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Rodriguez. So, uh very welldeserved congratulations to him. Um our next one is a a congratulations to all of our um teachers of the year who were nominated and and recognized tonight as well as our winners. But ultimately every teacher and every staff in our corporation who is interacting with students is the teacher of the year and the employee of the year to a student. So every one of our teachers classroom full of countless students and there is one student there who teacher was the world for them. They will go down in their permanent memory as the best teacher they ever had. And they've probably made those teachers a hundred little notes and cards saying you're the best. I love you. I know my um third grader has made a number of those for her teacher. Um but but I want to remind everyone that even if you were not recognized today, it was obviously such a small handful of people um who were able to ultimately recognize up here.
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What is that? So, that's intended to be um uh prescribed low points on the site where we're going to collect the storm water. And the storm water would get pumped from uh each low point. Uh we're also intending those low points to be temporary storm water basins. So, to your point about uh sediment, we're hoping that some of those basins uh that could be a just an open water basin. It could also be a um another frac tank, to be honest, a smaller size frac tank where we get some additional treatment in inside there to knock out some of the solids. Um so, they the the treatment process for the storm water system um you know, we would we do try to plan for it as best we can, but uh we're also going to have to react out in the field to the different different conditions.
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Our elementary schools um they just continue to shine and I I can see that there are some really well-loved celebrations and traditions in our schools. Um and we have step up days. We have grade 8 graduation. We have milestone events. You heard our our freshman student representative talk about the junior the junior it's not prom here but thank you junior banquet. We have the senior prom coming up at Ocean Cliff >> in in Newport. So they do proms right here in Dartmouth. I have to tell you um by the time we next meet I for our next school committee meeting our seniors from Dartmouth High School will have graduated. And so we're looking forward to an exciting and meaningful time to celebrate milestones for our stu our students, our staff, and our families. I would also mention, and you heard our student rep representative refer to the Special Olympics that were held here this past Friday, and it was by all accounts an outstanding success.
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I always put that in on there. >> Yeah, that's a good point. Yeah, but on that line The uh uh special ed certs may not or early childhood preferred to what we get, but also um and we'll talk to Kevin who's the admin union president, but I think they would waive the internal posting period. We don't have anybody that Yeah. would you know It would be a a fiscal impact for them to take a lower position. Um And so we'd be able to post externally right away and we'd probably send that via Parent Square we use now to put it out to the people with relevant certification 192. Which position is this? This is for this for the AP after this gets So this gets approved and that means now we're going to an AP at Barnum. Yes. For for Barnum or Norton depending on the pool who we get it but we would post an AP position.
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So, they start with those conversations, not making IEP team decisions at all, but starting to have those conversations. Then, um looking at that, they group all of the students that have needs in various subject areas and basically build a schedule around that. And then thinking about the staff, too, we emphasize like the priorities that we have for this is one that we're building an efficient schedule where students are prioritized, so their schedule isn't completely disjointed, um but how can you make sure that we have common planning time um between special ed teachers and gen ed teachers as they're working. So, that's what we're striving to do. Still a work in progress, for sure. I think everyone in the room that is participating will understand that I think we're a lot closer and um than where we were and we'll continue to build off of that.
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Um but the data shows once they're there they're there and they're in the class on time. So really next year is a focus of getting them there and getting them there to start the day. And then the rest of it our other [clears throat] systems kick in and kids are not getting lost in the school and are making it to class and they know that there are consequences if they don't. So thank you, Olivia. I look at this as um this past year I thought we did a really nice job of focusing as a district laser focused on attendance. And um I think the surveys that we've taken have have resulted in uh higher morale, um higher level of uh taking accountability of our students for doing that. Now that we've integrated a system that I think we've uh focused on getting kids into our building the next step is logically now that we have you here, how are we going to improve your performance, right?
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In repairs, maintenance, and property equipment will show reduction of just under 300,000, and that's related strongly to our Envision 2030 projects. We're looking at savings of just under 170,000 on the tech side through updated software and hardware licensing and contracts. And we believe we can offset a 2% estimated rise in supply and utility costs by continued examination of our supply purchases and utility efficiencies for an additional nearly 50,000 in savings. And here, Jason, is where reserves will cover funding shortfall. We are at about 14 million in operations reserves right now. We were looking that shortfall, I believe, is just over a million dollars, so we would have several years before that would get into a danger area in my mind. Also, recognize that this is only year one. 20 2026, I guess would be year year one of reduced spending and then starting with reducing our budget in '27, continuing through to 2028 and even into 2029 depending on what happens with the legislature, particularly as we approach 2029 when local income tax funding is scheduled to disappear for us completely.
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But it does not go unnoticed that every single day you are the most important person to your group of students. And whether that's our our teachers um who are in the classroom, whether that's our staff in the building. I know um Last year we got to recognize some amazing food service employees who had had made phenomenal connections with their students in in the lunch lines transportation across the board. So, um a huge thank you to all of our folks as we wrap up the school year. A reminder that you are super important and um and really the reason why we're able to do what we do here and and educate these students and have such a wonderful overall um experience for everyone in our corporation. So, on that note, I will say um happy almost end of the school year. We are almost there. I know my kids are doing their summer countdown and last couple days, special days of school.
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Now, you're with Callahan >> Callahan Construction. >> Do you handle the removal of this material and hauling it to wherever your disposal site is, or do you use a a contractor to do that? Uh we typically use a contractor, so uh in the same sense for dewatering, we'll also use a contractor for that. So, one of the main contractors we use is LRT Technologies. So, they'll handle all the dewatering components, the treatment system, and the monitoring of that. For the hauling out of the soils, we will uh work with a a third-party vendor who will uh supply the trucking and the transportation to the the proposed disposal facility. So, that'd be like a Clean Harbors or somebody? Uh typically, we use someone like a um like a W.L. French. So, Clean Clean Harbors does more with more environmental um oils or waters. Um where W.L.
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In fact, I was getting text messages from my superintendent thread just thanking Dartmouth folks for the welcome that they received and um just what an amazing experience it was for all of our students, not only here in Dartmouth, but all of our surrounding communities as well. It really does point to when I we talk about family and community engagement, a time to celebrate unity, inclusion, and school pride. Uh the Dartmouth public schools communication team, again back to family and community engagement, has launched a district-wide survey intended to gather feedback on our school and district communication practices. And this survey is available on parent square. It'll be open until May 29th. And we want to encourage our families to participate because the that feedback does directly inform our um plan for uh and you'll see you remember this was part of our district strategic plan that we wanted to be really thoughtful and intentional about the way we communicate with our families and our community.
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If we don't have what we love in that AP this person might you know if they don't have a special ed background or early childhood it would behoove us to take you know an AP that we have and immerse them in the process sooner rather than later because well it depends on an elementary AP because sometimes we we think well the person's under contract and they're going to need to move but usually an elementary AP is not an admin already so they're not a 12-month employee so they they have more flexibility over the summer to join us. But we'll look at the pool at that point go back to you know personnel and we engage in the interview process. So is there an ESY program? There is. So who going to oversee it? This summer? To be determined. Right now we have Russ Sinkeler who oversees half the ESY um for the intensive ed program older kids but for the younger kids Christina and I are having that conversation this morning trying to flush that out.
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Thank you very much. I think your memo was fantastic for us on the board, so thank you very much, everyone. All right, um thank you. I do have a question just because you got me thinking. Do we do any any hearing tests for students? Is that done ever? Well, it's part of every student every student I don't remember what grades they get tested, but it's part of the process and then if they're up for evaluation too and it or if they don't pass or we do more extensive hearing testing. For like all students? Or just when they're identified? What grades do they get tested in? >> We do hearing screenings on kindergarten kindergarten I believe first, second. Just a screening and so if then students are flagged then we refer them, we let their parents know that they need to go for a further more in-depth evaluation for their hearing.
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That's what I look at this mission statement as. I see this feedback as the challenge for Hank and his administrative team over the summer when integrating this mission statement, how do we look at these challenges and integrate a plan for next year so that our teachers don't feel like everything's just being dumped onto them like well, we always complain about unfunded mandates. I would assume that teachers are looking at it from that perspective as well. So, what can we do to support our teachers to make certain that this level of engagement is is going to be accomplished and provide them with the proper support and guidance to assist them through that process. Yeah, so to add on to that I'm tonight we're we're being asked if we support this proposed statement of work and I would say sure, I'll support it with the caveat that I do think it's important that we need to hear out these teachers and and make sure that we're understanding why they're feeling even even though I understand it's a small group, still why are they feeling that this is possibly adding work for them.
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Looking at 26 versus 27 budget comparisons, this slide summarizes the information provided by Dr. Boswell on the estimated operating referendum budget that he presented on April 27th and the estimated operations fund fund budget that we just went through. We'll discuss the debt service fund budget at the next meeting in June and the education fund budget July 20th meeting. Again, debt service June 15th, education fund July 20, and then the official state required budget hearing September 21 and budget approval October 19th.
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Um so, I hope everyone has a very good end of year and a very safe and happy summer. >> Thank you all. Great comments and great uh recognition of awesome people. Tonight was a great night. It's one of the best nights of the year. It's long combination awards, which is a good thing. It's it's fantastic to watching all these teachers and these individuals and students. So, what a what a fun night. Um, congratulations to Chris and Allison and Matt. Uh, they've been with us a long time. So, uh, real excited for them to have their opportunity to step up and step into new roles. Real excited to see what they're doing, where that goes. So, and then lastly, I just want to say thank you to everybody in this room. Thank you to our teachers, our administrators, our building leaders. It's uh, it was an interesting year.
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French really manages in in soil soil conditions. Okay. Yeah, um along these lines, you know, we often see construction sites where you know, they have all the erosion controls and then along comes a storm and they end up failing and you know, they hadn't planned for a storm as big as what they got. With the level of contamination on this site, uh we want to be extra sure that doesn't happen and my thought is that our uh during construction plans should be prepared for us to get a 100-year storm during construction. I think that that might be a a good safety threshold. Uh I don't know how the rest of the commission feels about that. Well, if we have a 100-year storm, it would flood. I Yeah, that that's my thought on the topic. Mhm. Well, I got a question regarding um you're going to be moving at least 6,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil.
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Uh so uh we already talked about the sailing competition. We're excited about that. under budget and capital improvement. Uh we Mr. Kylie, if you want to jump in, it's up to you, but town meeting is scheduled for June 2nd at 9:00 a.m. Um a couple of important articles. Article 10 supports funding for school capital improvements and article 12 supports operational funding for the district. Do you want to add anything to that? We we um you know appreciate that um the town boards um are recommending um you know approval of those those articles and uh you know we're hopeful that we'll get through town town meeting and uh start some projects and start off our new fiscal year in the in the right way. Um, and I know you're all you all have access to emails that go out from the district regarding HR and recently posted positions include district elementary literacy coach.
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>> Okay. Any other questions before we uh wrap up on this? >> You didn't give us an assistant principal. No. >> No. Okay. Cuz the assistant principal is assistant principal. >> Right. But >> But you're going to >> And then our special ed or the child welfare >> Yeah. Well, because I Well. Any other questions on this one? Um yeah, so I have a general question on this. If we What you're So, this goes back to the meeting Was it last week? What you're doing is proposing the creation of a new position for I'll just call it $100,000, $150,000 including benefits. I don't know what it is. That's a choice we're making, and the choice that we were discussing that was being discussed at the board of ed last week was alternatives, alternative uses of this funding. So, I want to be careful that it's not um an addition of FTE anywhere.
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>> [cough] [clears throat] >> I want to tell you how important it's been to me to be the education extraordinary meetings with you and the head of and the amount that I've learned. Most of the people in this room know the depth of what you do. People who are listening to this live stream or watching it later probably do not know the depth and I hope from this presentation the community will understand better the extraordinary work that you do every single day for our students, for our teachers, our administrators, families and for the entire community. So, thank you for that. And I particularly love that we were able to do with Special Olympics and within this school year. Those were very emotional, meaningful days to be out there watching these kids. So, thank you for that, too. Thank you. I want to thank everybody who participated and I want to give a shout out to all of our coaches and our families and Diana Green and Kim O'Keefe who really spearheaded it and brought it to the district and we just really supported it along the way and this is an opportunity to also thank Rivers Casino for their generous donation and our District 62 Foundation.
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I just want to make sure that we're listening to them and that we're spreading it out. Well, that's everybody's first reaction when you hear something new, us too, right? When something new shows up, how am I going to do this? I think part of what we're already showing is like by pulling back the attendance expectations from all eight periods of the day to one period of the day is trying to make some space in that, right? Addressing the concerns in professional learning that addresses some of those concerns. And it's also setting reasonable expectations, right? There's no expectation here that a teacher is going to throw away everything that they've always done and start over with this new focus on engagement from the ground up. That's [clears throat] not it. It's little tweaks and additions and where does it make sense to do something new or different and then collectively if everybody is doing a little bit here or there, it all adds up just like this year doing little bits here and there around interventions and accountability and follow-up.
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