001As we're here in Parisburg Central School order agenda >> any discussion all in favor believe we're going to get a tour and report from our newest principal. or is it all in one tour right now? >> So, do we want to miss >> Oh, here's John. John, do you want me to like put you on my phone and you can listen as we walk around the school or do you just want to >> I can either way we'll take you and walk through. John, >> you're muted, John. >> Sounds good. Uh phone is fine. Sheila said she's gonna carry her computer so you'll see what she sees. >> Okay, sounds good. All right, maybe >> thanks for having me. Um, we're off to a really great start here at Bford. Have 131 students, both our
002prek students, four new classroom teachers, a new school counselor, a new special educator, a new pair professional, and we're cross hiring a um, food service provider and a new principal. So, it's a lot of new um but there's also a lot of folks here with historical knowledge that have supported me in getting us rolling and things are rolling for sure. Um so, I think the only newest things to talk about in this space um we're still working through lunch, get kids in and get kids out efficiently. Um and everyone has been really collaborative and thinking about problem solving that. And Mr. Anthony made a new rolling compost part. So, that's been helpful uh to be able to move things around. Like I said, we're hiring some of them >> for the kitchen, but Kathy and
003Paul from the collaborative have been fantastic in supporting us as we've gotten the school year started. >> Um the after school program moved, there was a lot of shifting over the summer and moving things around, including the after school program moving their supplies up onto the stage. Uh we are looking to replace the curtains at some point, but they are a costly item. So we're thinking about how we can make that. So like I said, there was a lot of shifting in order to accommodate getting the WLC, the wallets and money compromise. We'll see how things have shifted as you go. What are some of the things timing um the flow within the space mostly that also from two serving lines to one um but a few times Sorry, I lost I lost sound. So,
004this is the art room. This was the room that the Wellness and Learning Center moved into last year. And, um, of all of the the things that I heard from families, um, as I transitioned in, um, the thing that I heard the most often was, "We need our art room back. Our our students need art in the art room. Our teachers need art to happen in the art room. um our art teacher deserves to teach art in the art room. And we were able to, like I said, with a lot of compromise and a lot of um flexibility, make that happen. So, we're really excited to be able to have art happen in the art room for lots of different reasons. Um including saving our carpets. That's was a big one. Um so, we're excited
005that that's happening. And we've seen our friends that work in the WLC, they are all have also been flexible and welcomed to uh into their new space. Well, um I think the only thing to sort of note in this space is you'll see as we go through the rest of the building, every classroom now has an interactive panel like the large screen that's on the rolly cart that's in the in the gym now. Um that one actually belongs in this space. And the reason that that one is on a cart is as they went to mount it here, they found that this wall has some concern um potential water damage. And you can sort of see down at the base of the of the floor there where it's coming apart. My understanding is that it's
006brick wall on the outside and there's really just like a fake wall on the inside. So things could be mounted to it. So over um the break in November when they have a full week and they don't and likely won't be working outside. They're going to be taking this apart and fixing it up and then mounting um one of the TVs here. And then the one that's on the cart will remain on the cart. And that one will be um used by uh Morgan Katherine, the PE teacher. So she can use it much like Robin Newton uses in the PE space at Vance Elementary for heart rate monitors and all kinds of other things. And it's great for meetings like this and all school meetings that we'll have once a month. Um and so we're
007excited to be able to to shift things around. >> Could you explain what wellness and learning center means? >> Yes. Um can I do that when we get there? >> Okay. >> I wasn't sure if this it is no longer a shared space or if it's got it own space. >> It has its own space now. So we'll talk about that when we get there. Good question. We'll go just really >> helping to um sort of get rid of things that were no longer needed and help sort of minimalize some visual uh clutter and things in the space. So, we're really grateful for them. Um and we're excited. I just ordered the lettuce uh seeds today, so they'll be coming soon. So, we will be growing lettuce here uh that will be served in the
008kitchen. And um we started adding pictures to our look at us grow board things that are growing um at the garden that we've been picking and incorporating these are school meals as well. So that's that Those are our fish friends. They do not have names at this point, but I think that will be happening soon. Um, this space is for our schoolbased clinician, Gina. Um, she works with from SEESAC. Uh, she's been here the longest of any human that's works in this building. Um, she's a very fantastic resource. Um, and very, very supportive of everything that happens here. Um, right behind Mark is the regulation room. Some students have named it the rainbow room. Brings me back to my days. local people get my ears pierced down in Mbury. So, they have to remember it's
009not really what it is. Um, it's a space where students can go and spend a little time if they need to sort of regulate, decompress, take a break, um, get themselves together and and get back to class. Um, so that's a it's a great space for that. School counselor's office is behind. Um, and like I mentioned, she's new, Jess. Um, she's she I'm not sure if you all know, but she was also a K1 classroom teacher before she became a school counselor. So, she brings that background to her work, which is fantastic since she does teach weekly lessons in every classroom. So, having that is pretty great. The bulletin board uh behind here, you can see uh one class has added their tree. We're building a forest. As our classrooms fill their seed jars, um
010with individual student acknowledgements, the jars get filled. When the jar is full, they put up a tree. And when every class has two trees up, we have an all school celebration. as they get one tree, they have a classroom celebration. U Miss G's first grade filled it on Friday, >> which is exciting. And uh our art teacher, Dasha, she painted this and then she and I just wanted her to like print out some trees and she was like, "No, no, no. We're not going to do that." So, she actually painted um nine different kinds of evergreen trees that live in Vermont. >> Wow. >> And um for the nine different classrooms, and they'll be added as as they fill up their seed jars, >> which is beautiful. That'll look really great. >> Yeah, it will.
011So, we're kind of like growing our forest. And then over here is our um you can see in the logo here reflected there. Um part of the continuous improvement plan work that the um leadership team did designed and developed um last year before I was on the scene had to do with family engagement and better having a better understanding of the curriculum and the work and h not just what kids are learning, but how they're learning it and those kinds of things. um and they wanted to create some kind of interactive activities that families could do with their children at home um connected back to what's happening at school. So, uh we started um over the summer at the best conference, the PBIS conference. There was a team of us from the district uh elementary
012both elementary schools went together, spent four days in Killington um and we came up with some really great ideas. The team was very collaborative and what's happening at Ferrisburg is what we're calling project play. The theme is play to learn and learn to play. And every week students will have an activity that's sent home that is either connected to math literacy, social emotional learning, um one of the unified arts classes or um outdoor explore sort of science, nature inquiry. And they're activities that can be accessed K prek actually. They're going to uh join us pre-K through five. Um it's an activity that's pretty open-ended that could take a family. They could work on it every night for 10 minutes or 15 minutes. They could do it for a half a day on the weekend. They
013could spend 10 minutes one night. It's it's going to be open-ended to really provide access for all. As as students um complete those tasks, they're going to get raffle tickets. They're going to get to put their raffle tickets in prize buckets. And the prizes are not things. They are opportunities to connect with adults and peers at school and do more play. So things that that staff members are sort of donating their time and talent um to bring more joy and play. >> Awesome. >> Yeah, it's very exciting. So that the first one's going out this week. We're very excited. >> And that's the keyboard that was at the library. It's also clean here. This is the library. Um, our librarian is here two and a half days. Every class gets a library class, library media.
014um digital media class every week and they get to check out books and we also obviously use the books for all kinds of things uh throughout the building and classroom teachers have uh apparently it wasn't made clear but it was this year that teachers can even check out books um it was apparently that came to a surprise uh to to Morgan last year so she um Aaron has opened the library up and made it real convenient for everyone um to be able to check out books including on days when she's not here she has a signup sheet so kids can still access the materials here. And from here is a pretty good view of the garden. You can see um families helped to support the garden over the summer, signing up for a week to
015care for the garden, pick all kinds of things. There was a garden work party uh right before school started in August where we picked basil and we picked tomatoes. And the basil is going to be used to make pesto to go um as part of the harvest party that's coming up in a couple weeks. It's uh every class or every grade has been um assigned sort of a job within the garden. And um they've been uh really enjoying getting out there and picking carrots that are going to be made into muffins and picking onions that are in the the cafeteria waiting to be used and cherry tomatoes that were in our pasta salad today for the staff. So, it's been a a really great opportunity for um sort of collaborative work and and helping sort
016of grow our own food that we are we're eating and helping kids learn where that all comes from. >> What proceeds the garden? >> Cat Clear is um is sort of spearheading um and along with Judy Elson is still Judy is still very much a part of it. Um uh one shift that we made this year which was uh really Judy's suggestion and with her blessing we have paused on collecting our own compost here. Um she felt like it it's a pretty big job and there's a lot of new and she felt like that was an not a not an easy thing to give up but it was probably the right thing to to pause for now until we can sort of get everything else settled and then um our intention is to go back
017to doing it. There are a few bays in the compost shed right now that need that are ready to be turned and whatnot which we we will follow through with so we can have it for the spring. Um and then we'll we'll likely get back to it in the next year or two. headly to the wellness and learning center. Anyone cares about my office, but we can open it so you can see. It used to be >> That's just my office. I want to demo there. Um it's it's amazing. Um I came from an office at Brookes that literally had three doors in a window, none of which went to the outside. So it's pretty amazing to get to look outside and it's beautiful this summer with the flowers and everything. Um yeah, it's a
018great space to collaborate with teachers and spend time and eating lunch with kids and uh yeah, I'm very really grateful for that that space. their student name. >> No longer the staff room. One of the puzzle pieces that was shifted. Um so this is the wellness and learning center. The Wellness and Learning Center is um it's a it's a program, but it's not a placement for students in K through two, three, depending on what the needs are. Um similar to the Beacon program that's at John's Elementary for students with autism. It is um a place for students who are still learning their school readiness skills and sometimes need an alternate schedule or an opportunity to leave leave their classroom to do some of their learning in a different space. um with the support of trained
019adults. So, we have a special educator and a pair professional that work in this space. Um currently serving four kiddos. Um we were unsure after the summer what it would look like with those kiddos coming back to school and they are knocking our socks off. They're they're really doing a great job spending a ton of time in their classrooms, their assigned classrooms with their peers, which is really exciting. Um, and uh, it's a great way for us to meet the needs of of the individual kiddos and um, still have them be part of a class. Laura, do you want to add anything to that? This is Laura's brainchild. >> Well, you described it perfectly. I would just say that, you know, from a from a school board and administrative stand could have occurred. It's also
020it's also more ethically appropriate for kids to be discerned by their own school by their own teachers. So, you know, and they can more seamlessly move back into their classrooms as they're ready. So, I think it's >> Yeah. >> What happens if they're older than second grade and still need this kind of a space? Yeah, I think it's something that we we will evaluate as the as the years go on and see it, you know, is it is it a need that sort of follows a bubble of students or is it a need that kind of stretches and grows and um we'll meet the needs as as it comes. Uh there is a wellness and learning center also at the middle high school. >> Um so, uh JT the special educator here and Jeremy Brooks
021over at the middle high school are collaborating um to help sort of bring some uniformity to the way that things are happening with the wellness and learning centers. Down the hallrooms. [Music] One of each classroom. Someone hatred. better. So this is one of our two uh preschool classrooms. Um both classrooms have a preschools early childhood educator and uh support staff that support the children. And uh they're here four days a week, some days a little longer than others. And we also offer an afterare program that some family many families access um in order for the students to have more of a full day and families to be able to work. Um we are excited to really help integrate the preschool staff and students into our school. Uh in the spring we'll be doing the circus
022again with Wonderly Circus and um the prek are going to participate which is going to be the cutest thing ever. Um they're part of uh all of our all of the news that goes out, the newsletters, all of the flyers and things for school activities. They came to our ice cream social before school started. And um they're also going to be participating in our project play activities. So we're really excited to collaborate. Um this is where I come when I need a little boost back to my roots to the littles. And um and they're they're fantastic. It's really great. The other one is just across the hall. Pretty similar if you want to peek in there. >> Hi. >> I know. >> Some think of it as their staff room, but really it's a space
023where they do uh one-on- ones or small group services with students who are receiving special education. Um it's also a place where the families who have students coming in to get um uh services like you think of it sort of as outreach but they come here just for the service um happens in that space as well. Uh those students access the building from this door typically. Uh it just they arrive a little later than the school day starts. It's a little more private, less to walk through, um a little less intimidating. So I did see them walking up the hall with a beautiful line the other day. So they're they're pre-K room and this is one of our kindergarten rooms. >> They're so clean. >> They are so clean. So this classroom belongs to Taylor
024Crup. She is um the teacher who was at Ves two years ago and took a year leave of absence to do some graduate work in England and we're really glad and grateful to have her back. Um this so this is her space. Uh we have about 10 10 students in one K and 11 in the other. Um, and as you as you mentioned, it's so clean and it is so clean. And um, it the beginning of the year is a time where sometimes the classrooms look a little bare or kids might come home and say, "I'm bored. We didn't do anything today." And part of that is because we are using the responsive classroom approach where we literally teach kids every routine, every expectation, and how to use every material. Um, we actually had one
025parent who who emailed was like, "My kids said they're really bored." And I was like, "Well, this is why." Um, so it's it may look a little bare. It may look a little like what are they doing in here? And that's why there's it's really deliberate teaching around all of those things. And we use the phrase go slow now to go fast later. So you don't have to go back and retach and retach and retach. >> Explain why some things are covered. >> And that is why some things are covered because we have not gotten yet to those those tools or those toys or those materials. Um, so as as different activities come up in the curriculum, they bring those tools out and they take the time to go through like with an interactive model
026or a guided discovery of how to use those tools, where they live, um, and those kinds of things in the classroom. >> I think this is one. >> Yes. So, this is one of the interactive panels and um it's basically a giant iPad is how the tech department has described it to me and how it works. And many teachers use it um they have all of their their day on Google Slides and so there's often because so so much of the work is independent work at least at the older grades. It's a reference point for students for what should I be doing now or what are the tasks that are expected of me. Um, and then the younger students use it somewhat in the same way, but with more guidance from the teacher, as well
027as, um, some of our some of the body breaks that they do are videos and then some are not. Um, and there's Yeah, there's lots of different reasons and different ways that they use it. >> Yeah. >> So, does that eliminate the kids having a Chromebook or do they not have it at >> They don't have Chromebooks at this level. have iPads and the iPads haven't come out yet, but they are used um not to um you know like take the place of instruction, but they're used to support or enhance instructions. They're also the iPads have a program called Seesaw that we subscribe to, which is a really amazing um way to communicate with families and help them see what's happening in the classroom. uh as a teacher myself, I used it to uh have
028kids record themselves reading. So then I could go back and listen to their fluency and get an idea, but then also their families could listen to to them at home as well. It also interacts much like Facebook where there's a feed of their work feed of pictures that teachers post as well as um like a chat feature where families can send you a quick question or or whatnot. It's a It's a really amazing way to interact and have students responsible >> of their own learning, but it's closed. Yes, it's closed. Parents just so this class would be able to see their um their own kids work and then the teacher might host something for the whole class. >> Um >> that's cool. >> Yeah. When I was using it, there was so many parents. >>
029Do these have bathrooms? >> Yeah. But that stops. >> One is a closet and one is bathroom. This one's the bathroom. That was the closet. >> Go to the bathroom and the closet. My kindergarten had a grenade and a red shirt on a shirt's face. >> You had to learn fast what they meant, right? >> Much like that classroom, but this is where the stack room leads to. kind of an awkward shape, but it works well for this reference. >> This it has ever been. I was told there was once a class of 10 students with Mary Shields in this room many years ago. Um, previous to this year, it was the regulation space. So, um, that which is now across from the main office or the rainbow room. Um, so the this is now
030the staff room and the move down here is what allowed the WLC to have its own space, which then allowed the art room to be just an art room. The PTO generously spent time in here this summer um, organizing and cleaning and they did a lot of the like weeding out of stuff that was up in the other staff. [Music] Um, and uh, yeah, they helped clean and organize and get it ready for us. Mr. Anthony helped and Mr. Troy helped move some things around. And um we also did one sort of slight change where every um the pair of professionals all had sort of like a station at a long table up in the other space. And I made the decision um to sort of take that take that and change it into more
031community feel with the the round tables and chairs. And it seems to be wellreceived. They also never had a space to store their own belongings. So now they all have lockers um with repurposed letter magnets from site word magnets we were getting rid of. to get rid of those. And um so they seem very grateful to have a space for their for their belongings as well as they should >> I know early in the year cigarettes. straight down. They're just like 13. >> Okay. >> And maintenance and facilities, kinds of spaces, washer and dryer, boxing, sort of exciting. Pray. This space is where our interventionists have their offices and where they work with students um one-on-one in pairs or small groups depending on what level of intervention they may be receiving or for support. Um
032so we have a math interventionist and a literacy interventionist. Something new this year built into the schedule is every classroom has a 30 minute dedicated small groupoup work time that is supported by the interventionist. So the classroom teacher and the interventionist can both be working with groups of students depending on where they're at. Um and it's it's built into the day. So it has sort of taken them out of this space which I think is fine. They being in the classrooms is great and allows them to serve students and meet their needs within their own within their own classroom space. They also house the after school program um folks over here, infusion folks. They have their office in here as well. And uh our school psychologist, that's where she sits when she's here. Um but
033again, she's she's often out and about with kiddos. So it has a lot of materials in here. Just be careful of this cord. You want to go in just Yeah. Yeah. This is a new new teacher costume. A lot of things in here. >> Oh, it looks great. >> Yeah. >> Yes. So, this is our fifth grade classroom, Allison Deika, uh, who did work in the district um, several years ago. Uh, she'd been gone for 12 years. I guess is what she told me is back and um she has taken fifth grade by storm and the kids in here are always working on a project. They're always busy collaborating. Um you can see they made hopes and dreams. They were talking about hopes and dreams and they made dream catchers and they've been working on
034their wise words which are sort of their like classroom agreements. Um and how they treat each other and how they do their work and whatnot. Um it's Yeah, she's super fun and uh this is a really uh fun space to visit. For sure. >> For sure. >> Just one fifth grade class fifth grade. Yeah. >> Yep. So there's one fifth grade, there's two fourth grades, one third grade, one very large second grade, and two first grades, and two kindergartens, and two pre-k classrooms. And our second grade class, um I think that's the other room I want to visit with you. Um has a dedicated uh general education pair professional to help support just sort of wrangling keeping us everyone moving in the same direction. >> So that means next year you'll have some good parents.
035>> Um you never know at this point in the year what next year looks like. Good point. Yes. You never know. This is the special education room over on this side where um we have two special educators and a speech pathologist working out of that space. >> Our filming is going >> grades uh here and back there. There was a fourth grade we passed by. So they are spending time each teacher is teaching certain subjects and they spend time in both rooms throughout the day. Uh which is which is nice. This is u one of our new first grades. Miss Emma. >> Oh right. >> Yeah. Third. This is third grade. First grade. And then this is second. We need >> should have come here first. This is our second grade classroom. Um there's 22
036students that spend their day in here. Um along with uh Miss Ellie Keel, the who is the classroom teacher and Mary Nefinger, who is the support staff person who spends her time in here supporting everything from um classroom management and instruction, helping kids when they need to take a a movement break or a body break. Um, and Ellie was at Regen's last year for one year and now she's here with us at Ferrisburg. Um, and she is a master at for how to get 22 kids in here with space to do all of the things. Um, yes, this is Ellie's room with also with a great view of outside the prek playground and the soccer field. Do we want to see the music room or are we good? >> Where's that? >> I think it's
037an interesting space to see this. [Music] Okay. Oh, >> crisis. >> How long has this? >> I think it's been many things over those many years. board meeting going to get rid of this thing six years ago. Seven years ago. >> Interesting. >> Yeah. >> SCS. >> Well, that was not seven years ago. >> Eight years ago. >> I've been here eight years and you've been a district the whole time and the year before that. So, time flies. I think it was more like >> one of those years. So, this is the music room. Um, it is a space where students have to exit the building and re-enter the building. It does make there's no bathroom does make using the bathroom tricky. Um, but we've come up with a system with we're using walkie-talkies throughout
038the building in order to communicate um need for support of any kind whether it's a spill of milk or a student that needs a walk um or a teacher that needs to use the restroom themselves. Um, and the walkie-talkie seems to be working really well to communicate those needs um and keeping still keeping things confidential and private. Um, yes. So, this is the music room on this side. This, uh, not only is there general music classes for every class every week, there's also chorus and there's band and there's individual instrument lessons as well. So, Jocelyn spends three days a week as a music teacher doing those things and then two days a week as a piano professional supporting students in other ways. And the other half of the building is uh storage and it is
039the custodial office slashsupply slashte slash you know all the other things catch all which we did spend some time cleaning up this and it does have a great view of the playground if you've never seen the playground Everybody makes it through. >> Is there anything else? >> Anything else that I should [Music] >> You did a great job. >> That's very correct. I can't think of a thing. See if they have any questions. Let me get that. Okay. >> I would like to own one of those busters back. Yeah. Imagine it would be in your commercial grade. Amazing. Put that dog hair up. No problem. Yeah, you did. >> Quick. >> You have to tell them that makes me pretty boy. Any questions for Beth or comments about >> Looks great, Beth. >> Thanks. Any
040questions? Anything that I can answer? >> Anything that surprised you that you didn't realize based on being over yet? >> Um, in a lot of ways, a hundred less kids is a big difference and in a lot of ways it isn't. So, that's one one big trade factor that I've seen. I'm just really amazed at and it's not uh it's not not bad. It's just different the community feel of Ferrisburg and the um collaboration and the dedication of like families and the all of that is fabulous just like it was at death. You know, I just wasn't sure. I didn't know. And I've been delighted to be part of all of the things that are happening here including with all the all of the teachers uh seem really positive and excited about the year and
041the way things that are going to >> the food like do you do breakfast lunches mostly baked here beer. Um yes, so the breakfasts are more um sort of prepackaged like individual muffins and cereals and those kinds of things with a protein and help the kids uh pick those up. They're they were being delivered to the classroom. So we were noticing that it was interrupting the morning meeting time which is something that I have asked to be sacred. Um it is part of the responsive classroom approach and it is where community is set and built within a classroom. So I uh asked if there was they were willing to make a change and we tried it. That's the one of the most amazing things about this place is everyone's like a try. Sure. If it
042doesn't work, we'll try something else. Um, so now instead of uh Gavin going to each classroom during the morning meeting time to see how many kids want breakfast, they grab it on their way in from outdoor recess or when they come in the front door, there's a park or two where they can grab it. Um, and then they go to class and then it's up to the teacher. Are we getting breakfast now and then meeting? Are we doing meeting the breakfast? That kind of thing. But students do have the opportunity to eat breakfast when they get to school um or save it for a snack later. Um and then lunch is um for all prepared here. Uh the collaborative between my name and and us really provides lots of opportunity for you know having someone
043like Kathy Alexander to help create a yearlong I literally have the the schedule the banking for the entire year. It's already created. Um so that's that's really fantastic. And um like I said Paul who is uh head chef that works with them was here we were down in person and his expertise that he brought was really great and energizing stepped in a few times and we're close to higher that'll be great too and most most kids eat lunch really fantastic other questions or things just thank you for rising to the occasion with all the new staff and Thank you. >> I have a motion to approve the consent agenda. So move or not. All in favor? Yes. discussion the board strategic work plan. >> Oh, sorry. It's hard to hear because of whatever's happening over
044here. So, you wouldn't mind speaking of them. >> Thank you. I have teacher voice but I only teach online so I don't have teacher voice >> I think the idea is to revisit this a little bit during the retreat and some comments and some minor adjustments so just a second picture make sure we're all in the same page function. >> Well, he was going to bring it up. So, >> you can if there's something you want to talk about. >> Yeah. just like um in goal area one when it's referring to something would you link it add a link to from this document to the thing like the DQS >> so that where it says rule one >> link to it so it's we can find it quickly >> and the district quality standards >>
045those are on the mayor believe what said but it is understood. >> Tell us where they are. >> Yeah. >> The CIP, you know, >> and the CIP's linked. >> Yeah, I think the whole one is just all brand new. So, it's still red. Since last year CIP we have update that >> but we will them all. >> Yeah. Yeah. Every like every action step referring to something >> and I'm still not sure where the state is on getting the DQS rubert ready for us. do know that on October 8th there will be a oneh hour help desk for AOE if anyone has questions they can call I don't understand once once a week during October they're going to have a call in for each different so finance people can call in one week and
046the school boards can call in one week so I don't don't know why they're doing it 9 to 10 or 10 or 11 so strange hour one time 1 hour when I get closer. I'll let know if you have any questions that I can't answer. Feel free. You'll have to listen to me anyway. >> Other questions. If this is a draft, what was the process for making it final? >> I think last time when we were in the retreat, people had like we needed to re number things. Is there number there was questions of how we could restate or streamline things. I think should make those changes bring it back to make sure this it's accordingly we're all happy with it because we understand what it is we're trying to say that we are going
047to do and I mean it's not it's not like the into the state right at any point during the year there's something we need to be addressing that's not represented or something. I mean the goal here is that this then sets the trajectory the way I've done the building and board education and maybe even committee work. Um so this should be informing the person like something like you would have the opportunity to do these things. But so I guess what I'm saying is we say it's it's final and it's not the draft. You can always bring it back up if you're not. done. >> Yeah. Um, I had written Mark and Sheila about this, but I'm just kind of curious if we want to discuss having anything in the work plan regarding Act 733, like
048kind of being more proactive um, around some things that uh, I I don't really know what they would be, but that might influence the way in which districts are being drawn up. Um, so just curious about whether that's something that would be appropriate to be in the work plan or if that's really somebody else's responsibility. I mean, I think it can be. Um, not sure. So much of it's just in the air right now that trying to figure out what the legislature might do, what the DC legislature might do to us so we can keep an eye on it, try to track it. I know she's been tracking it through the superintendent association and I'm watching through the SBA bring back anything I can hear. I've been talking with the other board chairs in our
049region trying to see if there's some way that we can get ahead of it sort of collaboration so that we can chart our own destiny as opposed to being told what we'll do. We've already put together some calls and superintendent in the area to kind of go along with the same thing. So, we're sort of doing it on the side, but I if somebody wants to add that as one of our goals, I'm just not sure how to word it. >> I just wonder if it would fit in for a board meeting somewhere just because that's all about communication and I think she looked pretty good at it anyway. Like every board meeting we have, she typically sort of gives an update about her at did that but never maybe have it in writing back.
050I continue to keep updated as we get information. I'm hearing John um inquiry a little differently. I'm hearing advocacy more than um communication. And if I'm mistaken, please say so, John. But I'm hearing yours more so that we are trying to influence the outcome possibly of the work. Is that >> Yeah, I I can say a little bit more. So I think I do wonder whether we want to more actively try to influence the outcome. My understanding and this may be inevitable but Mberry is having discussions about positioning itself to be the regional high school. And so if we don't do anything, we are passive in this process, this legal process. I don't know what we can do to influence it in a way that we want to, but I I guess I just wanted
051to raise it as something that I think is worthy of the board talking about. So to be more active in influencing the direction that the outcomes of out act 73 will take rather than just kind of let them happen to us. >> Well, I think we're taking some steps, but if there's a way to that you have that you think maybe we can formalize it. One of the other one of the part exists or you want to put together a little ad. I'm I'm open to suggestions. I've just been kind of doing it because I get sucked into these things and I but if there's a way to do it more formally with a larger voice, I'd be happy to move along with that kind of thing. I >> mean, I think part of the
052problem is we don't know on what basis they're going to figure those things out. So, it's not like we can tell the facilities committee, hey, make sure all of our facilities are up to date so that way our buildings are the most attractive because they could say, well, it doesn't matter because middleberry is the biggest anyway, so we're not going to bust kids all, you know. So, I think it's it's something that we do need to keep up on uh and try and get out ahead of it as much as possible, but I don't know that it fits into any of the current committees because we don't know what they're going to do. They don't >> Well, I think we're trying to bring advocacy since middle since Mon doesn't really know what it's doing. They're
053making up as they go along. I think that they would be happy to have solutions brought to them that they can say oh yeah that works when we think that we don't have to think about it then want to hand it so if we can come up with something which is one of the reasons I was talking the other chairs we haven't got very far because we tried to merge a some of the situations that we have are still there we have not tried to merge with they have had no interest in communicating with us in that fashion of link doesn't know what it's going to do with the tech center is a whole different metal fish but I mean I do know the chair pretty well that so >> does it have to be
054as >> no yeah no >> I I agree I mean I think that we do some advocacy in that area right because for a long time I thought well it's great to have be part of this district or remote and if there's any appetite statewide to like even out school populations rather than sending us all the way to milberry it seems like we have other opportunities looking at it with countyers can I just I'm gonna hold a question here because I think I'm kind of curious about this as a board we serve more than ourselves and I'm not saying that I agree with what's coming out of Montilar what's happening in Montilier but as a board since we serve different factions are we able to take a stand on this one way or the other
055because you know we're not serving ourselves we're serving the greater populations I'm and I'm curious if that just gets us into muddy water that's my question. Does us advocating one way or the other get us into a certain situation? I think >> I mean I think at one point you're advocating, >> right? I mean, in my mind, I feel responsible for all of Vermont students. So, I would feel less comfortable trying to represent uh some sort of arm wrestling thing with a different district in our proximity. That seems why are we trying to create winners and losers in this? I'd be way more interested in coming to the table and having conversations about what's smart and what works well for all students, not just what works well for the students in our class. So I
056know that other boards are advocating and they are taking positions that maybe aren't representative for all responses. It is very insular and and self-supporting. I can't speak for the reasons why a district would do that, but um I would personally I work for you, so I would do what you direct me to do. I think I would have a hard time um with that approach of sort of a winners or losers. I'm not sure that the best solution is right. like I I don't know with this approach and this quick time turn around and timelines. I can say from the BSA perspective um we'll be having an all member sitting next week and one of the the um subcommittee of that work is going to be to paint some more realistic picture of what this
057task really is so that the maybe we can have a glimpse over the timeline being realistic because as it stands it doesn't feel possible to merge a number of school groups together in that short of a time. So, and I think that superintendent do have familiarity with what that would take and we are in the best position to communicate to boards and legislators what they're asking us to do. I'm also concerned about the bandwidth of individuals. there is not a dispens of any central office uh staff and as the new districts are being formed and people apply they're going to bring on the new superintendent before the districts are up and running. So you're going to pull from the existing group sexually right conceivably sitting superintendent are going to want those jobs which is going
058to leave vacancy and perhaps a lot of inexperienced people left running the schools or inexperienced businesses left running the schools we really need to map that out and make sure we have the so that's the kind of things I'm trying to influence is sort of how we can reason that we do the things they may ask us to do because if we don't do that well as students are going to suffer and that's what I worry about. We can think about this future where we're all together and it works out but getting from here to there with someone starting and they're a freshman or sophomore or junior senior trying to have a really great high school. So, I don't know. I want my buck there. But those are the are really on my mind. I'm
059less clear if we should be there or they should be here or we should work this way or that way. I'm less clear about that. Um >> Johnny, >> um yeah, I I think I was just like wondering more about like exploring partnerships rather than like kind of any sort of adversarial kind of like strongarming other places. I genuinely do not know. Like I I have no idea. It just seems like if we are actively exploring potential partnerships like I think that there are some places that are um exploring like uh Boseies like boards of cooperative education. I don't know if you can speak to that like they have those in other states. Um so I I don't know that I guess that's all I have. I don't know much about what I would advocate
060for. I just wanted to raise the discussion. >> Would it help put this understanding issue on future agendas just so that we're constantly thinking, you know, is there anything new that we need to talk about? If there's not, we move on. If there is, then as it evolves over the next few months, we might have like, oh, this is what we should be doing as a board or as a district. I I think so for sure. I was curious do has the task force reached out and asked anything of our district like they have some of the others. >> They asked me specific questions. Yeah. Um, they asked about capacity in buildings and I reminded them that capacity can really be looked at in a lot of different ways and that I have concerns over
061asking that question without defining what they need because they're going to get a really poor data set. Um and then they I was on a call with one of the task force members on Friday and they were very interested in the collaborative work we do with mount which is a little bit like ais we haven't had the formality of a voc structure but um we're well positioned to move in that direction in a lot of ways. We have a special education collaborative already. Um that's somewhat has fallen apart with some of the administrative changes at Madison Central, but it's still strong between us and Mount A, and there's still a lot of interest in that continuing. We have our shared food service. We have our shared transportation contract in the county. Um and there's a
062lot of opportunity. We met with Mount A last week to see if there might be a way to support um a need that they have in facilities administrative support. They're having some issues filling a need there. Might we share a little bit of our employees time? So without the formality of the Bose structure, we have done a lot of really great exemplary you know sort of collaborative work with them and are are very interested in continuing that. So, they were interested that they wanted to know about it. >> Um, going back to the question you asked Mark about putting it on the agenda just made me think that I know nobody wants to be on another committee, but maybe it would create an ad hoc committee instead of having it just be sort of like
063a generic agenda item. How a few of us really tasked with keeping an eye on it um and communicating with Sheila, you know, between board meetings and maybe report on it. >> Is there a way to make it happen at hawk? What about the >> what about something along the same lines as the merger committee, but this is specifically pointed at this Act 73 and what's coming, you know, where we involve community members. So that way there's that chance for advocacy on the community, all those kinds of things. >> That sounds like a job for the people. Yeah. At the point there's like that the community engagement itself would be the task I think of the of the community engagement committee as it was with emer >> but if we're worried about it being competitive
064instead of cooperative then having that committee encompass the other districts in our area. 706 I mean there there's a statuto there's there's statute that speaks to the formation of such a committee I think void of that formality uh it will be tricky right we've done this before where we have board meetings at the same place at the same time you all start your meeting and then you're all having a meeting and maybe you participated in those um but we have to be careful that we're following um all the things. So, I mean there's nothing stopping a couple of people going out to coffee with a couple of people from here or there, but that lacks of transparency or really speaking to as well, right? If you're wanting to engage the committee um the community that's
065not exactly the process to have office people from the middle I'm not sure about the timing of that either like this is all going to be presented in so there's probably six more meetings of the task force maybe eight um so this is somewhat if you want to influence that report that's coming out in the [Music] I just wanted to say maybe in reference to John's original question as far as this SWP this document is concerned. It seems like every element of this document will consider a range of issues including what's happening at the state level in a variety of um departments and you know the climate is going to continue to change and so I think as we work on this we have to be aware of the environment that we're in whether it's
066local state within the district. So, you know, this is one important issue, but there's every one of these has issues that we have to be aware of, incorporate into the thinking of these things. So, I just think it's assumed that we're going to work on what's happening at the state level as we as these things we go through. >> Yeah. I'd like >> Yeah. Going back to what Sheila said, I think collaboration is going to be the key, right? Trying to advocate just for ourselves versus to move forward in these discussions at all. Um I think what might be helpful for all of us in your contact with other board chairs and talking with Ruth party like just form us and we're all saying hey maybe it's a little immature that you know when committee
067CC could maybe do some kind of community event to talk about what's happening I don't know But we're about as in the dark as everybody else, right? In terms of what we're going to do, but we have to work together on this. So, we can't just like stand trying to influence a decision that is going to affect all the students in the state. >> I'm curious a little bit about John what you said about Addison Central's advocacy. Is it really advocacy or is it a just an opinion that they have given their proximity to the tech center um and the likelihood that the tech center won't be relocated possibly, right? Like are they just having those kinds of conversations like it makes sense for us to be the high school given those kinds of things
068because that to me is more of an opinion or I I don't know what you're speaking to I guess around advocacy. Um, yeah. I I don't Maybe that's not the right word. I really don't know. But somebody said that there were board members exploring, you know, positioning Mberry to be the high school location for the greater county and it and it is related to having the tech center there. But I think that their like facilities committee is like looking like what would it mean to like have over a thousand students in this place? How could we do that? So, it just seems like they're >> I know. >> Go ahead. >> No, I Sorry, I know what you're talking about. >> I think we're all doing that in some capacity. Like, so what would happen
069if are there enough bodies? Who would be the tech center? Who would be the middle school? Who would be the high school? How might it work? Are there enough? So, I think those conversations are happening. Maybe they're trying to be a little more forceful than than I've heard of the with the board chairs, but we've all kind of been playing the what if game. >> I think the other thing that's important to note is that the recommendations that come forward to the legislature, I don't believe are going to be as specific as this is the high school and this is the middle school. It's this is a district boundary. It would be if it's there's no language around school closure in the in act 73. There's no language about it at all. They haven't talked
070about school size at all. They talked about class size but not school size. So that recommending body I don't believe will speak to what facil how facilities are meant to be used. They're going to just draw new boundaries and leave I believe leave it up to the new boards to make those harder decisions around how to use the facilities in their new district if we even get that far. You know, this report is going to go to the legislature. Then an awful lot of things have to happen, right? There's going to be more than one model that's presented and then there's going to be a lot of deliberation and a lot of debate and a lot of politics. um involved in whatever next step happens. So I'm not sure we're to a point where we
071talking about what high school is going to be the next have districts or supervisory unions like made a stand some have. I mean, some have come out, especially uh districts or supervisory unions that are really happy with that model and want to be sure that they remain a supervisor union. They don't want to be a school district going forward. Those folks have been very clear. Uh I think the other thing the legislature needs to do is define small by necessity versus small by choice. um they haven't really done that yet. So um that will speak to school closure a little bit. Um potentially you're talking about teeny tiny schools kind of thing. >> So I just wonder if we should sort of see and if other ones are I would have to read that. >>
072Yeah. >> There's a few SUS that they worked really hard over a number of years with 46. They're finally they've been stable for a year or two now. They're finally feeling like, "Okay, all of this hard work, blood, sweat, and tears, and now you're going to change us again." And that's what we're pissed about. But no, we're we're happy. Leave us alone. So, but that's the kingdom and over >> is that last site. >> I'm just curious what other school districts are supervising if they've come out with a stance or saying that's something we should at least look at. No, I think the only ones coming out are under the school district rural alliance. >> They've been pretty vocal about chromatis. >> And as this starts to take shape, I expect we'll see a lot
073more of that. You know, everyone's been on summer break. We're all sitting back. We're having our first meetings. People are getting their bearings and this work is going to shift into, you know, sort of more intense discussion. And that's I think people are going to start to feel a lot of X and maybe these things will start to take the shape of that. Um and on Wednesday is the next redistric task force meeting. So probably by the end of day Wednesday we'll see if anything. The first two meetings really didn't do much of anything except set the groundwork and have long discussions about >> how they're going to do the work. Also, >> and they have a schedule yet for visiting different I know but they >> they're supposed to have at least two outreach,
074>> but I don't think they accept when or where they're going to do that. two two >> two times they're supposed to go out beyond where they are. of what they were within the how they were structured. >> But that's it just >> a minimum of just like the the number of meetings. They can have as many as they want before they had a minimum number. They need more they will do more. But the last last time they met um they were talking a lot about logistics of well how can we meet somewhere else and where would it be and that's interrupting a school would be the place to probably do it but it would be interrupting a school during operating hours. So it it was like an hour longer or full tough to go
075to reminded you are required to go. And are those listening sessions or are those meetings where they do business? I >> think a little bit of both. It'll be extended public comment. They want to just be everybody gets in a group of talks. It would be a business meeting, but they would have people talking. Um, right now there's been one group mostly out of the North Hero that's going on with their people saying, "Don't forget about us. So like includes us in the shuffle. So they had a coordinated effort from their district parents staff. So they're not doing listening sessions just the just the >> I don't think that there's >> secretary of ed is doing those but not this >> but public comment they getting a lot of people writing in public comment that's
076all being collected and there is time for public comment at the end of the meetings where you have your two or three minutes to say your piece. So a lot of people have written well many many pages and then they will also get on and give the the so on the agenda the next few seems like things heat up or we need to take a stand or put together a smaller group to practice better we'll do that. I mean the whole board can be the committee. If it's an agenda item up for discussion and you decide you want to pick an action, then we can put it on the agenda for action. We can you've done these things in the past. You've written something to speak to an issue. Um you can pretty quickly organize
077yourselves around a statement would like to make. Um and I will keep you up to date with what PSA is doing. Um we'll meet we're meeting next Thursday and the two co-chairs are coming to our meeting. We'll have a good amount of time with them. Um so I'll have I'll have more to say about that next Monday as maybe Wednesday night. So so we can move this from the draft to kind of our work plan. I don't think we need a motion. It's sort of a living document, but are we good with what it says right now? Then >> we don't have to adopt it. >> I don't think so. If we have it in class, I think it's just something we what we're doing. >> Okay. >> And I'll stop anything else. I'll comment
078for speaking. Please say your names address now. Uh I would say that you I would say my opinion has done at least me for because I'm looking at the stuff and what I hear here what she's telling is giving deep dive. I have very significant concerns about uh our specific representatives in Mont because I think Sheila knows more about it than some of them do and that it's great for us to have Sheila but it's really not great for us in terms of having breakfast and that's a concern. I think if if wants to get should be absolutely and as for making decisions I personally believe that you're elected uh in your elected committee and we're not getting any leadership at the higher level And our course and I'm very that being said happy new
079year. It's great new year. First Monday of the school year was today. Well for the good students. >> Yes. >> Sorry. Let me let me Yeah. Good student. So far it's sunshine and rainbows. Good. >> All right. I have a motion to go into the session. >> Then I need a minute to take the cameras down. >> Let's wait s >> move to go into executive session. Pursuant to PSA 313A1A evaluation. John, I'll give you a call and put on speaker phone. >> Thank you. >> Stay here. Cameras to go down and then uh Bill's going to be here for part of it then.