001It is 6:02 p.m. on February 2nd of 2026. Like to call the February meeting of the Brentwood School Board to order. Uh and we'll begin as usual the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. Uh, first order of business is approval of the minutes from the last meeting. Does anybody have any comments on last month's minutes? I you should megum. >> I know I do, but I I know. >> I just feel like it's your last [laughter] meeting of minutes to correct and I don't >> That's the only one I had. No, please correct your own name. You should be the one. >> It's okay.
002>> Oh, I'm seeing it. Yeah. >> Yeah. With one minor correction of the spelling of Megan's name and board members present, I would make a motion to u adopt approve the minutes as amended. >> Second. All in favor? I >> I. >> All right. Minutes are approved. >> All right. Um, so the first item up is a central office report. And >> did we open public comment? >> Oh, you're right. Sorry. Um, like to open public comment if anyone from the public would like to comment. Public comment will be open for a minimum of 30 minutes if anybody has anything they'd like to say. So public comment is open at 603 and we'll remind people before it closes if if anything comes to you. Okay. So thank you. Next item is central office report. I
003know we have financials and then budget discussion but we have the warrant article discussion. So I think before we get to Mr. Cowi it makes sense to go through the warrant article discussion. So we have four definite warrant articles, the budget, the BTA contract, special education reserve fund and technology reserve fund and those have already been approved by the state DOE and we have finalized language or >> um so they are awaiting pre-review from the department of revenue but okay >> the language has not changed only the numbers have changed. year to year. So, I don't anticipate any comments for them. >> Okay. And actually, the warrant articles three and four when I was going through the slides for the uh district meeting, the numbers don't even change in those except for the we're putting
004the same amount in. Yes. >> To those two reserve funds. >> Yeah. >> Because I think uh and just to confirm, you wanted the special education one first and then the technology one second. >> Correct. >> And it's 20,000 and 10,000. Correct. >> Sounds right. >> Yep. So, we I have it drafted and it's just awaiting their pre-review. Um, but before you guys can sign it, the public hearing does have to happen, which I believe is Thursday night. So, cuz so the town has the public hearing on the budget and then after that, I mean, technically there could be changes if people express dislike at the public hearing, but I don't anticipate any changes. Um, and then after the public hearing, then you'd be able to sign. So, I was going to to e to
005probably send them over to Tracy in the front office and then if you could swing by and sign after the public hearing. >> Okay. >> It's just the purpose of the public hearing is to get the public's input in case there are any changes. Um, so you just have to sign after that. >> Okay. So, Thursday night public hearing sign to finalize Friday morning. >> Sure. >> Okay. And the deadline to post is technically not until I think I I think I had that the calendar pulled up here somewhere. It's not until mid to late February, [clears throat] so we have time. >> Okay, we're way out of order, so you're not going to know where we are, but you'll I think you'll catch up. [laughter] Um, we've moved uh from approval of minutes straight
006into discussion of the warrant articles. >> So, perfect. Um, so we have those four warrant articles and we had discussed at the budget committee meeting the potential for a fourth war a fifth warrant article and you learned today or shared with us today that that cannot go forward. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And I'm going to ask Molly to explain why in a lot better and more articulate way than I can about the IRS rebate in the warrant article. >> Sure. So, in regards to the IRS rebate, well, let me preface it by I was on the phone for hours with the IRS and they ultimately hung up on me. Um, so, yep. So, I finally finally finally got in touch with a human and then they sent me over to a different department. Then,
007that department sent me back to the original department and I was begging with a lady to for her supervisor and she hit transfer and hung up on me. So, I need to try again. So, [laughter] we do not have an update on the status of the refund, but um we're working hard to to get that. Um in regards to if and when we receive the money, hopefully when um we did have a conversation with our attorney, and I did email you, Dan, I did not email the whole board, but I did email Dan because I know he had been working on it. Um >> I just for across >> Oh, perfect. Okay, perfect. um we cannot set up what's called a debt repayment fund. Um it I list the exact wording in the RSA. You
008do have to raise and appropriate and um raise those funds every year for the debt repayment. So to take the money and put it in a fund to be able to pay down the loan, we just or the bond I should say. Gordon, our attorney said no. Okay. >> Got it. So the net effect is when the rebate comes through it will um initially look like a large bulging um unassigned fund balance because we have that income. >> Correct. Now >> but >> you've explained this to me before in a way that I cannot articulate that there's a way to >> sort of even it out without actually holding the funds. Correct. So, well, um, kind of. So, we have we did accept or sorry, we did adopt, I should say, the RSA that allows
009you to accept unanticipated revenue. So, originally, we were going to accept the unanticipated revenue and then use the money, what we were thought in the debt repayment, but [gasps] you can accept and expend the money. So, when the money comes in, the school board would have to accept it because it's over $20,000. You'd have to have a public hearing to accept the unanticipated revenue. You can then either appropriate it for another use, but it has to be a use like it could go to the special ed fund. It could go to the maintenance fund. It just can't go to a fund with the intention of paying down the bond. Okay? Um, so if you wanted to take the money and put it to a maintenance fund, um, or the special ed fund, which always seems
010to need it, then you could also do that. Or you could just let it lapse and go back in the tax rate. >> Or we could do a mix. >> Or you could or you could accept it and let's just say let's just say I know you just did paving recently, but let's just say the paving need to happen. You could accept it and use it towards the paving. This may be uh [clears throat] inappropriate. I'm sorry if we're getting off track, but it could it go to the technology fund and then we pay the bond out of the technology fund. >> No, you Well, no. >> As long as it's not being used, you can't use it expressly to pay the bond. >> Correct. >> You just have to we can accept it and
011put it elsewhere. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Yep. So you can put it to a trust fund but then it would have to be used in the spirit or the >> and that would have to be voted upon at the time the funds come in. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So when you hold the public hearing you're and that we adopted back in 2004 and warn article 4 the ability to accept and expend money. >> It essentially says when you have a large pot of money coming into you, the school board has the authority to accept it and determine where they want to put it >> or how they want to spend it. And you can either put it to a trust fund that's appropriate, not a trust fund to pay down the bond,
012>> or you could accept it into your budget and vote to expend it. And if there's certain capital things that need to happen around here, like if there's something on the roof or a paving or I don't know if there's any major projects that are waiting, you could accept it and expend it on anything like that. And you don't when you accept it, you don't have to say exactly what you're spending it on. could say that we're voting to accept and expend it and then if you happen to not expend it, it would just go back in the tax rate. >> Okay. >> But if you want to appropriate it to a a trust fund, you'd have to do so at that point in time. >> So, is there anything we should do right now
013or do we just have that in mind so that when this board >> I would have it in mind? I mean, I'm hopeful that I can get in touch with the IRS. I >> well I think that's the the secondary well the primary piece actually but I think for our purposes >> it's what does this board do to >> when we get it >> when we get the funds and how do we address that but that's really a question that we cannot address until the funds come in. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> So for >> the purposes of tonight we're not going to do anything >> to do anything tonight. >> Okay. Okay. So that takes care of the other the fifth potential warrant article. Um, and then I don't want to go too far
014a field on this issue because I want to respect the moderator's time, but we did discuss the potential for a sixth, what would have been a sixth warrant article or an alternative fifth warrant article related to open enrollment. So, Dr. Bennett and I spoke this morning with the open enrollment legislation moving quickly through conquered. Um, I asked could we make a a warrant article to um withhold our unreserved fund balance and not release that to the town because the the open enrollment if it passes will cause unknown expenses and we don't know how much it's going to cost. Um, so would we withhold funds to keep that? Uh, council for the district said we cannot do that. >> Right. So, um, at this point, I'm not sure that we have an option from a warrant
015article perspective, also based on timing to do anything as it relates to open enrollment legislation. >> And so, like the co-op, right, is putting a warrant through to become open enrollment and accept zero like is that an option to mimic that? >> So, I asked that late this afternoon as well. I'm not sure we have the time >> to do that. You can actually you do have the time because you're not having your town meeting till much later. [clears throat] >> Um so the board does have the option to do that warrant article and put it out there for taxpayers to vote on. >> So okay so um is that helpful >> if SB 101 gets fasttracked? Is that helpful to have the open enrollment? Yes. With the zero sending, zero receiving? So the advantage
016to having that the purpose when we decided to do that it was before Senate Bill 101 and House Bill 751, >> right? >> Um the response for Senate Bill 101 and House Bill 71. It was in response to all school a lot of school districts putting that warrant article on. That is in response to that is to move it up. in within Senate Bill 101 and House Bill 751 is language prohibiting districts from deciding whether or not they can be open enrollment. Um and it's mandating deciding um um it mandates that schools determine how you're going to accept students and filter them in. With that said, the underlying doctrine or purpose of the Warren article was the concept in New Hampshire of no means no and local control. So, not being a lawyer here, but
017sitting in enough meetings, um, we we as the voters, the legislative body in Brentwood has the right to determine where their local taxpayers money goes. >> Yeah. So, if you put a warrant article and the taxpayers decided we do not want to contribute any of our local funds to schools outside of the Brentwood School District, what would happen when or if House Bill 751 and Senate Bill 101 are passed? Senate bill's already been passed. It goes into litigation and legal discussion as to someone somewhere someone has to decide what what what is it? Is it local control? No means no. or does the legislature have the right to tell local school districts they must accept and expend funds to school districts outside of their voting bodies? So, it's it's we I we don't know. >>
018It could be helpful, but it might not couldn't really hurt. >> Like, it might be irrelevant, but it's not going to >> I thinkful. So, the way I articulated in the email earlier today is I think putting a a warrant article like that before the school district essentially puts a a local referendum out there on open enrollment because it's not something that local voters have considered, >> right? >> Um and so I think putting this out there for at least the if even if it gets overwritten or overruled by passage of SB 101 or H uh HB751, the Brentwood voters will have said we do not want to spend uh to send money that we pay into the school district to be sent to other school districts >> or incur expenses >> associated with educating
019people from other districts >> if there is some kind of [snorts] lawsuit eventually we would have an option of >> I think it probably puts us in a better position >> should we be a defendant in a lawsuit or a place in a lawsuit um So I think if it's still time we'd have probably take this back to the budcom although there's no budgetary effect but I think you'd still want to let them know. >> Yeah I um >> can inform >> because it really is there is a budgetary effect for next >> it's true. I mean, honestly, >> if we don't, [clears throat] then we have to >> be part of this. We could lose a lot. >> We're having a lot of extra. >> We've been talking about this development throughout the course
020of the last like six months in budget committee, too. And so, people are aware of it. And I think uh not to speak for the whole committee as it relates to this specifically, but I think folks would be appreciative that we're being as proactive as possible um just with the uncertainty that exists. >> [snorts] >> So, could we use the language of the co-op's warrant? >> So, I I would go ahead and I will make a motion to adopt warrant article number five and language identical to that used by the co-op >> for its open enrollment warrant article uh for presentation to the voters of Brentwood on March 2nd. >> Second, there any further discussion on this point? any further insights from the administration things that we need to consider. >> So just um in
021regards to post because we have to post the warrant articles before. So I just pulled up the timeline. So we have to post warrant articles 14 days before the date of meeting not counting the day of posting or the day of the meeting but you can include Saturdays and Sundays. So we have until um we have some time before we have to post. Um, I'm happy to add it, but once you post, you can't like take it down and repost. So, just want to be sure before we post it. >> I am looking up the language that the co-op. Um, I'm just [clears throat] looking it up for the group. >> Um, so I can um, so I can I'm in the portal, so I can just change it over to the co-op here. >>
022Okay. Uh so there's is warrant article number three and it's a nonmonetary warrant article [gasps] um just called open enrollment and says shall the exit cooperative regional school district vote to adopt an open enopt an open enrollment school program designating cooperative middle school and exit high school as open enrollment schools pursuant to to NH RSA 194D for the purpose of enabling ling the district to admit zero non-resident students to the cooperative middle school in exit high school with 0% of its resident pupils permitted to attend open enrollment schools located outside of the district majority vote required this recommendation or this is recommended by the exit cooperative regional school district >> so I think obviously change school district seway school so so forth um so we have a motion and a Second all those >> my
023only question is do we know if any of the other individual boards have already done something like this or might follow suit or might be thinking about it? >> Thinking about it? Yes. >> So our other districts that are Senate Bill 2. So the only two that are not Senate Bill 2 are Brentwood and Stratam. Everybody else had to have their warrant articles posted by January 26th. And so we did it that Friday before because of the snowstorm that happened on that day. So they cannot add warrant articles. And East Kingston has already had their deliberative session this past Saturday. Um tomorrow is Kensington and exit. Co-op is Wednesday and Newfields is Thursday. So they don't have the opportunity to. >> Can warrant articles be added at the time of the meeting? >> I don't
024think you can add them at the deliberative. I think you can only make changes to them because there are timelines. >> I think you can add them if there's no finan um lativard uh middle road speaking as a private citizen. [gasps and sighs] [snorts] If somebody at the school district meeting wanted to amend this to say that all the students could come and go, would that be a valid amendment to this proposed warrant article? Yeah, >> sure. >> You could that happens at >> No, I didn't know because I know that like some of them you can't change the wording of. So that would be >> you can change the number in this one but you can't change the legally mandated language that we have. So they could change the number from zero to >>
02530 50. >> The two numbers can be changed, not the language prescribed in the warrant article that's legally mandated. >> Okay. And I do remember the original wording we had for the co-op. It just said 00, but then our attorney said you have to actually part of the warrant. You have to become in an open enrollment school. Yeah. >> As part of the warrant. >> So if we approve this motion then um and then these two open enrollment bills don't pass then really nothing happens. There are no open enrollment elementary schools within our >> local area that we're aware of. >> The online open enrollment school is 7 through 12 only. >> Um so it probably wouldn't have any effect on us. Um at present that could all change >> next legislator legisle. Um, if
026one of those two open enrollment bills does pass and we have adopted this uh and the voters of Brent would adopt this warrant article, then it sets up a conflict between the state law and what the voters of Brent would have said about what they feel about open enrollment. >> Um, and it's my hope that they >> oppose open enrollment. The risk is that if the people at the meeting want open enrollment then we are an open enrollment school that allow our policy is to allow x% of students to >> if it's amended at the meeting. Yes. Um if it's voted down at the meeting at the district meeting people said we don't want to vote on this then and the bills don't pass again nothing happens. >> Mhm. If the bills do pass, then
027those bills will go through and there are probably other ways to address that issue on the edges. And we don't have um that same uh strength of argument in any conflict about open enrollment. Um so I think there's risk in pass there's risk in bringing it forward if it gets amended. I don't see it an inherent risk if it's passed as presented or even if it's rejected as presented to be honest. >> Um so I [clears throat] think it just points back to like what Dr. Andreki was doing trying to educate folks about the why behind doing this. So we would just have to be purposeful about educating folks in the meeting live itself. But just generally >> would it be possible in the meeting to present like if 10 students came to sees like
028a potential budgetary impact like like have kind of a model of >> the we we could but >> 10 students came and [clears throat] two >> do the 10 students have special education needs because I can't I can't [clears throat] I can't quantify what that is without looking at it. But if we take a like a you know just to have a like part of an education in the moment of like th this could potentially add $250,000 of expense to our budget. >> You know what I mean? Like to be >> I sent a Yeah. So if you say like two out of 10 students is on an IEP there >> and here's the average cost. >> I think the that language has requires at least one of those bills requires special ed funding to
029be provided by the sending district. >> Um So, I think that's the special ed piece is a little unclear. I think it's harder to spell out what would happen for incoming students. >> So, I sent a letter to a legislator today about this. >> 60 whatever percent their >> between 80 and 100% of their cost and then the receiving district can charge tuition the difference between their cost and what the Senate district spends in tuition to the parent. Um but there are other costs associated with the reporting aspects of this. You have to report your capacity every month. You have to report number of applications received and why denied every month. >> Um even if you accept let's say even if like six kids come in across four different grade levels, you're probably not adding
030a teacher, but you're adding maybe a parah, you're adding other things around the edges that do lead to increased costs. >> Invoicing. So there are yeah there are in tracking all of this and so forth. So I think there are increased costs to accepting students but they're harder to substantiate and they're not as big as students going out. So if the average cost to educate a student in New Hampshire is $25,000 and you have four kids that leave across four grade levels. Again, you're not going to change the number of teachers. You're not going to drop a bus route. You're not going to save money on utilities. You're not going to save money on equipment. but you're going to send send between, you know, 60 and $80,000 out the door. >> I also want to
031highlight one of the biggest concerns that we've heard from across the state of school leaders and administrators and other school board members is this lack of local control makes it almost impossible for local school boards to budget financially responsible for the following year. you there are so many unknowns that it's almost impossible for school boards to think about how do we pass a budget and recommend a budget when when we have so many unknowns. We have no idea how many students will go out. We have no idea who's going to come in. We're going to have no idea what impact that will be on staffing, on fisc cost, on related service cost. So that's that's just another piece for people to understand the removal of local control and how you could organize a budget that
032you could speak to articulately and confidently a year in advance. >> And the timing of these bills is particularly challenging or the timing of their proposed effective dates. >> One bill would go into effect July 1, 2026. One bill would go into effect upon passage. I don't remember which is which, but in either case, they would both go into effect and effect next September >> after we've already passed a budget >> that doesn't account for this. >> So, I think that's why I believe it's important to pass this motion and adopt this warrant article because we really have to react to what's happening in in conquered. >> Yeah, we have 20 students leave. Tuition is set at the state average. That's 450. 000. >> Yeah. So, we have again we have the motion and a
033second. Have a good amount of discussion. Any further discussion? All those in favor of the motion. >> I All right. Motion passes unanimously. So, um there will be five warrant articles, Mr. Moderator. [snorts] So, um >> um can I just ask what where do you want that located? So, the only the only um >> put it third. >> Yeah, you So, the only thing that the only requirement is the bond has to go first, but you don't have a bond. >> Um co-op did put it third. Do you want to put it third and bump down the others? Do you want to put it at the end? I guess what where in the order would you like it? I would put it third and bump down the others unless how >> what other people feel.
034I don't want to speak for everyone. Let everyone >> agreed. >> No, I think third is good because people leave. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> We can fund our trusts with the >> Okay. >> Money if it comes in. >> Sounds good. So, it'll be just like the co-op. >> Okay. >> All right. So, um, are we good on a warrant article discussion? >> Yeah. So, um, so I'll finalize that and I'll add the warrant article and then the Department of Revenue will finish their pre-review. Um, my friend Letty's going to let me know if there's any changes on Thursday. And if there's no changes, then I'll send over either on Friday or early next week for you to come by Sees to sign. Um there's always a question with the municipal budget committee who
035signs which documents. So I've taken the cautious side and have the both the school board and the budget committee sign that why there's no question. Um so you'll have both your warrants and the what's called the MS27 which is just your budget report. So when those are ready after the department of uh revenue reviews the articles, we'll send them over and for you to swing by sees to to sign those and we'll get those posted. Um, and like I said, the the posting deadline is 14 days, not including the day of the meeting or the day of the posting in advance of the meeting. So, we do have time. Okay. >> Those business days or just >> calendar days. It says that you can count Saturdays and Sundays, but you cannot count the date of
036posting or the date of the meeting. So, we just have to have it done 14 days in advance. Um, so I think that answers that. And then also included in your board pack was a current year financial. I don't know if anyone had any questions on that. We did note the changes from last month. Um, did anyone have any questions? Was the facilities and maintenance says it's a contracted service or supply? Is that a project that was done? >> We've had a few projects done, but I'm not quite sure specifically what the number is for. >> Okay. We've had um door locks installed. We've um purchased uh repaired two doors for the facilities area. So, could be that. >> Any other questions? >> No questions in the financial. >> Okay, great. That's all I had.
037>> Okay. Um All right. So, do we need >> anything else from Oh, yeah. Sorry. Um, do we need anything else from you tonight? >> I don't think so. But >> if if not for a few >> Okay. Um, all right. So, can we move up uh run of show for the district meeting? Yep. >> So, the moderator's here. So, um again, we'll print this out and hand you a copy, Mr. Cowi. Um but uh essentially the idea is um and we'll see how well this works and hopefully you have some input too Mr. Q. Um moderator Cowi calls the meeting to order. Then we have the pledge of allegiance hopefully led by uh Cub Scouts if they can make it. Uh there's a potential for a song by sees students >> or even Mr.
038Q. I don't know. >> Actually, >> do we want to do this? I just want to put it out there. If it's something you feel uh um is a good tradition to keep then I will ask some students to come and do that. >> Could we do the song in between Warren articles [laughter] three and four? [clears throat] >> My point >> just wondering >> break up [laughter] >> instead of in the beginning >> parents would say what time do they show up then? >> Yeah. Um, >> give him a range >> at 550. [laughter] >> 550 is perfect. >> The kids can wait in the wing while parents are here. We have um child care provided. So, >> exactly. >> We kids have to warm up. >> Change the format. We could have an
039intermission. [clears throat] >> Um, well, not really intermission because we don't want people to leave, right? Like, don't go to the lobby and get yourself a snack, but it could be, you know, stay here to watch your child or your neighbor's child sing. Um, so again, this I copied this run of show from last year, so it's open for discussion, but moderator CI calls the meeting to order. Pledge of allegiance, hopefully by scouts, song by Sway andor Ron, but I [snorts] mean, I like having the song, but I'm open to where we put it just because it's a a way to bring parents in. >> Let's do it. Let's do it. I'll ask I typically ask second graders to sing a patriotic song at the beginning. So, >> okay, >> I'll get on that this
040week. >> Um, then we go to the introduction of the school board and budget committee. Um, then um item number five. Should I mention that out loud, Dr. Bennett, or should we hold a surprise? >> Let's surprise them. >> Okay. Um, now everyone's, you know, in suspense. >> Come to the meeting. Uh, come to the meeting and find out everyone in TV land. >> Yeah, come to the meeting. >> Um, number six, we're back to moderator Cowie to go over the moderator's rules. Um, and then we'll have a motion to adopt a second and a vote on the rules. Would you prefer that that motion come from the boards at the front of the room or from the audience? >> I'll I'll take it however it arrives. >> Okay. Um, so we could coordinate and
041have one member of the school board make the motion to adopt the rules and a member of the um, budget committee second and then vote to adopt the rules. >> Mhm. >> All right. Is anyone here would like to make that motion? >> I will. >> All right. >> Okay. Um, then we've adopted the rules. the moderator uh you read the first warrant article which will be the budget. Um I will make the motion to adopt the first article the vice chair will second. Then one of our member number will uh speak to the article with slides. I've sent some draft very basic draft shell slides to Dr. Bennett. Um, Dan, I don't know if you want to do that, having done the presentation at the BUDCOM in past years. I know Letty did the
042budget presentation when she was on BUDCOM. >> Sure. >> So, if that's something you want to do >> and that is speaking to the first warrant article. >> Speaking to the first warrant article, which is the the budget. >> Sure. >> Because I think you're probably as fil with that as any of the the five of us. >> Sounds good. >> Um, you speak the article with slides. You can go over to Chair HAR who will provide comments from the budget committee. [snorts] Then the moderator opens for public comment. People make their public comment. >> Well, usually at that point I also ask for the budget committee's direct input. >> Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. I already hit that. Okay. So, we can go back to you. So, um Dan speaks to the motion and then
043I had said chair har provide comments from budget committee. But yeah, that would that's part of that. So it's part of the outline already. Um oh then it goes to public comment which you manage. Um then there should be a movement of the question hopefully from the audience but if no one's at the uh at the microphone someone on the the front of the room can do it. Um second vote on the article then a motion to restrict reconsideration. Um, I've identified Dr. Higgins to do it and Dr. Bonafiti a second. But again, you'll all have this printed out. Whoever's name is here, we can adjust. Doesn't matter. Just try to give everyone a speaking role. Even though Megan and Dr. Panafiti will have speaking roles for warrant article number two. Um, and then we
044vote on the motion to restrict reconsideration. And we've completed debate of warrant article one. Does that all sound good to you, Mr. Moderator? All right, everyone else on board with that? Um, then uh article number two, the BTA contract um moderates reads it again indicate I should this for first one supported by both the Brentwood school board and the budget committee because it is as is the first Warren article. Um I make a motion to adopt the article. Miss Fitzgerald seconds and then either Dr. Bonfeed or Miss Fitzgerald either one or together in tandem can speak to the article with some slides. Um I think we can use some of the slides that were used at the budget committee presentation or whatever you guys feel comfortable with. Um then >> those are appropriate. >> Okay.
045>> Mhm. Um then uh the moderator will ask chair HAR to speak from the budget committee's perspective. After he does so open for public comment uh movement of the question from the audience second vote on article motion to restrict reconsideration Dr. Bonafiti second by Mr. Heert. >> Thank you >> vote on that. And then third warrant article is the U open enrollment warrant article that we just voted on tonight. Um I make a motion to adopt. Vice Chair Fitzgerald seconds. I'd be comfortable to speak to that with slides unless someone else would rather do so. >> I think you articulated it really well. >> Okay. Um so I'll speak to that. Mr. moderator will ask chair har if he wants to speak to that article. Uh open for public comment, movement of questions, second to
046vote on article um and then basically repeat process for articles four and five which are the uh special ed um reserve fund and the technology reserve fund. Um, this I I don't need to run through the whole thing for those, do I? I think we've all got it down. And again, we'll have the outline that we sent to, >> right? I I think you're going to have to have your dancing shoes on when we get to this new innovation from the state of open enrollment. >> Yeah, >> I think we'll be prepared for that. Well, I'm >> confident Brian like you understand it really well >> so you'll be able to like >> explain it. >> We have other experts Dr. Menace very pass on this. I think we're um we'll be prepared for it.
047So, I think are we we're good through the warrant articles and then we'll end uh reminding people that the um they can vote on uh the election day. Um and there's another one I had in my outline. I've forgotten it already, but um >> what about the citizens petition for SB2? So, um I spoke to Daphne Was late this afternoon. Um she indicated to me that the citizens petition for SB2 is not moving forward. >> Okay. Um so I don't my understanding of law is this can't be brought up suisponte at the district meeting and in fact I think it would have to be done voted for as a ballot and if that were to be done the petition would have to be filed by >> tomorrow. um then we'd have to have a hearing
048on it, but according to the town clerk, that is most likely not moving forward. >> Okay. >> So, um Okay. So, I can't open my slides because I wasn't able to connect the things. But any we'll thank people reminding them of the upcoming election dates. Uh thanking them and they're ready to go. >> Thank you. >> Is there anything that I missed, Mr. Moderator? >> No, it sounds like you've got things pretty well stitched together. Um I think it's going to be a very busy period of time. >> All right. Um, anyone else have any further input? And again, I've created shell slides based on what we did last year. I think we need to insert the actual language from the warrant articles, which I don't have yet. um put in some of the the
049slides that we used for the um that we used for the uh presentation of the budget committee both for the budget and for the teachers contract. Um some of the things I already have in the slides are things that were in there last year. Some academic n data to show that sees students are thriving. Um, a little bit about comparing our per pupil spending to the state average and to other schools in the SAU. We are below state average. We are below the other schools in the SAU. Um, I think Dr. Bennett presented this board with some excellent materials earlier well earlier in the school year on um how this the local budget is affected by state expenditures that we are the the state that spends the least per capita um on students at the
050state level for education. Um but I think this all that material is there and we'll work on pulling that together. And I think the last question is do we want to just for ease of presentation because you will probably run the slideshow Mr. Q or put it together put the um coordinate with uh chair HR to insert the budcom slides >> where necessary. >> Does that sound like an appropriate plan of attack? >> Budget committee has slides that they provide for us. >> He had shared some draft things with >> tonight even >> with Dan. So yeah, I didn't see them tonight yet. Uh >> will it be in one presentation? We just combine them. >> I think it makes sense to put them all in one situ in to one rather than trans transfer
051between the two. >> We can do it. >> Yeah. So I have four slides here that are going to be shared with the town in at the public hearing on Thursday. And so I I think just after that I can flip them over to you, Ron, and then we combine them all. set. Thanks. >> Well, I want to probably have a conversation with with chair HAR first about what he presents because I don't want it to be duplicative of a represent. And typically what the budcom presents at the school district meeting is this will, you know, this represents a 3.4% increase over last year's budget. I'm making up numbers. >> Here's what this means for a half million house, a $700,000 house, an $800,000 house. and we might be able to put it like into
052the format of whatever the rest of the slides are. >> Yeah, he's okay with that, too. >> Yeah. So, I think >> once we get our slides together that they presented their slides at the the town hearing, see where they they differ. um and then um in insert what he thinks would be appropriate, which I hopefully like one slide per warrant article if any like for the trust fund warrant articles. There's really no need for a budcom slide, I wouldn't think, because it's there's no funds going back out to the town. There's no overall >> y >> um budget effect, although there is less money going back to taxpayers, so there is an indirect tax impact. Um, >> I would just like you were say like talking about us being a lower per than average
053cost per pupil. I would think that would make us more appealing as an open enrollment school just as like another point of because we would be cheaper like that difference would be cheaper for people sending kids here. So, it might just be an additional piece of >> I think that's >> information for the open enrollment warrant. I think that's a very good point. Okay. So, I'm sorry for going out of order, but I wanted to um address the people who are here who might, you know, get your stuff out of the way. Um, is there anything else we need to talk about preparing for the district meeting with either the moderator or for us in general? I think we have everything we need as far as what we can do tonight. >> All right. Uh
054Mr. Cow, have you do you have what you need? >> Well, yeah. So, what I needed to know was that we're going to be organized and look professional and we're going to have to be flexible because it's you don't know who's at bat and where are they going to hit the ball until it happens and then you run like hell. So, it's my job. It's kind of direct so that people don't run into one another or get upset or not an easy thing to do. But being in the car business for 30 odd years before I retired from that as a field rep for a manufacturer, I got to do a lot of that. >> Well, we appreciate you sharing your experience and getting us through these. >> Yeah. >> All right. If that's if
055that's it. Uh, I don't have to stick around. So, >> no, >> get everything I need. And thank you very much. >> Um, look forward to >> working with you again in exactly one month when you have >> Y is over. >> Yep. I was just about to to say so we um public comment has been open since 6:03. It is now 6:48. Is there any member of the public who would like to make a comment at this point before we close public comment? Seeing none, we'll close public comment at 6:48. All right. Um, so we're back up to section 5.4 memor memorandum of understanding for the co-op van usage. >> Yes. So, uh, over the last few years, the co-op has spent, um, fund balance as well as grants and whatnot, but in purchasing,
056um, 15 passenger vans and handicap accessible vans for the usage of traveling for sports and other teams. Um, and what the co-op has done is expanded that for usage for the other districts within SAU16. um an example of why the district might want to borrow a handicap the handicap ban from the co-op. Um recently another district had students going to Riverwoods to perform and instead of hiring specialized transportation which could be really expensive, they they rented the van from the co-op so that they could bring some students um who needed handicap accessible vans with them. So, some kids rode the bus and then some kids rode the 15 passenger co-op van for the field trip and it was way cheaper. So, what is on the agenda for today is for the um Brentwood School District
057to determine if you want to engage and be part of theou with the co-op and have access to those vans at a minimal cost um and honestly minimal usage. Um other districts are signing on to it. Um, so that's really what it's about is like is there a time that Ron could call up. I actually control all the vans and the transportation. So we would go on use a form and see if the van was available for the time and the van number. Um, [snorts] and then the district would use it. You'd have to pay for your fuel and any maintenance costs associated, which I think would be minimal. Um, and that's that's theou that's co-op if you guys want to be part of like a cost per mile or something then or is it
058just fill up the tank and if something breaks fix it? >> We It's not a cost per mile. You we we have a system for the gas being filled up. Um and you would just pay for whatever the the co-op was cost. So you would just reimburse the co-op for any cost. It's not any money making. It's just we filled up the tank, this is how much it cost the district to fill it up. Reimburse us. So it's it's there's no money making here. It's just reimbursing for any cost associated with the use of the van. >> And >> it's like a rental car but at a non-exorbinant rate. >> Yes. >> And there's no like minimum >> no usage per year or like the is insurance and all that. >> All of that insurance
059is covered about all the insurance is covered underneath that. Um what I think that's where theou came out of which is where they wanted anou with the district so that our insurance would cover that usage >> because the legal owner is the cooperative. >> Yeah. >> What type of license does someone need to drive that? Like who would be driving the van? >> Um you do not need a special license to drive the van. That was the purpose of the vans that we purchased was so that coaches. So what it is is really um a certified staff member with a valid driver's license. on record with the SAU and the building administrator. So, we have coaches drive it, teachers that are coaching drive it. Um, it has to be >> if we go to the
060rec center with the to do holiday carols instead of renting a bus, we could do four trips to the rec center, you know, like >> Yeah. It just has to be an employee. It can't be like a parent. >> Yeah. It has to be It has to be an SA16 employee, valid driver's license, background check, all that stuff. often has a purpose for driving the van. Um, and we do two adults. There's never one there's never just a driver and kids. There's always a second adult on the on the bus. >> I would make a motion to sign on to theou for the co-op van. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. Motion passes unanimously. >> Great. That's really nice. >> Yeah. Thanks for doing that. >> Okay. All right. Principal report.
061I'm just thinking of ways that I get to use the van. So, I better come up [cough] [laughter] so we can start using the van. Um, I'd like to start by thanking the sea staff [cough and laughter] for really um doing a fantastic job in our attic. I don't know if our board knows, but there is an attic right here. And uh through the years, we store uh materials that we don't need until the spring or fall or vice versa. And uh after a while of moving furniture and things up, it can get a little messy and we had to differentiate between what we're keeping and what we're donating. So, they did a fantastic job and our facilities crew helped remove things that were that were leaving the attic and it looks amazing. [snorts] Uh,
062so I'm sure the Bruntwood Fire Department's really excited, too, after they saw it after inspection. So, [laughter] I can't wait for them to come back and check it out. He's got that good feeling. So, >> I thought that's where the pool was. >> Yes. Right. The sea pool that's in the basement, actually. I don't know if you've seen it. Uh there is no pool. Just on record. >> Uh no. Um we're in the middle of uh New Hampshire State testing preparations, which means training all of our staff, grades three through five, teachers, our pair of professionals [snorts] on how to proctor that test. All of them are getting test certified. Um we're reviewing manuals and how accommodations work just to be in compliance as we always are with [laughter] um the requirements of our state
063test. Um I can't say it enough. Uh our per pupil expenses are the lowest and our state testing scores are the highest in the SAU. So uh and that's thanks to all the individuals that work here. They do a fantastic job. Um, we realize it um it it's it's expensive to pay taxes in any town, but what you're getting from the school system is really so valuable. Um, our schools just completed winter benchmarks. I don't have reports for you this month, but March or into April, I know March is busy with our budget, but we'll provide that [laughter] midyear check-in. Um, our report cards went home last Friday and our parent conferences are coming up the next this Thursday and the Thursday after our early release days. So, we can have parents come in. It's
064a very traditional uh parent and teacher conference. So, lots of great conversations happening then. >> So, a quick question on that. These are not the studentled conferences. These are the traditional. >> They are not those this is the more traditional. So, >> um, so we're excited to be doing that. I know coming in the spring, I know the SAU academic calendar was just approved for 2627. So, uh, um, Katie Gallo, our assistant principal, and myself and Dr. Bennett will be working on the sea version of that academic calendar uh, for professional days and uh, beginning and start. We're not really tweaking too much of that calendar, but we do add two additional early release days for the conference which is actually coming up. That's really the main difference. >> I feel like in the like
065before this year, we had no early it was like one full day of conferences instead of two half days. >> We [clears throat] did a full day in the fall and we'll continue to do that. Um can't remember. I think we did early release days last year. I'm not sure [clears throat] about the year before that. >> Yeah. Um so that's that's also coming in April. I'm not sure when we usually present the local calendar, but um >> I know there were some changes in language for um professional days in the new CBA. So we'll be kind of working on what that looks like for the start of the year. And that's everything for me. sitting through seven hours of interviews [laughter] uh Thursday last week, which your team was amazing by the way. They
066>> Oh, thanks. >> their energy level even at four o'clock in the afternoon. >> That's great. It just got my mind [clears throat] going around transition stuff um like all that you have in your brain and about this place and how to facilitate like effective knowledge transfer as my private equity friends would call it I guess sorry they uh so like just [clears throat] as it relates to documentation um or even the potential for getting creative to have some sort of time overlap um I don't know if that's even possible Absolutely. Because the last day of school with students is probably right now the 11th >> of June and I'll [clears throat] be working through the end of June and would be very open to those in-person conversations. Also, since July, I've been documenting my
067rituals and routines and a document. And uh July, August get really busy and I talk about um the the budgeting routines that we have with Molly, the great resources with our assistant principal, uh meeting with uh Dr. Bennett and SAU16 and just the things that we do, what our shindigs have looked like. And again, whoever uh whoever comes in as the new building principal will have their own thoughts about um timelines and rituals and routines. Um my hope is that there's a lot of learning, a lot of things that stay adopted in those routines that we have. So, um um I'm pretty much doing what Joan Estraki did for me when she left in 2012, which is, you know, even though she's not there with me, I can I could always go back and go
068September, what is what is happening as far as what we're planning? And um one thing Katie and I always talk about is if she and I, you know, were just transported out of here magically, we know that the systems that are in place would continue. [clears throat] Our PLC's would [cough] continue. Those the the data conversations, our assessment practices, those would continue without two individuals. So we have a lot of trust in what the teachers have already created for themselves. So, um, but it's a good question. >> So, your last day would be June 30th and the first day of hypothetical new principal would be >> July 1st. So, what I was going to what I was going to say, most administrators contracts run um from June 30th to July 1st. Um, our finalists are
069current administrators in other districts, so their contracts probably end June 30th. So, it would be a matter of them taking personal days to come in and spend time with Ron. And like Ron said, one of his goals this year was to really create the storytelling of Brentwood within traditions and expectations and by monthly themes and it's been really successful. So, I don't know any other principal that's done that and is so methodical about their things. So, the person coming in also is going to have like we're all going to have that resource. Not saying that everything has to be done identical, but it is so nice to have sort of the untold stories as well as the traditions and and the things that occur here every month. But we we will try to do overlap,
070but it really just that's how the contracts run. >> Yeah. You would think that person would want to personal day. >> Most people do for success. most I've never had administrators not want to come down and spend time um and just use their days to do it cuz why would they not? >> And again, you're right because the overlap with whoever is coming in I just remember when I started [clears throat] I know I got in here in June prior to >> Joan leaving. And that ma master document sounds amazing not only for like the new principal coming in but just for continuity for yeah this community in general for the board for everyone. [clears throat] >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. I I just want to mention we love to use the folders.
071In your folder this month is an article I wrote about Ron for a national organization and it's just a little snapshot of who he is as a leader in a and a principal. And so I wanted to share that with you all. [clears throat] So you could just read about our principal Ron and his type of leadership. So that's just for your takeaway. Very cool. >> Very nice. >> Check out our blog. Subscribe. >> It's good stuff. [laughter] >> Did I say it right? >> Yep. You did a good job. >> Okay. >> I was not put it in there. It's just It's about Ron. I thought it was a great summary of who he was as a leader. >> Thank you. [clears throat] >> Um, >> anything else from the person principal report? >>
072No. Thank you. >> Um then we can head right along into report from the chair. And Mrs. Gerald, anything on the safety and security task force? >> We did meet and I brought the wrong set of notes because I ran out of note pages in my notepad. >> Little [laughter] pieces of paper all over and I brought the wrong one. But it was a great meeting. Um my biggest takeaway is that um Rich Kaine is retiring which he's just like so really incredible resource to have at the district level. So that was [cough] >> um I think >> yeah most of the stuff we talked about in safety and security you can't talk about in public as you know. Um but one of the updates is our chief um operator for safety and security is
073retiring to go back to policing. Um and we did have first round interviews to replace him on Friday. Um some really strong candidates come out come out of that. So they'll go to the second round and so we're feeling really confident about replacing him. Like really fantastic applicants for that position. We're really really lucky. So, um, and Rich is working per DM. So, in the spirit of Dan's question with Ron, there will be some overlap where Rich will come back per DM. We pay him an hourly rate and he'll help with the transition. Y [snorts] >> because he gave a relatively short time frame for the retirement notice. >> Yes. [clears throat] >> Yeah. And I think as a school, like something that might be helpful is just invite. >> We have a new police
074chief in Brentwood who I don't know if he's been here, but just invite him. >> I've met him and uh Dr. Ben and I have reached out to um >> have him and the new fire chief over the fire chief was there and I got a chance to speak to to him during the safety and security. I really appreciate. We used to have no representation from police or fire at the meetings and they've really made a big effort. We had two police officers and um >> Yep. >> fire there as well. So, it was really great. >> It's awesome. Um All right. [snorts] You arrived just in time for superintendent evaluation committee. >> I don't really have [clears throat] any update. I mean, we met two weeks ago [laughter] um [clears throat] and handed over
075my duties. So, uh, Tim Reid is the new chair of superintendent evaluation and, uh, we're it's just going to go on like the same exact plan as last year. >> Excellent. >> And did Anna win? >> Um, she she did win. >> Oh, good. >> Yeah. >> Excellent. All [clears throat] right. Um, I'll put policy committee last because actually, you know, uh, yeah. um budget committee um [laughter] budget hearing is Thursday. Um we got a message like just literally like 10 minutes before this meeting started with what the school related slides will be for that. So we'll take a look. >> Okay. make sure all checks out and then um I will share the up [clears throat] uh from our earlier conversation tonight with the budget committee around um [clears throat] sort of the swapping
076out of warrant article number five eliminating the solar and adding in the open enrollment language that mirrors the co-op language um there's nothing else that I can think of specifically >> [clears throat] >> for budcom. >> All right, this is a really good uh good opportunity to bring Allison up to date. So, uh we had talked about creating a warrant article for accepting and holding the um solar panel rebate and then applying that slowly over time to pay down the bond. That's prohibited by state law. We cannot do that. So, there will not be a warn article for that. And then we talk >> So, if we get it, it just gets paid off. >> Well, it doesn't get we can't pay it off. We have to pay according to the bond schedule. So, but
077if we get it or hopefully one we get it, um I had a struggle with the IRS last week, but um so we're still trying. Uh we can accept it and then we can either have it go towards a fund like a special ed fund or a maintenance fund or it could be surplus and go back in the tax rate. >> It's just um a debt repayment fund is not allowed. >> So there's that. And then uh the other instead of having that for warrant article, we are going we voted to [clears throat] uh present a warrant article that would um mirror the warrant article being put forward by the co-op as far as being an open enrollment school. Uh the open enrollment stuff is moving very fast and conquered. Um but we feel like
078this is probably the most protective thing we can do in terms [clears throat] of the the Brentwood budget and Brentwood tax. got the solar money and that went back, would it end up in that fund? >> The which fund? >> Like if we if we ended up with a huge unreserved balance because we got the solar credit, >> could it end up in the open enrollment fund? >> It's not a fund. >> It's just saying the warrant is just saying >> I'm just saying could it get rolled over into the >> right like if we get that >> it would credit we end up with a lot of potentially extra. So we would have a hearing as a governing body to accept the funds and then we could vote on how to allocate it and
079what we don't allocate would become part of the unreserved fund balance and would go back to >> the tax rate >> tax rate taxpayers the next year. >> But if you put the warrant article in the unreserved fund balance is going to go >> Oh and I were talking earlier today. Uh my initial idea of putting forth a warrant article that would um proh prevent us from returning the unreserved fund balance to hold those funds for open enrollment costs also cannot do prohibited by state law. So >> this warrant is literally it's the co-ops like becom open enrollment school that accepts 0% and puts out 0% of students. It's not a budget. Okay. >> And it would be third in order. >> Okay. >> Yep. Um, and then we also ran through with with Doug
080Gow the same checklist we did last year. So we'll we'll circulate that after this meeting. >> Um, >> so I have no role. I had no role last year. >> Is that moral [clears throat] of >> No, no. Uh, you are your name appears in it. You you have a role. >> Everyone has a role. >> Everybody has a role. >> Yeah. >> Going back to Allison's line of questioning, could we create an open enrollment cost fund and have it just be empty? So we technically there's a line on the MS27 that has a dollar in it. >> So after the last meeting Dr. Andriski asked to change there's going to be a line but it's going to have zero dollars >> zero dollars in it. So because it has to be on the MS
081there has to be a line for the MS-27. We cannot create a separate warrant article with funding for it >> budget line item >> because it has to be a budget line item. It can't be a separate warrant article. They passed that law last year in the House Bill one, which is that all district must create a budget line item for open enrollment. >> Got it. >> So, we've been trying a lot of things in the past eight hours. Yeah, >> I think we've been >> Yeah. [snorts] [clears throat] >> Um All right. um strategic planning committee I think >> we had our presentation to you all which I'm sure you were very excited about and that's where we are. >> Yeah. So >> that was good and and then solar panel update. Stick with
082you for a minute. >> Solar panel update is that [clears throat] January has been an amazing month of [snorts] of solar production because it's been nice and cold and sunny much more than was anticipated. However, what that means in regards to what we're using >> is still an unknown. >> So, we still were able to I mean, there were 18 in 24 inches of snow on the roof. >> Did that affect >> um I you know, it's interesting. It would be interesting to go up there and see how much because the solar panels are fairly flat up there, but they do um produce a lot of >> um heat. >> Heat. Yeah. >> And so, [clears throat] they melt. I asked our assistant uh facilities director, "Are they covered?" He goes, "No, they're not." >>
083And most of the snow, I could see it falling from my roof today from my solar panels, >> but it's at a steeper pitch. >> Um, so yeah. So, but have you heard anything about you haven't had any updates? >> We haven't we have had no updates. >> I >> Okay. So just a related point the sort of shell slides for the um district meeting there is a slide for solar panel update. I don't know if we want to include that or not if we don't have good data to report >> we could include the cost savings in terms of your monthly bills. I think that's worth reporting. Just want to keep >> even just production. Even if you can't [clears throat] >> I think the current blank is just the solar panels have been
084up for eight months. They've produced blank kilowatts of energy if that's the right measurement and have saved X dollars in utility bills. >> Yeah. >> So if we have that >> exact X dollars in utility bills, but >> I can do that. I can get you the how much money. >> It's just what we didn't >> comparing it to last year's actuals. I can compare month by month the actuals to right now and I kilowatts usage. I'm not I don't have the dashboard. Okay. >> Okay. >> So, it seems like we have the data to make that really basic >> report. So, that's good. >> Mhm. [clears throat] >> All right. Um policy committee update. So, Dr. Bryant has summaries of the policies we reviewed last month on pages Oh, I want to say like
08517 to 19. Oh, yeah. uh 16 to 17. Um they are all revisions of current policies. Um they are all dictated by changes in New Hampshire administrative rules. They involve such things as the chemical safety and chemical hygiene policy which is actually required by state rules. So it's not something that's terribly uh exciting. Um the one thing that uh was changed was um GBEBB which is um affects employee student relations. >> Did you practice that? >> No. [laughter] >> Uh here. >> Uh so I don't know if the uh the BTA had any comments on on that particular policy or any of the other policies that were reviewed. >> They did send their comments and questions. Um there are comments around EBB accident reporting. >> Um they asked if it covered the parent friends group
086PFG events that are offsite and it does not cover any of them offsite and that the um parent friend group is not covered under the board policy because they're not part of the the school board. This a whole separate entity. So no it does not cover them. It's not related to them. And secondly, they asked about the chemical hygiene and safety plan as required in the policy EBHCH. Um, and if so, where is it? Where can you access it? And that is with our director of facilities and his admin assistant that has all of those protocols. I don't think they're stored at the building level because that's who we would call in and they maintain it and they coach up the facility. So, their question is, can staff access it? If you ask we can
087have the director of facilities provide staff it but that is where it's kept over at facilities with um Brian Sans as it was before. So those were the two questions and those were the two answers >> and there were very few uh there was very little discussion of these policies the policy committee they were not controversial or in any way. Um and then the the policy being withdrawn it's not one that we had. Um, so it's really just a motion to accept the one, two, three, four, five policies revisions as presented. >> Yeah. >> I just had I I just find this one and I don't want to like harp on it because I'm sure it's [clears throat] just legally, but the the student employee student relations one >> like they're calling staff members basically
088every everyone in in the like all staff, right? of the school. Um, and then it goes down and says, um, staff members shall not, uh, [clears throat] this is in prohibited interactions number nine. Um, staff members shall not attempt to assess, diagnose, or treat students personal problems relating to sexual behavior, substance use, mental or physical health, or family relationships, but instead refer to the student the appropriate school employee. But isn't that school employee a staff member? So that it's just like >> circular. >> It's super circular. >> I see that. >> So I'm like, you know, or agency for assistance. So, you know, if if it's if it's like a counselor, like it's reasonable to talk to a kid about their family problems, right? >> Um the only I'm wondering if they were trying to
089speak about our licensed school social workers have a different parameter around confidentiality and what they can speak to staff about. So, I don't know if that's what they were getting at and they just didn't clarify the school personnel. >> Yeah. I mean, >> it's a great question. >> That was my only thing. It's like it it's it kind of is like are they not did are they not covered in this kind of thing. That was that was the only thing I had and I don't really care that much about it. other than what I don't want to happen is that some parent to be like this social worker talked to my kid about what was going on at home and it clearly says they're not allowed to in your handbook. Mhm. >> So, I think
090I think we can pull this one out and revisit it >> and then take a look at it at the next meeting because I I think that's a big risk and I wouldn't want to pass this just because it's easier >> and >> right >> can I just ask another question about this policy is it's our staff members. [clears throat] >> We also have the why here before and after school. >> Does do our policies apply to them? Like this is a safety policy. >> No. Can we say you're going to follow our policy when you're in the building? >> The school board cannot create policies for non members of the district. >> Even if they're like renting our facility, >> for the facilities use form, there's parameters in which they have to agree to
091abide by if using our facilities. what you're talking about to sounds more like anou between an outside agency that we would want but we >> yeah we don't we don't get in the habit of >> like we can't enforce it but it as we if we have people like basketball playing in the gym and it's a coach and the kid in the gym because the rest of the team didn't get there yet that's on like in our facility if something were to happen even though it's an outside program. It's at sea, >> but we're renting the space. We do not sign on to oversee or supervise people renting the space. The wreck rents the space. We do not supervise who the wreck uses for coaches. Like we do not >> and no schools do. It
092really we we can decide the board can allow the administration to decide who they will allow to use the space. And we have pro we have people at the co-op and high school that organizations that have been prohibited from using the space because they have abused >> their time in the space. But we we can't we can't set policy for outside agencies like the Y or the Wreck or anyone. It's just >> that's a that's a conversation those agencies have with parents. >> Yeah, we wouldn't want that. No, but we could have it as part of theou is like you can't be one-on-one with a >> like there could be parameters like expectations. I get it's not in this policy, but it just made me think about like the people that use the facility having
093a similar >> I mean my guess is the Y has this >> I can't imagine why doesn't have [clears throat] the same type of policy. I don't know about Brentwood rack. I mean certainly with like exit soccer. >> You've all gone through the safe sport training for >> all that training. Yeah. >> Or e the >> Yeah. >> FC exit Brentwood wreck never put us through those rings. >> No. >> But um [clears throat] that's the policy of the Brentwood Rec department. >> Okay. So, we'll pull out uh GBB and vote on the other four policies if that makes sense. So, is there a motion to accept policies EBB, EBB, EBCA, and EBCH as amended? >> I'll make that a motion. >> All right. Is a second? >> I'm just not repeating. >> I'll second.
094>> Y >> All right. All those in favor of adopting those four policies or that motion passes. Um, okay. Uh, so we're down to the last couple items on the agenda tonight. Um, specifically the board member queries, correspondent and community engagement. I think there might be an overlap here. Does anybody had any um, correspondence or anything of note? >> The ones that I sent you guys. >> Okay. And so there is the matter of the the Brentwood newsletter editorial that was published. [clears throat] Uh we can go into non-public if necessary. I think Dr. Bett and I did talk earlier about preparing to respond to questions if there were any tonight. There were no questions. >> Nope. >> But we do have people walking at watching at home. So I think it might be appropriate
095just to mention the the couple things that we went over for the benefit of people. So um the Brentwood newsletter did send an initial draft of that article to the administration. So credit to the Brentwood newsletter for that. Um, the administration did respond to the Brentwood newsletter even with saying that what was presented in that editorial is not consistent with the result, the investigation conducted by the SAU administration as far as what actually happened. Um, that the school process is and always has been um to reach out to families. that was um that's expressed in the policy JBA um as published. It was actually in the minutes of the November 7th, 2016 school board meeting when that policy was adopted um where the representative from the SEO at that time, Mr. Furbish or Dr. Furbish,
096I don't know which, >> uh expressed that we review each of these on a case-by case basis and address these as necessary. Um so the administration is confident that this particular in uh instance was handled appropriately with full um um cooperation of the the parents involved um and no concerns about that. Now as far as the policy JBAB that's out there um a lot has happened since it was initially passed in 2016. And there was the 2024 New Hampshire Supreme Court case upholding a relatively similar policy in the Manchester school district. But then there's the 2025 passage of the parental bill of Bill of Rights which is subject to litigation. So while the parental bill of rights law is subject to litigation, the thinking is not to revisit that policy um right now while litigation
097is ongoing. So, just wanted to address that to forestall any comments or questions we may get about that article. Was there anything I missed or you'd like to add? >> Um, so that brings us to our community engagement events article. Are there any other engagement events for us or >> Well, I mean, I submitted the article for February and they said no. So, >> that article could be >> they said no because >> because if February was >> February >> only for elections, >> just for election. Um, so I could remove the part saying please come and vote um and submit it for [clears throat] um I mean maybe we should maybe I could edit it and link this to it because that's kind of I mean it's >> I think that's great >> of
098that article. >> Yeah, that he was mentioned in it. So yeah, >> so I can make that edit. >> That could be my final act because I've been on the board so long that Bill Furbish was the superintendent rep when I was here. [laughter] Um, >> and Anna was in Mrs. Ror's class in first grade when I joined the board, so it's been a long time. >> Um, yeah, you weren't there at that November 7th, 2016 meeting, though. No, >> that you were not in those. >> I was not. I joined 2017. >> You over overlapped with people who were. Um, >> all right. That sounds like a a good idea. And I did uh once I got the update from you that the B&L uh didn't want your article, I just put something together
099for uh uh for voting purposes based on the presentation we made to the budget committee. So the BNL should have something for February. >> Okay. Um, and we got a lot of follow-up questions actually from the chair of the budget committee about it because he's also on the BNL staff and he has a lot of math questions >> about your article >> about my article about the way I presented and then Dan and Molly >> had to fix it. >> Had yeah to answer it. Um, that wasn't >> moral of the story is you're the you're the grammar guy, not the >> Oh, I'm not the numbers guy. And my numbers weren't wrong. They just weren't detailed enough, >> I think, is the issue. >> Um, >> all right. Um, do we have any other
100need for a non-public session? >> I do not. >> Um, do we have any other old business to circle back to? Any other new business to address that we haven't yet discussed? >> Can I just a question for new business is I feel like around this time is when we maybe in later in the spring we talk about the capital improvement plan. Is there a way to put like a [snorts] just refresh on the front of the building? Not the whole front, but like the ephus columns and the paint. >> This has been a whole improvement plan because I feel like it looks a little and I'm I mean it could >> Yeah, we want to keep it. I It really doesn't serve a purpose is what I keep being told, but we want to
101keep it. It's an iconic >> Yeah. >> you know, welcome to our building. So I think it's something we need to just um agree that we want to make it a priority then we make it a priority >> priced out and then it's like we know >> well I think we've had this pricing right that on did we have this conversation? >> Yep. >> Y >> um other items besides that are also um doing the sidewalks which we never did for the repaving and then there has to be a second coat. So, when we talked a little bit about rebate funds where you could put some aside for a capital >> Mhm. >> improvement, >> it would be good to prioritize that list again. >> Look at that for the next >> Why don't we
102do that for the next one? Yeah. >> Right. April. >> April. Right. >> So, um Dr. Bennett and I and Brian, we'll work together. >> Thank you. All right. Um, and there's one other item I forgot to mention to mentioned earlier. I spoke to Daffany Was earlier. She asked, "Do we have any town articles for voting for actual voting on election day?" My answer was I was 99% certain the answer was no, but I said I'd raise it tonight. And yeah, again, her question was about SB2, which she had said is not going forward. So, we don't have anything like zoning wise or anything else that we would need to bring forward. Just wanted to confirm. >> Yep. No, we we didn't get anything. >> Okay. All right. Um, please come to our district meeting
103on March 2nd at 6 p.m. in the gym in the front of the building. Um, hope to see you all then. If there's nothing else, is there a motion to adjurnn? >> I'll second because it's our last >> our last our last meeting. Last name on there. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Motion passes. Thank you.