001Okay. >> I don't think I don't even think I can call call it to order. I guess I could call this meeting to order. >> Um the Wor Southeast Union School Board meeting. Uh we do not have a quum. Thus, we will not be making any notes or decisions of that sort. Um so that will affect the next thing on the agenda changes additions to the agenda. Whenever we come upon something in which we need to votes we'll skip over it which is number three approval of minutes which we are skipping over. We're going to go to public participation and announcements >> and public comment is not legally required, but we believe it is crucial for us to hear from our community members about their concerns over issues. Through these meetings, our board models for
002our students how to conduct public discourse and that the board and members of our community can approach controversial issues in a civil and constructive manner and can demonstrate mutual effect. Having said that, please note that the board is here to listen. Public comment period is not designed for discussion. Please start by identifying yourself and what town you recite in. So, are there any public comments? Any announcements? >> I have something to say. >> Yes. >> Um, so I attended the um Windsor Middle and High School concert and it was fantastic. Like, so I just wanted to put that out there. Like I I mean, I've attended a lot of these concerts. This one was like by far the best adventure. It was so good. The kids were awesome. Music staff was awesome. So, >> just
003wanted to share that. >> Thank you. >> Albert Brish calling the goose went home. >> Oh, I just saw him last week. >> He's in my house now. He's hanging out with >> longer he hanging out with turkeys and >> chicks. So, he's having a great old time. >> Good. >> Very cute. >> And they'll be hatching a group of chicks next. It's already starting to do something. >> Okay. Um, high school survey data. All right. Yeah. You want to come up? >> Just so you guys know, I'm not cosplaying or anything. Makes life easier. >> Hi everyone. My name is Isabella. I'm Audrey McFarland. and we're here on behalf of the lighthouse committee. So what is it? >> Yeah, the lighthouse committee is basically it's a committee that is formed by a bunch of
004teacher recommendations for a bunch of different students which are part of different groups at the high school. So like I might represent our student council or like our field hockey and I might represent like the track team or NHS. Um we both however represent the junior class. Um, Lighthouse is focused on finding issues that are like inside of our school from students that are feeling a certain way or teachers that are feeling a certain way and then we try and take those recommendations and work with it to make Windsor an overall better place that supports student success and happiness and community and learning. >> Um, so we are led by Mr. Bi, Mrs. Key and then the up team and they've been great to help us along. So we have some data line up. This
005is not all of it, but we did share um all the questions that we sent out in the survey. Um but these are just some of the questions that we thought were good. If you were at the um teacher in service day that we were there for, um we did I I led an activity that was based off of this and it was a lot of fun and I got a lot of participation and everyone was really interested. We had basically like a game going about it. So everyone who was at that meeting would have seen most of this data. >> Yes. All right. So, first question. Um, I care about making my school better place. >> 73% of people said that they do care about making the school better. So, keep in mind that
006not everyone filled out the survey. Um, it's hard to get people who, you know, just either aren't in those forms or just don't really care about filling them out to do it. Um, but the people who did, these are their results. So yeah, 73% said, "I care about making myself feel a better place." >> So is this 73% out of everyone who took the survey? Correct. Correct. Thank you. >> Yeah, we couldn't get everyone to take the survey. We tried our best, but high schoolers are um not super interested in participating in all of the things. We are however bringing more things to our um including surveys to actually get more participation in them um and bring up what Lighthouse is doing so that the students know that their voices through the surveys are actually
007being heard and it's not just a waste of time. >> Second question, I'm involved in decisions about what I learn. Only 21% of the students that took this survey agree with this statement. which Lighthouse Committee was kind of concerned about that statement. It felt kind of odd to us. >> I feel like I belong in my school. >> 54%. Which is higher than past numbers we've seen, but still only half people are saying that, which we as a committee also took into account and also found that slightly concerning. And for only 20% of those who took it, only 50% of those feel like they belong. And who knows how the other 80% feel in our school. Youth value and respect adults. >> Super super low. Yeah. which we as a committee were really concerned about
008because if students are taking a survey and they're observing behavior from other students and they feel like in the school adults are not being respected by the students then that's really quite a problem that we should be like teachers want me and my peers to be successful higher than I think some of us expected. Um, but definitely not. >> Yeah, especially%. >> It's better than previous questions, >> but still surprisingly low. Yeah. >> Okay. So, why did we do the survey? Um we just wanted to get a feel for how the students are feeling this school year um about you know their overall year but also the environment of the school. Um as we kind of mentioned as we were going through the results we did feel concerned about a lot of them. Um we
009wanted to take those issues and then pinch on how we can either make those percentages go up or down depend on the question. Um and we highlighted something that we worked on. I think it was the last meeting. Um we highlighted the most concerning versus the least concerning pieces of information. Um I think one of them was um like not enough resources for classes. Um and we actually got into two separate groups and started um really focusing on how we can make it different for them. uh what resources we have now, how we can make it available for them and just well known. Um and I mean considering only 20% I think we got a lot of information that we are currently using to then better the school. We also focused a lot on that
010data point that you saw about students feeling like adults aren't really respected in the school. We thought that that was a real issue and like really concerning. Um, so we focused a lot on that and tried to really find the root problem behind why students answered it that way. Yeah. >> One more. >> Oh, okay. >> Yes. Um, so why are we sharing this data with you? So, we've been putting a lot of work in to improve the issues that the students are bringing up. Um, and we believe that by us strengthening an admin student relationship, we can then improve the environment of the school. Um, we want to, you know, work closer as a committee with admin um, and just make it so that if we get a big concern, we can then come
011to you guys without feeling like, oh, those are they want us to come to you guys. So, we thought this was important data. >> Any questions? Oh, >> it's very exciting. Um, how did you create the questions? >> There was a team that met over the summer briefly and I think that they were all just I personally wasn't a part of that, but since I'm a part of the committee, they were talking about it. um I wasn't able to make it, but the upper learning team was working with the other members and just thinking about things that we see in our school and then wondering if other students were seeing the same things. >> And you'll be continuing work next year question. >> Oh yes. >> Hey, yeah. I was wondering how did you go
012about trying to get folks to take the survey? Um, as a teacher myself, I'm wondering like is it possible to partner with a particular subject? Like if every student takes English, could you get like the English teachers on board and say, "Hey, could you give up five minutes of your class time to try to get all students to take it just to increase um student participation?" So, how did you go about trying to get um your peers to take the survey in the first place? And this is awesome, by the way. Thank you so much for presenting to us. >> Thank you. Um, so in the beginning we we have a swarm class and it's 30 minutes. Um, and we sent it out to teachers and we said, "Okay, please have your students who are
013in your swarm class take the survey. A lot of students don't go to swarms. They either skip or they just don't show up. Um, because it's not a core class, they feel that it's just not a necessity. Um, but those who do end up going to the swarm class, we had them do it. Um, I think going forward it's going to be more on the teachers end to gather everybody in their swarm and have them do the survey. I mean, I know that that was an issue that we talked about in the past couple meetings on like a 20%. That's not a lot. So, how can we actually get people to participate? >> Prizes. >> Yeah. major problem was that students aren't showing up to swarm because there's a bunch of things that happen during
014swarm times like >> meetings like we have NHS on Mondays and we have yearbook on Tuesdays and student council on Wednesdays and prom committee on Thursdays and Rotary on Fridays. So for us that's our entire schedule. >> So it's a lunch and then a swarm and then for like 10th graders and seniors it's swarm and then a lunch. So all of that block is taken up by lunch or meetings >> and it's a real problem that we were like as he said focused on during that time and teachers also don't see a ton of participation in swarms or need for a swarm since students aren't really going. So it just feels kind of discouraging when their students aren't going. So then they're like why do I have to make my students doing anything? They're not
015here. Are there plans to improve that next year? >> We were talking about it as a committee. Yeah, we were really It's hard because it's supposed to be almost like a class where you're supposed to catch up on work >> or do ELPS or check grades or send emails to teachers, but it's not like that for every single student. Like I don't need to be doing that for 30 minutes a day. And then other students might need to be going for a walk to take a breather in between classes. You know, each student needs something different. So, we were trying to we're trying to workshop it with Mr. Vichi because he recognizes the problem as well. So, >> Thank you guys so much for having us. >> Back to the track. >> Okay, let's do
016a head count. >> Okay, let me stop. Thank you guys. So, we've got Bethan and Marie, Sarah, Liz, and Bill. Bye. >> I want to go. >> Go. Okay. Um, and Marie, welcome. We are in a uh nonvoting board meeting. We're at five. I'm looking at the screen thinking I'm talking to you. Five. um policy discussion. Uh let's go over uh Windsor Southeast D42 school age entrance policy because this is just a review. >> Yeah. Um I'm happy to share what the ask is. >> Um >> so you all adopted this policy two years ago I think >> two or three. Yeah. And what the get to the what the kindergarten teachers are asking is um at the bottom of the policy, the waiver application must be submitted to the principal of the school your
017child would attend no later than July 1st. they would like you to consider um changing that date to an earlier date so they can include the students >> uh in their kindergarten registration so that they can screen them as part of the input for determining whether the student is ready to go to kindergarten or not. So I think they they wanted um May 1. >> So they need the they need that >> waiver application. >> Yes. >> By May 1st. Yes, that's what they would like so that those students can participate in the screening process >> and it's helpful. The other thing and I don't know if this is just a Hartford issue um but uh for and I don't know if this is the right policy uh but it is school entrance age is
018um parents um holding their kid back from kindergarten so they can get an extra year of uh tuition to a private school. >> Oh, >> typically the monosur is the one that pulls that trick quite often. >> Um, and so Hartford is considering a way to stop that from happening. >> Okay. Well, you have to share that if that >> Yeah, >> stick your wish for sure. So I don't know if this might be a place to double team looking at that change and >> adding it is that to get the extra 10 hours what the parent would be obliged for the financial or is that to get you know Vermont's 10 hours or school. >> So it's basically $4,000 10 hours for a student who really should be in kindergarten and who is eligible
019for kindergarten because it's not a required grade. >> Right. Yes. >> It's sort of a workound for them. >> Yeah. Got it. >> Do they then go into first grade or do they go into first grade? A >> lot of times or they stay at the monastery school and they no longer get tuition, >> right? >> Wow. Interesting. >> Yeah. >> Interesting. >> So, yeah, they they're hoping and it's, you know, obviously it's too late for this >> registration, but hoping to have that change before next next kindergarten registration. So, >> we'll stick it on now. >> Okay. >> We go. Is there discuss >> that bad? >> Um, >> is there are we discussing this or is it just we'll look at it next time? >> Oh, we're not discussing it. It's not even
020on the agenda to consider it. It's just um the kindergarten teachers wanted to bring this up to see if we would consider changing it before next um kindergarten registration. So it's that's like >> six eight months away. >> Got it. >> So right now we just we're just seeing that it's there. Got it. >> Yeah. >> But yeah, I am open to that change and um it makes sense. >> Yeah, we'll chat after about that. >> We'll chat after about that other issue. >> Okay. I don't know if the school polish could actually solve that. >> Well, I don't saw it, I think. >> Yeah. >> Um but yeah. Okay. Um Okay. Uh do we have an HH policy timeline? >> We have. Um >> I know John wanted that. >> Davis wanted that. I
021believe is it a Davis? John brought it up, Davis supported it. >> So what we did was we met um with the same subcommittee and in the meantime I had reached out to um legal counsel to find out what we were allowed to adjust in the policy. So legal counsel said at the bare minimum you need to keep this policy. It's based on law but you can add to it preventative measures. >> Okay. Um, and then I met with Courtney O'Brien from the safe and healthy schools division at the AOE. It's a new position there. and she reported that they are working on the uh revisions to the current policy and those will be out by the end of May and they're working on a prevention policy that this the policy the new policy that's
022not adopted yet will will nest into and that will be out um in July for for focus groups. So, um, I asked our focus group if our our subcommittee if they would be interested in being part of a focus group and they said yes. So, what we did was we added some preventative language for now and then we're going to wait to see what comes out from the agency in um July. We're likely going to have to adopt that policy. Okay. So, if that makes sense to you. >> That does make sense. We might as well wait until Yeah. whatever is. >> So, we did add we did add a few things that um in yellow in the policy for you to look at came right from the input from those impacted families and students.
023So, that's where we're at with that. >> I have a question. You said um can add preventative measures. Can we also add procedural measures if it's not taking away from >> If it's not taking away like Yes. The way I understand it is this is the bare minimum that you have to do because it's in statute. So yes, we could add different things. >> Okay. Yeah. >> And in many ways the procedural changes can be more impactful than Yeah. >> policy changes. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So I I will put that one back on. Um I mean they're going to have a new policy to look at and adopt probably by the >> okay say June but probably by the fall. So >> administrative report. >> All right. Um the screen All right. Just um
024always want to ground us in our um our goals, our strategic plan goals, student success and engagement and um collection of student wellness. So I have some some photos today of uh there was a there was a performance at Windsor High School. um this past last Saturday I think it was last Friday writer Saturday I went I'm gonna forget the name of it right now but it was something about um in 99 minutes or less Iliad the >> Odyssey or less it was really it was humorous and um the students did an amazing job so um that's in the upper corner and that's a middle school also had a show this month uh was about middle school situations which is which is funny as well. And then just students engaged in learning in different ways
025in their classrooms across the SEU. That one that one's at Albert Bridge. They were they had to figure out the volume of the classroom. So they were measuring they had Kleenex boxes and they were going to figure out how many Kleenex boxes it was going to take to fill the whole room. So I didn't stay for that outcome, but they were totally into it when I left. Um and then uh I around our culture uh this is this is our graduating men uh support staff mentor group from this year with their mentees and that is a a program that was started by the support staff and we're in our third year or first year of funding it um in our in our budget and just the feedback from the mentees that afternoon they had a
026celebration of pizza and um just they weren't just very thankful to have somebody to go to questions and when they didn't understand something. So that was um it was great to participate and um do positive comments about the program. And then that is the that is two first graders at Hartland right there and their teacher was out that day and I happened to be visiting and honestly they said to me that they didn't even need a substitute in the classroom because they could they could handle it on their own which was adorable. and the kids were all doing what they were supposed to and it was just great. So, we had to highlight them. Okay. Uh just going to share out our spring conference data. So, these are the numbers. Typically, our elementary conference data
027um percentages are higher and that uh is true this time around as well. So, Windsor Elementary at 83%, Windsor Middle at 62%. Um and Mr. Champ did say that those students that didn't have somebody come, they were presenting their um student leadership portfolios or PLPS to another adult in the building. Um high school 68%, Weathersfield uh 96% at the elementary and 64% at the middle. And then Hartland was at 79.4% total. He didn't break it out for me. And Albert Bridge at 96%. So pretty decent numbers for the spring. Usually our fall numbers are a lot a lot higher. So that's how we did for conference conferences. Um okay. So this is some information that we've been talking about as an administrative team based on faculty input. Uh so when we transitioned to proficiency graduation
028requirements um we we did it in a a phase implementation and that was to ensure faculty and students could adapt to a higher level of academic accountability and that was done prior to me and then um the plan was to ratchet it up um and then we had a pandemic and then um we we we didn't to be honest with you. So we're trying to realign our our minimum baseline of excellence of what we expect from students. So this is why the rationale increasing increasing a proficiency score required to pass a standard directly supports our continuous improvement goals for academic outcomes. Our teaching staff has consistently identified these threshold adjustments as a critical step in providing clear high level expectations for student work and um a higher proficiency floor ensures that our graduates are truly
029prepared for college career and teched. So here's what we're proposing. Sorry I like my computer. So I'll just share that with you. Here's what we're proposing. So pre- pandemic at the middle level 2.0 0 was passing in quotes I say passing you know provision uh currently we're still at 2.0 we want to um in high school was at 2.25 they're currently at 2.25 25. We want to increase the bulk to 2.5. Um so a student that would be the student must achieve a minimum level of um partial proficiency to earn a credit in the course essentially. I wanted to share that with you before we share that with staff and the community and students. I mean 2.0 is too low. I'm sorry. I just think that's too low. So we want to up the up
030the expectations in the writer. So 2.5 um still not proficient raise proficient. That's partially proficient. And if you're you explain it well there's a number of standards. There might be some that you're at 3.5 and others that you're below that. So it's technically it's an average of your standards which is a horrible thing to do anyway but we do it. Um, but that's basically where it's at is that one area, let's say writing in an ELA class, someone could be at, you know, three, 3.2, whereas vocabulary or reading comprehension, whatever, it could be lower, but overall our expectation at least should be at a 2.5. Now, that being said, we have um assessments that are considered portfolio pieces and they are the most important um they're they're based on the performance indicators and those assessments
031must be a 3.0. So, it's really hard for a student since those are the major pieces not to have at least a 2.5 given that a lot of the grading comes from those major assessment pieces. So that's basically summary. Are there any questions about that? >> I have a lot of questions. I don't want to bog down the meeting, but I've just been trying to understand the system um both as a parent and now as board member because it seems as a parent I see it almost feels arbitrary sometimes like you know some of my kids work like sometimes they'll get like a four in one one area and then the next assignment they get a one in the same area and then the next one they get like a four but it's the same
032skill. So I'm just or like different classes. Like it just seems kind of like all over the place. >> Same teacher or different teachers. >> Sometimes the same teacher, sometimes a different teacher. It's just like I I I feel like the expectations are really confusing. >> Um so like what I would ask for is um for every like an assignment there should be a rubric in there that's attached to the assignment. Um, and so let's say that a student did a lab in a science class. As a parent, I and you're feeling like, I don't get where this is coming from. I would ask the the teacher for either a scoring guide or a rubric so you can understand where they fell on that and what perhaps was missing. An example might be an essay
033that there's no quotations or evidence from the text. So, great thoughts, but they're at a two.25 25 because they covered it but without any text evidence. So I would straight out ask when that happens. Um hopefully the students are seeing that in advance so they know exactly why it fell short of a three or or a um so that's some basic hopefully it helps. Um but anytime you feel confused like that I would reach right out to to the teacher and just say I'm feeling this is arbitrary. Where's it coming from? So, and yeah. Does that make sense, Christine? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> But as a parent, >> I understand where you're coming from, >> right? >> Because, >> and we all are aware of this and I brought it up the past there, there's
034a great need for an overhaul standards. Um at one point um it was decided to put all the standards into instead of looking at what is an important standard that you should be grading. For an example, writing is a standard that should be grading. Um the indicators are what a teacher would look at to see what that writing score would be. You shouldn't be scoring indicators as summitative. The out the the end result of the writing piece is a whole grade. And so there is a great need for a just a complete overhaul. And I think that ties in really nicely with what the state is doing of creating uniform standards. And once they're done, those uniform standards could be put in the power school training can be done on how so that teachers then
035know >> not to score formative assessment in the classroom and be scoring really wellthought out assessments which is one of the most difficult skills to do as a teacher. Creating really wellought out balanced assessments themselves. It's a long process. >> It is. And just so I feel like we have indicators that are based on what the state's going to use called anchor standards. Yeah. And they're all lined in the matrix. But you're right, we don't score the indicators. Well, we do. We score it based on the scoring guide that Vermont has developed um in each of the areas. So again, those are out there. So if you're ever confused as for the scoring guide or the rubric, Vermont's using them with their anchor standards. I think that's what's going to end up being adopted. So,
036um, now revisiting that and really looking at that as as faculty is always incredibly good work >> and that that's more at the high school level for us, not the middle. >> Yeah. Well, we've just started we've just started at the middle level that will continue. >> So, when teachers get together, calibrate themselves and then create benchmark pieces. So, what does it look like >> for a seventh grader >> to um show creative problem solving, >> right? >> Or what does it look like >> for a eighth graders to meet the standards in a written piece? And so those those benchmarks that you can go anything below this doesn't reach the standards. anything that is better than this or at least as good as and it just it takes >> and it's good work though
037very good >> I still a lot more questions I'm sorry >> are there plans to communicate this to parents >> this change >> just yes >> you know once it's really working as Bill describes is there plans to like help parents understand it >> so we've done this at the high school level um spent two years working on it using the indicators and now what Vermont will call anchor standards and the scoring guide um and it always can be revisited especially student pieces and calibrating. I think it's huge work. The middle school has just started to tie the indicators and the anchor standards into their assessment pieces. It has not gone beyond that point. That'll be a next year thing to continue looking at. So, and yes, most importantly, parents knew about the change at
038the high school level, but we're really not at that point yet to um communicate, but when we do, it's an important piece. >> Yeah, change just a little bit more just because a lot of people ask these questions and if someone's watching this meeting, they might have a lot of answers. So, >> when you're talking about like 2.0, 3.0, know, how does that translate in comparison to the schools that still have, you know, ABCD grades and what does it look like in college? Um, >> well, what does it look like for schools who does ABCD? Um, >> I mean, >> just means that this SU is doing what they're supposed to. That's what the legislature have decided. I mean like there's like a 4.0. >> It's like >> it shouldn't translate. It shouldn't translate. >>
039But we do but we do on the transcripts we change it before it goes to out to colleges to a 100 point system just so you know. So transcripts will have the 4.0 but the overall grade point average um in and colleges are so used to a schools at grade 4.0 no scale. They they're super used to it if they're not do obviously doing it themselves, but uh we do on the transcript give the uh percentage equivalent that goes off to colleges so they'll know the GPA and those things. >> So our students that are proficient at a three, they get a B. >> I would say that's probably a good I can give you the whole scale. You look it up, but I would say that that's pretty close to reality. I know the
040fours are in the eight 4.0 But I was at 97 to 100. >> How common are fours? >> I don't know. >> But but the fact is they're not supposed to translate. >> They're not supposed to, >> but they are. So I'm like, >> a lot of people do do it and they do expect it. It's that transition. Um see standard grading or proficiency based grading is looking at what the kids can do. What level are they performing at in fundamental skills? um ABC conventional grading is grading that is not based on any sort of it's the work that they do not how good it is >> right >> and so so that's be one of my other questions but my question on this is does that mean we're like shortch changing kids who might
041in a traditional grading system be getting an A but now they're a B according to college because they're inefficient. >> Yeah. Like I'm just wondering how >> how common is this? like how many kids are getting >> there are there are states across the country that only have uh proficiency based grading >> because the legislature decided this same Vermont >> basically said this is what we're supposed to be doing but they had they didn't develop anything and they're just >> starting developing it now to make a standardized um system and So it is most people expect uh all schools to be grading this way in the state of Vermont within the next 10 years. >> We have a significant number of kids that make honors and high honors. And so that would be children that
042earn 3.0 and or better in all of their classes or 3.5 or better. And so that now you're in the group of students that are having a averages across the board. So yeah, >> and there's 4.0 kids get 4.0's in classes. Um but yeah, so um no, they're all good, very good questions, especially if we're thinking about college. So >> okay, thank you. >> Uh couple legislative updates. um heard today that the chronic absenteeism uh bill is on the governor's desk for his signature. And what the law does, it defines excused and unexcused absences, chronic absenteeism and truency. Clarifies that unexcused absences apply only to truency, not chronic absenteeism. Requires the agency to develop a model schoolboard policy on this. Um, I heard they have a draft, but they're not sharing it yet. Uh, requires
043the AOE to develop the pumpkin law procedures, updates current truency law. So, >> so exciting. >> I know, right? So, this is what I sent to Elizabeth. >> Yep. So, that is happening headed to the governor's desk. Um, 955, that's the transformation bill. Um, so basically what I've heard and seen the side by side, the House and Senate versions are pretty similar. We thought the Senate might do a lot of strikethroughs, but um that didn't actually come to fruition. But um they both create seesaws. Those are cooperative education service agencies that um have to meet within 45 days of passage of the act which at a minimum must provide special education services business and administrative services, professional development, curriculum coordination, transportation facilities, master planning. So we'll see what that looks like. um requires merger study
044committees to be um implemented across various regions and within the bill it defines those regions. Um and there's some language for the foundation formula um moving to 2030. Um there's some other smaller things but I didn't put them on the slide. >> Bethanne, you have a quick question. >> Yeah, super quick. Are is Ces different from Boseies? >> No, just a different name. Same thing. Yeah. >> I don't know why they do this to us, but they do. So, >> um acronyms. >> Yeah, acronyms. The other one to watch is uh the yield bill uh because the Senate Finance incorporated the language of S220 into the bill before voting it out of committee. it is I can't remember where it is right now but um basically it proposes a change to the excess spending threshold
045from 118 to 112 and our slide again sorry you guys and um that's what this looks like in our SU and I've shared this the weatherfield board meeting and the Hartland board meeting I didn't have it for the mount of scutney I don't believe but um it would require reductions to our three local budgets um pretty significant reductions So, we are also keeping an eye on that and I'll report out as soon as I hear anything. Um, other just update you. It's a busy time of year. Uh, only four weeks of school I think. We're in our Yeah, four four weeks. Um, so we are uh star and dibbles assessments are underway this week and next week I believe done by Friday. Uh, we did do a middle level level culture survey and I'm going
046to bring you those results next month. So, um, I'll put them in my report. We are well underway with hiring. I think we have one special ed position to fill, two interventionists that are title. >> We're kind of waiting for funding before we we've been interviewing. >> Money looks good. >> Yeah, money temporarily. >> I think one SEI and I think I saw an OT position today. So, we're in good shape. Um, in terms of hiring, our professional development planning is well underway for next year. Got a team working on that. >> And what what's the plan with um ELLL? >> So, at this point for EL.3, right? >> We have a Yeah, it can be contracted services at this point in time. Um, okay. So, yeah, >> but you had mentioned at a meeting
047that we might be able to uh work with Hartford with their ELL. >> I would I would just reach out because they may actually >> they may actually need to hire another person. >> Okay. You want to Who would I contact for that? >> Um, Lisa Burton or Amy? Um, >> that Amy >> Damato D E M A T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T E O. >> Okay, this sounds very familiar. >> Um, okay. And lastly for me, um, our retreat is in August, but I will be sending you the board survey in June and July. I'll remind you to
048take it. So just be looking for that in your email and I will turn it over to Larry who is next. Larry, are you sharing? >> Yeah. >> Your presentation. Okay. >> Okay. So this is my annual report to the uh SU and um pretty much everything uh non-academic is finance and operations and uh you can see some of the numbers there. It's a lot of square footage and acreage and a lot of network devices. We're talking about stuff in the hundreds of thousands and 57 million of budget capacity and 100,000 miles annually with transportation, human resources. Uh you can see some of the accomplishments this year. Uh we um are trying to improve our processes and systems for uh benefit benefits and licensing tracking. Uh, and we have done that. Uh, our new HR
049director, Jordan Sergeant, has done a great job since, uh, we promoted her this fall. Um, after looking into, as some of you may remember, uh, some people weren't on the board yet, but, we looked at outsourcing payroll and what that would look like, and we decided to keep it in-house. And, um, and she's done a great job. This is a picture from the first inservice of the year where we I think we're in our third year of the employee recognition program where after you know so many years they we give them a little keepsake for the SU uh buildings and grounds. Uh same thing we have a ticketing system that's a little differently. It's more over email and a facilities request system which has a two-step approval process. Uh required by uh district quality standards.
050Um we have to have a maintenance manual that's actually the template from the state is very involved. Uh so I'm working with Jim on that. We hope to have that done before the end of the fiscal year. And then once we we picked Windsor to start because Windsor is by far the biggest building and uh once we should be able to knock out the other schools much quicker once we have that template. Um IT services, they've done a great job. Uh we've leveraged uh category 2 from - funding saving over $70,000 to upgrade all the switches across the SU. Um so we are uh moving the network core to the Windsor house that is happening as I speak. You know we're in different parts of it. Uh so we're taking it out of Windsor school
051and putting it right into the IT services bullpen which is a former BPR studios here up on the third floor. Uh Ryan has developed many uh powers plugins in house and he's cut his state data collection time by a third and you can see the ticketing system. Uh those tickets are uh through today. So we'll probably end up around I assume the 2,800ish 2900 range to end the year. Um and that is with their uh manning um has gone down since 2022 and we'll speak to that a little later. So even with their uh staff being reduced, they've been able to keep um serving our students and faculty and staff very well with you can see the statistic statistics average resolution time of almost a little under five hours and average first response time under
052four hours. Food service Ian is entering uh is this is his second year here. He's done a great job. Um, and you can see I'm not going to read it to you, but you can see everything that he has done. Uh, the two big things I point out are the fresh fruits and veggie program, which is um, again, uh, good for students and adults, and uh, we should all eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. And, uh, but we get um, money back for that. Similar to the local food uh incentive grant, for the last two years, we've been on the highest award tier. Prior to that, we were at the 15% tier and now we're at 25%. And that gives our district with an additional 25 cents per lunch. And when you serve 106,000 lunches,
053that's real money. And that's because 25% of our food comes local from Vermont. Business services. Um all fisc year 27 budgets adopted and passed. Weatherfield took a revote. Um over over 10,000 purchasing requests. Our fiscal year 25 audits came back in the fall without any findings. So no findings since fiscal year 20 at RSU. Um and over 4,000 invoices processed by accounts payable. Um which we loving to refer to as AP because we like our acronyms as well. And not only that, these are the state and federal mandated reporting we are required to do. And um I I like to put this out every year. It's also in the budget book because there's a lot of things that happen in these halls that aren't uh an accounts payable person may never run into a teacher
054throughout a school year, but there's a lot of things that come down from Montpielar and from Washington that we're required to do and takes time and uh I think it's just important that the board understands um paperwork. Absolutely. >> It may not be literal paperwork nowadays, but uh there's a lot of it. And this is just an example of things that this is the business office alone and a little bit of IT stuff you see with the DCO4s, which Bill knows well, and harvest, which is food service, but most of that is a business office. >> They required us to do a spring this year, didn't we? Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh so there are some organization developments at the business office uh we'd like to inform the board about. Uh and it's all kind of
055happened step by step and planned out and thoughtful and you know we're and now is the time to show the board. So we are going to reduce an FTE and here's how we're going to get there. Uh we had a resignation which uh Kylie Tach has been here for five over five years. Uh she has resigned effective June 30th. We wish her well. Um prior to her resignation, we split off procurement which is purchasing uh to Brooke and we posted a position for accounts payable payroll. That position has been posted for two or three weeks. We've had uh two qualified candidates. Both um did very well in the interviews. We had one person who uh did a slightly better and um we are very excited to announce Paige Jet will be starting June 1st. So
056there'll be a slight overlap with Kylie for Paige. She's currently the bank ops manager at uh Masoma Savings Bank in Claremont. Um she has a business degree um from Lel. She's uh we're very excited and um as anybody who knows me when we open a position we do several interviews. We don't just do one interview. So I think she's gone to this she went through three interviews uh with the business office staff, myself, Christine, which I guess would technically be a fourth. Uh so we're very excited to welcome Paige June 1st. Separately, but related, Gail McCoy has announced her retirement in the fall. She has served the SU for 23 years and um we're very sad to see her go. We will assign one entity of AP to Samantha who is our current payroll person.
057Uh so we will have a little bit of cross trainining. We currently have cross training with payroll in house because our director of HR Jordan Sergeant um was formerly our payroll person before we hired Samantha. So that's our cross trainining there. This will provide us cross training in AP when Gail leaves in the fall. In order to provide efficient oversight while maintaining our existing controls that have uh helped us so much in the auditing process, we are not going to fill the AP coordinate position. We are going to let it lapse through attrition and Jordan Sergeant will be the director of HR and business services while Diana Croll will continue as our controller. Here's what that'll look like effective July 1. This will allow us to um move forward in I think an efficient manner
058and um drop in FTE. We are cognizant especially in the business office about uh as you go through and you saw the parade of horrors from Christine's slides about S220 and what that would mean in cutting and I know that there was uh four positions um reduced in the FY27 budget out of Mount Scutney that's important that we look out um when there's a retirement or a um position open after a resignation that you just look at the whole system and you don't what I call panic hire and you step back and you look at what's the best way to use our current personnel like you would if you were a coach and where do you put the best people in the best spot to um perform well and for the team and individually and
059that's what I think this organization uh reorganization will do you'll notice one thing uh missing under my opices on the right there buildings and grounds affected July one uh gym tap will be under pristine which is very similar to how it works now. Um because we're down in FT in the business office, more of my time will need to be in the business office. >> And Jim and I work very closely already. So it should be just fine. And Larry's still going to do the RFPs and the fiveyear maint. >> I'm still going to do everything that I do currently with buildings and grounds. I just won't be supervising Jim or the buildings and grounds organization generally. So, since I came on board as uh director of finance and office in FY22 and what we're
060planning for in FY28, you can see we are down two positions at the business office, one position at IT services for a total of about 25% of our staffing. we've been able to reduce without I believe any um lack of service to the boards, the central office, the citizens, the faculty and staff. um we have great people working uh in those two departments and by doing that we've been able I think to hold the line on spending and I think uh as we build out the FY28 budget I think it's important that again the board and that the public is aware at the SU um there are two major parts of the SU budget it's special education and it's administration and ops and at least with what we can control down here we're trying to
061cut costs where we can. That makes sense >> for us. >> So, I'm assuming next meeting we'll vote on that hiring piece for the SU office. >> Well, they're not they're not um union position. Well, >> okay. So, technically you don't have to, but we we'd love your blessing. Obviously, >> she'll be here June 1st and we would love for you to vote on that and uh >> accept uh Jordan's resignation with regret at the next meeting tonight. >> I know they can't tonight. Well, they can speak to it, but they can't take a motion. >> Yeah, but technically it's not necessary. >> Yeah. >> Uh strategic initiatives, things that we're uh want to bring to the boards um and uh administration moving forward. Uh there are some things we're going to be doing. I
062mentioned the network core upgrade already. We're going to finish that this spring. There's currently an Alberta Bridge roof RFP, which I know we've talked about with Spanney for many years. Uh we've been holding that off because of PCB testing. Two things. It looks like schools are going to be off the hook going forward for PCB testing uh at the end of the session. Separately, Jim thinks we can't hold off on one more year. >> So, we're going to do that. It's already an RP. The RP is due this Friday. We expect at least one bid to that RFP, hopefully more than one. Um, and we want to do that this summer. As you look forward to the summer, you can see that we're going to roll out PE cards. What are PE cards? They essentially
063are uh credit cards, but they call them purchasing cards because it's there's a lot more control for the business office. So, for example, I can put a per limit uh per transaction limit. I can shut a card down. We can tie cards to particular GL codes. So when uh Christine has a card, it'll and she swipes it uh and she saves a receipt, it'll go without any other input from the business office, it will be reduced when we run the report out of her GL superintendent supply line, for example. Uh so there's a lot of benefits to that. Also, um no interest. uh summer 2026. We want to finish those networking upgrades at $70,000. We've leveraged uh um grant money from -ate. We will hopefully finish the Alberta Bridge roof project. That's the goal. I'll
064be uh putting out some new financial reporting system that I'm currently working on. Uh we hope to have that for Q4, which will be the summer of 26. Um other things. And then before you know it, the fall will be here. And while everybody is welcoming the students back, I will be working on the FY28 budget. Uh we will be reviewing capital plans and then my goal is to uh roll out PECards to the local schools. Christine and I are working out the best way for that to work to uh provide ease for teachers and it's a request that the association has had from us for years and we want to give it to them but we also want to do it in a way that doesn't drive my business office which will be down
065in FTE insane. Uh we'll also be upgrading the uh security camera system. Upgrading in the sense that not necessarily um the number of days it's kept but um the VMware this is all backend stuff. It probably won't make a difference to the principles who access the cameras. Um we want to thank you as a butterfly goes in the air. >> Oh, who's that lovely lady? >> And that is a kindergarten teacher at Windsor. >> Miss Angie. If there's any questions or discussion. >> Thank you. >> Mentioned that card system. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Now we're moving forward. >> He's testing it out. >> We we have we have ordered the first two cards. That was on one of the slides. Uh and it will be going out to Christine and it first and then
066we'll see how it goes. >> They're the guinea pigs. >> Okay. There are no motions for dis for discussion besides the fact we could make a motion anyway. Next agenda. >> Next agenda. We know we'll have one reservation. >> Yeah. And >> yes, that meeting is June. It starts at the end of June, but it'll be working. So just >> they can just make a motion if they want to or it could be an item for discussion. So we've got, you know, June 22nd. Um, I've got a report, special ed has an end of year report which will include number of rule 4500s, the number of staff trained and rest inclusion by policy. >> Um, reports out on transportation as well. and then Bridget say uh regional director will report out on our our date
067our spring data >> and um continuous improvement plan will come back. Our continuous improvement plans will be approved in Sep August or September. They're due up on the website by the 30th. So >> yeah, and we want to use the spring data um which we didn't do last year. >> Yeah. >> So that's could change. tell me to put something on there. >> I think the important thing to point out is we'll have to be concise because we got new stuff and along all the stuff we we did in the past today. >> Okay. So, short. >> Yes. >> Short reports. >> Short. >> I think we've gotten better at that. >> You guys have, but it doesn't mean I'm not going to keep bringing it up. Yep. >> Um, okay. I think I'm I'm
068doing my wrong glasses. >> Um, and there will be no executive session and we will just say good night. >> Right. >> Thank you. Yeah, we don't we can't make a motion. >> We can make a motion to close the meeting. I I will close the meeting. >> Um, so thank you everybody who came. >> Bye Tracy. All right. Shut up.