001[clears throat] >> All right. I want to bring the Board of Education special meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Roll call. Chrissy. >> Chrissy Rylander. >> Frank Oliveri. >> [clears throat] >> Shane Santrella. >> Curt Warner. >> Julia Rubin. >> Nora McCarsky. >> Eleanor Bishop. >> Okay. Moving on to item two, [clears throat] agenda review. Did anyone have any questions about the agenda? >> Yes. I'd like to add an item under item four information B. >> Can't to a special meeting. >> Okay, let me tell you my concerns then because there's no action item here. We have bylaws that
002say that if this board were to get to eliminate an involuntary terminate an administrator's employment then I would be worried that we would be violating our bylaws. And I think that's important. If we choose tonight to transfer line items from our 660 account, which is now 440, to cover some of this, that requires a motion as a board. So So would be in violation of just our own policy as a board of ed if we can't take action tonight. Not only that, it's also um been our past practice to do a vote. While it's it's not Julie's budget, it is our budget as a board of ed. Um we have the discretionary authority and the past practice has been to make a motion. Once we've decided what to do with cuts. Now um in your
003last couple years you haven't had to really deal with this process, but in the past when I've had to deal with it, we've had generally as a customer as a board approved of those the the superintendent's recommendations. So um and what's more the community needs to know where you stand, right? As a vote that's important to signal to the community cuz the 11th and Monday night is a is is the town meeting. Um so here we are. >> So thank you for your remarks. Um as I was going to state our job as a board um we completed our budget um and now it is up to the job of the superintendent based on [clears throat] the budget that was presented to her to figure out how to use the money they have um and
004what that impacts. Um we would be overstepping our job as a board by telling her who to eliminate, how to eliminate. >> [clears throat] >> That would be an overstep of our job as a board. We hired a superintendent to make these decisions and that's what we are here to do. So tonight as we did we called a meeting so the public can hear uh what some of the plans are and Julie will present her plan to the board. Um it is not an actionable item we can't vote on that because it's her job to make those decisions. >> I would differ with that opinion because we do not abdicate our responsibility as members of the board. It is not Julie's budget, it is our budget as a board of ed. She makes recommendations, we
005approve. She's our employee. So, we have a difference of opinion on that. >> It ceased being our budget when we voted on it and presented it and it was then presented to the board of selectmen. >> As I >> now the superintendent's job >> Mhm. >> to figure out how everything lays from there. >> Okay, involuntary terminations are part of our bylaw as I said. And um >> That would be on the grounds of if this if that is that is not in the sense of budget cuts. That is administrative that is not our job as budget cuts. To make a decision on administrative grounds, that is the superintendent's job. >> I disagree. We're board of ed elected by the public. We are to signal to our superintendent whether we agree or disagree with some
006of those actions. That is our obligation as publicly elected officials. >> can signal it to her but we can't demand that she does what we we recommend. It's her job as So, what are we voting on? >> and make motions >> We can not >> give her directions to act. >> her directions tonight based on the discussion we'll have. That is ultimately what we're here to do tonight. And then she can make her final decision as the superintendent of schools. >> I I just disagree. We are not here to vote to approve the BOS budget, I get that. But we're here to look at a revised budget and customarily we've made approvals based upon the plan. Because that's our responsibility. >> Our responsibility is advise. Our responsibility is not to make the final decision. >>
007The other thing you should know, the state of Connecticut has 10-222 which also says that the State Board of Ed a Board of Ed can accept or reject the suggestions of the Board of Finance. If we reject, we need to have an explanation of the reasons of the rejection. So, that's the law, too. So, that's another reason why motions are important. >> Can I suggest the amount is set from the Board of Selectmen, so that isn't, as you said, the piece that's really up for grabs. Why don't I share how I think I'm mitigating the amounts and then we can offline do a little deeper research and if in fact we need to have a motion, we have a meeting Tuesday night. It doesn't really affect the town meeting because the dollar amount is set.
008The bottom line number is set. The only thing we're talking about is positions, so it's not There's no movement that would really impact what happens Monday night at the meeting. And there's no voting at the meeting about whether or not to approve a budget. It's simply setting the date for the budget. So, if in fact there's something else we need to do, we have Tuesday night to do that. >> Okay. Any other questions about the agenda? Okay. Moving on to item three, public comment. The Winchester Board of Education welcomes you to its business meeting. There are two There is one opportunity tonight set aside to hear comments from the public. We welcome and encourage public participation as a valued part of communicating input with the Winchester Board of Education. We appreciate your appearance to the
009following. Complete the requested information on the sign-in sheet if you wish to speak. State your name and address when called upon to speak. You will be allotted 3 minutes to share your comments. Please be advised that it is not the practice of the Board of Education to engage in dialogue regarding commentary. The Superintendent of Schools will be directed by the chairperson to prepare an appropriate response in a timely manner. We appreciate your time and thoughtful commentary. Does anyone wish to speak? Does anyone wish to speak? Seeing none, move on to item four, information item. Discussion and budget reduction and mitigation strategies. Um Superintendent Luby will present um her vision of where we're going to look at um the cuts to come from and then we can open it up to discussion. >> Thank you. Um
010first I just want to thank the team that's sitting here. This has been a really um hard process of trying to figure out, you know, it's the Sophie's choice of what what goes and what stays and um it's not something any of us take lightly and there's been great discussion, great um compassion um from the entire team as well as the people with whom I've been speaking about um losing positions. Um we are very fortunate. I'll just share that sort of confounded right in the midst of this and um very much in contrast to this, we met yesterday to um pick out Teacher of the Year, Paraeducator of the Year, and Staff Person of the Year. Um and in the midst of these very hard decisions, we spent an afternoon reading recommendation on recommendation on
011recommendation of who in the district exemplifies the characteristics of those um roles and we were struck by the fact that the decisions were ridiculously hard because there were so many people worthy of that recognition. Um so I'll just say that while we're having discussions about who stays and who goes, which [clears throat] is crappy. Um there are a lot of really good people here and so with that um so thank you team for making something that's really hard a little more bearable. Um I'm going to share with you [clears throat] So let me tell you where we are and then I'll share with you how I see this happening. We had to reduce our budget by a million dollars. Uh the Gilbert School reduced their budget, which in turn reduced our tuition by $285,714. Additionally,
012in the legislation that passed over the weekend um and continues to be interpreted, um >> [clears throat] >> $320,998 has been allocated for education in Winchester. Every district's amounts are different. Um there is very little clarity about whose bank account it will land in um and all the different ways it might be used. It seems quite clear that it's to go for education. In the absence of any different information, I've used that number, which potentially can be a budget hole. I've read most recently I've lost track of which source, whether it was Schoolstat or CCM or one of the groups that interprets it that one of the 160s will become part of the base of an ECS increase, the other is just a one-time grant. That would be lovely, but I'm interpreting [clears throat] it
013all as a one-time grant, sort of going worst-case scenario, because there's just no knowing. Um I imagine in the coming weeks they'll untangle what they've done there, but it sounds like the people who passed it don't even know for sure what they've written. Um so, that got us to loosely $600,000 of the million, and that left $400,000 to figure [clears throat] out. So, I'm going to 1 2 3 this way. Share with you. I'll take you through This is my thinking. So, when there's extra for the end, would you [clears throat] If anybody else wants one, there's extras there. And I'll just remind [clears throat] all of us that our families are watching, our staff is watching, and these are really hard decisions, and there were no good answers. Um as we've talked about throughout
014the process, there's nowhere to go but staff. >> May I May I ask a question? We started last year's approved budget was 23 9 23,900,000. >> I would have said 24 something, but >> 24 something, right? Okay. And then we asked for 27. We were going to go We were shooting for 27,547 when we opened up this year. >> No. >> That's the proposal. >> It No, it was 26 something, and now it's down >> Well, we brought it down to 26,000. >> No, I think it was 26 5. You brought it down to 26, and now it's down to 2.5, I think. Nancy, am I close? 2 million uh Yes, right? There's an extra 50,000 floating out there, but >> that So, does that bring us below last year's budget line? >> No. The
015If you think of us as three locations, we have $900,000 in increased expenses for out of district special education. So, [clears throat] no matter how much gets cut from this budget, we're not really nearing MBR because that 900,000 I can't do anything about. Um we are and we'll share with you on Tuesday looking at um a program that won't necessarily reduce the cost immediately, but we are looking at developing a program for the coming school year. We're very excited. But the cost of the tuitions will pay for the staff to bring it in house and then we can grow it over time. Um [snorts] so no, we're not below the MBR as a whole. We are below what we spent on K-6 last year, though. We are going backwards at K-6. >> [clears throat] >>
016Nancy, my records say 23,993,865. >> So, 24 basically. >> Yeah, 24,000. >> million >> 24 million, sorry. >> I just said the same thing, thousand. >> 24 >> from last budget, right? >> Yeah, last budget. >> Last budget was 23,993,865. >> Great. >> Yeah. >> So, it was 24 and then we brought forward [clears throat] 26.5 basically this year, which was roughly 850,000 towards K-6, towards Gilbert, towards out of district. The Gilbert has come down by just shy of 300, the out of district is unchanged and so that's 300 off. So, 700 so we're at almost flat for last year, I guess. >> That's what I mean. Okay. >> Oh, well actually no, the first 500 came right off of us and then the next million. So, we're actually backwards um 800 less 500, we
017had three left and then we have to take another six. So, we're back backwards about 300,000, I think. By Monday we'll know those numbers for sure. So, to get there, this is just um I can't even say it's the least awful of a lot of bad decisions, because there's nothing on here that's a good idea. But, everything that's highlighted in red, and Matthew does have it up on the screen as well. Um I'll tell you some of my thought processes. Where possible, I looked for positions that were currently empty. Um you can't just do that, because if you happen to have For example, we have a special ed teacher opening at the moment, but that doesn't mean we don't need that position. So, you can't always just take the empty positions. But, where possible, I
018leaned into those. Um so, you see on here the special education assistant director. We will have an opening for our instructional support coach special education position, and so we are looking at that position as a way to maintain um as much of the role that we can in a teaching role. Not ideal, but so, that's one administrator. >> Can you just explain to the board what I mean, she services K through 6, as well as Gilbert. >> She is a pre-K to 22 administrator. She's overseeing the development of a transition program. She works part-time up in the Gilbert school. She serves, I would say, sort of as lead teacher there, in a sense that if someone's out, she's the person in the morning who figures out who's going to cover whom, because there's no substitutes.
019Um she does PPTs at all levels, pre-K all the way up. She um supports teachers at all levels, especially if we have new teachers. Um it's a critical role. There's no two ways about it. Um I felt that if I'm eliminating nine positions, which is what this represents, um it needed to include an administrator. Um there's no good choices there. You know, with um the offsets that we have with the Gilbert reduction in the state aid, the Pearson school principal was, in my mind, well, actually the school nurse was the first thing that I felt, you know, going back to the chart of a million that we looked at at Board of Selectmen meetings, the school nurse um was the one thing that I was felt was most felt most emphatically about putting back first
020um given the medical needs of some children in each building. That felt very precarious. And then putting back the Pearson principal felt appropriate. To have a school without a principal is not a great choice. None of these are great choices, but those two felt the most um far-fetched, if you will, of what we ought to be doing. Um the grade two teacher, we do have a grade two teacher who is moving out of state. So, again, looking to see the numbers support it, that is a smaller grade level moving from one grade one to grade two. Um and while it will create a budget hole, it won't create a budget hole immediately because that grade level, unless something crazy happens, will be small enough that next year a third grade teacher could go to second,
021and then a fourth could go to, you know, it will backfill itself for 4 years because that group is small enough to stay at three sections until they leave sixth grade. Um we were budgeted to have three interventionists at Hinsdale and three at Pearson. We'll take one of each of those positions and have only two in each building. Um we have a director of data and information is the person that does all of the state reporting, all of the PowerSchool management, the rosters, the schedules. Um and the incredible number of reports that have to go to the state. Um it's where they get our chronic absenteeism data that we do each month. There is a company that has been doing it for the last few months. You'll see there's a savings from not filling the
022position, but then a cost. The cost is to have the service do the PowerSchool and state reporting. We lose a lot in that transition. That person was to do um central registration, making sure that families that move into the district are having sort of one-point person to help them get registered. That goes away. Um there are a lot of other things that come within that position that won't go to that person that will just have to get figured out by other people. Um [clears throat] we're looking at having one less uh preschool teacher. The current thinking, well, it's not the current thinking, it would have to be that we would have one full-day class and two half-day classes because we need to maintain an appropriate ratio of identified students and general education students. And based
023on the number of special education students, we need three sections. So, it would be one full day and two half days. Um anything less than that would not allow us to meet kids' obligations under their IEPs. Each preschool classroom has a para educator that works in that classroom. So, if we're having one less classroom, we can have one less para. Um the safety officers, both of them, who were very gracious when we spoke. Both said they would finish out the year. Um and you may remember when we took the $500,000 cut that this board did, um part of what made that happen was the sixth-grade teacher. In this formula, I've swapped essentially the second grade for the sixth grade. Um just based on the numbers, it makes more sense. The sixth grade was starting the
024year at the contractual maximum of 24 students in a class. We would have ended up in all likelihood having to pay stipends on those. Um and that's a lot of large kids in small rooms, so the decision was to switch that with the second grade. So, this is a million dollars. [clears throat] This is not infusing anything from our emergency reserve line. I gave um great thought to that. I'm not recommending that we use any of that because I don't trust the 320. That's already a hole. So, compounding that even further feels really precarious. Um there are a couple [clears throat] of things in the works. Um when I spoke with the safety officers and with our assistant director, I did say um earlier today, we um finally finished an MOA with the teachers union
025um to offer an increased uh waiver amount for people who waive health care benefits. Um it only it's specifically to the teachers group because that's the largest group. If five or more people say they'll do it, it will cover the increase for the people who get the waiver. Um so that has the potential to cause some savings in the health care line. Uh we are still working on the concept of um offering out of district families um more than the IRS rate to drive their own children. Turns out legally that's a little more complicated than we wanted it to be, but we are still working on it. Mathematically, it's also very complicated because some people's transportation costs 8,000 and some people's transportation costs 30,000 and you have to sort of do something similar for everyone.
026You can't say well, I'll give you this for yours and this so that is not launched yet, but is we're still working with the lawyers on that. So if either of those generate um savings, then we would look to restore things from this list. >> Do you want some questions now or >> Yep. >> Okay. Um eliminating one grade two teacher. Uh what how large are those class sizes and do we have to pay contractual impact on that? >> Um we're not starting the year having to pay that. I believe um the number was about 19. >> Per class? >> Right, and they can go to 20. >> Okay, so the contract's still there. >> So we've got about three spots. Just freezing. >> Okay. Um the interventionists, eliminating them to down to two at
027Hinsdale, down to two at Pearson. Um what does that look like for their caseloads then? >> So even with all six, we couldn't meet the needs of all of the kids who meet the criteria for MTSS intervention. [clears throat] >> Mhm. >> The reality is uh through the wind time period, the team of interventionists, whether it's three or two, would go into say the fourth grade classes and you have four fourth grade teachers plus the two interventionists, perhaps a special education teachers working with the group at the same time, and they're trying to divvy up and do small group instruction. More is better. Less is less. >> So, when when you talk about small group, are we talking doubling the size of small groups then given that ratio? >> Um I don't think you're doubling
028the groups because that isn't good intervention. You're likely you might say, "This is a group of five students. In a perfect world, I'd like to see them four days a week. I'm only going to see them two days a week cuz I have this other group of five students as well." >> So, it'll be time over the week. Okay. Hm, that's not exciting at all because >> Nope. >> they need the intervention, especially reading, of course, and math. >> Yep. >> Um the the outsource for the data for PowerSchool data information management, the 47,000. Would that be a fixed cost? We contract with them, and they wouldn't It's not a 6-month contract. You think it'd be a 12-month contract? >> Right. >> Okay. >> It's I think 37 something a month or something. >> Okay.
029Um the reduction of the paraeducators, how is that going to impact IEPs? What do you predict? >> The only paraeducator on here is the one that is currently working Each preschool has one paraeducator. >> Okay. >> So, if we're eliminating a preschool classroom, we can eliminate the corresponding para. >> Okay. >> Yeah, if I mean, I would have loved to have [clears throat] just left that as a position because we tried to add paras when we >> Right. Right. >> But I want to leave all these things, so >> Okay. Now, your suggestion, your recommendation is not to use the the the so-called gen you know, the commonly referred to 660 fund, but um the SSOs, I'm not keen on eliminating those. I would rather we use that 660, and um remember one of the
030things we did when we put them in is I think we may have have pillaged 660 to put them in or that was uh seen as a temporary. It wasn't It wasn't in the budget when we brought it in. So, >> [clears throat] >> I know it's hanging out there as uh like a quote grant-dependent position. I'd like to float that another year cuz I think we've seen some really good positive effects from that. I think our kids feel safe. Um and I want to recall again to this board that we had uh Connecticut State News inside the parking lot at Pearson when there were rumors and the rumor mill with with Facebook and all this other. So, I think it was an important signal to parents that we take safety seriously. And I think
031it's worthy of the investment of the 660 fund uh to push back to 108 so that we have that continual feeling of security and safety and because if you don't have safety and I know every superintendent, that's job one. And it's going to affect our learning. It's going to affect how kids feel and our ability to respond to parents who respond quickly on Facebook. Uh and I think that's an important piece of communication with the community. So, I would advocate using 660 for the 108. >> Nora, everything you said is 100% accurate. The only thing I'll clarify is the SSOs were in the fiscal year '26 budget. It was the year when I started. We added them during the year. We ended up not needing to use the 660, but that was our initial plan.
032Um >> Okay. >> So, and I certainly I don't disagree with your thought that keeping those with the emergency reserve is worth talking about. >> Right. >> I'm not in disagreement with that. >> Um last I would say given the recommendation to eliminate an assistant director who is an administrator on the administrative contract, that would need a motion. >> And um I just want the public to know over well, 2015-16, we were in receivership because of the concern about delivering services for our IEPs. The state took us over for that concern, fiscal return concerns as well. I'd hate to see us go backwards in terms of those needs, and I need to make a message to the Board of Selectmen that that 320,000 that the state of Connecticut would give us, I'm going to call
033it a grant, sounds like it's not to be guaranteed and not to be depended upon, um, but this community and the Board of Selectmen need to recognize that special ed costs, um are are ours, responsibility as a community, and it would be awful if this community couldn't deliver those services for special ed needs because we would be back in the position we were in over do the math 15 years ago, 12-13 years ago, um in which the locals lost sovereignty to govern because the state took us over. And that would mean the Board of Selectmen, you could check the budget, if you will, but as a community, this Board of Ed lost sovereignty over decision-making because the receiver came in as a czar and could do whatever he or she pleased. That was not a
034good place to be as a community trying to deliver public education. >> Um, I I think I I think we have to be careful with the rhetoric that we put out there. Um you know, we hear receivership, we hear a lot of things. Um, we have we have what I witnessed in our last the last board of select meeting um a former selectman telling someone to sue the district um because we're not going to be able to provide the needs for our students. Um, we don't know I mean like I said we've done a lot with so little for so many years. Um and our staff has done a wonderful job with with what they have and um you know, is this an ideal budget? No. Can we service the needs as best we can
035for our students and do it a job well enough to where the parents, the students believe that we're servicing them? I think we can. Um, obviously when we started this process um and I met with Cathy in December like we had a lot of needs. We had a lot of things that we had to fill. This is nowhere near where we need to be. Um, eliminating that special education assistant director, we might be eliminating the position. We're not eliminating the person. Um, we are you know, the there is a creative way to to keep the person and still fulfill a lot of the same needs. Um, so we have to be careful with the rhetoric we put out there. Um, this is not ideal and we are not unique. Turn on the news. There's a
036reason there's a debate over the ECS this year more than any other year. We are one of 160 plus districts that are having the same issues. We are doing the best of what we can, and unfortunately, we're stuck with the number. Um so, in speaking to the public, we have to be careful of what we say and the rhetoric we say it with. We have to be responsible with that. So, you have to be careful what you say. Um when we talk about the 320, it it it it is been said that it's a grant. Um it was also said and and as Julie stated, um the legislators really don't know what this money is and and what purpose it is that they they are kind of confused on it as well. Um I know
037that 320's coming to us. Um I heard one of the legislators saying that's it's guaranteed for this year and next year. I don't believe that because I don't believe anyone really knows anything at this point. Um so, we have to treat that 320 as a grant, as a one-time payment, as a potential cliff. Um and as Julie stated, if we take any more money out of our 660, 440, or whatever we want to call it, that's going to create a a larger cliff. Um and I want to have more foresight in thinking about we have to think about this year, but we also have to think about the coming years and the potential impact of taking money out will create um in our budgets for years to come. The 660, the 440, it's an emergency
038fund. It's typically emergency fund for capital improvements. Um but you know, we can discuss this constitutes an emergency. Um so, we can discuss that, but understand that the 320 and whatever we put out of the other fund is going to create that much of a cliff for next year. So we have to be responsible as a board to understand that. Um do I expect our insurance to go up a million dollars next year? No. But we have to be very responsible with what we do and what we suggest. Because again this is not our call to make. Um we can suggest and we can discuss. But ultimately it's the superintendent's job to make this decision. So that being said, let's open it up to questions, discussion from people we haven't heard from yet. >> Um
039that I I'm I'm having a very difficult time just looking at this paper. Um I think it very much constitutes an emergency. Um the parents and the students in our district very much it having the school security officers plays a huge role in the comfort levels of the parents and the children in the buildings. Um I I don't really even know what else to say about this. It's you know, we talked about the rhetoric that was said at the Board of Selectmen meeting. There were some terrible There were awful things said. Um I feel like the a lot of the parents in the community were disrespected at that meeting. And this is just slapping them in the face again. Um It's really all I got. >> It's not an easy job that Julie has to
040come up with. It really isn't. >> And I I do support the idea of using some of our emergency funds to provide that level of comfort to the students and the employees and the parents in our community. Thank you. >> Frank, you're going to say something? >> Just Just trying to figure this out. No, I mean I get that. What are the way way Okay. >> I think if we were an outlier in this particular case and this was something, right? We're not an outlier. You just said there was 160-plus districts that looked at that. Everyone's and I'm sure they had a formula for how it came to how those ECS funds were distributed or the state aid was distributed. But it was all over the place. Do you know, you look at Hartford, I
041think Hartford had $30 million. Uh and then East Hartford I think had $13 million. So, there's like vastly different needs and like distribution of how this all goes. But we are and I don't think it's just statewide, it's nationwide. Um I think we find in in many states, but particularly in our state this is a This is a tough time and so there are tough decisions that need to be made and it's you use an emergency fund and then we roll it forward 1 year forward and now we're in a position where if that $320,000 isn't there, let's say it's $220,000 that you take, and now that's $540,000 that has to be made up somewhere. Um and then that creates another panic or another So it So when you talk about cuz at the end
042of the day we're talking about people's livelihoods and jobs, and you're also talking about When you talk about money, you talk about compounding issues, right? So you push, you kick the can down the road. Like we've talked about that a lot in this town. I've heard that mentioned quite a few times. And it definitely should not be taken lightly because again, this is people's positions and people's livelihoods. Um and when you look at it, that is not something that we should be kicking down like, you know, further down the road because now it it just takes that further. So I again, nothing about this is easy, and your job and making these decisions, I'm sure it's you know, it's sleepless nights and not good stuff. And just sitting as a board member and not having
043this as a full-time job, it's, you know, it's still it's a heavy weight. You hear it from townspeople. You hear if you take any stance other than, you know, spend more money. And it it's it's not an easy stance in in either side. And and I and I hear both, but we don't want to create more issues down the road because next year and again, and you could say, "Well, we'll worry about that next year." Ah, that's a terrible Like that that's how that's how our town gets in positions, financial trouble. That's That's how you continue or you have this continuation of financial issues in a town is when you when you don't do that. And so that's unfortunately, that seems to be the balance that we're currently in. And and that's not an easy
044thing, but we don't want to create future issues. Uh There's no easy There's no easy way. So, for lack of a redundancy, that's just to me that's not a a solution. That's just creating another problem, unfortunately. >> Is there a way Is there a way to make this a voluntary position? Getting volunteers to do the requirements of what these positions would have done? >> All of these positions are specifically >> no. Just the We're just talking about the school safety officers. >> That there's a qualification, right? >> Uh well, ours are not armed, so some of the requirements are not there. Um we could certainly have volunteers as greeters in the door, but our safety officers interact with our students. They do the perimeter of the school repeatedly. They go to the town safety meetings.
045It's not You couldn't have someone volunteer for, you know, half a day Monday and someone else half a day Monday afternoons. Um we could certainly have a greeter, but and honestly, I don't know that we would find enough volunteers to fill a schedule and not really fulfill the role. >> Okay. >> It'd be better than nothing, but it wouldn't be a safety officer. It would just be a greeter. >> Just given my experience in youth sports, getting parents to do the snack shack is an act of Congress. So, getting parents and community members to work a whole school day, I don't >> I will say, you know, there are experiences that happen in a school. We have parents who come in very upset with us. Um you know, the principal has to give the consequence,
046and a parent gets very agitated. Having a safety officer able to come stand beside them and you know, interact and not be the person they're angry with and calm the moment. Um um, been times where I've had to terminate an employee who has become agitated. And I'm not incapable of walking someone out the door, but if I'm the person they're agitated with, that doesn't go as well as when I'm able to ask to have the safety officer come and escort them out. So, it is a really, um, critical position. >> Okay. >> Trained, reliable, >> consistent. >> And they do a lot of training. >> That's right. All of the, um, incident command work, they attend the town safety meetings and do all of the trainings, um, that the police recommend that we do, FBI
047trainings, National Threat Assessment Center trainings, >> Sure. >> um, SWAT and bomb threat trainings. >> CPR certified? >> CPR, >> Yep. >> I'd have >> AED, >> I'd have to imagine that would, I, again, and all that training and then on top of it, just the liability if you put a volunteer into that position, that is not something that you'd want to take on as a district. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Public schools are very different. Historically. >> Ali, Jonathan, anything? Nope. >> I think it's, uh, you know, it's not the easiest job. We're trying to essentially, uh, go out of cut a pie that's already not the largest. Uh, it's, uh, it's tough, but, uh, sometimes necessary. It's a and, uh, we're trying to find the best way out. Uh, I'm not sure what
048my opinion quite is yet of, uh, the, uh, 682 grant fund. Uh, should we use it? I'd like your more opinions. >> Um, I mean, first of all, this is super hard work. Thank you, Dr. Louie. Um Thank you all, too. Uh it's really an unpleasant thing. Um especially when the budget that we all voted on did not even represent what we all talked about in our uh values meeting when we first started this project. So, but besides the point now. I think um I would agree that the safety officers are essential. I think it would be foolish to cut to cut that. Um we we just started having them um after a big issue on Facebook. So, it's clearly what parents want and find important um for kids in school. Um yes, you know,
049taking money from the 440 account, you know, certainly we don't want to make things harder for us next year. However, like you know, no guarantees, but I I can't imagine that we're going to have that same health insurance increase that we did this year. So, you know, nothing is set in stone. There's no guarantees. But you know, I don't think we'll be facing that next year. Um And this isn't I I don't know. This is an emergency. This is This is an emergency. >> Thank you. >> Everybody spoke? >> No. Carol. >> Hey. >> [laughter] >> Um I I agree on the the safety officers. Um But I also am concerned about the interventions. Are these people we wouldn't be hiring or are they actually employed with us right now? >> The interventionist positions are
050open at the moment. >> They're open. Okay, so it's we're not cuz I I mean all as I hear here about is the problems they have in the classrooms and the kids need extra help and um and I think that's kind of equally as important as the safety officers. Um >> I don't disagree with you. Uh everything on this list is critical. >> But the fact that they're open and we're not losing people aren't losing jobs over it. >> Correct. >> I would tend to go with the safety officers, but um and and also, I mean my my hope for next year is the study comes out and we can figure out a way to save money in the town. So, um you know, pending that if we take money from the 440 to pay
051for the safety officers and it's actually a net cuz if you look at the sheet, it's 108 and then we're paying paying out 18 and 1/2 in un- So, it's only a 90 net. It's not 108. >> That's it. >> Right. >> We wouldn't pay the unemployment costs if we kept them. >> Right. So, it's only 90 net. >> Right. >> That's it. >> Um and then hope hopefully next year maybe hopefully um you know, something gets figured out over the summer or something gets figured out to fix the schools. And um and then we can look at look at it again next year. Yeah. So, that's my opinion. >> I second it. >> I think like the the budget in this town especially with the education has always been tough, so I think everyone's
052kind of used to it being a difficult uh conversation every year. I don't you know I don't foresee it being some like super easy process next year anyway. So, I I just I think like this is the emergency worth >> Why don't we leave the 440 count alone and use this towards the grant. The 320. >> The 320's in this. The 320's in this. >> It's the second line here. >> It's already in there. >> So, that's [clears throat] adding. That's what I mean. >> just it's how big of a cliff do we want to jump off? That's the question. >> Well, if we do one if we do the one Okay, let's just say one 10. >> 90 90 >> 90 from the 400. >> Yep. >> We're not over the cliff yet. We
053still have No, I'm saying we have 300,000 >> Yeah. >> to protect ourselves next year. >> Yeah. >> Listen, we dialed it down to $1,800 one year to make room for this. And Nancy well remembers >> is that. >> I didn't realize we had that much in there, but I'm just saying it's sort of protection, use it when you need as declared an emergency, and still protects you not driving over the cliff, but getting close to it next year. >> It wouldn't need depleting it. >> So, that's 2 I mean 350 left. >> So, we have 350 left. >> Roughly. >> We're not hitting it, right? We're going to make it to the end of the year without hitting it? >> Yes. >> Cool. >> Yes. >> So, and the fact that Nancy in our
054committee meeting was not opposed to it to to taking money out of it gave me a little bit more confidence of that. Uh anytime a business person has is not reluctant to do something like that uh gives me a a bit more confidence. >> Kurt, you mentioned that um the administrative director, the assistant special ed piece it's not eliminating a person. >> So >> We are losing >> So we have someone who's excuse me, leaving a position. You know, we have two remaining instructional coaches, one regular ed, one special ed. The special ed position will be open. So we would offer that to Sarah, the assistant director. And um look to extend her position currently goes beyond the school year. So we would be looking to take that teacher position and then supplement it within
055the teacher's contract um to allow her to still do um many of the responsibilities that she currently does. I can't assure you that she'll stay. >> Right. >> I mean, essentially we're talking about changing her title and asking her to still do the same things. Um >> rolling from an administrative contract to a teacher's contract. >> Right. >> With teacher benefits. >> So it's not a sure thing and she may well leave us and then we will really have to figure out how we provide support with all the things that Sarah's doing. >> Yep. >> With a new person in that role. But um >> And this impacts Gilbert too, eliminating this position as well. >> Yes, both Cathy and Sarah work pre-K to 22. So they their work equally really implic impacts, not equally
056impacts >> all of our students. >> Everyone. >> Um look, I don't I don't mean to and you said about rhetoric. I just mean to state the facts and the history is a good teacher. That when we look at this list, it's a lot of special ed hit. And I [clears throat] know it's a federal law and I might I said this before is that these needs will be met because you will ensure that they do. However, it's going to impact other areas and I do get nervous when we start losing some services. And as you had mentioned, Carol, we're talking um interventionists is critical to help kids. And these folk are tier two and three. >> education. >> So, two and three interventionists per help to remediate, to prevent more persons into special ed.
057You know what I'm saying? So, this is a a trickle-down impact that I just need to state the facts so y'all understand that it's a trickle-down impact. We're borrowing on the future when we do this, as we know. >> Just every every position eliminated impacts all of our students, all of our all of our teachers. Um lack of support staff in regular ed classrooms. I mean, the again, our teachers are are doing an amazing job with what little they have. And they're going to be asked to do it again next year. Um and that takes a toll. That takes a toll on everyone. So, no one's minimizing what this is going to do. Uh I just you know, it's this is this is big. And and and when we talk about positions like, you know,
058support staff like as much as I believe the safety officers play an important role, we have we have positions that are in the classroom with the kids that are being eliminated or reduced that have just as much of an impact. So, um you know, when we discuss, you know, bringing inserting money into this budget through the 440, um you know, we have to look at every option. Um, and what is the biggest impact on the students as a whole? Um, and again, none of these are our decisions to make. We can only make recommendations and suggestions. >> Well, I'm going to make sure that you, Julie, you know um where I'm at. I would rather we keep the SSOs and we pinch from that 660, because I know it's already been down down to 1,800
059at one point and we managed it. So, the second thing is I am really am not comfortable with looking into that IRS drive where parents would drive their children. I'm I'm concerned about the liability as a district. I know it's a savings, if you will, and you're exploring it. I I feel uncomfortable going down that direction and that pathway. >> Even if our lawyers say it's okay? >> Yes, because parents will sue, then we pay law firms. We actually If there's an accident, >> we have a family, we pay the IRS rate, too, and it's in our policy. >> Okay, I'm just I'm worried about exposure. I'm just absolutely worried exposure. >> But the lawyers would take care of that aspect. >> my thing. Yeah, so if we were going to do it, they would
060have to dot it dot dot the I's, cross the T's, and absolve us any liability. 100% And I think if they choose to do that, then they sign a waiver that they can't sue us and we have no liability. >> And then in some >> And I mean, they know what they're doing. Yes, the lawyers are writing all the things. >> And then in specific cases, I'm sure that would actually could help in certain family situations that if, you know, if we find a solution, that could help certain families as well. I mean, in certain some certain cases. >> In the district I work in, they have to do it anyway. >> Has the letter has gone out? >> No, okay. Cuz we're still >> told me absolutely no, but that had more to do
061with how I was phrasing it than >> Do we have parents driving their own children or do you have parents now driving one? >> This would only be driving one. >> Okay, so they're not driving other families. >> No. No. No. >> Okay. >> Every family every It's already in the budget. >> Right. as opposed to paying 51,000 each for transportation. for the other total. >> Yeah, that's our That's our budget. >> And then some families can't do it. Like you know, they work. So I understand. It's It's a It's a you know, if somebody If you're paying them um they might choose to do it, you know? It's just a thought. >> I didn't realize it was their own children and they >> Oh yeah. Oh no. Oh yeah. >> Only own children. >>
062Okay. Okay. >> Even though we're still in the thick of this current budget, my one question and the to get the we've briefly or we've talked about it in passing and I understand that interventionists um the special education costs, but the assistants in uh special education, how important those roles are, how hard they are to fill. Um and we talked about it when we first were talking about the budget. What is um And again, I know we're in the center of it. We're in the midst of it and this is what is at the forefront. We're talking about cuts. But where my head goes to is how do we start to right the the budget will be coming to a close here in the coming months. How do we start to prepare for our future
063and look for a way to almost like hedge our future bets. And I know it was mentioned um and talked about. But how do we And I And I know that seems almost counterintuitive, right? We're talking about making cuts and how How do you grow this, but looking at the future because we're in it in the midst of it. I know it's almost sounds preemptive, but how do we try to try to build back what is so that we don't ever go back to speaking to uh Norris' point, we don't ever go back to a time where the state has to step in, right? Um and that's less like for anything specific right now, just the sentiment that once this budget is done and once we have the dust has settled here and we can
064try to come to the best resolution, how do we preemptively cuz it always it always feels like it's just like a panic and I understand no matter how you do it, it's tough and there's so many moving parts, but how do we how do we change that future cuz I would love to further those conversations once we get >> So, are you inferring about the um specialized program? >> Yeah, specialized program, but but any and I'm not just speaking to that, but what can we do differently as a district that will prepare us better so that when cuts come down the line, uh we have something to counter with, right? >> So, there's a couple things that'll be on Tuesday night's agenda that we'll talk about that are forward-looking. >> Awesome. >> Um I share
065your thought that we kind of have to push through and get through this, but we have a lot of things in the works that we're >> Awesome. >> working on. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, it sounds like that >> There's sentiment There's sentiment that we use um the 440 or 660 fund towards um instilling um money in towards saving some positions. Um so, that can be something that we can action on Tuesday. >> Can I ask a question? >> Yep. >> On the 440 fund or maybe 350 fund, I would is that in a like how you have money market account cuz at 4% interest on the 440 a year is $17,600 at 4%. Are we is that 440 fund making money? >> Yeah, it's covering our bank fees. >> Is it bank fee
066cuz if you had it in a money market account at 4% that would be $17,600 a year. So, are we would we be paying that in bank fees? >> I don't have all the bank fee information yet because we just changed the town in essence owned all of our money. >> Okay. I mean it's just a question cuz I mean if you I mean it's paying 4 5% on the higher money market account. So, you could be making money on that money. >> If we could, yeah. >> Yeah, okay. >> So, wait Nancy, we can do that. We can it's investable? >> Yes. >> I I I would have to find out if it's if it's what is neutralizing the bank fees because we don't have a part of it is you have to understand
067the town feeds us money every month and we have a lot of bills to pay. So, some of the grant funds are part of the cushion is the money is moving back and forth. So, it would be a matter of not getting it so tight that we would end up not having sufficient >> I just wonder what the bank fees would and then what it would it be less than what the money market's paying. Right. So, you just got money and invested it instead of right and and just it's just see what the bank fees are because I mean I I mean $17,000 a year is a lot of bank fees. >> does money go in and out of that because >> There's never much money in the account at any one time is what
068I'm trying to say. >> So a money market >> no 440 fund. >> Well There is. >> Well, we pay bills with it. Like a lot of our grants are reimbursement grants. >> So you pay them out first and then get reimbursed. >> So with a money market I don't think you'd have access to flexibility. You can get that interest rate if you're only putting a 100,000 in. But would you have the flexibility to pull in and out? I don't think so. >> But I'm saying if if it's like you take at least a 100,000 and put it >> Yeah. >> I agree with you. >> Right. >> We didn't have any cash until just 2 months ago. So that is a conversation we've been having of could we do exactly that? >> Like a
0696-month CD so that you have it in 6 months. >> Yeah. >> You're still still making 3, 4, 5% on it. >> Roll 20,000 every so many months. >> Sure. Yeah. It's a good question. >> What? >> [laughter] >> It's a good question. >> Thank you, Nancy. All right. So there's an appetite for the 440. >> To cover the >> SSO >> School safety officer, right? >> That's what I'm thinking. That's what I advocate for. And then we need to talk about a motion on the admin and move not just the 660 transfer. >> It's not actually a transfer. It's there in our budget. It's just not allocated to pay for anything if that makes sense. >> But aren't there policies that if you're moving from line item to line item there's a certain minimum
070amount the board has to approve? >> So it's not >> in the We'll look at it. >> Okay. >> Any other discussion? Anyone like to make a motion to adjourn? >> I make a motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> Give it to Carol. >> Need to go. >> All in favor? >> I. >> So, Tuesday night we will All in favor? >> Tuesday night, regular board meeting. >> Yep.