2026-06-03 RSU 5 Board Meeting

001Good evening. Welcome to the RSU5 board of directors. It is Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026. We are here at Freeport High School Library. If we sound like we're having a party, we kind of are. Uh we had our our our pre our pre-board meeting um celebration for our retirees. And we'll hear a little bit more about that in just a moment. Um but we'll get started with the uh board meeting. No, Cara this evening, but everyone else is here. And we'll start with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Do I have a motion for consideration and approval of the minutes from the April 29th, 2026, May 6th, 2026,

002and May 13, 2026 meetings as presented, barring any errors or omissions? Thank you, Karen and Steph. All those in favor? Great. None opposed. Adjustments to the agenda. Yes, we are going to add an executive session for a personnel matter at the end of the evening. >> Okay. >> All right. So, we will move right into good news and recognition and we will start with our uh recognition of retirees and uh I think Pam goes first. Yes. Great. >> For Freeport Middle, >> you have the list. >> All right. Awesome. This is um really exciting to celebrate some really great staff members that I've gotten to know um this year. I'm going to start with Nick Witty. Today I have the privilege of recognizing and celebrating Nick Whitty and the tremendous impact he's had on students

003and staff. Nick is focused, patient, thoughtful, and committed to helping students learn. Throughout his career, he has impacted students, challenging them to think critically, communicate effectively, and discover their strengths. Nick's passion for literacy and writing has been evident from the moment you step into his classroom. He has a unique ability to see potential in every learner and guide them to achieving more than they thought possible. Because of his dedication, students have left FMS prepared not only for the academic rigors of high school, but also with greater confidence in themselves as readers, writers, and thinkers. Nick's love of lit literature is contagious, and his stories and insights have enriched the lives of students. He has a gift for making learning meaningful and helping students connect what they read and write to the world around them. Nick,

004thank you for your years of dedication, your commitment to excellence, and the care you've shown your students and colleagues. On behalf of the entire FMS community, congratulations to your 19 years of dedication to educating our students. We wish you happiness, adventure, and fulfillment in this next chapter. Thank you, NICK. [applause] [applause] NOW, I know that Erica Riley is going to say some words about Bertha, but how can I not? From the very beginning, Bertha's kindness stood out. She has a remarkable way of making people feel cared for. Of course, many know Bertha through her delicious breakfast and lunches she helps provide each day, but what she brings to Freeport Middle School goes way beyond. She understands that a meal is more than about nourishment. It's about making students feel welcomed, valued, and cared for. She

005takes pride in ensuring that our students have access to meals that are not only nutritious, but also prepared with thoughtfulness and with her whole heart. While we certainly will miss seeing her each day, I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to know and work alongside such a wonderful person. Bertha has left a lasting mark on our school community and her kindness will never be forgotten. Please join me in celebrating Bertha as we wish her the very best in her retirement. [applause] Boy, I've gotten really connected to these people in just a year, I'm telling you. Um, all right, Phyllis. I am honored to express how fortunate I have been to know and work alongside the incredible woman we have been blessed to call our school counselor. While it is impossible to measure Phyllis's

006impact she's had on our students, families, and colleagues over the years, it's evident in our stories, relationships, and lasting memories she leaves behind. Her influence extends far beyond the walls of our school and will continue to be felt for years to come. Phyllis is one of the kindest, most genuine, and compassionate people I have ever met. She is an extraordinary gift for making others feel seen, heard, and valued. Her warmth, empathy, and unwavering dedication have made Freeport Middle School a better place for everyone fortunate enough to know her. Students trust her. They respect her and most importantly they know she cares deeply about them. Every child deserves a safe place at school. Someone who listens without judgment, offers encouragement during difficult moments and celebrates their successes. For generations of students, Phyllis has been that person.

007While we will miss her tremendously, her legacy is not found in a single accomplishment, but in thousands of moments of kindness, guidance, and care she has shared throughout her career. Let's all come together to celebrate Phyllis Laam and her 37 years of service to our families. [applause] [applause] >> [applause] >> Erica. Hello. Um, I would like to start by congratulating all of the retirees that are here. Um, I wish you nothing but the best in your retirement. Um, tonight I have the opportunity to honor two remarkable women whose contributions to our department will leave a lasting impact. Their names are Reena Frank and Bertha Hilton. They share something important in common. Both have made our department stronger simply by being themselves. Reena joined RSU5 in September of 1993. For 33 years, she has been a

008steady, dependable presence. If I had to describe Reena, she's the kind of employee every organization hopes to have. She shows up rain or shine with a smile on her face. She greets people warmly and seems genuinely happy to see them. What stands out most about Reena is her consistency. Day after day, year after year, she has shown up and done her job really well. She never sought attention or recognition. Um, which is fitting considering she is not here tonight. Um, [laughter] and if she were, she'd be doing one of these. Um, but that's just who Reena is in the best way possible. Um, her reliability, kindness, and dedication never went unnoticed. The people around her knew they could count on her, and that kind of dependability is something truly special. and a profession building built

009on serving students every day. People like Reena are the foundation that keeps everything moving forward. For more than three decades, she has been a positive and steady presence in our schools and we are incredibly grateful for her years of service. Then there's Bertha. Uh [clears throat] Bertha joined RSU5 in 2016, but her career in school nutrition began began long before that. Before coming to RSU5, she spent 14 years serving students in Yarmouth, which is nearly 25 years of dedication to feeding students, supporting school communities, and caring for the people around her. If you've spent any amount of time with Bertha, it feels like you've known her much longer than you probably have. That's because Bertha has a gift that is increasingly rare. She truly pays attention to people. She asks you how you're doing, and

010she wants to really know the answer. She checks in. She remembers. She celebrates people when they least expect it. A few of us have seen the handwritten list hanging in her office um with everyone's birthdays carefully noted. Bertha never misses an opportunity to make someone feel special. Sometimes it's a birthday card, a thank you note or flowers, but more often than not, it's food. A container of homemade soup, a tray of cookies for the office, or maybe a new recipe she insists that you try. If you've ever received a card, some cookies, or a quick phone call from Bertha just to see how you're doing, then you've experienced firsthand the kind of person that she is. These gestures might seem small, but they are not. They are reflections of who Bertha is at her core.

011Someone who cares deeply about the people around her. In school nutrition, we spend our careers nourishing others. Bertha has certainly done that through her work, but she's also nourished the people she works alongside. She has built relationships, created community, and made people feel valued. She's been a manager, a colleague, and for many of us, a friend. Together, Reena and Bertha represent more than 57 years of service in school nutrition. That is more than five decades of feeding students, supporting schools, and making a difference in ways both large and small. So, thank you both for everything you've given to this department, to your co-workers, and to the students and families we serve. The meals you've made have been important, but the relationships that you've built and the example you've set will be remembered. We are better

012because of your contributions and your presence will be deeply missed. So please join me in congratulating them and wishing them both happiness, good health and many wonderful adventures in retirement. [applause] And uh Julie Nickerson Um, I am here to recognize Diana Kusty, who is [laughter] who is retiring as a first grade teacher. Although this is not where she started her 26 years at Mo Street School, she was an edtech in pre in preK working alongside the infamous Becky Billings for many years. Diane has made a career of working with L children both at Mor Street and before that running her own childare where she looked after other people's children alongside her own three boys. She has a depth of understanding of young children and a strong sense of what is developmentally appropriate for our youngest

013learners which has been her guidepost over the years. Diane wears many hats at our school. As well as being a strong and lasting presence on our first grade team, she's been on a leadership team, a mentor to many of our new teachers, is a musician who can lead a group when our music teacher is singing rounds, or can be readily called upon to play her flute or sing as part of any tribute to a retiring colleague. She's the first one to call when you need help after jamming the laminator. And I would be remiss if I did not mention that Diane is one of the most resourceful teachers I know. Before we all had document cameras in our classrooms, I remember walking into Dian's where she had made her own by attaching an iPad to

014a stand that she had built and she made things work perfectly well with the resources she had. Diane has a gift for finding humor in the daily work of education. She always seems to have the perfect funny story, student quote, or piece of student work to share that brings a smile to everyone's face. These moments not only brighten our day, but also remind us why we do this work. Her ability to celebrate the joy and wonder of childhood helps foster a positive atmosphere and strengthens connections among staff. Diane is so creative. She can whip up a sweet stuff bunny for her granddaughter or a character costume for her colleagues in no time as well as various outfits for the first grade mascot Rasheed. Each year, a highlight for students in Dian's class is her elephant

015and piggy skits. This is something that Diane does because she knows the students will remember it. She takes extra time to help prepare students so that they can perform to their families at the end of the year. It is not an expectation and it is truly above and beyond and always well worth it. All teachers work hard and Diane is no exception. She can be found in her classroom early in the morning and often late into the evening. All to ensure that she is prepared for her students and the next day's learning. Diane's dedication towards each student fortunate to call her their teacher and Moore Street School as a whole have made a lasting impression and she will be terribly missed. And I think my plants might die cuz Diane [laughter] secretly Diane is the

016person who goes around school and does the things that nobody really has on their job list. And I think we're going to slightly fall apart. CONGRATULATIONS. [applause] and I'm here to um celebrate Carolyn Fabro. Caroline, you're welcome to come up if you want if you want to stand up here and be recognized. Um, when I reflect on Caroline's six years as an edtech at Mass Landing School, one of the memories that really stands out um, occurred last spring. We were preparing to bid farewell to three fifth grade students who Caroline had worked with um, incredibly closely over their time at Mass Landing School. and she uh in their final weeks spent hours creating handmade scrapbooks um of photos from these students experiences across the three years in their time at Masslanding School. Um she printed

017those photo photographs um and literally hand sewed these beautiful books. I share the story because to me it exemplifies the heart of who Carolyn is. Like the photographs in those albums, Carolyn truly sees students. Rather than viewing children through a lens of a disability or limitation, she recognizes and celebrates their strengths, their interests, their growth, and sees their potential. As a result, she always seems to have a story to tell about a student's accomplishment, a new skill they have developed, or a moment that made her proud. And I think, what is it like to be one of those kids that's supported by that staff? Alongside her student- centered perspective, Caroline brings warmth and sincerity to every relationship she forms. Whether interacting with students, colleagues, or family, she approaches people with an authenticity that is both

018meaningful and refreshing. Her kindness is genuine. Her care is evident, and those around her really feel it. In her final years in education, Carolyn continued to roll up her sleeves and would was willing to do whatever was needed. From providing push and academic support in general education classrooms to working with one-on-one with students in our Lyft program, she demonstrated a wide-ranging skill set that benefited our full school community. That commitment combined with remarkable flexibility was perhaps best illustrated when just months before her retirement, I think it was literally 2 days after she told me she was retiring, that we would need her to transition to a new building in her final months of her career. Despite that, she willingly changed buildings to support a student who benefited specifically from her skill set. Given everything I've

019shared, it probably comes as no surprise um that when I checked in with Caroline a few weeks after her transition to Mor Street this spring and asked how things were going, her face immediately lit up as she talked about this new student she was supporting. Rather than talking about the challenges of learning a new staff, new systems, new buildings, new expectations, she eager eagerly shared stories about this student and the bond that they had formed. Even in this closing chapter of her career, she has focused consistently on what it means to serve students. Caroline is concluding an 18-year career in education um exemplifying the very qualities that have made her such a valued member of our school community and more recently more street school as well. Her impact can be seen in the students she's

020supported, the colleagues she's worked beside, and the joy that shines through when she talks about children. While we will certainly feel her absence, we are grateful for all she's given to our schools and wish her nothing but happiness in her retirement. [applause] Um, and like Erica, um, we have a staff member who does not like to be the center of the spotlight, but she may be streaming live from home where she's more comfortable. Um, so it's my honor to celebrate Cheryl Sleeper. Cheryl has served as the mass specialist at Masslanding School for the past 10 years. While she is not with us the e this evening, her absence in many ways is reflective of the very nature of her work. She is one of the most humble people you will ever meet and has never

021sought the spotlight. instead. Instead, she shines that light on others, particularly her students. When Cheryl talks about her work, she rarely begins with herself. Instead, she shares stories about her students, their interests, their challenges, the creative ways they approach a mathematical problem, and the growth that she has witnessed in them. She always has a vignette to share that both honors and celebrates kids. These reflections reveal not only her deep understanding of her students as mathematicians, but also her appreciation for who they are as humans growing into themselves. One of Cheryl's greatest strengths is her relentless commitment to knowing her students well. She approaches her role with curiosity and inquiry, seeking to understand each learner's mathematical thinking and problem solving. To support this work, Cheryl thoughtfully gathers and analyzes layers of formative and summitative data, using

022this information to tailor her instruction and respond to students. Her complex spreadsheets stand as a testament to the care, precision, and dedication she brings to her students. Beyond her expertise as an educator, she leads with a level of empathy that is truly extraordinary. Several years ago, at the start of a staff meeting, we were engaged in quick partnership conversations with colleagues and somehow a story came up about horseback riding in Colorado. So, Cheryl illustrated for me the beauty of riding this horse on some rugged trail in Colorado. And as she was telling me the story, she noted that she was crying. And I was thinking like, Cheryl, I don't understand. And she said, "All I could think about as I was riding this horse is how hard it was working." And to me it is,

023if you know Cheryl, it is a testament to her level of empathy and care and that is how she was with kids that she truly thinks about what they are doing, what it means to live their experience um and to support them all the way along the way. Of course, this story has stayed with me ever since then because it's a testament to who Cheryl is. She possesses a remarkable ability to place herself in the experiences of others and to genuinely care about what they are carrying. Her compassion extends beyond her students to her colleagues and families as well. She consistently notices, understands, and cares deeply for those around her. As I reflect on Cheryl's service to Mass Landing, her impact is perhaps best measured not by programs and her complex spreadsheets or years of

024service, but by the students whose confidence she has helped build. The influence of that work will continue long after her retirement. Given her unwavering focus on students, it feels fitting to close with a few of their reflections. So, these are uh fourth grade reflections. My favorite thing about Mrs. Sleeper is she's supportive. Even if a math problem is really hard, she finds a way to make it easy. Mrs. Sleeper is a very good teacher. I like it when she helps because she comes up with strategies that help me do math. And then my favorite because it just so sounds like a fourth grader. Mrs. Sleeper is always there when you're in a funk. These words capture what so many of us know to be true. Cheryl has been a source of support, encouragement, and care

025for students for the past 10 years at Mass Landing and close to 40 in education. As she embarks on her retirement, we miss wish her many adventures, abundant time outdoors, which is a place she loves to be, and all the joy that comes from pursuing the things she loves most. And we are filled with gratitude for her service. [applause] Good evening everybody. I am representing Freeport High School tonight. Um we also um could not pass up the opportunity to recognize Reena Frank. Uh, and Reena has just been such a light um, in our kitchen staff and in the cafeteria with students. Um, I think a couple of things um, and I know that Erica already spoke so well about her. Um, if you have enjoyed a schoolboard cookie, as I like to call them, which

026I think everyone knows, um, depending on how stressful the meeting is, that's how many cookies I eat. Um, Reena makes those cookies for us, but also the little secret fact is that she makes me an extra cookie that is waiting for me at the end of lunch every Wednesday that there's a board meeting. Um, I am a proud school lunch eater. So, I check in with Reena and the kitchen staff every day. We have She is always smiling, has some sort of comment about the day, always a positive spin on it. Um, and because she's so humble and really doesn't like recognition, her favorite thing to do was have 300 teenagers sing her happy birthday every year on her birthday. And um, she will be incredibly missed. So, I just wanted to make sure that

027I mentioned her as well. U, but I'm here. [laughter] Uh, I'm here to recognize tonight John Pertekch. And John Pertekch came to Freeport High School in 2017 and he's been an edtech in our special ed department at Freeport High School for the past nine years. John has worked with countless FHS students over the years and many were some of our students with the most complex learning andor personal needs. John approaches his work with every student with respect, firmness yet kindness, humor and empathy. >> [snorts] >> He has held high standards for students, which means that for some that's completing a complex research project, and for others, it means being able to walk independently from the cafeteria to a classroom. John recognizes and celebrates student progress in whatever form it comes. He has been instrumental in

028developing community partnerships for our school and our life [clears throat] skills program. and he has brought meaningful learning opportunities to our students such as years of work with Raplin of a Farm in Durham. In addition to partnerships outside of school, John has helped create opportunities for our students to serve our own school community, such as through uh working in the peace garden. John has been one of the strongest advocates for maintaining the peace garden uh which is a unique feature and a source of pride for our school. I I I love my favorite comment is when he says, "Jen, we need more plants. We need some money." Uh in addition to keeping the garden in great shape, he's turned it into a living classroom where students learn about science, gardening, and a million other things

029that come alive when they're working in the garden. John has also volunteered an incredible amount of his own time for the gardens uh around school and his time has been so very much appreciated. With John's support, students have gained skills that they will undoubtedly use throughout their whole lives and he has also helped them gain an incredible sense of self-confidence. John's work has benefited our entire community as he cares deeply about our school. John will be very missed at FHS and I hope that he enjoys his retirement immensely and maybe even comes to visit and sit in the peace garden once in a while. Thank you. [applause] Well, >> I will. >> So, tonight we are recognizing someone whose retirement marks truly the end of an era here at RSU5. 23 years. >> Yep. >>

03023 years. Um, so in education that is that is long enough to see kindergarteners grow up and graduate and start families of their own and then bring their children back through the very same school doors, although they would be different school doors in Durham. Um, so over more than two decades here, Will simply has not led, he hasn't led just led a school, he has really become part of the institution itself. And I have to admit that standing here I feel somewhat unqualified to deliver a tribute to him uh before I even arrived in RSU. We'll talk more later. [laughter] I had heard of Bill's reputation. All of it deserved um before I even got here. And people spoke of him with a level of respect and admiration that is rare in any profession. And

031we school administrators have a profession in which um can make us feel incompetent at the drop of a hat and will does not seem to project that image at all. Um when last summer I arrived as a first year superintendent and carrying around a healthy dose of imposttor syndrome, I discovered that Will's reputation was not exaggerated at all. And quite honestly, Providence has been very kind to me in allowing my first year here to overlap with Will's final year as a principal because what I have found in Will is what so many others have found and that is an absolutely steady hand. The profession can feel like rough seas and Will is always a reliable point on the horizon. He's the north star. He's both an anchor and a manel. He is not a figurehead.

032Do you see what I'm doing, Will? [laughter] I'm doing this for you just so that you know it can continue. >> Excellent. >> But all of that aside, he is the colleague whose judgment you trust, whose advice you seek, whose honesty you can count on, and whose support you never have to question. Even when he disagrees with you, you leave that conversation better for having had it. And when I asked his colleagues to describe him, certain themes emerged again and again. They spoke about his unwavering commitment to excellence and his high expectations for both students and staff. [snorts] They spoke about his ability to see beyond an immediate challenge and understand the foundational work that is necessary for a school or a team or a district or a system to actually grow and change. They

033spoke about his remarkable skill as a mentor. In fact, Will's assistant principles seem to have a habit of becoming successful principles themselves. Some have even mysteriously found their way to his hometown. People have also talked about his courage. He's never been afraid to say the hard thing in a difficult conversation if it was the right thing to say. He's never confused about He has never confused the easy decision with the correct decision. And if you ever want to see just how fierce an advocate he can be, just tell him he can't do something for kids. You'll quickly discover where the line is between calm persistence and determined stubbornness. They talked about his systems thinking, his ability to see not just his school but the whole district and to help all of us see that big

034picture and to be more deep strategic thinkers. And then beyond that, there's just the person that he is. There's the will whose opening day in introductions of new staff somehow became longer and funnier and more entertaining than everybody else's. Uh, the will who could return turn a routine meeting into a quick mini comedy show. It's like an episode of Call the Midwife where there's always a pantoime going on. Um, the will who could spend 20 minutes explaining the difference between structural and adaptive change and somehow people thank him. And >> [laughter] >> um I'm pretty sure >> rumor has it there is not a single person in Durham who has escaped a lesson on the managing complex change chart that he whips out at a moment's notice. There's the will who whenever staff gather and

035changes on the horizon instinctively reaches for those nautical metaphors. Some people have favorite books. Some people have favorite movies. will has the sea to its deepest depths. The will who loves a good podcast and loves telling you about it 27 times. [clears throat] Um the will who still can't say garage. I try to change >> like a garage [laughter] in a way that everyone understands despite over many decades of opportunities to practice. But perhaps most importantly, the will who understands that serious work does not require serious people and serious moments all the time. He has brought humor and humanity and curiosity and joy to the schools. And whether it is and these are things that I hear about by reputation only, but the woo wagon. >> Woo wagon. [laughter] >> Did I mispronounce? >> I

036think you might have. >> Um WDCS carpool karaoke. Simply his willingness to laugh at himself. He has created cultures where people want to be there just because he's there. One colleague reminded me that he has an entire drawer in his office dedicated to nonsense. >> [laughter] >> wigs, costumes, props, glasses. >> Most principles have drawers full of other things. Um, [clears throat] Will has a drawer prepared for spontaneous entertainment, and that feels just right. He loves to direct a show. >> Maybe. >> Yes. [laughter] >> He loves to bring people together. He really loves to help others shine. One colleague actually told me that Will's greatest impact comes from helping others to be independent. Stop and think about that as an educator. All of us. He doesn't create followers, he develops leaders. He listens deeply

037and he asks very thoughtful questions and he helps others find their way forward. And he is also constantly putting others ahead of himself. He is the person who sends a congratulatory email after an event. The person who writes home to celebrate a student's growth. The person who remembers details about your family and asks about them months later. The person who makes himself the punchline of the joke so everyone else can feel successful. And he's the person who stays late and arrives early and genuinely embraces and celebrates the personal and professional victories of other people. And that is what a leader is supposed to be. And it is evident in the schools that he has helped grow here. Durham Community School contains bits of Will's brilliance everywhere you look. The bricks lining the lower hallways because

038young children like to trail their hands along something like as a as they walk. The cafeteria windows that look out over the playground, which were designed to feel more like a family kitchen watching over a backyard than an institutional school. thoughtful details that most people would never notice, but that reveal how deeply he understands kids and how intentionally he approaches his work. So, Will, after 23 years at the helm of Durham Community School, your influence can be found in every corner of that building and in countless people throughout the district and beyond. You've shaped not only a school, but generations of students and educators and leaders and citizens. And as you prepare to leave the bridge, I'm back to the metaphor >> and chart your next course. The wake you have left behind. It's kind

039of feel like it. [laughter] [laughter] >> And there it is. The waters of our SU5 are better because you sailed here. And after just a year of working with Will, look what has happened to me. [laughter] I suppose some things are contagious. So on will on behalf of the board and the staff and the students and the families and all of us who have privileged been privileged to serve alongside you. Thank you for your leadership and your wisdom and your humor and your friendship and just being you and fair winds and following seas. [applause] >> [applause] [laughter] >> And I think that concludes our retirees, our honoring of the retirees this evening. [applause] Sorry, you have to follow that. [laughter] [snorts] Um, but before you do, I just want to from the board say thank

040you from the bottom of all of our hearts. I think I can say this as a for as a group to all of the retirees that are here that hopefully are watching at home or or even not, but for all the time, the effort, the the the love, and the care that you've put into all of your time in RSU5 and all of your time to all the kids that you've ever impacted and um God I hate this day every year. Oh god. Um but I what our loss is hopefully your gain to do wonderful things with your life and share your light with others and so thank you. Thank you so much. So thank you. [applause] Now I will uh throw it to Moon for our student rep. >> Hi everyone. Um I guess

041to start off like this week we had the start of our senior projects. So it's been really great to see what everyone's been up to and I've been to I think probably eight so far in the last week. Um, but I guess just a couple I've seen like I saw on 29th um Maddie Anderson for senior project she had a play of the wonder Wizard of Oz and so she had the advanced theater class uh produce that for with with her and that was really cool just to see like um how great like I didn't get to see it but I heard how great it was and how everyone did fantastic and I also s heard on the 30th at Pylon Kobe Lewis um for a for a senior project had walking fork and walking

042for keta's community walk in support of the ke center's vital work for our community and they do raising awareness for mental health suicide and topics that impact many students and families and people and so it's really great to hear that Kobe Lewis was doing all that and support and also we had the Gul of Main field studies class uh they had a pizza night I'm pretty sure the main beer company where 20% of all food sales uh went to like equipment maintenance and they're learning climate change. I'm pretty sure I'm going to take that class next year. So, I'm quite excited to see that. And then also, we had a charity walk for the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital. And we also had a pep rally following that. So, it's really great to get a nice

043It was a great day out, really sunny, so that was really great. And then we also had activities such as like the watermelon relays where the sophomore class um destroyed everyone, but besides that, it was really great. And then we also had a class of 2029 trivia night. So that was really cool on the I think on happened on the 18th and so they hosted trivia I think just to raise money and also the boys and girls competed in the Western Main Conference uh last Saturday and so I heard the I guess the girls got second and the boys got fourth and we now have new records um set. We have Naomi in the triple jump, Tyler in the triple jump, Emma in the 400, Bel in the pole vault and me, Ian, Jack, and

044Alex in the 4x4 relay. And the 4x4 is a 4x400. So each person runs a 400. Yeah, that's it. And the state track meet will be held this weekend here at our lovely uh Joan Bonoite Samuelson track and field facility and I think Moon will be competing there as well in that 4x4 as well as some other events. So good luck to you and to your whole team. And the only thing I didn't hear in there is that I also hear there was uh National Honor Society induction which you were inducted into. So congratulations. All right. Thank you for that busy time of year. Um all right. So we will move on to public comment. If we have anyone who'd like to speak, we just ask you come up to the microphone. Uh give us

045your name, where you live, and three minute comments. Good evening. Um, I'm Kate McGelotti. I'm the parent of two children. Um, I'm a kinderg a kindergartener at More Street and a three-year-old. And I'm really emotional because I just heard about how deeply each of the people in this room care about kids. I was a teacher. I was a district equivalent systems level leader leader. Sorry. And I'm also a literacy professor. I have facilitated national state level changes at an educational nonprofit. And the hardest work I've ever done is teaching and working in a school. I truly believe that every person in here wants to put kids first. I felt this. We moved here from Louisiana because we wanted to find a community where we where we could plant roots in public schools. And we have

046found educators who care deeply about kids, who care about kids growing, a ton of empathy. And I also just am asking people to really consider putting kids first and to really look at what we're doing and ask yourself if it is putting kids first. I want to talk to you about the current reading curriculum being used in in RSQ5 [snorts] and ask that you really consider how urgent this change is. Kids must be taught to read. Unlike speaking, our ar our brains are not programmed to read. They have to be taught. They have to be rewired. And for decades, many schools across the United States, as you probably know, used FMPP and Lucy Calvin's units of study. Both of these are still used in RSU5. These programs are not aligned to teaching the brain to

047read. The foundational skills that many of you know when you think about sounding out words. When you come across a word you don't know, you probably still do it. Many states and school districts, including ma Massachusetts, have banned these curriculum and mandated evidence-based literacy curriculum. The practices used within these are illegal in 20 states, including Louisiana, where we moved from, and they are still being taught to my kindergartener. Many states and school districts have come around and I've had conversations with many of you in here that and I understand the perspective that the curriculum has been updated. It has it's been revamped to include phonics. However, for all nationally normed reviews, it's not comprehensive and systematic and it's not explicit. Imagine trying to be figure out a puzzle, but you only have half the pieces.

048And then imagine that your teacher is telling you, "Please figure out the puzzle day in and day out." That's what it's like if you're not taught in an explicit systematic way. The foundational concepts and the units of study curriculum revamped doesn't do that. We have to start kids, every kid, with the belief that they can learn to read. It is the most critical predictor of all life success. And I'm sure every teacher in here, every leader in here, every parent in here has an example of why it's so critical. Adding it on as an afterthought isn't that [snorts] it doesn't align to what we've all know is best for kids. It doesn't align to what setting up kids to ensure that they have a fair shot before they're identified as needing an intervention or as

049having a disability. It's also not aligned to federal requirements for a school and that you have to use core evidence-based curriculum before you identify kid as needing additional support. So, I really ask you to consider three specific actions. I know how challenging change across the system is. We just heard a leader sort of talk about, you know, in that retirement speech of all all the things that go into it. Adaptive technical change, change management. Yes. And all of those things are adult things. So, I'm going to ask you to consider the kids coming who are my my f rising first grader kids coming into kindergarten next year, sixth graders that are still not reading, the 50% of kids from low-income backgrounds in this district who are not proficient in reading, the 30% of kids from

050o overall who are not proficient in reading. There's a solution and I think we're all aware of what that solution is. Districts right next door did it. states across the country. 42 states have done it and are moving towards and seeing the growth. We started some progress this year. So, the steps and maps are clear. I'm I'm asking you to consider three specific actions in the short and long term. Introduce a district-wide policy that mandates universal literacy screening. So, we at least have data on where every kid is. progress monitoring throughout the year and interventions for all children. This was started this year using Aadian which is fantastic. So there's there's it's happening. People are seeing the success. The second thing is introducing a district-wide plan that mandates within 2 years all K3 literacy curriculum

051is aligned to high-quality instructional materials. Ed reports is the national standard. Maine has a new guide the state is excited to support. there's been change in local districts. And then pilot at least one classroom in the upcoming school year to implement a tier one evidence-based curriculum and assessment and literacy and to not use units of study. And then I ask you to compare the data and have a real conversation about if you can in fact continue to not to not have half of the children from low-income backgrounds and 30% of kids overall be proficient in reading. When students are taught in a method proven to work for all kids first schools need less individualized instruction for reading, there's fewer behavior challenges. When schools implement this evidence-based tier one curriculum, they see transformative success. You can

052see this all over the news. You and I'm and I know that this district is different. I know that you guys care about kids. I see it. And I'm asking you to therefore because you care about kids to really examine if you're sure you know what you know. and you and start with the data that you already have. There are many parents who aren't here today. They don't have the resources. They don't have the time. They don't have the capacity to come and speak to you. Like me, they trust their schools. They trust their teachers. And many of these parents are thinking something is wrong with their child. They're thinking their kid is behind in reading. Maybe there's something wrong with them. Do they have a behavior disability? Do they have a reading disability? Did

053they have dyslexia? The majority of these kids don't they just need to be taught the code and the code is well established and you can teach it. I taught it to high schoolers and I took kids who couldn't sound out a word and I made them proficient readers. We can do it. There are people in this district doing it. So, I hope you continue this work and you really really consider what it would mean to set every kid up for the success they deserve and they have a right to and leave this board cycle with a clear plan in the short and long term to implement this change. Thank you. Did we have anyone else who wanted to Yeah, I think Jen's getting up for public comments. So, go ahead. Hi, my name is Lindseay

054Han and I'm from Powell. And even though I'm from Powell, I hope my comments are received in the manner I'm intending them to be and that is one of partnership and good faith. I want to thank Superintendent Gray and the board for taking time over the past several months to listen to the community members that would be affected by repurposing Poundol Elementary School. After the February 11th board meeting when the proposal was first introduced, Superintendent Gray acknowledged the strong reaction from families and community members and stated that his goal was really to listen as this exploration of the issues began in earnest. I believe that he has done that and I'm grateful for his engagement and willingness to hear from residents across the district. I will admit that before that February meeting, I was not

055an active participant in school board matters. Like many parents, I trusted that the board would make decisions in the best interest of my children and as a district and the district as a whole. Hearing the proposal that would potentially repurpose my children's elementary school challenged that assumption and initially left me feeling shocked, concerned, and uncertain about the future of our wonderful school. But just as Superintendent Gray has been listening over these past months, I have been listening too. Over the past few months, I have attended as many board meetings and subcommittee meetings as possible. I have spent time learning about the many complex and competing issues facing RSU5. Through that process, my initial shock and dismay have evolved into something more productive, a deeper understanding of the challenges before us, a greater appreciation for the

056work of the board, and cautious optimism that decisions of this magnitude will not be made without careful consideration of their impact on students, families, and our communities. Maybe the most inspiring outcome of this process so far has been the extraordinary community engagement it has generated. The amount of support, talent, energy, and commitment from residents has been incredible. People with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives have stepped forward not to simply oppose a proposal, but to work together to find solutions. That willingness to collaborate, volunteer, and engage constructively gives me great hope for the future of our district. I continue to believe that strong neighborhood schools strengthen communities, fosters engagement, and creates lasting connections amongst families. I also remain unconvinced that repurposing Panel Elementary School into a district-wide early education facility would achieve the goals that had

057originally been outlined. More importantly, I believe a structural change of this magnitude should be supported by compelling evidence that the benefits clearly outweigh the costs. I do not believe that evidence currently exists. As we move forward, I look forward to participating in the systems and sustainability study to the extent that I can. Community members from across the district and I remain committed to working collaboratively to find solutions that move RSU5 forward while preserving the strengths of each unique town. Thank you. >> Thank you, Lindsay. Anyone else? looking just right at you because you know you're our last public member that >> Yeah. [laughter] >> You're good tonight. Okay. >> Wonderful. Thank you. Um All right. So, we will move on to item eight on our agenda uh report from the superintendent. >> Okay. Well, this

058evening I'd like to just switch things up a little bit first and inform you of some resignations before I launch into my report. And the first that I'd like to tell you about is a person who's just left the room. Hi, which I believe you already know about, but Principal Gulo has announced her resignation to become the principal of Harrison Middle School in neighboring Yarmouth district and we are basically swapping her for the current principal of that middle school who is coming in to be our new assistant superintendent effective July 1st. Um, Jen's departure will be a truly the end of an era at Freeport High School and she will be dearly missed. Um, second, uh, Amber Harrison, who is a Mor Street School prek teacher, has announced her resignation. Kelly Howard, who is a

059PES preK teacher, has announced her resignation. And Fred Tppen, who is a district computer technician, has announced his resignation. And we have John Pertek, who you heard about a few moments ago, who is a Freeport High School edtech, who has announced his retirement. Um, I I would like to take a few moments tonight to focus my remarks on the strategic planning process. That's something we're going to be digging into at great in great detail at the next meeting. And I wanted to um prepare you with some of the thoughts that I have about where we go from there. Um, first there's a lot of people to thank. This has been a monumental process. It started before I arrived. It has involved as many members of the community as we could possibly involved. Uh, we've had

060students, staff, families, community members, administrators, board members contributing along the way. There have been many, many rounds of feedback as you know because you've received the surveys. Um, it has been remarkable. I think that the final product will reflect that in its strength. Um, you will notice, speaking of surveys, one final survey just went out. This is a survey that asks for feedback not about the plan itself, but about what within this gigantic plan we should work on first. So, I expect that at least a few of us are feeling survey fatigue at this point. Um, but they should slow down. But it's not a bad thing that we've taken so much input. Um, one of the commitments of the process from the beginning was that it would be inclusive and thorough and informed by

061as many constituents as we could possibly reach out to. And so we've had these surveys and we've had focus groups. We've had public meetings and committee discussions and countless individual conversations and many many informal interactions. And those are all the tools that have helped to shape the plan. Um, next week we will bring you that updated strategic plan for formal approval. And I wanted to just take a moment to talk about what that means. Um, board approval is obviously an important step for a school district's strategic plan. Um, but with a week's lead time, I wanted to encourage you to think about and recognize that the strategic plan is not my plan. It is not the administration's plan. It isn't really the board's plan either. It's the community's plan. And that's what all of those

062countless surveys and listening sessions have been aimed at. And although the board has an important governance role in adopting the plan so that we can use it as a continual decision point reference, the plan has been shaped by all the people who live, work, learn, and raise families here. and it had reflects thousands of individual comments and ideas and aspirations and that's something worth celebrating. So as we move toward that adoption I have been thinking about and talking with the administrative team about what comes next. So the reality is that writing the strategic plan is the easy part. It's actually making the plan come alive and living the plan that is the real work. Um so that that plan is not just a paper tiger and that will not be determined by how good the

063document looks or how many surveys surveys we did along the way. It will be determined by whether the plan actually influences our decisions and our priorities and that that leads ultimately to the outcomes for students. So, it's about what we do going forward. And for this reason, I believe we need a structure that will help keep the plan visible and relevant long after we adopt it. Um, so my initial thinking is that we will establish a strategic oversight committee that will include representation from across all of our constituent groups. Similarly to the current strategic planning committee, it will have teachers and support staff, administrators, students, parents, community members, and board representation. And this committee would not just be another implementation committee. It would not be managing the projects within the plan or directing the work

064of the staff, but it we'd be consistently assessing whether or not the priorities of the plan remain relevant and what our work has been to carry out the action steps and where it should go next. And it would continually monitor and provide feedback and I think most importantly inform how we communicate about the plan. And it would help us continually address questions like are we actually making progress on the priorities we've identified? What evidence do we have that we're actually making that progress? What are the challenges? What's the feedback from the the community as we go along? What adjustments may need to be made? And I think the most important part is how can we meaningfully embed this plan in the way we communicate in both directions. In the way we communicate about our schools

065and in the way that we seek communication. How do we make sure that it remains a living document rather than something that slowly fades away? One of the themes that has emerged repeatedly throughout the planning process has been how important communication is because it's how we achieve engagement and transparency. So I'm thinking of this structure which I've recently discussed with the administrative team and which we're are shaping a framework for to be a vehicle for that. Um I think we would all agree that community engagement can't end when the plan is approved by the board. If anything, then it's even more important. And quite frankly, it's one of the most essential principles of decision-making in our society. The ideas of our society can endure because we allow for their continual interpretation and reinterpretation. It can't

066be just a snapshot in time. It's a living document. So that will provide both direction and stability and have an opportunity for regular review. I think that needs to be the essence of the plan. And that does not mean we would constantly be changing course. It doesn't mean we would constantly be revising the plan. It would mean we would be constantly monitoring how the plan is working and making adjustments on the way. And I think that this also is very important as we look back to the conversation we're having about where how we configure our district going forward. Um, all of the conversations about organizational effectiveness and long-term sustainability, those conversations have to take place under the umbrella of the strategic plan and the future systems and sustainability study. The decisions we make having been

067informed by that study will kind of help us understand how our plan will continue to evolve. So over the summer, I will be continuing to refine um an implementation structure and it will focus on a strategic oversight committee and I will bring more detailed recommendations to the board regarding the framework for that committee when we get started next year. But I wanted to use tonight as an opportunity to share with you that's what I'm working on and that when you look at the plan next week so that you can see at least this idea that I have now about where it could go next. Um because that's where the real work begins. >> Yeah. Yes. >> Who gets those surveys? >> They have gone out to students, parents, staff, community, the Facebook page. That's what

068I can think of for the moment. >> For those of us who don't have Facebook, >> I think they were on the I think they were posted on the three towns website because we don't have email addresses or to everybody who lives in town. I believe they were all posted in sort of like the news blasts that go out from the three towns. This would have been a year ago where the original >> I did one a year ago, but is that the most recent one? >> No, the most recent one went out like week before last, >> but I don't know if that I think because that only went out to people that we had email addresses for, I believe. Yes. >> So, um that you have my email address. >> Well, Jimmy could

069answer the question. >> I mean, we got it in our board email. You have it there. Um, we got a we got a copy of it, I believe, in our board email >> to fill out. >> Well, it was a link to the survey. So, you got it? Yeah, [snorts] >> I will check. I didn't >> did not see it. >> Um, just I'm very much looking forward to seeing the strategic plan uh next week. I think just a couple of thoughts that occurred to me just on the because I came on when we were at the end of our last strategic plan. Um, and I think just something I'm realizing as you're as you were describing what I think um, uh, sounds like a good way to conceptualize what the strategic plan is and

070that it is the the plan of the community. Um, that was not how the strategic plan that we were working with before was presented. Um, as I remember, just in so far as it really did feel like it was what the district um, the district leadership had said we were going to do. Um, and I just think that distinction that distinction seems really important because I think that um there were times when uh I remember looking at that strategic plan and looking at um what we said we were going to do and then sort of like the indicators of whether we'd done it um and feeling a real disconnect. Um and and I think and therefore uh I think that kind of brought up feelings of like well why why uh why did we say

071that that was going to be our plan and then why didn't we follow through on that? So I think just that's sort of just one one person's observation. And I think the other is I guess I'm just going to be curious to see in the strategic plan that we see if indeed it is what the community um uh represented by the this this committee um is presenting how the feasibility of that plan has been evaluated. Um because I think uh I think asking the board to sign off on uh something where that feasibility has not been really clearly worked through I think is just raises some sort of like question marks for me. Um because it's one thing to say um this sounds like a good idea. It's [snorts] another to say yes uh within

072the next five years we are going to accomplish this and we have the ability to to do so. Um so that's more of a a comment just as the as that comes up but just that's what some of what I'm going to be thinking about as we look at that. Okay. You have more? I do. I also wanted to talk about cell phones. So I just wanted to give you an update about where we are with implementation of our new policy which goes into effect July 1st. So some background um when the board adopted the policy and I think that was January or February um the discussion we you will remember you we were all in the room. We had had months of discussion about what the policy would look like um including whether or

073not we where we would ban phones, where we would have um whether we would allow them for example on buses, all the things, right? We discussed all the things. So at that time we'd estab the policy that you wrote establishes a phone-free school day and that's the language that's in the policy and that it also says that schools would have some latitude in determining the procedures that would implement the the that expectation. So we discussed a variety of approaches including using yonder bags or other storage systems at the time. At that time, we decided not to implement a district-wide storage solution. Um, the decision was based on several factors. Cost was one, but it was not the primary factor at the time. Um, and we heard consistently from students at the time that mandatory storage

074systems would be viewed as punitive. So, the board also heard from administrators in other districts. we administrators heard from other districts that sometimes those systems can be difficult to police. Um so as a result and at the moment I just want to make it clear I'm trying to capture I hope accurately the consensus of the conversation among all of you when the policy was adopted um was to begin with an off and away approach establish clear expectations and then monitor how the policy would work [laughter] and go forward from there. That was January or February. Fast forward a few months, the state passed a law. The state passed a law banning cell phones. That's great because our policy banned cell phones during the school day. But in the course of that, the state also appropriated

075money to school districts to help with that implementation. And what we're supposed to use the money for if we take advantage of it is anything that will help to enable a bell-to-bell ban. It doesn't say you have to buy this or that or the other thing. It's somewhat flexible. Um with that said, we did not learn how much money we would be getting until just a couple of weeks ago in late May. And that amount is about $4,100, which is not nothing, but it's also in the grand scheme of things, it's not a lot. So that has informed the conversations about how what our implementation would be in buildings and it does it has meant that those conversations have shifted in tone just within the past few weeks because that's new information. So I'm just

076offering that to kind of explain why are we at implementation having these discussions now when the policy was voted on months ago. It's because some things changed in the interim. [clears throat] So with that information now available um the schools are working on their implementation plans and they will have those completed before the school year is out and ready to be communicated. Um, we also just yesterday had a principal meeting and we spent considerable time discussing the areas where it has to be consistent across schools. A good example of that is in often away. What does away mean? Does away mean in your pocket? Does away mean in a backpack etc. I'm not answering that question right now. I'm sharing this as an example of what we are discussing in terms of implementation plans. So,

077um, we are close. We're not quite there as of this moment, but we will be before the end of the school year, and it will be clearly communicated. For the board, I personally believe that policy-wise we're in the right place at the moment. And I believe that because the board has adopted a policy that complies with state law. And it allows us the flexibility to start in one place, see how it goes, and move to another place if we need to. I I think that that's important. I think especially, in fact, I was just talking with Jen Gulko this morning on the phone about this. She was sharing information from her Cumberland County principles group, which has been actively discussing this. Um, what Jen tells me is that most schools are not quite ready yet

078with their plans because of the same factors that I just shared with you. And everybody is thinking that no matter what they start with, they will probably end up in a different place a few months into the school year, depending on how it goes. Um, there are some unique factors here in Freeport that we have to think about. One of them is open campus. So not every high school has is situated in a downtown. And so the number of students that we have who are 11th or 12th grade who leave the building and come back is perhaps higher than in many other places. How does that fit into how we implement a phone the phone policy? um those are the kinds of details that they have to think about in the implementation plan. So at

079at the high school there is a team right now of teachers and students who have been working on this and they met again just recently and there they are close to hammering out a procedure for the school that will fall under the opaces of the policy. So, I hope that this helps the board understand where we are with this and why we why we are at this point right now. Um, and I'm happy to take any questions that you have. >> Okay, thank you for that. That was well put. Um, I just have a question about all schools having similar protocol or will each school have their own way of doing things across RSU5? I guess I'm just wondering about uniformity. >> There will be some similarities and some differences and I I can't say

080at the moment exactly what those are. I I'll return to the example of we agreed yesterday. One area where we need to be consistent is when we say if we say oft and away, what does away mean? Because away can't mean at Freeport Middle School away meant we keep it in our pocket and that's fine. But you get to the high school and they say it has to be somewhere else. That won't work. So it it has to be more consistent than that. But when it gets down to the level of for example at the high school there may there could be different rules for 9th and 10th grade versus 11th and 12th grade largely because of open campus. Um so so some of those are very specific to the conditions in the school. I

081don't think I answered your question that fully but that's as much as I can do at the moment. I think it does. Um, it just brought another thought to mind that I think one of the reasons that schools and states are starting to go this route is because of the distraction. So, if they're on your body and something's buzzing, that's still distraction. >> I have to agree and and uh I don't mind telling you that when we met yesterday, the administrators, we fully agreed with that. Yeah. >> Um, and you know, while there are lots of conversations that we've had here recently that bear upon this, we just heard a presentation not too long ago from a group of students who felt that they would like to improve the sense that the student voice is

082heard. And when this issue was discussed, the board actively tried to to recognize the students in when they said that um putting phones away in a storage device like a yonder bag might feel punitive. So we definitely want to recognize that. At the same time, it's an adult decision. And I think, you know, I can represent for the adults in the room and certainly what I believe The phones are harmful and the phones are addictive. They just are. And our consequences are not necessarily as powerful as the addictive draw to pull the phone out. Um, so what we're really engaged in, the conversations are if we use a storage device, how can we do it in a way that works and doesn't completely disrupt the flow of the school? How can we do it and

083still honor our desire to ensure the students feel that they were heard? Um, and how can we do it in a way that minimizes power struggles? Because we don't want to set up a situation in which we're constantly just confronting kids about where is your phone, show me where your phone is. That's not productive. So, those are some of the variables that the needle we're trying to thread. Uh Chris, >> um when we talked about that first when we first adopted the policy before the the law change, um I know we had talked about an educational component that came with that to the kids. >> Yes. >> And with the law change now, it's less of a well, we're doing this because and more of a the state says we have to. That said, I

084think it's still really important to include some sort of educational component and have you seen any progress on that? um some and mostly at the middle school they're inventing a new course that a special course in library studies and that will be a critical component of it but I also know that this is taught in other areas in the schools already um I believe it's taught as part of an advisory curriculum don't although don't quote me on that I'm trying to remember um the discussion that we had but we absolutely recognize that that is a part of the expectation of the policy and we'll continue to work on Anna, >> thank you for the update. Tom, um, a couple things was just for the record, I want to say personally as a board member, I

085did not feel as if when we were having the discussions around the storage systems and whether to do it or not before the state law came that really we got a sense as a board of what the different options were, what I mean, all of this is so new, right? But like really I felt like we only heard about Yonder and then we heard some very anecdotal evidence that it wasn't working and they're expensive. Um so I feel like it's a I I just I think things are now coming out that we're learning about alternative systems and I just feel like we didn't publicly discuss um and have time for that. Um and that's just what it is. But just to name that. Um I also wanted to ask about the funding allocation. It's you

086know not much but it's something particular for like some of the cheaper options. Do we know how like when will it go away? Is that do we have a sense of that? >> My understanding at the moment is that it's a one-time thing. Um and you're absolutely right. So our understanding of the products that are available is growing really fast and I think new products are coming online all the time. One of the ones that we've looked at recently which was referenced in some emails that the board received are these like lockers that go in classrooms. Um you know those are between $100 and $200 a piece. So for $4,100 we would not have enough to do every classroom for sure. We'd have to be selective. We'd have to if we wanted to go further

087than that, we'd have to find money somewhere else. I don't think that money is actually the biggest obstacle. I think really it's figuring out the logistics of it. And you know, the you're right that the evidence is anecdotal, although it's anecdotal from every other school that I've talked to that has done it that that suggests that having the expectation really does help. And yet we still always have kids who, you know, who go who won't follow the rules. And it puts us in the position of having to make a decision where will we confront and that's a fine line. Um because we don't want to have unproductive power struggles. I think what I mean is um I feel like we only really talked about yonder and because of the cost about it and I didn't

088feel like we got much input about some other uh stories >> we talked about the ones I couldn't open >> that was a random thing because >> can I just say one other thing Colin um is that and I going back I I know that our uh role as a board here isn't to say I think we should use this and I respect that the administrators are working it out. At least that's the policy that we passed is we're not saying that. So I respect and I'm happy that these conversations are being had. >> I will say that the storage systems I think it's they each hold like a hundred phones or something like that. So, I mean, there are ways to do it and I just wonder I'm hoping that these conversations are thinking

089about the funding and like maybe the kids who aren't able to put it away and they need more of a consequence. Um, so >> they are okay, I can tell you that. And, um, the storage devices are not off the table. >> Um, particularly at the high school where where Jen has kept me really informed, there are some folks at the high school who would really like to see us use them. There are some folks who wouldn't. Jen's trying to arrive at a good consensus point. Um I'm pretty sure that whatever we try first, no matter what it is, we'll end up modifying because that's the way things go if we do it right. And um I want to I'm hoping to to give them the grace to to try an idea and and see

090how it works. Um, but I don't know if it helps you for me to say that the storage devices are are actively being considered and it's mostly like if we use them, how and where could we use them in a way that just doesn't disrupt the flow of the school. >> Thank you. That makes a lot of sense. And I I think my last piece and then sorry Colin is um >> are we is are the discussions also focusing on the communication plans to parents and families because that seems just as important. Yes, I've communicated to the principles that this needs to be wrapped up this year. Even if we feel like we don't have a perfect procedure yet, we need to have something in place that we can communicate to everyone before the school

091year is over. And then we'll communicate it again when school starts and we'll give it our best effort and we'll see how it goes and identify what needs to change. >> Yeah. And I I think I all I just wanted to to to um throw in is I think just sort of on what you touched on a moment ago is just that um very much I'm speaking as the policy chair. I think at this point it like the way in which we constructed the policy over that over the course of all of the discussions and the input was very deliberately um not uh not making the board the determining entity for the technology or the or the the methodology of of that. That was a very like I think I think at least I tried

092to be very clear that that was the [clears throat] decision. Yes. Part of it was certainly hearing the input from as Tom as you said hearing the input from the students about the the question of the sort of punitive nature of it. But I think that the way I understood our passage of that policy was very much that um the expertise does not lie with us. Um nor actually do I do I think it really was I think as I kind of look back on it that it sort of that wasn't sort of an appropriate moment for us to sort of inflict our will upon the um the students in terms of the sort of the the management of the the management of this problem. Um so I think that I you know I very

093I very much did basic sort of when we passed that policy was sort of like it's in y'all's hands please don't screw it up. Um and yeah and things have changed and things have changed since then. Um so I think I think I guess I just wanted to say is that the the sort of the the question surrounding whether I guess I guess I was just a little sensitive Anna when you were saying we weren't presented with the sort of the more fuller range of the technologies. I guess in my mind at the end of the day that was not what we were supposed to look at. Um and that was the way at least so I was understanding the way we were we eventually approached it um in terms of uh passing the policy.

094[snorts] I think part of how what I viewed um was a policy and operationalizing it because something that feedback that we heard from Jen was that and the students was that different teachers were applying current policies differently in the classroom. And so when I was thinking about this policy, I was trying to think of how would whatever this policy says be affected by um internal variance among the teachers. And when I think about off and away that seems vague enough and and um I guess still kind of clear that you shouldn't have it out that we can allow for that and still need it. Whereas there are some things that I felt like risked us both not paying attention to what we were hearing from the students and also risked that variability causing a weird

095strife among staff and maybe a lessening of maybe respect is the wrong word, but something creating that push and pull of like, well, this teacher says I can do this or this teacher doesn't make me do that. And then when you have that kind of policy that maybe hopefully everyone can get on board with, I was just worried about the way we were operationalizing it and making sure that we were able to meet it more consistently because I that's one thing that I heard from that jump was that we have a policy already that people are maybe not consistently applying. that's not accurate and that we did not have a policy at the district level in terms of how the No, no, but that's but again I think that's where and again because the policy

096committee our head is always like at this place is sort of the is really a fundamental difference between when we talk about uh district-wide policy what we mean is a document that the the board has approved that applies to everyone and then there are the procedures is that um the sort of the the nature of the nature of the beast is that basically we trust um the admin the administration um to make determinations on what those procedures are to operationalize it. Um so I think that I think the part of the problem previously was that there was was not a policy there was just sort of a procedure but it had no teeth. Um and also and so I think that um so I guess I just just on that particular point the other is

097also that um just to that point about policy and procedure it's something that like superintendents and assistant superintendent since I have been on the board have really emphasized that the that the board should not overreach and pass and and get at too level of uh at too a minute level in terms of creating policy um and that that um the procedure really needs to be left to um the administrators and I have taken that quite I've taken that quite seriously. I've wrestled with it. I've taken quite seriously. But I would say that this is a situation where um if um we were to observe over the next year, let's say, or two years, I'm not sure what the right time frame is. um if uh for whatever collection of reasons um a dog's breakfast is

098made of this um because choices were left to the administration um that maybe shouldn't have been made then it comes back to us and we make a stricter policy. Um but I think that again I think it it just goes to the I guess I would just remind us of that as a just a general principle for our policym um that that is that's generally how it's supposed to operate. Um and we're we're not meant to micromanage um at that level at least that is what the career educators and administrators uh have been at pains to communicate to us as a committee. Kelly. Yeah, I just wanted to second call on that I I feel very comfortable with the policy that we as a board have adopted for the district. I think it's good that

099we are not overly prescriptive about how we are asking the schools to implement this policy and I also wanted to thank Superintendent Gray for your remarks. It sounds like you are you and the administrators are having some really thoughtful conversations around this that you are with the data that you have you are considering a lot of these questions about implementation very carefully and I I look forward to hearing more about what you come up with and I and I feel comfortable that you're making those decisions and that we can adjust if we need to. So I'm yeah I'm feeling good about the process and I'm also looking forward to hearing more. Thank you. Not sure how to start this, but yes, uh Colin, good points. Um very good points to keep in mind that we

100are not putting forth procedures for schools, the policy. And Valerie, good point about the consistency. I think that's what I think I originally said like the uniformity because if you have two parents and one's going to say yes to a kid, where do you think the kid's going to go to the yes parent? Right. So, I think that's the only thing that was my concern was just more um if it's one school, like you said, there's an open campus here. So, Freeport High School has one consistent box of rules or whatever it is. And then you go and do those rules and keep them consistent instead of one teacher maybe, well, I'll allow this or one teacher saying, "No, it's got to be this way." It's going to be too hard for kids to manage

101otherwise. I think the uniformity is a good thing, but I don't want to tell someone how to do that. Yes. What they say is our job is to make sure that the schools are well managed, not to manage the schools. Right. So, um, I appreciate that. Um, I, uh, a couple of a couple of thoughts. Um, to Chris's point about, you know, the the why behind the decision. I do think, um, you know, you said it yourself, Tom, like they're they're not good and they're addictive. And, you know, we can just take it away. Um, which we will cuz we have to, but it's also the right thing to do. And so I do look forward to um the curriculum that goes around it. Um I don't think what we do now is adequate because

102I feel like if it was adequate, we wouldn't be getting the push back from the student body, right? Um or or even from parents. And so uh I I do look forward to you know that um I think it's a a a parallel path with the implementation is the why and the true you know impact of the phones and the technology um on their brains on their environment on their learning experience um on ours um so um [clears throat] I definitely don't want that to fall to the wayside just because oh well now it's a law and we have to do it. I still think that's our obligation to provide. And um as I think about the money, I mean, I do think I do think we should take advantage of the funds that are

103being offered to us. I do imagine it's a one-time limited limited time offer. Um, and uh, you know, if we don't have a storage solution that needs it just yet, I I don't um, I do like the idea of maybe it's, you know, we get some of those lockers for for for kids who need more support and can't handle whatever the implementation looks like, right? Um, maybe that's a use. Maybe I don't know if this is allowed. Maybe it's to pay a speaker. I mean, we've heard about some incredible speakers that talk about the impact on their brains of these of this technology. Can we use it for that? Um, I would I would I'd like to see that, too, as a as you know, I I hate to turn away money. >> So, that's

104my thought. >> I had that thought. >> Yeah. I just um coming back to the communication piece. I'm sure there will be a lot of communication with parents as you've already mentioned and I just want to make sure that that we as parents get a lot of the details [clears throat] about the the education piece too. I would like to know exactly how that's going to be implemented into our curriculum as someone who's going to be a parent of a high schooler next year. It's going to be very relevant to me. >> All right, we haven't even made it through the superintendent report yet, guys. You got more? >> I got more. [laughter] >> You ready for number nine? >> I don't even think we're done with number eight yet. >> Board meeting. >> Oh,

105yeah. >> So, in your packets, this is under his, but I'll give him a break from talking so much. Um, blue sheet is the board meeting schedule for next year. Uh, a couple of things of note. Um a similar a similar uh schedule of meetings to this year. Uh August 26th is the board retreat. Uh just a reminder to folks, it starts at 4. We do start that earlier and this year it's uh it's going to be at the Smith Center um here here in Freeport. [laughter] Um and uh so if folks want to get that on their calendar, um that's the Monday, excuse me, that's the Wednesday before the week that school starts for students. Um and then everything else is pretty consistent. I The other thing I'll point out because it alternates each

106year is the annual budget meeting next year will be held at Durham because it was at Freeport High School this year. We alternate back and forth between the Durham Community School and Freeport High School. And just for folks who may or may not be familiar, we don't hold it in panel. Uh because that gym, if we if everybody showed up, it would not be big enough to hold everybody. I think that's probably an issue um we'd like to have. [laughter] We haven't lately, but um so uh so we just alternate back and forth between um FHS and DCS. Any comments or questions on those? Yeah, Lois. Not about this schedule, but I just want to point out when you're doing the calendar for next year, putting graduation in the Durham Town meeting on the same

107day is not a good look. >> Well, it wasn't supposed to be. I mean, we've always done it on a Sunday and there was an issue with the Merryill, so it had to move to a Saturday. >> Just asking that next year you not do the same thing. >> Yeah, that's already been actually determined. That's already, I think, on the calendar for the student calendar. Yeah. No, it's it's unfortunate that that had to happen, but it's also the first year we've had the Durham community meeting. I it's not something they've typically had to schedule around because this is the first year they've done it um in June because it's always been in April. So I know >> the fiscal year now from July to June. >> I know that but this is the first year

108that it's that this is the first time we've had our our town meeting in June and not in April. So yes, I uh I'm not sure the last time I missed a town meeting, but unfortunately I'll be at graduation. So um but yes, noted. How many of the rest of you will get to have your birthday on a board meeting? >> This one bonus of a July birthday doesn't happen. [laughter] >> Oh, see, wait, you're a you're a St. Patrick's Day baby. Oh, that's fine. [laughter] >> Moon Moon's birthday. >> Oh, Moon has an election he's got to win before he's here on his birthday. [laughter] >> Okay, that's true. IT'S STILL HIS BIRTHDAY. Good point. Good point. Um, and we could probably almost guarantee Moon will not be here on his birthday. [laughter] Whoever

109the other person is is like, "That's your day." [snorts] Um, all right. Any other comments or questions on the board meeting schedule for next year? Okay. So, uh, now we've hit everything in your >> Okay. So, now we'll move on to administrator reports, which is you. >> Yeah. I'm gonna I'm going to represent for Kelly tonight who couldn't be here. Um, so with regard to finance, the report in tonight's packet includes revenues and expenses through April 30th and we are largely on par with last year. Um we are watching article six which is system admin administration very closely and we expect this article to go over and that's mostly because of the threemonth overlap with Jean Scorappa and me at the beginning of the year. Um we have also had higher than expected legal fees

110this year. Um so we will be reviewing the movement of funds from one article to another um likely from article one which is regular instruction at the September meeting once all the expenditures from this fiscal year are finalized. And for those who are unfamiliar the um the board can approve moving money from one article to another. It requires a board vote. So >> actually it doesn't require a board vote. The finance committee does it. >> Finance committee. Sorry. Yes. Um, and uh, we usually do it by June 30. So, I don't know if we want to check with Kelly on that, but >> well, she wrote this for me. >> Okay. >> So, >> maybe [laughter] she maybe she changed how she's doing it. We've historically done it the very end. >> You know, we

111talked about it the other this morning and she just said she'd like to see how it settles out. >> Okay, that's fine. Um, questions on that report? All right. So, we will move on to item 10, uh, board comments and committee reports, any information exchange, agenda requests. I will remind folks that are attending graduation, your tickets should be in your purple folder tonight. So, don't forget to bring those home. Although, they'll probably be in your folder next week, which is still before graduation. So, but all right. So then we will move on to uh facilities. The facilities and operations committee met on Wednesday, May 6th in the Freeport High School library and we had in attendance a robust a group from the community who is interested in our Freeport High School tennis court update. Uh

112at this at that time, director Glenn Reynolds gave us the core sample reports and we um also discussed together the tentative timeline for installing the new courts which will be updated and we will uh discuss them at the board level once we have um more information about the specific design plans. Um, we had several, like I said, several members from the community, our tennis coach, Molly Meyer, uh, several other people, um, interested in helping fund and interested in the, uh, tennis season next year, shared the difficulty of not having the playable courts here at the high school and some of the challenges that they've had scheduling the practices um, and games offsite. So, we've talked about um, how we can keep this process moving forward as quickly as possible. so we can get them back

113on their courts and playing as much as possible as soon as we can. [clears throat] Um, we talked about the possibility of fundraising so that we can add an additional fourth court um, which will help get more kids out and playing more frequently and um, also keep the matches moving and ending sooner. Um, our director Michelle, I'm sorry, our board chair Michelle act asked um, director Reynolds to get a cost estimate for two complete sets of Divi design plans and bid specs for both asphalt and post tension concrete options. And um we also requested an updated firmer timeline for the installation of the post-tension courts so that we would um have more information that might help guide whether or not we might have time to get it them in by the next tennis season in

114the spring. Um and let's see. Um yeah, so after all was said and done, we decided as a committee to recommend installing the four post tension courts. Um and we heard we will be hearing soon about uh more uh timeline about how that will be coming coming to pass soon. Yeah. um energy audit phase one. Glenn gave us an update that the lighting project's about 70% completed at uh the Mass Landing School. And the next the next part well it actually is done now but as of this committee meeting it was expected to be done in the next two or three weeks and then uh as of this meeting they were to start in the Freeport High School next which they have now begun. Also, we had some repairs to the upstairs restroom um in

115the Freeport Middle School. They had to close it for a little while while they installed a new floor and that is now complete. So, that's my report. Okay, Lois. My take my take away from an email that we got from Molly Meyers today. I don't know in the last couple days either today or yesterday was that no decision had been made on what kind of um courts we were going to go forward with. And I I had the feeling that what she was saying was to go with the less expensive one, not the post tension one. >> I I think what she was um she wants uh she basically wants us to get this process moving forward as quickly as possible. Yeah. And so the thinking was that if we do the asphalt courts, we

116wouldn't have to have the the permitting process which might >> and also [snorts] potentially fundraising, >> right? The fundraising piece. So the hope is that with the asphalt courts, we may not have to um wait to get the money, which may or may not be a concern. So >> yeah, >> it's it's more that to to do three courts would not require as much permitting because if we do only three courts that's replacing what we have. It's not adding more and it wouldn't require the permitting process that adding a fourth court would. So it's the trade-off is you get you might gain a little extra time. Although at tonight's facilities committee meeting, it doesn't look like it would give us it would prevent us from having to >> um you know find other options for

117this spring season. Anyway, >> right, we did get an updated timeline at our committee tonight and it it's it's like the estimate is like a month apart for the three versus the four court option >> actually. Yeah. Uh it it wasn't material. So, I think um and I don't want to I don't want to misrepresent Molly's perspective, but I think Molly's concern is that if we said, geez, we want to do post tension and that might be a million two to do four courts. I think she's very much in favor of four courts. We need that for the program to to run smoothly. Um and um and unless the board is kind of ready to commit to covering the difference between what we already have approved and what f four post-tension courts might come in

118at, she's afraid that if we only moved forward with that. Um and then we couldn't come up with the 500, then we then we lose time and go backwards and have to go rebid and and find another solution. Um I think I think her goal is uh as ex how uh expeditiously can we get four courts in and if that means they have to be asphalt then so be it I think is kind of the the thought process but we're we have a little bit more to talk about on that uh with a later item. So we'll give you a little bit more detail. >> Val do and you might not know this. I know that Glenn's not here. Do you know was it asbestous that was in the >> Yeah, it was asbestous >>

119in the tileing >> in the sub. In the subfloor. Yeah, >> that's what I thought. I just wanted to confirm. >> Yeah. So, they had that shut it down, did the abatement, and then retiled the bathroom. >> Did you have a question, Anna? >> I think I'll hold. >> We talk about more about tennis courts. Okay. But just to be clear, the asbestous was embedded in the mastic. It's not something that the kids were exposed to at any point. Okay. Um, so finance committee I have two uh meeting minute reports here in the package front and back. Uh, we met on April 29th and this was our annual audit presentation where Marge Hall from Royer Associates comes and presents um the financial audit for the district to the finance committee um which is which is

120always great time. love when Marge comes and visits. Um, and uh, there were no I I would say one highlight for me is there were no um, there were no management notes uh, to the district around major issues that they found which was great. Um, things went really smoothly and they have already scheduled the dates uh, when the CPA will be back to start the work for the 63026 audit. um they will be there on September 28th. Um so that was the audit presentation and then uh we had a special finance committee meeting on uh Friday May 8th. Uh one of the things the finance committee did this year undertook this year was um sending out our property and casualty insurance to bid. Um and I think we've we've mentioned that process a few times

121throughout the year. Uh the May 8th uh meeting was the actual opening of the um the proposals from the two uh from the two companies that provided um um proposals for the district. Um the um committee um scored and um voted on um scored on the uh the rubric that was developed um for the packages for the two. Um I uh did not vote. Um I did not score. I did not vote. I am um was uh asked to join the the trust um because it's a our current provider is the MSMA property and casualty trust which I am a trustee of. So I did not um I did not involve myself in uh in the process um to keep it um hands-off and um so the other two members and Tom and Kelly were

122um were scores and um and the uh the vote was made um and approved to stay with MSMA at this time. Um, so Kelly let everybody know about those results and um and that was pretty much that because it was a special meeting. That was all that was for was that opening of those insurance um bids. Questions on that? Okay. All right. So our next committee report is the stipen committee. So that's is that you Kelly or Steph? >> That's me. Okay. >> Um so Cara and I were the board members that attended along with the other committee members and the superintendent and Eric Hall the athletic director was our guest to discuss um rationale for two of the the two stipens that are on our agenda for later in the meeting. Uh the two

123are the unified BA unified basketball is currently being funded through a grant and approval of this stipen would allow the district to pay the coaches retroactively and going forward if we keep unified basketball as a sport we would need to budget for the stipens going forward. And then the second stipend is middle school swim that had over 50 students express interest and this has been handled through the community programming and the uh RSU5 community programs in the past. handling it through the school would remove pay barriers for students. And it was noted that with so many students, an assistant coach might be necessary even though it's not currently budgeted. So, if it's determined that we need an assistant coach, depending on the number of students, um it will have to go through the stipen review

124process again. Uh and the committee supported sending both of the stipens to the board as presented. So, that's what's on the agenda. Okay. All right. Who's next? Curriculum and program development. Um, so we met I think I'm presenting on both our April and May meeting. Yep. Um, so we met on April 29th, myself, Karen Lois, Tom was there as well as our guest Kate McGall who's here today. Um and we nominated a chair which was determined to be me [laughter] which was exciting. Thank you. [gasps] >> Um and we started off by discussing the purpose of the curriculum committee. Um there was some confusion both by myself as well as another board member. uh particularly because the current purpose that's on the RSU5 website didn't seem necessarily accurate of the work we'd been doing this

125school year where we'd been meeting monthly. Um and uh Superintendent Gray clarified possible roles for the committee and its work with curriculum and assessment. He shared examples from his previous experience with curriculum committees in other districts. And we uh discussed also Lois shared that when she was a teacher in RSU5, which was up to 2012, teachers had more autonomy with curriculum than they presently have. Um so based on this discussion, um it was decided that I would draft a new purpose. Um and also it kind of dovetailed into another conversation that the committee expressed a desire to I would say um a little bit different than what's noted here is to examine the different organizational structures of the of committees and look at whether we think it's best for the curriculum and program development committee

126to remain as an other committee which it is right now or to move to a standing committee. um which is what most of our committees are. Um we also discussed the potential to include regular representation from administrators, teachers and parents. Um and uh we established the following priority areas for next year. We would continue curriculum work in math which was the curriculum work for this school year. We wanted to um look closely at practices in literacy instruction particularly in early literacy. Um and we wanted to examine the role of technology in the student experience. And then in May we met again. Um and we I presented on some of the research I did or just talked about really the research I did in terms of the purpose of curriculum committee as well as um the

127organizational structure and other districts. Not surprisingly there's a full spectrum. Um, I presented a draft's purpose statement um for the committee to review. Uh, the new draft emphasizes transparency, communication, and the role of the board in the area of curriculum. I underscored my respect that I hold for teachers as well as building administrators and a desire to make sure that the board respects educators as our curriculum experts. Um and the committee discussed the value of having teacher representation and voice as part of its work and we emphasized the importance of curiosity and taking the stance of learners. Um and the committee reviewed the purpose statement draft and suggested some revisions uh which we will uh take to the board of directors. Um and then Superintendent Gray recommended that at the next meeting the committee review

128policies BDE board of director standing committees and BDF advisory committees to inform our ongoing discussion about the purpose and structure of the curriculum and program development committee. Um and that was agreed. And then uh really it's our aim that early next school year the curriculum committee will bring to the board a draft uh new drafted new uh purpose statement as well as recommendations on whether we think the committee should remain in other committee or if it should be moved to a standing committee. And that is all. I just want to say thank you for all of that work because I know that's been sort of a I mean uh since I joined that was something that was a little bit um uh maybe in a blind spot I think just in terms of how that

129committee was functioning and o and overseen and sort of interface between the administration and the board. So just uh it's just really exciting to see everything that you're doing on that. So thank you so much to to you Anna and all because you're the board you're the chair you're the chair uh and there's a lot of responsibility with that. and don't [snorts] feel the burden of it at all. Just think about it as power. >> Valerie. >> Yeah. I I want to I mean some of them I want to echo some of [laughter] Colin's remarks. Um when you said that is all I snickered because that was a lot. [laughter] Um, so I just want to acknowledge the committee on like it sounds like two extremely productive meetings. [laughter] >> Yeah, because this is a

130a relatively new committee, right? I mean, this was formed two years ago. So, um, yeah, we didn't have this committee previous to that. Um, so, um, in the spirit of evolving as needs evolve, there you go. That's what it's doing. Steph in your research and robust presentation. Uh do all do most boards have curriculum committees? >> I would say yes they do. It's really interesting to see. I would say a lot of them are as standing committees. Some of them are others. Some of them are advisory. But a lot of districts don't organize their committees by the way the way we do like ad hoc or no what do we do? advisory standing and other >> um so most that I found they don't do that organizational thing and it's like these are our committees

131>> in Maine I would say >> and my robust presentation slideshow everything no just kidding all right policy chair um we had a very robust uh conversation at our last meeting about um uh actually I'm going to amend that we did we did not it turns out we did not have as robust a conversation about policy JJ as we might have uh so we we were looking at um we had brought this to you before for first read selection of educational materials um and y'all gave us some really good feedback on that and we came uh back and and uh did some work with that which we thought was robust um and Uh between that um between that meeting and today, we just got some additional feedback from some of our um uh library specialists

132um that I think uh is worth talking about is very important to talk about um tonight. And so in a couple of moments when we actually talk about uh the um the current policy and then some of the concerns that were raised um about about it um we'll just sort of get into that. But I think I just I think I will I'll just say in the context of the meeting, I think I just want to take um I want to take responsibility as the um the policy chair for um not more directly engaging the library staff um sort of through that process. Uh there are as I've been thinking through their reasons for that, but that was very much an oversight and I want to take ownership of that mistake. [snorts] So, I'm going

133to put a motion on the floor. Are we leaving those ones in for tonight for the second read? Yes. Okay, great. Um, all right. So, do I have a motion for consideration and approval for second read for the following policies? IHBAC, child find, IMBB, exemption from required instruction. I JJ, instruction, excuse me, ex instructional and library media material selection. I JJ E Citizens Challenge of Educational Media Forum, JR A Student Education Records and Information, and J AE Annual Notice of Student Education Records and Information Rights, Kelly and Karen. Thank you. >> Um, so as Michelle so eloquently said, we're putting bringing all these before you for second read. Um, other than JJ, we have not made any changes to those other policies since you saw them last. Um, so I will pause here for any

134thoughts or feelings um about policies uh other than JJ. [clears throat] [snorts] You can say them later too, but this is now the special time. Okay. Um so for IGJ what we the and uh Tom and Chris uh and Cara in abstentia uh in Washington DC uh please jump in um as uh appropriate. Um most of our conversation had to do with what we uh find on pages two and three um in terms of that list of the criteria for selection. Um and we um were thinking about sort of how whether um uh the criteria had to had to meet every criteria, had to meet some of the criteria. Um and so we did um um we did some tinkering and the the primary language tinker um is at the bottom of page two. um

135selection criteria uh that should be considered. Include is the sort of the way in which we in our discussion um determine sort of the sort of how the board wants to be outlining what we want uh this process to include. Um but not to make it either a it has to do all a through m of them um or that it can be you know like has to meet five or something like that. Um, let me just pause on that. Chris and Tom, is that relatively accurate? I think so. Okay. Um, so let me just pause on that. Does that make sense to folks in terms of how we have um altered that? Um, okay. So, I think I just want I just want to speak to um the the communication that we got um

136um from Heidi Cook, who's the library media specialist here at the high school. Um and uh Heidi raises a number of questions around um sort of two aspects. One is sort of the removal of language um that was that was that was in the previous policy that um that was more um directly um articulating the district's what I'm interpret interpreting as the district's uh support for a robust library program. Um, and then the other uh concern that she raised um I'm going to check my notes again just to make sure I'm not uh mischaracterizing that there only two uh was had to just do with who does that selection um and what what does that labor look like? Um I think to the first I think what I would say is that um [snorts] I

137think this is I think when we were looking at this policy I mean the original title is instructional library media material selection. So this is a this is a policy about the selection of of uh materials. Um and so when I at least was looking at it, I wasn't looking at it for our kind of philosophy of whether or not we support a library or not. Um but that actually lives here, right? So if you look at the fourth paragraph on um the original JJ, I'm just going to read from it. Uh quote, uh this is on page one of seven. Um each school shall maintain a library media program that includes books and other print materials, multimedia materials, online internet resources and information technology that support the curriculum. A certified library media specialist will

138be responsible for overseeing the school system school systems library media program under the supervision of the superintendent etc. But I think what the what our revision does not include is effectively sort of uh sort of that that sort of declaration um of that. I suppose one question um that when I got Heidi's notes sort of raised for me is sort of whether that um [snorts] uh whether there needs to be some other policy that more directly addresses our support for the library uh program because this is not what that policy is meant to do. This is meant this is meant to this is meant to address the selection process. Um, but I very much agreed with uh uh a and currently agreed not just in the past tense. I agree with Holly that that the

139removal of that language I think does um it does weaken I think the um the way in which the district is articulating its commitment um to maintaining um robust library services. And I think there's a variety of context for that. But I think that there definitely are we're seeing nationally um cuts to library um services um as well as um there's some relatively um famous instances of this happening in um at the state level here in Maine where uh entire uh libraries are being de accessioned um and sort and and uh losing all of their uh physical texts. Um so um I wanted to just I wanted to share that um and share my sort of reflections on that particular aspect. Um before we move on to the the Heidi's other concern around selection, I

140guess I just wanted to sort of open up the floor for a second for other thoughts on that. Do you >> I mean is there another policy that addresses that or would it I mean I'm [snorts] not sure you need to set if there isn't one do you need to create a whole new one or could you just add some language back to this one that just sort of reaffirms that. >> Yeah. I mean, I think I think that's that's a little bit the question and I I don't really and I again um I did not have time to do research on this and sort of see whether there are um there is no other policy uh that I was able to find that addresses um library services per se. Um and I don't know

141if such things exist. Um does Chris know that information? >> Okay. Um [laughter] um but um so I think for the mean for the in the meantime I think that I probably would be would be uh supportive of putting some of that language back into this particular um uh document and then perhaps just looking perhaps with in in or certainly in consultation with our library media specialists to just think about how we're supporting um the library system more generally. >> [snorts] >> Um, I was going to say I I think like in thinking about it from a policy lens, the the the support for a library media program is is not a policy like that wouldn't live in a in a in a policy. So, while I do understand the um the the critique of

142it that that we we took that out, one, it wasn't intentionally taking that out. At least I didn't I didn't feel that way. Um, but it it doesn't feel like it would weaken our library program because I don't I mean, if we were to create a policy that says we as a district like libraries, like that doesn't seem like that would that would fit with any of the rest of the policies that I've seen. >> Yeah. I mean, again, I haven't looked I haven't looked into this deeply, but I think that there is I think part of the way I would look at it is that it's a policy safeguard. Um so it would be that if for example um Tom in his uh uh I guess in this case finite wisdom were to bring

143uh a proposal to us to say uh we want to um cut physical libraries out of um every school but uh panel um we could then refer to this document to say I think that's in violation of the of this pol of this policy statement that we that we provide that um so I think it's not about so much about liking libraries though um I do uh it's more about sort of again I think it's more about how as uh when we're saying to to um Michelle's point that the schools are wellrun that part of that well-running is including having libraries is the way I interpret it. I don't see a problem with adding some of this language back in just a sentence or two as a descriptor, not necessarily as a prescri prescriptive um

144aspect of this policy, but uh I don't really foresee this being a serious problem that we will ever have an issue where anybody's going to be talking about cutting libraries. So, I'm not really sure if it's necessary for us to add that language for that purpose, but I think a sentence or two just to provide background isn't really going to hurt anything. >> Well, Michelle Michelle's not here, but >> thank you so much, Vice Chair. Um, I would be supportive of adding that language back in. I don't think it diminishes to do so. I I I see her point of explicitly saying that we're going to have library specialist specialists at each school. Um that's somewhat prescriptive in terms of staffing and saying that we're going to offer this service as part of the library

145policy. So I think having that language in there maybe isn't the worst idea in the world. >> Uh yes, Tom. I I I think that we could pretty easily add at least the first two sentences of that fourth paragraph back into the >> sort of preamble section. >> Um and it would not diminish the policy at all. And you know, I think that the major change that this revision does is summed up in what's done to the title, >> which it really broadens the scope of the policy from being just about library media materials to how we select educational materials in general. Um, a lot of the other changes are aimed at delineating that process. that I don't think that adding a few sentences that says and part of that selection of materials naturally involves

146libraries and we like libraries >> a place to put those materials. >> Um I don't think that that diminishes >> I'm going to send you guys like 45 emails of like all the sad stories of libraries getting the ex No like you're going to you're going to get it just like you got the really cool design thing. What was it called? the the like the bag the bag um >> bagology. >> Oh yeah. Oh >> um >> yeah. >> I think from a process perspective though just for tonight you we could agree or you could agree >> to um if you wanted you could pass this on second read with the provision that that be added back in or any other language changes that it it doesn't need to prevent you from doing a second

147read. >> Yeah. No and I and I would agree with him. I'll I'll say to my ignorance that I assumed that schools had libraries and it just is something that they always had. So I have no issue with putting those sentences. >> So what you're saying is you're looking forward to receiving my emails. >> Yes. >> Well, no, I'm not looking forward to them because they're probably real events that I didn't want to happen. But um I have no issue with adding some of that back in to have us have >> just a little policy protection in that way. >> Okay, cool. Um great. So, I think if we we'll proceed by uh by putting that language uh back into the preamble. I think the other thing that just to flag from Heidi's communication is

148that um um maybe I should just read it uh rather than try to summarize it. Um, so Heidi writes, quote, "Previously, the language about personal valuation read, quote, whenever possible, purchase of print or non-print materials, multimedia, internet, and technology resources shall be made only after personal evaluation by the library media specialists and/or other appropriate professional staff. Reviewing aids may be used in l of personal evaluation end quote of the policy." Heidi goes on, "What does this proposed change in language mean for library media specialist ordering materials? Maintaining an up-to-date and appealing library collection is a categorically different task from selecting textbooks and supplemental materials for direct instructional use. Is the expectation that each book should be physically or digitally reviewed? Even if this were possible, um where would this time come from?" um so I

149just want again I think that's a very I think that's a very valid question. So I just wanted to bring that um I suppose primarily to you Tom just to sort of see whether you had any initial thoughts on that or whether >> I have no problem with that suggestion and just so that everyone is aware we would never expect a library media specialist to read every single title that goes into the library and they have metrics that they use and and there are reviewers there are organizations that do this um so it's not as if the books are just random they are coming to our library media specialists through their networks and they're they're recommended by authorities. >> Um so it it it would not be their responsibility to read every single book. Um

150just as it wouldn't be the algebra teacher's responsibility to read every single math problem in the new math textbook before we adopt a new math textbook. >> But they're really good problems, really good math problems. They should be able Yeah. So, I think I think I think her recommendation is that we um uh if if I'm understanding correctly is to um put back in the language of whenever possible. Um >> that would be [clears throat] fine. But from my perspective, that would be >> Yeah. Because that that allows that uh flexibility. I don't think it changes. Um, I think we would just want to make sure that that uh the addition of that language is only affecting the library media specialist selection process, not the selection process more generally. Is would you agree that that

151is true, >> Tom? Okay. [snorts] Um, and I believe that I hopefully I have I have uh summarized um Oh no, and also uh she found a a uh typo >> page five. >> On page five, if you turn your himnels to page five uh on section B of challenge materials. Um uh in B it says if the com uh >> I think it's supposed to be if the complaintant is not >> the complaintant is not satisfied meaning the person who had the problem not the not the um uh the problem itself or the the concern itself which I think again we should so thank you Heidi for catching that. That is the end of those particular comments. Anna >> um I really like a lot more now the criteria criteria for selection. So thanks

152Colin. Um the one question I had was and I had asked this initially when we went for first read but I don't see the word anywhere. Was there any thought behind why a word such as effective was not used? like I see accurate I see support student achievement support the goals and objectives of the school system but if I don't see anywhere about effective >> I'm I'm not sure if I remember talking about this or not but there's certain library material that is not necessarily effective and that's not its intent or goal um like certain fiction books or things like that I know you had mentioned evidence-based at one point and We had discussed that and are kind of came to the conclusion that if it was accurate and current, it would also be evidence-based

153because if it was not evidence-based, it would not be accurate. If that made sense, >> that does make sense, but I think many people would disagree with that. Um, I guess my because the bottom line says it's not expected that they address all criteria listed above. It felt like, well, then effective should be in there. evidence-based, I did say that. I feel like it might be a little trickier. >> Um, whereas effective, I think, is more of a general policy term that could be used. But I I also appreciate if it was felt like that wasn't needed or if it other reason the other criteria already captured that >> because we expanded. This is not just library materials. This is all >> this is all materials. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um I mean I think I

154I think I would just uh say ditto to what uh Chris said in terms of the um uh databased and accurate and current. That was the conversation we had and I think again I think there's absolutely like conversation to be had there. And yes, unfortunately we do live now in a time when there's so many questions um around how our uh country more broadly is having a conversation around what how do we understand information, how do we understand accurate information, how do we understand factual information, how do we understand scientific information, how do we understand the difference between opinion and all of those other things. Um, so that is that I think the we didn't have a conversation about effective. I think I would again this would probably be something where I would put it

155I would I would put that back to the educators. Um, I'm looking at the first one which says support student achievement of the content standards of the system of learning results. Um, I don't know. I guess my my thought is I'm not sure how one it seems like a harder thing to measure that it's effective versus that it supports. So for example um and again we're talking about the sort of the range of different educational materials and that will and I think the criteria that will be used in terms of a uh a math textbook or um as as our uh community member was talking about in terms of sort of literacy or language acquisition um that's going to be different in terms of like how it does support it um the ways in which

156it supports it. Um, so but again, I don't I think that's that's I would say currently above my pay grade on as a board member to say uh that that adding in effective would be helpful. That's just my my honest answer to that. [snorts] I'm curious of Tom's thought on that one. >> I I just don't think it's necessary. I I think it's it is implied in all of the other criteria that are listed there. I do agree with Chris's point that um there are some materials that we select that it's hard to apply the label effective to. >> Right. But that's why it says it doesn't have to be all of them. Right. Like we've already talked about that. >> Yeah. I guess I'm just thinking about like for example if we were talking

157about the selection of a um of a textbook uh dealing with um the Holocaust for example, right? I don't think that I just really wonder about whether sort of like talking about the like the determined effectiveness of that book to be able to uh achieve uh [snorts] acquisition of certain knowledge um is sort of I I just don't I guess I just don't think that's sort of measurable in that way where I think like a language like support was. But again, I'm saying that uh that's I'm just saying that as a private citizen. I think maybe what why it's feeling important to me when I am thinking about it is we have a lot of or we have some people in our community who we heard from a lot around the budget and them saying

158well look our scores are going down and you're spending more and whether you know that's not actually parsing through the data >> but it just seems I don't know if disingenuous is the right word but like we have on here things like representing significant authors composers works from diverse groups. All things that I very much believe in. But then we don't have something like effective. I mean, I I understand we have things such as A and B and C, but it I I can see where people would if they were looking at this be like, well, where is the academic piece as much? >> Yeah. I mean, that's perfectly logical. [laughter] I yeah, I just don't I think um I guess what I might I guess what I might suggest for the purposes of this

159policy is that we don't we don't add that language in currently. But that um I mean quite honestly that is like actually like a kind of curriculum kind of like no like I'm not I'm not just like adding you but like no like like I think that is one of the questions right is sort of like how is it that how is it that we select materials to support the curriculum um and and the and the different goals that are laid out within each of the different um either within each of the different uh grades or the different subject areas. is um and and how is it determined that um that certain resources are um quote unquote effective or uh sufficient or um again I think um [snorts] I I would just say I think

160that that's that's where that conversation >> another lens that I'm sorry I didn't cut you off um another lens and that through which I'm seeing it at the moment is when we select materials we don't necessarily know how they're going to work with our kids when we select something at first. So, it's easy to say how something would either A or B support achievement of the content standards of the learning results or support the goals and objectives of our educational programs. Um, it's harder to know. I'm not saying this very eloquently. We may not know how effective they are when we first try something, especially if it's something new. And if especially if it's something that's like a book that's read in one section of an English course, um, we wouldn't want to write this

161in a way that precludes our staff from trying new things. Yeah, I think for me um because I was I was kind of feeling like maybe it needs to be in there, but um uh Colin got me with his last point there is I'd ra it seems more appropriate that our curriculum should be identified as effective and the materials support that curriculum which we have already predetermined to be effective or we wouldn't have chosen it. Um, so I guess at at the end of the day, I'm okay with how you have it written now. >> Well, I'm very grateful for the conversation because I think that's a really important one and I appreciate Anna you also emphasizing that or just reminding us of the feedback that we've gotten from the community and some of those

162questions um which as you say are are quite complex and and we have not fully addressed tonight. So just to be clear, we have not addressed those questions um tonight. Um, but yeah, thank you for >> with that said, if we're talking about a major curricular purchase like let's say a literacy program that we're going to use across the board, I would want to know that that's effective [snorts] before. That's different to me from the English teacher in the one section of AP Lit decides they're going to try a new novel this year and there's not not as easy a way to measure whether or not that particular novel is as effective >> and so this is talking about more individual >> this policy has to encompass all materials that we would select. >> Okay,

163got it. Thank you. That that satiates me. >> So this policy does specifically not cover curriculum. This policy covers things to enhance the curriculum. >> Um, >> it's Yes. Yes. And it's all the curriculum. >> It really is all every material we choose is the curriculum. >> I mean, I hear what you're saying, but in a broader sense, it's all the curriculum. >> No. So, what I what I more mean is that like in the policy specifically, it says, you know, implement, extend, and enrich the curriculum and educational programs of the schools. >> Yeah. So, Right. And this is not about the selection of curricula. >> Yeah. [clears throat] This document is not about selection of curricula. Okay. So what we have in front of us with the uh the adjustment to add back in

164a sentence about our commitment to maintaining libraries and fixing complaintant. Other than that we are oh and the whenever possible. >> Those are the three adjustments to the policy. from what you have in front of you. [snorts] Okay. Any other discussion or comments on these? Everyone comfortable with the adjustments as proposed because this is second read. So once we vote on this, these become the policy. Okay. So, we have um and I will give folks one more shot on any of the other policies that are also in the packet, but uh those haven't changed from our first read discussion of them. Lois, so I'm having a delayed response to your first part. What I heard Colin say was he made a mistake by not including the library media specialists in at least reviewing this m

165not writing it obviously because that's not their job but reviewing it. We're going to now v take a vote on something that I don't believe we only have one library specialist. I think we have four or maybe five. I'm just curious if you're feeling comfortable with moving forward knowing that another library media specialist may have missed this topic and should be looped in before we vote this because I would be happy to make an amendment to pull JJ out until next week when you've had the opportunity to have some discussions. >> Yeah, I mean I think it's I think it's a really good question, Lois. I think I think where I'm at with it um uh is that um this being at second read and the the way this uh this policy works with what's

166the other policy the complaint one >> JG I JJ- >> E >> JJ- E um that uh I think my sense currently is that it's um it's important that we get this language we that we get the policy um uh on the books so that so that functionally in terms of the in terms of how that operates that that would be um in effect as of tomorrow. Um, I think what I what I would say is that if if we had if if there were any other concerns um uh around uh any of the other language, um I'd be I'm perfectly happy to commit us as a policy committee to reviewing that at the beginning of the beginning of the the next school year in terms of um uh we would not would not normally

167be on that regular cycle. It would be another five years. But um as I said to because of that error I'd be more than happy to say let's you know if there are other concerns around that but I think it is important to pass it. So it in terms of its functionality uh in uh [snorts] in the way that the students and the and the families would be engaging with it. I think that that's important to to have operational tomorrow is I guess what I would say to that. Does that make sense? Or at least you've heard me say that. Excellent, >> Chris. >> Um I think part of it is an issue of time. We don't have a policy meeting between now and then. We'd have to make one, which is fine if that's

168what the board wants to do, but um we were going to have one on Friday, but that's not going to work. So it's it's in two weeks and then we don't have another meeting as a board after that policy meeting until the retreat in August. So we couldn't bring it for a second read until the retreat in August >> and we could not bring it we could not bring it for second read uh in August because too long of a time has passed. >> We'd have to start with a first read. Um, so I think that, yeah, to your point, I think that, uh, were we to decide, which it would be perfect perfectly reasonable if we were to decide to, as you say, to pull it out, um, we would just, we would not

169be able to have any new language about this on the books before the end of the year. And yet what I believe I heard you say was that you're going to make the changes that we're discussing right now and when it's put into policy those changes will have been made. So we won't have seen it to vote on it. What you're doing is tonight just in terms of the way in which we in terms of the pol the policy review process is that if we say we're going to make those changes we uh you are all saying make those changes and you approve those changes to be made. >> Okay. So then I would like to clarify because I heard one person say the first two sentences of the paragraph um paragraph 4 on page

170one of seven and I heard another person say a sentence. So what what I've taken >> that's a good that's a good catch Lois. Thank you. >> What I've taken for notes is that we will add the first two sentences of the stricken fourth paragraph back into the preamble. we will put back in the language quote whenever possible when we're talking about the library selection process and that we will fix the typo on page five about the word complaintant um for perspective about process we have through the course of this year and I think the policy committee folks will sort of this will resonate we've really making very good faith efforts to bring in constituents to talk about the impacts of the policy Um, I've also been working on the policy work plan for next

171year. Um, one of the things that I took note of when I started here this year is that we we ideally we would want to be reviewing our policies within five years regularly reviewing to get we have policies that not have not been reviewed in over 10 years. And if we were to to get to a place where all of our policies are on a regular five-year review cycle, we will need to approve five new policies a month for at least three more years. So, I'm just putting that out there that I don't want to I don't want to fail to include feedback where we need it. And we we need to also be as efficient as possible. Um, so all of that aside, you as a board have to be comfortable with where this

172pol every policy that's in front of you lands. So I only offer that in the spirit of trying to create a whole context for you. >> Yeah. So you have gotten feedback from one library media specialist. Can you just remind the board the source of the rest of these changes? where did they originate or what kind of feedback kind of >> where we start is always with an updated sample policy from Drummond Woodsome sometimes from MSMA um the Drummond Woodsome policies tend to be more current um and then we look at how that compares to our existing policy and we modify it as we deem necessary but that's where we always start >> right so I assume that the the language in this one probably came from the MSN MA sample policy probably not so

173much from Drummond Mudson, but the MSMA sample >> come from Drummond. >> From both Drummond. >> Oh, this was from Drum Drummond. Okay. Um and that how that language was informed was from specialists somewhere. >> They're always looking at the latest case law, >> right? >> Statutes and case law. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I think what and and one of the um uh what we find when we go back and look at at policies that we've reviewed, we will find uh we will just find places where we have put a bunch of extra stuff in that doesn't pertain to the law. Um and that uh and that I think is that's what is that's what's here. Um I think again I think the the the misstep I think was what we we tried to do

174is to look at the um the updated language and to see whether um either uh uh substantively or uh conceptually there are um things that have that we there are things that we have developed about our own district um that that new policy does not honor. Um, and so I would say the mistake here I think was that we sort of didn't I don't think we paid in addition to not not drawing these particular specialists in was just sort of I think we weren't looking for that particular aspect of the distinction between um library materials and instructional materials. We just weren't we weren't looking for that um because that is generally what not what this JJ is intended to do. Um so we just weren't looking for for that. Um, so it's not that the

175other one is not any more, it's less legal. It's less legally uh um accurate than this one, but the other one has more the one that we had before had a bit more of elements of the board's articulated spirit of how it should be executed. I guess for me um you know I I think it's a good compromise that if if the board is comfortable with the policy before us with those three adjustments um and [clears throat] and you will check in with the other media specialists and if if there were concerns or things that weren't addressed that you are committed to putting it back on at the beginning of next year which is really the earliest we could get to it if we postponed it from today. Um, I think that's a that's a

176good compromise. So, okay. So, we have a motion on the floor for second read for all of these policies together. Um, and we shall take a vote. All those in favor? Opposed? Okay. Thank you. Lois, did you vote against? >> She did. >> You voted four. >> Oh, you did? Okay. Okay. [snorts] >> Okay. So, item 12, uh, unfinished business. Um, we'll get a motion on the floor and then we'll talk about it. Do I have a motion for consideration and approval to expend up to an additional $5,000 from the capital projects reserve fund for the design of four tennis courts plans to include both post-tension and asphalt options? Malik, thank you. And Kelly. Okay, so this is kind of what we talked about with the facilities uh committee um minutes. Um there was there's

177been a lot of discussion. Uh we got initial costs and drawings uh for both three and four courts. Three is what we have today. Four is kind of um sort of the minimum of what most high schools are having to run a successful meet. Um and the two options are around asphalt which is what we currently have and post-tension. So post-tension um historically has been a a higher level product that had from what we had originally started hearing was um very uh much more costly than the asphalt. Um when we sent out the um uh the the proposal for um drawings and initial estimates, those cost differentials were much smaller than we anticipated. So somewhere in the $1 to $200,000 range for four courts. Um but we are still hearing that there is a um

178there could be a significant difference between asphalt and um and post tension. Um, and so in an effort to make sure that we have the best and most complete information available to us, what this request does is it it allows us to um have the firm who's preparing the drawings prepare both a asphalt design as well as a post-tension design. And the reason they're different is because the the um the groundwork underneath them is different. They're just they're different um structurally. So the the um the plans would be different. Um so this way we could send them both out and get an actual number, not just what one person says or another uh company says, but actual, you know, bids. Um and have the best available information to make a decision. Um you know, whether

179they're $100,000 difference for the two courts is very different than if they're $500,000 different, right? because there is there is a significant amount of maintenance savings for one of the two over the life of the courts which would probably be made up for an an additional 100,000 but might not be made up for an additional 500,000. So this would give us the ability to know Chris. >> So I've I've thought a lot about these tennis courts specifically because they are so expensive in my head. Um I feel like we're we're putting the cart before the horse here. I think as a board we have some estimates, right? They might not be specific estimates, but they're at least estimates. We've already put 40 grand to that. And is there a reason we didn't like I guess

180my assumption was that we were going to get designs to get estimates with the 40 grand. What did we get for the 40 grand if we didn't get designs to get estimates? So the 40 grand includes what we've already gotten to date plus they are also managing the process on the back end. So they are not done with what they've done so far. >> Right. But the quotes that I saw have like like of the 680,000 250,000 is materials and labor. >> The rest is management. Well, it's also the construction of like because we have a the company that we hired is not putting in the right >> that's the management piece and they're covered in the initial um the the quotes that we have for the others is you know we there's a fair

181amount of contingency in there because they are early estimates right um because we don't have full plans to to price and um and also the contingency and the profit for the builder Right. Right. >> So that's that's kind of the piece I think that you're seeing on those lines. Um I'm I lost I lost my thread on what your question was. >> Uh so I kind of feel that before we spend more money to have more thoughts, we should decide kind of as a board, do we want to expand to four or do we not? Understanding that it is going to cost us more money either way. Um, [snorts] and instead of spending more money on something, if we all decide that we actually are good with three and we want three. >> I actually

182thought we'd already made that decision to go to four. >> Yeah. Wasn't that a vote we t took? >> You have voted on that. >> Yeah. >> And that was probably a month ago. >> Yeah. >> We'd have to go back and we've had so many meetings. Um, >> yeah, because >> we definitely had that conversation at the committee level. >> It was at the committee level. >> Yes. So that's not a board decision. That's a committee decision. >> We we didn't um the estimate that we approved in the budget was 700,000 which is for three courts. I'm almost certain. No, that 100% is. So what we said was was we we made sure that there was enough to replace the existing courts in the budget absent any fundraising grant opportunities because um USA >>

183yeah um has grant opportunities um which are in fact higher if you add like a new courts you get more money from them for those um and the um the consensus of both um all of the all of the coaches that we have for tennis that are involved in the in the program as well. Um, three is really inadequate from what we've been told. Um, and so the committee said I thought we voted on it as a board. >> Yeah. Okay. Um but that the direction that we gave CHA was to start working on the plans for four. Um so should we choose whether we're voting for four or three before we decide to send money to put towards four? >> Well, I mean the the money is to have two sets of plans. So,

184um, >> so, okay, so here's where I come from. I I don't know how tennis works. I don't know how that works. You you talked about how it's inadequate with three. Um, when I looked at at some of the local high schools, um, there's a fair number of them that have four courts. There's a fair number of them that has less. And, you know, we have that cohort of eight. And there's there's some at the bottom and some at the top. And some of them have two and some of them have four. >> I don't think you could even have a a match with >> two. You could >> if you had a team. >> Okay. Um >> I'm just trying to find the list because actually Molly just sent us an updated list. So,

185in looking at the quotes that we already had, and I realized they're they're my my kind of thought is that >> it makes sense to spend money so we don't have to spend money later. And the post tension seems like it does last a lot longer from my research. But going from three to four then is $400,000 more. It's 50% more going from 800 to 1.2. And that doesn't feel like we get the value there >> for which one. for post tension. So in my mind, I would vote for three post tension, which is why I kind of bring this up as like a but why are we spending money towards something that I wouldn't advocate for necessarily? Um, and that's kind of why I said, do we need to decide on three or four

186before we spend more money to to think, if that makes sense. >> Yeah. I guess from the coach's perspective, what they're seeing is they're seeing a lot more interest in the program. But with only three courts, it's it's really difficult to get kids actually playing in matches unless they're really at the top of the of the ladder. Um, so if you have an extra court, you can get more kids actually in the in the game playing the matches and the the the actual matches just they're a more reasonable length. So, it's it's really more of a logistics and it's kind of an equity issue, something that allows more kids to participate. Um, and then, you know, hopefully going forward, uh, they they want to see the program expand even further. So, you know, if you

187you're limiting the number of kids that can participate, you can't really keep growing the program if you can't put more kids on the court. So, I think that was one of their biggest concerns about not adding the fourth court. >> Do we know how many kids are in the program currently? >> I don't it it's it's over 30. >> I don't remember the exact number. >> And that's [clears throat] the high school. And there's also middle school and community programs uses the courts. >> The gist of those conversations around the three versus four that that I remember was that certainly you're right Chris that the the biggest difference in cost was not going we were somewhat surprised. It wasn't going from asphalt to post tension. It was going from three to four. Um there is

188I'm not a tennis player. Everything we're hearing is that there's a lot more functionality that they get by having four and a lot more kids that they can serve. And part of the conversation was this is sort of a generational moment to to choose the tennis courts we'll have for a long time whether it's three or four or asphalt or post tension. [snorts] And we have used in the the budget that hopefully will be approved by the voters. We're using um undesated fund balance to ensure that at least we can replace what we have with the same exact thing three asphalt. Some of the questions that went beyond that though is if we want to increase that to go to four andor post tension how much can we count on for fundraising? How much can

189we count on for from a USA grant? And what does the timeline look like? And I think that's the most recent piece of information that we wanted to try to nail down because there was some question about whether if we stuck with asphalt in particular, would that and if we stuck with only three courts, [snorts] >> would that make the permitting process take less time so that we'd have a better chance to run a season next year? >> What we've just recently found out is that probably not. So probably no matter what we're looking at, whether we go with three or four or asphalt or post tension, we're probably looking at not still not being able to use the cords next year. So that's not as much of a factor. And it really just does

190boil down to what what gives us the most functionality for the longest period of time within what we feel we can afford. And [snorts] that was one of the reasons to try and be able to get both because we were hearing very different numbers around asphalt from CHA versus others. Um >> right >> and you know that that seems to be the reach um that this would help us determine. So um we clearly have a tennis coach watching. Uh so she says um there are no area high schools that have two courts. The only local high school that has three other than us is NYA, which is a class D school, I believe. Uh, and there are 28 girls and 15 to 20 boys in the high school program right now. So, for what that's

191worth. >> Yeah. And I will just add in the middle school program, just because middle schoolers tend to need a little more corelling than high schoolers, um, [laughter] we've capped it at basically the number that can play on the courts at any given time. So, it's, you know, having a fourth court is going to really help the high school program develop because we'll be able to get more middle schoolers out on the courts, developing their skills before they had this the high school, too. So, the class B schools that we play in most of our sports, Yarmouth has four, Gley has four, Lake Region has four, York has three and two. They're slightly separated, um, but they use both. Um, Wayne Fleet, which is class C, has four. Morris has four. So, I mean, that

192seems to be pretty consistent. >> Do they? >> But in comparing ourselves to the Court of Eight. >> Yeah. >> Sorry. >> No, no, go ahead, Chris. >> Um, that's that's all the ones that are above us in the court of eight, right? But if you look at Lisbon, which has two, >> Lisbon's not in our cohort of eight, >> is it not? >> No. Mount Ararat is Brunswick is >> okay. >> Uh Mount Ararat Brunswick Grey New Glouster find Grey New Glusters courts but >> I'm not sure they have a tennis program. I [laughter] don't know. >> They don't have any at the high school at least. >> Okay. Um but I don't know if they have a program. So that could be why picturing their high school. I can't picture any tennis courts,

193but um staff I I don't have any problem. $5,000 is is not that much money. I don't have any problem doing this, but I guess I just um want to state that I I don't feel like the board has talked about three versus four as a board. I think that's important to name. And also $400,000 is a substantial difference in cost. Um and so I think that that's just something that we have to keep in mind. Um I don't know what I would vote on that right now, but that's feels like a substantial amount of money. >> Yeah. And part of I think what we're facing is trying to get the information so that we could get nail down a number so we know what that number is to see is is it attainable, is

194it not? Um I think the other thing around the timing, I think there was some interest like if we knew we could get three in place by next year, maybe it's worth it to not miss another season. Um but we're going to miss it sounds like we're going to miss that other season anyway. So let's let's look at three versus let's look at four and if those come in like wow, we can't do that. There's nothing that says we have to take any of it like we can not um and and [clears throat] revisit it but um I yeah I think from my understanding we were thinking about this in the committee we were really thinking about it in terms of the money and what we would need to do in order to get the

195money you know if we needed to come to the board to ask for money for the four courts versus the three courts that would be a board vote um but you know I think the discussion was we've already approved approved the 750,000 um as a board and if we needed more money and we needed to come back to the board for that money, we would do it at that time or we may find other sources for the money. >> Yeah. So, just to make sure I understand, we don't yet know the clear difference between the cost between post-tension and asphalt until we get these fuller sketches, which is why we were being asked for the 5,000. That's correct. >> And then how much longer will it take if we do these sketches? >> Yeah. In

196terms of the the the amount of time between the asphalt and the post tension, we're looking at like a month. It's not going to be a lot >> for the sketches. >> Oh, for the sketches. >> For the design. >> No, the design it will be the same. And to get two sketches versus one. >> Yeah, they've already started on the post tension. >> I thought we had >> So, we have like sort of preliminary, >> right? So what we are asking them to do is to take those preliminary too that they looked at and gave us small like gave us estimates which we kind of expected to come in like double for the post tension and they didn't right we kind of thought the post-tension was going to come in double and we'd be

197like well that's too expensive just take that off the table. What they brought to us was not that significantly different. Um, so basically what we're saying is is to really nail down what the difference is, we we really need to send two packages out to bid and see what we get back from actual vendors on the, you know, on the project that we said this is build this and then they'll tell us what they can build it for and then we know which one which way to go. Do we know at what point I know it does seem that way um uh at what point we can I don't even know if it's already happened apply start applying for these grants so that we can maybe have some ideas of backfilling some of this money

198or um because I mean I echo the concerns about I mean I suspected this when it came the first time is if it was 400 that it would be at least twice because my husband's in the trades and I know how trades pricing is right now. [laughter] Um, so that's not shocking to me in any way. I'm It sucks to be right. Um, but is there a way that we can figure out how much potentially we can take off the top? I mean, I think I would feel a lot better knowing, okay, yes, the estimate's 1.2, too, but we've secured US has said that they would give us one or two, 200k or whatever amount and maybe I would feel better about an investment because I agree that post I feel very similar to Chris

199that post tension seems like a no-brainer to me because of all of the nice things that we've heard about it in terms of like we have these horrible pockets because asphalt is not great for our climate. and that post tension would hold up better. And um that's very attractive for a long-term goal. Like I consider that an investment, not um like a I don't want to say a sinkhole, but like asphalt seems like we would be constantly maintaining it like our rubber out on the field where every year we're looking for dead spots and and trying to kind of catch up to to ways that it's failing. And post tension sounds like the dream. And so I'm willing to invest in the dream, but then when you add another third because we want another quarter.

200[laughter] Um I it it sounds harder for me. It's harder for me to get there and I I really want to invest, but also it's harder for me to get there. >> But that's why we're getting the information, >> right? That's what's help going to help us make those decisions. >> That's what the 5,000 is for. so that we know whether we're talking 500,000 or 100,000 to >> to make that upgrade. >> And I just want to answer your question about the grant. Um the they will take the grant request once we have construction docks, >> of course, because they want to they want to make sure that we're building them well and that they're not giving us grant money. But what we have been told is um I think for four courts we would

201be eligible for up to 125,000. Is that right? That sounds about right. >> Between 100 and 125, I think is >> I think it depends on who else applies, who who you know, how much money is available and how many people they have to Yeah. projects to dish it out to >> Colin. >> Yeah. I think I mean I think where I'm at is that I would like I'd like the process to keep moving forward. I want us to get to having courts for our students as soon as we can. So, I think if the if the uh if the vote tonight is about keeping that process rolling and putting ourselves in the best position to make a decision between I think it was it's three options. It's between the three post tension, four concrete

202and four post tension. If it puts us in a position where we really know how to make that decision um and that we can then evaluate that and it will have no impact on the uh the timeline of of like sure minimal impact um on when the uh thank you science um it have it will have minimal impact on when the students will actually be be able to play with them then I'm I'm all for having that additional information because I I like I mean again I see I all of the arguments, but I think I I would rather have more information than less. >> Yeah. Because [snorts] I mean what we are hearing is, you know, one of the numbers we're hearing is that we could do four quarts asphalt for $800,000, right? Which

203essentially is what we have with the grant. Um that's different than what CHA was saying, but we won't know that until we actually send it out to Bill. So, did you have another question, Chris? Oh, yeah. I was basically going to say what Colin said, but he said it much more eloquently than me. So, thank you, Colin. Ditto. >> Yep. Ditto. Ditto to Colin. Um, no, I think all we're all we're deciding tonight is whether we're going to kind of continue that process. We're not making a decision on three or four or what we're going to pay to build those. It's just two. I will say it's leaning us towards four. Like I don't want to be disingenuous in saying that you know we can always go back to three if we want to. What

204we would be getting is two sets of plans. One for four uh post tension and one for four asphalt. Um the facilities committee along with everyone who has been involved um from the tennis program has stated that really four courts is what we need to be doing and I think the committee agrees with that. So, I just want to throw it out there that, you know, if if the majority of the board feels like no, no, three is plenty, then we should probably pause and and like change that. Um, I wouldn't encourage it. But, so just to clarify, the preference of the committee and everyone involved would be four asphalt over three post tension. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Yep. So, I mean, like I said, Steph, you know, there's nothing that says we have to

205take a bid if we get it. Like, if they both come in way high and we're like, "Nope." Um, we can revisit and say, "Okay, now, you know, probably be another $5,000 to get a set of plans for the three." Um, but, [laughter] you know, it is what it is. If it saves us $400,000 from not doing the other one, then maybe we'd have to do that. Um, I mean, no, no options come off the table for the board. It would sort of change the timelines to do that though. >> Thanks for clarifying and sorry if I messed up when I stepped on the >> No, I don't think you did. I just wanted I just um I didn't want it to come back and you know >> it's all been really clear stuff. I

206mean just everything is just really it's it's just been like presentations. >> Exactly. >> Hey, can we go back to your policy and where you're like crossing things out and writing things in in the moment? [laughter] >> As I said >> Yeah. Okay. Um, other discussion questions we can answer in the meantime. Okay. Um, I do think it creates a little timing question about how we move forward with a decision if they come in over the summer. >> Good question. Yeah. If we get to a inflection point where we need to make a decision on that, you guys interested in coming in for a meeting over the summer for tennis. >> If it's for tennis, Lois is like, I'm out. >> Can't can it happen on the tennis court? >> That's right. >> Ours were

207currently condemned. So, no. [laughter] But what the what what the board would really need to come in for is if we needed to expend more money for the construction of the courts >> or enter into the contract on which way we wanted to go, which would be a money issue. >> Yeah. Yeah. Which I imagine it would be. Yeah. >> But if if you guys are saying that not that we've decided, but effectively that we've decided that four, we would go we're going to be expending more money. I mean, >> potentially like once we get the bids, like if we can get the 800 and and we qualify for the grant, then maybe we're good. >> Is it just the finance committee that is going to choose the difference between the asphalt versus postension? >>

208Well, that's what I'm saying. That would be the discussion. Yeah, >> because most likely the asphalt let's let's say let's say have a scenario where the asphalt does come in under but the the post tension doesn't. I mean, how does that work then? I would say, you know, if if AS4 asphalt came in at 800 and postension came in at the million2 they expected, while I'm pretty confident how the board would feel about that, I probably wouldn't feel comfortable making that decision at the facilities committee. So, we would probably come back to have that conversation. But is there is there a world in which if we said uh which I don't think we should but if we did say tonight let's just go with three like would we do we have time to vote on

209like [laughter] can that move forward without an additional vote before the summer like are we ready to go with so it's either it's either way either way we have to have some sort of to approve it. So, I think that's an important point to make. >> I think so. Y >> if we want to make a tennis court or four or three, we need to have another meeting sometime. >> That's pretty vague. Yeah, I like that. Someday we'll have a meeting. Yes. Um it you know yeah I I think speed is you know is of the essence here to try and get these things moving to limit the amount of time that we are without courts because we are essentially already past the date where we could have them in place for next spring. Um

210I mean the timeline we got today >> yeah the timeline we got today they're looking at a bidding process in August. I'm assuming that's when they'll go out to bid. Uh, and construction, they're estimating October 2026 to August 2027. So, if we had a vote in August, I'm not really sure that it would be before our retreat. Yeah. >> I mean, we'll have a better sense once they go out to bid because then we'll know when they are due back. Um, so it could be that our first meeting in September, which is conveniently right here. Uh September 9th might be adequate enough to not need to have another meeting. So depending on when in August it comes back. [snorts] Okay, everyone sufficiently confused, which is always a great way to start a vote. Um, no.

211I just want to make sure people are comfortable with what the request is for and what the deliverables will be. Stop. >> I just want to name that I I don't want the finance committee to make uh $400,000 choice without coming back to the board. You said most likely wouldn't, but I just we don't have the ability to. We are not we are not authorized to make such a decision. >> Perfect. I just wanted to clarify that for the public. >> Yeah. Wait, but but you do have the ability if the asphalt 4 comes in under 750 to make that choice. >> I I don't think so. I mean, we would need to I think I this is where I wish Kelly were here in terms of entering into the contract for it. I think

212it would need to be a board vote, >> right? >> For for any I commit to all of you that I will not sign a contract for any tennis courts ever [snorts] um without getting your Okay. >> Same. Yeah. which [laughter] I was gonna say I would never sign it anyway. It would never be me. It would be him. But I just wanted to make that clear for all right. >> Oh my. Okay. [laughter] Um All right. So, uh we have a motion. We have a second. All those in favor? Opposed? None. Thank you. Uh, this is you. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> This is going to be super quick, right? >> I mean, it'll be as quick as you all want it to be. [laughter] >> Oh, no. >> So, in followup to

213the weighted values discussion that you had regarding district configuration, uh, you will find the results of that discussion tabulated in your packet. And I'll just take a moment to explain the way they are tabulated. So, this is item 12B. Um the f this is a spreadsheet that indicates how each of you weighted each category and the in red are your top three. So each board member has three values that are in red and those are the ones that you identified as your top three. And then down at the bottom we have an average score for each of the values. And that can give you some indication of which ones got the highest ranking consistently. Quality of educational programming definitely being the highest etc. If you look further you have the raw data of how each

214of you answered the narrative questions. I don't even know if I answered. Did I answer? >> You did not. [laughter] >> I can't follow. >> I thought I was just supposed to think about them and prepared to answer. >> You do you. And then um I used AI to summarize the themes. And I'm not saying that the AI did it right. I'm saying I'm using that just as a a way to frame it for you for you to consider and then draw your own conclusions about what the themes were. But sometime sometimes it's useful to not have a person do it. Actually, I think that's a pretty good use of AI to take what potentially might be my values or my slant out of the interpretation of the results. But ultimately, it's up to all

215of you to decide what themes you glean from the discussion. overall >> and then the back page is your >> the back pages is is is my overall. So, and I don't need to read it to you because you can all read them out loud. But I think if you would like to have a little bit of discussion or further discussion about how that exercise went for you, whether you found value in it, whether you feel you learned anything and you want to share that with each other, this is a good moment to do that. Uh [clears throat] Chris, >> um something after reading this kind of I I want to point out is that these these averages aren't really averages. Not in the real sense because we're not all using the same scale. >>

216Um if if it was if it was said to be like, okay, so we have, you know, these different categories and we have 100% to work with, >> right? >> Divide your percentages. >> Then we could average them and they'd be the same scale. But like, you know, how I went about it personally was that I knew that some had to be ones and some had to be fours because if all of them are fours and threes, then you're prioritizing nothing by default, right? >> Yeah. >> Um, and so like they're not the same scale, so we can't really aggregate it that way, I think. >> I mean, I I'm going to challenge that, Chris. I I think you're right mathematically. I also think that it tells you something about what the group's thinking was

217and really the point of the exercise, >> but it doesn't tell you about anything in the middle. >> Well, I mean, you know, I I Yeah, I I think you're like I said, mathematically, yeah, that's true. But I mean, all of our um all of our our evaluations that we do, I mean, when you look at them, you see there's people who give everybody straightforwards across, and there are people who kind of approach it more similarly to you, like, well, if everything's great, then what's great? Um, so you know, and we use that that tool. It's just a I would say it's not the thing we should like be like, well, that's the number. We should focus on those three. Um, I think it's just a a tool to kind of see overall kind of

218how they shook out. >> Um, you know, your idea of, >> you know, these I don't know how many there were. I don't remember. I think there was like 13. But but if you had to rank them one to 13, right? like that would be a very much easier way to track them by average, right? Like in I gave it a one and you gave it a two and you gave it whatever and then add them all up and divide. >> That average is probably more meaningful to the way you you consider it. And I don't disagree with that at all. Um it's just >> I say that mainly I think because I I don't want this data to go into something else that goes into something else that then gets seen as >> this

219is our importance. Yeah. >> Right. Like I want to like I want to like just kind of point out that This is like good for a discussion but not for reality if that makes sense. >> Makes sense. >> Yeah. Just to piggyback on what Chris said, I think I viewed it differently and I gave force to the things that I knew I was going [snorts] to say were the most important because that's what the assignment was. And I think it would have perhaps been helpful for us to have a place to explain how we ranked. like [snorts] when you gave something a two, what were you thinking? When you gave something a three, what were you thinking? And I think that would help inform how we got to our numbers because um the rubric did

220say that you value all things. And that's that's like the baseline given is that you're not saying when you give something a one that this is unimportant to me. You're saying this is less important to me than the rest. And that's why I kind of personally kept the ones to a minimum because in many cases there wasn't a most important and that's how I landed but I can see that others obviously felt differently and I also feel like quality of educational programming was kind of like a layup number one [laughter] um because of the roles that we're in and the fact that we all [snorts] chose to run for an office for this position. Like it wasn't just like we were placed here. It's something that we also value. Uh or else we wouldn't be

221here. >> I'm going to give us a little bit of credit. Not every board every board member in the state of Maine would have put that as their number one. >> 100%. That's really >> It's sad. It's a hard truth, but [laughter] it's true. Yeah. So [snorts] Colin, >> yeah, I I didn't get a chance. I wasn't here for the the first conversation. Um, but I was able to fill this out. I think I think it is I think it is really valuable. I guess I guess I would just um my sense is that there's to I guess to Chris's point is that I don't think yeah that there's we should be packaging this up and putting it in any documents to say this is like these are the board's top three priorities. Um yeah

222like I don't I don't think it's functional in that way. I think I think it is however I think extremely functional in communicating to us um where we are as a board and also to communicating to the public um who is watching that these are our priorities going into going into this conversation and it's not to say that again this doesn't have any like power um to determine any decision but it's just to say that um I I would say this I that I think this is a really good indicator of saying like as we as the board is going into this year, two year, threeyear conversation, I mean going into our strategic plan, right? Like this is not just pertaining to um which again I think is something that we really need to remind

223ourselves and remind all of the community members is this is not about the panel school. This is about the district's resources and how we are serving all of the needs of the students. Is the question of the usage of the panel school and how that responds to the that community's needs important? Absolutely. But this is not this is not a document that is about the panel elementary school. It just isn't. Um so I think that we should be using this as a way of saying, "Huh, okay. Yeah, it's a good reminder that these are the things that really rose to the top. This is we have some narrative information as well that we can make use of and so that when we do start to get back um actual data [snorts] um we can have

224this as a as a reference point to say yeah that's like it's not so therefore when if we're making certain decisions that are prioritizing uh quality of educational program uh programming over operational efficiency for example just picking one at random like there's a reason like there's somewhere that that's coming from like that's not a it shouldn't surprise it shouldn't surprise us and it shouldn't surprise the public. Um again there's nothing here that we're this is determining but I think it is I think it is I think it is a very useful u and functional document in terms of understanding how we are uh approaching this and where we're coming from from a values perspective. >> Yeah, thank you Colin. I think that's very well put and I think just one thing I would add to

225that is that it helps us see the emerging broad themes and priorities. We don't need to look at it in terms of actual ranking of those priorities. I don't think that that's where it's really very um useful, but to see which ones did rise above the others, generally speaking, I think that is where this tool has value for us to kind of look at what factors here are the most important to us as we go into our sustainability study and have these discussions in the future. I'm interested to see, you know, when when you asked, was this a successful activity? I think we'll know this is a successful activity when we get to the end of this process and we can tie back to what we said, right? Like did this did we all, you

226know, and not that people can't change their opinions and and don't grow in their thinking and all of those things, but it'll be interesting to see, you know, do we throw all of what we said was important out for something else or not? So, >> Anna, I just didn't really understand the last um overall theme. said, "At least one member noted that advocacy perceived as as bad faith is actively affecting how they weigh certain community voices." >> That's the last >> It's a back page. >> Yeah. at least one. [snorts] >> I think I can speak to that because I think it's summarizing a comment I had made in mine and it had come in the heels of somebody from panel threatening to sue the board and I said that I wouldn't be taking bad

227faith threats when I consider um the future of the district. I don't I personally did not appreciate um somebody coming here and telling us that they had saved money to sue the board or to remove themselves from the school. Um that's not discussing the future of the district in a good faith way in my opinion. Um and we were writing this as people not as board members and for me that wrangled me. Um, I am entering this in good faith. I appreciated this um exercise bit because it got me to a place where I could name why I'm struggling with this panel um situation even though this isn't the reason we're doing it but it is um I think the reason we feel it so acutely um is that for me and I named it

228when we did this is that I don't relate to needing a community school that I went to a district school that had multiple towns going into the elementary school and I don't relate to needing it. And so when I consider it and when I give it weight, it's because I'm listening to the community, not because I intrinsically understand it. I don't, but I still value the opinion of my community and I continue to listen and that's my good faith listening and consideration. And I feel like when somebody comes and tells me that if I don't agree with them, then they're removing support entirely without the work that we're trying to do to get to uh a consortium, then um I feel like that's a bad faith um argument and I don't agree with it and

229I don't like it and I'm not going to sit and take it without saying so. Um, >> and if it it's helpful. I don't know if it is or not, but just to clarify, I think the the comment that we received was around um money put into their municipal budget for withdrawal proceedings, not necessarily suing the board. So, just for what that's worth, it probably doesn't make you feel bad about it. Anyway, >> I appreciate the clarification. It is getting late. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Um I Yeah, I appreciate the clarification. It >> It's not how it felt. Yeah. No, I understand. Yeah. Okay. To be continued on this, right? >> All right. So, new business um consideration. So, we have two stipens on here. I think we are going to tackle them separately. Um

230and uh so how these how these work is uh the stipend positions are kind of a twopart process. Part one is a stipend has to be created. Um and that goes through the stipen committee and that it takes into account time and there's all sorts of parts and points and things like that in the creation of a new stipend. Um and so what we have before us today is the creation of two new stipens that came from the support of the stipen committee. And then once those are created then the second part is um are they funded or not. Um my understanding is that in the budget we have for next year there are funds in there for the middle school swimming stipend. Um, I don't know if there are funds already in there for

231the middle school unified basketball or not. Are there? >> I believe that there are. >> Okay. Um, okay. So, um, so if we if we were to approve these and we have the funds in the budget, then that would be the okay for um Eric to look for those two coaches for next year. Uh if we don't approve these, but the budget is approved in total, we would still collect those funds, but we could not spend them on these positions because these positions don't exist until we vote yes on these. Does that make sense? We haven't had a new stipend in a bit. So, I just want to kind of go through that process with folks. Um so, that's kind of how they work. So, what we're looking for um is a motion for consideration

232and approval uh for the following stipen position pending budget approval. And we will start with uh for middle school swimming. Do we have a motion? Colin and Chris. Thank you. Uh this is a new program based on student need. We have over 50 kids who have expressed interest. Steph explained this well when she talked about the stipen committee. Um it seems like to me a relatively small amount of money to help a lot of kids swim and start them on their way to a lifelong sport and overcome cost barriers for some kids who are currently having to pay for it through community programs. Um I hope you'll support it. >> So I just want to make sure I understand the form. the stipend, the cost of this stipend where we to approve it is the

233$2,228. >> That's right. >> Okay. So, the other items on there are like what the rest of the program would cost. That's right. But the the stipen that we're looking to approve is $2,228. Okay. Thank you, Chris. um as an advocate for this. I don't know how it works in in more street or in um in Durham, but at PES every year from first grade through fifth grade, the kids go to Bath and have a PE unit with Mr. T in the pool and it's awesome. Every time they go for like five weeks, once a week and it is amazing. We live in a state surrounded by water. Kids should know how to swim. It's a safety thing. So I think this is great. >> Yeah, I think PES is the only school that has

234that program. I I Well, this definitely don't have it in Durham. I don't know. Is it in Freeport? >> No. Lois, is that >> Lois? [cough] [clears throat] So when I read this before I came here, I read this as being a competitive swim team. It is not. >> It is. Thank you. It is then I would like to just point out that if and I'm a swimmer. I love swimming. Let me start by saying that 50 kids or more showing interest in swimming. That's a lot of kids, needless to say, to put onto a competitive swim team. Some of those kids are going to be just sitting on the edge. They're not going to be participating when they're in community education programs. Everybody gets to participate. I realize there's a cost to it, but

235perhaps there could be a way for kids who participate in a community sort of program to have that underwritten by the district [snorts] as it used to be and may still be rather than having the parents have to pay for it. [snorts] Having been a child who probably would never have swam competitively, being the kid that sits on the edge is a crappy feeling. And so the reason I asked for this to be split out was because I'm going to vote against the middle school swim program, but I did want to vote for the other one. So um that's why I asked for it to be split out but I just think that this is another opport another another not even opportunity another example of people whose parents can put them into swim lessons from

236the time they're two. Putting their parents put them in soccer to from the time they're four. whatever the sport is, and they're going to be the ones who get to compete. Whereas the kid that is just learning how to swim in fourth grade or whatever grade isn't going to be the competitive, isn't going to be in the meat. >> I don't think that's the way it works at the middle school level. I think that's really more high school, at least the middle school sports in the tennis program. And I assume it says non-competitive meets here. I assume it's probably similar in the middle school swim program. They don't It's not only the top swimmers that get to swim. It's not only the top tennis players that get to play. That's really more at the high

237school level from my understanding. Is that kind of what other people think? >> Yeah. >> I don't know. But um I don't know either. I didn't get a chance to finish, but I'll just end there. >> May I just say something about that? We forget that there's practices. So, these kids are going to be swimming a lot in practice. And some kids might not want to compete. So, that but they might want to go to the swim program to learn to be better swimmers, too. Yeah. And you know, when it's a when it's a school event, then usually there's transportation and it makes it a little bit more accessible to folks. And you know, there probably is other ways to deal with the cost of it if we just funded the wreck program, but I

238don't know if that meets all of >> gets rid of all the hurdles kids kiddos might have. I'll come right back to you. Let me >> I do have an access question. If it's currently being offered through Wreck, I would imagine that Durham could sign up. Whereas, if it's through the middle school, would Durham have access to this program? >> So, how the middle school sports have historically worked is if there's only one team that they play together. So, like like soccer, they each have their own cuz they have tons of kids that play both. Um but like football or lacrosse, um field hockey, um those there's only one team in the district and so both middle schools. >> So this would likely >> the same access currently does in that term. >> I would

239imagine. Yeah, Lois. >> And I respect Karen's view. I've never seen a pool that holds 50 kids at a time. Sure. You could have like eight kids in the lane and [laughter] just >> be clobbering each other. >> Yeah. >> Um [snorts] there's it says 30 to 40 on here. >> Yeah. I mean that's the other thing, right? Like you know are you interested? Yeah. Who actually signs up? It's never that many. So okay. Um so we have a motion and a second on the floor for just for the middle school swimming. Any other comments or questions? Okay. All those in favor? Opposed? Thank you. All right. Do I have a motion for consideration and approval of the following stipen position for the middle school unified basketball Karen and staff? Thank you. So, the second

240page um on the in your in your green section here is the description for the unified basketball um program. Um a note on whether this is in the budget just because my memory's been jogged. We we actually have a grant for this. Creating the stipend enables us to pay the coach out of the grant. So it we do have the money for this. Sorry it took me a minute to remember that it's late. Okay. So we have a grant. So basically we have the money but we have nowhere to spend it unless we approve this stipen. >> Correct. And then when the grant was up presumably a year then we could look to put it in the budget. >> Correct. Okay. Any questions on this one? I know unified basketball was added at the high

241school in the last I don't know five years, four or five years and it's hugely popular. Like it's super fun to watch. The kids love playing. Um really really great great program and I'm actually really excited to see that it's going to extend to the middle school. So assuming it passes. So any other comments on this one? All those in favor? Not opposed. Thank you. Okay. Uh, it is after 10 o'clock which means we have to take a vote on whether we want to continue because we still have things on our agenda. So, I would take a motion to continue uh through our remaining items on the agenda. Pass 10 p.m. Kelly and Karen. Thank you. All those in favor Anna reluctantly puts her hand up. Thank you. I think that was unanimous. Um, okay.

242So, the next thing we have on our agenda is item 14, personnel. Do I have a motion for consideration and approval to employ a school counselor at Mass Landing School for the 2026 2027 school year? Steph and Karen. Thank you. >> Okay, so this is a vacancy that actually is a couple dominoes falling. the the original vacancy was at Freeport Middle School with Phyllis Laam's retirement. Um we made that position that position her retirement was announced several months ago. Um because we were having reductions in force, we opened up a lot of positions that were available to internal transfers across the district. Susan Albertini, who was is presently the school counselor at Mass Landing, expressed a desire to transfer and she will be transferred to that position at the middle school. That creates the position

243at Mass Landing and I am pleased to bring you this nomination for Rachel Lenino, whom I had the delight of meeting the other day in a second interview. Um, she brings several years of school counselor experience. She has a strong understanding of the development uh strengths and needs of students in our grade span. She is an incredibly thoughtful and insightful person. And she has also a lot of experience in outdoor leadership education in places like the leadership school and Chiang. Really excited to bring her aboard. >> Wonderful. Questions, comments? All right. All those in favor? None opposed. Thank you. >> This is where we add an executive session. >> Yep. We still have public comments. >> All right. So, we do have another public comment if you wanted to share anything. I'm I'm going to

244keep you to the three minutes, though. >> That's totally fine. >> Okay. Um Yep. >> So, just wanted to >> I'm going to ask you to share your name again just in case people jump around in the >> Yes. Okay. Great. Kate Mclli. Um anything else I'm supposed to share? No. >> Freeland. [clears throat] >> Uh yes. Freeport. Okay. Uh I wanted to note your mission as a board is to support RSU5's educational vision which includes that student grad students graduate students cannot graduate if they cannot read. Um and so you had a few mechanisms today that you could have taken action on that most critical thing that you as a board are responsible for. One would be thinking about the high quality or the curriculum review process. Right? And so thinking right now there

245isn't a there is a uh process in place a policy it does not include the word that you all were fixating on effective the better word in education world is evidence-based it's well accepted look up edreports.org you know there's not a question about if if a curriculum is uh working. Okay. So adding that would actually put an instrument for ensuring that everything that's in front of students is working and effective and evidence-based and not just what someone felt like they should put in front of students. You just did that process for library books. So you implemented a process for something a kid might grab, right? But the things that is in front of kids every day that's determining whether or not they learn to read and graduate, there's not currently that level of scrutiny. Right.

246And I I just want to go back. You you identified that you guys care about quality of educational programming and student educational um equity as values, right? And there's there is a next step you can take, right? You can say, "Let's do something now, right? Let's make sure we continue acadence. We continue at least assessing and then we continue the interventions of UFly. Let's at least try one teacher. Send them to the modules that main department of ed is offering over the summer literacy modules. Take maybe some of the money you just thought about for tennis courts for teaching kids to read. I teaching kids to swim. Yes, it matters. Teaching kids to read is your core mission, right? And so like when we're thinking about these priorities, I'm not hearing the core priority from

247you all. and you are the leaders of the district. You hold the responsibility of every child's future in your hands. You had a lot of discussion about this this year. You have a lot of data on it and there's no action and there's nothing in the budget on it. So, I I really implore you to take action in the same way you said, "Okay, let's put $4,000 towards tennis courts and then let's come together over the summer for an emergency meeting." Think about that for kids learning to read. I want to see something on the agenda for next week. It's it's the last chance. Otherwise, there's a whole another year of 50% of poor kids not reading in when [clears throat] they're coming in by third grade. And if you don't read by third grade,

248your life outcomes are drastically altered. So, it's your decision. Thank you, Kate. Hello. Um, I'm Mark Douly from Pano. Um, I I really appreciate that you guys went through that weighted values exercise. I think that at least the way that I think it makes things a lot more clear. Um, and I appreciate what Colin said that this is not about panel and because it's not. Um, if you can nail this and this is scalable to to any size problem that you have or project that you have, um, I think it I I would challenge you to get even more general and not even think about it in terms of the current reorg. It's a it's a way to evaluate your decisions um that you make, but it's particularly important when you can't hold everything in

249your head at the same time. and a reorg like this is one of those. Um, but I I think that the the criteria there were criteria that were lacking and if you're missing those, you're not going to be thinking about them. So hopefully you can really nail that down. Um, and a lot of them were already listed um as missing. So um yeah, I just wanted to say thank you for that. And it's actually related to to reading. Um, you want to really think about how important something like reading is and where you want to spend your time because this criteria is basically like where do I want to spend my time? We have a budget. How much do I want to spend on reading? How much of my time do I want to spend

250on reading? And I think that this tool can help you do that. Um so thank you. >> Thank you Mark. All right. So we are going to move to the adjustment to the agenda. Do I have a motion for consideration and approval to enter into executive session as enter as outlined in one MRSA section 4056A for the purpose of discussing a personnel matter. Valerie and Malik. Thank you. All those in favor? None opposed. All right, we're gonna hop over to the science room across the hall so they can clean up in here. Yeah, we'll do that when I