9.23.25 - Dresden School Board

001find out the information of when your meetings are going to be and where they're going to be in the time. >> Okay. So, those are publicly available on our website. >> On your website and I could not find it, so >> I don't think it's totally clear. >> Okay. That's good to know. >> Okay. So you have found the Dresden meeting which is the middle school on >> that's what I wanted. >> All right that case go right ahead and let us know. >> It wasn't easy. >> Let us know what is on. Do you have do you have a specific question or >> No, no, no. We're just here out of interest. >> Okay. All right. Well, that is good to know. That is how I started. So you are warned. >> By the

002way, it would be nice if you had an agenda in a printout form when Or is there one? It's not available to print out because it is Yeah, typically folks do it on the computer, but that is a good thing to note. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> And just to um add the handover list serve has all of the meetings Jan the um the superintendent's assistant puts into the handover list served notices of policy meetings coming up of the handover schoolboard meeting coming up, the Dresden meeting. I don't know if you're on the handover list. Sorry. If not. >> Okay. >> And a lot of this like sort of the reach out methods where the parents and all the emails that we have through the schools get these on a regular basis, right?

003But we have no >> formal way of reaching out to the community. We don't have the town's email with serve or anything like that. So if you wish to be if you yourself want to get notice, if you give me your information, I can have you add it to some sort of list serve. Okay. >> Um question from a board member Garrett. So, just so we're clear though, if you go to the SAU calendar, school calendar, right? All there. So, like right here, this is the SA. So, this is the entire calendar for the school year. So, here is Sorry, I skipped through it, but here is >> Sorry, I went to this was last week, but I just had it up before my finger hit it, but here's all the meetings. So, just Google

004SA70 school calendar. >> That's been right here. So, September 23rd, fourth chairs meeting. We just had special amber school meeting from 6:50 to 7:05 and then the J7 board meeting from 7 to 8. >> Okay, I right there >> right I was looking at the beginning of September and I couldn't find anything but maybe it hadn't been posted. >> They are posted one week beforehand. >> Right. And they go over the list serves and all. >> Yeah. So they the meetings are established months in advance, but we don't know the agenda until one week prior based on whatever's coming up down the pipeline. >> Uh Lisa, now let's move on. >> Yeah, I I do think it would be helpful if it was more readily available on the website like the yearly calendar. >> Um

005so just like we know when we meet most people don't and sometimes a week in advance isn't enough to plan. So just it's not easily found the yearly calendar. So without the agendas just yeah >> quite >> definite. Thank you very much for your comment. Any other questions for members of the public and seeing none we will move right along to reports. We'll start with the high school council representative Ian. What's going on in this building? Well, the past few weeks, council has been discussing the new Delta Bell cell phone policy and there are multiple concerns within students about the cell phone policy and creating an antagonistic relationship between the teacher and student. There were also concerns about the culture of handover changing. People are worried that the students will leave the school premises to

006be on their phones and that will affect the vibrancy of the school. And uh she wants to add on to anything >> dodging that. >> So can I ask you then what sort of have these been have events actually occurred that are causing concern or is it more theoretical at this point? >> More theoretical. I don't think I don't think the belt ban has been enforced yet. >> Okay. I see Bullman board member shaking her head. >> No, I'm nodding. I'm not I'm nodding. >> It hasn't been effect. Okay. Carol, chime in. >> Well, the cell phone policy went into effect last year in the high schools. So, cell phones were not allowed in any of the classrooms and that's continued this year. And what has been your feedback about that? Well, cell phones are

007still present in school buildings >> and during the school day. Students still use them in the hallways and during lunch. >> Yeah. >> And and so I'll I'll thank you for letting us know. And I'll point out that the actual policy committee interpretation of the bell-to-bell regulation is still being worked on because it's it gets it's going to go very granular because we need to follow state guidance while also adhering to our own thoughts >> and that is going to take some time but policy is still working on that and I believe we have heard from some other from other students who will be joining us at policy tomorrow morning. So I'll report on for that with my policy chair hat on and >> bless you. >> We are such a polite board. Ian, anything

008else to report? >> I think that's about it. If any of you want to add any questions for Ian from board members or the public? >> Yeah, I think I'm just curious in general. Um, and I know like we've the phone thing I understand is all over the state. I'm curious if there's any other topics that have been discussed at the beginning of the school year. Any other things going on that impacted the students of Hanover? >> Well, there has been a motion by Mr. Murphy. He wants a pledge motion. Hit over high pledge motion. And I think we're gonna discuss that soon. >> Can you Can you say pledge? >> I think it's the hand over high pledge. I think >> looking at Julie kind of. >> Hi Julie. um he would like to

009have and you know other people who are supportive of it a pledge that's not you know the United States of America which we do each day but how we're committed to Hanover High School and what do we all believe in common I don't know where it'll go I don't know if we'll go far but it's been brought up >> we look forward to hearing on that any other questions or comments for Ian seeing none thank you program. Moving along to the RMS principles report and this looks like you may have a guest or so here. >> So, uh, so I'd like to intro take opportunity to introduce to you all uh, Brandon Hannet, who is our, um, athletic co-curricular director, uh, new member of our eagerly schools for the first time in our school's history.

010Um it's not an easy task, but he's taken it on and is in the process. I'll let you update what you're working on. >> Take it away. >> Yeah. So, um thank you for having me here tonight. Um basically what we're doing right now is we're throwing together the winter sports. We're making sure that we're having uh basketball season is going off. Um, and there's minimal interruption um, as we transition from parks and wreck handling the winter sports over to uh, Richmond Middle School handling them. Um, for spring sports, we're not sure exactly what we're going to be offering yet. We're going to be making sure that we're putting a committee together with members of the public, members of the um of of the faculty at Richmond Middle School, and then making sure that we're

011having some student input, too, to make sure that we get the right sports that are going to be um that the community wants out of the school. Um so, we're in the process of doing that. We're also in the process of developing a handbook um for students um to be following um to kind of guide us along in as we make our um as we develop these programs. So, >> and Brandon, it's my understanding kind of a somewhat formal presentation then for the October meeting. >> Yeah. And so in October that'll we'll be able to have a better idea of where we're at um with athletics where we get more and more input um by that point. Yeah. >> Okay. Great. Thanks so much for coming. noting that they're still working on things. Michael >>

012though, I'm very much agree. Welcome aboard. Glad you've taken this up since you open the door on basketball. >> I don't have children who play basketball. >> Yeah. >> Um outside of in the driveway. >> Um where occasionally the ball ends up at a culbert. Uh is that are once it becomes a middle school program, will students from Crossroads still be able to participate in it? So what? Yes, they will. If they are handover or Norwich residents. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So if they're from if they're from other communities, they'll have to talk to their community about devel either developing a program or joining their program. >> Great. Yes. >> And that would be the same thing for homeschooled people home. >> Yes. For homeschooled students as well. Right. >> Thank you. Kelly, >>

013so acknowledging you're still working on it. um transportation looking like if the conversations are going okay >> as far as goes to games plan is that there will be buses transporting kids to games. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And so so if I can inter so so far there's been no concerns that are apparent to you of the feasibility of that. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Great. >> Any other questions for Brandon at this early juncture? Okay. Okay. >> I apologize if I missed this, but are you looking for people to be on the committee or are you like from the public? >> So, we've already reached out. >> Yeah. And and we're going to be discussing that this week and reaching out to those individuals that said that we're interested by the end of the

014week. >> Okay. >> And Brandon, I did take a question from a member of the public. Is that meeting anticipated to be during business hours or outside of business hours? >> As far as school hours, >> yeah, I think for people like doing like the nineto-ive job, like how realistic is it to be on this committee? The plan right now would be to have it be after school so that we can have faculty and students more easily able to be on that as well. >> Okay, great. Any other questions for Brandon? Otherwise, we'll see you next month. >> Okay, thank you so much for coming, Brandon. We appreciate everything you're doing. >> Well, other questions for me. Uh my reports in assembly. >> I'm excited about the start that we have to the school year.

015We are seven days in with having our new interim associate principal uh Shelton Bo in our building and the energy is incredible. >> Yeah, I'm excited to collaborate. I'm excited for the work that we're going to do together as we've juggled many things this year. I am juggling still. button. >> Yeah, >> um I would love to have some kind of plan where it's possible for every interested school board member to be taken around the school for, you know, like a morning or the afternoon by a student. Is that something that you can make happen? >> If it works for the perview of your board, I'd welcome any of you in to spend some time at school. >> Okay. Yeah, that's part of your practice. It's okay. >> Well, are you proposing a board meeting

016involving a tour or are you proposing that you yourself would like a tour? >> I would really I've been in the building, but I would really love a more formal sort of I will match you up with a student around and extend that. >> What it's like to be in class is the routine of the day. I mean I personally don't need it at hand high school that you >> well and I remember with the with the previous chair and a previous administration that this a similar idea had an advantage about I think that was more in terms of what are the needs of the schools in terms of the physical plant and things like that that didn't pan out but um if it was if this was a full formal thing then we would

017have to have members of the public along too >> no I don't I don't want it to be that complicated >> yeah so I think if any board member wants to reach out to them to do if I'm interpreting you correctly. >> Yes, that'd be wonderful. Great. >> Amissa, for those who don't know, you want to walk us through what peak day is? >> Uh, so for a long time, probably 10 years, we've done a kind of an activity to bring together our Norwich and Hannover students in seventh grade. Um, and >> that uh probably what initially started as stores pond like afternoon evolved to be hiking ledges. last year or the year before, the sixth grade uh spent their afternoon that same day uh doing a walk. And when we were reflecting at the

018end of last school year, our eighth grade team uh made the decision to also do a hike and they did cardigan. So, it was really nice to have the whole school involved in activities where they had the opportunity to kind of set aside academics and build relationships. Uh it was wonderful to have an eighth grade uh teacher come back to the building and share some of the things that she learned about a student who's new to our building uh through that walking up the hill together which is exactly what we want if we're going to foster that relationship that can support uh academic growth throughout the year. So this my perspective a perfect way to get to know each other in and out setting up the classroom. >> Great. Any questions for Anissa from board

019members or the public? >> Yeah. >> Um, one, I love the idea of everybody having that moment in time. Uh, and I am I love hiking, right? I know not everybody loves hiking. How do you accommodate and like solve for the problem of potentially not everybody being on the same certainly not everybody has that interest to track up a hill? Um, and at both the uh seventh grade and the eighth grade, there were uh groups of adults that chose to stay at the bottom and did activities with maybe students started and got the first five minutes and then said no thank you and they walked back. We have a student at RMS with uh pretty physical differences and that student our adapted PE teacher another student and I we did a little walk along the

020road using a bicycle that's part of the adaptive PE program. So that was a wonderful way for that student to be on the bus be with peers even though getting up a mountain wasn't something that Missy Rodriguez and I were comfortable helping him do. But we've also talked about what that could look like in the future as a way to incorporate uh more of our students that have physical challenges. >> It's been a adapted a little bit. We can figure it out. >> Great. >> Any other questions? See, Julie, are things happening in this building? >> Yes. If some of you don't feel like Deb has visited enough for everyone, right, we would welcome you into the building. Um, we have a thing called a flamingo form. So, just let me know when you want

021to come. The student has to get permission from their parent that you're shadowing and then they have to get the form signed by the teacher so they're aware that you're coming, whoever it is. It could be their cousin from somewhere else. Um, and then you're welcome to come on in. So, we can do that. I didn't put the Spanish exchanges here. They're they've come and gone for those of you who the French exchange is coming in October. So the so we restarting a French exchange. They're going to be here in October. So it was amazing. I hosted a a teacher and it was really the kids had an amazing time. 20 students from Spain came and it was we're all exhausted but it was really lots of tears on the way out. Um, and then

022naturalization ceremony for we had a few of you come. Um, we added a second part to it this year which I wrote about in here with the ninth and tth graders having a panel. Um, I think every time we do it from now on, we'll probably do the same thing. So, we'll have to rotate who is on the panel. So, if you have people in this community you think would be good for that, let me know. And then I'll start next month. The for those who are used to the reports that have just reports from different departments, I'll start that next. questions. >> Any questions for Julie from anyone or members of our public? Kelly, >> just said the overall enrollment was that I couldn't remember that what we expected. Are we up down? >>

023Um, we expected it to go up. >> And I would have to look back to see I we expected to to go up at least a class worth like 16 to 20 and I think we're kind of we were in the >> 60s last year. So, it's probably a little higher than we thought, but I have to double check those notes. But yeah, >> thanks. >> Any other questions? >> Can Can my child be my flamingo? >> Oh, she has to agree to state the >> Thank you, Julie. >> Moving right along to internet upgrades. Uh Brian, you're here. And um so I think Brian, you've been to both Mary Cross and Ray recently. So, we've had some similar conversations already. So, let's see if uh we can make this efficient for Brian's time as

024well. Ryan, you want to walk us through what's going on? >> Uh, sure. So, I think as as uh Ben said, um I've talked to a lot of you about this. We um Bell passed midsummer. As part of that, we realized we hadn't really done a purge of, you know, all of our users and we've had guests and handed out by various people. So, we said, why don't we bring it down and then we'll reintroduce the staff to their BYOD network. We turned off self-registration for obvious reasons because if you can self-register a dental, you can get on during the day. Um when we brought it down um last year, I had talked to the superintendent and asked whether we needed to provide um services during non-school hours and he had said no. So we

025brought it down at three. That caused some consternation across groups of people. Um so we've been talking about it since then. Um and we had a fairly severe um password breach on two funds that I can get into the details if people want. So there was an urgency to kick this problem into. Um so we have engaged uh a company to help us design a secure network and we have engaged a company to provide us with the um product that we need to do that. Um the high school was able to find some money to fund it for this year. very big thank you to them and um so we have signed those contracts and we are starting that process. We met with them for the first time today and our super rough guess is

026that sometime around Christmas so the beginning of the new year is when the systems will come back up and I can come and present that to various people about what that will look like. >> Can you say so what is going to change in December with these timelines just to make it clear? Uh we will have Wi-Fi available uh after 3 from 3 pm to 8 a.m. Okay. I think that's what the big concern was. >> And would that be available? Is that intended for students and faculty? Is that intended for the public attending sports games or what is the target audience? >> The um the capabilities that we've been discussing could cover all of that. So we are going to start talking to people about what does that look like? You know McDonald's you

027just connect. at McDonald's, you know, you'd have to the hospital. You have to enter your credential, your name, so we know who's doing it. I assume no matter what, we will choose a document that sort of says you will not do the legal things on this sort of check boxes, >> but we could discuss that what people want that to look like. It's about um it's going to probably mean about $40,000 a year. You >> said 40,000. Yeah. Okay. divided across the four schools. >> 4,000 in total or 4,000 per school >> in total. I'm I'm the floor. Any other questions from board members on this? >> Great. I don't mean to open a can of worms, but having lived in a very rural place with bad reception with a 24-hour Wi-Fi of a tiny

028little local library. Um, and knowing the concerns of that unmonitored thing, knowing that Wi-Fi is not great here, I think just wanting to extra emphasize the concerns of what it means to have the only place with reliable, really good internet being a school property. I know that in this in my personal experience it was a tiny public library and unfortunately um yeah it became a place of substance misuse um because of the unmonitored nature of 24hour internet um and so I just think the internet around here is not great and so if it becomes known that the high school always has 24-hour top-notch internet what happens at 1 in the morning who uses this as a meeting place what are the things that happen parking lot So that was the situation last year. >> Julie,

029can you repeat that? >> That was the situation last year. So >> yeah, >> right. Like it's different this year than last year. People had internet at the high school last year. So >> I don't know if they brought all the drug. >> It doesn't seem that way. Clarification. When you say that was the situation last year, you mean we had internet last year, right? Not like there were drugs in the parking lot, >> right? >> Yeah. I guess we're a little confused is that this is a big update that kind of came >> Yeah, it was you had to you had to register though. So, you had to you had to know how to get yourself on it. And honestly, even people that were coming into the building that wanted to get on it

030didn't necessarily know how to self-registration component last year and and for the last three years was a was a little bit of a hindrance to just anybody hopping on because you had to know the protocol or you really couldn't get on. >> Okay, that's helpful. I'm just thinking like public libraries just open Wi-Fi. >> Right. Right. Different >> layers. Eric, >> so for Brian's help here, I guess like how should we as a board make sure that are we just going to leave this to Julie and or the superintendent and whatnot to make the decision as far as what this network's going to do? Is it going to be the board saying do it like it was last year and with that same situation you just said or who's going to make this decision and

031do we care? So I would say Ryan, so you're suggesting a for school approach rather than a high school specific approach if I'm hearing you correctly right. >> So to me that sounds like an SAU conversation >> just to give Brian direction, right? So that in December he's not sitting here saying, "Well, I gave you guys open network and all of a sudden all of us are like, why did you do that? We're gonna have the backyard like last year, >> right?" So I think we need to maybe >> Yeah, that's a great it's a great call out. Um, I would initially venture that this could be a conversation at the school's admin leadership committee to kind of figure out what this means, especially if we're talking all four schools rather than just the high

032school, but I would I personally would defer to our superintendent to give some initial insights into this and where where the board would become. Does anyone disagree with that concept? I guess Brian, anything else you need to share with us? >> Thank you for coming. While he's still here, anyone have any computer issues? Michael, >> in all serious dismiss, that's that's everyone's on the pan. >> I would just say we discussed this at the Nor school board and one of the things that we talked about was, hey, how do we fix this for the whole system so we can do it once, do it right, and move forward. >> Very much appreciate the time work to get to that >> absolutely >> place and money. Um because I mean one of the things I've appreciated

033about your work is that you're looking out over the horizon saying >> where does the school district need and where are our risks >> and I want you to go back to work on that >> not just figuring out the state of the internet every day. So just really appreciative that >> you got through this kind of wild few weeks and by the holiday time you feel like you have a plan for the whole system. >> So thank you for move right along to the budget guidelines and I have attended the budget committee meetings this year. It's been great seeing everyone work so hard on this. So thank you to all the members of the committee and all the members of the administration that have been coming to those meetings. Deeply appreciate it. Neil, you

034want to walk us through current progress with the budget guidelines for Dresden? Uh yeah. So as Ben noted, we have had two budget committee meetings so far on this and we have included in the packet this evening a draft of where we currently stand on the budget guidelines. um recognizing that there are some significant um headwinds I think on both sides of the river um especially facing property tax owners um you know inclusive of uh recent um reassessments in Norwich pending reassessment I believe in handover >> um board members will probably you know >> is completed but we don't know the tax rate yet what it means >> and then as all of you probably will make fun of me once again challenging some uh education funding uncertainty in the state of Vermont. Although I

035believe my handover colleagues probably are starting to experience things similar on this side of the river as well. So welcome to the party. >> Um >> we are still waiting on some some numbers in the quick model to really um flesh out what the final recommendation is going to be for budget guidelines. But based on all of those other items that I mentioned previously, the committee is recommending some conservative budgeting this year. Essentially um bringing forward a status quo budget that would include, you know, all of the current existing programs in place and prioritizing um maintaining our existing staffing levels, but not adding new programs or other items that would cost additional funding. Um, in some of the initial numbers that we looked at, it was looking at potential 6% budget increase year-over-year just to

036maintain that program. So, carrying forward contracted settlements with negotiated teacher and support staff contracts um CPI increases on those items that um you know typically are impacted by CPI um and any other areas where we had knew ahead of time what the increase is going to be. One of the things to note um is that we re-evaluated our projection on uh healthc care increases for next year from 10 to 15% increase. Initial numbers are looking like that's where that number might land. Um so all that to say is what you've got before you this evening is sort of a rough draft. Um I think the sentiment is true. the final numbers. Uh we're still waiting on some final figures for the quick model. >> Thank you for that. Um this is always thing we got

037to walk carefully and talk about. So let's make sure we get to do it right just like you guys are doing in handover and Dresden. Uh Gino was your hand raised. >> I do have a question. Um, I'm not suggesting that we should do this, but when I've worked in corporations, when the premium price went up, sometimes the cost to the insured would also go up. For example, um, instead of the company paying all of the premium for the person, the company paid 75% or something like that. Like I guess what I'm curious is for this 15% increase, have we explored other ways to reduce the impact of the health care costs on the district? Does that make sense? >> Uh, it does. Um, I think the short answer is no. Um, the longer answer

038is if we were going to do that, it would probably involve anou with the teachers union who negotiated a previously negotiated settlement because that actually just references specific dollar amount contributions. >> So, not that it can't be done and we have done it in the past. Um, but it isn't one of those things that the board can simply make a decision on the strip of a pen and have it change. >> I figured it would complex. Just wanted to clarify as a new board member. Thank you. >> Great question. >> Any other comments for budgetary stuff >> related to that? Um, for new board members. We also have talked about payouts and increasing payouts and did some of that math and maybe worth doing that again. It didn't seem to make sense in terms of

039cost reductions in the past. So uh we we have had conversations about those things. >> Yeah. >> And our percent increase last year was 3%. >> Versus this. >> Wow. I don't remember. >> Not for the health. I mean for the total like you said budget guideline. Yeah. The budget. So the budget guideline last year I believe was a was a 0% >> okay >> increase. Um, unfortunately there was confusion amongst board members and administration on what that 0% actually meant, >> right? >> Um, we had some, I think, some healthy and robust discussions in the budget committee meetings, especially the the most recent one with administration present so that we're all on the same page about whatever that final number is, if it's a 6%, what that 6% means um, in terms of budgeting.

040So, I'm I'm sort of looking at my administration over here, and I I think I think we're all on the same page this year um versus last year, which was, you know, led to some awkward conversations. Um, and I don't know, uh, we, um, just this afternoon received, I think, some additional, um, information related to some potential increases in health insurance costs that, um, could possibly impact, um, the guidelines that you're seeing here. So, and I hate to say this, it's not that the situation got better, it's that it got worse. >> Um, so we'll have um, I guess another month to bring this forward at the next meeting. The specifics what Neil is talking about was brought up to us in four chairs. It really is hot off the presses. It's a couple hours

041old. So, the administration is still working out exactly what this means and doesn't mean and getting an exact dollar amount from our insurance company. So, this will be discussed in more detail in October because it also impacts this current year's budget, not just next year's budgetary planning. >> Yeah. So, gives us another month to work through the additional details on on the impact. And so we hope to have a finalized set of guidelines >> and and what we're talking about also impacts handover school district as well. [Music] >> Michael, >> so I I echo >> position on uncertainty. It seems like the two things that Vermont is exporting right now are maple syrup and public policy on the sub. Um, I work in healthcare which has a lot of parallels to education and I continually

042run into leaders who want to know how it's all going to work out. Where's the story going to end? I think these boards have come together the last few years to say, "Okay, we know what we care about. >> Kids and the faculty and our communities. >> Um, we don't know where it's going to end. Let's play this hand of cards as best we can and figure out what happens next year." I think we've been very skilled at that protecting our schools, our communities, and acknowledging the limitations of taxpayers. >> I don't see any point in the next 12 months, but we all know how all this is going to shake out. I think it's the same deal. What's the best that we can do with what we actually know right now and stand in

043front of the voters, give it our best shot. But I think a real need for certainty and I just don't think it's out there in any way. That said, I thought budget committee doing the best they can with information they have any noting that this will be coming to a vote tonight. I believe >> uh no >> I mean for the guidelines >> no there there are too many unanswered figures in the quick model for me to come forward with a recommendation of what that final percent increase ought to be. So I'm I'm recommending that we defer this. >> Okay. So you were asking to remove a budget item 6E. Is that correct? >> Uh, I'm assuming that you're accurately representing. So, I would say yes. >> All right. And Teresa Robin, any concerns about

044delaying this month? They're all good. >> Great. So, remind me of that when we get to businessing action. Any further discussion on the information we have tonight specific to budget? Yeah, Ben, I will just add just for the uncertainty for our administrators, I I think I just want to clarify that that what we previously discussed still holds. >> Yes. >> So, I don't think that delaying it this evening would change how you all were planning on proceeding. >> Yeah, that's good call. Thank you. >> All right, then we will shift to the tuition discussion. So, Teresa, is this you? >> Um, okay. So this year we have about 148 tuition in students. Um we have four exchange students if that number hasn't changed. Um out of the tuition in students we I believe we also

045have to um RMS. We've got out of those there's 39 9th graders, 28 10th graders, 45 11th graders and 35 12th graders. And 75 students are coming from line and we have 34 coming from Cartwland. And then we have two or three pockets from Cornish, Weathersfield, the other. >> Does that roughly align with what we were expecting? >> Uh yeah, it it's pretty close to what it was last year. >> We're right around 14548 for last year. And remind me is Harland getting a bus at the moment or no? >> They are getting buses and lime getting picked up also. >> Any questions for Teresa on tuitioning students? >> All right. Thank you, Teresa. >> And then the DOE financial report similar to what we just talked about in handover. Any update on that? This

046one I don't have after working on the other and everything else going on just getting fully staffed and stuff. So, um I I didn't have it all the way done. So, obviously I'm not going to present it and then I'd like to have it looked at I'm having um Jamie Teague review anyhow just like I did with the handover before I you know finalize it. So I see that we we're scheduled to approve this tonight and it has a due date of September 30th, right? >> So do we need are you asking for a second Dresden meeting in the next week? >> Um the signature part is is a little different. They'll accept that after and everything else, but I need to get I want to get the report done so I can get that

047submitted because we can actually submit that without the signature part because they're going to do a review anyhow. Um, so the signature part, even if it comes a little later, I don't know that we need to hold a special meeting for that because again, once I submit it, it's highly likely that they'll have me fix something or review something. So, >> is that fairly typical? >> Yes. >> Most people get excited when they only have to get it twice. [Music] >> Good to know. Okay. Is there anything you need from us to make that deal we report complete or? >> No, I just need time. >> All right. Any questions on this? Otherwise, we'll might be submitted the next week without our signature and we will look at it when there's time for our signatures.

048I don't have any concern for that. See that? We'll move right along. Thank you, Teresa. And now we'll do something that was already discussed in detail in handover at the meeting earlier this month. the NHSBA resolutions. Dan, you want to walk us through those and and also let us know how handover voted on each of them? >> Yes. Um, first of all, Hannah voted to give me cart punch and just to do whatever I wanted to thrilled to do that. >> You can do the thing. Um, so >> knew there was something about that board. You're always welcome to join our tax. >> Okay. So, the very first resolution will probably look familiar. At least I hope it does because it's proposed resolutions. >> The propo Yes, we are looking at the proposed resolutions. Um

049the because this is where you really have to sort of make some decisions. So, our first resolution, as you know or might remember, was about open enrollment and being concerned about that. We listed a number of reasons why we were concerned. And the NHSBA proposed an alternative resolution. And I am on the one hand fine with taking their wording because some folks may well accept it more uh graciously if it comes from the NHSBA than if it maybe came from handover or Dresden because we tend to push things a little bit. Well, maybe I do at the meetings, but they suggested alternative language that specifically says they oppose any open enrollment legislation that would have the effect of further undermining. And I just personally feel that that language and the handover board seemed to agree

050with me was too tentative. Um and I am going to actually offer an amendment so that it says uh as it will have the effect of further undermining the reliability of projecting revenues. So my suggestion was to go ahead and and accept their alternative but to amend it to be more precise about the language. And the handover school board was fine about that. Um and what I will do is go through each one and you can ask questions if you have them but then or or or not. Um, so the next one was pretty much this is the Dober School Board saying a similar having a similar resolution about open enrollment and NHSBA just put forward our proposal. Oyster River also had an open enrollment and and frankly I participate in a monthly Zoom one

051I remember with some schoolboard members from around the state many of whom are involved in the NHSA and come to that meeting and bounce ideas around and so they already know that at least the handover board proposed this slight tightening of the language. Um, so that's the 13th, 14th, and 15th resolution. The next one is Chesterfield proposing the addition of the language about public education aid for formulas so that the state fully fund all public education before they start giving money away to other places. Mhm. >> The NHSBA actually, I think, made the language even bolder and more um expansive by saying all state public schools, public school districts, and public education. So, the NHSBA's alternate resolution was even stronger, and the Hannover school board said, "Yep, let's go with that." Um and then the

052next one is also from Chesterfield and what they did was really interesting. They reacted to a practice in conquered of attaching non-gerine amendments to bills and they said we don't want that to happen. It happens all the time. But even more important, and the NHSBA says, "Oo, don't let's not monkey with that right now because there are times when we want something added on to an existing bill." And in fact, according to a conversation I had with our state rep, Mary Hacken Phillips, there is an currently an effort to attach something that will to an existing bill that has not finished making its way through conquered that will address some of the problems Claremont is facing. So, it's an example of how you don't want to do that even though on the surface it looks

053like it could be a good idea. So, we agreed that um we would go along with the NHSBA not supporting that one. Um, Raymond has a resolution that says uh, all schools that receive state and or federal funding shall comply with all applicable state and federal laws regarding testing, hiring practices, etc. and the NHSBA didn't want to go down that road towards the possibility that it would look as if they were supporting vouchers. So, they said, "Let's let's just leave that." Um because if they do have hiring and testing and special ed, then do we have to support them? And they do not want to go there. So, we agreed with that recommendation. Um my pad is stuck here. Um, we're now on Raymond wanting a number. >> I'm sorry. Thank you. Yes, Raymond wanting

054a specific amount added to building aid and increasing it every two years. And the problem is that there are all the there's already a resolution that is there are two existing resolutions that are attached here. one from 2023, one from 2017 about funding, building aid, and facility needs. And the state hasn't filled this since 20 since 2009. So, we had a bit of a conversation about this one, >> but um the NHSBA was not supporting it and I can't recall quite all of our conversation. I think there was concern earlier discussion that NHSBA seems to be rather picky about when they enforce this whole we have a resolution on this so we don't up again they do sometimes they don't >> right >> I think that's where we left off >> we did and and

055we did we had this conversation about some additional resolutions that are going to come up where they go well we've got something on the books but the most recent one was you know in this case 2009 in other cases 2011 it's almost like they don't want to have to work too hard. If it's there somewhere, then that's good enough. And so I'm I'm fine about whatever you guys decide you want to do. We sort of left it hanging a little bit, but we also have another handover school board meeting before the um NHSBA. So it may be tonight brings everybody to a clear place on that one. So that's a little bit fuzzy. Well, and didn't we say something about like there was like a theme of a few of them that we would that

056you would present with the recommendation to re-emphasize these specific areas, >> right? And this this was one of them. >> And just to clarify, we dres is not scheduled to meet again before. >> No, no, no, no. I apologize. Handover has another meeting. So Hanover could kind of kick that one down the road a little bit. And we sort of kicked 20 and 21 which are conquered schoolboard resolutions and they're both grounded in their own specific experience. Number 20 with the need for subsidizing school lunches and they are calling for a resolution to provide permanent funding. And again, the school, the NHSA said, um, you know, we already addressed this 2022 2024. So, that one is more recent. So, I'm fine with not supporting that one. On the other hand, if they want to if

057conquered says, "We really want to make this point." So the legislature and I used as an example talking to my granddaughter on the first day of kindergarten when she came home that night. She was so proud of herself and her mother asked for what she had for lunch and I thought what do you mean what did she have for lunch? Don't you didn't you send it to her to school with it or whatever? But Maine feeds everybody and they feed them breakfast and they feed them lunch and so she had her snacks and she's a she's a healthy eater. So um it was a reminder that it's perfectly okay to to support conquered in this. And the next one was also conquered again talking about gun control again emphasizing gun-free school zone. And once again

058the school board association said me you know we talked about this last year. We've got stuff on the board on the our continuing resolutions. And again, I think the general sense from handover was let's go ahead and push this one and not just keep backing off from a conversation about gun control. >> So again, those are things for you guys to decide. Um the number 22 was focused about lowering the threshold to 50 plus one vote and the schoolboard association backed off being that precise about 50% plus one vote thinking that maybe it should be it would be better to say let's talk about what that number is. And I don't I'm sure I'm not the only one. Probably other people in the room remember when we voted to purchase the Dresden Fields and what

059that vote passed by one. And I just don't I I mean it happened. It worked, but I think it's probably not the best thing to pass by one vote something that is that substantive. But anyway, so this one we were going to support the alternative resolution. And then number 23 is folks that using older language for about a catastrophic special education fund, which it's not called any longer, and reimbursement. And this is the one where one of my colleagues got quite adamant in pointing to the New Hampshire Schoolboard Association saying, "Oh, we don't support this. We've got existing resolutions." And they have five of them. One of them's 1994, one's 1998, one's 2005, one to is 2011, and one's 1990. So it hardly seems as if that is a done deal. And so we were

060talking about, yeah, let's support that um for the principle of it, you know, just being sort of not orary, but come on, these are lying there and they're old. Let's update them. Mhm. >> And then the final one was Managnock talking about someone attending a meeting via Zoom counting towards the quorum um which would acknowledge and enable people with disabilities or caring for someone with a disability to be considered part of a quorum if necessary for a public meeting. And so I think the language was um the tweaks that the schoolboard association recommend seem fine. Um and so we were supporting that. >> That's one I have a question on. >> Yeah. um is does that resolution only apply to people who have a disability or a child with disability or does it apply to

061like say any of us being able to attend? >> We asked the same question at handover and and you noted correctly that the alternative resolution does not have any sort of implication for disability. It's pretty much virtual fine. >> I would like to strongly support that one. >> So that's is in the interest of time and I am not meaning to um do anything except to reassure my colleague that sometimes we can get out of here early. I know. >> She was saying that out loud. So, I'm not >> But my proposal would be for the Dresdston board to consider supporting the positions taken by the handover school board on the resolutions, but also to give me additional uh authority to vote on things as they come up at the meeting. You know, something's a

062then whatever. And for new members of the board, similar languages is done for each of these meetings because things may come up during the meeting that we can't foresee. And also note that is open to board members uh to attend for free and there are occasional other board members in the audience and Deb is the one voting member who gets to hold up two different voting two districts which is >> it is really fun. I'm the only person representing two boards and they always make sure that everybody else knows there is somebody there who has two ballots because they're bright orange [Music] voting or directing plates. >> Well, they need lights. >> Any board members? >> A process question for Deb. for the ones where NHSBA has recommended alternate language. >> Mhm. >> Do you

063actually vote for for example where we vote on the original Dresden proposed resolution and then entertain the alternative language? How does how what's the process? What they do is um they have the schoolboard member read their amendment and then everybody can see that it has been an alternative language has been offered and I could say I would like to amend the alternative language to say such and such. It used to be that it didn't even come up for a conversation if the New Hampshire School Board Association didn't support it >> unless somebody stood up and said, "Wait a minute. I want to talk about my resolution anyway." Um, does that answer your question? >> So, so they would So, our the Dresden resolution would be presented, but it wouldn't be voted on. >> Well, it

064could be if we say we don't accept the alternative resolution. So the the the home district, the district that proposed it can >> Yes. >> choose to I get it. >> Yes. They can choose to stick >> not accept the >> Yeah. >> And if they choose not to accept it, then is that alternative language? Then you disappear. >> Often what happens is that the body votes down their motion and then they go to the alternative language. I mean, that's that could happen. What usually happens is that they're grateful for the word smithing that's been done and they hop right to the alternative resolution. They most of the board representatives are reluctant to push back against the school board's association recommendation, >> the schoolboard association. Yeah. don't >> and I I think and part of

065what you're proposing is you can also say I accept the amended language except for this one part where I would like to revert to the original language. Right? >> I think in as you're making as you're the school board member presenting your motion, >> right? >> You kind of can recraft and say accept the amendment except for this >> sentence which we would like to read >> as stated in the original. Mhm. >> Any other comments on the resolutions? And I know there's a vote on this tonight later on. >> Not going. >> I guess very briefly um on number 22, they dislike um supermajority requirements. I don't understand why 40% plus one people could stop infrastructure investments. What is the alternative position of the NHSBA on that? Do you have that? Well, they their

066language says um what does the language say? A little more than that, >> right? A little more. I mean, it really has to be a bill that goes through the legislature that changes it. >> Um >> No, I >> Yeah. I just I mean >> it's fuzzy. I mean not worth um belaboring a discussion here but I just I think you know it it becomes very hard to persuade 60 or 65% of people anything >> right >> um and school infrastructure is really important and so schemes that make one person's vote more important than others um are distasteful to me personally and >> as a school board member just you know worry about our ability to do our job when facilities reach a certain point. Just so just to clarify, I think the current >>

067the current law requires that supermajority. Yes. >> Yeah. And they're they're asking for a 50% plus one. So they're the the Hookset school board is proposing that we bring it down to a >> Yes. I would um speaking for myself, I I would very much in favor of Hookit's position >> um NHSBA trying to understand >> why they're serving waffles on this, what flavor of waffles, etc. Well, if you prefer Hookset's position, we can absolutely vote to support Hookset. I mean, I think there's no question that so many schools are looking at aging facilities and we see it over in Vermont with Woodstock. I think that keeps trying. >> Can we please fix this? >> That that's a thank you finally, Mr. Chairman. like if this is one of those times though where you know

068I'm just one voice on the board and you're very close to this and so I defer to your judgment about hey what are the continuing relationships in this conversation at NHSBA and whatnot personally I'd be in favor for saying yeah has a point here >> oh >> and if and if so and as the the vote calls for like Deb you can kind of see the boots on the ground what's happening and >> reading the room reading if some a new comes on the line or new information comes in. >> Yeah. >> And if you if you're comfortable with 50 plus one, I'm I'm for it. I'm fine. I don't have a problem standing up. >> We can just end the sentence right there. >> I don't know. >> I know that's true. So can

069I just do a quick straw poll of the group preference on 22 to accept the alternative resolution or well first to go with hookset's proposal. Is there a sense from people that you would like to support hookset with 50 plus one? >> I guess my comment is I don't think the alternative resolution says anything. It does. >> Yeah. So, I guess if we're either like for the 50 plus one or we're not for it. And so, um I I I my vote is I just want you to make I trust you to make the best decision because I move on. >> I I will I don't I don't have strong feelings. I'm fine going with the um >> I will just point out I think that yes it's it's wishy-washy language but I think it's

070also points to the purpose of these directives which are to suggest we want you to look at this issue right there's nothing binding here there's nothing like most of these sav don't go anywhere it's just putting a stake in the ground and saying we want you to work on this right um and it gives their lawyers and their lobbyists something to come back to to say look the school boards want this. We need to work on this. So I mean I think their perhaps their thinking was we're never get 50 plus one but maybe if we work towards lowering it some that might be workable. So I think that's probably the rationale behind it. >> Are you hearing me? >> Any other conversation or comments from board members or the public regarding the NHS proposed

071resolutions? Seeing none, move along to business requiring action. As you may recall from earlier in the meeting, we are not going to propose an approval of the budget guidelines or the DOE annual financial report tonight. So, and the resolutions are a separate item. So, if I can hear a consent motion for items B through D, that would be much appreciated. Kelly move to approve items B through D by consent. >> Seconded by Michael of line of vision. Uh Terra is joining us remotely that she did in the handover meeting. So we need to do this one at a time or roll call vote. Sorry. McNeil >> yes. >> McConnell. Yes. >> Yes. >> Nelson. Yes. >> Russell yes. Yes. Christie yes. >> And Tara you there? >> Yes. >> And Keen. Yes. Thank you everyone

072for that. and Terara stay nearby for the resolution language. Deb, you want to try crafting this one? >> Sure. Um, >> in the third person as you will. >> Oh, I know. It'll be so good. Move to authorize Dev Nelson to vote for the NHSBA resolutions on behalf of the resident school board consistent with the handover school board decisions and authorized her to vote on other businesses needed at the annual meeting on October 25th, 2025. Okay. Seconded by Gina. Uh Tara, we start with you today or just now. >> Sorry. Yes. >> And then back to >> Neil. Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> Nelson. Yes. Yes. Yes. Christie, yes. >> And Keany, yes. Thank you everyone. Moving on to reports and communications. Um as chair's report will be short. The next meeting is on October

07328th. That is after the resolution after the the meeting. So Dev, let us know how that goes. >> And um as we alluded, we did get some updates today and that will have uh ramifications for this year's budget, but we don't really know enough to have a in-depth discussion about it. So look forward to that in October with some shar like it. That's all my happy news of that. Thank you for everyone's working hard on these committees and we're going to hear about them now shifting to 7A. I think we've heard from the budget committee in detail. Neil, anything to add to that or are we good? We're good. >> All right. On the central staff development committee, Deb and Tara, anything we need to know about? >> Um, now we've had reports for um

074summer enrichment grants and we have a meeting coming up in a couple weeks. So, just same old, same old. >> Okay. And I do note I'm going to have the earlier conversation on the budget that next year I believe is a sbatical year. >> So, would that be CSTC as well? >> But that's not until January. looking at all these former and current chairs over there. >> So, no news on that, which is perfectly fine. >> And Deb, you're still you're still here. How about council? Anything to add apart from what Ian said earlier? >> No, the cell phone conversation has been rich. >> Policy is meeting tomorrow morning and that will be a couple of discussions. You can let me know anything that we need to know policy sense. >> Sure. >> Okay. And

075then how about the HACTC? Garrett, >> you need to expand that since I'm on the policy. So when you say rich, it like I'm a little conflicted because last year my understanding was cell phones were not used in class. >> So why is it such a big change this year? Well, last year there was a wonderful move, handover developed, handover tested, handover approved for cell phones that worked really well and students like it and there's been a great deal of conversation about the fact that we don't have bells, that um we have a system that worked well for us. What does that mean? Can students, you know, if they're like one student wanted to know, if I go take my class at Dartmouth, does that mean I can't be on my phone? No, it doesn't

076mean that. But, you know, they're they're getting in the weeds and they're upset and it's too late. >> And various members of council have pointed out it's too late. We need to figure out how to work with this. And they >> the moderator council is going to be at the policy meeting tomorrow and talk about it. I think the two areas they're most concerned about, one is punishment um or response to violations of the cell phone policy once it's created. And the second one is what effect will this have on the atmosphere at school? Will it drive students out of the building during free periods because they want to be on their phones? Um, so it's just it's a normal, I think, reaction to a more stringent, rigid system being put in place, a a

077regret that they didn't know about it at the time it was happening. um and a sense on the part of some well we just won't follow the rule and and that you know is an understandable reaction but it's one that has been sort of >> previously I'm crystal clear they didn't use their cell phones in the class but when they came out in the hallway they could use now or if they're sitting during lunch >> except for breaks the classes have breaks so during a class period you weren't allowed to have your phone as you walk to the cafeteria to get a snack. So it was they were checked at the door. >> So it was bell to bell with the class >> bell to bell for the class. >> Yeah. Non bell to nonbell

078>> in a policy committee sense. We do have technical guidance from the state which is rather detailed and it I actually liked it quite a bit. It's it's it's not political at all. It is purely >> regulation interpretation. It's it's pretty solid. So we're working through that in policy right now. And it is I want to say it's not cell phones. It is devices that that can connect to the internet. So things like smartwatches and stuff are also applicable >> which is why you may have seen articles in the press how there's been an increase in iPod usage and things like that as sources for music that are not connected to the internet. >> Kelly >> just want to say I love the attempt to find a loophole in the bell to bell. We didn't

079have that. >> Yeah. Go ahead. Also, I you know, I just I know I it is going to drag kids outside of the building to check things. And I know that because it's partly coming from the parents, right? But like the schedule change that happens at 10:00 a.m. >> And what what do we do about that? Like when we you need to talk with your child to figure out what this mean, not just like, you know, if it's elementary school, >> send a note to the office and you say, "My child needs to take the bus home." End of story. I will point out one thing that highly rele what you're saying and it's also that I don't know if the students have caught this yet or the teachers although the the high school administration

080knows about it because we talked about it but in this cell phone language it's not purely devices it's also methods of communication >> right >> some of the technical advice we've been given is that social media is not to be used for updates of that information >> so it's and it's opening up things like if there's a change in a sports practice has been cancelled or whatever solicited to weather, whatever. How do we do that without social media? Number fours use Instagram as their source of contact for updates that is explicitly called out as no longer going to be allowed. So, we're dealing with that right now because that's going to cause issues with the schools. But we also know that announcements over the loudspeakers are staticky. If you're outside, you miss them. If you're

081in the bathroom, you miss them. All that other stuff. And we've been told anecdotally that the students do not seem to read their emails >> that we get. That is from it. So then how do we have these sort of late notification systems if it's no phones, no social media, email is not possible and audio speakers are not really possible >> and that's one of the reasons why this is taking longer than policy than you may think. >> I don't need you know the can works just these are some of the things that we're dealing with Michael then Carrie and then I do not know the time. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> Difference between possible and preferable. >> Yeah, that's right. And when what do you mean by that destroying? >> I mean, people say,

082"Well, it's just not possible to communicate without >> Oh, yes. Okay. >> It's preferred >> and it has been done before. >> It has. I I distinctly remember someone who looked like me with more hair." >> Yeah. >> I just I to me I think in any rule change there are consequences. I think we got to be real clear about, you know, now we I I don't, you know, I'll wait till it comes back, but trade-offs for the trade sake of trade-offs, I don't think it's good. I just think there's it's hard to have a no cell phone policy without having no cell phones. >> Carrie and then Kelly talk. >> This is more clarification because I have I have very limited experience with the high school. Is it a totally open campus? I guess

083I'm just curious because I work in a high school in Vermont and know that like they just don't have access to their phone. So, it's not a question of like leaving the building to like unless you're like gone gone like the end of your day. So, I'm just curious like kids would just be able to have access to their phone to like run out to their car. >> Julie, >> I just don't I don't know. >> So, yes, we've opened campus if parents approved, which most do from the second half of ninth grade on. Um, and kids have cars parked in different places. So, they could use their phones in their cars. They could we not supposed to see them according to this policy. So then we can't check them at the door. So then

084they'll be in everywhere, right? So you bathroom, you walk outside, you know, when they leave campus, like I know that academy unlocks their yonder boxes so they can have them in their cars while they're driving on off campus, but here they might use Apple Pay at the co-op, at the loco, at whatever. So like to not have their phones means they can't do Apple Pay, which yes, they can go back to carrying their credit card or a check or cash, but like these are just things that people have gotten used to and families have gotten used to being able to do >> as a way to track their kids, new drivers, parents like to track them. So because they have off campus, it complicates it a little bit. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that's helpful clarification.

085>> That's why we're going through this. >> Yeah. >> Slowly. Kelly, >> the last thought for just policy and it actually is probably more implementation at the high school. Just as a parent of a sophomore, it would be helpful to have that directive if we had something come up just today where it required a conversation. What does that look like? Right? What how does that process do I call the office? Does the office go get my child then come down and have a conversation? Like what what is the process for that? you know, >> well, I've definitely had a hypothetical situation where a child has uh needs to reach you because they're uh upset and is there a place for them to be able to go and call their parent? Like in the past when

086I was in seventh grade and had more hair than Michael, I could go to the pay phone and it was private and there's not necessarily a private place um for so you know I think it's I think I think there's like two things to be true right now is we can there are preferences and there's also people are used to using things in a different way and like to your point the Apple Pay there's a lot of things that are um are not being acknowledged by the bill and I think a lot of parents support not having it and frankly the kids would say they're really proud of how well they did and when the evaluators came they said wow we're so impressed with how handover is doing it I think that's where you're hearing

087the noise from that's what I hear from the many students that I hear from my house >> and I will point out in this conversation that we do have the new survey data that actually gets at this directly and just to remind board members that across the entire SAU approximately 46% of our kids have a smartphone phone. At the high school, 95% have a smartphone and at the middle school, 49% have a smartphone. So, it is also not just a high school issue, >> which is why we asked this question. Carrie, >> um, one of my questions too is so much of this bill or not so much of this bill, but the movement across the country is around mental health for kids and the um, you know, to go back to the social media

088thing. And so I would be curious, especially because I do get concerned around um, access in the hallway to meeting that like any of that, you know, the the ways in which the impact of social media on mental health um, is so much that social aspect, which is hallways, which is breaks, which is outside of school time. And so I think um and and Hanover is not without that need um for their high school students. And so I think one of I like I think change is hard. I think and I also have concerns about like if the times in which the access is happening is when it is the social it is that piece which is a big push nationally why this is being looked at for kids. um just to be considerate of

089like why the downtime is maybe not the best time for those breaks in um >> dy noted anything else on the committee update from council >> I will just say that there are members of council who are very very thoughtful about conversations about cell phones including speaking to their colleagues on council about the importance of being leaders in whatever the policy ends up being about being gracious about this. There are also ongoing conversations with the student life committee about creating a space in the school where people can be to um sort of breathe in and breathe out a little bit to look for ways to create space for students to have um you know not a device free but a an escape >> I don't even know what the proper language is. wellbeing >> wellbeing

090space. >> Thank you. >> So it's it's not all tippy in one direction. It which is really wonderful to see. >> Sure. >> Um Rene Lisa. >> Yeah. Just kind of a quick question um for the council rep. Um, have you all spoken with schools that are already doing this bell-to bell and doing it bellto bell and finding out, you know, their experience? I I'm not asking you to report that right now, but I I would just be curious if anyone has gone to other schools that are that are doing this. Like I know BMU in Vermont is bell to bell already. Like they just they've started it. So I just I would be curious about how they've handled and whether they're seeing that well-being has increased. I mean, sort of to Carrie's point that

091not having your phone during lunch means you're actually having a conversation with someone across the table from you. And has that been enjoyable? Um, so anyway, >> just thoughts. There are there are schools that are already doing this >> in a more quote unquote severe way. >> Yeah. >> I don't believe like we've reached out to other schools, but I think that's a great idea and we definitely should do that. At least my understanding of the academic literature is that it's been a fairly obvious return um an ROI on the implementation and it just might help them to hear directly from the student, you know, >> and and to learn about the pitfalls like make sure you have, >> you know, couches that face each other somewhere in the building so people can sit and

092talk to each other. I don't, you know, I don't know, like simple simple things like that. >> Great. Thank you for that, those contributions, everyone. Moving right along. Uh Carrie, anything on the current tech center? >> No, their first meeting is Wednesday, I think. >> Great. Looking forward to that next month. And anything else from the tuition committee besides what we've already talked about? >> No, we haven't met since the last meeting, but might be something. >> I guess moving along to the super Oh, Rene, what's going on? >> There was one thing from the handover's capital improvement planning committee. >> Relevant to Dresden. Yes. So that's what this weird PS number four replacement is. Um and our capital improvement project list just gave you um context. So the one thing um that we talked

093about when we met last Friday was um there was a uh need to reconstruct um a pump PS4 pump station 4. in that document that's kind of highlighted with my weird highlights um calls out triricloroethylene. >> Um tce is a contaminant that came from Krell. Um it's like a degreaser um thing. Apparently 15ish years ago it was an issue that came up that the Dresden folks had to address. >> Deb was gonna follow up with an update. So pass. So Carrie Callahan was on the school board and remembers that it was an annual report that Krelll did. So I asked Robin, "Are we still doing that?" And Robin asked me Tony >> and facilities. facilities and apparently asked >> Jay at RMS, >> are you still doing it or not? >> I believe is done

094with that monitoring, >> correct? And so the only question we had was whether it would be appropriate to >> have some sort of maybe four-year plan of monitoring. I mean I don't I wrote back to Robin who sent me an email just today um and said and said is there not knowing anything about previous reports and whether was 10 years of zero presence or well there was a little bit a little bit more a little bit less we don't really need to do it I just don't know whether it's prudent for us to be >> looking. Yeah, I think we're gonna have some questions here. Gina, >> what what is it that will the board needs to appine order on? >> I wanted to know we're monitoring it because it's a safety issue for and

095like health and safety at our >> Yeah. I mean, I remember when this came up 10 or 15 years ago at in the neighborhoods and it was I remember enough that it wasn't great. makes me think that we need to get smart about it because >> but I don't feel like I have enough context in this for that to understand what I the board member should be doing to help us be smart about it. >> I did check on this and Tony said that Jay gave permission to grow to stop the indoor sampling at RMS. He thinks it's around 2021, >> right? >> He said um he can try to get an exact date and be back in touch, but I can also ask him if he has any of the results, too. >> Yeah,

096I think that mean I see the results and also the rationale for a while. Why was it stopped? >> So, I think um we'll ask the administration to get us some more information and pending that information, we'll decide whether it was worth another conversation or action. >> Okay. as I recall it had been basically clean and not a worry for so many years and then I think that was why it was suspended but that's not to say that you know every four years doesn't make sense that might be worth >> and so just to reframe so I think to kind of Gina's point so Rene this you you brought this up as a result of this new pump opening up does this pump have anything to do with that >> it the so there's on

097like page two of 11 here 206 whatever it says uh under site contamination it lists a few different contaminants that all it's like that was resolved that was resolved and then it says with the tricloroethylene and other contaminants um are present in active uh well and similar compounds present in active well monitoring since the 1990s station number four lies within the groundwater management zone for the tce contamination. So further investigation into the degree of contamination and anticipated groundwater or soil handling and processing will be needed as part of a future phase. So the fact that it seemed like it's it sounded unresolved or potentially unresolved in this language >> made it >> maybe interest to let's maybe just confirm that we're still good. I guess where I'm going with is that so where exactly is

098pump station number four and I'm assuming it's not just RMS RMS only it's probably neighborhood including RMS >> um it's like the that that general area up there. Um >> I think they they called it the Crow Pump Station was like the shorthand for it but it is that that neighborhood riverest which is not developed but could be the potential Kendall. >> Yeah. Uh, I don't handle the riot. >> Well, it's >> it says that it's at the end of an it's on an undeveloped grassy parcel owned by Dartmouth at the end of an unnamed gravel road offline road. So I kind of felt like it was >> pictur our rep of that committee that's how we can maybe get some details as well. >> Uh yeah love to advice >> everyone okay to move

099on? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> All right then. Um, was there anything from the tuition committee or >> No, though I Rene, just one quick word on it. Um Renee also did attach the Hannover Capital Improvement Program, which is not per se relevant to this committee except to call out the incredibly high costs that Hanover is projecting in fiscal year 27, which for them, and I had to look this up, fiscal year 27 means the year going from 2026 to 27, um which is the budget year that we're currently working on. So, they're looking at $28 million for construction through downtown Hanover. Um, so which we kind of knew was coming and they're still figuring out the funding mechanisms and all that, but um, yeah, just something to keep an eye on as >> conversations down

100the road in terms of both a tiff as well as large things coming from the town and how much it's the schools or not with our things as well. Renee, >> just um because it is so substantial, uh it's worth noting that that is the lowest number possible, right? >> And about half of that was projected from a or was unchanged from a 2020 estimate. >> Oh dear. >> And so they're saying somewhere between 50% and 100% more >> similar to what you know. >> Exactly. >> All the fun. Thank you for bringing that to our collective attention. We appreciate it. Kind of. >> Yeah. Are we okay to move on to the superintendence reports? Right. They are there. Um >> Robin and Lauren, anything you want to hear highlights? >> I'll just say two

101things. Two related to the discussions we were having. I also asked asked the staff members to provide feedback regarding the cell phone policy and I did get several responses to that. So that's good. We've had some good staff response. Um, in terms of the tuition committee, we did have a tuition agreement signed by Lime that has been approved by their board and they would now like to set up meeting with our board chair and their board chair to discuss further years of tuition agreements. So, we will start working on that. And then I also included information about our leadership team meetings. We had our first last week and um I'm really trying to spend a lot of time in the schools because I know as the year ramps up it becomes more and more difficult.

102So I have been spending a lot of hours in each of our schools and um we did have our first leadership meeting here at the high school and we're looking at instructional coaching data and using some of the tools in the classroom. So, we're reading a book called data rules that I included in the um agenda and you can see that we are going through that step by step and having discussions about the book and then taking the tools and actually using them in the classroom. And so, I compiled some data from the tools that we use and I shared that with all the staff as well so they can see some of the teaching and learning that we're doing as a leadership team. And that's my report for tonight. Oh, and one other thing.

103I am also setting up meetings to meet with various student groups in all of our schools, too. So, I'll start doing that in the next few weeks as well. >> That's it. >> Any questions from members of the public for for our superintendent? >> Okay. Super long title. foreign. >> As Ben let me put it, the report is there. >> Yeah. >> Happy to answer any questions. >> Questions for Lauren? >> Thank you for documenting it, Lauren. We appreciate it. >> Just because I I couldn't tell if this was okay or not. >> Sure. >> So, uh, with the title one Yes. >> Uh, the we had 34,000 last year. We have 7,000 this year. Big drop. With the handover conversation, it was we're going to probably be okay. But that because of the small

104rural school achievement >> grants. So, yes, in our discussion, we were like, we can patch this together. We have access to the SRSA funding. We will be able to use SFSA funding to cover the shortfalls of the decreases and allocations in the handover side. That is not the case for Dresden. So, just adding a little bit more insult to injury and great news here in the ch meeting this evening. Um, I'm working with Julie to consider how we can look at the program differently. Think about um if any changes can be making made to the bear camp program that would be completely covered with the allocations that we have. And if that's not the case, um what we would need to do in the budget that we cannot increase to um not currently being funded

105in uh the title one funding. So I don't think we're sounding any major alarms at this point, but just worth noting that there is an obvious trend here for both Annover and Dresden. And it seems to be more significantly impacting Dresden because of the lack of SRSA funds. And yet just to you know the the the wonderful news here is look at all the other incredible things that we are going to need through um grant opportunities. But we I just will keep an eye on the grant money that we have and we'll make decisions that we can um based on the information that comes out. I've attended several meetings both on the Vermont side and the New Hampshire side and pretty much everybody is saying they're not quite sure how to forecast future years when

106it comes to funding. Um, and so that's some there's something to be said with that as well. Uh, hopefully I can come back to you next year at this time with really great news about grant funding, but there's also the possibility that some of the things that have been funding through grants um won't be have had the opportunity to do so in the future and we'll have to revisit that. Can you tell me if Center has welfare campus? >> Yes. >> I can't remember. >> I can talk about it. >> You want me to talk about it? Sure. >> So, so Bear Camp um if you came anywhere close to this campus uh the couple of weeks in August right before school started, you would see some um incoming ninth grade students wandering the campus.

107So they have opportunities to learn all sorts of skills needed for the transition to the high school. So it could be things like learning schooly and the technology systems. Um it's making connections with peers that are also coming in. Um it's uh I saw them take a couple of field trips. I'm not sure where they were going, but they were doing a couple of field trips out to the community to I think probably ground themselves. Yeah, >> they're using Apple. >> Um, but the goal is that they're coming in with some academic skills, some technology skills, and then some social emotional connections so that their start to their high school, um, they get off to a great start and they have those connections going in. >> That is perfect. Excellent. >> Thank you. >> Thank

108kindergarten camp but for >> a nice parallel. Thank you, Lauren. Moving along to Teresa who wrote documentarial report. Thank you for that, Teresa. Um, I don't know why, but for me it pops up as a download with a separate screen rather than just a >> a link shift. >> Um, I was having troubles like it wasn't even showing like one of my other documents there. >> Still looking through the sim. >> So, any comments or questions for Teresa on this? And thank you for putting it down there, Teresa. The only thing I I want to add is um I know the cell phone thing is a big deal with the being um little offampus in our open campus that we have, but I just kind of want to put a bug in the air that

109um you're going through food service this year. That's kind of one of the things that we really have to address because we're going to continue to fall into a big deficit because what's offered off campus seems to be more interesting than what's we're offering here. So, I'm working with the food service company and everything else too to how can we turn this around and get the students to want to eat here instead of going to the co-op and going down the street. Of course, the cell phone thing is not helping now. Even more reason to leave and go, right? But >> Gina, >> a provocative thought or question is do we like do we try to have them eat here or do we accept that they do do I know we have to have something,

110but if they're not going for what they're like, is there somewhere in between trying to fix this and say, well, what would they like? Are we asking the students what would they like? would they is it fruits and yogurts and bananas that I'm making this that's what I would want and you know that that would keep them here so they need something quick versus trying to solve it with like a hot meal maybe the way they eat food and so >> maybe you know what are they buying in the co-op they they buy like sushi you know how can we meet them closer >> it's all of that yeah >> um those conversations been happening um um Rob and I had a meeting earlier back in the spring um right before school ended. So, it

111wasn't an opportunity for them at that point to just go see it in operation too the way it was um with the new service director Keith um that's over there now. We've been meeting quite a bit and then the food service the um Janice who's now the assistant VA she's been actually meeting with the director's also on sort of the financial operation of it and then I'm meeting with the others on the actual operation of it. How how can we turn this around? Because like I said, I'm seeing that the sales are just dropping. >> Yeah. >> Pretty pretty rapidly in the last couple years since I've been here. >> Yeah. I was going to ask about that because I remember historically I thought all the schools did fairly well at staying in the black

112when it cames to Richmond. >> Okay. >> They ended up in the red also. So, one thing that I heard purely anecdotally through my child and and social group was that what was what was going to be on the schedule is not what was actually there. And then people start realizing they don't look at the calendar to predict and they just kind of wanted to start bringing in their own things. But that's mostly conjecture on my part. And I remember one thing that Lauren and I did several years ago along with former board member Kim Hartman when we were trying to find a contractor for the Ray food contract was at the time there's a big push from parents being like my kid my kids are so healthy they don't want to have tales movies

113and how come we're not doing that and that's because the kids never actually bought that feed. It was more wishful thinking and kind of doing that dance between to your point what is what should the schools be offering philosophically versus what will they actually eat, >> right? >> And that's always a hard >> that is a balance that's that's it's going to be a hard in a way it's a hard balance is trying to figure out how to serve the healthier foods and stuff like that. be I mean and I won't go do detail but just a quick even like free and reduced um they're getting all a cart so they're grabbing and going they're not eating a meal either >> right >> and the funds they get usually gone by breakfast >> we have

114to address that issue too um so there's a combination of things but um like I said in the last couple years things that I've really noticed that the um And there was a survey and I I requested a copy of the survey because there was supposed to be a survey that they done but I never I don't know what happened to it. >> What what kind of survey are you >> asking students like about the program and what they did and didn't like and things like that. >> Ohan food at the the cafeteria is is relatively expensive actually. >> Yes. Yeah, >> we can get for example, you can get three chicken tenders and a chocolate milk. A chocolate milk is $3.50. And if you go to the co-op, which is a walk away, you

115can get an entire hot meal, which is much higher quality than the cafeteria. >> Yeah, the co-op is cheaper than ours. We have a problem. That's that's not Thank you for that perspective. I didn't know that. >> Uh Garrett, >> so I mean, this is the first time I've heard of this. my son's meal time and his credit card both are depleted constantly so he seems to be partaking in all of it but is it worth having this >> counsel maybe given the fact that I heard tonight like >> you know the cell phone policy was brought up by the students so they felt like they had >> a say a voice in it so same thing here I think if the students had a voice in what the cafeteria's problems where they might be

116more loyal to going there right like I right because at the end of day we're asking them to support local versus going across the street. Is that something that like >> Well, that's first as a board member, then I'll bring it to Linda. >> Yeah, I can let Linda answer that because it's sort of a little off. It's another idea. So, >> okay. Linda, you want to say who you are and why? >> Dante, council tech. Actually, uh the there is a committee on council called the student life committee and they are putting together a survey that will be you know I think that might have been the survey you heard about Teresa. Um and prior I guess in in previous years last year council also had a great working relationship with the cafe. So

117there was a constant conversation between students you know trying again to sort of get and culture the food choices that would best match what students are. I think what I just want to echo what Ian said, what I keep hearing from everyone on council is just how much more expensive it is, how unpredictable the quality of the food is, and I do not in any way want us to reflect on the staff because we love the people that work there. We absolutely do. Um there's just been a difference in food, food cost, and food quality, I think, is what I'm hearing from students. The students love the people who work there. >> Yes. >> And Linda, if and when that survey happens, could you pass along the results? >> Sure. That'll be in stock. question.

118Carrie, then Kelly, >> just a clarifying question. Did the contractor change just with like how you were speaking about it like the contract company did not well they were bought out and then and then we even considered obviously consider going out to bid but they bought the competition too. >> Yeah. >> So kind of have monopoly now. >> So is this the company that was formerly Cafe Services? >> Correct. Now it's owned by Witson's. They still kind of go by cafe, but they also purchased the Abbey group. >> Yeah. And Abby was the main competition as well. >> Yeah. >> All right. Things to P. You know where that contract is up, by the way? >> Yeah. We just um Well, at this point, we just renewed it. >> Everything else. So, at this we're

119just kind of going along year to a year. >> Yeah. >> I remember again going back to my previous Ray experience that we actually had we spun up a committee that kind of handled looked at pricing and taste their actual word. There was taste testing the companies brought in samples of stuff and if once the time it works out it could be a worthwhile endeavor as well >> at the high school which was part of the other issue is that the director last year um just couldn't get motivated to get it really going and and so um >> couldn't get going >> really getting people interested in the food. I mean, it was a matter of taking things out of a frozen bag and popping them into an oven. And again, you don't want said

120I mean, the I mean, you're going to go get fresh chicken tenders across >> not to dig on the co-op, the co-op is known for being cheap either, right? So, >> paid the same or more that the quality of what they were getting, and we've heard this by other students and staff, it just was better. >> Yeah. when I taught here for a brief stint four years ago, the food was great and it was reasonable and healthy and so I don't know what shifted just four years ago, but I mean feedback for the company if you're listening like it was it was great and and there were lines and it was quick and it was >> better than Lisa. I'm gonna have to move on. Um, so just, um, another idea for gathering data about

121this is having accidentally once shopped at the co-op at 10 a.m. or like between 10 and 12. Don't ever do that because you get caught in line behind students who are literally buying one slice of turkey, one slice of cheese, and a bagel. And then they have to be rung out individually. They have to be served at the deli counter individually. But I think it would be worthwhile to sit there and watch what they are purchasing. Yeah. >> Um because you're going to get really good ideas of what they're looking for. Um and I think what it is is they can go all cart. You know, they can get exactly what they want, how they want it. And again, the cost was cheaper. Um my son who played hockey was hungry after hockey, no matter

122how much he ate before hockey or after hockey. and bought a lot of the breakfast sandwiches here and they were about twice the cost of if he could have run across to the co-op and gotten that gotten this exact same sandwich. Um, so >> so I am hearing that there's a healthy appetite, pardon the pun, for a more detailed planned food service conversation. >> This is merely the appetite. >> I think at the next Well, we we were here all night. We don't want that. >> So I I think that I'll open this up with the next resident agenda planning and and perhaps and the administr let administration let us know this is also an issue at MCS and Ray and we will bring it back for a planned thing with hard numbers that we

123can move forward on. >> Moving back uh Teresa anything else >> on the BA report. >> Okay. And so there were some last minute conversations about the need for a nonpublic. So I think we can wait on the personnel issue if you feel that. >> Okay. And then on the the other thing you mind. >> Okay. All right. There's no need for a nonpublic. >> So now we are back. We have a second opportunity for public comment. I can we have members of the public here and online. Anyone wish to chime in? Raise your hand in person or virtually. Yes. So same as before back to the mic. Um your name if you're representing any particular group >> and then three minutes. >> Jaser pan over. I would be very interested in hearing any conversations

124you might have on the use of AI here and how you all are implementing it. >> So that is a great question. We actually have policy is working on that ventury. >> Great. >> We did a survey of the parents regarding their thoughts on AI use that had almost 600 responses and that information is available to board members. will be available to the public within a matter of weeks and the parents have many thoughts on AI. Some in directions I was not anticipating and they were very thoughtful and well put. We've heard similar things from the students and the schools are awaiting a policy and some of them are moving forward on their own school policies as well. >> Okay. >> But it is at our attention and it's rightfully so. It's a great time

125>> and you'll maybe be reporting on that meeting. Great question. Any email from the public? Right. Seeing if you have any there any topics for the next meeting besides what we already talked about tonight, please send them on to me. Otherwise, I'll take a motion to adjourn while we wait for our next meeting on Tuesday, October 28th. Deb, >> I move to adjourn at 9:06 p.m. >> seconded by Michael. Uh going around the corner, starting with Neil. >> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. >> And yes, we are. Thank you everyone. We'll see you soon. Ina