001Are there any? Thank you. Are there any amendments to the agenda? Hearing none, we can go on to action item number two and it is potential appointment of ghost principal and Deb I think has a motion. Motion to approve the appointment of Amy as principal of Greo Elementary. Second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? Opposed or abstained? Motion carries. Welcome. So Robert's just gonna say a few things. by the principal at D school and library time in this area that slow [Music] down comments that slow down in In fact, describe her [Music] asand to be successful. I know the parent is very I am believer. Thank you. Everyone, thank you. Uh, let's see. Approval of minutes. Deb motion to approve the April 18th regular board of education never second. Second by Michael. Are there
002any corrections or comments? All those in favor? I oppose or abstain. Motion carries. Audience of citizens, if you'd like to address the board, if you don't mind going to the podium. I think the mic's on, right, Alex? Oh, okay. So, it's not going to amplify for us. Okay. So, speak loudly, please. I've been to several of these meetings last few months. Every meeting I hear a little bit of a mixed messages with no trans. I do believe you want to save money where you can um never would have expected it to be our children and staff. Um I'd like to shed some light on why I think that um as to the plan of moving to central office to um get my child [Music] ask available difficult staff using the restroom myself in the cafeteria.
003I found that only one of the sinks was working in the bathroom. So I had to go to the other sink. Um I just feel like it's um and it should be Correct me if I'm wrong, but yesterday's unexpected without screeners and staff were taught and evaced out of their pocket and evacuation. Are you aware that some windows have one and you stud bathroom. Um why is not being spently on the necessary renovation? Um it should be working for any renovation. It should be your priority for the safety of our staff children. to um lastly fifth grader also told me that my base uh at another meeting that was changed once again I realized that and choice you know office Um, if there hasn't [Music] Thank you. Anybody else like to speak? Okay, hearing none,
004then we can move on. Correspondents and communication, Mike. Okay. Um, for board correspondence, we have nothing written, but we did have a parent uh meeting on 54. Uh, during that meeting, the there's some good news. Well, it's not you, Mike. I I don't take any offense. It's okay. Uh during that meeting, I saw some positive things. We This is a follow-up meeting. This was a second meeting to address paired concerns. Uh the first meeting had about 45 to 50 people. Uh the second meeting had 20. So maybe some of the answers that we provided, you know, satisfied some of the parents uh who had concerns. But a lot of the concerns and I some of them were large concerns, some of them were just observations. Um, so concern over baseball field at the middle school,
005uh, crowded ESBback testing location, uh, employee service status, curriculum right to read initiative, I ready homework situation, and the big one was central office to go. um in there they they were concerned about the fifth grade teachers moving to the basement that initially they weren't then they were uh the request came from the from the fifth grade teachers is a library moving it was then it wasn't it's currently not um budgetary concerns how are we paying for it you know and and you know why do we need to do it now versus years from now um we addressed and is this common to put central office in the school and the answer is yes it is for budgetary concerns uh and resource management. So that was that was kind of the update. Thank you so
006much. Um special education report. Dr. P, did we have this in our Yes. Okay. Yeah. Sorry, I didn't see it. So, she's gonna give up um just overview and then open up to questions you may have. Okay. Oh, there it is. Yes, I do. Department. So, this year, one of the things that we did do is establish a special education task force which have representatives from every domain including related services from each of our buildings. Um and this is supporting that kind of build norm to have consistency across programming as well as you know the process for each oh no I I mean I wanted wanted but I didn't hear you said you formed a what special education task force and that's got teachers step is step okay thank you I didn't hear the t
007thank you sorry to interrupt and this is buildings and maybe we will be doing some work on building kind of a a manual for teachers and support staff over the next um one thing to note is excuse me identification rates have increased will continue to increase um this is also not uncommon especially for the states the state of Connecticut just reached 16% of identification Um so it is growing across the state but we are seeing that trend here in Oxford. Um but our teams are working hard to have comprehensive evaluations and have been utilizing the new uh OA disciplinary evaluation report which we call the NEMR um for suspected learning disabilities. So this is something that changed with the implementation of the new sense program. So we have done a lot of training on how
008to utilize this um as we await the new guidelines from um staffing levels have also increased across the district. Um but we are primarily with pair of professional supports and they are integral to um building independence for our students. Um but we are working consistently as with special education teams and families to develop plans that include ways to fade additional supports to build that independence um as well as maximize student outcomes. So through data collection and student performance um we have already seen a shift in the ways that we're recommending supports and services um so that the proper levels for each of the student in our programs. So we did increase our total number of students currently um well actually as I wrote the report um a week and a half ago um of 290
009identified students that is a 2.8% 8% increase um since our October one and we do have 28 Penny referrals for we did exit 12 students um and 12 students in the new body district over the course of the year. So just an update on our Connecticut special education data system which we call TT sets. Um it is the new program that has been implementing the state of Connecticut. So everyone in the state is implementing IEPs um using this program. So um with onboarding the new system, you know, issues are expected. At times there were a lot more issues um than at other times, but um we're working through it. We did develop a communication structure um so that when issues arise and there's difficulties, there's a way and hierarchy to reach out for support. So,
010we have building based um experts that were trained over the summer and then we have our staff here at central office at the support. Um and then if there's ever any issues finalizing documentation, we're making sure that we're talking and communicating with parents and letting them know they're talking. So, by the end of the school year, all I will be in the new system, so we're getting very close to that. Um and then there's continued ongoing um trainings that we encourage our staff to attend um to learn just different components because there's different things for different grade levels that are important. So we provide that opportunity for all. When looking at our specialized programs um we have the core programs which is our comprehensive learning program at Quaker Farm which services students K through about
011fourth or fifth grade and then our program at the middle school. um as well as connections at the high school and our CP program. So, our two programs that service um the elementary and the middle school had quite a few staffing changes this year. Um so, there was a little bit of staff movement mid year. So, we did some hiring and some moving around of staff from program to program. Um which was a little unique. Um but we were able to work through that and they're actually building some really strong programming right now. We did look at a specialized program for those students called Teachtown. Um ultimately we decided it was not a good fit for our students. So we are looking at their system um and we may look at Teachtown again. Um actually
012was presented to me if we worked in conjunction with another district for some cross sharing um and to really kind of support students. So we might look at it at it again in the future depending on the our students. So Megan, is Teachtown an out placement or it's a program that you bring into the school? It's a program that you bring into a school. It's a curriculum that aligns to Common Core State Standards, but really supports students that are on a much lower instructional level than third grade level. Okay. Because the there is a program at the in the connections. That's not that program though, is it? Okay. Thank you. So, I will talk to that too. Um, also for the um, OMS comprehended learning program, we did for next year approve um, a program
013that would allow a class with peer models. So like our our unified class at the high school um, to support students um, with some of their life skills um, planning, engaging and uh, those types of skills. So they'll have model peers in the classroom at the at the middle school level and then that will just you know strengthen the program at the high school as well. Um connections we did make that major change at the beginning of the year by increasing one teacher. Um and there hasn't been any impact to that program are still providing high quality education in the alternative setting um and really adjusting. What we really focused on this year is having a streamlined referral system um to figure out which where students um services were best met. Um and then for
014community exploration um they are doing a lot of work in the community. Um we did have a little bit of transportation but they have found ways to work around that. So they they have the skills to talk with the bus company um when they need transportation. So they've been building some other skills that kind of came from that um that issue which was great to see. Um we did implement the new life center education transition curriculum. Um it's kind of in its infancy. So all of the goals and objectives for students are now aligned to that program. So now we'll start being being able to gather more data using the program now that we have those aligned voice objectives. Um and then just some follow-ups for some of the things that were at the beginning
015of the report at the beginning of the year. So CT says it's fully up and running in the district. Um and we will continue to work on finding some programs to support our other learners in our specialized programs. So we did develop the special education task force and we have met three times and we continue to to build that. In the coming year I would like to build a pair professional task force along with this one um to help support our pair professionals for the district. Um so that will be our plan for next year as well as a family um I would like to implement as well a family task force. um pair professionals were trained this year the first two modules of the effective high lever practices for par educators. They uh participated
016in the collaboration and assessment modules. They also received uh PD and child development, executive functioning, behavior intervention plan specifically for our students, data collection, um CPR, thanks to Pam, um and autism and transmission. Um, we didn't get to looking at investigating math programs, but it is something to do next year. Um, and we continue to build our community partner. Um, one of the other big highlights too is we haven't fully defined what standalone courses look like at the middle school and high school because it really is student dependent and their needs, but we were able to better place students in courses that support their individual needs um and supported more inclusive practices throughout. Um, so next year um we have decreased the amount of needed standalone classes at the middle school. Um, and the high
017school has begun to offer co-op classes in math and English for next year. Um and then you know the question that does come up a lot about student leaders. We have student behaviors but we are working to define and fine-tune what our supports look like districtwide um and have made some shifts in how we provide um provide supports by analyzing data specific to students um to really target. That's all it Yeah. Great job. Any questions? No, thank you. It's it was very comprehensive report. Um, but any questions for question? So, would you say as maybe a month or so ago, is the special ed system the same any honestly improvements or going backwards from the state? Um, I would say it changes. So, that's not good. So sometimes there's quite a few issues that happen
018and then this week there weren't as many issues happened. So it really is in loss and sometimes when certain things get fixed other things happen. So would you is there a way for you to say we're losing 20% of our time because the state is screwing up. I would say the teachers are putting in a lot more time to complete the system than they have. So you asked about the system, right? CT6. Okay. And the experiences that we've had here with CP says is not unique. This is the experience that every school district in Connecticut has experience with. They can't anything right. But it sounds like you're over the panic or sometimes maybe there spikes. Clear your words. Your words say um people are more comfortable using it now that they're using it now and
019pretty much on a daily basis. Um, the hard thing is is you can't predict what the issue is going to be because sometimes they may be fixed, but they're not fixed. Sometimes you're kind of working in a different way. Um, sometimes I'm kind of tech support because I can see things a little bit differently. So, it really is dependent on each individual IEP and what this happens to. Great. I can't give a very clear answer, but I will say, you know, for the most part, there's at least been a couple of issues for IEP. Okay. Any other questions for Megan? No. If not, thank you so much for giving this information. Really appreciate it, Megan. Thank you. Okay, so now we have next action item is central office renovations and relocation plans. We do have
020a motion. Okay. And then we'll have discussion. Okay. So motion to allocate the use of $8,000 for the federal office location out of the 2022 2023 operating. Second. Um discussion. Okay. And so I guess this is yeah just yeah about the process. Uh I just wanted to kind of talk about the evolution of this because not everyone's in the facility subcommittee or the finance subcommittee. Um this originated this request or this this movement to make this happen originated from the facility subcommittee. We saw a large num month over month, year-over-year, we see the cost that it is impacts the district from our operating budget that goes to maintaining this building. And so we see that cost and it's not decreasing and the numbers keep growing and we look at how much we're spending on a
021building that we wanted to get out of. We we we uh had the middle school built to get out of this building. Yeah, we're still in this building and we're supporting it even though we're sharing it across the town. Now, you could say, well, town should pay their fair share of this that irregardless, this was never meant to be a long-term solution. It was meant to be a a band-aid meant to maybe save a little money as we got out of the Tommy K lease to something to hold us. And we stayed here for a few years, but we wanted to look at other options of how we could stabilize the expense or lower it as much as possible. so we can keep the money in the operating budget to support our existing buildings that
022need every dollar we can give to support the kids. So that's where it originated from the, you know, Dr. Miller and his team, they went, they got us quotes, they presented options, they just did what we asked them to do, give us options, give us choices. So they did. and facility subcommittee like the option best of going in a school that we're already paying for that we're already maintaining and the school that made the most sense was goes we've gone through the process of working with the fire marshal he gives us recommendations you know we talked to whether it's the police or we work with George Temple every all the major stakeholders in town that in town and around town that we need to and we talked we formed a committee of of teachers We,
023you know, worked with the finance subcommittee as well. Uh, I'm on both subcommittees, but both subcommittees have to be involved because it involves facilities and involves money. And we look at our budget year-over-year. Our needs are greater than 3% that we get year-over-year. We have a greater need than that. And we need to keep every dollar we can and focus it on the right areas. So after the committees uh the subcommittees meeting everything and we listen to the parent concerns and we do listen and we do hear and we do feel for them and and for the concerns that they have we try to address but we also have the the big picture that we have to look at and we have to be able to pay for the services. We have to be able
024to pay for the salaries. All of these things keep hitting us and we still have to meet a budget that could absorb whatever we get thrown our way. Whether it's 10 kids moving a district that needs special needs, we have to provide it and we have to find a way to be creative with our funds while also doing what's best for kids. So, I'm not going to go into every detail for every step along the way of who's going where and what. Uh it was carefully planned and orchestrated. We've gone through a lot of quotes to come together and find the most cost-effective way to make this happen. We're utilizing staff in district to help offset some of the cost and share some of the expense gets paid to some of our existing employees who
025could who could surely use it and are maybe appreciate the extra work. Every bit of this is just to help kids. And it if it's viewed out of that context, understand that we're not we're not compensated. We don't make money if over under budget. But if we're overbudget, things have to get cut. We we do we run a very we're the most expensive line item for the town. There's high scrutin scrutiny uh on what we do. Everything is everything is has to be buttoned up and above water and it's transparent. We do not want to be in the deficit and we do not want to have to make harder cuts because there are harder cuts that can be made and we're trying to avoid that as much as possible. And I think from the um
026Thank you. I think from the facilities was was there a a a number or ballpark over the next couple of years what the savings Joe gave that to me. Oh, it's uh $600,000 estimated over a fiveyear period of time for the amount of cost to maintain and do the repairs needed that are piling up if we were to stay in this space. So the co the cost to do the repairs to do the the moving itself will pay for itself here will pay for itself in one year. Okay. So and we will be taking those expenses out of this current operating budget. It will not impact any of our budget for school resources for staff next year. In fact, the savings that we get will help offset some of the reductions that we're getting from
027the town through our budget reduction that that was forced upon us um from the town level. Right. This is going to help. Okay. Sure. Any further discussion, Deb? So, I just wanted to clear that taking this money out of the surplus is in no way currently affecting how we are providing supply. That's correct. And the notion that we are in a a budget freeze. We have not been about to freeze in a single moment this entire fiscal school year. In fact, our ability to change our medical carrier and our practice of um we had several staff members that left and hiring um more um inexperienced teachers that were qualified but at a lower salary scale. um truly benefited us for this academic school year and that were able to put us in a much better
028fiscal position next year, but gives us some resources this year um to spend um for these renovations. So, this does not impact next year's budget whatsoever. Um it only helps us um moving forward, Nicole. So, if there's teachers or staff who have resources that are that they need, right, they can still get them. Absolutely. And the nurse once again when a budget freeze doesn't exist. Um there was a question about the ICE this morning. They came to my desk and I called the principal and the principal said yes. The the nurse ran out of her her budget. She expanded it. And I said, "Have you asked for this to go through?" And he said, "No, I've not asked you yet." Um so I said, "Simple line item change, right?" I said, "Just put it forward.
029We're not going to not purchase supplies for the nurse office. We haven't had a request from teachers that we haven't supported. We purchased the supplies that we need across the board. So, I gave it to our purchasing um agent this morning and I said, "Put this through and process this as soon as possible." That there shouldn't be any concerns out there that we're not providing the supports and the resources that we need in our schools. That's it doesn't exist. Um and it's upon the school principles to advocate for their for their needs. So for example, once again, if that budget line is zero, then speak to me and we can make it happen. Any further discussion? So what we're saying is that was a process breakdown at the school. It didn't necessarily have to make
030it out into public be this big thing. That's correct. We don't have ice for kids that hurt themselves. No, first time I heard about it this morning with the first within a half an hour of me hearing about the problem. Yeah, it resolved and when this request was already generated back in April but and given to the principal, it could have been resolved back then. Okay. Anything further? Yep. The location where the kids will be where the classrooms will now be that was with the input of the committee that was put together. That's correct. And you addressed the the fire marshall question that that came in earlier. The reason why the fire marshall did not want central office downstairs is because by us moving downstairs, we were actually advocating to build a wall separating the
031hallway and the school from central office. And doing so would have eliminated four exit doors out of the building, which would have been emergency access for students out of the school. So the fire marshall did not want us to do that. Moving classrooms down there does not impact the the ex exit doors remain as they are. And where' we'd be going into the main part of the building, there'd be crash doors. There would still be emergency exits out. So there's no impact. The fire marshall is looking at segregating the building as a means of concern from a fire exit perspective, but moving classrooms out there doesn't impact the fire exit for students at all. Um, did that address your question? Yes. Think further? All right. All those in favor? I oppose or abstain? Motion carries.
032Thank you, Mike. And thank you, Dr. Miller. Um I think this is you, Dr. Miller. Retirement incentive package. Yeah. So um every couple years a school district um should look at the stakeholder groups and ask a critical question. Is there enough mass in a stakeholder group that would want to give an incentive package to promote and encourage retirement? The idea of a retirement package if you have staff that leave and at the tops or near the top this hour scale when you leave a new hire and you One second. Yeah, I think we skipped the motion. There were two motions under central there was there were two motions. Yeah. What was the second on the bid? I just thought they were tied together. Okay, you could do that then. You could do it now or
033you could wait until the finance commit if you want. It's been a bit, right? Um, are you okay? You can pick up where you left off. I'm sorry. I didn't hear that second motion. Oh, okay. You're screwing us up, Mike. Let's do it now then. That's fine. Okay. Motion to suspend the bid process for the months of May and June based upon the receipt of competitively. Second. Any discussion on that? So can you just explain what that looks like? I'll explain that. So the bid there's a board of policy that requires that we go out to competitive RFP. We float a bid. Typically for a facility type work, you'll have a walk through. You give a vendor two or three weeks to visit um build their bid and get back um the results. Doing so
034now that we're into May, we're looking to begin this work in on June 14th. there's not enough time to do traditional RFP. And as we built this proposal, we actually went out and spoke to multiple vendors. I'm talking m more than three vendors for site work, more than three vendors for contracting all the different trades that we're looking at. So, we already have done gone through the competitive process. So rather than floating RP um we're recommending that for the month of May and June in order to expedite some of these purchases that we need to do for both the relocation and other end of the year purchases that we suspend the bidding process and only use competitive quotes during that. And again just to to make that clear that it's it doesn't mean that you're
035not getting quotes for the work. We are getting we're getting a minimum of two to four quotes um from various vendors for each of the projects. And this is nothing that's dissimilar from the past. On previous years, we've asked you to suspend in the same way at this period of time. Just expedites the business process at this time of the year where there's not enough time to go through traditional RFP process. Okay. Any further discussion? All those in favor? Oppose or abstain? Second. Motion carries. No. No. Thank you. So now we're in back to the retirement. timeless. Um, so as a staff member leaves, if they are in step 16 of on the master step or the sixyear step on the teacher scale or they've been a par profofessional for 18 years on the par
036scale, they're coming in at step one. So there is a salary differential between the person leaving the person coming in. Same thing for a teacher. Typically, you're hiring a teacher or a certified staff member. That's one to five year um experience. So you're looking at probably a 30 to $35,000 savings from a person leaving and a person coming in. Those budget savings helps the budget for that fiscal year, but also lowers the base for the next year. And that's what happened this past year. We had enough staff members that left that we created a a a nice budgetary decrease in the operating year, which actually helped lower the increase for next year's request. So when you took a look at the the number of staff members that might be interested in retiring, we looked at
037teachers, we looked at par professors, we looked at we looked at secretaries and we floated a potential retirement package out to the staff and we said if this is what if this was presented as an option to you would you take this as um an option and would you want to retire um in June? The three the options were twofold or three-fold for the two different groups. So, we had teachers. We said, "We'll we'll pay you as an individual health insurance for one year, not for family plan, but individual. We'll give you $10,000 upfront year one. We'll give you $20,000 um over a four-year period of time. We'll split it over four years evenly. That allows you to not have as big of an increase in payment year one. It spreads out over time. Um
038the second option went to PAR professionals and it went to secretaries and that was one year of insurance um for an individual for $7,500 for um cash payout for year one or $15,000 over spread out over four years. So we floated that out to the staff um and we actually got um nine teachers that um said that they'd be interested in um taking retirement package now. And we had a number of pair of professionals. We discounted a couple pair of professionals that put in request because they were just hired last year and this year we felt like their tenure here wasn't long enough to qualify for a retirement package. So it came to nine teachers and it came to four pair professionals and that actually is a higher interest than we had when we did
039a retirement package two years ago. Sometimes just a matter of um the right package being offered. Sometimes it's the right a matter of this is the time you know you have more people at this age. So, we're recommending that we approve this retirement package tonight. We would send an email to all staff um tomorrow letting them know this is now the official package the board of education has approved. Um please sign up by say Monday or Tuesday next week so that we're able to then process their retirement. If it's um over four-year package, then we'll um set the the funds up for that and then we can begin the hiring process. Then we for those that are replacing it allows us to get a jump start on the replacements for next year. Any more questions
040about the retirement package? No. Do you want to do a motion to just to approve the um retirement package as presented? Second. Second by Steve. Any further discussion? All those in favor? Oppose or abstain? Motion carries. Okay. Um, healthy food certification. Okay. This is the traditional um annual um motion. There actually two motions that need to be actually both in board docs. It's a hefty thing to read, but we participate in the um the the National Food Service Program. And this is required for us to participate in that program. So, oh, you don't. I was gonna I was going to pick on someone else. Okay. So, this is the one where it starts with pursuant. Okay. General statute section 10-215. The Oxford Public School Board of Education certifies that all food items offered for sale
041to students in school under its jurisdiction and not exempt from Connecticut nutrition standards published by the Connecticut State Department of Education will comply with the Connecticut nutritional standards during the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30th, 2024. This certification shall include all food offered for sale to students separately from reimburseable meals at all times and from fall including including but not limited to schools vending machines cafeteria and program any activities on school premises by the school or non school or nice job. Could you repeat that? Um, is there a second? Second. Second, Mike. Um, any discussion or any further explanation needed for that? Okay. All those in favor? Oppose? Abstain? Motion carries. Mike, you want to read the next one? Do you have it up in Yeah, I have it up. Oxford Public Schools
042Board of Education will allow the sale to students of food items that do not meet the Connecticut nutrition standards provided that the following conditions are met. One, the sale is in connection with an event occurring after the end of the regular school day or on the weekend. Two, the sale is at the location of the event. And three, the food items are not sold from a vending machine or school store. An event is an occurrence that involves more than just a regularly scheduled practice meeting or extracurricular activity. For example, soccer games, school plays, and intercolastic debates are events, but soccer practices, play rehearsals, and debate team meetings or not. The regular school day is a period from midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day. Location means where the event
043is being held and must be in the same place as the food sales. All right. Second, Deb, second that. Any further explanation? No. Fine. All those in favor? Opposed or abstain? Motion certification carries. Okay. Thank you guys. Nice job reading. We'll look at your I Ready report and see. Um report to superintendent. Dr. Miller. I'm just going to be rather rather quick because I feel over a lot of stuff just a few minutes ago. Um but just to give you an update, yesterday we had an early discussion. I want to thank the board for um approving this um final um early release for our staff. It was very successful. We did um Alice security training um with all of our staff at all four schools followed by hands-on drills. An email did go out to
044the principles this morning um reminding them to do followup with their staff for um followup um any concerns that staff might have and resources that they might need so that we can provide that report to U. Mike Dino next week with the deadline. So if there's any supplies that are needed um we heard a request come in um this evening about what teachers might need. We're not asking teachers to purchase these type of supplies out of their own pocket. Um if there's something that they need specifically for their classroom, give it to the principal and um well as the district collected and placed those orders for what we need for the schools. Um but that's not to stop um to say that joining me in the past couple years could have also ended for these
045same resources as well. But we are um um proactive and asking the the principles to gather these um resource requests from the the schools from their staff. Great. Thank you. Uh I have nothing to report at this time. So we can go to subcommittees. Um Joe is not here for facilities and basically it was going to be the the last meeting that you had was what Mike already discussed um as far as the move. Vic, do you have anything to add? Not at this time. We just got Okay. So, facilities deb curriculum we had a meeting on Monday um very lengthly meeting we talked about um the curriculum status report for middle school and high school. Um we received some information about some of the summer work that's at I think middle school. Um, we
046got some good dialogue about what we have don't have what we need to to work on. So, I think that we had some some candid discussions during that meeting. Um, we also talked about the changes or the discussion of the OS internship and capstone change. Mr. has some idea which would allow people to do their internships and just be I believe if I remember correctly it just beers this year and it ties into our strategic operating plan and we will also look to have it start earlier in students career high school. Um the other item was a lot of time talking about this curriculum writing. Um we had talked about a proposal to have a company come in and help us write curriculum, help the staff with curriculum, help understand what we have and know
047how. We're still vetting through some stuff. We haven't decided what we're going to do yet. Um but that's still an ongoing discussion and we'll work on that. Yeah. and I had a meeting this afternoon with that consultant to talk about um the conversations and more. Yeah. So, and we meet again on on the 22nd where um Great Oak Elementary and Quaker Farms come in and present their curriculum update as well as the um reading program. We'll be coming in to discuss that and bring it back to the board for our next meeting. We talked about summer reading p summer learning packages. We asked part of the committee to get copies of what is planned for the students. So we don't have summer slides. So we got copies of the draft um packets and we'll continue
048to work on that and there will be some more packets that this year. So we have some But thank you. It was it was a lot. Um policy. Anything on policy? Yes. So we met on April 20th and we're presenting for a first read tonight um policy regarding school activity funds. Um basically this codifies that um school funds and funds of school organizations shall remain in the name of the respective schools and organizations. It also sets the expectation that collected funds are the responsibility of the assigned um administrator and should be remitted to the administrator's office at the close of each school day. We basic we don't want a situation where a teacher is collecting money and the money's in the desk at the end of the day. So it should be in the hands
049of the uh school administrator. Also, there's a strong preference if there's a way that um there we could use an online platform instead of actually um collecting cash. Uh that's what we would prefer. And right now we have the platform of my school bucks and we're going to try to use that more often. So this is just a first read. If you guys can take a look at the policy and let me know if you have any questions. Also along with the policy is the regulation but no regul no um action is required of the full board for the regulation and the regulation is dealing with the fundraising activities. Correct. Right. So the first is the 3453. Right. And then the regulation. So if you approve the 3453 then those the regulations are embedded in
050that. Correct. Regulations go to different policy. So you've got the policy which is the school activity. That's that's one that's what's up for the first read, right? We modified the regulations to fundraising. Now, regulations don't need to come back to the board, but we did want to share with the board what we made for. Gotcha. Okay. Um, yeah. Are there changes from this from what our original board policy was or is this It's largely the same. There are a few tweaks here and there. Yeah. The fundamental change in it was not having the money sitting in a desk or a classroom. um beyond just that day that it's been collected that it has to be turned in that day and then the regulations um to the fundraising actually shifts it from collecting cash to preferably
051be online payment where at all possible. That'd be great. Okay, thanks Nicole. Yeah. Um finance I think you've already just the budget referendum vote is on May 11th at Quaker Farm School from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please vote. budgets really don't go up, they go down if we don't get it approved. It might go lower and we really can't afford that for what we're trying to do for kids. So, please get out and vote. And Mike, to that that point, I've heard people ask if the capital budget goes down and the operating budget goes down, would that stop us moving our central office? And and in fact, if those budgets do go down, we would need to dig into those resources even further. by moving gives us additional resources for and that would only
052hurt the future budgets. Yeah. So, right. Um, thank you, Mike. Uh, Deb, anything with PTO? Okay. Um, all right. At this point, I believe we are going into executive session to discuss leave of absence and anou regarding collective bargaining unit. What? Please go in and out. Motion. So a motion to go to invite in Dr. Miller discuss the leave of absent request. Oh I think what you're saying we have to go in and out with both. All right. So all those in favor this is just for a leave of absence request. I opposed or abstain. Okay. So we're going into executive session. If you guys if you want us to move, we can move or