2025-11-19 RSU 5 Board Budget Workshop (5pm) and Meeting (6:30pm)

001That's why Yeah, don't touch anything else. It's fine. Great. Perfect. Good evening. Welcome to the RCU5 board of directors meeting. It is Wednesday, November 19th, 2025. Uh we are here at the Durham Community School and we have a few board members uh that are joining us as soon as they can. Uh Chris will not be with us this evening. Um and we're not sure about our student rep. So, we will get started in the meantime with the pledge of allegiance. Okay. So, uh thank you for everyone's flexibility uh in timing. We did add a um a special budget workshop starting well now until our normal uh meeting starts at 6:30. Um just wanted to provide some updates to the board from from the administrative team on where we're at and get some um feedback back

002to that team as they work on the 2027. Right. Yes. 2027 budget. So I will hand it over to Tom. >> Good evening everybody. Um I'll try to speak up. My voice is bouncing back from a cold. So I hope you can hear me. Okay. Does that help? Well, how about that? Does that help? Okay, there. Thank you. Um, I also want to thank the administrative team for being here tonight. I think it's really helpful for us all to be in the same room. Um, not only to hear the board's message, but for you to know that we have really been working on this together, and that's part of why I have asked for this meeting. Um, and I really just want to start by grounding us all in the same place with the same

003facts as we begin working on next year's budget. So, what we've been able to put together are some of the costs that will impact that budget that we already know about. And the largest one is contractual obligations for salaries and benefits. Um, but there are also some increases in required services for special education that are based on specific student needs that presently we are paying for from a reserve account, but as we know that those students will be with us next year, we can't um use a reserve account long term and we will need to build those into the budget. So adding those things together, that brings us to a projected increase for next year's budget of just under 10%. If if it's a status quo budget, meaning we don't change any levels of staffing,

004etc. To be prec the precise number is 9.82%. So I want to try to put that in context for everybody tonight. Um, for the past two years, uh, the district's budgets have come in at increases hovering around 6%. Last year's approved budget represented a 6.83% increase over the preceding year. Um, the impact to each community varied based on the cost sharing formula of the district. And last year, that 6.83 83 overall percent increase um showed up differently in each town because of that cost sharing formula. Durham saw an estimated 8.83% increase. Freeport saw 4.95% and panel 7.87%. So again that's last year. It's not possible at this moment for us to look forward and project um estimates for estimated impacts for each town right now um because we still don't have key information especially the

005state subsidy and possible revenue adjustments that would affect that picture. So to bring that next year's budget into further context, if we were to bring that projected increase down from almost 10% to something closer to the 6% range, we would be looking at reductions of about $1.8 million. And that equates to about 17 teaching positions if we measured it in that way. Obviously, teaching positions are not the only thing that make up the budget, but that's a measuring stick that I think is meaningful. Um, reductions of that scale would absolutely have clear effects on programs and class size and the overall experiences of the district. So, this is why I've asked you, this is what I'm asking you to consider tonight. Um, the next stages of this process for us in the room are getting

006into the weeds to actually develop a budget that makes sense. But before we move deeper into it, I feel I really need clear guidance from you about what level of increase you believe is reasonable, responsible, supportable by the community. Um, I cannot, especially as a new superintendent, make that decision all by myself. Um I I need you to to help me with that. So I also want to look ahead beyond next year. Um if we look ahead to the fiscal year not 27 but 28 um our projections show another if we just kept it at status quo again that increase would be about 8.48%. And again that does not figure in the next teacher negotiation cycle which would happen in that year for that year. So in other words the pressures that I'm talking about

007are not limited to just this year. So we are trying to look at this from all angles. We're trying to look at it responsibly. I believe that the responsible thing is to acquaint you with these facts as we see them and to acquaint the community with these facts as we see them. Um we are also talking seriously about the need to look at long-term solutions that go beyond a single budget cycle. um we know that there are structural inefficiencies within the district um that we can't really get get at by just trimming around the edges or looking at budgets yeartoyear and addressing those may require us require us require us to examine facilities how we use the facilities how we configure the facilities and whether there are more effective ways to use them. Um we

008also have the integration of early childhood services which is coming right up. Um that places more urgency behind all of this. So that I think really requires us to look at this as a systems problem not as a building by building problem. It's also an opportunity to really rethink how we are delivering education across the district. So, with all that in mind, uh, I have two real questions for you tonight that I hope you will consider. I'm not asking for a vote on this. This is not an action item. This is a discussion that I'm hoping from which will emerge a consensus about how to proceed. And the first is what level of budget increase should we plan for as we continue this work. I heard loud and clear when I started here that in

009last year in particular that that's not a question that was raised and I think I have to raise it now. And then second, does the board support beginning, excuse me, a longer term visioning process that can explore structural changes and potential efficiencies over time. And your guidance on this will shape this year's budget, but we'll also plan a trajectory forward. to push the button. Go ahead. >> I guess I have a couple of questions before we make a pronouncement about what level of increase is acceptable because clearly I think that depends on a number of factors. Um I'm I I am curious the 9.84% 84% or whatever it was. That's just the contractual obligations plus these new um special education positions. I'm wondering what other pieces that we need to be considering here. So, let's

010just start there. >> The biggest other piece that we need to consider is that we have not yet negotiated the support staff contract. We're about to do that. Um, I would hope that we can negotiate that within and have a new contract ready to go into effect for next school year, but um, that will be a factor for sure. Um, Kelly, I might have to ask you to help me out with that one. This one, we we have an estimate for health insurance, correct? So we actually do not have an estimate for health insurance and what we have in is an estimate for support staff negotiations. >> Um the our health insurance uh in our collective bargaining agreements we pay based on previous year premium amounts. The employer's contributions is a percent based on previous

011year. So because we are in currently in 2526 budgeting for 2627 the um health insurance numbers are fixed for this year in the in the uh process uh pending negotiations right obviously for the ESP that is coming up sports staff. um the uh where we estimated the health insurance Tom was when we were looking at a a projected number for next year for I mean for the following year which would be 2728 we had to build in >> right >> an estimated number there because it's not known. >> So um the 8.61 9.82 does that make any assumptions for general inflation for everything other than staff? Is there sort of like a 2% on supplies or >> if you're looking at the sheets, it's strictly looking at what we paid for wages last year, wages

012and benefits against what we what the rollover budget with current staffing is. That's the top number. So it's nothing else. >> So that's not 8.61% of the total budget. It's 8.61% of our wages on just the wages portion of that budget because we don't have any of the other factors. That's what the the administrative team will be building soon are the remaining uh pieces that go into that um into the ads for the um expenditures for the total expenditures. Okay. We the numbers you're looking at here is just saying with current staffing if we turn it over what was the percent of increase year-over-year >> with steps and contractual increases. >> Correct. And then the second number are additional bodies except for the out of district placement number which is that 165,000 number. The other

013ones would actually be additional positions that we would be adding. So it felt like we could compare them with >> previous wages because if you remember last year's budget was a little over 44 million almost 44 and a.5 million. >> Um and you can see on your sheet how much is represented in just salaries and benefits in the column to the left. Okay. So, that was going to be my question was the percentage that wages makes up of so so 36.7 million of 44.5. >> Did that answer your question? >> Yeah. So I hear us saying we are a big unknown is the support staff negotiations and we haven't really factored in inflation at the very least. >> That would be beyond what I just mentioned right here. Yeah. >> Yeah. I guess another question

014I have is um whether or not any inefficiencies have been examined that could be that could adjust like something reasonable that you think we as an as a board might be willing to accept because I know this is very challenging but that would be I guess a question I would ask right away of the administrators. >> I feel I can answer that with a broad brush. Right now we do have in mind what we're thinking about are where if we were asked to make reductions where they would be we've developed some criteria to use as a way to guide that. Um I think conceptually we have some areas for that could be reduced in mind but the amount of those and where they would fall would not necessarily be equal across the schools because it

015really one of our aims would be to try to preserve equity across the schools using things like class sizes, the amount of money spent per kid, the needs of the kids in particular buildings, th those many variables that impact that. Um, I think it's probably too early for me to start mentioning specific areas. Um, but we there are areas where we could find efficiency. Yeah. This is why this is such a chicken and the egg conversation, right? >> It's tough. >> It, you know, a number is a number, but what it means, I mean, I'd love to see a 0% increase. Obviously, that's not possible without slashing tons of of things that we value. Um, you know, these discussions always come down to is the is the the, you know, weighing both sides of the

016conversation worth it? Is the cut in whatever we're providing, are we able to make it up somewhere else um to to warrant the reduction in the budget or vice versa? Is the benefit we're getting worth increasing? Um, you know, it's it's hard to say when we don't know when we know this number. We know this side of the scale, but we don't know what we're either forgoing or not getting or getting rid of as the offsetting balance. I don't know. But they're all Yeah, the mics are quiet tonight. >> How about now? >> Is mine on? >> Mine's on. >> Apologies. Um, what I was saying was now I feel like I'm too loud. Is that okay? Um, I was thinking of because of my current situation with light, um, if there is any way

017to create efficiencies and kind of maybe leverage some work with like I know we have Freeport can, but I'm sure there are other groups in our other towns um, to try to create more environmental impact efficiencies like LED lighting. Um I mean that's the one that comes to mind for obvious reasons. Um to at least net some small wins in our budget. >> There are um we have actually there's an energy audit that we're in the second year of implementation of that is is working toward a lot of those things. Um Erica Mateo and I have actually been in communication with what's the name of the organization? green green schools to try to talk about funding that could be available for some of that work. Um, and you know in places that don't affect people,

018things like supplies, etc. We can certainly look there. I don't think I can sugarcoat it though that if you simply look at the amount of the budget that is wages and salary. We we are not going to be able to make really substantial changes to that number unless we go to that part of the budget. >> And I think it's important to note that the energy audit is really capturing a lot of that stuff already. Like the LED lights is happening this year, right? So that's already we've already captured that. >> Um Yeah, that light's still on the list. I think >> one of the things I noticed when I come came to the district, and I think this is probably a good time to mention it, is that um and and Kelly really deserves

019a shout out for this. There are several areas in which we have been we are using um fund balance to step into long-term goals that are really saving us money over time and keeping us from having to like tax our way out of an emergency because we are saving for the emergency. That includes like fleet replace the vehicle fleet replacement, the energy audit and several others. So those are in a situation like this it is always tempting to try to think of what can we defer in those areas. This district has a really good plan in place to to keep us on the right side of not paying interest on things. >> That's a good question. Um so we year one of the energy audit projects are this year. So year two is year one's

020payment starts. I know we're stepping into some of that. Is it all of that or do we have an increase that we know out of the gate we're going to have for that piece? >> So um as if we not all board members are here so we'll just talk about the plan a little bit. Um it was it was a phased four-year plan at least for the energy audit portion. Um we are looking to lease purchase that. Um and we We um put an RFP out and we um actually went with the Bank of America for this um uh 17-year lease purchase for the energy efficiency um pieces. the proposed plan that um this superintendent Gray was referencing last year um I presented to the facilities and the finance committee jointly and then we brought

021it before the full board where any additional payment that gets pushed into the budget we would um try and offset by utilizing fund balance. And so the projected amount that we were adding to the budget each year um was was about 300,000 if I remember correctly in that in that um area. I think it was like 360 something. But um the good news is is that the projects came in at a lower cost than we had anticipated. So there will be some slight savings there as I think it was about 60,000. So I'm kind of focusing on that about 300,000 number. But that's one of those outside of the wages and benefits number that we're talking about and there's a plan to help step into that and offset that. Um, and that's why it's it

022while it's hard to talk about the budget right now and and only look at salaries and benefits and none of the other moving parts because they're not all known yet. It's really about being responsive to a board who last year at the very end of the process said at the beginning of this process I was never asked what an acceptable percentage was what we wanted to see come forward. That doesn't mean that we're not going to tell you what was on that's you know what hit the floor right or what's on the top you know like what we cut or what the proposals were what the asks were. We've always kind of talked about that openly with you all um to say like here are the priority, you know, here are the items that are

023in and the here are the items that didn't make it. Um, I think this is more we didn't include that number, Michelle, because there is an anticipated revenue offset. Um, and then there should potentially be some savings within the um, electricity article, which we didn't factor in when we were kind of projecting that timeline. >> Yeah. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't like a, you know, similar to these special ed numbers that we knew were coming. I didn't want to make sure there wasn't an additional number we knew was coming that we haven't accounted for. So, just for people who like to think sort of globally, um I just did some quick math. So, it looks like 82% of this year's budget was salaries and wages. Um if we look to the 9.82%

02482% increase for those pieces and keep everything else the same. Um, you know, it would it looks like it's about an 8% increase to the total budget as opposed to the 9.82 for those two pieces. So, but that means nothing else increases. And I think anybody who's ever gone shopping knows that that's a um to get what you the same things you got, you know, last year, it would cost more money. So just for a baseline that's helpful for me. I figured I'd share if others find it helpful. Cara. >> Yeah. I just want to thank you. Is this working? >> Yeah. Be close to people. Wow. Really getting close up up and close and personal with these mics. Uh I want to thank you for for the transparency throughout this process and for hearing

025our feedback. I think it was the retreat in August where we were really open about some of our frustrations with the process and feelings around it and um and so I appreciate the question of what percentage are we comfortable with. It's still a difficult question to answer for sure. It's it's I'm feeling really sad about this information and and what to do with it. So, I just want to acknowledge that I think this is a really tough it's tough to swallow the possibility of losing 17 plus teaching positions. Um, to answer your second question, if I personally would love to see a long-term visioning process to evaluate efficiencies, I think I've in defense of our budget in the past, I've always felt like, you know, there's no greed in the school system. there's no I

026haven't felt like there's been uh I haven't seen a lot of inefficiencies I guess and if it sounds like there might be and I would love to hear more of that to make me feel better about um about uh passing a budget that's not what we've done before or not what we in general you know we're assuming that 17 teaching positions right now are serving our children in the way that we want them to be served um so I I look forward to more information and more discussion tonight to see if we can come to a percentage some guidance for you. I guess um everything that everyone's saying that this is really hard and difficult and frustrating but um I guess what drives me to say that is that especially when we look at multiple

027years is the sustainability of this for our district. And so when I think of to me I sort of think of the questions in reverse. What is the long-term vision here and if we have a better idea of where we're going where we could get to a better place I think that that might change my answer for the first question. If we have to endure a higher percentage this year but we have a clear understanding of where we're trying to get to for this the district and the taxpayers. um that feels different to me. Um and just knowing knowing everything we have on the horizon with the early childhood stuff um and we've you know it's been thrown around like the facilities um study as well. To me those things are costs but this isn't

028sustainable for like it's just not sustainable for us to continue to have to engage in this process year over year. Um and so that's sort of I guess my musing currently. >> Yeah. I mean, clearly there's the piece of this that's just, you know, what what what do we value and how much pain are we as a board willing to accept, but there's also kind of the the taxpayer piece and what our taxpayers are willing to that their pain tolerance. Um, and so I'm kind of thinking I'm guessing that this is a problem that's going to be facing a lot of boards and not just ours. Um, and I'm wondering if you've reached out to any of these other boards and talked to them about what their budget process and their percentage is likely to

029look like because I'm sort of thinking if this number is more normal for budgets across the state of Maine. This might be more acceptable to our taxpayers than if we were the outlier. >> Um, that's a great question. I haven't reached out and right now to any other districts. Um, but I've been through this before and I've been through it in in other several other places. Um, this is a substantial increase. This is, I think, an increase right now. If we don't do anything and we carry forward a status quo budget, it would be an increase that in any community would give pause. And what I have found useful in looking at these um very complicated situations is ultimately it really does boil down to what is the most robust level of a budget that

030we can carry forward that our community will bear. And the last thing that any of us needs is for a budget it's like the price is right. You want to get it as close as you can without going over. And if we were to miss the mark and go over and the budget were to fail, it would damage the district. Um it would be far more damaging than having a budget that is lean to leaner than we would want it to be. So that's really where I'm coming from with asking for a number that you as community members feel is responsible to bring to the community. I think actually this is a good opportunity. I I hope that I hope that this will resonate when I say it. I think there's often a there's often

031a perception that when new school leaders step into their role that they can somehow look brave by advocating for budget cuts. And I just need to tell you that's not who I am. That is that is not who I am. Um I do not want to be the person who comes in and advocates decimating a district. And I don't think that's what needs to happen. Um, but I can't I I can't make this anything other than what it is. Um, so what I'm inviting you to think about is how much of an increase would do you feel this community will bear and then I can work with that. I think it's too early to get into because if if we obviously we have ideas in our minds about things we can do to bring this

032down but if we get into the point of starting to talk about specific ideas that is where we really create anxiety among the staff and it's too early to do that um and the ideas depend on what that what we're aiming for. I think I can say again there are there are ways that we could be more efficient. Um that is not to say that any thing that we currently have does not have value. Um I can say with integrity that everything we have does have value. Um it really comes down to a question of at this moment what can we afford? And if we get to the point where we are making reductions, they will have to be made in a way that really looks at criteria we've established. Where are there where can

033we preserve studentf facing positions? Where can we continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable kids? Where can we make sure that class sizes are equitable and follow our policy? Those are some of the big ones. Yeah, I just want to echo um what Cara said earlier about just appreciating Tom your transparency on this and and appreciate all of our administrators and and uh directors for their help in all of this. Um I think I think I'm just going to own that um I'm uh I mean I think the word has already been used sort of like a frustration. Um, and I guess what I just sort of want to just say out loud is like I am um it feels like in this conversation we need to do um uh the board needs

034to own some decisions but the board also needs to ask some tough questions about what we um what we have been told um and what we and assumptions um that we've been operating on that Um we did not think to question. Um for example um I would assume that in the last negotiation with the uh teachers union um that the scenario plans that our u side ran would have indicated that in two years we would have a $2.2 million increase. Um and that that would have been something that either um influenced the negotiation process or was something that when the the negotiated budget was presented to the board um was articulated clearly. Um because I think sitting here now I don't think at least I mean I'm just going to own that I don't I

035have no recollection of having a sense that that was the sort of curve um we were on. Um which leads me to a further question which is which is more um which is not our responsibility but is just a in the spirit of of community and communal uh responsibility taking. I'm very curious um how the teachers union um understood this uh negotiation process. If this was understood um that there would be a $2.2 million increase this year. Was were the um was the leadership there um conscious that that might be leading to a 17 uh potentially 17 positions being cut um because of the uns unsustainability um of that. Um, again, I'm I'm saying all of that not that there's any any particular um entity to to blame or uh um but just more of

036I guess a a frustration with um uh I don't want to I'm not interested in blaming anything in the past, but I think also understanding how we got to this place I think is um important um in some way in terms of understanding what visioning um process is like. Does that make any sort of sense? >> It does. I there's not much of that that I can answer for for two reasons. One, I wasn't here when it was negotiated. And two, any of the conversations that happened in negotiations would be confidential. Could be discussed in executive session from people who were here, but I I wasn't here. Um I have had conversations recently with the leadership of the union. Um those conversations are also confidential but I I feel I can say that they have

037been productive and the spirit that I've been met with has been one of it has not been acrimonious. It's been these are the facts we have to deal with them. Um certainly the contract is a public facing document. So, um, the the amounts of increase over the next two years, if anybody had really wanted to go in with a calculator and look at them, I I can't imagine they weren't discussed at the time. Um, I think it's and I I'm I'm sure there are many staff members watching this right now. So, I I do want to say to them something that I have said when I went to listening sessions. um this information can cause the sense of it being the fault of the teachers for having generous raises and it isn't. Um I I

038would like to say publicly I I have no problem with the raises that our teachers got. Um that's a way that we are investing in the district. We have we're in a competitive place where we have other districts around that is that is not that teachers don't need to feel that it's their fault for getting raises that are competitive. Um at a certain point it just comes up against the overall picture and there's only one pot of money and it's coming out of all the local taxpayers and that's where we have to make decision. That's a decision that was made a couple years ago. Now we have to keep up with it somewhere. I hear where you're coming from. It's It must be bewildering to you. >> Well, and just to be clear, yes, and

039I think that's exactly also where I'm coming from in terms of the um uh I mean, I'll just speak for myself that I have been um Yeah, I've been fully in support of of um of uh giving our teachers what they what they deserve and they should they should be getting paid more. Um absolutely. And so I think that's again part of I think I think that's probably weirdly I think that's probably what feeds the frustration is I think a sense that um uh at least I think the board has been has been quite supportive at least I'll say this as someone who is outside of the negotiating body um but when those um when those contracts are brought to us they feel like they feel like they are fair they and they feel like

040they are they are meeting the needs of that are that asked for by the by the teachers which again I think that's as it should be. um but um also math. So I think um and what and what I mean by that is to say like it's not like it's it's not mag it's not magical and it also doesn't hide >> um and so I think that trying to understand um >> yes again and I I don't I really do not think that I'm not suggesting that and I was not saying all of that those were rhetorical questions I was not asking that to try to understand it but more to say um like should we have a should how did you how did you phrase it should we have strategic visioning process for for

041this. Yes. Yes, we should. Another uh conversation that I had with the union leaders that it just sort of I think is another uh other people being in the same place that you are when confronted with this information is a process that we have to go through every year is going through the seniority list because the seniority list is what impacts if there are ever reductions how those reductions get made by the contract. It became clear in those conversations that nobody had ever really looked at those seniority lists until this year. And the reason is because historically there hasn't been a worry about reductions. So you're all you're in new territory. This district has not been in this place and that's really uncomfortable. >> Yeah. I mean, one of the things that Kelly mentioned um

042when she said, you know, in terms of transparency and what hits the cutting room floor, as they say, um I remember my very first uh time I got on the board almost 13 years ago. I joined in April, like m smack dab in the middle of the budget season, and that was the question they were talking about. And I feel like since that time we, you know, it it's not what did we cut per se. It was what didn't we add. We have been in a period of adding programming and teachers and supports and and that's all wonderful, right? The the ability to do that within the parameters of what our our taxpayers can bear is a good place to be. And we were also in a a place where we had growing enrollments over

043that time which a lot of districts in the state did were not lucky to be having. So that masked I think a fair amount of um of some of that >> sort of catchup that that you're mentioning. Um you know I I can tell you um I knew what the contract was going to tell us. Um, I feel like we shared that, but clearly not well enough. Um, but you know, there's so many there's so many moving parts when you're doing a three-year contract. You know, the number of kids today, the number of kids then, the valuation of the towns, like there's so many moving parts. It's really difficult to say, you know, this is going to be the impact of this contract three years in the future, right? Um, three plus years because you're

044doing it in the year before, right? Um, so that is that is just one of the natures of the beast, I guess, um, for for negotiating a contract like that. So some of that you kind of have to put aside and really try to just negotiate in good faith, right? Like what do we think is fair? What can we what can we offer to keep our our incredible teachers here in this district? And that's what we did. Um, you know, so we are we are kind of at a turning point where some districts were several years ago. Um, and to your point, Kelly, like two or three years ago, there were several districts that were in the sevens and eights and we weren't. We were in the, you know, four, five, and sixes. So, you

045know, maybe we're just feeling the pain a little bit later than everyone else because our, you know, our curve of student counts and those sorts of things were different. Um, but these are conversations we need to have and we need to be able to find efficiencies and you know the idea of a a more strategic long-term plan. I completely agree staff like if I can get behind sort of a short-term increase that might feel unsustainable but for one year to know that we're on the other side we have a plan to bring that back in line with you know what what we consider sustainable. Um, but you know, six and sevens and eights and nines um is not sustainable year-over-year. >> Michelle, can I just I want to just make sure just because things can

046get lost in conversation. I am not recommending cutting 17 teaching positions. I am trying I used a 10% increase in terms of teaching positions just so people could envision what that means. But I am not recommending that we cut 17 teaching positions, >> right? Because I mean that gets you back to the arbitrary number of where we were last year, right? I mean that's just how you got that, right? So, you know, you have to start somewhere. You have to look at something, right? Um Oh, everybody's hand just went up. Uh Danielle, um so two things. So, I'll I'll say that I I love when we talk about us being as a community, but we are three communities as one district. And I think the three communities are on different um positions as far as

047the increase. I I I don't think we've ever been together as one in as far as how the the budget goes. And I worry that this just will continue to split the communities even more going forward. So I I don't know how we come up with a number of course that makes everybody happy. That's my one thing. Um, two, I know I'm just wondering is there so Michelle figures out this other number and okay, 8% is what you said, Michelle. Um, is there something really big out there that we have to take on this year that's gonna shift that number even more that you could share with us or do you think there's some big project or >> the biggest the biggest thing is that we have to take on early childhood. Um, but the

048>> we don't have to take on early >> we don't have at some point we do within the next few years. Um, and I will talk more about that later tonight, but the there's a separate stream of funding that is to pay for those needs. So, that should be based on the asurances we have from the state, which I'm going to take their word at the moment, um, should be neutral to our budget, at least in the short term. >> Yeah. >> For this year, >> but could affect us again. That's part of that long-term planning, which I 100% think I I agree with Stephanie. I think if if we could somehow have that plan and maybe then show that to the community, I think we'd have more people maybe behind us. But I think

049coming with this, no, I think Durham is unfortunately not going to be behind it. And it's not because they're not supportive of the schools, but it's a very unreasonable ask at this point in time. >> Yeah. I I am also 100% in support of a long-term strategic plan to get this number back into a what we consider reasonable territory. But I also worry that if we just leave things status quo right now and we look into next year, we're going to be facing the same conversation again. So I I don't know how comfortable I feel just leaving it at almost 10% which is really 8%. So last spring we spent a we we got to a point where we asked what would it look like what would the reductions look like if we were looking

050at a 6% budget or 7% budget increase. Would it be unreasonable to ask you to bring forward what 4% looks like what 5% looks like? What 6% looks like? >> So yes it's unreasonable. >> No it's not unreasonable. you're you're talking about tears. Um, and that has been something that I have experienced in the past and no, that's not unreasonable. Thank you for asking that Cara because that's kind of what I was thinking as I'm I'm thinking about a number and it's right now I think it's really hard to say what is a comfortable number and what's not and seeing what different levels mean different numbers meaning what positions what things would be reduced I think would be really helpful um as we think about this >> I guess I just also I when I

051was on my phone I wasn't texting I looking up the the Durham election results and so we I guess in just in terms of the question of what can the taxpayers bear we know that Durham voted that they could not bear the the increase last year >> at 9% >> right so we know that there's that right um and so you know it's we're we know we're close so I think that that's just worth stating that we were close last year right and to Danielle's point the the tension that that that creates because of the disparities and percentages that hit each town is another complexity that we're all looking at. But we know that voters in Durham didn't support the budget last year. >> And I'm just going to take this opportunity to point out

052that one of the reasons that Durham's went up almost 9% versus the 6.83 for the whole district was because G Durham continues to grow, right? So Freeport is essentially a minimum receiver. Um, and Powell is close, right? They're getting closer and closer. Um, Durham still gets a fair amount, three to four million a year, uh, in subsidy. Um, but as Durham's property values increase, that goes down, right? So, what that means is the minimum required from the state goes up. So regardless of what we do to the if we did a 0% budget increase, Durhams would still go up because the t the state historically for the last several years has been saying you can bear more. So when we look at it and say, you know, oh um you know, well, six seems reasonable,

053but six turns into nine and now nine probably turns into 12 and um you know, I mathematically speaking, I understand where they're coming from. Um, and maybe this comes back to how we communicate to to the communities. I can I can tell you for a fact that is not how it feels when you're talking in the community and they see, geez, why is our tax increase twice as big as as some of some of the other towns in the district. I can explain the math to them, but that doesn't change how they feel about it. But just a reminder that the for new members and folks watching at home, I mean the budget is a district budget. Um, you know, it's not a has to pass in every town, has to pass in twothirds of

054the town. Like it is a straight up and down yeses versus nos. And I and I I'm hesitant to I mean I understand the dynamic in the district on why this causes anxiety but you know I work in scar bro they fail their budget oh pretty regularly and they're all just one town right like they still can't agree they're all on the same tax base they all have the same requirements for their tax and they you know they still struggle to come up with a budget that they can support that supports the needs of the kids so I don't think this is you know strictly an RSU five issue. I don't think this is strictly a RSU issue. I think this happens in municipality districts as well. Um but just want to throw that out

055there. Welcome, Anna. Right into the right into the thick of it. >> I was watching on live stream, but um sorry to be late. >> You weren't driving and watching, were you? >> It was on Bluetooth. Everyone had a nice radio voice. >> Perfect. >> Who does, Tom? because >> I I'm sensitive to the feedback that I got at the beginning of this year that last year when you went through this, you didn't get satisfactory explanations of why. Um I'm really trying to meet that need. I think that that the the why is in the numbers and once we and then there's another level of why which will be once we get some guidance here tonight it'll be all right team where are we going to go with that and how are we going to

056bring it overall into line but how are we going to spread that across all of the different cost centers and schools and that will be another level of why that we'll have to explain at that time I do think a note a note of optimism. These will be hard decisions. You you don't have to decimate your schools. You you don't have to decimate your schools. You can still make responsible choices here tonight and have very strong wellsupported schools. Um it probably just needs to look different than it does right now. >> Yeah. I think the idea about you know the more long-term vision um to me is is about how do we deliver right so we deliver it in a certain way now are there different ways we could deliver the education that's different but

057still good that you know that might be more cost-effective right I mean we have a variety of class sizes across the district for the same age levels we have you know there's just there's other ways that we could potentially be delivering education that is, you know, beneficial and productive and effective, but you know, might be more cost-effective. And I think that is what you're asking about our willingness to consider. And I think we have to consider it because I don't think 10% is sustainable over time. And I don't think we're going to go into our next negotiations and be like, "Sorry guys, 2% that's all we got." um you know it just seems you know a lot of all of these factors we're facing do not seem short term so we have to come up

058with a different way I don't know how comfortable I feel giving a number tonight having just so very little grasp of all of the details and all the moving parts but what I wonder is as we're going into the budget process and we're hearing from the administrators if they could give us some of the information about how a teacher reduction say would impact their schools so that we kind of have that grasp of okay if we cut here this is what it would look like. >> I I understand why that question comes forward. We really can't do that tonight and it's just because Oh, not tonight. Okay. Well, we certainly can at in the process, but I do need to put it into context that the administrators normally would be bringing their budgets to me

059by next week and we are have that on hold because we really need the guidance tonight and we now I've deferred those to December 10th which is before the next board meeting and if I don't get a good sense of a number tonight, I'll have to make up a number. I'm sorry. Yeah, I guess um you know I'm going to push people who felt like they weren't asked last year what number was palatable and it doesn't everyone's rights are reserved and obviously it's going to depend on you know what that looks like from from the team whether that is amendable or not but you know the board asked for this and they're giving us the opportunity to provide it. I think we need to provide it. So I was kind of what I said before,

060but I wanted to add of like a four I'd like to see a 4% a 5% 6% what that would look like. Um but to what was just said earlier I think in the presentation of those it would be really nice to not necessarily see I guess in a different way I would like to see how the students needs will continue to be met. So, not necessarily how the schools will be harmed by the reductions, but how will we know that the students needs will continue to be met because I I think Michelle you had said that Scarboro has managed to, you know, eventually go back and and make cuts and the students needs are still being met or something along those lines. And I think we that's a a question we might have to

061ask. We we we want to know how how are these students needs still going to be met? >> I think that's a completely fair question. It it may be helpful for me to say this answers perhaps a bit more. We have I I said earlier that we don't have anything that has no value right now. We are getting value out of every position. We do have any number of things in the district that don't fall into the category of mustave but fall into the category of nice to have. And that that's where we would need to look and that's how we would need to prioritize. >> No. Yeah. So, I almost feel like we should throw the question back on you since you have the information that we don't have or some of it at

062this point. And that is, you know, clearly you don't know what the taxpayers will bear, but you have a sense of maybe what cuts we could make without um impacting our students significantly. >> I think um My recollection of part of the problem last year was that it wasn't um it wasn't I think yes the oversimplified way of of explaining some of the some of the um what went arry um was that this the the phrase we were never asked for a number. I think that that is that was said that was said absolutely. The other thing that was said was that it was never it was never made clear how and I guess this is where I'm just I'm really maybe this is also the frustration. I think we asked really plainly, explain to

063us how these how these proposed reductions um uh why they are necessary in terms of meeting the needs of the students or how will you to to the to the question that that Cara just asked, how will you continue to meet the needs of the students um with these reductions? And um my recollection was that what we were told which again I I on the one hand totally appreciate on the other hand um I'll own the frustration with is just is that like we'll figure it out and that was not um in recollection like as I look back on that I was like I don't like that was fundamentally I think where um where at least part of where I was coming from in that process of of saying let's cut these positions in order

064to keep us around a number that um that I think we were looking at in historical context and we were taking into consider and was very much taking into consideration the the question of uh the composition of the three towns. Um but uh we weren't able to have a clear conversation about that. So I think that I don't know. So, I think that uh I think that to to to Cara's point and to your point, Kelly, I think the like um I'll come out with this another way. uh as we have discussed before and as has infuriated uh some of our um uh members of our community um when we say that our legal obligation is to the needs of the students. Um and that is who we are here to serve. Um and yes,

065we do that um with the with the help of the teachers. We do that with the help of the community. We do that help the taxpayer. But our obligations are to the students. Um, legally, we're elected to do that. Um, so I think that's probably what I will I guess what I would I would say to you is to say um uh if we let's say we we give you a number and say I don't know we say eight instead of uh eight total, right? um to say all right like to to to Cara's point how do how do we meet the needs of the students on that and and can we and can you honestly tell us that we can and if not then say we can't um because again there also is a

066a fair bit of conversation there has been a fair bit of conversation about um uh who should be trusted um with with the um not with the decision-making but with the rationale right and I think that I I think um historically the board has been very inclined to say that the teachers and the administrators are the experts in understanding what the what the curriculum should be, what the best way to e to educate our children are. Um and we trust that. So I think that also I think that is also I think where I'm coming from in this is to say I think I think we should I think you're absolutely right. We should give you a number, but I think you we should as part of that say tell us what the impact of

067that is and do you think that as an educator do you think that's fair or not? Because if you come back and say you've told us to do eight, we can't do it. It has to be 8.3. I'll be like fantastic. Let's we'll we'll figure out a way to communicate that to our community um who are responsible for the young people. I can tell that LA I know that last year you did not get a good rationale a satisfactory rationale. I think it's I definitely think it's my job at this point whatever I bring forward to give you a rationale. Um I can tell you right now if you if the number is eight we can do that. We can do that without gutting the institution. Would oh probably I need to come up here.

068If the number is eight, we don't have to gut the institution. We'll have to make some hard choices, but we can still definitely meet the needs of kids. If the number is two, um, that's very painful. That's changing the nature of the school system. Could you meet the requirements of the law? Probably. Could you have the schools that you're proud of that you want your kids to go to? No. Um, I can give you that level of detail right now. What I really can't ethically do right now is well certainly we have contingency ideas that we have discussed. I have ideas in my mind but the minute I start going into specifics about any of that I'm putting people into a state of anxiety about will it be me, will it be my children's teacher?

069And that's not fair to do right now. >> And I don't think that's what you're asking. And to be clear, I don't and I just can we all just say as a board, I don't think any of us are asking for that right now. I think like I think just to be clear, I don't think that that would not be fair of us and we would be jerks. So, >> could I could I >> I also think I mean this was somewhat implied but let me be more explicit with it. To get the number down to six right now by saying to get the number down to six it would require 17 teaching positions. That is me saying that's a big cut. Can we do it? I mean we can. It wouldn't necessarily show up

070as 17 teaching positions. it would show up as positions and supplies and some of this and some of that, but that's a lot. So, but if your sense is looking at this data that we can't we've got to keep it in line with previous years because otherwise could voted down, then that's them's the facts and we'll we'll do the best we can with it. Um to get it down to a 6% increase would be a lot right now. So, can I ask is it a lot in the framework of how we do it today or is it just a lot? I mean, is there a different way to do it that could get us to something like that? And and maybe it's like, yeah, we could, but it's not going to happen in six months,

071nine months. It takes longer than that. Um, you know, I'm thinking about, you know, when Glenn presented to us and we were talking about sort of, you know, doing the the mapping of the buildings and like the use of the space and, you know, are we are we maximizing the facilities that we have and um, you know, maybe that's a longer that's a longer term play on how to try and tackle some of these challenges. Um, or is it like, yeah, no, six in in the most efficient use of every person in every building we have is still a huge huge issue. >> It's it's pretty big. >> Yeah. Okay. So, you know, when I hear Cara say, you know, she'd like to see four, five, and six, I mean, that's like huge and then

072even bigger, right? So, maybe that's I don't know, maybe that is the number that you're interested in. Um, you know, so we were close to seven last year. Um, it did pass. not in every town, but it did pass. Um, you know, h how do people feel like something like a six, a seven, and an eight, right? And then we will have hopefully by the time we're looking at those, we'll have some more information about subsidy. We'll have and we we'll have the ability to look at impact as well. >> Kelly, Steph, go ahead. Uh I guess I just want to state that we it's our responsible responsibility to make the call of what we want to send to the taxpayers but there's a guess here for us too. We don't know right what will

073happen in an election. So, I just want to name that. And um also that I I think that's kind of I'm I'm happy to say a number uh as well even though it feels scary, but I think the 678 um feels like uh reasonable given what you're telling us would be substantial. Uh, and knowing what happened in the election last year, I feel like that range would give us places to discuss that would be boundaries and guard rails. Um, and then maybe we would be able to have more of a discussion that Kelly, I think, is looking for, which is I need to know more specifics before I can give you a number. So, that's my thought. So to be clear, we're talking about a year-over-year increase with just the wages and benefits in these

074positions of 8% right here. So this is not really cutting a lot. I mean, of course, there's going to be inflation and some other factors that are going to enter the picture that are going to influence this 8%. >> But actually, 8% wouldn't be a huge reduction in staff. It's my understanding, right? Correct. >> And I I just want to say it out loud that um my take on last year just as it relates to the administrator. I I didn't feel like I wasn't given the information I needed. I felt like I understood. I mean, we asked the question and they came back with sort of the how it would work and what it looks like and how we can deliver on what has been asked of you to deliver to the kids. Um, and

075so I I everybody has a different number in their head. Everyone has a different level of detail they're looking for in an explanation. I totally understand and respect that. And we need to get people to at least a a minimum level of of comfort with what we're presenting. And um you know I I just I just want to say that I didn't I didn't feel like I didn't have the information I was needed. I don't want you to feel like it was just like here's the number, take it or leave it. That that's I know you've watched some of the meetings so you know that's not what happened. But um I I I just feel like I would be remiss if I didn't say that. I think if I I'm asked to do tiers, which

076is totally reasonable, um that will change a bit of the process about how I roll out the budget to you from what it has been. And this is also something the team and I have discussed. Um in the past, you've had an initial presentation from the superintendent and then you've had presentations from agent administrator. There's a strong sentiment among us that that actually ends up to u that that ends up inadvertently pitting schools against schools and that we would like to presented as just the superintendent's budget and that in subsequent meetings when typically you would have heard of from individual schools it may make sense to take those meetings and look at tiers. Here's what the budget looks like at 6%. Here's what it looks like at 7% and 8%. The administrators will still be

077there to be able to answer questions about their individual areas, but it will I will be the mouthpiece. There will still be a few programs that are kind of different that we would present individually like school nutrition, um, like community programs, which are just kind of a different beast. Um, I hope that makes sense the way I'm explaining it. You're quiet. >> How about now? >> Okay. Um I know something that I'm mindful of from last year as a spectator um is that we did try to cut one program to legal minimum and had quite the outcry as it not meeting the needs. So I think that's something that I would like to be mindful of of legal minimum maybe isn't our goal always um if there's a value ad >> to be a little

078bit above it um for some of the more tailored programs and I think this approach where we're not necessarily um doing such a granular view of these are the very specific places that we're going to cut um makes it a lot less scary on the from a a board member and also I think I hope from a employee standpoint of oh that's me they're talking about. >> I mean it will get there eventually. >> Yeah. I I just if it gets that granular I do hope that we're able to hear if there is value add on something that we're maybe looking at because um legally legal minimum isn't always going to serve the kids in the best way. We did have a conversation about uh by by we I mean the central office administrators. I

079don't think this is a district that sees itself as just scraping by with the minimum in in any area. And that's a point of pride and it should be that way. when we get to any of these decisions, it will always be though up against okay so this or that and I I feel I need to try to be able to explain that and even if I come forwards with something that you disagree with and change that's fine. I'll do my best to explain the reasoning behind the initial proposal. >> Yeah, it's interesting. We were talking about this in the curriculum committee today and something about the language of meets the minimum, it just sounds really awful. Um, and >> I don't think that's who we are. >> Yeah, it's not who we are. And

080so I think whenever we hear that as the board, it's like, oh no, you know, we need more support. And um, I just know I mean I've only gone through the budget cycle once last year, but one thing that felt really tricky was when you when you're just thinking of things to keep from the people who show up at the meeting because it's really not fair. Um and and it connects with meeting the minimum because sometimes there might be a case to understand from leadership why meeting the minimum is actually good enough and it actually is strong. Um, I think that's just important for us to remember as we go through that because when I think of the meetings last year, what I remember is just a lot of conflict and like feeling pulled in

081multiple ways of like, well, we're hearing this and then we're hearing that and what's true and who can we trust. Um, and so if we can, and I like what someone was saying earlier before I got here about the strategic plan for the budget. I think that's a mustave. But I'd really encourage us and personally I want to do this is to try to take a higher level view of it. Um I just think that's really important because otherwise we're really pulled in ways that are actually biased and not equitable and not uh we're not guided by the wisdom of people who really know more than us. >> Yeah. And I think um you know I hope one of the the ways it can be different specifically around that Anna this year is the listening

082sessions you did with the staff in in all of the in all of the schools. So you know like what do we do really well? What do we want to protect? What's really important to us? I mean you know I I struggle with the we want to do what's absolutely best for kids because I mean it'd be great if all of our classes were 15 kids, right? But that's not feasible. Um if unlimited funds maybe it would be but so we have to be able to like weigh the what's what's Kelly what's the EPS for the district what's the essential programs and services roughly 28 28 million something like that okay so when we think about the minimum according to the state about about $28 million for our budget we are at $44 million we

083are going well above and beyond what the state says it costs to educate an individual child because we feel like it's important to have extracurriculars and co-curriculars and reasonable class sizes and and you know all of these things for our kids. So, um I I you know I just want to I just want to point out that the the the minimum and I and just um for your for your perspective Valerie I I don't believe we were going to the minimum with what was proposed last year. We did decide and I was supportive of it too like you know expanding it back up but we weren't even going to the minimum at that point right so um you know hopefully we can take the learning from what we heard from the staff right and use

084that when the you know Tom and the administrators are working on this budget to say you know this is what we feel is really important this is what the staff feels is really important how can we honor all of those things and meet these tears right and then maybe we avoid the well they say this is just fine and this group says this not just fine. Like who do we trust? >> It might be a good moment for me to talk about what we've done with that feedback from the staff. Um unapologetically used AI to take all of the data from the survey and also from the listening sessions and summarize that and then to extract themes from it. I like using AI for that because it means my judgment is not the one doing

085it. Um then the team looked at it and we also went through the same listening se session exercise among ourselves with the same questions which were what strengths do we preserve what are our challenges where should we grow and where can we find efficiency and then we matched our administrative team's answers up against the staffs there was actually a lot of alignment um not surprisingly the administrative team tended to have a more global view when they discussed these things and staff members, you know, we are paid to have the global view. So, um, this the concerns that staff members brought forward tended to be more building specific, but that also shows up in the results. I shared all that back with the staff just this over this past weekend. And then we used all of

086that again to extrapolate the themes that should guide our decision- making. Like some of those are okay preserving equity among the schools. Um making sure that the kids who have the most needs are have those needs met. Uh preserving uh studentf facing positions to the greatest degree possible. And there was a whole list of them. But that I think kind of anchors us to be able to go forward when we have our when we make our tough decisions, the six, seven, and eight, and apply them against the criteria that are informed by in part by what the staff told us is important to them. Um, so it's not a it's not a wish list of what the staff told us they want. It's it's applying the values that came through it. And my hope is

087that that type of ownership in the process can help people feel better about decisions that are made. Now, it's never easy when it results in a cut in your school, your program, your whatever. Um, but if you know that sort of these these were the values that were used to make decisions and these were the criteria that everything was considered under, um, maybe we get more buyin from everybody. Hong. >> Yeah, I guess just uh two things. First quickly, I think I mean maybe goes without saying, but the um when we're presented with the 678, if that is what we're we're talking about, I think um to Stephan's pointing uh before that the more of the vision and sort of and sort of strategic structure because I think that then if we're having a conversation

088about like and here's how 6% fits into that, here's how 7% fits into that. And I think also as part of that again and again the I don't want to um let me just say I think it would be helpful to know with each of those um percentage increases and what they like the granularity of that what that means for the coming years um with with the question marks in terms of of negotiations. I think second I guess I would just ask you Tom um as much as you feel comfortable doing this um I guess I'm conscious of just uh of being in a um of being in a cultural and political moment where uh taking responsibility for things is not necessarily um uh something that is done. Uh, I think I guess what I

089would ask you is, um, first, what are the questions that we're not asking you that we should be asking you? Um, and what is it that you would also say to us that we don't understand um, that the staff and the administrative team um, need us to understand uh, in terms of our um, the role we play and the leadership that we provide. >> Can I take the second question first? Um, I think that this team and like throw a spitball at me if I get this wrong. U, I think that we need you to know that we've worked really hard at this already and we have been really collaborative about it and there are smart people who care in that room. And what I have found is something that I have not found everywhere

090I've worked. It is not a competitive environment. We don't have administrators in that room vying with each other to try to get as much for their own school as possible. We have people who see the big picture and who who care about the kids and the staff. Um and then another part about it that I this is just for me. Um, I am reminded of when I was a principal and I was having to explain a really dysfunctional dynamic that was happening on the school board to my staff and it was at the first staff meeting of the year. And um, I won't go into the details of what it was, but it was something that was having a a real impact on the culture of the district. And it did involve board members not

091really understanding the impact of their the things they said in public. And I just started the staff meeting by saying, "Okay, folks, there's an expression. I won't use the word, but is something flows downhill. We know what the word is. Um, please, >> you can Google it. Um, that really is true. And the board is everything from you is downhill and all of us down below you in the hierarchy then have to be in the role of catchers because at the bottom is kids. So your willingness to tackle this is really hard but it means that it is less it it just makes it better for the families and kids that we serve. So, um, and what was your first question, Colin? >> Questions we're not asking, right? >> Questions you're not asking. uh that

092is not a problem with this group. But I do think once we get into a specific like once we're ready to bring forward the specific proposals I think that you should ask I won't say grueling but very pointed questions about why this and not that. what how does that decision align with the values that are I am going to approach us by articulating values first that tends to be the way I approach decisions and I'm going to start my presentation with that and then I'm going to try to to tell you how the decisions we've made align with those >> and then it's up for debate. Um but I think that you should hold my feet to the fire about explaining the values behind the decisions. Yeah, absolutely. I really appreciate that. And again, just

093al I hope to to be very clear. I I in in no way um I was doing the exact opposite of suggesting that our administrators were not uh providing leadership. That's exactly what they are doing. What I am what I was asking for was to say um how is it that we as a board are not are are failing? That was that was the the spirit of my question. just to be clear that that that's where I think that's the that's the responsibility that I'm talking about and that's what I want us as a board to to own and to um and be uh be open to moving forward just to be very clear. If I invoke so my wife is a school social worker um and if I invoke language she uses all the

094time you're you don't I really would encourage you not to think of you having failed in this because you haven't I think last year I wasn't here but I think what happened was you didn't get a satisfactory answer to really important questions and you wanted to preserve education for your kids and you took action that did that inadvertently. It It has made the financial problem, which probably wasn't as clear to you as it could have been, bigger this year. So now we just need to not make it bigger in the future. >> Yeah. Yeah, and I just want to express appreciation for the fact that we're trying to finesse this process so that we really do get a lot of input from our fac from our staff and our administrators early and often in this

095process so that their input and their values and um our goals can guide us in this process early. I think that was one of the issues that we faced last year and I I think I feel really good about how we're approaching this and I'm feeling confident that we can maybe not end up in the same place where we were feeling tugged around a lot at the very last minute. So I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Um so I just want to revisit the tears again. I know we're we need to wrap up soon too. Um, I would be psyched if if our district voters would pass an 8% budget. Um, based on last year's process, there was a fight to get the 6.8% and as Stephanie pointed out, Durham did not pass that. So,

096I'm I'm wondering why we're asking for an 8% option again or I'm just curious if the board is all on bored with that or if we want to look at like a >> are we just going 67 or >> you're welcome all you you're fired >> middle school >> six >> someone please >> three tiers are would be great maybe they're not 1% increments maybe they're five or 1.5% increments or something I'm curious what other board members are thinking for numbers I think only a couple of us have mentioned ranges Daniel, >> I'm going to throw out that I would prefer a number similar to last year and maybe seven at the most. >> I was, as I was thinking about numbers, I was thinking five, six, seven. >> Getting thumbs up from Valerie. 567.

097No mic, so thumbs up works. >> I guess I'd like to see 7.5. I think can I also say that we could also if if we're really unhappy with that seven or 7.5 or whatever we go we can do what we did last year which is right advocate for more >> more >> stuff I guess I would say I I don't want to do what we did last year I wasn't a part of it I just watched it but I don't think that that was best for our district um and when I say you know I we could look at five um I guess when I say six eight. I'm looking at 17 teachers, right? >> That's six, right? >> Yeah. Do we want Do we want to go below that, right? I don't I

098don't So, it's uncomfortable, but that's why I go to question two of what what does this look like long term, >> right? Could we get to eight if there was a really strong case to be made for for change? If it's eight this year and we have a long-term vision of how it's not going to be eight again, I'm okay with that. It's very uncomfortable. People aren't going to be happy, but I think that there's a message there that's important for the students. >> T Yeah, I think I guess the way I'm thinking about it is um is itsformational. Well, I guess it's the same thing. The reason I think six, seven, eight makes sense is because we kind of already know what six is um in terms of just in terms of just staffing,

099right? So, no, we don't know the granularity of that, but we know and and we and Tom has already said that that is not a like that that is a that is a huge that is a huge cut. Um and so I think to understand um the scenarios I guess that's more how maybe I would think about it rather than tears is sort of scenarios of like what does six look like from a staffing perspective or what does six look like in terms of meeting the needs of the students and what does that mean what is the staffing implication of that? What does 7% mean in terms of meeting the needs of the students and what are the staffing what are the staffing um implications of that? Again, if we're looking at that in a

100larger sort of visioning point of view, again, I think that's going to make more sense. I guess I I mean, I'll I guess I'll just be um the outlier or I guess I'll just sort of like mark the I guess for the sort of 8% uh again, I think that's on the one hand that's that is sort of meaningless. on the other hand, it's a way of saying um uh let I don't want us to be um I think it's very cynical for us to be scared of our community um and scared that they are not going to support um the the education of our young people. Um I don't I don't want to be part of that uh that way of thinking. Um, so I that's no way saying let's not exist in reality

101and let's not like look hard at things. Um, but I just don't think again that's not um that's not a district that I want to be part of. Um, and it's not something that I can't look across the room at Moon if you were to look at me in the eye. I can't look at Moon in the eye and say that is a that's appropriate. Um, it's not. So I think that like to be just to be really clear of like what is scen what is it what is the scenario around six? What is a scenario around seven? What's a scenario around eight? So that we can then with straight face say to our community when we are advocating for one of those. This is what we think that means and have the courage of

102our convictions on that. I was up at the state house today with a group of students and we got to meet with um uh Senator Dory and also representative Saxs and at one point in a very passing uh very passing moment um Representative Melanie Sachs said uh sort of approprio of nothing at the moment but she said um she said a budget is a moral document. it is. >> And I got out my copy of Herodotus, which I was carrying around because that's what I'm teaching. And I wrote that down in that. And then I asked her to follow up on it. And I just like I've been thinking about that ever since. And I think that's where um I think just be let's be really clear what we're talking about. Um that and again

103there are and there are moral questions on each side of that. There moral questions in terms of the impact that that has on the on the communities from a financial perspective. And then there's moral impact in terms of the lives um of Moon and the other students uh in this district. >> Yeah. I guess to kind of piggyback on that thought, um if we're thinking about tiers and sort of what our basement is, we're thinking six, seven, eight. You're telling us that 6% is 17 positions. That seems pretty extreme to me. And I just want to know, do you like is this something realistic that we should honestly even consider at this point if we're thinking of tiers or or is like seven seven and a half eight more sort of the range that would

104be realistic for us to consider in terms of meeting the needs of our students? >> Uh I think a a 6% increase is significant cuts that would change things for sure. Can can it be done? Yes, it would it would change things and I do think it would have a detrimental impact on kids. Um the level of negative impact on kids is you know inversely proportionate to the the the level of the cuts. So um >> is that always true though? That's I guess my question is is you know one of the reasons that that the six is interesting to me is because I wonder if it forces different ideas to come up right because if we just say eight you're like great move everybody forward you know it it doesn't it doesn't instill a

105level of discipline to consider what else is possible what other way could you accomplish something um >> I do appreciate that you've you've said that I do think as I look at certain certain cost centers. There are ways of doing it that there are places where we're actually spending more than we need to spend and we're not getting the best results for kids and there are few places where we could not only be more efficient but at the same time get a better result for kids and do it within this budget cycle. I don't want to go out on a limb and say what they are right now, but I there are some places where I see that could happen. Am I okay? Yeah. Okay. Um I'm wondering if maybe we if six sounds super

106painful if we do 6 and 1/2 7 8 or 6 and 1/2 7 and 1/2. I I feel like having I mean in addition to Michelle's point of the power of creative thinking um I also think while the taxpayers are not our primary concern there's still a level of concern and it's worth at least looking at how painful that really is so that when we go to them we can say we looked at this six and a half we we or we looked at the six because we knew it was going to be painful, >> but once we looked at it, we realized it wasn't it wasn't anything that we could be we could bear with our students. Um, >> I think that's healthy. >> I think it's worth that that kind of hard look.

107>> I think what I'm hearing I think as sort of like reading the room, I'm hearing somewhere in the middle is the seven number. And what we could do is aim for a budget that's somewhere around seven. And then I could we could also look at okay what are the other things that would be nice to have that that could float that up. And then what are are some further things that we could do without without not without pain but that would float the number down. And I think from for me developing this if I have that guidance of bring in something that's somewhere around seven and then somewhere up from that and somewhere down from that is is enough guidance for me to go forward and then we'll still have work to do in

108the spring when I bring forward a proposal that shows what that is and we won't necessarily be done with it then but >> of course not >> although there are districts who literally >> bingo bullseye Go. >> I have heard there are districts that literally put the the budget on the table and they talk about it for one meeting and then they vote on it. >> Could you imagine? >> It'd be so cool how much time back we'd all get. Okay, so we're 11 minutes late. Um, >> am I reading that wrong? Am I reading you wrong? >> I think that is um Yeah, I mean that seems like the the top and the bottom of what we've talked about. Um, and you know, everyone's rights are reserved. No one has to, you know, completely

109stick to it, but I think it gives you a direction that you can work towards. And >> yeah, it helps a lot. >> And you know where to find us between now and then if you have clarifying questions. >> Yes, you're Yes, I do. >> Okay. All right. So, we are just going to keep rolling. Everybody good with that? >> Thank you, team. All right. Um, so, uh, so we are on item five of the agenda. So, do I have a motion for consideration and approval for the minutes from the November 5th, 2025 meeting as presented, barring any errors or omissions? Was that a motion, Kelly? Thank you. Second, Steph, because I'm staring at you. Thank you for that. All those in favor? Great. None opposed. Those are moved. >> What' you need? >> I

110think we have everybody but Chris. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Uh adjustments to the agenda? No. >> No adjustments. All right. So, good news and recognition that up for you, Moon. >> All right. So, the mics are a little quiet tonight. You might need to get closer than you usually do. Um, so to start off, um, we had started the winter sports for the school this week. So that was really nice. And, um, I guess a week and a half ago, the something rotten play, um, happened. And I heard that was really great and from the students and, uh, family members. Um, and also a week and a half ago, the student the free student running team uh, ran at New England's atford, Vermont, and the boys placed 25th and the girls placed

11113th. So that was I think the girls have placed like the best they've ever done. So that was very exciting. And then also on the Friday, December 5th, the sparkle parade will take place. So that's gonna be really exciting. And I heard that the cross country team is going to be walking with the the little younger kids. >> What are we running? >> No. >> And then also um student leadership this week um started conducting conversations on the topic of school culture and respect. So we're kind of in the midst of that and trying to improve communication with between students, teachers and admin, but also create new channels of communication or improve existing ones. And then also student coalition um with which is like the combination of student leadership uh student council and student advisor

112leadership. And like we meet together like monthly to discuss um like information how each group can support each other. And um we met to talk about um kind of talk about how what each group does to those to teachers and how we could help um better kind of help teachers in addressing hate speech at her school which has been prevalent. And lastly, Miss Goko has some information that she can share. >> Thank you, Moon. Is that Can you hear that? >> Yeah, you're close. >> Oh, I can't hear it from here. Hi, everybody. I'm Jen G, the principal at the high school. Thank you, Moon. Um I just wanted to I'm here tonight for um two things. One is I just wanted to add some information um in addition to what Moon said uh that

113we have uh it's been unfortunate that we have faced two recent incidents of hate speech um within our school community at the high school. Uh I have sent out a message to all parents, all students and staff um to say that this had happened and to talk about how we were addressing it. Um we have support from Superintendent Gray and from Assistant Superintendent as well to prioritize this as a school and talk about how we're addressing it in immediate um time right now, in the short term, and in the long term. And so today we had a full staff meeting. Typically this is a faculty meeting and we invited um anyone and everyone from the staff to join us and talked about a number of things. And one that was uh such an incredible part

114of the meeting was that student representatives from those three teams that Moon just mentioned came and spoke about their work of each team and then the three teams combined to promote a culture of respect and uh and belonging uh and connection. And it was just one of those moments that you're so proud of as a staff member watching the students. you know, they've gone so far beyond talking about fundraisers and planning an event to being true leaders in our school and um that's a tough crowd, the full staff and they did an outstanding job today and we are calling the combination of those three teams the student coalition and they are now meeting regularly. Um and then the focus today for the staff was talking about what is their professional responsibility, what are the district

115policies and expectations and um what is good and right for kids of what we do uh to address issues of hate speech or biased incidents, what people sometimes call microaggressions. um what to do in that moment and then also when things are reported, how to involve the um administrators and so um information was clear today about expectations and then strategies to do that. Um and so um I don't have their feedback yet. I have some anecdotal feedback that it was a a a purposeful and helpful meeting today. So I'm also losing my voice. Sorry about that. Um just wanted to share that and thanks to Moon as Moon is a member of the student leadership team who's working on this and and did some initial planning for the meeting today. Um I'm also here because

116I'm not able to stay for the full meeting and there's an item on the agenda that the superintendent is going to talk about which is an international exchange between our students at Freeport High School and students in France. And I just wanted to let you know uh it's not just because I'm a former world language teacher. Uh but it's something that I care deeply about and very invested in. I'm really excited about for lots of different reasons. Um I think Superintendent Gray has experience of leading these trips. We've had um some of our staff that have led trips. Students have been excited about it in the past and it is a phenomenal way to keep students interested and excited about a language and recruit students and retain students. As you know, some schools in Maine

117do not require a world language u for graduation. We do. We require one year. We um encourage students a minimum of two years um with the goal of four years of a language. And you can imagine our upper language levels um tend to lose some students along the way. Sometimes that's because classes are at competing times and they have to make a choice. Other times they've just chosen for lots of different reasons not to continue. And we feel that experiences like this having students from France come to us and then our students go there is inspiring not just for the students who participate in it but for future students in world language classes. So, I apologize I'm not able to stay for the end of the meeting when we're talking about this topic, but um

118just wanted you to know that I fully support it and I'm I'm really excited. I have not yet signed up as a chaperon, but that that might be my next step. So, thanks so much. Thank you, Moon. >> Thank you, Jen. Are you all set? Was that the end of yours? Great. Thank you, Moon. All right, so we will move on to public comment. we had anyone who wanted to share anything. All right. Uh then we will move on to item nine, report from the superintendent. >> Hey again everybody. Um well, I've said a lot tonight already, but I guess I have more to say. Um so first u genuinely I really want to thank you because I can tell that you have already just not just for the last the conversation we just had

119um as a board you are very busy right now you have we have a lot going on between early childhood the budget stuff um you have been respectful you've been productive in your discussions you've kept but you've been forward thinking and I have worked with other boards that are not what I would call champions of education and this is a board of champions of education and I I feel that it's time to I want to acknowledge that because it's really true. Um so thank you for that. I do want to say a little bit more about the budget and I we've been through the finer points. Um so this is brief. Um this is where I'm I'm going to try to be a motivational speaker tonight. Um, you know, we've been working on this, as

120I already said, we've been trying to develop priorities. We've noticed a strong alignment between the staff feedback and our own perspective. It's not 100% alignment, but it it is aligned in many ways that matter. Some of the common themes that both groups, the administrators and the staff emphasize are protecting student facing positions, maintaining class sizes that are reasonable, but also equity among the schools, um access to quality professional development, um those are priorities that are shared among all parties. And so that's a good foundation to build on. Um, this is going to make sure that whatever decisions we make are grounded in principle and that they are transparent and that keep we will keep students in mind as the touchstone for what is best. Um, I also want to take a moment to talk directly

121to the staff because I know that there are staff watching. This is a highstakes conversation for staff. I just want staff to know that the open dialogue that they have engaged in about the budget process is hard. It puts them in a tough position. Any staff member out there tonight um cannot could not be human but wonder about what this means. So I want the staff to know that their hard work is appreciated. um their partnership in figuring this out as professionals is appreciated. The patience that we now have to ask for while we go through the decision-making process over the next few months is really deeply appreciated. These are all things that go into the mix and the staff are out there waiting doing their jobs while we do it and I feel a

122need to acknowledge that. Um and these decisions affect not only their students and their work but their lives. So, the people who are out there being professionals every day deserve our gratitude. Um, so the numbers, as we've just talked about, they require a hard conversation tonight. They'll require more hard conversations and those hard conversations will involve hard choices. I just would like to invite everybody, again, I'm thinking of my wife who is a social worker. This is not bad work to do. This is good work to do. Good work is hard. Um, these are conversations that need to happen. Sometimes they're harder to have these conversations than others. This is a hard year. It's a hard thing, but it is not a bad thing to have these conversations and talk in this way. So, I'd

123also as we think about it and we think that it's hard, this may sound somewhat cheesy, but it is also a moment of opportunity. It truly is a moment of opportunity, particularly with the onboarding of early childhood, which will happen over the next few years. The intersection of that with the budget pressures that we are now facing, I am heartened to hear, you know, we all realize we need to look beyond just one budget cycle. we need to really look at ways to find efficiency that are going to take more than one budget cycle to realize. Um so that longterm aspiration is really important and that can be invigorating because it can make it helps us become visionaries. It's daunting but it is invigorating and it makes us dream rightly so. You what is this

124district now but what do we want it to be 5 10 20 years from now. That's actually exciting to think about and to be a part of. Um, several of our administrators, some of whom are actually in the room, um, have been reading Bnee Brown's new book, um, which is called Strong Grounds. Um, I just started reading it, and when I say reading, I mean listening because I heavily use Audible on my commute. Um, and it was Mr. Pitten who recommended this to me not long ago. Yes, I'm putting you on the spot. I know that you're comfortable there. Anyway, so um so last night I was listening to this to Bnee Brown reading her own book and there was one night one one line that really struck me and it's relevant to what we're

125doing right now which is we're not going to build on dysfunction. And when I heard her say this, I actually said it out loud to myself. She said it and I said that's it. There it is. And I really I really believe that's where we are right now. Because if you consider how often in an organization when you're faced with an immediate crisis, do we go for the solution that is ad hoc that's short-term that cobbles something together and what you end up with over time is peach cobbler. you end up with short-term ad hoc decisions that have been patched together that over time are dysfunctional. And so that's because when we operate in survival mode, we're just solving one problem at a time, but in doing that, we're creating other problems. And so this

126moment is just a chance to do something different from that. So if we approach these challenges with openness rather than the style of leadership that Bnee Brown called armored leadership, which is just hunkering down, turtling up. Yes, Kate now knows that I listen to the book. Um, if we lean into this with curiosity and not fear, we can make a budget. Um it's not we can view this as not a constraint but a catalyst and it will build a a stronger district. Um it will be hard right now but we will be setting up the folks who are on this board 10 or 15 years from now like Michelle >> to have to have an easier job. Um I'll be retired by that time. So um that it will take thoughtful dialogue. It will mean

127that we have to share the responsibility. It we mean we need to own our part. All of us will have to own our part. Um we will really have to see the district as a whole rather than individual schools. It will require you board members to remember your oath that when you became board members, you don't rep represent your town anymore. You represent every child in this district. And um it will take us collectively being willing to be vulnerable as we put ideas out there and then hash them out and talk about what our values are and see how they line up with each other and how they don't and find a consensus somehow. So but I think that we truly do have all the ingredients we have which is smart good people right here

128and we can do this. So that's my speech tonight. >> On the flip side of the inspirational side, do you want to talk about the staff hires? >> Yes. Um, we do have a new edtech at Mass Landing School. It's Hannah Anderson. And that is all. Is there another person? >> You see another person listed on your packet, but we've just found out that that person has changed her mind and is not joining us. >> So, we just have the one. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. All right. Item 10 uh is our administrator reports. So, uh we are going to start with Kelly in finance. Oh, she's already dead. Always ahead of me. >> I was on deck over here. So, um, in your packet this evening are the expenditures um, from July

1291 through October 31, 2025. Um, really not a lot has changed since the last time we all met. Um, we do, you do know as a board, we've talked about it this evening earlier. Um we are utilizing the special ed contingent the reserve um account that we had set up for that um for the a couple of items for students that we will be bringing forward in in next year's budget process but otherwise in that the remainder of the budget um seems to be on target and doing well. No concerns at this time questions for Kelly. Thank you. All right. So, we will continue with our um department updates and goal review and we will start with nutrition with Erica Riley. It's good to stand up. >> Um, it's nice to see everybody again. My

130name is Erica Riley. I'm the director of nutrition. I figured it's worth reintroducing myself as my last name has is here. Uh, which is a good thing because we have another Erica M in our office now, too. So, it's getting a little confusing with the two em. Um, this past year has been full of learning and progress. I've continued immersing myself in our kitchens and cafeterias, building relationships with staff and students while strengthening the systems that support our program. I'm grateful to work uh with such a committed and talented team. Looking at last year's goals, a reflection of school year 25. Our first goal was to reduce the amount of added sugar in school meals ahead of the 2026 USDA final rule. Um, this goal centered on staying ahead of the federal nutrition requirements. And

131I'm happy to share that we met these major milestones. We implemented the required um products product based sugar limits for cereals, yogurts, and flavored milk that went into effect July 1st. All of our cereals served have six grams or less of added sugar per serving. Our yogurts contain 12 grams or less of added sugar per serving. And our flavored milk is limited at 10 grams of added sugar or less per serving. With these changes alone, the amount of added sugar has dropped by an average of 13 grams per day, which equates to a decrease of 31.7% on average. Uh staff received training and support on the new regulations at the start of the school year. This helped broaden their understanding of these requirements and to help educate students as they come through the line when

132they see that their milk is now in an orange carton instead of a brown carton. I don't really know the marketing reasoning behind that one, but um these efforts are ongoing because by uh school year 27, USDA will require us to limit added sugars to no more than 10% of daily calories. Our second goal was to provide meaningful professional development to support increased scratch cooking. Um, in the past year, we made significant progress strengthening staff skills and kitchen capacity to help support our efforts to offer more scratchade meals. Several kitchen managers attended uh the statewide culinary skills for school meals training. Um, this program is a fiveday hands-on intensive training for school nutrition professionals um that focuses on the basics, food safety, um, knife skills, cooking techniques, and kitchen efficiencies and, you know, really dives

133into some of those scratchade options. Um, the best way to sum up the feedback I heard from my staff who did attend was, "I'd love to go again. Can I go back next year?" Um we conducted conducted taste tests and nutrition focused activities in the cafeterias. Our friends uh actually right down the road at Replenova Farm came into a few of our schools to offer taste tests of local produce and educate students about some of the more obscure, you know, veggies that are grown right down the road from us. Uh we had a guest chef, Barton Siver, come into More Street School uh last spring where we menued a pretzel and herb crusted flounder served with Maine broccoli. And these efforts were made possible thanks to support from the fisherman feeding maners program. As a

134district, we pledged to uh the DOE harvest of the month initiative, which encourages us to menu a new main harvest every month. With this pledge, we've offered things like homemade macaroni and cheese, um, featuring Winter Hill Farm cheese right in Freeport. Um, we had a rumpled thump casserole at Freeport High School, which was a big success. Um, and we also made a scratchmade roasted tomato soup using tomatoes harvested in Maine, just to name a few. Um, byre by increasing our partnerships with local farms, vendors, and distributors, it's allowed us to utilize our local food funds more efficiently. This year, Maine increased the amount of uh local food funds per district annually from 5,000 to $10,000 of worth of reimbursement. Um, essentially with this, we receive a dollar back for every $2 we spend on main

135harvested produce or fish or actually milk, too. Um, So far this year, we have utilized 220 pounds of Maine tomatoes, 3,100 pounds of local apples, and 180 pounds of main broccoli. With these efforts, we're seeing average participation rates across the district um at around 40% for breakfast and 67% for lunch. This work is ongoing. Um, but our participation rates remain stable or rising at some schools, suggesting that our investment in scratch cooking continues to support student satisfaction and meal participation. Looking ahead to next year, um, before I get into it, I I want to acknowledge the tremendous amount of work that our program has already done. Um, so to put it in perspective a little bit, since the first day of school this year, our kitchens have prepared 108,000 meals for students. Um, which I

136think is a number worth repeating um because I think it just really, you know, represents the daily commitment that our staff is playing and, you know, the essential role that it has in our programs. um for many families, you know, right now, particularly with SNAP benefits fluctuating, um these meals are critical for source for nutrition and stability. As we discuss new goals for the upcoming year, it's important to recognize just how much has already been accomplished and the impact it has on our students. One thing I've learned is that we can't continue moving forward with the program if we have broken systems in place. So this year's goals really focus on strengthening our systems and our infrastructure to be able to make the highest quality meals possible. And I'll be looking at things like staffing

137equipment and compliance standards. So first goal for this year um is to really look at strengthening our staffing stability and efficiency. We know that consistent staffing directly impacts meal quality and student experience. This goal centers on creating predictable coverage and reducing the need for emergency director support. Um I'll admit this goal came to fruition. Um as we were in the trenches of a two weekek stretch where um I spent the majority of my time along with some others um really just trying to get the food out there if I'm being honest. It was there was a rough time there. Um, so it it allowed me to to take a bigger look at what we need to do to be able to to serve meals efficiently. Um, to give you a better idea of the barriers

138that we face this year, um, on average we have we have had over one and a half absences per day every day across the department. Um, when we're constantly working understaffed, it makes it very hard to move forward with new recipes and like taste tests for students when I am being spread thin, you know, helping out in other areas. Um, and like I said, in days like that, we are literally just trying to get food out there for students. Um, so this is one of those areas that I know we need to find a better solution for. Um, so our action steps are as follows. Um, I'll be conducting a statewide, not a statewide, districtwide, uh, staffing analysis to determine where our needs lie. Working to enhance recruitment and partnerships with HR for subs and

139to find qualified candidates as positions come up. Um, building a cross trainining program so that staff can confidently step into other roles during some of these callout situations and working to find ways of strengthening staff recognition and team building practices. Um, we'll measure success through improved coverage, higher retention, and stronger staff satisfaction. Second goal is to modernize kitchen equipment, which my staff will be very excited to hear. Um, really having more reliable equipment is essential, especially as we expand scratch cooking and stabilize meal production across all six schools. Over the next year, we plan to um revamp a full equipment inventory and conduct a condition assessment of all the equipment that we have in the district and build out a replacement plan to prioritize updates based on the safety, the efficiency, and the frequency of

140use. And I will collaborate with facilities as needed and reestablish a multi-year replacement plan. And finally, working with my vendors to have a a maintenance schedule, um a routine maintenance schedule, I should say. Um and my third and final goal for this year, um is to help strengthen our compliance with USDA standards. Um as I'm sure you've gathered, we have new regulations that kind of are changing all the time and are taking effect every year. It's a lot to keep up with sometimes. Um but over the next couple of years um we know that there will be some things that we will need to comply with and we also have an administrative review occurring in school year 27. So this goal is really to ensure that we remain proactive, prepared and fully compliant with those

141needs as they come up. Um so we'll be training managers and staff on those updated USDA requirements. uh reviewing and updating our standard operating procedures in all of our kitchens, conducting routine internal compliance audits both formal and informal and then maintaining a you know close communication with the state agency their best resource for these things. Um success for this will be measured by consistent compliance and positive audit outcomes both internal and from the state and improved staff confidence in these expectations. Um, to kind of wrap things up, I am incredibly proud of what our program has accomplished in this last year from staying ahead of some of these federal nutrition guidelines and working to expand our scratch cooking and strengthening our community partnerships. Um, the goals for this year continue this momentum, focusing on long-term

142stability, efficiency, and compliance to keep delivering the best dining experience for our students. questions for Erica. >> Thank you so much for that. >> I thought that I heard or seen a report at one point um that reviewed the equipment inventory. >> Is there already an equipment inventory? My question there is a Excel sheet that has a of all of the equipment in the district and where it is and that's all that the inventory is. So >> there are no replacement timelines. >> There are some rough timelines associated with some of the things. Um I don't know how accurate everything really is. Um for example, there's there's certain items in there that you know say that there's a 30-year lifespan on them, but we're seeing them failing now. So you know really just taking look

143at those things and and figuring out where we need to make some adjustments. >> Colin, >> um, first I just want to say I uh I really appreciate the clarity of your presentation both on paper and here just fantastic. So, thank you for that. I guess I'm just curious. You you mentioned that we're um the you know uh goal three was compliance with um USDA standards. My understanding is that we are currently um working with the uh roll out of um the Biden administration um policies um that have been have been put in place. Um I just wondered whether you have any sense of anything that's coming down the pike um from the current administration that might be impacting our um funding. Um, I've I've heard something about the um the uh potential termination of

144local food for schools cooperative agreements and things like that. I'm just curious if you could speak a little bit to that. >> Yeah, I I really wish I had more information on that. I think not just myself, but all of the directors across the state, we would love to know. Um we're honestly just kind of taking it one day at a time. The funding is there now, so we're utilizing it. Um, out of that $10,000, I've spent uh about 4,500 so far for this school year. Um, so like I said, really just trying to to utilize it while we have it. I don't know much more than that, though. >> Okay. >> They don't really share too much about that. >> No, I I wouldn't imagine they do. Just more in the in the spirit

145of our conversation of sort of thinking ahead and and planning. But yeah, no, thank you so much for that. And again, thank you for all the wonderful work you're doing. Kelly, >> I really personally just love that you've taken the initiative to implement and and put into our um kids hands these scratchbased meals. So, thank you for doing that. And I'm just wondering if you've gotten any feedback from the kids themselves. >> Yes. Uh the kids do really love these things. Um, and I whenever we do make something new or different, I try and be, you know, in in the cafeterias that day while we're serving and and just asking the kids, hey, how do you how do you like this or what would you do want done differently? Um, and overall the feedback is

146is really good. Um, so kind of going back to my goals, I I want to be able to do these things more, but sometimes the staffing issue can make it really challenging when I just I can't clone myself. I wish I could, but to be able to be in multiple places at once when we are rolling out some of these these new things. Um, yeah. >> Another one. Yeah. Um, a couple of years ago, we did a parent survey and some of the feedback was on a desire to reduce sugar in um the the food choices. So, well done. gram reduction of an average of 13 grams a day. That's excellent and something worth celebrating and communicate making sure we're communicating that out to the parents so that they know that they know about all

147these efforts that you're doing and the scratch. >> I've noticed on the menus you have what the food of the month is or the local harvest of the month. >> The harvest of the month. >> Yeah, that's awesome. So, I think any like that communication out there is really >> Can I actually ask you guys what what would be the best way to portray that? I've created an Instagram account. I'm not great at posting on it, but is that the best method to getting it out or would you prefer to see it some other way? Because I we do really awesome stuff all the time. It's just a matter of like show showcasing it. So, >> I mean, I think social media is great. Um, and school newsletters. >> That's what I was thinking is

148I think each school does a newsletter with I don't know if it's monthly, weekly, whatever it is. you know, maybe there's just a little blurb on the nutrition piece every so often. >> Okay. When there's something to share, >> thank you. I'm curious twofold. One around the scratch cooking. Um, because I have a kid who doesn't get the menu anymore, so I don't know what they have. Um, but you know, what percentage is there sort of a standard percentage that we're doing for scratch cooking? and is where would you like to see it? Um I think with the harvest of the month initiative, what what is the driver there is they um encourage menuing a new item twice a month. And kind of my own goal with it is when we're menuing that um harvest

149of the month item, that becomes the thing that we're making, you know, scratch made. >> Um >> and some things are speed scratch. For example, today was um >> Did you say speed scratch? >> Yeah. Like it's um I use the term but know I'm like what exactly? I don't know. It's kind of a quick way like today we did roasted cauliflower and it was you know you just kind of toss a ton of seasonings on it, roast it up and serve it with their we had pasta and marinara sauce and all that fun stuff. Um, so yeah, I guess what I'm going with there is I tend to make the two times a month that I offer whatever that harvest of the month is, that's kind of when I'm implementing a a scratch made

150option. >> Um, that's not to say those are the only times. Um, but that's my my goal with it is at least twice a month having a new scratchmade recipe with it. So, >> okay. And um around the staffing question, um it sounds to me like because I had always kind of envisioned that the biggest um barrier to more scratch cooking was the cost. Um but it sounds like it's also the staffing. >> It is the cost definitely, but also, you know, having the staff that feels confident in the abilities to do something like that. And that's where sending some of our staff to this hands-on week-long training um really helped boost their confidence and then be able to come back to their kitchens and and then, you know, teach the others how what they

151learned and and how they were doing it. Um so that's that's kind of what I'm hoping. We're we're able to send three every year. Um so next year I would like to send my other three managers to go. >> Yeah. And then um in terms of the absences you're seeing, is that just um are those unfilled positions that you're struggling with or are those we have the folks but it's just like managing keeping everybody healthy and well and here and >> we have all of our positions are full. Okay. Um and it's a matter of kind of keeping everybody here, right? Life happens, you know, stuff happens, but >> when you start looking at, you know, the big picture of just how often those people are out, it can make it really challenging. >> Thank

152you, >> Kelly. >> Have we or I think in the past we've had a list of subs, kitchen subs we kept on hand. >> Don't seems like we did hear that. >> We have I I have a list of subs. Do I receive applications for subs all the time? No. Um, and that's part of the reason why I want to kind of partner with um, you know, HR and and come up with some ways that we can really get it out there that, hey, come work in a kitchen while your kids are in school. You know, we'll train you. I'm not looking for somebody that's been in a kitchen their whole life by any means. You know, I'm looking for somebody that's coachable. They can come in and learn some of the skills. But yeah,

153we we do have a handful of subs. One of them is over there. She's really great. Um, but we, yeah, we we have a handful, I think, you know, two or three really. So, when there's one and a half people absent every day. >> Yeah. Yeah. There's a reason they don't have a full-time job, they weren't looking to do it every day, right? >> Yeah. >> Other questions for Erica? Thank you. All right. So, next up is athletics with Erica. >> Good evening. >> Um, thank you for having me. For those who are new and or have met, u my name is Eric Hall. I'm the athletic director at Freeport High School, Freeport Middle School, and Durham Community School. Um, it's been about a year since I've been here, so I just kind of want

154to fill you in on some of our teams that have uh done well over the course of since last November, um, last winter. Um, our girls ice hockey, who we co-op with Yarmouth, was runner up in the divisional finals. Our boys ice hockey team who we co-opt with Brunswick was uh they were awarded the class B sportsmanship banner for 2024 2025. Um our boys basketball team missed the playoffs by a couple places. However, they were the class A South sportsmanship banner winners. Uh our girls basketball team finished fourth in the regionals and lost in the quarterfinals. Our boys indoor track finished sixth in the states. Our girls indoor track team was Western Main Conference champs and they were the class B state runners up at the state meet last winter. Uh moving on to spring

155boys tennis and girls tennis. We had a uh new coaches for both programs and uh we had a huge amount of participation for those two sports which is great. Our softball team made the semifinals of the playoffs for class B South. Our boys missed it by a couple places. Outdoor track, our boys finished in the top 10 of the states. Outdoor track for girls finished third in the states. Our boys lacrosse this uh past spring finished as divisional runners up. And our girls lacrosse team was the class B state champions for 2025. And as we kind of look at our fall that just wrapped up a couple weeks ago, um, our football team made it into the playoffs, our varsity golf team, uh, finished second in the Western Main Conference and finished in the top

156six for the state. field hockey team won the class B South regional championship and was the runner up in the class B state championship game against Belfast in a hard fought one zip game that didn't go in our favor but it was a great game our boys cross country team which Moon is a part of class B South regional champs runners up class B state runners up uh for the class B state championship. Our own Alex Gilbert was the state champion for the boys race. Um, and as Moon said, the boys competed in the New England meet and finished 25th. Our girls cross country team was the Western Main Conference champs. They were the Class B South Regional Champs and they were also the class B state champions for the 2025. And as wounds said,

157um, they finished 13th at the New England's. They were the first main team to finish that high. Um, our girls soccer team, uh, made it to the regional semifinals. Our boys soccer team made it to the quarterfinals. So, it's been a busy busy uh fall and we just started um winter season with our boys and girls basketball this week, indoor track and cheering. Uh next week we start Nordic and alpine skiing. And in December 1st, uh swimming will start and that's a change this year because swimming is now moved. So it allows them to compete at the state championship at KBY College, which I heard is a great facility in the in the New England area. So they pushed that back. So their state championship will be uh in the first week of March. So

158reviewing the goals from last year for 24 25. Um the first one we talked about um continue looking at how coaches coach and how coaches communicate to student athletes. Are we communicating with purpose, appropriateness, talking the same language as well as supervision? Um, this is an ongoing goal that we have and we talk about this at our coaches meetings that we have prior to the preseason with our fall or winter, our spring. Um, how we communicate with our student athletes. What is their legal obligations like? If they hear something, what are they supposed to do? There are some things that coaches don't always know, but my job is to make sure that they understand what their directions are, what they need to do, what the expectations are, um how they talk to student athletes, and

159and being consistent with their message, uh being consistent in their tone, being consistent in addressing issues as well. Um, one of the big things that's a big thing for me is the supervision piece. um because we did experience in other schools, not this school, but other school systems that had had some issues with hazing. And that's one of the things that we talk about at our coaches meeting. Um and there one thing that I talk about weekly is I send a Sunday morning uh email to my coaches for that season. Um that identifies what the week looks like when transportation, but what are some of the things that we need to be continuing to talk about? Please address these issues. Please make sure you're having these conversations with your student athletes so that there's never

160a surprise. There's never something that we've come down the pike and and we didn't know about or they didn't know about it. So, it's an ongoing conversation I feel that's very necessary and very important um with my coaches. Um, the second goal we talked about and looked at was since I joined here in 2023, um, one of the things is we now have a full-time athletic trainer and, um, Antonio, if you haven't met him, he's very thorough in his job as a trainer. Um he has a couple things that he uses uh to help him track with injuries called healthy roster which is a a form that he kind of uses that he can go back and forth to have conversations with the parent of that student athlete who is injured. It's a one-on-one conversation

161piece so that they are on the same path with you know doctor's notes uh injury um prevention uh what are some of the steps they've taken to address the injury and another thing he uses is called sway and sway is a concussion tool management tool that he uses and that's how he sets the baseline we test all of our student athletes their freshman year as well as their junior year so if anybody but he sustains a concussion. He has that baseline to to to recognize that we have a potential concussion. He cannot diagnose it. That is a doctor's note or doctor's um job to do that, but allows him to have that data. So, we've used that over the last couple years to kind of get a sense of are we providing the the opportunity

162for our coaches to coach um are they meeting those coaching principles? So that you know are we avoiding these catastrophe type injuries that sometimes occur such as concussions are very important at this age to try to avoid because we have student athletes who regardless of the grade level they're still growing. Um head injuries are very serious at this point where it impacts learning in the classroom. So, um, we took a look at this over the last couple years, um, to make sure that we're also meeting our equipment needs, too. Uh, for our sports that have helmets and pads, we have those reconditioned each year to make sure that they're safe. Um, one of the things is helmets have about a 10-year lifespan. So, after 10 years, they're no longer in existence. So, we end up

163looking at that. we have a um a data collection of that so that we know going forward what the next few years will look like in terms of replacing those helmets. Um since last year we've seen a 14% decrease in concussions. Um, we monitor the coaches that have the impact sports such as football, field hockey, lacrosse to see what they're doing. And, you know, we're seeing a lot of good coaching. So, that's very helpful. And I think having a full-time athletic trainer has kind of helped us to manage that a little bit more is he senses it. He can direct parents to see their PCP and we can kind of start that process as well. Um, we also were looking at some ways to help uh with injuries that are more core and more leg.

164I mean, one of the things that at this age is a lot of female athletes susceptible susceptible to ACL tears. And so, we're looking at preventions of, you know, what are some of the things that we can do to to build that core, to build that strength muscle so that we can avoid those types of injuries. So, those are ongoing things that we're still working on and hoping to to have some more clarity in the next year. Um, the third one was to look at the coaching evaluation tool to capture the important criteria to observe and evaluate our athletic coaches in the district. And here is something what I've put together. I kind of took what we've had previously and try to stream it down so that it's more manageable to look at with my

165coaches and something that's not repetitive with some of the things that was on the old evaluation tool. A lot of it was, you know, listening responsibility and things like that. Because when I'm evaluating coach, we want to evaluate almost like the same ways that I used to evaluate teachers and kind of see that cuz coaches are teachers as as I see it. I mean, they're coaching, but they're teaching on the athletic field. So, those are those are the things that I want to capture is their responsibilities and what are they bringing? Um, what's their coaching skills? How are they communicating? Are they communicating effectively? Um, one of the things that I will talk about is in my other goals for this upcoming year is what are their goals for the program. Meaning, what do they

166see outside of that they would like to see for the program? I mean, it's not about wins and losses, about how are they going to direct this program. Because as I as I tell my varsity coaches, they're like they are the CEO of the program from high school right down to our middle school and even to our youth programs and and how do they structure that and how do they see that for the future? And so those are things that we have conversation, but sometimes it's best to have them write it down to see um on it on paper. So that's that was last year's goal. So moving forward to 2526. Um one of the things that this being the third year for me here is is to review the current and this is this

167is not a district policy. It's the Freeport High School athletic policy eligibility policy. Just want to make sure that I have that clear because I don't want to just to um get that one wrong. Um it's something that I've gone through the process a couple times and seen what what our uh eligibility policy is and you know it was a good chance to look at it. So, we started this August with a no, excuse me, we started this summer, beginning of summer with a u survey to kind of survey both student athletes and parents of what they feel is our a eligibility policy. Um, we kind of took that data and then we kind of looked at it and started creating a committee. Um, in August, we met in the end of October to kind

168of start formalizing a timeline. uh what we want to look at. What we've also done was we've also got we've received um area eligibility policies from other high schools around here, some of in our conference, some up the road in Brunswick and Mount Aerat just to kind of get a view of what we have and what are some of the things that uh other schools have. I can be honest with you and be very transparent. There's not a perfect policy. It's what fits for our school. So when we are sitting down and looking at this, that's the question I've explained it to uh the committee back in October as we will meet again in December, January, uh March and April. Um this goal I I I don't know what it will land. I don't know

169if there'll be huge recommendations or changes, but I think it's a good chance to look and have that conversation about our eligibility policy at the high school for student athletes. uh what does that look like? Is it meeting our students needs? Is it not? Is there some things that we need to address? And I think that's the key in this um goal is to see if we're addressing those it addressing those needs. Um like I said, we may have a new policy, we may not. I I can't sit here on this day and say we will, but I want to be very clear and concise with that. Second goal is to look and review our existing athletic facilities to continue providing safe playing fields that will support our athletic programs. And this includes Durm, Freeport

170Middle School, Freeport High School. Um I'm very fortunate to have Jason Chisum as our grounds. He knows all these fields, all these ball fields and everything, every inch of it. And and we have a lot of informal and formal conversations about this. Um, you know, I spent last summer with him. We took a day and we drove around the district looking at all the fields and stuff like that and he talked about some of the issues or some of the things that we'll we need to address. So, one of the things that I would like to start doing is is is creating an assessment tool with him so that we can start identifying needs or identifying things that are going to need to be replaced in the future or start that conversation. I know we've

171started the conversation on the tennis courts. Um, the tennis courts are something that is something that we've looked at and I think there is something that, you know, has some merit behind it that it needs some upgrades. But, you know, those are things that we need to start looking at is those those fields, those courts, um the things that sometime after a while, the wear and tear of playing on them, the wear and tear of being in the Northeast, the wear and tear of the weather sometimes causes these. Um, we've been very fortunate. We have good fields. We have a great facility at the track and turf, but like anything else, they always have a lifespan. So those are things that we have to kind of start thinking about and start addressing and having those

172conversations for the future. And I know this is kind of on the heels of a of a budget workshop, but those are things that I I look at as well. The last goal and and this is a goal that is not just an RSU 5 or Freeport DM. This is a a a right across the board for a lot of high schools and middle schools in the state of Maine is coaching retention. Um we probably have a hard time finding coaches. And then when I talk to a lot of my colleagues and friends who are ads, it's it's it's something that's very hard to find coaches who want to coach. The days of having a teacher/coach are not always there. Um because that's that's just not what it was. maybe 30 35 years ago when

173I was in school, but as we move now, that's something that we want to address. And how do we retain coaches? How do we keep coaches, especially at the subarity level? And when I say subarcy level, I'm talking about our middle school, our JV, our first team coaches, because it it builds continuity, but it also allows our student athletes to have the same opportunities um as others would. And I really want to h look at that bird's eye view with Jody, uh, Jody Rose, and Scott Erett here. Um, and look at those things of how we can the three of us who oversee our athletic programs. How do we retain coaches? How do we make it so that um, they want to stick around? Is it is it is it doing formal or informal coaching

174clinics ourselves? Is it meeting with the coaches more regularly? Um, is it communicating? Is it going out and and seeking coaches? Um, you know, a lot of this is the time where I I do a lot of thinking about how we can keep these coaches. How do we develop these coaches and and how do we have the long-term success that we have here at Freeport and RSU 5 and Durm and Powell? Those are the things that I I I feel is very important. It's a goal that has has been weighing on my mind since since day one. So, those are the the things that really I look at and try to help and and see how that affects our student athletes as well. So, those are the three goals or and review of the um

175goals from last year. Questions for Eric? So, this is a streamlined version. >> Yeah, I know. It's a little it's a it's a long I mean, there's some things that will be added and taken out, I'm sure, once I I I go through it, but you know, I'm I'm always >> mindful of that. >> Yeah. Kelly, >> uh yeah, I guess you're our trouble retaining middle school and JV coaches. I imagine it's similar to how difficult it is to find teachers these days, but I'm curious as to whether we're having more trouble than most people are. Is this kind of like everybody's having the same kind of trouble? >> Um, everybody's having the same trouble. Um, a lot of it is it comes down to um for us, we have a lot of people who

176are interested, but it's the time commitment. It's the commitment of I can't be there at that time. Um, and we've to to get a coach. We've actually have done some movement and practices maybe later, especially in the spring when it's not so dark. But, um, a lot of schools have this. And, you know, as I as I tell the coaches that we hire, we're very fortunate to have you, you know, cuz I don't want to be in a position where um, we don't provide that program. So, we were very fortunate here this winter to start off that we are, you know, everything's starting to work itself out, but you know, the spring comes and and we're going to be looking for a few coaches. Um, which is which is another another stressor, but you know,

177we'll get through it. But, you know, these are the things that a lot of school districts are facing. >> Yeah. Thanks. so much for this. I'm I'm just curious if you could talk a little bit about the um what sort of factors uh are are going to come up or come up as standard when you're looking at eligibility requirements in this way. Are we is that sort of in the area of um uh kind of age or number of years they've attended school or is it more behavioral or is it have to do with attendance? um what rises to the surface there? Um I think a lot of it comes down to there's it comes down to to you know our grades obviously. Um are we doing the right thing by having um the two

178week or the week uh monitoring? Um do we look at you know attendance as well? I know my first year here it was work habits of work. does that come back into play? Um, attendance could be something that we could look at. Um, there's a lot of factors in there. Um, everybody, like I said, if you put them on a on a table and and mix them up, none of them would be the same. Um, it's just which which parts of it or which works best for us is how I see it. Can I ask a followup? It's it's maybe a little tangential, but it got me I uh the concussion um statistics and what you were talking about there in terms of the evaluation tools you're using and all of that y got me

179thinking about it. I'm just curious what is our um what is the standard protocol in for our high school or I suppose for middle school as well in terms of um if a student is injured um who is it that determines u when they are able to play again? Um, is that the is it the coach that makes that determination? Is that the student? Is that the parents? Is that you? >> So, usually what happens is my athletic trainer treats the injury. um for them to get back to playing time or back to practice or allowed to resume. Um we'd like to have a doctor's note because that clears them um for them to be able to return to play whether it's for like a concussion. There's the protocols of doing that. You have steps

180before you actually play. Um so we have at the high school level and and the middle school level it is doctor's note. Um and sometimes parents will bristle at that but it's about safety. Um and as I as I tell parents at our parent meeting, my job is to graduate your child in the four years you're here at the high school. Um, you know, some will go on to play in college, some won't, but the most part is my job is to watch you walk across the Maril Auditorium. >> And I'll just throw in my two cents about um Antonio and the full-time um trainer has been just marketkedly different to have him available at all of the home games. Then actually he traveled with the girls soccer team for playoffs because their trainer wasn't

181there and that turned out to be very important for concussion issues. So um >> you know I've seen them use this sway program where they they do the baseline and then literally they reassess them on the sidelines when they feel like they've had a hit to the head. Like you'll see them testing them on the sidelines to see if they need to sit them. Um so it's a very very immediate process which I you know as a parent I really appreciate. Um, you know, I think there is a pretty um standardized process for the back return to play protocol that that you're talking about. Um, you know, I think it, you know, gone are the days where parents could be like, "No, they're fine. Just put them back in." Um, because parents did that. Um,

182so, you know, I appreciate the the rigidity around Yep. >> you know, like, "No, I I know you think they're okay, but we really want to see a note." Um and then that the note actually starts the protocol of like you know you can >> start yeah you practice and then you play in a week and so um I think it's um it it feels fair but safe. >> Yeah, congrats on that concussion rate going down. I think that's another thing worth celebrating. >> Thank you. That's all to Antonio. That >> Yeah. Uh you also had mentioned that you were keeping data on injuries in general. Has the injury rate changed at all? >> Um it fluctuates. I think this year we saw a drop especially with our fall sports, our impact sports. Um it's

183too early to tell with the winter because we see different types of injuries. Uh especially there's going to be a lot more shin splints from indoor track from running on in the hallways and outside. Um basketball tends to have a little bit more with the ankle injuries. Um so we're hoping that we will see it kind of either flatten or or dip a little bit, but fingers crossed. And I wouldn't be surprised if in the first few years of having the full-time trainer, we might actually see it go up a little bit because we're actually recognizing things that previously weren't going that weren't necessarily getting treated. Um, so it'll be interesting to see like once you have a baseline and go from there if we see improvements or not because I wouldn't necessarily think that

184I mean maybe catastrophic injuries you want going down of course, but sort of minor ones maybe picking them up before they become catastrophic. >> Exactly. >> It's okay. >> Yeah. in assessing the fields and the Turks and all of that I think is also really important at reducing the risks of injuries. Right. >> Right. Because as I tell people, we're very fortunate to have what we have here in Freeport and Durm. Um and so I just want to keep keep it as best as I can. >> And I don't know if we mentioned it in here or if we mentioned it when the facilities reported out. Um, but Jason came and spoke to the facilities committee and you know, you couldn't be more right. He just knows everything about every one of the fields we

185have. Um, but this year we actually got the the turf impact tested to make sure that for concussion levels that it was still passing and it was like well above the minimum. Yep. >> So they're talking about planning, you know, what's the lifespan? What do we need to be doing to, you know, to prepare for that? So those conversations are happening. Yep. All right, we good with Eric? >> Thank you. All right. >> I feel like I always say last but not least. All right, time to get a snack. >> Well, ready on >> as loud as Eric. I don't know. >> No, that's better. Wasn't. So, um, I realized we don't do good news and recognition anymore when we host, but because I prepared it, you're going to have to have it, I'm afraid,

186and, um, it's a relatively short one. For those who have not been on the board for a while, historically, the hosting school would do good news and recognition, too. So, I prepared it without reading the agenda. So, um, just briefly, uh, it's been a very positive first trimester this year. New preK and kindergarten children have all settled very quickly. Um uh new students across the school have also become a part of the fabric of their cohorts and uh we're thrilled with the new colleagues we have here at school and new staff also do an amazing job right away. Um an area we would like to recognize and celebrate um this this visit is the great support we receive from families. Um it's been super evident really this fall. Um our PTA continues to contribute in

187many ways. They funded a new prek play area out back at the cub house. Um provided food and snacks for teachers during conferences, hosted the fall book fair, and ran a great family event for Treat Street. Um they currently are planning preparing for their annual fundraiser which the craft fair on December 7th. We also had great attendance as always at four conferences um where families um attended huge numbers. We very we're always very close to 100%. and we appreciate the time that goes into adjusting work days or evening routines um to support their children's learning. We've also had great turnout at literacy night for our kindergarten families and family math night for um families with children in grades K through three and lastly our parent volunteers who do everything from preparing bulletin boards for our

188character strong work to shapering uh chaperon middle school socials. Um so really make a a huge difference and uh we all feel very fortunate to work in such a supportive community. So uh a shout out to our families this time. Then onto our goal work. Um so um I'll just talk briefly to last year's goals and then I'm going to throw something on the on the projector in a minute for this year's. So um you you have the obviously the reflection already in front of you but this was the work we had done around really focusing on a sustainable system to provide interventions for um um social skill development and emotional support really through the work we did um making sure we had a multi-tered system of support. bringing in this level of work to

189MTSS which traditionally have been more around our academic work. So we'd had MTS for reading and for math. Um, and although we had some sort of behavior supports, what they were were sort of standalone and we wanted to make sure it met the criteria of a of a more robust MTSS model, which means universal screening, which means actionable data um and then you know specific interventions that can be taught and tracked um over intervention rounds. So the work we had done um start this was year two last year was year two of uh of a two-year goal which we'd updated you previously on in terms of character strong. It is a program we use uh prek through eight in prek through five the actual program is called purposeful people and then in grades six through

190eight it's character strong and it's taught in our middle school grades through their advisory program. Um but in every grade level it is delivered by the teachers. uh is a part of the fabric of each and every day from morning announcements to bulletin boards to newsletters home um to families each month as the focus area changes throughout the year. So the um goals that we had put out there as a as a result of this work um the first would there be a multi-ter system support in place for social emotional learning which would support students across the grade levels of DCS as I mentioned that has been uh achieved. We spent year one identifying and researching programs that met the CASEL standards that we felt had all the criteria required for an MTSS program. Then

191last year was all about implementation and having a strong implementation year. Um each and every class has this on a daily basis from the first day of school through the last day of school. Teachers did an outstanding job with it. the um in starting the goal, we had to uh identify a sort of measurable target to this which we felt was going to be a little bit of a guess because we weren't quite sure what that measurable impact might be. That's where that second piece comes in. So we had um somewhat arbitrarily but hopefully with some thought thought that maybe one measure would be uh the number of individual students referred to the office for disciplinary action and um had taken a stab at like a 10% impact on that. The that statistic as I

192wrote in there I'm just going to read from that the statistic was interesting to reflect upon the number of individual referrals for off office office disciplinary action actually stayed pretty flat. Um it may have been wishful thinking to expect a drop off in the implementation year not only as it was new for students but also new for staff and so new habits had not yet been fully developed. What we did see though uh when reviewing end of year data was that the percentage of students flagged for lacking coping skills had harved from 22% to 11%. which is a very positive outcome uh as it can indicate that more students now have strengths for handling both the internalized or externalized challenges which is what we um sort of use for the universal screener. So in essence

193the screener identifies students who may have some needs in these areas. We then look to teach into those specific areas uh where those skills may be lacking. And so the measure that actually came back when we um went back through the screener was that teachers were seeing evidence in their classrooms of students having more um resiliency skills. Then um we had talked about anecdotal evidence of students using strategies to support their own and others learning. I think I shared some of these with you previously, but um an example that um Kate had worked with um first grader needed to meet with Kate to solve a problem. Having shared what had happened, he then said, "My teacher's been working with me on my feelings. The strategy that I usually use is to breathe in, breathe out,

194which he then modeled u and it helps me. This time I think I've been being too frustrated." when he went down to repair the situation with his classmate. Unprompted, he started by saying respectfully to the other child. When you do that, I get really frustrated before going on to apologize for how his frustration came out. So, equipping children with language and strategies that their classmates are all aware of too because it's universal. Uh, another example we've talked about with the tree of choices. Actually, you'd see it when you walk out the cafeteria if you if you choose to on your right. students have approached different staff members. Um throughout last year, we would hear this. You know, they may be going to voice a concern about how a classmate or classmates may have treated them.

195And when prompted with this sounds like a conflict, um have you thought about using the tree of choices to solve it? Again, this is all about building agency. Everything we do, right, is about building agency for children and students to become independent problem solvers be math or social settings. And so when the adults are teaching into the skill and then prompting the child, not just giving them the answer um or saying, "Well, you know, I think that'll be okay. Move on." Or, "Yeah, yeah, we'll follow up." But actually saying, "Hm, well, what do you think you could do about that?" And um you know, some of the language that goes with that, well, how big a problem is this? And sometimes, especially for children of certain ages, the littlest thing feels just as big a

196problem as the biggest thing. Everything's a big problem. And they just helping them put into uh context, actually this isn't a big problem. You're right. And does your response match to how you're now thinking about the problem? Maybe not. And equipping them with that also obviously helps them problem solve independently. Also, um you know, how did this make you feel? what action will you take and the strategies they have they're like talk it out breathe it out move it out and invariably we shared an example previously I think where with some fourth graders a fourth grader would come across to the teacher at recess and had said they're not including me um and she said how do you think you want to deal with that he said it sounds like a conflict yeah I think

197I'm going to talk it out and then ran back across to the group and she said you could see them talking through and then moving on together as a group. It obviously is not a foolproof process. Um but what we were seeing anecdotally was that children were internalizing these skills and using them more independently. And I think that was what was then reflected in the data at the end of the year when we were seeing on the um on the screener that more students were equipped with strategies to use. Um so we felt uh very positive about it. We're thrilled to be um well embedded with it again this year and that language becoming more and more a part of the fabric. The piece we're excited about is that because this is prek through eight

198when we get to a place where students have had this for numerous years, the language that they already have will strengthen each year's experience because they're going to come in with these building skills. And the theme you know again in the purposeful people work prek through five. Um so for example this particular each month it changes not calendar month we do every four weeks. So you know this particular one we're into right now is gratitude and prior to that was responsibility. So they each age they're working on this piece of responsibility at their level. We have skills for them at their level. So year on year they'll build that depth of repertoire of skills to sort of utilize. So that's the reflection from last year. I don't know if you have questions about that before

199we move on to this year's goal. >> Okay. God, it's too bad you're so well trained now. Uh let me just get to this place. I I am going to throw a piece up onto the uh screen now hopefully. Um oops not that do that. Okay. So, our goal this year is on cognitive engagement and um pretty what that stemmed from is uh recognizing as staff our school leadership team and in PC meetings concern that we've been a gradual sort of decline in students sort of pushing their learning in essence striving to do the best they can do and um so as we looked at that across different types of engagement Um it it's been a really interesting process to dig into because it's not just as simple as do your work be as much

200I'd love to be able to say it's that simple just do your work. Um and I think we have plenty of parents who say I tell them to do the work but they're not doing it. So I think they're seeing it at home too. But this notion the the um definition we pull from is this one up here. Cognitively engaged students are drivers in their own learning. They invest mental effort, name and work towards their own learning goals, reflect on their learning and apply self-regulation skills. It's this combination of skills and that is pulled from different uh readings we have done on different pieces of research also including work from visible learning. And so this is what we've lent into as a school. the um I'm actually going to have to step out of this

201for a moment here and go to this. So um uh Kate's going to be cringing back here because she's a technology wiz. So when it came to this goal, one of the pieces that was pretty hard because it's not like, oh, let's just go and pick up the previously used goal on cognitive engagement that seems to be floating around on the internet. It is much more sort of nuanced than that. So what we really had to come up with and think about was how do we make this sort of measurable when we think about what will be impact. And so what we have done by we I really mean Kate Harrison our assistant principal here who took the lead on this with Kate Parkin and our school leadership team is really to look at the

202components of this really come down to when we look on the left hand column habits of work and the engagement and determination are kind of where we currently report out on this sort of work. When we look at the indicators when we think about when we've done research into cognitive engagement the factors that contribute to that active listening participation responsibility reflection and goals and next steps. So goal setting and targeting you know where you want to get to as a learner on even very shortterm pieces is a critical part for example. So, we created a progression that captures all 10 grade levels of our school and um asked teachers to reflect upon their class relative to where they might be on this continuum. Now, one of the things I'd say to you that we had

203to keep sort of leaning back on that is in situations like this, it's not about the tool, it's about the data you pull from the tool. So the tool will be an imperfect model. We're not going to we could spend years developing a model to try and measure this, but we're not research scientists. We're running a school simultaneously. And so teachers understand that coming into this work and go into this very much from that perspective of let's make sure that we are looking at this um through the correct lens. So then to start with we had done PD with our staff around what is cognitive engagement, what are examples of cognitive engagement um that K created a tool here. This is just a a screenshot of a first grade one for example. Each teacher um

204had this tool for their class and then um completed that sort of reflection of where they think right now their students are. This is a similar kind of tool to what we use for um character strong but theirs was obviously specifically from character strong. So stu teachers just can get into this work use a pull down menu that gives them the choices of what options exist and then it kind of creates this broad brush one at the end. The reason we have done it this way is that we can look at a if you look across vertic um if you look across horizontally you'll be able to see a student that may have great strength or areas of need. When you look down a column you'll be able to see like huh we can see

205where this is more of a general need or you know where this is more of a general strength. That also is going to help us as a school because I would say to you that when we first did this, the thing that really stuck out was that active listening using the language that we created on that progression is a massive area of need and across the school and um um and to be perfectly honest with you apparently in administration too because I was used as the example at our staff meeting and apparently I'm around a kindergarten level when it comes to active listening which feels like a long long way to go. Not sure I'm going to make it. Um so this is the tool we are using to kind of track uh starting point

206ending point and driving some of the PD. Then um most recently because we've been working on this you know it was our launch back work and then looking at this we had um PD time to work on this just last week and um sharing cognitive engagement strategies. So if we look across again in our school because there's 10 grades, we try to work on some of these goals that are across the school that kind of contribute to the fabric of the school. And so sharing practices also is a big part of that so that they can be a learning from each other, b people are seeing like okay so this is what's going on these earlier grades or this is what they're working towards in the upper grades. Um it was framed that each team

207as they were working through this they shared celebration things that are going well so far a surprise that's come up to them in this work um opportunities for refinement and next steps. I'm not going to go take you through all of them, but a couple of examples here. You'll see just from preKK, you know, celebrations at this point in the year. Um that um in preK, the math tool used at parent conferences to celebrate learning and determine their goals. Uh starting to see students notice and celebrate their growth with their peers. um in kindergarten, you know, lessons on determination under habits of work, spending lessons on goal setting in writing, taking time for reflection, um making time for sharing after each lesson. Um start of use with some tracking tools with managing production of work.

208Um and part a big piece of this I have to say although I framed it early on with it's not just about do your job there is too a big onus on us to provide real clarity for our students as to like this is what finished work looks and sounds like this is what you are aiming to achieve and whilst we feel like we've done that in the past that is a piece that we're sort of like doubling down on to make sure there's clarity and you can see some of the tools there for the younger children about self-reflection reflecting on, you know, have they met their goal? Are they doing their work at sort of one star, twostar levels? So, students using habits of work, increasing stamina, students are feeling proud, accomplished with their

209work, building reading stamina and writing stamina and volume. And then just to jump right up to seventh and eighth grade, a big focus of that work is very much around habits of work. Um, as we try to, you know, sort of prepare them with those skills for transition to high school. So students are self-reflecting every two weeks in each class about their habits at work. Um they're becoming more accurate and aligned with teacher scores and feedback. Um the habits of work are more visible and integrated into the classroom. So there's really specific examples of what this is what determination is going to look like in today's lesson. This is what this will look like as we're doing this um lab work today in the science lab. this is what engagement is going to look and

210sound like so that students have that understanding even though we think they must have this right but where we're seeing such a big gap in it like we have to teach back into what those expectations and clarity are so in math already we're seeing more students attempting level four extension activities um when student choice and authenticity has been increased and in humanities in LA um feedback loops and conferring within projects um is providing structure to incite reflection and past to move forward with on their work. So that's the goal for cognitive engagement. Um those are some of the um aspects of the work so far. Um our second goal, um I'm going to have Kate talk about because she very much leads that work even though she very much leads this work too. Um do

211you have to maybe not Okay. I can't freeze it. Do you have your >> Hello. Um, our second goal is on attendance. Um, and our goal is to increase students sense of belonging in school that will impact both wellbeing, overall well-being and our attendance rates. So, as a result of this work, um, we're hoping in a 10% reduction in our chronic absenteeism from 9.6% to 8.64%. Um, and just to put that into some context, right now in this school year, we're currently at 4.7%. Um, so we're off to a very strong start with our attendance. Um we have an attendance team that meets regularly to collaborate on student plans and to track absences. Um and we do look for patterns and trends um whether it's in a grade level or in certain student populations. Um

212something we've noticed for chronic absenteeism is it's primarily students that face um complicated health concerns. Um, so those are ones that even the best attendance plan isn't going to change their chronic illness. Um, but we are continually chipping away at it. Um, for example, last year we had a couple kids on um, attendance intervention plans and one of those students went from last year being um, present for 79% of his school year to this year having 100% attendance rate. Um, so that's super exciting and we are recognizing students who have improved their attendance. Um, we're doing things like sending positive postcards home. Um, using reach my teach to send some messages about attendance. Um, and I was able to attend the state conference um on attendance u that was run by Count Me In um

213to get some more strategies and work with other assistant principles in our district. So, um I think we're going to have a positive trend in our attendance this year. Um I think that's it. >> I feel like you might be sandbagging your goal. I'm just saying. >> Any questions? >> Questions for Will and Kate. >> I literally had to do that in my head. like that wasn't the show, right? It was Will and Grace. Sorry. >> Yeah. I'm I'm just kind of curious about your first goal. Um you you said you noticed a decrease in the last few years around cognitive engagement, and I'm curious if you obviously you said you're not social scientist, so you may not have the actual factors that are leading to this, but I'm wondering if you've reflected on it

214at all. Is it an artifact of COVID? Um, are there other things that that are contributing to this that may be addressed outside of the classroom? >> Cell phones. Look for >> cell phones, for example. >> Well, I think I have to go lean on I'm not a social scientist. Um, although I may be playing one on TV right now. It's there's I think it's I always uh so I think it's helpful to look at factors that can contribute to it. Um, but I think there's so many that it'd be hard to nail onto one. So I think for example, uh, broadly over the last 20 years, the involvement in travel sports of whole families compared to what kids participated in sports as a student athlete has generally trained uh, changed pretty significantly. And so

215we have a lot of students involved in pretty sophisticated uh programs whether it be dance or sports or different activities that take up significant amounts of time outside of school that have also sort of like become priorities and I don't know whether co's a factor in it. I think if you read the literature, there's certainly some would indicate it has been um that a big part of national attendance uh declines was really triggered by COVID and where all of a sudden school was deemed as optional. Um and therefore there's, you know, there's knock-on effects from that. So I think for us there's probably factors. I'm not sure there's things that we're leaning on that um like oh if we could address this or that simultaneously. I think what we're saying is this is what we've

216seen what can we control and what can we do to try and impact that and I do think we're also trying to be uh much more specific with feedback to families in terms of ways in which they can also support it. Um we had gathered some feedback last year at family math night um at literacy and at PTA in the spring as we were starting to move towards this and one of the questions was about homework for example and you know what makes it tricky to support your child with homework and I would say a significant number of the answers were like my child just doesn't want to do it um and that their parents were not giving up on it they were looking for ways themselves to engage engage their child in their learning.

217So, it's feedback to us that is like a um just like attendance as Kate said, making school a welcoming place to be, making lessons engaging um and making the learning relevant and making sure it's clear what learning will look and sound like. Just that clarity of expectation and and then reinforcing it with feedback as uh you know both feedback of like this is going great as a strategy to keep using or feedback that there's growth here and this is a great strategy to use to get closer to that outcome but not one thing I'm afraid. >> I I had a question. Um, I thought the tool was great and I imagine it can generate some really good data to use to inform next steps. I'm curious about the um the lift on the teachers >>

218to, you know, how how often do they have to like reassess all five of those things and, you know, use the >> No. So we that won't be a um that's not it's not like a report card thing or a necessarily a progress monitor piece. Um >> two or three. >> Yeah. So we're only going to do that as two points like a start point end point to see that growth. >> Um but where we do where we do lean in on it was like what does it show us now? What we do continue through the year is more of the things that you just saw a moment ago in terms of so another factor we did which I I failed to mention that but I think is is important is that within our professional

219evaluation professional growth model as a district all educators are required to um work on a goal specific goal and uh or two they can choose two goals and um so what we had said to um all our staff this year was one goal has to be on cognitive engagement and um and if you want to choose a second one you may but otherwise that's going to be the focus and they they vary and they also some of them do team goals. So for example a grade level team may be like we really are going to be focused on lifting cognitive engagement in writing and this is what this is going to look like as as a success and these are strategies we're going to try. The reason we had done that for Kate and I

220is that when we have 60 different goals um giving people feedback and participating in the process of supporting them with reaching their goals is really difficult. Whereas now when we do mini observations and we check in with staff part of that conversation is how's the cognitive engagement goal going because it's so applied to everything. So um and then the other piece of that is within our sort of team PC meetings more often not there's conversations about what strategies you're using for that for that goal or what strategy you're using around cognitive engagement. So the focus is across not necessarily from that that initial data but then our hope is that the growth for all our collectively is through our staff meeting time our PD time our PC time and goal feedback. So that's kind of

221how we've tried to build in that that process of checkpoints. >> Great. Thank you. Other questions? >> Thank you. >> All right. So, uh we are up to item 11 on the agenda, which is board comments and committee reports. Um, so we'll we'll start with sort of the open-ended um opportunity for anyone with information requests or information they want to share. Throw it back out there for Oh, Valerie. >> I have two very brief updates uh regarding region 10. Great. Um, one is that I asked when we would potentially hear back about the need for the voting for the items that they want to upgrade and they said last time they heard in late January. So, there won't be any updates until probably late January on that piece. Um, which is something I neglected to

222ask last time. Um, the other thing, uh, I attended last Friday one of the two celebratory breakfasts for our shared students for student of the quarter. It was wonderful. Met several of our Freeport representatives at region 10. It was a really great experience and obviously I think we all applaud all of those students and their recognition. And I recall the celebratory breakfast is prepared by the culinary, right? It's always good. Fantastic. Thank you. Other requests, comments. We did put um an update on the early childhood education task force here. We just want to keep a little placeholder for that. Um we have a couple of folks, I think there's four of us, right, that are um that are on that task force. We've met twice. Um uh and it includes the principles from all of

223the schools that uh currently offer prek services. So Mor Street, Panel, and Durham. Uh we have um community members. I think we have we do have someone from each of the uh either town council or select board from the three towns, which is great. We have local uh child care providers. Um and um you know we just wanted to provide a quick update to the board about where that work um has led us so far. sort of the first meeting was really um around understanding what the mandate was like what was what was what did we have to do and when um and just get more details around you know what were we dealing with here um the last meeting that we had which was la last week that was last week right I don't

224know time flies um uh we really talked about you know the the district and all the districts I guess in the state have the options of when they want to start providing these services. Um so you could start some people started this year. Um you have the opportunity to start next year um in cohort three which would be four year olds. Um you could start uh in which case if you started next year with four-year-olds the following year you would have to pick up the three-year-olds. So, just a reminder, this is for um four and five year olds, excuse me, three and four year olds that are currently covered by CDS services, so special education services um for the kids before they before they hit the school district. Um so, uh so we could pick

225up the four-year-olds next year and the three-year-olds the following year. And then uh once it's required for everybody to have everybody the the year of uh July 1, 2028, we would already be already doing those things. Um we have the option of going into the following year's cohort, cohort 4, which is when we would pick up the three and four year olds, and then we would be compliant the required year the following year, or we could not do anything and just start in 2028. Um, obviously the benefits to starting sooner is there are um there are funds right now available to help facilitate that that transition. Um, you know, the thing that was really clear to me and and please jump in the other folks that were there is, you know, we're already providing a

226lot of these services to the four-year-olds through our prek program, right? So, the meeting we had kind of showed how many how many kids what's the what's the uh population of kids this encompasses as four-year-olds, which ones are we already servicing and what would it take to to reach the level of requirement um to move into cohort three. Um I think the the general consensus of the board or of that committee, although I actually think it was unanimous, was that it made a lot of sense to move into that cohort three option. Um, we're already doing a we want to take advantage of as much of the funds that are available because those are kind of first come first serve. Um, and once they're gone, they're gone. Um, and continue moving the work because I

227think one thing we heard kind of loud and clear is this move from CDS to the school districts, while, you know, state mandates are never fun, is actually probably the best things for kids. Um, we're better prepared and better equipped. um to serve these kids um because the kids in CDS just don't there's just not enough staffing. So um so I think the the committee was interested in moving forward with what does uh cohort 3 look like? So similar to the budget conversation we just had, you know, with that parameter, what could that look like for us next year? Um and I I believe that that is kind of where we sit right now and then we'll meet again in December. >> That's our next meeting. >> Yeah. >> December 18th. And we'll hear more

228about what that could look like, what staffing might need to be, you know, updated in order to meet the, you know, we're we're doing a lot of it now, but not all of it. So, what does it look like to to meet the needs um and be compliant with cohort 3? So, anything else I missed? >> You covered the basis. >> Any I'm looking at you guys to see uh um other folks that were at the at the meeting. I think one optimistic note is the potential that we may be getting reimbursement for things that we've been providing on our own. >> Yeah, true. >> Very true. >> Um yeah, that was kind of the update on that. Um any other requests? I think we're good. Uh all right. So we will move to an

229update from facilities and operations. The facilities and operations committee met on Wednesday, November 5th. And during that meeting, our director Glenn Reynolds, director of facilities, reminded the committee that we will be uh we're scheduled for a facilities tour on December 12th starting at 9:00 am. So, if you are available, they're always highly informative. This year, the theme of the tour is going to be um reviewing the energy audit phase one projects that the board has approved. So, we'll get to see um where our money that we approved is making improvements and energy savings in our buildings. One highlight of that tour that you definitely won't want to miss is that we will be making a stop in Palo to admire the new Leechfield and playground. So, please don't miss it. Um um Glenn also talked

230a little bit about the capital improvement plan for 26 27 and 2728 and one particular point he mentioned was that the roof replacement projects for the high school. So the high school roof is was scheduled to be replaced in phases or over a couple of years different parts of it. the two different parts that were going to be replaced are now going to be lumped together and done at the same time in order to um experience some cost savings by getting a little bit better pricing. So that will be um done this next year, but the the replacements that were scheduled for this year will be paid for out of capital reserve funds. questions for Kelly. I feel like uh we might switch you to hype up the uh come to our budget meeting calls

231that I do because yours that that was way more fun than my the ones I interrupt everyone's dinner with every year. All right. Uh Colin. >> Yeah. Yeah, I just wondered if we could take a moment maybe we could all close our eyes and and um you could describe to us like what the leechfield looks like just so we can kind of like like imagine it now so that then when we see it >> we can't do that. You have to come and experience it in person. That's the only way. >> Thank you. We manifested. >> Thank you for entertaining the possibility. >> All right. Um, so, uh, finance, uh, you were the only one who's here that was there. So, you want to do that one? >> Okay. Um, okay. So we finance committee

232met on the 22nd of October and at that time our director Kelly Wentworth went over the progress with the FY25 financial audit. Sounds like everything's going smoothly. Um we're on target and there were no concerns expressed. Um, Superintendent Gray also updated the committee on the budget process. A lot of what he said there has since been repeated to the entire board, but um, he explains the listening sessions that have been conducted in the schools with the staff as well as the administrators and um, as well as the staff survey that was conducted. We then had a conversation about um health insurance benefits and whether or not the we should think about switching from the current health insurance plan to investigate whether it would make sense for us to look at any other plans. So, uh,

233Kelly outlined how many people are participating, um, what kinds of premiums are being collected, and, um, the district's contribution to the current plan. In short, in FY25, the district spent about $4.5 million on health premiums and cash and the staff paid about 1.16 million. And um Kelly talked a little bit about how she reached out to other um administ other districts to see if they were also still using Anthem as their health insurance provider to see how many of them might be looking at other options. And it sounds like um of all of the districts that responded um all of them were using the MEAB the MEABT Anthem plan. the one that we use right now. Um, so the committee members present thought that it might be helpful if we had a better understanding of

234how MEABT chooses its health insurance provider so that we would know whether um it would be worth our while to look further to see if there are other plans that make sense for us to pursue. So, at that point, Kelly um stated that she would reach out to see if they would send someone to a future finance meeting to discuss the process. Coming up on December 10th, there will be a joint meeting with the facilities committee to review the continuation of the vehicle equipment replacement plan and talk a little bit more about what's coming up in phase two of the energy audit. Thank you. Questions for Kelly? Either Kelly. Both the Kelly's. All right. Thank you. All right. And we will move on to our policy update. >> Uh hello. Um, we met on Thursday,

235November 6th, uh, at 4:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time because Eastern Daylight Time ended the previous Sunday. Uh, so we thought we should meet at the proper time. Uh, we went through a number of policies. A few of them we're bringing before you uh, this evening, including uh, EBCF, automated external defi defibrillators, um, which is response to a law change. I'll go into the details of that um when we get to that actual review. Um we also uh looked at um EBD uh temperature standards for schools which is a new um policy uh that is driven by law. I have a note here in um in my notes uh that just says meat thermometers. Uh I think we discussed >> I remember >> yeah whether we needed to get more meat thermometers to measure things but

236we the my understanding is we don't uh but basically um I think the outcome of that is that um our superintendent is going to um run uh our cousins uh Cape Elizabeth's um uh policy by Glenn um and see uh whether he thinks that's good or whether we need more meat thermometers um and then we'll get back to us. Um we also uh embarked on a a very uninteresting policy JICJ uh cell phones and other personal electronic devices in schools which very few people have any interest in or opinions about. Uh so we started that conversation. Um uh we've got more work to do I think is the uh is the real takeaway there. But um it was nice to to start to dig in there and thank you to the board um for providing

237the direction for how we're um meant to go there. Uh we then also had a brief chinwag about um GICK bullying and GICK R bullying administrative procedure which is part of our regular review process um and we're going to be doing a little bit more work with that uh before we bring it to you. And we adjourned at 6:45 in time for dinner. I know we're going to get moving on to the next ones here. Um, anybody have any questions for the minutes before we jump into the policies before us? >> Wasn't that bad, Moon Moon? It wasn't that bad, man. I tried really hard to make it good. It's taking off. Okay, >> you bored him out of here. Well done, Colin. >> Great. >> All right. You want to jump into the policies

238before us? You want me to get a motion on the table for him? Yes, please. >> All right, let's do that. All right. Uh All right. So, 12A. Do I have a motion for consideration and approval for the first read of the following policy EBF, which is the automated external defibrillators, AEDs? Cara, Steph, thank you. Uh so we bring before you for first read um EBCF um which is uh about automated external defibrillators and this flows from um a law change to um main department of education rule 41. Um and this change will uh be bringing us into compliance um with that. And I believe that Superintendent Gray has a few additional notes to kind of clarify um where we are on that. >> It does indeed it does indeed bring us into compliance. Um

239and Erica, you may have to help me out with this because you've actually done more work on this policy than I have. Um it means we have it uh defibrillator in every school. Um we are working with the nurses on um a protocol around m maintenance of those and regular testing of those and training of both staff but also in the case of the high school students who could be able to use them. And that training is happening in PE classes. Did I miss anything important? >> You got it. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Curious how many schools they're currently in? >> They're in all of the school buildings including Laugh and Learn. Oh, so we do already have them. >> And um we're looking to extend the installations into outdoor spaces that are used recreationally.

240Uh those require hard wiring um and uh sort of containers that are weatherproof. So that requires a bigger investment. So those will be phased in overtime starting with the highest use areas. Our athletic trainers travel with AEDs as well. >> Okay. Did we find the one at the high school? >> Was that a last year problem? >> Maybe. >> Yeah. >> Somebody had like gifted us one before we even had one and then we couldn't find it. >> Huh. >> When they did the renovation, >> not sure. >> I think we maybe we found it. >> Yeah. >> On um does this mean that we don't currently as a general rule have them at sporting events? We do with our athletic with our school sanctioned events with that have trainers present. Yes. >> So what

241does that mean for middle school? Because we don't have trainers at the middle school events. >> I'm not sure about the consistency of the AED, but there's one in every building. >> Okay. >> I just thought that language was kind of weird. At least one in every building. I mean, who decides if there's two or three? Is that Tom your job to to decide that? >> I think we would like consult with our nurses. >> Because I thought I was involved I think in that one of those early meetings talking about that and I had thought, you know, there was some concern that having one at the high school by the nurses station um because I know where they are because I look um they they are that's a difficult get to from across even

242though it's not a big school, right? So, I thought the idea was to maybe have them kind of strategically placed. >> I hadn't heard that conversation, but >> I was we had that conversation with the nurses. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, I think this is where uh I guess we probably this is somewhere between or soundly between policy and then procedure. Um which is that um I mean as as uh I believe it was you Cara pointed out that um the uh American Red Cross American Heart Association um recommendation um is uh much higher right to have have have many more um than the than is required by state law. Um and um I think this policy does not reflect any statement as to you know we're not saying in this policy currently um

243that we should follow uh American Heart Association um uh rules. we could do that um at a level of policy, but I think I think in the in the context of the conversation based on what um Superintendent Gray said in terms of consulting the nurses on this um that on the implementation side uh that was sort of a separate matter I I suppose from from the policy but again that to be to be clear if the if it was the board's uh pleasure we could say something in here to say we would like to ing ourselves uh into compliance with what it was recommended by the American Heart Association, that would be many more. There would be cost associated with that. Um but again, that probably would drift into where um uh as Superintendent Gray

244has often reminded uh the the policy committee to um to recognize how to keep the policies as simple as possible. So it gives the school as much flexibility as it can to execute that based on the professional expertise of those involved. But I'm not sure if that answers your question, Daniel. >> No, it does. I I just had remembered the nurses saying that. So, I want them to be comfortable. You know, again, obviously, someone can run and get it. They can start CPR if that's what's necessary. Um, I do like the idea of training students. I think that's huge. Um, I would advocate that advocate that I think middle schoolers could do it as well. I mean, the AED is so simple to use. Um, that that's something we could start even then. noted. >>

245Yeah, I mean I appreciate that this is saying we have one at least at least one at every school. It looks like previously it was like we may buy one for maybe we'll buy one >> and maybe for use in one of our schools. Hopefully you're the lucky one at the school that has it. Um I do think it's a little unclear that it's a the way it's written. Um, I'm I'm supportive of having one at least one at every school, but the RSU5 school department should have at least one AED at each school and may acquire one or more for use in its schools at the Shouldn't it just be should have at least one AED at each school for use? Like I I'm just I'm just a little confused where it says should

246have at least one and may acquire one. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, if you care how things are written, >> you know, >> there's this guy on the policy committee who's like driven it into my brain that the words apparently matter and >> Yeah. I mean, again, yes, I think I I will I will own that this was uh uh this was not one that we um >> Word Smith. >> Yeah, we didn't we didn't we didn't you know >> Yeah. So, >> poet it up to the degree that perhaps we have done others, but >> it hasn't beened. >> Yeah. It doesn't have a >> which is fine. I mean, >> but but I think but I think it's good to it's good for the the board to and I mean and you as

247the chairperson to sort of to note sort of like you know is this is this level of language something that we do we do we like that do we like the do we like the kind of boilerplate language of that um or are we after a little bit more concision and um saying what we actually mean uh as a district. It's just a good open question for us to have. >> Yeah. I guess my one question is is should strong enough for us, >> right? >> Or or should it be must >> will have at least Yeah. >> for use in the school and that athletic Yeah. >> I mean, my imagine my my understanding is the should is is from the state. Um we can change it to I mean I don't think we're

248going to be I mean what do we think? >> We can find them. I mean, it's >> we found them. Okay, >> we found them. We know where everyone is. Yes, >> Danielle does. >> It's an it's an unfunded mandate essentially. So, I think that might be where that language is coming from, >> right? Uh is my guess, >> meaning it's handed to us as an unfunded mandate. So, if uh >> districts that don't have the funds to do it. So, >> yeah. So, it's I suppose we're doing it. >> I don't know. Should we be bold? Should we just say like will Should we do it, guys? Yeah, let's do it. Let's let's change it to Will. >> Which I think then >> an homage to Will. >> Um, >> so I guess as

249far as then middle school activities, maybe that's something the coaches, right, maybe we could work maybe Eric make sure that the coaches, right, know where they are at the school. >> Are the schools always open? during middle school sports. >> Yeah. >> Just I'm I'm I'm just, you know, >> yeah, >> it would be nice, right, if there was >> a way in. I mean, I think most coaches have had keys or somehow to get an I too, but I'm I don't know. Otherwise, you know, you're going to have the coach carried around with them. I mean, I suppose I suppose maybe just a a pointed maybe request coming off of what Danielle is saying if it would be appropriate to say I mean, we've talked before about um uh board approved policies, board approve

250approved procedures and then what the procedures are that are not board approved but are available for anybody to take a look at if they want to. Um I mean I think perhaps uh maybe even for second read um if it would be appropriate to have um between superintendent's office and Eric's uh office to sort of say like all right well what actually is the procedure what is what is what is it that we are currently doing um and just to let us know that so that again we then know that and I suppose then can say um sounds good keep keep doing it or like we have some red flags actually we're going um uh policy the be Jesus out of this and um make things much more strict. >> We do love to policy

251the be Jesus out of things >> technical. Yeah, >> if I could >> I know you didn't ask me. >> I heard somebody is you >> I know you didn't ask me a question, but uh in addition to the actual unit cost and the installation outdoor cost, um nurses, our nurses are calibrating these once a month, checking the supplies. Um so every place that there is an AED, um we also have a nurse in every building. That is not the case across Maine. Um we're very fortunate, but we do. So there is there are costs of of acquiring the equipment, maintaining the equipment, potentially replacing the equipment and a lot of the pads that go in with the equipment expire. They expire with some frequency like once a year. So like there are some other

252costs associated with this and time. >> Do you have a sense of are we talking a thousand bucks? Are we talking 10,000 bucks? 50 bucks? >> Um probably like a thousand for replacement >> to replace the whole unit. >> Oh the unit. Yeah, about I think they're about a thousand. They're about uh well depends. I've tried to buy one online. Um they're about two grand. >> Um >> like just to have at your house. >> Yes. I wanted to donate it and I was trying to figure out how. >> Okay. >> Yeah. The outdoor ones are estimated between three and five. >> Okay. >> And our Narcan is associated with that unit. >> Oh, so they're all in the same >> They're attached. >> Okay. Is is is that an issue if we have students

253trained that they would have access to the NAR? Do they have access to the NARCAN? Now, this is probably not part of this policy, but >> it it's attached to the AED. >> My understanding it's a separate policy, I believe, but I believe under um rule 41 um students are trained in um in the use of the the Narcan, >> both the AED and the Narcan. the AED and the Narcan is my understanding, but that's just from a very cursory look at it because it's not relevant to this particular policy. >> Val, did you have a question? >> I admit this may be too in the weeds. Um, >> there's no such thing at this one. >> Are we stocking pediatric paddles in the younger schools as well as the regular battles? >> Yeah, and

254we have everything in the kits. Good question. >> Okay. So, >> um Okay, if we change that to will, how do people feel if we change it to will, but we leave otherwise the slightly awkward sentence that um Michelle was calling attention to? >> Uh >> I mean, if you're going to change it, you might as well delete a couple more words, right? To make it smooth. Yeah. Will have at least one AED in each school. one ED in each school to I >> get rid of the >> I'm glad we're being >> get rid of the and may acquire one or more ads. Get rid of that. >> Get rid of the may acquire one or more. >> Could Could you repeat that because Colin was kind of like teasing me? >> You can

255watch the film. >> Okay. >> No, I mean I think Yeah, I I have trust that you guys can make that sound. You'll make it sound better than I could. >> What do you actually wanted to say? We're trying to >> I wanted to say that we'll have >> we swear to God we're trying to get more efficient and just like and like really kind of but this is not >> just take out that whole phrase >> period after school, right? >> Take one require one or more AEDs. >> So, but then you have school school. Do we have one at the central office? Yes. So maybe it's we'll have at least one AED in each of our buildings for use in schools and school athletic events. >> Does that cover the Laugh and Learn

256out building? >> Laugh and Learn has an AD in its facility. >> We will we will play with this. Okay. I I get those are very smart. >> Yeah, you guys are much better at words than me. So, >> did you ask about free port works? No, I said we So, if we use change it to building, we do meet that standard. >> I I might question what is the definition of building? I wouldn't say that because then you're talking like the sheds and like the containers of the you know like occupied buildings like >> yeah because I was thinking of laugh and learn being actually the >> I am hearing Jenny's voice in my head in a different conversation but say I just hear Jenny's voice in my head but um >> don't we

257all she has said that um in a different context the central office counts as one of the schools so I'll check on that. But there's a way >> the principal >> I guess I guess by default. Um >> that one's the superintendent. That's who you're talking to. >> Um okay. So what what I understand is the directive from the board is for us to go back and to that sentence a little bit in our next meeting to make it just real good. >> You will have one at every school. >> Yeah. >> Also at the athletic events because they might not be on site. >> Okay. Okay. Yeah. >> Well, that's an interesting one, right? Because what if like does that mean you have to bring one to other schools? >> No, I don't think

258so. We don't generally bring our trainer to other schools. >> No, we're relying on on >> the other trainer the host school will have an AED >> in dairy >> because as it as this >> it's a state law. Okay. >> But maybe they're in the should area. >> Who knows? >> Well, that's right. Because as it's written now it's required. >> Yeah. at at school athletic events. It doesn't say where, >> but it only says you should have one. >> Doesn't say you will. >> If we change it, it will require. My understanding is the consistency across MPA school sanctioned sports is that the host school does have an AED. >> Okay. >> Does that just for the record in our meeting um >> is this how your meetings go? >> Yeah. Uh, no.

259In our meeting, I was like I was like, "Hey, like let's just like really kind of go with the like simplest language possible." And Cara was like, "Hey, you don't know our board. Like they're going to want to get in there and just like me, you know, mess around and get their fingies in into all the, you know, into all the sentences." And I was like, "Cara, you don't you don't you're not you you really need to give them the benefit of the doubt. You know, >> we all know what's happening here. Just just what I what I've kind of written down here is if I go to that sentence, the RSU5 number five school department will have at least one AED at each school and at school athletic events. >> Okay, >> that sounds

260good to me. Let's just make sure that's actually like deliverable. >> So that is middle school as well then. I think so. But if our middle all of our middle school events are at the we don't have any offsite, right? They're all at the two schools. So the question is is are they accessible? >> I I I wouldn't guarantee that the door that they're closest to is unlocked or you know I think that there are some complexities there that the committee should grapple with. >> Maybe that's a procedural piece. >> Okay. So again, I'm I guess I will just I will be policy committee chairperson and say that this is again a moment where I think we need to we really need to understand whether or not we really want to be directing the school

261professionals to like be to do to do their jobs um or whether uh we want to really micromanage what they are doing uh because I think that this this is where again if uh I don't like we don't seem to know all the currently all the details of where all of these things are and what what events they are at, but I'm not sure how relevant that is to the policy. Um, so I'm just I will play devil's advocate on that to say I'm not sure how relevant that is to the policy and do we want to be um uh making those stipulations or are we saying the policy is more or less fine and also Tom at the next meeting could you come and just tell us what we currently do so that then

262we know. >> So you're saying you want to keep should and not will. No, no, it's not. >> No, but like we're talking about like athletic events and middle school events and can you get access to it and like the policy doesn't address any of that and I don't think the policy should address any any of that. That's a question of I believe that's a question of procedure if I understand uh what Superintendent Gray has been training me in understanding. So >> that's fine. I'm just asking if this if the change from should to will is your problem. >> No, I'm I'm fine with that. That sounds great. actually >> and you can still lead the rest to procedure. >> As I'm reading this again, I I I feel like we will be okay because

263it says for use. It doesn't say they have to be at the athletic events. It says they're >> we have them in each school for use at these things. Am I understanding that correctly? >> I'd say yes. I I think the question I'm I have is do do you am I hearing that you want one at the athletic events whether we have them there or not? And if you do that's perfectly valid to have in policy and we'll have to we'll work on it. We'll get we'll get it done somehow. Well, my concern is as someone who has coached tennis, I know when I'm out there on the court or at another school on their court, like I know we don't have access to one of these things, but I don't want to put an

264undue burden on anybody to make sure that they carry one with them at every tennis or whatever event. >> And what's access, right? Is access within hands is access within five minutes of running in the building. Like I I guess I'd rather leave it the way it is and then our procedurally we can say like >> in this school >> he's back to >> this is starting to feel like the painted turtle conversation or whatever that thing was. >> Remember the turtle conversation we had like >> I was telling Valerie about that the other day. That was such a cool conversation. >> Yeah. I mean it started with like service dogs and we ended up going down reptiles for like three hours here one night. So >> from a school perspective, I would say please

265be really careful about how big you open this up because it starts I remember when we first got the AED and it was first donated like whatever 14 years ago and has been updated since then. And um but in a lot of situations, the first thing someone's going to do is call 911. And if we're not careful, we're going to be saying, well, do we take one when we do field work? And then we're asking teachers to take more I mean, we already take medical kits, but generally it's if you can't do it with the medical kit, if there's a concern, call 911 and get a professional in there. And if we start to say you got to run to room B or C or whatever space this is, it may be better just to

266call 911. So I just would just caution how far we go because I think sometimes the more we open it up to like, well, if you said this, this, and this, it infers we should also have said that or covered that. I think it's you've got it pretty good. Well, we'll have one in each school facility or school department facility. And then if we want to go, it's a floor, not a ceiling. We can go beyond that should we want to, but the policy is set. >> Yeah, >> that's my two cents worth. >> That's what I'm trying to get to. Like that's all I'm saying is we will have one in each building. >> Yes, absolutely. And I think also just from what we from again when uh I think as I hope hopefully

267said if I didn't say it was in my notes um that this was run by the nurses and they said yes. So again, we're not in general, we're not going to bring we will not bring this to you if if >> right >> and if we do then shadowed us mostly at Cara, but you can also shout me a little bit. >> So just to confirm, it's not in the law to have it at school events. >> No, just >> no. And we are looking though to install it at our major play services surfaces at each building over the course of a year or so. Kelly will be looking for savings to do the installations over time at all buildings. Okay. So, we have a motion, we have a second. We have a lot of

268conversation. Uh people comfortable with a vote on first read for this one. And just a quick for Karen's sake um how our policies work is there a two- read process. So first read um we will take a motion and vote and it'll go back to the policy committee to um juzj in this case. Sometimes there's no changes necessary. Sometimes it's small issues. Sometimes it's more material. Um and then it will come back a month later for a second read. And once it's voted on the second time then it becomes policy of the district. All right. Any other questions, comments? All those in favor? Great. One down. All right. Do I have a motion for consideration and approval for second read of the following policies and procedures? IHEA programs for multilingual learners, JKA, use of physical

269restraint and seclusion, and JK A uh procedures for physical restraint and seclusion. Valerie, thank you. Malik for a second. >> Um, we bring these before you for second read. >> Well, that was straight and to the point >> cuz they're because they're what we showed you before. >> Okay. So, no they're the real real good. See, I just leave space and he'll fill it. Um, okay. I, uh, I wasn't at this meeting, so I wasn't sure if there was material changes from first read to second read. These are essentially the same. Great. >> Um, so this is the case where there was no real changes, Karen. And now it comes back for a second read. And we have a motion and we have a second. And I'm not seeing any questions or comments. So, we'll

270move it to a vote. >> But we could also just kind of get in there and start messing around with a little bit, you know, just like, >> is that what you're looking for? >> I mean, >> you want to look at the time. All right. All those in favor? Wonderful. None opposed. All right. Uh we have no unfinished business. It always makes me laugh when we say that. I feel like all we have is unfinished business. Um but we'll move on to new business. And I believe this is going to you Tom. >> It is. So I am thrilled, tickled, delighted to be able to bring this opportunity to you which I hope that you feel you can support. So, as was mentioned earlier in the meeting, at an earlier point in my career,

271I um took the lead on developing an international program at one of my previous schools. Um it started out with me just being a teacher who'd like took spring break trips with kids. It actually started with me being a kid who had a teacher who did this for me and it changed my life. And um so it became a passion for me. Um as a European history teacher, I got to go all kinds of cool places. I could choose any country almost and have a cool um historical cultural event with kids. Um it expanded when in 2008 I w I became aware of a program through the Gerta Institute which is a joint venture by the US Department of State and the German Foreign Ministry to um have intercultural exchanges between Germany and the US.

272And through that program, I developed an exchange relationship with a school in Germany that it well it continues in that school and to this day. But the model that we used was so successful that we started to develop similar exchange partnerships with schools in other countries. So what I've brought before you tonight is an exchange partner school that I have worked with several times in the past in Sigra France. Um I know anybody here been to France. Okay. So if you are familiar at all with France is in northwestern France. Um, if you were to fly into Paris and get on a train and and go west for a few hours, you'll end up in the area of Cray. Um, it's a small town about the size of Freeport. Um, it's located in rolling countryside

273full of horse pastures and farms. Um, the nearest city of notable size is an which is oh about 150,000 people. Um, bigger than Portland, smaller than Boston. just a really delightful medium-sized French city. Um, Sigre lies within the province of Maine in France or Maine. And believe it or not, there is a direct formal educational relationship between the state of Maine and the province of Maine in France that is aimed at cultural exchange and awareness etc. So we have an opportunity to partner with Lis Bles Pascal in that city to have an ongoing relationship framed around several different kinds of exchange. One is what we're proposing is the most immediate and that is group visits, exchange of group visits. And in this model, we would take a group of I say the ideal size is

274about 20 could be between 15 and 25 kids um probably in grade who've had French two, three or four somewhere in there. Um travel with them to France. Each of them would get a host family and a host partner. Um each school vets its host families through volunteer the same volunteer process that we use background check all the adults in the home etc. Um the families get to know each other before the actual exchange happens online. So you have kids talking parents talking with each other getting to know each other. Then they travel with um a number of teachers who are the chaperones. um they would go for April break plus an additional adjoining week of school. So they would miss a week of school. Um but what they get in return is this c

275authentic cultural immersion. Um in the past when I have done this particular trip and you'll see included in the slide deck there is a sample itinerary that is actually an itinerary I have run in the past. Um the exchange itself was 11 days and that left a bit of time to take just our group and have a few days in Paris on our own to explore the city which seems really worthwhile to do since you're already there. That would be optional. That could be added or not. Um it's an additional cost but um one of the benefits of doing this is that compar it's relatively low cost. It's not free certainly, but the only thing you're paying for is the travel expenses, the chaperone expenses. You're not paying for hotels. You're not paying for meals.

276Those are born by the host families. Um where and then the thing is we have to reciprocate. So next fall, sometime around late September is pretty much ideal. It's when the French kids have a school break. they would come here and we would give them a similar experience. The experience involves mostly um going to school with your partner and shadowing them throughout a school day. Um that can get a little boring when the classes are in French, but the host schools also provide enrichment things for their guests. So when we have gone to France, typically every day the host school does a little something. It might be like a special um pull the kids out and have them go and work on a public service announcement in the video production room like in English or

277work together on a project with their French peers about what does each country do better than the other. Um it's something I've seen happen. um they will arrange field trips for us three or four times throughout the experience. Um we get on a bus or get on the train and go somewhere that's of a local interest. And I've provided some examples of what those have been in the past. We would do the exact same thing when they come here. Um and I I can honestly say that it changes kids lives and the relationships that are formed last an entire lifetime. Um, not everybody gets a best friend out of it. Sometimes you get somebody sometimes you're matched with somebody that's not a great match for you and you learn from that, too. Um, anyway, I've

278probably talked enough. I hope you get the picture. We do not necessarily need uh according to our pol there's a copy of our policy around overnight trips just for your reference. um it does not require board approval but I feel that in this case it's best for the board to be aware of this. We are looking into the insurance um lens of it. Again, I have done this in the past extensively with in another school district, but I have talked to our insurance agency who is putting together um specific liability and travel policies for us that the kids would have to buy into. It's not very expensive altogether. It's like between $1500 and $200 per participant that would cover them. >> Yeah. And we do have other trips. So I think Freeport Middle goes to

279Quebec. I mean, it's not as extensive as this, but it's international travel. I know Dana Bisby here at Durham has done trips to Spain with the middle schoolers >> precoid. Um, so what did your kid go? >> Yeah, Garrett was supposed to go the year that hit. Yeah. Um, so, um, so I mean obviously there's there's ways around that. Yeah. >> Yeah. There's solutions for that. >> The cost breakdown I've given you is obviously an estimate. I do regret to say when I wrote that up, I estimated that flights would be $1,000. I just looked the other day and to go to Paris from Boston this April, the cheapest flight I found was 1,500 something. Um, it just, you know, it it is what it is. Depends on when you when you book them. I

280think >> it depends on when you book them. >> I just looked at April break for Spain and maybe Paris is more expensive than Madrid, but that was significantly cheaper than that. So >> Oh, good. >> Yeah. >> So, as someone who actually did a program exactly like this in high school, it is pretty like life-changing. um you know, not knowing a lot of a lot of international kids growing up in in Connecticut, it was it was pretty impressive to you know, I went and stayed with her family, she came and stayed with my family. >> Um it is it is a great opportunity. Um I wonder how in your previous districts the cost piece because you know we want to make it accessible to as many people as we can like how have how

281have other districts tackled that? So, I have a bit of a vision here. Um, the vision couldn't all h it would take time. It couldn't all happen with this particular exchange. In my other district, um, first of all, all trips like this required some level of fundraising. And usually the target was to raise enough for one person to go. Um, and it would be shared among the group. So, I mean, that kind of shaves a little bit off. A longer term vision was that my previous school was an F1 visa issuing school. I'm not sure if folks here know what that is, but it enabled the school to recruit um international students who would pay tuition to come and earn credit and get a diploma. There are lots of schools in Maine, including some very

282close to us, that do this. But what I really liked, and some of them, if I'm honest, have done this in a way that has been really just about the money um and figuring that money into their regular budget to try to count on it for it to pay for essential things. >> Now, that's creative right there. >> That's not very wise. But in this case, the the district took all of the tuition money received from foreign exchange students, set it aside into a scholarship fund, and then every one of our students who went who was um economically disadvantaged usually ended up getting substantial financial support. Um it wasn't 100% but it was often close. So it reduced that barrier by a lot. And when I left, we were in the process of putting together

283a booster just as we would for the soccer team or whatever to to continue to enhance that fund. Excuse me. So, there are ways that we could build infrastructure around this. Um, and there are other partners if if this is an idea that fits well. There are other partners that we could could work with in other countries and it could be a defining aspect of what we offer for kids. And I'll make one last pitch like um just as I was as I as I was getting close to the zenith this of this program um if we okay so let's just if one of these exchanges cost let's say it cost $3500 per kid to go. What if we decided, if we're being really visionary, that every child got an experience like that at some

284point in high school? Okay, so that's $3,500 per child, but it's spread over four years. That's what per year, less than $1,000 per year. And if you compare that to other things that we consider to be of value and spend money on like the athletic program, we we spend far more on other kinds of enrichments that are great for kids. So I think that if we wanted to just start with trying the concept, there's plenty of opportunity over time to grow in ways to build in mechanisms to make this completely equitable. questions. Valerie. >> So, I'm sort of unclear on the ask. Are we being asked to approve the relationship or approve the expenditure? >> I don't think there's any expenditure on the boards. I mean, other than No, because it's the insurance cost would

285even carry to the >> This would be totally self-pay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. That's what I That's what I thought and then I was a little cloudy for a little bit and so I figured I would just ask >> the ask is to approve the relationship. >> I think he just wants to hear my French accent for the motion because he said we don't even have to vote on this. >> Wait, this do it. >> All right. So, um we'll get a motion on the floor and then if you have additional questions. So consideration a motion for in consideration and approval for the exchange relationship between Freeport High School. I got that one and Lisa Blae Pascal in Sre France. >> Not too bad. >> France France. >> Uh Danielle, thank you. And

286Steph, other questions or comments? Um you also refer to an 8 to 10 week exchange. >> That is a possibility. We have we're not there yet. But um so Lis Bles Pascal has um >> they have a program of a number of their classes are taught in English especially in their the the tech school is actually attached and a lot of the tech classes are taught in English and if we wanted to we can have one or two of our kids every year go there for 8 to 10 weeks. basically a quarter and we would then it's direct family to family. So we would host one of their kids, they would host one of ours. I did this in Mount View. You have to build you have to figure some things out like so our

287kid is going to go there for a quarter. How are they going to keep up with their classes here? Um you know we just figured that out. They did it remotely and they they is remote education the best? No. But it's if it's to afford an opportunity like that, it it was worth it. Um so if we wanted to take that step, that's available to us. >> Yeah, I just think it's a super exciting opportunity and particularly uh I love the the visioning for how to um make it more accessible to uh more students and uh yeah, I think it's fantastic. So, let's do it. And um there's a McDonald's in that town >> there. >> So um >> yeah, you should Google it. It's like it's a lovely little town and I just I've

288been there several time like I feel like I can vouch for it. It's a safe place. It's a really good community. It's good people. >> Sounds like you already have one chaperon in Jen. So I don't know who runs the school when she's doing it, but sounds like a great idea. I guess Charlie could do it. All right. Any other comments or questions? We have a motion and a second on the floor. All those in favor? >> All right. Wonderful. Uh so the last piece that we have is organizational business item 15. Um and basically what this is for is to fill the um open spots from committees from Mora's departure um from the board last month. Um so the current o openings uh current vacancies on committees are facilities, strategic communication, curriculum and program

289development and then professional negotiations. I'll put a caveat about professional negotiations. We've talked a lot about negotiations tonight in the budget process. That is the support staff negotiations. So professional negotiations are not this year. Um, so you know if you ever want to be on a negotiation that's a good one because it's not meeting generally doesn't meet in its off year. So um so some of them um so strategic communications, professional negotiations and curriculum and development we have kind of teed those up to be two to three board members on them. So, we don't necessarily have to fill every one of those, but if we have folks that are interested in them, um, we would love to love to add those. Uh, I believe in your packages is all of the typical information of the

290what's, you know, what each one entails, when do they meet? Hopefully, folks have had an opportunity. Yeah. >> And the curriculum um committee, we actually month meet we meet monthly. Okay. >> With Erica taking over. >> Oh, right. Because this now says once per trimester. So that I think that was previous, right? Yeah. So now it's monthly. Is there a specific time or is it just >> No, we're we well we just kind of picked times our very first meeting. A lot of the days are the same day that we actually have uh board meetings. >> Yeah. So we met this morning. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Um and then we also have who's on what committee if you don't remember what you're on already. So, I will I will look to

291Karen first because you don't currently have any committees. Please don't feel like you need to pick up everything Mora was on because that's a lot. Um, but if anything jumps out at you of interest or or the other committees, sometimes we can get people to, you know, trade. >> Um, well, the curriculum and program development interests me for sure. >> Okay. >> Um, and then if you want to put me on another one, it's fine with me. I will learn as I go. Um, I don't know how many you need to be on. >> There's no minimum like expectations. Um, you know, certainly not in your first year because it's a lot to get up to speed, right? >> Um, but you know, they're >> uh I think facilities is a good one. Um, and

292it meets right before Kelly's she's she's in sales mode tonight clearly. Um, >> um, so that one meets uh right before a board meeting. Well, it alternates the board meeting. Um, one is finance before the board meeting and one is facilities. So, it's kind of convenient. Yeah. Um, what? So, it meets once a month. Yep. So, um, so if that's one you're interested in, that's a good one. And strategic communications is one that's a little bit in flux. Yeah. Steph, >> I would like to be on the strategic communications committee. >> Okay. >> It's available and no one else wants it. >> Very interested. >> Okay. So, I'm seeing stuff for uh strategic communications. I'm seeing I'm writing the wrong words. Oh my goodness. I wrote curriculum next to the curriculum committee instead of Karen.

293It's getting late. >> Well, um >> Okay. So, >> all right. So, we'll put um Karen for facilities and curriculum. We'll put Steph for strategic communications. And then anybody want to I don't think we even need the third person for negotiations if unless somebody's feeling like they want their name down. Okay, we'll leave that one alone. All right. So then, do I have a motion for consideration and approval to make appointments to the following committees? Uh Karen Brer for facilities and operations. Uh Steph Worth for strategic communications and Karen Burr for curriculum and program development. Colin, thank you for the motion. Valerie for the second. All those in favor. Wonderful. None opposed. Public comment. We even drove Will away so his building. He still left. Um all right. Well, then I would take a motion

294to adjurnn, which I think Anna's ready to make. All right. So, Anna and Valerie, all those in favor. Wonderful. Thank you guys. Have a wonderful holiday next week. >> Thank you. to do.