A News Release from
Rutland Windsor Supervisory Union
BOARDS STUDY NEW SUPERVISORY UNION CONFIGURATION
For Immediate Release
Date: November
2, 2011
From: Rutland
Windsor Supervisory Union Board
Contact:
802-228-2541
On Wednesday night, October 26, 2011, the Rutland Windsor Supervisory
Board held an informational meeting in the Ludlow Elementary School Gym. The
topic of discussion was the proposed creation of a new Supervisory Union that
would include the Districts currently making up the Rutland Windsor Supervisory
Union (RWSU) and the Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union (WSWSU).
The Board stressed that the creation of a new Supervisory Union is
intended to reduce costs at the administration level. All schools within the
two Supervisory Unions will remain open and there are no plans to close any of
the schools in either district.
The discussion between the board and the attending public focused on 2
main areas of concern, the possible reduction in costs and increased educational
opportunities for students in the participating S.U.’s. Many questions focused
on perception that this process is proceeding in a tight timeline. The board
responded that the process has been going on for some time and that there are
several reasons for the timeline including votes in Londonderry, Landgrove,
Peru and Weston to form a Regional Education District (RED) that would then
remove those districts from the Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union and then
add them to the Bennington Rutland Supervisory Union. The Vermont State Board
of Education will consider both proposals in mid-January.
The question was asked if the creation of the new Supervisory Union
would affect the sports at Black River High School and the board stated it saw
no reason sports would be impacted. There were also concerns over
transportation costs and what impact Ludlow’s Municipal Transportation System
would have on the new S.U.
Educational benefits of a new S.U. are being explored as well. On
Friday, November 4th, Administrators
from both Supervisory Unions will meet to consider specific ways to increase
educational opportunities by combining their respective administrative
structures. Finding new solutions to current challenges within the current
districts will be the goal.
There will be another Joint Planning Committee meeting of the combined
Rutland Windsor S.U. & Windsor Southwest S.U. Boards on November 16th at the Cavendish Town Elementary School and the
public is encouraged to attend. Norm Andrews a financial consultant contracted
by the Vermont Department of Education will present the projected financial
impacts of the creation of the new S.U. This is a very important meeting as it
should answer many of the questions that relate to the financial benefits of
the new S.U. This will be an important meeting to attend if you have questions
about this process.
On November 30th there will be Public Informational
Meeting of the Rutland Windsor S.U. Board at the Ludlow Elementary School Gym.