Orange East Supervisory Union
Newsletter 11/21/2025
Message from the Superintendent
Dear OESU Community,
Here is a quick Act 73 update. The Vermont School District Redistricting Task Force met for their final meeting on Thursday, November 20. Despite strong criticism from the governor, the Task Force stuck to its decision not to offer concrete redistricting maps. Instead, they have created a 168 page proposal for Voluntary Mergers that focus on cooperative services and regional high schools.
Proposal: Cooperative Education Services, Voluntary Mergers, Regional Comprehensive High Schools
This proposal lays out a 10-year plan. Districts would be incentivized to merge to access state construction aid and to coordinate on developing regional high schools, while utilizing regional boards of cooperative educational services, or BOCES, to share the cost of services. This plan works well for Orange East. The CTE map that proposed removing Thetford from OESU was NOT approved to move forward. The Task Force has done their work and now we will wait to see what happens when the legislature reconvenes on January 6.
We are moving into budget season and I along with our school Principals are working to craft budgets that are aligned with the communities priorities. Please take a moment to complete this brief Budget Priorities Survey. We are committed to being transparent about school finances and are grateful for all the community members who support public schools and students.
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our entire learning community. To our teachers and staff, thank you for your dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to our students each and every day. I am grateful for our students whose curiosity, perseverance, and joy for learning inspire all of us. And to our families, we are deeply grateful for your partnership, support, and trust.
This time of year reminds us of the importance of community and the strength we find in one another. I hope that the coming days provide you with rest, connection, and the opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming students back to school after the Thanksgiving break.
Wishing you all a warm, safe, and joyful Thanksgiving.
Heather Lawler
Superintendent of Schools
Orange East Supervisory Union
PS - Here are a few pictures of Mabel, therapy dog in training, and I visiting the Health Sciences Classroom at River Bend Career and Technical Center to learn about wheelchairs and medical devices. Thank you to the students who showed her around!
Your Thoughts: Orange East's Budget Priorities
In Orange East Supervisory Union, the voices of our students, families, staff, and community members are essential in shaping the future of our schools. As we begin the planning process for the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, we want to hear from you.
Our goal in this process is a clear one: to build school budgets that meet the needs of our students, provide them with educational opportunities equal to their peers across the state, and reflect the values and priorities of our communities.
To do this well, we need your voice. We invite parents, caregivers, families, staff, and community members to participate in a brief survey, sharing their thoughts on funding priorities.
Your feedback will help guide our decisions on where to focus resources, enabling us to continue fulfilling our mission of providing equity, access, and opportunity for every learner. Please take a few minutes to share the areas and priorities you believe deserve our attention and investment in the coming year.
Please take a few minutes to complete this brief Budget Priorities Survey.
Orange East Supervisory Union Board Updates - November Report and OESU Budget Draft
Here is the link to the November 18, 2025 Superintendents Report which was included in the OESU board packet. Highlights include Average Daily Membership (ADM) and Enrollment in all OESU schools, Food Service Update, PreK Update, Special Education Spending Report, Statewide Graduation Requirements update, Continuous Improvement Update, and more. We want people to know what we are working on at Central Office. Right now a big focus is budget planning for 2026-2027. Thank you for your support and input as we do this work.
Here is a link to the full 11/18/2025 SU Board Meeting Materials Folder which includes the draft of the OESU Expenditure Budget, Fund Balances, and OESU first quarter expenditures and revenue reports.
Upcoming Dates
Monday November 24, Blue Mountain Union closed, Waits River Valley Closed for Emergency Repair
Tuesday November 24, Blue Mountain Union closed, Waits River Valley Closed for Emergency Repair, All other schools 1/2 day.
Wednesday to Friday, November 26-28, All OESU Schools Closed for Thanksgiving Break
Wednesday, December 3, Blue Mountain Union School District (BMUSD) Board Meeting 6:00PM
Tuesday, December 9, Thetford Town School District (TTSD) Board Meeting 6:00PM
Wednesday, December 10, Oxbow Unified Union School District (OUUSD) Board Meeting 5:30PM
Thursday, December 11, Waits River Valley School District (WRVSD) Board Meeting 6:00PM
Tuesday, December 16, Orange East Supervisory Union (OESU) Board Meeting 6:00PM
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