PAGE  16A  —  Addison  Independent,  Thursday,  January  17,  2013
ANwSU
(Continued  from  Page  1A) veloped  MIL’s  courses  based  on  the  force,â€?  said  Swift,  who  addressed  a  college’s  immersion  method  of  teach- packed  crowd  at  MIL’s  new  head- ing  languages.  Students  are  expected  quarters  at  230  Pond  Lane.  The  crowd  to  practice  speaking  the  language  they  included  Gov.  Peter  Shumlin,  former  are  studying  inside  and  outside  of  the  Gov.  James  Douglas  of  Middlebury,  classroom.  MIL  has  also  translated  the  Vermont  Education  Secretary  Arman- college’s  world  language  curriculum  do  Vilaseca,  local  legis- into  a  digital  online  for- lators,  entrepreneurs  and  “We are a mat,  allowing  it  to  be  im- educators. plemented  across  wide  melting pot of “We  believe  that  the  distances  at  client  K-Â12  extraordinary market  for  world  lan- schools.  Swift  added  the  guage  learning  is  blos- creativity from MIL  program  includes  soming  and  that  demand  all nations a  training  program  for  will  fuel  our  expansion  coming teachers  so  that  they  in  Vermont  for  years  to  together to be can  lead  their  students  come,â€?  Swift  added. through  courses  in  Chi- innovators. ,QGHHG RIÂżFLDOV DW nese,  French,  German,  MIL,  which  has  tripled  If you can’t Latin  and  Spanish. its  employee  headcount  communicate Shumlin,  who  in  his  in  the  past  year,  are  pre- in a variety of inaugural  address  on  Jan.  dicting  the  need  to  double  languages, as 10  made  education  ex- their  Middlebury  work- we approach cellence  and  workforce  force  again  by  2015.  The  training  his  top  priorities  21st-century new  company  also  has  for  the  next  biennium,  workers  in  Provo,  Utah,  jobs, we will was  effusive  in  his  praise  and  in  other  parts  of  the  not succeed for  MIL. country.  But  Swift  —  a  and will not “This  is  a  big  deal,â€?  former  acting  governor  of  prosper as a he  said.  “It  is  without  a  Massachusetts  who  will  nation and as a doubt  the  most  challeng- soon  relocate  with  her  ing,  thoughtful  curricu- family  to  Addison  Coun- state.â€? lum  for  online  language  — Gov. Peter ty  —  said  MIL  will  keep  Shumlin learning  that  could  be  Middlebury  as  its  head- developed  anywhere  in  quarters.  She  cited  two  the  world.â€? reasons  for  that  decision:  The  proxim- He  credited  Middlebury  College  for  ity  to,  and  ability  to  partner  with,  Mid- lending  its  expertise  to  the  venture  and  dlebury  College  and  its  internationally  for  the  program’s  ability  to  make  area  renowned  language  programs;Íž  and  the  students  more  marketable  in  an  in- quality  of  life  that  Addison  County  can  creasingly  global  employment  arena. afford  MIL  employees. “Vermont’s  job  future  —  and  our  na- “We  are  thrilled  to  have  this  space  tion’s  job  future  —  in  competing  with  and  to  be  a  national  model  for  what  we  other  countries  is  tied  directly  to  how  do,â€?  Swift  said. we  teach  the  21st-Âcentury  skills  our  IMMERSION  METHOD workforce  is  going  to  need,â€?  Shumlin  Middlebury  College  professors  de- said.  “Anyone  who  believes  that  work-Â
force  is  going  to  be  communicating  He  explained  he  started  K12  Inc.  13  only  in  English  is  missing  the  very  im- years  ago,  while  looking  to  boost  the  portant  ingredient  of  job  success  here  math  instruction  his  young  daughter  in  America.  More  and  more  ‌  we  are  ZDV JHWWLQJ LQ ÂżUVW JUDGH +H IRXQG D a  melting  pot  of  extraordinary  creativ- large  void  in  Web-Âbased  teaching  re- ity  from  all  nations  coming  together  to  sources  and  decided  he  would  work  to  be  innovators.  If  you  can’t  communi- ¿OO WKDW YRLG cate  in  a  variety  of  languages,  as  we  “I  got  the  vision  that  there  is  no  rea- approach  21st-Âcentury  jobs,  we  will  son,  with  Web-Âbased  technology,  that  not  succeed  and  will  not  prosper  as  a  you  couldn’t  go  to  an  entire  school  nation  and  as  a  state.â€? online,â€?  he  said.  “We  Middlebury  College  watched  a  com- “I got the vision have  President  Ron  Liebowitz  pany  grow  to  where  said  the  college  is  pleased  that there is no we  are  serving  130,000  to  be  a  major  player  in  reason, with kids  full-Âtime,  have  the  MIL  effort,  and  in  the  Web-based over  500,000  kids  using  “Vermont  World  Lan- technology, that courses  around  the  coun- guage  Initiativeâ€?  that  will  you couldn’t try  —  there  has  been  make  discounted  MIL  an  amazing  amount  of  services  available  for  the  go to an entire change,â€?  Packard  said. next  four  years  for  up  to  school online.â€? Web-Âbased  educa- — Ron Packard, tion,  Packard  said,  can  30  schools  in  the  state.  CEO of K12 Inc. be  done  in  an  economi- Any  public  or  private  school  in  Vermont  is  cal  way  throughout  the  HOLJLEOH WR VHHN WKH VHUYLFHV RQ D ÂżUVW year  that  can  woo  back  drop-Âouts  and  FRPH ÂżUVW VHUYHG EDVLV 0,/ ZLOO be  easily  worked  into  one’s  personal  provide  courses  to  those  schools  at  a  schedule. combined  discount  of  around  $1.9  mil- “We  are  taking  the  best  expertise  lion  over  the  four  years;Íž  participating  available  in  language  instruction  and  schools  will  pay  $6,000  annually. making  it  available  to  everyone,â€?  In  addition,  the  college  will  cover  Packard  said. $3,000  for  course  content  and  $2,750  Swift  said  MIL’s  online  offerings  for  on-Âsite  teacher  professional  devel- are  not  intended  to  supplant  school  opment  training  for  each  participating  language  teachers;Íž  they  are  meant  to  school  per  year,  amounting  to  another  complement  what’s  going  on  in  the  LQ EHQHÂżW classroom. “We  are  pleased  that  MIL  is  leveling  “We  think  we  are  a  great  resource  WKH SOD\LQJ ÂżHOG IRU VWXGHQWV WHDFKHUV for  teachers;Íž  of  our  employee  base,  and  administrators  who  lack  access  to  PRUH WKDQ KDOI DUH WHDFKHUV FHUWLÂżHG excellent  language  instruction  today,â€?  in  states  throughout  the  country,  and  Liebowitz  said,  noting  tightening  re- we  employ  hundreds  of  the  teachers  sources  in  K-Â12  schools. during  the  summer  for  our  summer  THE  VISION academies,â€?  Swift  said.  “In  some  cas- Ron  Packard  is  CEO  of  K12  Inc.  es  we  can  supplement  what  (teachers)  and  the  individual  who  hired  Swift  to  are  doing  or  expand  their  capacity.â€? organize  MIL. Vilaseca  believes  MIL’s  programs  can  help  Vermont  schools  maintain  quality  education  programming  in  the  face  of  declining  enrollment  and  resources.  In  1997,  Vermont  had  a  K-Â12  population  of  around  107,000,  according  to  Vilaseca.  That  number  has  now  dropped  to  approximately  82,000,  he  said,  with  further  projected  reductions  of  around  1  percent  annu- ally  going  forward.  He  believes  MIL  could  get  children  introduced  to  a  second  language  earlier  and  therefore  EHFRPH PRUH SURÂżFLHQW E\ WKH WLPH they  graduate. “A  program  like  this  is  a  great  way  of  particularly  getting  our  elementary  school  kids  (language  instruction)  without  having  to  hire  a  French  teach- er  or  a  Spanish  teacher  or  whatever,  by  taking  online  classes,â€?  Vilaseca  said.  “So  by  the  time  they  get  to  Mid- dlebury  Union  Middle  School,  where  WKH\ VWDUW DQ RIÂżFLDO IRUHLJQ ODQJXDJH program,  students  are  already  familiar  with  the  language  and  may  be  able  to  start  at  a  higher  level,  which  would  mean  they  would  be  able  to  get  to  a  much  more  advanced  level.â€? Reporter  John  Flowers  is  at  johnf@ GOV.  PETER  SHUMLIN  speaks  at  Middlebury  Interactive  Languages  in  Middlebury  Monday  morning. Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell addisonindependent.com.
VUHS (Continued  from  Page  1A) boards  budgeted  for  a  13.5  percent  hike. School  board  chairwoman  Kris  Bristow  said  on  Tuesday  that  there  are  no  major  additions  or  subtractions  to  programs  or  personnel  proposed  for  VUHS  next  year.  Bristow  noted  VUHS  made  cuts  while  essentially  level  funding  the  school  over  the  past  three  years  —  the  board  called  for  a  2  percent  spending  increase  a  year  ago  after  calling  for  no  increase  two  years  in  a  row. Â
Given  that  history,  Bristow  said  board  members  said  they  did  not  be- lieve  they  should  make  program  or  personnel  cuts  because  of  the  hike  in  special  education  costs.  “It’s  a  good  budget,â€?  Bristow  said.  ³, GRQÂśW IHHO \RX FDQ VDFULÂżFH RWKHU programs  for  special  education.â€? O’Brien  backed  the  plan,  saying  it  LV ÂżVFDOO\ UHVSRQVLEOH ZKLOH FRQWLQX- ing  to  meet  the  needs  of  VUHS  stu- dents.     “In  the  scheme  of  things,  over  a  period  of  time,  the  budget  growth, Â
I  think,  has  been  very  conservative  across  the  board,â€?  he  said.  The  VUHS  board  is  also  asking  voters  to  consider  a  two-Âphase  im- SURYHPHQW ERQG LQ )HEUXDU\ 7KH ÂżUVW choice  will  be  to  spend  $4.2  million  to  make  improvements  to  the  school’s  DXGLWRULXP NLWFKHQ DQG FDIHWHULD Âż[ URRÂżQJ LQ WZR DUHDV SDYH WKH ZHVWHUQ SDUNLQJ ORW Âż[ RQH VLGHZDON DQG DGG DQRWKHU DQG LPSURYH WUDIÂżF Ă€RZ DW the  pick-Âup  and  drop-Âoff  area.  Voters  will  also  be  asked  to  spend  DQRWKHU PLOOLRQ WR SXW DQ DUWLÂżFLDO
surface  on  the  school’s  varsity  soccer  DQG ODFURVVH ÂżHOG DQG WR VXUURXQG LW with  a  six-Âlane  track.  That  extra  mon- ey  cannot  be  approved  unless  AN- wSU  residents  also  back  the  larger  bond  for  improvements  in  and  around  the  school.  Payments  on  those  bonds  would  not  have  an  impact  on  the  2013-Â2014  budget,  according  to  ANwSU  busi- ness  manager  Kathy  Cannon. “If  the  bond  passes,  it  would  not  af- fect  the  budget,â€?  she  said.  “It  would  affect  the  following  year.â€?
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R P ed r uc ice tio  n!
Independent  photo/Trent  Campbell
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(Continued  from  Page  1A) A  7.1-Âcent  increase  translates  to  range  of  increase  from  about  7  to  9.6  $71  in  higher  taxes  per  $100,000  of  FHQWV LQ WKH ÂżYH WRZQV assessed  value,  assuming  that  a  resi- Residents  who  are  paying  based  dent  is  paying  taxes  based  on  the  full  on  income-Âsensitivity  provisions  in  value  of  a  home. WKH VWDWHÂśV VFKRRO ÂżQDQFLQJ ODZV ZLOO ‡ Ferrisburgh,  an  increase  of  8.31  not  necessarily  see  the  full  impact  of  cents  to  $1.423. any  changes  in  school  spending  or  Ferrisburgh’s  CLA  is  now  100.36,  a  WD[ UDWHV $ VLJQLÂżFDQW PDMRULW\ RI ÂżJXUH WKDW &DQQRQ VDLG WKH WRZQ LV DS- homeowners  in  all  ANwSU  towns  pealing.  If  it  stands,  it  would  lower  the  receive  prebates,  per  the  most  re- increase  to  8.28  cents.  cently  available  state  data.  An  8.28-Âcent  increase  translates  The  ANwSU  estimates,  prepared  to  almost  $83  in  higher  taxes  per  by  business  manager  Kathy  Cannon,  $100,000  of  assessed  value,  assuming  assume  that  all  four  ANwSU  school  that  a  resident  is  paying  taxes  based  on  budgets  pass  as  proposed  the  full  value  of  a  home. (the  three  AnwSU  elemen- $ VLJQLĂ€FDQW ‡ Panton,  an  in- tary  school  boards  adopted  majority of crease  of  8.91  cents  to  budgets  last  week,  and  the  homeowners $1.324. Independent  will  take  a  in all Panton’s  CLA  is  now  closer  look  at  those  plans  96.7,  and  would  raise  that  ANwSU next  week)  and  that  the  amount  to  92.1  cents.  Legislature  makes  no  sig- towns A  92.1-Âcent  increase  QLÂżFDQW FKDQJHV WR VFKRRO receive translates  to  roughly  $92  in  funding  laws  this  winter. higher  taxes  per  $100,000  prebates, Factors  that  play  into  per the most of  assessed  value,  assum- each  town’s  rates  include  recently ing  that  a  resident  is  paying  their  overall  number  of  taxes  based  on  the  full  value  pupils,  the  ratio  of  stu- available of  a  home. dents  at  their  elementary  state data. ‡ Vergennes,  an  schools  and  at  VUHS,  increase  of  9.03  cents  to  per-Âpupil  spending  at  each  elemen- $1.325. tary  school,  and  the  towns’  Common  Vergennes’  CLA  is  now  104.21,  Levels  of  Appraisal  (CLAs),  which  a  number  that  Cannon  said  city  of- measure  how  accurate  are  their  as- ¿FLDOV DUH DSSHDOLQJ ,I WKDW ÂżJXUH sessments  of  property  values,  ac- stands,  it  would  lower  the  tax  rate  cording  to  state  data  analysis. increase  to  about  8.7  cents.  7KH ÂżYH $1Z68 WRZQV KDYH DOO UH- A  8.7-Âcent  increase  translates  to  appraised  in  recent  years,  and  the  mar- $87  in  higher  taxes  per  $100,000  of  ket  has  been  relatively  stable.  Thus,  assessed  value,  assuming  that  a  resi- their  CLAs  are  all  relatively  close  to  dent  is  paying  taxes  based  on  the  full  100  percent,  ranging  from  94.82  in  value  of  a  home. Waltham  to  112.40  in  Addison,  ac- ‡ Waltham,  an  increase  of  9.08  cording  to  Cannon.  cents  to  $1.327.  The  estimates  —  exclusive  of  the  Waltham’s  CLA  stands  at  94.82,  portion  of  tax  rates  need  to  support  and  would  raise  that  increase  to  municipal,  non-Âschool  spending  —  about  9.6  cents.  are: A  9.6-Âcent  increase  translates  to  ‡ Addison,  an  increase  of  7.99  $96  in  higher  taxes  per  $100,000  of  cents  to  $1.403.  assessed  value,  assuming  that  a  resi- Addison’s  CLA  of  112.4,  because  dent  is  paying  taxes  based  on  the  full  it  is  higher  than  100  percent,  would  value  of  a  home. lower  that  increase  to  about  7.1  Andy  Kirkaldy  may  be  reached  at  cents.  andyk@addisonindependent.com.
‡ Champlain  Valley  Properties 101  Court  Street,  Middlebury  VT www.midvthomes.com Outstanding  Agents Outstanding  ResultsŽ