001[Music] You're welcome. [Music] >> All right, I'm calling the meeting to order so we stand for the [Music] Rebecca's going to be a little late, so I'm filling in for her. I experiment any public [Music] question. >> Can you say anything? >> Sure. >> Do you want the mic? >> Excuse me. [Music] I think I um I was wondering how much residual funding was left from the uh 24 25 budget. Um, so we're going to talk about that more when we talk about the budget, but she just said that the numbers are available. Yeah, >> sorry. We're going to talk about that more. when we get to the budget in that >> so I'll get my answer then >> yes >> okay [Music] so somebody haven't closed for that time period yet so we don't
002have that answer they're still processing over two months, correct? >> The fiscal year ends period. So it hasn't been two months yet. >> When? >> June period. So it hasn't been two months yet. >> Typically, how long does it take to have this? Uh we typically shoot for September 1st, not the final. >> September 1st. >> That's correct. So I'll just ask my next question not knowing whether there is um so I rer that um some sort of propaganda video went out to a select group of taxpayers claiming that the school was in a budget crisis and the sky was going to fall down and all this stuff [Music] and what he >> So we've already talked about this extensively at previous meetings. So I would encourage you to read those minutes to find our
003respons. Well, perhaps towards the end of the meeting, ask them again to like the chair to speak to that. >> What was your video somehow? >> I'd like the chair to speak to that. >> Where is the chair? >> She'll be here when she gets out of work as soon as possible. >> Oh, one other question. Um, how much does the school board get paid for? School board members. Um the school board receives this false but the said that if you email them it's hard to deal with other to school board members. If you like that information, you can email the SEU office. They can send that to you. >> So, you know, I can't just ask and have a meeting and get an answer. >> That's not all the information that we have with
004us today. And this is for public questions like that. Information office and they can provide that to you. >> Yes. Tell me how much they might be. They do not have all that information with them. If you like they can email that they can provide that to you. Uh is there a gender is there? [Music] We do the acceptance of minutes. Make a motion to accept the meeting as All in favor. [Music] Thank you very much. So to begin the superintendent report, I would like to turn it over to our new principal, principal Ivy Le Carlson. Um I will give an update about her um summer and updates regarding Middleton Elementary School and then I'll move down my report. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Hello everybody. Um so this has been a pretty
005busy summer for Middleton Elementary School. Um first and foremost I've had a chance to meet with many stakeholders um in the town. some families, many staff members, and I want to say thank you to everybody for the warm welcome um and for the positivity that you have brought. I've also had a chance to meet with the police and fire, and we've been working together to take a look at some of our safety procedures. Um we've also been spending time revising the family handbook. We should be able to get that out to families soon. Um, you'll notice if you look through our halls that our custodial staff has been busy waxing and readying our classrooms for the first day of school and we're really excited about that. And I would be remiss if I did not
006offer a thank you to our staff who worked our ESY program uh this year to help students receive the services that they need. Things went really smoothly and we were so thankful um for a great summer program. I also wanted to invite everybody. We have a meet and greet on August 28th at 3:00 p.m. uh for families and students to be able to meet this year's classroom teacher as well as other staff. And our open house on September 25th at 5:30 and I'm working with our PTA to hopefully be able to uh provide a little something extra at that event. So stay tuned for some details. Um that's what I have. Thank you all so much. Thank you very much. Any questions from the board for the principal at this time? Okay. Thank you. The
007next item on the agenda is water testing. We do have a special guest who Ivy will bring up on uh virtual meeting. Um but I'll introduce this item. Um we found that um the um the levels in the water at Milton Elementary uh were reaching um a dangerous level. It didn't exceed um the maximum allowed for the federal uh requirements, but it did exceed the New Hampshire requirements for arsenic. Um there's much more to learn. I'm not going to um speak for the expert. Um, but as a as a precaution, we brought in some water bubblers for, you know, for the summer while we're working on this. Um, so there are bubblers out there um right next to the water fountains. Um, Michael Hogley Pierce is going to um speak to us and sort of
008participate virtually. He's from Second Wing Water Systems. And Second Wing Water Systems is the organization who works with many many schools um many school districts in the state to um to do testing to analyze the testing and to make um proposals on how to mitigate um if there's anything that comes up in the water testing. Um it's very um complex. So um without further ado, I is ready 2 minutes. So, he is um getting set up. I'm going to turn off the doors for better sound. So, Michael is going to join us on a on Google Meet. And this laptop is connected in our sound system. So, not this one, that one. So hopefully everyone can hear Michael on the laptop and the board will pass this over if you have questions for him. So
009get him set up in one minute. He provided some information to us. He provided a proposal to us. I think there are a couple options. So, he can cover that with us and we can also share with the board um funding options depending on what you would like to do tonight or have further discussion. Hopefully, it doesn't get too warm in here, but I feel like it's okay. [Applause] [Music] Hello. Can you hear us? >> Hi. Can you hear me? >> Yes. I'm going to turn you around. I'm going to turn you around so you can see us. >> Hello. I let you into Michael. Obviously, turn this up so I can hear a bit better. >> Thank you for taking the time. >> Hi, Michael. This is Caroline Erician. I'm the superintendent. Nice to
010I think we've met >> at other districts. Thank you so much for being here tonight. >> Um, >> thank you for noting this virtually. You make my life a lot easier. Absolutely. Absolutely. So, oh, perfect. So, I'm hoping that you could, you're here with the Middleton School Tool Board and we have some public with us as well. Um, if you could um share some of the findings that you have brought to, you know, for Middleton Elementary water and then um your process, you know, a little bit of the the testing. It's a it's kind of a complex process with all the different phases. And then I know you put you provided us with an option or two of of what the school board could do. >> I'd love to put some context on that. Um
011I'm going to try not to go too far down the the scientific rabbit hole, but I have to go a little bit down it and I'm going to take you with me very gently if you'll allow me to because it'll make a lot more sense if I can. So currently your your treatment system as it exists is what we call an ion conditioner. It's sort of a water softener but sort of not. I'll get into that in a minute. And it's followed by a much bigger tank which is called a neutralizer and that contains little pieces of water calcium carbonate. And when that dissolves as the water goes through it, it makes the water less acidic and less corrosive. So to take a step back, look at that first piece of equipment. It's it's what
012we call mixed bed. So a lot of what happens through ion exchange, which is like a software happens because it's either a positive or a negative charge. Generally speaking, it's not a great idea to try to mix those two medias together and have them do their job together at the same time because they don't work the same way and it just generally doesn't get very effective results. But that's the tank that you folks have currently. It's got 4 cubic feet of media. One of them is anion, which is the kind that pulls out uranium, arsenic, and the other side is softer media, and it pulls out hardness and iron. And they both regenerate with a salt brine. We don't have to talk about why, but they work sort of the same way mechanically, but chemically
013they don't work together very well. Uh, which is why we don't really install a system like this and have it for probably 20 years. We used to it just didn't make sense and we based it out. So, it's doing a couple of things. It's pulling the harness now and you don't have a ton of either uh little bit, but those are not talents and generally speaking, you don't have any infrastructure issues for elements. So I don't know that we really need to worry too much about that really. It's the other side of the equation, the annion side of the equation which is pulling out the ars. The problem is that there's two two kinds of if you remember back to chemistry class veance is there's three and five and three is problematic. It's a almost
014every technology we try to approach it with it resists. Five is very amenable and allows us to remove it fairly easily. You guys have a balance of about half and half, but that shifts from moment to moment with waterfall. The system you have now is an anti air conditioner. Pulls out all of the files, but none of the three just by design. That's the way it works. So I propose a treatment proposal that's got a couple of kind of down target but I think you should look at holistically. Um, the first thing is to take that annion cation mixed conditioner, pardon me, remove the media that's currently in it that's been there for a while and it's not doing what it's supposed to and put all an ion media in there. And that will give
015you much more ability to pull out all of that arsenic 5 versus just having a very small amount of media to do that in a big tank. I would recommend also including an element to oxidize the arsenic 3 into five which is fairly straightforward. We do it with what's called a chemical feed pump. It's a very small lunchbox size parasel pump can then lose its prime. It's very predictable. We dial it in. It injects into an injection point in the pipe. puts a little bit of chlorine in the water and that chlorine is taken up by the arsenic and it turns the arsenic from arsenic 3 to arsenic 5 which makes it much easier to remove it with that annion conditioner as it only wants to remove five. So I'm going to take a break
016here I'm a very fast talker and I know I'm not talking to a bunch of water people so I don't want to see if there's any questions in the room before I go any further. >> Yes. Good evening. Heather Kman here. So, uh I'm trying to catch up this additional pump for converting. Um what are we looking at in terms of you know maintenance? What is involved for installation all that kind of stuff? >> Pardon me. So it's what's called a paristoic pump. So most pumps people think about have a a diaphragm or a stroke and it goes in and out like a piston and this is more like a triangle inside of a circle and the triangle turns and squeezes the tube that's in between the triangle and the circle. It's almost like grabbing
017the toothpaste tube from the bottom and squeezing the toothpaste up through it. It pulls solution from a reservoir in that way and it just injection. So we get involved in each of those things. They're very low maintenance. I believe the PM, which we recommend here, is in the $5 to $600 range for that parasaltic pump. So, you would want to do that once a year or you'd want to train one of your facilities folks to learn how to do that. And we can help you with that, too. >> They're very predictable. I've got them in dozens of schools. >> And you talked about converting the ionic conditioner to being was it anon only? Did I understand that correctly? Sorry, there's a lot of echo on what you just said I do. >> You were talking
018about the ionic conditioner and turning that into from a mixed bed to the an only. Did I hear that right? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, what's >> from a mix bed to an correct? >> What's involved with that process? >> I'm sorry. What was that? >> What's involved with that process? >> I'm I apologize. I'm still having a hard time thinking, but I think there's a cat in your room on speaker or something. Can you hear me if I talk into the >> Yes, that's super clear that you I'm sorry. >> Okay. Um, she wants to know what is involved in the process. >> It's it's very straightforward. For a tank that small, we actually can do the extraction ourselves. So, we come in with a really small vacuum unit. We spin the the head
019the top off of the tank. We pull the old stuff out. We put in a funnel. We put new stuff in. We run it through it cycles. Make sure it's doing what it's supposed to. test the pre-water quality and the postwater quality, make sure it's doing its job, and then it's off and running. And the nice thing is that will only have to regenerate probably every 30 days. So, your saltine is going to go way down. Your discharge into your septic salt solution is going to go way down. Whereas, right now, you're probably with mostly cat and they're probably regenerating every 3 or 4 days. We would cut that down order of magnitude to like probably 30 days. this annion doesn't really need to regenerate very >> so that's gohead please >> if we do
020these two things that's that will help bring the arsenic levels where they're supposed to be >> we should the big challenge we have with your site is then got a high pH so normally that's a good thing that your water is not acidic it's not corrosive but almost all the media that wants to remove arsenic does not really like high pH. I'm actually been with four different schools that have almost your exact same scenario this month where we have high pH and arsenic and we're trying to find a smart way to do it. You have a lot more options cuz we can go to drain which means we can use this regenerative ion exchange annion technology which is really kind of the best way to do this. Um, I can't guarantee the efficacy of this
021based on the fact that your pH is so high because the the people that make the media that I'm employing in this job, their charts don't go that far. So, it should work for 10 years. We've got sites where it's work for 10 plus years before we have to rebend the media. And that's a 4 cubic essentially the same cost you're looking at now. $5,700 plus inflation in 10 years. But you shouldn't have to do anything other than the yearly DMs that you should be doing on this unit anyway. I think you're doing with us. Other than that, it would be a onetime cost incurrence and it should be fine. We haven't seen media written down currently by virtue of your water chemistry. I just have to throw that out there to be really transparent.
022So, and there's a little bit more here. I just wanted to kind of catch my breath and let everyone catch up if I gone too far. Okay, so the last piece, excuse me, the the last piece on this would be sort of a a belt and spenders approach. Sorry, I'm still here. um this would be fully redundancy uh to include an absorber and that's the the big cost item on this proposal is the the 18,000 and change. So essentially an adver is a piece of technology that will pull out arson 3 and it will pull out R 5. It doesn't care. The three takes up more capacity but it will pull out. The thing is it's not regenerative. So it has fix this capacity of how much it can pull out. And once it hits
023that capacity, it starts to go right on through how long it should last at least 10 years. But I land there just too The area [Music] that you Oh, that's always problems. I I understand I understand the oxation and you less than 60 And if you want to do that for 6 months and say all right I'm not sure. Thank you very much. We're just experiencing a passing raintorm. I hope it's happening, but just as we're conversations, any other um questions for the board as we're talking about um options um we were looking at these proposals. So there are a few options here at a few different price points and um so has a building maintenance trust. We currently have a billion trust. The balance is $264,000. Okay. Uh the process for spending the trust
024is that you would have to have a public hearing. Um so um what's good about that is that you don't have to make decisions tonight. We would have to schedule a public hearing in order for you to allow us to expend on the trust. and you would have to notice that I think in 7 to 10 days um you know make sure that you know that was noticed accurately um and then at that meeting we would have another discussion about these options. So, we could even invite Michael again because I don't know um who else could explain all of that as well. And um you know, we could review the options. And then at that time during the public hearing, you could um talk about whether or not you'd like to make a motion to
025expend the building and maintenance trust. So whether that was 5,000 or 10,000 or 24,000, I think there were three different price points there. But that would be another opportunity for you to ask questions, for the public to ask questions, uh, and to make a decision about that. >> I believe so. >> I we wouldn't know that at this minute. We would have to take a look to see if we have 5,000 um in an account that would have been budgeted for something else. So, possibly, but we'd have to look carefully to make sure we could answer that for you. >> I apologize. I could only parse about a third of that. >> No worries. >> But I'm happy. It sound like you're looking at an opportunity for me to talk to some other folks. I'm
026always happy to do that. Ask my wife. Uh so I'm happy to I'm happy to sit down with who wants to have a conversation and dig deeper. Just from sort of a historical point of reference, your the way that these things are measured is on what's called a running average and it's usually four quarters averaged together. Uh your running average is 4.88 and the maximum pound level is five. So effectively if your third quarter and I didn't look this week to see if we had a third quarter reading for you cuz I don't know if we've taken that recording yet but if it exceeds 4.9 you're going to be at violation status which means you're going to have to not only post but the state's going to really want an action plan for you. The
027truth is I probably shouldn't tell you this as the sales guy. The state never rushes you to do anything as long as you let them know you're making progress. You're okay. I'm happy to work with you however this makes sense. Thank you very much. If we have a public hearing, I feel pretty confident that we would invite you back. >> Any other questions for Michael before we let him go on the testing or the science side of it all? >> My email I think is on the threads with most of the folks here or anyone who wants it, please grab it from Ivy or somebody else. I'm always happy to have an offline conversation if you want to delve deep into some um really happy to have that talk. So don't be shy myself. >>
028Thank you very much. >> Thanks for coming. >> All right folks, thank you. Have a great night. >> Okay. So, as far as water testing is concerned, uh would the board like us to move forward with a public hearing or would you like to discuss it at a later time? >> I don't want to delay. I certainly don't want to delay it, but I do want to see if we can avoid touching the trust if possible. That's just my personal opinion. Um, I don't know. >> What is the cost of our current intermittent water solution? >> I don't understand your question. >> Oh, the So, in case of the bubblers right now, what we're doing with the water >> Yes. Sorry. >> Right now, adjust installed. So, it's like $6.99 per month and then the
029bottles are a certain amount. The expectation is this is supposed to be water for cooking, water for all the students to drink. So, I imagine school temp. Um I kind of like the idea of just doing something that could last for 10 years. If we only did the 5,000 option, then how long would we then have to do the increase? 18,000. We're going to need to as a designer discuss strategic planning moving forward in terms of is this school building going to be expansion? How do we do that? And I think any discussion about that should be discussed with the expansion of any sort of water system. So I think we're doing a long-term fix on that right now to me doesn't make sense. I think I think it should be part of I actually
030put in parking lot item. We're going to start talking about strategic planning moving forward that we should absolutely water system as part of our future planning as well. But I think we want to try and do something for school district after school. So my thought is I would make the motion if we are able to find so it's a conditional motion. if we're able to find the funds to cover the 4,300 I need um for the first portion of the request invoice. um that we do that and if not then we as an alternative then we can put it forward notice um from the house you I Sorry, I'm trying to have everybody here kind of look at all of the options by I used to Heather's point, if we did need to expand, would
031um is that money able to come from the building and maintenance trust? orientation. >> The building. Um, so as far as whether to have a hearing or to share more information at your next meeting in September, um, if you either one, we can have more information for you. So we can have information as far as if um, you know, their funds exist for 5,000 in an account and where that would come from um, in your budget. So we could give you a few options for that. Um and so that would be something that we would have available to you. So you could decide whether to use it or whether to extend. So you could you could do that at a hearing or you could do that. If he did that at the meeting and it
032was not noticeable as a public hearing, you could not, you know, you could not send out a trust if it's not specifically a hearing for. But, you know, if you wanted to um wait on that and just ask us for information September meeting, that's something you can do. So, we could bring that information in the September meeting or we could have a hearing and you can hear Are we under contract the second week where he as far as I was saying we're not bound by um Second W. The test results are the test results. Second W does not do the test results. They send them to a licensed analytical company. So the test results are not negotiable. Those are they are reported right away to the state. Um but second there there are other water
033companies like them um that yes we could get another from get them in show them the results and have them provide us with on what their recommendations are I just feel like so my thought behind that was so that we could show the town that we're doing some due diligence getting second round and I think that would help us see you to is this the best solution and is it the best price for for the work? Um, you know, I know they're reputable company. They do this all the time. >> If we notice this as a public meeting, we still have the option to take it from funds if they are available and decide to do that as a light of that information and then go ahead and it for next month. But I want
034to make a decision next month that I feel like the one delay I feel is is compromising the students and the staff. So I want to try and not push this down is absolutely necessary. But I think having having other reports on that meeting as well. Um, so we could, um, yes, we could we could have a hearing at the beginning of your room's meeting. Um, or it could be a different night. Um, but we usually notice them for the same night as your typical monthly meeting. And we could have all that information for you. So we could, you know, bar, you know, barring if um, a second company responds back to us in time. Um, you could have you could have a second quote and you could also have information about um if funds
035exist in other accounts um if they're available in the district. So there was motion motion. Is there another motion? Uh I'll make a motion to hold the public hearing at the start of our September school board meeting to review additional potential additional meetings. [Music] volunteer. >> Thank you. Any other comments or questions about water testing before moving on? Okay. Next item uh under superintendent report under this agenda is uh board community proposal. that page. There we go. So, um this is a proposal to um appoint two members to serve on committees to support the board's work in key operational areas. So, first we're proposing to reinstate academic affairs committee. So, this is a policy review committee. So for policy review committee um this would be due to the board's full membership with the New Hampshire
036school boards association we now have access to the full policy database. So this resource helps to support our ongoing work to bring all middleton school district policies into compliance with state and federal legislation. So, we recommend reinstating a policy committee um that would review and revise policies on a quarterly basis, prepare recommendations ahead of full board meetings, uh ensure compliance with applicable laws and best practices, and keep the full board policy process efficient and informed. So um this is part of your policy process that already exists within your policies about how to review and adopt policies. Uh so we would recommend meeting quarterly because two members of the board meeting as part of that committee could review along the policy and then it would you know they can't approve policy on their own. They would
037vote to move to the full board. No committee can um act on their own. It has to always be moved to the full board. So they would review a long list of policies, move to the full board, and then it's required for the board in your policy to have a first read and a second read. So that's why it's quarterly. You could have a meeting and then move to have it read first view read by the board and then the second meeting would be the second read and adoption and then you'd have another academic affairs committee meeting to review policy and so on and so on. So that is my first proposal and I have a proposed motion in there if the board um agrees with that proposal and my second proposal is about the
038finance committee. So as you know we were already appointed as finance committee members who also are leaons to the town budget committee. So, the finance committee helps with budget preparation um and reviews monthly finances, both of those things. So, we would like to propose a meeting structure so there's a place and a time for you to meet with FAO before meetings, particularly during the budget process. So, really essentially now through December. So, we're saying um or proposing this committee would meet in the fall to review and collaborate on the ne next fiscal year school budget, collaborate with administration to ensure priorities are reflected and present a preliminary budget proposal to the full board in December. So, of course, you would report out to the full board every month. We don't want to work in isolation
039month after month. However, that's what we would be working toward. These committee meetings would be public. People from the public could attend these committee meetings whether it's policy or finance. Um but this is what we envisioned that before and this may not work their schedule. So you can you know meet anytime but we were thinking before this meeting two board members could meet on policy and two board members could meet on finance and then when we start our meeting we would have those as running agenda items and review with the committees um you know move to the full board. So we have um proposed motions for both and the board can certainly discuss. I'll just add that all committee meetings would be publicly noticed and conducted in accordance with RSA 91A. Uh and as I
040said, committees will report regularly to the full board and all decisions and adoptions will remain the responsibility of the full board. No committee can act on its own. I'm happy to take any questions or if the board is any make a motion to reinstate the academic affairs policy committee and appoint and Martell to serve. >> Sorry. [Music] Motion to approve the organizational Fantastic. Thank you very much. We will be in touch with all of the policy review materials and our meeting uh schedule. Okay. So, next on the agenda is emergency policy authorization. So, there are three sub items under this agenda item emergency policy authorization. First is request waiver of policy EGP. That's the policy adoption process where it requires first and second read that I discussed earlier. And then I have two policies under
041the waiver request. Policy AB, New Hampshire parental bill rights and policy JICJ, unauthorized communication devices. These two uh policies reflect law that New Hampshire just that were just signed into law um by I think effective July 1st. And so both the school boards association and uh our legal consultants recommend that school boards uh adopt policy effective immediately to reflect those laws. So we have um brought draft um draft policies for you to review. Um but first would be a request to um wave EGB um as the first proposed motion so that we could then adopt two other policies. Um here tonight I provided three um proposed motions at the back of that memo and then after that certainly uh I'm happy to explain um those other two policies if the board uh would like to
042move forward with those adoptions. So I will make a motion to wave the policy I'll make a motion to wave the policy BGP which requires two readings of the proposed policy due to the emergency need for compliance with newly enacted state laws. >> I'll second the motion. >> All in favor? So even if you don't like these policies, we really have >> technically that is true. Technically um and and this is what uh school districts and school boards are wrestling with across the state at this time. um in that you know we as school employees have to have to follow the law regardless. Um the policies approving the policies help us help the administrators because um you know it shows that you know that that uh it's not just our rules that we have to
043follow the laws. It's that the school board also uh you know is acknowledging that these are laws and we have to follow state laws. Um, there's a lot to the printable bill of rights. Um, it's two and a half pages long and I know that the unauthorized communication devices brings up a lot of questions as well. Happy to answer any questions or you could make motions for discussion. Let me go. I will make a motion to adopt policy 18 rights using the state mandated required by law. All in favor I I did line it up and it's not what we have is not out of alignment with what the law says. So that's why I say I don't like the content but um it is in line with the legislation that was passed. It's not
044anything that is overreaching beyond the scope that I can see. Um, I will make a motion to adopt the policy for unauthorized communication devices in compliance with new state legislation. student use of communication devices. >> All in favor? >> I do have a question or point. Are we letting anyone know who would fall into the exceptions that if they don't have an IEP plan that they need to do that? >> We know she means business. Um, I just wanted to make sure that any child that is using their device for glucose monitoring or something else like that has the 504 plan their parent guardian they need to get that in place of violation to explain these new Thank you. Yes. Uh my last comment was that we will send out communication outlining uh these new
045policies and laws, what it means, what it doesn't mean, how we're responding to that. We'll have information in student handbooks um and uh information, you know, for parents. So thank you very much. Next on superintendent report agenda e authorization to suspend. So this and the next authorization to sign asurances for grants. These are two asurances that the an authorization that um every board uh reviews every year at this time. So the authorization to suspend is we the Middleton school board recognize superintendent Dr. Caroline Garrick Kellian and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Caitlyn Hills as our representatives and authorize them to suspend students from school for up to 10 days in accordance with RSA 1931 13- IB for the school year 2025 2026. The superintendent may designate this authority to the school principal. Furthermore, the superintendent and assistant
046superintendent are authorized following a hearing to continue the suspension of a pupil for a period in excess of 10 school days up to a total of 20 days. So, if the board makes a motion to um authorize the superintendent to suspend as presented, uh the full board would sign this document >> and 20 days is the max, right? Yes, there would need to be right and um they would always have to be. Yes. Okay. parents can can choose not to have one, but they have a right to have a right to >> Are there [Music] all in favor? [Music] The next item is authorization to sign asurances for grants. So we the Middleton School Board authorize Superintendent Dr. Caroline Eric Gillian, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Caitlyn Hills, business administrator Cathy Glennis andor director of curriculum Daniel
047Harvey to sign the assurances for all grants and requests to and from trust funds according to board policy and all legal requirements for the school year 2025 2026. So the legal requirements would include a public hearing. So if you agree to that uh you the board would sign that document. Second. >> All in favor? I request superintendent report. >> Absolutely. We will move right along. Second to last item, food service costs. So, every year at this time, we're required to review food service costs to stay in compliance. So, I'll turn it over to Kathy Owlis regarding the um update this year. Thank you. Uh please don't shoot the messenger. Every year we do have to fill uh out a date or yeah the state required uh Excel spreadsheet called the price lunch equity tool. Um
048it is part of the national school lunch program application. I have to fill it out. I have to submit it. Um, and this is where I say we are behind in what we are charging for a full paid lunch. Um, this year that we just finished up. The students pay the full pay students pay $3.25 for a lunch. Um, running the numbers through the price lunch at school. We are $1.13 behind from previous years, not raising the price um enough. Um, and I am proposing that we raise it uh 25 cents. So that would be $3.50 for this new fiscal year. It still means we're running behind, but at least we're in compliance. We've raised the prices um and we're going to continue to move through. So that is what I'm proposing. I need the
049um motion and a second to accept Does anyone have >> What does being that far under budget do? >> It doesn't do anything at the moment. We're showing that we are raising and we're meeting the minimum requirement that is that is required. Minimum. No, it just shows that and we have to submit this every year. If we don't submit it or if we submit it incorrectly, it gets shot back and our national school lunch program application does not get approved by the state or the federal government. So, we are we are in compliance. We are raising the prices. We're running the pool the tool and and submitting it with our application. Um, it just isn't something that we have to >> Well, we have to I have to keep calculating that. It tells me to
050take that shortfall from the previous fiscal year, add it into this new Excel spreadsheet, and continue to keep going. But it's we're still in compliance. We're raising the price. I mean, if you approve this, if you don't, then then there is an issue, unfortunately. No, which is I don't have any more information than that. There really has not been any other information that I'm aware of to say at some point in time they're going to you've got to do it all that they understand that this is um a difficult situation to have to raise prices for families >> and for the whole thing. >> Has the free or reduced lunch program funding gone away this year? >> No. No. This is still in existence. Yeah. Nothing's changed about it. >> Yeah. There's been no change
051to this tool. It's still requiring the same information, the same, you know, it's inflation. It's it's the cost of um the the the rebate or not the rebate but the um claims that we get back once you know every month the food service director has to submit the claims for the free the reduced and the full paid lunches as well as breakfast. that this just um uh capitalizes on the lunch and we need to make sure that we are charging enough on a full pay lunch because what we get back as a claim from the federal government is higher than what we're charging which we're not here to make money and neither is the government. So they want to make sure that we're not shortfalling price lunch. You've explained this to me before, so forgive
052me. But so basically, it means that we have more people getting free and reduced lunch than no >> no >> than previous or no. >> It has nothing to do, >> believe it or not, it has nothing to do with how many students qualify. It has nothing to do with how many lunches we serve. It it signifies what the federal government is giving us back in in claims. So giving us revenue back um on each paid lunch. So what they're giving us back is like $41 and we're charging $3.50. So they're saying or we were charging $3.25. So that that claim amount each year goes up. So it, you know, the claim for the the free that goes up. I don't have it right in front of me, but cuz that's what not this this
053doesn't address that and it doesn't need to, but it's the the full paid lunch is what it needs to address. We need to make sure that we're charging enough to cover obviously our cost, but cover what the federal government is giving us back for lunch that we're, you know, that we're selling that whole day. So we're upside down. other words, >> right? >> It's a federal government standard. They do it. I'll make a motion to increase the price of lunch from 325 to 350. >> Okay, you got your second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I'm going to start conversation. Thank you. Last item on my superintendent report. We can catch you uh financial reports. So, um as always, Kathy has provided the financial reports and I'll add that um a new feature that Kathy
054is bringing is uh a financial summary. So you can see some um observations, total budget, year-to- date incumbences, remaining balance, percent remaining, and overall summary. There are just some highlights for discussion. Um but if you have any questions for Kathy, please let us know. It's one month. >> Yeah. This is from June 30th. >> July 1st. >> July. >> Was there a change of disability insurance on page three? Um It just says 238 for the percentage. Looks like we didn't plan for that meeting. I know the office of super. That's just an encumbrance in there. It hasn't been paid. It looks like the um total amount was grouped into that line and it shouldn't be. So I'll make a mark and I'll go back to the office to see how that was encumbered. That should
055be encumbered on online. So it should be distributed throughout the the budget all the different functions. General question. Um, do we Medicaid for qualifying students for in school services? I believe it did. >> Okay. I think so. Any other questions for us? Okay, thank you very much. That concludes the superintendent's report. I can speak to chairperson's report. >> Sure. >> So, our first agenda item under chairperson's report is the Middleton Education Association contract update and signing. So, we're happy to share publicly, this first meeting since the final vote, that the middle the teachers contract passed at the recount at the end of June. Uh, so we wanted to publicly acknowledge that and I can say on behalf of the district, we're we're very pleased and happy for the teachers. Um, we do have a copy
056of that, I believe, in your folder for the chair to sign and um, we went through that with a fine tooth comb both sides. So that is clear when you're ready to sign that. >> Okay. >> And then um next is budget committee update. Uh we provided um answers to questions in your packet for your information and for your discussion. Um and then we also provided some data. The board requested that we bring some staff data to this meeting. So we brought that as well. So, I'll turn it over to the board if you'd like to discuss the budget community questions and answers and then also the staff analysis. [Music] >> I did the budget committee >> for the budget committee question one. And I just wanted to know if we could put in when
057we would be able to expect to show the grant payments on the budget so that there is kind of a an idea of when that would those figures would start showing up because there was a question about them not being present. So >> I understand that. >> Um also on number nine the grants that we applied for just says all entitlement grants apply to receive. Can we list out all of them? I think that would be helpful to see what we actually have. Um, and then I would just rephrase number 10. It's just this would be for future win by the board. >> Thank you for putting this together. Do you know when we could would it be October 1st, 2025 when we could expect to get the enrollment numbers for the school year? Just
058the last year >> because these are for October 1st, 2024. >> That's when you're required Okay. >> So, we can let them know like our total meeting will have 20 enrollment numbers. >> Yes. Okay. We budgeted for the bus drivers and the support staff to get a pay rate this year. Did you do the 3% last year or the bus driver the pay rate from a couple years ago? >> No, they were increased 3%. So they were up to $2122. >> Okay. Does anyone else have any questions? All right. And then next topic is staff data. >> Okay. All right. So we can move into proposing activities, advanced planning, meeting dates and events. So um August 25th, we have new staff orientation. Staff and service days are that week, the 26th through 28th. Sorry, we
059never had a break. Um August 28th, um the middle school meet and greets and the high school jump start. Um, as principal Ivy said, August um, 28th, the Middleton Elementary School meet at 3:00 p.m. First day for students, September 2nd. Schoolboard meeting, the next school board meeting will be September 10th. Um, the middle school openhouse also that day, earlier that day. Uh the open house is on the 18th uh for the high school and then the Middleton Elementary School open house 5:30 on September 25th. >> Thank you very much. And then we will move into public input. >> Um I asked some questions for you. >> Can you just state your name? I'm sorry. >> Uh J. >> Thank you. Go ahead. >> Um, I asked some questions before you got here. Um, to be
060honest, I I don't really know uh which one that they wouldn't answer that they said they were waiting for you for. So, I guess I'll just start from the beginning. Uh, first off, I'd like to know how much money residual money was left from last year's budget. Uh so that one we had stated that we should have those numbers after September 1st. >> Yeah. No ballpark. No. Okay. Which led me to say I'm assuming there is some money left over. Um then I brought up the point that um I've heard recently um rumors maybe window that there was some sort of uh propaganda video put out from you guys going home to a select group of taxpayers and it was stated that uh the school was in a budget crisis and basically noticed has been
061going to fall down. The teachers are optimally if uh the budget will be put together. So, I don't know if that's true or not. Um but, uh I didn't even get a confirmation if there was a video at home or anything. So, I guess we could start there. Uh the video that you're speaking of was that back during the deliberative session and around that time period. >> Well, it was before you watching >> Yeah, I think it was back in February, correct? There was anformational meeting that was posted. Was it I don't even know where it was posted. Was on Facebook or on the a while ago? >> Yes. And I think it was posted on the town like the Middleton Facebook page. Correct. So it wasn't sent out to anyone. There was a video
062that was posted to provide information. Um the town did come forward and said that they felt that it was they felt that it was leading. So we made a formal apology about that. Um but it was just to encourage involvement and to provide information. But it wasn't sent to necessarily specific. It was just posted on Facebook. Did it say that the school was in a budget crisis? >> It I don't even remember what it stated. >> But yes, it was >> available for viewing. >> I believe it's still on the internet, >> but yes, there was conversations that people were concerned with the wording that was used for budget crisis, but we were concerned because with the budget that was proposed, there would be a significant shortage. >> Well, um the other question that I
063asked how much you guys got paid. They don't want to answer that either. But I would submit to you that if the town's people are paying you guys, somebody's watching the budget. And I, you know, I I understand because it was explained to me tonight how complex the school budget is and having person isn't smart enough to understand it. But, uh, that's what a and you guys can do. So, um, I just know from, uh, working with other, excuse me, town budgets, um, that we usually keep a pretty close eye on it and know if we're going to run out of money because they are in crisis. So, um, I guess my next question would be the production of the video. Is that something that we people paid for? >> No, it wasn't something that
064anyone paid for. >> Okay. So, who made the video? >> So, I think at this point we should move forward for the video. It's in the past it's been I I want these answers and I think as a taxpayer I deserve it. I should be able now I'll apologize for not trusting you at your word that it didn't cost us any money but when it appears that you basically lied to people and said there was a crisis when there wasn't. So I think that so I think that's >> I don't understand why I I would like an answer on you know you say it didn't cost any money fine then who made it the other question I would have >> so stop for a second the school board had no invol we didn't as a
065board did not have any involvement in making the video >> really >> I I had no involvement in making the video >> I was told that that video went home to a list of parents >> I think we need to for it being reserved three minutes for each person. But >> I've never been to events and I didn't get my I didn't get to finish asking my questions the first time I >> spoke because you weren't here. >> The video as they stated before was discussed previously in the previous meeting minutes. So we would encourage you to go there and then we'll move to the next person. Is there anyone else with any public comment? >> You don't want to tell me how much you can pay. So, as stated previously, if you would like
066that information, you can email the SAU office and they'll provide it to you. >> So, there's a line item on the budget for what the school board members are. >> One one more question. Um, how is it that all the other uh the zoning board select in um there is transparency because it's out on every town Facebook page there is and we've got a $5.5 million budget here and we get nothing out there that's easily accessed to be able to and certainly no public comment on it. >> So we share copies of the budget every month. >> You put that on all Facebook pages. Do you do you put your meetings out on Facebook pages? >> We don't have a Facebook page for that. So it's it's here every month for anyone who wants to
067come to the meeting. >> And it's on the website as well. All right. [Music] >> Couldn't hear what she said. >> She She said the school board and the school and the town that the school doesn't have a Facebook page. No, no, the the you know the all the other meetings they get taped and and I don't know generally within a couple hours it's on the two or three town Facebook pages that I look at. >> Yeah, I know the selection office has been able to do that. We tape our meetings as well and they're published on on the website. But you couldn't share that with whoever it is that's putting out other stuff out there. >> If you don't have a Facebook account, you can't share anywhere and we don't have any Facebook accounts
068for the school almost $6 million budget. You guys can probably afford a Facebook page. >> I don't disagree that that is a venue, but we can't do that in our own court. That has to be done in partnership with the superintendent's office and the school. A select board is a board in and of itself. A school board works in conjunction and it's a three- tiered system. It is not the same as a town. You cannot compare it because it is apples and oranges. So, we have a three- tiered system where you have the principal in charge of the school or the superintendent who oversees us and then you have the school board. Every arm of those three different things has different responsibilities and obligations. So it is not as easy as saying the select board
069is going to oversee this and the select board will do that. It's a very different much more complex organizational structure that we're working within. >> So do I need to ask the principal if she can put these meetings out on Facebook? Is that >> that's a great public input saying you would like to have some Facebook presence for the school. I I again I don't disagree with you but everything is put on the website and the town has desire to move us away from Facebook and only use the website. That's exactly what the school does. Everything's on the website and we don't publish things on Facebook. So it's really preference that you have to decide and the school board and then superintendent's office and principal have to decide how we want to move forward um
070each of those three systems in terms of what the Facebook presence is or is not going to be. Any other public comment off of that? I haven't been on it for a while, but last time I went on the school website, it was very difficult for me to get around and find anything on there. Um, I don't know if it's been approved or not, but I hope so. Um, beyond that, uh, what is the cost of the reduced lunch? You mentioned the full price, but what is the reduced >> 40%. >> Um, and you said you don't have the class numbers yet when October 1st. >> Okay. Um, and is the teachers contract has that been added to the budget in these budget numbers? Has it been added? Okay. Because we have a budget meeting
071Monday night. they're going to be asking and I didn't think it was. I just make sure >> uh just quickly where did you say I could find >> what was it? It was on Facebook. Was it on the middle? >> It would have been the town page. It would have been discussion the it's like the community Facebooks. I I never actually saw the video. So I think it was on the Middleton. >> I don't know what it's called. Are you able to help him for that? I don't feel but it should and it should still be there. >> Yeah, it's just back in January. February. >> Yeah. Any other public input? Okay, we will um do we have a nonpublic tonight? Okay. So, we will be going into non-public for personnel um discussion. Anything else
072you guys want to add before we go to public? I will take a motion to move to public. You're welcome. >> Motion to go into Oh. Oh my, [Music] just so you know, If that video is out there, that video cannot be removed by anyone other than the person who posted it or one of the admins, which I am one of, which it has not been removed. So, it is not that difficult for anyone to find it if that fact is still out there. And I know for a fact that was not sent to anyone privately because it was a topic of contention. So, just so that way obviously there are other people in the room that aren't on our Facebook page, just so you guys are fully aware, too. But if you ever want
073to know something, you can reach out to me since I'm an admin for the >> page and send it to whoever needs it. >> I appreciate it. >> May I ask what your name is? >> What's that? >> May I ask what your name is? >> Teresa Jones. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. [Music] Okay. Sorry. >> Do I have a second? >> Yeah. All >> given push button. Okay.