School Board Meeting 12/4/2025

001I'm Delsey Benoma, Amy Doyle, our superintendent Mayor and Laura Taylor, our business administrator, and then our two student reps, Lucy Beardmore and Kip Headquist, and Matt Stone over in the corner running it and making the magic happen. Um, if we could have our third graders please come in to lead us in the pledge of allegiance, that would be great. 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. >> All right, we have a couple things to get through third graders. All right. Um, we have one set of minutes to approve from our meeting, our most recent meeting in November, which would have been on the 18th. So, we have a motion to approve said minutes. >>

002So, moved and second. >> Second. >> All right. Um, any discussion? All those in favor? >> I opposed. Great. I have seen because I wasn't here. Um, we are going to I don't know if they're going to come in and listen or not. Do you want to wait on the student comments until after they're done? >> That's fine. >> Okay. Can we do board comments after we have the kids sing? Is that all right? Um before we start, we did want to have a um uh a moment of silence. Um a Hopkins School Board member of Eva Nestler passed away last week um after a battle with um some cancer. Um and we just want to take a moment. Andrea, I think you were going to say a couple of nice things about AI. Yeah,

003I well I was just quickly going to say so Viva served on our board um from 2017 to 2019. Um so it was before any of us were on the board. Um before I was on the board I was uh often one of the people in the audience and she just um you know she was a parent, she was a beloved community member. She was really thoughtful. She um asked a lot of really great questions and really helped champion the updates to our science rooms at high school. Um and she'll be missed and I hope you know her memory is a blessing. >> Yeah. >> Does anyone have anything else they want to say about Aviva? Uh we thank her for her service. Um, if we can just take a moment and just appreciate her.

004All right. Um, in a transition, uh, we have, um, some third graders from Harold Martin, uh, to sing some, uh, holiday songs for us. Miss Reese, do you want to come on in? Thank you for having us. We have the Harold Martin singers or at least some of them tonight. We're going to start with some songs that we're going to be using for our holiday sing along. So, of course, this is the holiday season. If you're so inclined to join us, please do. We'll start with One more open sleigh making Hey single song tonight, jingle bells, jingle Horitt. We are to learn something Big smile like Police not everyone. I want to wish you a merry Christmas. Wish you a merry Christmas. >> We have one last We wish you a merry Christmas. We wish

005you a merry Christmas. We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Wish you a happy wish. We wish you a happy new year. We wish you a happy wish. We wish you a happy and a new year. We wish you a happy. We wish you a happy holiday. We wish you a happy holiday. >> Can we take a photo with you guys? >> Yes. >> Thank you. And if you guys want to stay, our student representatives are going to be doing updates as the student reps for the whole district, but you're also welcome to leave that for the picture. Okay, that was terrific. You guys were awesome. >> Ready? >> Wonderful. >> Take the photo tonight. >> Okay. Got to really squeeze in there. >> Great. >> All right, here we go.

006One, two, three. >> It's great. >> Great job. >> Thank you. That was awesome. Stay tuned for the next game. All right. >> Thank you. >> School are suggest I think and day one are >> you want you can wait for just like 12. >> What? Oh, >> all right. We have a little bit of a um switcheroo um >> to help get some little kids home for dinner on time. >> Uh we have our first public comment portion of the night if you want to come on up. Okay, three minutes. We'll care for We'll do it again at the end. Thanks for being comment. Yeah. Uh we now get to hear from our student reps, Lucy and Kip. tell us all the all the info. >> All right. Well, uh again, mostly we come

007bringing uh good news uh for starters like fall season sports uh finished uh a little bit ago, quite a successful season all around with our first country team uh winning states, but then on top of that, we have some uh other recognitions that have come out recently. The conquered monitor recently just um post an article with their fall 2025 players of the season. Uh we had two players, one of which was Maddie Lane for cross country, girls cross country, and Finn Murphy was the uh soccer the capital area uh soccer player of the year, which was quite a lot of fun to see. And um another thing is we had our first snow day on Tuesday which was uh quite appreciated by myself and um but my little sister is definitely sad that there was

008no school. So that's good testament to Maple Street and how that's going. Um, and then on top of that, we have a bunch of other field trips coming up, including uh one I've got the chance to participate in before, which was the um the carolling, the language um carolling field trip. So, uh, the Spanish, German, and French classes will all go to, um, like retirement homes and do some caroling in French, Spanish, and German there, which is a lot of fun, especially for the students of different languages trying to muddle their way through songs, uh, in languages that they do not speak whatsoever. Um, but it's it's a great time and there's a lot of lot of big smiles, so I don't think anything's wrong there. And then take the rest. >> Yeah. So, um,

009you know, with the snow day and then coming off Thanksgiving break, I think it's been hard to get back into the rhythm, but I think we can do it, um, until the winter break. Um, but, um, so last Wednesday at the start of the Thanksgiving break, there were the alumni games for basketball, which is a yearly tradition. Um, I think they get pretty good crowd. Um, for women, um, the alumni won, it was buzzer beater. Um, pretty crazy game. Um but then the high school boys beat the alumni. Um and then on Thanksgiving Day there was the um turkey trot um which is another um great yearly tradition. Um Mr. Sable organizes it. Um this year it hit the like capacity of runners. I think it was 200 um maybe 250. Um but it was

010a great turnout. Um and then all of the proceeds went to the um uh human services department and then also the Anna O'Reilly scholarship uh foundation. Um yeah, so winter sports starting uh middle school basketball, uh boys and girls both had their first games of the season um yesterday and then um ice hockey, alpine um high school basketball has started and then uh high school Nordic starts next week. Um and then also right now, um Maddie Lane, who Kip already mentioned, she's at um Nike uh Nationals in Portland, Oregon. Um she qualified at our um uh Nike Cross regionals uh in New York uh the overnight field trip a couple weeks ago that the whole team went to. Um she got fourth place out of like all of New England plus New Jersey. Um and

011so she's at nationals now. Uh she races on Saturday. Um I believe it's free to watch. It's online um live stream. Yeah. Um and then upcoming um some uh winter band and chorus concerts um for high school and I believe Harold Martin coming up. Yeah. >> Oh yeah. >> Um and then middle school is in two weeks. Um and then as a reminder, anyone who ordered holiday plants for or from the junior class, um you can pick up your orders tomorrow at the high school uh from 3 to 6. Amazing. Um, have we ever sent a runner to nationals before? Do we know? >> Last year she went >> she also went to nationals >> for the country and track. >> Very cool. Any questions for our students? >> Midterms are coming up as well,

012right? >> Yeah, actually midterm schedules got released today, I believe. >> Sorry bad news. >> It's all right. We'll get we'll get there. We'll get through it. It's fine. Uh, it can be coming up in January. So, um, it shouldn't be too bad. I quite like midterm week. Not a popular opinion, but probably not. >> Probably my favorite week of the year. Um, >> okay. >> I'm leaving. >> But, no, it's it'll be fine. So, >> yeah, I did hear some teachers um, they were excited. They were saying it was one of the earliest the schedule has ever come out. So, kudos to the administrators who got that done. Wait, and when is winter carnival? Did you tell >> that's February? >> Oh, it's like >> student council has already started uh the planning the

013works of that and some other like side things going on too. >> Got it. Okay, cool. And everyone got their report cards, their first trimester report cards at the same time or does high school get them differently from >> semester? I think we just get semester cards and then middle school gets the trimester cuz they >> they're all semester. >> Yeah, semester. They just had that weird block. I think it did well. So, >> awesome. Any other questions? All right. Thanks, guys. Always appreciate it. >> You're welcome. >> Um Rob, any comments for this evening? >> Jonathan, >> um I think the only thing that occurred to me is as we take pictures with little kids, we should always keep in mind before posting them to make sure that the parents are all okay with

014that. >> Yeah. Assuming we have a no photo list. >> Yeah. Um, no. Okay, Andrea. And you said no. Yeah. Okay. Um, yeah. I loved hearing from the kids. I thought that was terrific and I think Miss Ree does a terrific job um getting kids to come out sick in public, which is a brave thing, which is cool. All right, cool. Uh, we'll start with principles and athletic director update. We What do we want to do? What did we do last time? Do you remember? You want to start with Patrice? >> We're going to go opposite words. >> There we go. That mean Dan Ber. Okay. So, oh Dan. >> Oh, yeah. Okay. >> Well, these two over here to call me Thunder. I think they know more about athletics than I do. I want

015to hear them sing nice carols, too. But we'll see. Um, so athletics things have gone very well. We're kind of in that crazy winter where you got, you know, one sport starts and two weeks later another sport starts and another one another one. Uh, one of the unfortunate aspects is we did have to make cuts in Nelsonville basketball and we did have to in high school basketball as well for the boys side. We just have so many kids who are interested in sports. It's it's one of those things. Um, you've heard me say it before, we badly need another gym in this district. love to see that happen some sometime someday. Just uh one of those things that would be really nice. The gym is just so so much. Um hopes are high for the

016winter sports teams. The I want to thank you the coaches and Phil as long as you guys vote tonight to approve the middle school assistant Nordic position. We ended up with 30 I think 36 kids signed up for middle school Nordic this year. Last year we had 12. So it's very hard to plan for that. and it's just all of a sudden these kids are coming out of the blue which is great. It's a lifelong sport for these kids to do that. That's great. Um but 36 kids with one coach is is not safe and I appreciate you uh considering and hopefully proving that coaching position for that. The one um kind of interesting tidbit I' like to talk about a little bit is I was approached recently by Vish Brady about uh looking at

017cooperative football team. And as you know, when football fell through with Hillsboro a couple years ago, we had some kids who fell through the cracks a little bit and not participated in any sports. And we now have an opportunity to do this and we are so inclined. Um, one of the things about the NHIA when you join cooperative teams together, they add the enrollment of the different schools. So for instance, when Hillsboro, who was now a division four football school, if we joined them, we would have to jump up to division two because our enrollment would put us in division two. That was a real problem in football. We got killed. We played in these schools were much bigger than we were. Our kids were getting discouraged because they were getting beaten badly both in

018terms of numbers and just overall size. Um area schools, you know, I looked at area schools. If if we were to join a school like Bo, they would make the jump from division two to division one, which is a big jump to make. John Stark, same thing. Division two to division one. Our 309 kids, all these schools up above us, puts it into a much bigger division that I think would be very difficult. The one school that we possibly could partner with would be conquered. Um, I've talked to Conquered AD in the past and they have no interest in us. You know, I kind of like it to our lacrosse program that's pretty big and successful. You know, if Hillsboro came to us and said, "Hey, do you want to add us for for lacrosse?"

019I think my answer I know my answer would be, "Don't thank you. We've got plenty of kids. We don't need more." And it's hard to say, "Gee, Hillsboro kids can come and take a position for a hockey kid." And I think Conquer sees that the same way for our kids. So, that one's off the table. Bishop Brady is a division four football school. It's the smallest football school. this year their season they had to cancel their season partway through actually before even started they ended up about 10 or 11 kids playing football you just can't feel the team with that so their ad contacted me probably a month ago or so and said you know what do you think if you joined with us we would be in division three it's not as big a

020job as some of the others we could compete division three um and I said let me think about it I I tested the waters it's always a fine line you talk to some of the kids first to see if they're interested and get their hopes up and then say we'll talk to the board afterwards and you talk to the board first and say is this even a possibility before talking to the kids. So what I did is I kind of uh took a few kids in my office little by little one at a time and just said hey give us a low down but you know interest in football. I think there was some interest there. I think we probably have between 8 and 12 uh kids who might be interested in playing football if

021that were to happen as an opportunity to join the mission break. Um because this is a program that Brady's had for some years. They do have everything in place. They're uh they're telling me there's going to be no cost to the district for year one. If this were to happen, games being played, they had Bishop Brady, they've got the field, they've got the coaches, they've got everything. Moving down the line, if this were to go, we would at some point have to help withforms uniforms or whatever the team name came up with. um possibly some as well. Again, they got to be color coordinated with the teams, but that's pretty much it at this point. Um and so I before tonight to at least try to gauge some interest. Uh if we were going to

022do this, it would be for next fall. We have to go to the NHIA and tell them starting pretty soon and say this is something we might be interested in doing or you know what, we're just not interested. And if we're not interested, we're just going to look elsewhere. I don't know if they're going to find anything or not. Those people But that's kind of where we are with things. And so I'd have to test a lot of see what what the flavor is. >> Okay. And I just want to point out theou that bishop Brady sent over is in your support. >> Y any questions? Well, I mean, first in I think that the cooperative programs we've had in the past have been successful. They've been good for kids. Gives us some dynamics, you

023know. I mean, we've had people be solo individuals like wrestling at bow. I think it's just another opportunity that we can't get that that niche for those kids. So, I think that's great. Um, costwise, I guess that's the only wick in terms of uniform comments and I'm assuming personal gear kids take care of. That's really the helmet only uniform. Um, but I would guess that, you know, per student athlete, it's not a huge difference from other sports where you're not buying, you know, baseballs and bats, you're buying helmets that are going to be around for a while. So if you kind of think of those costs and stretch it out over the years of their use, it's probably seems like a lot up front, but the same amount of years probably. So I would fully

024support moving forward with that concept. >> Thank you. Talk about just for a second for the Jark Hington hockey team for that's a booster club that does most of that stuff. Football's the same way. has has club as well. There's some cost as I said down the road, but you're one >> I guess I I mean I would want to know some more about it and consider it. What would the timeline be for needing to get a position from the board on it? >> To get a position >> from the board like when would you need to know? >> Um so scheduling is starting probably the next month or so. So we have to give them an idea the NHI that yes we are interested in moving forward with this really as I talked to

025the Indian radio meeting with them this week. Um you know is this a red light green light or a yellow light from the board. So within about a month, >> I'd say about a month. Yes. >> Okay. >> Y Andrea, >> I'm processing. >> I had a question. I just don't know how um this part works. If a student participates in a cooperative, did they still go through our same like they need to um go through parents square? um like pay yes my school bucks do the athletic fee um and all of that fun stuff. If we pay for the sport, then yes, we charge the ACCA. We have kids who compete as individuals where the families fix up the entire cost. We don't charge for that. We don't do any of those. >> But

026the other ones we do, we do the impact test. They're our kids. They're our rules. So we get >> Would we if it if it had no cost to us at least in the first year, would we still want to do that? at least considering that we would be like putting aside that money in preparation for paying for uniforms down decision. My take on it is if it was not going to cost us anything to do it should not be charging. Okay. >> There's no cost to taxpayers in that case. Um we have done with other programs similar to this including Hillsboro football the families responsible for getting kids to and from practices every day. We did the same thing. Okay. We used to have the families with signs saying that they understand they're responsible

027for getting their kids there. Whether they choose to drive themselves, they would have seniors drive, whatever. They're leaving our parking lot, you >> so even transportation to games and things. >> Transportation to games, we would the bus would leave from Brady just like a bus from for >> they'd be responsible to to getting there. >> Okay. >> And then buses. >> Okay. One of the questions is an aside, I don't know if it's coming up or not, but I asked about a Catholic school, you know, what do you do with these kind of things and are there requirements that our kids pray before games for instance or something and the answer was no that they have a hockey team right now girls team and what they do is if kids choose to participate in things

028that's completely up to them but there's no requirement. I said that's fine. It's all I need to know. I just need to know it's not a requirement. the kids choose if they may. >> And then I know we've had cooperative programs before and currently do with hockey. What is um what are the requirements that we have around coaching? I know there's a lot in here around the coaching certifications, but do we know what Brady does in terms of coach training, around sportsmanship, sexual abuse, everything? >> Sure. Any NHI school, the coaches have to go through. They have to be vetted. There's a number of things they have to do. They have to be it's called ASAP certified or similar, which is a coaching principal class. They're all certified in first aid CPR. They all have

029concussion classes. They all have heat exhaustion classes. I think those are the four that they need to do. They're all vetted by the school district. The coach they have now has been vetted by official bra school in the district. Um the coaches that we have for hockey. I was actually on the hiring committee the past committee, the past coach and the current coach, but they are all run through the do all the paperwork for them. And this would be the same case. Brady would oversee their coaching staff. They would be responsible for that with feedback from me. >> Yeah. >> And I will just make sure that yes, all the all the requirements >> they get background checks and like all the basics. Y >> um I had two more questions. So theou it looks

030like it's actually a two-year agreement um beginning with the 26 27 season and then continuing through 2728. So it looks like it's free for free. >> Yes. for two years. Um, but there is a line that the schools will carry a liability insurance covering football. Is that an additional cost or is that something we already have? >> That's a great question. It's funny. I saw that at the MLU too and that was a question with Michelle that never I never talked to Michelle about that with Hillsboro. I don't know or might have an answer to that one. Um, but we've had football, we've had ski jumping for even before that. I I don't know of any >> specific requirement you do those. The reason why it's a two-year contract is that the NHIA approves cooperative

031programs for two years and every two years you have to reapply. So we do John Stark every two years and that was the idea there. The one thing that I did say to him as an I said you know I felt really badly for our football kids before who kind of got just dropped her and you know this is something that you see moving forward. I'm not looking for a longterm marriage here. Yeah. But I want to know that you're not going to drop us in two years and that's what you know that we're committed to this. He said absolutely I would not do that to you. That is not our plan at all. >> Okay. >> Yeah. That was true. That was hard. >> It should not be an additional cost to our property

032liability insurance, but I'll um reach out to Premix just to guarantee. >> Thanks Laura. >> I I'm just wondering about because I huge advocate for sports. Um, I think kids learn a lot about themselves and and teamwork, which is one of those durable skills that you need um, after graduation. But I have a question about you. I mean, we have what 70% of our kids playing sports and all of this is another site like a home game that's now 30 minutes away and you like to be at things and it's not like you can just walk across and check out that game are and you know like with football we have a home court official. are we what's that going to do to your schedule or are we gonna send I know football's a big

033draw and so people tend to go and they'll always be reps from Hinan but an official Hopkins representative there like what does that do for us >> I appreciate you saying that Suzanne thank you um it is one thing and selfishly I looked at this and said man that's a lot of Saturdays >> um in the fall again I think big picture here I do things for the kids. It's not for me. There are going to be some Saturdays, I'll tell you, there are two Saturdays in the fall that I would struggle to make a game because I've got family commitments and stuff. I know that. And if we have a home game of those days, I will see if I can get something else to cover. When we had the Red Hawks here, I

034try to make the majority games make every single game. It's never been stated to me that I have to make every single home because I just know that >> I know you're epic and I you turn up. >> Oh, there's Dan. >> I do and I would try to do that. I'm comfortable moving forward. >> Okay. Straw. Do we want a straw poll? Do we Does We want to go down and just say if they're red, yellow, red, yellow, green. Does that sound fair? Right. Rav >> green. >> Jonathan >> yellow. >> Okay. Suzanne >> green. >> Okay. Andrea >> green. I'm in between yellow and green. But like I think it would be piece. >> I know. That's right. Chartreuse is something terrible. Like not a good color. But I think uh the 8

035to 10 kids who want to play football is higher um than I actually would have expected. So like I I think it's a creative way to help get them out on a field. um having it be a parochial school does give me pause and so I think there's just work that I would ask of you just make check in with the kids and make sure that they know and that their parents know and have like lanes of and I I trust Bishop Brady will communicate as well but we're public school but I think it's a great way to get kids out there. So thank you. >> Thank you. I think my next step would be to start making this a little bit better known among the kids and just see what we have for and

036if we have four kids that are interested >> it's not going to fly 10 or so or 8 to 12 who want to do it then I would ask us to move forward >> just along the lines of what we've been talking is Bishop Brady is private >> yes >> so yeah I'm just thinking not not even just about praying but like about cultural how that matches up with a public school. Obviously, rules that apply to us don't apply to them. >> Most of them do. When they join the NHIA, all if you join the NHIA, you agree to follow all of the rules that are set forth by the so schools like Brady or Darrenfield or >> Bishop Bishop, St. Thomas, >> all those schools are saying the same thing. We will have the

037exact same standards for all of our kids in terms of requirements in terms of age, not allowed to have PGs, those kind of things. >> Um, so we all follow the same set of rules. It is a little bit unique that we have private and public schools together in one organization, but it's not solely who does that. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thanks, Dan. >> Thank you. >> Nice work. >> Thank you. You guys appreciate. >> Thank you. have to look for to watch Maddiey's um race. All right, great. >> All right, Kim, come on out. >> Hello. Good to be back. >> Great to see you. >> Thanks, Kim. >> So, we've had so much going on at the high school. So, just kind of highlight some of the things going on. Currently, there's

038a food and hygiene drive going on by the Interact Club that's continuing until the 12th of December to support Friendly Kitchen in conquered and families in transition in Manchester. Students can bring in food to their advisory teacher or monetary donations are allowed as well. Um, questions can be directed to Aubrey Weldon or their advisor Sally Olsen. So, I feel like that's a really good one. Couple of recent things going on. On November 20th, we had the World Language Honor Society induction. We inducted 20 students amongst Spanish, German, and French. It was a really beautiful ceremony and the teachers who put that on were just fantastic with their planning. We've also had a number of students um with music auditioning for statewide auditions. couple for the New Hampshire Band Directors Association festival as well as the

039All State Music Festival. So hopefully we'll have a number of our students represent with those groups. Last month and October 2, Mrs. Squib's ELO class collected donations for the Caring Backpacks Project. They were able to assemble 11 projects to donate to students in need. Um, also at the end of or beginning of last month, the Hopington Grand State Challenge team competed and did fantastic. >> Wait, are we allowed to know that yet? Did it already get televised? >> Like we >> just the qualifying. >> Okay, >> they won't tell us the final. >> Okay, cool, cool, cool, cool. >> So, they did qualify for that. So, that will be on January 11th is when they are facing off for that and matches will begin airing in February. And the studentled ethical discussion group club continues

040to host bi-weekly student led discussions with about 30 to 40 students participating in that. Recent topics include AI ethics, relationship dilemas, uh gender norms. A smaller group prepared for the national high school ethics bowl. Um and to prep prep for that on November 12th they participated in scrimmage at St. ALM college and received feedback from the faculty there. They are going to compete in the Goodchild regional ethics poll in on January 31st. Um uh for our school counseling department, school counselors are meeting with students on the regular for our seniors and preparing them for graduation. Also with our ninth graders, the counselors are going into the classes to talk about studying habits, mental health awareness in the middle school. We are the health and wellness class. The school counselor goes in to do um the

041signs of suicide training which is very much needed. We're also starting programs like movement with mentors to give students a chance to see upper classman students who are good role models and to get the kids moving at the end of the day. Couple extra things that were not in the board report. I have new things. Uh, one of the best parts of my job is monthly Chris and I meet with all the student leaders to discuss things at the high school about what they would like to see, what's going on, what would they like to improve. And one of the questions from the senior class was about SATs. >> Oh, because a number of them, I guess, would like to take the SATs for a second or third time on their own. And they were

042looking for a location that's closer >> around us. There's not much. I think the closest might be sagen. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. >> Manchester, I think maybe. Um, >> that's true. >> So, I did look into that and we did put in the application to become a test site. >> Awesome. >> So, our first date hopefully if everything continues to go through would be in May. And that's something we can do a couple of times throughout the year. >> That's great. >> Our staff gets paid whoever would like to do it by college board. So there's no payment for us. >> And another thing that just came up today is our math empowered group of teachers. So we have a few math teachers that are involved with that are going to be hosting the

043cohort in February. So the entire cohort and the woman who runs the program are coming to our school and she will model lessons using the best practices with our classes, one in the high school and one in the middle school. So the teachers not only get to see it real life, but they also get to have their students experience that type of instructional method. So it's a great opportunity. I got a chance to talk to Miss Kovar who's one of the math teachers that's in that group and she had fantastic high praise for it. She thinks it's fantastic. She would like the program director to come see her class if she wants feedback and it's a great opportunity for our math program. It's great. >> I had a question for you actually. How's our math

044team doing? We don't hear about it much and I love math team. >> I don't know >> you guys. Is it still a thing? >> It's definitely a thing. >> Definitely a thing. Uh we have >> Are we both mathletes? >> Captain of the math team. Fun. And then um >> yeah, we have a math meet coming up on Wednesday, >> right? >> Um >> yeah, next one. That'll be fun. Uh we get quite good participation. I think Lucy will be able to come to this one, right? Mhm. >> All right, perfect. That'll definitely help with some scoring. Um, yeah, we should do quite well this year just based off how we're doing. Um, definitely a lot qualify for like the state thing. We compete in small school, so it's a lot of fun. Uh,

045our best finish was second, uh, losing to Bishop Brady, who is very good. I don't think we'll be able to beat them. Uh, but who knows? We'll we'll see how well we end up this year. So, it's going quite well. I got it. >> Great. Amazing. Any questions for Kim? >> What was the name of the math program again? >> Math empowered. >> Is that a new program or is that something they've been doing? >> Yeah. Is that curriculum? It's just using best practices. So, it can be adapted to any sort of curriculum. >> Cool. Liz Cobart told me that is actually a teacher who taught middle school math and high school math and conquered and wanted to expand to help other teachers. So she moved away from teaching and started this whole program and

046now she has over 20 teachers in this cohort that she works with going around to different schools and helps model it or to provide feedback for teachers who are trying it out. So, it's a great way the kids get up out of their seats. A lot of the times they'll use whiteboards on the wall to work together. So, it's a different way to teach math than just here's the math you practice instead of kids are investigating on their own. They're working collaboratively. Kind of makes it a little less pressure for the kids. >> Yeah, it's great. And we have eight teachers total that are in that cohort. So we have high school teachers, middle school teachers, and then several teachers from this building. So we've been doing it two years. Is this the second year,

047Carrie? And we pay for that PD out of title 2. So it is to uh improve instruction for students. >> That's great. >> That's cool. I knew that my student learned math that way and I did not know that it was because of that program because they talk about going up and being able to and and liking it >> but doing math on the whiteboard with small groups. >> No, I was going to say um if you want to pass on to um either Mr. Kelly or Miss Preserve for the sled group if they want to turn that also into a tour. my kiddos's there, Hopington alum, maybe from that perspective, who's had really good success because of her background from Hopington. Um, and she would be happy to kind of turn that into a

048little tour for that group if they wanted to. >> Awesome. I'll pass that on. >> I just volunteer. >> Anything else for Cam? I have one other question. Anyone else? Great. Uh my only other question was I read an article like a month or two ago um in the paper talking about how um library usage and checkout rates at high schools that have banned phones are up and so this isn't necessarily something we need to send Donna Zea on a data thing but she probably has never lodged her as Donna but like maybe for the the next time that you come back if you could talk a little bit about what it's like looking like in terms of accessing books or if that's up and we might just be even but I I'm just trying

049to think of other ways that we're seeing like qualitative benefits from not having phones being around in the building. >> Absolutely. >> Cool. It's a cool question. >> Yeah. >> Awesome. Thank you, Kim. You're welcome. Thanks so much. >> Yeah, I'm curious. I know >> rates are up like a lot. >> Yeah. >> Hello. >> Hi, Dr. >> Um so I won't go over everything I've already um put in the board folder. Um, I know Kim just mentioned the math empowered cohort. We also hosted in November. We had a group of teachers come here and they were in a fifth grade classroom. So, it's great. It is honestly some of the best PD I've ever seen >> and it really teaches children to think and work through a productive struggle in mathematics and it's fantastic.

050Um, so once again, you saw in my report, um, another fifth grader has been nominated to the executive council for New Hampshire Kid Governor, Chase Aldridge. Um, his platform was littering, so we will go to the inauguration on the 27th at the state house with the governor and everybody else. It's that's really a fun thing. And kids really get to see like the democratic process and the election. So, it's it's great. Um on Wednesday morning, all of the sixth graders went into one classroom and participated in a Zoom call um with Mrs. Ross's daughter who is a biology student and she is studying abroad and they got to zoom with her and biologists in Kenya and they learned about um sea turtles in a sanctuary that she's interning in. So they got to ask questions

051about um conservation um ocean conservation, the turtles themselves and it was great. It lasted over an hour. The kids were really, really engaged. Um, Mrs. Roth has this knack for arranging these crazy Zoom calls. Last year it was someone on the top about Washington. So, the kids loved it and it aligned perfectly with her unit on oceanography. Title One tutoring began on December 1st. Mrs. De, Mrs. Smart, and Mrs. Cler are doing that um tutoring. We're doing it twice a week for an hour. It's been great. Session one will end on January 23rd. We plan on doing at least three sessions and we are welcoming families um title one families on January 12th for a family evening. Um we'd like to thank everyone that contributed to the recent food drive. All the food that was

052collected went directly to the Hopington Food Pantry. A huge thank you to Heisa and New Hampshire Delta Dental. They donated over $5,000 for an adaptive tricycle um for two of my current students, but will benefit future students as well. Um Mrs. Daskki, I don't know if you know, she's a marathon runner, so she knew um Delta Dental like Tom Rafio really well, and she she helped us. I cannot wait for these students to use that piece of equipment. Um Environmental Action Club was here a few weeks ago. they would like to plan a clothing swap sometime in the spring, maybe in conjunction with the middle school, which would be great. And spirit week is scheduled for the week of December 15th. Student council has organized that. There's five different themes for every day. It ranges

053from cozy sweaters to PJs um to holiday character day. And you should see the characters. It's it's unbelievable. So, a lot of fun stuff going on. >> Amazing. Any questions for Dr. How's the garden? >> I I almost tallied it up. It is like we could barely keep up with it. It grows so fast. >> It's unbelievable. >> It was to the point where the cafeteria barely needed to order vegetables this week because of the kale and the lettuce. >> And um Tracy Barker said, "Could you grow this type of kale because you can do this with it?" And we were like, "Sure." So we we changed our kale production. Amazing. >> Um, yep. Yep. So, it's fantastic. Tracy and I were talking about how we maintain this over Christmas, like we have to clean

054it. So, you have to take them all out and start over, >> right? >> Because you have to clean it. So, >> yeah, it's a labor of love. >> It is. >> Yeah. Amazing. >> Thank you. >> Oh, random question. Um, how's the book vending machine? >> I love that book vending machine. So, every student gets to be student of the week. Yeah. and we read the little blurb and we always say, "Come on down to the office to get your book." Yes. Yes, I do. I do. And they get a token and they get to go down and choose a book. So, sometimes they get stuck, but I have the magic key and I can open it and I can get them out. >> So, great. I love that that continues to be >>

055Yeah. >> I'm on booksh from >> Yeah. I need to share with you his um his little write up. It was It was funny. >> I shudder to think. >> It was cute. >> Anything else? Thank you. This is great. Thank you. >> All right. Uh Patrice, you ready? >> Excited about that zooming. It >> is brown. I know. Because it >> workbased learning and we see these opportunities. >> Hello. Hi. Good evening. Um, I'm excited to talk to you about a lot of the things that I shared in the board report because we have been doing a ton of activity at Harold Martin just around celebrations and involving the community. So, I feel like the fall is always really great for that. We had the fire department in for our fire prevention week, which

056is a huge highlight to everyone. I think even the adults like getting in the fire truck, pretending that they are the firefighter, like hitting the buttons. Um, and then you know, we had the Halloween celebration. That was probably the most nerve-wracking time for me this fall because if you guys remember, and you probably don't because it didn't matter to you, it was supposed to rain. And all I could think about all week long was how am I going to fit the entire town in Harold Martin in a safe way so that we can parade around the hallways and what is the passageway? Um, luckily it did not come to that. Um, I did start asking around like, "Have we ever cancelled the Halloween parade?" And they're like, "Yes, it's not popular." And I was like,

057"Okay, so we're going to have to come up with a plan." Um, we also joked that we were going to just carry umbrellas and like have everyone march out the streets, but luckily it ended up being a beautiful day and I feel like the entire town came out as per usual. So that was really nice. Lined up both sides of the road. Um, we did uh early this year we did our Tiger presentation. So, Tiger is a theatrical performance group out of Plymouth who focuses on like um different like elementary school concepts, friendship, kindness, playing on the playground. Um and they do it through humor and skits and song and dance and we always do it in the spring and they had called us and said, "If you let us do it this week, we

058will give you like x% off." And we're like, "Deal, we will make that happen." Um so they it was actually a really good start for the year though um to put that first and really start embedding that language. So Miss Kleiner um in addition to the fly five work she was doing uh with that curriculum really started talking about those tenants of Tiger and what that means. Uh the kids love it. It's hilarious. They um it's over the top. You know they are like oh my belly hurts. And the actors go running around and you know the kids are like oh my god what's going to happen? and it's really to get into the moment and really drill down to some of those themes. Um, we also did our annual Veterans Day assembly and had

059some local veterans in. The student council did a nice job for third grade and they really ran the whole assembly. They talked about what Veterans Day meant and the history. Um, and then they introduced our guests. Our guests got a chance to speak. They ended up with a song. Um, and then we were on our way. It's a really nice tradition for us each year to have um some of our local veterans in. We talked this year about how we could extend that. We do have so many family members of students who do serve. So, how do we invite them in? What does that look like so that we can make it bigger than um what we've done in the past? We did just schedule it for inside today or this year, which was nice.

060In the past, we've tried to be outside the flag pole and it can get, you know, weather dependent a little tricky uh in October. So, uh or November. And then we had our Thanksgiving food drive as well and we had more food than we've ever collected. Um we had students like past students come in to drop off food from their farms and their gardens um to add to the pile, which was great. We had talked to uh members of the food pantry. They they said, "You know, normally we ask you guys to provide us the fresh fruit and the baskets, but we're so low right now. We'll take anything." So, we started collecting everything. So, that was really nice. The kids were really excited to come in each day to see how much was on

061the tables. Um I had to get more tables. I was like, "At some point, we're going to have to move this out of the office because it's taking up all of our space." But it's a really good reason to be displaced, right? Because you have so many. And there was so much cabbage. Um Tracy was so kind to let us use her fridge because I didn't know what to do with all the these like root vegetables and I was like, "Can I keep them here? Do I refrigerate?" And she's like, "Let's just keep them safe." I'm like, "That sounds great." So um that was really nice. Things that I didn't mention in my board report, but um that are going on as well right now at school is this week is the hour of code.

062So Michelle Marino has been working on different coding activities during steam time um and then has shared those out with classroom teachers so that if there is any downtime um and they're looking for things to do furthering those coding skills. Um we also started our title one tutoring as well um this week with math and ELA. We have so many different sessions going on. So we have two different ELA sessions happening at Harold Martin and a math session. And then we also have students who come over to her um to Maple Street for Boys and Girls Club getting a tutoring session here with Miss Nef. So we're really trying to hit everyone um that needs those services. So that's been really great. A huge shout out to the staff. They've been really flexible. We've been

063working with families on like Monday, Wednesday is their session, but that doesn't work. So we got a Monday and a Tuesday. Miss Finsby is showing up at like 7 a.m. on Tuesday mornings to get the kids before school. So, we're really trying to be as flexible as we can to get those services, which is nice. Um, and then we are wrapping up our Ladybug book voting. So, that will be next week. Um, if you're not familiar with the Ladybug Book Award, it is an annual um children's book selected and awarded by elementary school students. Um, the PTA is uh each year buys several copies of each of the books so the classrooms can go through and each of them read the books. Um we have voting sheets, they have journals, we make a big event

064of it, they we vote for a school winner and we submit our results to um the state and then we get to hear um how that goes. So that's always really fun. So far some favorites are the book that almost rhymed, uh the bakery dragon, and I'm sorry you got mad. I'm sorry mad might be a favorite of mine. Um because I feel like that's how most of the conversations start as we are working on something. So, um, but it's been really nice. >> Any questions? >> Amazing. >> Cool. >> Any questions for Miss Grant? >> Keep this great. Thank you. I know we're going to hear from you in a second for data, but yeah, go ahead. >> One quick. It was question SLobservation. It seems like a happy accident to have the tiger

065presentation in the fall. Yeah. >> Do you think maybe you guys are going to switch to have it in the fall moving forward? >> We probably won't do it the day before the Veterans Day assembly. I feel like a lot in one week, but um that's how that that discount worked. But um no, Miss Planner and I talked about and we really kind of liked setting that ground work. We've also been really working on doing one schoolwide assembly for more a month and really like doing that piece. So, um, in November we had the Veterans Day assembly and Tiger. Um, but then we also did the, um, we did disguise a turkey and we had Yes. Um, turkeys all over the school that kids either completed at school or at home and we had 182

066turkeys this year, which is the most turkeys we've ever had. And they kept adding them and which is I was trying to take pictures of them all for our video and then they kept mysteriously adding more to the wall and then I was afraid I missed someone. So, we were like double-checking. Uh it's a great problem to have too many disguised turkeys. Uh and lots of conversations about them. Those turkeys have been up and now they're starting to come down so we can get ready for our holiday concert next week. So >> yeah. Cool. >> Thank you. >> All right. Now we've got Dr. Sony and Miss Brown for student assessment data. Kim, if you get I mean you might want to hear about all of the student assessment data. I understand if you also

067want to leave, but thank you. You guys are great. >> Where do you guys stop for food? Wendy's still at Wendy's for dinner >> for >> after bath team. >> Unfortunately, we don't stop anywhere, but >> team on the bath team >> actually. Yeah, that's true. >> And we just uh have like a signup sheet where students sign up to bring food. We have some quite proficient bakers in there which is very much appreciated. >> Yeah. To sign off. >> My siblings were really good at math Suzan so they assumed that I was going to be good at math. I did not have the same was um midterms also your favorite week. >> We need to have someone. >> All right. >> Okay. >> We need to talk. >> I also had head gear that

068I had to wear at school. >> So you could really put it together >> an image. >> Okay. Yes. >> A >> image. >> And now the entire YouTube community know that. Okay. >> All right. >> Love me even more. >> Um, so Patrice did this in the spring, so I wanted to join the fun. >> So the dynamic duo is up here doing it now. So what we'd like to present to you is our district-wide data for the fall. and it's somewhat similar to what you saw in the spring. Um, but it's it's a little bit more expanded where we're going to look at some of the district assessments we do, but some almost also some of the larger summit of assessments such as New Hampshire State Assessment and SAT. >> Why did I

069expect mine to do that, too? Um so just as a reminder uh really looking at that strategic plan the goal um being to deliver the highest quality education providing all students with that foundation and doing both district assessments uh internally and then using those state measured assessments as well helps us really balance where our um students are at what instruction you know instructional strategies we might need to move and areas of um you know success. So just an over of the purpose of assessment. I mean, I'm gonna All right. Um, just to give you an overview of the purpose of assessment, really best practice is using assessment to inform instruction to make decisions on everything from teaching to funding curriculum. So, what we try to do is give you an overview. Nobody move. >> I'll

070just keep talking. >> Okay. Um, >> so the first is a universal screening. That is an assessment that is given to a large group of students to really determine the most appropriate starting point for instruction and to plan into plan instruction. The best example I have is something called dibbles and I put on the slides I know we don't like acronyms here. I actually spelled everything out. So that's dynamic indicators of basic early literacy skills. So that is something that's administered at Harold Martin School for their starting point to determine literacy um strengths and challenges with the students that we are receiving. A diagnostic assessment is an assessment that would identify students strengths or weaknesses in a specific skill area. It's really the next logical step if a student's identified by the screener for being

071at risk of being not on grade level. We do something called the letters assessment which assesses phonics and word reading. We also do progress monitoring. This is probably the one that parents are most familiar with. We use the Ames web assessment for progress monitoring. We administer that three times a year. It is a computerized assessment. It does serve as a screener and that is really where we can monitor student growth throughout the year. We take that assessment data and that is how we plan our intervention groupings. That was a piece of the title one um qualifications. So that's important information that we use along the way. And then another one parents are probably very familiar with is the summit of assessment. That is something that is given at the end of a time period. This

072New Hampshire state assessment is given in the spring. That is what we use to really identify large curricular trends and what we need to work on as a district. It is also how we're viewed in the public as well and at the state level. Another example of that is the SAT. So for our district benchmark assessments and um especially in literacy, we use as web and early bird. Um, we've talked a little bit about this before. Ames Webb is primarily used for grades three through eight or actually three through nine. Um, where early bird is for our younger children cater to it's got our little bird pit and he jumps around and does little activities. Um, they both assess different um skills. Early bird really focusing on those um phmic awareness, phonics, oral language pieces.

073uh games as web we also use to assess currently as um our math skills. So the first thing we'd like to share with you are the as web results. You do need to keep in mind this was administered very early in September and this is our baseline. So this is right after summer. Traditionally you have a summer slide with students where they're are not in school. Um, so this this data tends to be a little bit lower, but it's really important because it helps us monitor, as I said, throughout the year. It'll be a very good comparison when we give the Ames web again in January to see the growth that has happened. The way we colorcoded it was to be as user friendly as possible. Obviously, green means on or above grade level, yellow

074means approaching, and red means below. Do you want to ask questions as we go or would you like to hold questions till the end? >> That would be easy. Probably as we go. >> Okay. >> My only question was I was looking back at this the 25. I know that our current fifth grade I think is a is a highly identified class. They actually looked pretty good last year, too. But >> they look like they're testing well, which is nice. >> That's great. Yeah. Yeah. >> I also noticed as um the Harold Martin principal looking at the kindergarten numbers. So, our kindergarten um students came in really strong this year, which was nice um to see both for literacy and math, which is not something that you always uh you always get because you you

075don't always have that instruction beforehand. So, it's always our first time you see them. Um and then to kind of echo Dr. Synonyi, um we started testing like the first week of school. So, it's like you're getting to know the school and environment and now we're going to start assessing you to see what we do know. Um, and it's because we really want to get it done right away so that we can pick up anyone who might need some intervention services or extra support and then we can get on to our actual tier one instruction and see how that goes. >> I think you guys will probably talk about this a little bit, but can you talk a little bit about the first rate class and if there's like a I don't know if there's

076a jump that happens between a K and one. >> Yes. So, the expectations um when you're looking at the uh fall test for math in grade one seems pretty high from where it leaves off of kindergarten year. So, I would expect that as we check the January data that you'll see those numbers for grade one really adjust after that instruction has happened. >> I think it's a more of a scope and sequence piece. >> Yeah. And we've talked about that. >> Yeah. Yeah. Any other questions on the map? >> No, it looks pretty. >> All right, the next one's literacy. Um, give you a second just to look at that. And as a reminder, this is the one that we start in grade three. Um, this does not include K to 2, which is why

077you don't see them. Any questions regarding that data? >> It it would be helpful to see how that corresponds to like state average or something like that. >> Yeah. >> Like next to these columns just to give it some perspective. >> Yeah, >> it's hard it's hard in and of itself to >> for me to make sense. >> The best comparison for the state average is the New Hampshire state assessment. Not all districts use Ames web. There's other versions of this assessment. There's STAR, there's NIWA. >> Okay. >> Um, >> it's normed, it's nationally normed, >> so there is a comparison like a like a nation built in. >> Typically, we score higher. >> Okay. >> So, our green is students hitting that national. >> Okay. And just as a question, like the the way

078that this is used is to to it it sounds like to me to catch students who may need additional supports and interventions and to make sure that you're um monitoring students, individual students over time, like over the course of the of the year. So, it's not necessarily to it's not a test that's ne necessarily looking to compare them to a state average. It almost seems like um like I know we can pull up last year's data, >> right? >> Um like that that is kind of is helpful. Like you could look maybe at where the grade ended last spring and then where they started this fall. you would see their slide, >> right? I'm just thinking about for us to be looking at it like >> if it's just a screener, >> right? Yep. >>

079Then >> yeah, this is >> how much does it tell us? >> Well, we'll get to the statewide assessment ones in a second, but this is really to help us. I think about it as like how are we doing over the course of the year as a board and like are we delivering instructions helping our kids understand >> um the skills that they need? >> I think that's true too, right? So if you're seeing like right now we're seeing a lot of green which you know indicates that our instructional programs are where we want them to be right like we're using curriculums and tools that are teaching the skills that kids need to be on grade level at that national level. >> But I guess what I mean is so if you go back to

080the math we were just talking about first grade. >> Yeah. >> That's not suggesting that we're not doing what we're supposed to be doing. >> No. So it's like it's one of the pieces of the puzzle. So I think fall data um can be a little tricky that way because it's coming right off the summer >> which which I totally get. >> If if we continue to see that pattern um then I think you are looking at what are you doing for instruction and how are you teaching that group of kids because if that data continues then that could indicate something there. >> But this is also informing instruction. Yes. >> Correct. So, if I'm the teacher in the classroom and I see that, wow, my class seems to be a little bit low and

081I can parse these out by student, I would imagine. Then I'm like, okay, this I'm going to hit this >> a little bit harder with this group than I might with another group or retach. >> And that's where the win groups also come in, right? What I need and that's personal. >> Yeah, I really like the early bird data. Not that I, you know, like that we have a lot of kids on tier three, but I like that that's going to give you that here's what I'm going to focus on as a classroom teacher, >> right? And those interventions and maybe tier two. >> And it has led to some really um deep conversations with our teams. All of our grade level teams u meet in weekly PLC's. Um so the literacy team, the math

082team, the classroom grade level teachers, the special education teachers have all looked at this data, sat together, discussed it. What does that look like? Okay, so they're coming in and they're really good at letter sounds, but they don't have vocabulary. So, how do we hit that vocabulary stronger? What do they need to hear? Um, what about kind of some of those different pieces? Now, if you're looking at the early bird data for grade one, you're going to see the predictive profile um is a majority red, which is, you know, can be alarming when you're first looking at that. But if you look at that second column, your non-word reading, that is really indicative of um beginning literacy skills. Non-word reading is fake words that they're sounding out and applying rules to. So they might not

083be there yet for reading, but they are doing really well um in getting those nonword, those nonsense words. So they're it might just be like a t o k, right? And then they sound out that word. So they're able to do that. The other piece that's really interesting for us to just note and I think as we uh get into the school year I think it gets a little bit better is early bird does a lot of their assessments in speaking into a microphone and we do have some kids who don't like speaking into the microphone especially like the first week of school they're still like they're like we have them like redo the assessment again. Um so that always plays into as we're getting used to and what that assessment style looks like. Um,

084the vocabulary is strong for both like or stronger for both first and second grade and that really is nice. I think that has to do with our amplified content knowledge piece and those vocabulary pieces that we're using in that section. So again, I think as we go on and we do our January benchmarks and our spring benchmarks that these graphs will look very different. >> How sorry. Oh, >> go ahead. I was going to say, how long have we been using early bird at ASWE um as a district? >> Early bird we've been using now for this will be our third year. Uh but they only added second grade last year. So it got like normed last year. Um and my favorite example was when we were working with second grade last year. Prescription was

085one of the words they had to read and I was like there's no way that's not a sounding word would sound out. Um but so they they did have some like really challenging words as they were figuring that out. Um, and then I think like it kind of balanced out. Um, and then Ames web has been used since before we >> Amy can probably answer that. >> Yeah, I mean we've been using Ames web at least since 2016 in different pockets. It was used primarily as a special ed progress monitoring tool. Uh, we use STAR when I was here and CIA were thinking about, you know, one of those more diagnostic tools. And are we happy with Ames web and >> I would say it really I mean I won't I won't speak for but

086it really depends on what what you're doing with the information. Ames web is really down in at the skill level. So it's helpful when you're trying to break out those groups or if you have a very specific um goal in a student's IEP that they're going to do a specific thing with a certain amount of accuracy. Um, I would say that the feedback that I've been given and as an as an educator that Ames Webb is very different than like a star, an I Ready or a NIWA that's more of like a diagnostic where you're really looking at standards. So some teachers I think your tier one I think we would do well to be complemented with something else but Ames Webb is really good with that really um detail. Can you do long division

087with two-digit divisors? uh can you identify um these polygons? So I I feel like we we could do we could have a complimentary assessment. The issue that I find with the SAS is you're really I mean again you're really judging can kids navigate that tool if you've ever taken SAS. I mean you have to be able to scroll down and sometimes you a kid would be taking it like I don't understand what the question is like you have to scroll down and it's on another or the the way that it you know um the platform itself can get can get tricky. So always feel like SAS is almost we look at it and it's important and you think about especially it's how you get rent >> um on the I platform DOE website. So it's

088really important >> but they really look at different things. I want the consistency to Jonathan's point about like yearly data so that we can >> kind of compare some data, look at some trends and then decide again like programming like are we adding things? Do we need to add particular resources? >> Yeah, early bird is a really great um early literacy skill and we're required by law to, you know, screen for dyslexia and then do a follow-up screener. So I think those two pieces together go really well because you have your early bird um with the >> the team does a really nice job looking I mean and when I say team I'm the intervention teachers the classroom teachers the special educators they are all very um fluent in looking at all those different pieces

089um knowing which tool to use when we look at the diagnostics we use letters we also use hegardy to look at different skills um so they have a wide they have a pretty big toolbox right and so they know where to go I was recently had me with a parent who was just so thankful for kind of the extra work we were doing for their student and they said they had a friend who's been teaching for 25 years in first grade in Maine and they said and they're they told me they'd never had a student who's dyslexic. I kind of paused for a second and she was like, "Yeah, I did the same thing. They're just not screening for it. You guys do so much here that like I feel so confident that my child

090is going to go fully where they need to go." And it was just such a nice moment to really connect and realize um that we really do a lot. You know, there's the law that we need to follow, but also all of our teachers um are really looking at all those different pieces and a majority of Harold Martin teachers and I know a significant number at Maple Street also did the letters training. So really making sure that they are up on best practices and how do they really target the needs of the students. >> And it's important to note um you know previous models. We had data days where after the assessment data came out, we would, you know, secure coverage for teachers and they would sit down and they would look at the data

091and it was it was more of an event. Um, it's interwoven now into weekly PLC's. We no longer have those data days. We talk about data every single week and it's sometimes it's a web, sometimes it's the New Hampshire state assessment, but sometimes it's a math unit assessment and that is where they're creating those flexible groupings for interventions and they're very fluid. The other things I would say is on on the the first grade one for the microphone. One of the things that came up for me as a parent was that if a kid has a because you're speaking in the microphone a little bit of a speech impediment, it will get coded wrong. So like it's not like the system is like you're losing teeth, we're going to pick that up. Um, also if

092the board searches in their drive, not that I know from experience, but if you're searching a drive, you can just type data and you can look at our spring 2025 data presentation. And Suzanne, I don't know if you're on the board yet, but you can see for early bird, you you're starting to see what that looks like. So, I really do think this is good benchmarking for figuring out are we providing effective >> instruction and that is represent materials and like how are we looking at data? It's all those things. So, yep. Great. This is our best. >> So, moving on. Oh, sorry. >> No, keep going. This is great. Okay. Yep. Um, so moving on to New Hampshire State Assessment and the SATs. As I said previously, these are the ones that are publicized.

093This is what you hear in the news. These are how districts are compared. Um, and and you really see those comparisons. Those are those larger assessments where you look at your curriculum at a high level to see if it's functional and if it's working and educating students. Um so the first that we have for you is the New Hampshire state assessment for math. We report it out a little bit differently. Um students are scores are reported out on four different levels. Below approaching proficient and above proficient. So I'll just give you a second to look at that. And for clarification these are their current grade levels. last year they would have it would have been last year's third graders, fourth graders, fifth graders, right? >> Yeah, you have to it it's easier to think of

094it as graduation year and think of it as a cohort as they move up. >> You'll see with that first cohort of uh the class of 2034, that's this year's fourth graders, last year's third graders, they're the that's the first time they've ever taken the test. Um >> and I think that's important to note. We do some work with them um on navigating the system. We do some practices uh but this is their first goound in standardized testing. Um and the other piece that is important to note that the state requires 95% participation. If you have more than 5% opt out or not take the test, those get factored into your score as a zero. >> Do we know what our participation rate is >> in third grade? Last year it was under 95%. >>

095Okay. I was just at 95. It's important to note as well with the new parental bill of rights, it's within a parent's right to opt their child out of a state assessment. >> And so if a parent opts their child out, we fall below 95% >> negatively impact considered a zero. >> Yeah. Yeah. Cool. >> In two areas who get a zero for participation and their score. So our overall score could look artificially low if people are opting their children out of this test. >> And in different districts if a student fits into different categories such as >> ESOL special ed you get scored negatively in different subgroups as well. >> Interesting. >> And when you become a targeted school or you know there are different distingu they're not identifying any schools this year. They

096do that in even years. Um, so we would find out next year if you're whether they call it a TSI school or an ATSI school or they have a lot of >> and that just essentially means that you have a population. It's usually a subgroup as they were saying. >> Um, special ed that happens pretty often that your sub your special ed group in that grade level scores substantially different >> than your than than the rest of the population. >> Yeah. So if you have a lot of kids in a grade with IEPs that negatively affects the >> no just their score go into they how they um str how how they break down the data. Um those students are are they create their own cohort and they say are these students doing particular like

097how are they performing in comparison to their typical peers. So if they have scores that are substantially lower that would pop on uh you know on whether or not we are we would become a targeted school for intervention or not. But they also break down other groups that we don't have like ELLL they would I but they pull any student English language learners. So any student that takes the WEDA uh which is their test they would compare their performance um on the SAS. Um we don't have any students that are considered migrant children or we do have a McKini Vento population but it's not 10% so it doesn't equal a subgroup >> and many mckin bento is that >> when we have to publish break down >> our scores next to our budget on the

098ballot do we get to put any sort of like percentage attendance or >> you're not allowed to do that let's that the rule is very like they've taken out any really identifying information >> like that in the RSA. >> We can put another page that has context on it. But but I do think it is important to highlight the fact that people can be looking at it and saying like oh you're scoring whatever >> and you know who knows what the reality is. The reality could be >> 50 families opted to not have their children do standardized testing, which is totally in their rights, >> but it does have a, you know, >> and and I think, you know, the administrators probably have those conversations with parents about, you know, sometimes parents are worried that

099it'll be too taxing on their student um or if they have significant special needs and they don't qualify for the dynamic learning map which is the DM and that that is you know more for students that have significant cognitive impairments. We we get it but there are a lot of accommodations that you can uh provide for those students. They could take a test in a separate setting. They could have someone you know provide different accommodations for them. They can break it down into you know shorter tests or have more time. So, you know, I'm I'm sure you guys do all of that, like giving all of that to parents, but the opting out is really tricky, especially for small districts because if you have three families opt out, you're under your 95th >> percentile. Can

100be significant. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> And here are ELA results. Good. >> Yeah. >> And then here are science scores. >> If you look at science scores statewide, they tend to be low. >> We actually scored higher compared to the state average. We could, >> as Amy said, these tests are very difficult to navigate and they're tricky. The science test, in my opinion, in particular, there are, like she said, there's a lot of dragging. There's there's a lot of tabs. There's a lot of moving of visuals and reading captions. You really have to know how to navigate the platform before you can even get down to the business of reading it and answering questions. >> Any questions about sets? And here's your note >> here. Here it is. So, um, as we alluded

101to earlier, school districts are ranked according to New Hampshire um, state assessment data, and they're ranked down to the grade level. And, um, our sixth grade ranked number two in the state. >> I want to do a cartwheel down the hall. So excited. >> And I went down to Melanie Pepper and I said, "We're number two." She's like, "Why aren't we number one?" >> Yeah, of course. Go ahead. >> I mean, that that is absolutely phenomenal. I mean, that is just a testament to all of those previous teachers and the work Melanie does. And I I'm very excited to see trends, further trends with our amplified curriculum. Also, sixth grade was ranked number five in the state. And the picture that I put on this slide is of Bob Wner original and it's um Mr.

102Wells teaching angles and that's part of building thinking classrooms. They are up there standing. They're using their arms to form the ankles to classify them. And then here are uh spring SAT scores for math and ELA. These are taken by thirdyear high school students, right? >> This is just so weird. >> I know. Not 11th graders. Third grade high school students. And this is the statewide day. So this wouldn't include kids that take it separately as as Kim was talking about. This does not include kids that take it >> on the statewide assessment day. >> Any questions there? >> And ELA is English language arts. >> You got to bring back your jar. >> Sorry. >> I know. Well, it's funny because I wanted to write reading and writing and literature and and I was

103like now I'm spelling out a lot of things right now. >> So, just to wrap everything up in a in a bow. The big picture is >> data is shared with families. Um, state assessment data goes they can actually access that through a state portal, but we sent home the Ames web family results via parent square. They do a nice job of creating a parent um report for parents to understand and it helps monitor and it really fuels good conversations. We do our grade level data reviews as we talked about those are frequent um you know staff is very well verssed in the data understand it and really use it in decision making and this upcoming winter we will begin our assessments in January and that will also help establish trends and show rate of

104improvement and it will be a comparison to the fall data. >> Interesting. >> Any questions? I have a general question about student buy in and and I don't really know about like at the lower levels but I know you know at the high school there are always issues with kids like I am shocked that we are using the SAT as the measure of achievement for how kids are doing in schools. I mean it to me it is absurd. Um, you know, there are kids at certain performance levels. We may as well go ask them to climb, you know, Mount Kilimanjaro barefoot or something. I mean, it's just insane. But did I put that too mildly? Um, so I'm just curious like at the lower levels, how do you create student buyin so you know your

105kids are putting their best foot forward? Like what what what happens? There's a fine line, Rob, and this is my bias as a parent of a child that struggled with standardized assessments. I remember she said to me, "Do you know what it's like looking at a screen and you have no idea what to do and no one can help you?" >> You want them to take it seriously. You want them to put their best effort in, but you also don't want to create undue stress as well. I really feel like the students here do try to the best of their abilities. We're very cognizant of giving breaks and really planning the schedule for that day to allow this sort of assessment to happen. Make sure there's movement breaks, snacks, things like that built in. Um,

106I do want to mention state assessment that used to be allowed to to pause the test, take a break. Now they're saying very short breaks. You can go to the bathroom, you can get a drink of water, but we want you to take it all in one session now. >> All in one day. So, um, I it's hard because I've never lived in your world of high school, but I do feel like at my level, and Patrice can chime in, we really don't see students not putting forth effort or engineering. >> I think um, at the early elementary school, you you get a little bit I mean, I've got some kids who are like six or seven and they're just going to click some buttons and they get through. Um, and then I think they

107quickly realize that we look at how long it took them to take it and then we make them do it again and that annoys them more cuz I'm like, "Oh, during fresh air break, why don't we do this again together?" And they're like, "All right." So, they only do that like once or twice of the clicking through before they're like, "All right, we're going to have to actually do this." Uh, again, the teachers create a really good culture, too, of explaining the purpose. Like, we're not judging you. We're just trying to learn what like you know so we know how to go forward. And I think the way they communicated is really important and really does drive it home and my teachers do a really nice job at that. >> Thank you. >> I think

108it's great as a parent. I know when I started with Sammy at Harold, we didn't used I think parents didn't used to get assessments from the earlier grades a long time ago. That data wasn't released and >> being different. Yeah. But it's wonderful to have it sent home as a parent. I like seeing it as a board member. Um there's not a lot that I think we necessarily see that is curriculum or instruction or like the actual academics of what we're doing and like the bread and butter of what a school district is supposed to do. Um and I know it takes a lot to sort of sit through the data and I do I really appreciate it. So thank you. It's not uh not every district sends home the data. So I really am

109proud to work here where we do we are very transparent. This is your student's data. here is the information. Um I do think that is very valuable to families. I think sometimes it stresses everyone out right away. Um and then we always kind of brace for that because um you know you're looking at trends and you know 50% seems bad but it's not bad having those conversations. Um, and but I do think that it's valuable and that the teams work well together with the families to really inform where they're >> I was going to say I think it's interesting, Rob, that you brought up the point of assessing the high schoolers and I'm glad that in the beginning you put in like progress monitoring assessment and the summitive assessments because for a lot of these,

110you know, you've got ANS web that goes to nth grade and then you've got your SATs or you've got your SAS that does 9th and 12th. You got your SATs. There's really for all the monitoring that there is on the lower levels, it does appear that we have a gap. Um aside from like the progress monitoring and the summitives and the and the high school is that a bad thing I don't know. You know, there is the buyin aspect. Um but it is just >> all I can say is the year that we connected your performance to getting junior privileges early scores went through the roof. >> Oh, interesting. >> Yeah, >> everybody found it very >> still in the room. >> Yes, right there. >> Great. Awesome. Anything else? >> We look forward to

111seeing you again in the spring. >> Yes, that's wonderful. Thank you guys. Really appreciate it. >> Thank you. All right. Thank you, administrator, principles, and Dan. Thanks, guys. Good luck out there. Okay, everyone. Everyone doing all right? Are we ready to talk about our budget and draft revenue? >> It's great. Um, do people want their Thanks, guys. Really appreciate it. Do people want the the revenue presentation first or talk through budget first? I don't know that it's >> I like revenue. >> I I my counterpart here. Uh the revenue is draft. I I think that you know she'll certainly can talk about that. I I think we're ready to do either whatever you would prefer. >> Okay. >> Did we lose her? >> Yeah, she just Sorry. >> Um we could do revenue first and

112then I think the goal is um Rob, did the budget committee meeting next week get cancelceled? Yes. >> Yeah. So, and then are you having another one prior to >> Yes, >> you are. Okay. >> 17th. >> Okay. >> 17th is the next budget meeting >> and then we're up on for the following. >> Yeah. Um, so just to set the stage, I know I missed the last meeting. I think that we got to a pretty good shot. What I'm trying to get through tonight with everyone is are we able to zone in on a recommendation to the budget committee that can then go I think get another sort of straw poll Rob prior to the official presentation uh in January if that works for you. >> So it's not just what works for me

113but it's what works for Laura and and Amy and building that presentation. So, I think that we really need to like decide where we're at and where we're comfortable so that can start happening and then we can make adjustments certainly, but I think in broad strokes we should tonight say yay or nay, we're comfortable with where we're at so that that can start happening. Um, >> and that way finance committee can look at the presentation, we can do our edits, and we're not all scrambling come January going, "Oh my god, it's already the 7th." And >> that sounds great. It has been tough in the past. So that would be awesome. >> It has been. >> Um Laur, I think it might be helpful if you're okay with jumping right into revenue and then we'll

114go to budget from there. Is that okay? >> Absolutely. >> So revenues, unfortunately, as we probably know, the tax rate has not been set yet. So revenues are based on estimated uh valuation of the town. I tried to keep it very conservative and just kept the valuation. I increased it by about $100,000. um it doesn't have a significant impact as we look at the revenues that we're estimating. I just want to start by saying that 2526, we talked about this last time a little bit, the MS24R, which is what we use to set our revenues with the Department of Revenue, um has come in and my estimate is that we are actually going to have a 22 cent reduction uh from where we thought we were annual meeting. So, we're starting a little lower um

115with the increase. So, just talk about revenues a little bit. Um I did bump up in terms of local sources, which are first, I did bump up our revenue for tuition by about $5,000. Um we consistently are doing well with enrollment in preschool. Um, and so I feel comfortable bumping that up a little bit. Just just a small $5,000. Interest revenue as well. Even though we're trending down, we're still uh finding a healthy revenue for interest earnings. Food service sales is self- sustaining. So, as we or should be. Um, however, we see that there is a planned or projected reduction just because we see sales are decreasing at the moment. Um, and then lastly, you have um I'm keeping steady our other local revenue um at about $100,000. And then fund 23 grants and donations.

116That's our local stuff and that's staying steady at $50,000 based on our expenditures. >> Can I ask you a question? >> Yeah. >> Oh, go ahead. Um, can you describe to me the difference between 2425 actual and 2526 MS24R because those numbers are pretty big between the first column and the third column. >> Yes. Um, so 2425 actuals is what we ended up with for revenue on June 30th, 2025. >> Uhhuh. >> And then 2526 MS 24R is where I'm projecting that we will end up for this year. Yes. >> Yep. >> But it's a $120,000 difference for tuition. >> Yes. Um we had some students that were enrolled for private tuition so parents can enroll their students um from out of district. I just can't plan on that every year. I can't plan that

117those students are going to continue to tuition into Hopington. Yes. >> And so I risk being upside down if we really budget for that. >> Thank you. Awesome. And same thing for Yeah. for all. So all of these is like the conservative scenario. Yes. Right. Okay. Take >> Y and as you can see we ended up um kind of that our food service projected 440 that was the same for last year as well and we ended up upside down you know on that side. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Well and on that line um I know I keep asking this but did we decide are we do the do those rates go up again for food services? >> We have not decided that yet. >> We have not decided that. I I just couldn't remember

118where we landed if we were stepping that or what. >> We took the big the big jump of 25 cents per meal instead of the 10 and 15. >> I don't know why my brain does not hold on to that, but >> doesn't want to remember. >> There's a lot a lot of stuff to hold on to. Thank you, Laura. >> You're welcome. >> Okay, >> one piece with state aid that I do just want to point out. Um we are still working on projecting what our special education aid will be for next year based on um out of districts and placements. But one significant piece is I want you to take a look at our adequacy grant. Um that is our main state aid and it is going down based on our enrollment. So

119that number is decreasing. Um we have heard a few different towns in the news that have had a reduction in their adequacy based on their projection to their actuals. And so this our projection came in at about 2925. So 2.925 million and I just am projecting it a little bit lower which it really only means about five kids. >> Right. >> Okay. >> That's really the difference. >> Okay. There is nothing right now that legisl legislation about adequate education. There's nothing right now saying it's going to be um for next year. So, we can't plan on that. >> Okay. >> The swept is going up. So, the statewide property tax that is also raised locally that is actually increasing by $37,000. >> And what is that used for? You just just for general purposes? >>

120It is state education aid that is raised at the local level. So, it is part of our property taxes. And that may or may not come back to us. Well, it >> will come back to us. It >> comes back to us. Thank you. It's >> raised here and you chair. >> We are not in >> Sorry. Go ahead. >> Well, they just That's how they manage the adequacy. They take away our swept. >> Right. Right. Right. >> Which we already have. >> So, it's our money. >> Yeah. >> That we raise. >> Yeah. >> And we don't send and then we keep it. It's very Yeah. >> Thank you. >> And Oh, you're welcome. Um and then lastly, really federal programs are saying status quo. Um those are self- sustaining. We budget a certain

121amount but we really spend what we get in. So everything is out you know allocation based. >> Yeah. >> Um I did if we take a look at the one last piece where we are with uh financing sources. >> Um we have a new line there. >> Sorry just before you jump off federal sources. >> Sure. >> Um so Medicaid is reimbursement is flat here. We don't have any concerns about, you know, um, for kids it's not going to affect the same as it will for adults in terms of eligibility for Medicaid and planning Medicaid. Like we're not like I'm assuming because it's flat that we're not thinking that that's going to affect >> No, but they are going to change how we bill for Medicaid. And so we have the gift of Janette Sanchez

122who manages all of our Medicaid. And so we have had um a person come in from booth there's a gentleman from booth B who goes all over Dan Collier is his name and he goes all over and explains they are looking at how they're changing they're making New Hampshire um look at their Medicaid billing the way they do it nationwide we have been non-compliant for many many years >> the whole state the whole state not just us um and so they actually have pulled in this other um it's a randomized time study of how those people are spending their time it's a interesting um way that they collect data um and so that will be happening next year but Janette has you know has a really good handle on it and we don't expect okay

123>> that there will be significant changes based on what we can what what we can control. >> Okay. Thank you. just and similarly with the the dissolving of the department of education at the federal level. Um are things like the like IDA? >> Yeah, I mean that was I mean having it live under DHHS is I'm not sure how that's going to work out. >> I think they're putting a lot of individuals abilities like title one going up. Okay. is strange, >> right? >> Yes. So, I think that there's still a lot of questions there. What the commissioner of education has said is that we'll continue to sort of function status quo. You know, they're more like block grants. They give the money to New Hampshire our DOE and then they are pushed out accordingly.

124But I think anything could happen, >> right? And that's I mean that's $300,000 just in those the disabilities program. That is a chunk of change. >> Yes. But you know and and as Laura pointed out, we only spend what we get. So if those numbers go down, we would have to figure out other ways of funding um what lives in the grant right now. We do have some, you know, specially designed the instruction pieces, we have materials, we have some personnel. Um we would just have to >> absorb those at the local level. >> Yeah. Or or reduce >> or not right. Yeah. think a lot of that what's in the special ed grant though is per their IEPs. So yes, >> so it's legally required. >> That's right. >> But may not be paid

125for. >> Right. >> Great. >> Or supported through grants. We would still have to pay it. >> Sure. >> Right. We would have to pay it. >> Right. >> Cool. >> Okay. >> All right. Um the other financing uses I just want to quickly point out I do have a projected 75,000 from the expendable trust fund. Um that is a very early on projection thinking that um guessing how the warrants might play out. So that is subject to change. Um fund balance to reduce taxes at 100,000 is in line with last year. We spoke about the $125,000 transfer to food service. And then lastly, I have 300,000 coming from the contingency to offset um taxes. >> Last year we did four. Um I did 300 this year. If the security redesign goes through, we'll be

126using some of the one, you know, the contingency for that. And so I reduced it down. But there's still enough money in there to match last year's and still have enough money to match following year. Even if we do 270. >> Yes. If we did 270, you could still match 400 um and you would leave about 500,000 in there. >> Yes. >> Can you can you go over the 75,000 number? >> Sure. Um again, it's very early on. It is a projection of um $10,000 to the vehicle trust in line with last year, 15,000 to the tech trust in line with last year, and then potentially $50,000 to the maintenance trust. >> Thank you. >> And it's only an initial projection. So with the total appropriations from the with these cuts that we have in

127terms of operating um we have 29,31,449 very early on um with a tax rate of 1612 which is an increase um as you see of about 75 cents. Okay. Any questions about any of this? It's really helpful, Laura. Thank you for helping walk us through it and running through all of your thoughts around it. >> Very beneficial. >> If you have any other questions on it as we move through, please let me know. Okay. All right. Sorry, >> Laura. Is the 1537 inclusive of the potentially 22 cents lower or >> Yes. >> And that includes the return for conval and >> yes and the additional uh special education aid which we are getting. So we have that 1559 um which you can see in column 2 that 2526 projection that's where we were and I

128I am projecting that we'll end up at 1537. >> Yeah. >> Which is great but also will is a larger delta >> which we can all see. So yes, >> I've asked um our special ed team to give me an idea of what they believe might be our special education aid for next year. So that 300,000 is very conservative right now. Um we're hoping and expecting that it's going to end up being a bit higher. >> When do those numbers firm up just in terms of the timeline and the process as you guys were working through and >> um for the special education aid numbers? Those are tricky. They really don't firm up until after we have to make our final decisions. Okay. Um the I will tell you from an internal side what we're

129struggling with is that I set our tax rate with you know the DRRA the department of revenue and then we got an email from the state about our special education aid and looking at the final expenses. So they're actually not even finalizing until after towns have to have their rate set. Um so really we work it through all year long. We put items into um the system all year long and hopefully we will have finalization in about July of what it's due I think on the July 20th. Rob, >> do we have a like what's our what's our benchmark on for 100,000 in terms of tax rate? Are we still using that 7 cent mark >> until it comes out? Yes. Once the rate comes out, I'll have a new benchmark for us about what

130$100,000 means. >> But for this calculation, we could use that. >> Yep. Any questions about that? >> So the other f So this is all draft. >> The other financing sources >> could very well change. >> Yes. >> A lot of the projections are conservative because they have to be. >> Yes. >> Because we can't >> if we are under in any of the revenue, right? Then we have to make sure that we are under in the expenditures, >> right? >> So we have to be cognizant of the fact that the revenue has to be there to be able to spend that money. >> Yeah. >> So it could be different, but from a planning perspective, we want to make sure we have enough cash on hand to be ensure that we can pay all

131of our income. >> Yeah. I mean, my only comment is on the the article 10 money that to me, I would just make that 400,000 mation. >> Sure. >> Can I ask a question, Laura, about >> other local sources like the rent and driver's ed things? Those are >> kind of just ask for clarification about like people renting our buildings or like driver's ed pays a fee to host. When do we enter into contracts with them for next year? >> Is that not till >> we will enter later. That rent that you see there is more rentals for um companies that might come out and use our buildings for something. Um so it's not necessarily for the after school care programs that you're seeing. It's more of those one-offs where >> where we have reachouts

132and they ask if they can use our facilities. I was I saw driver side so I was wondering if that's driver. Um, that's a I believe that's an old Michelle note. We have we haven't received driver's ed revenue in a while. Um, but that 45,000 is, you know, if we get >> it's things like rebates if we receive them after the fact, right? If we get >> refunds of prior year expenditures, things like that, any insurance proceeds, >> those types of things. >> Yeah. >> That old rebates >> that program. Does that bring 1719 down by seven cents? Can you do that? >> Um, >> make that 400. >> Yes. Or to 1612. >> Well, the last call. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Good. >> Yeah. >> Do you want to see um what it looks

133like next time with the 400,000 from our article 10? >> Sorry, didn't mean to say that. Um I've got the math here. Um, you know, that's up to folks. I think, uh, >> we want to talk. Yeah. Do we want to? Yeah. If you want to share that, I think that's great. And then we can talk through also. Um, and then we should go through and look at the proposed changes to the budget. >> I mean, I think what we could do is we have a finance meeting prior to our next board meeting. We could talk about it then, then make that change if we recommend that. Maybe we have more information then moving forward. >> Okay. Great. Might we have the valuation at that point or no? >> We can hope. >> Okay. >>

134Yeah. And then remember our 5% contingency also will increase based on our tax rate setting as well because we finalized the net assessment from the town. I think we're in a good place in terms of revenue >> given the conservative approach you've taken and things that are still on the table that we >> Yeah. Okay. >> I mean, if my math is right, just with what you presented, it'd be a 4.88% increase in the tax rate, which is something the budget committee will ask. pretty much coincides with what I think we're going to see on the expenditure side. >> Y great. Thank you. Super helpful. >> This is helpful. >> All right. Are we ready to talk through proposed changes to the budget? So, in our last meeting, um the the board asked Laura and

135I to take another look. Um you know that the budget that we brought forth originally was already pretty lean. Um and so as you looked to make some additional reductions um they're broken up into really operations um and then some personnel in uh personnel budgeting. Um and then you'll also see some additions that needed to go into the budget and that was after our initial presentation. Um one is an open enrollment tuition line. Um, and then the other is for the increase in our actual audit. And in your packet is also a consideration for us to enter into a multi-year contract with our auditors, which is something Navara recommends. Um, so those costs are are a little bit um higher and based on the quote that has provided. Um, and so we're happy to talk

136through any of those reductions, especially in the operations. But just to point out, I mean, some of these are are are, you know, we're really looking at um all aspects. So, we're, you know, making a reduction of $80. I hope just let you know, you know, where where we're at in terms of trying to avoid uh the reduction of additional personnel. >> Can you talk a little bit more about the open enrollment tuition line just because I think it's helpful to >> Yes. So, we have >> shine some light on that. >> Yep. Uh we have a student that has elected uh well her their parents their guardian had elected to send them to an open enrollment school. So we are required to have um a line in our budget to pay for that tuition

137and that's a result of a of a recent um court case um that you know we really don't have any oversight uh or a best interest determination. Those are other avenues that a school district can take. Um, but this was an open enrollment school that we now have to pay the tuition. So, we have to highlight that in our budget. >> And this was the Supreme Court decision that came down a few weeks ago that said that you don't have to that the sending school does not have to opt in. >> No, >> everybody uh can be forced to pay this if a student >> is in this situation in their district. And it's 80% of our our the sending district's average cost per pupil. >> So it's Yeah. So it's based on what's on

138the DOE website. So um we did get some you know of course legal counsel explaining that to do go to a webinar today. You missed a good time Andrea Florida the law uh where they were talking about you know districts what what are we going to do is something that the board can consider. Um certainly we would it would have to be done through a warrant article and there are some other policies that go um in effect that you would have to identify what is the maximum enrollment of how many seats would you offer and then also how many uh you can also set the number that you would allow to leave. So it gets kind of complicated. So you know in terms of Prospect Mountain I think they said that no kids can leave

139or the fewest number but they can take up to I think it's 90%. Is there a deadline for deciding to become an open enrollment? >> It would be just based on your warrant article. So it has the same it would have to be done through a war article. >> So is this number in the budget too conservative if some of the other area schools decide to go open enrollment? >> It's a good point. Lauren and I have talked about it. It is it is >> I mean we you know we have a great reputation and all of those things but we are a small shop and so if you look at a area school that might potentially that that may have more to offer in terms of like CTE or or things like that. >>

140It is important to note that open enrollment right now is still the the district of liability does not have to provide transportation. Um, so it would have to be parents that could transport their student, you know, to another district and that is a barrier for most families that have two working parents or, you know, that that would be a limitation. >> But you're right, it is >> I just worry that that's one student and >> and that's something that we could talk about is one student. >> We could budget up to five, >> you know, we we don't know. Um, right now I am not aware of any local districts. So if you look at Kir Sarge, Marramac Valley, Conquered, those are the schools I think both um that would look to become open enrollment.

141It is highly unpredictable and is massively impactful to our financial situation as a budget. Given the fact that we're going to go through and look at budget cuts uh and the $80 amount to try to get the tax rate that we think is reasonable and having a wholesale 18k 18.5k addition to the budget in one go is a is a tough Yeah. >> And you don't want to do prophetic reasoning with your budgeting. >> Correct. >> You don't want to start cutting services that then create the outcome that you're worried about. >> Yeah. >> Like you want to maintain >> I'm glad we are a very attractive school system and we may very well benefit. I I would bargain bet that we would benefit more than we would I think we would lose for kids

142who want to go play sports at a bigger program or where they don't have things but academically speaking there are plenty of surrounding places where families might say my kid and I don't have to cover the whole nut this is a good deal for us >> it's also tough for those school districts >> it's it's a terrible situation I'm just saying that you're in there >> I just want to clarify that if it any school that has to be able to do this in a highly unpredictable fashion is a really really hard thing >> and we don't have to accept right >> we don't have to well right now and that is also something that you know reaching higher New Hampshire um the New Hampshire school boards association are talking about we we you can

143set the kind of >> like we could set it criteria that's right and which is >> not a decision I'm I'm thinking we would tackle tonight I'm just All right. Do you uh do you want to run through the other changes? >> Yeah. >> In terms of um you walk us through it. >> Sure. Um as you start I mean Laura has done an exceptional job of really looking to make sure that you know things are captured accurately. Uh that field liner I don't want folks to be concerned that is actually captured in salary and benefits. So it's not in the athletics department you know budget anymore but we are still having the fields lined. Um we made some adjustment based on um FTEES in HA. Um when you decrease the number of FTEEs, then

144you can adjust the amount of PD that you have to uh budget for those um that for that personnel. Um in the area of facilities, I think Jim and Laura did a great job securing a better electricity rate. I'm sure she's happy to answer any questions about that. That was a significant savings for us. >> Can we just talk through that before? That's a huge win. like that. It's unprecedented in these times >> from 27 cent or Yeah. 27 cents. >> 30 um it's 10. Yeah. 10 um.31 cents and it's locked in for 48 months. >> So we are and we do get a hydro rebate on it as well. So half a penny for every kilowatt hour we use also comes back to us. >> So there's additional that goes into that other local

145revenue. >> Well done. >> Wow. >> It's amazing. No one has electricity rates going down. Great job negotiators. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Yep. Uh lawn treatments, much to Jim's sugarin, those have been cut again. Um he did say that he's not going to stop asking, so I'm sure those will he really would like to grow some grass, which I would appreciate. >> Um the Operation Hero, um I don't know enough about that add-on, but it would enable Jim and his team and others to track energy. Um I think one of the questions that the board asks is what's the return on investment on that right now? and it's just unclear whether we would cover the cost of that um purchase. The water bubbler and the washer and dryer we will try to do out

146of fund balance this year. You know, that is a a project we certainly don't want um water bubblers to, you know, kids need access to fresh uh filtered water. So, we want to make sure that that we do that. >> For those of us in Pennsylvania, they're also called water fountains. >> Yeah. >> Oh, yes. I had to learn bubbler when I came here. Did I say water? >> Does anyone else You said bubbler. Oh, I did. >> Well, cuz they're not fountains anymore. So, it's those fancy um fillers stations now. Water bottle. I'm out of date. >> You're doing great. It's fine. Yeah. I really had to learn that word. >> What do you call it? >> Waterfall. >> Oh, yeah. Bubblers are Midwestern. So, yeah. Sorry. >> Um a couple of other things.

147When you went through the team contract, um they did not want that PD. So, it's been cut from the budget. Um, however, I just want to ensure that if we had staff that wanted uh to improve and and go to a conference, we would certainly, you know, find a way to be able to enable them to expand their learning. We've made some reductions um in supply lines primarily at the middle high school and those are based on actuals. Um, important to note that if there were new asks, if teachers wanted to do something that was innovative or they wanted something new, this is really focusing on the supply line and it's based on actual costs. So, one of the things that Laura asked folks to do was to bring in about a 5% increase just

148based on the cost of doing business. So, some of those increases really didn't bear based on their actual. So, she went through and we trimmed those lines. um looking at things uh that we have some administrators that are not planning to take courses. Um so we were able to to trim those costs from from the budget. Um and then looking at uh some gasoline costs related to the math team. Um and also the vocational gas that transportation. Again, those are just costs that we haven't actually realized. Um so we feel comfortable making those reductions. Um and then finally um making a reduction to the um retirement party. It is important and I'm sure Laura can explain that if there are additional questions. We do have to have a budget line to be able to accept

149the revenue. Um teachers do pay to go to those to the party. Uh but we understand that there is a reduction that could be made there. Um and then we will work to use other means uh either through PECARD money um or a sunshine fund to pay uh for things that would celebrate or to provide uh comfort or support to people um when they have things like marriages or or deaths or whatever that might be. Um and then also I believe the board has decided to cut uh the second part of the diligent community um that covers our policy book and also the committee work. Um we are going to continue to maintain the diligent side that does the agenda um and the the postings that has been I think a good tool for you

150to interface with the community and met some needs that we had around um transparency and posting. Uh so we will need to talk through uh a new way to post the policy um which Andrea and Suzanne and I will work on on the policy committee. Um, and then just overall committees trying to figure out, you know, how the best place to house them. It will likely be, and I know Madison over there, but it would likely return to more of a a Google Drive uh that is made public uh that would have the agendas and the minutes. >> Great. Um, and then you'll see those two additions. And then on the second page are some reductions to personnel budgeting >> to consider. >> That are to consider. That's right. Um, and so we're looking at

151uh cutting some overtime. Um and then to the substitute line, we also, you know, just to say those are not zeroed out. You know, those would be leaving, you know, plenty of money in the substitute line. Um and again, when you think about the availability of subs, really what we're navigating a lot, especially at the middle high school, are teachers covering for other teachers and getting that payment as through the CBA. Um so, you know, we still certainly have subs and would love subs. So, if that's anyone's hope and dream, please continue to apply for subs and we will have you come every day. >> That's >> But what does that look like? The 20,000 from the substitute line. Like what what does that actually look like? >> It would just be that there's about

152186,000 left in that line. get budgeted more um to provide and feel comfortable that based on our actuals and what we're actually saying that we can safely cut that cost >> because most of the substitution at least it is covered in house like teachers covering teachers and then that money >> is covered for the teacher that's pretty common at Herald and and Maple where the instructional assistant that's familiar with the routines in the classroom would take over and then they get paid an additional >> excellent for their willing to do that. >> They're all hard decisions. So, I mean, these are just for you all to consider. >> Can we Yeah, thank you. Can we start with the first chunk of all of the the operations budget reductions? Do we have any questions, comments on

153those pieces? It's a very uh fine call, so thank you guys for going through and taking such a hard look at it. Um, this is literally looking across all of the departments and I really appreciate it. Um really excited about the electricity. That is a lot of negotiations work for you and Jim and also really appreciate looking at all the actuals and trying to figure out where else can we sort of trim things out knowing that there is not a lot to trim. So any thoughts about that? >> I mean my my overall initial reaction to this is is it's it's a lot of hard and good work. It it really puts a fine point on this sort of tricky thing that I personally have been struggling with. both on school board and on budget

154committee, which is sort of um it it it doesn't feel it has never felt to me like we should be weighing it on like line items, but there needs to be some basis for whatever number we're coming up with. So when I look at something like, you know, basic repairs, no spending in the last three years, it's a few hundred bucks, but it's like, geez, that seems to me to be something I really want to fund. I really don't like kicking the can down the road on repairs at the high school. But so I'm rambling a bit, but it's just sort of initially as I look at this um >> yeah, >> you know, I don't love going through and being like staff flowers is out and repair should be in, >> right? >> You

155know, right? Uh, so that's my sort of 10,000 foot view of this. I don't know. I think you did a great job. Um, you know, I would go back to where we started, $69,000 increase in operations, almost 300 of it from special ed. We asked you to cut a h 100,000. You simply cut a h 100,000 out of the $300,000 increase. You didn't ask for any additional FTEES. You move the puzzle pieces around to make them work the way you see fit. Um, there's a lot of finding a little bit here and a little bit there. A lot of shaving. I mean, the electric electricity piece gives you a big chunk. >> Um, I think it's great. We asked for 100. You came in at $99,94. I don't know how we could ask for more

156than that. And I think anybody is going to say, "Well, can you do more? We're at 4.75% now instead of 5.06. Given what you did in the beginning, I think it's outstanding. You know, in, you know, in the line item world, I don't want to do your job. You know, spent too many years sitting in these chairs doing that job when we probably shouldn't have been. So, thank you for doing it. And I would concur with what you want to do. I >> Yeah. Yeah. I think um I think two thoughts. One is I I want to go back to the staffing parts at the bottom. But before that, I would like to echo what Rob said. I mean, this matches our contract effectively, which I think is remarkable. I will also say I do

157I do want to make sure that that at the end of the day though, you guys have the ability um like for the amount that we're cutting, I still want you to do what is best from the district from an expenditure perspective. And if these shift, like that is fine with me as a schoolboard member. I I this is so much detailed work that um needs throughout the year change, right? So like I just I I want to I just want to speak to your point where like I also don't want to get to the world where we're saying yes, please cut $500 from the staff flower budget. Like that stinks. >> Um Lucy, are you out? >> No. >> Oh, sorry. Um >> Okay. >> I wouldn't blame you if you were. I know.

158Uhhuh. Um >> got she wants to go. >> Yeah. I will also say that um I feel like this is something that that we are really trying to get a lot of clarity on of what are we actually using at the building? What do these blind items look like? I will say that as a district, I don't think it feels like we have like amazing supply or like all of these things. Like I don't think anyone, you know, thinks that we have an abundance of pencils everywhere or, you know, like it's just one of those things where we are continuing to relative to overall inflation keep the budget level um effectively on the operations side, which is effectively a cut, which is going to at some point be really complicated and hard for us as

159a district. And I just want to recognize that fact. That said, all of the things that we think about economically, I I fully recognize where we are as a town and I do appreciate it. I will say I've thought a lot about the salary and benefit reductions. Um I think a lot about the facilities piece. I think I said to you Amy, you know, every February and every April, a bout of neurovirus runs through the schools. Um that just leaves vomit everywhere at the lower levels. And I just appreciate literally like Did your kids ever have stomach bugs? But like it's like there's a lot of And I just think about our janitors having overtime because they are asked to come to the schools and wipe stuff down. >> We had kids so like our

160our our facility staff works really really hard and I want to make sure that we um if and when we need them to come in because of things like illness or whatever that we will take care of, right? Um, and then I defer to you guys on the substitute budget, but I also want to make sure that we are covered there. >> Did you have my my brain just went >> I So, I'm I'm happy that you were able to um make some cuts at your discretion. Some of these are, you know, if I know um contractually like budgeting for something that uh you know is negotiated but then they're not going to use. So I but to me that's not like a hard cut um if you know if they're not going to use

161it anyway or if we're kind of patting a an ask um based on what somebody might want versus like actuals. And I I do understand inflation. So I think I think you guys came in lean to begin with. Um, and I'm glad that you made additional cuts at your discretion with maybe a little bit of um direction from us. Um, but I I don't think that these are necessarily super hard cuts. Um, you know, the water bubbler is going to get fixed from this year's money. um to your point, like a couple hundred dollar in supplies isn't going to um prevent somebody uh from getting an education. But the nature of the beast is that we're, you know, up against, you know, a situation where people, you know, can't, I guess, um many people in

162town can't kind of afford the taxes that are already charged. So, I think you guys did a great job trying to cut this as, you know, so that people get what they need. I don't know if, you know, it's not flat, but I don't think that could happen. >> My brain came back online thankfully. Um, a little bit to echo folks, I I agree with Rob and what other folks have said. I think you guys did a great job and to Jonathan's point, I don't want to make any of these decisions and so we turned it over to you and you did it which is fantastic. Um, you know, whether or not the cuts are easy or hard, I'm glad I don't have to make that decision either. Um I think um I am routinely

163frustrated that we are put in this position because our state does not fund our education in a way that they are constitutionally supposed to. I know there's nothing we can do about that. I make this point every year. I will continue to make this point. Um you know our education is good because of our property taxpayers. Um, so I I think this is great. I to echo JL's point, uh, I do worry about the facilities overtime and substitute budget if we have children with the flu or barfing all over the place. >> Um, >> no, it's it's legitimate. I will say though, one thing, and this is a little bit to budget reductions, and this is just overall with budget. Um, last night I was in a it is newly renamed to the community and

164economic development committee meeting and one thing that came up and it it is relevant to the schools as well um to the the town um is just thinking about future planning and forward looking. And what is challenging about having to do a budget where we are doing things like we have not spent in the last 3 years and so we are going back to actuals is that it ends up limiting us so that we are not able to do as much future looking um and and we're forward looking and future planning. I think we have done an amazing job this year in being able to come up with the safety project. Um and I would love for us as a board to continue to do um as much as we are able to within the

165budget that we have um to do that future looking um because to the point of the individual I was talking to even if we don't have the money now if we at least have a vision or a plan something to work towards um I am hopeful that our community would come along with us because while we are not drowning in pencils. It would still be great if we could offer while we are a small shop, offer more classes in the high school, you know, get more kids out of study hall and into different electives. Um, but that takes people and that takes money. >> Anything else before we talk about the actual number? Because I think the biggest thing is I want to figure out like do we want to go with the the reduction

166plus addition. There's a $58,000 number on the first page. Then we could add the $40,000 salary and benefit line to that to get to 98,000. We could do partial of that like you know in the context of a 20 something million dollar budget. You know it we're we're splitting hairs here but I think it's we're trying to figure out what the right line is. So, any other things about any of the content that's in here? >> Can I just ask a question about the overtime in the facilities? I'm assuming there's still budget for overtime beyond this >> and there's still Yes, there's still a budget there. >> Oh, okay. >> And we're not cutting the ability to for them to do the overtime. Um, when I was speaking with Jim, we were talking about, you

167know, his ideas and his plans and watching what his staff is doing. And so, I added a little bit of money there to cover his team. But based on our actuals, um, it we feel like we can make do with this. when we get when do we get when is the threshold in the year where we get enough information on revenue to be able to say like if there was going to be overtime in the spring that you could potentially increase that relative to the number that's set like basically what I'm trying to figure out is we budget very conservatively on revenue. We don't want to plan to ever go beyond that, but there if there is an overage, is that something where, you know, we're able to start seeing that and if there was

168an overtime request that we'd be able to make a judicious um recommendation to add more overtime money back in or substitute budget, right? Does that does that question make sense? >> Shift it from another >> Yeah. So, basically be able to say we'll have more. So, if there is >> reduce it now, but maybe add a little bit back. >> Yeah. Is that feasible or not? >> Yes. Um, we could definitely look at that, you know, in December and then when we have an idea of whether what the warrants look like, then we would also know what your thoughts are about using fund balance and that goes into the whole revenue pieces as well. >> Okay. So, absolutely. >> Okay. That's helpful. I'm going to make a motion that we accept the 99 $9,94 in

169reductions the full the full amount. Can I ask you another question? Okay. Sorry. Second. Okay. Discussion. Thank you. Okay. Great. I can do this. I can run a meeting. Uh so my question is um uh we have not necessarily done a full summer presentation like we did an update right uh in is that was that November I don't remember what I was saying I was there it was November I don't know what that was um but we don't quite know but I think the thing that I'm trying to think of is that like if if there are additional cuts to be made um it will be that that will be starting to cut to program staffing etc. And I don't think we want to like not do cuts or do cuts because of optics. But

170if we're doing this like it is this is a full kitten kaboodleoodle. Um and then I will have a hard time making additional cuts beyond that. Is that is that understood? Because I will >> I think pretty hard >> for me. move forward with this budget with these cuts. And if the budget committee is not pleased or wants more, then it's going to be their onus of responsibility to make those cuts. And then we'll be in one of those dynamics where it's the budget committee's budget versus what the school board recommends. And to date the budget committee has not given any indication but >> I haven't been there in a little bit but they also don't you know haven't seen the numbers. Um I mean they got the soft approach I guess the last one

171and neck snapped off. >> Yep. So 99.99 94 >> I guess more than anything I would like some certainty coming out of this meeting. >> So we can continue to muddle around tens of thousands of dollars or we can just simply say this is essentially what we exactly what we asked for a month ago and been received. Let's move on. I >> think I I just I would um echo Dul's point. I would not want to cut one of this. Like I support it and I also like if they were to come back and say I want another 100,000 >> and we'll have to cross that bridge when if that bridge even >> right. Sorry. >> Yeah. >> Jonathan, you're doing math. What's shaking? >> No. the thing that I'm thinking about I was I

172was looking at numbers but I'm I'm listening to the conversation I guess uh to your point how much input have we gotten from the budget committee to consider when we >> yeah there was not a lot of questions when we talked to our nominal >> so so this is the concern that I have as I listen to this conversation right because budget committee has value and Um, so I wouldn't want to be in a position where where we haven't gotten their input and considered their input. Um, >> but we I'd also don't know less less the full presentation in January and we can't wait till January. You know what I mean? Like it's Yeah. >> Yeah. like we we have to sort of get to a number so we can start prepping that because that

173takes a ton of work. So I get your point, Rob, like we have to put the wheels on the track. But >> I talked a number. >> Yeah, I talked to 5.06%. Everyone was like >> okay um and ask questions. Um but it wasn't it wasn't like a that sounds great, but it wasn't a head spot. >> But now we've reduced that number. We've distilled it down. I think that's kind of our job, isn't it? Like to to get to the closest thing to fiscally responsible as we can. We can put a budget that has a little bit of fat in it in front of the budget committee and if the budget committee doesn't say anything, great. We can pass it on to voters, but then it's worse chance of it passing. I think if

174we publicize that we did the best we could that we have a better chance of getting the budget committee on board and then it's a dual effort to try and publicize that we were fiscally responsible. I know like you know $100 here and $5,000 but that added up to $100,000 which is what we asked them to do and $100,000 is a lot of money. >> Yeah. So >> 13 cents off the tax rate. I know it doesn't seem like, you know, when it's 500 here and 500 here, but >> No, no, I'm not arguing with that. I mean, the other thing that we could do is is we could say this is a recommendation. The budget committee, to be fair, can also say we want to add things back. >> Well, and that's the other

175thing that I'm thinking about is I think that in the presentation to the budget committee, which I'm sure you're probably already thinking about. I mean, we would want to talk about the initial number and the $99,94 that was cut and how this was taken out so that they can consider that as well because they could come back and say we we think that the you know 40 40,572 should come back in or whatever. >> I honestly don't think they're going to do that. I don't think they will either, but I'm I'm not I'm not here to I'm not here to spin hypotheticals. I'm just saying that I think it would be good for them to have the information. >> Suzanne on this. I'm here to do our job, not the budget committee's job. I am

176not comfortable with the budget as it is with that amount. I would like to cut $100,000 from it. That's what we talked about a month ago. That is what has been done. I really don't understand why we're having a pause at this moment when we've asked the superintendent in the business administrator to do that work. They've now done that work and for some reason we're not moving forward. I'm very confused. >> I I'm confused at your confusion. I don't think anybody's saying that we don't move forward. What I'm suggesting is that information about how the sausage is made >> presentation. >> Yeah, that's what I just said. It's not confusing. >> No, what what I'm hearing let's wait and let the budget committee hear the whole thing. So that that's what I'm hearing. That's not

177what I'm saying. >> I haven't said that. >> What I had said a month ago was that I was comfortable. Maybe a little more clarity would be helpful about that. >> What I was what I was saying was that a month ago I was comfortable with like a 75k. I think it's okay to cut these lines. I think that is all right. Right. I think that you and I are a separate set of numbers. It's also 25k in the context of our budget is not going to be what makes or the budget. Right. I also have full trust in your like narrative capability to go and deliver this. So I think it's just everyone's getting comfortable with what we're about to do. I know you've been comfortable for a while. So I get it right.

178I think it just it takes a minute for the rest of us to get there. Okay. Any further discussion? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> I'm not saying I'm not comfortable with it. I'm suggesting that they should understand that this is where this extra $99,94 is coming from. The kind of work that's going into this to support this. That's what I'm suggesting. That's what I think is important for them to have that information. >> Lauren's the only one here >> from the budget committee. So, he's the only one listening to this conversation. >> Well, the meetings are public. So, if we, you know, the strategy was to sort of, okay, fine. We'll go back and cut a hundred um knowing that it's already sort of been done. I I get what you're saying. I also was

179under the impression that we were going to kind of present the kind of what Rob was saying. I thought that's what you folks were saying and I was like I also was confused. Um but I also trust Rob that you will present the whole story that you know it was lean to begin with. This is what we asked for. These are where the cuts came from >> and then we let them >> and before the full January presentation we will see that presentation. Rob usually does a dry run with us and I think we will do it the Tuesday the night before the Wednesday meeting. I'm pretty sure we meet exactly the night before. So, we will have the opportunity to weigh in on the full presentation part of the school road presentation to the

180budget committee and can talk through narrative um process all of the jazz at which point we should all be very clear on what that is. All right. >> I think we have a a very good story budget wise to tell this year. Um, so you know, I have a lot of confidence in the numbers and the process that Amy and Laura went through and they, you know, as I've said before, in previous years, we were left with a lot of work to do. Um, and we didn't have that. So, straight forward and >> well, any other discussion? Okay. All right. All those in favor wait. Yeah. All those in favor? >> Yeah. >> I I Any opposed? Okay. Thank you both very much. It's a remarkable amount of work and we really appreciate it. It's

181also a great format that is easy for all of us to understand. So, I very much appreciate all of it. Okay. This I will just say frontloaded Rob wants to be this was his deadline of trying to see if we could get to a pretty good place. That took an incredible amount of work that started in September. Um and I want to recognize Laura again going through and changing every single note in those sheets that Rob has in front of him is an absolutely insane amount of work. >> Like a lot of that stuff is like not hardcoded. It is like it is hardcoded. It's like there's nothing. It's just a bear. So, thank you. >> You're welcome. I missed one line. The driver's ed line. I'll get it next time. >> What a question.

182You were like, I'm sorry. >> No, you're good. I You're right. It's not It's not part of the local revenue anymore. >> But really appreciate it. Also appreciate both of you meeting with all of your leadership team, all of the the both on the principles and across the building. Um, everyone took a really hard look at what they were doing. Um, I also think this sets us up well for analysis for future years in terms of thinking about where are we, what do we actually need. >> Okay. Anything else you want to say at the team? >> Thank you. >> Great. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I think we're poised to set up um for some new analytics next year. Uh, >> based on the way that these budgets are are lining up, we'll be we'll

183be able to give you reports a lot easier than we did in the past. type. That's nice. >> You won't have to do every single calculation by hand. Great. >> Sounds exciting. >> I'm a big fan. >> So exciting. It is really meaningful. >> I love um >> Okay. Now, in something that's crazy, we're going to talk about the 2627 calendar. I want to tell people we were on a call earlier this week thinking about Memorial Day 2027 is a little bit of a stretch for my brain to get through. So, thank you Amy and team for starting to work through the mechanics of what that school year will look like. Can you talk us through it? >> Yes. So, a couple of things to note. The Let me just make sure that the most

184recent draft I actually had Memorial Day and you corrected me on the 24th. Um, and it's actually the 31st. Uh, so a couple of things to think about as you look at the calendar. Um, we by contract cannot start sooner than the fourth Monday in August. Um and so a couple of drafts we went through different iterations. We have school starting on the 24th and the 31st. Um there always is the goal if you've ever taught in an elementary school. Um you know that once they come back um for Memorial Day, you're really just trying to hold the lid on. Um so we're really trying to get out as soon as as possible not going into that last week into June. So we are targeting a start date for staff of August 24th. We have

185a couple of days that we open school. Um, students would come back on August 26. Um, and then we do have a little bit of of of trickiness to navigate next year with elections and we have decided as a district uh to not have students in the building um when we are the polling station. Um although we do have the gates now um it just seems like it makes sense. Um, so for some of the election days next year, you're looking at September 8th um is uh the state primary election. Um, so we won't have students in the building, but that would be a PD day for our HA staff. And then looking into October, um, typically October 9th is a day that most schools have. Um, the other piece that we try to coordinate

186our our calendar with conquered so that our students don't miss CRTC. Um, so October 9th is as a PD day in that district as well. Um, and then November is, you know, it's always historically >> notable November. >> So, we will not have any of these on election day. I think that just thinking about the midterm elections. Um, that should be a pretty um good turnout when looking at um former voting records here in town um midterm elections. So, we will not have students or staff in the building. I'm sorry to stop you. Is the thinking that just having that many people coming in and out of the building, in and out of the driveways, it just is a hazard to have >> traffic parking. Um, you know, we would we use the high school

187a lot for full school full for full full school community gatherings. Um, and that would just be too much to navigate. So, November 3rd would be, >> you know, school for anyone. >> So, a security concern. >> Yeah. Yes. >> Amy, can I ask a silly question? We're in hours or days. >> Um, we calculate both. Um, so you'll see the number of student days is 177, but it's we have way more hours than what we need. Um, and so we t, you know, usually build in about two or three snow days. Um, and then I've already been asked 5,000 times if I'm going to do instructional snow days. And that gets problematic um, because not all of our students on their devices. Um and so we would you know look at calculating our hours.

188>> Do you have to choose with the state? >> No, you just have to make sure it's just >> certain number of hours. >> Okay. >> They they require you to do instructional hours. >> Um so then when you look at November, um we do have another um we have some parent teacher conference days. Um and then Thanksgiving our holiday recess this year. Um we would not have two full weeks. We'd have two full weeks this year. So next year and then looking at that between semester day at the high school that's up primarily um a PD day for the high school staff but the elementary teachers and students are not here that those are some sort of holdovers from the CBA which get complicated when I met with the union on Monday as we

189were navigating like that's it is strange that middle school kids don't come one day elementary kids don't come one day high school kids February recess coincides with with conquered as well. We have a state ele our town election next year is on March 9th and then spring recess Memorial Day and then targeting graduation again for the first Friday in June. Um a lot of conversation around whether or not graduation should be the 4th or the 11th. >> Um but overall we're sticking with the fourth. >> Oh, exciting. >> That's follow. It's a lot of organizing for four days. >> It is. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> But the alternative is to have your seniors in school until June 11th with and only two days for underassmen. >> Yeah. >> And I don't know that didn't

190fly. >> All right. >> But it is a quick turn around. >> Like this is great for me. >> Sounds good. >> All right. Thanks for honestly. >> Yeah. And then the last couple of years we've had ESY um be four days a week for three weeks and um that is has seemed to gone well with >> extended school year. >> Yes, school year. So those are for students that um need an a school year beyond the regular. Um last year we held it all at Herold Martin. That also seemed to go well. there were some crossgrade level groupings and things like that and I think we um were able to be more efficient in terms of transportation and personnel and are most people I haven't said this for 2027 because I'm not a lunatic

191but the are most people taking that July 4th which is on a Sunday are they taking it on the 5th or are they taking it on the 3rd because it looks like this is the substitute day will be noted on July 5th or the holiday >> yeah I don't think we would do that for ESY Okay. Historically, if if we start, we have July 5th would be an be an instructional day. >> Okay. >> Uh the only thing that could change this, I think, you know, there's always an RSA. Um especially our current governor really wants all schools to start after Labor Day. Um so if that were to happen and you know that would pass, we would have to revisit this because we are starting before Labor Day. >> When will we find that

192out? >> Probably June. May >> that sounds about right. So, we would have to make shifts, >> but I I could have a draft ready to go just in case just in case. >> Okay. Because it's worth noting like for everyone who's been in this district for a while, like typically, at least in the last little bit, the kids come, they go to two days of school and then it's Labor Day, next year they will come for a five, like a week basically, which is remarkable. Um, so they'll start on Wednesday. >> Yeah. On Wednesday. Um, and then they'll go until cuz Labor Day is likely. >> Wait, when is Labor Day? >> Labor Day is on the 7th. >> So, the kids will get the fourth because of the fair and the seventh off.

193So, that we'll get like a reasonable amount of instructional time prior to Labor Day. >> Does that mean the third is Towny Day? >> Sorry. Yes. >> Does that mean the third is Towny Day? >> Yes. >> Yeah. I did not put that on the calendar, Jonathan. >> Let me know what color you'd like it. >> They don't because they don't have that in Pennsylvania. >> Yeah. But it's it's funky. Um really. So um >> and that would push us out to like getting out of school then >> quite a bit. >> The 22nd. That would push us out so late. >> Okay. Cool. >> Any questions about the calendar? >> Just so everyone knows what what happens is Amy and her team will draft this if they will meet with HA because this is

194a contractual thing that we want to make sure that our unions are in agreement with. We'll run through feedback typically run through to make sure that all the dates are right because it's a funky thing to navigate and then it comes here. So it goes through a lot of a lot of reads first and so you would be looking to um agree to this or vote on it at the next meeting for CBA. It has to be to you and agreed upon by the second meeting in December. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> So we'll vote on it. >> Okay. Great. Any feedback please send to Amy and I. All right. Can I actually go back to other budget documents in the uh in the folder? >> So, we have that that that um budget process

195um calendar. >> Yes. >> Has that been checked for all the dates in between all the things. Are we talking about that during consent agenda? >> Um I updated it because there was um just an update to the public hearing. Y >> that it's now on January 6th. So, I just moved it. >> Um and I added that we did the revenue. So, it's it had normal changes. >> Yes. But and then between when the public hearing for the budget committee and our meeting is, we're we our day count for all of that is good. Thank you. >> Yes, we we have plenty of time. >> Okay. I thought I thought so. Yes. >> But I really don't date. We still have plenty of time. >> Okay, cool. Thank you. Okay, great. All right. Policy.

196Let's get it. >> All right. So, we have several policies. Oh, it died. There we go. I can talk again. We have several policies that have come for a final read this evening. Um before I go through them, does anyone have any questions about them? Because these are just a little funky tonight because uh policy IKF, which is high school graduation requirements, um that incorporates a policy that we already have, which is IKFA. And so before we adopt these or before we approve these policies, we're going to need to formally resend um IKFA. Uh so I didn't know if there are any questions or comments before we move forward. Seeing none. Great. So here are the policies uh we have. So first actually I'm going to go ahead and and make a motion. Is there

197a motion to uh formally rescend policy IKFA early graduation? >> Second. >> Are you making a motion? >> So you say no. >> You need a motion. >> I There you go. >> Sorry. My fault. >> Any discussion? Okay. All those in favor? >> I jump the gun. >> Love it. All right. Great. So that's been officially uh rescended. So then the policies that uh I I'll go ahead and make the motion to approve the following policies as presented. IK earning of high school credit achievement of competencies. IKF high school graduation requirements. IKFG career exploration readiness pathways and credentials. IHBI alternative learning plans. IHBH extended learning opportunities. IMBD high school credit for seventh eighth grade coursework. IMGA service animals, IMGB therapy animals, IMG animals in the schools, and EFA meal charging. >> I made the

198motion. Does anyone want to second? >> Second. >> Great. Um just the brief discussion is these are uh obviously our suite of eye policies that are either required by law uh policies that we either have or are required to have or needed to update and I had not heard back from anyone. >> So beautiful. >> Yeah, we did a lot of really great work. >> They're outstanding. Thank you. >> Do you want to >> go for it? Go for it. >> Okay, great. Well, no, I need the motions. >> Okay. All those in favor? I >> I opposed Niceburg policy committee. >> All right, that wraps up our current business. Are you ready? Amy Doyle consent agenda. >> Yeah, we are ready. >> That's exciting. >> I know we're getting a little punchy over here.

199I'll try to laugh it down since when my brain starts to sort of >> Oh, there's an artistel. >> Pretty exciting. >> Don't worry, this will be efficient. Let's >> um our personnel report for tonight, we have one new hire. Her name is Kimberly Real. should be joining me in the business office as our new accountant. >> Hear about that. >> Not easy to come by these days. >> No, you're not. >> That's great. >> Welcome. >> It was interesting to sit in on that interview. They talked a totally different language. So, I'm very excited about accounts payable >> and they asked strange questions like, "What's your favorite >> Excel function?" >> Yeah. I was like, "Okay, I'll just >> Oh, God. >> Yeah. Excel functions and math. We all are different breed. >> Yep.

200>> Amazing. >> Um and there has been a last minute change. We did have a current employee with an additional contract and they have since backed out. So there is nothing >> else for the um personnel report. And then winter coach. Um I think you we had Dan had talked about that. Um we are bringing forth an assistant Nordic ski coach given the number of kids that really want to be on the Nordic ski team. >> So that's Julie Zap. >> Julie Zap. >> Julie. >> All right. Great. For donations tonight, we have one um the public school foundation has given us a artisan residence grant of $5,9614. Um this replaces uh plus actually a little bit more the state grant that was um terminated this year. So we thank the public schools foundation for

201that. And Kim Emerson, our uh Harold Martin and Maple Street teacher, is going to be responsible for that one. >> It's amazing. And >> that project will probably will start in the spring. They are going to be painting some sheds with >> They are doing the shed. >> That's amazing. >> Great. >> Thank you to the public schools foundation. They do really beneficial work for our schools. And then the last piece we have is uh as Amy alluded to earlier, there is a um proposal in your file to consider for Platic and Sanderson, who's our financial accountant um and our audit team. They have given me a couple of options. A one-year engagement covering this fiscal year only or a three-year option um which is which is a savings to us. And then the single

202audit as you see in option two and option one is required if we receive more than $1 million in federal grants in a given year. Then they do an additional compliance audit. So that is only if we need it. It is in our budget for next year um just in case anything changes. But I do think that that um is a fee that we probably will not end up wavering. And so I do ask um that we vote to accept option two, which is a three-year engagement with Plaza Sanderson covering this year and then a future two years for audits. Remember, audits are required by law. We have to have an independent auditor and there's only about three in the state. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I. >>

203Thank you so much. Great. >> Also, thank you. The audit is a remarkable amount of work every year. It's just work >> and we usually have to get that additional audit, >> right? Don't we usually have to get like the additional little audit audit? >> We do. Uh the past couple of years we have not hit the threshold. Thank goodness. >> But there have been a couple of other audits that we're going through at the moment. >> Yes. Great. >> All righty. I just want to thank everyone. I I I just want you to know calling a snow day is stressful business and it was my first time and everyone on my team was was great. Um Jim, the town, Matt, Wu, I mean it was I was watching it like it was counting down

204to New Year's Eve. So I appreciate everyone who first uh looked at um whether or not they got the message. That was really great. But I was thankful that we were able to do that over the weekend and really update all of our parent square notification. And I'll just say to families, if you still did not receive a notification, um we are using smart alerts. So you may get a text, an email, or a phone call, um if one of those things if if it is a failure is what they call it in the system, they will try another number. Um but if you want to receive it in a different way or or more ways, you know, please reach out to your student school or the SAU and we will navigate that. But um

205I think we had good response and thank you to the my Facebook team that put it on Facebook. Um and I think that it was the right call. You know, we had over 700 cancellations. Um so I waited until there were 500. >> So felt like that was safe. She's been on >> I'm gonna I'm going to now do that on Folly Market. I'm gonna Amy Doyle is not going to call today until the 500 previous in there. >> May maybe I'll get a little less stressed about it, but it was a lot. >> Congratulations on your first day as superintendent. >> It's a big moment at the beginning, too, man. >> I know. >> And then when I went outside at 5:00 a.m. and it was already snowing, I was like, "Thank you." I

206know New York had another one today, too. >> I've never gone on to it. >> Thank you. >> All right. Anything else for update? >> That's all. >> All right. Do I have a motion to accept the consent agenda as >> presented? So moved. >> Second. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Great. Thank you. Okay. Any discussion? >> Terrific. All those in favor? >> Guys, we're rounding the corner here. Let's do this. We've got committee updates. We'll see. Anything other than what we talked about? >> No, we meet next week. >> Yes. >> Next week. CIP. >> I don't think No, we haven't met. >> Okay. CIA. Oh my god, that was I saw Andrew and Suzanne next to CIP and I was like, "What's happening?" CIA. No, you're meeting later, right? >>

20718. >> Yeah. >> Great. Okay. Safety and security. We're meeting in January, right, Ralph? >> Okay. EMC, I don't think we've met since our last meeting. That should be coming up. I don't know when. I need to figure it out. That's on the the website. Finance. >> Next Monday, right? >> Yeah. Uh >> it's right before our next meeting. >> Yeah. 16th. All right. Finances next Monday. Wellness >> is in December. >> Great. Terrific. So we will have a really amazing set of committee updates at our next meeting. PD anything there? >> No. >> Great. All right. We are up to public comment. Three minutes. Thank you, Lauren. Appreciate your time. >> Other business? Anyone? I would just I'm going to chime in here. If people haven't seen it, the star story weekend roster for

208this weekend looks thonker balls between stop in the village and Huffington uh being able to get historical society tours and looking at the old fire truck to so many things happening in Kuka. Um >> it is truly exciting. >> Also at the farmers market this weekend is the kids market. >> That's right. >> So what is the kids market? Yeah, >> that is where kids can make and sell >> non food items. >> So, >> my little baker's >> whatever they're working on. I can tell you that my boys were taking advantage of the snow day. >> Yeah. >> We're cranking out Christmas ornaments. >> And that's going to be >> that'll be here here on Saturday morning. Starts at 8. >> Yeah. And the holiday markets for the next couple weeks should also be

209really great. But so it just from our our town, I'm very excited about >> how much it >> Byron Cars rented out the old frame shop right by >> Yeah, >> there's a fun ski night happening at Cedar and Mine on Tuesdays. >> Yeah, >> I'm loving the clock in front of the framework. >> Yeah, that's cool. >> Yeah, that clock's full. Santa color. >> I asked him about it. >> Yeah, anything else? >> All right, guys. I thought we're just a little shy. I can keep you for 10 minutes, but I think everyone should go home to their families. Thank you all so much.