001So, good uh good evening everyone. It's uh Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026, uh 5:00 pm. This is a special meeting of the Graten Board of Education Communications Committee and I'll call it to order at 5:01 p.m. Um, reviewing the minutes. Uh, did you have anything to uh to amend? Uh, Jen. >> Okay. J meetings. Um so look good to me. >> All right. And u so I just would point out these minutes are 25 pages long. Um Rebecca does an excellent job um with these meetings. That's why more than once I've said, you know, we shouldn't be hiding all this information in a communications meeting. We should probably go to the board quarterly. But anyway, I'm sure everybody reads all the minutes and keeps up with it, but it's it's a lot of information that uh
002Rebecca gets out to us. So, >> I think both grants and um communication do we try to get them a couple times a year. Maybe maybe we need to do it more, you know, at a CO. I agree with you because they have a lot to share. Yeah, it's it's a lot of very good information >> um directly related to our role um as a board, which is why over the years I've I've really questioned why we segregate this off to a a committee. Um but anyway, so uh enough about that. Um, I I know Rebecca has come up with a um uh some talking points about community engagement, especially with regard to the upcoming budget process. So, I'll turn it over to her. >> I see. And Marie's coming in. >> All right. can
003uh hopefully you can all hear me. Um and I just want to say hi to Sean. Um I know you were on our last communications committee meeting and um we haven't officially met in person, but I just want to say hello. So, um All right. Is somebody else sharing? >> I would do that. I'm sharing. I figured I would do that for you, Rebecca. >> Oh, okay. Great. Thank you. So, um yeah, we put together um just this um deck to help guide our conversation today. And where I wanted to start um pertaining to talking about communications and community outreach around the budget is um a reminder or refresher if needed about the um roles that the board of ed and staff members and other organizations within our community can play in this. So, um
004I did give myself a little refresher. So, just as a reminder, so we do have to be somewhat careful in terms of um how we can communicate things around the budget. We can inform, we can educate and those are definitely very beneficial um to build trust um create transparency, share all that factual information with the community which helps them understand the budget and again have that trust in what's happening um and how we're being fiscally responsible. But we cannot from the district staff side and district resources. We cannot persuade or advocate a position. Um we can't do that using like I said staff or resources and we can't use district email, parent square websites, printed materials. We can use all of those things again for factual information um such as sharing um you know the
005public hearings and things like that. Um and we'll we'll talk a little bit more about that. Um, next, so um, like I said, really outlining how we can have that neutral factual information that just creates that understanding which then ultimately helps people have that trust in the budget and what's happening. Um, so we can highlight all the proposed budget, the priorities, the data, you know, the per pupil expenditures. We can show that in comparison to other districts in southeastern Connecticut and against the state. Um we can talk about potential impacts if there was decreased funding. Um we can talk about specific reductions to programs or staffing. Um but again we can't do that with certain um persuasive or advocacy language or um even sort of veiled undertones with certain um emotions or adjectives such as
006um you know um harmful impacts or um things like that. Um, I mentioned we can absolutely and we have in the past share the dates and locations of the public meetings and the hearings and we can encourage people to come out and share their voice and be engaged in that process and then we can respond to questions um and we can provide links to information and other um data. So there's a lot that we we can share um and talk about and do um specific to you all as the board of ed members. Um you also can unfortunately which is surprising advocate in official capacity. Um you can't use the district platforms or district funds and if you're speaking in an official capacity again that information may must remain informational. You can speak as can
007any staff member as a private citizen on your own time and using your own resources. Um where we can work with um some folks in our district is community groups do have the ability to advocate and urge support if they feel that that's appropriate. Um again they can't use public funds or district tools. So for example our booster club at the high school can't send a parent squareear message um saying come out and support the school budget um they can message to come out to the public hearing. Um but if they have their own platforms um or the PTO's have their own Facebook pages that are being run independently by PTO members, they can use those things. Um again the unions um meeting with the GA or the par union or the other administrative unions
008we can have those conversations with them providing um information demonstrating why we feel this budget um supports everything that the district needs and is fiscally responsible. They can then advocate for it with their membership. Um as well as if there's any other groups um that I hadn't thought of. Um the main ones I had thought of again were PTO and booster club and our unions. So knowing all of that um brings us to so what what do we want to do? What can we do? What are some good tactics um that we should be doing to make sure that the public fully understands this budget, fully understands the need for it? Um and that it is a fiscally responsible budget that supports all the things we're trying to do as a school district. So, um,
009one of the things we've talked about a little bit and, um, I think Bev, you and I even touched on when you were in the office, um, quickly is some stakeholder meetings. So, again, meeting with the union representatives, the GA, the Paris, um, the administrators, and letting them know, again, making sure they understand the budget, the priorities, and what reductions might look like if the funding were to be reduced. Again, we could do the same with the PTO's and the booster club um school administration. And we could even engage some of our students um at the high school um and be talking with them um and then leaving it to them to be passionate about their their clubs or their activities that they want to make sure they see um stay intact. Um, we always
010put the budget on the finance page of the website, but I do think we should build out um a more robust sort of budget dashboard, if you will, and give it its own URL. So, when we're talking about the budget, um, people can go right to this custom URL. They can find it. They can find everything they're looking for about the budget. So, um, we're going to be getting the budget book up there showcasing the timeline, public hearings that are coming up, um, the presentation that is going to be used at the public meetings, and then any contact information um, for submitting questions. Last year, we did actually create a Google form um, that folks could submit questions or feedback. Um, unfortunately we I think we only received uh a few responses to that, but
011we can certainly put something like that out there again or even uh build a form right onto the website page that people can submit if they have questions or or thoughts about the budget. Um, and then in terms of our community and family outreach, you know, this is sort of the big bucket. Um, we can do outreach to parents and guardians. Um, we definitely should be getting a letter out there. Um, I was thinking perhaps a joint letter from you, Susan and Bev, outlining the process, the priorities, um, the drivers of any increases, and again those timelines for the, um, public hearings, which we have historically sent out reminders with the dates and times of the public hearings, and we typically send out a few. Um, we let people know, um, and would do this
012again if this applies, that they can speak in person or they can speak virtually and how they sign up to do that. Um, Susan, I know you're going, um, to film with Welcome to Graten um, GMTV with Cindy Olsen on Thursday. Um, so we will, uh, once that video is published and live, we can use that on our social media platforms. We can put that on our website. Um since that will just be outlining um lots of details about the budget. Again, >> I was going to ask Bev if she wanted to join me. I think it's Wednesday um Thursday afternoon. I can get to the details, Bev, just in case. It might be good if the two of us did it together. >> They and she's given me the questions so we can look
013at the questions ahead of time. >> Oh yeah, I spoke with Sean Greerly today. He told me Thursday at two um and he should have it published and live um Friday. So, >> oh, so next Tuesday. >> Uh, this Thursday, he said. >> Oh, Thursday. Yeah. >> I'm sorry. Did I say Tuesday? He said Thursday at 2 is what he told me on the phone, but I would go with whatever you have on your calendar. Um, we did do anformational flyer last year. Um, really summarizing just a front back of the priorities in the budget. Um, some of those charts showing the spending. Um, some of the highlights about the district and the priorities. So, just a more um I think consumable way for parents in the community to understand the budget. We had that
014at the public hearings. Um and we can certainly get that in some locations around the community where people might pick that up. Um we could consider um this is not something we've done in the past, but a letter to the editor of the day. Um again, if that was done, um in an official capacity, it would beformational only. Um if you if any board members or staff decided to do that as a private citizen um they could do so. Um and the day would always acknowledge the person's role with the district um but that they are submitting it as a a private citizen. And then additional considerations you know the budget obviously always does get a lot of coverage in the local media. So um I would expect we will just see articles um from
015the meetings and coverage in the day the CT examiner and the patch and there's always a lot of social media engagement and um discussion around the budget on the community platform. So that's um expected and monitored. Um and certainly if we see any um inaccuracies particularly on social media um we do try to um clarify and clear up any misunderstandings by pushing out good information on our own platforms. And I think that was everything I had. So, that's really intended to be um some some things that we're planning here, but also some thought starters for discussion and other ideas and thoughts that um you all might have. >> All right. Um so, I'm going to start off and just throw something out there, Rebecca. I wonder about whether we might be able to use um
016social media such as Facebook to just highlight certain programs in the district um to so that people can understand, you know, where the money is being spent. Um, you know, maybe just a series of of posts, you know, that talk about um, you know, some of the initiatives um, and things that have been added, you know, over the years to support the students um, and just sort of get that that conversation going. >> Yep, we can absolutely do that. Are you thinking um do you want to frame it in the budgetary considerations or or just would like to see us highlighting more there? >> Yeah. Just so that that people have an understanding, you know, where where does the, you know, what what um concrete uh programs, you know, are supported uh by the budget
017that uh that maybe they don't know about, you know. Um >> well, I don't know if you saw um our school matters um kind of I think did we send it out in December? When did we send that out or Octo November? December, but that really highlighted some specific things that you could almost pull and grab and put right on Facebook because it had from cradle to career, you know, initiatives. So, yeah. and and and a lot of parents and um you know the folks that that are reading the the school matters have seen that. But this would be a way to to make it more you know public for for everybody in the community um to understand you know what what those programs are. So just in you know small chunks >> I have
018written that down. Um and we can absolutely do that. Expanding our presence on social is a goal we have anyway. Um, and I agree certainly when folks um really can see the programs in action and get a better understanding that just speaks again back to that trust and transparency and and more concrete understanding of what's happening in the district. >> Sean. >> Yeah. So, I also was just thinking, so there was a few things in the budget that we added in the LA the last kind of moments uh around the wish list and what the the schools really wanted. I'm wondering if maybe like some uh some sort of a statement from Suanne, I mean Susan an or from the principles about kind of what these additional pieces that were in the budget would really
019mean to uh families to to to the schools themselves. >> I agree with that, Sean. I think that's a good idea. >> Yeah. I think it's just highlighting the work we did together collectively. >> Yeah. and and things that are in the budget specifically. I also think highlighting the raise for teachers and talking about how this that was well uh needed and that how highlighting that that's a big part of the budget, >> right? And that it's used to sustain and keep our really highly qualified teachers with us in Grten. It's a sustainability plan using the data around us to make sure that it's, you know, negotiations were fair and equitable. Yes, I yeah I think as a whole the budget is you know for some people you know is it could be an overwhelming
020document. So, a way to to break it down um into manageable pieces and like Sean said, you know, highlight, you know, what did what did we add that's really going to um support the students. You know, >> this isn't just fluff, but it's it's things that parents are asking for. There was a survey we just recently received, and I'm sorry that I can't think of the title of it right now, but the the whole board received it. It was um from one of the national organizations about what parents, you know, would like to see in their schools and one of the things they talked about was was more tutoring and and one-on-one support um differentiated um teaching, that sort of thing. And so, you know, we know that that the parents are interested in that
021and and we know that it it supports students. So I I think we should highlight that and that's where we're spending our funds >> and we know after last year how important extracurriculars and sports are um even in making subtle changes or that seem really big to parents and kids um you know so you know not that we want to use that but really we're the whole idea of this budget was to maintain those things that we really value and not to see things, you know, fall away, you know, for the kids both in the school during the school day and beyond the school day. And I think that's I mean, our kids need to feel like they belong and they want to come to school. I mean, the work Anie's done with the principles
022about um attendance and seeing so much improvement, I think has made a huge difference. So, we want to continue that. Yeah, there's a talking point right there. Um, you know, toward uh Amarie's um presentation at the last meeting. I mean, let's highlight that. I mean, we've been talking about how horrible, >> you know, attendance has been since co. Let's, you know, now we need to begin to celebrate, >> right? >> Um, as things are turning around. So, >> and kids will show up. I mean, they'll show up to be in school, but they'll show up because they know they want to play that next game, and they need to be in school to participate, right? >> Good point. >> And look at our Falcons. Boy, did they rise last night. >> They played well. >>
023Unbelievable. If I may add uh on a slightly personal note, I've mentioned this to Susan and Amarie before. You know, um sports and extracurriculars are very much um a path to college for some students as well. that I don't think always gets talked about a lot. Um, because there's a lot of athletes in our schools who may not otherwise necessarily think about pursuing college, but they know they want more time playing the sport they love. Or it may give them a significant um scholarship, even if it's a u academic merit scholarship that they're getting um to play a sport at maybe a D3 school. Um, so just on a my own little personal um it it's you know the sports are they're so important for the now, but they're they're such a valuable um stepping
024stone sometimes for a lot of kids on their their path to their next chapter. >> We've been trying to highlight those even in board notes and school matters. But it think about the military science program. We're 20 kids away from having it a full JOTC paid by the United States federal government. And we have kids who've gotten full rides. A young woman um in the um Fitch High School, you know, we call it the JOTC, but she's in the nursing program and she's in military science and she wants to be a Navy nurse and is getting a full ride to college. So in a JOTC program in the university. So there's so many instances like this and I know Jay you used to talk about how can we highlight all the graduates and where all
025the places they'll go and I'm bounding to determine before I'm done to make sure we have some kind of publication because it really truly will show you um how our kids are so successful. It might be a job at EB, it might be an a community college, it might be, you know, a college or enlisting. But I think we do need to see all the places kids go because that's ultimately what we're doing here, right? >> Absolutely. And I think our audience would want to hear about, >> right, >> you know, the the already the early successes of that program. >> Um, and also, you know, where where it could go um once it achieves full funding, >> right? So yeah, there probably a lot of folks in our community that be very interested to
026know that. Um, and you know, perhaps don't. Boy, we're going to keep Rebecca very busy. Like she doesn't have enough to do already. >> She's very good with with, you know, coming through for lots of different projects. They all seem to come at the same time, right, Rebecca? >> They do. No, but this is this is you know what I'm what I'm really hearing um and I think just not only benefits this budget process but year round is is you know we need we need to be telling our stories a little bit more and that's even something I've talked with Amarie about and uh Susan and you know that is is a personally a professional goal um for us to be expanding you know like I said earlier on social media telling our stories showcase
027chasing these programs, these highlights, increasing um how often we're doing the district newsletters and a little more reach on that. So, um and I think that doing so aligns nicely as well with um support for the budget. >> And to Susan's point, you've already done a lot of this >> uh work. It's just that we we need we just need to widen our audience now. I mean, you know, you've written up these programs. And the other thing is people um need to hear things more than once, you know, um in the advertising business, how many times do you hear the same ads over and over and over again? And they claim it's because, you know, people don't really act on it until, you know, they've heard it the eenth time. Um, I've been listening to
028a radio station advertising a local business for years and it's taken me that long before I finally walked into the the business and they were thrilled to hear that I've been listening to their commercials all that year, all those years and wondering where have I been. So, you just need to keep, you know, keep putting the the information out there >> and um and you don't know uh who's going to see the impression, right? I mean, Facebook is one of those things where, you know, um it it may take many impressions before uh people see it, but then if people begin to share it among their friends, you know, it becomes more visible. So >> of um these journalists who've done a really nice job um and even those who've had to tell a controversial
029story um know when things are happening and so that we're able to really think ahead of things that are coming up that will be good stories. For instance, with the dream and the work of robotics coming home and you know the potential of um the early childhood center. So those are all big talking points, you know. >> So is there anything I mentioned um in some of the tactics I mentioned that you're like, "Yeah, I really um think we should pursue that or do that or all of them." Um, and and is there anything that you feel is I think we should hold on that? >> Thought Jen was going to say something. >> I need to like go onto the computer rather than my phone. Um, next time around. Um, so between now and
030when we meet with or make our official presentation to um, town council, I think we um, need to determine like maybe five things that we're going to do. It was leading up to what Rebecca's like I think where she's headed. And so I feel like we um whether it's the district or administration, we need to talk to like the unions that was mentioned um the factual flyers or like um pieces. Um maybe it will inspire someone to come out. Um, and then those were at least two that I thought of like and then three and four and five like if other people had ideas but we had great conversation like this past half hour but we need to determine okay and maybe five is not the right number but um what are maybe the three
031or five things that we need to do between now and then to get engagement and have people come out. Um but like I think it's been mentioned before that if people are happy they tend to just not say anything because um their child is receiving the benefits that they want um um or perceive that they they're getting whatever services they need. Um, so, um, that whole theory about the squeaky wheel, but it's now trying to get the parents who are happy to come out and support the budget. >> So, um, I don't know if there was any research regarding other school districts to see like, okay, how do you get the people who are happy to come out and support the budget? um so that they know um so we're not just faced with oh
032my taxes are going to go up um rhetoric which we've faced for the past at least the two years that I've been on the board um cuz those are the things that we're going to have to com not combat but um those are the things that we need to as an organization come ahead of and build the narrative before it gets to like my taxes are going to go up $100 or $200 per X, you know what I mean? So, um, we just need to think of something. Um, so that's it. >> One of the things that, um, Rebecca had brought to my attention was, especially when we go back to the Grat in 2020 and the pack we were involved in, we really utilized PTO's and booster clubs. And so even if we did
033like a a Zoom meeting with as many of those people that are real leaders in the school, parent leaders and um you know whether it's through the sports programs, middle school, high school, whether it's through the PTO's, whatever it is, so that we can really share the game plan and maybe have them commit to having a few parents from every school involved in all kinds their children involved in all kinds of things, whether it's the military science whether it's the you know different sports um you know different programs that they're very involved in you know we we heard of families talking about the international balarat program and how important it is um for them and AP and you know college level but also careers. So I think if we could maybe have some kind of
034a prepared Zoom talk that would say these are the dates to remember. Can you then as a and it could be open to anyone, but if we could get some of those leaders on board who can then publicize to other parents on their own so that we could get students and parents out. It was very effective that year a couple years ago when we had students come up to the podium. Just a couple, but they were really pretty powerful. >> So >> I like >> Jen, it looks like you were muted. >> Oh, I like the idea of the parent the parents and the students being advocates. Mhm. >> Um for the budget process >> and that's something we talked about >> just in general, right? Like today we're talking about the budget, but if
035we build this narrative throughout the years and like um one of the things was mentioning, hey, like do like a little profile on someone and um if we built that, right? And that consistently happens and people see it, right? Like it's just going to be a a trigger point. Right now we're behind a curveball. So we don't have that to like point at. But if we start that now, so for next year um you know we'll be in a better position, you know, and then our strategic plan will be in place um for a couple years now and then we could start pointing on some of the changes. you know, we've already seen the impact of um you know, focused in on attendance, right? Um so, we need to start start it now. Not just
036talk about it, but let's start it and it may not benefit us this year, but it will definitely benefit us next year. I was thinking as we're doing these social media posts, you know, and we're highlighting these different programs, why not just end each one with um you know, do you have a uh a success story to to share? please come out to um you know the budget hearing on such and such a date and just get that message out there and just keep repeating it. You know what the dates are or if you can't say positive if you just say do you have a story to share >> right that will help us to secure this budget for the future for the kids. >> Yeah. I mean, just just invite them, you know. I
037mean, look at look at our public hearings. >> Uh either nobody shows up or one person shows up. Um but people are so busy you know and again they have to hear it more than once you know and um but if you're inviting them to tell a story about you know their student or you know um they might be more uh likely uh to come out and and just keep repeating those those dates and times >> and our kids can tell their own story. I think about, you know, the sports and and not just the winning, but just the good sportsmanship that our children show, our students show. Um, thinking about the um town hall that we had at Fitch High School and the ones who even walked and how they actually showed such maturity
038in their talks. I mean, it it made some of the adults cry who are people who are very highly respected and representatives across our town. And so, I think our students in some of the ways that they're showing how they're being educated speak volumes, educated at home and at school, right? So, um yeah, I mean, and we've had some great examples of that recently and in the past. So, >> I don't know how to put all this together. Ann Marie, do you have something to help us with here? >> Well, I mean, I think my idea is really just piggybacking off of what you and Jay just said, but are there specific individuals we'd like to target? And I don't know if that's within the um uh realm of what we can do, but are
039there specific students that we know of their success? Are there adults, uh, family members, caregivers, teachers that, you know, they just might need a tap on the shoulder? I know, you know, we talk about leadership a lot. We have some reluctant people. They're excellent maybe in our field, but they um may be um reluctant to um take that on that leadership role. But when someone taps them on the shoulder and says, "Hey, you know, we feel like that um in in this case, it would be your story would be very powerful." you know, I think people um don't always think of themselves that way or their story or their success, but when someone else points it out to them, um they're more willing to um to come forward. And so, I'm just wondering if there
040are certain people that we know we want to um target, like you I know you spoke about a young man um at the um uh during the walk that spoke during the um >> you know the town hall. I unfortunately did not see it. I was stationed out outside. But um you know I know that you talked about that individual student being very powerful is that >> and he came to the city event and he did even an amazing job. People were so appreciative >> and then you know I know that we all know family um or parents caregivers that are very pleased with their child's experience with the school. We have some excellent educators that I know uh uh you know among all of us we could probably you know highlight so many of
041them but you know I I think if we maybe if we did a targeted approach that might be helpful. All right. Any uh any other comments, suggestions? I mean, obviously, this uh is just the starting point and now we'll we'll all go back and think a little bit more. Um but we got the conversation going. Dev, >> did you have anything you wanted to add? Uh Jay. Oh, go on, Bev. >> No, go ahead, Jen. >> Um, Jay, I was just thinking maybe if we can start Rebecca off on two things. Um, so at least we're making forward progress before >> Oh, I think she's got I think she's got a lot of ideas already. I I wouldn't want to uh cut it down to just two. I mean, I think you put through put
042put put out a lot of ideas. I think we just do as much as we possibly can and um uh you know, get the word out there. >> I think those highlights on Facebook, we've got so many of them already ready to publish that you could scoop those up pretty quickly. I love the idea of bringing PTO and booster club parents. I would love to do that and board members join me, you know, join us with that just to talk about the dates, the times and the ways they can be proactive and and maybe some of our student leaders too could join in. I think those are two things that um you know to make sure people the community is aware of the dates and times and Rebecca I know that work that we did
043a couple years ago was very strategic and well planned and there we probably could even use some of the ways that we had phrased that to make sure we were compliant and being very factual with information. >> Yeah. I I like the Facebook idea too. I think that's a good idea. A lot of people are on Facebook and on that graten community forum. So, I think that's a good way to go >> and just publishing the dates. >> Come tell your story, >> right? >> You know, um and >> and highlight the good highlight what's good going on in our district and what we need help in, too. So, I mean, >> yeah, the truth. Tell the truth, right? You always say that. Yeah. I I would talk about the teachers and um but I
044wouldn't say oh we gave the teachers a 4% raise because a lot of people would not support that. So I would talk about how we have excellent teachers. We try to do good by them but be careful if you're going to say oh we negotiated and we gave him a 4.0% 0% raise because I don't think that might go over so big for the entire community. >> Well, I think that we looked at um data in our region. You know, we just we use data to guide us. >> There's no no um >> concerns about you need to use data, right? >> Yeah. I'm not saying that, but a lot of people don't get 4%. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. You know. >> Yeah. Not that they don't deserve it, but >> Yeah, I
045know. We want to keep them, you know, they're highly qualified and and we continue to give them >> the professional learning they need. That's >> And that's what we say. And that's what we say. >> Yeah. Yeah. Uh Rebecca, >> so um you know some of the things I have on my list, I mean certainly as we're you know doing all this promotion, we want to give folks someplace to go to see all the information as well. So you know the website and making sure everything's on there in a clear and presentable way will be happening. Um I do think we probably want to get a letter out there or a you know a parent square post to the community. um sort of kicking all of this off, if you will, letting them know we're
046here. We have a budget um and what the next steps are and the timeline, sort of um giving u orienting them to all of that. Um >> can I ask you a quick question about the letter? I'm sorry to but in Can we use the same letter that we put on the um front page of the budget book? Did you see that letter? >> Uh yes. I I believe I have that. And then I also have like some of Susan's messaging that outlines um so I I think there's some overlap there. So I think >> although I have to say we spent Bev and I spent a lot of time on her letter to um the town and I felt like it captured a lot of those things in a nice way without repeating itself.
047>> So let's take a look at that. >> I like that idea actually, Beth. >> Yep. And >> now it is the board. This is now the board's budget. >> So, I kind of want to make sure we pause and say this is what our board of education has decided. >> Perfect. So, yeah, I think if we can, you know, look to get um something out in the next day or so um and you know, we'll get some things up on the website. We can certainly grow what's up there um and highlight that as we go. And then um we have the social media. Um we'll continue doing the posts and the reminders um to our community and the reminders on social media about the events and then we'll we'll look to sort of start
048this what's what's good in Grten kind of campaign and highlight um you know good things. >> I like the idea too even Oh, I'm sorry. Go on. >> No, I said highlight the good things going on in our schools. But I think we should also look to pick a date to have um a Zoom meeting and try to get um you know those PTO membership. It's kind of funny at our last meeting we talked about um did we want to reinvigorate sort of that parent council and we decided we weren't going to do that on a a permanent basis or at least at this point in time. But this seems like um a good moment to to try to bring those people together in a a good reason. And so we'll look to to do
049that. And I think um that's a good approach to take when these needs come up. We can we can try to rally um these folks together and get people together and and talk about these things. >> Uh Bev you. Um, you know, one one thing I always thought about because we always say it's the superintendent's budget and then it's the board's budget, but actually the board's budget is a budget that the superintendent and the board both worked on. >> I I really like it's the district's budget >> and that it's the board's budget because we work together. We always said, "Oh, the board and the superintendent work collaboratively and this is the budget we came up with." So, I don't know. I don't know how other people feel about that. I'd love to hear how
050you feel about that. >> That's a good point, Beth. >> It is a good point, Bev. >> This is what's required for us to be able to educate our kids in the best way we know how, but be, you know, be responsible with the funding. Good steward. good stewardship. Right. >> Right. So, let's try to change the narrative and say this is the district's budget and not the board's budget. So, what are we thinking about if we could pull together this date for um parents and and what what are our key dates, Rebecca, going into this? Do you have those in front of you? I don't don't have my calendar for um I know the town council um meeting where we're showcasing the budget is towards the end of this month. >> Yeah, >> I
051don't have them written down right here in front of me, but they are both I think the last the last week of the month. March 31st is in my head. Um, I had them and I I So, we have a few weeks, but um, let's look. I had some >> the public hearing too with that, I believe. >> Yes, those are the dates I'm thinking of. >> And we know that people love our libraries and they always come out for that. We need them to love our schools just as much and come out. So, >> the two dates are the 25th of March and the 31st. >> Oh, I was right about the 31st. Thank you. >> What What is the 25th, Anmirie? Is that the public hearing? >> Does it say? >> Yes, it's
052the public hearing. >> The 25th. >> That's not the date that they're looking at the educational piece on the budget, is it? I thought that was later. Um, that's the most recent information that I have from about a week ago. Uh, I believe we got that sent to us. >> I think at their public hearing they come out to speak about, like I said, the library, anything that people are really interested in. >> And I think that's a good time to get people out to talk about how important the schools are. >> Yeah. >> As well. >> Yeah, you're right, Susan, about that. >> We present the budget on the 31st to the town council. >> Okay. That's where I was getting confused. Okay. >> Yeah. >> But the time for the uh um for
053the public to speak would be at the public hearing. That's about the entire town budget and all subdivisions, >> right? >> Um there will not be on the 31st. Um there will not be a period of public comment because they'll be in the budget cycle. Am I correct? >> The only other opportunity after that will be at an actual town council meeting. So that's why it's important to get people out to the public hearing. >> Yeah, you're correct, Jay. >> So we could look at something potentially at the end of next week, the 12th or 13th, um or the beginning of the following week. We'd certainly want to give them time to help get the word out to their groups if they're so inclined. Um, so we could I don't know if we could look
054at Well, the 13th is a Friday. We wouldn't do that. I don't know if we could look potentially at Thursday the 12th. we had put down as a placeholder to get prek families in to engage them, but I'm not sure if we're ready for that until later on this month. >> Right. I heard that was maybe on hold. So, we could look potentially at that. I >> What are you thinking of doing on the 12th? Rebecca, >> well, we were talking about trying to pull together a Zoom meeting with like the leaders of all the PTO's and the um booster club. The 12th or potentially like the 16th. >> Well, the 16th is a CO. >> Oh, okay. So that's um I mean could look at this 17th or 18th, but unfortunately I'm out for
055medical procedure those days. >> I think that's getting too late because if you want them to be able to get to >> others for the 25th. I think we should stick with that week before. >> Try next week. >> Yeah. But that's we that's next Thursday and for a Zoom meeting. Um, I think I think we can. So, I can look at the PTO calendars and then Susan, I believe you're meeting you have a meeting with the GA already on the calendar, right? Um, I have the AGSA on the 12th and I've got the GA on this week, Thursday on the 5th. Bev, you want to join me for breakfast? But it's very early. We meet very early at 7. But but I definitely will talk to them about the parameters and you know the
056upcoming events. >> Okay. >> I'm having dental work on Wednesday. So I don't know about Thursday. >> Okay. >> So we will tenatively um look at the 12th. We'll reach out um to some of the the PTO's and some other folks and see if that if that can work and then I don't know how how much we want to expand that or make that open. >> And don't forget about the parents, Susan. >> I know I've got I just met with them, but I'm going to try to figure out a way to zoom with them again. Okay. >> All right. Well, it sounds like we have a plan. Thank you very much for everybody uh changing their schedule around to meet uh today. And um >> Jay, are you gonna meet again before Well, this
057is it. Um, I mean, if if we want to get an update, I mean um maybe um uh Rebecca could send us uh an update or Susan and Amarie >> and if there's need to have another meeting. Sure. >> We can add it to um board notes and tell when these different events are happening. So any board member could join us on these, you know, family these family engagement, which is one of our goals, right? >> Or maybe we could have like a an update at the CO on the 16th, just like five minutes cuz by then, like, sorry if you guys haven't noticed, very goals oriented. So, we're gonna have like um Thursday the 5th, a potential meeting um Susan and and Marie and um and then on the 12th, so I guess by
058the 16th, we should know if those meetings took place. Um and then um what were the takeaways and action items that those um um groups that you met with what they're going to do about it? So I would like something on the 16th if possible. All right. Um well, if there's nothing else, I think we've uh come to the end of the agenda. Again, thank you everybody. And um we have a couple minutes now to get ready for the finance meeting. Thank you. >> Thank you everyone. >> All right. >> Thank you Rebecca. >> Thank you. >> Thanks Rebecca.