Meeting updates and links to reports/presentations will post as they are available.

August 2024

School Consolidation Community Forums

The Board tasked the administration to do a high level comparison of the “status quo”, i.e., the FY25 budget versus a single campus model as described in the Long Term Planning analysis completed by Stevens and Associates, using NewBrook as that single campus. Pre-K through 5th grade.

Read FULL SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION REPORT here

The board scheduled three community meetings at the three elementary schools (JVS, TES and NewBrook) in September to provide information and get feedback/questions from community members. View COMMUNITY MEETING SLIDESHOW here

School Consolidation Meeting Agendas/Details (including zoom link):

September 18th (7PM) @ Townshend Elementary School

September 26th (7PM) @ Jamaica Village School

September 30th (7PM) @ NewBrook Elementary School

January 2024

School Consolidation Meeting

Board members, administrators and Stevens & Associates consultants met to discuss school consolidation. Stevens & Associates shared their School Consolidation Study.  The objective of the study was to:

• Look at the Feasibility of a Consolidation from four schools to two schools.

• Implement school consolidation plan that looks at next 3-5 years (Pre-K) (K – 12). 

• Create cost effective solutions - No permanent building additions (portable structures –ok), modest interior modifications.

Click here to read full Consolidation Study from Stevens & Associates

Click here to read meeting minutes

Another part of the study included Facility Condition Assessments for each school building site (Jamaica, NewBrook, Leland and Gray, Townshend).  Click below to learn more about the assessments at each site.

November 2022 -January 2023

Feasibility Study

The WRED board hired Stevens & Associates to help them explore the feasibility of a One Campus model.  The purpose of this effort was to study the proposed consolidation of all district classrooms and programs to the two existing buildings in Townshend – Townshend Elementary School (TES) and Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School (L&G). This study process included:

• Walk-thru and review of documentation of existing facilities to be utilized (TES and L&G)

• Development of a Preliminary Program of Room, Space, and Site Needs

• Conceptual test-fit of the proposed program to the existing facilities to be utilized (TES and L&G)

• Review of applicable regulatory and approval requirements to identify potential challenges

Read full Architecture/Engineering Feasibility Study Proposal HERE

September 2022

In the September 12th WRED Long-Term Planning meeting, the board considered 3 questions:

1) Shall the WRED consider interim consolidation of elementary school operations in FY24 to better serve its resident students?

Members of the public  and the board spoke both in support and against this question.  

The board made a motion to vote to 'keep the status quo as is.'  8 voted in favor, 1 vote to abstain and 1 vote against.

2) Shall the West River Education District explore the feasibility of a One Campus model to serve its residents of other models that may work?

Motion passes unanimously

3) Shall the West River Education District explore a third-party school quality review?

Motion passes unanimously

August 2022

In the August 1st WRED LTP meeting, Bill Anton shared cost-saving estimates in regards to consolidating to two elementary schools (from the current three).  Estimates are an approximate $225,000 savings (two teachers, one admin assistant).  Anton also reported the estimated cost to run a Pre-K in each school building- in general, it takes about $140,000 to run a Pre-K (estimate includes cost of staff and any building accomodations needed). Mr. Anton also reviewed a few procedures/policies.  1) It is within the boards purview to reconfigure grade levels. 2) School closings can only occur with a vote from the town. 3) Any town can vote to withdraw from the union school district.  This must occur in concurrence with unanimous town votes in all other district towns on the same day.

Bob Thibault (L&G school principal) also presented data from the AOE website in regards to secondary performance in comparison to other public high schools in the state as well as college/career readiness data and findings from a school survey sent to students in regards to their school experience.  WATCH FULL REPORT HERE (scrub forward to minute 29:00)

The board also passed two motions in their August meeting:

1) Shall the WRED maintain one approved high school in which high school education is provided for its resident students? 

(YES, unanimous)

2) Shall the WRED explore the feasibility of a One Campus model to serve its resident students? 

(9 in favor, 1 against)

July 2022

In the July 11th WRED LTP meeting, community feedback was presented/discussed. Greg Frost, WRED Director of Operations, also presented a detailed report regarding capital needs assessments for the three elementary schools.

LEARN MORE about the projects planned and facilities issues at our three elementary schools (Jamaica, NewBrook and Townshend)– this report will help inform the board about the costs associated with keeping each building open and running well.

The board was also presented with the community feedback results from both the in-person community meetings that took place in June as well as the responses from the online discussion forum.  

The online discussion forum remained open until July 27th.  

June 2022

In June's meeting the Elementary and Secondary Task Forces reported the results of their work in their sub-committee meetings.  The elementary task force presented data related to three different elementary school configurations (3 schools (status quo), 2 two schools (K-5) or 2 schools (K-2 and 3-5).  The secondary task force reported on existing course options at Leland and Gray, made comparisons of their programming/opportunities in relation to other schools in the area, and reported on the fiscal impact of adopting a school choice ‘tuitioning’ program for 9th-12th grade as well as how this decision might impact members of the community.  

VIEW FULL ELEMENTARY TASK FORCE REPORT

VIEW FULL SECONDARY TASK FORCE REPORT

Community Meetings were also scheduled to discuss the reports and give community members the opportunity to provide input. An online discussion board was made available for those who could not attend in-person meetings.

May 2022

In May's meeting, WCSU administrators presented an overview of the WRED budget, per-pupil spending and tax rate data from the previous 5 years.  Their report uncovered budget trends, enrollment history and projections.  This data will guide the board as they plan for sustainable change in our district.  CLICK HERE for a full, detailed look at the administration's reports.

Facilitator, Les Edinson also presented a suggested timeline to guide the board's work so they could be ready to make decisions and build a FY23 budget (with possible programmatic/building changes) in October.

April 2022

In April's meeting, facilitator, Les Edinson, presented a broad overview of the survey and 'futures' protocol responses. In his presentation, he distilled the large volume of comments/ideas that were collected from board members, teachers/staff and community members to identify initial themes (Sustainable Change, Facilities, Elementary Schools, Secondary Options and School/Community).  

He also proposed 'next steps' for the board and administration.  By May 2, the board requested the administration to present an overview of the WRED budget, per-pupil spending and tax rate data for the previous five years. The board also requested that the administration establish and oversee a Secondary School Task Force and an Elementary School Task Force to investigate and make recommendations for programmatic/facilities improvements/changes.  These task forces will schedule weekly public meetings and present their findings to the board by June 6, 2022.

February-March 2022

In their February meeting, the board brainstormed and noticed connections between why they live here and the assets that exist in our community.  They set up a monthly newsletter communication to be distributed through the community and initiated a survey/comment board to get 'first thoughts' from their stakeholders.

In their March meeting they engaged in a "Back to the Future" brainstorming protocol.  Later, all school staff participated in this protocol during staff meetings.  Local community meetings were organized as well.  Three community meetings occurred between March 28th - April 2nd  (organized by community-member volunteers).  There was also an opportunity to engage in this protocol through an online form.  

CLICK HERE to see out our "Back to the Future" RESPONSES. The 'virtual-stickies' MIRO board is infinitely zoomable and is color-coded (yellow= staff notes, green= board meeting notes, pink= community notes)

CLICK HERE to see our "WRED Community Input" survey/comment board RESULTS (which includes the preK-8 (HS school tuition/choice) or preK-12 question results)

In their March meeting, the LTP Committee also approved a mission statement (see at top of page).

How did we get here?

A brief history of WRED Long-Term Planning

2016

ACT 46  Vt education law makes a strong push for larger school governance. Voters in the towns of Brookline, Jamaica, Newfane and Townshend vote to merge their school boards to form a unified district- West RIver Education District. LEARN MORE

2018

As directed by an ACT 46 study committee, WRED Administrative Team presents 'what it looks like to operate as one district' and proposes structural changes.  In response to community concerns about the structural changes proposed, the board votes to adopt just two parts of the proposal: moving 6th grade to the middle school and offering intra-district school choice at the elementary level. VIEW FULL PROPOSAL HERE

2020

With continued interest in a long-term, sustainable vision for the district, the WRED board tasks the administrative team to present a robust array of possibilities for the future of the district. VIEW FULL ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT HERE 

Given the constraints of time and mental capacity during the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic, this work is put on hold. 

2021

After a fiscally challenging budget season, the WRED Future Planning Sub-Committee forms to take a deeper look at the possibilities put forth by the admin team in 2020 (see above).  

They work from April 2021-December 2021 and propose a new idea for the structure of the district (which includes the design and implementation of an Immersive Learning Center).  Community feedback makes clear the board needs more time, support and community involvement to move forward with a decision.  The sub-committee dissolves to allow the full WRED board to take on this work with the support of a professional facilitator. CLICK HERE for more information about this sub-committee's work

Learn more about Act 46, School Choice and Immersive Learning