001to order. If we could stand and do the pledge. Pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. and our mission creating a better future one student at a time. Is there anybody that signed up um for Steve? Was there anybody that signed up for public comment? Oops. Okay. So, we will move on to recognition. First off, we want to recognize that we had 13 graduates in our adult education class of 2025. Eight attended the ceremony. Um, and I am always inspired by those ceremonies and the dedication of those students to education and also the the teachers and the administration that are there to support them wherever they are. So, it it's always um inspiring
002to me. And also, I'd like to congratulate the PRHS class of 2025, 114 graduates, and I would like to say congratulations to them. Thank you to uh the PRHS staff and administration. Um also want to say thank you to our graduates um for visiting our elementary schools. That was one of the things that was mentioned in each of the administrative reports and that means a lot to our elementary schools to have them visit. Also want to say thank you to Max. She was the she was class marshall. So Max did a great job as class marshall. Um Max, you wanna there um National Technical Honor Society which is honor society for LRTC. Um, Jenna Karen, Oliver Oliver Olen, Elise Ganon, Ashley Stout, Griffin Spur, Olivia Ryu, and Brianna Cororu. And we'd like to say congratulations
003to the RC Robinson as section one outstanding speech and debate educator award by the national fed federation for high school activities and uh DRC continues to um make that a strong program uh of excellence under her leadership. So we appreciate that. Also another congratulations to Julia Edwards as the 2025 Andrew Scoggin County Teacher of the Year. Mary, what school does she teach at? She teaches here. She does uh chorus. She's part of the music department. Thank you. Um for the Special Olympic medal count, um Johnny Bisby placed first, first, and third. Jack Wang placed first, second, and third. Hannah Mishu placed third, fourth, and fifth. Gabe Gabe Thot Levy placed first, first and fourth. Jordan Spring placed first and third. Jacob Fog placed first, first and second. Colby Betting Court placed third and fifth. Daltton
004Aonte placed second, second, and third. And Donovan Pair placed first and third. Um, PRHS junior Ryan Kelly was selected for the highly competitive William S. Cohen Instit Institute emerging emerging leaders summer high school program at the University of Maine. Um, Woodier boys um CCC outdoor track and field champions. And I'd like to say thank you to Melanie Harvey. We certainly appreciate um the service that she has given to the board and to the community of Poland. One of the things I've always appreciated about Melanie is every decision is always student centered and she we can always count on her to give us sort of that that double check when we're making decisions on what's best for students. So, thank you for representing the community of Poland and all of RSU 16 students. So, thank you
005[Applause] [Music] and Mary. Um, we want to thank you for your years of service to the district. And so, on behalf of the school board and the entire district, I have the honor to present you the key to the RSU 16 school district. Although we want you to enjoy your retirement, please take this key as a symbol of an open invitation to help the district and as a thank you for your unwavering support and dedication for over 40 years. We will miss having you here as a friend, colleague, mentor, and cornerstone for the district, but we want you to know that the district is in good hands. And as you have said many times, this is an active board and not a rubber stamp board. And now I'll open the floor to anyone else who
006would like to speak. Thank you. Got one in the back. John was it was it was I think it beautifully all 15 of us but you can just um really in awe of your ability to kind of persevere through extremely tough times on the court before time on the board and your ability to just stay levelheaded and flat no matter what kind of heat is coming at you and keeping you know kids first, district first, community first, all of us. really eloquently and I'm deeply honored to have served beside you. Thank you. Thank you. I'll put some of the words out of my mouth. Oh, I I want to say that I'm honored to have learned the ropes from you because after three years of listening to you and see how you run things, I
007think I'm comfortable with being on the board finally after three years. Um, yeah, I don't feel like an idiot anymore. So, thanks for that. I appreciate it. Thank you. I do want to say that I I appreciated being recognized at graduation. That that was special. And thank you. And thank you, Jess, for inviting me to to Elm Street and and recognizing me there. I I appreciate that. And I really do mean that you are in good hands and um that you know this is a board that can get the work done. So um I I I feel like I've left it in good hands and I can feel really good about that. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Thanks. Do you want me to look out now? Yes. [Music] While she's opening that,
008I just want to mention that at the Mechanic Falls Town Council meeting, they awarded her the Spirit of America award for from Mechanic Falls. So, in our annual report, she's in there with a nice featured article. If you'd like to read it, I have a copy right here. Oh, candy. might have just wind. [Music] I don't think there's any. Okay. Oh, that's nice. You guys are too good. Maybe I'll come back. Leave it down. Oh, thank you. A really thoughtful. Oh, it does. That's sweet. Thank you. Have that one. Thanks, [Music] And I do want to welcome our new board members. Um that's Peter Hawk from Poland, Gavin Bonig from Mechanic Falls, and Andrea was reelected to Mechanic Falls as was Jess. So, um, got a good group. Um, Max, did you do the I
009J? I think it's I J and J off the presses. Yes. Oh, so sorry. I forgot about that. Um, okay. Uh, Alyssa Mason got second place or uh second place finishes at the state championships in both the shot put and the discus. Discus. Yeah. Uh Ryan Kelly places fifth um at the state championships high jump. Uh Johnny Pizzerac placed first PR of 158 and 8 in uh javelin throw. Thank you Max. And Max's board will be glad to have you here as a senior and I'm sure they look forward to living through your senior year with you. So glad to be here. Well, we have certainly appreciated it. Thank you. And we will move on to our presentation. And just Addison, it's really quick. Um, but I just wanted to kind of give the board
010a heads up that um, as you know, last summer we had two students who passed very badly at our school. Um and so we've been taking some time over the year to really uh plan and think about how we wanted to recognize um those two students in a way that extend our community as well. Um and so you'll notice over the summer we're going to be moving the prek playground that's out front. We're going to be moving that back down to the lower area. We kind of wanted to do that all along just safer because it is so close to the road there. Um we're going to be spending the next year uh building the hope and harmony community garden. Um so we're not dedicating it necessarily to hope and harmony west. We're going to
011use their name. So we're going to create sort of community garden uh that we want to serve as a place of healing for our students. Also provide some more outdoor learning opportunities for our students which you know really play into that too. Uh and so we have a small group of people that are working together. We're doing our first fundraiser which is the open harmony 5K as part of community days falls. Um and so we're we're looking to kind of continue to do some fundraising and certainly reach out to community members and help us sort of grassroots effort. There's not any extra money for us to be able to do this. Um we know that with this community there's a lot of support for a project like this has such meaning to our community and
012to our staff and students as well. So, um, I just wanted to kind of make sure it was on your radar as we see some changes happening up front that you guys are aware of what we're doing out there and we have three phases that we're looking at being able to do kind of depending on funding and John and I working together. There's a landscape designer that's kind of working on some components with our staff as well. And just hope that it's really a space that brings some hope and harmony, but also some healing to our our community as well. So, just wanted to make sure you guys Do you have any t-shirts left for fundraising? Yeah, I know. I see you brought up with the t-shirt. That's awesome. Um, so we did we have
013clothes or initial fundraiser t-shirt that we did and we also have t-shirts we did for those that signed up for the 5K. We did have a lot of interest. We're looking to hopefully maybe involve do another round of t-shirts for folks know that they've seen now. I really like the design. They're made with thumb prints for the students that are in second grade and sixth grade, which is the classes that the the girls were both in. They have their initials in there. So, really, really kind of cool design. So, we're hopeful that they'll be able to do it at one. Yeah. Um, if anyone would like to join the 5K and help us fund raise, it is on Saturday, June 21st. You can register at 7:30 a.m. at Elm Street School. There's a kids fun
014run around the school perimeter in the parking lot and then the big 5K starts at 8:30 a.m. and it's going to go from the school towards the graange on Elm Street back past the school and end at the school. That part's closed. So now it's just the morning of music. It'll be really fun and it's kind of the kickoff to day. So, if you have any questions or folks that you want me to connect with that, you know, might be interested in supporting me, please shoot me an email. We're excited to bring this project to life next year. Thank you, Jess. [Music] uh our con consent agenda. And on the consent agenda is the May 12th uh meeting minutes, the May 20th district budget meeting notes. Uh under new hires, uh Jared Karnri, uh varsity
015boys soccer. We have two resignations, Alan Dor, food service director for the district. Uh and Kelly Levante, our literacy coach specialist. Um we wish them both well and they will certainly be missed. Our subcommittee minutes are included for operations, personnel and finance, educational policy and then the RSU16 uh was a joint meeting with the Optimus Club. Do we have a motion to approve? So move second and a second from Andrea. Uh any questions or comments? All those in favor? unanimous and our superintendent report. Sure. Happy budget passing everyone. That was fantastic news. I appreciate all of your support uh throughout the entire budget process of staying engaged, asking hard questions uh working through all seven versions of those budgets and having conversations that I don't even know about with our community stakeholders. I do believe
016it's a it's a budget that is lean as we all know, but it is one where we can now say this is set and we can move forward together. this summer and all of next year. Uh on the agenda, you'll see that there's there's three there's three pieces there. First of up is a part of your policy. JKG is an annual threat assessment report to the board and that was included in your packet. So, uh that takes you through there's some just background information as to when we receive a threat, what our steps are to go through that. Uh there's been 21 of us chain ch train chained sorry trained in a fact-based process called sestag school threat assessment guidelines and that's the process that we use. It's very uh fact-based. There's templates there's certain
017questions we ask of the the students the witness the families all of those components. So that is that is followed to a tea. Uh we have teams in every single one of our buildings and usually typically our SRO Bernie Wesley is helping us to to to drive that process. Uh from there we do interviews, we uh look at background information and we make a determination. And in that report you can see uh where those those those threats how we determined what their classifications are. Uh just for some background last year in the 232 24 school year we had 25 cases. This year in the 24 25 we had nine cases and you can see the breakdown of where those were. We had five at PCS, one at MCS. At the time of this report we
018had one at uh sorry zero at Whittier. That would change now to having one at Whittier. Uh Elm Street School had zero and PRHS had three. And then also in your report is is without trying to violate any confidentiality of what the end results were for those uh threat assessments. Uh in most cases, all of the threats uh students admit them, retract them, explain them, apologize, and there's a willingness to resolve those uh through restorative circles, but there's also discipline that is is handed out. And you can see in the back there that that does include in school suspension, out of school suspension, and then additional referral for counseling, uh conflict resolution or mental health. And so we continue to work through our policy. every single time that we do have uh a threat come
019in, we we immediately deal with that. There's always a phone call to me and I'm able to to be that point person for the principal or the team and then we we meet afterwards to be able to say, "Okay, what worked well?" Because there's always room for improvement and always room to get better. And part of that was being able to have what we call it's a a platform called Navigate 360. That's where we we store all of our all of the questions are in there. So, it's a very easy process to be able to say, "Okay, we we do this and then we do this next." And so, that is uh our our our threat assessment. We continue to to put that on our plan to be able how do we retrain our 21
020people to make sure that we're we're staying current and staying with best practices would be a next step. Uh also on your agenda is just an update. making sure that you've seen the news that uh our ed policy committee has been working through cell phone and uh device use really at the at the high school has been our our area of concern and um beginning in in August the high school now we'll see you'll see that the the what the the expectation is is students may use their cell phones smartwatches earbuds and headphones only during breakfast and lunch and only in the lobby in the cafe areas and then the devices will not be permitted for use during instructional time or another school setting. So, really focusing in on that in-person engagement, being off the
021screens uh for for personal use in the classroom and and Eric had talked a little bit about that in his his board report about having it during wellness week last week of being able to try some uh some uh voluntary you putting the phones away and seeing how that went. Uh and then also being able to have some conversation with kids because that is going to be a change and then with change comes emotions. And so I think we're we're we we've got a team of people ready to be able to help both uh staff, students, and families cope with the the changes and hopefully it'll be a positive in the end of that. And then also too, as part of policy 2 is whenever we do receive a grant or an award uh that
022I alert you and then also send a follow-up thank you note to wherever that grant came from. So we uh Poland Regional High School was awarded $27,120 through the climate education professional development grant from the main DOE. And this grant will support highquality climate related interdisciplinary professional learning designed and carried out in partnership with community- based nonprofit organizations. And so PRHS is going to use that money to train a cohort of teachers to become mentors of junior and senior students interested in completing BA place-based and research-driven senior celebration project. So, sounds like a great opportunity to make some really strong connections for that senior celebration project for maybe some of our students who are still kind of wondering what their project's going to be and how do they they meet that requirement. Uh, also just
023want to uh say I've had a a wonderful time with our end of year celebrations from prek uh promotion at Elm Street this morning all the way up through adult education graduation and uh we've we got Whittier tonight and PSCS tomorrow. So uh it's it's just been phenomenal to be able to sit back and and watch our administrators and our teachers uh our kids are are well loved, well cared for and and and definitely seen. And it it's we we've got a really great strong thing going here in RSU16 and it's just it's been a pleasure to be able to watch it unfold over time. So um that and then also with the graduation I just wanted to say too like all of the setups of the of the the gyms and the different spaces.
024So really thanking our maintenance staff under uh John and but really looking at our maintenance supervisors of David Luna here at the middle school high school. uh waiting till last minute to figure out if we're going to be inside or outside for graduation. And then also uh uh Mandy Shepard, she's our our our head of custodian for the elementary schools and just being able to manage all three elementary schools with three different things going on in all of those places. Uh it's seamless. Um our our parents and families show up. Even at the Elm Street promotion, we had to pull out the bleachers because that place was packed. So, and our our staff do it with a smile because it's what we want. We want our communities engaged and it's and I wanted to make
025sure that we we thank David and Mandy uh in a in a formal way. That concludes my report. Comments or or questions for Amy? Um just for the um uh threat annual threat assessment. Uh my only question is more for for informationational use only is uh when we refer them for uh students to counseling does the district pay for the counseling or is it on the families to provide that? That's on the families. Yes. Most of them will seek through their their own outlets their own insurance companies to be able to to get their counseling. If not then we can provide that in house with our social workers and school counselors. Perfect. Yeah. Because I was just wondering because it might be a money barrier. Yeah. And I just had a question about it seems
026that we have a lot of people that are trained. Um how does the number of people that we have trained compared to other districts that are you aware? Yeah, we're uh continuing to to lead the way here with our threat assessment response. We were one of the first districts to have a a formal policy adopted. We were one of the first districts to have that like that number of of num people trained as well as the the main safety school badge was another one where we've got 15 people that have gone through that uh eight part training. So to answer your question, I'd say there's usually a smaller group of of a principal and and and a social worker, school counsel that's trained. Uh so maybe you're looking at a school of our size of
027maybe six to 10. And so to have the 21 really shows our commitment to making sure we we have systems in place to be able to respond to student uh behavior. Any other comments or or questions? Moving on to our new business. Uh first is a motion to approve the financials as recommended by the personnel and finance committee at their May 19 uh 19. So moved. Motion a second. Any questions? Seeing none, all those in favor. That's unanimous. And next is a motion to certify the results of the June 10th, 2025 referendum. Amy. Okay. Second. And we got a motion and a second. Amy, do you want to go over those? Sure. So, our first question was to approve the 2526 proposed budget. And uh we had a total of yeses of 608 and that's
028broken down by mechanic balls 159 mine at 144 Poland 305 and then the nose uh uh for the budget was 497 with mechanic balls 105 m at 75 Poland 317. Um there were seven blanks, one from Mechanic Falls and six from Poland and that was a total of 1,112 voters uh for that voted on question number one. Question number two was to continue on with the two-step uh budget validation process. And that was uh a yes that we will continue with the two-step process that we have gone through for you know every year that I've been here is we have the district budget meeting followed by the vote at the polls. And so that was 810 uh yeses to 292 nos. U mechanic balls 202 minet 164 Poland 444. Uh the nos were mechanic balls
02963 minet 55 Poland 174. There were no blanks and mechanic balls or minet Poland had 10 blanks and that was a total of 1,112 votes. And then our final one was changing the cost sharing formula. So if you remember that uh that uh procedure will be that this year for fiscal for fiscal year 26 we will keep the 9010 the 90% valuation 10% enrollment and then the following year for fiscal year 27 we would go to and then the year after that 8020 and that did pass by a vote of 673 to 395. Uh, Mechanic Falls had 104 yeses. Minet had 86. Poland had 483. Um, the nos were Mechanic Falls 158, Minet 132, Poland 105. There were 46 blanks. Mechanic Falls had five. Minet had one, Poland had 40, and that had 1,114 votes.
030You might be saying, well, how is that different than the other total votes for the other two? I asked um Mechanic Falls about that and they had an absentee ballot returned that only returned the that third question because that was on a separate piece of paper if you remember did not return the paper with the other two questions. So that is our our our results. We have a passed budget. We'll continue with the two-step referendum process and we will move forward with uh changing that cost sharing formula. So we have a a motion and a second. Is there any discussion or questions? Jess, I just was wondering now that we're changing um the percentages in future years, not next year. I understand that part. Are we going to change the way that our votes are
031weighted? Because when we vote sometimes it's close and we have to do the math and figure out the Poland votes versus the other towns. Are we going to have to change that voting formula now? No. When we talked about it at our comp share committee, the the the answer we got was no, we wouldn't need to. Um, but maybe that's a question that you would want to ask just to make sure. Yeah, I mean I think you can propose a review of the weighted votes, but they are two separate pieces. It the weighted votes is part of your reorganization plan, but it's not tied to the cost sharing formula. Okay. Okay. Any other questions or I just have are we gonna are you going to keep it um so that you know all the slides
032you had about um this goes to article such I thought that was very helpful and uh I think we need to keep that as a procedure. So the the budget book, is that what you're Yeah. Have the budget book and have the meetings all broken down by the article and have the articles discussed at the big meeting with uh you know tags to show where because I think that's what worked this time. I I agree. So that would be what I would bring forward with a proposal for our budget process for next year. So So we have a motion and a second. Steve, do we have do we know how many total voters there are in the three towns combined? Do we know I I did notice on Poland's when I looked at it, it
033said that 14% of their voters had I don't know it off the top of my head, Steve. I don't drive you crazy. I'm just Yeah. Yeah. Another time. Okay. Yeah. Very low. Any other comments or questions? We'll just follow up that I do plan on sending a letter. I shared that with uh Sarah as the finance chair and then Mary and Patrick to the the town boards and councils alerting them that the it did pass after you certify the results here. And our next step is that the secretary of the region which is on the secretary of your board will uh inform the state board and the state board shall issue an amended certificate of organization showing the new method of sharing costs. So that's what we'll get is a as an amended certificate of
034organization. Okay. So the motion and the second was to certify the results of the June 10th 2025 referendum. All those in favor opposed. That's unanimous. Any signs [Music] and then uh a motion to approve the assessment warrants and the installment schedules. So move. Second. We have a motion and a second. Stacy, do you want to tell us what all that means and what we need to do? [Music] Speak up. 14. Um, it is one that we have to all have to sign in the same place. Does it have our names on it? [Music] Okay. So, so that you don't have to hang around. Why don't we do that now? We do need you to supervise us. Sure. Stacy wants you to start with Mel since it's her last her last Melanie. Oh, order. Okay. Okay.
035Okay. You're [Music] 12. Definitely not red. I've got extra combo uh you [Music] I think there's only four. Well, no. But for no. Yeah. But they're going to run across country now. So, it's probably end up being on the budget. Do you get any help from the state for visiting nurse or anybody? Have you inquired about that? My mom wouldn't go for it. Well, thanks. I suppose you and your husband are talking about the future. Right now, she's just blind and you're worrying about what's going to happen later. Okay. I mean, she's stubborn. We think we think what's going to happen is one day something's going to happen because she's too prideful and stubborn to say it's time for me to come and stay with the guy. Yeah. I'm in the same situation with my
036mom as far as the wanting to do everything oursel, you know, we're waiting for an accident to happen or something. It was hard to get her to give up her car and her license years ago. And I told her, I know that it's tough. It's your independence. You know, I said, but if you kill them [ __ ] throwing things, because you knew climb, do you know that this state of Maine is still going to give her a license? They were still going to Yeah. just kind of rubber stamp it. They gave her a daytime driving license, but not for at night time. And I'm like, she can't even color. Well, she can see some colors, but if it's like a silver, she see it. Yeah. When you have macular degenerate, she has like four letters on
037the screen on an eye test. The two in the middle are the ones she can barely see cuz that's where the hole in her vision is. So she can see like the ones on the outside but not the ones on the inside. And then they come and go and move around and get distorted. Oh wow. Concentrated kind of she's trying to see them come in and out. [Music] you don't see because your lens is not in. It's like the lens focus is in and out, you know, and somebody walks out in front of you when you hit them or something. You can't be driving. Yeah. One of our problems with with my brothers and my sister is that it's easier not to talk about it. We we do talk about it because Yeah. But we
038want her to be independent. Yeah. and she wants me independent. So, it's easier just to kind of bury it and not talk about it. But we're start ago, you know, getting her to move out of her house and with one of us. In other words, I found tool that said that's it. My mom to move into a retirement community in Mechanical Falls about 10 years ago. I missed on this page. I'm not going to go in there and say these people are dying around me. It's a retirement community. Stacy, you said there were 14. There's there's 12. Trouble is they so well. There are mothers so they can see us coming. You know, you can't manipulate them. You can't read them. You can't push them from behind. You can't They have to be ready here.
039She had too much cake. for the house. Yeah, that's another thing where she could be getting state, you know. Well, if she would have took hope, if she would have took the the retirement home, these people who are retired get like 30%. Yeah. For your rent. Hope I didn't wait. Wow. So, you worry. That's about all you can do is worry. It's hard. [Music] I should start worrying about my mom. You know, we should be talking more, planning more. It's so easy to to bury your head in the sand. Things like that. Especially when, like I was just saying, she can see us coming. But if if she's going to have health issues that are going to hurt her, then they have to be addressed. Like my mom with her vision, she couldn't drive anymore.
040Other than that, she was completely healthy, but she with her vision, she can't see. She can't be driving. So then she had to move up with my mom. Makes her There's no blinds for that. You don't have to sign. There's no space. Okay. They just need eight signatures. [Music] With my mom, it's her balance. And she lives on a a very steep grade. The the the driveway is almost impossible in the winter unless it is impossible unless you have four-wheel drive. You know, we worry about our falling because they're balanced. Yep. And we're just waiting for something to happen, which we shouldn't. We should be on our case. Is she walking with a walker? She does walk with a um stick like a you know a staff and in the winter she puts crampons you
041know little spikes on the stick cuz she's so determined to live on her own. Y but it's an accident waiting to happen. Yep. Well, I know quite a few people have heard stories falling and they were doing good. Um, we only have Jess and Randy left. So, we we'll move on. There is a official um motion. So, Steve uh Steve, you made the other uh motion. So, I'm going to read this and you this may be the motion you want to move forward. We got read it. I will read it. I move that the warrant for assessment of tax and the assessment schedule and notice of installation installments for each member municipality prepared by the treasurer for fiscal year January 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 be approved and be issued in form presented to
042this meeting and that the treasurer be authorized and directed to deliver to each member municipality its warrant for assessment of tax and its assessment schedule and notice of installments. So move so move and a second from Andrea. So a motion and a second. Are there any questions? Uh I would like to amend the motion to stake July 1st, 2025. Okay. Did I say June? You said January. Oh, January. That was July 1st. 2025. So, do you approve of that amended motion and a second? I think we have it. Thanks, Patrick. Um, any other questions or comments? All those in favor? Did you have one, Andrea? I mean, not Angela. You're sitting next to Andrea. I just wanted to um we're doing C the motion to approve the assessment warrants and the installment schedules. Thank you.
043Okay. All those in favor? That's unanimous. So, moving on to a motion to authorize the superintendent to hire teachers and administrators over the summer. So, moved. Second. Okay. Questions or or comments? I have a question. Do we have to do this every year? Yes. Okay. Because I thought we And why is that? You have to do it every year. Yeah. Well, because it's it is the school board's authority to hire and to vote on on teachers on professional staff. So what we're saying to her is that because we're not meeting and we don't want to lose valuable staff members, okay, waiting for us to get together as a meeting to have a meeting that we're giving her the authority to move forward with that formal hiring process. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Um so we have
044motion and a second. Did we Yes, because I asked a question. Yeah. All right. So, we have a motion and a second. Any other questions or comments? All those in favor? Opposed? And one opposed. Um, moving on to the motion to use BIMS for the consulting firm to proceed with the SRRF application process as recommended by the operations committee. at their May 19, 2025 meeting. So move. Second. Okay. Motion and a second. Are there any questions? Anything Jess or John or Amy you want to add to that? Um we received proposals from several groups and we interviewed them and this was the best candidate for us at this time. Um so we bring that forward to all of you. um we discussed it in more detail at our subcommittee meeting, but um they they have
045a very good record and they're they seem like they'll be great for us to work with. Um just to clarify, so this is just for the SRF application process. It's not for any future HVAC work like we will separately decide and interviews for that work or um their philosophy in general is to clean and reuse as much as possible. So, we're not sure exactly how the projects are going to shake out or what components will be included. Um, okay. I just mean like you guys will have a new conversation when it's time like if we decide to move forward with any work in the future or are we at this point right now are we committing to BIMS for all maintenance work and like project like what is the limitations of this? This is just
046for the SRRF applications. So that funding source and our projects that we're going to formulate and propose and apply for not all maintenance of all buildings or anything like that. Okay. But anything covered by SRF will then be um like contracted by them. So you want to provide some clarification? Yeah. So the way we have it established now if we would hire him to get us through the SRF application assuming that we get awarded some project specifically for HVAC projects would be our project as far as the actual work hands on work that would be out and then it could be done by somebody other than full disclosure is a partner of mechanical services main who would also likely bid on that. So, you know, they have promised a opportunity, you know, for our small
047hometown contractors to be able to get in on any future. Okay. I think my main question um subcontract that's good was just like this. So, in essence, we are replacing um prior companies that we've worked with with this. they're going to kind of manage the projects moving forward. Okay, that was I didn't know in this round. So each year will be different or also like any Okay, so we have a motion and a second. Is there any further discussion? All those in favor? Is that unanimous? [Music] And uh a motion for the extra subcommittees of negotiations, budget committee, superintendent evaluation committee, public relations committee, and cost sharing committee be paid the stipen based upon the leftover funds as outlined in the school board uh distribution document and as recommended by the finance committee at the
048May 19th, 2025 meeting. Have a motion there and a second from Andrea. Are there any questions? Seeing none, all those in favor and um that those uh stipens will be distributed on June 20th just in case people need to know that. Um sorry, not to go back. Can you actually put me down as an abstain to the motion? I just want to like not be Would you feel more comfortable if we just go back and revote that one? Whatever you think is best. I just realized what she said. She's going to Why don't we Why don't we go back and uh revote that motion to use BIMS for the consulting firm to proceed with the SRRF application process as recommended by the operations committee their May 19th 2025 meeting. Um so any discussion be we
049have a motion motion second and a second. So we have a motion and a second. Any more discussion? All those in favor and any abstaining and one abstension. Vote voting no. And and I'm not voting yes. That's your question. So you're voting no or abstaining. You don't want. Well, you you have to tell two abstensions. Thank you. So, we had moved on to the motion for the extra subcommittees and we did have a motion and a second for that. Uh, and we voted on that. Okay, now we can move. I think so. Oh my gosh, you guys are confusing. So, a motion to approve policies and we have GCSA GCS and those are the renamed employee use of schoolisssued computer devices and the internet. And the R is um the administrative um procedures for that.
050N E G A D um which is a new policy um and I'll ask I'll ask Amy or Emily to to talk a little bit about those in a minute. That's a new policy around copyright and policy egr, which is the um administrative part of that policy as recommended by the ed policy committee at their May 19th uh 2025 meeting. Do we have a motion? So move and second from Andrea. Do you want to talk a little bit um Amy or Emily about those particular? All right. Right. So, GCA is, as Mary said, is our employee computer and internet use. And it and it was just an update to ensure it lines with current technology practices and our expert expectations for professional staff conduct. Uh it was just important that we clarify guidelines for both
051professional and and personal use of our schoolisssued devices. And then the EGAD, as Mary talked about, is our copy is copyright policy. Uh it's a policy we're supposed to have and we we did not. So when we were updating GCSA uh they make reference to the EGAD which is the copyright we didn't have those so we have adopted those and that is that policy pri uh provides appropriate notice to our school employees and students about their responsibilities under the federal copyright statute. So that is a brief overview of of why all those are together as as one grouping. So we had a motion and a second. Are there any questions or discussion on those policies? See None. All those in favor? One opposed. Okay. So that motion carries. The next one is a motion to
052approve JJ as recommended by the ED policy committee at their May 19th, 2025 meeting. This is the management of concussions and other head injuries. We have a motion. So a second. that from Andrea. Um Amy, do you want to talk a little bit about that? Sure. Um so with our concussions, Don King put this on in the queue for us to be able to review with his athletic director association. They said you should be reviewing your your policy. Uh so we pulled out our policy. We did a review of it and we realized that it is right where it needs to be according to main school management and our attorneys uh with their model policies. And so this was just a re reaffirming the board's commitment to this is how we handle concussion protocol in
053RSU 16. [Music] Any comments, questions? All those in favor? Unanimous? Um, now we're moving on to a motion to approve uh Megan Wood as a sixth grade teacher at Elm Street School. Motion and a second. Jess is would you like to fantast I just want to let you know I have to abstain from that one um all those in favor and anyone opposed opposed. Any abstensions? And one abstension. And next is a motion to approve Kayla Cormier as school counselor at Poland Community School. So move. Second. Motion and second. Amy, is that anything you want to Yeah, I'm excited for PCS. They had that second school counselor unable to fill it. We had a halftime Martha Stone in there who has been wonderful for our district but to be able to find a full-time person.
054Uh very excited uh eagerly talked about her mentor and how much her mentor has meant to her while she's finishing up her internship. So I look forward to uh partnering our new school counselor with our returning school counselor at PCS. I think it's going to be a great uh grow and stretch for both of them and I look forward to another person of growing your own, bringing someone in early and uh giving them the right mentorship and direction and and letting them fly here in RC16. All those in favor? One opposed? That was unanimous. Uh and then a motion to approve Abby Label as a sixth grade teacher at Poland Community School. So moved. Second and a second. Motion and a second. Yeah, I met with Abby, too. Uh, new teacher coming out of of
055Farmington. I love any Farmington grads. Uh, that's where I went and has had a lot of experience with teaching v variety of grade levels, substituting and just full of energy and is walking into a sixth grade team. She knows some of some of our previous hires from FF. So, just really excited to get going in the classroom and I look forward to again having a young teacher grow with us in a new community school. All those in favor? That's unanimous. Um, moving on to administrative team reports. Were there anything that people wanted to highlight in those reports? Um, just a couple of things that that I noticed. I I know that we wish the best to our NHD uh winners who are in Washington DC. Um and also as Amy said earlier, their promotion ceremony
056is tonight. Um and also uh lots of things going on as Amy mentioned at the end of the year, the Elm Street talent show, uh the district art show at the end of the year. Um there were thank yous in those uh reports to our Poland Fire Department for their program called Fire Slayers, which they have done on a continuing basis for us. Um special education opening. So I would encourage you if there's anybody out there that you know that might be interested in some um special education positions, there were quite a few openings. We could spread the word about that. And uh as always, Shelley gives us a great report about what's happening in the adult dead and good examples of workforce programming and the way that they are um stepping up to meet
057the needs of our multilingual learners as adults um and reaching out using our community resources to to help with that. So, thank you, Shelley. Um, and also starting to see the impact of some of our our budget cuts in those reports. As we talked about the cut to gifted and talented now gone from two people to one um, and how our teachers are now looking at how they're organizing their curriculum data based on on budget cuts. So, can't make cuts without seeing the impact. And there was another a question that I had recently was what level the MLTI program the state program is supporting us in terms of technology and I didn't know that and I got the answer by reading that and which um they said we are getting 150 Chromebooks that are paid
058um through that grant program and that's the one that started uh the computer in the classroom onetoone computer at the middle school. So, answered my question. Anybody else had anything? There were um enrollment status was included in what was sent to us and Max. [Music] Okay. So, um not much has gone on. Uh it's the end of the year. Last day of school today. Hooray. Um uh tomorrow from 12 to 6 if you want. Uh the junior and sophomore class are holding a yard sale because our one earlier this May didn't didn't work out too well. So we're putting it on again tomorrow if you want to stop by. Where is it going to be held up here? Yeah, it's going to be held out here. Um Okay. We recently just did officer elections. Um,
059I'm not sure about the other classes, but the class of 2026, our president is Ashley Stout, our vice president is me. Our treasurer, we have two treasurers actually. We had a we had a tie. It is Ethan Castinguay and Cohen Demuth. And then our um secretary is Megan Webster. Um, speech and debate recently went to Chicago. That was really fun. Got to see the Chicago Bean. Um, one of our duo teams made it to Octofinals, which was really cool. That hadn't happened in a long time. Um, gosh, it was wonderful. I got to see a lot of fun performances. I didn't I didn't get to see any debates, but I heard those went amazing. Um, they're leaving again for Iowa next week on the 15th. Um, and yeah, that's my update. Thank you. Thank you.
060and congratulations on being selected as vice president. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Great. Um just a reminder that there are new subcommittees in June and um Jess and Emily, do you want to talk a little bit about public relations committee? And just a a reminder in terms of our policy that this was one of those advisory committees and one of the things within that uh policy is that when it's established it has a particular purpose and how long it's going to be. And when this one was established it was that it would go through the year and then they would come back at the end of the year and with some recommendations to us. So that's what they have. [Music] Um, okay. So we met just briefly after the last meeting and decided that we did
061think that it would be great to ask for a motion at this meeting to continue the subcommittee through next year. Um, we think that the work was important and had good results and feel like we connected with the community a lot. Um so would ask for that after a quick report. Basically um what we decided is while we were aiming to do three community forums this year that just like timewise really became quite difficult and didn't seem like it was going to be possible. So we're thinking maybe we will try to do that third forum at Elm Street School um on academics in the fall kind of in the beginning of the school year. kind feel like it would that's an appropriate time to talk about AC academics. We'll have some data maybe from some
062test scores that we can bring to the table and really engage the community to talk about that then. So we'll be probably meeting right away I would think in the beginning in August to get that on the books and get it planned. So if anybody would like to make a motion or do you have anything to add? Yeah, I just want to add um we would like to recommend that we continue for one more year and the another goal for next year that we talked about was transitioning this into being part of the responsibilities of each subcommittee. So just us supporting it through this next round and then kind of ending after that with each subcommittee would then have the ongoing responsibility to have a forum plan for it run it and just make community
063engagement part of what we do all the time instead of a separate activity. Yes. And then we also um sidebar, we are going to have a table at the community day event in Mechanic Falls um just to have some budget reports and Steve will be there and Andrea to uh just meet and greet people and continue the conversation because we're still here. Would somebody like to make a motion to I got one question for Well, we got have a meeting in July. No. Yeah. Make a motion to adjourn. Oh, no. We need to vote on this one first and then you can win something to make a motion first to continue the public relations subcommittee through um the next school year. I'll make a motion to continue and second from second from Sarah. So we
064have a motion to second. Any questions? Um I would just say uh for our first board meeting in August uh maybe open it up for people to volunteer for for that. So to give the um newly elected school board members an opportunity to join if they want. Yep. To join what the PR committee to join the committee. Yes. Y right. Okay. So we have a motion and a second to continue that for another year. All those in favor? That's unanimous. Steve, do you have a motion to make to adjourn? All right. A motion to adjourn. Do we have a second? Second for Melanie. Second for Melanie. Well, thank you, Mary, for your service. I know. I was going to ask where the hand [Music] just one time, Mary. Bring it up.