School board now has two seats to fill: one each for Duxbury, Waterbury

June 28, 2021 | By Lisa Scagliotti 

Editor’s note: This story was updated with a revised deadline of July 18 for applications for the Waterbury position.

In addition to appointing a new member to represent Duxbury next month, the Harwood Union School Board now has a Waterbury vacancy to fill this summer. 

Waterbury member Michael Frank, who was appointed in 2020 and was elected to a three-year term in March, has resigned. 

In a letter dated Sunday, June 27, Frank wrote to board Chair Torrey Smith: “Please accept my resignation as Harwood Unified Union School District Director for the Town of Waterbury, effective immediately.” 

Frank held one of four seats on the board representing Waterbury. Based on population, the 14-member board has four seats from Waterbury and two from each of the other five towns in the school district -- Duxbury, Fayston, Moretown, Waitsfield and Warren. 

The board’s system of proportional voting also gives the most weight to Waterbury members whose votes count as 9.85% each; Duxbury’s votes are weighted the least at 5.2%. The others range from 5.25% each for Fayston members to 6.7% for each member from Waitsfield and Warren; Moretown’s two votes come in at 6.45% apiece. 

In a message to Waterbury Roundabout, Frank commented on his resignation but did not give a specific reason why he chose to step down at this time: 

“Thank you to the Waterbury voters for putting your faith in me and selecting me to represent Waterbury. I am hopeful for the future of HUUSD and am really looking forward to the bond being approved for the long-needed renovations at Harwood. I am really excited about how the board is working together to further the bond and the betterment of the district with near unanimous support for the Harwood bond and middle school plans. Thank you to the HUUSD leadership for their excellent work through very difficult times and I look forward to seeing the continued great work from the other side of the table. I am looking forward to spending more time with my children and being able to tuck them into bed on Wednesday nights.” - Michael Frank 

Asked in an interview to elaborate, he said he was looking forward to “continued great work from the school leadership” and that he is looking forward to long-needed renovations at the high school. “There’s exciting work coming this fall with the bond,” he said. “I’m excited for Harwood and what it can be.” 

In announcing the new vacancy and putting out a call for applicants for both spots on the board, Smith pointed to multiple projects that lie ahead during the time new members would serve. “It’s an interesting time to be on the school board -- especially as we head towards putting a bond before voters in November, hire a new superintendent, and continue to plan for the long-term configuration of schools in the district. Members of the current school board (which could include you!) will make decisions in the coming months that will set the course for our district for years to come,” Smith wrote in a message posted on the school district’s website Monday.

The board is aiming to finalize a construction bond proposal by mid-September that can be put to the voters on Nov. 2. The exact scope and cost will be finalized when the board resumes its regular meetings at the end of August. Estimates to date have been around $50 million for renovations and upgrades at Harwood and an expansion at Crossett Brook Middle School in order to shift seventh- and eighth-grade classes from Harwood Middle School there in the near future.  

In addition, a search will be done in the coming months for a replacement for Superintendent Brigid Nease who plans to step down when her contract ends in June 2022. The board also is looking ahead to potential changes in school configuration with recent discussions to revisit the long-term viability of Fayston Elementary School, the smallest of the district’s schools. 

Smith explains the time commitment for board members and acknowledges that it’s a “challenging volunteer experience at the same time that it offers a chance to make a meaningful difference for residents and families in all six of our towns.”

To apply for either of the positions, interested applicants should send a letter of interest to Smith (tcsmith@huusd.org) and Nease (bnease@huusd.org). Duxbury applicants should apply by July 10; Waterbury candidates by July 18. The board has called a special meeting for July 14 to appoint a new member to the Duxbury seat. Smith said a second meeting will be scheduled to fill the Waterbury seat. The process also involves consulting with the selectboards in each town for input into the choice.

Frank’s announcement follows that of Duxbury board member Brian Dalla Mura who resigned June 9. A special education teacher, Dalla Mura has accepted a job to teach at Brookside Primary School in Waterbury (recently renamed from Thatcher Brook Primary School) and that contract begins July 1. State statute prohibits school board members from being employees in the same district where they serve. It also stipulates that vacancies should be filled in a timely manner. 

In both cases, appointments will run through Town Meeting Day 2022. At that point, the remainder of each term would be filled by voters in that election. The Duxbury seat would have one more year for its term; the Waterbury seat’s term will have two years remaining, ending at Town Meeting Day 2024. 

Additional information about the school board is on the school district website under the Board heading. A section with details about serving on the board is online at huusd.org/board-information.