February 5, 2020
Charlotte Shelburne Hinseburg Rotary
Trinity Episcopal Church
Today’s guests:
David Connery and Lynn Jaunich, CVSD board members
Keith called the meeting to order and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Today’s Devotional: Here is what I ask by Henry Van Dyck
Board meeting is the fourth Thursday this month
Review the email from Bob to order your shirt- ordering 2/6/20 so please get your orders in.
Carrie Fenn will be incoming Vice President.
Unfortunately, we have no contestants for our speech contest so we will be cancelling. Lessons learned for next year to designate a chair early to start outreach efforts.
In thinking about new membership and younger members, the Club should be putting our name out there in the digital space. When Erik is hear next week, we’ll talk more about that.
Pies for breakfast Saturday March 14 at the Shelburne Vineyard. Every member should plan to bring 3 pies. Band is secured. Starts at 8 and goes to 11:30. $5 per person. Sweet pies, savory pies, pizza, quiche.
Roz shared an article from Rotary Ontario which explains their Friends of Rotary program- opportunity for folks to get involved in Rotary without having to commit to membership until they
Keith shared the Five Avenues of Service of Rotary:
Club Service focuses on strengthening fellowship and ensuring the effective functioning
of the club.
Vocational Service encourages Rotarians to serve others through their vocations and to
practice high ethical standards.
Community Service covers the projects and activities the club undertakes to improve life
in its community.
International Service encompasses actions taken to expand Rotary’s humanitarian reach
around the globe and to promote world understanding and peace.
New Generations Service recognizes the positive change implemented by youth and
young adults through leadership development activities.
Week of the February 10th- 14th Pierson library needs help moving books again. Jim Donovan will check with Kevin to get details.
Sergeant at Arms:
George Shiavonne is up and around, radiation starts next week. In good shape.
Richard Fox sad fine for Bobby Miller’s passing,
Bob Sanders would like everyone to please let him know what size shirt they’d like so he can order them for Pies for Breakfast.
Lynn Jaunich and David Connery from the CVSD School board filled us in on the CVSD school budget.
Overall picture is that the budget did go up- the Vermont tax commissioner announced in December that school budgets across the state were expected to go up over 5%, CVSD went up about 4%. School population is stagnant. Equalized pupil costs went up about 3.2%. Most of the districts will be looking tax increases of 4-5%. While the rest of the state is seeing decreasing student numbers, Chittenden County is staying steady.
The primary focus in the budget is maintaining quality programming. Literacy programs are being enhanced, as well as new construction projects in Charlotte being funded by 6 million dollar bond with 4.5 million addressing issues in Charlotte, the bulk of which is zipping up the outside of the bidding to make it more energy efficient.
Staffing has stayed relatively the same as we see shifting staffing to address literacy. It’s difficult to be a kid now, and a big part of CVU’s budget is adding another house director and another counselor, so kids can get more one on one time. Administrative positions are always in question, but it’s so important to have a house director to keep those quality relationships- keeping kids connected.
Our district is 5 towns and 6 schools and the board philosophy is Equity and Autonomy. The board is trying to address STEM issues in Charlotte and Hinesburg to bring them in line with Shelburne and Williston. We want all kids to be ready to enter CVU with no obvious differences in skills and proficiencies. Proficiency Based Learning is a hot topic- it’s totally working, and it doesn’t matter how the child’s progress is recorded, kids are learning.
CVSD owns 64 busses and will be adding 2 electric buses through the VW grant. The buses will be based out in Williston. The district also received a grant from GMP to add a charging station for the buses.
The focus of the 6 million bond is so the district is able to keep up with the work that needs to be done in each school. Charlotte really needs the work- still big projects so trying to work in manageable bits. Shelburne will get a new kitchen, Hinesburg has paving and ADA needs. CVU needs science labs and math labs. CVU needs a new track with better drainage.
Temporary storage at Charlotte will be replaced with a small hut to store outdoor maintenance equipment.
What’s the school security program? During the school day, all the access doors are locked and only the front entrance is open with monitoring. Security cameras are at all the schools. Vermont was slow in enacting security measures, believing we were immune to danger.
The district is walking the line between keeping the kids safe and not wanting the kids to feel like the school is militarized.
No vaping is allowed in school- written into school policy.
How does the curriculum director keep up with a rapidly changing world? Skills based leaning vs. content.
The CVSD mission is to develop citizens who learn actively and collaboratively, think creatively and critically, live responsibly and respectfully, contribute positively to their community and pursue excellence.
A copy of The Source of Self Regard by Toni Morrison will be donated to the Charlotte Library.
See you next week! Respectfully submitted, Carrie Fenn