Orange East Supervisory Union

Extra Legislative Update with Proposed District Map

Here is the newest draft map of Vermont School Districts and accompanying legislative language floated by House Education Chair Peter Conlon as a starting point for a conversation. There is still a long way to go on this discussion. This map is showing a proposal to combine 119 districts into 27.

This map splits Orange East Supervisory Union by removing Thetford and joining the remaining part of the SU with our neighbors to the north.

Here is the map: Draft District Map

Here is a link to a VTDigger article about this proposal:

House lawmaker’s proposed school consolidation map would combine 119 districts into 27 which includes the quote, "Rep. Peter Conlon, D-Cornwall, said the proposal was “faulty,” and his “first attempt” to create conversation and debate. But it signals a ramped up attempt by lawmakers to garner consensus on efforts to consolidate the state’s 119 school districts."

Here is the recording of the committee discussion of the map proposal

Committee Discussion

There is also language on the floor about how schools will be designated. Here is a summary of the proposed language and a link to the legislative proposal.

Summary of Proposed Language

This proposal clarifies how school districts designate public or approved independent high schools when no reasonably accessible district school is available and requires formal contracts for those designations. It sets clear expectations for nondiscrimination, open admissions, reporting, special education services, and limits tuition costs when families request an alternative school.

Designation Legislative Language

Message from the Superintendent

Dear Orange East Supervisory Union Community,

Our schools exist for a unified purpose: to educate and care for every child who walks through our doors. This commitment does not change based on background, circumstance, or national origin. The Vermont Agency of Education recently issued updated guidance on immigration protections and student rights. We share this to ensure our community understands how we uphold the safety, well-being, and rights of all students. Our schools are welcoming and safe, focused on learning, growth, and belonging. We do not ask about or track immigration status, and student privacy remains a top priority. A draft of our developing procedure is included below for reference.

At the state level, education funding and governance continue to be a focus in the Vermont Statehouse. Governor Phil Scott’s FY2027 budget highlights rising education costs, property tax pressures, and the need for responsible management of state and federal resources. The proposal includes $105 million in one-time property tax relief and a suggested education spending cap (S.220). These funds are not guaranteed, and the current tax worksheets we will be presenting are based on the yield of 8.849%. If this proposed buy-down tax relief comes through, the yield will go up and tax rates will come down.

As we monitor these developments and proposed legislation we are also reviewing all possibilities for spending reductions at the local level. This includes a careful examination of administrative positions and other operational costs to identify potential savings that could help reduce the tax burden. These are difficult and painful conversations, as we deeply value our administrators, principals, directors, and school leaders for their dedication, skill, and commitment to our students. At this time, we simply need to keep all options on the table while awaiting greater clarity from the state on the tax implications we face.

February brings many opportunities to communicate, share and listen. These opportunities include School Counselors Week and School Board Appreciation Month, where we recognize the tireless dedication of those who support student learning, well-being, and continuous school improvement. Everyone is invited to participate in upcoming budget meetings for Thetford and Blue Mountain Union, ensuring transparency and shared decision-making. And, students have the exciting opportunity to participate in a student town hall with Senator Bernie Sanders, discussing civic engagement, community involvement, and shaping public policy. Experiences like this highlight the importance of community and connection.

Meanwhile, Orange East Supervisory Union continues to monitor statewide discussions around Act 73, school district consolidation and regional planning, including ongoing conversations with Rivendell as a potential collaboration. Our School Boards are always prioritizing what is best for students while being mindful of community resources. We have worked hard on the proposed budgets and look forward to sharing them with you.

Warmest regards,

Heather Lawler

Superintendent of Schools

Orange East Supervisory Union

Upcoming Central Office Review by DY Consulting

DY Consulting’s founder and principal consultant, David Younce, will be partnering with Orange East Supervisory Union to conduct an in-depth analysis of the central office, with a focus on efficiency, clarity of roles, and support for schools. Hired by the OESU Board, Dave will review current systems and operations and provide clear, practical recommendations to strengthen how the central office serves students, staff, and communities. With extensive experience as a superintendent and strategic advisor to educational organizations, he specializes in helping mission-driven systems navigate complexity and align their structures with their goals.

As part of this work, Dave will be touring OESU schools on Thursday, February 5, 2026, to better understand local context and perspectives.

Update: Thank you to everyone who was so kind to us as we toured on Thursday!

Come Hear About the School Budget!

Our School Boards want to share information and listen to your thoughts on the 2026-2027 School Budgets! Please join us for these upcoming listening sessions:

Thetford Town School District Budget - Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 6:00PM at Thetford Elementary School

Blue Mountain Union School District Budget - Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 5:00PM at BMU

February is School Board Appreciation Month!

February is School Board Appreciation Month in Vermont, a time to raise public awareness of the roles and responsibilities of local school boards. In this time of unknowns, it's so important to thank school board members for their work and perseverance.

This month, we celebrate and thank all of the dedicated members of our school boards for their tireless work in supporting our students and schools. We extend our gratitude to:

Blue Mountain Union School District Board of Directors
Oxbow Unified Union School District Board of Directors
River Bend Regional Advisory Board
Thetford Town School District Board of Directors
Waits River Valley School Board of Directors
Orange East Supervisory Union School Board

Your time, dedication, thoughtfulness, and focus on students, policy, and continuous school improvement make a real difference every day. Thank you for helping guide our schools with vision, care, and a focus on the future of all learners in our communities!

More Proposed Legislation That May Impact Vermont Schools

These are currently proposed legislation that if approved will impact education in Vermont. For more information on proposed legislation and to access maps with your Representatives and Senators check out this resource on VTDigger https://vtdigger.org/2026-vermont-legislative-guide/

S.220 - Limit Growth in Per Pupil Ed Spending to Allowable Growth Percentage

This bill would cap how much a school district’s per-pupil education spending can grow beginning in 2027-2028 by tying increases to an “allowable growth percentage” based on the prior year’s spending. The goal is to slow education spending growth and help stabilize property taxes. This cap could place disproportionate strain on districts with very low spending. Lower-spending districts may struggle to cover rising costs such as transportation, special education, facilities, or staff salaries, potentially forcing program or service cuts if costs rise faster than the cap allows.

H.542 - Terminating Testing for PCBs in Schools

This bill would end the state-mandated PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) testing program for schools built or renovated before 1980, which was originally required under prior law. Ongoing testing would stop except where schools have already tested above action levels that require continued monitoring. The state would still pay to investigate and remediate PCB contamination at schools where contamination has already been found.

H.779 - Repealing Early College/Expanding Dual Enrollment

This bill would eliminate Vermont’s Early College program by July 1, 2027. The bill would simultaneously increase funded dual enrollment courses from two to four per student.

Early College lets high school seniors spend most or all of a full year enrolled in college instead of high school. Dual Enrollment lets high school students take one or a few college classes at a time while staying enrolled in high school. The classes can be online or in person, and students earn both high school and college credit at the same time. Think of Early College as stepping fully into college for a year, and Dual Enrollment as trying out college classes while still in high school.

S.313 - CTE Transformation Senator Ram-Hinsdale et al. - this link is to the proposed bill

Reimagining CTE - Vermont AOE - This link is to a Slideshow
AOE Plans for CTE, January 2026 - This link is to notes

S.313 proposes a major overhaul of Vermont’s Career Technical Education (CTE) system by creating centralized governance, funding, and planning for CTE centers statewide instead of the current tuition-based, locally controlled model. While the bill is still in committee, the idea behind such transformation is to standardize programs, align CTE education with workforce needs, and streamline how resources are allocated across centers. If passed, River Bend Career and Technical Center which currently serves students from Oxbow High School, Blue Mountain Union School, Thetford Academy, and other sending schools with hands-on programs like automotive, culinary, and cosmetology could see changes in how it is funded, how students enroll, and how programs are coordinated. This legislation could shift local control over CTE decisions to a broader regional or statewide governing body.

VTDigger 2026 Vermont Legislative Guide

This year’s legislative session will help decide what the future of Vermont’s schools will look like under Act 73 and how the state plans to navigate federal funding cuts. Lawmakers will also be weighing housing, climate, health care and other issues that affect daily life across the state.

Use this guide to keep up with the people, bills and budget decisions shaping Vermont. You’ll find tools to help you stay informed and understand what’s happening, along with our latest reporting from the Statehouse.

https://vtdigger.org/2026-vermont-legislative-guide/

Use the maps on this resource to find the legislators in your senate and house districts. Each name clicks through to their contact information on the State of Vermont website. Reaching out with questions or input is one of the most direct ways to make your voice heard and engage in the legislative process.

Protecting All Students in Our Care - Draft Procedure

The Orange East Supervisory Union remains deeply committed to keeping our schools safe, welcoming, and inclusive for every student. We want to reassure our community that student well-being, privacy, and access to education are always our top priorities. We are sharing our draft procedure that outlines how schools respond to encounters with law enforcement, including immigration enforcement, while protecting student rights.

DRAFT OESU Procedure Code F4P2 Pursuant to Policy F4: Access Control and Visitor Management: Encounters with Law Enforcement and Access to Education, Student Privacy, and Immigration Enforcement

OESU honors valid judicial warrants and complies with the law. Immigration enforcement officers may not enter school buildings or non-public areas without a judicial warrant signed by a judge. Administrative warrants from do not authorize entry. Updated guidance from the Vermont Agency of Education affirms that schools may not deny enrollment based on immigration status, do not collect immigration information, and protect student records under FERPA. Together, these policies reinforce Vermont’s commitment to schools where every student can learn and thrive.

VT Agency of Education Issued Required Model Policy on Cell Phones

Blue Mountain Union School is leading the way in the Orange East Supervisory Union by already implementing cell phone pouches and a “no personal devices from bell to bell” approach during the school day. This proactive step puts Blue Mountain ahead of a new statewide requirement: beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, all Vermont schools will be required to follow a similar model. In December, the Vermont Agency of Education (AOE) released a model policy to comply with Act 72, which requires every school board to develop, adopt, enforce, and make publicly available a policy that is at least as stringent as the AOE’s model. Any school board that does not adopt its own policy will be presumed to have adopted the state’s model policy.

Our school boards are planning now to adopt and implement this required policy for the coming school year. Students also have a key role to play. Student councils and other student leaders are needed to help guide how this policy is implemented in their schools. By participating, students can ensure the policy supports a positive learning environment while fostering responsibility and digital wellness. This is a chance for students to help shape the rules that affect their day-to-day learning.

AI Guidance for Education

The Agency of Education has released Vermont AI (Artificial intelligence) Guidance for Education, a resource to help schools navigate AI thoughtfully and intentionally. For Orange East schools, this guidance offers practical strategies to enhance personalized learning, support educators, and engage students, while addressing important concerns such as academic integrity, data privacy, student well-being, and cognitive development.

Rather than seeing AI as either a magic solution or a risk to avoid, the guidance gives our educators a human-centered framework for implementation that keeps student learning at the center. Schools in our supervisory union will use this guidance to explore how AI tools can support instruction, empower students, and maintain safe, ethical learning practices, ensuring technology serves education, not the other way around.

Invitation from Senator Bernie Sanders February 10 Virtual Student Town Hall

Dear Fellow Vermonter,

Each year, I travel around our state and visit with high school students to discuss the important issues facing our nation and hear about the issues that are on their minds. Time after time, I am impressed by them — they are thoughtful, paying attention and have a lot of great ideas.

But the reality is that, as much as I’d like to, I simply cannot visit every school every year. So, Tuesday, February 10 at 7 p.m., I am going to be hosting a virtual student town hall, open to all Vermont high school students.

To make this a great event, I am going to need your help.

First, if you are reading this and you are in high school, please know that I want to hear directly from you. Tell me about the challenges you and your fellow students are facing and how we can begin to address them together. Further, I want to know what questions you have for me that we can discuss during this virtual town hall. I will be reviewing your questions and selecting a group of you to ask your questions live on the call.

High school students: RSVP HERE to participate and ask questions

Second, if you are reading this and you are an adult in our community, please share this with the Vermont high school students you know. Please help me spread the word about this event. Also, I would be delighted if you wished to join the event by listening along to the conversation.

Adults: Join us through our livestream HERE to
listen to the conversation

I very much look forward to the discussion. I hope you will join us.

Sincerely,

Senator Bernie Sanders

Upcoming Dates

School Counselor Appreciation Week February 2-6
Wednesday February 4, Early Release for Professional Development
Wednesday, February 4, 2026 Blue Mountain Union Board Meeting at BMU at 6:00 PM
Thursday, February 5, 2026 Tour of Orange East Supervisory Union Schools with Consultant Dave Younce of https://www.dyconsulting.us who will be assessing Central Office for the Board
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 Thetford Town School District BUDGET INFORMATION Meeting 6:00 PM
Tuesday, February 10, 2026 Thetford Town School District Meeting at Thetford Elementary at 6:00
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 OUUSD Board Meeting at Oxbow at 5:30 PM
Thursday, February 12, 2026 WRVSD Board Meeting at Waits River Valley at 6:00 PM
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 Blue Mountain Union BUDGET INFORMATION Meeting
February 25 - March 3 February Break - no school
Saturday, February 28, Thetford Town Meeting Day, Thetford Academy
Tuesday, March 3, Town Meeting Day
Tuesday, March 3, Blue Mountain Union Budget Vote\
Tuesday March 3, Thetford Town School Budget Ballot Voting
TBA Oxbow Unified Union School Budget vote will be in April
Save the Date - Gone Guys Movie Screening Thursday, April 16, 2026
TBA Waits River Valley School Budget vote will be in early May

Full Calendars are available on the OESU website at https://www.oesu.org/calendars.

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

OESU 2025-2026 Newsletter Archive

Orange East Supervisory Union