001You're live whenever you need to. I got 559. But >> yeah, >> because of course >> we'll wait another minute or two since the other two come on. Well, let's call the meeting to order. It's 6:01. >> Introductions. It's fun to see. >> Kathy Sienna Goodwin, Grafton. >> Rachel Plamer, Grafton. Merryill Grafton, >> Lyn Morgan, Athens, Angela Cardier, principal here at Grafton Elementary School. >> Andy Hos, superintendent. >> Okay. And >> we have Deb Cardain. Introduce her. Deb, you want to introduce yourself? >> Sure. >> Deb Cardain, director of instruction. >> Any adjustments to the agenda? Um, is there anything update on after school program if we're going to have one or not? >> Yes, I will I will um update you in my board report. >> Okay. Okay. And do any communications or public
002comments? I don't see anybody other than Nancy. Oh, Krista's walking in right now. Is it Kristoff? Oh, is she here? Welcome. Is she available to introduce herself? >> Oh, okay. >> I'm sorry. >> I don't just getting started. >> We're communication and public comments. We'll see. >> Thanks, sir. >> So, we'll review and approve minutes from August 4, 14th, and September 20th. >> Should be the 2nd, I think, not the 20th. >> That's true. It hasn't gotten to September 20 yet, has it? Let's make that a correction. September two. Interesting. Thank you for that. I move we approve the minutes of August 14th. >> Great. >> Any comments? >> Was one meeting I wasn't here for. Just don't remember. >> You were at You were at the 14th. >> Okay. >> Yeah. [Music] >> I
003think it was moved over. All right. So, um, shall we just do, uh, voice? >> Yep, you can just do a voice. Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. So, anybody for it? >> All those in favor? I >> I >> All right. And then September 20, >> I think it was September 2nd. I think that's when the actual I think it's just Yeah, >> it's not September 20th. It was September 2nd. Because if you look at the actual board minutes, they say September 2nd. So >> yeah, she corrected me. I just Is that the special meeting? Yes, >> that was a special meeting. >> Sorry, I think the 20th was throwing me off. Okay. >> Yeah. No, I was I was I was there. >> Yes. >> Okay. Sorry. The date was just throwing me off. >>
004Doesn't help that I couldn't get it out of my head. >> We accept the minutes of sub I second. >> All right. All in favor? >> I >> Mark just joined too. Ah, >> hi Mark. >> Hi. Sorry about that. >> No problem. We're just talking about the minutes for September 2nd. And uh >> he he wasn't at that meeting. >> You weren't at that meeting. Okay. So, we'll pass on that. Everybody else okay it? So, we're going to say yes. All right. So reports is next up. Um Angela, you're ready to >> I am. All righty. Thanks. >> Um so our enrollment right now is at 32. We have um you can see on the chart there the breakdown. Um and two of those students are private pay. Um our attendance rate right now
005is 92%. Of course the goal is 95%. Um we have a few new staff members. Um I added someone there um on the for our clinician. But our first new staff member is um Cassandra Bertilini as our librarian. >> As you can see, our library looks really great. Um Sean Bartlett as our evening custodian for 15 hours a week. You might see him come in here soon. And then um Heather Lander is the clinician at Westminster Center School. Um, and she's going to be taking over as the clinician for one day a week. >> Okay. And what actually is a clinician? >> Um, so it used to be um Doug Francis. >> Yeah. >> And so more clinical counseling type of services for our students. So in addition to our school counselor, it's our clinic.
006We have a clinician. >> Clinician. Okay. So that's like a next step. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> The good way to think about it. Um, is that the same amount of time that he was here? No, Doug was here two days a week. >> So, the the clinician is mostly driven through special education um and and what the services on an IEP call for. So, um and then if there's additional time, then they can work with all students. So, >> and then our openings um as you know is our nurse position. Um a brief update on that is that I have a couple of leads on some interested people. Um and I'm meeting with one of them in a couple of weeks. She's going to come in and tour the building and >> um see
007the school and meet with some of us. >> Thanks for that, Christa. Um I excluded my fingers. Yes, I included this in my Jul June report, which is just an update on just all of our um sort of collaboration meetings that we have in order to keep our academic progress and our social emotional learning moving forward. Um and you can see the breakdown there that we have academic kid talk and then SEAL meetings. Um each of those are once a month. So that's three different meetings um which are very beneficial for everybody um and different staff members join depending on the topics being discussed. Um and then our programming is the same as I reported in June. Um we have reading intervention and math intervention. Um and right now they're working on um administering the
008beginning of year assessments. I think they're just about done plugging those in. Um, and we've had a wonderful start to the school year. Um, Mr. Gary is coming on as our water operator to continue just all of the things and the testing that needs to happen with water operations here. >> Um, and so when the company comes out, um, he'll work with them to make sure all of it goes through and, um, respond to emails and bring the quarterly tests up to West Lebanon. Um and then Tim Patterson took over for maintenance as you know and that's going really well. Um he's the maintenance director at Westminster and so we're sharing that and he's been out here a lot. >> Um and that's really positive addition. >> The update on afterchool programming is that we
009have one person interested so far. So it started off as just an internal post and then school spring moves it to a public post and so that's probably been up for maybe a week and a half. Um, and so one person's interested, um, but we need two people to run the program. My thinking is that we would run the program Monday through Thursday, right after school up until 4:45 to have students picked up. That was sort of the time that um the the latest time that families reported on the survey as wanting to pick up students and then, you know, some said 3:30, some said 4. And so with this program, they would be able to pick them up whenever they wanted to. Um, and so my thought is that once we had a second
010staff member, um, we could send out some signups to families, give that a week or so, and then start the program. So, I'll just continue updating on that. Um, and if something happens between now and our next meeting, I'll just send an email and let you know that's going to happen. >> Okay. >> Um, how many kids do you have signed up? We don't have any signed up because >> I mean we have the survey from the spring that we sent out so we know who's interested >> but we would send out the signups to everybody. Um >> um and then our instructional leadership team um our summer writing challenge was a pretty big success. You can see um I just put the rewards that um paper that have gone home. We were just trying
011to continue having students write over the summer. >> Um we put together journals for them and we had 15 students participate. Um and so if you take out the sixth graders that left because we didn't get theirs back, we did send some home with them and then take out our kindergarteners who didn't get them because they weren't here then. That's a large chunk of students that participated on varying levels but nonetheless they participated and did their writing. >> Um if you're on Remind or you were on Remind. So Rachel you were but um the staff put together videos before we left for the summer and so I scheduled them to post throughout the summer just to kind of make the kids laugh. Um they were pretty funny. Um and then we are going to have
012a celebration for those students um at our all school meeting um next week and then a garden party the week of the 22nd out in the garden um for students who did all 20 entries. >> Do you need anything for that? >> Oh, like I don't know. What do you need? >> I don't know. Maybe some storebought cupcakes. Sounds good. Just let me know what you need. Okay, great. Thanks, Christa. Yep. >> Um, and then just some upcoming events, our PTO fall flower fundraiser. The order forms are here. If you wanted to take any, I can make more copies, too. Um, and then the pickup for that is on September 18th. So, they're due >> this Monday coming up. And then they'll be in a few days after that. Um, we have our, like I
013just said, our summer writing recognition ceremony at all meeting next Friday. Um, and that's also the day of an early release. And then we have our fall picture day and then our flapjack welcome back for families um, and students just to enjoy some breakfast together. >> Um, and I think that's it. >> Any questions? >> Are the two private paid students new? Yes. >> Where are they from? >> London. Wow. >> They came for a tour. Um, did a couple days here, >> you know, that whole thing and then made the choice to send their students here. >> That's exciting. What are they going on? >> Um, yes. And also homeschool nomination. on the principal report. >> Any other questions? Nope. >> All right. Thank you very much. >> And so all the new business
014to discuss. >> We've talked about the nurse already. >> Well, can we just can we talk a little bit more about the nurse? I just >> I don't like how the meeting went when we went to confirm the last person and I'm wondering if there's I guess I'm confused because I thought we were hiring for a full-time position, but there seemed to have been questions about being a part-time position and I just want to avoid that happening at the next next meeting. So, I was wondering if we could talk about that. I don't like the way that that candidate was treated and I want to avoid that happening at the next meeting. So, I was hoping we could talk about it now. So, I just I'm just confused about I I understand it's budgeted for
015a full-time, so I'm just trying to figure out what the confusion is about whether it's a full or part-time position, how it's funded. >> So, it was it was funded as a full-time position, but it was advertised as a part-time position, a full-time position, an LPN. We we put out multiple looking for different whatever we could get. I mean um as far as a board you can alter amend and do those things. I mean so um administration is going to bring a recommendation but it's the board's decision on what the hire is >> right. Um, I think the way to potentially avoid that is in the future is if there are concerns is to ask for an executive session because then you can have a conversation because it's a contractual um discussion. So that would
016fall under the umbrella of executive session. >> Were we trying to hire a part-time person? >> No. We got hire >> with Desi that that came out as a full-time position, doesn't it? >> Yeah. Like when budget season came around and we all vote and every and the board voted, it was voted on fall. We posted for fall. There was no applicants. So we're like, well, maybe we could try for part-time. And so we just tried different variations of of posting. And then um yeah, and so my thought now with the you know the interested um folks that I have would be like a for a sub position just for now. >> Um >> they're both retired and could take some some time to be at a school but leave the posting up >> for
017the full-time. >> Yes. So they're not they're not applicants for a full-time nurse, >> right? I mean I should have embarked there but it's more for just like to get us through with hearing vision inputting you know nursing visits that we do have already um coming to the office. So um >> so the candidates we're looking at are you you have them as subs so they're kind >> so they're not candidates. So, they're just there's some retired folks who >> some of our school nurses and other people have done some outreach to help us to try and >> um make sure that our kids are are safe and healthy up here. >> Wonderful. >> And so, um a couple names were provided to us as individuals who might be interested in helping us out. It
018might be long term, it might be short term. We don't we just haven't had those full conversations yet with those people yet. >> Okay. Um but if they were to come on um what we have done in the past um with um when a nurse comes in because it is challenging to get a nurse sub is >> we do pay them at a perdm rate as opposed to the teacher sub rate because >> nurses they carry a higher degree >> and to you know with the with the um I don't want to say higher degree that you know but the RN piece that they have to have. >> And so therefore, we do bring them in at that perdem rate of what their normal perdm is as opposed to it's $120 for a sub for
019a day. Their pdium can be higher than that. So I'm just being full disclosure. So that's that's kind of how we we've operated. So, um, one of the individuals that Andy spoke of, um, one of our school nurses is is friends with them and they express that they might be available one to two days a week type of thing and it could be short-term or long-term type stuff. And then there was another name that came forward, same type of thing. So, >> um, >> so what's happening now? The school started. >> Yeah. So, what's happening now is that me, um, Aaron Shaw, PAR professional, and Sarah, we all took a reertification in first aid and CPR. >> Okay. >> In the end of August. >> So, you guys can give meds and stuff. >> We
020can't give meds. >> Oh. And we can't assess, but we can like treat like minor scrapes and bruises and tummy aches and things like that. But if a student comes to the office, say, and says they have an ear ache, >> we can't like look in their ear and determine it's good because that would be an assessment. So, we can't do that. >> So, how do they get their medications? >> We um are not administering medications. And so, there's no students that require it. >> Okay. >> Um and so we've just let families know that if they um are taking medication that they need to administer it at home. Um, so that's just >> but I don't mean to interrupt. If a student were to need to take a med at noon, >> yeah, >>
021we would have to come up with a plan that might be that the parent has to come in and provide that med. >> Okay. >> So, um, >> just because it it it's a a registered nurse has to delegate and to someone else and so there's no delegation. But like a student came and asked for Tylenol. We can't administer their Tylenol, >> right? I was just thinking I remember one year I had to go get like a lunchtime med at the nurs's office, but it's none of the kids need that. >> Um so I mean we're we're fortunate that it kind of aligned that way that like in the moment that we don't have a nurse on staff that we don't have the need to knock on wood. But um there's more there's a lot
022more calling families and letting them know exactly what happened because >> there's no health, right? Because Desi was the health, right? >> So we've also we've also we had filed a waiver with the Secretary of Education, which we're allowed to do, and we hadn't heard back or we hadn't heard back. We hadn't heard back. I I then had a couple of like reminders and then I just got back, oh, we're developing a new waiver form that you have to fill out and apply for which will be forthcoming and all the information that the AOE provided me is basically the waiver that we would have to apply for under the minimum class size averages. So, I don't know if it's going to be something I can amend to say school nurse, but like >> like next
023next year the the minimum class size average requirement goes into effect. So, we will have to apply for a waiver for this school because it will not meet minimum class size average, right? >> You know, that that's just, you know, being factual. So, we'll apply. So, that's the form. So, they developed some form. They they haven't developed it yet, but they have a kind of a rough draft that they sent us ahead of them. >> Talking about the waiver, would you would you have to do it for each two grades? I know it's two grades, right? Seven, six, uh, five and six, two and three. >> So, we'd probably have to do it for the entire school. >> Yeah. >> Um because, uh, yeah, you can combine two two grade classes together. >> Yes. >>
024U, but >> then Yeah. So, it's I was going to bring that up under when we talked about budgeting, but um while we're on it, um so like kindergarten is the minimum class size average is eight. Um first grade is 10 students. Second grade through fifth grade is 12 and 6 through 12 is 18. So, as we combine, we'll have to look at those pieces. But I I the the that was a long answer to say I don't know, but like it may be each grade each combined grade needs to be >> done. Y >> so I also was pretty upset after the last meeting on how that went and I think going forward we need to be cognizant about how we as a board or individual board members um present ourselves. I don't know
025if that's the right word, but if we're visibly angry about something in hiring someone, that puts off a really bad tone and people it we are very remote. You know, getting people to come here is hard enough. And to put it that vibe, I guess, out there that this like I want people to want to work here and work our board should be welcoming to good candidates. And I just think it's important that we put off that, you know, we may have issues on disagreeing, but there's a time and place and we need to be uh very professional. Well, I I was very upset with that meeting and probably caused a lot of it because I was very angry because I thought the meeting was here. Came here. I asked for a computer. I didn't
026get a computer. I went home on my computer. And I was more upset here because the way I was treated. >> So, and I apologized for being angry. And um I um I was upset and I'm sorry. Why don't we move on? New business. >> Let's just see. Um Deb, do you want me to >> or Angie, you want me to share? Do do you want me to share or do you want to share? But what? >> You can share. >> Okay. So, just give me a second to kind of massage that. While you're doing that, do you want me to get us rolling? >> That'd be great, Dad. Thank you. >> Sure. So, I am super happy to be here. So, thanks, Angela, for um having me join you. I have been joining each
027of the teams and just giving you a little context around how our process has been working um in in moving through this um this really important work. So as a district, as an SU, we have um really embraced the continuous improvement process. We move through it um as an SU um as an administrative team. And it really involves setting up, you know, identifying our needs and setting goals associated with those needs using data that relates to them and then and then identifying the actions we want to try and trying things, reflecting and then trying things again. Um, it's been a very powerful process. It's um something that we're doing as an SU. Each school is moving through processes like this and there's a through line all the way down to our students. Classrooms are utilizing
028these cycles and um and even students are are looking at their own growth and their own um development and setting their own goals. So this is a researchbased method that organizations use across all kinds of um environments but schools in particular benefit from it and schools across the state every school across the state moves through this process. Um we do have a requirement from the state. The state gives us a couple parameters. We need to set goals in a couple categories. So those categories include social emotional learning, academic, and then this year they've added that we also need to include a literacy goal. Act 139 focuses on improving um literacy outcomes for our K to third graders. And so in our continuous improvement, you'll see that when Angela shares hers, um a specific goal relating
029to uh reading, we also our district goals have centered around um focusing in on differentiating our instruction in math and literacy. And um some of you will hear about that at the SU level. uh that has really involved developing our teachers content knowledge so they have the expertise to um to really drive our programs and make decisions based on the kids in front of them and our our teachers particularly your teachers are quite special and quite um quite they hold a lot of expertise in that area. Uh we also hold uh have identified belonging and engagement as an SU. So you'll see some of that represented in in Angela's SIP. And what this has done is it really creates a level of continuity across all our schools so that the conversations we're having are um
030are meaningful and connected and um helps us grow as an organization. Uh the last thing I want to say is that this is an important part of the process. So Angela's bringing the goals that they've set that have been set in the school, but it's really meant to bring you into the process, you as the board, um to be part of the conversation, to hold dialogue, to gain a better understanding of the important work that's happening in schools. Uh so it's it's it's a really nice um opportunity to really think together about our kids. So I'm happy to be here. Thanks, Angela. And I'm gonna hand it right back to Angela. >> Thanks, Deb. Yep. Um so you'll see on um throughout the SIP that it talks it makes the reference of Panorama survey and
031so the Panorama survey is a survey that is sent um out to families um and students also take it as well. Um and so they get a link and that's where a lot of this feedback comes from is that Panorama um survey. And so if you look at goal number one um I'm going to scroll through this. So um our first goal well to know the baseline data for the reason for this goal was that 46% of families on the panorama survey responded favorably. So only 46% had good things to say in regards to their student being academically wellprepared for the following year as measured right by the panoram. So our goal from that so there was a lot of different data that we could look at but this was one that stood out that
032we were like we don't really like that. So, um, our goal is to increase the percentage of parents that report that they feel their child is well prepared by the following year by 25%. So, bringing that up and so um there's strategies associated with how we will do that. Um, and one of those is to have surveys um when we meet with parents like in person. So when we have um our conferences surveying parents there because this panorama survey goes out in the spring and then by then the year's you know 80% of the way over and so we really can't implement any change until the following year. So our hope is that we would get feedback a little bit sooner by creating a survey for families that asks a very similar question but in
033more detail so that we could make changes then as opposed to waiting until the end of the year. Um, so that is our first goal and if you'd have questions I'm happy to take them or I'll move on to the second one. Okay, I'll move on to the second one. Um, so our second one is 19% of students responded favorably to the question about students respecting one another at school. Only 19% responded favorably. And so our hope is to bring that up to 85% responding favorably, which is a pretty big jump, but 19% of our students feeling positive about the way they're treated by their peers is not enough. >> Um, and so that is our second goal. >> Can I just interject? Just >> you'll also at times hear us >> talk about panoramic.
034You'll hear us say climate survey. >> That's the climate survey. So, Panorama is the tool or the company, but it's our climate survey. >> And one of the things uh just to refresh your memory, um on the scale of like 1, two, three, four, five. If a student kind of said like the three, which is like it doesn't matter one way or the other, that falls into the unfavorable category. So if they if if they're if they're eh, you know, kind of take that middle ground on an answer. And sometimes kids take the middle, you know, the that it then pushes it to that's it counts that as unfavorable. So um which is why sometimes >> it's like a kid might, >> you know, not know. >> I don't know. And then it just and
035then it goes to the negative. >> Yeah. So, >> and can I can I just say one thing about that piece too that I think I remember from our conversations >> that that 19% I think part of the reason it made sense to make such a big jump is that it it doesn't match what your teachers and what I frankly see in your schools. Your kids are happy, your kids are smiling, your kids are playing well together. So, I think we talked about a an element of like making sure that that number really matches what the experience feels like in the classrooms. Does that make does that sound right to me? Yes. >> Um and so our third goal is around writing. Um, and this has continued um, from last year is that um, students
036ability to write over time and their um, their stamina with writing and their word count and sentence count um, has historically been like pretty pretty low. And so we've been working hard with writing. And so that was where that summer writing challenge came in. Um, but our hope is that by the end of the year 100% of our students are demonstrating growth in writing. um and we'll measure that using um the rubrics that we've created for their daily journal entries that they have. So, they're doing those now. And then um every like 12 weeks we give um we we look at them and um analyze it with a rubric and we're looking for growth that they're writing more, that they're writing longer, that they're writing better. Um so that's our third goal around writing. And
037then um our well questions about that. And then our fourth goal um is in the spring of last year 55% of students demonstrated proficiency in math um based on our MAP test which is that um so not BTCAP but um our measurement of academic progress and that's um measures our growth and so and also achievement but we're looking to have 75% of students demonstrating proficiency in math. So there's um different subjects represented. And Deb, I should talk about the fifth one kind of, right? It's kind of a fifth with our reading proficiency. So um >> so we also created a reading proficiency goal. Um and that our data for that was at 51% of students. So, we're proficient in the spring and we are looking to have 75% of them um proficient and we'll measure
038that with our digibles assessment. We should add in diggles there the um >> Yeah, I think Andy, if you scroll down, it's right there. You're almost there. There it is. >> There it is. Thank you. Sorry. >> I knew you were reading it, so I grabbed it. So, when you said five, I was looking for the number five, but it's number one. So, that's >> So, I apologize for that. I I think one of the other things I want to interject here just as we're going through this and what Deb talked about uh a lot of times um and I just spent the whole day with superintendents from around the state you know we talk about SUS versus SD supervisory districts versus supervisory unions and everything one of the the pieces that happens in supervisory
039unions and some is there some fragmenting in the local districts because there's not this continuity uh across all of the districts across all the schools and I think and then we also were talking about SIPs and you know there are times that the SIP is needed for your title grants and >> sometimes in the past they felt like it's a checkbox here we're just doing it we're going to turn it in and and really under under Deb's leadership we've really moved to where the SIP is really driving what we do. It's not a checkbox. This is the this is the work that >> principles and teachers are actually doing. It's and and and it's meaningful and it's it's um and it's a living document. So, it's not just a check here, let's turn it in.
040>> Um but it also then creates that continuity across all of our schools. So, the experience kids are, you know, and what they're being exposed to, there's a commonality. And so that that end result is obviously when they show up at the middle school or at the high school, they're all coming in. The point, you know, that that's what we're working towards. And so in a lot of times, you know, that's supposed to be the positivity of a supervisory district is that you have that continuity, but we've been able to operate a lot of ways as a supervisory union, but can to allow that local control, but still have that continuity of service. So, >> all right. Sorry. You need to talk about progress. >> No, just the Yeah. >> All right. >> There any
041questions about it? >> Put that away. I will say one really special thing about the SIP that's been developed in Angela's school with her teachers is they have this writing and reading component both aiming for a similar goal. And that's going to be I'm very excited to see that from my literacy um self or lens the the power of that of having kids focus on the same goal and what they do with writing as what they're doing with their reading is going to I think have a really powerful impact this year. So, I'm I'm particularly excited about this this set. >> You're all done with Yes. Okay. Any questions? >> Yeah. Sounds exciting. >> Thank you. I can remember coming first coming on and it was dis disjointed around and it was so exciting for
042me when this came about and they started >> creating unity within the the district. I didn't totally understand it but I knew that it was happening. >> Yeah. So it's exciting. >> All right. So we're on to the budget schedule. So, um, what Andy, I am Yeah, >> sorry. Before I think there is a need to vote or approve. Yeah. >> Ah, sorry. Yes, you do need a you need a motion on that. Thank you, Deb, for that reminder. >> Do we have a motion that we approve the SIP? >> All righty. And no discussions. >> Sounds good to me. >> All righty. Uh, let's start online. Um, Mark I >> Okay. I >> I unanimous. >> Thank you, D. >> Thank you all. >> So, moving on to uh the budget timeline. Uh what
043we are recommending um to the districts is that we um because unlike the SU or like the high school who has like a finance committee, you tend to be a committee of the board as a whole when you're when you're doing these things and not wanting to dilute >> like this kind of work that you just saw and and presentations, but also budget discussions that can sometimes um take up a lot of time when my what I've experienced is when those are combined at a regular meeting, something gets diluted, right? It gets kicked it get gets put to the back burner because >> one takes precedent over the other >> and um or the meetings tend to go long. Um and and so the proposal that we were coming forward with is um and we
044gave you an example like what Rockingham is doing is they are utilizing their alternate meeting date and I realize what I am saying that that means more meetings for me and I know that's more meetings for you all but that that second it would be the fourth Thursday of the month would be only about the budget. >> Yeah. and and and so we'd be fully focused on just the budget, we would not put any other items on the agenda. And so like if we had an appointment that we were needing to make, we'd call for an actual special meeting outside of that because >> we really want you to just focus on building that budget. So that's our recommendation and and so um but um I mean your budget's not huge and complex and >>
045knock on wood right now, Andy. Not to be little it >> it's not huge or complex. >> I mean >> um again not to belittle it and not I don't again I don't want to say it's there's any less um importance of of Grafton's budget than like say Rockingham which has three schools right you know so >> be productive in a meeting just about that. Yeah. So, so that that's a and and then so what we would look to do is um in the second meeting of October we would really come in okay what are what are the folky of goals that we want to dive into kind of thing and um so that Angie has you know okay what is it like if it's hey we really want sp that's the the example I've
046been using we want Spanish for our kids okay so she knows that so she can start trying to build that in because uh some some of the things that have happened in some of the other districts is we've gone through the budget, we've approved the budget and then someone's like yeah I really wish we would have like steam and it's like well we just approved the budget like like we're a little beyond you know and so we want to try and be forward thinking as opposed to backwards thinking. Um that said, as we just talked about earlier, we have the um uh the EQS's are going into play. Um they're in play right now. Those are the ed quality standards um that we have to operate under. >> Uh but also there's act 73. And
047so act 73 does mandate those u uh it starts with the minimum class size averages. So we'll have to work with that. Um but then um you know uh meeting I was at today uh we actually had um a couple legislators as part of the redistricting task force there to talk to us. Um so that's moving along. They're supposed to make a recommend they have to make a in January have three models to present. One of those models has to include SUS. Um so um if they they being the legislature can vote and agree upon a model then that triggers the foundation formula piece >> uh which would go into effect in FY29. So um there's a couple more years of us building our budgets normal >> if if that all goes into play. So,
048I mean, I just want to emphasize that uh and if we get to a foundational formula, whether we have an SU or an SD, um that will that will take away building a budget to a lot like we'll be told you get x amount of dollars per kid. There's a little bit of um u additional spending that might need to happen like that. that would come down. We'd have to vote on that kind of thing. But that's a really oversimplified kind of timeline where we are. So, >> I have a question about that. I don't know if this is the best time to ask. I got emails from people in town um saying that there was something that came out that's splitting Athens and Grafton into different school districts. What should I What What can
049I tell? >> So, so you could you could tell them that that is um not that nothing has been voted on, nothing has been approved. I I did hear that today that some map did come out. Um but it is not anything um that's been adopted or voted on or even suggested. So I don't even know where that map came from. >> I guess there was something in a Calonia record. I could I looked for it and couldn't >> find it. The thing that I saw was the current map of counties. So I I couldn't find that map. >> Yeah. I I can't I off top my head can't remember what they just had a meeting yesterday and they talked about um they did look at some like talk about a map. They have a
050math tool like a a template that they're evaluated when a map comes in then they can evaluate it. Does it meet all the check all the boxes at their next meeting they're going to talk about a CTE map. >> So CTE is a career tech educational center. >> Maybe that's what but they Athens and Grafton was in the same map on that one that I saw. >> Right. So, so but they're just ideas that are floating around. That that's the best. They are just ideas >> other than coming to us with their concerns, which is valid, >> right? >> Who else should who should we direct them to at the state level? That would >> the redistricting task force and they they have a website and they have you have the ability to contact those
051people directly. >> Thank you. >> And I have another question about a reformer article. There was a reformer article that Brattleboro is reaching out to neighboring school districts about combining. Is that us? >> No. >> Okay, that's it. >> But I I u I was given permission by the now that all the boards have voted on that >> we are starting to have the think about where we would have those conversations. >> So there are talks about combining with the Browboro district. Okay. Were you going to comply with Strifield? >> I I haven't had a conversation with anyone yet. And so, but >> school district I >> I haven't had a conversation with anyone um outside of our district. Cheryl Charles is out of country right now. So, she asked me to begin at least
052some outreach. Um, and so, um, I'm haven't had a chance to connect with any other superintendent and whatnot, but um, so, uh, but I do I do think I do think that in >> when I think about what is best for our students, and I think this is Kathy where the where the came. When I think what's best for our students, 70% of our kids go to the River Valley Career Center. >> Where's that? >> That's at Springfield. >> Yep. And so it makes more sense to have conversations with with a Springfield school district. Uh perhaps a a two river school district which is you know >> Chester and Lelo because they connect with Rockingham >> and Rockingham being our larger district. It becomes more of a hubby kind of idea. >> When you say
05370% of our kids, do you mean 70% of kids who go to tech or 70% of kids in the high school? 70% of tech kids. >> Okay. >> Who make the choice to go they go they go so of the kids who choose tech 70% or more go to >> Riverbell. Yeah. >> Because of the offerings. So the only thing that River Valley doesn't offer the major is uh Otto. >> Yeah. >> So Otto's at in Bradboro. But for the most part the kids are going up to River Valley. So therefore there's some natural connections. Did you say 7% or 70? >> 70. 70. >> 70. Done. >> So, would you look to Windsor, too, >> cuz Windsor? >> I I think Windsor is a is a is a uh normal would be an appropriate
054conversation as well. Now, >> have to be a good size district. >> Yeah. I I mean, as far as um >> I shouldn't say district, but union super there would have to be a goodiz supervisor of a union. the the research um and and I think I can speak for the conversations we had today and I've had with other superintendents u the research really points around 2,000 to with 4,000 that that's a that size central office hub district union whatever you want to call it right that size is where you can kind of start to you see the savings means and and effective efficiency. >> Yeah. >> When you go to when you get to 4,000 to 8,000, you start to see less efficiency and there's less there there's there's actually potential costs, increased costs.
055So stay trying to my head getting getting to the two to 4,000 is the smarter way to go. So >> I just want to clear up because I know I'm going to get a question about this. Um, when we say like combining to create a whatever this is, SDSU, whatever it is, does this mean we then have one high school that we share with everybody and we're on the bus going all the way to Windsor? >> It it I I can't I can't answer that question. >> Possibility. >> So, it is possible that Windham Northeast Supervisory Union will cease to exist. >> Right. >> And and just as you said, you saw a map where Athens and Graphen could be split. >> Yeah. a MAC could split Westminster with someone. I mean, we could we
056could cease to exist. That is a potential. >> Um, but if we were to combine as a supervisory union, then the individual districts still exist, >> right? >> But then it would be that new board making decisions that you're you're speaking of. If we were to come a supervisory district, then it would be that new board making those decisions. So there's >> long drive. >> There's there's there's no like if you combine then this will happen like >> that. There is no there's no >> clear line to that, right? >> Because I know there's a lot of people who say like, well, if this happens, this supervisory districts happen, then these schools will close. That that is not a clear line. >> Yeah. This is all too new, >> right? >> It's not even that
057there there's still levers in there. >> Yeah. >> There because the lo there's lo local control still even with supervisory districts where >> um the if I that representative Ford >> to my knowledge um can't just say we're going to close that school >> like there's convers there's >> time and years that have to happen themselves. Did we go back? >> Yeah, I know. We went off a off off of the timeline and um but again, our goal is to have every um budget adopted by the boards by December 19th. And that then would allow for um us to have uh you all, you know, we'd like to have you adopt your budget at the first meeting in December, but it still gives us a little bit of room if we need to go another
058meeting to have it. And of course, we can add special meetings throughout this whole thing. So, I'm not uh >> but then we would have the SU budget. Our goal is to have that adopted before Thanksgiving because we know the SU assessment does impact the budgets. Um, with a December 19th adoption, it gives you another meeting to discuss your articles >> and get the warnings out and then it gets us enough time so that we can get it worn properly and everything for town meeting. So, >> that's that's we worked backwards this year from the time when it everything needed to happen. So, um, so if that if this type of timeline and I know Rockingham Hams, we're using theirs as a template. If that works for you, I would adjust this to flow with
059your with your schedules and I'll send that out for approval if that's okay. >> Comments on how this will work. >> We froze. Look at that picture of me. That's a picture. >> Sorry, Mark. You're still there, but um, you're frozen on the screen. So, let me uh >> He looks very stoic. >> It's like got a question. Yeah, >> he can hear us. >> I It looks like I hear you. It looks like I don't know what happened, but >> it it does it freezes every once in a while. So, I just gota >> Oh, well, I can hear you. There's no problem hearing you. So, >> there you are. Hey, there you go. Apologize. You got to kick me. Sorry. Take a breath. So back to u Christa's question or no it was
060your question on who do we direct people to if they have these and you said the redistring task force >> is >> I I'll send you I will send you all the at least their links and you can leave that link out. >> Wonderful. Thank you. >> Instead of me trying to find it right now. >> Yep. That sounds good. >> As as we start the budget, will we have any predictions of what the population is going to be moving forward to uh 27? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> It's on the projections sheet um document. >> I have one right now, but I don't think we need to go into it. >> It's staying in the same. We will have one >> the same um like for us here. I know we're talking like um the
061tuition too, but it's still in the 32s. >> Okay. >> The 30s, low 30s. >> I'd like to hear some feedback from everybody. This is going to add more time for school board. How does this fit in with everyone's schedule? Is it doable? As long as I can join remotely, >> it's not a problem. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Shouldn't be a problem. >> Yeah. >> Mark, how about you? >> You're muted. >> No problem. >> Okay. All right. Yeah. So, thank Danny. >> All right. Thank you. So, we are down to director's comments. >> Mark, we'll start with you. Anything from you? >> Um, I don't think so. >> All right. [Music] >> Christa, anything? Um, no. Just looking forward to working with everyone this year. Feel like we've got a good group of people.
062All right, Kathy. >> No, nothing for me. >> Good. >> I'm good, too. Thank you for everybody's help. And we'll bring this to a close and our next meeting would be October 9th. Are we going to be starting? >> It'll be October 9th. >> October 9th. Okay. What will be the first budget meeting with the schedule? Will it be the n after the 9th? The uh the 4th 23rd. >> That's going to be the first one. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Super. Is that is that what they're saying? >> Yes. October 23rd. Okay. Well, I will say that we are adjourned as lost my time. 6:56. >> Thanks for everybody coming in. Good discussions. No wor [Music]