0016 pm. I'd like to call the April 21st, 2025 East Board of Ed special meeting to order. Those you can stand for the pledge of interest of America to the republic for which it stands nation under God indivisible liberty and justice for all. Do we have any public comment? Um, if you could just state your name, address, and then Oh, yeah. Come up to the Yeah. name, address in about three minutes. So, I'm Tim D 66. He's pat Itit. I'm also a science teacher here at the high school. So, I'd first like to thank the board of ed for the work you've done with the administration over the last several months um crafting what's the right budget for our schools. I know it's difficult. I know this is a tough economic time, but I think
002the fact that other towns around us are facing similar increases shows that you did the right work and this is the budget we need. Um, I'd like to talk about impacts on personnel. We're losing some positions here. Um, this is the second time in four years that we've had major rifts being discussed. It was 18 positions three years ago, 10 I guess this year. And uh we're still hurting from some of those people we lost a few years ago, their presence, we use it to this day. And I think you're going to find if you look at the people we have now because they're veteran people, they have a much deeper footprint in the district. So I think we need to look at we look at these cuts, what committees are these people on, what
003curricula have they written, what clubs do they mentor, what struggling students have they reached out to. Those are all questions I think has to be looked at for each person. we're considering letting go. I think we also have to think about um our hiring and retention practices. Um it's getting harder to find qualified teachers. Uh it's not a profession a lot of people want to go into. And right now the people in our buildings, their own supervision and evaluation processes. These are good people. So if we let them walk, you know, a couple years from now, we need new people. Who are they going to be? And are they going to be the best people? because if we're a town that does riffs every two or three years, that's going to really hurt our ability
004to track people. Um, I just want to close by saying too, I think we have to push back at this idea that uh we're somehow wasteful with taxpayer money. Um, every person in this room I know is kind of got the ethos of we do more with less. And that's a good thing, but let's be honest, sometimes raw sewage shoots out of the floor of this building that we're in right now. Um, tomorrow I'll go teach 18-year-old kids out of a 20-year-old textbook. And uh, more seriously, we lost world language at the elementary schools a few years ago. We've never gotten that back. Our elementary specialist teachers are treated second class for point8 appointments. We've lost people because of that. Um, you know, we do more with less, but that costs. And I think when
005we're facing cuts that are going to cost even more, we need to fight back against that. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. Public comment. Public comment. Okay. Hearing none, we'll close public comment. Move right on to discussion action items for finance facilities and community. and we're on our first topic um discussion for 2025 2026 budget discussions and um there was a presentation that was posted yeah a few hours ago um so it is in board docs and we've also passed out sobody needs copies just to kind of revisit where we are and what we're how we got here. So, um the board of ed approved the budget of 6.72 month ago. So, forget the date. Um and that then went on to the board of finance. We presented to the board of finance. They deliberated on
006April 1st or 2nd and their um they came back with a million and a half of reduction from our four from our 6.72 which would get us to a 4.22 I think budget increase for this year. the purp we did discuss on two weeks ago on the 7th we discussed okay what are some things and how could we get there um and I think we quickly got to a point where um we're going to look for savings but there's going to be impact on on staff and or to avoid that um but we'll hopefully minimize um also the impact on on staff we added this meeting so we could go through in a little more detail on the budget and what where we would find the million and a half. There's a public hearing next
007Monday in the auditorium and that is an opportunity uh for the public or others to come and um voice their opinion on on what where we are with the board of finance and what they proposed as the budget for the town. Then in miday there is the town meeting. I forget the date of that. I think it's the 12th 12th something like that which would finalize officially finalized budget and then we go we have the budget referendum 22nd 22nd of May uh which would then finalize the budget. So, that's kind of the steps in the process. Assuming it gets approved, that would be the final budget. If it doesn't get approved, uh, then it would go back to the board of finance to define. Um, just so everybody knows, and again, it's not going to
008in general, if if a referendum doesn't pass, the budgets go down. Even if people voted to say, I I and others can can opine on this. My from what I've seen is if the budget referendum fails, the assumption is that the budget was too high and the um board of finance will lower the budget. Even if you're voting to say I wanted it to be higher, so I'm going to say no. Generally, I've not seen it work that way. So, I'm not saying it can't, but um generally it would mean that we would come down more. So, um that's kind of the timeline of of the next how we got here and then the next month um of discussions in terms of tonight. What I think and I'm hoping we can do is I'd like
009to start on all the non-staff um opportunities for savings that we have and we'll go through side by side and appreciate um Jeff, his team, all the admin who have worked very hard to say what can we do very creative um options and solutions to to minimize the impact on staff. We need to go through each of these. uh we can ask questions and get clarifications and understand impacts and stuff, but we can go through and I'll tally up what savings that we've agreed to and then we'll come to a number before we hit the staff to say, okay, of the million and a half. Um how far down have we gotten? And then the the rest will come from staff. Now staff does include open slots and shifting and there's some creative moves I
010think that um the administration have come up with that maybe minimize also minimize the impact on staff but um we'll go through that and and discuss those as well. So that was the plan. Any questions or thoughts before we leave? Quick clarifying question. So to the point around at the referendum at that point if it does voted down. We're only decreasing the budget at that point in time. That is, and again, I don't know what the chances of this are, but next week's public meeting. However, that is a little bit of a different story in which again, don't know how likely it is, but you know, based on input from the public, there could be the decision made that we're not going to cut out 1.5 million, but x number. Great clarification. You're 100% right.
011That's the point where the and historically we've the board of finance has reinstated funds to the board of ed. Once it's past that point, it kind of goes to referendum and it it kind of is I don't think there's at least historically not much is going to change after that. You go to referendum. So you're 100% right. Thanks. That's important clarification. That's the meeting where things can change up or down. They go down. I guess it was maybe it has gone both ways from I I I remember correctly. I think remember us getting money back. I don't remember them increasing the increasing what we required. So, in other words, the million and a half could go down to 125 or one or something like that. I don't know that I've ever seen it go up
0121.7. Probably could though, right? It could in theory. It could go either way, but for the most part, yeah, we I guess if the public here if a lot of people come out and say it's too high, you need to do something about it. You I guess it could go that way. I don't know. We're operating off of the 1.5 million, which we we have to at this point in time, but that won't be set in stone until after next week. Exactly. And the purpose of us coming up with the one and a half is because we want to inform the public as to say if we have to save one and a half, what does that mean? It's I think it's very hard for people who aren't sitting in this room and spending hours
013and thinking about this. Most people aren't. And it's like, do I need to worry about this or don't I need to worry about this? And when you get to the order map, what does it mean? And so when we start going through this, this is what it's going to mean. I think that articulates well for um for the general public to say, okay, here's the implications of that. I agree with it or I don't agree with it. And then I can come to the meeting and speak. Okay. Um, other thoughts or questions? Well, two things. I thought it was 1.35, not 1.5. It's uh, okay. Important. So, from our 6.72, it's a 1.5 reduction. In our 6.72, it had our health care at 11% increase. It's only 9%. So, we do save 150,000 of. So
014what we need to find in addition to the health care I was going to include the healthcare savings we need to find 1.35 in addition to the we get the 150 savings for the healthcare reduction ambiguous though I think we need to be really clear and say we need to look for 1.35 1.35 there's a big difference between one and that and 1.5 so we just we just need to be clear with everybody on the playing field and I think it's the reason I'm gonna stick with 1 5 is what the board has approved as a 6.72 budget. That's what we approved a month ago. It is one and a half lower 1.5 million lower than the 6.72. I think that's okay. It is one I mean if others want to speak differently for me
015it's clear we approve you know our line in the sand was 6.72 we are coming down 1.5 ft. We got help of 150,000 through healthcare and now there's another 1.35 that we need to find. I understand. I just don't I just see it differently. Just fine. Um and then this document that we have in front of us, this is what we had asked for our beloved administrators to do was to come up with whatever they could come up with as far as reduction to try to hit that 1.35. Correct. It's a combination of that as well as some other board also asks some staffing recommendations as well. We're going to go through that. Okay. Line by line. Okay. Great. Thank you. Those pages. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so why don't we um get into it and
016and start and see how it goes. So we're going to start. Let me just see. Grant, can you show that for me up on them? It's great. So everybody at home, uh, would you mind running those slides? And I've got a couple extra copies here, too. If anybody in the back, you can kind of see numbers or so forth. as he pulled that up as terms of our discussion. These are ideas. Yeah, this is all please ask what's the impact and we have to decide are we okay with these um because there might be things that are suggested or or put on this list that we say I don't think we should do that. Um and so this is for us to decide. This isn't decided. All right. Before we start though, are our administrators,
017our stakeholders, are they okay with this? Nobody's okay with this. Yeah, we're we're going to go through it though. This is what you asked them to to go find. Say this is what they did. So, so at the last meeting we we requested from the administr say get a 20% non what would 20% non-staff reduction of their non-staff costs you had to reduce that by 20%. What would that look like? So it wasn't saying should we or this is what we would do. We kind of said what would 20%. So this gives us the option of from that 20% we might say the high school should be 15 and an center should be eight and should be 12 or whatever but they these are the 20% this is for the 20% this is how this
018is the things that they would do well I know nobody likes it none of us like it none of it we all wish we could have you know the entire buffet but yeah and what I did was I tried to take a broad approach because like the high school middle school especially I can't list everything that makes up like high school's 45,000 I guess why. So Mr. Kid is here. He's got the full list. So if we have questions about a deeper dive in any of these core areas again this the broader approach for each school that we can administer share that thank you everyone for being here. Yes. So um so I think as as Mr. Mr. Bowman said it's a good place to start is you know where for that 20% we're talking
019from each of the schools that's what these first set of slides are and then we can talk about you know staffing so let me just kind of thanks and staff um went to departments went to team leaders went to teams grade levels individuals and and asked for asked for some additional pardon. So at the high school level, uh there's kind of those two core areas of impacts. Uh you know, instructional resources and I'm on slide two, instructional resources and supplies as well as um opportunities and services which are most greatly impacted from what Mr. Kid did the collective and we had shared. So um on the instructional resources and supplies and I think you'll see a theme in all the schools with um where those reductions were coming from was you know instructional supplies and
020classroom supplies which impact teachers and students but um the high school you know repairs to some science you know equipment microscopes and things of that nature in there uh reduction in some professional memberships um some AP exam prep material reductions um special area you know equipment library materials you know, your kid has, you know, a greater breakdown if you want to dive into anything, you know, deep. Um, and then enrichment opportunities and services. Uh, reduction in, you know, regional college and career visits, the transportation side of getting kids, um, and transporting them to regional college and career visits. We reduce that. Elimination of the ninth grade of PSAT, it's a cost associated with that. Uh, a reduction in student conferences and field trips. um and some post-secary um college and career pathways opportunities not specific
021to you know all of our other pathways that we deal with a greater capacity um this is on more the college career side of things. So you add and again those break down into further microcosms but they all add up across the entire school about 20% of 45868 ask questions the end. No, I mean if you want to jump in on each school, we can ask question school by school and we can uh you know have a question. Yes, I do. Okay, Joe and then Kate. Okay. Uh is this elimination of the PSATs for 9th grade? Is that something that parents can incur that cost if they still wanted our students to their student to participate in? It's I I wouldn't incur that cost on parents. Um it's an educational component. um supposed to be
022a free public education. So I would not okay I would not personally speaking. It's not been discussed. I don't know if any of that had thought it come up at all, but I would want to incur that cost on parents. But don't parents pay for the SATs anyway. There's an there's an SAT. Yeah. And this is PSAT school day school day SAT that you know here um be eliminating that practice exam for the freshman. Thank you. The other thing we talked about was consolidation of some of the AP and doing it not every well that that's on the staffing side. So when we get a little bit later we can open that up. Okay. Staffing there is a reduction of some staffing um components that would impact some of that might may drive some of
023that. is more young. I I I was going to maybe make a suggestion because I know these all these things wouldn't fit on a slide, but instead of going through and asking a bunch of questions, is there could we get our administrators to kind of summarize the impacts of these eight bullet items on each thing and just quick like if we gave them you know I don't know few minutes maybe then it would be a clearer picture. for example, you know, what trips are getting cancelled, what you know, how is the the PSAT is that um generally my understanding of giving that is that you know that is it do we take the data and then individualize instruction or modify uh that we are or is it just a snapshot and an experience? you know,
024how how is this stuff being used so that we know really more of the impact of each of those things versus, you know, because it to look at it and I think what is it? So, if we don't have the professional memberships, what does that mean? What happens if we don't have the SAT prep? What do we what does that mean? What what are we going to I think we need more time to digest that bill to be honest. Um because they collected information. um it might not be the final decision, you know, or which field trip or which experience is going to get eliminated. We just haven't had time to think digest all of that. You with the vacation last week, the week before that was the board meeting. So, we've had limited time.
025So, what you have is just kind of we asked them to jump out there and collect this information from their grade levels, pull it together, and I tried to summarize it either. Okay. So, I I don't know. Do you feel as though it would be helpful for you to just kind of run down at least a few of the things that are in your head to to give greater clarification? Cuz I don't know. So, I think that uh there are things on here that we're not going to be able to answer tonight like what field trips are going to be cancelled. We're going to save money there, but I I'm not I don't think we should be uh asked to say Germany's not going, but yeah, we don't know yet. This one's going and that
026one's not going. I think a quick summary of some of this, but I I'm not sure that anybody went into the great to the detail of I'm cutting $2,000 of supplies and these are the exact ones I'm doing. I know I didn't do that. I'm going to try to save that money through, you know, not paying a shipping fee or not, you know, not finding a better price somewhere else. But I'm not I don't have those specific details. And I don't think, you know, asking what field trips are going or not going is where the areas that were basically identified as targets for for now. I mean you it's it's not enough time to pull that. We don't know yet specifically, you know, in the case of in the case of the PSAT, you know,
027that one is is it's something that we do and have traditionally have done to give our kids an opportunity. We don't have to. Um it's useful data. Um it, you know, it certainly helps us identify gaps and, you know, students who need support and it's traditionally something we've done. It's also not something that we have to do, you know. So that that's a that's a little bit more straightforward um than something like, you know, field trips. I would agree. Yeah. I guess maybe one thing we have a common theme for myself going through is I want to be careful that we're not deferring costs from this year to next year and then we end up with double the cost next year when we know again using the assume we're going to grow at three or
0284% a year going in and we're going to work on a three-year plan and there's things we'll do looking forward Bill, you asked, you know, Mariana say if you rolled forward, where would we be? We roll forward, we're probably at a lot higher than three and 4%. Um, would be my guess. So, my worry of deferring like repairs to science equipment is if we defer one is is the equipment hopefully is still useful, but if it's not you if if it if it's not useful, we need to repair it. If it is useful, but it's really on its kind of last legs and we're going to need it next year. Now, we're just kind of digging a hole for ourselves for next year. So, I want to be cautious for myself. I I I don't
029I don't want to just defer a problem. We've done that in the past with some building stuff and it's easy to say, "Well, give it one more year. Give it one more year and then it all piles up. We have one big um big increase that we trying to figure out how to manage. So the more we can smooth out some of these costs over years that is I mean so in terms of the like repairs to the science equipment is this just a deferral a one kind of more of a one-year deferral do you think? So what I what I would say after listening to your conversation at at the last meeting was that I went to my CILs, my department heads, and I said, "Listen, this is this is what I'm asking you
030to look for. Go go back through your budget requests and find me um 20% savings and what you feel would be, you know, the le the least impactful, let's just say, on on staff and students. um no matter what there's, you know, an impact on, you know, e everything here, academics, post-secary readiness, all that stuff. Um but they're not they weren't going and uh being careless or or carefree. They were going in carefully here and trying to say all what what can we yes put, you know, put off for a year, microscope repair, that sort of thing. Um, so they all went and I thought did a very thorough and careful job at going back and trying to be as, you know, fiscally responsible as possible knowing, you know, what um, you know, the board
031of education is is dealing with right now. Let me just preface one other thing, too. All of the buildings at the 20% adds up to 120 just over $128,000. So when you when you add all those up, so it's it's a number. It's not a huge number, but it's a it's a sizable number. Um you then add in and you'll see this later on in all the staffing components. We're through this entire slide deck, we're at 1,412,512 in in total reduction. So we're above the want to call it the 1,3,000. If you add in the 150, you know, you're at 1,562,512. So, we've got more in here than hopefully we need and we're going to fight as well to try and get some money back from the board of finance as well. So, I just
032want to preface that, too. So, I'm really hoping most of these things aren't going to be limited because they're directly impacting classrooms and microscopes in the CL, you know, texting. supplies which do nothing but frustrate and anger teachers and kids. So, just wanted to, you know, to preface that. Why don't we move on because I think it's good. We kind of have a little bit of a flavor for the high school. Why don't we move to the middle school, go to the elementaryaries, and then kind of come back and see, you know, what we want to do, pull it and and go through these and then talk about what we want to do with theund potential 128,000 and do we want to take all of that or part of that? Um, something's hands up. Hey,
033hi. Thank you. Yes, I just have a quick clarification. The PAT 9 isn't that something that is used to check for eligibility for some kind of scholarship? Is the PSAT9 used for scholarships or other we can yeah I can I can look into that more more closely. um you know there there is um national merit scholarships associated with performance on PSAT SAT so I can the 10th grade PSAT I can I can get more clarification on that from school counseling okay just just a clarification you know mean it's it's okay to be listed here I'm just I'm just making sure that we are not you know not not eliminating opportunities for our kids so thank you thank you thanks thanks a okay so moving Moving on uh the middle school. Yeah. So, when you're looking
034at the middle school, the instructional supplies um Kelly just went in each of these these core areas, but you're looking at, you know, $1,000 in art, 1,500 tech,000 PE or 2,000. So, the the smaller, you know, the smaller numbers. Um we can this we do have a monetary, you know, breakdown if if we want to to share that out. Um but again, they're just they're hitting their equipment, their supplies that they would be regularly purchasing. Um the other side greater or larger equipment, assemblies, other items. Um it was a media center uh equipment. Those are some I think chairs and tables. Library books, a reduction in the purchase of library books. Uh less student presentations. So we have people come in to do a presentation. We there's zero student presentations. Okay. So we cut that
035all together. Okay. I didn't know it was zero. All right. Um professional development reduction professional develop for staff and PD. Um, and then not necessarily cutting student clubs, correct me if I'm wrong, but but supplies for clubs. Well, some of that would be transportation for our students. We've worked really hard at having our student leaders go down to the elementary schools uh to talk about that transition from four to five at the middle school experience. And then on the flip side, um, as a district, we've worked really hard to collaborate with Salem. So, this year we started having our student leaders go with Salem. um money for transportation is gone for next year. So So all of that adds up to the 30 as well as advisory supplies. That's something that we do with our
036social emotional um that aligns to castle competencies. That's by weekly. Uh so it meets twice a month in small groups anywhere from 9 to 12 students with the teacher and hoping to bridge and form. The groups will still run. We're just going to have to try to figure out how to run these groups without some of the um lessons or some of the u materials that they utilize to be able to facilitate the lessons. There's no funding available for that either. Have to try to improvise the what we do during that time in the lessons that are provided. Shifts could happen etc. I think for anything instructional supplies related, you should be anticipating that the unintended consequence of that would be that the cost then falls on teachers. Yeah, exactly. I almost put that in
037here, but I didn't. Yeah, you're absolutely right. They're going to go buy these things themselves. Yeah, cutting them from the budget, but Yeah, which is another impact on staff. Yeah, go ahead. So can people and this may be another question can people donate or whatever or should is something we have to uh the educational fund I'm just thinking I think our parents some of our parents or all of our parents are extremely generous so is this something that we can maybe talk about later in the year? Yeah, I think you can you can always ask just how many times you go to just want to be thoughtful of of that and putting a lot on parents and you know we ask for so much being parent myself I know how many times I'm writing a
038check or cash ask for you know this that or everything for my my kids um but uh but but it is uh it is always Jeff can I just add the only other thing that wasn't mentioned is the uh PE fitness equipment center that was something that was approved moved earlier on and it was done to help pay the cost in a three-year rotation, a three-year cycle. So, they have the PE department has received two of those three years, but the third one um has been cut as well and that impacts the wellness center and some of the activities that they do. I know when reporting to walk through some of the members that were there, we did have a chance to stop in the fitness center and you were able to see firsthand some
039of the different um activities and equipment that it gets. So, um, that's a huge $1,000 worth of planning. Okay, we move on to Flanders. So, the ele Yeah, at the elementary level, you know, it's pretty similar. Um I just tried to break out a couple of different angles uh you know with Landers um classroom book sets uh reduce their story walk which was just set up reduction in the book sets that would go into those um else the signs sign yeah where where we have outside yeah um obviously classroom instructional supplies that that theme you know continues um it could be $60 here. It could be 500 there. It could, you know, that sort of thing. So, we've kind of got that breakdown from all the all the uh grade levels and then um equipment
040uh special area, you know, supplies. You need our music that I know, you know, 1500 here um there, 3,000 there, and that all adds up to 13,95, which is roughly 20% of Landers's budget increase. um willbe um classroom library book sets were identified uh classroom special area instructional supplies as well and the same thing you would uh forward you know art music and classroom would be reduced um you know every school with the biggest elementary school about 20,000 the same thing just with NCS NCS still have the morning show coordinator stipen positions remove that scholastic news provos mentioning seen that level assessment reductions as well mentioned that you have some structural supplies in there total obviously the smallest of the so um again that all five buildings adds up to um still 128,000 like 1282
041199 the total. Um there was also uh and I I put in there uh just the impacts of some of that. I just wanted to make sure we notated that you know these are uh directly impacting students and teachers uh especially our departments and classrooms with the impact of the loss of supplies and materials reduction and professional development and there you can see the total value. We also had athletics and facilities and um social we can stop pause just on the five buildings and just get a feel. So the the five buildings total you go to the previous slide. Five buildings totaled 128. um kind of hearing the things that I've heard is definitely has me concerned um that I'm not overly comfortable with that. Um knowing we have to get reductions. I it's a
042low number so maybe it needs to be higher and maybe people have said elsewhere but I'm I don't I there's a lot of these things that I don't want to touch. So, what if I'm going to throw numbers out there, but let's discuss debate whatever. Um what if we said the high school find 10,000, middle school find 10,000, and elementary schools collectively find 10. Actually, it's there's three. Well, and and we'll have to figure out the breakdown of elementary schools. And I don't that only then gets 30. So, I just a 100,000 basically of savings that just disappeared. So, I understand that. Um I just some of these things I'm pretty concerned about, but you think we need to go more so 10 too low or people want to go the full the full one.
043We could do we could cut it in half people's reductions. In other words, the high school be 22, middle school about [Music] elementary would be about 20. Could do instead of 10 each, you could do about 20 each and that would be um to 60 grand. Uh, I personally think it would be helpful to review the full kind of deck and proposal. I just think having the context of what else is coming, okay, might be helpful and then go back. I just don't Yeah, I I mean, I'm in agreement, but I I'd like the full picture first, but I'm open to push back if others don't like No, no. Okay, good. I I would like to second that proposal. Okay, let's keep moving on and we go to the athletic department. Okay. Yes. So, we
044had uh we did um looked at all serious the athletic department reductions. Um so, we with the contract for the athletic uh trainer uh we had budgeted a certain amount and it came in uh lower. So, we had some savings there. So, that's part of,000. Um, also a few supplies were reduced for that individual as well. We're that for Mr. Maru. Um, and then some sports equipment specifically um football reduction about $35,000 which made up 18,000. So uh that was uh so these are undeal minimal impacts that the athletic trainer savings. Yes. So right out of the gate um that can be removed. So five uh I think 7,000. So um because the content came in so the sports equipment is is different with a couple thousand there. The remaining amount is still something that's
045on the table that break as well. if you want the exact dollar amount I can. So you want just hold on to that one. Yeah. But definitely the contract savings there facility. So facilities. So this is where there was already a lot of discussion about the middle school uh KA carpet that would schedule. We're on that schedule to be replaced. That's a $45,000 um ticket item. Um Mr. uh or Dr. London uh Mrs. Kelly and uh had custodian Mr. Kums walked through the KA looked at it. Mr. Kums has some extra squares. Correct me if I'm wrong. He can use those to patch here and there if we want. Um so, you know, I we've tried to shy away from, you know, halting facility projects because they just get backed up. So, if you halt,
046then you've got two of them now for, you know, a following year. So now you're 90,000 just to when would the next Eva carpet is there another KA carpet replacement next year? Yeah, they rotate through one year each cycle. So we're in the downstairs level in the Bay House office. Um so we we did also u Mr. Lond Mr. Kums and I also projected what would be the following here. So we're not stacking two in one year and looked at the condition of that. Um so Mr. Crooms also has the capacity to batch and peacemail um if needed but not ideal. Well, that's something to um to consider. Again, that cost, you know, used to be in the 20s and now keeps going up. It's gone up significantly. Um and that's probably going up. Yeah,
047it could continue to go up labor. Um, so that's something to consider though. That's 45K. Um, the high school office teller window actually is already out. So that was a mistake that that's that's in there. Um, Mr. Steven's already taken that one. I hope. Yeah. So drop the 60 down to 55. That's not in the budget already. No, there isn't an opportunity. Okay. So 55. Yep. And then the high school carpeting makes up the other 10,000. We had already reduced some areas but we need to do because of the we still need to do the planetarium type of carbon but that would the 10,000 of savings does not include the planetarium because we have to do the planetarian correct we had 15 originally it's m originally I heard you say 35k is 45k for the
048keepa carpet middle school carpet is 45,000 it used to be cheaper It used to be, you know, high 20s, low 30s. 35. Yeah. Broke 45,000. So that's um facilities security um and uh we had some plans for a few camera upgrades um in in some various areas in the specifics for security items, but we were going to upgrade a few cameras. They're still working and functioning properly, but you know, we continued cycles of replacement. We found that we could save uh through there and uh reduce that if necessary. Um so be a $10,000 savings. And then um all of our um instructional software items come out of three leases budget. Um so we have others that we're continuing to look at. We track usage data. So how many teachers or students are using certain um
049software programs? We felt that uh these two uh New Zella kind of a news content subscription and uh Ammy an annotation tool for students could be reduced fairly expensive. Newella is like almost 14,000 you've heard of it. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Use it every day. So, um, you know, and we we received got some feedback from, uh, our tech committee, technology committee. There's teachers on that in a couple weeks. And again, we've got a few others that we're looking at as well, which potentially, you know, could not be uh, renewed next year. So, there'll be non-renewals there. Um, just a reminder too, which has already been reduced in the technology world, remember we continued the tech contact at central office 2. So we brought we're bringing those folks in house saved us 41,000. So that's that's
050our we can pause there if you want or however you want to. So that is the non staff questions. You want to go through and go through the potential staff holistically? Do you want to talk about the non- staff and then I think that's it for Um, okay. So, let me just practice uh with staffing. Um, again, many moving parts with this. what you see right now in the end might not necessarily be kind of where we're at because of um we're trying to float the idea and we're pushing out uh the idea of potentially a retirement incentive. Um so um reached out to Mr. Mayhan certified teachers union president as well as Mr. Provos admin union president for those two bargaining groups. Those are the two groups we'd be looking at. See if we
051can gain some feedback as to, you know, interest in doing a two uh a $20,000 um out over two years, 10,000 a year or um a uh two years of continued health insurance, which could be held off in use uh with it could be used within a fiveyear window, so they don't have to use it right away. So, some possible interest in maybe deferring it or to help out somebody um maybe has a spouse that's still using their insurance and then they switch over that sort of thing. So, so that information um we're just trying to gather some feedback. So, I don't have any numbers yet on interest, but we have to have a handful of folks that might be interested effort to make it worthwhile because if we offer it um and we only
052have the people that said they're going to retire now, we're paying that out anyways. So, um, just want to preface that. Um, and so we would need just on that, we would need an in of of staff who have not already said they're going to retire. We would need at least a few. Yeah. Exactly. To accept. Exactly. Which means we need an larger than a few because some choose not to. Correct. Correct. Do we know how large the pool? We we basically going to push it out to everybody. Um who knows? Maybe there is somebody in their late 50s that uh is, you know, uh has a situation uh in their life that they could retire, you know, earlier. Um, but I think we were kind of targeting that, you know, 61 to 63 age
053range and then two years if you're 63, two years of insurance will get you to 65. Yeah. That sort of thing. So, timing you're hoping to get that. Um, I have to circle back with Mr. Mayan and Mr. Provost. Uh, but you know, hope the next week and a half to two weeks at the most so we could have a clearer picture, especially once we get past next Monday night and we have a bigger idea of, you know, stand for. So that's still a work in progress. I appreciate, you know, their support helping to try and gather some some information on that. Thought it be might a little bit of a better approach utilizing the bargaining unit um leaders uh versus central office sending something out. I don't you know, we might be able to
054gather a little bit more information. So we'll see um what we get uh do that. Um, let me preface too with staffing. The main goal in all of this and our approach in looking at this was to try and save as many people keep people employed. That that that's the main goal. that has a position. We have 10 FTE reductions on this between the next two slides. Um with only four as of right now with a lot of moving the cups around and so forth and and jockeying things around and I can talk about some of those um four people who certified staff would not have a position. So ideally we want to get that down to zero if possible but uh maybe the retirement incentive would help um further conversations have configurations like you
055know there's uh you know technology position at the high school that's open. We have another certified staff member um who is looking at getting uh the certification in that field potentially we could desm potentially could be losing their position. So there there's an example of things we're we're looking another idea which I want to float to make sure the whole board here is because this is a big one is at the high school with the current um we right now we've got a posting out there for an assistant principal position. We have an intern in there um Lisa Balile um we were only planning on having her there for the rest of this year. One of the reductions on here is a counseling position. we would leave her in that position and she is amendable
056to this um for one more year. There'd be a process still obviously at the end of next year for interviews a whole process um which she would have to go through if she's interested in applying and we would allow her to apply because that originally wasn't the plan but we would save a counseling position by doing something of that nature and it would give Mr. Kidd a little bit more time too to kind of really hone in on what his needs are. It's been a quick jaunt since January for Mr. Kid. Uh to jump right into interviews now and finding, you know, and so it's it's something really to think about and saves a person's job um potentially for for next year. So, I want to make sure I'm remembering this correctly. Did didn't we
057bring someone on to backfill that counseling position? We did, but it's only a temporary with a temporary. Yep. That person knows that their job is is they're not going to be here next year. It's they know that. Okay. Okay. So, this um jumping ahead here, but the one FTE counseling exactly could be saved. That person um the position could go, but another person in one of the one of those roles could be saved and not lose not lose their job. I have more questions on that, but I will they're not relevant right now. I don't I'm going to preface on that. I don't want to use names because you know people things you know again move around etc. So my question around the counseling is is who's servicing those kids right now? Who's would service
058those kids? If you don't fill that position, it would be spread among all the other counsel. The other counselors would increase their workload. I just want to make sure that we're saying this truthfully. The other counselor workreed, correct? You're reducing a physician. It's time for helping students with their classes and college applications. Their workload increased significantly by picking up these kits. At that point, would we be able to get data on what case loads would look like? Sure. Yeah, they would be they would be over 190 um per counselor per per counselor, you know, is that the final increase once we and that that that's rough. That's just me doing some Yeah. Um, but yeah, the case loads would be larger and we do have a a CIL, a curriculum instructional leader that has a
059smaller case load than the other four remaining counselors would have, let's just say. Um, so yeah, a typical case load would be over 190 students. We're just shy of 900 in the building. Um, and you know, um, we we used to have a fully staffed college and career center as well. do not anymore. Um so more has been put on the C, you know, even though our student body is less um than what it used to be, the counselors have taken on more um you know, as a result. There's something else too before we start talking about people. I'd like to go back to what Mr. Dow said about cuts we've made in the past and the hurts that they've been given. We cut elementary language years ago and every year we ask to bring
060it back but there's no space for it. There's no money for it. And my concern besides cutting the 1.35 million that we need to cut is that we cut these people these positions that help our kids every day and then we never get them back. Yeah. We won't we'll never get these people back. And if we do put this out there that we want to get these people back, they're not going to want to come. They're afraid of their good job getting cut again. But just before we start this disgusting thing that's in front of us, just want to put that out there that we'll probably never get these positions back. Yeah, it's always harder once you let go of the to get it back. Correct. That's why there there's no there's nothing easy about
061any of this. You know, you're trying to find a million. You know, this adds up to a million dollars trying to get to the 1.35 right now, which you know, we've done, but and these are moving targets as well. So we tried to look at, you know, the data that you all received, the average class size information um at the high schools, the board of finance had asked for all that. So we were kind of working off of of that and everything that was shared. So um and the other I mean I have to go through line by line here. You can see you know the other areas a lot is based off of you know class size, total student numbers by school. Um Mr. kid has done great job reaching out uh and working
062with people. There's some individuals like you see language arts at one folks are interested in going from 1.0 down to a point 6. So there's some movement uh there as well. Um and we're still working at you know another retirement or two as well even outside of the offering retirement incentives. So we're looking at some some different options and remember high school staff displace and bump middle school staff middle school certified staff are aware and and they're looking at different options you know with Mrs. Kelly as to our multi- language learner teacher at the elementary level is retiring the end of the year. There's a few other people at the middle school have that certification certification. I guarantee you one of them is going to slide into that position which then opens up you know
063a uh another teaching position. So that saves a job. That's what we're trying to do with the uh moving of the call those things. You know, you move it around. Yeah. The cups or whatever you want to call it. Exactly. So the shell game and then like All right. Um thanks, Eric. So I I actually have a couple of clarifications um on this slide which is currently being shown and then and and on on on a previous slide. So I'll I'll probably start with this and go to the other slide. So with on this slide we have and I'm I'm going to just repeat something that Jamie just mentioned. I mean this this this is not something that I like doing. I I hate myself right now for asking some of these questions. But you
064know um we are in this position and we don't really have a choice. That being said, uh my first clarification question is um how did we arrive at at at the this one. So you know this this list of of of cuts that we want to make. Uh was it based on need or or what was what was the basis? I Jeff, I think you mentioned about class sizes. Was that the only thing or were there were some other considerations? No, there's some other other considerations that are involved in some of this feedback, but mainly it's looking at those average class size numbers which you know we had we had shared with you. So those core areas um are in there, you know, me, math, science, social studies. Um those are all right. And there
065were some other some other thoughts uh you know people again the shell game of some potential people you know looking to maybe move around. Um again trying to come up with a million dollars of reductions between really the high school and the elementary because the middle school numbers are class size numbers are are right where they uh they should be u or they need to be I guess you don't know. Yeah. We range for anywhere from 24 to 27 students in a classroom. Yeah. and we had made that reduction there two three years ago and there hasn't been a reduction at the high school with the numbers. So just facts of what you know where we're at. Okay. All right. Um and the second thing is is I got a little bit confused for that
066one counseling position that that that we are that we are accounting for over here. That's basically the the the role that is being played by our one counselor right now as as the assistant principal and that that movement is basically creating that extra position which currently is temporary and we will not fill that. Is that what this one counseling position is? Correct. We would not have the long-term sub that's in that position now come back next year. That position would remain vacant. Thank you for that clarification. And um and Jeff, I know you you mentioned that there are a few moving parts. Could you help me understand what's the best case scenario if some of the other moving parts that you are working on play out and what is the worst case scenario? I'm assuming
067the worst case scenario is this is the list. But what could be the best case scenario if of all the other minations that you are trying to do work out in some shape or form? So, as of right now, and you know, again, like this could change tomorrow. It's the best case scenario is that that four people not having a position out of the 10 certified staffing positions that are listed as potential reductions. Um, worst case scenario, probably around seven individuals losing their position, losing their job basically. And that that's the list here, right? That's what that's the list between high school and elementary 10 certified staffing positions. Correct. So maybe it's worth clarifying Vic because I think you're you're thinking. So the the numbers here represent roles. So there's one role for high school
068and instructional co coach one role for high school social studies. But if there is a retirement let's say this social I'm just using this example social studies someone retired from social studies. If we don't fill that role not there's no there's not a person losing a job. we're eliminating an empty role. So that's why when you add up these numbers, as Jeff said, you add it up, it's a 10, but it might only be four. Only is a terrible word. So there may be four people who are impacted, but there were six open roles that were able to move things around. So four impacted. Does that help? Yeah, that helps. So I mean I'm trying to well I'm trying to get to what's the best case mean what's the best case scenario if if if
069we move things around where people are not impacted. That's kind of what I'm trying to understand. Okay. No, that and that helps me. All right. That's exactly what we're always looking for is ideas. business administration has been great about trying to find and talk with people about ways to save people and be able to move them under the certifications potentially or like a DESAP certification, a durational area shortage permit certification um to move somebody into another role that is actively seeking that certification. Okay. All right. So I think that yeah that helps me out a little bit. Now I'll if if this this sec the last clarification that I have which is on a separate which is related to a separate slide. If it if you know if you want me to table this for
070later discussion that's fine but I'm going to ask it anyways. The athletics department h has proposed a cut of about 18,000. Is does that con constitute like 20% of what means how what what's the percent? Yep. We gave them 20% as well and that's and that's the 20% is is 18,000. Yes. Okay. Thank you. 20% of non-staff related. Yeah, those are non-staff non- staff related productions. Okay. Thank you. Let me let me just preface one other um important piece because the the trickle down effect of this is incredible because you look at high school, you know, PE um that trickles down to potentially bumping reduction at the elementary level because of that's a K12 certification. So that that that's where that's where the shell game comes into play of seniority and trying to figure out
071all those you know those moving parts. So um and we have tried to administrators have done a lot of work and tried to connect with as many people as possible that potentially could be impacted but it's that potential. Not saying that it's going to happen. We won't know for sure yet. Um it's potential but we want to make sure positions we're talking about now are not you know people aren't oh my god I just heard that for the first time. So they've tried to reach out to speak to all. Okay. Thank you. And I'll just maybe make a quick comment, you know, mean because we we are I don't think anybody is feeling good about any of this conversation that we are having. I think as a community we have to recognize that you know
072means education is not going to be a zero sum game you know means you you'll you'll you you'll have a situations where you actually have to sometimes to maintain our standard maintain our quality have to pay more and and and contribute more as a community contribute more and you know it's not an on andoff switch you know you can't you can't rebuild an organization uh which which which and the quality that we have if we let go of of some of these things because as you know I I I have to agree with Jamie some of these things will never come back. We will never we will never be able to refill this in in the in you know in the future um if if if we if we make these cuts you know so
073so it's not an on andoff switch. I think we as a community need to recognize that. So I I'll just end my my clarifications with that comment. Thank you. Thanks PC. Yeah, I mean one note on the kind of I understand that have to or bumping teachers for positions based on seniority. I recognize that we don't have a lot of control over that, but that also puts teachers who are it's it's painful for folks who are getting bumped, but it's also really painful for the other teachers who are making that shift and to no fault of their own bumping another teacher. But um as far as like walking through I know we're still in the process of working to get creative but we're walking through some of these uh recommendations for lack of a better
074word. It would also be helpful to understand you know to the point of kind of ripple effects as Mr. D noted like obviously not using you know teacher names but with certain positions what the impact would be on class size what the impact would be on um kind of any other positions that that person you know who might be losing a seat might might hold just to kind of understand oh and sorry the other thing uh any course any uh impact courses um right like would any of the reduction mean that a certain course that had previously been offered would no longer be able to be be offered or would be less accessible to you know uh you know a cohort of students. Um kind of getting that level of detail to help to really
075understand the impact of these reductions would be helpful as we're drilling down into additional layers. Yes. Yep. I think just extending on that thinking um if we could get a sense of um programming if we're talking about elimination right I think that is have to um understand it but if that's what we're talking about versus say consolidating or deferring um as as we're getting to the level of um you know impact across what we're talking about. mind if I jump in just respond to what Lee was kind of asking just to give a you know and I'll speak I can speak generally um you know class sizes at the high school we you know we understand um that our school isn't 1300 strong anymore you know so so we understand that um I think it's
076important to remember that because of seniority and because of the way contracts work and all that we don't we also don't get to pick and choose who's who's going where, you know, and in some cases, like for example with social studies, you might end up with someone who is a trained AP teacher, you know, and that can take away from student opportunity. Um, you know, in the case of English, you know, we can only offer um the Yukon ECE, for example, senior um seminar class in writing to 60 kids per certified teacher. So if the person that ends up being bumped or or what have you um has that certification which you need a master's degree in English for that's a very specific um class a very specific um you know position and a very
077specific opportunity for students as well. So we understand we understand class size um you know but the other thing to think about is you know the the load of students per teacher not just class size because class size if you're teaching two very specialty courses you might have two smaller classes but that impact on other people in your department could push your case load overall to a 100 students. Um, if each of those 100 students write a three-page essay, let's just say that's a lot that's a lot of reading to do. Um, so so we understand we understand class size 100%. But I think you know when you drill down on what the impact here would mean, it would mean reduced opportunity in many cases for those niche areas of courses. Um uh you know
078for our students um and also in some cases people have been with us for a long time. Um uh and who contribute more than just to the four walls of the classroom. um coaches, mentors, class advisors. Um so culturally um you know a big impact um for us uh and again we we understand what the the lay of the land is and fiscally um the situation we are all in. Um but just want those things obviously considered and discussed as well. Bound by seniority, you know, you don't always have a say in who person is because they're the lowest on the total or lower down. I just think that data is really helpful. I mean, even hearing that reducing one counselor would mean that case loads go up to 190 students. Like that is I
079think beyond just the titles here really helps kind of illustrate what the impact to kids and teachers is. Neils High School and I mean elementary um We had talked about uh well just to kind of a recap um we reduced uh the one uh teaching position um attrition over at uh Atlantic Center in grade four. Um this other one was a grade one which we were was being discussed. We've heard from some parents and and uh parent community and staff umly so with where the class size numbers would be. We've spoken to Mrs. Showman um the idea came forward of potentially you know moving from grade one and moving into grade two. Um so that grade that current a class size wouldn't remain at one a year or 21 going into first grade. they would
080have an experience of lesser students and we would move to grade two going grade one to grade two. So um again you're you're robbing Peter to pay Paul a little bit but at least not impacting the same grade as they travel through school. That makes that makes sense. So um that would be a reduction. Again there's you know no impact on anybody's uh position there um anybody losing their job I should say. math coach. Given the fact that Nyanic Center and Flanders um have roughly 11 to 12 sections um in each of their schools versus Lily B which is at 21. Um we've spoken with the current Flanders math math coach who used to travel between all three schools and and she can travel between two schools cover the math coaching component. um as I
081say that for literacy such a bigger animal rhythm's in play but for math because the math coach at NYX center is retiring so that opens up that position so we would eliminate that position to go between the two and then um due to some Mrs. Davis is here, but we have some lower numbers at the preschool again next year. We feel that we can uh make a reduction there. Right. That was in response to numbers that we added. So we feel like it's responsible to believe in response to numbers. I would also say that two of the parah positions that are unfilled or associated with that class and so they've been covering between all the preschool classes this year. So that would actually sort of help because then they wouldn't be trying to sub across
082uh four five classes. They would be four and we feel more confident that they would be fully staffed all the time. So um you can think of that as one teacher and two open par positions. So that's what we'd be looking at questions there. Are any of [Music] the are all three elementary positions open? In other words, was a retirement math coach was a retirement. Two out of three. Yes. One person the other additional the other um areas it was uh mentioned um about we remember we already five par educator open positions an additional four. So that's more positions um that we're looking at. Um sub coverage reduction of 90,000. This came out of COVID where um we were trying to get creative and how we hired flex floaters. They could kind of jack all
083trades helping out in classrooms, helping out a recess, etc. We would reduce those last two remaining positions. they could become par professionals if uh if they wanted to or you know we're going to have open pair of slots within next year absent the ones that if we do returns um library secretaries rather than just kind of a full swoop of all library secretaries what they're saying is the fact that you know that the size of landers the size of center and where Lily is at um could have uh some help and some support from the librarians at Flanders and Patty Center cross over and go into Lily Be to help support the off days. So, it would uh we'd still have the support there. It just wouldn't be this library secretary. So, we could eliminate
084the one elementary library secretary, but still be able to uh to have the support in the um from the two librarians then. Is that a currently open position or is that filled? No, it's filled right now. But that that's another individual who who used to be um multiplex floater was a pair might be interested in another physician. So we we could talk about individual. Um and then uh this just looking at reductions of uh two of during the summer time reducing from 12 months to 10 months. So we would have one secretary at the elementary level going between the three schools as a 12-month in the summer. and also reducing one at the high school from 12 to 10 months. It's it's just some additional savings there. Um obviously, you know, we we looked across
085Yeah. How many high school secretaries do we have that are 12 months? We have 12 months. We've got um one, two, three, I think it's just three. It's three or four tops. It might be upstairs is upstairs. No, it's you have it's three three or 12 months. Yeah, for this. Sorry. I was going to say I think there's and this would bring it to three. This would bring it to three, right? Central office or this is this is high school. Yeah. Okay. That's why I sure I understood it. And you have any um bargaining room secretaries based on the ones are really myself my my executive position and then office. Okay. Under the um the three are analysis and no no the high school. This is all high school. High school. Okay. Sorry. Yeah. This
086is specific. So high school and elementary. Sorry. elementary and high school 12 misunderstood and then one elementary library service we would still even place the middle school library secretary and the high school library secretary 10 month point acquisition so we wouldn't no plans at this point to to reduce those now I don't that could be something that somebody wants to put on the table to discuss further um and I'm just putting that out it just wasn't something that we um we kind of went through that past we want to continue to provide support in areas we f dealt with you know where we were at dollar amount wise when we left it at the one elementary um you know we've uh we've looked across admin um as well um special ed you know we current
087still don't have I know well we don't have an HR director central office um that out amongst ourselves um Florida I'm sorry an HR director at you know most districts next door you know we don't have that. So, we're doing a lot of that work ourselves. Um, the last admin market we brought in as as an admin, but we used the dollars from uh stipens that we were paying um the other individuals um to offset. And then um Pasulo is a part-time administrator. Make sure that's clear. He's not a full-time administrator. He's five position. He he's.5 admin special ed, but he brings in um grants and so forth, which offset the the $17,000 cost that we pay to pay him as a as a full-time administrator. But on paper, 8.5 administrator, be clear, everyone, you
088know, special education coordinators, uh I, you know, it's hard to just when the numbers continue to go up and districts are looking for more special ed support to reduce. Again, just trying to look across all areas and I know I want to be sure and clear and transparent that we can just leave admin out here those areas as well. So happy to open it up for um you know there's some more more data as to you know narratives in relation to on the last page um that speaks to uh impact and staffing reductions but happy to open it up for your further discussion. Not a fun exercise that's for sure. Jeff this impact of reductions that poor people without will be left without a position but that that's what you're saying best case best case
089scenario. Yeah. That does that include that mention of a high school person going to take the tech moving into that tech slot? Yes, it does. It does. Yep. because that's pretty much think that that's a good chance that that's going to happen sort of thing. Again, there's some other shells moving around too which could make that four potentially uh you know go down um as well. So we've talked to the middle school so with some other components. So there's where that you know what I tell you right now and so I'm very cautious with trying to say this is going to happen. It might not tomorrow it could be different and we could have a savings. Obviously we're looking to get that four down to zero if at all possible. That's the goal. You don't
090want to see somebody without a position. And that's just certified. That's the other position, you know, as well. Goes for every personal finance for their heading at the high school. That one that someone can move into. There was um there's nobody that's come forward. you haven't heard from from because of the certification requirements for that. Um that would be eligible to do that or of any interest. We could circle back around to to float out see if anybody is interested. Um because uh um obviously it could be somebody you know in the finance world. There's another category of category as well that u certification consumer consumer science science. Yeah. Yeah. consumer science certification can uh also but right now there's nobody that's interested in switching over so math and math and consumer science would math
091that yeah sorry if I just don't know if anybody is that's that's the question is math able if someone has a math certification are they that allow them to teach personal finance I believe so. I believe that's Yep. One of the uh one of the areas that they uh would be due potentially. We're we're we're currently looking at course requests right now. So, I'm meeting with, you know, the course selection process is we're trying to wrap that up. So, I'm currently meeting with the CIL starting this Wednesday to review their, you know, proposed schedules. Um and and based on that, there probably, you know, going to be more moving parts, Eric, because um because we're we're trying to they're they're trying to bring me best case scenario, worst case, you know what I mean? So,
092we're trying to shake all this out out together as well. So, we're looking at definitely all possibilities and anything that we can do to shift and use um certifications creatively. Um you know, whatever we can do to to help out 100%. Yeah, we'll dive into that a little bit deeper. Yeah. With the personal finance um too. Lee and then Joe. Oh, my go uh two. Thanks. What What does it take to Are you talking about a full teacher certification in one of those topics to be able to teach the personal finance? Yeah, you have. And how long did that take to get? It takes a while. Okay. Okay. So, it's not something goes Yeah. You go back to course work and so Yep. Okay. And then my second comment is I want to tell you
093how much I personally appreciate the dialogue between us and the staff. We don't often get that opportunity and I just want to say how much I honor I think we probably all do your opinions and your feedback because we don't get that opportunity very often. I wish we had it more often. Maybe that's something we as a board can work on later on. But again, thank you for everything there to us. Feel free anytime. or basically my approach is I work for you. I work for you and it's my job to make you successful. Again, that's my personal opinion. Back to the high school, the numbers that we currently have for these positions are in these current spots. I'm sorry, Jamie. The high school, what is the current counseling? What is the current high school?
094What is the current math, science? All the way down. How many you have? How many we have? Te. So, so counseling, you know, we you know, um we have right now six school counselors. So, you know, the that would go down to five. One of those serves as a CIL. So, you know, their their um case is a little bit smaller. Um I think uh and again, this is all just me. Um I think social studies we have um 11 FTEES. Um so this would be down to to 10. Um science I believe um 13 to 12. Um and I and I can make sure that this is you know all accurate. I'm fine with a round just so that I have an idea of what I'm looking at in my head here. Yeah. Language
095arts is 14. 14. Yeah. um you know that's down that'll be down you know 1.4 you know math just some context for math um math has been reduced um Mr. Harus retired. Um and um you know, Miss Johansson um and so we this this would bring us down to close to eight FTEES for you know a school of around 900. Um and math is math's a math is a um an area where and I'm not shy to say it and neither would our math department. We have a bit of an achievement gap there. Um, so that's an area where I I really don't want to see uh math reduced much more than it already has been. Um, uh, and and you know, PE, um, my concern there is not every student at East High School
096is a team sports student. Um, and there are, um, lifetime courses and adventure PE courses that I feel could be, uh, impacted as well as adaptive PE. Um and you know just you know making sure that kids have access to what they need as far as um PE is concerned. Um so five teachers currently um and that would be down to four exact I'm fine with the rough I was just trying to figure out how what the FTE currently looks like so that I could just see how that this proposed impact has on the student population. That's Jackson. I just want to see what that proposed impact would like. Thank you, Robert. Yeah, I had a quick clarification. Um, while Mr. uh principal kid was speaking. I I kind of looked at the the personnel
097actions um and it looks like there is a resignation in the math uh department for uh the high school. Is that factored in here in in the list that we are looking at? That is your 6 correct. Okay, that's 6. Okay. All right. Thank you. Any questions on anything we've discussed, clarifications, additional information? Yes. I I know we have the public meeting next week and I know we're kind of working really hard to kind of find creative options and get a sense of of how things could take out. I'm curious like what obviously we have to start planning to make decisions and it sounds like things can change pretty you know you know pretty significantly over the coming weeks. So I guess I'm thinking from like an order of operations you know standpoint kind of
098what are you hoping for us to engage on now knowing that we're going to get additional insights and updates in the coming weeks. Great question. I'm open to any of these thoughts or ideas coming in. I was hoping we would have kind of a list of 1.5 million is what it's going to be. You know, things could move a little bit here, a little bit there as we refine, but um so that the public can see here's the impact of 1.5. as we've gone through this. It's for me it's it's harder and harder [Music] to find that. Um here's the issue. If if we don't find it now or have a get at 90% we'll say right then and we're going to another need another meeting and our next meeting is May 19th 19th is
099like right before the referendum probably will need another meeting then to go through and finalize something. So that's that's why I was hoping today we'd get 90% of the way there and then we could want to tweak or refine. We can figure out how to do that and and prove it, but we could have a quick meeting or something like that if it was only small refinements. positive that that that's the pro of trying to come up with a million and a half tonight and say here's what it is. The con of that or the pro of def delaying a little bit that does sound like there's still work being done. It still sounds like there's some refinements that are being done. Um I and I I think that we might be beneficial. It was
100great hearing from everybody and getting this insight time gives us time to across each process. Um and then also as this gets refined to get another chance to to look at it and and decide. Um I think two things if that's the way we go two things is one is we'll need another meeting. We'd have to agree that we're going to have another meeting that's not scheduled. And then and two is I do think regardless we need to give some direction to the admin team say can we look a little bit more here we don't want to do some of this or can you give us more we need more detail on this because we don't really like some of the things that are there or we're concerned about some of the things that are
101there we don't know if we'd want to do those um so I think we do need to give some direction um as to kind of where our heads are. So that that's kind of my thoughts, but I I'm really open here. Yeah, I don't know if if I can buck just I just want to give my opinion that I think whatever we do tonight's incredibly important for Monday night because we've got to give the public something that they understand 1.5 million looks like so that we can get some voices there. And so I know we're in a crunch, but we also need to be able to get that information out to people by I would say by this week letter out before Yeah. before Monday. I just think that that's incredibly important because if we
102miss that deadline, we're going to miss that opportunity to say to people this is what it it's potentially could look like. Yeah, 100% agree. 000% agree is I think what I I guess between the couple scenarios and maybe there's a third one is really drill down and lay out and get to 1.5 and we sweat over you know PSAT for 9th grade and should we do it or don't do it. We could be here for hours probably just debating one issue like that. Um I think what most so I think if we can get directionally correct in other words just take this for example this is we should discuss it more but it's like this is roughly draft preliminary this is roughly what it's going to look like because this does add up to right
103around a million and a half or 135 plus 150,000 for health care. So we might we're going to refine and and we can say we we will refine this but this is what we're looking at. I don't know Jeff would that yeah that that's fine as I just think it's it's really important and I'm I'm sure Jeeoff you can speak to this too but I think you're reading my mind. I mean we have to make sure that people are aware of what the index index are where where it's going to be along those same I'm sorry. Go ahead. No, but we need to put it as I think about what you said, Jeff. We need to put it in terms of student rules. That's what parents respond to. Just my opinion. We need to put
104it in terms of the number of students impacted by this. We can put all this stuff is very good and it's excellent. But I want to know as a parent, how many students and my my students friends are going to be impacted by this and how is it going to impact their ability to get into college or a trade school or whatever. That's what I think parents might understand. Again, my opinion and and just preface too, you just mentioned some numbers. We are $62,512 beyond the the 1.5 million. Okay. So, we got to go backwards here and you know if you want to start there, you know, what do we want to take away and get off the plate sort of thing um to get that down and then 150,000 obviously is in there too.
105before we um well I I I think Jeff's point is important and I I want to if our shot at getting anything back is next Monday we our discussion needs to be more about Bill says too like potential impacts you know um second grade classes are going to go from this to this because of this reduction right because that's what we're talking about moving that um so that if you're a second grade parent at Flanders, maybe you're showing up at the meeting now because that's impacting you directly, right? And um other examples like that. So my my feeling is I I don't and and personally I'm not even sure that it's our job to say we do the PSAT or we don't do the PSAT. I think it's our job to say I'm sorry the
106high school has this much money and we we've got to give you guys decide you know do you do the PSAT do you do the field trip that's really I I don't think that's our decision to do that I think we got this amount left what what was helpful tonight is to see what 20% of operations look like and it's I agree with you. That's I don't I'm about comfortable with with that either. Um so yeah, so I agree. So I guess if we take maybe So if we take the non-staff reductions and if we looked at those so I know I'm not going to tell Henry like to your point cut this don't cut I mean that's you with J whatever. However you guys figure that out, that's for you guys to to figure
107out. But if to save $45,868, this is what we're going to do. I say, "Wow, there's a lot of things on there I'm not comfortable doing." So if I keep 45868 for the most part, that's what we're going to do. This is the list. If I say, "Okay, can we cut that to 20 grand or 25 grand?" So you you have to find 20,000 deduction or 25. Some of these come back. That's for Henry and Jeff to decide what what they're going to do and not do because they're going to take into account the impact of students and everything else. So I I kind of trust that. But I do feel like our we then somewhat because if we only do again using 20 or 25,000 from here that would be okay because we have
10860,000. I would only take 20 of the 60 and we can go through um agreeing but I'm trying to figure out what how do we get there? like would um the proposal do do you want to go through and say are people comfortable with the 20% reductions across the so the non-staff reductions are people comfortable with the amounts of the 20% and if not do you have a different proposal for that I mean my knee reaction is that I think that should be looking more closely at the impact to students with those. You know, when we looked at the building reductions there, they do they are impactful to students, right? I mean, um, you know, to to the SAT is, you know, access, right? limited access versus I think I you know tables and chairs
109that feels feels different to me right so I think we have these um you know we have examples and I completely agree you know to Bill's point that's you have um you know some budget numbers right but that's where you you know entrust your administration and your to come up with the least impactful um students what that looks like Um, but on this list, I think I, you know, you've said you're not comfortable with some of those things, but I my reaction is very similar because I think, you know, we're not talking staff on those first few pages that we looked at, but things that are really um I think we need to kind of call that out what just sort of staff piece and and the class size is going to be impacted, but
110um, you know, look at the 20% % reductions your students as well. Agreed. So I mean one option you're just going to throw things out there and see if anything sticks. So one option is we have 62,000 over. If people wanted we could for the high school, middle school, elementary schools give $20,000 back each level. So high school 20 middle school 20, elementary school split 20. Um, so in other words, cut give or take cut the reduction in half. So it would be more like a 10% rather than a 20% reduction. And using real numbers, um, that would bring us kind of back to par 1.35 plus 15 1.35. That would bring us that number. Assuming we did then everything else in the document would have to get done. Just going to say if you
111cut the the 20 to 10 then that means all the staff would be cut and there's no change. Yes. I don't see how we can change the staff if either way if we if we get the full reductions in the supplies we still don't have enough to save any of the staff. That correct? Right. And also isn't the point of this that like this is what is on the table? Right. Right. like to Jeff's point about what we're trying to inform families of like we can go through line by line but like at the end of the day isn't the headline that everything in this packet is what is on the table and I don't see how we're we're we don't have the ability if we do all of the reductions in the the supplies
112to even save one physician. Right. It's 128,000 in all of the all the supplies. So we're 60,000 over might be part part of a position partition and we're we're creating I think a very complicated situation as it is just like our teachers had always been underpaid in my opinion our supply is less than what what other schools have too. So I I think we're I think at least point this is what we've got. We don't we can we there's not really much I think we our energy should be in making sure that the the message gets out as clear as possible to get people there on Monday night. Yeah. so that they know what this looks like because this isn't clear to parent unless they hear my class just went from, you know, 16 to
11322 or whatever it is or my, you know, my kids don't have morning news show anymore and or whatever it is. I think that's what makes it right. even like the PE like oh this class might not be able to be offered based on this you know proposed reduction. I think making it really tangible so folks can kind of understand and be really well informed about what we are discussing right now is important and I think too ultimately driving voter box to vote that much ultimate hope to be a higher turnout. Yeah, we need to whatever the final is to pass it right. Um, so I mean I I think the point I was I I kind of want to make is you know mean the all the reductions that are coming from from the
114buildings and and the various programs um they are to some extent contributing to um FD you know helping offset some of the FTE cuts. Um because if if if that number stands which is 128K approximately well that that by my calculation and if I'm wrong you you need to tell me that um that's isn't that 1.5 ft approximately depends on benefits or not uh one and change yeah one and change okay so one so let's say one so it's at least accounting for one Right. And means I I don't I don't necessarily know whether you know and just just to take the PAT example whether how important that is to to to everyone. So I am in no position to say well that's that's the one we should save or that's the one we shouldn't
115save. So that part I I will defer to Jeff and his staff to kind of figure out what what makes sense. But if if this is what is on the table, I mean what we'll have to outline is what what this what this means in terms of of coming and which this now I'm repeating what some of the other colleagues uh board members have said is okay we are not going to do science equipment repair well we'll have less less microscopes or less less pieces of equipment for students to use for for their learning things. I think that that needs to be highlighted against each each line item that we are we are proposing to cut. Um and and yeah, I mean lay it out all out there. Well, this is the impact. So that
116yeah that's getting that message out I think is what's what we're saying is most important. I mean uh I know Mr. Mayan's already done some of that. Um I'm going to talk to the other provos. I've already talked to or I will talk to the other union presidents. Uh we talked to the PTAs, we'll circle back with them again. Um gotten some advice as to what they might be looking for um for for information and then get that message, you know, those messaging out this week, you know, to all of those groups, parents, and then a letter as well. So between now and Monday um two one is feel you're going to send a letter out to everyone and kind of here's the impact it's making that real and we can some suggestions and there's
117probably some other things we could think about is making it um making people understand it I guess more and Then in the presentation on Monday that you make false kind of reiterating that that slide oh here's impacts exactly. Yeah that's that's in here the reduction the numbers so people can visibly see or visually see I should say um you know the the staffing numbers and the total count. Um on top of that you know fixed cost slide of you know look we the contracts and fixed cost these are people um and that's what we're having to turn to with you know operating budget but I think what I've heard correct me um is this is this is really helpful for us I think because we need to see numbers and the number piece is really
118important next to the the activity But I think for the letter and for the presentation it's more of the activities that are going to get reduced um class sizes will go from this to this. there's going to be, you know, no deal or whatever that, you know, we're eliminated um with some the student club transportation, but not not say student club transportation like ah what's the big deal? It's no, it's that we had this partnership with Salem and you know where they are able to go where the students are going to the high school to get like that's the real thing. the transportation is the say the the expense item, but it's really the the live thing is those eighth eighth grade students are not coming up here or whatever it is to to experience
119a high school. So, it's that's the part and then obviously some numbers associated with it, but I don't need you think you need to be this line item is a$152 and this is 273 and and so on and so forth. It's like, you know, here's a group of things like you've done, you know, at the high school and here's uh the impact. I saw Estab the biggest point that probably needs to be made is and Jamie mentioned it earlier would be that once these positions are gone, people are not coming back, right? So like if I have right now my kids are in middle school and elementary school, so I see like, oh, high school, my kids are not there yet. They're not going to be there for another five, seven years. But driving that
120like you know it's a trickle down effect on that and you know as we have the experience of the um elementary level languages like once they're gone it's very unlikely that level services or whatever you want to board it like it's going to come back. Yeah, part of that is right sizing goes. You know, we have fewer students, but also our students have a lot more needs than they did five, 10, 20 years ago. people especially on the counseling end and there's a lot more like the ECE and the like the AP like you know many people take AP but they do the Yukon ECE or the other ECEs that are have to have that specific certification hard to get that um the right people that have that that's important thanks and I just wanted
121to add on to that so we talked about with the high school guidance counselor, they're not only picking up you're picking up losing the position, but you're picking up case loads. So, not only are the guidance counselors picking up case loads, but the teacher would be picking up case loads. The English teachers would be picking up case loads, but Henry said just an example, a 100 papers, three pages each. That's a lot of reading for teachers to be doing on a Tuesday night or whatever night or probably a Saturday night because I know my kids teachers post grades on Sunday nights. So I know they're not doing it Monday through Friday. They're doing it. They were posting grades over vacation. So the teachers are not just working Monday through Friday, 7 to three. They're working
122all the time. So you're increasing their course load. They're going to be working more. when they're not working, they're going to be increasing their loads. They're going to be struggling to build relationships with the kids because they're going to be busier. So, you're losing not just a staff member, you're losing all sorts of other trickle down effects. So, it's relationships, course loads, case loads, student relationship, parent relationship, teacher co- relationships, everything's going to suffer with this packet. I know it's something we have to do. Um I don't like anything that's in this packet. I'm comfortable with anything that's in this packet. But when we talk to the board of finance, the town, the parents, everybody, we have to explain to them that it's a it's an AP exam. Well, yeah, it's materials for the classroom,
123but who's going to pay for that? The teachers are going to pay for it. The kids are going to pay for it. The parents are going to pay for it. It's a secondary tax. It's not going to get taxed in your property, but it's going to be taxed here at home. It's going to be taxed in people's paychecks because the student teachers are going to pick it up. Parents are going to pick it up. Somebody's going to pick it up. So, no matter what we cut, it's going to be picked up somewhere else. Relationships and the case loads are what's going to hurt the most. It's not fun and it's not pretty and I don't like it. I'll probably speak to something in the letter or two about impact on climate and culture. We've done
124a lot of work, you know, this year, especially in the bill at least uh, you know, in the climate and culture committee. Um, and all these things are hits uh, you know, against I would, you know, again, thank the administration for putting together this piece, but I I'm ask you help with that presentation and getting these letters out or whatever that that it's getting communicated well because I do think if if the board of finance is going to make a change it needs to be you know we need to have good turnout but we also need to have a good presentation that says specifically like like everyone was pointing out what what are the impacts culture and teachers there's uh pockets, additional course loads, you know, 190 students for a counselor, whatever. All those kinds
125of things I think are much more tangible than than this bullet item. And and to build on that a little bit if we have it, but when you hear 190 um base loads per counselor, I don't know if the public knows if that's high or low. So if we had a benchmark where you see, you know, historically we're at whatever or other schools are at whatever, that adds power. So we looked at several surrounding schools and they average 150 and we're going to be at 190. That's powerful because otherwise 190 it's kind of hard for the lay person to understand. Well, how do I know that that's a lot? I don't I don't know. It's just a number. Yeah, I think it's high based on what our what our what our school counselors do do,
126you know, because we we don't have that college and career center. So they they have taken on more there's a lot of that night programing programming that they do for families you know as well. Um so yeah I could definitely and so yeah if you don't have like benchmarks outside what you can say is we've actually this office we you know over the years we've already come down that we used to be lower end we had a separate college and career office we've eliminated that already. So, we're now down to like bare bones. Um, and something like that. I don't know. But if if there on any of these if there's benchmarks or examples or things that are, you know, what's the norm, what's expected, what's the, you know, anything like that that adds power
127to the numbers. Um, so I Oh, go ahead, Vic. Sorry. I I just wanted to kind of say something about the school counselors means mean means 190 is a huge case load means I I know what the school counselors do. Um you know and I think anything we can do to to make make the point that 190 students for each counselor is is a huge workload. Um I I would I would strongly recommend that and you know you can point out that they you know mean you know means for students going to high school I mean uh sorry college they they actually provide a lot of guidance and they actually do a lot of work they write recommendation letters they write the they they help with picking the schools and all that thing and that
128takes time and if each counselor has to do this for you know if not everybody's going to college even even if they have to do it for 100 120 kids. Um, that's that's a lot of work. So, I I would encourage principal kid to kind of figure out how to highlight that in in bulleted fashion so that it can be shown up on a slide that what what what counseling 190 kids in high school means. I I understand it, but I don't know if the general public will understand that. So, I I agree with you. I know one of the things that our school counselors pride themselves on is meeting with every student in person um every year. Um you know, they make every attempt to do so. Um and that's um that could certainly
129take a hit here. Um so um I I agree with you. Well put. So um I think just right as we're talking about the implications um so we've talked about um reducing the number and then kind of dispersing the kids throughout but when we're talking about potentially you know elimination you talked about the high school PE for example and you you named some of those um and some of those specific courses that are offered. I mean what what number of students now that you know those purpose have served right that are now they're not necessarily going to be thinking the other stuff that might might not have you know access to this whole grouping of courses. So I guess you know it's there's a reduction right in programming but what is a student body that
130we're not giving access to award the classes. Thanks Alisa. So the only I have two questions. One question is we are 60 we did find 62,000 more than we need to. So are we in the grand scheme of things of 1.5 million us not doing everything and it's only 62,000 for me. I'm okay with that. But or is everyone okay? Like if this is kind of the blueprint right now for what we're going to write our story about and and make real are people okay that we're kind of a little over and there's some things we're not going to do but we're not going to decide that today we're going to decide that at some point considered a draft in a way of you know just a draft um there should be an opportunity for
131additional input both from members of the community, families or administrators as they dig in a little bit deeper. I I really want to use having more actually gives you also if they say well everybody said I really don't like that one thing. We actually can say well okay we're not gonna cut that one thing but we can still hit our multiply. So it gives us some so everybody's okay this is our blueprint for now this is our draft whatever we're going to write up based on this. So then my second question is we added this meeting um we're going to need another meeting. Yes. So May. Yes. Yeah. A child from college. Okay. May 12th. Well, we have May 5th or May is May 12th to Wait, when is the the town meeting is May
13212th? Town meeting is May 12th. Does it have to be on a Monday? No. doesn't look like it's going to the same. We can all we do a Zoom meeting. Is that legal that we do a Zoom meeting? And with this stuff, I think many people as we can get in. Okay. All right. I just think I think it's beg. So, let's talk. Hey. Sorry for everyone that's trying to figure out schedules, but it is important. The week of May 5th. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Is there Thursday, Friday? I'd have to zoom because I'm probably Tuesday, May 6th, we have we have secretary track negotiations, which I is actually 4:30 to 7. Yeah. We go at six. We could. Yes. Let's do that actually. That would work. We could go right into it. So, we're going
133to add a K. I don't know if you heard that. We're going to add May 6th as the special meeting. Yep. No problem. Thank you. It will be one topic. This is it. And we'll get feedback from the public hearing. what people would say. Obviously, it gives their administration more time to look and refine um and come up with any kind of creative solutions. Um okay. Anything else on this topic? Okay. Well, thank thank you everyone. This is all of us. This is um very difficult. It's a lot of work. I appreciate every all the work that everybody put in the administr that we're on. Henry, if any if that person who is thinking about taking that tech spot has any questions or whatever, I'm more than happy to help with that sale or with
134curriculum or anything in that department. Thank you very much. I know what he's going to be teaching and I'm happy to to help or she very much take advantage of that offer. Had to figure out your phone book. Yes. I my I I'm just making fun. I never had my notifications on messages that been off for years. And my daughter was messing with my phone. You know when you go answer your text messages, your thing is off. And I thought that me now too let my daughter touch my phone. Executive fun. No, no, no, no, no. Okay, fine. I'm fine to say hit the port of gold. Thank you for being here. Thanks. Sure. Um okay. Uh next um topic or discussion action items or TMS uh other is um board of education 2025 retreat.
135So, just wanted to open up real quick. We can talk about it another time, but um you know, after coming through this budget and thinking about you know, Bill's comment, what's it looking like going forward um kind of anticipation, thinking about in June having a retreat, but kind of two main topics. One is, you know, are we covering I mean W's point like are we covering the right topics in our meetings? Is there stuff that we should be covering differently? Is there more that you want or different things that you want to watch? So kind of just generally um looking at our agendas and are we spending time on the things we want to spend time on? And then the second part would be ask Mariana and I talked with Mariana about doing like a
136three-year plan and rolling forward for three years to give us an idea of what's it looking like um because if we go back and say and I have no idea this but we're going to grow historically we've generally grown at 3 to 4%. and see where we roll forward to. And if we're rolling forward to a higher number or the things that we need to do or can do now that uh might take a year or two or so to implement that would start getting us where we're not back in the situation that we're in currently. Um we can kind of refine things. So that was what the thinking and doing in June after school is out when and the budgets are done. So we and I can grad any thoughts on that. When you
137say growing three to four four that you're talking in terms of our budget. Yeah. Yeah. So if you assume we're grow you know next year's budget will be somewhere about three or 4%. No, but our projected using Mariana's would be 6%. We already know uh oh then if the following year 6% 6% that's what it's looking like we grow we're 7%. we know we're going to be at three or four. Are there things that we can do to kind of reshape the curve now so it's a lot less painful? Now we have to make decisions immediately. I understand what you're saying. Three or four% say 3 or 4% a foot. So that's my question because we're not growing in population 3 or 4%. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. How are we growing three? Yeah. Right out
138of the gate when we roll over contracts for instance you're already going to be at 3 4% just with everybody's you know income more than that. Yeah you'll be over 4%. So is there any chance ever of doing I know other districts do budget freezes or ladder freezes or was done many many years ago Kate and and it got us into I wasn't here but it it got us into major trouble. I remember coming in and we tried and scrambled to get the contracts back up to where people fall behind and it just makes a mess of everything and I I think it's a sends a real sour notes to people to ask them to freeze to increase. But it's something that we can discuss as we kind of go through the three-year plan and
139what are options to to manage that. The other thing I've this is my sixth year on the board and I know I've said previously even before I was on the board that crazy as it sounds if we had somebody who was writing and submitting solicited grants and if their position was grant funded and then like all of our supplies that's 65,000 20% for most of our buildings that might be covered. And we had somebody who did that. And also we worked really hard to encourage the foundation to be put into place for that very same reason too. So that that could offset some of our costs and expenditure. So hoping that some of that because there's some very I don't know with the um economy the way it is now but there we you know
140we have some very successful people who are alums who are generous and would probably be happy to donate and grant fund some of these things that we're scrambling and tugging to get at and kind of to Jaime's point where somebody's going to have to pay for it somehow somewhere. there and maybe that's just like another revenue stream that we haven't quite watched. Growing that alumni list which we've been working, you know, is is important because you're right because there are a lot of graduates out there maybe some bigger dollars. She's got to hit one. It's tough. But those are those are my thoughts. Great. Thanks. Threeear piece. So I um am in favor of um having a retreat and looking at the two topics that you mentioned um with the three-year you know I think
141that could give us an opportunity too to look at kind of some things that are coming on the horizon and the technology behind that and we've been talking about that but what does that get as unfolds and you you know, cost implications. But I think, you know, and I heard it a couple times in the conversation tonight where, you know, we've talked about um the lost, right? But that we haven't um there's still an appetite for this interest in there's an opportunity how to bring things back like world language has come up, right? Just to kind of have things on our radar that is just an it's it's an ad, right? But we don't even have it doesn't even make it to the table. It doesn't it just is looked at as an ad that
142we can't you know kind of bolt on to anything especially given this situation where we're looking to you know take things out. But I think if we're looking a little bit more strategically and having having some of those things more sort of top of mind or just more visible kind of on our our plan to how do we fit this in where the come back as a point something you know FTE or just to help us I think maybe be a little more strategic and line with um the goals that we we had set out. Yeah. output because us doing a annual and in the way we do it the issue is we're typically or we are we're in this situation all the time. So we're thinking we're thinking of what's the new thing that
143we can add on that would really be impactful for our um district. we're trying to say is we got to take this out and that out and that out versus if you were looking and saying three years we want world language in the elementary schools and we want it to be three days a week not not not just the reason I think we took it out well I don't want to get anyway three days a week whatever whatever whatever would that cost how can we fold that in in 2029 nine and have that in. And what do we have? What what are things that we can do other parts of the budget so that we can fund that piece? But it might take us three years to get to the point where we can fund
144that piece. You say maybe start talking about like three year saying a three-year plan versus Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We used to have a fiveyear um after co we kind of were going year to year. Time to go back to like a solid three-year plan. That's what I remember what we had previous Yeah. We had the five-year plan. Uh yep. Then co and we we kind of just halted that. But um it's time to get back to it. Absolutely. Oh no. He's in the alarm. Every laugh. What my friend? Yes. Yes. Um he learned well for one take a look at my screen if you can even see anything on that screen. It's all cracked and broken. So we will in June we'll take the June meeting and kind of repurpose or shorten the meeting and
145then have some time for a board retreat. So then the the last We're going to run it, I think, ourselves. Or maybe we'll see. You know, it's always good. She does a good job. Yeah, she does. We start that with Amy and then, you know, does a nice job. So, so does this include like party favorites and food and no budget. Definitely. Food. Um, you read the party favor. Go for the party. Yeah, that's fine, too. Uh last discussion action item is our board of ed goals. We had deferred this um or tabled it for this meeting and um Jeff has had posted that so he's had a chance. Yeah. Do you want to I thought maybe it'd be good to I know it's already an after so maybe just a quick one. Yeah. Put
146some words to it. project and let me well yeah we we have Kate you know and under the um recommendation I don't remember who made it but to continue working off of the last update which was in red we just turned it into green so you can see you know the progression of of work and we uh yeah we've made some good progress um we we really have which is great uh you know the pathways programming I don't think you know we've heard from Dave we've seen a number of individuals here that have been recognized um you can see all of the u this your speakers um and participants that have been to things. Um I really like the recognition and the great things that we're doing. That's we're making those ourselves here. Yeah. Yeah.
147Which is really which two brothers students who we recognize. Sometimes you lose you don't always you forget to recognize that there's people who are people blazing the new terri and once it's blazed it's a little easier for the next person and it's that those people who been cultivating the connection town and or with the the businesses I mean it's so important so I'm glad we did that because um that was great great that they're doing that watch them in their element it's just amazing they're so quiet and shy but You get them at FM's garage just like ask a question. They just non-stop talking. It's amazing. Well, I think too having the the garage and Fort Diana come in here. I think it's I think it's important to them too. They feel more connected in
148the community and all that. That's kind of a nice feeling. They are showing up for that stuff. You know, the give back has been great. I bet they're putting something up in their shop that did all that. It's a nice item, too. Yeah. And the pictures that you posted on the Instagram, Facebook, some social media, came out today or I got it saw it today, right? Um from the other day, those were all good. Y good pictures. Yeah. Can you We're trying to push in obviously more of that now. But you know, um the dollars, you know, we've we've already uh exceeded um what we're trying to accomplish again for um collected uh dollars. Where are you, Jeff? Oh, sorry. I'm on the second I'm on the number three on the third page. Focus on
149continued efforts to expand and increase grant funding to support uh some of the pathways work. Um so we just kind of broke that out. Um we just got the backest hospitalation of the bed which is a $35,000 item. So um that's for the EMT class. That's for the EMT class. Yeah. A lot of uh report on that. A lot of other districts have come in observed that program and are modeling. put in place which is great. Um we just talked about all the recognitions number four you know they're listed there and that that is awesome. We gota we're going to want to continue if anything let's keep doing that especially students as we go into into next year. Does Dave drive most of them? Dave drives most of those. Yes. U Yep. He uses his
150you know connections with the state. Um he's he's driving a lot of that this time. Some made some great connections which is netting us some some dollars. Fantastic. Um so that's pathways for culture and climate progression. We've had quite a few discussions with that. Um that climate culture committee you know under Lisa's uh leadership have done u really good work. It's great having very good group people that have had some uh I think some good discussions and Bill feel free to chime in some of the data. No, I I think there's still work to be done and that's that's not a we did it and we're done in the surveying especially because now we can work off of the data we're collecting. um we had shifted a couple questions and that's what should be happening
151that fine-tune where you've got a survey now that can go out maybe three or four times a year to to gather data use that data then to go make uh some some change decisions. So can I just Hi everybody. Can you hear me? Yeah. Hi or no you're you're not picking up. You're you're touring colleges right? Yes, we're we are doing the drive from Florida to Georgia to uh visit UG with my daughter. So, I apologize I'm not able to be there with you in person. Uh but I just I just wanted to note on the culture climate section, I think some of the most the numbers are important, the data is important, and that sort of helps ground and measure the work. But I think one of the most impactful things that's happened as
152a result of this goal and this work are the improvement plans that the schools are working on. They're alive and well. There's something that we anchor our work to. there are building um committees that are talking about this work and as Bill said it's it's it's will be something that's ongoing but um we've really in the m this year especially have started you know to sort of institutionalize some of these practices that are really important especially when we're asking our staff our students and our families to take surveys you know the the most important component of that is what are we doing with the data how is the information that we're gathering driving change moving forward. And so, you know, if you've had time or um if you haven't yet to look at those plants
153that we've linked in just to give you an idea of what some of the buildings are doing as a result of the information that they're gathering. For me, that's some of the most um exciting work. And the building administration, I just have to give them a shout out. They've they've uh really run with it and um are really championing the work at the building level. I'm really proud of the work that they've done this year. We're ahead of the game in many ways for uh what the state is pushing out too, legislation as it pertains to development of school climate. Are they still leaving that in the language of DE, right? So, um yeah, we're going to see we're going to see where that goes and and probably make some shifts in in language usage.
154um not say changing any of the work we're doing but you know we'll follow state guidance but there's okay all right I just so um any threats coming our way I think to's point I think just the awareness is the first step and taking the actions is part of the process so just to be aware and to move ahead is so important um and we you know we're Go ahead, Alice. Sorry. I I think someone had alluded to this earlier, but you know, what's happening right now with the budget is can have real culture for climate implications, right? And so I suspect we'll see some of that in our last and final survey um at the end of the year, but we'll we'll take that as it comes and make adjustments accordingly. Um, at least
155while we have you connected to, you know, the high level instructional practice assessment. I know you you've done a lot of diving into the data literacy, you know, on target. I know math for we've had you at least and I have had some pretty significant conversations on math. We're still trying to figure out math, especially those courts at the middle school. Yeah, really the the literacy data is looking really strong this year. um very um excited to see how that plays out in a Jeff said uh still very frustrated with hap what's happening with we did adopt a new curriculum so um we're going to start looking a little bit more closely and crosswalking the IR assessment with the standards of the new curriculum and whether or not there's some misalignment there and maybe perhaps
156that's why some of our uh mid-year assessment data was so far behind this year, but in comparing cohort datas from, you know, previous years to this year, uh we are we are looking a bit off target the end of the year's uh school year. But I am working very closely with uh principal Kelly and um math coach to uh again continue to do some diagnostic work in that area. Math coach just came back from being on maternity leave, so maybe that person back. We don't fill those those positions. um specialized. So she's back and uh get a rhythm going. Um artificial intelligence uh you know number three um is part of that uh we've got to get the AI guidelines back before now we we jump in a budget and all of a sudden we
157just freeze everything. So we we have to get those guidelines back. Um they're linked in there so you can look at them. Um so we can do you need us to approve them? you know, it's almost like a regulation. I look at it and they're kind of a moving target. So, I would probably say no on a kind of a function. Um, but just a we we're all in this together. What do you think? Input. You know, the the committees that have done a lot of work on them. Um, you know, give them some guidance. So, we just need to bring them back and take another vote. Maybe review by the lawyers. Well, this this one isn't like a a specific um that we need to be. It's more just guidelines almost like you know
158regulation of sort. I know some of the policy regulation come from the attorneys. Um if there's something in there Kate it's not doesn't hurt to you know to ask a question for sure. We've tried to model too often some other did not see 60 minutes last night. I did not see it last night. the AI piece on 60 minutes with the personal assistant piece. Teaching is already challenging in the classroom dealing with the phone or whatever and then some of the kids you get the phones put away but they got to watch. Now this whole this whole thing with this per it was so powerful to watch how what this personal assistant you know kids are going to be bringing their friend AI friend to class with them and you're going to be teaching and
159saying stop now it's like it's not like you're not stop talking to the kid next to you stop talking to your AI friend and listen to me because your AI friend has all your answers for you it's insane. It was really good. I'll second what you saying. I saw it. I'm like, "Oh my god." I try and watch 60 Minutes. I like it. They always have good stuff, but I missed last dropping a child off at college weekend. So, go ahead. Alise, did you have something else? Um, yeah. Yeah, I mean I think Bill raises a really good point and um we're at the point with the work of the districtwide technology committee this year where we have had leveled based focus group conversations with staff members um at the elementary, middle, and high school
160with regards to what are the implications of AI for students and teachers in the classroom. just to dive a little bit deeper into that area beyond the generative AI guidelines that we've developed um you know from the feedback we put those guidelines in front of our faculty a couple of months ago we got feedback from them and essentially what we heard back especially at the secondary level is we need more we need to talk more about this we need to calibrate around how we're managing this in the classroom what's the expectation of staff what's the expectation of students when and how is it appropriate how should it be controlled and monitor you know, we do have a a responsibility to teach skills associated with AI because that is what they're entering into the workforce. If
161they're not using it, they're already behind, but really um and so essentially where we left off at the last district-wide technology committee is we want to talk to kids. Um it's really time to start doing some level focus groups with kids. So, we're going to hopefully get th that com those conversations started um before the end of this school year, but they will certainly continue next year. And I'm happy to share I can link in some of the findings of those leveled staff conversations in the weekly update if you guys want to read a little bit more about what are some of the things that staff were saying and where their concerns and we should be heading. Sure. Thanks, Anelise. And we do have about 60 people right now piloting um an AI platform. It's
162called Magic School AI. This is both a studentf facing AI and a um staff to support generations types of things. Um but we have piloted it in um a couple of classrooms u at the middle school and high school with it student facing as well. is unable. Can you hear me? Notice you're breaking up a bit. We're We're losing you a little bit. Can you hear me now? You're cutting in a little bit. How about now? All right. He's happy. Let's drop we can drop we can talk we can drop that in the weekly update and then maybe when we bring we got to bring the guidelines back you know to the board of ed um very soon uh May 19th next regular meeting May 19th. That sounds that sounds good. And if it's going
163to be a part of the retreat we could talk there too. There's another idea. Yeah. Excellent. Thanks. All right. And then um you know lastly again uh the uh the marketing branding social media strategies um athletics has exceeded um you know their their dollar amount um and we continue in the progress effort to push you know more information out. So progress continues. So excellent. We do need to play our own QR code. Yeah we do. Yeah I know we have yeah they're they're everywhere now. Puerto Rico, they have those instead of menus on the tables. Oh, I didn't hate those. I know. They came out during pandemic. Oh, I think it's good. So, um it's not. It makes sense. I hate it. Really? I hate it. I want paper. I know. My age is showing.
164My age is showing. So, um good progress. Uh still some work to do. Obviously, we'll do another, you know, final report out at the end of the year, which is rapidly approaching. and and yeah, we'll do a report out. And as a reminder, over the summer, we'll spend time getting our goals together for the following year with the with our goal to have our goals written by uh end of August, early September, something like that. Yeah, that's extremely helpful. It's worked really well for Jeff and his team, but everything kind of cascades through. So, it's feels better. There's an alignment. Yeah. Um and people have noted that they've said that that there's that through line that we have there's a great connection continues to strengthen. That's what you want that makes you look good. It's
165just having that that connection. So we're all shouldn't be scarwas. Yeah. It's supposed to be okay speed uh speed on uh speed administration. I really really don't have, you know, doing too much. No, we had a good Easter back. Uh I worked uh some last week, but mostart um yeah, I got a little sun. Yeah, got on the yard and had to do some things, which is good. So catch up on other than that, it was good. We're back at it and not a push here. Memorial Day. There's only two weeks after Memorial Day, so it's crazy. It's nuts. Uh it's flying by. So we're uh we're in go mode, that's for sure. Summer camera. Thanks, Jeff. And Elise, anything quick? No, just hope everybody had a nice holiday. Dogs. Um, Mariana's not on. Okay.
166No committee reports. Um, we did have a learn meeting, but I um let's just Yeah, this another time. I just have a board comment. Board comment. It's a fast one. Yep. May 3rd, Newton Family Services, Children's Museum, and the Miracle League are looking for volunteers. It's touch a truck at Mcooks. The first hour is sensory friendly. No horns, no eating, no nothing, no lights, no sirens. So, if anybody would like to volunteer, there is a signup sheet I can get you. But we're looking for parking and tickets and all sorts of stuff. And the three organizations are working together to bring it forward from now on. We've taken it over organizing the event. Who's the chair of the event? Off the top of my head, I can't tell you, but it's the three organizations are
167working together to do the event. We'll share the proceeds probably May 3rd, a bunch of textbooks, first hour, sensory friendly. Jamie, please. I guess not really a board comment, more a future agenda item. We kind of couple those together now. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um, I've gotten some feed or some Well, I would like an update uh on kind of vaping situation at the high school. I've gotten some feedback recently from some parents um honestly more about bathrooms not being accessible during the day at the high school because what I have heard is that they are being locked to try to prevent vaping. So, um if we could cover that in a future meeting, I I think it'd be good for us to dig into a bit. Yeah, we can have Henry talk a little
168about that. Yeah. Yeah, I know. We've talked about it. You heard that as well? Yeah, did I talk about it provided a vape sensor? We would think we somewhere in the budget pre that they get alert. Here he gets alert on his phone. There have been closures. Some of the sewage is that ongoing or what is that? It vary. Yeah, it varies. Um, not always for vaping. It could be for a backed up toilet or something too, but I think for the most part it's probably for vaping. And Scott's here. I don't know if Scott you heard anything different uh, you know, as it pertains to um, you know, that information, but it's Yeah, it's it's combination of problems, I think, but vaping is one of them. So, you can talk more with Henry. I
169two things. First of all, I loved it when the kids came into the classroom because we never Well, I don't get an opportunity to see what's going on in the classroom, what we're all working for. Yeah. So, I I loved that when the the elementary session where they were sitting here. Oh my god, it was fabulous. And number two, I really just enjoyed the interchange between us and the administration because I personally feel we're working for them to make their lives successful, make their jobs better, make it easier to do their jobs. I hope we can do that again. I don't know how we can set that up, but I really really value hearing what they think. You know who who am I? I'm not an educator. I'm a licensed in another profession. So, I'd
170like to I how you could do that or format that, but do it again. Yeah. Bring it up because that could be Yeah. Yeah. That's part of the agenda. Okay. Never mind. No, no, no, no, no, no. Hang I didn't bring it up. Bring it up. I'm saying never mind. Yeah. Well, I was interested in being on the board for SECTV and I know that's something I talked to about bringing up during conference. Yeah. If there's ever any uh Have you been to one of those? I have. Yeah. And I have them in Montville and I couldn't find it one time. It's the SEC TV because I still have my television show,000 followers at this point. So, had a great interview with um Blank. Our name last name is Green. Yeah. Had a great interview
171with her. Had a great interview with the team from RMM and um Ryan the assistant to Cape. Okay. So, uh yeah. No, it's good. I if there's just specific work that needs to be turned in just to get out there environment, he's Mike M is the um chair of that. He said I actually needed to ask him to say that I could be appointed, but he said that I don't. So, um, talk to reach out to me because yeah, we hadn't done that. As usually, it's been a staff member that um, well, I know I did it previously with Atlanta used to do it. Yeah, she was the last one and then together, but then with co and stuff, well, the show I thought um, I saw you actually sat right behind me. I saw
172you at the show, too. um the musical Freaky Friday. Yeah. Oh, yeah. It was well done. Did a great job. I was just very impressed with that. The quality of the production was phenomenal and it was just really a fun night out, right? Kids love that. Yeah. Yeah. Motion to turn the meeting. Second. Second. All those in favor say I. Oh, wait, wait, hold, hold, let say something. I had I had two comments to make, you know. Sorry. Uh, I was went off the Zoom screen so I didn't see the hand. Sorry. No worries. No worries. That's that's that's okay. So, I I just wanted to make two comments. Um one is means you know last year we you know means we means I think the board and and the administrators are doing a very
173good job of identifying um uh you know um students who are doing well in whatever whatever field and kind of um commending them and kind of bringing them to the board for for for awareness and also recognition. Um the one thing that we tried to do last year and I would like to see that continue is uh students from the arts departments uh music uh painting also being recognized at the board. Um I I I have I I have to admit that I have I have not paid attention to when students get um you know audition and get selected for um the eastern regional and the state um festivals. But I think students who do get selected to go to the state festival should should receive some kind of recognition from from the board. Um
174just just just so that they they you know they they feel encouraged as as um as um from a community perspective. So that that piece I would like to make sure that we have that on on our radar and then we are recognizing students with you know who are doing well in their arts field. Um second comment I'd like to make is there there you know in some of the meetings that we have had in the past there has been a question on um middle school kids being adequately being prepared for uh high school. Um that's that's not a simple topic. I think we as a board should uh should at some point come up, you know, think about it, have conversation with the administrators and see what what we could do differently to prepare
175the middle school kids better for the high school um uh you know experience. So um those were the two comments. The second one is of course of course an agenda item that requires some thinking but I'm I want to bring it on on the board's um radar so that we can plan for it. Thanks Vic. And and that second one also bring to the board retreat could be something that we talk about because it could be larger implications of how how we have that impact. So that would be great. Thanks. So we had a motion we had a second. All those in favor say I. I opposed abstain. Uh we are adjourned. Thanks everyone. Thank you.