From Supervisory Union to Unified Union

transcript

From Supervisory Union to

Unified UnionThe ANWSU Governance Study The ANWSU Governance Study

Committee’s Committee’s

Responses to Critical Responses to Critical QuestionsQuestions

“What does ‘Governance’ of a school mean?”

A school board’s job is to govern, or oversee, the business of the school.

We are a Supervisory UnionANWSU Board

3 Elementary schoolsACS: Addison Central BoardFCS: Ferrisburgh Central BoardVUES: VUES Board

Panton School BoardWaltham School BoardVergennes ID Board

1 Middle / High SchoolVUHS Board

“What is our current governance structure?”

Implications of Current Governance Structure

ANWSU Board Addison Central Board Ferrisburgh Central Board VUES Board

VUHS Board

Budget

Implications of Current Governance Structure

ANWSU Board Addison Central Board Ferrisburgh Central BoardVUES Board

VUHS Board

Budget

Transportation

Insurance

Meeting

BudgetAuditTransportation

InsuranceMeeting

Implications of UU Governance Structure

Unified Union School District

Budget

Transportation

InsuranceMeeting

A unified union school district is a preK-12 district with one board and one budget.

“What will be the Unified Union Board structure?”

There will be a 12-person board with representation based on population from each town.

4 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 1Ferrisburgh

Addison

Waltham

Vergennes

“Will we save money as a Unified Union?”

Savings will be realized in the following areas:

AuditsBoard DuesTransportation

Revised structure will result in efficiencies.

“If we were a UU, what would happen to the cost per pupil next budget year?”

Cost per pupil = Budget / Number of Students

The cost per pupil is the defining feature for the State of Vermont’s Education Funding Formula.

Addison Central School

$15,171.

Ferrisburgh Central School

$13,604.

Vergennes Elementary

$12,314.

Vergennes High School

$13,007.

“If we were a UU, what will happen to the cost per pupil next budget year?”

Cost per pupil = Budget / Number of Students

Unified Union

$13,128.

$15,171.

$13,604.

Vergennes Elementary

$12,314.

Vergennes High School

$13,007.

Current Educational Tax Rate Information

Addison

Ferrisburgh

Panton

Vergennes

Waltham

“How would this change affect my education tax rate if we were currently a UU?”

The education tax rate would be the same for each town. = $1.3552

Future changes in education tax rate should stabilize across the district (and each town), rather than fluctuate dramatically as a result of declining enrollment and programmatic changes.

CLA will vary from town to town and across years. School Boards have no control over this number – the State controls it.

“By creating a UU, will we all pay for educating students from all the towns?”

We already do – programs and services provided through SU, as well as at the HS - will continue to support the education of all students.

However, each town’s portion of the expenses is allocated by the number of students in each town.

“Will more administrators need to be hired to run the UU?”

“Will my school be closed?”

NO. There is no plan to close any of the schools.

The formation of a UU is our plan to keep all of our schools open.

“Will the teachers be moved from building to building?”

Teachers will not be moved randomly from one school to the next.

Under a UU, schools could share personnel in order to preserve programming and retain qualified teachers in full-time positions.

“How will we maintain the sense of community felt at each of the schools?”

Each school will continue to encourage parents and community members to be active participants in our school communities.Building usage will remain a building matter.

“Will the PTA / PTO still be important?”

YES! Absolutely

“Will fundraising still be able to happen at the school level?”

Money raised at the school level will be used to support Special Activities or Events at that school.

“What will happen to the things that make my school special?”

Each school has unique elements we will preserve - or further enhance, to the extent possible.

“Why do we have to create a UU to realize these savings?”

Declining Student Population + Current Governance Structure = Increasing Student Costs

Increasing Costs Declining Programming

Forming UU preK-12 Student Population + Smaller Governance Structure = Preserving Programming

“What happens to the current debt held by each district?”

Costs will be distributed among all five towns.

All the schools bring assets and liabilities

Debt load under a Unified Union

Annual Debt

per eq. pupil

Balance as of 12/31/09

Addison 29,000. 278. 100,000.

Ferrisburgh 157,000. 801. 1,685,000.

VUHS 657,000. 995. 4,600,000.

Unified Union

888,500. 717. 6,695,000.

“What will happen if we don’t vote in the Unified Union?”

This will be our decision – no one else will make it for us.

School consolidation imposed on districts

Small schools acrossthe state are closed

Education tax rates continue to rise

Programs and personnel

are cut from budgets

“What will happen on Town Meeting Day?”

Separate ballots for local elementary school budget and HS budget.Separate ballot asking whether you are in favor of the formation of a Unified Union

If ‘In Favor’ vote Yes; If ‘Not in Favor’ vote No

Separate ballot listing candidates for Town Offices

Listing of candidates for local elementary board and high school representativesListing of candidates for Unified Union District Board

Addison Northwest Unified Union

• 5 Communities Working Together– 1 Board– 1 Budget

• Leaner, more efficient model

• Stabilized Education Tax Rates

• Nothing Goes Away Except:– Town Lines– Bureaucratic Waste

Vergennes Union High School

Vergennes Union Elementary School

www.anwsu.org click on 2009-10 Governance Study

Our Schools,

Our Children,

Our Choice

From Supervisory Union to Unified Union

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