The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 16 Appendix: Education Charters and Agreements

Chapter 005: Bennington School District Incorporated

• § 5-1. Districts authorized to dissolve and merge

  Bennington Graded School District, Inc., incorporated by No. 121 of the Acts of 1870, and Greater Bennington Schools, Inc., incorporated by Nos. 240 and 241 of the Acts of 1935, are hereby authorized and enabled to surrender their respective charters, dissolve, and thereby merge into and form a municipal corporation to be called Bennington School District Incorporated, upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

• § 5-2. Merger to constitute incorporation of new district

  If Bennington Graded School District, Inc. and Greater Bennington School, Inc. vote to surrender their respective charters and dissolve and thereby merge, this chapter shall constitute the incorporating charter of Bennington School District Incorporated the territorial limits of which shall be all of the Town of Bennington exclusive of the portion of the Town which is within the North Bennington Graded School District, Inc.

• § 5-3. New district to own all property of old districts

  All real estate and other property and all assets of Bennington Graded School District, Inc. and Greater Bennington Schools, Inc. shall become the property of Bennington School District Incorporated on July 1 in the year following the calendar year in which it is voted to dissolve the old districts and to create the new district pursuant to subsection 8(a) of this chapter, subject, however, to any agreements with respect thereto made by Bennington Graded School District, Inc., or Greater Bennington Schools, Inc., before July 1 in such year.

• § 5-4. New district to provide public schools for grades kindergarten through sixth

  (a) The Bennington School District Incorporated shall provide for the elementary education of students within the territorial limits of the District for grades kindergarten through sixth.

  (b) Sixth grade. The School Board shall not allow the attendance of sixth graders of the Bennington School District at the Mount Anthony Union School District Middle School until receiving authorization from a majority of the voters of the District by Australian ballot vote at a regular or special meeting. If authorization is given, the authorization shall remain in effect until the provisions of this charter are amended. (Amended 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), § 302, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)

• § 5-5. New district responsible for Mt. Anthony Union High School District (No. 14) expenses of old districts.

• § 5-6. New district responsible for debts and liabilities of old districts.

• § 5-7. New district to vote a tax on the combined grand list of old districts; fiscal year

  (a) The taxable estates within the territorial limits of Bennington School District Incorporated shall be combined into one grand list. The Bennington School District Incorporated may vote a tax upon those taxable estates for the lawful purposes of the district, including the payment of obligations imposed upon the District by sections 4, 5, and 6 of this chapter.

  (b) The fiscal year of Bennington School District Incorporated shall be from July 1 in any calendar year to June 30 in the following calendar year.

• § 5-8. When new district becomes body politic and old districts cease to exist; joint board governs affairs of new district during interim.

• § 5-9. Officers of new district

  (a) The officers of Bennington School District Incorporated shall be a Moderator, Clerk, Board of School Directors, and Treasurer.

  (b) The Board of School Directors of Bennington School District Incorporated shall have seven members who shall be elected at large. When Bennington School District Incorporated so votes at an annual or special meeting, the Board of School Directors may be increased or decreased by such number as is voted.

  (c) All officers of Bennington School District Incorporated elected at an annual meeting shall enter upon their duties immediately following their election and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.

  (d) The terms of office of the members of the Board of School Directors, Moderator, Clerk, and Treasurer shall be three years and of all other officers one year.

  (e) The Board of School Directors shall annually appoint a certified public accountant to audit the financial records of Bennington School District Incorporated.

• § 5-10. First annual meeting of district.

• § 5-11. Mt. Anthony Union High School District (No. 14) directors elected at large

  The two Directors of Mt. Anthony Union High School District (No. 14) elected by Bennington Graded School District, Inc. and the two Directors of the Union District elected by Greater Bennington Schools, Inc. shall be elected as four Directors at large from Bennington School District Incorporated at the first annual meeting of the District and thereafter.

• § 5-12. Organization of Mt. Anthony Union High School District (No. 14) validated

  The organization and operation of Mt. Anthony Union High School District (No. 14), consisting of Bennington Graded School District, Inc., Greater Bennington Schools, Inc., North Bennington Graded School District, Inc., Shaftsbury Town School District, Woodford Town School District, and Pownal Town School District as altered and affected by this chapter, is hereby validated.