001Uh, call us to order at 7:47. Start off with agenda review. Yes. So, I have two items that I would like to add. Sorry. The first is the resolution that we adopted at the Dresden Schoolboard meeting about open enrollment. I never It should take like two seconds. Um and the second one is about the fair funding letter. There's some carryover. We had this conversation months ago, but there's an update that I would like to bring to the board's attention. So, those two things and I think Jay has stuff. I I updated the agenda to include the Oh, wait a minute. Yeah, I'm in the right one. Um I did update the agenda to do the NHSBA resolution and then now that you've added it to the agenda, I can add the letter for people to
002review under discussion. Okay, that's the link that I Okay, any members of the public who would like to address the board? Yes, come on up. And thank you so much for your patience, guys. Oh, sure. Moving parts these days. So, we just want to take a few minutes of your time. I feel like we've already presented to several of you at different meetings, policy um board and basically we're here to advocate for it to have a class size cap from 14 to 16 at the kindergarten level. Um and just a little history um when we switched to all day kindergarten in 2014, um it was agreed that we would have a class cap, but then it was never made official policy. So, we've just kind of been going year to year and watching class sizes
003fluctuate um frequently going out to 18 and 19. And we just feel as a team that it would be best practice to have fewer kindergarteners. Um and my sort of stickick is that they have a lot of social, emotional, and physical needs. And the more children you add to a class, um that sort of compounds the situation. So, in a typical day, I might help someone in the bathroom, help a child regulate from a really big meltdown, help them get in and out of their snow clothes, um, wipe their nose, help them keep their private body parts private, advocate for themselves, negotiate with a friend, um, and I'm also dealing with parents who are new to the school system, so they may need a bit more extra care and time from our house teachers. And
004just basically, that's my thing. We do a lot of self-care and social emotional learning and of course academics are woven throughout the day but we feel like students who can't self-regulate and can't manage themselves and follow expected behavior in a group aren't ready to access academics and that just kind of spirals through as they go through. So, we feel like we're the foundation for setting up happy learners and we can do a much better job when we have fewer children who get a one-on-one attention and build better relationships with them and their families. Well, it's mostly what you're saying because I I think this is a wonderful school and when I think of blow smaller class sizes, I think what do we want to give our kindergarteners? Um when I said I've been here three
005years, I come from preschool um background. But um the first year we had 15, second year we had 16, and this year we have 19. It just makes a big difference. And you think it's only a few kids and 19 isn't too many. But it is too many. Um it it just I just want well we all want to give them their best and we want their learning to be deeper. The first experience we're at Ray to be to be the best and I find there's more with a smaller class you have more time for them to go deeper in their learning because there's just more time to give them individual attention more time to for them to engage with the learning. when he made his wonderful marble shoes the other day and children took
006loose parts and green teams of two created their own marble thing and we gave them the time to do it. They had a great time and then it was time for the presentation and because it because of meltdowns, because of personalities, because of whatever. Presentations take a long time. And what was lost in that I felt was we ran out of time because each child wanted I want to try yours. I want to try yours. And that would have deepened their learning that they got to feel the other child. And with so many in a group and it's larger, you can't go into those deep learning. We just run out of time. Um, in addition to time, I've also found, well, actually to add on to that, I found um that our transition times are
007doubled often when I have a full class of 19. Um, so when it was when we're getting our snow clothes on, it could take up to 10 minutes and that's their recess time or that's their learning time. So making those choices was tricky about are we going to take away from a learning time which is terrible? are we going to take away from an outdoor playtime which is also developmentally not fair to what they need. Um I find that their ability to actually sit and attend is far different with 19 of them versus on days where we're lucky enough to have 15 or 16. Um even if there's, you know, I've got quite a large rug now that physically fits them, but I still find that they're just they're almost like in a different space.
008They're very they're overstimulated. they struggle to pay attention and maybe sitting still but they're really not attending they're really not participating. Um I found on days where I have 15 16 of them, you know, if I say something like, "All right, clean up. It's time to go to the rug." They do exactly that. They clean up and they just walk to the rug. They sit down, they wait, they chat, you know, on days where we have 19 of them, it leads to like a higher rate of over stimul over stimulation. And you know, they're standing around and talking to each other because they can't focus on the task at hand. um they're running and they're diving, they're grabbing each other, they're screaming, you know, they're rolling around. Like, it sounds dramatic, but it is it
009can be a little um high energy, a little crazy when it's got all 19 of them. Um and I guess I would also like to add that I've worked in uh with kindergarteners in many different places. I worked in southern New Hampshire and in Arizona. Um I've had the privilege of working with uh very experienced and highly qualified kindergarten teachers. And something I always heard them say in New Hampshire and Arizona, Southern New Hampshire was everyone we went over 15 was exponential. So there's just something about this that magic number and once you really start getting past that, it really does make a huge difference. It becomes more about management and less about teaching. And Angela wasn't able to be here tonight, but her um main focus that she wanted us to think about is
010sort of differentiation. So if you make the group larger, the individual groups get larger and so it's harder to, you know, have five groups of four children when you, you know, perfectly could have three groups of five children. So it's that didn't make sense mathematically, but you know what I mean? The more groups you have, the harder it is to prep for them and to give those kids the individual time they need and to meet them right where they are on their learning spectrum and pushing them down the the field. Then if you have if you have that extra rotating group, the children, then you have two who are actually getting teacher attention, but then you have two groups who need to be independent and they need to learn how to be independent. They haven't
011learned that yet and this is their first school experience. We have um a PowerPoint presentation that we put together and we encourage people to look at it for um for more information. Our intent is that it will be able to be accessed through board docs, but if you're having trouble, if anybody's having trouble accessing it, you can reach out to any of the kindergarten teachers through the Ray School website. Um, and then I'm here I'm actually here on two different capacities, I guess. I am a parent of a future kindergartener in a couple years and also a fourth grade representative. Um, I just am here because I admire my colleagues and I support them and I feel for my children coming up into kindergarten and having gigantic classes. Um, and I want them to have
012the differentiation and the care and support that I know my colleagues can provide. Um, and also I know as a fourth grade teacher that kindergarten is the foundation and they teach so many important skills that um, they need when they get to to us. And I have a group of what I call COVID kindergarteners right now um, who missed out on some really important um, skill building in kindergarten. And I see it. I see the effects of my fourth graders now and having to sort of retach a lot of communication skills, especially in the social emotional piece. Um, I've seen it over the last couple years, it's been a little different. So, I know how important kindergarten is and just here to support you on your proposal. Would you guys mind just introducing yourself? Thank
013you so much. I know most of us know you, but there hopefully are people watching who may not. So, and if you're representing a particular group, would it sound like you? I'm Emily Clarkson teacher. I'm Michelle Andre and I teach kindergarten. I'm Leslie Connelly and I also teach kindergarten. I'm Sophie Doran and I teach kindergarten. And I'm Sally and I'm an ea kindergarten. Awesome. Thank you all. If can I give you a few just some fun facts with the profile you wanted to just toss your way. Um we found this was interesting and we found that um you know you can find a lot of different research that supports a lot of different viewpoints but the um research that we found that really correlates with what we've been experiencing. Um I we found that minorities
014show double the gains as their peers which I found was um probably a key point because we're blessed to have a much more diverse school than a lot of New Hampshire. Um most schools in New Hampshire I would say are very majority white. Um, but I think we're very lucky to have such a diverse community here in Hanover. Um, the average student scores increased by a quarter of a standard deviation or went from a 50th to a 60th percentile in kindergarten classes that were controlled to 15 students. Um, students that were in small controlled kindergarten classes were still scoring higher than their peers in fourth and fifth grade. Um, their peers who are not in control class sizes. So even though their small control class sizes were just in kindergarten and first grade, those students
015were still showing benefits some years down the road, um the largest impact uh was shown on students that were economically disadvantaged living in a high cost of living area, which is a population that we have here in handover. Um and that these results were consistent across classes, across country. And um as well, one that I found very interesting was that uh students who are attending a full day kindergarten class only show um benefits uh higher benefits than students who attend half day in classes that are under 17. So having a full day of kindergarten was really only effective when they run a class small enough that they weren't being impacted by being over stimulation, other behaviors, things like that. with a smaller class size. Um they were actually able to show the benefits that we
016push for by providing a full day garden. Thank you for those. Um at this point I think I know you guys have spoken with Lauren. I know you guys have spoken to the policy committee as well. Um I think I I will ask for me personally it would be helpful just to see some of those presentations. I would like to see that. So I know you mentioned sharing that. I imagine that's what the PowerPoint is. Um and then I think um it would be helpful to me I'm looking at Lauren. It would be helpful to me just to have a refresher. What is our current um bus size cap requirement? 20. 20. Okay. Thank you. Um and at some point perhaps just understanding what some of the financial implications of that would be would be
017helpful to me. Um, so for a future meeting. Okay. Yeah. Uh, is that 20 New Hampshire law or is it policy that we decided as a I know it's a policy, but I'm not sure we have a good basis of that. Does anybody know? New Hampshire, but obviously to remove that would surprise me. Okay. So, he's still in motion. Have you used something about a recommendation from New Hampshire there? Yeah. And in Vermont they have a they have a class size range too. So we try to say that keep both both sides of the river in mind. Yeah. And what is it at North do we know 18 I believe. Okay. All right. So I I mean thank you. Thank you for coming to talk to us. Um I you know I am a teacher
018as well. I teach college students and I know there's a difference for me between having 12, 13, 14 students and 18 students. I feel that they're big bodies and that's part of it, right? So, um I I sympathize or something with that. So, thank you for bringing it to us and I know I think we'll have to look at it at a future meeting, continue the conversation perhaps, but thank you all for being here tonight. Yeah. Um can Teresa have a question but I also have a clarifying sorry what is the um staffing ratios in kindergarten classrooms I know um there's a primary teacher and then and then at the kindergarten level and first grade we have um dedicated EAS in our classroom so there's one EA in each kindergarten class but they also could
019shift to be a a onetoone okay um even if a child doesn't have an IP they often become a one-on-one thank New Hampshire law just pulled up is 25. You that's what you're going to say. Thank you to go with no more than 20. But they also recommend that you'll see below it. They actually have it at 25. Wow. Don't worry. I don't think I'd love to go that direction. All right. Thank you guys so much and thank you for being here and for waiting for us. Yes. Sorry. Um All right. So with that we will move on to uh sorry any other members of the public? Is there anyone online? No. No. Okay. Oh sorry. Thought that was a Okay. Thank you so much, Lauren. Zoom pop. One moment. Okay. So, welcome to June.
020Um, I submitted my principal report. I submitted my principal's report uh for your review highlighting our thinking around class sizes and um projected enrollment for next year. All of the amazing things that are happening at Ry in May and June, which is just wild. And I wanted to highlight that we would love any board members and SAU members to consider joining us at 12:15 on the last day of school because we're having a celebratory ray ice cream social. So come on ice cream. 12:15 Tuesday after students leave from their noon dismissal. Um we're going to have some ice cream with staff. So come by please if you can. It'd be great to see you all. Um, and then just wanted to take a moment to speak on uh an and Steve and Kathy um in
021recognition of their work here at the Ray School. We honor them this afternoon at our staff party um as they are retiring from Ray and their service to our community and these students and we wish them all of their best all of our best in their upcoming adventures. um they already have some great plans. This is one of my favorite things today from the staff party is when uh the teams read advice from students on what to do when you retire. There were some real great um I provided an update on next steps around our school goals that we had this year. Just noting that those were our official goals, but so much more happened in the race school, but wanted to make sure to update you with that. Um, and then I was remissed
022and I forgot to mention that we had a lovely blue ribbon celebration at the race school on Saturday. The time of year and the weather made everything more complicated than it needed to be. But I will say um that we have some lovely photos that I will upload later if you'd like to take a look now. We actually had an a real blue ribbon with some really big scissors. But after a few remarks, um, we cut the ribbon, reopened the school, and some of our fifth grade tour guides took families on tours of the school. We all ate cake, enjoyed some social time and some music out front of Ray, um, and had a lovely little community celebration. Um, so it is with that I'm happy to answer any questions, but it's with that that,
023um, I just want to continue to express my gratitude to this board and this community um, for all of the support that makes the Ray School as special as it is. and we're going to continue this incredible journey. It's going to look a little bit different, but let's keep up. Keep going on this. Um, so thank you again for your support of Ray, for your support of me and the teachers and the students here at Ray. We're very grateful and have a lovely summer. Thank you. Thank you, Ben. And then thank you for this report, Lauren, as always. And I'll point out for those who haven't seen it that in terms of the projections for next year, the kindergarten total count is estimated to go down approximately seven children, which is roughly two per class.
024Thank you for putting that in there. Um, I had a quick question about the title one summer plans. Are we still okay on those summer plans with funding? Yes. Yes. And I can talk about that more during during my report by just that title one rejection this afternoon. Brilliant. Thank you. Okay, we will hit pause on that. Other questions. Okay, thank you. Is the responsive recess roll out is that the same thing from last year about sort of behavioral stuff or is that something new? Um this it when we continue it next year. Okay. this it will be year three of doing it. And what responsive recess is is in the first um the first year we did it we did it for the three days the first week and four days the second week
025where students stayed with their classmates went to each of the spaces on our playground and learned the expectations of those spaces and then we kind of let them go free after they learned those expectations and practiced them. This year we narrowed it down to just three days of responsive recess where students stayed with their class. When they went out to recess, they learned the expectations. They practiced those expectations and then they got free choice of the playground. Um it is an important practice that we will continue next year and likely the first three days as well. All right. Thank you very much, Lauren. Moving on to family changes. It's the Lauren shows just for a little while. Um, no major content changes, some revisions and some updates. You can find them in um that separate
026Google doc or that PDF at this point. Uh, one thing that you should note that we changed um slightly was that we used to talk about electronic devices more as cell phones and we did have a line now um talking about all electronic devices and particularly thinking about smart watches which even this year have become um increasingly problematic. Um so uh we did add some lines in there um when we changed our froms and twos. You'll be able to see that in that document. Um, you should see at the end as well that there will be a couple of things that will need to still happen. Um, we're going to update term dates. Uh, we're going to, uh, add assessment screening schedules, but we're working on those right now. So, before this goes live, we'll
027make sure that that's updated. Um, and we'll have to update all of the links if we move to assembly over the summer. There's a lot of linked policy in this and I'll just have to make sure to get those all updated. Um, otherwise pretty general and generic provisions. Happy to answer questions. I'm just wondering if in light of the New Hampshire legislation, it should say something like in keeping with New Hampshire law, students may not use personal electronic devices. I mean, I think it it doesn't hurt. I to underscore that. I would love to add any language that is you know supported by the board and also consistent across schools. So if that is going to appear in other handbooks I would I think that that would be a great idea for us as well.
028So in terms of the general public's changes to the law is it comes down through policy committee eventually. So there'll be a bit of a lag time. Correct. So probably be fall late fall maybe. Good point. If if in other handbook reviews you hear language that you feel would be beneficial for me to incorporate into our handbook, um please let me know. Other questions for Lauren. All right, we will move on to the Bridgeman proposal. Um not great timing. um Nan her little recess committee um and the folks that we partnered with after we finally got some a series of quotes uh in hand uh really worked hard to get this proposal together and it just month after month we couldn't get exactly what we needed um to be able to bring it before the
029board. So we still are bringing it here today. Um, we've been talking about our hopes and dreams to update our recess play spaces to make sure that everyone is included and also in line with various playground safety audits. Um, we had this year removed some areas of our play space that were deemed not usable and not safe. Um, and we want to replace those those areas for our students. And to get to this proposal, um, students who you'll see their names under the submitted by, students did a lot of work and a lot of research to bring a proposal forward of what they felt would be great additions for all students to our playground. Um, we thought about this in one phase altogether and then timing wise, we knew that um, not all of the
030money would be expended by June 30th. So then we broke it into two phases to see if we could purchase equipment in this fiscal year and then think about all of the installation and freight and other things in the second phase which would happen in the next fiscal year. Um it sounds like there will be further conversation about that. But that's the reasoning behind the phase one total and the phase two total and um I would be happy to answer any questions and I move it. So uh just a little bit more context for the board. Um, first off, I will say Lauren, this is as always a wonderful proposal. I personally I love how thoughtful and inclusive you have been in this proposal and kudos to Nan and her committee. Yes. Um, I so
031just so the board knows um I received a call from the chair of the Bridgemond Fund trustees um expressing just concern about the timing of this. They've already done their last meeting for the year. So there was concern the fiscal year closes June 30th. There was concern about this getting approval on their end um in order to um disperse the funds to start the project in this fiscal year. And then that has a knock-on effect because the um recommended maximum annually from the trustees is 75,000. So if you do the math, if you collapse those two phases into one year, it would be over the 75,000. So that that was the conversation and um I kicked that to Teresa and to Jay and to Lauren and said can we come up with some sort of
032solution. There's a chance the trustees might be able to do a special meeting and um and approve it. So that that might be a possibility. But um in the absence of not necessarily being able to count on that, assuming that this board were to approve the Bridgemond Fund on our end, um we had discussed potential um options possibly. Did we get an answer? So, and Teresa has done a lot more research than I have, but I did just had a conversation with our attorney who's going to review things in greater detail, but told us that obviously if they were able to call a special meeting, that would be the simplest, smoothest way to do it. Saying that, I will turn it over to Teresa. Um, and and of course, the RSA, which I know about
033because I've used it at other schools when we had certain projects, especially when we couldn't get contractors, but we had those funds. So we would um the school board approved to encumber those funds so that they would roll over into the next year. So then when we got the products go so the same concept here if the school board chose to approve in covering the $75,000 those would just roll over and say they would give us one more year out to utilize those funds. Now the legal side as far as the trustes go I I don't know because if we have approval to move forward and encumber the funds then we're legally following everything and the trustees could even meet in July if that was the case and it should not be an issue in
034that sense the timing on their meeting not really effective right so I think um couple steps for the board first I think we would be looking to approve the bridging fund and I will give an opportunity for further questions before we move on. Um in the second if um one of you might be able to craft language to use that RSA um and then I think we may just have to make sure that we are actually able to use that but that um hopefully that that would cover us um and let us let you guys move forward with the project according to plan. Um, so I think that would be sort of a two-part thing if the board is amendable to potentially trying to use that. Yeah. Terms are available has been reached yet. We
035have not spent any of them this year. No. And just to clarify, so for any new board members or um any new watching public, um the the Bridgeman Fund is a fund that was created for the benefit of um handover district students. We tend to apply at K through five. Um so primarily the grade school, we have occasionally many people use it for sixth grade, the sixth grade wing of um the middle school. Um and we are we have a trust a board of trustees for that and their recommendation based on our current principle is um 75,000 per year. Um it can the proposals can come from anyone. Um so it can be teachers, it can be board members, it can be um members of the community. Um, so the idea is that these would
036be projects for the benefit of of Hanover students that would that are not used to lessen the tax burden of residents. So um it often is um pilot programs. We've used it for pilot reading programs. We've used it for playground equipment. We've used it to um refinish um some of the basketball courts and and we have at some some points proposed projects that then when we worked with the administration afterwards or when when the project went forward administration it would no longer um logical to use that and so that money has in fact been returned to the fund. So all that to say if we don't spend the 75,000 it rolls back in the fund. It's not a use. Yeah. Yeah. um two separate questions. Okay. First one is um so Lauren, how did this
037get developed with students? They they came to Nan or Nan came to them or self- selection. Um a little bit of both. Okay. So these students are um particularly passionate about making sure there's access for all. Um Nan runs various clubs. She has a gardening club. She's got um she works out in Breeze Garden with a group of students. Um and then she had this recess committee that uh one of the students in particular uh was very concerned about seeing some of the things being removed um from the playground and uh started like a persuasive writing activity and then some other friends got involved. Um and so it was a bit of self- selection but it was never exclusive. So any student that wanted to be a part of it or they they could but
038they're also working on a schoolwide hello you know 464 students if you have anything that you want to say about recess you know come and see nan um they these students did talk to friends like bring information forward talk to friends about the proposal um and this was also brought before our friends of Norwich schools too um and our friends uh provided a small amount of money per what they were able to do given all of the projects that were presented as well. So um did that answer your question? It does. Sorry clarifying question on that. So they they have there is also an additional investment from friends of handover in this. Okay. Thank you. Sorry I didn't see that. I didn't see then my um my second question is revolve going over the timing
039and the dollar amount. We're looking at the phase one actions that have already happened. As far as I can tell, I don't see a contractor construction piece to this. Is the the people who are doing the what I read these this is the playground equipment company. These individual names like these are the manufacturers. Um so we we got the bid from Ben Schaefer Recreation. They're the same folks that work with Mary and Cross on their playground. Also, they are the construction crew that actually do the on-site work. Yes, we can do all of those things. Yeah. So, phase one, like we're in phase one right now. We're submitting this request right now and if the funds are approved, then we order the equipment. That's phase one in this fiscal year. And then phase two is
040using this same company. So, the entire um bid proposal that we have also includes installation, landscaping, and all of those other pieces. And it's all through this same group. and they have committed to the um that time if they will be available to install. Yes. Then the second part of my second question if I may. So the actual installation would fall during the school year. Yes. Would that be problematic in terms of kids ability to enjoy the rest of the equipment or is this like a night and weekend? Potentially. We're not quite sure. Great. I am curious from a um I love that it's a kid committee. I think it's amazing and I'm just curious like if um special ed physical therapists like what sort of the consultation process was to ensure like these are
041all great and they look like inclusive toys to me but I also don't do this and so I was just sort of curious like are these actually the best idea like does this align with what somebody who does play with kids with different abilities would that is a wonderful question and I'm wondering if to the extent that I know. Yes. But I'm actually not positive. Um I'm wondering if uh Nan is willing to Well, and I don't want to put anybody. It looks like Teresa may have a thought. Okay. To share. So, can I say one thing and then Nan can text me? Nan, will you text me? Um, so what I know is that some of these some of these pieces actually were installed also at Mary and Cross. And so there have been
042conversations around like how is that working for your students? Is this going to work for our students as well? But go ahead Teresa. I just want to um part of the and I kind of thought maybe you guys might have this info anyhow but um so the Ben Schaffer company part how it started um because I met the owners and the the people and stuff at conferences then so they actually had a child with special needs. So part of it was trying to find play equipment and other things that they knew their child could participate in. And so that's kind of how they got that going. And so it's always been their thought anyhow. Yeah. For this dollar amount would we need a formal RFP like a competitive RFP? No, we didn't do an RFP
043not to my knowledge on you guys did both correct from multiple companies. I believe that we just went with this company. I guess what I'm asking is do we need to have a RFP for this magnitude of cost? We probably do because I believe our [Music] $50,000 over there that we were supposed to go out this would be I mean this number is under 50 so I don't for the install right so and so anything over 50 we had to go do that we just signed that one last meeting we will check that I was gonna say I would leave that to perhaps the administrative side of thing as I just wanted to also respond to Car's question. Uh this company that we hired uh for Marian Cross, we the whole purpose of redoing that
044playground was to make it ADA compliant and um and so they did an outstanding job of creating accessibility. We had we have some students with with um physical disabilities that were are now able to fully participate and play on the playground. Any other questions? Yeah, sorry. A few new facts for you. New facts. Um, I did forget to mention that this price is negotiated down for where where we originally started for the same stuff. So, that's important to know. We did a lot of work to make sure that we could get it sort of within Richmond. Um, that uh this will be a new section of the playground. So to answer the question about is it going to impact use of other playground spaces, potentially we'll have to be careful about equipment and personnel that
045are on site doing this installation, but it will not impact the use of other play spaces. Um and then uh like I mentioned, we did follow Mary and Cross because they used this group. Um and we and we did speak with the previous OT that we had at the school because this had been an ongoing project. So Nan did consult with the previous OT and and special education. Um and we do not have three bids. Uh but it was recommended you by Jamie to go through them. But that was before we knew what the price tag would be, right? So use the company, but let's say we can also do the RFP if needed. Thank you, Martin. Other questions? Okay. So, um, when we get to this requiring action, we'll be taking a motion to
046approve the bridgement proposal. Um, and hopefully the RSA that would allow us to encumber those funds and roll them into the next fiscal year to my our editing, my motion creators. Okay, thank you motion creators. All right. Um, we're on to appointing the approver. Our favorite part of the evening. Who's up? Who's been doing it? Carrie and Okay. Y've done a wonderful job, both of you. Would you like to continue? I feel good about it. Would anyone like to be the approver? I'm happy to continue. Considering my inability to make this a committee meeting [Laughter] Ben is Ben is very efficient and actually ask some really good questions when he does this. Um so I would recommend connecting with Ben if you're new with this. So not at all. Rene, would you be willing to
047step in? It seemed given my committee of budget seems appropriate. Okay. It's thrilling. Great. And I you are not the only set of eyes looking at this. You we are the last sort of official sign off, but it has gone through Teresa. It's gone through her team. So, um, are you really okay staying on? Yeah, it's fine. Okay. All right. Well, thank you. Don't make that face because I'm I'm pleasantly impressed and surprised. I know. I was more appalled and you know no in awe. In awe. That's what I am. I'm in awe and and grateful and grateful. Yes. I do recall noting at the last time we did this when when I was chair three months ago that there was discussion about whether we we do this we should see the previous several who
048did it. So we kind of keep track of that's good. Who's due? Is it a note for agenda creation? Yeah. Well, we don't have to overcome. So, apparent that everyone gets to do their fair share. Okay. I thank you. I I will admit this is not my strength. I tend to go. So, thank you both for So, Renee and Carrie um for the next quarter. Thank you both. Yes. Whole thing. Moving on to our financial update. interesting spot for this to be. I like it. I have uploaded a lot of documents. Thank you. Yes. Yes. And I also uploaded the um RSA for the um RSA 32 with section five is really the one that we're talking about. Uploaded that particular document. I have uploaded um grant funds fund two with the revenues and expenses.
049Um our total grants for this year um were 268,437. Um our overall budget if you take the grant number and then you take our general fund 16 million 9,160. So if you do the calculation our total grants come to about 1.68% of that budget. very very small. Um and then the third documents are food service expense and revenues and I just want to note that the April and the May revenues are still posting um and reconciling that out. So those will still post when you look at the reports. Um you know that and I posted the numbers estimate for June. And then the FY2425 general fund revenue expense reports also uploaded a little document where I have my little notes with any variances um estimating project or projecting excuse me fund balance to be about
050341,528. [Music] And then we have special revenues fund 27. Anybody has any questions questions for Teresa? All right. Thank you, Teresa. Um and as of course if you have questions after the meeting, feel free to send me. Yeah. Um, all right. Moving on to reading of policy. You have to do it faster than Teresa. You looked at this last week. I should set up competitions more often. That's fantastic. All right. Any questions on the policy? Seeing none. Thank you. Policy committee. Um, NHSBA resolution on open enrollment. I see it before. Deb, do you want to just get it quick? Um, for some reason it's not opening up again on my You want me to? But I Oh, thank you. But it's a very I mean, if you guys can read it, I wrote it so
051I don't need to see it. But it's it's basically just since whoever goes, it's usually me to the schoolboard meeting or gathering in October gets to vote twice. Um, Dresden's already gone like this, so now I just am saying and the handover. All right. Um, and do we know if any other school districts are currently entertaining similar motions? They were. Uh, we were sort of earliest for the June meeting, so they were waiting to see what we came up with and I swapped out some of our I've had some conversations. So, I think that there will be some piggybacking on this one. Great. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions for DE on this? All righty. Seeing none, we move into business requiring action. Um, do we have the updates for the Bridgeman proposal? Oh, yes,
052we do. Oh, yes, we do. Okay. Um, does it need to be separate or can we just do it as presented by this agenda? Well, yes, I know. Sorry, I'm trying to refresh. Not see no spot apologize. I don't see the language language. Oh, maybe I got kicked out. Okay. Um, if other people are comfortable. Yep, I got kicked out. That's fine. All right, then. Go for it. Move to approve items B through G by consent. Uh, sorry. Perfect. Oh, yeah. We don't need any action for public school funding. Do we? I heard the second from Deb. Discussion point. Yes. Yeah. Um, I accidentally put um an item H, which was going to be a discussion item in business requiring action instead of business requiring discussion. It's the public school funding letter that you asked
053to include. Yeah, we might need some action on that one. Okay, we can leave it as is. So, currently I have a motion of A through G. Um, so I will take a vote on that and I don't think we have anyone online, right? Okay. So, all in favor for A through G and that is unanimous. Great. Um, and now let's move on to the New Hampshire public school funding letter. Um and before with the board's indulgence, before we take a motion on that, Steph, do you want to just give us a quick Sure. Um, for those who were on who are new to the board, but al also those who were on the board and have forgotten, there was an effort to get local leaders to sign on to a letter. um ahead of
054the budget deliberations and they this organization Fair Funding appealed to select board members and board chair school board members and school board chair members and it came before the board and the thinking was that as an individual you could go ahead and sign it that was fine Marcela and I both signed the letter um the reason I'm bringing it back to you is because there is a meeting happening. The governor has indicated she is interested in meeting with the schoolboard chairpeople who signed this letter and the Lebanon schoolboard chair said, "Well, I'd like to go to that meeting." So, I think it's a she retroactively signed the letter. And so I sent this to this information to both Ben and to Kelly and said,"I don't know this is something you want to do, but it's
055a possibility." And I suspect because Dresden is behind us now that it's really only Kelly who can consider it. and if she's interested, if that's fine with the rest of the board for her to retroactively sign the letter so that she can participate in this meeting, which I think would actually be great for us to have a chairperson there. And so, yes, my question, you mentioned that Dresden already did this. What do you mean? I just meant we've already had our June meeting so you were sort of left um hanging change that if you I mean I would give you permission to to retroactively sign the letter to I don't know that the board has to give you that permission but whatever. Yeah. In fact, I will point out that the reason I did not
056sign it previously was because I felt uncomfortable with being asked to sign something explicitly as a chair without it coming to a formal vote by that. Exactly. As a as a member of as public citizens, we can do whatever we want, but acting in our just as public officials, I felt uncomfortable signing it. So, uh so if um if there is interest on the board um to have me attend as the chair of the board um representing this board and signing the letter as the chair of this board, someone could make a motion to that effect. Do ahead. Do we have a time and place for this meeting yet or is it theoretical? I wrote to Michaela to ask her to I said it's coming up at our board meeting tonight. Has this meeting already
057taken place? Um and I didn't hear anything back from her, so I assume it hasn't yet. Um but beyond that, I I just do not know. And I suspect the meeting is likely to happen by Zoom. But I'm not sure about that either. And I will find out anything else you ask me to. I mean, you can see a list of who had signed it as of whenever I grabbed that and asked Jay to post it, but I don't remember what the date is. Um, sure. And I haven't had a chance to read this in full, but I just want to sort of echo Deb's perspective that I would love to have I mean anytime I think we can get an audience um it's a valuable thing. So if yeah just if you're willing and
058able I certainly so I stab a motion. I said move to approve Kelly McConnell to sign the New Hampshire fair funding letter and to represent the Hover School District there. Any related meetings? Is that does that do what you need it to do? I think that sounds just fine. Sure. Can I suggest one amendment? Um, Kelly McConnell or a designated Yeah. designate a designated representative. Would that be okay? You you already have Deon Marcel, right? Right. I'm not The only thing is that I think the exended to chairs. Okay. Otherwise, I think one of us could have kind of Yes. My only thinking is if I'm not available, Marcela is my vice chair. I would love So, could we perhaps say the chair or vice chair? I mean, that's that's fine with me. Okay. And
059I'm comfortable making that argument to the person. Yeah, I mar I would point out to that when you determine the timing of the meeting, I can perhaps arrange for a special meeting if um if it makes sense to. Okay. Sure. I'll let them know. I am perfectly happy to sign anything as chair should the board want me to. Okay. Yes. I move to approve Kelly McConnell or Mar to sign the New Hampshire fair funding letter and or either the board chair or vice chair to represent the Hannover school district at any related meetings. Second from Ben. All in favor? Okay. And that is unanimous. Thank you for the backup. All right. And Jay, thanks for crafting. Uh, moving on to report of chair our Oh, vice chair still. Thank you to Marcel for being willing
060to handle this meeting. Very happy. So, thank you. Um, our next meeting will be Wednesday, August 13th. So, I thank everyone for a wonderful school year, especially our staff, administrators, all of our families, uh, and I thank those board members for getting us through what has been a very busy spring. Um, so thank all of you, and I will look forward to seeing you hopefully Wednesday, August 13th, and not before I have you all. That's all I have to report. Moving on to committees. start looking at Jay because I don't know um any committee reports or budget committees by committee but so that would not be this unless there's something critical finance committee last month and we had actually very lovely report from an administrator of the town on budget. It was a everyone was
061very happy. Evidently, this had never consistently happened before. So, we're a lot of financial people and never worry. We have been talking as a committee about potentially meeting over the summer, which is a change. Um, but there is some feedback from community members with concern about the new zoning amendment change in Hanover. Um, that allows in town for Hover Water Sewer connected properties and to extend the number of primary dwellings to two and to have up to four families, which will have an effect on school enrollment potentially. But um everyone is now trying to scramble because this was notically a well uh explained in advance or publicized war item. Um so now everyone is scrambling to try and understand. So there's a potential that we will have. Um there has been an email conversation which
062continued about this. Thank you Tara. And I did just want to give one update at our last meeting. Um, thank you to Renee who had shared um that they were putting out a bid for proposals to look at funding mechanisms um for um elu perhaps of the tiff which we discussed at length at a previous schoolboard meeting um and that they were grateful for our input and um have did adjust the um the request for proposals to include all funding mechanisms and not just um the tiff. So um thank you to all of you for that and thank you to Rene and Tara especially for representing us on these committees. Um other committee reports. Okay Jay. All right. I would ask can I please do my report after the non-public session during public comment? That
063is absolutely fine with me. Is that okay with the rest of the board? It be I just want to wait till after. Makes sense. Um, moving on to our report. So, just a couple of things I wanted to mention from the report I uploaded. We did see two major bills signed this week by Governor Aayot and that is going to have an impact on us. Two bills include the parental bill of rights which will be looking obviously more closely at that to see the impact and then the expansion of the school voucher program. So that is now universally open to parents um and eliminates the income requirements. The other bill that we've been following is the open enrollment bill that is still in play and I had a report today that they're actively watching that
064and the NHSA and they're really working to try to get that killed, but based on everything else that's been happening, I don't know how likely that is to occur. So, I just wanted to mention those two things. We'll be looking closely at those. Um, late this afternoon, I did receive our Title One allocations for handover, and it is better news for handover than Dresden, but they're doing it differently this year. They're giving us a July allocation of $2,934 for Title One. And then October, they're saying we'll receive $4,400. and then we'll receive a total of $733566. That's about $1,000 less than what we received this year, which is just over $8,000. And that's the money that we've been using for kindergarten camp. So, that has been declining every year. And this year once we got
065to figuring out what the salaries would be for the summer because you know the new contract year we had to actually end up reducing the number of hours that we can pay the teachers who are doing the kindergarten camp. So I know that's going to have an impact next year especially losing $1,000. So I'll keep you posted on that. Um, I will I know this isn't the dressing meeting, but I think you'll be interested in this that we are currently receiving $34,000 in title one in next year what we normally receive. So, so it's big change. So, I just wanted to mention that. Thanks. Yep. Is there a stated rationale for the drops? Well, it's all the uncertainty at the federal level. They were saying to us, you know, they've been saying different things all
066year, but planning on 80% of what we received last year. And as I've been mentioning to you previously, we don't know if there will be any title two or any title four funding. So, that's still out there. Um, I'm still expected to complete our grant funding proposal via ESA, which is an incredibly lengthy proposal. They've extended that to July 1, but now I'll definitely start working on it in terms of title one. And they've told us to write that as though we're receiving the full funding, the full funding estimate of 7700. So, but we have nothing else for title two and title four at this point. So, so yeah, I'll keep you posted as we hear more, but I'm raising my hand for myself. Um I am curious on some of these there they are
067undoubtedly going to have a financial impact and I think the title grants is you know big question mark at this point. uh when I look at you know the expansion of school voucher program do we have any kind of modeling that might help us project what our exposure might be on that is that something that we can try to work towards or is it just such an unknown that we I mean it could potent we do have students who are attending private school now and so now eliminating the income levels that may definitely have an impact So, I think we'll just have to wait and see what happens with, you know, we're getting guidance from organizations. Of course, it's been too soon and there are so many changes to these bills. I think it's just
068going to take time for us to really understand the impact. Do we have do we know the number of um private school students in our district? Do we have any capture that numbers? That would be yeah helpful data to have just to understand. I think it's not going to give us the full picture obviously but it would give us at least a sense for you know are we talking five people or are we talking 100 right it's it's typically a smaller number than you'd imagine. But we can get the I can get the stats for us. We we have every kid in our census we we've got an enrollment status for Okay. Thank you. The you mentioned modeling. It's really really difficult with all the moving pieces that they have right now because open enrollment
069if that passes and if the the financing stays the way they projected it at 80% of the sending schools per pupil allocation if we picked up volume it could offset what we might lose in in tuition and and we could even be in a situation where we could gain from that but it's at the expense of other districts. it's it's it's nothing that I would be happy to receive. Um so so even just that alone there just there's so much uncertainty around so and then people could be using the education freedom account money to send their kids to our district. So y really tough to model all right we'll keep an eye on all that. Thank you guys. Um, any other questions for them? Okay, moving on to Teresa's report. Um, my report might be
070some repeat of what was discussed earlier and just kind of capped on, you know, closing out trying to close out the year in the business office and everything else. And then, um, lately we've had maintenance and other meeting regarding the library renovation here with Dr. Green. um donation and covered that yesterday. Um and of course the bridgeman um and then other projects smaller projects that need to get done around here in the summer having meetings with Tony and stuff more just trying to get some of that. Great questions for Teresa. All righty. Move over efficiency. Um, I will take I believe we do need a nonpublic um session this evening. So, I will take a motion to enter into nonpublic session. Oh, I was going to say if people have questions about the appointments certainly.
071I think we did want to have Yes. Yeah. So, okay. I move to enter into nonpublic session at 8:49 p.m. under RSA 91-8 cold 3 to B hiring of public employees. Thank you. And second Ben and we'll take a roll call vote starting with Rene. Russell yes. Nelson yes and McConnell yes. So we will see shortly. So red out. Okay. Um I will take a motion. Okay. I move to appoint Colleen Roy as a oneyear digital hiring of Elizabeth Adams as a 1.0 FT elementary teacher as presented. Thank you. Seconded by Deb. All in favor? Both hands. That is unanimous. Congratulations to both of you. Uh any members of the public to address the board? Anybody online? No, thank you so much. Um, if you have agenda items for the next meeting, please send them
072my way. You have many months to think about them. Oh, yes, I do. I did. I did. I just remembered. I apologize. And now Jay will publicly speak after nonpublic. So I can say congratulations Lauren. went that so quickly at the SA meeting. I I couldn't be happier. And um I'm so excited about Colleen like stepping in and helping out for a year because you're going to have the school. It's got to be hard for you. Yeah. To not leave. You're just going down the street. Yeah. And and that's going to be another consoling factor for all the teachers that are going to miss you. You're still going to be here. Yes. and not play favorites and not but I'm sure um Robin I'm always envious of Robin for the amount of time she spends
073in in the schools and you'll you'll be able to spend a little less time here but um and I really I welcome Colleen I'm so so pleased to have her experience especially through a transition time like this to have someone who's got 10 solid years and many years as a really successful teacher and someone with a real handle on math. Um, when we know we've got people that are a little jittery about the math situation at RMS as they leave here, I think she's going to be helpful that way too. Yeah. So, um, wow. I'm so happy for the district, for the SAU. Um, thank you too for the board's patience. I know I created a little bit of upheaval here. um not on what will be the optimal time frame, but I promised you
074at the beginning this is going to be a good transition and I I'm I have a really clear conscience. Um and just a couple couple odds and ends since um we're at the last board meeting of of this of this academic year. um the loss our our ACLU attorneys have filed for summary judgement in the in the case and given the really strong injunction um that Judge McCaffy had issued I'm optimistic I think we might have a chance for quite a lot of people he guess so we'll see how that plays out and then the other thing is just on the on the uh capital improvement plan we scaled that thing back as you remember in the budget process last year but we I say we, Robin and Teresa and Tony and I met with
0752X Collins to take next steps on that process and um they've taken the huge database we got when we did the facility condition assessments and boiled it down to a spreadsheet that they're going through right now to prioritize projects so that they can make some strides toward giving you that initial plan that kind of hits the high notes. So, um, that's that's all I really have other than in a really strange way, I'm gonna miss the important I was always saying, oh, that's one of the things I'm not gonna ask, but like this is I I have no reason to um to blow sunshine your way, but um it's been so the last eight years has been so fun to work with school boards that actually are so invested in education in in the schools
076themselves. So many of you are parents or have been parents here. It's it's not what I experienced in my other 10 years as a superintendent. And and it's something that I think our community may not really fully appreciate but should. Um when you've got a board like this that that cares so much about public education and about its community schools, you can't go wrong. I mean, we we spend a lot of time on decisions that when you think about it are tinkering at the edges. You got a great system here and it's because of the work you do. So, that's the end of my report. Maybe I don't know maybe we'll invite you back. All right. Um, thank you all. I believe we've already I'll do public one more time. Public. Okay. Um so our
077next meeting will be August 13th. Thank you so much. And with that I got an option to adjourn for the school year. To the meeting at 9:15 p.m. There second. And I'll take the roll call. Sullivan. Yes. Yes. Yes. Russell, yes. Yes. Yes. And McConnell. Yes. Thank you.