Message from the Superintendent, Ron Stahley, Ed.D

Dear Families and Colleagues of EES:

During the past year, the teachers and staff of the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union have been committed to providing excellent learning opportunities for our students in positive learning environments. We are working to ensure that all students are positioned to meet the Vermont Standards.

As the challenging financial circumstances have continued, we have been looking closely for efficiencies within the current budgets. People have been very frugal with our existing resources. We also see some opportunities through attrition - not filling positions that are vacated unless they are critical to our educational operation.  We continue to prioritize our highest needs as we develop our budgets. The budgets we present reflect tough decisions about what resources are essential and what we can do without.  We will address these issues as we present each budget at your annual town meeting.

I would like to cite recent comments made by Paul Cillo, President of the Public Assets Institute in Montpelier as he provides a broader perspective on Vermont’s educational achievement and spending.

Vermont's school boards and teachers with the support of local voters have been effectively managing school costs while keeping the state's public schools among the best in the nation.

Nationally released student test scores place Vermont in the top five states. Meanwhile, public education expenditures as a percentage of Vermont's economy have remained flat for 15 years at less than 6 percent of gross state product. That's in spite of Vermont schools' health care costs rising by an average of over 9 percent each year against a relatively modest drop in public-school enrollments of a little more than 1 percent yearly.

Vermont has a financially sustainable public education system that achieves excellent results. It keeps its education spending flat as a percentage of the economy under hugely trying circumstances. This should be cause for congratulations.

I find Paul’s comments especially true for the schools and programs of WSESU. We have worked hard to provide quality education for our students, making an investment in our future.

Our work, when linked with strong parent and community support, will help ensure that we achieve the WSESU District Mission: To provide a safe, inclusive and supportive environment where all students grow academically, socially, and emotionally, and are challenged to reach their potential as local and global community members. 

You can learn more about our schools by visiting the WSESU web site: www.wssu.k12.vt.us.
Please remember that our schools remain a community resource, and we welcome involvement in programs and activities that will enhance learning for our students. 

Sincerely,

Ron Stahley, Ed.D

Superintendent of Schools
Windham Southeast Supervisory Union

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