EWSD Board Meetings

Dec. 17 Essex Westford School District (EWSD) School Board Meeting. 

Submitted by Lynn Smith 12/18/2024

As a member of SPEAKVT, I attend almost all of the EWSD board meetings. The Dec. 17 meeting raised multiple issues.

Flaws in the superintendent search process

First of all, in the segment dedicated to the superintendent search, the Alma search team updated the board and community about the timeline they have set up. They are currently working with a candidate pool of 15 applicants, all deemed to be “high quality” candidates. However, the definition of “high quality” is not supplied. Furthermore, Alma is accepting applications for panelists from our community to interview a winnowed selection of candidates. The final panel will be selected randomly from the applications. However, Alma went on to say that they would make sure the panel was diverse, (how can they do that with a random selection?) that the panel would be coached in how to question candidates, and interview questions would be pre-approved by Alma. My takeaway is that Alma is over-manipulating our superintendent search and our EWSD board is in full compliance.

Budget cost drivers remain sacred cows

Secondly, after a very LONG discussion, the board directed the finance committee to work on a level-funded budget which will require cuts. In an impassioned soliloquy by board chair Robert Carpenter, he literally threw “Montpelier” under the bus. However, he directed his criticisms toward the governor, rather than the Chittenden 22-23-24 delegation that have repeatedly voted to override the governor’s vetoes on education spending.  Gretchen Bates began the discussion by citing behavioral issues in lower elementary, enlarging class sizes, and less teacher support in the classes as significant problems to cost-cutting. Superintendent Beth Cobb assured her that there are developing plans to address her concerns. Since the plans are still in the developmental stage, Beth was unwilling to expound on them. Anne Marie Sharp and Scott Brown both brought forward ideas about how to restructure classes and rethink schools to accommodate larger class sizes and minimize spending on facilities. However, Christine Gaynor-Patterson voiced her concern that all ideas for cutting the budget first be scrutinized through an equity lens. (Since diversity, equity and inclusion is what has gotten us into this situation, I find it ironic that budget cuts can’t be made because of diversity, equity and inclusion.) With the cited behavioral problems and the possibility of teacher-burnout,  the district must be very careful that all changes be equitable for both students and teachers. Both student board members spoke against making changes whether in class size, consolidating schools or rethinking school structure. Erin Knox also spoke of finding the cost per student in each building. The results of the budget survey were referred to multiple times throughout the discussion but members of the public were not privy to the results. 

Overall, the meeting took far longer (almost 3 hours!) than was necessary. In my opinion, the board continues to be unwilling to rethink the structure of the unwieldy district and they refuse to make hard decisions that would bring some relief to overburdened taxpayers.  

Jan 7, 2025 Essex Westford School District (EWSD) School Board Meeting. 

Submitted by Lynn Smith 1/8/2025

DEI is alive and well in EWSD

The January 7, 2025 EWSD school board meeting was characterized by glowing reports from students, faculty and staff surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Armed with slides full of constructed data, Erin Maguire, EWSD director of DEI, expounded greatly on her DEI inventory. The principal of Hiawatha went to great lengths to prove that social justice  was alive and well in her school due to a 2 week immersion study in Ruby Bridges culminating in the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on Nov. 14. Jackie Tolman spoke of the new literacy curriculum (EL Education) which, by definition, includes social justice themes as a hallmark of the course of study.

(The "EL literacy program" refers to the "EL Education" curriculum, a K-8 language arts program that focuses on building deep knowledge through content-rich, real-world topics, emphasizing critical literacy skills, character development, and social justice themes, while incorporating the science of reading principles to ensure strong foundational reading skills for all students; "EL" stands for "Expeditionary Learning," the previous name of the program.)

DEI Helps Behavior / Behavior is Getting Worse 

According to Ms. Maguire, one of the outcomes of the DEI implementation has been better behaviors across the district. However, during the Dec. 17 school board meeting, both Superintendent Cobb and board member Jemima Talbot cited behavioral issues as budget drivers. “Behaviors are becoming more challenging even at early elementary level.” (Talbot) “We will bring ideas through the budget that will speak to those pieces.” [pieces refers to behavioral issues related to class size] (Cobb)

My question: Who is correct? The director of DEI touting better behaviors or the superintendent asking for budgetary considerations based on “more challenging” behaviors even in the early elementary? I do not believe that both scenarios can be correct. 

Be Glad It was Me and Not You  (But, it's Important to Be Aware)

In a private conversation post meeting, I referenced that I’d come home from work to dog vomit. . . . 3 different areas. . . . and that I preferred cleaning up vomit to sitting through the January 7 board meeting. Most meetings aren’t as egregious as tonight’s meeting. However, it drove home the thought that we have much work to do.

Jan 21, 2025 Essex Westford School District (EWSD) School Board Meeting. 

Submitted by Lynn Smith, January 22, 2025

Plans to trim $6 million

The board meeting began a little late since the board was in executive session from 5:00pm until well after 6:00pm. After a fairly lengthy soliloquy by Robert Carpenter concerning board engagement, volunteerism, transparency, and the other normal pat-on-the-back talking points, a report from the facilities committee as well as the advocacy committee followed. Just 20 minutes into the meeting. Beth Cobb, Brian Donahue, and Dylan MacNamara began with an outline of how the district is going to trim $6 million from a flat budget. I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Some serious work begun

In all reality, I was pleasantly surprised that the administration had done some serious work in actually reconfiguring schools and how they deliver education. You can go here to see the presentation slides. https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/3564/EWSD/5217983/01.21.25_EWSD_Budget_Story_-_Public.pdf

Is change in the air?

Though there were no numbers presented tonight, it was the first breath of fresh air I’ve experienced since I began attending meetings in 2021. Though this was truly a facilities revamp and has nothing to do with the inherent ideology of the district, at the least, there was an acknowledgement that change has to happen whether it’s comfortable or not. Since the new Trump administration just shut down DEI offices on the federal level, I could hope that federal monies funding DEI in Vermont would be cut off to the point that mandated DEI in this state would DIE! That would be a huge cost saving to the EWSD tax payers and a much-needed boost to REAL education. Maybe change on several levels is in the air?? We could only hope so!

Feb 4, 2025 Essex Westford School District (EWSD) School Board Meeting. 

Submitted by Lynn Smith, Feb 5, 2025

The EWSD Board meeting for Feb 4, 2025 began a full half hour late due to the board being involved in executive session before the regularly scheduled 6:30 meeting. There was much participation in the public comment time including multiple Westford parents who spoke  mostly from a data-driven basis. Yes, there was emotion, but Westford parents came loaded with studies and statistics to support their desire for their community school to be preserved. Whether or not I agree in totality with their premise, I did see a passion for their school and their community spirit. With all that said, I have to question the disbanding of community-based schools throughout the district as a cost-saving strategy. In my opinion, there are many costs to be validated as well as  even more transparency about line items within the budget. 

A community member brought to my attention the teacher pension model. What does the district have to pay toward those pensions? The district pays significant salaries, healthcare benefits and currently self-insures for  staff dental expenses. For ten months of work, our teachers are well paid both in salary as well as benefits. Should we be looking to change the pension model to a more cost-effective model to relieve stress on property taxes and overall education funding?

Several board members have asked some significant questions for clarity, which I have not recognized in the last few years. There are obviously no easy answers since cutting budgets has NEVER been a part of the EWSD system. This system is used to voters passing exorbitant budgets in the name of providing the “best” for our students. Brian Donahue advised the board that whatever gets cut will not be seen again. These are not temporary cuts!

I’m not sure the administration and the board understand that things (music?) asked to be funded by the community are not to be added back into the budget proposal as a burden to taxpayers, but to be offset by other cuts. Apparently, Gretchen Bates got that memo as she made a motion to keep music instruction at the same level as the 2024-2025 level of instruction asking  the admin to find other cuts to support this change. The motion passed. (YES!)

Administration will come back with new proposals concerning the Pre-K proposals with the thought toward keeping the Westford Pre-K.

The one thing that this board and administration have not touched is DEI and SEL initiatives. They have continued their commitment to their DEI policy despite the death of DEI on the national level. I’ll try to keep this constituency informed of future developments. However, until there are substantial cuts to the DEI and SEL policies, I, personally, could not support this budget.

Feb 11, 2025 Essex Westford School District (EWSD) School Board Meeting. 

Submitted by Lynn Smith 2/13/2025

The EWSD Budget focused board meeting for 2-11-25 was certainly budget focused. Maybe even micro-focused. 

When a ruling body sets in motion a plan to assuage the masses, there are going to be those within the masses that do not want their comfort zone to be breached. Such is the case from the tiny town of Westford. At multiple scheduled board meetings as well as at a Westford-only meeting with board members, the Westford parents and residents have raised a mighty voice to SAVE THEIR SCHOOL. And. . . . . . at Tuesday night’s meeting, the board voted to reverse ALL administrative proposals concerning the Westford School. They reinstated Westford’s half day PreK as well as voted for Westford middle school to remain intact. This threw the board mandated  level-funded budget back to the administration where the admin now needs to find another way to cut about $300,000 from the 2026 budget. 

The city of Essex Junction has given up Summit Street School and all PreK within the city schools. Yes, Summit Street parents have spoken to the board but seemingly, their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Transportation remains problematic though it is a key piece in the move of PreK to Essex Elementary School. Frankly, it’s a key piece throughout the district and there’s no new ideas on the table to make transportation more reliable. However, Westford has won this round but the City voters may be riled enough to vote NO at the ballot box. I would not blame them!

Throughout this budget process, the board has not been able to make hard decisions in the best interest of all the district. In the past, the board has prided itself on making decisions based on research and data. In my opinion, Tuesday night’s feelings-based decision placates the Westford constituency and enflames the City constituency. Taxpayers need relief from soaring property taxes and yes, there’s a human side to all monetary decisions. But the few cannot rule for the many. And that’s what happened on Tuesday night.

By the way, neither DEI nor SEL have yet to be discussed as possibilities for the chopping block. Until ALL discretionary spending is analyzed for reduction, this budget will not get my vote.

Respectfully submitted,

Lynn Smith

February 18, 2025   EWSD Board Meeting with budget focus

The February 18 meeting was called to order right around 6:00 pm with public comment as the first order of business. Though the stated limit for public comment is 2 minutes, several community members were allowed to conclude their thoughts while exceeding the limit  by 30 or more seconds. One community member (a former legislator) was allowed to conclude her speech which was in excess of 4 minutes while 2 other community members were not allowed to conclude their speeches and were told their time was over at 3 minutes and 15 seconds. This board is not known for consistency in their public engagement. As a community member who attends almost ALL of the meetings, I’ve seen this over and over again. Some community members are told their time is up right at the 2 minute mark while others are allowed to speak much longer.  The board was able to begin their meeting after more than an hour of public comment.

At the end of the February 11 meeting, the board voted to pause the moving of the Westford Middle School to Essex Middle School. However, with the trade-offs that the administration brought to the table, the board voted to go ahead with moving Westford middle schoolers to join with Essex middle schoolers. The board also voted to reinstate a PreK class at Summit Street School.

Amid MUCH discussion and a bit of “sleight of hand,” the board voted first of all to maintain a level budget then subsequently, (after an impassioned plea by Christine Gaynor-Patterson) voted to continue with the consolidation of Summit Street School with Hiawatha Elementary School. Needless to say, the Summit Street parents still present at 10:15pm were notably upset. I heard statements such as. . . “I’ve never NOT voted for a school budget, but I’ll be voting NO this year.”  Since a vote at the ballot box is the only REAL way to make one’s voice heard, I do encourage both Essex Junction and Westford parents who feel disenfranchised to commit to a NO vote in April. 

Several of the Summit Street parents present felt the community would be OK with a slight tax increase to keep their school. I do not believe this is the case. According to Brian Donahue, 75% of the taxpayers in the Essex-Westford community do not have children in the schools. Our community is aging, with many living on fixed incomes. Even “slight” increases are significant and unacceptable. 

I find it interesting that few reductions in the budget OR trade-offs offered by the admin involved the high school. Have you recently viewed the classes offered in the high school? EHS offers a wide range of specialty classes, some from questionable curriculum sources and others totally superfluous to a standard high school education. These have not been touched. Also, DEI and SEL remain as the sacred cows that must be preserved at all costs. 

The board and admin were taken to task in the final moments of last night’s meeting for their in-the-box thinking–---for their inability to think creatively to achieve a win/win for all concerned. I have to agree with the sentiment.

After adopting the budget as presented, the board was charged to go forward and sell this budget to the community. The next month will be used to spin this budget in a highly positive way so as to get acceptance on the first vote. Please be aware that “spin” is often achieved by touting half truths. Take it upon yourself to uncover the real facts rather than be caught up in the spin. This is a link to the warned budget. https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/3564/EWSD/5316295/SLIDES_Budget_Presentation_02.18.2025.pdf  

As I’ve stated in the last few board meeting reviews, until there are NO sacred cows, until DEI and SEL get the same axe that Summit Street and Westford Middle School received, I cannot vote for this budget. 

Respectfully submitted,

Lynn Smith