001Thank you. All right. So, I will um bring us to into session at 6:01 p.m. All right. Go through um think well to start um I will go actually do we want to just switch things around and have you guys go first? You guys have presentation. That would be kind. >> That would be awesome. >> You know that >> I think that's the wrong one. So, >> do you want to us to us to do things first? >> Minutes or something? >> Yeah, we can totally um look over the agenda. >> Um so, let's look at the um draft agenda for the regular school board meeting on the 16th. >> The minutes. >> Yeah. >> The one that has everything. >> No, that's the old one. >> I can tell you the name. I had
002a couple of changes, but let's see if you guys had anything. >> Um, it was just the highlighted I didn't know who the unidentified audience member was. >> Uh, one was Mike and one was Phyllis. >> Okay, >> that was exactly what I had. >> Um, and then under approval of the meeting minutes 5.1, there's something that says remove question mark. I >> I'm not Maybe that means remove like who was this person? 5.1. Yeah, I think maybe that was just the edit of the minutes. >> Yeah, I don't know what that is. >> I wasn't sure if she was I don't think she's asking us to comment or not. >> I think it was >> Was that just her edit? >> I think it's just her edit. >> Okay. I just wanted to make
003sure we didn't miss anything. I had nothing else. >> Just removing the question mark since the names were correct. >> Got it. >> Yep. Okay. So, that gets removed. And the only other thing I had was under number one where it says NES, the last one called order where we changed um >> the committees. >> Um I'd strike be the point person and he asked the others rotating. I think we'll have you do the so I'll be the strategic planning but only if it's necessary will we do that. So, I'm just going to strike that. Yeah. So, strike after strategic planning on that. >> Okay. >> And then, um, everything else look good. Anybody want to make a motion to accept the minutes? >> I'll make a motion to accept the minutes as amended. >>
004Awesome. >> Second. >> Great. And all in favor? >> I Okay, great. Um, non-public meeting minutes. >> As usual, they are robust and asking. >> All right. Great. Do you want to >> Hey, look. I'll make a motion to accept as presented. >> Awesome. >> Second. >> All right. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. And we're we're still doing this. All right. Let's go through financials. So, maybe Michelle can get out of here. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Good evening, everyone. >> Good evening. Nice to see you after so long. >> I know. It's been a while. >> It's been a while. >> Hi. >> All right. What do we got? >> So, in your board pack, we gave you the latest financials. So, in the pre board pack, we had remaining expense
005of $191,155. During the pre the previous month, we have spent an additional 35,959. Um, we had several incumbrance adjustments as we keep looking through everything. Um, we also had some pest control supplies, you know, a lot of the normal things, some field trips. So, with we also have the impact fee um, revenue. So, with all of that, we have a current projected fund balance at the end of the year of 177,396. Now the purchase orders are not closed yet. We have provided the all of the schools with a final date for purchase orders to be submitted. Okay, which will be the Friday prior to the April break. >> Um so we will still have incumbrances coming through here. We do actually know of some that um came to our attention after this was produced. So
006hopefully we'll have um a much better picture for you in the next board meeting. >> Okay. Yeah. Yeah, cuz we only have a couple more months before >> we're done for the school year. >> Awesome. >> I had a couple questions, but maybe we can Can we save? >> Absolutely. >> Did you want to get out of here? >> Not a problem. >> Okay. >> Yep. Why don't we go through them now? I mean, I don't think they're It shouldn't take too long, right? >> I don't think so. I Right. I'll >> go for it. >> Yeah. >> Um Okay. So, I just was taking a look at um this month's and then last month's and it it looked like it was the same as last month and so I but I didn't ask it
007so I'm going to ask it now. Um and you might have Molly might have explained this before. I was just looking at the one line for maintenance salary 11.26 10. >> Mhm. Um I just didn't understand why there's there's like a good amount encumbered and then it's like over budget. Was there a particular like change? Does that represent the payments of the SEU? I just couldn't remember what that was. >> So I believe I actually looked at that myself as I was going through this before coming here. >> Okay. So if you look at the maintenance salary line it is over but I believe if you look at the repair and maintenance line that's under what we have the services of a cooperative employee John Spanali. So um I have to look back and find
008out where where he was a contracted service. I believe we we budgeted him under repair and maintenance not under the salary line but I think maybe that's where he was charged to when they paid it. >> Okay. because that was I I actually had both of those lines highlighted because I was gonna ask >> I'm noting noticing that the repair maintenance was over and we had said that we wanted to do some particular maintenance this year. So I um I was just >> y >> um trying to understand that. So even if it was that we're still we still are positive 16k >> correct 16 17,000 y >> net okay >> y >> um yeah and that might be a question later u in terms of like operationally what we plan to do but budget
009wise that helps me yeah we can clarify where we want to put that because I don't know that we had it under salaries because >> we're reimbursing >> the cooperative right so it should have been put under the repair and maintenance Okay. >> So then is that going to continue? Is it going to be a shared resource moving forward into next school year as well? >> So >> I think we need to make a note. >> Yeah. So the maintenance salary for next year's budget, how is that going to be impacted if we're going to be putting it under a different line item? So, so this could be an error on on the on the journal entry part when the when the billing came in from the cooperative where the accountant charged it. Okay. So,
010I will I'm going to I have a note here to have her take a look at that and move it to the correct place. But, we did budget for that service contracted service from the cooperative and next year. >> Oh, I'm sure. I'm just looking at it in, you know, where it goes so that >> when we put the budget get together for next year. If this is going to if we don't have our own dedicated >> salary for it, then we want to make sure that it gets appropriately placed next year. >> Note right now. >> Thanks for catching that. >> I missed it last. >> Okay. Anything else? Um, again, this is more of, I think, a question of how we're going to be using it. Not so much. It was just the
011um 112210's instructional staff services course REI. Is that the reimbursement for like professional development? >> Yes. >> Course reimbursement. That's >> it's on the first page like 8 10 lines up 11 2210. >> Yep. Course reimbursement. Yep. I I said that. And that so that that's sort of at the um at the teachers anticipation. >> They work with Susie to identify kind of what their expected plan is you know for the upcoming school year. Um, and then you know we we work it out with them based on their you know their plans which of course change and we we budget for what they tell Susie in those conversations for what their plans are while also knowing that their you know their their contracts allow for them to take a certain amount of courses per year.
012>> Um so they could go beyond what they had planned based on their contract or under >> or under. But I was just and I was just trying to factor especially because I'm assuming a lot of teachers may consider doing it in the summer. Mhm. >> So if they do, does that fall for next school year or this? That's the question. >> If it's the next fiscal year, they're taking summer classes. Yeah. >> Okay. >> After July 1st. >> That's it. Cool. Awesome. Thank you. If you want to I don't unless you we we don't we need you. If you don't if you want to run away, >> I feel confident to answer any questions. The only other like financial items we had potentially were the impact fees which we can sort through if there
013were any questions there. And then the only other piece was that LED lighting but I had already reviewed that with you prior to the >> meeting. It's up to you. >> I mean you can see our branding if you >> Yeah. What's the branding? >> Excellent. >> I might need the t-shirt. >> All right. >> Oh, very nice. >> Yeah. >> All right. Let's do some new business. Let's talk about the brand identity. You guys ready? Who's presenting? >> Okay. Um, I was gonna try to use my phone in there, but I can't. So, I'm gonna jump back and forth. >> Okay. Do you want me to hold >> You want me to do it? >> That's okay. There you go. Sticker here. >> Yeah, do that. Chuck the things around. >> It turned blue,
014though. Cool. >> Okay. So, um, what's this? >> Good goodness. Huh? >> Cable. >> Looks like the cable. >> Now I feel bad making the suggestion. Put it over here. >> Any tricks? >> Yeah, let me check. >> You go ahead and get started. >> So, about four months ago, 5 months ago now, um Susie asked me to help with um reimagining the brand identity for NES. And um the first part of that was to look and see if we um had the appetite to define a new mascot um for the school. I would say maybe not a new mascot, but mascot. >> Um and so we were we were super excited to go through the process with the faculty and then with all of the students to help identify the mascot. So, the mascot,
015as you maybe can see in some of the the teasers hanging around the room, um was decided to be the Blue Jays. So, do you have anything you wanted to say before I went on? >> Uh yeah. So, I come up here. >> And there's the camera. Am >> I facing the camera? >> Sure. That's the camera. >> So, I think it's really exciting being a fifth grader and um to see all this mascot magic come alive. >> Yeah. Uh, and I think it's really cool that my dad did it because I got to see a small sneaker. And I also love being a part of the of the lasting legacy that will be a part of this town. >> Awesome. Thank you. Do >> you want to say anything? >> All right. Um, >>
016yes. >> My god, the sher. >> Don't know that. >> The best laid plans, as they say sometimes. >> Wait a sec. All right, I'll just I'll hold it here and try to do my best. Don't move. >> Don't move. Don't move. >> It's very finicky. >> Oh, that went out again. >> Oh no. >> Oh my nicer light. >> That essentially is what it likes. Huh? >> It just needs a source. Probably looking for that source. This is the one room that doesn't have the TV in it, right? Or one other room. >> We need to switch our space. >> Oh, there we go. >> Okay. Nobody move. >> I will say everything has been blue, which is very on theme, right? All the screens have been blue. >> Now I can't interact with
017it. >> Black one. >> When it went nothing on the screen. >> Yeah, it's not clicking at all. >> That's fine. Just scroll through it. >> It won't let him. >> There you go. >> Okay. So, we went through I can't >> I'm sorry. I can't even see inside cover here. >> Can you see the top? Let me hit show tab bar. >> I can't click on it. Is weird. control that. Pretty cool bird, I have to say. I don't even know where this is showing off down here. This is like a preview. So, Brian, can I jump in while you're >> Sure. >> you're working on that. So, one of the things that we started with um was just to have a conversation with the staff and Brian did a beautiful job facilitating just
018grabbing stories out of the um different people anywhere from our unified arts team to our classroom teachers to our pair professionals >> just to hear what again what stories they had and then um you can jump Yeah. So, so we we did a um an exercise with the faculty and staff and then also mirrored that with every class. And so we we not only worked through what mascots, what animals, what different characters felt like right for New Fields, but also the different um words and adjectives that described New Fields and kind of the the intent behind what we wanted the school to embody. And a huge part of it is um around centered around community. Um and the the I think one of the powerful things of this to me is it's going to hopefully
019bring our community together and have a really strong um badge of honor of of what Newfields is all about. Um so it was really great to see that. It was an amazing um bunch of meetings we had with the faculty. They were extremely excited and inspired and supportive in the process. So, we were really excited to to present this. Um, and the the idea, you know, so I I do um a lot of product design and brand identity work for my career and a large part of that is to kind of synthesize all the different details from different people and the community and bring it together an expression that people are really proud of and that looks beautiful and everybody wants to wear um on there. And I think Reed has his honor. So the
020brand identity is more than just one logo. Um this is the >> come on. >> Here you go. >> This is the main primary logo um which is the N and the um the blue J integrated. And then you'll see there's a lot more expressions of that. So different expressions. Um, I think somewhere on the tumblers there is the full new fields word word mark with the N and the blue J. A couple different abbreviations. Even just the simple N um in itself with the the consistent uh letter forms and typography kind of gives us ability to use it in all different use cases. U more professional and modern um look for the shields and seals. So, this you'd find in more formal situations on um letter heads on um different flags for ceremonial things.
021Um >> Hats maybe. Yeah, that's some of the icons on top are good for hats. Um you can start to see the bottom the wings start to come into play. That's a little bit more of like the spirited and kind of adventurous expression. Um the mascot mark. So, this is the wings and the bird in in full effect. Um, and as Susie and the staff need to use and create different content, different um, signage around the building, different uses, they'll have this whole um, set of images and logos to pull from to be able to build it. And it should basically give them that template to to do whatever they need to really easily >> and guide them through that. Um, spirit graphics. So, we have a font selection. And you can also see that
022on the one flag over there that lets us kind of have messaging that matches the whole persona of the of the brand. >> I love fonts. >> Oh yeah, that's my favorite part. Um, and so I spent a lot of time and there's more to come. There's just different compositions of it and different use cases that present themselves and you start to kind of create a catalog, a library of these different ways to express the the same brand. um down to even color marks and color versions so you can see if you have a dark background and a light front how to express that um and have exactly what you need color system. So we have New Fields blue um which is it's a little hard to see accurate on on this screen but it's
023it's basically a deep rich teal and then the sky blue is a a bright um a bright modern sky blue. Um, and then we have neutral palette selection, accent colors. And I still I think that there some of these are still in flux, but we do have some bright neon colors um on the bottom right as we look at like adventurous um youth youth forward designs for different apparel and things like that. Typography. There we go. So, we've got Poppins is our main type face. Um, Crimson Pro is our secondary type face. Both of those are open sourced through Google. Um, so they're Google fonts, easy to use. And then the bottom one is a not a Google one. It's called This Tails. Um, but it it's used sparingly and it's usually created in images
024beforehand. So, it's not something that is hard to to get or you need a license for um in use. So, we've started to see some of the t-shirts, but basically over the next coming 12 months or so, we'll start to see this in all sorts of different form factors. Um, it'll allow us to have ways to welcome new students to the school, celebrate our teachers and staff for their milestones and anniversaries, um, and let people really show their pride. Um, so when you're walking through Boston Logan and you see somebody with a big N on their chest, you kind of know where they're coming from. And everybody should be, you know, proud and excited to to show it out there and and and really enjoy that. and being able to start to see it in
025in and around the school. Um, we've got some early ideas and concepts how we'll be able to deploy that and really kind of rebuild the school. So, as students, um, faculty, staff, family, teachers walk in, they really feel feel it everywhere and feel it's a unified system and can feel like they're really owning it and they're proud of it. And so, this is just some different ways we could see in use. This is kind of imagining, you know, starting in the top left as a kindergarten student coming in and um all the way through um graduation from high school and coming back when you're a parent and being able to have kind of that same persona and see that that time change. >> I like that a lot. >> Okay. >> Can we shrink our
026kids so they can start? >> I know, right? Right. >> So, Blue Jays take flight. This is the um this is basically the the new brand identity system and I'll be around. I I've volunteered my time to do this and I've there's a lot of extra documentation that supports it all with all different graphics and logos and execution. So I'm here to support the school and excited to help bring this to life. So any questions now or later, feel free to to ask away when >> how is this start to um integrate itself into like the Blue Hawks and into the SAU because for years and years we kind of took on you know blue hawks. >> Yep. >> Um so how does that kind of work within this this paradigm? So when we looked
027at the brand identity, I think one of the things that we talked about was the Blue Hawk being owned by really largely the high school and um it seemed like there was different schools that may have dabbled with being junior blue hawks and it was not a really cohesive system in the SAU from my perspective. I I didn't speak to anybody in the SAU 16 so this is just my >> that's accurate perspective. That is accurate. Yeah. Um, and one thing that we we really wanted was to have ownership of our own identity as an elementary school. Um, and not feel like we were in the shadow of a a higher um or a different thing that we couldn't really change or modify or own ourselves. And we, as we went through, one of the
028things we liked the Blue Jay was the fact that it did tie together the blue color scheme. So there was some relation to the blue hawks and also the bird um choice was also felt like um it it matched up and and honestly when you start to look blue jay versus blue hawk like the size progression was was there too. Um so we we went through all sorts of different animals and kind of tested them out. Um, and and I even did an initial exploration of kind of like if if it were to have all of the schools in the SAU um, rebrand what this could look like as an entire ecosystem. And you there's different ways you could say like, wow, right, we could have different birds or different animals of the elementary schools
029through CMS up to the high school um in in a way that felt like a more cohesive SAU 16 execution where everybody was proud of the whole SAU family and also felt like they really owned their their component in their own school. Um that again is just my outside opinion on it. Um, and I' I'd love to to work more with the the SAU6 if they're interested. Um, but it's uh, yeah, it's just I think her viewpoint and talking with Susie, I think it was really important to her, it sounded like, to really have pride and ownership of it and not feel like it was somebody else's brand that we were trying to be a part of. >> Do you want to elaborate on that >> or do you feel like he said it? >>
030Yeah, he said it. I I mean I I think we did take a lot of time thinking through that and and um like Brian said, the whole idea of sticking with the blue so that they could wear their things on um senior day and um when they go to the basketball games um and again being able to have our own identity. There was there's an array of things. I think the East Kingston is the fisher cats and I think um Kensington I think are the >> there's something else I can't remember. >> And then um Stratam is some kind of cat. >> The wolves. >> The w the wolves. >> The wolves. >> Yeah. >> So yes. >> Yeah. >> I I think this is really great. I appreciate the forward thinking. I think that
031being a part of something and having some rights of passage is really an important part of u the elementary, middle school, high school process. And so um for me, I know how important and proud kids are of their hometown because I still get this from my mom from my hometown, Massway Elementary School. Uh and and I think it is definitely that legacy and the so it's exciting to see that student and the family was involved in it. So, at the assembly that Bobby was uh was able to attend, uh the fifth graders came out uh with all the t-shirts on. The staff had their t-shirts on. Oh, no. All the kids had them on. That's all. They all had them on. And we had reports that um some students wore them all weekend long and
032refused to take them off. And so, I think there's already a an identity to who we are. That was fun to hear. here. >> All the kids got merch. >> That's what I was going to say. The the the the incorporation of the reveal with the assembly was a really like brilliant move on everybody's part that we had the song, you know, unveiled as well. It was It was great. >> I love the table too with like the um here's what's to come for auditional merchandise. That was exciting because I'm already figuring out what do I want to get next >> and that was thanks to the MP. They are the ones that um purchased all the shirts for the students. Um so that was >> we got ours tonight. Thank you. >> That's right.
033You got your shirts tonight. >> Well done. >> Great. Little roomy. >> The the other cool piece of of this too is um the the fifth grade. Um >> Oh, that's right. >> The day Wednesday before the um announcement on Friday um I I joined them with with uh Mr. Shaner and uh two other staffed and we went down to co-ed um sportsear cool >> and they they helped produce the initial round of t-shirts and so we were able to go through we had a field trip with the fifth grade they saw where they were made and and while they were there it was really cool they had all the kids sign a a paper and then while we were doing the tour they went and they they put the logo in the middle of
034a design with their names they printed t-shirts so they have a t-shirt with the logo and all their names signed around it >> and you know it's I bring it up because I think it's really. It feels like it's a full circle experience to be able to see where it's produced. I think it was it's a really cool facility. It's right in our town. Um and it seems like the kids really enjoyed it. So, I I hope that's something we can do every year to to have the kids go and see that um that local business and and how it contributes to the community and directly with everything we're actually wearing. One of the things when we initially saw it, we had he had a couple different graphics and one of the things that we
035loved about this was the simplicity of it, but that it did actually really capture your eye to to want to look at it more and it wasn't just and it and it wasn't uh too colleant collegant and it wasn't um primary. We really struck a nice uh intermediate. >> It's not like super abstract. Yeah, it's great. I >> Yeah, age appropriate for all ages in the elementary school. Yeah, I I really love it. >> And um you know, a huge thank you to Brian because this was a passion project. He did not charge us at all for this and it's actually worth thousands of dollars to have a deck like this. So, um we're very grateful for that. And it I wish everyone could have been in the room uh that Brian was in with
036us as a faculty uh because they acted as though it was a party. Like it was so fun because we took all of this and then w actually grouped up and walked the building and reimagined where um all of these different things could land and how they could um be presented in a way that really uh unifies us and brings us together as a community. It was a really fun It was a fun day. >> The energy you could tell was was really high and they were really excited. So, it was good >> and it's a fun faculty. >> That's awesome. Thank you so much. This is great. >> Very exciting. >> Thanks, guys. >> Thank you. Thank you, Sage. >> Yeah. Thanks, guys. >> All right. Um 2026 2027 calendar. You guys taking a
037look at that? trying to separate. >> I was going to say >> so the the only difference between this calendar and the calendar that was approved by the joint board is that the joint board had one of the professional development days in October. >> Um >> and this was moved that that one was moved to April. >> So there are are there two development days in April? Um, no, there's just the one. There wasn't one in April. So, um, in order, and I'll have Susie elaborate on that when she's back for a second, but, um, >> that's on the trans. >> Yeah, Susie felt that the April date better fit the needs of this building rather than the October date. >> So, if you notice, we have quite a bit of professional development at the
038beginning of the year in August and September. Um, and in April is when we have our second round of student led conferences. And so we wanted to be able to have a day of doing that instead of half days um where which has been the traditional route. Uh this would just be one whole day where the teachers would provide those conferences with parents and students. Okay. >> On the 25th on the April. So okay. So >> it's not April 25th. Excuse me. So, but that's the um parent teacher conference, >> the student conferences. >> Mhm. >> Um great. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Fine. >> Um >> any questions? >> Yeah. The only question about that switch is um so the whatever the date was in October that the SAU was doing that was
039not a districtwide. >> That was actually one of the few days that were just for schools and so all the all the schools throughout the SAU were able to play with that one date. >> Okay. >> Mhm. So, it's possible that like for example, if a parent of an NES kid has a student in either the middle or the high school >> um the 15th or sorry, the October date might still be a professional, but it also might not be. >> Okay. So, just check that calendar. >> That's right. >> Yes. >> All right. I'll um make a motion to approve the 2026 2027 academic calendar. All uh in favor >> I sorry I lost my words there. >> Okay, central office update. Um superintendent, >> yes report. >> Let's see. So spring means hiring
040season within school districts and so that's an exciting time. We really take that seriously in terms of finding the right candidates for our vacancies that we do have throughout SU16. It also in spring, one of the things that happens is um teacher reertification meetings. Um so that's something that we look forward to. Um we have folks in the central office on the senior leadership team. We all take on um around the same number of staff who as you know are due every 3 years for their reertifications and we have those meetings with them to talk through their own growth and what that has looked like and it's a really um nice way for us to get to know staff since we are a large seu and we have approximately a thousand staff that that's not
041you know a thousand certified teachers necessarily but just given that we are large it is a nice it's a nice time for us to sit down with staff and take time for that. Um the other piece is that we continue to watch Senate Bill 101, the open enrollment legislation. So, we're keeping an eye on that. Um it has, you know, did pass the Senate. So, now it's in the House and there have been public hearings within recent weeks. So, I'll continue to keep you apprised of the developments there. And then lastly, I wanted to highlight the equity work that's being done in throughout SAU16. And, you know, I wasn't sure the last time that this board kind of had an update on what that looks like. Um, you know, it it really is it it's
042all-encompassing equity work. You know, it's it's part of MTSS. It's part of the work that, you know, I believe we've mentioned for the board this school year that we are doing extensive learning as an SAU about 70 folks um regarding restorative practices. you know that's that also is you know under the equity umbrella um in terms of you know the repair and prioritizing relationships some of the other specific equity work that's happening in SEU 16 under the you know wonderful Arlland Petta our chief um equity officer is that we have affinity spaces um for our students under a variety of areas we have our anti-discrimination task force that exists um as an SEU16 group also with representation from community members such um we have parents um on that task force we have some students and
043that task force has existed for um I believe since 19 um so for a long time so that's really work that we're proud of that we want to continue to highlight um in addition to that you know we have our equity chairs where there's an there's equity chairs from every single school in SAU16 that that are representatives to that group that's run by Harlland Petta. And then we also have different, you know, student groups within our schools that do some equity work as well. We have the um the peace makers club at Lincoln Street School. Um and I know we have um Mariam Levy here in at Newfields Elementary School who does work here with our students and also with our staff around some restorative practices and making sure we're growing our knowledge in that
044area. and just continuing to create these spaces that are inclusive and um you know open and you know spaces where students can feel that sense of safety and belonging uh which is really critical and also Arlland Petta has done some work here with the students in Newfield. She has done some lessons this school year that have been really exciting and I had the um fortunate experience of being able to be a part of one of them and you know to see how the students were responding was just a lovely experience. Okay. >> Do we have ainity affinity spaces here or are they just in the middle school, high school? >> Middle school and high school. >> Okay. To piggyback on that, uh, one beautiful moment was after uh the chief equity officer had done some
045lessons. One of our students who's dyslexic really identified as recognizing that that's just a piece of who she is and that more people need to be educated on that. And so she asked um Arlland to come and introduce her um at an assembly and then she the student actually spoke about dyslexia to the entire student body >> and just normalized it and um said what the strengths are when you have that and what sometimes the struggles are. It was a really beautiful moment. >> Awesome. Awesome. Thank you. >> All right. >> Can I ask one question? >> Yeah, of course. But um I Ellen, I had never heard of the um descertification experience that you were describing. Can you just brief that just sounds a little >> like a great opportunity I just did? >>
046Definitely. So, we set up 30 minute meetings um with each staff member who is due for their three-year reertification. And the expectation of those meetings is that you know every year our staff members are setting goals for themselves and they are thinking about how they're demonstrating growth in for those goal areas and how they're documenting that and they're of course undergoing supervision and evaluation as well. That's that's both connected and separate from their reertification. Um and then they're documenting, you know, what they're doing with regards to their own professional learning for professional development. And they we have a system called Frontline, which um is a both a love and a hate um situation for all staff. Um and all all certified folks in, you know, in SEU 16 are required to go through this three
047year three-year reertification cycle. You know, administrators included. Um so we set up we have these 30-minute one-on-one meetings with every staff member who's due. And we do that every year. And at at those meetings, the staff members are highlighting, you know, one artifact per year to demonstrate their growth in that area. And you know, we as someone who hasn't, you know, worked directly with students in a school building for a long time, and I'll speak for my colleagues, too, that it's it's such a highlight for us to meet with teachers one-on-one and hear about all the exciting things that are happening happening in our schools. and you know just to be we we already know that we have such um talented educators in SAU 16 and this just further reinforces that and it's nice to
048have that that personal touch. >> That's great. Yeah, thank you. I didn't realize and and that's like not is that something that sounds like it's policy for us? Are you um certified folks? Is it tied to like their reertification of their educational like their their teaching? Yes. >> Certification. >> Yes. Yeah. I would say it's our practice in SA 16. Yes. So that then like myself for example as someone who has these meetings as the you know central office administrator um I myself am making the determination as to whether or not to send someone forward for that reertification. >> And then we and then we send that to the department of education and yes >> thank you. I >> did not know that. >> Yeah. >> It really is a highlight. >> Cool. Awesome. >>
049Yeah. Um, principal's report. >> You didn't sound very enthusiastic about that. >> Sorry. Principal's report. >> We'll get a we'll get some bells and whistles. >> Um, just highlighting that uh the education of commissioner Caitlyn Davis um sent an email that um congratulating new fields on having exceptional success in literacy growth and overall achievement. Um we've been contacted by two other school districts in the last month to come visit our school and to see um our literacy in play and um we are hosting um at least one of those schools in the upcoming weeks. Uh our celebrations of learning have been u March was a month that we were able to see first grade, second grade and third grade. uh they did a beautiful job and and really what I want to highlight is that
050of course when they're presenting it is so obvious that they do have a deep knowledge of the um of the overall essential question that they're trying to answer in the unit that they've studied. But on top of that, there's there's an element of um learning how to speak at a microphone in front of an authentic audience. And um there are a lot of behindthe-scenes jitters that um is a whole skill set in and of itself on top of their knowledge base that is happening because of these celebrations of learning. And that's um coaching from the classroom teachers um coaching from um some of our faculty that have a performance background but our students really are able to um learn that skill at a deep level. Uh we are we have been working all year. I've
051talked about it that we have been discussing the bookends of our school, our K1 and how we want to flood um a lot of our a lot of our resources and interventions to our kindergarten and first grade because when we do that then um there are less interventions that need to happen later. And so we've put a lot of time and energy into that. We've also put a lot of time and energy into our fourth and fifth grade experience because when you have most of the time a single classroom that progresses kindergarten through fifth grade, the students uh really have a lovehate with relationship with each other by the time they hit the older grades. And so as a faculty we have um spent a lot of time diving into creative solutions around that. And
052some of the things that we've come up with is that uh our unified arts team are going from a one-year grades span to a two-year grades span so that our fourth and fifth graders can be kind of sliced in half and we can group them so that when they go to music there will be half fourth graders and half fifth graders in that class. um that will give opportunities for growth and new friendships and um new identities, new opportunities to try out um new personality traits and skills. And then we are also um doing that with our MTSS system in our interventions. So instead of just having an intervention for fifth grade where we have four different groups for our fifth graders to um strengthen their skill or excel a skill, we're going to do
053that with fourth and fifth grade. So that if there are a group of students in those two class two grades that need to work on fractions, we're going to bring them together and that will rotate every six to eight weeks. So between wake up wellness uh the option of quiet lunch uh RTI and unified arts a student could be with another grade half of their day and we think that that will really produce some good results for them socially and emotionally. >> Awesome. How what are some of the social narratives that you are trying to kind of either knock down or overcome things those those lines. I mean those like you said those grades >> kind of get to a certain like level. >> Yeah. So if if in the earlier grades I was really
054quiet and um I started coming out of my shell, there might have already been a narrative about me being quiet and not taking on a leadership role. And so I kind of my peers might not see me be able to take on that leadership role. Um a student might be very boisterous naturally and that might be characterized um in a negative way. And as they're learning to adjust um they need new people around them to be able to solidify better habits and um be characterized a different way. And so just to be able to give flexibility, you know, when you're in a school that has multiple grade levels, Brian, you'll you'll know this. you're able to split students up and go, "Oh, the these might be some friendships that need to be nurtured or these
055might be some um relationships that um would do well if they had some space apart from each other. And because we're a a single class, we don't have that opportunity." And so this is one of those creative solutions to be able to have an opportunity like that. Are there specific things that you're working on as you're kind of, you know, splitting these grades up and saying you guys are going to be in this classroom with the, you know, third and fourth graders or the fourth and fifth graders for different classes where you're still challenging the students. So, not just saying, "Yeah, you belong here because you're at this level." But saying, "Yes, you're at this level, but we want to make sure that you are going to be able to have the opportunity for growth.
056Have that opportunity to make sure that they are challenged, not just, you know, brought through at a at a a level that that they deem fit. So I would I would challenge that thinking that it's a skill set, not a level. Because I might be a really strong mathematician, but I might really struggle with fractions. So for a 6 to 8 week period, I'm going to go with other students that are that need to be bolstered in that or potentially during that time um in multiplication, division, that might come really easily to me because I have an analytical mind that can line things up. And so we want to be able to challenge those students and to be a when you bring two classes or two grade levels together, some of those younger students are
057able to be challenged if we are able to pull them up. >> Okay. >> Thanks. >> Yeah. You're welcome. >> Mhm. >> Anything else? >> Um I was just going to say I shared a brief version of that with my fourth grader tonight and the first she was excited but then she also was confused cuz I guess I didn't explain it well enough. She's like, "That's going to be a really big class." And I was like, "You I think you did a good job sort of simplifying it. They're going to be split in half." And I'm like, "Honey, I think they're probably going to not make it such a large class. Maybe do half and half." So, >> and it's not during um direct instruction. Yes. >> So, our fifth graders will still have direct
058instruction with their classroom teacher is during that intervention time and during that UA time. >> Cool. How do the teachers feel about it? It sounds like >> they're excited, especially our older ones that see this happen. >> Um, I was going to actually have them come in tonight >> so they could for that question specifically. Um, but we wanted to do the branding. >> Awesome. >> Is it just four and five >> for right now? >> Okay. We're going to start small, work out any tweaks that we need to work out, and then but for our um wind block or RTI block, um we have the capacity to do that with our because of how our schedule will read next year to be able to do that work in second and third grade and K1.
059>> Some of the best learning that I've seen around that is visiting other schools that have co-eing models or multi-age. Um, and so that would be really great to see some PD money invested in going to see schools, not necessarily conferences or training is actually going having them connect with other teachers who do similar work. >> Um, and there's some great schools around that are similar in that way. >> I agree. When you see it, it's equal, if not better, than professional development. >> Hard to imagine. And then >> Exactly. >> Yeah. >> How's our kindergarten class coming through for next year? What are we at? I think on the books we're at 14, but it looks like it could land at around 16. >> Okay. >> Mhm. Awesome. >> Is there a staffing model
060with regards to when a pair of professional is added to kindergarten or not? Is there like a when you get past 16, we add a pair? Is there like a >> So, we have a kindergarten par always. >> Okay. >> Um because of the needs that they come in with not knowing. Okay. how to tie shoes or >> is it a regular ed or special education or both? >> It's regular. >> Regular. Okay. >> And then our for our system, if we do have students um that require um additional support, that would be a pair professional that would come out of special education. On top of that, our model because of that flooding um that I keep talking about, we actually have um a rotation of our physical therapists, our occupational therapists, our BCBA, uh
061our reading specialists, and our special education teacher go through daily and do centers in the kindergarten. So, we're really doing a a big um identification and uh recognition of what those students need and and what their profiles are. And some of that is quite frankly because we don't have a preschool, we have to kind of double time it. >> Can you remind me when we as a community find out about the the structure of the um the classes, not who's teaching what, but like you know, right now we have two sections of one grade. Is that in the summer? I just don't remember. >> That's usually right before school starts >> because there's lots of var >> Thanks, Susie. >> You're welcome. >> All right, let's go into committee policy reports. Um, you want to
062Who's doing policy? >> That was me and the meeting happened that the week that my I did not make the meeting. >> Okay. >> So, I will make the rest of the meeting. >> No worries. we can go through it. Okay, let's look at um BBAA. So, this one um all of these are focusing around board member responsibilities, board member ethics, um >> more revisions it looks like. >> Yeah, I did not have any >> comments on BBA. Um >> fine. Okay. And then BBCC is board member or district officer resignation. Um, this didn't change that much. This seemed pretty. I think it identified a few things that weren't said that they that um came to be in real life that they needed to address. So, I think these are it's a well-informed update. >>
063Yeah. That they wanted stated more explicitly. >> Were you at the meeting? >> No. But I I read through everything. >> So for the filling of vacancy upon resignation, I know that in some cases it goes to the select board, in some cases it's here. Does this RSA does it properly reflect that because it's not the cooperative and does not go to the select board, it is filled by the remaining board members. Do we know? No, but why are you just happen to know that it goes past the Did that happen? I know we had had a recognition before. Okay. >> Yeah, we've the the cooperative any vacancies get filled by the select board. >> Okay. >> So, if >> of the town >> Yep. >> So, like in the the cooperative it would be
064in Strata. That's weird. >> No, no, no, no. The if if some if the new field's representative of the >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Okay. >> Yeah. It goes back to the town selector. >> Got it. So, I just want to make sure that this resignation portion is reflective of that because it is different from board to board. >> I see what you're saying. >> I prefer one back at the school board. Is that what you're saying? >> Um, that's what we are. Oh, yeah. >> We if if a board member resigns, it's typically stays within this school board. Okay. Um because it is the town board whereas the cooperative is a little bit >> Oh, here here's what the RSA said. >> I have Yeah, I have faith in in our policy. >>
065No, me too. And and here is the reiteration of that faith. In the case of a vacancy of the entire membership of the school board or if the remaining members are unable by a majority vote to agree upon an appointment, the selectman or town of towns shall. So in Newfields the case is that because that is the whole board. The whole representative of that board is one person >> for the new field representative of the >> cooperative board. >> So that's I think why >> that separation >> but for us it wouldn't be that. >> No unless everybody unless two >> two people which is >> so that covers that. >> Thank you for looking. >> All right. So that's good. Uh the next one is BBBF which is student members of the school board
066but this one is for the cooperative correct so we're not going to deal with that. >> Uh and then it's BCA which is school board member ethics. Um this one goes through just is updating a lot of the ethics portion of um conflict of interest. question slash comment on the I wrote weird formatting for the bullet the first bullet that last sentence says become I don't know are they suggesting that's going to be another bullet itself >> I didn't really understand why that's a capital B >> that should probably be coming and not become >> um I don't even mean but um is that the rest of that same bullet or was it the next bullet >> it is the next it's a new a new sentence should be and >> because they struck and
067>> so they put a period after the RSA and then it became become informed >> as connected. >> Yeah, it's a whole whole new sentence >> on in a new bullet. We think >> I I think that's one way to deal with it. >> I think it should be its own bullet. >> Okay. All right. So, we're going to table this one. >> Can we just to put new bullet? You could approve it based on this change >> because I don't think it's substantively changes the policy. It's just a matter of formatting, >> right? >> That's how we've done it sometimes. >> I mean, I'm taking it too. It's just that who knows how many we're going to have next month. >> Well, even if there is a beer, that would still work either way.
068>> Yeah. I think it's what I don't want to do is >> approve it. it go and it's supposed to not be a pullet and then have it come back anyway. Um I would rather get clarification on it just to make sure that if it's supposed to be another bullet great if it's not then we just do it next month. So can you bring that back to the >> All right. And the next one is BDB, which is going over board officers, um, who they are, um, what their roles are. I didn't have any issues on this one other than um on BDB the paragraph that talks about vacancies um it says the superintendent is the chief executive officer ex officio if there isn't um if there's a vacancy but it does not say designate.
069So um >> which one? Sorry >> here. So it's >> Oh, the one above. >> Yeah. So it says superintendent as a chief executive of the officer. So if there is no >> officer then the superintendent has to come not the designate. >> So >> and they added the flow but not >> right. So it is not significant. So I would recommend putting in here superintendent or designate. And then unless there's a specific reason that it has to be the superintendent. >> I don't believe so. I don't believe there's a reason. I think it was probably an oversight would be my guess. >> All right. So, we can put that in there and then I think this one is fine. I don't think there's any questions of that. Okay, >> move forward with this one.
070And then the next one is BE DG which goes over meeting minutes. Um, was the were the changes in this one? So, I have two questions. The changes in this one RSA >> related. Thank you. that up top for me. >> Minutes. Yeah, that passage of HP265 which added to an RS >> minutes. Okay, that one's the one. So, perfect. And then the other question I had for it was the unsealing minutes. >> Um, >> that's another HP 321, it says, >> right? And I know this board has not reviewed any sealed minutes ever. Um, so when does this go into effect and when do we have to go through sealed minutes from like 10 years ago? >> Saying we must >> Yeah, >> let's see. I don't >> sealed minutes but must either be
071reviewed within a 10-year period or unsealed no later than 10 years. And so anything prior to October 3rd of 2023 must be reviewed or unsealed by October of 2033. So does that mean we have to go back 10 years and review sealed minutes, reseal them, which I'm assuming that's what that means? >> That that's what I'm >> so >> inferring. See, >> okay. Um, which is really interesting. >> That seems extremely laborious. I almost feel like I would read that as if it's not reviewed, it is then by virtue of this RSA unsealed. Yep. >> And then it can just be >> which it's >> usually there's a reason for them to be sealed, >> right? >> So if there are like non-public meetings, >> right? No, no, no, I know. So if we so
072it is on the onus of the board to know what was sealed and to either reseal it or let them be unsealed or by non-action of the board just which I think is egregious is like yeah we're just going to let everything be come unsealed which is probably not a great plan. So my question is for this one it's less about what the wording is. It's more about what we have to do >> In practice. So, I'm not worried about the the the policy or any changes with the policy. It's like >> when are we going to get going to get hit with the massive amount of black backlog of this 10 year >> and how far back do we have to go? >> Can we ask Alison over email? >> Yes, I can certainly
073get clarification for you all. I will send that out. Yeah, >> that's good. >> Yeah. So, mean if it's when does it start? >> Because if we have to go back 10 years starting in this year, that's fine. But if it starts this year, that's I'm just figuring when do we start when do we have to start doing this practice? We start 2023. >> How common is it? We we don't seal managements very often. We don't once a year maybe. >> We have, but not under >> this board. At least not that I'm aware of. We have in the past though. >> Yeah, I think it's been a while, but you're right. There have been some in the past. So, let me get that clarification for you all. >> Okay. I don't have any problems
074with the wording. I think if I mess with this, it's probably going to be not great. >> Um, do you guys have any questions, issues? >> I'm going to do a deep dive on understanding what non-public minutes are really meant to to relay cuz >> we we went through this exercise before and I'd have to dig up my brain cells from that, but we did talk about it about 5 years ago. >> So, I'd have I >> just I'd rather get clarification. All right. And I think the last one is KF which is use of school buildings and facilities. This Go ahead. >> I will comment that um I I read the the summary brief and it was it said this was brought to the board by a board committee member that was me um
075but I'm no longer on the committee so I didn't actually >> you weren't there to be able to. Right. Right. >> So that was sort of a pop. Um although interestingly they did they did make other changes um which >> um I actually had a couple questions on but I did want to just say the reason why I brought it up had to do with questions I was receiving um and I think Ellen you and I talked in general about >> yes >> it was the third to last paragraph. So on the second page the paragraph um it says organizations >> organizations will be required to hire school district custodial personnel if no custodian is scheduled to work during the hours of proposed use. And I think I my question at the time based on
076the questions we were being asked was does a person who was using the school or asking to be reserve to reserve the school if there's no custodian have to figure out how to hire a custodian or does it need to be um like a designate based on you know an alternative based on the principal? What we've done and I'll have Sus. It's been a little bit since we've talked about it. So I'll make sure Susie can confirm >> that my accuracy accuracy here. What we have done is that yes, ideally they're coming in when we have a custodian available. If we don't have a custodian available, um, then we have a staff member be present. >> I think that's a perfect practice. I just felt like this policy >> doesn't need to be so hardlined.
077I mean, >> so >> no, I think you're right. I think that Well, so so two things. If when I've used other schools um for different events um and other districts like conquered, things along those lines, if you use a space, then the school custodian comes in after and you know does a sweep and make sure that it's ready for the kids afterwards. However, um if an afterchool program, this would be subject to that. If they're using the multi-purpose room, if they're using not the fields because that's not ours, but if they're using our facilities in any way, shape, or form, then they could be subject to this um for any fees or anything like that. I think it I think it's up to the board to make the decision on if it's a New
078Fields community member and this is the hub one of the hubs of the community then then we host that. If it's an outside agency then my recommendation would be that there's a fee attached to that. I mean the reason why I brought it up is because I thought we can probably word smmith an alternative and that's what the benefit of the committee would have been helpful. Um but we're here so as long as we're okay with discussing it >> to just allow >> I would be comfortable with Susie just being the principal's um um that's what I'm looking for. Thank you. Discretion. So like that's that's a fine policy, but if there's exceptions to be made by exception by principal, >> I'm fine with that. >> I don't know how we best want to phrase
079that. >> I would probably look at the prior paragraph and say fee may fee may fees may be waved by the superintendent. Instead of saying or his designate, say by the design superintendent designate or principal or building principal by building principal uh for governmental and for recreation commission use that actually I would strike governmental I want if it's going to be governmental use if we want to have like the election here I have no problem with that but I would rather lay that on the board than lay that on the principal or anything like that. I I would rather hold the board um in those specific decision-m pieces if that's okay with you guys. >> I I think we're making substantive changes. So, I think these should go back to the policy committee because I
080do think like they the revisions that were made were not in alignment with the original spirit of lining this up. Correct. Yes. Yeah, that's fine. >> So, okay. >> So, we can send this one back. I also I'm I want to make sure do you um get the general gist of what I was wanting to ask the committee to review? >> Um um as far as this last this line down here basically this as written the policy saying that if somebody's using the school they are required to hire the school district or other personnel that there's not a student doing already scheduled to work. >> Yep. >> And that was I think at least that one piece we were considering potentially changing. Now Jane is saying another element as far as the government. >> Yeah.
081I I and this may be a Newfield's thing um versus a this is kind of one of the strange things where we're very weirdly unique. >> Yeah. >> Um for the only thing that I would think that any governmental thing that would be here would be an election. Mhm. >> Um and as that is potentially, you know, not on a school day, which is great, but it is using our facilities, things along those lines. Um having the board take on the onus of approving something like that where it's a governmental use. There are other uses at the high school and middle school for governmental uses. They have rallies there. They have, you know, major speakers. That's never going to happen here. So there's a big difference in what who's going to approve that. Um >>
082the only thing I don't disagree with you. I would just point to the priority of usage little matrix up that's there on the front page which is interesting because I noticed that one over. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. You're right. >> And B the second one is governmental. >> Right. Because this par this paragraph that we're discussing on the first paragraph on the back of the second page is specific to establishing of fees and waving of fees. >> Yep. Yeah. So it that that's a good point. So Jane, if you are interested in dep prioritizing, >> I would still prioritize the fact that I would probably do this the paragraph where it says where it changes the board delegating the superintendent or designing to use of school facilities. I that changes here. I would leave it
083as the board um because of the governmental piece. So there's a couple of pieces in there. It's like I I want to protect the school here and say, "Yeah, if you want to if you want to use this for any type of activities by the government, I want the board to be aware of it and approve of it." There's a couple of reasons for that, but I think that that I think that in particular >> probably should be >> retained. My understanding if that's what your goal is, we would have to retool that first paragraph because that first paragraph was saying that governmental activities is a priority and then right after that we're saying and the board is delegating the superintendent or designate to um approve the use. >> Right. >> So we take that
084that one out, put it down. >> That's what it sounds like. which >> I would either I would either leave it to the board, >> which it has been >> and not to the superintendent or designate, sorry. Um to approve the use um and >> to approve the use of school facilities. Yeah, I would I would revert it back to its original and then um any fees I don't have a problem with except I want to strike governmental. That should be any fees even the fees I would let the board deal with. >> I have I feel cautious about that. I I mean the the original sentence says the right to authorize use of school facilities shall be retained by the board as executed by the superintendent of schools or designate. So it it even
085in initially it doesn't sound to me that it was a that the board approved >> agree. Yeah. >> The use of school facilities. I think that that's you know >> it almost had no teeth before. It didn't really make sense. >> Yeah. didn't really make sense before either. So, I think we have to again bring it back to the policy committee and review the RSAs and some recommendations from the, you know, school boards association. >> Yeah. I mean, this one's a little bit messy because there's the government activities is the one that I I don't have any problem with the school related activities commission. Nothing else. I >> Okay, it's the government activities. >> I think it's good to pause on that because that's a question I didn't think of it in that under that.
086I think that it's worth bringing back. Yeah. >> Town government's different than all sorts of other types of >> right there. Right. Because it wouldn't be feasible for the board state government, >> right? And what I'm also >> Oh, boy. >> Somebody just needs to move. >> Thank you. >> We're a little too still there for a second. >> My my experience with facilities use forms is that the the board um chair signs off on all of them that it doesn't necessarily always go to the board. So, we have a process at our school where as long as the board is aware of it and the board has signed off on it. I don't know if that's even worked, but >> we'll look Yeah, let's look into it again. >> We'll look into that. >>
087Let's Let's >> That's not I don't believe our board signs off on building use forms for this board or any other boards in SEU 16. So, we'll take this back and >> take a deeper dive. >> Yeah, cuz the last time this was reviewed was 2018. So, >> yeah, it was just a little while ago. >> Okay. Okay. I don't think we have any more for policy. All right. So, I'm going to make a motion to approve BBAA, School Board Member Authority. BBBC board member district officer resignation. Um, BDB, Board Officers, Bed DG minutes, and then we're holding on the rest. Have a second. >> Um, second. >> All in favor? >> I I just I don't know that. Did you mention um BBBF? >> Did I mention BBBF? Yes. That one goes to the
088um high school middle school. >> Not for us. >> Yeah. Okay. Moving on. Uh safety and security. We have not met. Uh superintendent evaluation committee. We're going to go into now public to work on that. Are there any other updates? >> No other updates. They have not met. I have it up here and I have some suggestions as to how we can tackle it. >> Awesome. Uh strategic plan committee, we have not met. Any school safety committee, we have not met. We're probably going to meet in a couple weeks probably. I forget what date I put in there. 10th, I think. 13th. 13th. Monday the 13th. So hopefully everybody will be there. Oh, wait. I have another page. All right. Old business. Uh impact fees. >> Yes. I just I included the schedule again for
089you all to have or I emailed it to you as you saw. um just to stay on top of it to make sure that you know we're keeping an eye on anything that could be expiring making sure we're using these to the best of our abilities. So Sue McKinnon is as you know is super helpful with providing this list to us. So a lot of them you know on the flip side of it a lot of them are expiring not until 2027 through 2031 on the back side. >> I have a question. >> Yes. Um, not that I'm a fan of things increasing over time, but generally speaking, things increase over time. And it looks like the fee has per development has been 3275 since at least 2010. I don't know if that's like in
090statute, but that's the amount. Do we have any insight as to how that fee is set? >> Michelle, do you? No, I don't. >> Yeah, it's usually town by town, but we can we can call them and ask them. >> Yeah. Are you okay? Can you also call and ask and ask where these funds are being held and if there is a if they're held in a trust or in somewhere that is gaining any interest that we may have access to. >> Thanks for staying by the way. >> Yeah. >> Speaking of interest, I I saw on an unanticipated >> um >> yeah, we got >> whatever $1,000. That was pretty cool. So, thank you everyone who's managing those funds. That's great. >> Nice. All right. Um, anything else on impact fees? >> No. >>
091Capital improvement plan. That was again to stay, you know, stay commun in communication about it. And you know, as you saw and Susie and I reported out last month that a you know, some of the main concerns are being um remedied this year, such as the replacement of the multi-purpose room door, um the exterior paint. Oh, and then while we're on this topic, we should talk about the LED lighting. >> There you go. >> Sorry, I was waiting for you to get there. >> Yes. So the, you know, the update with regards to the LED lighting is that um two meetings ago I reported that it, you know, after we learned that instead of it the cost being estimated to be $40,000, it was now that we looked into it further with Brian Sans, our
092new director of of facilities, that it was closer to $90,000. So we were not pursuing that, you guys decided that as a board. Um, and then I did mention that, you know, Brian Sans was going to continue to look for opportunities for other LED lighting companies to just make sure that we weren't losing out on this this potential opportunity. So, he did do that and I brought that information for you all. Um, and it at first glance it looked like it was about another about $43,000 and then upon further review and Michelle, our wonderful financial expert, helped confirm for me that yes, it's not as nearly as straightforward as it seems, >> right? And it's good to read the fine print. So, you can pass one of each with these for everyone. There you go.
093So you can see the breakdown in and this is with a different company. The other company was called LED conversions. This is AffinityLed. Um here's the other page. And so you see that the you know that the you see the total you know the project cost and then you see the net co project net cost. >> So are we looking at just affinity right now? >> Yes. Look at the green sheet. >> Yep. I'm just I was just looking at this not knowing if it was with this or not. Okay. one goes before the other. Thank you for clarifying. Yes. So the to look at the financial summary piece from affinity led at the top the project net 42920. >> Um and then you see that to the when you move to the left it
094talks about estimated incentives. Um so again that estimated incentive seems rather vague. And when you move to the next page which describes the financing schedule, the amateurization schedule, you know, you see that loan payment of $93,140 and then one payment ma made via one payment of $50,220 and then another payment of almost $11,000. Um, and then you see the annual rate. So this, you know, this leasing of the situation was not was not laid out clearly when we looked into this at first. So again, this is not nearly as straightforward as it seems and there seems we have certainly some questions around what are these estimated incentives and it doesn't seem like when we first looked into it, when Rusty Listister looked into it, it was, you know, our understanding was that we were going
095to get the rebates, right? So that the rebates would bring when we did it in a timely man manner that the rebates would bring the cost down to that $40,000. Um, so we have to ask some additional questions of AffinityLed if you all want me to or if you want to just say no thank you. >> Um, >> and Michelle, I'm not sure if you had anything to add. >> Go for it. >> I think we maybe want to keep exploring and see if there are other companies and >> so you can compare. I think >> do some more comparing. >> Michelle, what I was going to ask was this this uh amortization schedule. >> Mhm. it appears to be applying only to the taxes of the lease purchased down there. Whereas if we did
096simple payback, if we said, "Hey, Affinity LED, here's a check for 42,920 because we got this great incentive here >> that um got us, you know, this great discount." This is saying they install it and then after three and a quarter years, we quote would have recouped the cost. Is that what that top table is saying? Yeah, it's it's a little >> strange side because because it it makes it look like we're we're >> we have a project cost and then we're getting an incentive, but then yes, they're >> but then they want all the money. >> They want they want basically they're making us pay back the incentive is what they're having to do and charging us interest on top of that. So, uh >> I think that that's if it's leased though, but
097if we if we >> if there was a check cut from the from the day one, >> we just p it off that there wouldn't be. But >> right, that's and I think that's what we need to explore. Are they are they giving us two options or so that we can choose from this or that's what I think we need to go back to them and ask them some >> and if we're just paying this back why is there are we paying this back over how many like so the simple payback seems like it's over a specific number of years >> because it has a percent you know 3.27 27 years. >> I understood this to be after three and a four years of saving $13,000 a year, he paid you would it would have
098paid its keep. >> That's what that is. Yes. That is paying for itself after 3.27 years >> which is what the town did for our external life and it paid for itself in theory or something for that. I I think that's a more accurate way to do it because you're it's so volatile right now with prices that to >> just pay it off from the beginning is probably a much better choice and is more accurate for taxpayers. >> I would say let's >> but get more information. >> Yeah, get some more information about what this is. I am not really leaning towards financing this at all. I mean, it's a 5.79% annual rate. That seems >> crazy. >> Um, and I would say we only do it if we have the money to do it.
099So, um, yeah. If you do you guys have any more information? >> Yeah, we'll explore further. >> Okay. The only thing I would say that I've learned about LED lights just identification I didn't is that not all LED lights are made equal, right? And so when I heard of LED lights, I I initially thought of this like, you know, really uncomfortable, glaring light. Um and I guess there's a whole um body of information one can learn about you know Kelvin and and different kind of light um climate and feel and um so that if the board decided that that is something that we wanted to do we could choose or whoever can choose what um experience of light we want for our kids for the students remember because we talked about natural light whatever >>
100which was helpful for me to know I understand all >> right it's definitely you know if we want to save money if it's actually good for kids to get under LED lights in the first place >> all right thank you that's helpful um any new agenda items you guys want to add for the May 7th meeting >> the only thing I would say we might want to consider if we weren't already going to be doing it is um remember that we had a retreat last year around the June. >> Yeah, I was going to bring that up. A board retreat. >> Yeah, not that we could just talk about it next week. So, >> yeah, sounds good. >> Great how we did it last time. >> I did like it. It was a fun >>
101That was nice. >> Yeah, definitely talk about dates, times, all that good stuff. Anything else? Okay. Anything outstanding that you guys want to bring up or are we all set? Okay. So, we do need to go u into nonpublic at 7:26 under RSA 91A colon 3 under A and C. And we'll do that at 7:26. Can I get a >> I know she's trying to get our attention for something. >> What? >> No. >> Can I just make one clarification? >> Of course. >> So that just so that the secretary gets it right when she does your minutes for the next thing. >> Yes. >> When I printed this, there was a slight change in the board pack. So, I just want to say that we had added a whole section on because I had
102said we had like 170,000 projected at the end of the year, but because your trusts passed. >> Okay. And those will come out so that you just so your meeting your meeting minutes are correct, we're now projecting the return to the taxpayers as 117 355. >> Yep. >> Just >> Thank you. >> So, your minutes are correct. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Appreciate it. All right. All right. So, we're going to go into nonpublic at 7:27 p.m. Call >> and I get a roll call. I >> Jalai. >> All right. So, we're going to come out of non-public at 8:18. >> I'll make a motion to come out of non public. >> Thank you. I'll second it. >> Excellent. All in favor? >> I. >> And then, uh, we'll conclude the school board
103meeting at 8:18. All >> in favor? >> I I Awesome. Thank you.