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Superintendent outlines special-education staffing change, strategic-plan outreach and EV-bus grant hurdles
Summary
Superintendent presented a plan to create a director of PPS and a 0.5 FTE support role after a special-education coordinator resignation, previewed a community 'gallery walk' for strategic-plan visioning, and updated the board on a $10 million EPA EV-bus grant facing planning-board and fire-safety questions.
Superintendent (S4) told the board the district will post a director of Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) position and a part-time (0.5 FTE) administrative role after a PPS coordinator resigned, shifting oversight back into the administrative unit to strengthen compliance and support for Committee on Special Education (CSE) work. The superintendent characterized the director role as supervisory and the 0.5 role as supportive and annually contracted.
On costs the superintendent said moving from a former assistant-superintendent model to an admin-unit director and a part-time support role produced savings (not replacing an assistant superintendent) while acknowledging the director salary would be higher than a coordinator’s. Board members pressed for clarity on the policy language that authorizes superintendent budget transfers and whether policy updates will follow; administration said policy revision will be necessary and will be brought forward.
The superintendent also updated the board on strategic planning. Consultants interviewed students, staff and families and recommended priority areas tied to a Portrait of a Graduate. Administration plans a community gallery walk in coming weeks to solicit feedback on draft vision and mission options and expect to present a narrowed set of options for board consideration in September or October.
On transportation, the superintendent reported the district holds a $10 million EPA grant intended to buy electric buses; implementation has lagged because contractors and parking-site owners do not all own the sites and local planning and fire officials have asked detailed safety and environmental questions about charger siting and thermal-runaway risk. The superintendent said the grant covers chargers and infrastructure and that the district and contractors (1st Student and an EV expert firm) are meeting with planning-board representatives; a tentative public hearing was discussed for Aug. 10. A firefighter in the audience described thermal-runaway concerns and asked whether the technology and maintenance support are mature enough for longer rural routes; the board acknowledged unresolved technical and operational questions.
Administration said next steps include meeting with planning experts, addressing the planning board’s 40 technical questions, and public outreach if a charging-site plan is approved.
