001Hello. >> Hello everybody. >> It's 6 o' so I'm going to call the meeting to order. Rebecca is running just a few minutes late. So, I'm going to call it to order and we're going to do the pledge of allegiance and then after that we're going to let the um first graders do their thing and by then uh Rebecca should be here. So, um, we're going to call order at 601 and pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Okay. >> All right. Hello. My name is Mrs. and I teach first grade and thank you for inviting my first graders and I to share what we've been learning. Um the history common core standard
002for first grade is that students will describe their traditions and reasons for national holidays. So, the month of December, first graders embarked on an international journey, completing a holidays around the world unit. We traveled to 12 countries and researched how they celebrate Christmas. We compared how their traditions are similar and how they are different to the way we celebrate with our families in the United States. Each day, students ran into the classroom to find a postcard from a student in a different country, which means way back here. They were excited to see where we would travel each day. Students recorded where we traveled in a passport and they got international stamps each day to track where we had gone. We researched the country's holiday traditions and we recorded what we learned in our travel journals.
003They found each country on a world map and we even learned about their flag. Students made suitcases out of paper bags and then they collected artifacts. So, we made a craft each day that represented the country we learned about. And tonight I'm joined by 10 of our first graders. They are going to um each explain a country of their choice. So I have Caroline with us. I have Jacob, Millie, Julian, Mason, Evelyn, Calvin, Leah, and Kayla. So first up we have Pavine, and she's going to tell you a little bit about France. >> France. What they call Santa? Who wants to talk about Italy? >> Yeah. So, she's a friendly witch and she delivers presents to kids in Italy. Next up, we have Millie and she chose to talk about Mexico. >> So, in Mexico
004celebrate by using and flag and red. Have my Greenland. >> So in Greenland is the closest country to the most and in Greenland trees can't grow there. So they have a yellow star and to eat they eat water Germany. We have and she's gonna share about Israel. >> Yeah. And they play Jangle. What do they collect? >> We have Calvin. He chose to study Australia. In Australia, their season is different. We have winter, but they have >> summer. And what do they like to do to celebrate? Yeah, we made a melted snowman. >> We have Mia. She chose to talk about Sweden. Sweden. They have >> here that happens. Remember, >> the oldest daughter wakes up early in the morning to serve her breakfast. What does she wear? >> Somebody made a crown. We have
005Kayla. You chose to talk about China. >> My name is representing China. In China, children celebrate. The lunar junior was what does the zodiac tell us? Each year is represented by what? A different animal. >> Different. Each year >> is represented by an animal. The Chinese zodiac >> zodiac foods like oranges, good switching cookies and moon cakes are >> Eaten eaten for good luck. Family celebrate by >> decorating with >> lanterns. Fireworks and gifts. Money in red envelopes. And also going to talk about India. >> They have lights and I made lanterns. gonna talk about Russia. >> Thank you so much. We also have For examples, this is their suitcases, their passports, has their pictures with different passports to get each day that we went to a new country. And then this was their little
006suitcase journal that they completed each day. for that. >> I don't think My I know. Thank you. Happy and Imagine I Right. Right. Okay, so the first graders did an awesome job and I think they all had So, um, we're going to start public input, uh, before gets here. Um, the first thing says responses to public input questions, but last meeting I was a little public input question, so we just had to head back and forth, so we didn't have any. Um, so, uh, if you guys want to do public input, you need to use the microphone. Who's first? >> My first question is, when is the last date you submit for petition war? The deadline is January 13th for the March SBC. Um the next uh and the next request that I have is
007I'd like a listing of all school vehicles from 2020 to current and show the vehicles that were discarded and vehicles acquired, how much we paid, how much we sold them for and how much we paid for the vehicles um who they were sold to, we bought from cost as all school vehicles. Um, it was under my impression from watching the video from the December 17th meeting, which I don't think was fully posted for everybody to know that that meeting was happening. Um, cuz I certainly would come. I guess when was it discussed and voted on the board to sell buses and vans? Because I believe that was a discussion at the last meeting that two buses and vans were sold. I don't recall meeting at a meeting where the school board okayed that to be
008done. Um uh let's see uh whose term is up for the election this year >> and um I guess also that was discussed at the last at the 2017 meeting. It was stated that there was a member who was looking to resign at the beginning of the year. However, the board or there was some conversation that the board would rather that person uh resign after the election. Um why would that be suggested other than the board would want to choose to know who that position that seat is for the next election till the next election. Um and I guess my other comment would be is um I know that there's a commun communication committee. I said I guess perhaps the school board could enlist the services of the people who put together the town newsletter
009to do to include the news. Though I will say that that newsletter is not sanctioned by the board of selected. They they they do a I guess a they do a thorough job or more so disseminating town business. Uh maybe they should be including the school business as well. >> Anybody else? Thanks. >> Um agenda review. Um do we want a minutes? >> One last question. I'll speak loud enough. So we have no responses to the public input questions from last from the not the December 17th meeting because that's the meeting that is the most recent one but the one prior to that the week before the 1210. >> Well no this member I just let everybody talk and we can't answer all the questions. >> Okay. So I guess I guess my question would
010be going forward is that is that the format we're going to use or are we going to expect responses written responses? I I just want are we going to be consistent on how we handle that? That's all. >> No that That was me because I was running it because Rebecca wasn't here. But um Rebecca is gonna have everybody ask the questions and then do the responses for the next. >> Okay. >> So that was that was on me. >> I'm just asking you the for what will the turnaround be? Because now we are in close to deliberative session. And next week is the public hearing for the budget committee. I would like to know the answers if we're here to discuss buying a new bus tonight. I would like to hear the answers regarding the
011old buses. >> Um it's not on the agenda, but it was I guess we're having a public hearing. >> The public hearing tonight, my understanding is that regarding special ed. >> Special ed. >> Yeah. J's confirming special ed and um some of the answers we will discuss later. >> I would just like to tell the board I really think we should get these answers out like within the week here on top of voting. >> Okay. So, should we do the So, first we have the minutes from December 10th. >> I'll make a motion to accept the meeting minutes as presented for the meeting of December 10th, 2025. >> Okay. Um, and Heather, are you here? >> I am, but I have to have them for you. >> Okay. Um, I was going to say Heather
012is not feeling well, so she's going to join the meeting via phone call. Um, so are we going to vote on the uh, all in favor? I >> yeah to the minutes from December the 10th >> and um Nicole made the motion and Samantha second. >> Okay. And then we're going to have to hold off the minutes of December 17th because I have a camp on that and Samantha wasn't here so you want to start with the elementary. >> Absolutely. Thank you very much. Superintendent's report. We'll start with the Middleton elementary school update. So I will pass this Thank you and hello everybody. We are back and running at MES. It has been great to see everybody after a long break and be ready to hit the ground running. A thank you to our community
013for coming out for our winter concert last December. We had a full house and we love getting to hear our students perform. Thank you also to our alpaca pals PTA at the December 10th meeting. They had given us a number of gift cards through their fundraising for teachers and it was my pleasure to be able to put them in their boxes and to be able to help facilitate their support of our classroom. So, I really appreciate that. We also in the last month had our breakfast in Candyland event and it was amazing. We have really appreciated the collaboration we've had this year with our rec um committee and um I should mention also that our alpha health PTA also supported that event. This is the largest breakfast we believe that the Middleton Elementary School has
014ever had. Um, with over a hundred kids from town getting gifts donated by the wreck, having breakfast and getting to do some crafts and visit with Santa. Um, this was a really big uh event and it was um really exciting to see everybody come out. Um, many hands make light work and it was just a real positive for our community. So, thank you to everybody who helped. Um, I would also add a big thank you to our Santa who came. He was fantastic. I also want to share that our water is once again working. You might have noticed that we don't have any bubblers. Um, we're very excited about that, especially our custodial staff. Um, we got the all clear from water quality testing and we pulled the bubblers the next day. Um, I also
015want to note though that we did uncover a small leak in one of our water tanks. We're working to get a quote to determine if it can be fixed or if it needs to be replaced. And then I also want to share that we started a new program called the Polar Explorers at MES in which students who have parent permission and appropriate gear and who want to can go outside on indoor recess days and access our wide open playground. This program is available for students in grades 3 through six. We had our first day on Monday and our students were so excited at the playgrounds themselves and to get that fresh air around. This program is run by our heat teacher, Mr. Hule, and about half of every grade level has signed up to take
016advantage. Um, with this recent snow, we're really hoping to offer snowshoeing at our next one. So, we're really excited about that. Thank you all so much. >> Great. Thank you very much. Any questions for principal le gross and regarding the report? Okay. So the next item on superintendent's report is deliberative session. The board uh adopted the budget and warrant articles and determined the order at the last meeting. However, um typically the board um u members volunteer to be spokespersons for each of the articles during deliberative. Um that's something you can vote on or you people can just volunteer for that. How would you like to do that? So what we do is we we prepare the presentation. So you would just read a warrant article and we'd have, you know, a little bit of an
017explanation of the warrant article and um that's pretty much it. You don't have to speak on the fly. I believe the moderator reads um the whole first section and article one and then it would start with article two the budget. Just so you know, you missed a very cute presentation from a um a bunch of questions from frog Sam and the December 10th minute, but we didn't get to do the December 17th minute because we didn't have enough people available. And um Heather is on the phone because Okay. Does anyone have any specific does anyone have any specific topics as far as the session like? >> Yes. You want to do four? So three and four. >> Um remember I mean I'm fine to do it or It just doesn't matter to me. Either way,
018>> I don't have what you're looking at, so just sign me up for whatever. >> Did you really want to do the one for the DPT? >> I I don't want to do it. Is there anything? All right. So, article two, the operating budget. Does anyone want to do that? >> Heather, do you want to do that one or do you want me to do it? >> No, I could do that. All right. Um, if you're going to do that then I will read the article five special. Okay. >> Yeah, I can do this special education of the DT if you want. >> Yes, that leaves us with the bus or construction renovation. I do not >> we'll reflect that on the presentation. >> Thank you. And then lastly, superintendent report is December financial reports
019in your packet. The board has any questions for us. What's the contracted services that we budgeted for 3000s? It's the third line down the office. Can you guys speak? I'm already hearing. Thank you. The budget of $3,000 in the um school board function on page three at the top under contracted services is for the actual uh Gazsby requirement for an audit and also this line has been drawn over. I do believe that the criminal record checks for new staffing are charged to that line as well. >> Thank you. How would the repairs meetings page four? Could you repeat your question? I'm sorry. >> Sure. Um, the maintenance and repairs, it looks like we budgeted for 12 and we're at 59.92. Just wondering what that we did the repair. >> Yep. On page four, that's under
020buildings uh operating building services for the 2620 function. Um I have not requested from the trustee address fund yet the check for the withdrawal from that trust to fix the water. >> Oh thank you. >> I will be doing that though. >> Thank you. Anyone else have any questions? Okay, if there's no other question, we'll move into the bus driver update. I'm looking at I will catch up eventually. All right, then. >> All right, then we would move into the special education press with all public hearing. >> Okay, go forth. Thank you. >> Thank you. I am officially opening the public hearing for the special education trust fund tomorrow at 6:34. >> Thank you. I will um share some information regarding the request to withdraw from the special education trust fund and then you can
021open it up to public input and then the board would take action. So, we are um requesting approximately $372,248.99 from the special ed trust fund to pay for unanticipated special ed costs. As of December 22nd, there is $52,74247 left within the Middleton School District special education budget. When presenting the fiscal year 26 special ed budget in the fall of 2024, there were expenses that were unknown at that time. These include continuous specialized reading tutoring, uh additional contracted support for two elementary students, out of district placement for a middle school middle school student, out of district placement for an elementary school student. uh contracted services include um from applied ABC uh has been contracted for two middle school elementary school students. So those costs include behavioral tech. So that's essentially a pair professional um with behavior
022training. Uh one is for 33 hours a week which costs $190,000. Um the second student is 33 33 hours a week and that costs approximately $95,000. Behavioral um board certified behavior analyst costs are uh for the first student is $10,800 and the second student is $1,500 10 times for the year. the out of district placement at Birch Academy, the tuition is $118,918.80 for the year. Um there's also related service costs um associated with that student. the placement for a middle school student at John Powers School. Partial amounts of the tuition costs have already been incumbreded by the special ed budget um which total $61,1240 um that had been budgeted for other means. The ESY tuition, that's tuition for the summer portion for this student has already been paid by district funds $3,459.68. This cost was
023unanticipated. Um although this was unanticipated, we've paid and covered some of the costs. We will need the following. $12,630.40 for tuition, $1,914.84 related services um and $725.76 for second related service. Transportation costs for both of these out of district students were not considered in the creation of this proposed budget. One Middleton Elementary student shares a ride with a Governor Wentworth student. The other uh MES student is currently using a GWC driver and bus. So the known total cost needed uh total is $431,619.80 80s, which as you can tell exceeds the amount in the specialist trust. Um, however, we are also looking at grant funds from the IDEA grant um to um offset some of the costs as all districts do um every year. The um special education teams may need to reconvene and reconsider levels
024of support. Um this is not best practice necessarily and may be against federal or state statutes. So in other words, um if um the district cannot identify the funds, um the um teams would have to um reassess the plans for the students. If there are any questions, I can certainly um >> All right. All right. So, I'm going to open up for public input at 6:38 those numbers again. You were going fast. Just the ones that Sure. Let's see. Um, I can say that the request to withdraw is $372,248 and 99. As of December 22nd, 2025, we have 52,74247 left within the special budget. Can you just tell me why is it approximate? Break down to the petting schemes. So could that not change as far as the request to withdraw? >> Yes, you said
025it was approximate >> because that is the balance in the special trust as of 6:30 2025. That's the full amount as of that audited dollar amount. And Jenna might be able to add how much might be in in uh interest income, but I >> you want that total >> as of the November is 376,177. question. >> Um, you said there were grants you were applying for. >> So, if those grants come through, is that going to reduce the amount you want from the trust fund? >> Thank you for that question. So, so the IDA grant is not a competitive grant. It's an entitlement grant that the district gets every year. So, we already have that allocation. You get that allocation every year. So, um it's already used for um for different things in special education
026every year. Um but as things change, we can look at that and try to um um move things around for lack of a better word to use that entitlement grant. >> You realize that all those numbers you wrote, you know, spilled off. You're gonna have to supply all that back up to me for me to write that check out. So, just just so you are aware. >> Would you like it peace meal or would you like it all at once? >> Put it all in the envelope and mail it to me. >> Okay. No, because we also we also might have a cash issue. So, I'll most likely be looking at it on a monthly basis >> and then sending you. So, you can expect me to reach out to you every month. Does that
027sound good? >> That's fine. Okay. Thank you. Appreciate. >> As long as you have the backup. >> Oh, I always do. >> My name is covering me. >> And I'm I'm looking out for the district also. Absolutely. So, thank you. >> Right. >> So, the 52742 you said that's coming out of this year's budget 25 to 26 that hasn't been spent. We're going to be allocated out of the special. So, that's coming out of the 1,200 line. So are there have we encumbered the special ed cost for these number for some of these requests that you're doing? >> The superintendent just read off that some of them as of um one of the particular students and a partial amount has already been encumbered in the special ed budget approximately $61,1240. >> Okay. So I guess
028that would come to a fall. So we have these students who are going to go out of district. So the services that they're currently we're receiving in district are those expenses going to go down because we no longer have to pay for them in district because they're going out of district. So will we not get any savings there or no? >> The it's my understanding that the students have been in these place placements since the beginning of the school year. So, it's not that they're going this week, you know, or kind of mid December and um there are services here that we can now reduce. So, that's not the case. >> There's one child that last month left the school and went with tuition double. So, will that offset? >> If that's the case, then
029yes. >> Um so, I guess my I guess my is and this we're fortunate enough that we have the $377,000 in the special education um CRF. But considering that I will say that that was pretty much done by the budget committee like five years ago to dump a bunch of money in there because of something like this coming out because the $7,000 that's in the war article each year isn't paying for anything. So, I don't know where we would have gotten the money to potentially pay for these services other than I guess maybe having a special meeting or maybe they would close the school down because we wouldn't be adequate and we wouldn't be able to teach our children. Is there a plan for the future? because you're basically depleting that fund. And there's plenty
030of other children in this school who are on IEP and have needs and potentially there could come a time where one of those kids needs more or needs to be tuition. So, do you guys have a plan in place now so the taxpayers don't go broke? We did change the um the articles this year to address that to have the special education trust fund get a greater amount and be further up in the >> how much $100,000. >> But that money that only goes in with the money left. >> But so last year you said that there was no money left over because you basically ran the budget down to the very last penny to spend everything. and you weren't able to fund any of those funds. So, we're already at that predicament now with
031a $6 million budget, $7 million budget. Who's to say that we're going to be able to continue to fund it because you guys are spending everything down to the last 10? Is there a better plan in place? Are you guys searching for grants? I mean, is that come to a point where taxpayers are going to push back and they're going to cut you to the bone and my child and the rest of the children in this community are going to suffer for it. Do you have a plan? You were all elected to take on this job? Do you have a plan in place for our children? So the the best that we had the ability to do this time was to we were presented information of this huge deficit was to reallocate the warrant articles
032so that we can try our best to do that and then work with the district to figure out what else we can do from there. So, >> kind of a a multi-art question here, but um so clearly the budget that we're currently in does not support the needs. >> Was that a known at the point that the budget last year was put together? >> This is all unanticipated costs. >> So, we didn't know that we were going to have these children, that we were going to have uh these needs and these expenditures. >> Correct. >> Okay. Now my next part of that question comes in is uh seeing the current budget that's I don't I think semif fin finalized I guess would be the best way to to put that um does that budget encompass
033essentially the costs that we are over this year meaning in other words the budget that's going in here in March does that budget include the expenses that we're discussing right now to take out of the special education fund Meaning, in other words, if it does, we're not going to have to go back to that fund essentially next year to try and get more money even though it won't be in years. Does that make sense? >> So, yes, it's a two-part question. >> Yeah. Um so yes uh even though this is a special trust um withdrawal hearing I have permission to comment on the budget itself in that um that is why the proposal is higher. >> That's exactly why the proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 is higher because of the needs that we now
034know. We now know that we have higher needs in special education and that is the number one driver of the increase of the proposed budget for next year. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Um Ken Garrick just a question on this because I heard Janet talk about basically administrative function. Um so I guess I just want to get an understanding how this works. I know how a regular operating budget works with special ed, but seeing it would take money out of the special ed trust fund. Um, is there an order given by the school board to make a payment and then at that point does that get remitted to the trustees of the trust funds to make payment? Could you explain how what the financial process is? How does it work? So obviously all of
035the purchase orders that are entered are they have a GL account attached to them. So on a monthly basis with the information that the superintendent just read out to everyone, I will know and I'll be meeting with the special education director on a monthly basis to identify those unanticipated vendor costs. I will keep copies of them all. Simple enough. Um, I'll keep them in a folder, submit them on a monthly basis to to the trustee of trust funds. >> So, the school board's not involved in that. >> No, the they're going through the process right now of what they are obligated to do by holding the public hearing and making the motion and and approving the emotion. >> So, they don't give order to make payment by the to the TR. Typically, they make give
036order to the treasurer of the school district to make payment, but in this case, they would make an order to make payment. >> In other words, they don't approve payments. Well, they do approve through the manifest which happens every month at the meetings. They go through the manifests and sign off on >> that. So that that I'm talking specifically about the special trust fund money >> because it'll run through the operating budget. So what what will happen is those lines will run negative and that's me keeping tally of everything that's gone negative with the vendors and the the the identification. So then the then the process is that the the bill gets submitted with a per the purchase order. >> Then at that point you notify the trustee and trust funds. They then make reimbursement
037to the school district. >> Correct. >> And then the school board then gives order to make payment to the school district treasurer. >> The well the I think you have the last bit out of order. >> Okay. >> The school board approves the manifest. So, as we're paying the vendors and overrunning the lines, they're signing off on that. I will take those on a monthly basis, submit them to the trustee, and the trustee will cut the check back to the district. The check will go deposited into the district to the appropriate line. >> I'm I'm asking this question because this is the first time that we're really drawing on it and I want to make sure everybody has an understanding of how the cash flow is going to move around. I think it's a very
038important piece. The other piece is Caroline you mentioned some very significant values. So the first thing that comes to my mind is catastrophic aid. Obviously catastrophic aid does not get reimbursed in this current year only for the following year. >> Correct. >> What do we anticipate catastrophic aid? I'm assuming there's going to be some valuation. I know state law has made some adjustments and it's gone upwards. It used to be somewhere around $30,000. I think it's up higher now. Basically call it a deductible so to speak. Um, with that in mind, those are funds that will come in next year as catastrophic aid. Those funds can in turn, if the school district approves through a war article, take those funds and replace those monies in the special ed trust fund. Okay? That's totally up to
039the towns people and up to the the board. What I would recommend if you did that in other words basically create a warrant article that says say if we get $100,000 of catastrophic aid you can project that you get an understanding from DOE the school board then could put a warrant article together that said $100,000 to the special ed trust fund because you know those revenues will be coming in. You could also put that warrant article at the lead end of it to ensure that those monies go back into the special ed trust fund. thing that I I have a concern about here is we get a very heavy draw off and what what can happen is we can take the foot off the pedal and it's this is a very substantial pedal. We're going
040to empty the gas tank but to make sure that we're going to start working towards a replenishment of some sort because the reality is the force is out of the gate but we could also have a stampede afterwards. So that's just a word of caution. So I'm forecast I'm throwing out a forecast here of how to prepare what hopefully does not occur but additional cost down the road. So I'm just asking and recommending you take a very credential look at the seriousness of it because this can have ramifications not for this year not for next year but a few years afterwards it's this is a this is a hit for a course I project for another five or six years. That's the reality of it. To get us back to having a $300,000 trust fund,
041understanding that our operating budget is going to still be riding much higher than we used to. I know I dumped out a lot right there. If I need to repeat it, I'll repeat it. >> No, thank you. We have not done that before. Using revenue from catastrophic aid, now called special ed, um to use that to replenish a trust fund, but that's something we can look into because we get that in the summer. following and um yeah, >> so I just don't know the timing of your you're in I just heard you talk about the order of warrant articles and your preamble um when you made your report. I don't know if it's too late to do something or not. But if we don't get it done in this this come this March with this
042deliberative session, we'll have missed the moment and then we'll have revenues come in and then we won't go to that special interest. But that's you for the following. >> I I I first let me just ask a clarifying question. So essentially you're you are stating earmarking the revenue from cash for that. Okay. >> By war. >> Correct. So Okay. Thank you. So you have time between now and January 13th you said Walmart to put a Walmart on your on your ballot you voted on comparable to what Ken Gary just said >> so you do have time to do it >> um you stated You said it to Scott that um you didn't know about this these placements when the budget was done last year, but you also stated that these children were placed at the
043beginning of the year. So, you've had five months. Why hasn't something been done before now? Why have you have you looked into grants before now? Have you done anything to try and figure out what to do besides remove every dime from that budget? >> Well, a couple things I can share on that. So, first, I can't, you know, it's it's a fine line. I don't want to get too much into when a student was placed or not placed. You know, it's confidential. Um and uh as far as when to withdraw out of a trust, the district's had funds until now. Um and so so you know, this is this is um it's been we've been reviewing it. Um we've been reviewing the the bottom line. We've been reviewing the placements. Um, and we've when you
044when you hire contracted services, they cost triple the amount of hiring inhouse. So, we try to delay that as much as possible. Um, but ultimately you have to hire, you have to hire even if it is a contracted service. So, that's part of it. We've done that at Governor Worth as well. I just had this conversation um where it's okay, we can't wait anymore. we have to just go with the contracted service. So, we did delay that into the fall. Um, and then what was the last oh the the last part of it as far as grants are concerned? The IDA grant, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, that's that act gives the entitlement grant to districts. Um, so you're entitled to that every year. Um, however, competitive grants would not be applicable for special education
045services because it's legally required for every district to cover your special ed costs. You know, it's not a it's not a, you know, um, an option to cover special ed costs. You have to pay for um, all students including those with disabilities. You can apply for some grants or you can apply for some grants for, you know, maybe you want to install a ramp, you know, maybe you want to, you know, um, create something more more accessible in the building, that kind of thing, you can, but when it's student specific, you know, that student has a right to be here and the district is required to pay for that student. Well, as part of the budget committee, I don't think we've heard much of any of this, and it's kind of disappointing to have it
046come out all at once and not have heard a little more of it before. >> How much is it that we receive the IDA grant? So, I'll ask this other question while you're looking that up. So, Kenny had talked about the CAT aid or the CAT money that comes in tax money comes in as revenue currently that comes in as revenue. We use that to offset the operating budget I believe when when you're putting it together. Correct. >> So, so whether we put it in directly to the special education fund or then we basically say take revenues away so it's going to end up increasing our operating budget by the $100,000. So, it's like one of the You're choosing one way to put the money in versus another way because that money would be offsetting.
047So it's six to one and a half dozen or the other. >> It does. However, the f subsequent years you're now in the catastrophic aid program. So you're still getting the funds thereafter every year. >> No, but I'm just >> I do I understand what you're saying, but the the risk that you run into is that what if you get something else >> and now and now it The IDA grant this year is 72,000. A little bit a little bit under 72,000. >> That's the regular IDA and preschool. So, with all of the talk of it being far more expensive to contract out with agencies and everything else, and it's cheaper to have in-house staff, and seeing as though the numbers of kids that are needing specialized services in our town, we've got 33 kids
048in the elementary school alone, which is about 45% of our kids. Why hasn't there been any discussion about potentially just hiring our own st to do that. Clearly, there's the the support of evidence showing that there's a greater need to do so versus contracting. Why hasn't there been any talk of changing course and staffing differently? >> We have had those conversations. These are unanticipated. >> One of you have those conversations because I've been coming consistently for a year. We have not proposed that to the board this year. Um these were unanticipated. So I guess what my question is is you all should be talking about everything in public and over the course of the past year and a half that I've been coming consistently I've been hearing the need for special ed has gotten increased
049increased increased. last year. That was a song that you sang to get the position up at the middle school and high school even though you didn't really show any kind of supportive evidence. Now we're finally starting to get a little bit of that. Why haven't we had the discussion together at your meetings to say we need to start thinking differently because this is costing us too much. Especially with all the taxpayers coming and saying you're spending too much and we can't continue to afford this. >> These are unanticipated costs this year. >> But it's not unanticipated when you have consistently seen specialed services continuously going up. I don't think it was unforeseen. I think you guys tried to turn a blind eye to kick the can down the road for as long as you could.
050And now it's biting the kids and the taxpayers. And you're putting a great strain on our teachers because these teachers are having to compensate and it's going to blow up and the taxpayers and the kids' faces. So for you to continuously say that this is unforeseen I think is just completely false. It wasn't unforeseen. I think you guys just did not want to acknowledge and address appropriately. >> Can I just ask a question? So the majority of the costs that we're seeing it sounds like were out of district placements. That's the main increase in cost that we've seen. Correct. >> Okay. And then the additional services that were needed for the two states are 33 hours and 33 hours. >> Correct. >> So those were all that were new that were added within the last
051I'm guessing the last calendar year. Yes. So services that were so the wasn't a way to necessarily see that these two students were going to need out of district placement and um you know we can potentially are there things that you would suggest I'm guessing that you're thinking of like OT's and PTS and having them not provided by um agencies that we're bringing in if those agencies and everything that we contract is so expensive and you're saying it's five and 10 and 50% more then why are we not and you're saying that our own staff is cheaper That is part of it. It is part of it. The contracted services that we bring in that cost more to work with kids at the public schools. Um, however, sometimes students have to go to an out
052of district placement regardless of what we have here. And even for schools where you have your BCBA and you have your own OT and all those positions, they still have uh 10% of their special ed population at out of district placements. So sometimes a student needs to go to an out of district placement regardless of what you have in in place. Um but certainly, you know, um I'm all for proposing positions to bolster up what you have at school. That is certainly something that only makes the school stronger. They put in services that can help a lot of students even though without IEPs. Um so, you know, that's a consideration for for the district for sure. >> So, back to this back to the grant. Is that how is that calcated. Is that based on
053the need of the school? >> So if we have a higher special education cost, we get a higher grant. >> I think it's based on on socioeconomic status actually. >> Okay. >> We don't we don't >> No, no, I know. But I suspect that >> it's enrollment and socioeconomic status. I would say I would think they have some back to justify how Middleton only gets 72,000 but Wolfboro gets a million or whatever. >> But it's the law is that it has to supplement not supplement what you have. It can't supplementing anything. was just explaining but hey >> um again I have another multi-part question but uh I'm assuming this has already happened but have we reviewed the original Warren article and as far as the language in the article and how or what it can
054be allocated to I I don't know >> I I I couldn't find the original article when we when this fund was set up in time for the meeting so I wasn't able to read the langage of the original article. >> So, I'm just ensuring that somebody has actually reviewed it. >> We We might want to consult someone who's aged that goes back in time. So, perhaps Mr. Mullen could help. So, >> the honorable minister, >> I I just I don't know what the language is and it might prohibit certain expenditures, it might not. I don't know. So, the article is to see if the Middleton School District will vote to raise and appropriate up to the sum of $100,000 to be added to the special education trust fund previously established. The sum to come from
055the June 30, 2026 fund balance available for transfer on July 1, 2026. No amount to be raised for taxation. No, what I'm asking is is the original article that was utilized to set up the trust fund because that article will outline the article and can't expend from the >> the article that created the trust fund. >> I see. >> So, I just don't know if we actually because right now I I'm assuming that what we're doing is is valid. But for all we know, we could read that article there and it might limit the amount per year you could withdraw. It might limit your expenses. I don't know. I never put eyes on the original article that was used to set that up. Oh, that's never happened. Scott, >> my my computer has frozen, but
056I have all the ballots from the beginning of time for the middle school district as you know, and it looks like it was established in 2005 that I want to go to a document in my computer and I'm frozen, of course. >> So, so that was my first question. Uh my second question is is as far as the trustee in the approval, what is the process if she submits and the trustee says no that doesn't qualify? >> To be honest, I haven't had that experience before. All of the purchased orders