Public Hearing and School Board Meeting 3/31/2026

001Laura Teller will be here in 1 second. Jody Condan, our board secretary, and Matt uh Stone, our technology director. Um we are here for a public hearing for the building repair and maintenance fund. I'm going to read the public hearing notice aloud. Um so we are having a public hearing today, Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 5:15 for the school district building repair and maintenance fund. Uh the school board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, March 31st, 2016 at 5:15 uh at Maple Street when the cafeteria for the withdrawal of funds from the school district building repair and maintenance fund for the following $42,792.87 for the performance contract payment. At the school board meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m., the board will vote on an action item regarding the withdrawal from the school district building repair

002and maintenance fund. All interested residents are encouraged to attend the hearing and provide written or oral comments. So with that, do we have any board comments, questions, anything? This is something we discussed as part of our budget presentation ahead of our uh school district meeting uh a couple weeks ago in March. Um I think this is something we talked about as board, but is there anything that we need clarification, have questions on, or otherwise? >> This is our last withdrawal. >> Yeah. >> Of this from the CIP, correct? It is. >> Y it's in the operating budget for FY27. >> Perfect. >> All four quarters. >> Mhm. >> I say we have paid three out of the four already. Um this is the last one that's due April 15th that we typically pay out of

003the CIP. Correct. >> And this covers like general maintenance or for the particular like what do we is it the boiler? What is it? This is the municipal lease that we did in 2017 18 through um with Seammens. So it is a repayment on the municipal lease. The money we borrowed. >> Mhm. >> To do um HVAC and building lighting and >> Yes. >> Yep. Okay. >> And Jim is going to do a presentation on it in two weeks. >> How the energy is doing. >> Y All right. Any other questions? All right. We are at the public comment portion of the evening. If you'd like to come up, please state your name, address, and we ask you keep it to 3 minutes. All right, with that, uh, we are going to close the public

004hearing. Uh, we will restart the schoolboard meeting in 5 minutes at 5:30, at which point we will also vote as part of the meeting on the withdrawal. Sound good? >> All right, sounds good. >> Do I have a motion to adjurnn? So move. Second. >> Great. All those in favor? I >> All those opposed. >> Great. We're great public hearing. Thanks everybody. That's quick. What's up, Lucy? >> Not much. Sorry I'm late. >> I was a Everybody ready? >> We're good. Now, are we good? >> All right. Hey everybody. Welcome to the March 31st meeting, regular meeting of the Hopkins School Board. It's so great to see everyone here. Um, I am joined by school board member Jonathan Dunlap, Jonathan Cohen, Suzanne Carmichael, Andrea Folsam, and Dulce La, our superintendent, Amy Doyle. She's amazing. Our

005incredible business administrator, Laura Taylor. Our wonderful board secretary, Jodie Conan, student rep, Lucy Beardmore. Hey, Lucy. And Matt Stone, who is running everything uh off camera. Um, if we could please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance 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. >> Okay, we have two sets of minutes to approve. Uh, one for the reorg meeting on March 19th, that was two weeks ago. Um, and also the annual school district meetings that were a late addition, but I went through them. um from March 14th and those were taken by our school clerk um Sarah Palmo. Okay. Do I have a motion to approve both sets of minutes? >> Moved.

006>> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> No, just thank you to Sarah. Great. >> Yep. >> Um do you want to recuse yourself from the annual district meetings? Yeah. So, let's approve the let's have a motion to approve the 319 minutes. Actually, I'm sorry, guys. >> Yep. So, move for just the 319. Second. >> Second. Okay. Uh, all those in favor? I. Okay. And then for the 314 annual school district meeting minutes, I have a motion. >> Yep. >> Second. Okay. Any discussion? >> Yep. Double thanks. All those in favor? I >> I >> abstain. Jonathan D. Great. All right. We are at the first public uh comment portion of the evening. If you have something you'd like to come up and say, you are welcome to do so. Please state your name, address, and

007we ask that you keep your comments to three minutes. Okay. All right. Thanks, guys. Lucy, are you ready? >> I'm so ready. >> Let's do it. >> All right. Um, well, unfortunately, Kip is unable to be here today. Uh, but fortunately, spring sports have started and that's why he can't be here. Um, unfortunately, the fields were closed uh today. They got rained out. But a lot of, um, all of our spring sports, high school teams have started. Um, a lot of teams are doing open gyms, tryyouts um, in previous weeks. And then official practices started this week. Um, also as far as I know, all of the middle school coaching absences were filled. So, I think that middle school is going to be able to field a full slate of teams. Uh, which is really

008nice. Um, I do think Mr. Merve is coaching softball if I'm not speaking. So, >> I was like, "Oh, >> at least we have a softball team, so it'll be good." Um, also, um, high school related, um, the world language classes, uh, in the last couple weeks been doing Apple testing. Um, I think that Apple testing is not the worst thing ever. Um, because they get your scores back super quickly. Um, recently I when I first started taking them, I don't think it was AI graded, but they switched to AI grading and now it's a lot quicker of like a turnaround period. Um, so you're able to go over your tests super quickly after you submit them. Uh, which is nice. Um, French exchange, um, still happening. Um, our students are in Normandy right now

009living with their, uh, partner families. Um, they spend almost a week in Paris. Um, and then the last week and a half, I think, in uh, Normandy. I think they come back Friday. Um, but their first day back at school will be Tuesday. Um, which is just in time for SATs, which is super exciting. Um, next week, um, Tuesday and Thursday. Um, and then, uh, I think a lot of other standardized testing is in the following weeks, uh, the rest of April. So, SAS testing, um, all that sort of thing. Um, middle school. Um, last week was sixth grade move up day, uh, which happened while the eighth graders were in DC, um, which was nice, so there was sort of more room in the middle school. Um, the current sixth and seventh graders, um,

010they got sort of like a I think it was like a basketball like trick show type of thing. Last year they got like a BMX stunt thing. Um, but this year it was basketball and I heard good things about that. Um, the DC trip was reinstated this year for eighth graders. Um, I'm not sure if there was like a scheduling thing that made this necessary, but they got back on a Thursday and then that Friday um I think there were 12 eighth graders in school um out of the whole grade. So, that was that was kind of unfortunate, but I think they had fun. Um, and it was nice that um, that that trip is going again because my grade we we were unable to participate. Um, but I'm glad that it's back. Um, and

011then Maple Street, I haven't heard anything. I know Kip normally has stuff there. Um, we're hoping to get back um to sit in on um, a class, probably a sixth grade class um, before April break, but I know it's a busy time of year, so maybe not. But that's the hope. Um, yeah, that's all. >> Amazing. Anything from France? >> I haven't heard anything. Okay. >> Did the students who are in France who lost their luggage get it back? Are they still walking around in sandals? >> One of one of the >> students did, but the other one I don't think did. >> Oh, that's rough. >> Any questions for Lucy? >> No, that was my question about the luggage. >> Yeah. >> Um, how's the vandalism situation going? Um, I haven't heard any new

012developments since the music room thing. Um, yeah. I think I mean they were able to clean it up, but I don't know that much has like come of it. They don't know who did it. I don't think yet, but >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. >> All right. Awesome. Thank you, Lucy. As ever, >> um, any board comments? Well, just off of Lucy saying, the uh eighth grade um DC trip was fantastic just as an update. Uh I had a student on that and rave reviews as as you kind of alluded to. So, they got back a little bit late on Thursday, which is why there weren't as many kids in on Friday. But, uh aside from that, they had a wonderful time and I'm I'm really happy as well that it is back in

013action cuz yeah, it was really valuable. Did they get to go to like the heart senate buildings or anything? Do they do anything like that? >> They got like a Capitol tour. They went to the Liberty Bell. They went to a ton of museums. Like they had this amazingly full schedule from like 6:45 in the morning till 10:00 at night. Like as soon as you left your hotel room, you did not go back. >> That's why they were not. >> They had backpacks every day and they like saw things and listened to tour guides. >> But they had a really good time. >> That's great. So yeah. >> Awesome. really good things. >> That's amazing. We will probably talk about this at the end of the meeting, but uh if people have not been paying

014attention, there was a second public hearing for the new open enrollment language that they're trying to move through. It is still not good. It would still be devastating, I think, for a school district. We will talk more about it in a little bit, but um if there are people tuning in only watching the first part of the meeting, everyone should be paying attention to what's happening at the state because it will have massive impacts on not just our public school, but all public schools. >> Okay. And I think a hearing yesterday on the EFAs. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Any other board comments? >> Great. Okay, Jonathan, welcome to your first Maple Tree board meeting. Thank you. >> Love to have you. >> Okay, with that, we're going to move to current business. I think

015we have some sports teams here, guys. We're surrounded by medals. You guys look like a bunch of Olympians. Um, Alpineer Nordic wants to go first. We're excited to hear from everyone. He misters. Okay, go for it, Leah. Let's hit it. Uhhuh. Come on up. >> Do it. >> You got it. >> Yeah, >> hi everyone. I'm Coach Roth. I've been coaching for 10 years. 11 years. >> Ever since uh Rob Nato brought me into it. Left me there alone. No. Uh just as a real short recap on the season, uh we came into the season. Um with 15 athletes total, uh kind of split between boys and girls, so a little bit of a smaller team for us. Um we lost four of our top six uh girls um for graduation last year. So those

016of you who all know which is probably just better um it's very similar to cross country running in that there's a skate team at the end of the season. So cross country running it's seven in a state team five score with NOR it's even smaller six on a team and then four score. So uh losing four of our top six was was a big thing and we came back really thinking that this was going to be a rebuilding year. Um, and they proved me wrong once again. So, um, which I'm really happy with. But they came back, uh, worked really super hard. Finally, we had some really good snow conditions, um, which made it completely easier for us. We weren't always looking for snow or having to do drive around snow from day one all

017the way to the end. Um, at the state meet, they were down in the morning a little bit. Um and then the afternoon they just came right back and uh defeated our top which is so incredible results, incredible team. So super honored to be >> amazing. Um, so I think just the memorable or notable part of this season was just um like the competition we had between each other and um it's a bit of a younger team with Le and I being juniors and then two seniors. Um, we definitely all were very interchangeable throughout the season and I think the competition between us definitely brought us closer and never pulled us apart and we all were just super focused and hardworking but also had a great time every day at practice and at races and

018so yeah, we all worked really hard. >> Okay. Um, well, Robin Rose pretty much said everything, but >> wait, can you guys see your names? I should have had you say that. >> Sure. Yeah. I'm Rose. >> Rose. >> I'm Leah. >> Okay. >> I'm Carly. >> Okay. >> And then we also had Sophia Upton who's a senior and Hannah Cler who is a sophomore. >> Sorry. Go ahead. Yeah. Anyways, I just want to add that like we always have fun and Nordic is sometimes hard to have fun, but it's always easy to find like the good part of it when you're like with a fun team who always supports you and you're having fun. And so, yeah, I was really grateful for that because it takes up a ton of time and it takes

019up some of your weekends and you have to miss a lot of school for it. And it's always fun when like at the end of the year you like look back and you're like, "Yeah, it was totally worth it." You want to talk about we have any questions from the board for our athletes? Our Nordic athletes. >> You guys ready for a bigger team next year? So, I think you're going to have some people moving up. >> Yeah. >> Welcome them with open arms. Do any of you have like super Jesse Diggines like collapses over the finish line? Are you guys still >> Sophia? She's not here, but she always goes really fast at the end. >> Uhhuh. Is there interest in starting like a winter batlon? >> Oh, we have batlon races sometimes. >>

020Really? >> Yeah. It's a painball. >> Yeah, it's a painball, but their guns are always broken. Oh, okay. That's pretty cool. >> Amazing. >> And are there courses because Rod used to ask this question, but are there courses that are like your favorite that are like harder ones or easier ones? What's the hardest one? >> Um, no. We went to a lot this year. Um, I kind of like it, but >> yeah, I'd say my least favorite is definitely the fairgrounds. We always have to do three laps because we don't have a ton of trails. So like we just do three laps of our loot that we do over and over again >> and somehow whenever we have our races, the conditions are always really bad this year. >> Yeah. >> Okay, cool. Any other

021questions? I think it's amazing. Nordic is a really incredibly hard sport and I'm so impressed with the dedication and it does. Can we take a picture with you guys before we bring the help team up? Yeah, >> let's do it. Have to squeeze in. Take the right code. >> All right. All right, Alpine. >> What's going on? >> Now they they can see what's happening. >> They know the drill now. >> Oh, here we go. >> Hey, Lucy. >> Lucy. >> Oh, Lucy. Lucy. Lucy, will you move the mic over? Sorry. Yeah, >> great. Thank Thanks for having us. Um, we actually had two um championship teams. We we've all trained together, boys and girls. Um, and I think for the girls part, uh, the season really sort of begun, uh, last year at states.

022Um, we got beat by a Gilbert team um on their home ski area and we all came to the realization that every one of their starting skiers was coming back next year. So, you know, there was a bit of um resilience on our part to to uh continue into the season. We also had a lot of fun. I um during the course of the year, we um had some regular season races where I I don't think the girls didn't beat Gilford. I'm just specifically talking about the girls on this first one. Um, and they but they were close and we had a championship race um at Sonipe, which I think is nobody's favorite venue. It's really flat. It's uh but we uh I guess we we we managed to make uh uh lemonade out of

023lemons there uh by having, you know, great attitude from the very beginning. We had a grill uh set up in the uh parking lot from the parents. Um, we had an estate team which was six girls. Each had another girl to help carry their coats. Um, and just get enthusiastic. And I I think um we just it wasn't even close. The same group of girls that we had um well the pelleteers were new. Um the teloters were new, but um same group of girls, we we beat them uh pretty handily, which felt real good. Um, and I would just like to add that alpine skiing is so much of an individual sport and it's so fun when we can be as a team um, skiing together um, and and scoring together. So, you want to

024talk a little bit about the boys season. >> Okay. The boy season um, again we got beat by seven points by Kirars at the end of last year. We lost uh, one skier. these guys came back. But fast forward, um, a little bit different. We were probably odds on favored to win the state championship on the boys side. We're pretty deep. Had a good team. Um, our state race was at Pat's Peak and in the morning, uh, two of our racers went down, so we needed the back end of our lineup to really have some good runs. Um, they did that. We were still down uh, after the giant small portion. Um, and then you know, uh, three quarters start at Pat's Peak on a really ruddy course for the slalom. We're basically telling all

025these kids, you got to finish both runs. K had their top skier. They gave us a crack. They had their top skier go down. And at that point, it's like, okay guys, you all have to finish. All six of these guys finished two runs of slalom to win by a lot. Two points. >> Two points. Two points. So, it was a good it was a good uh season. It was whether they won or lost, the fact that they skied really well. And again, like I said with the team aspect, um they all got to finish, right? I mean, it's just got they got to get through because hey, you get points if you finish. You don't get any points if you don't. So, uh good job by these guys. Um Marello was sort of our

026captain for uh both sides. We had other captains, but she she's gonna talk and say a few words. Okay. >> Hi, I'm Marella. Um, I was the captain for both the girls and guys team, which is one of the best things about the Alpine team because we really like angle and work together. Um, I think it's really important to mention that all of our on the girls side, all of our athletes that skied at championships all went to MOC's, which is a pretty big deal. And also at championships we had a hockey on podium sweep which was pretty cool. And then the guys did really great. I watched I got to watch them as long and it was just like they all supported each other and I think that's the best part of our team.

027>> Awesome. >> Any other comments before we ask questions peppering you? >> Does and someone from the guys want to talk or no? Sam. >> All right. Any questions from the board? >> Okay. I meant to ask it for Nordic, but was it really inspirational to have the Olympics happening as you guys were competing this year? Did you just watch every ski >> other than the moon? What are you doing? >> I'm really connected to just like that's really cool. >> All right. Do you guys do you guys tune all your own skis or does someone else tune your skis? >> We tune all our >> That's cool. >> My dad tunes a couple times. >> We don't want to have sharp skis. >> I was actually doing a little bit of waxing actually at

028the race which was very intimidating for our competitors >> and we had great starts. That's awesome. >> Way into it. Yes. >> And what are the multiple medals mean? >> Yeah. People have different medals. >> One of the medals is like for winning at the team. >> Um, one of them like a lot of people have similar things but like it's individual place. So like this one's like first in the giant home and then this one's from >> I have ski medal. >> You got ski? >> Yeah. So I got second place at the ski masters. So that's an Alpine combined. >> Um, so yeah, and then I have the I got runner up that >> amazing. >> That's a lot. >> We have a female scheme this year. >> Yeah, >> congratulations. >> Okay,

029that's like a lot. >> Awesome. Other questions from the board. >> Can you tell us about the meet of champions? Like how do you qualify and then who else is there? Well, let me tell you about our show. So, uh, so all 10 people, >> uh, as Shill listed off, all uh, 10 people there. So, all six of our girls, four of our guys. Most schools had one or two. Uh, I think probably, I don't know, the second the next school probably had, I don't know, maybe three or four. >> It's probably got double than any other school in the whole state. So putting that together, our alpine teams, the Nordic teams coming in first and second, I would say pretty much people are going to concede that Huffington is the ski school in the

030state. Um, so you have to finish in the top 10 in GS or SL to qualify the champions. A lot of those kids are overlap, so it's not really 20 kids, but uh and then so for then each division goes and races against each other. Um Chile however uh then finished 10th the at the champions in the top 10. So then went to the Eastern Ski Championships which is every state from here to Michigan. >> Oh wow. >> Um >> and then also got a top 10 finish there. >> Um in that race. So >> that's fantastic. And I think partel did I see your name in a in a conquered moni monitor winter athletes capital region >> only Hopkin and athlete >> you may have >> but at um no sorry at Eastern's the

031boys team the boys and team won but we got second for one but we were we were just behind them well we meet them in the GS and then we had a rough day in the soul. >> Okay. >> And what percentage of the team has been racing since they were doing alpine since they were kids and what percentage has started when they were in high school racing for the first time? I would say majority started in I mean I think there's like there's like three or four like boys >> there's like three or four boys that have been like ski racing for like more than like three years and then pretty much everybody else has been like just like like free skiing for the rest of their life and then just kind of started

032to actually race in high school. >> That's amazing. So impressive. On the girls side, we had like a lot of ski like club ski racing like I joined like Adrian and U8. >> Awesome. >> Yeah, Steve. >> Yeah, >> on the high school team. >> All right. >> And Satie, too. >> Awesome. Who are the seniors in the pool? >> Seniors. >> They're just two. >> There are no boys seniors. >> No boys for next year. >> Sorry. There were a couple more seniors. >> Oh, all right. Can we get a anything else before we get a photo? >> No. >> Can we get a photo with you guys? Thank you. Congratulations. I'm really going to need >> to get one. >> Yeah, guys. Some guys are going to have to go behind the girls.

033>> You need two lanes. >> Yeah, I need girls. >> Going to be way too uh I'm so sure. >> Three, two, one. >> All right. Thank you athletes. >> Congratulations. You guys did great. >> Thank you, coaches. >> Yeah. Thank you, coaches. >> All right. Thanks, guys. >> Weird people don't want to stay for the audit. >> We're going to do one quick motion before we get to you. Is that okay? >> All right. So, we had a public hearing. Uh, thanks, coach. We had a public hearing for, uh, CIP right before this. Um, do I have a motion to approve a withdrawal of $42,79287 from the school district building repair and maintenance expendable trust fund for the purpose of paying the fourth payment on the municipal lease? >> I'll second. >> All right.

034Any discussion? >> Excited to be moving this over. And this is our last payment. Last payment. >> Last payment on CIP. >> All right. must pay. Great. All right. All those in favor? >> I. >> All those opposed? >> Great. All right. Thank you, Evan. McKenzie, we have a special guest. Our district treasurer is going to come up. If you want to sit next to Lucy, that would be awesome. >> Uh to help talk us through our audit. Thank you so much for coming. >> All right. How'd we do? Well, frankly, we we we do well every year and and this was no exception. Um, you know, I I've been around for a long time and uh the the staff that was here when I started, uh Michelle and and Lori and Karen had been

035around for a while. I mean, Laura Nato was here from the beginning. Um, and then then you have transitions. You know, we we have Laura coming in and and Michelle uh retiring and you know, the to have Lori and Karen Morse both be gone. Um, you know, that that's a lot of transition. Uh, but I I have to say that um based on how we did the transition, I think it went very smooth. Uh, and I think that I think that our district does a very good job uh with with what we're supposed to be doing. Uh, and you don't have to watch the news too much because I I don't uh and and I saw all sorts of stories with school districts having having issues u and some of them foundational issues. You know,

036the fact that we uh as a as a board approve all the vouchers timely >> uh you know that they and and now that we're using Panda Doc now that I figured it out, I I am the old dog that has to keep learning new tricks. Um, but you know, it that works really well because once the once the the last person signs, it goes right to me and and then I'm able to I'm able to sign off on it and and know that all the signatures are there and and know everything's done as it's supposed to be done. Um, now as the as far as the financial statements go, uh, I like to look at the management letter, uh, from the auditors because that kind of tells you that that tells you how the

037audit went and that that tells you kind of how how we're doing things. Uh, and I look for for issues or anything that's brought up in in that. And um, and frankly there there never is. I'm always very pleased. uh with how the audits go. Uh a lifetime ago, I was a an auditor for a public accounting firm. Uh and I audited anything from manufacturing to towns to to whatever. So, uh the fact that it's a it's a good respectable uh relationship between us and the auditors, I think that I think that works well. Um I mean some of the some of the comments that are always in the management letter um whether or not the financial statements disclosures are neutral, consistent and clear. They always are. Uh there are no significant or unusual transactions

038identified during the audit. Um encountered no significant difficulties in dealing with management relating to the performance of the audit. Uh there were audits where they had four of us shoved at a table probably about the size of this. They thought we were going to go away quicker and you know, you know, it's just more miserable and it's it's a tougher audit. Um, management corrected all identified the statements. I took a quick look through the through the adjustments and there was nothing nothing material. Um, sometimes it's accountants being accountants. Uh, let's see. No circumstances that affect the form and content of the auditor's report. uh and that um determine that there are no key audit matters to communicate. So basically uh everything in this in this management letter from the auditors uh comes across as as

039clean. Um, now when you look at the financial statements, uh, the first thing that always steps out, jumps out to me, and it's been this way since since I started, and and frankly, that was long enough ago where there were some there were some uh accounting standards that a lot of towns and school districts hadn't adopted. I mean, even in my time when I was in in public accounting, um, they to see a clean opinion. when I saw the first one back in I don't know 2008 2010 uh and it to be a clean opinion meant that all those things were adopted that a lot of places didn't adopt. Uh so that that that says something. Uh and the clean opinion is still true. I mean it's uh there there's there's basically they looked at

040everything we did. They looked at the report and they said yep this is the way it should be. So that that means that that means a lot to me as much as a taxpayer as as a treasurer. Um the other the other thing that seems to be making the news is uh deficits you're you know conquered I think has a $16 million deficit. Manchester um we won't mention some of the other states up north or the districts up north. Um, we did not have debts. Uh, we had uh we we had a slight excess of revenue over expenditures. Um, and you don't want it to be huge, but um I think it was about about $500,000, which um I mean, if you look at your checking account, 500 seems like a lot, but when you

041look at it as a percentage of the overall budget, um I would say it's within 2%. Uh so you know you can think back how many times were you at 98% when you took tests and everything that you did. So uh you know maybe there may be a few uh probably not me. Um so you you have to look at at overall it's not it's not it's not just it's the SAU uh it's the town. We seem to be reasonable when we have the have the budget meetings and the town meetings. I think that the town has realized that it's worth investing in schools. Have been in town since 2002 and there have been some contested ones. There's been it's good that there's some push back. It keeps everything honest. It it makes as a

042school board it makes us work a little bit harder for it to to figure out how to make things work. Uh but not to a point where some of these school districts where the budget just gets voted down and it's either a flat budget or just a step or uh and then teachers are wondering if they've got jobs or it really it really impacts the staff and that impacts the students. So that uh that is as much in these financial statements as as anything else. Uh let's see. The comparison to budget is a schedule that I always look at because it it it tells me ultimately how how we did. Some households do budgets, some don't. Some some people do budgets and then and then don't follow them. Obviously, we looked pretty closely to budgets.

043And you could tell because of the the vote that we took earlier, >> right, >> to to move funds around. How can we best utilize the funds, >> right? >> It's been that way since since I've been involved as I whether I make meetings or not, but I see minutes. I see I see it from from other from other ways. And our total revenue uh actually exceeded the budget by a little bit, which in my mind means that the the staff found other grants, other things out there to to help pay for a program that we might not have been able to have otherwise. Uh expenditures were were less than budget, which means that we're keeping track of of what we're spending and making sure that we we stay within overall. the last the last

044one and it it was during my time as treasurer where I I knew that the the that Gazsby had put this new standard out that we had to show what the true pension liability is. Private private companies and public companies companies had to show that many years before and I was on some audits where it was it was pretty devastating. they they really weren't taking into account what the the future pension liability was. And I've got to say that for the for the for the first time in recent memory, our our liability for the pension fund actually went down. And it's it's tough because they they tweak they tweak how they calculate it and you get mortality rates, you get all sorts of things. And it was a it was a big ugly number that

045went onto our balance sheet as a debt. I think when it went on it went on at about 15 or $16 million. Thankfully and Sanders and they sent their uh partner and manager out and and they they they took that one. I understood what was going on. Uh but I had to live in town. So I was not upset that that they presented that one. But given that all of the all of the assumptions actually increased, the inflation rate increased, the wage inflation rate increased, the salaries uh increased percentage- wise, and the investment rate of return, uh they held that flat. And that's how they can play with some games. If they say, "Well, we can get a 10% return on investment," that's going to drop the liability because the expectation is you're going to

046get more from the funds that are invested in this this fund. >> So, they they kept they kept that flat >> and they actually raised some of these other ones that could negatively impact or or raise the liability and yet the liability still went down. Uh the stock market's done well, but it's like the school district, they have to be careful what they invest in. they're not investing in in N in N in N in N in N in N in N in N in N in N in Nvidia or some of these stocks that really jump a percentage might be like maybe 10% but they're not going to get the benefit of that bump >> like uh like like you might if you were investing on your own. So I I got to say

047that that that was one that that uh that I I I liked and I like to see just because most of us don't like to have a lot of debt hanging over us and it'd be good to whether We're always going to have a liability. Uh but it's good to see that. It's good to see that going down. >> Awesome. >> Thank you. Awesome. Any questions for David? >> Dave, any areas for continuous improvement or uh areas we should look at to do better with? >> Um I would say not. the the management letters and the suggestions really it's it's a little bit of tweaking here, a little bit of they they test a certain number of transactions and for the few items that they they might have identified. Uh I I would I would

048say that it really nothing nothing jumped out at me for for what I saw. I I would say that we're good about uh getting all the all the voucher packages around and that that was that was one thing. Um, I saw I saw Dave Luno and if you know Dave Luno, you know that he eats, sleeps, and breathes schools, his passion for school. And we talked a little bit about one of the school districts up north. And he he was more in the no. And what what he found out, the the school board didn't even know that they needed to approve the the vouchers before they were paid. they were four or five years behind on their on their financial statements. It was every every time he he told me what was going on, my

049heart sank in one way and my heart kind of rose in another way because I I I knew at the time that the auditors had had already been out at that point. So I I I know and and Michelle traditionally pushed to get the auditors out there as close to the end of the the fiscal year in early July so that we could be one of the first ones and and I would say that that that traditions continued. I think that CO slowed things down a bit just because CO slowed everything down a bit and I think that uh although the the financials were I think were dated February 12th u I' I've got my own tax practice and I know that there's not a lot of accountants out there so I I I know

050that uh for for us to to have it done by by February 12th I think is is a is a very good. It's a very good timing. It I don't I don't know that we could have done expected to do much better than that. So, and for a small district, it would be really easy to say we don't need this or we don't need that, but we we have a good number of staff. I finally met Ben in person today or no uh la when >> last week last Friday. Um, so it was good to see it. It was good to to put a a a face to a name, but we have we have good we've got good segregation. Some of these smaller districts or some of these districts that have trouble, they don't

051they don't have the the staff. They don't segregate what the duties are. So, one person might be doing something that could jeopardize some of the controls. the the fact that every year the auditors are going to look at what our controls are, our internal controls. They they evaluate them. Are they adequate to protect? Are they adequate to to run the district? Are they adequate to do what we need them to do? And are we following them? In the transaction testing, they they determine whether or not we're following. It's great to have them, but if you're not following them, it doesn't do you any good. So, and for there to be no findings in that area, I it it just comes across to me that our controls are are good and we're and we're following. And

052that's ultimately from from my from my perspective, uh that that means the most to me because if you if you can't rely on internal controls, then you really don't know what's going on. You don't know who's who's controlling the bus ultimately. So, Thanks. Any other questions? >> I guess I would just make a comment in listening to your assessment. um you know what a nice job Laura you've been doing >> and I also think back to when we made the decision when you came in and we had you here under Michelle >> and there was some questioning about the salary and I think it's a good illustration of sometimes um you know uh an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure um I think it was a really good transition um so nicely

053done but also I think it's a pretty good illustration of sometimes ways to look at expenditures. >> Yeah, a lot of times people will look at the short term and and try and save a few dollars and and then cost long term. And I have to say as as lucky as we were to have Michelle for all those years, I I feel that we're we're lucky to have found Laura and I hope I hope she stays at least as long as Michelle did. and and and you're right, it the transition. I've always felt that the school board looks to do things right, not not popular. You got to face the the the voters and the taxpayers and and and I understand people on, you know, who retired on fixed incomes, it it is tough. If

054you raise it a little bit, it's going to be hard on their budgets. But unfortunately, if you're if you're going to do it and be successful with it, you you have to you have to do it right. And you're as a board, we're doing it right by by keeping track of and and our controls and hiring and and overseeing and and the teachers are doing what they need to do to keep the school district. If the if the district wasn't a strong district, because the teachers weren't doing what they needed to do, it'd be harder to justify. So, as a as a as an overall, it really shows that we're we're a strong district and and that's why people choose to to move to the town. We face challenges all the time as far as

055more requirements from the state, but state funding, you know, it it's like most the they're good about putting the rules out there, but the the funds usually don't flow quite as fast as the rules do. and the rule changes and and you'd mentioned earlier in the meeting. It just seems like we're we're in a in a point of of constant change and and quick change. You have to have to really be able to bob and weave quickly to to keep up with because if you if you if you don't, you're going to get behind. I don't I don't care. Even if we're not a for-profit, our our business is turning out kids. And yet, you have to I mean, what's more critical than that? >> I mean, really, this this goes to to everybody in

056the office and everybody in the board. >> It shows the dedication to it. >> Thank you. I would second that, Laura. I think you do you have managed an excellent job. The audit is a ton of work. for anyone who's never not even been part of an audit but witnessed an audit. It's a lot to prep and make happen and to be hosting auditors for a while is really truly a lot of work and you have to be so organized to go through everything. So, thank you. I will also say I don't know if everyone knows this but Andrea and I have to sign every single voucher that goes out from the school district which includes payroll expenditures etc. And I will occasionally have questions I just won't necessarily know and within 15 minutes Laura

057will have the answer. She knows it because she knows where everything's going. So good job. And also Dave, you also have to sign everything like so there is, as you said, I think a lot of oversight of detailed oversight and we're lucky to have it as a district. >> Yeah. I've tried to develop my own set of controls over over the years. I don't I don't look at every transaction that that goes through. who I've got more of a top-sided uh view of and I keep track of I I rely on my my audit background to right to track things that ultimately need to be tracked at at at more of a treasurer's level versus >> I talked with Lori Nato one time and there was a treasure at one point that she had to

058drive all the vouchers out to the treasurer's house >> and and he would go through them line by line and and question items >> and and That's that's fair. Yeah, that that's what the treasurer Yeah, that I guess is what he thought the job needed to be. >> But it uh there's there's enough people looking >> right >> that you know you you you need to ask when you have a question, >> right? >> But when you see the same things coming through, >> right, >> you you understand them and if something changes, you you can identify too. >> Yeah. So, and I I appreciate uh sometimes I see uh final lectures are signed at, you know, 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock at night, my my phone will chirp or beep or honk or whatever it

059makes. >> And if I have any work in anyway, I just approve it and and and you know, put it in my spreadsheets and and move on. So, >> yeah. Get up 5 a.m. >> Yeah. Amazing. All right. Any other questions for Dave? Also, thank you for coming in and talking with us. It is a wonderful to get to like actually spend time with you and I know we exist in the internet community together of the voucher world. But um it's I I really value hearing your opinion and also going through and it's also very helpful for people who don't read audits on the regular to have um the letter and notes translated into layman's terms. So, thank you. >> You're welcome. >> It's helpful. >> Good. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. >>

060You're welcome. We will hopefully see you before next year, but we'll definitely see you next year. >> Do you want me to stick around for the uh investment policy or >> that we were going to do investment policy with him here? >> We need to do that. >> We don't need to. I mean, we we have made no changes to it. So, we are just going to reaffirm it. We have a couple other policies to reaffirm as well. So, >> and Dave, you didn't want to We don't need to make any changes this year. >> No. No. I would say that and I'd say we're in compliance with and I'd say Yeah. >> Yeah. All right. Thank you. >> Excellent. Thank you. Really appreciate it. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank Thank you. It's

061a >> This isn't a an hour a week thing that that you you you've chosen to do. So, I appreciate from really the whole way the whole way through. You did a very good job on your presentation. >> Thank you, Dave. >> Nice to meet you. >> Thank you. >> Good luck in the rain. >> Yeah, I see it. >> Okay. Um, >> I really do appreciate hearing from our district treasurer. It's a great opportunity. So, thank you Dave McKenzie for coming in. Really appreciate it. >> I just want to remind everybody before we move on that the audit is available on our website under the business office. Audits are there along with the historicals if anyone wants to take a look at what Dave was talking about. Um, it is all in there. >>

062Yeah. And it starts with the >> It starts with the independent auditor's report. There are also um snippets of it that are in the town report as well that we put out every year. So my MDNA, which is my discussion of the audit itself, is also in there. Um and I'm happy to yeah answer any questions anyone has on it. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thanks so much. >> Okay, guys. We we knew this discussion was coming, but our district meeting was two and a half weeks ago. I know everyone has really missed the budget process. uh have probably, you know, not been sleeping because you're just wishing that you were talking about budget numbers. Anyho, so what I wanted to talk about was I am um the type of person who if

063I don't record notes about a process as soon as we're done with it, I won't remember it necessarily for the next year because I need to look back and think about how are we architecting something. And so this was our dream team's first year of Laura Pli. Um and then we had some new board members this year. Um you were thrilled. Uh, but I want to talk through how did we think that the entire process went. That could include when we started, what was the information that we discussed as a board, did we like the working sessions, were the public information sessions helpful that we added? Um, part of the things that I want to talk through is what went really well, what are areas for improvement, what are things that we definitely need to

064keep, okay, or change. Um, and that could be really about timeline, process, uh, workload, um, stress loads, communication, content. Um, I think are sort of the biggest buckets, but I will take notes if anyone just wants to start. >> What name those things again? What are you looking for? >> Timeline, workload, communication, um, which also includes content, um, and I'd say stress levels. Oh. Well, I can start, right? Uh I I I am glad that we used and built on the same documents that we had last year. Um I think it's helpful to already have. So we have like the special ed primer that I think it was helpful to update. So we already had that. Did not have to recreate the wheel this year. Um I think it's helpful to have the Q&A um

065like the budget Q&A. Um, I know that it costs money, but I do think it is helpful to send budget information to all of the households. I think that it is helpful communication and it is the right thing to do so that everybody is aware of what our budget is. Um, even though it's on shiny paper, which is the cheapest paper you can get. Um, so just thinking of it from a like a communication standpoint. I also know that we dropped the number of public sessions, like outreach sessions that we did this year, which I think felt like the right number of sessions. Last year, we had a bunch of like extra sessions and like I think you'll remember there were sessions where I showed up and I think you you were at them and

066we had nobody nobody show up. Um, so it felt good at least to have people showing up to them this year. Um, that's at least getting the ball started. >> Great. Starting in October of the work session, how'd that feel? Did that feel early? Did we feel like it was over too long of a time? Was it too short of time? Did everyone have enough time to deliberate and think and learn and understand? as a newbie, I felt like it gave me enough time to kind of grasp um the process and and learn a little bit more >> um in terms of changes because right there were you know sometimes showed up and there were like two or three people it wasn't >> getting the message out. I would love to see us potentially, is

067there a way to harness social media, uh, you know, tape a presentation and and have a great edit of it to to get out on social media. Um, maybe because we, you know, tried to hit some of those spots that we thought would be well attended and and some of them were and some of them were not. Um, but harness that power of social media. >> Maybe turn off the comments, but just, you know, I don't want to like >> I don't want to be yelled at. That was my least favorite part of of I want to hear, but like vitrial like I just least favorite part. >> Um, >> but I I do think we need to maybe other avenues. >> Yeah. because I think it's like an op like an opportunity for education.

068Like we're not going on there to try to like create a space for people to you know like dialogue with each other. We're just trying to give the information >> just to like >> petty some stuff like don't personally like >> Yeah. >> Okay. I also think we can change the time like with the timing of some of our like Yeah. >> Um I mean like PTA that PTA happens at a specific time but I know some of them like a library one that you guys did maybe that could be earlier. >> Yep. We tried and it was the room was booked, right? Yeah. We had people >> but we can we can get on that. We can just do it for next year now. >> Yeah. >> Book the room here. Yeah, >> I'd

069like to talk about March 27th. Okay. >> Uh, what else? >> I mean, as a lay person from the audience, I thought the presentation deck this year was clear and concise. I thought it was one of the better years communicating the information out. >> Yeah. >> I thought the mailer could probably be It's a balancing act. Too early and it gets tossed and people forget about it. Too late, it's right before the meeting. I thought it was pretty close to the late side. >> It was pretty late this year. um >> could be earlier. Yep. Yeah. >> But like we're talking three days or a week. We're not talking a month. >> But I did receive good feedback from a lot of people who was the slide content was clear, concise, and uh pretty easy

070to follow. This year, >> one person did give me the feedback like, hey, try to harmonize with the town. When you say tax impact, there were the tables of I I can't I'm going to misquote it. 100,000, 200,000, 400,000, 700,000. It was a disjoint between the town when they did that >> of the house values to give the quick references. >> I can certainly work with the town on that. Yeah. So that we use the same references. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> That's pretty minor. >> Yeah. >> I also like the October start. >> Yeah. >> Did that feel like it was enough time for people for staff and administrators on the side of things to get things ready on the start of the year and stuff. I mean, October is always an early start.

071I mean, you're really looking at the students you have in front of you and you've known them for six weeks and you're saying, "I'm thinking about the kids that I will with next year." I mean, it is it but I think it is the right amount of time because it gives you the opportunity to, you know, do what Laura and I did this year. Um, I I I hope that next year is it was very labor intensive what we did this year, going through every single line. And you know, Laura really looked at every line, every note, cleaning it up, being more being more descriptive, providing more detail, updating it to, you know, what was actually relevant. It was really impressive every iteration of that she did. I don't think you slept for probably six

072months months. >> Yeah. >> But it was helpful to me as the new superintendent as well. I mean, I feel really good about knowing what's in the budget because it's so comprehensive. >> Um, I also like that we post the big sheets because, you know, I've worked at districts that don't do that. you know, you just get the summary sheet, but I um as Dave was saying, it is a difference to have such a, you know, such a clear process and if anyone really wanted to know what was spent on something, you could go and find it. >> Y >> and and it's public. Yeah. >> So, >> yeah. >> Did all the toil and work this year lay ground work to make next year easier or is it going to be the same? >>

073It it did. Um, I really feel like we can the system does allow us to carry the notes over, so we can we can do that if we want to. Um, and put them in. I was curious that the the new sheets that we built had requested base and requested new. So, it essentially told us what keeps everything status quo and then what were the new items that were coming into the operating budget for you specifically to see and to highlight them. Do you want to see that again next year? >> The b the base versus new or do you want it to go back to the way it was where it was just all one number? I think it's nice to have the base versus new, but if the base is if the B

074if is the base the same as the prior year, >> most of the time it's just keep it status quo. So it was like it, you know, if a base for a contract for Apple Track for example, right, our new hires, we're expecting a 5% increase. So I'm going to increase it 5% and put that in my base because that's I need to manual. >> Yep. Yeah. Well, it's manual in the >> Yeah, it's manual. >> Yeah. I mean, >> sorry. Does anyone else want to talk to party? >> Yeah. I mean, I'm I'm wondering about the the cost benefit. When I think about that >> question, >> I will say when we went through the the requested new when we had to do that second round of cuts, that's what we looked at. You

075know, we were really helpful. anything that was new, we we knew that that's what we were going to try to target or at least to cut back a little bit. It made that easier because >> Yeah, I think the new is good. I just don't know. I think we definitely need the new. I just don't know if we need the base adjustment over the last year. Like that's where the cost benefit is. Like if you're going through and you're not we're not just comparing against the prior year or the prior year before that. Laura is going through looking at the prior year plus the base adjustment plus what's new beyond that >> and >> everything um any inflation adjustments then would be in the new column and then correct it that way. >> I think

076that that's fine. >> You want to see it that way? >> I I I am I am indeterminate. I think that it's just like we need to be >> thoughtful about your time and your effort and like I think about a like see one do one teach one thing, you know, like we're in a medical mindset and so like I think we want to think about how are we giving you leverage through this process while also still approving it. And if it takes a ton of time for you to do that, I think we should be thoughtful about it versus if you can just do it in one call. >> Sure. It would be easier to do it the way it was this year than it would be to put prior year plus everything in

077the new column. Actually, if you can believe that because then I'd have to have two line items for the difference between Apple track prior year and then Apple track new year. >> That's great. Whatever you want to >> Yes, please. I had a heart attack when you said that. >> Yeah, that would be a lot. >> Okay, then that's fine. like I think whatever is like we I think we the granularity we appreciate as a board and I think it's just more >> you did a lot of work this year and you don't want to like >> one of the things that was really good about it I think when we talk cost you know benefit was taking a look at special ed and realizing that for the operating line in special ed it actually

078got to we we were able to reduce it by $225,000 or what you know similar number but then we had new spending for new kids that were moving out and I think that shows that it's not just that we're not that we're looking right that we're trying to take things out that don't belong there anymore and we're putting in new things. >> But but also like we talked about in finance, I think keeping our eye on that particular ball throughout the year is an important thing for us to be doing. >> Y >> um just because it is such a variable big variable. Yeah. >> Um >> Yeah. I also I'm I'm you know I also think just philosophically not so much about the district meeting but to find the balance between >> um trying

079to stay lean and also thinking about what improvements we want to try to achieve. >> Yes, >> I don't have the answer to that, but I do think that that's that there's tension there and that that's something that we need to continue to be mindful of, >> you know, without falling into the put a bunch of strong men out there and then tear them down. That's not really good faith. But at the same time, >> you know, we want to be improving as a district. So, I >> I put it out there just as an issue. It's not really about the district meeting, but I it relates to it, >> but we're having the conversation. Yeah, I would say and I'll not type my own notes. I did a lot of work looking at other

080districts over the last couple years and I will say the Hopington School District puts out an extraordinary amount of information much earlier. Um or at least much more visible on the the district websites than a lot of other districts. >> Um so I do think that we have raised the bar there which I appreciate and to your point it does take work. Um, I will say to the extent that we feel comfortable with the notes, like I think Laura, you are exceptionally skilled in variance. So, I know that you probably have those prints living in the front of your eyelids um all the time and next year you'll be able to say sell E232. I know that that's a note that needs to be adjusted. So, I'm hoping there's a little bit of leverage there.

081Amy, also like I know that you were like, "Man, this is a lot." And we talked about this a little bit this morning, but like we did a lot of the content creation for stuff last year >> and Matt can tell you that um I had to email him almost never about updating stuff on the website because you just did it. And when I was going through and editing all of the documents line by line, you just did that. And I know it was because you wanted to live and like understand what was in the primer or the FAQs or whatever, but that felt like a huge I told you you're at a win beneath my wings for that. And I also realized it just went from my lap to your lap. So hopefully we

082can go back to a load sharing agreement. Uhhuh. And not have you like running through 40 pages of editing because anything is a lot. Like I know that that's a lot. >> Um >> Yeah. And hopefully those those those documents are supposed to be fairly evergreen. >> Correct. And I think that if as there's stuff that comes up like you did a great job with the open enrollment memo and FAQ because like that's a new issue where you have to do additional comms and I I will say it's also helpful as a board member to have those things there because it's it beefs up our preparation which is good. >> You know I think we did get I mean Matt could tell us more specifically. I think on the day using the QR code how

083many unique members I'm seeing was it 25 >> so okay >> I thought that was you know an added we tried to put up some QR codes around >> um so if folks didn't want to take you know paper slides they could um go right to the website I did get a little anecdotal feedback that people liked that >> I saw a lot of people lifting up there >> yeah thought we could even incorporate it into the slideshow maybe like the kids slideshow or something cuz they didn't have as much time. Like if they didn't >> whip out their phones real quick, they didn't have a lot of time to get it. >> They didn't see it on the walls. Right. >> Right. But there's a I mean there's like there's a lot to see

084when you're cutting it. >> That's true. >> That's a good point. Incorporated into this the slide deck with the kids. >> Yeah. I thought the slide deck was great. I love seeing that. It makes me cry every year. Also, I think Jodie, I would say this, and I recognized you at the last meeting, but I think the all the soft touches I think also make the meeting exceptional between um you know, treats that are available for people to purchase, um the Boy Scout troop, the pledge of allegiance, singing the anthem with the chorus, like being able to really think about it. And I know like everything from where people are sitting to how are the chairs set up to like how do we actually start the meeting and make it a community event. I was

085going to say like the thing that we don't have on here at all is like the actual meeting day. We're just like, "Thank you, Jody." >> Takes care of literally everything. >> Yeah. >> Which is huge. >> The day she's like, "It'll be fine." >> Such a Yeah, exactly. >> Yeah. >> Where did the idea come to marry the farmers market from here over there? I'm pointing at Jonathan, but I think it was his lovely wife. >> I don't know what what it took to pull off. That was brilliant. That was >> it was um it was a lot of good collaboration with Mr. Rziki >> uh to make that happen and with Amy >> and with it was awesome. >> I think that was very successful. >> Did they find it successful over there?

086Yeah, I mean >> everybody Yeah, everybody did well and I think it was >> and usually it's crickets when they had it here on annual like no one comes. It's just like >> everyone's there's that and then gave more >> sustenance to I was going to say people in the audience were just so happy. They're like eat this, eat this. >> Oh, you bought the soap. >> Was there any concern cuz I was concerned with parking but >> we were there early. I know some people had to park on the street but Same. Yeah. For the vendors, you mean or >> No, just people coming in in general. >> People if there were any additional people coming in lowerend um where then it tends to be >> Yeah. >> 2x that. But I think it's

087okay. >> Yeah. >> Um I do think in terms of meetings, I do think we should continue to hit up both political parties. I think Rotary is helpful. I think PTA is helpful. Um I think that any of the groups that are in town, >> uh I think we should senior lunch I think was really valuable that was very well attended and I think beneficial really engaged so I think it's like those groups that are there that are meeting I think we should continue to ask if we can continue to come and present at them >> getting space and I tried to do said that to ask for that in January this year so earlier started for the beginning of the year so get on the agenda >> yeah I just hope that they would

088all take us up on that opportunity yeah >> okay anything else today. I think it was a great I'm really proud of our work as ever. Um, thank you everyone for pulling on the ore and keeping the boat moving in the same direction because as we know there is legislature we were waiting on until the day still has not passed. So, >> okie dokie. Um, we do have our final read of our HA teacher nominations. Um, oh, also last thing, if people have anything else they want to think about for the meeting, um, for anything, you can also feel free to, um, just send me a note, text me, call me. I am open to feedback for everything. And again, the the the goal is high quality, high leverage, lower stress. Uh, so the whatever

089you can think of like we happy to reinvent whatever wheels, happy to keep sharpening the wheels, all things. That's not a thing. Banding the wheel. Continuing >> racing the wheel. >> Recreasing the wheel. Thank you. That's right, English teacher. Thank you so much. >> Mixing the metaphor. >> I think we sharpen the wheel. >> I don't know. Who could say? Anyway, it is now. >> Yeah, that's right. So, we've got two things. So, we've got our final read of our HA nominations. Um, this will be our third read. As we mentioned at the last meeting, we did not think it was super fair to have Jonathan Dunlop come into his first meeting on the 31st and hop right into a nomination slate. Um there as a note um people can ask about process if you

090want to talk about individuals we do have to go into non-public and which is totally fine um but just let me know if you want to go into non-public otherwise >> um we would be taking a motion to approve the HA nominations as presented. Does anyone want to go into nonpublic? >> Okay. >> All right. I'll make a motion to approve the HA nominations as presented. >> Second. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I. All right. All those opposed. >> Awesome. >> Oops. >> All right. Uh, next up we have our Hest nominations, which are support staff. This is a first read for this one. We will only have two reads. It's traditional to have two reads. Uh so we will be looking for a final a final approval at our at our

091next meeting April 14th meeting at which point we will get the team's first read and non y uh so for hes same deal um happy to talk about process if there's anything related to a specific nomination we do want to go into non-public because it pertains to reputation does anyone have a need for nonpublic at this time and as a note you can email Amy or I am Amy will be the right person to ask. So, but just to be clear, but if you have questions, please reach out to Andy and she's terrific as we all know. Okay. Okay. On to policy. Sorry, I still looking at the sleep. Okay. So, for policy tonight, we have two first reads, no second reads, several third reads, and then some required reaffirmations. So, let's go through it.

092Um, so for first reads, the first one we have is policy JLCF Wellness. Did you want to talk any at all about this policy? This policy is getting getting uh overhauled just a little bit. It's got some updates to it. Um, this is its first read, so the policy committee is going to be going through it even more at our next uh policy meeting. >> There's some um Laura led us through a trienal review of the wellness policy. Um, so there were maybe just a couple of tweaks and then um there are some references to some federal um guidelines. There's at least one that's non-existent currently um because it it has been removed for review um so we may need to you know adjust that but it's it's in the works. So, we would appreciate,

093you know, if you guys take a look um any feedback. >> Yay. >> Uh and then the other one we have for first read tonight is policy JG, assignment of students to classes and grade levels. Um and this is a policy that we need and do not have. >> Okay. >> Um so those are both for you guys to read. Uh second reads, we have none. Um and then we have several policies that uh we need to vote on tonight. So uh the ones that we have for this evening are IHBCA accommodation of pregnancy and related medical conditions colon students IMDA patriotic exercises as a reminder that one used to be just um pledge of allegiance JF enrollment and enrollment capacities. This is a new uh or a required policy that we have. JFR1 enrollment

094and enrollment capacities annual school program class and activities capacity limitations um which goes along with JF and then JIC weapons on school property which is a policy that we have but needed to be updated. Um so these are the final read for these policies and um uh not addendum but forgetting what this is called. What do I why do I forget what it's called? Not appendix. Thank you. Every time Amy I'm like what's that other one called? Um appendix appendices don't technically need to be approved but uh we we put them in with the slate um so that everyone sees them. Um, but if there are no questions or concerns, then we're looking for a motion to approve these policies as presented. >> Uh, so moved. >> I'll second. >> Great. Any discussion? >> No,

095I really appreciate. Go ahead, Jonathan. >> I just have a question about uh JF as it may or may not relate to open enrollment. >> Yes. So I assume we want to be tight on that superintendent recommendations on that. >> Yes. Yeah. And so that's what JF that's what the appendix is is this exact report >> um that Amy would be um putting together in the spring that would essentially outline our capacity. And I mean to your point capacity is far more than just what our classrooms can do. >> Right. Not how many people you can stick in the >> Exactly. Yeah. Capacity is Yeah. It's not just our class size, correct? >> It is. Yeah. Yep. And it's not, you know, >> it's not our fire limit or what have you. It takes into

096account our programs, our teachers, our budgets, >> and the quality of the education. >> Exactly. Yeah. No, that's a really good thing to highlight. >> The timing for that is end of May for you. >> End of June. supposed to be July 1, but you know in the um appendix it says that recommended budget June 30th. >> Yeah, the board could ask me to do that sooner. >> Sooner. >> Yeah, you know that's the >> Well, and I think one of them says one of them is saying May 3. Oh, yeah. >> Your report's due May 31st and we review in 30 days. >> Sorry, I'm looking at the bottom one. >> Yes, May 31st. We'd be looking at like the draft of it in the end of May. >> Yep. >> And then finalizing

097by Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Great. >> What are we doing for General John Stark guy? Have >> a guest speaker. >> Okay. Just curious. >> The John Stark. >> I know. That's what I I don't know what we're doing. Exciting. >> Here's what it is like to work in a school district named after our guest speaker. >> Sing the fight song. They tell you a little John Stark history. >> That's right. If there's no other discussion, uh, all in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Excellent. Um, so the second set of policies you'll see, and you're going to see these throughout the spring, um, we have policies that must be reaffirmed either on an annual or a bianual basis. And so instead of bringing them all to us at in one giant blob, uh,

098we're like breaking them up and bringing them in waves. uh because that seems better. Uh so for tonight we have four policies. None of these have changed at all from last year and so this is just a reaffirmation process. Um so it just has one reaffirmation. Um so we have DFA which is investments ACAC title 9 sexual harassment policy and grievance process. ACCE procedural safeguards non-discrimination on the basis of handicap or disability and JLCD administering medications to students. And if there are no questions about those, uh I would be looking for a motion to reaffirm uh these four policies as presented. >> Second. >> Super. Any discussion? >> No. I wish that I had read JLCD before I sent my son to school with an inhaler today. That's where I would have known what the

099procedure had to be. So, yay policies. >> No other discussion. >> Super. >> All right. Great. All in favor? >> I >> can we just take a be >> and can we talk a little bit where if people wanted to find our policies where they can do that on our website if they're interested in anything? >> Yeah. So policies do all live on our website and we so they had been living um on diligent which is our our kind of board management um page. But we found that that was both cumbersome from the the board side um and it was it took several steps for people for for residents to try to find where they were. Um, we also found when Amy and I did an audit of the website, we found that old policies

100would come up and that was not helpful for anybody. And so now, if you go to our website, just hopingtonschools.org um, and you go either on the right hand side of the page, there's a little thing that looks like a building with columns that says schoolboard info. What was that? Oh, no, not that one. Sorry. Um, where is it? Oh, it on the menu that says school board and it's a little col by little picture of a building with columns and it'll say policies. And if you click on policies, it'll bring you to a page and you'll see all the current Hopington School District policies that have been digitized. These are not all of the policies that we have. We are in the process of digitizing all of our policies. We have hundreds of policies.

101Um, they are broken out A through L in their appropriate sections. We also have archived policies. And if you go in there, you will be able to see all of the policies as they get archived. And so what the process is right now is when a policy gets updated, it goes into its appropriate folder. The old policy goes into the archive policy folder. And so there is a um basically you can see you can basically follow old policies. So eventually all of our policies will be digitized. You'll be able to find them all here online so they're accessible to everyone. Um and then a subset of policies are also found in your uh handbook. And if you have any policy questions you can ask me. >> Amazing. Thank you. That's great. >> Is there anything

102I missed? >> No. I appreciate it. >> Yep. >> Um, last thing, we will be at the next meeting thinking about our next schoolboard newsletters. If you have topics like >> how to find policy 101, if you have things, think about ideas. Um, and then uh we'll talk about the next meeting. All right, cool. All right, agenda. >> We have lots of things on the consent agenda this evening. First is our new hires. Hold them up. So I apologize. Um we have Alex Jones who is our first um nomination to be the new day custodian. Remember Michael Andsa um resigned in January. And then Zachary Camp will be joining us in the IT department as a technology support specialist. Um, and he'll be starting potentially at the end of April. >> Wow. All right. And

103resignations. Uh, with a heavy heart, Caroline Sedon will be moving on. Um, she has put in her resignation effective June 30th. And Kimberly Rosson, a high school math teacher, has also resigned effective June 30th. And then lastly, it is that time again. I can't believe it. We're doing ESY nominations. So, we have Joan Finsby and Raven Edgars for ESY lead teachers. Great. Any questions on that? >> Great. >> Next up, schedule B. We finish our slate tonight. Varsity assistant track and field Kim Emerson. Middle school baseball Steve Well, middle school softball, our very own Dan Mer and middle school track assistant, Becky B. Thank you, Becky. >> Wait, also I would like, we talked about this, how we basically had no middle school coaches and now we're up thanks to middle school softball, but like

104it's great to be able to see the middle school teams. >> Did he volunteer for that? Was that a like nose goes? Nobody else around. >> I don't know. I mean, there was no one else. >> That's great. >> It's great. >> I mean, I think he's looking forward to it. I don't >> But he did retire from varsity softball and >> took it. He just missed it. He was getting back in the game. >> And thank you to Steve Stockwell and Becky both for baseball and track assistant. >> That's very exciting. Well, those middle school programs, I think, you know, at one point, I don't know what the number is, but it was at one point like 70% plus of Hopkin and high school students participated. >> Yeah. I don't know about >> sport.

105Well, in at least one sport. >> And so when you look at the middle school, you know, those are feeder programs. Um, and if they don't have middle school baseball or middle school softball or middle school lacrosse, you will not have varsity, >> right? >> Because, you know, in a few years those peter out, the kids find a different sport. So, I'm excited that we continue to maintain those opportunities for our kids. Yep. >> And I will, if needs assistance, if he wants me to come to a couple and help me. >> No, no, no. I don't want to pay position, but I will help um herd cats. >> Okay, let him know. >> Awesome. Cool. All right, donation. Next up is donations. We have one donation this evening to present to you. It is

106from the Hopton Public Schools Foundation uh for $5715. As we know, everything over $500 has to come to the school board for approval and anything over $20,000 of unanticipated revenue needs public hearing. Um, this is a new grant written by Beth Stern. It is attached to the donation sheet, so you can review it. Um, and it is for a similarity awareness grant. So, this will be an assembly. It'll be a one-day program that she'll be doing for middle schoolers. So, we thank the public schools foundation um for their donation. >> Huge appreciation for the work that they do. >> Yes. Um they wanted to be here tonight to present the grant but they were um Elizabeth SCid who is their chairperson was is headed out of town tonight so she wasn't able to come. >>

107Yep. >> Very grateful and this grant the um the program sounds terrific. >> Um next up I want to draw your attention to two budget transfers that are in our folder for you to approve. Um, these were presented to finance yesterday. Per our budget transfer policy, DBJ, transfer appropriations. Anything over 7500 comes to the school board for approval prior to me putting it through. So, the first I will bring you to the 2425 CRTC budget transfer. If you would like additional backup on this, I certainly have it with me. Um, this is for $81,3784. uh primarily coming from health insurance savings that we have experienced with the new 2550 offering. As we remember, we have more people taking that new health plan than we expected. So, we do see a little bit of savings. Um

108we received a bill, the total bill, it's $126,576.84. Luckily, we've got about $40,000ish in the budget to cover the overage. Right now, we have less kids than we did last year doing CRTC. So, our current year tuition is a little lower, but this is going to be the deficit I have to make up in order to pay this bill. >> Just to put a fine point on that, that's state dollars we're not getting. >> Correct. That we did that. Yes. Unanticipated state dollars that we're not getting uh for last year's expenses. >> Yep. So, um, last year, if we remember, it was about $81,000. Um, and the third page of this is everybody. So, everyone that participates in CRTC. So, I just want you to know it is not us. It is everybody. The total

109just for CRTC. There's what how many CTE are there in the state? Sevenish, six or seven. $1.4 4 million was the underfunding for just CRTC for the expenses. So, um, Mayor MC Valley got hit with 339,000. Penrook was 311,000. Um, and John Stark was 186,000. >> I know that one. >> Bo got 274. >> Yeah, it's kind of mindboggling given the resurgence on trade and the focus on trades and all that. Yeah, >> that it's just sort of blind eye to it. >> Laura, I know I saw it somewhere. Um, but it's supposed to be a 7525. So, what was the percentage of their reimbursement? It's supposed to the actual >> it is supposed to be it is supposed to be 7525. >> The district sending district pays 25% and the state has promised to

110reimburse at 75%. Correct. >> Well, there's the caveat. would it were so. >> Oh, I hear you. Which is we'll talk about it later, but that's like again the argument that I said >> in my opposition to the amendment to Senate Bill 101. It was like we can't pay our so why would we say the state was going to pay what was Yeah. Oh, Laura's doing some math over there. >> Laura's doing some math. Um, they ended up paying I would say closer to 35 to 40%. This additional bill is $3,200 per student. It's >> a huge gap. Thank you. I mean, I >> percentage wise, it just puts it in perspective. Thank you. >> So, in the end, we pay more than they do for the program. >> I think you were saying that

111they've held it flat at $9 million a year for the past >> 10 years. >> So, no inflation, no changes in enrollment, just they've flat n Yeah. Yeah, the next budget transfer is for um the salary pool. So non-union employees are in a salary pool all at once. Um that line is the 2320 line which is for SAU and then so this is to move that salary pool to the individual lines where our employees actually are in order to clear out the deficits within those lines. It is an annually done budget transfer. So, with your approval of the consent agenda, I will need um Deli and Amy to sign these budget transfers. Uh if they are approved, >> do we need to move Can we move them both together? >> Um yes, they are just

112part of the consent agenda, but >> we can Yeah, we can. >> Um Jody, for the minutes, their official numbers are 306 and 307. >> Yeah. because that is one of the audited items if they need to see the minutes to make sure that they approved. >> Any questions on budget transfers? >> No. >> Awesome. Okay. Next is the student activity club. We have another recommendation for student activity club. Um this one is called talons and tackle and it is a high school fishing club. >> Which feet? We had some kind of high school fishing club before. >> Fishing club or something. Yeah. >> Bass fishing athletics. program. >> Yeah, >> but it's not running right now. >> Yeah, this is great. >> So, maybe this would get it back up. What is the process

113that SAU66 takes before something becomes part of you know the CBA >> to to be like a funded club salary? >> You run a club at least for a year to get a sense and how many kids and um and then it can be added. There is some leeway in the new contract. There is to add up to three, right? A year. >> Yep. >> Um and then it gets added when we do the renegotiation. >> And the schedule B committee I think meets in the second year to talk about Right. They're currently meeting right now to talk about the act the clubs and activities that are paid for schedule B stipens. Um just to yeah evaluate. But we do try when students have an interest or they make a request um we do try

114to honor that especially if they have um a staff member that is willing to be the supervisor or the adviser of that activity. >> Yeah. So this will be like the probationary start here. >> I would say I mean we're not you know almost through this year. My guess is that Jeff will sense of of whether this what's the group of kids? Are they a lot of seniors? are they underassmen? You know, all of that to see if the interest and if it will continue and then where it will fall on the schedule B committee. Most um start out at the last category 7 five >> five. Okay. So, no, they start out at category five. That's where the that's where the stipens are budgeted for superintendent placement. That's category five. Okay. >> Thank you

115for explaining that. This is great. >> Um, next we have January and February financials. So, January's were presented in February. However, if we remember, we didn't have a finance meeting and so they never got approved by the full board because they had never been presented to the FIN finance committee. We also have our March financials or excuse me, February ones that are in here. As of the end of February, our projected unassigned fund balance is $312,812. Food service is trending well. So, um, remember we had about an $81,000 loss last year. Right now, I am projecting potentially an $80,000 loss. They have about a $15,000 increase in revenue and a little bit less expenses um thanks to some of the kitchen equipment we've been able to buy. It means less repairs, things like that. So,

116uh, it's doing well. Thank you to Tracy and her team for trying to keep cost down while serving food. >> And then the last thing I want to point you to with the February financials, we went over this with finance, is that there is a new page um, which is called fund 30. >> Wow. >> Um, and fund 30 is the capital projects fund, which is where we'll be tracking the security redesign project. So, I've built it. Um, as we remember, we have 440,000 from the CIP and 310,000 from the contingency, which will be spent first. And so everything is put into um this trial balance, which essentially shows you the balance sheet, and then all the expenditures and their associated revenues. >> Pretty cool. >> As we move forward, every month, we'll have an

117update on on the redesign. It is um going to move fast and we expect a certificate of occupancy by the end of August. Um and punch list is the end of October. >> Any questions on either of the financials in in the folder right now? >> I just wanted to highlight what you what you said about um Tracy Yeah. about food service and Tracy Barker. Um, you know, we recently had a meeting where she outlined all of the the um restrictions uh and and guidelines, requirements that she has to operate under and they are >> expensive. Yeah. Significant. And so, you know, she really balances a lot. Um, you know, there's there's the economic side, there's the sustainability side, there's like what kids want to eat side >> and federal restrict. Yeah. Federal >> Exactly.

118plus all of the um federal restrictions. So, you know, she really is doing a I know she's working hard. >> She is. And I put more on her than than Michelle used to. So, I have her track her own purchasing now um as part of just our relationship together and I meet regularly and she is putting in requisitions on her own for her own purchases as other department heads do, right? As other directors do. And she's thriving with it now that she has a full staff at all of the buildings. um she's able to spend more time on these type of administrative tasks. We also had a food service review this year in December. We had to put together corrective actions and her and I um have been working on that, but she's really spearheaded

119it. So, um very impressed with Tracy this year. She's doing a really great job. >> She also um I just want to add the farm to table stuff at both schools has been tremendous. So, I came over and I got a veggie burger uh here that was made with basil and lettuce and cucumbers from their hydroponic garden. >> Mhm. >> And similarly, she shared that they she's cut out like 50% of the single use plastic >> out of the out of the uh cafeterias. >> That's right. >> Over the shop. >> I know the kids are really excited about the Harold Martin seedlings, too. >> Yep. >> Very excited. >> Cool. Amazing. Anything else on consent? No. Wow. Okay. Not not from me. Student intent. I'm gonna want to remind everyone that Monday is a

120professional development day. Um so if you miss that, your your students will be home with you. >> Sorry, what it is. So you have something fun planned as well. >> I also just want to echo, you know, Tracy has done an terrific job this year. Really, I think transitioning in a lot of ways. Um, I also was impressed, Andrea, at that meeting the amount of detail and knowledge and very specific rules that really don't make a lot of sense. Um, you know, she has to prepare meals that are at a very very low cost. >> Um, so I I agree with you there and I'm glad that we're able to highlight all of the work that she's doing. So, agree. >> Awesome. Okay, cool. Um, okay. Do I have a motion to accept the consent

121agenda as presented? >> Moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All those in favor? >> I. >> All those opposed. >> Okay, great. We're going to go through committee updates. It's worth noting we have a couple committees that we do still have to tie out um that I did not bring up tonight. I'm going to try to circle up with people. I think there was wellness and PD. Um but we'll talk about those at the April 14th meeting. I'm putting a note to myself. Okay. Um let's go through committees. All right. Um anything else in policy? I know we just did a bunch. >> Great. Um CIA, >> did we meet between the last meeting and this meeting? >> I don't know. They did. >> No, it was uh it was the same day. >>

122Oh, yes. So, nothing. >> Okay, perfect. Super duper. Uh CIP, you guys just had a meeting. First committee meeting. >> No, yesterday. Second. Yeah, >> it was back to back. >> That's right. >> So was Jonathan. >> Yeah. Oh man. >> All right. CIP and finance. How we looking? >> Yeah. So uh CIP um we talked um about uh the performance contract transfer. We talked about the boiler project and some other projects. Um so we'll be looking for vote right on the boiler project on the 14th. Um and it looks like it's coming in a bit better than we initially thought. So that's a good thing. Um we talked about uh the need for the chimney being rebuilt. uh both the liner and the chimney from at least the roof up. Uh we talked about

123the as part of that boiler project the tank getting the oil tank out >> uh getting the new propane tanks tank in. Um and we talked about the the projects that were sort of pumping the brakes at least initially on is the bathroom at Harold Martin School which do want to get to. We're trying to be mindful of how much is is left as a reserve um paving uh at Harold Martin and um what was the other one? Furniture furniture replacement. Uh, and we just have to kind of see where we're at in terms of costs and possible contingencies. So, I think >> Oh, is the boiler is that happening this summer? >> Yeah. Yeah, that one we definitely So, we'll be looking for a vote at the next meeting. Um, and we want to

124get going on that. Hopefully, I think Jim's idea is if if we're if it's not done by the beginning of school, that's okay because you're still not heating at that point, but we definitely want to try to get that tank out and figure out >> Yeah. >> what that's going to look like. Yes. >> And soon school's out, >> right? Totally. Get them. And Harvard is closed this summer for programs because of the bathrooms or probably something else. >> No, they're having weather. >> Oh, it's the high school. >> No, but the rec camp's not there this year. No, Rep is I think here. >> Yeah. Yeah. But it used to be at Harold. Okay. >> Okay. Um finance. >> Yeah. Um so a lot of the stuff that we've talked about tonight we talked

125about in finance, frankly. Um uh we talked about the transfers that we just voted on. We talked about food services a little bit more in detail. um still operating at a loss but less of a loss by a thousand bucks. So that's a good thing. Um uh we talked about the CRTC which we've already discussed the underpayment uh by the state. Um to go back to to what you had asked Suzanne, as far as I understand from Laura, this has to do with two different bills, right? Like one says there's supposed to be 7525, but then when the legislature passed it, they just they didn't put in the 75, >> right? It's implied. It's not actually written that they pay the rest that they that they pay the 75%. >> Um, >> and in our

126local, it says that we pay the anything the state does not. >> Yeah, it's in our local agreement, right? >> Yeah. Um, yeah. And I don't think there's that much more that we over. >> Oh, all right. Oh, um, safety and security met last >> Thursday. Uh, was there for the second half was there. We were just going through procedures. Was there anything else that you >> He had, um, he did his annual fire inspections and has turned those reports over and so we have a little bit of work to do. You know, you've, if you know, schools, uh, teachers like to hold on to things. So GLO is always telling us to get rid of some of that and so there's that push and pull high storage clutter you know those kinds of things

127but as you said he was there and I think we have some we do have a speaker that will be at the next committee meeting that was unable to come because of some scheduling concept. uh EMC met last week. We went through Jim Rziki is going to be going through a data presentation looking at energy usage um from when the performance contract started in 2016 and the years before that and where we are now looking at um everything including square footage expenditures um fuel increases usages based off of core energy. So that should be really great. Get excited. I think it's terrific. Um, and then we talked about some updates to a discussion around the the the draft sustainability policy that we want to we think we are we'll be ready to send to the

128policy committee. >> All right. >> Can I Oh, yeah. Go ahead. Amy, for safety and security, can do we have an update on anything for u the backside of the high school like plans moving forward after the front is redesigned? >> Not yet. I do know it's something that Chris continues to talk about and my guess is, you know, once he has a a better look at what the new entry will look like and what the procedure will be, >> right? because best practice would be heading into the school year with like this is the firm rule and we're >> well we know that that will be the main point of entrance. I do think that it'll take a little while and I think when Rob was here previously talking about you know is should

129we put a duty person out there at the beginning of the year. How do we remind people to go around? Um I think I know Chris is and and Kim are actively working on that. >> Okay. Perfect. >> Wellness and wellness we met last week. Uh we did and as I said earlier, right, trienal um review of the wellness policy and making sure it was um in line with um federal regulations. Um it's a nice little committee. I think maybe a a point for our newsletter >> Uhhuh. >> would be to ask for some more community involvement. Um >> she's included it in the HMS. >> Okay, great. it was nice for me to hear kind of what's happening in the different schools in terms of like um recess you know just being outside um

130you know movement for for everybody talking about shoring up some of those policies or making sure that there is like a school-based policy on movement um kind of across the board in all the schools >> um >> but uh yeah maybe just some more you know if you care what your kids are eating if you have a strong belief in in movement or recess or PE education, any of those things. It'd be great to have some more community members. >> I'd be happy to write a little blurb in conjunction with Laura for wellness. >> Signed up. >> Yeah. Awesome. Cool. >> All right. And PD uh the PD committee has not met. Um I'm not sure if I hope we can meet once at least by the end of the year. That's that's the hope.

131It will be around um approving PD activities and things like that. >> Great. Well, awesome. All right. Anything else? Okay. We are now at our second public comment portion of the evening. If you'd like to come on up, please state your name, address, and we ask. Okay. Uh we All right. We do have a need uh for a non-public under RSA 91-8 3. comma two parentheses C close parentheses for both C uh reputation and L for legal. Uh when we go into the non-public we will have our non-public meeting and when we come back we will have no other public business. So we will be a juring. Do I this will be a roll call vote. Uh do I uh uh are you in favor of going to nonpublic Jonathan Dunlap? >> You need a

132motion. >> Do I need a motion to go May I please have a motion to go into nonpublic? >> Yes. >> Okay, I'll second that. >> Great. Jonathan Dunlap. That's