001Are you ready to start? >> Luc is coming. Neil, it is 6:30 and I believe >> I believe Robin starts this time, right? We have no chat. >> Oh, is it? >> Okay. All right. Well, let's call this meeting to order at Yes. At 6:31 and um we will begin with our election of officers tonight. This is the only time I get to do this. So, I'm going to turn over the rain soon. We are going to move to appoint a chair. Anyone want to make a nomination? >> I would like to nominate Garrett Palm for chair. >> I would second that nomination. >> Well, three of us. We can't nominate someone else. It's not >> Was that your plan? >> You're trying to get out of >> I showed up late to the SAU
002um planning meeting so that I missed the chair and it was you. >> No, it was not. So, all in favor of Garrett being our next chair. >> That's unanimous. All three. All right, Garrett. All right, take over. >> Well, thank you. And actually, sorry to get kicked out. >> Okay. Uh, next thing. Okay. Appreciate that. I will I'm willing to do that for the next year. Thank you very much. Um, we have our next item on our agenda is an appointment of a vice chair. Can you remind me who who was the mic previous vice was previous? >> I would like to make a nomination. I would like to nominate Michael Costa for vice chair. >> All right. I will second that. >> Great. >> All those in favor. All right. So, that is
003all unanimous. And I I apologize Mike. I forgot at the town meeting to announce you as the vice chair. We were going out names. >> My I did not take offense. My self-esteem remains intact. at least seven position again. >> All right. And then appointment of secretary. >> Um I will nominate Gina Kanye in in her absence >> is our new our still our newest member. >> Seconded by Michael. All those in favor. >> All right. That's unanimous that Gina will be our secretary. >> Okay. Our committee assignments are next up. I think we'll do like we did last year. I think what we do is maybe Hey, Lisa. >> Sorry, I had to park like a mile away. >> So, we nominated you as chair. >> I hope not. >> So, I'm doing I'm
004chair. Michael is vice chair and J is our secretary again. So, no change. >> That is >> Thanks, guys. Um, right now we're on the committee assignments. Um, the committee assignments are linked to here. I'm actually getting I don't know why I'm getting the issue. Anyways, um, >> I think what we do is why don't we look at these at our leisure? We don't need to decide on these tonight. Um, what we did do last year as I recall, so we do not have any negotiations. Yay. for the next couple years. So the Norwich negotiation committee is going to not be an active committee as is the support negotiations or actually we have a two-year support contract. >> Yeah, I would say um uh correct unless um there are any grievances that are come and
005then the committee would get um pulled together to uh to address those. >> Right. Uh so more of that is an item though that if we keep the committee members on there just remember that it's not going to um you know unless we get grievances it hopefully will not be a particularly um laborious committee. I can continue to do their policy committee for I did a subpar job on that I think last year but given the fact of my participation on our policy committee which I'll probably continue with on level keeping on the policy. Um, is there any other committees that we have to discuss finally opened up? Anyways, I think what we do is continue and especially as we get through with the chairs for SAU and Dresden next week, we can revisit this
006at our next meeting and make sure that the assignments are all correct. Does that make sense? >> Okay. Um, next up are the two policies with regards to the roles and dues of schoolboard members and the conflict of interest policy. Um, I do know that all the pol all the schoolboard members are are new now or just revoted were school board members previously, so we should read this pro, but it's actually a good idea just to quick take a quick read of these as schoolboard members every year just to remind ourselves of what our roles and BBS are and aren't. Yes, ma'am. >> Uh, in reviewing u the requirements of policy PCB, it looks like there's lines to sign. >> Yes, we sign those. I don't recall three years ago doing that. Doesn't mean it
007didn't happen. >> Make sure that we are in compliance with our obligations under the conflict of interest policy. >> All right, let me make a note of that. Maybe next meeting we can we will hard copy and we can all sign that. How's that? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Now we're moving on to the regular portion of our meeting. After the organizational portion, we have the agenda review. There any additions to the agenda? Two things. I think we need to add a motion for the leave request before we come out of executive session. Okay. >> And could Greg and I have 10 minutes to talk about prek? >> Yes. >> Rob, you to make >> Yeah, I can add that. You want me to put that in the business requiring discussion? Those two >> the prek
008Okay. Uh so we're going to um nonpublic for the request, right? And then we'll do that as a vote. >> So the only thing we have to add requiring >> discussion is the prek. >> It's prek. Yeah. >> Exactly. Okay. So any other agenda items? All right. Public input. Is there anyone from the public? We have some new members of the public here tonight. So, welcome first meeting. Uh, is there any public input? They um the rules of public input are attached to the you just can't see I guess but the um here >> are members of the public allowed to talk about an issue when it comes up in the agenda or we have like three day concerns should we >> Yes. Uh so we are a little bit um I don't know rightly
009or wrongly a little bit fluid with that. Um technically if you have a issue that's not on the agenda you can talk about it now and then wait for the issue on the agenda. If you feel like you want to talk about the issue that's on the internet now because you need to leave or something that's fine too. So obviously the prek is on the agenda. So if it's a prek item, why don't we leave it for that and then Sean maybe give him a chance to talk about it. Great. My son. All right. Any other public? >> Thanks so much. >> Anyone online? >> Sorry. >> No, we just um >> if we could uh move Lauren Amryan over to a panelist that would be good, but she's the only one attendees. >> Everybody
010just division. >> Yeah, you go. I don't know if you are you able to move Lauren Amryan over to book analyst. >> Thank you. >> Okay. All right. So, we move on to our business requiring discussion. The first item is a the Norwich farmers market municipal impact statement. Um, this came from an email. I do not believe I believe this is strictly because we technically are budding the field where the Norwich farmers market is moving to. I don't think that there's any most of these impacts are actually relevant. Um, so I I think we're basically at this point just asking for the board to give authority to myself to complete the to sign the questionnaire. Yes. Uh, yes. But um I it didn't dawn on me until I was rereading this again that abutment is
011to property I believe owned by Dresden, not by Norwich. >> Right. And so we really want to bring this to a Dresden board meeting >> for consideration um and have the Dresden chair um complete that form. Um although I would say it is worth noting that when I look at the questionnaire I'm a little confused because I thought it said to be completed by the applicant and we are not the applicant. >> So I think we need the applicant to complete the first part. Um, >> yes, that was going to be my next question when I was looking at this tonight is um I don't think I am completing this. >> Uh, hang on. When I read it, it says the school impact questionnaire. So, I believe >> actually this may be for us. >>
012Yeah. So it has to do more with how he's going to practice the school, not the property. >> Okay. >> So, sorry. I I I'm going to go back on that and say that this is us. >> Um yeah, and I think that the motion that we've got later on in the in the in the packet covers this. Um, and then I think I would just have the um the Norwich Farmers Market complete the the top portion that says by applicate and then just have, you know, you fill in the rest of it. Okay. Okay. And I think we all agree there is really no this this is kind of a it's a legal thing. doesn't really make any sense because the North Farmers Market is not going to be adding any capacity to our
013school. Okay. Um on to item B, the ECAP donation. >> Do not talk about this quickly, Sean. >> Okay. Um, so Chrissy Moley wrote or submitted a grant for $5,000 to the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Wellbborne Ecology Fund that will support um our composting program, getting some equipment for the kitchen to help with students being more involved in food prep and serving and um some general stewardship materials and was granted the funds. >> Okay, great. It's a great That's a big amount. Okay. We have any comments or discussion from the board on that item? Lisa? >> Yeah. Um, just a quick question. It said that we needed to confirm acceptance by the Is that a problem that we have not yet done that? >> We got an extension. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Okay.
014>> All right. Well, that's a great uh great work on that. Um, our next item is appointing the AP approvers. I think it actually is time to do this. We punted this on the last time. So, >> I think it's back to you and I think it's back to you and I'll just make So, >> me and you. So, >> okay. And then our new item D. I haven't refreshed yet, but I'm assuming there's a new item. D is going to be >> D actually. I don't know why, but >> So, yeah, Sean, why don't you talk about the preK? I actually I don't want to front run it because I want to hear what you have to say under my um comments for report of chair I was going to throw out there as
015far as how we want to talk about this. I don't want to add an agenda item and I don't want to have any discussion about it because it wasn't on the agenda um from the board perspective but I was going to talk about that as well as other kind of you know bigger things that we want to have talked about as a board and this is one of them. So, but I'll go over to you. >> So, a couple of things. When I was listening to Neil's outstanding presentation at the Tracy Hall, I was looking at numbers. We have in second grade next year, we have put in to have three sections of 11 students. Right now, our first graders are in two sections. It is a group that has some bigger needs than other
016grades, but we also have two second grade teachers that are quite skilled that could likely be successful with those students in grades. We have three staff members who are qualified to teach preK. It's a special endorsement to be able to teach preK. Um, we could do some rearranging of staff to open up with third preK section. We have 12 Norwich families who are on our waiting list and >> 13 10 >> 13 Norwich and 10 >> 13 Norwich families 10 non Norwich family we'd be willing to pay tuition to come to our program that are on our waiting list. We would already with those 12 students, the amount that we pay to private prek next year has gone up. So next year will be paying $4,16 for each student who doesn't attend our program to
017attend an outside very cross school program. If we were to bring in the the 12 13 students, we would bring in enough money to support adding an ed assistant in the program. Um, so I would like us to consider >> which is a 12* 4. Is that is that the way we think about that these numbers? >> 13* 4 106. >> Right. Um, I would like us to consider perhaps opening up the third section of prek, reallocating one of our already existing staff members that is in the budget for next year, using the funds that we would use to support those 13 Norwich students who would go to an outside prek to hire the ed assistant to support their prek. Um, and considering chargements for wishing to fill the additional spots to bring it up
018to our 18. So I think it's worth us considering it's little additional expense. We've heard from several families. I think it I think parents well I know families value our prek program and they value being a part of this school community earlier and I think if we have the capacity to bring in lower students that it makes sense to do that Greg sent out a survey maybe you should talk a little bit about the survey that we so I know we talked a ton about this in January and we looked into it and then we kind of got into this spot where we had 27 kids on the wait list including non knowledge families and that was the longest list we've ever had and for the first time we were not we don't have prek4
019kids able to come so because they because the way our priority order worked they weren't be able to they had to go wait list and for the first time we had only one family say no thanks we usually have like 10 or so they want to go to another prek program. So that was a surprise. So um we definitely got feedback from families very respectfully and appropriate um kind of just sharing their concerns and valid concerns. And so that's something we've been talking and communicating for the last couple weeks. The only thing I'll say is we did send out a non-finding like you know survey to all the families on our weight list only and um so that was 13 Norwich families and 10 non-nor families. Um we had 19 responses only two families were
020double responses. So about so 16 said yes they would send their kid to our prek and three said maybe no one said no maybe the people that didn't respond or nos I don't know but at least it's enough numbers to feel like there would be people that would be covered. Um, so I guess as an educator knowing that we have this kind of big gap, um, trying to look into being creative about it at this point in time, which isn't perfect at all, but I think it's worth revisiting now. Okay. Um, and you mentioned tuition. What's the thought there? just I think I I don't know if anyone in the audience is Chelsea. >> That's you. Okay. So, Chelsea sent a very nice which I had forwarded to the board very detailed email and I'd
021sent you a little bit back just giving me a little bit of the history as far as how this goes and that's why we got into this whole a bit with the budget because prek you know it think that the game has changed since we decided to do that a number of years ago. I guess the best way of putting it with regards to the Vermont funding system, how much kids are counted as far as the ADMs and then also just acknowledging that at the end of the day it is mandated was a 10hour program and we had decided at that point just to go full day and we were talking about now going back to tuition when we were doing this in the budget issues. We were looking at the at tuition as an
022idea when we were debating this was before we knew what the tax rate was going to be. if you're part of that whole conversation and being ready to move if we were going to need to make some more difficult decisions once we understood the implications for the actual tax rate. And we were also waiting on handover because per Robin's recommendation, they were actually evaluating adding prek and a tuition um element to it. And then as you may know, they actually decided not to move ahead of pre-k. So there is no there's literally no prek in handover still. Um anyway, so now all that is backdrop the tuition. I do think we can we were going to talk about this like I said. So we do have time to kind of think about this. So we
023don't necessarily need to make these decisions tonight and make it decision tuition tonight. It was going to be, at least in my chair recommendation, it's going to be a little bit of a study of this for the next month or two or three and get some data and figure out how we were going to roll this out if we wanted to do this. >> So tuition would be for non resident students. So our resident students wouldn't pay tuition. >> Okay. >> But any of the students who have expressed families who have expressed interest that are not Norwich families, >> okay, >> it would be just like any other grade level that came in that would pay tuition to come. >> Okay. And sorry, that was that your those are the numbers that you said three
024may or may not want to. >> Okay. >> Three meetings. >> So those were those were tuition. >> I don't know. I didn't do that. I could find that out really easily though. >> Okay. >> So there's seven that responded. Seven non Norwich families that potentially would pay tuition. >> Okay. Michael. >> Yeah. just um thinking about the discussion tonight, what action are you looking for from the board? >> That's a great question. So, we it's timely. Parents are looking for places for their children. Um I think the action that I would be looking for is for the board to say you can go and explore how to use the existing staff that we have um to best meet the needs of families. which craft be over the third section of prek as opposed to
025having three sections of second grade next year. >> Yeah. Um may I do mind if I ask a couple questions? Sure. >> So, uh in reading Chelsea's email, right, um I think a lot about the governance management distinction. I think of us as we say what we want in policy and direction and then professionals figure out how to do it right. Um here speaking as one board member um I think the prek program is great. I'm not opposed to making more of it. Um particularly as a family who um you know I still we are still using some of our college furniture because of how much we paid for childare, >> right? And so here I just I guess I want to understand the mechanics. I I trust your judgment on how to deploy the
026number of teachers for some grade. I >> it's within our guidelines. I feel like that's you and your team's call, right? And it seems like that's a reasonable solution to have two sections of 17 and 16 as opposed to three sections at 11. So then if we open up a third prek slot, um I my strong view would be that there'd be demand for that that you would fill. And so when you think about the money, okay, so you collect 4106 per per Norwich resident served, right? Norwich child served. Do I have that right? >> And then um are you still obligated to pay the 4106 for Norwich residents at different institutions? >> Okay. So if someone decided I'd rather go to somewhere else, Norwich Childare Center as opposed to here, we're still obligated as
027a school district to to pay those funds. Okay. Do you have any sort of based on historical experience, do you more spots we open up, fewer people go to outside places or it's no there's an outside demand and an inside demand? According to the survey we sent out just yesterday, we know 12 13 who are going to right now go somewhere else that would come here. >> And so you're repatriating that money either way. But I mean I do strongly believe that a budget is only a plan and it's never going to sugar out. um since our school budget has been approved for less than 24 hours, this is a record for how quickly a budget >> would be rendered irrelevant by our decision. Um but I, you know, I don't want that sort of
028color my view. Um and then do you have any concern like you have this opportunity going from three sections to two sections to reposition someone? Does that create concerns for you in future school years or >> how do you think about that? >> Yeah. So there's another thing at play here this year. So this summer we will look at our priority order. So we had created a priority order for prek and it had in there that if you're one of the higher priorities was if you already have an MCS student in another grade >> and that's never been a problem. We've never had more students than we could reasonably fit in. But for this coming year, we've given our spots out and because of that priority order, it it didn't allow some children who are
029four years old to come to our program. Um, so I think one of the things that could be solved by this is letting those children in this year, we might we might then think about next year. It may not save three sections. It it could be that by repp prioritizing it allows in the the older children and I think we would feel better about if a three-year-old didn't make the cut to come to MCS prek but we knew they were going to be able to get in as four-year-olds that feels a little bit better. >> Yeah. So, I think this I'm seeing this as a one year we have an opportunity. Next year, depending on enrollment, we may need to reallocate that staff member back to the another grade level and think about our prek
030priority list. >> And with the indulgence of the chairs, two very quick questions. Say you do this, do you anticipate a problem with your staff being repositioned? Um, well, anytime people giver, it's hard because people grow adjusted. They work hard in the places that they're in. Um, but I think >> we have a pretty flexible staff. So, if you would be all right. >> Got it. My last question perhaps is for board me more seasoned board members than me. Um, you know, when it comes to the high school, we have a whole committee on tuition and how everything gets set. And so I don't know if we have that same apparatus in the Norwich school district or whether that's something that's left to his school administrators. I just have that question of I I'm not
031against tuition. I I think to the extent we're offering something to people from another town, it's appropriate to go down that avenue. I just have a mechanical question about whether we already have existing mechanisms for setting that or who gets to set that etc. And now, have you been involved with any tuition setting at Norwich? So, have you in the past or do you recall any? >> Um, no. Um, and this falls into a little bit of a different bucket than what I would call regular >> like K6 tuition. >> Yeah. >> Um, agreed. So I don't think that there's any precedent in district for helping to determine what that number should be. I think that's work that would you know either have delegate to administration to figure out you know what's that what's that
032number look like come back with a proposal or um you know spin up a mini board committee to take a look at it. >> We we have case through six tuition. >> Yes. Right. >> Right. And we talked about tuition for handover if we were going to start preschool. So we could take a look at that too because we had some ranges of >> and then I guess not this is maybe a silly question but I I didn't really think about that. So why would the prek tuition be different than the case through six tuition? Why would we just use the same tuition? And this sorry I'm going one more thing. the K36 tuition in Norwich. Is this all part of the same tuition discussion that we've had over in Charleston where we reset the
033tuition and not the law tuition I'm talking about? >> Yeah. No, >> the state sets the tuition rate. >> The state sorry makes sense to keep prek tuition from someone outside of North the same as K6. It's the same school. >> That's what I'm saying. It seems to make like why would it be different? >> Same resources. >> Okay. And does it do we know does the state set if the state sets K through six I'm assuming they set preK tuition >> the announced tuition is set so one district paying another district if a student came from another district in that respect you've got your announced tuition that we have to go by but we do have here at Mary cross private pay which has then sort of been what I was shown by my
034predecessor was basically that formula that we just did and everything else calculation that came to the cost per student. >> We've been using that for that private tuition. >> Yeah. Um I would uh I don't know enough about this particular topic to be able to talk about it intellig. I think we need to um do a little bit of homework around that. Um, you know, in particular because I will note that that tuition amount. So the $4,000 figure that that Sean gave just remind folks that that only covers 10 hours. >> Right. So you're taking that money with you and Norwich which is paying that for a student for example to go to the child care center and they want to be there for a full 40hour week. The family is making up the additional
035>> payment. When that student comes to Norwich, while we get to keep that $4,000, we are offering an additional instructional time beyond that >> to make up for a full week's worth of um you know, instruction. Just to be clear, we're talking two tuitions here, too, right? We're talking prek tuition, which is the state tuition that we have to pay anyone if they're for prek. And we keep it basic. We keep it the kids are going here. That was the entire reason we And then tuition, but the capital T's, K through six tuitions for people, right, from the next town over that want to send their kids. >> And I just don't know enough about that tuition setting um mechanism to know whether or not it would actually apply to or cover preK. That that
036needs to be investigated. >> Okay. >> And whether we can make that up and say capital T tuition minus the 4,000 is now the tuition or something like that. Right. >> Okay. Okay. like Lisa, why don't you go first since >> Yeah, I I just I'm trying to get my head around like what the extra cost would be. So, the extra cost would be basically three4ers of the cost of every Norwich kid who comes additionally that we haven't already budgeted. I'm like trying to figure out what the additions are to the budget that was passed 12 hours ago or 24 hours ago or whatever it was. Plus, you're asking to add an ed assistant but not a teacher. Like, do we have to add a net assistant if the teacher swings? I just I'm I'm
037trying to figure that out. >> Yeah. >> So, prek has special rules. >> Yeah. >> Um and in those special rules are the how many kids can be with one adult. >> Okay. >> So, for us to open a prek room, we have to have at least one adult for every 10 students. >> So, there would be this this teacher that would move and then you would have to have an ed assistant to fit those rules. Okay. So, >> Lisa Senator, I believe it would be kind of budget neutral because we're taking that four grand small tuition. >> Instead of paying it to these families to go to another thing, we're keeping that. Sean's using that four times the say 10 assistant >> for the ED assistant >> but it's still not neutral because you
038still have to make up as >> Neil was pointing out the 75% that >> we are doing that that the town of Norwich is picking up >> instead of the parents >> cuz like when I went to the Dartmouth College Childc Care Center with my kids I made up the difference. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> So that wouldn't be happening if they come here. >> Right. >> Okay. Yeah. >> I mean, so just to to typo on in my mind, there's I think there's two things for the board to do, right? There's the immediate thing of are you going to pivot a staff member to open a third section and their their parents are like, hey, this is a matter of great uncertainty. Is there a chance to get into prek or not? There's the
039bigger and picture question of like what's our future direction in prek which you know I think I came out of our most previous meeting thinking hey we're going to have a broader discussion about in the district and then when I think about the money just follow the year I want to make sure I understand it if you did not have to add an ed assistant the fixed costs to the district are exactly the same the prek program would just lose more money because you're shipping more cost to it. Yeah, >> the addition of the tuition number might say, okay, the the costs of the program are going up, but they could be reasonably covered based on the number of people coming in. >> Right. That's okay. That's, you know, to me, as we get to
040the bigger picture discussion of where do you want to go and what's sustainable, you know, that it's a big deal. But within the confines of this budget, if you didn't have to add an edit assistant, it'd be neutral. though the program would lose more money and then but you have to add an ed assistant and reasonable view that the tuition would cover the state contribution would cover that >> right you still have that money budgeted and it's just budgeted to go elsewhere >> yeah the program the enterprise is the same the program would lose would have additional costs and then to the extent we have more homework done I just would want to understand any possible interactions when you think about tuition and setting tuition Um, are there any sort of limitations imposed by Act
04176? So, Vermont now tightly regulates the cost of child care and how much can go up every year. And I know that's for um, you know, regulated child care providers. I I don't I simply don't know enough to know whether we're within that bucket or as a school we're something totally different >> than that. We can find that out. >> Yeah. I would say I appreciate this. I I do I I would like to see it fleshed out a little bit more, but I am in favor of of your proposal. Um and so all of the questions that have sort of been raised tonight, I mean, if we could get answers to those by the next board meeting and don't mean to step on the chair's authority here, but that's about it. Uh so yes
042to the chair. Um and but also I want board members also keep in mind though right that the other aspect of this and um is that the the enrollment projection so the our cohort survival model said 320 students next year. >> We're figuring 299 is that and so it's that gap that's allowing us to do what Sean is proposing. If that 299 gets closer to 320, then we all may be sitting here in June, >> um, you know, wondering, you know, where's that other, you know, FTE coming from, you know, when when the class sizes pop up. >> So, but but I think this is worth a an investigation and a proposal. Okay. So, I think we've got the head nod for that, Ben. It's not an item that we're actually approving or anything, but
043>> were there members of the public that wanted to weigh in on this? >> And yeah, I think at this point, does the board have any other questions? Sorry, I only have one more. And when you do that, I'm the part that I'm still not clear in my head on is that the prek kids count as uh uh a 046 in ADM versus we we count them as one and then they get decreased by like >> 54. So in the end they count as a point 46. And I'm not clear in my head how that works with the funding piece because I'm not sure that we actually get to eat the $4,000 because it was never ours. It just I think I need to get some clarification around how this whole funding piece works. >>
044Sorry. Um I mean as far as obviously the next year it's been budgeted and everything else with the assumption that those students are there. So if we have less students going out it's just natural that we're going to spend less on the out students outside the district. So those funds could be reallocating the funds that you will not send outside the district to use them inside the district and everything else. Um but obviously going forward again if you continue with that program that's going to shift going forward to becoming >> so do we as a school district do we directly pay private providers? >> Okay. >> When we were doing the budget last year at the very end and we were running these scenarios the ADM count was changing less than if it was a
045high school student. But then the other thing that was impacting it was is that that then Teresa the prek expense line was going up as we were taking. So we were kind of chasing our tail a bit by lowering the prek because we were also having to increase the expenses by four grand per kid that we were if we're going to get rid of the prek. >> We don't get that money from the state. We >> Okay. >> It's in the budget. It's a line item, right? It's expensive. >> So we're just required to budget. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Kevin said that though I did that model because I was trying I was using that ADM model that comes from the state and I was saying okay if we increase or decrease and because they're
046counted as less than one it actually you don't get this you're not getting the same benefit as if we were just adding kids at the high school level but we're also not saving the same amount by getting rid of it because the kids are counted a little bit less. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's complicated, but I had to run it based on changing the thing and I didn't >> Yeah. know I'm just Matt the state like a a a program with good intentions ended up getting implemented poorly. And the only thing other my my question was is so if we go forward with this the one thing that's been a little bit nice right is because prek's always been kind of capped frankly right we've always known that number whereas obviously in kindergarten first we have
047to just deal with whatever comes to us I guess this is maybe what Neil's saying is is that it sounds like we kind of have a number here but once we go down this path and now prek is also now going to Uh, who knows? It's just getting one more variable um that we may have to add or subtract. I don't >> right from an FTE perspective going forward. I do think probably we would if we were to do this too, we would probably run this this year, but I would say that we definitely don't want to get rid of the the system yet as far as the classification system. I don't think we throw that all out, but preserve that for future years if we have to turn. >> I've seen this as a
048gift of a year. So, we have some kids that didn't quite make it in that should have. And I think this we have the resources to be able to do this. And then it gives us the gift of time to look through and see to continue to have a three and foury old program. We want a four-year-old program. I mean there it just gives us the year to think through it >> and our ADM count will go up granted by less but in two years from now once they start getting the two-year lag >> I mean we'll have more ADMs and Teresa's gonna >> school district consolidation like >> okay >> you know more me depressed already Okay. Um, board I think is where I said members of the public now. Questions, comments? Yes, >>
049I'm going to um, >> so quick name and >> yes, Jane Farrell 59 PCH. Um, first and foremost, thank you for thinking about this. I'm one of the moms of one of the older kids who um, if she doesn't get in this year won't have the opportunity to go to Norwich PreK. Um, and uh, I to say we were disappointed would be an understatement. This is my younger one. Um, the other one's been her dad. Uh but uh yeah, so thank you for looking into this. Um I would also advocate, you know, while I I really hope that every Norwich family can get off the wait list, if it's possible to have a classroom like a third pre-K classroom with less than 10, so that you don't have to worry about that. Um hiring that
050additional person, you could shift some of the students in from the two classrooms with 18 into a classroom of 10 kids and then you just need one teacher there. Um, and I think most of the kids who didn't get in um, and like go and go by age, so go by like anyone who wouldn't have been able to go to prek at Norwich would be accepted this year. So then you'd have kind of this cohort of making sure that everyone gets to go to Norwich prek who wants to um, without putting too much additional financial pressure on things. Um, sorry I didn't I couldn't write things down so I'm holding her but uh, uh, so that's just that's just one thought. um and just making sure that those students get in um without having to
051hire someone else. I mean, they're also I think those students would also be older, so hopefully more manageable and also none of them have special needs because otherwise they would have gotten in. So, I do think that like having a classroom of 1 to 10 would be a little bit more manageable um without without the assistant. But, um really appreciate thinking through that. And the other thing is that I do think that some of the parents I've spoken with a couple that are that are nor parents on the wait list who are hoping to get in but have kids who are like younger but they're the you the first firstborn in their family they might be interested in in some kind of you know like reduced or scaled tuition um if it meant that they
052could get into prek you know if it's really not possible if it's really not workable with a budget paying for um and I and I count myself in this bucket Like right now my family spending we're going to spend like almost $20,000 on childare next year for older kid you know so anything less than that I'd be I'd be very interested in in um pursuing that said I I do think if it's possible to do you know um universal prek for families this year and then try to figure out years going forward a good equitable way to make sure there are no kids completely excluded from pre prek just because they don't have older siblings. um you know like I I think having this one beer beer is is worth it. So thank you again.
053Sorry for that rambling answer. So that that does bring up a good point and that was kind of one of the things that we were if we weren't making this decision like now and this was going to be more about okay what happens in the next budget is the is the tuition and again I'm talking about >> charging >> because we had some members of the public that were basically saying hey listen I am willing to pay something it doesn't need to be >> you know 20,000 but it doesn't need to be zero it's something in between >> because I'm so I think we don't want to forget about that because we are off. At the end of the day, part of the problem with this program is is that we're only getting reimbursed for
054the four, which is the equivalent of 10 hours. We made the decision a few years ago to offer full-time and we don't need to do that. We could take it back with 10 or charge tuition. I that's I don't know if we want to maybe for my do we want to I don't know how we would look into that or when we would decide that and I guess my whole point about what I was going to ask for the board's recommendation is is when do we want to look into that at a future board meeting before you know next like October happens and we're up against the wall with trying to make these decisions. And then when do you if we were to suddenly say okay everybody it'd be you know obviously somewhat need you
055know it would be all the rules that we would do as far as need-based it just gets Quebec gets quite complicated because we don't really have uh you know free and reduced lunch I guess but we don't really have this like it's not like we're going to college where we're going to be suddenly collecting everyone's 1099s and you know >> I would say the Norwich um or the treehouse, they they do income based >> tuition. Okay. >> So, it's legally permissible. >> Um the other thing I will say is that my family included we are trying to figure out if we should move our daughter from her current childare center around bait list and other places. So, like there is a little bit of a time pressure where I think we want families locked in.
056We want that certainty making these decisions sooner because like if I don't know if we move our daughter to a different place and then we have to hire someone to pick her up at 3 >> from you know from 8 to 6 like all of those things are um are just something else that I think families would appreciate you to consider. In fact >> looking from a board perspect do we want to do we want to we bring this up at the next meeting as we actually put it on agenda. I mean, do we want to actually discuss possibly choosing tuition? This is a philosophical question, right? This is a public school, >> but prek, they've got this 10-hour thing. Do we even want to go down that road? We didn't really when we added
057prek, we just said, "No, we're going to do full day prek and it's going to be a service. It's going to be part of public school system. Do we want to even talk about what a tuition might look like?" We were kind of waiting on handover to >> we did talk about it in handover. So we have ranges. We have you know what people are paying in other places things like that that would be similar to >> what we could do is at least maybe have a meeting on that in the future. Add it to an agenda item and at least talk about it. We don't need to make decisions necessarily but then think about how that might work. Neil. >> Yeah. I would um I I would have that discussion but in the context
058of next year's budget but I think for what we're talking about right here right and I you know that's what I'm saying for the context next year's budget but I don't think having that discussion like November this has to be more >> oh no we could do this you know May June July question is the want to do this in like sometime >> yes >> okay >> Chelsea live at 82 Street um Just on that note there, I was going to raise that question because I think what we saw this past budget season was the option of potentially reducing preK within and understanding all the constraints of the state funding formulas and the things that are changing. Um, and I think as a current preK parent, I care about preK a lot, but I also
059care about everything else that the kids in this school get through K through six and want to be able to see us figure out how to preserve as much as possible, right? And so I think having that discussion is warranted whether you decide it's viable or not well in advance of the next budget season because when it comes up on the list of potential cuts and a plan hasn't been considered or pressure tested like it's too late, right? >> So I just would would encourage the board and the administrators to please consider that plan this summer and discuss it with the public. Um, and I also just really appreciate all of the discussion and the ideas tonight about the potential solutions for the kids on the wait list this year. Um, so really appreciate both
060you considering both tracks. >> Okay, thank you. Yes, >> Leslie Fischer uh for mystic drive. Um, I'm all for adding another prek um classroom. My son went to preschool here. Um, I just also want to keep in mind those second grade students that um maybe have more needs as Sean mentioned um making sure that they're um not being left out of the equation. So um I just wanted to be an advocate for them. I mean to that point I I did notice on the graph that's it's second grade is the 11 the 11 >> which is really low but to Daniel's point if all of a sudden you know five second graders move to town we do have a bit of a issue because now what what are those class sizes because right now it's
061three 11s right >> right right now they're in two section for budgeted they're budgeted for three sections of 11 first graders they're in two sections >> I think we run the list risk of any grade though potentially needing an additional teacher. We don't we can't really put a sign up to we try. It's like kindergarters but >> so those those kids will stay in the same classes then. So right now they're first grade. We were going to split them from two sections to and divide them up into three, but now they'll just stay the same. So they're really not getting a different experience and they then hopefully they're a little bit more. we would just go a different route. So we would look at our education services and make a plan that way, >> right?
062>> And that's still within our budget guidelines by March. So that's like 16 to 17. 16 and 17, right? So it's not that's what it is right now. It's 16 Michael. >> Nope. I And I was just trying to figure out. So tonight it's as a school board it looks like we're expressing conceptual support. >> Yes. Um, we'll make a our goal would be to make a final decision of this at our next meeting and then there's a broader discussion >> up front for the FY28 budget uh that will start >> for an actual like do we charge tuition for people that can afford it? Maybe it's a subsidized rate that Yes. >> By the way, is it does that four grand that we pay you pay to the families get that? But you have
063skills >> the school. >> Okay. But we pay it. But what happens if the kids go into Hannover? >> So then we don't have to pay it. >> So like when my kids went all over because we didn't know about this when I moved here. So we all sent our kids to Monasuri in the handover and so technically nor so >> might not have been >> it may not have existed. >> Okay. >> But Teresa you're on top of that. So if kids are sending their kids to the hand of a monastery, we're not hitting our budget for four grand for them. >> Correct. >> Okay. It's only for kids that are going to >> Yes. >> prek in Vermont. >> Yeah. And >> I'm assuming some Norwich people go to >> started. I'm assuming
064some kids send their kids to handover, >> right? >> They might, but the money doesn't cross state >> lines. But does it still hit our budget? >> No, it wouldn't. No, it's not like um it would only be for um like the preschools that are registering and and I don't know exactly how you guys always get their numbers. We used to have a liaison that would kind of bridge that for us giving our numbers. So, and I know I believe there we have that here, right? But um so anyhow, so that's how we kind of got our know that that's what we're budgeting for for the next round. >> Okay. >> And then of course the state's increasing the dollar amount pretty much every year, >> right? I'm just thinking again from our SAU >>
065staffing and stuff. I mean, this is kind of an important number to make sure that we're getting right and that the state we're checking the state and we're not having we're not paying for >> families that aren't actually here in Vermont. >> It's only Vermont. >> Okay. I could just give a little clarity on that. So, our early educator, Mary Poppy, does what's called a child find. So, she we advertise, we look for all the children that are preschool age, >> okay? and then she basically brings them into the folds. Um, and then Jessica, our administrative assistant goes through and make sure that any any invoices that come to us are for approved schools in the state. Okay. So, we're doing >> I'm 100% confident. That's all those students also registered at this through Norwich
066School District. >> Got it. >> And even though they don't go to school, they're registered. Okay. Through the like residency stuff and all that. >> Okay. Michael, are you just scratching your head? >> Yep. Okay. >> All right. So, I think um we can move on from this agenda item. Thank you all for the discussion on this. I think it was a good discussion and Sean, you have our head nod to move ahead. >> Was there one additional comment in the back? >> Hey, it's all it's all. >> Okay. But at the next board meeting, we'll just get another up. So, I think we'll have this agenda item for the next board meeting. again just for Sean maybe give us another update on does that make sense? >> Yeah. And if you can include potential
067cost increase >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Many thanks constituents large and small. I say she she pretty well behaved. >> That's our future. Okay. We don't really even need anything in the room. >> Yeah. >> See you. Thank you. >> Bye. Bye. >> Okay. Um business requiring action. Um I believe nothing's changed here. So we can just approve this all by consent. it actually, but I I would recommend we just do uh B through E and then do F separately. >> Okay. >> Do I have a motion to approve B uh B through E by consent? >> I move that we approve items B through E by consent. >> All right. Seconds it. All those in favor? >> I. >> All right. B through E has been approved by MS decision. All right. Do
068I have a motion for item F? Sure. Move to authorize the board chair to complete and submit the school impact questionnaire as part of the act 250 process for the Norwich which furnace market. A second for that. >> I'll second it again. >> Please say again. All those in favor? >> I. >> All right. That was also been approved unanimously. Okay. Communications report. We'll keep these quick. Um again, we're looking forward to the next year. I'm uh happy that our everyone is here. I think as board chair, one of the reasons that I continue again this year is because I really do enjoy the other board members board members and working with everybody. I think it's a it's a very rewarding experience. I do really do value everyone's different experience um around the table. So
069again, looking forward for another year of working together. Um, and again, I was going to I guess are there any other items that we would like to make sure are on the I think the prek is the big one, the tuition we'll talk about, but is there any other thing that's really addressing or I'm talking kind of, you know, like as we're doing the agenda items. Is there anything big that we want to be having dedicating a meeting to? um just as part of the committee for the um Richmond Middle School principal search, the moving of the sixth grade from Norwich there kept coming up in all the interview questions. So, it just it it keeps bubbling and it feels like it's worth a discussion with hard numbers um both monetarily and student wise if
070we could have it. So, >> and to that item, I don't even I mean, we did those we did have some >> Yeah. >> I'll call them soft numbers. I guess they weren't hard numbers, but I don't know how like >> Yeah. >> as far as who who would get those kids ever. >> Yeah. And I think that there's some um I just think that there needs to be some digging and some actual questions because one of the things that I was told on a tour over there as part of this process is that they kept the flat roof off of the sixth grade wing so that they could easily build and not have to excavate and you know add a footprint to it that you could just >> add a couple other classrooms on
071the second floor. When we were there yesterday, some of the conversations that the candidates had was about making better use of the space because that we were sitting in an unused classroom and apparently there's two other unused classrooms um on the basement level. Um and so it just but we were told at the board meeting that there was absolutely no space whatsoever. um yet we were sitting in an empty classroom and so it just it feels like there's just a lot of people saying one thing and a lot of people saying another thing and just having some hard numbers would be worthwhile. >> Sorry, Michael. >> I mean I'm no stranger um to >> um getting a chilly reception to some of my comments. I particularly comments around mathematics and varsity hockey, but there is
072no issue in which I feel like I got a chillier reception than moving sixth grade over to RMS when this came up a couple years ago. Well, in terms of the handover finance committee's >> um memories of verbal promises made over 20 years ago >> and the principal at the time seemed to have less than zero interest in this. I think it's a good idea, but I mean with limited staff time, I guess I'd want to understand what's different now. Like, is is there actually a a moment of reconsideration or is it um or is it the same? Because I I was very surprised at the time how little interest there was. Um and um I just want >> Yeah, using our limited real estate really valuably um on that. So, I just I support
073it, but I just sense not a lot of interest at the time. >> It came up at one of our other public meetings um like in December, I think, like when people were asking what and it and again, it came up from both the principal candidates. So, if it's something that these principles are thinking about as part of their strategic planning that it feels like before that conversation goes down the railroad tracks too far, I don't know. It just Yeah, >> I will say it comes up the students here too. They speak frequently about being able to move over to middle school as well. So >> I think Michael was referring to is some of the previous at least time existing but now previous Norwich finance committee members there are some very hard >> views
074on how that was funded 20 years ago and the fact that we basically decided Norwich decided not to pay our >> equal share and therefore >> I don't even know how we get around. I mean, for me, I know Neil's forgotten more than I know about this. >> Um, I understand the concern about a free lunch that Norwich didn't pay for it now that it might get a chance to use it. Um, that said, I think there is I don't believe in sort of deadhand control and that hey, the board members of 20 years ago get to govern forever and keep the use of it. Two things may be true. Hey, I could understand that point of view, but it's been one one board, one town's actions 20 years ago should not limit forever >>
075the school district and it's its ability to take action. >> I mean, those things can be solved with Matt, right? I mean, if there was a difference and you could I mean, so I think the bigger question on this is is if we were to add this to an agenda item, we would obviously have we would want some data and some numbers. because otherwise we're just going to be sitting around >> right >> talking amongst ourselves and having a theoretical discussion. Michael's point is about one which is >> I agree >> given everything going on right now is this something that we want to ask the administration to do on a future agenda item? >> Um Neil's I've spoken a lot happily to defer Neil. >> No, I mean I think it can be a
076future agenda item. I I think one thing, you know, based on what we've all been talking about to this point, it might be worth some exploratory conversations with uh you know, Hanover Finance Committee, those folks that previously um had concerns with this type of thing, just to surface what those are so that we make sure that we're talking about the right things if we're going to have this conversation, >> right, >> again. >> Yeah. Um, and this would not be the first I mean these types of conversations about you know debt service and consolidation and like this is happening all across the state and it's it's the thing that can derail conversations. So this is not atypical. Um but you know uh having some of those initial conversations just to get the temperature of the
077room and the concerns on the table might be beneficial prior to pulling together a formal public conversation on all of this. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I guess the last thing I would say is I I agree with what Neil said. If I were having that conversation with the Hannover Finance Committee, I' I'd ask questions about depreciation schedules. Like a lot of the value of the building has been depreciated since then. So, um, and then the other thing what I really want to know from Robin and her team >> is from an educational perspective, what is the right thing for those students? Mhm. >> Um because I expressed my opinion at the time that with my parent hat on, which I try to be very careful about in this seat, >> the sixth graders get a
078different experience at RMS than they get here. It's a school for kind of big kids. >> This is a wonderful school. It is built for like smaller kids. >> And so like I would start from like, hey, >> what do you all think? >> Yeah. >> And if you think this is a good idea, then we move into all the different >> political and finance considerations that you think about. Yeah. And I think it's easy to weigh out the options that the students have at each of the schools, too. >> So, >> and I heard not to push back on this, but I've heard the opposite, too. Right. I've heard that there, >> you know, there's value to the kids that are sixth graders who have spent time and doing the things that we do
079where they have those interactions or they're like the big brother and big sister, the reading mentors. And >> yeah, >> uh, you know, I don't know. One long time Norwich resident said to me, "They rule the roost in sixth grade." Gross. >> No, it's just fifth graders now. >> Yeah. >> Um, if we're done with that one, I've got one more topic and I I'm not certain that it fits here or if it fits with some of the budget process work that's going on at the SEU level. Um, I'm going to put my IT hat on for a second. I'm going to for uh sort of channel like what would uh what would be the response if we had a major cyber security init issue. Now that's not my point. My point is um on
080the near horizon we've got legislation that would possibly result in the loss of about $4.6 million for this school district. I wonder if a tabletop exercise might be helpful in figuring out if that were to happen, what would we do? >> Reluctantly. >> No, I'm just kidding. Yeah, I think that would be okay. So, we can do that. I think that would take think of how we would I mean I think we would if we would add that to the agenda item it would take some pre-work right of kind of saying okay or if it's just a matter of having an initial discussion about here are the things that we would look at here are the things that we would want to know here are the things that we would consider like just you know
081I think we need to begin the conversation rather than hoping that it's not going to happen right >> yeah well it does happen. I know, you know, it'll immediately turn into probably potentially a lawsuit, that type of thing, which we would need to understand. >> But let's have the table tab exercise and get all those things on the table >> because all that would feed into what the actual claim would be, right? How you have to prove some I think that's the discussion that basically says, hey, this is actually not going to be a good thing. And I think that's just one aspect of yeah many of Michael >> very briefly um thank you for surfacing that um one of the things that I want to talk about is legal responses to Vermont's um you
082know what would our legal options be if someone tried to dismember our school district. I agree with you that that um falls as one prong of the exercise that you're describing. And so I'm very happy to have it typed in there. The only thing that comes to mind um but I I think it's probably more of an SAU discussion is um and and I don't know if this has been done in the past but we struggle I think to keep ourselves and the public going at the right pace in part because of four separate school districts. Um, I've heard one of my colleagues say, "Hey, don't talk to me about efficiencies until you wrestle with like the legal requirements of this of having all these school districts." And I continue to think that it would
083be worthwhile to figure out what our actual options are in trying to collapse districts to run a more efficient operation or whether that's just a fool's errand. But I in in thinking about it, I think it's probably discussion at the SAP level as opposed to the school board. Yeah. So I I don't disagree and that's in part what I kept sort of anticipating might come out of the strategic plan, right? Because there was a whole governance piece of the strategic plan that I don't think that we've really even begun to look at and that is one of them, right? I mean we could when Dresden was formed they made a decision to make it 7 through 12. That was a decision that they made at the time. They could have made it K12. And if
084it were K12, then all of this >> Yeah. >> changes, right? Then there's one budget. You know, we're not warning and approving >> three budgets. We're doing one. And that one budget covers K6, both sides of the river. Done. Right. And there's advantages and disadvantages to that. And but Michael's right like that, you know, part of this could be considering the governance structure as well. >> Mhm. And so I I don't know the right venue for that discussion whether that is >> I always thought that that was strategic plan and the governance piece of things that and I just feel like we have never >> never begun that. >> But that would get us around the issues that you're saying. Uh, no. I uh don't. Yeah, I wouldn't. Um, well, I mean, it could because
085if we were to change that and now maybe yes, maybe no. I think it's just one of those things to talk about to opine about to consider what the ramifications of such change would be and what impact that would have on what we do. Right. >> Yeah. I I very much the way I very much appreciate the way that Neil framed that that um there's obviously status quo bias that this is the way it set up Dresden 7 through 12. Um but it is policy. It is choice and that choice I assume made a lot of sense at the time whether it makes sense now. I don't know. I'm really curious about that question whether that remains the right choice but I've not um gone through that exercise in my head. Um, and you know,
086I think it would be an interesting conversation for us as school boards to to have together and strategic planning sounds like a good venue for that. >> Okay. All right. I'm sorry that was my board chair report, which wasn't really a board chair report, but um, that was chair discussion. >> That was our board chair discussion. Okay. On to principal report from Sean. >> Okay. I'll be brief. So, you have the current enrollment. Um, my report is based around the Vermont state report card that came out. >> So, I looked through the Vermont state report card and I was a little puzzled because if you look at it, we're exceeding in how our students perform but declining in overall year-to-year performance. And I thought, how can that be? Because >> we we score really well,
087our kids do really well. And then I got looking into it and I just wanted to make clarity that the way the state determines that second category of continued growth um really doesn't weigh into our advantage. It you have to grow on the test that students take. There are four levels one two three and four. To show growth you have to grow a whole level. >> And um our declining status is because we have so many students that score level fours. There's no level five. So you cannot go up any further than that four. Um so it made me wonder is one well we're unusual in our scores across the state anyway but two um I've reached out to see is there a way that that we can look differently at the way this particular
088school looks at growth because really we should be looking at if those students are level four are they still growing? Are they still making progress? Um, and then if they're declining there, that makes sense. But it seems a little biased that um, because our students do so well, they're declining. Um, so I just did a little explanation of that for you. I put in a link to the Vermont State report card. Um, I feel really badly for a lot of students in our state because their their proficiency was really low. But I'm really proud of us because I think we've got a great program. We do a lot for our kids and their performance is really quite spectacular. That's my report. You've got some great pictures of other things that are not measured on the
089Vermont state report card like our outdoor program and the fourth grade counting on grace play and some reading of kindergarteners um that you can't measure on course. Just to add to what Sean said, and I really wanted to use this data at town meeting, but I decided not to because there's, as Sean pointed out, there are issues with the data that was in the report and the AOE had to retract some of the things that they came out with. That being said, um Sean uh alluded to this, but didn't quite go all the way in saying that not only is Marian Cross exceeding in their performance, and I was surprised to see this, we are the only school district in the state with that categorization. The only one. I did not catch that, so I
090apologize. >> No, because he didn't really say that. He said we earned the category of exceeding. What he didn't say is we are the only school district in the states to gain that. >> But if you that you this is an 155 page report that report there. >> Um and so you know just let that sink in for a second. There is no other school district in the state whose students are performing as well as ours. got four million just like the rest. >> There is. Yeah. Table seven. There's one school district exceeding and declining simultaneously. >> Yeah. >> All right. Well, thank you for that. Um and obviously congratulations to Sean and team and all the teachers as we go into this new year as well. That's a great way to start the year
091with this result and something that we should be communicating to make sure everyone that's not too. I do think that to be fair I think the town at least I was very happy with the comments that were made at the town. I think that the results are John as far as comments from people that haven't spoke to. >> Okay. Um, sorry. On to So, any other comments for Sean questions? Thank you, Sean. Um, on to the superintendent report. >> Okay. I want to congratulate our reelected board members, Lisa and Michael and Garrett. Welcome back. Thank you for running again. >> Bitter political battle. >> I know. Hard persevering. And also just thank you so much for all of your time over the course of this year working through the budgets. Um, and I want to
092thank Teresa and Sean and Greg and all the staff. I was so excited yesterday when I got the news that the budgets passed. And I know that's thanks to all of the work that you've done and you've done a great job communicating through this whole process. We've had some difficult times with, you know, thinking about potential cuts and then having to make some of the cuts. So, I really appreciate that you have, you know, articulated the changes clearly and people were so incredibly supportive when we were at the meeting the other night and that is a a testament to all the work that you've done. So, I just want to thank you and tell you how much I appreciate working with you. I also want to thank the community for supporting the budgets. I mean,
093I always worry every year since I've been here and I feel so fortunate when we receive the results and it's always overwhelming support. So, I would like to thank the community for supporting our budgets and again it's a testament to how well our students do here. It's because of the support of the board, our staff and the community. And um another thing I'm really excited about is the implementation of our new ELA curriculum. Now that the budget's passed, we are already making plans to begin the PD to implement and thinking about next year. And that's an exciting process for both schools again coming together. I and I I've been thinking about this a lot in terms of the ELA committee itself. That was over a two and a half year endeavor that we engaged in
094and that was following a math implementation, science implementation. So much hard work has been done by the staff and by the administrators in the building and by the members of this committee. So I'm greatly appreciative of that as well. I continuing to visit MCS and spend time here. I was here Monday again. I felt like I was so inundated with other work over the past month that it's just been really difficult to do some of those things that bring me a lot of joy and to be in the buildings and you know really see what's happening in the school. So I am still able to meet with Sean at least on a monthly basis but spend more time here and much of what we do when I was here Monday is just walk through classes,
095see what's happening, engage with students. Um I was noticing one of Sean's pictures on his report with the kindergarten student. We were in that class one day and there were beautiful tulips and um just seeing the whole process is just you know tells me why we're here and I can see the high quality of the education we're providing students and again that's thanks to you and the work that you've done. And um finally I just wanted to mention that I've been working on the principal survey. I've been doing some revisions to that that we send out annually to the staff. So, I've tried to make it a little bit simpler and more clear and more aligned to what we're really looking for our principles to be doing in the classroom. And I did send that
096out recently to the principles to have feedback. So, I will be sending that out shortly and we can take the results of that. So, that's my report for the evening. >> Thank you, Robin. Any questions for Rob? >> No questions. Um, sorry, Lauren. Um, I know that is a thing here. She's on. She's on. Lauren. >> Yeah, >> I am here. And, um, I'll start by saying thank you for this option this evening. I decided to keep my germs to myself instead of bring them to the board meeting. Um, I want to echo the gratitudes that Robin already shared. Um, it really feels like to me that last time we met was just like a blink of an eye ago. We were all at a Norwich meeting together and then we had all the principal
097search items. We had our um February break time uh and we had to get all of our um warrant articles across the finish line. So, as I was trying to write up this report, I was like, "Oh my gosh, what's happened?" That it's always a lot of things have happened. Um but you'll notice that there are a couple of categories that I usually report on that are missing because not much happened in those categories. So, um please take a look at my report. I would be happy to answer any questions and would just highlight um that we're moving forward now with the technology um director of educational technology search. We've got a pool of applicants um and I've laid out a timeline and we're moving forward with getting those interviews done. Uh targeted uh interview
098day is Friday, March 27th. Happy to answer any questions. >> All right. Excellent. Any questions? Lauren. >> No. All right, Lauren. Hopefully you feel better. >> Thanks. Stay healthy, everybody. >> You were just sick, too, weren't you? A couple like >> um when you have a when you have a small person at home who's three years old and goes to daycare that it's just like the never ending cycle. So, yes, I was just sick and will probably continue to be sick, but um still getting it done. >> Thanks, everybody. Well, it doesn't change when you get three older ones in the house either. So, >> great. Good to know. Thank you. From the high school, >> first 30 35 years of parenting at the top of Spart in sight. Fabulous. I appreciate the optimism. >>
099I've only got nine years to go. >> All right. And on to the uh sorry um uh Teresa's report. >> All right. So, um, in the business department, I'm happy to say once again that we are fully staffed again. Um, so we have >> um it's been since last February, it has been up and down and up and down, but anyhow, um, so we welcome Kim Deg Grass who is strictly doing payroll. we kind of shift things a little bit to try and get so we can get things a little more specialized and everything else and um utilizing the program more than we have been using. Um Wendy French is back doing AP only and stuff but they'll be crossrained so that they can take vacations and stuff and not have to worry about it.
100Um, and I've been working with all of them also doing trainings on even though like Kim comes with a background doing payroll and stuff, she's got to learn like the handover stuff and the Norwich stuff and so there's a lot of stuff going on with that with the districts. Um, just learning um the ropes on that. Um, and then HR, we've got three interviews actually tomorrow for an HR director and one more that was kind of pending that >> trying to organize schedules >> um and everything else. So, that's looking promising. Very four very good candidates. And so, we're hoping hopefully to get somebody hired and be able to get them in here and do a little more um again side by side to make the transition a little, you know, to make sure that
101it's successful transition. And then with maintenance, I've been meeting with Tony and Matt and everything else on the different facility. Um, what was on our list this year for the things that we should be finishing in a project. The roof is still once the snow goes away and stuff like that. The roof um project is still moving forward to um um a section of it anyhow being still repaired this year and stuff like that. And it's still on the agenda for next year. um and what we can do to already set ourselves up now that we definitely know the budgets have passed that what we can do now to put in place so we're not waiting till summer or something trying to secure you know get things secured now and the um capital improvement um
102pulling that back together so that when we come to the April meetings um that we have something more for information to give and provide transportation's and I want to say quiet, but it wasn't exactly quiet. Um, there's been some up and downs with the weather. Buses, even if they're in route, stop working. Um, so there's been some little issues here and there with students and trying to make sure that they get here on time safely. But I think we've worked them out and can answer parent questions as much as we can and make sure that they, you know, are feeling feeling good about their students and safety and stuff. And then food service has um been very busy with uh discussions between staff and Sean and a food service company and also with state reps
103try to improve the program that we have here. the the reduce the food waste, you know, improve the food quality, try to get it where we can buy more local foods and things like that. But there's the aspect of Vermont because we have to participate in the national school lunch budget program. Our hands are also tied to a level that we have got to take hold of the commodities. We've got to, you know, so so working around that and that's where the state comes in to help us where can we get to that line without crossing it and everything else. So, we've already had one good meeting and things that we can do as far as food waste and stuff already put into place this year. Action we can take and that'll move us forward
104and this will give us a good measure between now and the end of the school year, but we're still having continuous meetings and we'll stay tomorrow. So >> a lot of good things to think >> maybe Michael the food thing I guess this has been a long and ongoing s remember with Jamie because we didn't participate we didn't have to meet it but now we do >> participation now we have to meet the national food so is there do we should we be concerned as a board about what's going on the quality because the last thing I would want to do here after all this work and I thought that we had brought this program up over the past couple years to something that was you know remember this the students came in and we
105ate the >> food and that kind of thing. I thought that it was only waste was one thing but quality of the food >> was the other and do we think that are we doing an okay job there? Do we need to figure out a way to >> I mean >> it just seems frustrating that we're basically delivering a lower quality because we have to meet the state standards. I I I don't believe that that's truly the the I truly don't believe that that's occurring. >> Okay. >> But the but at the same time we have a very variety of um some people that I hate that term so I shouldn't use that. Sorry. So anyhow, there there are beliefs that the food quality could be better and that we could do it this way
106and that way and and I don't disagree with any of those thoughts in that respect, but again, if we're hands are tied, like we can't have students in the kitchen preparing food, right? >> We just can't they won't allow it. We're not a charter school that might allow it or something. But so those are the kind of things that we're still trying to also just one example of working through and getting people to understand that as much as I think it's a great idea to teach this or do this um and even the types of foods that we serve it may not always work out the way we want it to be just because again just a couple comments on that couple of the things we're working on number one is coming up with an
107agreed upon definition of what healthy means because different people have different definitions of what a healthy food is. >> Um so using the state guidelines and looking at the nutrition guidelines and coming up with that definition. And then the second thing is around portion size because there are different portion sizes for K through five in sixth grade. So we're just making sure that we're not giving the little kids more than they could actually ever eat. So those are the two steps that we're going to work on next just to kind of hone it in a bit and I think that will help. >> And who's in charge of like ch who who ultimately you unfortunately the one that's like remember a couple years ago you were serving meals you were right and it was just
108getting a little crazy from the board's perspective that our principal was actually having to deal with cooking and serving and delivering the food. Are you actually is this kind of you or is there someone else >> in this regard? I am a food service worker, so I help I help every day at lunch because I like to I think it's a good way to interact with kids. Um, but really it's Teresa, our food service program, >> okay, >> that that runs our program. And then we we need to put together a committee that we'll meet a few times a year to advise and to just give some feedback, tell them how things are going. It's at a school level. And I think that's something we're working on next is putting that together. >> So that's
109not a board committee, that's a that's a internal committee. It's a wellness committee and it's a requirement. Anyhow, >> okay. Sorry, Michael. Did you have that? >> No, I I think I'm good on this one. I mean, we'll let no need to opine on it. I you know, there are things I really cherish about Marian Cross, somebody the student yelling, "What the devil was that?" and kind of grace and then the chilatinous um macaroni and cheese we were served one time. I mean, I guess as a board member, I'm trying to figure out what problem we're trying to solve >> here. And if it's a bunch of different ones, that's fine. But maybe it was just like because it's bubbled up several times. >> That's what I'm trying to figure out. I just want to
110make sure that it wasn't bubbling up again so it wasn't like this big waste, which is a big which is a big deal. at the compost thing and they can see on a daily basis and I really believe just like Sean I think we all agree like the portion thing and even though there's guidelines and the state says you've got to serve this many you definitely have to take three components because we offer and don't necessarily do the serve the students can refuse and they're still have to because we're part of the program you have no choice you have to take at least three components they may not eat it and that's what's happening because they have to take it to qualify to get reimbursement from in the state. So, they're throwing food away because
111they don't want it, but they have to take it, right? >> Okay. >> Fair enough. >> I'll just say one last thing. I do think the quality of food is so much better than it has been. And we have someone in the cafeteria in the kitchen who really cares about food and she takes extra care and providing fresh fruit and fresh vegetables and making you know better meals for the >> that was really I asked I was just saying that day was quality and food waste and again as a board member he's been doing this now for you know six seven years like >> we had been waiting and waiting and waiting for the food quality to go up against the kitchen and then we were going to get the things here and then it
112was septic system that was going to allow us to actually turn the stuff on finally here and I just hope that the food quality is actually where >> yeah and we have the dishwasher we have the stove now I mean we've added so many components >> I want public come in and talk about the fact that the food's just not great after all that we've done >> right >> invested okay onward um I think that's it I think okay any other questions for Teresa Teresa thank you very much >> thank Um, okay. We do have a need for an executive session. I do think that we only need one motion because I believe we can just go into 13A3. That was the appointment of employment or evaluation of a public officer employee. Um, >> and
113I'm sorry, can I just go back one moment on Teresa's report really quickly? I just this was her first budget season and it was a tough one and I just want to again say thank you and congratulations that the budgets passed. So um like you were put through the ringer and I just really want to acknowledge that. >> Yes, I will second that because I know we were asking for example a lot of things on the fly. that people didn't understand is that underneath all this were models that she was trying to figure out and you know we were like saying why' this go up and why this go down because you've got one FT here is in their in their category it was just >> so yes >> I just want to acknowledge that
114and hopefully next year will be smoother >> all right um thank you uh any okay do I have a motion >> to executive session executive session at 8 oh 3 p.m. courts decided on section 315 for the purposes of discussing the employment or evaluation of a public employee by the public final decision to hire or appoint public officer employ during the open meeting. >> I will second that. Second that. All those in favor. >> I >> And again, we'll be coming back out. Um we will be uh voting on the leave request and the nomination list. >> I didn't get the nomination list patched. It's there. >> It is. >> You don't see it there? I don't see it there. >> Oh, >> it wasn't there earlier. It >> that's seem to be there. >>
115Okay. I refreshed like a half hour ago. So, not sure. >> You have time between here and they figure out >> it's still not showing up. >> Yeah, he was six months ago maybe. I don't remember. I knew that. I think that the air I think the heat must turn off at like seven and it just takes >> usually at some point I have to start putting my coat on to encourage brevity in me. Nice. >> There's definitely an automatic reminder that we are going way beyond this this. >> All right. Are we back now? >> Okay. >> Into public session at 8:35. All right. We need two motions tonight. One for the leave request and one for approving the nomination. >> I make a motion to deny the leave request submitted by Kevin Patron.
116>> I'll second that. Second by Lisa. All those in favor. All right. That's unanimous based on discussion. And then the second one is the nomination list. Move to approve the FY27 nomination list as presented. >> I'll second it for the poor noteaker. I seconded everything this evening. >> Perfect. >> All right. Do I have a a vote on that one? All those in favor? >> I. >> All right. That is also unanimous. Okay. Um, at this point, agenda for next meeting. I know we discussed quite a bit earlier. Um, at this point, do I have a motion to adjourn? >> Make a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:38 p.m. >> I will second that. All those in favor? >> All right. Thank you. We are adjourned at 8:38. See you. >> Next meeting is
117April 5th. >> Thank you everybody. All right. Thanks everyone. 8:30. Thanks. We got him up before 10. >> Yeah, I know. >> Great job, everyone. All right, >> I got it started.