001Are you already call this meeting to order at 6:07 over the lake today guys? Um we were staggering in slowly today. Um okay so meeting has been called to order. Um, I got stuck on the introductions if needed. Is that new or have I just read it for the first time? Okay. Um, so are there any changes or additions to the agenda? Just we have some new hires, right? Yes, we should put those on there. Yes. Yeah, we do. I'm happy to move that if you guys want to move that to the first. We'll move it to the first, but then you have to hold me accountable to actually move it. Okay. We have um had a lot of meetings since our last meeting even though we um skipped April. Uh which is why we
002skipped remember which one. I don't know which one I was like which one were these. Okay. Okay. I'm going to give board members a few seconds to Can someone just remind me which one? 22nd was the van. 22nd was the van. I think I was part of that one. What was the fourth? Fourth was a resation. Resation. Okay. I think I've been to both of those. Yes. Fourth was a resignation. Oh, yeah. Fourth was a resignation. Yeah. I think I ignored you and maybe yelled at you. Um, unexpected meetings. Are we Are we ready? Okay. I will uh take a motion to approve the minutes. Uh, March 11th, 2025. I'm going to get them all approved or motioned and then we'll vote individually. Okay. Okay. So, I'll take a motion to approve the minutes of
003March 11th, 2025, April 4th, 2025, and April 22nd. I move other second and a second. Um, okay. So, I'll now do votes individually, and we're all here, so we don't have to have a roll call. Okay. Okay. All those in favor of approving March 11, 2025, please say I. I I I I thought I wasn't there for one of them. I Okay. Right. I abain. Okay. Okay. So, uh that was four eyes. Uh all those opposed and one abstension. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So, four eyes and one abstension. Um Okay. All those in favor of approving April 4th, 2025, please say I. I. All those opposed? Any obstessions? Okay. April 4th is approved. Um, all those in favor of approving April 22nd, 2025, please say I. I. All those opposed, abstensions, we're good. Okay. Uh,
004public participation announcements. Um I think leading into discussion later, I am going to thank everyone that helped yesterday. Um and in the previous days to shepherd through our new candidates um and it was just a lot of work and a lot of coordination and a lot of people involved. And then thank you. Thankful to everybody. It's my um Yeah. Uh, okay. I think we'll turn it over to the administrative report. Yes, I got it. I'll share my added Oops. I don't have your added, but um I have one in mind. Okay. Oh, that's about you. Sorry, I always go share instead of slideshow. Oh, group Oops. You want to share it with us? Yeah, I want to share with you a slideshow. Right. Sorry. So, um to start with just some pictures of some of
005the great things that have been happening over the last month. We had a great Title One event that was geared specifically towards grades K through three. You'll see in those top left and right corners, can't read a lot. It was really wonderful. Um, Tina Skihan, the amazing human that she is, already has some themes and ideas for next year planned. So, we're we're really excited to continue that. She's amazing. Um, and then down on the bottom right, I want to highlight Mr. Foley, who created an entire song around all things Vermont. Like, it's just I'll have to get it and send it to you all because it's it's amazing. It's truly amazing. He is incredible, Mr. Foley. Like, he's I've heard really rave from my He really is amazing. Um, they're doing a flight, too.
006Yeah. So, I just He's such an incredible part of this school community. We're really lucky to have him and he's just he's awesome. I know. He also wrote a news he wrote a cool song. Yeah, he that's what I Yes, he is working on. Yep. Song. Does it go something like Heartland Wildats go? No. No. No, it's good. It's really good. It's about the bells and there's historical accuracy in it. It's really cool. Really cool research. When do we all have Do we have to learn it for graduation? That would be for our high school graduation. All the kids have to learn all the singers know. Um yeah, it's really amazing. But in the graduation, I do have one appointment recommendation to bring to you all. His name is Sam August. We would like to
007have you pending your approval as our new middle level ELA teacher. I just wanted to include a little background of him. Um he got his undergrad in teaching and curriculum from Penn State, his master's degree from Harvard and has experience teaching both in the um outside the Boston area as well as the Ann Arbor Michigan area um and is has returned already to this area. Okay. um already relocated. The team that interviewed him were incredibly excited. I think he will be an amazing asset to our middle school team and everyone that was on the committee which was our entire middle school team was really really excited about him. Christine, do you want to add your other or do you want me to continue? Do we need to move or do we do you want me
008to keep going? at once. Perfect. Um I wanted to update you on the school van. It hasn't been purchased. The plan um is that it should be delivered here May 9th. Whoa. So that's like it is a Toyota Sienna um Ellie that Jim Taffft got for us. He got it and it'll be here. He's a head of um maintenance for the SU. Awesome. And did is this like the part electro hybrid one or is this No, I don't think this one is cool. I don't think so. All right, Heather. So, I think what I perhaps I'm looking for um from you all is whether you want me to continue potentially moving in this direction that I'll outline in a second or if you kind of want me to pump the brakes and we can always
009continue to do what we've been doing. So, I guess just looking for a little guidance from you. So the proposal on the table potentially is that algebra will be taught via VTBLC during one of our elective periods. Students would still be able to participate in band and jazz band if they so choose because in the middle school we have two separate electives. So there's a 30-minute elective, there's a 45minute elective. Band and jazz band occur during that 45minute elective. This would this proposed idea would occur during that 30 minute elective. So because oftentimes there is overlap in the same students that want to do both of those things. This would allow them to continue to do both. So they could do band, jazz band, and algebra. Correct. Correct. Um the plus side to this is
010that students would then take both eighth grade math and algebra, which is not happening currently. If you have an if in our building right now if there is an eighth grade student who is taking algebra they do not have access to eighth grade math content because that happens simultaneously where students are taking algebra in Windsor and then come over here when 8th grade math is happening here. Um so over the years and I will say not only H Heartland but Weatherfield that's the other you know K through8 school in the SU have noticed that they're missing concepts and and Heather I don't know if at some point you want to chime in from you have a you Heather has a really unique perspective on this as a high school math teacher at one of the
011schools that one of the common schools that we send to. Um, we're hoping that it would allow for a better math experience for our students to be more prepared in high school. I checked in with I checked in with three the three larger sending schools. Woodstock, Handover, Hartford are really the three that we send a large large portion of our students to. So Woodstock and Hover, they don't currently take the high school credit. So what it does, they still are required. So if a student right now is taking algebra as an eighth grader at Windsor, they would start at Woodstock High School if that's where they went or Hanover at geometry and they are still required to take three years of math. Oftentimes those students may choose to take more than three years of math
012but that requirement of three years is still there. Um and Hanover again different state but I wanted to be Woodstock and Hartford at the top. No, no. Woodstock and Hannover are similar in that way. Hartford is different. I kind of put Hanover in two because Hannover is in the state of New Hampshire, which in many ways just runs by a different set of rules because they're in New Hampshire. Yeah. And so in for Hanover High School, the state of New Hampshire requires a math or math experience. They might include that as like teched in some type of realm, some type of math experience each semester for all four years. Woodstock doesn't do that. That's just handover in the state of New Hampshire thing. Hartford does take the high school transcript as algebra 1 as one
013of their three required math offerings. So if you are an eighth grader at taking algebra in Windsor and you go to Hartford, that would then be one of the three. So you could in theory then just take two years of math classroom whenever and meet those three math requirements. Um I'll keep for now I think and you said sorry it wasn't the end of it said that so would all these would in Hartford you said would continue to take the credit with this change well the from VTVLC it still would come out as a credit so that would still be applicable for but it would just be a half an hour once a day. Yep. Yep. It's a and What are they getting at Windsor? Probably getting what period is 45 minutes 45 minutes 50
014minutes 50 minutes but they're losing an additional like 30 of transport time. Yeah, probably. But with VTVC it's also not they're missing in real it's also not taught in real time, you know. So they could be working on it at home for an hour but they'll be allotted that time in school to work on it. And who's who would be the in-person teacher facilitating that learning? You would be the teacher of record for a VTBLC option would be someone employed by VTBLC. So they would be the the teacher doing it, but there would be an adult that is monitoring the group of students. Likely not a teacher. It it may or may not be a teacher. It really we're and this is kind of where we haven't flushed out all the details because I wanted
015to get your thoughts and then I can go in whatever direction you want me to go in and then bring it back to you. I mean you guys are experienced educators. you're doing this in, you know, real time. I remember eighth grade algebra and I have future children who I imagine might do algebra. Um I worry a little bit like if you think about the kids that are doing eighth grade algebra, a lot of those are kids that like love math, right? They have an aptitude for it and probably the most important thing that we do for them in that year is keep that love of math going. I worry a little bit that by giving them their two math experiences, one in a classroom where they're going to be with kids who just are
016not going to be picking stuff up as quickly, and then the other math experience they get is now remote learning. I I worry about that because I think um it's it seems to me that eighth grade math like yes it's important content and credit is important but the most important thing is that they leave eighth grade being like oh I love math and I'm excited to keep doing this. Yep. I get that. Heather, do you you have a very unique perspective, especially as a Wait, Heather, I'm gonna pop in before you because I have a strong opinion that's um longer term. Um, as an engineering student, if you do not start, if you don't have eighth grade math or eighth grade algebra and have that progression through college, you are starting way behind as an
017engineer. And um, engineers like where I went to school, we were required to take four classes a term when other students all the other disciplines only had to take we had to take five classes a term. all the other disciplines to poor because you have to do so much to get through an engineering curriculum. And a lot of schools like Dartmouth, they have a five-year engineering curriculum to not do that. So being behind by one math class, which is literally when it starts in eighth grade, um is really detrimental. And so that's my very strong opinion. But in either way, they're not losing algebra. It's more just a question of how we provide algebra to them. I have concerns about this on other fronts. So I'll let Heather. But so I just want to make
018sure I understand. So your worry about BTLB BT BLC is that it What does that stand for, by the way? Vermont Virtual Learning Center is what I imagined, but I literally made that up. It did. Um I'm worried the kids won't be engaged and won't follow through. Yeah. Right. And then even even the like even our really strong math students, you're essentially asking them to take a class. I mean, they're they are only in eighth grade and we're asking them to take an advanced class on their own. Yeah. Right. That's my worry. It seems to me that if we sort of knew that there are gaps that we say for the algebra kids, we're adding in like these are the gaps we have to make sure we fill. It's some type of accelerated. They do
019that in the algebra class. So like the first two or three months was all infilling. Um, but I'm gonna let Heather What would be interesting to see is to look back at the math scores for those eighth graders that have taken algebra in eighth grade versus not like because if they weren't taught the eighth grade curriculum and then were tested on it, what did that look like? I don't know. Interesting. Okay, Heather, I know that you have the most knowledge and the strongest opinion. So, I want to like clear clear the plate right now because like this is this is this is my expertise. This is why you guys all got me here. Um is we need to remember that algebra 1 is by far the most important math class that a kid will ever
020take. If they do not have a strong foundation in algebra 1, like their house that they are building crumbles. So, I think that whatever choice we make, we have to keep in mind that algebra 1 is literally the most important class. Like, they can I've seen it before. I've been there. Like, that's why I teach algebra 1 for 21 years because I'm not willing to let kids figure out. No, I'm not figuring it out. I got it. Um, but like I'm not we're not allowing kids to like do poorly in algebra one. So, with all that being said, I love the idea that you want to bring algebra here. Like, I've been waiting for this for a very, very long time. I don't think this is the way to do it. Um, but I commend
021you. Thank you. Thank you for like taking this on because I think that it's important that, you know, the kids lose 30 minutes of whatever by driving. They miss their their 20 minutes. They don't miss on the on the early side. on. They get out of class at the same time that the kids get out here on first period, but then they travel from Windsor. But I can also tell you from students who have done this, they don't particularly love going to Windsor High School. So, um I feel like I want I want to pursue this. Um my my suggestion is to try to figure out how you do eighth grade math and eighth grade algebra. So eighth grade math is eighth grade math and eighth grade algebra is algebra 1 mixed in with eighth
022grade content. And like I know at our school in eighth grade we have a math eight and we have a grade eight algebra and we have a curriculum that incorporates all of you know like what standards are here because we were noticing that when kids were skipping 8th grade like they came to like they were actually further behind when they got to geometry than the kids who took algebra 1 in nth grade. And so it really does it actually does a disservice to like advance like to have them skip a grade. So I would like for I mean like I am so more than happy to help try to figure out how to do a eighth grade and a grade and a grade eight algebra like we got a great curriculum going. Um to sort
023of make that work you guys just have to figure out how to staff that. Um, and so again, I love this idea and I'm obviously very passionate about it and so like I again I will do whatever whatever you need for my help. I am I am there. She's so excited to teach ethics. But I mean so just so I don't know if you realize this because I didn't realize this is first our eighth graders are not in a freshman class. in their own house doing this in the sense of like that teacher there could be teaching that curriculum it's not like there's nth graders yeah us next year's so the the the interesting part so normally on any given year Hannah there might be 15 kids eighth graders from Hartland there might be eight
024it really it depends on the year the interesting piece which maybe this is a like you and I sit and we can brainstorm not during this meeting but like an after the In fact, it is a small cohort of kids that is in a rising eighth grader. It is for one single class of about 15 to 15 total. Like that's the whole grade. It's just one. So which just it just makes it an interesting factor to consider. Not impossible, just do you know how many we'll do algebra next year? So we tried getting a count and like like out of fun and math and there was only like four or five of us planning on. Um, the other thing I do want to stress, there's like a couple things I want to stress. Like one,
025we need to be really careful about how students are going into grade 8 algebra. And the reason why is because again, some kids are just not ready and they're getting pressure from their friends. They're getting pressure from their parents that like this is what they have to do to stay on track. And again, I've seen it over a million years that like a lot of times if a kid isn't ready, they actually do worse than if they had waited one more year. And like it's just one of those things. And to Nikki's point about like being rigorous to get to be an engineer, like we all in high school, we all have pathways for kids that if they start in nth grade, they can make it to calculus, AP calculus by senior year. um they
026just have to double up in their sophomore year in geometry and algebra 2, but it is completely doable. And for a kid who's motivated because they know that like this is what they're doing, it is it is like some of the best calculus students have been the ones who have literally waited until 9th grade to take algebra 1 and then go on in because they've got the maturity. They've got like some really strong skills that their other friends didn't get because they were rushing ahead. There's a really great expression in the Suzuki violin world that says that a dandelion grows faster at first than an oak tree and just the idea that it's not how fast it's not how fast you do that early learning. It's like sometimes the really sturdy learning takes a long
027time. I wonder Heather this is a scenario where we put a pause because it and you and I connect between now and the next board meeting which I think is the retreat and then maybe we have a different conversation. for the next SU board meeting because this brought to my attention this is an SU decision to create this curriculum based. Yeah, because it also is going to affect Weatherfield, right? Well, they they Brian presented to his board last this past month. Um they um they're going to go with the BTBLC option. Okay. Are they going to do both a grade and BTBLC or they I think they're going to do it in a somewhat similar way to the scenario that I just to be I mean they'll be on the agenda for the next. So
028maybe we put a pause to this after you and I connect something that would help me is because I'm also heavily judging VT VC. I have like the idea of having my kids sit in front of computer taking a class. I'm just I'm judging it harshly and I don't know and it's not fair because I really know nothing about it. So, I think just learning more about how it works, what it looks like, how it feels like would be really helpful because I would just be like googling it. Before, can I just add real quickly? I did this in Manchester in Dorset. We had students we because we didn't have enough to have class and the other choice was to have them go to Manchester every night from Dorset. So, we had my first year
029we had two students who were actually taking geometry that first year out of COVID. They had taken algebra as seventh graders with VTBLC. They were doing geometry. They were but they were still doing the eighth grade math and they were picking up stuff that they were applying to geometry by going through that eighth grade math class. The next two years we had I had two students and then I had one who had qualified for it and they were in class supporting taking eighth grade math class and doing well but at the same time they were an extra set of eyes and hands and took on some responsibility with being almost like a tutor in class to their classmates which was really really helpful. They didn't do any of the BTBLC stuff in school. That was
030all done outside of school, but when they had questions, they did come to me as their math teacher. And I'd be more than happy to help facilitate that. I'm just not available every single day at the same period. So, but I would be a resource here for those who are taking it. I mean, I know we're going to come back to this because we have a lot of other stuff to do, but um I would say that if if we could find a proctor for the VTBLC class that was engaging and made even just questions fun that I could see. But that's like a big ass too. Yeah. Right. Even if it was like right because if it's asynchronous but there is some time. I do worry though if it's just that there's an adult
031like making sure they're sitting at the computers that feels like it could be really distracting their computers. It's not just the one site. It's you have all your other tabs. So if like a kid really doesn't want to do a lesson, you can't see that. Like there's light speed and things, but also like workbooks are really helpful to us because of like imaging. I feel like a lot of decision. So it is and that's why I kind of wanted your pulse like needed decision now, but I think that what I'm hearing from you, I think it makes sense Heather, you and I connect after this and then perhaps you and I together can have kind of lead a conversation the next time we meet. I think that would be lovely. Okay. I would love to
032do that, Lizzy Perkins. I love that. Okay, perfect. All right, so Emily, then I'm gonna turn it over to you. Uh, so I kind of wrote in the end of March because we didn't have an April meeting, but we'll start with April. So we had our usual spring concerts, which were separate and didn't go to the choir concert, so hopefully it was went really well. Swimming was awesome. Okay. Yeah, that's good to hear. And then the band concert. I know a lot of kids enjoy it. A lot of kids like the band concert. It's just fun. So was a fire concert. They're all fun. Then we had cognizing which was like so fun. Oh yeah. So much fun. So much fun. So fun. We're still buying for everything. I never survey testing. Oh. Oh. So
033yeah, we had testing felt like forever, right? So we got to math our class at least. And then we had spring break which everybody enjoyed. So I got really bored but that's okay. And then recently we had actually Oh no, that was in April. We had the pancake breakfast in seventh grade. We raised a lot of money. $1,200. Was it awesome? Dinner was going to be a good Yeah. But we were really proud of ourselves. We had a lot of people show up, too. And then a lot some people didn't show up, but then we have more people who could come be like, "Yeah, I can serve for a few hours." So, it was nice having people have the play, which is at the end of March. Um, third grade fan, Charlie Brown, which was
034also really good. A lot of people came to come see and support. Yep. And then we have third grade. This is fun to read all the papers. So last month, third grade learned about like the Native American like all the different Native American tribes and what they do. So they were supposed to make a poster and then their choice of like looking for food or a diarama I can't say of them like hunting or fishing just like something that they were clear so they could teacher could really see that they were paying attention in class. But I always liked doing this as a little kid. So, but a lot of kids actually didn't like doing this project. And then there's new kids who just wrote this was really boring on their paper. I'm like, okay.
035So, it's like better to be honest than not. Thank you, Emily. So, some upcoming events. We have kindergarten registration on the 22nd and early release on the 23rd. Any idea how many killer? Oh, we got one killer right there over there. Um, we were somewhere in the round of 20. I should have asked Linda before I think there there there might be more. Like that was a little like a few weeks back that I asked that of Linda. And how many was that? 20ish. It was 20ish. Like an but I don't know the exact number. We'll have to see. Usually we get more and more. I'll take I will take as many as 28. Yes. Correct. would be a great number. 32. I know. 35. Why stop it? I know. No. Uh, next. Not this
036year. You get one the following year and then one the following year after that and two years then you get another one. I'm doing my best here. Okay. Keep populating. I think these baby factories here are done. So these baby factories can't keep going. Last one almost killed me literally. Come on. He literally did. Killer. So, I'm out. We're tired. Okay, fine. Will you keep populating? We're done. Four is enough. Yeah, I saw you. I saw you guys walk into town the other day. It looked like enough. It's like a whole wagon full of children with an extra one out front. I was like, man. Okay. All right. We uh we digress. We want a little bit from me tonight. Um, so just we're it seems crazy that it's already the end of the year.
037It's a few weeks left in the in the year, but we are um really busy hiring as as Nikki pointed out at the beginning. We had a big hire here, but hiring across the SU. We are finding that we're getting a few more applicants this year than we have in the past few years, which I think is really hopeful and promising because the um outlook for the future of teacher um teacher shortage doesn't go away. So um can I add one thing? Sorry, I didn't think of this until now. I at least in H Heartland, we've had a pretty low turnover rate from this year to next, which is really really good. Yeah. Yeah. Which is great. I think we're home. Do we have a do we track that data? We do. Yeah. Do you
038have any open teaching positions right now? We do one one PE teacher that is we are in the interview process as we speak. Y yeah. So that's great. Um I am really uh we did have our instructional team leaders met last week with our new curriculum instruction and assessment um director Bridget Fariel. It was a really um really um robust meeting I I guess is a good word to talk um to to put to it. We we got a lot done. We talked about a lot. There's a change in leadership and that's exciting. And there's you know there's um a lot of forward movement planned which is also pretty exciting. So we talked a lot about um instructional coaching and what that looks like across the SU and how important it is um in supporting
039our our teachers. So, um, that program, you know, that was Angie's kind of baby. She really, it took a while to get it, but but we have coaches in every building, and that's, um, pretty impressive in our relatively small SEO. Um, and they do a great job, but they're learning how to be coaches as they're coaching, which is, you know, happens in education all the time, right? Building while we're flying, flying, building, flying the plane while we're building it. So, um, but, uh, Bridget's going to lead that work and and I have every confidence that'll be just what we need. Um, they, the team worked on the assessment calendar for next year. So, that's when we're taking, um, STAR assessments and, you know, we don't have a lot of leeway with BTC, but we do
040some other assessments. Um, we're required to do an early learning screener now. You all know that under ID 139. So, we'll be doing Dibbles. the team talked about um the dibbles data being much more um really gives you better information than the star early literacy. So we're going to use dibbles for K two as our kind of benchmark um and then in at the end of second grade the students will take the star um reading. So talked about things like that. They're working on the fall professional development plan. We've heard from our teachers across the SU that they really do want more time in grade level cohorts to talk about curriculum and so we're going to build that into plan. And Christine, when you say that, are you saying that like so all sus will
041like individual or like all third graders through the whole SU? That'll be lovely. Yeah, that's good. Yeah, it's really needed. um student programs. They will not have the time to to dig into those and talk about them and plan common assessments and all the work that our our teachers do. Um they're working on our literacy plan which is part of act 139. It was started this year and it should be finished up and then you know the summer work that they're going to do. So, that was a really great and exciting meeting and they're they're all um um pretty uh I guess exciting is the best word to work together. It's a strong dynamic team so I think we'll make some great headway. Make sure you use the term CIA always for them. CIA. Good.
042Yep. Um, so this I presented at the SU board meeting on last Monday and I can certainly if you click on it, it links. I know some of you weren't there document. Yeah, it'll come up. I wasn't there because one, it was my birthday and I was flying to Arizona. Um, and two, I don't Am I supposed to get an email like I normally get that says like when the board meeting is? You should. You should. You did not. I didn't get one. That's going to be my excuse. I don't I didn't get an email for the SU board for the SU board meeting, which is weird because I feel like I've been getting emails. Do you need to review again? Weren't you you were on this? I was, but I'm not anymore. I know.
043Thank you. I won't I'll double check because I was like, oh my god, there's a board meeting and then I was like, well, yeah, you're you're fine. Um, you know, we talked about H454 there. Um, last week, week, a little bit over a week ago, the Senate Education Committee came out with their response to H454. I just heard yesterday that um another draft came out 9.1 with further changes. Um, not none of them are great. None of this is great because they don't have anyone in education being actually, but they did take out the size. They took out the class size and the school size. They did um but they also took away the um task force with people in the field that um do the job helping to figure out, you know, really what's
044what's needed in terms of consolidation. Fabulous. So, yep, there were there there there um information on on boundaries. Um scroll down. Yeah, they took out school and class size. That is correct. They um they changed um in the house version there are um statewide there's a a proposal for statewide calendar a statewide financial and student information system and statewide graduation requirements in the Senate version that the graduation requirements stayed um in the section on um school closure and transition to paying tuition. This the Senate version does not include that provision. The House version requires districts that close schools to designate up to three public schools rather than moving to full choice tuitioning. Um stated on construction they they stay the same, which is we need a program for um stated construction, especially if there's going
045to be consolidation in building mega schools. Yeah. They're going to make mega schools. Someone's got to fund it. Yeah. Um well, I mean they're going to tear down. They're going to They might have to seems like a new one. So, are we just going to build a new we just build a new building in the middle? I think they have to build that house. So, it's just Yeah, it's all No, I mean there's parts that were like they needed to leave immediately like in another location. Yeah. Yeah. It's really sad. It's really sad. Like I feel really bad for them. for those kids and teachers that have been there for Yeah. Um for tuition eligibility, the Senate um expands tuition eligibility in the House proposal um and allowed tuition to independent schools that had at
046least 51% of their student enrollment. Go figure. One's written by public school representatives and the others run by private school representatives. And the Senate is 25% and that's based on this this year's numbers. Um and the Senate bill allows um out of state tuitioning to public and private schools in neighboring states and um provinces and the House bill does not um allow that to allow private schools um state board of education appointment authority. In the House version, it allows the House and Senate to each have the power to appoint one state board member each without expanding the board. And the Senate version does not give that provision. Um, tuition payments, tuition paid to public or independent schools equal to the base amount and any weights that the student carries in the foundation amount. And that
047is not in the Senate version. I will be honest, I have not had a chance to look at the side by side of the version that came out um Friday. I met it yesterday and that was a little bit busy. So, I don't know if you can keep it up. Like I don't know if anyone can keep up with this. There's like it's a new thing. It's like the wind blows and you're like, "Oh, here comes a new one." I mean the the education opportunity payment which they're talking about which is the foundational formula did get a document today um and I just briefly looked at it and when you look at it it'll give you the district and how much um the payment would be um next year this year and next year I
048will say Hartman's payment is is decreases significantly meaning what it means it's based on like um a a average student um per pupil cost. Okay. And I think it's it's changed. It's was like 139 now. I think it's 148ish. And then there are additional um weights for certain things. Yep. That changes all the time as well. There is an opportunity for districts to spend more. There's a way to do that. I think up to 10% more. But um if you think about the per pupil I mean just put it in simple terms think about the per pupil cost currently for Hartland it's 18 18 almost 19 to go to less than 15 would be a pretty significant change especially when the high school tuition right and they got rid of the tuition provision so like
049what will schools do cuz like if you don't even have the ability to raise capital right you will decrease your resources. That's it. I don't know how else you would do it. Right. Whatever happened to the town coming up with a difference? That's only come up with 10%. They don't they don't want it to drive still does not get used to it. Correct. So I I mean this is nothing is sent in. I'm just It's just hard to know when to I mean just when Yeah. When do you start like yelling at them? They are in they're in and can I watch when you start? They're in committee. I think I heard Elizabeth say they're going to um they're not going to pass it back to the house. They're going to be in um there's
050a name for it. Small committees um negotiating. So there's some people from the House Senate. Then it goes to the full House and Senate and it's an up or down vote. Whatever comes out of there. So there no changing it. It's either yes or no. And that goes to the governor. And is he still saying he'll veto at this point? Do you know? Um, last I heard, if it doesn't do what he wants it to do, yes. But so then we'll just be back at square one again. There'll be no movement and then, you know, I just could they can't do it overnight like like I don't think that they're thinking about how schools impact communities. Yeah. And there's a provision in it like if it doesn't get done there's something in it that I
051was reading that it it almost goes back to the community like act 46.2 or on steroids or something like that. I mean the reason that act 46 failed is it was done it was implemented too quickly. Yeah. There was towns were not given enough time and towns are still struggling. Those towns that were forced to consolidate they're still um struggling. the new principle that I don't know if you talked about last night. He he went through that. Well, in Maine is still trying to undo their consolidation. Yeah. Just reminder, consolidation does not save money. Like they they've done studies. It just doesn't save money and it just causes it just causes a lot of harm, especially a lot of community harm. Yeah. So, I'll keep you updated. That's what I've got for tonight. Um I
052took my thing off. Is that okay? Um, so items for discussion. Um, I'm going to revisit the agenda. I think we've already talked about algebra and we'll come back to it. Um, and I think we already talked about school ban. Okay. Um, I'm going to move our new hires discussion to the top. Um, and I will turn it back over to Yeah. Um, so, uh, we and I have a principal. um candidate to bring to the board tonight for your approval. Um you know most of you met him last night but Heather was I didn't I'm sorry. What are we doing? His name is Frank Romeo and he is from Southland. So right up the road from here. He has South Ros. South. Yeah. He's been a principal for um he has administrative experience um
053last 12 or 13 years. He's been a principal at the Claremont Middle School for the past seven years. So, he's coming from New Hampshire um to back to Vermont. He's he's worked in Vermont before he was an assistant principal at South War School. He's got a ton of um middle school experience, which I think is is wonderful um for for H Heartland. Um he prior to that he was a teacher. Um he's been involved in a a US history teacher for I don't know half a dozen years seven years he's been a um a professor before that he worked in finance so he's from New York worked in finance but that was not his his calling and lots of coaching and he's done lots of coaching yeah lots lots of coaching um so we um
054he went through a very rigorous process yesterday and prior to that through the screening committee and the whole um that that first stage of the game um and I think you were part of that and yesterday he met with uh students he met with the um instructional leaders the interventionists he met with Heidi and Linda that's important for him um the board he met with the administrative team he had community interviews so he he um he was very Um there there was a large a big vote of confidence for trying to be the consensus. Yeah. And you guys had a conversation this morning. Yeah. Yes. Just follow just a couple of questions and just wanted to make sure that I I think seeing if we gel which was really nice. We we met in two
055other groups yesterday. Awesome. So we these conversations was great. Yeah. So very excited. Um would love your approval so we can move forward with Frank Romeo. Okay. It doesn't really flow as good as Lindsay Perkins, but it's gonna have to be Romeo Romeo where out the kids are like Romeo and Juliet. Um and then we had Sam August as well. Okay. Um you don't need me to recap. Is that fine? Okay. No, I don't think so. Or the the grown-ups have grown up. Yes. Yeah. No, that's what I meant. You'll like it. You'll like it. Okay. Um I will take a motion um to hire Frank Romeo as the new principal and Sam August as the new uh middle level ELA. So moved. There second. I second. Okay. Beth second. Ryan. Um is there any
056further discussion except that we're excited to have these two boxes built? Um, what is the transition gonna look like between Lindsay Perkins and Frank Romeo? I think that's what Christine and I now need to figure out. Yeah. I mean, Lindsay, we've talked about, you know, getting her documents in order so that he has a a good map of things. Um, he'll have Michael, he'll have a strong team, I think. Um, when we talk about the retreat, I'd love to invite him. Let's not forget Linda and Lindon Heidi have a lot I know they probably run the building more than anybody. He has a lot of principal experience which is great a lot of experience schedules which I think is a good bonus for us. Um but there'll be time for work together and so he'll
057be starting July one. He officially starts July one but you know I'm sure he'll come over before July one. Yeah. Okay. So, he's very very excited. Very excited. Awesome. Yeah, we are. He's about to inherit a super awesome school. I know. Okay. I will take a vote. All those in favor of hiring Frank and Sam, please say I. I. I. All those opposed. Any abstensions? We have hired Franko and Sam August. Can I just say between the two of them, they lived in every place that I call home. Me, too. Oh, yeah. in Arthur. Oh, that's so funny. Baltimore Monton like Frank coached two miles from my house. Yeah. And you just got so many connections. Long Island. Did you spend time on Long Island? No, it wasn't Long Island. Those years in Hampton. My
058husband went to Penn State. Oh, that's what it was. It was the Pennsylvania connection, too. Pennsylvania. Yeah. Central. Yeah. Born and raised central Pennsylvania, my friend. No. Romeo's from Long Island. I know he's Sam from He's from He was at Penn State. I can't remember. Yeah, he went to Penn State, but I'm not sure where he originated. We'll invite him to the first board meeting. We'll get Michael remembers what the first board meeting was like. Everybody has everything in common. Exactly. That's right. That was really weird. Okay. Um, moving on. Uh tax anticipation note. Yes. So um do we have to sign that today? You don't have to sign it today. You have to sign it next month. It has to be like 30 days prior to the the current one expiring which is um
059June 30th. So you have to sign in June, but we prove it tonight um because we're at our retreat in June and we try not to make decisions. Okay. In June. So the amount is um it is a 5.85 fixed rate. Um that's actually hot off the press. It dropped a little bit from the last time we spoke to the bank. Um the amount is 2,838,830 and.79. So that needs to be part of the motion. Okay. Got that. Got it. I feel like this sense business is a little crazy. I don't think you need to rate Nikki just Yeah. Okay. Um, and I will say for any public that watches this, the tax anticipant tax anticipation note um is uh for when we have not yet collected taxes from the town but still need to
060pay our teachers on a monthly schedule um or any other of our budgetary items. So we borrow a little bit, we pay it back, we borrow a little bit, we pay them back. Sometimes we don't have to but sometimes we do have to be ready expect that we'll go to the full 2.8 20 million but we will have the option. Um okay so I will take a motion to approve the 2526 school year tax anticipation note uh for a value of 2,838,83079. Yep. I make a motion for that big number. So moved. I can say the math teacher. Yeah. No, it's just says someone who can't remember all those numbers right now. The dyslexic read a number accurately. That is like my biggest stress. Okay. Um is there any further discussion? Okay. Uh all those
061in favor please say I. I. I. All those opposed extensions. We are moving on. Okay. Um, substitute pay. We talked about that at the SU and um, I think we talked about $150. Um, and uh, we need to approve that of the board. You do. It's been approved at the other districts. And if yes, you will approve that. And we basically made it so it was in line with surrounding communities. Yes. Yeah. Um, and so that hopefully we have more people that want to substitute. Um, yeah, I will uh take a motion to increase the substitute pay to $150 and I believe that's for the 2526 school year. Um, anybody want to make that motion? So move. Okay, Hannah, there second. Second, Heather. Okay. Uh, any further discussion? Just wondering um and I don't know
062what it looks like here, but do recruiting subs and also like sort of kind of giving them a little bit of training. Is that something that happens here? We do our best Yeah. to go through all the logistics, Linda and Heidi, with them. We have a number of the same people that have subbed for a while, but we're always putting it on and off in the Wildcat Weekly. I think Linda's trying to post it up where she can any, you know, Linda and Heidi have a lot of outreach and connections across the community. So, we're always looking for subs on board is not fantastic. No, I think it could be improved upon. Yeah, I think that's something that like if subs if substitutes know like a lot more information, I think they're much more apt
063to stay sub and be more effective as opposed to like here you go, here's a room of 17 kids. We try especially like when a sub is new to start them in like maybe they're subbing as a support staff in a classroom for a day like that we're not just day one putting them in a classroom by themselves with 15 17 kids. I think some boarding might be we actually have two permanent subs. Yeah, that's and they're basically paid like the about the rate of a parent educator and it is amazing. Like it was so worth it. Yeah, it was So um you're gonna have to increase your subline to do that. Yeah, you got to increase your subline. Yeah, budget. We do it has two or three. It is really It is a long
064take notes for Okay. Um uh we did not move this. So we we moved it but we haven't discussion now. Okay. All those in favor what how much was it before? 10025. All those in favor of um increasing the substitute play pay. See please signify by saying I. I. All those opposed abstensions. Okay that passed five. Um Christine just out of curiosity does this now put subpay over um PAR educators they get benefits and stuff just a conversation we had closer closer I am now on setting the next agenda which is our board retreat which is what it's in the calendar for June 3 June 3 Can we stick with those I think June 3rd feels it's Tuesday right it's a Tuesday it's the it's your regular So, it's our regular meeting. [Music] There's a
0655:00 start. We usually start at 5, but it can be whatever you want. I got to check all the calendar. What are you looking at over there? I have it starting at 5. Yeah. No, I just fine. It can't be adjusted. That's just the placeholder you Wait, I also am worried. Can I just say one other thing? I think that there's a second grade B baseball game that just got moved to them. So, I have like two things that make it not ideal, but on the third, why don't we can we do the 10th or the 17th? Yeah, with the 10th. I mean, Lind, we've got Lindsay until July 1st or June 30th. I've got Weatherfield on the 10th. Um, 17th, right? Are you already on vacation? I guess. Uh, no. We are we uh
066we are not I mean what is your last day of school? You haven't told me yet. It's either the 13th or the 16th. What about we do Monday the 9th? Monday, June 9th. We could do the I have no Weathersfield graduation. Sorry. Mother's Field is like really all the We could do the 16th. Do the second. Is the 16th? The 16th is Mount Scutney. Oh, okay. Well, someone's gonna Sorry, I think our computer's gonna turn off. Yeah. Oh, uh, I finally did that. Uh, the second works. I mean, the second's no better for me. So, if you'd rather just So, you have Oh, I guess there's baseball game is Okay, that's right. You're saying Monday the second. Well, okay, that's fine. Monday the second. What happened on June 5th got rescheduled to June 3rd. So,
067yeah. So Monday would be better than for me I guess work the ines don't Yeah. No you don't usually come to the No. Monday the second. Okay. So June 2. Um I'm happy with five o'clock and I'm happy to host again. I know Nikki. Can we come to your house? It's so close to my house. I love that. Are you doing a pot work again? Yes. Would you like me to send out a spreadsheet? That's true. Actually, you know what? And Emily, I found your babysitters for the Monday. Who is it? I have my babysitter card. There you go. Did rescuer CPR. She did like fire department CPR. She didn't do the Red Cross like they want. Is there anything we have to do you want on the agenda? Well, I think we need to
068welcome Frank. Okay. Um, it's Frank Romeo. Frank Romeo. Is he gonna come to that? We have to invite him. He I mean I feel like he has to. Yeah. Actually, I would say it's not in his I would say I would honestly say that we should move the if you can say Heather says you have to be there. So just so you know that well some of us I think survey yourselves again uh you did a board survey. I can send you the survey in Yeah. set your goals for next year. Yeah. Um, okay. And I guess, uh, Lindsay and Michael, if you guys had anything that you wanted us to, um, improve upon, brainstorm, and discuss at the board meeting. I don't have a lot of lot to compare to. This has been a
069super super great experience. So, awesome. I love criticism after teacher like teacher or support staff feedback if people are feeling something about whatever it is that we're doing. Like I feel like we need to all be open to Yeah. feedback and hearing what others have to say. Yeah. I mean we could almost ask our staff to do I want you did it. No, she wants or like maybe what they I'm not I can Smith this a little bit, but something like what what are some things they'd like to see or discussions they'd like the board to have? Something something along those lines. I could we get a faculty representative to be on the board. Yeah, I would love a faculty representative on the board. Well, we have some that come. They do, but like I
070I feel like I would love them to be in that chair over there so we can have like a faculty report as well because I feel like really important to Yep. I'm ready. Yep. Put that on Frank's list, please. You got it. Um Okay. Yeah. So, and I think that was okay. Um I think that this is a kind of a cool year that we don't have to really get to know each other. So, as a we do need to get and now we don't get in. No, I'm a little afraid that we're going to intimidate him. No, I think right now um he's okay. I don't know what's going on. Um poor guy. Okay. He doesn't know what he's going into. Um okay. I think that we have set the next agenda. Um I
071do not think we need an executive session that I know of. I think we're all set. Um I would take a motion to adjurnn. Ajourn. Second. Okay. I think that was Heather's way of saying move and I turned. Okay. All those in favor? I I Christine, thank you for baking for us. I'm the