MAU Board Meeting - December 17, 2025

001call the to order the Mount Anthony Union High School District 14 Board of Directors meeting. Today is the um 17th of December. It's 5:33. Uh the first thing on the agenda is public comments. Uh we can move on to the second item which is the consent adjust agenda. We have minutes, warrants, retirements, resignations, and nominations. Can I have a motion to approve the consent agenda as uh presented? >> So move second. >> So I have a motion by Scott, second by Glenn. Um any discussions? All in favor? I >> I >> Okay. >> Um we move on to finance. Uh we have a FY27 budget review um that I believe is posted online and um Rene, do you want to walk through it? >> Um I do have hard copies. I don't know if circulated

002around um what I have or what I'm going to share up on the screen is a little bit different um than what is in that handout um that's coming around Poppy. um just trying to make things a little bit more concise and hopefully a little bit more understandable um in the format that I've got um projecting here and sharing my screen. So, uh to get started um so the budget as I have it presented here is probably what most of you are used to seeing past several years. Um, we're looking at actuals for the past three fiscal years, current budget that we're in of FY26, and then the proposed budget of FY27. Um, the second page of the packet is just kind of the the biggest uh budget driver. So, just budget highlights. Um, the

003third page is FTEES. We look at the revenue and then the final piece in your handout, it's the crazy mathematical equation of how we get from expenditure budget to projected tax rates. Um, so to just talk about some of the biggest budget drivers that you have or what is in this budget that you have before you today. So all of the current FTEES that we have are in this current budget with the addition of a 0.2 to FTE for prevention coordinator. Um this is due to some limited funding um federal well it's actually state federal funds coming through the state uh for that work and potential we have a two-year grant also supporting some of that prevention work u that is a competitive grant that I don't know if the state is going to actually

004reop and offer that again for FY27. So, we've added a 02 FTE um to maintain at least the four days um that we have with our current coordinator um in hopes that the remaining money that has been consistently supporting this work um and that position uh will continue coming from the state. Um we do have a request of a 1.0 no FTE ad for um an academic support position and this is also coming through um a request because of expiring grant funds. We have a couple of positions actually right now supported through the title one uh school improvement grant and that grant is expiring on June 30th. So that position would be at the middle school. Um, and then one other shift in FTEES, but not a budgetary impact, is transitioning a a vacant social

005studies teacher to an HH coordinator at the high school campus. So, this would be a position to mirror the one that already exists at the middle school and has been there for a couple of years. Um, and I think the hope was to actually transition that position this year um, to get somebody in that role as soon as we could. Okay, so those are the changes with the salaries and of course many of you are probably aware that our collective bargaining agreements are also um, under negotiations right now. So they do have factors built in um for potential salary adjustments uh and then the outcome of those negotiations. Uh benefits uh as is typical uh we are looking at an increase of our health insurance premiums. Thankfully this year it's the first year in the

006past several where it's only a singledigit increase in insurance premiums. Um this budget has 8% built in. Uh in a recent meeting I was in with an update from the Vermont education health initiative. Um they have presented rates to the department of federal reg department of financial regulations state level. Um they have been kind of going back and forth as they typically do. They want to make sure that they have enough money in their reserves. Um but they are feeling pretty confident that rates that they've proposed are going to be accepted. usually doesn't happen until mid January. So um hopefully we'll get a communication out from them um in the coming week saying that yeah we can go with the rates then I might be able to pull that 8% back a little bit. Um

007I think the rate that they proposed rate for the gold CDHP is 7.4% increase. So there just a little bit extra that we have in this budget here. Um the dental rates are also projected uh to go up 8% next year. Those have been flat for the past several years. Um so we do have that 8% uh factored into this draft of the budget. And another uh driver is uh the Vermont Municipal Employees Retirement System. Um the employer contribution for any of those folks that participating. So basically non-educational staff um or licensed teacher staff. If you're not in teacher retirement, you're going to be in municipal retirement. Um that contribution is going up by a quarter of a percent again as has been for the past several years. Um other uh substantial drivers are just

008things to note um on the operations line. Um driving that increase there is uh insurance premiums for our liability and property coverages. Um the lease for the bleachers uh in the gymnasium at the high school and then some minor adjustments for services such as uh rubbish removal and uh pest control. I do want to note that on line 06 tuition that that is simply placeholder right now. Um what is in that line is uh Southwest Tech tuition. Um and we do have out of district placements as but announced tuition just opened today through the agency of education. Um, so Southwest Tech will be setting their tuition rate once she shares that with me. Um, other data came in from the state on what the FTEES are for, uh, tech students. So, we'll be able to

009calculate um, what the impact is to our budget here. So again, it's just a placeholder uh with the assumption the FTEES of our students attending um Southwest Tech uh maintain the same and it was a 5% what I projected um to for that placeholder. And the other thing to note is on the assessments that budget uh and assessments were approved last night by the SVSU board. So that being said, um so the FTEES, I think that's page three of your um handout, again all of the current FTEEs that we have in today's budget are also included in the budget for next year. Um I have noted in here with blue shading uh the requested FTE increases. And then one HHB coordinator. I don't have that highlighted uh because it is not it's budget neutral. Um

010basically taking one FTE from the social studies department um and then sliding that into an admin support position. Stephanie, do you want me to hold there or just keep cruising through and then gonna get into revenue then start talking like calculation of tax rate? So, um, does anyone have any questions so far with what I know that we're going to get into even more complicated things when you talk about tax rates. Um, is there any questions for Renee at this point? I think one so what I I have a question um you know I know with act 73 uh there's going to be a focus on classroom size if if I'm correct um and I think one of the things that I would would be interesting to see is like comparing um you know I

011know we have had a declining enrollment it'd be interesting to see what our like what our FTE count was I don't know some snapshot a bit ago and you know to see like where the like whether we've um uh reduced the size of our sta like of the teach the staff as the the enrollment just over time or um if we've like level like kept it level and just yeah um I know it's not a one you know one for one but I'm just curious like what that looks like. I think Nick did I don't know if he did it for MAU. He did a kind of a comparison and it's he did it a couple of years ago so it's not up to I think he did it for this district. If not it

012was for the elementary district just a comparison of um FTEES and I I think >> over the years >> I think I mean at some point that might be interesting to just look at as we start to process what >> yeah continues what that would be. So Renee and I talked about this very briefly this afternoon. So we're kind of anticipating that this would be helpful in a couple conversations. So I think my request was to go back 15 years charted every five years current year and you have a five-year projection that's available to you with building use study that the elementary school board commissioned. And so that might be a good 20-year snapshot. and would have enrollment and FTE count over that time. Well, we won't have that tomorrow, but we can >> Oh,

013no, that's fine. >> I think it would we could use it not only in the budget conversation, but other conversations, Act 73, building use, things like that. And I think it would be helpful as we have the conversations with people who ask us you the the obvious question is state statewide as well. Enrollment continues to decline, costs keep going up. Help me understand. >> Yep. >> We can talk a little bit about that too when Renee pulls out the tax. There's a number of reasons for it, but having it having that information would help all of us. Sure. is when whoever gets to um do that look back are there positions that are like required by the state in our like in >> ed quality standards >> like I'm just I guess like because that

014would be for my my personal you know there's a I I hear the um our states talking a lot about like putting pressure on us as local school boards to reduce the cost but they In my opinion, they there's they still hold a fair amount of control on some of them like you know having like health insurance like not being like a bargaining like event that occurs at this level that it's a statewide um that's I I mean what that's probably 20% of our I mean what our benefits have to be some significant portion of our um budget but so I it'd be interesting to me to see like what things we don't have control of but are in you know are in numbers >> but they do continue to have state mandates which are

015unfunded. Yeah. So I mean that that's a challenge, right? So like whereas there we is. >> Yeah. um or or any other corrector. >> We we I had a opportunity to sit in a couple meetings with elected officials this week and we did give some pointy examples like the recent AED requirement which is a very noble goal but for the SPSU is we roughed it out at we already have machines a you know defibrillators and buildings but to meet the requirements about a $75,000 expense. So, that's that's an example of a well-intentioned, but it has a real dollar amount and it doesn't it's not a onetime purchase. It has maintenance and ongoing uh replacement going forward, too. So, couple of ahas in the crowd, but you know, that was we were able to provide them

016with some examples. >> Um, and then as far as the like class size minimums go, they have a they just formed a working committee at the state level um to basically work through defining the parameters because they do have some outs for AP classes and um like kindergarten classes aren't defined in act 73. Um so they're going to work through those definitions and also come up with um the words they use were a transparent way um to uh monitor accountability and have a process for that. So, they say that they're going to be checking and collecting that. We don't know what that looks like and we don't know what's going to be limited to um to the standards. It's a you know three-year average. Um but we do know that they're in terms of class,

017which I think they're going to have to divide two, but if you have two grades, that that's the limit that they will allow for a grades span combo class is two grades. you can't have like it would would affect you but you know a K12 you can't have you could do a K1 or one two but you can't have more than two grades um in a span which is curious though because you know at the high school level is that going to be an issue if you have three or four you know you've got freshman sophomore juniors in a class wouldn't think it's going to be an issue but it's something that they still have to define in terms of how the law is written um Okay. So with that, uh looking at revenue, um

018we do have um we've detected one more student uh that is um moving from elementary to secondary um coming in from out of district. So that is the increase that we have there uh for the the incoming tuition. Um fund balance is coming down as we were hoping it would over the past couple of years. So that's a a good thing but it does hurt at the same time. Uh but then the general state support grant um I have highlighted there as I always do and have it bold because this is the number that really drives what we're asking for from the ED fund and therefore the resulting tax rate. So you can see even though the budget is up less than 6% our education spending is up over 11%. So that's really how we're

019going to end up getting to the numbers that we're going to see in just a minute. So uh and just to share um some trends. So the what I have up on the screen are just some graphs and I think this was one of the handouts or one of the um pieces in the packet as well. It was all on one page of ADM over time. So ADM is our average daily membership. What that means is the count of enrolled students from days 11 to 30, just that 20-day window. There's a lot writing on that. Um, so you can see what has been happening with those trends over time. Um, this version that I have here for FY26 is from the AOE's version six. Um, as of Monday, they were out with version eight and

020they're expecting a version 9. So, uh, our data folks keep reviewing. Every time there's a new version that comes out, they're vetting to make sure that our data is accurate. Um, >> so Renee, two pieces for folks to consider. So, a declining student enrollment is a common theme across the state, right? And when the December 1st letter came out, there was a consistent conversation across the state among districts because this this number is then weighted. I'm jumping ahead of uh Renee a little bit, but there has been changes at the federal level, the state level, which is not in our control, and initial numbers were showing that we had fewer students were identified as living in poverty, miraculously. Um, and so that was a concern. I heard that consistently in meetings this week too from

021superintendents which sent your finance department back in and your tech departments going and head counting kids. So we're on version 9. It could very well be 10, 11, and 12 by the time we get down to the final number. mean by statute. I believe that the AOE was supposed to have this count frozen by December 15th and they've never I mean it's been May sometimes when they do it. Um but they they've been better the last couple of years and they recent actually I think last year was the first year they required superintendent to sign off so they then freeze numbers. So the AOE is going to be pushing to make sure that the numbers are good in their final. Um, so we will probably have this this number frozen um when we meet again

022in January. Um, so those are three of our districts in the SEU. Um, the other two, Arlington and San Diego, you can see somewhat similar trends for them. And then just kind of a a recap of where we are with this budget. And as I have up here um Mount Anthony in a slightly different shade of blue, I also have the North Bennington because when we when we get to tax rates, we have to look at everybody combined. So since this board is just a high school district, so grades five, sorry, six, seven through 12, um we need to combine that with the elementary components as well. So you can see um county anony's draft one what we just looked at 5.9% increase the draft most recently gone to the svd was a 3% increase

023in north which they're going to be looking at in just a couple of minutes when I bounce next door is down6%. Um so again just to recap education spending what we just looked at with our revenue up 11.4% 4% for Mounty. Similar jump for the UEED. See a 9.9% increase there. And then North Bennington um for them they actually are looking at a significant fund balance bringing in um helping them keep their numbers down. So our average daily membership um has weights added to it as Superintendent Payne alluded to. Um I think these are from version six. Looking at these each as a a district preliminary version six compared to where they were current year they're down across the board. So this is the they average ADM. So they take that two years and then

024they add all of the weights for grade spans for poverty for English learning um sparity. none of our uh districts actually qualify for any of the small schools um criteria. So with costs going up, education spending going up, but our long-term weighted ADM going down, these are things that are happening in opposition to one another um for a good-looking tax rate. Uh before I get there, just wanted to share this too. Um so this is our education spending per weighted pupil. This is what actually ends up on our ballot articles. So, we have to compare our education spending per long-term weighted ADM this year to what it's projected to be next year. So, once we finally get to a final budget and we have our long-term weighted ADM, we'll come up with a number. I

025have to compare them and then put that percentage increase or decrease on the ballot article, which right now is a 15.9% increase, which has nothing to do with any of the other numbers that we just looked at. Right? So, the budget's up under six. Ed spending is up 11.4, but this is the number required by statute to end up on the ballot article that our voters vote for. Talk about confusing, right? >> Right. And I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but like our ED spending per pupil is considerably lower than other districts in the state. And so the percentage to meet is only as meaningful as it is for just like looking at our our um activity, not comparing us to like at spending in, you know, in South Burlington or Rutland even. you

026know, there I don't know what routines for people is, but >> actually any of you that that sat on the December 1st letter um webinar that the VES was it VSA BSBA did um some of the scenarios that um Elizabeth Jennings ran through. She was talking like she had it factored into what she had there for excess spending because there are so many districts that are spending more than the threshold which has been reintroduced into legislation which for this coming year is going to be $16,470. So you can see 16,470. None of our districts are even close to that. That's pretty fine. But there are a lot in the state that will get penalized for spending more than >> I like I like bench I like numbers and I like benchmarks just so I can

027let my mind draw comparisons. the change that happened with the waiting if it were to have stayed the same year overyear. What would be we be looking at especially on that on that classification of who's who's in who's what students are would be put into that poverty bracket what students wouldn't >> are you talking about the change from equalized pupils >> I mean the ADM the the long-term the waiting within the age the the reduction in families who would have qualified into poverty for example that being lowered impacts us because it reduces your LTE here the way it is. >> But it's also too that there there are fewer students. I mean across the whole class. >> Sure. >> We have over like 109 I think we're down across all districts. So if you're down

028those and then you it's basically compounded by any of the weights that those students would have qualified for. Um in addition to the um federal basically the um grid for what you qualify the shifts >> how how how impactful is that shift financially >> tough to say I haven't analyzed it and it I would know it would it would be pretty significant undertaking to to >> the other thing though is over time the projection is over let's say the immediate five they do a 10 year or two like I wouldn't bet my dollar on that but a five is that that weighted ADM will continue to go down >> because you'll have fewer and fewer kids over time which brings less money back into ed spending meanwhile your spending continues to climb for whole host

029of things so as Renee has said it's two trends going in the wrong directions from each So that's why you end up with a spending per rated pupil of you know significant increases like this. So what does that look like um with the budget that you have before you and the other district's budgets as they currently stand? This is what the preliminary tax rates would be for the member towns of the Mount Anthony Union High School District. um when compared to the current rates, those are the scent increases mainly across the board with North Bennington being a decrease at this point. Those are your percentage changes. So when the December 1 letter came out, they were projecting a 12% increase in taxes. You can see just about all of our towns are well above that

030>> with this budget. >> My understanding is that the governor uh I don't know if he said it in an official statement but at least in a conversation has revisited buying down the tax rate which the legislature did last year but that only creates a deficit for you to plan around next year. We did sit in a group this week where an elected official seemed surprised by that scenario. I can't believe that they they may have misunderstood the question, but buying down the tax rate again would be helpful in the immediate, then it just creates an even deeper hole to climb out of the following year. So, >> so all of these numbers are on that really the colorful spreadsheet that you're used to seeing with all the numbers. I just wanted to try to

031make it a little bit more concise instead of the long drawn out math problem. >> So Renee, any probability that the federal guidelines will shift again to be more reflective of what poverty was. >> I would not want to speculate on what the fence might do. >> Does that have an impact on that food service plant? Okay, >> there could be the potential um because right now, you know, all of our schools are in what what's referred to as the C. So, the community eligibility provision um which allows all of our students to eat for free because of the poverty that we have. But the the feds certainly do have a to change that program to change the qualifications for that program or to just eliminate the program all together which >> um yeah >>

032the change was not communicated. I think we found out from colleagues. Oh, >> so Rene sitting with business managers, hey, this is what I heard or I it was not we didn't receive an official statement from the federal government that said, by the way, we've we've decided as you're midway through the budget season to change the way you measure poverty. So, >> another thing I think that's contributing to it is so families that are qualifying for Medicaid. So some of that comes through to us and what's considered a direct certification list. So those needs automatically qualify for quote unquote the poverty rate. So if you don't qualify for Medicaid anymore, which we know that is being tinkered with at the federal level, um that's also contributing. So, um, so just to give you some context,

033um, for the MAU budget of the equivalent of a penny on that tax rate, it's about $460,000, give or take, because it's different for every town. Um, if you were to cut this budget in half, so reducing it by just over a million dollars, um, a million50,000, uh, you're still going to have tax increases between 10 cents and 26 cents, um, with the exception of North Bennington. If you wiped out the whole uh budget increase, so taking out the just over $2 million with the current numbers that we have here, it would still be an 8.5 cent to 23.5 cent increase ranging in in the towns. And then if you were to flatten ED spending, so that's cutting $3.6 $6 million. You're still looking at between five and 20 cent increases with various towns. >>

034So, it's not all on Mount Anthony though it's a joint effort with the SVUSD and North Bennington as well. So, it's you know not the weight of the world on just this board. Um, we do have some asks from the elementary board to come back with some options of limiting their budgets to a 0% increase, which of course is going to factor into to the tax rates, but just wanted to share that context. We would know it's a lot to digest, but if there's any um guidance or recommendations of what you'd like to see in a next draft, um >> we had two suggestions for folks to consider too, but I'm happy to take questions, too. But one, there have been additional asks of the budget this year, additional positions, programs, or materials. So, we

035could go back and look at those. And two, we asked Nick Gton HR on an average year, what is the turnover? What percentage of the professionals go on will either retire, resign, go do another position and it's it's about 10%. So if that holds true, you can think that 25 to 30 teaching positions will become will come open. Uh and so you could look at saying, "Hey, anything that comes open in this current year, we want to take a look at and not automatically rehire." Um those might be two steps to consider first >> and doesn't act 73 have an impact in that as well as Stephanie was sharing earlier. So wouldn't we need that information as well? In what way? >> Um, if there's a minimum class size of whatever whatever, pick a number

03615 20. >> Um, do we have 15 or 20 taking this course, whatever this course is? >> And if we don't, what is what is the difference? Do we the number we need to fill? >> It's a little it's a little bit different at every grade level. um well probably a little more straightforward to determine at an elementary level high school it can be done as well it's just a different approach but absolutely we could determine and I think to the first request of hey can you show us over time the enrollment and the FTE number matching it and maybe there are areas where we can say you're down 100 kids do you still need this so >> or is there a name or student Sure. >> Um and then the townwide assessments that are

037happening, what impact does that have? >> So that'll be on the common level of appraisal. Um when so those equalization study reports should be coming out later this month, but they're looking back a year, so it's going to be a catchup. Um I did have I think somebody from Shsbury ask about well I think we're almost done with ours. So, how is that going to impact us? And I said, so when those letters come out, if if there's a a jump, it factors in um to the tax rate calculation. So, your CLA goes up, your tax rate is going to come down because it's it's based on your your grand list. Um but there is also an appeal process. So if a municipality feels like it's too low or too high or whatever the case

038may be, there is a process to go through. >> Have people complained it's too low? >> Their taxes are too low. >> The taxes are too low. No, but they're scaling. It's essentially just a, you know, a representation of grand lists have not grown as much as the market has. So that's a it's a basically a comparison to market value to the grand lists of the municipal >> to the average voter though net net of either is their taxes are going up. Well, no, not necessarily, right? Like I mean that's it's not necessarily a one for like it doesn't flip equally between it's you feel free to if I'm wrong but like you know I mean >> with this with this budget yes they would be coming up >> but like with Shaspberry you know

039like if they're a value right now they're appraising or going through the reappraisal process right and they're essentially some buildings are get like will end up with more value which may well which will could create more tax right in that But it's not equal across the board, right? And because it's increasing like you probably increasing the base and so when the and so then once they determine that the common level of appraisal is like at at 100, then we will have this adjustment from a tax perspective on the school side. Um like right now it's showing that what Shaspberry is 92.86%. So if they're like like increasing our school tax because they're underfunding because of the the green list is >> but you're still going to pay more of your property tax. >> Not necessarily.

040It depends on the person, right? So like if you >> Oh, because property taxes are >> you could have bought yesterday, right? And that that probably is closer to like the fair market value, right, than someone who bought 10 years ago and has not had their house reappraised or and it has not been adjusted for market, right? So like if I bought precoid and my house that I paid for was X and you bought yesterday, like what you paid is probably closer because that's >> I didn't realize they adjust them on the fly. They adjust them. I mean when you someone builds a house and then they get their they >> but at transfer >> at every propert I didn't realize that. >> I don't know. It's a good question but I thought do you

041know for Bennington whether that's the case? Do they adjust it at the property transfer time or do they just adjust it with their rolling >> what goes onto the grand list I think is what the purchase price is. >> Yeah. So I mean >> so if your purchase price is higher like Yeah. >> Okay. Um, and I think Beth was mentioning as I was going to mention as well. So the um, act 73 as it's written currently, class size minimums for grades 6 to 8 or 15 students and 18 for grades 9 through 12. Um, but again, there are the the caveats for they identify things like CTE courses and driver's ed and AP. Um, so again, the state has to go through the process of defining what they're going to allow to be exemptions

042and then out and be implemented. I >> ask one other question. So I mean going back to the revenue side, you know, it looks like we've eaten into our fund balance, right? So we we used 1.5 roughly 1.5 last year. >> Oh, this this year. So if that had stayed level, our ask to the general support grant that would have been like 4% less. Is that am I un am I looking at that correctly? >> Go ahead. >> Um I have on I think the second page of your handout at the the bottom of that is showing you what your current fund balances are. So you can um you know if you wanted to because the way that we set up that general reserve was for it to be open-ended for the board to decide

043whether it could be used for capital um expenditures or tax stabilization. Um, so that's certainly within your purview to discuss as bringing that in to help offset something we can talk about in January point though, you know, with it's kind of like the buy by buy on on the state side, right? It would be a one and done and >> last year's buy down was 115. maybe a little high maybe >> 118 I think between what they pulled in from other funds and then what the surplus was in the ED fund >> the initial number I heard today and again it's not an official statement was >> so questions the wind right out of the room >> um I'm on the website for act 73 three and AOE and I'm wondering this won't I don't

044think this will take effect until 2027 but is anyone monitoring the um statewide graduation requirements and whether conversations are happening about about that that may impact the courses that we need to offer or have you heard anything about that superintendent >> there are initial conversations about that And um uh I know that when the governor brought his cabinet to Bennington for the day, uh there was a discussion. We didn't participate in that. Um but I also know that they're getting quite a bit of feedback around that. Um basic things. Uh I'll use foreign language as an example. You know, if we require two years of every student graduating, that would obviously have an impact on staffing. You'd have to staff up for that. Uh and then I also heard from superintendents who represent uh very

045rural areas saying that they already have a challenge hiring for Spanish and then being able to offer a variety of languages which was also a topic would be a challenge. So I would I would rate graduation requirement as early conversations. >> Right. Thanks. But something that may certainly impact this discussion next year. Um and then the other question I had about you know there there as you mentioned before there are certain things over which we have control and certain things we don't. Um and I'm wondering if you could describe the role of academic support and the HH coordinator because the the HHB coordinator is to replace a social studies teacher position. Right? So it sounds like that's no longer necessary perhaps due to enrollment or class sizes and then the academic support. My understanding is

046that's replacing a grant-f funded position for a grant that's ended. >> I think probably the admin building administrators would be best suited to answer. >> Yeah. So do I take you? >> So the it's admin support physician um we're seeing the need for uh an AHP coordinator at the high school the model the position that's at the middle school uh increase in um need to address um some of the umation around HH language um and we're seeing pop up in the school. Uh so having a full-time HHP coordinator would benefit us at the high school. Um it the enrollment numbers uh did not necessitate that position in the social studies department. So shifting that as Renee said be a level funded move um to an area of more need for us. >> Yeah. So it

047looked like >> that's at the high school and the academic support is at the the middle school. But can you just talk a little bit, excuse me, Principal Carmichael, about what the role of the the HHB, which for folks not looking at this is hazing, harassment, and bullying coordinator is like what does that look like? >> Yeah. >> Um I I can I could say a little bit and I mean obviously Adam it's Adam school Adam's position, you know, but um I know that he's he's kind of, you know, looking at the the model of the middle school and I I can speak to it. We've had it uh for three years, I believe it is now. Um in the five years I've been the principal there, I think it's probably the most important position,

048one of the most important moves that I've made. And I I know that sounds kind of dramatic, but I'm going to say that. Um the, you know, the flow of different incidents that come up um and they're not all substantiated cases, but it is um at least a full-time job. uh you know so so students access the HHP coordinator you're correcting harassment bullying typically they're bullying harassment uh cases at the middle school level any anyways um and they they can make a report to to her and or to the to the person in the position and it's thoroughly investigated every single thing that comes in. So it it is literally, you know, throughout the day, every day, all day. Um, you know, the different reports that come in, they're looked at, they're investigated, they're documented.

049There's a lot of data that I have that I could actually uh share with the board. Again, comparing middle school versus high school, but I I think it would be a very similar approach. And what I was finding is that there there are legal steps that you have to take uh in in a investigation. And we were having a lot of difficulty following all the steps because of the flow. And the administrators in the building that were tasked with doing this were really having difficulties sending the letters, doing the followup, and and maybe most importantly, it's not always the substantiated case. A lot of times you're you're mitigating additional harm because you're catching things before they become an actual bullying or harassment case. You're getting on it when it's a, you know, a first instance.

050It's not repeated over time. It's not bullying, but you're getting ahead of it. And and the per and the person in my uh you know, school uh does uh documents and does followup and check-ins with the students, both the victim um you know, and the and the person uh committing the you know, the act. Um and it's it's just been so valuable. Um, and the feedback that I've gotten from parents, from students, and to know that like I I mean I I take them, you know, I take kids coming up to me all the time. Can I talk to you, Mr. Maguire? And uh, you know, if you're going to if you're going to keep uh, you know, the momentum doing with the other components of an administrative job, uh, those things take a long

051time to do thoroughly. you know, you have a kid come in and make a report and then that turns into 10 other kids that you have to talk to to substantiate a report. And um it it definitely is about finding the right person for the position that has the, you know, the skills to do the investigative work, to do the documentation, to be very organized, but man, it's been it's been invaluable at at Mount Anthony Middle School, and I I strongly recommend it. uh you know and yeah so I I just wanted to say that piece and if the board desired I I could I could show uh my HH coordinator completes uh compiles data monthly and sends it to the admin team how many reports came in how many were substantiated bullying how many

052were substantiated harassment um you know the follow-up stuff and I I could I could share that just to get a sense of numbers of of the flow of things and what I will say is that we're seeing the the um and I this was I specifically remember this to last month because I gave her the feedback um that I was I was impressed the number of substantiated reports not the number of things coming in but the number of substantiated reports are trending down and and that's again because we're getting ahead of it and we're staying on top of it and taking all the steps and doing them really thoroughly. I would also argue that this is another expectation placed on schools with no legislative funding to follow the expectation. >> Yeah. >> But I'd like

053to add that was one of the things that this board really insist on getting and setting up in the middle school because of all of the parental problems were being raised that were coming in and we needed to get a hold on those things and this is working. So all of these things that I just talked about is all the things we wanted to hear and know about to control the situation. So another step to the high school um for it but but it had a real significant uh purpose to solve a lot of issues that we have in our community. They also interface a lot with uh with you know district office you know who um you know Jess and her role and looking at title n investigations and we have a a number

054of cases this year just could attest to it that you know we're collaborating with Jess on and it it I I feel like we finally um have a welloiled machine to to give you know appropriate attention to this really important work. Was that the same year that we added to additional like safety? >> Safety. Yeah. I mean I as a parent I had a child in pre pre that decision and and now I have one in post and there is a remarkable difference in the the school. Um I personally think um but I think it was an important important decision to do. That's great to hear and Leon, it's helpful to have your institutional memory um in you know remembering where this came from. So I'll just >> speaking for myself that would be um

055really valuable data to have >> um and would love to learn more about that especially as we're it sounds like you know very supportive of um extending that position to the high schools. >> Yeah. And Beth, just so you know, we actually added um one of these positions at the elementary level uh for this current year as well. >> I know I've talked too much now, but would you like me to talk about the academic uh the academic support position? >> Just like an overview of what that is that a parah is that a >> Yeah. No, no, it's a teaching position. Um, so, uh, it's it's timely, uh, in this conversation because with the discussions we're having around Act 77 and, you know, discussions around class sizes and things of that nature, the the

056piece that we haven't talked about tonight is the increased need that of the students that we're serving. And what we're asked as a school to help with when it comes to mental health, SEAL support, things of that nature. And so one of my uh worries is as class sizes go up, we have less pair of educators in classrooms, we have less support in classrooms. Um are you know how are we going to serve the needs of the increased number of students in in classrooms? And one thing that put in place with this with this grant position is when students are struggling academic academically and there's certainly a a a social mo as all of our teachers are asked to do. There's certainly a social emotional learning uh component to what they do and um it's

057a it's an attempt to when students are struggling to give them uh a couple things and and I'm and they're not rocket science but I'm I'm I Mr. Thanks heard me go down this path, but I I asked myself when it comes to like kids having success in in our our summer offerings. Um, you know, why are they having the success versus when I have 520 students in the building, you know, when there's only a 100 students? And I've narrowed it down to a couple insights um that I think relate to this position. Um, so, you know, smaller class sizes, interest based activities, and one trusted adult. When students are struggling, I chuckle, but I shouldn't chuckle, but I do chuckle and say, "Why are we asking this student to transition through eight different adults

058during their day?" And there's bound to have something that that happens there. Shrink it down a little bit. Give them one trusted adult that they can connect with, that they can feel really comfortable with, that they can get that additional attention to really dive into academic support, social emotional learning. Um, and that's that's what this position uh not only attempts to do, that's this position has done uh over the course of the last couple years. So, it's an attempt to to keep that momentum going while at the same time I'm anticipating that, you know, we may have I ask of increased class sizes and we have students that that's going to be a challenge for but it is a teaching position. It's interesting that you you say that because to me it feels like it's

059directly Act 73 is directly in opposition of flexible pathways, right? Like we can have flexible pathways but they all have to be in this room, one room together. >> So it'll be interesting to see what happens. >> Yeah. So for the next draft, is there anything like >> is there any direction before to move um Renee with respect to the next draft? I mean, >> so I have just another question. The enrollment for secondary and elementary is about the same, >> correct? Give or take 50. So kids, >> but the differences seem to be a little bit higher. So what am I missing for the two budgets in in terms of what do we need more in one set as compared to >> like are you asking why the ue budget is less than just

060wondering if we >> well you yeah have a higher enrollment with man because you have all the kids from North Bennington also coming in as well and you've got your sixth grade from Bennington also cleaning and yeah, >> there any direction that you know is there anything that you would look closer at? >> Sticker shot, right? I well I mean >> um are there vacancies currently that are that exist in >> Yeah. Um and that that funding is actually being used to pay for extra courses that are being offered because there are vacancies. So um in some cases or Yeah. As far as positions being open in the spring, I mean, at this point, you're hearing mostly from retirement because contractual language says they have to notify by January 6th. Uh those are starting to

061trickle in. There's there's resignations within the NAU uh and folks will start changing positions come spring. I'm a little less optimistic about a lot of folks transferring because I think the economic condition across the region is going to get tough and I would imagine folks are going to be a little hesitant to jump to a new building and find themselves last hired first fired situation. So, we'll see. Renee, could we come back um possibly and offer a scenario to where the school budget we cut it in half, we go to 3%. That would put us in line with the elementary school. Elementary, I'm sorry, is two and a half or three. >> They're at a race. >> So, if if we came back and showed folks with the Again, I don't want to raise people's

062hopes too much. Rene has been pretty clear. In order to get the penny, you know what you have to cut in order to get to that, but could we come back and perhaps show you something that's equal to an elementary school increase? >> Well, yeah. I mean, I think that it would be an interesting exercise from our perspective to see just how much it would slash, but I mean, I do think, and correct me if I'm wrong, there have been years where the elementary district is higher than Mount Anthony in terms of percentages of increase or, you know, so I don't want to get into a condition in which we're, you know, I feel strongly that our role and this I was going to say in the chair's report, but I I feel strongly our

063role is to as fudiciaries is to like help adequately fund the schools, right? Like for, you know, and we want to do it responsibly, you know, so that it has as little impact as we can on the taxpayers, but it is not our I do not believe it is our job to keep the taxes as low as possible. I'm not advocating to go out and be like, "All right, let's throw some more stuff in here." But I I do I want people, you know, we are not the sole responsible like that just because our increase is that percentage this year. There have been like plenty of other years where other districts that all contribute to this tax um you know plays a role you know I mean SVSU is one of them right we have

064special educators like that are housed under that space right like that that and central office cost get distributed down to the you know it to impact us so I think it'd be an interesting exercise to see what it would look like you know like what we would really have to do so the board could make those choices or think it through. Um, >> I like I Sorry. >> Yeah, go ahead. >> I I like the idea of of that and that um we're we're putting it back with you and your team of experts to come to us and say this is this is what we could do. This is what it looks like. Does do you the board feel like this is in line with not only your own beliefs but what you would be

065hearing from people who who are in your in your towns? Um, >> and to piggy back on that, I'm still curious as to how 73 plays into this. And >> we all are, >> and whether that part of that balance, >> is it is it the canvas that's half painted or are they going to repaint a new one completely in in the January legislative session? No, nobody nobody knows. >> The class sizes will be a three-year average, right? So they're they're going to roll out with the guidance as soon as the law goes into effect. Um so we will have time to you know implement and not be >> Thank you. That's the out of compliance. >> Uh I would suggest for the purposes of this committee uh this board your January meeting is not

066until the 21st of January. So, we sent chairs a draft calendar with the suggestion only for the MAU at this point because they're so far back in the calendar. And the I think it's the 21st. If I'm incorrect, I apologize. No, >> the 22nd is when the window opens. January 22nd is when the window opens and you can start to warn and post your budgets for town vote. So, that puts you very close to kind of the opening of the window. And the window open stays open till February 1st, but that's a Sunday. So, we've got a cheat date and come back a few days. And so, the suggestion is to move, my suggestion to the chair was to move your meeting two weeks forward. And that would put you on the seventh be the

067first week back from the winter break. We I talked to Renee. She didn't y me too much. We could make some adjustments, come back, and that way you could get that first look. If you had any more directions, we haven't left you to the last days of the month to consider. you don't have to make that decision right now, but >> I think historically that's what we've done. We've had multiple meetings before that time period, you know, like like ideally, you know, two would be like not having multiple, but you know, if we have to we we will like so that we can hit the morning >> as budget just budget. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. you know, like for the purpose, you know, and I if I remember last year, I think it was largely

068done by Zoom, you know, by Zoom, I think, but could be, you know, but um yes, I think that that makes sense. Um do people want to look at their calendars for the 7th right now? Well, so that we can make a decision or we can send a message around Are those the only days that work for >> we wanted we wanted to honor I think the idea was to honor the day of the week that this board meets. >> But did you say the February 7th? >> January 7th. Sorry. January 7th. So moving it forward two weeks but landing on the same night of the week. I know folks pro some folks may plan their life by what what day of the week is. >> I can make it work. I would ideally not

069want it to be that day, but I can just the seventh I can but I will show off if that is the only day that we can do it. Um or we could push it back a little. I don't you know from a timing perspective I don't know like I think I was planning on volunteering for a race that is located in Bennington when it was older >> the May the 7th >> coming back so soon everybody's trying to roll everything right in the new year just start so >> you do not have to decide tonight we can revisit it absolutely you can do a survey of the conversion folks can tell us what works Um, yeah, the chairs do have a mocked up January that shows all board meetings. Negotiations for the SU are

070on there. There is a holiday on the 19th. So, um, we'll take some creative schedule, but we could do it. >> Yeah. >> So, one of course be down here on time. >> Just a question for Renee. How much of this budget I I mean, do we actually have some control over? the amount of the I mean we got a lot of mandated stuff and we got the insurance pulled out and we got all this kind of stuff. It would be very helpful for the public to know that hey we got all this money we're talking about but all of it is not what we can control. >> I think it's a great point. something I said in just to somebody the other day which was um I think it was after the uh the

071what is the name of the lead person in the Senate there's a he has a he has a term >> but either way he said we're just going to call back to the boards and boards and tell them that they have to they have to make cuts >> and my response was well fine we'll make the cuts of the things we don't have control over and we'll send it back to them >> I I mean, and I I I say all of that and just, but it's a huge huge number, >> and our hands our hands are really tied on so much of this. Well, Renee, you said in I don't know, we've been to a couple meetings this week together. Um, wages and benefits is 70 to 75% of your budget >> and those

072are contractual. So you're has been agreed upon you move forward and the rest of it is turning the lights on heating the buildings and dining equipment. So >> you know your paper and your pens and pencils will not move your needle very much on the budget. >> Okay. So, it sounds like uh for next time you're going to give us a you know like what it would look like if we had to cut it down to 3% and you can if possible you can would you highlight what control over and what we don't um as part of the process so that we can have a discussion to have more informed conversations with our tax payers. >> Are you okay with that? um somewhat I mean it's a little challenging and I mean because it's it's

073really going to be headc count right so it will be you know if we're looking at >> I mean could you is it I was just thinking roughly like if you just like throw you know like if your health insurance is roughly x and you roughly have five positions I mean that it was more you don't >> need to hold it to like I you know and if it's just >> you know me >> I mean if it's just if it's something that like you know is that we can just talk about too that's that's fine. I just didn't know if there were other things like clearly there are like if you're talking about the AED you know we're going to have to spend 75,000 is that in the budget or when that mandate goes

074into play there's other >> um >> or the other piece of this is there um revenue that we haven't considered um that could be an increase that that maybe we'll learn more about. pretty much the only the only thing would be using that reserve fund. Um, unless you're gonna drum up some kids coming in from a district. >> I was thinking >> I I was thinking state support. >> Okay. Well, it sounds like um that we have a path forward at least until the next meeting. Thank you for all your efforts. I know that it is a lot. >> Thanks, Renee. Thank you, >> Rene. >> Um we'll move on to operations. Um we have um Mount Anthony Middle School update. >> So, that's my responsibility. Just uh this is uh comes from a note

075in case folks driving by the uh middle school campus notice. Um there is a trail system at the middle school. It's used by a variety of groups uh within our community. Um use on the land, if folks aren't familiar, the campus is a little over 100 acres, is governed in large part by Act 250, which is a state law regarding uh land use uh regulations. Uh there is currently trail maintenance uh sorry there was maintenance done on the trails this fall. Uh it's an existing nature trail loop. It's on the north side of campus. Uh a variety of folks, grounds crew, athletic uh staff, and community volunteers um helped tidy up the trail. Um I say that because um there is a plan um back up. We are currently reviewing boundary markers, right ofways, and

076any kind of signage or maintenance requirements under act 250 because there will be construction work going on at the middle school during this current year. Um, in reviewing the act 250 permit, uh, we were told that we need to install a storm water retention pond that would be located at the front of campus um, near the hoop house, the greenhouse that you see from the road. Um, so we just are making folks aware of that in case they see an excavator out there and they're digging. This is all part of meeting the requirements of an existing permit. >> Questions? >> Can I just add to the or or um because I know it came up on a different board that I'm on um but that is the use of the trail. Part of that is

077part of that property is um is it owned by a trust for wildlife? >> Not the part that he's speaking about. >> No, no, but I'm the while we're on trails. Yeah, that is what we're trying to clarify because there is a there is existing regulations for how the land is used. >> So, in conversations with Tony and Holly and uh Mike Malloy from athletics, the current c we the conversation started with the cross country loop at the middle school which is desired. We'd like to have that for students to be able to access. Currently, we're working just on Mount Anthony marked property, but we want to revisit and make sure because there's rightways and boundaries that need to be revisited and say, "Yep, we know exactly where our property begins." >> Act 250 has

078also designated things like wetlands and things like that on the property. So, we need to be very aware of where we are trekking out into the property. So the trust for wildlife board met recently and um should the cross country course need to go over the trust for wildlife piece they are um they are open to it as long as trust for wildlife can be listed as additional insured >> understood. So we'll have Holly write that down and like I said we have a small working group uh Mike's athletic director is interested in that too because it needs to be insured. anything that we're going to use for an athletic event would have problems. >> Um, you know, it the space the trails would be uh I I personally walked them. They are they're very

079beautiful and it's on campus and it's um you know having cross country have to practice by running around downtown with 20 to or more middle school kids you know with one or two coaches is a I can only imagine to be a challenge. Um, and uh, so I do, you know, I think that it it would be a nice like some of the courses that the kids go to in around the state, they're they're beautiful and they're like it's a fun, it's a point of pride, you know, it would be nice. We're obviously >> or obviously I think we're losing SV I mean from at some point from a trail perspective for the running. So it might be a nice thing to look at, you know, as a board to explore that partnership. Um, and

080so I, but I do agree with you that from a board perspective, we need to make sure that we're in compliance and that any trail maintenance doesn't enact wetlands or, you know, whatever or act 250 limits. So, >> if there's a point person that you can share contact information with, Holly, that would be awesome. I can I can serve that role. >> Does anyone have any questions about >> Okay. >> Um with no questions, we'll move on. There was we had an action. I was but I don't like I think that at this point this it's an update is >> just an update. >> Yep. >> If if we come back and say oh we need uh board approval for to submit a permit or things like that, we can do that. I think >>

081none needed at >> the other piece that would trigger one approval would be if um from the conversations uh it was decided it made sense to to you know be able to use utilize the land ne next to like the the I'm sorry what was it the land trust >> trust for wildlife >> the trust for wildlife if that were to occur and there was some sort of agreement that would have to come for it but >> okay great um we'll move on to a dump truck bid Um, uh, it is posted, I believe, uh, in the packet. I >> It is here. >> Um, Paulie, do you want to walk us through? >> Sure. I just I wanted to let you know that the um uh I know better now, so I did better.

082I hope. And um in the packet is the uh invitation bid with all the requirements uh the summary sheet the winning bid and and all the details there. So that should all be in the packet if you have any questions. >> Don't have any questions this I read it but I just wanted to say that for the purpose of the TV synopsis of it will be great. I agree with it 100%. But they can't they don't have this copy. So >> they it's accessible online but >> I mean it's in the package but I'm saying on video since we're live for those that are out there may not know what that is. And so a synopsis of the vid was very simple. you can break it probably say the three or four words you know

083what you did how it came out and we'll support that because I mean I will because I I think it's well put together >> thank you very much I um the current condition of the dump truck in question at the MAU high school um the frame has is well past its life you know the worst thing you could ever do is have salt and water it's metal obviously um so it's it's pass the point of being able to use safely. Uh, and that's why we put the this in the budget last year. It got voted on and approved. So, we went through the process of of um getting all the bids to replace it. And we use it for snow removal and earthwork during the summer. >> What's happening with the old truck? Oh, I

084didn't know if it was part of >> Yeah. Okay. >> A lot of times it's there's there's like they can it would be a Renee question that we can answer for the next meeting. into a you know we're going to offset >> like trade in trade >> from what I read these numbers don't represent ever having a trade >> and the the existing doesn't have a trade in value it's >> scrap negligible at least >> one question maybe that you want to bounce it to our name will we be able to take advantage the uh accelerated depreciation that's out there >> or we're not we don't pay I mean we gener we >> well it's not I know we're not like paying sales tax but there is a depreciation that like if a company you

085want to buy it like if I bought it I'd be depreciated 100%. >> Yes. And that um is pretty impactful for people who pay taxes but we we collect you know we we run off of collecting of taxes so that we don't pay federal from that perspective. Right. >> So you you're too welcome. Thank you. >> So the dump truck VA went out and um the specifications went to everybody's what I I mean I looked at them but I think the recommendation we getting a better deal out of the the recommendation when it went compared to all the other >> theaters out here. So, uh, I'm in favor and like to move that we we agree to purchase the truck, the 555 versus a 250 and a 350 for approximately the same amount of money

086out there. And so I uh I would like to move that so it won't >> Are you so are you moving to >> We accept the uh >> the bid as recommended by >> Okay. which and that was to purchase the vehicle to Formula Ford and authorize expenditures from a general fund up to 93,48. That's correct. >> To cover the purchase outlined >> so we have a motion. >> Well, you're okay. So, we have a motion from Leon and the second from Gwen. >> Any discussion? >> Um, I still had a few questions. Sorry. Sorry. >> No, no, no. >> Feel like that's what I'm here for. >> Yeah. Um, so I was just wondering, it states somewhere that you have a dump trailer already, um, that you're using that you're using this piece of

087equipment as a dump truck, but you also have a dump trailer as well. Is that true? >> I will look into that and get that to you. >> Okay. Um, so I and I know that you have a tractor in existence that you share with or I believe you do that you share with the elementary uh school district. And so I'm I'm just trying to envision how big our fleet is because I know that we have a new beautiful new band that we're moving students around in and I'm just curious how big our fleet is. >> Sure. I'm I'm happy to get together that information will get back to you. >> Um and um and and that's part of the confusion I have as to what is the need, what what is our overall need

088and if I had a choice between a class or a dump truck and and it feels sometimes like we have to make those choices. um where is it that we want to um fund? >> So um and we I think we could at a different meeting put that on the agenda to discuss this size for the purpose of this. I mean is this used I mean this is used to sand and salt and help it be safe for people to enter the building. Correct. And to park in it. Um, and we do not currently have another vehicle owned by MAU that can that is correct. Do that. Okay. >> So, we have a motion on the table from Leon, seconded by Glenn. Are there other discussion? >> This was perfectly presented. Yes. >> Okay. All

089in favor? >> Um, oppose? Abstain. Okay. So, uh, Sy's abstained and we will, uh, get that on the agenda for a different time so that you are moving. I'm sorry, lost my agenda. >> Oh, someone do not. All right. Student reports, very patient student representatives. >> Yeah. So um uh our clubs have been pretty busy recently especially our uh ones involving like community service um national honor society. Uh we recently had a blanket drive and a pan drive which were both big successes. Um all the goods that we gathered from um those drives we went to the harvest house and the banking coalition. Um, we're also running this week candygrams, which bas basically is just kind of like you can sign up and like pay to have a candy cane with a little note delivered

090to whoever you want. It can be anonymous or whatever. It's really fun. Um, and we also have Sunday supper planned this weekend at the second congregational church. Um, which is we're preparing food and dinner for 250 people. Um, Interact uh Interact and U ACT are partnering um to create a a youth council. Um the main purposes of this is to you know discuss issues that are important to young people and develop like community projects and to share their ideas like directly with the select board. Um, and also not like this past weekend, but the weekend before we helped with spirit of sharing, which is for kids who don't whose families don't have like the means to have it like as much gift giving. Um, MA Nation also provided 11 local kids with presents through holiday

091helping hands last week. Um, tonight um actually in about seven minutes is the um the winter concert, the band and chorus concert. There's uh the jazz band in ensemble are performing. Um, I was going to say like if this ended earlier, go check it out, but maybe it won't. >> Um, also this past Saturday, uh, we had a cookies and carols holiday party at the high school, uh, where students could eat and Bernie Sanders gave a talk, which is really cool, and students got to meet him. I couldn't go, but I my brother went and I heard it was really cool. Um and this uh this Friday uh course is going to be going on a Caroline bus tour. Um winter sports have started right now. There's basketball, Nordic dance, indoor track, wrestling, and swim.

092Basketball girls have a game um tomorrow against Windsor. Then boys have a game on Friday versus Springfield. They're both at home. Nordic had a race today. Indoor track had a meet last Saturday. and swim also has a need this Friday. Um, and then this week there's spirit week going on and break starts this weekend for us. Um, the quarter and first semester end on January 16th. And um, seniors are starting to hear back from schools and if you're interested in keeping up with it, there is an Instagram page that we invite you to follow. And that page is >> it's called it's MAU26 decisions, but if you just look up MAU26, it'll probably come up. >> Great. Thank you. >> On to the high school part. >> And that is the easiest job because they

093my students cover just about everything. for the hardest having to follow them up. Um so I will try not to be repetitive and just give a brief principal report some highlights from the last month. I will just share a few more details around the holiday helping hands program because um that was a huge success again as the girls mentioned um it was started been going strong for over 10 years now. um high school students and staff been very generous giving back to the community um providing presents for students and families uh wish lists and this year providing pre presents for over 75 children in the community. So it's very great program that we're happy to see continue to go strong and grow each year. Uh so we want to thank everyone that helped make that

094a success. Um, as the girls mentioned, uh, we were happy to have host, uh, Senator Sanders at the high school last weekend. Um, and again, as they mentioned, looks like we're all going to unfortunately miss it, but the, uh, winter concert is tonight and taking place in about four minutes now. Um, all the winter sports have started. Uh the winter break coming up at the end of this week, students and staff uh staff returning uh January 2nd, students returning January 6th. During the break, uh we know our gym just received a new set of bleachers and it'll get a fresh coat of wax. So coming back from the break, we'll have a very nice looking gymnasium with the bleachers and the fresh wax floor. So, uh, that'll be good for the, uh, sports teams going

095forward from there. Um, we're wrapping up our spirit week this week. Uh, and as we return from break, we'll look forward academically to some map testing. Students always look forward to that. And, uh, final exams and end of the end of the first semester, the week of January 12th through the 16th. Any questions? >> Just I'd like to know when we get a chance. I keep seeing Bernie at the high school, but I don't know get a chance to know Bernie's going to the high school, but I try to catch him, but I can't. >> And so that's Bernie Sand was meeting. That was that place. I think >> I'll tell you that they did Bernie's team did place one ad in the banner. >> Oh, I read it every day. I miss it. you

096know, political party trying to catch and a lot of people hit me and say, you know, the boy Bernie Service letter and I got an email. >> You did >> notifying me that this was happening, that he was doing it in several places in the state and that there was an option to um RSVP to join. So, >> I didn't get it. >> Well, did did he do I mean, the last time he was here that I went to, he did like a student forum where he spent Christmas and cookies. >> Yeah, it was me. and selfies. >> Yeah. >> Selfies with the students. >> I think he was here probably eight years ago or something. >> He did he did do Yeah. >> I only I didn't go I just read a story in

097the banner. >> He did do a question and answer >> basketball giveaway. >> Oh, right. The basketball thing >> that was last winter. >> Thought for Principal Carmichael or the students that left. Uh Leon mentions he gets his news from the banner. I do too. And yet we haven't had hardly any news on winter sports. Um girls basketball's played two games. I read one line of it on a story about Arlington. The boys have played a game and that was on Friday. Today I read a story about it and had a picture from last year. Uh wrestling I haven't seen anything cross country skiing and nothing. I'm wondering if we could inspire some of our students to become stringer people reporters for the banner. I think it would they would do a great job. It

098would look good on their resume. The banner could probably pay them something and that way I could get my news. And I'm sure there are other people that get their news from the >> convert that. >> So the good news is that the banner has made an offer to for someone to replace Mike and and even better news is that he he was an intern with Mike last year, so he already knows some of the coaches. Um so that's good thing. Um to your second point, we did try to organize um to have the sports journalist classes from both VBA and MA M and MAU to coordinate with our editor and I got to tell you I was on the emails and it wasn't for lack of trying to coordinate schedules there. It just didn't

099work for I think it didn't work for um the journalism classes to have time to have our editor come talk or vice versa. I'm not sure. I kind of dropped out at that point. So, um but the good news is hopefully we'll have somebody in that um probably he'll be on boarded before break is over. So, good. But, you know, I I got it the the the reason you got the basketball story today is because Todd Ordway um reached out to me last night and said, "If I write it, will you put it in?" And I said, "Of course." So, if anybody has any wants to submit to us, we'll certainly read it and edit it. We don't expect everybody to be sports editor, you know, sports journalists. and uh I will submit it to

100the news team to get in the paper and and pictures. We don't know the kids. We just don't know. I think she just grabbed a stock picture. >> Mhm. >> So, we would offer pictures, too. >> Well, that's great information. I'm sure that there's some kids or parent around that will be happy to contribute some information. Um, one pager, Mr. Henley makes a one pager. >> Let's move on to the middle school uh, report, please. >> Yep. Um, so I have three items tonight. Um, want to highlight my student council. You guys heard me talk about it before. I love meeting with my student council. It's the one meeting that, you know, when Mrs. Hollister tells me, "All right, you got student council coming this morning 8 to 8:30." I I clear the deck and

101and it's not always easy, but I keep that meeting with them. So, they're working on this was eighth grade student council. I have been meeting with I I meet with all grade levels. Um but eighth grade is usually the most active. Um they're working on three projects right now. One of them is pretty straightforward. It's a spirit week this week. Today was white out day. I was very impressed. I actually got my stuff together and wore all white. Um >> well that's not white. >> Well Jeez, you sound You sound like someone else I know. >> You could have like the the good humor man. That would have been >> I I tried I put some effort in today. I was disappointed with myself because it was flannel day on Monday and I I totally

102on that one. I I love flannels. So, I was disappointed in myself. So, they're working on a they have a spirit week this week. Um a really cool idea to create a uh student section uh for MAU uh middle school athletic games. So, you know, getting students to kind of, you know, sit together in a section, have it go, you guys know I do it at the high school, but bringing that practice to the middle school. So, that's going to be starting after the break. uh including, you know, an afterchool program that's creating like signage and stuff like that. Um all vetted uh and um uh also having a conversation around um possibly having some sort of study hall option again uh in our schedule, which uh is a bigger discussion for a different night,

103not not tonight. Um but it it was neat to have these conversations with eighth grade students. Um item number two, uh a testing update. uh favorite topic, right? Uh we've been uh um chosen and selected again to take uh place in the NATE uh assessment. Um that is an acronym for national assessment of educational progress, also referred to sometimes as the nation's report cards, something that the US Department of Education does. Uh again, we've been selected. So, uh on February 18th, we'll be doing that assessment. Huge shout out to my testing coordinator, Rachel Kit, who I would be lost without. Uh, and, uh, Stacy Alexander, uh, dire associate director of student services, working closely with them to make sure that this is all running smoothly. Um, supposed to assess what, uh, K through 12 students,

104known course subjects, math, reading, science. There is an opt out process. There's 50 students selected to take the assessment. It's not all eighth graders, and there is an opt out process. So, we're working through all that, the letters, the the whole thing. And on February 18th, they'll be coming to the building. They come to the building and they they work you, you know, walk you through the assessment. Um, also have MAP on the testing item. We also have MAP testing as Adam said, uh, taking place January 13th for ELA test and January 14th for the math test. Um, and then the third item is just a highlight. Uh, again, concerts have been discussed tonight. uh had a course concert uh on December 15th uh which was Monday. Um you know, great turnout, always sounding good.

105Mr. Edwards does a great job with the chorus. And uh there's a band concert coming up on January 15th. Uh Mrs. Mills does a great job with the band. Always get uh you know, huge props and shout outs whenever they perform. That's what I have tonight. >> Okay. Yep. >> I got babysitter, but I got to get somebody else. It's running long here. >> Sorry. Um, any questions? If not, we'll move on to the SU report. There is >> Do you have anything, Katie, before I >> um let's see. S SU report. Um I for for the members of the board um this isn't necessarily SU specific but we are an ongoing um negotiations with teachers and support staff. Um progress is being made there still working through some things. So um you know I

106think as as N alluded to there's you know that obviously that is an impact to the budgets we looked at this evening and um we're we're working working through that. at our next meeting. Uh for those who would like to review those meetings, they have been recorded and I believe they are on CAT TV. So you could you could um watch the recordings if you uh had any interest in learning kind of where we are to up to this moment. Um and then the next meeting is on uh January 28th. Um and then we uh let's see at the SU level uh the important task of um providing feedback to the superintendent um through an annual review. Uh we've started that process and um as of last evening there will be an opportunity for um

107for feedback in that process um both through your board chair or um um to me directly. Um so if anybody would like to provide any feedback there for us to use as we to for us to consider um and um we're in the throws of budget season as we all saw this evening at the SU level as well. >> Uh any questions? Oh, sorry. Um, many of you may have seen there is a community input survey um that has gone out for Act 73. Um, we decided last night as a board, obviously when you look at the SU board, there are um several districts within it that each have their own interests and concerns and priorities um with regard to Act 73. And so we wanted to and that's that's that's on the makeup of

108of the board itself. So we wanted to gather impact or gather feedback there. Um as well as um allowing pe allowing uh the people within member districts to provide feedback for us to consider um as we form a subcommittee. We're talking about forming a subcommittee that would review the feedback that we receive and potentially make a recommendation or recommendations um for how we would like to see things move forward. Not that they would necessarily be accepted, but um sometimes telling people what you would like can go a long way in having that happen. So that process has just gotten started. You should have I think many of you would have seen the email >> in your inbox today as well as >> being inbox but I got it I saw it on Facebook >> saw

109it on Facebook so it's also pushed being pushed out via social channels as well and probably on the SU website or will be >> yeah we're just starting that >> okay any questions Um uh for our chair's report, I was just going to give the update give an update on where we were with negotiations, but uh Scott covered that for the most part. Uh you know, there I believe at the meeting on Monday, we came to 10 tenative agreements as part of the um with salaries still, you know, not one that is not in that list of agreements. Um but I um you know we will see where we go on the 20th. Um and that is it for me. Um there is a uh there's a budget status. The treasury report was not there

110when I pulled the information down today. Um there is the internal controls. I do know that I think this is a requirement that it's shown to the boards annually. Um it's something that uh the finance department has to fill out every year. We have um an executive session uh on the for one VSSA 313A3 appointment employment or evaluation of a public offer officer or employee. Um, can I have a motion to go into executive session and um bring Superintendent Payne and Principal Carmichael and is Nick is HR is not able to >> Okay, >> so moved a motion by Susan and second by Leon. All in favor? >> I um we will not be returning with an act. I did not there's no action I believe that will come out of this. So u I

111just in case >> yeah the process has action on but >> it does say action. So I'm we can I just wanted Beth was there >> Beth had to leave. She's g a presentation at seven for work. So basically people listening