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The Valley Reporter Newsletter

By Maureen McCracken

I wanted to make sure all board members are clear that the preK-12 committee has confirmed that their work is based on you (the full board) directing them (the committee) to develop a timeline and list of additional information only related to “the plan” that was approved by the board last November. 

First, I want to remind you, once again, of what the board voted on in November: “Move to continue exploration and development of a preK-12 plan, in accordance with the Articles of Agreement, that includes closing Fayston Elementary School, combining all seventh- and eighth-graders at CBMS and moving Moretown's fifth- and sixth-graders to CBMS.“ (Here’s the link to the board recap: www.huusd.org/blog/huusd-school-board-meeting-recap-11-13-19. )

With this board committee directive, you have once again turned “continue exploration and development of a plan” into “this is the plan.” 

With your committee’s narrow scope and clearly defined end point, you have already shown yourselves closed off to the possibility of changing your mind or changing the plan based on more or new information -- which is usually the point of gathering more and new information. It was also the point of the original November motion including the phrase “continue exploration.” 

I think you should ask yourself why you are even going through this exercise if you already have decided on an end point and also how you, as a body, have gone from “exploration” to “this is a done deal” on this topic. 

As you are contemplating that, I would like to offer a list of the new information for you to add to your existing list of additional information to consider in your plan. I did bring these up in the committee meeting, but I don’t think they made it to the list.

  1. New information about physical and social-emotional safety and related analysis: The recent school climate survey results show some concerning data about how students feel about their physical and social-emotional safety. I am sure that the administrative team is already working on determining causes and solutions to that (more than a guidebook), but please view your preK-12 plan from that lens: in what ways might this plan make that issue better? In what ways might it make it worse? Or is there no expected impact on this issue at all? Please be open with the community about your analysis.
  2. New information about housing sales and related analysis: I have been hearing stories about real estate agents being very busy, even selling some houses sight unseen. I have no idea if this is a trend or just a few individual realtors having this experience, but the board should gather more information and then perform a “what if” analysis about what will happen if more families move into our district. Also expand your what if to determine how this merger might encourage or discourage families to move to our communities versus elsewhere in Vermont. (Anyone who cares about tax dollars wants them to move here). Be open with your community about what you learn and discuss here.
  3. New information about COVID-era learning and related analysis. It could be that what we need and want to do in a post-COVID world means we need more physical space, or it could mean we need less space or even no buildings at all if we’re doing everything at home. Please learn more about what our educators are discovering about teaching and learning right now, and then, with that specifically in mind, determine possible risks and rewards from merging more kids into Crossett Brook. Be open with the community about what your analysis tells you.
  4. New information about the possibility of a bond and related analysis. I heard a lot of agreement at the board level that a bond is likely not in the near future for our community. Please look at your plan and discuss thoroughly the benefits and costs of merging kids in the current building envelope, without expansion or renovation. Be open with the community about those costs and benefits.
  5. New information about systemic racism in our schools and school system. The board and admin should have already begun the work of identifying issues in our school system that contribute to racism. Please view your preK-12 plan from that lens: in what ways can your plan improve issues related to racism? In what ways might it make things worse? Or do you expect no impact at all? Please be open with the community about your analysis.

I hope you agree to add these new pieces of information and analysis to your work, even if you do continue to drive toward a specific end instead of the “exploration” that you agreed to back in November.  At the very least, it will help inform voters for if and when they actually do get to add their voices to the process.

McCracken lives in Waterbury.