[clears throat] Yes, they did it. Um the other school I believe had like one teacher fill out the survey while the others were not in the room and then switch. So uh it was >> as well. >> Yeah, so it was definitely an all-hands-on-deck make sure that you see the green check mark on the computer from the kids before they close it. Don't just take their word at it. Yeah. >> Yeah, adding on to that like during access I think we did it on a pass day. So like if we want to leave or go get extra help like we had to take first before our teacher would let us leave. So that definitely helped. Cuz like I was they were like oh you have to take the test and I was like okay, hold on. >> It's a survey, it's not a test. >> Or sorry, survey that's right.
I I I think that's a good use of that. I want to make sure though that the community understands what the debt service fund is being used for. Yeah. Yeah. And like you know, Stacy's assessment or the the company's mechanical evaluation, that also aligns with what Ryan and team have passed also you know, noticed or communicated that yeah, they are in agreement with the with those items being needs attention >> All of these were you know, we've had about two or three work sessions on on prioritizing these with Ryan and his team and with Stacy and Tech Tom. So, it's not like we pulled these out of the air. >> Yeah. No. And trying to be proactive with some of these instead of a it's system down and now it's in a emergency and you have to get on somebody's um you know, in the somebody's work like they already have scheduled work.
We'll be recognizing 130 students who intend to enter the workforce or the military after graduation. So, it's an important day and a reminder that everyone's next step is different and so we are happy to celebrate those students. And finally, I'd like to recognize Vice President Moore. As you might remember, she was recently named a woman of empowerment by the Junior League and the ceremony officially honoring her was April 22nd and so we are proud and grateful. I'm really proud of you. >> [applause] >> Any other comments or questions from the board? Thank you. Thank you very much. program had been rescheduled numerous times. And also, I just want to say um congratulations to the retirees that are are exiting, if you will. There were a couple of teachers on there that were true highlights for my children. And so, a special shout out to those.
I sound like I know what I'm talking about, but the good news about this is now he is certified and he for our district can buy the freon, the refrigerant that we need with that for all of our AC systems and I know you understand what that is as do I. That's very expensive. It's gone way up in price you and when you buy it as a school system, you always have to buy it through someone certified and it tends to cost even more. So, now he's our direct buyer, which is wonderful news and because of this certification he can now work on air air air conditioning units. He said that can be recovered, reclaimed or recharged. So, he's definitely going to reduce again the cost of repairs for our district. And what he said at the end just warmed my heart. He said, "I look forward to using this license to help reduce expenses for the corporation." He did it for the good of us, right?
Um, and so I said, "All right, what can we do that that the region could accept, right, where it's not really kaminantes because kaminante ends in sixth grade, but what opportunities can we provide for these students?" And so >> we want to be able to provide them with a course where it's a uh we call it Spanish language and culture. It's called um an advanced Spanish class or some districts call it heritage or native speaker class, right? Where not only our kaminantes students can go into that class, can take that course, but as well as the other students because we do have Spanish speakers in the region, right? And so we have to be able to provide them with the opportunity to take that course as well. So although we won't be able to provide a content course in Spanish because right now in sixth grade they take Spanish and then they take a content course which is social studies.
Uh there was just some some discussion from one of the finance committee members about you know that the town does these they did a um a budget and reclassification study recently on the town side. They've also done some other um studies. So they said, "What about maybe looking to for the school department?" because the school department is the largest portion of the town's budget about looking at some kind of operational study for the school department because there are going to be some people in the town that are going to say that the the the school department even though we have the numbers and uh Miss Coughlin and I were really struggling with the fact that we have DESIE has the numbers the the in the data on the school directory profiles on the Department of Education website the numbers are what they are we we are I I can't remember them off the top of the head, but we are in the bottom percent lower percentage of per people spending in this state.
>> What? >> Yep. And then we go >> surprised by that. >> We go to January of 2024. I'm just going to skip around. January 2024, 16 out of 203 minutes were spent on student outcomes, and that was 8%. February, 10 out of 319 public minutes were spent on student outcomes, that was 3%. Then you fast forward to what we had in 2025, >> was over 300 minutes. >> Yes, >> that was that was a short one, >> not including executive session. That's what I tell you. >> I didn't tell you, but executive session does not count in these minutes. >> Uhhuh. >> So that's without executive session. >> Yep. And in 2025, we just you've gotten the reports from me. You see, you like range from like 28 to like 40 50 something sometimes. Uh you have not gone back down to those three or zero or 8%.
>> [laughter] >> It was terrible. It was like a test. >> It's a survey, I'm sorry. >> Um but yeah, so that I think it being during access and all teachers knowing that it was like mandatory and that we could leave after plus the cafe stuff helped. Yeah. >> Good. >> Can I just ask about the numbers for staff? Is that just teachers? Is that support staff and teachers? And what percentage of our staff actually did the survey? >> Um our response rate for staff was 47.8% and that included teachers and staff. >> And do we have a breakdown of teacher >> Um I could I could find that for you. >> I think that would be yeah. Okay, thank you. And then my second um thing that I noticed, families we know that it is always hard for families to go through all the different emails and messaging.
So, you got to bump up that cost money to go Yeah. That way it's not really how you want to do it. So, And I also I I want to say I think our school schools and the entire campus I think we have a nice safe secure campus. And I know some people think oh we don't need that stuff. Yes, we do. That is conducive to learning and safety. It's a good thing for our school corporation. So, keeping a balance of main- maintaining our facilities is important. Yeah. I mean, you want to make sure you want to feel good about sending your kids into a building that has uh equipment that you know, operates appropriately and like alarms that go off when needed. Yeah. Yeah. So, there's a strategy here that we we will need to to figure out. Well, and if we didn't use the geo bonds for like the chillers and the fire system and an emergency situation comes up with the chillers and now we have to replace them or take we'd be then having to take money from the capital projects which is really just for maintenance of everything else.
It's kind of a sweet moment when you see that, you know, you think of your little ones, with their names on their backpacks and lunch boxes and all the good things way back in the day now. Um, and meeting those teachers, and how friendly they were, and how caring they were. And even, you know, when my kids' father had passed away, and just how they the teachers on there literally became a village. And so, I just want to literally not only shout those out, but really shout out all the other educators that are retiring from a very much needed system of continuous work uh that is truly near and dear to my heart. So, thank you very much, and uh congratulations and God's blessings to you in your next season. Absolutely. Okay, anything else? I'd like to recognize the artwork. It's from Stringtown Elementary. If you get a chance, uh check that out before you leave.
And yeah, for himself as well, obviously, but kudos to someone like Derek, a young man stepping out. And the only other comment I have I promise you I'm more cuz my time's getting short here. Um, it is staff appreciation week. Having been a veteran teacher of 31 years, I know how I know how much work it is to be a teacher and I'm thankful to all of them, but it is for the entire staff. We have a good working staff here. And I just want to say thank you, and that includes our directors and our administrative team. Mr. Meek and I could not do what we do day in and day out without all of you. So, I truly thank you. I'm going to go back to Derek uh real quick with the why behind that. Um with the construction, we have to take out a unit on top of the middle school.
So at the region we will not provide that content course but at least they'll continue their Spanish growth um through that advanced Spanish class or heritage or native whatever it is that you want to call it. So for me, I I kind of like the conversation because what what's happening is there's a commitment to like continuous improvement and extension, but also creating the opportunity for them to engage and practice what they've learned in a specific course that can expand various content areas. They're not just in one specific thing. Am I hearing you correct? >> Yes. >> Awesome. [clears throat] So I mean community, there's a lot that's happening um in the districts and you've heard it here. This is where you get the tea. with Dr. Z. And so, um, I am loving sitting down here and actually, um, acting like I'm hearing a lot of this for the first time.
We get an extremely good value um in for for what we're spending and we can you imagine if if we could spend a little bit more and maybe bring back those more enrichment programs, afterchool transportation for elementary students. Uh I know we're looking already looking at uh bringing back strings at the elementary level. Um, but going back to my original uh thought about this is I was originally adamantly against having another group come in because we know what the numbers are. We know what the per pupil is. We know that we're in the bottom percentage statewide for spending. But I think it's worthwhile for this group, for this board to consider whether or not we should bring in have asked um Dr. Sam Magguire and Mr. Kylie uh to um put out a request for proposals for a third party to come in to kind of study the school department operationally.
You've not looked back. You've been a disciplined team >> and we haven't been in the boardroom past 11 p.m. >> That's a big one. >> I get tired. >> Yeah, exactly. >> What questions do you have board leadership team? >> Is this helpful? If so, how so? It is, I think, super helpful because I think it it it helps become more aware. Again, I know that we know, but the more that we're aware on how much time we're spending on a certain thing, I think unconsciously it will help us not want to spend so much time. Ever since I knew that the my, you know, board reports were going to not be counted. I even noticed a difference in my own personal board reports. I used to tell everybody everything I did on a daily basis. basically in the schools and you know it was a self-reflection for me.
Um we have approximately 5,000 students between our two buildings. Let's say you have two to three, you you know, the number of students are going to decrease your family. So we're looking at maybe third what 11% to maybe 17% is our family input? Is that an >> yes of the survey. >> Yep. So is that something that is a good enough collection of data to even look at the data for it to make to give us what we want to be able to see. If I make if I make myself clear. >> to be statistically significant it needs to be 10%. That's kind of the best >> So you were just above it with the >> Okay. >> Um and that's kind of proven by our past response rate of students being around 40% and now it's 95.9% and it the data did not change significantly.
So, then our buildings are going to start to go down. Depleting our cash reserves. Yes. For things that we knew Yeah. were going to be addressed. And so, I think it is a bit negligent to to have our priorities listed here and say, oh we'll just wait till it happens. It's Yeah. Well, we did that for a while and we got we got in a bad situation. Right. And it cost cost a lot to get out of that. >> Right. And so, it. you stay on a cycle of your priorities and then you and it can fit within your budget and and the debt service fund, that's what [clears throat] it's for. And it can't be those can't be used for things that the referendum can be used for and I think that's the confusion is well, why aren't we using that money to pay for programs that can be used for them.
And I don't know, do we have students here tonight? So, we ask you to come to the microphone and tell us your name. Hi, good evening. My name is Fallon Wilson, and I'm a sophomore at Castle High School, and I'm a student at the Academy of Science and Medicine. Awesome. Thank you for being here. We'll give you some extra credit. And >> [laughter] >> maybe maybe a little bigger stethoscope someday. Any other uh business to come before the board? Have a motion to adjourn? I'll second it.
Uh I think that we're in charge of us like $1,300 to do it. And uh in the big scheme of a, you know, $4 million project, that's not much. Um but it's still something. And Derek's like, "I can do this." And and and he didn't want to pay the $1,300. And at the time, I didn't know he was going to go do the class. He he was going to He had another plan. Let's just put it that way. Um so, for him, I mean, that's how he operates. He is he's he is very good at what he does. And even all these construction guys um were coming in here like, "You got it, Derek." wanted Derek. Like, he does a really nice job. So, so kudos to him. Uh staff appreciate appreciation week. It's great great to have this, you know. We're we're a team.
And so, I do want to actually now hear from you community and hear your voice. So, um, you know, questions about student support, questions about program access, family communication, whether it's a transition between schools, our Chestnut Street Academy, um, or even our first our in our brand our first kindergarten class that's now the first sixth grade class that will be graduating from or moving up from Ammeris Elementary into the region. So, you know, we're going to take a few questions from our chat and just um have an opportunity to engage with you during this time. Let's hear the community voice.
Um I I don't know what other term to use on that. Um other than the fact that looking at what our our FTEES are, what we're spending per student, um how we're spending the town's money, I know we're spending it 110% well. Um, but there are those if we can convince ultimately in in a year or so those those voters that maybe the it could be is down to less than 10 votes in an override. Um that we need this override operationally to um keep the schools to keep the the town you know in a good position and keep us competitive because as we all know education is becoming more and more competitive. Um people, families and students have choice just like we have students that choice into Dartmouth High School. We have there are there are some stu there are students at choice out of Dartmouth public schools.