Orange East Supervisory Union
Newsletter 04/21/2026
Message from the Superintendent
Dear Orange East Supervisory Union Community,
There is nothing quite like spring in Vermont. As the snow finally clears, it’s wonderful to see our fields come back to life. Our Baseball, Softball, Unified Basketball, and Track & Field athletes are out in force, and the energy at our practices and games is a great reminder of the spirit in our schools. Across our schools, students are planting seeds and learning about the plant life cycle. We are so blessed to be able to provide outdoor learning experiences that engage students in the world around them.
This is a busy and important season for our entire community. We still have two budget votes coming up:
Oxbow Unified Union School District Annual Report
Annual Meeting and vote on Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Waits River Valley School District Annual Report
Annual Meeting and vote on Monday, May 4, 2026
We are excited to announce that Jason Smith has been selected as the new Athletic & Activities Director at Oxbow Middle High School. Jason stood out among 32 applicants for his strong background in both the classroom and on the field. He is moving to the area with his fiancée to be closer to family, and we look forward to the well-rounded focus he will bring to our Olympian family.
There is a lot happening in Montpelier right now that could change how our schools work. Two bills in particular, H.955 and S.220, may put new pressure on local school districts. H.955 has passed in the House and has crossed over to the Senate. It is a law that encourages smaller districts to merge. It asks schools to study how they can join together to create larger districts with at least 2,000 students. S.220 has passed the Senate and crossed over to the House. It focuses on budget and how the state might restrict per pupil spending in the 2027-2028 school year and beyond. While these do not impact the budgets we are voting on now, it is important to know what might be coming.
We remain focused on providing schools that meet the needs of all learners. Wishing you a safe and joyful Spring Break,
Heather Lawler
Superintendent of Schools
Orange East Supervisory Union
Announcing New Oxbow Athletic Director: Jason Smith
Oxbow Unified Union School District (OUUSD) is proud to announce the selection of Jason Smith as the new Athletic & Activities Director for Oxbow Middle High School. Jason joins Oxbow with a distinguished background in both classroom instruction and athletic leadership.
To find the best leader for our student-athletes, Oxbow conducted a comprehensive, multi-stage hiring process. This search was guided by a committee composed of coaches, administrators, students, and parents representing a wide range of community perspectives. From an initial pool of 32 candidates, the committee narrowed the field down to two finalists through several rounds of interviews. These finalists spent a full day visiting Oxbow and meeting with community members. After reviewing all the feedback, the committee chose Jason Smith as the best candidate because of his strong background in both sports and education.
Jason stood out to the committee for several reasons. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Maine with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and is currently completing his final course for a Graduate Certificate in Athletic Administration.
As a current Social Studies educator and experienced basketball and soccer coach, Jason is focused on developing well-rounded student-athletes who succeed both in the classroom and on the field. He believes that school athletics and activities are about more than just winning; he is focused on helping students build character and show good sportsmanship. The committee was particularly impressed by his focus on academic responsibility as the foundation of a successful athletic program.
Jason is relocating to the Bradford area with his fiancée to be near her family in Stowe, VT. They are excited to put down roots and become active members of our local community. Please join us in welcoming Jason Smith to the Olympian family!
Education Legislation Updates
The combination of pending legislations H.955 and S.220 creates two different pressures on school districts to merge. H.955 is a structural law that creates a regional system and requires districts to study merging into school districts with no fewer than 2,000 students. At the same time, S.220 acts as a financial penalty by lowering the limit on how much a school can spend per student. By dropping this limit to 112 percent of the state average, the law labels more of our local spending as excessive and triggers a double tax penalty. These two bills work together to make the current system too expensive to maintain.
H.955 passed the Vermont House on April 17, 2026. The bill is now in the Senate for further deliberation.
H.955 proposes replacing the current supervisory union structure with a Cooperative Educational Service Area (CESA).
Under the proposed language, a CESA is a body that may own property (buildings and land) and enter into high-value contracts.
The current bill includes that the assigned CESA will take over the management of Special Education and Business Office functions. Our local teams may eventually transition to being employees of the CESA, potentially reporting to a regional Executive Director rather than the local Superintendent.
Proposed Timeline of State Activity
July 1, 2026: Proposed effective date for H.955. CESAs formally created on this date. The board shall make an appointment to the CESA Board within 30 days.
OESU is currently assigned to the Northeast CESA (Region 6) which also includes Caledonia Central SU, Kingdom East SD, North Country SU, Orleans Central SU, Essex North SU, St. Johnsbury School District, Rivendell Interstate School District, SAU 70 & Hartford SD.
October 1, 2026: State-funded Facilitators to be hired to initiate merger studies to create unified school districts with no less than 2,000 students.
December 1, 2026: The start of mandatory Study Committees for all districts.
December 1, 2027: Committees shall submit their final recommendations for districts.
S.220 passed the Senate on March 24, 2026 and is now in the House. This bill lowers the Excess Spending Threshold. Currently, the state allows districts to spend up to 118% of the statewide average before penalties apply. By dropping to 112%, the state is narrowing allowable spending, which may move more of our member districts across the excess spending threshold for the 2027-2028 school year.
Based on current modeling, Blue Mountain Union and the Oxbow Unified Union School District would likely fall into the penalty category under this new math. When a district exceeds this threshold, it triggers a tax on a tax. Essentially, for every dollar spent above that 112% limit, the state applies a penalty that effectively taxes those dollars twice, artificially inflating the local tax rate beyond what the actual budget increase would normally require. The impact of this change is particularly severe for Thetford. Because Thetford has a lower poverty rate than its neighbors, it receives fewer weights, which makes its per-pupil spending appear higher. Modeling in current dollars shows that this threshold shift could result in a 1.6 million dollar penalty for Thetford. While Waits River Valley might not feel the full impact in the first year (2027-2028), the regional trend suggests this is a foreshadowing of the fiscal pressure all districts will eventually face.
Blue Mountain Union Principal Search Update
The BMU interview committee for a Middle & High School Principal is made up of school administrators, board members, students and staff members. The committee received 10 applications and interviewed 6 candidates. They have narrowed the search down to two candidates and will provide updates on next steps soon.
Upcoming Dates
- Tuesday, April 21, Community Forum & OESU Board Meeting, 6:00 PM OESU Central Office
- Tuesday, April 28, Oxbow Unified Union School Budget Meeting and vote 6:30 PM at Oxbow HS
- Thursday, April 30, WRVSD Informational Meeting 6:00 PM Waits River Valley School
- Monday, May 4, Waits River Valley School Budget meeting and vote 6:30 PM WRV School
- Wednesday, May 6, Blue Mountain Union Board Meeting @ 6:00 PM
- Tuesday, May 12, Thetford Town School District Board Meeting @ 6:00 PM
- Wednesday, May 13, Oxbow Unified Union Board Meeting @ 5:30 PM Oxbow HS
- Tuesday, May 19, Orange East Supervisory Union Meeting @ 6:00 PM Oxbow HS
Full Calendars are available on the OESU website at https://www.oesu.org/calendars.
Other Newsletters and Links to School News on Facebook
Some recent newsletters from our schools:
Bradford Elementary Newsletter
Newbury Elementary School Newsletter
Orange East Schools are on Facebook! Follow us!
Blue Mountain Union is on Facebook
Bradford Elementary is on Facebook
Newbury Elementary School is on Facebook
Oxbow Middle High is on Facebook
Thetford Elementary is on Facebook
Waits River Valley School is on Facebook
Orange East Supervisory Union (OESU) is located in the beautiful Upper Valley of the Connecticut River, The Central Office is located in Bradford, Vermont. The SU includes Blue Mountain Union School, Bradford Elementary School, Newbury Elementary School, Oxbow Middle High School, River Bend Career and Technical Center, Thetford Elementary School, and Waits River Valley School. The Supervisory Union proudly serves and connects the towns of Bradford, Newbury, Corinth, Groton, Ryegate, Thetford, Topsham, Wells River and local tuition towns. We all work together to support student learning and improve educational outcomes.
Orange East Supervisory Union
64 South Main Street
Bradford, Vermont
(802) 222-5216