ANNUAL REPORT OF CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR 2015-2016 Special Information Meeting Cabot School District FY17 Budget Information Meeting Monday, February 15, 2016 at 6 p.m. Cabot School Library Annual Meeting Cabot School District Meeting Monday February 29, 2016 at 7 p.m. Cabot School Gymnasium
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CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT - Town of Cabot · CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT . WARNING FOR ANNUAL MEETING. The legal voters of the Town School District of Cabot are hereby notified and warned to
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ANNUAL REPORT OF
CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT
FOR
2015-2016
Special Information Meeting
Cabot School District FY17 Budget Information Meeting
Monday, February 15, 2016 at 6 p.m.
Cabot School Library
Annual Meeting
Cabot School District Meeting
Monday February 29, 2016 at 7 p.m.
Cabot School Gymnasium
TABLE OF CONTENTS Administrative Reports Officers………………………………………………………………………… 1
Contact Information…………………………………………………………… 2
Warnings………………………………………………………………………. 3-4
School Board Report…………………………………………………………… 5-7
Supervisory Union Report……………………………………………………… 8-12
Principal Report………………………………………………………………… 13-14
Graduating Class of 2015…………………………………………………….… 15
Cabot Faculty and Staff…………………………………………..…………….. 16-17 Budget for 2016-2017 Budget Narrative and Function Descriptions…………………………………… 18-22
Revenue and Expenditure Pie Charts…………………………………………… 23-25
Three Prior Year Comparisons………………………………………………….. 39 Financial Reports Cabot Bond Schedule……………………………………………………………. 40
Cabot Capital Fund……………………………………………………………… 41
Cabot School Treasurer Report…………………………………………………. 42
Auditor Preparation…………………………………………………………..… 43
Washington Northeast Supervisory Union Staff………………………………… 44
Washington Northeast Supervisory Union Treasurer Report……………………. 45
Washington Northeast Supervisory Union Budget Report………………………. 46
Minutes from 2015 Annual and Special Meetings………………………………………. 47-48
Notices…………………………………………………………………………………… 49
CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT
School Board Term Expires
Chris Tormey………..………………………………………………………………….. 2016 Jackie Folsom……..……………………………………………………………………. 2016 Ry Hoffman…………….………………………………………………………………. 2017 Sharon O’Connor…..…………………………………………………………………… 2018 Lisa Olson……………..………………………………………………………………... 2017
Officers of the Union District Term Expires Betty Ritter, Treasurer & Clerk…...…………………………………………………. 2017 Ed Smith, Moderator.…………………………………………………………………… 2016
Administration – Cabot School David Schilling…………………………………………………………………………Principal Scott St. John …………………………………………………………...Food Service Director Peter Ackermann …………………………………...…….....Transportation/Facilities Director
Administration – Washington Northeast Supervisory Union Nancy Thomas…………………………………………………………………Superintendent Christina Kimball………………………………..………………………….Business Manager Mark Tucker………..…………………………………………….Director of Special Services Pat Johnson Knoerl……………………………………………………Director of Curriculum
SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
Regular Meetings of the Cabot School Board are currently held on the first and
third Monday of each month at 6pm at the Cabot School. This is subject to change with the reorganization of the board on
The legal voters of the Town School District of Cabot are hereby notified and warned to meet at the Cabot School Gymnasium, Cabot, Vermont on February 29, 2016 at seven o’clock in the evening to transact the following business not involving Australian ballot. Australian ballot voting will be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 with the polls open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Article 1. To elect a Moderator.
Article 2. To elect two school directors by Australian ballot, one for a two year term and one for a three year term.
Article 3. Shall the voters of the Town School District approve the minutes of March 2, 2015 Annual School District Meeting?
Article 4. To hear a report of the School Directors.
Article 5. Shall the voters of the school district approve the school board to expend $3,708,161 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 $16,796.63 per equalized pupil. This projected spending per equalized pupil is 4.66% higher than spending for the current year.
Article 6. Shall the voters of the Town School District authorize the Cabot Board of School Directors to hold any audited fund balance as of June 30, 2016 in a reserve fund to be expended under the control and direction of the Board of School Directors for the purpose of operating the school?
Article 7. Shall the voters of the Town School District authorize the Cabot Board of School Directors to borrow money in anticipation of receipt of revenues for the school year beginning July 1, 2016?
Article 8. To transact any other business that may legally come before this meeting.
Article 9. To adjourn.
School Directors
Chris Tormey Lisa Olson Sharon O’Connor Ry Hoffman Jackie Folsom
Attest, Betty Ritter, Town Clerk. Recorded before posting. Dated: January 22, 2016
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NOTICE TO VOTERS
REGISTER TO VOTE: Go to the Cabot Town Clerk’s office, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or a voter registration agency (Department of Social Welfare, Department of Health (WIC), Department of Aging & Disabilities (home, health, adult day care, etc.) by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24, 2016. Your application must be postmarked, submitted or accepted at the DMV or a voter registration agency on or before 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 in order to vote in this election. The Town Clerk’s office will be open from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 for the purpose of receiving applications for addition to the check list. If you are homebound, call the Town Clerk for assistance.
EARLY or ABSENTEE BALLOTS: The latest you can request ballots is the close of the Town Clerk’s office on February 29, 2016. The voter or family member may request an early or absentee ballot in person, in writing or by telephone. Other authorized persons may apply for the voter in person or writing. Following are the ways of voting early or absentee: (1) vote in the Town Clerk’s office before the deadline; (2) voter may take the ballots out of the clerk’s office for himself/herself and return in the same manner as if the ballots were received by mail; (3) have a ballot mailed to you, and mail or take it back to the clerk’s office before the election day or to the polling place before 7:00 p.m. on election day; or (4) if you are sick or disabled, ask the Town Clerk to have two justices of the peace bring a ballot to you at your home on any of the eight days preceding the election or the day of election.
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REPORT OF THE CABOT SCHOOL DIRECTORS 2015-2016
During the past year we have continued to work to sustain and improve Cabot School, and have also put a good deal of effort looking into its future. We appreciate the ongoing work of our staff and administrators in providing an outstanding education for our students within our small community school. At the same time, we will continue to research in the coming year whether and how merging with neighboring school districts could potentially improve the educational opportunities and results for our Cabot students.
We experienced a number of changes in staff last year. We did say goodbye to our Interim Principal of one year, Gail Curtis, and welcomed David Schilling as our new Principal. Gail Curtis was really invaluable to our school last year: she got to know all of our students, built good communication with parents and families, and was extremely helpful in mentoring new teachers.
In addition to Ms. Curtis, our school counselor Laura Lacroix retired at the end of last year. Two of our elementary teachers, David McKay and Chelsea Demers also departed Cabot last June, as did our high school social studies teacher Lee Penniman.
We are happy to welcome to our staff this year Claire Greene as our new school counselor, Rebakka Miles and Sarah Adelman as our new teachers in the 5/6 team, and Darrin Dezotelle as our new social studies teacher in the high school.
We are fortunate to have Dave Schilling working as our school’s principal this year. As a result of the variety of teaching positions he’s held at Cabot, Dave knows our school well- its staff, programs and students- and is dedicated to making it better. This year Dave has been closely involved with our facilities research, and with leading our school in the development of proficiencies to gauge our students’ progress. He has also gone above and beyond to ensure clear, timely communication between the school, students’ families and the larger Cabot community.
We’re proud of a variety of improvements across our campus this year. Our school has continued to emphasize project-based learning across all grade levels, including an increase in PBL opportunities for elementary students. All of our high school and middle school students now have access to a personal computer, and elementary classrooms have improved access to technology. With help from a grant from Vermont Rural Partnerships, elementary students now have a new playground to enjoy, and we have invested in a new school bus.
Our students continue to be involved in and succeed at a wide range of activities outside of the classroom: a large portion of our middle and high school students are part of the eclectic musical troupe “The Limes”, and many of those same musicians were part of the very successful boys’ varsity soccer team this past fall which reached the state D-IV quarterfinals before bowing to Sharon Academy.
This past year we have continued our efforts in maintaining our school campus: our major project this past summer was the repainting of the high school building. This coming year we plan to replace a portion of the cafeteria roof as well as several windows in the high school.
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Last winter we brought together a committee to look carefully at our school’s big-picture facility needs with a goal of developing a recommendation on how best to meet those needs in 2016. We are thankful to the members of the school staff, administrators, and community members who volunteered their time to work on that committee between February and May last year. Working with architects from Black River Design, committee members reviewed the current status of the school’s buildings as well as future space needs, and developed two different plans for rebuilding the school’s elementary school campus. One plan reflected the needs of an elementary school that continued to be part of a preK-12 Cabot School campus, while the other plan was developed for a Cabot School of the future that no longer had high school students being educated here in Cabot.
Two community forums were held last spring to share the details of the two building plans as well as their respective costs with members of our community. Because one of the plans hinged on Cabot’s high school students being educated elsewhere (thereby freeing up room in the high school building for elementary students) discussion at the forums included the potential merits and disadvantages of closing the high school, as well as questions about the costs and merits of the two building plans.
It became clear to our board after the second forum that an informed decision on the size of an elementary grades building proposal could only be made after our community reached a decision on whether high school students would continue to be educated here in Cabot. And that decision, in turn, could only be made after we determined whether other neighboring schools could indeed take our high school students, and how their attendance elsewhere would potentially impact the quality as well as the cost of their education.
At the same time last Spring, the Vermont Legislature passed Act 46, which requires all school districts in the state that do not currently enroll 900 or more students to talk with neighboring schools about whether joining their small districts together into a larger district (greater than 900) could improve the opportunities for students in their communities. We have, as a board, begun discussions with administrators and board members from both Danville School and Twinfield Union School.
This winter and spring we’ll be meeting monthly to try to identify what the potential benefits would be for students if our school districts were to join: in addition we will work to identify concerns or questions that would have to be researched and answered before any new, merged district was formed. Any merger would have to be approved by the voters of the communities involved as well as the Vermont State Board of Education. This spring we will hold a community forum to share the results of those preliminary discussions and to get input from students, school staff, families, and the community at large. It’s likely that a more in-depth study of the merits and details of a potential merger will follow this first round of discussions.
The takeaway is that it will certainly be next year before we reach a decision as a community on whether (and how) we will join with one or more neighboring school districts into a larger unit. After that decision is made, we can then revisit the question of our school facilities and the extent of the investment we should responsibly make in them for the future.
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While all those looking-ahead discussions are taking place, we are committed to maintaining and improving the school we are operating now. We are appreciative of the ongoing efforts of our teachers, support staff and administrators to meet the diverse needs of our students and facilitate their growth and success. We are also appreciative of the many community members who support our school and students in a variety of ways.
Our board meetings continue to be held on the first and third Monday evenings of the month beginning at 6:00p.m., in the school library. The first 10-15 minutes of each meeting is set aside for “public comment”. If you have a question, concern, or idea about the school that you’d like to share with us, that would be an ideal time to do so.
Finally, we want to thank the student members of our Board who have for the past several years volunteered their time to share with us their perspectives on what’s happening at school. This year those members are Alisha Celley, Isabelle McCallum and Megan Walker. Their regular updates and observations have been and continue to be extremely helpful.
The Cabot School Board of Directors:
Jackie Folsom Ry Hoffman Sharon O’Connor Lisa Olsen Chris Tormey
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REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON NORTHEAST SUPERVISORY UNION
2015-2016
Nancy Thomas, Superintendent of Schools
Vermont’s education community is in a period of exciting transformation and challenging transitions designed to meet the changing needs of our students and communities. The Cabot and Twinfield Union Schools have continued their work in creating high quality programs with rigorous standards that ensure continuous improvement in student performance. In order to support all of our students, regardless of background, income or disability to become caring, creative, citizens, our schools are making great strides in improving our curriculum, instructional strategies and personalization. At the same time our schools are facing decreasing student numbers and increasing costs. Our school boards, staff and communities are rising to these challenges and addressing all aspects of the structure of education to meet the needs of the children of our community.
Cabot and Twinfield Schools are leaders in personalization and moving towards proficiency based graduation that represents best practice and is also required through Act 77. Each school has already established multiple pathways to graduation with project-based learning, Renaissance classes, early college, dual enrollment and online courses. In 2015 each school was awarded a grant from the League of Innovative Schools to continue that work. Teams of teachers working together have created the structure for Personalized Learning Plans and the framework for Proficiencies that will be needed for graduation. In addition, Washington Northeast Supervisory Union was awarded another grant to support Community Engagement that will help inform and involve parents, students and community members in these exciting changes.
Research has long shown that investment in early learning has big payoffs for students and tax-payers in the future. Both our schools offer exciting play based, nature focused preschool programs that prepare our littlest residents for successful school experiences. With the implementation of Act 166, beginning in August of 2016, both schools will provide preschool education for 3 year olds as well as 4 year olds. Both schools will offer 10 hour per week programs in the school as well as offer the opportunity for vouchers for similar 10 hour/week programs to be used at other pre-approved programs.
We are fortunate to have energetic, dedicated leadership in our schools and central office to support the academic, social/behavioral and operational work of our educators and support staff in the schools. This year we welcomed David Schilling, long-time creative and committed Cabot educator, as Principal for Cabot. In an effort to better coordinate and oversee the many aspects of facility and transportation management in the schools, Peter Ackermann, former Cabot Coordinator AND Vermont Custodian of the Year, has been appointed as Washington Northeast’s Facility Director. Last spring those of us in the central office and the schools were saddened by the sudden death of Laurence Carnahan, Special Services Director. We miss his quirky nature and dedication to our students with the greatest challenges. Our district is very pleased to welcome Mark Tucker to the central office staff as the new Special Services Director. Mark comes to us from Danville and has been a long-time special educator at Waterville School.
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The face of education in Vermont is changing with a 25% drop in the student population in the last 18 years and an increase in student and family needs. Cabot and Twinfield have experienced both these changes.
After years of looking at many proposals to improve the education governance structure of Vermont, the legislature passed Act 46 in the spring of 2015. This landmark piece of legislation is designed to provide equity in the quality and variety of educational opportunities, lead to student achievement of the State’s Education Quality Standards and optimize operational efficiencies. The law requires districts to consider merger into larger governance units to be able to share resources and create flexibility. The Cabot and Twinfield School Boards are responding by studying options for each of their districts. I encourage all residents to become informed and participate in these conversations in the coming months. The long-term success of the youth of these communities depends on the continued strength of our educational opportunities. I thank you for your interest and support of our students.
Pat Johnson Knoerl, Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Professional Development
Think back to when you were in school. What do you remember? I bet you didn’t think of particular facts or subject areas. It’s likely you thought of people…possibly classmates but more likely, you thought of teachers. It’s most likely you thought of a particular teacher. Hopefully we all have memories of that teacher; someone who really connected with us and helped us in some unique and important way.
At our opening day in-service this year, we asked our teachers to think about this. We asked them to think about a good teacher they had and to list some of the characteristics of that teacher. The ‘word cloud’ below gives you an idea of what they came up with. The more often a characteristic was mentioned, the bigger it appears in the word cloud. You see the characteristics most people recall about a special teacher.
Years of research indicate that the single most important factor in student learning is ….the
teacher! That’s not really surprising but when you read about all the innovations in teaching, this very basic fact can be overlooked. As they are our most important resource, we work hard in this district to support our teachers and to help them develop their practice. One way we do this is with on-going professional development and by providing focused time to work together.
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Some of this work together is reviewing assessment results with colleagues to learn what instruction is working and what might need to be changed. Elementary teachers have reviewed reading assessment results and math quarterly assessments together to learn from each other and benefit from the expertise among them. This gives our teachers the chance to talk about instructional strategies, what is working for them or challenges they face. Together teachers can pool ideas for ways to alter instruction to help students who may be struggling, or build on approaches that are proving successful. Our teachers’ greatest resources are each other.
Some of the work teachers are engaged in is around improving instructional techniques, like all the work we’ve done with Mahesh Sharma around math instruction. He will be back in the spring to continue his work with our teachers. In addition, we are working with math teacher leaders from Orange North Supervisory Union to provide peer support and expertise that is more readily available.
Some of this work is giving teachers time and support to figure out new things, like how to personalize learning for every student. How do we provide students more options to pursue areas of personal interest and make that work within our schedule? In our grading system? How do we assure students are meeting graduation requirements and will be prepared for their next steps after graduation? Working out the answers to these questions takes that focused time to work together. There is still a lot of work to do.
In addition to supporting the collaborative work I’ve outlined above, another way we support our teachers is through our teacher mentoring program. We are required to provide a mentor to any teacher who is new to our district. Experienced teachers who are just new to our district receive this support for one year. Teachers who are new to the profession have a mentor for two years. Mentors and mentees meet for about an hour each week to share information, problem-solve, and to discuss whatever is on their minds. Mentors and mentees observe each other. New teachers are encouraged to observe other teachers in similar positions within or outside the district. This collaborative partnership is an important professional growth opportunity for both new teachers and their mentors. This year we have 14 teachers who have mentors. That’s 28 of our teachers who are engaged in this work to reflect on and grow their teaching practice.
The administration, our school boards and this community all clearly value and support our teachers as evidenced by the time teachers have, once a month during early release days. On those days we have four hours to work together to accomplish some of what I’ve outlined here, to learn from colleagues and to work to continually improve their practice. A lot of new and innovative things are happening in our schools because teachers have the time to plan and make it happen.
This is an exciting time in education. At Twinfield and Cabot schools our students’ opportunities continue to expand due in large part to the creative and innovative work of our teachers. Our teachers are first and foremost, what make a difference for our students. By supporting them in their work we can help assure that when someone, down the road, asks your child what they remember about school, they will remember a teacher, maybe several, who made a difference for them every day.
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Mark Tucker, Director of Special Services Providing quality special education services and programming for children and youth with disabilities requires both a high degree of expertise and training along with dedicated professionals. In our rural setting of Cabot, Marshfield and Plainfield, there is the additional challenge of providing the specialized instruction and programing for students with unique or significant disabilities that impedes their access to learning in the classroom setting. To provide comprehensive interventions for all children with disabilities it frequently requires special educators to obtain specific training to insure we are providing the programming the student requires in their Individual Education Plan (IEP). In some cases the specialized intervention needs to be brought into the schools from outside related service providers, such as Washington County Mental Health Services.
The special education teams at Cabot and Twinfield Union Schools continuously demonstrate their dedication to meet the needs of all students with disabilities. When new training or programming is needed, the special educators have participated in comprehensive training and they are constantly learning new programs to be current with new intervention practices and programming. Because we cannot afford to send every special educator to every available training, we use a model of “shared learning,” where team members who attend a workshop present key lessons from the workshop to their colleagues when they get back home.
This serves two purposes – it allows us to spread our professional development budget across a broader selection of subject areas, and strengthens the relationship between the teams at each school who wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to interact with their colleagues in the other school.
The determination and professionalism of the special education staff assures that all children in our two schools can and will go on to lead successful lives. Students on IEPs with disabilities in Cabot and Twinfield Union Schools learn and mature in our classrooms with their peers. They are provided with ongoing opportunities to be successful and progress in their academic, social and emotional growth. They rarely if ever feel different or not equal to their classmates, and we work with their classmates to help them understand and accept differences exhibited by their more-challenged classmates. They understand the importance of receiving additional specialized instruction from our special education staffs and they frequently express their appreciation to the adults who work with them. They graduate from our high schools and we strongly encourage them to go on to college or career readiness training, and they do.
Is there a cost? Yes, education is not inexpensive and special education has additional costs associated with the specialized instruction and programming. But education at all levels is a “pay me now, or pay me later” calculation, because the lack of effective education has a far greater cost for our children when they become adults. Students who attend Cabot and Twinfield Union Schools have gone into adulthood with a high level of success and they will continue to as a result of the dedication of our teachers, administration, school boards and the communities of both school districts.
We are in the beginning stages of redefining the student support infrastructure in both schools to fit the Multi-tier System of Support (MTSS) model. This will be a long-range initiative (3-5 years) to integrate support services, assessment, early intervention, special education and behavioral supports into a single cohesive model that will track the needs of all students and match those needs to specific interventions.
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This is not, however, an initiative that will be adding costs to the system; rather, MTSS will improve our decision-making process for choosing, applying and measuring the results of interventions that we already use.
We continue to be challenged by the need to provide learning and behavioral supports to children who are arriving in pre-school and kindergarten with weak academic and social skill sets that make the transition from home to school difficult. This challenge is not unique to the communities in Washington Northeast Supervisory Union – it is being felt in every supervisory union and school district in the State. By providing individual behavior interventionists, bringing in outside related service specialists and offering continuous training opportunities for our special educators we have been working hard to address the early learning needs of our students so that they have the same chance to succeed as their better-prepared peers.
When reviewing your school budgets and the cost of special education, it is important to be aware that unlike much of your school’s budget, which is funded through your local property taxes, special education is only partially funded with local funds and the majority of the cost is funded though both State and Federal funding formulas.
How is special education paid for? Federal IDEA-B Grant (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Local Funds with State Reimbursement as Follows:
100% for State Placed Students (Students in foster care) 90% of High cost programs (For costs above $50,000.) 57% for remaining costs (approximate rate adjusted annually) 40% approximate local funding
Local Share 40%
State & Federal Share 60%
2015-2016 Special Education Funding for Washington Northeast Supervisory Union
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ANNUAL PRINCIPAL REPORT – 2015-2016
David Schilling, Principal
“Education is a social process; education is growth; education is not preparation for life but is
life itself.” -John Dewey After six years of teaching in Cabot in various capacities, and getting to know, trust and deeply value this school and community, I am excited to be writing my first principal’s report. It is great to work with our talented team of educators, amazing group of students, and supportive community to help lead Cabot’s continuous evolution as a dynamic and engaging learning environment, in which students feel valued, challenged, and safe. The theme of this school year is “building”. To be specific, we are working to build the structures, systems and supports necessary to meet the demands of a changing world. While schools as institutions must push themselves to be adaptive and agile, we also need to provide a stable environment that meets the needs of our learners. To that end, we are strengthening several key areas of our school this year, and are already seeing the results. In the area of student support, we are fortunate to have two new faces who have already made a big impact on our school environment. Claire Greene joined us this year as our school counselor, and has jumped right in, implementing anti-bullying classes and student support groups, as well as coordinating college and career planning, and maintaining our status as a VSAC Gear-Up school, which provides postsecondary planning support and scholarships to all Cabot students. Taking over as school nurse is Tamara Colten-Stevens, who in a short time has become a caring and trusted individual on campus. Both of these folks play a huge role in building strength and stability at Cabot and supporting students outside of classes. Our elementary team has continued to work on aligned math and writing curricula, focusing on key skills and concepts that will build on strengths and provide a solid foundation for future challenging work. Project-based learning has taken hold firmly in our grades 3 and 4 classroom, and teaches real-world skills such as public speaking and professionalism, coupled with creative, engaging academic content. We hope you’ll come check out an exhibition of learning! The elementary team is also working on coordinating academic and behavioral interventions through a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS), which better ensures that students receive the help they need through a data-based process. At the secondary level, our work on personalized learning continues, guided by grant support and on-site coaching from two organizations who are universally recognized as the best in the business - the Great Schools Partnership and Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education. Work with these great folks continues to help us make learning meaningful at all levels, from the middle school’s phenomenal leadership program, weaving adventure-based leadership with US government and civics to projects like The Limes in high school, where students not only improve as musicians, but learn the business, logistics, and technical skills necessary to function as a traveling band.
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As the educational landscape in Vermont continues to change and evolve, Cabot School looks to the future, and remains excited about the potential of collaboration with neighboring schools, expanding the available offerings to our students. Throughout all of this change, my goal remains to keep the very best interests of Cabot’s youth at the very heart of everything we do. I remain honored to work with your children, grateful for your support, and welcome the community to set up a visit to your school and see our progress firsthand.
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GRADUATING CLASS OF 2015
CABOT SCHOOL
HANNAH BARNHART
REBECCA BLAISDELL
KYLE CELLEY
KAYLA CHURCHILL
HEIDI COOKSON
VIRGINIA FOSTER
BRITTANY HOUGHTON
KLYER LOVELESS
MADELINE MORSE
JOHN “IAN” NALLY
FORREST PAQUIN
MARK SCHUMACHER
GAGE SIRONI
EMMA STECKER
LYRICA STELLE
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CABOT SCHOOL FACULTY & STAFF 2015-2016
Last Name First Name Position Salary
Employer
Benefits
Salary &
Benefits
Adelman Sarah Elementary Teacher $47,212.00 $17,515.40 $64,727.40 Bergman Alison Art Teacher $54,353.00 $22,712.28 $77,065.28 Booth Sheila Para-educator $17,133.00 $21,910.07 $39,043.07 Bothfeld Deb Physical Education Teacher $57,488.00 $12,444.55 $69,932.55 Bothfeld Deb Driver $11,614.00 $888.47 $12,502.47 Boyes Brian Music Teacher $57,131.00 $5,870.52 $63,001.52 Carrasco Hendrich Para-educator $15,877.30 $2,087.86 $17,965.16 Christensen Mark Driver $21,441.00 $3,067.17 $24,508.17 Crocker Michael Math/Science Teacher $55,940.00 $22,833.69 $78,773.69 Daye Sarah Elementary Teacher $48,402.00 $10,897.71 $59,299.71 Deasy Carolyn Kindergarten Teacher $66,957.00 $23,676.49 $90,633.49 Delaney Michelle Athletic Director $11,500.00 $879.75 $12,379.75 Desroches Leah-Marie Music Teacher $24,280.00 $3,005.10 $27,285.10 Dezotelle Darrin Social Studies & Math Interventionist $40,793.00 $10,315.62 $51,108.62 Dimick Dawn Food Service $14,536.00 $16,637.88 $31,173.88 Ferrario Donna Elementary Teacher $63,875.00 $23,440.72 $87,315.72 Gallagher Claire Elementary Teacher $41,261.00 $4,904.15 $46,165.15 Greene Claire Guidance Counselor $44,832.00 $10,624.61 $55,456.61 Grootenboer Charlene Para-educator $17,761.00 $17,061.97 $34,822.97 Hendrix Michael Science Teacher $45,625.00 $10,685.27 $56,310.27 Hewitt Julia English Teacher $39,603.00 $7,584.64 $47,187.64 Hornblas Amy Health Teacher $8,570.00 $955.61 $9,525.61 Kramer Alexis Responsive Interventionist $41,200.00 $12,612.76 $53,812.76 Kruse Holly Librarian $64,669.00 $18,850.86 $83,519.86 Letourneau Cheryl Para-educator $17,133.00 $16,979.39 $34,112.39 Liard Lisa Elementary Teacher $44,435.00 $17,302.96 $61,737.96 Manning Stephenie Administrative Assist/Para-educator $25,285.00 $10,690.82 $35,975.82 Milles Rebakka Elementary Teacher $43,245.00 $10,503.20 $53,748.20 O'Donnell Kaitlyn World Language $44,832.00 $17,333.33 $62,165.33 Pike Leonia Para-educator $25,301.00 $18,053.48 $43,354.48 Pitkin Susan Para-educator $18,390.00 $22,075.37 $40,465.37 Rich Michelle Custodian $15,288.00 $1,169.53 $16,457.53 Ricker Pamela Driver Education Teacher $8,728.00 $967.69 $9,695.69
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Last Name First Name Position Salary Employer
Benefits Salary &
Benefits Savoca Linda Executive Assistant $43,040.00 $25,316.84 $68,356.84 Schilling David Principal $70,000.00 $19,258.68 $89,258.68 St. John Scott Food Service Director $36,670.00 $19,548.51 $56,218.51 Stratman Peter Language Arts/Social Studies Teacher $53,957.00 $22,681.99 $76,638.99 Talamini Lynn Pre-School Teacher $63,082.00 $12,020.73 $75,102.73 Tobin William Math Teacher $56,337.00 $22,864.06 $79,201.06 Werner Eric Custodian/Driver $41,147.00 $25,067.91 $66,214.91 Withers Connie Food Service & Custodian $32,063.00 $18,942.57 $51,005.57
These are the employees as of the beginning of the school year
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CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT
NOTES TO BUDGET PRESENTATION
Education Spending:
Under Act 68 a school district creates a budget based on the individual needs of the school. From that total budget the "Local Revenues" are subtracted to leave the amount of "Education Spending" required to fund the rest of the budget. Contrary to what it sounds like Local Revenue is the sum total of all revenues that the school district could expect to collect from sources other than the Education Fund.
As determined above, the "Education Spending" is received by the school district from two sources. First the Act 68 formula that calculates the residential and non-residential tax rates are applied to the Town's "Education Grand List". This determines how much money can be raised locally. Any amount of education spending not raised locally is sent to the school district from the State Education Fund and completes the funding of the budget. See the "Estimated Tax Rate" to view the formula used to calculate the tax rates.
Special Education Funding:
The total cost of special education is paid in the following manner. First, some expenses are fully paid for by Federal Grants, such as IDEA-B grant received by the Supervisory Union. Second, any students that are in the custody of a state agency, attending Cabot School, and have additional expenses are fully reimbursed by the State. Third, Vermont awards a "Mainstream Grant" based on a formula for all the special education needs in the State. The local School District "matches" two thirds of the grant with local money. A fourth component may apply if a special education student's individual cost exceeds $50,000. In this situation any costs are reimbursed at 90% of the amount over $50,000. After all of these revenues are subtracted from the total of special education costs, the State reimburses a portion of the remaining amount. For the last few years the reimbursement rate has been 56% of the net special education costs.
Changes in Special Education Budgeting
One of the major expenditures in school budgets is special education. State law has shifted how special education is provided and budgeted. The Vermont State Legislature enacted Act 153 in 2009 which was subsequently amended with Acts 156 in 2012 and Act 56 in 2013. These laws were enacted to encourage increased efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of education in Vermont, including in special education. The law now requires that all special education professionals be transitioned to the employment of the Supervisory Union. School Boards were given the option of transitioning the paraeducator staff who works with students with disabilities to the Supervisory Union, but because most of those support staff employees also work part of the time with non-disabled students, the Cabot and Twinfield Boards both decided to maintain the paraeducator staff in the local district budgets. All the special education costs are assessed out to the schools and are shown in the special education function for simplicity’s sake, though some services could alternatively have been shown in health related functions.
You will see the result of these changes in the special education budget line items in the Cabot budget and the pie charts. The cost of professional staff show as professional services, which are assessed from the Supervisory Union.
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The Supervisory Union budget shows the salaries and benefits. For FY17 the staff levels have decreased by .50 FTE. The teachers will continue to provide services for their respective school buildings. The assessment reflects the cost of the services to be provided in the school. Over time, we will work towards a process by which resources, including staff, can be deployed where they are most needed, creating efficiencies and ultimately savings for both schools.
This budget shows the costs to Vermont property taxpayers under Act 68 and does not show the portion of the positions that are supported by federal funds such as Medicaid or Title I. In the past, parts of these funds were shown. Cabot has seven positions that are partially supported in this manner: in health, speech, reading and behavioral support. Unfortunately, the federal funds are being reduced each year.
This budget is presented with the information available at the current time from the Agency of Education and the State Commissioner of Taxes. The tax rate is determined by a combination of the budget, the number of students, the Property Yield (formerly known as Base Amount) set by the Legislature and the Base Statewide Equalized Homestead Tax Rate, set by the Legislature. The tax rate is rising, in part due to the reduction in the number of students. This year Cabot has seen a small increase in the State’s Small School’s grant. Determination of actual property tax rates will be made at the conclusion of the 2016 Legislative Session. The final tax rate is adjusted based on the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) for your town. The higher the Level of Appraisal, the lower the tax rate. Cabot’s CLA decreased from 101.73% last year to 101.61% this year. Accurate property values create the most equitable property tax bills for residents.
Finally, tax payers should remember that their school tax bill will depend on their household income. Those with a household income of approximately $98,000 or less may be eligible for a reduction under Act 68. Taxpayers must apply for that reduction and complete Household Income Form HI-144 and Property Tax Adjustment Claim Form HS-122. You can get more information by looking online at www.state.vt.us/tax/propertyadj.shtml
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CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT
BUDGET CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS
All school districts are required by the VT Department of Education to follow Handbook II in the design and implementation of accounting and budgeting systems. Handbook II separates items into two major components. First are Functions, which is the grouping of activities that have a specific purpose. Within the Functions are Object Codes. These serve to describe the nature of the expenditure in the area of activity. Each Function contains the same groups of Object Codes. While most object codes mean the same thing in each function (salaries and wages) others will relate to the activity being performed. Supplies for example are different in the Instruction function than in the Plant Operation function, but both bear the same 600 series Object Codes. Function Name Description of Activities Instruction All regular education activities conducted in the classroom
including tuition paid for students to area high schools. Usually, the largest area of costs.
Special Education Activities involving students who are eligible for specialized
services and have individualized education plans designed to ensure an appropriate education. Items such as occupation and physical therapy, psychological counseling and evaluations are included as professional services. Tuition for programs dealing with students whose needs cannot be met in the local school is included under tuition, as well as transportation to those programs.
Guidance Office of the school guidance counselor who works with non-
special education students, parents and teachers to provide counseling on learning problems, social development and career plans.
Nurse Activities associated with nursing such as health inspections,
treatment of minor injuries and referrals for other health services. Speech Activities which identify assess and treat children with speech,
hearing and language impairments. Students may be regular education or special education students.
Student Support Specialized instruction of a non special education nature for
students who are having some difficulties. Includes Title I activities for remedial math and reading recovery. Also may include dealing with students on discipline issues.
Library Activities such as selecting, acquiring, preparing, and circulating
books and other printed material. Coordinate learning activities with teaching staff for using the library and guiding individuals in the use of using library books.
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Professional Development Continuing professional education of the staff. May involve workshops, college courses and conferences in specialized areas of instruction or enhancement of skills.
Tech Support Activities related to acquisition, maintenance and student
use/learning of technology, specifically computers and software. School Board General administration and policy development of the school
district, including educational content, personnel, budget and fiscal matters.
Principal’s Office Activities concerned with directing, managing and supervising the
operation of a school. Activities are performed by a principal and clerical staff.
Fiscal Services Activities directly related to day to day fiscal operations of the
school. Included are budgeted amounts for Tax Anticipation Borrowing interest for cash flow purposes. Coordinates with School District Treasurer for investing and cash flow activities. This could be employees of the district or of the supervisory union on professional services expenditure.
Plant Operation Activities concerned with keeping the physical plant open,
comfortable and safe to use. Keeps the grounds, buildings and equipment in effective working condition and state of repair.
Transportation Activities related to conveying students to and from school, and to
and from co-curricular activities, in compliance with state and federal laws for the operation and maintenance of vehicles.
Facility and Debt Service Related to budgeting for improvements or building of additions or
new school buildings. Debt service includes the budgeting for long term debt principal and interest payments. Usually related to long lived assets such as buildings or major assets (busses or kitchen equipment)
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Object Code Description of Grouped Object Codes The same object code groups are included in each function. 100 series Salaries and wages. Teacher, para-educator, administrative and
custodial are categorized under the function in which they work 200 series Benefits. For each function where salaries or wages are paid
benefits are included. Not all employees receive all the benefits. FICA, worker compensation, unemployment compensation are mandatory by law for each employee. Health, disability, life and dental insurance are awarded by contract or school policy.
300 series Professional services. Services that can be performed only by
persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge. A product may or may not result, with the delivery of a service as the primary reason for hiring of the professional. Consultants, doctors, accountants, architects, and lawyers are examples. Special education may have significant professional services for evaluation and treatment of students. Also included here is supervisory union assessments.
400 series Services used to operate, repair, maintain, and rent property owned
or used by the school. These services are provided by someone other than school district employees.
500 series Services provided by organizations or personnel not employed by
the school, other than professional or repair services. Items such as property, fidelity and liability insurance, tuition paid to other school districts, transportation contracts for student bussing, advertising, telephone and travel costs for employees.
600 series Supplies and materials. All forms of supplies for operation of the
school. Paper, textbooks, heating oil, electricity, periodicals and workbooks, classroom audio-visual and computer software are all considered as supplies.
700 series Equipment and other long lived assets. Building, computers,
machinery for the building and grounds and vehicles. 800/900 series Other and Transfers. Items that are not classified elsewhere. Dues
and fees, interest for both short (less than 1 year) and long term borrowing and repayment of principal. Transfers are to special funds for some future use, but also to cover a deficit in a specific fund such as hot lunch.
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Type Revenues Percent AmountLocal Tuition from other schools 0.92% 34,000
156,228 146,050 310,079 362,496 52,417Total of Student Support
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CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICTDETAIL OF FUNCTION
Instructional Support ServicesProfessional Development Function 2210For Fiscal Year: 30-Jun-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-17Object Title Budget Actual Budget Budget Incr/(Dcrs)
100 Professional Salaries 0 0 0 0 0200 Benefits 17,000 23,845 20,500 20,500 0300 Professional Services 8,000 9,266 7,000 8,000 1,000400 Property Services 0 0 0 0 0500 Other Services 1,500 809 1,500 1,500 0600 Supplies 0 0 0 0700 Equipment 0 0 0800 Other 0 0 0900 Principal & Specific 0 0 0
26,500 33,920 29,000 30,000 1,000
Library Function 2222For Fiscal Year: 30-Jun-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-17Object Title Budget Actual Budget Budget Incr/(Dcrs)
Total of Instructional Support 229,504 219,437 231,436 213,282 (18,154)
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CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICTDETAIL OF FUNCTION
Administrative FunctionS. U. Assessments & School Board Function 2310For Fiscal Year: 30-Jun-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-17Object Title Budget Actual Budget Budget Incr/(Dcrs)
Total of Administration Functions 480,363 472,622 495,483 516,520 21,037
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CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICTDETAIL OF FUNCTION
Operations, Transportation and Construction ServicesOperations Function 2600For Fiscal Year: 30-Jun-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-17Object Title Budget Actual Budget Budget Incr/(Dcrs)
16. Education Spending per Equalized Pupil $13,977.89 $14,963.94 $16,048.76 $16,796.63 16. 17. minus Less ALL net eligible construction costs (or P&I) per equalized pupil - $284.16 $388.51 $357.57 NA 17. 18. minus Less share of SpEd costs in excess of $50,000 for an individual (per eqpup) - - - $9.92 NA 18. 19. minus Less amount of deficit if deficit is SOLELY attributable to tuitions paid to public
schools for grades the district does not operate for new students who moved to the district after the budget was passed (per eqpup)
-- - -
NA19.
20. minus Less SpEd costs if excess is solely attributable to new SpEd spending if district has 20 or fewer equalized pupils (per eqpup) - - - - NA
20.
21. minus Estimated costs of new students after census period (per eqpup) - - - - NA 21. 22. minus Total tuitions if tuitioning ALL K-12 unless electorate has approved tuitions greater
than average announced tuition (per eqpup) - - - - NA22.
23. minus Less planning costs for merger of small schools (per eqpup) - - - - NA 23. 24. minus Teacher retirement assessment for new members of Vermont State Teachers'
Retirement System on or after July 1, 2015 (per eqpup) - NA NA - NA24.
25. Allowable growth per pupil spending threshold (secs. 37 & 38, Act 46, 2015) NA NA NA $16,241.64 25. 26. plus Excess Spending per Equalized Pupil over threshold (if any) + - - - $554.99 26. 27. Per pupil figure used for calculating District Equalized Tax Rate $13,978 $14,964 $16,049 $17,351.62 27.
28. District spending adjustment (minimum of 100%) 152.747% 161.163% 169.667% NA 28. based on $9,151 based on $9,285 based on $9,459
Prorating the local tax rate29. Anticipated district equalized homestead tax rate (to be prorated by line 30) $1.4358 $1.5794 $1.6797 $1.7580 29.
[$17,351.62 ÷ ($9,870.00 / $1.000)] based on $0.94 based on $0.98 based on $0.99 based on $1.00
30. Percent of Cabot equalized pupils not in a union school district 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 30.
31. Portion of district eq homestead rate to be assessed by town $1.4358 $1.5794 $1.6797 $1.7580 31. (100.00% x $1.76)
32. Common Level of Appraisal (CLA) 94.92% 100.37% 101.73% 101.61% 32.
33. Portion of actual district homestead rate to be assessed by town $1.5126 $1.5736 $1.6511 $1.7301 33. ($1.7580 / 101.61%) based on $0.94 based on $0.98 based on $0.99 based on $1.00
34. Anticipated income cap percent (to be prorated by line 30) 2.75% 2.90% 3.05% 3.14% 34. [($17,351.62 ÷ $11,065) x 2.00%] based on 1.80% based on 1.80% based on 1.80% based on 2.00%
35. Portion of district income cap percent applied by State 2.75% 2.90% 3.05% 3.14% 35. (100.00% x 3.14%) based on 1.80% based on 1.94% based on 1.94% based on 2.00%
36. Percent of equalized pupils at union 1 - - - - 36.
37. - - - - 37.
Income dollar equivalent yield per 2.0% of household income
- Following current statute, the Tax Commissioner recommended a property yield of $9,955 for every $1.00 of homestead tax per $100 of equalized property value. The Tax Commisioner also recommended an income yield of $11,157 for a base income percent of 2.0% and a non-residential tax rate of $1.538. New and updated data have changed the proposed property yield to $9,870 and the income yield to $11,065.- Final figures will be set by the Legislature during the legislative session and approved by the Governor.- The base income percentage cap is 2.0%.
If the district belongs to a union school district, this is only a PARTIAL homestead tax rate. The tax rate shown represents the estimated portion of the final homestead tax rate due to spending for students who do not belong to a union school district. The same holds true for the income cap percentage.
Beginning Balance All Funds July 1 (257,566) 144,872 144,872GENERAL REVENUE FUND
Beginning Balance July 1 0 0 0Revenue 3,772,322 3,702,958 3,708,161Expenditures (3,792,695) (3,702,958) (3,708,161)Revenue Less Expenditures (20,374) 0 0Transfer from Reserve Fund - Undesignated 0 0 0Transfer to Reserve Fund - Undesignated 20,374 0 0Transfer to Food Service Fund 0 0 0Transfer to Capital Projects Fund 0 0 0Transfer from Capital Projects Fund 0 0 0Transfer to Capital Projects Fund 0 0 0Transfer from Reserve Fund 0 0 0Transfer to Reserve Fund - Bus 0 0 0
Closing Balance General Revenue Fund June 30 0 0 0SPECIAL REVENUE FUND
Beginning Balance July 1 0 75,739 75,739Revenue 230,259 45,000 95,069Expenditures (154,521) (45,000) (95,069)Revenue Less Expenditures 75,739 0 0Transfer from General Fund 0 0 0
Closing Balance Special Revenue Fund June 30 75,739 75,739 75,739CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND
Beginning Balance July 1 (177,709) 63,625 63,625Revenue 241,334 0 0Expenditures 0 0 0Revenue Less Expenditures 241,334 0 0Transfer from General Fund 0 0 0Transfer to General Fund 0 0 0
Closing Balance Capital Projects Fund June 30 63,625 63,625 63,625FOOD SERVICE FUND
Beginning Balance July 1 30,975 21,417 21,417Revenue 147,184 160,000 160,000Expenditures (156,742) (160,000) (160,000)Revenue Less Expenditures (9,558) 0 0Transfer from General Fund 0 0 0
Closing Balance Food Service Fund June 30 21,417 21,417 21,417RESERVE FUND - Undesignated
Beginning Balance July 1 (115,298) (20,374) (20,374)Revenue- Loan Proceeds 115,298 0 0Transfer from General Fund (20,374) 0 0Net Transfer from General Fund 94,924 0 0
Closing Balance Undesignated Reserve Fund June 30 (20,374) (20,374) (20,374)RESERVE FUND - Bus
Beginning Balance July 1 2,715 2,715 2,715Revenue- Loan Proceeds 0 0 0Transfer from General Fund 0 0 0Net Transfer from General Fund 0 0 0Transfer from Reserve Fund - Undesignated 0 0 0
Closing Balance Bus Reserve Fund June 30 2,715 2,715 2,715ENDOWMENT FUND
Beginning Balance July 1 1,750 1,750 1,750Revenue 0 0 0Expenditures 0 0 0Revenue Less Expenditures 0 0 0
Closing Balance Endowment Fund June 30 1,750 1,750 1,750
Closing Balance All Funds June 30 144,872 144,872 144,872
Cabot School District
TREASURER'S REPORTSummary of Fund Balances
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Last Name First Name Position Salary
Employer
Benefits
Salary &
Benefits
Ackerman Pete Director of Facilities Operations $62,000.00 $9,900.68 $71,900.68Charron Sylvia Ex. Assistant/ HR Coordinator $38,252.00 $12,643.66 $50,895.66Johnson Patricia Director of Curriculum $81,763.00 $13,449.82 $95,212.82Kimball Christina Business Manager $72,000.00 $29,125.08 $101,125.08Renaud Amy Fiscal Services Clerk $35,028.00 $24,263.26 $59,291.26Sykas Amy Special Services Manager $36,963.00 $2,827.67 $39,790.67Thomas Nancy Superintendant $106,404.00 $9,887.59 $116,291.59Tucker Mark Director of Special Education $80,000.00 $20,023.68 $100,023.68Young Ashley Fiscal Services Bookkeeper $37,087.00 $24,534.02 $61,621.02
WNESU Expenses are shared between Cabot School and Twinfield Union School
Last Name First Name Position Salary
Employer
Benefits
Salary &
Benefits
Bialowoz Paul Grades 7-8 Special Educator $49,759.00 $22,113.16 $71,872.16Boucher Denise Speech Language Pathologist $65,362.00 $6,500.19 $71,862.19Burtt Johnnye Elementary Special Educator $49,338.00 $17,678.03 $67,016.03Clements Joseph Elementary Special Educator $66,205.00 $18,968.35 $85,173.35duPont Catherine High School Special Educator $51,446.00 $22,489.89 $73,935.89Hohn Rebecca Essential Early Education $54,820.00 $18,097.40 $72,917.40Lindert Jennifer Grades 7-12 Special Educator $61,804.00 $23,282.28 $85,086.28Nally Rebecca Elementary Special Educator $52,370.00 $5,506.31 $57,876.31Riley Ellen Grades 7-12 Special Educator $61,495.00 $11,899.32 $73,394.32Sykas Amy Special Educator $30,362.00 $9,517.64 $39,879.64Wilson Steffani Speech Language Pathologist $52,711.00 $22,586.66 $75,297.66Youngbaer Jane Special Educator/Instruc support $66,256.00 $18,972.25 $85,228.25
WNESU Instructional Staff Expenses are billed back to Cabot School and Twinfield Union School
WASHINGTON NORTHEAST SUPERVISORY UNION STAFF 2015-2016
WASHINGTON NORTHEAST SUPERVISORY UNION INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF 2015-2016
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FY15Actual
FY16Budget
FY17Budget
Beginning Balance All Funds July 1 48,577 28,298 43,298
GENERAL FUNDBeginning Balance July 1 84 484 484
Transfers from Special Revenue Fund 0 0 0Assessments/Purchased Services 1,775,016 1,891,276 2,548,413Other 74,158 0 0
Surplus/(Deficit) 0 400 0 0 0As Of: December 21, 2015
Version: 1.2
SU Wide Activities
FY15 Budget/FY15 Actual/FY16 Budget/FY17 BudgetWASHINGTON NORTHEAST SUPERVISORY UNION
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CABOT SCHOOL DISTRICT
NOTICES
Under P.L. 94-142, the individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Cabot School District must ensure that all children who are residents of Plainfield and Marshfield (age’s birth through 21 years) who may be disabled, regardless of the severity of their disability, and in need of early intervention or special education and related services are identified, located and evaluated. All infants and toddlers (birth-age 2) who may have special needs, conditions, or developmental delays are eligible for information and outreach services. In addition, all children and youth (ages 3-21) who are eligible for special education services are entitled to a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. If you know of a child (birth-age 21) who may have a developmental delay or disability and be eligible for services and who is not currently receiving such services at public expense, please notify: Mark Tucker, Director of Special Services, Washington Northeast Supervisory Union, P.O. Box 470, Plainfield, VT 05667 (802) 454-9924. The Cabot School District complies with Title II of the American with Disabilities Act which prohibits discrimination against or exclusion of people from projects, services, activities or employment on the basis of disability. Any qualified citizen needing accommodations to attend meetings or to participate in the affairs of the school district may request so of the principal within a reasonable time frame. Copies of public reports could be made available on audio cassette or in large print upon request. Sign language, interpreters may be requested for deaf participants when given adequate notice. The Cabot School District ensures equal educational, employment and public participation opportunities regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age, handicapping condition and/or disability or sexual orientation in compliance with federal and state laws. A parent has the right to tell the school that (s)he does not wish to have “directory information” about his or her child disclosed. “Directory Information” is information contained in the educational record of a student which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed, and is the student’s: name; parent or other family members; address or family’s address; telephone number; date and place of birth; major field of study; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height as a member of an athletic team; dates of attendance; degrees and awards received; and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended. If the parent does not notify the school in writing, information designated as “directory information” can be provided without parental consent. For more information please contact: David Schilling, Principal, Cabot School, P.O. Box 98, Cabot, VT 05647 (802)563-2289. TTD phone available. These notices are available in other languages upon request at the Washington Northeast Supervisory Union Office (802) 454-9924.