001I'm going to call the meeting to order and start with roll call this evening. Kirsten Ernson and over here >> Pam Fington >> Carrie Fino >> Carrie Frino Marboro here. Drew Dolphin. >> Drew Golin. >> Jessica Hall. >> Scotty. >> Summer. Brianna Adu. Yousef Amed. >> You >> and Averyia. I aliance to the flag nation under God indivisible and justice we do have the elections that are going to be coming up but we have special treat before we have elections uh like to introduce Mr. who is our teacher of the high school for him. Thank you Dr. Thank you everybody for having us. Um I said I'm focused and I brought along three of my guest senior instrumentalist to play some music for you tonight. the the little bit of music makes the rest of
002your meeting nice and smooth. So I'll turn it over to them to introduce themselves and music they have selected and prepared to be. >> Hello I'm Finn Lake. I play a barone saxophone which is the baritone voicing of the saxophone octave below the alto. And tonight we're gonna start with Rud. Merry Christmas. Thank you. Next one is choice. It's a pretty Happy birthday. Hi, I'm Gio. I play the And for our last piece, we're going to rock. And thank you very much. Uh if you'd like that, please come to our concert on Thursday night uh 7 o'clock in the high school auditorium. Good luck with the rest of meeting. Thank you so much. I appreciate So our next agenda item is the election of officers who will elect chair vice chair secretary treasure board policy.
003We're going to first start off with opening up for any nominations for the election board chair. We have nominations. and seconded by Scott. >> Uh are there any other nominations from the board? Not hearing any. Uh is there any discussion? Um, all right. So, we when we do these votes, they are roll call votes. Uh, so I'm just going to go through our list of members. Mike Oh, yes. I'm sorry. Go. Neither say yes. Yes, >> Carrie. >> Yes, >> Jessica Hall. >> Yes. >> Roenchuk. >> Yes. >> Scott, >> yes. >> Summer, yes. >> Yes. All right, it is unanimous. We have a good chair. >> Okay, so that brings us to chair um >> so um I don't even remember what it has to foresee. So the role of the vice chair is
004to assume and carry out the duties and responsibility of the board chair in their absence. Um are there any nominations for the position of budget chair? >> Is there a second? >> I second. Thank you. Second. All right. Any other nominations for >> I would like to nominate Mike. >> I'll seconded. >> Okay. So, we have and Mike nominated. Is there any other nominations for vice chair? Not hearing any. So since we have two people who have been nominated for this position, board members will cast the voice vote for one of nominees. So by naming the nominee of their choice or abstaining from the vote. The nominee with the majority of the votes is elected to the position. Okay. Um here >> Erinson >> Drew Gvin >> Can you repeat that? >> Drew. >> Yes.
005>> Mike Drew Goffin, >> true. >> Jessica Hall, >> true. >> Uh, Amy Romanuk, >> Scotty, >> other summer, Mike and Lisa. >> Hi. So um Drew carried that vote. So it will be the next um question. >> All right. So that brings us to the treasurer. The role of the of the board treasurer is to assume carry on the duties and responsibility of the chair in their absence and in the absence of the vice chair. Uh do we have any nominations for the treasurer? I'd like to nominate car for second. of that. >> Yeah, they really can't. No, >> I'm a registered rep for investment firm treasurer. I have to get stuff. Okay, >> I appreciate Okay. >> Any other nominations for treasure? >> Okay. So, we'll do the roll call vote. Mike Buller.
006>> Okay. >> Kirsten Burlington. >> Yes. >> Stain. She abstained. >> Uh, Carrie Fina, >> yes. >> Drew Golfing, >> yes. >> Jessica Hall, >> yes. >> Amy Roman, >> yes. >> Scotty, >> yes. >> Heather Summer. Yes. Lisa T. >> Yes. >> I got All right. Um, any discussion? >> Oh, we just had the vote. I'm sorry. Um, so the election secretary, the role of the board of secretary is to assume carry out the duties and responsibilities of chair in their absence as well as in the absence of the vice chair and the treasurer. We have nominations for secretary. I'd like to second. >> Any other nominations for secretary? >> Okay. Any other discussion? >> I'm sorry. I couldn't hear who was nominated. >> Amy Robachuk. >> All right. Mike Holy. >> Rudy Del
007Fury. Kirsten Berlinson. >> Yes. >> Pam Harington. >> Yes. >> Carrie Fina, >> yes. >> Drew, >> yes. >> Jessica Hall, >> yes. >> Amy Romanuk, >> yes. >> Scott Sette, >> yes. >> Heather Summer. Yes. Lisa T. >> Yeah. Okay. >> All right. So, that brings us to public comment. >> Congratulations. >> Andover and Barbaro. Community engagement and attendance at BOE public meetings follow. Public comment segment of the meeting agenda is set aside so the BOE may receive public comments. Procedurally, public remarks will be limited to three minutes and citizens will be asked to identify themselves. Because the BOE is limited by the Freedom of Information Act to discussing only matters on the agenda, BOE is not permitted to engage in a discussion of the comments presented. We have anybody here like commenting again.
008My name is Kane and I represent the Rand teachers as their union president. I want to welcome our new members to the board of education and our reelected members. Thank you. I thank you all for volunteering your time and for your commitment to ensuring the needs of RAM are effectively represented in active. The REA has appreciated the support of the board over the years, most recently with our contract negotiations. As many of you know from your experiences as random or as a parent or your own experiences as teachers perhaps you have we have experienced we have experienced thoughtful educators who believe in our schools and in providing the best educational experiences for our students for the highlighted programs we've seen so many different talents that we have in our students that are supported by what
009we offer here. No matter what path a student chooses after high school, um we have appropriate educational opportunities for them here at RAM so that anyone will be successful in high school. I hope as budget season approaches that we can continue funding these educational opportunities for students. When I ask teachers what is going well at RAM, they remark on the collaborative environment they work in and how generally it is a happy place to work. when I ask them what it's difficult, what I hear most often is they are struggling the ethical use of AI in the classroom. It's getting harder and harder to distinguish student work with AI and we're looking for stronger policies at the high school level. Mostly cell phone use continues to be an issue with a need for stronger policies for
010student accountability. The REA continues to work with the administration to develop stronger policies around these issues and I hope they have your support as well. Again, welcome to the new members and thank you for dedicating your time all of you to ensuring RAM has >> Thank you. Would there any like public comments? >> Michael Serusi, middle school principal. Just on behalf of the administrative association, we want to welcome new members. Um, and also welcome to our returning members. We look forward to working with all of you this coming year. Thank you. >> Is there anybody online that wants to comment? Um, we need to add any agenda items tonight. And that brings us to the student representative reports. You guys, it's going to be hard. >> Last week, we had a for our sophomores. Um
011and this week this week we have spirit next Tuesday and we've got two and we have also Some of the other things that happened um through the deck of toy draft was organized by operation toys collected and ended last Friday. Also the NHS lot of students that got and finally the sports start sports like basketball, track wrestling. Um, thanks for eighth grade popcorn fundraiser for um, um, on Friday, the middle school raised $855 for CC our project day. Um this week is the spirit week which started Monday and so the theme is tomorrow is open sweater day. We also have like Christmas vacation so we're like quiet and stuff. Um the middle school raised 100 or $1,47349 to distribute to Andover Mar food banks um which means $491 with each town. Um we also are
012starting spirit tickets which are um well which is something like the uh middle school student council is doing to get students more active in spirit weeks. So they win a prize like it's a raffle. So if you uh participate in like a spirit week, you get like a ticket and you get called at the end of the week. >> Thank you very much. Okay, that brings us to the board chair report. Um they spoke about the National Honor Society. I have the pleasure of doing remarks here. This is a great event. 30 to 50 students get inducted into the National Honor Society every year, which I think is a pretty impressive number. It was a very nice thing. Um, some of us went to the K Caps conference right before Thanksgiving. Um, Scott Soyette was
013there. Drew was there. Colin and I went. Um, it's theories exceptions. Um, you get to pick your area of interest. I think we pretty much most part >> divided and we're in different sessions but it's really it's great to meet some of the other board members from other towns hear what's going on for me I did the the nutmeg is it called the nutmeg >> board meeting which is kind of this spoop that's done by the by a lawyer um just a lot of fun really kind of brings some of the issues that that were challenged with into focus and you know where you could get into trouble and and how you should be handling things. Um, I was also told last week that some new board members attended the Kard board member orientation. All
014three of you. >> So, thank you for that. That just really took me in with getting really appreciate that. And finally, I just want to wish the administration um happy holidays time welld deserved off to the school. you have a critical break and rest anything else. Oh yes, I'm supposed to talk about something. Yes. So over Thank you. over the um rest of this week, we would like everybody to kind of think about what subcommittees they would like to be on. So the committees are policy, program communication and technology, negotiations, facilities, safety and transportation, and finance. So there's a total of five committees. We ask that you um sign up for two. If we end up with a committee that doesn't have any representation, doesn't have enough people, I will start calling and begging and
015asking folks to kind of switch committees. Um, student representatives, if you are interested in joining committee and sitting in on a committee, we'd love to have you. Um, the only one that probably wouldn't be uh available to you would be the negotiations committee, but the rest of the committees, if you had an interest, we would love to have you have you join that. Um, so if you just give it some thought, you can uh send me a note, text me. Um, you can tell me tonight if you're so excited and you're ready to go and sign tonight, but we'd like to have this done uh before the end of the week before the holidays. Really, we've got a program committee coming up. uh research. >> So, and and Colin brings up something finance and facilities
016lots of um just because they're so, you know, tied with each other. So, you may find that um they may kind of blend them. Also, if we don't have anything that month, say on a program communications subcommittee, we may cancel it. Once the committees are formed, the group themselves will decide who will chair That's Okay. All right. So, that will bring us to the superintendent report. >> All right. And we have uh Eric, thank you for solving our technological difficulty. We appreciate your due diligence getting that fixed. And thank you uh Dr. Shares. You double very well as a technology aid in besides being a middle school principal. So, thank you for that. Um so, a lot of the things that I just had notes about um were were covered by our students. So, I
017appreciate you guys doing that. I I need to go in front of them so I can get some stuff out. But I just want to welcome and congratulate our new board members, Rudy, Lisa, Jessica. Uh I had the opportunity to meet individually with each one of our board members, um talk a little bit about what their interest in being on the board is, what they, you know, what they're looking to accomplish and I just really appreciate you guys taking the time to meet with me. You've got a lot of stuff going on in your lives. So uh but I felt it was a really productive conversations. Um and obviously congratulations to our newly elected board officers. I look forward to working closely with all of you. Uh I'll just highlight a couple of things that
018I didn't uh that I don't believe were mentioned um uh one of the things that was a a really uh great thing that happened right before our um Thanksgiving vacation is that our medical careers team at the high school hosted a blood drive where 96 pints of blood uh was collected uh for for the American Red Cross, which is a huge accomplishment. We have students who donate, many students donate for the first time. um uh at our at one of our blood drives. Uh we have staff members donating and then members of the community are are also able to come in and donate. So, we appreciate Kathy Green's efforts to uh do her three blood drives that she does every year. Um it it obviously does a does a huge uh makes a really positive
019uh impact on our communities um around us. Um and the Yeah, I guess the only thing I'll say is we did uh we do have the winter concert coming up on Thursday night. I know Mr. Kokus mentioned it and a couple of other students. If you've never had a chance to come to one of our uh concerts, the the concerts will highlight uh the skills and talents of both middle school and high school uh musicians. I know Drew will probably be there with his music shirt. Uh or hope hope to see you there. Drew came uh and won a prize once. So, you never know what you can get when I come to a concert. Um and I I uh I am very excited that we do have a winter vacation coming up as our
020one of our students mentioned. Uh we're we're all excited to get some some well-deserved downtime. I know teachers and staff are definitely um ready for some downtime and I can certainly say that I am uh looking for that as well. So um a week and a half until we are there. Um and that concludes my report. >> Um so that will bring us to item 10 is the consent agenda. You want to >> Yeah. So there are meeting minutes of uh from a few meetings that we've had that would be approved as a part of the consent agenda and then we also would be approving policies for revision or deletion. Um these uh the the four policies came as a first read to the board uh at our last meeting. Um and there was no
021questions, comments or concerns with any of the language with the policy language. Um and so my recommendation is to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Okay. Hey, do we have a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> So move. >> That was Drew Gin. >> I'll second. >> Mike Bullier. Any other discussion on that? >> Okay. All in favor? >> Anyone opposed? Anyone abstain? That brings us to new and unfinished business. >> So, we just have a few things to go over with new and unfinished business. The first one is the review and approval of the 26 of the 2026 2027 school year calendar. It is in closure um 11.1 in your board packet. Um so I work with the other superintendents in the region to work on developing the um the calendar. Uh
022it's it's we follow the a pretty standard formula for putting it together. Um the only difference between um next year's calendar and really what we typically see is actually we're going to actually have a full week of school prior to uh Labor Day. So, typically we start um but just the way that Labor Day is a little later this year, a later start um this year is that we're going to actually have the two days on Thursday and Friday with with students returning on the 27th and then we have a full week of school the following that and then get into Labor Day. There is a difference with Hein Elementary School. That's the one district that I'm aware of that's doing a different start time, but that's due to some construction work that they're going
023to be anticipating happening to um their their schools. So, they're actually starting about a week after we are starting. But other than that, it's again, it's a it's a fairly standard um uh calendar that we've been following the same uh way of of putting it together over the past several years. Um I can certainly entertain any questions. Um and if there are not any questions, I would recommend that the board approve the calendar as presented. >> Okay. Do we have a motion to approve the 2026 uh BOE school year calendar? So, move >> Scott. So yet first second Amy Romanchuck is second. Any other discussion on it? All in favor? >> I opposed. Anyone abstain? >> Thank you. >> All right. The next item for new and unfinished business is enclosure 11.2 which is the
024uh board of education meeting dates. So what we do for our board policy is during the December meeting we actually set the board meeting dates for the upcoming year and then we also we always establish it for the following January as well. So we know that when we have the the January one in 2027 um again we're following the the typical process that we use which is the third Monday of each month. There are some um there are some Mondays where uh that does not work. Um and uh for for instance having the meeting on January 26th uh it enable provides us the additional time that we need to actually get the budget put put together because the Monday before that is actually Martin Luther King's birthday. Um so we can't have a meeting on
025that date. So it's better to move it and give us that additional time to get the budget put together. And again if you just go down through the through the each month you'll see when we've identified the dates for our different meetings. Um again, uh if I can answer any questions, I will certainly uh do my best to do that. For new board members, we again if there are if you know that you have a conflict and you can't attend a certain meeting, that's fine. We we typically don't move a meeting date just based off of one board member's availability. Um you know, as long as we have a quorum, we're good to go with with meetings. Uh again, if if there are no questions or concerns with the um with the calendar uh for
026board meetings, then uh my recommendation would be to approve it as presented. >> We have a motion to approve the 2026 BOE meeting dates. >> Jessica Hall second Amy Ramen. Any other discussion? All in favor? Anyone? Anyone abstained? Thank you. All right. The overview of items likely to impact the 2026 2027 uh budget. There's going to be extra Mayor Rose. There's going to be extra coming down if you want to grab any extras just to make them available for people who are here and would like a copy of the power. Thank you. >> Thank you. We'll make sure that this is made available on our website tomorrow. So, if we don't have enough copies to give to everybody in the audience, um again, they they will be put up and uh board members who are
027attending from home, I'll make sure that I email this document to you as well um tomorrow morning. So in accordance with board policy uh 3110 um at at at the meeting that is prior to our January meeting when I present the um recommend um the proposed uh budget is uh at this meeting we are supposed to uh discuss any new or uh major items to be considered in the proposed budget. We also talk about factors that are impacting the budget. Um and uh basically that's the purpose of this presentation I'm going to go over with you today. So, so new board members, just so you know, I don't get into a lot of detail. The budget actually is still being developed. So, I I don't have a number to give. Um that uh Eva is
028working um with her uh with her team to develop the budget and put it together. Um but I'll go I'll go through the process that we've utilized so far and where we are at now in the process. Uh if we go to slide three, the priorities in budget planning. I always like to review these to to support the implementation of the goals identified in the district strategic plan, the board's strategic plan, which those four areas. Uh we have goals in the areas of instruction, talent management, culture, climate, and organizational systems. Certainly a priority is to support both the academic and social emotional learning needs of students. to maintain a program of studies with a wide variety of course offerings and career pathways that ensure graduates are college and career ready upon graduation. And certainly we
029are always working to improve or maintain our facilities and grounds. The next slide. So one of the things that I always do uh when I present um is talk about our enrollment projections. Um, so last year we had uh on October 1st and um for those of you that again might not know this, our October one enrollment is what we use as kind of like the number moving forward through the rest of the year. It's when we report our enrollment in the state. So even though our our enrollment might fluctuate throughout the remainder of the the school year, we always utilize the October one uh enrollment numbers when doing things like determining the town levies and um and and looking ahead as well. Uh so last year we had uh 1,078 students across the district.
030This year on October 21 October 1st uh we had uh 1,021 students enrolled. And you'll note that that asterisk uh indicates that it does not include the 11 tuition students that we have uh through the new partnership with Columbia Public Schools. Um those numbers are exclusively students that reside in Andover, Hein or Marorrow. Um the reason that we have the two post-graduate students is that the school district is required to provide educational programming and a transition program for students between um 18 uh who are graduates of high school up to age 22. Um and this is a new way that we're reporting information to the state, which is why it didn't exist in last year's report. So, we have a couple of students here at uh RAM who are uh technically high school graduates, but
031again, still getting an education through us uh as they work to transition into Adobe. Um and again, the breakdown by sending town for the budget has shifted again. Um it's trended in this direction for a while. We've seen an increase in the percentage from Hebrin and we've seen decreases in percentages from Andover and Marorrow. And that trend has continued. Um, and then you could also see what our enrollment projections based off of the chart. Uh, I' I'd encourage people to look at the column with um, that has been highlighted in yellow that shows basically the the projections have changed. Um, initially over the past couple of years, we've been projected to increase our enrollment by about 200 students over the next 10 years. Um, and you can see obviously that is not uh what the
032current projections are. When I reached out to the demographers who work on putting the projections together for us, basically the answer that I was met with, uh, I said, you know, talk to me a little bit about the shift. Why why are we seeing a shift in and a change in enrollment? Um and essentially what they said to me was was not very reassuring but essent but essentially it was well our enrollment projections from for about five years out have a high degree of reliability which actually is the case if you compare the projections from last year to these projections but beyond five years they're talking about that they they become less and less reliable and they adjust those projections based off of new information that they're given each year. So as you can see
033our enrollment is projected I would just say it's projected to remain relatively steady. I I think the one thing that is going to impact the the numbers is again the projections are only inclusive of students from Andover and Marorrow. It is not inclusive of students from Colombia. And obviously uh the hope is that as we continue to grow and develop the relationship uh and partnership that we have now with Colombia public schools is that we see more students choosing RAM as their high school of choice. We go to slide five just goes over the budget timeline to date. So back uh believe it or not we are very early in the school year when we start to work on developing next year's budget. So Eva meets with um uh attends a fact meeting which is
034department coordinators and administrators. Uh she distributes the budget manual and guide at a meeting and reviews the processes the process that's going to be used in developing the the the budget. Um the the budget those people I I call them budget owners and then for a period of about a month the budget owners work to put together their specific budget for their specific department. And then Eva and myself, building administration, meet with all of the department coordinators to review the department budget and discuss individual department needs. And then during that same window of time, Eva and I meet with different budget owners such as the athletic director, of people services, facilities director, and director of technology communication, and as well as the director of curriculum and instruction to review their specific department budgets uh needs
035um as well. And then we work to update the personnel budget and that is an ongoing process. And then finally we are where we are right now which is um our meeting in December. We go to the next slide. Slide six. Um factors. I always like to discuss factors that we are experiencing or expecting to have an influence on our budget uh for for next year. inflation uh is certainly uh going to have an impact as it has over the past several years. So, we're seeing an increased good uh increased cost for goods, materials, and services. We're seeing an uh an anticipated increase for utility costs. Uh once again, we're expecting uh a decrease in excess cost funding. And excess cost funding is essentially um uh funding that comes from the state for um specost
036special education services that we provide to students. Um so if if we have students who reach a certain threshold for a cost uh who are special education students, we do get money back from the state um for for those additional costs. Um, another factor that's influencing the budget is we are there's a minimal debt payment increase for C that was for our campus renovation or the bonding that was done approximately 20 years ago. Um, we've had years where the bonding payment, the debt service payment has decreased by fairly substantial amounts a couple years ago. It went there was a $600,000 decrease in our bond payment. Um, it's pretty steady from last year to this year and it remains steady for next year as well. The good news is is that our is it is it
037is our last year of of paying on that debt service. Um and and as I've discussed with the board um already at an earlier meeting, you know, we see this as an opportunity to look to um you know, potentially go through the referendum process and and bond out some projects that we uh need to to take care of to um maintain our our facilities and grounds in a manner which um really keeps things going the way they should be going. Um, health insurance premium costs are currently, and currently is a key word, budgeted for a 15% increase, which is approximately $630,000. Um, the reason I say currently is because we meet on a monthly basis, even uh we'll we'll have a meeting before or January um to establish that there could be a reduction to
038what the uh percentage increase is. When we first started uh to look at costs for next year, um it was 16 and a half percent was the anticipated projection um or the I'm sorry, the anticipated increase for next year and we decreased it to 15% and obviously we hope that the trend is as that we get more data about claims that we are able to make um minor adjustments moving down so that our percentage increase is not as high as what it currently is budgeted for 15%. That's what we've historically done and we're we're hoping that obviously that continues. Um but again that will change over time. Um contractual increases um are are certainly factors is a is a factor increasing uh I'm sorry influencing the budget. Um this this board knows that I've advocated
039very um very much for u making sure that our wages and benefits for our employees are competitive. Um we want to make sure that we are a desirable district to work in. Uh there we are at a time where there is a a shortage of teachers. There is a shortage of PAR educators. There's a shortage of just about everybody that works in school districts. And certainly uh not being competitive in our general area um is is something that can negatively impact our ability to attract and retain staff. And this board uh the board that I've worked with over the past three years has responded wonderfully and and and I appreciate that. And as uh as as Miss Kate mentioned when she spoke at public comment, the the the the employees appreciate the efforts that we've
040made to make market adjustments. um we still could make work in that area and I and I know that this board has has heard me say that in the past that we still need to continue to make sure that we um remain competitive because uh we know that other districts are doing their best to make sure that they are um competitive as well. And and the last thing that I just indicated as far as a factor influencing our budget is the Colombia partnership. So, the revenue that we anticipate for this year from the Columbia Partnership is is $184,000. Um, the base tuition price is about $154,000 and then there's an additional $30,000 for special education costs and related services. Um, and again, that was with uh 10 students from Colombia. We obviously hope to grow
041that partnership over time. Um we have um recently sent out a survey to Columbia families who did choose RAM as their high school of choice for this year to get their feedback and the feedback that we've gotten is is very positive. The they're the responses that I've seen describe a very positive experience for their children, a very positive experience for their family. Um really again it's it's information that I will certainly share with the board when when I've gotten it all in. Um, but again, we're we're excited about the partnership and and as it grows over time, obviously the revenue that we get from Colombia tuition will hopefully obviously increase as well. So, it's it's it's all good stuff. Um, if we go to the next slide, please, slide seven. So, just some anticipated program
042changes from from our current year to next year. There are going to be five new classes that we offer in the Graham High School program of studies or educational opportunities handbook. Um the program subcommittee heard about these classes um about a month ago when we had our last meeting. Uh a firefighter course which is going to um be great. It's going to be part of our public safety academy um and coincide really well with with the EMT class that is already being offered. We are um looking to offer AP business principles, AP cyber security, introduction to marine science and music sampler. And music sampler just it basically is um is a class that they're going to try to design that would be an attractive option for students who maybe aren't going the traditional music route
043as far as being the band or being chorus, but just exposing them to different genres of music and different types of of music. Um, so again, it's we have a really strong fine performing arts uh program. Um, and again, this is for kids who who might not just be part of that traditional kids who want to be a bander for us. Uh, the other thing that I'll mention, it's not on here because it's not new. Um, but we're excited to be able to reintroduce our foods classes. Um, starting, I think we start with foods one next year. Yes. Food, food, nutrition. So, uh, in order to teach that class, you have to have a very specific, uh, certification from the state of Connecticut. And quite simply, we haven't had anybody for the past several years
044who's held that certification, but we have a current staff member who worked to get cross-certified so that they can teach uh, that class and and we can reintroduce it into our program of studies. Um, and it's great. It's a great opportunity for us to be able to do that. Um, so again, very excited because I vividly remember taking those classes in high school and they have paid dividends down the line. Um, but I can thank for myself if I could. >> Uh, the next slide, Eric, please, is anticipated personnel changes from uh from the current year to next year. Um so one of the positions that we are looking to build into our budget is the an addition of an instructional technology integration specialistcoach. Um this would be a teaching position and I it it
045actually is I'm really glad that Miss Kaine said what she did in public comment where she talked about the challenges associated with the implementation and use of AI um in schools. Um I I concur with what she said. Um we certainly are having conversations about that and and and trying to figure out um you know what policy changes are going to be put into place. Uh but one thing that we know is definitely missing is a a staff member who is really focused in on working with staff across the district in the use of an integration of technology in the educational program. Um there's really not too many times, not not too many moments in a day that students aren't engaging in some way, shape, or form with technology. Um and just as I'm assuming
046people who are in the workforce, you're engaging with technology as well. And and um we had a position that was a instructional technology integration specialist. Um, that position actually then kind of fell into the the the the lap of the person who was our library media specialist for a number of years. Um, and when that person uh left the district, um, we just it it was a position that we didn't replace. Um, but it is a void that currently exists and and I'm excited about bringing that position back and into the district. It would be again a teaching position. It would fall under the teachers bargaining teachers bargaining unit. So, it would be uh following the teacher schedule with with likely some additional days built in as well during the summer. And the second one
047is an addition of a second outdoor grounds maintainer. Um, currently the district has one outdoor maintainer who uh really manages and oversees a lot of work that is done outside on our on our grounds. Um, and it is, uh, I will just simply say it is a lot of work that goes into maintaining our grounds, when it comes to mowing, when it comes to caring for our athletic fields and the lining that needs to be done. It is a it is a huge undertaking and we've taken on more responsibility um, over the past couple years where um, the town had some work that was done. I believe it was parks and wreck had some some work that was done and and as they've had personnel changes in those departments, we've absorbed the workload. Um, and
048the town has still been a great partner to us. Um, but again, that need is is one that exists. Uh, because if we only have one person in that position and that person is absent for a period of time, we've incurred significant additional costs because we have to actually then contract out somebody to do that work for us. Um, so really having the capacity inhouse to um get the work done that needs to be done and obviously um you know it it enables us to to make sure that all of our needs are going to be covered no matter what our personnel challenges might be. Um >> do we plow ourselves or we contract? >> We do not we we contract with EA Quinn. So we contract with EA Quinn for a lot of the
049grounds work but the but the a lot of the mowing is done um by our outdoor maintainer. Like I said, the lining of the fields. Our outdoor outdoor maintainer does things like they'll drop trees for us in some situations. Not not all the time. Sometimes they're too big and they they don't do that, but um they've done a significant amount of work um and and continue to do so. Um if we go to slide nine, please. So, just a a brief overview of the capital budget. So, we've always tried to keep our capital budget for the past several years right around the $500,000 mark. Um, and and last year was was not an exception to that. It was uh we were a little above that at $565,000. Uh our our capital budget last year addressed
050um sidewalk repairs to the tune of $40,000. that has been a part of our capital budget for from for for the past several years because we are constantly having to just address sidewalk, you know, cracks and um crumbling and whatnot. And really that's it's essentially one of those that's a an ongoing maintenance issue that we need to really keep in the capital budget. And then uh last year obviously the track replacement was a significant um project. The total cost of the track project was uh 1,585,000 and $525,000 of that came from our um CIP budget. The remaining balance of that came from our reserve fund that we had uh monies available for that and and we've historically used the reserve fund to address significant needs that we have with athletic um fields and and areas.
051And again, the the track project was a was a big undertaking, but we're glad to have that done. >> Um, we have anticipated uh to include at least two things in our capital uh budget for next year, but again, we will have a finance and facility subcommittee meeting. Um, I think it is January 13th when we return to finalize our capital budget. Loading dock replacement is one that the board I brought to the board's attention. um our our our loading dock simply just it's it it needs replaced. It's in rough shape. I shared pictures with board members last year uh for new board members. I can certainly share those pictures with you guys to to show you what it looks like. Uh but it's in it's in rough shape. The cost for that project is
052is being finalized. We've worked we're working with a a vendor to get an approximate cost for that. Um and then obviously as I said the ongoing work to the sidewalk, we anticipate needing that to continue as well. So to the $240,000 um we currently have in uh capital unallocated um or we will have I should say is about $40,000. That money is um uh remaining from the track project which was completed and we just simply need to move the funds from the track project uh into CIP unallocated and that'll happen at an upcoming board meeting and we do have approximately $100,000 available in that reserve fund that I talked about earlier. So, the reserve fund is uh we as a as a regional school district can maintain up to 2% of the total budget if
053that money exists at the end of the year after our audit's been completed. Um, and we've done a lot of good work again related to the athletic fields and track. Um, using that money, we were able to build that money up over time in the reserve fund. Um, and again, as I said, we used about a million dollars to to pay for the from that fund to pay for the track. We currently have about $100,000. It it that money is currently invested in our um short-term investment fund. Um and we will know what our if we have any surplus funds left over from last year. We'll know that dollar amount um after the audit is completed in February. Uh, as I said earlier, we can use and maintain and keep up to 2% of that
054last year's budget, which would be in total if if the money is available, it could be up to $640,000, it can be allocated towards that reserve fund. Um, and again, uh, the audit will be presented to the board in February and we'll know how much money, if any, we have for that reserve fund. Um, moving on to the next slide, budget timeline. Just these are some next steps. Uh, as I said, we have a facilities and finance subcommittee meeting to finalize the capital budget. Um, uh, that says 1213. That doesn't make sense. That's 113. My apologies. Um, we have, uh, a presentation. I will present the budget, uh, the proposed administrative budget to the board on the 26th of January. We're going to have budget workshops scheduled for uh, the 28th. So, we'll make sure
055that we get invitations sent out, but we're looking at doing budget workshops on the 28th and January 9th. And we do have an extra or alternative date of of uh February 12th if it is uh necessary, whether it's just more conversation needs to happen or if we end up having a uh a snow day on one of the days that it's going to be scheduled. Um, we have our uh, again another budget meeting, I'm sorry, another board meeting on the 23rd of February where obviously we'll have ongoing budget discussions and then we I currently have two dates scheduled for town budget workshops where I will go and present to the boards of finance andor boards of selectman in our threecending towns. Um, Marorrow is uh scheduled right now for uh the the 25th of February.
056Hein is tentatively scheduled for the 17th of March and Andover has not yet been determined. Uh they're having some changes right now with regards to their leadership. So um I'm sure that we will get that scheduled and I'll let people know about it as soon as possible. Um we have a public budget hearing um and special board meeting to set the budget amount and uh to referendum on the 6th and then we have our annual budget meeting on May 4th. And finally, the budget referendum will u take place on May 5th. And that concludes my presentation. I can certainly take any questions if anybody has any. So, in a recently concluded legislative session, I thought I had heard what was going on, but I thought I heard there was some additional funding for special education
057that >> So, we discussed that last week and we're unfortunately not getting any the regional school districts. Um, >> oh, this was separate from that issue. Oh, there is something new coming down the pike but don't know when that is coming. >> Okay. >> All right. But you are aware of there is something. Okay. But will it will be for the next school year, right? >> Legislative body. >> Okay. Well, I thought there was something that was already recently signed for the next school year. Did I not? >> I we we can look into it. I was just curious if you had heard of it. Okay. Maybe I misunderstood session session. So maybe it's just that they're going to talk about it as opposed to >> anybody online have any questions for Colin in the
058budget. >> Okay. more of a offer of help if you need to talk to Andover folks because you know we're in disarray right now between town administrator and a temporary one in place right now but um the we have a new board of finance chair who I can I'm close to in >> great great I'll yeah I'll talk with you offline then appreciate that >> any other comments okay that brings us to the personnel report it's in closure 11.4 four. >> So, yep, in your packet is 11.4. And there is just one um retirement. Uh happy to announce for Mr. Landry, who is a business teacher at Ram High School, is going to retire effective at the end of um the current school year. He's been employed uh by the district since uh 2000. So,
059he's uh had a great run and um we're excited. I I have spoken to Tim and congratulated him and he's excited to move on to the next phase of his life. So, good good news for him. >> Great. And that brings us to financials. >> Excuse me. All right. So, in closure in your handbook 11.5A, um you have uh I am projecting for the end of November 30th a net favorable position of $235,295. Um again, we realize some savings from the magnet and aggra science school tuition is the majority of that. Our track replacement project has now been fully completed and paid for. The uh reserve for educational fund is still um has not closed out the ADA compliance project. We just had some work that was finalized last week if I'm not mistaken. So
060most likely that will be um finalized at the next board meeting. Um the pupil services department again is monitoring their students and um as at IEPs change directions for the students um incumbrances are changed accordingly to ensure that we are tracking them um and the money that is used to spend on them. Are there any questions that I may answer? >> So I have a few from Mr. Soyette if no one else has. So um Mr. Soya had a question regarding miscellaneous revenue and what sort of things are included in there. So I just pulled out a few of them. So we collect student oblig obligations. So that may be debt from last school year that students owe. Um if we have uh freedom of information request that people pay us that goes in there.
061We have Kerma. Kerma is the Connecticut intered member association. and it's our insurance company, so to speak, but it's a it's a member-based insurance company, so we're a member, so we get an equity distribution. Um, usually that is an annual process, but I want to say a couple years ago, we didn't get any. Um, we do sell scrap metal, so if chairs or tables are broken, we save the metal, throw away the other components, and sell scraps. So, that's just little pieces that get thrown in. Um, so that was a revenue question. Um, there was a question in regards to grants. So yes, grants are totally separate. It's a total separate fund. So revenue and expenditures for grants are tracked separately. They are not allowed to be coming with your operating and we just talk
062about operating here. Um the advisors get paid in January and June. Um whereas coaches get paid um after each season that they stop working. So they get paid at the end of it. Um and that for the most part are the questions that you had asked. Oh yes, wait there is one more. Um unallocated personnel, excuse me. Um unallocated personnel is a line that we track um salaries and or benefits that are savings. So, anytime there's an enrollment change, um, so there might be a life event, um, a person may have left to cost us more money. If there's savings, we roll it into that account if we know it's freed up. So, if um, person resigns and we hire a person at a lower dollar amount, the difference put into that. That's >> kind
063of what I guess, but I wasn't sure about. >> Yeah. It's just somewhere to it's easier to identify there and just easier to track, right? um about grants. Should we see them on occasion as a board? Should we see um you know, we don't need them every month, but occasionally see what we're spending money on, what we're getting and what we're spending it on. >> Feels like we should. >> Yeah. Um >> an annual grants come in just annually or do they come in throughout the year? >> So, they're annually they're annual renew renewals. most of our grants. So, we have Consolidated, which is a two-year grant. Um, adult ed is a one-year grant. Um, Perkins is a one-year grant. Um, IDA is a carryover, so it's two years. Um, our HBA that's just ongoing
064because it was reimbursed to us. Um, that was five or the four that the car it's a carryover. So, it's a two-year grant. Yeah. >> So, can it be shown as an attachment? when we're doing the budget process. >> So, it is it's in the budget. They're in the budget binder. >> Budget binder. >> The request I made which may be sort of in line with what you're getting at Scott is the grants are listed but exactly how we spend them the intention of the grants there. So, there is some but exactly how we spend them isn't there as well. Right. So, it doesn't look like it's balanced like there is a a revenue and an expense sort of if you will. And so I I know I had asked about getting a little more
065detail around that in the budget book for this year. >> Yeah. And like the budget booklet is is maybe that's enough just to have everything >> in there. But I I just realized that I'm looking at this I'm like wait there's grants too and they're not they're nowhere in here and of course they're not because you don't want intermingle because they are >> um supplement not supplant kind of grants. I think we're >> and their use is bespoke to the particular cost for those items, right? >> Yeah. I mean, they're they're very prescriptive as far as what you can use the funds for. So, you know, in some cases money can only be used for, you know, professional development. In some cases, it can be used for, you know, the IDE grid grant has a
066degree of flexibility of how we can use it. Um, but I can certainly include in the budget book like just a very brief bulleted lines that say here's what we are budgeting the money for. That's >> I think that that would be useful. I don't I don't I was just realizing I didn't see it and didn't know how often we should see it, but I feel like we should at least at some point. So the budget book sounds like a good answer. >> Does the tuition public service line include >> your special as well? Not just that. >> Yes. Okay. Sorry. >> I didn't hear the answer. >> Yeah. Correct. Yes. >> But most of this savings is tech. >> Um that's what I thought. We're going to say yes to that because um yes,
067we're we're watching um special ed costs at the moment. So, >> the last thing I had in mind was a suggestion that maybe we could I had going through the the budget, you know, this this document every every month because it's there's so much stuff in there and I don't know what to look at. I'm wondering if we could get a summary at the object level. Maybe we still get the detail, but just here here's here's the object level things. I know the lines are in there, but they're intermingled. They're hard to see. They're hard to distinguish. Um it seems silly to have another document, but I'm just wondering if that's something the software generates easily if you wanted it to. >> So basically what you receive is what the software generates. that's as summarized
068as at as at as at as at as at as at as at as at as at as at as at >> the the and even and even I based off of your email had some conversation about this. I I think the concern with taking the data as the system spits it out and basically moving it around and manipulating it is uh the potential for errors, right? like that that's something that and and I the more you manipulate data the more that that's being spit out by you know a program um we're concerned about that um and and again I mean if I'm not mistaken this is how we're presenting the information for how the how it spits it out and how >> right I mean can I call and see if there's a tighter
069summary I suppose but um the way when we set it up was the way that they basically um they created this report to try to get it as summarized in the way that we I just I do find that it's very hard to get through and uh because there's a lot and >> it's a lot >> um and if they can't supply that I wouldn't suggest we try to extract it and do something ourselves but if they could if you know they did have a report that just said here's object object 111 here's object 112 here's object 115. You know, here's, you know, the same numbers that we've got in this document, just reduce. And I I did this myself manually from the PDF, but it would, you know, I probably made a mistake in
070doing it in my in my, you know, by quick thing there. And anything we did manually would be ugly, but if they generated something, >> so that's basically what the Excel spreadsheet is that I do my projection on. So that's basically the same information that you're looking for in a title object. >> Okay, >> that help. >> So that at what level? Is it in the packet already? >> In the packet. It's the second page after the memo. >> Yeah. Yeah, that that's >> Yeah, that's a nice one, too. I was looking for the one in between, you know, where if if you go down here, there's a summary at the object 110 and then further down there's a sub summary at object 111. Further down there's >> because the accounts are in there and
071they they summarize the accounts so they don't have it where we can. So again, like I said, they helped create this as it is and they help the um Excel spreadsheet to be created that way. So I'm not sure if there's something that they have that they can do, but they are limited in that regard. >> Right. Yeah. If they don't have it, I don't think we want to pursue it. But if they have it, I just don't know, you know, what reports they they offer. I mean, >> we have to create them. >> So yeah. So I basically have to create reports. And so so like your um CIP or your reserve funds because they're smaller in stature meaning accountwise that's why you don't see as much in that regard but because there you're
072operating as so many accounts that's what you're getting is is that that is the summary of it. So they bump all to all the 100s together, all the 200s together. So that >> Yeah. Well, like I said, I would love to see another thing, but if they don't have it, they don't have >> reach out. Yeah, I was gonna say I can reach out to them and see if there's a way to try to get something, but if there is not, I mean, I love the first summary that the the hundreds 200 level, but there's there's a level in between that and the and the details that we get, which I know is already a summary and I understand that's not it's you know line by line of everybody spent, but there's there's a level
073I think so the for you. I've been playing a new guy card for for two years. I can't really do it anymore, but guys sometimes get to be a pain in your neck. >> You keep you keep us on our toes. >> Thank you. >> Are there any other questions? >> Anything that >> hearing none, we'll go to enclosure 11.5, which is the food service monthly sales and expenditure. >> I'm sorry. >> Go ahead. did question in between about food services. >> So on the capital improvement budget so it's >> way at the end of all that stuff but in between so where the CIP unallocated from the track can I see that somewhere in here? >> Oh you can see so the director of facilities tracks it by project I I track it by
074account code structure. >> Okay. So that's that's the other limitation that we have. Um so but for the most part track was um so you're looking at your B BOE capital improvement um sheet in the account 1095826207300 340. Yep. >> Which is CIP system maintenance other professional technical services. >> So that's 3818. So it's close to your I don't understand the question. >> So the budget balance there which I take to be what's sort of left over is the 38. >> Correct. >> And that's close to your 39 something that you have. >> Oh that on this. >> Oh that yes. So >> did this one. So I don't trust >> any consultation. >> Yeah. Yeah. So close to not 100% apparently. So is and the other 8 n the other 9,000 is that is
075that also an excess from something else that we >> So that's a transfer that's going to be coming up. So during the audit process we had to do an audit adjustment. So they took an expenditure that was budgeted for this fiscal year and they pushed it back to last fiscal year because the >> work in the invoice the invoice was dated June 30th. So the auditors um perceived it as the work got done in last fiscal year. So it had to come out last year. >> Okay. Yeah, that's coming up. >> Yeah, that's all right. Thank you. That was my question. >> Okay. So now on to food service, right? Okay. >> Sorry about >> No, you're good. Um, so heat service, um, at the moment we have a net loss of $78,964.87. I work
076with the, um, management for the food service management company to ensure that um, we're doing our best to um, keep our expenditures at bay where we can. Food service costs as everyone knows um, has hit as hard. Um so schools are not exempt from that unfortunately. Um we do get grants where we can get grants. So we um have called local food local food stands for uh school partnerships. So it it's bringing local farmers local farmers. So it brings local food from farmers into the schools. So, um we have about $10,555 there about um that we are buying lots of beef. So, um we used up all that money for beef. So, um that's something that we just ordered and got delivered today and we're going to order again. It get delivered next week. Um,
077and so that's for both the elementary school and program that we're going to um have a local farmer and I forget the local farmer's name, so I can't help by answering that question. So, please keep your best, but I can find it out for you guys. Um, you know, Old Springs is the I forget what the local farmer's name is. So, um, we're trying to find creative ways to reduce cost where we can. We're trying to increase participation. We're trying to get kids and or staff excited to try to try the food um and enjoy their meals here at Ranch. So, are there any questions that I might be able to get? >> Do you anticipate that rate to stay for the rest of the school year? >> What do you mean that the decrease?
078>> Yeah, we're already at 789. >> So, we're gonna be in November. We're gonna have to be dipping into operating. Well, there's a big drop in in revenue in November. So, what happens relative to revenue? >> So, again, it depends on participation and people wanting to eat and or people wanting to put money on their accounts. So, all of that jazz, but yeah, we had a shorter month because of the holiday. December will be the same. So, that you're you ride the wave, so to speak. Are you getting a sense that the students like the new food service Um I'm not 100%. >> Okay, thank you. >> They have their pleases. Um I'll give them that. I'm just not 100% sure that the consistency. >> Yeah, the cake companies use their food services. >> All
079right. Are there any additional questions on food service? Okay. So hearing none, 11.5 C is um the RAM high school and middle school student activity report. This is basically for the new folks in town. um an uhformational report for the board because um all the funds here are collected through fundraising efforts and they are to um directly benefit the students and the students um direct so to speak through their club or organizations how they would like to spend the money and what um and those totals balance out with our bank. Are there any questions that the board may have? hearing none. 11.5D is the stiff account. So, this is the short-term investment fund account that we had set up. Um, so we had lots of money in there, but we had to take money out
080to pay for the track, but while we had money in there, we were earning lots. Um, this month we reinvested $6748. Are there any questions that the board may have on that? Thank you. >> 11.5E, the CIP budget appropriation transfer that will require board action. So, as I stated earlier, um we had to do an audit adjustment to take an expenditure that was earmarked for this fiscal year and put it back into last fiscal year. Um unfortunately, it created an a shortfall in the account. So, we have to make the account full and that's what this um budget appropriation transfer is for. I'm happy to answer any questions that the board may have on that. If not, it would be lovely to have an recommendation to approve the change. >> So, this is from the
081the track for this year to the maintenance for last year. or is it the other way around? >> No. So, this I'm taking it from the track line because there's money available to put into the um where the sidewalks would have been. >> So, it's all the same. They're both the same count. So, I'm sorry. Okay. So, you're taking it from >> Oh, did I do a >> Well, they're both Yeah, they both Oh, no. It's 43034. I'm dyslexic. >> So, I'm dyslexic. No, I'm I got a car free freebie on that one. So So right. Okay. So So you're taking it out of this year's 340. >> So it's staying. So all this money is staying in this year. It's not the expenditure was pushed back and because the expenditure was pushed back the
082s uh systemwide repair and maintenance account became in the hole became >> last year. So we ended it, but because it ended that last year's ended, I can't do anything there. I So I have to roll the negative four on it, which we did. And now this year, and now I need to fix it. >> Okay. So that's the part I didn't get. So So for the auditing, the auditors just go and the negative from last year goes away, >> but we stick it in this year and then we move it between our this year's. Okay. Wow. Okay. There was money there. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's just >> Yeah. >> We need a motion to approve the transfer as presented totaling $18,000. >> So moved since I made some >> first second. >> I'll
083second. >> Amy Roman second. Any other discussion on that? All in favor? Anyone opposed? Anyone abstain? Okay. Thank you. All right, that brings us to um your enclosures. 12.1 is the calendar of events. >> Yeah. So, you know, in the immediate future, we've got about, like I said, about a week and a day left of school. We've got the winter concert um coming up on Thursday night. Um, one thing that I didn't mention, but I but I'll mention it now, and it's not part of the enclosures, but I'm really excited. Uh, tomorrow night I'll be going to the Bushnull with Carl Jantis, who is our middle school, uh, social studies teacher on the inquiry team, uh, who is going to be a part of the recognition recognition event for all of the, uh, districts teachers
084of the year. Uh, so as the board knows, uh, this was the first year that we actually did the teacher of the year. I'm super h looking I'm super happy that we did it. Um, and, uh, I'm I'll be going to the Bushel tomorrow night with Carl because all of the teachers of the year from every district in Connecticut that participates in the program will be recognized. Um, and then like I said earlier, vacation is right around corner. >> Okay. Student discipline report enclosure 12.1. >> Yep. So 12 uh enclosures. Uh so first is the in school suspensions for the middle school and the high school and the second one is the out of school suspensions for the middle school and high school. >> All right. So, um, do we have a motion to enter
085into executive session for the purpose of discussing the superintendent's evaluation? And I further, um, request that we invite, uh, Dr. Colin McNamera into the executive session. Do we have a motion? >> I moved. >> Scotty at first. A second. >> Second. Um, any discussion about that? All in favor? I >> anyone opposed abstain? Okay. Thank you.