001All right, guys. I think we can call the meeting to order at 6 o'clock. Are you okay to go? [clears throat] >> I'm great. >> Okay. All right. We'll stand and do the pledge and then [clears throat] >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Cindy playing. Um, all right. Welcome everyone. Thanks for coming in for this Monday special Monday event. Um, I would love to hear the student council report. Oh, we can let mommy say it. >> Satie and W. You guys want to come on up? >> Yeah. >> I cannot. >> Hi, I'm Satie. >> And I'm Wyatt from student council. We're in Miss Lo's fifth grade class and
002we have your student report for the month of February. >> This month at SMS we are participating in Read Across America through February 16th to the 20th. We have a spirit week spirit spirit week planned with different themes each day. Some of the big ones are Monday which is PJ day and Friday which is dress like a book character day. On Friday we will have our literary idol where the teachers dress up as book characters and we celebrate them in the gym with music and dancing. Last week we had the winter polar challenge. We went to different stations with our team in a sled. We answered trivia questions. After we after we finished completing all the tasks, we we got a drink and buns. We had we have had the winter polar challenge for several
003years and we enjoy being outside with our friends and working as a team. On Friday, February 6th, we had an opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics. PreK and K passed around and lit the torch to start the games. We watched a promotional video. Students read a story. We talked about the games and hung five Olympic rings. Each grade was assigned a color ring to wear for the ceremony. We looked great in the gym. We really like freestyle skiing and are watching at home. >> These are the things that have been going on this month. Thank you for having us. Do you have any questions? >> Great job. Thank you [applause] guys. >> Thank you so much. Does [clears throat] anybody have any questions? >> I can ask a question. >> Yeah. Okay. What what was
004your favorite polar challenge station? >> Yeah, probably yours. [gasps] >> Oh, that was good. >> Mhm. [laughter] >> And have you guys picked out who you are going to like what book characters you guys? >> No, we aren't doing one. >> Not doing one. How about you, Wyatt? >> Uh, no. >> No. All right. [laughter] >> I like um it seems like they're kind of unique this year. like the sweatshirts with the words and I'll po them in a pocket. I'm curious about that. Be great. >> So fun. Well, thank you guys so much for coming in. It does sound very busy. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, taking a look um at the public minutes. Um I think we'll do these separately. So, taking a look at the January 28th public. Does anybody have
005any edits? Nope, they looked good to me. >> So, I just had one edit. Like, this is something I actually always think a little bit too much about. They do capture what was said, but it is not always correct. Like, for example, um SMS has the highest contribution level in the entire SAU 9010 split. And we know Molly has said countless times. Um I guess I'm just wondering how we go about correcting that. Um I don't Is that something appropriate to correct? >> Sure. If it's not accurate, we could >> Okay. >> It was said by someone not the board. >> If it's someone's Oh, if it's public comment. >> Yeah. If it's their comment, then no. Um you could definitely talk about it and just >> talk about it here. But if that didn't
006come from this board, we can't correct that in the minutes if that's what they said. >> Okay. Well, maybe we could include it in next week's or next month's. >> It's correct. It just doesn't say health insurance after. >> Well, I think what's not correct is that it depends on their plan, right? And it depends. Um there are plans that are 85. >> Yeah. >> And there um so so it is um sub it it is not every plan that is 9010. There are other plans that have different splits. >> Yeah. Okay. Uh other than that, I did not have any uh any edits. Um so I'll move to accept those public minutes of January 28th. Um, I can second. Thanks, Sophie. Um, all in favor, please say I. >> I. Okay. 5 0. Taking
007a look at the minutes of February 10th. >> I have no edits on those. Me neither. And all of us were there, right? So, yep. Um, so I'll move to accept the minutes of February 28th. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Uh, Cameron, all in favor? I >> I. Anybody opposed? Okay. So, 500. All right. Moving on to the superintendent report. >> Sure. U I'm gonna ask if we can bring um Mark to up first uh before we do manifest. Uh Mark is our our owners rep for our construction project and he is gracious enough to come a couple days early to kind of give us a report of what's been going on and kind of the schedule that we're we're looking at. So, [clears throat] thanks for coming, Mark.
008>> Oh, thanks for having me. Good evening, everyone. Um as Chris said, Mark Jobin. I'm the owner's representative that uh you have on board for the project. So, a quick update on the project. Uh, the design team is working on last of the few details. We're working on new accessible uh play area for the preschool area, some updates to the front sidewalks that are going to be replaced towards the end of the project. Um, and making the main entrance a little bit more accessible and maybe a little bit more inviting uh than it than it is right now. Uh, Corino has all major subcontractors on board. Um materials have been procured, long lead items have been ordered, so we're in good shape there. Currently tracking under budget. Um we've actually boosted the contingency by probably
009about 130 140,000 from where we started. So through uh good subcontractor pricing and and things like that, we've been able to pick up some money along the way. So we're under budget, which is great. Um progress on the right side edition if you saw it tonight. Um the structure is up, the exterior walls are being framed. Um the plywood is going up. So in a week or two the masons will be there putting the brick on the exterior. Um left side edition is running about a week or so behind the right. Um so that has the interior framing and the roof is on um the roof structure and the decking. um exterior walls will be framed probably next week when the team goes from this side to that side and then we always have them
010bouncing back and forth. So, we're trying to get both additions sort of on the same path. The right one is a little ahead. We think maybe Memorial Day it'll be available to Kate to move some folks in there. Um which will be great. The we're going to try to advance the gym addition um excuse me the gym bathroom renovation which uh probably will start in March. So, we'll take those out of commission. Those are going to get expanded. They're going to become accessible, which they're not currently. So, that's going to be helpful. Um, also mid late March, we're hoping to start the addition on the cafeteria, the outside work. We won't be in the school, but we'll put up a fence like we did on the right side, and um, we'll start excavating. Hopefully, the
011weather's breaking by then, and we can get the foundations in so when school does get out in June, we can break through the cafeteria and really finish that. I mean, the goal is to have the three additions certainly done by the beginning of school, but it does seem like the two on the sides are going to be advanced before that, which is great. [snorts] Um, any questions? So, on on that, [clears throat] uh, I had a question about the I think the last meeting there was a note about the interior work and like the timeline based on that. I'm assuming that's referring to just the reconfigur like the interior is still being completed on the >> right that was just the the rework stuff. >> So the hope is working with Kate if we can
012get the right side edition occupiable and we can move some folks in there that we could maybe take a little bit of space from inside the building and start working on that before school gets out. Again, it's it's sort of in that Memorial Day, you know, May, early June time frame. Um, so we'll leaprog some people in there. We'll be able to take over some space on the inside. We have the whole administration area. We have the nurses area. And then of course a lot of the schools. So anything we can advance before summer and and the kids get out the better because summer's just so short. So >> is that what like the plan is to do a lot of that work during the summer for the the admin area? >> Absolutely. Admin area
013will be done. The nurses area will be done this summer. We [clears throat] have to get sprinkler in the rest of the building, new ceilings and lights, new mechanical equipment in a lot of the areas. So, that's all slated for this summer. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Any questions? >> Um, I guess what is sort of the biggest problem that you faced or is there anything that you're kind of dealing with right now? >> Get a little more snow this year than we thought out here. [laughter] >> You know, we're dealing with that. We had to get a ground heater and, you know, thaw out the ground and things like that. But that's, you know, sort of to be expected in New Hampshire. >> Um, no, it's really to put a good plan
014together for the summer because the summer is just so short. Um, really trying to anything we can get ahead of time. >> Um, you know, is just lengthens the summer and it it's just a higher percentage that we're going to be all done at the start of school. So, yeah. >> Anything that we as a board can do to support the project differently? I know Sophie and >> yeah, I think it's been going great. Sophie's attended a bunch of meetings. You know, Kate and Chris are there every week. And again, we're we're asking a lot. We're we're we're working well with Kate, I think. And you know, can we take this area? Can we do this? Can we do that? Um so, no, it's been going great so far. Anything that that we can do
015or or anything that uh you're hearing that might, you know, be negative, just feel free to let me know and we'll take care of it. Yeah. >> Yeah. That's great. Yeah, we really appreciate you coming in. Um, I'm [clears throat] just hoping maybe, you know, every few months or something we could sure talk about it and nice for people to read it in the minutes. >> Project's going fast. I mean, you know, it's going to be March in a couple of weeks and and it's really going to go fast. And then, >> um, you know, maybe we're working on a priority list. I think if there's, you know, if the money left over, the contingency holds the way it seems to be, you know, maybe we can do some of the things that had to
016fall off the list because we didn't think we had enough money. So, we definitely want to start those conversations about, you know, while the contractors are here, what else can we, you know, maybe add to the list um and and get done this summer. So, >> Okay. >> Yeah. Absolutely. >> Wonderful. >> Thank you so much. Thanks. >> You're welcome. Thank you. >> Thanks, Mark. >> Appreciate it. >> You're up with the manifest. >> So, here are the manifest. Sorry, I hit every red light on the way here. Sorry. >> I don't have a pen. >> Um, >> thank you. in your board pack is a current year financial. Um, so we were able to relieve a little bit of expense. Um, there were some additional expenses, but we were able to relieve a lot
017as well. Did anyone have any questions? I did put notes next to a lot of the items. Um, the big item that we did relieve was propane gas. I did talk with our facilities um department here and because looking at how much we were actually spending versus um how much time is left in the school year, we worked to relieve that incumbrance to get a little bit money um freed up in the budget. >> So am I understanding this? Can I say the number out loud? >> Well, I mean we so keep in mind this is an incumbrance. This is not a final >> promise. So what we do is we look at utilities from what point throughout the year we are and change things up and down as we're trending. And so we did
018relieve 30,000 out of the the LP propane gas line because with the new boilers that we're seeing that's what we're seeing right now. >> Wow. >> But keep in mind it is an encumbrance. It is at a point in time and it will change all the way up until June 3rd. >> Very exciting. So, did anyone have any questions? And then the manifests are just floating around if you want to sign those. >> Thank you. >> They come your way. Sounds great. Okay. Open enrollment. Are we on that? We >> sure are. Uh, I gave to you each a copy of what the warrant articles will look like. So there was a lot of questions and we do have a good timeline because you are an annual meeting not an SB2 town. So by tomorrow
019is when we have to finalize all and have all of our warrants posted. So there was question do we need to do our own warrant article on open enrollment. There's nothing that would behoove you not to do it. Um it just provides you with more liability with some of the the suggested language of the multiple different open enrollments that are being discussed at the state. um having your own open enrollment that has been similar to what was adopted at the co-op and also by the Brentwood school board. That's what I wrote there of us. You first you have to identify as yourself as an open enrollment school and then you have to identify the percentage of students with numbers that you would receive or that you would send out. So uh taking the feedback I
020I um Molly and I wrote it as we did for the co-op and for Brentwood. And again, the reason this there is to help protect liability in the time of where we don't know what the funding source would be like. Um, as you know, uh, per RSA 194D, right now it's 80 and 20. So, if you are a sending school, you're sending 80% of your tuition costs that you have to that uh, receiving school and receiving school is picking up another 20%. So, again, um, you know, if you look at the cost per pupil or tuition cost for for Stratum, it might be a little bit higher for someone that that's one of our neighbors. So you're not going to get the full expenditure. So then we would be subsidizing the education of someone that's
021not a resident of Stratam to come here. So that is the one of the main reasons. The other reason is that putting that local control which we strive for in New Hampshire to put back on that you are responsible for your budget and for the residents and the students of your of your community. Um and by taking on um students and residents that don't pay taxes here, you could have extra liabilities or costs based on the needs of that student um that that it goes with it. So that is what I put up there for you and and you give you the opportunity to ask questions, you know, talk through it and and if it's something that you want to stick. If you don't, then we remove it and then we'll post. But either way,
022we do have to make a decision whether you want that number three warn article on open enrollment to be part of of the conversation. >> Thanks so much, Chris. So I would love to um hear from the board and then um I will open it up to public comment um if if anybody in the public. So, questions or comments on the board? Yeah, >> question. Um, >> did they ever clarify if it was 80% of what we spend or 80% of what a surrounding school would spend? What? >> Yep. So, it's 80% if you're receiving. So, if I'm in New Market, you're getting 80% of their tuition costs to come in here. Not 80% of our cost. >> Not 80% of our tuition cost. Okay. And there, oh, sorry. >> And wasn't there a tuition
023aspect as well for parents? If there was something I I'm not sure if I read that correctly, that parents would have to make up the difference. >> Yeah, it's back and forth. So, different there's a lot of different bills on open enrollment. Some are saying that the the um parents would pay that 20%, others are saying no, that that's based on our school district to pick that up. The one consistent that is transportation is not included in any of that calculation. But depending which bill you get because there'll be a Senate bill, there'll be a House bill and how they go through in the languages they they sometimes compete. >> I'm for adopting it as written um to accept zero and um have 0%. I think that makes sense. gives us financial control and um
024it's also for me like an equity and a financial equity thing because I feel like if there's a town with fewer resources and those students want to come here then um only the you know better off kids in that district would be able to come here if transportation isn't provided. So, I feel like for those poor districts, it would just deplete them further of resources, and I I don't want to support that. >> Uh, do we we talked earlier, I think last year, about putting money aside for legal challenges? Is that something that we expect as far as this in response to that 194D? >> So, we did put money into our budget under legal. Uh I think we just increased it maybe a thousand but we did not go up significantly. Um so again
025um I would say that there's a lot more with legal than just open enrollment and we're seeing a lot more questions uh right to no requests. Um special education uh placement. Um so and that's not just a stratum issue. That's a New Hampshire uh issue. Um but definitely an SA16. We we've seen an increased amount of um just questions that are coming in that we've had to go for legal guidance on. >> Okay. Is it there's another um [clears throat] I can't remember which one. There's another non SB2 town in SA16, right? >> Brettwood's the only other annual meeting town. So you and you guys run on the same schedules based on the DRA and when everything needs to be um >> Do you know >> based on their timeline? >> Do you know if
026they were planning to >> They did. They adopted this at Yep. last week week before two weeks ago. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Thanks. >> Yeah. I just had a question. So, you're saying that 80% of the tuition from the district that would send would be we would be able to >> we would get that. >> You would receive that, right? If so there's there's a number of things that could happen. There's either it doesn't get there's no mandate. >> Correct. >> But there's open enrollment exists and it's on the books today. It's just not mandated. >> Open enrollment has been on the books since 2009. >> 2009. Right. >> Yeah. >> If it does get mandated, does this warrant article is this warrant article rendered >> moot? So that's the great question and
027that's what I have in for legal um consult after what is determined at the state to look at. So there's arguments both ways. [snorts] >> What's the argument? What's the argument that it would [clears throat] not be rendered uninforceable? >> That that's what I'm waiting for guidance on. >> Okay. >> Yeah. If if it becomes mandated by the state and it is required, let's say that the legal challenge doesn't isn't upheld, then I do fear that we're we'd be giving citizens in March the sense that they're voting for something that they don't really have control over. I think you would still be able to protect yourself because you're setting a number, which you would be able to do. There are there are districts that have no number. So therefore, if you become an open enrollment
028school, so by this warrant article, you're you're saying that you're open enrollment and you're doing 000 cuz it does say you have to put a percentage in there, which I think would up be upheld and then you have every year you could you can review that. If there's schools out there that have not done any open enrollment, then they have and it does go full state. I think they're holding they they'll become liable that they could have anybody come in or or leave without any control of that. What it what says that? >> The current open enrollment. >> Uh well that yeah you have the current open enrollment >> and if it gets passed it it's a statewide open enrollment. >> Right. I think the Senate bill though doesn't it say that you have to
029define capacities. >> You do in the way that we wrote it. Yes. But if you don't if you don't define capacity then you're open to what any interpretation you want. >> Right. But say we were to say we were to say zero and zero, then we would not we could actually have if it gets passed in some kind of way, we could have kids leave this district. >> Nope. >> Why couldn't they leave this district if it was mandated for open enrollment? >> Because we've set a zero and zero. [clears throat] >> So we're saying that that even though it's been mandated in in a particular way that it might be legislated that we're not paying anybody to leave this district. >> Correct. They can go, but we're not paying. >> Correct. >> And we're
030also not going to be able to receive anybody who wants to come this way. >> Correct. >> I don't know. Is that that sound that sounds like that's that sounds workable and true and like that's going to legally be upheld that way? >> Uh there's a lot of districts that have written that same exact way. There are other districts that have done zero sending and put a percentage on the number of students they'll receive. So, they're willing to take money in. They're not willing to put money out. >> Well, well, that's the thing that I'm kind of getting at is like we're putting ourselves in the position where we're saying >> we're not going to pay, but we're also not going to receive. >> We've been talking about for a while that there that enrollment
031is low, that we may have different capacities. Um, and we're basically saying that we would not allow people to come into the school. Um, >> I don't know. I think that the false sense I actually disagree in the equity piece. I think if you are in a in a not performing well district to be able to go to a performing well district actually improves equity. That's just my personal opinion on that one, Stoie. I mean I get the transportation piece. Um I don't know. I just have I just have I I I am not persuaded to support it. I'm just one vote and I'm not persuaded to support the Warren article at this time. open to more thoughts and >> conversation about it. >> Thank you. All right, I'm going to open up um public
032comment. Is there anybody in the public that would like to comment? >> We'll open that up for 30 minutes. >> I had a question, Chris. Um with this, it says zero and zero. Could we revisit this every year and say we want to change this? I mean, you know, we're keeping a breast of what's going on in the state. We want to change this to five and five or whatever. Like, is this editable? Like, >> yep. So, you just have to bring it in front of your your residents each year. So, it' be up for a vote of how many you want to accept in or if you want to send out. >> So, it's this is not set in stone. If we revisit this in a year and the board, whoever's on the board
033at that time says, um, you know, we really should change these percentages, that's a possibility. >> Yep. and then it would just have to be voted on. And if the residents of Stratam say yes, we agree with it, then that's that's the percentage you could take in or send out based on that. >> And that'd be our recommendation is that we'd review this warrant article every year. Um especially if there are changes at the state and there's different funding sources that come in with it. Um you know, again, if you look at, you know, I I would be if I'm in that lower performing school district and all my high performers leave, how does that leave that that school district, right? So that that would be a concern that I would have of of our
034partners, our neighbors. >> So, and just to clarify, there is no additional state money tied to this is correct. It's all local money being shuffled. >> This is all your your budget that you have. And again, not this with this law changing and coming out so late. There was very few districts that were putting money into a a line item to prepare for how many students unless you had been doing it previously and you know how many students are coming in. Again, the the two districts that are were current uh were Franklin and Prospect Mountain. Franklin did not have students going in and out. Um Prospect Mountain does and has increased that year-over-year, but they don't send any kids out. So they only collect money and they are a zero sending school and they have
035gone up each year based on their their capacity of what they would receive in. >> Okay, >> there you go. So, uh, just in interest of the the minutes and we were talking about that, I I guess I heard a comment about that enrollment is low and I feel like that's a narrative we keep hearing over and over again, but we talked about this during the financial um, meeting last week and I believe the number was pretty much unchanged for five or six years and I think somebody had pegged to like a 600 number which was way in the past, right? Um, so and I think Sophie, you referenced the study saying it was going to be basically flat or slightly increased. So I just want to put that out because I feel like I
036hear people working towards we need to rightsize the staff based on the number of students and now I'm hearing the narrative that we have extra capacity because of all the space we have. So I I think we're at the right place and my concern is all the data gathering we've been hearing that have improved the test scores and the things that the community have asked that's going to like blow up that entire process to have people coming in and out and not have consistent student body of folks. So that's that's my in favor of that. One more question on the thing that Kathleen had mentioned. If so, if if it goes to a warrant, then the town has decided you can only make that decision every year and then it really has to be voted
037on to changed versus a board being responsible for being able to make these capacity changes. >> I mean, we don't know what the final legislation would look like, correct? >> But you're taking the power away from the board. you're giving it to town folk who it's their it's their school, but oftentimes people on the board were more familiar with the dayto day and we get a lot more briefings and a lot more updates and to be able to pivot on that midyear or something else versus being able to have to do that once and beholden to a vote on it. Uh I just would bring that up because it's just something I won't be here to do that. Um, I would be sitting in the audience voting as a but it's it is taking that
038away from the board to be able to make those decisions around capacity. >> Yeah, I feel like that's different than what I heard you say before. I thought it was something like every year gets voted on, but you're saying whatever passes tonight stays until >> till till you write rewrite the warrant, you bring it back up for vote for next year. >> Okay. >> Which the board will have the capacity to understand. We we do have space for 20 kids and we can take five at kindergarten, five at first grade. So you do have that structure as a board to say where there's a number of kids you can take and which grade level. >> So you'll be hearing that through capacity reports. Then your then your residents have to agree upon that. >> Yeah.
039>> But bring it up for a war article and do it in in March. >> Y it's not like it's a policy. This is the law and that's the way the law is written that each year if you're going to change it, it goes back to your voters to do that. So, we're not we're we're at a at a we are at the you know the leisure of conquered based on how that was written. >> Well, I think the reality is this is all going to be lagging anyway because even if we vote in a meeting in March to say we're going to accept students, we've already done the budget for that year. So, I think it's kind of a moot point. Like I I think our primary concern is that this makes the budget
040even more difficult. I that's what I think. And I think if we adjust the number in [clears throat] March, we won't be able to adjust the budget until the following March, right? I mean, as far as like when we go to change that number, we're not going to know how many students are coming in or out. So, I just don't know how we're going to develop a budget going forward like that. [snorts] So, I think whether we can set the number as a group, like we're still not going to be able to project that cost because people can I mean, we don't know the final verbiage, but it sounds like people will be able to come and go, right? >> Yeah. based on the capacity that you set, right? So, if you say you're only
041going to accept five students, you can only accept five students. But one of those students leaves, then you can open it up. And so, if you have a waiting list and you call them and say, "Hey, you know, this this is now open." So, it's a lot more accountability of how we're going to have to look at who's going to want to come to our schools. And again, you we are constantly doing that homework. I I brought it to you and said we're less concerned at elementary schools because there's nobody else writing warrant articles on open enrollment at elementary schools. They are writing them for your middle school and high schools. Right. Right. So that's where your liability can be much greater. Um and and you know there's different reasons. So again, if you choose
042to do it, that is totally the I just wanted to have you give give you options because there was a lot of chatter >> um and give you examples of what some other boards have done um in regards to this question. >> So what Kathleen asked so the 80% I just want to be make sure I completely understand it would be whatever town decides this is their budget and that's what it costs. Yep. to educate a student, we now have to accept 80% of what they've decided their cost is >> regardless of what it cost. >> That's the cost per pupil that's set by the New Hampshire ed. So that's on their website each year. But again, it's going to be different. So Portsouth is different than New Markets, which is different than Raymond's, which
043is different than uh Kensington, you know. So wherever they're coming from, that's the 80% you get. So it's not the same amount of money. So we know that in in Stratum, every kid has been budgeted for for $24,000, say, right? going to get them off a little bit, but we might only get $20,000 for a student from from Epic. We might only get $18,000 for a student from from Portsouth. We might only get $16,000 for Oyster River. All those kids would come under open enrollment. That's the that's the money that you would collect. You're not going to get the full tuition cost of what we we pay for out of our budget here in Stratum. >> And you're already losing. So, it's 20% off of that to start though, right? So, whatever that district's money
044or amount is, it's already at 80%. And then >> that's what the current law reads. >> Yeah. >> No, not less than 80% of the sending district's average cost per pupil. That's the language and that's been consistent. >> Yeah. I think that I mean I don't know. I would think people in town that's going to be a tough cell to say, "Hey, we're going to foot the bill for people that don't pay taxes in Stratum." I think that's a tough and I what you know whether it holds up to a legal challenge. I guess that we'll see. I I feel like what we've heard over this budget season I think that's a I don't think people are going to be excited with that. I think the question is I mean it's 80% but it's it's
045a it's marginal it's it's a marginal addition right so it's not like you're bearing the full cost of all these things it's if you have capacity then you're actually getting marginal revenue that's one way that I would I would suggest that people think about it um on the um on the numbers for that I always remember looking at those tuition like the cost per from the state they were like in a rears they were like a year old or something that true too. >> That sure is. >> So, they're going to be looking at like a year's back. So, it's 80% of something that's in a rears that's probably not as well performing as it would be today. >> Correct. >> Is it one year or two year? >> Uh, it's one year. >> It
046is just one year. I guess it depends on when you catch it though. It can be like a year and a half or something whenever you're making those decision. Just a note that that's another that number is not going to be as good as you want that, >> right? It's not going to be current. >> But it again, but it is marginal revenue. Just something to think about. like every kid you're adding, you're not just you're not adding $24,000 worth of expense for that kid. This is marginal revenue into the town. >> But there is those like tipping point things I would think as far as like I know this doesn't include transportation, but one of the big transportation like items was once you hit over so many students, right? Then you got another bus
047or another whatever. I would think it like I don't know how we can simultaneously say well we're going to take zero and we're going to basically say we're at capacity to me that makes that's a reasonable argument right because otherwise if you're saying I have additional capacity well you would just reduce the budget by that much if you had the why would you pay for extra capacity that you had I'm thinking that then you have students that push you over some threshold and then you're adding teachers and other things. It's a good question and I had another one on the special ed specifically, but I think if this was saying like it's zero and it's zero, we're not sending we're not receiving the Warren article is saying that it's also saying we're going to let
048the town voters decide it and we're going to decide it once a year on the revenue that comes in. Can you make any determination about special education? >> Yep. >> And and do do you get additional funds from special education? Just like when we have to send somebody out of district, do we get something different than the 80% on the tuition? So, you're going to have to whatever their IEP calls for, that's the services you're going to have to provide, right? They may come with a support staff or you may have to hire that support staff and then bill it back to the district to be able to pay for that. >> If you know, if you're paying, say, let's use just a student or a staff member for mapping, their cost might be a
049lot different than our costs based on their CBA. So if we inherit that person, we're going to be paying a higher cost to service that student that would have been possibly at at the Eping School District for for that same amount of services. >> So their staff comes with them >> very well could or they could say we don't and they're going to pay you for that staff if that's what it's required for in that IEP. Staffing for pair professionals, as you know, we've talked about is very difficult. So they might say, "Hey, we don't have a staff to go there. We're going to pay you to find the staff to do it." So that would be have to be negotiated through through that conversation. But then do we not have the ability then to
050to also do out of district placement on a kid that comes here into our district? >> They would be part of that that discussion. >> Okay. So that's >> we can't say we can't say no to a special education student unless they were uh on the waiting list. >> But but I'm saying we have kids here that we have to send out of district >> if the kid comes in. >> This wouldn't be considered an out of district placement because you're a public school. You're this is their >> on the open enrollment. We're the school of record, but once we're the school of record, then don't we still have the ability to do an out of district placement if we can't support the kids? Like, or are they saying that no, you you can't go
051out of district? You have whoever kid comes here, >> still it still be a team. >> Still the same thing. >> Yeah. >> Can we educate that that student with the services here and if we can't then have to go back to whatever that resident but >> because that seems like that would be a very bad idea if they don't allow you to continue. >> But again, they're coming here. their their idea of what uh adequate education based on their sending district might be different than what we look at and the services that they provide and how they provide it and the IP that they wrote how that transfers over here can be might be very different. >> I I totally get that and and I think we do such a good job to be
052honest with you. We have a good reputation for having a great program for especially I could see somebody coming here thinking that we can fulfill all the same things and and can't fulfill the same things because we're not set to do that. we plan differently to to >> I think it extends beyond students with IEP based services too, right? You have 504s, you have students through intervention or thinking about our extension program through our CST and through our data days. I think that there are implications that are not as clear-cut as like so I've worked in places where we sent our kids to another town for middle school and high school and they had an allocart menu for special ed services. that is not something that's set up here and that is and that is
053a once negotiated really hard thing to change and that is the it's a slippery slope and then if you think about all the things beyond special ed that we would be talking about [clears throat] it becomes really complicated very very fast particularly when often kids aren't um identified for special education until about second grade because typically when they come to kindergarten we really try not to identify students only because we don't know what their previous experiences are so you really want them to have had schooling to better understand and their cognitive profile. So, there's a lot in early elementary that is more complicated than because there's so many unknowns when it comes to their cognitive profile and level of service. >> And then the transportation piece on special ed is still totally out just like
054it is for any other kid who wants to come for open enrollment, mandatory open enrollment >> if they're coming from that distance that they would have to provide transportation if they're here. Correct. >> That's kind of a barrier. Mhm. >> But then once they're here, if we have to go out of district >> or some service, then the transportation's on us. >> Uh it would be if we're going on a field trip or Yeah. things like that. We'd have to accommodate their needs of that. >> Or if they have a service that needs to be provided somewhere >> outside this building. >> Yeah. Okay. Just want to make sure. But getting them here to begin with every day, >> not part of the transportation. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> So that's a good point. I
055didn't think about that. So you're saying if somebody is a student here from open enrollment and then requires a service not here, then the school becomes responsible for paying for transportation because they're already here. >> It would be what you'd look at in the IP and and again that'd be part of the negotiated cost that you'd have to talk about. What does it what does it cost? >> Okay. >> Can I ask a question about this uh the warrant article? This is either like a yes or a no. It's not something that can be modified, right? as far as at the meeting, >> uh, you can't change the intent of of the of the warrant article. So that that the moderator would make that very clear that you can't change the intent. Should be a
056yes or no vote. >> Okay? [snorts] >> And if it's a no, what will happen? >> You're you're not an open enrollment school. And then if it does go statewide, then you don't have any other protected liabilities to protect your district. >> You probably want to start figuring out your capacities ASAP. I mean that right I mean that that would be you'd have to figure out what the final wording of the legislation is but >> the state would need to define what they mean by capacity which they have yet to do. >> Sure. >> So we can't measure our capacity against nothing. That's there's there's no there's arbitrary if any criteria to measure your capacity. >> Yeah. I just feel like as a lawyer it seems so foreign to you know vote on something that
057we don't even know for sure. Right. that's that's not what lawyers do. And also I agree with Eric on the equity piece. You know, I know in some states this is actually viewed as an equity solution. Um on the other hand, as board chair, it seems impossible to set up a budget um without knowing all of these things. And I think like for that reason um I think I would probably be in favor of the warrant uh with the idea that you know it's modified down the road. But um yeah, I'm really kind of torn on it. I guess how did Brentwood kind of think about this idea that they have to vote as a town every >> year? They voted they brought the same argument that was brought up at the co-op in front
058of the at the deliberative at the deliberate board. you know, was local control. >> Yeah. >> And they're budgeting for their students that they can that they know and that they um >> can plan out year after year. >> Yeah. >> Um so that was part of it and it was also they don't see it as a revenue source. Uh they see it because you're still supplementing 20% of the cost >> in your school, right? >> Yeah. Um was there public comment? >> Yeah, please. >> Just a couple. Hi. Bob Monaco from Gford Farm Road. Um just a couple of comments on things you were talking about. Um you're talking about transportation. My understanding of the current law and the one the new one is that a sending town uh student is eligible to take
059a bus from the closest borderline. So there could be an impact on I think it was meant that there's no impact on transportation. There may be because they not their obligation isn't to get the student all the way to Stratam Elementary School. It would be to get them to a bordering uh bus stop. >> So there is potential impact there. Um >> that's true. >> Couple other things. Um, my only comment would be I'm not sure how much it would hold up if the new law passes that if you say you you you will not take student uh you will not uh send students out that that's going to be a legal fight probably. I don't know if that's a legal fight the town of Stratam wants to finance. So we may be able to
060do this Warren article. I'm not a lawyer. I've been I watch a lot of these things in the legisl legislature, but >> you may you may be open up a can of worms, a fight you may not want to have. Yeah. >> But just be aware of that. Um but those are a couple of just factual things I want to share. If anyone disagrees or you know if you know if I'm misreading the the bus thing. >> No, the bus thing you're right. That's what we >> So it does have potential impact. >> Yeah, it does. And then I would say that the current law even in with uh Prospect Mountain there is zero uh sending school that is held up. >> They can be you just have to separate. So you they they are
061receiving >> I just don't know if the new the current law I agree. I don't I think the new law is still structured to try to remove that but whatever that's that's something have to be interpreted when the time comes and it's not law yet. So it's that's one of the things that's going on. >> Correct. >> It's just it's just a risk. >> Thank you. >> Go [clears throat] ahead Patrammy Tall Pines Drive. Yeah. So, I'm I'm a little confused. Well, first off, I'm not sure why this is a warrant article versus the board just making a a decision on this. Uh, so a warrant article means it's going to come to the it's going to come to the legislative body, meaning the town, citizens of the town, to vote on this. And it
062it' be helpful to the not many people in the audience here, but not seeing the warrant article, I'm not quite sure what it says. And and to me it it's you I could see it be would be be binding to the current law that exists, but you guys could do that. You don't need the town to to do it, but if you want the town to do it, that's great. Um but but I I know the legislature well, and this one's going to be battled out to the very end until the end of uh the end of May, April, May, June. Yeah. end of May, early June when they're out of session, it'll probably go to committee of conference. The Senate and the House will battle this out uh one way or another. So, we
063don't really know what, like you were saying, what are we voting on? We don't know what what the future's going to be here. And and I don't I don't see the town of Stratam, you know, this could be a a symbolic vote that we're, you know, we're against um the concept, that's one thing. But when it when but when the legislature votes, I mean, the law is the law. Uh is what I see. So, um again, I I'm I'm interested because I'm going to be at at the SMS town meeting. I I want to know what I'm voting on. Uh somehow you guys are going to have to communicate that to everybody. Um be great if you had copies for the few of us who are here so we could see. Thank you. >> Thanks,
064Pat. Pat, do you want to take my take my copy? Let me just grab this back for you at the end. right there. Um, all right. Any other comments or questions from the board? >> I just have one more quick comment. So, I know you Jennifer, you mentioned your concern about us voting on something that hasn't been decided. And I guess my closing comment on that would just be that the legislature has put us in that position by basically enforcing deadlines on us because it's my understanding that we had to do this to beat the DRRA deadline right before the you know I mean like we're we're doing the same thing that they're doing because we have no idea what the answer is. So, I I I definitely agree that it's like I I think
065everybody's like, I don't know what that means, but I think >> yeah, >> this at least gives us a little bit of something to stand on. I agree with the point that, you know, we're I I don't think we want to drum up a legal fight, but I also take a little bit more comfort in the fact that Brent would pass it in the regional co-op. Well, it's going to be on I shouldn't say pass it. It's going to be on the on the vote. [snorts] >> Yeah. All right. Any [clears throat] other public comments? I got seven more minutes. Um, all right. Anything else from the board? >> Does anyone want to [clears throat] propose a vote? >> I'll make a motion to accept the open enrollment warrant as written. This is Sophie, >>
066I guess. Do you want to read that just for the purpose of people that might not have it? >> Sure. Shall the Stratam School District vote to adopt an open enrollment school program designating Stratam Memorial School as an open enrollment school pursuant to NH RSA 194D for the purpose of enabling the district to admit zero non-resident students to SMS with 0% of its resident pupils permitted to attend open enrollment schools located outside of the district. Majority vote required. This article is recommended by the SMS school board. >> Okay. Uh, I'll second for purposes of discussion. Any discussions on the motion? >> Um, I think that we should pass this and keep the percentages at zero until we see what happens over the next year. Um I'm a little concerned that there really hasn't been any
067discussion in conquered and it was added some of the open enrollment um laws were added as amendments and so there really hasn't there's a lot of vagueness that makes me very concerned um such as Kate com commented about how we don't really know what capacity means. Um, I don't like vagueness and I think that the fact that we can address this every year and change our minds makes me feel better about saying right now we're going to be a zero receiving zero sending school. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else? I I guess I'll just go I because I had started one way and I I think the way I would after hearing everything I still don't I don't like this being the mechanism to do it I don't think in the warrant article um I
068would prefer that the board set a policy to do it um so there's more flexibility for the board as things change that's that would be my reason for opposition >> [cough and clears throat] >> I hear you, Eric. We We have to have it as a warrant article based on RSA 194, you have to it has to be a question on the warrant article. That's how the law reads for open enrollment. >> Correct. >> My thought would be [snorts] if it if it passes and it's mandatory, make your capacity decisions. Until then, you there's you don't have to comply with anything. It's the status quo. Nothing's changed. All right. Any other comments, questions? All right. Let's take a vote. Um, all in favor of the warrant as uh read by Sophie, please say I. >>
069I. >> Anybody opposed? So, Eric opposes. So, 410. >> All right. Thank you. So, I do have the signature pages. Um, so I am So, we can use the same signature pages. I'm just going to replace it with the new um back of it, but Eric, if you want to sign, you were the one that hadn't signed yet. So, I'll pass those down towards you. Um, and so I the warrant will be reprinted with the new warrant article and then the MS26 will be reprinted because if you notice no numbers change in the 26, but you'll notice that there's certain things that reference warrant articles. So, by adding this, it bumps the trust down to the next warrant article. So, to make all the references work, I'm just going to reprint. >> Okay. >> I'm
070just thinking about you and communications. How does this Yeah. Okay. >> That's fine. >> Yeah. I don't think people are going to be hung up on it. >> We also have a video that we shared with all the co-op on this. So Sophie, you should have a copy of that. If not, it it will highlight everything that we talked about in the co-op in Brentwood for this article. >> Okay, [clears throat] that's okay. Sounds good. Thank you. All right. Um SMS administrative report. >> So um the monthly presentation was moved to March. So, we'll be doing that in March, but I didn't know if anybody had any follow-up questions from the [clears throat] report that was submitted to you on just our monthly update. I mean, we just met with you, so there's a ton
071on here. Yeah. >> Um, but there's anything you have questions about, please feel free to ask. I think it's pretty substantive. >> Um, one of the things I'm one of the things I'm curious about is the report card survey. >> Yeah. >> So, is that something like that you guys had always planned to do and it just kind of >> or Yes. Curious about that. So we started the conversations gosh I guess probably you guys started the admin retreats just about the progress report and just seeking more feedback from the community and then we started a report card committee that met first time December I think after the [clears throat] principles and rest of the SAU admin had been meeting um really just wanting to seek further feedback and ensuring that it's communicating with our
072families the way it's intended to and okay >> um >> I think we're really looking forward to seeing what um our families and our >> our students and our staff you know have to say about if it's meeting the expectations We were hoping >> Yeah, it came twofold too because at the middle school they made some changes to their report card this year and there was some conversation that at last uh last May they that the public wasn't aware of some of those changes. Um so uh we we asked to do a deep dive into the report card and get feedback both from teachers and from uh caregivers on how we were doing for our K8 report card. So >> that's why that we want to get it because our goal would be that we
073would take that information. will meet again in March to look through all of the uh survey results that come back. And again, this is this is done by a private third party vendor to collect all this information. They they we help them then they um they put the um questions, make sure that they were valid and reliable. Um so they see all the results. None of us see it. They will actually coate the results and they'll send it to us for March. look at a committee and then we will build what we what changes have been suggested, what's working really well and be able to go back to each board with recommendations of what our K8 report card would could should look like. >> Yeah, there's been a ton of work done on the curriculum
074side as well over the past years with Jill in that position and some shifts and so we really wanted to make sure that that was representative of all the work that the committees are doing through the >> competency based cycle reviews. >> Sounds good. Yeah, I'm really curious. Anybody else? >> Are you guys going to get a readout of the survey report at the board and say what? [laughter] >> I'm just curious. I think I actually think it can go >> a number of different ways. I've warmed to it a little bit. Like I wasn't always somebody who like I I don't know. There was like some like softness to like trying to figure out what did it mean. Yeah. >> And I know that's what actually you're trying to ask in the thing. So
075it'll be interesting to see if if it's still the way people look at it or if they look at it differently. I think there's been lots of great conversations since it rolled out with families, whether that's at student led conference time, whether that's based on the evenings that we had here, but also relationships with teachers. So if there are points of clarity, I think around especially when it was switched from standards to competencies, that was a big leap for a lot of our families. So it was like a natural curve for everybody. Um I think as an elementary school, we love the narratives like that's our favorite part because it's like the personal part of it, but it's also a really timeconsuming thing. And so I think it is like is there a better way
076for that be reflected so the narrative might not be quite so verbose or lengthy. Um but the feedback we get from our families is relatively positive almost every year when we roll them out. So that's good. >> And but we always can use I mean we have areas we want to improve on because that would be certainly nice to get the feedback. >> Middle school I definitely want to know that one too. >> Yeah. >> That's a transitional period where you start getting more into like >> quantifiable data metrics like is this like an A or is this like a what does this mean? people. >> I could have a conversation with you for days about her. We could talk about that for days. >> We'd love harassing Millie about her D's. You guys, [laughter]
077>> great job. >> Developing well. >> Um, okay. Sounds great. Any others? >> So, you said the um report will be pushed to March. Isn't that the district meeting? >> We also have our monthly meeting, I think. Um, so March 4th is the annual meeting, but then we have our >> Forgot about that one. Thanks. >> Yep. Perfect. All right. Uh, any board reports or committee reports? >> I I missed my committee meeting. >> Mhm. >> I had to work. So, I don't even have notes. This was like a first read for me on the policy. >> Also, we have one coming up for Thursday because >> we have it. It's like it's always like a month old. >> I'm happy to go and take notes, but somebody else will. >> Oh, yeah. >> So,
078just a thought on that. Unless somebody else wants to join that one. It's Thursday of this week. >> What time is it? >> I think it's like six. It's like most most of these meetings, >> right? >> Are they in person or Zoom? >> It's a Zoom. You can do Zoom. You can go in person or Zoom. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Would you want to go? >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. >> If >> I can I can share you the agenda. I'll share that with you. >> Thank you. >> Be great. Thanks, Cam. >> Can you just make an introduction for Thank you. >> Okay. Um, sounds good. Yeah. So, we'll just do those policies as a first read and we'll take a look at them on the March 18th. >> Okay. >> Um, I
079guess the only thing I wanted to just say as a chair is um just how much I've appreciated this board and the composition of this board. I think all five of us like really, you know, care about this stuff and it's really been, you know, quite an honor for me to work with you guys and um, you know, things will things will change next month, but I just wanted to make sure you knew how much I appreciate it and I think Eric is such a thoughtful person. Um, and by that I don't mean nice. I just mean you are full of thought. [laughter] >> Nice. >> [laughter] >> No, you don't want to be nice without being disagree. Lame, but kind of you want to be kind. You're also kind. >> Appreciate it because I
080I think I've always said that we need to have lots of different perspectives so that we come to the best decision. >> Yeah, >> I appreciate [snorts] your perspective there. >> So, I just I very much appreciate working. Yeah, >> cuz I won't say anything on the district meeting, but I really want to say I appreciate all of the board members, past board members. The reason I came here was co it was just we had it was like a different time and it was very very difficult and I really wanted to make sure we didn't have that group of kids that got missed and everybody has on the administration everybody in the board did everything I feel like to support those kids and do as much as we could to get that and we're starting
081to see some in a lot of different ways it not just the state of assessments but but enrichment and all the different programs that are going on just seeing a lot of things >> um that are really really positive for those kids. So, I'm I just want to say thank you for that as well. >> I know. And that reading Kate's admin report, you know, obviously >> Yeah. I think >> it was just like Yes. >> Yeah. >> Like what I was hoping like the main reason why I came on, I think we're >> Yeah, it's been a really good I think collectively. Yeah. >> A lot of good work. >> Anyway, thanks to everybody for that. >> You Jennifer, [clears throat] >> thank you. Run again, please. [laughter] >> Not a chance. He paused
082on that one really long. >> Well, don't be a stranger. >> As we're thinking for the annual meeting, um would do you want me to work specifically with you and I'll write a script for each one of the warrant articles who's going to present it. Um and then, you know, if there's anything else, you typically, you know, make a vote for re reconsider uh restrict reconsideration um so I can write a script with you. Yep. >> But if feel people feel really confident about one of the warrant articles that you'd like to present at the annual meeting or if Jennifer is going to present them all. >> Yeah. And I guess we'll talk about it because that video will you show that video like are we kind of >> Yep. So I'll write that whole
083script where we'll start off the meeting. One thing that you also have to look if you look at Warren article one right it's got your test scores on there. That's new this year and that's required by law that you have to have your test scores there and we cannot put any other information. So some people will say well what do you mean you're you're at um >> uh 75 >> 69% proficient in ELA and 75 for math. You know that 69 that's terrible. That's only a D+, right? Actually, that's really good. Yeah. >> Um, so what we are working on too at the SAU is putting out here's what those test scores mean, right? 69 is not bad. 69 is good and here's how it compares to the state. So, this will be the one
084time that we compare to the state, but I we can't put that on the warrant. You just this is the only information you can have. We want people to come in and say, "Wait a minute. Okay, that that is good scores. You know, that that's where we want to be at." 75% math is really really good. Um, so we're going to put something out for each district, but I just want you to have that. So if those questions come up that everyone is is prepared for that as well. >> But I think Sophie you had included some context maybe if we're doing like a slide thing that showed like state versus the Wasn't that the slide? >> Yeah, I can I mean I can even put that in the notes that I send out. Um
085>> that'd be great. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah, I can work with you on that. >> Sure. Great. >> All right. >> Okay. >> Science is always a tough one to explain. Well, remember too it's only one grade level. Exactly. The other three are three grade levels combined. So you're building upon it. So that's the other thing people don't understand. And can we get zeros? We can. You know, also student there's only a small percentage of students that can take an alternative special education assessment. And so if you're a student in fifth grade and you read at third grade leading level and you can you have to take the fifth grade test whether you're and you can't have the test read to them in ELA where you can read parts of the test in math
086to the student. So these are just some of the nuances that I don't think people totally understand. um when they're when they're looking at those those scores. So, there's a lot that makes it up. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Sounds great. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. Uh any old business? Any new business? Um no, not public. >> No, not public. Okay. >> Wow. >> All right. Sophie is going to go play some soccer. >> Woohoo. [laughter] >> And uh we're going to go home. >> So, the manifest. >> Yeah. Motion to adjurnn. Still got closed public comment. >> Oh, yep. It has expired. Thank you so much. >> 7 o'clock. >> All right. Closing public comment at 7 o'clock. And um do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Yes. >> Thanks. All in
087favor? I >> I >> Yeah. 500. >> Thank you all. Thanks for being flexible. Thanks, Jiren.