April 2, 2025 School Board Meeting

001SBSD Owl Camera: All right. I call the regular meeting of the South Billington School Board to order on Wednesday, April second, at 2,000, Wednesday, April second, 2,025 at 6 0. 2 PM. SBSD Owl Camera: Agenda. Item, 2. Announcements and amendments to the agenda. Are there any announcements or amendments to the agenda. SBSD Owl Camera: One amendment. We have a student here for our students spotlight that we didn't think we're going to be able to make happen today because of sports schedules, but we are ready to move forward with it. So I'd like to add that SBSD Owl Camera: as item for B, please. SBSD Owl Camera: and we just like to remind the Board that we are trying the format of during this session. Raise your hand and I'll call and move forward. Discussion. We

002also need to add real estate and in personnel matter as topics for executive session this evening. SBSD Owl Camera: Anything else? SBSD Owl Camera: Alright, that brings us to agenda. Item, 3 comments from the public. This is the community's opportunity to share feedback and concerns with the board. We ask that you keep your comments concise, 2 to 3 min. SBSD Owl Camera: and that you refrain from using any information that would identify a specific person. Please raise your hand in the room or use the zoom raised hand feature. We will only use the online chat to manage any tech issues. We are not able to take action on any issues brought to us during public comment. However, any board member may suggest tonight that the issue or question be added to a future agenda board discussion,

003we may also delegate addressing issues to our Superintendent Violet Nichols, and it is always helpful if you can email us a copy of your comments for follow up. SBSD Owl Camera: Is there any public comment in the room. SBSD Owl Camera: My name is Amy Hutton, and I reside in South Burlington. We have 2 daughters in Orchard and at the High School. SBSD Owl Camera: and thank you for the opportunity to share my concerns in this public comments. Forum. My husband attended the March 20th Information session SBSD Owl Camera: regarding 10th Grade Humanities Curriculum at the South Burlington High school SBSD Owl Camera: as an involved parent who cares about the education of our children. He attended to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of the embedded Honors program and to continue contribute to

004the public discourse. SBSD Owl Camera: As I'm sure the School Board is aware, the information session consisted of canned slideshow presentations, during which no questions were taken, followed by isolated group discussions. To gather questions from those who attended SBSD Owl Camera: this format was antithetical to the transparency and rigor that we and the larger community expects in matters of our children's education. SBSD Owl Camera: I am confident that I speak on behalf of many of the community. SBSD Owl Camera: for when it was disclosed, and after the canned and frankly misleading and slanted presentations, that the presenters would not be allowing public discourse a brave attendee asked if anyone was comfortable with the prescribed format, and not a single attendee indicated that they were. SBSD Owl Camera: It has been immensely frustrating to observe at

005every opportunity how SBSD Owl Camera: crafting, how those who are crafting the curriculum have shut down the dialogue. SBSD Owl Camera: preferring instead to RAM through agendas. Despite unpopularity and unanswered questions. SBSD Owl Camera: After this information, sessions, Format was revealed. An attendee was expressing interest in getting questions answered and hearing the questions from other attendees, and the presenter noted that the information session was not a School Board meeting. SBSD Owl Camera: I know this board does not determine curriculum policy, and I'm not asking for the opportunity to discuss it right now. SBSD Owl Camera: This matter has moved beyond the particulars of the curriculum, we are frustrated and angry. SBSD Owl Camera: This is just the latest in a series of curriculum and other important decisions by the district that has excluded the public

006and parents. SBSD Owl Camera: We have seen parents vehemently disagree with 5th grade specialization only for it to be rolled out on the sly a few years later, without allowing parents to engage in the decision-making process. SBSD Owl Camera: We have seen accelerated math classes completely removed from the middle school. SBSD Owl Camera: supposedly to maintain student pods during covid only for the advanced math curriculum never to return. SBSD Owl Camera: This year there was no curriculum nights, despite a major Ela curriculum change at the elementary school level. SBSD Owl Camera: If the district does not allow parents to be involved in curriculum and other educational decisions through individual schools and according to school board meeting minutes from March. The school board meetings are not the time to discuss curriculum issues. I am left to

007ponder exactly when we are supposed to have any input into our children's education. SBSD Owl Camera: I look forward to hearing from the School Board and the District administration of how they will increase transparency and include parents. Thank you. Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: Do any more public comment in the room. SBSD Owl Camera: Name in mind. SBSD Owl Camera: Alright. Now we'll move on to agenda. Item, 4. Focus on student learning. And first, st we have student representative report SBSD Owl Camera: South Burlington School District. Fine Arts Night for Kindergarten through 12th graders is coming up. This will take place at South Burlington High School on Wednesday, April 16th from 5 30 to 8 Pm. This event will include student performances, interactive activities and also showcase the incredible artistic achievements of all our K

008through 12th graders. We hope to see many community members there. SBSD Owl Camera: Fhcms. Track and field registration is still open for interested middle schoolers, and registration is due by April 7, th SBSD Owl Camera: and Gracie and I would like to remind all South Burlington School district families that tomorrow, April 3, rd and Friday, April 4, th are early release days, that all South Burlington schools as student teacher. Conferences will be held in the afternoons. Good luck to all the students participating in testing during the morning SBSD Owl Camera: and next Wednesday, April 9th is a Tlc. Day, which means that middle and high school students will have a late start, and elementary schoolers will have an early release at 9 am. As part of professional development for Sbhs staff high school students on

009the student leadership team will be presenting about implementing parkness into Sbhs curriculum. We're really excited to give this announcement, because it's just a great example of students using their voice to affect positive change. SBSD Owl Camera: So we helped them. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you all right up next. We have our students on SBSD Owl Camera: all right my favorite part of all board meetings, so I'll instead of once, I'll I'll say it again. The the the purpose of these is to you know, really bring in SBSD Owl Camera: some of the joys and celebrations happening in our schools. And so tonight we have Gwen with us, and she is a student who participates in unified sports, and she's going to be talking to us about that. And she has just come from a game.

010So we're really lucky to have her here. Thank you so much for being here and welcome. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you. Yeah. We just played CDU unfortunately lost, but it was a great game and a great 1st game to start with. Everybody did a great job, so, as she mentioned, my name is Gwyneth Hood, and I am a senior at South Burlington, and I've had the honor of being the student representative for unified this year, which basically just means that I am a little more of an extra support than a regular partner player on the team. SBSD Owl Camera: And I help with more like organizational things and scheduling for the students as well. So if you're unfamiliar with unified, it's a program that partners the high school with special Olympics, Vermont, and we connect

011athletes of all different physical and intellectual abilities SBSD Owl Camera: while forming some really tight bonds. The goals are to refine skills, promote friendship, and encourage independence. There's not really an emphasis on winning, but more of a focus on improving your skills. Sports related, or maybe even socially. SBSD Owl Camera: I joined unified in my junior year of high school, and the only thing I regret is not joining sooner unified, never fails to put players and partners, including myself, in fantastic mood. As I mean, students like me and all students. School days can be kind of stressful. And for our players that can be even more evident. SBSD Owl Camera: But getting into the gym and getting active, being with friends outside of a classroom, really lights up faces and moods. In the trust and

012safety that you see with between partners and players in a unified gym is greater than you'll see on any other sports team. SBSD Owl Camera: If you've ever been to a unified game, you know it's a great joy to watch, and definitely a joy to be a part of. We try to let them be as independent as possible without harming their safety, which means creating as many opportunities for shots, rebounds without harming their safety, maybe catching it before it hits their head, or something like that. And the look on one of their faces when they either make a basket or they successfully pass to another player so that they can get a chance to shoot is absolutely unmatched, and something I'll forever cherish beyond high school. SBSD Owl Camera: I could tell. I have like

013endless stories about it, but it would take me quite a while, but I did choose one story. About the other day we were at practice, and we were doing a passing drill, and a student was about to pass to another student, and before he did so he turned over to me and our coach, Saul, and said. SBSD Owl Camera: You have to pass it to her gently, or she gets scared, and I don't want to scare her because she's 1 of my friends, and it just shows the compassion and love that these athletes have for each other, and how much effort they put into knowing the little things about each other, and making sure that each other is safe and they feel trusted. And it's just a wonderful environment to be a part of. SBSD

014Owl Camera: That's just one of the amazing moments that unified has created. And if I could share all the stories I would. But instead, all I have to say is that it is a privilege to be a part of this program, and I can see every day how positively it impacts anybody who's a part of it SBSD Owl Camera: and watching the progression from both players and partner players just opening up to each other in ways that you could never imagine is truly magnificent, and I can't even describe the value that comes from it. SBSD Owl Camera: Now. There may not be a lot of ways for community to get like physically involved, but support is always sought out for. The unified program is actually holding a student versus staff basketball fundraiser that will take

015place on April 10th at 7 Pm. And we would love for community support. The game will include a raffle SBSD Owl Camera: with prizes from tons of local businesses that I've reached out to, and all of the money raised from that would be donated to special Olympics. Vermont, in further support of our program and programs around the State, and everyone is welcome to come and support and win. We've put a lot of work into getting these prizes, and we've got some really good ones lined up. So if you come and support, that would be great. And on behalf of the whole unified program here at Sbhs. I thank you for your time. SBSD Owl Camera: and I hope to see you April 10, th and if you're interested in attending any games, our next game

016is on Tuesday, at 4 Pm. In the Sbhs gym against Milton, and you can find our full schedule on the athletics page, and thank you again, and I hope to see you at a game in the near future. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you so much. Does anyone have any questions, so would you? Would you be willing to take some questions. Yeah, absolutely. Or comments from the board. Can you just repeat when was it? It's April 10, th April 10th at 7 Pm. And it'll just be in the high school. Gym, okay, yeah. SBSD Owl Camera: I have this as a student staff. Basketball game in my calendar. Is that? Yep, that's what it is. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, that's our fundraiser game, and we're hoping there's a unified game right before that which will be

017right after school at 4. I'm not quite sure who it's against, and then it'll follow up with the student versus staff game, and hopefully some of our unified players will get to stay, and we'll get to give them a spotlight at halftime, but it's a long day for them, so they might be going home, but we hope that some of them will stay. SBSD Owl Camera: Did you mention what sports all the different sports? Yeah. So we do basketball, which is like kind of a main thing that most people are part of, and then we also do bowling. A few years ago they did Bocce as well. But I think right now it's just bowling and basketball for this year. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you so much. It was really wonderful to hear about this.

018And you're just kindness and citizenship and enthusiasm show through. And I just am so SBSD Owl Camera: so endlessly amazed by you and all of our students for participating. I also want to share a special thank you to Sarah Crook, who has been so supportive in making this possible. So thank you both. You are welcome to stay or head out whatever is best for you. Thank you for being here. Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: Alright. So up next we have agenda. Item, 5 discussion items. And first, st we have the student representative recruitment process. So at our last meeting, I believe Emily and Jen expressed interest in partnering with our student representatives in finding our new recruit. I'm just gonna share my screen really quick, because I've prepared SBSD Owl Camera: prepared

019some like materials for you. If you're still interested in this process. The process that I have been putting to my 1st year on the board. The board chair and board member did it the second year just one board member did it, and last year was just one board member. So what I've done is, I've just made this SBSD Owl Camera: document that I hope will be helpful to you where I have each step SBSD Owl Camera: written out. And then I have like copy and text that we can use as a jumping off point. SBSD Owl Camera: I really want to emphasize that you should feel free to make this your own, as you're a new recruitment team. But I'm offering this to try to incentivize you to come to the process of SBSD Owl

020Camera: these are the steps. Some of them you might want to revise. Some of them, you might want to say, is sufficient. And then I've included templates for you so hopefully, it could be a plug and play with you, spending the majority of your time improving it and making it better process, I mean and also freeing you up to have time to do the work. So SBSD Owl Camera: is this something that you're ready to and move forward? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, yeah, I almost wrote my name in it this morning. Oh, I'm not supposed to put it in here. So yes, I'm happy to go. Okay. So SBSD Owl Camera: in my experience. This process starts off with the board chair initiating an email with the board members from the team. The student reps

021around the team, the high school principal and the superintendent, and then you'll sort of take it from there. So I'll send that tonight or tomorrow, and then we'll just hear a report about how the process is going. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: I'm here. SBSD Owl Camera: Up. Next, we have public any further discussion about that. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, so up next, we have public comment and community engagement. SBSD Owl Camera: Who would like to start with Laura? SBSD Owl Camera: So public comment and community engagement, I think Amy hadn't just expressed a lot of what I I see some of the confusion around our public comment and community engagement, and SBSD Owl Camera: I'd like to say that I have tried to make this clear. I think that we just

022need to have some really straightforward. SBSD Owl Camera: clear guidelines on how the community engages with us, and I realize that what she was talking about, and she recognized that that we don't have any control over that. SBSD Owl Camera: However, I just think it's really important to let the public know how they can, you know. Come, speak with us. What are the guidelines? Because I think it gets confusing when there's no guidelines, and then to speak to to broader issues, like curriculum and things that people aren't happy about. I think we need to have another avenue, for the Board meeting is not the avenue, so I don't know if I'm getting into something different. But I would really advocate SBSD Owl Camera: again. We have donuts and discussion. I think that needs to be

023an avenue for concerned parents to come talk. I also think maybe, like every 3rd or 4th board meeting, California parents can come talk to us. SBSD Owl Camera: Getting get some answers. Just I think we need more democracy. Not less is what I think I'm saying. And the other thing is, I think, in terms of public comment, like just like in the 1st 10 min. SBSD Owl Camera: Just needs like just a flyer like I've tried for 2 years something we just need to agree on it. It's fairly straightforward. It's how a lot of boards are run that when we get here they can just read it and say, Okay, look, I guess I gotta say, this is not on the, on the agenda, and then SBSD Owl Camera: I agree. And I would add, as

024we were talking about, I think even having like a schematic like a graphic, almost some kind of visualization that we can have would be helpful even to publish in the paper and to put out on social media to say like, here's the opportunities where you can weigh in, and you have the opportunity to engage with the board like these. And this is the way that we do it, because I think it's 1 thing to create it and have something here for people to understand, but also to understand like, Hey, if I send an email. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, why don't I have a response from an email from you, or you, or whomever like, just to help educate people on that process and means process would be really helpful. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, and

025I I think I SBSD Owl Camera: I think it would be really a big move for us to have SBSD Owl Camera: something like the public forum like you're discussing. You know. Maybe one. Every one out of every 3 or one out of every 4 school board meetings has an agenda that's designed to allow people to be able to have a back and forth, or at least get SBSD Owl Camera: a response from a board member. So I guess I I'm not sure in terms of the law. But I think what that means is that we would say, Okay, here are the things that we're going to talk about, and then we don't talk about anything that isn't on that agenda. But the idea is that we're not trying to get any board business done,

026so I don't know what the Board wants to call that. I don't know if the Board is in agreement. That's what we want to do, and how often. But I think that that's important. And then there's some other details like having explicit instructions on the website. SBSD Owl Camera: I propose some text for that. It's in the email. Having a little bit more explicit explanation in each agenda template that says, this is a business meeting. The purpose of business meetings is to get through our business in a timely manner. That's why we restrict public comment and generally don't allow discussion. But then we also have these public forms. So I think there's a lot to be done. SBSD Owl Camera: the hard piece is deciding about. How often, if we want to have public forums,

027what we want to call them, how we can run them in in accordance with open meeting law and provide that response to community that people will you know. SBSD Owl Camera: be able to use. And so I think that's the major thing that remains for the Board to to do SBSD Owl Camera: so one question I have about that. I think that sounds really good. SBSD Owl Camera: and my follow up would be. SBSD Owl Camera: how do we not set the expectation community that the Board is prepared to discuss curriculum, because we're not so like like this is a really important issue to the community. If we say, Hey, we're having a school board meeting about curriculum. SBSD Owl Camera: and then the community is expecting to give feedback about curriculum and expecting board

028members to be experts in curriculum. I think that creates more information and more confusion. So I love the idea of the Forum. I do think that the community needs SBSD Owl Camera: much more clear guidelines on how to have their voice heard how their feedback is utilized where they can provide their feedback, but also not setting up this misconception, that the of what the Board actually does in terms of our role as SBSD Owl Camera: community caretakers of our districts. SBSD Owl Camera: I I. So I'm looking at one of our counselors right now. And I'm thinking about copying counselors. So I would. I would suggest that the Board consider doing a community engagement activity. That isn't a board forum for that reason. So we do. Hearings and public information sessions in board meetings at

029set times, but the idea to have SBSD Owl Camera: have community engagement in a casual setting where there can be discourse which the board meeting is not designed for. SBSD Owl Camera: I think, is the goal, and I would I would love to have the Board consider hosting community engagement sessions similar to what the Council's done with coffee counselor and and they wouldn't, you know it would be you couldn't have a quorum, and it wouldn't be recorded. But I think that's part of the appeal right? I mean, we're seeing that. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, there's a folks aren't necessarily comfortable coming to board meetings and being recorded. So I think it provides for increased communication between community and board. SBSD Owl Camera: and it doesn't break any open meeting laws or get into board

030business. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay? Well, I was. SBSD Owl Camera: I've tried to have listening sessions. I've tried twice since I've been on the board. People don't come to those. SBSD Owl Camera: That's why I really think I think in in this setting I think more people more people will come. I mean, we call a form doesn't have to be recorded. SBSD Owl Camera: So yeah, but it's just me sitting there who wants to come? Talk to just me SBSD Owl Camera: so can I take it personally? Can I ask a question, Laura, just to check my understanding? So do you think the problem is that it's not recorded? And it's 1 board member in attendance. So you think that that people would be more likely to engage if it is the full board, and

031not because if it's the full board, it has to be recorded. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, I do think so. And I think we could structure it in in a really creative way, too, where we could. I think people do want to be where I know we can't discuss curriculum. I completely understand that. But I also think like people want to know where they can go, we should be able to. SBSD Owl Camera: I'll keep on my direction. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, I have found on some discussion to be well attended. I've gone several times, and there's been lots of people here. So and that's not recorded. And the quorum of the board. Yeah, I think the question of how one could design a board meeting SBSD Owl Camera: is a matter, for you know the

032Board and our lawyer SBSD Owl Camera: to decide what is in accordance with open meeting law. And on the point of curriculum. SBSD Owl Camera: You know something in the policy governance manual is, you know, the an example situation is the SBSD Owl Camera: the board through whatever. For whatever reason. Discovers that Pre. K is not being offered. SBSD Owl Camera: And so what SBSD Owl Camera: the answer in the policy governance Manual says is, well, you can put it in your executive limitations that Pre. K. Must be offered. And so I think that it's SBSD Owl Camera: It would be good to educate the community on according to our current policy governance model. What are we allowed to put into executive limitation like could we put into executive limitation? Something around, you know, 5th

033grade specialization, you know, and I think the answer to that SBSD Owl Camera: is not straightforward. But that is all the more reason to have a public answer about that, and to have a public explanation of. Here's why we can say yes to pre-k and executive limitation according to policy, governance guidelines. Here's why we can or cannot say yes to honors American studies in executive limitation, so more communication on that, rather than being afraid to talk about it in public. SBSD Owl Camera: But I but to go back to the 1st thing I said, just I think that the matter of whether to have a public forum where the full board is present, I think that's a matter of designing with our lawyer, and if our lawyer says No, you can't do that. Well, then,

034that's face gloves. SBSD Owl Camera: I feel like we're probably not the only school board that's interested in something like this, and that maybe they're already implementing something that's working well. So I'm not sure I have not researched it. I don't know if anyone else has, but I'd be really curious to research it myself, or someone else volunteering and seeing if there's like something that we can use as a model and also make sure it's legal and but I just love borrowing from successful examples, so SBSD Owl Camera: I can speak to that. So the so with open meeting law, any board business has to be recorded, and the forums, such as coffee with counselors or donuts. Donuts and discussion are community engagement. Opportunities that boards use and they don't forum. And so there can

035be conversation about a variety of things. SBSD Owl Camera: The, you know, as long as nothing is, it's, you know, personnel matters. Things like that are are would not be permissible but for someone to come and share feedback on curriculum would certainly be appropriate. And and so those engagement opportunities are ways that boards engage the community eventually. SBSD Owl Camera: So what are our next steps here? SBSD Owl Camera: Could we add this to the School Board retreat? I mean, this is something that we can discuss during the training rather than take up a huge amount of time now. But I think that would be like a we have 6 h that day, right? I'm wondering if we could put that on the agenda. I have already put it on the agenda that I'm going to

036share with you a discussion. SBSD Owl Camera: Would you mind doing what you said, and and seeing what the other good examples of how people have run public forums. SBSD Owl Camera: So just so, I'm there because I think we're straying into the area, and we want the board to do something. So I'm wondering if there needs to be a motion here for the Board to pursue this activity. And I I hear 2 different potential avenues of board work. One is on the public comment policy, which is distinct from what I'm hearing about public forums. SBSD Owl Camera: So I would move that we establish some an advisory committee made up of SBSD Owl Camera: 3 Board members to define and present to the Board a policy on public comment SBSD Owl Camera: that can

037then be reviewed and discussed. SBSD Owl Camera: And I've done that we should. We should all receive that SBSD Owl Camera: is that a formal motion that's a formal motion. Okay? So we have a motion by 11 to SBSD Owl Camera: create an advisory committee of 3 Board members to recommend a public comment policy to the full board. SBSD Owl Camera: That's my motion. I have a second 10 seconds. Any discussion? SBSD Owl Camera: I have a question. So with that. So if we form that would SBSD Owl Camera: Would Emily, for example, move forward with the public forum research separately from that? SBSD Owl Camera: My motion is just on the public comment piece, not not the form got it? Okay? And I do want to. I do remember your policy. I think what

038what I'm hearing about is that there has always been inconsistency. This topic comes up over and over again. I guess what I'm asking for in this motion, and the activity of the committee or the Advisory group is to establish for us a formal policy that we can publish that SBSD Owl Camera: we all because it is a new board, and I will say that over the years I've watched meetings and been involved in them. Where this comes up over and over and over again. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, I think we just need to establish it, and I think Laura's maybe a good starting point to look at, and then take others into account and stuff. So that's SBSD Owl Camera: we have a discussion SBSD Owl Camera: all in favor signify by saying, Aye, motion

039passes unanimously. So we are going to start an advisory committee with 3 Board members to advise the whole Board on public comment. Do we want to select those board members for that committee? Now? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, it seems I feel like I can see 3 board members who are ready to be on advisory committee, so I thought there might be, so I don't think there's any contention here. Can you just state your name if you'd like to be on the advisory committee. SBSD Owl Camera: Jennifer Burns, what are the names SBSD Owl Camera: you want to do it? Or do you like? Emily's gonna do public forum? Right? Okay? Sure, yeah, I'd be happy to. SBSD Owl Camera: Typically when policies are developed, we often look at the Vsba for their model policy manual

040for a couple reasons one. They're vetted by legal, so we don't have to pay twice for it. And I just wanted to draw the distinction that this is for a policy and not a practice or a framework or a guide. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. And so I don't know. Jump in here. I don't know of the Vsba policy that is around public comment. SBSD Owl Camera: Oh, but I think there's SBSD Owl Camera: go ahead. No, it it is so we had. We've already paid all that money for Michael, healing to come and talk to us. And so that the paper that I wrote up with it's from that SBSD Owl Camera: the rationale is from the Vsba, and that's and that. And they basically said the same thing that Michael said. But to be

041clear, it's not just a flyer or a website copy, it's language that's being added to our board policies. Right? Exactly. So that the policy that's on there, that's from the Vs, yeah, I'll take. I'll take a look at it. Okay. SBSD Owl Camera: any further discussion about this at this time? SBSD Owl Camera: Are you taking public comment on this non discussion items? SBSD Owl Camera: Alright, then, that brings us to our Ap order training? Is it just the 2 of us? SBSD Owl Camera: Is it just the 2 of us and changes? Okay, alright. SBSD Owl Camera: Would you want to invite? SBSD Owl Camera: Oh, yes, so I'd like to welcome Tim Jarvis, senior Director of Finance to provide a training for the Board at this time on policy governance. Excuse me. SBSD

042Owl Camera: wrapped up in that last agenda item moving on accounts payable. So Jen, you had a great question. Our last board meeting on accounts payable and reached out to Tim. And so he's here today to provide you all with some information. And you know, talk through any questions you all have. We want to make sure that you all understand this. SBSD Owl Camera: We certainly don't expect you to be experts overnight on Ap. Orders. But wanna get the conversation started, and give you the opportunity to ask anything SBSD Owl Camera: important for you to understand these at this time. Welcome, Tim. Hello! Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: I had sent over a a short presentation that I hope everyone had the opportunity to SBSD Owl Camera: review. I think I'm just gonna try to

043share my screen here. SBSD Owl Camera: Good to know. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay. So I kind of had this. I won't call it vague, but a general instruction to provide you an overview of our Ap process, and SBSD Owl Camera: what I thought I would do is to include a little bit of extra information, because I think that SBSD Owl Camera: it would help you understand not only the Ap. Process, but also how the entire budget is structured into different categories and and whatnot. So that's what I'm gonna do. Hopefully won't take up too much of your time. SBSD Owl Camera: Ap. By the numbers in our current financial accounting system we have almost 3,000 active vendors, which SBSD Owl Camera: probably seems like a lot for a school district in Vermont, but it just

044shows you the level of interaction that we have across all of our services and functions to deal with our vendors. We have over 3,000 active general ledger expense codes in our system. SBSD Owl Camera: Which also seems like a lot, and it is too many. And so one of the things that we're trying to do is and and part of this happened when we when we moved over to the new system. But it's still a work in progress that we we simply use too many account codes. They're confusing, they are hard to manage. They're hard to understand, you know, and I'll just give you an example like SBSD Owl Camera: for custodial supplies. There are codes for each school. There's codes for the district, and it really came came about, I think, because in school

045districts that have multiple towns they they sort of SBSD Owl Camera: have to do that. And so, you know, Cvu may have their schools in Shelburne and Williston and Whatnot, and so they like to keep that kind of self contained, or at least be able to report on a town level for certain, for certain things, but for us we're one school district. SBSD Owl Camera: And so, instead of people needing to remember what is the code for paper towels at Chamberlain School, which is a unique code for custodial supplies. Chamberlain School SBSD Owl Camera: supplies we're moving towards in in situations like that where schools are not necessarily SBSD Owl Camera: It's not required. I mean, it's not like schools are profit and loss company that we want to know what the product profit and

046loss is, it's paper towels for the district. And so, instead of having, you know, 6 or 7 different codes for paper towel supplies. We. We now have one. And then we're working towards that level of consolidation. Other things. So there's 3,000 individual code numbers is on its way down. SBSD Owl Camera: We have 70 over 70 individual funds, and I'll get to to to that concept in a moment. You know it isn't we we vote on a budget. But SBSD Owl Camera: that budget. The general fund is only one of over 70 funds that we have in our system, and I'll explain in a minute why that's the case, and what the other funds are. SBSD Owl Camera: And I thought it would be useful just to give you some year to date processing volume.

047So we've processed over 5,700 invoices, and we've issued almost 3,000 checks. SBSD Owl Camera: which you guys see on a regular basis. So that's the any questions on this 1st page. SBSD Owl Camera: So we're following SBSD Owl Camera: there. There's there's a requirement by the agency of education that all school districts follow this Vermont's uniform chart of accounts. Up until the time that we converted to the new system in April of last year. In many cases the district was not following the university chart of accounts. SBSD Owl Camera: And we were categorizing items in inappropriate ways. I I won't say negligent ways, but you know, something should have been supplied with someone coded as equipment, you know, and things like that. But they weren't SBSD Owl Camera: following the rules to the T. And

048so when we converted the to the new system, not only were we migrating from one financial accounting system to another, which is hard enough in itself. But we were adopting the Vermont uniform chart of accounts at the same time, and that's that made the the entire migration and and transition process extremely complicated. And time SBSD Owl Camera: but now we are set up in the new system to to to leverage this. So SBSD Owl Camera: the uniform chart of accounts is based upon a 38 digit code. So for those 3,000 expense codes that we have. Each one of them has 38 digits SBSD Owl Camera: with different pieces, constituting those 38 digits. So SBSD Owl Camera: here I'm just talking about the fund and the fund types of which are over 70. SBSD Owl Camera:

049The most important one is the general fund, that is, the budget that the voters have have approved. There is also a general fund for our operation at South Point, our our alternative school that we have. So SBSD Owl Camera: when you see these and I'll skip ahead briefly, then I'll come back. What? What you see when you are approving SBSD Owl Camera: invoices is this is the cover sheet that you see, that that gets sent by the business office. So SBSD Owl Camera: you can see these funds. General fund rolling grant fund, title, 4 funds, etc. These are the. These are the different funds that we have, and only the general fund is part of the voter, approved budget because the other ones are either. Grant money. They could be Federal grants, State grants other

050grants. SBSD Owl Camera: I'll I'll go back to the slide I was on before. So it's we just see. SBSD Owl Camera: The 2,000 range are the special revenue funds. So that that's where you see all the title funds and Idea B, and and things like that. So those SBSD Owl Camera: special revenue funds are in their own category. That starts with 2. If you see something that starts with 3 from a fund level, those are our capital project funds. So those are the voter food bonds that we are now spending. So, for example, if we're putting a roof on a school and we're using a certain vendor for that that expense would be coded in the 3,000 range, because we're using the bond money that has been approved by the voters for that particular

051expense. SBSD Owl Camera: The 6,000 range are what are called enterprise funds, and these are 2 primary entities. One is nutrition services, and one is the schools out program. SBSD Owl Camera: These are self-contained funds, not part of the general fund, not part of our budget. They're they're self sustaining SBSD Owl Camera: entities that are part of the school districts. SBSD Owl Camera: mandate for financial controls and whatnot. They're part of our audit, but they have their own separate fund. The voter proof budget is not being applied to nutritional services. They're getting a lot of money from the Federal Government and other sources, and they sort of run their own business is the best way to look at these enterprise funds SBSD Owl Camera: trust funds we have or we we had employees who were

052eligible to participate SBSD Owl Camera: in a defined benefits. Pension plan, which is no longer the case for new new employees. But there was a older program. That is still stuff which is still continuing because those people are still with us. But those all of those expenses are are captured in the 8,000 range. So SBSD Owl Camera: you'll see periodically that we will be sending money to the investment manager who manages that pension fund sei investments. That money also is not considered part of the voter fruit budget. SBSD Owl Camera: and then we have custodial funds in the 9,000 range which you'll see. And largely, these, most of these are student activity funds where SBSD Owl Camera: there will be fundraising activities and that money is kept in a bank account at TV Bank. SBSD

053Owl Camera: In a separate account, and it's considered the school district is considered the custodian of those funds. But it's not part of our budget or anything, and it's also true, for for SBSD Owl Camera: if the Boosters Group or the Pto or somebody like that or an individual makes a a donation. That money all goes into this 9,000 range, and any expenses associated with it will be booked against that 9,000 range as well, and not out of the general fund. SBSD Owl Camera: Is that SBSD Owl Camera: adequate for this? It is. Can I ask a question? Sure. So when we receive like Ap. Statements, would it be covering all of these? Yeah, that's what I showed on that we're coming up to the slide where you'll see on the cover sheet of the

054Ap. Voucher a summary of which fund, or the amount of money that's coming, out of which fund SBSD Owl Camera: there's obviously very detailed reports that the system generates. But over time previous boards were not SBSD Owl Camera: I guess, interested in seeing SBSD Owl Camera: you know you. What what you get from us with is the cover sheet and a summarize excel sheet. The system will generate like a 57 page report, and and every item will have every fund number, like the 38 Digit Fund number and things like that. SBSD Owl Camera: And I think that previous boards found that that was adequate for their purposes of of of approving these on on a consent agenda basis. But the report is there. If you want a 57 page report, it's easy. It's actually easier

055in some instances to give you a 57 page report. Because the system just generates it, and then we don't have to put it into an excel spreadsheet or anything. SBSD Owl Camera: The challenge is that. And then, and 1 1 of the other reasons why we stopped using the 57 page portal, I'll call it is, it had actual bank check numbers on it, and we felt that distributing that to the public, if that was going to be published on the website, let's say. SBSD Owl Camera: is not a good practice for people who may be attempting some fraudulent activity against us. So that's another reason why we just provided the board with simplified SBSD Owl Camera: somewhere in. SBSD Owl Camera: I think I think the only thing I would think that would be helpful

056is, if you've got these buckets of money. What is your account? What is your value of those buckets? And then, as you withdraw money from the accounts, what the balances? Yeah, I mean money. Large amounts of money pass through our accounts, because what happens is that SBSD Owl Camera: 3 times a year we receive. We receive our net education fund money from the State. So our balance may be 500,001 day, and then they give us 18 million dollars one day, and that 18 million is sitting in our bank account, being invested in an overnight sweep with the bank. So we're generating quite a bit of interest off it. But SBSD Owl Camera: it's not, it's it's it's it's it's it's not really. I'm not sure how useful that would be, because there's so much in

057and out flowing of funds. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, but we but we you know we always could do that. But I'm not sure you tell me if if that's worthwhile, I think the intent would be like accounting, but it wouldn't be like SBSD Owl Camera: balancing our check. This would not give you what you're trying to get. Yeah, the audit so the audits just been finalized. And, like, you know, we'll get into those pieces there, and I think the audit is really meant to show you that work to ensure that checks and balances. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. So we we finalized the or the auditors, I should say, finalize the audit and and we validated it. You'll be getting that within days, because it's going to be on the next board agenda to review

058SBSD Owl Camera: for fiscal year 24. SBSD Owl Camera: Got a question, I mean, if we're we're approving the SBSD Owl Camera: the cumbersome. So is that what you refer to it as? And we're not seeing that 57 page report SBSD Owl Camera: it's on us that we've approved those funds. But is there somebody whose name goes on the bottom of that? 57 page? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, God forbid! There was an issue. SBSD Owl Camera: Since it isn't it's not effective for us to go through a 57 page report here. SBSD Owl Camera: What I've done is I've included some additional information in this deck about our checklist and approval process. I mean, ultimately I approve it, and then Violet approves it. SBSD Owl Camera: It has been previously approved by other people in

059my staff. SBSD Owl Camera: So I'm checking. I look at every single invoice that that we pay. And SBSD Owl Camera: this is after. A number of other people have already reviewed it and it, and made sure that there was an invoice, made sure that the person who requested the item has indicated that they received SBSD Owl Camera: what they expected. SBSD Owl Camera: And then the business office is largely looking to make sure that the the coding is right. You know that the 38 digit code is correct. SBSD Owl Camera: We're not second guessing the principles about whether they needed a box of pencils or not. Right? I mean, they have. They have their budgets. SBSD Owl Camera: the principals and you know Mike Jabor in in athletics and Bar Micelli, who's the director

060of of of SBSD Owl Camera: Maintenance and of facilities. SBSD Owl Camera: They have their approved budget that the voters approved. And so that's what they're working with. SBSD Owl Camera: and you know, with no vendor can be in the system unless they have a W. 9. So it's not like SBSD Owl Camera: somebody can just send us an invoice and say, Pay it. I mean, it goes through this process of approval of multiple approvals. SBSD Owl Camera: Make sure that the money is being properly spent. Right? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. SBSD Owl Camera: so there is. There is that there is this process. No, it's definitely not rubber stamp. It's it's it's the business office spends quite a lot of time. Oh, oh, understood. Yeah. SBSD Owl Camera: I I won't put a value

061judgment on whether you represent or not. But you you have the. It depends. If you, if if you think that you need more information in order to accept the consent agenda item and the voucher we have, we have all the information. It's just. Do you really want to do that, or are you comfortable, that the process that's in place, the checks and balances that are in place SBSD Owl Camera: are adequate to give you a level of comfort that you know that that the money has been that the spending has been reviewed and validated. SBSD Owl Camera: You know, you can challenge individual items. But there's also there's also a and you'll I don't think you've seen this for a while, but SBSD Owl Camera: in certain instances, for example, with the Howard Center, where

062who? Who? We pay a lot of money to. SBSD Owl Camera: If the check is for over $50,000. SBSD Owl Camera: We can't. We won't send it out until you've explicitly approved it. I don't think we've had that case since the new board has joined. But you'll see it SBSD Owl Camera: that I need to draft a letter. That you know, Violet actually, technically does it? But both of us that, you know, here is an expense that is in excess of $50,000. And what it's for, and that the Board has to explicitly approve that it's not even. It's not part of the you know it it is. It's included in the in the voucher. But there's a supplemental step SBSD Owl Camera: of having the board, and I think every board member has to sign,

063you know, and and approve it, that they're comfortable. That paying, you know, this $75,000, or whatever to the Howard center is is appropriate. That's what I remember. It's 1 of my 1st meetings were asked to sign something. SBSD Owl Camera: an approval of a large amount of funds. It was 50,000 SBSD Owl Camera: where it comes to the board. Yes, one more. SBSD Owl Camera: And there is. There was a process where SBSD Owl Camera: a bid would go out and you would try and get multiple contract. They're trying to get multiple bids. Well, there's 2 different things. So there's the Vermont open bid loan which requires us to solicit 3 or more bids for anything over $40,000 SBSD Owl Camera: that's usually in the construction SBSD Owl Camera: area like and you'll be seeing

064you'll be seeing a ton of these in the forthcoming weeks, because SBSD Owl Camera: right now there's a lot of bids out for this work gonna be doing this summer. So roofing, paving. Hvac. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, if if any of those things are over $40,000. Then the Board has to approve it SBSD Owl Camera: through Vermont State law. SBSD Owl Camera: I think the 50,000 thing is a South Burlington is a legacy. South Burlington School district. SBSD Owl Camera: practice and and it's for only certain types. So let's say that SBSD Owl Camera: there's a there's a large project like the Zep, which costs, you know, over 6 million dollars. SBSD Owl Camera: The board would have approved the contract for the Zems SBSD Owl Camera: before the the building. Actual construction started,

065so there were a lot of invoices, as you can imagine, associated, although with most of them were to Dw. Which was the general contractor project. But there were, you know, a number of of items that were that needed approval. SBSD Owl Camera: but because because they were part of this project that had already been approved SBSD Owl Camera: and the general contractor was responsible for running the bidding process for all of the individual pieces that were necessary to build those those 0 energy modulars. SBSD Owl Camera: You weren't. The board wasn't approving every single invoice, because it was a pre sort of a pre pre approved project. Well, if I remember with that the original bid was nowhere near 6 million, and then it went up to 6 million. SBSD Owl Camera: It's not. That's

066not the discussion topic, though, like I was just trying to get a handle on. SBSD Owl Camera: and you know Tim brought it up SBSD Owl Camera: about this project. And now what I want I don't want to get into old business, but I remember that that was nowhere near 6, and then it was up to 6. So SBSD Owl Camera: yeah, I mean, that was a I wasn't here then. But you're right that there was a new bond, that it was when I 1st got here in November, and it was that year's budget. I think it was the fiscal year 23 budget SBSD Owl Camera: that the voters or 24 the voters actually approved a 6 million dollar bond for the sounds. SBSD Owl Camera: It was 14.5 million in March of 2423, and

067it was for the zam was part of that. The initial cost did go up. There were issues that came up in development. Things like flooding and having to dig out, you know, more time. Different materials, things like that. So the costs changed. SBSD Owl Camera: We, we are recouping about 92% of those. SBSD Owl Camera: It was actually just under 6 million in the end. But impact fees will pay for 92% of those. So just for clarity, and those have been coming in ahead of pace. I think Tim's trying to draw the distinction between 2 things here which is for our internal practice, is that we do seek board, explicit approval via signature on checks over $50,000. Those don't require bids things like SBSD Owl Camera: pieces that are already built into our budget. You

068know our like contract with Howard Center, and what they cover or things of that nature. The pieces that do are are often operational or competitive bids, I think, is where you can kind of separate those out. SBSD Owl Camera: yeah, I mean, you'll you'll see you'll you'll see quite a few of these coming up through these several projects. SBSD Owl Camera: The Board saw another example in even something like snow plowing and garbage collection and and recycling right? So SBSD Owl Camera: if it's over 40, if the if the contract is for over $40,000, we have to go out to bid SBSD Owl Camera: you can. And and this is all stipulated in state law. There's also I can't remember the percentage off hand. But if you're renewing a contract with an existing vendor which

069is not uncommon like. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, you've been using this vendor for 5, 10 years, and you're happy with them, and you're getting a good service. But if their new contract or renewal contract exceeds a certain percentage, then that also needs to go out to bid. So SBSD Owl Camera: it's done through our operations department and either based upon knowledge of like who they have to be. SBSD Owl Camera: 3 at least 3 vendors who are considered to be competent to perform the service SBSD Owl Camera: and so locally you just get to know who they are like, you know that it's is it Casella, or is it Myers, or is it, you know, whoever for for waste removal we would put out a request for proposal outlining the work that we needed,

070and the timeline and we often send those to known SBSD Owl Camera: vendors, and we also, depending on what it is, or how many bids we receive will advertise it via the newspaper or other mechanisms. If we're not getting good, follow up on we had received only one bidder on that one. SBSD Owl Camera: and then we talked about our snowfall. Snow removal bid but there, there is SBSD Owl Camera: Unfortunately, it's common that there are very few folks who respond to our request for proposal. Just due to the limited you know, number of businesses and companies who provide the often very specific services that we need in our specific timelines. You all may have seen the list of summer projects that I shared with you. You'll know we try to pack them in during

071certain times. So that you know, we're prioritizing education. And SBSD Owl Camera: yeah. And that's that. That's a calendar challenge that we want all this work done between, you know, June 18th and August 15, th or something, so that it's done, not during the school year. SBSD Owl Camera: The challenges over the past 2 or 3 years of getting a contractor to do the work at all, is there? SBSD Owl Camera: They're just not interested like they're so busy building all these new homes in the southeast quadrant that it's they don't, and and schools admittedly that our rules and are kind of picking ways. We're not a great customer for them SBSD Owl Camera: in some respects. I won't let workers in our buildings without someone who's licensed. I mean, we put a lot of

072we put a lot of regulations on the construction folks so that they're not roaming our halls, and SBSD Owl Camera: but SBSD Owl Camera: and and also they just have so much they they have so much business there. There's some bids we couldn't find anybody to do, you know, for for some major work that we had the money to pay for, and we just couldn't find anyone to do the work. SBSD Owl Camera: which is, you know, a challenge because the work didn't get done. SBSD Owl Camera: Check this SBSD Owl Camera: maybe you already said it. Are we audited? Are we audited by a Cpa. Yes, and what's the stand? Is there a standard in education like a sock? One, a sock, 2. Like? What's the equivalent? I can't. I don't know. Offhand with

073the sock. One soc, 2. SBSD Owl Camera: Categorization is, I know that when the renewal came through recently, they are. They have been asked or required to perform a higher level of standard. SBSD Owl Camera: and I don't know. I just don't know off the top of my head what that was, but there was a a letter that that stipulated what SBSD Owl Camera: obligations they had in performing the other. It's not they weren't doing it previously, but it became SBSD Owl Camera: a higher level of of standard of care SBSD Owl Camera: from an auditing perspective that you know, they that they need to spreadsheet. Yeah, yeah. So I think we're not alone. It's not, you know. We're not, Dan. We're not alone in the. SBSD Owl Camera: We do have auditors, which is

074what I rely on my private. So in regards to a big project that you have coming up. SBSD Owl Camera: I guess it's you know, which comes first, st the chicken or the egg like, how do you build into your budgets what those costs are, or do you have, like some kind of general fund anticipation for Capex costs that you're expecting, and then you'll you'll build that, and then you send it out to bid. And if those costs come back that are maybe higher than what you had projected, how do you reconcile that within your budget. So if you're planning, you know, 200, you know. SBSD Owl Camera: 20 million dollars for something that needs to be done and you get a, you get a price back the 25, or SBSD Owl Camera: we have

075on our website, the stewardship facility document, which is a estimate of how much money we are expecting to spend in fiscal year for both operational projects SBSD Owl Camera: which are not funded by bond money, so that that those smaller operational projects come out of a general fund, and so SBSD Owl Camera: included in the voter approved budget is a subset of operational projects that are describing exactly what those are. There's still estimates, because we haven't put them out to bid. So that plan with the board. I wonder if you know, I think with the scope of this has expanded a bit. And I wonder if we take this back to Ap specifically, and then we we can certainly provide more training on SBSD Owl Camera: bidding or the stewardship plan. I'll share the stewardship

076plan with the board. I've got it in front of me. But let's let's go back to ap training specifically. SBSD Owl Camera: And and I think part of the reason I was asking that question was because in the context of Ap, if I'm reviewing a you know some kind of payment. SBSD Owl Camera: How do we know that that is within the scope of the budget that was there versus? If we're as if we're over budget. Do you see what I'm saying? Yeah, I mean, that's part of our job as we're managing these balances of, especially for the bond, I mean, the the voters approved the bond. It was, as Violet said, 6 million dollars for the exams, which is completed. SBSD Owl Camera: and then 8.5 5 million for other capital projects. So we.

077SBSD Owl Camera: when we brought forward the bond to the voters, we provided a list of of projects that we intended to do. SBSD Owl Camera: But our priorities can change right? So the boiler at at Chamberlain School blew up, basically. SBSD Owl Camera: And we had to buy a new $100,000 boiler like immediately the boiler. The $100,000 boiler wasn't necessarily in the budget because we did not have the boiler, so there there is a degree of flexibility with the bond funds and discretion SBSD Owl Camera: depending on the priorities of the of the of the district. SBSD Owl Camera: Another example we've had is exactly an example that that you that you said so. We were looking at a project to to do a variety of SBSD Owl Camera: renovations and window replacements and

078things like that. And we thought it was gonna cost. We estimated it was like 2.5 million dollars. SBSD Owl Camera: and we didn't get that. This is an example where we never actually got a bid, because when the contractors were looking at the scope of the project, they said, This is like a 6 or 7 million dollar project. This isn't 2.5. SBSD Owl Camera: So it's a SBSD Owl Camera: It's a continuous process of trying to understand what are the highest priorities from a facilities point of view. SBSD Owl Camera: And then tracking. You know. How much money do we have left in in the bond funds to to to prioritize those those projects. So I guess the kind of the follow up closure comment that I would have regarding this is, it sounds like,

079you know, you've got the finance group that's reviewing everything and providing the ledgers. And here here's the detail. SBSD Owl Camera: It does seem to a degree that it is kind of a rubber stamp, because we're trusting that that all the work that's being done there for that second, you know. SBSD Owl Camera: or 3rd or 7th signature on it to approve it. It's kind of, you know. It's understanding. Well, what is our role in this? What are the things that we should be trusting but verifying? How do we kick the tires to know that it's okay. I mean, we can rely on an audit, an auditor to go through and and provide that. But SBSD Owl Camera: for the purpose of the board, when we're looking at. Ap. You know. What are the questions?

080I guess I put that to you that we should be asking. Is it the slides? Because I think maybe it's in there. Yeah. Tim's got quite a few more slides, and we've just started the presentation. SBSD Owl Camera: I want to make sure that your questions are addressed in real time. And I and I also think, you know, to plan to share that information. So just getting back to like, you know, Dan's question, the whole purpose of me requesting this training so that we will know, after this training, what you're responsible for as a board member, and if you have concerns what you should do about it. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay. SBSD Owl Camera: this next slide is really not that critical to spend time on. These are different components of that 38 digit code.

081SBSD Owl Camera: just to let you know what is comprised of. So there's a code for each school. There's a code whether it's a preschool, elementary or secondary. There's a code for pro. What program it is. Is it regular education, special education? Loke? Ed. SBSD Owl Camera: There's a code for the source of re of revenue to pay the expenses at local state, federal, other SBSD Owl Camera: function codes. Is it for direct instruction? Is it for support, services or facilities. What type asset liability thumbnails? SBSD Owl Camera: It's always codes right? So and then the probably the most important one on this page is the last one which is called an object code, and this is SBSD Owl Camera: sort of how the budget is constructed around, and you see a summary of our

082expenditures in our budget is the next slide. SBSD Owl Camera: Salary and benefits kind of self explanatory and SBSD Owl Camera: close to 80% of our entire budget. SBSD Owl Camera: You'll see a category for purchase professional and technical services. And I've just given some examples for for each, not it's not exhaustive, because there's a lot of things that go into this. And this is all driven by the Vermont uniform chart of accounts. There's SBSD Owl Camera: I think it's a hundred 27 page document. SBSD Owl Camera: which is online, which gives a lot of detail about each one of these. SBSD Owl Camera: and where it's sort of a instruction book for the business office of how to book things according to the Ucla. SBSD Owl Camera: We have purchased professional technical services. A

083lot of that is for 3rd party, special education. SBSD Owl Camera: legal. These are all 3rd parties. So these are services that we don't have the capability of doing with our own staff, which is why we're using 3rd parties, hazardous waste abatement consultants, audit, etc. So those are professional technical services. SBSD Owl Camera: purchase property services. These are 3rd party rental and leasing contracts, for you know, we we lease SBSD Owl Camera: a number of vehicles. We lease computers. We have a a rental agreement with the management company for South Point, and things like that. SBSD Owl Camera: This is also for repairs and maintenance garbage collection. So that's those are services associated with the management and maintenance of our property. SBSD Owl Camera: Other parts of services is a category where all of the

084liability and vehicle insurance is is located. Special education or vocational tuition. 3rd party transportation. Those are other purchase services SBSD Owl Camera: supplies pretty self explanatory every. All the supplies that we have in our classroom and other program supplies. This is where our you know, Green Mountain power. Utility bills are booked. This is where our software licenses are booked. Under the supplies category. Then there's a property category SBSD Owl Camera: where the actual buses and vehicles that we that we own are are booked machinery, equipment, furniture, etc, and then debt service is where we book the interest that we're paying on our on our bond obligations SBSD Owl Camera: and other dues and fees that we pay for the Vermont Principals Association and things like that go into this debt service category. So those are

085the major. SBSD Owl Camera: Those are the major categories of the budget. SBSD Owl Camera: and they each have their own set of codes that we would put for expenses associated with each of them. SBSD Owl Camera: Any questions on these on the phone meeting oops. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, this was supposed to be a 10 min presentation. I won't go into this in any detail. This is just a flow chart which you can review, and if you have any questions it's really like, how does it get from a teacher wanting a box of pencils SBSD Owl Camera: to us, actually paying Amazon for that box of pencils. And it. And it goes basically through a purchase order process. It goes through SBSD Owl Camera: principal generally for school expenses. The principal needs to authorize it

086SBSD Owl Camera: and then it just goes through a number of checks and balances so we can. If you have any specific questions about that. 1 point I'll I'll make is that we are. And I'll talk about this at the next meeting, because SBSD Owl Camera: it's related to monitoring port 2.4 where we have suffered. In our accounts. Payable process we and I'll I'll explain that the next time. But we're trying to change and improve this workflow, because right now it's extremely paper intensive. SBSD Owl Camera: And it doesn't need to be with a new platform that we have. I mean, we'll be able. A teacher will be able to request purchase order. A principal will do it electronically. It'll come to the business office, we will create the purchase order. We will have in

087the system a copy of the invoice, a copy of the purchase order, and everything will be on a screen, and people are just putting approval buttons right now. It is a nightmare, it is. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, stacks and stacks of paper and chasing people. SBSD Owl Camera: Is this okay? To pay? Is this okay to pay? And it's all it's paper emails going all over the place where we want to completely streamline that. And the new technology allows us to do it. It's just it takes a lot of time and then work to implement it. And it also changes certain roles and responsibilities between the business office and the school. SBSD Owl Camera: which is a natural source of tension. Right? Because we're we're going to be asking the Admin assistance at the

088schools SBSD Owl Camera: to perform certain functions that they don't, that they've never been asked to do before, because it was always just done by the grace of the business office. But it's not. It's not sustainable. And it has contributed. It's not the only thing that contributed to it, but it contributed to us falling way behind and paying invoices, and SBSD Owl Camera: and just not having the level of professional controls in places that I certainly don't. SBSD Owl Camera: But that's a point for another meeting. I'm just curious. Is it like sap or something that you're using? What's the platform? No, it's it's it's a company called Tyler Technology. And they're sort of a specialist in the school. area. SBSD Owl Camera: This is the checklist that we use. Before the voucher gets to

089you. So there's a number of of steps of people entering things and reviewing things and sending things back if they're not correct and things like that. So you know, by the time it gets to me, step 11, which is management, approval of the voucher. SBSD Owl Camera: and that is the point in which we produce the report that you see and Violet approves, and then the checks are paid after the consent agenda item has been approved. SBSD Owl Camera: So just wanna show you. You know, there is a series. This isn't like one person just SBSD Owl Camera: spending school money. This. This goes through this process. SBSD Owl Camera: This is the cover sheet that you're you see. And hopefully, after this SBSD Owl Camera: training, it will will be a little bit clearer

090to understand, because I can see that like you would have no idea what these phone numbers are. SBSD Owl Camera: And then this is just an example of what you get on this on the excel sheet, which is just an extract out of the system. So you know. You have the vendor column. You have the amount column. SBSD Owl Camera: the the 3rd column is. It comes directly from the purchase order, or from like the Amazon order. And so sometimes it's extremely detailed. SBSD Owl Camera: You know where where they've listed, like I need 6 pencils and 4 pens and 3 rings of paper and and like. But SBSD Owl Camera: this is just straight from the system. This is not. SBSD Owl Camera: And sometimes, you know, like Howard Center. Those are initials of

091of students because we can't publish their names and things like that. And then the the far right column is is simply what budget line item, does that find itself in? SBSD Owl Camera: Is it supplies? Is it food? Is it tuition, is it whatever? So that's what you're looking at and I think that was my last slide. So SBSD Owl Camera: you know, I just wanted to give you a sense of bless you, you know. SBSD Owl Camera: 1st of all to show you that it's kind of complicated SBSD Owl Camera: and we've spent a lot of time SBSD Owl Camera: trying to get it right, you know, like equipment is not supposed to be for anything under $5,000, it should be supplies. And so, you know, an admin assistant at one of the schools

092has been calling it equipment for 100 years, and like it's not, it's not equipped supply. So this is the code you should use for supplies, not the old one for equipment. SBSD Owl Camera: You know. It's a small example of dozens and dozens of SBSD Owl Camera: of things that we've we've needed to to to clean up. And the the the challenge SBSD Owl Camera: with having moved one of one of the challenges of having moved in the new system for fiscal year 25 SBSD Owl Camera: is that year on year. Comparisons are almost irrelevant. Right? And and so if you look at the fiscal year 25 budget, and it says, well, supplies went up 125%. It's like, it doesn't mean that we're buying 125% more supplies. It means that it was miscategorized as equipment

093or something else in the previous year budget. And we can't go back and fix like 10 years worth of budgets. SBSD Owl Camera: But I think the fiscal year 25 budget, and the fiscal year 26 budget that was just approved are in good shape, so they will be consistent and comparable. Going forward. I have to send a huge thanks to Tim and his team and everyone in our business office. This has been a massive lift that we started July first.st So my 1st day here we watched it, and the team is SBSD Owl Camera: literally worked every day tirelessly on this and I I can't highlight enough that this increases accuracy, transparency, predictability. And we're finally able to, you know, work with discuss more next week a company to help us with our develop budgets.

094In a way that they can have really effective metrics. So SBSD Owl Camera: really, thank you, Tim, and and all of our business office staff. SBSD Owl Camera: I just want to say, thank you. I appreciate this training. I've been looking at these things for a year and a half now and learn some stuff I didn't know. But, Violet, it doesn't lay you off the look for ap jeopardy. Bring it on, and it shows like I know the stuff because it truly like it isn't a rubber stamp, and I think for you all knowing you know your responsibility isn't to do the I think a big takeaway Jen is. I'm all over your question about, you know, can we balance the checkbook? SBSD Owl Camera: Basically, you know, your responsibility isn't to do a you

095know, an audit of 71.5 million dollar budget. But it is to ensure that we have the processes in place and then checks and balances. And you know, I really like that graphic of the flow chart, because I think it shows that nicely. And you know all this over today. And then, I think you know, really bring. Come with questions for the auditor. Ron SBSD Owl Camera: you know we'll be here via zoom second year in the row. We've gotten the poor man on vacation. But you know, please ask the the hardball financial questions of the auditors. We're we're happy to you know. Have him share findings SBSD Owl Camera: when we get that cover sheet. That shows this. We have to SBSD Owl Camera: give our approval. Is it possible to also get that running

096sheet where all the other approvals SBSD Owl Camera: have been signed off on before it comes to us it can. We modified our practice? What a year and a half, certainly a year ago we went through a process where we're changing this, we were finding that other school districts were making changes to, and this was tied to increases security. Things like not only identifiable information with students, but to these account codes. And so Tim and his colleagues at SBSD Owl Camera: as Bo, you know, as we were talking about earlier, you know we're not reinventing the wheel work together. Hey! What are the common practices? So at that time we modified from the full to the truncated report that you all receive. We could certainly send that to the board electronically. But we wouldn't publish

097that on the website. SBSD Owl Camera: Can I clarify? Are you asking for that sheet where everyone is initial, the steps or right? Just so. We know when it comes to us that SBSD Owl Camera: it has gone through the proper process where people have just initiated their SBSD Owl Camera: wants. The cover sheet that shows with his person. Yeah. SBSD Owl Camera: and on and on your flow chart to just a question. So you have received notice of goods completed service, and then it's received. Invoice from vendor, and then submit the payment. SBSD Owl Camera: But there's other steps that are in that are in that process in that flow, because, like, for example, obviously, you've got to get approval from the board. I believe, right before those payments are processed or not. SBSD

098Owl Camera: we have to get that consent. Agenda approved. And SBSD Owl Camera: we need your like, I said earlier we need. And there's an explicit separate process for the checks over that route like to the outward center that you will need to like, I think. Put your signature on. SBSD Owl Camera: This is where my directors get on me, because every so it's like without fail, every like Friday late afternoon, you know, it's like, Hey, Violet? Can we add this check so and so needs to get paid. Blah blah! I'm like, Nope, we can't. So we definitely hold those and SBSD Owl Camera: It's sometimes when there are long periods of times without board meetings. So this is like the sole purpose of our July board. Meeting is one approval of hires. SBSD Owl

099Camera: Big one. But 2 orders. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, yeah, we can definitely do that. SBSD Owl Camera: Then you've noted that. The yeah. SBSD Owl Camera: I will add that I was just looking at this one, this graphic, this graphic here. And I was saying, I thought it would be helpful. It would be too much to add. But just you know, where the school Board fits into that like, are we like a little blue or green dot, like, here we are in that process where we're SBSD Owl Camera: part of it. So that we see how we fit in. Yeah, it's basically at this last step we can add that in. We'll add that in SBSD Owl Camera: the paper that you were talking about wanting to see self sign offs is that SBSD

100Owl Camera: for just the except for every single line of every. SBSD Owl Camera: if if you get a voucher. SBSD Owl Camera: the summarized voucher that has, let's say, 3 pages of excel lines. That's a stack of paper like this. SBSD Owl Camera: And SBSD Owl Camera: What this is attesting to is that the order has like we we do. We do approve every single step like. I won't put my signature on this sheet unless I've actually looked at every single one of those invoices SBSD Owl Camera: I'm trusting, and we also don't want 4 people to do the same thing, because that's not necessary. And it's we would need more people. SBSD Owl Camera: So it's more to do with is this process being followed? SBSD Owl Camera: And you know the business

101manager, April, who is extremely qualified and experienced in this. SBSD Owl Camera: She finds a lot of things that need to be fixed, you know, and and SBSD Owl Camera: the job of the accounts. Payable specialist. It's not any. It's in some respects it's an easy job if you're diligent and organized. SBSD Owl Camera: But if April finds that something is inappropriate like it, it says, educational services, but it's the invoice for garbage disposal. SBSD Owl Camera: We'll catch it through this process. SBSD Owl Camera: and and we code it, and then it'll be like you'll see the leverage. It's corrections made by you're reviewing it, you're correcting it. You're reviewing the corrections. And so by the time it gets to me. I'm really just checking for reasonableness. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, like. SBSD

102Owl Camera: did they really have to spend like? Did they spend this much money on this thing like that? Seems SBSD Owl Camera: like someone should think about that right without taking the budgetary discretion away from the principals SBSD Owl Camera: or for the facilities director. But you know, it's it's just one last senior management check after it's been checked in a number of cycles every line I was like, I mean, a lot of these things. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, again. We don't expect you to be Cpas SBSD Owl Camera: alright any last questions or comments for Tim before we or Violet before we move on. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you so much. Thank you. So you will. You just pop in that board role, and then SBSD Owl Camera: I can resend these out

103to the board. Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: Alright. So up next we have retreat. SBSD Owl Camera: and I have a proposed School Board retreat planning. I have a proposed agenda for us, and we've got to review that. Now SBSD Owl Camera: see this. SBSD Owl Camera: I did not share it so that we wouldn't have any commentating. So we have our date. Friday, May second, and we have 9 Am. To 3 PM. Confirmed. SBSD Owl Camera: I have decided on behalf of the Board that it's important that we do it here because we can't afford to rent another place off site, and also I think that our whole retreat needs to be recorded and warmed. And so we're already set up here. But perhaps we consider changing the orientation of the tables or doing

104something to make it feel less like a board meeting. SBSD Owl Camera: So what I'm proposing is when we arrive we have like a welcome and just like branding notes, and then SBSD Owl Camera: I've scheduled 15 min for a team building game and we have a board member who's volunteered to develop some team building games for us. SBSD Owl Camera: And the idea here is SBSD Owl Camera: some work before lunch and some work after lunch and the work before and after lunch have team building games interspersed so that it's not just SBSD Owl Camera: 3 h of discussion and work. It's some work, and then some an opportunity to connect and gel better as a team. SBSD Owl Camera: And so then, I'm proposing 40 min to discuss a communication plan board member roles. This could

105also be like public forum development, that kind of topic, that that sort of framing that as a team, we're trying to establish how we would like the board to operate. SBSD Owl Camera: and then another 20 min for 2 building game, and then about an hour and 40 min to read and review our 1.0 and 2 point oh, policies and have high level discussion about it SBSD Owl Camera: and then I thought from 12 to one we could have a potluck lunch. We could have board members bring the sourdough bread or cookies, or soup or some food that is meaningful to you. SBSD Owl Camera: And then in the afternoon, after lunch, we would start with another team building game. Then we have an hour and 10 min for the 3.0 and 4 point. Oh, policies, another team

106building game and then closing remarks, feedback summary next. SBSD Owl Camera: So I this is my attempt to draft an agenda that I hope addresses everything that everyone has asked for and what we're hoping to get out of a retreat. And now at this time to organize discussion around feedback for this draft? SBSD Owl Camera: Yes, she must. In the agenda. Can you put what 1 point O and 2 point O, and 3.4 point 0 are SBSD Owl Camera: process. SBSD Owl Camera: Let me know. SBSD Owl Camera: I know it's it's governing. I just don't remember exactly. SBSD Owl Camera: Yes, Laura, no, okay. So I have thought about this to avoid any open meeting law violations. We cannot just sit and all eat together. But I was thinking we could gather the food

107in one place, and then sort of eat in many groups, and we could like. SBSD Owl Camera: But we won't be recorded eating. We won't be recorded in our, but not breaking quorum. So like maybe I go get some bread, and I sit and have bread with Seamus and Laura, and then I go get some soup, and I sit with Jen and Emily, and I'm not so sure that's correct. I think we can. SBSD Owl Camera: So we use support service all the time. You're right, Laura. We technically can. The issue is that if there's any question of whether or not we discussed for business, we might be able to prove that we didn't. SBSD Owl Camera: And so it's better to just set it up so that there's no question or then record a

108seating. Then, yeah, because, honestly like, how am I gonna get to know anybody on this board? Really? Well, if if I have to make sure that 4 of us are, I mean, I'm not being Snarky, I'm saying seriously and recorded. So I think the follow up to that is SBSD Owl Camera: the personal level of sharing that I might want to do to share with you about like where I'm coming from in my perspective, or the philosophies that I hold, I might have personal anecdotes about my family or my upbringing that I don't want published on the Internet seriously. And so SBSD Owl Camera: I think that in order to have those, you know, like team building, gelling conversations, they're just gonna have to happen in non forums of the board. I've listened to those

109Vsba things on the Retreat, and they, a lot of people, have published SBSD Owl Camera: that- that is, never that. I'll ask SBSD Owl Camera: every signature, but they all recommended. So I this is the 1st time hearing that we can't sit down. I just want to be clear. I'm not disagreeing with you. I don't think that it's like specifically states that if the 7 of us sit down and have dinner together that it must be recorded and warmed. I think that where we're disagreeing on is, if it's recommended SBSD Owl Camera: concern. If somebody comes back and says you violated open meeting. SBSD Owl Camera: and like you're saying, you can't prove that you didn't, and I don't know what the defense would be there. SBSD Owl Camera: Better to be transparent. Open. We

110had this in our city school meeting we we met with the city manager and SBSD Owl Camera: chair of the Council and this was a strategy that they utilize well, and that we discussed for our upcoming. Retreat. Where we're going to have a meal together is to, you know, sort of not all sit at the table together, but to have the approach so that you can have a personal conversation that you wouldn't want to be recorded. But you're not engaging important for city business as a body. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, she is. SBSD Owl Camera: So we just as my understanding is that the SBSD Owl Camera: the open meeting law has a specific carve out for social gatherings. SBSD Owl Camera: And so I'd like to hear the lawyer's opinion about how one uses

111that. SBSD Owl Camera: Sure SBSD Owl Camera: I'm happy to ask that question again direct. I think that the legal guidance to some extent will depend on the lawyer and their experience. SBSD Owl Camera: I just want to make sure I'm being clear that you're not wrong. We can have a social gathering. And I just think that the question is, do we want to take on the liability of the possibility of being accused of violating the law and not having a means of proving that we didn't. SBSD Owl Camera: I think the isn't it referred to as chilling effect SBSD Owl Camera: when a law or a practice leads to. SBSD Owl Camera: you know the reduction of some kind of discourse. SBSD Owl Camera: and I think that there's a SBSD Owl Camera: anyway.

112That's why I want to ask the lawyer is because they put it in the law for a reason, and so like there is presumably some. Maybe there's some case law that says, Well. SBSD Owl Camera: you know. So I think it's reasonable. SBSD Owl Camera: I agree. This is, it's a very hard decision to make. I think both sides. SBSD Owl Camera: but I guess it makes me think of the SBSD Owl Camera: when I recuse myself because I have a sister who is a teacher, and so I recuse myself, and even though I might think I don't, I think I actually didn't necessarily have to. But there would be a perceived SBSD Owl Camera: notion that maybe I am violating that. And and it's unfortunate that we feel this way, that even it could

113be perceived by people that we would be violating the law. Possibly but I I think, Erin, on some questions, really SBSD Owl Camera: go at this point, but I would love to come to a place in the future where we can SBSD Owl Camera: feel that way with transparency for for years to come. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. SBSD Owl Camera: Oh, I I was just gonna add this right. SBSD Owl Camera: Been on board for a year and a half like, I said before, and it it's really easy to unintentionally stray SBSD Owl Camera: into what is board policy or what is a board discussion. So I am guilty of it, and I appreciate my other board, my fellow board people who are often like Oh, wait, stop! Stop! SBSD Owl Camera: It's just really

114easy to do, especially if you're very conversational. So I agree it'd be great if we could all meet together in one big happy, you know, Circle. But I as one who is strayed. I would. I would rather be in a position where I know that's not going to be an issue. SBSD Owl Camera: One possibility would be that we just warn. Lunch is continuing discussion of the SBSD Owl Camera: you know, like, and yeah, 1 point O ends. For example, I'm not saying that that's the right thing to do from us. I mean, I think if the assumption is that we both need to talk about business, and we also need to gel as like a social group SBSD Owl Camera: I don't know. And especially since you've built in some team building stuff which

115I think is awesome. SBSD Owl Camera: I think that it's that we can probably also get to know each other just by talking about business. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, in a more, when we just have more time, and it's, you know, we've got 2 h for ends, and normally we would only have 15 min for ends. I don't think it's necessarily SBSD Owl Camera: bad if we talk about business during lunch, I mean, and especially if it's worn and we end up not talking about business. SBSD Owl Camera: It's not like we're gonna get dinged for? Oh, well, you guys said you were gonna talk about ends. But then, you 15 min, you talked about golf. SBSD Owl Camera: I I guess the chilling effect. Maybe that still would be present is SBSD Owl Camera: sometimes as

116board members. We have to present our personal opinion on an issue, and we think about it before a board meeting and think about how we want to present that issue to the community. And SBSD Owl Camera: like, I think, sometimes my philosophy, or my personal opinions, or my values, or the way that I've come to craft my opinion on something SBSD Owl Camera: you're not seeing. All of that. You're just seeing what I've brought to share for a short discussion. And it's easy to develop these assumptions about. You know what we've especially as we work to build consensus as a team. It could be easy to start to build these assumptions about what our fellow board members think. And the nice thing about getting to know each other is understanding SBSD Owl Camera: how you

117came to think that, and what experiences you have to share, that really are valuable parts of the conversation. But again, those parts of the experiences might not be something we're willing to share on the like have published on the Internet in perpetuity. SBSD Owl Camera: And so I think it's a part of building a cohesive team that gels is to understand where each board member is coming from and not building these assumptions that just start to get everything going sideways. So how do we do that? That doesn't kill board members from sharing, but also, I guess, give some of that freedom of candor of SBSD Owl Camera: who we are as individuals. So if that makes sense. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, just want to say for the record that SBSD Owl Camera: I mean, I'm

118going to go along with this. I don't agree with it. Like social gatherings are specifically exempt. I think it's going to be incredibly awkward to like. Avoid Jen and Shemus and Tim. SBSD Owl Camera: I I just never heard of this before, so but I will SBSD Owl Camera: go along with the group, and I just wanted to state that SBSD Owl Camera: I just wanted to follow. To say, I still would like to know what the standard of evidence precisely is SBSD Owl Camera: to say, this was just a social social gatherer, so I would like to hear from our lawyer. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, yeah. The only thing I would add is in regards to any equipment or things that we may need, because one of the things I'm thinking would be really

119helpful is like a flip chart, and like dry erase, or either dry erase or flip chart, actually probably flip chart with paper and markers, so that we can have like parking lots and do some sketches. I mean, I'm imagining, when we go into the like, the racy development and board member roles and things like that like it would be good to be able to scratch and stuff down and brainstorm. SBSD Owl Camera: And Jen is our board member who's volunteering to help facilitate some of these team building games. And I did specifically ask, like, they're not going to be icebreakers where you're going to be asked to share really personal details, and I think that they will. People will be able to see us doing them. But we're not going to set them up with

120the point of them being video because some of them are kind of like throwing a tennis ball or SBSD Owl Camera: okay, sorry I won't. I won't spoil it. But they're not like 3 things from your childhood or 2 truths of the lie, you know. Does the ropes course fit in here. SBSD Owl Camera: Just want to know what racy on this feel like I'm at work. SBSD Owl Camera: Honestly, I don't miss an acronym too often. And I'm gonna have to Google raci, responsible, accountable, consultant and important. SBSD Owl Camera: We don't have that with an education. But this is great. Yeah. SBSD Owl Camera: so can we just start any feedback or changes to the way I've organized the day. SBSD Owl Camera: And yes, my only I mean I just SBSD Owl

121Camera: if there is a chance that public lunch could precisely be covered under. You know. SBSD Owl Camera: chapter 5, 3, 10, SBSD Owl Camera: 5, c. Know, I know. But I want. I think their concern is just to have a SBSD Owl Camera: what is the standard evidence that we need to provide? And then, like Tim's concern around like, well, how can I avoid going into it? If there's a clear answer from the lawyer that says, You know this, and there's there the lawyer may come back and say. SBSD Owl Camera: can't. It's this, it's impract. This is an impractical thing to follow. But if we if we hear from our lawyer, I think that's the highest source. SBSD Owl Camera: I reached out to the Vsbi, yeah. Va on this. And they said.

122SBSD Owl Camera: exactly what we've discussed. And they said, We recommend you consult your lawyer. I just shot you that email. Yeah, it does. It does say that. But SBSD Owl Camera: I want the same thing you do. I just want our lawyers to resolve it for me here to SBSD Owl Camera: okay. SBSD Owl Camera: The other thing I was just thinking about is because we've allotted so much time to read through our policies and have high level discussion. That might be a natural opportunity to to start to learn about each other's pers perspectives, values, opinions on, like, you know, education, public education, and and SBSD Owl Camera: oversight management of the district. I just recognize that SBSD Owl Camera: this will be an opportunity to say like, Well, when I was in school,

123this is a personal anecdote that you know so. But there is a. I've left robust time for discussion, questions, thoughtfulness around our policies. SBSD Owl Camera: and then just ask, since this is going to be a public meeting, I assume we'll have opportunity for public comment at the start will be a typical agenda. But I assume we want to take public comment. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. So when we've done this in the past, and of course open meeting law has changed. What we do is we open a regular board meeting, and in the past we have gone into executive session for sometimes trainings. SBSD Owl Camera: But if you're doing this specifically as a retreat, it's it's a board meeting and we. I would recommend taking public comments in the beginning, but not, you know,

124during or throughout. And you would still have a motion to open adjourn. So I'll add, SBSD Owl Camera: what do we think is a reasonable amount of time with the public on a virtual day. SBSD Owl Camera: If you use the standard amount 10 min because it's not a public forum, or just plan this down to the minute. But yes, they will. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay. SBSD Owl Camera: So make a note for myself. SBSD Owl Camera: Alright. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay. Any other feedback comments, questions. SBSD Owl Camera: I tried to hear what each board member thought would make a successful retreat, and specifically tried to ask the question, let me finish the retreat on this day. How will I know that you felt it was a success and a good use of time, and

125that is what I used to build this so hopefully. SBSD Owl Camera: It's a great retreat. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you. Yeah. SBSD Owl Camera: Let me just stop sharing my screen SBSD Owl Camera: brings us to agenda. Item 6. Report. SBSD Owl Camera: Oh, yes, we've done the analysis reports by the School Board. We have a city school update. So the SBSD Owl Camera: there's a committee that exists of the School Board chair, the school superintendent, the city manager, and the City council chair. So the superintendent I met with City Manager Jesse Baker and City Council Chair, Tim Barrett, on March 21, st and we discussed the next steering committee meeting. So the steering committee is comprised of the School board, the city council, the city manager. SBSD Owl Camera: the superintendent, and then

126often the Chief of police and the chief of the Fire Department and the Director of Public Works. It's it's basically the city leadership. Am I missing anyone? SBSD Owl Camera: We usually beyond that. SBSD Owl Camera: To the city school meetings. No, no. Oh, the steering committee's required participation is just the 2 elected bodies and the 2 SBSD Owl Camera: administrators. Okay. SBSD Owl Camera: so we were talking about our 1st steering committee meeting with the elected bodies and their current compositions. And SBSD Owl Camera: I thought that it would be easier to schedule if the School Board. SBSD Owl Camera: if we held our steering committee meeting on an already Normal School Board meeting night where we didn't have a lot of business, so we could cancel our regular School Board meeting and have

127a steering committee meeting instead. And I just got confirmation that the City Council can make it so we're going to schedule it for Wednesday, June 4, th at 6 pm. We'll do it at City Hall, not here at the school district, so we won't have a regular board meeting that night. Instead, we'll have a steering committee meeting. SBSD Owl Camera: and we're trying to have dinner. Be a part of that meeting since it's the 1st time that the steering committee will meet with this current composition of folks. SBSD Owl Camera: and we also discussed the superintendent and the city manager giving a brief presentation to the full committee. Just sort of a 1 on one rounding like this is what the school district is up to, and this is what the city is up to.

128SBSD Owl Camera: and maybe some information for the elected bodies to understand governance process, because there are some similarities between the board and Council and some major differences. So it's also helpful to understand that SBSD Owl Camera: any other updates from that city school community that we can think of. SBSD Owl Camera: You've done a nice job of the agenda here. I took a notice of that. SBSD Owl Camera: but instead of here it'll be at City Hall, and I'll make sure to SBSD Owl Camera: but that and award update and remind you, because I know it'll be a little different than business as usual. So anyone who lives in fear of you know those icebreakers, I'll tell you in advance to reduce the anxiety introductions and why you serve not a hard question. City

129priorities and municipal one on one school priorities, legislative update and policy governance. 101 is what I'll provide. SBSD Owl Camera: We also talked about partnership on demographics and growth management planning, economic development strategic plan. SBSD Owl Camera: and potentially SBSD Owl Camera: I think that's it. That's it for this agenda. That's as far as we go, and the city will. It'll be hosted at City Hall. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, any questions about that. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay. And that brings us to agenda. Item 7. Superintendent's report. SBSD Owl Camera: Great. So thank you to board members who attended the school tours. This week. It's you know, these are business meetings here at the Board meeting, but the life and and you know the love and the heartbeat is really our why, and that is life

130in our school. So it was great to get our board members, you know, into our prepaid classroom so they could see what was happening into the honors. American classroom, you know, into all of our schools, looking at SBSD Owl Camera: facilities. And you know, just connecting. So thank you for that mostly, though I would also really like to thank our 2 student board reps who facilitated a tour of the high school, which was awesome. It was great to get your perspective. I did have a follow up on this. I seeked SBSD Owl Camera: clarification as to why there was the removal of the bathroom doors. There was a work order put into this to curb vaping in those particular areas, and it would. They will be replaced. But it's part of a SBSD Owl Camera:

131plan to curve that. So just follow up right? So but it was wonderful to have your input and and you guiding the tour. So I really appreciated, you know, seeing the school through your eyes and hearing about you know what you thought SBSD Owl Camera: and just want to thank them for the time as well. It was awesome. And I want to thank Jen and Seamus as well for their time and coming to all 5 schools. Really great. Awesome questions. Staff was like SBSD Owl Camera: question. I'm like, no, it was a reframing. I was like, no, it's like, knock your heels together. What do you want? Jen asked the question. You know, like, what do you need to improve? Your school essentially, and so it was really great to hear the different answers. Books.

132I appreciated all the insights we garner, and always great to see teachers and and staff and students. So thank you all. SBSD Owl Camera: We had a wonderful Zoom Meeting on Monday with our 2 student reps. our Tim Jarvis, our our senior finance director, myself. Cv, and then the same thing, the same group on the Cvsd side. Talking about integrating student voice as we continue to move forward with all of the iterations of the SBSD Owl Camera: changes to the future of public education what that looks like? And so I appreciate you all joining that zoom. It was timely, too, because it was off the back of the testimony that Gracie provided. Which was the day after I met with legislators and Vermont Superintendents Association and the Secretary of Ed. SBSD Owl Camera: Bless you!

133Talking about proposed changes. You know, lots of different updates. I did provide the board some legislative updates. I encourage you to dig through those, you know. If you see anything you have any questions, I'm happy to speak to those. SBSD Owl Camera: But I won't do a full legislative report right now. I want to thank Bridget Burkhart in particular, for her work on ways and means and continuing to just allow me to, you know, pick her brain with great levels, high levels of frequency. So that we're, you know, all just really working together and and making sure that we're SBSD Owl Camera: you know, learning about the plan and providing input it was great for superintendents to provide input to the secretary, and to our legislators too. So. SBSD Owl Camera: moving ahead, and you

134all saw the Governor's press release, saying he's not inclined to enter a summer session until there's no progress. So you know, some of the feedback I you know folks have given is to really look at the details. You know. What does this mean for Cbas, for instance, things like that? So they're they're kind of getting to that stage in the process. At this point in time. SBSD Owl Camera: I met with ann Lalonde and Peter Taylor, of the Charter Committee today regarding their public engagement on the issue of all resident voting. So these are legal non-citizens or residents. SBSD Owl Camera: And they Ann said. If anyone has feedback on the board and you'd like to share it with her, she said, I could share this in open session email. Ann EG. Lalande, LALO. [email protected].

135She'd love to hear your feedback and you can provide her with any of your input as an individual. SBSD Owl Camera: Member of the board. We didn't, you know. There was no representative statement from before this body, but wanted to provide you that they are going to be hosting a forum, and once they accept that, they'll share the time and the date with me, and I'll pass that along to folks SBSD Owl Camera: and along the lines of community engagement opportunities. The South Burlington Parks and Recs is having an open space public visioning event. I really encourage family members, community members to attend this, because, you know, as we talked in budget season about what we're able to offer our partners at the city and Rec. SBSD Owl Camera: Really support opportunities for youth. That

136meeting is taking place on Monday, April 7, th 5, 30 to 7, 30, and it's at the South Burlington senior Center, which is 1 80 Market Street and there's complimentary snacks and beverages which I always appreciated at 5, 30 to 7, 30. So 5, 30 to 7, SBSD Owl Camera: so that information is on online, I'll pop that in my newsletter, too. And then for conflicting fun. Also on Monday night and this coming Monday, the 7, th we are hosting the future of Public Education Committee. Here we're hosting their their closed meeting from one to 4. So that's not open to the public. But there is a public SBSD Owl Camera: session from 5 to 7. Love. To have board members participate. Should you be available, student reps love to have you there. And you

137know, just reference the scheduling document to avoid accident. Forum SBSD Owl Camera: and I would love to have you know, staff community members involved in that, too. Just another way of getting feedback. Speaking of feedback panorama is coming up. We'll be sending information out tomorrow. I'll pop information on my newsletter about that. Information from students, staff, and families is critically important as we start to plan for our next school year. None of this information will be SBSD Owl Camera: shared to the 5 grain size, so that we can really get accurate responses wanting to make sure that we're hearing feedback, and as we work through the summer to prep for next year, wanting to make sure that it's responsive, so SBSD Owl Camera: reach out to Monica Derosis. If you've got any questions on that

138and that concludes my report. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: Any questions from Superintendent SBSD Owl Camera: that brings us to do. We want to take a recess. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. Yeah. 5 would be great. 5 or 15. SBSD Owl Camera: Alright. Let's say we'll reconvene at 8. 0, 4. SBSD Owl Camera: Sure, it's mentioned. SBSD Owl Camera: All right, Kristen, if you okay. SBSD Owl Camera: all right. So next, we have agenda item, 9 action items. And tonight we're monitoring our 2.3 treatment of community policy. So has everyone had an opportunity to review the report prepared by Superintendent Nicholson SBSD Owl Camera: navigation. Okay, SBSD Owl Camera: would you like to share? Yeah, yeah, thank you. So I, Chris, enrolling executive Director of Education support systems, and Julia Mcguire, are here

139to Julia is here virtually to share the highlights of this report and after their sharing, we'll take questions and answering that. SBSD Owl Camera: So welcome, Kristen and Julia. Thanks for having me so I'm gonna actually SBSD Owl Camera: report out Julie is gonna time in, if if where she she needs to or or wants to. As you all have read this, I'm not gonna read it to you. The only part I thought I would read is SBSD Owl Camera: what 2.3 is, which is the treatment of community with respect to the treatment of community. The superintendent shall not fail to recognize that community members are the owners of the school programs and facilities, and as such are important appropriate participation in school programs appropriate input to significant decisions and use of facilities. SBSD Owl

140Camera: So we provided you a report with information in regards to what that looks like, and I'm just pulling out some of some of the pieces of that. So when we think about community engagement and participation, we have things like parent. And I'm sorry, active parent teacher organizations, our Ptos, our booster clubs, we have family engagement opportunities and events that are across all of our schools. SBSD Owl Camera: our co-curricular and cultural cultural events are co-curricular. So, for example, you heard from one of our student our our students tonight about unified sports. SBSD Owl Camera: as an aside. We would love it if folks could come and cheer on our student athletes next Tuesday next Thursday. They're going to be there and would love to have anyone who would like to join. Come, see what

141a great job our our athletes and our peers do SBSD Owl Camera: so for our co-curricular and cultural events. We have things like debate. And again, please know SBSD Owl Camera: these are pieces I'm not hitting on everything. Scholars, bowl athletic events like our boys. Hockey team who made it to the championship game at the Gutterson or our Varsity team, who Tim Warren might know a little bit about dance team who participated in regionals this year. As an aside, they have won 9 State championships in a row under Coach Allie Jingra, who's amazing. So SBSD Owl Camera: shout out, World language, science fairs, like the ones from that you all saw from our student our our students who participated at one of our board meetings this past month, I believe, from Fhtms. SBSD Owl Camera:

142We have fun runs, multilingual family nights. Gertrude Chamberlain recently had a full day sorry. A full school SBSD Owl Camera: play of finding Nemo. So all these opportunities foster family and community connections. SBSD Owl Camera: We have programs like Sbx, which provides students with hands-on projects, internships, and service learning opportunities. Our arts and music programs are open to the community with performances at our senior centers, rotary events, and local venues like higher ground. SBSD Owl Camera: Our communication strategy. Our principals and our superintendent provide regular updates via direct newsletters. They are translatable. We have our school website. We have local media. We have a communications person. Julie Mcguire, who's also on this call, who supports that? We have a city in school collaboration where the City School committee facilitates discussions between school and the city

143leadership. SBSD Owl Camera: public engagement on budget and policy with town meetings, surveys and public forums. It provides transparency and input into school funding and policies. SBSD Owl Camera: We have school board meetings with this accessibility. So our meetings, as you all know, are both in person and via zoom with public comment, opportunities, and as you all are discussing, you know what that's gonna look like, and and some changes that may or may not be made. We have donuts and discussion as Tim noted without the donuts. That are meetings with our superintendent. Members of our executive team, and board members to encourage internal dialogue. SBSD Owl Camera: Student led initiatives like our student justice Union, which raises raises awareness of diversity and racial equity in schools and the wider community soar students against racism promotes

144anti-racism. Discussions and student led initiatives, Gsa and Qsa. Our student organizations providing safe spaces and advocacy. SBSD Owl Camera: Our facilities uses include various groups, athletic groups, teams. The city's Rec Department while balancing security and maintenance concerns again. Much like Violet was talking about with SBSD Owl Camera: folks who come into our building. We just need to sure ensure that that you know we are keeping that safe. SBSD Owl Camera: We continue to collaborate with the South Burlington Police Department. SBSD Owl Camera: And so all of these highlights capture the district's efforts in engaging the community and promoting transparency and providing inclusive opportunities for our students in advance. SBSD Owl Camera: Let's just go a brief and quick snapshot SBSD Owl Camera: absolutely any questions of discussion from the board. Seamus SBSD Owl Camera: So,

145for example, on the honors, American controversy, or the for example, that one SBSD Owl Camera: where, who decided the format of the meeting? SBSD Owl Camera: Look to Violet, because I don't have that answer for for you. Yeah, that was high school administration. So the issue was brought to my attention in a donuts and discussion. Session. Actually, 2 of our board members were present. And then we heard follow up at a board meeting and we said, you know the board meetings are really not structured for dialogue or QA. But we feel this is SBSD Owl Camera: issue. So I reached out to acting Principal Craig and his team, and I said, Hey, let's, you know, set up a conversation designed for QA. So that. You know, this is really a school based issue, and so

146Principal Craig and his team SBSD Owl Camera: facilitated the honors, America conversation? SBSD Owl Camera: And is that a the format with the small group question gathering, followed by SBSD Owl Camera: You know, what? Whatever was that? An established practice. Or is that coming from a recommended playbook? Or SBSD Owl Camera: where did that format come from? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, I. So I wasn't a part of designing that that was something that Facebook administration SBSD Owl Camera: came up with. I'm not sure who was on the team for that. So I know that Acting Principal Craig and Mary Ellen Schaefer, who's the Cas for English and Ryan Navin, the social Studies Cas and the district Literacy Coordinator. Daniel Tuffy opened the presentation and had arranged for teachers to be at tables SBSD Owl Camera:

147and to hear questions from community members. SBSD Owl Camera: They just asked like, What SBSD Owl Camera: what are your questions designed to at the forward level? So like, it sounds like you're asking specifically like, who organized that meeting? Are you seeking to understand SBSD Owl Camera: something about our treatment of community like SBSD Owl Camera: so shall not fail to recognize that community members are owners. SBSD Owl Camera: and as such are afforded, appropriate input SBSD Owl Camera: insignificant decision. I think that is what SBSD Owl Camera: Not seeing the evidence for the positive evidence for SBSD Owl Camera: but the policy doesn't state about. If it's positive it does provide an opportunity. Right? So I I hear the SBSD Owl Camera: I hear the concern that it wasn't. It was perhaps by some

148regarded as not what they were looking for for the opportunity. But that doesn't mean that the effort to make that input heard is not SBSD Owl Camera: so. I just want to be careful like, did we have any board members? I mean. SBSD Owl Camera: So we do have some order. I'm not going to put you on the spot to speak about it. I just mean, like you were there to see that community engagement. SBSD Owl Camera: And and to that point I think what would have helped, and it comes back to the communication so that people's expectations. SBSD Owl Camera: or that they are, that their expectations that they go into it without false expectations as to what's going to happen, because I think my takeaway in that session was that there was a

149lot of frustration because of the way that it was presented, and they didn't have that information going in, that it was going to be breakout roundtable sessions, and it was very energy was very high, but then it came down to that is, I think people just wanted to be heard SBSD Owl Camera: and and I think but it goes back to. I think that communication which we think I feel like the communication piece, is probably something that we need to do with the board regarding how we engage with the public, but I also think that there could be. This is again an operational thing, and recognize, but I think there could be some improvement SBSD Owl Camera: for that process as well, people understanding where they can feed in and what potential influence they could

150have. SBSD Owl Camera: Sure, I just wanna go SBSD Owl Camera: back to some other points that I saw here in the report itself a couple of things. SBSD Owl Camera: I do want to say that I looked at prior reports just to go back and kind of do a comparison over time. It's very consistent. And how you're approaching communication, which I think is really good. Interestingly enough, I couldn't find monitoring reports prior to 2023. I saw it on a few agendas, but I could never really find it so, and I think things were organized differently back then, but I was trying to see how SBSD Owl Camera: communication was handled by prior boards, prior administrations, and such, and I will say that from 2023 forward, Viola, since you've been on board these have been

151very clear and open. So you all have done a good job of monitoring consistently well, hats off to prior boards for making that available. I noticed. I do want to call out, like the Social Justice Union. I saw that as a very active SBSD Owl Camera: group, consistently, a lot of groups are very active. But I saw that one in particular. I noticed that in this one you did add in donuts and discussion, although we had those last year, as well, I may suggest that you might also consider adding in any board listening Tours as to be called out as well since the Board was mentioned. I believe I think those are important to ensure that the community is aware of. SBSD Owl Camera: I also wanted to, and I didn't see them in here.

152You talked about activities and such. I know that there's a lot of parent participation and a lot of other activities like theater, I know, like the orchard play, if it's still going, has a lot of participation. So my, I guess my, my one of my questions. Not really a question, but a comment is that you know some of that stuff would be great to call out as well, because that's really important to a lot of SBSD Owl Camera: those are a lot of positives I saw on the report and consistencies. 1 1 comment I did have is in during the Budget cycle. I did have the opportunity to speak with a number of folks through some through some neighborhood meetings, and one comment that came back to me was that to some extent SBSD Owl

153Camera: parents at the elementary levels feel somewhat unwelcome in the schools, and I know that when our kids were little and in the schools my wife would go in was a parent volunteer, and I'm sure there are reasons for this. I don't know if it's different from school to school, but I just don't want to make you aware of that. That is feedback. And to parents who have young kids in school. SBSD Owl Camera: you know their ability to participate and see what's going on. I think it's really important in that transition, not for the kids so much as it is for the parents. So I just want to bring that up as some some feedback. That's something that I have heard, too. And it is on our next elementary and Central Office team Agenda,

154and I asked the elementary principals and assistant principals to bring a draft of that revised SBSD Owl Camera: so it's not a process. It's it's articulated in the handbooks. For the elementary level of how parents can participate. And they're all using the same language now. And I said, hey? Let's take this out. Take another crack at it, bring something to the team for us to tune and you know I very much hear that this is a need, and that there's SBSD Owl Camera: just a desire for parents to partner and be involved and engage, and, you know, to support and reinforce those homeschool connections which we know benefit students. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. I just wanted to make one comment as well. In regards to that, I took some notes about additions and SBSD Owl

155Camera: just wanted you to know that I think the exciting piece to that is, there are so many things that we're doing to hit them all. I mean, I was just thinking about, you know, I completely forgot to add in a detail drive, and you know the involvement with the community and the students and everyone which is great. So that's the that's the real positive. So my only other comment or question would be, as I look SBSD Owl Camera: the report year over year. I see a lot of the same references, and I'm just wondering if there's an opportunity here to to include, or maybe allude to some changes or some different things that are going to be brought forward as we go forward. So I appreciate the consistency in the report. But to some

156extent. I'm also interested in knowing what are the SBSD Owl Camera: improvements that we may be looking at or some alternative communication methods. SBSD Owl Camera: Sure, thank you, that's great. SBSD Owl Camera: So thank you, Tim, for highlighting some of those positives a couple of things that. SBSD Owl Camera: like the other paper, we have not been consistent about our monthly. So just saying SBSD Owl Camera: that's what we aspire to. That'll be a great retreat topic. I think we can add that in there, somehow. I do know we. SBSD Owl Camera: the district engages with the City Council pertaining to school safety. SBSD Owl Camera: Boy, it's still 35 miles an hour past the High School and the middle school, and I SBSD Owl Camera: that we need to do better. I I'm

157sorry. This is I'm just. I'm appalled almost daily. So I just, you know, I just SBSD Owl Camera: We talk about school safety, but that speed limit really worries me. SBSD Owl Camera: So this I'm just mentioning this thing because these are things that that are that are in here. SBSD Owl Camera: and then school board meetings. Yes, I again like this is clearly my topic. But, SBSD Owl Camera: You know people are given the time to speak, but we don't have a clear policy, and that's where SBSD Owl Camera: better treatment community, because I think people are confused and confusion leads to anger. So and yes, that is probably us. SBSD Owl Camera: But I'm just saying that's some of the evidence I see, and I could. We could do better. That's SBSD Owl

158Camera: no. SBSD Owl Camera: I feel like that. You bring up. You all know that, you know SBSD Owl Camera: I did a lot of advocacy, and in partnership and work with the city to get 4 school zones, which was a huge, heavy community list, and I'm grateful for that. And the SBSD Owl Camera: the city. Did you know a lot of traffic studies to get that speed limit? SBSD Owl Camera: Still 35 by the high school. It's 25 with the lights. So are you saying that, like it's hoped it as 35 miles an hour I drive down that street. So yeah, you're absolutely right. It is going up. So during the city. SBSD Owl Camera: Any. No, you're you're right. It is 35 and so the city did reach out to us in this

159process, and they said, Hey, what are the school? Start and stop times? And then they expanded on those. It's 25 and flashing. I agree there could certainly be. Oh, you've got a 35 mile an hour, sign SBSD Owl Camera: that's what you're looking at. So I I don't. I. 100% disagree with the city on this. I'm I'm I teach in Essex. It's 25 miles an hour SBSD Owl Camera: every single school, and to have this as just to remove. Sorry SBSD Owl Camera: I just don't. I don't get it, but I just especially call out because there's new drivers who are pulling out the new students. I mean, I have a hard time pulling out of. There are high school kids who, by the high school kid, like one year behind the wheel. It's hard

160to get out of it. SBSD Owl Camera: But even from a public safety perspective, like, I don't know, like the crosswalk that's there. Does it have the light up features on it, does it? But I do want to be careful about not straying too far from our agenda topic. SBSD Owl Camera: jamus so again, what we're doing here is determining whether SBSD Owl Camera: there has been a reasonable interpretation of our policy, which is very short, and whether there's evidence for that SBSD Owl Camera: for that compliance. SBSD Owl Camera: And so I think what I'm hung up on is owners and appropriate input SBSD Owl Camera: and so like one another question. SBSD Owl Camera: and this goes back to the chilling effect concept is. SBSD Owl Camera: if we have communicated to the

161community SBSD Owl Camera: what we mean when we say, like, for example, that the SBSD Owl Camera: School Board doesn't have input on curriculum or the School board. Doesn't, or or the SBSD Owl Camera: a community forum like the one on honors. American would not have SBSD Owl Camera: like. How? Where have we shown the community? How they can tell us, or tell the school, the high school, what SBSD Owl Camera: curriculum changes they they want like. SBSD Owl Camera: So I think the important difference here is. SBSD Owl Camera: does the community have the opportunity to provide feedback versus who makes the decision? SBSD Owl Camera: Input it's appropriate input. So what is appropriate? Well, I I think that the question is whether there's a reasonable interpretation. But I don't see where we have

162said what is SBSD Owl Camera: what? Well, that's the question. Superintendent, I think, is, how do you define reasonable? Or I'm sorry, appropriate input and significant decisions. And how have you communicated what is appropriate input to the community? Yeah, great questions. SBSD Owl Camera: Really, we have SBSD Owl Camera: 6 campuses and 700 employees and 2,600 parents and guardians and 5,700 other guardians who I communicate with right via my newsletter, the SBSD Owl Camera: There's district communication, and then there's school communication. We you know, have made a lot of efforts in launching a new website getting on social media from a district lens trying to develop. We've developed a communication plan really trying to get input. We've brought first, st ever panorama surveys of parents and guardians. Those pieces implemented and SBSD Owl Camera: last

1632 years have been into the goal of increasing feedback and getting feedback. That is actionable. The. SBSD Owl Camera: I think the SBSD Owl Camera: the communication that I think folks love the most isn't kind of that like operational communication on like, what are you know? What are we doing? That's systematic or technical. I you know what I hear from parents, community members and staff is like, they love the pictures of their children in their own principals, Newsletter, or you know, those like they want to know about, like the Pringles taste testing SBSD Owl Camera: competition. And march madness at Chamberlain, you know, like those are the things the stories that I think, are really impactful. SBSD Owl Camera: I think that our schools in particular are really charged with that engagement. So whether it

164is this unique culture. So whether it's like the South Point graduation ceremony is like a really special time there, or the orchard school play. Right? We can all point to events and activities that each school culture is really known for orchard fun run. There's another that comes to mind right? I mean, we could go on. SBSD Owl Camera: I think those engagement opportunities are are really powerful. SBSD Owl Camera: you know if you're looking at the technical pieces by the books and all of our school handbooks, you can see how you know our our guidelines for volunteering, or you know how parents can be involved and guardians can be involved. We've tried to again last 2 years like we didn't have surveys, social media donuts and discussion like those were things that we felt were

165really important to SBSD Owl Camera: add to the conversation and provide forums. SBSD Owl Camera: It's you know, it is schools where hard conversations with conversations, all kinds of topics need to happen. Some board members will recall. We had parents come a few years ago about safety concerns. So we said great. Each school will facilitate a conversation because safety is different in all of their buildings, so I think our principals are facilitating conversations and engagement at different levels all the time. SBSD Owl Camera: You know, I I share from, you know I got feedback from the high School admin team. And from high school staff that was like. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, this is not an issue that we typically engage folks in right and and so I think the the idea, I think,

166as we shift as a culture, there are different expectations. So you know, at 1 point in time it was the director of school counseling, and the principal who said, Here's our courses for next year. That was it. You know, and it isn't typical to have community members weighing in. SBSD Owl Camera: I think it's a good thing to have community members weighing in. When the math changes at the High school were made, there was a math, consultant, hired, did 2 audits, and hosted a number of community conversations and brought in professional development to work with the staff. Right? So it looks different, I think, depending on what it is. SBSD Owl Camera: But I do think I I think in the schools is where there is the most effective engagement with parents and Pto, something

167like, you know, just really good conversations are happening, and I think that our principals do a nice job of facilitating, meaningful engagement opportunities for parents and guardians. SBSD Owl Camera: it looks like everything from, you know, conversations that are hard to celebratory ones. SBSD Owl Camera: I think I loved reading all of those opportunities and it is definitely proud to be in South Burlington and have done many of those opportunities. I do know the difference between post covid, pre-covid and post covid. If I had children in elementary school pre-covid. And now post Covid, and it is very different. The access to the building that that SBSD Owl Camera: comes to mind is one of the main reasons. And you mentioned a lot of ways that we've improved, which is great with the social media and

168the donuts SBSD Owl Camera: and discussion, and I I just to speak to shame. And what shame is saying. I think obviously there's also room for opportunity to improve like we heard tonight. And I don't know how to do. I don't have the answer how to do that. But you know, if the Forum changed platforms because they realized a lot more people were coming than they expected, and they wouldn't be able to get everyone's questions. And this was the change to get those questions SBSD Owl Camera: that maybe could have been communicated. I don't know if that's what happened, but I'm saying, you know, just trying to. And and even though you can yell at the rooftops, and some people aren't going to hear it, because we're all busy, and we don't know how to

169access it sometimes, but I would just say we are doing a beautiful job, especially for the kids and but I don't want to forget that we have opportunities for improvement that we're hearing SBSD Owl Camera: the commitment to us. SBSD Owl Camera: Not that. SBSD Owl Camera: Jump off and show in a second. SBSD Owl Camera: You know the woman who spoke 1st tonight about SBSD Owl Camera: curriculum. You can have people complain about the honors. Course. I just SBSD Owl Camera: think that parents feel they aren't being priority. When with the report, there's a lot of things like Communications coordinator with the website, your bi-weekly newsletters the other paper all that just gets information out. But this is supposed to be dealing with, as Seamus pointed out, is appropriate participation. SBSD Owl Camera: appropriate

170input in significant decisions. And I don't think SBSD Owl Camera: many parents feel that they call the Dean. For the other thing SBSD Owl Camera: is. There are a lot of things in here about student organizations. SBSD Owl Camera: Now, while that's great in school, those really should be in report on students. SBSD Owl Camera: I'm not trying to say that students aren't members of the community. But I just think that would be more appropriate. Students SBSD Owl Camera: report value and communicating. SBSD Owl Camera: Let's pretty Chinese commissions for the parents, because SBSD Owl Camera: it's clear, you know, in short time I've been here. They feel they're not being listened to. SBSD Owl Camera: I feel like I could have articulated that better. We included these in this one because of their engagement

171with the community and their work in the, in the broader community outside of our schools. Which is pretty, you know. Unique. SBSD Owl Camera: Dan. I just wanted to to. To your point. I think that we hear from families, but and I may have misunderstood you, but I think your comment was that many or most families don't feel like they're heard, and I'm not sure that's accurate. I think we're hearing from folks who who don't feel like they're being heard for sure. And and to to your point. SBSD Owl Camera: there's room for improvement. And I'm not sure it's most families. So I just. SBSD Owl Camera: I just wanted to. I guess I just want to challenge you a little bit that I could say that. Yeah. And I'm not SBSD Owl Camera: pretty

172much guarantee that for every one person who comes up here and actually speaks, there's a group that SBSD Owl Camera: either doesn't have the time or doesn't like to speak publicly, or they're just frustrated beyond belief. Yeah, I also think that when things are good, people don't always come up and say that things are going really, really well. And every once in a while we hear a lot of really good things of like SBSD Owl Camera: things are going so well, we're really glad to hear. I wish I had said it, you know, like I I think about that a lot of times when I'm someplace, and I think I should have called, I should have said, Hey, that was really great. You did a nice job. So again I I'm I'm not trying to

173be confrontational. I'm just trying to to say that I I do think SBSD Owl Camera: that right now in regards to maybe some specific SBSD Owl Camera: concerns. But I think overall when we think about appropriate you know, interactions and and ability to connect with schools. I think that that we're doing a a good job in regards to that and I feel like we do have some pretty concrete information to show that. So I just felt like I needed to say that SBSD Owl Camera: change this? SBSD Owl Camera: So again, I appreciate that what we're trying to do here from a policy governance standpoint is to say, is the evidence shown demonstrating a reasonable interpretation of the words that we have in our policy. Right? And I just, you know, in my private life,

174in my job, I have to implement auditing controls. SBSD Owl Camera: and one of the things that they would require from me in the circumstance like this is a definition of what appropriate and significant is not an internal definition, but, like. SBSD Owl Camera: how does the community know? To what extent can it push back on 5th grade, on Ckla, on honors, American on on all these things. And so I'm I think it might be that there it is. SBSD Owl Camera: is currently impossible for a community to have appropriate input because they don't know what appropriate input is. And then you bring in the the thing that we talked about quite often the school board meetings. SBSD Owl Camera: which is that there's a separation between policy and operations. SBSD Owl Camera: and I

175think that the public SBSD Owl Camera: is kind of the 3rd wheel there, where it's like, well, if the School board can't say anything about curriculum. Where's my voice? And so I think that, like defining SBSD Owl Camera: what the line is, and then like, if it's defined, and then it's not SBSD Owl Camera: acceptable to the board the way that it's been operationally defined, and we have to change something in our policies so that you can change your your policy, but it just it doesn't seem like there's any. And and so I guess that's what I'm looking for. Is there a statement on the website SBSD Owl Camera: or anywhere in public that says, this is what appropriate input. Is and this is what inappropriate input is this is what a significant decision is.

176This is what an insignificant SBSD Owl Camera: yeah, no. And I think you're gonna get really different values on that right? So some folks, understanding of what is appropriate might look really different. You know, one piece that you you haven't touched on here is SBSD Owl Camera: like feedback can be heard, but it's not actionable, right? So like we have to follow. We have SBSD Owl Camera: agency of education expectations on curriculum, right? Like we've heard from a lot of folks who want to SBSD Owl Camera: ban certain curriculum or burn books right? And and you know, those are, you know, also decisions we've made. I think that SBSD Owl Camera: when we look at best practices in communicating in school districts. This report shows that we've made strides to implement changes that are known

177to be best practice in communicating with families. SBSD Owl Camera: I think there's always room for improved SBSD Owl Camera: communication and engagement. And we're certainly, I'm open to, you know, hearing any suggestions on what that looks like. And you know. As we've said, this is certainly by no means an exhaustive list. SBSD Owl Camera: but I do think the schools are really the heartbeat of those engagement opportunities. And I I think that you know the day to day feedback that parents are feeling in schools is not represented at like the district level of like, you know, the school board meetings where folks come to share concerns. SBSD Owl Camera: Well, I mean, since we are limited, what the board and what we're supposed to SBSD Owl Camera: like most of this stuff, should be,

178in my opinion, pushed to the schools to try and SBSD Owl Camera: increase engagement with the parents, and SBSD Owl Camera: get information out and receive information from SBSD Owl Camera: yeah. And that's kind of a point I would bring up is one of the comments here for items is adequate data, and it's yes or no, so my question would be, I mean, are there? How do you quantify that like? What is the data? I see that there's opportunities where there's feedback, but parents can can provide feedback, you know, to get a the climate of the school, etc, which is great. SBSD Owl Camera: I guess my question would be. What insight does the Board have to that feedback that's coming from the community? Do we have the insight? Do we have the opportunity to

179review some of that feedback that's coming from the community. Because I think that would help. SBSD Owl Camera: Whether there's, you know, specific kpis and key performance indicators to indicate like, Hey, this is what success looks like. These are the feedback that we're seeing. Like how many people are responding and kind of on a scale of one to 10. SBSD Owl Camera: It's terrible. That's great. Where? Where are we fitting in there? SBSD Owl Camera: Do we have any insights to that specific like? Is the School Board asking those questions. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, and then does the or is the district asking those questions? And does the Board have the insight to the responses? SBSD Owl Camera: So I think part of that which is a broader question about monitoring policy, which is

180that the community has SBSD Owl Camera: elected us to make that decision on their behalf. We're not an Athenian democracy. We're a representative democracy. And so, whether or not it's adequate data is up to each individual board member. And if the community is dissatisfied with how the each board member is investigating. If we have adequate data, if this is a reasonable interpretation, it's up to the community to elect someone SBSD Owl Camera: want to sit in this seat to make that choice. And so we as a board, do not have a we don't have a responsibility to go poll the entire community on whether or not they think this is adequate down. And I don't think that's what you're asking SBSD Owl Camera: But when we ask, like, what is adequate data, that is what

181our community has elected us as individuals to decide as a team. SBSD Owl Camera: And I think it certainly would help us to make our decision if we had some. Here's here's the gold standard on how you're performing. And here's our data about how we measure our helpful to that end. So Julia Mcguire is our communication coordinator. She's on the call, and she meets with a group of communication coordinator colleagues. SBSD Owl Camera: and they talk about best practices and communications. Julia, can you share some of that conversation on best practices and communication, and our work SBSD Owl Camera: with regard to those practices Julia Maguire: Sure, sure you do. Are you speaking to to some communication practice in particular, or just in general? SBSD Owl Camera: It's been post by the board. About. You

182know what? What are considered best practices. And where do we fall in implementing those. You know we don't have a but the board members are not necessarily experts in communications. And so I was saying that you, as a member of your communication. Professional organization SBSD Owl Camera: are discussing best practices in district school district communications. And so I'm wondering if you could share with the board what those are, and how we measure up to those standards as a way of providing data and understanding for the board to evaluate Julia Maguire: I'm sure. Yeah. Yeah. In meeting with this Vsborough group, the Vermont School professional school. Julia Maguire: I forgot what the what it stands for. But it's communication professionals. The. This is the Vermont organization. So it's people from most of the districts in the

183State. Julia Maguire: We don't have any kind of formalized best practices, and we get together quarterly during the year to kind of Julia Maguire: use each other to bounce ideas off of who's doing? What? How did you handle XY, or z thing. So at our last meeting a lot, it was after the recent budget vote. So most of us talked about how and what worked well through the budget process, and what Julia Maguire: what maybe people thought wasn't as effective. So it's really just a way to kind of crowdsource and figure out what things can be pulled in. Because obviously, this is with school districts, supervisory unions. There's a big difference in rural and more urban populations. So there's some things that just wouldn't work across the board, so we don't have any kind of

184formalized communication plans. But Julia Maguire: I would say that with respect to the Chittenden County districts, which is usually Julia Maguire: what I am looking at most closely when I'm looking at other communications, I would say we're pretty much on par with Julia Maguire: how other schools are using their website using their social media. And we are really the only district that even among that whole group that that the superintendent puts out a pretty regular scheduled newsletter with expectation. A lot of the other districts don't have as regular of a schedule, or it's much more month. It's more monthly, or at the start of the school year. Julia Maguire: That's something that is Julia Maguire: not as regular regular in other districts versus violence newsletter that goes out every other week Julia Maguire: with the

185exception of vacations and and things like that. So that that's Julia Maguire: I think, our our like, she said, the thing that reaches the most families, and where I think we do have the largest reach. Julia Maguire: And that that would say where I would say we're a little bit above that in terms of other districts, but they have Julia Maguire: other means. Julia Maguire: I know that at Cvu in particular, their school board took a lot of the lead, and then Essex as as well. They took a much bigger lead in like Julia Maguire: drafting a lot of the budget communications, and the Essex in particular. Their School board drafted the Julia Maguire: the survey that went out to families, and they and the board in particular, drove Julia Maguire: that cause. I had

186reached out to their communications person, after seeing that to see how he was Julia Maguire: creating that, and he said it was pretty much all driven by the board. So that's Julia Maguire: just a difference of like where the board takes the lead on some things versus where the district takes the leads on can vary district to district. And now, with this new board makeup. Julia Maguire: we can see where where those things could work Julia Maguire: for you or as well, I mean, obviously, I'm happy to keep managing those communications, especially with regard to the budget, but those those are kind of like the biggest Julia Maguire: communication points SBSD Owl Camera: So just to sum up, the biggest communications are newsletters which I perform with greater SBSD Owl Camera: regularity websites and social

187media. And you would say that we are. SBSD Owl Camera: There's sufficient evidence to show that we are implementing those in alignment with our neighbors. Julia Maguire: I would think so. Yeah, I think that. Julia Maguire: that that seems pretty on par with Julia Maguire: with our with in particular, with our Chittenden County neighbors. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you very much, Julie. I just I I just had to go back to that adequate data question, because it seems like from there that there's a good SBSD Owl Camera: kind of push of information going out. But it's the pull. And it's that information that's coming back from the community of stakeholders who are the owners of this business right like, what is the pull back into? And I don't know if that's something that maybe previous

188boards have looked at in order to evaluate that data. But I do think that that would be an important thing for us to be to be considering like what that data is that we have the community feedback. SBSD Owl Camera: As to our scorecard, how are we doing? According to software? I you know, I I just want to kind of caution us. You know we are. As I look at this. SBSD Owl Camera: 1st of all, you know, we need to evaluate whether there's a reasonable interpretation of our policy right and just read this, you know. The question is, is the paragraph here? Reason right? Not that we agree with it, or that we think it's an excellent interpretation. But is it reasonable? SBSD Owl Camera: I also want to suggest that we we differentiate

189between what tend to be hot issue topics and honors is a hot issue topic. And people feel like they're not getting heard. Or I, we need to distinguish between, are they having opportunity for? Input and do they agree with the outcome. Right? That's a that's a big difference. And and so I I SBSD Owl Camera: I hear. But I think there are going to be a lot of issues that come up, that the community is really going to want to voice. As you. As you see, they have opportunity to come here. SBSD Owl Camera: speak to us. But whether or not the outcome is what they desire, that's a whole different matter. And that's that is something completely different. So I I just want to. SBSD Owl Camera: We've kind of strayed into this area

190of honors, English honors, English honors, English. And I. I think that overlooks a lot of what we've seen in this report. And I understand the the request about Kpis and such. But I also think that this report isn't this. This SBSD Owl Camera: this report isn't saying, show us the evidence of what people feel right. SBSD Owl Camera: That's where I'm kind of struggling here to see where you know where we might be falling short in this report. But I I just kind of want to SBSD Owl Camera: off of that with the like. The representative democracy is the way that people tell us how they feel about the monitoring of this policy is in our elections of the School Board. So if the community truly feels that the School Board is not SBSD Owl

191Camera: holding our district and our superintendent accountable to our policy compliance. They demonstrate that through budget votes and through SBSD Owl Camera: board member votes. And I want to be careful to caution like. SBSD Owl Camera: we're not talking about the budget. But I'm just saying those are the 2 places where the community gets to give us the scorecard. They get to say, we're dissatisfied with the performance of this board member. So we've we've found someone to contest that seat, and I'm bringing this up right now with this new board, because I think that is a major piece of our community's expectations of performance that maybe is not clear and needs to be more clear, like SBSD Owl Camera: the the governance of the board is a 5, 1020 year visioning. And when the board

192gets really caught up in these like current issues, we're not thinking about how our actions are going to impact our district. 20 years from now, when perhaps none of us are sitting here, and someone else will be sitting here wondering how we got into this position that we're in. It's choices and actions that Board members made 1015, 20 years ago. And I'm not trying to like SBSD Owl Camera: blame. Anyone in like, specifically, I'm just trying to point out that, like our job as board members is a governance and a and a long term visioning on behalf of our community. And if we feel that this is not being SBSD Owl Camera: our policies are not being adequately complied with, and that's what our community thinks they have to select representatives to come here and

193make that change. That's if that helps that. I think that is the major way that the community offers how they feel about the performance of the district. SBSD Owl Camera: So Jennifer said. You know the the things that were mentioned. That's everything going out. We need to look at better ways to get into the phone. SBSD Owl Camera: The community. SBSD Owl Camera: One of the things that was mentioned was a survey that was done. Panorama. But where's the data for that? SBSD Owl Camera: I mean, that's something that we could SBSD Owl Camera: use in order to make our decision. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, to say that we sent a survey out. SBSD Owl Camera: But there's no data. It's kind of pointless. SBSD Owl Camera: The other thing. You know, when we're

194looking at words. And SBSD Owl Camera: I know this is what the report says now, but reasonable and adequate. SBSD Owl Camera: It's kind of a low ball. SBSD Owl Camera: I'm heads really low, Bar, but we're just in. Oh, it's adequate. You know, we should be looking at what's relevant. SBSD Owl Camera: And I mean, you're talking about. Yeah, we're looking at stuff, you know. Now, well, that's what we're looking at. I know these things can affect something 5, 1015 years from now. But the data that we're looking at is here and now. So that's what we need. We need the input from the community. And if there's surveys, let's have the data. SBSD Owl Camera: You might want to consider changing some of the stuff like in compliance, I mean. SBSD Owl Camera:

195And all this stuff is really low bar stuff, and this SBSD Owl Camera: district sets sets itself up to be, you know, like one of the best in the State. SBSD Owl Camera: we should be doing better than what's in the park. SBSD Owl Camera: So I think that's an excellent point. And where would that fit into our policy, monitoring of like, how would we change the way that we monitor our policy? Because I think that's what you're talking about. We want to change the standard by which the policy is monitored. SBSD Owl Camera: and get the relevant information so that we can make an informed decision. SBSD Owl Camera: Do you understand that? Like, that's a different conversation. SBSD Owl Camera: You're you're basically saying you're not satisfied with the way that we monitor

196policy, which is SBSD Owl Camera: but all policies, because we monitor all of them this way adequate data. We're here talking about one policy. SBSD Owl Camera: If we want to call up all the other policies and start looking at the words. And if they're all the same. Then, yeah, we need to do a better job. And so what I'm saying is, that is a 5, 1015 year vision. Because what you're saying is that we've been monitoring this policy this way, for however long and reasonable and adequate, are not satisfactory. But that's not right. But tonight we're not taking action in discussing how we monitor this policy, we are monitoring the policy. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay? Well, then, we're sending out a lot of information. We're not taking a lot of information in. SBSD Owl

197Camera: If we are getting information from surveys. SBSD Owl Camera: where's the information so that we can look at that information? I'm happy. I'm happy to share information. SBSD Owl Camera: I did share the full results of our budget survey. And you know you're welcome to come to donuts and discussion, too. That's been a really great SBSD Owl Camera: no, because we don't pay for them if you do, someone. Tim bought the last one. But yeah, I think those are really great opportunities, and I invite board members to come and check those out and see those firsthand, and then any other engagement. Opportunities in schools like come to unified, you know, come to the you know, the conversations that we're having come to sporting events come to the plays, I think again. I I want

198to bring it back to the, to the heart of SBSD Owl Camera: the the joyful it it's not just the data, I mean. I don't think you could quantify like the joy in the room at the Orchard School play right? So, though I want to just make sure that it's looked at holistically here, and that, you know, even the hosting of school plays, or the principal school newsletters are ways that we're engaging with folks. SBSD Owl Camera: And I mean, I like I look at Tim here, and I know his wife volunteered for the High school play, and that was a way that you know she was a big part of the school community. So those are ways that they were really, effectively engaging parents beyond, like. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, of course, there's

199survey results. But that's not, you know the love and work with our students? SBSD Owl Camera: Just yeah. My last comment, I just want to follow up on something Dan said about seeing the data. And I absolutely agree with you, Dan. You know, it's important to see the data. I think that's out of scope for this here, because what I think we're seeing here is that data has been collected. There is input, where will we see that data? I think that will come up in different compliance reports when we hear about curriculum and some other, and and then that kind of stuff. That's where a lot of that data starts to come back. SBSD Owl Camera: So just mute, just, mute, interpreted via those reports. But does any of you might not know this? Or

200SBSD Owl Camera: is any of that data, or any of the questions in the survey SBSD Owl Camera: relevant to this, how the community feels they are being treated. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, I think so. It helps us improve communication. So in response to our panorama surveys, we? So it directs a lot of our like grant investments. So we applied for and received guides, multilingual guides. So that was in response to, you know, needing better communication in those areas and also liaison. So those are 2 huge areas of communication that we've made big gains. SBSD Owl Camera: We've increased translation and interpretation services. Right? So those are areas where we've got specific feedback that we need improvements in those areas. When we do our professional development planning. And we look at SBSD Owl Camera: You

201know our continuous improvement plans which Jodi will be bringing. I think the 1st week of May. You'll see a lot of those pieces in the continuous improvement plans which are developed at the school levels. And they integrate student, teacher and community feedback, and those are our master plans for you know what we're doing each year, and what our goals are. SBSD Owl Camera: So those goals are are pretty clearly connected to the feedback. We've heard from those 3 major stakeholder groups SBSD Owl Camera: would like to call 3 years of the day because we're already at 9 o'clock, 9 o'clock. SBSD Owl Camera: Don't know if it's SBSD Owl Camera: I don't know. I'm not sure everybody has an understanding, so I don't know if it's appropriate to post on this or not. I just

202this is our 1st monitoring report of a policy as this board, so I expected some some learning. SBSD Owl Camera: I'm wondering if we're reaching the end of our discussion and gonna be ready to take action. SBSD Owl Camera: I think it was as Newbies SBSD Owl Camera: we're feeling is. I would agree that this SBSD Owl Camera: sign off on this and say you showed us what we need to see, based on what this report is asking for, what this monitor is asking for. But we also have a desire to? SBSD Owl Camera: How do we? How do we as a board? When do we decide? When do we say, can we have a focus on this for next year. We want to see some focus on this or just striving for something. Yeah,

203I'm happy to take that feedback at this time. That's what I think. Maybe SBSD Owl Camera: you were wondering if this is appropriate to do. I'm speaking directly. This is just myself, but I'm taking. I've been taking notes as we've gone along, and I'm happy to hear any feedback that you all have again. I think there's always growth in these areas, and I've been taking down the notes so far, and anything else. Glad to hear it. SBSD Owl Camera: things that we're all learning so. And I I just want to make the articulation. So I don't write this 2.3 3. The treatment of community that's something that SBSD Owl Camera: boards long ago developed. And this is the standing way that we monitor. So I just want to draw your attention. You're not SBSD Owl

204Camera: looking at modifying that language, because for this report it's SBSD Owl Camera: that has. That was the criteria that the board handed me to provide so totally heard your feedback, if you all want to change it. That's your prerogative. That's certainly within your scope. My scope is to you've said this is what we expect, and I've said. SBSD Owl Camera: here is here is this information. This report. Has been in compliance last 2 years, as you have heard Tim say, there's a lot of consistent pieces, I'd say the main improvements where we've made major strides is we went from no surveys to surveys. I host lots of discussion. We've made significant improvements in multilingual communications, not to mention our our apps and our websites, website, which is new. So SBSD Owl Camera: I I

205you know. And then it. I think you heard, Julie. Our Communications coordinator, provide the evidence that Chittenden county is more perhaps robustly has the ability to engage with community than some of our rural counterparts, but that we are very much in alignment with the other districts in our area. So I think those are the. I think I will sum it up there. From my perspective on having SBSD Owl Camera: perform this report for the 3rd time now on what has been considered and I'm happy to hear any additional feedback or suggestions at any time SBSD Owl Camera: I'm thinking about. We're going to be monitoring more policies in the future. And so also thinking about preparing your questions ahead of time. And I'm also seeking to try to encourage the community to submit their questions

206ahead of time, and the more time we can give our administration with the questions the better and more robust and research. The answers will be so. SBSD Owl Camera: Jane, miss. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, I I mean, I don't want to catch us out on technicality. It's like, you know, the Supreme Court when they deal with something. What they're always trying to do is minimize the size of their decision. Or at least, you know, like they're trying to say like, well, what is the narrowest basis SBSD Owl Camera: on which we can decide? Something right? And you know, has the CEO, SBSD Owl Camera: you know the board must fairly but rigorously decide whether SBSD Owl Camera: the CEO has made a reasonable interpretation? SBSD Owl Camera: And does the demo data demonstrate accomplishment of

207the interpretation? And I think SBSD Owl Camera: the technicality that I'm hung up on is appropriate input and significant decisions. And I don't see how, if there's no stated SBSD Owl Camera: policy, or is it not? Po, you know, but there's no stated language that the public can see SBSD Owl Camera: that the community can see that says this SBSD Owl Camera: is this is appropriate, and this is inappropriate. Here's why you can tell me about curriculum. Here's why you can't tell me about curriculum. Here's why you can tell me about Pre. K. Here's why you can't tell me about pre-k! I don't see how it's possible to be in compliance with that. If the rule like it's like in my audits that I go through. If I don't have evidence of something, it didn't

208happen. And so I don't see evidence that there is. SBSD Owl Camera: I don't see evidence that there is community understanding of what is appropriate. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, and so, therefore they can't provide effective or and and also they're going to be frustrated like the people that we hear from. And so I think that's when I talk. When I think about SBSD Owl Camera: the reasonable interpretation. That's what I'm coming up on, and I'm not sure that SBSD Owl Camera: you know, I I just don't know where the community would know. SBSD Owl Camera: I mean, you know, like, is there something on the website that says how to provide feedback to our curriculum. SBSD Owl Camera: maybe, and if there is, that's great like, because that tells the community. Here's how you.

209Here's where you know I can't. I'm a superintendent. I can't decide for this SBSD Owl Camera: high school what to do. I can't decide for the 5th grades what to do, because it's in their Ckla that's mandated by the State, or whatever it's just, it's I'm stuck on that technicality, and if you could resolve that for me, then I could get through it because she is a teacher in schools in a different district, and I think she could speak to what this looks like effectively in schools. And it is what we're doing and the the technicality. SBSD Owl Camera: Laura, I don't think if you would be so kind as to talk about what is considered effective communication from a school. Perspective. SBSD Owl Camera: Well, yeah, clear and effective communication. That's 1 of the

210for our students. So clear and effective communication to the community. Is that what you mean, I just as far as this topic goes, like, what is the district doing to adequately engage the community? So Essex is very similar to here. It is parent newsletter letters. It is teacher newsletters. They they do have. SBSD Owl Camera: They have the. SBSD Owl Camera: It's it's it's basically the the same thing. SBSD Owl Camera: I I'm not saying it's perfect. I'm saying this is how schools operate. So you have, which is evidence, and that that's the evidence that you're looking for. We may not be satisfied with that, however, so Essex does operate on that. So I want to say we have. We have our like, our equivalent of Julian Mcguire. We have lots of newsletters. SBSD Owl

211Camera: I will say that one thing I think Essex does do slightly better SBSD Owl Camera: is their board does a lot. Now I don't know. I don't think they are fully fully policy governance. We get a lot of communication from the board chair SBSD Owl Camera: so as teachers and we are. And so there are a lot of listening sessions that are offered, and a lot of community feedback is even as teachers get those. So I don't know if that's what's happening here. But for the most part SBSD Owl Camera: the same mechanisms are in place. SBSD Owl Camera: and and the only thing I would say is different is that I do think that SBSD Owl Camera: as teachers we we hear from, we hear from the the Board SBSD Owl Camera: that

212that to me is the biggest difference didn't want to touch upon. SBSD Owl Camera: adequate, that is, education. Speak, that is used all you know, adequate yearly progress. I don't like the word, either. That is the word that's been in use for education for decades, because if we were to say SBSD Owl Camera: highly proficient progress, your school would make it SBSD Owl Camera: so. You need adequate yearly progress. I'm not saying I like it. But this is how education functions in this country, because we have to educate SBSD Owl Camera: everybody. This isn't talking about adequate progress or getting information out. This is talking about adequate data. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. So adequate debt. So like adequate. Oh, okay. So the point I was making for adequate data is that this is another gold

213standard district, and she's sharing the communication that other districts are we the top ways that school districts are engaging numbers. And so that is a piece of data that is benchmarking, I mean, and we want something different. SBSD Owl Camera: Then we can talk about that. But I see no difference between this district, sometimes not getting the information out. But this is about SBSD Owl Camera: appropriate participation, appropriate input from the community. And we're not getting the information out receiving the information from the community, right? And I'm saying the same tools are used in these districts, and that is SBSD Owl Camera: what is considered the most effective ways to. Yes, but also that's that's the decision. I'm just wondering if, maybe, since since we are confused. SBSD Owl Camera: that means being the public,

214not all of us. But some of us are maybe that's where we make some improvement. SBSD Owl Camera: right? Because if you're if you're not clear, Dan, that means sometimes I'm not clear. It's just when I'm looking at this. This is looking at SBSD Owl Camera: getting information from the public. I think we probably do a great job getting information out. It's getting information back from them and inputting it into SBSD Owl Camera: improving SBSD Owl Camera: disagree with that interpretation because it says are afforded appropriate participation and appropriate. Input and we are not monitoring how well the community answered, or how well the community participated. We're monitoring if they were afforded appropriate opportunity. And so and and you're saying we need to know if they did. SBSD Owl Camera: I would like to know

215if they did. I'd like to know how their feedback was incorporated, but we are asking, was our community afforded the appropriate participation and appropriate input. SBSD Owl Camera: We're not asking what it was, how much it was and how it was interpreted by the superintendent. We're saying, did you give the opportunity to the owners of the district to have appropriate input and participation, and all of these mechanisms for not just pushing information out, but opportunities for our community to participate with. SBSD Owl Camera: And that's what I'm looking at. What was provided. Most of it is information going out. SBSD Owl Camera: What I would like to see is, you know, what were the only thing there's SBSD Owl Camera: when you look at it you have all right. The the survey which we don't

216have the data from SBSD Owl Camera: donuts and discussion and suggestion boxes. SBSD Owl Camera: Everything else is really information going out. I I disagree. I think you have Ptos and you have the board you, have you? You saw that with the honors issue where that was set up by the principal that was may not have liked how it went, but that was adequate opportunity for input I think it's all over the place here that there is opportunity for input and you know, I I understand where you're heading, Dan. I just think that they have to agree with Chelsea that SBSD Owl Camera: you know the question here is there reasonable opportunity for input and and not what happened with the input right? And do the parents? Or did the community agree with what was

217happening with the input? But that's not what we're interpreting here. So SBSD Owl Camera: I I just I just, I understand where you're heading. It's SBSD Owl Camera: but again, it's not a like, oh, it was a 75% accurate here. There's there's this is not what we're trying to do here. We're looking at what was provided in the report to say, do we think there was a reasonable opportunity for input. And you know, as as owners of the of the of the district for the community. And then that's where I just SBSD Owl Camera: think there were definitely there. There was definite, adequate opportunity for input. SBSD Owl Camera: Sorry. Yes, I'm finished. Thank you. SBSD Owl Camera: So SBSD Owl Camera: we operate under strict policy governance. I think that is a difference from

218Essex and one of the impacts of that is SBSD Owl Camera: a chilling effect on questions about curriculum staffing operational things. Now, that chilling effect is is SBSD Owl Camera: not avoidable. If that's just gonna happen. It's like, you know, if that's part of policy governance, you know, you might argue. So that's the con of policy governance. That's only, in fact. SBSD Owl Camera: with that showing effective place with the evidence that we just got from a community member. I admit it's ad hoc last minute, you know. It's saying, you know. Somebody stood up and said, this is not a school Board meeting. SBSD Owl Camera: you know, and that we're not taking public comment. And so I think that that kind of points to like. SBSD Owl Camera: if we're going to operate SBSD

219Owl Camera: under policy governance, it is even more important that the district which benefits from policy governance, and that we don't interfere in operations has to have a clear definition of SBSD Owl Camera: the ways in which it takes feedback about curriculum, because if what you can do is you can say, well, at a school board meeting we can't talk about it because it's operational. But at a high school meeting it's not a school board meeting. Well, then, where are they supposed to go? You know. SBSD Owl Camera: I'm just gonna say I mean. SBSD Owl Camera: I I guess I'm struggling a little bit here because SBSD Owl Camera: you may disagree with what the this the 2.3 says right now, but that's we're not here to change right? And and I think we're

220heading down that rabbit hole. And and you know, we are looking at the statement as it is right now, and we have to ask ourselves if the superintendent provided reasonable interpretation of that of that statement. What the policy is. SBSD Owl Camera: did she in this report provide adequate evidence that she is upholding what we have for a policy. SBSD Owl Camera: Again, I I think we're trying to stray into whether or not you know. What's happening with that input right? Where is that going? What's where are we gonna see that? So SBSD Owl Camera: at at this point I'd like to call orders of the day just because I feel that we are sort of we're we're way past time. SBSD Owl Camera: I also think, is there? We may not all agree. But

221I think everyone's got an opportunity to express their opinion. Is that true? Yes. SBSD Owl Camera: So since this is our 1st monitoring report, I'm just gonna explain how we do this. SBSD Owl Camera: So I'm going to read through the global policy. And then I'm going to ask the board if we have reasonable interpretation. And I need each board member to answer yes or no. SBSD Owl Camera: and if if we're not in total agreement, I may need you to signify with your hand, because it will be a majority. SBSD Owl Camera: a majority will decide, and we will move on in past, as the chair usually the board is in total agreement, and everyone says, yes, so I'm just being clear. If you're going to say no, I need to hear you say

222no, and if there are no, I need to see SBSD Owl Camera: how we stand. I will do the same for adequate data, and then I'll do the same to whether or not we're in compliance, and then we will take action to either approve or not approve this monitoring report. Are there any questions? SBSD Owl Camera: Okay. SBSD Owl Camera: executive limitations? Monitor report. Summary 2.3 treatment of community. With respect to the treatment of the community, the superintendent shall not fail to recognize that community members are the owners of the school programs and facilities, and as such are afforded appropriate participation in school programs, appropriate input and significant decisions and use of facilities. Do we have a reasonable interpretation of this policy. SBSD Owl Camera: Yes, yeah. SBSD Owl Camera: Good. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay.

223So SBSD Owl Camera: I think there, I do, have I? SBSD Owl Camera: I would say there is a reasonable interpretation. I can't follow up with any comments. SBSD Owl Camera: Alright. SBSD Owl Camera: So I see. 4 yeses and the 2 nos. SBSD Owl Camera: Do we have adequate data? SBSD Owl Camera: Yes. SBSD Owl Camera: I'd like to see. SBSD Owl Camera: I would say no to that the to the adequate data. SBSD Owl Camera: can I say yes to that? Okay, it's not a good presentation. SBSD Owl Camera: So we have 4 Ms. And 2 apps. SBSD Owl Camera: So are we under compliance. SBSD Owl Camera: Yes, no. SBSD Owl Camera: If this the way it's written, I said, yes, it makes sense. SBSD Owl Camera: It was a lot of

224yes. SBSD Owl Camera: I would say no without some of the data. SBSD Owl Camera: So in this instance, the Board shares the and I'm going to say yes, so SBSD Owl Camera: do I have a motion to approve the monitoring report for policy 2.3. Treatment of community. SBSD Owl Camera: I believe that we approve monitoring policy. 2.3. Treatment of community for the sign. SBSD Owl Camera: Second, Laura seconds, all in favor signify by saying, Aye, aye. SBSD Owl Camera: sorry. I'm not trying to pressure the eyes. I'm trying to just make sure I'm getting clear. Signify? Yeah, if all in favor of moving to approve the monitoring report signify by saying, Aye, and raise your hand SBSD Owl Camera: bye, so that's moving to approve or approving. SBSD Owl Camera: It's approving, approving. SBSD

225Owl Camera: Sorry. I just wanted to. SBSD Owl Camera: So the motion is approved. The motion access with SBSD Owl Camera: 6, 4 numbers out of that. SBSD Owl Camera: 5, 5. SBSD Owl Camera: Okay, please. Yes, we're going to do a roll call. We're doing a roll call. Vote for the motion to approve the monitoring report of policy. 2.3. Treatment community. Tim, how do you vote? Yes. SBSD Owl Camera: Emily, how do you vote? Yes, Laura, how do you vote? Yes, Seamus, how do you vote? No SBSD Owl Camera: done? Have you both, Dan, that, you know. Yes. SBSD Owl Camera: so we have 5 yeses and 2 nos. So the motion is approved. SBSD Owl Camera: Thank you, Kristen. Thanks, and thank you also to Monica, Jodi, Julia, and Jane Murray, who also

226works to SBSD Owl Camera: alright. So up next we have agenda, item 10 agenda planning we need to set the agenda for the April 16th meeting. Has everyone had a chance to look at that draft agenda? SBSD Owl Camera: Yes, I'm prepared to take notes on what you'd like to see change. SBSD Owl Camera: I just have one potential addition, which is policy d. 9, which is hold on SBSD Owl Camera: security cameras. Electronic policy, d, 9, electronic communications between employees and students. It was read twice last year, but never approved. So I think we need to reintroduce it. SBSD Owl Camera: And do you think we're gonna have? It sounds like we're going to be monitoring on 2.4, which is our audit. So just for the Board's understanding of how much work we're doing

227on the 16, th we're going to be monitoring 2.2. Treatment of staff. Is that right? SBSD Owl Camera: Yes, and 2.4, which is our financial audit? SBSD Owl Camera: Yes, and in our discussion items. We'll be reading the policy. SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah, if if there's a i mean, we can move. I I'm I'm not against moving this to another future meeting. I just want to make sure that it's on an agenda so that we don't let it. SBSD Owl Camera: When can we expect the information? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. Which information are you looking for. Are you looking for the monitoring report SBSD Owl Camera: staff students and the budget? SBSD Owl Camera: Yep. So by statute, we have to get it out to you by 6 PM. On Monday, but we really try

228to get it out on Friday so that folks can have the weekend. So that's always our goal is a big one, and so as soon as I get that I will share. SBSD Owl Camera: because you're really going to want to dig in 2.2 is pretty similar to 2.3, and you know, do feel free to reach out. If you have any questions on that, I'm happy to answer those I'd say for the audit. I'm certainly happy to answer questions, or you can hold them for the auditor. And again, you can expect all these board packets on Fridays. SBSD Owl Camera: So we have a public comment community engagement on the 16.th Do we still need to do that? I was actually thinking we can change it to public comment advisory update. So that advisory committee

229that we form tonight, you could give us an update on your progress at that next meeting, maybe including SBSD Owl Camera: the scope of what you're hoping to accomplish. SBSD Owl Camera: And then, if you, Emily, if you're prepared to give it whenever you're prepared to give an update on like public warrants, and what other districts are doing. Just let just email me and I'll add it to an agenda. When you're prepared to report out to the board. SBSD Owl Camera: We'll change student representative recruitment process to just an update to hear how that's going. And do we still need schoolwork retreat planning on for discussion? Or are we pretty set with what we discussed today, and moving forward with that for me. SBSD Owl Camera: I would like to hear, not necessarily for this,

230but for future retreats and similar social gatherings. SBSD Owl Camera: like what the lawyer thinks about the evidence. I actually think that would be something valuable to share publicly, so we might as well keep it as a discussion topic, if not like. What I will do is I'll follow up with the lawyer. And then, standardly, I would just email the board to let you know what the lawyer said. But I think this, since this is a SBSD Owl Camera: a question of how to be transparent with our community. Hearing the legal advice publicly would be a good idea. SBSD Owl Camera: So I'll prepare to be able to speak about that on the 16.th SBSD Owl Camera: Anything else SBSD Owl Camera: that brings us to SBSD Owl Camera: the agenda. Item 11. Consent agenda.

231Are there any questions about any of the items on the consent? Agenda? SBSD Owl Camera: So was this the spreadsheet that had all of the all of the listed out like Procare therapy. SBSD Owl Camera: for example, all that stuff. SBSD Owl Camera: Are you speaking about limiting a few others? Yeah, I think I think so it was in the spreadsheet. SBSD Owl Camera: I was just wondering why procare therapy is listed like other. Yes, we're consulting for them. They're a temp agency. The district has sought to hire permanent roles, and continues to advertise for those and to meet the needs of students. In the meantime we're engaging with temporary part-time consultants through procare? SBSD Owl Camera: And is there any SBSD Owl Camera: not the right form? But is there any fair like? Is

232there any barrier to hiring them, or like, what's the problem in hiring them? SBSD Owl Camera: Yeah. So currently, right now, the teachers collective bargaining agreement specifies that we must have teachers on staff. So we're continuing in those efforts with recruiting and advertising in the meantime, we have a legal obligation to meet the needs of students and to provide a free and appropriate public education. So again, these are temporary, non permanent, supports. SBSD Owl Camera: And so and so what is the is the, the. SBSD Owl Camera: in your opinion? Is the salary too low, or are there because you're on the negotiations team, and I would encourage you not to discuss anything that might seem like. You're in negotiation. SBSD Owl Camera: That's my negotiations. SBSD Owl Camera: Any other questions about anything on

233the consent agenda. SBSD Owl Camera: I just want to note that Seamus is trying to take my place in each all right, hearing no further questions, because consent agenda items are approved which brings us to agenda. Item 12. Executive session. And please bear with me because this is a long one. So at the beginning of the meeting we added real estate and personnel matter to our executive SBSD Owl Camera: session discussion topics. It's a very long motion, so give me some grace. Do I have a motion to enter into executive session pursuant to title one Vsa. 3, 13, a. 1 a. And F. As well as 3, 13, a. 2, and 3. For the purposes of discussing considerations of employment, evaluation of the superintendent and Central Office administrators, real estate discussion, labor negotiations. SBSD Owl

234Camera: and a personnel matter, and not to do so in executive session. But with the district at a clear SBSD Owl Camera: so moving 10 min do I have a second, one second, 4 seconds, any discussion. SBSD Owl Camera: The full board with Superintendent Attorney Joe Mcneil and Attorney Joe Mcneil, will enter into executive session to discuss employment, evaluation, real estate, and personnel matter, and following that discussion. But prior to labor negotiations, Laura Williams, Emily Hoffman, and Chelsea Tillinghouse will recuse themselves from the executive session discussion with all of their parties remaining. We will not return to open session to adjourn the regular meeting. All in favor. SBSD Owl Camera: Motion passes unanimously. Thank you, but at some point