001regularly scheduled Hollis School Board meeting for May 6, 20126. I'm Carol Broy, chair. Um we are going to start off with agenda adjustments and correspondence. Do we have any agenda adjustments tonight? I think Jess, you have one. >> I did. I wanted to um add a um item to discussion. Um, just we've had some questions from the public about how does the school board communicate with the public? What is the right way for the public to communicate with the school board? Um, and I thought it might be helpful to briefly talk about that in discussion. >> Sounds good. Any others? >> Um, I was going to ask if um, Gina or one of our leaders could just give the public an update on open enrollment. um where that is in the state um as far
002as you know what happens with I think it's SB101 if I'm correct it was >> yes >> 751 um but just to kind of help us out just I I think that's of interest to um the town and I it's think it's still confusing for the board as well >> sounds good >> thank you >> Gina and yours was uh about the meal plan meal price adjustment action >> yes we need a deliberative item for the meal Meal plan meal price. Perfect. Got it. And then um I'm actually going to add uh one about the committee appointments for the unit. >> So you're adding into discussion because we have a deliberative. >> Correct. Does that work or do we do we even need it? Can we just do it in deliberative? There's nothing really to
003discuss. It's here's what they are. >> We can vote. >> Yeah, go for it. >> All right, sounds good. Sounds great. And do we have correspondence today? >> We have none. >> Okay, moving on to the consent agenda copy which is attached to our socket. >> This policy, although it's not adopted, this is what the consent agenda looks like. It identifies the nominations um and the resignations or retirements. And so um the purpose of the consent agenda is you have access to the information and the board would then act on the consent agenda holistically. So one one motion >> oh versus individual motions. >> Correct. >> Okay. And so to be clear the consent agenda is specifically only regarding nominations >> nominations, resations, retirements. Correct. >> Thank you. So this is a new concept for
004us. So I I appreciate the consolidation. Does anybody have any questions on this? >> No, I found it was really clear. I found it was really clear and helpful. Thank you. >> So Gina, is the intention then that this is actual information that we're accepting right now? >> Yes. >> Um do we need to read through it at all and then do >> it's posted for the public to see. Um so it's available. Um and we go from there. >> All right. So, do we need to take a vote or is that later on? >> Yes, we do. >> No, >> we'll do that right now. >> Yes. >> Okay. I'll accept a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> So, moved. >> A second. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Uh on
005the resignation resignation section, retirement section. Um it doesn't have an effective date for the second row. without an effective date, the um the end of the school year is in play. >> Okay. Any other discussion? >> Seeing none, all those in favor? 500 Z. >> Okay. Thank you for that, Gina. I like this. >> All right. Our next is the approval of minutes from our organizational meeting on April 1st, 2026. The follow with the following amendments being offered. Page 8, line 12, years should be singular. Page 8, line 23, delete come before approach. Page 8, line 49, insert what before was. Page 8, line 50, correct the spelling of breath. Page 11, line 15, correct the spelling of bin. I will accept a motion to accept as amended. So moved. >> A second. >> Second.
006>> Any discussion on the minutes? >> Seeing none, all those in favor of accepting 500. Too many pieces of paper. We also had a non-public that night. So we do need to accept those minutes. Um I will accept a motion to accept as presented the non-public minutes from April 1st, 2026. So move a second. >> Any discussion on those? Seeing none, all those in favor? 500 Z. Um I am now declaring public input open. It's 6:08. We said it would open at 6:15, so we will probably keep it open until at least 6:45 in case others show. Um we do have a couple members of the public today. Either of you have anything to say at this time? I just came to school. >> Love it. >> Y >> love it. And we love baby
007noises. So that's totally welcome and fun. >> Yeah. >> Express her voice as a citizen. >> That's right. Exactly. Perfect. Well, welcome both of you. All three of you actually. Thank you so much. >> Um so again, we'll leave that open for a little while. at least till 6:45 since it was posted to start at 6:15. Moving right along, we are moving into the principal's report. Okay, so um for buildings and grounds, you may have noticed as you drove up to Hughes that there was a little bit of a refresher in the parking lot with fresh hopscotch for square and um Miss Valor got so excited she couldn't stop. Um she continued and painted the rest of the parking spot. Uh so that was a great break from computer screens over April break for Miss
008Valor. But um we experienced some fire prevention visits this week at HPS. Um the third grade started their New Hampshire SAS testing this week. So that's big because it's their first time um participating in the assessment. Dare promotion is tomorrow the 7th. Hughes doesn't start SAS assessment until next week. Um big night with the strings concert at Halls Upper 6:30m on May 13th. Uh let's see. We have um an art show and a math night at HPS on May 14th. Um another big night or big day actually grade fifth math placement test for interested students that will take place on May 19th. And we have um parent information night for rising fourth grade families on May 19th as well. Kindergarten celebration of learning for parents only May 21st and our Memorial Day assembly at Hughes
009on May 21st. Lot of fun things coming up. And of course we have our grade four band concert at Hughes 6:30 p.m. on May 26th and our third grade concerts May 27th and May 28th. Um, so those are big exciting things going on. Um, >> so much stuff at the end of the year. >> Yes. >> Before moving on to that, could I give a shout out that's kind of in that vein of all the things that you just announced? >> Absolutely. >> Since our last meeting, um, there was the talent show at Hughes and um, if anybody here got to see it or if anybody at home um, gets to go next year or went, um, a huge shout out to Miss Fowler and all the teachers here. Um this is an event that
010is just hugely positive. It took place at the high school in the auditorium and um you know just seeing children aged 10 to 12 13 which is not an easy time to be a kid and going up on stage in front of all of their friends was very very supportive um very positive. The kids were also selling their artwork to benefit um the NSHA home for children. They raised thousands of dollars and then the teachers put on a wonderful show that they clearly have been rehearsing for many, many, many hours and um I think it's just something that needs to be noted and celebrated. It's such a beautiful thing that the school does every year. >> Yeah. And it's uh it is one of the things in here over $5,000 they raised for the Nasha
011Children's Home this year between all of it which is wonderful. Pretty wonderful. It builds on the tiny businesses that Hughes has here. And so the kids who don't want to be on stage get to do the craft fair and they get to keep 50% of their profits and give 50% to the charity of of the choosing for the year. So I echo those sentiments. It was beautiful. Can I Gina, do you have anything else to talk about there or should I ask a question now? >> You can ask a question. Um, and looking at the enrollment reports, um, the document that is specifically just our enrollment breakout shows that our numbers are the same, but at the bottom of the board report, the enrollment snapshot shows that we're plus two with one added to prek.
012And so I just wanted to uh check in about that discrepancy and see what I you know, if you know if I think I have I may have an answer to that. Um, so mathematically, so there may be students in pre-K who do attend a morning and an afternoon session. So if that may or may not affect how the numbers >> look in the moment. Is that is that what it's speaking to? Potentially though, >> shows a new student in >> Oh, a new student. Okay. In fourth grade, >> yeah. >> Okay. >> So I if you see it saysund5, which is plus one, but over here it says 105. So, I'd have to go to the April board report to see if it was 104 with plus one and we just didn't account for
013that or we just didn't take off the plus one. >> Okay. Okay. >> These reports were um were done over April vacation. >> Y >> So, not all staff was on hand to to help contribute the numbers. >> Oh, I see. Also, I'm looking at the prek spot in the enrollment. Oh, I see. PreK, but I understand. Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Gina. >> Yep. Um anyway, so we're some some other great news is the halls raised over 31,000 from the my booster fundraiser for PTA. So that was good. It was um not a great day for an outdoor event, but it certainly provided my office with plenty of entertainment and >> it was awesome. But I did feel bad because it was cold and rainy on that day. But it was great for Hughes in
014the Glow Run as they were indoors. Um we are moving forward. Well, we actually I believe on the nomination list had the new school psych um you just approved, but we're doing interviews for um OT as well. And can I ask a question about the school site? >> Yes. >> Um we don't have identified what school the school site is going to if it's at HPS or Hughes. Um and so I just wanted to see if you had any info about that. >> Yeah. So, because we're hiring for two positions, we're going to finish the hiring and then determine which school site would be the best fit for each building. >> Gotcha. Thank you, Lauren. >> And we are moving forward pretty well with that process just so that you needing that. >> Um, does
015this um some of the information they give does this mean that um Hughes will have in the environmental science class next year? >> They get that special back to um continue next year with environmental science. We didn't the position. Yeah. >> Yeah. Oh, I didn't mean the position cup, but just that that will be available again. Awesome. Great news. >> Y >> love it. Thank you. >> Um and just um some of you may be familiar with our grade four hire as she completed just about the entire year in kindergarten this year at HPS. So, we were really excited that she wanted to stay with us for another year. Great. >> Yeah, that's great. We saw that. That's wonderful. >> Great. >> Yes, great hire. So, anyway, that's about it for the board. >> Has
016she taught up U upper elementary before? I mean, you could tell she's had quite a career. >> She's done everything. Fantastic. Yeah, people speak very highly of her. >> Yeah, she's amazing. >> So, one question I had that didn't get covered in the building at grounds. Um, I was curious about is and I didn't look at it coming in today, so if it's already been fixed, I'm sorry. There'd been a lot of winter damage to Drury Lane. >> Winter damage over the past like five years. >> Yeah, >> I understand. But it was getting very badly significant. and I'm aware of our budget items and so I wasn't sure if that was in the plans. >> Yeah. So, thank you for bringing that up. That was um the original thought was that was going to
017be part of the expansion project. >> Without an expansion project, that is not covered anywhere. Um, however, as we get closer to the end of the year and additional monies free up, my hope would be to come to you next month and request the ability to do the required. So, the required uh repairs aren't just filling in because it's really the covert that needs to be rebuilt. Um, and so that is >> certainly more cost. We're not we're not looking to just receal. Yes. >> Um, so anyway, the my hope is to come to you in June and if we have a fund balance to request the use of the fund balance to move forward with that much needed repair. >> Okay, >> great. >> Good plan. >> Perfect. >> Was there anything else on
018the principal's reports? >> No, since we kept derailing you. >> No, sounds good. All right, then we will move into our discussion and we're going to direct our attention over here to talk about our suicide prevention plan. Pass to you, Lauren. >> All right. Thank you. Hi, everybody. Um, so we are going to be reviewing our suicide um, prevention and response plan. So you're going to have in your board packet, this is the actual plan as the suicide and harm prevention plan and you'll see the corresponding forms um, that go along with the process. That's at the end as an appendix. Um, and then you should have the presentation as well. So this plan is reviewed at minimum every two years. as an internal team, we review it more often, but to the school boards,
019unless there's a major change that we're requesting, we'll present it every two years. Um, this presentation will provide you a complete overview and you can follow along. The framework of our suicide prevention and response plan comes from RSA 193J, which went into effect in July 2020. However, even without this RSA, our students social emotional needs and well-being are always at the forefront of what we do. In order to create this plan, we used the four elements. Um, and over the years, we've expanded even beyond this um, as we've refined our practices. But these four elements include annual training, education for students, crisis prevention resources, and partnerships with community personnel and um, organizations. Educating our staff begins at the start of each new academic year when the school counselor reviews the building safety protocol with staff
020at the opening meetings. The staff discusses when and how to use this protocol um under which conditions the protocol needs to be followed. In alignment with RSA 193J, staff are trained annually and we use the vector training K through2 edition which meets the requirements of the RSA. We all must be aware of the potential warning signs. Therefore, the safety protocol chart which is in appendix A of the packet is included in every classroom for teachers and they keep it in a safe place um for reference in the moment. A key component to student well-being is positive relationships and engagement. Adults in the building work with students to foster positive relationships and build on student strengths both in and out of the classroom. The school utilizes the MTSS process. That's a multi-tered system of supports and
021you'll hear more about that further uh later on to allow for time for staff to discuss student concerns and to consider input from a v variety of stakeholders in the building. This could include classroom teachers, school counselors, school nurse, special educators, administration, and service providers. So, this practice supports a more holistic view of our students and their needs. School counselors proactively build rapport, trust, and consistent connection with students. Emphasis is on creating a safe, supportive environment where students feel comfortable seeking out adult help. Um core counseling curriculum includes friendship skills, building healthy peer relationships and social connection, mindfulness, developing awareness of emotions and self-regulation strategies, anger management, recognizing feelings and using coping tools, problem solving, step-by-step approaches to handle any challenges, challenging negative thoughts, promoting positive selft talk and resilience. These skills really support early
022identification of emotional distress and strength and protective factors for students. So um going along with this fostering our community and student engagement in schools there are so much wonderful work is done within our building. So I asked um Miss Mrs. Bicki and Miss Fowler to kind of give me a list of some of these great things that they do and you know especially since the past couple years since I've done this. Um so HHPS they do lunch bunch groups they do uh planned lessons with guidance. They do wellness PLC's. They have canned food drives. They have dress up days. They have student led morning announcements. you know, all these different things that bring students together. All grade levels perform in music. They do positive shoutouts. Um, at Hughes, they have Golden Wing Awards. They have
023Soore, which is serviceoriented activity reflections. Students doing community service and earning hours for this. They have golden trash can awards given one class um given to one class per grade level per month for um rooms that are the needest at the end of the day. Um teachers also offer lunch bunch time. And then we're always reflecting on what, you know, supportive measures and pieces students need in the classroom and in the school as a whole. As a district with multi-tered system of supports, um, we can identify where our prevention measures align within each level of MTSS. So tier one is your classroom and building culture. We look at things like open houses. We look at um, buildingwide expectations. Um, tier two may be more targeted supports for students that require it, having lunch bunches, quiet
024lunch options, check-ins with school counseling, or with any of our staff um, who a student feels is a trusted adult. And then tier three is more intensive. This student may have a section 504 plan or or IEP support or access to more intensive interventions like school psychology services. On our school website, you can find both at the primary school website and Hughes website, you will find this presentation and corresponding community resources. If you go to the web page for the school and click on school counseling, you will then see HPS and Hughes, you will see the school counselor's contact information, which is also on the plan, and then you will s see the suicide prevention plan as well as resources in the community. This next piece is the process um in itself. So I'm going
025to briefly summarize what is um in more detail in your packet. So should a student express an intent to harm themselves or others, the safety protocol is followed. This slide provides an overview of the process which is outlined in greater detailed in the um prevention plan and corresponding forms. It is important that the person reporting the intent does so in real time. For example, if a teacher reads something a student has written or hears something that a student has said, they immediately contact an administrator or a school counselor. They do not leave the student alone and it is immediately addressed. Um the student will never be um left out of sight and the school counselor administrator will meet with the student to hear what the student is feeling. Parents are contacted and are called to
026come in to meet with the school counselor and the administrator who explain that the student um will need to be seen by a licensed mental health p practitioner before returning to school. The parent is provided with resources with information um and forms to give to the outside practitioner so they understand what the student is being um seen for. Um upon the practitioner's clearance for the student to return to school, a re-entry meeting is scheduled. These are some examples of um practitioners that a student can see. They can go to walk-ins, urgent cares, emergency clinics. There's a mobile crisis team in our community. Um Greater National Mental Health. Um they'll go to the home, they'll come to the school. Um or they have some uh families have private mental health practitioners that they know or contact.
027Uh so any of these examples um serve that purpose. The re-entry meeting begins the post-intervention process. The school counselor, administrator, parent, and student meet to discuss the practitioner's recommendations as well as, you know, any school supports and school recommendations for the student um for them to be able to feel comfortable in the school environment and access their their day successfully. A release may be signed for the school counselor or administrator to speak with any outside providers in order to bridge the support from home to school. Regular check-ins with the school counselor are often part of that re-entry plan um especially in the beginning and then it's determined how that's weaned off depending on the severity of need. A referral may be made to the section 504 team or special education process or if a student
028already has one of these plans in place. Um a team meeting will likely be called to discuss any supports um or potential changes to the plans that may be necessary. We want every student to feel safe and supported and known by adults in school. This work really starts with the relationships that our staff form with students every single day and the proactive skills that we try to teach students um to be able, you know, to help them navigate challenges. At the same time, we want to be clear that every concern is taken seriously when something is brought to our attention. We follow the established protocols to respond quickly, involve our families, and make sure the students get what they need both inside and outside of school. This is truly a collaborative effort. It involves our
029staff, our families, and our community um organizations and partnerships. Um this is something like I said that we review internally more often. Um and we as the internal staff of school counseling, school psychologists, etc. will also meet um multiple points throughout the year. Uh most importantly, we want everyone to know that every concern is addressed. We follow up. We stay connected and we continue supporting students as we transition them back into the school environment. It's ongoing work. We appreciate your support and I'm happy to take any questions that you may have. >> Um Lauren, I really appreciate this policy and the plan and it's so thorough and I appreciate that it is um equally has an equal eye towards like how do we proactively create an environment for kids where this isn't an issue, right?
030That feels so important and then also if this is an issue, how do we address it? So I really appreciate that it also has the >> proactive lens. Um I have two questions. One is I know that Greater National Mental Health is unfortunately understaffed and underfunded and I am wondering if you have any I don't know if we've had to use this over the last school year but I just was wondering if you have any sense of is their response time actually an hour you know like do >> it is it's very quick especially if they're coming from a school environment we have been seeing a great response time the mobile support unit has been excellent um we also have a list of surrounding practitioners that we can give families that um are often have
031a good response time to within 24 hours. Okay. So, um and then worst case scenario, going to an urgent care emergency room. I that's always kind of like last case scenario, but that is a possibility as well if it is an urgent >> Okay, that's great. I'm very glad that's great to hear. >> And Greater Nasha, I'm going to say it does eb and flow, you know, but there has, but we've been again I'll knock on anything else. Um we've you know, we've been very fortunate to have been able to have people be seen. >> Yep. Okay, that's good. And then my one other um question is that um one of the major risk factors for suicidality is impulsivity, you know, and that um that makes it more likely that a person might act on
032something in the moment um if they are impulsive versus not. And obviously when people are younger and kids are more likely to be impulsive and I just don't see that specifically identified and I don't know if that's part of the vector training or if that's if there's something there that we should bring a little more attention to because that is a particular risk factor for kids. >> Yes. And so that's it's a it's a complicated piece because there is a lot of research with the um the expressing the suicide intentionality and the actual action and when that action is taken. There's a lot of research that it there may be impulsivity but there may there may be more impulsivity in speaking it or expressing it versus the actual action of it. So it is involved
033in the training. Um it is something that we've discussed. Um, and that's part of the reason why we don't do all of the risk assessment with students and we do have them sent out to be seen is because we will gather the preliminary information and we'll make sure that there's, you know, we we will ask if there is any plan, is anything on you, what have you thought of, etc. But all that information does go to a clinician. Um, and that's why there is that double layer to that piece of the puzzle. So, we're able to kind of assess what do we need to know right there in that moment while the child's in school um while we have them in front of us and then we know that level of urgency when we speak
034to the parents. >> Okay, that's great. Thank you so much. >> Lauren, your work on this is really obvious. I know I've looked at the previous suicide prevention plan as you know really closely and it's things are very much clearer now for everybody involved and um >> and I I just thank you because it's clearly it's a lot of work. I mean, I think even retyping of things and so forth, everything you can read it better. So, um, truly, >> thank you. I appreciate it. >> Um, so yeah, and it was it was nice having this presentation. I don't recall having a presentation like this in the past. I think it's really important, not just for us, but for anybody who's interested. So, thank you. It was very fun. >> Of course. Thank you. Appreciate
035it. >> Thank you. Awesome. Thank you for Thanks, Lauren. >> That one's always a heavy one, but we're so glad the work is being done. >> Especially the prevention especially place. Yeah. >> All right. So, our next item here on the agenda is our revenue and expense report for the school district. >> Um, it's quite a switching topics. Um, I know that those two page I was trying to come up with something blank. All right. Um, looking at our revenue expense, it's really similar to last month. a little bit um more positive I suppose. Uh we still have a fund balance in uh regular education that's due to unfilled positions. Those unfilled positions though hadn't to be filled and so they were filled with contractors. So the next line is 357,000 in the negative and
036that um covers our school site contracted services and our um I think are we at two contracted Paris now? >> We might be at two as of the past month. >> Yeah. Um but anyway, and then um and then some student programming shifts. >> Uh >> is that because we've had to add paras or have we unfortunately lost some having trouble filling position? >> A quick replacement that had to happen. >> Gotcha. Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Um uh so we have um unfilled position in the support staff. Same same concept there. um our SAU board and SEU assessment. That's the contingency fund that we don't have encumbered because we have no intention to use that unless you would like to use a contingency fund for Drury Lane. Anyway, moving on. >> Just dropped
037the gold ring dropped. >> Yeah. Um and then, you know, we hit facilities and that snow removal I I'm hoping we're over the snow removal hump. Um but due to snow removal services, utilities, and um an issue with the boiler um up here that we managed to to handle a few months ago, we're a little bit in the negative at 7 almost 75,000. Um transportation, shockingly, we have savings in both regular ed and special ed transportation costs. Uh and then down in the benefits, we're in the positive because we didn't fill positions. That means we're not paying the benefits on those positions. We're paying them indirectly through contracts, but they're just funded out of different lines. Um, and we we currently have a balance of 14,000 in uh the HPS warrant. However, that we're waiting
038for a final bill. So, that will drop to about >> 400 or something. Anyway, that leaves us all together between um revenues and expenses 146,100 I'm sorry 146,142 for um expenses with a revenue balance of 96,000 leaving us a total unreserved bal balance of 242,557. 125,000 of that is slated to shift to the maintenance trust based on the warrant article that was approved. 23,970 is slated to be shifted to the SAU building trust. Um, we still have not identified a retained fund balance. That's typically what I come to right after the audit and and ask for particular amount. Last year, you will approve 284,000 to be retained from the fund balance. Um, this year it'll be based on what we have left. >> Is that what we met in July about? >> Uh, last year
039no July we met to to authorize the expenditure from the um retain fund balance. >> Okay. >> Um and then in our regularly scheduled meeting in September, you voted to retain funds and that's what that 284 is. The yellow um the yellow would be where you would see what I will likely be proposing. You'll probably see that next month. >> Okay. >> Um but anyway, so that brings our total reductions of 148,970. And so right now we we're looking at a fund balance of 93,587. So at this point in the year we're closing out all um final purchases and we're going to get and then we're going to release encumbered funds. We're going to get a much better idea as to what our um fund balance will be in our June meeting. >> Um Gina,
040it's surprising that we have a little extra money in transportation. Um is there a reason that we have a little extra there than we expected? So when we double a run, we just we pay for the one bus driver. So that although is not ideal, can be a cost savings. >> Okay. >> Um the contract was also um I believe we this contract is a four-year contract with um we're in year three and uh we had an additional bus I believe in our original contract. >> Okay. >> So therefore, we're not running that bus. >> Okay. anymore and and so we have a savings. >> Okay. What's the It's a bus that we stopped running, >> I believe. So, >> okay. >> Believe we stopped that like two years ago. >> Okay. >> We reduced
041by one >> um just based on where kids live >> where kids lived and um so we consolidated um and we were having such a hard time with the getting the bus driver that it was constantly doubled anyway. So, I believe it ended up being consolidated. >> Okay. Um, looking at the revenue section of this report, the federal year-to- date revenue is um, much lower than what's budgeted. I know obviously federal funds often come in slowly. Um, and I just am wondering if they um, like if you look at grants, you know, the budget is 170. What we have gotten so far is a little over 25,000. Um, and so I just am sort of checking in about is this the usual pace that we would expect those funds? Is this a little slower than
042usual? Is there anything else there that we should be knowing about or paying attention to? Um, so this year all federal funds were delayed in terms of their arrival to the um individual school district. So there they passed through the state and then head our way and those were all held up. So um I would envision that we would hit our expected budgeted amount. >> Okay. and it is happening a little more slowly this year for a reason that we know what it is. >> Okay. Um and then my last question is um for the there's a description of um some of the expenses at the bottom here and under the schoolboard SAU assessment. Yep. >> Um I just am wondering if you could say a little bit more about what does assessment refer to?
043You know, obviously we have expenses in terms of legal expenses and expenses for the annual meeting, but what does assessment cover? Um I will have to get back to you on that. >> Okay. >> It's so the description those are category titles that we don't um develop. Those are category titles that are identified within um the accounting world. >> Okay. >> Of um school district accounting. >> So assessment might not even particularly apply to us. It's just a category that accounting identifies. >> Okay. >> Do the bulk of those expenses come from legal? I would imagine. >> So I don't think so. I think we have a different I know we have a different legal line. >> Rent, >> it's not the rent. Um, but the bulk of the money, the 95,000 is just our
044contingency fund. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> And then I had a quick question. Um, I don't recall, but is there anything in the maintenance trust for this year for the current year? >> The less the maintenance trust in here was what got approved at the at the school meeting. So what was approved in March of 26? >> Yes. >> All of those projects are were slated for Hughes. The hope was that the project would pass at HPS. >> Yes. >> Um so there were I believe four items and there's um there will be a public hearing in June because we have to have a public hearing to actually expend those funds. >> Okay. >> And then those projects would begin for the summer. >> Right. I guess I was asking for the previous
045funding. Yeah. So this would be last year's vote. >> Yeah. FY25. >> Was there anything put into the Okay. So we'll see something. We've already seen something that came. Yes. Okay. >> So it's already >> I don't know off the top of my head, but I can um >> No, no, no. I was I was mentally playing the Drew Lane thing when maintenance trust and >> Yeah. No, typically it's uh replacing the floors. We may have had like a classroom four grade four classroom furniture. >> Yeah. I think the cabinets came out of it in one of the things. Yeah. No, I get that. >> I just don't remember off the top of my head what it was. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, that's okay. >> And another question. Uh for when the uh last few
046incumbrances kind of shake out and we get a better picture of things, will the goal be to get the pro projected fund balance uh to zero or to leave >> like for a return to the taxpayers? Mhm. >> Um, >> or will it maybe depend on >> I think it depends on So, we always make an assumption that we're going to return some small amount. Um, the goal would be to do what we promised we would. However, um, Drury Lane is in really poor shape. We've recognized it for a couple years. We were hoping to take care of it through a different project. Now that that's not on the table, we can't ignore it any longer. Um I mean it's certainly not good for cars, but definitely not good for the buses to be going
047in in there all the time. So um that will be a board level decision. Um you know, if if we don't have enough to sort of do both, um where do you feel is more important? Take care of the jury lane sooner rather than later >> or um stay true to what we had promised. So, next month we'll come back with um an updated revenue expense report in addition to um a cost proposal for jury lane. Um and you know, if it seems like something that's doable based on our fund balance, then there'll be a formal proposal to request that which you can support or deny it. It's I'll leave that decision up to you. I'll also come to you with the figure that we shared at town meeting um with this is what we're
048expecting to return to the taxpayers. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> What do you mean when you say Gina uh to do what we promise? like so um and I'm just go I have all the other districts in my head which is why I can't place a number on what you said for Hollis but when we do all of the um tax ratings and all that there's an assumption that we're going to return a certain amount of money. >> Okay. >> Um in co-op it's always 200,000. This year we upped it um based on um an item that we that we had encumbered that we weren't going to spend. So we promised more than that. We promised 500,000 minimum to return. We always account for something. I just don't remember what that specific figure was. So,
049I'd rather come back in June and tell you that exact dollar amount. >> Um, it could very well have been zero because we were struggling all year financially. And so, we could have said we're expecting, >> you know, to have no dollars and um and then that's a different conversation. >> Yeah. Okay. Any other conversation about revenue and expense reports? All right, good combo. Our next up is the meal price adjustment memo. Okay, so every year um one of the things that our um food service director has to do is evaluate the food service program. And um you know, food service is always on that revenue and expense report. And it's kind of weird because it comes in and it comes out and They're actually separate accounts. It's not really part of our budget at
050all. Um, and so we have to make sure that we are not losing money in food service. Um, so we had a positive fund balance at the end of FY25. So we are not required to increase school lunch prices. Um, and since they were lunch prices were raised in 2425, we're saying we're not going to increase them for 2627. However, breakfast prices have not increased since the 22 23 school year. Um, and during that time, food costs, regulatory requirements. Um, and staffing costs have all risen. So, for these reasons, we're recommending increasing the price of breakfast from $1.75 to $2. Okay. Uh, we will be uh taking this up in deliberation so we can have conversations that way. All right. Next discussion point is the enrollment committee. >> Okay. Well, um, as we talked about
051last month, the enrollment committee needs to be reauthorized. Um, so I'll be asking for that this um, this evening. But, um, I'm not only asking for authorization of um, the enrollment committee, but to kind of, um, redefine it. So, two years ago, then superintendent um Andrew Corey and I put together the mission in charge for the enrollment committee. And at the time, the mission was to study the increasing enrollment. um we had already as a board determined it was a trend and not a bubble and to um analyze the effects of that increased enrollment, identify problems, come up with potential solutions, explore potential solutions, um looking at space constraints financial impact stacking and and recommendations in the light of a potential renovation or expansion. So um I I've since our last meeting met with Mrs.
052Vicki to discuss this. I also met with Miss Burksog and um you know we we all agreed that this this problem which we've discussed before naming it the enrollment committee was appropriate at the time because that's what we were studying. It has caused confusion. Um we also have um because you know I mean I had someone for example I had a couple parents email me one summer because they wanted to enroll their children into school and they were like hi that's not me actually. Um and it's understandable why that was confusing. Um and also we accomplished many of those goals already. We ha I have studied enrollment. We have looked at data. We have identified problems and we have explored possible solutions. I'm not saying that we're done with that but there's more to do
053now. So um some of some of the soft copy didn't make it into your agenda uh packets. So I have hard copies for everyone. And I handled it much like we handle um policy when you with the same um the striketh through of what we are changing and underlining you know striking I guess um and underlying what's being added or or modified. Um, I guess right now because this didn't make it into the agenda packet, I guess I have to ask you, Gina. Um, can we discuss this now because they're getting it now, but since it's not a policy? Okay. So, should we just give everybody a few minutes to just read through it and then talk about the revised mission in charge? >> My question is actually, does it have to be read into
054the record so that people at home know what we're >> I'm going to post it. >> Okay. >> Right now, and I'll summarize when you're all done reading. So I guess from a point of purpose, it's for you Carol as as chair. >> Yeah, >> this is part of the report. No problem. discussion of this should be delayed until we discuss establishing the enrollment curing or reauthorizing because we're going to go to deliberative for that, right? >> Yeah, I think that's fine. That's fine. And then it's all contained at the same time we're going to actually be taking an action. Yeah. >> Does that work for you guys? >> Perfect. >> Can you send it to me? >> Oh. Oh, you can't find the >> Okay. >> Should we read it into the record? >>
055It'll be attached. Okay. Just wanted to make sure. >> Okay. Um so I guess um an init Okay. It is um shared with you. I'll go ahead and I'll copy the link and send it to you and then email J >> or just tell me what it's called. >> Um it is called um well it's still called enrollment committee charge um because it's working from the original document. And while they're working on that, I want to take the opportunity to close public input. It's 6:48 p.m. and we have not had any new members of the public enter and ready to speak. Thank you. >> Um uh as we'll be discussing this later, I guess what else so the enrollment committee can report is that um in June, you can expect that um Mrs. Vicki is
056going to make um a presentation to the board and this is of course for the benefit of the board but also for that town of um how she is planning to negotiate the situation she is now in. So in lie of the fact that the bond was not passed she has to now change the way she is going to work with her current space because there are several things that we did and was understood as was going to be on a temporary basis. So, for example, when we moved the library to the classroom that it's currently in, we told parents at that June 2024 meeting, "This is going to be temporary." Um, when the preschool was put in the hallway, this is going to be temporary. When our case managers were put into a tiny
057office that is way and specialists um too small for them, it was going to be temporary as was our administrators in a copy room slash walkthrough. Um so those things we you know believe many of which are no longer acceptable. So how she is trying to make that work. So we will hear her plan in June and the intent is when that plan is shared um and provided what we hope to be called and you can give your input on this the primary school building expansion committee meets in June. We could then provide feedback to Mrs. Mrs. Vicki um on that plan because she'll have time if she wants to accept recommendations to implement those before the school year. So um that is a rough plan provided. We are reauthorized with the current purpose. That's
058excellent. Thank you an uh just reading through it. It's good work. Um, so again, we will deliberate that in just a moment. Moving on, now that we had some uh agenda adjustments, the next thing on our discussion point is schoolboard communication or communication with the school board. We've had a few um parents reach out, a few community members reach out, especially since um the town meeting um and the school board's public meeting um about uh how does the school board communicate with the public and how can the public communicate with the school board? We've had some folks say, "I'd like to be supportive. Are there ways for me to be supportive?" And so we thought it might be helpful to have a more uh broad conversation about that. Um Carol, please jump in here. I
059mean, of course, everyone else, right? But, um, I think that one thing that's helpful to clarify for folks is that, um, the school board is pretty limited in the ways that we are able to communicate online. There is a law regarding what's called electioneering, which means that the school board is not allowed to post anything online that could be perceived as attempting to influence the outcome of elections. And so really that means as a school board the only thing that we have been told by our lawyers that we are allowed to post online is our agenda in minutes. Um folks as individual members of the school board are allowed to post their opinions you know on social media. Um but as a school board we're really not able to do so and it can be
060very limiting in how we get information to the public. Obviously I think a lot of us get a lot of our information online these days and on social media. It is a thing that we are um very actively aware of and think about pretty regularly like how can we connect and communicate um I over time you know during my time on the board but also prior to my time on the board I think people have tried different things bringing flyers to different parts of town you know um and I think that was found to not be really effective you know I think I remember Andy Corey saying that they would bring you know 50 flyers to the library and then at the next month when they went to bring the next batch of flyers there
061were still the same Um and I just right it's just not particularly a way that was an effective communication uh strategy. Um I think also um you know there are of course like school um social media accounts but I don't know that they are communicating the purposes of the board or that they should be. Um and so um it is a thing that we are aware of. We also are pretty constrained in how we can communicate. Um, and one thing to to point out is something that you know if if someone emails the entire board, we cannot reply all. So, usually one of us will reply and then notify everybody else that we've replied directly to the person because that is considered um like an unauthorized meeting if we are all on an email thread
062together. So, we can certainly receive. So, continue to to message us, but >> and you can CC every member of the board. It is okay. to send an email with everyone on there. >> We can't reply with everyone on there. So, if it looks like we've taken people off, that's why. >> Um, but that's something that people are like, well, why am I not hearing back from this person or this person or that or why aren't you all still part of the conversation? And that's that's part of it. So, we just wanted to make that clear, especially because that's happened a lot in recent days. Um I think it's important also for the the town to hear um if anyone's listening um how we have reached out um you know we have worked actively with
063positively hollis um we work regularly with Hollis Brookline online um and I believe Gina correct me if I'm wrong about even our public hearings and public notices both to Hollis Brookline online and the union leader is that union leader as well >> um you know and now and kudos to you we haven't had chance to talk about this publicly, but I mean, for as long as I've been on the board, there's been talk about like, hey, you can just sign up to get agenda and minutes from the town sent to your inbox. When are we going to get that? We have it now. Um, and it's relatively new. You, um, it was up as a popup on the school websites for a while. It's not in the popup now, but it still can be done.
064You just go to the SAU website, um, >> which is sau.org. >> Yep. And you can, um, sign up. And maybe we can put this in the minutes, a link to the page to sign up. Um it's underneath um policy. You can sign up to have the agendas and minutes of any of the SAU41 districts sent directly to your inbox. Now, this has been new within the last three months, I believe. Um I've signed up for it with the co-op because I don't always get to go to those. Clearly, I get to this one. Um and it works and um it's very helpful. So, um I would encourage anybody in town, whether you have children in the school or not, to do that. Um and also because we present at the Hollis budget committee, we
065have a representative who's always there. Um a lot of you know things that are going on with the school budgetarily if you are following the budget committee and getting those agendas in minutes from the town website. You will hear about what's happening at the school because the school reports every single time and that's twice a month. >> Uh folks are also welcome to attend I mean of course these meetings but also you're welcome to attend our subcommittees. um you're not allowed to participate, right? Because you haven't been elected, you know, to be a representative of the town and be participating in making changes. Um in the same way that folks aren't when they attend meetings, right, can't engage in the deliberative session because, you know, they unless you're elected, you don't get to actually be
066making ch or appointed, you know, like our superintendent. But you are always welcome to attend any of those meetings um like the policy meeting or the wellness committee. And I think it's maybe a little bit different for the enrollment committee in that folks are maybe there's I don't know if there's maybe a more active back and forth conversation than that. >> I've never had more than one guest at a time. Um actually no one once I've had two. Um we always just included them in our circle, but who knows how things might change depending on what kind of an audience we have because obviously we always have a packed agenda. Um and I stick to my time limits. >> Yeah. Great. Great ad to the agenda. I think it's always a good reminder, especially as
067things change and with all of the uh activity that we've got going on. We had so much reach out, reach out, outreach, whatever you want to call it today. >> Um with everything with the HPS expansion project that wanted to make sure people knew why >> other things were were not happening. and we want to connect more and it is right we are limited and are trying to figure out how to do that and have some real uh legal limitations in how we're able to >> and it and it is noteworthy I I can say I reached out to several town organizations and some welcomed me and had me come to their meetings um not everyone wanted me to come um I will continue to reach out um but also like any of us can
068be invited to a meeting where you know it's up to the individual whether or not they come um to talk to any group in town I can say personally be happy to do so. >> Perfect. >> Excellent. >> All right. Our next ad uh to discussion was open enrollment update. >> Sure. Um Okay. So, there were two open enrollment bills out there in the world. Um SB 101 was tabled in the House um I believe April 23rd, 2026. That doesn't mean it can't be taken off of the table. Um but it was tabled. So, it was um some news that added stability. However, we do have HB751 which started out as an outpatient substance use disorder treatment facility um bill that where a non-gerermanine amendment was added that um authorized parents to enroll their children
069in any public school. Um that one we're waiting for the committee of conference to be scheduled. Um so that is um the May 14th deadline to act on crossover bills. So this was a cross so it's crossed over to the Senate and um to deal with some of the discrepancies in the bills that there needs to be a committee of conference. So that's where we're at. So we're still we're not out of the woods. We're still unsure. >> We aren't out of the woods. But should something be passed, this would not go into effect though until FY27, I would imagine. >> Is that correct? >> So it depends on how the bills are worded. Um, many of them say like July 1, so this could impact us. >> The current year, so it is possible.
070>> But it is FY27, July 1. >> Oh, that's right. We are. Oh my gosh, that's right. Sorry, I meant FY28. >> Yeah. So, it totally depends on how it's written. >> Gotcha. So, it could be this school year. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. >> We'll just sit and wait. >> Uh, Gina, if that does pass, you know, we passed a polic. >> So, then what? pass is null and not void. >> You mean the uh warrant article? >> The warrant article. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> So, the warrant article sort of protects us if nothing happens at the state level in terms of state law amendments. >> Um then that protects us from what's currently in place. >> We would allow one student in K through six. Um and no students would be
071authorized to leave on our dime, if you will. >> And so if there were new legislation, we would need another newborn article. >> No, there was new legislation apply to the state um and we would have to follow the state law. >> Okay. >> Right. Okay. >> And my recollection from previous discussions around similar proposals is that there's no mechanism at present to make sure that new Hollis residents have slots if this full open enrollment thing happened. So, you know, I I can speak to lots of whatifs, but there's constant amendments and discussion. So, >> it would depend on the final. >> It totally depends on the final language. >> Yeah. >> So, from what you said, we should know at least by May 14th when it's scheduled to be discussed. Am I right? Okay.
072>> Thanks. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions, comments about Omen enrollment? >> Thank you, Gina. Y >> All right. And the final added discussion point was the uh committee appointments for this year. Um we are going to keep everybody in their same roles. The consistency is good. Um we have some alternates and I'll read through what these are and make sure that they're on the record. Um because we do have to deliberate and vote on them today. Um, I thought about moving some folks around and seeing if they wanted to make some changes. Um, I think with what happened at the end of the year at the district meeting, we still have that work to do in the revised enrollment committee now to be the uh, building expansion committee. And so that conversation points between
073those different committees that our folks serve on I think are still very important to maintain. Um we can certainly you know any one of us are welcome to attend a meeting. So we can always, you know, if our BudCom rep and the BudCom alternate and myself or Jonathan want to attend, we are attending as citizens, not as board members. Um, so you're still able to attend things. Uh, we just have to make sure that it doesn't violate the rules of a meeting. Um, so just to uh talk through who's got everything. Um, Jonathan is our superintendence performance evaluation committee rep for the Hollis School Board. Um, the SAU governing board uh, budget subcommittee alternate. And I think and then the, um, RSC board, I believe. Um, >> I think they're going to do the manifest
074portion at the meeting next week. Um, Jessica is staying on Hollis policy and I believe this the SAU41 governing board policy will be finalized at the governing board meeting next week. Um, we don't have a committee for a superintendent exit interview because she just got here. Um, so that's not going to be a committee anymore. >> We don't. Right. >> Maybe I'll know. Um, I will continue as the uh SAU41 governing board budget subcommittee representative. Ann will continue as the enrollment revised enrollment committee representative with being the Hollis budget committee alternate. And then Rafie will continue with the Hollis budget committee, the SA41 wellness committee and the town of Hollis Capital Expenditure Advisory Committee. And currently I have you as the alternate on the revised enrollment committee. I think we'll just keep that as is
075for now. If we need to make a change, we can always do so down the way. Um, so I just want to thank everybody for being steadfast in the work that you're doing. I think you've all done a great job on the committees and it it's nice to have that consistency year over year when we've had some turbulence. So, um, thank you again. >> Um, Carol, I don't see a support the support staff contract has to get renegotiated every year and I don't see a >> It doesn't have to be renegotiated. It just has to be voted on. Great. >> Yeah. So, those committees will come back >> in a year. A year. >> Yeah. Okay. will be the um HA and the HESA. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> And the >> bus contracts coming
076up, but that's the SA level, I think. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yep. Yep. So, some of that stuff I'm assuming will come out in the governing board meeting next week. >> She says um so that is the first one after uh elections is next week. If anyone would want to join that's at H >> BMS RMS RMS >> we have to head over to Brookline for that. Excellent. >> Um so that is all I have for committee appointments. We will vote on those during deliberations. And speaking of deliberations >> I will >> what now? I'm just kidding. >> I was wondering if there was a update or report from the capital expenditure committee. I don't know if you guys had met post meetings or >> we did. Yeah. Um we met >> So are you
077asking for an agenda adjustment? Is that >> Yes, I would like an agenda adjustment to discuss what the capital expenditure committee thinks now that we're not expanding a building and um how how things are going. >> Everybody amenable to this agenda adjustment? >> Absolutely. I'm wondering um should we have as a standing item just like we did for enrollment last year? Should we put that on there? >> Um >> what do you think? I don't know that it's necessarily a monthly thing. How often do you guys meet? Is it monthly? >> It's now. Yeah, it was more frequently last year, especially budget season, but now it's uh on track for once a month. >> Okay, then. Yeah, I'm fine with that with the monthly standard. >> Sure. Sure. >> Thank you. >> Sounds good. >>
078So, go ahead, R. Okay, >> cool. >> Um, we talked about well we clarified uh one thing uh was there was some confusion over if it was going to be uh the committee was set up for a year or whether it was standing. So we looked back into the minutes from select board to clarify that it is a standing uh committee. There are two atlarge positions from the community that those are one-year terms. Um and so and those were set um one in I think July, maybe one in August. So those will be coming up uh for the select board to determine, but um uh the the rest of the committee will will continue unless otherwise notified by the select board. Um and uh so kind of similarly to how the uh school board last
079month had a recap from the annual meeting, similarly had that. Um so the um uh there was some discussion about um things uh we could work to improve uh in terms of like communication and and notifying people whether it's um notifying um ongoing projects that are coming up in let's say the next two to three years. Um there were some there's like some newer members uh uh on this board who may not know all the uh recent history and such. And so communicating things um to the uh within uh the committee and then also outwardly to co-op and the in this school board making sure that everybody's kind of up to date. Um especially when we're looking at uh uh at the annual meetings and just at these various meetings making sure that when something's
080on the horizon two to three years, let's say it's on a on a chart that everyone's aware of like okay is that particular item like a likely thing to happen or um that kind of thing. Since it was the first year there definitely some uh some learning there's a learning curve there uh to figure out those kinds of details. Um and in terms of uh the expansion uh project, there was uh some um advice given there. I kind of put forth what we talked about at the last meeting in in terms of um really having more time to go into the details would have been really helpful. Um and so that for the future that that might be something we look at uh since we were so time limited and we had this years of
081history um that we couldn't really uh communicate and it seemed like the public would have really benefited from getting into some of those details since that was a moment when we had so many people there whereas in our previous uh info sessions and meetings we're not going to get that kind of attendance. Um >> and um uh definitely the question came up of for the spreadsheet uh upcoming >> what what what do we update the number to and so I didn't give an answer because I I don't think we have a a good answer as of now. Um I I'll need to uh put some kind of stand uh holding value in there for the future. Um I think once presumably if the uh now school building expansion committee um gets reorganized then I would
082definitely like that to be a topic of discussion to just kind of just so that it's that we have some kind of agreement on what we want to put timelinewise or or valuewise as a ballpark kind of thing because It's it's going to be moving around, I'm sure, but we just for this for the purposes of this committee, we try to um put our our best guess for keeping a a total tally on all all the capital projects. >> Um so, one thing that I was just discussing because I left the Brookline School District Facilities Committee meeting and came to this meeting. Um you know, the the spreadsheet has a different purpose for the different groups that are looking at it. And one thing that I think that I noticed some members of the budget
083committee had a difficult time understanding is that we have to put items in there. Even if we really are not sure that they're going to happen, we have to put those items in there for possible expansion. For example, middle school expansion. I have no intention of doing that right now. However, I have to put it there so that the towns can put in impact fees in place for any proposed new developments. >> Yeah. >> And if I don't have that there, then there's a complete years in advance and there's a complete loss of the ability to um apply an impact fee. I I really don't plan to expand the middle school right now. However, um the the 40 new units that are going to be completed by the end of 26 in Brooklyn very well
084could have a huge impact on enrollment in Brooklyn and then at some point the middle school. >> So I have to have that there so those fees can be put in place. But when we're looking at it from the capital expenditure advisory committee, it's not that oh in 28 I have 50 million going into middle school and in 29 I have That's not really how we operate. And so I think we just need to continue the conversation of how are the different groups utilizing these spreadsheets. We certain I mean you everything gets cut from our budgets. So we certainly don't say well here we go in this fiscal year. We're moving forward on all these projects. Not likely to happen. Um but for various reasons we have to have those >> we ran into that
085with this year's presentation. Um they were pushing and pushing and pushing that there had to be a date assigned to future projects. And I was like, we we don't we don't know. You're asking for things on the horizon. We're not going to assign a date. And they were adamant that it needed one. So I think that there I agree that there has to be if this is going to continue you have to understand that there are certain things that this is out there as something that's coming but we can't tell you if it's 5 to 10 if it's 10 to 15 or if it's next year necessarily that kind of thing. I don't know. >> The easy thing is to say that the roof has a life of 30 years. Great. I I can tell
086you when the roof hits end of end of life. um you know those types of things. I can tell you exactly when the expected um replacement cycle would be, but it's when I'm potentially going to see more enrollment or potentially I'm going to see something else or there are potentially some changes at the state level in terms of requirements for us. >> Those I I can put in a year, >> but I I'm not saying that they're definitely going to happen. All the other pieces have to fall into place before I'm going to move forward with those. So it's it seems like it's the same document, but it serves very different purposes. >> Right. And and I agree with what you're saying because one of the things I was going to say things from my
087perspective, knowing that we have unc major uncertainty on the horizon, right? The soonest we might see a proposal come back in likely is a year up, >> right? >> for the primary school >> for school expansion. And the soonest that that might actually get approved and moved is two years out, right? Because it would have to go to the meeting with the with the recommendation, then get approved, and then go. So, in my perspective, without a number, they should know that there's an incoming item two years out that's a school expansion that will be in the millions. Like, no, we won't have a real number, but they're looking for when these big things will happen. So order of magnitude estimates of the like, yeah, is it going to be 20 million? Probably not. The public
088has told us they don't want that. But if you mark it as 20 million and it's not used in the way you're indicating, it tells you there's a big expense coming within this ballpark of 10 to 20 million. Um, >> escalation. >> Yeah. And so I agree with the statement and and would urge our own input of the >> you want to know what's coming as a big item with a range >> in a year. You don't need or want a specific date and until we know you don't necessarily want a specific amount >> because it can vary. >> I appreciate I think all of that is totally true. I also do appreciate that people on the budget committee have said things like I we can certainly afford some of this stuff if we can
089plan it at certain times. If you know that something like the plan being able to plan the timing of when we you know rebuild the wall at the town dump versus when we do you know something with the police fire versus when we just like that is meaningful and I do appreciate that. But I just also want to say that additionally that to the extent that we can provide information on timing that certainly is helpful >> and I I think the key difference there right this wasn't supposed to be the budget committee this was supposed to be advisory I agree with you for the budget committee absolutely >> well for the advisory committee that's still true right because the advisory committee is also giving data to the budget committee about these are expected expenses for
090the town and if we can manage these things at different points in time this is the impact on the budget so I still think that that's relevant Going back to what Gina was saying, I think that for the public, it's important to understand the difference in putting a date on a need in the co-op, specifically the middle school versus the need in the primary school is in the co-op. There are many unknowns. You mentioned, Gina, the 40 unit complex that's being built in Brooklyn. Um, we don't know how many families are moving in. We don't know what age the children will be and when they will be entering middle school making that impact. We only have the data of the children that are in the school. Now in contrast we currently are at capacity I
091would say my opinion I guess >> over capacity at the primary school as evidenced by preschool in the hallway case managers trying to educate children in an office. um and administrators in copy rooms and you know professionals with master's degrees in utility closets you know in a library in a classroom that is very different than what could potentially happen in the middle school that we don't know. So that is why it's so hard to put a date on the middle school and to know what will happen there because we still have these unknowns because we're also converging from another town. So while Hollis is expanding in ways that we have already determined from our meetings with the town planner and his consultant, um it's just very difficult to see that, but we're already in that
092situation with the primary school. Um I think it's also noteworthy for the town. So you mentioned that you've talked about communication. Not everybody may know that just like budget committee, select committee, and other town committees. You can go to the town website, go under notify me, and you can sign up to get agendas and minutes from the capital advisory expenditures committee just like any of those others so you can know the work that that group of people is doing. Um, and I highly encourage everyone to do that. >> Absolutely. >> So, just a few things to add on. So, I think that's those are some very helpful examples, especially the the middle school expansion. I think having some something I'll bring back to the committee is definitely having uh for the future spreadsheets some way
093to clarify certainty for a certain project when it is a roof where it's like okay this we know and then when something is has high uncertainty that we still want it on there in some way um but uh indicating that the certainty is very low then we can know okay it it can be um both from a time and money perspective uh we can indicate that that certainty is low. That I think the real value in something like this um is just keeping things on the radar so that when they do actually become a more real thing that the p the taxpayers are aware of them and it doesn't catch them by surprise. Um, as an example from from the the the town, something that was uh uh kind of on the radar for a
094long time, but then suddenly became a lot more urgent was the transfer station um wall where that caught a lot of people by surprise. So I think ideally having as much of the information as we can um in advance will just do it'll just >> right and it's totally fine to have you know things with with very high uncertainty just noted. >> So thank you. >> Thank you Rob. >> All right and so that was our last discussion point. So now we're moving into our deliberations and our first one is to uh see what action the board will take regarding reauthorizing the enrollment committee. Um I will now keep in mind it's called the enrollment committee. That's how this is but obviously Ann has presented to us um the new version a different charge for
095it. Um so I' I'd love the motion to uh reflect that that's what we're accepting, not just the continuation of the exact. So, I'm just going to just update the words and the outline we have. Um, I'm happy to accept a motion to continue the enrollment committee for the 2026 2027 school year with the offered charge adjustments. >> So, moved. >> A second. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Um, and it's a deliberate choice to change the title of the group from enrollment committee specifically to school expansion committee. And I wonder if you just want to talk about that for a minute. >> Yeah. So, in both my conversations with Miss Burksog and Mrs. Vicki, um, we agreed that it is very clear that the the school building itself is no longer sufficient for the
096number of students we have and certainly for the number of students that are coming. It it could be changed to building, you know, building renovation and expansion committee. We could do that. you start to get into a whole lot of whole lot of words and letters and an alphabet suit and an acronym. Um, but we could do that because but we do still believe that renovation and expansion needs to happen. It needs to change from what was originally proposed. So work will need to be done. Um, but I think we need to make it clear to the public that this is what we are working towards. Um, so there is no more confusion as far as the group. Um, I think it's important to note that we would keep the Hollis Enrollment Committee website live.
097It is um it's it contains many historical documents that should be available to the town and to all of us. Um, because we don't know how long this will take. Um, and there is a a huge amount of information there as will a link to what was the proposed renovation. Um, and we already have the language there stating that this was not approved. We've adjusted that. Um, but we feel it's important to keep those live. So, should this be reauthorized and we rename the committee, there will be live links to both of those pages. Um, so anybody can go and see the history and I will have a revised history of the committee like a brief summary just like I did before. Um but we feel that this more clearly communicates the goal of the
098committee to responsibly and you'll see like the language of like fiscally responsible um you know planning um which we put in developing a fiscally responsible plan for renovating and expanding the building to ensure a safe and effective learning environment for staff and students and effective planning and decision-m for the district's growth. We all it was also a deliberate choice to add safe and effective. Um we you know we have discussed you know the kinds of things that we need to focus on and I we were all in agreement. I think it really came out in our exploration. Um that there are safety concerns that in this process we decided really need to be our number one priority. Um, and that is part of this expansion um, and renovation. Making sure we have a Department of
099Homeland Security um, approved level of standard for our entrance, making sure we have a fire lane, making sure kids are in classrooms, things like that. Um, which are not happening right now. So, that's part of it. So, if you would like to adjust it to, you know, we're not we're having a hard time with some finesse. You know, I know that like um, committees people like to have fun names. If anybody wants to propose something different, I'm open to it as long as it communicates the goal of renovation and expansion. >> Yeah. So, we had more success with um bonds and leases that formed um a word smart step. Um so, HPS doesn't really flow so nicely. So, if we want to change it, you know, we're open to that. >> Absolutely. I >> I
100don't love things being wordy, but I also do think that it is for the sake of being clear about what we're doing and to the point that the last the title of the enrollment committee um you know that was the original purpose and then it didn't accurately capture everything that was happening. And so I do think it might be meaningful to add the word renovation in extension um just for the sake of let's we're being clear about what we're looking at. Um, but if people felt like that's >> bre is a better acronym than >> bre. >> Look at that. Yeah. >> Bre, >> can we change it to an I somehow and then get brick? I don't know. Um, >> I like I want to ask about this an I note that it says
101um that the role is advising administration. >> Yes. >> Um and um I certainly think that that is very I don't have any dispute there. Um, third, is it is it meaningful? Is it deliberately not done here that we're not also talking about like communicating to the community or do you feel like that's better captured somewhere else or does that feel like that's not the role of brick? >> It's catching on. >> Well, I think you know these are decisions as far as you know if you take a look at all of this staffing and scheduling questions that is that is the responsibility of administration >> right? um navigating current space constraints that is administration who has to do that. That's part of the job of the principal. It's not the job of the board
102um or the town developing a fiscally responsible plan for renovating expanding the building. I would say you know if I'm breaking this down you're right that is part of more board territory. So um then maybe we could change the wording somewhere a maybe and also you know it's because that's not vis administration on that. We're working together with um administration on that. Um and I think that we could also um word smmith this some more uh to make it better. You know, once we're reauthorized to if we feel like I don't think there's a particular time that can't be I think we also could even come back to this in June if you wanted to. But um >> I think it might be >> I think it's great. I'm sorry. >> No, I just think
103it might be also I think maybe adding the note of also advising the board and then I do think it's meaningful to have something in there about like communicating with the community. because I think that is actually a lot of what you were doing under the enrollment. >> It was a lot of what I was doing. >> You know what I mean? And so let's be clear that that's also part of the work that you're doing. >> So um students and uh so somewhere in there and communicating these plans to the community and there's a lot of and >> yeah I don't feel we don't need to word it right now >> to the town. to the town. >> But yeah, do we want So, are you asking maybe to Did you say hold off
104until June to reoff or do you guys need to meet? >> No, I think we could still reauthorize. I'm wondering if um because it's the board that sets the mission in charge, not the committee, right? So, um and the committee still needs to be formed technically. So, I would propose that we maybe reauthorize the committee. Um, and is there a way we can word it so that we can still revise the mission in charge? >> Can I ask a question though? >> This was saying to authorize it for the 2627 school year, which doesn't start until July 1st. >> So, isn't your committee technically still in effect until >> No, the committee went until the March meeting. Um but we could amend the motion to >> have it effective immediately. The work can start. I
105I I do think that the committee should get together. I also think the important part of committee work is looking at this statement and if there's feedback >> then that final version goes back to the board in June >> for approval of >> that. Well, there has been a lot of outreach from the community of people who want to be involved on the committee. Um, if we were reauthorized tonight, I was going to announce um and also then email some of back some of the people who reached out to me um to please attend the meeting in June to hear Mrs. Vickiy's presentation because I think that's incredibly important for anybody on the committee to do. and then start our work from there because it's really hard to start any work if we don't know
106what she's planning to do at this point. Um and then we can go forward. Um because also if so you'll see that we we also proposed adding some people so from one member for teachers and school staff for example one to two because of course we have to get you know people to volunteer to sign on instead of committee members one we put one to two um you know and who knows maybe we find that we decide we want to have more of them um as official members or maybe people will just be coming to to come but I I think that it's it's noteworthy that um people can demonstrate that their commitment by attending the meeting or by watching it and letting me know, hey, I watched I heard the presentation. Yes, I'm still
107interested. Um you can disagree. Um that's that's kind of where my thought process was. >> So I I think that that's a great idea. Um I want to give you a chance to just chime in because then I we're going to need to amend the uh the motion. >> Go ahead, Don. So, um, I appreciate the write up and the thoughtfulness that went into it. I don't agree with moving this to an expansion committee or limiting it down to HPS in particular. I don't because fundamentally what we've been told by the public and to some extent what we've all expressed is that this committee needs to also explore other options that aren't just school Hollis expansion because that's what the town has told us they want us to explore. Now ultimately I still think it's
108going to end up with an expansion. I'm not ignorant to that. But I think it it wraps in the committee's target to say it's expansion or bust is how it will I'm worried it'll come across. >> I think the committee's purpose is not an expansion. I think the committee's purpose is to monitor and address the capacity issues within the district because those issues may pop up in other areas and I don't want to have to establish another committee when we are trying to deal with it as a whole as a district and we've been told explore some other options and that by keeping it as a capacity issue for districtwide lets us do that still not that we couldn't do it but it makes it more clear that we are going to consider other things
109within the district. I agree that we have clear data that there are, you know, I I actually like the wording of like look, there are significant academic, administrative and safety challenges. Absolutely. >> Right. And this committee from my perspective would be working to monitor both the capacity and the enrollment and propose remediation for the issues identified and leave it very open-ended in that particular way so that it isn't enrollment. We're not worried about enrollment. We're worried about capacity and the enrollment thereby related to it because at this point we're out of capacity. So you're saying that the mission would be to identify and resolve. >> I think it's less the mission and more the name that he's talked about changing. >> Well, I I actually have the mission rewritten as well. But like that is
110my perspective to some extent because everything you're talking about, as you said, our job is not to tell the administration how to solve the problems. Our job is to advise if they'd like us or to help set policy around it. And I think them coming to us and saying, "Hey, I'm having to do this. I'm having to do these other things which they you know Mrs. Vicki is very good about then we can say okay I see your problem and even if it's an intermediate proposed solution that we can fund or do as a board then we have that option and it's not just expansion >> right I will just chime in and say that um some of the feedback that we got was that um the enrollment committee was not um transparent in title
111>> sure >> um and that the that nobody knew we were um which I find hard to believe because there was a warn article, but that nobody knew that we were actually looking to expand the building. Um, so I hear what you're saying, but I think the best thing to do is to reauthorize the committee and then because word smithing here in this meeting is is just not the appropriate time or place to do it. So, I think we should kind of process this, read it, and then maybe send some feedback to an in meanwhile, you know, have make that statement if you're interested in whatever it whatever iteration this is. Um and I think I do think that um uh brick uh building renovation expanding brick committee is sort of appropriate because no matter
112what there will need >> to be some renovation and some expansion whether it's HPS Hughes Farley building >> um if you want to take over the SAU building that's fine too with me. Um, no. But, so some something's got to be done. >> And so I think if you call it the >> I think if you say primary expansion >> building, >> people are going to say we're expanding HPS. >> That is going to be what people read. >> Building renovation and expansion committee, >> right? And my other comment is I personally have a problem approving a committee >> where the mission because this isn't just wordsmithing, >> okay? this is the actual mission target is unclear or at least not agreed upon. >> Right. So that's why you authorized the committee we authorized the
113committee to continue as the enrollment committee right now and then bring they'll bring back the proposed charge for us to approve at the next meeting. >> Yeah. I I don't see the rush to >> they have to meet. So you want my current enrollment committee should everybody be interested in attending to to meet then we make these changes we were just talking about is >> and then I look for right now >> changing the committee >> well I guess that would be my question what work do they have to do right now this month that can't wait till next month >> advertising to get additional members >> so that >> okay but without the definition of what that committee is going to actually do you're just advertising for a committee that is going to get
114a mission statement. >> So, um, everyone, this is a public conversation, so everyone's hearing the the possibilities. >> Yep. >> And so, we need to authorize the committee. If there's interest, they could come to the next meeting where where the final proposal for the mission of that committee will be established. So everyone who's interested in participating will have a chance to hear it, see it because it'll be attached um to the meeting uh agenda and then that would be authorized. But I think right what we're doing right now is not productive. So I what we would do by reauthorizing them is what their original charge was. And so you can >> okay >> well invite well your comment was that you're inviting people to possibly join a committee that has no direction. >> It does
115this authorization without the offered charge adjustments part that I had put on it. Right. And that Ann wanted >> as is is to continue the enrollment committee for the 2627 school year. Period. >> Yes. >> That right. That's what we're saying. Let's authorize that. it will continue what they've been doing and then they can come to us in June at our June meeting and say this is what we'd like to change the mission charge title whatever to and we can vote yay or nay at that p time on what they're doing with it until then they continue with the charge that they've already had going this whole time >> and the current >> membership and the current committee membership >> the first clarifier is so then you would have to amend to go back to
116the original proposal without the changes Ann is putting forward. >> That's what I said. You'll have to amend your motion. You got to toss it out and go back to the original without amendment. Y >> Yeah, I got that. >> Y >> um I guess my follow on concern question is the and I guess in the long run it doesn't really matter. Um, if what comes back the following meeting is not to particular taste, the committee is still authorized with its current role whether that's agreed to be the role we want or that I agree with one way or the other. Yes, it would be it would be that the committee no matter what is authorized under the current headings of whatever the proposal is and if they change >> they're not authorized under this
117proposal. That's what we're saying. authorized under their current charge that they were first formed under and have been operating under >> for all of these years. >> Yes. And what I'm saying is and I know >> and that won't change unless we vote for what they propose to change in June. >> Right. So if I feel that it should change before the committee is authorized, >> you can vote no tonight on continuing it. >> Yeah. Because otherwise once it's authorized under that the previous year's wording, let's just go with that because it's easier in my head. Then it's authorized. Period. Under that unless unless >> they can't go do work that we don't agree to. >> I understand that. >> So they can't change what they're doing unless we say yes, we accept this as
118your new mission and your new charge. >> Right? So they will continue with the existing charge until we vote yes on any other proposal. So, and how does that So, so what I heard was currently the reason we need to authorize for this month in particular is to go out and get advertised for more members to the what would be the current not this piece of paper but the current charge as originally proposed. Are you still going to be able to go out and advertise members that you might need for the possible revised charge without the approved changes? >> Um I think so because people don't unless people are watching this conversation right now and I think it will be watched by some >> um people know the name Hollis Roman Committee and they know
119essentially what we were working on. >> Sure. So it's the idea of continuing to solve this problem at the primary school. I mean basically that's the multiaceted problems at the primary school. I mean that's really what it comes down to. They you know pe what is it like 800 plus people came and and voted that night. They they saw the presentation if they didn't see other things. So it is out there what's been going on. So um and the fact that I've already had people reach out to me. >> Yeah. Um, I'm not concerned about people coming. Um, I think what would happen is I I need to really quick figure out when everyone's available so I can get them together in May. Um, so we could discuss this and but I still think I
120would write to those people and I would put out I'd probably ask it to be put out in Hollisburg line. I don't think positively Hollis publishes again for a little while but they do have a website so I'll talk to them as well. um to please come to the next school board meeting and hear Mrs. Vickiy's presentation. >> I'm not ignoring you. I'm just looking up the original wording for the authorization. I don't know what it is. >> Oh, it's it's the what's crossed out. >> I Nothing has taken it's there. It's just got a strike through. >> Yep. >> So, we we need to keep the meeting moving forwardly. >> Um >> so, Ann, you were the one who made the motion. >> Sure. Um would you like to change your motion? >> Sure.
121Yes. >> Would what do you want to read it? >> I would like to adjust my motion um to I move to continue the Hollis enrollment committee for the actually 20 yeah 26 27 school year. >> Does that cover you to start now? effective immediately >> through the 2627 school year. Effective immediately. >> Thank you. >> A second. >> Second, >> Jess. Any discussion on that one? All right. Uh all those in favor of continuing the enrollment committee through the 20 effective immediately and through the 2026 27 school year. All those opposed 410. And of course the understanding is that we will get more information about any proposed charge changes from you in June. >> Yeah. I will um I'll talk Mrs. Vicki about posting the the date of the next meeting on her website.
122Again, I'll try and do some of that publicly and then I will also put it on the House Enrollment Committee website when that date is figured out. So, anybody listening at home, you also can always email me if you have trouble finding it and I'll make sure that you know and I will reach out to anybody who has already made contact with me to give them this update. >> Perfect. And as uh Gina mentioned, if anybody has feedback, Jonathan's providing his feel free to send and some of that information since obviously we received the uh >> proposed charge on site tonight. We didn't get a chance maybe to digest. So we can certainly do that. Thanks an appreciate that. All right. Our next one is to see what action the board will take regarding the
123committee appointments proposed by me, the board chair. I'll take a motion to approve the appointments of the chair as presented. So moved. >> A second. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Um, the only thing I'll mention, and I don't see it as a conflict of interest, but I want to get it out on the public record. Um, one of my children is looking to enroll at one of the RSC facilities. I don't see it as a conflict, but I wanted to say that ahead of time since I'm being proposed to be on the RSA committee. >> I don't think that's an issue. >> Has not been an issue in the past. >> Beautiful. I don't see it as any different than my kids go to these schools. So >> there you go. Thank you for
124your transparency, >> but you should be good with that. >> Can I just clarify? I you started to tell me an idea. I What? Why don't I know what RSC is? I'm sorry. What is it? >> It's the regional special education consortium if I remember correctly. >> Um effectively it is a collection of services uh that are offered throughout the region and used by multiple SAUs to augment special needs. >> Thank you very much. Um, and then Holl Brook line, Milford, and Amherst. The superintendents serve on the board and then board members have seats on the board. >> Um, I'm currently the chair of the RSAC board. >> Yep. >> All right. All those in favor of the appointments for your fates for the next year. 500. Thank you all again. I appreciate you. Um,
125our next one is to see what action the board will take regarding the recommendation of the business manager relative to the price increase for breakfast. So, this was our price memos. Um, I will accept a motion to approve the recommendation of the business manager to increase the price of breakfast from 175 to $2 beginning at the start of the 2627 school year. >> Moved. >> A second. >> Second. >> Discussion. Um Gina, do we usually have a surplus in this account at the end of the year? >> Um usually is not a good word. Um sometimes we do, sometimes um we go in the negative. Um we're not allowed to keep a surplus and so those funds um have to go into like the refrigerator replacement, like those types of upgrades to the um food
126service money. It's the strangest thing because we have to tabulate it within our um funding, but it's completely separated. So, it comes in and it goes out. So, it really just kind of confuses revenue and expense reports. >> I love how you just say it like it is. >> Is there a reason that we had a surplus this year in particular? Is it just that people are more on top of paying their lunch bills or Okay. >> Yep. >> Um do we cover a shortfall out of the budget? >> Yeah. So, we are required to cover a shortfall. >> Okay. Um, >> and then you had said I think this year that we're in the black effectively and that theoretically I think based on some of the things I recall we we have been previously.
127Does the lunch uh surplus? Um, is that isolated to lunch or is that the food plan in general? So that would include breakfast as well. >> Like how are how are those? >> So um we are so lucky I have to say that we have our food service director. She's incredible. Um I didn't realize how many um emails related to food um the superintendent got until this year. Um and we had a full audit in Brooklyn and never before has the state of New Hampshire not come up with any findings. And um so we got this glowing review and it's 100% our food service director. What she does is she evaluates lunch separate from breakfast. So our lunch we're certainly in the black. Our breakfast we need to make an adjustment and that's why um
128we're coming forward here tonight. And these are there they're because we participate in the um uh in the federal program where we can um support free and reduced lunch through the federal program. We have all these guidelines that she does great following them, but one of them is this full evaluation of um are are we in the black? Do we have revenue? Um and if not, then we have to make an adjustment to the meal prices. So, >> okay. So, we're not allowed to take surplus from the lunch line items and use it for any shortcomings in the breakfast. >> No. >> Okay. >> It is a little confusing to be um positive for lunch and not for breakfast. Is that because of the structure of those programs and providing breakfast to students? >> Yeah.
129So, it's um um >> different guidelines. >> They're the Well, >> eggs are expensive. >> We don't know who's going to get breakfast on any given day. I mean, we don't know who's going to get lunch on every given day either, but lunch is more predictable than breakfast. >> Um, and we didn't increase the breakfast prices last time. We increased the lunch prices. So, it's like the breakfast prices have been stable for longer and as a result, we just need to um make a shift. >> Yeah. Um I think my other question would be does breakfast supply fall under the same characteristic as like uh planning for other things where you have to plan for a certain number whether that's historically accurate or not to supply breakfast like is there a mandatory minimum number of
130breakfasts that have to get made up because I'm trying to figure out basically is there a lot of spoilage happening where you have to make up let's say 500 breakfasts even though you only get 100 people on a regular basis because the requirement is if someone comes and asks for it you have it right >> it's true she does a great job of planning for multiple options so while we have to provide an option it's not always the same option for every student if we run out >> you know there are certain favorites and and they sell out so >> my kindergarteners real into breakfast at school all of a sudden. So, I hear it. The favorite Oh, I remember. >> You know, it's a social piece, too. >> You know, if if a friend's
131going for breakfast and then it's like, well, maybe I want breakfast, too. And then the parent is faced with the bill. It's like, what have you been doing at school? >> How you been burning through that? >> What's going on? >> Fresh. >> Yeah. >> But the reason I'm asking is even though I know it's a small amount that we're increasing it by, >> um, knowing the current state of a lot of financials right now, >> it's still an increase. >> Yep. And I was trying to figure out a little bit of the Okay, so how much of it wiggle-wise is a no, we're required to prep it and thereby no matter what we use the money or not? >> It's no um it is not due to spoilage. It is just simply due to
132the fact that we haven't raised the price in a few years >> and the supply itself is more expensive. >> Yeah. And the cost of employees. Yeah. Um, and like I said, it's it's um regulated so highly by the federal government that it's a it's a formula. And so basically they're saying no, you have you have to increase your breakfast prices to stay compliant with their formula structure. So >> um just one more question. Uh I believe when the board voted on uh lunch last time, there was uh uh some nearby districts and where they were at for for pricing. I was just curious if there's a sense of like, okay, this puts us pretty in line with that. >> Um, I believe we're going to have to make an adjustment to breakfast across all
133three districts. That's what >> Oh, sorry. I mean, outside of SA41. >> Uh, I don't I don't know off the top of my head how that what that compares to. I can bring that back to you. >> Um, I won't it won't change. It's okay. >> All right. If everybody's done with discussion, we can go ahead and take a vote. All those in favor of approving the recommendation of the business manager for the increase in breakfast. >> Thank you. >> Our next is rolling into the proposed policy memo which of course we take individually even though they're all appearing in a single memo together. Um our first one up is policy JJ unauthorized communication devices. Um this is I I will accept a me uh excuse me I will accept a motion to accept the
134first reading wave subsequent readings and adopt policy JICJ unauthorized communication. So move >> a second >> second >> discussion. Um so this is one that we have to bring back annually. We're not recommending any changes to it because we have to bring it back annually. Um we are recommending the first and adopt. >> This is regarding uh cell phones. This is the same policy. It was new last year that we we talked about sort of about last year. >> It was a little weird that it said readopted at the bottom, >> but totally get that's probably going to happen. Just >> so that you can keep documentation that you're actually we're bringing it to you on an annual basis in your >> No, I know. But technically, if it says readopted May 6th, that means
135we've done it. >> Yeah. >> So, that was weird for me of the like cuz I read it and was like, >> "Didn't we just do this?" And then it said readopted and it it just threw me. So, >> we just like to throw you off. Yeah. >> So, we're going to continue to >> um Why is this one an annual refresh? >> It was in the law. >> Okay. >> It's a law. >> The law. All right. Any other discussion on this one? I really wish it wasn't a law that we had to redo it every year. >> Um, all right. All those in favor of accepting first reading waving subsequent and adopting five years ago. >> Good chair. >> Yeah. Well done. Well done. Our next one is policy beb. It had its
136first reading at our last meeting on April 1st. I will accept a motion to amend policy, excuse me, to amend by replacing the language under the heading of consent agenda, accept the second reading, wave the third, and adopt policy BED, agenda preparation and dissemination as amended. So moved >> a second. >> Second. >> Um so again, this is the policy around using the consent agenda form. Um we're not making changes to it from the last reading. We're hoping uh to be able to start using this type of agenda and so wanted to um get it approved on the second reading. >> Any other discussion? >> Yeah. So I had two things. One is so it says we we may use it. Um I'm assuming that that the policy doesn't require us to state what the
137alternative is if we choose not to use it. >> It's what we were doing. >> No, I get that. I just was making sure so the policy doesn't have to stipulate. We would just do whatever. >> Also, we discussed today um does this become a standing item. What if we don't have anything? Um so I said it should be a standing item and the consent agenda should be blank just so that it's always there rather than being ambiguous. I just think that's clear. Um >> maybe just say like no items. >> Yeah. >> On X date or whatever. >> Correct. >> Um >> so right we saw an example of the >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And the example was good because that re runs to my next question which is like so in the example
138today if I had decided that I wanted to vote no on one of the lines within the consent how do I break it so that I can vote yes for the rest of them and no for the one or do I have to vote it all down? >> Um so that's a board decision. uh you can take the uh consent agenda holistically and just vote no because there's a component that you don't support or just as we do with the policy memo, you could a board could choose to uh go through every policy individually but make one lump sum uh motion to adopt the uh recommendations on the memo or you could go policy by policy. >> Okay, >> good questions. And so we've had times where we've done that for policy in the meeting
139where we've made a adjustment to go, hey, actually this is structured the way that we're, you know, doing it as a whole and we want to read it separately. >> Yeah. No, I totally get that. It was more the like >> how it came up today felt very much like, well, you either vote in favor of the whole thing or not. >> And so it led to the question with the policy coming up today of the like, >> okay, is it a whole thing or is it just a >> It is a whole thing, but it can be separate pieces. >> Yeah. Which is good to know. >> Yep. There are ways. Excellent. Any other discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Zero. Thank you. Next one up is policy JCA, change of school or
140assignment, best interest, and manifest hardship. Its first reading was April 1st, 2026. I'll accept a motion to amend policy JCA, change of school or assignment, best interest, and manifest hardship in its entirety by replacing it with the copy provided with the agenda and accept the second reading as amended. So moved a second. >> Second >> discussion. So we got some pretty significant feedback from legal about changes uh to make to this policy and so that's why you can see the extent of changes. Um but again this is regarding um changing of school for based off of best interest and manifest friendship. Any other discussion on this one? This also will be coming for a third reading because there are some expensive changes here. >> So it seems like legal infer that class is no longer
141a component and school is the main component. Is that accurate from what I was sort of reading with the crossouts? >> Um I think that the changing to school provides a little bit more flexibility would be uh how I would read that there. I don't know what you would add. What this policy is supposed to address is the student's school assignment within a class within a school building. If a parent wants to request a change of class, that would be done through a building process. This is a superintendent process that has to do with actual school location, not the actual class within a building. >> Okay. Perfect. >> All right. So, as she said, it's going to be coming for a third reading. Do you guys have any other discussion points that you want to
142address now? So, the thing that confuses me then a little bit is >> the the title is change of school or assignment, but it's only ever change of school at this point. >> It it it is it refers mostly to school. I'm actually going to go back to legal because I don't think classes should be in the first sentence either. Um, so I'm going to go back to the book on that one, but this this is truly the intent for for it's it's RSA 1933 and the intent is school. >> Yeah. >> So, I'm going to go back concern that >> I'm wondering if it should have been change of school assignment. >> Yeah, >> that's >> like the or was left there in the title. >> Look at a few other title of the
143RSA as well. >> Yeah. >> But yeah, when it was class, I was like or assignment. Okay, that makes sense. But then once it was like school, it's like >> Yeah, the legal Exactly. It's change of school assignment is is that RSA that Ann was mentioning. So, I think they just >> Yes. >> Yeah. other districts across some of them have the ore taken out. Some of them have the ore in there. So, I'm going to confirm that some of them have the or so funny. >> Okay. All right. So, all of that discussion good. Anything else? >> Thanks for the color coding. >> Yeah, >> appreciate that >> and the hard work because that looked like a lot of changes. >> Uh, you know, it's mostly legal making those changes. So, >> well, I'll
144thank our legal team. Right. >> They earned their fee that day. Um, so all those in favor of accepting the second reading 500. Thank you. Next up, gosh, this one with the reading of the name of the thing. Um, policy GB EBB. It was first read last month. It's employee student relations. I'll accept a motion to amend to include reference to the RSA section A2 to read the exchange of purchased gifts from staff members to individual students is discouraged and prohibited when the gift is of more than dimminimous value $50. This does not include prize boxes, classroom supplies, etc. and section A4 by inserting quote school related end quote following in any and accept the second reading of policy GB EBB employee student relations as amended. So moved. >> You're welcome for reading that. >>
145Second. >> Uh so I will say that the policy committee is looking for some feedback from the board on this policy. Um we did talk about this. This was one that we had originally done a ton of editing to. We talked about it um last last month at our board meeting. The thing that as a policy committee we were really struggling with is um the amount of money for class gifts, right? Um in that um talking about the dimmin referring to the dimminimous value as well. And if you think about one of the ways that as a school district we try and manage um any concerns about either in actuality or even in perception about students getting a different kind of treatment based off of did they give a gift to the teacher or how
146much money do they give to um you know the student the room parent who you know buys gifts is that we do have a room parent right and at the beginning of the the year the room parent reaches out to parents and says if you would like to donate something you can donate that to So the teacher doesn't even know right like this student gave this or this student gave that. Um also um uh so we try and address that in that way right. Um also if you have 16 kids in the class and every kid every parent gave $20 to the uh room parent for gifts we would be over the dimminimous limit. Uh and that would count right like that would we would be over. Um and what we were struggling with a
147little bit here is that we don't it feels uncomfortable to sort of jack up the dimminimous value to something really high, right? Uh that doesn't necessarily feel appropriate. Um also then are we putting teachers in a situation where you know they are accepting gifts that are over the dimminimous value? What do you do when uh if you get a gift basket and how do you estimate exactly the value of every item in the gift basket? Um also, you know, a lot of time like sometimes teachers or staff are in a position where some somebody dropped something off for them, right? Like how do you refuse a gift that uh are you if you're going to refuse a gift for being over the dimminimous value, are you sending it back home with a child? That's putting
148a child in an uncomfortable situation and a teacher. uh what if something is just dropped off and it's not clear how do you send that back? So, we're sort of grappling with those things and also at the same time we do have a need to be protective of students who uh their families might not be able to contribute and we don't want them to be in a situation where they uh I don't believe that any of our teachers would ever treat a student differently because of what they contributed or not. And again, a lot of times teachers don't even know. Um but also we do have a responsibility to be attentive to the fact that you know those kids um not everybody maybe can contribute and we don't want there to be a perception that
149you know uh you have to contribute. So um I that's what we were grappling with and uh right now the language feels a little doesn't feel perfect um in terms of how we manage that. So we were do I think you might >> yeah I would just add that the $50 wasn't just a random figure. Um, we looked through a lot of the um, ethics laws and recommended practices and the $50 was um, the common recommendation. Yeah, we could also take out. So, right, if we're saying diminish misses $50 and uh, our room parents get $300, right? We're way over. And that's actually probably what's true most of the time is that we're way over. The other thing that we could do is we could take out the language of the dimminimous value and just
150say, you know, something along the lines of we don't want, you know, gifts that this is would not be the quite the right language, right? But that we wouldn't, you know, uh gifts of minimal value, something like that. Uh that's another way that we could potentially manage this. But >> can I can I make a couple points, >> please? Yeah. >> Um so first, uh I I looked up this was something I had asked about before. I looked up the RSAs that are listed here. Again, I don't see how they pertain to what we're talking about right now, a money value. So, RSA 18611 EXF I I have here. So, 9F um that I I don't really see it. It's requires schools to adopt a policies prohibiting transportation for medical and health related appointments and
151then it it goes on there. And then the other RSA mentioned here, RSA 169C, um that's for services required for minors from certain providers qualify for third party payment. Like I'm not entirely sure what >> there is value with the price value. >> So why are the I I guess I just don't see >> that's the discretion of the board. So the board can decide to just eliminate this part of the policy in in its entirety. um or if there was any sort of part of this that the board wanted to have something about teachers giving gifts to students and not the other way around. So it is it is at your discretion whether or not you want to put something in your policy about gift giving. >> A lot of it falls under the
152code of ethics. >> Right. Exactly. Falls under the code of ethics. The referenced RSA specifically is, I suspect, in direct correlation to A14, which states transportation of students cannot happen unless it's under certain specific conditions, which is what that RSA does talk about because that's what you just read, correct? >> Yeah. 1861. >> Yes. So that talks about transportation of kids and there are provisions in this policy that talk about that. >> So that's why it's referenced. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. So then when we're talking about um the $50, I'm reading this and I see that was added individual students is discouraged. So if we're talking about individual, that's different from my opinion than the anonymous contributions that are made to the PTA which is separate from >> the school. I mean the
153PTA gives gifts to our teachers all the time. um that is not that is given by parents and the money is so when the room parent gives money and a gift to a teacher it is essentially you could say from the PTA because the money is being given to someone that's being put in that position from the PTA I guess that's just my opin and it's not from an individual because when the room parent gives the gift it's from a group of students and the teacher has no way of knowing how much money was given by any students families or anything at all. >> The guideline around there is that um it would be a class gift. Yes. >> And that no names would be attached to it. So that teach a teacher wouldn't know
154these kids families contributed. These kids families did not >> name your but as written none of that matters because the provision says from staff >> two students. This has nothing to do to teachers. >> There is no provision anymore in this this at this moment the way the way it's written. >> Yes. There's nothing that stipulates in the current reading that we are talking about the other way around. We're only talking about >> so there was recommendation that if we are addressing that that it should be addressed in this policy. That was that was part of the feedback that we had gotten from the state is that this is the place to also in and we talked about that in the policy committee that most of this policy is about staff interactions towards students and
155is this an appropriate place to put that and the feedback from the state was yes this is the appropriate place to put that >> it was that this is really for teacher to student however there was a recommendation that some boards may want to stipulate it in reverse you don't have to do that Right. And that was going to be my thing. So it's a recommendation. It's not a requirement. >> Correct. >> And as written right now, this does fulfill a large chunk of favoritism showing from st inappropriate ethical favoritism from staff student. >> Gotcha. And it if we didn't amend it, if we didn't accept the recommendation from the state, >> then while I agree with the quandry to some extent, like if it's ridiculously difficult to define in a fair and unbiased way
156of the other direction, >> I don't see a really super reason to take up the recommendation. >> Do you have feelings about that? I think I'm influenced because it's very different from where I've come from. In Massachusetts, there is a we you cannot accept a gift greater than $50. >> And I've had to reject gifts that were greater than $50. >> And that's insulting to the family. But >> I think my bigger concern is making sure that if a gift is >> um if if it's going to be a substantial gift that it is a class gift in that nobody's um names are included so that you don't have families that are feeling um bad or inadequate if they can't contribute to the gift. And then if you have um a lot of gifts coming
157in individually from students to teachers and you have a student in the room that knows that they can't afford that or they make something and that they're going to feel bad if they start seeing you know North Face jackets come in and you know different types of expensive baskets and stuff like that. So, I think it's more if it's from the PTA or from the whole class. That's that's one thing. Um, and then just trying to to send a message that we very much appreciate the support. Um, but we we also don't want to put our teachers into a difficult situation and we just recommend that you do something that is a token that shows your appreciation um without it being >> sense. And so it doesn't necessarily have to be in policy, but it
158could be in, you know, as the holidays are approaching, whatever. Um, some suggestions as to um what might be. >> So that's not in here right now. >> It is not. >> No, >> at all. >> So we were two Yeah. So my twofold thought on that is I I appreciate the sentiment of the impact to the students uh depending on their uh financial state their family's financial state. I think if we were to add some wording in here to be honest, anything, and this is probably semi unfair, but anything above five or 10 dollars fundamentally as an individual could be very impactful for a family who is strapped um and could result in a really significant ne like I wouldn't set it at $50. I feel like you could still end up with kids
159who aren't or parents and units who are not going to be as comfortable. That said, I still am not certain I still am not certain that we should add wording to the policy at the moment or at least I'm not of the opinion to add wording of the policy that I believe there are quite a few policies around ethical components or at least there's a culture of ethicalness. Um, and so it's that tricky situation of the like I don't know how much individuals in our district are really actually giving gifts of a significant value to teachers versus as was stated as a class. >> Um, so I I'm not sure if I'm aware of a problem in that area. I think the principles felt like there was not a problem, but we also just felt
160the need to take seriously, you know. >> Oh, yeah. No, absolutely. Absolutely. >> So, I appreciate the concern. >> Yeah. >> I don't see a problem to be solved at present. >> Okay. >> Um, and so my take would be I wouldn't add more language to it right now. Um, I will say in my years in the district, I have learned from my children what some teachers have gotten from other families because things were made public in front of other children by the adults in the room or adults in the room. Um, so you know, I don't and I don't but maybe something does need to be said about keeping those things private because I know personally I've known more things than I probably should have. Um, so there may be a problem. Um, I
161don't know how serious. All right. So, are we good to vote then on accepting the second reading of policy GBB 500? Look forward to having to read that policy name. Next up is policy JLCEBBC, emergency care and first aid. This is replacing another policy. We had its first reading last month. So I will accept a motion to amend by inserting the list of responsibilities following the first paragraph by replacing parent/guardians with legal guardians in each instance it appears and by replacing will with can in the sentence that begins opioid antagonists and accept a second reading of policy JLCE/EBBC emergency care and first aid as amended. >> So moved. >> Second >> discussion. Uh so there had been some notes about was there a way to make this policy more readable? Um we did try and
162make some changes there especially at the top to make it a little bit more readable. Um also uh because of in some ways just the structure of this policy it's felt a little tricky to make additional changes. There are some policies that it's just easier to be uh breaking things out into sub points than others. Um so we uh tried to do what we could there but just the nature of it um that it is made up of a lot of paragraphs. Um yeah >> it it looks good but I'm going to point out that in line four that you both added says notifying parents and not notifying legal guardians. >> Oh thank you. Y >> I'm so sorry. Yeah, it's like everywhere else you're like, "Oh, >> can I just ask a question? Under
163the uh Narcan and opioid antagonist section, >> what was the reason for changing will to can?" >> I think we wanted to make sure um that it was clear that we don't >> uh it's not mand mandating it. The nurse will make decision as a nursing team in school whether we will >> so have it available rather than This is saying that we can have nar. >> Oh, like you're allowed. >> Yes, we're permitted. >> Okay. It's just weird. It's just a weird use because everywhere else is you may have this, you may do this. And then it's like can doesn't sound like permission. It's sounds like you're just saying >> I don't know. That's just me reading it. >> No, I get that. Um I'm just not sure that May reads right. >> No,
164May doesn't. That's what I'm saying. Like for me it would be opioid antagonists are permitted to be available during the regularly scheduled school day. >> Um say that again. >> Um opioid antagonists are permitted to be available during the regularly scheduled school day. >> That's very clear. >> Yeah, I understand. >> Yeah. >> Sounds like Carol wants to be on policy committ. >> No way. She does a great job. I won't usurp her. >> Sorry, we already voted those in. >> Excellent. Any other comments, questions on this one? Seeing none, all those in favor of accepting the second reading 00. Next up is policy EA-R, use of video and audio systems regulations. This is a first reading new to district policy. So I will accept a motion to accept the first reading of policy EA-R
165use of video and audio systems regulations. So move >> a second. >> Second >> discussion. Uh so to be clear, we do have policy EA A we are excuse me EAA. We are adding EA R is the new part of is the new policy and it's just saying what the it's making the regulations clear. Um in the policy meeting um we had a discussion about the storage um and um how that works um and there have been some changes around um uh like how some things are stored right so things are going to be um stored on the cloud is the short answer there um and they're stored for 30 days um Q's made a switch recently to doing continuous reporting um on some of its cameras because sometimes they weren't quite capturing um things
166that were happening far away. Um used to just uh record when there was movement close up to the camera and they would maybe catch things that were further away. So there was a switch to continuous recording. Um so I don't know if folks have any questions about this. Any discussion? >> Little question just because it reads a little awkwardly. um under devices. I'm sorry, B. Uh yeah, capital B. Um number three, >> in situations when the school department's comprehensive emergency plan, what do you mean by what just meant by school departments comprehensive? >> Yeah, I think um I think that's supposed to be our EOP, right? >> Yep. So, we just need to change the language. So, our emergency operating plan for the schools. >> Okay. That would be >> Each school has their own
167>> Yes. So, >> was this um a required? Just out of curiosity, was this required or recommended? >> Um I don't believe that it was required, but I think we already had EAA and we just wanted to make sure >> you already had that. This gives you more of the operating procedure for the EA >> and co-op had it and our two um Hollis and Brookline did not. >> Gotcha. So the Rs um don't have to be approved by the board. So the Rs have been in place. They just haven't come before the board >> because this is more procedure. Um but by having it approved by the board, it becomes um better, more accessible to everyone in the community, more transparent. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions, comments on this one? Um, and
168maybe it's covered in the other policy. Uh, where was where is the storage currently taking place >> on the path >> in the cloud? Okay. All right. All those in favor of accepting the first reading of EAA-R on to EHB-R records retention schedule. This is also new to district. So I'll accept a motion to accept the first reading of policy EHB-R records retention schedule. So move >> Second >> discussion. Uh so again we already have EHB and we're adding in EHBR uh making it visible uh to the board more visible to the board and to the public. Um so um we have also had some changes recently in document storage and so that was part of um what prompted this. So, um, as an example, there has been a change in law recently about how
169long you need to keep employment records. And so, I don't know how often folks notice this, but there's sort of like a little metal cube on the SAU building's property, and that is storing employment documents going back to the 70s that historically we have been required to keep. Um, and the um the length of time that we're required to keep some of those records has changed. So, we're going to be getting rid of some of those records. It also um saves us some money because we no longer need to have that pod on site. Um >> and hopefully can take a little pressure off of the uh attic and all of the boxes of records that we have up there. So um that's what prompted kind of um the pod to begin with. >> Yeah,
170that's what prompted that change prompted kind of a review of this and bringing it forward. >> There was some changes from 50 years we had to hold on to items now only >> 50 years. after termination or resignation or retirement. >> This is a long time, >> especially if they've worked here for 30 years because then you have something going back 80 years. >> Yep. Yep. >> That's wild. >> Yeah. Um once again, so there are some of these changes that went from 50 years to 20 years. Uh it was an our it was our EHB essentially says the superintendent will have a records retention schedule. So, so we've had one and it's been posted. It's just once again it didn't go before the board. Uh, but this just make it more public um and
171accessible to everyone. >> Nice. Any other conversation on this one? >> Uh, is there anything probably in the laws, but is there anything stipulating that there are conditions if if certain documents are required for legal purposes? Is that covered in the original policy? It's probably covered in one of the other ones too. Yeah, there's a litany of the related policies at the top of this. >> So, if there are documents that are required for um legal action that's pending, then yes, we have to hang on to them. >> Okay. >> Um but sometimes we hit the retention cycle and so things are discarded and then potentially something could come up and those just are simply not available, >> right? >> And that's okay. >> Okay. All right. All those in favor of accepting first reading
172of policy EHB-R. >> We're almost there, everybody. Um, our next one, what's funny is I glanced down and it looks like HB and I was like, that's wild. It's IIB. Um, so policy III class size. I'll accept a motion to accept the first reading of policy III class size as presented. So move. >> Second >> discussion. So we have to look at this policy every year um because the school um can excuse me not the school the state can make changes to recommendations around policy uh class sizes. So we always kind of review this. Um we also were looking at it with kind of especially close eyes thinking about um the primary schools enrollment challenges. um what we talked about as a policy committee. Uh I guess I will start by saying the state has
173made some changes to um recommendations of class sizes for our purposes. It was kind of more of a reorganization about um which grades were grouped together. Um you can see uh uh that language there what's crossed out um in terms of maximum. Um but uh what we were thinking about is uh do we need to make any changes to this um for enrollment purposes and we talked about the fact that um for several years we've had a big increase in kindergarten um enrollment um and then there was a concern that maybe what had happened last year was that we added a kindergarten teacher preemptively um and that then it sort of ended up um you causing some challenges for us because then our kindergarten sizes ended up being a little bit lower, right? And so
174then it looked like why do we need to have an expansion if you have 14 kids per kindergarten class. Um and so in talking about it more as a policy committee, part of what we talked about is that the school wouldn't ever um you know hire an extra teacher if you were one kid over right at the end of the summer. They wouldn't scramble to hire another teacher. And that what had happened last year is that, you know, we had been in a period of ongoing increases to kindergarten enrollment and that relatively early in the enrollment for kindergarten process, there were a lot of kindergartens already signed up and kind of knowing the pace at which additional kids are enrolled for kindergarten. We expected there to be more and then there ended up not being
175and there was a little bit of a drop and so it wasn't a situation where at the last minute we hired an extra teacher. There was a a a broader fluctuation than that. Um uh one thing that we had also talked about though is that we need this policy to be flexible. Um and uh to allow because we wouldn't want again we wouldn't want there to be a situation where there's one kid over you have to hire a new teacher. Um that language has always been in the policy. You can see what we've moved it right. So instead of having it be at the bottom of the policy, it's uh closer to the top. And so what the policy does is that it does allow um the school the principal you know our superintendent to
176have flexibility and to know that even though we are saying um the recommendation for kindergarten is no that more than 18 per class. Um if there needs to be 19 or 20 then there will be 19 or 20. Um that has happened. I looked at some um old numbers for um kindergarten. I was specifically looking at kindergarten, but that kindergarten enrollment. And in 2021, um even though our policy says that we want to cap kindergarten at 18 kids, we did have multiple classes with 19. Um we had four classes and one had 18 and three classes had 19. Um and so the principles will continue to go over the 18 cap if they need to. Um we talked about does it make sense to change the cap uh or the c you know the recommended
177cap to something like 20. Um and the concern was that if we change as it is now we'll go over this if we need to. Right? And that the concern was that if you change the cap from 18 to 20 that then you're still going to go over that cap then if you have a problem. Right? So right now if it's 18 you can have as we might put as many as 20 in class if we needed to. If you change the cap to 20, then then you're going to be in a situation where well, if you need to, you're going to put 22 or 23 kids in a class. Um, and the concern with that is that because the class sizes at HPS are not a standard size, >> classroom sizes, you mean? >>
178Excuse me. Thank you. because the physical classrooms are not a standard size. Then once you get to the point that you're having 22 or 23 kids in a room, that is already putting you in a spot where some classes might not be able to hold 23 kids. Um, and that then you are maybe going to have discrepancies in that one kindergarten teacher has a much bigger class than another kindergarten teacher. Um, and that that we don't want that situation to exist for our teachers because we don't want that situation to exist. It also could cause potential issues um uh with the uh teachers union that one teacher has a much higher workload than another um teacher. Um and so that even increasing the cap from 18 to 20 would really put us potentially in that
179issue. Um and so that's what we had discussed as a policy committee knowing that we would also kind of talk about it more here. And I just add lastly is it's a sense of protection um for Hollis as well because class size has always been something that you valued being trying to keep it on the lower end and with in lie of having that if there are changes at the state level and we don't have what we want for class sizes you could be held to the target ranges which are significantly higher. Right. >> Thank you Jess. Any discussion on this one guys? Um, so one one question I had is it doesn't look like the wording changed. We moved the two paragraphs. Why? >> Yep. >> Correct. >> We just wanted it to be
180bigger. We weren't really changing what >> we wanted people to see that first. >> Okay, that was that's fine. >> Um, and then the second question is this covers K through six, but we have prek in the building as well and they have classroom sizes. Why don't why didn't we update the policy to include prek classroom sizes? That's an interesting question given that we have a prek in a hallway. >> Yeah, >> I think that's fair for the policy committee to talk about. >> Yeah. >> And I think the New Hampshire um law only the recommendations only go K12. So I think it is a good point. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Well, there also the prek also is determined by special education law. Am I not right, Lauren? Because there are students
181with special needs. Like aren't those numbers already set and they're not really open to to deliberation for policy, >> right? But >> yeah, >> like per teacher, right? >> That's the question I actually had. It's like, so they're set by policy, but is it per child toteer ratios that's set by policy in a given classroom or >> for preschool? >> For preK, >> preschool. Oh, it's Well, it's not necessarily in pol It's in the the RSA. in the law and it's in the regulations for preschool um for what the ratio is but so you would assume that the class would be a certain size within the classroom but there there is no space requirement if that makes sense like I I guess I'm not understand >> what's the ratio requirement by law >> it's one
182it's uh one teacher to eight students again it depends on the class there's integrated there's intensive needs it's different no I totally get that >> but the integrated you have 12 students you could have one teacher um and depending on the needs in the class you'll have power educators in the intensive needs. It's 1 to eight. >> Okay. >> And then power educators as needed by foot. >> Are you wondering, Jonathan, if we should also include that in this policy? >> I think to Ann's point that that the precare is driven by this as an overarching number constraint. Mhm. >> And so, yes, I actually do think that it would be behoove us to reference the law and say, hey, days of the prek constraints, you know, by policy. >> Um because yes, it's a
183weird scenario where it's like, okay, so K through six have a specific thing, but >> the preK doesn't, but we're still constrained, so it's weird. >> Yep. Okay, perfect. >> Good point. I didn't know that. I guess it it almost feels like why are we even putting in a cap at all if we're saying it can go above and it's essentially saying that there needs to be no consultation with the board. It's the board's policy but you know I mean it it's I it almost makes the point of having a maximum number a cap completely null and void. Um I I I look at the language of the Department of Education, they have a target and a max. And I guess what I feel like is why can't we just follow that script? Like we
184would like to maximize it as this because I would like to set a number where we say no at that point we do want you to hire another teacher. But at this but we are aiming for our target might be 18 or fewer. You know I guess I just it it seems the numbers now seem very arbitrary to me in light of what you you were saying there because these words these this language that was in the policy form didn't stop what happened last summer from happening. >> Yeah. So um um I'll just give you a little bit more of the history over like the past decade. I would say more than half of the summers um we've dealt with a class size that's approaching that maximum. Um sometimes we are intentional about not hiring
185a new teacher based on factors such as no classroom, >> based on factors such as not a strong candidate pool. >> Yes. And so we've intentionally decided to have 19 in three sections because we felt that um our trained teachers could handle the 19 students better than having to support a teacher that that lacked the training that we were looking for. Um some years we move forward with hiring the teacher. I will share that in addition last year we were over and then two students dropped out and then we didn't see any additional enrollments. So we we did go over and that is why we we went forward and hired. >> We were over in a period where there was still time and we expected to get additional >> and we expected to get additional
186um and instead we had to make a decision to go elsewhere. So then we dropped below our maximum. Um and so that could happen any year. It just so happened that it happened this this year and we didn't get any additional enrollments which was not typical. >> Yeah. >> Um and so you you're always going to run that risk when you make that decision. >> First of all, I want to make sure there's no judgment in that because I was in that convers I remember that conversation and how much that was like struggle with that. Um and it's always hindsight 2020. Um, I I'm wondering if some kind of language could be put in here about then if we're not going to mimic the same language of the NHDE, which I still think is a
187good idea, but if we didn't, some language about we're looking to start the year within these numbers. So there's no pressure and there's no concern about, well, what if it goes over? because if it does go over, we started the year with these numbers. Um because I what we the conversation that happened, we were concerned about will we have to hire someone midyear. I don't ever want that to be a concern or a consideration going forward. >> Yeah, I don't think we would do that. That doesn't make sense to disrupt a class that's already formed a classroom community. >> That was a concern. part of the reason why that decision was made was a concern that we would violate policy >> and then have to hire somebody and and you know the people who are
188currently in the positions that make those position those decisions won't always be you know we'd like to think so but they won't always I'd like to put something in place >> to make it clear that that doesn't have to be a concern you see what I'm saying >> so do you guys for policy have what you need from this discussion to bring forth because this is the first reading. >> Yes. >> Um so we can certainly adjust and visit it in June >> but I think for first reading it's satisfactory. >> Yeah. Okay. So discussing mirroring the NHDE language and or or both putting something in the language about starting year within policy that not I don't know how it will be said. Well, I guess my one concern with that, now that I was
189just trying to wrap, now I'm gonna say something. Um, is if we are one kid over in one of the classes, that would put us out of policy at the start of the year, and that doesn't So, what do you do? >> Well, I think that this is where we'd have a target and a max. >> No, I that's what I'm saying is I don't think the language would be sufficient. I think having >> I think we it's tricky for us to do a max because the class sizes are all different sizes, right? like one classroom size might be a max of 25. >> That's not There's a difference between capacity and setting a maximum. The physical capacity of a room is not something that anybody here determines. A maximum is just saying for any
190room, we're not going to let anybody be over this number. But that's the thing is it you have a physical classroom space that is significantly smaller than the than its brethren next door, >> you would then have to do that max based on your smallest physical space. >> Yeah. But it wouldn't the this policy would not supersede that room's physical capacity. >> But that's but then are you asking for language to be put in the policy to say that? >> No, it doesn't have to. Just like for NHDOE, they don't have to determine that because if there is a classroom that cannot fit 25 students, they're not going to put 25 in. They're just saying you can't exceed this. It doesn't say you must put that in there. >> It says not there's not to
191exceed that. Doesn't mean you have to fill that many. >> I think your language is stronger than putting in a target and a maximum because it says no more than and the superintendent can override that. But in a lot of districts when you have a target and a maximum, especially if you become financial, it's a bad financial year, you're going to automatically go to the maximum without you don't have to have the superintendent's approval. >> But I think sometimes we need to do that in the primary school. We are in a situation where we may need to do that in some of these rooms because otherwise we're picking and choosing who gets to have a tough situation. For example, preschoolers in a hallway. That's not equitable. You know, students who were being serviced being put
192into a smaller room and teachers being moving all the time every single that's not equitable either. You know, so why are we picking and choosing what is and what isn't. I think that there is a situation where it is the best situation for the school considering a host of unfortunate alternatives to put more kids in the classroom. Just like it was chosen the year that it was FY24 that I know most recently we made that decision for first grade and some of those classrooms were as big as 21 students because that was the best situation in a difficult situation overall. So yes, I think there are times when we are going to have to in a room that can and I have this document that could take up to 24 second graders. There might be
193a year that we have to put 24 second graders in there because the town has not approved a renovation. The town has not approved an expansion. This is what we have. >> And I don't think we're prohibited from doing that here though, right? We were saying if we have to if the only option is to put 24 kids in the room, this policy allows us to do that. >> I I >> the superintendent can do that. >> Excuse me. >> Go ahead. >> To me, the flexibility from the third paragraph doesn't match the language of no more no more than. So to me, it's confusing. >> When you're saying no more than, that's stronger to me than the flexibility that indicates you can override with the super with the superintendent and principal review. So, I
194like the idea of switching >> either to a target and max or just target something where it um changes the some kind of change from no more then. >> Thank you. I honestly I was confused this summer. I thought we were completely limited to that. I had forgotten about the years prior that actually I was here for when we went when the school decided to go over. >> It did have to flex. It has had to and it did during um during COVID there were flexes up at Hughes um and so there was at one point a parah in the classroom but those were older kids so it was a little bit easier to do versus the HPS kids that we're referring to here >> um but it it has happened Jonathan >> so I'm
195not a fan of the target max being applied to our policy um and if I interpret what you said correctly. What it could lead to is in the event that you have a tight budget year, we could end up pushing kids into a class into different classrooms, shutting a class and releasing a teacher because the max says I can cram these kids in and there's a budget shortfall. And I believe that's what you were saying could happen under that particular assumption because someone from the public is going to go, "Oh, look your class sizes. You have enough room that if you split this one and put it in these three, you can let go of a teacher and that's $90,000 we can get back in the budget." And if whereas with the current wording that
196doesn't happen like your point is trying I believe to scrouch for space and possibly driving the space as necessary and having some better controls and I'm not Rafy's point is reasonable if the if the paragraph is confusing we should definitely correct that but my concern is the people are looking at us to reduce the budget if we say yeah you can shove them in like sardines or or within the constraints of the physical space and you can cut a teacher or you can cut this extra spending then they're going to push for that. >> Can I make a point? So I think uh first of all um capacity and caps size are different issues but they are interconnected and it is difficult to completely address them as separate issues because they just are inherently connected
197and so I I think that is one thing that I am thinking about here. Rafie and an you are correct that there is I agree with you that there is some discrepancy in sort of the end the paragraphs that we've now moved to the top and then our saying no more than and I will also say that on one hand I think that it is it should be a guiding principle that our policies be as clear as possible that is definitively true also there are times in policies that we have to build in some ambiguity and so I think about the lice policy right uh when we spend a lot of time on the L. >> Thank you for bringing that on um on one hand um lice are not they don't cause illness. They
198don't impact children's ability to learn. We wouldn't want to say that children can't come to school if you have lice. That is and that is overly restrictive. Right? Also, if you have lice and you are just over an extended period not treating it, we also need to have language in that policy that says we can't prohibit you from coming to school. You know, like if you have life, you are still allowed to come to school. Also, and I I don't have the policy in front of me right now. I looked at it last year, so I don't remember precisely, right? But also like we want you to be able to go get your lice treated, you know, and so like there are sometimes times and policies where you are trying to like have space have
199a little space for contradiction and that we might need to have some space for contradiction and we can still look at rewarding this to make it more clear. But I also think that inherently there is maybe a need to be able to address contradiction within this policy that is going to not go away. Okay, all of that said, great points around. I think since this is first reading, why don't we send this back to you guys? So, let's we can vote on accepting this first reading and then they'll bring back their possibly amended version for us to see in June. So all those in favor of accepting the first reading of policy III class size as presented 500. Thanks for all the work on that chick. Um our next up is policy JICK pupil safety
200and violence prevention. This is its first reading. So I'll accept a motion to accept the first reading of policy JICK pupil safety and violence prevention as presented. So move a second >> second >> discussion. So this is um based off of originally the policy committee had looked at this um back in uh January and we were waiting for feedback from legal about um wording. We've just gotten that feedback and so we are presenting to you the the feedback from legal about uh the phrasing of this policy. Um, since it's the first reading like in January, did it have Brookline in it? >> Um, I don't know that we read this here in Brooklyn. I will say the policy committee originally looked at in policy. >> We have not seen. This is our first reading. They
201they review it prior and then consult. >> The strike through just threw me off. >> No, it did say Brooklyn in the halls policy. It was a type adopted as such. >> Oh, okay. Yeah. All right. >> Just so you know guys, we have obligated you any other discussion on this one. >> Um with what does it mean? Um under prohibition of retaliation and false accusations. Um the green at the bottom it says an unst un unsubstantiated allegation of bullying without more will not constitute a false accusation against an alleged perpetrator. What is meant by without more? >> Can you tell me where you are >> under prohibition of retaliation? >> Give a number section baby. >> Sorry. Uh a bottom of a right above definitions >> my reading my understanding wait >> a >>
202no >> a right above B definitions like the paragraph right above that >> oh okay >> I'm just not clear on what's without without more >> something something can be unsubstantiated but not be false so bullying is a spectrum like So you have to kind of substantiate bullying. By saying that that the bullying wasn't defined as bullying. So it's it's it's unsubstantiated. It doesn't mean that a behavior didn't exist that might have been misconduct or inappropriate or what have you. It doesn't mean it was a false accusation and that nothing didn't hap and that nothing happened at all. >> It just didn't necessarily just Thank you. It just didn't rise to the level of bullying. >> How how could we make that because like it's like without more what? >> Evidence. without more evidence. >>
203It could be so many things like it could be evidence, it could be um information witnesses, it could be document, it could be so many things. So >> um >> so maybe an unstubstantiated allegation of bullying on its own will not constitute a false accusation. Would that >> that could read better? >> Okay. >> Uh Carol, say that again. >> Uh just replace without more to on its own. >> Thank you. Good. I like that. That makes that's clear. >> Getting my second one. >> Look at you. What's your feeling? >> It's not the first time somebody said that. >> All right. So, any other discussion on this one? This is again just the first reading. So, we'll see again. And I'm assuming on the next reading the strikeouts will be gone or will you
204keep them? >> So it just looks it's these are always so hard to read when you guys are like here we're gonna show you all the cool stuff together with the old stuff. >> Okay, seeing no other discussion, I'll take a vote. Uh all in favor to accept the first reading of policy GIC 500 Z. All right. So those were all of our policy memo policies. Um and our final action item um here under deliberations is see what action the board will take regard regarding >> policy be aaa meeting preparation or maybe this was part of your policy >> rescended okay I was going to say presented separately >> um so I'll take a motion to rescend policy BAA meeting preparation so moved now I know why it's out of the policy thing >> second
205sorry and got that one. >> All right, discussion. >> It's just not needed. >> Yeah, >> after we pass after you pass, we don't need this policy anymore. >> Oh, there you go. Okay. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor of rescending policy BAA. >> All right. Are we in need of a non-public? >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Uh, this will be a viva vote. So, we'll start at the end when we get there. I'll take a motion that the board by roll call go into non-public session pursuant to RSA 91- A3 section 2A the dismissal promotion or compensation of any public employee and C to discuss a matter which if discussed in public would likely affect adversely the reputation of a person other than a member of the body or agency itself. >> So
206move >> a second >> second. >> There you go. >> All right. Start with you >> Jonathan Fontaine I >> and I. Jesse. >> Thank you, Carol Roy. I >> All right. We are in non-public as of 8:50 p.m. We will not be conducting any other business besides adjournment after the non-public. So, for now, we sign off. We'll see you next month. Thank you.