By Alex Nuti-de Biasi, Editor of the Journal-Opinion
The Orange East Supervisory Union Board will meet this afternoon to review a proposed $11.6 million budget for the 2024-2025 school year.
The central office coordinates special education services for the entire supervisory union serving Bradford and surrounding towns and their school districts. About two-thirds of the budget is for special education spending. Beyond special education, the district’s budget also provides for early education, transportation, social and emotional learning, and English language education for non-native speakers.
About 82% is for student services, the superintendent told board members last week.
Still, overall spending is projected to rise over 17% and that is giving some board members pause. Revenue, in part, is generated from assessments on the local districts.
“I think the budget is high,” said Danielle Corti of Newbury.
The OESU Board is composed of representatives from Blue Mountain, Oxbow Unified, Thetford, and Waits River districts. While voters approve the budgets in those districts, the supervisory union budget is reviewed and approved by the OESU Board.
Too bees or not too bees?
What is the state of health for Vermont’s honeybee population? It depends who you ask.
According to a Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets report (PDF) published last month, colony numbers are at an all-time high finding a 43% increase between 2016 and 2023.
“However, based on the increase in the number of colonies managed, Vermont beekeepers have learned to effectively manage colony stressors in the current environment and successfully maintain a thriving beekeeping industry in the state,” the report stated.
But not everybody agrees.
“The VAAFM’s claim of record honey bee numbers in Vermont as evidence of a ‘healthy and robust beekeeping industry’ is not only misleading but serves to undermine our industry and ongoing efforts in Vermont to protect managed and native bees, both of whom are in great peril,” countered the Vermont Beekeepers Association.
The VBA argued that total colony numbers are not an accurate measure of bee health. Rather, the VBA stated, agency data shows Vermont beekeepers have lost at least 25% of their bees during the winter months for the last three years.
Further, the organization stated that the increase in colony numbers is attributable to improved registration efforts to get beekeepers to document their colonies with the state.
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Categories: Education, Uncategorized
“I think the budget is high,” said Danielle Corti of Newbury.” That is a perfect example of an understatement.
17% is outrageous for Orange East and any other district in VT and should be rejected, period!
higher property taxes coming your way///enjoy///
Maybe the progressive socialists want us Working Class Vermonters to be forced out of Our State so they can turn Vermont into what they did to burlington??
More likely so they can pick up some nice farmland cheap and build their little million dollar retreat, or develop the piss out of it, or turn it into another solar panel dump-in-the-making. What might it take for voters to wake up?
So will the citizens be putting forth some sort of referendum to opt out of this bad deal and have their funds returned to them? They can surely contract with teachers for whatever schooling servicers they think would be good for their kids. right?
Promise yourself to never vote for a Vermont democrat.
Preferably there would be some real Republicans to vote for in that scenario.
oooooor …anyone who’s agenda will be determined by consensus from their constituents. …any one who’d amend sunset/expiration dates to all legislation before them …any one who’d consider impact audits for laws on the books …any one who’d consider repealing legislation as important as passing it …any one who’d entertain the idea that government has expanded into arenas that should be returned to the private sector.
the sad fact now, it is your job to enforce the bill of rights/// that means no more talking///i will not be leaving vermont/// what ever its takes to protect my interests will get done///
They are destroying our state. Let’s close all the schools and reboot!