001for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay, before we jump into the agenda items, we do have a few new members uh joining us this evening and some returning members. So, we'll go through those real quick. So, Valerie and Kelly and Anna, who is not here this evening, were all reelected yesterday. Congratulations. And Karen is our newest board member. Welcome. Congratulations to you as well. And then we also have our new uh student rep, Maria Abidamarco. So, welcome to you, Maria. All right. So, I would take a motion for consideration and approval of the minutes from the October 22nd meeting as presented, barring any errors or omissions. Thank you, Valerie and Malik. All those in favor? Great. None opposed. Uh adjustments to the agenda? None. Wonderful.
002So, we will move on to good news and recognition. We're going to throw Maria right in and uh throw it over to you. >> All right. So, is my mic on? >> Okay. Just wanted to double check. All right. So, the updates are we have a field trip on November 18th to St. Joseph's College. This field trip is for people that are interested in business, finance, and accounting. Um, the other update is that we have main medical mentor workshop on November 5th during the school day. It is from 9:05 to 10:30. This will be answering questions about the medical field as well as the schooling for that. For our performing arts department, we have something rotten available to see. We saw the preview during advisory. It was really good, very funny. Recommend seeing it. The
003showings are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. students and their mentees went trick-or-treating around the school. And congratulations to the ELA department for winning best costume. Um, and all advisories have participated in anti-bullying activities the month of October. And some good recognition to the course and band students that have qualified for district 3 honors music festival. Um, this will be hosted in January. Me and Moon will be sharing information about the pressing issues at Freeport High School with the board such as the cell phone policy, building a culture of respect and belonging, addressing incidents of hate speech and bullying, working with food services to make the cafeteria greener, and supporting transitions from middle school to high school, and other topics. That's a lot going on. Thank you. And right now, it was supposed to be the regional
004finals for the field hockey team. They were supposed to be starting well I guess not quite yet 7:30 but that got postponed due to weather. So and also congratulations to the girls cross country team that were won state championship this weekend. So wonderful things going on all over the place and I'm looking forward to the play. So this Friday, Saturday, Sunday, right? >> Wonderful. Great. Thank you for that. All right. So we will move on to public comment. Uh if we have folks that are looking to speak, we ask you to come up to the microphone, give us the name, your town, uh and three minutes on the clock. >> I'll find my name later. Um well, for the the new people on the board and student reps, uh my name is Annie Wear and
005I'm representing the RSU 5 Alliance for Thoughtful Technology. were an organization that started about a year and a half ago, kind of brought forth by the book The Anxious Generation, which talks about cell phones, not just in our kids' lives, but all of our lives and how we use them. Um, and that is sort of morphed into just technology in general. And we use the word thoughtful technology. I know it's a lot to say, but we use the word thoughtful technology because we don't want to be seen as anti-technology, but just we bring technology into our kids' lives with purpose that's data driven and supported with evidence. So, I'm responding to the last meeting. I don't know where you guys are at in the intervening four weeks if you guys have had conversations and talked
006with one another, done your own due diligence, but what I'm about to say comes from my response to that. Um, and so I appreciated uh the superintendent at the very end of the meeting talking about the addictive quality of these things for all of us. Um, and so we have to ask ourselves, are smartphones addictive? Do they impact student achievement? Do they impact student mental health? If you answered yes to just one of them, we need to change what we're doing. It's wrong. And our standard of care is better than that. All right. So, having said that, we also need to act swiftly. The MSMA, uh, I think the stud is going to come out this coming week. Um, but they put out a survey to all districts in Maine. 70 responded. close to 90%
007of them are already either enacting a all day ban or they're working towards it and they're starting the policy process. So where we're at, we're a little bit behind the eightball compared to what's happening in our state. Um I want to respond to a comment made last meeting. I think it was from the student rep who basically said, "A lot of us are able to manage our phones, so why are you punishing us?" And I really strongly encourage the board not to look at this as punishment, but rather we are looking at our students well-being, right? We don't take cigarettes away from kids because we're punishing them. It's in their well-being that they don't have them. But what if I can manage mine? I'm not I don't need to take it out when other kids
008do. And I give you this quick analogy of a friend of mine whose husband is an alcoholic. She's not. she can have alcohol in her house, right? But he can't. And so guess what? They don't. And so I bring that up only as because sometimes we reduce access not because everyone struggles, but because if enough people do, it's our responsibility as a community to help everyone. Um, at the last meeting, the high school, I think Jen spoke about strengthening executive function. And nothing roads executive function faster than constant distraction and the dopamine cycle of smartphones. It's just a fact. If we're serious about building skills, these devices have to stay out of these kids' hands the whole day. If we're talking about improving test scores because Maine's taken a huge dive, there's no arguing with
009that. This can help. This is like tenfold and it helps everybody. I know you're looking at your watch and I'm almost done. So, what pouches, right? People have talked about them. I understand that pouches cost money, right? Um, our particular group, we can't fund raise and collect money, but we can help fund raise. We can help you guys fund raise if you need to. Got to tell you though, it's a lot of brownies at the bake sale to buy these pouches, right? And I feel like there's this is the one single thing that can help every single student in our building achieve academic success, executive function, increase sociability. And I feel that it is in our best interest, our standard of care that we take on the responsibility that we've been given and and help
010our students. And I think this is the single greatest thing that we can do. And if you talk to any administrator or teacher that is already doing this and has done this, they will tell you it is the most impactful policy that they have implemented in their entire careers. And I'm believe I'm quoting that's a direct quote from the principal up at Morse High School. Thank you. >> Thank you, Annie. Hi, good evening everyone. My name is Kelly Delaney and I'm a short free report parent. Um, I just want to thank you for uh giving us an opportunity to speak to this topic. I want to offer my full support behind a bell-to-bell band here at our at RSU5. I'm a parent of two high school and one elementary student in the district. I also
011attended the last meeting and feel we know so much about the negative impact of phones in the school and I hope this collective moves quickly and decisively to make healthy choices for our youth. Thank you. >> Thank you. Just in case someone's around the corner, do we have anyone else for public comment? Okay, wonderful. Thank you. All right. So, we will move on to item eight on our agenda report from the superintendent. >> Good evening everyone. Uh before I launch into my formal report, I wanted to respond to a request for information from one of the members of the board and that's Danielle. You had sent an email asking about vacancies. So, I have that information. At the moment, we have 5.5 specialed edtech positions vacant. Three of them are at Moore Street School. 1.5
012are here at Freeport High School and one is at Freeport Middle School. We also have 2.5 custodian positions or I should say two of them are custodians which means combination of custodian and bus driver and a.5 custodian position open. We also have a few specialist positions um that we have had to fill with contracted services people. Uh that includes a teacher of the deaf for five hours a week. Um a speech language pathologist for 30 hours a week and a onetoone nurse that a student requires. You're welcome. So now to my report. Um I want to confine my remarks tonight to three major topics that have been ongoing themes for me. One is early childhood. Second is strategic planning and then finally the budget. So first about early childhood. Last week we had the first
013meeting of our early childhood task force. Several board members here were in attendance. Um the focus of that meeting is just was just to help everyone understand the mandate that the state has placed upon us to assume responsibility for childf find and providing free appropriate public education to 3 to 5 year olds uh at the by July 2028 at the latest. Um it takes a while to just explain what the mandate is and folk not everybody in the room had even a rudimentary understanding of that. So we also looked at the strengths that we already have in place that we can build upon to help meet the need. Um I think the foremost among those is that we have a very strong early intervention team. Um that team consists of an occupational therapist, a speech
014language pathologist and an early childhood special educator. And these folks screen every preK student that comes into the three elementary schools where we have prek. and they support those students through consultations, small groups and direct services if needed. Excuse me. Um, one of the strengths pursu pursuant to that also is that all of the children who are already in our prek programs are being served by our staff, those who have IEPs. So that that's a strength to build upon. Um each of those specialists bring something very essential to the table and we will be continuing to rely on their expertise to help us go forward. Um it just means that we're not starting completely from square one. Um we have other issues to think about. We have to think about when we step into the
015work and how that can intersect with funding that the state is offering. Um we have to think about how we can figure the programs we already have to best meet the need. So there's lots of thinking to do, but our hope is that by January, that task force will have a really good grasp of the the need that we have and through bringing multiple perspectives to the table, we'll be able to offer you some options to choose in terms of how we go forward. Uh my second update is about strategic planning. So as you know, we are in the middle of the strategic planning process. We are very close to the end of a major phase of that which is developing a portrait of the graduate. Our hope is to have a portrait of a
016graduate to bring to you by December to showcase to you and the portrait of the graduate is really the end point from which we make decisions that about action steps that go into the strategic plan. I can also tell you that after we develop that portrait of the graduate based on all kinds of community input, our next steps are to develop a mission statement and core values and beliefs. So after that, we then get into the finer points of what are the action steps in our plan um that will guide us into the future. So that's a rough um broad brush stroke of the work in the months that are ahead. And finally, the budget. So, um, earlier this fall, I took a new approach to gathering staff input and had listening sessions in all
017the schools. Um, and I also sent out an individual staff survey to gather their perspectives about budget priorities. So, over the last few weeks, the administrative team has been able to review the data that came in from the staff. Um, we have been digging into that feedback. We've identified themes that emerge. Um, importantly, we've been able to look at the very significant degree of overlap between um themes that emerge in the staff feedback and themes that emerge when the administrators themselves consider the same budget questions. So, that's a strength. Um the next step that we have that we're engaged in and we started work on this morning in a meeting is to define what our district-wide priorities would be that we would shape the budget around. Um we have not finalized that but we we
018spent a lot of time and discussion about it today. Examples of what I mean would be things like access to professional development or reasonable class sizes or making sure that resources for kids with special needs are sufficient, etc., etc. We want to be able to use criteria like that when it gets down to nitty-gritty decisions about the budget to make sure that they are in line and consistent with the priorities that we all establish. Um, as I have mentioned before, we will have a uh special board workshop about the budget at 5:00 pm on November 19th. That'll be at Durham Community School. This is right before the regularly scheduled board meeting that will be at 6:30, also at Durham Community School. And at that workshop, I will share um concrete information about the context of
019next year's budget. and I will ask you for your guidance about where we can go forward so that we all have clarity and purpose in that work. Um, and that's my update for tonight. We have a lot of work ahead, especially on these three topics that I keep bringing up, but they're big topics and they require a lot of forethought. So, thank you for hearing me out. One last thing, um, not to skip to the next thing on the agenda because that's really Michelle's thing to do, but I just want to point out that, um, we have a retirement to announce. And can I just go ahead? >> Yeah. Yeah. So, Bertha Hilton, who is the dearly beloved kitchen manager at Freeport Middle School, has announced her retirement at the end of this year. And
020I would like to uh make sure everybody knows that I have written an article for the forecaster that futures Bertha and I just submitted it today and it's already on our website and anyway just I want people to read it because Bertha is a gem and she will be missed. >> I already read it. It was lovely. [laughter] >> Did you want to do the support staff hire? >> Well, sure. Um >> I generally don't intervene when you're just doing your stuff. feel free to >> I mean I don't want to stay in my lane. Um we have hired a uh more street excuse me more street school kitchen manager [clears throat] and that is Linda Duplexi. Thank you. Um one question on the strategic plan. Can you remind us or me if everyone else
021remembers uh when is the next time the board will see like do we do we see sort of that um vision statement piece before the action steps start getting worked on to weigh in or Okay. >> Yes, you will. And we had some discussion at the last strategic plan meeting and and other folks who were here at the table were part of that discussion about at what point does the board actually weigh in to shape those. Um I think that's an ongoing discussion. With regard to the portrait of the graduate, that piece is really based on all the community feedback and we want to make sure that the community's role in the process is honored. So at further stages in the process, the board is a more active participant. >> Thank you. All right. Any
022other questions on the superintendent update? All right, we will keep moving. Uh item nine, administrator reports. We will continue on with our department reviews and goal updates and we will start with transportation. and Jeremy. >> Good evening everyone. The [clears throat] transportation goals for 2425 last year were disposal of vehicles no longer adequate for inclusion in the fleet. The follow procedures outlined in the policy DN school property disposition. We disposed the two buses, a van and a truck. We developed a timeline for replacement of vehicles based on the evaluation of the fleet. Developed comprehens comprehensive timeline for replacement of all vehicles. I'm in constant collaboration with the director of finance to maintain fleet replacement times. Increase recruitment and retention of drivers. Attend job fairs, district hiring fair, recruit new drivers, collaborate with human services uh
023human resource coordinator to strategize advertisement methods. Uh we added district cancelled the summer job fair but we did advertise and hired a new driver. The 2526 goals is expansion of safety training and activities. Develop a new safety and training schedule for all transportation staff. Develop a system for fleet maintenance. Update a plan for recording the maintenance and repairs of the fleet. Exploration of most of the most effective way to schedule van bus usage for extra clerical activities. Field trip requests. Research and explore pros and cons of different methods of scheduling to meet the demands of van and bus usage. >> Danielle, >> thank you Jeremy for your update. I was wondering have we had to cancel any event like not be able to provide? I didn't think so. We have not. That's a goal of
024mine also is not to have to cancel anything roots or extracurricular. >> I know you do a very good job at that. So, thank you. >> Jeremy has done a fantastic job u managing about a jillion things. Um so, you have a lot of gratitude from me. >> Thank you. It's a juggling act. >> [laughter] >> Um, I was curious about, um, because I feel like we had heard about there was a state program that we could use to like help with the the rooting and and that kind of stuff that that didn't cost the district anything. Did we I feel like this was probably last year that I remember that. Did we end up using that or did it not be >> We used a little bit of it traverser. >> Oh, right. Yep.
025It ended up pretty being pretty vague and we ended up just going with our own. Okay. >> Way we did it last time and y >> as far as I know first day of school went off with a bang and we didn't have any phone calls and we've done fine. >> There were no kindergarten parents looking for their kids. So it's always a win on the first day of school. >> Extremely big win. >> And so two custodians are in the current openings. Is that is that I mean that feels like that's pretty good for where we have been, right? >> It is. >> Okay. >> We're down three drivers though in each town we've combined. So >> Oh, >> we're good. I mean, this was a while ago, but >> yeah. >> Uh and
026then the the summer job fair that we canled was was was it scheduling or did we not think we were going to >> I'm not actually sure on that. I think it just became largely mo of all of our um teaching staff positions were open. Um and last year when we had because we we had set it in July um at our admin retreat the year before. Um, and then we and then that August we actually had a hiring fair and we had like two people show up to it and so we didn't actually like proceed with it. We didn't see that that there was that much of a demand for it at that time. >> And it wasn't specific to drivers. It was all of our openings was the >> correct >> was the
027fair. Okay. >> Correct. >> Thank you. That's >> and we were largely just down to drivers and ed and the edtech positions that are still open now. Yeah. >> Kelly. Yeah. [clears throat] Excuse me. Do you know how we're doing comparing to comparing with other districts? I mean, I know this is a problem for everybody, but um I'm just kind of curious if we know what other people are are doing to try to solve this problem and if it's something we can pursue. Also, >> there are we are doing well as far as what I'm hearing from cancelling routes and trips in other districts. Um, we're advertising daily, Facebook, all over the place, trying to get drivers to come. We're trying, but as I said, I think we're doing well compared to other districts. >>
028Other questions for Jeremy? >> Thank you. Have a good night. >> All right. So, next up is uh Glenn Reynolds and our update on facilities. >> Evening everyone. Think I'm going to lower this down just a little bit. So, the uh facility goals for 24 and 25. Uh the school goal is to ensure for both constant is to ensure all facilities are operating efficiently and effectively. Uh we developed an articulate articulated capital improvement plan that includes items identified through the energy audit and a comprehensive building assessment. Uh developed a strategic plan outlined uh through financial investment and infrastructure and physical assets. Uh we also de developed an articulated plan for vehicle and equipment replacement. Uh we developed a strategy for systematically replacing assets based on object objective criteria not just when they uh fail. Um
029by determining the optimum time to retire a piece of asset or replace an asset by reducing operational risk minimize minimizing cost and maximizing asset performance. So uh for the facility goals for 2526 are continuation of the uh development of an articulated capital improvement plan that includes items from the energy audit and uh comprehensive building assessment. So as we continue along and we move through the potential phases two, three, and four, um as things come up, things fail, we'll continue to juggle things around to to address those issues. Same thing with the uh vehicle replacement as uh an equipment replacement. At things fail, we'll we'll move things around to replace those as well. Um also we're looking at uh doing a facility assessment for early childhood transition. So what we're looking at is putting a proposal
030together to bring a third-party group to come in to assess our buildings facility-wise. They'll come in, take a look at the entire building, look at the HVAC, they'll work at look at the playground to make sure that we meet the needs for the early childhood development and also building mapping. Now, I'm going to wait for Michelle to ask me what is building mapping? [laughter] So building mapping is is a process of creating detailed and accurate digital representation of a building physical space features and surrounding contexts using various data collection technologies. So this process serves two primary applications construction and facility management and architectural pro uh projection displays. So, this will also assist us in the uh facility assessment part while we're looking at overall buildings, but this also can be an asset to our first
031responders because they can also have access to this. So, given at any time there's whatever the incident may be, they'll have access to our layout, say here at the high school, be able to pull up that map and be able to put an articulate plan together depending on what that needs is. So, it serves as a multi-use for our facilities. That's our goals. >> So, I want to start and this is this is really for all three of you, Glenn, Kelly, and Jeremy. um the the the huge step forward that I think this district took last year through that phased approach of both the vehicle replacement and the building plans and you know the how we're going to how we're going to get all of these updates um both sustainability as well as life safety.
032Um that was a huge lift and it was something that um I think the three of you did an absolutely incredible job. um not only figuring out what needed to be done, but being able to put it in a a plan that the board could first understand and to get behind. So, um huge thanks to all of you guys for that. Um I I think it was um in terms of of facilities and transportation goals over the last several years. I think that just knocked it out of the park. Like we haven't seen progress like that in forever. So, wow. >> Really, really well done. Um, and so I'm going to ask another question about building mapping. >> Absolutely. [laughter] >> You knew I would. >> I did. >> Um, so is that like is
033that software or what? >> Okay. >> It's it's a group coming in taking a complete look at our at our buildings uh putting that uh collecting all that data putting it into a software program. So then you can look at a three-dimensional of our buildings bird's eye view if you want it or what have you and it'll show the detailed HVAC classrooms or what have you. So it'll give us a ton of data. We can use that for pretty much whatever we need to use it for. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Y >> and then the early childhood transition. So that is that's different than this the DOE coming in and doing an assessment of our space. >> When the DOE came in, they looked specifically at the rooms where we have prek right now.
034and they looked a lot at the equipment in those rooms to try to determine what they could give us if we joined cohort three. Um they did not so much look at long-term what if we added this, what if we added that and where it could fit in relation to our entire phys every physical plant we have. So that's more what Gwen's talking about. >> Correct. And uh if we were to potentially join one of these cohorts, would they fund such a study? >> Um answer that. >> Yes. [laughter] Uh I would not say that they would. >> Okay. >> You're kind of leading to my next question. Can How much does some of this stuff cost? >> Can you give like a >> I I don't I don't have that information right yet. I'm
035only in conversations with them. We need to schedule the time to have them come in and lay out a plan or what it would cost. And I'm sure there's different levels. If you just want the bird's eye view or if you want the the Cadillac, what have you. Uh once I get that information, I'll certainly continue to share that. >> One of the points that we may want to consider, this was something that was raised in our admin discussion today about the budget. Um, [clears throat] one of the themes that we are going to continue to work on in presenting a budget to you is long an eye toward long-term sustainability versus just short-term getting through this next year. And toward that end, we should be looking at the needs that we will have going
036out a number of years and the facilities that we have and how we can configure things in the most cost-effective way and the way that actually meets student needs the best. And to do that, we really need a good starting place, a a really comprehensive understanding of our facilities and how that intersects with student learning, the cost that we spend per student on different facilities, etc., etc. So, a study like that is something that can be useful in many dimensions. are three and four together the early assessment are they are they using this mapping thing to try and find space for >> initially no so when when I talked with Tom about it they were separate items but because of you know looking into them they can be used together so and I think they
037they fit perfectly to what Tom was talking about the long-term plan this will give us an opportunity to be able to look at from a bird's eye view at the high school how can we use that better along with the outside or the third party coming in to tell us what options that we may or may not have. But I I so I think they flow very well together. >> Other questions for Glenn? >> Feel like we're letting you off easy, but okay. >> Thank you very much. [laughter] >> Thank you, Glenn. >> We're saving all our questions for Emily. Mass Landing School. >> Good evening. Um, I was thinking about being here a year ago and uh, I had shared that we were working on chronic absenteeism and working really hard to have our
038students in the building as much as possible and I think that number this time last year was 6.3 and that felt amazing. Um, so you can imagine our excitement at the end of the year when um, we landed at 3.65% um, for chronic absenteeism. This number means so much to us um as a whole school community in part because I think it is really reflective of our community as a whole, every single adult who interacts with kids. Um we got an email maybe two weeks ago from the executive director of CountMe In which is a prominent organization in Maine that partners with schools that experience chronic absenteeism. and she had actually gone through the state dashboard to identify the schools that had demonstrated the greatest improvements and reached out to us just to personally say,
039"Nice work and can I pick your brain on what you're doing?" And so Scott Emory, our assistant principal, and I got on the phone with her last week and she just underscored what I believe, which is fundamentally if you're going to solve um the issue of chronic absenteeism, if you're working to get kids in the building every day, school has to be a place kids want to be and a place of connection and belonging. you can't um put you can't just problem solve it on the back end when kids aren't showing up. In other words, you can't just like intervention your way out of this challenge. Um and that culture and climate's at the foundation of having students who come to school. And so, um when I share that number, it really reflects the work
040our teachers have done, the work we've done as a system, thinking about really critical parts of the development of eight, nine, 10, and 11 year olds. things like Daily Mile, um things like building kids ability to social problem solve, which we know is just like at the heart of that age group that they're social problems that come up. Starting our day with morning meeting, having choice embedded in academics, um having strong relationships. Last year we started third and fifth grade buddies, which has been like a great point of connection for kids. Um and so when you see that number, it really is a reflection of all of those pieces we've done at Tier 1 um for all kids. Um, we also did a lot last year to to to support those families um and students
041who were struggling with daily attendance as well. And Scott Emmery, our assistant principal, was just instrumental in ensuring we could be consistent. So, for example, um any student who was on our watch list based on our attendance team, if if that student isn't there, they get a call, the family gets a call that morning from um typically Scott personally, if not um me or a school nurse. Um, so families know like we notice when your kids aren't here. When kids come back, they're seen and welcomed back. When families need additional support, we're having those meetings, um, which Scott is facilitating to to put in specific plans, um, when students need it. And, um, also really working to ensure classroom communities are positive places. And that means when kids are having a tricky time that we
042have staff um who are available to support them and follow up both to help skill build for the child who's having a challenging time who might be disregulated or making a choice that's interfering with the learning of other kids. Um so we're working on that skill building piece as you um have seen through our goal pres uh goal sheet with some of the work at the RTIB level. Um but also that work is critical to creating a great learning environment um for all kids independent of whether they need that targeted support or not. So um last year really was the pieces we were working on really interconnected chronic absenteeism RTI um but those pieces support one another because we know when school and classrooms are a positive place then um kids are there. So, we're
043really excited and proud of the work that was done last year and as you'll see in our goals for the year ahead. The hope is to s sustain that work. Um, those numbers uh are the lowest uh I mean they're they're below prepandemic levels. Um even years ago when it wasn't even an area of focus, typically numbers were between five and 7%. So, we were thrilled to see something below five. I pulled the data last night. We were we're at 6.05% 05% um as of last night. Um which still puts us below where we were this year last time. Um this time of year it's like if you have a student who took a oneweek vacation, they're chronically absent because we've only been in school for 46 days. So um we're going to continue doing
044the work we did last year as well as we made some small refinements to our um attendance process and the way we progress monitor students attendance and um proactively and responsively communicate with families. and those were reflections that came at the end of last year. And so those are some changes um that are being implemented this year as well. Another piece of continued work is uh the RTIB supports that we've been refining over the last year and two months. So we have um an RTIB edtech as well as a classroom that we call the sale classroom and it's really a regulation a self-regulation space for students. So students access it for a variety of reasons. We have students who have planned breaks in that space. Um might receive reinforcement. So they might earn time with
045a trusted adult. Uh they also might access that space and unplanned times if something's difficult. Uh students have specific tools they access in that space. And it's really about skill building. So learning to use those self-regulation strategies so when they encounter a challenge which which is inevitable that they will have uh those tools. and uh Scott Emory partners closely with our edtech to support uh that space and the the creation of that space which was really built off um the model the bridges model in Durham has been a very positive shift whereas we had that edtech position for many years having a um defined space for it allows it to be much more predictable for students and consistent for students when students need that support. And then obviously the goal is to get those kids
046regulated and back into classrooms so they can fully access their learning as well. You'll see the third piece um of work that we're deeply focused on this year is regard uh related to the teaching of reading. So at the 35 grad span in the district, we've adopted revised units. uh they're they're similar in many ways to the existing reading units that we had in place with some revisions in response to feedback as well as research on the teaching of reading. And so there are some new components for example a vocabulary component um and at the third grade of phonics and morphology component that is really an outgrowth of changes that were implemented at the K2 span over the past several years. Uh what we were really excited to see this fall, which I didn't anticipate
047actually when we drafted the goals, is um our third graders this year are the first cohort that had those refinements K12 and the their data is as strong as any data set that I've seen in the district in my 12 years in the district that the those changes that have been implemented K12 um clearly are impacting student learning and then those third grade revisions build upon those. So, for example, the first two phonics units of this year are some review of second grade phonics and then it transitions into things like prefixes and suffixes. Um, and that's what all students um will get in addition to the implementation of those new units. What we're really trying to do is not not focus on on it as a curriculum adoption as much as an opportunity to deepen
048our practices and knowledge of how you teach reading effectively. And so, um, we've been using some of our professional learning time to dig into what does it look like to teach reading at the 3 through five span. Well, for example, on the October 10th PLLD, um, because all students right now are launching informational units, we did some collective learning around what does strong informational reading look like? How do we use text sets to support that? How do you build background knowledge? So, students essentially have have something to kind of velcro their reading to. um and all these elements that support strong reading uh at the 35 span. The other thing we're doing is linking that strongly to standards. And that was feedback we got actually from teachers last year is this desire to more deeply
049understand the standards at their grade span. So when they're teaching a unit, they're not thinking just about what is this unit teaching, but what are the key priorities and goals we want students to have at the end of the school year. So that will be a big focus for our professional learning for the year. You'll also see that one of the ways we decided as a school in addition to the metrics, the benchmark assessment system as well as um the NWA that we have to assess progress is also doing a reading inventory of our students. Kind of the question we grappled with is like what is important to us to know about our readers in addition to their things like fluency and comprehension. Um, and we just feel strongly that our students should have identity
050as identities as readers and connect with being a reader long term. This isn't about being a fourth grade reader, but about about being a life reader. And so, as part of that, we just finalized um the kind of reading survey we'll be giving students. And then um last Friday on Halloween did our first kind of monthly reading celebration which um was the first time we had done it but was one of my favorite ways we spent Halloween which is we did a spooky reading celebration and students could bring in blankets and we turned off the lights they brought in flashlights. We played spooky background music and students read in their blanket forts um as well as read aloud to each other and it was magic. Um Tracy Trembley, one of our fifth grade teachers, emailed
051me today and she was like, "Emily, I just want you to know that my fifth grade class just earned um a reward and they voted to have another reading tent celebration." So it I think it you know it speaks both to the work we want to do around reading and having a love of reading, but I also think it connects back when we think of attendance and kids wanting to be at school is thinking about what are the ways we make school a place that speaks to kids that they have a sense of belonging. they have a sense of joy that we can wear our jammies and crawl under some tables with some blankets um and enjoy books together as well as really deepen our skills as practitioners in the practice of reading to support
052them and their growth. So that's our year ahead questions. >> Can the board come to the next pajama reading day? >> I can let you know. >> Yeah. [laughter] The onesies, Tom, are really popular right now. Like the full jammy onesies. So, >> it's got to be K-pop demon hunters, though, right? [laughter] Roomie questions for Emily. Valerie. >> First, I want to say as a parent of an MLS student, um, she's had two Fort sessions this year so far. Very excited. We've already been doing that at our house. So to have it at school is an extra treat. She brings three bags now instead of just one on those days. [laughter] Um I'm just interested. I understand this is mostly reading focused. What What are we doing for math and science? Anything specific? >> Yeah,
053so a couple things and I thanks for pointing out that like just because this is what's on a piece of paper, there are lots of other things happening. So for science last year all grade levels launched uh the first open SCIAD unit um at Mass Landing School. Other schools launched the previous year. So other schools are in different places with it. Um and grade levels have the option to do a second this year. I think it's to be determined um which grade levels choose what. What's been really interesting and to me is powerful about having done something once is what grade levels now are doing is a more kind of thoughtful implementation of that. So, for example, our fifth graders do an eco are doing an ecosystems unit right now that's aligned to nextgen standards.
054Last year, they had these like nurse log kits that actually were mailed. So, you can imagine like we got literally these boxes that showed up that said live animals and had crickets in them. Um, and this year the teachers have been thoughtful about like what does it look like? Actually, we're adjacent to woods. Let's go out into the woods and have students do this and observe um the the ecosystem over time. I happened to walk down the path the other day when fifth graders were coming up and I was like, "Talk to me about what you said." And the student was like, "There was steam." And I was like, "Talk to me about like what's your hypothesis about this?" And they're like, "Oh, it was spores coming off a mushroom that were blowing in the
055wind." And I dug, you know, the student kind of dug down into log and was finding millipedes. Um, and students are, you know, fifth grade other students are growing mold right now and exploring what conditions making hypotheses about the conditions that mold is best going to grow in, which is like come visit our classrooms and see our mold spores. Um so teachers are being thoughtful about that and creating more interdisciplinary opportunities. So for example in third grade which is wrapping up a weather unit they did an integration with STEM and students in STEM then based on what they had learned about how different cultures build structures to um meet certain functions of different climates. then they in STEM created structures using those properties to look at different variables like wind. So I think the the
056beauty of being in year 2 is it gives more people can kind of envision now and be more thoughtful about cross-disciplinary opportunities. Um in math we as you know we're or as you may know we're in a district in the process of doing district level curriculum review. So, we're we've been kind of thoughtful about not necessarily like layering on new elements, but using the formative data that we have to be thoughtful about how we're supporting um math learners as well. >> Thank you. I just want to say I am always so impressed whenever I hear your your reports and I just really appreciate how um holistic and relational your approach always is to basically any problem that you that you address and you clearly it worked really well with um the uh absenteeism and I
057I can see it's also working really well with your curriculum and reading too and I just with my own kids I really appreciated that approach. So I I know that that is why Mass landing is doing really well because of that relational joyful culture that you're creating in the school. So thank you. >> Yeah, as you were as you were talking through the absentee piece from last year and the results um the incredible results that you attained. I mean I don't know there's sort of the you know the natural rate of unemployment in the world, right? Like it never goes below a [laughter] certain percent like 3.65 65 seems really low, right? >> Yeah. And we're not like in clarity, we are not trying to get low. Like there are students for unique students with
058complex medical needs like Right. The goal is not zero. [laughter] >> Yeah. Okay. But I mean that number is just impressive. I mean when I I love to see the the the time the the trend um and from 17.62 to 3.65 in in three years is is pretty uh pretty incredible. And one of the things you mentioned that kind of resonated with me was like making it a joyful place to be and not just dealing with what do we do when they don't show up. And the other piece that jumped out to me was 16 opportunities for parents and caregivers to attend parenting groups. Um, to me, I don't know. I I'm going to hypothesize that those types of connections that you're not only building with the kids, but with the parents, I think those
059all add to the to the success of the Mass Landing School. And um, I just wanted to say thank you. >> Thanks. And I think it is it it Thank you for pointing out that it's multi-year work is that like this work like meaningful work is multi-year work, right? And it's all of these, you know, if somebody said like, "What's the piece?" It's like there it's it isn't a piece. It's the collection of those pieces and having the space and the time, right, to look to kind of like fine-tune each of those pieces. Um because it's the collective whole care, it also sounds like it was a really good investment to hire an assistant principal to help with that part as well. Yeah, I think I think what Scott and that role have really provided
060um at the very foundation is consistency on so many levels, right? Consistency. You know, last year we had a student who every day was coming in, he would have a checkbox in Scott's office and if he came to school all week, he played basketball with Scott on Friday, right? And the student would come in and like high-five and mark the checkbox. So, it's like consistency at that level. It's consistency for teachers that know if a student is having a challenge that somebody is able to respond. I can't tell you that the number of times this week I've been in meetings where my radio has gone off and I knew that somebody was able to go support it. Right? So it means like when parents come in and meet with me, I don't get interrupted in
061meetings or teachers don't have a student in their classroom who really can't be successful in that moment. Um and so that ability to respond and that also benefits all kids, right? So it's it's like all of these pieces, but having that capacity in the role has enabled a level of consistency that was not possible prior to that. >> Uh I was at a a birth to early childhood conference recently and met some folks from the main engagement and attendance center from the DOE and shared a little bit about how well we're doing. I know panel is also knocking it out of the park, I believe, with attendance and they would really love to hear from you and hear what you're doing to be able to share that with other schools. Yeah, we had a team
062from RSU5 attend a state conference and I think they had everybody up and they're like, "Stand up. You know, if your chronic absenteeism is below 40, keep standing if it's below 30, keep standing if it's" and and amazingly there are districts where their chronic absenteeism 40%. I mean, it's just right. It's it's mind-blowing. Um, and finally they got down to 10 and I think four of our five administrators were still standing and Scott was like go to five, go to five and they didn't. [laughter] But I think it's a testament like we are we're having a lot of success at Mass Landing. Um, I think there are other great pockets in the district and I think the other thing um is my hope is we also like some of this is about building habits early
063and seeing the benefit of those habits being established in elementary school as well. So I anticipate there will also be kind of some trickle up. That's my hope, right? As we look, you know, nationally, middle and high school chronic absenteeism rates are higher. The same is true of RSU5 as well. >> And because I have this uh inability to remember time or it seems to go by too quickly, this is year three with the assistant principal. >> Year two. >> Oh, it was just last year. Oh, we Okay. We added more street first and then M. >> Yeah. So it's Amanda's third year and Scott second second. >> Okay. I had it switched to my head. Thank you. So I'm not as crazy as I thought. Great. >> Other comments? Colin's like, "Yes, you are."
064Um, [laughter] other questions or comments for Emily? >> All right. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Oh, sorry. Did you have one? She hasn't She hasn't left yet. >> It's not super important, but I am curious since we're talking about RTIB supports. Um, you have a therapy dog in your building still this year. >> Maxed. >> Is and do the kids do do they relate well to him? Like does that actually kind of help you with your goals? >> It you know what I will be totally transparent. I underestimated the power of having a dog in the building. I could have like taken it or left it, but I had a staff who was passionate about it. Um, for certain kids it truly makes a difference. I I was talking um to our SR recent SRO
065recently and I was like I have a student truly who it has kept classrooms from being destroyed. Right. If that student is disregulated and Max is there, it is like his ability to cognitively shift with that dog is something I I do not Max has a power I do not have. [laughter] Um, and I will say in fairness, the kids who requested the additional blanket reading fort when they request the fifth graders also requested that Max be part of the blanket fort. So, it is it is one of those things like does it make a difference for all kids? No. Does it make a meaningful difference for some kids? Absolutely. And is there this sense of belonging with Max? Bizarrely, yes. I mean, if you come to Daily Mile on the day that Max is
066there, it's like who gets to walk Max and who gets to walk, you know, have his leash and walk with Max. And so, I think for kids, like going back to this idea of like it's a lot of things. It's not there's not a thing. It's like what is the landscape of things that create school to be a place that kids feel connection and for some kids that is a Labradoodle, right? Might not be for me, but for the kid that it is, it's awesome. >> Okay, this is just a logistical question for me. What about people with allergies? >> He's hypoallergenic. So, we have >> I mean, no dogs are fully hypoallergenic. >> We We do not have any students who have allergies. >> Have any issue with it? >> Yes. >> Okay. That
067would be really sad. >> So sad. >> All the other kids. >> Michelle, we actually specially bred Max to uh [laughter] have absolutely zero >> in our STEM classes. Exactly. Haley Goodspeed here at >> You [laughter] can touch on that next. Yeah. Next next year. >> I was say I hear Tom Brady's cloning his dog, so maybe we can clone Max. >> Yes. [laughter] I I feel that I >> You don't have to put your hand up. >> Well, you um I feel that I have to say just as I you know, I've been in the school quite a bit. Um I've been in all our schools quite a bit and a difference that I see here in RSU5 and this is not just me blowing sunshine, but I've been in other places where the
068approach to issues like attendance is consequence-based. And it comes from a belief that if we just consequence kids and families into complying, then somehow we'll get results. And you know what? They do get results, but they're not good ones. And that's not the mindset that we have here. And I my experience is that that is rare and we should really celebrate it. >> You could bring Max to a board meeting. >> Great idea. I love it. >> I have two doodles at home. Did we did have a school picture taken in a mass landing shirt, so stay [laughter] tuned. >> All right, at least send that to the board, please. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you, Emily. See, good question. See, it was important. All right. So, that uh finishes our administrator reports
069for this evening. Uh we don't have board comments or committee reports on here. Um, I would uh I guess I'll I'll ask you guys. I know we have a few things that we want to make sure we get to. Um, interested to hear. I don't want too much time to go by after the MSMA conference for folks who attended if there was anything anybody wanted to share on any sessions. Uh, I know Cara was kind enough to share some slides from a session she went to specific to um the cell phone question on the agenda tonight, but um wasn't sure if anybody attended any attended any other sessions they would like to share any feedback on before it gets too far into the rear view. Danielle um stuff was there too, but we went to
070one about the presented by the Gorum um I guess there's two of them I went to. Um the Gorum School presented um how they include their community and businesses and getting kids out into the community and doing like job shadowing and things like that. And she um she seemed the uh principal or she was the superintendent what just amazing very well put together like um I don't know like just this amazing program for kids and local businesses that was very well supported. Um, I think that would be something I think Dee Benell does a great job here, but I could see this going in. You know, we could do more and have more opportunities for kids. Um, so I think that that would be something maybe to I don't know, maybe Dee could like connect
071with somebody at that school or something like that to see what we could do to mimic that. And then the other one that I went to was um to learn how to um uh figure out the um the budget when it comes to the EPS. [laughter] [gasps] >> Wow. Anyways, um it was a lot, but it was good to be able to understand that sheet I think a little bit more. It it's almost we were talking like they almost needs to be a class every year for new board members on how to go through that sheet. Um, again, she did a pretty good job. As long as she wasn't being interrupted by, you know, people asking tons of questions, you could get through it. And I feel now that I can look at the sheet
072and understand much more than I ever really could. So, again, something I think I don't know how we get like her slides or maybe like a way to do that so every new board member can like look at that because it's a lot. So, >> yeah. And we've done it sort of at the board level. Usually it was around the cost sharing formula because really you need to have a pretty firm understanding of EPS and the ED279. So EPS is um essential programs and services for folks who are newer. Um and that's essentially what the state uses to decide how much it costs to educate a student in your district. Um so they put some assumptions class size, school size, where you are in the state, a variety of things. Um, and so that's what
073the EPS formula is is like how much they say it it costs to to educate a kid. Um, and then the ED279 is the form that each district has that that says how many kids do you have? What's the EPS? What's your valuation? How much do you need to raise from taxes? All the all the the fun stuff that goes into the budget process. Um, so we have done that through the cost sharing formula to try and give everybody a baseline. But it's a really good point that as people come and go off the board, um, you know, that knowledge may or may not remain. Um, so maybe it's something we can think about from finance. Um, you know, maybe that's something we put on our finance agenda for, you know, to invite new board
074members once a year. You know, if you haven't been through a budget process yet, we have a, you know, a conversation about what does it look like. So, thank you for that, >> Valerie. Cara and I went to a lot of the same ones, so I don't have a lot of new information to share. I did go to one about um finances as well, and it turned out it was the summary was not what I was expecting the actual um discussion to be. Um yeah, [laughter] it it was about I want to say it was and I think it's near where Tom used to be. um either Rockland or Rockport because I often get those two confused. Um the superintendent has had four different business managers in five years. >> Cool. Yep. >> Yep. So,
075um and how hard it's been. So, I did want to since Kelly is here to say how thankful we are to have her. I mean, generally, but also specifically. [laughter] >> I'll echo that. >> [snorts] >> All right, Cara. >> Well, I have a lot of notes and I wasn't prepared to summarize. >> Don't feel like you need to. I I mean, it'll be on our next one. I just didn't want people to be like, "Oh, that was too long ago." But if you have notes and you want to do it in the next one, that's a okay. >> I will maybe do more next time, but I did attend an interesting communication strategy session that I hope to that I think Stephanie you attended as well. So, I think we'll be bringing those notes
076to that discussion. And there was also an interesting one about um AI. There's a program called Day of AI that looks that provides um AI literacy toolkits and that are free and I I think that's something that we might want to look into if if our um if we haven't already looked into that. Uh and then I went to a couple of different cell phone sessions that might come up in our next discussion. >> Thank you. So, was it the four of you that attended? >> Good. How was the uh uh keynote? Usually very good. >> Really inspiring. >> Yeah. Always. Yeah. It was was very amped after it. Yeah. >> High energy. >> Oh, he was or you were. >> No, he was. >> Oh, he was. [laughter] And then I was. Yeah. Okay.
077>> Okay. Yeah. I I uh I don't know who sources their keynote speakers, but every year I'm blown away. So great job whoever that is out there. >> I think it's Eileen. >> Is it Eileen? Yeah. So um for Karen and Maria's sake, so once a year MSMA, which is the main school management association, is kind of the trade organization lobbyist group that um supports all of school boards in the state and superintendent in the state. They have a conference, a two-day conference up in Augusta, and they have a variety of sessions on everything from special education law to cell phones to nutrition to therapy dogs. Maybe, I don't know, maybe maybe Emily can do one next year. Um, so, uh, it's it's a great, um, it's a great opportunity to get a lot of
078information about a variety of different school board stuff. Um, so, um, highly recommend. Uh the unfortunate part about when you guys came on is it's right after. Um but um but they have it every year. So next October. Something to look forward to. >> Yeah. I just thought of one of I went to one that was about um advocacy and advocacy as a listening body which was quite interesting. And one of the questions that I feel like we've kind of talked about maybe at our retreat um that was interesting to me was considering if you're persuadable when you're listening. Um and I thought that was like just an interesting question knowing that we sometimes have to make tough choices and have compleing priorities. Um that's a question that's sort of been rattling in my brain
079is yeah before we're listening are we persuadable? >> Yeah. Now I'm going to like be thinking about that. All right. Um so uh we do not have any policy on the agenda for tonight. Um and so we will move on to item 12 which is the cell phone um conversation. Um I'm not going to get a motion on the floor yet because I think we want to kind of decide the direction we want to go before we decide what that motion is. Um I do think there was some requests for information from the last meeting that we had that I think you had some updates for us. >> Yes. Um >> let's start with those. Thank you. Um, the problem with this product is that it's much more breakable. It's not flexible. So, if you
080have to put not only a phone, but a watch or perhaps if you think ahead like a meta glasses or something like that in there, you're not going to fit them in there. Um, it costs less than the yonder bag, but >> how does it open? >> It like >> magic. >> He show He did show me and now I can't remember how it opens. I forget. >> I love that our sixth graders will figure that out in 12 seconds. >> They will for sure. >> But our superintendent, not so much. >> I mean, that's how everything works, right? So, the yonder bag, >> it's magnet. >> There we go. That is now closed. >> Um, and it just opens very quickly and you put it on the magnet. The magnet is pretty heavy. Um,
081you can pass these around if you like. One can go this way, one can go that way. Um, if you bear with me for just a minute, My laptop is back in my bag and I have some information from Sam to um >> Okay, so yes, it's a new germ new case. The plastic one is called >> New Germ new case. Um pricing the yonder bags are $35 with no grant which already includes a 12 12% discount. there's a uh maybe a possibility of $20,000 with a grant which would essentially amount to 50% off for us. Um he has pursued that but we would have to have an answer on ordering those by November 14th. >> Um >> could you say those numbers one more time, Tom? Sure. Sorry. So, so the yonder bags without
082any kind of grant or a special offer are 35 um $35,000 for all the ones that we would need, >> which is how many? >> That includes a 12% discount. He didn't give me a number of bags, but that would be enough for the high school and the middle schools. >> Okay. So, all six through 12. >> Yes. >> So, basically the same people were giving a computer to >> correct. Um there is a possibility of getting a 20 uh getting those at $20,000 which amounts to about 50% off the price. >> So that's if we were successful getting the grant it goes from 35,000 to 20,000. >> Correct. Okay. >> The 35,000 includes a 12% discount. >> Correct. >> Okay. So Sam cites some reasons to go with Yonder. It is a known solution
083that is already used in [clears throat] locally in other schools. It's relatively easy to operate. If you have an emergency, you can easily like cut through the bag. You can, you know, to to get to that phone if there's a real need. The bag itself is flexible and pliable so that if you need to get more things in there, you can. Um, and it also, for that reason, is probably more durable in that it's flexible. He also, what he has for me is reasons to go with Yonder and reasons not to go with new case. So, >> so the same thing. >> Um, new case, more difficult to open, close, lock, and operate. Um, made from hard plastic, which means they would be fast to break with drops and unable to cut through easily in
084an emergency. Um, built around the shape of the phone, would not be able to secure new form factors like smart glasses. >> How much stuff you get an iPad in there? [laughter] Let's see. We're just testing it out. >> [cough] >> What's the the cost of the new the new form? Did he not get that? >> He didn't supply that for me. I asked him on the phone just before he came we came in. Um and I'm going to repeat exactly what I said. He's it's less but it's not a lot less. >> Okay. >> And the grants, are they specific to Yonder or >> It's a special offer from Yonder. >> But wait, there's more. >> Okay. It's it the way Sam presented it to me, it's sort of like if you make this
085deal now, you'll get this much off. >> Sounds like it's incent with early [laughter] childhood education. >> It does. >> So, can I can I talk a little bit about some of the research I did between both the Yandere and New Case >> because it seems like those are really the two options. At least I couldn't find any other real good options. Um, the new case has a three-year warranty on it as far as manufacturing defects. I don't know what they count as that. >> Um >> I'm pretty sure our high schoolers blow through uh manufacturers warranties pretty quick, >> right? So what I read about Yonder was actually that it was less durable, not more. >> Uh maybe that's not true, but that's that's what I what I what I seemed to read. Also,
086you talked about how in an emergency you're more able to get into the yonder, but then we talked about how the new case is less durable and drops. So, it seems like there's probably an equal ability to get into either of them. >> The way that >> but throwing the thing on the floor is probably not the best way to get your phone out. >> Yeah, but that's only an emergency situation. If if if you have a yonder bag, you can cut it open. If you if you wanted to get into the plastic thing, you might have to like smack it and break your phone inside. The thing that I found on the Yonder bag that was like the Achilles heel >> was that like pin, it bends and breaks and then it's like a
087whole new bag and it's a whole new process and like >> like you can just easily like I poked myself with it not even meaning. Right. >> Already broke it. [laughter] >> That was the thing that it wasn't it wasn't so much the bag. It was actually the pin and its locking mechanism that was the the thing that broke the most often and was like very easy to break on like usage all the time. >> And I feel like um I feel like one of the things Jen mentioned to me when she was telling me about going to the sort of training session at Portland High School for her for her for her kids. um was uh they said the pin could be like used as a weapon like you could poke somebody with it.
088>> I mean it is quite substantially sharp. Yeah. Um I I actually called the new case guy cuz they had a phone number and it was like really easy to do. >> Um it's 80 bucks a base plate and 20 bucks a thing. So >> what's a base plate and a thing? >> So like the the See the magnet? That's the >> Oh, so it is magnetic. >> Yeah, they're both magnetic. >> Okay, they're both um Okay. So it it's uh like it would be like 13,000 for the district depending on how many we got of course. So it is I would say substantially cheaper. >> I mean if we're talking 20 with a grant versus >> 13 without a grant. >> That's a big percentage. >> Yeah. >> And in looking at the yonder
089grant, it needs to be implemented by January 26. >> So if we don't think we have the capability of implementing by January 26, I don't think we qualify for that. So, um, >> where's the other one? I want to like magnet it. >> I have a question. Are are we allowed to say mean things about these products? All because we're we're on YouTube. Like, I'm just I'm honestly asking. Like, >> mean things? >> Yeah. What are you going to say? >> I I find that product ridiculous. Uh >> Oh, you hadn't said the mean thing yet. I was like, what did we say? >> Uh, >> so you know what? This is based on >> a VCR case. >> No, what it's based on. [laughter] >> But you know those like security cases at Target
090or whatever where they like lock things in them. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's what those are. Oh, that makes sense, right? Like where you at? You have to go up to the technology thing for them to swipe it out. >> I don't know. I feel like I've had a bad experience with something like that in my past life or something. Like my emotional reaction was really I viscerally don't like it. >> Little Mermaid. >> Um but that's it's completely aesthetic and emotional. Well, I also don't think I mean the aesthetic other problem is is >> I'm not even sure like I couldn't fit my watch and my phone in there. >> Is that the only size? >> They have an XL. >> I don't know >> how much how much bigger that would be. >> Yeah.
091>> So, part of what I am just thinking as we talk about this is we we may want to talk just conceptually about where we are with the cell phone ban. >> Yeah. before we get before we get into this of of products >> because if we say no band then these are all just fun plate play things to do with >> yeah exactly it's sort of you know a moot point um did we have any luck I think one of the other things we were hoping to get was some feedback from some students that had from the schools did we get any I don't know if Phoebe passed that along to you before I could give feedback. >> Okay. Um I do feel somewhat compelled to share that I have been, you know, this
092is anecdotal for sure, but I do have a like a vast spy network across the state in schools um especially in Camden where which is a school that we've talked about. I've been on the phone with quite a few of my former colleagues um who are working through who who just implemented a ban and have gone with yonder. So the feedback that I've gotten universally is that the good news is the ban has been very very easy to implement and um has definitely reduced like the phones are gone. The phones are not in use. The bags kids aren't using them. they have bought the bags. The feedback from teachers is generally speaking the kids are coming in saying, "Oh, my phone," or like waving a bag saying, "Yeah, my phone's in here." Or the phone
093is in their backpack. It's away somewhere. Um, but the phone is not really in the bag. It may be in the bottom of the backpack, wherever. Um, but the desired effect is that the phones are away and they're not fighting that battle. So, for what that's worth, that's pretty consistent feedback I'm getting from colleagues I trust that are in the middle of it. >> Maria, >> um, from just hearing how much yonder pouches cost, I feel like you would want them to be effective. And Superintendent Gray made a good point that the phones are away at the end of the day because students don't want them to be taken away if they're not in the pouch. But if you're spending so much money on something, you want it to be put in use. And I
094feel like maybe there are other ways cuz I feel like some classrooms are really strict about the phone policy and they are a way. And I feel like students would figure out a way to get around the yonder pouches. And I just feel like if you're spending so much money on something, you want them to be put to use. Yep. I'm just curious if you've heard about schools that have used other implementation strategies such as centrallylo lockers that can be so you you know it can easily be seen like they're all in a wall or something. I don't know. But you can easily walk through and oh this person's phone isn't there. Why not? You know I'm just curious if there are other strategies that are used like lockers or bins besides these pouches that
095they just take with them. I don't have a lot of information about that. Sorry. >> Clearly, I'm not smart enough to use this one. >> So, >> it just it slides over and pops open. >> There are schools that have bell-to-bell bands that are off and away all day and there aren't devices. So, that I believe that that's >> I think that's Windom. That's what Windham's doing this year. >> Yeah. So, so there's there's an option that doesn't involve any device that's still a bell-to-bell ban, right? And policy. So the for me the concern about that is and it's the same concern as saying well at least it's off and away and we're not seeing it. Um I think one of the other big areas that we want to think about is like the bathrooms.
096Um, and you know, if I just have this not locked and I have access to it or it's just in the bottom of my bag, then then I've sort of um, you know, defeated the purpose of of having the, you know, no phones all day, right? Cuz I I could keep it out I could keep it away during all my classes and in the hallway and in lunch, but I'm still using it in the bathroom. Um, and to me, that's one of my concerns. I I don't think anything is going to be foolproof, right? Like there is not a [laughter] nothing is right there. There is not a rule that's ever been made that hasn't been broken. A kid hasn't figured out how to break that rule. Um but is the benefit of you know
09790% um you know adoption and using it appropriately good enough so that it's you know it lessens the the need for the work on the other 10. I I don't know, Kelly. >> Yeah. I guess one of my concerns about not using any device at all is that we don't want to add to teacher burdens by um implementing a cell phone ban. Like I don't want them to have to feel like they're policing kids all the time, >> right? Knowing it's in their bag and we shouldn't see it, but like I mean one of the other things I heard was like in passing, if you've ever been, we were here yesterday during passing, it is very busy in the hall. There's no way teachers could know if kids had their phones out. Like there's no
098way you would know. >> So Cara and I went to the [clears throat] same um presentation. She sent the slide deck for it for RSC1. Um couple things. They considered a centralized location for folks to put their phones in. Um but legal was worried about taking possession of personal property and what that might open up. Um, so they kind of dismissed that as a too big a burden. Um, they use yonder pouches at RSU1 and they had three student delegates come and talk about the impact that it had on on their schools. They've had it for over a year. Um, granted it's three voluntary delegates, so [laughter] we have to take some of that feedback with a little bit of a grain of salt because I'm sure they got some kind of brownie points for
099it. that um there was one student that stated that he was extremely offended that he wasn't being trusted and that the pouches were implemented um when he thought putting it away was enough and stated that in the later year in the spring that he found himself using the pouch anyway because he wasn't able to control himself enough not to get further into the um corrective action. ction route because he would try to self-regulate and the temptation would be too much and he would be caught. So the piece of the implementation that I think if we do go pouch route um even more so for the success that we want would be getting the buyin from the teachers of making sure that there's zero tolerance across the board because if you have anybody who's weak on
100that then it's you're going to lose your compliance right away. I think if the if the teaching staff aren't willing to be zero compliant or zero tolerance at the beginning at the outset of like soon as you see a phone this is the first step, this is the second step and continuing to drill it home of this is just what we're doing now. Um it's not a punishment, it's just getting used to the new norm. Um then you're not going to have compliance. Um, and a lot of it is trust as well. Students are allowed to say, "It's in my car." And they're trusted that it's in their car. Um, but the proof is in the lack of phone in your hand and the reasonable amount of time you're in the bathroom. I think all
101of the normal tells. >> Yeah. I'm and I'm just thinking back to Emily Grim's presentation and how that that positive joyful um [laughter] positive joyful >> No, it is not. But but I do think that there could be an aspect where we do emphasize to the kids the benefits of putting these things away and really talk up how this is going to be helpful for their well for their well-being and how that could actually kind of help with compliance as well. Yeah, I think the of the students that came and spoke um they they [clears throat] also emphasized the the need to explain why. I asked a question at the end like if we student voice is very important to us. We might not be doing what the students want, but is there a way
102we can communicate this best to students so that they can feel a little more on board? Um, and that was one one piece is just making sure that they understand why and the benefits. Um, they the staff in RC1 also said that they weren't at a place yet of not having to ask them in the morning, is your phone in your pouch or like where is your phone? Basically, but they have a routine down. They have a couple of tables with two magnets um adhered to the tables and they have two staff members on each of the at each of those tables in the morning and um they have the system down. If it starts to get backed up, it might delay kids 30 seconds. Um they also have people with handheld magnets ready at
103the end of the day. um 12 handheld magnets that they can use in the afternoon and also one on the outside of the school building on the concrete that students can go right they can go outside and do that. >> Um so I I think that we have a lot to learn from that district. They seem to really have it down. It seems to be going well. Um, and they also have the, you know, first and second offense, students have one hour detention, then the third offense, a two-hour detention, and the parent has to come get the phone. If there's a fourth offense, they have one day of inschool suspension and a fifth or more out of school suspension. Um, they haven't they've actually had a 50% reduction in suspensions. Um, and but they have
104noticed health center visits have gone up because students aren't just texting their parents saying that they're sick and they want to go home. They're actually going to the health center. So, that was an interesting um consequence. Um, and oh, if they break it or lose it, it's $35 or they can um give two hours of community service. Um, and what you were saying that it's um, it's not taking phones away. I mean, we are taking access to the phones away, I suppose, but we're not taking their phones um, by using a or they're not taking the phones by using a yonder pouch. Um, so I there one thing also is that they did not include earbuds in these restrictions. So that is something that we would also want to have some guidance around the policy
105if we were to what we're including in this. And then as far as this discussion goes too, I think we we're deciding what this is to give the policy committee some direction on what to draft, right, for a policy, but we don't ne we're not necessarily creating or are we also the policy committee creating a procedure because I think if I'm remembering the policy does not include how the how the schools are going to meet the policy correct Yeah, I would think we would probably not want to get granular in the implementation into the policy because that gets tricky when you want to shift something. Colin, >> um yeah, I agree. But I think that at least the way I'm approaching uh this conversation in the context of the cell in terms of the policy
106is that um I think they I think they have to be linked and we I think we have to be clear. Uh, I think I mean my sense is tonight um were we to decide to uh ask the policy committee that I serve on uh to write a policy that outlines a bell-to-bell ban. Um we would also be um as a board directing the superintendent to make that procedure simultaneously. >> Yeah. Right. That's that's my understanding of what this conversation is. It's not it's not a it's that they happen like >> it's a complete deal of like we're not we're not doing one and being like well draft the policy then figure it out which I do not think is what you're suggesting at all Cara but like just to be really clear like I
107think that's what that's how I'm approaching it tonight and um yeah and I guess just I would say two things just very specifically on the question of the um on the question of the band I I will own that in um in May when this came up um I was very impatient um and very much at a sense of I think I said on camera everybody can go back and check the YouTube that there's nothing new we can learn about this that will change our minds um and um that sense of impatience is definitely one that I hear from some of folks in the community that are wondering why we have why we have taken so long and I remember Cara um uh saying no, we should take some time and walk through this to
108make sure we have buyin from all of the stakeholders. if not buy in this everybody saying yes and jumping off tables and building pillow forts because they're so excited about it. But that everybody has felt engaged and everybody everybody else has felt heard he heard because we also have uh um received input from other districts. um that if you don't do that um any initiative will effectively fail and it will fail in terms of creating a healthy environment for the students to learn within and that is uh that is what we are mandated to do. So, um while again I my my thoughts uh have not evolved at all in terms of my sense that um do cell phones belong in an academic setting in Freeport uh in uh middle school or high school. No,
109that's what I thought in May and I think that now. Um but I think we're better as a um as a board and I think as a district for having gone through uh that process. Um so Cara, thank you for um encouraging us to do so. Um the second thing I would say is that I am I'm absolutely in favor of a of moving toward a bell-to-bell ban. Um I'm uncomfortable doing so without and we talked about this at the last meeting a bit. I'm uncomfortable doing so without a clear um uh process that's implemented that is larger than just banning the damn phones, but rather a larger educational and sort of social wellness um project to not like develop some really cool arguments to give to the high school students of like why this
110is super cool that we should all do it but just saying like no we understand this is part of a large this is about this is about technological literacy it's about like the the link between um technology and mental health um so I think on the one hand I'm very eager to direct uh Tom to to basically like let's get on that let's get them yonder bags um or the VHS uh tape recorder things which again thank you Valerie so much for that amazing image and that's all I can think of cuz it's awesome. Um, on the one hand I'm like I'm I really want to jump on that and be like yeah let's get that grant like let's get that grant and let's get some fundraising going for that. On the other hand and
111then implement it as uh as Chris was saying to be prepared to implement it um I would assume we would be trying to implement that uh the first day back from winter break. Um, on the one hand, I'm ready I'm ready to do that. On the other hand, I don't think um we have I don't think we have the resources, certainly monetarily um to really make sure we're putting in place a healthy structure to make sure that when that ban does go into effect um that the um that the students feel um the only word I can think of right and I was held in terms of like understanding the impact of that and understanding and like how to provide support structures for that in terms of mental health and how to provide whether it's
112um outside you know folks coming in from outside to talk about technology. So that's the conundrum where I am right now like I'm totally in favor of of telling myself as the head of the chair as the head of the policy committee to like start drafting that policy. Um, but it's the t it's the timeline and it's the money that I just don't know how to factor in uh to that question. [snorts] So, I emailed a funding guide that Yonder has put together to you, Tom, to see if they recommend a number of title funds that schools could use to help fund this. Um, and I was wondering what your thoughts were on that if if and your thoughts in general. Are there, you know, I know we're our budget's going to be really tight
113this year and we're about to hear more about that. And >> um, so I I I understand that. I'm wondering if there's >> if there's any wiggle room with being able to fund, especially if we were to make a decision by November 14th, $20,000. And if you did hear from anyone in the community saying they're willing to help fund raise because that's that's an amount that seems to me like a doable fundraising amount for a community if if there are enough people in the community who are willing to help with that and to make that donation though this is also a tough time where there are a lot of donation needs out there. >> Um so I'm wondering what what your thoughts are on the funding part. So in terms of the title grants, we
114would have to write that into one of our title projects which for this year are done. So we could take take that under advisement for next year. Um and we would just have to figure that's that's something we would be figuring out next spring and then I guess the only caveat I have for that is who knows what's going to happen with title grants this year given where we were last year. >> Um but we'll jump off that bridge when we come to it. Um, I have not yet heard back from anybody in the community who would be who's offered to partner with us to fund raise, but it's early days and we could certainly make an effort there. Um, in terms of coming up with like the largest number I saw there from Sam
115was $35,000. I'm not going to say that $35,000 grows on trees. Kelly and I could certainly look and try to find ways that where where we could find it. um it would mean shifting money, sacrificing it somewhere else and we'd have to become granular and talk to you about that when we have a proposal. In terms of just my perspective of having worked in high schools for a really long time, I think that you have the um I think you can move forward with different pieces of this at different paces. I think that you can decide right now where you want to go with just the access you want to provide for the devices whether that's a bell-to-bell ban or whatever it is you can give that direction to the policy committee now and the
116policy committee well it's actually on the agenda for the policy committee tomorrow right um in anticipation that there would be some direction tonight um we can then also move forward with figuring out how you would like to have this implemented. Um, one of the solutions that has come to my mind frequently is to knowing and believing the and and I can see it, you know, having just been in classrooms with kids in high schools and dealing with disciplinary issues in high schools for a really long time. I can see how somebody here mentioned that we're trusting kids when they say it's in my in my car, it's in my bag. One of the things that we don't we don't want to put our teachers in a position of having to constantly power struggle every time
117a kid says that. Um, so solutions that I've heard about in other schools are that that have made the investments in yonder bags across the board is that they're using those really they're only using them in the extreme cases when you have a repeat offender. Um, so there may be a way to step into that that goes with a smaller number of yonder bags to use for cases that really need them and then see how it goes and expand it over time if cost upfront is something that is an issue that that might otherwise stop us. Um, so I think my overall point is that I don't know that we need to be concerned. I don't know that you need to be concerned about holding back on a decision about which way you want to
118go with phones tonight because of the logistics. We can figure out the logistics including the money. >> I just have a question about the under patches. Would the pouch be in your backpack or would it be in a certain classroom? >> You would have it with you. >> And have there been other strategies about putting phones up? um the way certain teachers do it by having a name and a number track to it and has that been reinforced more in classrooms because I haven't I haven't seen other sorts of strategies besides going straight to yonder pouches. Yeah, I think you know what we've heard mostly from ways people have approached it. Um sort of the the phone tree piece which is not away all day because you guys obviously have them between trees um in
119the hallways and at lunch. Um there's the off and away which is we don't want to see your phone. Don't don't take it out. Leave it in your car. Leave it in the bottom of your bag. Whatever that looks like for you. Don't bring it at all. Um and and it does sound like there's a few schools that have gone that way. I think that's that's Windom that comes to mind this year. Um has has taken that approach and I think initial thoughts are that it works okay for them so far. Um and I don't I don't know the way I think about that is for for me it's one thing to blatantly lie to a teacher who says is your phone in your bag? Yes, my phone's in the yonder pouch and it's not.
120um that feels like a a more overt breakage of the rules as opposed to well they let me keep it in my pocket like they don't care if I use it in the bathroom like that I don't know maybe it's maybe it's the same amount of rule breaking it just feels like an easier line for kids to cross. Um, >> we also have a new tool that's tracking. It's an electronic past system that's just been put into effect recently here at the high school that is, you know, it it tracks right away. Oh, that kid's been in the bathroom for 15 minutes and there's a way to know that already. It's pretty easy. >> My question would be, are we doing anything with that data? Right? because I still think only cuz I have a
121son who's like, "Yeah, I can't believe kids are just missing long periods of time and they don't see anything happening with that, but in his mind it's this weird now electronic system to go to the bathroom." Um, and so, you know, I don't know. I I I just wonder that's another thing that you're adding to the teachers. We talk about we don't want to put all this on them to be checking the bags, but they're going to have to check the bag. Someone's going to have to check to make sure it's in there. Otherwise, it's 100% we're just trusting you put it in the bag when you walked in the door. >> Well, except I I do have to say this about that. We can't search a kid without reasonable cost. I get that. >>
122And that would amount to a search. >> No, no, I get that. >> I think what they do in Portland is they go, "Okay, here's my phone. Here's my bag." Boom. And they walk in the door. They walk past the staff person. Now whether they close it or not, that's up for debate. But >> the issue that we run into, Maria, with the the phone trees is that if the intent is to the if the intent is to have kids not engage with their phone at all all day, every time you go in and reach for your phone and put it in the tree, it's it's another it's time and attention to let's talk about phones, let's reinforce phones. It's even a few minutes at the beginning of class where people have to think about
123touch phones, put a phone away, and then at the end, same thing again >> and look like whose phone isn't there? Oh, Maria, did you bring your phone? No, I don't have my phone. Like, they're wasting a lot of time. It sounds like >> um both of my parents are teachers. My dad works here. I know how difficult phones are in a classroom. I always put mine up. And I think that the way of going you only have a wander patch if you're a repeated offender would be a strategy that I think students would be more happy about cuz I know myself and other people put their phone up and I'll I've like I said my parents are teachers. I want to make teachers lives as easy as I can but I would not want
124to put my phone in a yonder pouch. >> Why I don't want to put my phone Um, I have representative on the school board. I have driver's ed. I have other extracurriculars that I need my parents to be aware of. Like you can email, my dad works here. I could call his room. Some kids don't have that privilege and they might rely on that text or that call. Um, also teens get sick. they have health problems. Sometimes you just need to text your mom, "Can I go home?" And I think being a repetitive offender, you deserve to be able to put your phone up. But as somebody who is not, I don't I feel like it would be a little It wouldn't feel super fair to me. But I understand why you would do it.
125It it's I think exactly what you said is is the is the existential crisis in this, right? Because it feels like, oh, I can handle my phone. You don't need to take it away from me. But the fact that you feel like you need your phone is the whole reason we need to take it away. And we're actually giving you a gift to not even have to worry about it. Not to worry who's texting you, who's who's posting on this, and who's doing that. Um, you know, I I know it's crazy to believe, but we never had phones and we all got our got to our jobs and our sports and like it, you know, it sounds silly to say that, but it it's just a reset of it's just a a sort of resetting
126our mindset around accessibility. Like, do you need to be accessible for those eight hours or should you be able to focus on you and your friends and your classes and your learning and not have to worry about that at all? It feels very like punishment-like when we say, "Well, I could handle it, but you shouldn't have to." I think is part of the point. Chris, >> I was going to say something similar, too. I imagine that most of the people here on the board went to high school without phones and we still had those activities. And um I I I've heard that from students and like I do sympathize with it quite a lot. I I think that that in talking or with with what Colin said about the education piece on this is not
127just talking about the mental health, but also talking about some of the logistics of, hey, if you need to communicate, this is how you can do it >> because there's all these other ways that we can have these kids communicate with their parents or with whoever else they need to communicate with. Um, and you know, you said sometimes you just need to text your mom that you need that you're sick and you want to go home. which is another reason we heard that health visits have gone up, >> nurse's visits went up, >> which is actually a good thing because a nurse is just that one more point of contact of maybe the kid is sick. Uh the nurse can evaluate that in in a small way which could prevent some of the future issues.
128So, I think that there's a lot of ways that maybe don't seem natural to the kids now, but that might seem more natural to us as adults who didn't live through that we probably should try to communicate with that type of thing. >> Yeah, I think the education piece is huge and I think I've said that since the beginning. It we we need to sort of shift that paradigm that this is because we feel like you can't handle it and more that you shouldn't have to. Um, and I think that's going to be huge. Cara, >> I think it was RSU1 that said they installed another phone line expecting there to be more phone calls from parents and students to parents and it was hardly used. Like maybe in the first week it was used
129a bit more, but but parents and students realized they had to really think, do I really need to contact my parent right now? Do I and the parents might say, do I really need to contact my student right now? Can it wait until 2:30? and people just realized that they didn't need to be contacting each other as much during those hours which I thought was really interesting. >> I do feel somewhat compelled to share an anecdote that is I think instructive. So one of the things that I as a teacher did many many times was international trips and I can't tell you the difference in flavor of those experiences between when I was doing them in let's say 2008 versus 2018 and in 2008 kids could not bring phones with data on trips and in
1302018 they could. And there's value in the experience of those kids going away to the UK or France or whatever it is and having their experience not necessarily being able to call home every time they felt anxiety about homesickness or whatever it was. And that that led to a whole piece of education as we like step by step got into more experiences where the the connection between home and kids abroad was increasing every single time and educating parents and kids about the value of disconnecting and letting them have their experience and working through the bumps that come up. Um I I just I I as I listen to the conversation I have to recall that and that really has been a dynamic I thought about and lived a lot. Um, I would also just encourage
131us to one of the things I've seen in schools that have implemented this like so many other things is that there's a large degree of no matter how much we plan out when we start there's a lot we have to figure out as we go as as we like walk into the fog and things become clear and I think we need to anticipate whatever decision is made tonight there will be a significant amount of that and then knowing that we shouldn't necessarily feel that we have to have everything figured out tonight to make a decision to take whatever the next step is. >> Follow up on that. I think that's a really good point. Um that this whatever we decide on, we probably will evolve and change. Um I worked in a school long long
132time ago um when smartphones were pretty brand new. So I'm aging myself here. Um, and we I was did a lot of work creating a cell phone policy and it changed many many times over the course of of the first few years we had it. So, I think that's something that's really important to keep in mind. I was just thinking, you know, since Emily's here, like we're like 6 through 12, I think there's fifth graders who have phones. Like, so what's do do we, you know, do we have to expand this? Like, hi kindergartener, here's your yonder bag. Like, I don't know. I'm just thinking about like to your point, we don't want to make it so strict and be like, "Look, we've outgrown it already." So, >> no, but the ban would apply to
133fifth graders. >> Certainly would. Right. >> Right. And that's one of the reasons maybe we don't. >> All right. We can make an exception just for fifth grade. Fifth grade is the oneth graders totally totally capable of having their cell phones. >> Yeah. I mean, I might uh Sorry. Sorry, Karen. >> What about Max? Yeah, Karen. >> Um, I just wanted to ask and I think you may have just answered this question. it is middle school and high school. I I wasn't quite clear on that. >> Yeah. I mean, I think um a ban would be the district. Um and sort of the uh execution of that that policy would be, you know, in all likelihood those bags for 6 through 12. Um and then we just tell fifth graders to leave your, you know,
134meta glasses at home. >> I have one more thing. Um, my child does not have a phone in sixth grade and will not have one for a few years. And she asked me, "Well, what do I do after school if I my plans change or I want to go to the library?" I said, "We make a plan before I leave you in the morning." And if it changes, there's telephones in the school. And she actually had to use it the other day because one of her clubs got cancelled and I got a phone call at home and it said Freeport Middle School calling and I was like, "Oh dear." Yeah. So I answered it and she said, "Hi, I need to be picked up." I'm like, "Okay, no worries." So >> So it works. >>
135Yeah. Exactly. >> I I would also like to note the the Freeport Library has installed a phone in the hallway that is free for anyone to use. >> Oh, that's good to know, Kelly. >> Yeah, I noticed in the presentation slides that Cara provided with us that other schools have also included smartwatches in their ban. And as someone whose child has texted me from her smartwatch during the day when she should not have been doing so, I would [laughter] highly encourage us to in include smartwatches. Yeah, I think that's uh why the the wording of this is uh cell phones and other personal electronic devices in schools policy. Um and and this is something I think we need to think about too, right? like if they have their own iPad that they use instead of
136their laptop, is that included? Is that not? Um, you know, there's things other than I mean I like I know I have a kid who has a laptop and she has her laptop, but she also has an iPad that she takes her notes on and does it all that way. Like is that just things to think about? Yeah, I I mean I guess I would say I would um I'm happy to keep talking about this because I en enjoy everybody and what they have to say, but I also might say uh might we be at a moment where we could ask Tom uh Tom based on your knowledge of these cell phone policies that you have started to look at because we have a policy committee meeting tomorrow. um what is the information you need
137from the board or we need from the board um in order to um start to figure out uh as you've put it kind of which variation we go with um were we to uh pursue a ban? I mean, just to be completely honest, as I read the room right now, I think the easiest way to do this would be for somebody to make a motion that basically mirrors what's in front of you. Uh to draft, you know, if someone were to make a motion to draft a cell phone and other personal electronics, devices, and schools policy that executes a bell-to-bell ban. And if that motion were made and seconded and voted upon and we see how it goes, that might give pretty clear direction. But but we don't have to do that until next year.
138It's not like required by the state. So let's just wait till next year. Yeah. I'd like to make that motion. Uh >> put down the book consider >> Can we How do I make it? What do we do? you. Yeah, that. So, do I have a motion for cons for [laughter] consideration and approval to instruct the policy committee to draft a uh draft a cell phones and other personal devices, electronic devices in schools policy to execute a bell-to-bell ban in RSU5. >> So, moved. >> Thank you. Do we have a second? Thank you. Okay. I love us all be like, if we were to institute a ban, maybe if we didn't like, but yeah, let's get it on the floor. Um questions, comments? I feel like we need to know is this a bell to
139bell ban? Is >> I said belt to bell bin. >> Okay. Sorry. Yes. And I guess with that, one thing that we learned is that some schools will um uh in a situation where students are leaving school early for a field trip or for a sporting event, are those students allowed to have that on the school bus, have the phones out on a school bus or not? Uh I think that's just something we would want to make sure we have some >> In other words, flesh out what bell to bell means. >> Yes, exactly. Thank you. Um, what was my other thought with that, >> Cara? Also, the tech school. >> What's that? Oh, and at the tech school, right? What's happening at the >> That's an interesting one. Like, how does how does region
14010 play into this? Do they have their own? >> Please allow me. Um, te up for that one, Valerie. >> Yeah. Well, because I have joined the policy committee for our region 10. So, we are currently reviewing the cell phone policy. Um, currently it is just off and away. Um, it does not say anything about duration and it currently uh says both cell phone and smartphones. So, we're currently working on some refinements to change maybe smartphone to smart watches. >> Do people have phones that aren't smart anymore? I don't know. >> I mean, they exist. >> Yeah. >> Unless your kids are the ones that have them, though. >> Yeah. So just I think that is a yeah I think so I think in terms of the policy that we would need to draft I
141think we would need to be looking at we would need to be looking at language that addresses um students during I'm thinking out loud students during academic >> school hour instructional time but not in the build but not in the building or off-site um how so we would need to be drafting language >> you'd have to yeah >> around Um and and also whether that's the same set of consequences or not other things that you've seen Tom in the policies that this question of what gets included smartwatches >> came up here is that um like earbuds um and one thing I I feel fully comfortable sharing is that is entirely possible and one might even argue advisable to include earbuds um because we can easily supply earphones that would be connected to school devices that
142could be used for kids who need to be accessing something on that device for um for instructional purposes. You know, some kids have like um being able to listen to music or whatever for their IEPs, but we can do that from a school device um pretty easily. >> So, if you have earbuds and your phone is in the yonder pouch, what good are the earbuds? I mean, can you tie it to your could you tie it to your your laptop? >> So, why what what what's the downside to having I mean, if you can listen to music because I mean that's one of the things that I have heard um you know that is that is a coping mechanism for some people who don't necessarily want the socialization piece of all the kids in the
143cafeteria like they'll put their earbuds in and listen to music instead. Um, and I guess what's the downside of that? >> That I mean you could take a call. You could be on a phone call with your phone with your phone in a yonder pouch if your earbuds were connected to your phone and your phone was on. >> Like it doesn't it doesn't deactivate your ability [clears throat] to use the phone, right? >> I mean, let's be honest, kids in high school don't answer the phone. [laughter] >> Not once ever. Uh, sorry. It's just my kid. Yeah. >> One of the challenges RSC1 cited was being on earbud watch. So that that by not including that in the in their policy, um that has been a challenging piece >> and and watch for people being
144on the phone. Yeah. I mean, I just I know I have one kid that like that helped him focus in class to have one earbud in um to listen to music and and that would be a challenge for him, but he didn't have an IEP that dictated it. So, I guess maybe you could get one if you needed one. >> Chris, >> as as an iPhone user, like if you had AirPods or something, you can ask Siri to do like anything, >> whether that's read your text, whether that's text somebody, whether that's, >> you know, do an internet search, whether that's that's anything. So, I think that's probably what they're >> what they're worried about. Yeah. >> Yeah. They're worried about in that. >> Okay. >> So, we just have we just have to find
145other ways to support people that may currently be using earbuds in what is probably not an inappropriate use of, you know, listening to music, but we just might have to find another way to support them for that. >> Another question, would there be any medical reason for someone to have a phone? I have a niece who has they're not colear implants but she has some device on >> under her skin >> and she regulates it through her phone whether it's turning up or down. >> There are some and and some like diabetics diabetics Yeah. with pumps. >> Um and we there are pol ways to address that in the policy that'll make exceptions for particular instances. >> So like 504 plans. >> Yes. So, because I'm also on the policy committee, we do have we
146were in our packet given the sample policy from MSMA and it includes different options that people can can consider and it also has a misuse of cell phones and other electronic devices section. So, I feel like that's something we would maybe want some guidance on. Um, and kind of like what I was saying, RSU1 has the first offense, second offense. The the sample policy has something very similar. Um, and refers to the student code of conduct and the the health and safety and emergency management plan in the event of a school emergency and and all of that. So I don't know if this is the type of thing where the policy committee just drafts something and brings it for first read or if we and then you give us your feedback then or if we
147want to go through each of these pieces. My thought would be you guys are very capable and I'd put >> say more [laughter] >> complete trust in your ability to bring forward what you feel is the best um uh policy based on what you know about us and our district and our conversations and the recommendations. Um you know for me what I would like to give you first is you know the the north star which is is there a ban or is there not a ban. So >> you had asked kind of what like defining what a bellto bell would be. Um if I can have a recommendation my recommendation is is pretty much simply a in the school and out of the school recommendation. So, in that sample policy, which I saw too, um
148it talked about bus transport and about how transport to and from school, the kids were allowed those phones. Um and then in theory, transport for field trips or things like that, the kids are also allowed those phones. That's a gray area, which I'm not sure we would like to do or not. Um but bell to bell be meaning from the time the kids enter the school in the morning to the time the kids leave the school in the afternoon. >> Yeah. And and I wonder if that's a distinction that could be made because, you know, in the procedure, right? Because that may be that may be age-based, right? >> You know, high school kids that are going on a 2-hour bus ride for, you know, a cross-country meet or something, they they may want to
149give them access to listen to music or whatever on their phones. You know, kids on a field trip or or younger kids that aren't going so far, probably not as necessary. So it could be, you know, that's one of the reasons I think you try not to make the policy too too concrete and narrow so that you have that space to to tweak it based on the needs of of the kids. >> There wouldn't be anything in the policy to to be able I mean a teacher can at any point right now say you know what everybody phones away. Um, and you know, the fourth grade teacher who's going to the local dairy farm for the afternoon could just say, "Kids, put the if let's hope that not too many fourth graders." >> Gosh, fourth
150grade. >> But just using [snorts] that as an example, >> it's only fifth graders. >> You know, we're not what we're trying to do with this is to actually make it take this out of the teacher's hands so that they don't have to fight the battle. >> Right, >> Valerie? So, I think if it's a field trip that's instructional, I for me that's within the bell-to-bell confines, but if it's a field hockey trip to a different region, they're not going to be pulling their cell phones out on the field generally. So, it's a totally different thing. Like you might see them start whipping out their phones on a field trip and if they're in the back kind of milling about, but it's unlikely if they're committed enough to go on a field hockey trip that
151they're it's unlikely they're going to start pulling their phones out on the sidelines. >> So, it's funny. Um the girls soccer team had a playoff game on Friday and one of the senior captains at the front of the bus had a bag and she's like, "Everybody's phone in the bag." Uh, I mean it wasn't a super long trip, but she's like, "I want everyone focused on what we're doing." And, you know, it was a playoff game. It was a little bit more high stakes and yada yada, but I thought that was very interesting that that was that was driven by by the captains and the coach was like, "Yes, he hates the phones." Yeah. Um, yeah. I think one of the things just procedurally for us, I think I would want to make a step
152for the on the policy side where whatever we drafted before we brought it to the board, we would show it to some uh some body um at the at the high school and the middle school to sort of go like go over it in terms of like where like either what we're missing or where there are pressure points because I [clears throat] think I think yes, The the two major I guess for me the two major spirits of this ban are one all the preponderance of data points to there are no academic benefits to having academic or mental health benefits to having phones in the academic setting and two that it places an undue labor on the teachers to have to on the staff to have to manage it. So, I don't want to create
153anything that accidentally um sets up um additional labor for the um for the staff. So, I think like I would just like that to be built in um to whatever our uh >> Yeah. No, I think that's a great idea. Just like you know when you write a policy that you know includes the impacts the nurses, you run it by the nurses before it comes to us, right? um yeah, the the unintended consequences of like this seems great and then they're like, "No, you hadn't thought about this stuff." >> My question is about um timing and like how feasibly quickly we could actually get through the process of policy writing and and voting. >> So, I'm going to I'm going to That's a great question which we should get an answer to. I'm feeling like
154we're jumping past the vote. Um, I don't think any of these questions would change someone's opinion of the vote, whether it's, you know, what does bell-to bell look like, whether it's when do we start it, how do we pay for it. Um, does anybody have a question or a comment that they want to make before we actually make the vote on the motion and then we can kind of talk logistics. Okay, so we have a motion, we have a second, right, Erica? Okay, great. I didn't write it down, so as long as you did. Perfect. Um, all right. All those in favor. Opposed. Okay. Thank you. Motion passes. All right. Just wanted to get that sort of done so we didn't forget to actually have that vote. Um, because I do think I do think
155that step is an important one. Um, Colin. >> Yeah. I guess just to Steph's question I think the way I've been thinking about it perhaps this is not accurate is that um if the uh if the board has given that mandate which they have given um uh then that also empowers sort of indirectly I guess the superintendent to start developing the timeline on on uh how to implement the bell-to-bell ban with or without the polic policy being in place, >> right? We don't is that accurate? Like so in other words like >> um technically without without a cell phone um policy per se uh you could either on your own initiative or with our direction say we have a bell-to-bell ban and start implementing that um immediately. >> I mean that's basically what we did
156at the high school last year. The high school decided they wanted to change how they were doing it. it was in their handbook that we don't have a policy that says one way or the other they're able to do that, right? Like in theory, we could say tomorrow morning there are no phones in RSU5, >> which we're not doing. We're not recommending anybody does, but logistically, you could, >> right? But I just wanted to bring it I wanted to to make sure we're clear on that because I think I'd want to I would want to decouple our um polic like policy language drafting and review process from the um process that the superintendent and the administration would make in actually moving forward to figure out how to um how to move forward with the board's
157will. >> I would say though that I think they should go in tandem, right? Like I don't think we should necessarily institute the ban before we know what the policy is going to look like cuz we may end up totally back. >> Totally. But yeah. >> Okay. >> What happened? >> I'm just shooting things off my my >> but just just step this very technically. Um we have to have a month between the first and second read. So if we were to be able to draft the policy tomorrow, which we're not going to be able to do, um if we were Sorry, >> don't sell yourself short. Um uh then we would bring that in. I guess >> my my kind of hope is that you know we will we will set to work on
158this tomorrow in the policy meeting. We'll have another policy meeting in December. I would hope that we could have a draft of a policy to bring to the board for January for a first read. Right. And at the same time I will set in motion conversations with the uh the B team the principal group basically about how we would enact that in a procedure and so those two processes can work in tandem >> right but just very technically on that timeline January would be the first read if no one had any thoughts about it and we left it completely alone we would have to then give it a month and then it would be February before we could pass it as policy. So that's sort of the the fastest timeline just from a policy perspective.
159>> So that's why I was bringing up that the the Yonder grant it has to be implemented in January of 26. So I I if if we don't have that capability based on the timeline we talked about, >> right, >> then we don't qualify for that grant through yonder. >> Yeah. I mean, so I guess my question is is this is this a marketing ploy to get you to buy it today? Like if we called December 1st, would it be December 15th we had to make a decision by and implemented by February? Like I don't know. Maybe I'm maybe I'm cynical. >> No, I thought the same thing. I think probably if if we decide to go with Yonder pouches, my guess would be that there would be some sort of deal at whatever point.
160>> Looking at the marketing material from Yonder, that's actually what put me off from them. >> They are very like that in a lot of different ways. M. And so I I I do worry that choosing them we would get stuck in some sort of some sort of system that we couldn't get out of. Um whereas >> we know the magnets work on if we switches. It doesn't work. >> It's cuz this fell off. >> If I could that's the yonder magnet, not the kid. No. >> I mean if I could make a a recommendation just sort of from a global perspective about the products. I I certainly understand there's a price discrepancy in the products and including in the timing. >> Um the amount of money that we're talking about while you know it's
161not insignificant in the global scheme of our overall budget is my personal opinion is that that shouldn't necessarily drive the bus. Um we want to be mindful of it but the it's like anything that you want to buy but you're not ready to buy it. if we're just not ready to buy it, we're not ready to buy it. Um, and so we'll move the process forward as as efficaciously as we can and as thoughtfully as we can and hopefully that coincides with a good deal that comes our way from whatever we decide to buy, if we decide to buy something at all. >> Right. I just wanted to make sure that it was pointed out so people weren't expecting it. >> I appreciate that. >> They said 20 grand. Yeah. >> Well, I'm I'm curious
162if they really wouldn't be flexible with a like a month there. Why would they even care when it's implemented? Once they bought it, why do they care? >> What does implementation mean? >> Cuz corporations care about like they care about people and they care about like the impact of >> Yeah. Well, I know that. That's true. >> I mean, if they knew if implementation includes finalizing a policy, >> I mean, if they knew we're working on this, I'm sorry. Well, and again the we want the policy and procedures to go, you know, in tandem, but we if we know that the direction of the policy is going to be a bell-to-bell ban, it's still might be up to the administrators to come up with the procedure of how they're going to implement that policy. I
163would really like to ask the principles about more about now that we have this direction to dig into the issue of whether or not the devices are what they see as the best solution on the ground for them and we can get some good answers to that in the next month or so and bring that to the policy committee and that can inform how we write a procedure. And I guess another point I would make about procedures, this is just based on my past experience, because the procedure does not take as much deliberation as a policy. We don't necessarily need to be afraid to start with something that's relatively boilerplate and then fine-tune it as we go because the fine-tuning is pretty is easy. >> Which is why you don't put too much in the
164policy because that's a much more um robust process to change. Um, please share what you had to say. >> Danielle. >> So, my only concern is I I I get $35,000, $20,000. Doesn't sound like a lot of money, but I do think it sounds like that's a salary for an edtech. Maybe two edtes. I don't know. And I think fine. Again, I don't want the cell phones in the room in in the classrooms. I don't I I I I'm not for the band for the belltobell. Um, and that's fine, but I think I'm I'm really not supportive of spending money that could go towards getting ad texts or spending money on curriculum that I think we really need to update and spending it on a bag that most likely is not going to be used
165by students and we're not going to be able to track it. the teachers aren't going to be responsible for that and you know the person checking them in. So, I really want us to think about that because I think come April when we're like we don't have the money for a couple edtes, then I think we're in trouble. And and I I think that that it's not fair to say to the public, sorry, you know, again, I see the benefits, but I think we have to be very um mindful of what this costs the public, right? Um, and I just want us to think about that before we jump in to buy a bag. >> I I appreciate that you said that and I just want to make sure that my earlier comments I don't
166want them to be mis misconstrued. Like I'm not saying it's insignificant. I'm I think my overall point is that I don't want us to rush into a decision to save $15,000 if it's not the right decision for us. >> Yeah. Um, Kelly left, but maybe we can check with her. Um, I I, you know, it's not fair to compare things. Um, but I think about how we just spent, you know, $25,000 restriping the track and, you know, items around the which we're investing in our our um infrastructure, which is important because we don't want it to crumble and then it costs more. Um, but I just wonder um made me think that it's over $5,000. Each individual one is less than $5,000. I don't know if it could be considered a capital expense that we
167could use the capital reserve fund for a small piece of it. Um, you know, we had some fair savings on some of the projects that we were working on in the capital, you know, the capital reserve this year in Panel. Um just just a thought um as a way to kind of not dip into what might be a staff position. Um I guess my my counter to that might be that you know a a halftime edtech position um could very well be taken up policing phone usage in our schools, right? um you know it's it's yeah there's no way to know truly what that comparison is but um but yeah it's not nothing it's definitely um there's a cost um and I'm just afraid that a off and away is not going to be enough
168of a deterrent we'll wait for the principles >> yeah I think just a couple things I think one I want to make sure I don't think you would have it lost but I'm just going to say it make sure I don't lose it the education piece I think has to be bundled into it. So I think Tom when you go to the principles I think like that like it's a it's effectively two questions. One is like what how do we institute the ban and the other is how do we create a an educational initiative around that in order to um yeah in order to implement it. Again, not in a way that as I uh was hopefully saying earlier to like try to smooth talk the uh the students into believing our point of view,
169believing our point of view, but rather to like actually engage with the questions, actually engage with the questions of addiction, actually engage the questions of mental health, actually engage with the questions of how these devices are designed uh specifically to manipulate um the human mind in these particular ways. So I think like I just want to be very clear like that's my sense of what we are mandating Tom to do. The other is that I think would be I don't know we um to uh I think Daniel you mentioned this earlier the sort of opportunity to engage with um was it Gorum that has like sort of the way of engaging with the commu community and and community businesses. I wonder whether there's some sort of opportunity here in terms of reaching out to some
170of the community um companies in the community to say hey like again like will you can you work with us to to support and create this kind of initiative not just funding the bags but sort of like create again kind of create some sort of initiative that would um be better serving that I don't know I just think that might be kind of a um it's not a blanket for it but it's uh it's more it's more positive than um not >> and as I'm thinking about that and just sort of implementation and potential timelines and um you mentioned you know addiction I think I think this is going to be a you know I think it is easier to do it at the beginning of the year. I'm not suggesting we wait, but um
171when I think about like oh well when we come back from December break in January, well we are then two weeks before finals for the first semester. I don't think the two weeks before finals is a good time to basically put 90% of our kids through withdrawal um from their phones. Um maybe it's the best time to do it to them. I don't know. But I'm just picturing the chaos that happens in this in this building during those two weeks. um if if we were to do that. But I just um I would just encourage you when you're having those conversations with the principles be like thinking about those types of things like when would be the best time to to tackle this from an implementation standpoint, from a you know from a buyin standpoint,
172from a um you know the sooner the better from a health standpoint, but we also have other things that we have to take into account. >> Yeah, that education piece um to me it's kind of got two pieces to it. there is the sort of the buy in and like educating kids around why this is important and then there's also kind of the digital citizenship piece that I think we probably already have pieces of that maybe scattered throughout our curriculum. Um and I kind of would like at some point I think we may have a place on our u agenda where this might fit to have an update on actually how we're addressing that. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And and I second that third that on the education part because I think we're we're then
173not going to really be preparing them to go off to college when they're not going to have a yonder pouch. Let me just point that out. Um and they have to be able Yeah. And they have to be able to manage that. So we need to do some education with that. And I think you know Jen mentioned doing an assembly. You know assemblies to me are fun times. kids aren't really paying attention to, hey, why are we putting our, you know, phones in a pouch? They're there to kind of celebrate something that's um in their mind positive, which this would not be um I don't think in many of their minds, but how about, you know, bringing it to health class or to their advisory? They meet every day with their advisory. Um I think
174that's a great opportunity to put something in. Um that way all kids are getting it and all grades are getting it. And then a health class, you know, every 10th grader has to take that class. and maybe we come up with a digital, you know, um, stewardship class or something, you know, that that kids >> can take or maybe we require that for them to take as they maybe are a senior or a junior or something like that. Just a thought process to add to our curriculum. >> I can tell you that anecdotally, I was at Mass Landing just this week and I had the real pleasure of going to all the third grade classrooms and while I was >> put their phone away. Well, there was they were having an S seal class and
175um the teacher was very deliberately talking about online dangers during games and predatory behavior during games and lots of kids, these were third graders who had lots to say about it. And so there are already things happening. And I think where I will start with this is to ask our team, what are we already doing and how can we build on that? I um using my own experience and examining my use of my phone and technology, I I think that um and I don't know if this is feasible, but it's an idea that I had. So, I'm sharing of I wonder if there's space to sort of monitor what's happening with students before and after the ban. um and like monitor in like a curious way for themselves because my learning around technology has come
176from like restricting it to for myself and then like seeing how that goes or then re-engaging and seeing how that goes. Um and so that there's I think that the restriction can be used as almost like a learning tool or a curiosity. Um, and I wonder if that might be help a helpful way to feel like we're still listening to students as the policy continues to evolve. Um, that we're actually curious about what it's like for you before and after. Um, just an idea. >> I think we could get Phoebe to help with that because I think the leadership committee does a lot of those questionnaires for the kids, right? So they ask them before and after kind of things like and I think they could easily probably do something like that and I'm sure
177Phoebe would probably love to help us with that. Sorry [snorts] Phoebe, >> we miss you Phoebe. [laughter] >> You're never really gone. Okay, so um so next steps is uh you we have the vote. Thank you for that. Uh the policy committee will begin their drafting tomorrow based on what they know now. Tom will uh uh meet with the the B team around just brainstorming what the implementation looks like, things to think about. The policy committee will run by their draft by those principles that will be mostly impacted. So the middle schools and and the high school to get their feedback. Um, in terms of the method, what I feel like I'm hearing is we really want to hear from that B team. They're, you know, not knowing what the the board's position is on
178the on the ban and our willingness to hear their recommendations for tools they would need to effectively um, execute that. We'll we'll wait to hear from them on that. Is that what we're hearing? Is that what you heard too? >> That is what I heard. >> Okay, great. Care in [clears throat] in a in other years if there's been an expense, let's say $20,000 uh that has not previously been budgeted for, is that something that you've needed board approval for? >> I would it would depend on what it is and where we take the money from, >> where it comes from. >> Okay. So, there is a possibility if you hear from the B team in the next couple of days that they're like, I think we're on board with the Yonder pouches. We'd really
179like to be able to do that. That you could by November 14th without our approval go forward with that. >> I'm sure there's a way we could find that amount of money. I I'd have to talk to Kelly and get into the weeds on that, but I mean, if it were $200,000, then no. But 20 $20,000 we we could find a way. Um, and I would still let you know. >> So that's a good point. So is there anyone who if if the resounding opinion of the of the principles was that was the route they wanted to go, was there is there anyone who feels strongly that we wouldn't want them to do that before we reconvened? [clears throat] >> Okay. All right. So I think I think you have a >> So my marching
180orders as I understand them are I will consult with B team about a procedure that would we would talk about whether or not we feel we need devices like yonder bags or new cases >> or new something. um >> germs. >> Um we will talk about that. We will certainly develop plans for an educational piece and again I want to reiterate I always feel that it's important to be curious about and honor the work that's already happening. So I'm going to start with really sussing that out and then finding where we should build upon that. Um and the timing that would be optimal. Um, I've heard that we should look into trying to find support for community businesses from community businesses to um help us either financially or with education or just in general. Um,
181we should try to figure out how we can build into the board's work plan for the remainder of the year some um report back to you about how we are educating kids about devices and the dangers and the the pitfalls and how we could build upon that. And then I heard Steph's point about finding a way to monitor or assess like pre and post. Um, and I'm I had not thought of that, but I think personally that's a great point and I'm curious about I also wonder if there's any data in that from the the um the main youth health survey. >> Anyway, I I will I'll we'll dig into this. >> That'll be an interesting one after once all these bands go into place. >> Valerie, >> I'm very sorry to bring this up
182now because I feel like you just put a bow on it and I'm about to tug. Um, another thing that they said in RSU1 is that they sort of unofficially instituted a staff policy of also having the bell to bell >> ban >> uh as a modeling device um and allowing students to report their teachers >> as uh accountability partners. >> So um just maybe put out some feelers on that. I kind of like that. I mean, you could have one of these in like the the teacher lounge, right? Like they don't have to physically leave the building to access, but you know, during their >> Okay. All right. Good for the goose, good for the gander. Is that what I'm hearing? Okay. >> We do have a policy in place for staff, but it's
183not a spell. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Right. They do have a policy around cell phone. Tom, I don't think this is a change to your marching orders, but I just want to reiterate my point of like using that pre and post as a way of like continuing to listen to students and that we're that we're listening. So >> Yeah. just on that and this I mean this is I guess it's the English teacher in me but like not uh perhaps it's a it's a more of a STEM data gathering exercise but I was thinking of it also more narratively like thinking of it in terms of like is there a way for the um uh is there is there is there a class for example for the um freshmen where they could be doing like
184a writing assignment about that that would again be be using be using that soort again sort of integrating it into um to again my assumption is there are we probably are have some uh learning goals around um uh organization of ideas argument right it's sort of like it's sort of building that kind of uh structure in there again I think that would be again I think that [snorts] uh that feels better also just as a as a um as a pedagog logical sort of approach to that. So Steph, thank you for raising that. That's great. >> Okay. Can I cross out number 12? Not that it's never going to come back. It will be back, but Collins impatience is at least somewhat satiated at this point. Okay. Uh we do not have any new business
185on the agenda. Uh but we do um have uh organizational business. At the next board meeting, we will be talking about um committees because we have um Mora has left the board and Karen has joined the board. So we'll look at committee assignments. Uh but in the meantime, Mora was also the vice chair of the board, which we would like to get um we would like to get that spot uh taken care of tonight if um I love when we wait until Well, it's only 9:00. It's not bad for these things. Um so, do we have anyone any nominations or anyone interested in vice chair? Uh Jenny was kind enough to put the the policy around um duties of the chair and the vice chair. [snorts] Nobody's like making eye contact. All right, Karen, you're
186in. No. [laughter] I'm like, how about me? >> I mean, we did put Kelly next to me, so we we didn't want to put poor Karen right here at the front in Mara's spot. So, >> I appreciate that. [clears throat] >> Are you willing to do it? >> Okay, I'll nominate Kelly and you can second. Any other nominations? All right. Then do I have a motion for consideration and approval to appoint Kelly Sink as the vice chair for the RSU5 board of directors to take effect immediately? Thank you, Colin and Valerie. All those in favor? None opposed. Congratulations. >> Thank you. You're welcome. All right. Um, personnel, we don't have any. As usual, we've driven the public away. Um, and, uh, I would take a motion to adjurnn. Kelly and Cara. All those in favor?
187Great. Thank you guys.