Norwich School Board Meeting 01/07/2026

001It's one of the things that we're working on like the rolling out the guest access again. It's one of the things that's being worked on. It's just we had some snags right before the break. So, it shouldn't be a problem much longer, but it still is an issue. It sounds like I'm scared. started Yes. Okay. Yes. Yes. as well. It's your All right. >> I think probably today. discussion and then >> I I hope they operate with them. for your response. >> Oh, thanks. Garrett, >> it's on its way. Yeah, props that are waiting. We will get started >> as soon as our chair arrives. >> Um, >> that's not me. >> It's entirely possible that he is now looking for a parking space with the the turnout that we've got tonight. >> You guys

002took a teacher spot, so I hope that's okay. >> Yeah, we'll get going here. >> And Neil, I would say that I'm on my way and we'll likely be there in about in person in about 15 minutes. >> Okay. Thank you, Michael. >> Hi, everybody. party. Yes. So your favorite Yeah. The other day younger Do you live? We're down temporarily. that we were all like in the car. My son Okay, good. It's all good. I just when you said that you saw the it was cancelled. I was like no no that was the special meeting got cancelled. So, so I emailed I was just confusing the website on the first meeting. You know what I mean? >> So yeah, cancel. So then I still want to pick Oh, I guess he stand It's all good.

003So other text gets How about the lady discussing So he almost was quiet. Um All right. Thank you all for joining. Why don't we call our meeting to order while I'm sorry called late this afternoon? Uh we'll call our meeting to order at 6:45. Okay, we have agenda review. We have two items to add to the agenda. >> We have the ELA program to add the approval and adoption and then we also have the support staff agreement >> correct >> to add. >> So we'll add those both to the agenda. We have any other agenda items to add? Actually, did did Brian already add them? >> Yes, we'll put them in. Yeah, we'll put them we'll link them up now. >> Okay. All right. Um, any other agenda items? No. Okay. Um, well, I think

004Michael online just so we're joined yet, but Michael is he is able to hear us all. Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. Um, at this point, we move to our main. >> Hi, Michael. All right. So, Michael Costa is on. on the road. He had a meeting this afternoon as well. All right. Uh both may address the board. Um in our area here, we have our our uh participation rules as far as that goes. I would just like to remember remind everyone uh we would give you three minutes for your comments. I think in um given the size of the people here tonight, my guess is is that people are concerned about the budget and in particular prek and maybe the art program and some other areas. Um, I will tell you, I'm not sure

005if you guys were looking at the budget meeting that we had last night. Um, one of the things that we've been focused on is trying to get So, we start out this year with about a 9% budget increase um, just year-over-year. And then when you start layering in what could potentially come down from the state numbers, which includes our ADM, which is our weight of student count, as well as the um, as well as the yield number. That's how we end up with our tax rate. So point being that uh based on our early indications of our ADM numbers. So you may recall that act 127 was resulted in about uh 30 what was it 28 30 28% tax rate increase with nothing else just from the act. Okay. That was what was rejected for

006Norwich. Um and it was uh and that's without any increases to our normal year-over-year budgets. Um and then as a result also we are starting to also now we're in the third year. So as to make it easier for Norwich to stomach that over a period of time they gave us five years and they're giving us declining discounts. So those discounts are also going down. So because of the ADM count that we were given by the state as well as that reduction in the discount it was looking like our tax rate could be well above 9%. Um, and I think those of us as board members are pretty certain that after two years ago we had a 17% tax rate increase and the last year was a similar one, although a little bit convoluted because

007of the reassessment that probably the town's people weren't up for another double digit um tax rate increase again. So, we're asking the administration to give us some options about things that we might be able to do. Um, as most of you have heard from that, when both Jay Batts and myself testified in front of the um, uh, the legislature a few years ago on this act 127, one of our primary concerns was that at some point things are going to get, you know, pretty bad for the Norwich and it's going to come down on Marin Coft because we can't make cuts based on our votes. I mean, we can implore that folks in Ann make cuts, but they're not going to make cuts just because of folks in the north probably. Um although we can

008vote down their budgets too. Um >> but all that to be said if you are looking at the meeting last night the good news is is that Teresa and the team have been working overtime. It looks like the ADM count. That's true, right? >> Okay. >> Yes. >> So it looks like the ADM count is actually going to be higher. Some of that's because of an increase in some um our poverty levels, I guess we'd call it. Um, so basically the ADM count, even though we might have 600 kids in our student, the ADM count is actually about >> 304.94. Sorry, it was 8:16, it went up to 834. Um, so is as I'm saying is that's because it has all sorts of weights of which prek is actually a lesser weight and kids at

009the middle school and high school get counted more than one head I like to think about it. elementary kids that are basically flat. Um but any because Teresa did a lot of work um really nailed down that ADM count the AM count um the state had um it was too low. We think we've got it all finalized now because of that the tax rate looks like we might actually be able to have a higher budget and a lower tax rate. I think Neil, is that correct? >> Yeah, we think that that's where it's coming out. All that be said, um it was, you know, we've asked the administration to come up with a number of options of which they did, trying to figure out what might be the best for our entire student body. As

010of last night, the prek and the art program are not going to be we're not talking about those anymore because of the feedback that we received as well as the impact of all of these state numbers on our tax rate. Um what it might look like I'm we're hoping is is that we'll have possibly a little bit of a higher budget increase than what is what we should have frankly but will result in a lower tax rate. Um, again, unfortunately, these things are I see people kind of crunching their eyes. And again, I I'll open this up to John before we got this. I just want to make sure that a lot of people talking about the same thing tonight when it's actually something we might not even be considering anymore. Um, what have again,

011what happens is you add Nor, you add Dresden, you divide it by your I show you my spreadsheet out here, but you divide it by your ADM count. That is basically your spending per pupil. Divide that by the yield which you get from the state. Then you divide that by your CLA and that's your account. So that's why the budget is here. Your tax rate is here. Depending when you're dividing those numbers by the CLA, the sorry the count the yield and your CSA you can get a tax rate increase increases or decreases. Never mind the fact that the state of Vermont opted to spend about not basically they they sp they bought down the tax rate last year with I think $118 million of available funds which meant that that's no longer available this

012year. So anyway, as background, long story short, right now the prek and the art is not in the considerations right now. We're still looking at some other things just because there is a point at which I think, you know, we're looking at making sure at the budget and that the town's people are, you know, able to have a sustainable budget here. It's painful. None of us like to be here in this position. And again, if you replay the tape, a lot of us on the board level get very emotional and spent a lot of time at the state making the case for the time to march. So, with that said, um, public major, the board, um, feel free to stand up, your name, where you live, and again, if you could keep it to about

0133 minutes, that would be awesome. >> So, I'm Yanick Oni. I'm the technology integrationist here at Instruments. My greatest moment was when a couple of years ago I was out there doing recess duty and a student who was second grader said to another student, "Do you know who Ruth Bader Ginsburg is?" >> And it blew my mind because she it told this other student in extreme detail who she was and Supreme Court does this and first one of the first women. And I went home and I said to my husband, "How lucky am I to teach here at MCS where we have students like this who I can teach?" And it comes from the parents. And it was just a great wonderful moment where I said, "I love this school. I'm here because I would

014like to ask the board if they would maintain my two day a week teaching position here. Um, it's been cut for next year's budget. And I know our principal values this position as well because his original budget this school year included an increase in my position to four days a week. But in respect of keeping the budget manageable for everyone in the town, I'm only asking that it just remain at the current two days a week. So, um, we've never had as many digital devices before in this school. When I first started in 2020, we had just a couple like the grades shared Chromebooks, but now we have onetoone Chromebooks. We have all these fancy spiffy viewboards which require knowledge of software and it just has really increased I would say at least threefold here.

015So, I'm a little myth why this position is considering to be cut is why people think that it should be cut. Um, I want to say a lot of things, but I'm going to try and make it short. It's um I'm here because we've never had as many digital devices. We're facing aggressive vendors looking into mine student data and spammers attempting to attack our systems through teacher accounts. To cut this position now at the absolute peak of our digital dependency leaves our teachers without a guide and our students safety really at risk. So, one of the things I do, and it's very behind the scenes, some of the work I do is making sure that your students digital data isn't going to be um used by vendors and that means vetting apps and making sure

016they don't collect all that information. And it's something that specifically I can do because I um am certified as the technology integrationist. It's not something another teacher in the building wants to take on. It's not something the tech support specialist does. He fixes the computers. He doesn't end up doing um that kind of administrative work. and he also doesn't obviously look into the curriculum. I work with the other tech integrationists at the other schools. All the other schools here in the district have both a tech integrationist and a tech support specialist. The first thing fixes the computer, right? They're they're there five days a week. I'm only here two days a week. We are already operating at a deficiency with our tech here. And I think if I were a parent here, I would um

017definitely question why the district is um obviously favoring the other schools over my school. Um I just wanted to explain that such Thank you so much for that. I don't want to interrupt, but I think um you do you have another I hate to be like the mean guy, but do you have any I'm sorry your paper, you have a couple other points. >> I did and um I asked Lisa if I could have five minutes. So So maybe >> but I referred you to Garrett. >> Oh, and I'm not talking the email. So, yeah, I'm I trying to obviously look at this and make sure I can condense it as much as possible, but like I said, um to cut this position, a part-time role with no benefits because I work two days a

018week, I don't get any benefits, is a negligible budget savings that results in a massive loss. I think of protection, representation, and inspiration for our students. In other words, I provide a lot of bang for your buck and it's uh one thing where I would ask that you consider maintaining the technology integrationist position. I think that the town's people would appreciate the opportunity to vote on the negligible budget increase in light of how important I believe my position is. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. All right, others with comments >> and you can ask questions of me. >> Yes, >> I I sort >> I mean feel free to talk about the prek. I didn't mean to like cut this off if people have like comments. I mean feel free because you know we

019don't know where this is going with the state. So >> go. So, I do want to have comments except it's not really the right time to make them because >> you did address the prek and the art, but that's not why I'm here. So, you didn't address what's still on the table. >> Exactly. >> And I think that before I can make comments, I need to know what's still on the table. So, could you >> Well, I should just say if there's other things that you've because we're going to have the budget presentation as the next as one of the next items here. So, we'll go through >> Yeah. I just think that you made a very accurate assumption that I think a lot of people are here for those two pieces, but there are

020some of us who are here for other people. >> Oh, yeah. If you're here for other pieces, speak let us know because again, we take the one of the things that we talk through is listening to the public, right? You know, send a few people emails and the best thing that we can have is like we're just towns people too. So, if people have ideas or comments, if you take public comment on everything that's on the agenda or you taking public comment now, I think that would be helpful for people to know. >> I would just take >> Yeah, I'll just talk. I just um I didn't prepare. >> So yeah, name and address and y >> um >> my name is Laura Barrett. I live on at 1328 New Boston Road. Um I haven't

021prepared comments and I always get emotional when I talk about this stuff. So um when I saw the message that one of the things on the table is special education services, I felt like I got kicked in the gut. Uh when I moved here from Lebanon four and a half years ago, I at the time I overheard a then current member of the school board, not a now not a current member now, but at the time say that people move to Norwich for a tier one education and we don't need to cater to tier 2 students. And I was horrified that a person who was was saying I didn't belong here because my kids don't meet the standards that they think make Norwich Norwich. Um, fortunately I I couldn't even they I overheard the person,

022but I couldn't bring myself to talk to them because I it was so offensive. But I haven't encountered that a lot until I saw this message. I was like, but it it felt like you were saying the same thing. You're gonna not meet the needs of the students that are in this school who need more than what the stereotype you might have of a Norwich kid is, you know, and I think probably most of the teachers and staff here know that that stereotype is largely inaccurate. And at the same time, we're a very highly resourced community. So it there is some accuracy to it that a lot of the kids here have a lot of privilege and have a lot of opportunity, but not all of them do. Um, and many of them need additional

023support. Um, and there are ways to get supports through IEPs, right? One of my children is on an IEP, but it's not easy to cut an IEP. And so talking about cutting a math specialist position is that that kind of role is what has made my kids able to succeed. And so I don't really want to talk about prek because children also need early childhood education. But the fact that you're like don't worry we're not cutting prek but you don't mention special education is pretty shocking to me. And again, the reason I'm emotional is it brings to mind that same feeling I had when that board member basically said that my kids shouldn't be at the school. >> So, >> well, thank you very much. >> Yeah, I think you what we'll do too is

024like I said when we're going through the budget, one of the things that's a little bit complicated, frankly, is some of the movement around because we do have a reduction in one of the um sections and therefore there's some movement around as far as the activities and whatnot. So that's one thing also that the board's trying to get its arms around as well as we're moving through this. So and I will say if you're listening to last if you're watching last night's budget meeting that was also a little complicated because some of the cuts that we were talking about was was comparative as Neil pointed out to the initial budget which was actually not a cut to our status quo budget if that makes sense. It was actually an increase that we had originally proposed

025then we cut back which actually was your point but just be aware of that. Okay. Uh, any other go? >> I'm just going to read my comments. >> My name is Roger Arnold. I live in Norwich. >> Um, publicly funded prek has provided numerous academic benefits to my child, Booker, but your reputably has provided the essential ancillary benefit of childare. It should not go unremarked that full-time prek at MCS provides central child care support to families. It provides social and personal enrichment and that has value. Um, you and the Norwich community should understand that kids are kept secure and comfortable when parents are able to work. Publicly funded prek ensures children under five have a free, safe, warm place for working parents to send their children. Uh, so-called modest charge of $6,000 in tuition is

02683% of my family's birth bill for the year and nearly 10% of my annual salary. A noble purpose of funding prek through our tax dollars is to give parents of all backgrounds the opportunity to work during the day without spending all their earnings on childare. The wealthiest community in Vermont must lead and fund prek in ways that are universal, accessible, and affordable. And anything else is a market solution, a coupon service, and a loss. Uh, in November, public board meeting minutes asked about the possibility of expanding the program to a third section in order to positively meet the demand and seek stabilization for kindergarten enrollment. A month later, public conversation had shifted towards reduction. And indeed, sounds like more traffic was happening last night. Since it is clear that you operate not with the full

027financial knowledge and a fixed understanding of educational weights to make this decision or this choice and I guarantee we will see an increase to our taxes regardless of your decision. This budget consideration of cutting or charging money for prek should not be characterized at the financial position and is unaccountable to direct our outrage to Republican power players on the state level. This decision in my mind is a social and political decision and is a political decision that does not live up to my values. I feel embarrassment, anger, and disappointment to be fed wonkish answers as if each of you were some worldclass regulators instead of the advocates for our children. Hold the line and let Norwich finance free. >> Thank you. >> I actually agenda items such as the calendar and the cell phone policy.

028So I presume I should wait until those agenda items. Do you want to be making my comments? >> Yeah, why don't we that's I'm always like with public comments. >> Yeah, but I'll see provides for both. So we take public comments at the beginning of the meeting and then we also will take them for individual agenda items, >> right? So you can do either or >> I'll table it for >> all. Can I ask a point of clarification? >> Yeah. Is is prek available to all families that want it in town? >> No, >> it's not. Right. So, it's a subset of families. >> Yes. >> Okay. But everybody else has to find a market rate solution for it. >> Correct. >> Yep. My family had to find a market rate solution. >> Just want

029to make sure I understand that. That was my understanding, but I just wanted to clarify. >> Thank you. Um, yes. >> Um, my name is Carla. I live in Douglas. Um I have a prek students and I my older my middle daughter was the first prek class in American that um I I I don't I want to understand are you saying that prek is childare? >> I'm saying provides an important ancillary benefit of child care but I think you should address the board. No, I I'm actually asking what you just said. >> The quote I took down was central childcare support. >> I I don't think that's true for like the program. Uh the prepaid program is an educational program. Yes. >> And it's very different from childare. Uh and I just wanted to make

030sure that everyone knows that. Everyone who knows Chesley and Shannon knows that that's a very serious program. And the kids that come out of there come way um better prepared for kindergarten than the average kid. And that's very valuable. >> Absolutely. >> Just want to make sure that that's clear because the the teachers aren't here. >> Yes. >> I hope people speak about the academic benefits of our program. >> I'm just very focusing on what what was said. >> Good. And yet comments. Yes. back. Uh on to M's uh 128 turnpike. I just um want to get on the record. I I sent a message after the last meeting just around access to these meetings and trying to improve that access so that it feels like it um it's open for folks um from the

031community to come. I think this is a great adjustment to have the materials for the meeting up on the board behind you. But I think and I this is connected I think to the Wi-Fi shut down in the school, but not having printed packets for people to reference when they when they come into the meeting and then not being able to actually access the documents that you all are looking at while we're here makes it really uneven in terms of how we can have these conversations. And I understand that that's not any one person's um rule right now to fix, but I just have to keep saying it because it doesn't it it I think we might have some violations of how we run open meetings if we can't if we don't have access to

032the documents. Um, and so I just I don't know how I'm happy to help partner and think about it, but on all the board meetings that I am a member of the administration on, we have printed packets and we have online access so that you can see all the materials and it feels like you're at a real loss. You're not to be able to access those materials in real time. Like to not retain all the information and bring it in here to memorize stuff, >> right? Wi-Fi is an issue. I didn't really think about that, but um yes, my name is Alec Hornstein. I live at uh 707 Route 132. Um I'm I'm here because I care deeply about the prek program. I have a daughter in it right now, but I had a a

033son who wasn't able to do it. Um who I applied and didn't get chosen. Um and he's in first grade now. you know, he's great and it worked out. Uh it was very expensive um to send him to a a prek pro private prek program. Um and I I certainly couldn't have done that if I didn't have the means that I do. And I worry about other people in the town who don't have the means that I do to be able to do that. I will also say that we moved here right when he was about two and I did not feel like we had been able to be part of this community until he started kindergarten last year. And I hear a lot from people both here and sort of everywhere that like this

034school is the center of this town. And um bringing people in early and getting kids in to this building as soon as possible I think is extremely valuable. Um it's just a really valuable thing that that the school does with with the prek. And um I'm I'm glad to hear that there's less of a chance that it would get cut. I think it would be a huge disappointment uh to a lot of people if it if it did. And uh you know, I I know everyone's taxes are going up because healthcare is a disaster, but it doesn't seem like the school's fault. And it seems like something that we should all just suck up and deal with because we're the richest town in Vermont and we love our school and we should fund it. Thank

035you. >> Any other comments? Yeah, thank you. Uh thank you all. I'm Brad Wolf from Kerwin Hill Road and I just had a question. I know earlier someone mentioned that an additional agenda item I think is to vote on the approval of the ELA curriculum thing and I I know from one or two meetings ago I watched the big presentation about it and I thought interesting and I'm just wondering is that a complete separate rubber stamp thing that's happening or is that part and parcel of the budget like if we're talking about what to cut or not cut is that chunk and then every chunk we need to pay years is that also up for debate or is sort of off the table like we're just buying this program and and that's it. That's was

036that's just my question. >> I kind of feel like we need to I'm okay addressing a couple of these things live with the board is I at the last meeting. So yes, we could and keep me honest here. The last meeting we had a very long discussion about that because the R what we learned was is that you could actually do this in two pieces and you could roll it out kind of uh you know for half part of the school and it became pretty clear that we would want to do it all at once was I think that the board's perspective is that kind of rolling it out peacemeal although we might save some money it didn't really make a lot of sense to do that and you're right it's a it is in

037the budget that right now it's that we've you know, and we also had made the decision to go with the the more expensive one, which is a better product. Again, keep me honest. Um, and again, that's because this is a long-term decision. We want it to not be Pennywise pound, I guess, is comment. So did was that all accurate comments? Do you have any other Lauren or Tim? >> It's also been a part of our strategic plan for the past five years. We've incrementally gone through the curriculum math science. Now we've been working on the ELA piece for the last two and a half years. So it's another way for us to align with the Ray School and prepare students going into the middle school. So it's really it's that's more of a big picture

038issue and part of our on range planning and strategic plan. >> But yes, I have had emails even from board members that left my left and right of me about you know thinking about doing budget cuts. Do we look at re-evaluating this? So and I I mean we can approve this tonight. I think Taylor there's nothing to say though. I mean we the problem here is we have to have this budget approved just so people know by pretty much like by the end of the pretty much this month which is why things happen really fast and that's why we have you know put the administration in a difficult position by saying give us a menu of if we need to do things what are we going to do >> all right any >> I just

039have a really quick comment Amanda Keit um Mitchell Brook um on the prek subject just wanted to publicly comment that it is one of the proudest things I am of this town is that we have this um prek program and that my daughter can attend a free public prek program with other kids in our town. I wish it were available to every single student who had um wanted to do it. Uh we were 10th on the wait list and somehow snuck in this year like the day before orientation. So, we felt I I went through my things that happened last year just this morning and that was the best moment of my whole year was getting that um golden ticket it felt like. And compared to every other parent friend I have in the upper

040valley from different towns, no one else can say that their town provides this um sort of program. So, I feel also just wanted to say I understand it's a privilege that the town provides this for us. It's not a given, but I think we're setting a very good example for what I'd love to see the rest of the country, the world, um, be able to offer students. Um, so I'm extremely proud of Norwich, and I just really hope we keep that program around for our younger brother, next sibling, and, um, all the kids to come. >> Yes, >> Becky French Main, and fourth grade teacher. Um, so I just want to speak in some words, too. things that have been proposed to be cut from the budget budget. One is to support what Nikki was

041talking about with the tech support. Um my personal experience, um I got a brand new viewboard last year on the last day of school. I walked in at 7 o'clock and there it was being installed. I had no educ coming. Wasn't told how to use it. Had no cable to connect it to my computer. Um and I'm using it now and it's because Nikki has helped me with that process. Um, when it stopped letting me log in the way I was supposed to log in, Nikki wasn't even here, but she did the re she's a Monday, Friday, she did the research online and came and spent an hour in my classroom until we were able to find another way to get me logged in. Like we are being encouraged to be dependent on devices and

042then to not have support when you need to use it and I have, you know, everything planned and ready to go and I can't get into my board. It's really challenging. So to me that we're moving towards technology but then taking away the support um is really is frustrating and it makes me wonder sort of how that's going to manage you know what's going to be next year when I come in that day and it's you know I can't log on to my board. Um the other position that I really would like to see kept is the math coach and the math support. We have a new program. It's a complicated program. There's a lot to it but like any program it has flaws. has gaps and um a program doesn't teach kids, teachers do.

043And I think having had a math coach who can lead book groups and help people tweak and develop units and adapt um assessments and keep track of data with assessment. There's a lot that our math coach has been doing to make all of us better math teachers. And I think it's a loss to not have that person in the building. And you know, we're all in pretty good shape, but we're going to have turnover. There's going to be times when people need to be on boarded with the new program and to not have that person who is really math focused is is a loss. I hope a lot of you have been to math night. It's an incredible celebratory night where we have a hundred more people in the building celebrating math and that's something

044that's been happening because of the time the math coach is able to put into it. Um so those are things I wrote to the board but just to speak and in support of those. Thank you. >> Thanks. Thanks. >> Yes. in the back. I Miller not all but the um couple of points aside from the support for it's fairly universal. Um and I'm sorry if I missed this before I came in but the kindergart the third kindergarten section of all the wonderful Miss J is an incredible t-shirt. I'm not sure if she was section that would be cut necessarily but cannot say enough glowing things about her and just the small fat size that comes with having three kindergarten sections. So big proponent of improving that as possible. Um the other is like a bigger

045picture policy question which is about Norwich has a roughly $800,000 surplus that's just been occurring year over year. Um, and I think I'm curious to what extent you all sort of interacted with the town in these discussions because I understand it's a it's a political balancing act, right? You have to like balance the tax rate, but everybody many of them don't have students at the store with everything at the school, but the surplus exists a little bit outside of that provide some cushion such pressure, right? So, I'm curious if that's >> Yeah. Um I can I mean Neil or others can weigh in but the the town surplus is not accessible this they're very two totally separate. We have a we also have if we have a carry forward that's what's already one number we're

046trying to nail down last night for the revenue side of this but that's the town is not available to us at all unfortunately it's their budgets >> and that's probably like state or >> uh I don't actually know I'm guessing I'm looking I don't know >> yeah we're different >> have to try to use confessing because I'm a church here program and it's a good segue from others. My question is and more a charge to this group here at large is I realize the board is trying to hard flat for tax rate purposes in benefit the town but there's a lot of other stuff that goes into the tax rate um stuff that this group can impact and vote on. heard people go to the select board like there's a there's a balancing act between

047education budget and the rest of the town budget and I realize it's not really the charge of the school board for today but this group certainly can make that we would like more money placed in the school board out of our tax rate maybe less on like the new police cruiser or news that budget not special >> all right thank comments. All right. Um All right. Well, thank you all for your public comments. Um Neil might kill me a little bit here, but I think maybe I'm over talking, but just so a couple things I've heard I just feel it's important to communicate as we're going through this budget as chair of the budget as well. So, obviously the math code position, a little history there. So that that was originally funded with a grant

048and those of us that were on the board at the time were like well you know if we fund us with a grant this year it becomes a public position next year and it's going to be part of the budget. We all decided to you know what let's just go for it. So Sean was very supportive of that and said let's push forward with that. So that was the history of that and I think you know so that was something that was a a try by for a year and it's been obviously working very well and um that's the history of that one. I think the um the prek as well just I think there's a couple questions around prek. So just if you're looking in the budget so as a Vermont resident right that

049it's a statute that prek students have 10 hours to education and a number of years ago those of us here as well as some of our former board members made the decision to offer full day prek not just 10 hours. So, everyone is a resident, I believe, gets that money for 10 hours of prek that you can take wherever you go. The decision was made to let's put that into our budget and we actually get that money from the state and then we can offer full day prek. So, that's one of the things as we're cutting prek, we also lose that revenue because we actually are now giving that we we're not get that's the school. We're giving that back to the residents, right? So that's kind of the his that's kind of how prek

050came to be here. Um and again also keep in mind that handover has no prek. They're actually deciding whether they want to offer it. And that was also why we were evaluating because I saw some comments and emails on even whether we would charge a small stip pen for just to offset it to at least try to separate the users and you know with regards to all the other residents in town that aren't part of the school systems while they're still paying these tax rates. Um so that's kind of up there. Why don't we move into our regular public comments? Is there anyone in the audience? I'm sorry. We have uh and attendees online. I guess if anybody online would like to speak, just raise your hand and we can move you over to uh

051to a speaking position. No one there. They're all raised hands. Okay. And I would encourage I mean people want obviously, you know, hopefully you're going to stick around if you want to listen to some of the budget discussion and that that's one of the first items on the agenda. So, okay. If there's no other public um why don't we go on to our reports PT report tonight. >> Um so my name is Mar 10 road and the PTO co-chair. Um I will not go through the events or things that are coming up because it's all in the PTO newsletter. So I can forward that forward. Um, I will give an update that I've been speaking about for the past couple meetings about us establishing our nonprofit um, not being part of the Norwich school district

052anymore. So, we would have autonomy to be able to fund raise with one of the major families. So, we have draft articles of incorporation that will hopefully be approved by the executive committee of deal and submitted to the state next week. >> So, congratulations. It's been a fivey year like >> it has. >> That's why I'm saying congratulations. But and I would we have a PTO meeting on Friday and I would encourage people to attend because you know >> Sean if he can come and continue to answer questions but also potentially people say well what are we fundraising for with the PTO and this might be an opportunity if for example assembly budgets are being cut or field trip budgets are being cut that next year are pretty short independent so that we could be

053raising money in an easier way to then potentially offset some of those budget cuts as it relates to student programming. on the enrichment side of social motion. Any question? >> Thank you. >> All right. Okay. I'm sorry. I'm quickly flipping through the budget information. Okay. So, we'll go on to um our business cring action. First item is our reading of the policy. Um gosh, I'm sorry. Um these are all our policies came in here. Um, >> these are all the new policies >> by the state. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> That have to be enacted for next school year, >> right? You've been discussing these at the Dresden level. So, this is our first read of these, right? Um here's our our do we have any discussion on these policies? >> Are we are we

054doing JICJ first or did you want to pick one? Sh or the electronic communication between employees and students >> and this is an older one that's being updated. I think the only so the only question I have on that one is so under 2A and definitions I'm not sure why we struck computer mediated I see that we added fat word and phone but I don't know why we expect the computer sort of not sure that got struck maybe I think it might have been struck in the new updated version that we were sent but I'll check on that one. Remember that >> I do shake. I I thought you comment maybe it's just the first uh adding related to tablets and phones and a little bit of definitional. I just want to state an assumption

055I'm making that all of these then make us compliant with what the state of Vermont passed. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. >> I was assuming that but >> yeah and this actually is a little bit of policy that's been out >> but but the updates make it compliant I guess is what I want to make sure that we're not approving updates and then have to go back and now do it again. Okay. That's why it's for you. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. Um, this the um cell phone contract. I apologize. I'm I'm technically I think the Norwich policy person. I was really looking to get into these tonight. Me, too. >> Um, do we know? >> And this would just be the cell phone devices. the contract piece of it. >> So we have students

056signings that are involved in Vermont. >> It would be Yeah. basically parent guardian signatures even like 10. >> I mean that's cool that we didn't say >> and it's probably not going to what we've been finding on the other side of the river is it is not as big an issue with the elementary schools. There are very few students. cell phones. We were looking at the, you know, the survey results today in Norwich. It's extremely low. Yeah. Of students that even have cell phones. Sherford, so does people sign this here. I'm a little confused like you've been so focused on their cell phone policy on the other side of my river within the school of the policy community. I wasn't really me to be completely honest. Cell phone use in our building is I was

057going to say >> pretty hard anyway. >> If they can get through the system and use one they've done well become our except for they can help you. I need an intern. Exactly. Okay. >> So, basically for tonight, this is just a first reading >> and it's in compliance with the new Vermont laws. >> Yes. Thank you. >> There's the um comment on this particular part. >> Okay. Uh hi, I'm Jocelyn Meyer. Um 27 Meadow Road, Norwich. Um so, I just I guess I want to express appreciation that these policies are actually being brought to Norwich. Um, and uh, I, you know, I think while I appreciate that cell phones are not usable in the building currently, that could change over time. >> Um, and it actually does change, I think, a little bit based

058on what network you have, what provider you're on. Um, and I think the purpose of a policy is, you know, not only for now, but for for the future. Um, and if we're gonna implement this policy, let's do it right. And so I will say that I did read um the and I have a very small print of this copy in my hands of the the cell phone device contract. Um, and I think there are clauses in it that are in direct contradiction to other policies that were to the um that one, whatever that one is. So there's two. Yeah, there's the contract and then there's the other one. And I think >> the use of so I I think I felt like overall the use of cell phones was really great. It's strong and

059I think applicable to this community. Um the contract is to me has clauses that are directly in contradiction to the use of document and is not applicable to this community both now but also in my mind in the future because there are clauses in the contract clause two that talks about the use during school hours and I personally don't think at the elementary level there should ever be a reason to use personal like to use cell phones at the elementary level during school hours for instructional purposes. Um, so I would like to recommend to the board that as you do look at this contract that clause number two be struck from the contract. Um, and that and I think there's also for clause three on privacy and respect. There's a lot more that I think

060should go into that and it should be the the language should be more uniform and more direct and if this policy is being looked at it across the river I hope that and I will come to the RMS meeting to discuss this as well student there but I hope that it is being looked at with greater >> um detail because the wording is really kind of sloppy and I comment on that >> yes >> we have a different policy for RMS high school which has already been passed and implemented and we do not have a contract that's associated with it just so you know. >> There are different requirements with two with two states. So um Got it. So, so I guess my final word on this would just be that like if we are

061going to go through this process, let's make it as solid as we can and make it applicable to this community. And um and I think really the answer personally I feel very strongly that cell phone use should be should not be allowed at this level. Um and so and that is certainly what the the use of implies. like comment I would make if that's okay is that um for kids who have 504 plans and IEPs sometimes it is appropriate for them to be able to use a device if they have >> there are instructional reasons I know we have that in the policy in New Hampshire so I would just to be inclusive that that language may not be for 95% of the students or 90% or 80% there's a lot of kids I mean

062my kids want I have someone on an IEP or a 504 plan series and >> but do they use a cell phone for that or do they I'm not going to talk about my child, but I think it's appropriate to just acknowledge that. I know in the policy across New Hampshire that that's included. So just >> that's good. I I can say the school where I teach many of the kids on 504s and IEPs even like I middle school I have middle schoolers um they often use their a cell phone for audio books is a very common use of um because it's better than being on the you can get a better quality audio than you can through a computer as I'm sure your tech specialist next to you will attest to and we do

063have a couple of students who use them devices you know, need them for special needs, right? >> And they can do scanning for texts to to talk and they they are useful for students who need them um to be used. And then another point is often um there's curriculum for internet safety and you start it earlier than the kids actually are probably going to be using their phones. Yeah. >> Um just kindergarten. >> Yeah. Just so they're starting to talk about it. So it again there's it feels as if it feels as if there are exceptions to all of this and so we just need to be careful about making sure we are inclusive and respect our DEI policies to be honest. >> There's a couple um Hillary Roberts off the road as school but

064I think it would just piggyback on your comments. I think it would be helpful to add in specific language about also like watch usage because a lot of the fifth and sixth grader at our school they don't have cell phones but there are of watches that that also um can do some good things with that specific language there. >> Yeah, I map up Carpenter 64 Carpenter Street. This kind of goes on that if I'm correct and sorry I can't I cannot read that far >> but this is a personal device policy not just a cell phone policy and I always think I just always want to make sure that those are not it's not segregated out as a cell phone policy because personal policy goes to that like the number of >> I was a

065teacher here at one time and even three years ago kids would be playing games on their watches while in school or communicating and you know parents want to get a hold of them. So it's it's a larger aspect than cell phones. And then Lisa, this kind of adds to your point. I think if I do think if there is some um this is where I think schools and technology is a little bit behind in how we cooperate with this. I I do believe that if if a student has a need that they need to have an audio book on tape, if they have a need read to write, I do believe that the school should be providing those devices. So that that's where for quite a while we've gotten away with kids having cell phones,

066bringing their own personal iPads and that's where I think if if there is that technological need for something that the school should be providing that as part of their learning and uh and device which circles back to Mason's position, you know, a teacher can't come up with that, but but somebody in that realm of professionalism can come up. So a parent still doesn't have to pay how much money for a cell phone for their child to be listening to an audio book. So that's just clarification on that that I think is >> bigger than just this big. >> All right. Maybe I'll kind of arrest this conversation quickly and move to the other policy which is actually the cell phone policy which we probably should have started before the contract. >> Um again having read

067this this actually I wish we actually had this before we were doing the one on the other side of the river. Although we also over there had a few more stiff relations, right? A different environment quote unquote >> with a capital E. Um, >> so I think this is actually having read it personally, it does seem to be I think what we were talking about over there and coming to our conclusion that ultimately it is a bell-to-bell prohibition. It does talk about some circumstances for use and it does have the ability for communication of parents and guardians during the day as far as how people can get in touch with their kids by going through main office because that was one of the big issues on the other side of the rivers who are developing.

068That was the big concern as far as a lot of push back from >> people. For those of you that have high school students, as Ryan did say, I think it it has gone fairly smoothly. >> As much as everyone panics about not having their phones once it's been taken away, everyone seems to be >> it seems to be going very well. >> Does anybody have any comments or questions on the policy here? I think what I've heard then I think is we probably need to I would rather focus on comments here because this actually is the policy and then we can I think fixing the contract would be a little bit easier. >> Yeah, I would say too. >> So the policy here is this largely the language from uh the AOE changed. Okay.

069>> Yeah. Just for clarification for folks that school districts are required for the 26 27 school. They have this >> policy in place and it needs to be um uh as strict as the model policy from the secretary of education. >> Yes. >> Um and so what we're looking at tonight is essentially the model policy that we got from the secretary. >> Exactly. >> I mean maybe just to echo uh Mr. B's comment on the so I thought this policy was quite strong as well just echoing your sentiments Garrett and maybe one way of strengthening it is under the definitions is to add personal devices to the definition of cell phone here so it's not technically yes >> okay >> and that is somewhat covered in number two. >> Yeah, >> which was similar. It's

070similar to the discussions that we had around the policy. >> We don't issue Chromebooks to every student, do we? That's not like >> that's correct, right? >> We do have Chromebooks. >> They don't take them home. It's not the high school because high the high school actually. So those kids there have been encouraged if you need to communicate with them, send them an email, right, Matt? I believe like if if there's something like important or if the kids need to check like did that something gets changed for a practice or something they can I believe go old school and go on their Chromebook and they can check email that is um that is allowed >> yes they can use their school >> but obviously it's a little bit much for here to have a Chromebook

071>> it's not fair students who don't have Chromebooks at home to or any device to be able to say go check their internet at home, you know, check their email, >> you know. Sorry, I just be glad. I was asking that the kids here at the upper grade are issued Chromebooks, but they're not >> they we have enough. >> They can use them while they're here, but they're not issued a Chromebook. >> Good. That makes it easier. Um, any other comments on this policy? Any comments from the public on this policy? No. Um this one is a second reading. So I check our agenda. We believe we are approving this policy. Yes. This one is >> this one is what we've >> This is the student teacher internships. Any other comments on this one? I

072know we talked about this one briefly our last meeting. Y we'll be approving this one. Okay. All right. Um why don't you move on to our next item then? Uh this is going to be the budget. Um again, as a quick background, this is now I think our third meeting, but now we're really getting into the nitty-gritty details of the budget. We will probably well I know we'll have to have a special at least one special meeting Neil do you agree to as this gets refunded further because so just as a quick background last night at our at our meeting we frankly spent most of the time in the meeting not so much dig the budget so if that's why you hear us asking a lot of questions tonight about the budget now last night's

073meeting was really spent an hour plus going over the the other inputs is really our revenues and as I said the the uh the uh ADM count as well as trying to figure out exactly what the implication is for an increase uh to our tax rate regardless of the we implication is we have the budget moving around. Um, Teresa, do you want to So, maybe we can go through here with regards to all the files that have been currently loaded, right? Is there is there a tax rate? I see the >> fl get that back uploaded again. Um, document and I can load it. That was just to help. I was able So I took your revenue numbers and everything like that and I plugged them in. So I can I do have a I

074have a projected tax rate for the budget that is in the packet this evening. Um and the assumption on the let me address some assesses. >> Is there a way to raise this tire? No. I'm trying guys. I'm going to move it closer. this way. Would that help? >> Also, I apologize. There are a lot of documents. So, >> my best serious number. All right. making sure those limits and federal field are just quickly maybe maybe set the table with regards to this and then maybe do we want to just quickly go through quick FT and I numbered each of them in this progression order >> sort of >> okay >> um yeah so the enrollment I mean we this is the same one that we've been showing since November it hasn't the the numbers

075haven't changed or anything um in this this calculation's based on two different concepts of one being like behind the scenes almost a 15-year average that's running behind the scenes and then of course the 5year that we're kind of displaying and so bas based on the movement of the students from one grade moving to the next level and on the average are we losing students when they move to the next level or are we gaining students and so that's what those factors with the plus ones um or the plus three plus one things like that so when they're moving and progressing along um and that's how it is and so based on um what we projected for this particular school year FY26 you can see the number is 292 when we did um budgeting this last

076year. The actual student count October 1st of 2025 um was was one number off 291 students enrolled. Um and that's what our state average is. Um state of Vermont has that as as our state average also. Um what we're projecting um at this point for next particular school year is 284 students. And again, that's based on sort of like um I'll just use example grade five. You'll see sort of in that orange that there's 33 students in grade five this um this actual this year, but the um average that's been happening is that we've been gaining two. So the projection is is that in next school year we'll have 35 of those students. Um, so and there's certain the the preK again is based on what we know for students being enrolled in programs right

077now and everything else. And then um what we commonly might lose or gain um but that one's really hard to predict because you may have preschoolers that uh preschool age students who are not in preschool at all. Um they don't know about that until they get to kindergarten. Um and then the bottom section is just basically just a um statistical solely statistical um looking at data saying that if the state says this is what the common average size of the student is stu student class size is and you maximize it um this is what you could potentially project for um the amount of classes I think you guys call them sections um that you would need and the teachers um to to for those particular sections and the first column absolutely showed um what it

078is what it is for FY26 this year. So this is what is the I understand this one and this is >> this is what >> 284 students projected next year >> right but these are exact sections today and these are what we're this is what we're projecting for sections next year >> correct we maximize the state's potential class size >> I just want to make sure that we're like this one's this is so usually we're >> I'm saying that wrong that that's the middle one yellow is the projection and the one on the far is um the hypothetical >> what's in the budget. No, the the one in the middle should be the one that's in the budget. And then the one on the right hand side is the one where if we maximize the

079class size based on what the state says, you know, take the class. >> I'm saying that backwards, right? Sorry. I am saying that backwards because class size are you see where grade four says 45 students, right? And you could potentially put 24 to 25 kids in that classroom. Is it ideal? No. But you could potentially do that. So that was based on you could have two sections. That was probably good. But the reality is is that you have three sections. Um, >> correct. But this one could go down. >> Correct. Yeah. That's the hypothetical if you use the states maximizing class size. Yes. Yes. Yeah. >> But this one here is even Anyways, I don't even want to spend too much time on this because I think what happens is so Sean are any of

080these are actual projected sections? >> So the thing that the part that is accurate is the number of teachers. The 19 is correct. Yeah. >> The configuration of where they fall >> is not correct. It's it's different. >> Right. >> But that's because these are projections based on that table >> above. >> Right. strictly h yeah strictly statistical thinking from that end of it, not um what you really have for your FTEEs and where you put them. >> Okay. I'm sorry. What's this? What's this one for? >> And and that one's again if you're taking the class size based on what we commonly have, which is if you look at the actual FY2526. >> Okay. >> Um that is what we h how it is right now like we're saying the sections. Um, and so

081if you use that same concept, you still got the same 19 sections and stuff like that, um, you're just shifting around, uh, the FTS. The teachers are being shifted around based on the class size and needs. >> Okay. So, what we do just for the public's purposes here is we really rely on Sean and his team to Right. So, this is this year. So, what you're seeing is obviously it's a step, right? So, this person, this class here is now grade two and this year, right? I think there's actually an error in that actual >> first >> I'm sorry. >> So I think again if you look at the bottom there are errors in this in this calculation. The thing that is correct is the number of students the number of FTEEs they're in different

082spots right in actuality in the school. >> Okay. And what I think we should do is just we'll skip now to the FTE spreadsheet because that's basically where we're looking there, you know, because when we're moving when we're moving cohorts down, there are going to be changes in the grades, right? If we had a class that was previously two and now someone's right in the grade that's coming up at three, now you're going to have a two that moves only two two sections break, >> right? And that's the that that's the concept behind here is just showing the potential and everything else that yes and like I like you said the actual student enrollment and everything else and FTEES but how the classes could potentially shift. It's strictly a um um looking at it from

083a data view. Maybe we could I'm sorry. Yeah, I don't know. Maybe let's I feel like we might all be getting confused. Maybe we >> Yeah, let's move on to FTE because this I think we just need to >> I'm not really concerned about this because the sections are going to b the sections based on what Sean thinks. Right. >> Again, we have a policy. So, I know Teresa is saying, "So, this has gotten a little bit convoluted because the state has actually started to make some noise about mandating class sizes. Our class size policy is already at what the state's recommending. And if you were a few two years ago, we passed a new class- size policy to give the administration a little bit more flexibility in maximizing our budget and being able to

084make some decisions about, hey, these are the kids that I've got in the class and these are the teachers that I manage those. You know, I've got a lot of hard keys in this class. We might need to have only 15 or something. So that's why we rely on administration to make those decisions, not you know, that's a budgeting thing. So Sean, you want why don't we bring up the FTE projections? >> Yeah. >> And so this was just literally updated since our meeting yesterday. >> So much clear. So this this is what we have today. >> That's what was approved based on last year's budget. >> Right. And is there anyone here Sean that we don't actually have hired because we approved it in the budget? >> No, we're fully we're fully established. Okay.

085So all these people here Okay. And then we had proposed this and these are the changes. So I don't know Teresa Sean which one you which one's better to go through this you >> right Sean. >> Okay. >> And again these are these are where the budget stands now just so everyone's clear. This is this is what so if you look at the budget that's in the data room here, this is the budget that is showing $8,782,845 for a 6.15% increase. Is that correct? >> Yes. So again, when we have the next part of the discussion here, which is what Neil's going to go through, which is what we spent most of our time on last night, is what does this tax rate look like? This is what the budget is that we're looking at.

086Now, we're going to know what the tax rate looks like and this is what is reflected in here for changes. >> So, I'll take a little time because it's complicated. Nothing is easy to look at in this regular ed teachers. You might think those would be classroom teachers, but that includes classroom teachers, interventionists, um special teachers, all fall in that category. So, it's what's I'll just go through and tell you what's different. So what is different about this is that we moved some people around. So we next year in actuality looking at the kindergarteners coming in there are 31 that we have. We have a pretty good count because we know the who we pay for to go to all the outside centers plus the kids that we have here. So there are 31 right

087now. >> We may get a couple others but that really doesn't warrant three three sections. um the kindergarten teachers themselves have said that's too few to have. So this budget reduces one position in kindergarten. The other thing to think about is it doesn't necessarily mean a a kindergarten teacher. So the teacher contract works in seniority. So it's whoever some of the last people hired are or the first people that would would lose their positions here. So um and it's complicated because we hired people in clumps. We had four people last year. So just when you're thinking about it, it doesn't get quite one to one. Like a kindergarten position being cut doesn't mean that teacher really slows down a little bit. Um we added back in from last time we had had two classroom teachers

088that we were reducing. We have a a grade in first grade right now that has like Garrett said, it's not all about numbers. Sometimes it's about the characters in those classrooms. And we have a few that could use a little extra care and have some meat that might meet a little bit of a smaller class size. So we did add back in so that we can split that group up and just give them some things that they need that we're not able to do this year. >> We So you talked about the special position. Um we're not playing a special ed position because we our numbers are dropping. We have some kids moving on to middle school that have pretty robust IEPs. >> So we can cut down a half of a special ed position

089and still provide what we need for people here. So I just wanted to make sure when I talked to >> Thank you. Yeah. >> I'm sorry. Sorry. The regular ed teacher that adding is first grade. >> We'll go to which one is >> second grade. Go ahead. Um, so then this other piece that's reduced. Right now we have two positions. We have a person who does a part-time interventionist position and a part-time special ed position. We have another person who does part-time math coach and part-time math intervention. Each of those positions are losing a chunk. So the math coach person is the math coach part is going away, but the intervention is staying. the special ed position is going away, but the intervention is staying there. So, we're putting those two pieces together to be

090this 6 and point4 tutor. We're losing a special ed, part-time special ed, losing math. That's still taken out of our this budget. Um, but we're putting those intervention parts together, so kids will still get the intervention part. We are where's the math again? I'm >> the reduction of the map that you know the math interventionist would be right here. >> Next point is this one here. >> If somebody was moved, it was um you'll see the comment down below where it says move to teacher FTE. Um move point 6 special ed teacher FTE to rail ed. >> That's the we say academic support to grant. No, where's the where's the >> second remedial that? >> Yeah. >> So the math part should be noted up here. >> Okay. That's the math coach. >> Is the

091math coach this 6.6 plus the point4 math coach. So there are two parts missing right here. It should also be on here that up in this regular part that the math coach needs to be put there that we're reducing it. The special ed part needs to be put there that we're reducing it. >> So that's something we'll have to add in to this part. But we're we're reducing it and we're adding one is zero and then we'reing but this is still >> correct because if you reduce one teaching but you add one in um then we get the net effect there which is flat and the reduction you'll see down the 1.2 includes the 04. So when the point4 was reduced from there moved up to the teacher section you didn't change your FTEES all

092you did was shift them and then down below when you got a point six special ed teacher move to regular ed section again you didn't change your FTEES you just shifted them once again so that those two the 6.4 equal the 1.0 town teacher that was theoretically added >> which is all of these pieces over here that's adding up to the total FDA. Do you see that? >> So this is the loss of the special ed teacher the 6 piece of it >> but that personal >> right so I noted that that person was moved to regular ed teacher up top and up top I noted that there was a regular ed teacher 1.0 know added and that came from the special ed 6 and remedial 4. >> Okay. Sorry, Sean. >> We are doing

093a little some moving of a position. So, we uh we have some Medicaid funds that we were notified have been collecting for a bit and need to be spent down. So we took out of the budget a8 academic support and moved it to be grant funded. So the position will stay but the funding will come from a grant rather than the budget. That was part of the work that we did to be able to put prek back in was switching that around. >> Now when we say reduce by 08 is that here because it's getting gradually right. So I want to get it >> is reflected in that point. Yep. The technology teacher Nikki spoke to that piece is um taken out of this budget. What does reduction in classroom needs mean? Michelle um that

094that is the tech position. Um I'm not quite sure why it says reduction of classroom speak >> a bad choice of words we've talked about >> um let's see special ed teachers this is the reduction that we talked about the six >> and again that that's because we don't have the need because the students the student is not there right so the special students are not here so we need the special features special ed assistance that is a reduction because we have a student in sixth grade who's moving on and we don't provide the assistance to the middle school guidance extra days that's the district social worker position that was going to be a new position as part of the strategic plan and I believe all the schools decided to take that out of their

095budgets. >> There's something that we haven't talked about that changed in here. We data has become more important as we work with the state to get funding and having that important ADM or the average daily membership is pretty crucial. Um right now our registar is also our receptionist. Um also is the person who's nurse sometimes and their jobs and but she only works during the school year. During the summertime is when we get all that registration stuff out, get the information back in, get all of our information vetted so that it's correct. So we have added a very small part to that position to make it a year- round position so that we have someone in the summer that can focus just on getting that data in because as we can see if you if

096you mess that up there just a few kids it costs us a lot and then I think that is it just look at my Listen, let's get my stuff. I'm just going to go down through with with the things that I have here just, you know, make sure that you um so the things that are reduced in this budget are 0.25 district social worker, the kindergarten position that that I don't feel we need three of for the 31 place, the tech integrations position that Nikki spoke about. >> How much is that? That's a point. That's a 0.8. >> The my positions >> it was put in the budget as a 8 for next. >> Oh yeah. So really I'm just asking that it remain a point. >> Um this special ed position that I talked

097to you about. There are some smaller things that um were alluded to in the PTO report. So assemblies has a $6,000 cut. That's about half. And that are those are things like when we have a presenter come in anyone who's had a fourth grade know that we do Japan the big Japan unit and we have presenters come in that would be some of the things we would ask for funding elsewhere field trips has a $12,000 cut which is about roughly a third of what the field trip budget was. The technology equipment has a $20,000 cut. Some of that we're going to be able to absorb this year with some grant funding that Lauren has that we purchase some of what we were going to purchase next year. The point4 math coach. Um we cut 12

098$18,000 for site improvements. We have some rooms that still have asus in the flooring. We've been in the two prek rooms. They're really beautiful right now. We had that taken out just and we had planned to do two more rooms. We decided to put that on hold for a year. And then we had put in the budget a second building substitute. Um even though I know all of you want to be substitutes, you don't show up. Sometimes when teachers are sick, they need to be out. We our staff is is is stretched pretty thin to still make school work. So we put in a second building sub. We took it out. We'll continue to to work the way we are. The things that got added back in, we added back in a prek teacher. We

099added back in the prek education assistant. We added back in the primary teacher that will go to second grade next year. We grant funded the the um interventionist position out of Medicaid funds and we added back in the 2 of the art position. So I think at the very end of our meeting last night, Neil asked the question and unfortunately it was getting to the hour a few people other things. Can you now do the next part? So you kind of had where we started right minus plus and then what it equals. So I'm looking for the equals because basically where we are today what we're actually cutting. So, because just to be clear, some of the things that Sean just said were at like the the um the uh the building sub. We don't

100have a building sub today, but the idea was is this is the original budget, the 9% plus budget that we saw in November was kind of the wish list. So, John says, "Oh, I took this back out of the budget." He's not cutting today's. That's what I want to ask now is is what are we actually losing today from what we have in the building today? knowing that there might be that little bit of a complication because for example we've got good movement in sections or actually taking a body and putting a better niche. So the things that that uh we have now that we won't have next year in this budget will be our kindergarten position 04 of the tech position. We already have point4 this year um with 6 special education position $1,000

101in assemblies. I'm sorry. Six special education we $6,000 in assemblies 12,000 in field trips 20,000 on technology equipment but remember some of that we're going to make the board this year the point format coach >> am I allowed to ask the question now >> one I'm going to give myself sorry I'm kind of this and I think and then I was going to give the board and the public. >> So one thing so on that then basically the >> the kindergarten >> but we're moving that person over the actual person or not. >> No that position is that position is going to be >> that was the one we were going to try to put into keep that position and put into the full this. >> Yeah. Right. Okay. Originally we talked about taking that

102kindergarten position repurposing >> repurposing it building sub and not having to reduce FTS but because right because things have gotten okay the point4 tech and then the 6 special education specialist that actually is the one that is not needed we're not that's we're reducing that because it's not needed right >> okay and then the math coach if I'm looking at this as far as what we're really reducing from this budget the kindergarten teacher Sure. Would be nice to have a full-time building sub if we had the budget. >> It would be a second additional building sub. We still have one. >> We have one. Okay. Yes. >> So the idea was instead of reducing the FTE, we were hoping to keep that person and move it into keep that FTE and add it as another

103building sub to give us more building subs to hopefully keep the classrooms operating more efficiently and keeping Sean from having to get up at 5 a.m. and figure he can open the school every day. >> We'll always open the school. >> So the the point4 tech is obviously coming out. The 6 special ed is actually not needed. So it's kind of a reduction, but it's actually because we don't need it, right? So we're not losing anything, right? And the point4 math coach. Those are so we're kind of And again, the kindergarten teacher, we're not reducing that and losing a kindergarten section is because we actually don't need that section. Right? Just so people are clear, we're not actually getting rid of a section, making some section much bigger now. We're actually we just don't need

104that because we don't have the cohort of kids coming through. The idea was like we were going to keep that FTE and move it into a building sub because if we had the budget, why not keep more people in the building, right? Rather than having Sean have to wait for subs that aren't coming that aren't answering the phone. Okay. So, really, we're reducing the two things that we're really cutting out of the budget right now then are are the point4 tech and the point4 Mac coach, right? >> And the assemblies on field trip. Well, and the assemblies and the field trips and sorry, did you go through the numbers again? So, it see >> Oh, sorry. There you go. >> You read this all for us. >> So, are there field trips there? >> Okay.

105So, the 6K and the 12K and the tech equipment is those are the actual >> we spending all of that money either, right? Right. for those. That's why we cut those >> because >> look back at the last five years started really looking at the numbers of what was being utilized and when we're asked to kind of cut the budget back down. I mean, it was really looking at all these different accounts and really honing in on what we were truly spending >> for Okay, so just drill down that. So for assemblies and field trips, so we're not So for the 6K that we cut on assemblies, it's because we're not actually spending >> spending all the funds that were being budgeted. >> Okay. And the 12K can field trips is because we're not actually

106been spending the 12K on field trips. >> It's a third, right? >> There was a there was a fluke year where it was really high and I think that was right around right after CO or something. Yeah. >> So it was kind of like one of those bad years you can't really judge. So taking into account all the other years and stuff like that and looking at the numbers yeah was not spending what was being budgeted. >> Okay. And the 20k and tech equipment is going to be part partially replaced by the um grant more. Okay. >> And we've been purchasing a lot of technology. So very good shape that too over the past few years. >> Okay. I will stop talking now. Um board members do we have questions? Lisa. >> Yeah. Um, I

107think it's important to point out that this special ed person just because they're not here, I'm assuming we will see that money in the Dresden budget because that student will have a need that gets carried over to the Richmond School. So, I just wanted to be clear that like it's not as if that those students that are moving on suddenly don't get their needs met. They get met, they're just it's met out of a completely different budget and a completely different budget discussion, which you're welcome to come to next week. Um I think um and then I think I just had some questions on the building part of it. Okay. And I'm not trying to add anything to the budget because I get that that's not where we are right now. But um >> kind

108of a concern about Abestice um like are we legally allowed to delay it for a year? I'm assuming we are because we are. And then my second question um is I keep hearing in my years of service and about the roof >> and that the roof is on it will be needed to be replaced sooner rather than later and I just am wondering um you know what whether we're concerned about that because I feel like we're concerned about it every year and every year we sort of punt it and I worry that one of those punts is going to put a hole in the roof. So um those might be some questions. >> Um so so regarding that um some of what we did reduce we actually had taken um and put more funds into

109it. >> Okay. >> And everything else. So really when we reduced again when we were asked to reduce the budget um that was one of the things but we already have and I didn't reload it up this particular time but um the facilities document is in there in one of our prior meetings and stuff but I can I can bring that back up but >> um for for the asbestous and for the roofing that is still budgeted in there so that was already in there and we were hoping to do some more projects but so we have not taken that off the table at all. So, we just sort of got rid of of hopeful projects. Okay. But we're keeping the necessary projects and we're still doing the regular, you know, we've got >> Yeah,

110I figured we're doing the right like I fig I didn't see that the maintenance was zeroed out. So, I was assuming that the building's being taken care of, but but again, I just the roof keeps coming in there because we're looking at that about $35,000 to um >> to to do what we need to do. >> Okay, great. Thank you. I've just given a speestous do because I don't want anyone to feel like we are. Yeah, >> we have a speestous in the glue in some of the tiles that are covered up in the carpet. >> So, as long as they stay covered, but at some point the carpet >> is going to need to be replaced. It's done its time. >> Okay. Thank you. And we've been going through incremental changing all of that

111in the schools over time. So that's been in the plan. >> Thank you. >> I'm curious what the dollar impact is of the math coach and technology integrations together. So I don't want to um ask for specific people's salaries. But if you were to put like a ballpark of those two things together, what is the dollar amount in the budget? >> Who would not ask? >> You can I mean not to you could probably say what the theme with individual amounts are in the budget as far as >> Yeah. I'm I there's I just don't know which one to look at which >> probably about $80,000 those two together for8 position. >> The stocking one was about 88. >> Yeah. And what about the math coach? >> Those are supposed to together. >> Okay. >>

112Just as it is. >> Okay. That just helps the thinking separate. >> I'm sorry. And the 18 KSI improvements is is also being cap is also still >> and that's what we were talking about the 18 for the for the facilities. >> Yeah. >> And that was something that we put in to their extra on top of what was already um status quo. >> But then when we were asked we like okay >> we'll take it out. >> Yeah. >> Sorry because Sean gave me his like net and I didn't hear the building improvement. I thought maybe you added those back in. Okay. Janice, >> at the risk of being provocative, um I just think it would be interesting to know if we were to add sliding scale tuition to prek to enable us to

113serve more people and to continue to grow the program, what would the impact be on the budget? Do we have any sense? And I know that I'm being provocative and Roger, you're probably pissed that I'm saying that, but I think um um I'm curious because there are families that benefit from the prek and we have letters from the community of people who said that they have the means they would be willing to pay for it to be able to enable others to come. And I know the childcare center that my children went to that was like a prek or she's not here anymore. >> Um there was a sliding scale and it was a great place for my kids. And so I just think it's something we might explore to help us have budget for

114other things like math coaches and >> um technology technology. >> So I just wanted to ask that question to the universe and we may not have an answer. I'd love to have us consider that. >> Yeah. I know it wasn't something that we um wasn't something um I had done or anything else any calculations on that that it didn't come up on that respect. Um >> maybe this year it's too hard but I think as a board that might be something >> we explore because I think there I've been really moved by comments from the community about how the prek program in general has been great in Norwich. I think it's also like helps kind of potentially have a re, you know, there's um I I don't want to stir this up. I mean, there's

115comments and stuff. I just, but I think it's an important question to put into our community. You're if we're saying we value this, there also are ways to approach it other than yes, have it, no, have it. >> And and yeah, I just want to follow like that's a conversation we've sort of been having on the side. um just because we have been getting letters from people who are like I I would be willing to pay if it would en enable other people to do it. I would encourage us if we did that to make sure that the acceptance was still needs blind so that it like we avoid looking like we're giving spots to people who can afford to pay versus those who cannot afford to pay. So just making sure that the process

116of admissions was still a needs a needs blind admissions process but then once someone was accepted a sliding you know could we consider a sliding scale. Um yes >> remember eating at college when you have to pay. >> Yes. Exactly. Like the college admissions process get used to it early. >> Yeah. >> Could we also look at something like I've said this last time I hit too but my son just got accepted into three days ago because another student left. So, I just went from having nothing and not finding anything in the community to now having full-time care from 8 to three, which is great for me. But I also know what it was like having nothing and not being able to find anything even being on the wait list, right? And where I did

117before in Montilier, it was the same thing. There was, you know, was a lottery. Some people got it, but they split it up so you could get two days, four or three days, which is better than nothing if you're if you have a kid at home and oh, I got two days. That's better than having my kid home five days a week. maybe I sub or something so that more people have access to it as opposed to just like the lucky you >> that's so if if we're looking at different ways to structure the may also be different ways to make it to walk again I add to that >> hi Chelsea Lord Street um I'm just building off of all three of these comments I think that a tuitionbased move is an interesting idea

118and creative solution for a program that is exceeding what the state requires that's valuable to the community. >> I haven't heard a comprehensive plan for what this looks like and I don't think we have time in the next month. >> And so I think like a a plan that does account for equity based uh tuition on a sliding scale. Also a plan that expands the access of the program so that there's no more lottery. um gives us the option to add an assistant for a teacher each year depending on who side of the class. Um something that we'll build in an element of sustainability so that this isn't a constant debate every few years or with a new board or administration. And so I just would really love to see this board or the administrators

119kind of come up with that whole solution and put that before the town. Yes, >> Laura Bear again, New Boston wrote, "I um I very much value early childhood education and the amazing prek program and at the same time it's hard not to feel like the prek program needs are being kind of um pitted against sounds a little bit like intentionally negative. I don't mean that the needs of the students who are in the K through six and it's very hard for me to still understand why the um the decision with them is being made it seems to cut the math and technology positions which the K through six students need and the teachers need as we just heard from Becky French how valuable the people in those roles are to the teachers and the

120students And um and I see that some of the reductions are because the needs aren't there, but these are not the case. And the prek program is incredible. And I wish it was available to all of the students at the current level, but it does far exceed what is what is required or or promised. I might not be using the right verb. Kind of. So then you get into the elementary school, but you're not going to have all of your needs met. it that's really hard for me to understand why the the tech and math intervention positions are being cut but the meeting started with don't worry everybody fully funding everything nothing about prek is being touched that seems imbalanced to me and it seems like we need to really look at what the what

121is needed at the elementary school level and provide it to the staff and the students and I hate I would not ever come to a meeting and say and just voluntarily say let's take it from the prek like that's not where I would be coming from but that is the position we're in and so seeing that imbalance in the way that the funding is going and and what where needs are being prioritized is disheartening. >> Can I say something in defense of Garrett? Garrett said what he said because the volume of letters and communications that this board has received about prek has been extraordinary. I wasn't criticizing it as a fact that that is how the meeting started. >> It is a fact and I just wanted to give another fact which is the reason

122that he said what he said is because the volume of communications that we've received about the prek program has been I'm going to use the word extraordinary. And so um I said this at the last meeting I'll say it again. I would invite more conversation or people help us make the decision if there are more um things we're not thinking about around the technology and the math that we're not I mean I asked the question about how could we potentially fund it. I think we're thinking about it. Also, we are in really difficult situations. We are all elected. We all have full-time jobs. We're doing the best we can to represent the needs of the school, the students, and the town as best we can. I hope you all can appreciate how hard it is

123to be sitting here and doing this job and we're doing our best to support the kids as best we can. All of us have kids who've gone and who are in the school system and so I am not at all being personally critical of any of you. I'm extraordinarily appreciative. So, if my comments sounded personally critical, everybody in this room is here with different specific interests and I don't think my comments are out of line with anybody else's. But I do actually want would really appreciate a response to what I'm asking >> and I and I'm so appreciative of all the work you're doing. And I wanted to be on the school board. spent many many conversations with Lisa and realized, you know, I think my wife might have kicked me out of the house

124if I found a blended family of four kids any special needs that I didn't, you know, >> I didn't have time to gather people to write a petition, right? like yeah I I wrote a short email to the but I am curious about that balance and why we are saying that these really valuable positions are being cut and why that position is being made >> address that in a sec Michael why don't you >> no I actually um I think you raised a really good point >> um I think you know there are five people on the school board not all of us are on every committee I'm not on the budget committee And so I I tend to have to wrestle with this at the same time as my constituents. And to me, this

125is you're going to sit as an elected official. You get to go from where I started my school board journey, which was sitting out there being like, why the hell are you going to cut a teaching position? Um to here where you have to wrestle with trade-offs. And so I'm looking at the list of things that we're potentially reducing and the things that we're potentially keeping and wondering the same thing like why are these the trade-offs we're make um I can't I don't speak for anybody else on the board. I only speak for myself but arriving at this point in the process I look at it and say hey there's usually a tension between how do you keep the core thing intact um and for me when I think of my own personal view of

126the Marian cross school it's how do we maintain small class sizes at each of the grades and while trying to honor our budget targets um because while the town has been very supportive of school budgets once one gets voted down you're you're in a different situation um because then you have to make additional cuts. You have no idea how much stuff to throw into the volcano to appease the taxation gods and then you're going to be up in smaller and smaller offbeat elections where fewer people vote and loud voices win. And so, you know, you're trying to figure out what's the right tradeoff to honor that tension. And I I when I look at the technology and the math coach as the things that are on the outside right now, it's because they're a little

127attenuated from the core thing of smaller class sizes and whatnot. Do I like those trade-offs? I don't know. I'm not being asked to vote on it right now. And so I'm not I'm not sold yet, but I but I feel like if you're asking me why the heck this instead of that, I think it because those things feel like a little bit extra >> as opposed to the core thing we're supposed to do. Um, for me when you talk about the total amount of money I struggle our family moved here precisely because of this building and the school of this community and so it's like geez like can't we grab a little bit can't we preserve a little bit more but I get what we're trying to do because if we if we have um

128either a budget go down um or this you know or end our end up in real trouble with state based on our spending we put ourselves in a tough position but I think you're asking exactly the right We got down to 20 people explain you know why good all right so yes >> I'll I'll be joiner 27 metro road um I I just want to I think put in one more plug for the technologist and um the importance of that role in the building and and maybe ask the question of if that role is not filled is like how how the problems that people have with their technology be solved. I mean, as Becky noted, she couldn't use her board. I know as a we all have been there when our computer is not working

129and we're like, "Ah, what do I do?" And so, I'm just would like to understand if that role, which seems crucial, isn't felt how those problems will be addressed. Sure. So, first I feel a little guilty because I'm the one who made the list. So part of my job was to go through and find find items to reduce in our budget. Um but I'll preface that with saying that this is a really great school. So finding things to reduce is really hard because we we have great staff. We have a great program. Um you look at our test scores, they are leaps and bounds above the state average. But I'm looking for just so you can understand why some of the things are I look for things that are closest to kids as the last

130things to put on the list. So the math coach is important to staff which then is important to students but it's it's not a direct not a direct connection to a student. So when I was looking at things that we could trim up our budget, I looked and the math coach is important. He does a fantastic job. He's made a great change in our school, but for me it was not as important as an interventionist that might work with small groups of kids who are struggling. So if I have a trade-off of one or the other, I pick the one that's working with the kids. Doesn't mean I don't value the other one or is great. But in this particular instance, that was the thing. the technology question. We last year went to a model

131across the SAU that's called the federation model. I think Warren is now the head of the federation. And part of that model was to share resources across his schools. Part of it was to be able to draw from some of the expertise that are in the other schools if we have a need. Nikki and her position are important here. She does important pieces. She vets bets lots of software so that we have safe things for kids. This year because of her reduced position and the greater need for vetting, she hasn't worked with students um because we had that other piece that she had to do. In talking with our tech director before we hired, one of the questions I asked was what do we do if we don't have this position? And the response was

132then we can use our model to reach out to get help from other places. How that particularly will work I don't know yet because we haven't done our way. Um but that is the plan as now. So if we can't fund the tech position, then we'll draw on our model that we built as an SAU and use our ticketing system that we've already are using and when Becky has an issue with a computer, she puts in a tech ticket and one of the technicians from across the SA would help us. Will that work? I don't know. We haven't done it yet, but that is would be the plan. Can I say that the tech position is something Jess like helping someone fix their computer because this year has just been very strange with how we've

133had an inundation of requests for software apps. I have had to reduce my teaching. But I do teach digital citizenship and I work with the other integrationists across the river creating curriculum and it's a lot of my expertise and Vermont is really different than New Hampshire and not having a seat at the table during those meetings for Vermont is is going to affect the needs of all of the teachers and students. And so the there is a lot of direct teaching I do but for example recently the gym teacher said uh I don't have the ability to play music that isn't going to that isn't my own like Spotify account or whatever he uses and the risk of these students hearing language in songs that isn't appropriate is very high and I and I went

134to the integrations meeting and I said listen this is unique my school, but we need to do something to find this person an appropriate app. And so it's not it's not just the um fixing things because that that obviously is different, but what I offer here is the educational technology specialist certification unique. Nobody else in the school has that. and um asking a another person who doesn't have it to teach children digital citizenship so that they they're not on their cell phones when they're in kindergarten uh is isn't here. It's it's you can't put that on the teachers. They already have their plates full. So maybe I would just echo then like the desire to have that position maintained. I mean my third grader or fifth seventh grader came home from Marian Cross before he

135came across over Italian and told me no you can't trust Wikipedia um you have to use like encyclopedia Britannica and that's what I learned at Marian Crafts and I was floored and was like okay wow but I I I echo like I think that these skills are so critical we're encouraging our kids to use their computers to do research and digital literacy is crucial crucial and I think somebody else said it's starting earlier than we even realize and so while it's clear that we are going to have to make tradeoffs and sacrifices and I can't suggest where that could be I would really appreciate keeping I'm sorry but keeping ease if not for and you know at a bare minimum >> thank you >> yes >> um I just want to say thanks to Sean

136and the board for from the list and having the side on the list. It's not easy. Um, but I do want to bring it back around. We're only looking at the expense side um of the P&L right now. And so I totally understand concern rate. I totally understand the concerns with what happens if the first budget does get voted down. I appreciate that. But we're also kind of in like unknown terriers, but the cost what's causing this, like it's we're feeling it. So I think that's the >> industry we're feeling it in health insurance and so to to basically see these on uncontrollable factors impacting the budget and then to set an arbitrary guideline of 3% or whatever it might be is we cannot possibly go above that on the budgeting side. Just want to

137be clear that that's a decision this group is making at the expense of a lot of Neil presented that there's a lot of unknowns that come in from the state members too much unknowns about enrollment. There's a lot of unknowns, but what will happen when it goes to the front of course? >> So, this is a good this is a perfect segue. So, just to refer back to the beginning, the reason I just wanted to come in and say, I didn't want us sitting here for 3 hours talking about prek when we aren't going to be that's not on the table right now. I think this is a perfect segue into I'd like to turn over quickly because we've been talking about all this and actually where the numbers come out. We may not need

138to do any of this again. We start out and I'll remind you of the 2024 2025 we had a expenditures increase of our budget I think to your point of 4.6% 6% is what our total marrying cross was actually up quite a bit but Dresden was quite low. So our average education but our tax rate that year because of act 1727 was up 20 17%. And thanks to Neil selling that to the town's people everyone in town we thank them profusely because everyone said you know what this isn't our fault we we want our school to be here and we don't want to be making drastic cuts where we want to take it on a chin again. This is we knew this with act 127. That's why again if you look back at that data

139nor's tax rate was supposed to go up I think 37% just because of that. So here we are again prek was made again this is a quick precursor to the things that we're kind of been looking at are really things that we've added on over the past couple years to Sean's point that now might be like okay is this really critical because when you look at some of these tax rate increases that we're potentially facing right we can't have everything unfortunately as much as everyone wants. So again, the math coach was something that was added with a with a grant a couple years ago. You know, maybe we can't. We all knew that when we approved it, we said maybe we can't have that as a it's nice to have, but maybe not, right? PreK,

140we all added prek, preact 127, those kids aren't counted as much. The ADM counts. So now when this new act 127 hit, it's, you know, it's a more expensive prospect to carry that process. And then we're adding as we've talked about we're we're offering a lot more than what's mandated and again none of our colleagues in and over chemistry would ever get it. Right? So anyways all that let's move on to the your point which is really looking at the other parts of the equation. So now we're going to again so people know what we're talking about here. We've got the expenditures. So we've got Marian Cross and then we've got Dresden. That's our total expenditures. Right? Then you add your revenues. basically the board to connect up again. It's actually not on the board.

141Um >> if you bring up um number three, >> okay, >> it should show those numbers, too. for >> it's on the agenda. Yeah. Can you clarify 127 just so everyone know >> like it was I mean it was a onetime change so it's in place now and just the boogeyman conversation do to take money out of that one now it support >> 127 Neil can keep me you want me to start just go >> so act 127 was was passed it was an adjustment to the student rate so the education funding system what happens here in Vermont and Neil keep me honest because sometimes I I want to really make things up. But I think I know how all of our money from our taxes go into the over to the education fund. The

142education fund is also funded by a whole bunch of other stuff like taxes from your Amazon purchases. There's all sorts of other things. So we actually you have to remember we don't actually we can't we most towns don't actually fund all of their schools just through their property taxes. That's different New Hampshire. New Hampshire doesn't matter, right? I remember the previous administrator said if you want to put golden eggs under everyone's desk in New Hampshire and pay for it that's fine. In Vermont you can't do that. All of our funds go into the state education fund and then it all comes back to the towns based on their um based on their um it it through this formula of dividing it by the ADM count and the yield. That is how you basically get the

143money back for what you're spending. That's how it's calculating your tax rate. So what act 127 did is it changed the waitings for the students. So for example, we have about 600 somehow students in Norwich that attend Marian Cross, the middle school and high school. Our ADM is actually as pointed out tonight is actually now at 834 >> weighted longterm weighted. >> We don't have we don't have 834 kids. We've got 834 weighted kids and that's because kids are weighted based on their grade. So they're weighted less for prek. They're weighted like zero for middle school or elementary school and they're wait a little bit more than one for middle school and high school. Then that waiting those weightings are also impacted by English language learners >> which is based on our free and reduce

144I'm sorry poverty basically. So which is based on free and reduced lunch programs. That's how you determine that. And the third thing is is your rural call your ruralness of your town. We're not a very we might think you might think Norwich is rural but we're not rural from a Vermont perspective. >> Those things the whole theory is that it costs more to educate those students. Now if you look in a place like Burlington stuff, I didn't realize it but like they have a whole lot of English language learners second language, right? When you looked at when act 27 was passed here, I think Norwich has almost zero of any of that. Right now, the good news, well, what happened was is our some of our lower income levels have actually increased, which is why

145our ADM counts actually surprisingly gone up. And if you listen to Neil at our boards for years, he's been talking and bang on the table about the fact that we need a more diverse community. We need more housing to basically that's going to benefit our school system and make us more like the rest of Vermont. >> Did I miss anything there? >> Black is still okay. >> Uh no, but let me allow me the moment just to summarize. Um so education property taxes in Vermont are based on how much money we spend per student or how much money we spend per weighted student. um back in 2018 they determined that the weights that we had been using were not empirically derived. There was no science behind those weights. There was a big study that was

146done and the weights then changed. When the weights changed, it had the single largest impact on the town of Norwich. Um and the some of the things that Garrett just mentioned before, uh those higher weighted students, we just don't have a lot of them here in Norwich. there was a provision that was put into 127 that allowed us to gradually then increase into what eventually is going to be a higher tax rate. Uh if folks remember at the time the provision that they put in the law the sort of the safety valve um uh they didn't think it through very well and almost every district in the state started to trip that safety valve. So at the last minute they decided to change it. What ended up happening was is we now get a cent

147discount off of our tax rate that decreases by 20% every year for five years. So at the end of five years, the discount will be completely gone. And the tax rate that we get is the actual tax rate. We're now going into year three of that cent discount. So it's another 20% less than it was the year before. So the tax rate that we are paying in Norwich right now is artificially suppressed. Right? So, that's what I want people to walk away from tonight is the actual tax rate on your bill is not the real tax rate. It's going to be suppressed um this year by probably about 16 cents on about $2. >> So, if you want to go you want to talk about projected tax rate or >> so why don't we talk

148about projected tax rate but just so people know what we're talking about here. So, is this Actually, this doesn't get into the rest of the tax rate calculations. Um, >> so what we're going to do here is we last night we spent quite a bit of time looking at so here's so our budget what you guys will be pay our tax. So here's marrying cross. So this is what we're talking about. This is roughly now we're looking at about a 6 and a half% you know sorry 6 and 12% increase. This was at nine and that's what we're saying once you run this all through based on the revenues and all that stuff we could end up with a very different tax rate. Here's the dres assessment. This is what the Dresden folks are working

149on. This is still subject to change, but we think this is pretty much locked down. So, this is what we pay for our kids that are portion. It's always based on how many kids we're sending across the river for both the RMS, the middle school, and the high school. And that's coming in at about a 6% increase as well. That's Neil's on that board. That's the Dresden budget. And then the handover people, they want race school on their own. Okay? So, we don't that's the handover school board. And then the revenues is what that gentleman's question was. So these are all the different parts of what we get back from the state. So one thing for example if we have a bunch of you know more special needs kids but there are block grants for

150example. So we have to be a little bit careful if Sean says hey we've got more kids coming through the system. It's a higher expense but we will get some some number back usually from the state from a block grant for the special ed which is sorry the census block grant because that's a special ed one that's the biggest driver right so I don't do you want to talk about the revenue side I mean this is what we've been trying to lock down is the revenues which is that number there plus you get the fund balance right from the past two years and that is basically are well unfortunately you do have to add back one of these numbers at above 60 grand which is a little bit confusing to get your actual revenue number

151that gets added back to the expense to get your net what we'll call it our education um spending >> yeah when I look at this document does that include a new contract for the teachers has sports staff. Yes. >> I saw sports staff at the top. I didn't see the teachers >> in >> No. Um on Vermont side, they're inside. They they get put into the budget. So, um the con teacher and the support staff that we've just completed now. >> Yeah. >> They're already in that budget. >> I raced to get all that. We gave the budget guidelines. We we said we would we would like to see a 30% and we were in the process and doing teacher settlement and we have since done that. That is now in the budget which is

152why it's at 6 and a half% it's at three and a half% on base and then a lot of teachers moving through step track. So about half of them are getting kind of anywhere between six and 8% salary increases. I would just say as we get to the tax rate calculation and my consistent point of view over the last three years is that when we look our neighbors in the eye about expenditures what we should be really concerned about is that number there. There is a lot of uncertainty at the state level that's completely out of our control. But we be able to go to our neighbors and say hey on a year-to-year basis we're budgeting like it actually is but that's not not subject to the the whims of Montelier. Do we do a

153good job? To see that number with several years of labor certainty built into it feels like a responsible pretty responsible starting point. >> And that enables us to do budgeting by having multi-year, right? So we know it's coming down. So also it's very time consuming for both our teachers and everyone else. So okay, so there we are. I guess let's just get we don't unfortunately because last night was so short. I think now let's go through. So what Neil's done is he's started with the with basically what our education funding is, which is our education spending less our revenues and then what our actual ED spending is, right? That's what you're going to start with. >> Yeah. I mean, I can just cut to the the bottom line. I mean, given the numbers that we're

154looking at tonight at Dresden Holtz and and we continue forward with this budget, you're looking at um potentially a flat, if not maybe slightly decreased or slightly increased tax rate from last year. So, last year it was $1495. Um using the numbers right here, right now tonight at 8:47 p.m., you're looking at a slight decrease, 1.4072, right? And and again that's why I kind of came in a little bit kind of saying listen this also short circuit things because this is all new information as said last night again this is thank what we were looking at actually about two weeks ago was actually a decrease the state had given us I believe in our ADM account and then now it's actually going to be once Teresa or credit went through did a lot of work

155and I think you spent how many drafts of that thing >> the 10th draft on December 22nd the final Right. Not a little accurate. Right. I mean, and this is um you know, slightly was not forecast in part because the, you know, that weighted student number that we just talked about. Um we finally got a final number from the state and it actually ended up being quite a bit higher than we anticipated it would be. >> That has a significant impact on the potential tax. Right. Right. >> Question. >> So, and sorry, just so people again, I want to go through this just so you're absolutely clear. So again, it's education spending divided by your ADM count, which is really your weighted average pupils. That gives you your per pupil spending, right? That is then

156divided by your base amount or your yield. That's the number that comes from the state. We're all on pins and needles every year. It's a letter that comes that's basically a number that's developed by the state based on what they're projecting all the schools are going to be spending. >> Okay? And if all the schools end up spending a lot more, that base amount actually goes up. Which is why you can we could approve a budget and then if all the towns approve wild budgets, our tax rate could be different than what we actually approve at town meeting if you can believe it. But anyways, that is our tax rate is divide divide the per pupil spending by the yield. That gives you your tax rate. Then you divide that by your common level appraisal.

157get even more complicated. They also added in SA with an adjustment for the state. That gives us our tax rate in Norwich because it's a property tax. They're trying to equalize valuations of all the things. We just were reassessed. That's why our CLA plus this uh common level plus what's it called? The state of the state. >> Our our our CLA is actually over. It's 140%. um it's actually 98% plus the state adjustment. So basically we are assessed at 100% now whereas a few years ago we were at like 65% which was pretty tax. Anyways, I guess that's like I guess from the board then I think what we need to do is is if we I think what we should probably do is run numbers or I mean I'm guess I'm going to just

158make the suggestion that we go back to some of the I don't know how do we like >> can maybe can I ask a question about these numbers before you go there the very top just to um the top of the sheet I can't um >> where it says Marian cross school budget the 8782695 that reflects the long conversation we had about what's being reduced and what's being added back and all of that is in that number. >> Correct. and reflects just to be crystal clear that reflects what Sean talked about at the very end which is basically if I hold up my emails it's the it's the net reduction >> but everything like this is this is yes >> that is informs that >> plus the anticipating cost of the proposed seller >> okay

159feed in support >> okay I I just want to make sure that was clear out to me and other people. So if we wanted to make any adjustments up or down to that number that's still up for discussion, but this is like where we would be today if we made >> if we did what was on the sheet. >> And um I can't remember your name, but you asked about the ELA. Is the ELA budget and number reflected there? >> Okay, >> that's my question for now. Um, I'm looking at the top. It says updated last 14. There is a supporting document called 3C that says updated 17. And I just want to make sure we're all looking at the right document. >> You're right because it the one that's posted on Simly should say

160>> So that's the one. Yes. Okay. >> Well, there's two. There's that one and then um you've got one that says three and then 3B or 3 C. I mean, so there's there's one that literally says three. It's identical to the one you had up there. I thought it was the same. >> That's the one. >> It's so 1.04. That's the three. That's on effect. >> Yeah. >> So, I will say the what I said before still holds. I ran it a few ways with, you know, various numbers that we've been talking about tonight. We're either talking a little bit under or a little bit over last year's tax. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Um, hi Bradville Road. Just to make sure I understand in there was the the time before the the the big

161townwide rate appraisal and our home values were not in sync with what they were and that's why the state does the common level appraisal adjustment whatever and that gives us our rate. Now the preo has been done. So now that sort of CLA adjustment doesn't have to happen, but I'm you're still giving us a What's it mean to say our tax rate is the same now as it was last year, but everyone's homes doubled in value overnight? >> Yeah. So the the actual change happened was the bill that you've got in box, >> right? So that's when the reappraisal was finished and so that new tax rate. So and that the tax rate dropped dramatically, right? So it was two something before it dropped to 1.4095, but it's likely that your house value increased. So

162that adjustment that you talked about already happened. So now we're talking about a change in the tax rate from the bill that you got in August to the one that you will get next August. And right now what I am forecasting is that you know if the numbers tonight hold true throughout the budgeting process about the same maybe a little more a little less depends on what decisions are made in Dresden what the final decisions are here. Um but also keep in mind right that rate is reduced by 16 cents. >> Yeah. because of the provisions in act 127 that gave us a glide path >> to a higher tax rate. >> Thank you. So this is the and kind of this is like the first time that this has happened where we're not running

163around with the like this is actually the first time it's been a pleasant surprise >> would say the impact of the tax rate usually we're usually we're fighting the tax rate versus the budget but so I guess the question now for the board >> now that we go into our next round of creating a budget here is if If the tax rate that we're thinking we're going to be having is kind of a flat tax rate, you know, I I would think we probably want to look at what the what the tax rate would look at. If we add back the tech, the math, >> again, special needs isn't needed because the person's not here. you know the uh field trip and the assemblies may not be needed because we don't spend the money anyways

164but you know the tech equipment and even the and even the build the second building. So, and I guess the question is when are we like when are we not being good state citizens because now we're just increasing our budget again because our tax because that's going to increase that's going to result in a budget increase of probably I'm guessing back up to like 10%. I'm just spitballing instead of 6%. and our tax rate might go up by like 5%. Right, which is probably something that people are okay with, but is that something that as a board we feel comfortable doing because we're basically benefiting now from the system? Michael, >> I mean, when you bring up being um what obligation do we have for the state? I mean my view is the as someone

165who's worked in Montpelier on policy um state policy makers have made this mess like our job is to run the most sustainable and best school system we can over the long term >> right and so for me I I don't think we should give things now and then have to take them away because of tax rates in a couple years but try to use this opportunity to say where do we want to go >> um I think preks a valuable community resource. If this pause that if this current suppression of the tax rate buys us time to say, "Hey, school board school district staff, we need a proposal for next year's budget cycle that can potentially grow that program if there are some fees associated with it." All right, use that use that budget room

166to give yourself time and space to do that proposal. Hey, um, you know, do you need a transition with technology to figure out how this would work or with the math coach or hey, you know, do we want to have a conversation about trading some of that or ELA? Like I don't know. And I I think we should figure out like where this instead of thinking one year chunks like where are we trying to bring the school district and if there's anything we're cutting to try to get to a tax rate this year that we'd want to have in three four five years then let's do that. Um if there are people in the town that want to work with the PTO to raise money to replace something that might be cut for assemblies that

167probably more sustainable building that into the tax rate. So I I don't feel an obligation on failure. I do feel an obligation to figure out, hey, where do we want to be and how do we make those things sustainable when there's no tax relief um under state law? I guess uh from so I think that's one takeaway from this is that a few things like break day I heard like we should probably maybe think about that as far as whether >> we you know how we can so we're not stuck at this position next year if we have if we end up having to make somebody's decision that make prek bigger we can start to make tuition but I think for now it's more about and maybe the question for the board then is is

168for the budget committee when we go back to our Next round, where do we want to try to target a tax rate increase? >> Yeah. And I know at least has her hand up, but I find it hard to think clearly with a cold because I'm just a big man baby, but just to be very blunt like I sorry honesty I feel uncomfortable pushing the tax the budget increase to say 8 n 10 11%. I think you run into problem with taxes. Um, I do love a good tradeoff. And so I I would love to ask Sean and Robin like, "Hey, if there was a little flexibility here, if you had to pick between technology and math coaching and ELA, like what do you guys think? What's the impact inside school? I'd rather have that

169conversation >> than buy everything back and then kick can down the road." I mean, I think that's a fitting that's a fitting conversation for us to have. Lisa. >> Yeah. Um, Michael's last point is what I was going to say, but I also had one thing to say before I lose this train of thought. This is a conversation for next budget, but I'm wondering somewhere in the many, many things that we received in the past week. There was something about interest income being down. And I noticed that interest income on investments was down in this budget. And it was I read between the lines. I don't know whether this is true or not, but the assumption I made is that it had something to do with the fact that we now with the new distribution

170and payment of taxes receive our money for the schools later than we used to. >> And I'm wondering, does that have to happen? Is there a way to push it back so that the taxes get collected earlier again and we receive the money earlier again and we have an opportunity to have more interest on that money come into the school system? if it was supposed to be our money to begin with. Again, not for tonight. I don't think that this is something we can solve tonight, but that is a it's a question that I have and I wonder how much, you know, even $10,000 buys you, you know, part of a math coach. So, I mean, I just when I saw that going down and and again in one of the pieces of paper, it

171was implied that it had something to do with the collection of taxes and when we receive our money from the town, I wondered if there was a way to work with the town or the state or whoever we need to work with to get that money sooner and just have an opportunity for that the interest on that to come into the schools rather than to wherever it is currently going. So, and I also want to thank Gina for her charger. I'll just I'll just quickly kind of summarize this particular year really what happened with that part of it is just because of the reassessment >> like um >> Okay. >> Yeah. It it's primarily due to that reassessment. So by the time tax bills went out and everything else by the time we got our

172payment because we got >> because it was so delayed this year. >> It was so delayed that by the time Yeah. I mean, we were down to very little at a bank when I was begging like, "Give us something right now." Um, and then and then so we made it through all that and everything else, but otherwise we would have had that banked >> um sooner, right? >> And everything else sort of like last year and everything else. Um, and all but Yeah. So, but interest rates are down too and everything else. We don't get to put it into the New Hampshire investment pool, right? Like you might use it to pay bills. Yeah. >> And Yep. the way so we can't invest it the same. >> Okay. So I think to move on to

173next is nine. We have a bunch of other things to do. I think so then Neil um maybe I'll ask your opinion too. So as far as timing goes for finalizing I think I think personally as the chair of the budget committee myself what I'd like to see at the next round is I'd like I want to make sure that we have our traditional event there as the two pages. Right. So it has the >> all refinish that >> and then we actually have the tax rate calculations and then I think what we should do is look at what our original budget looked like and then what the implication is. So I'm basically saying I think I would just be most comfortable if if I knew uh sorry why did my uh trying to find

174where I bring this stuff down. Basically, if we add back in the building sub, if we add back in the point4 tech, if we add back in the math coach and we and I guess we can talk about the site improvements, but where what each one of those would cost and then what obviously that's going to add back into varant across budget number and then what the resulting tax rate is at those things and I think we can decide okay what what is that? I guess you agree you asked the question before and maybe no one really has the answer. I mean I do think that if you add those back obviously the tax rate is going to go from flat it's going to start ramping up again. I personally think that you know if

175we have a tax rate that's our historical level of tax rate increases which is somewhere between zero and 5% we're doing okay. The problem is of course is we have to be careful with some of this because next year we're going to be in this exact same position. Mhm. >> I don't know if we're going to get this nice, you know, assuming our ADM I think we're actually >> I think we're benefiting from the ADM situation right now, but we are absolutely I I think if if necessary, we can squeeze in another budget committee meeting if necessary to figure out what it is that we want to put together to bring to this board for the next for the the last and final meeting of this on the >> 15th, >> right? Um, but I

176think your your outline, you know, of the of the items that we want to bring forward for final consideration is is accurate >> because I think we want those for that board meeting just so we can answer people's questions about like what if, what if, what if >> and to the extent that having another budget committee meeting helps us to finalize that to prepare, you know, a packet a presentation for the board for that last meeting, then right, >> we can do that. We're supposed to have this meeting next Thursday to be >> 15. We have to decide the budget needs to be decided the evening of the 15th. >> Yeah. Next week. So we need to have the budget committee meeting. I mean before Friday because I I otherwise I mean between the meetings

177that I had yesterday and trying to get these updated just from yesterday's meeting because I fell asleep instead of doing this last night >> at home. Um >> you know it's one of those and I would never say that but I did like you know >> that I need time. >> Yeah. >> And we have all three next week. So if we're going to do this, we need to do it by Friday. What are we talking >> about? Change because one number changes 10 spreadsheets >> and I know all of our schedules which impact stuff. >> We will Friday. I have a question about the ELA. So we're paying how much for that in the budget this year? >> I think it's $40,000. And but next year we what new um curriculum will we be

178buying or the nothing right so that so this is the end of our and then we'll start working on social studies but that >> will be the same amount of money so I mean >> I mean honestly this is the biggest program that we're looking at >> math was a huge undertaking and now ELA is our second >> so in the future we won't have to worry about those now it will just be the replacement pieces So, and honestly, this is a huge part of our strategic plan. I mean, this is something we've had in works for now this is my sixth year on it. Um, and we've been doing it incrementally over time. So, it's a really important piece of our budget. >> Okay. Yes. >> Um, sorry to add term hike. I want

179to think just talk understand a little bit more about the ADM because what you said at the beginning Neil right was that the assumption was that the new weighted averages would really harm Norwich which is why we ended up getting all these discounts and what the reality of this year that it didn't harm like we right we've got pounds around us that lost between 10 and 60 students and those pounds are a lot smaller >> so the weighted average seem to be so do we you're not prognosticators but going off of what Michael was saying are we do you think this is going to continue to go up or is this going to swing back the other way when the certifications for Medicaid and all the ways in which those weights happen sort of swing

180back? I it seems that you all are surprised it went up really surprised it went up. We didn't build low-inccome housing in the last year in so where like where is the weighted averages coming from and I don't want to ride like I don't want to just say okay it's gone up and so let's ride that and then be eating all of this in a year and I just feel really surprised that they went up. So, and you all have surprised. So, where >> Sure the numbers are right, but just where where are these kids coming from? >> We had such a low number the year before. We fell below 2% poverty in Norwich for marrying cross school. We lost all of our title one funding. That has since changed. So, our numbers have increased.

181I mean, it's still not, you know, the numbers that we see in other places, but there's definitely been a bit of a shift that's having more of a positive impact in that way. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I mean I would say that is probably certainly an aspect of this but um I don't know the answer to your question like um we have had this has been an ongoing issue with the AOE at least since 2018 since we've been working on this stuff. Um and I wish I had an answer for you. I don't and I don't know whether or not you're getting accurate numbers for your school district either. Um >> we got five people yesterday. We lost 60 kids. Yeah. >> And um you know we have done the best that we can. I've

182tried to back into the numbers that we were getting from the AOE just to double check the calculations. It's difficult to do. Um but at the end of the day, that's the source that you and I need to use when we're calculating tax rates. And that was the number that was on the spreadsheet that was labeled five. And it I I feel I mean it sucks that you guys lost that many kids. >> Yeah. And I think more of the focus here is not to do that to do the pitting against towns. It's just not to make an irresponsible decision this year that we are next year doing that. Right. Because I think some of the conversations around the discount and do we blow up the safety valve. I think those were somewhat irresponsible that

183we're all the towns were having and I just want to make sure we're not going down that road again >> for the sake of something because >> we cannot trust that the agencies. >> No. I highly agree with you in that section. I do think that uh, you know, to the extent that we're benefiting from that from that long-term weighted ADM number this year, um, I I have less than zero confidence in the AOE. And so I I would take it and run with it this year and not anticipate that it's going to be that number again next year. Um, and uh, you know, I I think that this board does need to have some conversations at the next board meeting about whether or not any of things want to be added back in, but

184I look at not only the long-term weighted 80% discount that we're getting from 127 to be the equivalent of buying down the tax rate, right, >> which is what they did at the state level, because you're just going to set yourself up for I mean that then that new higher budget becomes the baseline for next year's is beginning, >> right? And we already know that next year the discount's going to be even less. And so we're just, you know, we're impacting our future selves. Um, and we all could be back here in this room again next year having a very similar conversation based on the decisions that we collectively make this year. Well, again, I remind people that last year was a little bit more tricky because of your reassessment, but two years ago, again,

185the town did accept that it's found like a 18 to 17% property tax increase, right? Sorry, Garrett. More thing. So, to that point and and the point that Brad brought up before, right? So, we all saw a dramatic drop in the tax rate, but most of us saw probably a significant increase in the house value. By my calculations, while we could say the tax rate is going to go flat maybe for next year or close to that, over the last three to four years, folks have most likely seen somewhere around a 20 to 25% increase in the amount of taxes paid. >> Yeah. >> So, it's not just the tax rates, right, that we want to focus on. It's, you know, the change in in the CLA and the change in your assessed value, but

186we've actually paid out of pocket because probably around the 20 to 25% mark. Well, and that and that's and that's why I think, you know, we have to give Sean credit here because you guys haven't probably we haven't had this many people in a meeting since I've been a board member. But, you know, we have been keeping that all we can do is really manage that top line of our school and manage it to just grow and just squeeze everything we can out of the system, right? So Sean like if you look at the number of ed assistants in the classroom if you look at but you know all that have been trying to get but still deliver that service to the kids by having still the small classrooms the high level teachers right like

187the best education that we can provide for these kids with the because we know what's coming with how hard we've been squeen by the squezen by the state >> I guess I not not to push the chair in a certain direction but given the hour perhaps the Best thing you can do is >> to the extent anybody else has public comment, hear them because they they've been here for so long. >> And then make sure the budget committee knows exactly what's being asked of it for next week and then we'll resume this conversation because I know Roger's been very patient. You're right in my line of vision with your family. So >> you have a quick comments question. >> Oh, sure. >> Um yeah, I think you've all been very generous involving us in your

188meeting. That is this is your meeting. we we watch it. Um I just I guess who we clearly see that there's a huge tracking of number of children if only because they represent revenue also precious resources. So how did we get the counts so wrong for the kindergarten teacher? It's not lost to me that we're losing we're potentially losing a staff position because no one we don't have the numbers to justify it. How did that happen? That could be rhetorical. Um, but that is disappointing, right? Um, so I'll let Sean answer your question. >> Sure. >> I don't understand. Can you I don't understand your question. So, so my my understanding is that we had three classes for kindergarten at one point and so we had a teacher but we no longer can we no

189longer have been able to justify it. So how did we surely we're aware of projections at advance. So how did we just >> Yeah. So So how did we how did we miscalculate that for poorly? So poorly if if that's a fair accuration. >> I would say we didn't because we we we staff for the year that we're in. So this year we have three kindergarters. We have students for three three kindergarten teachers. We have students for three kindergarten sections. >> Next year coming up it happens to be a smaller cohort. Um, it's not that we didn't know that, but we we we needed our three teachers this year. We want to meet the three teachers next year. So, it's not that anyone made a mistake with numbers. It's just the the the nature of

190population as they move through, right? The Vermont residents just don't have kindergarten kids or as many as they did last year, right? Can I which is a good thing because we just have we now obviously that was a plus right because we just have we can move that person somewhere. Yes. >> Just a very quick follow up on that. I heard that we're calculating that number for kindergarten next year based in part on information we have about the number of families that are getting the 10 hours a week from the state. I just want from my own personal experience I couldn't find child prek uh in Vermont. So, I had to go to New Hampshire and so I wasn't getting the money. And so, do we There might be people out there who are coming

191to kindergarten next year that aren't getting that. I just made sure that we've thought of that. We have Okay, good. We talked about this a little earlier about the um liability costs of not teaching students, for example, digital citizenship if they end up going on the internet and doing something at school that they weren't taught you're not supposed to go to these kinds of websites. If you go to these websites, you talk to mind adults. if that was they were never instructed in that we're setting ourselves up for huge legal fees just to mention that really I'm kind of the legal shields here for these future costs that will be incurred at some point because of the extreme increase in tech that we use extreme increase in software that that our school uses and that's

192not going away AI is making that even more of an ownorous moral ethical debate and that not going away. >> Okay. Thank you. Yes. Uh Bradwell, I just a small question to help understand the the FTE sheet that you showed at the beginning and you talked quite a bit about the tech Egypt. Uh, but there was another line right above it that was like computer technician or something and I hear people uh my wife I hear Becky talking about the need for tech support and it seems like she provides a lot of that and I'm wondering but then there's no discussion about this full-time computer technician who I don't know what that person is and what they do but it sounds like she's doing a lot of stuff. Why not take point4 away from that?

193I guess I don't understand what what the difference is between the positions, but it seemed a little odd that we're talking about taking on someone who's interfacing with teachers and students and yet there's this other full-time person that seems to be maybe untouchable, but I don't know what those are, but it wasn't really clear why we're taking one off and not the other. So, just you can address that. >> Yeah. Um it's not one of the positions is Nathan's position is meant to work with teachers and students. The other position is meant to fix equipment uh keep things running, keep our network running, keep large machines running. Is that person going off point where you're heading to one last point? >> I just quick question maybe answer two seconds. The percentage the Mary cross budget

194increase was like 500 something,000. Is that right? >> Yeah. >> Total dollars. What percentage of that was like fringe health insurance at premium increase or what amount of 500? >> Um this year the the medical increase was only about eight uh it was just over 7.4% or was 7.4%. So on this side of the river, we didn't get hit like we did on the New Hampshire side with almost a 26% increase. So the the the medical and dental, sorry, I can't see you, but the medical and dental I mean, and the benefits here on this side were were nominal were in line. Yeah. So >> I think they went about the same as the now. Now they're in this zone. That's about the same as the budget. All right. Any other questions? So to Michael's

195point, I think Teresa you kind of I like I said I think if we can have the full calculation and frankly the only input that's going to change now is the Marian cross budget >> up and down by the cost of these you know things. I can send you the note, but it's really what we kind of talked about as far as the >> and if it's just those three items if you have the list, we probably don't need to have the point4 tech, it's a point4 math coach, and it's basically that it's the sub, right? So, it's basically moving that kindergarten, but keeping that the kindergarten teacher position we don't need, but keeping the IT there for the full for the sub. Those are really the three things. And then I guess I mean

196I think it's going to be around here as far as a site agreement. We can talk about this at the budget. I almost add that back so we don't end up with like a site issue, but we can talk about that at the budget issues or the budget meeting. Yes, fine. >> P just to make sure that I'm understanding the materials that I'm giving correctly to answer the question that we had asked in the back about benefits. when you go to the report by object code >> um it it shows the benefits are up about 196,000 was about 200 of that 500 would be um would be for each and the whole problem here and I'll end on this is that basically as we've said and again this goes back to act 127 the only

197way that you can actually cut our budget to deal with this is people right and Neil says this all the time like >> that's most of the school budget is people there's not a lot of other stuff do other than I mean yes this the BLA program this year is adding more on but that's you know that's not something that's normal. Okay, why don't we move on um to our so um I'm not here tomorrow but I'm there on Friday so we can >> I asked Brian Friday >> we can talk about it at the end. All right. Um, on to our next item. I see the count the school calendar the draft here. This is just a draft. Um, given the late hour, um, we're not approving this tonight, right? This is just a

198>> draft of it. So, does anybody have any comments or questions about this calendar >> would be approval for? Yeah. I just want to point out to everyone for the first time in my history of being anywhere affiliated with the school system, this calendar does not follow our usual you start the Wednesday before Labor Day and you do a 345 buildup. It starts a week before that. So, it's a 354. And just wanted to make sure that people saw that because that's that's a huge mindset shift that we're not proposing to start the Wednesday before Labor Day. We're proposing to start the Wednesday before the Wednesday before Labor Day. So, >> so the schools are going to start on the 19th of >> the 26th, but the staff dates are not >> in our support

199staff discussions. >> It did come up for the staff are being asked to come back. >> It's just Labor Day. So, late just but the point is is most families plan for the first day of school is the Wednesday before Labor Day. And I just want to point out that if this is the calendar that we follow that will don't plan that I'm sorry >> or your kid will miss the first week of school. >> The first thought is what is this going to be baseball? Yeah. >> Yeah. and it's aligned with the February break is thankfully not on Prem. >> Okay. >> Is that is the 15th pregnancy day? Is that is that why? >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Yes. >> Um Justin Meyer uh 27 M Road. I just wanted to

200start by thanking everybody. I'm absolutely exhausted. So, I really appreciate I don't know how you guys do this, but I'm still here. >> Thank you. >> Um, so I have a couple of comments about comments and questions about the calendar as it currently stands. Um, some of you may know me from the calendar committee, uh, of which Lisa was also a member in which we talked about, um, including non-Christian and, um, non-federal holidays on calendar. Um and I just wanted to point out that um you know I think one of the things that came out of our discussions in in this committee was um that from the experiences expressed across the the I think we were five or six committee members um the experiences of members of the committee seemed to be that um outside

201of Marian Cross people were not experiencing issues with non-Christian and non federal holidays um and other schools within the SAU system seem to have figured out ways to incorporate non-rel like non-Christian or non-federal holidays into the school culture more effectively than Mary and Cross had. Um, and so that something I would just bring to the administration and to the board to think about moving forward, not today because we're all exhausted. Um but just to think about how to incorporate those um days of significance um more distinctly into into the Marian cross community and culture. Um as this c this um draft calendar stands um I had just a couple of questions. Um, I noticed that in October, um, I first I wanted to appreciate that the teacher inservice day on October 9th is paired with,

202um, what I believe is probably indigenous people's day on the 12th. So, I appreciate that there is a 4-day >> weekend there as opposed to having it be, you know, some other day, but I was curious as to why there are parent teacher conferences on October 23rd. Um, I noted that that creates three 4 day weeks in a row, which just means that like, you know, there's as a parent, it's hard to like get continuity when there's like not a full week. And as a parent, I also experienced having early parent like parent teacher conferences in October this year, and it felt like we had just started school. Um, and so I'm just curious to understand why parent teacher conferences are so early in the year and not further back in the year. And then

203my second question was around um the week off in February. Um in the past several years that I've been a member of the community, the February week off has been the same week as President's Day week. And as a working parent, my employer gives gives me President's Day off. I know not every employer gets that day off, but um I found that it was easier to then kind of build in a I'd had to take fewer vacation days. Um, I know that President's Day week is a huge travel week around the country, but for me it was helpful to have that February break on President's Week that >> there's a really I find it a really cool Vermont reason why we don't have President's Week off is because there's a lot of people in Vermont

204who work in the hospitality industry who support everybody else coming to our state on vacation. And so it's that they can then have a week off to go to enjoy the pleasures of Vermont without everybody from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York being here at the same time. Some people might say that that doesn't really happen as much as it does, but I found that quite heartwarming. And um so but I appreciate what you're saying. And and half of Vermont takes the week of the seven of the of President's Week and the other half takes this week. Um at least that has how it's been. Did it change? So it just takes a while to be on the same schedule. >> But the reason is is because the our calendar because we're across district in the

205high school, we have to line up with Hartford. Yes. >> Because of the Hartford Tech Center. So we are governed by the Hartford Tech Center vacations. So if Hartford is taking that as their February vacation week, we are taking that as their February vacation. we try and stay as closely aligned um >> just because of the students that are doing both programs would not get a vacation um which isn't fair to them um but yeah but then again I realized that the legislature passed it so this is the first year that everybody stayed in the same week >> so >> any vacation you take will also be half the price >> cost it's $1,000 >> all right any other questions questions. Yeah, I think are we good on >> Oh, can we just hear about

206the parent teacher? >> I guess the parent teacher on on October. >> I mean, looking at that day, we we have done it early um with the thinking that gives us some time to meet with families. So, if we've known kids for a few weeks, we've got our beginning of the year assessment stuff back. If there are students who are struggling a bit, that's a good time to meet with them. It's kind of midway between where reports happen. But looking at where if we were to place it anywhere else, it would it would still make >> Yeah. >> And then it's choppy in October and November, >> but it is something I can talk with staff about and see their thoughts as well. >> Yeah. I would just be curious. I know in our Grand

207New York conference, our teacher was like, "Yeah, you know, we're just just getting to know Rehea, so I don't have a lot to say." So I'd be curious if he goes to him. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, thank you all. Um, >> okay. Um, on to our ELA program. So, tonight is our night to approve it. We've had a large disc a long discussion, our last one. Um, >> is there any conversation? Lauren, do you want to >> Yeah, I'll just tee it up a little bit and then turn it right back over. So, for policy, let me start by introducing Hi, I'm Lauren Air. Um this year I'm the interim director of curriculum instruction and assessment. Um before that I was for eight and some part of a whole year uh principal over at

208the Ray School. Um and before that I was a third grade teacher over at Ray. So um strong ties in this community, strong ties to our elementary schools, strong beliefs around teaching and learning and um supporting our teachers and supporting our students. So when I jumped into this role and effectively sort of took the baton on this work from Robin, I'd already been involved in this work and very invested based on my position over at the Ray School. Um, so if you didn't know where I came from or who I was and why I'm even presenting on this, um, that's a little bit of background, uh, just to let you know that I've been part of this since the beginning, even though I may be new to you in this position. uh per policy when

209there are big curriculum changes we need to bring those before the board for approval. Um at the LA and the board gets two meetings to have some deliberations before making that approval. So um at our last meeting I presented recommendations for program adoption of arts and letters uh within again this evening I also uploaded the presentation that I used that contains a whole bunch of details if you want to look at that again. And then I also uploaded um some answers to questions that were asked at the previous discussion and presentation that we had so that if further deliberation or discussion were to happen tonight hopefully I was out ahead of that. I don't have much to add um this evening but I would be happy to entertain any additional comments or discussion from the

210board. And this does appear again under business requiring action. Um, if you're projecting if you reboot that, none of that stuff will be in yellow anymore because I did add it to the agenda after it was approved in review. So, there you have it. Teed up. Happy to discuss more or just move it right along. The only question I had learning from some of the town's people I ran into is again I'm trying to think about even having three kids go through this where the ELA impact was and I and I get a little bit confused sometimes but for example you know there's thing people have asked like well does it have impact on like some of the traditional stuff here that is that people you know year after year they're so I'm thinking things

211like the saving grace port I don't even know if that's ELA or if that's more social studies or and again this would this isn't even in this this would be like the river study but this is science so has nothing to do with ELA are there things like that though that are kind of these because when you put something like this in place I guess people have been a little bit concerned that listen you basically are just going to be teaching now let's just say the entire US adopts this strategy everyone's going to be doing the same curriculum and reading the same books and reading the same like how much is there for teacher expression as well if they kind maintain some of those things. I don't even know if saving I'm using saving grace

212as the example, but it's like something that the kids do every year that's part of the program that would this wipe that type of thing out because no, the curriculum says you're reading these five books and like is that >> Well, we're not in the business of wiping things out and understanding the importance of tradition both at Marian Cross and the Ray School because we're doing this together across both of the elementary schools. Um you know the parallel adoption that I want to compare this to is our adoption of illustrative math. Um it did not impact other programs that we had other traditions that we had. It impacted the teaching instruction scope and sequence sequence of skills in the area of mathematics. Um but we did not say and because you're teaching this in math

213you can no longer do this other thing. There are decisions that need to be ma made by administration and by staff um if those impacts were to occur, but they didn't happen when it came to math. We don't want them or expect them to happen when it comes to ELA. We are talking about the comprehension portion of what we teach students within the subject of ELA. However, this program that we're recommending also has um tremendous opportunity to extend into uh deep discussions in science, deep discussions in social studies. But one of the follow-up questions that I had here is it's not meant as a replacement, right? >> There was a moment where we thought, hey, we could find a really fabulous ELA program that would double as our social studies program, and wouldn't that be

214great to just be able to get it all done? That is just not the case. It's not the case. um philosophically when it comes to teaching English language arts and it would have the impact that you just mentioned where we really would be thinking about other sort of timehonored traditions. Um and that's not what we are trying to do right now. >> I'm a huge fan of this. I think it's my wife that has been we I ask about ELA, you know, whenever we're doing our assessments and why we're not ahead of math and all this. So, I'm a huge fan. That was the one thing that kind of was coming up a little bit as far as how that impacts that and are we getting into this kind of dogmatic that's a great answer

215>> when we think about the parallels again to implementing the math program and then you know potential implementation in the future of of arts and letters you know that first year um we're really we're really trying to do the program the way it's prescribed that can feel tricky at first there's a lot of learning there's a lot of growth that happens but then I would say um you know in looking at what's now shifted in IM in the schools our teachers are doing a fabulous job teaching the program and what has been mentioned before you know we find gaps it's the it's the whole idea of teaching we have a very specific population no program is going to meet the needs of all teachers and all students in all schools so we implement based on

216what is recommended what is recommended which is researchbased you know aligned with the science of reading aligned with the common core for and then we determine where those gaps exist that we need to be able to fill and we also make adjustments based on our traditions and our cultures and the spirit of the school and our community and that happens over the next several years. So what year one of IM looks like and now I think this is year four of IM they're different. You know the heart of the program is still there but we've made the adjustments necessary to make it fit our population and that is the same trajectory that I would anticipate in implementing arts and letters. >> Good. Any other questions? Is there is there a timeliness aspect of approving this

217tonight? Uh yes, because um if you did not approve it tonight, then it would not be part of the budget. We wouldn't be thinking about >> Well, actually, what I'm wondering is we're we have one more meeting where we actually finalize the budget. Yes. Um I'm wondering if there's a timeless effect if we deferred the decision on that to coincide with that final budget meeting. >> Oh, our meeting on 15th. >> Correct. I could do that. >> So, we'd approve the ELA curriculum and the budget on the same night. >> Uh, but we would take a vote on the budget and the ELA curriculum that same night. >> I'm sorry. We are going to approve it. >> Just um just to make sure the record is accurate, it's um counting on grace, not saving grace.

218with Arthur in the middle. There's real I I would just say that um I believe wrapping this up as a decision point with the rest of the budget says budget impact is the right move. Um when you asked if there are any more questions, I feel like over time you and Robin have done a good job saying okay here's our objective which is to align curriculum and have standards this and that and you have this initiative potentially the adoption of arts and letters >> but like what the two questions I have are what's the key result like if everything goes swimmingly like what is the result that you will see >> and and I know I asked this last time but just remind me of the answer. Do you have buyin from your faculty on

219this? >> Okay. Um, so the the question that came up, I added some metrics that we would be looking at um at the very top of that and then I'll expand on that too. Um, I was anticipating a question tonight again around um, hey, our test scores are great, so what's the big deal? What are we doing? Um, I also have been ill, so I kind of wrote out what my response would be and I want to share that with this group because I think I also heard that question come up earlier. Um, when we think about test scores and what we're trying to accomplish and the metrics that we would be using to determine if we had accomplished it. Um, I would say that we absolutely agree that our students test well and that's

220because our students are amazing and our teachers are amazing and therefore we have a strong performance on the ELA assessment. Um, and it's a credit to the hard work that's happening in the classroom already. Um, but we have to look at more than just a single score for our students. Um, and the purpose of adopting this new program isn't to replace what's working entirely, right? But to prepare every student for the specific demand that they're going to have in their qu in college, in career, in life, and not just like this one high stakes test that they're taking. Um, and so we identified in this process over a couple of years a few key areas where our current program is leaving gaps that are showing up. Like we're seeing these gaps. This is one part

221of so you know why are we doing this and if we do what we say we're going to do where are we going to see this different um one part of this is reading comprehension specifically in the area of readingformational text. This is a lagging area for our students. Um, so on a test students are answering like multiple choice questions correctly, but when we really dive deep into like being able to analyze and synthesize complexformational text like the ones they're going to see in science textbooks, historical documents, professional reports. Um, we don't see that same transfer of skills. And this new curriculum emphasizes a deep analysis of text structures and evidence-based reasoning that doesn't necessarily show up in the same way when they're doing a multiplechoice test. Um, additionally, uh, there's been a lot of

222conversation around writing and writing gaps. Um, when we compare our reading scores to our writing scores, our writing scores actually just trend lower. Generally, we see gaps in writing skills. This is important to note because we need to prepare our students to apply writing skills across all subjects and in more rigorous formats like research papers, argumentative essays and the ability to incorporate different sources. So that's another piece that we would be looking for um uh to to make a difference in education for our students. And then finally this idea around um alignment in coherence. So right now instruction can vary significantly from grade to grade, right? This idea of vertical alignment um sorry grade to grade vertical alignment as well as within a grade. So this horizontal alignment and so this new program is evidence-based

223and it provides clear consistent structure. It ensures that students are receiving high quality instructions that instruction that builds yearover-year and not just that students are experiencing like one year of super great DLA and then going on to the next year and experiencing something different. Um, so this new program solves an alignment issue by providing a map of skills. Teachers know what skills were taught the year before and what students will need to master for the future. It integrates more complex informational and academic texts. Um, and it treats reading and writing as inseparable. So, writing instruction is explicitly embedded within every unit um, and every lesson which requires students to write about what they read and use academic vocabulary in evidence in text. Um, yeah. Go ahead. >> Can I add something else? This is kind

224of the practical piece of it too is that we have new teachers coming in every year and we haven't had a specific curriculum for the teachers who are coming in to teach in these areas and so it's you know trying to create a lot of and Lauren talked about this at the last meeting people are trying to create things and put things together and so one of the biggest weaknesses that we talked about was in the area of writing and almost every teacher on the committee said this was a huge problem for them and that coherence between the writing and the literature piece. So I think that practical piece too will be such a huge benefit to our teachers who are coming into the school. Yeah. Because right now it literally is whatever people can

225create and sometimes they get pieces from some teacher and they might get pieces from another teacher but it's not even necessarily consistent in the grade level. And that has been a huge issue for us too. And we talk about, you know, the importance for for new teachers that are coming in, but also like the life of a teacher right now is creating and curating lessons sort of in a in a silo oftent times for every subject. And when we adopt a program for even for our veteran and busy teachers, instead of having to create and create and create, they have the skeleton in the base for what they're going to teach and then they can make it their own and they're spending more time on that craft instead of finding the resources and curating and

226creating these lessons. So, it's not just a support, you know, for our new teachers as well, which is incredibly important, but it is long-term an investment in a support for our very be busy veteran teachers, too. Um, so that was sort of like part one. Um, if if the program does what we want it to do, we're going to be addressing those three areas. We're going to establish some metrics um that will help us measure those areas. uh it is not dissimilar again from like what we've been doing with um I am in in mathematics. Any additional questions on part A before I go to aren't people excited? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um so part two are people excited? Mixed bag but yes um you know you can talk to um one teacher and they

227are they're not excited at all. But overwhelmingly when this decision was made and we asked teachers to complete a survey and say like what are your thoughts about this? What excites you? What are you concerned about? The feedback that we got from the respondents which we got um almost every single committee member responded. I think I was missing three by the end because they kept bothering people to respond to the survey so that I could have this information. Teachers are excited about the alignment, less teacher prep, ability to differentiate, um, robust professional development, quality materials, a wellthought thought out progression of skills, um, how to do less leg work. Important to have an easy to use already prepped program. This will be a double exclamation point. Teachers will be able to use their expertise to

228make lessons really great. Thank you. You're welcome. um uh having a program that provides everything that's needed, having an awesome balance between history, literature, art, and robust DD um and the lesson length also it's reasonable for a time constraints. So if we look at the majority of feedback and the majority of um uh respondents answers, there is support to make this happen. >> Thank you. Yes. >> Any other questions? We'll approve this on Thursday. The board is uh so we're going to move this to Thursday for a vote on next Thursday when we are voting on. >> Okay. Um just switched up here. >> Is this required? >> So I believe it's actually drafted. Okay. because we have D through E because F is a separate >> motion to approve D through E. >> I

229move to approve items B through E. >> Minutes. >> Oh. Oh. Oh, sure. Actually, I read I just out of curiosity read the minutes from the last meeting and just zoned in on the PTO and it was inaccurate um like it honestly make a lot of sense not to. So, I'm not so much concerned about it because it was sort of a benign update, but it made me just give I was curious about if there is a more a way to get input ahead of this into the minutes in order to be able to make any corrections. >> Um, >> I mean, do you want is there a typo? >> Well, it wasn't so much typo. It just like I just noticed that >> it was convoluted and didn't really represent accurately anything that I

230It might be because Ryan is a random maybe because it was hard to hear on the speaker. I have no um >> so my question I guess is just about the process and no criticisms of any particular person or or tool that was used but just in the >> it's usually taken from the recordings. >> They they make the minutes from the recordings. So I don't know. So is it AI like some sort of >> No, it's a person that actually does the minutes. Yeah. Okay. From the recording. So >> if you want to like Yeah. There's typo, but if you want to let me send me a note, I can ask Ryan like >> Yeah. And it's again a very minor thing, but if there was, you know, just think if there are updates

231that they provide or other people provided that weren't captured correctly, then what would be the process of revising? >> If you want to send me the information, we can update it. Yeah, I would I would just say I think the easiest way to do it is just reach out to a board member and say, "Hey, I found something that doesn't work right." >> And she does unfortunately have to listen to these meetings. So, she'll be sitting here for like four hours tomorrow listening to everything. So, yes, >> that session >> John, I do wonder if someone should read them before you approve them after that me. I went to it. You read that and there are lots of typos and some sentences that don't really make sense and I >> and points that you made

232at the last meeting I don't think were accurate. >> So it might just be worth a perusal through before before we approve them at 10 minutes till 10:00. I think it's a fair comment. I wonder if we could also, I've said this before, but Ryan might find it helpful to have AI >> summarize the notes for her and then she could review the AI >> accuracy rather than her. >> And somebody uses AI notes for every single meeting I now and they take better notes than I ever used to. So, >> Yeah, I would totally agree. >> Is that legal? Is it legal? I learned every time I do it. Yeah. No. No for >> I think it's just there are certain software that get attached to whatever meeting platform we use right so it's

233just >> we ask for consent >> at the beginning >> the public meetings yeah it's recorded >> thank you >> do we want to pull this then or >> I think we should yeah so don't mean to redo >> our motion I move to approve items B, D, and E by consent. Second again. >> Again, are all those in favor? >> I >> All right, that's unanimous. Okay, on to our um I think we shortened this a bit for our communications and reports. I do not have I will not do a report obviously. Thanks everyone for their help on this. I think the administration for answering our difficult questions and the task for, you know, coming up with alternatives to our budget. I know this isn't easy and a lot of times people blame the

234administration and whatnot for doing that when it's actually what we need to do to create a sound budget. So, um, okay, on to Sean principles report. So, I think I think since it's almost 10 o'clock, I'm just going to read this through. followed by The Great Gatsby. >> I'll summarize quickly. Uh that enrollment is at 325. We lost one student last month to another state. >> Um I thought it might be interesting for you to get an update on our school goals. We have three goals that our staff is working on this year. One is our educational support team. You want the real quick summary this table up here because it gives it to you. >> Yeah. Um on track >> our EST pro process if in our schools we are on track. We have

235weekly meetings. We are gotten better this year at using data making measurable goals and then going back through and following up with that with some of the further data to see how they're growing. Mhm. >> Our PBIS restorative practice goal has been to implement morning meetings. One of the things that is a little challenging for some people, which is getting their kids to school on time. And one of the strategies that we're trying to help with that is starting the day with a um an engaging time where kids come together. They have a morning meeting, a greeting, share with each other and just build community and build some excitement to help kids help families to to get together more timely. And it's been successful. Our attendance has increased. our chartiness has dropped a bit and

236most exciting our um behavior referrals dropped by 15% in December which is December if you don't know is a trickier month for us. >> Yeah. >> Um and then our third goal that we've been working on for a couple of years is around data. So this school has grown leaps and bounds in my opinion in using data to make decisions and to plan programs for kids to see where progress is at and just make sure their kids are getting what they need. This year we built in a time where staff look at student work. Um might seem funny to think that staff don't look at student work, but we're busy when kids are here. So we built time in our Wednesday afternoon for grade levels to bring student work samples. We came up with a

237protocol that we use. Um we look at that those board examples. We sort the work. We decide next steps for instruction and then the next month we follow back up and come back together. And it's been successful. Teachers love to look at student work and they love to work together. And building that time where we have a structure has been has been fun for us to do. But it also has spread a little bit where some teams have decided on their own that during their team time they're looking at student work. So that that is great. And then if you go down through in your own time, you can read in more depth about each of those and you can look at the cute pictures of kids um learning and enjoying SCS. >> Thank you.

238>> Great. Thank you very much, Sean. Any questions for Sean? All right. Um, Robin, super excited for it. >> Hey, I'll try to make it brief, too. Um, we've been spending a lot of time working on the fashion, as you know. It's been a work in progress. Um, I'm continuing with my monthly meetings with the principles in the school. I was here yesterday. I had an opportunity to sit in on one of the ESP meetings, which was great. I also had the opportunity to observe a student interview Sean for the school newspaper and I've had time to spend with some of the newspaper students come in in the morning to see them and we continued with some walkthroughs as well. I also wanted to mention that I did post the RMS principal search over the

239break and I mentioned that here because obviously we have students from Norwich and our middle school and we will be looking for a parent to serve on that committee as well and that will take place. We're um we posted the position so we're accepting applications until the beginning of February and then we'll begin the process. So, I've laid it out. It will be in my newsletter again next month. We have a principal search part on our website set up already. So, um we're preparing for that. And we have also been updating the strategic plan. We spent another afternoon before the break going through the strategic plan for each of the schools and looking at what we have in there, what we've been doing, what we've accomplished, what we still need to accomplish. So that is

240continuing with that work too. And I made a snow day this morning this season. So I was up >> doing that. And um so far so good. >> You're in good company. >> I know. I always feel badly when I'm the first one making the decision. That's great. Yeah. I go to make coffee and no one was downstairs. I looked at my phone like even >> All right. Thank you very much, Robin. >> You're welcome. >> Or um my report has been submitted. Uh lots of great work in lots of different places with lots of fabulous people. So, I would encourage you to to take a look um at what's happened since last time I reported out to you. Um I think the biggest thing that I wanted to make sure to say out loud

241and Sean mentioned it before is that officially our director of edtech has now departed to a fabulous retirement, one hopes. Um and I've assumed supervisory responsibilities for that team. So, um I'm attending lots of meetings with lots of the subgroups. Um, and I would encourage you now at this point to feel free to send district technology questions or requests to me and then I can route communication and needs properly. I will find the answer for you. If in the unfortunate event that I don't have the answer myself out of my brain right in that moment, I'll make sure to get it for you. But really working with um an amazing team that will keep lots of great work going um despite uh Brian's departure. Thank you for the update. A question about technology that might

242be relevant to what we experienced tonight. There are growing amount of concern of parents here who can't access the internet or Wi-Fi which makes problematic for safety issues being able to call people, >> pick up kids after school. Like there definitely demonstrated the examples of how it's caused stress. Um, and I was curious, I know we've been directed to reach out to the super to this district, but is that fall under something that you when you say questions about technology use or is it more technology in the curriculum? >> No, I'm in person for all of that as well. >> Thank you. >> Um, so I will um I'll meet with my folks. I think that I have the answer to that, but I don't want to give an incorrect answer. And just to note

243that it is not just here that those you know concerns have come up around um ability for our guests to be able to access Wi-Fi for a variety of reasons. So I will come prepared >> next time at least >> I'll send >> with an update. That sounds great. Thank you. >> Yeah, that's going to be solved >> tomorrow. The issue wasn't like just because they decided cut off access it got very confusing a lot of people. It was actually a technology issue. It was a security issue that was correct in that basically allowing the public on our network on the school's network was actually a big and correct me if I'm wrong here but was actually a big security problem >> and we do not we did not have the technology in place to

244have two separate networks. >> Okay. So the decision was made to cut the public off the network because what was even worse is if all of the sun made a breach because we were allowing for the public to access the public network and then obviously have a that's horrible right so that that was I believe the decision but unfortunately also coincided >> with the implementation of like let's with the cell phone thing over at the high school >> which people were like well we cut it was kind of a nice thing because it's like well if you don't have internet access you don't have yourself anymore so it all was like great but it was like two messages collided right and obviously created great angst and anger so >> a fix is in the works

245>> it's it's cost money right >> they're creating a new guest Wi-Fi network >> see that and that requires I'm not a tech but that requires two separate networks not just sharing the same network right >> right they were hoping to get that Uh now I'm just going to share and have redacted or you know go back and answer hoping yeah hoping that it was going to actually be done before or during the December break. Encountered some issues had to do a stop start being worked on right now. Um and uh hopefully there will be sort of like the same type of access but with proper security in place as like if you go to a Starbucks, right? and there's a guest thing, but it's taken a lot of work to make sure um that

246is done properly. Thank you guys. >> Okay, great. Thank you. One question, quick question. The title one I've heard a couple times now where we didn't have it, now we're giving that back. Is that >> We do not have it last year because our three numbers had fallen below 2%. We got it back for this year, but we also lost our title four because we lost title one previous year, which is >> everything like lags. I've learned that everything lags by one year. So, what the current population is in the school doesn't necessarily match up with what the current grant funding says. So if we have an increase this year as it is right now in our free reduced students that will show up in grant funding next year. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um Teresa,

247do you have anything I want? I mean I was gonna say if you wanted >> I did not report. I'm sorry. >> No, thank you. I realized later that I didn't do that and I'm like >> I think we have to share. >> Yeah. >> Do you have anything specifically or I mean we we obviously spent >> No, but I should have uploaded um under there. I should have uploaded the quarterly um financial report. >> Okay. >> For the second quarter of our school year and I obviously did not working on this other stuff. It just kind of spaced it on doing that. So, so I will have that the next >> so you guys don't >> All right. So, we're going to go into executive session. This is >> I know you didn't want

248to deal with it >> in another email handed out earlier, >> but I don't running out of time. fingers. >> Thank you. Thank you guys. >> Thanks for staying this long. You were going to say this. >> Place the substantial disadvantage because it was real uh details about contract negotiations for both second. All >> in favor? >> Yeah. in favor. I move >> to enter executive session in accordance with 1 section 313 for the purpose of discussing contracts and labor relation. Second, >> actually stop it. >> All right, that's unanimous. We'll move into executive session. We come out beyond the session at 10:04. Are you backst Okay, we're back in session. >> Make a motion to approve the support staff contract. I motion to approve Mr. contract >> seconded >> Lisa. All right. All those

249in favor? >> I >> All right. Thank you, Gina and Lisa for work and for the staff as well. Um, okay. At this point, we have agenda topics. We know what those are. So, we're going to be here next Thursday for public hearing for the budget adoption and also to vote on the PLA program. Is there times that's good for the budget meeting on Friday? I'm getting I'm getting out of the line. >> I think I have 10 standing meetings go faster. >> Walking go even faster. Uh, I can do either 10 I can do. My f is pretty good actually. >> Does um 9:00 work >> sorry >> would be better. >> 1 p.m. >> Good for you. I have a business call I can I I can tell about next week. >> Okay.

250So, you want to plan on one o'clock on Friday. Good. >> Okay. I'll tell Ryan to ask Ryan to warn that for us. >> I would move to gratitude for everybody from Norwich who showed up. >> Yeah. >> Thank you all. I said all those in favor. >> All right. >> They forgot to say it. 10:27. Gina, did you guys definitely find um >> I think I did first. I was the first