"The Superintendent and Directors of the Addison Northwest School District wish to reassure the members of our educational community in these uncertain times. We remain committed to maintaining safe and welcoming schools regardless of race, gender, disability, national origin, documentation, religion, sexual orientation, political orientation, or family income. In addition to compliance with federal law, it is also our moral and ethical duty to protect and to provide an equitable education to all of the students who pass through the doors of our schools."

adopted by the ANWSD Board on May 31, 2017

The School Board of the newly unified Addison Northwest School District (ANWSD) has started the process of negotiating a contract with the Addison Northwest Teachers' Association (ANTA) for the 2017-18 contract year. Although negotiations have historically been held behind closed doors, the ANWSD Board believes that the public interest is best served through transparency. Therefore, the Board has decided to hold these negotiation meetings in an open public forum.

The next meetings between the Board and the ANTA representatives are Tuesday, October 25 and Monday, November 7; both meetings to start at 6:00 pm in the Vergennes Union High School library. These meetings will provide an opportunity for public comment. Consistent with all school board meetings, the Board negotiations committee may occasionally go into executive session to discuss sensitive matters.

The Board appreciates the hard work that our teachers do, and understands that today's schools and teachers have to address more than just education; they also handle issues concerning social services, health services, nutrition, and family support. The Board hopes to provide flexibility for teachers to meet student needs, to provide appropriate opportunities for all students, and to address student personalized learning goals. 

The Board recognizes the difficulties faced by many of our families and community members: 50% of our students receive free or reduced lunch, healthcare costs have increased for all Vermonters, salaries and home values across the region are stagnant, and only 25% of Vermont households include school-age children.

Total compensation for the District's teachers and staff accounts for more than 80% of the ANWSD budget – a distribution that clearly signifies the Addison Northwest community's belief that people are the most valuable resource in our schools. This percentage also means that future school budgets must be built around contract provisions. Contract negotiations are an important task before the Board, with the welfare of the community in its trust: a community that includes students, teachers, parents, taxpayers, and the community at large.

The Board intends to negotiate a contract which will best balance the needs of these many stakeholders, because we represent them all. Contract negotiations therefore present an opportunity for earnest dialogue to arrive at an agreement that will support our teachers, sustain our schools, preserve our community, and allow our children to thrive.

If you are unable to attend these open meetings or would like additional information, a timeline of events, warnings of upcoming meetings, and meeting minutes can be found online at anwsu.org. We encourage the residents of Addison, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Vergennes, and Waltham to take advantage of this unique opportunity to engage with the future of our children's education.

Attention Parents

As you may know, the Addison Northwest Supervisory School District is in a transition period, due to the passage of Act 46 and subsequent School Board consolidation votes in Addison, Ferrisburgh, Panton, Vergennes, and Waltham. Although the old school boards are still operational at each school, we will soon transition to a single board governing all of the public schools within these towns. That new board has been working hard to prepare for town meeting day. These preparations include the formation of a unified budget to cover the operations of all schools, an update of all board policies, ongoing contract negotiations, and the formation of a new vision statement for the unified district.

The new Addison Northwest School District Community Engagement Committee is made up of school board members, district faculty & staff and students. We are seeking input from constituents for our new vision statement. This vision statement is to serve as a "guiding light" as the board makes governance decisions in the future. If you would like to have your voice heard please answer the two questions posed on this Google Form, https://goo.gl/forms/z1salp04ezF0SrUE2 (copy and paste the link in your browser if necessary). All responses are confidential.

In addition to this online poll, the CEC is holding a series of focus groups around the five-town area to determine the priorities and visions of our community with regards to the governance of our schools. If you are interested in hosting a focus group at your residence, please contact Diana Raphael directly at: draphael@anwsu.org