001Good evening everybody. [clears throat] Uh my name is Michael Cenounu. Uh I am the moderator prom as our town moderator John Hayden is unable to attend tonight. Tonight's meeting is the deliberative session for the New Fields Elementary School. This meeting is con to conduct the business of the school other than voting on the official ballot. I'm here to [clears throat] help you, the legislative body, address the issues before it and keep the discussion orderly. Per state statute RSA 403, the moderator shall preside in the town meetings, regulate the business thereof, decide questions of order, and make a public declaration of every vote passed, and may prescribe rules of proceeding, but such rules may be altered by the body. That's you. Before we begin, everyone should have checked in and registered voters should have received a
002voting card. If you didn't receive one and are a voter, uh please check in with Sue and Britney in the back. Uh you please use your voter card for any tallied votes as well as to indicate your desire to address the body. The persons here in front are the members of the Newfield School Board as well as the representatives from the SAU. They're here to address any concerns or questions from the body along with other officials who may be here in attendance. [clears throat] Uh in the back, Sue McKinnon is the clerk and she'll be taking the minutes of this meeting. I will go through the items on the warrant in order for discussion and acceptance by the body. The approved versions of these warrants will appear on the ballot on election day, Tuesday, March
00310th. For each article under discussion, I will recognize members of the public who wish to speak. Citizens should raise their card for recognition. Discussion must be germanine and pertain to the warrant or the amendment on the table. Only citizens of the town are allowed to speak unless non-citizens are permitted by a vote of the body. When you are recognized to speak or make a motion or second a motion, please state your name as we're required under RSA 9182 to record information in the minutes of the meeting. I would like to now entertain a motion to allow officials from the SAU who do not reside in town to be permitted to address the body if requested. Do I have such a motion? Thank you, Phyllis. Do I have a second? Thank you. Uh if all in
004favor, please raise your placards. Any opposed? Great. Thank you very much. All discussions will come through the moderator. by which I mean there should not be back and forth discussion amongst members of the general public. If there's a question or comment that needs response, I will ask the members of the of the school board or other officials to address the matter. If you have a question about the rules of procedure, please raise your card and request a point of order and I'll do my best to answer any questions. As moderator and as citizens of the town, I do have the right to vote, but I'll be refraining from voting unless it's necessary to break a tie. I just want everybody to know that ahead of time, so there's no no concerns. Decisions shall be made
005by you, the public body. Any rulings made by me, the moderator, can be overruled by the body through a simple majority vote. The only matter which cannot be changed by the body is the intent of the warrant articles before them. Any actions taken by the body must also comport with state statutes. If and when we get to the point of a proposed amendment to a warrant article, I will go into more detail as to the process for amendment. Uh are there any questions from anyone in the body before we begin or from the boards? No. Great. Then we will move to the articles on the warrant. Article one bond. Shall the Newfield School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $500,000 for the purpose of financing the costs of a safety project for
006the Newfield School District? $500,000 of such sum to be raised through the issuance of bonds or notes under and in compliance with the Municipal Finance Act RSA 301 as amended to authorize the school board to apply for accept and expend federal, state, or other aid, if any, which may be available for said project and to comply with all laws uh I'm sorry, and to comply with all laws applicable to said project to authorize the school board to issue, negotiate, sell, and deliver said bonds and notes, and to determine the rate of interest thereon in the maturity and any other terms thereof, and to authorize the school board to take any other action or to pass any other vote relative there. and further raise and appropriate an additional $12,500 to meet the necessary financial obligations associated
007with the project's debt service for the 2026 2027 fiscal year. Three-fifths ballot vote required. This appropriation is recommended by the school board. So, in order to open the discussion with that, I'll ask Jane Walsh to address the body. >> Thanks, Michael. Um, so the NES school board formed a committee in May of last year to investigate further and attempt to address concerns related to the current sidewalk and traffic pattern on NES which impacts student employee and visitor safety. This group of parents, community members, and staff has worked diligently and collaboratively to identify risks, review solutions, prioritize, and put together a reasonable solution that will be palatable to the Newfield's taxpayer. I want to take a few moments and sincerely thank everybody on the committee who put in countless hours reviewing scope, intent, cost of the
008project, communicating and explaining this project to numerous entities, groups, and people in town to garner construction constructive feedback which allowed us to get to this point. Our committee members are our vice chair Keith Saskcowski, uh, Palavi Ryan, Mike Mackey, Karen Steer, Beth Lieberman, Jim Lieberman, Chris McDade, Ann Elliot, Susie Griffith, and Ellen Rysa. I also want to give a heartfelt thank you to the police and fire departments, specifically Chief Buckton, Chief Young, for providing helpful and critical design input. The main concerns the committee identified are uh the crosswalk across Biscassic. There's a significant glare, kids are crossing a main road and an active driveway, and current ADA accesses to travel up the driveway. Uh pedestrians and cars crossing, limited parking, and tight corners and poor visibility. The major items in the project that we're trying
009to solve for and we and this does solve for is to create a one-way drive to reduce students and cars crossing providing a safer school zone. We're going to add some parking in the rear of the property. We'll have a seasonal gravel parking lot with the intent to save funds over time to pave the lot at a later date. There's going to be no car zones and a new crosswalk across Biscassic with a crossing light and ramp access to the front of the building. This design reflects a not to exceed bond purchase of $500,000. We asked for estimates from three different vendors to ensure we have an accurate bond amount with a little bit of buffer in case of unexpected or unanticipated issues. We sought estimates from Barasa, TF White, and Ry Beach. The bond
010will need to pass by the Newfield's voters on March 10th by a [clears throat] three-fifths majority. If this bond successfully passes, the school board will send this project out to bid in mid-March. We welcome any qualified vendor to bid on the project. If this passes, the school board plans to award the contract in a reasonable time for the project to start at the conclusion of school in midJune and be completed before school opens in late August of this year. The terms of the bond purchase is at the discretion of the NES school board and if passed will be purchased in the summer bond sale. The board has listened to the advice of the committee and feedback from our community and intend to lessen the yearly tax impact on the town. We're anticipating a longer term
011for the bond likely around 20 to 20 years. The rates for the bond will be released later this year, so later this summer. We will not know the actual bond percentage rate or mill rate until the state releases the rates later this year. However, to give you some context, bond rates currently fluctuate between 2.3% for a 5-year bond to 3.4% for a 20-year bond. These rates will be different in the summer, so don't expect those to, you know, garner any type of sway right now. Um, and they'll probably be higher. And to give you a little bit more context on kind of our decision-making, the impact of a five-year bond would be to raise over $100,000 per year and increase the mill rate by 0.2 um by it's about 20 cents. The impact of a
01220-year bond would be to raise around $36,000 a year and would be an impact of the Miller rate by 0.08. So again, don't count on these numbers. So, these are all general estimates, but it'll give you a good idea of the numbers we're going to be looking at in um the summertime or when we purchase the bond. Um but this is looking at what the board's justification will be. And we are planning on really trying to minimize that tax impact. So, looking closer to that 20 year versus that fiveyear, probably 20. The project scope and design took this committee nine months of dedicated hard work. We believe that it's a safer solution for our students, staff, and visitors and keeps the tax impact reasonable. Again, I want to thank everybody who provided input, gave advice,
013and asked questions to the committee and the board during this process. All of which informed and steered the committee and the board to the project we're reviewing today. I humbly ask that our community come out to the polls on March 10th. In the meantime, I'll hand the meeting back to uh Michael Cenounu to continue the business of the session. >> Thank you, Jane. Uh are there any other comments from the board members of the SAU before I open it up for the general? >> I I just wanted to thank um if I can. Thank you. Uh just thank Jane for being our board representative to the committee. It was actually a year ago at this same meeting that that committee was, you know, founded. Um and then we subsequently came up with um the scope
014uh and the plan. Again, very instrumental. Uh Jane was very instrumental in in the the formation of and the delivery of that meeting each each month over over the last nine months. We have several uh members of the committee also in attendance here. So, one more meeting that you're attending. Thank you. We really appreciate it. Um yeah, and I don't uh I just want to express my sincere gratitude and if there is a space for folks to um opine or provide any additional context, I think now might be the appropriate time, but I'll pass it back over to Michael. Thank you. All right, we'll open it up to the body for any questions or comments uh or potential amendments to article one. >> Oh my gosh. >> No way. [laughter] All right. Uh, if there
015are no no comments or questions from the general public, I will look for a motion to move article one as written. I have a motion. Second. I have a second. Thank you. Uh, all in favor, please raise your placards. Any opposed, please raise your placards. Uh, with that, article one, as written, will be moved to the warrant. Article two, operating budget. Oh, yes. >> I just could I make a motion to uh restrict reconsideration. >> Sure. There's a motion to restrict reconsideration. Do I have a second? I have a second. All in favor, please raise your plards. Great. Any opposed? Great. Thank you. >> All right. Article two, the operating budget. The average cost per pupil for the preceding year as calculated in accordance with RSA 189 col 75 part 1A is $27,661 ELA proficiency
01673% math proficiency 57% science proficiency 29%. Shall the Newfield School District vote to raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first session for the purposes set forth therein totaling $3,770,000 $770,200. Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $3,732,963, which is the same as last year with certain adjustments required by previous actions of the Newfield School Board or by law. Or the governing body may hold one special meeting in accordance with RSA 4013 parts 10 and 16 to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only. The Newfield School Board and the Newfield's budget advisory committee recommends $3,770,200. A majority vote required.
017>> All right. Uh with that, I will turn to the chairman. Uh Bobby, do you want to address this? >> Yes. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um so, thank you, Michael. I am really proud of the work that u many many people have put into creating this budget. Um it is a budget that represents um like I said a lot of thoughtfulness, a lot of judicious decisions. Um and it's something that started quite a long time ago. Uh our building principal uh and our superintendent uh discuss and start working on this probably the spring, you know, thinking about it. She's probably thinking about now for next year. Um and there's a very long and uh thoughtful process to bring a proposed budget uh when we start meeting in the early fall. Um we also
018had a lot of great discussion back and forth and the really critical input of our budget advisory committee which is um a small but mighty group of volunteers who um we went line by line through the budget and it was a really good exercise. It is a really good exercise to um be able to ask questions um and answer questions, have a discussion about the particulars of the budget that um really helps fund the the good work that goes on in this building. You should have um access, if you haven't picked up, there is a nice packet here that Molly um helped put together showing uh the numbers on the second page. It sort of is a summary of the major changes there. Um the upshot is that um the majority of the budget is
019largely contractual and driven by fixed costs. Um there uh if you were to look at the the delta of the the largest change um it's probably something that may even be familiar to you in your own personal and or professional work. Um it's the health and dental insurance uh premiums that um significantly have increased. Um and we are aware of that. Uh again, thanks. I will say thanks to our budget advisory committee. We've engaged in a really um healthy discussion about ways that we can potentially address that in years in the upcoming year. The SAU has already started a process of discussing with HR and understanding all the levers that we could potentially address or think about addressing now for next year. Um however there really wasn't much uh as we understood it um ability
020for us to be um flexible in those numbers. The other uh changes um that I would just comment on is there is a slight increase in professional development uh spending uh which is important. anybody who's involved in professional development in their particular field recognizes that um we um need to continue to stay fresh with our u understanding of the field and Susie and her team here are I would say paragonss of educators who really um do practice that um and it's going to be um evidence you can look at other um schoolboard meetings that we've had where we've had presentation ations on some of the professional development that we have done as a school. Um, and yeah, I I am happy to entertain any questions or comments. Um, I will say last month we had
021a public presentation of the budget and we had some good discussion there as well. Um, do we have any questions? Sorry, Michael. [laughter] >> Thank you, Bobby. All right, at this point in time, I will open it up. Uh, if there's no other for for additional comments. >> Sorry, I don't have a lot of space here, so I have a lot of piles. I apologize. Um, no. >> I don't think I have any thing that I wanted to add. Molly, was there anything that I >> missed? Okay, Susie. >> Great. >> Okay. Thank you. >> At this point in time, we'll open it up to the body. >> Uh, Jenny, >> um, I just have a question actually on the facilities number. >> Come to the >> Oh, sorry. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Yes. Approach.
022>> Approach the mic. >> Thanks. >> For those for those who who are not attending, they can't hear you. >> Jenny Bishop, >> thank you. >> We heard you. [laughter] I know everybody can hear me. Um the 36 I think it's 36,000. >> Yeah. Do you remember which >> in some change um decrease in facilities with the aging of the building and the big giant punch list that was presented last year at this meeting. I wanted to understand Yes, that one. I still have it. >> I wanted to understand the logic behind the decrease. >> Yes. So I can give my my piece and then if anybody wants to um check me. Um [clears throat] so there is a decrease a change as this table says of 36,000 decrease. This past year we had budgeted
023um an additional $40,000 if my memory serves me correctly to address the potential for the LED light swap that the town did similarly um potentially cost savings. And then there was a a rebate that we were considering uh being participating in. when we actually went and looked at the feasibility and what that would look like, um it was cost prohibitive. It it it and then we actually had a really healthy discussion about, you know, do we actually want LED lights in each of our classrooms versus potentially thinking about other ways of um providing illumination to our children, potentially uh embracing natural light and such. And so that reflects that particular cost. Some of the other items that were on this, [clears throat] >> I can't believe this survived like several years. Um, but this is
024a very scrappy little paper that uh our facilities person >> two years ago >> um put together to come up with a forecast of what are some of the things that our building is going to need in terms of maintenance, which is really helpful. Um, one of the line items was potentially the lighting and then also, uh, interestingly, uh, the repaving of the driveway, which was $120,000. Um, thankfully, and if anybody on the on the safety committee or Jane wants to speak to that, um, the the um the paving will be addressed in the bond were it to pass. And so one the way I looked at it and the way the discussion was had was that if this were a bonded project [clears throat] over the course of 20 years um that 120,000 would
025not necessarily need to be a spike in the one-year budget but instead spread out over several years. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Other questions from the body? Yes. Good, excuse [clears throat] me. Good evening, Michael. I'm Mark Styer. I live here in New Fields on Heath Drive. And thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak. I appreciate the operating budget description, first sentence or so that gives proficiency numbers for students, but I have a couple questions and perhaps some comments, too. Uh the first comment that comes to mind is that um I'm shocked by the low science number. Utterly shocked. I spent the first third of my life being trained as a professional scientist and you know spent my career in science or engineering. So these are you know personal topics to me. Science
026is really important as is math. Can I ask do these numbers apply specifically to the Newfields Elementary School or to SAU16? >> They apply specifically to the New Fields Elementary School. >> Okay, thank you. That's what I presumed. And what is meant by proficiency? Who who sets those how are those standards set? Who what is or isn't proficient? I I don't know. Um, I'll take a stab initially at um, this is a having these this information in the Warren article is a new RSA that um, was as of this last year. U, so this was the first time I've ever seen that and it is on every single um, budget item that I have seen now in these deliberative sessions. >> [snorts] >> Um, as far as the proficiency percentages, I presume, and I could
027be wrong, that those are the state uh testing from the previous year, but it it in what sense can you be a little more specific uh in the in that is it 50% of the kids would be given a pass and therefore that's 100% proficient if you're 50% pass or some other I don't know how to interpret this. Do you have to get a perfect score to be 100% proficient? I doubt it. I I'm trying to get a a grasp for I see the 29% frankly. That's what I'm focused on and it's shocking. >> I mean, I will say I share your um zeal for science. I myself am a scientist and a math former math teacher. It's very important to me. I know it's very important to both um the school board as well
028as our building principal and um teachers as well. We do have a from my perspective a very strong and robust um steam uh class and curriculum. Uh and I don't know if if anybody else wants to address either part of Mark's question because I think it's it's appropriate. I don't have the answer though. Okay. >> Principal Griffith can address some of that. >> I'm sorry. Say again please. >> Principal Griffith can address some of that. >> Good evening. >> So these are the state averages from Jill. >> So what what does proficiency mean? Please set by an equation from the state. This p the year that you are uh referring to which was last year the state's numbers for science were 38 proficiency. Um I agree with you that those numbers absolutely have to come
029up and I if you look at our previous four years um the year before that they were 76. >> Wow. >> The year before that they were in the 70s. So this was a dip year. Um and we have taken into account because this is so serious to us. Uh we have an action plan uh that our fourth and fifth graders have extra science hands-on. Um and I I feel very confident in telling you that the score will be um quite different this next year. So is the budget been from last year to the coming year been shifted to address this specific proficiency shortfall? >> I don't I don't I don't >> Well, we >> are are you asking is there any more investment potentially in science curriculum or something? Whether it's more or less
030I I you know yet yes I am to give >> my understanding is um that this is uh these numbers are as Susie just pointed out um one year's data point. Um and I believe that we have we had and we have a strong science curriculum. So I don't know that I would I don't think that there was a substantial impact one way or the other um budgetarily as a result of those numbers. But I'll let Susie speak. >> But if I may, Bobby, fair enough that you perceive the curriculum curriculum to be strong, but the numbers don't reflect that. >> I would say this number doesn't reflect that. Yeah. >> And so I'm thinking as a town resident, one would make changes to the budget allocation, not necessarily the total, but how it's allocated
031to address a shortfall that's as severe as this. So, >> um, two things. One, there are, as we said earlier, additional professional development, uh, funds that are, I think, at the discretion of both the the building principal and the teachers as to how to utilize that both individually and then I believe staff-wise, you have different uh, PDs. So, there could be ways of allocating that money in a certain way. And sorry, Susie, I did interrupt. Our resources have definitely shifted as far as the attention that we're giving our fourth and fifth graders in our science curriculum. Again, I really want to stress that if you look over the last five years, this was a deep fall compared to all of our other scores and there were internal matters that um that contributed to that. >>
032So, you have insight into why this is so has dropped so precipitously. >> I do. and and then the plan for the coming year is to address that shortfall. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. All right. Thank you very much. >> Yes. >> Thank you, Mark. >> Phyllis. >> While Phyllis is walking up. Oh, never mind. Michael, I will ask. >> Hi. Whoops. Phyllis Mackey. Um, Finnav, I have a question. Like, we're talking about all these things and the tests and all that stuff, you know, like SATs. You can look at sample SATs online and things like that. I'm really curious. Is there any place that any of us can go and and look at, you know, like an old copy of the test and find out what's, you know, sort of like what these kids
033are getting or not getting or, you know, what sorts of information is being um is being tested. you can go on to the New Hampshire Department of Education under uh SAS and you can actually [snorts] do a practice test. Um so that in in all the subjects in from third all the way up to you know the top. So, I would encourage everyone to do that because the test questions um what we're asking our students um are is um very rigorous. And so that's one of the ways that um we can prepare our students is to do those practice tests. um to the gentleman who was um before you, that is one of the elements that we've brought into our um our plan is that we are uh practicing just navigating the test alone because
034for our students, you're really looking at um testing two things, right? Not just their knowledge base, but how to navigate the computer. That's a whole entity in and of itself. And so taking time to learn that platform and understand it so that that's not what's tripping you up and you can actually get to the the curriculum um or the question so that like I said that is part of our plan that we've incorporated um so that our students are stronger in that. But you can absolutely go on. >> That's [laughter] thank you. >> And this is a weird thing to bring up right now but it's like I've got a captive audience. So, um, do all the kids know that this is something to be taken seriously? I'm a retired therapist and I remember a
035number of years ago when I worked with kids, I had these kids telling me, "Oh god, those standardized tests." Yeah. And it was fill-in-theb. It's like, "Yeah, I made a Christmas tree out of the pattern." And they're like, I mean, they're they weren't taking it seriously at all. And I'm thinking, oh boy, this is this is not good. that certainly and it wasn't people from Newfields I will say but uh you know I'm just wondering if the kids understand that they >> Phis I'm happy to take part of that and Susie if you want to um I will say as a parent um also as a schoolboard member I have absolutely um felt that the school takes it very serious um to both create a space where the kids feel that they are um prepared
036energized have a good quality sleep and a good uh space in which to take the test and also set the stage to not intimidate the kids that this is so important you're going to have to do it but um to not minimize the importance of it. Um there were some really cool strategies that I saw. I forget what they were called, but like each day there would be like a you're gonna you're gonna there was some fun like uh um there was a starburst and there was some fun pun that the starburst was associated with and my daughter came home and spoke all about how excited she was about taking the math assessment because the starburst inspired her in that in that silly way. Clearly I don't come up with them because I can't think
037of it but um there were so I would say yes for sure. The one other thing I just wanted to confirm with Susie and then just also share with the with the team. I believe with the team with the body. Uh I believe that both math and science are more than just one year of assessments. Uh uh >> science is >> and science is only one year which is which grade? >> Fifth grade. So the science assessment percentiles uh are from one set of fifth grade students. And if anybody knows or thinks about statistics, um you know, a Newfield Elementary class size ranges between 15 and 25. And so um that's just another thing to to consider when looking at numbers like this and um trying to interpret them. >> Any other questions from the
038body? Yes. Hi, Kevin [clears throat] Ray. I live over on Meadow Road. So, just a clarification on something I thought I heard when you were talking about the facilities improvements. There was a driveway paving. Is that related to the safety project or is that something separate? It was like $120,000 that was going to be bonded or >> Yeah. So, the difference is is that we [clears throat] had as we had tried to pull together like a facilities improvement plan. >> Mhm. and put some of those costs into our operating budget a couple years ago. Since and one of those things being paving, saving more and more for paving. Now, as we're not going to um pave it under the operating budget, we're going to put that paving as part of the bond. We're not we're
039taking it out of the operating budget. >> Paving the new lot or paving >> paving doing. So, the article one >> y >> will have paving included in it. paving existing and paving new. >> Okay. >> Um and thus we don't need it in the operating budget anymore. If we want to do anything in the future, we will put it as part of a bond um and use other funds for that. >> So the 120 or that 500,000 includes 120 for paving. >> Uh includes paving it. It >> the number changes once you start out a different project, but it Yes. >> Okay. >> For all intents and purposes. Yeah. >> Thank you for clarifying. >> Yeah. Sure. No problem. Thank you. Thank you, Kevin. >> Any other comments or questions on the operating budget
040article two? All right, with that, uh, do I have a motion to move article two as written to the warrant? I have a a motion by Trish. Second, please. Mike. Uh, all in favor, please raise your placards. All opposed? None. Great. Thank you very much. >> Michael, can I put a motion to restrict reconsideration? >> You can. I have a motion to restrict reconsideration. Do I have a second? I have a second. All in favor? Any opposed? All right. Thank you very much. All right. Article three, collective bargaining agreement. Shall the Newfield School District vote to approve the cost items included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the Newfield School Board and the Newfield's paraprofessional association, which calls for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staffing level over the amount
041paid in the prior fiscal year. Fiscal year estimated increases 2027 $39,392 2028 $8,992 2029 $17,677 and to further and further to raise and appropriate $39,392 for the current fiscal year. Such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those that would be paid at the current staffing levels. The Newfield School Board recommends $39,392. A majority vote is required. I'll turn to Bobby to discuss. >> Thanks, Michael. Um yeah, so this year was a uh a negotiating year for the CBA for the Paris. um powers are a critical um component of our our workforce and our family here at Newfields Elementary. I heard them described at the one of the other deliberative sessions this week as the um the link between the teachers and the
042students and and it was um it's so true. Um the helper teachers or however the students want to call these fabulous humans um are very appreciated and cherished parts of our staff. Um as such we had a really good um several uh meetings to do negotiations. All three of us participated as well as the representatives from the CBA and um we ultimately came away with some uh positive changes. Um so just some highlights we did make u subsequent wage increases of 3.5% for year 1, four 4.5% for year two and 4% for year three. Um there was some adjustments to uh the longevity uh bonuses that are as part of that to account for some equity. We added an insurance buyout component as a measure of cost containment as well as um for some folks
043who opt not to you use our insurance um it's sort of a nice little perk uh for them if they opt not to do that. Um and then finally there was a couple of what one of the things that was we felt a very reasonable ask and it was something that's very important was uh increasing the intensive needs differential. Um, again, as I understand it, and other folks on this board, I think has or on this table have more um understanding of this, but we try to do as much as we can internally with the folks that we have uh for any of the services that our students need as opposed to contracting out. Um, and one of the ways to do that to both create um recruitment and retention uh is to address some
044of these differentials. So, I don't know if you want to add anything um to that. >> Any other comments from the officials? Okay, great. I'll uh open it up to the body for discussion or amendment for article three. No comment or discussion seen. Uh can I have a motion to move article three as written to the warrants? I have a motion from Trish, second from Phyllis. All in favor, please lay your raise your placards. Any opposed? Great. Thank you very much. Article 3 will be moved as written. >> Michael, can I have a motion to restrict reconsideration? >> You can certainly do so. Do I have a second? >> Second. Thank you. All in favor? Any opposed? Okay, great. Thank you. Article four, school building maintenance expendable trust fund. Shall the Newfield School District vote
045to raise and appropriate the sum of up to $25,000 to be added to the school building maintenance expendable trust fund established at the 1992 school district meeting for the purpose of repairing and maintaining school buildings. The sum to come from June 30th fund balance available for transfer on July 1st. No additional amount to be raised from taxation. The Newfield School Board recommends approval. A majority vote is required. Uh I'll turn to Brian Belanger to discuss. >> Sure. Um this was supported by the school board on the budget committee. Um as so what we live in a beautiful historic town and and part of that is being in New England is understanding that emergencies come up and with the building maintenance uh expendable trust. This is the opportunity for us to plan in advance so that
046things don't affect students that a boiler doesn't affect science scores. And so, um, these are our chances right now to, um, prepare that. And so, uh, our goal is $150,000 in that account. The current balance is $38,89, which is a difference, uh, a deficit of $111,191. And that's our goal. And so that is um an important account that we can maintain the conduit of the building and the heat and all the the important things so that learning can happen in our school. >> Great. Thank you, Brian. Any other comments from the officials? No, >> I think the the only thing I would Can I >> Oh, of course. Go ahead. Right in, Bobby. I'm >> He mentioned Brian mentioned the boiler that was dipped into not too long ago and our boiler is nice and
047working well. So that's not one that we worry about, but just as a >> always a good thing. >> Yes. >> Great. >> All right, I'll turn to the body. Any questions, comments, or amendments? Mark. [snorts] >> Hello again, Mark Styer. I'm I'm not quite sure of my facts here, frankly, but I recall that the school had some portion of the building that was not being used for classrooms due to some, I'll use the term environmental concern. To what degree does this expendable trust fund for maintenance is that going to be used to address the known problem in the building with that one or two I think classrooms. So, um, right now, um, through a [clears throat] lot of extensive work and potent, I think we did dip into this fund a little bit last
048year to pay for some remediation, both, uh, roof repair, roof replacement, and, um, some air purification systems. Um, we are actually using that room now. >> Oh, good. It >> has been completely clear all year for both. Um we one of the things that we were worried about was when it got hot, when it got cold, when we're using the system, when things are closed up, when things are opened up and it's been working brilliantly. So we don't anticipate um dipping into this fund for that specific expenditure for in the future. So it gets all settled. >> Thank you, Jane. Appreciate learning that it was it's been addressed. All right. >> Me, too. >> Thank you, Mark. Other comments or questions for uh regarding uh article 4, the maintenance fund? Seeing none, do I have
049a motion to move article 4? I have a motion from Hobie. Do I have a second? Second from Jenny. All in favor, please raise your placards. Thank you. Any opposed? Article four will be moved to the warrant as written. >> Michael, could I put a motion to restrict consideration? >> You You can. >> Thank you. >> I have a motion. I have a second. All in favor? Any opposed? Thank you. Article five, special ed trust fund. Shall the Newfield School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of up to $28,000 to be added to the special education expendable trust fund previously established. This sum to come from the June 30th fund balance available for transfer on July 1st. No additional amount to be raised in taxation. The Newfield School Board recommends approval. A majority
050vote is required. Um Brian, I think you're going to just >> Yeah, sure. So, um this is another account that uh protects continuity of educational services in our school. Uh and so, you know, as as a community that values education as a whole. Um every single student is important and when one student needs something different than another student, there are unexpected costs that sometimes come with that. And so in order to maintain continuity for education for everybody, um this is one of those accounts that allows us to to prepare for the needs of all students. And so um the account has a goal of $275,000 and um we are $140,183 short um with a current balance right now that has $134817. >> Great. Thank you, Brian. Any other comments? Thank you. Uh, I'll open it
051up to the body for article five, the special education trust fund. Any questions? Seeing none. I'll look for a motion to move article five as written. Thank you. Second, Mike. Thank you. Uh, all in favor, please raise your placards. Any opposed? No. Great. Uh, we'll move article five as written to the warrant. Michael, I'd like a motion to restrict reconsideration. >> Wow. I I wouldn't have expected that from you, Jane. I have a motion to restrict reconsideration. Do I have a second? Thank you, Phyllis. All in favor? Any opposed? Thank you. Article six, the technology capital reserve fund. Shall the Newfields school district vote to raise and appropriate the sum of up to $1,000 to be added to the technology capital reserve fund previously established. this sum to come from June 30th fund balance available
052for transfer on July 1st. No additional amount to be raised from taxation. The Newfield School Board recommends approval. A majority vote is required. Uh Brian, I think you will address this. >> Yeah, sure. Um and so you'll notice that this this number is far less than it usually is and that's because this board uh decided we prioritized uh children facing safety um uh with our projects this year and so technology is critical to us. However, that account is currently fully um funded. So um wait, nope, we're in safety and crate. Yeah, safety. We're in uh technology, right? >> Technology. >> Yeah. Yeah. So um actually that's not fully funded. We're we're short $9,639, but is much closer. And so the the amounts shifted have um really been focused on student facing activities like special education
053and school maintenance. >> Thank you, Brian. Current balance. >> The current balance is $20,361. Thank you. Any other comment from the officials? No. I'll open it up to the body. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, I'll look for a motion to move article six as written to the warrant. Thank you, Jenny. Second. Thank you, Mike. Uh, all in favor, please raise your placards. Wonderful. Any opposed? Excellent. I would like a motion to recons restrict reconsideration. >> Thank you, Jane. Do I have a second? I have a second. All in favor? Any opposed? >> Oh, Mike opposed. [laughter] Thank you very much. Article six will be moved to the warrant as written. Article seven, safety and security capital reserve fund. Shall the Newfield School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of up to $1,000
054to be added to the safety and security capital reserve fund previously established. This sum to come from June 30th fund balance available for transfer on July 1st. No additional amount to be raised from taxation. The Newfield School Board recommends approval. A majority vote is required. Brian. >> All right. This is the right one. All right. So the current balance in this account is $64,315 um with a target goal of $50,000. So this is the account that's a little bit over. However, um those are critical that we maintain those systems and prepare for the unexpected as well. >> Great. Any other comment, Bobby? Just the one thing I would say is that um you know tonight is great opportunity for us to know what the balance and the goals of these funds are. But um we
055have at every board meeting uh our trustee financial guru does provide us this paper at every board meeting. So we do as a board look at this to make sure what our current balances are each month. Um and if we have to utilize it, we obviously can't add to it until the next uh you know voting day if we need to. But it's just something that we try to be very transparent about. So thank you. Thank you, Bobby. Any questions or comments from the body on article 7? Seeing none, I will look for a motion to move as written. Thank you. Do I have a second? Thank you. All in favor, please raise your placards. Any opposed? Uh, all right. Uh, we will move article 7 to the warrant as written. >> Michael, for the
056last time, can I have a motion to restrict reconsideration? I have a motion to restrict reconsideration. I have a second. All in favor, please raise your placards. Any opposed? [clears throat] All right. Uh the approved language for these warrants from tonight's session will be moved to the official ballot. The second session of this meeting is our election on March 10th where the citizens of the town will vote on these warrants, elect school officials, vote on proposed zoning amendments, vote on the town warrants, and vote for town officers. Uh, this election will take place March 10th from 8:00 a.m. to 700 p.m. Uh, I will just see are there any other comments before we move to adjourn the meeting? >> I would like to make a comment. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Um, I want to
057let the audience know that we accidentally forgot to play our wonderful budget video for all of you. We were prepared to do that, but we we accidentally forgot. So, please feel free. You can find it on our SEU16 website or you can also just Google it and you'll find it on YouTube for your pleasure. >> Great. Thank you very much. >> Any other further comments from the body? I will look for a motion to adjurnn. I have a motion to adjurnn from Mr. Griffith. Is there a second? Thank you very much. All in favor? Any opposed? Thank you very much for attending. This meeting is concluded. >> Thank you, Michael. All set. >> We're going to be having um a couple of minutes break and then we're going to go right into our regular February
058schoolboard meeting after this. So um >> yes. [clears throat] >> All righty. I'm going to call to order the uh February New Fields School District meeting at 6:57. Thank you everybody. I'm going to use Michael's gavvel if you guys don't be quiet. >> Yeah, we are going to need folks to >> hopefully stop talking so that we can get the audio for the recording. >> All right. Thank you. >> I I will. >> Thank you everybody. We're going to start the meeting right now. Um it's 6:57. Calling the meeting to order. I'm also going to open up public comment at 6:58. folks in the back, if we can please dial the volume down. Thank you. Appreciate it. [snorts] Um, sorry, it's a very echoey room. And we have the microphones. So, uh, just as a
059reminder, we call to order and we've opened public comment at 658. Um, our first order of business is we are going to hear from our lovely students. I hear we have a great presentation. I'm really excited. >> Thank you. sit right here. Just going to have a conversation. These are two of our fabulous fourth graders. I'm going to let them introduce themselves. >> Should we pass a mic or you guys? Yeah. >> Oh, see you got be like Oprah. My name is Ethan. >> My name is Ethan. >> Hi Ethan. >> My name is Wayne. >> All right. So, we are going to talk a little bit about our unified arts program at New Fields and none other better than our students to be able to talk about it. So, what is your favorite part
060of the school day? Ethan, we'll start with you. >> My favorite part of the school day with specials. >> Sure. >> Um, my favorite special is music. >> Yeah. Tell us more about that. In music, we get to write our own songs. And Mr. K teaches us a bunch of different instruments. And right now in class, we're we're learning the flute and recorder. And we get to perform instruments at like the beginning of the year concert and the end of the year concert. And at our celebration of learning, we sing songs. >> Fabulous. And Wayne, why don't you talk about some of the other um specials that we have? >> Um some other specials that we have is like PE, we have art, STEM, and library. >> Yeah. You want to start with library? Some
061of the things that you do in library? >> Sure. In library, I like reading a bunch of books. >> Like I like the medieval books. >> Yeah. >> And I love when Mrs. Leverman reads to us. And I really like it because everybody like sit on these chairs and we all like listen to a book and it's really fun. >> What about research? Oh yeah, sometimes we research on one of those screens and we go to like Pebble Go and mainly Pebble Go and we research up different like sometimes different books and it's really fun. >> Yeah. All right. So, in art, what are some of the projects that you've created this year that you've enjoyed? Another one of y'all. We talked about these. >> Oh, yeah. >> Um, this year in art, we've made
062a lot of cool things. Like, we made a wacky checker board, which is an entire checkerboard, but there's like shapes in the in it. And it's like it fits the the checkerboard theme with the shapes on it. And then in the hallways there's these winter pictures we made and every grade did them but it was a different theme. And fourth grade did um we did birch trees in art this year with like a cool background design like a sunset design. >> What about steam? There are some neat things that you guys have been doing in steam. Can you tell me one of your favorites? >> One of my favorites is the wagons. Yeah, >> we like made or last year we last year we did the like paper uh cars. >> Yeah. >> Uh I
063think this year we might do the wagons and I really like extending my creativity in STEM >> and it's really fun. >> Now there's something that you enjoyed but you didn't. What was that? Um, my favorite thing we've done so far this year in STEM was we dissected owl pellets. >> Wayne did not like doing that. [laughter] >> That was cool. Uh, what about PE? Today was a great example of something special that uh you all did in PE. Can you talk about that and some of the other things >> in PE? Today we did um like >> here who was our guest? um >> remember what their name is? >> I forget. >> Northeast Passage. >> Oh yeah, the Northeast Passage came and we did like a bunch of um wheelchair activities. >> It
064was super fun. Uh we did one of them was we did like where we tried to throw a a ball into two nets >> on that side and this side. There's two teams and it was really fun. >> While you're in the wheelchair, right? >> Yeah, while we were in the wheelchair. Um, and then we had a big tournament. What was that tournament all about? >> The pickle ball tournament is for third grade to fifth grade. And it's where one kid and um one of their um relatives um can play together in a pickle ball tournament to win a prize. Well, or like to win the tournament. And it's really fun. I've watched it before and I seen um people win. Last year Wayne won. This year Elise won. >> Yeah, it was great. Good
065competition. So here's the magic question, the big question. Why do you think specials are important at our school? >> I think it's important because we can extend our learning and creativity and we can have fun and learn new ways to do stuff. And it's really fun to like art. You really get to like draw new things, paint a color wheel. We did that this year. It was really fun. >> What do you think, Ethan? >> I think it's so important to have these specials because um we learn new stuff that sometimes our regular teachers wouldn't be able to teach. and the teachers actually teach us know like what what we can do every day and how we can learn in them and maybe like our day is too packed to do these specials in class.
066That's why having these separate rooms and separate teachers to do the specials with us is really important so we can learn. >> And we have some phenomenal teachers in our specials, don't we? >> Yeah, >> we're really blessed. So, this board right here might have some questions. Would you? Anybody on the board like to ask our two fourth grade leaders anything about specials? >> Come on. You got to give them something. Mr. Banger, >> specials are you have the opportunity to try. So, I I really like this special because unlike things like science and math and reading that are tested all the time, you can be really good at art or music or something that's that really sets you apart. Can you think of something that you were surprised that you really liked that you
067didn't know you were going to like? >> Good question. I was surprised that we well made the owl pellets [laughter] and we dissected or watched an eye a cow's eye get like dissected a little >> and did you know that your pupil is actually a hole? >> Oh, did you know that, Mr. Bander? >> I just found it out. [laughter] Ethan, what would be your answer to that? Is there something you've learned that you were surprised at that you liked? >> Um, yeah. So at the beginning of the year, we did this um project in STEM and it was how different animals brains work and like how they know like how to interact in the cases. And we had to match memories on our own to um match like what the animal does and what
068it what it normally does. And we did it based off of a raccoon. And like we had made an entire chart that matched is the an is the animal going to eat this or is it going to eat that or is it going to do this in this sort of situation? And I didn't really think I'd like it at first, but it turned out I really liked it. >> Wow. >> I just wanted to to say awesome job. I know it could be a little stressful to present, but you did great. very poised. Um, I also just wanted to give a shout out to Susie and the school. Um, when I agree with Brian that specials have always been something that I've loved, but in my experience, they're often literally separate and and not often
069integrated potentially into the other things that you guys learn during the school day. And I know that at Newfields Elementary, um, it is not distinct. There were many opportunities throughout the year where, you know, celebrations of learning, the classroom teachers and the and the unified arts teachers work together, right, to make awesome connections. And some of these celebrations of learning are just really cool examples of ways that so many things could come together. So, yeah, whenever those are happening, I encourage folks to attend to see them because they're really, really cool. And kudos to Principal Griffith for, you know, maintaining that tradition. And I think it's a really great opportunity. >> That's all Shen. >> Nope. I will let you guys. >> So you guys want to give a shout out to all the >>
070unified arts teachers? Let's say thank you to them. Thank you to >> Lieberman. >> Who? >> Miss Lieberman. >> Mrs. Lieberman who's >> here. >> Thank you, Mrs. Lieberman. >> Mr. K. [applause] He's actually in the building. I'm teacher. >> Who else? >> Mrs. Jawat. Yeah. Thank you, Miss Chowish. She does a great job. >> Miss Boswell, >> Miss Buzzwell, our art. >> Good job, Miss [applause] Fantastic. >> Mrs. Walsh, >> and Mrs. Walsh, our team teacher. Fantastic. We have a f We really do have a wonderful unified arts team. They are stellar. And our students get to experience um some really unique things. And I I do want to echo um what Bobby has to say as far as integrating. It's when when students see how music interacts with art that has to do
071with a piece of literature and we actually do that here um because that's when it really makes sense and it and it and you remember it right when everything's fragmented it's really hard to remember but um some really deep learning happens because of that connection. I want to thank Wayne and Ethan for joining us tonight. Thank you so Thank you [applause] so much for coming. >> Thank you so much. That's awesome, guys. All right, our next item on the agenda is not so exciting, but it is important. We're going to be reviewing our minutes. So, um let's first we'll look at the uh minutes from the bond hearing, public hearing on the budget and the schoolboard meeting. So basically the public I had one or two mini typo uh corrections um then the first paragraph
072the fourth line down entrance of the school is going to be the same on the I think it's the far side of the property or maybe the firehouse side what is that >> firehouse so firehouse side >> and then um I think Karen Styer who it might st I eer s i right >> so just correct Um, and then on the second page, there's just an unidentified audience member. I think that was also Karen. That was >> Yes. >> Like six lines up uh from bullet point two. I think that might have been all I had for corrections. Jane, do you have any? >> Nope, I'm good. >> Brian? >> Nope. >> All right. I make a motion to Oh, you know what? One more question. We never identified who Gordon Graham was in attendance,
073and I feel like we probably should. Um that was our what was exactly his role? >> Uh he was the attorney >> but for that. So you I just feel because it just says his name randomly down here. Um and if you could maybe just >> put him in attendance. >> Put him in the attendance. >> That's a good point. Yes. >> Um okay. Uh so I'll make a motion to adopt the minutes as amended. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> I. Perfect. And then for the non-public minutes, I have nothing to add. >> Uh neither do Neither do I. >> Okay. So, I'll make a motion to accept the non-public minutes from the uh January board meeting. >> I'll second those. >> All in favor? >> All
074right, that is easy. Uh central office updates, superintendent, >> we have been busy during budget season. Um deliberative sessions and public hearings as you know. Um so things have been in full swing. I believe this is our last deliberative session for the SAU. Um, so yes, we we >> we're usually early, but I think we're in the last >> ending on a good note. Um, to say the least. I would say some of our other updates are we continue to follow um some pending legislation at the state level closely um to include open enrollment um and so stay tuned on that front. Another piece of legislation that we're watching is potential consu consolidation at the state level. Um so we are diligent in terms of making sure that we're staying ab breast as to what's
075happening um in conquered. And then I would say something else that's been um happening at the superintendent's office is we have made a real dedication this year to training a large group of people throughout the SAU on restorative practices and um we have had I believe three sessions with great schools partnerships so that we're all engaging in a lot of shared learning around restorative practices and um you know rethinking how we handle student behavior. and how we create communities and making sure that we are being really thoughtful and prioritizing how we treat each other I think both as adults and um adults and students and students with students and the whole community and it's been a really uh positive learning experience for everybody. >> That's great. Thanks. Um I don't have any other questions Jane
076you and Brian. >> Awesome. Okay. Thank you. >> Welcome. >> Um next item is the finance office. Molly. >> Okay, great. So, thank you for signing the manifest and included in your board pack is the current year financial. Um, a lot of it was just encumbrance adjustments as we're about halfway a little over halfway through the year. Um, as to where we stand on certain things. Um, did anyone have any questions? I had just a couple of questions. I noticed that um, a lot of our budgets are at 100% but they are fully encumbered as well. Mhm. >> Um, so I am just wanting to make sure we're still on track to not exceed our budget balance or anything like that. I just I'm looking at it and they're fully encumbered, but they're also at
077100% budget allocation. >> Yeah. So, we we encumber to the best of our ability um for the entire year. And so anytime we we see something that appears to be happening month over month, we always remind um anybody in charge of putting in purchase orders that they have to encumber it for the full year. Now looking at the board pack, I believe there's 191,000 of remaining expense. So if some lines are over spent, other lines would be underspent to offset that. So we are in a good space right now. >> Okay, good. Um, >> and also, um, we try, well, every time I unencumber snow plowing, we get another snowstorm. So, we do try to hold off on >> I know it's in that year, right? >> So, so things like snow plowing are still
078fully encumbered. Will we use it? >> Well, we don't we the town pays for arc plowing. >> Yeah. Oh, and that's just an example of of of it here. >> Um, but yeah, I mean, halfway through the year, I haven't seen this much encumbered in a while, so it was just kind of it just struck me. Other than that and that's fine. >> Any questions? >> Cool. >> All right. >> Excuse me while >> Yeah, I think at that point um should take a look at our agenda. I don't think there's anything really other than um >> the only fees. >> Sorry, can I add one more thing? So um hopefully the bond is successful. there is really tight turnarounds for signatures of bonds after the fact. So, I just would like the board to
079be aware of that just to be prepared to come in and sign documents. Um, it is a quick quick process. >> When you say quick turnaround, is it after the vote or after one never the bond is purchased? >> So, we have to do all of the paperwork with the bond council. >> Yeah. >> And there's different forms. I don't have them in front of me, but I do remember last year going through the process with Brentwood. Um it it's a quick it's a quick turnaround. >> Yeah. And to that end um we also if the bond passes we also want to make sure that we get everything out to bid by the end of March very as quickly as possible so that we can potentially choose a vendor. So, um I would suggest that
080we maybe put a second meeting in March as a placeholder if the bond passes to make sure we get all of the signatures and um make sure that we have everything ready to go for the um packet to get things out for a bid. >> Well, the the RFP will be completed by the SAU and the facilities office, >> right? >> So, not not by the board, >> right? But I want to make sure that there's any signatures or anything that the board needs to do between then and now. >> Yeah. And and I can work with bond [clears throat] counsel on that because a lot of it is um getting documentation to show and that everything passed and all of that and it will take time and it just I just wanted to if
081we do send out documents I just wanted you to be on the lookout for signatures. >> I think we don't I don't think we have to make the decision about an additional board meeting now necessarily. One thing I would ask, Molly, um, in the past we've sort of been very lowfi and we've brought it here in the front office and we've come and signed it when we can. Um, is there any role or potential for doing docu sign? I know I bought my house via docu sign. Is that something that could happen? >> Um, I could definitely look into it. I would just have to confirm with our bond council >> just so ensure if it's a tight tight turnaround, you know, I don't want people to >> and it Yeah. And it might be
082different now. I'm just remembering with Brentwood it was a tight turnaround. >> Okay. Yeah, if there's a way, I think that would be >> Yeah. And it it might not be as tight this time. I just wanted you to be prepared just to keep your an eye on your email. >> No, that's that's fair. And I think though to Jane's point, our intention all along was to have once there is a an answer and if it's a yes answer to have action happen as soon as possible. Um I'm glad to hear that the SE it's is it done or almost done? >> The wheels are in motion. Okay. In terms of the uh driveway permit, is that what you mean? Yes. >> Driveway permit and then the RFP sort of draft. Yes, the wheels are
083in motion for sure. >> Yeah. So, that and then I know we're skipping around a little bit, but just while we have Molly here, um, as far as the >> I'm going to get it wrong again. The set plan, is that the term? >> Plan set. [laughter] >> Just reverse the word plan. >> Plan set. Um, is that closer to >> It's in progress. >> Okay. But, >> so it'll be done by the time uh by next month. by the time the um >> the vote happens, it will be completed. They have all the information that they need to make sure that um we're ready to go out to bed. >> Cool. And then yeah, I can save the rest of it for later. So I don't think financially Molly, we you can just go
084home. Brian, is there any questions you have for Molly? No, >> you're more than welcome to stay, but you absolutely you've had a long week. I'm sure lots of >> deliberative this. [laughter] >> Thank you as always. Okay. um principal report. >> Sure. Um so um we just as the kids or the students talked about, we had uh this month we've had uh Northeast Passage come as um guests for two days. The students learn about uh parolympics and um uh individuals with uh disabilities. Uh the empathy that is shown from our students is uh quite heartwarming. Um and then they get after they learn um about uh all those things then they um get an opportunity to spend time in the wheelchairs. uh I was able to be a part of some of those games
085and I when I woke up this morning I was like why do my arms hurt? Uh that's why uh so that is just a good example of the um how many things we bring into the school as well as our students coming uh going out. We have an astronaut uh coming in to speak to our third graders uh next week. They're in a unit on space and so they're really excited about that. Um we have University of New Hampshire's theater department coming in um to talk about the sea which was a unit in third grade but we're having our fourth and third graders go to that town hall because at the same time we're having our celebration of learning for our for our um fifth graders. Um so it is it is a really packed
086uh month as always. Uh we're doing a lot of collaboration with um our fifth graders and CMS uh transitioning. Uh uh Mr. Shaner's been over there a couple times um so that he has a really good sense of uh how to prepare the students for it. We're going to have some of our own Newfield students come back and do a question and answer for our fifth grade students. Um and of course counselors and principles start coming down. Uh and it's a tricky balance of um maintaining [snorts] their love for new fields while also prepping them. We don't want them to get senioritis or fifth grade itis too soon. Um and so we just balance that out. Um they also spoke about the pickle ball tournament. It really has turned into quite a community affair. Um
087there were over 20 students and parents who came and participated. Uh we had some former teachers and pair professionals come back to be line judges. Um it was it it on top of it just being a fun night. I have to say that um what is beautiful to watch are are not only parents coaching their their child how to be good sports but um there were many instances in where the students and the children were encouraging their parents [laughter] like that's all right mom or um and and so that was really sweet to see um we had Haven come in which we haven't had in quite some time and um they did a beautiful job engaging the students in such an appropriate way about such a serious topic. Um and again our students uh kindergarten
088first second grade had a puppet show that went along to reinforce the concepts and the kids didn't realize that it was actually puppets and so they're like engaging with them like they were real people and they kind of present the problem that they had talked about and they were like we'll we'll help you tell the coach we'll help you tell them. Um Haven actually remarked on how outstanding our students were, which we get often. Um and uh this month we're going to get to enjoy our music concert um which is always a another um community event that we all really enjoy. >> That's great. >> Does anybody have any ques on? Um I only had one question about I was looking at the enrollment which I always appreciate um seeing and it made me think
089about do we have any preliminary info about kindergarten or you know >> we do next week we have our um um our kindergarten preview night. Right now we have um 14 students who are registered. Um they usually we usually get more numbers as they come in >> throughout the um spring and summer, but right now we're at a steady 14. We're very excited to bring them in. >> Very cool. >> Today was the hundth day of school. >> Oh my goodness. I didn't hear that yet. >> That's [laughter] very, very fun. Big day. >> Cool. Thank you. I don't have anything else. This was really helpful and I love having the students representation. Yeah. Representatives each. >> Yeah. >> Students or or faculty. Thank you. >> Anybody? Anything else? All right. Cool. Thank you, Susie.
090Bye. Um, next time I believe we do you have any questions for us or things >> you want us to >> I don't know if you wanted to talk about this >> issues. >> Um, is that as far as the policies or is that something on [clears throat] the agenda? >> Oh, I'm sorry. Okay. >> Okay. Um, maybe we can get to that afterwards. Um, so as far as the board reports and committee reports, um, we can, uh, get back to the policy. I actually was not able to attend the policy meeting this this past month. I did attend the safety and security meeting as a pinch hitter for for Jane and it was lovely. It was my first time doing that. It was a really excellent um, conversation. And I know that much of
091that conversation is intentionally um uh not shared publicly, but I guess I can generally share that we talked about uh planning for um uh purchasing of different updates and upgrades uh through our buildings as far as grants. And um my first meeting was I guess the last meeting of the person who ran it. >> Yeah. >> He was rich. Yeah. So, he had like a retirement cake. >> Um, but it sounds like he on the committee has done some great things. I don't know if folks want to have any other updates to share. I took notes, but um we have >> to go through >> there. There was a debrief of the Alice situation at Exit High School. Um, and that was helpful so that we can, you know, learn what worked well and where
092there is room for growth. And I think that was a robust conversation. Um, and in terms of I think just one other update along that front is that we are in the process of interviewing to find a new director of safety and security. >> I think that about sums it up. >> Yeah. >> You want to use They're going to yell at us. >> Okay. You You can go to Michael's. >> I think that one's on, weirdly enough. >> Yeah, that one's on >> if it's green. >> I know, right? [laughter] I know, right? Just bend over. It's fine. Um on the the >> Jennish. >> Oh, Jenny. Yeah. Everybody knows in town. Um >> on the Alice >> situation at Exit High School. Um, is there anything as the middle school and the high
093I'm I know this is new field, but the middle school and high school that following those types of things were just we're addressing it at the elementary or middle school level because a lot of our students have older siblings in those >> um in those schools as well. I know it definitely affected our family. So, I wanted to see what you guys are doing at the elementary level to discuss that with the students. >> Yeah. Yeah. I I would say as far as the meeting, I don't think it necessarily came up, but I don't know if you had any thoughts. >> It it didn't come up at the meeting. I will say um you know, we have been presenting to the various schools um uh with some SAU representation. Um that's not necessarily in response
094to the Alice situation at Exit High School, but I will say it is, you know, giving staff some additional tools about how to support our students right now. Um given the current, you know, state of affairs that we're in and some of the heightened, uh states in terms of the news and what's happening around the world. So I know that has has occurred. Um and but at the meeting specifically we did not discuss you know um specifically addressing the students in the elementary and middle grades. That being said um there is representation there from all grade levels from the principles. Um and I'm not sure Susie if you wanted to speak to that in addition to that. >> Sure. >> So that's a delicate um issue um for the students who who didn't experience it.
095And so there were some students who spoke with Mrs. A about it. Um, and I I know that they had some meaningful conversations around what we would do. Um, we've been um having conversations about the different drills that we run. Um, and it's a balance of keeping people safe and not increasing anxiety. Um, that's always the balance, right? Um, yeah, that's great. I would just say another plug for why we have a full-time counselor in the sale. So, that's fantastic. Um, the other thing I would just update as far as the committee, I didn't say this, but I think I can say this, right? Just the fact that we have >> I thought that was a great So, yes, we have all this the drills, the fire drills, shelter in place drills that we have
096as part of a regulatory thing, but there's also a regular effort to do tabletop drills where um you guys are probably all familiar with it, but I wasn't. And so it was great to hear um where basically the the staff and folks um also at the town level, you know, often there can be representation of the police sort of in at one space to say, "All right, this is what we would do." And at this point, we can walk through what would happen. And then I guess at those tabletop drills, things were identified that they might need to tweak, which I thought was just a really great way to be proactive and not have to wait until the actual either event is happening or or an actual drill that is sort of >> conveniently timed
097when you don't really think about some of the other uh quirks. So that was really helpful. >> Yeah. So that's all I have for that. top of mind. >> That's okay. Um, so I know what we're required by the state to do and I know um as far as drills and those types [music] of things, but have we at New Fields done you're not typical drills with the students where it's like not a time that they're in a classroom or they're in an area that is not an everyday occurrence. This is, you know, coming off of what just happened. So, um, I I know my kids have voiced strong concern. So, I just wanted to bring it up and let everybody know that it might be worth having some more discussions with the kids, especially
098in communal areas or in if they're in classrooms that aren't their classrooms or if they're in areas that aren't their normal areas. Um, I don't know just from my own experience if they are truly comfortable with what they're supposed to do in those scenarios, which I know is it is a balance between making them nervous but also super important. >> Mic drop. Thank [laughter] you. Um, all righty. Superintendent Evaluation Committee. Uh the committee did meet and I have some notes but I also um did miss the meeting but I do have all the notes and all the um updates and the minus moving forward. >> Okay. And we can I feel like do you want to should we do the policy first and get to the safety or is it not much? >> There's not
099much. >> Okay. So school safety. So, the school safety committee um did not meet in between the last meeting and this one because everybody was preparing for um tonight um getting um just everything ready. So, um we may meet um again later this month or next month depending upon the vote, things along those lines, but um for the most part, we're almost wrapped up. I did just want to thank again publicly the members of the committee who uh continued to show up both at regular meetings and then tonight. I think it was a really great testament. >> Yeah, they've been amazing. Absolutely amazing. And then uh the strategic strategic plan committee um that uh was presented at the um SAU meeting >> um the joint board meeting. I don't think you guys were there. >>
100That's right. because it was a snowstorm and it was changed and it was rescheduled. But if you go through your packet, um, all the details will be in there. Um, it's effectively starting to roll out. Um, but if you have any questions, I can go through them with you, but it's all in the all in the joint board packet. >> Okay. All right. Um, so as far as the policy committee meeting that I missed, uh, it was actually a very brief one. There were there were five policies that were slightly revised. Um the the the changes are in there. We have the summary here. Um EBB is the school safety program. There was some revised language uh to refer to um things supervision supervisory requirements both on and off school property. Then also the inclusion
101of the word designate which is sort of best practice that we're still combing through um policies to make sure that that uh is included. Any questions or thoughts on that first one? >> No. Uh policy EBB is for accident reports. Um the revision summary was um modifying section C to reflect some uh provisions of department of labor administrative regulation changes clarifying specific expectation to employees and then also making sure that the reports u collaborate with human resources. Again more of a procedural change. Anything? >> Nope. >> Okay. Um the next two are sort of connected uh EBCA and EBCH one refers to the other. So there was changes made to one and then there was a reference to the second policy in the first. So EBCA is crisis prevention and emergency management. And again the
102revision is just a reference to the new chemical safety and chemical hygiene policy which is the EBC which was slightly revised to uh add a component of a chemical hygiene audit which is a requirement. Now um any questions on those two? >> It sounds like it was a real rousing policy committee that I missed. Uh and then the GBB, which is the employee student relations, uh there was just an update related to HB231, which [clears throat] is an RSA, uh requiring a policy that prohibits staff from transporting students to medical appointments, uh and the like without parental permission absent an emergency. Um and yeah, so that one had a little bit more changes, but nothing real too substantive. It was mostly related to legal RSA stuff. Any questions or comments? No, these ones are pretty
103straightforward. >> Make a motion to accept policy EBB, EBB, EBCA, EBC, and GBB. >> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> Hi. Awesome. >> Thank you. Alphabet soup. Um, old business impact fees. We talked a little bit about the usage of the one and we have I think soon to be coming a draft of the um capital improvement. >> Yes. For the March meeting, we will review the capital improvement plan report and also a summary of the document because it is a very lengthy document. So, a summary in terms of what are the priorities for the building and when would we when is the expected timeline for each priority. >> I'm really looking forward to that. That's like in my opinion really awesome money that was well spent and I'm looking forward to it. >>
104I concur. >> Um, just as a spoiler alert, what was the arc? Do do they go 5 10 20 years or >> um it really I >> It's okay. We can wait till next month. Yeah, I know you're still bringing I didn't bring the report so that's okay. Okay. >> Um but yeah, it's it's a lot bigger picture. >> Yeah, good. >> Susie has a report. She says it went to 10. >> That's what we need. Yeah. So, thank you. Um >> we would like to condense it down to more, you know, one year, three year, five years. >> Yes. >> I will add tabs to this. I almost ripped it. This isn't that would be terrible if it got ripped. All right. Um, perfect. Do we have any other items or any input that
105from the public who has not yet? >> All right. >> Okay. >> Without further ado, I would just ask any suggested items for next month's meeting agenda. >> I think that's all there for the moment. >> I think we can entertain. We'll see how things go. Um, at the So, our next meeting is on March 5th, which is the week before >> the vote. the vote. >> Um we'll have the >> um >> it's an interesting quandry, right? So we won't know the result of the um vote yet and to Jane's point if we might benefit from additional meeting, but can we have communication >> via email? >> Definitely >> after that. Okay. >> Another option, the board could move our meeting out to get ahead of it. So after the vote, you can move
106it to this, for example, the 19th or the 12th. I'm open to that. I would say I believe so I am running again for re-election. I don't think there's anybody else on there. Nobody. >> It could be a write in I'm sure. But that's one of the benefits I think is that it will be the same group of folks. Sometimes when if I'm not running it could be a totally different composition. So that would be a little different. Does >> I don't have a problem with that if we move it out. Um just to make sure that we're covering all bases. >> Could that work for I don't need to. Let's just take a look. >> Just to look at my schedule real quick. I think it should be fine. >> I stuck with Thursdays
107to be consistent. >> Thursday. >> I know. >> Public. >> What [laughter] day are we looking? >> Uh, we were looking at what, the 19th. >> The 19th. >> So, the 12th would be two days after the vote. >> Although that's Fiddler on the Roof at CMS, so I can't go because >> No, that's not >> Aora is she >> Ga. Yes. >> Oh, I know that. >> So, I [snorts] will be there. Uh, I cannot do Thursday the 19th. >> You can or cannot? >> Cannot. Um, I can do the 18th potentially. >> Wednesday. >> Let me just double check. Um, all the calendars. >> Or Wednesday the 11th. That would be really soon. But >> I can do the 18th. >> The 18th. >> Can you do the 18th? >> I My chorus
108starts up again. [laughter] That's on Wednesday nights. Oh, >> I'm sorry. Not to be selfish, but it just >> I could do Monday, Wednesday, Thursday. So, sorry. >> We can do Monday the 16th. Do Monday. >> How's Monday? Look, >> Monday. >> Let me just double check everything. Monday is possible because I can't do Tuesday. >> Uh, so we talking the 16th? >> 16th. Yeah. >> Is that possible feasible? >> Yeah. >> Um, okay. Brian. >> Yeah, I can do Monday. >> The 16th. >> Okay. So, that will give us the vote will be on the 10th. Then we'll have a chance to meet on the 16th. >> At 6 p.m. So, I'll make sure to get that to McKinnon as well as the folks at the SAU to be sure we have the correct
109dates when we post. >> One just operational question as far as Molly. I know we often need to sign things. >> Will that be too long for certain manifests that we have to sign? I don't believe so, but I'll double check >> just because she's not here to confirm that. >> So, I'm going to change one more time to the 16th at 6 PM. It's the board meeting. I want to not discard change. All right. Perfect. Um, do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Uh, to go non public for uh the safety. >> Okay. We don't have to. Do would you like to go? >> Yes, please. >> Okay. >> So, scratch that. [laughter] Um we will go into a brief non-public uh with in accordance to chapter 9A section 3 Roman 2 >>
110I am not sure of the subsection because it was not planned but it would be >> G I believe >> security related G section subsection G >> at 7:41 >> okay so I would like to make a motion to come out of non-public at public >> at 7:59 Nine. >> I'll second that. >> Perfect. All in favor, Bobby Kelly. I >> I >> Jane Walsh and Brian Blander. Okay, beautiful. All three. Uh, and I'd like to make a motion to adjurnn at 7:59. I'll >> second it. All >> in favor? I I >> Thank you. Have a good night.