001Hello, I'm Brandon French, principal of East Kingston Elementary School. Thank you for taking a moment to learn about our proposed school budget. In this short video, we'll share what's happening in our school, some important things that are driving the school budget, and what the next steps are for voting on the budget. To begin, we wanted to share some voices from our school community to show what makes EKEs such a special place for our students and families. >> Hi, my name is Addie and I'm in fifth grade heading to CMS next year. so excited. I h I am so lucky that I have what the school has to offer this year. The play is um Susicle the Musical Kids. It is so fun to watch or be in. Secondly, we have jobs at our school. The
002some of the jobs are recycling crew, King Fisher Chronicles, fifth grade rock band, theme committee, and lastly, most importantly, the teachers. They're so nice and kind. They help us learn everything we need to know and they help us do everything we need. Hi, my name is Silus. I'm in second grade. And um some things I like about EKES is there's a lot of night nice teachers and you learn a bunch of important things that you need to know. And I like coming to this school every day. Hi, my name is Heather Allen and I'm the president of the PTO here at East Kingston Elementary School. What makes the school so special is that it teaches children how to be good humans, not just good students. From a very young age, they are shown what it
003means to care about their community through food drives, supporting local businesses, and building relationships with the seniors in the community. Giving back isn't an extra here. It's part of who they are. It's also a place where everyone truly knows one another. And the kids grow up feeling seen, supported, and safe. No child is ever just a number, which means when someone needs extra help or a little bit more of a challenge, it's noticed very quickly. The teachers and staff treat the students like family. Many families are connected to the school in multiple ways, which creates a rare sense of trust and belonging. Older and younger students learn together, support one another, and build confidence through programs like reading buddies and shared activities. Beyond academics, students learn real life skills, how to communicate, take responsibility, navigate
004emotions, resolve conflict, and even apply for jobs. They're taught to understand themselves, care for others, and contribute meaningfully to the world around them. The school doesn't just educate children. It raises thoughtful, capable, and compassionate people and supports the entire community along the way. >> At EKEs, we are very proud of our students academic growth over the last 5 years. These scores reflect the hard work of our teachers and staff in all grades K through 5. Our state assessment scores are routinely well above the state average. During the 2425 school year, 69% of our EKES students scored proficient in or higher in math, 21% above the state average, 59% of EKES students scored proficient or higher in science, 21% above the state average, and 70% of EKES students scored proficient or higher in English language arts,
00517% above the state average. We want to highlight some of the work happening each and every day at the East Kingston Elementary School to meet the needs of all students. We provide a consistent highquality experience in reading and math for all students across the school. This ensures that every child is exposed to essential skills and a common instructional language from grade to grade. It also strengthens collaboration among our teachers who are able to work together and grow through district supported professional development. New to EKES this year is a highly structured win time or what I need that is a dedicated block in the school schedule designed for personalized learning. During this time, students are grouped to receive support tailored to their specific needs. From extra help on skills to extended learning opportunities, helping every student
006succeed together. These efforts reflect the meaningful student centered work happening every day in our school. work that deserves our community's continued support. We have a very supportive and active parent teacher organization. Our PTO organizes fun and exciting annual events for our students, staff, and caregivers, including our fall festival, sweetheart dance, and bowling. There are also a number of afterchool enrichment activities that are offered to our students. These activities are designed to support community activities and keep our kids active and engaged with each other and our school. During the budget drafting process, school leaders from the East Kingston School District worked hard to present the school board with a fiscally responsible budget for the 2026 2027 school year. Please note in our chart that the majority of increases reflect fixed, non-negotiable costs, including health and dental
007insurance, transportation, and maintaining highquality staff. In New Hampshire, public schools are funded through a mix of state aid and local property taxes. But state adequacy funding does not cover the real cost of educating students. The Supreme Court recently confirmed it's too low. Around $7,356 per student would be a more realistic minimum, but the legislature has enacted. Right now, the base grant is in the low 4,000s with extra funds for special education and other needs. Because state funding falls short, local property taxes cover most of the difference, including about 83% of special education costs, which are legally required and tailored to each student. In closing, thank you for taking the time to watch and for hearing the voices that make East Kingston Elementary School such a special place. We hope this gives you a glimpse of
008the great work happening in our school and the importance of your support as we move forward with the budget process. Please keep these important dates in mind. Public hearing on the budget, Monday, January 12th at 5:00 p.m. in the EKES multi-purpose room. Deliberative session, Saturday, January 31st at 8:00 a.m. in the East Kingston multi-purpose room. And voting day in East Kingston, Tuesday, March 10th in the East Kingston Elementary School multi-purpose room.