001Um, so we're already into our meeting. We've just come out of executive session. May I have a motion to adopt the agenda as written? >> So move second. >> May I have a call? >> Mr. Fmeer, yes. >> Mr. Thomas, yes. >> Mrs. Gene, yes. Mrs. Yes. Mr. Bickre, >> yes. >> All right. Thank you. Next on our list is a recognition of the public. And we have uh someone who would like to talk. Amy Van Miligan. >> Just stand up. >> Uh, you have a couple choices because we want the owl to pick you up. >> So there's this thing right here or well actually that's probably best because I don't think we can get to those. All right. Thank you. >> All right. >> I do have my own. >> Hi, I am
002Amy Van Milligan. I am a mom of three kids, one at the high school, two at the middle school. I'm a board-certified pediatrician. I'm a board-certified addiction specialist and I'm a boardcertified internist and I am here to implore the school board to please install Nlloxx boxes in all of our schoolings. One of the I have lived through and see every day is pits typically start using substances 13 to 17 years old. And one of the challenges right now is fentanel is out there. It is designed and pressed with the same pill presses that pharmaceutical companies use. A child may think they're taking an, you know, an aderall for a test. I'm not saying it's a good idea, but that might be what they are thinking. They think they're taking a Xanax for a panic attack
003and the next thing you know they are blue and not breathing. And seconds matter. Seconds matter for your brain. And so I am arguing to please install the lock boxes at least at every location where we already have an AED. Um so the lock boxes store Narcan. That is the no spray that is lifesaving. And um in case of an opiate overdose, it is simple to use. My fifth grader having watched me prepare presentations could probably tell you guys how to do it. It's an easy to use medication. There are no needles. One of the things to realize is how effective it is. Bystander CPR, great wonderful thing. We should all know it. We should all teach it to our kids. The success rate really not very good. The success rate for Naran in case
004of an overdose is 80 to 90%. It costs $49 retail, but you can get it free from the state. Um, and one of the great things about the new House Bill 57 is that you're allowed to take donations for Narcan. Um, one of the things to know is there is no harm in cases not in a drug overdose. So, if somebody faints, they're stressed out about test, they have a diabetic coma, they have a stroke, they have a heart attack, giving them Narcan is not going to cause them any harm. Please call 911. Please get them, you know, medical attention, start CPR. But NPN is not going to harm them, which is one of the reasons why I really think the best answer is not keeping it just in the nurse station, but keeping it
005in a visible location where it is available when it is needed. Um, and unfortunately, school systems who have adopted this, um, LA used it about 30 times in one school year. uh Prince George County, which is up kind of northern Virginia, Maryland, 45 times in one school year. Now, some of those may have been a child thinking some other things, but we have AEDs and this is going to save far more lives. And there's nothing worse than seeing somebody blue and knowing I can't get what I need for them. >> You think I went over by 15 seconds? >> No, but thank you. Could I ask you a quick question? Does it have um a a date? >> An expiration date? Thanks. Yes. So, it does have an expiration date. Typically, the one that the
006pie I just got from the state is good for another 18 months, two years. So, it is not um it is not a super short expiration date. >> Okay. Great. Thank you very much. >> All right. Thank you very much. Uh, next on our list, we do have a presentation tonight um on the uh ELM facility ELM primary facility design presentation. I'll turn the light off so you can sort of Okay, thank you very much for your time. It was exciting to be with you earlier today at the the groundbreaking. That was super exciting. >> I'm Mike Richley with Richley Architects. Um I'm here to do a a board update. My agenda for tonight is to give you an update on the Elm schematic design. Remember last time we were together, we looked at the
007Hilltop schematic design. So now this is Elm's turn. And then uh since I'm not here uh super often, I thought I would give you a quick update on the Vermont neighborhood workshop number one and our thoughts on our response uh to what we heard that night and then I'll brief you on the schedule and then take the any of your questions that you might have for me tonight. We are working our way through our public engagement process. Hilltop has worked its way through three neighborhood workshops. Elm has worked its way through two and we have the next one scheduled for December 8th. Uh and then this kind of skips out of order. Uh the neighborhood workshop number seven for Vermont has already occurred and then 89 will occur in uh Q1 Q2 2026. Um, but
008tonight it's kind of a timely update because uh Elm had some uh strong public input at neighborhood workshop 2 and there was some concern at neighborhood workshop 2 about from the public which was like you're telling us you're going to we're going to see this for the final time December 8th. You know what if we're still con still still have concerns? Um, so there's been a lot of uh development on Elm and I just want to brief the board to make sure you're comfortable with the direction of what you're seeing prior to us releasing our proposal for the final on December 8th. U all right. So just to set this up, add a little editorial comments. This has been uh these projects are kind of like fox hunts where you start out and you hop
009on your horse and you know at the end of the day you're going to catch the fox but you're not exactly sure where the fox is going to go. >> So for example at Hilltop you remember in our our um pre-bond image this is a project whose site plan and floor plan have changed dramatically since the pre-bond. However, the exterior design hasn't changed dramatically. It's been pretty consistent. Elm, a little setup for Elm, by contrast, it site plan and floor plan are pretty much the same as the pre-bonding, but the exterior design is taking a [ __ ] So the each of these projects have taken a life of their own on >> um and it's just been part of this this journey to figure out you know what the story is for each of the building
010and trying to uh to be responsive for that. So it's taking a look at Elm. These are the existing conditions the aerial. I'll remind us all that Elm is in the historic district. It's the only of the three projects that are in the historic district. It is a what they call a non-contributing element of the historic district. If you look at the historic district map, there's a little box and it says non-contributing. So, one of the questions we've had all along is what does it mean to design a new elm >> that's currently non-contributing to the historic district? And it's been a journey to get to that answer. And and what we've kind of learned along the way is um as we've shown the community and the architecture review board and sort preseration committee um
011the direction they've been able to provide feedback and and and steer us along the way. This is a view of Elm. One of the things you'll notice is is actually how high the building sits on the site. And in the first community workshop, people were asking questions about that and said, "Could you take a look at this problem?" And when you walk around the perimeter of the site, you're walking up to Elm, but then when you walk around the perimeter, it's falling off in all directions. So Elm is essentially sitting up on an elevated plateau. Um, so a probably the most significant move we're proposing for the site is to take 4 feet out of the height. And what that's going to allow is on the on the south entrance more of an accessible route
012up to the building. So not going up plus eight, but going up plus 4t. And it's also going to reduce the height of the sinking access. So I think that's going to be a terrific improvement to Elm. Here's our proposal for the site plan. And uh when you compare this to the pre-bond sketch, it's pretty much identical. Um in that the building shown in white is essentially going to take the uh the size of the first floor plan of what you have today. But remember, we're stacking this two stories as the square footage grows. We're going to maintain a one-way drive in and out, expanded playground up to the northeast. And as we drop the elevation of the site, we're also going to improve one of the significant drawbacks of what you have today, which
013is the playground that's depressed. It's like several feet down. You have a whole ramp structure to get to it. So, here's our combination hard surface, soft surface, playground, uh hard surface area. swing set, uh, synthetic turf play structures. Uh, our landscape team is envisioning a natural playcape in the back and then some additional soft play area and equipment up front. Service will be contained up to the front. We'll have separation uh with a fence and gates to the play area. So, we'll be able to come in, have service to the kitchen and the uh central plant and have some parking and then service can come in and come out and leave without interrupting the uh the safe zone of the play space. Then this parking wraps in this direction and we are plus I think
014several parking spots more than we have today which is a goal. We're keeping three spots there off to the left. bike racks, flag pole, and then the circulation route the morning will be the sidewalk across and in and then up and in. And actually the way this works is cars are not allowed to use the oneway drop off trying to drop off of pickups. This will be coned off and students can really walk all the way up uh the front on either direction. Any questions on the site plan? So then sorry if cars they're bringing children they would stop on the street and the children get out of the car and just >> Yeah. And the the drive would be open for non- peak arrival dismissal. So once students are in the building if a
015parent needs to pop in and drop or visitor parking they can use the the oneway drive. >> Where is the handicap? >> It is right here with this symbol. And I will say too, Mike, I can't remember if the board had seen all this, but at least in the core meetings, you had looked at I mean, I know we came back to where this placement is, but I feel like you looked at at least like eight different placements of like, let's turn it this way, let's shift it this way, maybe the playground can be here if So, I mean, it was very thorough how you could maximize space and then um like the fire department and police chief had to come. So, just with all of that, it landed back there, but because you didn't
016explore >> yes >> a lot of options maybe how could fit in that kind of space. >> Y and that also um generally played well with the historic district which is not trying to dramatically change the character of the site and its usage. Now, when you take a hill out, which I guess makes it more at a level of the Victorian on one side, but certainly lower than the the house on the other side on the south side. What kind of drainage do you have to worry about? >> I think we're still higher than both. >> Okay. And some of the neighbors were there, honestly, too, to ask. >> We're still higher. We're just not as high. and improve it. Maybe if you're thinking the the >> it's not as high. It's not roll, you
017know, not as much as running off. >> A lot of the neighbors complaints were drainage and >> land drainage goes. Yeah. Those houses on on do do in your backyard when it was wet. Yes. >> And that's exacerbated the greater the slope. So as the slope comes down, >> we should be able to reduce the quantity. >> Okay. I just feel like the house to the south does sit up higher and then certainly as you go down that street does there's some really tall >> driveways. So I just wonder if >> the ground that it's on may not be higher but the house being so high sort of looks >> where's the water going to go >> but then also remember this will be two stories versus one story. So it'll >> like >> Okay.
018>> The front entrance. Is there a portion of that that's covered? >> Yes. Yes, there is. There you'll see in the in the 3D view there is a porch that's out here. Now it's slightly different than what's on this drawing, but there will be a covered porch. So, so far that's a similarity between both projects is to have a covered entry. Yeah. Right. >> That's great. >> What about the entry for kindergarten? Is there going to be a special one for that? >> No. >> And and that's due to the building size being so much smaller and uh the entry at the front being the only entry into the building. >> And I can't remember if we talked about this the last time with you all, but um we I don't know. talk about the
019pollinator garden um the last time that that would be in feature versus you know um Vermont and Hilltop have kind of that bigger vegetable garden and all of that going on. Um, but in trying to maximize this playground area and have swings and all that and also to catch the right light, as we began talking about it, we, you know, the group was sort of realizing that we I don't know if that works as well at Elm as it does at Vermont and Hilltop. So, they came up with the idea of having like maybe more of a pollinator garden. Um, instead of what you might see at Vermont um, and it's, if you notice, it's kind of on the south and get that south sun and I guess west, but it's in a good location
020and I think I like that. >> Other comments we heard from the community were around mechanical equipment in the previous uniform. We had a mechanical yard out in this location. You may recall from like the hilltop plan, you have the the chillers in a mechanical yard. And uh with the direction we heard from the community, what we're proposing is to put the chiller on top of the roof, make mechanical yard go away, take our electrical transformer, instead of doing pad ground mounted, we're going to put the electrical transformer out on a pole. So that'll just free up additional space. This is your smallest of all your sites. >> You have to put a wall around the chiller similar to what you had to do in the middle. >> Oh, we'll do mechanical screen wall around
021that. >> Yeah. >> So, is that outdoor learning thing still there? >> It is not there. >> Okay. I thought >> Yeah, this is a little bit outdated. >> Okay. Should we move on? >> Sure. >> All right. So next, let's dive into the floor plans. And I'll I'll start with a quick pass and we'll go back through and zoom in a little bit more detail. So entry is at the left with the red star, the yellow circulation through the building. You can see the admin area in purple, mechanical and kitchen in gray, and then music. And as we work down here, we have our sensory room and our cross categorical room. two kindergarten rooms, first grade restroom, PE storage in the second first grade. And then we go up to the second floor and
022we pop up the stair and we have our library facing Elm Avenue, additional special ed space, small group space, a pair of twos, a pair of threes, a pair of fours, and then art on the northeast corner. uh extended learning area and small group and I'm going to just zoom in just kind of talk through this in a bit more detail. So you'll uh come through the secure vestibial these doors will be locked and you can be buzzed into the admin area. So this is where secretary and reception will go. We have conference, assistant principal, guidance and principal, health clinic, the ADA restroom for the health clinic, uh the vault and record storage, two itinerary offices, admin storage, have our lactation room, our admin restroom, instructional material storage, and this is our teacher work room,
023mail copy room. Uh up across the way we have our stair that comes up. Underneath the stair there'll be doors that'll lead through the custodial workroom out to a loading receiving dock and then to the outside. Uh so this will be a custodial office mechanical space and then a restroom for service. The kitchen we turn around the corner. We have our instrument storage for music. Off of the hallway, we have our our large music room, music storage room. That music room will have direct access through this door, up the ramp, or stairs onto the stage. We have a a small quarter here into our sensory room. We have a calming room off the cross categorical room with oneway glass in and then we have our ADA restroom shower. We have a kindergarten room which has
024its own restroom as well as another kindergarten room with its own restroom. And then we've added a calming room down to this corner. First grade classroom. Uh one of the design differences here from Hilltop is that the this will be a combination gym and student dining room. What's going to make it different is on our stage, we're going to do a um an acoustical wall, a folding acoustical wall. What that'll allow us to do is to use the stage more flexibly in the future for other uses. So, what we did to support that was to add a door and a stair off the back hallway. So, in the event you want to use this as another space for instruction, you have the ability to close the acoustical dividing wall and then access it from your
025academic course spaces. That's a little twist uh from from again this is all the team this is layers and layers of of team but we're seeing we're seeing some different things in this building right with that dual use uh gym student dining room. So, this great team effort. Um, and then also everything we're learning at Hilltop, we're applying to Elm and everything we're going to learn at Elm, we're going to apply it to Vermont. Uh, afterare storage, table storage, uh, boys and girls, large group restroom, as well as a, we're calling it a family restroom here. And then doors from the gym out to a PD storage and our other first grade classroom. And then this corridor will will head you out to the back stair, I'm sorry, to the back doors to directly to
026the playground. So the flow will be student dining out the doors, have access to the restroom, and then out directly to the playground. >> Is that wall between the corridor and the uh gym student dining? said, "Is that a wall or is it?" >> This is a wall. >> Glass open. >> This is a wall. Okay. >> Yeah. And that's because um for example, in gym usage, this rear wall is going to be lined with padding, wall padding. >> So, it doesn't really lend itself to that kind of transparency. >> Okay. >> Nor would you want necessarily glass and windows directly behind your basketball hoop because there's only three feet between the court, the line of the wall uh here for our kitchen. Our kitchen access door will be directly here to that front side
027for service and drop off. We have our dishwashing room, our locker room, our restroom for kitchen staff, dry storage and then the kitchen space. So, the students will flow into this door and they'll be served and then they'll come out this door into student dining room setup. We want the table storage room so we can pull the tables up, move them into table storage, deploy the chairs out into the student dining room and have that auditorium type of a setup. And then heading upstairs. So, if you were to come up the stairs from the lobby, we've created a twostory space with some wall space. We'll have the environmental graphics overlay coming for this project too. We provided wall space uh to do that. This is the elevator coming up on the first floor. We have
028some two special ed spaces about 260 296 ft. Library space with windows overlooking Elm with our maker space. We did add a wall here consistent with how we modified the hilltop library, but we've got some windows for some transparency between the corridor and the library. Workroom storage for the library here is across the hall. We have our gifted intervention, two small groups, two fourth grade classrooms. Uh this is your tech room. what we call the main control and equipment room as well as a staff restroom that'll be up here on the second floor. We have two third grade rooms, two fourth grade rooms, an open extended learning area with a small group room off of it. Uh this white area represents um just open to below. So, these are twostory elements um from below and
029we're going to work in some windows to look down into the gym. Stacked restroom, boys and girls, an individual restroom for students on the second floor and custodial office and then an art room or storage building to add a count. And then we've got the stair down. So, I will take stop here and ask you if you have any floor plan specific questions or thoughts or input. >> There'll be a later point when you give us perspective on all the various kind of dynamics with regard to the outside. >> Yes. Coming up next. >> Yeah. >> What are the lines on the state? >> Those are um curtains. They just show up. Are you talking about these? Yes. Fuzzy. Those will be criminals. >> It just shows up as a really fuzzy block export. >>
030There's a production happening. Those could be closed so that you have >> traps or full curtains. >> Uh there are full curtains around the front and around the back. And I forget what these are called. midstage or side stage balance curtains >> because it just >> block the view. >> Yeah. >> Um I will as you're thinking about your questions, I'll we've got a basketball court. We do have steps down from the stage to the basketball court. We're going to provide 3 ft clear between side of court, end of court and walls. And we have the two rows of bleachers proposed. And then in terms of baskets, we have the main basket at both ends and then two cross quarts. And then we have it over striped here as well. >> Questions? No. >> Uh
031you mentioned that this includes some of the items you've learned from the Hilltop uh experience. Can you give some examples of what we're seeing here that you learned from the top? >> Sure. The one from this week um with input from from Jen who's not in the room. Um the calming room which apparently is a greater and greater need for your students really feels like it needs to be embedded into that kindergarten first first grade area. the calming room was here, right? So, that felt too distant from from the kindergarten, first grade room to kind of quickly pick a student and put them in the appropriate space for that situation. So, we've added a calling here in between the two kindergarten rooms. And then we wait a minute, shouldn't we be doing this at Hilltop,
032too? Right? And then we're going back to hilltop. Sometimes it's elm, but seeing elm that makes us go back to hilltop and add something. So that's an example where just this week we're we've gone back to hilltop and found a way to carve an additional calming room into Hilltop based on what we've learned from home. So you mentioned the number of times size and just the challenges of getting it all in or just whatever. What was the biggest issue you're trying to resolve? The biggest challenge is to get all the spaces and manage it effectively. >> I'd say the biggest one was the mechanical um not we we there will be additional pressure on us from our consulting team to provide more mechanical space. They'll take whatever you give them. Um and and we're trying
033to keep that as contained as possible because the further this wall bumps out back to the site plan. Maybe was concerned about visual access and being able to see the playground. Mechanical engineers would would say that wall should be way out here. >> So we're kind of pushing that back. So we're challenging them to make their mechanical room as efficient as possible. Um, what's interesting is if you compare this to the pre-bond schematic, uh, there was a shift in the music room being directly accessible from the stage. We flipped the gym in the stage. Uh, we did that. We flipped it so we could get natural light into the student dining room. So, there's some betterments that we did. But, I would say this layout, uh, we envisioned the library up front, um, art on
034the second. The layout's pretty has been pretty simple >> for ready to go to 3D. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. So, we started out uh with Elm in a I would say a slightly toned down modern version of Hilltop. We kind of took Hilltop, we refined it, made it slightly more simple, and we presented that um and we presented it first to the storm preservation committee and to the architectural review board, and they did not like it. >> Uh it was words like too industrial, too modern, not fitting. Uh that was from the historic preservation committee and the architectural review board felt similar. We went to the community and had neighborhood workshop 2 and presented a slightly more traditional version of that that night. We were kind of redesigning in real time and uh the community
035expressed that it still wasn't traditional enough. They were mostly uncomfortable with the um uh the curtain wall feature at the entry. It felt like too much glass. The overhang features felt too modern. uh the canal lever drop off canopy similar to what we're doing at Hilltop also felt too modern and they performed more of a a porch type structure that made it feel more like the neighborhood. There's some debate around brick color. Uh and I would say that that felt like about 80% of the room that night, but it was a strong 80%. There were some voices advocating for uh more of a modern aesthetic, but I would say that was the minority. So the core team received that, wrestled on it and we decided to pursue a more traditional path. Uh and then as
036we picked precedent for that, the project that kept coming up was the the middle school. So making middle school is also that historic district making it tying it back. In other words, we're if we're picking the existing building is not historic. So if we're we're needing to pick some precedent, the middle school felt the most appropriate precedent uh to pick in terms of So what we did is we redesigned uh the exterior of the entry. We uh created more of a symmetrical centerline entry for this door. And then as you can see in this drawing, we have columns and a porch engaged into the front of the building. As you'll see in a second, is much more reminiscent of middle school. >> So 20s instead of 50s. >> Yes. >> Instead of the 19 Fair
037enough. That's middle school. >> Color as well. >> Yes. The red, the limestone, limestone base. Very traditional. >> Double limestone columns. Uh if you remember, those of you who remembered seeing this medium workshop, it was really unrecognizable from that. Um, deleting all the curtain wall, having the punched windows, limestone cornice detail, popping the entry up, uh, creating a new limestone band that wraps around the top and then putting some medallions. And as you can see in this porch, the porch is now engaged, provides cover. It's a little bit deeper. And we put things on the limestone like in the middle school. Health, reading, math. >> As you wish. >> You can do anything you will. >> All kinds of things are written. It's very >> I think there uh the community is going to be
038happy with the um there is no mechanical yard here anymore. Okay, >> the chiller has been relocated to the roof which was the home of our previous outdoor learning space. In a previous version, if any remembers seeing it, we had this flying roof >> over this covered outdoor reading porch that has been eliminated in this option. >> A question from the feedback session that you had. You mentioned 80% of those in attendance had a certain pretty strong. Was that I wasn't able to be there. Was that 20 people or 200 people? Uh that was um I'd say in the room that night non-school people you're probably talking 20 >> I think it was more than that. >> So more than that >> with school people we were about 48. So I kind of wasn't >>
039say school you need people employed by the school >> or or or the sure parents or >> I think there was probably I would probably say somewhere like 35 I mean it's not >> in total >> no 35 non-school. >> Right. Right. But I'm saying 35 who were stating very strongly that they did not like the direction it was going and wanted to be more traditional or of the 35 80% of those people. >> Got it. So we're talking about 25 people of four. We're pretty strong opinions about the direction and a consensus and I'll back up just a second. Yeah, >> the architectural the historic preservation committee the architectural review board uh I think there was an individual on the architectural review board in particular who addressed the board directly >> uh and then
040took the folks. So there was a a gathering consensus that we needed to make a change and and we have since um floated this past uh the architecture review board when we did our hilltop presentation >> and they all liked the change in direction. >> Um >> how would they not? I mean it's like the middle school. >> Yeah. We need their approval. >> Absolutely. >> I was just trying to understand. I'm not I'm not arguing. I'm not pushing back because honestly >> it's the people's choice. >> Um um I just quite try to understand. So there's a certain look and then there's just how how you navigate the the line, you know, because there's there's certain things you can keep inside or other sometimes you sometimes you can't to get more traditional and structurally
041and all the other things. So I realize you have managed that. I trust that you've managed that finally and as best we can. Uh I just trying to get a sense for magnitude on the the I guess the vote. Your point around the architectural review board is a helpful clarity on external perspective that was required. >> I was wondering if there was a version of this that wasn't as traditional as this that the architectural review board could have also been fine with but then you might not be able to do parts of >> there was a there was the architectural review board has seen three versions. There was an in between version that they also saw that that didn't it still retained the curtain wall and they really were advocating to get rid of that
042whole curtain wall but by the curtain wall this was all glass >> and they really liked creating walls and punched openings and eliminate that curt feature >> and I if I'm not mistaken they also looked at Hilltop but liked Hilltop for their that surroundings. Am I right about that or >> Yeah. mean the architectural review board. >> Yeah. >> Well, so this is all like happening all simultaneously and and I if I were to categorize or kind of put into words what's happening is this one is is leaning way more traditional which feels fitting for that neighborhood which almost gave Hilltop the space to be more modern and expressive because it's mostly surrounded by woods. So I I think that this one leaning more traditional allowed Hilltop to lean more modern >> and then what's
043going to happen in Vermont? >> Not much. >> I don't know. >> You know, it was interesting because in the community discussion, I don't know. I kind of got this feeling that they were like, well, what do you all think? What did the teachers think? They they had >> I don't know. It was a different focus. I mean, they did have a lot of ideas >> teachers and students less. so far on >> and safety >> on external was a good discussion. >> Um and Alan, I guess I understand this is our smallest footprint, you know, and it's really I mean Vermont butts up to houses too, but um I guess their association too. It makes sense with me the tie to the middle school given that it's in the village. But >> I'll uh
044I'll keep going here. So we have a window in our custodian's office. Uh and then the setback. This is the door to the kitchen. We have our uh we increased the size the windows uh into the student dining room here. And then we had in the previous version, we had the curtain wall all the way down and we went back to the punch windows and created more of the the traditional porch back here again for a cover off the playground. So this this is uh where we are today. Um, of course, we want to hear your thoughts. Uh, this is where it feels like things are heading as we're going to December 8th where we'll present this at least final version of Elm. >> Can I see the front again? >> Yes. >> Especially that
045porch portico and whatever. So, those window are those windows there that will look into the mechanical room or is that all brick? Ellen's brick. uh this small brick here and then on the side um we're envisioning these as they're called fandle glass. So they're they're fake windows that you can't see through because on the other side of that will be mechanical room wall that'll have all kinds of equipment up against it. However, this third one will be a window into the custodial office. Okay. But there was some uh expressed concern about trying to soften the mechanical visual from the street. >> And by not having this as a solid brick wall, but adding some treatment and some glass that felt like it softened that edge. It also helps you look at it on the side
046on that playground side. It's sort of like there's some window looking stuff that's spaced around it versus just this huge volume. And then you coming up on environmental graphics. Um Kelly's just about ready to get started now that this is settling down, but uh there will be natural light into uh twotory high walls. So there and then even this will be windows on the side. So we're envisioning the environmental graphics to occur in that lobby. And we decided in poor like originally to try to have the three be cousins if you remember to look a little bit more similar with some uniqueness. So now we know if that was a choice for Elm that clearly they are going to have different architecture fles it shows you that what's skin difference can make because the floor
047plan is essentially identical. But just with a different treatment >> change, >> you've met their needs of >> theirs. I guess one question is you were trying to balance what do you preserve of the original aside from the look of it. You mentioned sight line. You mentioned uh much light and other things coming in. Was that among other things kind of considerations you're trying to manage for inside the building while still having while while shifting the external to be more traditional looking? Um or what other things are you trying to protect or preserve? I would say the goal is that the interior functions and the layout and the feel of a classroom are going to be consistent from building to building. >> This is literally an exterior impression. >> Okay, thank you. Um, next up,
048um, do I still have time to go few more minutes? >> Okay. Yes. >> So, next up, I was uh wanted to brief the board on neighborhood workshop one for Vermont. And this was our pre-bond site plan sketch for Vermont. So, this is the existing building configuration. Reminds you that the playground on the right side, the ball field is on the left side. Actually, the playground dips down into uh this lower Lshape. out onto the pipe. This is significantly lower in elevation than the school. This was our pre-bond sketch. There it is. The Vermont in the middle. We were our instincts were to propose parking on the west side, keeping playground on the east side, building generally in the same location but stacked two stories, and then the drop off along the street. So we
049share this with the community. Uh and the the majority of the discussion with the community was around site circulation Vermont as a oneway was a request considering opening up Springfield Pike to the site. The curve cut site access here was requested. Uh and then the big change was the request to flip the site. Uh the playground felt better to the community in this location where it's more visible and like on the same elevation versus in this location. The playground was really it's more hidden as it goes down the hill. That was the big uh request here was to flip it. So here's a flipped version. We essentially mirror it 180 degrees. Playground is on the left. This this diagram compared to the previous one really acknowledges the garden, the greenhouse, the importance of that to
050the school. And then the new twotory school, bike parking, and then having staff parking and service. Then on the east, we did speak to the city about coming and connecting to Springfield Pike. They were generally leaning against it. They said if you had to make that Springfield Pike connection, let's only use it for staff parking and service and not parent drop off. But they preferred that we keep the Vermont connection and not add another curb cut of the Springfield. Our thought now is to have the parking and the service on the east side and then maybe we preserve some green space there towards the bike. So, uh the floor plans are are the same as we've been developing. We just in these images now you can see them for the first time mirrored. Do you
051lose a lot of parking spaces then? >> I don't think so. We We need to lay it out. Our goal is to provide more than they have today. >> Right. >> We want to get parking off of Vermont as much as we can. >> Exactly. >> To help with the um golf pickup. >> Yeah, that was my question in the flip. I couldn't remember if that if we lost places from if the parking lot was where the playground >> and this is a just kind of a conceptual diagram to that needs to keep coming down a little bit. It could. >> So this is our thought as this is going to develop is we're going to flip it. >> We've reviewed the flip of the city. The city's comfortable with the flip. >> They weren't
052comfortable changing to a oneway. a lot of the neighbors were just asking. They just said it gets so clustered. >> Um they it's really it gets really tight. So it's been learning to try to figure out how you could make that a better flow for them. Um so it was great that my that my staff they had lovely there was just so much lovely feedback at that session. I think for Vermont it was very teacher student based. It was it was lovely to hear them say like I want to flip the playground because we love seeing the children play and if you take that away just they they were very tuned into how the neighborhood works and focused on um student experience and teacher experience. I just thought it was it was neat to hear
053it. And then a lot of people had the same things to say because there were enough people that we got to break out in the four groups. I think >> how many people did that one? That seemed like a big turnout. >> Did that one I was not able to get up and count, but I it that felt more like maybe 70 60 Um, but I do like the flip and just had some really >> fascinating conversations. Yeah, they've been fascinating. The workshop structure really worked well. >> But you do great at listening to it and then you pivot very quickly. You're very >> uh you know we don't just pivot just to pivot like this. think example where a lot of times there are really good ideas that they're not really thinking. >> That's
054right. >> Um and this idea of basically what they're saying was the playground, this is our whole neighborhood playground is the only one we have. Um they like the visibility in the ball field and they're like let's make sure we safe and we can see our kids. >> Uh and that makes sense versus having them all the way down the hill where they're not visible. >> Right. Well, and they were also saying like they don't it's not accessible and when it rains they couldn't use half of that um playground anyway for drainage issues. So, it just makes sense, right? But enough people said it like, "Oh, >> yeah." >> So, it was good. I'm excited to see what it's going to >> and I'm trying to remember. I don't think we're able to extend the
055drop off pickup any I think that is what it is currently right >> it is what it is currently we could consider u extending it we need to look into location of light poles >> and then just the tradeoff between the cost of relocating the light pole and whether that's worth it >> and I wonder if that's why they stopped short not short but a lot of the neighbors were saying why didn't they increase that when they did started over. >> So that's what I'm wondering. >> So any other questions you have for me? Any anything at all? >> You're welcome. >> We need to cry louder since we're small crowd. There's other. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. That's it. >> All right. We will move on to our uh
056committee reports and I believe there is one for Vic. Well, thank you for sending that very comprehensive uh I think it was two Friday highlights ago of the purpose, the plan, the agendas, >> the meeting dates for Vic >> and and Erica established that that's on a really great rhythm to to continue to share that information out. We actually had to move our meeting that was scheduled earlier in November. And so the next meeting is going to be on December 2nd. So it'll be as we were on spring break. We're not at spring break. >> We are not at spring break. >> Okay. >> And uh citizens advisory map update us on that one. >> Continual progress with the groups. I think both we all were um involved some negotiation stuff. So um Susie gave
057update around things happening primarily with some of the primary facilities plans and uh you know getting into discussion. So I think folks are on track and making some good progress relative to share as we >> Okay. And district leadership team is not has not met yet or since our last meeting. So you >> we'll skip that and go on to facilities committee. Is there additional information from what we just heard you'd like to add in? >> Well, the groundbreaking was just today. >> Was indeed and that was very fun. I feel like we kind of knew going in that it was um obviously the building had already been taken down. You're not fully digging. So you just don't know or five people showing up or is it not that the community is not interested, but
058you just never know who can make it. I think there was a great turnout and got 125. >> Yeah, the little like to see the kids in the little hats and the um vests that we were giving out to the kids if they were to be there and for them to have the opportunity today. >> That was great. >> The picture them in the vest digging was so >> Okay, everybody. But it was great. >> I like that. >> So anyway, I would say that's the big one. We're just trying to recognize each with each one, right? A little recognition that each school is breaking ground >> at some point. >> Susie really worked hard. >> I mean, blue and white smoke going off in the distance. >> That was I turned around and the
059smoke was like half gone. I'm like, >> fine line. Don't want it to go on the attendees or on the houses around. >> Right. Yes. But that's what made it so wonderful was like right where the building's going to be. It's like soon as the smoke clears, you're going to see a building. >> Well, now there's oil. >> Yeah. >> Well, but we were talking as a committee of just like how can you acknowledge each one? And obviously um Hilltop was already taken down. So how it might look a little different for Vermont and El might be a combination of who knows it they could be a little different but still celebrate for it. >> That's wonderful. All right. Thank you. Um the policy review committee uh remember we have some policies sitting out there.
060They'll show up in December. So I'm going to keep moving on that. They are in their uh review state. Uh primary facilities report. >> Would you like to give committee update? >> Oh absolutely. Sorry, >> that's okay. Uh, finance committee did meet earlier this evening and we have a few standing agenda items. So, we reviewed the salary and benefit analytic and we also took a deep dive into the October income tax payments both in total and in the in the categories which we received for payment and tried to make heads or tails of that moderately successful maybe but we look at that every time that we have an income tax payment. We then looked at the four pieces of legislation that were recently passed by the general assembly. They're on their way. Well, they're not
061on their way. They are at the governor's desk. And all four of these are not continue to attack local revenue, local voted property tax revenue for public schools. Uh 309 is the most concerning for us. 309 is is the the bill that the bill where the county budget commission can reduce any voter approved levy except bond issues. So bond issues go over here and that's a good thing if the revenue is deemed unnecessary or excessive by the county budget commission. So they're allowed to look at your tax budget and then make a determination on whether or not that you deserve all the tax revenue that have been has been moved by your voters. And then um three others that aren't terribly impactful for us, devastating to some of our neighbors and public education across the
062state. 335 caps revenue growth for Inside Village aligned with um the GDP deflator or the inflationary cap. 186 caps property tax growth for districts at 20 floor and 129 includes emergency and substitute less in the 20 floor calculation effective 126. So, those three don't impact us because we're not at the Tony Mill floor, but again, they are devastating for public education and some of our local Hamilton County partners who are in Florida. So, um already some veto requests, again, the governor hasn't hasn't signed these yet, so they are awaiting his signature, but already some veto requests um are uh are on their way. And also some some confirmation about the constitutionality of some of these provisions. So, um, none of none of those are great. In fact, they're all really bad. So, I'm sure more
063to come when the general assembly returns in spring. >> So, if you wanted any of us to call the um governor's office and suggest vetos of all four, you'd be okay with that >> or just not signing. Don't sign them. >> Yeah. Don't sign them. Okay. >> However, that come So, the budget bill was different. That's a good question. The budget bill was different when we were asking for the veto because we needed him to sign the budget bill and then veto those particular line items. These are standalone pieces of legislation. So, um, we want him to not sign those pieces of legislation. Does that make sense? A little different request. >> And I read somewhere um that since he's on his way out, he might be more inclined to be beyond politics and the
064reason for not devastating our public schools. >> Versions of these were all things that he vetoed. >> Yeah. Oh yeah, he vetoed the >> a little bit like they weren't exactly the same but they were similar versions of this legislation. So >> even before he was on the way out he voted in June. Yeah, this year May. >> Yeah, they were part of the budget. >> Still with the vision that he wasn't going to go for election, >> right? >> On the veto, you want him to not sign it because if you veto it, it could be overridden. >> So, so we needed him to sign the the banium budget bill and so he had a line item veto power and so he struck these provisions when they were lumped into the budget because we
065had to have the budget bill. >> These are standalone pieces of legislation. Um, it doesn't make any sense to sign it and then veto it. It's one thing for >> sure. You just veto it to say no versus just not sign. >> I honestly don't know the answer to that. It's a really good question. >> Veto sounds more like a smackback. >> So, what we want is none of these to pass. >> However, that however he needs to move his pen around to make that happen. >> Come back again. >> Yes. And if he doesn't sign it, can it come back again? >> Right. That's a great >> Those are all uh legal questions. Maybe >> if he doesn't sign it, You can retool it and bring it back is in a new bill fashion.
066>> That's what they did here essentially after. >> True. So >> I also correct me if I'm wrong because I'm probably wrong. I I I feel like there's like a period like if he doesn't sign it within 10 days then something happens is it just hope it just disappears. >> I feel like there's a 10day thing. So, got a little government class work to do in happening, >> but the bottom line is these are these are bad for public education. Um, and and a couple of them are are also bad for us. >> All right. Thank you. >> And then we um we also did a a primary facilities financial update. So, we've been doing um a lot of facility work in primary facilities. And so we wanted to extend that work on the finance
067side to just to just make sure that we were keeping an eye on primary facilities from a finance perspective. And so that work um facility facility side is happening and facility committee finance side happening >> and we're going to do that regularly. >> We are as a financing >> those going to be keep going on the primary facilities report because it's I would thank you. So the primary facilities report item A is a resolution authorizing and increasing the contract sum with Mobile Modular Management Corporation. So when we first um did this, the company was EMOD and they've since been purchased by Mobile Modular. And so this is um a small change order when we um when we actually worked worked through and got all the bonds all installed, there was um some additional subcontractor work
068related to utilities. utilities are are a little bit of a wild card and the utility situation at Friendship was more complex than we originally thought and so there were some additional costs added into that and so those costs have been reviewed by HGC >> and then also we ran them through our legal team to make sure that all of that was valid. So that's why it's coming to you a little bit late. I mean obviously we've been in the mods and been at the church since school started but it went through extensive review to make sure that that change work was warranted. And then item B is approval of the builder's risk insurance policy for Hilltop. Uh and so you know we have our general liability coverage that you all approve once a year. And
069so this is specific builder's risk policy. Now that uh so the site demolition was covered under our regular insurance. But now that we are um now that we've turning the dirt and we're we're building, we need to move on to the builder's wreck. So lining up. I see what that means. when you talk about um running it past our our um legal council at that point. Are we using the legal council we use for building the >> Yeah, it's a break. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the primary facilities report? So move. >> Second. Roll call. >> Mr. Thomas. Yes. Mr. Jeans. Yes. Mrs. Dollar. Yes. Mr. Proger. Yes. Mr. Belmmeer. >> Yes. Thank you. All right. Thank you. the board of education report. Oh, I guess
070I should do that. Um, the we have, as you well know, Toya Wall has served us well for two, three-year terms and chose to not continue her term. And I have been at this for a while trying to find um someone who would take that position. I did I did reach out to someone and uh they declined. So um wondering what in the world we were going to do suddenly got a call from Deborah Alop who said she would like to take that position. So Deborah has served on the Wyoming board for a number of years and and in fact I have her seat. Um she has also been on the Hamilton ESC uh board for a while and their person who was connected to Great Oaks. So Great Oaks is um a great friend
071of hers. She certainly knows everything there is to know about it, I do believe, and uh was eager to become the Wyoming representative. So, that's what this is about. We have to do an official resolution because then Great Oaks will um bring her on for a three-year term >> and her term would begin in January for three years as um our representative to uh the Great Oaks. she uh I've already talked to her about. She would be glad to come speak with us whenever we would like. She would be glad to do monthly reports whatever the the board feels is the best way for them to stay um informed of Great Oaks. And then the second one is um revolving around Lan Blancher who um as you know was one of the candidates for um
072the board of education this this last election and um in hoping that she would stay strongly involved and um or she had an inclination towards the uh BIC and um so if we accept her tonight because of the negotiations meeting that got moved to December, she will have only actually missed one meeting. So I I bring that to your attention because I know we've we've done this in the summer. We sat on the committees everything was set and ready to go. But in this particular case, she will would not be terribly far behind. and she would be able to go to the moved November meeting and attend the December meeting. >> Yeah. >> So, is there anything else anybody would like to say? I mean, we've had a chance to talk to >> excited about
073both of them being connected to to the district. >> All right. So, on that note, and that would be, by the way, a two-year term um that would begin this school year and next school year. Um although I think with some of the BIC members they stay beyond the intern. So it's not like CAC where we really do keep involving people in and out. >> All right. So if that's okay with everyone. May I have a motion to approve the board of education report? >> Certainly. >> And I will be glad to second and if you would give us a roll call. >> Mr. Jean. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Yes. Mrs. Ber. >> Yes. >> Mr. Feler. >> Yes. >> Mr. Thomas. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Right. Thank you. Treasures report. Thanks, Genie. Item
074A, approval of the minutes from the October 27th regular meeting and the November 19th planning meeting. Item B, approve the statement of revenues and expenditures for a month ending October 31st. Item C, accept with appreciation this incredible list of donations, including a $1.4 million donation. How I wish that was cash, but it is uh a uh from Newsbank. So, this is um a 25-y year license to the products that East News offers and then a couple other wonderful donations from the foundation. Item D, the November appropriation adjustments and item E, approval of the report, please. >> We have a motion to approve. >> Still move. >> Second. >> And may I have a roll call? >> Mrs. Al, >> yes. Mrs. Barter, >> yes. >> Mr. Ber, >> yes. >> Mr. Thomas, >> yes. >>
075Mr. G, >> yes. >> Thank you. Did this news bank come through the Wyman school foundation? Yeah. So they will do the banking for us or is that something that this board to do? >> We could do that too. >> Very. >> All right. If anyone would like to be a part of that, feel free to let me. All right. Superintendent report. >> Okay. Thank you. I have several uh personnel recommendations. Number one is to resend a classified staff position. Number two is recommendation to approve student auditorium workers and volunteers. And number three is recommendation to approve an athletic volunteer. Number four is a new job description. This is a registered behavior technician. Um RBT sometimes that is referred to. Um just a a little bit about this position. um excited about this this position
076which is new. It does reflect feedback that we've received from our intervention and special education audit and is a it's an added role to support um to provide additional support to both students um and and staff but really students with um with specialized needs. So excited about looking at supporting students in different ways. And then number five is re recognition to approve a van driver. And then item B is a camp proposal. This is randomly baseball camp. Um I believe this is for students who are in kindergarten through 8th grade. It's on Saturdays on those days, February 7th through the 21st. And then item C is Hamilton County Educational Education Service Center agreement for speech and language pathologist services again to support students who have that need. All right. Thank you. No questions. May I
077have a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Mrs. Barrick, >> yes. Mr. Felmmer, >> yes. >> Mr. Thomas, yes. >> Mrs. She, >> yes. Mrs. >> Yes. Update >> or can we can we flip-flop the discussion on the calendar? >> Let's do that. So, why don't you take the calendar and and pass that around? I just thought it'd be it would make sense to talk about the the revised 2627 um calendar first. >> Oh, that's funny. That's I was still looking at it like this. >> Yeah, I think I have mine from last time. >> You just got you. >> So, yeah, this calendar is it's the same calendar that we um >> was shared as a first read during these planning meeting. uh it needs to to be posted for
078additional time before it can get to its second read. But again, I just wanted to just talk through this calendar one more time just to to make sure everyone understood the changes that are being suggested. And again, this um this is um a change that's being presented because of the primary facilities timeline change. And so that shifted the completion of Hilltop from the winter break of the 2627 school year to the summer of 27. And so with the original time timeline, we needed a longer winter break to facilitate the movement of students and staff um out of Friendship United Methodist Church into the new Hilltop and then out of Vermont into Friendship Church. And so we no longer need that three threew week winter break. we revised that calendar and this is that that calendar
079that is um that's being recommended. And so if you look at that revised calendar, there really is only a start a change to the start of the school year and the week that students and staff come back for winter break. In the original calendar, the start of the school year for staff began on August 6th and 7th with two professional development days and students began on August 10th, very early. And really we were trying to push push out the the the time frames on the calendar to to wedge in another week at winter break. Again, no longer need that. On the original calendar, the winter break went from December 19th through January 10th for students and staff came back for two professional development dates on January 7th and 8th. So, with the change, which is
080the calendar that you're looking at right now, the start of the school year has been moved later three days to begin on August 11th and 12th for staff with two professional development days and then August 13th for students, which is more of a typical start time for our staff and our students. And then winter break is back to a typical two-week winter break and that will go from December 19th through January 4th. Uh, and the return to school on January 5th for students. staff will return on Monday, January 4th for one professional development day. And again, we've shared this before. Just thought it was important to bring it back to this conversation again. Uh and soon after we get back from Thanksgiving break, we'll make sure that we put this in our superintendent update. Make
081sure that all all families have access to that and they see the rationale and they see the printed calendar and then so it will be back on as a recommendation for a second before the December date. Oh, right. When we officially Yes. But we've had the conversation with pack teams. We'll continue to share it with pack teams. We come back to the table. >> I'd imagine like I mean like we said before starting not on a Monday is great. Starting a little bit later is great. You're still finished in May. Still some nice perks. And then uh staff gets a break actually over that holiday instead of moving everybody. >> Right. >> So, >> right. And so again, the one of the benefits to this is that the timeline change is that all the move
082that now happens in the summer for all three adults. >> And it's it's tough though, you know, it's tough to look at a change when people were were excited about, you know, the unique position that maybe they were in based on what grade you were in or where you were in school. But uh but we'll do our best to support them. Yeah, >> thanks. >> Yep. And then superintendent update. I you know, Thanksgiving right around the corner. Um so much to be excited about, so much to be thankful for. You know, today was a perfect example of of that as we did the uh the groundbreaking ceremony. You know, to have our community member, our staff members there, students performing, students, you know, digging in with their construction hats. is just just phenomenal. Phenomenal. And
083so it was just a really good example of the special place um that our school community is. And really that's all I could think about as I as I ended the you know the my thoughts on on this meeting. That was a perfect way to go into Thanksgiving break. >> And so we hope our our students and our staff everyone enjoys enjoys the break a much needed break. We will be sending communications out tomorrow. Uh a test of our texting uh protocol will go tomorrow afternoon and a test of our phone call system. >> Um which is the both of those are used in case of an emergency. >> Yeah. >> And sometimes in the case of a a snow day >> it was really hard to say. >> I was going to say inclement
084weather but our students don't want me to say that. They won't. >> No, they just say >> snow. I don't see that in the forecast though. >> Who knows? >> No, tomorrow. >> Not tomorrow. >> No. So, anyway, so thank you to everyone who uh again who helped to celebrate today. It was a It was a really cool experience. >> It was great. >> Yep. >> Well, wish everybody a happy Thanksgiving. >> Yes. >> Um unless someone has something. May I have a motion to adjourn? So moved. Second >> and a roll call. >> Mr. Ber, >> yes. >> Mr. Thomas, >> Mrs. G, >> yes. >> Mr. Dollar, >> yes. Mr. Thank you all very much.