001Everybody, um, welcome to the SAU official June meeting. Um, it's only been seven days since we saw you last, so hope everybody's good. It's only been about 20 seconds since we just saw you from the dress meeting. Um, call to order at 7:28 p.m. Agenda review. Um, are there any additions or changes to the agenda? I know we have one. Oh, yeah. Sorry, I just took a bite. I'm staring at Kelly. Yes, Kelly. I need to with the board's indulgence add a an item for under business requiring action um perhaps coming out of non-public uh sorry to approve um Jay's evaluation which we have discussed twice now already just to approve that okay any other additions or changes Gina did you have your hand up or no I was saying okay okay Jake um I
002don't see a reason why we would have to have the conversation about standard benefit changes and non-public. I I think if we put it as an item requiring discussion after the policies, I'd be happy to explain what we're asking the board to consider. I I'm fine with that. So, moving standard benefit changes up to section. You're going to do it right now, right? Yes. Um four going be 4B. Mhm. Great. And then looking at this, just double checking. So we we may need to reorder business requiring actions to after nonpublic if we're going to discuss the contract correct in non-public. Correct. Yeah. So can we do that? Can we move the all the the consent agenda etc of business requiring action to after non-public and then we'll just do all of it at once. Move
003this one. Whichever's easier. So you want the whole non-public to go before action items. That might be hard to move. That might be hard to move. I mean I I'm just trying to save us some time down the road like trying to figure out if that would work. I can pull the whole section. Okay. Okay. Wow, that's the most agenda changes we've had in a long time with that. Thank you, Jay. Sure. The like how we're doing this in live public may address the board. Any members of the public and I don't Are you looking online by any chance? I mean, no, I'm not on I have the agenda, but no Zoom or Zoom. Yeah. Nope, I'm not on Zoom. Anybody on Zoom to check and see? I am not currently on Zoom. I'm here.
004It's just me. Okay. Welcome. Thank you for being appreciate that. Okay. So, seeing none, moving on to for a reading of the policies. And we only have Garrett from our policy committee. Would you like to take us through that? And J. And J. That's right. Try not to have Jay be overwhelmed. Yes. I was not prepared for this. Yeah. I wasn't I thought there would be somebody else here but I didn't realize that we they um did look at these in the last That is true. We did discuss all of this during Dresden and I don't think anything has changed in the past 45 minutes. Okay. So unless are there any questions and we won't even put Garrett on the spot. Are there any questions on the policies? Quickly if you want one by one
005but no that we kind of did that changes were result of some state law changes. Yep. Actually all of them were some glance. Okay. Yes, Kelly. Oh, just kidding. Okay. So these are basically the exact same policies we had in resen. Same number of readings etc. So unless there is there any additional discussion that people thought of since we discussed this about an hour ago. Seeing none, we will move on um to our new order is reports and communications next. Correct. I have it refreshed. That's correct. That is correct. Standard benefit. Standard benefit changes. Okay. Perfect. Perfect. Thank you. Thank you. I had to refresh. Okay. Take it away, Jay. Thank you. So, uh, as you recall from our conversations a week ago, we, um, we have reacted to the dissolution of the inter the
006New Hampshire interlocal trust, which was our our, um, essentially our insurance buying group that we provided our employees with their health insurance, all of our non-union folks. Um, and one of the the things we learned in that process was that we had some people who would go off of our benefits if we reimburseed people more for uh not taking our benefits. We currently provided provider folks $1,500 to wave health insurance coverage. And we're proposing increasing that to 3,000 because if we do that, we will get at least two people within our office who will forego family plans. And you'll see under administrative content what that costs. I'll share it publicly. Um individual coverage is 10,119. The employee child is 20,212. Employee spouse is 23245 and more than two folks right now is $30,723. Offer $3,000
007to wave the benefits um will out of the box save $60,000 less the six. So it could be 4,000. So, we're asking the board to consider increasing the um the buyout amount to 3,000 from the current 1500. Discussion, please. Kelly, then Michael, then Deb. There is a second set of things listed under administrative content. Oh, there's another one. Um, yes. The other the other change I'm asking for is um changing language on the uh within that same benefits uh within the admin one benefits. Uh you're familiar with this from dealing with my proposed contract change. There's a a retirement incentive that's el that's available to any administrator in the district that requires 15 years of service to qualify. Um the problem we've run into is that if we have someone who's taught in the district
008for 20 plus years and then theyation when they come on board, there's no chance they'll qualify for that early retirement incentive and they'll lose the the teacher retirement incentive because they they've now left the teaching ranks and their administrators. So what we what we're proposing that clock does not continue. That was my clarify. Yeah, that's that's the problem. And so we have we have three employees who we hired from the ranks from our own teaching staff. We're proposing that we allow what uh half half a year of service credit for each year of um uh certified experience. I'm sorry, how do we phrase that? Um continuous service in the district. Continuous service. So not they worked here for 10 years, left and came back. But if they if they came out of the the teaching
009staff and they became an administrator, we want to give them essentially um one for two continuous full-time service. Yes. Yeah. Is there so hold on. So we have Kelly, then Deb, then Michael, then Tara. I would defer my question to Deb. I'll go later. Okay. No, I I'll defer it. You're deferring to Tara. Tara, you're up. I was just wondering if we could see some financial analysis on this certain and and just a uh for the for the first benefit change that was proposed, how many employees are in that group? Three. Oh, for the first one? Yeah. Oh, as far as who will take it? We we haven't put it on. No, no, no. Just the entire group. How big is the group number wise? Let's see. 12. Off the top of my head, it's
010fewer than 30 at the I don't have the number top off the top of my head. It's hard for me to, you know, I can follow the logic, but if I don't see the data, it's hard for me to say yes to things like this. So, my question for both of these is what data do we have to because it's not just a change that we're making one time. It will reverberate for future years for for both of these. But I always like to see a multi-year analysis. Well, here's the here's the the just the rough analysis for anyone who takes it instead of us paying $30,000. That one is easier. The second one is harder, but Oh, the second one. Yeah. But but I would just like to see it that be very helpful.
011Okay. salary. The the one nice thing that it's constant that if someone is eligible who has a master's degree, the the um payout is the same regardless of their of their salary or anything. It's it's simply um it's it's the um 150% of step four, sorry, track four, step one teaching salary, which amounts to about $90,000 spread over seven years. That's the benefit. And anyone who has achieved 15 years as an administrator currently um is eligible for that benefit automatically. So this would apply to three people in our current among our current administrators only. Um and they may still qualify for they stay longer. So this would this would allow three people to meet that threshold right now. Actually two of them are within a year of it anyway. Um and one so so yeah
012so potentially three people and with the first group how many people wave benefits currently without having HR at my fingertips as soon as you change the number then you're offsetting potentially any savings and we don't have the ability to analyze that without seeing that information in front of us. So if 20 people and I know the number not 20 20 people were were were waving benefits right now then their cost would double right offsetting any savings from the additional entry of so it just that that's all Teresa did you you sorry I was going to say that I didn't absolutely get that information for you um on the number that are on the plans the number of um that wave and everything else so we can get that information. We did a rough estimate beforehand
013before even bringing this forward. Um and and I'll get some other districts because I know that what we're proposing is more in line with what other districts are offering. Yeah, I would say as our insurance costs have gone up double digits every year since I've been here, our our payout has remained the our incentive has remained 1500 for eight years. Um, Michael, did you want to jump in? I just want to make sure I understand it. So, um, as someone in my work life who has talked about whether to pay people to avoid having our insurance, the one thing I think about is paying people to do something that they would have done anyways. Or is this just are people on the insurance only eligible for this buyout or is anybody who's employed is is
014able to access this people who are currently taking the people who are currently taking the 1500. Yeah. What I'm just I didn't say it very well. So like you have employees who are eligible for health insurance. Some subset of them take health insurance. Yes. some subset of them take the $1,500 payment in lie of health insurance. Is everybody eligible to get that payment or is it just people who are currently on insurance who are transitioning off insurance? I'm just trying to make sure I understand. Is it the movement? Sorry. So to answer that for the most part is that anybody eligible for the health insurance. Got it. If they choose to go on the plan obviously that's what they do. If they choose not to go on a plan per requirement, they have to show
015that they're maybe it taking all districts into account like Vermont, they could be on the Vermont Health Exchange, they could be on another one, they could be over here, but um if they deny it, we have to get documentation that they're on another plan. So, and a lot of times that's what it is. They're on they they choose to take the other plan. But yeah, and and if I may, um, when I've thought about doing this before, it's like, okay, let's just use rough numbers. If it's $30,000 that you can save, one person drops, but 10 people take the $3,000 incentive, then you broke even, right? There's some like break even, win lose point. And I just, you know, I'm trying to make sure I understand how this one works and what the risk is
016of the amount you pay people exceeds the savings if not enough people drop. Teresa and then Gina. Uh I'm not sure, maybe I'm thinking this too simple, but if we are paying $30,000 for our family plan and the option is that they totally come off our plan, they may have been receiving 1,500. Now they're going to get 3,000. They're only getting an extra 1,500. We have now saved. Well, I know. And I apologize. 28 29. Like let's imagine a company and then I'll step back because I know people have questions. Um let's say you had a company with 20 people. 10 people take benefits at 30,000 a piece, right? Instead 300,000 in expense. 10 people take the $1,500 payment. If you increase the payment from 1,500 to 3,000, but nobody dropped, then you're just spending
01715,000 to pay people what they would have done. Correct. And so I'm just trying to figure out what type of gamble or take. Now, hey, the difference between the 3,000 and 30,000 means there's a lot of poker chips to gamble with there, but I'm just trying to get a sense of the scope of the risk that you're taking. Right. Okay. So then Gina has a question and I I it feels as if we're not going to be voting on this this evening. We need some additional information. So I'm ask my request for the board right now is to surface questions for Terresa and Jay to give us the next time we meet. So So I'll just frame mine. So I I'll just forget my because I was just going to say or I'll say it
018hypothetically. When we do our budgeting every year, if we have an open vacancy, we might be budgeting a twoerson plan because it's the middle of the road. The person coming in now takes a family plan. We didn't budget for that either way. If they take the single, we're like, little savings there. But so we're doing the same thing. Yep. No, I understand. Yeah. Okay. Gina, then Kelly, I I was just gonna say if someone takes a bio and it's 3,000, but the next like even as an individual it's 10, like I think I'm trying to do the math, but I would prefer to ask more questions and to stop. So, I'm not going to say anything else. My question is just a timeline question. What is our normal cycle for making these changes? I know
019we're in kind of a weird time period because of the cancellation and Yeah, we're there is none. We have a normal cycle for it. It's like this is coming up because of this crisis that we landed in her lap with New Hampshire's health insurance and we're just trying to save some money honestly. Okay. But in a typical year when when would we say okay now is the time we're going to look at our admin one benefits and see if we need to make adjustments is do we have a standard time for that? I'm trying to I know it would be usually in in concert with the budget but really because they're non-un formal agreements. Okay. We really in 21 we re-evaluated them. We adopted new ones in 22, right? Um in this case, we're bringing
020this because insurance changed and it's part of that standard benefits package. So we um we thought we'd bring it to the board because it's it's open enrollment time right now. Actually, it's coming close to an end now, but they can drop they can always drop coverage. Okay. Neil, Deb, Garrett, and then I have a question. You can skip. Well, to that question, when does this benefit change go into effect? As soon as we pass it because we've got people right now that have told us that they're currently receiving a family plan and would go on their spouse's plan if we made the incentive sooner, but the interlocal trust plans don't go poof like at midnight tomorrow on the 30th of June. Yeah. So we can't so we do need delay this decision indefinitely. Right. Our
021open enrollment actually closed um whatever day it was. Um so the actual open enrollment for the new insurance company Nebco for us to provide them the needed information that they needed. Um so that closed but at the same time um they know or they've been kind of informed that there could be a potential here. So, but they're prepared for that. Those are more unique situations. Okay. So, I'm gonna quickly follow up on Neil. So, that was my question is when do we need this approved? Like what what is our last date for this needing to be approved? Because if we do have questions, but we also have a need for a vote. I mean, this was like a a good brainstorm came out of the HR office for a way for us to save some
022money and we don't have to do it at all. Right. Yeah. Um but but June 30th would be the deadline for for this particular year. Yeah. Okay. So to take advantage of this incentive for this coming fiscal year, we need to have this approved by June 30th. Okay, great. Um Garrett, my question is not on insurance. Well, on medical insurance, I guess the question is that you get the buyout even no matter what plan you're on. So it just so happens to be that the people you know that want would take the buyout are all family. Yeah. But you could also get 3,000 exchange for 10,000 if you're an individual. Yes. Yeah. Chair. Um, do we have access like we could probably make a decision right now if we had access to the data about
023what the size of the pool is and what the census is for current how many folks pass up the insurance and take the money versus how many are in any kind of plan that we sponsor whether it's individual or family. It doesn't matter. we can just so long as we knew we could do some simple math um how many people currently get the waiver if that is a higher pool and then maybe so decision well so I'm I'm if that is really the only piece of information that people that this board feels they need to make this decision tonight I would suggest that we adjourn this discussion until after like give you guys the non the non-public public time to find because we're going to be a nonpublic for a while. You could find this
024information and we could reopen this discussion before we take a vote on the consent agenda. Does that seem like a good use of time? Yes. Okay. And Kelly, mine's more a I don't understand insurance that well question. Um, is there any increase in cost and premiums? If six people decide to decline the insurance, are they going to then say, "Well, now the rest of you have to pay this much more." No, it doesn't work that way. Okay. It doesn't change it. Okay. We'll change it here because I mean ours just did for our company. We just had them redo it based on everyone's ages and the correct. And this one does the same thing with the ages. So it doesn't go based on the claims which we were with the other companies, right? And so
025yeah, so I mean potentially still could be swift your swing your pool if they were all if you were shrinking a group or really increasing a group largely, but for the most part um that would be age dependent, not correct number of people on the plan depend. Correct. Thank you. These prices here could change with the new pool. If it says 30,000 here, if the three people that take the 3,000 are all 18 year olds with families and married, like that number could go, right? But not like you went from 20 people down to 10 people. So now everyone's doubling. It's not that kind of thing. Okay. It would just be okay. So thank you. Any other questions on Yeah. So any other questions on this administrative content before we kind of hit pause? Go.
026So just on on the um the admin one thing. So the half Is that basically is there math behind that half credit? So are people going to be are you basically getting like double the retirement benefit as an administrator versus what you would as a teacher or something? Like are they going to be happy coming over as teachers basically saying hey you know what if I take this I'm only going to have credit recognition for all the time I put in here towards the thing or are they is someone really expecting one for one or is the benefit package for administrators actually better than teachers so the half's okay? Like why why a half? Well, because it's most of them aren't going they only like they won't need that many years to make it. But
027it's it'd be unusual for someone to teach for 25 years. We we only have one actually Julie will actually hit the in her role. She had like 20 plus years of well I guess we're not not public. Um sorry strike I think benefit is it the same pretty similar to the admit as far as the cost of the district but just say the teacher continued for their 15 years and they admin continue for 15 years are they both getting about 90 grand over seven years. Yes. Okay. Yeah. And everybody is they have that master's degree. Okay. And all of our administrators as far as I'm aware have their master's degree. So it' be the same teachers of the masters and administrators master. You're basically getting the same kind of benefit. Yeah, teachers are all based
028on track one step one. That was the enhancement that was put in place for the administrative benefit to give credit for the master. Okay. So that's why it's a similar number. Okay. All right. It's okay. That's why we're here. So just kind of articulating this out our incentive for adding this change for the admin benefit to acknowledge that half credit because so two sides of it right one side is we may have good people that we would love to keep an extra four or five years who are now eligible for early retirement. So that's the like do I I mean as much as I love the people and want to honor their service, do I is there an incentive for us as a as a board as a fiduciary body to to do that. Um
029the flip side of it is that we want to encourage current teachers who we think are excellent performers to consider making that transition. Right? So I'm just articulating those two sides of it. I'm not placing judgment on either, but just articulating. Gina, I would hope as a board that we're both valuing our talent and not like our fiscal responsibility also involves us valuing our talent and that um if we have great teachers who want to move on and promote with him that we would have the grace to say you get credit for the teaching that you did for 50% of it because I just I I think we would be like chasing a bad rabbit on making up something if We're like trying to like the goose to save. You know what I mean? [Music]
030You know, respect their contribution if they're at the same education level. I agree what it's worth. I agree. Skating the two. Yeah. It just Yeah, I feel like we should pull out Asop's fables. There you go. Yeah. The issue for us is if you have a teacher who has 15 to 20 years of experience, that's a really tough call for them to forgo incentive. I agree. It makes it real hard and and we have some great teacher leaders who have that potential to lead and I I hate for our benefits to or lack of that benefit to discourage them from doing it. I don't think we're saying yes. Exactly. Okay. I've got to figure out I I need some help here um with the proper way to It's fine. We're going to come back and
031make the decision later. just adjourn this to have to just move on. Just moving on discussion. We didn't do anything. Okay. So, we will come back. We will have a discussion before we vote after non-public. And may I now have a motion to move us into nonpublic session. Um this should be it's a two. Oh, wow. put my hand down. A2 C A2 A32, right? I think it's a A. Yeah. Okay, Kelly, go for it. 91 move. Move to enter into non-public session at 7:55 p.m. under RSA 91- A32 A. Uh, and you can read it in there. Thank you. May I have a second, please? Um, around the table. Start with Harry. Russell. Yes. Nelson. Yes. Cost. Yes. Christie. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And Rene, are you still with us? Yes. Great. Gina will
032call you. And the assignment for your tolerance of that long non-public. Um, we have some business requiring action. Um, we have a consent agenda, although we are not Oh, we have Okay, sorry, I forgot. We have some discussion to do. We have some information that we are looking for on the standard benefit changes so that we can do the consent agenda. Um Jay or Teresa, do we have answers to our questions? You can start. Go Teresa. I can give you what I found. Um the one thing I couldn't do is obviously comparison with other districts and when I did try while you're still in there, you have to be a employee with an ID to get into it. So that didn't help me. Um but what we have for non union positions we have 45
033we have eight overall um that currently and in the data I have because um enrollment just closed so I don't even have that data so I'm working with the current data. So we currently had eight that waved um the insurance we had 11 on single plans. We had 13 on twoerson plans and 13 on a family plan. And so based on the plans, if you increase those eight status quo, we've increased it $12,000. You need one person at a twoerson plan to lead and you're going to save $18,000 right there, which exceed that's that's the 18 is the net because the plan is $30,000. So, if we're paying an extra 12 overall to the other eight, well, I guess I consider it nine, so I didn't do it that way, but you're still saving um
034just under $18,000. And then obviously it's a $25,000 savings if you've got one person leaving a family plan. Yeah. And and did I hear correctly that we thought there were likely one or two people willing to make that switch? Yes. And I don't at least two. Yeah. And Amy has that data. Like I said, she is just currently on enrollment just closed, so she still is compiling the rest of the stuff. So, um I haven't seen it myself yet. Yeah. So, yeah. Yeah. Sorry. So, I'm still confused. If enrollment just closed, did they already make that selection? To the best of my knowledge, I know one has, but one is on the fence. That's why I'm saying I believe one is on the fence. Well, I think one one has made it because they she
035was she thinks we're doing this. Correct. That that was my impression. She gambled. She gambled. That is my impression. Neil, did you have a followup? And then Kelly, Kelly, just in the world of potential unintended consequences, I was just looking at our union agreement and I believe employees get a $1,500 payout. That I understand employees and admin very different, but that precedent concerns me a little bit. So if I may. Yes. So the um this is all non-unions. This is not just administrative. So in fact the people that I know they're thinking of possibly waving if we up it are not administrators. Um the if if the if the if our unions wanted to negotiate this benefit, they'd be able to do so at the bargaining table. This is this is this is only applicable
036to our non-UN folks. Yeah. And Yeah. Any other questions knowing that we will be voting on this? Yeah. Oh, do we have any data on the other of the two issues or are we tableabling that one until we have some more analysis the hack on the admin on the on the yes because we we've talked about this matter a lot really strategically wanting to figure out how do we make this a viable path. I don't think without the maybe it requires a committee. It probably should. I think it should be thoughtful and analyzed and not a oh let's try this now. You know, not understanding all of the ramifications necessarily, including what Kelly mentioned, possible early retirements of folks that we would prefer not to retire early because they would then be eligible for this
037benefit. Jay. Yeah. And I only asked to include that as a discussion item simply because we're we're talking about the benefits package. There is no urgency. So we have a compensation committee meeting this week. I think I think it's tomorrow and that's benefits is an area that we're hoping to go into anyway. Okay. So when we have the motion, we should decouple and just vote on the insurance portion of it. So are there any other questions knowing that we're voting on the insurance part for either Jay or Teresa or Robin? Seeing none. Oh, Kelly, go for it. No, it's different. Should I say it anyway? Yeah. Just just a note that I don't know if the consent agenda contains the evaluation at this point. I'm refreshing again just to see, but I don't believe it
038does, which is fine. We can do it separately. I just wanted Okay, we'll make sure we get it in. Yeah, remind me. Okay, that's fine to do it separately. Just approve. Yeah, exactly. And then we'll talk to you about it soon. Um Okay. Do we have any public on? No. No. Okay. Any comments from the public on this? Thank you. Okay. Moving on. We are now into business requiring action. Nay. I'm going to let Jay refresh. We'll all refresh. Oops. We're not voting on the 30,000 thing. Thank you. We're voting on the insurance part, not the not the retirement part. Not the three people with the retirement benefits, but the the first part voting as amended then if we're doing consent agend or just pull it out or Yeah. So, we'll have approval of items
039B through F by consent. May I have a motion for that, please? While we type up the rest of it, Kelly move to approve items B through F uh as presented by consent. A second, Deb. Thank you. Um, do we have anybody? It's um Renee online. I'm still here. So just making sure around the board starting with Carrie Russell. Yes. Yes. Yes. Christy, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I mean, sorry. Renee. Sullivan. Yes. Perfect. Thank you. Okay. Next item G. Yep. Um, that is the standard benefit. Okay, Deb, I'm not even gonna have to like You're just gonna go for it. I'm just going to read it. Move to approve the changes to the non-union standard benefits package increasing the medical insurance buyout from $1,500 to $3,000 as presented. Do I have a second? I just
040Carrie, thank you so much. um around actually we're going to start with Renee just to be different here. Renee Sullivan, yes. Thank Russell. Yes. Yes. Nelson, yes. Yes. Christie, yes. Yes. Yes. Keel, yes. It is unanimous. Thank you so much. Um, okay. Our next is item 6H. Approve, resend, and reinstate policy. Again, I move to written the current versions of AC, ACA, ACA-R, ACAB, and ACA B-R. Enter state previous versions and approve JCA and JLF- as presented. Second. Second, Tara. Oh, okay. Terra, that was well done. Okay. Um Russell, yes. Nelson, yes. Yes. Christy, yes. Yes. McConnell, yes. Yes. Yes. Son, yes. Thank you. Okay. Our last item on this is to approve the superintendent's evaluation. Deb, thank you. To approve the superintendent's evaluation as presented. Seconded. Tara. Yay. Okay. Neil, we're going to start
041with you. Oh, sorry. Oh, as amended. That's right. Uh, no. No. as presented in non-public. I think we should Oh, I move to approve the superintendent evaluation as presented in non-public session. Second. Thank you. Neil, yes. Yes. McConnell, yes. Yes. Uh Chrissy, yes. Yes. Nelson, yes. Sullivan, yes. Okay. Thank you all so much. Oh, we're gonna keep going. Um there is some important stuff happening at the end of the year and it is taking a lot of discussion and it's important and I appreciate that we're all sticking it out. Um so moving on to reports report of the chair. Two quick things. Um one just a thank you to all staff, all teachers, all admin, everyone, all the students, everyone who is in all of our buildings who make this place work. Um, I know
042the last month is intense and tiring and um, exciting and difficult all at once. So, I just wanted to say thank you all for the work that you're doing. I know it's hard the final push and also congratulates congratulations to all the graduates um, at the various schools who will be moving up. So, and then the second item is while we will do an official vetting of Jay and a thank you for Jay at a later board meeting, we are not prepared to do it tonight. I just want to acknowledge that he is leaving and we didn't really we sort of thanked you, but we're going to continue to thank you um periodically and stay tuned for the August meeting for something more formal as a thank you. And that is all I have. So
043um committee reports any committees I know that compensation is meeting soon correct tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. Um I know that we have um three people who are negotiating for our next superintendent and they are doing some work this week on that. Um nothing to report on that yet. Any other reports happening? Seeing none, assistant superintendent report. So, I did submit my report and I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have. Are there any questions for Robin who has patiently waited all this time to say that? Thank you so much. You're welcome. Sorry. Just because we have our nurse mates, what's the um bill the status of the bill for the whatever it's called tuitioning in? Sorry, I just lost your open enrollment. They are they both sides have submitted bills regarding open enrollment and
044it's likely that one will pass and be sent to the governor. So that's going to be possibly at a lower rate that then kids can go to any public school they want in any town. Yes. So it's pay 80% tuition of the sending town 80% of the sending town right now. Yeah. Oh, I misunderstood that. Start this would start well the it would start January next year sorry start school anything. Well, I think the reason for the January start is because then it then forces rule making, right? So, they would have all the rule m rule making happen between January 1 and the start of the next school year. Just so I'm clear. So, in January, a bunch of kids could come in from outside of town and then we would start we potentially. Yeah.
045So, how would we hire in January for Well, we would just say 50 kids come in. We would have to look at what we have available to and this is another piece of the legislation is that we would have to publish this information and provide the New Hampshire Department of Education with the information about how many spaces we have in classes, how many spaces we have in the school overall, priority, things like that. So, and honestly, it's really not even very specific. So that's part of the problem with the bill spaces with teachers or any is there is there any question J this is going to I mean there are a lot of districts that if they lo if they lose significant enough number of kids are going to be in real jeopardy for both
046sides. So, you can only imagine that someone is going to seek an injunction on this. Uh, I'm not I haven't heard of any yet. So, I guess I'll wait and see what the once they pass it then I get I guess we'll find out if someone's going to challenge any motion. Well, oh, I mean it's a little different New Hampshire side versus Vermont side. like they both have their issues in terms of what's on right now and they both have issues of open enrollment that are being discussed that are problematic and in Vermont at least there's there's some schools that really like it like I think like so it's it's complicated as a dual district because yeah this is a good time to thank Deb for the work that she and Neil did on the
047open enrollment resolution and um we'll just Robin keep us updated thank you so much because it has big implications right Yes. Sorry, Ben. And then Deb, just to continue the fun, any updates on the NRA bill? No, I didn't get any update on that bill at my meeting on Monday. Nothing. I couldn't talk about that. So, I'll check and see because that's not one that stood out, too, was going to the governor. I look through all of those. Deb, sorry. Um yeah, I accessed a fair funding chart that shows what 80% of Masoma, Keen, Franklin, Newport, what their that amount is and it varies a lot. Yes. But those three districts all 80% would be below our 80%. Yeah. Um, parental bill of rights is on here as well and that's a particularly concerning one
048certainly for our high schools but for high schools in terms of um nurses got pretty far in Vermont actually. Um, I think it's going to pass this line get heard. I don't know where it's at. But yeah, that will most likely get passed, too. Amazing stuff that's happening. So, there's a lot going on. Thank you so much for keeping us updated. And and I did attach the all of the bills that have been sent to the governor. So, you can see those. We saw those. Thank you. See that? Where are the attachments? Where are the attachments? Is there It was there earlier. Yeah, it was there earlier. Is it in the other agenda in the other meeting? Oh, I bet it is in the dress. Oh, yes. Yeah, I saw it somewhere. Yeah. Okay. Um,
049that's right because you delayed the report. So, yeah. Okay. Um, and thank you again to Deb and Neil in particular for helping the board with the resolutions. Billy appreciate that superintendence report. All right. I feel really bad about this, but um I had prepared a letter that since all all this has all happened in a sequence that I don't feel like I really had a chance to tell the community and this board really in great detail about my decision to retire. So, if you'll bear with me, I I'll read really fast like those insurance disclaimers. Um dear podcast one and a half speed, right? here SAU7 school community. Um I'm writing with mixed feelings of mild anxiety, deep gratitude, and great excitement to formally announce my decision to retire as superintendent just prior to the
050beginning of the coming 2526 school year. Please know that I'm not retiring because I'm tired of or frustrated with my job, but rather having just passed the age 60 milestone, I'm suddenly aware that according to the Social Security Administration's actuarial tables, the odds are about 50/50 that I'll be around to celebrate my soontobe born granddaughter's 21st birthday. I have so much to do in the next 20 years and no idea how long I'll have the physical and cognitive ability to do to do much of it. Additionally, developments in public education in both of our states and nationally are driving me to engage in policy debates in a manner that will not reflect the balance and restraint you should expect from a superintendent of schools. All of that said, I'm truly grateful for the trust and
051confidence that you placed in me by allowing me to serve as your superintendent. My family and I moved here eight years ago because we love this place. And because I hope to experience working in a school system without the challenges of chronic underfunding and youth violence, sorry, I imagine schools with ample resources, engage students and supportive parents. I imagine teachers who could focus more on teaching and learning and less on classroom manager. I imagine children going home to safe neighborhoods free of gunfire and food insecurity have not been disappointed. I'm so grateful to have been part of this very real school system that is all that I imagine and more. At the same time, I'm even more painfully aware of the reality that exists in so many schools outside of our bubble. When I began
052my work here as superintendent in 2017, many staff and community members put me on notice that our school system is built on strong tradition and even stronger resistance to change. Our wellocumented history of academic success begged the question, if it ain't broke, why fix it? Nevertheless, I've long believed that we can always improve. And in public education, I feel that if we know we can improve, we have a moral obligation to do so. In the past eight years, despite the pandemic, our school boards, teachers, administrators, and support staff have made remarkable progress. Much of that work has involved community engagement and include strategic planning and climate action plan and equity policy and major upgrades to our IT infrastructure and athletic facilities. Less visible, but equally important strides have been made in curriculum development and documentation,
053district operations, and evaluation and supervision. Very little of that work would have happened without the knowledge, skill, kindness, and determination of Robin Steiner, our assistant superintendent. In leadership transitions, context is important. If our districts were academically deficient, administratively directionless, or socially chaotic, I think we'd all agree that a new leader, a change agent, would be needed. Thanks in large part to Robin, that's not our context. Robin has worked diligently with our teachers and administrators on everything from curriculum to emergency planning. I mean, there's so many things that she's done that you have no idea about really. On her first day in our SAU, she took on the unfortunate title of COVID coordinator and proceeded to lead us confidently through the pandemic with her team of doctors, nurses, principals, and emergency management officials. Now, as I
054retire earlier than I had planned, I have no doubt that Robin will rise to this new challenge with the same dedication and enthusiasm. I mentioned my mixed feelings earlier. I feel mild or even moderate anxiety because it is the decision to retire means leaving active duty in the field I've worked in for most of my adult life and trusting that my wife and I have saved enough to live well without a paycheck. I feel great excitement because I've put off so many of the nonwork things that I like to do. have avoided being too strident in my public education advocacy and still have the interest and energy to do all of those things. My adult children have all gravitated to our area and have started families of their own. So, I'm beyond excited to spend
055time with my growing family. Having been a superintendent for the past 18 years, I've missed a lot in their lives. I'm so eager to make up the last time. Give me one second. My deep sense of gratitude should come with no surprise because I intentionally share it at a frequency that I hope falls just short of annoying. [Music] Um, public education is a critical civic enterprise that works best when everyone involved works together to do the best we can for our community's children. I truly have never known a community that values, appreciates, and supports its schools as much as you do. And I will never be able to adequately thank you for welcoming me and my family to be part of it. Gratefully, J. Thanks, I'll take a moment to cry. Sorry. No, sorry. Don't
056be sorry. Thank you. And as promised, we'll let you in August. We're not prepared now. But thank you. Thank you. That's the end of our report. [Laughter] I don't know what to say now. You can just say the money is in the file. Look at it. Um so I also have uploaded my um report. um just kind of highlighting a couple things I did on the present and then a few other things that um to mention that we did interviews for the assistant VA position and we were lucky enough to hire Jennifer Conrad. She will be coming to us from Woodstock. Um so she'll start July 1st. Um excited to have another body in the office. We're not just down one but we're down two. Um, so it's so we're all, you know, team work
057here and we're just getting it all done. Um, and same thing I've been working with, um, technology on certain things that we need down there and then working with maintenance on other needs and what we need going forward and stuff. Um, and then I did upload the reports once again for the financials. Um, we are still looking at a deficit. That was something that we've known about coming into it all year. Um, primarily it was benefits that um or um a scenario where a benefit was not anticipated that it would be a family plan, let's say, or something like that. So, so the benefits are what's part of what's topping it over. We still have 50,000 that is encumbered for part of the um the the action plan. And so I know that that the
058intention was to move forward and if we don't then those will be released which will help out greatly and put us closer to maybe only um for for just this year being over maybe about 60,000 instead of being what we're showing atund almost 117 over just this year's FY25 school year and we came into the school year with just over $100,000 fund balance. So, right now it looks like I'm overall going to end just $16,000 over. But again, if we don't end up using that 50 or if it gets treated where we are um agree to encumber it and vote to encumber it to move forward, we'll still that's where we'll land. That's the projection. Any questions for Teresa Ben? Not directly. SAU, but when you met with Mike Goddet, any updates or confirmations that
059middle school sports will be fine in a transportation sense? Um, again, he he's confirming that it's not going to be an issue. He's he we talked about like drivers and he said the one thing like he said is 15 drivers and even when there's a crisis going on across the states where I've been at districts where we did fight for drivers um even when we outsourced but he's got his drivers and he doesn't right now he does not see it as a prevention problem. They um as a parent there was an issue with a bus where a bus broke down and they had to switch drivers dan buses and the kids were decently late and typically when that happens there's sort of some sort of text or email alert that goes out that didn't happen
060today that did not reach the threshold of lateness or was it communication I definitely have to get back to you on that because I was not aware of that. Okay. So somewhere obviously that communication where we had a front desk person who would get that first information and that person spreading it out and again when I had the conversation with him this last week or week before when we met um that was the plan and I told you earlier that I was kind of it so the fact that I didn't get informed I don't know if they informed the school directly so I would have to check into that. Thank you. Any other questions for Teresa? Okay, thank you so much. Um, we are already in public discussion so we don't have to return. Once
061again, this is time for the public to address the board if anyone wishes to. Hi, Linda. One of these days I want you to do like a soliloqu or something. Um, with that, thank you all so much for being here. Again, it was two backto-back meetings, a lot of stuff, um, long hours. So, I really appreciate the effort that everyone's putting in. Um, agenda topics for the next meeting. It is going to be August 19th. The original calendar had us on August 12th, but there were a lot of people that were going to be away for vacation, so we moved it to the same night as Dresden, which again is a double header, but at least we have a better chance of having a quorum. So that's why that change was made. Um, and may
062I have a motion to adjourn, please? Oh, just a heads up for the public, we will be having the need for another SAU meeting at some point between A here now and August 19th to hopefully approve a um contract for a new superintendent and to have some addendums and to Jay's contract as we discussed during the May meeting. So be prepared for that. But those will be the only I won't even say that those will hopefully be the only items on the agenda. So just letting you all know. Okay. And with that, may I have a motion to adjourn, please? Kelly. Move to adjourn at 9:15 p.m. And a second, please. Ben and a round. Neil yes. McCauley. Yes. Yes. Christy, yes. Yes. Nelson. Yes. Yes. And Renee, are you still with us? I am
063Sullivan. Yes.