Student and Family Systems

Resources

Educational Support Team

The Educational Support Team (EST) is part of each school’s MTSS system. The purpose of the EST is to provide more targeted and individualized interventions for students. EST members engage in collaborative problem-solving to determine whether additional support is needed for a student to make appropriate progress, and to monitor that progress. This may include academics, attendance, behavior, or enrichment activities. The team can offer suggestions for student support that may not have been considered in previous planning efforts. An EST has standing members and meets regularly, typically weekly or bi-weekly. EST meetings result in assigned action steps and teams may decide to create a more formal plan. The EST process always involves input from the parent and the student.

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in WNESU

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (referred to as MTSS) is a systemic approach to decision-making for excellence and equity within a culture of continuous improvement that focuses on successful outcomes for all students. This systemic approach:

Supports the collaboration of all adults to meet the academic, behavioral, social and emotional needs of all students,
Provides a layered system of high-quality, evidence-based instruction, intervention, and assessment practices that are matched to student strengths and needs,
Relies on the effective and timely use of meaningful data,
Helps districts and their schools organize resources to accelerate the learning of every student, and
Engages and develops the collective expertise of educators, students, family and community partnerships.

WNESU schools comply with 16 V.S.A. § 2902 by ensuring that each school in our district maintains a tiered system of academic and behavioral supports for the purpose of providing all students with the opportunity to succeed or to be challenged in the general education environment.

Section 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 District Contact Information 2025-2026

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

"This law protects people with disabilities from discrimination in any program or activity receiving federal funding. Students with disabilities that substantially limit a major life activity such as learning, working, hearing, speaking, etc. may require an individual accommodation plan or specific services to ensure access to education and school sponsored activities." ~ Vermont Department of Education website

Purpose: "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the U.S. ...shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." - Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 IS: Federal Law - civil rights legislation; protection from discrimination; applicable to programs receiving Federal funds.

Section 504 IS NOT: IDEA; state enforced; funded - comes with no funds attached.

Who is protected?

People with temporary or permanent disabilities i.e.: emotional or mental illness conditions, physiological conditions, anatomical losses, or disabilities regarding learning (ADD, etc.)
Conditions that substantially limit a major life activity such as: walking, seeing, breathing, hearing, speaking, working, or learning - compared with the average population.

504 applies to equal opportunity to participate in academics and non-academics. A student who is impaired but succeeding does not need a plan.

What does this mean for students?

A team process involving people knowledgeable about the student and the disability
Accommodations to access education
An individualized plan
Plans that are revisited periodically
Academic and non-academic protections
Parents Rights
Advance planning for upcoming situations, such as field trips, etc.

What does this mean for staff?

A forum to strategize and develop plans for helping students
Specific expertise
Accommodations, related aids, and services
Prior planning for field trips and non-academics
Individualized 504 plans
Periodic review of effectiveness in accessing education

Section 504 District Contact Information 2025-2026

Rockingham School District

Central Elementary School: Kate Kane, Principal, kate.kane@wnesu.com 802-463-4346

Saxtons River Elementary School: Laura Hazard, Principal, laura.hazard@wnesu.com 802-869-2637

Bellows Falls Middle School: Henry Bailly, Principal, henry.bailly@wnesu.com 802-463-4366

Bellows Falls Union High School District

Bellows Falls Union High School: Kelly O’Ryan, Principal, kelly.oryan@wnesu.com 802-460-1427

Westminster Town School District

Westminster Center School: Elizabeth Harty, Principal, elizabeth.harty@wnesu.com 802-722-3241

Athens-Grafton School District

Grafton Elementary School: Angela Cartier, Principal, angela.cartier@wnesu.com 802-843-2496

Windham Northeast Supervisory Union

Early Education Center: Jennifer Keenan, Principal, jennifer.keenan@wnesu.com 802-460-1427

WNESU: Section 504 Coordinator: Shelley Wilson, shelley.wilson@wnesu.com 802-463-9958

WNESU Human Resources: Maggie Brooks, maggie.brooks@wnesu.com 802-463-9958

Title IX

Per WNESU District Title IX/Sexual Harassment policy, formal complaints of Sexual Harassment may be filed with the Title IX coordinator in person, by mail, or by email and must be in writing.

At a minimum, a Formal Complaint of Sexual Harassment must:

a. contain the name and address of the Complainant and the student’s parent or guardian if the complainant is a minor student;

b. describe the alleged sexual harassment;

c. request an investigation of the matter;

d. when filed by the Complainant be signed by the Complainant or otherwise indicate that the complainant is the person filing the complaint, or if not filed by the Complainant be signed by the Title IX Coordinator.

WNESU Title IX Coordinator: Shelley Wilson, shelley.wilson@wnesu.com 802-463-9958

Form to be completed

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In This Section

Student and Family Systems

Resources

Educational Support Team

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support in WNESU

Section 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Who is protected?

What does this mean for students?

What does this mean for staff?

Section 504 District Contact Information 2025-2026

Rockingham School District

Bellows Falls Union High School District

Westminster Town School District

Athens-Grafton School District

Windham Northeast Supervisory Union

Title IX