Greetings, Poultney Community Members and Parents,
Act 46, which was passed in the last Legislative Session, requires change to our current educational structures. As I am sure that you are aware by now, it is most challenging for Rutland Southwest Supervisory Union and its member school districts of Ira, Middletown Springs, Poultney, and Wells, since we have four different operating structures (non-operating PreK-12 choice; PreK-6 with 7-12 choice; PreK-12; and PreK-6 with designation to Granville). In addition, we have a student population (750) which is less than the minimal requirements to meet various components of the law. An initial study was completed that identified several possible options and provided the Boards with a framework to use when looking at other potential options for each school district.
As the Board considers which direction would be best for its students in the future, the framework will be used to determine the advantages and opportunities as well as the challenges and liabilities.
The law requires that each school district partner with like structured districts, thus having the same configuration. Following are a few examples of possible configurations:
- Poultney would either need to partner with other districts that are also PreK-12 or change the configuration to match that of the districts with which they wish to collaborate.
- If the new Slate Valley School District is approved by the current Addison-Rutland Supervisory Union school districts and if Poultney wished to align themselves with Fair Haven, Poultney would likely need to change their educational model to be like those of the Slate Valley School District (K-8 schools feeding into Fair Haven Union High School). As a larger high school, this would create a variety of opportunities for Poultney students like a wider choice of advanced placement courses and a larger number of clubs and teams. The Poultney Board would have members on the new Slate Valley School District Board, as there would be one Board and one budget to operate the schools.
- Should Poultney wish to remain a Pre-K 12 district, they could merge with other like Pre-K districts such as West Rutland and Proctor to create a new PreK-12 district (one Board, one budget, one district). This district could have one school or several PreK-12 schools. Increased opportunities would occur such as AP classes offered through virtual classrooms or having A-B days where STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) was offered on A day in one high school and on B day in a different high school or French was offered on A day and Spanish on B day. This would allow for the sharing of personnel.
It is most important and critical for the community and parents to inform the School Board what their goals are for the education of Poultney’s children. What vision do we have for our children/student’s education? What kind of school environment do we want for our children? What is the best way to achieve those goals? What important elements of education does the community want to be included? Once these questions are answered, then the Poultney Board needs to consider a partnership that will provide Poultney with the outcomes wanted for our children/ students.
A Poultney Community Forum will be held on Tuesday, February 9th at 6:30 pm in the Poultney High School library to discuss these questions and to give input to the Poultney School Board. It is important to know whether we wish to maintain a PreK -12 program here in Poultney and look for partners that will allow this to happen or whether it would be to our students’ advantage to join with another district that will provide opportunities a small system cannot offer even if it requires transporting our students to another near-by community.
Joan Paustian Ed D, Superintendent
Please tell us your thoughts – Act 46 Poultney Community Forum – February 9, 2016 at 6:30 @ PHS library.
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