So, the process was very, um effective. And so, I I didn't know that it had changed and till I heard somebody say something about what was happening with a secretary at a school and a principal who said they were there till 9:00 or 10:00 at night cuz the secretary couldn't figure it out. So, I guess my concern more, um was to bring that to superintendent, um that that is a position that most districts have and it's kind of a critical for money, um because it's how our money how we get our money, is what I'm saying. And so, um I think our superintendent looked into that, um and I would support that that position, um again, follow the money. That's where our our dime starts is at that moment in time. Okay. So, that there is the motion uh that has been made, um and would need a second to bring discussion.
Um and so, that was flagged to some degree. Um All of these things kind of led to the need to dive more into sort of what the specifics are. Um I would say that was flagged as I think the second most common kind of potential barrier there behind the transportation. Um and then there were some specific questions about um whether the students felt like they had an element of belonging or whether they felt included. Um those two questions were on a sort of scale of one to five. And so, on the sort of negative side, the number of that responded with one or two, like 8.8% had said they didn't necessarily feel like they belonged. Um and in terms of included, it was um seemed very similar terminology to me. It's like 8.4% but the others really skewed very much towards the fours and the fives.
So in some schools secretaries are changing very fast. um that that data may not be as accurate as we would like it because if you look at chapter 70 funding, our funding is based on that information. And so a district-wide registar which we had for many many years, the amazing Lisa McGinness um helped monitor everything, school choice, residency, um also helped with kindergarten registration. So the process was very um effective. And so I I didn't know that it had changed and till I heard somebody say something about what was happening with a secretary at a school and a principal who said they were there till 9 or 10 o'clock at night because the secretary couldn't figure it out. So I guess my concern more and was to bring that to superintendent um that that is a position that most districts have and it's kind of a critical for money um because it's how our me how we get our money is what I'm saying.
Second. Okay. All right, second from member Dietman. Um and then I also wanted to acknowledge that superintendent, you were referenced directly. Did you have any additional information that you've provided to member Goodwin in the past or to any of the other members about this issue that you would like to share with the full committee? Um this this just came up last week at our budget and finance subcommittee meeting. Uh we do not have a registrar. That was cut last year, it's my understanding so prior to July 1st when I came. So it is now taken care of when I started our secretary a secretary administrative assistant as they're called in each school takes care of that. We also do have a data specialist working for our IT department who is not a registrar. Albeit, but does take care of the counting as member Goodwin mentioned and making sure things are reported to the state correctly.
The threes were sort of say much more than one and two but most of the kids were saying four and five which I think is a positive. One of the things I think that's worth taking with a grain of salt on this and and we did have some conversation about it is how many of those those sort of not belonging numbers might be kids who are new to the school. Um that might be freshmen still finding their way um as opposed to seniors, right? If somebody's been here for four years and they still feel that way, um that might indicate something. >> know what they didn't parse it out by grade. Yeah. What I had asked Kelly whether she had the ability to and she felt like she did. Um the other thing was that there was so the percentages on the there were a whole series of questions.
And so, um, I think our superintendent looked into that. Um, and I would support that that position. Um, again, follow the money. That's where our our dime starts is at that moment in time. Okay. So, that there is the motion uh that has been made. Um and would need a second to bring discussion. >> A second. >> Okay. All right. Second from member Dyman. Um and then I also wanted to acknowledge that superintendent, you were referenced directly. Did you have any additional information that you've provided to member Goodwin in the past or to any of the other members about this issue that you would like to share with the full committee? Um this this just came up last week at our budget and finance subcommittee meeting. >> We do not have a registar that was cut last year. It's my understanding. So prior to you know July 1st when I came so it is now taken care of when I started our secret a secretary or a administrative assistant as they're called in each school takes care of that.
I've got a question and then and then member Dini. Do we have evidence that we are massively misclassifying or like under enrolling or is this solving a problem or do we believe that our our administrative assistants are Did they get training to do it? You know, is there actually a lot of shuffle among our administrative assistants that would lead me to to like fear that that knowledge is getting lost. Um You know, I want to understand a little bit more about like is this problem a problem? And I like that we can prove is a problem. Um That was my question. What was the problem so Okay. My question can be strong cuz my question is your question. Okay. Um Do you have another question or a response? >> Response. Okay. I'm more than happy to give a direct response on this one. During kindergarten registration there was some confusion and one of our PTO members actually stepped in and was helping do registration of kindergarteners at um kindergarten meet and greet with families.
The number of responses that were ones and twos was I don't know if the numbers were exactly the same but the percentages were very similar. I said I asked her whether she could see whether that's a consistent trend like there were same kids are saying ones and twos um for all the questions. I don't know what that would mean but it'd be an interesting thing. She thought she could see that in in in terms of further analysis. Um but I would say you know if you're looking at raw percentages, I think the data is actually pretty good. We probably all are wired towards but what about the other ones and and sort of you know let's figure that out. So that that is a part of the work that site council wants to sort of do and and try to understand that better. Um one of the other questions I just wanted to highlight was you know something we talk about a lot is trusted adults.
We also do have a data specialist working for our IT department who is not a registar albeit but does take care of the counting as member Goodwin mentioned and making sure things are reported to the state correctly. Um, I've got a question and then and then member Denim. Do we have evidence that we are massively miscalcifying or un like underenrolling or is this solving a problem or do we believe that our our administrative assistants are did they get training to do it? you know, is there actually a lot of shuffle among our administrative assistants that would lead me to to like fear that that knowledge is getting lost? Um, you know, I want to understand a little bit more about like is this problem a a problem in our like that we can prove is a problem. Um, >> what was my question? What's the problem?
I've also seen some chaos happening in the office when we are getting some kids registered. Um but then if you go to the AEL side, you have the admin assistant over there who is amazing at doing registration. And she is also amazing at making sure kids at AEL are registered for kindergarten. Um so I think it's just maybe providing our admins with proper training to do the job. Any other questions, responses? Yeah, member Goodwin and then member Deneve. So one of the things that um having a district registrar is the I call it institutional knowledge. So if you've registered a child at kindergarten, you kind of know the family like what's going on all the way through 12th grade. And you also know about the siblings. So if all of a sudden um a school reports one child has moved to Athol, you're now thinking that there may be three others.
How many kids feel like they have a relationship with at least one trusted adult? Um and 70% were in that four or five category in that. There were 12.9% that were one or two. Um and obviously the rest were in the middle. So I think generally speaking you can look at and say the vast majority of kids can say yes to that and that's great. Um questions sort of you know why why are some students not feeling that that level um of connection and and not feeling they have a trusted adult and we're going to look to see they're going to look to see whether they can gather better insight into that. But I thought that was all interesting data and that's what we predominantly talked about for um it's a you know it's an hour and a half meeting probably 75 minutes. Embedded in that there was sort of an impromptu conversation of sort of X block and what opportunities are there to use X block in a a different way a more constructive way ways that support this cuz it was it was in the context of this dialogue.
So, >> okay. >> My question is strong because my question is your question. >> Okay. Um, do you have another question or a response? >> I have a response. >> Okay. >> I'm more than happy to give a direct response on this one. Um, during kindergarten registration, there was some confusion and one of our PTO members actually stepped in and was helping do registration of kindergarteners at um, kindergarten meet and greet with families. Um, I've also seen some chaos happening in the office when we are getting some kids registered. Um, but then if you go to the AEL side, you have the admin assistant over there who is amazing at doing registration and she is also amazing at making sure kids at AAL are registered for kindergarten. Um, so I think it's just maybe providing our admins with proper training to do the job. Any other questions, responses?
Um maybe all of a sudden a child is in the custody of DCF. Um then maybe the siblings as well. I mean it is a it's an amazing job um and it is a hard job. Um and I think as a district, it's really been helpful especially with our subpopulations. Um keeping track we have to do child find and a lot of times it's the registrar who's keeping track of a child who moved to Orange or a child who moved out of state and all of that needs to be reported. And you're supposed to keep student records for children who just all of a sudden quietly disappear. Um and it's the registrar who maintains those records. It's I've been subpoenaed as a student record holder. It's it's a it's a it's a thing. You think of colleges, you know, the registrar. Um it is a person who maintains those records.
So All right, I thought it was an interesting conversation um and I think you know going forward hopefully they'll be able to pull more data out of that and find some useful trends that can then be sources of of action steps. That's what I've got. Thanks Mark. Uh Warrenside Council was postponed this month so I don't have anything. That's it. Move to adjourn. Second. All in favor? I. I. Good night everybody. Buenas noches amigos.
>> Yeah, member Goodwin and then member Denife. >> So, one of the things that um having a district registar is the I call it institutional knowledge. So, if you've registered a child at kindergarten, you kind of know the family, like what's going on all the way through 12th grade, and you also know about the siblings. So, if all of a sudden um a school reports one child has moved to Athl, you're now thinking that there may be three others. Um maybe all of a sudden a child is in the custody of DCF. Um then maybe the siblings as well. I mean, it is a it's an amazing job. Um, and it is a hard job. Um, and I think as a district, it's really been helpful, especially with our subpopuls. um keeping track we have to do child find and a lot of times it's the registar who's keeping track of a child who moved to orange or a child who moved out of state and all of that needs to be reported and you're supposed to keep student records for children who just all of a sudden quietly disappear.
How long do we keep those records? There's a lot of law included in it. So, I think it's something um I think we're just missing an opportunity. Um you know, when do we destroy records? Um when do we put it in the newspaper we're going to destroy your records? All of that is part of the registrar's job. So, it's and I don't know if that's been assigned to someone else um to do all of child find and all of the records um or not. Sounds like we want to know a little bit more about the registration process. And how some of these duties are have been reassigned to other staff. Yeah, the the reassignment of registrar duties was done prior to the start of this fiscal year. Prior to July 1 last year, it was reassigned to as I mentioned administrative assistants at each building.
Um and it's the registar who maintains those records. It's I been subpoenenaed as a student record holder. It's it's a it's a it's a thing you think of colleges you know the registar um it is a person who maintains those records how long do we keep those records there's a lot of law included in it so I think it's something um I think we're just missing an opportunity um you know when do we destroy records um when do we put it in the newspaper, we're going to destroy your records. All of that is part of the registars's job. So, it's and I don't know if that's been assigned to someone else um to do all of child find and all of the records um or not. Sounds like we want to know a little bit more about the registration process and how some of these duties are have been reassigned to other staff.
Obviously um at times you might have turnover and we do have we did have this past summer three new clerks or administrative assistants start in our schools who were mentored by some of our veteran um administrative assistants as member Webb mentioned in that scenario. Um since then during this course of this school year we have not had any turnover in the administrative assistant ranks that we up to this point. So, all those duties were assigned. It was I guess I'd use the word bargained into the administrative assistant's contract that some of those who took on those duties in each school one of one person in each school received an additional stipend for the additional work that they were doing. Um at this time as we we sit here um some we had mentioned the the problem. I'm not aware that we've missed or lost any children.
>> Yeah, the the reassignment of registar duties was done prior to the start of this fiscal year prior to July 1 last year and it was reassigned to as I mentioned administrative assistance at each building. Obviously, um at times you might have turnover and we do have or did have this past summer three new clerks or administrative assistants start in our schools who were mentored by some of our veteran um administrative assistants as member web mentioned in that scenario. Um since then during this course of this school year we have not had any turnover in the administrative assistant ranks that we up to this point. So all those duties were assigned. It was I guess I'd use the word bargained into the administrative assistance contract that some of those who took on those duties in each school a one one person in each school received an additional stipen for the additional work that they were doing.
I mean, could we always maybe do small things better in paperwork, etc. Always. We'll We'll be sending out this week um they're being prepared today, but they will go out the next day flyers for um kindergarten registration cuz we received the census. We We worked with city hall and the department down there and sent us from the clerk's office all students who were eligible for kindergarten next year. So, while we know that uh for example, I have three children, right? Your first one when your first when you it's time for your second and third to go, you kind of know the routine and and you got it going, but when if it's your first, you may not be aware of some of those things. So, while we're sending things home to our current students' families, right? Emails, newsletters, etc. That's kind of a given, right?