Stratham School Board Meeting 01/28/26

001a close meeting to order at 6:03. Um, we have a fun night ahead of us. So, um, glad you guys all came here. Um, so we're gonna Let's just start with the pledge and then we'll uh start. >> She can have fun. 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. Wonderful. So, tonight um we're going to actually hold two board meetings. Um so the first meeting will be the public meeting for um public comment on the budget and the second meeting will be um our regular business in which we'll ask um the fact to give us a recommendation on the budget and then the board will also vote on

002the budget. So that's a little preview of what's going to happen today. So right now um as part of the public meeting um administration created a video uh and then we're going to talk about what else is going to uh likely appear on the warrants. So we'll start with the video. Hello everyone. I'm Kate Lucas, the principal of Strata Memorial School. Thank you for joining us today. Today you're going to be watching our video, our budget video about our proposed budget for FY27. In our video, we hope to explain our budgeting process, our warrant articles, and a little bit about how amazing SMS is. And I cannot think of a better way to do that than inviting these three amazing, intelligent, charismatic individuals to join me. >> Thank you, Miss Lucas. We are Emma, Binn,

003and Millie. We are the producers, >> hosts, creators of this podcast, SMS. Miss Lucas invited us to join her with this video. And here we are doing what we do every week and showing you a glance at how awesome SMS is. You'll hear from us, our classmates, a couple of our teachers, and one of our fabulous parents. We hope you enjoy our budget video. Miss Dalzar, you're a math specialist. What makes you most proud of the work being done at SMS? >> I am so proud of the collaborative culture here at SMS and the high expectations that we have around student learning. We were able to show off all our hard work when we took the math statewide assessment or the SAS last spring. We were 55% proficient in 2024 and we went to 75%

004proficient in 2025. That is great. Thank you. >> Thank you. I'm here with Big Buddy Ben Lasher and little buddy Fred Schmidt. So guys, what is your favorite part about Big Buddy and Little Buddy? I like spending time with Ben and all the fun crafts. That's so fun. >> Fred is nice and I like doing activities with him. So ya, we know fourth grade just launched educational passages boat building project. What are you most excited about? Well, I am most excited about um about like fourth grade like building the boat. But I'm most excited about um art because you know I'm creative. >> Yes. love it. >> And I'm so excited about like bu like making the flag and about just like decorating the boat in general. Miss MyS, you've had two children attend SMS.

005tell us why you love SMS. >> Thank you. Um, so we moved here just in time a week before my son started kindergarten and we specifically chose this area because of the good things we heard about the school. In my experience, those things are true. >> At the school, they really see the individual. They focus on building friendships and building a good citizens, but also learning. My son is now at the middle school and everything that he's learned at SMS has transferred there. Um, been very pleased with how his education is going and where it continues to go from there. My daughter is still in third grade. We have a few more years where we get to be here and enjoy the atmosphere is created. At SMS, we are deeply committed to providing an elementary

006school experience that sees and celebrates the whole child, their talents, complexities, passions, challenges, and gifts. We've created a culture of curiosity where students and staff explore profound questions seeking to better understand the world around them. Each day, students engage in complex learning that requires critical thinking, collaboration, and creative solutions. The staff and families work in partnership to ensure each child has a voice in their learning, is confident, demonstrates care, and empathy for their community, and shows strong academic growth. We aspire to inspire one another. Every August, the SMS administration in collaboration with senior leadership and the school board begins the process of developing a fiscally responsible budget that reflects our priorities, ensures an excellent education, and aligns with our values. As you can see, the driving factors in our proposed budget can be broken down

007into two distinct categories. Those that we can influence and those that we cannot. For example, the incre increase in health coverage, insurance, and retirement contributions is a significant driver in the proposed budget and is not something that we can control. Similarly, the increase in special education costs is an obstacle not unique to SMS, but an issue faced by many schools nationwide. Conversely, we are asking the town to support the purchasing of new and replacement furniture. This has been a topic of discussion over the last three budget seasons as maintaining a furniture replacement plan prevents bubble years when extensive purchases must be made. Additionally, with the building renovation, there is an increase to the size of the cafeteria, which requires the purchasing of additional tables. The final driver of note is the building renovation bond, which

008was approved by the voters last March. In FY27, this will be our first year that the Stratum residents pay both the principal and the interest as reflected on the slide. In New Hampshire, public schools are funded through a combination of state aid and local property taxes. However, the state aid or state adequacy funding is significantly below the actual 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 not acted. Right now, the base grant is in the low 4,000s, which 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. This slide

009shows the change from the current school year to the proposed FY27 budget for the 2627 school year. The principal described the changes in the operating budget which consists of the general fund and food service fund. Title idea and other grants were previously appropriated as part of the SAU budget. However, as the school district is the legal owner of the grants, the appropriation is being moved to reflect that. >> We want to thank you for watching our video and learning more about what makes SMS truly a special place. We hope the glimpse of our community has painted a powerful picture of learning, deep connections, and joy. We sincerely appreciate your continued support through this budget process. Mark your calendars. The Stratam School District annual meeting is Wednesday, March 4th at 6 p.m. here at SMS. >>

010We look forward to seeing you there. >> All right. Thank you so much. That was really great. Um, pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen. >> We did like 18 other videos. We just didn't We ran out of time. Um, very cute. Okay, so um, what we would like to do now is open it up to public comment. There is a signup sheet in the back. Um, so we welcome you guys to sign up and then we'll just go through the sheet. Everybody has three minutes. Um, and uh, we'll um well, we would love to hear from what from you. So, is there anybody signed up? Is she back there? >> He's right here. No one signed up. Is anybody interested in any public comment? >> Okay. And then I think also um what

011we wanted to do too is talk about some other things you're going to see um up for voter approval. So we wanted to talk a little bit about the CBA. We were going to talk a little bit about Are we going to talk about the bill? CBA. What else? >> Just warrant articles. >> And then Warren articles. Okay. So um I think to talk about the CBA. Do you want to go Cameron? You want me to go? >> Um, sure. I'll start on that. Is it So, this is >> give a big picture and then we can kind >> Yeah, I was say I think so, um, we worked Jennifer and I worked with the, um, Stratam teachers association over the course of the late summer and into the fall um, to come to a

012new agreement on the collective bargaining agreement that expires coming this August. So, we looked at a lot of different factors as far as the previous um contract, which I believe all of that is on the website. So, anybody can view the previous contract. Is the new contract available? >> It's got still the drafts until we get you to sign today and then that'll be >> trans. Okay. >> But that's going to be >> available tomorrow morning will be uploaded. >> Okay. Um so, we kind of focused on looking at the last four years. One of the main, you know, big hit items was the 1.5% increase over the last four years, um, which we compared to inflation data and tried to come up with a reasonable, um, compromise, I feel like, to try to make

013up for some of that ground without, you know, significantly expanding the year-over-year budget. Um, so that's all in there. There's some additional increases for like the longevity. I learned a lot of stuff about this that I didn't know about. you know, there's different steps and if you hit the top of them, there's a longevity payment. So, there's a bunch of different things. Um, and then we have the total fiscal impact. Um, kind of I think this is listed out. I guess that will be in the contract that you can look at um once that's published. The some of the other things that we spent a lot of time on was um professional learning costs that the school incurs and to try to encourage the staff of the school to pursue opportunities. A lot of the

014staff here will speak at local or national conferences and the school board wants to encourage that. Um, but we also discussed putting those requests in at a certain date and capping the amount for larger travel expenses so that the board can use that as a way to project costs over the year without having kind of surprises as these things come up. So, those are kind of like the big hit things that I can think of. Is there any specific things I missed? >> Yeah. Um, so I think one of the things like Cameron said that we did look at is um is um cost of living. So the contract before this one um teachers had a 1.5% cost of living each year. So we wanted to increase that a little bit. Um you know, I

015think part of the board's goals is to recognize what makes Stratam School so great. And one of the things obviously that does is the staff, right? And um and so keeping a strong staff that has long ten, you know, that stays here and doesn't turn over was really important to Cameron and I when we went in. And so looking at um cost of living. So um their first year they're at 3.5. The two years after that we went back down to 3%. And then the final year they're at 3.5. So that was a big negotiation for us. We also took a look at the sick leave bank which is something um everybody in the contract can use where they can donate time and then take time if they need it. Um so we kind of

016looked at the rules governing that just clarified those. So those were some of the big items we looked at in that CBA and we're happy to answer questions about that during the public comment as well. And then the final thing is just to talk about the warrant articles. And um as you guys probably know, there's um there's three trust funds that the board um can fund. Special education trust fund, building repairs and maintenance trust fund, and the technology trust fund. So the special education currently is $536,000. And that is to be used for unexpected costs. So, if somebody moves into the district unexpectedly, um you know, those costs need to be covered. And so, that's what that is. Um building repairs. Before the building renovation, we worried very consistently about opening the school every day

017um and having it um be safe and warm and um so that uh is at 257. And then technology fund that is so that we can um keep up maintenance of the school's iPad so that there's not um you know a huge balloon payment in one year that it kind of adds to it pretty consistently. So you're going to see those um up for a vote as well. Does anybody have any questions on either the budget, the CBA or the warrants or or comments? Sure. Go ahead. And um did you sign the seat sheet just so we can keep track? Wonderful. No, you're fine. So if you want to just uh name and address would be great. >> Sure. Glenn was six good from um I walked in a little bit late so I might

018have missed some things. So apologize for that. As far as the um contract with the teachers, the negotiations, healthcare costs have gone up significantly. >> So was that talked about and was that discussed? because we have the highest contribution level in the entire SAU of what the town pays uh compared to what the teachers pay at 9010 uh whereas exit new fields Bernward for example looking at their contracts they're like 8020 so in exchange for these significant raises 3 and 12% 3% 3 and 12% was it talked about that maybe they pick up a a larger share was that negotiated at all >> so I think negotiations are confidential or >> Yeah, I mean you >> you can talk about in not general specifics but you can talk about about that. We did talk about

019everything that's in the CBA. >> Yeah, we absolutely talked about everything you know as you can imagine the healthcare is something that the teachers hold very firm to. Um there was a lot of talk also about much higher colas, higher um um uh salaries, you know, the grid and all of that. And so that's where we, you know, tried to come back down and make it um more reasonable for the taxpayers. And there was goodwill on both sides. So I feel like we came back down to um a reasonable cost, but yeah, absolutely. Everything was discussed. >> Okay. So we still are going to stay the highest in the SAU that you agreed with what you've agreed with that we're going to be a 90% pay and the teachers are going to be 10% which

020>> contract >> is significant. So I I think that gets overlooked quite a bit that it's not just a salary increase. The benefits are huge and we pay a larger share than any other community. >> Thanks. >> Any other comments? Oh, >> I didn't sign the sheets, right? >> Okay. Just say your name and address. >> Bob Monaco from Gford Farm Road. On the special education fund, you said is a little over 500,000. Is there a goal on what going to cap that to where if it's not consumed, it's there for emergencies, >> right? >> That probably takes care of two >> Yeah. >> situations, I'll call it. U is there a cap? You is that something that you have in mind? And can you share that with the with the within and then um

021on the CBA contract um you just mentioned there was a cost analysis is that available public is that something you can share with us on what that cost is over both this year's budget and over the all four years you know cumitive >> I don't know what that the second part I I'll answer the first part um >> oh special ed yes so that's right so this does cover two kids has always been our idea with that. Um, I think we're going to be discussing the amounts to fund the warrant during the general meeting. Um, you know, my personal opinion is that I I think that the special ed and the maintenance trust fund are funded where they should be. I I would not want to add to them. I think the technology trust fund

022we're looking at maybe funding it 10,000 or so just to keep up with that. But but that's my personal opinion. I don't know where the board is coming or if anybody wants to discuss that. >> It's more past this year. I agree with what you're putting up for this year. It's, you know, if you're looking multiple years out and and no emergencies come up. >> Yeah. >> Is there a cap? You know, are you saying 600 will be adequate? >> You know, is that something the board's talked about and if if they have is if you keep doing every year and you never use it, at some point it's going to be at a point to where it's it's too high and not a good use of taxpayer dollars. So if that's something that the

023board is determined as a number if not you know you know I guess we requested maybe >> yeah and we'll talk about that more in the >> okay great >> primary do you want to say something Chris >> yeah this >> oh okay want to share three thank you um we did put a goal in Bob um so for special education we had a goal of $500,000 uh we established that last year so we're at that however the cost of special education is rising so it won't cover two students at a significant cost so it'll cover about one and a half now where a couple years ago it would cover two. So that was the recommendation for the maintenance uh uh capital uh reserve fund. We also recommended that at $500,000 but that has changed

024with the building project a little bit. So again I think the board you know will make a decision on that and with technology we wanted to get to $50,000 one for hardware but also for the switching wiring that you know has a lifespan of every five to six years. Therefore it wouldn't come out of your budget. So we're saving so that we pay for that and then it doesn't come a budget increase. So 500 550,000 was the recommendation that we talked with the board as a goal last year and carried over for this year. >> Great. Thank you. >> Welcome. >> Yeah, please. >> I was just >> Do you mind just use the microphone because we're recording it and just your name and address? >> It's just a procedural. It's Jonathan Horn and High

025Street. I'm just looking is the budget available. I must have missed it online or printed. That's all I was looking for. >> Okay. Great. >> It's hard to know what we're talking about without seeing. >> Understood. Ollie, >> do you want me to make Do you want more? Do >> you want me to make more copies? >> See how we do? >> Make right there. >> All right. Any other public comment at this time? >> Could I ask um Dr. Dr. Andriski, is there anything you could speak to about the there was a question about the healthc care and I know that there was like a district-wide effort. If there was just any comments you could add to that. >> Yep. Great question. So, obviously with the with the uh increasing cost of healthcare and

026it's really not anything we can control because they are part of our our contract. We did meet my uh myself and um Heather Murray who's director of human resources with all of the union membership and cross of all of our schools and we met on January 16th to talk about how we can start being proactive and start to look at other ways that we could hopefully control costs for healthcare. Um and again it wasn't a negotiation at that meeting. It was a brainstorming idea of how we could look at alternative ways to to control health care costs within our district. So very productive meeting. We'll be having another meetings um different solutions that we're still working out. Um but we are proactively looking at different ways because that's a concern moving forward for not only

027for this set of budgets but budgets moving forward. >> Thanks. >> Welcome. >> Okay. So, seeing no more public comment, I'm going to close public comment at 6:30 um and move to open our regular board meeting. Correct. Okay. Um, so I would love to invite our student council wrap up. >> We have Evan and Edward. Come on up. >> Wonderful. >> Oh my god. >> Thank you. >> Let's We'll lower the microphone for you guys before you start so it's easier. >> We got fourth graders tonight up for the challenge. >> They're so cute. >> Hello. We are Edward and Evan from Student Council. We are here to talk about what's been going on at SMS. The gather food drive started January 5th. We will be collecting food till the 100th day of school. Each

028grade is collecting different items. PreK and kindergarten are collecting cereal. First grade is collecting baking products. Second grade is collecting canned goods. Third grade is collecting condiments. Fourth grade is collecting deodorant and shampoo. Fifth grade is collecting healthy snacks. and staff is collecting diapers and wipes. The gather food drive helps people to access food who are in need. Scott Potit visited third grade and talked about what it is like in space. Scott Potit's visit helped launch the third grade astronomy unit. SMS is lucky to have an astronaut here in stratum. Samson came to our school to talk about visible and invisible differences. Visible and invisible differences are what make us who we are. Visible differences are things you you can see like the style of clothing you wear. Invisible differences are things you can't see

029like your favorite color or if you have a pet. Thank you for listening to us. We hope you enjoy hearing about what's been going on at SMS. You guys can stay right there in case you have any questions. >> Thank you guys so much. Um, does anybody have any questions? >> I have a question about um about the astronaut. What his career was prior to he's always been an astronaut or did he do something else? I've seen his name around town, but I wasn't sure. >> Uh, I don't know. >> You don't I >> Oh, okay. >> Y um blue. >> Yes. Yeah, >> he has the most logged hours ever of anybody in the military. Wow. >> Very cool story. Tell us a little bit about Sam Dre and what did you guys learn

030or what did you do with him? >> Um um he talked about invisible and visible differences >> and we drew a person with visible and invisible things on it. >> That's so great. >> Really wonderful. All right, you guys did a good job. >> Thank you guys so much. Appreciate it. free to go. All right, you guys can have a seat. All right, that's great. So, now uh let's take a look at the minutes of December 10th. Public minutes. We'll just go one by one. Um does anybody have any um changes to the public minutes of December 10th? That's okay. >> Nope. All right. I did not have any either. Um, do I have a motion to approve these? I'll motion. >> Thanks. Um, I'll second. All in favor? >> I. >> All right. 5

0310. All right. Taking a look at the um budget workshop meetings uh minutes of January 20th. Any comments or edits on those? All right. Seeing none, um I'll move to approve those. Do I have a second? >> Uh I'll second. >> Thanks, Cameron. All right. All in favor? >> I. >> And I have to abstain because I was >> Okay. So, 41. >> All right. Thanks, guys. All right. Let's move on to the superintendent report. >> That one doesn't. >> Oh. Okay. >> Oh, yeah. >> Uh, so there is a pilot manifest that Jennifer's grabbing for right now. That's a lot of receipts attached, so there's really not that many. Um, included in your pack was a current year budget. Um, I'm just pulling it up on my screen here. And we did list the

032changes from the prior month. We did have quite a bit of um expenses, whether it be incumbrance expenses related to changes in student need or um this time of year we always do the longevity payments that happen in December as well as um some medical buyouts that happen uh for those that choose not to accept the medical. Um did anyone have any questions on any of the things including the board pack? Great. Um so at this point do we want to do the budget or is it >> so I just want to um >> Sure. >> So because of those um changes that you just listed we went from I think last meeting our anticipated end of year um fund malvince was like 10 and something,000 and now we're down to 28,000. Correct. Correct. So

033last month we had unantic or um expenditures less than plan of $22,000. We did add 192,000 whether it be actuals or incumbrances. >> Um so the remaining expense would be $10,345. However, you do have a few areas of revenue higher than plan. So tuition came in a little bit higher as well as special education aid. So that bumps your fund balance back up to the 28 that Kathleen is talking about. And so when you do vote for trusts from fund balance, it is from fund balance. It's not just the expenditure less than plan. >> Okay. >> And so as we progress through the year, we're hoping to be able to close out more purchase orders. Um for example, if it doesn't snow anymore, then we could hopefully close out some snow plowing money. Um, but

034we don't typically go to trust unless we know we absolutely have to because once you take the money out of the trust, you can't give the money back to the trust. Um, so even next month if we do show a projection in the negative, it's not that we're negative in cash cash position. It means that we might have to go to the trust if it continues. But as we progress through the year and hopefully close out purchase orders, um, >> that's awful. and watch the spending carefully. Hopefully, we'll be able to not have to go to the trust. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, this is definitely the slimmest I've seen it. Um I'm just wondering any of these things that you did this month need to be reflected in the budget we're looking at

035tonight. >> Um I I mean I think the biggest overspend is in the areas of special education, which um I know our administrative team took a real careful look at that >> going into it. So that's really any additions from last month does not mean an over expenditure on that line. If you look at the budget where the over expenditures are, it really is in the area of special education and the costs that um we now have in that area. This is why you said last week that you don't you're not projecting. >> Yes. This is exactly why I said what I said last week. Um >> that was surprising. >> What? >> Yeah, it was. >> And so going going into this back in October when we started preparing board packs and we saw

036the overex expenditures in special education, I think principal Lucas did mention it at that time. Now there are certain things we don't encumber for like substitutes or med bios if we don't know exactly what's happening. Um so as we progress through the year we knew there were going to be overexpendures in special education. So these expenditures that are happening now it's not necessarily an over expenditure on that line. It might just be what you would typically expect to spend in that line. It's just the special ed is over. >> Yeah. So if you look at the entire 1,200 section, which is 3/4 of the way down on page one of your line by line budget, which is right behind my summary sheet, you So if you remember 1,200 is special education. That section is $47,000

037over budget. And going into this year in the budget process, I know um I know Britney took a real good look being her first year at students and students needs and projected needs of future students. So we do feel comfortable that next year's budget is in a good spot with the students that are known at this point in time. >> Yeah. C can you describe what the related services are just because that's the line that's the big I think we know what the tuition is when we have to send somebody to >> Yep. So related services on this budget are ones that we have to contract out that we don't have service providers in the building for at this time. >> And in the budget we did change the name to contracted services per request.

038>> Yes, they was. Yeah. So that's why for the next budget it'll be maybe zero but that is now under contracted services for this year coming year. >> What is this number one regular instructor teacher salaries national boards >> um on your >> there's a stipend in the CBA for any of our teachers that have national board certification and so those are paid out um midy year three or four. >> What does employee on leave mean though? we have an employee. >> So we when we have an employee on leave, they're able to utilize their sick time. >> Um as well as how we have to pay the substitute that's filling in for that employee. >> How are those two things related? Okay. >> They're not they're just under regular education salaries. >> Okay. Okay.

039They're not connected. They're not connected to each other. They're just happen to fall into the same bucket. >> Correct. So I try to The first column next to the blue is the the name of the line. >> Yep. >> Okay. I understand. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> So Molly, can I ask the So I'm looking at the table here that shows the return to taxpayers from the previous year. So is the projected year-end balance and that number the same or it's that may change before that's all figured out with revenue and everything. So what we're saying, so in the box in the upper right hand corner, that takes your expenditures less than planned and the revenue more than planned to what we think would be a projected return to taxpayers prior to funding your trust.

040>> Okay? >> And then whatever the board chooses to fund the trust would come from that amount of money and then the balance would be returned to the taxpayers and that's what you would see in the bottom right hand corner after June 30th. >> Okay. So, we are tight now as we close out the year. I mean, it sounds crazy closing out the year because we're in the middle of the year, but um we will close down purchase orders and hopefully find some savings in areas and hopefully find more savings as we progress through the year because we do try to encumber for the full year. >> So, the the return to taxpayers on previous year, that's after the the money from the trust fund comes from the the fund balance first. >> So, you

041see that column that says amount retained, >> right? That is your trust. >> Okay. Oh, I see. Thank you. >> Mhm. >> All right. Thanks so much, Molly. Any other questions for Molly? >> Okay. >> Uh, anything else? Superintendent report? Okay. So, now, um, we're going to take a look at the budget. Um and so I would invite the fact um if you all have any remaining questions or we're also looking for your recommendations and if you need more time that's okay too or I I guess what is well know how would you >> our last week's meeting was that you the board would be voting we would have some kind chat >> yes >> and then come back >> okay so I guess do you have questions questions. We'll let you guys ask questions,

042then the board can talk and then because you need our recommendation before you approve it. >> Yeah. Okay. >> We've had all our >> Okay. >> We've had our questions answered. Just waiting for the final number from the board so we can >> Okay. do our >> Sounds great. Thank you. Um All right. So, moving it to the board. Um, obviously we've talked about this draft budget, asked a lot of questions. I guess I'm just wondering, um, what questions does the board have and also, um, any any modifications on the budget? How's everybody feeling about it? >> Sure. Well, it's a tricky year because um of all of the things the the four main things that are really driving the increases to 13% which um that's that's hard. That's a hard, you know, cell to

043taxpayers. 13% is is quite large. Um, so I would love to look at it and to see how we can trim where we can, um, if possible. So I know Pat sent some ideas that he had. Um, I'd be interested in going through those. I don't know if anybody else has comments or questions before going through those, but um, I feel like to me that's a helpful place to start because he's already done the hard work of like going through and finding places that could be trimmed. Um, so that would be my proposal to kind of go through that list unless somebody has another proposal of of where they're seeing the budget and um, you know. >> Okay. >> I don't know if anybody else has looked through it with such a um, fine tooth

044comb. >> Yeah. So, we did go through at the last meeting, we did go through some of these um, but I recognize you weren't here. Are there specific ones that you would want to discuss? >> Um, I mean, I guess all of them. >> Okay. >> Unless you if you've already, you know, I had the flu last week, so I wasn't here. So, if you want to >> catch me up or or just say, you know, if there's already a board consensus what that is, and I can weigh in on it. >> Okay. Sounds good. >> I read the notes, but I didn't see that in the notes. >> Okay. Um, yeah, I have a question about the furniture. Um, when when do we need that by when is our deadline? Um, I know I

045know every year. I'm so sorry. >> I'm I don't take it personally at all. Um, so I think there's two p two answers to that or there's two pieces to that. If you're talking about the furniture that is relevant to the additional space, >> that's the start of next school year. >> If you're talking about the furniture that is replacement furniture, like that would be now if we had an option. Understanding kind of going back to what Sophie said, like it's hard right now. You can continue to put the replacement furniture off and put it in the budgets moving forward, right? That's an option. It's just I worry about and it kind of goes back to if we think about the building project conversation for the past two or three years is like if we

046kick things down the road it eventually adds up and you end up in a place where you were kind of like we have to do something or and I would hate for us to be in that position when it comes to safe furniture. So um that said I also think there are um I don't feel a pressing need like the world comes crashing down for me. There are other things that are far more important to a child's education than the furniture that they have. Do I think we need to have workable furniture in my course? But I understand the position the board is in right now. So if that's if that helps answer your question. And I do think there's been conversation at the building committee meetings on Tuesday about um the contingency funds and

047how that plays into supporting furniture in a way that we didn't anticipate um a year ago. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that was going to be my question. Um we have to wait until the building projects completely done is my understanding um to tap into that contingency, right? >> No. >> Yes and no. Um, we get projections and as you know Sophie, we got a a final or uh not a final but a projection of the budget as of today. Um, so for the public at about 11:00 we got from our project manager Mark Job and um, Corino Construction gave a full budget with a projection of contingency in there. Um, and you know they're projecting 1.6 million in contingency. So you know at our budget meeting you know Mr. Romy made a recommendation that we

048could reduce our budget by $150,000 and maybe build some of those things in in contingency. So now having that in front of us um that is a very um real uh alternative now that we have gotten something in documents saying this is what we're projecting. Um so that is something that we can definitely do. Um and we could work with uh Kino uh to get the furniture ordered for the start of school so we wouldn't behind. So, um, I think it's very doable knowing where we're at now to take that recommendation of of of some of that 150, especially furniture and some other projects we had in our own budget that could be brought into the facilities or the the project through that contingency fund, >> which doesn't work, right? >> Yeah. I think all

049the batteries from last night's meeting are running out, so we might be down to one at the end of the meeting. >> Yeah. >> We didn't even have that number as of yesterday. So, you were part of that. >> You literally came in at 11:00. >> I mean, just Sophie was at the meeting yesterday and asked that specific question. Um, and we did not have the number as of yesterday. So, it was helpful to have that number. We've been wanting to get more precise with that. >> Yeah. So, I guess along those lines, like what can we take out of the budget and put in that bucket if we're going to have extra money there and we're looking at a 13% increase this year? Like, >> how can we shift money if we've already used

050taxpayer money for the bond? Let's use it in a smart way and reduce the operating budget. Um, so it looks like we can put furniture in there. Is there anything >> would be anything that would be related to the building cuz that's what the the warrant was approved for the the building and the renovation uh the buildout of the building. We couldn't put field trips in there. We couldn't put staff in there, but we could, you know, there's some safety and security stuff. There's some things that we earmark through projects we could um definitely >> have become part of that contingency fund uh and and have the work done. >> So, I feel like that's kind of right now. Can we go through and find those line items so we can have a sense of

051how much we're able to reduce the budget by? >> Does include replacement furniture, only new furniture. So 52,000 for the furniture for the new spaces as well as replacing the um unusable furniture in the building such as the bookcases. So 52 I guess um or Kate, would you guys mind talking about some of these um like for example the stipens and the contracted services? Would you mind talking about those? >> Sure. Are you talking about the extra duty stipen at the top for $12,000? So that is things that we >> um have historically paid for. It's just the clarity of line. So, an example of that would be um the Stratam School Board um years ago um made the decision to pay for employees to be here for the rec recreation department. This was made

052uh my first my second year, my first and second year was talked about. So, for example, when the rec department is here all day Saturday on Sunday, we pay SMS staff to be here. So, that is an extra duty stipen. What we have done in the past is just pay out of the salary line and it would just reflect there. But we wanted to be really transparent that that's not necessarily a salary. It's the stipen that they're receiving for an extra duty. So that's something we've always done. If the board wants to have a discussion about no longer doing that, they could do that. But it is something we've always done. There are other extra duty stipens. That's just an example of what we've done. In the past, there have been times where we have

053um had extra duty stipens for an employee that was willing to be a bus monitor for a certain student for a short period of time while we were trying to find a more permanent solution. So it's things of that nature that falls there. It just becomes more transparent and clear as it's pulled out there versus confusing in a salary line. Um, you asked another question, Jennifer. >> Um, so, uh, in terms of retirements, you know, right now I know that you have one, but can you talk about why we have to keep that line? >> Sure. Um, there are a couple of reasons. Currently in the current CBA, anybody that retires from the CBA needs to notify the board as of January 15th. Um, the new proposed CBA moves that date back earlier in the

054fall, which will definitely help with budgeting. But at that because it has been January 15th um we couldn't act we wouldn't know exact numbers of people were retiring and what their buyout would be and so we did have to leave money in there because we legally are bound to pay them that money when they retire in their buyout. Additionally beyond the CBA for the teaching staff there's a CBA for our um ESPs. Theirs is a 60-day notice. So it is not a set date and so we do have to have money. Again they give us 60 days we are required to pay their buyout. though you do need to leave money in there and that then you have all non-union employees and there's maybe 20 of us total. Um we also have some of us

055and some of us don't depending on duration of contract and things of that nature also have that and so you do have to consider that. So there does need to be money in that because you are legally bound to pay them for their buyouts. It's just not exactly a firm date for everybody. So you do have to have money in that. So that I think we talked about at the last meeting we do have one retiree and I think the buyout is around 27 I think that was quoted last I don't want to give the exact number, but in that ballpark. Um, so that's already half of it. So it's it's really that money typically, and we don't always know. It's really hard to predict. Um, we look at like who we know is in

056the ballpark of age retirement. Also, who might have been talking about it. Um, we also look at number of years of service. So there's things that we can kind of use to predict, but it's not an accurate assessment because the date has always been January 15th. >> Uh, can I ask a question about what you just said about the recck department? So if the recck department has events at the school, there's a someone from SMS is paid to be here. >> Yes. >> And that's to like monitor the building. >> So liability insurance requires that an SMS employee be in the building if anybody's in the building. >> Okay. >> Where the defiill is, nurses. >> Okay. Cuz you Well, you made the point about the town dollar thing, whatever. And I'm just looking at

057things where like that's obviously a cost from the recck department that's getting shifted onto the school, right? And there's other things we've looked at like that. Like we talked about the police details and those things. So in those case, I'm just looking at that and going, "Well, that's showing up in the school budget, but it's really a cost to the rec department that's being incurred because they're having an event here, right?" >> I'm assuming that the school also, even though the district is separate from the town, >> is not charging the town to utilize the school for things like >> We don't charge a building use fee. Nope. We just So 100% we don't charge a building use fee for any the town. >> Well, and I just think it's important for everybody to know

058that like the school district is a separate legal entity from the town. So, they're utilizing the space here for things like the recck department. Those things those costs don't show up in their budget, but they do show up in ours. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thanks. >> I was also looking at this like audits and ballots on your what what exactly is that? >> Um, so every year we have an audit and it's done by our auditing firm and Sanderson. Um, but we also do have some increased costs related to legislation. So, House Bill 1265 passed and we have to post in every district a mandatory report to voters. That alone in the paper cost $1,000 per district. Okay? >> And then we had to special order all the paper and drive around and post

059them around the district. So, we're seeing a lot of increased costs that are out of our control. And then also, we have to pay for the ballots. >> Okay. But that's not related to town elections like what came. >> No, no. This is the school ballots um that we have to have because even though you're an annual meeting, you do vote for um the school board members. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Thank you. Um and then did you want to talk a little bit about you know the unfilled spots and then you have to pay and um so looking at >> I'm really glad. So I actually um Eric had asked a great question last week and I don't think I heard it accurately so I'm glad you're asking about that Jennifer. Eric had asked about

060the difference between when we have an ESP that's under the CBA versus an ESP that we have to contract service out for. So, we are always looking to hire employees under our CBA because that for a variety of reasons, accountability, professional learning, culture, all of those reasons, flexibility. Um, however, when we can't fill those positions, we then have to contract service out for those. And those are that's a non-negotiable. the IEP team decides that a student requires a shared or one-on-one or specialty service and we don't have it here. We have to contract out. We can't not fill that position. Um, we try our very hardest to fill that position. It's always posted. We interview people. We recruit people. Um, but we can't always fill those positions. Inevitably, when you do a contract service, it

061is more money than having an employee because, as you know, they can charge what they desire to charge and so you're paying for that service. Um and so um there are times where it might be a wash because we went 3 months without it and so we had had the unfilled position and there's a difference in the salary of 3 months. There are other times where we didn't and we had to do it right away and we're automatically paying a differential. So we're in the negative just by having a contracted service for the position. I think that's what I missed Eric in your question last week and I apologize I ruminated after. Um, so there, as much as um, we want to be really costefficient, there are times where timing is of the essence and

062we can't always do that. And when you can't hire people because there's nobody applying, you can't hire people. Um, and I think that's a crisis in education period. That's not, you know, unique to Stratam. Um, so that is part of what you're you're asking about. Um, >> yeah. >> All right. And then um the perpetually doomed field trips >> every year. I was asked a great question um like what's not in the budget um that you would want in the budget um because ultimately your budget should tell the story of your school and should reflect who you are as a building and and I understand the importance of being fiscally responsible but it's a great question for us to be entertaining and talking about um and there are things like field trips that are representative

063of what you value about wanting your kids to get to go to the state house, about wanting your kids to get to go to a museum or um experience the world, right? Like that is important to give kids experiences and that's a part of who I think who we are. Um for years we've been talking about really wanting like an international studies class as like a part of our related arts rotation. Um and recognizing that that as much as that is what we would want for our kids and we believe our kids deserve, it comes after things like a 30 secondond classroom teacher. And so the budget is we do we do our best for it to reflect who we are and what we want. And sometimes there are things that don't end up in

064there that you wish did because it does better reflect who you are. But understanding that there are other things like priorities like the building renovation, right? Like that was a priority and so other things had to give. So there's a constant give and take and a and a a want to be respectful about where a community is at, but it is important to have the conversations about what you wish your budget could reflect. um because it's what you want for your students and for the children of Stratam. So I think that's important when you're asking about field trips like it goes and yet we wish it didn't because it misses out on something that is a reflection of our values. >> Yep. >> I mean that doesn't mean that field trips don't happen though, right?

065It's just that the PTO that cost is borne by the parents and or slash the PTO. >> Sure. Yeah. Okay. Well, I think you brought that up last time and I do think that that's an important point about the PTO bearing some of the costs on those things that people have, you know, the parents have skin in the game as far as that's concerned to make up for the shortfalls in those things and like the PTO doing all the fundraisers and everything they do because a lot of that, I think you said the field trips are significantly being covered by that, right? >> The PTO is incredible. They fund all of our field trips. So they pay for So there's a fifth there's a subcommittee of the PTO that does fifth grade events because there's

066a significant number of fifth grade events and they do a ton of fundraising as well. Um but the PTO is remarkably generous with this school and their fundraising and they do pay for transportation. Um we do have um a student activity account that pays for like scholarships for students or families that can't afford them. So that's available to to people. Um, but the PTO was incredibly generous and beyond just um things like field trips like they supported our holiday uh family um our holiday community support for our families. Um they support if we want to bring somebody in for enrichment. So they are incredibly supportive, but they do pay for transportation for all of our field trips. >> And did they I think I remember this from a couple years ago. They did like some

067facilities things, right? Like didn't they do like projectors and something with the water fountains or something? If it was that >> probably >> I just remember there was like some facilities based things that I was >> Did we do that Jesse? >> The fifth grade committee um has done the basketball hoops out on the playground. So we have two new basketball hoops like beautiful glass like amazing. They paid for those like they do incredible things. They partnered with our school for a number of years to pay for the rock wall in the gym. So like they do a ton of things that are supportive of facility as well. >> That's awesome. >> Yeah, we're super fortunate. They're amazing. And can I ask one more quick question to go back to the recck department? So the

068recck department like the summer program, >> is there someone here because of like ESY or do you have to also pay? Because I'm thinking like that's income to the wreck department, right? But they're using this building. >> So uh there are a number of us that are 260. So we work year round anyway. So there's a number of us that are here anyway. So that's And I'll be honest, like I love the partnership with the rec department. like this is a small town and small towns should partner around that I believe. I think it's like what draws people back to staying here and generational returning if they don't have that community hub. So, I love partnering with the rec department, but I agree it is a it's a we're um paying for those things out

069of our budget. It's all coming from the same pool. It's all coming from your residence. It's just a transparency of like we're paying for that part of it out of the school budget, but I don't it's all coming out of your wallet >> ultimately. And and that's kind of like, you know, I definitely appreciate especially the recck department doing the summer camp. >> They're great. >> That's fantastic. >> Um I'm just saying from on paper when we look at it, like I want to spell out like these are the costs we can control and to the point that we were just talking about that there's other things that come up with that like the wreck department gets use of the building with no, you know, reimbursement for us, but then that doesn't show up in

070their presentation when everybody says, "Oh, look, the town costs are much lower than the school. there's all these these little things like that that pop up and I'm just trying to highlight that, you know. >> Yeah, >> it's a good point. >> Um, so so did that answer some of these questions? Did you have additional >> um I mean Chris, have you been going through >> I have I have some ideas. >> That's what I'm looking for. What are our what are our ideas? >> So every year we build in money for um rotation of painting in the building because it hadn't been painted until my fourth year here. Nothing had been painted. So, like we build in I think it's 15 it is $15,000 every year to kind of do wing after wing. That

071is something that is part of a building renovation. It would have been done with a building renovation. That's something that could come out of your maintenance repair line. That's another $15,000. >> 15. >> Um, another example is that we have been um budgeting $10,000 a year to replace the carpet in the building in spots and putting in tile. So, that is something that could also be because again, that's a facility that was part of the renovation that's going to be done in some of our spaces anyway as part of the renovation. So that's another um area in which you could another $10,000 >> 10 in special ed. >> No. >> So I've got um >> 5200 furniture $5,000. I just saw food service replacement of equipment. Could that be? >> No, that's not going to

072renovate. >> No. Okay. Um field trips 1,500. Painting 1500 replacement of tile and floor. >> 15,000 not 1500. >> Sorry. That's okay. I just want to make sure when you're adding it up looking at a total that's different. >> 52,000. Did I was saying 100 and I meant thousand that whole time? I apologize. I'm still >> blue brain. All right. So that that's 92,000. >> Well, I think you're doing two separate things. So you're already saying molecular types >> that correct. >> Okay. >> That's an assumption I just made >> versus like just looking at what's in the contingency. What we can add to the contingency. >> Oh yes. Sorry. You're right. I'm doing two two I was just adding up what we could take out of the budget. >> Okay. >> Um what else

073you got Chris? >> So if we were just looking to use the contingency I came up with about 98,500. Um cuz you we earmarked the new furniture cuz that is again you have to think about it's the renovated spaces. It's not for spaces we're not renovating. Uh there's some AV materials in there that we could have because it's going to be audiovisisual in your your classrooms and some technology needs computers outlets and things of that nature. uh and safety and security um will be other things because we'll be upgrading uh our our um our intercom system and connecting that and also the vestibule will be having some safety and security that we built in. If you take the painting in the carpet, that's how I get the 985. So that would be that we could

074look to shift into contingency and then there's other things that would definitely have to come out of the budget that we're not going to be able to make up that we'd have to live without for for until future budgets or time is appropriate. Did we get the answer on the safety and security grant? >> Not yet. >> We have not yet and we've been pushing and um we've been told to be patient. >> And wouldn't any of the proposed changes be covered under I know that there were specific things for like outdoor security the ridge and other things like >> No, not at this time. I mean, we'd have to see what we approved for because you're not guaranteed any of that 150 or you could get portions of that 150. So, we'd have to

075see what they gave us and then uh what they approved in that that grant. >> So, just so people know what we're talking about, we're waiting on a grant for safety and security measures for the school. See if the state gives us correct additional money. >> We did in December and we're told there'd be a end of January, February time frame. So, we're still in that holding pattern with the state. >> Okay. >> And and there's certain restrictions, I think, is what we talked about, right? It wasn't like, hey, blankets, it was like these type of security. >> Correct. Yeah. there specifics of what we could apply for, >> right? >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Uh, hey Sophie, can I ask you a building committee related question? So, there was a concern last year. I

076don't know if Marino had any comments on it, but about the windows >> and I'm certainly not trying to add additional costs in, but that was one of the discussions with the last year. >> Yeah, there's additional money after every which sounds like there will be if it's 1.6 million right now. If we take out 100,000 for other things, um we're still looking at one and a half million. So then we would start probably chipping away at the windows with that. >> So the the amount of the money that can be used like it's not like you can just say take that amount. >> No, it has to be related to >> the renovation. So the windows have been failing um for many years. I went back and I think I read schoolboard notes from

0772010 and they started mentioning windows then they said we'll take care of it next year and that's happened every year and so um that obviously has an effect on our heating and our cooling and um just safety for the school. And so just to give an update, I mean at the last meeting knowing that we'd start to get this report, um they asked Kate and the team to start thinking about and prioritize and then bring to the board so we could have a greater uh discussion. And we already talked about safety and security being first and foremost with contingency with windows being second because if you're updating your systems and your heating and you're having, you know, hot air go out your windows that are um still 33 years old, that doesn't make sense. Um

078so that's something that we did talk about, but we generate a list to bring to you. And then again, remember whatever we don't spend out of that contingency gets returned back to the taxpayers so we'll offset the tax rate in future future years, >> right? >> Yep. >> Is there an estimate on the windows that need to be done and what cost is on those? >> Uh a couple grand per window, right? >> Yeah, we we that's something we will look at is when we talk to them at a priority, then they'll start getting numbers for us. >> Okay. And >> to me, those are things that you have to replace however often. I don't know, 15 years, 20 years, something like that. >> I mean, that would be I mean, there's also a trust

079fund for capital purchases like that for the building. >> I think we talked about the trust fund for maintenance um in case there was a catastrophic event that happened like in Greenland where their entire gym flooded in the middle of the school year. Am I correct that we said that the maintenance trust fund should be for that? >> Well, the only the only reason I say that is because like what we did with the the fleet of IT stuff was because it kind of hits all >> Okay. You're saying build up and then slowly use it. >> So, it's just a way of kind of smoothing out an expense that you know is going to occur every >> True. >> So, that's why I was saying is it 20 years, is it 15 years? Is

080it 10 years? Can you get 30 years out of you know if it's something like that then maybe you think about >> I see what you're saying. I'm sorry. Yeah. Um, Chris, could we put e contingency in the building trust fund or no? >> Say it again. >> Could we put some of the contingency if we don't use it all into the building trust fund? No, >> it has to be returned. >> I mean, it's it's going to pump up your depending on when the project finishes. Um, so if it finishes next summer and we're able to close out the project at the end of next summer, any money that comes out of the project is going to pump up your fund balance, which then next spring you could vote to put money in your

081trust fund from your fund balance. >> Oh, it goes to the fund balance. >> Correct. So it's going to show as a revenue in the year that we close out the project. >> Gotcha. >> And then that's going to pump up your fund balance. And then in that spring if you put a warn article to say from fund balance put this amount in the trust fund you could roll that way. >> Okay. >> Um so yeah I mean do we want to take a vote on field trips if we're including them or not including them? >> Any other discussion topic or questions? >> Okay. So, I think if we're ready, then I guess you could make a motion um for for what you want the budget to be. >> Okay. Um well, I don't feel

082like it's a complete list yet. I mean, I I this is the start, but I I'd like to keep going. If there are other ideas that anybody has, um I don't know if last week you went through all of Pat's ideas. Pat, like >> I don't know if I can ask him if he feels I don't know. >> Yeah. Have you showed me that? >> Yeah, I did. Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, I don't but I don't know what you guys went through last week. >> So, we went over what the extra duty stipens are. Um, then we've talked about the furniture and the replacement furniture. We talked about the contracted services, the retirement leave, why it has to stay at this number. Um, so for the gas and fuel oil, um, we're doing a

083study right now with the new furnaces. Um, and then next year we'll have a better, um, projection for how what our fuel costs are going to be with the new furnaces. So after that year, so then next year when we make our budget, we'll have a better idea. >> Um, >> so then field trips we've talked about and then um the aids we've talked about with Miss Lucas about how if a student um based on their IEP needs an aid, how it's cheaper for us to hire someone versus have a contracted person. Um, and then that's just his total >> um choice reductions. So I feel like we've >> covered everything that we did the last meeting. If anybody has anything additional >> fact because I do have some other ideas. >> Okay. I guess

084I just want to see um does the board have any other ideas that they want to talk about in terms of the budget? >> No, I think for me field trips plus the things we talked about. >> Okay. All right then. It's okay with me. Pat you want to come? Yeah. >> So if we're talking about >> like three minutes >> Patmy tall pine drive. So if we're talking about things that are capital related right to to be able to use the the extra building money that there are all the lines that are are uh furniture too. >> Okay. The two big ones are on page one of the budget if you follow along. That's the 30,000 and the 25,000 on the bottom. >> Uh what lines are you talking about? >> Uh the the

085the >> 11 >> two from the uh 507337 and would equipment count Chris? I guess. Is it Molly or Kate? Can you tell us more specifically of what those lines are? >> I think that's I think that's the furniture that we >> That's the furniture we're talking about. >> Yes. You already reflected it in your letter last week. >> Yes, those two. I'm >> already address that. We >> I know. I know. I'm going through the whole list now. >> Oh, can we just do different ones? >> Okay. But my my question is is the one below it equipment is would equipment be considered capital or something that would be required with the building? If we wanted to stretch this a little bit, >> typically not. It's usually the furniture, fixtures, things that you're you're

086doing in that renovation piece. >> If you look at the whole budget, there's $70,000 that's earmarked for furniture and 52,000 we earmark for the new spaces of where we're renovating or adding on. So, did you uh Okay. So, if you go to uh page two on the bottom, the last two budgets, >> we have another 5,000 and another 5,000 special. >> Can that be rolled into this total or has it already been rolled into >> again? There's $70,000 in this budget for furniture for the whole building. Beat your >> Oh, you that you included that in the number? >> Nope. The 52,000 was for the renovated parts or the new additional parts, right? the 18,000 would have to stay in or have to be removed by the board completely. Could not roll that in as

087something we'd want to put as part of the contingency because it's other parts of the building that have already been established. >> Yeah, I understand that. Um, but the board can make that change though, can it? >> They they can make a change to any part of this budget, >> right? >> I thought you were just kind of pointing you were >> Yeah, I'm giving you new ones new ones to look at. Um, page three. >> That's special education furniture, >> right? So I Yeah, that uneasy to >> then there's Well, there's equipment, but I guess she just said no on the equipment, right? There's replacement on the top of page three. There's replacement of equipment and then there's another line equipment. It's only 3,000 together. Uh then on page four uh in the middle

088of the page you'll see uh furniture 4,000. Uh then um let's talk about the the other one that I originally had on my original list was the the cost of the replacement computer system for the uh to me that's capital that can we can we wrap that into this? So I'm I'm trying to get to 150,000. Uh so I'm throwing these ideas out. Um, so I mean is is there any of the if you're on page four says software licenses 43,000 is any of that new or is that just software? But let's let's talk about hardware. Uh computer and communication network equipment uh 99,000 can any of that be capital can that some of that come out of this extra building money? I think we identified that we could take 98,500 as contingency from this

089current budget. Everything else would be something that the board would have to make a decision on. So there's nothing else out of that 98,3500 that we earmark from painting, carpeting, safety, security, technology, or AV materials and furniture. >> Yeah, I understand that I'm pushing the envelope here now, >> right? And I'm I'm trying to answer it three different ways, but my answer is still going to be the same that we looked at and the number I'm giving you is 98,500 to be moved towards contingency. Others would be up to the decision of the board to remove that. >> Well, that's why I'm missing the board. >> So, uh that's that's a potential one, especially if it's capital. Um same thing on page five. There's voice communication, data communication. I don't know if any of that's

090equipment related. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm trying to put it back in order. >> Uh then on the top of page six, there's small furniture one. >> Yes. >> And I guess the the the the new student the new student software P or the new st student system is this third line down on page six. Is that correct? The 53,000. That line was 25,000 last year. I think I think it was plain to me that that was the new student software uh or system. >> I don't want to rehash things we've already talked about. I thought you were just going to point out furniture lines, but I think now we answered that question. >> We can talk about the system, but I think that's different. >> I'm just trying to give you some other ideas. So,

091>> thank you. >> And uh and in terms of the energy costs, I mean, it's small, but it isn't like it's staying flat. it's going up $2,000. Why is that? Do we really think that it's going to go up $2,000? Uh when when I was told by the guys that worked on the project that >> you know the the old system was so inefficient, 74% inefficient compared to the new system 94% efficient. Um I think it's a safe bet to say that, you know, you could probably take something out of that line if you wanted to. >> All right. Thank you. Thanks. Um, okay. So, I guess, um, do you want to talk about field trips? Does the board want to talk about field trips? How do people feel about that? >> Yeah, I mean,

092I would love to have it in our budget in the future. I just don't think this is the year to add it back in. And if we're able to cover those costs using the incredible resources that PTO is able to help us with, then that that helps gets us a little bit >> okay >> lower. That's how I feel about it. >> I wanted to ask about the contracted services. Um I know we talked about this last year, but the 14,000 with the police department, >> that's the morning details or what's what's covered in that? We have a once a week 4-hour detail that is randomly um it's random and it's that the it was part of um a desire for um the community to know that the police are involved at school. They're here

093at school with not know because we don't have an SRO. So, it was sort of like to meet the community in the middle of like what that means to have a police presence at school and support that. And so, we met with Chief King. We talked about um what that would look like. He's been great about that. And so we have different police officers that um are outside. They don't come inside, but they're here once a week for four hours >> because previously there was an SRO, right? Or no, there was somebody that was >> So there was an SR at CMS um and she would come um like once a week for a couple hours on Tuesdays typically. Um the SRO that is currently at um CMS, it's their schedule is so tight over

094there, so it's really hard. So he does come once a week in the morning outside, but he doesn't come during the day when kids are like in session, which is what the previous SRO was able to do. >> Okay. So the person that comes in, that's an extra Well, I guess we'd have to ask the police department. It's like an extra detail. It's not somebody that's >> correct. It is not an SRO. It is a It's a officer for the Stratam PD. Most often on occasion it would have to be farmed out, but that has not happened yet. >> Okay. >> Can I ask another question? just it's it's it's about not about this stuff. It was about that uh computer communication network equipment line. Can you remind me what the plan is on that?

095>> So, our school information or or voice communication? >> No, it says it's that $99,000 line. >> Please tell me what page I think it's um 11.225s and it's 50734. It's like 3/4 of the way down. >> Yeah, that's your that's your whole cost for school information. um in the change over remember we had to do professional development this year and then you'll see a reduction in our school information costs in the consequent uh bus uh budgets from here on out but because we're we're transitioning from one year to the next there's a higher cost to do the professional learning uh so that we can transfer over on July 1st. >> I don't I don't think that's what I'm talking about. >> No, it's not. You're the one page beyond him Chris. This is the

096this is our hardware. So, this is Thank you. >> um student Chromebooks, which we do a grade level a year because that's the five-year replacement plan. It's the iPads. It's the technology you see in the maker space. That's what that is all hardware. So, so >> how does that align to the fund balance that we're we're working towards? >> So, the fund balance is for the access points. So, in throughout the building there, >> all that was included, >> but network switching, there was wasn't there some infrastructure stuff. >> It was uh switches, wire wiring, um it was everything that's up and internal. wasn't for any hardware of your your computers. That was never part of your your trust fund that when we proposed that. >> So the endpoint computing for the kids is is

097in here. >> Yes. >> I wonder. >> And then were we talking about putting like funding for the technology trust fund for that as well for replacement? >> That was not a recommendation to put our computers in that trust fund. You are more than welcome to do that. But when we established it, it was for the wiring switching that we know we have to replace every 5 to 6 years. Okay. I'm just remembering cuz we did it and then because it was a big number and then we also got we got >> it was like $66,000 to do it. >> We reduced an FTE. >> Yep. >> And then we did something else. >> So I think what happened what we're trying to do with the hardware is we had not been on a consistent

098plan because we had different devices for different grade levels. So it was like really hard to do that. We are now first grade through fifth grade. It's all Chromebooks. And so they basically get their Chromebook in first grade. goes with them until they leave. What that does is allows us to buy a grade level and then support the other things that we do with technology. Um I will say we'd use far less technology than we ever used to, but we still have to have the devices particularly for everything from testing, which we do, you know, our benchmarking and then other things, but also communication when we're thinking about collaboration um with other students from other places. Um so that allows for that and then also supports um teacher devices. So there's teacher devices in there

099as well. So it's a and we're trying to get very consistent versus having years that blip. And so that's your what we're trying to do right now. >> And if we know we have to purchase a grade level year, we budget for that. Oh, it's already on. Um, so if we know we're going to do something year after year after year, we put that in the budget. It's the onetime expenditures that happen every 5 years that we want to put in the trust fund. So you don't see the tax rate go like that. >> I see. Yeah. Because the infrastructure, I can't remember how much that was, but it was more than that. >> It was over $60,000 as Kate said. So that's why we wanted to build up that fund for you. Is the

100technology that's going into like any stuff required for the renovation that's busted out? >> It's already built in their budget. >> But I mean it's it's part of the budget for the project, not part of the technology budget. Correct. >> Okay. >> Cuz I'm thinking like the office that's part of that rework in the office, right? So any of the work for infrastructure there would be charged to the project and not to the >> was already built into the project. >> Yeah. It's like audio visual for the rooms, the smartboard, all that kind of stuff >> was all built into. >> Okay, perfect. >> Thank you. >> I know. >> I hate to do this, but I I agree with Sophie about this year being a hard year and that maybe we should take it

101off the budget. as much as I love a field trip. >> Well, it doesn't mean they're not getting that. >> I know. But it it does then the PTO can help with other things too as well. But >> yeah, >> you >> was >> Can I say something? >> Um, do we want to have public? >> Well, I was going to do public comment after, but yeah. Um, come on up, Andrea. >> Okay. >> Of course. Yeah, I guess I do have to do public comment for this section, too. I was going to do it after we discussed the budget, but I'm happy to do it now. So, >> so my name is Andrea Zippin. I live at six Windgate Court. Um, I have been on this the uh PTO for years. My son is

102now in seventh grade at CMS. Um, and I have a second grader uh here. And I think that it would be a giant failure to get rid of field trips to to do like to have no physical like experiences where kids will remember forever like what like going to the music hall. My second graders going to the music hall. um the PTO like $15,000 is a lot of money for like every kid in the school and to put that to say that that is a PTO cost or then every parent would have to pay however much I think that is a giant failure and I am all for supporting teachers and uh students in this school and that is a major part of your childhood and would be very upsetting for that not to happen.

103>> You just say your name just for Sharon. >> Andrea Stein >> and your address. >> Six wing gate court. >> Thanks so much. >> I think I said >> okay. She >> um so Chris O'Neal two jury planes. So I heard 13% from Sophie. Is that 4 plus 9? >> No. >> Where does the third? Sorry. I I know which I know it isn't, but it Where does the 13% come from? >> Yeah. Do you want me to explain it? >> Yeah. Great calling, please. >> All right. So, there's in a negotiation year, the collective bargaining agreement has to be a separate warn article. So, the piece of paper that you have in your hand, that summary page is just the operating budget. Yep. So, right there. >> Yep. That is just your operating

104budget, which consists of your general fund and your food service fund. Um, and then the bond is called out separately since this is the first year. >> Okay. Um >> that's what I figured but I was just making >> Yep. And so then this is a negotiation year for the teachers and so that is going to be in war warrant article number two. >> Okay. >> And then uh whatever trust we decide would be award 3 4 5 however many trusts. So then what happens is it goes to the vote all those warrant articles get zipped together and added together and that becomes your new voted appropriation. So the 13% that Sophie's talking about is article one and two added together. So the what you're looking at right now is article one. And then if

105you flip to page well I didn't number them but um the page that says tax impact at the top you're going to see the article 2 appropriation for the teacher CBA is $380,683. You have to add that to the first page you were looking at and that's where Sophie's getting the 13%. >> Okay. So 625,566 is 4%. >> Mhm. >> Article 2 is 380,000. >> Yep. So the 4% I didn't put the percent next to the bond because it would look crazy. Um, so the overall budget is 9.8 9.08%. For article one, >> but the bond is >> part of it. >> That includes the bond. It does not include the teacher contracts, which is 380,000. >> Okay. So, I'm I'm >> Why are we talking about the bond though? I don't understand. >> And

106the reason we're talking about it a little bit separately is because this is going to be the first year you have a principal and interest payment. So, it is going up drastically from the current year. >> Understood? So that's why I'm I'm asking why are we talking about the bond in the context of the operating budget and the and the teacher salaries >> like that's money that we said we were going to >> spend and it's so we shouldn't be talking about >> the bond and the I I understand it all has to be paid for >> but the I think it would be helpful to understand what's the increase in the operating budget including the CBA adjustment as a percentage of last year's spend versus this year's spent. Does that make sense? >> Yeah.

107What I think you're getting at is the 4% plus the CBA excluding the bond, >> right? Which on a on the whole >> Mhm. >> would be 6%. >> Mhm. >> Approximately. >> Mhm. >> Excluding the bond. Right. >> Okay. That was my question. That's what I thought, but I just >> Okay. >> Try to make sure I understood what what was going on. >> We're trying We're trying to make We're trying to improve communication. so that when tax rates come out, people are not blindsided. And so that's been a big um goal of the board this year between Sophie's um notes that she sends out every meeting and the fireside chats she's been organizing. Um we want to be completely transparent with Stratam and let them know what exactly is happening with the budgets

108and what's included in each aspect of the budget. So >> Okay. Yeah. And that's really appreciated. It just was a little bit confusing. And then it feels like mixing >> apples and comquats when we talk about >> bond issue and then >> costs that have changed as a result of healthcare increases or salaries or or >> we need that feedback because we want to make sure that everybody is on the same page and we all have the same information. So, thank you because we are trying to get we're trying to improve our communication. >> Okay. And I just did some quick math on what you just requested and it would be 6.44%. >> Awesome. >> Thank you. >> Thanks so much. >> All right. Sure. Do you want to help us? >> Sure. >> Shane

109O'Brien, Squireway Stratam. Uh to the gentleman's point, right? So, uh just doing some quick calculation over there. Now, this is going off some numbers I've just gotten, but the net town assessed value is just over $2.5 billion. So if you look at the amount raised in taxation as it stands currently in this chart which is just over 16 million. If you less the bond payment out that comes to 14.915 million which if you run the tax impact of that that would reduce the tax impact down from 72 to 28. So, I just feel like, and again, maybe we can I check the math, but I think it's important to look at because I I think the bond's off the table, right? Like, we voted on that last year. So, if we're looking at how much

110we're raising the tax impact versus just the operating budget increase is actually only 28 per thousand, not 72 per thousand. >> Thank you. Yeah, thanks for pointing that out. >> Yeah, I I do I think I do want to move this forward, you know. Um, >> ask a question. Uh, sure. Welcome. >> Um, uh, Bob Monaco from Gford Farm Road. On the same tax sheet, the there's a revenue line here that states that it was just, um, used this prior year's number. It's a pretty big number, you know, 462,000. What is that consist of? And why did we just move it over and not do a deep analysis? That's a pretty big number. Not to analyze and really have a concrete estimate. I understand a lot of these numbers are estimates. you can know the

111crystal ball, but so what what is in that revenue number? What what contributes to that? >> So, and you're talking specifically the prior year >> or or both because they're the same. So, yeah. Yeah. What what categories go into that? Where do you generate revenue? Obviously, it's not adequacy money coming from the state, >> right? Yep. So, um so your your ending fund balance is a combination of two things. It's your expenses less than plan and your revenue more than plan. So that's what we discuss in every single board meeting. So what we discuss prior to this right now, we have that same discussion every month. So we do look at it, we do look at it every month and we also look at it very carefully as we get towards the end of the

112year because we look to see do we have a sizable fund balance um and are there things that the school needs because you don't want to have those those um peaks and valleys in your tax rate. Um so it is something we do look at very carefully and so right now the school district does not have the ability to retain any fund balance. The town does the school does not. So any fund balance which means expense less than plan or revenue more than plan would go back to the taxpayers to offset the need to money to be raised in taxation. Now to answer your question on what sources of revenue do we have? So we have um sources of revenue for tuition. Um, so we have peer students that pay tuition. Um, anytime someone other

113than the recreck department wants to use the building, we would rent it out and have a building use it use fee. Uh, we we receive special education aid. Um, we receive that. >> Okay. So, special the special ed money is in in here. >> So, special ed money is a projected revenue every year. >> Um, we get a figure of approximately how much we're going to get. And so we don't want to ever be over overzealous and budget too much because then we'd be in a deficit position. So sometimes we have a little bit more special ed money than planned. Um trying to think of it. I mean we there's very small things >> interest income. >> We do have some interest income >> which this year you'll have a substantial amount because of the

114bond money going in. I know. So that well so that's all in the PETA fund which will be recognized at the end of the project but so right now >> so the interest the interest revenue goes back into the money for the project. So we you have interest right you have you have the the bond money went into >> so the bond money >> it went into a cash management thing for New Hampshire PIP. >> Yep. So it's at New Hampshire PIP. So it's in the account >> and that Yeah. So it's in in where does the re where does the interest from that revenue get calculated in here. >> So that >> that's substantial. It almost offset completely the uh the budget from last year for my calculations at least it should be offsetting

115that. >> So when the project's complete any moneying impedep will go back to the operating budget as an offset as a revenue >> but it has to wait for the budget to be has to be wait for the project to be completed. So, I do have a question out to bond counsel if it's possible. I would not advise it, but um I do have a question out to bond counsel that they have not responded yet. If you could do take some this year either way, it's going to be the same impact because we're the tax rate. >> Sure. For for this I mean >> answer. >> Yeah. So, for the the tax rate in November has already been set, right? And so the tax rate won't be set again till next November. And if we

116can close out the bond project or if we can close the project prior to September 1st, then we'd have recognize all of that in your next year's tax rate. >> Sure. But I more the question is in the context of this analysis because I think you'll have additional um revenue from interest on that and I think that'll help. I think you're overstating is the point. I think you have some upside here against the f against what your projected tax rate is because you're going to have more revenue from interest income, but you're not putting that you're not reducing the >> I think it'll go toward the bond though. >> No, it doesn't. >> Right. >> You just said it doesn't it goes back to the taxpayer. It doesn't go towards the bond. You can't can't

117pay down the bond. >> It would go back to the tax rate. Now, there are certain things that you could do. You can use it towards the principal payments of the bond, but there's logistics on >> correct. But either way, whether it's payment towards the bond or it's going back to my point is >> but we don't know how much that is. So >> well, you have a pretty good estimate. Yeah, you actually do. >> I haven't seen any of >> Well, I think they do that. >> I think they have you have a pretty good estimate. You know what you know what your you're payments are from your contractor. You know, he's I'm sure he's given you a schedule. You know, you have an estimated tax. You have an estimated income rate. It's a

118substantial number. And I I think that information was very new as of today, >> the contingency amount. >> No, no, this has to do with Yeah, it just has to I mean, you have a payment schedule going to the the contractor uh that goes out. I mean, he's got a draw on it. You can just do the calculation. You know what your balance is going to be through next year. >> Yeah. >> I mean, that's how we that's how we calculate this year. I mean, this year you're going to benefit somewhere. >> They're just different. You're talking about just the interest. >> Just the interest. Yeah. I'm just saying I think I'm trying to give you an opportunity here to make this number smaller. >> Yeah. >> I think you're overstating what it is. It's

119a big number. We think if you can find someplace to show the taxpayers that they're not going to get hit with that much, I think that opportunity is there by putting some of these interest calculations and doing the work and putting on this analysis. >> Is there some certitude around when the project's going to close? >> No. I mean they're projecting so we'd be open by the end of summer but that's late August into early September. >> And to be clear that's to be giving providing education. They expect 60% of the internal things to be done when school starts and there will be a remaining 40% that will be done throughout the school year without disrupting education. >> Many many of those things are because you can't do certain things until other things are done,

120right? Like which makes total sense. And so the big things that the additions, the big the renovations of space will be completed, but there are other things that will have to be done throughout the fall and potentially into early winter depending if the committee decides to do windows. You're extending the time of things. So really, you do not know right now when it will be done, >> right? So, and you're saying it has to be closed out. Everything has to be closed out prior to knowing what the revenues and that interest will be or not knowing what they are, but being able to apply them to something. So, so I do have an open question to bond counsel if we could recognize any interest revenue this year. I have not heard back from bond council

121and I can reach out again. Um I would advise us to wait till the end of the project in case there's additional monies that need to be appropriated, but um either way it's going to go back and offset the tax rate. >> Yeah. So some some board will be able to take advantage of being able to save >> I mean great answer >> and if we are >> it just might not be this board this >> and if the if um it'll be for that >> if the project is substantially complete and the way that we project revenues revenues are typically set in the fall it is a September one deadline that we have to have it to the department of revenue but they don't typically review until midocctober um so you have up until

122mid-occtober to make changes. So if by midocctober we believe the building project substantially complete. I don't know if that's a a good estimate or not. Then at that point in time we could put a projected amount to be received as we close out the project, but we would have to be in a comfortable spot and I don't know if we would be in a comfortable spot at that time. >> Thank you. And thank you Bob for driving the on the interest piece. >> All right. Um so I think uh I guess the the other thing we haven't talked about is the right the change for the teacher >> is that is the is this a extra teacher here the salary >> or no the step increases >> that's just the step increases okay >> because

123I know um >> administration has talked by the national teacher budget not included in this budget talked about that and acknowledged it. Um you know I think this is a very lean budget. I think um you know even talking about some of these things are such small amounts for what happens here and for this number of students. Um, you know, I would like to move forward with a budget that has um, you know, I appreciate taking those um, parts related to the addition as part of the contingency, but otherwise, I'm not in favor of cutting any of the other things. So, I would like to move forward like that. Um, I'd love to hear how other people are thinking about it. So you're talking about the contingencies we just talked about for the 98,5 and

124then leaving. >> So taking that out of the operating budget, >> right? And that would not impact the proposal for the school trip that we're talking about. Field trip, >> right? >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean the field field trips is not a hill that I want to die on in particularly about this whole conversation, but I mean we've been doing field trips for a while with the way that it's been going. >> Um I know we also always >> provide for like stipens for the board and I know I've never taken one. Some people don't ever take one. I think there's things that we can do where we could offset and return money back if the PTO, for example, can't do what they they fall short. Um, are there field trips that we

125wanted to do that we're not doing because of the limitations of general fundraising his historically through the >> through the PTO? >> What I would offer is that the the all the grade levels are much more particular about planning field trips because they know they're hopping into the PTO all the time. >> Um, and they're also cognizant of the other things that we ask of the PTO. So, it feels like when they ask, they ask really thoughtfully and they think really strategically about when they want to do that um or what field trip they want to ask. I want to be clear, the the PJ has not said no. It's not like the PJ was given this like please don't ask us. They're very open to it. But I do want to be clear, we

126acknowledge that their funds are not unlimited and ultimately it's a lot of work for them to fund raise to have all those funds to support those things. So, I do think that that's an important thing just to note um that we've been fortunate that they've been willing to cover it, but there may come a time where they're not able to cover it. Um and then we would not be providing them period. >> And is that what the expectation we want to put on the PTO is the question I think the board has to entertain? >> I mean, I I will not be here to return money to the taxpayers if this doesn't get spent, but it's also not a bad way of thinking about it. like it's in here. If they can't fund raise to

127it, >> make a kind of a packed, you know, compact that it would be returned if if um if it doesn't get funded by the PTO, something like that. So, it's in here, but then it gets returned. I I don't know. Again, >> this is marginelia to me. Like, this is so nonmaterial in terms of the whole thing. >> Could we cut it could we cut it in half and kind of compromise? So do some of the funding and then have the PTO do some of the funding >> so that we would still have some money for fundraisers to cover some aspects. I mean for field trips. >> Yeah. >> So that we wouldn't be getting rid of it completely. >> Yeah. I mean, in a budget like this, it's like death by a thousand

128cuts, you know, like any one line item. I mean, seriously, you that's that's the whole point of going through the line item and and trying to be as responsible as we can to the taxpayers. I mean, that's ultimately like the give and take of being on the board. We have to do that. Um, I don't know. Is that I I think that's a decent compromise. Um, I definitely don't want to see field trips disappear. That's not what I'm saying at all. I it seems like we have a model that works without it being in the budget. So, if that's possible that I'd like to look into that because um yeah, with with such a big increase this year, like we need to be we need to be as cautious as we can be. That's how

129I feel. So, I don't I don't know how big of a lift it is for the PTO. Um I would rather not have it on our budget, but um I'm that that's how I feel. >> Okay. So there's no but there's other like line items like I I know I keep bringing this one up but like I feel like we need to balance the value of things like we we were talking about the $14,000 police detail versus $15,000 in field trips. Right? So to me, I feel like that was one where we could have a discussion and say like which do we think is like I totally get the point and I get it. But I'm just saying like we would have to look at those and say if we're going to cut $15,000 like

130which thing offers more value in education at the school. That's the way I would look at that cuz you could take that money out if that was what you want to do but not affect the field trip budget which there hasn't been. And I'm going to say anecdotally there's been a significant reduction in the amount of field trips that have been happening in the schools. And I'm sure specifically because we're not going to go to the PTO and try to get their money every time. So yes, it's not like, hey, we're missing out on this, but also it's like we're not going to ask because we know the money's not there. So I just think there's things on here that I would reduce instead of that. And I'm sure that, you know, I understand the

131context that comes along with saying that, but >> yeah, you weren't um here a couple years ago, Cam. There was a whole petition. a lot of town members put together um a request for a full-time SRO and this was the compromise of we can't do a full-time SRO um for a number of reasons but we can do this police detail. Okay. But I guess like what what's the like how long is that binding as far as I mean I don't some people are now saying like we want you to cut this money out of the budget and we're just trying to say like what do we value and to me I'm not saying that that's not valuable. I do remember when there was a SRO that my kids were familiar with and was in the

132building and I know those people have >> specialty training and that sort of thing and we don't have that here anymore. So, I guess I'm looking at going, we don't have that, but we have the detail and that's the same cost as cutting out the field trip line. And I think, you know, again, there's value there. I'm not saying that there's no value in that, but we if we're making tough decisions, like >> Yeah. >> I just think there's things I'd see I'd rather see go than than the field trip money. >> That's an interesting one because we actually pay the town and then the town It's um it's part of the police department's income revenue. >> Well, I always wonder and that's kind of what we were getting into. Like I heard Molly say

133that the building rental fee, but then I heard Kate say we don't charge to use the building. >> So, >> I think Kate was talking about specifically for the wreck department. I mean, like if somebody wanted to come in like a private entity, >> private entity would have buildings, but we don't for anything that's a nonp nonprofit or town agency, we do not. have no fee. >> Well, there's probably a bunch of reasons why that would be a problem. Not a problem, but I'm sure there would be concerns, right, with renting the building out to private party versus the wreck department. But my point is that where you're talking about the town budget is significantly smaller than the school budget, but there's all these little things, you know, talking about the cut of a thousand

134knives, whatever. We're talking about, you know, using the building for things that the town gets value from, but then it shows up in the school budget. So I just hear every year like oh look at how much this is versus that. We're not accounting for all those things where it's like >> that's a great point. >> They they used to use the town hall for a bunch of things that are now done at the school after co there. There's lots of things like that which I'm like nobody would say oh the school shouldn't allow them to do that. But I think there's not a general understanding that the school is not the same as the town of Stratam and it's two different things. >> Just trying to get that like on the record. >> Great

135point. So I think what I would like to do is entertain a motion and then we could have discussion on that particular motion. Um does anybody feel comfortable proposing a motion? Would you feel comfortable proposing a motion? Okay. I guess I propose to reduce the operating budget by >> 98,000 >> $98,500 um plus $7,500 half of the field trip budget. >> Okay, >> I'll second that. >> All right, great. Um so do we have discussion on this motion? Um, I would prefer to take the money. I mean, we just discussed the thing about the Okay, >> I would rather take it out of that and I understand there's some previous agreement, but again, I just what's the, you know, we're comparing the value. So, if we were going to take that additional 7,000, I would

136prefer to take it out of that money. >> Okay. So, you you would prefer to have um >> yeah, less days of the police detail. >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean I would love I guess commentary from the administration on that as far as >> Yeah, I would love I would love to hear how that's been going or that relationship with the town. >> I know you've talked about it a little bit, but >> I feel like I'm being put on the spot. >> Do you? Okay. Um, so >> I'm not trying to pass the buck. This was a board decision. Yeah. So this was not like the the senior leadership and administration looked into like whether SRO's were effective at the elementary school level like why you would or wouldn't do that and kind of

137presented the the recommendation at the time. Ken was part of that safety and security team and so he was part of that work. Um the board made this recommendation so I was the one working with Chief King to make that happen. The police department was wonderful to work with. Like I can speak to that like I really like Chief King. I really like the officers that come in. They come and get a radio so they can at least hear what's going on in the building when they're here if we ever needed them. Um, I am illquipped to speak to whether that matters or not or what that means to our community or what that means in terms of an extra level of protection or safety for the school. I would have zero expertise or zero

138data to tell you if that's doing any of the things that the board had hoped it would do in terms of safety at our school. I can't speak to that. There's no we're not collecting data on that. We're not It was more about I think everybody trying to find a middle road that felt comfortable and was hearing what the public was asking for which was they were feeling concerns about safety for children as every place. How many patrols is that per per week? Is it? >> It's one a week for four hours. It's um they randomly sign up for it. So, we don't know what day it's going to happen and we don't know what four hours the hours are 8 to 12 or 11 to three. Um Okay. >> Can I ask a question

139to Dr. Anderski? So, I hear a lot like I heard somebody make a comment about comparing us to other schools within SAU elementary school. What's the standard practice for this throughout? Like other elementary schools within SAU 16 as far as having police patrols or do they all have SRO's or can you speak to that? >> We don't have an SRO at any of our elementary schools in SAU 16. The only SRO's are at the middle school and at the high school and those um are agreements that we have with both different towns because it's police department for the high school and stratum police department where they have a one full-time dedicated person. oftentimes, you know, our our police departments are there for um morning traffic coming in or dismissal at the end of the day.

140And then oftentimes they'll pop in throughout the day um in integrate their officers with the with the educational community um and and do guest reading uh come in at lunches and other times throughout the day. So we we want to welcome that and um I think you heard that a little bit at safety and security. Come to our building. New staff come and understand our building. If we have to do trainings, do trainings in our building so that you're aware of it. That goes for any first responder. >> Well, and so do other districts like elementary schools in SAU 16, I shouldn't say other districts, other elementary schools in our district have a line item for that. It's just part of a comm cuz like we're talking about the give and take of using school

141for different things. To me, that's another like right. We have a line item for that and it's a substantial amount of money. So, I'm just curious if we're outside the norm on that. >> Nope. the you're you're the only one that has uh money dedicated for police detail for this purpose. >> Okay. >> Um so I just want to be explicit about the field trip line item just cuz I I know some people haven't been to the meeting before. Um there are still field trips that happen throughout the school year. At this time, we utilize the PTO to help with fundraising for those field trips and parents pay a fee for those field trips. And for the past couple years, Miss Lucas and Miss Beler have put in a line item for field trips to

142be funded by the school budget instead of relying on PTO and parents. And so that's what we're discussing right now. We're not discussing we're going to get rid of field trips. We don't like field trips. We're discussing where the money comes from. Um, and that's why I said I would like a compromise. So, we would supply some of half of the money and then the rely on fundraising for the other half as like a nice compromise. Okay. Any other discussion on Sophie's motion? Do people feel prepared to vote? We could turn it down, right? Or we could >> Well, on the table, we got a vote. >> We got to vote on this current motion. >> Then we can do something else. >> And then we can just have a new one. Okay. >> Do

143anybody want to say anything else? >> I think I guess I'll talk about the police detail because um it was a very emotional meeting. You know, many people came to the microphone talking about things like Virginia Tech and you know, it was very um very emotional. There were a lot of reasons, you know, a lot of research on SRO's in elementary schools and um it didn't seem like it was um a great idea and I, you know, it definitely was a compromise that we put in. Um I think I very much agree with you. Um these all of these security measures, I have opinions about them. Um but um I guess that's just to give you a little bit of background. I guess trying to think about how I feel about that because um it

144was such a compromise in the moment and people were very upset but it is such a little amount of time right 4 hours. Yeah. And it's um >> well we had the safety and security meeting last Thursday and to the point that all those all the department like so we have the line item for stratum right all the departments seem very engaged with you know we were discussing the Alice thing at the high school and the drill in December that happened with all these so it's >> I'm just wondering why we have that line item but no one else does but they still have that level of involvement. You know what I mean? >> Right. So it to me I'm looking at it going like it's it's almost the exact same. >> No, I understand

145what you're saying. >> Can I mention something about that? Because I think too at one time we did have the SR she would come sometime like she would I don't know if it was just gratus but she would be here like >> officer Amanda usually came on Tuesday for like an hour or two >> right and so it was like this random and then that I think entirely stopped maybe when officer Amanda went on to do something else because I think it was like an like just like a jaunt right it was like from here to CMS and so sometimes >> and to be clear it wasn't she would just come to visit she would visit the kids it was not like yes it was most often Tuesday at that time because that worked when

146she could step away from CMS with the way their schedule was. But there were times where she didn't or she might come. We would ask her to come at a different time like, "Hey, would you come do Halloween safety with us or something like that?" So, we would tap into that. Brian, who's the new SRO, um I've met several times. We tried to find times that would work here. It's just conflicts big time with the CMS schedule and he's most needed at CMS. So, the time has not been as consistent or during the day. It's been really morning recess time. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> And and to be clear, the SRO is a CMSOU. It is not an SMS. was like just to be kind to us and kind of build the relationship early,

147but it was not part of the agreement. >> Right. >> So, Eric, you're saying that the line item here wasn't here when >> when we had visiting. >> That's right. >> Okay. >> And then that >> Yes. Right. And then >> she was still at CMS though. >> We have like a car sit out there sometimes on a random basis here. That's why it's all such a small amount of time. >> It's like randomly scheduled. >> Y >> um >> and we never seem to get like real warm and fuzzies that like we could just get somebody into the town and just sit there in the morning or 30 minutes in the morning. Um that's why I think ultimately the compromise was maybe >> I don't think you're going to like some kind of children.

148>> Yeah. I'm just trying to say like with the other schools that aren't doing that, are we saying that they're missing out on something that we have that >> does anybody drive? I would think so. Right. The way we used to have >> I think every town has a relationship very good relationship with their law enforcement. Uh also I would re just make the uh actualization that law enforcement agencies are not fully staffed in a lot of our communities. Um, so that's and finding a a certified school resource officer is is really difficult. Um, so that that's something else to put out there. But I I would say that if we reached out to any chief and say, "Could you be here and work with our our our staff and students, they do it in

149a heartbeat as long as there's not an emergency pending in in in their school in their in their town. >> And the new officers in Stratam have come to the school. They've been around the school. They're familiarizing themselves with the building and the layout and faces and things like that. So they are making an effort to be in the building. That's totally separate from the detail. That's just this them being aware and being prepared. All right. Any more discussion on the motion? >> All right. Let's take a vote then. Um all in favor of the motion as proposed reducing the budget um by the 89,000 and change plus the 7500. >> Wait, no. 98 >> 98,500. >> Molly can give you the number because you'll have to say the number publicly. So >> 106 >>

150um well so the original presented um appropriation would be 17604091. So then if you take out the 98,500 and the 7,500 you'd be removing 106,000 from that. So the new number would be $17,498,091. So, if you want me to repeat it, uh 17498091. >> All right. I think the more discussion we're having, I'm actually going to agree with Cameron and um I'm going to vote against the motion. Great. So, should we take a roll call? >> Yeah. Okay. All in favor of of the motion as Molly just read, say I. >> I. >> Three. Anybody opposed? >> Two. So, three two. Okay. So, the motion passes. Okay. So, looking at the motion. Um, so now we can talk to the fact if you guys have um an opinion or do you need some? >> I

151think we want to just confer. >> Sure. Briefly. Okay. >> I can turn the >> save time. We still have the more articles the funds. >> Oh, we have discussion first and then we can >> Okay, great. >> We as well. >> Yeah. Great. So then um looking at the three warrant articles that we talked about um I guess I already said what my proposal was. I'm wondering if there's any discussion on that. >> Could you just repeat what your opinion was? It's been a long meeting. >> A lot of numbers. >> So my opinion was we do not fund the um special ed or the maintenance trust, but we do fund the um technology fund of the 10,000. >> Okay. Yep. I'm good with that. >> Yes. >> I >> Okay, I'll second that.

152>> All right. All in favor? >> I 50. >> Just 10,000 for the um Yep. >> Um would you like me to turn the lights on so you can sit in that room and close the doors? Would that be best for you? >> Yes. All right. And then we can continue with our agenda. Is that the social emotional? >> Yes. >> All right. The main event. >> I'll take you. >> What everybody's been here waiting for. >> Is it on Kate? Cuz I'll just >> So I I am presenting on this our social emotional services. Kate is setting it up right now. There's a little Canva presentation. So, the purpose of this presentation is to let you know what exactly is going on within the social emotional services uh with their staff and what programming

153they're giving. So, if you have any questions at the end, the three of us will try to answer. Right. >> So, if you can Kate move to >> two that would be great. So this is the continuum of care that our ser that our service providers are giving. So the blue starts with the universal supports for all. So they're going into classes and giving lessons pre preK to fifth grade. They're going through the SMS essentials uh for people with kids in the school. Those are the spirit sticks are aligned with those. So each month and the next page actually shows you the different the different uh purpose the different >> essentials and each month there's a new essentials. So this year this month is perseverance. So the Sam Drezen uh that tied in that's a

154little hard to see but examples of the essentials are kindness, empathy, gratitude, courage. So if you hear your students talking about that th that's where that's coming from. They're using the purposeful people curriculum in class and they have haven partnership. So all students are being exposed to that. When you move across if stu if we recognize that students need a little more support there's small group instruction. So some of our lunch groups are happening during that. And then if you continue to the right, students we recognize might need individual counseling. And that's for students who may be experiencing grief, family changes, anxiety, peer, social challenges, or trauma. And then if the way right col uh column is students who might require parent and guardian collaboration, support, a referral to outside agencies, caregiver support groups. um

155our school counselor provide our school social worker provides that and crisis response. So that's sort of how we move across. We went over the SMS essentials. These are further student experiences. I know the student council representatives talked about Sam Drezen, but the SCES staff, they're the ones that brought him here. They started walk Fridays. It ended as the weather got colder, but it'll start up again. The mentor mentee program where students are matched. We saw in the budget video an example of that. The annual career fair. And then different community service initiatives are SMS blood drive is coming up. I'm not sure what's project Lionus, >> the building of the blankets, the making of the blankets. Oh, Project Lions, Elderly Buddies, the Pollinator Garden, and Stratam Hill Cleanup. >> One of the things that we

156start in February, um Jesse Caldwell, who's our school counselor for grades um preK through two, and I will be taking first grade classrooms to a local nursing home, and we'll be reading with them on Thursday mornings, which will be really cool. Um >> Chris, thank thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Chris was able to help the SAU be able to access the vans because um we can't afford transportation. So we are able to access the SAU vans and Jesse will drive one and I will drive one and we'll take first grade classrooms over and we'll be able to read and we're super excited like that's an example of an initiative that comes out of the social emotional service team is like how do we build community? How do we build connections? And really the goal

157is like healthy humans, but also this idea of like the more connections kids create now, the more likely they are to settle where they grew up and not move away, which is a concern for all New Hampshire. Um, and so it really is a nice way to build those that larger community for our kids. >> And I think that even coming from a different school and being here, and I think Jennifer kind of hit on this, it is the people here, the support system, and the people that make makes everything work. The SCES people are amazing in the school and the gradient support system really meets the needs of every student across different like math, reading, social emotional needs. Um, but this is just additional supports and programming. I can uh just what they're doing.

158So they continuously collaborate with everybody in this building. As mentioned before, they're giving the uh having caregivers support groups. So, the reaching out into our community for parents and for guardians and kind of being liaons with outside agencies, uh consultation again, everybody's talking to each other all the time. Uh Tiffany Green, our um our social worker, just did a whole suicide prevention training on our inservice day, teaching people about trauma informed care, being on all of our different committees, coordinating universal uh social emotional screeners. So the best >> three times a year or two three times a year looking and then looking at that data and trying to create these groups >> helping with the bull bullying investigations with the resolution and support. So providing that education to students, making sure that fact protective factors

159are in place, helping kindergarten screening again liaison on with mental health and facilitating opportunities for masters intern. So we do have one in the building right now. So that's that's great. And then I think we are on the the last page. So if you have any questions or ideas, I can jot them down or all of the school our team is listed on this slide. So we have two school counselors, a social worker and school psychologist in this SCES team >> and that's their one of the things that I would offer about our SCS team. Um, so last year when we did our the monthly presentation about this, they sort of talked about the numbers, right? It was more like um data statistics and what we really wanted to do is paint the picture of

160like all the things that are offered through their programming and not necessarily how many kids are accessing, but like here's the array of things that our kids are experiencing both at the universal level and then beyond through gradient supports or tiered. Um, but so that system is built on ASCA which is the American Association of School Counselors, right? So that they sort of set the standard just like every other organization, every other profession has standards that are set by their um national association and that is evolving tremendously very fast. As you know, we're facing a mental health crisis um particularly with our our youth um and variety of factors that we are identifying as we go. But it's it is quickly informing what we do at our school. Um, and so four or five years

161ago when you talked about your school counselors, you were really thinking about the universal part, like they were seeing all kids and they would do some small groups, but they really didn't have long-term um situations where they worked with students for longer than like 12 weeks, right? It was like really skill building. It was targeted. It was specific. It um was a short-term intervention. Then your social worker would pick up something that might be more clinical or more long-term. Um but because we're seeing such significant u mental health crisis, they are now picking up students and and for much longer durations of time and so we are constantly trying to like evolve our system. If you think about MTSS and your framework that fits into that model and so they're always seeking collaboration, professional learning

162um at the national level and international level in order for us to keep up with that so that we're best so that we're implementing best practice in the area of mental wellness and developing coping skills with kids. So, I think it's really important to notice that that is a shifting system that um it's significantly different than it was four or five years ago. >> I was just thinking like when I was in school is like what do you want to be when you grow up? That was the scope of school counseling and now it is so encompassing. >> Any questions? >> Yeah. I was just going to ask if you guys are you trying to measure anything against any of the stuff on like on the bus or I know kids like >> situation changes

163they change >> but we talked a lot about like doing a lot of things are making >> so there are a couple things that we so we the SCS team we meet u Monday afternoons at 2:15 and we're able through like review incident data which is kind of speaking to like the dysregulation classroom disruptions based on dysregulation. Um we so we analyze that data and we talk about that as part of like okay what things do we need to adjust or change because we're seeing an increase in this um which is sometimes seasonal like right before the month of December it's like oh baby and so we know that like when the um SCS team is going into classrooms to do their bi-weekly lessons there's a lot about regulation at that time or we know

164holidays are really hard December break can be really hard and there's a lot of preparation and preparing kids for that because it's a transition time which then informs like um what we need to do every year at that time um so we are tracking in that kind of data. Um I think what we are seeing I don't think what we are seeing right now is the increase of children that are facing family trauma or family um significant family events. And so that's a very different form of um intervention or support than dysregulation or distraction. Um and I think that's because that's getting a lot of um national and international coverage right now. And so families are already making adjustments around some of that. So there's pieces of that that are kind of happening communitywide, but

165we have a lot of families in crisis for a variety of reasons, and that then changes how we in, you know, the trauma-informed piece becomes really important. So we're seeing a shift in some of the presentations. Um, and we're seeing a lot of students who had a lot of incidents who no longer are having a lot of incidents. And that's everything from the service they're getting at SCS to our behavior behavior interventions. But we have a number of kids that were frequently in our incident forms that we're not seeing that they're they show up and like, "Wow, we haven't seen them in eight weeks." So we are seeing that we can track that data which is awesome data to be able to see. We're also getting a better handle earlier in the year than we

166had in the past because we have that data much more frequently than we had in the past because of our NTS. >> So it seems like the the death that feeds into the NTS data. So this is part of that. >> You got it. >> Just want to make sure it's understood. It's not like >> N it's totally part of the same same windows same whole child. like we discuss all of those data points together. So, we're looking at how they >> do you have any data around the reduction like the reduction in number of cases of >> we I could pull that but I don't have it off the top of my head but it is something we'll look at. We also have our student success council that meets monthly and they also look

167at some of the global data so we could certainly give you numbers of like >> what it looks like at the beginning of the year, middle of the year. Um, we also are able to look at times of day. So then we target like what our interventions are during times of day um because unstructured time is always harder um in seasons like right now we're not getting outside as much. So we do see an increase um in the daily sort of disruptions to class because kids are desperate to be outside. So like there are things that inform that but we could certainly track more of it and provide that for you. There's a lot less like because I work with the student success council. We were pulling data most recently and finding years ago a

168lot of um not a lot of them but a good amount of like disruption or incidents occurring in the classroom that might disrupt learning. That has gone down dramatically um again unstructured time recess and lunch very popular to recess very popular to have incidents but I would say less and less in the classroom. Um, and I just think that's a combination of like all the proactive efforts, all the support in place, whether it's behaviorally, social, emotionally, and then our teachers, um, you know, really getting ahead of things and meeting kids where they're at. So, that's something like we noticed when we were combing through data, um, a couple weeks ago. >> Cool. Yeah. I was just trying to find a nugget that I could report back to the town and community about what we're talking

169about. Like, is there some data point that would be helpful to share with the community? >> The other ones I'm do for sure. >> That'd be great. Thank you. Thank you so much. Appreciate that. Um, letter of retirement. Yeah. Okay. So, um, Sydney VA has been an OT here for a very long time. She is phenomenal. I don't know if any of you have had your children work with her or just have gotten to know her. Um, she let me know on beginning of January that she has decided to retire at the end of this year. So, she submitted her formal letter. Um, I sent it over to Kristen. You guys, I'm devastated. We are devastated to lose her. She is like the wisdom that she has and the way she cares for our kids

170is >> a beautiful thing, but I'm also really excited for her. She's at that time in her life where she gets to experience a very different phase that she's waited a long time for. >> Um, so yes, it is sad to see her. Okay. >> Well, I know the board incredibly grateful for her service. Yeah. Okay. Um >> I have a question. Does that impact the budget at all if we know that like the retirement the provision retirement provision does that change? >> Oh, we talked about that last week. >> Okay. >> Yeah, it does. And we but it's going to be able to Yeah, we talked about the the total of an impact. >> Um Okay. And then I know I asked you um to look at class size recommendations and current class sizes

171which is a topic that comes up quite a bit. So thank you so much for putting those on the agenda. Um I guess um you know we just had some questions about that like you know when you handle these bubble classes or um kind of the class size of fourth and fifth graders this year students. >> Yeah. Well, I think um I think a couple of things. So, there hasn't been any concrete like longitudinal study in over 20 years about classroom size. So, what the recommendations are whether we're talking about the the SMS board that made in 1920 or we're talking about the research that the New Hampshire uses or even this the the the you know the state uh the federal government uses. It's based on very outdated research. So um I can't speak

172to like any longitudinal study to say like this is why that's not accurate anymore. What I can tell you is education is very different than it was 20 years ago. I think any one of us would attest that was in school 15 20 30 years ago like it's a different experience. Their children are experiencing a very different um time. I would also when that study was done when those studies were done we also weren't focused on inclusion and so we are focused on inclusion and so when you think about that and you think about the the scale of profiles and the diversity of profiles in your room that's a demand on educators that is significant and so classroom size does matter. I can't give you a specific number. I can't say I can like die

173on that it's 14. What I can tell you is it matters how many kids are in your class if you want to provide excellent education, especially if you want to personalize it for the diverse learners in your room. Um, the other thing that I think is really important because it came up a couple meetings ago about why did we choose to have four second grade classrooms versus four in the fourth or fifth when we're talking about primary verse upper elementary. the amount of thought and time and discussion and data you look at in order to make that decision is not something the general public's going to be able to do. You don't have the insight nor the expertise to do that. And that's not to be unkind. It is the truth that you don't have

174access to what we're looking at when we make those decisions. And we have to meet we are looking at the dynamics of the students. We are looking at the strengths and the challenges of a group of students. We are looking at the dynamics of the teachers. We are looking at the experiences those kids have had leading up to that. and our current fifth grade was directly impacted in CO by a way that other grades were not. And so when we're looking at their needs and really thinking about them being in five classrooms, it has paid off this year tremendously to see what their fourth grade experiences been to their fifth grade experience. We also were able to look at last year's first grade and they were across the board strong both academically, socially, um they

175just had they were just in a really nice place. And so to put them into four second grade classrooms when the four second grade teachers were like, "We're ready. we will do this. This makes sense to us. Like there were so many factors that went into that. So class size is wildly important. Why did second rate with four teachers? There's a myriad of factors that were really considered and I think we were incredibly thoughtful about and we recognize that next year we'll have to do something very similar. >> Can I ask a question about this? And I want to be a stickler for this from a year ago, but this thing that says schoolboard class size recommendation, we're still talking about the email, right? We're not there's no board policy. There's no official recommendation from

176the board about class. This is derived from that email. >> This definitely predated me, but um this is something we always talk about. I know. I was thinking this should be like a role. >> I went back the table very official, but from the conversation last year, it was like, hey, somebody josts this around in an email and it was never actually considered like there wasn't a vote. Right. >> Just clarify it. It was part of their board minutes and discussion because it can't be determined in an email and it was a recommendation through board minutes. So it's not a policy board recommendation minutes of that January 8th, 2020 meeting meeting of what that board at that time recommended moving forward. >> But it's not something that was voted on individually. >> Because I guess

177my concern is like this thing says 171 18 whatever. But and it's like we we heard about this already. It's like a casebyase basis. So I just think it's tough for us to say. >> Yeah. like 08 or 20 and to your point it's like well it's going to be dependent upon the makeup of that class right so I think the numbers are kind of useless unless you're talking specifically about what >> I'm not saying it's you know hey have have you know oneonone I'm not saying that but I'm just saying that like I don't think these recommendations take into account like the people in the building >> no brought up that caveat I think it it came up in some emails that I was getting and so I think we do tend to talk

178about it every put your >> All right. Um I also just wanted to report so thank you so much for doing it. Um I guess you know uh this last week I attended the um you know you had it here at the same reason but it was really it was also just a technology in the school and so I don't know if you guys got a chance to see it but they had the space open they had the zen open gym and then this whole room was full of um student ambassadors showing off various technologies. So um and the book publisher >> book creator. Yes, >> it was really about like accessibility like how do we utilize technology to make learning accessible to all because we know students demonstrate their learning or access learning in

179a variety of ways similar to what was happening in the gym was like how do we make um PE accessible to all students whether there's limitations or not and so it was really an opportunity to think about um how powerful those tools can be to enrich the experience and the ambassadors did an amazing job >> they were so cute >> so yeah I just think that was such a worthwhile activity and um you know a great way to show the community and I know hard work by everyone that participated in it. So thank you so much any other questions about that? >> Uh I just wanted to provide the I I'm not going to get the name of it but there was another event very recently that I went to with the fifth grade. They

180had like a map like scavenger hunt type of thing and then the escape room. The escape room the escape room that's what it was. >> That was the December showcase for the fifth grade. >> Okay. So that was quite neat also. Like my brain was I was they're asking me to solve it and >> it was so good. >> I was like I need scratch paper. But I just, you know, appreciate that there were so many people here and teachers and everything for the for that. >> Yeah. >> My escape room had a timer and it was very >> security detail. >> And then we had um in the other a couple other grade levels also did I think it was fourth grade and kindergarten. I think that was who did it. They did also

181like um brought the families in to play all the math games that they play with their children and then the materials to take home. So often just practice through game is such a great way for math skills to be developed, particularly foundational math skills. And so they did a lot of that within the kids that same night in the halls, but there so it was really cool to have that opportunity for some of the younger kids as well. >> I think that was the same night they had the concert. >> Yeah. >> Apparently was that that's >> run by the music. >> Yes. >> Yep. There's a lot of cage. You can always land somewhere. There 10 of us. >> All right. >> Um It's like the jury >> comes in the deliberation. >> Um,

182you were just about to start. >> Yes. Okay. Okay. All right. Abigail Daring, Patriots Road, chair of this year's FAC. Um, we just want to report to the board that we approved Sophie's um the the budget that was set uh put forth by the board by a vote of 3 to one. Um, I'd just like to take a moment to thank the members of the FAC for all their hard work this year, the last few months. Um, we've had a lot of discussions, a lot of emails, some in-person meetings. It's been a great experience. We've we've worked together well. Um, and I want to thank all of you. Thank uh Chris and Molly for all of your time and efforts and care when responding to our many many queries. So I really appreciate it. Um

183thank you. >> Thank you. >> Trust the budget. >> If you guys have the opportunity I would love an email just letting me know kind of what went well or what could go well in the future. you know, we kind of revis. >> It's really smart. >> Yeah. Thank you. And I thank you so much for your time. This was very robust overview of the budget. And yeah, definitely board reports. So building. >> Yeah, we've got a report from Mark. Let me >> Did you get this day? No, I think you're good. >> Thank you for your time. >> So, we had a superintendent. >> I think it's on. >> Click it. >> I think she has the >> Oh, wait. No, it goes. Okay. Um we had a superintendent um evaluation committee meeting um

184last Friday I believe over a Zoom and we elected a new chair because our current chair is outgoing. Um so Allison will not be our chair anymore and I believe Tim is our new chair. Um and we are starting to work on um each board will start to work on filling out the evaluation form. So, I'm going to start doing that and then I will have that for everybody to take a look at and uh get your input. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> All right. Update on construction. Concrete foundations for the left side addition have been poured and backfilled. Underground plumbing is complete and the floor slab has been placed. Ground heater and blankets were used to prevent soil and concrete from freezing. Structural steel for the additions has been delivered to the site. Yay.

185Um, structural metal framing of an interior bearing wall on the right side edition is ongoing. Then the crew will move to the left edition and install the same bearing wall. Framing crew will then start on the exterior wall framing. Structural steel installation of the right side edition will start the week of January 26th. This week crew will move over to the left side edition. once right side is complete and the gym bathroom renovations will start in a few weeks and then upcoming um and then yeah the cafeteria will start later this spring. >> Okay. >> And yeah, it's fun. I pop into the um weekly update meetings once a month before these. though that was yesterday and it's just fun to see um the sausage making and uh just uh yeah Kate having to choose

186colors and color samples and it's >> with a post. >> Yeah. I just want to recognize you Kate for like all of the work that you're doing and the nitty-gritty behind the scenes. I mean, who thinks about the different paint colors, but I just heard you say like this is my opinion, but not just mine. I shopped it around. like you're doing that for so many things. So, I just wanted to really like applaud and recognize the work that you're putting into this to make sure it's the best possible for students and everybody. So, >> let's do that. Thank you for that. >> Great. >> Um, and I did talk to Chris about having Mark come at some point. >> He's coming next meeting. He'll be he'll be here in February and he'll do his

187report in person. So, get to meet him. >> Yeah. >> He's been bent. >> He's been >> I cannot say enough about working with him. He has been >> He answers every question. He's really thoughtful. He's almost like pensive like before he even answer. He's great to work with. >> Okay. Awesome. >> He's firm. I really like him. >> Yeah. He knows his stuff for sure. >> I feel too. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um safety and security. Uh so there was a station security task force meeting Thursday at the um exter high school and some of the items were things that we had at the Stratam one a couple months ago. But one of the things I did want to bring up was about specifically about the tabletop drill. If I got that right, that

188was a tabletop drill, correct? In December and the um security director, I know his name is Rich, I don't know his last name. um mentioned specifically that some of the observers, I think it was the state of New Hampshire um Department of Homeland Security observed um the SMS staff and administration and had like significant compliments for the drill as and felt like there was really good engagement from uh you know like there was a lot of folks from all the different police departments at the security meeting um and they had a lot of insight. I think they were, you know, went over the accidental Alice thing that happened at the high school and everybody had like a really good opinion, I thought, on how that was a good drill that wasn't a drill because it

189wasn't like, hey, this is going to be third day at 8. It was like, oh, we don't know whether it's real or not. So, it was a really good discussion about that. Um, and I thought really good involvement with the different police departments from a city of 16. >> Um, some drill. Sorry, I'm just looking at the notes. And then we talked about the still waiting on the grants. We don't know the answer on that yet. Um, and then there was a mention about this uh the CMS I guess but anyway, we have the security platform and props to SMS for get the shout out about the tabletop. >> Okay, sure. Thank you. Communications. Um yes, Cameron and I have been working on um a slideshow for February 10th. It's a Tuesday coming up. Um

190we're doing a fireside chat about the tax impact for taxpayers of um the previously 13%. I haven't calculated to see what it is now with the reduction, but um yeah, I understandably folks are concerned about that. Um it's about roughly $600 extra per year for um the average taxpayer. So um we're putting on a uh fireside chat. Molly's going to be there, which is great. Um we'd love for the whole board to be there. I don't know. Eric, can you come? You come. Great. >> February 10th. It's a Tuesday. >> Yeah. How does that work? >> You You're going to have to post it as a public meeting and run it as a public meeting if you have a board there. Yep. >> Well, they can't just attend >> in the audience. >> If you're

191in there having discussions about what the board has done, it could be considered a meeting. So, I would recommend not having a quorum there um or or post it as a public meeting. >> What's the disadvantage of posting? >> Yeah. >> Nothing. You just have to have superintendent um or designate being there as required by statute. You have to have public comment. Um and so those are the two things that would be required for that meeting. and take take minutes of actions. >> Um Molly could be a designate. >> Yep. So you could have it covered that way. So >> Yep. >> Okay. Um who's in charge of posting it? >> You'd work with us. We could post it at the SAU. >> Okay. Y >> that'd be great because that would be helpful to

192have more than just camera guy there. Yeah. >> The only thing if you don't have a quorum there and you've posted a public meeting, you can't hold that meeting. So, just want to you got to make a definition if you have a quorum or not. >> You just need >> I can. All right. So, why don't you work with me once you have a definite who's going to be there and we can work on the posting, make it a public meeting and Molly's going to be there, be uh the superintendent designate for that meeting. So, I just need to let I need to let you know. I'm just making sure she did. So, that's >> let me know and we'll work on the posting and I can draft up the agenda and get get it

193posted for guest. >> Yeah. Um, do you need anything else from me? >> Nope. We'll just connect and we'll draft the agenda together of what that will look like just so it's posted so people are there and put comment on there. Yep. >> Um, yeah. Great. So, I was going to do a Zoom also, but decided to scrap that. Um because I think if we just post the recording of that night, that'll be better than a Zoom. Anyways, um speaking of which, we need somebody to record it. Um all of the SAU 16 um videographers are tied up that night. So, if anybody is leads to somebody who can record, >> I've got it in. So, let me try and work on that and I'll connect with you. Okay. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome.

194And we also have the camera that we used to film for the video that we did and we have mics. So, and they're set up to that camera. So, that is an option. I don't know if anybody would be available to do it film it, but we would have the >> equipment. Yeah, >> I'll I'll have a definite hopefully tomorrow. >> Okay, great. Thank you, Chris. Terrible. >> I can help. >> Yeah, I can set up I can also set up the camera. I mean, that's not >> I'm just the sound quality is the biggest piece as you guys know and so being really thoughtful about the mics that you use with the camera is super important. >> Okay. >> I learned a lot making that video. >> Literally, >> um voice over with the

195pictures. >> Eric is amazing from the high school and he came and helped. And then um because we have Danny, our IT support person, like she spent the whole day with me and the girls and we it was so we interviewed so many people cuz we're like we have to do all the different things. It was so great. >> Yeah. A >> they did so nice. >> Yeah, that was really cool. >> They were lovely to work with. It was great. >> Um so for the slide deck, I'll pass that by you. >> Yeah. >> Kate, Kate, Chris, do you guys want to see the slide deck? >> I would love to. >> Got it. Okay. >> Yeah. Just for the tax impact, you definitely want Molly to do as the reduction of that budget.

196What that would be >> great feedback. >> Yeah. >> Just to make sure we're super accurate everything. >> I know it's tricky to explain the budget. It's like 13, but it's like kind of 13, but then there's the CBA and the bond, and it's like, well, but ultimately it's all coming out of the same taxpayer money. So, >> I think Mr. Neil's comment was really important about like the understanding of the bond actually you've already approved it. >> So while your tax rate is increasing it's not actually something you're voting on right now or so I do think there was a distinction that he was seeking and it made a lot of sense to me >> because the sticker shock of that number to then talk ourselves out of what that really is I think

197will be confusing for people. So finding a way to really articulate that right off the bat will be important because I think people go with the first thing they hear >> and we all understand it but I think the other person that's stepping in it's they haven't had these months of conversation. Yeah. >> Yeah. I don't want the headline to be tax increase, right? I want like we should be talking about the things we are doing to modify. >> Yeah. Transparency and communication and like >> um >> we want everybody to be on the same page and to know what their money is going to >> have a great school require support and there are expenses we can have but they require. >> Yeah, that's a lot of it. I mean, >> I've got some

198high graphs and yada yada. >> Okay. >> Good. >> Love a good graph. >> Yeah. >> I think it'll be a good effort. I think it has been great. >> It's going to be great. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um Yeah. And I think, you know, the reduction that we voted on tonight will help to just to show taxpayers like look, we we are we're trying. >> Um >> yeah, >> this is a great um chair update. I'm very mindful of the time, but um I I was in a bunch of meetings this month. So, I went to the town budget meeting. Um you know, I that's so interesting like how they do it and how they've organized it just makes me think about how we organize back. But, um uh anyway, I just wanted you

199guys to know that um school board has a presence there. And then also um I went to chair Chris the chairs meeting which I just love those so much. I think like it's very informative. We talked a lot about some legislative stuff that's going on in conquer and there's actually a group that's needing to like educate themselves on what's happening just resources get a sense of it. Um, so I want to talk to you about it. That's interesting. >> Again, we have to be careful because of coordinated and it's definitely interesting. So, >> um, yeah, I appreciate Chris's time organizing that. So, and then, yeah, I just wanted to express gratitude for everybody helping with this budget process. It's very hard and um you know I know the effort and the emotion and everything that

200goes into it but at the same time you know um I think the answers and responsiveness very much appreciate it. Okay. Uh strategic planning. >> Oh that's me. >> Um yeah no new news. We're going to >> I'm so brain dead. Why don't we help you out? >> Express was great. Learned all about it. I was very impressed. >> Yeah. So, we got approved last night by the joint board. So, thank you very much. It was a lot of hard work. Sophie was instrumental on that. Um you were you gave us a lot of great feedback and and how we could look at um a lot of different things through the lens of equity through our strategic plan. Um so, that's been very helpful. And just so people know it will be a June to

201June um when we will putting in because of test scores also surveys for our staff on professional learning on uh wellness and how they feel valued within our organization. So that will be updated. I showed the back end to the um joint board of how we'll have to input the data and we control it but also how we work with qual checks because they'll coalate the data year to year send it to us so it's not as uh as big a heavy lift with the multiple surveys that we're doing. So again, thank you for the time from the joint board to let us get to a point that we felt comfortable that we could all um talk about it in a meaningful way and understand it. >> Yeah. So it's like every every >> Yeah,

202it's really cool. >> Thanks for the photo, friend. >> No problem. I need it every once in a while myself. >> Um, yeah, I do think like anytime you have data like that, right, people have to understand the data and somebody did ask that question last night. You know, data can be misinterpreted. Here are the five of us that Molly every you said we understand a budget. I mean, I think we're, you know, it's a work in progress, but just like we have shocking. Yeah, >> perfect timing, I think. >> All right, Eric. >> So, we had a meeting last. One of the things was has most concerned about school that so that means that basically like I think that people use these buildings for stuff under the opices of different organizations. So does that

203buy was pretty clear. the school sponsored really like something put on by the school and so that it really pretty it was like a bonus committee that set up that Those are the main points that I know controversial. >> Do you want to propose a motion to Yeah, >> I can name them all for you since you have Yep. You're uh BGEF I M A H and J J L I >> L L I A. Thank you. >> Approve those. >> Yeah, there's two to withdraw. Um, GCSA and GCS R. >> You're welcome. >> Any old business? >> No. >> Any new business? >> There is not >> your shadows. No, stay here. >> Well, no. So, do we need to vote on >> You don't have to vote to adjurnn. You just have to

204make a motion which can be done by the chair or someone else on the board. >> No, I'm talking about in regards to the budget because we voted on Soi's motion and that is that the final Oh, okay. So, that is the that Okay. >> Yeah. There was a majority of majority of your board chose that. Yeah. >> Okay. I didn't know. >> Sorry. >> Oh, you're back. >> I mean, like I support the budget, >> right? >> Well, and to your point, like I didn't agree with the motion, but then the overall motion passed. I'm like, okay. Do you get an opportunity to revote to be 50 on the ballot and not be 32, >> right? >> Cuz I don't know that you want to put that out to the town at 32. >>

205Well, and my point is that I wasn't against the budget. I was just >> people don't know why you're a two. Like, you know, >> it was just a disagreement, >> right? But it could look like it is. >> So, you could write the warrant as this is the uh budget recommended by the board. >> Do it right now. >> You just have to make a motion. your motion passed 3 to2. You don't have to lay it out 3 to2 if you do not. >> Okay. >> Yeah. In my update, I'm saying the board voted to reduce. Okay. I'm not going to say who. >> Yeah. >> But it's posted underneath on your ballot. >> Saying we can just say >> you don't have to put the number of You're not required to have >>

206to go on now. Okay. >> Yeah. I Okay. I was because again I don't want these different budget. Not it. voting against the >> the motion. Right. >> Right. But the motion >> you just take a vote right now as it's proposed. >> Yes. >> Can I do that? >> Um no cuz you made a motion on that budget and they had to vote on the motion. Um I think in the commentary we can add that they voted on the motion but they support the budget. >> Yeah. >> And and the budget that is there is recommended by the board which is accurate. >> They have ballot. Okay.