2025-10-22 RSU 5 Board Meeting

001Good evening. Welcome to the RSC 5 board director's meeting. Today is Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025 and we are in the elementary school cafeteria. Uh we have almost everyone on the board tonight with the exception of Michelle. I'll be for her this evening. She's unable to join us and join us. So get started to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands nationy andice for all. Motion for consideration approval of the minutes of the October 8, 2025 meeting as presented by any. Thank you. All those in favor adjustments to the agenda. and good news and recognition from Moon, the board student representative. >> Um hello everyone. Um to start off I guess um tomorrow we have the PSATs for all juniors. So that's a big thing that's going to happen tomorrow. Um

002another thing was that last week students um created pumpkins um and sent them over to Loban for the pumpkin fest and that was for in support of camp sunshine. So that was really fun to do and everyone was having really fun doing that. And then for the past couple of weeks, um, Freeport High School has been taking a stand against bullying, so we all wore orange and we've also been making posters to support those who are being bullied. So um there's going on November 2nd there will be a Freeport ski swap from um 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. So that'll be a huge fundraiser for the Alpine and Nordics team. So I definitely recommend it. Um and then for um region 10 is also going to be hosting a multilingual open house on November 5th.

003So if anyone's interested in that, definitely please go. And then um Freeport is also going to be doing an annual makers fair on November 21st just for I guess for students to see all the arts and crafts and um anything really cool that they want to buy. And then lastly um me and Maria um Abarco are going to be the new school board reps. >> Wonderful. We'll we'll look forward to uh welcoming our new rep. Um and thank you so much, Moon. I do have a question. Is the Makers Fair open to the public or is it just for students? >> Um I don't believe so. >> Sounds fun. Sorry to miss out on that. Okay, great. Um all right, public comment. I don't see anyone that might want to make a public comment, but

004there is an another opportunity at the end. Uh reports from the superintendent. >> Well, good evening everybody. Uh hope everybody's been enjoying fall here in Maine and finally some rain which is really nice for all of us and much needed. Um I'd like to start tonight again for thanking you for your support. It has been evident as we've navigated some challenging situations the past week and it's it's greatly appreciated. I want to talk tonight about the budget process and give you an update on some of the steps that I've been taking. Um, as you know, one of the initiatives that I brought about this year is to try to very purposefully and meaningfully incorporate the staff perspective. So, we've had listening sessions that have taken place in each of the schools that were voluntary. Those

005were very well attended and I not only gave me a chance to hear directly from staff, but it gave sta the cha staff a chance to hear directly from me. Um and then I have followed those up just last week with an individual staff survey um for those folks who couldn't attend the meetings but who also might have wanted a different format to which through which to express their views. For both the listening sessions and the survey, I focused on the same four questions. And the questions are what's working well that we need to maintain, what challenges do we face, where are our opportunities for growth, and where could we find efficiencies? And I kept the questions really broad and got a really good range of feedback that way. Um, when all that feedback comes

006in, my intention is to make the results publicly available to the staff and the board. And I'll probably also unapologetically use AI to do a redux of that feedback so that the themes emerge. And my hope is that using AI will actually keep my voice and my bias out of it so that it is true to what the staff actually thinks. Um, I am really seeing those opportunities as very thoughtful conversations. I don't know where it leads. I don't know how it ends up informing the final budget, but I always believe that in situations like this, the process is the product and it's how we become a community. So, however that perspective ends up informing the budget that I proposed to the board and the way that the board accepts or modifies that budget, I

007hope it will be meaningful and transparent. Um, strategic planning. So, the strategic planning work continues with great schools partnership. We have been focusing on the part called the vision of a learner which is the backwards planning point from which the actual strategic plan is made. Um and that basically means the skills and qualities that a person who graduates from our system would have. Um there have been public listening sessions, there have been surveys from multiple stakeholders across the district and at this point we're about ready to turn that into something concrete, an actual plan. So that's the next big step and we'll be launching into that over the next few months. Um the early childhood transition task force. So my hope at the last meeting was to really lay out the challenge that we face

008with the responsibility of assuming um special education services for three to 5 year olds. Um I did put out a letter to the community and the staff asking for stakeholders to be part of an early childhood transition task force and those um folks have volunteered and just yesterday I sent out an email for all the folks who were chosen. I'm really grateful that we have a wide range of people to be part of that task force. Um the first meeting is set for next week uh Wednesday, October 29th. It will be at more street school and although I haven't developed the agenda for that meeting yet, um my intention for this task force is for it really to be a place where organically a number of stakeholders look at the challenge and then survey the

009landscape which means here's what we're charged to do. Here are the strengths that we have. here are the needs that we have and then hopefully to present to the board multiple options to get there. Um that is the hope that by January this task force can accomplish. So at the first meeting um even though I haven't done the agenda I can tell you roughly we will look at the state mandate and really wrap our minds around that because that in itself is a lot to understand. We'll take an inventory of the resources that we currently have to the best of our ability. that includes not just resources in the school system but in the community with local child care providers and then we'll try to start identifying priorities for the next steps and I'm confident

010that you know again I don't know what that can that group will come up with but it will be a menu of options that is informed by multiple points of view which I always consider valuable. Um the last topic I wanted to talk about tonight is school safety. And um we all know that within the past week we have had some very interesting and unfortunate situations come up in the realm of school safety. Um I just want the board to know that in situations like that we safety truly is our highest priority. We consult with law enforcement. We take their advice. I really want to give a a tremendous vote of confidence and thanks to Pam Crosby who really has navigated a very very intricate challenging situation that has required delicacy and sensitivity. And our

011intention is to keep everyone safe not only physically but emotionally and that means treating the people folks who are directly involved with dignity. Um, so please just know that those are our priorities and we are very very diligent about them and I want to thank you for your ongoing guidance and support and I very much appreciate the way that this board engages with complex issues. >> Thank you Tom. Appreciate all of those efforts and the updates. Anyone have questions for Tom on any of that? >> Okay, resignations. >> Yes, we have a resignation. Gloria Sulttz who is the Mor Street School kitchen manager. >> Support staff hires. >> We have two. Meredith Brent has been hired as an edtech at More Street School and Jenny Bakewell has been hired as an edtech at More Street

012School. >> Wonderful. Administrator reports. Uh finance with Kelly Wentworth. >> Good evening. Included in your packet um tonight were the expenditures through September 30, 2025. Um I do not uh see any issues with um where we're at right now in in the funding process um as you know, we've we've had a few challenges. One one you will consider tonight um with the movement of the capital projects funding money that we typically have available within the facilities article. um we had shifted that out to reserve this year. Um and we shifted the life safety items into um the budget in its place and so that presents a little bit of a challenge because we have to come to you um when we need uh to expend out of reserve. So, um we will have an article

013a little later on um for consideration for the board to spend out of reserves for the um Durm Community School automation building automation system um which software is failing and uh is no longer supported by the manufacturer. So, um we are going to uh propose to accelerate the project um to get it done now um versus um leaving it in phase two of the energy audit which is where it was actually living. Um the other thing I wanted to report is um I have spent three glorious days so far this week um with the auditor um in the office. Um we are reviewing the FY25 financials. Um I'm glad to report right now we don't we have not come across any issues. Um but that will continue um at least through the end of the

014week and probably some of next week as well. And then um they'll go back to their um office and complete the audit. Um, and we're hoping to have it done on time. Um, but we'll see how that works out. >> Sounds great. Thank you, Kelly. Questions for Kelly? >> Okay. Oh, sorry. Cara, >> can you remind us how often these audits happen and are they random or is this an annual? >> No. So, we are required by statute to actually have an annual audit and we actually um have to have it submitted to the Department of Education annually. Um, typically the deadline is December 31st. Um, but if anybody has been out in the finance world, we know that the um, auditor pool is shrinking. Um, and therefore, um, I would be surprised if anyone

015has gotten their audit in on time in the last couple of years. Um, not to do with the fact of the school itself. Um, but just for the lack of availability of staffing at the auditing firms. So, it's taking longer. >> Thank you, Kelly. >> Update from Panel Elementary School and go review with Holly Johnson. Good evening. Um, it's great to be here. Um, and it's raining, so it's nice not to be home on an evening where there's fun things outside. It's wet. So, um I um I know you both got um the re review of the goals from last year and um the new goals for this school year. Um I'm going to start by celebrating um that the school year has started really strong. Um and of course the playground equipment has been

016um an excitement. Uh uh it took a couple weeks, but um now students are kind of used to the equipment. You would think it would been there for a long time and they know which pieces they like. It's not like everyone wants to be on one piece. Um, we did spend time um the first couple days reviewing the equipment so everybody knew how to use them because there were certainly some new pieces that the children um had not experienced. Um and the three new pieces um were added um you know just before the start of school. It went um seamlessly and then um the new swings were ordered um and they're due to arrive in the next couple weeks. So um there'll be some more things for the students to um enjoy. So, um, thank

017you again for the board's support of that. And, um, you know, I've been talking a bit about the science that we've been adding, um, not only at Powell, but in different, um, classrooms across the district for grades three through five. Um, it's a an exciting time. The teachers are enjoying the teaching and the students are enjoying the learning. Um, I want to thank Chris. um he was able to um come visit a couple weeks ago and I'm going to have an open invitation for others that would like to come and um see some of it in action. And I've got a little apology um signing up for the opportunities for the board was a little shaky. We um uh Jen Winkler wanted to host in fifth grade, but some of the major things she needed

018for the science um experiment actually just arrived Friday. So um she is now continuing with her unit work. Um and again if anyone would like to come and see some of the other grades or other units um you can reach out and um it's just exciting to see the kids excited about um the type of learning um that is going on during that science work. Um and then reflections from last year's goals. Um as I shared in um the document um I think we were able to complete everything as far as some of the different action items that um we had laid out um for the first goal on chronic absenteeism. Uh our uh we went from 4.94 in 2324 to down to 1.9%. Um, I did a lot of communication with families, um, and

019shared the message that it's important to be at school. Um, got some great feedback from families that realized, oh, they really do need to be here, so we'll make a different arrangement for an appointment or not take as long of a trip. So, it really um it made an impact on students showing up on a regular basis. Um, and that's that's great. We're going to continue this year um, and continue messaging. and I haven't sent out anything yet and I will be shortly. Um and the other aspect of that is not only attending every day but every full day. Um the impact of arriving tardy or being dismissed early also makes an impact on learning. Um so I'll be sharing some information about that as well. Um, one of the action steps for the um,

020attendance was um, teachers reached out more than they had in the past as the student was absent to families to do that first touch base. We always do this um, the the safety calls from the main office, but um, teachers were reaching out with like a um, how you doing? We missed you. Um, we want to see you um, let me know what we can do to help. So that that also impacted which was um a great um addin. Um the care team continues to meet this year um on a every week to talk about students um not only health but the attendance um and that was another positive impact um on attendance. Um another part to um students uh thriving in school was our work with social emotional learning. Um we continue to be

021strong with responsive classroom. Last year we um really emphasized CARES which are the is kind of the SEAL um uh parts to um responsive classroom. students now know those terms. Um we can use them um freely um across the school day, the adults with the students and they understand what we're talking about and we can make it um like a real we can say you showed um cooperation by even in pre-k that vocabulary is there which is wonderful. And um uh we also introduced some um aspects of regulated classroom with teachers and we're continuing with that this year in the area of goal two for um accelerated overall academic growth. Um you'll see that um achievement it um for K2 as measured by the benchmark assessment um showed a little bit of shift um pretty

022much similar to the year before. Um I'm keep emphasizing that um for the past this will be year now three that we've really emphasized the foundational skills in K1 and two and it continues to show in our data that it's making a shift both in literacy and math and then our main throughear assessments um continue to be strong as well. uh teachers worked hard in PLC work last year looking um closely at data but also looking at practices to support um students at um whether it's in tier one or um tier 2 and really looking at um ways to focus on those foundational skills. K2 focused a lot last year on math. They're continuing to focus on math this year. and uh three, four and five are working last year a lot on writing and

023this year they're shifting to some reading work in their PLC's questions. Okay. Um so last year's goals really did build a foundation for um this year. Um many of the um I didn't really make a big shift in the goals. Um just some of the action steps are slightly different. Um one of the um additional things that we're going to be doing this year is um focusing on um more parent involvement. Um an example of that um is educating families about um our house. um we're putting an emphasis on them this year um and kind of integrating them slightly with CARES. Um so during our first um parent teacher conferences which were actually last week um that was the basis of their conferences um and we had students reflect and report out to families about

024where they were in their house. teachers were able to show um some examples of that and students were actually setting goals um on what they want to work on um because the trimester doesn't end till December. So that's an example of really educating families exactly what we're talking about, what it looks like. Um and so when they get that report card, it doesn't spell out exactly what does preparedness mean um at fifth grade, third grade, kindergarten, but um we have documentation that we've been sharing and using with families and students um around that and it's um already showing a good um shift. Um, another example of that is, um, we have always done, um, since I've been here and we were a title one school, we did, um, a family breakfast where we brought families

025in and, um, students were able to share some of their work and we would talk about what we're doing um, for services in reading and math. This year, we want to expand that to all families. So, um, later in November, we're going to have a family literacy breakfast. Um it will take place during the regular breakfast time. The gym will be set up very different than it typically is for breakfast. Um we'll serve light refreshments, breakfast for families, and students can interact with students and we'll have some stations out where um there'll be some adults leading those but also teach uh students will be showing this is what I'm doing when I'm uh decoding a word or this is how I use this tool. This is what it looks like when I'm reading in my

026book. Um talking about comprehension. Um so different just sharing with families what we're doing um within the school day to support literacy and then ways they can help at home. And the science work continues. Um I know uh we'll continue with the two units that we've already been implementing in three four and five. Um and Jen Winkler is going to add a third open sed unit this year um because she just loves the work and she sees the impact it's doing on student learning. So, any questions? Yes. Sorry, Kelly. >> Yes. I was looking at your number sense screener >> for 25 and the three through five was um 40% meeting the end of year benchmark. I was wondering if you could just expand a little bit about some of the reasons you think that

027might have happened and what you're doing to address it. >> Yeah. Um it's a fairly new assessment for not only the school but the district. So we're learning about it. Um the it's implemented in the fall, the winter, and the spring. The winter and the spring the students do um some written responses. In the fall it's just a interview. So there isn't a written component. So it usually looks very different in the fall to the winter and then to the winter to the spring. Um some of what we're seeing um and we've really looked closely at K2 around it. Um that the way that students are presented with um how they're asked to show some of their thinking is very different than what they see in the classroom. So we're helping um we're working with

028teachers to support students to like make that connection to what's being presented and how they need to show their thinking and work. Um so we're doing more of that. Um I just met with K2 teachers for our PLC this week and we brought in some student work that we had given them um around some story problems and we're analyzing them. Um and then going to be able to support um students in knowing what's the expectation when I need to show my response, show my thinking. Um and we'll bring bringing the same kind of work into three, four, and five because we've seen that the written response part of it. So in the the winter and the fall in the spring both have an uh interview, but then they have the written part. And we're just

029want to make sure that students know what's being asked of them and can perform that. um on the NWA they're not asked to really show their show their work. So they need to show their answer. So many times the students can actually get an answer but if they're not showing their work um then it they don't get full credit. So it's a it's a really um so we want to make sure that they understand what the expectation is and support them in doing that on a regular basis. >> Other questions for Holly? Thank you so much, Holly. It was great to hear about the um the goals for um for next year. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. And the achievement on um absenteeism. That's that's great. >> Update from Freeport Middle School and goal review

030with Pam Crosby. >> All right, I just got to set something up here really quick. Just bear with me. Andrew, thank you for the lesson earlier on this. And I think I have to push this button. >> That's all right. >> So, wow. Here we are. Um, I just I want to thank you again um for the opportunity to share our goals. I know and I stood before you folks this summer. I thank you for the opportunity. Um it was a little bit of an interesting board meeting, but I really want to stand here today and really really thank you. Um I felt a heart full of help and pride. I have found a new home aside from my home. I've met great children. I've met great family. I have a great team. And I'm

031just really really loving my on boarding school. So, this thank you is like really from the bottom of my heart and I just want to give a shout out to the staff. Um, it's it's been really really great. So, uh, I've had an opportunity for my daughters to come visit school and they're like, "Mom, this is this is great." So, I think that's really important. So, goal reflections. I'm going to get to this in a second, but I'm going to just kind of snapshot last year. It's a little tricky for me because I wasn't there last year, but I've got some data to show. Um, and I know you guys have that in front of you. So last year the goal for attendance was 14% to get under 14% and that was based on the

03223 24 baseline data which was 17.92. So that's kind of high. There was improvement when I reflected back last year um on the 2425 to 16.27. I'm going to aim even bigger which I'm going to talk about in a second and we are going we are we are full force into it. So, I've spent some time talking and connecting with uh teams, team members, and the support that was implemented last year. We've reflected on things that were in place last year, areas of improvement, and we are hitting the ground running and completely actively engaged. Um, and I'm going to talk about that a little bit when we get to this year's goals. The second goal last year was challenging students with clearly defined, rigorous expectations to support enriched experiences for all. So, again, learning curve

033for me. So, and meeting with grade levels and leadership team and all of that good stuff. It sounds like last year, I'll keep hitting that. There were some vertical meetings and a lot of consultation work with logos across the content areas, which we're going to continue that work with logos this year, but we're going to craft that a little bit differently. Um, but as we begin to j as we continue this journey into the school year, I've been doing a lot of listening. I've been doing a lot of observing and most of all connecting. Uh so through this I'd like to take the opportunity and really kind of move from last year and really focus on this year. Um and kind of tell you guys where we're going with this. Um I had a great

034visit with the board the other day. I hope that you could see that I'm really genuine and true about climate and culture. School should be a place that students want to come. Um it shouldn't be I got to go to school. They should want to have a hook. They want to be engaged. They want to be there. Same thing for the team. We want it to be a happy, welcoming place. So that's super super important for me and I feel like Freeport has that and we're going to continue to foster that and we're going to continue to bring fresh ideas that I can bring to continue that climate and culture, student engagement and get kids just truly excited and hooked into uh their education while they're with us from grades 6 through 8. So here's

035the thing. I know this is kind of small. I apologize for this. One of the things we're doing is we're shifting conferences. We're going to give it a whirl to studentled conferences this year um in November. So, what I've done is I've actually kind of modeled for you what it's going to look like for students when they kind of talk through um their portfolios when parents come in. It's really going to be student centered. It's supposed to be really positive experience looking at goals and showing artifacts across their content areas. So, we have and that should say it does say 12%. Okay. Phew. Um we're going to reduce chronic absenteeism by 12%. Mr. Greg, I'll help you with this. We're aiming high for this, but we we want kids at school, right? We understand their

036circumstances. There's medical situations, there's family circumstances, there's personal circumstances, but we want to just make sure that kids when they can, they want to get to school. Our second goal is going to create a schoolwide focus on setting clear expectations that challenge every student and support their success. So, when students are doing their parentled conferences, their tabs up above with the cursors will say math, science, ELA. I've just kind of generated it to go over the goals. So, our first goal is we're going to talk about attendance and I apologize it's really small but it reflects the the paper I gave you folks. So, the difference between chronic absenteeism and truent absenteeism I just wanted to be clear is chronic is excused and unexcused and truent is those unexcused kiddos. So, some things that we've

037done um this year reflecting on last year is proactive communication with families. We have a super big team approach our SAT team it's trickling into advisories. it's trickling into um other support staff and really making the kids feel like we want you here. Hey, it's really great to see you today. Um keep up the good work. Connections through advisories and that's a piece of the student led conferences. Those are going to be hosted through advisories. Communication from all staff. Um that's an email, phone calls, letters. Those could just be positive shoutouts. That could be a student being out, hey, we really miss miss you in class. Looking forward to seeing you. Right here, I've done an example of a return to school form. I'm going to talk about that in a second, but that kind

038of represents how students are going to place an artifact of their work into the portfolio. So, any student that is absent for three consecutive days or more, we have a support staff and we're going to help the kids with this form. Hey, how can we acclimate you back to school? That's going to be easier for some kids, a little bit more challenging for others. So, just a way for them, I missed stuff so they're not overwhelmed and how can we support their return? more student celebrations. I think it's important not just to recognize student academic success. I think it's important to acknowledge when a kid does a club um when a kind deed. So more of those celebrations kind of I got you being good. I think that's a super important piece of celebrating kids.

039Our goals to support attendance is to continue to strengthen the climate and culture at FMS offering a well-rounded student approach. So certainly right the academics are important but that social emot emotional piece and keeping them engaged. So student centered learning. So this is kind of our second goal here. Schoolwide focus on clear expectations that challenge every student to support their success. So certainly we have students of a wide range of academic abilities. We want to challenge the kids that are here. We want to challenge the kids that are here. We want to challenge the kids that really kind of need those extra supports. So, what have we done? We've had department meetings. We've had leadership team meetings, grade level meetings, MTSS time in collaboration with our instructional strategist, which I want to give her a

040shout out. She has been excellent creating data walls. So, we're able to really zone in on kids and how do we help them again get from here, the middle here, and from the lower end here. So, that's super important. We're continuing to collect feedback, reflecting, making revisions. This is done through surveys, shared ongoing notes, data walls to support student growth, and we're looking at creating some interdicciplinary stu um opportunities for students to showcase. So, here it shows um some of our academic achievement. It reflects last year and it reflects this year. And as you can see, Freeport Middle School is really knocking it out of the park. You look at the data from last year and you compare the data from this year, math and reading, we're over the 50th percentile. We're we're in the

04170th. I share this because this data is super important. If you look at the green and blue, we can't just, oh, these guys are doing great. Oh, they're doing great, but how can we get them from great to continue that growth? And the same thing goes from the kids in the yellow, the orange, and the red. So, it's looking at the whole student, the kids that really need that challenge, the kids that really need that support. And I think that's really an important lens to keep on student engagement. Uh we are I I'll tell you and I know the board saw this the other day. I am so pleased walking in the hallways of Freeport Middle School and seeing the teachers not sitting behind their desks. They are actively engaged with these kids which is

042awesome. I walk the halls multiple times a day. them in the classroom and the teachers are providing experiences for kids and I think that's really really important. Um I've highlighted some kids here in science classes. I've highlighted a picture here. Our eighth graders did a pretty cool adventure with the kids last year uh last week because the Acadia trip unfortunately got got cancelled. And we're just looking at more and more opportunities to get the kids outside of school and making that learning real and making that learning relevant. I apologize board. I could not help myself but add this. Um, so teamwork, right? It's not just about the student. Well, of course it's about the student. It's a team. It's your it's your students. It's your staff. It's your families. It's your community. It's a super

043important teamwork opportunity uh to communicate and to provide these opportunities for our kids to succeed. Me being new to Freeport, um I have quite a background in education. and I I've done it for a long time. I am so passionate about that climate and culture. Like I said, I I want the kids when they come in the morning to be excited to be here. I'm actually reading um a book that the seventh graders are interested in during BCS. And in the book, it talks about how middle school kids um it's called House Rest. Think about school as just a mountain they got to get through. We don't want it to be an a place where I just got to get through it. We want them to come. We want them to explore. We want to

044adventure. and we want them to have memorable experiences. That's what I I'm I'm hoping and very passionate to bring to Freeport. I've learned um that I have a great team of teachers to work with and like I mentioned, the kids are just they bring me so much joy. They're so pleasant, they're so happy, they're so kind and I'm just really looking forward to this school year and creating a foundation where um I've become part of them. questions for me. >> Thank you, Pam. Um, I have a question. I'm not familiar with the acronym Logos. What could you just >> It's our literacy consultant. Um, yeah. So, I've actually uh worked with her in other districts as well. Um, really a wealth of knowledge in the Lucy Caukins curriculum. I know that name's changed a lot.

045Last year, she came in and she worked with uh a bunch of different content areas on how, for example, in science. So, science, a lot of hands-on, um, but they do reading and how to make that come alive and become real. So, she's come in once, uh, this year. She's coming in November 4th again, and we're really utilizing her skill set to give us some resources and continue consultation work with her. >> Great. Thank you, Anna. >> Thank you, Pam. Um, it was really fun to be at the middle school the other day and I I definitely got the sense of the joyful learning that was happening. Um, I was wondering, we talked so much last year about budget cuts at the middle school level and um, could you walk us through I believe we

046kept a full-time science teacher and a 0.5 position and a 0.25 25 position. And I was just wondering if that I don't know if you know since you came this year, but like if those staff positions stayed the same or did you change them for the needs or what happened with that? >> Sure. So, I've heard a lot about last year. Um, and uh we did fill that science position. Um, we have an awesome uh seasoned teacher doing a great job. Uh, we did fill the 0.5 position. I still have a 0.25 position out there right now. So, Other excuse me uh other questions for Pam. >> I do want to just pass out these awesome pamphlets we made just kind of highlighting some things the kids did this year. Everyone has media permission. >>

047Thank you so much Pam for all the updates. Sounds like there's some fantastic stuff ahead. U multilingual learners update with Erica Mateo. >> Good evening everyone. Erica Mato, assistant superintendent. Um I have some of my colleagues. Well, I I suppose yes, you'll be here for a bit. Yeah, I have um some of my colleagues here with me who are able to answer uh questions as we get into um the Q&A part of the presentation. So, I had shared with you that I would love to offer an update. I don't have a slide deck for this part. We'll talk about we'll go through some slides with the multilingual um sorry with the Lao plan presentation later um in the meeting. Um so offering some updates on our work for multilingual learners in this district. Um we

048I I was um introduced to a team a lovely team of multilingual staff here in RSU5 by Superintendent Scarappa last spring. So we have been working throughout the summer and into the leadup to this year um to get ready um to sort of relaunch our work. Um Lynn uh Shea cannot be with us tonight, but Lana O'Shea is still here. She needs to leave to attend to a child in a little bit. And then we've got Jill Highland as well. Um I know you know familiar faces faces and they can introduce themselves and their their specific work when they um when they do come up either now or in the um in the Lao portion. Um so again, we've been meeting since June. Uh we lifted a lot of work over the summer to uh

049restart the year in a way that attended to all of our hopes and dreams for both meeting the um the expectations for multilingual learners through state guidance and what we knew we could do with the staff and the resources that we had. We had some leftover grant money from a multilingual grant to um supply some materials as well. So our team has regular meetings, maybe more regular than they would like, but they meet with me a lot. We meet together. Um so that has been um I think a really nice shift. Um we worked together to craft the Lao plan, which we'll talk about later. So um we've been involved um in that work and it was definitely initiated um last year in terms of knowing we needed to lean into that. Um we have

050furthered our clarity as to what are actually our service requirements per the main DOE guidance. So the DOE has offered us guidance on what does it look like to serve students at different levels of need. Um so we have clarity uh more clarity in that work. Um clarity with regard to the home language survey that we use when we do registration. So um what does some of the answers indicate and what do we need to do in response? We have a lot of clarity around that. Um we were already doing that work but um some fine-tuning. Um we have um we've initiated uh some new translation and interpretation services um for multiple purposes. So universally now we have available across the district an app called reach my teach which is used in many main districts

051and has gone kind of national. Um it's fabulous. I I'll leave it to others to share maybe how they feel about it from a user interface, but it is intended to be very um intuitive and um the contents of the email or it can come through as a text message if the parent has opted for the preference of text um are all translated including attachments which is fantastic. So those general attachments that we're sending out um just you know this is what we're doing in class or um some of the um everyday kinds of things are addressed through reach my teach. We can also utilize reach my teach. We've added an extension for um an an extension piece of reach my teach called lexicet that calls in a live interpreter in minutes notice. um it'll

052take a maximum of I would say 10 minutes to get somebody on the line for live interpretation. So if a parent is in our sort of ecosystem of they're in powers school, they're in the student information system, then they're automatically in reach my teach. So we're able to support our families really really um fluidly through that resource. It also means that if like a a LCSSW, a social worker in the school or a school counselor or a principal or you know a secretary at the front desk, they're also able to engage those resources with just a couple of clicks, which is really great, I think. um for um resources that are being shared with parents or documents that are being shared with parents that may be legally binding such as like a field trip permission

053slip or IEP documentation. We have a different layer of um of certified translation and we're using an application called Moword which is used by government entities as well. Um so we've just started using that one. Uh we'll be using that for printed report cards as well um which we still do at the elementary schools. And we've also incorporated a resource called language line which is which is live interpretation services again but for people who might exist not yet in our student information system. So, if a parent approaches for registration or if a member of the public approaches with a question or a parent appears that isn't in P school yet for some reason, being able to communicate with folks, including our own staff members, um we may utilize this resource language line. So, all of

054our first points of contact have these index cards that show how to navigate that. And again, an interpreter will be on the line in minutes. So if we have somebody buzz trying to buzz into the building and explain why they're there, for example, we can engage um an interpreter. Um the team also uh so Lynn, Lana, and Shay also participated uh took took a lot of their own time to participate in a sort of nationally certified training called SCOP training. Um, SCUP is an acronym that kind of lost its full lang full like word explanation, but it actually stands for um sheltered instruction observation protocol, which doesn't explain much. Um but it it is intended um to for to support general education teachers in the delivery of general education content considering language acquisition needs of

055students in the general education setting. So to um to leverage language access strategies to ensure that the student has the opportunity to to demonstrate their mastery in the regular education setting. It's also utilized in the multilingual setting but um critical in in the general education setting. Um and lastly, we have um we've purchased a resource uh from National Geographic that offers a continuum of printed resources and consumable resources. So those are now offered onetoone for all of our identified multilingual learners and they are um assigned to learners at a at their developmental stage and as learners move along the continuum the progression of language mastery then they are offered um the next step in that resource. So, um there are really two primary options on the market for this type of resource and um this

056is the one that people tend to like better. So, um we're very lucky to have learned from the experience of others and be able to put a really high quality researchbased peer-reviewed resource in front of our multilingual learners for their um specific targeted multilingual language acquisition time with their teachers. So, a little bit has happened since June. Um, and uh, the team I I think it's fair to say we're quite proud of our work and um, I think all of us would be happy to answer any questions that you have and we'll speak to the allow specifically later in the meeting. Any questions for Erica or the team? Valerie? So my question is kind of related to our cell phone pending cell phone policy as well. Do we have any idea the support of our

057multilingual folks getting a hold of their children if they don't have a lot of English-based communication as adults? Do we have any support for that? I'm just making sure that we're not creating a barrier with our policy. So front office staff um have access to all of these resources and any child and family member who are rostered in reach my teach which is anybody who's rostered in power school they can all leverage the Lexa key resource or the the text or email based or both um option of text through reach my teach. >> I'm Jill Highland. I'm the teacher at high school and I know that all of my parents have I have regular contact with all of my parents through reach my teach. It is an app that's also used so that they don't

058have I'm so loud um so that they don't um have to have any charges because it will go through WhatsApp and so that's a really good thing about reach my teach is that I've had a lot of success with it over the years because it does not incur any fees so it shouldn't be a barrier. >> Okay. Thank you. Yeah, >> Kelly. >> Yeah, we had a lot of discussion in the budget last season about um the level of staffing to support our multilingual learners and I'm I'm curious to get an update about how you feel that's going this year. Do you feel like we have a good level of staffing for the amount of of MLL students that we have and how how do they how do they feel like they're supported? So I

059can say we exceed the minimum service requirement. Um so the learners are um on a continuum of uh one to three sessions per English class equivalent. Is that about right with our service structure? Our service, our structured hours is based on language level and proficiency. >> And so you can always do with less. >> Are we overstaffed? >> I would say no. We have five buildings that we service with three teachers. Um, we fought hard for this position last year and I would say that there is not a moment of my day, Lana's day or um, Lynn's day that is spent dillydallying you could say. Um, are we over the service? Like that's we Yeah, >> we we exceed the minimum requirements. So the the DOE gives us guidance as to, for example, if a

060child is a is a level three, they're going to need two service hours. It's hour equivalents per day roughly or one depending on their level. And um we are meeting andor exceeding those requirements. Um there are other opportunities through this SCOP training to push that um that support for learners out into the rest of their day. So um the multilingual team have been now trained to be in a position to offer even deeper support for staff to carry the English language acquisition plan into that general classroom setting. So they have additional time to to do that but um they are not un disengaged. Uh they're engaged all day long. Yeah. Numbers wise we had 43 students last year with eight monitored and we have 43 students this year with 17 monitored. So all that says

061is that we are exiting out students which the students are meeting proficiency because of the services that we are giving them. >> Great. So what I hear you saying is that we are above the minimum and we're utilizing that those extra hours profitably through this scion program or whatever it is that you said >> sop sheltered instruction observation protocol which doesn't really tell you much. Yeah. >> Yes. Okay. Indeed. in the general ed. So the child's in their day the rest of the day and how much we can support the rest of their teachers in language acquisition strategies in that other setting is um is where the rubber meets the road. >> Got it. Thank you for clarifying that. I think another piece of it too in addition to that is just that yes we

062we exceed the we exceed the minimum which is established by the state and in addition to these resources we have really good teachers >> and I mean I haven't been I mean by reputation I have not been in your classroom but I think that that deserves to be publicly said uh we have really >> I said last year the door is always open >> I'll get Yeah, >> we could see how much your students loved you. That was really great to see. >> Thank you. And they were not paid. >> Yes. >> And I think it came up last year that it would be wonderful if the board maybe had a scheduled visit. Um maybe that could be an opportunity if that's I don't know. >> I bet that could be arranged >> perhaps. Not

063to put you on the spot, but if if board members are interested. Other questions? Well, thank you so much for all this information about these wonderful support. It sounds great and for all your hard work and efforts. Thank you. >> And thank you to the teaching team. >> Yeah. Thanks. >> Yes. Thank you for being here. >> Okay. Uh board comments and committee reports, board information exchange and agenda requests. So, this is an opportunity on the agenda if board members would like any information or to give any updates um on committees outside of our normal reports that we have. Valerie, >> I have some updates from region 10. I attended on Monday. Um, >> two updates that are possibly related. One is that they have some equipment failure that they identified and it is rather

064pricey. So, they are putting in for shared grants with the state. Um the total of the three that they are putting in for is roughly slightly under one million. And my understanding is the state if they approve it will take half of that cost and the other half would then be have to go to referendum. So, possibly up to around half a mill um shared among the three school districts that feed into region 10. And because of the need of one of the items, and I have it in my bag, um it's the the big ticket item is a dust collection device, which um for people who are in the trades, that's a humongous need. Collects all the dust out of the air. It's like a giant vacuum. Unfortunately, it costs $450,000. Um, so that's

065one item. A second item is uh safety. They currently have to do um kind of like a glorified ring camera to get people into the building. They're looking for a bulletproof pass through and there's some other associated costs. That's roughly 29,000. And then I can't remember what the third thing is, but it was like 300,000. So, three separate grants that are due by October 31 that they're submitting for. And if that is approved by the state or any one of them is approved by the state, it likely will have to go to referendum. But the dust collection unit is dying and they normally would put it through in June on the normal voting cycle for everything else to try to save having to do an additional vote. Uh but because of the dust collection and

066the need for it, they're looking at possibly doing a special election in February. So hopefully more to come on that. And the other um mostly unrelated, partially related item was uh we had the meeting at May Maritime Academy on the Brunswick Air Force Base or former Air Force Base. Um and we're hosted by them. We got to see the architectural drafting room that they rent at that facility. and Main Maritime and BIDW both presented um kind of a very loose proposal of trying to increase their partnership with region 10. Um they have apparently many job opportunities then there's no pipeline. Um what the board discussed was that any partnership would not be quota based but simply a partnership. Um so there's more to come on that. that Main Maritime Academy does have more space to

067rent and there's potentially some cost savings in the budget because they have a portable in use now at region 10 that if they stopped renting that they could potentially leverage that to rent more space in the main maritime building. Um, so there's those are still in early infancy talks, but certainly worth discussing here because another thing that came up was that they were not able to accept as many students as applied. So they really want to be able to increase their ability to take more students that are interested in the trades >> at region 10 as a whole or specifically for that interaction that program at mean? >> Oh, it's as a as a whole. >> As a whole. >> Yeah. So, they're looking to move whatever they can out of the portables potentially into

068the main maritime space. Um, and I guess Main Maritime and BIW rent them that room, but they did all of on their own dime all of the retrofitting of that room and the monitors for CAD, which is computer rated drafting, and some other investments into the school that they didn't ask for reimbursement for. So, uh, the expectation is that it likely would be a similar situation where they have a large empty space right now that we looked at and potentially move the child care, anything that's easily moved into an office space. So, culinary arts would have to stay where it is. Um, any of the more hands-on trade things would have to remain. Um, we also discussed if they got rid of the portable, they still have the slab with all of the plumbing and

069electrical hookups and how they could potentially leverage that into a real um, workspace for the building group. They could try to work into a place that's already pre-staged with all of those things. Um, so those are all in the infancy, but for sure worth discussing here. Is there some thought that the cost savings from the potential portable could offset some of the other costs? >> There is. So, apparently the rental, which is up at the end of the fiscal year, is roughly 108,000 a year. So, >> okay. >> Um the the amount that they pay for the single room currently, I believe he said 3,000 a month. >> Gotcha. Okay. Kelly, >> were there any concerns expressed about the two different locations and how they would coordinate? Um, >> yeah, I did bring up transportation.

070Yeah. So they did talk about how they might have to potentially um because current state is because it's one class they use uh vans they might have to potentially invest in buses or discuss with uh the town of Brunswick of a public transportation option to go from the primary campus across town to the other campus because it's all within Brunswick proper. Um, and additionally because it's region 10, many of those students have their own vehicles. So, it would be just driving to a different location. So, I mean, the transportation was discussed and he was um the superintendent did stay that it was for sure on his radar and he's looking at options. >> And do we know um how many students from um RSU5 were unable to go to region 10? Um, maybe that's something

071for the future we could find out about. >> Yeah, I don't know how many. >> Colin, >> yeah, Valerie, thank you so much for that update. That was awesome. I don't um know the actual number, but I do know that um the numbers have been increasing over the last couple of years um at um and so the uh region 10 folks are just super happy about all the interest, but it is raising questions about um what does it mean if we uh are not if region 10 is not able to um to admit everyone that is interested. Um um there is so I I think um they would be able to speak to this, Superintendent uh Shabbat would be able to speak to this more directly, but there's always a bit of a question of

072um uh more folks enroll than end up going. Um, so there's a little bit of a question of how like what a weight list can look like and what it means if like if a certain percentage of students decide that they're not going to go. Um, is there any flexibility of having for example Freeport of the Freeport High School students who did not initially get in go, which I think currently that's not possible. Um, so I think there's some questions around that that need to be addressed that are regardless of space or regardless of location, excuse me. Kelly. >> Yeah. I just I'm curious with this possibility of more space if they've talked about expanding program offerings. I know we had heard from them in in the last year about how they were thinking about

073that in the future and um I know that seemed like a long-term um project, but just sort of wondering where they're at with the timeline on that. Yeah, no specific curricula were discussed, but um that was part of that was for sure part of the discussion with BW and MMA as well of because they kind of view it as a pipeline for better or worse. Um it was the needs that they have and and programs that they would like to see to kind of prepare students as an attractive alternative to go to BIW or MMA after school. So they obviously have a vested interest but uh there are a lot of basic trades that a lot of students just don't have any knowledge of. That's something that was quoted many times was there are a

074lot of students that don't still come in don't know how to use a tape measure. So um and I did find the document for the third project. It's the elevator which seems important. Thank you both. And I know um I'm sure you'll give us updates in the future about those the possible special election, those possible expenses. Colin, >> yeah, I think just the only other thing I would add is that um just I can't now remember when this was presented to the board, maybe two years ago. Um but the um region 10 has been ex um uh pursuing the idea of a 4-year technical um uh school. Um it could not be in the existing location. That wouldn't work. Uh the question of whether that could happen um at the um main maritime space or

075somewhere else on the um Brunswick landing um property is still in um is still open. But that's a really that's that's sort of the only uh as far as I'm can remember that's really the only largecale kind of increase in programming that is really um has been really considered. There's not really much capacity to do it. I think even with the um the Brunswick landing and just to be very transparent that um while uh I think personally I think that is a fantastic idea, it would have very serious impacts on um enrollment and state funding um because uh if we if students could enroll students in Freeport could enroll directly um into the technical high school that would not be that would be monies that are not coming um to uh RSC5. Um, so I

076think that is a that's a question that, you know, if it if it becomes a proposal, we would have to uh think about very seriously. >> And I know that's something they've been discussing since I was on that board like seven years ago. So I don't know that it's imminent. And um, >> yeah. Okay. And I know that we've had the region 10 superintendent come in the past to brief the board. So if the board had other questions in the future, I'm sure that's something you all could pursue or we could pursue. Um, okay. And Steph, >> so I have an update. Excuse me, I have a frog in my throat also. Uh, I have an update from the MSBA delegate assembly that was held on Saturday, October 18th, and I attended as our delegate.

077There were many spirited discussions amongst the delegates as the proposed resolutions and changes to resolutions um were voted on. And in advance we um I had passed along the suggestions that we had as a board and the questions that we had. And of the two suggestions that we made for language change, one was adopted by the board before the assembly and that was I believe Chris you were the one who suggested changing the proposed resolution three about immigrant students to using more affirmative language. Um, so the new resolution read, "The Main School Board Association is committed to maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for all students, staff, and visitors, and believes that regardless of their immigration stat immigration status, all students should have access to a free public education." So that was what went

078to the assembly and that resolution was passed. And then the other suggestion that we had was to 2B1s around artificial intelligence in school. And we had suggested that the last sentence read AI is not a substitute for school work period in lie of A is not a substitute for school work that requires original thought. And so I and many people um asked questions and discussed and the consensus was that uh there's a very delicate balance between being welcoming to AI technologies in schools and where that technology should be used and that this will continue to be something that's discussed and revised probably annually. So um it passed as was so um see what happens. And then as far as overall voting outcomes, the assembly voted to approve all of the new resolutions as well as

079all the changes and all the um changes to the governing documents. There was only one item that didn't pass and it was resolution 3B5D probationary employment period around the changing from 2-year probationary contract of teachers to three. So the there was also a lot of discussion around that and the vote was to keep it at two. Um, and so the the board will decide if they want to continue to explore that. So that's it. >> Thank you so much, Steph, for attending. >> Steph, I just wanted to say that today, just today, I was at the main state superintendent association's annual conference. Robbie Fineberg was there and he actually gave a shout out to you for your contributions at this event. >> To me? >> Yeah. >> Wow. Thank you. >> So kuzzah. That's great.

080>> See, we told you it'd be fun. >> I couldn't do it without you all. >> Thank you, Steph. Appreciate you taking that on. >> Uh Cara, uh yeah, I wanted to take a moment to recognize you, Mora, for your seven years of board service. I believe this is your last year. And I want to thank you personally for inviting me to join the board. I was one of your victims. I mean, beneficiaries of um of your constant um advocacy for our district and wanting to make sure there's uh strong board representation, but also that uh our students are getting their needs met from um safety to um to their rights to evidence-based curriculum um and on and on and on. And I know you've been participating on hiring committees and um a number of

081other areas. How many what which committees have you served on in your seven years? >> Oh gosh, I can't. >> Not all of them. Never policy. I always wanted to do that one, but never policy. >> Never policy, >> but a lot of a lot of the others. Yeah. >> So, finance, curriculum, um >> I just joined facilities. I did one facilities meeting. So, >> um a lot of different committees and a lot of work that you've put in over the seven years. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you, Karen. We will miss you. >> And I'm just going to piggyback on that um to say that while you did not um uh seek me out as one of your victims uh to join the the board, when I joined, I was very much

082um looking for, you know, looking around the room to sort of look for for guidance on how to be how to be a school board member and what are the different ways that one can be a school board member. Um and I have been impressed since I joined with just the professionalism that you bring um in the midst of any conversation um and how um and how seriously you take this work. Um, and while no one would have any idea in watching the way that I comport myself in these board meetings, um, I have learned a great deal from you, um, and I'm very thankful, um, for that modeling and also just thankful for your, um, commitment to, uh, social justice in our, uh, district and to your desire to make sure that, um, vulnerable

083communities are supported and that advocacy, uh, will not be forgotten, nor will it end. So, thank you. Thank you all and I'm I'm grateful for you too and I was going to save this till the end because this is my uh last board meeting but I'm I'm all always awe inspired by the incredible amount of thought and work and effort that goes in um from our staff, from our administrators, from our teachers, from everyone in RSU5. I'm honored to have had this opportunity to be on the board and I just I appreciate you all so much more than I can say. And as a parent and a community member, I'm really proud of the work that you all do and the work that we've done together. So, thank you so much, >> Danielle. Can't be

084about me. >> Thank you, Mora. Um, so I we today we had our curriculum meeting. It was our October meeting. Um, we're going to be doing one every month. I think we told you guys that the last time that we discussed this. Um, and it was an update. Erica gave us a very, um, big update on budget. Uh, she has developed kind of a three-year plan over some changes um, for the curriculum. Um, we didn't discuss specific costs. I know she's still working on that, but um, obviously there's going to be some costs that'll come to the budget. Um, we talked about maybe some costs that already came up that was not expected. Um, but I think it's a good um, highlight of some changes that'll come in supporting, you know, literacy, science, and math.

085So, um, a lot of big changes and stuff coming forward >> and that's a newer committee for the board and I think it's fantastic. Um I've had an opportunity to serve on that with Danielle and it's um been really great learning and as well as Anna and um I'm so glad that we have that. Uh so thank you. >> Okay. Uh facilities and operations committee >> Kelly. >> This is a little awkward because I wasn't there. So Oh, right. Would you like to take this one and I can take the fin? >> Oh gosh. I'm sorry I didn't bring my notes. Michelle was the only um other person there and she's not here either. Um, yes, I'd be happy to. Um, so as you heard from, um, uh, from Kelly, there will be a request

086tonight about um, the need for additional funds for the Durham Community School automation system. Um, and because of we didn't have the funds in the place, we were restricted. Kelly can explain it better than I can. We're restricted into uh where we can move funds from a capital reserve account without uh the approval of the board. That will be coming to you um later in the agenda um for approval. Um so we can talk about that more. At that time, we also got an update on the turf field, which um largely echoed, I think, information that the board had already received um tracking the safety and the testing that they did for it and um some repairs that are going to be taking place. >> Thankfully, the GMAX testing passed. >> Yes. And yes, >>

087really with flying colors, it did was really important. >> Yes, we got the GMAX testing results um for uh safety and prevention of like concussions. Um, and they were all great and we were able to review those in the facilities committee. Um, so that was great. And I know the board has received an email about scheduling the board facilities tour. So um, please get in touch with Jenny um about your availability to um uh to attend that if you would like to. Um, and then we also had an update on ADA egress. Um there was a request to um have an automatic or well there was a a specific request to access the peace garden and so um Glenn actually reached out to uh state um uh state I think ADA auditor and had that

088person come and tour the entire high school and look at all the ADA accessibility. So, not just for that one spot, but throughout the high school, which is very great and um diligent work on on Glenn's part. And they found a few other things that also need to be updated, including an automatic door opener installed on the front entrance. Um and uh they decided on a short-term solution for ramps on access to various doors um at FHS, but they'll work on a long-term solution through the budget process, which would, you know, require more funds if they need to do some sort of paving or changing um changing things around beyond those um beyond those ramps. And we also got an update on the phase 2 energy audit projects and um further discussion of those will

089occur in the future. Okay. Okay. Finance committee. Is that Michelle? Okay. So, Kelly, are you doing the report tonight? >> Yes. So the finance committee met on September 24th and um during that time we um onboarded our new members with uh a sort of overview of how the warrant signing process works. Um they also reviewed the energy audit and vehicle equipment replacement financing report. The good news is that we had some um cost savings. We expected the uh energy audit annual payment to be um 293,000 and it's coming in at $254,455. So a little bit less. Uh so that's a 17-year lease purchase through the Bank of America at a rate of 4.35%. The vehicle and equipment uh replacing program, again, a little bit of a cost savings. We expected our projection to be 168,000

090and the annual payment is actually coming in a little bit less at 165,000. So again, some good news. The budget process, we already heard from the superintendent about uh some of the initial phases of that process. Uh some of the li listening sessions that superintendent Gray is performing with the schools and departments and some of the surveys that have gone out. he did review those with the finance committee. And um they also talked about some uh special education positions that are currently being funded through um let's see, they're they're currently being funded through a reserve account. Uh those positions are a full-time nurse onetoone, a 30-hour per week speech language pathologist, and a five-hour per week teacher of the deaf. Um those are costs that we anticipate will need to be carried forward into the

091coming years. And so we will anticipate that those will need to be rolled into the regular budget starting this next season. Um let's see. Finally, we did last we we have already um voted on this, but we did have to increase uh our anticipated needs for the track restriping and turf. Um we did vote on that at our last or two meetings ago, I guess, to appropriate $28,000 towards those projects. And I anticipate by now we probably have spent that money. And um yeah, CDS transition, we've had a little bit of a discussion on that, but we will likely have some budgetary implications beginning in July of 2028. So that's something that's ongoing and I'm sure we'll be hearing more about that in the coming months. >> Thank you, Kelly. Carol, >> I have a

092question about those positions that have been in the reserve account. Can you refresh my memory as to when that when those positions were moved into that account or were they did they originate there and what that um what that why that happened that way. >> So they were not anticipated positions. So they are um I believe it was uh Superintendent Scrapper that actually um had come to you to actually fill those positions. Um we attempted to fill them both uh all actually all of the positions um through the budget first like advertising and making them reserve positions. The board did approve the use of the funds for that um and because they were not expected they were not part of the local budget. The whole purpose of setting up the reserve accounts was to be

093able to be reactive to needs such as these for when students move into the district or newly uh new needs um become identified. And so again, like we're doing later tonight to talk about an item for the capital reserve fund, um we did come forward to the board to talk about the article 2 reserve special education and the need to fill these positions. >> Thank you for refreshing my memory. Thanks, Kylie. Um, policy. >> Okay. So, I'm I'm going to uh report out on just the basic framework of what we did in our policy committee meeting and then we can transition into the um policy uh the actual policy review itself. So, we met um on Thursday, October 2nd uh via Google Meet. a reminder that um anyone in the public is welcome to uh

094to join us uh to um bear witness to those uh meetings. Just as a good reminder, if you'd like to attend um you can do so um but you will not be able to be participate um because uh any feedback from the public that we might um you might have uh we would really need that to go to the whole uh board. So come to public comment to present that or um write us at our uh email address. Um so we uh as you may remember we we break down our um policy review into a couple different categories. Um they're they're policies that we need to review um based on changes to law. Um and so we looked at um uh JKAA use of physical restraint and seclusion um and its associated um R its

095associated procedure. um there has been a ch the law change on that which we'll talk about a little bit later. So we talked about that and then as part of our um regular review process um where we identify uh needs as a district um uh of policies that need to be um updated to come into alignment with um our current practices. We looked at IHPA which is programs for multilingual learners um and the uh procedure that is linked to that um the RSU number five allow plan. Um we were hoping to get to two others um or to bullying which is GICK um and its administrative procedures but uh we ran out of time even though we talked for two hours and six minutes. Uh, but we decided to go do something else with our

096time and to come back and talk about that another day. Uh, I think that's all I want to say about that. >> That's surprising. That doesn't sound like you all at all. >> Which part? >> The two hours. >> Oh, yeah. Not at all. Yeah. Normally done like five or six minutes. >> Um, okay. Thank you, Colin. Um, okay. So, policy review. Um, and I think we're going to take these al together, but if the board as a motion um, but if the board would like to not do that, I suppose we consider that as well. >> Would it be helpful to have just a brief explanation of of what >> first? Yeah. Before we get the motion on the floor. >> Yes. >> Um, yes. Um, so you mean the presentations that we're going

097to hear from folks about specifically about the Lao plan? >> You're gonna That's one of them. And then the other one is the restraint and seclusion one about which there isn't a presentation but >> I can summarize the change in the law. >> That sounds good. Why don't we do that and then we can decide how we want to take the motions. Okay great. Um, so Erica, right? >> So, Superintendent Gray, did you want to address the policy piece, the standalone policy piece first or >> Sure. I'll just make it quick and sweet. So the the standalone policy is basically a policy that says we have to have a law plan. That is all that the policy says other than that also the board must approve the law plan. So the LA plan which assistant

098superintendent medo will discuss in greater detail um gets down into how we have to deliver service for our multilingual learners. Um, and that is a procedure. It's an administrative procedure. That's not a policy. But in this case, main state law requires that school boards approve that procedure. So that's why it's coming to you to be approved. Not all procedures fall into that category. Um, I think that's it. Colin, >> I should probably >> I think I might just uh add to that that um so yes, as a matter of course for any any board policy uh which IHPA is one of um we have to uh do go through our first read and second read um process. Also the plan uh currently lives as a board procedure. It does not currently live as an administrative

099procedure. Um even though it is an administrative procedure, it doesn't live there. Um so one of the things that we will be um uh requesting tonight is that the board um approve the administration's recommendation that we pull um IHBR the LAOW plan itself um out of um what would be considered a board um a board approved policy procedure. We have that's why we were there for two hours and six minutes. Uh because there's some there's some intricacy in there which we uh will get into a little bit later. But effectively what it means is um we are recommending that we're going to pull the law plan out of um the regular board review process which requires a first and second read. Um however, we will in accordance with law uh still be required to review

100that um uh once a year um which uh assistant superintendent Mateo will uh speak to. um in a bit. >> Thank you, Colin. >> Yes, I think that's I'm just gonna find it again. It went away. Um Erica, while you're getting that set up, maybe I will just draw our attention to the um IHBA uh policy itself um and just talk us through a little bit of what we have um what we have uh what we're recommending to to change there. So if you look um at and whenever you want to interrupt me, let's just interrupt. Let's now now we're going to have allow plan which is better than me talking >> there with the times. >> Okay. So um Jill is back here with me because this has really been a team effort. We

101have two other colleagues um Lynn and Lana who have also contributed their body of expertise to arriving at a an agreement on what what is a um what is a law plan that both reflects our practices and and um complies with all of the legal requirements, the guidance from the state of Maine, um best practices and lessons learned from other districts who have had some of their practices tested. Um, so also contributing to this presentation, uh, Justin Kerry from Drummond Woodsome and again some of you had met April Perkins who is the former state director for multilingual services and is currently a multilinger lingual director in a district. So has seen almost the entire state's LA law plans. So great re human resources. So the three the four of us as well as um Justin

102and April. Okay, so the first question is what is a LAW plan and we will get into that uh slide by slide. Why is the LA plan important? Um what are we updating in our allow plan and then um what has um sorry updating our allow plan will do um this what is updated in the plan and then what do we need to do next? Okay. So, allow plan offers us a roadmap as a district for um programming that describes how we meet federal and state civil rights requirements with regard to students who are still acquiring English language. Um Lao refers to this case Lao versus Nichols which was a a landmark Supreme Court case confirming the school's obligation to ensure that multilingual learners learn English and obtain equitable access to curriculum. And that equitable

103access is where the testing has happened. Testing uh as to whether equitable access has been delivered. Um it's important because it fulfills the requirement that we have in our policy which was referred to briefly there uh before we started this presentation. Um and that policy IHBA refers to programming for English learners. It provides clarity and consistency in terms of the policy and programming across all of the schools. So it's how we operationalize our recommendations across all schools, grade levels and developmental ranges both from a language perspective and in age. Um it serves as a publicfacing document. So the document our allow document is intended to offer um information for every stakeholder and uh and offer that information in a transparent way. Um updating our allow plan provides alignment with federal and state policy. It ensures

104our information is accurate and upto-date and it fulfills our civil rights obligations. Um in our specific recommended LA plan update um we have corrected identification procedures. So I mentioned that in our home language survey how do we identify needs from regist points of registration. Um it offers Jill if you'd like to hop in on any of this or questions later please feel free. It offers greater detail on um our approach to how we engage in service provisions including the general service amount. So we quantify based on language acquisition stage we quantify the exact service amount minimally and the frequency level by level. Um there are new sections in our new Lao plan that address equitable access to opportunities including advanced coursework. Um there are equitable personnel, facilities and materials allocations in the written into the

105plan. Um there is an explicit uh charge to us to conduct a program review annually at a minimum. Um, and then the interpretation and translation services that I reviewed before, the commitment that we make to do that, not the services named, but rather the commitment to do that is addressed in the Lao plan. Um, so the school board's role is to address the policy IHBA, that uh program for English learners, which basically says we have a plan. Um, the proposed LA plan has been vetted by the experts I named, Justin, April, and the team of um, staff who have been with you for many years. Um, it's been reviewed, modified. We've been working on this since June. We've been really leaning into this for many months. Um, and then recommended for adoption. Um, there is

106installed in this um, proposal a an annual review of the Lao plans. will never like get behind on it. Um it would be addressed annually. Um my office would lead that work and then I would be collaborating with the multilingual teaching team to ensure that the information and um charge set out in the plan is um is accurate and meaningful for our learners and reflects our needs and um our service structures and constructs. So happy to take any questions you have about the Lao plan. The plan itself I think we decided not to present the plan itself but rather to give an overview of >> Yes. >> Not in the slide deck. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, I think just for sake of um organizational clarity, this is sort of the time where the board will

107ask any questions of Erica and Jill about um uh this thing called the allow plan, why we have it um and any changes that we've made um to it. We are not currently talking about uh the draft itself. But maybe everything was so awesome and clear that we can just go and talk to itself in a moment. Any any questions for um our friends here before we move on? You took something that was very complicated and took us a long time to wrap at least the board members to wrap our little heads around and you presented it extremely clearly. So, thank you very much for putting that together. >> Steph, I guess are there any notable large changes or big changes that um you would want to draw attention to specifically? >> For me, one

108of the biggest changes is the interpretation and translation for families. wasn't really in the LA plan at all and it was a huge missing link. Um, when we would deal with region 10, when we would deal with other things, people just don't know where to go for that translation and interpretation. And so now we have these systems in place that we need people to be trained in and understand and vetted through the district so that not only are they there, but people know how to use them. So I guess that's like we have a lot of moving parts in this LA plan and the improvements and safeguards that it gives to our students. Um but there's a lot to be trained upon and and I guess there's always work to do. >> Danielle, when you

109talk about the training, is it not just training for the three of you though, right? We're talking about schoolwide training so that everybody's on the same page and you're then that support as they go out into >> Yeah, definitely. Especially with like the interpretation pieces. I mean, office staff and nurses and everyone needs to know how to use those pieces. Um, and I think it's the same with SCOP, like we mentioned earlier, the programming and things like that behind the the model. um making sure that people not only understand but are are trained in the new pieces of the law plan. >> So then my follow-up question is are you happy with the changes and you feel that this better supports you and the students and their families at the at the district? >> This

110new allow plan is much more holistically rounded than our last one. the last one we had been asking for a review on for the since I got here four years ago. This is my fourth year now. Um there was just a lot lacking in it. There was things that were in there that we didn't do. There was things that were in there that we did do. Um and so I really feel like this protects our multilingual students greatly um and protects their families and their stake in the community that they have as a whole. >> Valerie. So the next obvious question I think is does this kind of redefine what our minimum staffing requirements are as a district versus what the state definition is? Because that was something that we've already tonight as a definition

111have bumped up against of we're over staff but we're not over staffed because >> I'm I'm going to take a stab at that. Okay. >> It it doesn't so much touch on our minimum staffing. It does lay out, for example, if you have a student who gets this certain score on the language acquisition test that they all have to take, what the guidelines are for how much service that student should get um based on the students that we have, where they are, the number of staff we have. We're we have plenty of coverage for that. It there is flexibility with that, too. We don't have to do it exactly the same way that the LA plan suggests. we can take it on a student by student basis and be adaptive to what those kids need.

112Um, in which case we have really great flexible teachers who can be creative and responsive. Um, what it does to me the important parts are it tells us how we have to screen everybody and make sure that right from the get-go when a kid is enrolled in school, we're looking to see if they might need English language support. And then it gives us those guidelines for how much service they should get. And it then tells us you c it it has provision provisions to the effect that we can't conflate special ed and English language use. You can't say which is a common problem in many school districts. We also can't limit kids who intellectually and cognitively are ready for really advanced coursework just because their English isn't where our English instruction is. We like we

113couldn't take a kid from Colombia who came in with uh advanced coursework background who's ready for AP Bio and tell them you can't take AP Bio because your English isn't we'd have to provide the English language support. It's a lot of things like that that that's where it it nails down our commitment and the the translation um and interpretation services so that we can actually speak to those kids and their families. And some other ways that that shows up was like medical forms, cafeteria, you know, how do you translate pigs in a blanket? That's an actual example from a school where I taught. And unfortunately, a school with a child with religious restrictions walked into violating his religious restrictions because how do you translate pigs in a blanket? Um, so it's it sets us up

114much better to meet those needs. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Thank you both for your diligent work on this. It's really great. Okay. >> Yeah. So, I think if I'm understanding the or the organization of the evening now, perhaps uh Superintendent um you might go through the overview of the uh law changes that we will in a moment then look at when we actually make the motion to then look at the first read if I'm understanding that process correctly. Is that true? >> Sure. Well, with respect to this program MLL, it's not a law change. >> No, no, I know. No, I know. I'm I'm transitioning away um from that. But we uh >> we're teeing up the next >> I'm teeing up the next thing uh if to try to adapt on the

115fly here to uh the world. Uh so I suppose it is possible that when we actually uh make the motion um to discuss the um the policy, we might have some more questions for our uh our friends Erica and Jill. Uh but I think that's just the way things are going to work. >> Like to make a motion Are you are you looking to me to answer that question? Colin, >> I think that our superintendent perhaps could speak to the um the law changes that are necessitating our uh looking at the And now I'm scrolling madly for it because there's so many different abbreviations. The JKAA uh just so we get that out of the way before we then make the motion and then talk about things because we're just very technically >> accurate with

116what we do here. It's up to you. I think you could probably take them all together. >> Okay. All right. >> Um, so with regard to JKA and JKA-R, these are policies that relate to our use of physical restraint and seclusion, a policy and a procedure. There was a change in the law that has prompted us to revisit these. And the sum summarizing the change in the law is the law is trying the legislature is making it easier for educators to use restraint and seclusion than they had before. There had been a previous change in the law a handful of years ago and by handful I think it was like four or five years ago that really made established very strict criteria for when restraint or seclusion could be used. the legislature was responding to

117feedback from schools that those limitations have made it really challenging to respond to difficult dangerous situations. So if you look at the way the policy is changed um physical restraint there's a change in the use of the word voluntary. So the the changed policy policy says a physical prompt is a teaching technique that involves new word voluntary physical contact with the student and enables the student to learn or model the physical movement necessary for the development of the desired competency. The easiest example I could give there is let me show you how to hold a pencil and like actually like put your hand on the child's hand and help them hold the pencil, learn how to grip their pencil. It could be a PE teacher saying let me tell you how to swing a tennis

118racket. That kind of thing. That is where the where the teacher is voluntarily touching the child. Um, another instance where the policy is changed has to do with the risk of serious physical injury. So, the guideline had been that you're not to use restraint or seclusion unless there is an imminent risk of serious physical injury to the child or another person. And the risk of intervening, the risk of not intervening is judged to be greater than the risk of intervening. So, but there was question about well, what is serious physical injury? That wasn't defined. That has been further defined as um an injury that would require intervention by a medical practitioner including but not limited to a school nurse. Whereas previously it was an emergency room visit. So this means you are allowed to intervene

119with restraint or seclusion if child's going to punch a wall and they may you know there's a risk of a bruise or something that would routinely send them to the school nurse. It doesn't have to rise to the level of going to the ER. So, those are the major changes. >> Thank you so much, Super Gray. Now, I think Cara, you might have had a motion you wanted to make. >> How is it worded? >> Um, do I have a motion for consideration and approval of first read of the following policies procedures? IHBA, programs for multilingual learners. IHBA RSU5 LA Plan. JKAA use of physical restraint and seclusion. JKAA-R procedures on physical restraint and seclusion. Cara Malik, we bring for you before you tonight the policy HIBA uh program for multilingual learners. Its purpose has

120been described uh to you eloquently already. If you look uh you'll see this the um the the the primary changes that have been made um really have to do um with uh our previous policy I think we could say had excessive operational detail. Uh and so we have um we have trimmed that down a bit and basically just uh are effectively making sure that we say that we are maintaining a plan. Um and here is where you can find it. Um and it is uh been brought up uh to to um in in up to date with Drman Woodson's uh model and also the DOE expectations. Um any questions about the policy not the R not the LA plan but the the IHBA. I guess this is also where I say this is where I

121would say if the board wants to like mess around with language like this is your chance like this is your chance. This is the this is where you can do that. I would recommend that we not muck around uh with the Lao plan uh itself uh for a variety of reasons. Um if we have obviously if we have questions and require clarification or if there are uh typos or something we should obviously pick that out. Um but this is not a place to um flex our uh poetic uh sensibilities. That would be now in the policy is where we do that if you want to do that. Or maybe everybody just loves it because we've got it perfect. Beautiful. Um so uh we are also bringing um before you the the IHB R which is

122currently a board procedure. And so just to clarify um because we had a long conversation about this um in our uh what did we call it? Our sort of stable our bullpen or the collection of all of the policies. What do we call it? >> I don't remember either of those terms. >> No, because I because I can't remember the actual words. So I'm I'm just going with words. >> Exact exactly. Uh go socks. Um the on our website uh where we store all of our um information about our policies, you will see our policies uh listed. And then also when there are associated board procedures um that has a little R next to it. Anything that is on that page that has a little R next to it um is treated with the same

123process as a board policy. So it goes through a first and second read and requires um board approval. Um what we are recommending tonight is that we will um we're uh recommending that we remove um IHB R um from being a board uh policy procedure and it will continue to exist as administrative procedure but it will not um be subject going forward to the same um board review process. >> Can I clarify that >> please? So there are there are some administrative procedures that the board can choose to endorse or not. If the board endorses a procedure, it doesn't mean it becomes a policy, but it does mean that I can't just by fiat change the procedure. It would have to come back to the board. So what Colin is saying is that with the

124Law plan, it will still remain a procedure will be housed on the website. It's on the policy page and if you look on the right hand side of that page, there's a whole list of procedures that actually the board has endorsed. This particular one, the LA plan, the state of Maine says school boards need to endorse that procedure because they want you to be aware of it and to own it. Um, you don't need to do a first and second read of a procedure that you endorse. So, if you vote to approve it tonight, it's done and we'll probably review it every year, but it doesn't need to come back to you until that time. Policies need to go through a first and second read. Yeah, I think just for context as you may remember

125um back when we had to um because of the court ruling we had to change our um title n change documentation for title n and that was relevant both to policies and to procedures. Um so that was language where again we were um we had to make sure that those were changed in both of those in both of those places. So that's a sort of an example of what that would what that would be. Um so this would be the moment where if you have any questions about um the text of the Lao plan itself, this is where you would um voice those uh questions um with the understanding that again are we've had some uh some friends who've been working on this incredibly hard uh and uh this is really their area of expertise.

126So, this is more um a moment to say, well, I guess let me be very clear. The recommendation is um that we pull this out of the um uh board regular board reviewed procedure. Um you do not have to accept that. If you do not want to do that, if you want to keep this as something that we um uh have to put through a first and second read, we can do that. That's um that's our discretion. Um the policy committee at the recommendation of the administration does not believe that we should do that. We believe that we should pull it out and make it and simplify it. Um simplify the process. So questions about the Lao plan text itself which I will not answer. I will turn it over to people who know things

127about it. >> Danielle, um I have two questions. Well, I'll start with my first one, and I think Kelly had um mentioned this one um earlier to the board and via an email. Um there's a lot of abbreviations, acronyms, whatever we want to call them, and I feel like some of them I can never figure out what they are. So, I don't know, do we need to have like a a little glossery of terms so that everybody knows what what they are because there's a lot of them. Um so that's my first question. Would that be helpful or something that we could add so that you know when we are looking at it we kind of understand it? Um you know I half joked with Jill on the way in that um when I read

128this I'm completely confused about what has happened and English is my first language and um so I I get a little anxious that this could be really confusing and complex for people that don't speak English as their first language. um even translating it with all those abbreviations. So >> yeah, just on that Daniel, thank you for flagging that and Kelly, thank you for your original note on that. I think an example would be on the second page um that we have uh we have MLL service values uh statement uh though I think we can say that MLL so far in the document has not been defined. Um and then in the under the purpose of the plan uh the it says and supporting ML MLS suggesting that an ML is a thing. Uh and that

129is a thing that is different from an MLL. Um so I think that I think that is the um maybe one of the examples that Kelly was speaking to and Daniel was amplifying. Does that make sense? >> Certainly. And we could go through and create a legend and or we could spell out at the every first instance where this um acronym creation occurs. Um I think that was the intention and maybe it got lost in some editing because see it with like MTSS is spelled out the first time it appears. Um so also if it appears early in the document then later in the document maybe the reader might not remember. So, it does seem to benefit to just spell it out perhaps even every time. Um, but we're happy to take guidance on that.

130And certainly, we're intending that the that this be accessible um for our stakeholders um so that they know how to leverage their rights and what their rights are. >> Yeah, that sounds great. And I think and I think that I I think part of it is just a is just a a consistency. I think I am now putting it together um a little late in the game. Um that multilingual is uh considered one word. Um so an MLL service value statement like that second that first L should not be there uh because actually it's a lowercase L. Um so I think that's the kind of thing I think that we're referring to just to sort of make sure that that's clear so that someone's not unless I'm missing something. Those are the same thing, right?

131Okay, cool. Yeah, just to piggyback on that, I think um later in the document it seems like we're using a different term to refer to the same thing. Now we're referring to them as ELLs. >> Oh, let's see somewhere else. ESOL instead of >> yeah page four um in paragraph >> paragraph three um uh second line of that paragraph access for ELLL's assessment >> and and also in the first paragraph >> oh yeah >> we still use that term >> so ESOL is how the state describes the services which is a complication provided to us by the state um and it if they were to reference where their rights are or what it means in the context of their learner's day. This ESOL language is is unfortunately a sort of parallel way of explaining the

132same thing, but the state has not officially transitioned to MLL in all of its um in all of its own language. So that does offer us some >> Yeah. So, I think I mean I think I might say that the to Daniel's uh request I think that maybe adding a page that just clarifies and cross references those things. Um so that uh yeah that just provides a key for that. I don't think it would substantively change anything that you're actually saying we do or need to do. Um would that >> absolutely >> work? Danielle and Kelly, >> if the board would like to sorry if if the board would like to >> approve it as it is, we can certainly add that piece. >> Yeah, I guess I would say I would feel comfortable if

133if you were open to doing that. That would not I would we wouldn't need to see that again. I would say if the conversation goes on and there's other things that we have questions about, that might be a different question. But I think this is the sort of thing where I would feel comfortable uh suggesting uh we can approve it if that is put in. Uh Danielle had another thing. >> My my other question was I'm again I'm kind of assuming this but the stuff that's highlighted in purple is that going to be something like you click on to get more information. Those are going to be links within the plan itself to further Okay. >> They do go to the web and sometimes they're referencing case law and other documents. Yeah. I printed out

134some of those things. I don't know if you would be interested in them. I have a couple of them just because as I was reading through it, I was looking at all the parts and pieces. So, they're all they're all good. Check. I might suggest maybe as a footer some of the acronym explanations because there there are reoccurring events across multiple pages and waiting to put a legend at the end of the document the opportunity to understand might be forgotten or missed. Um so perhaps a footer. >> Yeah, I think I mean if we I mean this is again where this is and now again no longer a board or would no longer be a board procedure. But I think what we we would we've done historically in a lot of our documents is that

135early in the um document put a um def uh defining terms. So like a section zero uh before section one. Um that might be a place to put it to to your point of like having it happen early not not late. Yeah. Um, Colin, clarifying question. Because of how the motion is written, um, I see that it's still IHB-R, will it still have that lettering like that label? And Okay. And is this vote the way that um I'm assuming the way that the motion is written then that as you described will make this no longer a board procedure but when we are voting on this this is going to be approving this um as a as a procedure as you and Tom outlined. Correct. So that's what we have. So what we have here isn't

136approval of a board procedure. It's approval of changing to a non-board procedure. >> And I will and I will Yeah. And I will own I'm the minority report on on this one. I don't I will just say I don't like it remaining as an R. Um I think it's confusing because in 5 years uh when uh I'm not going to be here uh hopefully Tom will be here. Uh but like 15 years from now um this is going to live as an R and that board and that superintendent and that assistant superintendent is not going to know that it has to go through a different review cycle. >> It it has >> my my my point is that my point is that the the RSU5 board has a procedure for reviewing everything that is on

137that page and that is what we will continue to what we have done and we will continue to do. So if we making an alteration to that, there needs to be something that is flat flagging that as different. If we want to put like if we want to put something in blinking lights at the top of that procedure that says like yo when you look at this like this is not a this is not go through the normal cycle. This is just has to be approved once a year. That's totally fine. But I think just we have to be conscious of the people down the pike um that we are not confusing them because there are people 15 years ago that have confused the hell out of us by not flagging those things. So if

138the board approves a procedure, which in this case the state wants you to do for this one, it gets a designation as either a dash r or there are some that are more like that are a dash eee which is an exhibit. That's usually a form or a checklist or something like that that we would use in practice. Um, so like the bullying procedure or the harassment procedure us an R does not it's not usually a form that you would actually fill in. An E is a form that you would actually fill in. In this case, when you put your endorsement on it tonight, if you do that, you it it will become a a board endorsed procedure and it will gain that designation of - R. And our vote will also be that we

139are agreeing that will no longer be a board procedure, but it will be a board approved procedure from now going forward. >> Board approved administrative >> administrative procedure. Okay. So we when we vote that will also be agreeing to that. >> Yes. >> Okay. Cara. >> And the only difference really is that there's not a second read. There's not that is really the only difference >> is that we're still the board is still reviewing it and making possibly making suggestions for edits. >> Sure. >> But it doesn't come back to us for us to say thank you for making those edits. I have no other edits or here we have more edits. >> Correct. >> I think I think I I mean I think I would amend that actually. I think it is I think

140going forward it would be a different process because it would not be something brought through the policy committee. Um, so I think it would be something that, for example, I think, uh, Erica, we talked about doing this in like June or something like >> the annual board retreat. >> Oh, sorry, the annual board retreat. So that'll be August. >> Um, so it would not be something that is on the agenda as being something that the policy committee is working on, the policy committee is bringing forward for board approval. It's something that would be its own line item that Erica would be bringing forward to say, we're doing our annual review of this. Can we have approval? and we say yay nay or here's some questions >> and that's a change in the review schedule then

141too because >> and that is a change in review schedule as well. Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you for the clarification. Um other questions about this policy or the physical restraint and seclusion policies before we vote. >> Let's finish this before we go to physical >> done with this. >> Uh no that's what I'm saying. If we are done with this, then we can move on. But let's just make sure we're done with this. Or do we have any more thoughts about IHBA or uh the LA plan itself? Or can we let Jill go home? >> Maybe she wants to see the vote. >> The vote will be will be fun. Don't >> watch it. >> You can you can watch it on video. >> So I just have a clarification question. Um I come from

142a science realm where these are two very different things. Is one a policy and one is a procedure or they're both policies? >> One one will be a policy. >> The first one's a policy. The R is a procedure. >> Correct. >> I mean the procedure is how do we carry out the policy? >> It's a finer grain of sand. >> Right. But it's directions which makes it a procedure. >> Correct. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, any further questions about one items one or two for policy review? >> You all did a hell of a thing. It's great. Great plan. Well done. >> Thank you so much, Jill. And thank your co thank you to your colleagues as well and Erica for all of your hard work on this. Um, questions about the physical

143restraint and seclusion policy or procedure. >> Right. So, Superintendent Gray walked us through the the re the the rationale for why we are bringing this before you. It's a it's a law change and um and I really appreciate you walking us through kind of how this plays out both in terms of how it impacts our students and how it impacts our staff. Um those are the only um changes I think other than uh some little uh uh style changes. For example, RSU number five um is just keeping with our um but otherwise it's just changes for the law which again generally are not something that we want to mess with. Kelly, >> this is really minor, so you hate to even mention it, but there is a a word that seems to be missing on

144page two of three, section C number two. Um, the removal of the of >> seems a little awkward without it. >> Which word that isn't there? Which invisible word do you >> Yeah. It says um independent of staff using physical force for the purpose and then of is struck out overcoming a student's resistance. >> And if >> voluntary means that a student cooperates with the request. >> Kelly, which page was that? >> This is page two of three um on JKAA. >> So you're asking to unstrike. >> Yes. >> Yeah. I think I think that's a good No, you you I'm glad you spoke up, Kelly. That should not be struck out unless English works differently now >> than it did before, which I'll have to go on the internet and check that later >>

145or talk to my middle school. >> You would be the one to know, Colin. >> I would not. The middle school knows all of those things. >> So, we would like to take the of not and not strike it anymore so that it's an proper English sentence. Keep the of. >> Keep the of. >> Valerie. Oh, sorry. We were just waving. >> Yeah. Got it. Uh, good catch, Kelly. Um, others. Danielle, >> sorry. I I think I I figured out the answer, but I thought I would just ask to clarify. So um on in the procedure part of the of it so page nine of 11 at first I was wondering the difference but I think you figured out so G says aggregate number of uses of physical restraint and the next one H aggregate

146number of students placed. So I'm assuming that we count the number of uses of physical restraint because we might use more than one >> on a particular student. Yeah. Okay. I I I thought that was the case. Then my other um thing is that when you go to page six of 11, I notice in the when they go through the incident reports on like what everything is going to contain, number three says right away it asks about individual education or 504 plans. But we're kind of asking that same question on number 19. I didn't know if there was a reason we had to have both. Sorry. What was the first one you um This is on page uh seven of 11. Yeah, >> six of 11. >> Six. Six of 11. >> It's Oh, I

147see. Number three. That does seem to have an event that one >> and then the repetition >> and number 19. It just seems like it it asks >> but kind of asks a little bit more. So, I don't know. Did we have >> could we combine them? >> I personally I don't feel that it matters. This is based on the sample policy that we received from our council. Um so my my answer in those cases as usually is that the people who know the law better than we do have suggested it. Um as I look at it, I don't think it it harms us to leave it the way it is. But I do see the redundancy you're pointing out. >> Uh yeah, I think I think I'm agnostic on it. I mean, I think

148um I think functionally uh if you're someone who needs to use this document, you find the information that you need. Uh like is it is there that redundancy? Yes. But um I think I'd agree with Superintendent Gray that we just leave that as is for the moment. Okay. Oh, >> wait. Maybe I found a thing. >> Let's just look at 14. 14 for a second. 14 on page seven of 11. What's going on with less restrictive interventions tried to prior to the use of physical restraint or seclusion? >> So, when you write up the incident report, you have to >> No, I'm sorry. I'm I'm confused about the the pun how we're punctuating and how we are capitalizing things. I'm just confused as what are we saying is the punctuation between seclusion and if >>

149you mean is that is is that period is that what you mean Colin >> physical restraint >> 14 less restrictive interventions tried prior to the use of physical restraint or seclusion >> so >> oh I see what's happening >> the The uppercase I is struck out, the lowercase I is put in, and there's a comma, >> but the comma's been struck out technically, so it's a period. >> And no, I got that wrong. I'm sorry. The word and with the comma is struck out. Period is put in its place. Lowercase I is struck out. Uppercase I is bolded and underlined which means that what is intended is there's a period afterward seclusion and then an uppercase if none used comma explain why >> groovy that's fine that's that sounds that sounds great >> everybody got

150that >> but I just had a moment where my brain was imploding >> this is a good opportunity for me to praise Jenny McNis for all of her endless work and doing all this striking out an underlying Yes, Jenny, this is just a moment where you remember the flowers that I brought you uh with the other other ways that I annoy you. Um, just remember those. >> Uh, anything else? >> Okay, we have a motion on the floor. All those in favor? >> None opposed. >> Thank you so much. >> Erica, did you get the motion and the second? Thank you. >> Um, okay. No un unfinished business tonight. New business. Um, so let's get a motion on the floor. Uh, do I have a motion for consideration and approval to expend up to $55,000

151from capital reserves for the building automation system upgrades at Durham Community School. Kelly Valerie. And I will ask Kelly if she could speak to these. That would be great. >> Sure. I briefly mentioned this in my uh first presentation this evening. Um, Director Reynolds was contacted by Main Controls, who is the company that um, handles our uh, building m uh, automation maintenance contract. And um, he was notified that the um, and I'm going to read the part an excerpt from the email. The current building automation platform is failing which is causing control issues within the building. the uh plat he's referring to the platform it is no longer supported by the manufacturer and so this proposal in that's where the email the piece of I'm pulling out of the email ends um what I wanted

152to mention is that in within phase two of the energy audit um that was presented um initially as as like the four phases the four phased project um phase is two. So this year we did the middle school and the high school with building automation. Durham Community School was scheduled for the second phase of the energy audit. So this was identified that it was a need. We had hoped it would last till phase two, but what we've discovered is that it is not going to last um until we can complete phase two. Um, so what we're asking for here is to um accelerate them and actually get that project done this year and utilize capital reserve money versus having it run through the energy audit. >> And my understanding is that this automation system runs

153the heating and ventilation. And it's it does since it's malfunctioning that what's currently happening is well typically it's taking the temperature in the room and then adjusting it and you're able to adjust it remotely. >> Correct. And so now we don't know the temperature in the room unless someone goes there and checks it and if it gets too hot or too cold like we'd have to send a staff member there to check it or manually adjust it. >> Correct. >> And so it's it's a problem. >> Yes. >> That would need to be fixed sooner rather than later. And so because this the reserve monies live outside of the budget that we are approved to expend from um this year, not next year, not next year hopefully. Um we are coming to you to uh

154request permission to expend those funds out of the capital reserve fund. >> Any questions? Oh, Chris. Um, is it the same amount as was originally scheduled for it or is it a different amount? Um, so I think we built in a slight escalator because we didn't know whether or not um um so I can tell you originally the um it was kind of three parts within the um it was 26,72 91 9,146 and then 12,285. Um very small escalator built in. Um, but we have not had a chance to seek a proposal for what the actual replacement cost was. So, we utilized what was in phase two and and put a small buffer on it. And this is an up to number, right? So, if it goes over that, you'll see us again, >> right?

155It's a good idea to have that buffer. >> Okay. Thank you, Kelly. Any other questions? Um, okay. We have a motion on the floor. All those in favor? None opposed? >> Thank you. And and more. Can I just point out if you all look at the beautiful ceiling above us, this was part of energy audit phase one? >> Wonderful. Great. Very nice. >> Could the Could the camera pan up to the ceiling? Is that is that something we can do? >> Yeah. Pan up there. >> No, don't do that. >> Thanks, Kelly. Um, okay. Okay, we have no personnel items. We're at our second public comment period. Oh, Chris, >> um, can I make a comment that probably should have been in section 10 for comments? >> Sure, I'll just >> um I sent an

156email to the board today just just asking kind of if anybody had any thoughts on seeing how it would be both appropriate and uh possible to provide any additional resources to people who are losing SNAP benefits in November. Um, main goal is to keep our kids and their families fed. Uh, and we talked about a little bit in the finance committee, but if if anybody else on the board has any other kind of thoughts or ideas, I mean, my my thought is it could be as simple as a reminder email to the entire school of where those resources currently exist. um because at the time that those resources are kind of lost, you can you can be a little overwhelmed. Um it could also be much more extensive than that. So >> So like the

157backpack backpack program that's available to the community, the food pantry correct resources. And I know some of those are state and federal dollars, which is difficult, but um if anybody had any thoughts or ideas on how we could do that with what we have, >> I know in the past, and I'm sure you've all gotten flyers home in your folders, so I think we'll let um look to Tom if the schools would want to do that. Kelly, did you >> No, I I I think that's a great idea. Um a good place to start. And I just wanted to add that if we did go that direction and and send out an email like that. Um I I heard from uh our senator Maddie Dorey and our uh state representative Melanie Saxs and they are

158on this they're thinking about this a lot at the state level. But one of the things that they did mention is that they highly encouraged communities to please support our local food pantries. And so that might be something that we would want to include in such a communication. >> Thanks, Kelly. Colin. >> Yeah. And I just I think um I think I'm not sure to what degree we currently coordinate with Freeport Community Services um as as one possible route for um serving those families. But I would say that um I think before we send out an email to our to our community, I think talking to Freeport Community Services and maybe talking to um um maybe other folks in panel and Durham uh government or sort of equivalent um entities to sort of like have

159a coordinated effort around that. Um I think that would serve everybody um better. And thank Chris for bringing that up again. And you said Durham, right, Colin? Because FCS only services Freeport and Panel, so it would be >> Yeah. Sorry. Sorry. Yes, that's what I meant. >> Oh, I thought you did, but it would be >> You got You got You got >> Okay. Yep. I think that'd be great. Um Okay. Uh I would take a motion to adjurnn. Um Steph and I'll second. Thank you all. >> Thank you.