001tonight. Jonathan Cohen, hi Jonathan. >> Hi >> Suzanne Michael [laughter] will be here in a minute. I'm Dy Manoma. Superintendent Amy Doyle, Laura Taylor, our business administrator extraordininaire, Jody Khan and our board secretary, our student reps Lucy Brymore and Kipling Heather Coast and Matt Stone who is running technology. Um if everyone could please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay, we have one set of minutes to approve for the January 20th meeting. Do I have a motion to approve said minutes? >> So move. >> I go first. >> Okay. Uh any discussion? >> All right. All those in favor? I any opposed? Great.
002Okay, we are now at the first public comment portion of the evening. If you would like to come up, uh please come up the microphone. Please state your name, address, and we ask that you keep your comments to three minutes. Okay. All right, student reps. Here we go. First of all, people might have caught this before, but Kip Henquist scored his 100th goal last weekend. >> 100 points. Yeah. >> Yes. 100 points. >> It's a big deal. >> Yeah, exactly. He has a cake and fun, which is great. >> Thank you guys. >> Nice work, Tim. Okay, what do you guys What do you guys want have for us? >> All right, we got a bunch of updates today. Um, so at the high school, we're in the second semester. We made it through midterms.
003It was pretty drawn out this year with the snow day and the delay. Um, but overall, pretty good response by the administration keeping us all on track and we're into the second semester. Um, for sports, um, all the teams are fairing pretty well. Uh, girls basketball is 10 and three, boys basketball 11-2, hockey 10-1, and then both ski teams, um, doing well. Um, and also both middle school basketball teams, um, have made it to the postseason tournament. Um, boys have a home game this week and then girls are away. Um, for Nordic, um, both the high school and the middle school teams had a series race at Waterville Valley over the weekend. So that's like across divisions. Um they both did uh pretty well. Um middle school especially, they have a huge team this year.
004Um I heard they actually beat Holderness, which is super impressive. Um so yeah, they're doing great. Um um for basketball and hockey, um I both teams had um best buddies uh recognition nights. So that's um I believe I mentioned uh that group at the last meeting, but uh they work to sort of promote inclusion uh for kids with disabilities um in our school. Um the best buddies got to join the handshake line at the basketball game, which I thought was super cool. Um last week was also hoops for hunger. Um so that's an annual tradition with the basketball teams. Um they raised over $1,200 and 200 food items for the food pantry, which is super cool. Um and then also um we have a new three-pointer um record for girls. Um Lexi Corbett scored seven
005three-pointers and a 24-point win over Raymond. Um and then last sports update, um last Wednesday was the Capital Cup um for the Alpine team. Um it's a unique race uh because both the girls and the boys scores are combined. Um uh we won for the fourth year in the in a row. Um so the trophy will continue to live at the Everyday Cafe. Um we also had um um Sam Chapen and Marella Guano with podium finishes. So they kind of led us to our win. Um we also had two whole students in our student section. So that was really cool. Um yeah. [laughter] >> Yeah. Freshman Sam Chapen by the way, youngest of the Chapen siblings. So yeah, they they are some skiers for sure. Um yeah, moving on to the middle school. I got
006a lengthy debrief today from my little sister. A couple things. Uh few meetings ago, I misspoke today. Their goal was to read 1,000 books. That's >> stops as Rob gets up on >> Miss Gaddy's the expert stuff. >> Sorry. Yeah, >> I know. >> Um, yeah. So, I said they're uh their goal is to read a thousand books. However, their goal is actually to read 1,600 books and they are over 800 at this point. In some other news, uh I heard from various students of Anakah's friends that um they have this new lineup of lunch items now available at uh Maple Street School that varies from what was before just pizza offered on Fridays. And there's also like a deli bar and some salad options um which they were quite enthusiastic about. And lastly, I
007heard that the student council at Maple Street School has uh set up a school store to help raise some funds for various things. And then shifting to Harold Martin School on Thursday, Bruce and I will be visiting there with uh Principal Brown and uh get a look at that and hopefully get to sit in on some lunch, talk to some kids, and see what they have to say. So, we'll report back at the next meeting. >> That would be great. Tomorrow we're also presenting the um security redesign presentation to the student leadership council. Um this is Mr. Kelly's idea um um just to hopefully maybe get some of the class officers to be sort of representatives of the plans so that when people have questions there's a bigger group of people that can answer. So
008that should be good. >> Yeah. Oh, and last thing uh tomorrow just uh not leave anyone out with uh second semester happening again. Uh a bunch of clubs are picking back up which includes tomorrow is the last regular season math meet of this year. There will still be the state meet. Uh unfortunately I will be missing it because I have a hockey game. Uh but full faith in the team that they will have a great time if not a great finish. But um yeah. So that's an athlete, right? >> Yeah. I have practice tomorrow. >> Oh man. Wait. And also has the Gren State Challenge episode aired? >> No. The suspense is building [laughter] later than usual. >> Okay. Any questions for our students? >> It's like a robust update. >> That's amazing. Thank you
009guys. >> Had a lot said this week. So >> outstanding. Okay, cool. All right. Anything from the board? >> So, I was uh as we've all been thinking about the open enrollment scenario and the lack of wisdom of understanding fixed costs. I was up in Jackson uh New Hampshire this last few days and friends of mine are well associated with Jackson Elementary. So if anybody really wants to understand that the terrorizing concept, uh Jackson Elementary has about 30 students, 18 staff, and their per pupil cost is $50,000. So, they could get whacked with $40,000 expense and that does not travel with a student. Um, so I know we've all gotten lots of letters and requests to send um commentary, so let's keep that drum beat going. Um, this is an exceptionally bad idea at so
010many levels, but $50,000. Yep. >> Wow. Thank you. Anybody else? Just want to apologize for being a little late. I have to go from Nordic practice to child pickup and I just can't quite make it here by 5:30. [clears throat and laughter] >> So, just wanted to apologize to the board for that. >> Awesome. >> Do you want to do a student highlight? >> Very excited. >> We are really excited. Do you want to come up in front? >> I want to have >> Mr. Mr. >> We are so excited to have you here tonight. We have members of the cast of Once Upon a Mattress. >> Yes, we do. Do you want me to use this or >> it would be great so that people at home can also hear you at home too.
011Hello at home. >> Uh my name is Paula Demurs and I am the director I have the honor of being the director of the musical at Hington High School. It means a lot to me. I'm an alumni. So um it's just very special to be in that space and to share my love for theater. Uh the wonder one one of the bits of wonderful news this year is we are back to precoid numbers of involvement. >> So we had 36 students in the cast and we had nine students involved either backstage or doing tech sound and lights. So, it's taken a few years, but we are now back and, you know, at full full throttle. [laughter] Um, I think the only person that finds that bad news is uh Michelle Allen, our wonderful costumeumer. Uh,
012she had to create, I believe she gave us some numbers, but I think it was like 90 plus costumes she had to create. So, you know, good good and bad news, a little bit bittersweet. Um the other piece is that we had a large group of freshmen involved this year which is really super because that means hopefully you know the next three years they will continue and um hopefully maybe that shows that they have watched this program and finally thought oh yay I'm a freshman I can be part of it and so it was wonderful to have them um and that really helped our numbers Um, we also had alumni in the pit and also working backstage helping with makeup. So, that was really cool to have them come back and and help out. And
013I think the kids felt the support, too. It's like, oh, wow. I remember seeing them on stage. Um, Bridget and I I figured I think this is this was our 13th show, >> I believe. So um we are at that point I think where we're kind of a pretty welloiled machine which is wonderful and we absolutely could not do it without the team that creates that welloiled machine. Um, first and foremost, we have uh Kathy Donovo, who's a member of the community, and her husband Jeff, who she is the producer, and Jeff would tell me I shouldn't be mentioning his name, but um they do everything from um organizing the programs, you know, working with parents to get programs made, publicity, um costumes, props, you know, arranging all the parent volunteers, but also this year,
014for example, on every day of the performance this past year, Jeff had to drive to Hooksit to pick up dry ice so we would have a bubbling cauldron. And he's doing this from the bottom of his heart. Their daughter graduated in 2018 17 18. So they are still volunteering and doing this and we could not do it without them. Also, I would say for I think about half six or seven years, we have had um the absolute privilege of having Mimi Allen and Judy Green to choreograph for us. So, we are very lucky in that regard. Um they are they they do a great job finding like meeting the kids where they are but yet challenging them to and it's it's really great because dancing is not, you know, something we all on a regular
015basis. So, you know, it's it's wonderful. Um, also, like I mentioned, Michelle Allen doing the costumes. Again, she's a parent helping out. Tiffany Bower did our props. And then we also, I think, team with the art program at Hopington High School to work on the sets. Bridget is in charge of set design and set building. and then the art uh program helps paint and and all of that. So, it's really great to it encompasses everybody. Um the we are just so so touched, so happy, so honored to have the support of this community. Our shows are always, and I mean always, well attended. We will sell out. We will have to turn people away in years past. Um, I mean just the the support from the community is amazing and it just it just speaks
016highly and I think it sends a wonderful message to the students that you matter and what you're doing is important and you have you know gifts and you're sharing them with the community and um thank you for doing that. You know, I mean, they may not get the homecoming parade through town like the sports teams do, but they get the community coming out to the performances to show them how much the community loves and supports them. So, we're very lucky lucky to have that. Um, I will stop yammering on. I don't know if anyone has any questions for me or anything or great. Well, we do have um some students here who are here for moral support and um I believe Jillian Jillian Dunlap has something she'd like to share. >> Hi everyone, I'm Jillian
017Dunlap and I just want to quickly highlight some of the values of the program. So as much as like the school program is amazing for a number of reasons and as much as we all love singing and dancing I think the most important uh impact of that is that lasting effect it has on the participants. Um theater brings together all kinds of different people and students with widely varying interests. We had a lot of participation in different in different sports at the same time at the musical. This year we had um both basketball and alpine and that was really cool to see lots of different people who doesn't have seen each other at school before but maybe wouldn't interact and different people from different grades. Um I think it's really unique to have that kind
018of community within a high school. Um and theater definitely has this atmosphere of empathy and kindness um that's really incredible to see in a high school. Um and it's incredible to be a part of. Additionally, our theater department does an incredible job of providing students with skills that will serve them well beyond high school. Um, performing is a uniquely like nerve-wracking thing to do and getting up in front of people. Teaches really good public speaking skills and helps lots of people no matter what they're going to do um after high school. Um, and also it's really good practice in doing something uncomfortable that you might not like expect to do at first. Um, so just to sum it up, the school musical is a really great community thing. is a community favorite and school favorite.
019Um, and it provides students with those lasting skills of empathy, uh, public speaking and kindness. >> Brilliance. So, I'll just say that the confidence with which you walked up to that mic and just told us how much this meant to you and and the embodiment of the whole theater group speaks volumes not only about you but the whole theater program. So, thank you so much. That was I love to see. >> Anybody else? Well, I got to see the show three times this year, which was very exciting and I um my ch my kids were in it and I was told to pass on particular well wishes and uh congratulations to all of you. Um I mean I think that as a community I know that you said that you feel very lucky. I think
020as a community we are exceptionally lucky to have such an amazing program at our school. I mean it to go back and see um the level of costumeuming, the level of choreography, the level of direction, the level of musicality that these students are exposed to and led through with such care and professionalism. It is I mean it is astounding and it it is months of work. It is not short at all. I know Friday was sold out and even in absolutely terrible weather, people were willing to brave the roads to come and see a fantastic show um with fantastic singing and dancing. I mean all of you guys were it was hilarious um for folks who didn't have the opportunity to see it. So um thank you all for you know providing your skills to
021our community. I think we have talked a lot about what makes Hopington special and at the end of the day it always is our our teachers, our educators and the folks who are willing to step up and work with our students. Um, you know, you, as Jillian so eloquently put, the things that you are passing on, our students will take with them forever and we really I really appreciate it. So, try not to get >> There you go. Welcome. >> So, thank you. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Um, I just want to pile on with that. I thought Paula, I don't know if you and Bridget co-wrote a note, but your director's note was exceptional talking about the value of theater. That was amazing. >> She She always says, "You do it. You do
022it. >> You do it. You do it. I'm not co-signing that, but it was >> I I just think it's important whenever we can to share the, you know, importance of >> Yeah, I think it was amazing. I also think the program was amazing. The head shot were incredible. They were professional grade. Like your students should take them with them >> forever. Bigford has been taking our head shot forever. Yes. We're so happy to have him. Yeah. >> Come back. >> It was Yeah. Mr. Bigford. Yeah. I think that that was amazing. My daughter who is in first Clementine's in first grade. Thank you. I don't know why I'm looking at you. [laughter] Uh, she thought it was incredible. I think one of the things that's amazing is Man, now I'm going to cry. Thanks,
023Andrea. >> Is this every time Okay, I'm going to look my computer. Little kids in this town get to grow up and see big kids coaching. They get to go and see all their head shots and say, "She rides my bus or she is the manager of the soccer program that I got to sit on the side of or she does XYZ or all these different things." And it's really amazing to get to watch I think kids connect with big kids in town and get to look up to them and >> sorry >> I know. But it was remarkable. It's so much work. It was so many lines. It was because it's not a short performance. There's a lot of kids in there. Uh you guys did an amazing job. I would never be able
024to I can't even remember three minutes of lines. So like [laughter] like Yeah. I don't know, man. But it was I thought you guys all did an outstanding job and you should be so proud. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Yeah. These kids work really, really hard. It's It's not easy. You know, a a song goes by in three minutes, but the amount of hours that it takes to put those three minutes together, these guys, it's just really impressive that they are willing to stick it out and they learn it and do it. Yeah. >> Really impressive. I also think that everyone should try to memorize lines and sing and dance and move their bodies around other humans. Like it is a remarkable amount of coordination for, as you said, people aren't necessarily used to dancing and
025doing voice work. I don't It's It's a lot to think through. Yeah. >> Yeah. You've got to have good breath support and you've got to be fit. >> Can't be, you know, that's right. Anything else? >> Okay. Can we take a picture with you guys? Is that okay? Thank you. >> I was doing so good. >> We're stand here and we're going to face this way. I need you guys to come in. >> Can we come in a little bit tighter? You guys are like Okay, >> I'm focusing >> two. Thank you guys. >> That was fun. Okay. No, I like >> theater. I know. It's amazing. >> Thank you for coming. >> Thank you everyone. >> Thank you guys. >> Congratulations. >> All righty. Now, >> okay, guys. Um, all right. Next up, we
026have Oh, I will note uh we were going to have um our new school district moderator come uh Mike Rollolo to come and talk about logistics. He has the flu. Uh I would love for us not all to get influenza prior to budget season really coming across the finish line. Uh so we will be rescheduling that to hopefully uh the February 17th meeting, but still on the docket. All right, next up, uh, we have been talking about this for I think like six weeks at this point, but um, we are here to talk about the Bishop Brady Hopington Collaborative Football Team Vote. There's a few documents in here. There's theou, which has been revised and updated. Uh, Amy put together a memo, um, talking through some keyynotes, um, also talking about the anticipated costs after
027the end of the 2-year freebie period. Is that accurate? Uh, which will be $500 per student. Um there are linked uh public comments I think uh that people will be able to see online. We got a a number of letters uh from both students [clears throat] >> and parents. Yep, they're link. Thank you, Jody. Um so people can review that. Um but we wanted to talk through I think uh where we are and how everyone's feeling about it. So with that, tada. What does everyone think? >> Can I add a Johnson had a great questions. And I'm sorry that I went to a run of insurance. Um I did check with Laura and she did say if I get it right, it doesn't change the general liability will not change. It just primary change. >>
028It does not change our our premium amount. >> Okay. >> So it's not something new in addition to with football. And then if a student doesn't have health insurance, there used to be a company that we could go through them to get that student health insurance. What we do now is we try to work with the family to get them connected to resources. There could be a reason that they don't have health insurance. Um perhaps they're eligible for Medicaid or there is a low, you know, a lower option. So there used to be that they could get health insurance through the school, but Laura said that that company no longer exists. So we do help families navigate if they don't have their own private insurance. Does that answer your So there's no there's no way
029to give you a cost? It does. I'm just looking at the [clears throat] the actual um memorandum of understanding >> and what it says on page two is both parties shall offer student health insurance to the students. >> Right. >> So, it strikes me that we cannot comply with that >> because we're not offering health insurance. So, >> so I should modify that. I mean, that's what jumped out at me about that because we don't want to enter into an agreement that we're in breach of. >> I will change that before anyone signs it. >> I mean, depending on what we all decide. >> And the uh just for the cost moving forward for uniforms and equipment, is that included? Do we know within the $500 pursuit of fee or is that in addition to
030because it says any shared per purchases are determined annually but I know that for like not unlike a lot of sports but the football has a pretty significant protective gear component. So is that in addition to the district-wide thing and would that be students? >> Yeah. So what Deian has said is these first two years we know that there would be no cost for us as we get closer to having to renew. Those would be the kinds of things that would come up. Um, I do think that they would have to purchase new uniforms at some point with the collaborative name if we continue to to go with them. I think for next year the uniforms would just have Brady on them, but I think in year >> it might be I think it's three
031we would be required to purchase uniforms that are similar to what we have with Star. Um, and then we would have to talk about the cost. Is that something that they're going to absorb? Is it in in addition to what we're already paying? Um I think those are unknown costs that we would have to work out >> you know if and when we decide to sign an additional agreement beside this first two years. >> Okay. >> And then just one more is what is the so may contribute propo proportional coaching stipen support if mutually agreed. What does that mean? So when when I've talked to Dan about it is and we've done this once this year where we would just have a lot more students that would sign up or we may have a student
032that requires additional support. If we're sending, you know, students there that would be above and beyond what their coaching staff uh could absorb, we may have to add a stipen to our schedule B. Um >> what what would that number be? >> Um it would be commensurate with what else we already offer. Um there is a formula that we go through the HA and it would have to go through their that process. >> No, no, what I mean is what number of students would trigger that? >> Um it's a good question. Right now he said that in his earliest, you know, asking kids if they're interested, we're looking at around between 25 and 30 kids that are saying they'd like to know more um for football. >> For football, I mean, we don't think that
033that many kids will sign up. You know, it's some kids have never played before, some that don't play a fall sport, and I think because it's new and exciting, they want to know more information. When I asked Dan, you know, how many do you think will sign on, I think we're looking at between 10 and 12, but I can ask more specifically, you know, when would we need to add another coach? >> Um, but that would again be in that third year. >> Yeah. And so that wouldn't be until the third year, >> right? There's >> regardless, we could have 25 kids sign up and we don't have to deal with this until two years, >> right? And that would be this agreement at this point would be a two-year commitment. >> Two-year commitment this
034season and next season. And then by April, I think I put it in my FAQ that they'd like to know by October 1st of 2027. And that is because they start to make the fall schedules uh for that next season for the fall 2028. So, we would have to know October of 2027 whether we would continue in the agreement [clears throat] or not. >> But if we do enter into this, it's a two-year commitment. >> You can't pull out after a year. >> No. >> Okay. >> And that's really because they're depending on us. Um I did meet with Dan this morning. Um they have created schedules. They are >> Yeah. I just want to get my head around what we're saying. >> Thank you. >> All right. Other questions, thoughts? Is there is there
035anything I guess I've tried to wrap my head around is I don't want to saddle the board with or taxpayers, right, with an additional fee two years down the road, right? I want to be responsible about that. But I'm also thinking about typically football has um robust fundraising. You know, there's because it is large groups. Has there been any conversation with Brady about, you know, do they have an existing boosters for football? Are there is there an agreement about the amount that, you know, we could contribute or or expect to fund raise? Um do they have an existing kind of mechanism for that? And then I know like technically for salaries we would have to um budget for it but is there a way to offset the cost through team fundraising things like that? >>
036You know absolutely. I know that Brady has I don't know if they have football specific I think it's similar to ours like there's a booster club and they raise money for all all sorts of things. One of the things that Dan and I have talked about is do we if students want to play football, our athletic fee right now is $100 regardless of what sport you play. Uh one thing that other districts are doing is for the more expensive sports, football, hockey, they have a higher fee. Um but then coupled with that often is some type of a scholarship program if you have students that want to play football and can't afford it. Uh, so that number certainly could be if they're going to charge us $500, you know, we could pass some of that
037cost on to the the student athletes that are playing and maybe they pay $300 rather than 100. Um, and we also don't know where our budget will be at that point. We may be raising the athletic participation fee for all students. You know, I know that is something that we haven't raised um in the last couple of years. understand said we it was originally a smaller amount and we've settled on 100 and that funds what we need but no reason that we couldn't adjust it sport specific um and of course boosters I mean I know that the boosters we would you know invite lots of people to come and and raise money for a particular reason so we could certainly hold >> struggling for participation but I'm wondering if that would be a nice >>
038boost boost booster >> if they if they knew also like expectation. I know we have so at the college level I will say that um you know lots of stuff is paid for but I know for in my experience Madison has like an expectation to either raise a certain amount of money or fund raise through so either I can write a check or she can get herself to hockey games and work concession and kind of earn her fees. So that would be interesting to sort of see how the kids could sell enough wrapping paper to offshoot there. It's >> kind of similar to what hockey does. Hockey has to fund raise heavily. Hockey has to do a lot of things to raise the funds and they have to they offset the cost by Yeah. doing
039all of that. So could be similar to hockey. >> Our current team does that. >> Yeah. We do we do a lot of fundraising stuff and we have our own board with multiple members on it. um because it's a sport where you need to like rent ice and stuff which is particularly expensive. So it's like not enough just to have the normal costs. Um, but they do a great job. All sorts of different fundraising activities from like a mom's fundraiser before the season starts often like uh like a lottery drawing fundraiser. Um, as well as this other one on this app that we're using this year like sends out >> Yeah. >> fundraiser text this year that I know John Stark is a big proponent in. So, >> but yeah, >> get them. >> Yeah,
040exactly. Yeah, it works. It raises money and allows us to be competitive, get all the practice time we need and uh also the gear we need and subsidize the kids who um want to play sports but might not have the uh financial ability to uh given their state. So >> how does it work? Is it each student has is responsible for raising X amount or is it the team [clears throat] has a number they're trying to get and that's what everybody works toward? >> So the numbers themselves aren't always like revealed to us. Um but typically um it's both a mixture of both. So, in this um this like app one that we're using, I think every um student athlete was expected to raise like $400 or something in it. Um this fundraising thing, but
041then other times it's more just like um we want to sell x amount of mums. Um do your best, do as many as you can. Or another big one we do is we sell advertisements in we have a um like a >> a booklet thing. >> It's a program. >> A program. Yeah, exactly. That's what it's called. I'm blanking on the word. Thank you, Jody, though. No, I appreciate it. Um, and that's one of our biggest sponsors, too, because we go around local businesses. They purchase advertisements for it. Um, and it's a way that the community really does like show up for us um and show us their support and >> sell a lot of um gear too, hats. >> Yeah, exactly. >> You know, all that kind of stuff. The shirts and stuff. And
042football's kind of the same as well. Like people want to wear the shirts, people want to wear hats, you know? So we s what we sold for turnout. >> Yeah, hockey gets like great turnout too. And given how popular football is, I can imagine it'd be quite similar in that aspect. So [clears throat] >> it's helpful to know that we already kind of have like a model in place that it sounds like some students and parents are familiar with. >> Yeah, I'm kind of looking to both of you because you both seem aware of it. large group of hockey players and it's a very good structure in place that's been doing it for years. >> I also can't imagine football being more expensive than ice hockey or >> like alpine skiing. You have to pay
043for the ice that money you have to pay for the ice on that >> which is a large upfront cost. Um but make it work and yeah it's it's a blast. So, I'm very grateful for the school and everyone's efforts to make something like that popular and possible. Um, so yeah. >> Okay. Other [snorts] thoughts. >> Um, I'm looking at the sports cost breakdown that Dan did for us back in >> and thinking about what Amy is just saying about a sliding scale. So, you know, this shows the the average cost per athlete across all sports is $283. Uh this again 2122. Uh boys boys hoops was 500. Uh football was $471, etc., etc. So, I think it would be wise to well, some of the feedback we got was why take on more costs
044now when we're struggling and if we're going to take on more cost, maybe we should assess our athletics program. I agree with that. I think there should be some type of interest audit in athletics to see where we want to continue to be and where we might want to go. Um, but I do think that this opportunity goes by, it's probably not going to come back. And I think that the the Red Hawks uh football program was very popular. I'm looking at this, there were 15 students and I think what was probably the last year of that program. So, I would certainly support it. I would also support the board when I'm sitting in from another perspective looking at sliding scales for athletics. um that I think that's dead on, Amy. Having, you know, a
045flat $100 fee doesn't really make a lot of sense when you have certain sports that are going to be more costly than others. Uh and the willingness for people to raise funds, even if it means, you know, a job. Sorry, I had to get that in there. Um you know, students can support themselves through that kind of venue that I think this is a great opportunity >> [snorts] >> I think it's another avenue, Rob, when I think about these durable skills that we're asking students to have by the time they graduate. And for some students, I think, you know, it was Julia, I think, right? You spoke so eligently about Jillian, apologies. Um, about the theater program. Um, this is another one of those extracurriculars where kids have a chance to practice their leadership skills.
046uh they learn a little more about responsibility and commitment and teamwork and that's what we're asking of our graduates. I just think it's another opportunity and anytime there's another opportunity for kids to get off their screens and be outside and exercise um if we can make it happen and to your point I don't see this happening again um most cooperative school you know the teams have have formed at this point and so this is this is >> yeah I I think if you ask Dan there aren't very many teams that could absorb tour bus um because it moves your division and I think that's what you all went through with Hillsboro. It moved you into a different division and even now I think he was saying we would really have to petition to be in
047division four, you know, but our size is division three. Um so I I think you're right. I think most uh collaborative teams have been set. So, if football is an interest, I think this is our opportunity to >> I've been on the board about a year and I've received the most feedback about football than I have about anything and it was mostly Yay. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, here's where can I weigh in on where I'm at? >> I know a lot of the I know kids that want to play football and like I love those kids and I want to provide them with those opportunities. Um, and I think that there are many things that can be said, Suzanne, per your point about athletics and team sports and things that require the conditioning that football
048requires and offensive and defensive and an incredible amount of rules that people will be observing this Sunday with the Super Bowl. Um, however, we are also in the middle of our budget season and we literally went through line by line and looked at everything from curriculum to our buildings to all of these other pieces. And ultimately, if 10 to 12,000 students sign up, that is probably the cost of a piece of curriculum. And we don't know if football's going to come back. We do know that costs are going to go up. We do know that depending on what happens with a vote, open enrollment may not just go from an optional thing to a forced thing. That could inject more financial uncertainty into our budget. And um we are a school board where I think
049our primary mandate is academics. Um, and while sports provide a really important role in the development of kids and students and teamwork and collaboration and perseverance and all of these things, when I'm thinking about I'm trying to figure out how do we educate students um, with that primary mandate and I am really really nervous about a world where we do this and then we have to cut it as soon as a cost is imposed. And I know that there can be a large and significant fundraising machine. Um I also know that our booster club has struggled. Um and I just am concerned about adding more athletics costs when we are facing tremendous pressure just even just from staffing and other indices and schools. >> But I would also say that should that open enrollment uh
050universal open enrollment come to fruition, football can only be a draw. No one's going to transfer out because we have football. It would only be a draw. And so if we're looking at it in terms of a funding mechanism, which we're not and we don't want to and all of the things, but if it is forced down our throat, that may be beneficial to us that we offer football, >> not only a draw, it's a it's a retention factor for students who might go elsewhere. I think I hear you, Chelsea. Um, but I think we've got two years to work on the financial dynamics and I really, you know, as I'm looking at Dan's audit from this 2122, I really think we need to rethink how we pay for athletics in terms of user fees.
051Uh, $100 for a season is a [clears throat] bargain at at any level. So, and and I know people, you know, there's a burden and I understand that there are people that are less able to pay, but I'm also a big believer in I work my tail off as a kid from, you know, 10 years old making money on my own to do things I wanted to do. So,, you know, I'm not buying the whole I can't come up with 200 bucks. Yeah, you can. Um and and I think that yeah that's going to be part of what the board should be thinking about and we have we'll have a you know perhaps some change in administration some new views on that but u yeah I I I think this would be a big opportunity
052miss in two years to resolve the financial sides of it or at least work it out and then again eyes wide open kids who come into this program have got to understand that in two years it just may go way and that may be hard but that's also a reality. So, you know, I I' I've heard that conversation out there and I know we don't, you know, we don't like to hurt feelings in 2026, but sometimes life happens and it's not always breaks the way you want it to happen, but you want to play football for two years, great. Just understand that two years from now, it's going to be back on the docket. Sure. >> Well, to piggyback off of what you're saying, Rob, I think to perhaps help prevent that is I would
053encourage I agree and I would also encourage folks to not squander those two years. Like if if this is the direction that we go in, you know, start that fundraising now. Don't wait until we have a cost involved to start building reserves. because we know it's going to cost likely it's going to cost more than what it is in this. I think that uh [clears throat] I mean I have a couple different thoughts about this. I mean one is I I I too worked my whole life. I had a job in fifth grade shagging golf balls before school started. Um that said, I also know that there are people that can't afford $100 like and there, you know, families may be struggling and they may not be able to. So, but that's a side aside
054conversation. That said, you know, there are a lot of psychological studies that say it's less painful to miss an opportunity than it is to have something and have it taken away. And so I I I say that only because to your point, academics first. And if we're having a really hard budget year next year or the year after then and there's a bunch of costs associated with this, then that to me is something that's going to be uh ahead of other things in terms of cuts. Um, and so when I look down the road, I'm just concerned based on how hard we work the budget, how close we try to cut things to the bone, how folks [snorts] in the community have difficult time. Uh, we hear all the time with the costs and the
055state appears [clears throat] uh determined not to increase funding. Um so these are different thoughts that are percolating in my mind as I consider this. On the other hand, it is an opportunity and it's an opportunity to serve students that there's clearly desire to do it and at least for two years it doesn't cost us anything. So these are the things that I'm I'm struggling with as I think about this decision. um where where I'm >> to have them give him two years to be to see if they can become self-funded. >> It's Yeah. And I I doubt it's going to be entirely self-funded. I mean, I I don't I doubt that. Um but that doesn't necessarily mean that we can't have it part of our budget and that it wouldn't, you know, wouldn't necessitate
056or deserves funding. Um, I'm just trying to I'm just trying to talk about the different things that I'm thinking about, pros and cons as I as I think about this decision because for me it's a tight one. >> Um, I I will say that I'm leaning towards supporting, >> but I have serious concerns about what the board might be dealing with in two years. >> Yeah, >> that's I think that's >> I think the only Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. >> I I just want to be clear. I am not being disrespectful to families who might struggle to pay that. I grew up in that family. That is exactly my point. Yeah. >> If I wanted to do those things and I was going to turn to my parents, it was not going to happen.
057>> It was you work summers, you do what you need to do >> and that's going to make it happen. So that's where I get kind of like, you know, mom and dad don't have to pay for everything, >> right? >> Yeah. And I agree with that completely. I think the last thing I want to add to this conversation just for the sake of the record of the conversation is I do some of the feedback that we also got um from the public was about um the structure for which we think about adding new sports or looking at opportunities whether it's inclusive sports or the number of kids who might roster or gender equality across the opportunity or XYZ. Um, and this strikes me as a wholly opportunistic thing and it's clear that there is
058support for it. But I do think that as a program we do need to be thinking about how are we evaluating these opportunities and what are we doing because as a public school there is a utilitarian aspect of what we're doing where we try to do the most good for the biggest number of people. Um, and I want to make sure that we are actually taking that framework and applying it to our athletics program. Um, and there are opportunities that we could do or not do or change or not change. And obviously athletics are malleable and people's interest in sports changes over time, but I think it's worth noting for the discussion. Okay. So to move this forward, uh, I'm going to go ahead and make a motion to accept the Bishop Brady Aton Cooperative
059Football Team MOU with the discussed uh, revisions. >> That's great. That's my whole That's my whole motion. >> Second. >> Okay. I'm going to offer my final discussion point. Okay. My final discussion point before we vote is that as a human who clearly cares about the opportunities that we're providing for the children of our town, I very much want to support this. As a board member who is um pretty remarkably uh nervous about where school funding is going in the state from a defensive tactic, I just don't feel like I could in good faith do it. I do hear what you're saying, Suzanne, right? And I hope that I'm guessing where the vote's going to go and I really hope that these kids make the most of it and I do agree with you Jonathan
060that it is having opportunities is a tremendous thing and that's what we are here to do but I just am hung up by cost that we know is going to be really really hard in two years. So that's it. Any other discussion? Are we ready for a vote? >> All those in favor? >> I. >> All those opposed? Okay. Motion carries. Is that right? I hope the football keys kids make it happen. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose. It's the way to do it. Um, all right. Thank you everyone. That was really helpful. Thank you to Dan. I know that was weeks and weeks of back and forth. This was, you know, our thing. Okay, great. Next up, um I'm opening up my agenda as I close it out. We are going to talk about
061Yep. Um budget documents. All right, Laura D prepared the budget snapshot. Do you want to walk us through your person? >> Happy hundth, Kip. >> Have fun babysitting here. It's >> late. So, if we remember the budget snapshot, it I have inherited from Rob and I've received the successful torch pass notice. So, I'm pretty happy about that. Um, still waiting for you. >> So, our snapshot really goes through there's two sections to it. Um, there's the expenditures, there's the changes on the top. So, expense changes, >> the increases across all of our funds. Remember, we have four different funds that make up the operating budget. And the snapshot is all about the operating budget on the top. And then we take our special warrant articles, which are those CRF um capital reserve funds, expendable trust
062funds. Those are special warrant articles, and they're at the bottom. So, we go through that. Unfortunately, this year we're facing $170,000 revenue loss due primarily to state aid. Um we also have not determined fund balance at this point. So right now we have our use of the contingency fund um for 400,000 and we are putting as of right now 25,000 into warrant articles. So the bottom then goes through the individual tax increases by article. You can see that we are mirroring what we did in 2025, which is why there is no increase on the budget side um or the net tax increase essentially for all of our special war articles. It is zero because we it's already in the tax rate for this year. >> Thank you, Laura. >> I think it's one wonderful. Thank
063you. >> Oh, and then the bottom of course goes through the home assessment. Um, those are estimates for what your tax increases would be for each of the individual articles. Certainly, if your home is valued at something higher or lower than what is here, um, adjust accordingly. >> Can add the two. >> Yeah. Or delete. >> You know, the one thing the one I think it's awesome. >> Thank you, >> Rob. Um, and we've talked this to death. Uh but the what you know one thing looking at it on one page it's like on the one hand the special ed expense going up almost 300,000 on the other side the special ed revenue from the state going down almost $90,000. >> Mhm. Like um is that [clears throat] is the decrease in the revenue uh
064just due to calculation or like the state's calculation of how they're compensate like like what is the and we probably have talked about this before but just in looking at it on one page just that's the real inongruity that jumps >> that I feel like we ought to we ought to be able to talk to. >> Yep. That decrease is a decrease between the MS24, which is the revenue document um that we fill out this year to next year. So, >> all right, there's a year lag, right? >> Right. There's a year there's a year lag. So, we're looking at the expenses we're paying this year and what we expect to get back next year. And remember, we pay $80,000 before they start to contribute. So, that reduction is due to the fact that um
065twofold. One, I have to be conservative in our estimates anyway, right? >> And the state can prorrate up to 80% of the 80% they are required to give us. So that's what that number represents essentially the 80% of their 80%. If they come back and say that they're going to fund 90% um well then when we do the MS24 we'll be able to modify that. >> Yeah. >> But I have to take our worstc case scenario right now. >> Yeah. >> To protect us all. >> Yeah. No. And I I'm no way >> Yeah. >> It's just like the just fact of it is just like hard to swallow. special goes up, right? But >> the cost goes up and the state gives us less money. >> Yeah. >> Correct. >> Because when our and
066remember that calculation is three and a half times the average cost per pupil, right? So as that goes up, the state doesn't have to contribute until we get higher and higher and higher in those expenses. And so some kids fall right under that threshold and we cover them 100%. >> Thank you. I like the note that you included the a decrease in revenue increases the amount that has to be raised by taxation and vice versa. I think that is a very helpful thing to highlight. Y >> thank you. >> I it gets a little tricky when you see that the revenue tax increase is a negative 12 cents because the revenue is going down. Tax goes up, >> right? >> Yeah. Yep. >> I'm glad we were able to fit that in. >> Nice formatting.
067I also like the yellow in the middle and the additional, you know, double spacing. Nice work. Verge. Cool. Any other questions about this? >> Great. Okay. So, this will get posted after tonight on the budget website, which everyone should see. It's beautiful. Thank you to our team. Uh, and we'll get printed in the bulletin slash the town report. >> Town report. Thank you. Yes. >> Can you also send it over to the budget committee for tomorrow night's hearing? >> Yes. And I will have printouts with us tomorrow night. Budget hearing. >> What is this? Yeah. Yeah. We're happy about that. >> Okay. Yeah, we're impressed. >> Awesome. Anything else on our Snapchat, guys? >> Thank you. >> Awesome. Okay. All right. Next up. Okay. We have alluded to this multiple times tonight. Uh I'm going
068to tee up a couple things here for open enrollment uh for the the benefit of um people who may or may not be listening. Hopefully listening if they're hearing me say this. Uh over the last several weeks, we have been talking about open enrollment. We introduced this um in December, December saying that we would be talking about it in January. And then two weeks ago at our board meeting, we said we would be finalizing our warrant article language at this meeting because we have to if we want to be able to have a public hearing, we want to finalize warrant, have a public hearing on this topic ahead of school district meeting on March 14th. So, we are in the point where we're going to do this open enrollment as a reminder uh would as
069it stands right now would be a district-by- district uh uh decision effectively that would either let students leave to go to another district uh and we would pay some portion some majority portion 80% of that outgoing tuition or students would come in and the sending district would pay 80%. there is some uh lack of clarity around special education, transportation is not provided etc. Then last week the Senate passed a bill that would basically force this to be mandatory across the entire state uh that would basically take the decision-m ability away from the towns and have it be a statewide effort. Fasttracked it to the House where the House would then concur and then go straight to Senator Aayot's desk. that got delayed today late breaking this afternoon. They will vote on it potentially next week.
070Um I can continue to explicate put pros and cons but there is a good memo that is available. Um but some of the things we put together is Amy worked with our attorney um attorneys at WY Star to think about what we wanted to do and uh to just recap the discussion two weeks ago. We had proposed advanced studies. Um, we decided, we talked about AP, we talked about our entrance criteria, and really what you're noticing is that most school districts are just trying to keep it really simple. Um, because one of the things we would have to do, and I know there's a a lot of >> if this happens, then we have to do this. So, that that is complicated. It's actually not best practice, which is why if you've noticed, there is
071a letter that many of you signed or you've seen uh where school districts are just saying, you know, let let's let's just be careful about this because we've gone through our budget process. You know, that could be as as Dulce said, you know, it could really wreck districts budgets. Um so [snorts] part of what our conversation is about tonight is really not the entrance criteria. So, you'll see the new draft in your folder tonight is just very simple. Are we voting to become an open enrollment? Um, at our last meeting, we really designated the high school, you know, just because that is where I think we could take students. And what the law does say really is that they could come in through a lottery. Um, and so I've revised some of that language so
072we can put in a policy. If we decide to move forward, we can put in that policy all of our entrance criteria. we could have an appendix to the policy which may or may not need to come to the board every single year. Um so really your decision tonight is are we going to designate Hampton High School as an open enrollment school and then what what caps will we set? Some of the good questions that came out of our last meeting was around special ed. Um Allison Minutatelli did send us the law as as we had talked. it is the responsibility of the sending district to pay for those services uh tracking them and capturing them accurately. I I think there is those questions around >> and who determines them though, >> right? and and
073that and that's what you're saying like those still things are up in the air because if you go through the special education process you may be identified um and when you go to a new school the accommodations and modifications you know may need to be they may need to they will need to be reflected based on that student's new environment. Um so those are the questions I think that you're talking about related to special ed. Yes, the sending district retains the district of financial responsibility, but those are much more complicated. And then we do have processes in place if you have a student in foster care. You know, that is what what we already follow. Um, so the language tonight we did talk about some districts are doing a certain number of students can come
074in, but no one can come out and our council has really said she does not think that that would stand up in court, that you cannot limit students leaving. Um, so the most simplest draft warrant article that you see is really essentially allowing one student to come in and one student to leave. Um, I think that meets the criteria of the law. As Dulsey said, though, everything, you know, could change, you know, based on what the new legislation is. Um Allison also just advised us and you know I we're all you really have to make the decision based on the information that you have right now and that could change. Um if something does come up I would see us having to schedule an emergency meeting. Um and that would just put that on everybody's
075radar. I think if we decide tonight to move forward we would have a public hearing before our next meeting and you know the the community could come and ask questions. As you can imagine, this is a really complicated topic. You know, districts are really struggling with the revenue aspect of having students come. Um, but then also essentially, you know, devastating other local public schools doesn't always sit well with elected officials like yourself that, you know, you're not you're not here for, you know, you're you're here because you want to provide a public service. You want to serve your community. Um so that's in and of itself you've got some a very short warrant article what we are trying to do is really protective and then why this matters and then accompanying that Laura had put
076together because as we've talked pretty much non-stop about this you know how do we protect ourselves from these things and she has some ideas about a trust um that you could also consider. So I I know that um Kier Serge and Pembroke have both adopted zero. Is that correct? >> Yes. I I think >> Penro has I thought they were going to >> Zero going out right going out. Yeah. >> And I know from the monitor a few days ago, I'm looking at it. warrant articles in Pittsfield, Chai Chester, Epsom, Allenstown, Bow, Dun, Barton, and where. Do we know what those warrant articles say in terms of how many leaving? >> I I mean, I haven't seen any that have anything other than zero. Um, but I haven't seen both. >> So, why is the
077advice that we shouldn't do zero? >> Because really, the law what what she is trying when I spoke with to Allison, I just said, I want to protect us as much as we can. The spirit of the law is if you are open enrollment and you want to allow kids in then you have to allow kids to leave. >> Yeah. I mean the spirit of the law but I mean it's I guess my point is is that if a bunch of our and then I know conquered hasn't decided what they're doing at least as of the printing of this article at least as far as the reporter said Louden hadn't decided Webster hadn't decided Boswin. So, I guess what I'm wondering about is [clears throat] if a bunch of the schools around us are setting
078at zero, why shouldn't we set at zero? I mean, besides the spirit of the law, because I think we could spend significant time talking about what the spirit of the law is. >> Yep. I mean, >> there's no reason not to set it at zero. >> One thing if I may add is that we actually because we are doing this later, we already have an open enrollment student who is leaving. So they would >> well they jumped the yeah it was also like they like was before the >> that's not a reason for us to change what policy we set up that be that student would be grandfathered in regardless of >> right so that's what I'm saying is you choose the one we have the one already >> um and we're following the in
079good faith process of the the article if you choose zero we still have to pay for that student >> but that person could change their mind I mean that that could change tomorrow >> sure it could I mean what Allison said in the note back is I do not think a 00 model would be upheld as open enrollment In order for the district to limit the number of students who can attend open enrollment schools in other districts, it must also allow at least one non-resident student to attend school under open enrollment. >> So that's her best advice, >> right? Allow one student to come in >> and leave. >> Why? >> Um I can ask her for a more specific >> just because it's I think it's literally just the the interpretation of between, right?
080But I mean, if other schools are doing it, we're setting policy. We're going to vote. Right. >> Right. >> So, >> yeah. >> I'm not hearing a good reason. Like, I'm hearing uh a other districts are doing it this way and I'm I'm not sure why we shouldn't do it the same. I mean, if if they're not doing it right, then we I guess we wouldn't be doing it right either. But, um >> Jonathan, is do you think that there's any strength in numbers if like adopt that 00 like if if you know every other district has that policy then it's if they're kind of get sued they're suing 27 districts >> and I don't think anybody's saying that they're not taking everybody's saying they're taking it's different amounts that they're taking. I think everyone's
081saying nobody leaves. That's at least as far as I can tell. >> Right. Right. >> And and that's really for you all to decide that >> which is which is why I'm throwing it out here. And you can certainly increase the number that we would allow to come in. You know, I think we could look at particular grade levels. >> Yeah. And to be clear, I mean, where my head is at, like I'm not enthusiastic about the idea of schools starting to market themselves to try to take students from other districts. I think it's bad for a million reasons. Um, so I'm not in in favor of that. You know, in terms of the taking, what was it 0.01% 01% or 0.1%. >> Well, the law says that you have to name it as a
082percentage. So, >> yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm just saying like I've got no qualm with that. >> It's the zero versus one going out. I mean, uh that I'm that I'm really focused on. >> Okay. I'm going to Yep, that's a great point. Other thoughts? Um, I think there's less chance of us being taken to court because our policy doesn't meet the criteria if it's as stated here instead of being zero. I think our attorneys probably playing the safe game. Um, as much as I don't like this idea of open enrollment, I also find it a little bit ethically repugnant to say we'll take somebody but nobody can go. you know, you don't don't like places where they build up fences and don't let people leave. It's not really cool. So, just for that, >> I'd
083say, okay, I'm better with that. >> Um, and then, you know, the twisted side of the revenue game is why not take more students? [snorts] this is going to be the new reality and we can take more and we find ourselves to be an attractive place. That's a real that's also an ethically hard thing because I don't want to bring about the demise of some other school district who's you know >> Jackson correct >> Jackson >> right >> yeah any but but let's just be clear I mean students can come here right now >> right so so we're not I mean this isn't a >> um >> they can come here and they can pay >> and students school right >> and students can leave here too >> like right so so I just so
084we're talking apples to apples This is >> this is about the school district on the hook for unforeseen >> things that could happen any time year. >> Fostering education freedom accounts in a new way. >> Like that's the bottom line. This is an expansion of education freedom accounts where the state doesn't actually have to pay the cost. >> Yep. >> The school district pays the cost. >> Correct. >> Which is about as bizarre as it gets. And in states where there is school choice, I think that the either reaching her or the fair funding project said this, but in schools where there is school choice, the state funds the bulk of education costs. It does not come from local property taxes. Even states like Mississippi, which is at the bottom of the list, does a
085better job with state funding and is able to to make up here. So honestly, it's just they it's just going to leave in the same way that we have medical deserts, it will leave educational deserts for children who get born everywhere in case everyone was was unclear on that. So, >> if we adopt [clears throat] this as a warrant article tonight to move forward to the voters and the governor doesn't buy the game, doesn't sign off and we're in this. >> Um, do we then if we wanted to to change the designations, would we then need to wait for the next school district meeting and adjust at that point? >> I think so. It's no longer within our >> after the school district meeting if it goes to the floor and it it is approved.
086Yes. >> Because it cannot be since it's a warrant article, it cannot be amended. Correct. >> You you can change the number. And so you'll notice in our draft we put this the placeholder for this as article two. So that if you decided to change some of the numbers, you could then modify the operating budget. >> But you need to have but you need to have the deliberative body get back together and make the change. So my question is can the Warren article be written that it's at the uh purview of the school board >> to make changes down the route? >> I haven't seen any um that have like your agents to expend on a trust or anything like that. I I haven't seen any that allow that because it's really in an RSA.
087The school board does if open enrollment is passed the school board does need to write a policy about it. >> Um that's part of it, right? >> Yes. So that's where your criteria and your lottery and >> I will say also I just want to add that the current law in its current form says once admitted and unless expelled open enrollment school pupils need not reapply for admission in subsequent years. So the four you're in until they graduate. >> Oh okay. for in the case of a special ed student until they reach the age of 22. >> Correct. >> Right. >> That's interesting. I I read in a number of places that that was an open question. So I'm interesting >> and and they also one of the revisions is no longer the 80%. It's
088100% of your >> That's one of the requested um modifications to the what's on the house floor now is actually a change to that 80% of the sending district. it's now up to 100% of the sending district >> parents >> um of our cost per pupil and then if a sending district has a lower cost per pupil than the receiving district the parents pay the difference. So so the parents have to come up with the difference. Um so if you look at a school like Franklin who has say $18,000 the parents would have to come up with the difference to come here or they could apply for an EFA. But we would need to pay 100 up to 100% of our cost for pupil as a second district. >> Right. >> How could they apply
089for an EFA if they're continuing to go to public school? >> I think the EFAs were they are they they are on the table for the difference. I think everything is on the table. >> Yeah. I mean I think we're watching like the unraveling of the public school educational system as we see it. >> So like I want I I don't as a as a philosophical perspective I don't necessar I want to stand with other districts. I don't know that standing like the 1 one versus 000 is where we're at. But either way, I want to make sure that the governor and the legislative body of New Hampshire hears that this is a repulsive and terrible thing to do to school districts and 450 people have signed on to a letter going to the governor.
090I am happy for us to vote, however, as long as it is restrictive and says this is absolutely terrible. However, we should all vote as a group. >> So, yeah. Do we have a mole? Does anyone want to have anything else to say? >> Yeah. You can also choose to not move forward, >> but we shouldn't risk >> and there's a few And there's a few I know that are doing that, but not many. I think it's uh according to the monitor, it was >> I think Henker, Canterbury, Belmont, and Deerfield. >> But I to not adopted at all. I think that we should >> I'm not I'm not advocating that. I'm just saying those are the ones that are safe. >> I think the reason why they're trying to shove it down so quickly
091is because they saw all these warrant articles coming up from individual districts that said we don't think that this is appropriate or fair. And so I think it is good to be able to say we don't think this is appropriate and fair. >> Yeah. >> And also have the discussion as a full legislative body given that this is a complex issue. also is I mean this isn't so much for our vote but just to put it on put it on the record and out there as far as I've read I mean to push something so monumentally impactful through without like sufficient study and input from the constituents is >> hearings >> is uh offensive and then to say that it's going to be effective I believe in July as opposed to even kicking it out
092a year >> right now right now it's immediately >> oh immediately we're at okay Um, and given how much we struggle with trying to predict for the taxpayers what their tax rate is going to be, this just strikes me as um antithetical to that, antithetical to local control. >> Uh, and just really uh not the New Hampshire way, frankly. um to just it's just really um really frustrating to be put in this position with so so little time to digest something that that clearly in conquered they haven't they don't understand either >> at the state house. Yeah. >> Yeah. I'm going to say conquered in all bodies. Um, unless anybody has more to say, I would move that we go ahead with the warrant article as as stated >> the one one >> one. >>
093I'll second that. >> Okay. Any discussion? I think the my two cents on this is the at least for me the reason that I wanted to create a warrant article was as a protective measure and I feel like this one is the most protective uh with the one and the one you know protecting from the potential of a lawsuit staying with you know whatever the spirit of the law is limiting it to one and one uh with the you know what everyone has said that this open enrollment is a complete lack or loss of local control. It means that taxpayers money will be going to other districts and taxpayers will have absolutely no say over what happens to that money. And this is as Laura pointed out this is not a theory for our district.
094We already have uh open enrollment student and were hit with a surprise bill of over $18,000 earlier this year. So, it's not like we don't know about this. We already had a bill and had to make reductions in our own budget for next year because of this. So, and that was one kid. I I will say that um I'll support the warrant as written because I think that it's good for the school board to speak with one voice on this. That said, my feeling is that in terms of our risk of being sued, it's extremely small because I anticipate that assuming that this passes, it will be challenged in court in a million ways before any school district is sued is my guess. My guess is is that this is going to be jammed in
095court for quite some time. Um, and we'll probably have at least one more meeting, school district meeting before those suits get resolved. Um, I mean, look at look at inspection of motor vehicles. Um, [laughter] so I'm not too concerned about us getting sued based on this vote, but I do feel like sticking with the other jurisdictions around us and how they're handling it is not a bad way to play it. Um, >> but all that said, it's outweighed by uh overall I agree with our vote saying we don't think this is a good idea. I think this vote does accomplish that and I do think we should speak with one voice to the be best of our ability on this. So, >> thank you. >> All right. You have to read the warrant the the
096sample language. >> Okay. So uh so that so we are voting now to approve the warrant article as presented regarding open enrollment. Shall the Hopkins School District vote to designate Hopin High School as an open enrollment school permitting the enrollment of one non-resident student through a lottery 0.1% of current enrollment and further to limit the number of the district's resident students preschool through grade 12 who may attend open enrollment schools outside the district to one student 0.1% of current enrollment. All right, all those in favor? I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you very much for your work on this. And then do we want to talk about uh the trust. So the Warren article would be >> uh establishment. Uh so there's there's a few options in here. One is with a new tax impact.
097Um and the the amount that we're talking about is um $25,000 which is about the cost of one student. So the first option, option one is new tax impact. So asking for this money to fund the trust from the taxpayers. Number two would be use utilizing fund balance if we think that we can use fund balance. Number three would be eliminating uh the tech in the vehicle warrants and instead funding this rather than funding those two things. >> Minimizing. Minimizing. Thank you. >> Removing the vehicle. >> Yeah. By removing the vehicle. Um, we've talked a bunch about trust over the last several weeks. Um, I do think there it is prudent. Thank you, Laura, for your thoughtfulness and strategic insight in getting this prepped. That is prudent to think about this. I have thoughts about
098them, but I can hold them till the end. Does anyone have any thoughts here? I mean, my thought is that we're going to have to pay if if we were to do this, we're going to have to pay. And by we, I mean we as a community are going to have to pay for the student coming in, leaving >> leaving uh at some point. Um so it's it's like when do we want to feel that tax impact? Do we want to feel it this year or do we want to feel it in a future year? I don't I don't like option three. I I don't like the idea of uh of impacting budget planning that we've already done and been really thoughtful about again because of an like a false emergency that our legislature has
099created. Um, so I'm with option one or two. >> Sure. >> And I will pile on. I would I would agree with that. I would love to be able to do option two if we have fund balance. I just don't know given where we are with the year if that's reasonable. We could do option one and then as we move closer to to district meeting on the 14th. We have done it in the past where if we think we will have enough fund balance, we can make an amendment ourselves effectively on the floor to fund something from fund balance. It's slightly confusing to the voters and it's not the cleanest way to do it, >> but it is feasible. Um, but I have a tough time. We've talked a lot about tech and the vehicles
100and trying to think about bands for athletics or all these other things we can do to mitigate unknown things but yeah Suzanne Jonathan Rob what do we think and then the fourth option would be just to just not do this and >> how do we >> correct >> yeah but realistic yeah but realistically that is a that is theoretically a fourth option I don't advise it right but we you don't have to create a trust trust. I think it is beneficial to create a trust. >> So, we currently in this year's budget have a line for this and we have budgeting for that one open enrollment. Um, I'm just wondering if we're premature in the game to create yet another trust versus budgeting for it as we move forward and figure out where things are
101going to fall. Certainly appreciate the why of doing it. >> Um, did put it in now with the thought that we might need to have it at public hearing tomorrow night. >> Yeah. Um I mean if if the warrant for the open enrollment fails, do we then pull this warrant? Do we keep it regardless? >> How would that play out? >> You have two choices. I did write the warrant. So it is student tuition. It is not open enrollment student tuition. you do have the ability to use the trust for special education student tuition as well. Um the idea of it is just student tuition. So you could choose to rescend it or you could choose to continue at moving forward if open enrollment does not pass or if the legislature does not pass. Um
102this is the second year in a row they've put open enrollment forward and it has gained momentum this year more than it so last year. I feel like we will be in the same spot again in 12 months [snorts] >> if it doesn't pass in >> maybe. I don't know. Depends on what happens in November, >> which who knows. >> The idea of the legislature that's out now, if I understand, is to remove any votes that we make on our limits, right? And then we just make it open enrollment. And then we are paying this up to 100% of our cost per pupil, >> right? you know, receiving districts, >> right? >> Okay. >> Even our current student, we have to spend more. Yes. >> Right. So, to Amy's point, we we have 80% of
103our cost per people in the budget next year allocated student, >> but that student would be grandfathered and they would, but we would have to pay even more than what we have budgeted. >> We have to pay 100%. >> So, there's 20%. When do we have to finalize warrants >> what we're going to call >> for legal reasons? >> Um so >> for notice >> we really have until I think the end of next week to finalize warrants in general but you have to have a budget committee public hearing >> which is >> uh no less than 25 days beforehand. >> So we would have to ask the budget committee to reconvene. >> So they right they'd have to reconvene on what the uh 11th. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Yeah. next week. So >>
104we have to also then meet probably on the 10th. >> Yes, it is. >> I mean, not having had the opportunity to, you know, use the the budget committee as a as a sounding board for this and to bring it in new tomorrow night, I think is in just the clarity of what is open enrollment. Um, >> don't I don't know if that's the best scenario. My hope was with option two >> to do both mitigate our risk a little bit by creating this and having a reserve of at least one student but also using fund balance so that we are not impacting taxpayers further by implementing this the 11th hour due to legislature that's going forward >> I mean >> it's trying to offset and be as fiscally responsible as possible while trying to
105protect ourselves >> we did schedule a meeting for the 11th the plan right now for tomorrow night is public hearing and more likely than not vote on budgets. Um but there was discussion that if necessary the vote could be moved to the 11th. This certainly could be one of those things where we would have another meeting assuming that the public hearing criteria is met when we talk about it tomorrow night. I I just feel not great about dropping this in people's inboxes tomorrow after we've done the whole budget presentation and everybody's really comfortable with it. >> Rob, would you feel comfortable at least letting them know that? I mean, so even if they schedule something for the 11th, right now they're targeting that the vote will be the 12th. So even if I know they
106have that as a as a date that they had already pres-scheduled, they would almost have to do what you're doing to have an emergency meeting to add this. So >> for the state. >> Yeah. >> If if they decide to vote on the 12th and we don't have it, >> they would have to approve they would have to have have a meeting as well. So the mechanics that we're talking about is if we if we if we want to form this trust, this would be additional money we're asking for to fund this trust next year. >> Unless we use fund balance >> three options. Yeah. Unless we use fund balance, at which point then we are just using this year's revenue to put into a trust next year so that we're not asking for new
107money from taxpayers and basically just saying we want to retain that into this trust so that we aren't short. >> I guess that's what I'm I'm sorry. I guess what I'm what I'm struggling with is what's the difference between putting it in a trust and just having it to use if we need it. >> I can't >> and then forming a trust next year. >> Can't carry it over unless it has a purpose, >> right? >> Um So we can put it into a trust now and have it in the event that we hit get hit with student tuition. >> Um whether it's open enrollment or special education or we try to maximize contingency and then >> and then pull from contingency at the >> pull from contingency, >> right? Yeah. Yeah. >> Which which
108is probably if you wanted to go the the best path >> we just do >> with budget. we just try to put it all in contingency because I would assume it is reasonably unlikely we'll hit the 44 400k that we're withdrawing this year, right? So that would be okay. I do think >> that's that's fine. >> If that's the case, then I think you need to I would I would love it if you would talk about this with budget committee and just say we had had this discussion and put it ahead of them for next year because I think we need to if this actually is what's going to happen, we need to get be really We're going to have to park somebody, >> I think. >> Does that make sense? >> I think so.
109>> Do you feel comfort if that happened? Do you feel comfortable with that? >> Yes. Um, >> it's not preferable, but >> it's not preferable. If you feel like it's an emergency expenditure that you would consider using the contingency for. Um, I would feel more comfortable with that thought if you feel like it would be something you consider. um you know when we went over with special education to um tuition last year we pulled from a trust that was kind of that was the the idea so 25 only covers one student so I understand it's not a lot um just to start it up I also get that it is a hypothetical legislature at this point so if you want to pull from contingency next year if this happens >> yeah we just don't know
110>> that >> some new thoughts or new schematics here. So if we put this forward as option one tomorrow, >> y >> we can always do fund balance by the time we get to school district meeting. >> Correct. >> We it to me we are doing this because of the potential possibility that this becomes law and we're stuck with it regardless of what and is that a strategy that we want to take as a town? So the budget committee certainly would weigh in on that and voters would weigh in on that. Um yeah I mean sorry I just saw this I was away so I just saw this this afternoon for the first time. I would I would support let's move ahead with option one for tomorrow night. >> Okay >> late in the game.
111I will apologize can have a discussion. it can get pulled, >> but at least we'll have had the discussion. >> Yeah. >> And get feedback as to whether or not we want that uh what little more than two cent tax impact. Don't like doing it that way. Pay for it out of fund balance or what have you. But yeah, and we can thank the legislature for putting us in this position. >> Yeah, I I support that. I think it's um if you wanted to make sure you also share the open enrollment memo that you put together a month ago just because it's we're gonna you're gonna have to get that group of people up to speed real quick. >> I know we're not supposed to be partisan but I just threw the legislature under the
112bus. This is not the legislature. This is the Republican majority of the legislature that is pushing this forward. Should be 100% clear about that. So it is not the entirety of the legislature. I think that's important to state and I'm not trying to be partisan but that's just the reality of what it is. So you know when I I read in the paper about people who are upset about this and some of the school districts that are showing angst and then I look at their representatives say you know what are you guys doing? Like if you support public schools think about how you vote the next time you vote. Sorry, it just makes me angry. >> Yeah, I know. Well, it's just it's just a lot at the last minute in a budget process that
113has been happening for six months. Okay. Does >> So, do you want to go ahead and make a motion? >> Yes, please. Thank you. I was going to go. That would be great. >> All right. So, I was going to make a motion uh to see for Should I just read the whole warrant? >> All right. I'm going to make a motion to adopt the warrant uh as I say it out loud to see if the Hampton School District will vote to establish a student tuition expendable trust fund per RSA 198 col 20- C for the purpose of paying out of district tuition costs and to raise and appropriate $25,000 enumerated to be placed in the fund further to name the school board as agents to expend from the fund majority vote required to pass.
114I move we create this track. >> Second. >> Okay. Any further discussion? Okay. All those in favor? >> I. All those opposed. Thank you, >> Rob. Whatever you need ahead of tomorrow. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> I know. We're >> But we have some materials, but like use us to do whatever you need to do. >> I think if we just have the warrant the warrant on a slide that's large enough to be shared and we'll just talk through it. >> Okay. Are you doing the full slides again? >> Uh, I'm pretty sure we're going to do a recap. Probably not to the same, [snorts] you know, hour plus detail that we did the last time, but starting with numbers and do a brief recap. Um, that's what we did last year. >> And so,
115let's just talk logistics before like do you want us to just add a slide to the existing presentation? Do you want a standalone slide just for that information? I' I'd like a standalone slide to go [clears throat] to the committee so that they know to look for it and you know with a like urgent read this really sorry but >> you could do a slide for this and a slide for the snapshot. >> Yeah, >> two standalone slides to give you some time >> and then when we collate together for the whole presentation we could get it together. I just want to make sure that when people get their materials tomorrow it it's not an add-on to the presentation. It's a things are hitting the fan at rapid rates and we're trying to respond in
116time. >> Do you I've been working with John Houston to get the tax impact document ready. Do you want me to email him so that he can try to change it or is it at this point we'll do that after the fact? >> I think we can do that one after the fact because he's, you know, I mean, he'll have that up to date and then he can modify after things get approved because that might even change tomorrow depending upon how things go. >> Okay. Um, as we think one more thing about open enrollment, the law does say that the uh school district shall hold a public hearing on the open enrollment question at least 15 days but not more than 30 days before it is to be voted on. >> Right. >> Can we
117schedule that public hearing? >> Do we want to do the public hearing on this at 5:00 p.m. on the 17th? Can people make that at our next meeting? LAR. >> I'm good. Okay, I can make up. >> Might be coming in on two wheels, but I think so. >> We have finance at four, right? >> Yeah, you guys coming in hot. That's good because we'll see uh we'll see coming back from Seattle that morning. So, >> Oh, even better. So much coffee. Great. Okay, cool. >> By plane or bike? All right, let's get that uh a calendar hold out for that and then um we can lock that in. Okay, great. >> Okay. Um let's look then for the next part. We're going to finalize warrant articles. So the open enrollment one in one out
118that will take the place of article two. If everyone looks then there would be I'm not going to reread these all again because they're the same as what we had nominally approved at the last meeting. We do have to decide what number we want to make the establishment of the enrollment trust. I don't believe it's in here. So, we could either put it right after operating. We could put it at the bottom. We could put it anywhere. >> Well, we're going to do a warrant for the policy, right? >> Yeah, that would be that would be that would be article two. So it' be that would be at the the top then operating I think would probably make be smart and then it moves >> grouping >> what >> I would think grouping the pol
119like the open enrollment policy and then the trust would make some logical sense >> to make the trust article three >> talk about the one we might as well talk to them about the cost. I know. I I just get worried about we we at some point you start to lose people and the budget is so important to >> Right. Couldn't we couldn't we downshift the >> the open enrollment warrant? So the the only thing when we were when I spoke to Allison about it, they're recommending people put it before their operating budget in case there is a major change from the floor that then you could make a motion to change your operating budget to absorb more costs in your operating budget for open enrollment. Like say that I'm not saying it's going to
120happen, but someone could stand and say we want five in and then five out, >> right? And then we would have to change the operating budget to reflect five rather than one student >> and the funding of the and the funding of the I was going to say the funding of the trust, >> right? >> Okay. Instead of 25,000, we'll say >> 300. >> I mean, I think people would be able to follow if we said open like here's open enrollment. Now we're talking budget like okay, we've done the two big things. Now going back to open enrollment, we got to fund it and then we just talk about like just to keep the most people there. >> I mean I I'm I'm just spitballing. I don't feel strongly. >> I I mean I agree
121with you too. That was my first inclination just to group bomb >> if the it makes sense to me to have operating after. So to have that before operating for those reasons that makes sense to me. >> I like that idea, Andrea, as well. That way if there's a motion on the floor on the operating to increase it by any chance for expenditures for open enrollment, then we could do you know you could think about what you want to do with trust, >> right? >> If you want to change it at all. But that way we have the operating budget that goes along with it. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So it'll [snorts] be article one here reports. Article two our open enrollment one and one out. Article three operating. Article four will now become establishment
122of the open enrollment trust and then everything will just bump down and we will net out. >> We should call it a a student tuition trust. >> Student tuition trust. Thank you. Yes, I'm paraphrasing. And then article eight will be replacing school district vehicle. And then article nine will be transact any other business. All right. >> Does that sound good? >> Yes. >> So if we can get if everyone can follow that, we can get the warrant finalized tomorrow morning for you. Um but do we feel comfortable taking a vote on the warrant as I just read through it as presented discussed? Okay. Do I have a motion to approve the annual Hopkins School District meeting warrant as discussed? >> So moved. >> Second. All right. Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I. Any
123opposed? >> Okay. All right. More fun from our state guys. We're just going to keep this going. Uh [laughter] >> no idea. Uh and then before I forget, I want to make sure that if please remind me after we talk about the mandatory report that we talked through uh voting uh information sessions with everyone because it's not on the agenda. Okay. Laura, can you take us away? >> Yes. Mandatory report to voters RSA 1897 through 78 is complete. We have posted it already today. Um here it is. This is the smaller form. This is our tablet idea. Um, we have posted it at Maple Street and at PSAU. Tomorrow we be we will be putting it at the following locations. The town hall in order to have it ready for budget committee for the town
124library middle high school and the yurt and Carol Martin school. The best >> and the best. We will also be putting it on our website and we are working with conquer monitor to get it in the newspaper so that it is out. Then we figure out what form it needs to be in the newspaper. Can it be QR code or a link or do we actually have to pay to have this? >> It [snorts] cannot be it has to be in its in its form in the newspaper, but it does not have to be the required 18 by 24 sheets. It can be whatever size is legible essentially. There is no requirement for how big it has to be, but it does still need to be in the newspapers. >> So I've sent it to
125them as an 8 and 1 half by 11. And I said this is that size, but you can, you know, please show me a draft of what size is readable. >> We have a line of the cost. >> A,000. >> I'm guessing it's about $1,000, >> right? I mean, >> it was400 to do 218 by 24s for one day probably. So, but legally we are required to do so. >> So, we will do it. >> Yeah. No, I I just think it's >> good to make people aware of what we're spending to comply. >> Y um thank you. Quick shout out to Matt Christie at the middle high school. Mr. Christie printed the posters for us. >> Oh, thank you, Matt. >> So then alongside this, uh there is also in the folder um a
126mandatory and a an overview document. Is that fair to talk about this report? Um because it's a reasonable amount of data. Thank you, Laura, for compiling it uh to help uh explain what the graphs are. And you can't combine these two documents together because of the way that the law is written, but we thought that being able to have context with them is really helpful. I know these can be posted on the website sometime. >> We will put it on the website separate from the budget process. it will be under district information where we've also posted the parental bill of rights which was another um requirement that will also be in the town report. Um some things that I tried to address in the FAQ is you know where does a lot of this information
127come from? Uh some of it comes and is available directly on the Department of Education and also linked on our website is our our uh school district report card. So, if you find that, you can link to the most up-to-date and that has information about our student proficiency rates and lots of other data that the DOE collects about us. Um, you'll notice on the graphs that Laura did, we've got a darker line and a lighter line. Um, we're required to adjust those numbers for inflation and there is a calculator, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. So, if anyone really wants to go and um check out that calculator um that it's available for you to use, we've talked about the timelines. And then I you know, I wasn't an economics teacher, maybe someday, but there
128are a lot of >> questions, right, that people have about inflationary measures. And so really the questions when I've shared this with people, they look at it and they say, "What am I looking at? what what is like what are the what are the takeaways? Um, so you know, those are are questions that you may have and you know, if you do, you can you can reach out. You can ask your local economics teacher. Um, you could ask your legislate. I mean, I school board, right? >> You could ask your school board. We're happy to provide additional context or information. >> Um, also included are some administrator information and got some questions about, you know, why aren't the principles on that chart and things like that. We really just went by the letter of the
129law, which we've pulled through the FAQ, which are superintendents, assistant superintendents, which we don't have, directors or coordinators of diversity, equity, and inclusion, which we don't have. Um, but the functionally equivalent officials, you know, Laura and I really wanted to do our due diligence, and you'll see that we've added our director of student services. Um, you know, those positions for the superintendent and business administrator, you know, they should, I think, be pretty steady over time. You had the same two people in those jobs for a very, very long time. Um, and then you had Mike with the VA that was here for a very long time, and now you have two new people. So, hopefully we will also be here for a very long time. But, you know, those are some questions that have come
130up. You'll notice that there's more variability on the teachers. There's questions and answers around that. So if people have questions, they should reach out. >> Okay. Um I know this is a lot of work. So again, thank you. Very pretty. Uh even if it is a lot of information, do you want to provide both of these sets of documents to the budget committee and just say this is part of the reporting that's happening or do you think that's outside of their purview posted in the town hall? >> I mean, I don't think for tomorrow night would be a good time. I think for our next our next meeting once we get through this it be fine to have a conversation about it but I >> think we have enough to do in terms of just
131the budget process and this really isn't related. So >> yeah and there's no vote required either by you or them. So we really just have to post the information. >> Okay. >> We'll do it. We'll just do it. >> That's great. That's great. Any questions about this? >> Not a question but a comment. you know, um, as we're talking about the cost of compliance with, uh, yet another mandate, um, I think it's also just important to note and recognize that the amount of time both of you and others are spending when we look at the admin line. Um, this is a cost like you could be doing other things. So uh just to acknowledge that uh publicly I think that's also a not insignificant cost here. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> I think they're great.
132Thank you. >> Okay. Okay. We're going to round the corner here before we go to policy uh policy pulooa guys. But we've got a couple more things to to go on budget while we get everyone through this process. One is uh you guys may or may not have noticed, but I never actually finished the newsletter that we were talking about sending in October. Uh so I went through very early this morning, took another spin through it to basically do a pre a pre a pre pre-newsletter to the mailer that I think we should talk about whether or not we want to send that out. I think it's incredibly effective to prep that. Um but I just shared the newsletter with you guys. It's largely the same about what is the role of the the school
133board. It's also about how does developing the budget work just as a precursor to this is all the information about the budget. Um still talking about um what the outcome of the security redesign process was hot lunch. So pushing people towards food service and then doing that. So it' be a quick thing that hopefully Andrea can get out this week get that meeting on people's radars. It's on the website is going out through the skim of the nest at PTI PTA talked about annual district meeting but just a good thing to prime the pump. Um on the other side of things, uh in the folder there's a shortcut and I shared with you um a draft of budget information sessions for this year. And so we reached out to seven eight seven groups. Um so
134we have senior lunch on February 18th. Thank you Jody for keeping us all honest there. Andrea won't be able to be there. Uh, but that is when we cook and serve the senior citizens just lunch just so they know that we care and it's wonderful and I love it and obviously I know everyone there and you guys probably know everyone there too. Um, we may or may not last year we added not on the same day a senior citizen specific presentation at the senior center which was actually I think very beneficial right um that may or may not be on the same thing. I'm working with Paula to figure out with the entertainment schedule they have if we want to do it another week before I know it's wonderful uh before we do senior lunch
135on the 18th or if we want to do it at another week prior to annual district meeting. We're scheduled with a hop and dems um on February 25th at 6:30. Um PTA we will be presenting at on March 5th at their first of the month meeting at 5:00 p.m. which is awesome. Hopping Rotary Rob is scheduled with them for March 11th at bright old 7:15 a.m. at the Sluster Center. >> Yeah, baby, bring your happy bucks. >> Yeah, that's right. We are working on getting >> uh you know, you could either say apples with Amy or don't >> No, don't don't say the Apples with Amy. >> Apples Strudel with Amy. uh scheduled in the early afternoon at the Sleser Center and uh tenatively held for February 26th at 6 p.m. with the Hock and
136GOP. They're working on some logistics for running that meeting. It's obviously deep in the thicket of basketball season and vacation, but we're hoping that we can go ahead and present to their that group as well. And then we've got March 14th annual school district meeting. Um >> did you say the PTA? >> Yep. PTA is on March 5th. >> Okay. Um, so I will go through and um, like Rob, I think you I believe you were planning to be at Rotary. Um, there's a couple of these that I was definitely going to plan to be at. I think some of these during the day ones are hard for people depending on if you're in office, if you are in a school district, if you are in court, etc. Um I we're we're trying really hard
137to listen to the feedback from last year of trying to get these a little bit closer and colllocated around the meeting date, but if there's anything where you guys are like, I'm really just dying to be the one presenting to this group, let me know and I'll make sure you know we're good. Usually it involves doing an abbreviated version of the budget presentation, walking through how we work, and then opening up for Q&A and talking about budget drivers. I think it's really fun. I'm gonna try to attend as many as I can just like a second because I have it. >> Yeah, that would be great. >> End of it. So, I'd like to learn a little more. >> Um, there's one I can't do because I have parent conference, but yeah. Or >> Okay,
138cool. >> That's great. >> Yeah. >> But awesome. >> And then we'll work with uh our amazing team for printouts. Uh Lauren, maybe Laura sneakily went to pretty much every single one last year. Uh, >> I don't think I'll be able to do that this year, but >> uh yeah. [laughter] Uh, but I just wanted to get this out there and as soon as we're finalized with uh Paula and with um the library, we'll get this whizzed up on formatting posted and then out through the Susan Covert channels of communication elsewhere. Does that sound good? >> Are we going to send it out to parent square? >> Yep. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We try to do Parent Square, Susan Covert, these groups. We'll send it out through their things and then that usually is
139the and then put it on the website. >> Perfect. Just waiting for a couple more dates. >> Couple more dates. We're close. We're real close. Y >> I'm good for any of these except the pre senior lunch. And I don't know about apples with a >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Uhhuh. Okay. That's kind of good. Apples. >> I was thinking apricot, you know. >> Applesauce. >> Yeah. Uhhuh. Apple crumble. >> Apple everything apple. Yeah. Uhhuh. >> An apple is like a symbol of education. That's right. >> I know. I know. I just don't want to. >> You had to bring back the apple. >> It's coming back. Okay. Just kidding. Okay. So, that's that's um >> to go there. >> Uh last but not least, uh I just want to give a shout out
140to our National Honor Society. Uh they are amazing. They obviously provide child care at every single PTA meeting, but they are also providing uh child care at our annual school district meeting as well as the town meeting. Uh which is a marvelous thing for parents who have small children and want to be able to vote. So, thank you to those students and to Amanda uh the coordinator. All right, that's it. We're done with budget. Anyone have any other thoughts about what else we need to be providing? Rob, good luck tomorrow. >> Thank you. Okay. Now, policy. >> Policy. Let's start. All right. We got a lot of policy. We've been busy. It looks like more than it is, though. Um, so tonight we have >> we actually only have two first reads. However, one of
141them is dually coded and then one of them is tricoded. So, it looks like we have five first reads, but really you're just reading two books. So the first one we have is ADB or GBEC, drug-free workplace and drug-free schools. Uh they're duly coded with one another. And then the other one we have is triccoded ADC or GB D or J I CG prohibitions regarding use and possession of tobacco products, ecigarettes and e-liquids in and on school facilities and grounds. So these are both um policies that we already had. they are required policies um that we needed to update and uh so we went ahead and updated those. The reason that they might be dy or tri-coded is because like the A's, B's, J's, those all actually do mean something. They correlate with like the
142overall bucket under which the policy falls. And so all this means is that these policies fall under a couple of buckets and are big enough and important enough that they need to be um coded several like twice or three times. I mean did you have anything you wanted to add to these two policies? >> No we already have them. The old names are just interesting. You know the old one is no tobacco products and now it's ecigarettes and liquid and you know all the different >> things. Um, we have all of our second reads. They were our first reads last time. Um, so if you have any comments on those, let us know. >> I think that when I don't know if it's for everyone else, but when I click through it opens up a
143error. Yeah, just as a heads up. >> So, this is actually an issue apparently still >> with diligent community. Hopefully, this happened last time. If you open the public agenda, >> it's fine, right? It should be fine. Let me double check. >> Yeah. >> Yep. It's fine. So, happily, the public agenda is still good. Which >> That's the one we're paying extra for that doesn't work. >> The one the one uh >> isn't it great that TF is in it third read? That's a beast. Yes. So, on to our final reads. Yes. So, our final reads, we have some that were already there. So the ones that were already there are IHCA summer activities, IHCD uh or LEB, these are dually coded, advanced coursework, advanced placement courses and STEM dual and concurrent enrollment program. JH
144absenteeism attendance truency and JLCC headlice pediculosis formerly communicable diseases. Um so those have gone through their three reads. They're at their final read. Tada. The two other ones that we have tonight are DAFF, administration of federal grant funds. So, as a reminder, this is one that we uh see every year on an annual basis. Um, usually or in the past, this was broken out into several individual PDFs. So we have put it all together into one giant um document with clickable uh clickable index so you can just jump to where you want to be. There have been updates to this policy. Um this policy is all uh driven by statute. >> Um so >> who did the formatting on this? >> Uh me. Nice. I spent like two months almost finishing it back in 2023.
145So >> and then it was changed again. So >> exactly. >> Um so this one we're bringing to a third read. Um but we can bring it straight to third read but we can bring it through a first and second read um after but we wanted to make sure that we did our normal reaffirmed but acknowledging that there are re revisions. >> The other one is EFA meal charging. Um, if this sounds familiar, it's because we just passed this in December. Um, and with this uh, meal charging, we followed exactly the recommended um, policy through the New Hampshire School Board Association, uh, which has been vetted by attorneys there. However, um we had an audit through the New Hampshire DOE and they wanted us to break out our debt section just a little bit more.
146And so I highlighted in there um the uh additions. Uh basically they [snorts] just wanted us to call out exactly like bad debt and >> right >> bad debt. Delinquent delinquent debt and then a little bit about our record keeping >> and record keeping. Yep. So, I highlighted all of that. That is just a plopped addition because we just did this. I brought it right to our third read again. Um, and then once we've moved through all of these after that, I do have one policy to resend. Sorry. I >> I just wanted to say in your packet is the memo that the auditor forwarded to food service from the USDA explaining because I wrote back to her and said, "Oh, good news. We already did this policy." She said we you still need to
147break out the bad debt versus the delinquent debt. So >> and bad debt to be clear is just we write we're writing it off so it's no longer sitting on our books. We basically accept. Right. >> Yes. >> Right. So whereas delinquent is it's just still unreceivable. >> Right. What she says is that essentially we can carry delinquent debt which is unresolved still open negative balances over the next year. Debt is considered resolved. Right. >> What's what's the cut off? There's one. >> Oh, just whenever we decide to move it from one column to the other. >> It's most of the time it's as long as student is still active in our district. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. >> Follows them until they they're out. Okay. >> It's so that year after year we can
148continue to provide it if they have overdrawn. >> Yet another >> continue to >> unresolved open enrollment issue. >> Yeah. And it could also attach to the family, right? So they if they have other children, you you could attach it to the younger children. >> Yep. But this is why we're talking about food service in our newsletter. >> Yeah. >> So are there anybody >> any questions because I know that two of these are >> a little not normal. Not not what we normally do. Um >> no, I really appreciate it. This is a ton of work. >> We have a great time. Do you want me to do a motion for >> Do I have a motion to present the final reads uh as presented? IHCA, IHCD, LEB, dual encoded with IHCD, JH, JLCC,
149DAFF, and EFA. >> So much. >> Second. >> Okay. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I [clears throat] motion carries. Oh, any opposed? Okay. Thanks, guys. >> And then we just need a second motion. And is there a motion to >> I'll make a motion to resend IMBC alternative credit options. >> So >> great. The reason we're rescending this, just so everyone knows, is the policy has been incorporated into policy IK, which we approved as a board on December 4th, 2025. >> Any discussion? >> That was my only discussion. >> Okay. All those in favor? >> I Any opposed? Motion carries. Woohoo. Thank you. >> All right, guys. We did it. We are on to the consent agenda. >> Are we ready? >> New hires tonight. We have Phyllis Drenan who will be
150a new IIA at um the middle high school replacing Carissa Carr and Laura Ramsey will be an IIA at Harrow Hart in an open position that we currently have. Cool. >> How many does that leave us with? >> That leaves us with four. Five. >> Four. resignations. Unfortunately, Jonathan uh excuse me, Jonathan Sandlin, Middle High School special educator has submitted his resignation tonight. >> It's effective February 19th. Yes. And and so he will be with us pretty much until February vacation. Um, current employee with changes to contracts, Jenny Neblin, who is new this year at Herald Martin special educator, has requested to move to the middle high school and take Mr. Shandlin's position. So, she is being nominated. Uh, we have it planned out to do some training and shadowing before he leaves. >> Great.
151>> And so, that does leave a new opening and we hope to bring forward a candidate. We have already um posted that position as anticipated before tonight. Um you formally accept um Mr. Sandlin's resignation. Um we will interview and hopefully have a candidate for you at the next meeting. >> Great. Thank you guys. >> Uh for schedule B, we are starting to look at spring sports. So while this is not the full nomination slate, we had a special request um from Dan Zer to bring forward a new varsity baseball coach, Derek Bennett. Um, m Mr. Preserve would like to have Derek Bennett a part of hiring for JB baseball and some planning. So, he has to push that through tonight. >> We will have the rest as we move toward the season. >> Great. >>
152Any questions on personnel? >> No. >> Uh, we have no donations tonight. Uh, so lastly, uh, for me, there's the final December financial statements in your drive. I didn't make any changes. All I did are any do dollar value changes. I just put the prior years in. Um and now it is finalized and needs your approval. >> Woohoo. >> Great. Um, and what I would like to do with these, if you don't mind, I'd like to try to um, when we look at the January financials, we have a lot of changes for the payroll right now because the new hires and things. So, um, I may make a small amendment to your January financial that is additional expenditures for hiring after January 31st just to have an idea of what that does to our fund
153balance. Okay. >> Thank you. Okay. In the board folder is a request for an overnight trip. >> Do we need to vote on that? >> Not until the end of >> one more thing for you to consider is an overnight trip proposal from Kate Regaluth and um Kim Stevenson. They would like to take a group to Spain in March of 2027. Amazing. >> So, they've provided the necessary details, description of the trip, >> um how much it would cost, and it has been approved by Principal Kelly. So, it comes to you today. >> So, exciting. >> Can I go? >> Lucy, are you going to go? >> I'm going on the German exchange, >> right? >> Pretty great. >> Okay. Anything else for the consent agenda? >> No. >> Okay. Do I have a motion
154to accept the consent agenda as presented? >> So, moved. >> Second. too soon. >> All those No. Any discussion? [laughter] >> I love these trips. I think they're huge opportunities. All right. All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? >> Great. >> Okay. I'm going to pull up committees. Okay. Policy. Do you guys have anything else other than the 18,000 policies we just discussed? Great. >> Uh CIA. >> Um we meet in not this Thursday, but next Thursday. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And and after budget, we will bring you a few things. We have some standards. We have the PD master plan. You know, it's just been lots and lots and lots of budget. Great. >> Uh CIP. >> Okay. >> We made an uh we were discussing the new updated town
155report which includes uh our our report. Um and just to put it with you guys is I asked Amy to check with Jim to make sure that that's all ready to go for print in the the final print version. So, just a heads up there. Safety and security. Never met EMC. Uh, we we put together a draft uh sustainability policy for the district, which then has a secondary set of goals and timelines across a range of different things. We did uh get an invite out to uh Amy and Laura and our administrators including one Matt Stone over there who is the overlord of the printing systems uh to see if they could come to our next meeting in mid-Marchch uh basically to start to get buy in on the way that it's written, the way
156we're thinking about things because all of our principles and administrators really um if you're going to actually look at sustainability, it's a pretty reasonable crosscutting energy effort. So, um asking people to come and talk with us, which will be really fun. Um anything else there? >> No. >> Oh, and then sorry. And then also, uh Harold Martin is asking the high school if the high school could help implement the composting program at Harold Martin, which will be great. Also, Jim Rosiki was on lunch duty at Harold Martin. He said that there was basically no silverware loss, that those very small humans are exceptionally good at better than the high schoolers. back at throwing away their forks at >> that being good little doobies and keeping their forks and knives >> in the dishwasher. >> That
157does not surprise me. >> Yeah, you know, cuz it's what you do at home. So, why would you do it anywhere else? >> Most like >> um finance >> like what's what's going on at home? >> Yeah, >> I just throw away all >> throwing their silverware away. >> Throwing their plate in the [laughter] >> Yeah, just the whole thing. >> Never had like I'm like didn't we used to have more spoons? I feel like that's like a com. >> All of my spoons go down the heating pen just like filled with teaspoon. >> Um, finest budget. Anything else you guys? I feel like that's been a light lift. Yeah. Okay, great. Wellness. >> Um, we have it. I was going to say I missed the last meeting. I've double booked. We haven't met. We
158have some work to do, I think, with some >> meeting in March. Great. >> Professional development. >> Um, no. Great. [laughter] Sorry. Okay. Yeah. Very rare. >> Just just run through. All right. We are now at the second public comment portion of the evening. Um there are as as we mentioned earlier, there were several letters in support of football uh that are posted on the public agenda. So if you would like to read them, please go ahead and do so. If you would like to come up um and make a comment, please state your name, address, and we ask that you keep it at three minutes. Okay. Thanks, Lauren. All right. Any other business? All right team, we did it. We don't have a need for a nonpublic. Do I have a motion to adjourn
159at 7:40? So move, >> please.