001this position this that's FB has stage. yesterday afternoon. Yeah, we were actually on our 47 years. as I was trying to go down the hill and I saw okay back up. Yeah. So, and then it was that I think suddenly like something but yeah it was good. You saw. >> So why are we doing four chairs on the tent? Family insurance. >> No, no, no. The budget meeting just ended. So, we have an insurance thing, but it has to be done before. Well, >> that's why we talk about her instina. Gina, you might see Gina. This must always earlier. I was advertising. I'll add that next. All right, you ready? >> All right, going to call our meeting to order at 6:15. >> Uh, first item is our agenda review. All right, we have a
002couple items to add to the agenda tonight. >> Yes. So we add the ELA review and we to um update the names. >> Uh yeah, we want to um two so I want to do it in two parts. The first part would be to go into executive session and talk about the tenative agreement and then when we come back out to have a vote on it. I see Gina is with us now. Panelist. Okay. Um on public comments anyone like anyone see any okay [clears throat] um so I'm just right into our as we get right to our budget presentation. Um it's not going to be a formal presentation tonight. The documents are here. There's been a lot of moving numbers. I think is uh just to bring everyone up to speed. The first, as
003you may recall, our budget guidelines that we approved earlier this fall was a 3% increase before any negotiated settlement. Um we will be going to nonp tonight to discuss the settlement that was negotiated. We'll be approving that. So um that being said, the budget to date has not included any increases for the new teacher contract. So, it's basically just taking only the step and track increases out the additional uh percentage increase that would be negotiated in in the contract negotiations. Um, and our our um budget guidelines had recommended a budget increase before any amounts were added in of 3% increase versus last year's. You may recall then the budgets that came out initially were showing over a 9% increase. Um it went down a little bit last nove uh sorry our last meeting. Um but
004we were still what was I think it was six or 7% increase. Uh, so we asked Sean and his team to go back and see what we what it would look like if we, you know, if we were to stick to the budget guidelines of a 3% increase, which he kindly did with Robin and team over the past three days. Um, I think keeping in mind that we don't have this is just our budget. So, is in Vermont, we don't know what the tax rate is going to be yet until we get the yield number, the long-term ADM number, um, as well as the revenue numbers that all determine the tax rate. Um, but again, all we normally can do is just manage our own budget at this point until we start getting into deeper
005into December. and usually may end up having one, two, and sometimes three meetings in January once those numbers all land from the state. The yield number did come out last Monday. >> So that came out um but again so we can throw some numbers and it doesn't actually look good from the start which is surprising I guess. Um, but there's a lot of other moving parts with regards to the student count and the revenues that might change that at least as our tax rate goes. So anyways, all that being said, Neil, do you want to maybe just go through? So again, we asked the administration to go back get us down to a 3% budget, which is that's what's presented here is the in the supporting documents. Um, it's all very detailed line by line,
006department by department. But if you cut all the way to the last page, you'll see that we are now at a 3.11% increase for the for the um 26 270 variable. Now what that includes to get to that number from our last budget includes the following assumptions. It's a rather long ass uh I can give it a go. Um and then uh Sean or other please correct me if by any of this inaccurately. So um as Garrett mentioned the initial budget came in at about 9 and a half% increase. We asked Sean and administration to go back consider [clears throat] some reductions to get it into the budget guideline of 3%. Um team took a look. It required reductions of just over $458,000 in order to get us down to around 3%. And those reductions
007right now would include um removing the uh proposed addition of a district social worker that was going to be a one FTE I believe that was going to be shared across all four districts. Um so 25 of that FTE would have been attributed to Norwich. Um so we're proposing removing that position. Um next a proposal to remove um one of the two building subs. So that would be a one FE reduction in the building subs um leaving us with one um for next year. Um and sorry I just made so just to be clear we only had one today. >> Yes. So the idea was was to establish the building stuff and when we taking someone from the classroom into that building sub so it was kind of not reduce any this would actually reduce
008that up. >> Yeah. Sorry. So yeah by the two proposed by the virgin right. Um, next would be the removal of a tech integration position. Um, which I believe falls into that same category. It was proposed in an initial um version of the budget, but now we're looking at removing that position. Um, a 0.5 FTE reduction in special education, a 0.5 reduction in the math coach, um, 1.0 of FTE reduction in kindergarten teachers. That would potentially bring us from uh three sections down to two a2 FTE reduction in part. Um and then moving on to uh to the prek program, I'm considering uh a one FTE reduction um in the classroom teacher position in prek. So going from two teachers to one teacher there and then along with that a reduction of two ed assistants
009in the prek program. Did I get that right? >> one reduction of one ed assistant in the pre-trade program. Um a little bit more pencil sharpening then on some other non-personnel areas of the budget. Um uh uh gas for our busing service. Um, we anticipated we could reduce that by about 5K based on prior utilization of that line item. Um, field trips, uh, looking to make a reduction of $12,000 in field trips. Um, that would not zero out that line item. That would be $15,000 in the field trip line item. Um, $5,000 reduction in assemblies. Um, that would leave that line item at $6,000. So, also not zeroing that out. And then finally, a reduction in maintenance costs of $21,000. Um, while we still still do believe that we'll be able to achieve some of
010the roof repairs that are needed in the building that reduction. So these um potential reductions um would bring the budget increase in at 3.11% versus the 9.55 that we saw in the previous version of budget. Um we do note that um you know with the prek program so essentially having that prek program we would be able to serve um probably 17 to 18 students rather than 35 36 um that we were planning on for the next year. Um I would note then for those students um that we were not able to accommodate whether or Norwich which residents right they then um would be allowed funding to go to another prek um uh provider um you know in the area um and we would then need to provide funding for that 10 hours a week for
011those students. So there is a potential um cost associated with a reduction in the prepaid program, but um the administration has said that if you even take that into consideration, there's still savings to be had by having the prepaid program of costs with those kids to go elsewhere. >> Did I summarize everything accurately? you cut everything out of >> so um yeah and just editorially I will proide that I I don't think anyone here at this table enjoys um having to consider these reductions this is not a position that we want to be in I think it's a position that we sort of find ourselves forced to be in um and uh decisions on these um potential reductions. I would I wouldn't nothing is being decided this evening, right? No no final decisions will be
012made. Um that part of the work will continue through uh the first couple of weeks in January um as we debate as this body debates where we want to go with the budget um what reductions if any we want to um uh you know bring forward. Um and hopefully within the next couple of weeks we'll be able to provide some more forecasting on the potential tax rate. Um we did get some key pieces of information from the state on Monday or the property yield the tax commissioner property yield letter. Um but we are missing still uh some other figures that are crucial in determining um that tax rate. most notably um figures for our long long-term weighted ADM count which we received from the agency of education um who apparently still continues to have problems
013uh developing that number. Um even the number from last year has not apparently been completely validated. Um so we are um left in a position where uh we are missing some key pieces of data in order to give this community a better sense of what the tax rate increase would be for this budget that we're considering at this moment. Sorry that's the good right. I'm just joking. >> All right. Um opening it up. I think one thing that I would like to do um Sean I think is you know I think we should definitely look at the prek program as far as charging for that and then the implications on our long-term ADM count rather than making sure that we understand that they just so aware prek kids are counted as less than other kids
014on in the ADM so you're not getting full credit for them Yet you're basically hiring spending the same amount on that as your other kids, but you're not getting the same credit as far as your tax rate because they're not counted as a forward. That's the easiest way to explain it. So reducing the prek does help because from that perspective because it's hurting our amm ratio I think as far as the tax rate goes but there is also the opportunity the state has mandated it's a 10-hour mandate we actually provide a full 35 hours five days a week we what we could do is just provide the state mandated 10 and then charge above and beyond happen which obviously you know would be cost to the community but I think when I'm looking around and
015saying what's their community members by public education obviously the state mandate that we need to think about that so I think I don't know how we run those models to it would be interesting to see what we would do there obviously We would not know how much people how many people would enroll at a tuition rate, right? How would we come up with that? But it would be >> would be interesting to see how that would work. >> Yeah. Run the numbers on a whole. >> No, it's a teacher and stuff, right? It's a whole model, right? >> The teacher, but then you have some income adm works for only you're still going to get because they're only technically they're only 10. You're only Yeah. You're only doing as long as you're writing 10 hours
016of prek for them, they count now as a 80 number, right? >> Yeah. I mean, they're still counted in other calculations that are on the spreadsheets, >> right? >> But for the purpose of that long term, you know, when it's when they're plugged in, yeah, they're kind of as a negative point. >> Okay. We did something similar for Han too as we've started talking about preschool program there. So we can you know look at some potential is not a research >> right but we've been looking at putting it in for an article for next year. So we've been looking at numbers and we're going to charge how much based on what people are charging in the area. So, so we can trust him up with something. >> Yes. Another district I was at, we definitely
017charge for the regular ed preschool. >> All right. Any questions for the board? My thought. For those of us not serving on the budget committee, uh, am I correct in looking at the list that Neil articulated in that the social worker, the fractional piece of the social worker, one of two building subs, and removal of the tech integration position are removals from the budget proposal that don't change this current year. And then everything afterwards would be a reduction from what we presently do. I'm going to work this way. >> Close. >> Uh the district social workers, we don't have that this year. Build accept is something we don't have this year. We do have a 0.4 tech integrations. We have thought moving that.8 and this proposal just makes the position. >> Excellent. >> Okay. >>
018Yeah. >> The building uh they would still be reduced. So, as far as sections go, we reducing one K through six section and one preK section, right? So, the the building sub is actually the original plan was was to move a full-time teacher into the building sub. That would now just be going, >> right? So, the position of building sub number two doesn't exist this year, right? But we are losing a section of students. So we have three sections of sixth grade and moving on two sections of kindergartener again. >> Mhm. >> And then we're bumping up two sections. So our seventh grade is also reducing a bit. We were going to take that position and moving it to the building sub for next year. >> Even though the building sub position didn't exist position
019itself was a classroom teacher position. Got it. >> And that's now gone. >> It's proposed. It's on the list. >> It's on the list. Okay. The proposal has it. >> So, you would not have loading person in the building anymore. >> You would still have one. >> Yes. >> I'll figure that out later. >> Yeah. Yes, >> at the end of the night, we'll know obviously we you know you're looking at approving the negotiated contract but I think at that point once you add that back in you're probably looking at you know high for almost five 3% right if you have the numbers that are estimated to be added into the budget from the negotiating contract because so right Now with all this, you're probably looking at almost 5% boost. >> All right. Any other
020questions from the board? Lisa? >> Yeah, I I'm still thinking about the prek. Um there's kind of also a philosophical aspect of it of you know we want our numbers of students in the building to be as high as possible and wondering like is there a sense of the earlier we start them in the building do they tend to stay? Does it has it mattered that we've had a pre I mean if if the kindergarten next year's only two is that just because we're in a we're in the part of the snake that hasn't swallowed anything you know um and the number you know like just the birth rates from 5 years ago were really low or is there something else happening that people are going elsewhere? I I just I'm trying to figure out
021like I don't want to be pennywise and pound foolish um if that makes sense. Um, and if the prek helps us attract people, is there value in that to the taxpayers in the long term, even though this term is I don't I just I'm trying to wrap my head around that, too. And and I agree that we should charge tuition and provide a minimal, you know, like all those are really great ideas, and I'd love to hear what Andrew's doing. Um, but you know, would two half days get more kids in the building and and help us have a robust kindergarten the next year? So, just wondering. >> Yes. Great. >> I would just say that every year we have more Africas. So, it's definitely not that people are incumbent. So, we have both preks
022and we always have for the last few years. >> Right. I I I understood that. So I'm just wondering if we if we reduce it by half like I don't know >> I don't think we get >> I I just wonder John or Greg at the end of the day Norwich residents with their kids at MCS the prek is nice to have but I would nor res at the monaster know you could get help from stay here but Um, now I know, but I don't think that that really I don't really think that there's a connection because then day even if all the we didn't even offer prek like back in the day that kids would go all over the place, but then for kindergarten from here that's really >> Yeah. I I guess I
023just remember previous conversations about prek that it was a money maker for us. So I'm certainly confused by it's not anymore. like like I I remember previous board conversations we were like the more kids we can get in pre-k the better off we are because that they come with tuition and the cost is low and now I'm hearing that's not the case. So I'm I'm I guess that's also my confusion is suddenly it's costing us money versus being something that we were literally encouraging three years ago that this was a way to get more money in the building. We do get tuition for it, but it's doesn't cover obviously all the cost of being for it. >> So, we would save about half of what we're paying for or feature and a an EA. >>
024I trust the math. I just I'm I'm remembering when we added it, it was it was build as something >> that was a net positive. Yeah, definitely is. >> In this budget, there is I think it's a $72,000 increase in costs for tuition. So that's basically saying that's all the people that normally would be here. It's multiplying that number. >> So they across the river. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Michael's making me feel less insane because he said you elected the same thing. So, just to and I might let Greg or Sean correct me if I get this wrong, but I I just want to make sure that we're clear on how their their prepaid stuff works and the reason that you may be thinking that something changed and that's mostly related to the change
025in the student wedded prek program here at Mary and cross it was under the old student weight formula where I believe those kids were counted as a 46 right and so when you get that ADM it was at the time it was called an equalized pupil number when you get that measure of that student it actually helps with the budget because if you remember how the tax rate works right it's yeah >> at spending per pupil right and so when the denominator piece can grow right >> get larger from the same amount of spending and that helps with the That's right. Um I looked it up because the conversation with Teresa earlier tonight, she is right. So the change in 27 changed that prek weight from a 46 to I think a negative.5. >> Okay.
026>> Four. >> So there was that change in the waiting in the formula which then changes the a little bit and why originally it was a net positive for us. Now it impact may not be as beneficial as it once was. >> Okay. Thank you for making me feel as crazy. >> Right. >> Okay. Any more questions from the board before seeing? Okay. Yes. in this conversation about prek you I guess we're also thinking about the academic outcomes and I don't know if we have data to analyze around the impact that having a prek program here is having on future academic success. There's a lot of educational research around this topic. Um, also how many kids would not go to prek if we didn't offer prek? I think there's a lot to to look at
027as well around the academic piece because that's our core mission, right? And so we we need to keep that in the front. And if we're if we're sacrificing, and I'm not saying that we are, I don't know what the the data will show, but if we're sacrificing academic growth and success by cutting this program, I think the long-term impacts are going to be greater and we need to think about that in the process. So I just encourage us to look at that piece as well. I don't know. Sorry. [laughter] Um, uh, Linda Dante, I live here in Norwich and, um, my daughter lives in our house with her partner because she can't afford else, which is I think is is what's happening for a lot of our young people. And I know when I was
028talking about short-term rentals when I went to weren't communicating here in town and I was talking about, you know, housing here, which is a problem of the affordability. Uh I don't have numbers on there, but what I can speak to is the remarkable app. Um my daughter attended an excellent food aid program in Norwich up to the point that she was enrolled here and the amount of social emotional learning. Um the amount of I mean you know I'm a psychiatrist by training so I know how incredibly important early education is for our kids. I understand the virtual learners. I guess I just hope that through all of this the integrity of the program can be because and as as accessible as possible. This is a rough spot but let's not I think the staff we
029have there the philosophy it's so and it does set kids up for success where they skills that they carry. >> Great. >> Yeah. I just wanted to point out too that I think one of the big selling points we started this was >> how we can give a wraparound not wraparound but services a lot of kids have developmental delays >> and that is a huge um it's not the academic part it's that >> you know just speech and those kinds of things socialization emotional control that's the helpful part and I don't want to like promote one thing but I think those are the biggest benefits instead of having a person here having to go to a bunch of different centers around the upper value was much more it was efficient to have and better quality
030um services that would be like you know slap in you know you don't have to get in your car and drive you just like oh I'll take them today and so you know there's a lot more to it you don't remember the cost part but that was the big the early intervention was like the big thread that I remember >> I guess just from a process perspective you know each and every potential change enumerated obviously has an impact. We'll be discussing this down the road at a future hearing or you're as chair, do you want more discussion and questions on these tonight? What what is uh what is the right time to ask questions about that? >> I think if you want to make comments tonight, I wouldn't be opposed to that frankly if we
031want to have some more discussion. I mean, this is the bud this is one of our budget presentations. I think you know this is going to be given where we are I do this time of deal I think >> you know there will probably be >> potentially three meetings as many as three meetings in January our history so this isn't going to be the last discussion here but I think to the extent board members public or others have I mean comments from Greg from are all taking notes here as far as letting you know making sure that we're you know so that I don't come across and say well you know I think it's better to have the district social worker then prek or something, right? Or like that might not be the next open.
032>> Yeah, I guess my my question in cognizant that January is a very busy day or a very busy month for those that love the school board. For me, I I'm my personal questions are more focused on um what would happen with reducing things that we already have in the school. And so my questions are less about some of the things that were proposed and more about um the reduction of the math coach, the reduction in art, um the reduction special education, like who absorbed those three things. Um, I'm a well-known prank talking about math in our school district. Um, and so I'm particularly interested in kind of the impact of those three things. So when people ask about it, I'm just better wedded up at the impact of the building. which I know we
033got and maybe we get remind people of a history of the math test because that originally came through a grant that we knew it was going to turn into a full-time position but we also knew that this day might come as I recall but >> so I'm glad you asked the question because anytime we you remember the first budget that was given including these positions for reason because they're important >> and they do things for our kids and they help our program be strong. One of the things that I think we're proud of for which you said we have a great pass school. So chipping away at things chips away at our programs. I appreciate your question. Um there are some things on here that are district social worker is a fine thing to put
034on. We've never had it. The second building sub we will live without. Tech integration is is okay. It's going to be a harder position because we don't have a lot of tech support right now. Users, we have a little bit more. But as far as impacting kids on an everyday basis, that position doesn't have as much. Um the 0.5 special ed piece I think is okay because we can absorb that into we we have a pretty strong special ed team. Um, and at one point we had need for a part-time person to take some of the case load from the others. We've had kids that have moved on. We have really great um intervention program. So, we're catching some kids. So, I think that's okay. The math coach piece is um that position is part
035math coach, part interventionist. when looking at something I was looking at what impacts kids less. So that part of the position impacts teachers most giving support to teachers to help teach the math well. Um I think we're at a point where we've had our program for few years. We have some people on staff that have some great expertise in math that could help us with that. But as far as looking for phrases to reduce that have little impact on kids, I think that one is okay. Um then when we start getting to to cutting classroom teachers, that's a harder piece because that that is a direct impact on kids does happen to be that right now in kindergarten we're not projecting very many students and we looked at who we have coming in it's it's
036below 30. So right now that could be fine. That is also a grade that fluctuates in the summer. So it's a bit of a gam, >> but we did put a little safety net in there in that we reallocated the ed assistant position to help with those kindergartens. So if the numbers get high, we have that buffer in there. Um reduction of the prek program to be quite honest with you bothers me the most of all with this. Um I think myself I'm a strong believer in early intervention. We catch kids in our prek program and give them some really great services that saves us money in the long run. So we we have speech services here PT special ed before when those kids were scattered all over the place we had to send our
037staff out. And then we're paying staff not only to buy services but to drive half hour away both ways was less efficient. So now we have kids that come here in prek and by the time they get in kindergarten we've addressed speech issues. We've addressed mobility issues. We've taught them how to be a student in our school so that when they get to kindergarten they're ready to join and and have something and and learn well. Um so everything has a cost. I think task you gave was hard. So going through and and thinking of what um what we can reduce was going to have a least impact on them really hard. What would be helpful to me is if there's something on this list that you see that you you have pause, we can look
038elsewhere. So, if there's enough pause in that prek piece, um, that is that gets us $135,000 towards the bigger sum, but we could look elsewhere. But as far as impact, that's that's what I see as >> Did you mention art and I >> um so the art piece is on here because when when I first came it was a point8 FTE and the number of sections of this are reduced. >> We will have to reduce the amount of time the kids go to art a bit to be able to fit it in four days. That also has an impact. The other thing that impact those when you start chunking away people's positions that they look for another job and you know takes a while to get someone back settled into a position. >> Got it.
039Thank you. >> Can I add a connection? >> Yes. Um, so the math interventionist is really a tier two kind type of support, you know. So in the classroom is tier one. The math interventionist is tier two, like just a little extra help. Then that special ed is a higher level. So by getting rid of the math coach, theoretically you might be not helping kids at an early enough age to overcome something. So then they end up at tier three, which is the whole point of having an intervention is to try to, you know, slow that down. I think we have a lower special ed um numbers in the state compared to the rest of the state. So that's probably because we have some really good tier 2 services as well. So everything I agree
040with Sean like you showed this to me yesterday. I was like wow these are hard hard cuts and none of them are good. >> That's what comes out. >> Well specifically for the interventionist position too. Nobody ever knows what's going to happen on grant funding, but that is also a position that can be looked at through title one funding. Um, so even if it's a part-time position or makes that part of an FTE, I think there are potentially other ways that we could still get a similar position if that is not doable in the budget itself. We have done that in the past. I guess perhaps I would say aloud um what I think at the beginning of every budget process whether it's uh education or healthcare or whatever else. Uh it's not about where
041you start, it's about where you end up. Um it's frequently uncomfortable and then a lot of us just speaking for myself move to Norwich precisely for the schools. And so we'll have to think hard about how being unique comes together to support education whether it's through the base budget or grants or we've had some some real friends of uh the education system whether it's PTO or other local residents and so if there's something we really want like let's make sure we explore all the different ways to try to sustain it. Um I do talk sometimes with people about pay you're going to have to pay one way or another either through new taxes or through reduced property values when people don't put such a premium on mort and that's a really tricky balance. I think
042this board's done a good job of it the last few years and we'll have to do it again. >> Yeah. Um I'd like to re make a recommendation to this body about possibly that we could entertain the next but so um I'm hearing a lot of talk about the prek program um and you know I think it's all big discussion there has been some part of the talk about you know is there a potential revenue option here on the prek thing I will admit I don't fully understand what we can and cannot do in that space when it comes to you know charging tuition Um and I'm wondering if SP would be an agreement of asking administration to look into that option for the next um board view that we have in January. So we
043understand is there potential here that we could offset maybe some uh some of these increases with some additional revenue in that space um the board is saying fine. The other thing, and this might end up being a very small ticket item, but I'm looking at the revenue side of the equation. Um, could we increase could we consider increasing the rents that we charge for usage of our facilities? >> It may not get us much, but it may get us something. And I'm not here to squeeze out the afterchool program. Um but uh you know I think we need to look at both the expense and the revenue side of things too. >> I'm happy to take a look at the prepaid situation and we can look at what impact that would have on the budget
044to if we were to have that piece back and look at it various ways with some tuition with tuition. So >> yeah, and along with that sort of but in but I don't know if this ever comes up and we see you know enrollment numbers you know I you don't know how many of those families would actually be willing to pay for things and I don't know >> yeah and so if if we're having those discussions now um it might be a question worth asking just as an additional data point >> we have all those contacts so we can send this out gather I do think that if the survey goes out has to be under the opices of if you know would you pay and obviously said you know they correctly order it correctly
045obviously that if if we are faced with difficult decisions you know would you be but okay so does the board have a head not for I think at least one in particular I think getting >> obviously we can't charge Jewish there's an issue with that start Michael the other thing that Neil and I often ask ourselves and you know what is an appropriate increase for taxes and what right I think you know we're always asking towns people it's very hard to your comment about property values don't think stomach the fact that this is what we all value in this community and the question is, you know, it's very hard right now. Obviously, you know, all we can assume is is that whatever our budget increases, that hopefully the tax rate increases some. So, let's just
046talk to the numbers there. And the question is always, you know, this pointed for one to one, we're saying, okay, let's just bring about what budget increase is, but let's see what the tax rate. I was just think if our budget's going by 5%, our tax rate's going to move by 5%. What's the appetite for taxpayers to have a 10% increase over 12% tax rate increase every year? I don't know. Right. I think we have tried to keep this budget kind of in line with you know this CPI inflation and that kind of thing maybe a little bit higher. I was stripping it right by but right right now we got this 3% budget. 72 layer in the you know the negotiated agreement here is you know a lot of you know that's talking for
047almost 5% budgeting increase. >> Yep. So it's hard I think like at least my opinion is once you start getting much above five to 6% of an annual tax rate increase it starts to create issues for the community. But again, that's a discussion that we should all have as a board and then even if there's committee members, I guess, right? Right. >> So, and I very much agree with that, Mr. Chairman. Although I I think I share this every year, I I work very hard to bifurcate this discussion in my head. I feel very much beholden to taxpayers to understand the percent increase in actual spending. And I think we've been very responsible on that as a school board. Um and then separate from that is the increase in the tax rate which is influenced
048by factors far out of our control. Um and there's frequently in Vermont not a pure linkage as you know between spending increases and tax rate increases. And I understand the discussion about that statewide is perilous. You have Vermont tiger this week saying oh education spending going up 12% based on just the first letter. Well, projected spending is up five or six% and then there's a manufactured political crisis that the legislature and governor put in motion last year um by buying down the tax rate artificially. Now they have to catch up. So I mean we have to deal with both things, right? When we go talk to our friends and neighbors, right? I like to nail down part one like what's the green dollar increase then part two is one of the most impressive things I
049ever saw in public life having intended I think one million public meetings was Neil talking about us I think spending going up 2% and tax rate going up 18%. Somebody asked, "Hey, is that just because of monkey business a lot failure?" And your answer was yes. [laughter] And nobody else asked any questions. It was extremely impressive. >> And so I think people here get it and want to deal with that, >> you know, on theformational meeting. I just like >> I think you got to be careful mingling those up front. Once you have a clear view of the green dollar increase, right? >> Okay. Where does that leave us with all their shoulder the state? Good. And again, I think to to close this conversation out again, I guess that's why I'm asking that question
050because again, why why are three of us or five of us or two of us determining how much tax increase around town? I think so. We do try to keep that number I think something that's reasonable that I I always think that that you know like I said the rate of inflation CPIs that type of thing you know it's worried you know salary increases if we do look at that year over year at least for the rate by red it's going to be like I said almost 5%. So if our budget's up 5%. That's pretty okay but almost that still requires these cuts right because the other costs are going up like healthare right are going that much faster than 5%. So those are the things that when I say we have these flat budgets
051actually is there even 5% budget it's not when you have other increases going up 10 or 12% right more and I mean and then you know there's been other things too I mean even just uh with the healthcare >> um just selections and whatnot right it's funny we just can't predict that >> yeah and then I I know um I know we all know this but sometimes even I forget about this um this is The tax rate is not all the responsibility of mortgage. Yeah. >> Or I should say Marian Cross, right? But half of that tax rate comes from the Dresden assessment. So there's um you know two pieces to that and there's only one piece that this this group of folks has >> control over. The other piece is controlled by this group
052of folks plus a few others. >> Um and and that happens on the other side of the river. But um right now as things stand, it's really about uh it's a 50/50 thing. So about 50% of that tax rate comes from the Norwich to Marian cross budget. The other 50% comes from the investment assessment. So similar conversations will be had on the other side of the river. >> Well, to that point, we're holding our colleagues on the other side of the river to keep their budgets down because I understand that he was on other boards that there was actually some funding being proposed on the other side of the tape for various reasons. certain that's another thing to be balanced here isn't you know over there sending us a budget that's an increasing five or
053six and we're going to put forward a budget here for MCS that's at nine it's kind of like well you know we can't cry poor on the other side of the river right and say our taxes are going to cut budget but that's hard for us so when they're making cuts as well over there >> okay yes um >> I have a question again about process mentioned earlier What are the opportunities in January and in February for more public engagement in this conversation? Um, someone who's not been to a million public meetings whereas schoolboard meetings like I'm very curious to potentially bridge that gap of knowledge of all these complexities, the changing landscape so that people can actively engage and participate from any form. Um and so I'm co-chair of the PTO would be happy
054to host event if folks would be able to come and help demystify or explain some of these concepts but I think I mean I'm just barely grasping some of the moving pieces right now and I feel really it's going to start to be rumor mills around cutting prek and cutting all these things to be able to have accessible form might be something I think would be and not I just think that's school board meetings just aren't accessible to kind of so engagement that go a long way I think for getting input and buying and support. So I guess my question would be is there an opportunity for that in January or this month? Representative Bul could come and others just hope more nuanced conversation about excuse me. >> Yeah, we could think about that. I
055mean I was going on to last year's board do action to give you a sense and I mean we did the first meeting our regular meeting in Norwich obviously was a lot about the budget and then we had another meeting on January 21st that was that was actually the budget adoption meeting and then you remind sometimes in January we actually have three meetings so our regular meeting plus two special meetings as we're trying to the prior year we were we were making some changes at the last minute and voting on things and that was the direction that we were trying that was you were trying to do the whole stuff with with the act 127 whe right might >> uh as far as a you mean so like a daytime meeting >> well I'm not
056sure necessarily on the time of day yet but I think that sometimes the setup of certain meetings there just don't feel as lucrative or intimidating there's always like your tense concepts to really absorb and so trying to find a space and a time where there could just be more education and explanation what's tax rate states budgets what you know what's the 50% for resident like it's just it's a lot digest and so I'll be able to help just have a little bit explanation and engagement and questions and put that >> some shar like as you said for five people to decide a tax rate and and that future of a prek program feels like a lot and to think about other ways to achieve that. I would >> other way I think our it would
057[clears throat] probably best to continue to have them into our regular hearings just because those are closure meetings. I guess maybe speaking from I know >> Tom Candon and Neil and others in the past when things were getting a lot with the state we had some special >> we had done brochures and done whatnot and I think two people showed up after all that it was kind of it wasn't you know work and the effort it was kind of like we're talking but I would encourage people to come to these meetings it's actually at Michael and I met when we first came to town and you might remember that if I was the best side of ourselves because we were jumping up and down and was yelling at me for the same fact. >> I
058can't guarantee no one's been yelling. >> So I was on the other side of the table and it was because he showed up exact same like who is this guy. Um but yes, >> yeah, I I guess I would I would kind of throw the question back at this group. Um I mean we have like I remember Neil did this great presentation in the multi um I think three times one year I can't remember what year it was when things were getting pretty complicated and you know maybe two people showed up and then maybe two people showed up and we tried them at different times and you know it just so we don't seem to do a very good job of attracting people to meetings. So I would wonder are there places where people already
059are that we could come to, >> you know, like if there's already an audience that exists and if it would be helpful for some of us or somehow for us to get information in front of that already existing group of people that you feel aren't as informed. That seems like a more effective way than than once again trying to set up a meeting that that people don't attend. >> Yeah. And I can appreciate the recruitment issue and just to get >> it's just hard because especially in December like right now Yeah. people are are mapped >> state Rebecca Hul came and spoke to the con last May >> and about 30 people were there completely engaged wanted more. So I think I hear you on that concern, but I >> So there wasn't a PT
060I mean that to me makes a lot more sense. >> Yeah. So I guess that's what I'm prescribing the solution yet, but I think the need and the opportunity here is >> creates some more times engaged and it doesn't it could be virtual, you know, the mechanism delivering >> can be determined but I feel like responding to the need. >> Yeah. [clears throat] >> And I I agree. I think the more people that have the information, the better. I I complete I just am trying if we can find existing audiences that just seems to be the most efficient way to do it. >> Yeah. I would say I mean listen I am only [clears throat] one board member. I'm happy to meet with folks um you know even one-on-one if they want to to talk
061about things. Um uh I am willing to come to a PTO meeting and I can share things like process and I can share sort of like you know what happens at the state level and how it influences what we do here. I would refrain from getting into particulars about the Norwich budget because I do think that that's a board level discussion and um you know I agree these formats are not the greatest for you know a free flow of information with folks but um unfortunately it's our democratic system and how it's been set up and so I would say to the extent that you talk folks who are scared to come tell them don't be scared say scared but right it's not like [laughter] it's technical holders want to absorb. >> I get it. And
062so if they just want to reach out individually or if we want to create some small group discussions and if it's just you know terminology process you know how is tax rate calculated that sort of thing I'm I'm happy to talk with anybody and share that information so that you know maybe with with that and then coming to a meeting um it's it's a little bit less daunting. The thing we could do at the January meeting is we could open that meeting by having quick review of how tax is calculated probably board members a bit as we're getting into this as far as before we get into the detail that I mean it would take five minutes just to get a quick review to the extended in the audience probably fresher Amanda Jeep uh sorry
063Lisa >> yeah um I'm wondering Neil did a really great slides to presentation a bunch of years ago. I don't know if it's up to date, like if it still works in terms of how the tax rate is calculated, but those slides are I walk away every town meeting thinking I understand it because of those slides. I forget like two months later how it works. But in that moment in time, I feel very smart. And so I'm wondering if those slides could be attached to the Marian Cross website, to the Dresden website, to the SAU website. Um, and you could, you know, put it in the PTO newsletter. Neil's five presentation slides of presentation about how tax rates are calculated is on the website and then any board member would be happy to talk to
064you about it individually or, you know, somebody might show up at a PTO meeting. I can't because I teach at a school at the river. So, I can't volunteer myself to do any PTO stuff unless it's at 7 o'clock at night. But, um, but it just occurs to me that there is information out there that is web friendly and putting it on a website and then having every single piece of information that goes out, you know, to parents referring to that just it might be another way to get the information out without reinventing the wheel. >> I appreciate the offer is out of date. Okay, I tried. [laughter] >> You could be like in ancient times this is how the tax rate was calculated. >> I mean I also want to be cognizant Neil is
065on one negotiation committee on judge and budget committees. >> Right. No, no. I'm not asking him to do anything new. I just was wondering if it was it was still up to date putting it up there made sense. So >> all right, Jana, sorry. I didn't um admit you can might have been up for a while. >> That's okay. It's just um I also went to that Neil presentation before I was a schoolboard member and I found it very helpful. Um I would offer myself to Neil if there's help to take those slides and turn them into an FAQ that we then like make a loom video that is narrated over which is what is the tax rate and so you give us a script I will could help you do it and then we
066can share it. I think to address the concern or the how do we get to people I mean I just think we have to call out that like what time works for some people doesn't work for others and in the world that we live in now using asynchronous communication tools like loom or elsewhere to create a short video that people can consume on their own time and then people can [snorts] ask questions or I don't do we have like a board email or maybe at the end of it say if you have more questions email the board so we can get back to you or so we can answer them. We record all of these meetings so people can watch them. But I think what I'm hearing from the public is they have more questions
067about things and needing it. And Garrett, your suggestion of doing it the next meeting is a good one, but maybe we record it and we put on the listerve, hey, in case you need a refresher on how the tax rate is did, you know, we recorded it in the um in the board meeting and um please watch it. I think one question I have is do people actually care as much as we think they care? And I think some people do and some people don't. But it is hard to see if people care if they're not showing up or calling into meetings. Um if you can't make it to it in person, you can at least have it on on Zoom or watch it on the YouTube. Um so that's all >> I can't hear.
068Sorry. By the way, the sound is not great over here on the Zoom. >> Okay. >> With Neil here at BSBA had a deck because they have done some nice little >> I don't know if we have one around tax rate calculation, you know. Let me see what I can put together. I do have something. It just is going to require some updates and I can help with that too. >> I can help read anything. I just can't help calculate. So, >> there's a question in the corner, I think. Oh, Linda >> and Linda too. Linda Linda's not >> someone who attends a lot of meetings. [laughter] >> Um, I think my observation to your your question, Lisa, is it's like another language and I common that I absorbed this. I've also been a board
069member, but like you Lisa, if I'm not dealing with it every day, I forget and it can be intimidating. And yes, you can get on Zoom, but when people start talking and they're kind of waiting to ask a question and then you realize they've already moved on to another topic. So, while people can watch Zoom, it's not as engageable as as far as that goes. And and to your question, Gina, about um whether people care, I think they really care. And for that reason, I think the board has to be really careful about how they're inviting people in because we all experience that when you're sort of sitting in front of you're trying to keep to your schedule. Budget development, budget adoption, and people are thinking, well, can I speak now? You've already moved way
070past that or the process has moved past that. So, I understand people want to be involved, but there's times when you can take public input and use it, right? And then there's times we need to move beyond it or it's just not possible to use what they're saying because of that beyond their control. And so I think that process of when people can speak and you can actually hear it and use it and when maybe there's factors beyond the board's control that say great idea but not going to work this time because that's not the way the legislature said we could do it. I think that process piece incredibly important so people aren't frustrated and somehow they're feeling they're excluded by the board. There's a process and a timeline driver. >> Thank you. Yes. >>
071Yeah. Maybe just uh sorry Adams uh 128 term fight. Um just thinking about what Mara brought up around how to make it more inclusive. I'll say like I I've been in and out of meetings over the last five years. I had a st like this is the first one this year uh doing a standing conflict and I'm just like surprised like we don't even like there's not paper p like there it doesn't feel like we want people to be here and be catching up like there's no there's no paper right like does everyone do you need to be like how do I get the board docs is it only online like right like things like that like what's the what's the way for someone who's walking in that is not all connected like how are
072they how are they following the conversation um that we might think about just that that broader like array of folks that might want us to to join into the meeting. Um, and I think I I'm surprised to be saying it, but I have found that the select board in their communication recently around what's on their agenda and what's been happening has been vastly improved in the last six months in a way that I think you can follow maybe what's happening in those meetings in ways that was very hard before that. And I I wonder if there's some ways that um more of what's going on going to be on the agenda could be uh communicated a little bit more proactively so folks know that like today is a budget conversation u that may not be
073following it as closely as the people who are generally in this room. I think we just have to like I think people want to know but they just are not going to know when are when are these conversations coming up unless they're reminded on a really regular basis which takes a lot of effort to do but >> yes I mean I can respond I mean as board chair I am not going to be updating those surve I don't have time for that like I appreciate the select board does that and they post everything and that's just not something I'm going to do. Um if people don't want to engage with me next time and jump around that's fine. Um, I do think that all this and again I can look at our website but it
074is all online. So I do remind people you you've got to like just go to the SA website the entire school calendar there. Every one of our meetings is there. I know, but some people show up and say, "How do you know when the meetings are like every meeting for the rest of the year on that calendar?" And when you click through, you can go right to symbol. You can see the agenda, but we're talking about it and they're hosted. And I'm just saying that from our own work because I've got three kids and sports and all this. And you know, we have meetings at 12:00 noon every month to get make sure that these meetings are warned five days in advance with the agenda out there. So it is not trying to agree but
075it is all out there and the agendas Brian posts them and actually they are all on the list serve. So the agenda just so you know when you go through when you see there's looking for an skinner the list serve of the agenda is there. So it is reminding you to like to be fair she posted all to the list serve the school but the budget meeting has been posted there. The agenda which I think the clickth through sheet works >> and she usually puts the minutes afterwards are there and yes I think the only thing that >> might not happen is as far as like yes we have to figure how to follow along that they kind of hit me some right so anyways thank you for the comment yes [clears throat] >> um
076and I think I can say for the PTO we would be happy to help disseminate more information again not everyone subscribes to the right now newsletters but right it's multiple times multiple ways and I think we have to just try and create this inclusive process [clears throat] as possible and recognize public servants that are doing this in addition to your like as volunteers so the onus to lead this isn't necessarily work right it can be more of a partnership but I think that mean there's like the knowledge and the content like this is the tax rate you PowerPoint presentations. I love it. It makes sense. But then there's people's passions and qualitative influence really to have that participatory space and I would offer to not have that responsibility for coordinating that space while on the
077schoolboard that they could take responsibility and show up in place to have facilitated. >> I think one thing we try to do is that one communication just been the website. Everything goes through that website. >> Yes. >> I'm not sure whether to say something. I'm just gonna put in a humble plug. Uh, one of the things that we heard loud and clear from the community over um through the surveys that were conducted at the end of last year was the desire for more communication and a place where other things could be shared out and it was confusing to find board docs and understand when the meetings are and what the agendas look like. So again, humble plug. If you happen to see in your inbox that happenings at SAU70 email that we've been sending out
078on a monthly basis, you're attempting that as a potential um sort of next step to meet those needs. And at the very top, it includes important dates which will then tell you when the meetings are and what's happening. And even better, if you scroll down to the end, just another place to find it, if the website is hard to navigate, there's specific information about the board meetings and direct links into assembly that include the agendas. So, that's another thing if you're hearing out in the public that people don't know where to find things. Looking at that communication is a centralized place that doesn't take too many clicks to find that info. and the SD70 companies newsletters >> but I will put it right so it's like trying to figure out >> idea about yeah trying
079to get it out in multiple places that's been heard to continue >> and it just occurred to me that we keep saying the word simply which people may not know what that is um it's just our board management system so um it's how it's our new system of management where all this stuff is. So I I catch this in lingo sometimes. [laughter] >> So was Board Dos. Now >> it's Board Dos is still there. If anyone wants to look up last year's name [laughter] to get last year's all last year's budget stuff. All right, I think it's time to move on. Um and at this point move on to our warning articles. Um, I don't think there's actually too much to discuss here because this is these are fairly standard and obviously um the big
080things in the school budget. >> I did have one question. Is your two-year seat up as well? >> Actually, I think yes. >> Yeah. So, I think it's my three-year seat and your two-year seat. >> Michael, are you also Yeah, I think >> so. Maybe it's two threeear seats and a two-year seat. It's the end of three years. >> Yeah. The end of six for me and it's the end of three for you and it's the end of six. You and I started at the same time right here. Yeah. So it's three seats are up this time. >> Yeah. But I like >> Yeah. >> So Michael and I are Yeah. >> Yeah. We're the same. >> So for me being new, what's that math? >> It's been really hard for me to figure out
081your terms. because it's not clear. So, it would be nice that on our website where your members listed where you're listed as a member, it should have their term start year. Yeah. Anyway, it appears that there's two three-ear terms in it, one two-year term on the ballot in March. aren't that's how I found out that you are both >> right but it only said on the war it only says there's one >> no no I'm just saying >> but do be careful because my name was left off of the ballot last election That's >> as good. >> So, yeah. Okay. >> So, we'll give that a special election. >> All right. Any other comments on the morning article as drafted it cost money. >> That's good catch. Anything else on there for now? >> CBS.
082[clears throat] >> Yeah. Just a quick So, we say this publicly. just um make sure someone reads the warnings really carefully and the actual ballot really carefully so that we don't leave people off the ballot and have to have a special election which costs a lead like we did three years ago. So >> any other question or comments there otherwise move on to our reports >> the PTO report. >> Yes, this is my third reading chair saying established [laughter] And I have to say we've made progress people supporting that various individuals and I'm hopeful that we'll submit it to the state by the end of the month. So wow. >> Yeah. By the next board meeting I'll be able to say that we have an garden. So that'll be the big update. But I was
083curious in that vein because we've been talking about fundraising for the PTO and describing impact and wondering if potentially this is the point in which some of these cuts coming up, not the big personnel cuts with benefits like that, but if $12,000 reduction of field trip and then 5,000 and assemblies like this might be an opportunity for the PTO a to pursue grants as a nonprofit organization, supplement any budget cuts essentially fundraised for these smaller um line items that don't make this. We can't do that until we're not but that's my that's what I'm thinking and hearing as we're having these conversations like what would potentially be a role of having the actual established entity independent school district >> I I don't know if I'm overstepping looking at you um I just because this community
084dips a lot into the same pots of money multiple times, you might want to have a conversation with Lauren, who handles the the grants for the district, just to make sure that we're like six or seven organizations affiliated with the schools aren't all hitting up the same hypertherm foundation for the same amount of money. That would be my only I think that's a great idea. And I just would, as someone who used to give away grants, it it just helps sometimes. You're like, are you guys not talking to each other? is not really what you want the grant person to be thinking. [laughter] >> Always happy to do that partner around. >> Okay. All right. Well, thank you for that. Um move on to our next uh topic discussion. There's a ring of policy here.
085I missed our clock meeting. because it looks like there was a standard policy with a slight edit regarding >> student teachers internship briefing. >> Does anybody have any comments on this? Do you have any comments on this as far as how it impacts you or whether there's any issues with this? >> It pretty much states what we do in practice. I don't remember what's the history of this policy there policy. >> We did it policy before but it is a it's just outlining what where the expectations are for student teachers in terms like policy. We have this we are presenting it for each of the >> probably was should have been a policy in place a long time ago wring came across the policy for okay >> so we'll have our next meeting at the
086next meeting and the next meeting okay um current action will do I have oh >> I missed the part in agenda review um may discuss the ELA program. >> We need to add that. >> Okay. >> I'm about to add it right now. >> I completely missed. So, >> okay. [laughter] >> If you refresh, it's good to go and then I'll get myself set up. >> Well, you're going to set um on the agenda, which I just skipped was B, is that appointing an AP approver? I think we just appointed our approvers to >> I feel so as long as everyone's okay for this one. I get everything going out. We'll keep it as is. >> Yeah. >> Crazy at some point. >> I think we forgot for a while. I think you and I
087hit it for a little bit of time. >> And then Laura's going to do this. If you are our board docs, the presentation's there. I move out of the way. We also have the screen. >> It's exciting. It should take two and a half years in the work. >> They should actually be wearing hats like gowns or something. >> Can you see if we're still Or if you want me to click on Sure. All right. So, while this is getting set up, I'll just say that there are there are two parts to this. So, the first part is to hopefully provide a bit of rationale and center us around the why we even started this process that we've arrived at a recommendation from. In the second part, a deeper dive into a specific program that
088we have looked at and feel comfortable recommending to the board and then as we um towards the ends of the end of the presentation um we'll discuss a little bit of the budget and potential next steps around adoption. Um trying to organize this too uh reflecting policy. So tonight is simply a presentation. Um then the board has time to deliberate around what you're hearing this evening. I'm happy to answer any questions tonight and send me questions along the way. And then per policy at the January meeting that will be the official action time. We can also add it into discussion for any follow-up conversation before we move towards action. Uh so again centering us in the work and the why. So thinking about our tier one universal curriculum adoption in ELA and this is something
089that I took over has been in place for about two and a half years took over from Robin and just trying to get it right across the finish line this year as December but here we are. So let's go ahead and talk about it. [laughter] Um okay so understanding the what and the why and finding this core instructional piece. I'm hoping that as you hear this presentation, you will also hear reflected some commonalities between the process and the rationale that um got us through the IM implementation and adoption also echoing in our ELA uh curriculum adoption here. >> You're doing great. Thanks, Sean. >> I'm not going to read through all these slides because I've already violated my own slide creation strategy. Include less, only highlight big points, talk about the other things. But in
090the absence of time, I chose to put a lot of information on the slides, also knowing that these can be reviewed at your leisure, at your pleasure, and by other people as well over the next month. Um, but essentially, this is just highlighting the why around universal instruction, the uh adoption of a specific program. We're talking about two categories, universal access for our students, um, and being able to adopt something that is standardsbased and evidencebased for all of our students. Um, one of the challenges that we really looked at early on is this idea of our homegrown curriculum because there are some exceptional things happening at all of our grade levels and in all of our classrooms in the area of English language arts and embarking this process um was not a way to devalue
091any of that work. However, the things that we do in our classroom cannot and should not be done in silos. And as we looked at the amazing work that was happening in classrooms and across kindergarten and uh through fifth grade, what we also realized is despite the fact that amazing things were happening in each of our classrooms and each of our grade levels, um there were some hidden gaps and there were some areas where we were lacking some systematic rigor and instructional routines. So again, not to devalue what is already happening, but thinking about this alignment and reun or reun, sorry, unification of our program. Um, so I highlighted a few of these things uh that become challenges of a homegrown program that you can review. There's this idea of the Frankenstein effect, the curator
092trap, and also this idea of emotional cost as well. Um, so as we think about adopting this new program, we are also acknowledging that it is a cultural shift and it's hard to do these things. However, on the flip side, there there is real power in alignment, both that horizontal alignment as well as that vertical alignment. This ties into presentations that you've already heard even this year around MTSS, which is multi-ter systems of supports. And this idea here, this is our graphic that represents different tiers of supports that students may receive. And the idea is we want all of our students receiving this first green layer all the time and then we layer on additional supports as we go. So when we think about curriculum adoption and program adoption, the idea is that we are
093providing a really good foundation, a solid foundation that will reach the majority of students that all students will have access to and that once that is applied, we're able to provide some targeted support to students that need it beyond what this universal program will provide. The idea again is equity through access. So closing gaps, scaffolding up and creating shared languages or shared language across our classrooms and across our schools. Now this presentation that I'm giving today is specifically for Mary and Cross, but as you've heard through my previous uh reports to the board throughout this year, this is also happening in conjunction with the Ray School. So the Hanover school board will be getting a similar presentation because we've been doing this work together. So this idea of closing the gaps, scaffolding up as well
094as shared language, that's also beneficial as our students join together at the middle school and have shared and similar experiences kindergarten through fifth grade and sixth grade. It very um our hope really is to empower educators. Um as we early on embarked on this work um our educators shared the challenges that they face of having to create their own curriculum and programming yeartoyear. Um this program and this idea of a universal program that is adopted hopes to empower our educators. So there's streamlined planning, there's professional learning, and the ability to have more of a collaborative focus because our teachers don't have to worry about the content piece of it, but can really work on the instruction and pedigogy piece. Which leads, this is where the drum roll maybe would happen. you know, with some a
095lot of sweat and tears along the way to the recommendation that we're bringing to the board today around the arts and letters program. Um, I didn't spend a lot of time in this presentation talking about how we got to this recommendation because that is not the charge of the policy. Rather, it is to explain um the program and what that would look like. However, we started with many programs, narrowed it down to three, narrowed it down to two, and now have narrowed it to this one. Um, arts and letters is a comprehensive K through five. It's actually in K through 8 program, but we're looking at it at K for K through five right now. It's a knowledge building curriculum, and it's put out by a group called Great Minds. and they talk about this
096evolution of excellence and I couldn't think of a better way to say it so I just adopted that language the evolution of excellence. So this is actually um the newest evolution uh from great minds. This used to be something called wit and wisdom that has been revised to better meet the needs of students and educators and now is something called arts and letters. So, if you were to do a search online to try to discover more about, oh, when was this program published? You may see, oh, it only came out in 2024, and that potentially raises a red flag, but this has been around for much longer. This is just the rebranding of something. Um, it is a knowledge, sorry, not ready. It is a knowledge building, right? Sorry. This is a knowledge building curriculum,
097which will be important. I'm going to expand on that in just a second. Um and the idea is that students are engaging with authentic trade books. So these are the texts that they have. Um and these authentic trade books include things like fine art multimedia world knowledge and it helps students sort of master literacy skills for the board. You will find a link in this particular slide that goes right to the website and then you can just explore as much as you want to. Um but that would be a potential access point for you to take a look. Now I'm ready. Thank you. A couple of core components that you should be aware of is this idea of teach and learn that this is uh also augmented by a knowledge deck. And another support is
098something called a prologue and that helps with some scaffolding and additional support for all of our students. Again, you can read these slides in more detail here. Okay, so much text. So go back and read it. Um but I wanted to give you an illustration of um the two types of books that we would be purchasing and their per their purpose. So the first would be the teach book. This is for the educator. It includes um important parts of the curriculum that the team um looked for in choosing and recommending a curriculum and you'll see that there. Then the next slide or learning book is the studentfacing book too. Um you know I think it's important to say that uh the ELA committee has engaged in some conversations about the value of workbooks and not
099um the learning book is a workbook but I would say I would assert that it's more than a workbook. Um so it has uh some knowledge statement pages, some evidence organizers, end of module tasks um and it really helps students track their own learning and see their progression as well as the educator can see this progression um through the learning. I think any curriculum that we have that comes with a workbook, we also when we're implementing with fidelity, make sure to utilize that workbook, but then also make it work for us and for our students. And what we tend to see is if there isn't a um a workbook that has these tasks created in sort of a a systematic way to cover the modules or themes and topics along the way that we still
100do see some element of worksheets. And so this is gathering them all together um by folks who have curated them for very specific purposes. This talks a little bit about the instructional arc. Thing I want you to take away from this slide is that there are instructional routines and those instructural routines help students um spend their time really deepening their understanding instead of having to wonder like what's going to happen next or how am I going to learn this topic today or what is BLA going to look like. um the framework was there so students can deepen their understanding through a very specifically structured routine. All right, I told you I'd come back to this idea of um knowledge building. Uh you may have seen this in some of your work reading or other things.
101Um pretty popular this idea of scar's reading rope. Um, it says that there are two big parts that have to come together for skilled reading. And this is language comprehension and word recognition. And so what you're hearing about today is this part right here, language comprehension. This is a separate thing and we'll come back to that in a moment. But this program seeks to meet these needs. Background knowledge, vocabulary, language structure, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge. Those pieces are built within this curriculum. Coming together increasingly strategic ways will join together with this word recognition piece to build our students with skilled reading skills. And so we think about that rope. We're thinking about the support instruction that arts and letters can provide through this knowledge building curriculum. And it covers all of those pieces through
102the deep study of complex. You'll see some italics at the bottom. Again, important to note, we established as an ELA committee that we were going to take a deep dive into our knowledge building curriculum first and then based on what we chose for the knowledge building curriculum, we would then need to see what would pair best as a systematic phonics program with that. So you will continue to hear from me because that will be our next big step is to take a look at phonics programs and make an adoption recommendation in the future to pair that with our knowledge program. Uh here are the modules that students would be learning about in each of the grade levels. Um again this is K through eight but I screenshotted this to just be K through five right
103now. But you'll see every grade level has four modules. Those modules have knowledrier rich topics instead of themes. It's an integrated appro approach and you'll see that the subtext underneath also includes a right component and that very early on was identified by the committee as a really important thing as we moved through this ELA uh curriculum adoption. And so um each of these modules includes a different type of writing, a different genre of writing which is also important. And writing tasks may be long and maybe short but address the various genres of writing too. Okay. Uh a couple other highlights for you. Students are building their knowledge and skills throughout the modules. The topics are created to be engaging to spark joy and curiosity and that students are going to stay on topic for a
104while for many lessons which helps them build that deep knowledge and then by year's end through these modules um students will have covered all of the essential ELA skills and this curriculum is aligned with the common core state standards for English language arts. If you are on a journey in the website, you can find a place where it actually uh will uh detail for you every single common core state standard and where it's fit in this curriculum if you really want that. >> Um and a big piece of this again is the idea of authentic trade books that students are getting their hands on. These books are selected um to align curriculum topics, to support literacy success. They're chosen to offer variety and also to integrate content. I have a screenshot to get this little
105graphic. So, this is the person that did a presentation. This is her in the corner for you to get from this. Um but the idea is that we're building knowledge through texts. When we're doing this arts and letters also in each of these pieces, they explain it as like a gear. This is the central gear that's turning. But by turning this gear, we are also turning all of the other gears. It's integrated, not isolated. Um students are building their skills through their knowledge journey, authentic effects and trades book trade books. um they're not just reading, right? They're building their oral communication skills. There are plenty of opportunities for presentations, rich academic discussions. Again, we heard a lot when we presented on um illustrative math. So, continuing in ELA um and then they help grammatical pieces
106and conventions to support writing as they express the new knowledge that we've gained. We're almost getting there. Okay, we're at 23. We're going to get to 27. So, this idea of the implementation roadmap so that we know how this would look. Um, we did a professional learning. We have professional learning um and auditing that occurred to get us to this step. We selected after a thorough process this evening. We had our board presentation hopefully in January in adoption. Um, and then at the school level, we're going to train, implement, and monitor. So providing intensive and support opportunities will be made available during the summer on Wednesday afternoons and during inservice times. Uh and then instructional leaders in the schools will be observing fidelity using data to drive our uh instructional pivot and also providing time
107for collaboration across the schools and shared learning as we implement this hopefully both at learning cross and school. And that was a key piece. One of the key pieces that led this recommendation is the robust professional learning that's provided uh for the implementation of this curriculum. Well, right. So bustment uh I've broken it down into two. We could look at other iterations as well. So if we were to look at a full K through5 roll out, the initial investment which is budgeted for currently in the budget that you have been presented uh is just over $65,000 with ongoing cost then you're after the year of um almost $11,000 just under $11,000 which you can see here what that gets you for that cost. And if we were to do some different iteration, next slide please.
108and we looked at something like a K3 in the first year and then four or five in the second year. Um, this is what you would get and this is what it would cost to do it over two years versus one year. And there are of course other ways to filter this as well, but I thought those made the most sense for now as an initial uh implementation. This has the other four questions. So, um, current budgets could include money for grade levels to purchase books and curriculums for ELA that's currently happening um, in our classrooms and potentially if it works to move forward with an adoption, we could be using those lines um, to offset the cost then of implementing this curriculum. I have not done a line by line analysis with our administrators
109to understand what the offset would be, but I can do that over the next month or so. Uh the recommendation um from both the committee and having talked to a lot of local districts who have embarked on something similar uh the recommendation that we are presenting is a full K5 implementation. It maximizes professional development, support and coaching. um phase implementation is just provided as another option. Uh but we would recommend the full um the full implementation and then just a reminder that the next important step is to pair this programming with a foundational skills on program moving forward in the future. And I'm now happy to answer any questions or attempt to answer any questions either. >> All right. Thank you. You'll open up to the board for questions. >> No, thanks for the presentation.
110Just a couple questions. Level of staff enthusiasm. I Yes, we should do some of this. Oh no. Don't really know what's coming. Like where are we in the >> aligning people in teams part? >> Yeah. So, uh, a little I think a little of all of the space you just said. This has not been done in secret. So for the past two and a half years, the ELA committee has been open to anybody that's wanted to be a part of it. Um at the school level, it's being talked about. It's been talked about for two and a half years. After we did roll out the math program, illustrative math, we knew that the next task we needed to complete was thinking about science and then moving on to ELA. So none of this is a
111surprise. >> Um the slide that I showed you sort of like the challenge of homegrown. Um hopefully echoed in there you heard that uh changing practice is hard period. Um asking our teachers to change what they've been doing is hard for a number of reasons. One, we love educators as educators. We love what we're doing. We're passionate about what we're teaching. and to uh feel like we have to give up some of that to adopt something else is really hard. >> Um it's also challenging because our educators have a lot on their plate. So thinking about all the professional development and work and learning that will be required for successful implementation is also a big and scary thing and I think that just has to be named. It's a reality. Um the ELA committee uh
112the majority of folks agreed that um the adoption of a new program was necessary for a variety of reasons. It was not unanimous um for I think some of the reasons that I just shared some of the barriers. Um and when we uh tried to come to a final recommendation, our two programs that we were examining closely were uh fish tank and arts and letters. Speaking candidly about how we arrived at Arts and Letters, um fish tank has been adopted had been adopted by other local districts and the implementation of it was disastrous. Um, and so, uh, even one of our local districts stopped mid year with the implementation and pivoted over to arts and letters. >> Um, so our ELA committee overall has expressed a strong preference for arts and letters, but there were
113some folks that also were in favor of the fish tank for some other reasons, but that was a the minority, maybe two of the members of the committee. um we're going to have to do a lot of uh hard work and good support to ensure that this is successful and there's a lot of value in this >> to make it successful. Um, one of the benefits that we have is some of our local districts including Lebanon um, have implemented arts and letters and are already sharing this was the pitfall that we encountered in year one. This is something that you should try to avoid or when you start to roll this out think about these things or of all the professional development opportunities you should pursue this one that one and the other one. So
114we also have um a road map of folks that have already started implementing this that we can follow. Uh so nobody is jumping up and down a couple people are not coach like yes you know we're getting this curriculum but there is there is support for it um as a just a while ago as a new educator to the district um to walk in at the race school specifically but to walk into one of our elementary schools and be told like there is no curriculum that you have to follow. Yeah, you get to like make it up yourself. Both completely awesome and the opportunity that exists there really amazing but also an extreme amount of work and not a lot of alignment. Um so for our current educators who are have a ton on their
115plate that includes having to create lessons and create content and then match pedigogy to their limit. I think that after implementation the results will um give people time back um to focus on the instruction piece and not the content piece. Uh, I think that will be a longer term payout. And um, and I also believe as we turn over staff in our schools that we will be able to recruit [clears throat] some really great folks who can come in either with experience using this curriculum or can come in and implement this curriculum successfully because of the way that it is presented. Thus avoiding sort of this three to five year learning curve of trying to create their own curriculum when they come into our schools. Longwinded answer to your question. How can I follow up?
116>> No, I I mean I appreciate your robust answer. >> Um to me, so generalizing from the healthcare like there are some people that love the introduction of standard work freeing the moves feel better. There are some people that really lament the loss of freedom. >> Yes. >> And how they do their thing. And so just trying to figure out where on that spectrum you know we are now it's really an individual thing you know thinking about hey at the administrative level but the internal limitation um I would say in any change it's frequently one or lost in engagement we're always going to do stakeholder engagement it's either upfront when people are ready to listen or later on people are very bad um and so just be when it comes to all the different audiences
117in the building outside of building parents trying to roll something out think really hard about communication >> and handover enor parents definitely go read the literature on the literature because you know plan if we go in this direction for whether it matters >> you also mentioned the additional cost of this which is baked into the budget that prompts a question for the budget committee which is we talked about things that were proposed that we took out things that we have that might be reduced. I guess within that conversation, given its tone of austerity, I didn't think of things added that didn't exist before, I guess. So, my question is, are there other items like this that are in there? Um, or is this kind of the one big ticket item? >> This is really the
118one big >> because this has been in the three to five year planning process, too. So, we knew that this year would be the year that we would add this to the budget. >> Yeah. And it's similar when you asked about the cost too. The ongoing costs are similar to what we have with our math program too. You know we had the initial outlay which was significant and then every year we have the you know annual cost that go on with it. >> I think Martin you gave us in the first one you gave us several options. [clears throat] was that minor tier was volcan I feel like this is >> because there there was some discussion and rightly so um especially among the coordinators me Robin and our administrators do we adopt our second
119favorite curriculum at less of a cost, but then it doesn't have the budget impact or do we move forward with recommending what we would have recommended in any other year that maybe budget didn't look so dire? And we went with the program that we felt met the needs of our students and we began the shorts of our staff and also happens to have service. I see Gina's online with her hand up. >> Thank you, Garrett. Um, Lauren, excited about a lot of what you said. I just wanted to ask a little bit about the phonics piece. What is being taught with phonics today? Because my experience with my children was it was not taught when they were at the Marian Cross School. They're both um in high school. My second question is how quickly would
120that phonics piece be added to this program? Um, I say it knowing there are multiple families that felt the impact of a lack of a phonics program and then delayed identification of children with uh dyslexia and other types of disabilities like that. So currently foundations is being used at both um marrying cross and the race school to meet that need and it's supplemented by a a couple other programs um notably um as additional uh work in phonics for our students. Um, so because we're using that and we've made an investment in that program, you know, that will be one that we'll look at to see if it continues to meet the needs of students. Um, we just got some information that they have revamped their entire program as well. So potentially, you know, we're going
121to review foundations as continuing and to be paired with this, but we will also be taking a broader view at a couple other um paired uh foundational skills programs, ones that have been recommended um by Arts and Letters that do pair well with their program, but then also um using other districts that have embarked on a similar um thing to to get their recommendations around what has worked for the foundational skills piece as well. We would be looking to do this um sooner rather than later because it is important and it is a need. However, balancing that against the professional development uh required for successful buyin and implementation for this is something we'll have to look at closely. So, you know, in a perfect world, we would adopt this this year. It would go so
122swimmingly that the appetite is to look at the other case next year and I think that's you know we'll roll into this thinking that maybe that will be what we do um but we also need to leave uh space to ensure that our other initiatives that are always happening um also have the priority that they need right we are still working very closely together around illustrative math we've just been um you know completing some work around the next generation science standards and science now we're looking at this so uh just really being cognizant of um where educators are and what makes the most sense will be important in the next steps. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Yeah. Um having heard from middle school teachers that kids from Marian Cross and the race school come to
123the middle school with differing sets and not quite matching skill sets matching. And one of the reasons why you all are doing this is to kind of we help that alleviate some of that. I'm wondering, and not to add money to this, but why it's a K5 roll out and not a K6 roll out because it sort of feels like the the unification piece once they get to the middle school seems to be less of an issue than it is when they're in the two separate buildings. And so I just was wondering why you didn't extend it for one more year when the kids are in two separate buildings. >> You want to Sure. I mean that I guess we're actually just talking about this recently, you know, if we wanted to think about it
124sending it into the middle school at some point, but I think that would come after roll out, right? >> The reason we didn't include sixth grade is because they have been aligning for the past okay few years since I've been here. They we've had a really good cohesive relationship between the two sixth grade teams. So they have aligned more closely with science with ELA um you know mathematics. So the difference there now is more in time frame. Okay. >> You know the number of minutes that each school has for those classes. So but it is something I mean my kids are in college so and out of college. So it's a very no but it's a great question. We were just talking about it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yes. I think there you know
125there are different ways to to implement this law and so as you see here we're talking maybe three and four or five and then the potential to roll out to the middle school but again this work has been done primarily at the elementary levels the buy in from administration from both of those schools because we really need that successful and I haven't embarked on that with um the middle school administrators at this point and yet with the potentialists Yeah. Um every year we see the results of how the Marian cross are doing and compared to the state level they do quite well in ELA. Um how will you know whether this program is working and how quickly will you know it? Um so typically what we could expect to see is in a first year
126of implementing hopefully with fidelity but it being a learning year that we would see similar scores if not a slight decrease in the learning in the first learning year. Um, typically over the first over five years, we really can see what's happening with the curriculum because we're looking at the kindergarteners who are coming in and they're getting it in their first year and then they're going to first grade and now they've built from a foundation and then to second grade and then to third grade and so forth. Um, this first year everybody is getting including the students is getting um this new curriculum for the first time and it really is meant to be like iterative and scaffolded and to spiral up. So in a few years we would hope and expect to see um
127that the scores are increasing and also not just the scores piece but that um students who are requiring additional intervention like tier 2, tier three more targeted and or intensive intervention is actually decreasing because the universal uh curriculum is meeting more needs and is providing the differentiation and the accommodation that students need. Um so I guess those would be two measures that we would be looking at >> to that point. Would there be any benefit of of staggering the introduction? Right? So first year kindergarten, second year kindergarten, first grade, third year kindergarten, first seven like what is the risk associated with introducing a brand new curriculum for a fifth grader? of risk that you do. >> Um I don't have a good answer for that because are you saying implementing yearby year? >> Uh I
128I guess I'm wondering what is the what what is yeah what is the potential risk right of introducing a brand new ELA curriculum for those students that are not kindergarters, right? That have been doing something else for one or more years. >> Yeah. um you know mid elementary school career like what you know what is the risk and what do we do to mitigate that risk when we introduce a new program right I guess I don't see real a real risk in doing that I see more that even with students who are in fourth and fifth grade they'll have similar experiences going into middle school from most schools because right now it's you know so scattered in terms of what students are learning by grade level, by teacher, by school. So it begins to align
129those pieces when Lauren talked about the horizontal and vertical integration that was big piece of of interest in implementing that program. So, so year we don't we don't have this this you know consistency this desired consistency year tier as it is. So a student going from fourth grade to fifth grade it's not like we're throwing away this other consistent program of K4 and suddenly change to fifth grade like they're fourth graders are going to go to fifth grade and they're going to get a fifth grade curriculum that has been developed by fifth grade teachers and that has been happening um and this way they're getting the fifth grade curriculum. It's just the arts and letters fifth grade curriculum versus the home curriculum. So in a way I don't see this as like a necessarily a
130major shift from what's already happening. Students are going from third grade to fourth grade. They're experiencing a third grade curriculum that has been created by a third grade team and then going fourth grade and learning the content of fourth grade that has been developed by fourth grade team. Um so I yeah I don't I don't necessarily see >> it was it was already changed. Yes. >> Yeah. >> Um we're not interrupting some sort of like that has already existed. As far as you know implementation starting in kindergarten then rolling to first grade and then rolling to second grade. I mean that is a way to implement programs that has been done. And I think what is what can be challenging about that is that what we're hoping is that schoolwide we are able to have
131these collaborative conversations and these professional learning communities so that the kindergarten teachers are not the only ones that are experiencing this. The kindergarten teachers can talk to the first grade teachers like you know is this really hard for you? I remember as we implemented um illustrative math, you know, the kindergarten teams, this has a ton of language. There are so many words associated with this. Hey, first grade team, what are you finding? And then conversations were happening about implementation that were beyond just the two teachers or three teachers or four teachers. It was all of the teachers across the school talk about the things that were challenging. Um, you know, what I've learned from local districts too is that when sort of global concerns that are being discussed at schools around this curriculum are brought
132to leaders, leaders have a coach connect that they can talk to um and get answers and then share those back out to the whole staff. So, I think that it's this idea of building kind of collective capacity that is a potential benefit of a K through five implementation. We're all doing this together. This is hard. Um, and yet we can have these conversations and a better understanding of what it looks like K5 because I can I'm not doing this in isolation in kindergarten and then kindergarten and first grade. >> One of the other things I'd say related to that that we saw with math program too is when we data implement K through five. So we planned for that in terms of professional development for the year two. So we had professional development planned out
133for the entire year. It was K through five. For me as the assistant superintendent at that time, it was great for me to be in classrooms and I could see the actual progression of the math program. When I was in a kindergarten class, when I was in a fourth grade class, when I was in a fifth grade class and I see the same opportunity with this and implementing K through five because we will have that PD for everyone. It will be a focus of school for next year. Um, and I thought that was really beneficial for us overall to do. >> I'll just put a sort of like period on my comments about this too, just like thinking about our commitment to the strategic plan and the curriculum review cycle. I feel challenged thinking that
134our fifth grade students are going to have to wait whatever six six years to implement this curriculum in their classroom. And in the meantime, you know, we're we're still tasked with continuing this curriculum work. So, you know, we have social studies that we still have to look at and, you know, soon enough we have to cycle back to math and figure out if it's still accomplishing what we want. And so, when we start um changing implementation in different grade levels, we're also from like a leadership perspective kind of stretching resources thin because we can't wait to do some of these other things too. we need to move forward with adopting uh looking at our um foundational skills piece of this and we need to look at social studies so we need to do that soon.
135Um and if we were going to wait for fifth grade or wait for fourth grading to do ELA then maybe they should be looking at social studies but from a capacity standpoint who's going to work with this group on social studies while we're doing a robust implementation of ELA. So I think there are some logistical challenges that that presents to at a systems level. I just I don't know. I think the benefit of rolling it out all is is cumulative for the students who in kindergarten, right? If we was to start with kindergarten and then when they're in first grade, it would be the first grade teachers first year trying to work through the program. >> Oh yeah. So by implementing it all now when those kindergarters hit the fifth grade those teachers going to
136have that convert up down instructional strategies and it's going to just be a added benefit students who got it earlier benefit for you convinced me you convinced me question three question this isn't have this come across as like a slide on the our teachers are processing. How would just public how how is our ELA program coordinate now even within the building or maybe the answer is it's I mean as far as like making sure that kids like are the teachers is that Sean's job or is the teachers communicating or are they just not doing it like what happens today? >> I mean that's the that's been the tricky piece of this. We did have an aligned foundations integrity program between the two schools, but that's really the one piece that was lined. Um, and it
137just depends on the grade level and the teacher. And that will be heard from many of the new teachers. They come in and to create an ELA program. you know, we have some resources and documents through the curriculum work, but ELA is so like extensive that it's really hard to for new teachers particularly come in and have to create all of the different pieces to it. So, right now it's really fairly halfhazard in terms of >> building on that actually. So, is this do you think that this roll out this is a math roll out? >> Yeah, it's similar. So because all I teach are at the lower level at least they're they're doing it all right so the math less done. >> Yes. >> And do you see parallels between the math and this
138I mean was the math just by definition easier? >> I think it was easier because there are so many different components with ELA. >> Okay. One of the biggest weaknesses we saw initially and one of the um areas that teachers talked about the most when we talked about an ELA implementation was the writing because again it wasn't necessarily an aligned writing program that was going vertically and horizontally. So you know when Warren presented the information from arts and letters you can see the various types of writing that are earned each year. that's spiraling and building upon each other and that's done in a systematic way. You know, right now we have we might have various types of writing that's occurring in the classroom, but we could have, you know, an example of narrative writing that's
139happening similarly paid. Do you know what I mean? So, you're not getting that systematic examination of those different components. So I think that's another benefit to >> any other questions from the board or the public. >> Yes. >> Um first of all thank you for the work. I was not able to continue with the ELA committee um because of other schools but but thank you for your work when you were on. I I do have some big questions and I've talked to Lucy a little bit and haven't um gotten answers because I think she's had some of the same questions. Um what is the time frame for the commitment to this curriculum? >> And I asked that in part because you're locked in to certain texts which means that new things that are coming out
140that may be better, maybe more engaging, may be really worth celebrating and exploring with kids. we don't get to do because we're saying we're gonna do these texts for the next 10 years. So, I'm just asking like what what were our thoughts are around the time frame for the commitment to this program um with and how we think about bringing in new material. Um so, that's one question. So, I'll let you answer that first. >> Okay, sounds good. Um, I'll share just from a comparison of the two programs. Just so you know, we were looking at fish tank. Um, the text and trade books that Fish Tank had were significantly older and less updated than the ones that we have, the text list that we have um, available to us through arts and letters. Um,
141we had Cassandra, who's our ELA coordinator at the race school, as well as Stephanie Herald. Um, and that is actually do a deep dive into that. So we've already selected a program that has more up-to-date and relevant tests. Um I did ask this question of of our um person our Cleveland person you saw in the corner um and she was not able to provide an exact answer but um what she said is that they are constantly looking at reviewing um tax and implementing new things. The fact this just came out in 2024 um of the curriculums that are out there. that is one of the most recent curriculums to have updated their trade books. As far as a a commitment, um only speaking for myself, I would be hoping that we could implement this uh
142for at least the next 5 years to understand whether it's meeting our school's needs and having the desired impact on educa educators as well as students um before we make any big decisions moving forward. Um that is with the caveat that if for whatever reason this is crashing and burning, we're not just going to try to slo through it. Um but that would be an ideal timeline to commit to um the implementation and roll out and then a subsequent examination of the results. Another time related go ahead. um looking at the material for the program and thinking about the school day and you've used the term fidelity a lot. Um what are we going to have to cut from our school day in order to implement this program with fidelity? And that leads to another
143related question. We're going to be reviewing the social studies curriculum. ELA is a natural connection in social studies, but this program does not align with the C3 standards. There are going to be some connections that can be drawn. But I wonder if it's a missed opportunity and maybe it just doesn't exist. But it seems like if we're looking at a time crunch and implementing, we should be thinking about ELA and social studies and potentially science being integrated so that our reading instruction is getting the content that we want our kids to get in social studies and science. And it feels like if we're investing in a program like this, we're actually asking teachers to cut back on this content that they need to have in these other areas. So, I'm I'm like thinking about this.
144I know that there's a time crunch in our day and I don't know what has been thought about in terms of how we're going to make this fit. It means that we're going to have to take some things out. What are we going to be taking out? It tends to come from social studies and science instruction. How that's that's in an average schedule. I was going to ask a question back. In an average schedule, um, how much time are teachers currently spending in English language arts? >> I think there's probably a big range, especially by grade level. upstairs when they have it's a minute period. Um we do two what two two periods in our grade maybe 30 45 minutes something depend but it depends because there's a lot of overlap we have a lot
145of overlap with what we teach with science in ELA and social studies in ELA and now it be totally separate it wouldn't overlap at all so that would be a little bit different >> and then the younger grades also you have the phonics component which is an additional time added in to the 60 to 30 60 to 90 that is supposed to. >> Yes. Uh so when we compare the three programs um one of one of the programs said we need two hours and that was almost automatically like well that is going to be a super challenge. Um this one uh in the presentations that were given said that 60 minutes is sufficient and I did ask the question at both the fish tape and this presentation time is a premium. What if we only
146have 50 minutes? What if we only have um the answer was this is why we have implementation teams and support for arts and letters. The answer was this is why we have implementation support teams is that um we can work with schools to then decide what makes the most sense given the constraints that you have to make sure that students are getting the skills and the knowledge they need to be successful in in English language arts. um based on what I've heard from other districts, I do feel confident that working with these implementation teams um we would be able to develop a plan that makes sense um in both of our schools because what is happening here is slightly different but still as the race school um but we can still uh uh reach the
147desired outcomes. Um, one of the things that was talked about is that there are, thank you, there are four modules um, that are part of this curriculum, but you can actually do three of them and still make sure that you're covering the reading genres as well as the writing genres and doing that well. Um and if we were to do that then I think that alleviates some of the worries about time and we would have to rely on um administrators, coordinators, you know, my assistance and the assistance of our uh implementation team to then decide which which ones make the most sense, which modules make the most sense. Um and and make those decisions for teachers so that teachers don't have to make those decisions. But I think we can we can cut the scope.
148We've been told that we can cut the scope if we need to. Um, in terms of the second part of your question, um, I am actually going to ask that I get back to you because I had a really in-depth discussion with Cassandra and Lucy about this question. Can we because I think originally I had even gone into this process thinking how do we do that? How do we make this so interdisciplinary that we have adopted an ELA program but also simultaneously taken care of some needs in our other important curricular areas. Um, in the conversation that I had with Cassandra and Lucy, um, the takeaway for me was that is a great unicorn of an idea, but if we're actually teaching within the time constraints that we have these um, specific language arts skills,
149then also saying that we're going to deeply cover science and social studies curriculum at the same time is is just not particularly doable. However, I'd like the opportunity to get it from the experts um and send you a follow-up response which I'd be happy to share with anybody else uh that gives more specific detail about, you know, what is possible and what isn't and then why. Um so, if you give me that, I will get back to you on part two. >> Thank you. Can you talk more about you just mentioned the implementation team? >> Yes. >> What that what's that look like? Is that what that's not for this meeting? That's >> I'm happy to talk about it. So the implementation team is actually the group from arts and letters from great minds that
150partners with our district okay to make sure that the roll out fits the needs of our district. So it's a it's a it's the liaons that are uh directly associated with us. And then in terms of like who could be part of that implementation team at the school levels, I think that's something that is open for discussion as well. If folks are interested in being part of those conversations or part of that work, um I think that is important to have a representative group who really knows what's happening who's on the ground um in each of the schools to be a part of that. is just to now that we have this whole conversation just to be sure I understand it one of the reported benefits is that look teachers right now spent a ton
151of time on content creation and designing instructional strategies to make sure their kids succeed. This will allow folks in part to focus more on those instructional strategies. the content is provided to them that aligns with everybody else within the district. >> Yes. >> And then I guess all of you would have to have a plan in place to help teachers if they needed professional development maximizing >> those instructional strategies, right? >> Yes. >> It's only a resource. >> You can give it that way. >> Yes. This feels daunting, but admittedly slightly less daunting considering that we did something very similar for mass. Like we have we have a road map in a in a different subject area, but we have a road map of of um implementation and bumps and how to do this well
152and who should be included in those pieces too. So it feels the implementation piece feels slightly less daunting because we have done this and done so successfully for the first year. Thanks everybody. All right. Now we're moving on to our next motion. Got the minutes. >> I move to approve items B through D by consent. >> All right. Lisa second it. All those in actually roll call. Machine design on Michael. >> Yes. >> Christie. >> Yes. >> Deacon. Yes, >> unanimous. Um, all right. Communications reports. Um, I don't really I will not spend time on a chair report tonight. We are obviously working through everything. I appreciate everyone's hard work and also just want to remind everybody that uh we've asked Sean and his team to do all the work that they did. So, thank
153them for that. And we will get through this budget season high water. Um, on to the principal's report. Yeah, I'm happy to read you my whole principal group complicity. So here we enjoy a couple highlights. Um enrollment we are at 325 students. Um pretty much the same as last month. Couple changes in grade levels. We had the PTO PTO fall feast but passing the only school I've ever been in that has such fantastic PTO is always doing kind things for the staff and that's much appreciated. We had Apple Day for our PBIS celebration and Friday we're going to have Posy Day is our next schoolwide celebration. So if anyone wants to come and be cozy with your favorite stuffy and on Friday >> family maths night was a great success. This was our second annual
154and had a turnout of about 23 had about 275 students and family members which was fantastic. Um, see people are interested. The PTO coffee talk on Friday is going to focus on literacy screen results and our very own Lucen Hampton will be giving the presentation and answering any parent questions. We sent home the screening results for all of our kindergarts and probably some parents shot and said, "This is really nice. What do I do with it? This is the opportunity to come and talk to see they have talk with their concert teachers. Concerts are coming up next week. Another great time for you to come and join in. Staying on our be on our safety theme. Our MCS safety team went to another training about safety assessments. The state of Vermont requires that every school
155safety team attend the behavioral safety assessment training which was really great. Allowed us to if some strategies for something comes our way that we feel is not safe. We now have a toolkit to go and analyze it and do something safe and prek registration um is out and about. leave a lot of numbers in my head tonight. So I think that we have either 45 or 54 already that have come in registering for and join us like smiling preschool. I will take any questions. I'm going to leave the celebrations to you, Mr. Gia. But given the propensity of my own children to wear sweatpants and sweatshirts, perhaps they wear real pants celebration treat at least my kids. [laughter] >> We do fancy day monthly fancy. Thank you. All right. Um, on to just read the
156first time anywhere Robins report. >> I will make it brief. I had my first snow day call yesterday. So that was have been in the works. I was preparing for that. getting all the TV stations notified, doing everything online and practicing my scripts and everything written up. And fortunately, it all turned out, I think, fairly well. >> Y, >> it did do what it was supposed to do and snow all day for me. So, I don't want them too badly by 10:00 a.m. Um, but that was um that was quite a lot of work actually doing snow day. I've done it at my previous district, but I thought it was way more stressful here. But that's I've gotten that down. So, I'm prepared for future snow days. Uh, other than that, I've been spending a
157lot of time in budget meetings. We've been facing issues with our health care costs and the other districts. So, we've been making a lot of revisions to all of our budgets, including this one because higher costs in various areas. So I've been spending a lot of time on the budget meetings and then still trying to spend time in the schools and I've been over in Marian promise quite a bit recently and last month and had some great opportunities be classrooms and this month for our principles meeting we'll be looking at what was happening with the supervision and evaluation of each of the principles. So talking about the walkthroughs that have been happening and the formal observations be getting an update on those and that would be coming up next week for hearing for us. So
158happy to answer any questions. I didn't get any angry emails about the snow day and we did well. [laughter] I was waiting. >> It's your voice that's recorded now. snowflake. >> I did. Yeah, >> my voice say I really like her voice. >> Might have been something else. [laughter] >> I did my own voice. >> So, >> all right. Any other questions for Robin? >> All right, Mari, do you have anything? >> Yes. Report. Yeah, but really not a lot. I'm good. I'm going to let you read it. Um I'm a couple months in now and that is really exciting and it has helped me really think about um my work and sort of the buckets of work that I am operating in. So while this is not everything that is being worked on um
159at the SAU uh I took this opportunity to share with you um four goals that I have for myself um that I will use to measure my own um success and growth and learning in the remainder of the year. Um, and I would be happy to answer any questions about my goals and or look forward to future conversations with Robin um about how I move forward with them. [clears throat] I just appreciated reading them um yeah, it's helpful to know kind of where you see your priorities. Oops. One question. So, when we're doing these, you know, math breaking mod, was that strictly just for the grade schools? >> No, but we when I came in, we were really looking at more alignment between the two elementary schools. So, that's been a big focus for us.
160And at the high school, it's really documenting the curriculum. >> Okay. But as far as rolling out this math and now the ELA, that's just that they don't mention. >> Yes. So, >> it's nothing to do with the high school. All right. Um, and on to Teresa, do you have anything? >> Um, just just lately it's same meetings, lots of meetings, getting lots of uh adjustments with budgets and it's pretty much all that's going on. >> Thank you for that. Um, at this point, this is going to end our regular um session. will be back to the you know presuming everything goes well to approve but as you can see there back uh sorry the negotiations um do I have a move actually does somebody have a actually this should probably be a two-part move
161it to our executive session do you want me to motion based on contracts there. So either do you potentially three motions because we got two different reasons for going into executive session. I just only I only know of two of them so I can't >> you want me to I'll get started. >> Sure. Uh move to the premature knowledge of 10 labor education association with board suspension disadvantage reveal negotiated parameters prior to ratification. So, we just need a second to that second. Roll call. >> Yes. >> Christie, yes. >> Yes. >> Uh, Gina Deany. Yes. >> I guess we'll have a second motion. We make session on that, do you think? Or should we make a first motion on all? >> I think we can go ahead and make a make these first motions on
162all them. We can make one of those other Sorry. Yeah. Do that. Move to find that return knowledge of the um current step and track grievance arbitration with the Nor Education Association would put the board in substantial disparage because it wouldn't reveal um uh uh parameters related to the arbitration. Lisa said yes. >> Yes. No doubt. Yes. >> Tone. Yes. Yes. Tony just request that right. >> You want to make sure one out for that one too. This one is the sand. This one I think might be a little bit. >> Yeah. Here. Why don't I do this? have immature knowledge of uh um a leave request uh from an employee would put uh the board substantial because it would reveal um personal identifying information about the current employee. Great. A second. Yes. >> Christy
163Day. Yes. >> Right. And the second motion I'll make, I move to enter session for the purpose discussing these three items to request the negotiations and seven trackments. Do I have a second? Costas, >> yes. >> Christie, yes. >> Yes. Yes. >> June. Yes. >> Right. We'll move into our executive session and then we so I think I said the meeting is basically overall it's Here it's snap file there. >> It's like it's like a different thing every time. >> For everybody else. >> Okay, we're back in public session. Is Gina I'm sorry I lost my >> she might have signed up. >> Hi Gina here. Okay. >> Okay. Um so we're back in public session. Um I need two motions. >> Oh no we don't need the we don't need this. So we've got
164the agreement motion. So do we have a motion to approve the agreement with the NEA? >> Yes. Move to approve the tens of agreement with the Norwich Education Association for the uh 26 27 2728 and 2829 schools. Second, please say second. >> Second. I like to gratitude to the negotiations team. Thank you. >> Our work um roll call. >> Costella, yes. >> Dayon, yes. >> Okay, that is unanimous. All right. Thank you for getting that approved. All right. Uh topics for next meeting. Our next meeting is January 7th. Lots of budget items to discuss them. Um get any other topics you might have. >> The budget is coming. Budget. >> The budget. >> I have a motion to adjourn. >> Move that we adjourn at 9:46 p.m. >> And I will continue to be the
165second for the entire evening. >> All those in favor? >> Costa. Yes, >> Christy. Yes, >> Dona. Yes. >> Thank you, >> B. Thanks. >> Sorry to miss you in person. Bye. Thank you for >> being with us.