11-24-2025 Board of Education Meeting

001downstairs >> $45,000. >> Yeah. >> Everything else You know that, right? >> Oh, here tonight's I got it. >> Yeah, just just take out the arm part. A lot of windows open today. >> I think this Zoom is catch >> more already. >> Actually, it wasn't me on Tuesday either. That was an is taking my place. >> I don't follow up on any decisions. >> I'll You know, I just saw a region 15 was a 15year castle plan. I'm like, that is impressive. >> We actually a couple of six plus actually. I'll spoil the surprise. There's a couple of six. Lots of stuff happen. >> I got an extra wreath. >> Got an extra wreath. No, but there's like a strong secondary market. >> Yes, I've been there. The strong in Scotland. Yes, >> I

002do. >> What's that? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Sorry. Hi there. >> You can I just have to >> I can hear you guys. Thank you. >> Can you hear me? >> Yeah, I can hear you actually. >> Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna mute again. >> I can hear you as well. Loud and clear. No, no more. It says Yeah. Yeah, look at the Wow. >> Okay, we're starting to report. >> Y All right. Um, good evening. I'd like to call this meeting uh to order for the region 15 board of education for November 24th, 2025. Can we please stand for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the to stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. The mission of region 15, a collaborative community committed to excellence, is to

003educate every student to be productive, ethical, and engaged in a global society through proven and innovative learning experiences supported by a strong community whose decision-making is based in the best interest of all students. Um, and just before we start everything too, I just want to let everyone know that um, Miss Rogers and Mr. Olson are remotely connected to the meeting by Zoom. Um, and before we go with our student representatives, we had a presentation um, and that's going to be led by Miss Oul for our upcoming student performance um, of a play. Hello. Um, so we're going to show you a snippet of our play that we call the Greek. It's really two one act plays um, both using the Greek chorus. One is Antiggony Now, so it's a more streamlined version of Antiggony, a

004little bit modernized as well, and the other is called The Lamb. It's based off of an ASOP fable. And I'm gonna introduce Sarah Sutton, our assistant director, who is gonna introduce the rest of our cast. You'll see that. So, over there is Izzy Wer. She she plays Antiggony and then next to her is Danny Martino and Sam and they are the Addison Evans who plays and then we have I mean a savior who plays for ain't easy. What you going to do when the chips are down? Now that the chips are down aching. When the chips are down, now that the chips are down, now Now, now that the chimps are down was my brother. I loved him and I buried him. It's not so hard to understand. Yes, I'll show you. You put the

005city at risk and this time you pay the penalty. Your uncle, >> give me the penalty, too, uncle. I'm part of this. >> Took you in when you had nowhere else to go. My wife loves you like a daughter. Think is me. >> Did you help? >> I did it. Yes. Ask my sister if I did. Liar. She refused when I begged her to help. This has nothing to do with you. >> Let me share your punishment, little one. >> No. Polyes knows who loved him. We just talked. >> You can't face that alone. >> I'm not alone. Listen, the whole family's cheering me on from the dead land. Little sister, my only one. I can't bear to lose you. >> Well, bear it. How? How? >> Close your eyes. Think of the sun between

006your shoulder blades pouring heat like butter down your back and bird seeing after three days of rain walking out barefoot at midnight to see the old moon cradled in the arms of Yes. And how at midnight the heat of the road rises through the souls of my feet. You choose life. You'll always choose life. But I I choose death. My bags are packed and I'm on the road. Turn back, little one. Stay with me. Too late for turning. Poly is meeting me soon. He'll take my hand. We'll walk together to the earth until we find a river that blazes the fire but doesn't burn. See waiting on the fairy. The far bank is waving mama is calling us home. >> They have lost their minds. >> Suffering will do that to people. Uncle, >> some

007people are actually Why were you doing this? >> She's my sister. >> Speak of her. She doesn't exist. >> She doesn't exist. >> Thank you so much. I hope you guys are able to come see. This is going to be the weekend after this coming Thanksgiving weekend. So, uh, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and you'd be so thrilled. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you for coming. >> Just note that Miss Kavalo has now joined the meeting as well, joined a little while ago. I just wanted to bring it to everyone's attention. So, now we'll get to the student representatives. Miss Victoria Delo and Miss Galiza Murphy. >> All right. So, for some of the events going around here at Rock, we have at the class of 2028 is doing a fundraiser called the double good

008fundraiser. And it's basically running through this week. And just today, we've raised a little under $2,000 with a goal of $5,000. And for um student council, they're planning the um winter spirit week and they're focusing on having engagement with raisers locally and um boosting school spirit and community. And then also at Palm Rock in the past week and especially during our last Palm Senate meeting and to kind of summarize what Palm Rock Senate is, it's like a group of student leaders um who are the representatives for their various clubs and organizations and it's a group that meets about once a month and we try to bring all the clubs together to promote our school initiatives. And so during this last meeting, we put a focus on how to connect um as a school and create

009a positive school culture. So we came up with ideas including fun halftime um performances during basketball games um a fun interactive uh activity called the portrait of PHS and then also our spare days um that we hope can become more than just dressing up but something that um creates a schoolwide positive community. And then as we progress further into the school year, we hope that this goal of ours becomes something that we can achieve and celebrate on. >> Thank you so much. It's nice to hear about the Senate. Very interesting. Any questions? >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Um, next we have the region 15year capital planning. Superintendent Mr. Go over. So, we're going to walk you through um our upcoming five-year capital plan and then sprinkled in are maybe a few things

010that we've accomplished together over the last couple of years. Uh so as we announced uh recently this project is officially closed. We have uh two remaining uh windows the B window day windows u on the pool deck are scheduled to be replaced. They're finally in. They're quarters. So they're finally in. We're just trying to schedule around before the season so they don't disrupt any practice for them or that is the piece and then be done. >> All right. >> Um, some of this I think board members have already seen, but it's a good reminder for the community. We have nine buildings close to 700 square thousand square feet of space. Smallest building being about 21,000 and the largest 237. And then we function there's two different buckets that we'll talk about tonight. The operating capital

011is what's in our reoccurring budget. um that's approved every year. And then the second bucket that I have is we have the capital reserve then that's shifting or transitioning to the educational expense. That's the non-reoccurring that allows us to carry money uh year to year. Uh we can deposit make deposits in there but they cannot exceed 2% of our annual budget. We get as close as that the board or the community would like us to. Um, some disclaimers. Uh, this is for planning purposes. The numbers that we're going to show you are estimates. Uh, we prioritize safety and mechanicals. Uh, some of this will have to work on how we fund some of these projects. We want to put them on your radar. Um, and then obviously we update this annually or sometimes more frequently

012as available. Uh, this piece here window out of the way is uh really a list of some of the nonbonded items that we've done. So there um these all came out of one of those two buckets. Either the reserve account or the operating uh but did not come out of the box. The phone system upgrade, energy upgrades were done. Every school's been uh touched in some way, shape or form. some photos of projects that happened over this past summer. Again, one of those buckets that we talked about the gym floor at um that was taken down to barefoot and resurfaced. That is the hallway at central office, nothing out of ET. Um project that's happening that happened over the summer. Um and that space on the right used to be a locker bay. Um and

013is now space here at High School. Uh this is our current uh balance. Each of these are where we started the operating fund balance that we allocated as of July 1. That's come down some. Uh the capital reserve account, educational expense account. Tonight on the agenda is to transfer the year as balance. the educational expense balance is assumes that 405 that should be tonight. So when we talk about the projects that come after this slide, these are the three buckets that we're talking about. Uh so here's kind of a base list of the capital budget for this year and what's been completed already or is in process. So we go through here that locker bay that you just saw, the gym that you just saw All of these were in the budget. We have several

014planning studies underway. The one obviously that we spent the most time on is the building project study. Um, however, here at the high school, we're looking at upgrading the science labs that are all original or close to original. Um, the HVAC units that sit on the roof that we talked about in several presentations. Uh, Long Meadow the parking lot and that will be the first project. So, that is underway. uh along with the potential to add solar replacing the log meadow. That's a good time to add solar to the project. Um this is the water line that we've been talking about for a while. They're actually pretty far along in that study under development. So we talk about a construction bond. This primary piece would be the new school construction. the kind of pieces that

015are coming into focus now. Um I'll talk a little more about it tonight, but last board meeting we talked about the sewer line at Hayfield. Um whether or not we move forward with a building project. Uh we think that we should do a sewer line study and get some costs. Uh we replace the building, we're going to need to put a sewer line in. If for any reason we choose not to replace gamefield, we still think we should move away from septic and attach to that. the science labs. I think last year we tooured the middle schools and talked about the science labs there um and the science labs at the high school. Um the challenge with the science labs and I'll talk in a second about the field is both of those projects are

016not inexpensive. Um at the same time they don't hit a threshold. You go to bond something there's a lot of u leg work in getting bond quotes and a bond attorney and referendums. um and it doesn't make financial sense and you lose some efficiencies if there's say two or3 million dollar bond. So it makes more sense to tax the bond to the bottom that we're going out with. So one of the things that we want to put in front of you is at least the conversation that should we move forward with the school construction bond. There's an economy of scale and we're putting other projects in that bond. It doesn't mean we have to do them right away. It doesn't mean that you're going to execute the bond right away. But when you do the

017referendum doesn't mean we're not. But when you do the referendum, if you put these all in there, that it means it's one referendum uh that can be bundled and should you go to bond for these projects, you get them to come to scale. Um so the the three things, the three science labs, one at Robo that would be new, one at Memorial that would be new and the renovation of the ones at the high school. do not currently have formal pricing on that but um should board think that it's worthwhile should get some pricing and then cir circulating for uh several years now the amount of pressure put on the turf field here it's there's pressure by our own uh teams the spring is a very tough time to practice in New England and grass

018field become muddy and unusable quickly um and there's a lot of dem Tokyo here for our sports teams and a lot of the community is forced to travel outside. Uh so our thought would be this is an opportunity time to put a second tur field on the campus at the high school. This is not about replacing the one that we have that is in the fiveear plan and we have remember I'll get to that in a second the roofing cycle ends in placing the turf field that we currently own and and um this would be added. >> The Memorial School, do they have science labs now? >> They do. Uh they're both both schools are short science labs. Um and they're even the ones they have are um a couple of them are in classrooms.

019kind of made labs, but they're not they wouldn't be science labs the way the high school labs are. Like they wouldn't have gas or burners or things like that, but they would have water. Uh in the past you've spoken about u when we did the $10 million or $1 million bond that it was um likely that we should be considering a more regular project bond. Um so I understand your point that you know there's sufficiencies that's tacking on but like not every bond will get you know 10 million or 90 or whatever 100 million. So what is threshold? Understand it's not a legal threshold but a personal preference. What do you see is like this would be the minimum you'd want to go out to buy >> like four million. >> Yeah. Five five 10

020million. Anything smaller the issuance costs just get expensive because the issuance costs are almost the same or how size the font is. So usually five million or so I know you don't have pricing. What's the question? >> So this has been a little bit of a conversation and I'm hesitant to throw numbers out. Okay. two or three million at least. >> So, um you mentioned and I remember that the our first existing Turk field is in the fiveyear plan. Remind me is that five years from now or four years or >> and if we were to do this um bond and May 2026. Would he be able to break ground on a new field as soon as this summer or would that take time to as far as I can? I guess what I'm what

021I'm fishing for is it seems like it would be um very difficult to projects. We should have a turf field available while the other field is being worked on. Um, >> you're talking a new field this summer if it went out or >> Yeah, if it went out >> I think planning would be would be enough time like right answer >> in the long metal roof now. We're drawing it right now and actually should get finalized by early actually two two weeks or so. So that turf would have to be >> pretty well in the pipeline. the life of a turfield is 10 >> 10 15 years. Yeah, they've gotten better. But >> I think uh so yeah, I guess my what I would want to understand about project plan of this is how close

022are they together? Um, and I I think what I'd be worried about in terms of long-term planning is, you know, what if we had to replace them? >> You know, if it's 10 to 15 years that we we've done them pretty close together, um, long term, >> you know, how do we how do we do a maintenance site? How do we, you know, ensure that there's a maintenance cycle so that we're not running the risk of it? They're both at the same time. >> And challenge this cycle, too, is the track will probably come with it. cycle just the turf was done. So this will have to be more than likely track resurfacing with >> turf that's current that's where you get into like you say what's what's cost you know like probably can't do

023it less less than two million you probably spend as much as you could imagine that you know the sky's the limit on where you want to go with that but you know somewhere in that 26 let's say kind of where we're making and then so he did this summer of 27 faster than an install, >> you know, but you're still probably years the tur fields get evaluated and certified every year or every other year >> every year. Um, and then they give you kind of like how our wear is. So they say 10 to 15 years. That means you know could get 16 years out of it. >> I mean I even if we could do them we could plan that but they were eight years seven years apart or eight years apart like there

024may there may still be a possibility they would both be in trouble at the same time. >> But I guess I guess that's just something I'm thinking about is practically how long it take to to do these projects. >> So the short answer is longer and more complicated and efficiencies as far as like equipment maintain. >> So there's some multiple scale. So we didn't necessarily come up with like project plans, pricing estimates before we started going down that path. I just want to put it out here and say is this fighting off more than we can choose? Is it an opportune time? You know, is it the kind of thing where you want to do a separate bond two years from now? We're open to any of that. I just wanted >> I I guess

025one thing that I would like to know is obvious but I would like to know if either town is interested in doing field projects >> um >> yes because I can just tell you went through a whole thing with the turfield >> well that was an ex >> that wasn't >> it wasn't wasn't going to build it they were basically give it to a company and they would build it. >> It just seems to me that the town would have flexibility in terms of acquisition potentially. that would be I understand we're talking about I I would want to see you know town's vision is um commit to that project but interested because I I think you know I obviously there there are people advocating for I think it's not just a question for us and

026it's not just a question for what I'm seeing on that slide is they're somewhat correlated. >> What I'm what I'm seeing on that slide is that they're correlated in a way because you're thinking about individual projects or bond collectively because can't stand on their own individually. Correct. So I totally hear what you said. Yeah, I think we should evaluate town level. In the same regard, I don't want it to I don't want to miss an opportunity to update the science labs and that's the flip side of that coin because how would that ultimately be funded and repaired? The other question that I have and this may be a silly question you talking this type of bond and what this is not involving our current >> then can we talk about that >> because that's my

027you know >> when we start talking about PESGS start talking about this would it be one collective and then if it is grouped together if the if the cost of the new construction is exceeded goes higher than it was estimated to the point where the science lab or the turf cannot be done. How like how is that managed? I just want to make sure like I think this in my mind is going back to we really need that conversation with the attorney. I think that was one of the suggestions some weeks ago about like what does it mean when we start thinking about referendum and what that could look like because I think all of these things are excellent but we also had significant conversations at our last meeting about the price. We'll renovate location.

028So when we group it all together, to me it makes logical sense, one vote, we get it all on paper, but I am concerned about adding more millions. >> Yeah. >> And putting other projects that can't like we need some we need a decision on ES eventually. >> And if the costs do go higher, then how do we have cost estimates with change or percentage else built into the projects and they're very um By that point, they're well betted out as far as they do x percentage change orders above what. So if it's it's a let's say $50 million school, they allocate 10% change orders. It's it's they all get executed, >> right? >> Yes. >> But what I'm saying, so let's say it's $50 million, right? We find out that the school needs $50

029million and we committed in a referendum to spend another four to5 million on turf fields and labs. can't and we have no more money. How does that get managed? you'd have to go back out for >> bonding which is couple answers amenities >> or what you do is you you start to you start to look at the school say this is going to come off of the bill and then we have to go and we're going to have back and this is makes me nervous. >> I love the idea of a turf field. I love the idea of labs. But to me, this comes down to really good >> estimates and planning. >> This is true. No matter what happened to you, >> but taking into account even inflation costs, >> the the gonna say

030rebate >> um >> reimbursement. Thank you. Because to me that that's where kind of the rubber hits the road and and I think that there's a lot of interest in the turfield. There should be, right? There's a lot of interest for labs and there should be but we also know we have this building project. We just have to really do this smart >> and make sure that we are very transparent and and if something is at risk. What I'm hearing is we have to do it all but other things may be scaled back in order to be able to do it all. >> So they be different buckets, right? So you wouldn't say we're not going to do the science labs because the school project went over like what has happened and I I don't

031share this because it's scary. like like some school districts have said we're going to no longer we're going to no longer air this like that's what they have done to say that's a cost that we pulled out. If you do the school just as a standalone referendum and no other project like that's still scenario that's still the the conversation happening of what happens in one of the pieces that you know I think we've talked some about the advantage of building new renovated >> is you you have fewer variables to control. Once you start renovating, you don't know what they're fine, right? If you build new, you get those estimates, you get cost, you get bids where you can say this is what we budgeted vendor, you have to stick with, you know, you build in

032some of those escalation costs. Again, building new also short the time frame. So cost escalators or those kinds of things. Yeah, I mean there's going to be those are some of the biggest challenges that you face whether you do these as three separate projects or you do them as one project all together. It would be what project maybe one breath right >> except if if let's say the interest of the town was high and the town wanted to fun that then it would be potentially two question >> uh >> I just want to be careful about >> it was a town town question >> right question >> and I I wouldn't see I mean if say and I don't know for a fact but if everybody want to do a turfield I would think they

033do their own want to do it >> no we're not suggest No, that's not what she meant. I would want to make sure or we take on that project that it has been shopped to both unity as >> you know my take on this is >> is the school excuse me the new schools are deep >> the uh the labs probably need I think the turfield one um you know we've gotten by without the second turf field for a long long You know, I think we should be prioritizing in schools and then maybe the labs. I don't say >> I think so. So, before getting into a a discussion of whether we need them or not, I think what I heard from Josh and what he was saying and hopefully this is like people can

034hear me. We're having a little trouble with the live stream right now. Um um do does the board want to further explore what the cost of those items are going to be? Like I think that's what I heard Josh asking. >> Like do we want to get a more uh clear number on the turf field and additional turf field or the science labs? >> You don't answer that right now. Okay. >> The science labs are there there is >> that that there's pointing in progress for science labs. process >> because in the science labs for example you don't >> I want to put this on your radar so you can think about it but we don't have to make any decisions tonight the science labs for example are part of our fiveyear so that if

035we didn't hold them into a bond you'd still we'd still find a way to do them but it might be spread out over five years might be one lab at a time you know it's not that we wouldn't do it the turf field's a little different again funding how we would be a conversation We're gonna we'll keep working on the live stream. We are recording this and the webinar side. So it's just if you're trying to watch this on YouTube, there's some issue with streaming on YouTube right now. So >> yeah. So I guess we don't have to decide obviously it's a new discussion for the board, but if we want to embark on the second field cost, you'd have to at least we have to embark on engaging architect study get a cost. because

036you can't we didn't number obviously if we wanted to put it in May again I'm not saying we need to or not but that would so we'd have to do fairly >> I think that can you say that one more time because I couldn't hear you sorry >> I I would value doing that estimate because even if we were going to take it back to the town and show it to the town is this a project you're interested in? I think having that estimate is an important Steve and then Tom. >> Um just is this the end? I had a question actually about the roofs on the schools but keep going. We're going to keep going. If that's on there then that's >> um and then my I just um just say it now. All

037due respect, like I I don't want to involve the towns like it's just I mean I get that and I know we don't but we just if it was important for the towns to have had a turf field already because it's difficult to schedule things like the towns would have done it. I mean we can I guess we can I just I just wouldn't even bother. I just don't think it's going to get anywhere. Uh we do have a regime change in South Berry, so maybe it's worth just floating that biome. Uh but um I just think that opens up a whole can of worms about what you know the region is very specifically the combination of both towns. I think when you once you start going to the individual towns to ask for things,

038it just just complicates matters. Um so that was I'll ask about groups. So, um I thought something that Sharon brought up was really interesting and that was this idea of like, you know, we've what happens if we have costs? We don't have to look much further than our own repair bond where the pool ended up eating up half the bond and that's not what we went out to the public. So, what happened was projects dropped off. So I would be very concerned if it was all one bond starting with like the turf field and then it's like oh started digging and there's you know look what we found underneath this ground that hasn't been touched for years >> now it's going to be cost >> and now that's taking money out of a bond where

039we haven't got through our school I'm not touching any school projects to pay for the for the turfield >> the thing I would be very interested to know and I I would guess we'd have to talk to our bond attorney about this Could we I'm with you on the science labs. I think that's an easy one to kind of roll into the new construction for all the reasons Sharon and John mentioned. I think for the turf field, I want to ask the bond attorney if we could split that question. And that second question like you know would you like a turf field would have to be contingent on have the schools passed, right? Because we've said we're not going to bond for just one, right? So talk to the bond attorney about how we could

040do a reliant or contingent question. The reason I say this is that I I I'm very concerned about keeping the school portion of this clean. And if you look around, listen, if you look around in this state, referendums on turf fields have a very um mixed history, right? You'll find that have passed, but you'll find just as many, if not more, that have failed. Right? And I don't know if adding a turf field to this would help our chances of passing the school or hurt our chances. Either do any of us, right? Which means it's a variable that I'm uninterested in introducing to a school uh on what I do know for sure is that if the school referendum question fails, and it's potentially because we included a Turk, I would be sick to my

041stomach. I would be sick to my stomach and said, "Why did we do this? We didn't have to do this." So, I'm I'm It sounds like I'm not for it. I'm for it. You know, I question the timing. I do question if this is going to be a distraction because every minute we spend on it. Like, we've just given you a lot of homework. Every minute you spend researching things on a turf field is a minute you could be spending getting answers for us on school, which has a lot of questions to answer in the next seven meetings of this board where the referendum question has. We have seven meetings regularly and we have a budget to pass in between that. So I worry about the distraction. I worry that we are jeopardizing passing the

042schools by bundling it. But I'm all for putting this out in front of the public. I just I don't want to have it be an omnibus yes or no. I want to give people the opportunity if they feel strongly that they're not into the turf field that it doesn't have to sink their vote for the schools. They should be able to So I I was just ask a very quick logistical question which is just is it possible to like prioritize you know like we're doing the schools first it's your field that we have the money at the end you know basically that we don't touch that money until which is going to put it on the timeline of the other field probably um but is it possible to actually like triage those things like >>

043once you get bond authorization you in theory have whatever timeline the board the board feels to allocate the money That's that's it's it's having the authorization to borrow. >> I understand. I guess I'm just procedurally correct. >> Yeah. >> So, I thought you were slightly different. I thought maybe what you're saying. So, like maybe there's a question that says new school referendum and then another question that sort of says like an add-on, right? Like you, you know, you want the Caesar salad. Would you like to add >> some labs? Would you like to add some turf field? And then if the school doesn't pass, the rest of the stuff >> just doesn't doesn't pass either. >> I like >> that's what I thought you were that's what I thought Tom was saying. >> Yeah. No,

044that's that's what I'm getting at. Yeah. Yeah. I think we've come too far on the schools over the last 18 months to to drop in at this stage of a new thing. I want to make sure we can stay focused on this track and I'm all for putting this in front of folks, but I just don't I don't want to compromise what we spent so much time on on the other side right now >> and we're good like we're good with whatever. What we didn't want to do was it be March say oh tag this up you know there aren't a lot of meetings left we want to give you as much me time the way we're going to talk later tonight about some answers to the PTS and PPS project that we had um

045I have tech scheduled to come in December and then really again as long as we're okay with it in January we'd like to start bringing like some potential referendum language bond ask some of those questions um so that we can kind of keep moving this forward to hit that uh May deadline and I don't want this to be something that in May we're like oh we could have done that but it's too late now we want it this is too much it's too complicated however you want to move to >> I know it says on that slide it's a short-term field at DHS and can get I think that the opportunity in my mind is you build a new school, you put in a church field at that location. And I don't believe that that

046has been at all integrated discussed in some of our conversations and if it was I missed it, but to me that would be the best of both worlds, right? You build the new school and you plan to integrate that into the over in architectural design and cost relative to that one location. Is that something that's been evaluated? I know we're having issues with location and property. I know that's a big component, but um >> yeah, so we have had that conversation and it's a possibility. So that the challenges with that are that the high school athletic programs are prominent users of the turkey. So putting one off site, you have to transport students to that field practice. Again, not the end of the world, but it's far less convenient than being able to move practices

047up. >> But same thing with the town location. Sure. Well, the town location is even less we shouldn't have primary access to. >> So, I just want to make sure we're very careful with some of the narrative. >> Yeah. >> Um, and then the second challenge is that the equipment to maintain tur all lives here at the high school as does the knowledge from the facilities here. Having it off site means that we'd have to move that equipment which we don't have either rent trucks. Um there's special like uh think like like zeroturn lawn mower kind of equipment. You have to you'd have to we don't have a pickup truck trailer move it to rent that or buy that and our custodians would be the ones at the high school train. So it's a it's

048not insurmountable but the fact that like the the maintenance and primary use are here and we have fields already here that we just replace. You could build it into an elementary school. it would not um count for reimbursement. So the field would not be reimburseable that's at least according experience conversation. >> But either way for athletics at at you know new schools their fields I would assume would be much smaller >> than something high school. >> Yeah. It would be like I mean again we could redesign and like a full size soccer field. If you wanted to make it a competition field, that's something that we could try to work into the plans. The the challenge really is that the the prominent use of turf fields here are our teams and it would mean we

049have to proide transportation of high school students really just you couldn't practice at 2:30 at an elementary school high school, you know. So the the use of that field the town is a different piece because right now our we get primary access field and any community use comes secondary if it's a town field that's got to reverse right or potential you haven't asked the question but the high school use is really just about the logistics of access >> this is gonna be a long night >> yeah and lastly just some of the work around science >> yeah wouldn't eat my call >> lastly this the only piece on science we talk about a lot and we talk about numbers the reason why really we wanted to start laying out the high left particularly with the

050architect because they do range from like 3 400,000 to 78 800,000 depending on where the need are with the OSHA compliance is why we wanted to get some of these projects at least more ready to go irresective if they go into referendum or not at least we'll know when we talk about numbers on where we are as far as some of those dollars to middle school labs too which again might not be astronomical dollars some of the work they do but at least having like real numbers real cost estimates against them we help Are you thinking right now about lighting that turkey field? >> So, it's a conversation. I mean, go either way. You know, if you light it, you gain more access to it, you know, more cost. >> Sure. >> You could also

051go through a field and light it. That's an easy thing to put conduit in the actual light. >> This gets a little bit into what Steve was ask. Uh, and this is the replacement of the current turkey that would come in summer. It's kind of where we're looking now. It lasts longer. >> Yeah. And the long metal one is currently um drawing as we speak. >> And there is reimburse. 49% I I forget the last exact numbers I know it changed a little bit but around 49% >> why it comes out of capo or comes out >> well it's it's going to come out of the current bond line there's $1.2 million in the bond line this year which we've obviously not made the bond payment for because that bond was paid off. So those

052dollars will roll into the roof replacement cycle. Um and then we'll with a roof is $2 million we get 50% back from the state. We're not going to ask to bond further. >> No, it because we thought attempting to bond more was going to be more complicated. You'd have more bond that you'd be carrying. So, the idea of this this this rolling cycle to get through all these roofing projects was kind of beneficial. One metal being yours. That's your oldest roof. Um, so we'll go through some of the school schools one by one. Um, on the one to three year for Long Meadow. Uh your the gym floor, that is one of your kind of your last oilbased gym floors. So, we're looking to refinish that. Carpeting, you have really millions miles of carpeting in

053Long Meadow. Uh we've done some tile replacement, but also going to keep doing going through that. The repaving and redesign of the park at Long Meadow. There's a lot of parking issues there. We've looked at at least taking the front of that front section. Um, I figun fact there was actually a silo which is why the parking lot kind of flows around. At one point there was a farm silo that sat where the current flag pole is which I learned actually this year. So the reason why the parking lot kind of hooks around is there was actually a silo that was eventually had to be kind of ripped down and condemned after they built the parking lot around it. >> Um, so we're looking at it. We have some options there. There's a lot of

054parking to add. Um, but not really ready to, you know, do a final design on that. Uh, PA system upgrades. We had a really great PA system vendor kind of rolling through a lot of replacements in those. The high schools completed last year, for example. Sidewalks, there's many miles of sidewalks around Long Meadow and we got a lot of old chipping concrete replaced a lot as we go. Um playgrounds, it's I feel like they run in cycles through the course of doing the Long Meadow playground. We did look at the preschool playground down back. Um that is showing some signs of wear. We do think that's be somewhere on the horizon um in that like two or three year window. that that's a much smaller player and much smaller playcape, but that's definitely out there.

055Uh the roof replacement at Long Meadow 2.2 million. Like I said, there's a lot of solar credits are still out there, so I'm kind of optimistic and kind of the net the net overall impact to us. So, we're looking at some solar arrays and engineering studies on there. So, it's going to be a very cool project once it comes hopefully. I'm hoping I'd like to get the finance early December. Um HVAC upgrades, all meadows AC with all what is called AR R22, which the old refrigerant. um your 1.2 million there's additional cost above the 1.2 to obviously that's at least as a placeholder for the moment. Um you replacing carpeting at Long Metal kind of forever I feel like. Um generator there is the original generator of the building that does a lot of life

056safety equipment there. Um about $300,000 that that is you know that kind of that's in the six plus that's out there. The other discussion piece which you kind of see we went through the stuff this year. At some point I have to make some decisions on some of the portables. Um the lower section there's two portables. There's six portals to long meadow. Four put in with the RF funds and the two lower ones are from the early 90s. So the idea of kind of what to do with them, we convert them to brick and mortar. Um or is there a way to do redistricing and kind of maybe not use those anymore? You'll see that kind of through all the schools we go through. Middle elementary school um flooring replacer. We're looking this this coming

057summer to kind of replace the front entrance for but there's a lot of additional there as well. HVAC. There's several units um going down the main hallway. The music and and some of those rooms are serviced by older HVAC units. Uh PA system upgrade in that school and also a possible clock upgrade as well. Um that school's on the roof replacement cycle. So that that is on threeear cycle that that roof that will last the three um additional flooring and the 3 to 5 year the outside the brick and mortar. There's a lot of mortar issues inside and we continue to repoint on some of the fascias. So I do think there'll be some additional brick work for that to be done throughout the time there. Playground repair and replacement we put that on the

058three to five year marker. That is that will be your oldest playground if they complete the long metal pieces as well. Um and again not saying yay or nay but just kind of out there on the radar. Um also the portable class at middle elementary actually typo there is one not two out there. Um that lower one is from the early 90s as well. We did a new HVAC unit in there, but again an an older classroom uh down in the back of that school Shambo. Um you know, flooring replacement is always out there that one to threeyear bathroom upgrades. Um your heating system upgrades. This summer we did kind of a pilot uh $55,000 with the cost of replacing the zone valves on all the unit heaters. So those valves actuate with the thermostat

059and the old system or method was to adjust the valves by hand. So you wanted more heat called the study kind of turn the valve. So now we've actually have a a actuator system control computer. It's kind of 55,000 wing. Um it is very pricey to get through all of those. um your $200,000 plus to start replacing some of those uh thermostat systems, but that does become a modern system where the thermostat actually has a a swing temp where the teacher can adjust it three degrees up or down. So, it's kind of it's it's really a very nice system the way it works. Uh the gym section on that roof is $350,000 there. That is uh showing some age on that front section. Uh we're going to evaluate that further. We did some patching on

060it this summer. The science labs as we said the study's underway for those parking lot at Roshimbo there's definitely a lot of signs of wear and cracking there etc. replacement. The main Brley roof replacement that is somewhere out in the 2031 I believe the architect put on that. So that is a very large expansive roof up on Ro Shambo. Um that's a that will actually be out there on the radar for another roof. >> So the Roambo roof that's not on the cycle. >> It's not it's it's not >> six plus. I'm talking. >> Yeah, that's that's six plus. that be kind of when we finish the cycle with the turf field and you come to Roshambo um give or take but yeah that is a that is a large expansive flat roof that runs

061across that that but we think we have solid five years >> yeah we've got time um you know not tons but you got time it's it's patchable we did learn one thing through the central office um roof on the backside we did that about five years ago and it was just so spider you couldn't really patch but these do have some seams and they're they're pretty serviceable Um on hold on some of these times are on your radar. It doesn't mean that six years we might make a 10 >> or six and a half >> or question. >> Um you mentioned the possibility. >> Yes. >> I know there's a lot >> and we have them. What's the what's the return on that investment? I'm just curious. >> Yeah, about 60 about 50 to $60,000

062a year. Um, right now we're that those are what's called PPAs, the power purchase agreement. So, the district does not own the panels. We buy the we buy the power the panels generate. So, right now, I think Long Meadows Array, we buy it at 8 cents a kilowatt off the panel. Current Eversource rate is about 12 cents. So, actually the 8 cents is a big savings. and Rosh Shimbo is about eight and a half cents or so give or take. So those are actually paying dividends now because the energy price have swung up considerably. Um so they are they are working. We would look at possibly an owned array. Um I was actually talking to our energy consultant too is actually up different people that you want to invest in your solar arrays. So we're

063going to bring some options forward on that but we'll definitely >> when we talk about pricing it's the cost to do it. It's not taking into consideration any of the offset. Correct. >> Correct. Yeah. And there's also if you go to school construction and bundle the solar with the roof, the school construction will pay for a portion of the roof array as well. So there's a lot of credits there. So that's why we wanted to kind of shake that down. >> Just to be clear, when we do new dos, we're not really looking to take up any more real estate. >> Yeah, we're not um moral middle school. Um, you know, uh, flooring replacement is definitely in that that one to threeear cycle. The boiler replacements, we did a natural gas upgrade there, so that

064it's not urgent on those. They're they're in okay shape. There will be some efficiencies there, and we may look at like some uh additional energy credits if they available to do our boiler upgrades there. Um, the roof is is out on that cycle. Um, that would be your second roof to do um at Memorial. That will be in 20 28, no 2027. Uh HVAC upgrades, you have a number of older rooftop units up there will be in need of service. And obviously the science legislator is current under underway as well there. Um parking lot, you do have a lot of spidering in in uh in both the front and the back lot out there as well. uh sidewalks. Memorial has this really like expansive front sidewalk section which I feel like every day there's a

065chunk that cracks off the side. We have to continue to repatch that. Um and oops type sorry there's no year six no uh no year six >> another type too because the sidewalks are $45. Oh, look at that. >> 45 basketball uh the uh say yes that's memorial u the high school. Um I know Mr. Marks always loves me talk about HVAC stuff. U but we are we are definitely concerned too about kind of what sits above our head. Um I do feel like though we are kind of at least getting some handle on some of the costs up there. Um the larger five units we've not done an exhaustive study yet on. Um what you can't see is inside the building there is there is multiple fan rooms that kind of go across pretty

066the rear section. Um there's eight units that go across the back section. Those are about 550,000 to 750,000 each and there's kind of eight of those units. Um the large main units we do think are sort of that million a million and a half dollars. The good news is they're serviceable today. R22 is old. We did have a compressor failing one of the larger ones. It was about a $20,000 repair. Um but at least in the moment they're serviceable. They are older. The R22 is end of life. We definitely need to address them. Um but we are looking at as I said actually the Wednesday the unit towards the back of the building that was the science lab that's coming off. They're going to put that for 55,000 and um in the capital for next

067year is the exact cousin to it that went up there both in 96. We'll take the front one off for 55,000 as well. Um and we'll look at look at doing those are getting the system on that. The ones we're looking at up there are what's called a rooftop fired unit which fires by hot water. >> So basically all of them up there about the same age. >> They are they are on very stage. Yes, they've all kind of been sprinkled around and right about that uh that late 90s vintage give or take. Um with some um the auditorium unit which we're currently just finishing up the cost estimates on now which about half million dollars. Um that that I believe is from the 80s somewhere. It's over there. But yes, lots of good but

068I mean I we're we're definitely we know a lot more than we knew I feel like last year about what's up there which is good. Um the one to three year um we're looking at doing another locker bay this summer conversion on that. Um those HVH units like I said there was kind of eight of the called the midsize units. Those are about 600,000 or so a piece up there. Um that's that's out there in that one to three. And again, not saying they're get done in the three, but I think it's on the radar for that flooring replacement abatement. There's all the red tile at the high school, the glue underneath it is is as fastest. So if you do any work, it's perfectly fine. You walk in all day long. Obviously, if you

069do any work to it, it has to be dealt with. Um so if you want to get rid of the red tile, you kind of have to do the the tenting like we do the central office. That gets pricey. Um HVAC work, the science labs, um the study's underway. We're looking at doing a security camera upgrade as well up here. Um there is there is some some dollars out there to kind of begin to upgrade the system that's already here. Um also as part of this too which isn't in time the one to threeyear we have looked at there is a the locker bay the locker rooms across from the pool. Um we're looking at the idea they're kind of used for storage. We're looking at the idea of opening up more to kind of

070almost like an athletic trainer area too. Um not on here but but kind of on the radar as far as there's basically a lot of walls and we kind of take the walls down. we can actually kind of make a decent uh training space in there for the athletic trainer. So, that's on there for the high school, the turf and the the turf and the track replacement. I mean, I think a million and a half, two and a half million is is a reasonable number, but again, need a good hard cost estimate on that um to get through that more. The parking lot sections, we do a lot of pothole patching. They're holding together, but there is, as you guys know, there's a lot awful lot of uh the hot ties part of the practice

071every year up there. the main the five main uh HVAC units at the high school. Um I do hope to get a better study around those um probably into the spring. And the classroom hallway door placement, it's it's kind of a it's a different thing, but if you look at our current current ones, doors are pretty beat up. Uh yes, they function, yes, they close. The lock mechanisms are all good. Um the problem is that heavy veneer can't really be sanded due to what's inside the doors. Um so if you wanted to do any work on them, you kind of don't replace it all. Most modern schools have gone to like a more like a almost similar the finish you see here like like a lighter wood. Um you know as the architect was doing

072science labs and you tour these you know like to modernize the high school is going to be just on the board to to do a renovate to new would be like we were joking like a 10 a 10-year phase to renovate the high school out as a new high school someday. So I think we're keep looking at kind of this you know repair bond chipping away uh through the high school. It's a good building. which needs a little bit of, you know, little TLC here and there. I think really does make it look nice. And the the locker bays do look amazing. The kids are using them all the time and it just looks super modern with a little bit of work. Um, >> how did the next school parking lot hold up all the

073pool construction sidewalk area? >> Yeah, it's it's okay. We did a little bit of we did a little we did a little bit of concrete patching over there, but yeah, all in all that held up well. On the contrary, it did replace um that one sidewalk that they beat up pretty bad. >> Um yeah, it it has held up well. Um, yeah, >> our central office. Um, you know, it I joke adjust. It's not a place I I've always put money into seven buildings before I put it down our place. Um, but you know, we did do the main hallway replace that. We are looking some options about doing some the uh carpet abatement and the main conference, possibly the finance office as well. Um, there's 9 by9 tile with some pretty um dilapidated carpeting

074on top of that. Um, we're looking at some options there. The lower level, the HVAC system, the problem with the current heating system, as we were just talking about a little while ago, in order to get the first floor, sorry, get the basement to 70°, you have to take the first floor to 80° because there's really no thermostat to balance the two. Um, so we're looking at kind of additional heat pump uh to put into that main heating space down the basement for 45. It would help us balance the building a lot better. Um, also too, we have one of our we do have one um, maintenance vehicle that is driven by our maintenance supervisor. Um, that is getting on and is well over 125,000 miles on it. Um, and does get used day in

075and day out. So, that's that is on the replacement radar. Um, I do think the building will need additional heating uh, work done to it over time. It's a very old system and the window replacements are just um, very old and very brittle. A lot of single pane with old storm windows. So again, not committing, but you know, depending on where the journey takes us, I didn't mean to keep looking at a lot of those pieces. >> Who replaced one paint? >> Well, we did. The superintendent replaced one paint. Yes, one >> by himself. >> He has two or three stitches to prove. >> Um, so there is that out there. Um, and we did take some pictures. I I don't want to forget these. And I know Josh, you keep these like I do

076because I never want to forget the old pennis squares. >> I I never I >> have them up. >> Yeah. I I can't forget the old tennis courts and that had to be remembered always and the you know the color room too. Um and actually that picture is actually old because the one uh Perkins paid for another stove on the other side. But you know never kind of never forget what the all the great work we've done here as a board. I do think it is um it is it is quite amazing to see what has happened and and and the time we spend together. Um the portal classrooms I I do want to leave that out there as a thing. Um, I think we've done we actually did some air sampling recently in in

077the Palm Park Elementary ones. Um, and I think they're just they're out there. They're they're they're solid. They're watertight, but they're they're definitely on years. And again, if we do work on game field and PR elementary, that'll that'll knock off a lot of them. So, um, that will >> I think I say this over here. >> Yeah. >> But I know Prague Elementary, you're referring to the four. >> It's really not. No. other portable class. >> The the fourth grade are this weird like >> Yeah. >> like prefab >> Yeah. modular building things. Yes. >> Actually, we were told that was the temporary gym at one point and they put walls inside of there or something in the stories of the elders. I feel like here >> that's >> Yeah. Yeah. The fourth grade is

078not >> school tour two years ago and one of the teachers is like there's a chunk of wall. >> Yeah. Yeah. There there is there is a crack in plaster. It it is a weird >> structurally stable but Yeah, it's it's it's a very weird assembly to it all. >> The results of the air quality. >> We just I just got done about a couple hours. So, the results were okay. Yeah, um the the um yeah, the the scoring was good. He's still doing the evaluation, everything. But yeah, the initial look was the reports were okay. Um and obviously the the funding streams there's there is many um the capital plan, capital reserve, the educational expense, um our bonding, the uh HVAC grants, the security grants, school construction grants, uh state security grants. We're also

079looking at now I mentioned that finance Eversource is a 0% uh program which they reinstituted up to a million dollars of borrowing for energy efficiency upgrade which HBAC qualifies as which is kind of neat. So maybe we might look at doing one of those HVAC soon in a 0% finance ever source um like five year or something like that. So look at those options as well. So >> thank you questions further questions um we're talking about potentially asking for a bond for the new uh new turfield. Do we and I know we've talked about you said those things on the ceiling of this building HV units go >> potentially close to school >> like I feel like >> they're more urgent >> they're there I I want to stress is they're all there's parts exist

080they're old but the compressors exist the the wrinkle to the R22 which is the old refrigerant which I talked to several now heating cooling contractors the compressors are still being manufactured So the wrinkle will be is when those compressors are no longer available, there will be a bigger kind of a bigger problem. But as of the moment, there is no plan to sunset R22 compressors. So that that is that is our which again we're not alone in this. A lot of buildings have I'm sure the IBM building has a lot of R22 in those rooms of that old complex. So we're not alone in that world. So, I do think that manufacturing time frame does it does >> it's not a >> it's not imminent. It's not Yeah, >> but and it's not like it's

081worth throwing tons of tons of good money after bad like I mean it's we have >> we we need to chip away like the opportunities to get them off the roof if we're going to take like the the unit to the science labs that was the $55,000 unit like that was from 96 it's it's it's leaving Wednesday. Um, so you know, if we can take them out. >> Um, >> so I'm hearing then we're So we're in a sense they're not as big I mean you didn't have them. So they're not as big a priority. >> They're concerned but they're not um I want to keep getting more evaluations done on see what a better plan. My last question was just um you and you'd hinted at redistricting light um and I know we budgeted

082in the plans for the new schools like I think it was like a kids was it I think roughly that sort of shift over and um I guess that doesn't that's not enough to sort of free up >> I don't know that answer so I think that some of the the challenge with all of this plan which is why there's disclaimers all over it is there's a lot of moving parts right and so um is there a way when we shift do you pull 50 60 students how what's the critical number that you know Um, and are there better ways to think some of this? You know, the other side of that is those portables were added at the time, you know, do do we move it and then need it again, you know, and

083so I think that's part of the the conversation. Uh, and it also depended, you know, one school versus two. We have to redistrict. If we do end up building two schools on our property, we don't need to redistrict and GES. like that's, you know, so like as we kind of tick through, what we're trying to do is give you the variables. >> We're trying to give you the different funding streams, the HVAC, the the 0% interest. That's how we did the gas at Gainfield we did through, you know, gas >> rooftop fields on that. >> So, you know, some of this is helping you see the the landscape and then as funding sources become available, uh, you know, we'll try to take efficiencies anywhere the wrinkle like for example Middle Elementary's portable that I don't

084see a way that that's going to go anywhere and to rebuild that as another portable would be kind of shortsighted but to build it as a brick structure will be you know millions um to do that again would you do one store look at kind of a double story version I don't know you know that's that's a um you know same ones at Memorial you've got three out there and again the idea to look at a different edition of Memorial memorial and make that a brick edition. Again, these are much further than we're talking before just a two school discussion getting through that. >> They're repairable, they're safe, solid, they're watertight, >> uh, >> you know, and, uh, and to do everything on here, I can do the math and add all it's unlikely that

085we're going to put out $150 million bond to fix everything here. You know, it's just not how it's just not how it's going to work. >> Uh, and if we did all that, there's probably another layer like I mean this is we have again almost a million square feet of space like this is an ongoing DSM we do for again I I'll say this when I got here you had no fiveyear plan had almost no capitalizer you had no structure to do this like we we are beginning to position ourselves to to do all these projects and so I just you know I don't want to under um value what the board has done in the last six or seven years to be in a position to have this conversation. So, while it seems overwhelming

086at times, u make fun of me for being overly optimistic, none of these problems, do I feel are insurmountable or that we we're not moving in a direction to address them. So, yeah, >> I'm going to go back to solar panels. >> Recognizing that the solar panels may be added on to LME, not knowing the lifespan life the life cycle of the solar panels. Would there be any evaluation if the existing ones can be removed with the new ones being added to bring back that recreational space to students given the fact that the >> field situation is limited. >> The current ones were leased for 25 years. >> And when is that up? >> 20 years from now. They were they were I >> they were almost the day before Josh got >> here >>

087basically I mean give or take they were could they could he move to the roof of Long Meadow I don't know the answer that would be a cost the board would have to incur ended their life cycle you know to offset the money like bring the field back and put >> cut down an awful lot of trees in the process so >> all right >> it might have been might have been 16 so they might be But >> you still have >> Yeah, >> I I put under a coke. >> Yeah, >> they ran like 20 20 or 21 >> because middle yelled at me for the trees >> when it pass. >> So, I just wanted to say uh in preparation for tonight, I went back and I looked at some of the prior

088presentations and I'll give you both your kudos. Most of the stuff that's on there has been done, right? There's not a lot that has fallen off. The timing sometimes doesn't quite line up, but again, there's a certain folly in projecting five years out. >> Um, so I uh I'm appreciative of the work that goes into this, putting things on on our radar. >> Um, it gives me confidence that even some of the stuff we're talking last night, like the board decides they want to move forward with the church field, but now is not the right time, like I'm confident we'll find a way to get it done. track record has been such that you know I don't think it'll be an issue but uh I appreciate you I know this is a lot of work

089uh and I appreciate you guys taking the time to do this up here >> and I hope so the process would be kind of like I said some get more shovel ready projects like the science labs and just have better numbers around some of the big ticket stuff that that's kind of what I'm kind of excited about some of the projects at least studies that are going to close out like the labs because it is we've meet with the teachers and had some really great conversation and how they want those labs to lay out and what to look like. So again, maybe something we can't do today, but at least have an idea to say they cost this much. Have some idea where you're kind of shooting to. >> Any other questions? >> All right.

090Thank you. Um, next, may I have a motion for approval of the November 10th, 2025 regular meeting of the board of education minutes? >> Oh, okay. Sorry, >> Sha. Do you have something to say? >> I I did a while ago. I just I was like I didn't want to interrupt anyone and then I was trying to comment after John about kind of the towns in the turf field and I I think that you know Josh and some other people said it you know articulated it well before because right like us busing the turf field is really about the students at our high school right it's about our players that sit there comparable also to other towns right we're the only high school um or the district I think in the state um based on

091the survey that was done that doesn't have a second turf field for its high school athletes. So, you know, yes, I think the town should also put one in. Mberry was unique situation. I don't think that got voted down because it was a turf field. It got voted down because it was going to be gated and guarded and residents wouldn't be allowed to use it without a fee. So, I just want to make sure that right I think there is a big want in these communities for extra space for all of the children to utilize. Um, and it should be done at both the town and the school level. >> Thank you, Shannon. Okay, so we'll um move on to the the approval of the minutes. So, can I have a motion for approval of

092the November 10th, 2025 regular meeting of the board of education minutes. >> Move that the board approve the November 10, 2025 regular meeting of the board of education minutes. >> Thank you, Steve. Any second? >> Second. Thank you, Sally. Um, any questions, comments, anything? Yes, I will make a comment. Um, in preparing these minutes, um, we are now getting some very heavy conversations about the ESGs project and it's never our intention for the minutes to read like a transcript. However, I personally felt that it was important to capture some of the discussion. We had a discussion over an hour last time about PSGs. So, you're going to see in these minutes somewhat of a more detailed uh recounting of what the board discussed as opposed to just the line without, you know, the board had

093discussion. Um, if you haven't had a chance to review them, uh, please do. Maybe if the chair would have it, we could just take an extra minute or two to take a look. Um, but >> having it, >> then let's move to a vote, please. Um, but moving forward, we're going to try to do a bit more um of an in-depth recap uh as kind of the official record of proceedings. Um, for this to make sure it was objective, we did run the transcript of the video through two large language models so they can tell us what they thought was was the highlights and then uh Jen and I went in and kind of personalized it. So, please make sure you read that before we prove it. And if I've misqued you or anything, please

094take the time to correct the other questions or comments. >> Shannon, do you still have your hand raised or is that just >> Oh, sorry. No, let me lower it. I'm good. >> Okay. All right. All right. So then I think we're going to just do a roll call vote for this. So Shannon, what do you say? >> Shannon Kavalo. I >> Okay. Heather Rogers. >> Heather Rogers. I >> Jeff Olsen. >> Jeff Olsson. I >> Thank you. Go ahead. John. >> John. I >> Sharon. I Heather Dwire. I >> Tom Marks. I >> Mariano. I >> Steve Serani. I >> Right. It carries. Thank you. I have a motion for approval of the November 13th minutes. >> Move to approve the November 13th, 2025 special meeting of board of education. >> Thank you. Do

095you have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, John. Any questions or comments? Okay. Any questions or comments by them? Nope. All right. So, we'll do a roll call for this one, too. I'm Shannon Kavalo. >> Shannon Kavalo. I >> Heather Rogers. I >> Jeff Olsen. >> Jeff Fson. I >> Sharon addict abs. >> Okay. We should that >> sorry um >> but it's just not I mean we'll >> we'll not >> Yeah. >> Maryo I >> Steve. >> Yeah. Okay. Jennifer, did you get that? We just have to put Heather Wire as absent for the meeting. >> Se November 13th meeting she was absent. All right. Next, we have information and proposals policy and curriculum committee, Miss Heather Dwire. Uh, policy and curriculum met earlier this evening. Um, we have special guest Dr. Jones

096from Dr. High School to talk about um, revise courses and the other changes to the course catalog um, in the coming year. Um so stay tuned. Uh the committee did move some of those changes to come before the full board meeting. Um we um also have before you a second read of 5131.911 Connecticut school climate policy. Um this one though it is a 5000 series policy was not part of our 5000 policy review. This is a more of a reaction to um legislation. So this policy that you see before you just to clarify is uh this cave model policy that we pretty much that was developed you know um because of this legislation and that is pretty much what is before you. We did not make any adjustments to it. Um and the committee will

097meet again December. Any questions? All right. Next we have finance facilities um report Shannon Kabalo. >> Sorry I had to get myself off mute. So, we ended up having to have a special meeting due to schedules on Wednesday, November 19th at 6:30. We discussed the ADM allocation by town, which um this year has almost a significant shift, well, almost a 1% shift back to Southbury from Mberry based on enrollment as of October 1st. We also discussed the bond spending report on just where we were and I know I don't know if Joe has anything specific to add to that but some of those items he talked about tonight including the waterline that we were still waiting for and the HVAC units. Um and then just talking about the capital plan draft any questions for Mel?

098>> No. All right. Thank you. Um next we have the superintendent report. Superintendent Smith >> share a couple things out. >> So I would encourage and share for all of those that watching rem there's a lot of videos there of uh Veterans Day that I wanted to share with you. This is this one here. I just play a quick clip of the bag pipes pipes at Memorial. Right. Cool. Uh so I would just if you haven't looked the fact that we're in school on Veterans Day, you know, I think some people are always question what that is. And um if you've been in our schools, if you've uh been able to participate or see any of the ceremonies, um we do a really nice job and I just want to celebrate the veterans that came.

099It's getting harder to recruit veterans, so I appreciate them coming out and the work that our schools do on Veterans Day. And then the second part of my update So in front of you you have this presentation. This is from Tecton based on some of the questions we asked last time. um and they will be here uh at our next meeting to go further detail but in our attempt to just try to answer questions. So um this again is the GES campus. Um a couple of things that we've been talking about again I think I mentioned it earlier tonight that septic line um we're going to pursue regardless of school construction decisions. Um the fact that the town is looking replacing that one lane bridge is a there's an opportunity cost there in that this

100road is going to be dug up anyway. Um so running pipe and everything else um that's not going to be reimburseable. Um anything off um site we'll have to pay for but we think long term this cost is still going to be cheaper than ever having to replace a separate system there. Um the other piece that u is part of the conversation we've not had this with uh Mr. Romeo. So if he's watching, apologies. Uh Tech Time feels that if there's a way for us to look at those classrooms, uh in that portable, there are four classrooms there. Uh it'll allow us to move instruction a little bit further up and put position the building. I don't know if that's possible or not based on space uh or who's in those classrooms. Um they would

101hate to leave, >> right? >> Sad that one in the end. Give up that space. >> But uh it it may create um some some opportunity. You'll see this is again a soft uh display of where the building could be. I'm optimistic that when they come in December, you'll see some additional rendering or some ideas. Um this would be that portable and if they could move um my cursor here if they could move it shift forward. What I asked them to also do there was some questions last time about temporary play space. Um so you'll see they added in um the construction line and couple of play areas. One thing that they recommended and um there's a couple of schools currently being built on the campus. So board members want to go and look at

102a school being built uh next to an operational school and see what that looks like. Uh there's a couple opportunities not too far away for us to take a visit to Yeah. Um this is kind of what the the final um GES could be with the faculty and that blue line the light blue line is the uh the bus oh sorry the red line's the bus loop the blue line is the parent pickup u so you'll see that it's a little longer and deeper than what we have now which should help some of the traffic u on poverty road again the old field road being open and the two-lane bridge should also provide some relief uh to some of the traffic issues, but that's what the completed layout could look like. Uh two things on

103here, some storm water runoff drainage that they would build in. Um actually asked them about the theater space. This could be an outdoor theater space built into a slope there. Yeah. Um, so we didn't have this last time or a little more. So some kind of exciting news we started talking about. Um, so the uh the light blue line is the construction access road. Uh, and this has some diagram of what the uh septic would look like. So these little um like dotted lines rows here that is the blue would be the new septic system. The pink is the current system. So Roshambo has two kind of septic fields hanging off each side and PES is in the front. Um and so that purple blue see my cursor but this area in here would be

104the new one and that would be shared by both buildings. Um and then we could take the Roshambo one offline which is extremely old. Uh some things to um they added some notes here in that um the grade. So a change in grade this is about a 40 foot grade um at about a 3 and a half% that takes a,000 ft of road to offset grade construction vehicles. We do think that that line uh is certainly fine for cars and could even potentially be buses um after the school would be built. Uh here's what uh construction could look like at PES. Uh you can see here they've been able to put the fencing behind the existing playgrounds. That green area in the top um right now is a parking area that we could uh turn

105into grass for the short period of build if we wanted to. Uh and then this construction road would bring everything into the back of the school. The top of that hill in the back of the road property um would be where we would store construction space, put parking for vendors so that all of the kind of action would happen back behind the school um and keep the school pretty isolated from like construction vehicles and everything else. >> Josh, this is building on the same site. >> This would be building on the same site. Yes. Um the next slide is starting to out what a final PES project could look like uh with that occupied blue area in the back in school um having two separate lots. So you could have that access road from uh

106P Hill and that could be your parent and visitor access and then your bus loop would be in the front. Again, this bus loop would be long enough to remove most traffic from uh Main Street. Still get some really buses taking a left out of the school and buses taking a left into the school create traffic, but that is far far less than what we have now. Uh and field space and and everything else. Um and then they added some um just summary. Uh one of the questions that we've been pushing them on is to to look at the cost of that access road. Um so they're looking at 1.2 to 1.5 based on distance, all of that. Uh that is fully completed. We wouldn't pave it until after the school was built and all

107the construction material was was delivered and and used. Um the other piece is uh keep in mind here is that access road we believe and the septic system would uh qualify for reimbursement. We have to get a little bit of um research on that. uh but it's on our property and connected to building schools. The other piece that's interesting is the removal of pees would also be reimbursed. So if we were to sell the PES property that the owner would have to tear down the school or renovate the school which has a lot of old building materials in there that would uh take to bring it up to code, but they'd have to get rid of the school. So there is and if we're talking 40 cents on the dollar that's going to be applied

108to the removal of the school as well where if you were to sell the property that would not be we'd have to factor in somehow that into the sale price. So there's some advantages. I know like we never ruled out looking other spaces. Um but there's a growing body of evidence that shows that there's some advantages to building both schools on property that we can control our own destiny. That's all I got for you on the quick update here. The last thing that um I'll show you and then take some questions. Um so tonight in front of you, you have draft of some Q&A questions. Uh we've started going through um the plethora of information that is currently on our website um and starting to um put together a Q&A document. We give you the

109first 10 or 11 pages of that document. Um we have another say 10 or 11 pages um that we're working on, but you can uh we're probably looking to make that live say next week or so if you want to read through and see if they make sense to you or the feedback for them. Um and then kind of the sister to that is we are working on building a standalone instruction website um where this information will be displayed and hopefully something that's a little easier to find. You know, I really I think we've done a lot of work. There's a lot of presentations. Some of those presentations um duplicate information and if you're looking for a specific thing um it's hard to know where that is. So, we're going to try to do a

110better job uh in the nots too distant future and displaying information. Hopefully, that is easier and quicker for people to find based on kind of their point of entry, not having to relive the year and a half. >> If we were to build both schools on well both schools anyway, >> yeah, >> would we be able to get the the people to build them at the same time? >> So, one of the philosophies that's a good question, right? So one of the the questions is you could stagger them by about you know three to four months so that you could actually use the same crews to do one school and then move the other. Um the challenge becomes doing the exact thing at the same time. You you limit the number of construction firms that

111are actually able to do kind of two simultaneous builds. Uh, and there's an advantage to kind of doing this kind of staggered approach, >> but staggered, it's still close to each other, like just going from one to the next. >> Yeah. So, like your subcontractor might do electrical in this building and then next month we're going to do the electrical in that building, you know? So, they're they're staggered. >> Just uh just guess no or still to be determined. the access road is feasible for construction equipment. >> Yes. >> And um yes, you determined the septic is like it's that's going to go with this. The septic will be new and it'll be there's really no more questions because you you were talked about maybe there might be issues pumping it up. >> Yes. Thank

112you. Um, recognizing that I4 abs the back of that property, has there been any consideration for potential noise and anything needs to be integrated into construction to offset that noise once the school is fully I just want to make sure that that cost is baked into anything we're talking about. I would say yes, but I would also encourage you to ask that question for the tech talk when they're here. They have plenty of schools built in those >> and maybe that this next question is for them too. So on the the option for the PDS I I see, you know, certainly the new school potentially could be built and then the parking would be put in, but there's logistical issues, right? So I would want to see at a phase approach where would people be

113parking before that whole school is knocked down? So, it's stuff like that like where would we have teachers? Where would we have families? >> So, that I don't know if you can see in the front here it says temporary parking. >> Oh, um we would add in kind of a smaller parking lot kind of at the bottom of it like >> the pink is which septic? the old septic or the new >> the old but I it's funny >> because I'm worried like that's a lot of weight on >> so I did ask that question actually same and and yes for um that's fine for parking there on top of the current septic >> and same thing with the access road and any work that you're doing there question. >> Thank you. special. >> Can

114we just send them in in anticipation of Tecton? And I'm not anticipating that the question that's a good idea every time. >> And even if it can just be added in the running list, I don't need every question to be talked to me about. I just want to make sure that there's a written answer. >> It's a good idea. >> I think I think actually if board members have questions for TechCon, it would help be helpful to get them. You can film this presentation, >> right? I mean, that doesn't mean that you can't ask new questions on the ETH, but anything that we could do to to make the everything more efficient would be great. >> I really appreciate the effort on the question and answer. I I love it. >> Again, like so long

115because this has been a long process and there's a lot of information, but I like how you have um the questions that people have been asking us and on social media. So we'll put links in there if there were more but this for summer >> just by this it almost looks like you're leaning or we're leaning towards just building on existing >> well I'm I'm a vehicle for right like so I'm whatever you want to do I'm most conscious of the timeline to create a referendum question um and I do think there are other things for us to look at but my question keeps coming back to And when we started this process, we started with why are we doing it? What do we need to do? And how do we get there? And I

116feel like we're trying to do due diligence and look at every option. Um, and we're still doing that. But as we start to tick this off, there are more and more reasons that start to point at at and I'm not sure everybody understands and that's part of the process. But if we own the land as a region, if we choose not to use the PES site, we're going to have to go to referendum and ask to sell it, which we can do. That property has an existing large old school with a lot of problems that either a new buyer is going to have to take down or and they're going to want that factored into the cost. Um, and when we sell the property, the cost gets divided between the towns based on the ADM.

117So that doesn't come back to the district. We have to split with towns. Um, and so like we have to buy a new property. Um, and again, all this stuff is possible. We go down all those paths. And if this wasn't a viable site, I would encourage us to do that. the more we dig into this um this becomes a more plausible you know option for us at what at some point we have to decide we're going to do this or we're going to pursue something else >> and and the most important point too is I keep on emphasizing the feasibility study their first option was a new one new school one big school on a new prop on a new property but they knew that that was not going to be so easy to

118achieve so the second option was to build the two schools on the existing property. The third option was exploring other sites. So while we're not bound by them, there is definitely weigh um >> except behind your back. So they have no idea property, >> you know. So I the work is great. I'm not but I don't feel any obligation on the recommendation side. >> All the pre like work leading up to that point super valuable. >> Yeah. Now that we have actual data on viable lots, like I think that weighs much more heavily than asking your opinion before you have access. >> But I think the feasibility study also recognized the committee recognized that it's easier to work with the properties that you have >> than trying to find a new property. I mean, aside

119from a big a big property, but trying to find a new small property, then going through all the rigma roll of a referendum to buy it and then sell the other one. there there was like that level of attention to their their recommendation. >> The renovation work was super helpful. >> Yeah, >> like that pretty disqualifying what you guys did on that. >> A comment on the slides. Um I think it's important for people for to be able to look at these slides and have some type of slide notes as to some of the color coding and what they need. And even that's clear on there, but it's not. They're still very busy and I just want to make sure that that they're clear to people think versus blue septic versus smooth that type of

120thing. Um, one of the things that I'm keenly interested in because ultimately if we were to endorse this type of plan, it would literally be disruption to to three schools, right? And so so continuity of learning during construction is a significant factor that I would like to be addressed, talked through to really understand um And then the last thing we always do or we typically do um what I call field trips, right? We get to visit the schools. Um I would love to actually go and walk this either with Techon or with the group to understand exactly what it would look like based off of their schematics. I'm happy to get my my boots and my dirty clothes, but I kind of want to see that um >> or other sites under construction >> like

121these locations to be like this is where it would be >> cross country trail. >> Yeah. To me, I mean and I'm not it's just a recommendation but um for me it would be very very helpful because I am very concerned about the logistics particularly with PES and the middle school and how that will work. two schools under construction while school is in session. >> Good question for next next session. >> Two minute up. >> Yeah. >> And then the last might be a question for next week too, but when do we sit down and like put some dates on the calendar like because we could keep talking amongst ourselves but at some point we have to start moving this and you're worried about the referendum date. I'm worried about we have to have a

122plan in our heads early enough to start communicating it to the public about the referendum like 30 days is not enough. >> Right. So we have to know what we're doing at least 60 90 days ahead of that. >> Oh yeah. So when I say referendum, what I'm thinking is like in March, we need to have the language for that referendum, which means, you know, in February, we have to know what we're going to do, >> which means, you know, in January, you have to decide we're going to do something. You know, I do think that the idea that we have two pieces of property that we can build and not have any impact to the school, it's not realistic, right? Like we're going to have that. So I do think questions like, do you

123manage that? You want to visit a school that that's happening right now and go see what it looks like. Maybe talk to the principal of that school. We can do those things to see, you know, what that's going to look like. >> What's that? >> I think that that a field trip to some of this and and I've also asked, you know, I think that um not to say postmortem, but these are people who have lived it and gone through and to have a Q&A session with people who have gone through that. Um I think that there's a lot of value in that. And whether it's an ability or to have a conversation with people who've gone through it I think could be very beneficial. >> Yeah. So I guess the question that I have

124for all of you is we can a short complicated month you know January comes quickly but we can look at some some dates in January you know the schools so you know Madison just opened their school cher's building one of their schools very much like we're looking at here on the same campus close by is not that far that's a little more drive. There's other schools. Uh but those are two projects that we can go visit. Um obviously, you know, days of the week times, you know, I need to have some guidance where we can start to >> I think there's definitely interest in that and I think that that's going to be have to maybe be offset by our normal school tours. Maybe we're all veteran veteran, but there's no new board members here.

125Um, so maybe that gets offset a little bit. Um, >> I would say on Sharon's thing about visiting the current sites, we should do that in December. Wait till January covered snow. >> Sure. >> Not going to be able to see it. >> 20 in. >> We can tour our schools whenever you want. Like that's easy for us to control, you know, like that. That sure you know, I just need some some guidance and direction as to how you want to plan. >> I just I'm I'm curious as if that's even possible because we're not going to go through briers and brambles, right? >> So So the >> we wagger the access >> the top side of that room. You can walk. Yeah, we uh we did >> they did open up we did recently

126open up some of the trails. >> It wouldn't be exactly this, but you'd kind of get a feel for >> because it's hard for me to visualize like how would this impact kids? Where would the this playground be? How would it to me from a visual pract and I agree like you should go and you get like the the broad level of idea But it so we and then we as we come back with some questions, right? We come back to the questions and we say to Septile like you know is this going to be too much traffic going back whatever we come up with or is it going to be too loud like at some point we have to just trust the answers. So I think it's important to go to ask the questions

127but I don't want to get caught up in like I don't you know in us making decisions that should be made by >> totally agree but I think that what it does arm us with information asked questions. >> Oh, for sure. >> You know, and I think that that's I trust the information that's being presented to me, but it's a different way of synthesizing the information and being able to speak to it. >> Yeah. I I Yeah, I we should do it. I just I don't want to don't want to micromanage the construction. >> Yeah. And I mean, I think the other bigger question too is just like will it change the decision? and so like just to triage with our time. I'm not sure that I mean I would love to go see it

128and everything that the information gathering is great but in terms of needing to make a decision we sort of have what we have before us to see. >> So how about if like we aim for December 8th not to make a vote but to kind of get a pulse of where people are to see if we make a decision pretty quickly to that or we need to have more information. Does that make sense? this month. >> It's our next regular board meeting. >> Can we the week before that do something to negotiate? >> No. No. I'm not saying we're going to do a vote on December 8th. >> Okay. >> Like I'm I'm just trying to say like, you know, someone said is it Tom said a timeline? >> Yeah. So like let's let's kind

129of firm up that timeline on that's what I'm kind of trying to say. >> Well, it would be helpful for us. So if you don't have enough information to make So So I guess a couple things there. There is there is no easy answer. There is no answer that doesn't come with compromise. So I guess my question is how can we be the best support for you? Like what information if there's information to kind of S's point before there's information that is going to yes we should no we should there's outstanding things that are going to move either one side or the other those are the kind of things that would help us. >> For me it's the continuity of learning in those three schools 100%. and and and it's not only the continuity in

130the classroom but risks or um challenges that need to be mitigated. Again, may not change the overall decision at the school can or can't be built. To me, that is a critical component. >> Sorry, >> that's does that change your vote on whether school or not? It would have a significant impact on my ability to support it if it's extremely disruptive for the length of the project across three different schools >> and I'm all for a new school >> so I think what I would need is I feel like you know obviously my rockar road but I you know is that even still a viable option for everyone else like is that no Is that still on the table? Um, there was a request last week, I think, to look, you know, outside of Southary

131borders. Like, are we still asking for that? Is that still like I mean, me personally, I don't I don't need that. But like, I need the closure. I don't want you coming in February and saying like, I found him. So, like when when we talk about deadlines like so, you know, we I think we need to also either have that on or off the off the table. But in terms of locations, which seems to be the like I don't is there anything else location wise that's outstanding. So I guess there there are um at some point we have to decide whether or not so the road one is not a full request that is by the town would have it to us whether that's by sale or I don't know that answer >> well again

132I can't control our destiny there so but we we can certainly do an official ask we have not officially asked the town We have not officially gotten the phase one report back that says we can even ask them. Um we have not closed the door on the lower half of uh the IBM property. We have looked and TCON's working on some pricing. That road is also over a th000 ft. That road um is not all on our property. We have talked to uh Cal Church. So we have to sell us property. So those things are there and kind of to the point I was making with John before is we can continue to pursue all that if there's merit in pursuing the trip. Um and if we need to answer questions and say we looked

133at them and they're not viable. Um I I do I guess the thing that is sh has shifted at least my perspectives I always thought that would have a lot of logistics connected to building there. Um but there's also a lot of reasons from a cost standpoint, from a timeline standpoint to controlling our investment standpoint that this factor was in our favor. Uh we can postpone all of this, right? Like there's no we control all this. We started this because those schools prepare if you want to do it and do one school in a referendum and put this out there before. Now you're adding variables into this timeline like there isn't going to be a zero impact of construction, right? How do we mitigate it? How do we minimize it? But it's not going to

134be zero. But that's true. We build next year or five, right? Like that's always going to be uh and what is that going to look like? So, I mean, I think it's important for us to know what the variables are, for us to look at what the risks and challenges are and have a plan of how to address them, but we probably won't be able to go all anybody's asking that, but I think minimizing the risk and understanding what's being done to offset the concern is valid. >> And that's why I think you should talk to tech about it and we should go visit some of the schools and it's happening and see like that. >> Very interesting to see like an active construction how the students how they play outside in spaces that are

135under construction and how parking and bus pick up and drop off works like all of these things that I agree with you John. Um I always thought this would have some logistical concerns. I'm not 100% like we'll work some of that out. You know the picture you showed us has the kids playing in the field on Main Street. we have to like that's something I have a question about and it's somehow and they flattened out that slope on the front of the PBS which is great. So I would love to know more about how we're achieving that if that's realistic but like >> well I love answer some Dave questions. So there is a barrier like a space barrier >> sidewalk. Yeah. And that's before the sidewalk. And would you have like some kind of

136like wall there? And I did ask some of those right on 188, >> but it's on Main Street as opposed to 188. Like a chamber fence on >> a white stone wall. >> Those are the kinds of things like I today to answer Steve's question. Yeah. At this moment, I wouldn't want to close any doors until we meet with Tecton and understand some of these considerations because there are going to be it is still tight. >> Oh, we haven't answer question. Um, >> but I think next week will go a long way to I think hopefully answering some of those questions. >> Well, and I asked to put together like some drawings like I do think like how do we help to visualize and if this isn't going to work like again we have choked

137door. >> So the more questions you ask know more um pieces that we can tie in. Um we can look at early January visit a construction school if that works for you. So again, it kind of thinks where S like can we by December 8th like have all that information so then we can perhaps go okay like we we we've we've got information on an access IBM property the rock thing and then whatever else is available you there's no more land like we officially just we put all that bed or not but we make a decision and say okay this is the this is the path forward and if we decide that the path forward is what is kind of what's here then everything else after December 8th to whether it's is is really are

138we going to find something that just is it like just going to blow the whole thing up like I understand one or two people may not vote for something because of there's too much but like can December 8th be like we get all the information and we we we have to start making decisions like I just keep hearing like what I just got out last minute is that we're still going to be peppered with information So I guess the question is is when and how do we vote? So I mean like so when we do the budget, we send a specific number to the referendum, right? and and I don't think in December or January we're going to be ready to send a number on on these schools, but we could reach some kind of

139a vote on yes, we want to look forward and continue looking forward down this road of these two schools on two existing properties. So, it's not anything like written in stone and firm like we it's it's still to be determined on a final cost or arrangement or or whatever, but like I see that there's almost two board votes on this. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. So, like kind of the final binding thing is that at some point, if you remember when we did the school improvement bond, you wrote the referendum language. We had the bond attorney here. He had that statement. You approved that statement that we sent to the town. To me, everything before that is how do we get there? That's the part where we're going to say to the town on

140the referendum, you're going to put this language. That's kind of where we get locked in. >> Dollar value. >> Yeah. >> The cost of the project, eight doors, 10 windows, you know, what kind of roof, all that kind of stuff will get locked in for we could have the first vote, set the path, and then we do all our due diligence. And if it's February and we just discover that we can't do something, then you know, maybe it is, holy crap, can we go back to Roxberry Road? And you know what? If that blows the timeline up, it blows the timeline up, but we can't keep we can't leave all that open while we try to focus on >> So, do you want me to >> That's my opinion. >> Yeah. >> I want to

141ask is if something is going to move to an action on December 8th, a pre-eread with proactive questions and answers needs to be sent out because a lot to be able to synthesize the information and vote on it. And I that would be my one ask whether or not you do it. But I just publicly want to say that there's tremendous value just in this Q&A document in a pre-eread in anticipation of any vote relative to what tech time may be presenting. So, am I hearing from the board that you're interested in doing possible action on the 8th as like a first preliminary direction vote? I don't know how I phrase it. >> Yeah. I mean, should I put it on the agenda just to have it there? I don't want We'll put it on

142Yeah, I'll put it on the agenda. >> It's not a commitment or whatever. I'll I'll word Josh and I can work together on wording something. If we're not ready, then we're not ready. >> Yep. >> Okay. That sound I mean I just wanted to address the point that you brought up about disruption a little bit because that was something um that I think came up in the visibility study a lot and I so I just wanted to clarify you know there were a lot of reasons not to do renovation for me one of the major reasons not to do re renovation was because it's a longer project with a lot more disruption to the students So I think for me that was one of the big reasons to look at maybe build new building same

143property where we could have you know some separation and I'm sure it's not perfect. I'm sure there's things, but I just wanted you to know that that was something that was and I also want to be make it very clear to the public that we're always welcoming emails. We're we definitely want public feedback. Um if we vote on a path on the 8th doesn't mean that it's set in stone. We will continue to to um want to have feedback from the public throughout this whole process. All right. Any other questions? >> Can for the agenda like I feel like superintendence report 7B GSPS like I feel like that's not really authentic. I mean we're having discussions like can it just be a standing item. It just number eight GSPS we talk about all the time

144>> discussing this just could be like oh the Josh is going to say >> noticed it's it's there. We're good. All right. want to move on. >> Oh, great. Next we have board member comments. Any comments from board members? Go ahead, Heather. >> Just wanted to thank board and community for continuing to support did go to the conference this Friday. um continues to be interesting and you know post variety of relevant topics um and I just appreciate that any other comments. >> I have five. >> All right. Um I'm gonna piggyback on what Heather Dwire said. I thought the Cave Caps convention last week was fantastic. um was one of the um better ones that I've gone to. Um Miguel Cordona, the 12th um US Secretary of um education um gave the keynote address and

145it was just I was ready to run through a wall after I heard that guy talking and he also congratulated us for getting the cave award. Um and you know because we had we all had to stand. Um and I just thought that was just really cool um that he congratulated all of us um of of those um recipients of the the game award that we got. Um I have the 2025 chart that we put on our plaque. I definitely have the bug of trying to get um the next level award. Um, and we're going to start the register of that process at PNC thinking about doing a civility policy. Um, I think the best part about the CAD caps convention are two things. One, it gives perspective and the other is a professional development.

146Um, it's really interesting to hear what other board members talk about and what their concerns are. Um, because it gives perspective on what we're doing um, and how we're doing. And I I could not get over like how many other board members are like really freaking out about their budgets um that they're in the hole already um and what their concerns are. And I'm there I'm like, you know, we don't have that kind of level of concern about like, holy cow, we're starting off 9 million dollars in debt before we have even done our budget. Um so like that kind of perspective, I felt grateful that we have a very responsible budget. um and that we're I'm not as panicked as some of the colleagues that we saw um we saw there. Um to that

147end about professional development um and trying to go for that, you know, brass ring. Um you know, we had talked at the retreat about doing a second part of the retreat on professional development. Um it was hard over the summer that me board members were um able to come. So, um, Josh and I have been talking about it and we think that we'd like to do the other half of that retreat for professional development for the board during one of our regular meetings. Um, so it's a Monday night. Um, so everyone has notice of the meetings. Um, so hopefully everyone will be there. I think that's really important. Um, or we can try to do one of the budget workshop dates. Um, because other board members had expressed that maybe there's too many budget workshops

148or whatever. Um Josh and I spoke about it. Um we're gonna have Jennifer do a doodle poll um and see um which meetings might work next year for us to do this professional development for our board. Um >> how long that because if we have a two-hour ed board member meeting and then another >> would take the place of the board meeting. >> So we would do a workshop. It would be it would just be a workshop. those in lie of a regular board meeting. Okay. >> Hopefully everyone will be able to come and we could have um some of our own professional development. >> A two-hour meeting then another tour. >> Yeah. No, no, we're going to get cranked out four one four hour meeting I hope. Um so that >> so that doodle

149poll is coming um your way. Um and like I said, I would very much appreciate if everyone can be there um whatever date that we settle on. Um, everyone has notice of our meeting dates for next year already. Um, and if I have already talked to some board members already about um, topics that they would be interested in. If there's something that you're interested, let me know. I have an idea of what direction that we should go. This is comment. So, um, just email me. Let me know what your thoughts are um, on that. Um, my third comment on the December 8th meeting, this is shaping up to be a doozy of a meeting. I'm going to take our picture. Like we need a picture for the website of the board. So hopefully you can

150all make it and you know get ready for a picture for our website. Um also on the 8th you've heard us talking about how um Jeff from Tecton is going to be in attendance. We're going to be talking a lot about the Gainfield Pumpro Elementary study. Um we had slated that meeting to be for our student data analysis. So I think it's best to push that off to a later meeting because I don't think you do both of those at the same time. There's more of a time is of the essence um with the GESPES and um for the student data it's extremely important but the more time we have the more data we're going to have and it's not as time pressing as Gainfield Pumpard the elementary um discussion is. Um and then my

151fifth and final comment is that next week Josh and I are meeting with the first selection. Both of them separate dates. Just wanted to let the board know about that. Okay. Any other board member comments? >> Because I I know I can't ask a question. My comment will be in anticipation of the doodle poll. If we could see a high level agenda as well as who will be supporting the professional development to me that's very important to understand who will be delivering. Okay. >> Yep. Any other comments? All right. Um, comments from citizens. The board of education will recognize citizens from Middlebury and Southbury and citizens are asked to state their name, their town of residence, and to limit their comments to three minutes. Anyone? All right. There's no comments from citizens. So, we will

152move on to regular business requiring board action. May I have a motion for approval of transfer of the endofear fund balance into the educational expense account? Anyone? >> Move that the board of education upon recommendation of the finance committee approve the year-end balance of $45,359 into the educational expense account as presented. >> Thank you. Second. Second by Shannon Sharon. Sorry. Thank you. All right, Joe, can you explain this? >> Yes, that is the remaining balance as we close out our audit funds for year end. As the board knows, we transferred the 47 417,000 in about late May, early June into the ED expense account and this is the second transfer as we close out our >> Okay. So, explain the closing up the audit thing. the um as the auditors close up and square up

153our balances to their balances and we make sure we in a sense full balance around the $49,000. So they're just in process right now of printing out the final caffers so we'll be ready to submit our >> wonderful any other questions John >> does this mean we had 800,000 >> 417 the original was particularly because of the increase in the excess cost dollars that came in as a kind of late uh late last year. >> So, just want to make sure we didn't exceed the 2%. >> Oh, no. We'd have to do one point about 1.8 million. >> So, I just want to mention this since this is the official end of the 2425 budget year. To John's point, you know, this wasn't the total unused, you know, revenue that we collected. We also had

154the check state that was 417. Yes. We also transferred $390,000 into summer projects. >> Yes. As of last year, which was surplus. And then we transferred $75,000 during the budget cycle to pay down one-time expenses out of this year's budget. So, if you add those four numbers together, it ends up with about $1.3 million uh in excess revenue we collected once we paid out all of our expenses. And I understand we had the the check thing and that from the state and that was the special education was a bit of a but even take that 400 out and you're still over 800,000 surplus. I bring it up because you might recall that was a a tense budget discussion where some of us um I think Steve raised the motion. I supported it as for a

155$200,000 reduction. Like in hindsight that seems reasonable now that we know what we know. My question is this. You know we always over the last couple years have approached our budget cycle with a very similar kind of uh cycle of presentations and how we go about it. Presentation follows a certain path. I would like to suggest this year we look back and do a deep dive. >> Yep. This is a motion to transfer money into the fund. So >> this is a discussion about because there's been some discussion about how much we have in excess, right? >> It's more than that. >> So all I would say is I will take the opportunity to say I think we need full accounting of the excess revenue, you know, in addition to what we're transferring tonight. I

156think it would be appropriate as part of our budget cycle to take a look at how we achieved that and if that's a result the board is is happy with. >> Great. Any other comments or discussion? >> Um, we had discussed in PNC and and obviously that policy hasn't come before the board yet, but um when we put money into the educational expense account of assigning it to an operating code. This this 105,000 would it unassigned for the time being or does it or is it assigned to an operating >> it can't right now be unassigned but it could certainly be assigned to an actual code. So for example, if this was being educational expense capital reserve dollars, it it can live there. As I kind of keep saying that 417 lives a educational expense

157sub code specification. So the this 409 at the moment would be kind of a um in a general area, but it certainly can be we can bring it back to the board and put in buckets as sure. or you can go there now. I mean it's it's with undecided >> correct moment but we definitely can bucket those out. I think that the new policy that will be the direction of the funds coming out that which is I think you've got those those guarded out which is a great thing. Um so that that'll be particularly >> any other questions on the transfer. >> All right so we will do a roll call vote. Um, Heather Rogers. >> Heather Rogers. I >> Thank you. Jeff Olsson. >> Jeff Olsson. I >> Shannon Kavalo. I >> Thank you.

158>> I saw I >> Sharon. I Heather Dwire. I >> Tom Marks. I >> Mary Manzo. I >> Steve Serani. I >> Great. Great. It carries. We can now close the audit. >> Great. brings our reserves about $2 million between capital and educational spend. >> Um, next, may I have a motion for approval of policy 5131.911, Connecticut school climate policy, move that the board of education, upon recommendation from the policy and curriculum committee, approve policy number 5131.91, Connecticut school climate policy, as presented. Thank you, Heather. >> Second. >> Thank you, Steve. Any um discussion questions question. >> Yeah. >> Um there in item five under bullying and this was just it just popped up in my head. I'm not questioning the language to the certain extent but it only categorizes children and grades as well.

159>> I have so but our schools have preschool. Could you just speak to how preschool plays into this policy? It's not necessarily about that one element but it's about school in general relative to this policy in our in our schools. >> So I think the short answer is you look to preschool and especially a typical peer program the idea of bullying of a three and a foury old um isn't defined by the state. And so uh that is where our educators in there talk about that are redirecting behavior. But >> but this climate policy is it applicable all elements students teachers when we talk about having a climate policy in our school and recognizing that we have students that are in preschool. I just want to be oh I just want clarity that this policy

160does also apply except for element five to the preschool. >> Yeah. I mean I think yes >> but five is excluded because >> I would say if if if they needed five could we had some issue where like we needed to apply the bullying standard to our school program there discretion and conversation in that but yeah I mean this is a school policy while the state mandated K12 it's because they can't mandate it >> but what I'm hearing is if there was behavior that required mitigation. All of those elements would be still in place even though it was reasonable. >> Yeah. >> Across the board. Okay. >> All right. Any other questions? >> All right. So, we'll do the roll call again. Heather Rogers. >> Heather Rogers. I. >> Jeff Olsson. >> Jeff Olson. I.

161>> Shannon Cavalo. >> Shannono. I >> John I >> Zer I >> Sheronatic I Heather Dwire I >> Tom Marks I >> Mary Manzo I >> Steve Seriani I >> it carries. Thank you. Um finally may I have a motion for approval of the extension and amendment of the school bus transportation contract. Just go in on a little Yep. move that the board of education approve the extension and amendment the school bus transportation contract through June 30th 2029 as presented. >> Thank you. We have a second by Sharon addict. Um any questions? Nope. Okay. So we'll put this to vote. Heather Rogers. >> Heather Rogers. I Jeff Olson. >> Jeff Olson. I >> Shannon Kavalo. >> Shannon Kavalo. I >> thank you. >> I shared I >> Oh, Heather Dwire. I I'm sorry. >> Mark's

162eye. >> Mary Manzo. I >> Steve I. >> Thank you. It carries. >> Marian, did you hear me? >> Uh, yeah, Jeff. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, I didn't hear you acknowledge it. Sorry. I wanted to make sure you heard me. >> No, no, your vote was an I. You're in. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. We're at announcement of future meeting dates. Monday, December 8th, um, finance is meeting at central office at 12. Also, Monday, December 8th, PNC meets at the high school media center at 6:30. And on Monday, December 8th, we have our next regular board of education meeting at 7:30. We're not going to do the data report. We're going to uh postpone that for a bit. Um we are going to have a board picture. We're gonna date um we're going

163to have our board elections um for positions and we're going to be discussing the GES PES um study. May I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion to adjurnn. Right. All right. Sally second by John. All those in favor? I. >> All right. We are journ everyone. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. >> I know. >> Exactly. fall for the feet.