Category Archives for "School"

H.S. Building – New Options from District – June 18, 2024

High School Building -  
New Options from District

June 18, 2024

The school district presented on June 3rd a few options for the  renovation or replacement of the existing middle and high school buildings. Below is a brief summary of the costs of the options. 

Details of the various plans were described during the school board meeting and can be seen on the
video provided by the school district. Also the meeting was reported in the June 6th edition of the Vermont Standard (online link to article not available at time of publication).

Summary of Options

Original Plan. The original plan to replace both the middle and high school buildings was priced at ($99 million in March 2024). That proposal was voted down by the public. Today that proposal has a cost of $105 million (5% more due to 1 year change of start date – if that plan were to be selected).

Modified Original Plan. The original plan was adjusted by reducing  the size or some of the features of portions of the building. That version of the plan resulted in a price tag of $100 million.

Renovate Plan. Another plan based on renovating the existing middle and high school is quoted at $101 million - $105 million (depending on options).

Hybrid Plan. A hybrid plan based on replacing the high school portion and renovating only the interior space of the middle school comes in at $92 million.

Graph of Building Cost Options

Below is a simple graph showing the  costs of the various options.


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School Buildings – A Conversation with the Inner Skeptic – June 14, 2024

School Buildings -  
A Conversation with the Inner Skeptic

June 14, 2024

With all the discussion and questions a few months ago about the high school building and again a week or two ago; a bit of curiosity developed.

What’s happening with school buildings in other places? Not just in the next county but elsewhere in the US and other countries. It seems like an interesting question. It also seems like a big job to find out about that, doesn’t it?

Being short on time, this investigation had to be a small job. In fact, this is not so much an investigation. It's just a small effort. The point is to get a sense of what it’s like to develop a school building in other places.

There is one thing that could be said, even before starting this. Whatever is learned, will certainly have many parts that do not apply to our local set of circumstances. There is NO doubt of that. And on the other hand…

The schools built by others, whether located here, there, or elsewhere do have quite a few similarities. They have the environmental amenities (AC, heating, ventilation, sanitation, lighting). They are built to last a reasonable time and to accommodate a student population appropriate to the local needs, but not absurdly small nor overly large.

With those thoughts in mind. Would it be reasonable to say that the schools' circumstances though not perfectly aligned would be similar enough that we may learn a few significant things?

Overhearing the thoughts of the Inner Skeptic (everyone has one, right?) - “well, maybe, you might possibly learn something, argh”. Okay Inner Skeptic, that’s close enough, let’s run with it.

Digging In

Online articles and data show a fair amount of information on school construction costs. After 30 minutes of weeding through the material, a couple of nuggets were discovered.

The Good Ol’ Days - 3 years ago

One reference (linked below) shows the average school building cost in 2021 (3 years ago). The costs are given for various cities (not rural locations) around the world. The chart (below) shows the cost per square meter. Not square foot as commonly discussed. We can easily correct for that by dividing by 10 to turn that number into dollars per square foot.

 https://www.statista.com/statistics/758120/global-school-building-costs-in-cities/

Taking the example of a school in New York in 2021. The average cost is $485 per square foot.

For comparison, the cost mentioned by the school district’s finance director during the meeting in February of this year is approximately $627 per square foot -
Barnard high school info meeting Feb '24 - See VIDEO at 1 hour 59 min.

 A Hockey Stick?

The graph below has nothing to do with hockey. But the shape of the graph unfortunately does looks similar to a hockey stick. The jagged line indicates the rising cost of constructing school buildings. It rises slowly from 2005 to about 2021 then rockets upward after that.

 https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/PCU236222236222

The graph is called the Producer Price Index. It’s maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. As the label at the top indicates, it shows the average for school construction costs from 2005 to 2024. The sharp increase started in 2021. The cause of the increase is generally given to the effects of COVID-19. Labor shortages and material shortages.

Hope on the Horizon?

After 1 hour of online digging, 2 ideas came to the surface. Have a look below, come to your own conclusions about the 2 particular ideas. But there’s more to this exercise than just that.

The bigger point is there may be more worthwhile ideas waiting to be found. But for the moment, have a look at the findings so far.

Saving Good Money

Modular home construction has been around for years. NOW, there’s modular school construction. Savings of 25% - 35% are claimed in the article referenced below. In cases where a fully modular building is not the right answer, there is a combination approach of modular and conventional construction. The article referenced was produced by a manufacturer of modular school buildings. But it shows projects that have actually been constructed. This idea may have some concepts worth considering. https://www.americanmodular.com/modular-school-construction-costs/

Saving Really BIG Money

Bundle multiple school construction projects and save money based on “volume” pricing. The article referred to a Maryland school system. For Vermont, this may be an idea appropriate at the state level. https://www.governing.com/finance/prince-georges-county-saves-big-by-bundling-school-construction

Conclusion: Take-away Message

This short article shows 2 things. One known. One (or maybe a few) that are new.

  1. Construction costs are much higher than just 3 years ago.  
  2. One hour of online research with an open mind resulted in the discovery of 2 cost-saving ideas that are perhaps worth consideration.

Imagine what might happen with a few more motivated folks and a bit of time.

Final words from the Inner Skeptic


“Alright, alright. You made your point. Those ideas; they were okay. I’ll dig around a little more. If some smart ideas do the job AND save me bucks - I’m in…”


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A Public Education Vermonters Support and Value – June 11, 2024

COMMENTARY

A Public Education
Vermonters Support and Value

Margaret Maclean

June 11, 2024

Over the past 14 years Vermont has enacted three sweeping school district consolidation laws. The overarching goals of Act 153, Act 156, and Act 46 were to be achieved “at a cost that parents, voters and taxpayers value.” Are consolidated districts delivering on this promise? 

A big picture look says no. Consolidation has not saved taxpayer dollars and has eroded Vermonter’s support for public education.

An examination of state per pupil spending data from 2018 compared to 2024 shows (see chart below) that Act 46 consolidated districts have not delivered in terms of cost savings. In this time the percentage of consolidated districts doubled, and costs continued to increase. Today consolidated districts cost more per pupil PK-12 than single-town school districts.

 Further, consolidation has eroded public confidence and engagement. At town meeting in March 2024 school budgets in town school districts passed at more than twice the rate of those in consolidated districts— 83% vs. 38%.

No evaluation of consolidation has taken place. The Agency of Education was required to develop reports on Act 46, but the 2020 and 2021 reports have yet to materialize. We cannot afford to compound mistakes or overlook successes by moving forward without a comprehensive analysis. A moratorium on additional consolidation should be in place until a full independent evaluation is completed.

Education spending in Vermont needs to be addressed. But solutions in Montpelier are scarce, apart from calls to double down and “right size” the education system with additional consolidation. Higher per pupil spending and failed budgets in consolidated districts raise legitimate questions about this strategy. We need to take stock.

The legislature has developed a Commission to focus on the Future of Public Education in Vermont. The last time Vermont did this well was in 1968 with the Vermont Design for Education. This document was developed from the bottom up, engaging schools and communities throughout the state.

A new vision for the Future of Public Education should also put the public front and center. The commission needs to emphasize engagement, and incorporate elements that are crucial to the success of public education, including:

  • A focus on equity. Equity benefits our society as a whole. Rather than pitting rural schools against their larger neighbors in a zero-sum battle, we will benefit from a vision that includes Vermonters from all backgrounds. An outcome that honors the Brigham decision with an equity focus will be better for all.
  • Democracy matters. When he testified to the Vermont Senate during the creation of what became Act 46, Marty Strange, the Policy Director of the Rural School and Community Trust, proved prescient. Strange warned about a loss of public support for education as an outcome of consolidation. Based on experiences across the U.S., Strange testified,

    “Shrinking the public role in school decision making means more failed budgets, more internecine arguing over where the money goes and whose school gets closed by which voters and reduced public support for public education.”

    Voters’ ability to take part in community-scale school budget deliberations at town meetings may be a key element to local budgets receiving stronger voter support than vast multi-school consolidated budgets.
  • Rural voices. Any vision for a thriving Vermont education system must work in rural communities as well as in more densely populated areas. It should be shaped and supported by communities, not imposed upon them. Schools are the beating heart of rural communities and an essential foundation for our youngest children. The commission must fully understand the links between schools and community development and examine what happens in a town when its school closes.
  • Best educational practices at a cost Vermonters can afford. A vision for the future of Vermont education needs to keep children front and center while striving for affordability. Dollars spent with a direct impact on learning should be prioritized over increasingly centralized bureaucracy. Community schools for our earliest learners are a key part of the vision; few Vermonters would say that our younger children should be traveling two hours a day on a school bus. However, sensible changes can take place at the middle and high school level, and the time might be right to revamp secondary and technical education. Additionally, the commission can identify the worthy, but non-education-related services provided within our education system and find funding for them outside of the property tax.

    Vermont can do better. The Commission will have an opportunity to study education systems internationally. Faced with many of our same issues, Scandinavia, New Zealand, and other places have been decentralizing educational governance to the school/community level since the 1990s. How can these school systems inform our vision?

    The Commission needs to develop a vision that is grounded in what works for our children, that builds on our communities’ strengths, and brings Vermonters together: A vision we collectively develop, at a cost that hardworking Vermonters can afford.

    Margaret MacLean has been an educator for 50 years, working as a teacher, school principal and consultant both in Vermont, the United States and internationally. Margaret lives in Peacham, Vermont.

Vermont Design for Education 1968

Budget data compiled by VASBO. 

Per pupil data compiled by the Agency of Education


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Barnard Meeting Proposed New High School February 15, 2024

Barnard Discusses...


Proposed $100 Million New Middle/High School Building

Short on Time? Read this Summary (click here)

Since you're short on time, let's get to the main points. The school board is proposing a $100 million new middle/high school building (the bond amount would actually be $99 million). You as a property tax payer will pay for the vast majority of the cost. If the proposal is accepted by the voters of the school district on Tuesday, March 5th; your taxes will go up beginning with your tax payment in August of 2027.

The school district finance director provided to the public an Excel spreadsheet so you can estimate your tax increase. You can download it here. To make it easier if you don't have Microsoft Excel on your computer; you can get an estimate right on this website - click here.

The proposed school building was presented to the residents of Barnard on Feb 15th. A video recording (click here) was made of the presentation as well as a lot of questions from the public; both in-person and online. To save you some time, there is a list (right below the video) of questions or comments from the public. Click on one of the questions and you'll jump to the part of the video where that is discussed.

Remember to VOTE on Tuesday, March 5th; "Your Vote is Your Voice".

Learn Before You Vote

There was a gathering of people from Barnard on February 15th to hear from 2 school board members and 2 school district administrators about a proposed new middle/high school. The building is intended to replace the existing middle/high school building.

The meeting was well attended both in-person and online. The format of the presentation allowed for questions and comments throughout. The attendees took full advantage to voice their thoughts about the proposed $100 million building project (the bond amount would actually be for $99 million).

Quite naturally, many of the questions touched on: (a) justification of the need for a new building; (b) the size and configuration of the proposed building, and; (c) the cost and cost reductions.

A vote will happen on town meeting day, Tuesday, March 5th in all towns that make up the Mountain Views Supervisory Union (formerly, Windsor Central Supervisory Union; WCSU).

There has been a lot of talk in the media and the public in recent weeks about property taxes and the potential tax surge. The vote on this project is not directly related to the possible tax increase that you'll see in your mailbox this summer.

If this project is approved, you would see the tax increase in 2027. The school district's finance director provided an Excel spreadsheet that you can download (here) and estimate the tax impact of the project on you. If you are not able to run that spreadsheet, a simplified tax estimator is included on this website (here); the answers it provides are based on results from the school finance director's spreadsheet.

You can watch the presentation and hear the questions from Barnard residents on the video below.


See the LIST of QUESTIONS below the video.
CLICK on a QUESTION and JUMP directly to that part of the video.
video
play-sharp-fill

    Find Out Your Estimated Tax


    to Pay for the Proposed $100 million Middle/High School

    The finance director of the school district provided to the public a spreadsheet to estimate the tax impact of the proposed new school building. The spreadsheet can be downloaded from the school district site, here. The spreadsheet in its calculations uses a bond amount of $99 million. To use the spreadsheet, here's what you should know. 

    Your computer needs to have Microsoft Excel installed on it. You also need to know the basics of running Excel. If that's a bit too much for you to deal with, this website has taken the results of the finance director's spreadsheet and made it more convenient for you to get your tax estimate (for NON-income-sensitized homeowners).

    NOTE: Income-sensitized homeowners will have an estimated tax that is LESS than shown in the Tax Estimator. To get the income-sensitized tax estimate, download the Excel spreadsheet from the finance director, here

    One thing you'll need is your recent property tax bill. You only need 1 number from it, the TOTAL TAXABLE VALUE. Look at the sample tax bill below and you'll easily see where that figure is located.

    The estimated tax values (for NON-income-sensitized homeowners) are based on the results obtained from the spreadsheet provided by the district finance director. The spreadsheet shows some assumptions that are subject to change. Those assumptions are shown in the image below.

    NOTE: Income-sensitized homeowners will have an estimated tax that is LESS than shown in the Tax Estimator. To get the income-sensitized tax estimate, download the Excel spreadsheet from the finance director, here

    How to Use
    the Simplified Tax Estimator

    1. Write down the TOTAL TAXABLE VALUE from your recent property bill.
    2. If your TOTAL TAXABLE VALUE is between $200 thousand and $1 million, use TAX ESTIMATOR A.
    3.  If your TOTAL TAXABLE VALUE is between $1.1 million and $3.0 million, use TAX ESTIMATOR B.
    4. Click the appropriate Tax Estimator button below and follow the simple instructions. You'll be done in less than 30 seconds. 
          

    VOTING DAY

    TODAY - Tuesday, March 5th. 

    Polls Open: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM

    18 Member School Board Meeting November 25, 2019

    ​Would this Large Board from 6 Other Towns

    Govern the Barnard School Better than

    Our Traditional Local Board?


    Scroll Down to See Meeting Video

    ​​​​​​​Learn Before You Vote

    ​There will be an important vote in Barnard on Tuesday, December 10th. The ​question; Do Barnard voters want to voluntarily merge control and budgeting of Barnard Academy (our elementary school) with schools from 6 other towns and have minority representation on a multi-town governing board of 18 members?

    ​The video below is of the 18 member board at a meeting held in Killington on November 25th (a few are absent or late to the meeting). At this time, Barnard is only a member of this large board to provide representation for middle school and high school issues. In the video, you will see the 2 representatives from Barnard.  

    However, on Tuesday December 10th, if Barnard votes to merge with schools from the other 6 towns, our 3 person local school board ​will no longer exist. Also, we will NOT vote on Barnard School budgets any longer. The 18 member board would takeover and control the ​governing of the Barnard School. ​​​

    ​...if Barnard votes to merge with schools from the other 6 towns, our 3 person local board from Barnard will no longer exist. ​


    Also, we will NOT vote on a Barnard School budgets any longer.

    ​Once that vote is taken and the decision made, there is no going back. ​You can get a glimpse before the vote of the nature of the large board by viewing the video below.

    ​Because of the great importance of the decision by Barnard voters, 2 of our local board members have held ​several informational meetings. The second meeting was filmed and ​can be seen, here. ​There ​were a lot of questions and comments from Barnard residents at that meeting. You can see it all, here

    Most importantly, be sure you understand what's going on and then go and vote on Tuesday, December 10th.

    See the LIST of ​TOPICS below the video.
    CLICK on a ​TOPIC and JUMP directly to that part of the video.
    Below the video, where you see [BARNARD, Pamela] or [BARNARD, Bryce] 
    ​you can click on those to hear comments from our 2 Barnard representatives.​
    video
    play-sharp-fill

      A Town Vote that is NOT Required by Law – Revisiting School Merger – Info Meeting, September 11, 2019

      ​​A Town Vote that is NOT Required by Law

      Why is Barnard Academy Merger Talk 
      Back in the News?

      ​Listen to the Public Meeting Recording

      ​September 11, 2019

      ​Barnard school board members held a meeting on September 11th to ​explain why school merger is back in the news. They filled in the background information and gave updates all while keeping the meeting neutral from a merge or don't merge point of view.  

      ​The meeting, recorded by Chloe Powell, is posted below for your listening pleasure. 

      Barnard School Merger Info Meeting November 21, 2019

      ​Barnard Academy ​​Discusses Merger Before VOTE


      Scroll Down to See Meeting Video

      ​​​​​​​Learn Before You Vote

      ​There will be an important vote in Barnard on Tuesday, December 10th. The ​question; Do Barnard voters want to voluntarily merge Barnard Academy (our elementary school) with schools from 6 other towns and have minority representation on a multi-town governing board of 18 members?

      ​Because of the great importance of the decision by Barnard voters, 2 of our local board members have held 3 informational meetings. The second meeting was filmed and is shown below. (The first meeting has an audio-only recording, here.)

      ​Also, there was a recent meeting showing the operation of the 18 member multi-town merged school board. You can see a video of that meeting, here.  

      It's important that you fully understand the points presented by the board members AND also the questions and comments from the community members who attended. So, extra efforts have been taken so that you can watch the video in full OR click on the various topics that are listed below the video and jump directly to that topic.

      Making tough decisions can be... well, tough. Judging from some comments at the informational meeting, ​that is certainly the case for some people. If you feel like I'm talking to you, then I've got something for you that might just help ​out. Here's a link to "A Short Guide to Tough Decisions". Try it out, it's been help​ful (it's at the bottom of this page).

      Most importantly, be sure you understand what's going on and then go and vote on Tuesday, December 10th.

      See the LIST of ​TOPICS below the video.
      CLICK on a ​TOPIC and JUMP directly to that part of the video.
      video
      play-sharp-fill

        A Short Guide to Tough Decisions

        1. SIMPLIFY. Write down the most important issue on the "Pro" side and write the most important issue on the "Con" side. Never mind the other issues, just focus on the big ones on each side. Then ask yourself these 2 questions.
            (a) How much does the Pro side help me? A little or a lot?
            (b) How much does the Con side hurt me? A little or a lot?
            
        ​From here, it's easy to decide. If something helps you a little but hurts you a lot; most people would take the Con side. If the situation is reversed; help a lot - hurt a little then, take the Pro side.
            
        Next, continue to #2.

        2. BALANCE AN EGG. Yes, you can balance an egg on it's tip IF everything is perfect. But is this a perfect world? Whatever decision you came to in step 1, ask yourself; Does everything have to be perfect to get the result I decided on?

        So, if perfection is required to get the outcome you expect, maybe you'll want to reconsider step 1. Otherwise, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise (and a cracked egg on the floor).
            
        Next, continue to #3.

        3. WHY IS THIS A QUESTION? If you are the one asking the question, then you know why you're asking it. But if someone else is asking the question you'll be deciding on, then ask yourself these 2 questions.
            (a) Do they truly have my best interest in mind? Yes or No?
            (b) How do I really know that? Write down your answer.

        Next, continue to #4.    

        4. FUTURE REGRET. Regret is a tough thing to live with. This tip may help to keep away regret. Review your answers in steps 1 ,2, and 3. What decision are you leaning toward right now? Ask yourself these 3 questions.
            (a) If I'm honest with myself, am I happy with that decision?
                    If No, then switch your decision.
            (b) If I explained the reasons for my decision to my best friend, would I feel comfortable doing that?
                    If No, then switch your ​decision. 
            (c) If I explained the reasons for my decision to myself 1 year from now, would I feel comfortable doing that?
                    If No, then definitely switch your ​decision.

        Governor to Dismantle Vermont Public Education – June 1, 2018

        ​COMMENTARY

        Governor's Plan Aims to Dismantle
        Public Education​ in Vermont

        Plan forces rural school districts to merge
        against the wishes of their electorate


        ​Plan does not provide evidence

        of fiscal or educational benefit

        Margaret Maclean - Vermonters for Schools & Communities

        ​​June 1, 2018

        The administration of Governor Scott released a plan today that disregards the wishes of the local electorate.  This action is an attempt to begin to dismantle public education in Vermont. The plan forces school districts to merge governance. It is not accompanied by evidence to show merger will save dollars, offer more opportunities for students or demonstrate increased efficiency.

        Following the passage of Act 46, local school boards in many communities studied the possibility of merging for over two years. They found that merging would destabilize the quality of education, disconnect families from their schools and schools from their communities and ultimately would not save money or increase opportunity.  School boards decided they could better meet the goals of the law via an alternative plan, an option under Act 46. Voters in these communities have rejected merger at the ballot box and/or approved the alternative plans developed by their elected school boards.

        “Merger does not make schools better or cheaper. It merely empowers bureaucracy — which is of course why it appeals to state government. It distances citizens’ voices from decision-making and magnifies the voice of outside interests, of politicians, managers, and lobbyists. It shifts priorities from teaching to accountancy. It narrows the scope for civic action and degrades our capacity to organize and govern ourselves. In sum, it works against both democracy and education.” Scott Thompson, U-32 board (Calais), member of the Washington Central SU merger study committee 2015-17

        By undermining the stability of these school districts and their ability to work collaboratively with their neighbors the Scott administration is laying the groundwork for dismantling public education in Vermont.  The unnecessary strife and turmoil caused by this action exposes forced merger as a charade.

        "This forced merger will make our current union smaller and less efficient by eliminating the town of Vernon from our Union, move resources from the highest poverty areas to the lowest, and improve nothing but the job conditions of the superintendent and business manager. That's why it was voted down in all the towns by a 2-1 margin. This is all politics not what is best for our children” David Schoales, Brattleboro School Board

        In our lifetime, we're going to see fifty percent of the world's species go extinct. Are we going to add 100% of Vermont’s community schools to that list? Steve Mason, Lowell School Board.

        The next step is for the State Board of Education to review each community’s plan at public meetings in July, August and September. The State Board will then vote to approve local plans or comply with the administrations plan and force the merger of these districts by November 2018.


        Barnard Youth Competes at FIRST Robotics Championship

        Stephen Darling - 7th Grader from Barnard

        Competes at FIRST Robotics Championship in Detroit 

        ​April 26, 2018

        Stephen Darling, a 7th grader from Barnard is a part of the 17 member team representing all of Vermont and competing in the FIRST Robotics championship. The competition is being held this week in Detroit. The Vermont team has members from a variety of schools from around the Upper Valley.

        Congratulations Stephen!

        A source close to Stephen says he attributes his start in robotics and computer programming to Barnard Academy technology teacher Eileen Vaughn and science teacher Nancy Boymer.

        Here are a couple of key points about the competition as published in an article in the Detroit News.

        • Detroit is hosting the competition for the first time and will continue hosting it in 2019 and 2020.

        • The event is expected to attract more than 40,000 people and bring $30 million to the state economy of Michigan.

        • Students from 25 states and 45 countries are participating in the competition.

        • There are 3 levels of competition. FIRST Robotics, ages 14 – 18; FIRST Tech Challenge, ages 12 – 18; FIRST Lego League, ages 9 – 16.

        You can see that for Stephen, Barnard’s small elementary school was the incubator for his interest in technology and robotics. The good news is that many students develop lifelong interests and passions in their small elementary schools, particularly when nurtured by caring teachers who have the time to work with and encourage the students in their small classes.

        As of this writing, the governor of Vermont, certain members of the state legislature, and others are trying to do 2 things. One; close many small elementary schools.  Two; find $30 million to fill a Vermont budget deficit.

        Can this be? Close down the schools that we see are incubating the homegrown talent that can bring big dollars into the state? Say it ain’t so;  because it surely makes no sense!

        One other irony is the FIRST Robotics was co-founded by Dean Kamen, famed inventor whose company, DEKA is located in Manchester, NH. Taking a moment to dream; wouldn’t it have been wonderful if Vermont had won the bid to host the competition?

        Or better yet, what if Vermont applied a bit of effort to foster something like FIRST Robotics (please, no carbon copies of FIRST). There are plenty of other opportunities to develop such win-win-win programs. That is; the students win, Vermont citizens win, and yes even the politicians win. But it all starts with the willingness to make it happen and a strong spirit of cooperation​!

        Any politicians ​listening?

        Watch LIVE coverage of the FIRST Robotics competition. The competition goes on through Saturday, April 28th, 2018.

        Link to LIVE coverage, https://www.firstchampionship.org/watch-live

        Link to Detroit News story, https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2018/04/24/students-robotics-competition-detroit/34218883/

        Link to Crain’s Detroit storyhttp://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20180412/news/657991/first-robotics-competition-to-draw-35000-to-downtown-detroit-showcase 

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