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Regular Meeting of the Board of School Commissioners Minutes ~ April 14, 2026- UNAPPROVED

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Regular Meeting of the Board of School Commissioners Minutes ~ April 14, 2026- UNAPPROVED
Bethany Sprague

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Regular Meeting of the Board of School Commissioners
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
 
School Board Members Present:
Charlene Seward, Chair
Marybeth Lennox-Levins, Clerk
Brandi Barclay
Karen Bossi
Ryan Carney
Courtney Collins Whitcomb
Herbert Ogden
Jen Rondinone
Cathy Solsaa
Stephanie Stoodley
Christina Sweet
Amelia Shelton, Student Representative
Danielle Goldberg, Student Representative
Also Present:
Pam Reed, Superintendent 
Bianca McKeen, Assistant Superintendent
Ted Plemenos, CFO
Kerry Coarse, Director of Support Services
Patricia Aigner, Director of Technology
Glenn Scott, Director of Facilities
Marie Gilmond, ED of Tapestry & EPIC Programs
 
Brett Lertola, Carol Baker, Greg Schillinger, Corey Smith, Jen Wigmore, Tiffini Marano, Mike Norman, Sean Murphy, Justine Ruhlin, Sarah Koon, Mayor Tom Donahue, Christy Coloutti, Sophia Buckley-Clement (Rutland Herald), Chris Donahue (PEGTV), Scott Corbett, Stephanie Cassineri, Members of the Rutland High School Orchestra and Families, Peter Franzoni (Board of Aldermen), et al.
 
Call to Order - Chair Seward called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. She thanked the Rutland High School Orchestra for their pre-meeting performance, and then led the Pledge of Allegiance.
 
Roll Call - As noted above.
 
Board Norms - Chair Seward read the Board Norms.
 
Approval of Agenda
Motion by Stoodley/Bossi to approve the agenda with the addition of the Addendum to Personnel Memo #675 to the Consent Agenda. Motion carried.  
 
Mayoral Board Recommendations
Motion by Bossi/Sweet to accept the Mayor’s recommendations to appoint Cathy Solsaa and Ryan Carney to the Board of School Commissioners for terms ending March 2027. Motion carried.
 
Mayor Donahue administered the oaths of office and the code of ethics to the newly appointed members and introduced Peter Franzoni as the new Rutland City Board of Aldermen representative to the School Board.
 
Approval of Consent Agenda
Motion by Bossi/Sweet to accept the Consent Agenda with the addition of the Addendum to Personnel Memo #675. Motion carried.
 
Consent Agenda
  1. Minutes of Previous Meetings
  2. Personnel Memo #675 (attached)
    1. Addendum to Personnel Memo #675 (added and attached)
  3. Senior Class Activity Donation (attached)
  4. RCPS Board Expectations (attached)
  5. Contract for Structured Cabling Infrastructure (attached)
  6. Flooring Remediation and Installation Recommendations (attached)
  7. Policy for Second Reading 
    1. Second Reading Policy ~ 7415 Student Use of Cell Phones and Other Prohibited Devices
Communication
  1. Public Input - None.
School/Program Updates
  1. Student Representatives’ Report: Student Representatives Amelia Shelton and Danielle Goldberg shared the following school updates.
  • Rutland Intermediate School: Highlighted music celebrations, a fourth-grade maple sugaring field trip, VTCAP testing incentives using "effort tickets", and wrapping up another successful season with Vermont Adaptive Ski Program. They expressed gratitude for the Rotary Club's donation of dictionaries and announced a new episode of the Learning Lounge on PEGTV.
  • Northeast Primary School: Students attended a musical at the Paramount Theater. Literacy initiatives included "Drop Everything and Read" (reaching 13 minutes of schoolwide silent reading) and a March Madness book bracket. Events like Glow Day, Parent-Teacher Conferences, and a Math Family Engagement Night were enjoyed by all. The March PAWS focus was Safe. They are excited about the demolition of the old playground, which will make way for a new structure this Spring. The next community build volunteer opportunity will be the playground installation on Friday, May 29th.
  • Northwest Primary School: First- and second-grade students attended performances at the Paramount Theater. The annual first-grade music concert was held last week. The school hosted a successful Family STEAM Night and announced an upcoming Family Math Night with Heritage Family Credit Union this Wednesday at 5 p.m.
  • Stafford Technical Center (STC) - 92 STC students competed in Vermont Skills USA, earning 19 Gold, 17 Silver, and 18 Bronze medals. Gold medalists will head to the national event in Atlanta in June. April 16th is the annual Signing Night for all incoming students for the 2026-2027 school year.
  • Rutland Middle School - Announced their annual STEM Fair tomorrow at 1:45 p.m., where seventh-grade students will be presenting their projects to family and friends.
  • Rutland High School - Hosted multiple assemblies, including Rob Holla on the dangers of vaping, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Olympian Ben Ogden. They also held a Financial Reality Fair. March was Music in Our Schools month, with many musical and theater performances. Band students traveled to NYC to see Aladdin, while Chorus students traveled to Boston to see The Outsiders. Congratulations to student Amelia Shelton, who is the rock-climbing state champion and a national finalist for Student Athlete of the Year (one of eight in the Country).
  1. Fine Arts Report
Carol Baker presented an update on the Fine Arts at Rutland City Public Schools. Highlights included:
  • A review of after-school offerings at RIS, RMS, and RHS, as well as community engagement events.
  • Enrollment in visual arts remains steady, and the theater program is growing, with 33 students in the 6th–8th grade drama club.
  • The "Soup Bowls for Hunger" event saw high participation and community support.
  • The first musical since before COVID, The Wizard of Oz, is scheduled for June 12–13 at the RIS auditorium.
  • Photos from the Chaffee Art Center Student Art Show, and videos of recent concerts.
  1. Continuous Improvement Plan Updates
Assistant Superintendent Bianca McKeen provided a brief overview of Continuous Improvement Plans (CIPs), which all Vermont schools are required to have. All district investments for Title grant funds must be connected to CIP goals. The State’s required categories tie in with the RCPS Strategic Plan: Academic achievement (Teaching and Learning), safe and healthy schools (Evolution of Wellness), and equitable experiences for all students (Resources for Success). There is an emphasis on Act 139 and high-quality reading instruction, which RCPS has included in all CIPs. The Board will be asked to approve the 2026-2027 CIPs in May, which will then need to be approved by the Agency of Education and will connect to Title funding for the 2026-2027 school year.
  • Rutland Middle School CIP Update: Principal Meaghan Marsh and Assistant Principal Sean Murphy discussed "FAR Out" (Flexible Advancement and Remediation), a block for academic enrichment and skill-gap support using FastBridge data. FastBridge engagement and goal setting through the use of PBIS points for school store purchases was a focus this year. They highlighted the "CLIMB" program, a structured alternative to suspension that keeps students connected to staff and academics while completing accountability projects. The Lifelong Sports program gives students an opportunity to try something new and build confidence. Outdoor programs like Wellness in the Wilderness and Outdoor Adventure support students’ social and emotional development and strengthen academic growth.  Relationship mapping showed that the number of students who identified zero positive adult relationships in the Fall dropped from 4 to 0 in the Winter, and further work will continue. Questions and conversations centered on supports for students experiencing homelessness and the benefits of a program like CLIMB.
  • Rutland High School CIP Update: Principal Greg Schillinger and Associate Principals Jen Wigmore, Brett Lertola, and Tiffini Marano presented on goals for literacy, math, and digital wellness. They have rolled out FastBridge testing to 9th and 10th grades, with 11th grade recently added to provide longitudinal data, and shared FastBridge screening data. The high school hired an academic interventionist this year, who is pushing into classrooms to model ELA strategies and is focusing on vocabulary practices across disciplines. Digital Wellness remains a focus; cell phone violations decreased by 38% so far this year, contributing to an overall 22% decrease in behavioral incidences. Next year, a new state law will require phones to be inaccessible during the entire school day. Questions and conversations centered on how cell phone violations are handled and how the new law will affect the number of violations next year.
  1. Athletics and Activities Report
Athletic Director Mike Norman reported that 63.9% of high school students participated in at least one athletic team in the 2024-2025 school year. Participation numbers are increasing post-COVID. Mr. Norman also reviewed the number of students involved in activities, the number of athletic teams and activities available at the middle and high schools, and the number of coaches. He noted that the Athletics and Activities Council’s work and highlighted the academic achievement of student athletes: 46 Tri-Scholar Athletes (three sports in Fall, Winter, and Spring, and maintain Honor Roll all year) and 18 Academic Achievement Awards (120 hours of community service). RHS Principal Greg Schillinger highlighted the Unified Sports Program, which pairs athletes with and without disabilities, coached by Jason Cassarino and Adrienne Weld. Teams from around the State compete, and the program brings great joy to athletes and fans alike. Surveys for students in grades 7-12 in the Fall and Winter revealed that while 95% of students enjoy their teams, approximately one-third noticed fans using inappropriate language or yelling at officials. The district plans to address sportsmanship expectations with families at pre-season meetings. There was discussion and questions about why some students observe inappropriate fan behavior and others do not, and it was noted that it depends on the sport, among other factors. It was also noted that this is a national trend. Superintendent Reed and the Board publicly thanked Mike Norman for his years of service to the district and congratulated him on his retirement.
 
Central Office Reports
  1. Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Pam Reed congratulated Skills USA participants and medalists. Skills USA is a workforce development program for CTE students that empowers them to become skilled professionals, career-ready leaders, and responsible community members. Board members received a newsletter recognizing all medalists (18 RHS students). Superintendent Reed announced that kindergarten registration will open in May. She also announced and reviewed a schedule change for the 2026-2027 school year, developed with community and student input and guided by research on student learning and wellbeing. These changes reflect the district’s ongoing commitment to excellence and the well-being of the community. The changes include:
  • Northeast and Northwest Primary Schools will have earlier start times (7:45 a.m. arrival, 8:00 a.m. instruction) and earlier dismissal (2:30 p.m.) to align with research that this is the best time for young students to learn, and to support working families.
  • Rutland Intermediate and Middle Schools will shift to a slightly later schedule (8:15 a.m. arrival, 3:00 p.m. dismissal), aligning with data, research, and student input on the best times for student learning for this age group. RIS and RMS students will be sharing buses.
  • Schedules at Rutland High School and Stafford Technical Center will remain unchanged.
  • The district will also expand high school bus service within city limits to improve student safety.
  • Communication to teachers took place last week, and a message to families will go out this week.
  • Additional details (bus routes) will be shared with families before the start of the school year.
Questions and conversations centered around whether the Tapestry and EPIC Program times will adjust for the new schedule (they will), and whether the impacts of longer transportation times on student learning if districts are consolidated have been addressed at the State level (concerns have been shared with the AOE by the Vermont Superintendent’s Association).
 
Board and Committee Reports
  1. Board Report
Chair Seward reported that the Board met this past Saturday with Jeanne Collins Deweese to further their knowledge on policy governance. They discussed the roles of the Superintendent and the Board, the principles of policy governance, and the necessary policy changes and procedures to move forward. A follow-up session is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2026, to focus on rewriting district policies. The intent is to have the policies ready for first reading by the May 12, 2026, Board meeting.
 
Unfinished Business - None.
 
New Business
Chair Seward noted that Conflict of Interest Disclosure forms will be distributed to all Board members, and asked that they be signed and returned to Superintendent Reed on or before the May 12, 2026, Board meeting.
 
Executive Session
Motion by Lennox-Levins/Bossi to enter into executive session at 8:16 p.m. to discuss personnel matters pursuant to Title 1 of the Vermont Statutes, Section 313 (a)(1), because premature general public knowledge would clearly place the public body or a person involved at a substantial disadvantage. The executive session shall include Superintendent Pam Reed and Assistant Superintendent Bianca McKeen. Motion carried.
 
Motion by Bossi/Collins Whitcomb at 8:25 p.m. to come out of executive session. Motion carried.
 
Adjournment
Motion by Collins Whitcomb/Carney to adjourn the meeting at 8:25 p.m. Motion carried.
 
Respectfully Submitted,
Bethany Sprague, Board Recording Secretary
  • 2026
  • Regularly Scheduled