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March 2008, Issue 2008-2

TOP STORY
Legislature Considers Changes to Education Laws in Several Areas
by David Cyprian, VSBA/VSA/VPA Legislative Analyst
Friday, March 14 was "cross-over" day at the State House, meaning that (with exceptions always possible) beginning the following week, only bills that have passed out of at least one committee can be considered by the General Assembly. This requirement creates a flurry of activity leading up to cross-over, as legislators and committees work to meet the deadline. This year, several potentially major changes to education law and policy were approved by either the House or Senate Education Committee prior to cross-over. Here is a status-review of some of the potentially significant bills still being considered as of the end of the day on March 14th.More

In This Issue

VSBA Directors Profile Series Deep Sea Division

Pop quiz time: Have you ever gone swimming in the ocean? Did you do any underwater diving? OK, how about diving not to see a colorful fish or a coral reef, but to lay concrete for industrial development? VSBA 2nd Vice President Ken Fredette has - he’s been professionally diving for years as a commercial builder and jack of all underwater-trades. For example, he participated in the underwater repair effort that occurred in April 2005 when a pipe burst in the New North End of Burlington, causing millions of gallons of sewage to flow into the Winooski River. More

What Schools Can Do To Protect Their Students From Online Bullyings

One typical school day, the high school principal receives a visit from an angry parent. It seems the parent’s son has been the object of a practical joke and is refusing to come to school until something is done.

When the principal asks what the problem is, she is directed to go to a Web site that she recognizes as one that students regularly use for chat. Once on the site, the parent directs the principal to a short video and asks her to play it. More

Vermont Internet Safety Summit: How To Keep The Internet Safe For Our Kids!

April 14, 2008 *** Statehouse, Montpelier
9:30am - 3:00pm
Topics include: Internet Social Networking, Putting a Face on Victimization, Vermont School Crisis Presentation

For more information contact:
Aimee B. Stearns, U.S. Attorney’s Office *** 802-951-6725 *** aimee.stearns@usdoj.gov
More

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According to a report released this summer by the PEW Internet and American Life Project, 32 percent of teenage Internet users say they have been threatened or potentially placed in harm’s way by an online activity.

These dangers include: receiving threatening messages, having their private e-mails or text messages forwarded without their permission, having an embarrassing picture posted without their permission or having rumors about them spread online.More

PROOF POSITIVE

In the last issue of From the Boardroom I wrote about the "legends and fantasies" that are afflicted on public education by those who have found it convenient to use public schools and school boards as whipping boys (and girls) to serve their own political and ideological ends. My analysis was based on solid evidence gathered from a variety of sources, including the Legislative Joint Fiscal Office (JFO), the State Department of Education, and State Department of Taxes data. Since then, the independent Public Assets Institute has put it all together in a consolidated report that definitively says what school board members and other educational leaders have known and reported for some time - that the current education finance system is doing what it was intended to do, namely reducing the spending disparities among Vermont towns and shifting resources toward those least able to pay. More

VSBA Around Vermont

Governance Initiatives
The Windsor Northwest SU Board is exploring options for convening a governance study. The SU Board is looking at the impact of declining enrollment and increasing costs for Rochester, Pittsfield, Granville, Hancock, and Bethel. As a result of a meeting with the VSBA, the Pittsfield Board warned a Town Meeting vote, which was passed on March 4th, to research governance change options for both the elementary and high school. One of the possible outcomes of the study would be to end school choice and create a formal governance relationship with an area school district.More

School Budget Vote Results Town Meeting 2008

A Summary from the Vermont Superintendents Association
Each spring, Anne Montgomery at the Superintendents Association strives to accurately and quickly collect tallies on which school budgets get defeated and which pass. Thanks to her efforts, we present to you the budget vote results from this year. As of Town Meeting Day, the electorate approved 95% of the budgets proposed and defeated 12. 251 school budgets for school year 2007-08 have been voted on and 239 passed. For the second year in a row, Vermont voters approved school budgets totaling less than 4.5% in spending increases. Last year, the increase was 4.1%. This year’s increase cannot yet be calculated exactly, because some towns have yet to vote. More

School Board Prof. Dev. DVDs

Is your board concerned about passing the school budget? Are you a new school board chair? Do you need clarification on roles and responsibilities for officials in the school district? How does your board do when it comes time to evaluate the superintendent? We can help!

The VSBA has been producing and recording DVDs of professional development workshops and several are now available to order. Most of the workshops were held in the last year, so the information is current. The DVDs are organized into chapters, so you and your board can skip right to the information you need. These DVDs are great cost- and time-effective resources to assure that your board functions at a high level for just $20.

To order DVDs

DVD Home Schooling for Board Members

The Vermont School Boards Association has been producing DVDs from a variety of board development workshops for the past three years. School board members have requested more than 150 DVDs throughout this time period. It affords board members an opportunity to learn essential school information, meeting mechanics, and effective board operations without leaving their home. Board members also utilize the DVDs for whole board learning, as is the case with the Island Pond School Board article below.More

Everyone Can Be Great, Because Everyone Can Serve

by Cheryl W Ryan, Education Management Consultant "We want learning that can be applied immediately!" "We need projects that make a real difference and can be implemented without cost!" "We need methodology that translates from classroom to community seamlessly!" "We would like our community to be more involved in our school!"

Have any of these statements been heard in your school district? If so, perhaps you’ve considered service learning as a new way to motivate and empower your students. "Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, and that observation captures the essence and power of service learning. More

Healthy Weight Summit

Learn what's working aroudn the state to make lunches healthier and kids more active! Bring back ideas and hope for your district to combat obesity in school age children! Thursday, May 1 - Newsbank Conference Center Chester, VTMore

Success in Vermont Schools 2007-08

A snapshot of public education in Vermont from the VSA, VPA and VSBA
High Performing Schools
Education Week’s Quality Counts 2008 determined that Vermont schools performed 4th best in the nation in achievement and achievement gains. The determination was made using 13 indicators, including NAEP scores, graduation rate, and recent improvement in achievement.More

Do You Have a Resolution VSBA Should Consider?

The success that VSBA realizes in the Legislature is due to the participation of our membership throughout the year. It begins in the spring and summer with the collection of legislative resolutions drawn from member districts. Please visit the VSBA website to submit a resolution.

The cycle will begin anew with this call for 2008 resolutions. This is a process that helps the VSBA represent board members throughout the state in an effective manner.

Each proposed resolution is received and reviewed by the VSBA Resolutions Committee, which is comprised of school board members from throughout the state. The committee makes recommendations to the VSBA Board of Directors, which review the Committee’s work and can add it own proposals to the final slate of resolutions and position to be sent to the VSBA Annual meeting. The Annual meeting then uses a "one district, one vote" format to finalize VSBA’s legislative agenda.

Setting our legislative agenda is a thoughtful, deliberate process. It is an inclusive process which creates a strong legislative force for the needs of Vermont school children. This call for resolutions is the beginning of the road to the Annual Meeting, which will be at the Lake Morey Resort on October 30 & 31, 2008. The deadline for submitting resolutions is August 15!

Resolution proposals must be submitted by member boards.

Resolutions are statements of intended and desired actions on items of current needs or problems. Resolutions are in effect for one legislative term and may be submitted on any topic of statewide concern for school board members.

Try to be as clear and concise as possible with the wording of your resolution so the intent, as well as the requested action, is understandable. Include a rationale (or history) with your resolution. If your board would like help in drafting a proposal, please contact the VSBA staff. We are eager to get a wide array of perspectives, and we stand willing to help your board get the issues of importance to you on VSBA’s agenda. Don’t hesitate to call us.

Continuing Resolutions are statements of policy and purpose and, once adopted, remain in effect until amended or repealed.

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