>> We do look forward to it. That's great. >> Thank you. Thanks, Bill. Okay, folks. There are a couple of quick questions that um I I do have I I know Claudia, if you you were all set. Did you have any that Okay. Um you're going to keep the same store hours. >> Uh yes, indeed. As of right now, we're planning to keep everything the same. Um maybe perhaps we go from 8:30 to 9:00, but right now, I believe on the application, we've submitted for 8 to 8 to 9. >> I actually didn't see any uh >> Yeah. So, I don't think that was addressed in the application. It wasn't. That's that's why I asked. >> Um, but so I guess that would be something if you could put on there nine. Now, I don't know if that's something that the town is um has any specific policies on or anything like that.
Yeah. So you could have a project that's permit. So and I'm sorry, I should have asked I should have repeated the questions for the people at home. Um the question was is so when the state has laws such as Chapter 40B, which allows a developer to override our local zoning to build projects that are denser, um that might bring in more people, bring in more ser- or require more services, is there also funding associated with that from the state? Short answer is aside from additional increase in Chapter 70, um which doesn't pay for the cost of educating one kid, um other than that, no, they don't give us additional funding. So. So, just for everybody at home, I just wanted to repeat the question. Yes, Adam. Uh thank you, Michael, for your service to our community. Really it's really appreciated. Um I I don't have it in front of me, but I did look at the other day.
Picking it up passing off to Raskin. Raskin over to Lubov. Lubov. Good defense by Williams. Lubov trying to get around Olson. Passing off Raskin. Raskin looking for an option. Oh, almost. Yeah, Katie Mayhew almost got that 100th goal. And now this is Williams with some good speed coming the other way. Williams good pass off right there and Sachs absolutely fired a rocket. That was zero to 100 real quick. Oh my goodness. Yeah, this is um so Katie Mayhew if she gets one more it's a 100th goal. Is she number 22? >> Yeah, Maddie Lubov has already scored 200 apparently. 200th point? Ask him. I'll have to figure that out. >> cuz we were talking goals so they switched up the points with me that way. Ask those girls right there. What's her name? Is that 200th goal or 200th point? Maddie Lubov. Was it Maddie Lubov looking for a 200th goal or 200th point?
Um his classroom has about 25 foot tall ceilings. So we thought let's try to take advantage of his space. So the students actually had to design um an a vessel to keep an egg in. They raised the egg 25 feet in the air and then released it and they had to see if they could protect that egg for from breaking when it hit the ground and go through that whole process. Then they had to revise that that building that they made and try to figure out how might they improve it. So, um really hands-on work to try to bring the the theme alive to students. Um down in the bottom left you'll see some of our students pressing shirts. We do have a active school store here at West as well as Maine. Um, previously we used to buy um a lot of the merchandise that we sold.
And we always get asked like, is our cousin a relative? Like your cousin's your relative in your life, but usually not for the purposes of conflict of interest under the School Ethics Act. But obviously you know, people are immediate family members, your spouse, your civil union, domestic partner, dependent child residing in your household. These are all the list of the relative. And a relative can create a conflict. And then also anyone not listed may be considered an other if a conflict exists. So, again, reach out to your board attorney. If you think there's somebody that might create a conflict of interest for you. And refer to your chart as well. The chart's helpful for again CSA evaluation, negotiations. Get into advisory opinions now. So an advisory opinion, any school official can request an advisory opinion. You can request one on yourself. You can request one for somebody else.
So. Cuz we did Yeah. Because the other specials that are in there are ones they have to take, too, like Spanish. They have to have three PEs, so art, so. Is there financial literacy in elementary school or is No, it starts in middle school, the mandate. You had it 3 years of it. Like typically right now they have had 3 years of it, correct? Or how do they how do they compress that into 1 year? So, I feel like our program right now, they have it once a week, it's very redundant. So, what we will and you know, it the we can hit all this most places do it once in the 3 years. So, I'm I feel like our program is a little redundant and I think we are able to hit all the standards that are required and even some of the things that typically might be done in financial literacy.
I know that you know, the hours go to 11 on like a statewide level. Yeah. >> But, um, >> you know, I think that as long as you guys were willing to have the hours, like that would be great for Neil. And then it's not necessarily that they're intending to have it open that way. >> They're not intending to stay open past 9. >> Okay. It used to be 10 o'clock. That's that's a It used to be uh 8 8 to 8 to 10. >> Those are hours, but 11:00. >> Yeah. Right. That's right. Right. Within that time in that time frame. Yeah. >> Yep. Yep. [laughter] That's what happens when you get older. You got to get the You have to get to sleep a little faster. >> You know, you can stay open. You're younger. >> Yeah. I think uh I think 9:00 is still the time.
Obviously, as you said, health insurance um uh costs uh and and the increase in health insurance costs and and there was also a additional cost for to fund uh the pension from what from from what I understand. Um what are you projecting in terms of cost increases for health insurance in future years? I I did see that in in a on a different report, but and you know, we're going to be in this situation in in future years. Well, I'm anticipating that we're going to see health insurance costs um escalate at the at the rate that they're continuing. Um fortunately for us, the GIC, the plan that we're with, um has shown to be one of the lower cost plans around or or lower cost offerings. Um some communities are seeing increases of like 20%. Um yeah, even even more than that. And I should also point out when our our agreements with the GIC run 3 years.
Um no, beating the school record. Yeah. Oh, okay. What? Goal? Like beating the school record. For goals or points? >> uh What is it goals or points? total She he didn't get the answer. goals All right. Yeah, goals. Okay. It is all goals. See, I knew it. >> All right. It's good to verify these things though. Raskin Lubov. Lubov coming in. She is really good. She's tall and she's like super shifty. Passing it off to Kelly. Kelly trying to go in. Kelly does go in. Oh, bounce just little too straight down but Bertie picking it up. Bertie Dwyer dishes it off to Raskin. back going around Oh, good defense there. Oh, but the ref's going to call her for a foul. minor infraction or something Going to get the shot here. What number is this? 19 maybe? No, no. Never mind. 19's right there. Yeah, it's not 19.
So if it was a sweatshirt with the Danbury logo on it, we actually purchased that from a vendor and they sent it to us screen printed and ready to go. Miss Tuz, our business teachers actually converted that that our students actually designed the logos. They order in the the um the sheets that you can actually iron on to the shirt and then they have heat presses. They actually do all of that work right here in the school. So again, trying to bring them um an experience that takes what they're learning kind of from the book, but bring it into to practice. They look at how much does the sweatshirt cost, how much did the the logo cost, and try to come up with prices that match it. So we're really giving them the whole experience of being an entrepreneur. Lastly, one of the things that um recently happened is if you've noticed, if you gone by Trader Joe's, they've got help wanted signs out.
But it's basically just saying I want to do this but I think it might violate the code of ethics. I'm not sure. You can reach out. They'll give you an advisory opinion. They keep them confidential. They don't release names. Some advisory opinions, if they think it will benefit other people that may be in the same situation, they'll release them publicly. When they do that, I think I think 60 days. It's something that you have to vote on. You have to vote on it. And when they do release it again, they redact all the personal information. But the advisory opinions are great to read. You go on and I would highly recommend going on and reading advisory opinions because they're very, very informative. Here's our little police officer because we always say if you get an advisory opinion you should probably abide by it. Because again, if a police officer gives you a warning not to do something, but then you do it, you might get a ticket or something.
Like there's a big career component in some parts of financial literacy, that could be brought into the study skills course as well, you know, and start to be introduced to some of those things. So, um that's how I kind of see that playing out. All right. Okay, I'd like to share the enrollment projections for where we are. Um kindergarten as we know is still an unknown. We're still registering students. I think at this point we're over 40, which is great. Um you know, it's nice to kind of be in that over 50 place so we can continue to maintain three sections and it looks like, you know, last year at this time we were in the 30-ish range. You know, I kind of Diane kind of jokes with me that, you know, we see a lot of strollers out at drop-off and pick-up and that's a really good sign for us.
the 9 9:30 perhaps is the time we're still looking at. We're not trying to stay open past 10 in no way. >> And uh the employees that you currently have, you still have the same employees and your wife is going to be the uh the new store manager and she's tip certified. Are the other uh employees tip certified as well? I didn't see and and I don't see Susan up there to me. >> She's up there. >> Susan's up there. Sue, I don't know if you can hear me or not, but um do all the uh other employees need to be tip certified as as well. And do we have that on record just to make sure we have, you know, copies of that? >> Yes. Whomever is going to be working there is going to be tip certified. I want to ensure that we we take care of that.
And so, each time we come up upon the end of that, we look at potentially going out to bid and um and seeing if staying with the GIC makes sense. Each time we've done that, they've come back as being the best option for us from a cost perspective. Did Did that answer your question, Adam? Thank you, Okay. You're welcome. Any other questions related to this? I feel like I've talked budget for months. Um I have. I have. So um yeah, there a lot of a lot of work has gone into this by volunteers, by staff. Um a lot of work. And I won't go into you know, I won't go into like everything that we've done to save money and stuff. I've covered that in previous uh previous presentations. Um so if there are no further questions, I'll move along to Article 5, which is a transfer to our OPEB trust.
Like rule that one out. Coming in. Oh, the bounce just too straight down. Yeah, that was 17. It was Lauren Kelly. And look at this. Olson getting pressured though. Yeah. Ball didn't get knocked loose for a second but she got it back. Good patience there from Kramer. Our Raiders working at that far side right now. Schneider with it. Schneider so quick. She never comes out of the game. She's one of those players that I mean you can sub everybody but you keep Schneider in. She's like an unsung hero. >> It's true. It's one of those uh just like works it around very generous. Spalding couldn't quite get that shot off. Molly picks it up though. Molly centering to Hartnett. Hartnett passes to Spalding. 1:03 left to go in the in the half. Schneider working it. All right, I'm taking over for camera for a a minute at least the end of the half.
So, what the classroom did is they ran mock interviews as if they were hiring for Trader Joe's. So, one student played the employer and had a set of questions. Um, and then they met with another student and ran through an interview process. So, we had two different classes kind of worked together. This class pretended they were the employee. This group pretended that they were the uh hopefully employee and they interviewed each other. And then on another day, they switched roles and got to do the other the other side of it. So, that was great listening to the students not only have to be an employer and think about what questions am I going to ask, but the students running interviews um and learning how to prepare. Uh Coach Ratchford came in recently and did something similar on it because I think you're finding that sometimes kids need a little experience on how do you interview for a job.
So if you get an advisory opinion and they say don't do that, and then you do it anyway, you're likely to be found in violation of the school ethics act. Just be careful about that.
Um so, you know, we're waiting for that. Uh we know these are our two small groups. Grades 1 through 4, fourth grade will go back to being three sections with 49 students. Grade 5 will remain at two sections because there's only 42 students in that grade and sixth grade is 45 students. However, we math placement may will probably break that group back into three sections. Three sections is also um much easier to manage with the rotating schedule in the middle school. So, you know, I think between the way that the math placement is going to break out and understanding the way that the middle school schedule works, it we're probably going to have grade six in three sections for core academics, but then we will put them back into two sections for specials and allow the kids to mix um in in that. Seven and eight will continue to, you know, be as they have been with numbers over 50.
If someone's not, we take care of it before anything moves forward. >> Okay. Because I saw your your your wife's certification, TIP certification as part of the application. Mhm. >> So, Susan, are those other tip certifications on file with uh with that license? >> So, Joe, as this progresses through, they will have to complete our hours of operation. They'll have to sign off on the liquor. Okay. >> Um policy and all that. That is still to come. >> Okay. Thank you. So, I'm I'm jumping the hurdles a little bit. Okay. Uh I appreciate that. Thank you. I just want to make sure we do everything by the book so that way you folks can have a smooth transition and and do what you need to do. >> I appreciate that. >> Okay. Thank you. Were there any letters uh of of support and non-sup support with respect to this transfer suit that uh may have come through with the email?
OPEB stands for other post-employment benefits. It's retiree health insurance. And believe it or not, we weren't required to account for it on our books up until about 10 years ago. And that's when the Governmental Accounting Standards Standards Board, also known as GASB, said, "Okay, well you have to start showing this liability on your books." These liabilities are significant. And the way they come up with these huge numbers, like you know, $60 million liability for a town like Ashland, you know, you you look at a city like Lowell, um it's in the hundreds of millions. But um basically, it's it's an accrued liability over a number of years. And so what we've done is to address that liability, we've set up what's called an OPEB trust. Um and that is beneficial for us because it's dedicated money for those OPEB expenses as they continue to increase.