Dear ACSD Community,

I am reaching out to give you an update on the interim superintendent search process. Out of 16 applications, the Ad Hoc Interim Superintendent Candidate Selection Committee successfully narrowed the field down to two strong candidates. The Board has already scheduled an interview with one candidate and is hoping to schedule an interview with the other one for later this week.

Due to candidate scheduling conflicts, the Wednesday May 24th community forum will need to be cancelled. At last night's Board meeting, we decided not to delay our hiring timeline in order to accommodate a rescheduled community forum into the District's busy end-of-year calendar. Instead, we will introduce the ACSD community to the selected interim superintendent as soon as possible once we have completed the hiring process.

Best regards,
Barb Wilson, Chair
ACSD Board

School Board News -- May 2023

From Barb Wilson
ACSD Board Chairperson

This year has been busy, with lots going on for the ACSD Board. In March we welcomed Tricia Allen and Jason Chance of Middlebury, Ellie Romp of Salisbury, and Ellen Whelan-Wuest of Cornwall to the ACSD Board of Directors. The Board also welcomed back Suzanne Buck of Bridport for her re-election to another term. Thank you to everyone who came out for Board elections, and thank you to the ACSD Community for supporting the FY24 Budget!

As you know, the Board has been working with McPherson and Jacobson, LLC over the past few months to find a new leader to replace ACSD’s outgoing superintendent Peter Burrows.  We worked hard to incorporate stakeholder input into the process – holding sessions for students, teachers, parents and caregivers, administrators, and other community members to help identify preferred qualifications for the position. Given the timing of the announcement, the applicant pool was smaller than expected and we expedited the selection process to avoid losing qualified candidates. Although final candidates were selected for consideration, community and stakeholder feedback convinced the Board that appointing an interim superintendent and re-initiating a full search in the fall is the best decision for the District at this time.

The Board has created an Ad Hoc Interim Superintendent Search Committee to help with this process, and includes 4 board members, 2 ACSD Administrators, and 1 ASCD classroom teacher. The committee has already begun its work, and will bring final candidates to the full Board during the week of May 22nd. The Board will offer a Community Zoom at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24 to meet the finalists. [Note: Per the 5.23 email this zoom has been cancelled] The Board is grateful for the ACSD community's patience and participation in the process thus far, and expects to make its final selection by the end of May.

Highlights of Board Committee work since the January 2023 Board Update include the following:

• Through the work of the Ad Hoc Charter Research Committee, the Board voted to amend Article 14 of the ACSD Charter at the February 13, 2023 Board meeting. Previously, closure of a school required a supermajority vote of the board (10 of the 13 members voting yes). Now Article 14 requires a supermajority vote of the board AND a majority of voters in all ACSD towns prior to any school closure. 

• The Communications and Engagement Committee has been working to keep the ACSD community informed about the Board’s Superintendent Search Process. Upon completion of this work, the Committee will focus on website updates, supporting communication & engagement around the Strategic Plan for Equity work, and connecting with the friend/parent groups for all ACSD schools.    

• The Facilities Committee continues its work of identifying the District’s most urgent facilities needs, including the $2M upgrade to the MUHS kitchen that is expected to be complete before the start of the '23-'24 school year.

• Through the work of the Policy and Governance Committee, the Board has adopted and/or amended the following Vermont School Board Association (VSBA) recommended policies and policy updates: 

  • Policy E-1, Title 1, Part A Parent and Family Engagement Policy

  • Policy C-10: Prevention of Harassment, Hazing and Bullying of Students

ACSD Policies are ideally reviewed and amended on a three year cycle. New policies are determined by state requirements or at the direction of the ACSD School Board. The complete list of ACSD Policies and Procedures can be found here. 

• Through the work of the Finance Committee and ACSD Director of Finance and Operations, Matt Corrente, the FY24 Budget was approved by ACSD voters on March 7, 2023.  The Finance Committee recently met and reviewed the 3rd Quarter FY23 Financial Project Report, which can be found here.  

• With the help of the Negotiations Committee, the Board has approved raises for ACSD support staff and created guidelines for teachers to receive paid sabbatical leave benefits. In the coming year, the Negotiations Committee will work on negotiations for teacher and support staff contracts, which are set to expire. 

As always, we welcome community input and participation. Currently scheduled meetings are listed below – but please check our Board and Committee Meetings page frequently, as new Committee meeting dates are continuously added to the calendar.

Sincerely,

Barb Wilson, Chairperson, ACSD Board
bwilson@acsdvt.org

 

Upcoming Meetings
Board and Committee meeting dates, locations, materials, and virtual links can be found on the ACSD Calendar.

May 19, 2023 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Facilities Committee Meeting
May 22, 2023 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. ACSD Board Meeting – 208 Charles Ave.
May 24, 2023 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Communications & Engagement Committee Meeting
June 2, 2023 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Facilities Committee Meeting
June 7, 2023 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Communications & Engagement Committee Meeting
June 12, 2023 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. ACSD Board Meeting – Weybridge Elementary School
June 16, 2023 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Facilities Committee Meeting
June 21, 2023 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Communications & Engagement Committee Meeting
June 26, 2023 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. ACSD Board Meeting – 208 Charles Ave.

 

ACSD SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH UPDATE

Dear ACSD Community:

Last night the Board received word that Barbara Anne Komons-Montroll has withdrawn her name from consideration for the ACSD Superintendent position. We will still hold the “Meet the Finalists” Virtual Community Forum this evening at 6:30 p.m. so our community has an opportunity to meet Suzanne Gruendling and ask questions about her qualifications and vision for the District. Participants will be invited to provide their input on the candidate through this form.

Please find the zoom link below:

Topic: Superintendent Finalists Community Forum 
Time: Apr 20, 2023 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88611831619?pwd=Y21yRUZCMWF6TnY0NWwvMkg2OWQzQT09 

Meeting ID: 886 1183 1619
Passcode: ACSD

Thank you to everyone who has engaged in the Superintendent Search process so far. Your feedback is absolutely critical in guiding the Board to the correct decision for our District.

With gratitude, 

Barb Wilson, Chair
ACSD Board