"My Way or the Highway" Powden's Speech Released/Voicing Concern

At the recent Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) board meeting, there was concern raised by the Superintendent of the Two Rivers Supervisory Union (TRSU), Meg Powden’s, unwillingness to provide the board with a copy of  her “welcoming” speech. Her rationale was, “We have an issue – the administration and the board. … I don’t trust some of the board members because of some of their actions.”

The Chester Telegraph has obtained a copy of the speech via state law, which is available online.

Reading the speech, it becomes clear why some educators would be offended by her comments. Towards the end of it, she talks about “proficiency-based education,” praising those who are on board with it and chastising those who aren’t.  

Her message to the “resistors,” as she called them, is clear. Get on board today, commit to doing this work today because you have harmed us. By not fully engaging in this work you have held us back. After four years of professional development in proficiency-based education our middle and high schools should be much further along. Our teachers who have committed to doing this work have been held back by your resistance. Your refusal to collaborate and engage in this work has rendered unnecessary challenges and difficulties amongst your colleagues and some of them just haven’t had the energy to battle with you or have been reluctant to speak up. The harm you have caused has impacted our students; we haven’t given them our best because we aren’t where we should be…I don’t know why you’re being resistant. We’ve never had a conversation about it and we never will. Personalized and proficiency-based education is our work. If this is work you will not do because you cannot wholeheartedly embrace it, you don’t believe all students can and will learn, you don’t value working with our administration and your colleagues to create and build great schools then I am asking you to leave our supervisory union and find a public school that will be a better match. I don’t think you’ll find one in Vermont, because this is state work, this is local work.”

Closing comments to speeches are what most people remember, so Powden’s message of, “it’s my way or the highway,” was disturbing to some in attendance.  

Does proficiency based learning have the track record and research to merit this type of speech? While competency based educations (CBE) has been around since the 60s, the current approach has only been in place for about five years. Some states, like Maine, that were big supporters of it initially, are already moving away from it. Further there a variety of approaches to proficiency based learning.  The best that can be said is that this approach to CBE is transitional.

Taking it one step further, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federally-mandated test that’s referred to as the Nation’s Report Card, has just been released. Testing 4th and 8th grade students, Vermont students scored above the national average on all tests except for fourth grade math. However, results  largely mirrored national trends. VT  performance has declined between 2017 and 2019-the time period where proficiency based learning has been pushed- in both subjects and both grades. Is this a reflection on proficiency based education?

 The release of this speech continues to add logs to the fire of community frustration. A number of those who live in the TRSU (Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow and Mt. Holly) have been voicing their displeasure with Powden  on social media for quite some time.

 With the creation of the TRSU, and the end of local school boards, it’s easy to understand why people are choosing social media over attending meetings. Not only is it easier, but some don’t understand who to talk too. To that end, the following information is being provided to help people direct their comments to those who are in a position to make change.

Cavendish is part of the GMUSD with town reps being Kate Lamphere (Kate.Lamphere@trsu.org); Fred Marin (Fred.Marin@trsu.org) and Doug McBride (Doug.McBride@trsu.org).

Note that in The Chester Telegraph’s article Powden releases text of speech to board, Telegraph Marin is on record as having said, “I thought it was a great speech. She’s trying to address a problem and, while I can understand teachers being upset by her suggestions, it’s time to fish or cut bait. The only way to find out if something works is to implement it and she’s being a strong leader.”

McBride was not available for comment and Lamphere’s comments were not included in the article.

 The GMUSD plus the Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified School District comprise the TRSU. Fred Marin serves on the TRSU board, which recently made the decision to continue Powden’s contract.

A list of members and contact information for all of the boards is available on-line at the TRSU website. If you can’t make meetings, you can e-mail them with your concerns and recommendations.