Superintendent's Corner

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Our Vision:

Engaging hearts and minds for a limitless future

WSESU - where students want to learn, staff want to work, and families want to live

Our Mission:

WSESU is a diverse community of learners where:

Every learner has the potential to be a leader
Students have a strong voice in shaping their school experiences
Learning is personal, connected, and relevant
High expectations exist in caring, nurturing environments
Individuals grow into larger communities, while also broadening a sense of self
Positive relationships define the interactions between school and the community
Students get better at making decisions by making decisions
Everyone is able to bring their full selves to the learning experience

Dear WSESU Families and Community Members,

I am writing to you today regarding the "transformation" of Vermont Public Education currently being debated in Montpelier. As your Superintendent, my primary goal is to ensure our schools remain accessible, accountable, safe, and supported. However, a piece of legislation currently moving through the Statehouse, Senate Bill 220 (S.220), presents a significant challenge to that mission.

S.220 proposes lowering the "excess spending threshold" from 118% to 112% of the statewide average per-pupil spend. For supervisory unions like ours, which work hard to balance high-quality programming with fiscal responsibility, this shift is concerning. Based on current projections, a move to 112% would force our WSESU districts into a difficult choice:

Pay an additional "penalty tax" to the state on top of our voter-approved budgets, or
Implement significant reductions to staff and student programs to avoid that penalty.

As written, the following cuts would need to be made for FY28 (2027-28 school year that we plan for in the Fall/Winter of 2026).

Hartland - $1,517,597
Weathersfield - $738,767
Mount Ascutney - $1,233,349

Why This Matters Now: S.220 is expected to move to the House Ways and Means Committee soon. While the bill attempts to move away from rigid spending caps, it creates new pressures without addressing the primary drivers of rising costs that remain outside of local control:

Healthcare Premiums: Increases of 35% over the past three years.
Mental Health Crisis: Schools are increasingly responsible for providing critical clinical services previously managed by the state.
High School Tuitioning: Two of our districts tuition out their 9-12 students and have little control over those costs without ending tuitioning altogether.
Collective Bargaining: Contracts that are already set and cannot be adjusted to absorb new state penalties.
Special Education Costs: The biggest part of the SU budget is Special Education expenses, by far. For example, approx. 90% of the FY27 budgeted increase at the Supervisory Union was for Special Education. Our local districts have little control over these costs.

Our Ask of the Legislature: We are asking the General Assembly to adopt a more gradual approach to the excess spending penalty. A sudden drop to 112% risks eroding the very quality and safety we have worked so hard to build in our Mt. Ascutney, Weathersfield, and Hartland districts.

I encourage you to share your perspective with our local Senators and Representatives. Your voice is essential in ensuring that the "transformation" of Vermont education does not come at the cost of the daily opportunities our students deserve.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for your commitment to our students.

Sincerely,

Christine Bourne

Rotary Sponsored High School Student of the Month

Congratulations to Junior, Peter “Lars” Cammock, on earning Windsor High School's Student of the Month award for March. Lars is a kind, dedicated, and hardworking student in every class he takes. He challenges himself academically, and next school year, Lars plans to attend the STEM Program of Engineering at Hartford.

He has a friendly personality, is positive, and brings an encouraging attitude to class. His presence makes any classroom environment a better place. He cares about making a difference here at Windsor and is an active participant in many different groups. He is a student leader on the Lighthouse team, and, along with some peers, he gave up a day of his February vacation to lead a faculty in-service on the importance of restorative practices and creating inclusion in school. He was also an active participant in the DREAM program last year as a student mentor for elementary students. Congrats, Lars, on a well-deserved award!

National Honor Society High School Staff Member of the Month

We are very proud to recognize Mr. Jim Rogers as the Staff of the Month for March. Mr. Rogers has made a meaningful impact on our school community through his dedication, positivity, and commitment to student success. He consistently creates a welcoming and engaging environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and growing in their learning.

Students often highlight Mr. Rogers’ supportive nature and approachable personality. As one student shared, “he’s super supportive and fun to be around,” capturing the energy and encouragement he brings into every interaction. Another student noted, “when you ask him a question, he always does his best to make sure you understand,” reflecting his patience and genuine investment in helping every student succeed.

Mr. Rogers goes above and beyond to ensure that all students feel confident and capable. His ability to connect with students, break down complex ideas, and foster a positive learning atmosphere makes him a truly deserving recipient of Staff of the Month. We are grateful for the enthusiasm and care he brings to our school each day.

Graduation Dates

Hartland - June 10th, 2026 @ 4:00

Windsor Middle School Passages - June 10th, 2026 @ 6:00

Weathersfield - June 8th, 2026 @ 6:00

Windsor HS Graduation - June 5th, 2026 @ 7:00

Albert Bridget - June 10th @1:00

AI and Schools Across New Hampshire & Vermont

Community Learning Day

Saturday, April 11th, 2026. 10am-2 pm in Hanover (at Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering).

Open to all: teachers, parents/families, staff, students (HS), and administrators

Hosted by UVEI and Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering

REGISTER ON EVENTBRITE HERE.

What should our K-12 schools be doing now that AI tools are so readily available? What should I be learning and doing with–and without–AI? And how should I be feeling it all? Almost every day, we hear teachers, administrators, parents, and students struggling with these questions. And we are, too! So--as faculty at a school of education, a school of engineering, and an AI author and strategist--we’d love to invite you to a day of communal learning, discussion, and intention-setting.

Join us on Saturday, April 11, from 10am-2pm at the Thayer School of Engineering for a day of enjoyable and enlightening conversations about AI and K-12 schools across Vermont and New Hampshire. We have a few activities planned, but we will also facilitate conversations around the questions you’re most curious about (so tell us about those in the registration form or via email!). There’s no charge for attending and includes lunch (there is paid parking in the building and free parking a five-minute walk away). We are limited by space to 40 attendees, and we're hoping for a mix of stakeholders, from teachers to administrators, parents to high school students.

Hosts & Facilitators:

-Prof. Adam Norwood, Upper Valley Educators Institute

-Prof. Rafe Steinhauer, Thayer School of Engineering

-Ben Szuhaj, KungFu AI (and co-author of Wayfinding, a fable about AI strategy, release in October 2026, BenBella Books)