their deeming the representations as being "non-offensive" was sought. The board reiterated the reasons for adopting the policy were explicitly stated in the policy -- those centered around community divisiveness, harm to kids' mental (psychosocial) development and incompatibility with the mission of the school -- and these remained justified, appropriate and sufficient.
2. The Board ratified the Teachers-Supervisory Union (CCEA-CCSU) Agreement for FY21-22 and FYU 22-23, which provides for a 3% raise for teachers each year and which contractually and administratively further assimilates the Twinfield and Cabot districts into the CCSU. DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD 2 Danville's skyline will be losing its iconic wind turbine. Prospective repairs to its inverter are $4-11 K, other repairs over the last few years have not kept it running, and it generates very little power. So, the Board has decided to take it down and shift focus to a solar demonstration project at the school this summer. 3 A multi-age classroom was piloted in the Elementary School this year by Kelly Robb, and it will be expanded to four grades-1/2 classrooms (12 pupils/room) and two grades-3/4 classrooms (11 pupils/room) this coming fall. The model is designed to keep classroom sizes small while accommodating a substantial number of new kids returning for the fall, many who will need remedial work due to their covid-induced absence, to promote a stable teaching core, and to expand the kids' sphere of social interactions with adjacent cohorts. 4 Superintendent Tucker indicated that based on his interactions with state officials he expected masking requirements to continue when school reopens in the fall but likely with a loosening of some distancing requirements. The continuance of a remote learning option is contingent on the Governor's Emergency Order last Spring staying in effect and new authorities and regulations that might be instituted. At present it is not resolved but is under discussion in Montpelier. The goal is all in-person instruction for all students all the time. 5 Four new, experienced special education teachers have been hired for the fall, and one speech language pathologist with skills in assistive computer technology will be shared with Twinfield. 6 The architects of the school renovation project are expected to present their first pass on a new physical layout for the school at the June 1st Board meeting. DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD  1 After a year of dealing with covid and while continuing to do so, the Administration and the Board have resumed future planning for the School. TruexCullins, the School’s architectural firm, presented to the Board an update on its planning in terms of an organization diagram, which conceptually combines the needs and resources of the school around the concept of a town square. The diagram is not a spatial representation of the building layout but rather a representation of an idealized set of relationships among school entities and activities, which will become grounded in the physical spaces already available, costs and expected future needs. This phase of the plan is best explained in a 24-minute presentation in the meeting recording (00:23:25 to 00:47:37). [*See item #4] 2 The Board directed the Principals to find a new mascot/nickname for the School in accord with the following process, which is part of policy DB001, adopted on 23 March 2021. … Upon written notification from the Board,
the principal(s) shall form and chair a committee including at least one
Middle- or High-School student, a school counselor, one faculty member, one
parent/caretaker chosen from the pool of resident and tuition
parents/caretakers and a member of the Town Select Board (if one consents) for
the purpose of selecting a new or replacement representation. 3. The Board approved expenditures from the Sevigny Fund up to $23,690 to cover spring-summer-fall field maintenance ($17,600), benches for the middle-school soccer field ($2,900), chain-link fence replacement on the school softball field ($775), a new sign for Town Athletic Fields Complex ($650) and other smaller items.
Robert Edgar / Clerk
DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD 1. The Board adopted a policy -- by a vote of 4-1-0 -- on school symbols, which “prohibits the representation of the School by the use of any race or ethnic group and its traditions or customs"; this prohibition includes the use of “Indians.” The policy is a constraint on official representations of the School, not on the speech of any individual. The policy reads All mascots, names, nicknames, images and descriptors—including symbols, banners, flags, pennants, or similar identifiers—used by sports teams, extracurricular clubs, curricular clubs, or organizations representing the School shall respect cultural differences and values and shall be neither derogatory nor discriminatory. The Board explicitly prohibits the representation of the School by the use of any race or ethnic group and its traditions or customs as a mascot, name or nickname. This policy shall go into effect on the date of its adoption. 2. The full,
approved policy
includes a preface addressing the mission of the school, a section explaining
the reasons for adopting the policy, and a statement of the specific provisions
of the policy. 3. The policy also provides for the
development of a process for securing a
new mascot/nickname under the direction of Principals Schilling and
Welch. The board is expected to direct
initiation of that process during the first week April. 4. The meeting was attended by about 60 members of the public, 15 of which spoke
either for or against adoption of the policy.
A petition from 121 Danville
taxpayers/registered voters was received shortly before the meeting opened,
but seen by all board members, expressing opposition to the policy being
adopted and requesting that the Indian name not be retired. 5. This board initiated this decision process in October of 2020, has received written testimony from 118 individuals or groups and held two, 2-hr long forums receiving oral testimony from 27 individuals. Each forum was ended only when there were no longer requests from the public to speak. Robert Edgar/Clerk DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD 1. Reorganization of the Board The School Board is reorganized each year after the annual School Board election. The results for the 2021-2022 Board follow. All positions are elected by a vote of board members. Chairperson Bruce Melendy Regular
Meeting Schedule for Board first Tuesday of each moth at 6:00 pm Public Forum on the School Mascot Issue ● An audio-visual recording of the entire forum
(and preliminary business meeting) has been posted on the School Board web site along with a timeline
of speakers.
DANVILLE
SCHOOL BOARD 2. In January the Vermont Legislature proposed increasing the Yield for FY2021-2022 from $10,763 to $11,385. The Yield is roughly the per pupil contribution from the Education Fund to a school. This expected increase would result in a 4.7 cents reduction in the Local Homestead Tax Rate for Danville for the next fiscal year relative to this current year: from $1.610 to $1.563. 3. Five, new, full-sized school busses are coming to Danville next year. The Board asked the Superintendent and his advisors to finalize a proposed, cooperative, 3-year leasing agreement involving Danville-Cabot and Twinfield. 4. A 3rd round of COVID-19 testing among Danville School staff commenced the first week in February. There were 5 actual or suspected cases across the CCSU in January. 5. Fifteen (15) special education students are being registered for SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) testing with appropriate student accommodations, the Vermont Alternative Assessment. These 15 represent about 1% of the CCSU student population, the same percentage as for all Vermont students. 6. The Superintendent listed and hyperlinked 22 House bills and 11 Senate bills currently before the Legislature related to schools and education. Robert Edgar/Clerk DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD
REGULAR & SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES HIGHLIGHTS January 5 (Regular) and January 12 (Special), 2021
January 12th Full
Minutes
1. The Board approved a School budget of $6,346,091 for FY 2021-2022 to be presented to voters of the Town for their approval at this year’s Annual Meeting. A $465,000 budgetary deficit stemming from reduced revenue and externally imposed costs was compensated for by a $290,000 cut in school education expenditures, which lowered next year’s projected education spending below that of this current year. This produced a local homestead tax rate of 1.659, an increase of 3.0% (+0.048), proposed for FY 2020-2021. 2. The Board ratified a new two-year Master Agreement (July 1, 2020 t0 June 30, 2021) between the CCSU District Boards and the CCEA Staff Employees. 3. A warning for the 2021 Annual Danville School District Meeting was approved, by the Board, which includes the election of 4 positions (School Moderator, 1 School Director [3 year term] and 2 School Directors [1-year terms], as well as the approval of the School budget and School borrowing and auditing authority. January 5th Full Minutes 1. The board took up initial consideration of the School’s FY 2021-2022 budget, extended its scrutiny of it for a week (and approved the budget at its special meeting of January 12th ; see above). 2. Shawn McNamara, the new facilities director, has initiated a monthly report on the School’s infrastructure and its needs to the Principals and the Board 3. The Superintendent and the Principals report that resumption of school, including in-person learning, following the holidays was uneventful with respect to COVID-19, and that a second round of virus surveillance testing among staff was beginning this week. 4. The board continued the annual limits for students exchanged by lottery among public schools with Danville under the Regional High School Choice Program at 5-in and 5-out. While Danville has enjoyed under this program students choosing to come to Danville; it has never had a student choosing to leave for any other public school under the program. 4. The board adopted a policy on Non-Discrimination (A22) but it decided to take no action of a policy (A25) delegating certain authority to the Superintendent during the state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic by reaffirming its position from an August 2021 meeting that the Superintendent already had such authority based on Vermont Statutes. Robert Edgar/Clerk DANVILLE
SCHOOL BOARD 2. The first round of PCR-based COVID-19 testing of SU employees uncovered zero positives cases among 121 persons tested; the statewide rate for school employees was 21 among 9000 persons tested (1.3%). Due to State problems in rolling out this project, the extent of the initial round of testing was less than desired; a second round of testing is scheduled for the first week in January of 2021. 3. Both Principals Schilling and Welch reported that across all grades that cooperation with pandemic protocols has been admirable. The single incident of a coronavirus case identified before Thanksgiving was followed immediately by isolation of the group, State contact tracing and promptly informing the community of the event -- all in conformity with the protocols that had been developed –with no “downstream” effects identified to date. 4. Michael Concessi, the Director of Financial Operations, reported that Danville School ended FY2019-2020 with a $234K surplus balance. It began the fiscal year with a $312K surplus, but revenues (a planned spend-down lowering taxes and over-estimation of tuition and interest incomes) were under-estimated by $300K, and costs (health insurance, supervisory union and transportation) were over-estimated by $200K resulting in an approximately $100K decrease in surplus balance . Plans to improve some of these estimates will be pursued. 5. Federal Coronavirus Relief Funds which have been approved by AOE to cover COVID-19 related costs incurred by the School have not yet been received, but the board was informed the “delay” reflected “11th hour” clerical details. 6. Principal Schilling notified the board that the ventilation system rehabilitation had been completed (except for a temperature controller or two) with costs covered by a grant through Efficiency Vermont. Plans to resume work on the full-school renovation project with the architects are expected to resume in the next few months as covid circumstances permit. 7. On behalf of the Danville Board, the CCSU Board adopted statutorily mandated policies on employee unlawful harassment, English-language learners and homeless students (6 in Danville). Policies on non-discrimination in hiring and superintendent authority during the covid state of emergency are scheduled for discussion and possible adoption at the board’s January 5, 2021 meeting. 8. Shawn McNamara has been hired as the new Facilities Director, bringing his previous experiences in physical plant management and governmental budgeting from the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in White River Junction.
Robert Edgar/Clerk DANVILLE
SCHOOL BOARD 2. The Board adopted the official statement of the School on equity and inclusion, as drafted by the faculty Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee: By respecting each person’s unique identity, perspective, and learning style, we create a stronger community. We honor differences including races and culture, genders and sexual orientations, abilities and aspirations, identities and affiliations, socioeconomics and worldviews. 3. The Principals informed the Board that student-specific “emergency folders” were sent home to all K-8 students to be used in the advent of a sudden covid-based school closure. These contained work for about 5 days put together by the student’s teachers. These folders do not reflect any known imminent closure but rather are the results of prudent planning given myriad contingencies covid can generate. 4. The Principal reported a “catch-up week” for high-school students to facilitate their adjustment to the new learning conditions and pace of learning expectations. Additional in-school assistance for students who need it is being made available on Wednesdays. 5. The Board adopted a revised policy (A5 – Role and Development of School Board Policies) to include new requirements from Title IX and the authority for district boards to develop their own policies. [Title IX (1972 Education Amendments) protects persons from sexual discrimination who are involved in educational programs receiving federal funds.] 6. The Board adopted a new policy defining the role and responsibilities of student school board representatives, along with the conditions of eligibility as a representative, their selection, term, removal and potential receipt of academic credit.
7. Given covid circumstances the School Board’s Annual Meeting, usually held on
Town Meeting Day (first Tuesday in March), will be held remotely next spring
(2021). The board discussed moving
matters usually voted on from the floor to being conducted by Australian ballot. Adjustments to both the nomination process and means of engagement with candidates for
school board directors were also discussed.
The items have been placed on the agenda for the December regular
meeting of the board for being largely finalized. DANVILLE
SCHOOL BOARD 2. The Board has initiated a process to address the school mascot issue by (1) having students work on a research-based finding relative the Vermont School Boards Association’s recommendation of mascot replacement under the direction of Principal Schilling and faculty, (2) “encouraging teachers and staff to openly and freely engage in discussions of the issue within the school community”, and (3) further encouraging resident parents, non-resident parents of Danville students, native Americans, alumnae, and other interested members of the public to communicate in writing/email their comments to any member of the board at any time prior to a decision (board member email addresses at https://sites.google.com/a/danvillek12vt.us/danville-school-board/home) . Information from these sources will be brought together for a decision in March of 2021. 3. The faculty has formed an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee with the goal of: “By respecting each person’s unique identity, perspective, and learning style, we create a stronger community. We honor differences including races and cultures, genders and sexual orientations, abilities and aspirations, identities and affiliations, socioeconomics and worldviews.” 4. The board intends to adopt a new policy on student board representatives at its next meeting on October 27th. It includes a recently added provision for course credit for representatives. 5. A report on the schools’ endowment funds showed the Danville School Endowment Fund at $603,990 and the Marion Sevigny Endowment Fund at $690,107. The balances of 21 other smaller funds were also reported. 6. Given an uncertain financial picture for FY22 the Board decided not to offer early retirement packages to teachers and support staff for next year. 7. Principals David Schilling and Sarah Welch reported that the reopening of school had gone well, the implementation of PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports) had reduced behavioral referrals by 50%, and Danville PRIDE (Polite-Responsive-Inclusive-Determined-Engaged) is reinforced though out the day and appears to be working well also.
8. The Board accepted the Continuous Improvement
Plan developed by the administration for FY21. DANVILLE
SCHOOL BOARD 2. Principal Schilling updated the board of the
state of the ventilation system in preparation for the resumption of in-person
schooling on September 8th. All the ventilation units are operational and
have been cleaned, and air is
circulating through all spaces in the building, which it has not done in
years, providing adequate ventilation based on the engineers’ estimates. More
extensive cleaning the duct work will proceed this fall as a heat source is
added to the system. 4. In response to substantial concern within the school over the past year with the School’s mascot name “Indians” and a statement discouraging the use of such names by the Executive Committee of the Vermont Principal’s Association in August, the board has placed on the agenda for its October regular meeting (10/6) a discussion to produce a clear procedure to address this issue, including provision for community, staff and, importantly, student input. A forum for a discussion of the pros and cons of a name change and a possible name change are expected to be set then or shortly thereafter 5. The board approved the allocation of $16,400 from the Sevigny Endowment Funds to complete the rebuilding of the dugouts and other structures at the softball field at the School. 6. The board is developing a policy to guide the selection of student representatives to the School Board. At present, there would be two representatives, each selected in alternative years by the Board and serving until they graduate. Board member-Principal mentors would guide a representative’s work on the board. The policy describes the roles and responsibilities of a student representative, their powers as a representative, the selection process and conditions effecting removal as a representative. A second reading of this policy will occur at the October 6th meeting.
7. The board is reviewing a change in CCSU
Policy A5 which addresses the “Role and Adoption of School Board Policies”. The CCSU has proposed that district boards be
able to adopt policies that apply only to their own district. The discussion focused on district boards being able to develop,
not just adopt, policies applicable to their own districts, thus providing
some policy independence from the CCSU board and on clarifying the options
available to a district board in responding to CCSU-wide policy proposals.
DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD
2. The Board postponed a public vote for authority to borrow $550,000 for the school ventilation project at this meeting due to a statutory requirement for a 30-40 day warning and expected to reschedule that vote or an updated variation in the fall. 3. The Board endorsed the Superintendent’s continued operational planning for school reopening around the hybrid-learning model, which he characterized as best facilitating the “need to reopen the schools with the greatest flexibility to serve the greatest number of families who rely on Danville School to educate their children.” 4 . Based on responses from just over half the students, a Danville school survey on reopening ending on July 30 found 75% of families preferring an all in-person model for the first 6 weeks, 20% opting to go fully remote learning, and 5% planning to homeschool. At about a six-week mark in the semester students will be able to change options if they wish. 5. Principal Schilling provided a brief outline of school reopening on September 8th. Two of the major considerations were (1) distancing and (2) cohort management, that is, keeping a group of students together as long as feasible. Remote learners would be tied to their teachers and not lumped into a single large group. 6. The day-t0-day schedule was described for grades K-8 as 5 days a week in-person learning with a shorted day, and for grades 9-12 there would be two groups attending in-person 2 days a week and remotely on the other days. 7. The Principal also firmly stated as part a brief review of problematic air ventilation units that we “will not put students and staff in under-ventilated spaces at all.” 8. The Sevigny Fund which supports athletic and playing fields at the school reported a fund balance of $690,000. 9. Plans for outdoor classroom pavilions have been shelved due to problems in sourcing materials, but a back-up plan of using tents has replaced it. DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD  1. This special meeting addressed ventilation system problems at the School in the light of the most recent (July) engineering assessment and their short-run and long-term resolution. The estimated cost of full restoration of the system is $700,000. 2. Discussion centered on (1) assessing the data in-hand and those data which still needed to be secured or firmed up for the Board to take action, and (2) exploring various scenarios including whether to try to implement full repair/replacement or only that for some of the more critical rooms/spaces, the need to secure a short-term loan, its magnitude and conditions, the effects on the school’s reopening and ability to stay open, and the effects on tax rates for FY22 and a 5-year projection. 3. Because public input is critically important to the Board decision and because public approval is required to give the board authority to engage in short-term borrowing for this project, the Board will be holding a special meeting/public forum Thursday, July 30th via Zoom videoonferencing. This forum will consist of a presentation of the problem and a discussion with the public on our approach to solving it in preparation for a Town vote soon-to-be-held (likely August 4th) on provision of authority to the Board to secure a loan for the project and commence repairs. 4. A more detailed discussion of these issues, included relevant engineering reports and fiscal estimates, is contained in the Full Minutes of the 7/22 meeting. Relevant documents are also accessible on the School Board Home Page along with Zoom links to scheduled board meetings.
Robert Edgar/Clerk Zoom meeting July 7th. DANVILLE SCHOOL BOARD 1. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic Danville School Board meetings are currently conducted as Zoom videoconferences, which are publicly noticed on the warned agendas and on the School Board's website. Connect by computer or phone. 2. Much of the discussion at this meeting addressed issues associated with reopening the school in the fall informed by guidance by Vermont's Agency of Education. That guidance provides both for in-person and on-line learning, but with the details of the reopening plans left under the control of local school boards. The superintendent indicated some regulations with respect to reopening will be non-negotiable across the entire Supervisory Union and others will be adapted to the idiosyncrasies of the districts. There are also links to the AOE guidance document on the Board’s website Home Page. 3. The board was informed of the variety of reopening issues being addressed by the SU's leadership team and expects a reopening plan to be available to the board and the community around the end of July. A SU-wide COVID-19 coordinator has been selected, but her contract has not yet been finalized. She would work with a COVID-19 team of SU personnel and local community medical professionals, which is being set up. 4. Ventilation in the school building is currently problematic for a fall reopening, but an engineering firm has assessed the problems in detail, proposals for remediation are being developed, and the Principal expects it will be ready to support the start of the school year in late August. However, as colder weather sets in during the fall, additional work will be required on the ventilation units. 5. A link to the full Danville School Facilities Evaluation Report from Truexcullins submitted to the Board in May 2020 has been provided on the Board's website Home Page. This report does not include the more intensive engineering investigation/proposal currently underway regarding ventilation; see #4. Videos of the of the Truexcullins overview of the school in June are available also on the Home Page (see past Highlights). 6. Bids for the construction of several, outdoor, roughly 20’ x 20’, open-picnic-pavilion-style shelters have been solicited for expanding usable space during the COVID-19 crisis. 7. The Principal reported a project* supported by a community group to create outdoor classrooms as part of the wooded Nature Preserve south of the soccer field. These spaces are being designed to accommodate preK-12 classes, to be readily accessible to all students, and to permit classes that have used them in the past and currently funded student projects to continue using them. * See “Outdoor Classroom” project on embedded Facebook posts on School Home Page. 8. The Board approved up to $30,000 for the replacement in the school kitchen of a steam-cooker and a tilt skillet, each having entered school service 51 years ago (1969) and well-exceeded their life expectancy. 9. The Board approved the expenditure of $21,175 from the Sevigny Fund largely to initiate renovation and rebuilding of the dugouts on the school softball field. 10. The Board adopted a new policy on HIV/AIDS Education for preK-12 (F33) and reviewed and adopted older policies on Student Freedom of Expression (C11) and Prevention of Harassment, Hazing and Bullying (C10).
Robert Edgar/Clerk Danville
School Board 1. Richard Deane of TruexCullins Architects presented an overview of his firm’s Board-commissioned, 260-page report on the historic and current status of the Danville School facilities as a means of defining current and future issues related to school safety, learning environments and community engagement. A link to a video of his full 47 minute presentation is provided below; 9 smaller video clips are also provided capturing his presentation on particular topic; all 9 cover the full presentation. An expanded description of these topics is in the full minutes. Full presentation (47:51) 2. Kevin Davis of Norwich Solar Technologies presented his firm’s proposal to enter in a net metering agreement with the school in connection with a ground-based solar panel array it will start constructing adjacent to the school in 2021. The agreement involves no construction costs to the school and an estimated savings in electricity costs the first year of nearly $7,000 and over the life of the 25-year agreement of about $400,000. A video of his 27-minute presentation covers the history of the company, project environmental impacts, regionally similar projects, and estimates of financial and educational benefits. The board has taken the proposal into consideration. 3. With one month left in FY2019-2020 Christina Kimball (CCSU Business Manager) reported she projects the Danville School District will end the year (June 30) ab0ut $107,000 (1.7%) under budget, while taking into consideration some still unresolved financial variables, e.g., Covid-19 reimbursement from the CARES Act of 2020, special education expenses and legal challenges to external provider billing. 4. Ashley Muscarella, previously at Hazen Union High School, was hired as the Middle School Social Studies teacher for the forthcoming year.
5. Sarah Welch reported that next year the 37-38 students in Grades 2 & 3 will be partitioned into 1 grade-2 classroom, 1 grade-3 classroom and 1 combined-grades-2-and-3 classroom, yielding classroom sizes of 14 students or fewer in each. Danville School Board 1. For the first time since the onset of the Covid-19 disruption the Board formally met via Zoom audio-visual teleconferencing. Meeting minutes are time-stamped with reference to audio and audio-visual recordings of the meeting. 2. The Superintendent reported to the Board on the Covid-19 situation and the hiring of Michael Concessi as the CCSU Finance and Operations Director. 3. The Principal described some of the School's responses to the Covid-19 crisis, including a revised system of assessments (with a universal guide to grading) and community and staff support for keeping the meals program operational. Additionally, new staffing assignments: elementary school (Nick Decaro), full-time middle school math (Emily Greaves), full-time K-6 math interventionist (Peggy Remick) and 0.8 FTE interventionist (Tari Priddy). 4. The Board approved the 2020-2021 School Year Calendar. School for students starts on Wednesday, August 16ht and ends on Thursday, June 10th. 5. New and revised CCSU policies on Student Freedom of Expression (Policy C11), Prevention of Harassment, Hazing and Bullying (Policy C10) and HIV PreK-12 Management (Policy F33) were examined and scheduled for approval at the June 2nd Regular Board meeting. 6. The Board decided to continue to operate under the standard Robert's Rules of Order and not to change to the rules for "Small Boards." 7. An expenditure from the Sevigny Fund for $23,149.25 was approved for annual playing fields' maintenance and associated improvements. 8. Facilities and infrastructure projects are largely on hold until the future financial picture clarifies, but custodial staff is working on projects in the school given available resources. 9. A proposal from Norwich Solar Technologies for a ground-based solar panel system adjacent to the school is expected to be on the Board's June agenda. Danville School Board 1 Results of Board
Re-organization following the Town Meeting on March 3, 2020 3 Posting of public warnings
of agendas of School Board meetings: Caledonian
4 Both the Principal
and Superintendent provided overviews of their responses to the coronavirus
pandemic, which summarized their recent public communications. These administrative communications are
available on the Danville School Board’s website’s Home
Page: Home Page https://sites.google.com/a/danvillek12vt.us/danville-school-board/home
under “Coronavirus (COVID-19).” For previous Minutes Highlights, go to Agendas/Meetings tab.
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