ESSEX WESTFORD EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY UNIFIED UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT #51 NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING April 14, 2026, 7:00 AM-7:00 PM

ESSEX WESTFORD EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY UNIFIED UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT #51 NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING April 14, 2026, 7:00 AM-7:00 PM The legal voters of the Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union School District #51 (hereafter "Essex Westford School District") comprising the voters of the City of Essex Junction, Town of Essex, and the Town of Westford are hereby notified and warned to meet at their respective polling places on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 7:00 AM at which time the polls will open and 7:00 PM at which time the polls will close, to vote by Australian ballot on the following articles of business: ARTICLE 1: To authorize the Essex Westford School District to borrow money to be used for the payment of District expenses by the issuance of notes or orders payable not later than one year from the date of issuance, pending receipt of payments from the State Education Fund. ARTICLE 2: Shall the voters of the Essex Westford School District approve the school board to expend $102,014,902, which is the amount the school board has determined necessary for the ensuing fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026? The Essex Westford School District estimates that this proposed budget, if approved, will result in per-pupil education spending of $14,468, which is 2.82% higher than per-pupil education spending for the current year. ARTICLE 3: Shall the voters of the Essex Westford School District authorize the school board to allocate the FY2025 audited fund balance of $4,234,392 without effect upon the District tax levy as follows: assign $4,034,392 as revenue for the FY2027 operating budget and assign the remaining balance, $200,000, as revenue for future operating budgets? ARTICLE 4: Shall the voters of the Essex Westford School District approve the school board to expend $9,747,737, which is the amount the school board has determined necessary for the support of the Center for Technology Essex for the ensuing fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026? ARTICLE 5: Shall the voters of the Essex Westford School District authorize the school board to allocate the Center for Technology Essex FY2025 audited fund balance of $1,053,800 without effect upon the District tax levy as follows: assign $300,449 as revenue for the Center for Technology Essex FY2027 operating budget and assign the remaining balance, $753,351 as revenue for future operating budgets? ARTICLE 6: Shall the Essex Westford School District change the date of its Annual Meeting, beginning in 2027 and each year thereafter, from the second Tuesday in April to the first Tuesday in March? ARTICLE 7: Shall the voters of the City of Essex Junction elect two (2) School Directors for terms of three (3) years? ARTICLE 8: Shall the voters of the Town of Essex elect one (1) School Director for a term of three (3) years? ARTICLE 9: Shall the voters of the Town of Westford elect one (1) School Director for a term of three (3) years? Upon closing of the polls, the ballots for Articles 7 through 9 will be counted by local town/city election officials, who shall transmit the voting results to the Clerk of the Essex Westford School District, who will then tabulate the final results. Upon closing of the polls, the ballots for all other Australian ballot Articles shall be transported by the members of the Board of Civil Authority to a central location where the ballots will be commingled and counted under the supervision of the Clerk of the Essex Westford School District, who will then tabulate the final results, pursuant to 16 VSA Section 741-742. The legal voters of the Essex Westford School District are further notified that voter qualification and registration relative to said Annual Meeting shall be as provided in Chapter 11, Subchapter 3 of Title 16 and Chapters 43, 51, and 55 of Title 17, Vermont Statutes Annotated. POLLING PLACES The voters of the Essex Westford School District, residing in their respective cities and towns, will cast their ballots from 7:00 AM-7:00 PM in the polling places designated for their community as follows: City of Essex Junction: Champlain Valley Expo Blue Ribbon Pavilion in the City of Essex Junction Town of Essex: Essex Middle School in the Town of Essex Town of Westford: Westford School in the Town of Westford INFORMATIONAL HEARING Said persons and voters are further notified and warned of a public informational hearing, pursuant to 17 V.S.A. §2680(h), on March 31, 2026, at 6:30 pm at the Essex High School Library on Educational Drive in Essex Junction. The informational hearing is to discuss and provide voters with information on Articles 1 through 6. March 15 2026 LBUR0477561