At a school-board meeting, Dr. Megan Roy presented an independent review of special-education practice in Barre Unified Union School District #97 and recommended systemwide changes aimed at improving classroom instruction, tightening evaluation timelines and aligning staffing and intervention models.
The school board approved the meeting agenda, awarded two operations contracts, approved a behavioral-threat assessment team policy reading and made several committee appointments; the board also authorized proxies for two external insurance-related votes with some dissent recorded.
The Barre Unified Union School District #97 board approved a three-vendor agreement for fuel and wood chips and awarded a snow-removal contract after discussion about a single bidder and rising costs; staff described labor shortages and prior contractor pricing practices.
The Barre Unified Union School District #97 board approved its agenda, voted to enter an executive session under statute 1 BSA 3 1 3 a 7 to discuss a confidential student matter with invited participants, and adjourned the meeting.
A resident told the Barre Unified Union School District #97 board that student handbooks do not meet Vermont statutory and State Board of Education rule requirements for suspension hearings and urged the district to improve due process after reported increases in short-term suspensions.
The Barre Unified Union School District #97 board voted unanimously to enter executive session for a personnel matter and, after returning, voted to affirm the superintendent’s vision and instruct board counsel to draft a response letter.
Multiple parents and community members told the Barre Unified Union School District #97 board it should not cut music instruction, saying it supports students’ mental health, special-education goals and community engagement.
Members voted to have district representatives attend a neighboring districts’ meeting to explore voluntary merger options related to H.454, emphasizing information-gathering only and not committing the district to form or join any new district.
Administrators presented a draft district-wide cell-phone management procedure that aligns existing school practices while acknowledging differences across buildings. The superintendent and administrators said medical exceptions (IEPs/medical plans) will be honored and that the proposal is a procedure — not a policy — for board review.
The Barre Unified Union School District #97 board approved a final reading of the district’s selection-of-library-materials policy using the Vermont School Boards Association model; trustees discussed federal funding concerns and the policy’s protections for freedom to read.