Among the choices are a “field of dreams” with an enlarged ball field, more spectator seating, and lighting for night games. Werner said he’d also like to see an enlarged gymnasium, an auditorium for plays and other performances, a larger playground with a regulation-size soccer field and additional parking to augment the new facilities.
Board members liked Werner’s suggestions and concurred with his statement that “this is just for preliminary discussion, as there would be several points to consider, including who would maintain the venues and how could they best be utilized.”
In a second presentation to the board, Werner shared a letter directed to Vermont Department of Education director Armado Vilaseca and the members of the Education Finance Summer Study Committee, a committee created during the winter by the Legislature and the governor to look at alternatives to school funding. The letter epxpressed Werner’s concern that “there has never been a serious discussion of what constitutes an education to ensure that every student gets a ‘substantially equal educational opportunity’.”
Werner’s letter summarized the negative impact of Act 60 on Dover and other “giving” towns and highlighted the inequity of distribution of funds to “receiving” towns such as Brattleboro and Bennington. To illustrate his point, Werner cited $60,000 spent by Bennington on a school sign as well as the employment of an athletic director at a cost of approximately $70,000 a year. The letter maintained that “Twin Valley High School has to make do in a building that is over 100 years old and has water leaking in every time it rains.”
In addition to commending Werner for his literary efforts, the board also thanked him and school principal Bill Anton for giving up their Sunday to dismantle the inoperative windmill so it could be sent away for repairs. Anton said he found the experience very enlightening and estimates it will take approximately 60 days for the parts to be returned.
Board members also learned that Dover School is the beneficiary of a grant from the state to fund the purchase of a new bus. The grant was accidentally discovered on Twitter by board member Laura Sibilia. Werner, however, said he felt that the state should have been more generous. “I wanted funding for two buses,” said Werner, “because Dover’s application was submitted well before the deadline.”
The application deadline had been extended by the state and Windham County Supervisory Union School Superintendent Steven John said he will look into whether the criteria for receiving funds changed along with the deadline.
Speaking on another bus issue, board member Traci Alfonso gave the board a detailed account of her daughter’s bus trips to Brattleboro Area Middle School on the MOOver. Alfonso said that while en route, her daughter heard inappropriate language from other students as well as discussions from riders she referred to as “hobos” about “drinking, getting high, and stealing.”
The board agreed that problems related to secondary school transportation are numerous and there are no easy, cost-effective solutions. Sibilia noted the importance of having a process in place when considering different busing options. She summarized the issue as “the curse of the blessing of school choice.”
In his principal’s report, Anton noted that NECAP state-mandated testing continues into October and they are still awaiting the results of the spring NECAP. When asked by Sibilia how he felt about his first weeks on the job, Anton replied, “I think it’s a great match between me and the school. I couldn’t ask for a better situation, both personally and professionally. Dover is a very unique community and I’m very fortunate to be here.”
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