F A Q

This is your page for the answers to questions that the residents of Brookline, Jamaica, Newfane, Townshend, and Windham have frequently asked about the work of the Act 46 Leland & Gray Study Committee.

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Ask a question - the members of the committee will find the answer and get in touch with you or post the Q+A here.


MORE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM THE PUBLIC INFORMATION FORUMS
This is the follow up from our first three community forums in January and February, 2017.  Below are the questions that have been asked at the meetings and their answers.  If you have questions that are not answered here please come to the Public Information meetings on Feb. 20th in Windham and March 1st at L&G or send an email. 

Q: How will transportation work?
A: Transportation planning is one of the first responsibilities of the new board.  We cannot say what it will look like at this point.
Q: Do taxes change after 4 years?
A: We know we have the incentives for the first four years.  After the first 4 years we don’t know.
Q: Is there one board for all that schools K-12?
A: Yes.  The current board remain until July 1, 2019.  After that the new unified board would take over with the current district boards remaining in existence until they wrap up their affairs.
Q: Will schools be closed?
A: Article 14 requires a vote of the town to close a school.  A school can close but it will not happen without the consent of the town involved.
Q: What is the composition of the board?
A: Representation is based on population: Newfane - 3, Brookline - 1, Townshend - 2, Jamaica - 2, Windham - 1 and 2 at large members elected from the entire district once it is formed.
Q: What if there is no petition filed to be on the ballot for the new board?
A: There can be a write in candidate.  If no one is elected the town board can appoint a member to the new board.
Q: How does consolidation affect hosting Pre-K?
A: The new board will determine how Pre-K will be offered district wide. 
Q: How will this be changed by any new legislation during the current sessions in Montpellier?
A: As of right now only deadlines for compliance are proposed to be changed.
Q: What happens if there is a "no" vote?
A: The Towns can ask the state to stay in the structure we have, but it is unlikely they will let us. It is most likely they will want us to go with the plan we've created as they have already approved it.
Q: In the new structure, will there be an Annual School Meeting on Town Meeting Day?
A: No. There will be a separate annual meeting for the district, much like the system L&G uses now.
Q: Where would the "center of the Universe" be for this district?
A: That will be decided by what is most practical for the new Board.
Q: When will the school choice within the district first be available and what will the process be?
A: The new Board will have to come up with a system for it, but the earliest it might be available is September 2019.
Q: Does the district have enough students to meet the State's size requirements?
A: Yes, because we would be forming a “side by side” with the new River Valley Unified School District – comprised of Dover, Marlboro and Wardsboro.
Q: What does representation look like on the new board if a town opts out of the consolidation?
A: Representation stays the same as shown in the report as the opted out town still sits on the board for matters related to L&G. (See Article 17.)  An opt out town however will not vote on the at-large members starting March 2018.  The opt out may become moot if the State Board of Education, in their statewide plan, moves towns in union high school districts into a unified system.
Q: If the WRED forms does the LGUMHS cease to exist as a legal entity?
A: Yes, as well as all the town school districts voting to join the unified district.
Q: How is this possible as the towns that vote to form it should need to vote to dissolve it?
A: The articles call for the dissolving of districts if the unified district is formed. A yes vote forms the unified district and dissolves the existing district simultaneously. The articles specify the start date for the unified district and the ending date for the town boards of the member districts. (See Article 13.)
Q: Will the WRED have a new or different annual meeting date?
A: The unified district board can set meeting dates as it desires.  Decisions by the voters of the entire unified district are needed to change the voting process (to or from Australian ballot) to something different than specified in the articles.