Lakeview Union Elementary: What’s Next? Understanding the State Board of Education’s Provisional Vote for the Merger of Lakeview Union, Hardwick, Woodbury, Stannard (Pre- K only), and Greensboro Pre-K School Districts Welcome. Thanks for coming out this evening. I also want to thank those of you joining us from neighboring communities. A few announcements: The annual Harvest Dinner is next Friday the 16th. If you are interested in attending this community-wide meal, please RSVP to Lorelei by calling the school. Tickets are $5. Second, next Wednesday is OSSU Band Day at Hazen. Lakeview band members will be participating, and the Vermont Jazz Ensemble will also be performing. It's a great evening of music - starting at 6 in the Hazen gym. As we get started, I want to reiterate that the state plan has not been finalized. We're here to keep everyone informed of what we're likely facing and to do our best to answer your questions. We won't have all the answers because we are all in uncharted waters and learning as we go. I would encourage everyone to come to future board meetings - both SU and Lakeview - to learn more about the process. Also, if you have concerns, share them with the members of the State Board. They do read their emails and there is always a time for public comment at their monthly meetings. The next one is next Thursday in Williamstown.

Background 2015: Act 46 passes. 2016: OSSU boards meet and discuss options similar to those in the RED study of 2014. Boards agree to submit a proposal for Alternative Governance Structure. Individual boards prepare reports. 2017: OSSU report sub-mitted in the fall. March 2018: OSSU board members meet with Secretary of Education and AOE reps to support proposal. No mention of merger for Lakeview at this meeting. April 2018: Secretary Holcombe resigns. June 2018: AOE issues its draft state plan for State Board review. They do not recommend merger for OSSU member districts, but open the door for SU re-assignment July 2018: SU board members answer questions about the proposal before the State Board. October 2018: The AOE points out to the SBE at its regular meeting that Lakeview, Hardwick, and Woodbury share the same structure. The SBE holds off a provisional vote on OSSU member districts, with the exception of Wolcott, until its 10/29 meeting. October 29, 2018: The SBE votes provisionally to merge Lakeview, Hardwick, Woodbury, Stannard (pre-k only), and Greensboro school districts.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER 11/15 OR 11/30? The Secretary of Education warns the Organizational Meeting for the new Union District within 60 days of the issuance of the final plan. The warning must be posted 30-40 days in advance, which puts this meeting towards the end of December. The Organizational Meeting does not happen in each town, but is a single meeting of all forming districts (Lakeview, Hardwick, Greensboro, Stannard, Woodbury). At that meeting, the following happens: The transitional board is sworn in, consisting of 2 reps (the Chair and Clerk) from EACH forming district, for a total of 10 members. The annual meeting date for the new union district is set. Voters decide if an Australian ballot will be used for budgets, election of board members, and other public matters. These decisions are all made by a vote from the floor. The Transitional Board then assumes all duties of the new District, including development of the FY20 budget and the decision to form an amendment committee to review and amend the default articles.

Amending the Articles of Agreement Default Articles can be amended within 90 days of the SBE issuing the statewide plan. If no amendments to the default articles are approved prior to 90 days, then the default articles become the articles for the district. The process both before and after the 90-day window requires formation of an “amendment committee” with proportional representation based on equalized pupils. Currently, this looks like this: Articles concerning debt, transfer of property, fund balances, and surpluses cannot be amended. All debt, fund balances, and surpluses held by forming districts are transferred to the new union district by June 30, 2019. Real property is transferred to the new union district by July 1, 2019 for $1. Town/District Equalized Pupils Reps to Committee Hardwick 242.25 3 Lakeview 77.76 2 (1 from Greensboro, 1 from Stannard) Woodbury 52.47 1 Hardwick: 65%, LV:21%, WDB:14%. 1 members from each town/district must be a board member. Others can be community members.

Change in day-to-day at school? Article amendable and by whom? How can future changes to operations be made? Grades operated/ tuitioned No change in academic years 2019/20 and 2020/21 Yes; only by voters in EACH member town until 2021 Beginning 2021, grades operated by the new district can be changed by the majority of voters voting in the district; reduction in grades subject to SBE approval. Attendance/ Restructure of grade configurations No change in academic years 2019/20 and 2020/21; parent may request enrollment in a different school within district. Beginning 2021, per statute, grade configurations in district buildings can be changed by the board, unless the articles are amended otherwise. Closure of buildings No change in academic years 2019/20 and 2020/21 unless approved by electorate of the new district. Beginning 2021, school closure in any forming district must be approved by the electorate of the new district.

New Union District Board Representation Initial representation is a ”hybrid model”. Two seats are allocated to the new board from each forming town. They are voted on by the electorate of the entire new district and have staggered term lengths for the first year of the district’s operation. Beginning with the annual meeting in 2020: Default articles continue with the hybrid model of representation; New members serve for a term of 3 years; Only voters can amend the form of representation for the district board, i.e, changing from the hybrid model requires an amendment to this article that is approved by the voters of the new district.

Timeline Final Plan issued by State Board = Date X Date X + 90 days: Organizational meeting at which Transitional Board is sworn in and the decision about voting budgets and holding elections by Australian ballot is made by a vote from the floor. Transitional Board begins its duties of budget preparation for FY20, formation of amendment committee to amend articles before July 1 (if agreed by the Transitional Board), etc. (Potential) Special meeting of the District: Date X + 90 days IF there are amendments to the articles. This cannot happen on Town Meeting Day. Special Meeting of the District: Most likely Town Meeting Day 2019 to elect initial members of the new Unified Union District. First meeting of the New Unified Union District Board – Election Date + 14 days. Review, revise, adopt the FY20 budget. Prior to July 1, 2019: Warn special meeting to vote on proposed FY20 budget.

The Appeal to the Superior Court Lakeview has not yet voted to join the appeal. It will be on the agenda for the 11/15 meeting. Some of the issues covered in the appeal (not all are listed or apply to our situation) Immediate and Irreparable Harm – Loss of Small Schools Grants. Can the state board require hurdles for independent districts or districts forced into merger to receive small schools grants which treat these districts differently than small schools in merged districts? Takings and Debt– Can the state board require all district assets, such as school buildings and grounds, be given to a new entity without the consent of the electorate? Can the state board of education impose debt on school districts who have not voted to accept the debt obligation?  Alternative Governance Process – Can the state board reject alternative proposals as a matter of policy rather than through a review of the proposals’ merits and efforts to meet the requirements of Acts 46 and 49?    Geography – Can the state board develop metrics defining geographic criteria without regard for Act 46/49 language that defines geographic isolation as “lengthy driving times and inhospitable travel routes”? Arbitrary and Capricious – Can the state board treat districts with similar characteristics differently? Note: we do not know what the timeline for the appeal process is, or perhaps most importantly what the impact is on the state-imposed merger process and our ability to participate in it,.

How do we pay for an appeal Volunteer pro bono hours / Paid hours at a modest fee    Alliance for Vermont School Board Members – Act 46 Defense Fund  (note: Lakeview is not currently a member of this group) Private donations directly to attorneys  Any additional costs covered by plaintiffs who raise funds locally. Costs would be shared proportionally based on student enrollment. Select Boards can also vote to join the appeal. As we wrap up our part of this and open the discussion, I want to say how grateful I am for the thoughtful, committed board that you have before you. They have always set as their priority how best to responsibly meet the needs of our kids, and I am confident they will continue to do so. We have had a lot of conversations with all of you over the past year about the challenges we're facing as a community. Regardless of the outcome of this process, it is not going to get any easier. We hope that as you process what we're facing, you too will try to keep the needs of our kids at the forefront.