By Stacy Hawn, Bennington Public Schools
Updates & Reports Presented to the Board of Education
Throughout the meeting, building and district administrators presented reports and updates to the Board of Education. Click here to view the agenda with each presentation attached.
Reports included:
- Overview for elementary, middle school and high school
- Student Services
- Operations
- Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
- District Transportation, Facilities, & Operations
- Strategic Plan – Goal #1 Update
- Spotlight on District Behavior Interventionist
Dr. Plas Provided a Monthly Update to the Board
During each regular board meeting, Dr. Plas provides an update to the Board on various topics. You can view the full report online as an attachment to the meeting agenda. Click here to view the agenda.
This month’s report included an update on:
- School Financing Review Commission
- Eastern Midlands Conference
- Arbor Family Contract Information
- 2026-27 Budget Approval Process
- Superintendent-Teacher Advisory Committee (STC)
- Negotiations
Update on the 2026-27 Budget Presented by Dr. Plas
Dr. Plas presented the 2026-27 budget projections and the proposed levy to the Board of Education at Monday’s Budget Hearing. Bennington is proposing to decrease the levy by 1.3 cents to $1.345, which is the lowest the levy has been in 16 years! He shared what the projected general fund expenditures and revenue are for 2026-27. For more information, click here to view the attachment from the agenda.
District Purchases Approved
The Building/Finance Committee met on August 17th to discuss potential district purchases. These
discussions included transportation purchases and safety enhancements. The Board approved following purchases:
- A school bus for $84,450.
- This is a used bus with lower mileage. The purchase would add an additional bus to our transportation fleet, as current ridership indicates the need for another bus. We also have one bus budgeted for replacement during the 2026-27 school year.
Bennington South High School Update
Construction Update Provided to the Board
Representatives from Hausmann Construction and DLR provided the Board with an update on the construction progress of Bennington South High School, which remains on track to open for the 2028-29 school year. The project is approximately 41% complete, with work continuing on the building and site. The Board also received updates on the project budget and upcoming roadway improvements.
