Dresden School Board 12/16/2025

001But >> I am totally ready. >> All right, let's call this meeting to order at 6:04 with apologies for the slight delay. >> We have a stacked agenda tonight. I don't know if you guys heard, but last night handover broke the record at four hours plus. Um, so Paul said, I believe it might be for like >> let's talk about it some more. >> Um, >> any agenda review? We do have one thing to uh postpone tonight. That is the proposed lime resident sports discussion. Just given tonight's agenda, we're going to push that till January. It is not timely in terms of this immediate uh sports term. So if the with the board's permission, I'd like to push that to January. >> It doesn't affect basketball. Basketball's already started and we played lime already. >>

002Okay. >> Point slightly more. >> Right. Anything else to change, edit, amend. >> Right. Seeing none, we'll move right along then to public comment. If anyone wishes to speak um in person or on Zoom, please raise your hand and approach. And if anything on if anything is on the agenda for later, we'll discuss it at that point. Seeing none, we'll move right along to reports of council. Ian, what is going on, sir? >> In the past few weeks, council has had a great presentation from student life committee about a new wellness tranquility room. I think that's going to be located somewhere in that library in the library [clears throat] over there. >> We're going to lose our our >> Yes, it's tranquility room >> and I believe later in the meeting there will be the

003hopefully theception of the grant from the burn foundation for equipment in the room. Additionally, the past week council has passed the spring car carnival and winter pep rally allocation. So that was around $2,000. Alongside that, there has been discussion of a community service requirement for graduation. And that is a a discussion that's continually going to happen. Additionally, there's a initiative between Levy Council and us to do a walk for fundraising. This is fundraising for the Walk with One Suicide Prevention Program. >> Great. Uh any questions for you from the board? >> Yeah, I'm just >> I'm curious. Um I'd love to hear more about the graduation requirement uh community service kind of what the pros and cons have been that have been discussed by the students. >> Right. We we've only had one meeting to

004discuss it, but it's been brought up like really like swiftly and we're going to discuss it further hopefully in the following weeks. >> Any other questions, comments? >> See none. Thank you very much and much appreciated. Moving right along to RMS. Anessa, I think you have a slide or two that you want to show us. >> Uh, yes. So, um, do you want to start with the principal report or the the Yeah. >> Um, I don't Oh, yeah. Sure. Why don't you walk us through the board report? >> Okay. So the board report sorry uh really gives an overview of the process that we're going through as a school community to uh kind of reestablish or clarify student expectations as they relate to behavior. And that process started in September. And tomorrow uh the last

005of our students are completing a Google form survey just weighing in on those expectations. And our intent is to roll those new expectations out with teaching and um just really clarifying them for students, teaching about them for students. Uh we then see that once we have those uh expectations in place, we will adjust our student discipline forms, create Google like just a way to better track and better support students by making things simple, rememberable, easy to um just reference. I think that's a really important thing when a student is not meeting uh expectations within a classroom is having something that you can reference. and they can readily recall. Um the other component of my uh report this evening is just an update on math at RMS, I know that math is a subject that has

006been evolving over the years and one of the things when I think about our math program this year and really when I uh I feel like it's going really well. Um, and I say that because of the shift, the purposeful shift that our seventh grade uh, math teachers, uh, Melissa Mitchell and Megan Panowitz made at the beginning of this school year to go uh, to 100% direct instruction. So whether it's our, uh, seventh grade math class or advanced seventh grade math class, both levels are receiving direct instruction, which is a really good fit from my perspective for the developmental needs of seventh grade students. they don't have the skills yet to follow the self-pace the way that the eighth grade they're not yet seeing that goal um that eighth graders are able to set for

007most eighth graders are able to set for themselves and reach for where they want to enter high school more. So, that's a shift. Um, and just to as a little check-in, at the end of the first parking periods after grades were settled, I reached out to Melissa and Megan to um just kind of get their feedback, see what they were seeing both from the formative assessment and >> um after the students completed the formative assessment, they reached out to uh families where there may have been areas of that weren't as strong for a particular student. So, they uh met with those families, had a conversation just really to frame like when we get to this, your students going to need to like do a little extra work or maybe do a little extra work in

008advance to build up those skills to uh move at the fast pace of the advanced math class. Um you can see the stats as to how many students they met with or how many families they met with. Um the other thing that was a curiosity is we were wondering if there was a difference uh based on the sixth grade school that the students attend the Hannover Norwich difference and there really doesn't seem to be a significant difference in the way the students performed on that formative assessment um or the areas that may have been areas where they needed to boost up slightly. Um, we will continue. Um, Robin and I talked today uh at a upcoming K12, actually Lauren and I have talked about it too. An upcoming K12. Uh, we hope to get our

009sixth grade uh math educators together to uh plan um at the end of or middle of March, we'll do a uh MCS we like to do an MCS parent meeting to give those incoming seventh grade parents like this scope and sequence for math get understanding. And then we always do a zoom for incoming uh race school families. Uh but add to that zoom the true prog progression so that there's that uh it's laid out there for families as they enter RMS about what the math options currently are and how questions. >> Yes. So the the 19 of 41 families is that where they were invited to join and then they chose not to or it was an opportunity to meet the opport that was an opportunity for the where the parents were invited in to

010sit down with the teacher and h and the student and have that conversation >> about what the formative assessment was uh showing about the students. >> So it's not directly related to whether they're in advanced math. >> Those students were there are 41 students in advanced math. So that's of the of the 41 students in uh advanced math class, almost half of them or 19 of the 41 uh those families came in and had just had that framing conversation about what the year had goal. >> Okay. Um and I'm curious about the the assessment at the beginning of the year. Were any students moved either from seventh grade to regular or regular to advanced as a result of that assessment that after school already started or not really? >> No students uh to went to

011seventh grade math from advanced math. All the students that were placed in advanced math made the choice to stay there. Um, we had one new to the district student when they did that formative assessment that was shifted into advanced math and a student that was coming from within district that shifted into advanced math after the formative assessment in seventh grade math. >> Okay. >> Um Rene >> um thank you for this update. uh the I think the data from last year was uh about the seventh grade students and hence I know you're focusing on the seventh grade. I'm curious how they're doing in eighth grade and are there other supports that they need this year that maybe next year's eighth graders won't need because we've kind of solved for the challenges in seventh grade. That's

012a really good question. When I think about the nature of that self-paced 8th grade math course where all of those skills are so explicitly stated and the students really begin >> where they're at at that moment. Um >> I would guess that if students coming in maybe who had been in advanced math last year had gaps, they're going to fill those gaps as they go and the gaps are going to vary. You notice that even >> I think I left in the fraction um >> stat that Megan Melissa had shared and that. Yeah. So, it's fractions are a earlier ski that just and it's that importance of really mastering and having things be solid. >> I know that it's not a perfect setup and um students may be able to demonstrate mastery, but who knows

013what else is going on in the middle school mind and how they may forget it when they get to high school. But we're hoping that through that repetitive um skill building >> that they get to that spot where they're solid. >> Okay. >> So the um Thank you. So I don't know 100% the details of like where everyone is starting. >> Maybe I can ask Carlin. >> Yeah. I I would be interested to know like we we had a lot of parents saying like we're paying for extra tutoring. Like there was not kind words that were used. like I want to make sure that we really are serving those kids in a way that kind of not only meets them where they are but then accelerates them to where they really should have been um

014to the best that we can. Right. And I know self-paced actually is a good way to do that if it working. >> Right. >> So I'm curious if you can kind of do a little more do a little >> digging in there see like how how is it working for this particular cohort compared to other cohorts that they've had. >> Yes, that's a good question. Thanks. I will chop that down and go rather than sorry. I think I'm supposed to ask you to be sense. >> It's okay. She can hear me. [laughter] >> Yeah. >> She heard it. [laughter] >> I heard it. >> In terms of the the grading structure, it looks like for seventh advanced math, it's roughly a twothirds got an A, a third got a B, give or take. Yep. >>

015Sorry, my math isn't great. >> And a good portion of [laughter] those were high BS. I just didn't have the time. >> One teacher reported them with showing the high bees. I didn't have time to go back into the other teacher's gradebook and pull out her highbs. >> Does that generally track for all classes? >> One of the things about middle school that is different from high school is the opportunity that students have to retake assessments in all really all subject areas. Very rarely does a student take an assessment. It's that once and done. Mhm. >> Um, so our grades truly reflect that, that opportunity for students to redo, reassess >> because we want them to build those skills. We want them to demonstrate that mastery. >> So, so most students at the end of

016the semester order would be roughly aligned with this regardless of class based on the retake opportunities. Yeah, they I would hope that they would make that choice if they did not earn a grade that they happy with to reassess. >> Thank you for that update. Any other questions from board members on math or anything else in this is saying I note there that board members Michael Costa and Teros are on the line as well. >> Have a comment. >> Yeah, Gina, >> I want to express appreciation for the use of data to tell a story. Thank you. >> Like math teachers gave it to me and I can play with it. I thank them as well. >> Any other comments? >> Thank you, Miss. >> Yeah. I don't know if we want to be talking

017about the slides that you have in your >> Yeah. Does everyone have access to the plus classes slides? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Feel free to walk us through them. >> Uh do you want me to share it with you? You have in board docs. Can the people who are on Zoom see the slides? >> They're board members. So, yes, >> it's just board members. >> Just board members. >> And I it's linked in Board Docs. They should be able to see it. >> Yeah. >> Y question. So um plus classes at RMS are I would describe them best as an academic elective and it's really an opportunity for students to their learning to be enhanced and for them to explore an academic area with the opportunity for a pass fail grade or pass no pass

018grade. Um, one of the unintended consequences of creating buses is a second bullet point there that it has created uh the opportunity for a tier one intervention where if a student is struggling to complete assignments they have they may have time with that uh their science teacher for instance to like let me give you this let's work on it together let me clarify your questions as their classmates are working on the content of the plus classes. Um the way that we schedule plus classes is twice a week for a semester. So about 36 classes uh for each subject area and it's math, science, English and social studies. Um we are able to offer plus classes and it was a really wonderful way to have us at RMS create true teams. So, uh, students are grouped

019in that group of 70 to 80 depending on the year. Um, students that share the same English, math, science, and social studies teachers. That teacher teaches four section. And the plus class is my thumb. It became their fifth teaching section. Um, and it really just that true teaming is a huge value from my perspective of plus classes as well as it's a way to explore. I'm going to share with you our seventh grade plus classes. Even though our seventh and eighth grade students participate in plus um in seventh grade science, it is creative engineering. Uh you can see there on the slides the next generation uh science standards and some samples of the projects that they create uh whether they be solar be based projects um they do bottle rockets they do boats um they

020do hoverboards uh that's more of a spring process. All of these uh hover crafts, all of these follow that design uh process where you are coming up with an idea, you're making that idea, you're tweaking that idea, you're and sometimes I see multiple um iterations of the design process as a student uh tests and approves um throughout the So that's seventh grade science plus. Eighth grade is similar in that they do flight >> using our wonderful balcony to launch things. [laughter] >> That's [clears throat] what they're doing. >> Yes, that's what they're doing. Uh in seventh grade math, uh we really see our teacher autonomy and that they both teach about finance. They both uh Megan Panowitz does it through the stock market game and Melissa Mitcheller does it through a unit or course called

021It's Your Life. Um really they're both in this those same concepts about handling money, saving money, earning money. >> Um and it's really just a nice introduction to students about like what life, especially for Melissa's course, what life looks like when I graduate from college and middle and she's like, "Well, how are you going to get to work? Where are you going to work? How are you going to get to work? Who are you going to live with? What are you going to have in your place that you're living in? All of those expenses." Um yeah. Uh the seventh grade Oh, and eighth grade math does uh puzzles and games. That's the focus of eighth grade uh plus classes. Seventh grade plus is blogging and podcasting. >> Cool. >> So, an opportunity for students to

022build writing skills, >> tech skills, really storytelling skills. um they research and because it's um based on an area subject area that they're passionate about, they often delve in without even realizing that they are and uh Dorcas added there a couple of samples of some student blogs all of the and then they have the opportunity to share their blog with classmates and get feedback. So an important part of the writing process, right? sharing our work and getting feedback. Eighth grade plus focuses on public speaking again doing some research but really building those public speaking skills. Uh those are their standards. They uh eighth grade or seventh grade English touches on both technology standards and uh ELA standards. Um, the seventh grade social studies plus uh begins with uh Native American uh storytelling and mythology and

023then ends the semester with entrepreneurship. >> It's cool. >> So really communication in both ways from my perspective like you're trying to pitch a product. I had the opportunity uh last week to participate as a shark uh for their presentations and that builds a nice relationship where it really has that opportunity for members of the community. So members of the tuck faculty, other uh business members from the community come in and just listen to the students give their pitch. Um but really that again another communication skill building and certainly they're researching sharing information. In eighth grade social studies they focus on um the United Nations Development Standards and ETH grade students create a country. So that's their way that they're applying those United Nations Development Standards. And that's our four areas, seventh grade plus. I

024know what you all have for questions. >> Well, it's great to hear this level of detail. It's fun to hear as a board member and as a parent. >> Um, so much appreciated that. Any questions for Nissa? >> Robin, >> I will say today I was at the middle school visiting and I got to observe many of these buss and I've been in them before, but it was um so nice to see. I was able to see the mouse car tra mouse trap cars and that was nice to see that connection because I've also observed obviously a lot of math classes over here and it's a nice precursor activity to one that we do at the high school. So it's cool to see that development over time. And then I also was able to see

025the stock market and the sharks and the blogging and kids explained what they were doing in each of those sections and they were really engaged. So it was exciting and I always enjoy going into the plus classes. So well done. I love it. >> Yes. I'm not sure where this group of three um called home at the Richmond School, but I had the chance, as did Ben, to listen to three students from Richmond School give a report on air quality at the high school. >> And they were right. You were there as well. And they were astonishingly competent and confident and eloquent. It was really amazing. I don't think they were eighth graders. >> They were sixth graders. >> Some of them were. >> I thought at least one was a sixth grader, but that

026wherever they learned how to do how to speak in public, they really aced it. It was terrific. I think the and certainly this is one aspect of our curriculum, but I I see all the time our students sharing uh a big part of our sixth grade English curriculum where students are doing poetry and I was in Jen's classroom last week. It's only Tuesday um just last week and watched them do presentations. It's just hap it happens all the time where they're sharing >> or they're really good >> which is just the way you build a skill. practice over and over again. >> It's kind of your name. >> Um I love the fact you get to apply the things you're learning in maybe classes in other ways in real life, which is really really fun.

027Um how unique is this concept to middle schools? Like is is this like RMS is a the only one that does this kind of a thing or is this elsewhere? I'm wondering like I don't know. I don't know. It was really just my way of feel like saying >> using your hand. >> I wanted I wanted to have I wanted to us to have teams. We had that opportunity. Uh you all may remember when we came to you postbudget season to ask for >> points of whatever we ended up with extra FD needed. >> Um but it allowed us to create true teams. >> Yeah. >> And have teachers have that five class teaching load. It also we for years we'd had that double English model where stu and it it allowed students build writing

028in lots of ways whether they're writing a reflection on their design process for science. Yeah. So they're creating the shark prints tank dutation. All of those are writing skills. We're just dispersing that opportunity over all four subject areas. Seems like a a better way than just blocking things which I think is more traditional in the education space. Okay. at 2 LA. It's I think it's a it's a value ad and I don't know if >> it's really clear how cool this is uh for our community. >> And it's relatively new. It's this is maybe year four. >> Cool. >> Maybe year three. >> Three. Three. I think >> it also helps us tap the the applied classes that we still get from our surveys across all four schools as the numbers when people want. And

029>> this is our stuff. It's amazing from my anecdote of one who's sitting there in the corner ignoring me. Um like I found out like she's going to go to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to become a wildlife pilot violator in the PhD program studying polar bears and she's going to be this far away from campus with a car because she can afford rent and has it all planned out as a result of this class. >> And then I asked if she has money to come home for Christmas. Silence, you know, [laughter] >> maybe add that question. >> Like they all got that seventh graders is is crazy to me. So this is awesome. >> Yeah, >> it's a great great plan. [laughter] >> Any other comments, questions for Anissa? [clears throat] Thank you very

030much. >> Thank you all. >> Julie, big shoes to fill. >> We're surviving. >> That's good. [laughter] >> Happening. Um, we made it through the first bit of that little thing and you have some of the numbers there. Um, we're also sort of trying to hit the tar thing hard, which is hard. >> My entrance, right? [laughter] >> Um, I don't know. Maybe we'll maybe we'll be successful, maybe we won't, but we're trying really hard >> to try to figure out ways to stress timeliness. Um, I don't know if you have questions. Tons going on. lots of students visiting from other schools. So, and our ninth grade tape has been doing a really good job of that. Um, and I I sat in on one of those, >> you know, information sessions. And then they

031go to a class and they have a sponsor and the it's it's really they're doing a great job with that program and hopefully the result will be more tuition students since we're talking about budget today, but they're working hard on that too. So, >> so just to clarify these areosed future students from our standard students. >> Yes. >> Yeah. And and from Yeah. From sending schools far and wide really and some schools come as a whole group and some kids just come on their own with when another group is coming. We used to do shadow days and people would set them up themselves and this is a more of a program that they all go through. They do some ice breakers. Then they talk about the classing they take at the high school. They do

032a tour. They visit a couple classes. Yeah. >> Great. >> Related to the tardies because I may or may not have some of them. [laughter] >> Are there bells in the school? >> There are not. you don't have and our clocks aren't always >> on time and then >> the um >> you're not supposed to get out your phone or a watch to look at what time it is. So, >> doesn't have to watch [laughter] some but there's an interesting thing there because I think some people rely on supports for executive function to help them be on time and so I am just was curious about that. Yeah, we have we tried something in the morning that we've been talking about. I don't know if we listen to you CPP you didn't hear about. Maybe

033we talked about in coordinators in the morning we doing a five minute now and we play music >> and that has seemed to help a bit but in the process of doing that we had a conversation with the staff about being consistent because some people mark tardies and some people don't some people do it a minute some people do it at five >> and so I think more people are marking it >> which then meant the numbers went up for second quarter or they're relatively the same when it seems like they've gone down because fewer kids in the hallway. So, we'll see. I mean, it it's not a unique problem to Hanover High School. We did a comparison with data from lab and um when they have similar issues like we there Suzanne talked to

034our Suzanne and we compared data and they had you know different issues but a lot of the same issues. So I like maybe we can solve it or maybe it's just a problem of school and America and our culture, >> but we're going to try. >> Good question. >> Yeah. Um as the person that does attendance um for the Harvard School District, um I think about this every day of my life. Um and I'm just curious is if you've done any like data assessment on the like what are the causes, right? Because I think in our dive in there has been like variety of reasons, right? And I think thinking about like the kids are in the building is what I just heard from you. they're just not in their classes. like that seems like

035that's the but just like sometimes figuring out that data because >> uh you know we can throw spaghetti at the wall right and something might stick but really figuring out like for handover high school what is the reason right and >> and one of our assistant principles so we each go on an ES visit every year and at his best visit he went to conquer and he just got back a few days ago and he said that when they have this issue of absence tardy they have a survey they give those kids when they have them in their, you know, detention or whatever they're in. >> Um, and that survey is informing them on what they're going to do to see if they can make systematic changes to help them. So, >> um, you know,

036he's he has some of that information. We might try to >> to figure out a way to do that. >> Yeah. No, it just because it is interesting. Is it executive function? Is it more like is it kids that are identified as special education more so than kids that are you know which might speak to executive or like 50 I don't know you know like what are the trends to be able to have solutions but >> we've already done analysis right on attendance and 504 IEPs >> we already have what >> in in a previous year we've done attendance work by IEPs and 504s right >> yeah we have and we have some in our equity data too we >> we have some of that information so >> anything we need to know about that

037immediately No issues. >> No, but I think we'll do like we are trying this and then we're going to decide what to do third quarter. >> That's it. >> Yay. >> Meanwhile, we can encourage parents to consider cheap wrist watches for their children for the holiday season. >> Yeah. Lovely holiday. >> We might actually learn to tell an analog. Oh, we have that this week. A few students don't know. >> Yeah. No, many many students don't know how to tell time. >> Music is a cool idea. Music stops. If you're not in the classroom, you know, [laughter and clears throat] >> musical change. >> You have to stand up for the whole class. Period. >> Seems like the phone is going phones aren't going that too badly. >> It's not It's not too bad. I

038mean, it's it's not bad. I mean, >> you would be able to give a student perspective on it. It's been fine. It's It's a heavy lift in the office, but it's fine. >> We expected it. It's It's declined. >> How do you feel? >> I I think it's good. There's not a lot of people who take out their phones. Oh, there's probably a couple of people a lot some people, but most of the people I know, they don't take out their phones during classes or like during in the hallways. >> And our um students have a really good sense of humor. And of us still have it. So I So the first few days people would see me in the hall. They go Stevenson, Miss Stevenson. And pull out their phone and then go like

039this and it was empty case like a calculator. So and like get out the like they're texting and then they go it's a calculator. So it was I thought it was funny. I don't understand. [laughter] >> I still work in high school. But and then they and then one teacher said yesterday that the person they everyone she went by the senior pit and the everyone put up their calculators to their ears and she was like I know that people your age don't talk on the phone so [laughter] anyway it's you know I think people have handled it well. It's a little louder in the school. >> I think we were doing well with the program we had before, right? But I think like during lunchtime, we've heard sort of down the English hallway where they

040have a lot of students eat English and eat in the English classroom. Sorry. >> Um that it's been a lot louder if we were more ramboxious. We've had sort of basketball in the hallway again, which isn't supposed to happen, but like what are you going to do with your time, right? >> It feels joyful. Yeah. >> Lisa. Yeah, just I don't want to belabor this, but I'm just wondering what the heavy lift for the office is so that you know it would help me to sort of think about >> it's just an extra piece. So that so in the process of their list of like dealing with tardies and like things that they were hitting hard, it's suddenly now >> package with the phone. Okay, then you look up the kid. This is your second

041time. So second time even though you're here at the office, you can't get till the end of the day. It's just there's a lot more phones being turned in. So, >> so people who have other jobs besides discipline are doing more discipline, >> okay? >> You know, it's not it's not ugly. Like, it hasn't been ugly. There's no like whistle down, give it to me, like any of that stuff like that hasn't happened. So, it's fine. It's doable. >> Okay. >> Yeah. It's just another task. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Y >> any complaints from parents? Formal complaints? No, but we've only gotten to our I think we have one or two where the parent have had to come get the phone. I think it'll get it wouldn't be as pretty, >> but but a

042lot of but there have been thank yous on the phone and there have been thank yous on the >> tardies. >> Um, you know, like we haven't exper I mean angry for other reasons but not [laughter] >> Yeah. >> Any other questions for Julie? >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay, moving right along to budget stuff. And before we get into the presentation, we need to talk about the guidelines, which we, as you may recall, we talked about a couple months ago, and we didn't quite have the numbers yet at that meeting. So, we pushed it to a different meeting to formally approve it. And then we erently missed it during that meeting. That's on me with my apologies. Um, we are hoping for a budget approval of 6%. Uh, Neil, you want

043to walk us through any of the details on the guidelines? I don't think I need to because they're in the guidelines. >> All right. >> And they didn't really change um what we previously discussed here. It's just that we never actually voted on. I just don't know if we want to attend to the second and third bullet point which >> um in refer to a sabbatical year and the excuse me the dollars estimated and then the health care premiums we now know what they are increasing and it's not an 18%. >> Yep. >> Um I I hear what you're saying Deb. I think I would suggest that we don't modify these because these were the budget guidelines that we developed at a certain period in time. >> That makes we all know now what those

044since then, but these reflect what the board originally >> was it was entertaining back, you know, August, September. >> Okay. >> Interestingly, those kind of not exactly, but sort of balance out, which you know speaks to the reason that we develop guidelines in the first place, right? There's a give and take. Something's going to be high, something's low, right? So >> then Neil, would you suggest that we approve this before we continue the >> I absolutely would suggest that if >> I'll take a motion if someone wish to offer it. The language is in the thing. De >> I move to approve the budget guidelines as presented. >> Seconded by Lisa. Any further discussion? Right. We do have board members online. So we'll go individually starting with Neil Rodell. Yes. >> Christy, yes. Russell, yes.

045Sullivan, yes. Deon, yes. Nelson, yes. Ma, yes. Then Terra >> Kelly, >> can you move her if you need to know? >> Sweetie, thank you. Trying to spread sunshine. >> The dar. I bet she's a yes. >> I guess so. He's she's muted herself and unmuted a few times. Is that a yes from you? >> Okay, we'll keep >> Yes. >> What about Michael? Wasn't >> uh Michael has since dropped. I suspect he's >> will. Yes. Is that a yes from you? >> I have a yes. >> Thank you. So, let's move on then to the formal presentation by the budget. And I see there are copious attachments here. Um, Teresa and Neil, should we start at the very first one or >> let me um let me do this just to set the stage

046a little bit and then I will turn it over to Teresa. So, unfortunately, yeah, I a lot of these documents got posted this afternoon. I have not had a chance to actually take a look at them >> [clears throat] >> uh yet. Um but my understanding right so um uh we have there's there's a few documents in here that I just want to call out specifically one is there's the PowerPoint presentation so for those board members that have been used to what we've seen in prior years particularly when Kim was working on things that is this year's version of that document and I mentioned that specifically also for our hammer finance folks um if you look into that presentation it is in the budget um uh packet tonight. Um, also board members that have been

047with us for a while uh will probably recall we typically get a budget binder every year that includes a lot of information um including a narrative. Um, in the last budget dres budget committee meeting that we had, um, I, uh, shared with with Teresa and Robin that, you know, in in the sake of a lot going on, um, with a lot of new bodies learning a lot of new things all in a very short period of time, um, if it was all helpful, just remove the narrative aspect of what we previously got in our budget binders, but give us the data, right? the tables, the figures, the facts that used to be in that binder previously. And so, um, I believe that is what, uh, Teresa has uploaded to the board packet here tonight in

048various bits and pieces. So, the various tables, the datas, the figures, the facts, um, you'll find in the various, um, uh, attachments that are on there. Um, those items to note, um, is there are two items in there. One is HH HHS budget cuts and the second one is possible Richmond reductions. These should be the same reductions that the Dresden budget committee discussed at our last budget committee meeting. And these were requests from administration to um you know put forward some reductions that would get us to the budget guideline, the one that we just approved forward. Um so those are the items you see in here. And then um two more things. One I want to check with Teresa. So when you look at the budget presentation, the PowerPoint presentation, I believe, and please correct

049me if I'm wrong here, Teresa, is that the Dresden amount that's in there >> is inclusive of the proposed reductions. Is that a true statement? Yes. >> Yeah. Every single reduction, the one at the last meetings where we went back with the FTEES and all that, those are all in there. Okay. So, board, what I want you to then think about when we look at this is the the board has not approved these reductions yet, right? So, these are still on the table, but I wanted to make sure that you understood that when you were looking at the PowerPoint and and there that they're included in that in that overall Dresden budget number, right? So, those reductions are included in the amount that's in the presentation. And then finally, um I do know at the

050last budget committee meeting that we had, um we learned that there had been an unfortunate mistake um in uh the the tax paperwork that went out on the on this side of the river on New Hampshire on the Hannover side of the river um that caused a shortfall in taxes collected um on this side >> this year >> for this year. Um and I believe that figure was about half million dollars. Am I right? It's actually 366,000 728. >> So not quite half a million dollars. That's >> good news. Now there had been some discussions at that Dresden budget committee meeting as to how we could potentially handle this because essentially it ends up being underfunding of the Dresden School District because we haven't collected those tax amounts yet. No decisions, I don't think, have

051been made on how we're going to do that yet. But I do believe that Teres had put forward this notion that we have sufficient revenues on hand currently that we should be able to carry ourselves through to the spring and rather than reissuing new tax bills just for the amount that we um underolcted, we would just potentially add that amount the spring tax bills that go out on the Anniver side of the river. We could make us some money then. So we wouldn't need to issue an additional um tax bill. We might be able to make it up with the one that goes out this spring. Am I capturing that correctly, Trac? >> Exactly. >> Okay. >> Currently working with the DRA and our attorney. >> Okay. What I am suggesting with this body though

052and for you, Trace, is when we determine that that is a uh a workable solution, I think we need to bring that back to the board for consideration and approval that that's how we want to >> handle handle that aspect of the of the budgeting piece. So, with that as a backdrop, I would like to turn it over to Teresa um because I think it would make sense to go through the PowerPoint presentation and it probably would make sense for board members to just briefly hear about the proposed reductions um especially from our administrators. That makes sense. >> You want to take it away? [clears throat] >> Should I if you're able to uh fairly quickly? Sure. If [clears throat] >> I don't know how many people can see it. >> Yeah. Sure. I know

053how this works. make an encore now. >> Tell you what, why don't we while Teresa getting things set up, I think there's just some administrative items that we can walk through on in the presentation. Um, we all know obviously who the membership was associated with this. But on the board side, um myself, uh, it looks like we may actually are missing a few people from the Benz >> um, budget committee. So myself, Terra >> and Renee >> over there. So we're missing a few folks up, but um >> I think we've also captured all of the other um administrative folks that have been a part of this. Um our budget process remains the same as what it has been in years past, right? So we really begin in earnest on all of this work like

054way back in um August for a lot of folks. um things really sort of kick off in the September October time frame where we take a look at what I traditionally call our quick model which gives us a greater sense of where things are headed if we just maintain a status quo program. So carrying forward those known costs things like whatever we've got for contract and settlements with teachers and support staff um we've got estimates regarding health care at that point. Um but then a lot of the other items in the budget are just increased by CPI and we carry that forward. We call it that our quick model and it just gives us a sense as to where things might be headed um early on in the budgeting process. Uh budget committees get together

055then um in October, November um to uh work through draft budgets um with each of our administrations, both the Richmond Middle School and the Hanover High School. Um and then that leads us to this moment in December where we are right this evening of the board finally getting the first look at a draft uh budget proposal for Dresden. Um the work will continue throughout January where we will then be required as a body to approve that budget that will then go out to voters in March at the annual town meeting in Norwich. I don't know just some random voting day in handover. It really doesn't align with anything on the handover side except for just voting on school budgets. >> Um but um moving on to the next slide then you can see as we

056had talked about before um the budget committee met um and the initial quick bottle projections were showing a budget increase of about 6 and a half%. At that moment in time, as board members, as my as my friend Deb noted earlier, we were uh um hoping for a health insurance increase around the 18% mark. When things finally landed, it ended up being 26% increase. So things obviously have changed since that initial quick model. Um but with that quick model, we then as a budget committee brought forward to this board a suggestion that we keep the increase at uh 6% or less. Um that is the guidelines that we um previously saw but then just voted um earlier this evening. Um and then also included in this slide are some considerations from the administration um as

057they were building uh the budget for the next fiscal year and included a few um technology needs, some classroom needs um obviously some things for buildings and some grounds um and then consideration about revenue opportunities as well. um that as a jump start, Teresa, I can get you all the way to page eight >> on your presentation if you wanted to pick it up from there. >> Yeah. And Neil, thank you for that introduction in the background context. Much appreciated. Uh yeah, Teresa, you want to start us off on slide eight? >> Am I in the way? >> Yes. >> Members of public and the finance committee, can you guys see it from that angle? You're good. Thanks, Carrie. I'll look a little >> and for those who don't know, Carrie Callahan is our select

058board chair joining us tonight. He's also a former handover school board member. For those who know which folks you don't know, >> and a former school board member. >> Oh, that's right. I forgot about that. >> Kind of looks like Garrett. >> All things. I didn't know finally just like his brother. Yeah. >> So funny because I know both of them so I don't see it. [laughter] >> Yeah. >> It's a compliment car. It's a good looking dude. >> Yeah. >> What else can we talk about while we're >> the candy and the joy? But I'm helping English. We know we're not in a good situation. >> Um, just letting you know. It's just not my expertise. >> So, you all have it, right? >> Yeah. Yeah. Someone who does and I can share my

059computer with them. >> Fine. Oh, maybe Lauren's better there. Yeah, >> and John ready access to it. Okay, I think yeah, Teresa, I think we're on >> D. >> We really need to bump up that tech live. >> Hey, Teresa, when you're ready. >> Sorry. Anyway, >> the other one. >> Um, all right. So this particular slide the dress overall budget um I'm doing a comparison here by um what we're calling the functions and the departments the regular education technology the far left column you're going to see is our current budget um comparison that's all inclusive there and then um we're talking about the operating budget and then the second column FY27 you're showing The I'm showing the RMS budgets again broke down same way by the function department. The columns to the right that

060will be the increase for each of those different functions department. Um, at this point, even having trouble m it, but um, at this point, RMS is sitting at looking at a proposed of 11,235, um, 988. >> If I can make it bigger um, for myself. And then [laughter] and then the increase the overall increase for RMS is roughly about $852,000. And then for high school, it's looking at 19,883,000 and roughly 1.275 million in increase. >> Yeah, >> the increases on those are are I'm going to show you in the next slides that they really have so much to do with the um the medical insurance increase being 25.8%. primarily the majority of the staff is hovered under that plan. So it really hit us really hard. Um and then the last column is just the

061districtwide expenditures for um that particular budget. We're looking at about $2.8 million and that would be about a $35,000 increase. And so the proposed FY2627 budget at this point um is 33,958,000 829. Any questions on this? >> Um so this came up as Rene and I were looking through things today. Regular education, does that include the benefits? >> Oh yes. Okay, perfect. Thank you. And that would be true for the other like special education that would include yes personnel and benefits >> doing it by function. It'll include every expenditure related to that particular and that's why I kind of like to say it as a department as opposed to just because it's a better description. >> Yeah. So benefits are all embedded in the relevant class of function. It's all >> so we really need

062just as a communication tool, not for tonight obviously, but sort of in the next iteration of this, it might be helpful to break that out somehow because >> um healthcare is or the benefits are such a driver in this budget. It might be really helpful to see that as just two separate Yeah. >> Yeah, that's a good call. >> Yeah, >> it did. I did break it out in another >> Okay, perfect. kind of identified it. Um and then the next I'm just a simple pie chart just kind of showing the share for each the districtwide is only 8% of the bottom you know the overall budget RMS is 33% of the budget and then handover high school is 59 um 59% anyhow loading most of the very most of the load >> sorry I

063Uh Ben made an excellent point last night on the slide previous to this and wherever it comes up um just the 2300 the school board and SAU services >> to break down >> just for the great for good of the group here. Um, we've we've requested in the handover one as well as this one and here elsewhere to break apart school board from the rest of the SAU services because uh that we are not at $1.7 million for the school board, >> right? >> If only just wanted to that'll that'll [laughter] >> No, I don't I just want to make sure not that you had to change it. Yeah, Hannah made several comments when we saw our budget last night that just for sake of time hopefully we won't repeat two of them unless we

064really need to. But given that's just been a few hours since we made those points, we know they're not going to be addressed that quickly. >> Yeah. >> Thank you for that. >> Yeah, we're going to share one more pie chart. This one [clears throat] just a little bit different. This one here is literally showing again breaking down the departments, the regular education, technology, special education. And as you're going to see that the regular education is 40 46% of the overall budget is regular education. The next one that comes in closest is the special education. That's about 13%. Might be a little hard to read if the date kind of ran over it. Um, and then the rest of them, even though all these other departments, none of those departments that remain are more than

0658% on their own. >> For people who haven't been on the board in the past, I'm just curious like um the division of the budget of 59% to the high school and 33% to RMS. Is that pretty typical of what it was like last year or is that is that is there a different I'm curious. Is it different? Is it the same? Is it >> It's fairly consistent. >> Fairly consistent with um just population and then when you add in the sports program at the high school and the co-curricular program, there's so much more. It's I think it's consistent. Yeah, >> it makes sense. I just >> off the top of my head, I don't know if it's exact, but it makes sense. >> Close enough. >> Yeah. And on that same slide with the

066three categories, what does districtwide mean? Is that the SAU assessment or is that something else? >> Yes, that's in there. And then there's some buildings and grounds um information. >> Oh, like shared stuff, >> expenditures and stuff like that that shared. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, and I was going to say the breakdown, even though we're long past that, that enrollment slide kind of could speak to, >> you know, the the ratio of the students >> for the last >> page 11. >> And then the next slide here shows the projected for next year for the um student enrollment and everything else. And so we're anticipating 363 students at RMS. That would be three students reduction which coincidentally we had coming into from 25 to 26 that I noticed too that happened to be a

067three student reduction yet we had three tuition in. So we still anticipate those um three tuition students for for next year. Um the handover high school we're looking at an increase having 709 students um which is increase to 17 students versus this year and again that number was pretty consistent from last year to this year. And then um right now the anticipation based on enrollment, based on student coming in um 146 tuition students, we we had about 145 that came in beginning of this year and we we right around October we had four unenroll various reasons. So that number will fluctuate a little but we're looking at 1,072 students for the Dresden school district school. On the next slide, I'm just showing you a chart here where the $11 million budget that the majority again

068that um $714,000 alone is just regular education expenditures. It's the majority of all your teachers obviously the salary, the benefits, and all the expenditures that are related with that. Um, and I think that's 54% if I remember right of the overall. And then special education just by chance is actually uh proposed to actually go down $82,000. And with the increase, the overall increase on RMS looking at, like I mentioned, $852,000, um, it's basically about an 8.2% 2% increase at this point versus over this year. >> I'm curious why athletics and co-curricular is only going up by 50,000. Aren't we putting the program in the budget for the first time this year? Am I misunderstanding that? But as the cost of it on the overall it's not showing as a well no it's in the budget

069for this year for the first time. So next year it's just that next year the additional >> right but this year's a warrant article so I'm maybe I'm just misunderstanding what that count for >> because you're accounting for the overall budget in that sense we're still it's not strictly just what was voted on in that respect. We're actually comparing it to um this year's with the warrant articles included. >> Okay. >> And it's caring. >> And the $50,000 increase, which is almost 20%, that's because you're adding more sections or more seasons. >> Yes. >> And it does involve and that number is just not strictly athletics. It also involves like said co-curricular programs and stuff like that. There might be some increase there but there is definitely adding a sports next year >> as well

070as seasons. >> Yeah, this year it's one winter sport, one spring sport. Next year it's I think two two and two is the plan for the three seasons. >> Well, yeah. No, the Warren article covered basketball and then two spring sports. wanted to >> I think the way that Brandon is allocating that the possibility of doing three spring sports, same risk tax in the fall, the potential, I believe, to do two sports rather than just one. Um, yes, that's what's basing those numbers. Also, it seems like $10,000 to store stuff because we don't have any storage in our school. The need for a shed. >> All right. You got to clarify the shed that the shed that's at RMS technically belongs to HPR, right? >> Yes. So the [clears throat] little outfield we have are

071for >> our PE program and HPA. >> Thank you. >> And now to the slide that shows a little more breakdown based on sort of like the objects. Um here's another look at the increase in the budget a little bit 852,000. You'll see that 407,8001 that alone is um just the medical Um, it's the 20. Sorry. >> Yes. I wanted to make sure that I broke this down and showed you how um how much the the increase in the medical insurance really affected us and everything else. Um so basically it was 46 I think 46% of the overall increase um over this this year's budget to next and then of course there's contracted wage increases based on um negotiations from last year and benefits [clears throat] other matching benefits the next expenditure. So the the

072you know we're like 70% of this is all benefits and salaries this increase questions on this >> um RMS plan um the changes and the adjustments that we did make um again even though they were the last um last adjustments that we did for FTEES and everything else. Um right now it looks like a net decrease of about 19 for RMS overall. Um there was an ESOL teacher 1.65 um between those and then there was a decrease in special. So um overall there was 47.24 looking for and certified staff actually with a decrease um one my numbers might be backwards um and then the other staff I'll have to double check that but the the bottom is definitely a it should come out and be a negative.19 so actually a reduction overall um And then

073Yep. So I'll go back and I'll double check this live something backwards. >> Yeah. You mean negative 1.9? >> Yeah. >> Same thing separate issue. >> A question about the decrease in specials. Um is that just because of I don't know what that reflects to the uh I'm guessing it's not specials. I wonder if it's special education. And I say that because during this fiscal year, we had a retirement of learning specialist and re we reallocated that from special education to be an interventionist. Got it. >> So that goes into the regular category. So I'm guessing it's not special if it's special education. >> Don't usually talk about specials first. >> Yeah, we don't talk about Right. So and then the one the increase isn't really just ESOL. It is that 1.0 FTE moving into

074regular education from special education. Got it. >> Yeah. and okay. Yeah. >> Additional Spanish 20% if needed. So, our sixth grade Spanish classes are a good size. >> Yeah, the labels are definitely I'll fix those. Um and everything else, but the the certified staff FTEES, the 47.24 and the other staff 27.32 um left us with 74.56 FTEES in it in it. um should be saying the 1.19. Um here I just kind of added in what um what we've kind of reiterated in the past and everything else that budget proposal offers and and what it you know as far as like the whole student benefit and everything else to maintain the current team structure as we look through and and the decisions are made about what to cut in programs and what not to cut and

075how it affects the students, how it affects the staff and and and at times how it affects the community. obviously with budgeting and everything else and tax rates. Um so it's just a little insight into that and then we go to the high school and then the high school. Um again I mentioned that 1.275 million is the total increase for the high school um over this year. um 700 it's pretty close to the RMS number coincidentally but 727,000 is the increase in the regular education budget which again is a majority of teachers or staff you're talking about salaries and benefits. Um so it's rightfully so would be the majority of your your budgeting. Um the ones that um curriculum staff development and others the media there's decreases of 13,000 Um, athletics, there's actually a decrease

076of 44,000 here. And then um I got my little um extended school year and every um there's 11,700 um in those particular services that there's a decrease in there. Um in building improvements, there is an increase that looks a little larger, 169,000. And I do know that some of those numbers, the 130,000 in there is because the elevator basically I understand it needs to pretty much be rebuilt. So um that expenditure and because of >> not replaced but rebuilt [sighs and gasps] >> Yeah, it's it's um >> not good. >> Not safe. >> Stuck in it. >> Yeah. means it's not safe. >> Correct. >> It's not meeting code at all. >> Um Teresa, can you walk us through the fairly large increase in guidance and health services? Particularly noting that we're actually going down

077half a position in that. And that one really again goes back to wage increases and others that um in this particular um benefits that was one of it. There were changes in benefits. Um this seems like a big jump for fairly small staff. >> There's a lot. Yeah, there's there's quite a few. There's like a dozen or so in that Julie, what did you say? I'm sorry. >> I said all of our counselors are in that line. So, all of our college counselors, all of our like our mental health counselors are so they're all in that line. So, it's you like they're the other piece of the regular education in their own benefits. >> That number doesn't surprise you, Julie. >> No. That number also include substitute nursing monies as well. >> No, I know

078that >> um well health services. Yes. Yes. Um for the nurses stuff because that that particular code the 2130s any of the 2100s that are um PTO those types of services that would code like that. So those services and stuff would be inclusive in the in the cost. >> I know we approved an unscheduled increase >> in that realm at some point >> for the nurses. Yes. So we do have the nurse subs. >> Yeah. So that might be that we increase the >> Kelly again and then Carrie follow. Um I'm curious about the decrease in athletics. Is that Yeah. Um program driven or is that just transportation driven or >> It was a there combination but probably combination of things. So we um we took out some of the practice bus money. We took

079out some of the general athletics um just was in an effort to decrease costs. So I don't Yeah, I would have to look at the >> No, there wasn't any one thing that seemed like it was huge except from said cutting down on some of the transportation and stuff. >> Thanks. Great. >> Does this PowerPoint incorporate the um reductions like RMS tier one, tier two or not yet? >> Yes, it did. Didn't it option option one? Yeah. >> Was the one that um we made the adjustments for. >> So it included induction similar where it in here. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> Yes, we have not listed. I don't know where yours are. Yeah. might happen. >> Um, and again, I'm just taking the 1.275 million, breaking it down um for salaries, benefits by the

080objects, sort of with the largest expenditure changes that we're experiencing. Once again, I talked about the health insurance only 5.8%. And so that's $687,000 of that pretty much or you know half the money and half the increase and everything else. Um and then you have the contract wages and everything else, the settlements, the contracts that were um negotiated last year, last couple years and stuff. Um, and so that's 245,000 between all the benefit changes in the wage changes and then other benefits that follow along whenever wage increases and others occur. So those are the biggest um again that's really the majority of what you're looking at why these expenditures are what the increase is what it is. Um and I mentioned that the next biggest one being 169,000 for building custodian and all and um

081and again has a lot to do with those expenditures that are linked with also fixing the elevator any questions. >> That sounds like we'll talk more about the health insurance things at the SAU meeting or default address them tonight. Um and then the high school um decrease of 1.29 and then this is again regular education teacher it was a 6 change but there was also decreases for the ESOL um speech language guidance and so that netted out to uh minus 10 um FTE. So we have certified staff of 76.8 eight FTEES and then other staff all others there's a6 special ed assistant and then um a decrease in regular ED assistance of a 1.0 tutor.21 21 and advance point support of 24 netting out um hero 1.19 and so the all other FTEES is 51.13

082for a total of 12723 FTEES so there is a decrease of a 1.2 any questions. Um, once again, it's just a slide that you can read for the view crew and everything else. Um, you know, thing I know that I'll also mention is that >> to the bottom left where it says continue with furniture replacement and stuff. Um, the science I know that the science room is is in the build for FY27. They're already doing certain things and everything else, but to finish doing out um because there's gas lines and other things that all have to be done and then districtwide. And so this one um the biggest change is again districtwide. This is talking about salaries, non-unionbased salaries to their benefit changes. Um dress shear which is up 25,473 from this year. um buildings

083and grounds. Um there was kind of netted out to a 7,000 because they had 15,000 in there because they need a new um dump trailer thing. And uh but they also made decreases in other areas. So that ned out to 7,000. And then debt, our our true loans, our notes, um it'll increase by about 6368. Um so the increase for this uh school state to excuse me districtwide is a 35.9 and that's only about a 1.28% 28% increase on um these particular on districtwide everywhere everywhere else the benefits are soaring because of the healthcare costs. But why is that >> different plan? um because the the teachers and the a lot of the union the sport staff they're all with care and so a lot of the non-union administration um are not we're on a

084different plan those >> benefits are becoming less costly >> well that's one of our next hot topics because they're not [laughter] >> cheated us up nice >> everybody's coming up on this now >> but It hasn't it doesn't look like a 25% increase but um yeah there's still there's still increases. >> Lisa >> um Carrie just in the SAU meeting there's going to be a little discussion about proposals for next year for healthcare insurance changes that'll affect the whole district. So >> are those in here now? >> Right. Are those changes? Yeah. No, those wouldn't be >> on hand. >> No, >> they'll be over. >> Um, and a lot of that just came about in the last couple days for the most part. So, >> um, >> those are definitely not in here. >>

085So, sorry, just trying to translate what I'm hearing. I So, the reason this is going down then is not because of plan decreases, but because of individual election decreases. >> Correct. Right. Okay. >> On on this particular >> a small group. makes a difference. >> Makes a big difference. Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah, >> I think you clarify that. Any other questions from board members or public? >> Tracy assessment. Um so as we look um to this year FY26 and our proposed budget expenditures of the 31795 811 um and then our little carry forward there um with our students that we have tuitioned in this year. Um the anticipation and other expenditures local um we anticipate the revenues of $3.6 6 million with our total available offsets being 3.613. And so our net assessment is

08628 million1 1827 742. And so comparing that with what is anticipated now or proposed, excuse me, for FY27, we're looking at a expenditure budget of 33,95829 um based on holding and retaining the whole 511 thou 11,508 that we um that we retained. um there'd be no fund balance carried forward to offset taxation. So with the revenues and the anticipated um revenues for tuition and local and state sources next year, it'll be 3.8 million um roughly 3.836 836 million and then that will leave a net assessment of 30,122727 which results in a change increase of 1.939985 and that's where we get to our 6.88% 88% overall. >> Renee, go for it. >> Uh, thank you. >> Um, just can you help me understand where that like extra healthc care bill shows up in this because I

087just know that coming out of handover >> because it's already a neat expenditure. So all this all this comparison that we've been doing or I've been doing right along. Yeah. >> Where I show you what the expenditure comparisons are, it's already tucked in there. We've already covered those funds. We're already paying on them. So when we look even at our bottom line right now, comparing expenditures, we've already accounted for that expense for this year. >> Okay. And we just had more of a buffer than we had at hand. >> Yes. because what was budgeted and anticipated for revenue for um tuition actually we like I was saying before I think we budgeted for roughly about 138 students to come in >> and then we ended up with 145 >> and then situation that's why at

088the beginning when I was saying that >> to to hold an emergency meeting now and say let's use a fund balance to pay for the would be somewhat premature because if we have the revenues from the excess tuition that we can afford to pay that and they were nice enough too that we didn't have to pay it all in December. So they decid um came forward with a lot of um a lot of schools went a lot bigger bind you know. >> Yeah. >> So we paid oneird and now we're just paying the payments down. But like I said, um currently right now, um we had the revenue to go ahead and offset that expenditure >> and we did not in handover. That's why we have a bigger >> No, handover actually handover had Yeah,

089there because their assessment was the 263,000, but they had a much larger fund balance. I mean, they could technically have absorbed it. And again, that's the only another reason why I recommended um that we hold till spring and then if at that time our revenues if something did not mature or we ended up spending our budget right to the end, then we would need to go and ask to use those funds. >> Yeah. But if we don't end up spending our re our expenditures down because we had open positions, we can absorb it. >> Okay. Now, I I I agreed with I think at the time that we had a conversation of like, great, they're letting us space that out. [laughter] >> Yes, you can space out this extra giant bill from us. >> I

090know. I think I'm just in my head. Um, and forgive me, my words probably are not coming out very clearly, but like we had talked about last night like great, we deal with work to get to the budget target and then bam, like we had this bigger gap that we're going to need to fill next year based on the fact that we're like our net assessment or balance carry forward. Sorry, my words aren't I don't know which one it is yet, but the balance carry forward wasn't high enough. So, we're looking at like an 8 point >> like 31% or 8.91. And I'm just wondering here why it's like great like we we proposed 6.8% and it looks like in total with all the impact that we're facing. We're only at 6.88. So like >>

091because our revenues also you'll see that the revenues are up just even though the expenditures are up, the revenues are also up. So, it's kind of keeping it a little more uneven. >> Yeah, I know. Thank you, Kelly. >> All right, I got to be Kelly. Terra actually had her hand up before. Kelly, so you want to take it? >> Yeah, I I raised my hand before Renee started to talk because I had a a variation. My question is a variation on that theme. So, thank you, Teresa, for all of this data. I'm looking at um this chart and I'm somewhat I'm confused. So, I'm I'm going to ask for help. Most of the other charts that we've looked at in the presentation and also a lot of the the data up to this point

092has been proposed budget compared to proposed budget over different years. And so I think are you telling me that this one slide is not a proposed budget to proposed budget comparison but is instead an anticipated actual to proposed budget comparison? Because if so if so like I I need to like adjust my thinking a bit. If if you mean like anticipated as into the fact that the um tuitions and all it's it's the same thing you've been doing every year is that there's a preliminary uh >> Yeah. No, no, just um it'll probably be helpful if I explain myself a little bit more. Um when you say that the additional bill that we received unexpectedly for health insurance is already accommodated by these numbers. That would only be the case if you had changed the

0932526 numbers to be actuals um anticipated through end of fiscal year because we in no way accommodated that expenditure in the budgeting process a year ago if that makes sense. >> Yeah, seems heads are on the room. So either these numbers if they if they accommodate actual tuition running higher than anticipated and actual expenses running higher than anticipated then this for the first time would be actuals rather than a proposed budget from 2526. >> So the so the revenues that you're looking at for the FY 2526 would be actuals. Okay. If you could annotate this to represent that, that's huge for me. Um, in sort of helping my thinking follow along and understanding the numbers and where we actually are versus where we thought we were going to be because this year it happens to

094be substantially, you know, things did not go as we anticipated, you know, on a per line item basis. So that would really help me. >> Um Ellie again, thank you for that. Terara, >> do you want to I would So >> mine's slightly different but related concerned that this budget and I I want to be wrong, but I'm concerned that part of why this budget doesn't see the impact of that additional bill quite as much is tuition student assumptions. And I'm a little concerned what's our exposure >> on the tuition student covering some of this. >> Does that make sense? >> Like either changes in the tuition formula or um number of tuition students. Have we been conservative enough in that that we're comfortable with that number? >> Kelly, I'm just going to interject. since

095you and I were both on the tuition committee and Neil as well, we need to have a meeting and I was just going to um be emailing you about that during >> I was hoping that was the answer to my question [laughter] >> another meeting >> and and that is always a concern. It's always I voiced it earlier today. It's always a concern that if you get this wrong, it's it's, you know, you get the you get the judge, you get the guest guest wrong, um you can absolutely put yourself um in a >> bind. Renee, >> um my uh brain had actually uh and I admit this is I guess I needed to clarify. I kind of always assumed we were looking at kind of like the actuals. No, the actuals and like project

096I mean projected out for the year >> to the next year because that's what we're feeling. Um and I'm just wondering why if I shouldn't be thinking that why help me like correct my thinking and I I apologize this is like turned into a budget meeting but um >> well it is meeting >> that's all right then. Um, but I yeah, I guess like my my thought is like, okay, as an individual human, I think look at my my own bank accounts and things like that. I'm like, okay, well, it's the end of the year I'm projecting out for next year. Like, what am I going to be spending? And so, I don't think about what did I project last year that I was planning on spending this year. I say, what did I what

097do I actually spend? >> What did I spend? Um, and so I'm just curious about pros and cons that we have we talked about that before, what should we be thinking about? And therefore I think that also translates into how we communicate this moving forward in January. >> Any reflections? >> Well, I think it's complicated uh Renee because >> we're not done yet, right? So, usually what Jamie had to do was a lot of fiddling to give us a spreadsheet with a few extra columns that showed what we were probably going to spend. Um, including what was encumbered already and what was not encumbered. It got really really messy and it was still guessing, but I liked the fact that it was guessing with at least, you know, a significant percentage of um the the

098dollars being really uh received and re or really expended rather than we thought a year ago this is what we were going to do. Mhm. >> But in terms of comparing apples to apples, so we are comparing what we are asking the taxpayers to bear >> this year versus what we asked them to bear a year ago. >> And they don't get to see, you know, we tell them how we're going to make the soup, but they don't know how the soup really got made. >> Yes, >> that makes sense. >> That's helpful. >> You want a little pipe? >> Yeah. So, so just on the point of tuition students submitting aggressively aggressive legisure. So, it sounds like on this page five um the expenditure budget is the expenditure budget revenues we've adjusted as title.

099So the 3.317 million Hover High School tuition that's projection or that's kind of >> No, that is based on the students that we have enrolled right now. >> That just 145? >> Yes. >> Okay. And then for the next year, you're up 8%. How much of that is students versus rate? >> Um the rate has definitely gone up. Um, not um, >> so I'm going to Teresa just jump in for a second. There is an assumed rate in this planning process, but that is not the actual rate. And part of the tuition committee's uh directive for change this year as opposed to previous years is to make sure that we have an agreement in advance of any preliminary communications to sending districts so that they get their budget assumptions correct and we don't undermine their

100town processes. And we did not do that well last year and we are going to do a better job of that this year. >> Yes. >> Thank you for that point, Tara. And then for the prompt, go ahead. A >> little opaque. Is that okay? [laughter] >> Wishing committee members, you want to chime in on the opakeness or of that? >> Is that right? We >> No. Okay. [laughter] >> Okay. So, my my um I believe that the assum assumed tuition rate in all of our planning thus far is lower than it should be because I do not believe we accounted for or even contemplated in the calculation that we put into place last year that we would have an unanticipated outlay to an insurance company um and had to accommodate that in any tuition

101calculation. So we are going to be as is right and just passing along a fair portion of that expense to tuition students next year because they have not yet borne that cost. So whatever Teresa has included in this, I am quite certain has not accommodated that extra expenditure. So it the tuition rate will be going up. In terms of the rest of the question about liability, and this is just me as a human being, I think that we have a significant amount of liability based upon potential political action on both sides of, you know, the New Hampshire Vermont border. But we have no control over that. And we don't know if it will come to pass for now, for next year, for the year after. We just don't know. >> Yes. >> Great. >> Ben,

102can I really? >> Yes. Gina, >> process question. >> Yes, please. >> What as a board do we need to do? Like is this a we're learning what was proposed, but is there any decision or input? Like what do you need from us? >> Neil, you want to walk us through the timing of things right now in terms of where we are? Is it important? >> Uh, I mean, we're at the point right now where we're um having these discussions. we're considering, you know, what changes we want to make to the budget and it comes down to those meetings in January where we, >> you know, decide what we want to what we want to do. >> Then Garrett has a hand up. Garrett Palm joined us recently. Garrett, uh, go ahead. Has he moved

103over yet? >> Go for it, Garrett, when you're ready. >> Great. Uh, yeah, I just had two questions. These aren't really down in the weeds on the numbers, but just higher levels. So, one is I noticed um the guidance in the high school was cut by 0.4 and I just want to make sure that that's [snorts] a prudent cut. Just knowing how much that guidance department does for our students and what I would consider a rather critical area of getting our students into colleges. >> I do believe that's one. >> Yeah. So, the guidance is down.4 for and that were realized we realized that this year. So when we went forward with the budget last year at this time we had a person retire between them and then the guidance department decided and sort of

104figured out that they would rather and they felt like they had enough people that they'd rather have only um bill 6 of that person and give the point4 to regular ed to help with class size and other things like that. So when they had that retirement, they sort of did an inventory and they feel like they're fine. And then based on your surveys, Ben, >> I think we're fine, Garrett. >> Okay. So we're not reducing the guidance department as it stands. >> It is the same next year as it is this year. We already reduced it. Like we reduced it between the last time we projected a budget and now. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Gar did you have a second question? I think you said >> and then the other question was just on

105technology. So, I know we've had a lot of conversations about all this and how expensive it is and is that what's in the budget for upgrades to any sort of Wi-Fi and all that where is there anything >> a lot of that's happening right now for >> okay so we because we had talked about this I guess a bit in Norch and then obviously lots happened and it was kind of like in order to have multiple Wi-Fi networks we needed to have a different system in place and that's going to cost some money and of course we've lost our IT TI there. So, we think though that that kind of, you know, support to have the different Wi-Fi systems or whatever we need at the high school and whatnot, that's been happening. Okay. >> Yes,

106we're doing that through a consultant. >> Okay. And that's in this budget then to kind of have a proper >> to have what we need in the schools. >> We Yeah. And we did it partially out of the budget this year. >> Okay. All right. Thanks for coming in. >> You're welcome. >> Any other questions at the moment from anyone? >> Going towards Thank you, Teresa. >> One more. >> Do you have one more? >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Go for it. >> Um just the enrollment um and and the assessment between handover and Norwich and how it just um a little tiny bit of a swing almost evenly. It's such a small swing but um so it's just showing that breakdown of um yes 69.835% 835% of the student population basically um handover and 3020

107students um for Norwich and Gina's earlier question that's pretty standard 69 70%. >> Yeah. Okay. Thanks. >> Any other questions from board members? Anyone else on the budget? Uh Garrett and Tara, did their hands just pop up again or those? >> Yeah, sorry. One more question. Yeah, go for it. >> So, all of these medical increases for this one-time assessment, are these all been allocated throughout the medical expense lines? Is that >> or are they elsewhere in the budget? >> Now, they're they're in um they are incorporated into um you'll see when it says the medical insurance or health insurance, it's labeled. Um those expenditures are all included already in there. >> Okay. So those include the regular increases that we would have had anyways probably or whatever plus this additional assessment. So like the

108300 some odd thousand increase for regular ed handover high school includes it's like a mishmash of all of it. >> No the the FY27 budget will show the increase of the 25.8% 8% those particular increases but the FY26 if you look in those columns um in comparison with the medical and those lines um those particular lines have already absorbed we've already encumbered already paid a a good chunk of the money for the assessment that we incurred this year of the um the 570,000 >> okay so just for example like the regular ed handover high school went up like you know almost 400,000 So that is is that some of this still one time flowing through or >> the medical rates just go up by 30%. >> Because we we have to pay that by the

109end of June 30th. So it's it's um it'll be one and done this year, >> right? So some of that 395,000 includes this one time. No, I if you're and again if you're looking at the increase for next year, it's strictly related to the actual health premium increase that occurred um at almost 26% and because um you know the bulk of your staff or our staff is all um covered under those particular plans that are having that increase. um that that is why you're seeing but but that is strictly premium increases and then plan changes too. >> Okay. So the 500 and some odd thousand whatever that big increase was it's already been absorbed in the 2025 2026. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> And that's why we had the conversation that that column is actually

110actuals instead of approved budget from last year. the column that actually says the the actual um I just want to be clear the column that says approved budget is exactly the approved budget. So the column that shows expenditures to date would have included in those figures the um assessment we're paying during this particular school year. But I did not I would not go back and increase the budget number. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I can't. Okay. So, in the budget then we don't really see the 2025 2026 actuals because there's no column for that. We're only seeing the 2024 >> actual all the attach sorry the um the all the reports that follow the presentation you'll see the columns. >> Okay. I'm just in the wrong a wrong file then. Okay. Teresa, is that different than

111what you said previously about slide 25? Now I'm confused again. >> No, no. 52 does. >> I guess I I need some clarification. Um and after the meeting is fine. That what that first column, the first numeric column for fiscal year 2526, is that actuals or is that budgeted? It's not from the budget last year. >> Those are budget >> top lines. >> Yeah. So, Tara, if you look at the the big old document, um the grand total from last year, the 2526 approved budget is a 31,795811. That is that top row of total proposed budget expenditures. If we assume that is our comparison figure, then the $570,000 is >> not in that. >> Didn't know that, >> right? And so then if we're kind of conceptually saying let's let's think about budgets, >> y

112>> we would add that 570 to this year just mathematically what is the overall increase? And so that brings us to roughly 8.6% 6% increase instead of the 6.88% increase. >> So the 570 represents a roughly 2% or 1.8% of an increase above and beyond that 6.88%. So if we're going to be communicating to voters, hey, our budget last year was X, this year it's Y, >> it's going to feel like, >> yeah, >> it's more because of that, even though there's these other mechanisms in the background >> that are kind of >> mating >> mitigating the actual impact. And so the it depends on how we want to frame it. Maybe this is a framing thing, but that is kind of that that is what's happening here. Okay. What other questions do you have?

113>> Well, no. Yeah. When Renee, [clears throat] when you asked the question, why is this additional cost not impacting Dresden as substantially as handover? I understood the answer to that question to be that slide number whatever page this is um accommodated both the slide number 25 accommodated both the increased expenditure and increased revenue. But based upon your quotation of that number 31795811, that is not an accurate response to your question. >> That's true. If that's not actual >> this this is budget to budget. So then we still don't have an answer to your question which we could you know discuss at a later time but that that answer was not accurate. >> So then this is budget to budget budget is tuition. budget is >> not for revenue >> but not for revenue. Yeah. Isn't

114this >> This is last year's >> uh Kelly. >> So, I'm just This is more question for Kelly. Kelly, >> she's at the ready. [laughter] >> Um so, I'm trying to look at the tuition because the tuition just has the potential to create such a pit if we're wrong. Right. So, I'm looking at the tuition assumptions for last year's budget, which I just sent around to what numbers you like. >> Oh, thank you. >> Um and this year's assumptions. And so, um, last year we assumed that we were going to go up, uh, I believe we're 17 students higher between last year's budgeted tuition amounts, 131 students, and this year's assumed budgeted amount, 146 students. And I'm just curious if that is reflecting real students that we have in our school right now that we

115expect to stay >> or if that's us aggressively assuming that through all of the wonderful work that you guys have been doing um to go out and share our programming we are hoping for 17 additional students. I imagine it's somewhere in the middle but >> does it for graduating students and all the other >> I don't know if I can answer that but Teresa the 145 is accurate right? Yeah. So that would be actual. Okay. >> So the the other would just be projected, right? Like it would just be what we >> believe will happen, >> right? >> Feel like it's a pretty >> Sorry, but I'm looking at Okay, I'm looking at slide 11. >> I'm looking at our 145 from your um budget projection. There amendment projections, Teresa? >> Yep. Okay. So, I'm

116going back to >> Okay. >> I'm looking at slide 11, Teresa, if you want to pull that up behind us. >> Okay. >> Where it says that we're expecting 17 additional students. Not clear if that's tuition students or reg. >> No, it's not tuition students. >> Okay. And then assuming 146 tuition students >> and we have 145 students right now. >> Right now. Okay. So we're only one student. >> The rest of that plus 17 is coming from the model work model. Um >> the five year and 15 year >> I feel much better. Thank you very much. [laughter] >> I know you guys they 17 more should want [laughter] >> but you're not going to budget. >> A little thank you make that bit earlier that the 17 does not mean >> I mean

117it's the same slide we use every year. us on you. It's just me making sure. >> Do we know do those projections account for things like graduating students, incoming ninth graders, siblings? >> Yeah. >> Any of those aspects? >> Yes. >> As much as we Yes. Okay. Yeah. uh carry again last that we have the universe share going up 5% the north share going up 4% but >> um above what it is from increase from this year >> from this year but on the private previous slide the net assessment which is the sum of those two members is going up 6.98 >> I'm Just wondering if that's the four and the 5% increases are correct. If they deal with the total almost seven well they were done on an individual base um the the rate

118that it went up based on last year's model and everything else and then obviously um taken into that consideration to get the 6.88 um for each of them. That was the difference. >> I know you make some adjustments there. So maybe that's the dirty bit. Thank you questions. You're two hours in. Good job everyone. Yes. Time flies. Thank you, Teresa, for walking through those things. >> Uh, shifting now to 5C, the warrant articles. >> B, can I just add one more thing? I mean, um, we didn't talk tonight about the the reductions, um, >> at schools. I'm okay if we want to skip it given the hour. Um, but I did want to just give folks a >> um, a heads up as we come into the holidays. >> Um, I finally had a chance

119last night to run a tax rate projection for Norwich. Yep. >> Um, and it's coming in at a 56% increase. >> 56. [laughter] >> I think you heard that from Neil tonight. >> Right. You want to walk us through the next [laughter] deep breath. >> So, will that mic drop me or anything else? I mean, what I would say is, you know, it's really these numbers obviously shift throughout the course of budgeting um and will change even after uh voters uh vote on the budget because the yield numbers won't get set until the end of the legislative session. Um but it just it appears to be just a confluence of factors all working >> um against us. It's an increase in expenditures. It's a decrease in um weighted students. It's a decrease in the yield

120number and it's a decrease in the scent discount that we were getting result of the change in the pupil weight. So all of those things all those numbers are going in the wrong direction. Um and yeah my initial uh numbers last now there um I'm still missing uh the figure for um revenues in Norwich. So I'm carrying forward the revenues from last year. So there could be some you know I mean I should say they're not there could be there will obviously be some changes in that figure um but it's a big number >> and as I recall you're giving a talk tomorrow morning right to get into more details on the Norwich side of the river. Is that right? >> That talk is to basically um you know inform people of the process of

121the factors that the board considers when they're developing a budget. Um and then um yeah I will I will share that little nugget at the end >> and then go to work. [laughter] >> Hey Lisa. >> Yeah. So then just a question um because I really appreciate the budget committee members. Um you guys are doing the omen's job of this work. So would it be helpful to you all to have a quick discussion about the proposed redu like what are you looking for us as nonbudget committee board members to guide you as you continue this process between now and January? President Chair, budgetary terrorist Neil again. I think any response to that. Um I I uh read what's in the packet, right? I don't think that we need to talk about it tonight because I

122think, you know, if if my numbers from last night are accurate, then what's in your packet tonight um is the beginning of the conversation, not the end of the conversation. Um you're talking a massive amount of reductions that would be necessary in order to get a budget increase, what I would consider to be reasonable. Um you know, two years ago in Norwich, we had about a 17 18% increase. Um last year it was actually a decrease. Um, but this year, you know, 56 is just those are numbers that I've never seen before. >> Um, which means that I think the conversation that we need to have is one that we've never had before. >> Yeah. >> Um, and so I don't know that there's a whole lot of value discussing the potential reductions that are

123in the packet tonight. I I this is going to be a um a bigger conversation that I think I would want to have the time to prepare for. >> Okay. Thank you. With all those smiles around, we're going to move on. >> Okay, shifting to warrant articles. Um, so last night in handover, we talked about this as well. I think there was some attachments from previous years as to what the example of warrant articles were like, particularly for our newer members. Um, the goal was not to set who's doing what and how, but more just to give a sense of what we talk about at the annual meeting, which is scheduled for late February on a random Saturday morning. And I will leave it at that. Kelly deing for what happened last night. >> Not

124going. >> Okay. [laughter] >> I would just say that given >> I mean there's always been the chance for new board members to do the easy ones. [laughter] >> But this year, if there only four of us there >> or five, we all have to >> six right now. >> Oh, we have six. >> Okay. need one more. >> So, don't count on getting an easy one. [laughter] >> To Deb's point, um, typically one person historically, Kim, this year, we'll we'll see does a lot of work when it comes to budgets with our massive thanks and then a couple board members take some here and there, but a lot of our sort of more historical stalward elderly board members, myself, are not going to be there this year. I'm the most elderly and I had

125to be there. >> I'm so sorry. But that Yeah, we'll be looking for identifying those probably January. Ellie, >> remind me, do we have any special warrant articles currently planned for Dresden? I don't think we do. Now, that was what we needed to discuss last night was whether what what our warrant articles looked like for >> uh handover again. >> Well, and that reminds me, thank you, Kelly. Um, I've had some conversations with other school board members and they're talking about whether they need to have a warrant article about open enrollment. >> Yes. Talking about that, too. >> I've been talking about it. >> Yeah, there's been a lot of sidebars on that one. >> Yeah. >> So, we might be >> the hands are sprouting here. Kelly, Neil, >> well, just process question and

126I should know this and I just was not certain. Is that something also that we would decide January 13th? Is that does it have to be decided January 13th as well if we're going to propose said word article? >> Yeah. Which mean the next board meeting, >> right? Or how does that mean? >> Yep. >> To answer your question, I believe the answer is yes. I mean, there's there's a deadline that we need to meet in order to get something avoiding productive. >> Um the question for Deb though, would that be an advisory? Um Excellent article only. And the only the reason I'm thinking about this is because I think we've not been in a situation like this before where it's been a a New Hampshire type law or regulation. And I wonder around the

127concerns about having nor because we're an interstate district to have Norwich voters weigh in on >> that aspect of it. And I don't want to I I don't want, you know, whatever we put out there to be clouded by the fact that New Hampshire's going to claim that that the vote wasn't accurate just because they don't understand. Um Robin Robin will chime in. I'll I'll follow her. So there's lots of updates around the political side of things. Robin, >> I've had many conversations about this with various attorneys and districts around us and so we've been talking about whether we should put it on as Warren article because we there is one district now that is doing that definitely. They already have it on there. >> Yes. Yes. Security Arch has it as a Warren article

128and they've suggested that they will send out zero students and they will accept 30 and they're doing that as obviously a placeholder. Um, and we've talked in this region. We had a meeting recently about not putting it as a warrant article because we're concerned about the impact that it's going to have potentially on other schools around us >> and that that will send the legislature the message that we as school districts are supporting open enrollment. So, I think we need to think very carefully about this. I've heard different things from attorneys that our tuition agreements would stand as they're written, but I also heard recently from one attorney that she feels that the tuition agreements would not necessarily stand, that we would have to follow the open enrollment legislation, which right now, again, it's not

129finalized, but right now they're talking about sending districts paying 80% of their tuition to us. So, and people have talked about different things like could we set our tuition rates higher 120% of sending schools, things like that. So, it's really complicated. The other thing that we're worried about as superintendent in this area is thinking about whether we want to bring this warrant article forward and allow them to see what schools are doing and potentially change the legislation based on what schools are presenting in warrant articles. So I think it's a much bigger discussion that we need to have and um obviously probably not on the night that we have discussion about the budget. So I have been sending you information. I'll continue to send that and um and again I've been very involved in the

130open enrollment discussions around the state and it's I'm hearing many different things. Conval is talking about doing an open enrollment warrant article that says they will accept 6 to 12 German students and they will send zero students out and that's just at the high school. So people are getting creative. Yeah. But again, >> and I'll chime in that as some of you may know, Kel and I had the opportunity to meet with the commissioner of education on Friday and open enrollment was the specific topics of discussion. And we as a group asked her sort of what do we know? And her answer I would paraphrase that she's a very processoriented person. And the answer was we have no guidance from the legislature and therefore there will be no guidance forthcoming and that we're basically on

131our own. And we're asking the the basic questions of you know if we say we put out we have space for 15 and through some sort of system we get a 100 applications. How do we ascertain which 15 do we want? Is it some sort of lottery? Do we start doing gaming things based on grades or height or sports or ease of transportation or preferred districts? or German or or all the other different qualifications we we asked them. The answer was >> figure it out. >> You're on your own. >> Good luck. >> And so I don't know if that's a rabbit hole we want to go down um through Robin's points, but that is sort of the guidance we're getting from the state. So as always, thank you New Hampshire. >> I'm not sorry

132as that question because I actually think we need to >> No, I think yeah, but I would agree with the point you made that right the right time to do it. It definitely feels like a big social experiment. >> Let's see what happens. >> Arguably, that's what folks want it to be. >> And I think I would agree with Robin that we don't want to do an arms race to the bottom um among our region. >> No. >> So, I think we can probably >> Or hurt our neighbors. Exactly. Right. And that's the >> Now, we don't know what would happen, but I think that is a reasonable assumption to make. >> All right. We've talked a little about that and our handover finance colleagues have waited very patiently. So, would you guys wish to

133make any comments on our lovely process tonight knowing that we had a good talk with Greg Snider last night? >> Um, [clears throat] yeah. Barry, John thoughts? >> Uh, we had a bit of a bombshell at the end. >> Yeah, [laughter] >> we are stealing that. >> [laughter] >> So it sounds like your wine just sounds like there's a dialogue going on. Uh I guess I would suggest to you that on the town side our initial bid is something like plus 5% on spending but with lots of caveats. I think it's an extremely preliminary number >> but um um and then for the county side we're looking at maybe a double digit increase. So that's like a small target and there's a few dollars. >> Figured this out and we appreciate your hard work. [laughter]

134>> Thanks for that. >> I think um the more information you provide to us the better. I know you're kind of scrambling and so we appreciate and thank you for the PowerPoint that's very helpful for the late you know not involved people to digest. So thank you for that. We'll look forward I'm sure to more as you guys bring this out over the next four four weeks something like that. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thanks. Thanks. >> All right. Yeah. Happy holidays to all. Um, anything else specific to budget before we move on to other business? And uh, thank you Carrie and Jonathan for your time. We appreciate it. >> Thanks guys. Thank you. >> Anything else? In that case, we will shift to business requiring discussion where I will take point with my

135policy hat on. Folks, bear with me as I look through all the other attachments. Um, we have four first readings tonight. All four which we also discussed at handover last night for those who are keeping track. So going down the list here, the first one is JA which is field trips and excursions. And thanks to Ryan for putting in the highlighted text noting the changes. So this was prompted by last spring. Folks may recall that we had a international trip that was sort of sprung on to us and we were told about it even after the fact that it happened and there were many concerns expressed on that. Both why aren't we approving international field trips? who organized this trip? What about security measures for certain countries and um state department advisor and state department

136advisory warnings for certain countries at certain times and that prompted this response. Generally speaking, there are some minor um shifts and updates and word smithing in that as well. That was the general gist of what we're trying to attempt to not let that happen again without schoolboard approval and some schoolboard discussion particularly with international trips to countries of particular interest for political or technological reasons. And I think I will leave it at that. All the other bullet points in there are kind of getting at those aspects and trying to be as specific as possible for staff planning and chaperones and all that sort of thing. >> Any questions, comments on that one? Uh, Julie, do >> you want something? >> Yeah. Yeah, please. >> No, not now is good. >> Couple things, you know, while

137we're looking at it again, >> I know this isn't part of what you guys added, but it does say I'm at the third paragraph where it says when requesting permission to take class away, you must submit details and consent form and all of that. And we have for walking field trips, we already have a consent form that's signed by parents, so I don't know. I know that that's a change over time that's happened because of technology and just wondering if >> and we have we have a I think to what you just said you have a sort of a standing >> standing like people walk to the hood people right like so I don't know if we want to fix something in there just to that people don't have to send field trip commission forms

138home >> when they're walking places. Well, since the parents already filled out that form as like a standard walking policy, I think that would I think that would >> cover there. So, not to worry. Okay. And then I just talked to a couple people who do a number of the international trips. >> Um, and they in terms of um the application must include insurance policy materials. They say that's just not possible until you've actually bought the tickets. Like what? So, I don't know what you sort of mean by that. like where which insurance company they're planning on going with when they buy the tickets, but that would be problematic. Um, you know, based on this whole thing, I know that you have the three months, but I think we're going to try to bring you

139June to August all of our stuff so families know and they can plan over the summer hopefully. Um, and then the other thing was we don't understand on the second I'm saying second page, but it's not your second page. I don't know what um the paragraph that says what um says field trips must be sponsored by the school district. >> That whole paragraph doesn't make sense to me. So >> that did not happen last time. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Which I think is one of the concerns that were raised. >> I guess we just don't know what it means. So that it has to be not brought to the school by an outside group that there's no school relationship. I think it's the gist of what that is. >> Oh, like a a family can't

140be like we're taking kids to whatever in the name of >> a family and outside organization that we get that we just didn't we didn't read that that's what that meant. >> Yeah, that was I think our what we were aiming for. >> From my read of it, that seems fairly straightforward. >> Okay, I'm gonna read it again with that in mind and see if it makes sense. >> Okay. Um, and then that last paragraph before shaper runs, a couple of us read it and we can't tell if that means you can or you can't. >> The state department one or the technology >> for security for security reasons >> that was at the insistence of of it and I >> right we don't know it means you can bring it or you can't you

141can't use it or you can or you can use your own or you can't like that basically it's confusing is all I'm saying. M >> it's the my read of it is that district owned devices are not allowed internationally >> unless they have been spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe spe specifically configured by IT staff. >> How about specifically configured for international >> use? That's I think what you're >> talking I think before they do anything you have to give your device to them and >> yeah. >> Okay. All right. So I'll read that again and see if that makes sense with that in mind. Um >> okay. seeing some side conversations. Any other clarifying questions? >> Those are the CLA. Yeah,

142thank you. >> And obviously there be more I mean the middle school has international trips as well probably to a less controversial location but still I think the point would be made. Um anything else on that particular issue? Moving right along then wide open documents. All right. The next one is on JLCJA, which is sports related injuries and a medical emergency plan. That one was updated to account for additional illnesses that would have bearing on sports injuries and making sure that the rather than coaches, athletic trainers, etc. know about these conditions. The forms that parents fill out online in terms of the child's history has also been updated to account for those things. and having an action plan for sport for sports and injuries that can occur on site regardless of whether they are an

143official school function or not since as we all know we host a number of sports functions official or unofficial to the schools at any one time. Any comments on that one? >> So it's basically the addition of the green text >> to the policy itself and then some updates to the R version as well as the forms filled out by parents. Seeing none. And the third one is on JLIA supervision of students. Right. So this is one that is um was pushed through by NHSBA that was formally recommended and is now required and the board or the policy committee excuse me took a look at it and did not make did not feel there are any additions made. It is fairly straightforward. We did ascertain with relevant staff that all these things have been covered

144and we believe they have been. Deb made the point last night that the term guns are not in here at all. Um, which I I I hear that but that is a previous discussion we've had about the danger politically or not of putting that word in and things that can happen with the state of New Hampshire that I think precludes us from making any additions to that point. Much to my sugar. Anything else on that one? Okay, seeing none. And the last one for tonight is on JLCK, which is special fiscal health needs. Let me pull that one up as well. This is also a newly required one that acknowledges some changes um at the state level. Actually, I'm getting that mixed up with J. I apologize. We added a lot more to this. If

145you can see what was in there previously was just a couple of sentences long and this adds a bit more teeth to it from NHSBA. Somewhat surprisingly, they kept the social emotional learning aspects of this which I appreciate. We'll see how long that'll survive. >> And we also vetted this with our principal involvement staff and the nurses in terms of things like nutritious meals and clean drinking water can mean different things to different people. How are we on that? uh 2C was a point of discussion at policy because the way it reads of it it is a command that you will employ a social worker which is what we ran with that but it turns out that in the technical advisory it is one of these above either employed or contracted as needed. So somewhat

146unfortunately we're not able to hire a social worker as a result of this policy and other things of that nature but we think that we are all good on the things that we needed to have are in place at each of the schools on this and the rest of it seemed like good practices anyway. Any questions on this one? Okay, move on then. Thank you for your time on that one. And then lastly, we are retiring a policy that has grown redundant from the 1970s, the BCA, school director ethics, which has been largely superseded by recent policies we've enacted that relate to that issue directly, such as BBA and BBAA that I'll get into sort of our duties to ourselves and our different codes that we want to abide by. So, we thought BCA was

147not relevant at this point. And if nothing else, and there is a vote on on retiring BCA tonight. The rest we'll wait for a second read. So nothing there, we will move on to we're skipping 6B for the agenda review and moving on to the donations for RMS and HHS from our good friends at the Jack and Dorothy Burn Foundation. Uh Nissa, you want to start with RMS? Uh Missy Rodriguez has been working for the last year plus on fundraising for our fitness room and has met the goal that the burn foundation set. So that is a matching to other donations that have been received. >> Well done really hard. >> Any questions on the wait room? >> Right. Julie, you want to chime in on the high school version or iteration? >> The tranquility

148center. This is to help um put things into it that would make sense and that students have done a lot of research on what right they've looked at what Dartmouth and >> um and so they had some ideas and they wrote to Dorothy and she was happy to help them. >> I think they take that initiative students of HHS as they look at Ian. Um, >> I also would just like to say that listening to the students who were involved in this project, which has been weeks and weeks and weeks of work, again, they were so thoughtful. They had done research into ways of alleviating stress. They knew every they knew the answers to all the questions that people posed to them. They had done an enormous amount of work. And it was really it's

149really very very impressive. They've thought about everything from, you know, obviously what's in the room to how long it should people should be in the room to the conditions around that, how it's going to be handled. And it was just really impressive to listen to them. >> And if you look at Dorothy's response, it is directly addressed to the student life committee members, which is a nice touch. Lisa, >> yeah, I I just I don't think we can say thank you enough to Mrs. Burn. And I want to point out that she handwrites the checks and she personally signs all of them. And um I just there's really not anything in this community that she hasn't donated to. So I just the more we say thank you it I just feel we can't say thank

150you enough. So [laughter] >> as always we thank the foundation from the bottom of our hearts and we do not take it lightly. >> And you're still doing the running total, right? [laughter] I know. I was thinking about that. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> I mean, it might be over now. >> It might be nice to do some sort of global thank you of like what she's donated over the last 10 years. You know, just I don't know. >> I did send her a thank you note. I said we'll compile all the information. >> Just some sort of public recognition. >> Yes. >> Celebration. >> Yeah. Exactly. Yeah, >> with that said, folks, move into the business requiring action section. We'll take a consent motion doing our usual stuff as well as acknowledging the two

151foundations. Deb, >> I move to approve [clears throat] items B through F by consent with very grateful appreciation to Darthy Burn for her extraordinary generosity to our students. >> Seconded by Carrie. And are we still folks with us? Yes, we still have Tara on with us as well as Garrett. Uh, starting with Neil, yes. >> Christy, yes. Russell, yes. Yes. Yes. Nelson, yes. >> Yes. >> Terra, >> yes. >> Thank you. And moving on with Garrett, Dresden. Kei, yes. That is unanimous. Thank you everyone. Moving on, reports and communications. Um I think I spoke my piece already about the meeting with the commissioner last week and I think that was my main notice apart from that. Otherwise I'll mention we have two meetings in January on both January 13th and January 27th. One is the

152budget hearing and the other is our standard meeting. So thank you for that. And moving on to the committee reports we have some updates here. Uh Deb and Tara anything from CSDC? Um well I think the the main item is that the there were two applications for a sbatical in the committee did not think either one of them merited being forwarded on to Robin for consideration. And so in at least one instance, the applicant was encourage is being encouraged to apply for some summer study for a what are those grants called? >> Enrichment grants. I think both of them [laughter] how many years? Enrichment grant. Yeah, >> we suggested that both of them might be good candidates for enrichment grants. Okay, thank you for that correction, Par. >> And then so just to clarify, and

153I think in like a negotiation sense, does that mean sort of the buck stops here, nothing happens? Mhm. >> Okay. >> I'll say the same thing I said in the handover meeting, which is I think this is notice to the board for negotiation time that we need to reconsider how this program works because now we've had two cycles of applicants that we had some serious concerns about the proposals. So it doesn't seem as currently formatted that the program is getting the results that we would like to see. So either we need to come up with some better inspiration or decide to use the funds in some other way that would better serve the population of staff. >> Um anything else from that committee from either of you? I think the the January meeting is where

154we look at step and track increases. Correct. Or the enrichment grants. >> Both. >> Yeah. Okay. So, >> things to [laughter] >> I'm looking at my leadership over here. >> Right. Thank you for that. Uh CSDC committee. I'm going to chime in briefly on a policy committee update or at least something that's coming down the line. And for those of you who have been monitoring your email, we had a curious alert from NHSBA a couple hours ago >> that a technical advisory came out regarding audio and video recordings that it is their opinion that per the so-called parental rights bill that came out a few months ago and passed that video and audio recordings of students will not be possible without explicit opt-in permission. And that would cover things such as plays >> and musicals.

155>> Oddly enough, sports were not mentioned, but I'd imagine they'd be shoehorned in there as well for talking about plays. >> And things that would come into play with us that they have not talked about are student presentations to boards, Ian's presence [laughter] on the board, as well as uh some other things. uh security cameras were allowed in the sense of student safety and whatnot, but a lot of that to be changed and so policy will tackle that when we get to the queue, but be advised that that is coming as well and what's some implications for that. >> We did I did not get that. >> I didn't get that either. >> Okay. [clears throat] >> Oh, you didn't like I to administrators. >> I got it automatically. But it does say the the

156advisory does not address questions such as recording of schoolboard meetings as students do a presentation. >> That's NHSPS interpretation. >> Oh, okay. Okay. >> Or questions too about um or >> she's on it. >> Different world languages got us. >> Yeah. Okay. >> So Carrie will thank you. >> How many people didn't get it? Lisa, Kelly, Gina, I got it. I don't know. I haven't gotten to my email. Sorry. >> Just in case that would never >> And so we'll we'll see what happens there. >> Just want to give the board that heads up since I think that was would be a surprise to some. >> All right. In that case, we will move on to the next committee which is council. Do you have anything to add besides what you >> I've already chimed

157in? Yeah. >> Bar, anything going on with Harford? No, we haven't had a meeting since the 12th of November. I'm already giving you guys up. >> I think I already heard some some rumors from the tuition committee that we are not ready for a public conversation on that. Does that still hold from tuition committee members? >> I believe so. Yeah, >> we'll move right along then for the sake of time. Uh Robin, do you have any recent events or initiatives we should know? >> Well, [laughter] a lot actually as you can imagine. >> That's news to me. staying busy with budgets and with all of the new legislation that's coming about and I've still been spending quite a bit of time in schools and classrooms and meeting I have my monthly meetings with principles. I

158had my meeting with Anissa today and I have my meeting with Julie on Thursday. We moved our leadership team meeting to my office on Monday because we were supposed to do engagement checks in classrooms at um the Ray School and we thought maybe that wouldn't be a good idea to do that that day. So, we moved it to next month, but I want to say happy holiday to all of you and thank you for serving on the board. I really appreciate it. I know these are difficult times with everything that we've had to deal with with the insurance costs. I've never had this in any of my experiences in school. So, I feel really fortunate [laughter] first year in this position, but I really appreciate all that you do >> all of our teachers and

159staff members. So, thank you. [laughter] >> I know. I had a good time. >> Let's not see what else we can come up with. Yeah. Yeah. >> But any questions, comments for Robin? >> I've encouraged Ian to come. >> I would do that as well. >> Yes. Bye. >> Bye. >> Have a good holiday. >> Bye. >> Well, Lauren, I hear we hear a euphonium is on route to the high school. >> That's so exciting. That is this morning uh connected with Julie and um we were able to yeah talk a little bit about needs inventory to make sure that our students have access to instruments um and that inventory that that was one of the needs. So super cool and I also had to look it up. So [laughter] >> I was like I

160think I know what it is but let's do a little shar. >> Um beyond that amazing news it's steady as she goes. Um I am going to be helping provide some oversight and um work for the technology department. So I am your tech person [laughter] >> and you're smiling [clears throat] too. the the tech department is um just a welloiled machine at this point and I feel very fortunate to be stepping into this role and working with the folks um that are just so intelligent and thoughtful and really are running the show and I will be there to support them as well. >> Please give them our thanks because we often don't see them directly what they do. So appreciate it. >> Definitely I will pass that along. Um but beyond that my report is

161uploaded for you and I'm happy to answer any questions. They don't have any for >> just thank you. >> Yeah. Happy holidays everybody. Yeah. Thank you. >> I told Lauren I had to do the technology thing three years ago so she could definitely do it. >> Full confidence. >> Thank you Lauren. Now Teresa I don't think you've talked tonight but if you watching did >> I did not add a report. >> I think that is things going on. It's not necess Yeah, I do I do say thanks for all the help everybody has been given me too and everything else that's working with everybody and hope everybody has a great holiday. >> Thank you for that. We do have multiple needs to go into non-public tonight. One related to >> one related to negotiations which

162would fall under 2 A. The other one related to a student matter which I believe would that be E see >> any persons. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> A and C. If the board member would like to make a motion, I'd appreciate it. Or I move to enter into nonpublic session at 8:29 p.m. under RSA 91- A 3 2 N C. >> Thank you. Seconded by Lisa. Uh round the horn starting with Neil and we need Tara and Jared on this as well. Yes. >> Christy, yes. Russell, yes. Sullivan, yes. Yes. Nelson, yes. >> Derek, yes. I just want to get rid of the testing thing. Okay, we'll go into non-public. Uh, I will call Terra. Oh, Garrett, can you hang up? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Uh, yeah. Sorry, I couldn't talk. Yep. Yes.

163>> Yep. All right. I'll call Tara if someone can call Garrett when we're in there and we will be out uh hopefully somewhat shortly. >> Thank you. >> I did say yes. Yeah. Thank you. Right. We'll be back. Uh, everyone feel free to take off. >> [laughter] >> All right. Um, >> welcome back everyone. We are back at 8:55. Is there another opportunity for public comment? Anyone here wish to speak? >> Seeing some general. All right, we will move on and thank you for being here though. We appreciate it. If you have any agenda topics for the next meeting, please send them to me in a timely fashion. We'll get them on or at least set at the agenda planning discussion. Otherwise, I will take a motion to adjourn and be prepared for Tuesday, January

16413th for our next one. >> We have to approve something quick. >> Oh, you are totally right. I apologize for that. We need to take a motion on a possible tuition waiver. Would anyone like to make a motion on that? Yeah, >> I move to approve waving tuition for the remainder of the 202526 school year for an HHS senior as a presented. >> Seconded by Lisa. Thank you for that. Remind me of that. I appreciate it. Uh we still have board members online. So starting with Neil Rod. Yes. >> Christie, yes. Russell, yes. Sullivan, yes. Yes. >> Nelson, yes. >> Yes. >> You okay there? >> And and looks like we lost Garrett and Keany. Yes. All right. Thank you for that reminder. And apart from that, I believe we're ready for to adjourn the

165meeting. >> I move the meeting at 8:56 p.m. >> Well, you were ready for that. Seconded by Lisa All around the horn. One more time with Neil. Yes. >> Christy, yes. Russell, yes. Svin, yes. >> Yes. Nelson. Yes. [laughter] >> Yes. >> And Ke? Yes. We are adjourned. Lisa wants to take a brief five before SAU start >> to stretch and do whatever you need to do. >> Thank you for that, Lisa. We'll see you all shortly. Happy holidays. It took good.