Dear Friends and Families, 
      Mother Nature has definitely demonstrated we are not in control over the past few weeks. From last week's missed school (and newsletter) on Thursday (which made for a VERY short school week!) to my "too soon" decision to cancel our winter sports program yesterday, there have been no shortage of reminders that our own efforts to predict weather and/or follow our desired schedules take 2nd seat behind nature.  I made the decision to cancel based on predicted high winds and wind chill factors. In retrospect, had I waited until morning to make a decision, I would have seen the updated predictions that pushed those conditions until much later in the day-- and prevented us from missing what was a fabulous day! While I know how much easier it is to plan when we know of a cancellation in advance, I will now be much more cautious about making an advance cancellation and wait until the morning. Thank you for your flexibility and understanding. 

Kaiya
 

 HUUSD School Board Meeting Update:  January 16, 2019

Dear members of our six town community,
Below please find the votes and key agenda items from the HUUSD board meeting on January 16, 2019.

1. Approved the following items as part of the consent agenda for December 19, 2018:  Approve 12/19/2018 meeting minutes; Accept board warrants totaling $708,085.77, approve board buddies for student representatives, authorize reporting in one segment for grade for grades 7-12, confirm announced FY 2020 tuition rate, approve Winooski Valley High School Choice agreement.

2. Engaged in in-depth discussion about HUUSD budget.

3. Moved to ask HUUSD administration to provide specific STEM amounts for CBMS and HUMS, so BOD will have details on time students spend in STEM classes at CMBS and HUMS, respectively.

4. Moved to accept EPC committee’s recommendation to direct HUUSD administration to determine if CBMS can “house” all 7/8 graders, as well as W/D 5th and 6th graders. Accepted the recommendation with an amendment to ask the superintendent to put initial calculations of what the administration already knows in writing to help the EPC determine next steps. BOD also directed EPC to determine list of variables to consider in determining operational expenses and/or cost savings.
Our next HUUSD board meeting is scheduled for 7:00 pm on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 at the HUHS library.  

Please note this meeting follows our recently adopted HUUSD board agenda format, with the first hour spent with committees meeting individually from 6:00 - 7:00 pm.  The full board will come back together at 7:00 pm.
Please visit wwsu.org for board packets, agendas, and minutes - and to find the link to watch board meetings. The direct link to watch this and past meetings is: https://mrvtv.com/category/school-board-meetings/
Thank you for your continued support and engagement.
Respectfully,
The HUUSD Board

     
Kindergarten students exploring, as part of their study of people around the world, exploring how while eggs might look different on the inside, they are indistinguishable on the inside. 

HUUSD School Board Meeting Update: January 23, 2019

Dear members of our six town community,

At our last meeting on January  23, 2018, the Harwood Unified Union School District (HUUSD) Board took action on the four (4) items below (listed in order of the time in the meeting when the vote occurred):

1. Approved the following items as part of the consent agenda: Approve Minutes of 1/16/18, Accepted board warrants/voucher #1159 for $91,775.48

2. Approved the warning of questions to put before voters on town meeting day, including the school district expenditure of 38,600,862 and the allocation of $1,000,000 from FY2018’s fund balance to the district’s maintenance reserve fund.

3. Agreed to distribute two optional questions to all board members for information to include in a board manual (in a Google form).

4. Agreed to the vision committee communicating with Sue McCormack to discuss the formation of a visioning plan and timeline.

At this meeting, we also heard the first report from the Student Reps, and received updates from the following committees: Policy, Personnel, Asset Management, EPC (Harwood Bond), Vision.    

Our next meeting is Wednesday, February 13 at 7:00 pm and will be held in the Harwood Union High School library. Duration will depend on the agenda, which will be set by the Monday before the meeting. There will be committee meetings immediately prior, also in the library, starting at 6:00 pm. Committees generally alternate meeting times and meet every other board meeting. For more information on the SMART goals that drive these committees, check the HUUSD board web page.

Please visit www.wwsu.org/huusd-board for board agendas (including committees that are meeting), detailed minutes, HUUSD Smart Goals for the 2018-2019 school year, and to find the link to watch board meetings. The direct link to watch this and past meetings is: https://mrvtv.com/category/school-board-meetings/

Thank you for your continued support and engagement.
Respectfully,
The HUUSD Board
Christine Sullivan (Waitsfield)  *Chair, Caitlin Hollister (Waterbury)  *Vice Chair, Alycia Biondo (Warren), Hannah Clark (Student Rep, class of 2019), Carlton Cummisky (Student Rep, class of 2021), Jill Ellis (Fayston), Gabe Gilman (Moretown), Linda Hazard (Moretown), Jake Lynn (Student Rep, Class of 2020), Garett MacCurtain (Duxbury), Maureen McCracken (Waterbury), Theresa Membrino (Fayston), Melissa Phillips (Waterbury), Torrey Smith (Duxbury), Alexandra Thomsen  (Waterbury), Rosemarie White (Warren), Rob Williams (Waitsfield)