Okay. Thank you. All right. Uh this is like a question that I will ask is how do you handle conflict situations within the school district? There is a conflict somewhere every day. you know, and some are really small. Um, but some are really large. And so, um, first of all, I'm very calm. You need to be always an active listener because there's always something that you need to hear more of the what why is someone so upset, right? And so I have always um valued also people's due process, you know, like you have to really hear and make a space for them to tell you what's what they think is the matter. Um so ultimately you make your decisions that are in the best interest of students and you make your decisions that are always in the best interest of the district too. So you have to have that balance.
I mean, more staffing and a perfect utopia would be great. I I think moving ahead and I I compliment the superintendent and the building administrators that were involved in the district strategic plan. I think if we stick to that in our school improvement plans and Melissa did a great job with that tonight. You heard Kathleen saying that you could see that plan in there. I think if you stick with that, that's what's going to be the the barometer, the map that guides us the next few years. I mean, as you mentioned, Chris, I've been a long around here a long time. I've seen many district improvement plans and school improvement plans, and I'll be very honest with you because I got two months left. They usually, you know, they they usually end up in a binder and they end up on a shelf. This one does feel different.
So which ones are we supposed to test? So the two that we tested this year were your esser money. Um it's been a common theme the last few years just because how new that money is. And then also we test uh the IDEIDA grant. So things we do to test those are looking at expenditures, making sure they're allowable, um they're being spent for how they're supposed to be spent, as well as with uh the IDA grant, we're looking at teachers, making sure they're certifying that all their time spent is going to those grants, things of those nature. I'm going to go ahead and skip the next couple reports and go straight back to page 54. Uh you might think later this page 54 has all that information from these reports. Um I could spend the time on those reports if you wanted but as you glance at page 54 it's a much more condensed version gives you all the information from those reports.
Would you be okay though having that little hut part of the Yeah, that wouldn't affect us at all for the most part cuz our kids are pretty loud and rowdy the way it is out there. So, this wouldn't kids scream, that wouldn't affect them at all. Wouldn't make a difference. No, with the parking lot. So, if we did do a parking lot like back there, um like off of the that the music room. Yeah. Kind of back there, would that be included in the daycare cost with the ADCC since they were planning on doing a parking lot when it was going to be a standalone or So, their intent for the parking lot was in Rock. There was going to be a drive up and parking. So I don't think ABC not to speak for them but I don't believe they're anticipating. Gotcha. I don't think was it planned for the circle entrance?
So, and that's for four-year-old students who are going on to kindergarten the following year. So, in order to help them get set up with those, I have four events coming up in the next couple of weeks and one at Lincoln, one at Flint Springs, one at Camony, one at Rono, and we're having Sarah Anderson, who is the on my way project manager. She'll be the one that is there helping them. She will help them with all their paperwork. She'll help them apply. She will upload their documents for them. She'll make sure they're eligible. Uh she'll tell them if they're not eligible. Um, so that's that's what she's going to do.
miles when we approve geo bonds for very specific equipment needs that we have in the district you you will find that okay so do so is that uh like does the school get that is the district purchasing that like how is that process occurring because overseeing physical education in IPS I know that has been a huge huge huge bone of contention for our physical education teachers is that a lot of times it's given to the principal to be able to purchase urch those things. And sometimes if the principal really um values the physical education, they'll purchase those things. Whereas we did a a huge refresh to make sure there was a level playing field, no pun intended, um or maybe there was um to ensure all kids had the appropriate materials. We work with the buildings to assist them in the purchases uh getting their input and their recommendations.
Um I would want to look at mandated trainings because in those trainings people commit and they acknowledge that they are familiar with harassment um and reporting for civil rights um what conditions go into those things, ethics um and so I would want to make sure also that the right that the staff members have you have to list who the staff members are that are responsible for those dates. And so, um, I would want to make sure that those procedures were in place and anybody that needed to do investigations or hear reports was trained. And if we didn't have somebody that was trained or feel like they needed, I' i'd bring them in for a refresher. I'd bring a legal consult in for a refresher. So again, I think it's all about people want to be heard. You really need to hear them and it doesn't always change what it is.
And my compliments to the superintendent, she came by to our PTO meeting and we had parents that mentioned that this just feels different. So yeah, I we could all find different things that we we need, but I think if you stay true to that plan that you worked hard on, that plan also will help you through some difficult times as well too. It's that flexible. So that would be my advice to stick with the plan. No, and you're all working like all the elementary buildings are working on it together. There's great, right? And that's so again, it focuses your energy on these key initiatives and these key actions and and so if you're all working towards it, I'm even thinking ahead when we're talking about, you know, creating student learning goals and and you know, your professional practice goals as as um staff like it should be based on this.
So at the top we talk about that financial statement opinion um adverse on GAP unmodified on KMAG any internal control issues over financial reporting of which there were none. um any issues on federal awards of which there were no our opinion on your compliance with major federal award programs. So those grants we tested which was unmodified meaning we didn't have any issues when it came to testing them. Um that would in the very next line any audit findings of which there were none. We identify those major programs and then the threshold for type A and B programs and then finally your lowrisk audit checklist. Biggest thing I always like to highlight is you're always going to be no on a lowrisk audit. And that's mainly because to be a low-risisk audit, you have to either follow GAP or a state required basis of account. Since KAC is elected, you elect to follow that.
It is. Okay. So is there that was your was that your understanding too. The circle entrance them coming in was either going to be asphalt or concrete. A hard surface. Yes. Is it specific sizewise? Like Dalton was saying, we got some play there. Can we put some parking there, but still have enough room to make a circle? I didn't I didn't know if they had a specific, hey, it's only this big. I don't think this is what we're doing. I don'tC cares as long as they could afford it. Okay. Okay. I don't think you need it. Okay. Are you talking about like here? Yes. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know how many spots we'd have room for. Like four to six maybe in diagonal. We have to go out there and look at just guessing something there. It's not going to be huge, right? But four to six.
She answers any questions that they might have, she's going to be perfect for helping us to get more vouchers for next year. So the vouchers, if they do not qualify for the vouchers, everybody is going to apply so that that way we can get as much of those dollars as we can. So, she is going to help them apply and then if not then they will have a self-pay rate. If they are on the wait list because there is a wait list right now for the vouchers. If they are on the wait list waiting to get those funds then their self-pay will be reduced. It'll be at a reduced rate because $200. So, they'll will reduce that rate for them while they're waiting. Uh those who are ineligible then will have the self-pay rate. Uh students who qualify as identified students receiving special services will not pay a tuition, but we're hoping to get some of those voucher dollars for them.
So what needs to be purchased and then uh we fill out the process for them. Great. Thank you. And when is swimming being offered for our students? Because I know that with the number of refugee and immigrant students, swimming is something that many of our students are not familiar with and is one of the leading causes of death for the demographic. And given our demographic of students, uh how are we ensuring that swimming is being taught? I know that's being offered at the high schools, but it's not mandatory for students anymore. We also have a plan moving forward for our fourth graders to participate in um exploration around swimming at our high schools. So, putting our two uh beautiful high school pools and to use for our fourth graders. I would hope that we would do that as well as meet the needs of the dynamic community that we serve.
Um and in many cases it it doesn't. But I dealt with anything from, you know, from a a cafeteria person claiming civil rights, um, harassment from the cafeteria manager to a student who I who uh, it seemed like he physically kind of made a choke choking cause a choking incident on a school bus to um, you know, and you know, I've dealt with everything that you could possibly imagine. So thank you. This one's back to me. So uh please speak to your skills and experiences in the budget process. Please address your experience with regional school budgets if applicable. Okay. I know you already spoke to a little bit but yes. All right. So let me tell you about um more of our challenge with three three districts. Um first of all I will tell you that I have we had three very different procedures at our three very different town meetings.
It's almost been written for you. So what if you're doing that, the school as a whole is doing that and the district collectively, it does make things easier. Nothing's ever perfect, but but you're all working towards that same goal. So, well, thank you both very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. That's great. Uh at this time, if there's no other questions, uh chair will entertain a motion to approve the Potter School SIP. So moved. Second motion by Mr. Non, second by Mrs. Amarl on the motion. Any other discussion?
You're always going to be no. All it does is just change the percentage of grand dollars that we test. So if you're low risk, then they say, "Oh, they haven't had problems before. They want you to test 20% of all their expenditures." It just changes it to 40%. So really doesn't mean anything to you guys other than just how much dollars were actually tested. And then finally if you had any findings of which there were none and any prior year findings which there were none. Now back to those letters at the front of your packet. It's just one staple packet there together. First two pages is what they call the presentation letter. Kind of another boiler plate letter. This one's mainly related on if we had issues with management when it came to completing the audit. Um disagreements with trouble getting information, things like that that agent we've been having in those to disclose.
Yeah. Yeah, there's room to put it there. There's plenty of room for a that circle circle. It may even come out more over here, but I don't like there's room to work with it. Okay. Go ahead. Okay. So, on the finance side, I know um I've communicated with you guys on this some too. So, we have a little over 240 I think that compounded. So, a little over 245,000 from tax credits to put towards this. ABC has about $835,000 to put towards it. So, this is a concern of mine, but it's not really a concern because it's on their side. Okay. So, so they have a little under $1.1 million, okay, total, including our $240,000 of tax credit money. Um, and then if they can add some extra to that on their side of it, you're looking about 1.1 to 1.2 that they have for this.
So again, the benefits of the voucher is the families don't have to pay a tuition if they qualify and receive those funds and it'll help us become self-funded in the future. Uh so an example if just half of the 137 students that um that we have planned for next year was to get the on my way voucher that's $379,000 if just half of them get it. So, um, just so you kind of understand the budget behind preschool, it's kind of we pull from lots of different places. Okay. Um, so currently, uh, I have two special education grants that that fund part of, um, preschool salaries and benefits for teachers. Um, my one grant is about 1.3 million every year, give or take, just a little bit, but that's pretty standard. Um, and then the other actual preschool grant is about $50,000. Um, so that preschool grant, of course, goes straight to preschool.
Absolutely. Oh, absolutely. And you have an advantage because you have two wonderful pools, Dr. Grant Nesb. And then we have the swim club and but pay attention to fourth grade swimming coming to a theater near you. That's something that we wanted to have. Earlier the better. That is absolutely fabulous news. And then just two other questions. Adapted PE. We didn't hear anything about our special needs students and how they are engaging in physical education. Mrs. Meer um our students do participate in a variety of ways. Uh many times our classroom teachers are in there working with the students as well as with the PE teacher. Some of it depends on the ability of the child. But then we've also been blessed enough to have our children go to the high school and also swim and participate in that way as well. um where we also have our physical therapists who are involved in that process and also give um ideas and thoughts and processes on how to work with the students in the different activities.
Two of our um our regional agreement says that two out of the three towns needed to come to agreement. Um the two towns that were most um in uh basically we were not necessarily sure which way they were going to go. um met the same night with their town meeting in different towns at the same time. And so we had that um challenge. Um we had to split up our district team and one was at one town meeting and the other was at the other town meeting and we did this for six years and uh I still don't know if they've changed. I don't know. But that was not ever advantageous. The challenge of a regional school budget. First of all, school committee school committee can adopt, but they can't vote till it gets to town. The um other challenge is that the chapter 70 um funding formula um basically you have to um take a a percentage of that and each town has an assessment that they pay.
Chair hearing none. All in favor? I I opposed. Absentence motion motion carries unanimously. Thank you. All right, moving right along. My brief. So at this time uh it's that com it's that time of the year where we have the reorganization of the committee and I'm going to turn uh the meeting over to uh our superintendent of schools Dr. Sab Maguire serving in her capacity as the superintendent and secretary of the school committee. Thank you Mr. Oliver. So at this time we are seeking a nomination or nominations for the chairperson of the Dartmouth school committee. Do we have a nomination? I make a motion that we nominate Bess Coughlin. Second chair present. Second. Sorry Bess. Any other nominations?