Orwell Village School

As we approach our April 12th Informational Meeting and April 13th Budget Revote, we will be highlighting Frequently Asked Questions (https://5il.co/1898z) related to the FY23 Budget. For more information, we invite you to visit our budget web page: https://www.slatevalleyunified.org/page/budget. Question: Why is there a budget decrease, but on the ballot the school budget article says there is an increase and the district is estimating a tax rate decrease? Answer: The wording on the budget article can be confusing. The information that appears on the ballot is set by Vermont statute. The language was jointly developed by the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of State and was adopted by the State Board of Education. $26,236,547 is the amount of the total expenditure budget for the entire district for the school year 2022-2023. It is the amount necessary to operate and maintain 5 buildings and to educate 1,250 students. The expenditure budget is $43,838 less than the 2021-2022 school year budget. 2.78% is the percent increase in education spending per equalized pupil compared to the prior year. Education spending per equalized pupil is the amount of the expenditure budget ($26,236,547) less the district's local revenue divided by equalized pupils. Equalized pupils is based on a formula that gives greater weight to certain students. The principle being that it costs more to educate certain students. Since the district has less local revenues and fewer equalized pupils the resulting change compared to the previous year is a slight increase. We are estimating a tax rate decrease because Vermont's system of determining education property tax rates takes into consideration the amount of money in the State's Education Fund. Since this year there is a surplus in the Education Fund it reduces the amount of Slate Valley's local tax rates.

In anticipation of the upcoming informational meeting on Tuesday, April 12th and FY23 Budget Revote on Wednesday, April 13th, we have put together a mailer with some helpful information on it: https://5il.co/17itr For more information, please visit the budget page of our website: https://www.slatevalleyunified.org/page/budget

Please join us Thursday (April 7th) at 5:30 p.m. in the FHUHS Library or join virtually to discuss our Parent/Family/Community Engagement Policy E-1. This meeting will be an opportunity for parents/community members to provide feedback on the policy and discuss Slate Valley’s Continuous Improvement Planning. Policy E-1: https://5il.co/rao4 Meeting ID: https://meet.google.com/cee-mehp-crb Phone Number: (US) +1 414-909-5677 (PIN: 707156020)

The Slate Valley Universal Preschool Program will be conducting developmental screenings for children 0-5 years of age on Thursday March 31st at Benson Village School. Screening involves activities that are both fun for young children and help us learn about a child’s motor, cognitive, and language skills. Vision and hearing will also be screened. We encourage any child aged 0-5 years that resides in Benson, Castleton, Fair Haven, Hubbardton, Orwell and West Haven who has not previously been screened to be screened. If you plan to attend this screening, please call Benson Village School for an appointment.

This weekend 6 students from our school district qualified to compete with their teams at the Zone 1 IEA Regional Finals Show! Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) is a national program that currently has over 14,000 riders and supports 3 disciplines- Western, Hunt Seat and Dressage. The Pond Hill IEA High School Team won yesterday along with several riders (both middle school and high school) winning individually, qualifying for the National Show next month in Harrisburg, PA! Slate Valley students include: Kylee LaDuke- FHU Camryn Vermette- FHU Isabelle Cole- FHU Christine Boutwell- Castleton Village School Rhylee Macedo- Orwell Village School Breanna Woods- Castleton Village School Congratulations to all!

Tonight - March 28, 2022 You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified School District Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Castleton Elementary School Cafeteria. This meeting will be in person or virtually connect by going to https://meet.google.com/ibt-nfdy-psz or join by phone (US) +1 260-557-1907 PIN: 533 683 324# Tonight’s Agenda: https://5il.co/17jpu Previous Meeting Minutes: https://5il.co/179ke Next Board Meeting: April 11, 2022 - 6:30 p.m. at Fair Haven Union High School

Please take a few minutes to check out the recording of our first Middle School Family Forum! https://bit.ly/3iC08Vd If you have not done so already, take a minute to complete this survey https://forms.gle/2Z5GHLFTysAkU1qx5 so we can address your questions and concerns about next year. Our next forum will be in-person at 5:30pm on April 28th at FHU. Thank you!

Please join us on Thursday, April 7th at 5:30 p.m. in the FHUHS Library or join virtually to discuss our Parent/Family/Community Engagement Policy E-1. This meeting will be an opportunity for parents/community members to provide feedback on the policy and discuss Slate Valley’s Continuous Improvement Planning. Policy E-1: https://5il.co/rao4 Meeting ID: https://meet.google.com/cee-mehp-crb Phone Number: (US) +1 414-909-5677 (PIN: 707156020)

Current 6th and 7th grade families: Just a reminder that the first of three middle school family forums is happening on tonight, Thursday, March 24th from 5:30-6:30pm. This event is virtual; please click this link http://meet.google.com/byy-tygx-jaf to hear more about our middle school teams, ask us questions and see a virtual tour of the middle school space!

MS (6-8th) Track and MS Baseball - There will be a Parent/Athlete/Coach Meeting on Tuesday, March 22 at 6pm in the FHUHS CAFETERIA. If you have an athlete that will be participating this Spring - please attend.

Current 6th and 7th grade families: Just a reminder that the first of three middle school family forums is happening on Thursday, March 24th from 5:30-6:30pm. This event is virtual; please click this link http://meet.google.com/byy-tygx-jaf to hear more about our middle school teams, ask us questions and see a virtual tour of the middle school space!

***Update*** Thursday, March 17th As a reminder, there will be a Softball Meeting for grades 7-12 at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 17th in the FHUHS Cafeteria. If you plan to play softball this Spring, please attend this meeting with a parent/guardian.

Tonight - March 14, 2022 You’re invited to the Slate Valley Unified School District Board Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Fair Haven Union High School Library. This Meeting will be in person or virtually connect by going to https://meet.google.com/mgk-ptbz-drh or join by phone (US) +1 605-681-6441 PIN: 247 273 963# Tonight’s Agenda: https://5il.co/1742d Previous Meeting Minutes: https://5il.co/15u75 Next Board Meeting: March 28, 2022 - 6:30 p.m. at Castleton Elementary School

The results of the budget recount are as follows: Yes: 853 No: 861

Good afternoon, Due to the close outcome of the SVUUSD budget vote (Yes: 852/No: 861), a recount has been requested to ensure the accuracy of the results. The recount will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 8th at Fellowship Bible Church. We will provide an update with the results of the recount when they become available.

The Slate Valley Universal Preschool Program will be conducting developmental screenings for children 0-5 years of age on Tuesday March 8th and Wednesday March 9th at Fair Haven Grade School. Screening involves activities that are both fun for young children and help us learn about a child's motor, cognitive, and language skills. Vision and hearing will also be screened. We encourage any child aged 0-5 years that resides in Benson, Castleton, Fair Haven, Hubbardton, Orwell and West Haven who has not previously been screened to be screened. If the Fair Haven Grade School dates are not convenient, we will also be screening at Benson Village School on 3/31. Please choose the date or site that works best with your schedule and give that site a call for an appointment.

Parenting Workshop Series - Change of Dates Please note that the dates have changed for this series. It will now run from March 21st through May 23rd. See the flyer for details. Sign-up forms (https://5il.co/16hdx) are currently being accepted!

Town Meeting Day Results: Benson School Director Rebeckah St. Peter: 1279 Castleton School Director Timothy Smith: 1331 Fair Haven School Director Curtis Hier: 595 Christopher Stanton: 866 Orwell School Director Glen Cousineau: 1250 Hubbardton School Director Christina Ryan: 1130 Treasurer Dawn Custer: 1097 Article 4: Shall the voters approve the following compensation to be paid to Slate Valley Unified Union School District Officers? A. School Directors - $1,200 per person per year B. School Board Chair - $1,500 per year C. Treasurer - $1,200 per year Yes: 1157 No: 534 Article 5: Shall the voters authorize the Slate Valley Unified Union School District to borrow money pending receipt of payments from the State Education Fund or Town Tax Funds by the issuance of its notes or orders payable not later than one year from date provided, however, that the Slate Valley Unified Union School District is authorized by Vermont Statutes to borrow sufficient funds to meet pending obligations? Yes: 1114 No: 563 Article 6: Shall the voters of the School District authorize a transfer from the general fund surplus balance in the amount of $820,000 to the capital improvements and repairs reserve fund? Yes: 1094 No: 604 Article 7: Shall the voters of the school district approve the school board to expend Twenty-Six Million Two Hundred Seventy Thousand Forty-Seven Dollars $26,270,047.00 which is the amount the school board has determined to be necessary for the ensuing fiscal year? It is estimated that this proposed budget, if approved, will result in education spending of $16,983.43 per equalized pupil. This projected spending per equalized pupil is 2.94% greater than spending for the current year. Yes: 852 No: 861

Good Morning, Today is Town Meeting Day in Vermont. Please remember to vote! For SVUUSD budget information, please visit the budget page of our website: https://www.slatevalleyunified.org/page/budget

The Slate Valley Universal Preschool Program will be conducting developmental screenings for children 0-5 years of age on Friday March 4th and Monday March 7th at Castleton Elementary School. Screening involves activities that are both fun for young children and help us learn about a child's motor, cognitive, and language skills. Vision and hearing will also be screened. We encourage any child aged 0-5 years that resides in Benson, Castleton, Fair Haven, Hubbardton, Orwell and West haven who has not previously been screened to be screened. If the Castleton Elementary School dates are not convenient, we will also be screening at Fair Haven Grade School on 3/8 and 3/9 as well as at Benson Village School on 3/31. Please choose the date or site that works best with your schedule and give that site a call for an appointment.