001Since this policy is in opposition to the rules of the main principles association, violation of MPA rules may lead to consequences ranging from reprimand to suspension of our teams. It has been previously noted that this policy limits the ability of educators to teach scientifically accurate curricula potentially curtailing students scope of knowledge, knowledge that they will need to pursue higher education and the careers of their choice. Kato was a political actor and he got his wish. Carthage was destroyed. It is still possible for this board to force divisive politics and arm themselves instead to solve the real problems facing this school district. Thank you. >> Board comments. Mason. Um, so, uh, I'm going to do the student, um, representative board report. I'm going to start off with an athletics update. Uh, congratulations to, um, Evan Hamilton
002from the golf team for qualifying for the, um, KVAC um, class B state championships. Um, and then this Friday, uh, the varsity football team plays, uh, away against, um, uh, they play way against, uh, Cape Elizabeth. Um, so today the the high school guidance department held tours for, uh, the University of Maine at Oro and uh, Husten University. Um, juniors and seniors attended that trip and I believe it was very well attended um, uh, by students wanting to go postsecary. Um, and then finally, uh, for seniors, uh, the guidance department is, uh, hosting on October 14th at 6 p.m. in the library here at the high school a FASA, uh, night with a representative from the University of Maine at Farmington. >> Thank you, Mason. >> Yes. >> Other board comments. You saw Tanya. You
003also report. >> I'll pull it close. Elaine, I know. Uh, since last meeting, I've had the opportunity to read to one third grade, one second grade, one first grade, one TK, and one kindergarten class. Like I said, it's the favorite part of my job. And when I read to the kids, I remind them that my own 14-year-old daughter does not allow me to read to her anymore. So that I really appreciate that they allow me to read to them. Uh I got to play with the Spruce Mountain golf team and staff at the annual golf tournament that uh Diane Fenison puts on. Uh it's a great way to spend time with the players sharing a sport that we all love. Uh, Miss Parker and I had a Zoom meeting with Child Development Services to discuss
004the adding on of services for three and four year olds. In the future, Miss Parker will be sharing with you what we need to follow what we need to do to follow the law that was passed dealing with this. I also chaired the Western Maine reertification committee meeting. Uh, we approved a superintendent's initial plan for reertification. I also attended the Western Maine superintendent meeting this week where we discussed policy making for the new law in regards to temperatures in our buildings. That'll be something that'll be brought to the policy committee at some point in time in the next few months and then brought before the full board. >> Questions for Scott? >> Thank you TJ. >> Good evening everyone. Um going to start off with our enrollment. Uh right now we're at 422. Um talk
005a little bit about our attendance. Uh we have our ad hoc committees have been hard at work these past uh uh past month and last year looking at contracts for students who are missing school. Um where we meet with the parents and where we set up a individual plan for the student to try to get them back into school. Um that is going to start next week. We're going to start working through that type of stuff. Uh progress reports went out the other day. Um we are actually ahead of the game on percentage of failure rates. It's gone down um about 5% which is really good for our last year to this year progress reports which is uh always a plus when we can move those numbers down. Uh also with our ad hoc committees
006um we are doing uh staff and uh school uh culture building. Uh we are doing this uh uh we have a club situation for our students during Phoenix time. It's once a week. Um things anywhere from sports to reading to uh looking at new uh types of learning in biology and those types of things. uh we're doing a and the kids it's been very wellreceived. I just wanted to make sure that you all heard that it's it's changing a little bit of the culture. Um and uh what we're trying to do is uh get kids excited for learning and uh get them back into the reading. Uh and our staff is really making a good headway with this. I'm pretty proud of them. Um also congratulations to uh Scott McDaniel. I don't know if you
007guys saw that. Um, Oxford Plane Speedway 2025 champion. We did bring the car into the gymnasium. The kids absolutely loved it. It was actually a pretty cool time. Yeah, Scott and I about six o'clock in the morning, we're pushing that thing right in. So, it was fun. And thank you uh Mason for bringing up the senior parent meeting that's starting. We are going to do more of those this uh uh this year. Uh we do have Julie Farmer from the UMF finance office who's going to come in and explain uh financial aid because I will tell you as a guy who does financial aid and FASA um it's a pain in the butt, but we have people that know how to help them. So, it's been a it's been a good thing. Uh some other
008good news that I I just want to make sure that you know, uh we just hosted a math team event uh yesterday. Um our students did really well. uh from all over the uh uh central Maine Lake region all the way up through our kids did really good and I'm very proud of them. Um are also our kids uh are so excited. This is um Diane Moray her and Sean Jagir and that crew um this is what they wanted me to share with you. Our kids are so excited to be back in school and are cooking learning and just plain happy. more kids are being welcomed into the mainstream classrooms. Also, we have the most amazing staff to support these kids. If you ever get a chance, come in, be a part of it. It's
009pretty cool. Um, also the good vibes. So, the vibes among this the kids, and this is one of our teachers asked me to share this because he wanted me and it was Scott McDaniel. Um, the vibes among kids just generally feel positive this year. the extracurriculars we are offering are are building positive connections to the school. I had several kids go on the Flag Staff trip. Um that right there is just a great opportunity for our kids and I I I hope we can do more of that. We plan doing more of that with skiing this year, Black Mountain, that type of stuff. So, we'll be coming back to you for some more uh uh permissions. Um, also the once a week uh club ratio feels just right and our kids are getting uh getting
010a lot with that. We're doing a lot more with uh uh helping support kids with the RTI and also with um uh just meeting with our teachers for support for our students. So, it's been really good and that's where we're at. >> Questions for TJ? Michelle, >> hey TJ, I just for clarification, I heard you mentioned um some of the extra activities during Phoenix time. You mentioned like a shifting of culture. Can you just help me understand a little further what where what your thought is like? What do you mean by that? >> So having positive model in in a classroom and kids can be a part of that creating that atmosphere with the teachers facilitating is really what we're trying to do. >> Okay. a teacher uh student connection like >> teacher student connection
011student connections you know having that day where they can uh meet with each other and just have a good time. >> Thank you. >> Other questions for TJ. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, >> Chris. >> All right. Good evening. Uh the middle school has an enrollment of 275 right now and our daily attendance average is at 94%. Which is still very very strong. Um this week the students took the main throughear assessment for the fall. Our seventh grade students leave Tuesday the 14th for Camp Kiev. Uh all but I think 10 to 12 kids are not going which is a good number. Um, next Friday, the 17th, we're going to have our first student of the month, Phoenix award assembly. Fall sports are wrapping up this week and playoffs will start next. Uh, progress reports
012go out on the 24th. And on the 24th, we also have our first school dance of the year. Um, pitcher day is going to be October 28th. On October 31st, uh, we have Choice Matters coming to present to us in the morning. then they're going to go up and present to the high school afterwards. Um, our parent teacher conferences are scheduled for November 3rd and 5th. Uh, November 10th is our Veterans Day assembly and right now I just spoke with Mike Wlette from the VFW today and he's looking for some more veterans to come speak with our students. So, if you guys know anybody, have them reach out to Mike or or myself and we can get them hooked up. And then overall for the behaviors this year, they've been very good. at the middle
013school. Um, we only have five out of school suspensions and two in school suspensions. >> Those those kids that don't go to camp Kiev, what what do they do? >> They usually they'll come to school and then they'll end up having some work for them and they kind of try to follow some of the eighth grade schedule if they can. They'll join a class there or they'll go sit in a classroom by themselves and just do some work. So, is this is this a behavior thing why they're not going or a choice thing? >> Choice. >> A choice. >> Yep. It's all a choice. >> Okay. >> So, even even if a kid had an issue behaviorally or something, I always encourage them to go because this is this makes that connection with their peers
014and really builds a lot of those skills that maybe that kid is or is was missing. So, >> other questions for Chris Tina? >> Yeah. You mentioned a uh presentation on Halloween of choice matters. Can you just give me a top line? >> Choice matters. Last year they they they come in and they speak to kids about making appropriate choices and stuff that can maybe make mess up your whole life. Last year we had a a a gentleman come in and speak to the student body. he was a successful college basketball player and ended up killing somebody in a drunken accident and then how he spent uh like 11 years in prison and how those that one one choice you know really impacted his life. So >> hey Chris, >> hey Lane, >> is that
015loud enough? Kenya, can you hear me? >> Okay, right. Uh just checking. When there's good news out in the community, you should hear it. And I happen to be at breakfast today with my retired grade three team who meets has a staff meeting once a month for breakfast even though we're well over the age of um but I had a waitress who spoke to me about how pleased she was with what she was seeing from the administration at the middle school and that rules were being followed, rules were being enforced and that as a community member and a parent. She was thrilled with that. >> I'm glad to hear I want to thank you and your staff. >> Yeah, absolutely. It takes a takes a village for sure. So, >> one of the letters we
016received in the correspondence was from a grandparent who saw a football game uh soccer game, sorry, a game. Anyway, the kid went down on the other team and everybody took a knee and this grandparent was so impressed with how quiet everything was, how respectful everybody was. And again, it's one of those things. It's nice to hear good >> Yeah. >> good things about our schools. So again, pass that on to your your coaching staff. >> I absolutely will. I just want to make a plug for Camp Kiev. My granddaughter went and last last year, the year before, >> and she had a really good time. She really didn't want to go. She was certain she was going to stay, you know, home or stay at the school or whatever. But she went, she had a
017really good time. So, the kids that aren't going, I hope that, you know, maybe, you know, the throughout life you um look back and say, "Oh, darn. I should have done that." So, it's hard to see them not go, and I know you probably encourage them the best you can. But everybody should really go. >> We We've had former students or eighth graders talk to them about going. I've called all the parents. I've talked to the kids individually. Teachers have talked to all the kids. We've really tried to get them to go, but you know, just sometimes they just don't want to be away from home. So, Other questions for Chris? Thank you. >> You're welcome, >> Sherry. Hello. So, in special education, we currently have 332 students. That's two less than my last report,
018and this includes 16 open referrals. The primary school currently has 64 students with IEPs. uh that's an increase of three. The elementary school has 82, an increase of one. The middle school has 74, an increase of one. And the high school currently has 112, which is down seven. Uh we continue to have 11 students out of district and special purpose schools for day treatment programming. We have two students who were discharged from their programs and we're pursuing new programs for them to attend because we don't have the resources here in our district. We have one more student who are we are pursuing a day treatment program to better meet his needs. Um our current open positions are the same as um my last report. We have one edtech one open at the primary school being
019filled by a long-term sub. One edtech 2 at the elementary school currently being filled by a long-term sub. One edtech 2 at the middle school is being filled halfime by a long-term sub. And three edtech ones at the high school. We have been able to get one sub that is working three days a week. Um, two of those positions are in the life skills room. There is a lot of medical need in there. Um, so being down two edtechs in one in that one program is a huge hit. So I'm thankful to to the person that came in for those three days. As Scott said, we had our first meeting with the main department of education regarding the transition of four-year-old programming from CDS to main public schools. And we have a second meeting scheduled
020in November. The law says we have to pick up three and four year olds, but by being part of cohort three, we can pick up the three-year-olds in year four. So we don't have to do them all at once, and it's two different laws to parts of the law to interpret. So I'm thankful for the opportunity to do it over two years. Um this the meeting in October and then the one in November are informational meetings. The November one is more for fiscal um needs. Um and we have not fully committed like even having these meetings there with just potentials at this point. Um at this time we're anticipating 11 students age four in special education with a variety of disabilities. The funding follows a different formula than K to2 and will be funded at
021100% by the state. In reviewing the CDS paperwork, I also noticed that there are 17 students with IEPs who will be age five in the fall entering kindergarten. This number tends to change between now and April when we have our meetings, but this is the biggest number we've anticipated for a few years. The funding for this age group is the responsibility of RSU73. So, we will be be preparing the budget accordingly. Scott, TJ, and I on the other end of things will be meeting soon to discuss space at the high school for the life skills program. We have several students eligible to continue with programming until age 22 for services to transition into adult programming. I'm anticipating one student completing high school this year within the life skills program, which currently has a case load
022of 17 and is split between two classrooms. Next year we have eight students moving from grade eight to grade nine. So there's a potential of 25 students in that program and not nearly enough space. On a good note, we had grant funding to spend on supplies in September and we provided new supplies to all the special education programs in all across the district. We have inclusion tables coming um that are separated into four sections which can go up, down, move in and out so it accommodates any type of seating or even standing. Um the each section moves independently. Um a floor lift for students so that our staff doesn't have to do as much transition um and the physical lifting. We have OT and PT tools, alternate seating options, noise cancelling headphones, curriculum tools, and
023even some um ADA accessible playground pieces for the elementary school playground, which we do have um three students in wheelchairs. So, that's in that building. And none the playground itself is not handicap accessible because there's curbing and um the bumpiness of the playground. Uh the deliveries are coming in already and we are very excited to be able to provide these new things to our students. Finally, and I forgot this, sorry, Laura, I'll add it to my report later. Thank you to Norma for providing day trip transportation for some of our students who are not able to spend the night at Camp Kiev. She was able to get a van, so they will be there for the majority of the day. Do you think if the positions at the in the life skills at the high
024school were other than edtech one that that would make a difference as far as getting them filled? >> I we have two edtech 2 positions in other buildings and I don't have any applicants for those either. >> Questions for Sherry. Michelle, >> it's it sounds to me like you're planning, just to help me understand, you're planning now for some pretty I don't want to say radical, but pretty intense additions to the program, substantial additions for next fall, projected next fall. Is that correct? >> Correct. Do you have the supports that you need to help you navigate through this large projection? Like do you need additional supports from >> the high school will need additional staff for sure? Yes. >> Um up to age 22 is the responsibility of RSU73 funding. So that will be on
025in the budget. Um, >> and what about the planning process itself to help you get to that point where you feel that you can confidently take this on or or >> space is a huge issue and it's real and that's why Scott and TJ and I are going to have to meet >> um because not only do we would we have 25 kids but we have four power chairs, >> right? So, and we have visually impaired students. So, we need to have the the maneuverability for those chairs, but we also have to have a very predictable environment for the students that have visual impairments. Um, so that's why I'm bringing it up now is because there's going to take some planning. And if there's any additional ways that we the board can be supportive or
026I'm just I don't know what I'm really trying to say, but it's like I'm very concerned and want to make sure that we can help you progress in a way that is is uh supportive of the community and of our staff and yourself. Of course, >> um some some districts have created um transition programs, you know, outside of the building. So, like Scott had mentioned, maybe we create a transition program um down and use uh one of the rooms at the central office, but I'm not sure that that would alleviate enough because the numbers that are 18 to 22 are smaller than the rest of the group. So, it it'll take some creative thinking, reaching out to other schools to see what they're doing as well because every district in Maine is being hit with
027this. We just that group that's at the high school is very large. >> Yeah. >> It's been a challenge all the way through but even bigger challenge now because they can they have more years of eligibility. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Other questions for Sherry. >> Thank you. >> Thanks Darcy. >> Good evening everybody. I've invited Casey, our dean of students, because she's going to do a quick little presentation on something she's spearheading at the school. Um, and she's also helped me gather some data that I'm going to talk about. But to begin, currently we have, and this number has changed, 322 students at our building. We are averaging about one or two students a week in our building. Last time I reported was 312 and now we are up to 322. And I know of,
028I believe, two more students that need to pick up registration packets. Um 38 students are chronically absent at this time, but we had several students who wanted to take a little family trip in September for about a week or so. So, um our but our attendance rate as a whole is still at 95% or above, which is fabulous. Our second grade class has dipped a little bit into the 93% in October. Um, but we are celebrating perfect attendance and, you know, doing all the things to help get them there. Um, our academic progress, we just finished our NEOA testing. Um, you should have that data in your packets, I believe, if they were in my board report. Correct. >> Oh, they'll be in the notes. All right. Um, our data looks really good. Um, we
029only have about 21 students in kindergarten not meeting the standards. Um, that's huge. A lot of it I'm going to have to attribute. Casey and I looked at our TK data and all TK students are at grade level standard beginning in kindergarten. That's amazing. Um, so huge, you know, celebration to those teachers. And um we're going to actually look at the pre-k data too to see, you know, is that a huge impact for students that had no TK, no prek or anything like that coming into kindergarten. So, um but our data looks really good. Second grade, we got to get some work. But I kind of looked at that and I said, well, second grade's attendance isn't so great, so maybe that is attributed to their test scores. So, we're going to kind of look
030at that data a little bit more. Um, tomorrow we're going to be doing more ELA curriculum PD um to get them going with that. I know we have a lot of teachers that are really happy about having the opportunity in support of time. They need this time to look at the curriculum, plan together, um, work out any kinks and get their schedules all set. So, they were very grateful for this time. Um, we have a fall family festival coming up in October from 6:00 to 7:00. Always a huge hit for that. We have a day of festivities planned for Halloween. Um, parents are invited to our costume parade because we want to bring in the community as much as possible. We had fire safety week as well as pictures this week. It was a busy
031week. Um, but the kids did really well. Um, had a great time. A huge thank you to the Livermore Falls Fire Department um that they come out and do a wonderful presentation and the kids get to explore the truck and today we did our fire drill and they all like they love to see that. Um and so now I'm going to let um oh I also for community engagement we had the simply smiles. You'll see some data in that for your notes. Can't thank them enough for what we bring to the school and how we take care of our kids that can't get to a dentist. the the work that they did and the compassion that they showed our kids was just heartwarming. Um, last year when I went to the main principles association conference,
032it had a focus on student leadership and I said, "Well, prek to two, how can I get that student leadership in my building with those littles and you can do it because she's going to do it." She's spearheading a leadership team with our second grade and I'm gonna let her speak to that. >> Yes. Hi everyone. Um so we started uh we had our first meeting yesterday actually. So um we want to highlight our second graders, you know, as our top dogs of the building we call them. Um and we have so many that are just doing such great things and we want them to be able to um stand out in their in their school. Um so we uh every month our second grade teachers will nominate one student to be on the student
033leadership team. Um and they were tickled pink to be selected for the first month. Uh we had our first meeting yesterday, so we'll meet once weekly during lunch. um six second grade students um and yesterday we talked about like you know what makes a leader you know who's um what qualities do good leaders have and what does that look like around our school um and they were so excited one little boy said I feel like George Washington being the first one selected um and so that was really sweet sweet to hear um and so they are doing some special jobs around our school um we have two girls that are helping us with morning announcements um we have a couple kids stay in the hallway at the end of the day to do like hallway
034monitoring with their safety vests and it's really cute >> they are so um and a couple um kids out by the bus, you know, helping reminding kids to walk and stuff. So, um we're we're hoping to get them into classrooms to support our kindergarten students, doing some reading with them, um and just really highlighting these kids and letting their uh leadership shine through the school. We're excited. >> Questions for Darcy? >> Oh, go ahead. um when it comes to attendance that I know my granddaughter was in second grade came home for was September with perfect attendance and just getting that award made her so happy >> and made her brother jealous because he had been sick. So >> I I think just giving those awards do help. >> We passed out 150 perfect attendance awards.
035Other questions for Dassie? >> Thank you. >> Uh so I met with Scott a few times uh about agenda and other a few other things. Uh but other than that I don't have very much. Uh we have a policy meeting coming up October 20th finance meeting on the 23 and I will accept a motion regarding the second and final reading of policy AC/DC coordination of federal and state law. discussion Elaine. Um, this evening my comments are not for the directors but for the students, staff, and taxpayers of the district. Sadly, there are directors who tonight will choose to ignore the solemn oath of office they took and to vote number one knowingly to violate the law of the state of Maine by voting to support this proposed policy and number two will by the very
036words in the policy to create a safe and welcoming environment that will alienate and target a group of students. I apologize to you. These directors are voting for their personal beliefs over their responsibility to their oaths of office. This decision is not this board's to make. The courts will decide this issue. By passing this policy, the taxpayers will be on the hook for any lawsuits ensuing should a student from this district be denied a position on the team. I'm not going to change any minds tonight, but this is not a day I will be proud to say I served on this board of directors. >> Other comments? Tina, >> before I start my prepared comments, I just want to mention that if anybody has specific questions about how this um repeated uh statement about it
037being again a violation of main state law. Um if you read the letter from Mr. Peard that's in your files, in our files, um he he does bring in some of the specifics that that make it quite clear. With this vote, we are choosing to up whether to uphold the settled laws of the state of Maine or pursue a path of unnecessary risk and betrayal of principle. The proposed policy AC/DC is a rejection of the legal fidelity required of us as board members. Before we talk about legal conflict, we should address the process itself. Fellow board members, we voted to accept the first reading of this policy, even after being informed at least twice that the second attempted sentence in the draft is an incomplete sentence and one that doesn't actually say anything coherent. This
038issue of is one of several points of concern brought to the board that the proponents have simply chosen to dismiss. that reflects a lapse in our board's commitment in the board's commitment to both clear policy language and to being responsive to the input of our stakeholders. The proposed language does clearly state that this policy is based upon the executive orders issued by the president of the United States and statements made by the United States Attorney General. But a political interpretation from Washington DC is not law. It is an opinion. RSU73's lawyers have advised us not to initiate this policy. That advice did not change when we hired them to draft the language. The litigation that we are inviting will most likely not be covered by our insurance, potentially leaving the full cost on the backs
039of local taxpayers. The main Supreme Court set a binding precedent over a decade ago in DOE versus RSU26. The Main Human Rights Act is clear and it has been upheld in the courts for years. While the Trump administration may disagree with the president, an executive order does not overturn it. Perhaps the courts will do so, but we are way out of line in picking sides in this dispute. We are unnecessarily jumping into a conflict that is being handled as it should be in the courts. This policy puts our local taxpayers at risk of paying a legal defense that we could avoid by simply following the law. And make no mistake, this proposal chooses to follow a political opinion instead of the laws of the state of Maine. That isn't sound governance. It's ignoring the rule
040book we were elected to uphold. The rules of our constitutional republic demand that every local body, like this board, adhere to established legal framework. It is the only promise that we as elected officials are required to make and every one of us at this table has made that oath at least once. Our feelings about any particular issue, no matter how heartfelt, do not negate that oath. The second and perhaps worse failure is one of conscience. This policy fosters an us versus them mentality that undermines the basic educational principles we are trusted to uphold. I recognize that the increasing visibility of transgender people in the mainstream is a cultural change that challenges the norms that our western society has held on to for generations. It may be uncomfortable and that discomfort is understandable. However, our duty
041is not to retreat to comfort or to legislate personal beliefs. Our duty is to respond by ensuring that every student can feel supported and included. And in this case, neither the policy nor the process answers that call. This policy insists that we recognize only two sexes, biological male and biological female, by attempting to legislate a simplified definition of gender that is legally and scientifically insufficient. This board lays the groundwork for institutional discrimination. It deliberately ignores the clear distinction between biological sex and gender identity, a distinction that is central to Maine's anti-discrimination law. While we are only beginning to understand the biological underpinnings, it's clear that transgender people have existed across cultures and throughout history. When transgender people are accepted as they are, they tend to go about the job of living just like everyone else.
042But when groups of people are rejected from full participation in society, they tend to have great difficulty in reaching their full potential. The policy we are voting on tonight creates a dynamic that will have that effect on some number of our students. When we adopt a policy that treats a subset of our students with explicit skepticism and suspicion, we are enacting an institutional othering that is morally and legally indefensible. While it soothe while it may soothe many people's feelings, it is at the expense of the long-term well-being of a segment of our population that carries no blame. Our mandate is to educate all students, not to debate the fund their fundamental right to dignity. I urge my fellow board members to consider the lasting impact of this vote. We must reject policy AC/DC, not just
043because it's legally compromised, but because it's a betrayal of our duty to the constitutional framework that G that grants us the the authority to sit at this table. If we truly care about protecting our students, we should ensure that our schools remain demonstrabably compliant with state law and fully committed to the to the dignity and safety of every student that we serve. of the discussion. >> I um actually just recently talked to a couple girls and also a young man about transgenders. They have no issue with people being transgender. None whatsoever. They do have an issue. And the boy was 14 years old, his freshman. And he's does not want a biological female anywhere where he is going to be exposed whether he's in the locker room changing for fizzed, if he goes into a
044bathroom. And the girls felt the same way. They didn't have any issue with anybody that was transgender. Their issue was the same. They don't want a biological male in the locker rooms or in their bathrooms. Um they just don't feel safe. And with the young man, it wasn't that he didn't feel safe. He was embarrassed to have a um biological female um in what he considers his private spaces. That's all I have to say. Other discussion, Holly? As we move toward enacting our policy ATCDC, we should know we are on firm ground protecting girls sports and spaces. Title 9 and the main human rights act were written to guarantee equal opportunity for female students. And the very agency charged with enforcing that law, the Maine Human Rights Commission, has publicly stated it has no action
045to take after five main school boards adopted similar Title 9 directives. That means we can be confident that ensuring fairness and safety for girls is not only right, but fully consistent with Maine law, far from creating liability. Passing policy AC/DC honors the original intent of these civil rights protections and safeguards opportunities for our female athletes. The main human rights act is not obstructing this decision. Per the main human rights commission, the US Constitution Supremacy Clause dictates that federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws. The superintendent's association testified publicly to state to the state house that they favor protecting girls in sports. The main principles association has publicly stated there are no violations for sport teams after deciding to protect girls sports. I feel confident that we are we will be on the right side
046of this by voting to adopt Title N ACDC. Other board discussion. Don, >> I want to speak from the heart tonight about why the school board is considering this policy to keep boys out of school girls spaces and sports. This consideration is not being made in anger or out of exclusion. It is being made out of love. Love for fairness, safety, and common sense. Our daughters deserve a level playing field. They've worked hard for their teams, their records, and their scholarships. We cannot ask them to compete against biological boys and call that equality. That's not progress. That's eraser of what Title 9 was originally built to protect. And in private spaces like bathrooms and locker rooms, girls deserve comfort and privacy. That's not discrimination. That's respect. for personal boundaries. We care about every student in
047this district. We'll always treat every child with dignity and kindness, even though we're being told that we will not. But fairness, inclusion, and inclusion are not enemies. They must live side by side. In speaking with people in our community, I've been keeping track of how many are for this policy and how many are against. The numbers are overwhelmingly people are for it. My count has it at 8 to 10 uh excuse me, eight out of 10 people. They talk to me. They grab me in the grocery store. People I don't even know. and they they come up and ask the board to be brave and keep moving forward in this direction. From what I've heard from students, they applaud the direction that this board is going on. When it comes to these meetings, these schoolboard
048meetings, often the people who are against boys and girls private spaces and sports, they tell me when I meet with them that they don't dare to come up and speak. They're afraid. Fear of being shouted down, berated, and heckled. This is truly sad, and it needs to stop. I was just speaking with somebody earlier today that said after the last uh couple meetings ago that they were berated after the meeting. This needs to stop. We need to be able to have discussions without fear. Our job as a school board is to protect all students, not to bend to pressure from a minority of citizens. This decision reflects that responsibility. We're standing for fairness, for truth, and for the rights of girls to feel safe, respected, and seen. Thank you, >> other discussion. >> Laura, can
049I have a roll call, please? Tanya, can you hear Laura? >> Yeah. >> No. No. >> Yes. >> Nope. >> Yes. >> Andrew. >> Yes. If it's okay with everybody, I'll lump uh the first readings of the the next three uh therapy, dogs in schools, service animals, and animals in school. Uh I will accept a motion regarding the first reading of those policies. discussion. >> Done. >> I'm just I'm I'm kind of wondering what this is going to look like. Maybe it's blindingly apparent. I don't I don't know. Uh, but I'm each time in in in the instances of these three policies are I mean are these animals going to be in here with a trained professional with them? I'm just excuse me. I did. I did. So I'm just asking the question and maybe
050not everybody else got a chance to read them. Okay. So that's my question is is it always with a trained professional? >> Yes. Part of the therapy dog or the um service animal. They'll be training. There'll be a trainer with them. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Other questions? >> Ava. Um I um I know this is a little bit different since I live on a campus, but it is still school property. Um and at my campus um we do accept uh service animals and there's been really good outcomes. So I just want to extend that. I'm all for this as long as um there's just everybody follows the proper guidelines and make sure that their animals are safe for the property and I think good things can come out of this. >> That's the thing
051with service animals is is they have to be certified. They have to be trained for a certain amount of time and and and licensed. Um so yeah, it's different than, you know, a regular pet. >> Yeah. Yeah. animals have such a huge impact on everybody. Um, all of us personally um, and I know the training is intensive. It's totally intense for the adults that are handling the animals as well because it's all about training more so the adult than the dog or cat or whatever it is. Uh, and it makes a huge difference. If you've seen pictures of kids reading to animals, oh my god, the kid that will just kind of like puts their head down when it comes to reading and they have a chance to read to a dog, they light up.
052They are just so excited. They don't care if they make mistakes and that's we want them to be able to be. So yeah, totally encourage this. >> Other board comments. Um, so if a student has an emotional support animal, how will this impact the um the teachers that are like teaching the students? >> Is this going to like fall on them to >> It all has to fall under the IEP. We can't just have they can't just have anybody can't just bring in a support animal. It has to be part of their IEP and that training. And then hopefully they'll they'll also include the classroom teacher that this is going to be happening. >> Okay. Are teachers aware of like how this is going to impact the classroom? Are they going to have training on
053like what to do if a student has an emotional support animal? Because there are things that come along with having an animal in your classroom. >> Emotional support animals aren't covered by these policies. Service animals are a different thing. Those are covered by ADA and we're required to accept those and accommodate them. Therapy dogs are a different situation where you have a specific animal, a dog with a specific handler who comes in usually for, you know, a meet and greet kind of thing. It's it's they're they're not there because they're trained to deal with a specific disability, right? But they're also not a person's dog that they're bringing in, right? like the service animal is. And then the other thing just covers animals in the classroom like having a pet frog or having a tank
054full of eels in your corridor which has actually happened here before. Those kind but you know it's to it's to cover those kinds of things. >> Okay. >> No. No. I I messed up my I guess I messed up emotional support with service animal, but my question still stands. How is this going to impact the teachers, >> right? It doesn't really impact them because we're all we're doing is just reiterating our compliance with federal law. >> Okay. >> They have they have to be trained and they have to have a trainer. >> Yeah. So it's not so much for the student whether there's a trainer. >> Yeah, that'd be great. So, a therapy dog comes in. We like we've had therapy dogs for years where the kids read to them. Currently, there's one at the
055elementary school who lays in the hallway and the kids just love on that dog and it's just to provide that comfort to everyone. He is certified, had to be certified by a trainer. Um, and all of the kids can interact. If we have a service dog come in, a service dog has a job and so the kids would not be able to um pet that dog like a normal because he's working, right? So it will take training not only for the teachers, training and education not only for the teachers but also for the students to know the difference. Um but they have to be certified either way. they have a state lensure number that they will have to provide to us um that they were trained and certified and also they have to be under
056control of their handler. So it might not be a certified trainer in the building although the trainer comes initially um once that dog is certified then they have to be under control of whoever they're providing that service for. So, and and it's a job like they might be um some dogs do low blood sugar. They alert for low blood sugar, seizures, uh seeing eye dogs. Those are the probably the most common ones. >> Right. They But they don't legally have to have that vest. And as long as they're under control and they have that certification, then they are permitted um in most um ADA under ADA, they're in most buildings. I got just a small thing under the uh animals in the school that says animals may not be transported in school vehicles. Does that
057apply to the service and therapy animals as well? >> Okay, I just want to make sure of that. So, >> yeah, that's great. That's a great question, but it's a se separate policy. So if if the IEP says that the service dog is to be riding either in the school van or the school bus, that's if that's what they agree upon in the IEP, that's what will happen. >> So you can bring your seeing eye dog, but you can't bring your pet dog. >> Correct. >> Sometimes they're one of the same. All three. >> Daniel, >> she said yes. >> Yes. Yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. Yes. >> I will accept a motion to enter into executive session to discuss a personnel matter pursuant to 1 MRSA 4056A. Before we do that, we kind of
058skipped over other business and I was going to make us uh present the thing I had from the primary school. Is that >> I thought you were going to do that during >> Oh, no. I was going to do it under other bit is >> that's fine. >> We I didn't listen. >> It's been heard of before. >> We've we've had a request um to do a uh Halloween table. Uh Elaine can tell you a little bit about it. >> Yeah. Uh I was contacted by the primary school and they are going to be hosting a trick-or-treating uh at their building on Friday, October 31st. And they have time sk uh grade level from beginning at 12:40 to 12 uh 125 to cover all the grades. They are uh >> excuse me TJ apologize. >>
059Thank you, Sher. Um they are going to be trick-or-treating and they're staying away from candy as a treat. Uh we are asking that you talk to as a team but this is our team right here. Um that what we would like to have for for uh sharing the idea basically comes down to would we as a board like to we've been invited to have a table to treat the kids and we have some discretionary funds available. I'd be happy to do the purchasing whatever and I have the numbers. Oh, yeah. Thank you. And we'll try to make it something like notepads or something like that that the kids each get to have. That's It's no fun not giving candy. I got to tell you that sucks. >> Okay. It's very >> I gotcha. I gotcha.
060But yeah, I would be willing to take that on. And if any other people would like to be there to help mana uh man the table at it is the Friday the 31st. >> Halloween. Yeah. Yeah. >> And we'll probably meet to set up around 12:15 and they begin at 12:50 and it goes through 1:25. So anybody like to join and it's at the primary school and they have even have a special place for us to set up but in order to use those discretionary funds which I think you suggested $70 >> and I've already said I would throw in another 20. Um and if anybody else wants to Okay, see me I'll get a bill and you guys can whatever is left over just hand over the cash. Dawn, hand over the cash, baby.
061So, um I'd like to personally make the motion that we fund this October this uh celebration for trick-or- treat at the primary school. >> Second >> for no more than $70 >> at Yeah. >> Okay. >> Oh, we'd love to have you show up. >> Yeah, show up. on it. >> Great. Thank you, Tanya. >> Thank you, Tanya. >> All those in favor? >> All those opposed? >> Motion carries. Thank you, Elaine. >> No problem. Thank you. >> Okay. Now, enter into a motion to enter into executive session personnel matter regarding one MRSA 4056A, superintendent evaluation. So >> all those in favor the holiday uh indigenous people's day next regular board meeting October 23rd and finance meeting uh on the 23rd and policy meeting on the 20th. buildings and grounds. I we didn't put it
062on the calendar. Um, tomorrow. I will accept a motion to adjurnn. So move second. >> All those in favor? Thank you everybody.