Stratham School Board Meeting 12/10/25

001All right, everyone. Welcome. Um, we'll call the meeting to order at 6:02. Thanks everybody for coming tonight. And, uh, we'll start with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice. >> All right. And I think we'd love to start the meeting uh with Trip. Unless you do you want to do any kind of introduction or so. >> Thank you so much for coming. >> Thank you. >> Um is the microphone okay? Uh, yeah. Hello, my name is Trip Grant. I'm a fifth grade student council member from Miss Okane's class. I'm here tonight to talk about what's been going on in the month of December. To start off, SMS had his

002annual book fair. We sold around 15,000 and received a portion of that profit to give back to the school. Many students donated to share the fair, which helped provide book money to those in need within our school community. The Stratam Teachers Association purchased $500 worth of books for the learning commons. We'll be excited to donate to do the book fair again next year. Tomorrow, December 11th, beginning at 4:30, as fifth graders, fourth graders, kindergarteners, and preschoolers will be having their showcase. Fifth graders are doing an escape room. And if you escape all five rooms, you will have a photo taken in a photo booth with some fun accessories. to escape the rooms which are themed the 90s stuck in a chocolate factory fancy wild west and wilderness need to solve math problems that students made

003following the showcase you can watch the SMS singers concert in the cafeteria when we return from break council will be hosting a food drive for gather gather is a local charity that donates items to people including food and other essentials we will be asking each grade to donate something off to gather wish list. Preschool and kindergarten cereal. First, baking products. Second, canned pasta, ready to eat up soup, canned tomatoes. Third, condiments. Four, shampoo/cond conditioner and deodorant. Fifth, healthy snacks, protein bars, and gluten-free items. Student council reps will be visiting their body classes in the new year to talk about donations. This year, Miss Bath Detus, a new fourth grade teacher, brought her tradition of making and donating blankets. Descget to donate to Project Lionus. Project Lionus gives these blankets to kids that are in the

004United States who are seriously ill, traumatized, or are otherwise in need. We are thankful that SMS got to be a part of this project during the holiday season. Thank you for coming to the December board meeting. If you have any comments, questions, or ideas, please, please be free to ask or share. >> Thank you so much. Oh my gosh, you guys are busy. I'm really excited. So, Eric and I are parents of fifth graders, so we're really excited about tomorrow. >> Which escape room are you? Which room are you in? >> Um, wilderness. >> Wilderness. >> Okay. Wilderness. Okay. >> Be great. Any questions? >> Anybody have any questions? >> Killer suit. >> Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. >> Trust to impress tonight. >> Always tonight. >> Always. >> Yes. Thank you very much. >>

005Good job. >> All right. Perfect. Okay. Um so we're going to do a couple quick things and then um move into the budget, which I think a lot of you guys are here for. So, let's take a le look at the um minutes of November 19th. I know uh Eric wasn't here, but did anyone have any additions or changes? Um the only thing I had was um under 0.1 academics under our board goals. My name is just um I don't know at the end of the sentence weirdly. So, if you could remove that Sharon under >> Oh, okay. >> That'd be great. >> Yes. Yearly data comparison, Sophie. >> Yes. >> I think originally you were assigned one of these and then it just Okay, perfect. Any any and anything else on the minutes? Okay.

006And we had no non-public, so we can just take a vote on um the public minutes of November 19th. Um do I have a I'll first do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Thanks, Kathleen. All right. All in favor of um approving the minutes. I >> I >> All right, that's four. >> And uh we'll have one abstension. >> All right, thanks so much. >> All right, I think I would like to just take a look at 4 one um before we go into the budget just because it does kind of play into our budget discussions, too. So, let me head to agenda report. >> Manifest. >> Oh, the manifest. Okay. Um so, I did put them right right there. Yep. Right there. if you want to sign those. Um, and then you

007can hand them back this way. And in your board pack is also a current year financial. We didn't have that many expenses added since last month. Um, I did put on here what they were in relation to. Did anyone have any questions? Okay. Um, >> it does seem like a >> I projected N 200. >> Um, well, I mean, keep in mind we do encumber to everything that we know at this point in time. >> Um, we do have things that come up like I always we always under budget for or under spend snow plowing, but I don't know. I'm not so sure this year. So, >> we've encumbered on pastures. So, there are things and there are >> needs that come into the building. So, I do think we're in a good spot. I

008I wouldn't say it's too high and I wouldn't say it's too low. >> Yeah. >> But next month I can pull what this time was last year if that would be helpful. I don't have that on hand today, but >> um I could do that for you. >> Yeah. And we don't have any unant unanticipated revenue this time because the tax rate was just set. So >> once the tax rate set, they'd use our plan revenue for that. And then hopefully as we progress through the year, we will have sources of unanticipated revenue. Hopefully. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And also just noting the trust fund balance is 536, >> 257 for the building, and 20 for technology. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Okay. >> Molly, can I ask you a question? >> Sure. Are unfilled positions

009also encumbered or no? >> Um, sometimes we do a manual encumbrance for them, but a lot of times they are not encumbered. >> We have unfilled positions. And so when you're saying like that, >> yeah, >> we have >> two or half right now. So I think that's important to note that we had those positions filled. It would not look like that. >> Okay, great. Um, so did we want to move into the budget? >> Yeah. >> Okay, great. So I did print updated copies. Um it's the exact same percentage but a few lines went up and a few went down. We tweaked a few things. Um and then also I did add the salary the longevity report that you had asked for Pat. I'm going to pass those that way. >> Thank you. And

010I think just so any everybody knows the way we're going to do this is um there's going to be a presentation on the budget and then um the board can ask questions and then we'll allow the facts to ask questions and then we'll open up for public comment. So I'll just quickly walk through the pack. Um do you need a copy? >> Yeah. So I'll quickly walk through the pack that we have um and then we can open it up for questions. So the very first page I have it in three different sections. So we have the general and food service fund and then I separated out the bond because that is new this year. So I really wanted us to get a good of an understanding of how that plays in and how it

011would be without the bond. So those two sections added together are what we call your operating budget. And then this year, like we said in previous meetings, we're appropriating the grants as part of the district budget. So those were always appropriated part of the SAU. However, this individual school districts, meaning Stratam school district is the legal owner of the grant. So it really needs to be appropriated as part of the Stratam school district budget, not the SAU. So it's not a new appropriation. It's just changing from what district it is appropriated in. Um the second slide it does show how when we put grants in a budget the budget is your planned expense and then in the fall we set what's called the planned revenue on your MS24 report and the delta between your planned

012revenue and planned expense is what is raised in taxation in your tax rate. So whatever the expense is noted in the budget for grants revenue is going to be equal. So no money is raised in taxation and you'll see that later in the taxation side. Then um I have the major changes. I believe this was included in prior board packs but just the numbers were slightly tweaked. Then I added a graph for you because it's important to understand what is I guess what we call discretionary spending, what's flexible in the budget. So instead of calling things contractual or not contractual, I really wanted to call it what they were. And so in the account, if you remember the account codes, I noted how to tell if something's salary. It's called the what we call the

013501 account. So all the 501 accounts are what I what noted is salary here. And then we have our insuranceances, the health, dental, disability, and life. Professional development, the FICA and retirement. So FICA is 7.65% of salary. Retirement for employees is 12.75% but for teachers is 19.23%. We are entering our second year of a two-year rate. So, when we come this time next year, we'll be talking about a new rate from New Hampshire Retirement, but not now. Um, I did note the special ed and contracted services because that is um a required expense that we have to pay to provide to our students. transportation. Um the SAU assessment that is stratam share of the office of the superintendent where you receive all of your superintendent services including um the super not only the superintendent but

014your payroll, your accounts payable, the special ed directors. Um and then the all the maintenance sections that are not salary related to operate the building. We need to keep the lights on. We need to keep the heat on. And then our food service, this is everything other than salary because all the salary lines are in that 501 line. Uh we do have to provide a food service program here. And then the bond, the bond is a required expense per the bond um schedule. So everything else in the budget is 5%. So I really wanted to highlight that for you in a graphical form. The next slide is the tax impact. So I did combine this with um warrant article 2 because you have to look at both together. Um I did assume revenues are the

015same as well as the contributions to the trust are the same until we decide otherwise because in order to get the impact on the budget change you have to assume all else remains equal except for adequacy. So adequacy, the uh Department of Ed has released the projected 27 adequacy. It's not the official adequacy. Um but it's at this time what their projection is. So you'll see how it's gone down for stratum. It's at the bottom section. It's gone from 1.025 to 1.001. So when we look at the the impact on taxation, you have to look at the budget side which is done in the spring when we go to the ballot, but you also have to look at the revenue side. And so you take the the difference divided by a th00and um or sorry

016divided by the valuation of the time town times a thousand to get to your tax rate per thousand. So article 1 and two, article one being the operating budget, article two being the collective bargaining agreement would be a 72 projected 72 cents per thousand impact on your tax bill. And that assumes revenues remain constant at this point in time. Then after that is your line by line budget. So it's very similar to what you have already seen. Um, we did have a few tweaks up, a few tweaks down, but it arrived at the exact same percentage. The the changes were that small. And then at the very end, it is the salary report. Um, and thank you Pat for noticing that a few of the the the items for the pairs were missing. So, I

017did add those to the report. So, that is everything in the report. I don't um I don't know if Principal Lucas, you had anything you wanted to highlight. So, those are those that's everything in the pack, but I don't know um >> you if you if there's anything that you want to highlight. Nope. >> Okay. Or if we just want to open it up for questions. >> Yeah, sounds great. >> Okay. >> Please. Does anyone else have questions on the board? >> You can go. >> I do. Um, so Molly, just about the first patient. Can I ask about the So you got the 9%. So I guess this is there's like a blank spot. So is that what is outside of the like the nine minus the 4% change? >> Well, it's it's the

018bond, so it's really if I put a percentage there, it's going to be wildly high. >> Right. Right. >> So I chose to leave it blank just because it doesn't necessarily compare apples to apples in that. um especially since this year is just one interest payment. Next year is the first principal and interest payment. So instead of giving a um a falsely high percentage, I decided to leave that blank but included the overall percentage in the bottom. >> And that but that's the total the year-over-year that nine >> the Yes. So if you look at your line by line budget at the very last page, that is the percentage increase 9.08%. Or 1.44694. 44694 974. >> And can I ask about the the tax impact page? There's like I see like as revenue or as

019an appropriation you have the entire bond, right? >> Yeah. So that's just the way it if I what I did is I wanted to mirror the the the it's called the MS24 for the current year because I didn't want someone to pull it and be like, "No, that's not what was there." So what happens is when you appropriate the bond, >> appropriation is the authority to expend. And so when we voted for the bond, it was our um body from Stratam saying yes, we want to enter into a bond for the 11 whatever million. >> But then when we receive the bond proceeds, that's a revenue to us when we receive the money from the bank, >> right? >> Um and then what we do is we pay back the bond every year. So that's

020where it shows up as an expense every year. So the first year you put the whole thing in, but you get that whole thing from the bank. So it nets to zero and then every year you recognize the expense per your bond schedule for the repayment cycle. >> So is that amount like dispersed all at once? >> Yep. >> Oh, okay. >> So we we have it and it's in a an account that we hold which is earning interest and and then we're we have to pay because we have to be able to pay our contractor. >> So they they're going to be finishing the work hopefully in the next year or two. Mhm. >> And then and so we have we have the money to pay them and then we pay our bond back.

021>> So does the interest on that like show up later as revenue. >> Um so when we close out the bond >> you would that would come back as um part whatever money is left over as part of the bond that would be part of it. >> Okay. >> Mhm. >> All right. Thanks. >> Okay. Um I guess I have a couple questions. One is um be really helpful if we had like this tax impact thing is super helpful. >> Um and if we could have a tax impact not just in the like um scent like the this but like what actual what a projected dollar amount would be for taxpayers. >> So like a matrix saying because essentially what you do is you take the value of your house. So for an average home

022and just to have a number there that would be really helpful. the average home is um 834,000. >> And we could even make like a little matrix cuz some might have homes that are less, some might have more. >> Totally. >> That way they can see. >> Yeah. >> that would be super helpful cuz I think as a board like >> those numbers are the ones that people actually care about. So >> um that would be really really helpful. Thank you. >> And this will change as we decide what we want to contribute to the trust funds um and if we have any changes in the projected revenue or if the adequacy changes. This is just where it stands today. >> Sure. Um, and what is the difference between what you report to the state

023versus the numbers here? Cuz I noticed there was a um discrepancy for I think um the one that was reported to the state I think is for fiscal year 26 was 15,210,000. Do you know? >> So there's different reports that we do. Okay. So what happens is when we do our budget, we decide we we go to our public hearing and then we post what's called the MS-26 before the deliberative. Oh, you um you guys have an annual meeting. Sorry, not deliberative. And then after the annual meeting, it's decided what is your official budget. So the MS-26 is what we report to the department of revenue going into your annual meeting. Then motions can be made to move that up or down. And so then we complete what's called the MS-22 and then you all

024sign that and that becomes your official budget. Okay? >> Then in the fall I complete what's called the MS24 which is all your planned sources of revenue. And then the department of revenue takes the 22 and the 24. So your voted budget and then the projected revenues and the delta is what's raised in taxation on your tax card. >> Mhm. So your tax card won't match the report because it's the difference between the two reports that is raised in taxation. >> Okay, we can pretend that I fully understand that and move on. >> And if you have more questions, happy to walk through it. >> Okay, we can maybe chat offline about we have a lot to go over today. Um, and then for the teacher salaries, so for fiscal year 27 for that budget,

025um, I saw that the the salaries were only going up 1.46% I think in the um, fiscal year 27 budget, but they aren't they going to go up by 3.5% based on >> So I know there's a warrant for this for this for next year. Is that just that that's what that is? So the way it's going to work is that and that's why your tax impact is on warrant article one and two because warrant article one is going to be your operating budget and in the operating budget the teachers in a negotiation year stay at current year rates >> right >> then in article two >> that's where all the raises would be reflected and so what happens is >> if both of those pass successfully they're added together >> and that what goes

026on your MS22 so your MS2 22 after the annual meeting will add all of your warrants together. So it adds the operating budget, the CBA, and whatever trust funds that you uh vote to do. Gotcha. >> And then that becomes your voted appropriation. So then next year when we start talking about budget, we're comparing to that number, >> right? That makes sense. But this 9% the 9.08 does not include that >> correct >> warrant. So correct, >> it's going to be closer to 10%. Um, it's actually I have it. I believe it is 11.47. >> Okay. Okay. >> So, is that that gets integrated into the operating budget starting next year? It's not like the warrant from last year, right, where it's not included. So, both the operating budget, which we're discussing right now, and

027the teachers warrant will go on the ballot, well, you don't have a ballot, um, go to the annual meeting this spring. >> And then if those both successfully pass, then they're added together to make your new budget. >> Okay? >> And so, let's just say the um well, you you guys don't have a default either. Um, let's just say a number is voted differently on the operating budget. a motion is made to increase the budget $20,000. Then that new budget plus the $20,000 and your CBA are all added together to be your new budget. >> Okay? >> So what happens is all your warrant articles essentially get added together and that's becomes your new budget and certain warrants can pass certain can fail and only the ones that pass get added together. >> Okay. Any

028other questions? Yeah. >> Yeah. For the um the bond, what is the difference between the true interest cost and the rate? So, the true interest cost says it was 4.3% but then the rate is 5.05. So, there it's the way the bond um the bond bank does their documentation. So, what's on So, I'd have to pull the I don't have the bond schedule in front of me, but the bond schedule has the actual rate on it. >> Yeah, it says the rate's 5.05. I guess I'm just trying to understand the difference. What? Where's the other rate on here? So, it has a true of 4.3. >> Yeah. And then down the column is 5.05. >> Oh. Oh. Oh, there. >> Yeah. So, it's it has to do with a bond premium and it's a little

029bit hard to explain, but the repayment schedule is going to be these exact dollars. And I mean, I can get you a little bit more details on exactly what that it means between the two and it has to do with the premium with the bomb bank. I do have some a letter that when this was issued does explain that and I can print that for the board if you wish. >> Yeah, that'd be interesting. Thanks. Um, and my last question is for private tuition. I guess this is maybe more for Kate and Chris, but how do you um how can you calculate like how can you project what that will be? That sounds like such a difficult number to calculate for a budget for next year >> based on actuals number of students. >> Number

030of students >> and okay >> and a lot of um >> placements will tell you we're projecting a 5% increase for next year. You can expect blank. Okay. So, it's a combination of number of students and contracts. Y >> those are all my questions. Thank you. >> I got one. >> I got it's a kind of a murky question, >> but I figure since you guys are here, you may know. So, what would be do you know what the tax impact is of what's being proposed for Stratam's contribution to the co-op? >> So, the co-op budget has not been reviewed yet. >> You review it on Wednesday. Next Wednesday, excuse me. next. >> Would you guys be willing to share that? I don't think I'm going to be able to go. >> Um, just to

031share with that where they're at with it, at least at the moment. >> Yeah, it should be final next Tuesday because we have the budget advisory coming. It we were going to do it, but it got cancelled because of the snow day. >> Or else we would have had that number for you. So, we're waiting on that. We also they have a PAR contract that needs to go in there. So, that will be part of it, too, because it's much like this. It will be the operating budget and then the PAR contract will be part of of that as well. So, uh, after next Tuesday, we should have a a good number and we we'd be glad to share that with all all boards. >> Thanks, Steve. >> Yeah. And I made you a great

032little file that's all hyperl with all the presentations that will be posted once they review it. >> Cool. >> And I think the town too, you guys do it in the new year >> for budget. >> Yeah. >> And then it has to be approved to town. >> Yeah. Um I guess one of the things I am thinking about is the trust funds and um you know I would love to hear from fact how how they're what what you guys would recommend with the trust funds. I think it's a little bit tricky this year because obviously with the building project and then we are you know we do have 210 in special ed tuition here. Um, so that is something I'm thinking about too, like does that need to increase, decrease? Um, you know, just

033kind of thinking about how that plays that those are pretty significant right now. >> Do we know what the current balances are? >> Yeah. So, it's uh >> Oh, sorry. Yeah, I got the page. >> Yeah, they're they're in your current um board pack. >> Yep. Thank you. Sorry. Does um I guess do you guys have a opinion about what you would think those should be or >> I do. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Great. >> So, we gave you a recommendation last year. Um we wanted our special education trust fund to be at least 525 >> to be able to cover two out of district placements. So, that's why we did not have it on a warrant last year. We did not put anything into special ed trust fund. We wanted the building and maintenance

034to be at least $500,000 um in case there was things that were not done out of the project that we could do, i.e. windows or other u facilities needs. And then um technology, this will be the third year that we we recommend the technology. We want to get that to 50,000 cuz in uh six years, you know, three more years from now, that's usually the lifetime of your access points and all the wiring and cabling and that would totally cover the $50 to $60,000 range would cover that. So that would not be a budget impact. So that's the savings to take care of your your wiring and your uh access points throughout the building. >> You want it to be 50,000 in three years or 50,000? >> Yep. So in in two more years we

035would be at where we'd want to be at. Your maintenance one is the one that we we're trying to build up. So we put $20,000 last year in the maintenance. So we put 10,000 into our technology trust fund. >> Yeah. Because I'm just looking at like furniture um you know when something like that come out of the trust fund. Um versus being a part of the >> we have to look at the language of our trust funds. I think they were for unanticipated unexpected funds. Okay, that's what I do not believe they were for just I think I'm pretty sure it was for unanticipated or unexpected funds. >> It might not be. I just believe that was discussed a few years ago. So I could be recalling it wrong. >> Okay. So that's like if

036what happened in Greenland when their gym flooded, we would have the money to repair. Okay. >> We did it for the fire alarm a couple years ago was an unexpected Yep. expenses be right away. Okay. Correct. >> Uh can I ask one more question related to trust fund? The 4% that you have here that incorporates already the new number for the health trust. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> One of the things I would offer Jennifer when you asking about the special ed trust fund. Um >> so that was created a number of years before I came to SMS but it was heavily talked about when I first came. Um, and I just one of the things that I sit with a lot is the increase in costs. I think about Renee, Dr. Bennett's memo last

037year about just the the change in special ed costs um, over the past few years. And so when it was originally um, written or at least this what we talked about was like $500,000 was the ideal amount at that time like that would really be cover some unanticipated expenses. I think what we're seeing we've been talking about here for at least three years is like that gets eaten up really really fast. And so while it should be for unanticipated and unexpected um we see that right and we we've seen the past couple years and so I don't know that I think there's a different dollar figure and maybe that is where we sit that's great I just think it's worth conversation because >> you never want to be in a bind where everything else is

038frozen because you're not you don't have when you could have put something especially when we're using unencumbered funds we're not actually raising additional taxes at the end of the year usually >> just something to think about. I think in the past we've talked about it in terms of like two kids 200 grand or something >> 250 of student >> and that's including transportation. I think that's an important part of that. >> Okay. >> So are you feeling comfortable where we are now or you're saying it could use more? >> No, I'm not feeling uncomfortable. I just think it's worth conversation because I think when it was created it was like $500,000 is the right place to sit. That was what they talked about and I think it could very well remain the right place to

039sit. I think special ed costs are wildly different than they were 15 years ago. >> And so it's something that I think we should always just have conversation about. Might be very comfortable sitting there. I'm not I'm not trying to sway us one way or the other. I just think it's important to note >> because it is impacting our budgets every year. It's one of the things we continue to talk about. >> Okay. Any questions before we open? >> Okay. Um so I think >> ask Abigail first since >> Oh, sure. Great. >> Abigail, do you have any questions for the board or for the administration? And then we'll turn it over to the committee. >> Yes, I do. Thank you, Chris. Hi, Abigail doing on Zoom here. Sorry I couldn't be there in person.

040Um, I had a question from Molly about the 72 72 cent per thousand tax impact. Does that include warranty one and two like assuming they both pass or is that um just just for the general um operating budget without warranty? >> No, no, I put um it together. >> Okay, just affirming. >> So that is the 72 cents is if both warrants pass at the end of >> Yes. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you. >> Okay, assuming zero for the trust funds. Well, um it assumed the same level as last year as the trust funds because in order for us to um see the budget impact, I had to keep all other things equal. >> Okay. Okay. >> Okay. >> Any other questions? >> That was my only question. No. So, turn it over to um

041I know Pat has some questions and and maybe others as well. >> Perfect. >> Thank you. Uh let's see. So let's start with this. Um you >> just introduce yourself just for >> Oh, Pat Burmy. >> Thank you. >> On the fact Pines Drive. So um so I had the big question about the the list of uh employees. Uh one of the there was a there was another request that I was I add I had asked never made it to everybody. Uh, one one had to do with with this. It'd be helpful to also have FTEES on this report because we want to understand who the who the part-timers are and you can't just by looking at this. The last report last year, we had it with the FTEEs on it as to who is

042a part-timer and who's a full-timer. So, that's another request I'd like to make related to that. And it also is also helpful on this report to put the titles on it. Uh, you have names of people. Now, I matched up the names with last year, so I know what their titles are, but it would be very helpful to have the titles next to the names as well. So, um, as some of you may know, uh, when I was looking at this, um, there was next to the aid categories, there's two two groupings of aids. There's the aids for the regular education, a aids for special ed. Um everywhere else in the report longevity was a separate line. There was a salary and then longevity and then those things got added together equal total total salary.

043Uh but for those it wasn't included. So that's where the question came. So uh just to clarify now the new report has she put those in she put the longevity pay next to the aids as well. So, and I saw no no change in the budget. So, is it safe to say that in the one that we had before that the salary and the longevity were that number or how? >> No, there was just a few tweaks I needed to make. So, I need to add that. But there was other things that went down. So, it it was random. It's just the exact same amount. >> Okay. It's just random. >> It's just it was so small both directions. >> All right. So, what you had to do was add the longevity in. That's what

044you're saying. Okay. Just wanted I just want to make sure I understood that. >> Okay. So, that's all that one that one's that one's clean. So, when I looked at the at the uh when I looked at the uh tax impact, so article two. So, this is the first time we're seeing this everybody. So all of the all of the contract stuff that was negotiated my interpretation it equals to 380,683 it increases. So that would be increases to your someone's question about why is it only 1.75 because the three the three and a half% is not in there yet. So it's in this 380,000. Um, it' be very helpful, just me, if we could have a a mockup of what the budget would look like at the detail level of these 380,000 where they would

045fall if I'm saying you'd have to do it eventually down the road. Uh, I had requested it, but that that never made it to the to the group. So um so so the might just want to make sure the 380 will incre include the salary increases uh the then that there was a change the 500 you want is it 500 uh a year on the uh on the longevity is that correct >> went up $250 >> 250 I'm assuming that's in this number that increase >> correct >> and then then two two things that I would guess would get impacted Ed on the uh be FICA FICA go up >> well FICA is a function of salary >> I know but did FICA I know it depends on your salary level whether you you well

046there's two pieces of FICA so did that say 380 increase well it's FICA and pension costs those two things are impacted by salaries going up >> yep >> are they in the $380,000 Yes, >> that's what I just want to know. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> So, it'd be very helpful to see where that all falls in like a kind of a mockup of taking the war article one and article two, putting them together as this is what the budget's going to look like if both of these pass. Okay. So, that's a request. I can't force you to do it, but I think it'd be very helpful uh to see that. Um on this I know that we worked hard to try to get um Bob Monaco, I guess, and Bob's here, worked hard to

047get that uh the bond money invested. Um and I Do I when I look at the revenue when I say when I see the the line that says grant revenue >> for 2721,000 is that what we're talking about? >> No. >> So what happens what happens to the to my understanding is that that that revenue when it comes in we have that invested. We're going to get money. >> Mhm. Uh, how does that how does that I'm assuming that's going to lower our tax rate or am I mistaken in that? >> So, that's the exact question that Sophie asked a little bit earlier. Um, >> I'm asking it my different way. Go ahead. >> Okay. So, um, yes, the bond proceeds are at PDIP sitting in that account and then we draw down on that

048account when we make expenditures. And so, at the end of the project, whatever's money is left over when we close that out, we'll come back into the general fund and help the tax rate at the end of the project. >> Okay. That's the surplus of the bond money, >> which includes your interest because you're interested in that account. >> Okay. >> Mhm. That that that's what I like that's what wanted to know. Okay. Thank you. Um I think those are it for now. I have I have did every did did the did the board receive answers to the questions that we sent the fact? >> Yep. >> They have. Okay. >> Yeah. We saw them. Yeah. Thank you very much for that. >> So um either of you want to speak because I I got

049some I want to do ask some clarifying questions on those. >> Okay. >> So but I'll let the others go first. >> Thank you. Thanks. >> Um Allison Nab, Tidewater Farm Road. As a followup to his question, are you allowed to spend the bond interest? Like is it I know it's not important for this year, but um are there any laws around the B interest? Like could you spend it on furniture at the end of the day or does it have to go back into the general fund? So, um, uh, it's a good question because we voted to appropriate the $11 million in in that amount and that's what the voters had appropriated. >> I'd have to do a little bit more research on that. Um, >> to see >> I just didn't know if

050there were state laws around how that bond >> because usually you have to you have to appropriate anytime you want to spend money, you have to appropriate it. even if you have offsetting revenues like the grants like there's no impact on taxation but in order for us to spend it we have to appropriate the funds. >> Okay. >> Um so that's a great question. I've never run into it but I can certainly ask. >> Yeah. Thanks. I know it's not necessarily important this year but just for the future. Um I had a general question about fund balance and do you guys how you manage fund balance? Do you have a policy around it? Do you hold some fund balance? Do you just put everything back in the next year? So in the state of New

051Hampshire, you can retain fund balance. However, you have to have it on a warrant article to do so. Okay? >> We in SAU16, no district in SA16 has ever put it on the warrant. >> Okay? >> So we do not retain any fund balance at the end of the year. >> Okay? >> Um meaning any expenditures less than plan and any revenues more than plan collectively together become what's called your unassigned fund balance. >> Okay? that is used to offset the taxes in the the fall in November >> because as a town we retain a certain amount. Yeah. >> So you use your trust as that sort of buffer against >> we use the trust for emergencies. We have not put on the warrant to have any fund balance um retaining. >> Okay. Um and

052then does the do the numbers on the front include the um bringing back another second grade teacher or is that not included? Okay. Is it your intention to move away from that or is that still up for discussion? >> We have further discussion. >> Okay. Y >> um and then I feel like I have one other question. Oh um I also just was wondering the explanation for the state adequacy funding going down. >> So that is a projection from the department of revenue. So they released the projected amount. It will not be the final amount. It will change but that is the projected as to what they >> that's like per pupil what they're giving is going down. Well, so they give us so we get an adequacy amount of grand total for the district.

053>> So that's the grand total for the district. >> Okay. >> How that is per pupil is not detailed out on their report. >> Okay. >> I just give a lump sum. >> We just get a lump sum. >> It's like multiffactorial, right? There's a lot of things that go into what that number end up being. It's not just like a >> calculation. >> Okay. I just given like the lawsuit and the concerns about >> adequacy funding. I was wondering why it was going down. Yeah, there um in SU 16 I I think there was two districts that went slightly up and the arrest went down. >> Okay, I think I'm good for now. Thank you. >> So just sorry to follow up on that question then. So what is this increase of salaries of

054112? I thought that did increase the additional teacher that >> no that's in this page second and third page that's salaries across all positions that are salary. So are you in the major changes? That is every single salary in the building. So um >> I thought this was an additional teacher. Okay. This is just like we had talked about um if you were to look at the school psychology line that we had talked about rather than having contracted service looking at a BCB whose all salary increases. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I think Kate you had said it was going to be 123,000 if we were able to get an additional teacher >> when we did the Yeah. the last if we were to look back at the last paper actually detailed in there. Cathine

055I think that sounds right. It was a >> master step six is like the middle where you would hope that they would fall in terms of the scale and calculated a twoerson health plan and then fed all that. So I think it's about 120 something like that. >> All right. Thanks. >> Hi good evening Shane O'Brien one square way. Um with the grant revenue that's listed here I understand that's an approximation because it could go up or down based on what's approved. My question is, are we able to directly apply that grant revenue to the the bottom line of the budget or does that have to be appropriated to certain aspects of the budget? >> So, if you look on the tax impact, you're going to see there's grant expense which equals the grant revenue.

056>> Yep. >> So, we only get grant revenue if we expend the grant. So, what happens is we have grants and we have what's called activities within the grant. They have to be approved by the Department of Ed. um to say they're grant that they're eligible and then we expend the money and then they send us the money back. So any grant revenue receive is a one for one on a grant expense >> and they are certain things. So they're not like we can't apply them to anything that we would choose. They're a category. So like there's title one that's for certain things. There's title two that's for certain things. And so it's not like they can go to anywhere in our budget or any type of they some of it's professional development. Some of

057it is for like safety and security. It really depends. IDA is for special education. So it's not that grand total is not like oh we could use that for furniture. It is really specific to what you can use it for and that has to be submitted to the state before you get to use it. >> Okay. And so then safe to assume that the grant expenses would not be listed in the budget because it'd be a Z. Okay. >> Understood. And then for the other items uh listed here the revenue uh assuming 26 is the true number 27's an approximation in the tax impact here. >> Okay. And then same with the uh the prior end fund balance. So the that would be 26 fund balance and then 27. >> Correct. I held all else

058equal to get the impact on the the change in the budget. Um, and so revenue, revenue for us is a bunch of different things. It's, um, special ed aid, it's earnings on investment, if we were to rent out the gym or anything, um, food service sales, and there's three parts of food service sales, the part the parents pay, the state, and the federal part. So, it's a it's a lot of items. >> Understood. And are those items able to be directly applied to offset the cost of the the increase of the budget at the end of the year or how we're >> No. So what happens is we have to appropriate everything we want to spend and then in the fall we do our projected revenue and the delta between those two is what raised

059in taxation and then if there is any expenses expenditures less than planned or revenue more than planned that money goes to offset the tax rate the next year and that's why you see the fund balance. >> Understood. Okay >> that that tracks. Thank you. >> Okay. Okay. Yeah. So, Pat, I think um I do just want to be careful just because Chris and Molly spend so much time answering questions, just making sure we're not repeating questions that that have been answered in writing. But um I def I welcome you to come up and ask. So, I just want to make sure we're all on the same page when it comes to what the volumes are for next year. So, I've put a document together. I just want to make sure we we understand that the

060way it's going to work is that the first grade the grade the first grade 85 becomes the second grade next year and so forth. it goes up one grade. Well, we need help and we we chatted about this in the fact is we need help with what should the kindergarten be. Now the question becomes have there when does enrollment for kindergarten happen? Is it already happened? Does it happen later? So we just need help is to project what kindergarten number is going to be. >> We discussed that at the last meeting. We projected at 80 students. >> 80. >> Yep. That was the number we gave you. >> Okay. I missed it. Y >> okay >> I mean enrollment goes on and on you know obviously >> well we have to base it on something

061so >> right but we have it right that every grade we should just assume the the grade moves forward one >> that's how we project it based on what we know today >> then on this this the second page uh you know we keep on hearing about second grade um if we recall there were there were official unofficial ranges that we we were using. Uh we said for kindergarten 13 to 17 students per class, first, second, and third uh grade 15 to 18 students per per class. And then for fourth and the fifth, we said 18 to 22. This goes back to an a board from a couple years ago who who talked about it. I don't think they ever voted on it, but those are the the guidelines that we had used. And the

062discussion was very clear. We said that we needed uh smaller classes for the younger grades and we can expand those classes as the kids got a little older uh sizes. So I I have no idea. But when I got this, I said, "Well, what happened?" We heard last week, last board meeting, someone got up and said, "Well, I I observed in a secondass grade class." Boy, and then then I look at this and I say, "Well, no wonder we we we never suggested to to cut a second grade teacher. We had talked about a a fourth grade teacher." And what I wrote here is, you know, so I don't know what the reason is, whatever, but that person was right. We probably needed one more second grade teacher. But when we're talking about the budget,

063hopefully we use these same guidelines to discuss what we need. We didn't we didn't need five in the in the in the fourth grade this year >> because there's no policy that says that. is there's no policy that says that though. So the the guideline like in the past I've heard from the administration was based on which >> student >> stu yeah student needs across the building. So I don't I haven't heard the thing you're talking about with fourth >> well we Heidi Hansen brought it up actually. >> What's that? >> Heidi Hansen brought it up. I have it written. Heidi Hansen brought up the ranges. >> Right. And the thing you're talking about is last year we discussed putting that in as a policy. There's no policy. The thing you're >> Well, I'm suggesting

064the board really consider a policy. It's I mean, >> but I think it's really important I'm just sorry. Oh, sorry. >> I think it's really important to the the serious nature of determining what grade level has the number of teachers is a very complex discussion and there are myriad of factors that play into what grade level should have been at four teachers. And to assume it's as simple as because they're fourth or fifth grade is naive. There are so many factors that play into the teachers, the team of teachers, the dynamics of kids, the complex profiles of the students. And so we can't simplify what we do down to there should be five teachers just because they're in second grade. So I appreciate your question because I think it's a valid question, but it is

065not a simple equation that determines what number of teachers should be in a grade level. >> Right. Okay. I'll accept that. >> Uh I mean uh >> congratulations. >> I appreciate that. I got one more thing I want to share. So, you know, I obviously I go through this budget with a fine-tuned comb and uh when we got to salaries for the aids and I know we've talked over the last couple of years that we need to increase the aid salaries. But I did the I did the homework to look at and I asked the question in in the questions that we sent about I said is it is it because we're increasing salaries or are we adding more aids uh in regular but also in in the u special needs area? Well, I did

066an analysis if you look at it best I could based on last year budget to this year um for the salaries for the aids u in terms of the FTEES it looked like for my calculation it can be verified that the half person was gone seven and a half I had to assume by the way because I didn't have the FTEES for this year had to assume everybody that appeared to be in a parttime timer is a 0.5. Uh I saw 7.5 new names which I saw three transfers from special ed and then I saw six and a half that left. Those those people don't exist anymore. So I saw for this budget three and a half more people in staff aids in uh regular education. Then I did I went to last year's salaries

067to this year's salary and there's quite a range of increases. We were told in the meeting that if they're not in the contract people were going to get 3% raises but that's not what hap that's not what's in this budget. >> So are the aids covered under the pair professional contract? So they're under their own contract that guiding like how much they would be getting increase. Their contract's already signed. But here's but I I went employee by employee >> in the budget if you take the time like I do to to well you're a board member. >> Okay bet I have been going through that is no need for that. What I'm saying is that the thing you're talking about there are contractual obligations. >> I went employee by employee. >> Okay. >> One person

068just finish. >> Let me finish. 43% for one 25.9 for another 13 for another 12.55 for two etc etc down to 3.6%. 6% increase. I have them all listed here >> 45%. >> So obviously we're trying to catch up. I took name by name. This is their salary last year. This is salary being proposed in this budget. It's not 3%. So okay, I did the same thing for the special ed education aids. Uh again a half gone, one new person, three and a half transferred from regular education and three people left. uh total of of plus one there. The same thing was range from 13% increase down to 4.55% increase. As board members, hopefully you you appreciate this. Is this what you want to do? I mean again as a fact and as you as

069well we're trying to balance the needs of the education here these kids especially and the staff as well as the taxpayers and we're trying to do everything at once it seems we're trying to we're trying to catch up with a bunch a whole bunch of things including we've never budgeted in the last in the last four years. I haven't seen anything in the budget for uh field trips. And I know you commented on that. I don't know. I don't know. Field trips are being taken and the money's taken from another account to make that happen, but there hasn't been anything budgeted for field trips. Now, we have whatever it is 12,000 or something like that field trips, you know. Uh but these are the kind of things we got to look at and it's in

070the detail. If you don't look at the detail, you're never going to get to an answer. And that's what hopefully the facts going to do and provide you that information. But again, when I saw this, because I saw like a 50 and then in regular for regular aids, I saw about a $50,000 increase in the budget. >> Mhm. >> And I went and then help me out now. They weren't in this contract that we were talking about. They have their own contract. Is that what you're saying? So, do do you have any other comments? And then >> No, just answer this. I have more, but I'm I'm not going to do it. >> Are are you all set? >> Yeah, I'm set. >> Okay, then. Um, if you want to have a seat, then we

071can follow up on some of those things that you said. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. And we do appreciate it. Believe us. Um, the fact that you guys volunteer and do this. I read that list of questions, it's very impressive and um it is very appreciated. So, thank you, Pat, and all of you. Um, I guess does anyone feel comfortable talking about salaries? >> I think there's a couple things you want to go across. >> I I just I appreciate the piece of paper, but I don't know what the question was, and I don't think it's fair at this time to be able to look at it without having documents of what we're trying to compare. >> So, if there's a question, we'd be glad to go and answer it. If it's a

072if it's a change in salaries or it's the prepare a professional contract, we can answer that. But there's no I need to know what the question is to accompany this. >> Yeah. I think that it's not a uniform. >> The question is does the board agree with those salary increases >> and you can pre and you can go to the last year's budget outside the current salaries compared to what's being proposed. Very simple. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I can answer the field trip question. >> It would be fantastic. Yeah, >> we have had for a number of years it was always $15,000 which you gave basically about $2,000 to each grade level to go on field trips every year. Four years ago we started cutting it as we were trying to

073be financially responsible. So every year I put it back in and every year we cut it but is an important part and so right now what what pays for our field trips is the PTO and our families and we have a scholarship fund. So every year we put it in there and every year at the fact it comes up that where can we save some money and that's one of the things that goes. So right now our families in the PTO are absorbing the cost of field trips. >> Okay. >> As a state representative, I was very sad that Stratum didn't come last year. So I hope that they can come. >> It's hard for sure. >> We agree they love to go. >> All right. Um I would love to open it to public

074comment. Is there any public comment? And just as a reminder, three minutes. >> Oh, it won't be that long. I just have a question. If I wanted to be on the board, I'd run for election. Correct. >> Okay. Just checking. Thank you. >> Elections in March. Um, okay. So, we I'll just run the timer um for the next 30 minutes and would welcome anyone to ask questions about the budget or any any other comments. Um I had something else in my head. Any Oh, Chris, I was just wondering for for everybody's um information, including myself. Can you just talk a little bit about the next few months with the FAC? Sure. At what point are they coming back with the recommendations and >> Yep. So our next meeting unless we schedule something different with a

075budget workshop with the fact would be our uh public hearing. So the public hearing is for anybody in the public to give us comments on the on the budget be the the last time for the fact to ask questions and then give a recommendation on the budget unless we send something up before that public hearing. So after that public hearing the the board needs to make decision on that on the budget number that we want to present to be able to put in front of the residents of Stratam. Okay, >> that's how we have it designed now. And we pushed that that time frame back two weeks to give them enough time to ask questions and if there was a need for us to get together for a meeting. So that's why we had done

076that at that the last meeting and pushed it back. >> Is Abigail still on the Zoom? >> Yep, she's still here. Yep. >> So I would just encourage Abigail to reach out, you know, if if the timeline or anything additional needs to be. >> I know they're speaking through Abigail. They're looking to meet uh as a group at least next week at some point. So they're still trying to coordinate that to get their questions together. And Abigail, I don't know if you want to add to that. >> Um, I guess I just have a question regarding the time frame and the public hearing. When is the expectation that the the FAC will give its recommendation? Um, you know, if we support the budget at as it currently stands or if we would, you know, our

077our decision is that we would support the budget at X dollar amount. Um when is the is the expectation that we have that ready for the public hearing or is it following after the public hearing? >> So it would be at that meeting with the public hearing. So the public would come, you'd be able to hear the comments, the board would be able to hear it, you'd give your your recommendation based on our time frame and the board could take that for their final determination on the budget. >> Okay? And so therefore, if you do want to have another work session with the board, we I'd ask you to reach out to myself and Jennifer, and if we needed to schedule a brief meeting to go over final numbers before that public hearing, we definitely

078could do that. >> Okay. Yeah. We'll know more after we meet as a group uh next week um and talk about the the the answers we received tonight and um also what we're g we're about to hear with public comment. >> Thank you. >> Are is there anyone there for public comment? There is an audience in the in the group. So there's a couple couple Yeah. >> All right. Anything else from the board? >> Um I just want to comment about the timing. So I think you and I had talked about that and there was significant amount of time that Jennifer and I spent working on the CBA, but unfortunately the CBA expired the same year that the contract I mean that the uh bond payment is hitting. So there's not a lot we can

079do with the timing on that. It is unfortunate while we were negotiating the CBA that came up multiple times and we were like how can we try to mitigate this because it's not great timing. And then the health trust increase of 15 to 17% is outside our control. So I just wanted to clarify about the board trying to do a bunch of things. A bunch of these things are hitting at unfortunate times but they're things outside of our control. >> Yeah. All right. Thanks to everybody too for for the amount of work the administration really appreciate it. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, one of the questions I had was about the u you know the gorilla in the room is the uh what was it 17% increase in health costs. Uh, so I asked

080the question. I I wasn't sure if that was part of the negotiation uh with the uh bargaining unit or not. Was it or wasn't it? >> It's part of the contract. So, >> it's part of the contract. So, but the answer I got was that we're going to be looking at it in January. I wasn't sure what that meant. >> Sure, I can answer that. >> Yeah, please. >> So, obviously healthcare is up for all of us. And so one thing that we'll be doing through the central office with our director of human resources and all of our union representation is we're going to have a uh health summit to talk about how we can look at health care costs moving forward. Uh we'll have multiple negotiations happening year after year. So we're going to

081bring all of our union representations uh our 15 different bargaining units that we have in SA16 to talk about that because we have a number of nine different plans that we offer in SA6 and talk about those plans, talk about ideas. We also have uh coordinated to have a thirdparty vendor to see if we there's other cost savings that we could have for health insurance moving forward because getting that 15% number did not sit well with a lot of us. Uh so trying to be proactive and so that is something that we'll set up. So I'll share that more after those meetings, but that's where we're at at this point. >> So so that 70% increase is the 70% increase. >> That's what we have to pay. So that's why we'll be looking elsewhere. >>

082All right. The other thing I I found interesting was when I looked at the dietary number went down. They have they can negotiate their own or something. >> I have no idea which >> the dietary health insurance line went down. >> They have their own. >> You could I'd go right ahead and answer. I'm not sure. >> That is a change of selection of what the employee level chose. It's it's um a personal choice, >> right? >> Change. >> Well, whether it's a a family plan or not a family plan, all that or >> correct >> that kind of stuff >> that they did. Okay. All right. because I'm saying, well, let's do what dietary is doing. So, all right. Thank you. >> Thank you, Pat. >> All right, moving ahead with superintendent um school

083district clerk. >> Yes. So, glad to uh bring a recommendation to you. Um Aaron Garcia, the apprentice, has offered to uh take on the role for this time frame and for our election to be the school clerk. Um, so with your recommendation, because we do need to appoint her since that position is unfilled, that she would be glad to fill it for for this year and then it would go back on the ballot for one year. Still one more year remaining in that that term. >> Okay. Who who was interested in running? >> We will need to click. Um, okay. So, Gina has to vote. >> Yes. To to a point. >> All right. Does anybody want to move to have uh Aaron? >> I'll move. Okay. >> Thank you, Kathy. >> Welcome. >> Do

084I have a second? A second. >> Thanks, Cameron. Um, and many thanks to Erin um, for volunteering. She's obviously been a part of the Strata Community uh, school for a long, long time. Really appreciate her. Um, all right. All in favor? >> I >> All right, so 500. All right. Uh, SMS administrative report and um, looking at student assessment data. I'll keep setting up the um new line. Does anybody have any questions about anything was in the actual written part? >> Can you grab that mic when you're talking? >> Oh, sorry. Yeah. >> Okay. >> I'm sorry. >> So, we can pass that and I can do it here. is the change in traffic patterns like because of the building project. >> Um, we actually just started because they actually are they already took down

085the cottage so they're over here and so because the construction vehicles and equipment are over there now it's easier for us to be over here and safer for >> Okay. >> everybody. >> Yeah. Is that going okay? >> Yeah. We actually um you've been here a long time, so you know, we used to sort of stop at like the music door, but we moved it even further up so we can get like 15 cars at a pass, which is actually helpful. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Great. >> Yep. >> I was um not here last Friday morning and Bob, the builder, who's our construction manager, was going to let me actually knock down the cottage and I missed the opportunity. And I found out yesterday at the building, I was like, "Wait, what

086did you just say?" He's like, "I texted you." I was like, "I missed the opportunity to do. You should have waited. >> That would have been great." Oh, wouldn't that have been the most amazing thing? >> But that's okay. >> Do that with your videos. His name videos. Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. >> All right. Tell you loved Bob the Builder. >> Okay. >> I want to compliment the staff at SMS really quickly. We had our table chop drill um last week was so with Stratam Fire, Stratum PD, Homeland Security, um people from the town, Rich Kane, our um chief security officer um and obviously a number of people from SMS and the woman from Homeland Security like at the end was like a debrief and she complimented the SMS staff on being like really knowledgeable,

087really aware, um had critical conversations, made really decisive decisions. She was like, "It was the most impressed I've been with a school like being prepared." And it felt really good to be with a group of people that felt comfortable talking about a really awful, terrible experience, but really maintaining thoughtful decision-m and being knowledgeable about what is expected from them. So, it was really okay. >> Felt really good about it. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> What's on the screen? >> Love to hear about some data. >> Oh, be installed. >> Okay, we won't do that then. Um, nice to see you all. I'm Brianna Martin, MTSS coordinator, and I have our math specialist, Christa Staler, and reading specialist Missy Mitchell with me to talk about our benchmark data from this fall. Um, we're at a

088point right now where we're getting ready for our next round of benchmark data. As you know, we do three rounds per year in addition to the classroom assessments and progress monitoring that happens for students. So, um, looking back to last year, we have our spring 25, um, SAS data and you can see a comparison of our proficiency data for ELA, math, and science for the past three years. So, we can have our 23, 24, 25. I know you all have that data with you. Um, so at the end, if you have any questions about that, please do. >> It's worth celebrating. >> Yes, it is very much worth >> celebrating. Staff and students and families worked really hard. um not in just it's just really good to see all the hard work come to fruition

089and all the things that the board has supported in terms of the initiatives that we've been putting forward and you guys have been supportive. I kind of see it kind of paying off is really nice. >> So we're here. >> Appreciate it. >> You're here Eric. >> It was an incredible team effort for sure. >> We'll start with our kindergarten proficiency data. Um we start every year at the beginning of kindergarten we do speech and occupational therapy screeners um just to kind of take a look at our the development of our students and if they have needs in that area. So that's the BAME is for our speech and um VMI for OT. And you can see all of our kindergarten data at the start of the year. The expectations academically for kindergartens for kindergarteners

090are we don't really have an expectation because it's going to be students who have all kinds of different backgrounds. So our academic numbers are going to be really high at the start. We expect them in the um midy year to go down a bit just because we're adding on that expectation that wasn't there before. But that those numbers around speech and OT really give us a sense of if we need to be um providing some targeted related services for students. >> Do you want to talk about the specific assessments? >> Yep. Um so in kindergarten as Brianna just said at the beginning of the year we just do two um a major screeners called um one of them is with some of the very foundational literacy skills um for the acadians that feeds into a

091composite and you can see that the majority of our kids were well beyond what they needed to be. Um, and then RAN shows kind of like how fast kids can name off an object or a number or a letter and that kind of helps us understand their processing skills. And so our kids are doing really well right there. >> And math. For math, we also have two assessments. The first is the universal screener for number sense. that is a performance task in that we interview individual students um asking things about counting and number recognition and then we also do the I Ready math diagnostic which is the computerized assessment that um all students take. It's related to our math curriculum. At the bottom of the list you'll see our Bassor Berry screening which is a

092social emotional screener. at time it can be a little bit difficult with this one being a bit more nebulous to have the proficiency data. It's hard to say you're socially emotionally proficient. So at times as you're looking through your slides there will be data points at other times there won't be. And that's just because within that um grade level there might have been some more nebulous scores that made it harder for us to say yes we can provide you with a clear-cut data point here. Oh, you have to I really doesn't want those apps. This is a visual of our Acadians data. Oh, >> you want to see it? >> I'm just want to explain the colors. Um, red would be our students who are considered well below benchmark, yellow would be at risk, green

093is at benchmark, and blue would be considered well above. Here is our I Ready data ready math. Green um really at the start of the year we want green or yellow because yellow is like in that mid range. >> They're being measured against end of year outcomes. And so if in September they're yellow that means they're a year behind which means that's where they should be in full year behind. If >> correct >> at the start of kindergarten you shouldn't be at the end of kindergarten. Yeah. >> Here's our grade one proficiency numbers. And again, I'll turn it over to Missy Ute to talk a little bit about our assessments for literacy. Um, so you can see there's much more of a battery of assessment screeners that we do at the beginning of first grade.

094Um, we do a phonics survey which just goes into some of the basic phonics skills and seeing how kids are decoding. Um, and then Heggery is the uh phmic awareness. So, we're just listening to sounds and segmentation and blending and all of those skills that are very important for reading. A cadence again feeds into a composite. Um, and then they start doing the I Ready diagnostic in first grade at the beginning of the year. So, we have that and then we also give them a spelling inventory. So, those are all the scores. >> It's the same two assessments for first grade for math as well. It's the universal screener for number sense and the I Ready math diagnostic. So there's that Aadian score with again our yellow and red looking at some at risk whereas

095green and blue is um at or above and ready reading in this case is introduced here and um then we continue with the I ready reading and then um ready math second grade looking very similar. And now as we get into these older grade levels, we have more and more repetition of similar tests which helps us to kind of build. Now we're comparing apples to apples. So now um Acadians is is an assessment that you'll see at K through five. And as we've been using that assessment longer and being able to use the online platform for scoring, we're able to kind of build some really nice um projections of individual student growth. So that can really help us with accountability on um progress monitoring and making sure we're seeing growth at the pace that we

096want to be and knowing that if not, we want to make sure that we're doing something differently to support that kiddo. >> Yeah, I don't really need to say much more about the second grade um battery of screeners that we do at the beginning of the year except we take the Heerty screener away just because phmic awareness should be mastered by the end of first grade. If there are students that haven't mastered it, obviously we dig in a little bit deeper in the reading room. Um, but everything else is the same. >> Mine is mine are also the same. I'm going to keep saying it for every grade level, but I could take this opportunity to just explain. Um, I'm so sorry that you keep going back and forth. Um, thinking about the discrepancy in

097the two percentages reminded me that one of the things I didn't mention is that the universal screener for number sense is sort of a snapshot in time with the expectation for the beginning of the year. Whereas the I Ready Math diagnostic, as we've said a couple times, assesses end of year expectations. And so it makes sense to me that where we want them to be, they are. and the for the I Ready there are areas to grow because they obviously are not at the end of that school year yet. So that's why there's that discrepancy between the two. >> They have all of these too like >> and you have all of these. This is where we start to see some um reds in the ready just because that red is going to represent potentially

098one year behind. you can't be one year behind in kindergarten because again you're just at the start. Um so we start to have a little bit more of those gaps and those are our students typically who maybe are needing are starting to kind of come to mind as maybe potentially needing specialized instruction in that area. think that everything is consistent in third grade. And again, we're seeing some pretty strong numbers letting us know that our students are kicking off third grade in a really great place. >> Oh, yes. >> Um so even though the assessments are the same in third grade as they were in second grade, Aadian um adds a comprehension layer to its assessment as well. So the scores reflect that um composite. >> Okay. >> I guess I just didn't need to

099give it back to you. I didn't actually want to get on the mic today, but this is how what happens. I don't I don't give it up once I get it. Um so in fourth grade we also you see the core phonics has been taken away. Um and that is because the core phonics should be mastered by the end of third grade. And again if there are students who haven't mastered it by the end of third grade we dig in a little deeper in the reading room. Otherwise everything else is the same. I'm going to chime in a little bit right here. When we also are able to use some of this data um to inform our instructional decisions. So, not necessarily just what students might need that, but what programming we might need to

100change, how our schedule might need to be adjusted because when you see it beyond like longitudinally, like it's happening over several years or we're finding every year in second grade, this is an area that's a struggle for kids, that's usually because our programming needs to be adjusted or our curriculum materials need to be adjusted. And so, what's really nice about having I think going back to what Brianna said, the same assessments, it allows us to compare apples to apples and see what adjustments we make have an impact on things. And so for example, prior to this year, we had three different phonics programs throughout. So word study programs and now we have two. We have a K through three, which is uh core 95, which is really hard to find one that's the same. And

101then we have Morphe Magic for fourth and fifth, which is an extension of that. So if you're looking for continuity and cohesion, which was really hard with three different programs and three different um publishers, that was really hard for us to ensure that we didn't miss something or something um didn't get the attention it needs. This really allows us to be really thoughtful, which will be reflected in this over time, which is really nice because we'll be using the same assessments. So, here's our fourth grade proficiency data. Um, fifth. Yeah, last one. Sorry, I re misread it. So, just to kind of jump on to what Kate was saying there, if I'm looking at this data here and kind of interpreting it on that universal level, thinking about what I want to focus on instructionally,

102I can see I'm feeling really confident about spelling for these students. The Acadians tells me, hm, I might want to make sure that we're really addressing fluency. Um, that's going to be a universal need for this grade level. So, it's very helpful for us in that way. Any questions or things anyone would like to discuss further from the data? >> I got a quick question. So the scores on here that represents the entire population of students. >> That's the average of that grade level. Yes. Okay. You're talking about SAS >> the front page. That's >> Well, I just mean all of them as far as >> it's every student is not like >> Nope. it's 100% of our students. >> So, we're maintaining that individual student data as well. That's what's kind of driving our

103interventions, our um our gradient supports, but this helps us kind of on that big picture level look at what's overall effective and what needs to be tweaked. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Do you want to go? >> You can go. >> Um I have a question mostly for you, Briana. Um if we see MTSS as being like a really successful initiative, would you expect to see um the red shrinking and becoming more yellow? Like is that would that be an indication that MTSS I guess is successful if the red overall shrinks in all of the benchmarks? Really? >> I think the reality is that there will always be a variety of different learners within a school building. And so you're not going to always never I don't think there's ever going to be a grade

104level where every single child within that grade level happens to have that grade level curriculum be totally appropriate for them. For some students, it may not be developmentally appropriate based off of where they are, but that is a small minority. Um, so I think yes, the idea with MTSS is that everybody's getting what they need in order to access the curriculum and learn effectively. And that I think for all of us here that really is our value system is that it is the job of the school to make sure that we understand what children need and we provide that to them. And yes, that should be reducing the red and increasing the green, increasing the yellows. >> Thank you. >> Did you want to pop on to that, Kate? >> I do, but I'm not

105going to. Okay, >> I will um because I the way Sophie asked it, I just want to clarify. So MTSS is really just the framework we use for the entire all the learning in our building. So when you say like if it turns Yes, we want to go yellow and to green ideally, but MTSS that first tier level is the is the classroom instruction. So that's everything. That's not just the intervention or the specialized instruction. That's the classroom instruction, too. So if yes, if classroom instruction is where it needs to be, if the interventions are where they need to be, then everybody should be making that year's worth of growth. So to Banna's point as well, everybody should be shifting. My year might look different than your years of growth based on where we started.

106But if everything's working in a fully moving MTSS system, then all those pieces are in place. But I just wanted to draw attention to like that's classroom teaching, too. It's all of it. >> And there'll be other data points that you will look at because what you're looking at is standardized computerized test, right? So, when we're measuring a student's growth over the course of the year, it may not be reflected in the numbers you're looking at right now because it's a standardized computer test. But in fact, if you were to pull up a work sample or you were to use um a performance assessment, you'd be like, "Oh, wow. They definitely have it. They actually are exceeding the expectation. It's just not representative in a I mean, I can sit with a kid and they

107don't want to test it. Just click click click click click and that's going to be on here." Right? So, there it's really important and I think we talked a lot about this last year. Part of why MTSS is so important is all the other data points we have. We have to also be able to analyze those and use those to feed and understand our system. >> Absolutely. And I think the key phrase that we keep in mind is meaningful progress. >> Yeah. I was just going to say this is really great this by the way. So I just want to acknowledge how great these numbers look in my opinion after seeing this for sever several years. I think this is fantastic and it's a compliment to to everybody who's here and all the classroom teachers

108as well. I know that everybody who's is is contributing to that and especially to the folks here who are I think helping some of the kids who are on the bubble. I've always said that that's the way I refer to it. People who really need to be moved into a proficient status in various areas. Um thank you for doing that. One of the questions that I had was and I think as I was going through you know first sec kindergarten all the way through the way I remember it is I think in third grade like quantitative skills become different like it's a big thing right okay so when I saw some of that slight drop off I think the material like what we're asking the kids to learn is significantly more at third and then

109and then on right >> the way it's written is like grades one three and five are often big of like rand any information. >> Yeah. >> Um so you're going to see like a bust at one, three, and five as far as this is brand new. I've never even heard of this before. >> Um so that's often >> I think that's piggybacked as well with um third grade is like an independence that is different. So there's a lot of um in because it's really like I can independently read for information and meaning in third grade in a very different way than we would expect in second grade. So it is a big um change in what we are expecting them to do independently. Um and so there is you're going to see like third graders

110like go whoa right and not that they're not doing that in kindergarten first and second but there is a big shift from our perspective as the educators of what we asking them to do um in the classroom and certainly we accommodate as much as we can but there is a different there's a big shift >> there's an executive functioning skill set that needs to be built because it's also I think in all areas we've gone from very discreet skills to layering you know in mathematics as well you see a lot of that transition from I was doing one thing and now I'm bringing everything together and being able to do that. It's it's a new set of skills for them. So certainly there is a transition period and for some students that requires more explicit

111support and for others it becomes a little bit more naturally. I don't know if you wanted to speak to that at all specifically around quantitative >> just in terms of math specifically K2 the bulk of the work is around um number sense addition subtraction third grade is where multiplication division and fractions are introduced and it's really laying the foundation for all of the work that they'll be doing in the future grades and so it is um much meteor content and it is that like synthesis of some of the underlying skills of addition, subtraction, and number sense. So, it does get um much more difficult in the upper grades. >> Yeah. Thank you. I I mean, it's important that they get it that they get it in third like they're doing right because it's it's that

112all this stuff is cumulative, right? Builds and builds and builds. Yeah. Hopefully, you like it. Hope your pins out there. >> Um, >> one of the other ones I was just going to ask >> because I get I get confused. Are we doing the exact same kind of stuff this year as we're doing last year? >> Did we do anything? What are we what are we doing differently in terms of assessment or like MTSS just that is contributing to this? >> You missed it last week. >> Oh, sorry. Well, I can go I can >> No, sorry. Um, so we are using the same um screeners. So, we are we're using the same screeners which is a three times a year benchmark assessment. We've um updated a couple, but we are using them. We decided

113whether our second or third year with some of them. Um, but we've made a lot of um changes whether it's the frequency of data and how often we're collecting it so we can be more fluid with our groups. um grade levels are determining if kids are walking to where they're going for their gradient support and that does include extension um or if they're keeping their kids during that time. We have two new literacy programs. We are using two new phonics programs. Um so there's a lot of like curriculum materials that are different. Um there's been a significant the grade levels have been spending a ton of time unpacking so that they can there can be continuity both vertically and horizontally. There's a lot of work being done to um at the educator level to change

114the child's experience. Sure. And I think we'll always I know we'll always be continuing to hone our practices. I think you know as educators certainly we can't ask children to be excited about learning new things if we aren't ourselves. But I would also acknowledge the as Kate said it is a lot of work and it's great to be here and showing you you know some of the incredible the one way of seeing some of that incredible results. But I do need to really acknowledge that it's been an incredible amount of work that classroom teachers that our specialists have put in um to really be able to make that happen. So I feel very grateful for them every day. >> Yeah. And I think just to add it it is hard for me sometimes to look

115at these numbers because I have a kid that's very anxious about test taking. And just to add to what you said, you know, she doesn't do great on these um but at the classroom teacher saw that and you know um figured out what her strengths were and I just I want to applaud that happening too, right? That it's not just the I Ready that there is a lot of teacher interaction. And then the other thing I just wanted to add is at the same time that teacher also reached out to me and said, "I know your kid is nervous. Let's think about how we want to do it differently." And you know, I just appreciate that so much. I know that's so much more work for the classroom teacher, but amazing and thank you for

116all of that, too. >> Well, I I think we all really feel that the children deserve that. And um no, none of us feel good about the idea of creating an anxietyinducing situation for a child or putting them in a situation where they feel like the only way to measure their strengths is through an assessment that doesn't work for them. >> Right. >> All right. Any other questions, >> comments? and I think you were here last month. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you for having us. >> I would offer one other comment because I we didn't talk about this because we were focused primarily on academics, but our MTS system is the whole child. So it isn't just we don't simply meet and have a child study um for a student that might

117need might need some support academically also behaviorally social emotionally speech OT like all of those things like we're looking at the whole child and I think in addition to like what we're talking about all the work that the classroom teachers the special ed teachers the specialists are doing in terms of the academic work they're doing the same thing around them as whole beings and so like all the work that people are putting into our programming into how we build coping skills into how we manage our stress and anxiety um to how we are learning to regulate better in the classroom so that we're more successful ourselves, but so it's also impacting our community in a better way. So there's just like this um coming together of a lot of different parts of our practice and

118our expertise that are impacting our kids um and and their success both on standardized things and in other measures. >> Yeah. >> And this is like across the different right as far as it's not like stratum is doing this. It's it's >> correct. Oh yeah. It's it's everywhere and in SAU 16, everybody's making great progress in this. We have um monthly meetings where we talk about it. It's been a a pra problem of practice for a couple of years. So, it's something SAU has really been highly focused on and putting a ton of really good thought into those systems and the um how they connect from elementary schools up. >> Yeah, because that's what I was wondering about it. Like I mean like it would naturally roll into the next All right. Thank you. >>

119Yep. >> I hope my comment didn't make it MTSS seem reductive or like >> No, no, it didn't. I just pull in the classroom. >> Thank you. I just wanted to make sure that that was not my intention. >> I think it's a lot of people I think think MTSS is like just the intervention part of things and so I was just wanted our attention to the whole piece of it. Um but know that I it wasn't at all. Okay. >> We love the questions. Keep them coming. >> Yeah. So good. >> It's good to clarify. >> All right. Thank you so much. Okay. Moving ahead to board reports. Building committee. >> Um yeah, I couldn't go to the um building meeting yesterday. I'm going to go next week instead. But um I don't believe

120there are any major changes that I've heard of from Mark or anybody. Um are there any major updates from >> Um yesterday was an exciting day. Um we got to pick flooring and some of the mill work and some of the um the detaily stuff because we have to start ordering things because as we know we don't we don't get get ahead of it. So that was kind of fun. It was like a design session. Um, and it's fun to talk about getting rid of the mauve and maroon. >> K got your shot. >> Yeah, >> I did. It was very stressful and fun. >> Even like epoxy color in the bathrooms. Like things like that. Like I'm like I can't make any more decisions. We have to time out. I'll make more next week.

121>> A wedding. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. Great. Anything else building committee related? >> Okay. >> Um, superintendent evaluation. >> Uh, nothing to add. No. >> Okay. Um, safety and security. >> Um, we had the meeting that Kate mentioned. I attended that along with the folks that you put in her update and then they had the tabletop drill, but that's about I think Kate covered it. >> All right. Communications. >> Okay. This is a draft one pager. >> Oh, great. Thank you. >> Um, Chris and Cameron and Jennifer gave me some feedback. Um, so I would love I really want to make sure everything is super accurate in this because it's I want to hand it out to the public. So like please pick it apart. Um, anything you see that's misleading, not

122accurate, like please let me know. Um, so I would love to start circulating this as soon as we all feel comfortable with it. But yeah, this is the draft um one pager. And for those of you who are not looking at it, it's um anticipated tax rises in 2026. So um a big part of what I consider my job on the board to be is communication with the public and letting the public know what's coming down the pike because I never want there to be a big surprise when they open their tax bill and have no idea what what was going on. Um so since we are anticipating some pretty significant tax rises this year or this coming year um I wanted to just kind of highlight the main four reasons for that. So one

123is the bond payment for the renovation. Um so the warrant article passed last year included the cost of the first year payment for fiscal year 26. Um but the line item is now being included for 27 fiscal year 27 next year. And so that will be um as we saw in the budget for next year that's included inflation. Um I heard a couple of different numbers. I have 16% increase for health care costs and somebody could fact check me because I heard 15 and 17. So >> it was it was different per plan. So we'd have to look at how many plans Stratam's offering. >> Okay. >> Because some districts offer multiple plans and so it was different per plan. >> Okay. I guess I rounded to 16. >> So, we can get you some

124teachers. >> Okay. If it's not 16, if you could let me know >> ASAP, that'd be great. Um, and then Chris, you recommended doing like compared to a national. So, I just did a Google search and there was like a national hike of like 26% for ACA. Is that accurate? Like, should we leave that in there? >> I mean, that's numbers I've heard, but again, we can fact check that. So, I think that I just have a comparison what what it looks like. >> Okay. Um, so first thing bond, second thing inflation, third thing decreas decrease in state funding. I didn't have a number before this meeting, but it's looks like it's going down about 25 grand >> over last year. So that will add to it. And then um teacher union negotiations. So that's

125um also going to be a that's that's a large line item as a warrant warrant this year, but then it'll be folded into future budgets. So, I did some like calculations in an Excel sheet and I'm estimating that for an average home of $834,000, it's going to be roughly 10% higher um for the school effort than last year or roughly $1,000 more. Does that sound roughly correct, Molly? Or do you want to >> I would have to do the math in here, but okay. You would just take the the tax rate per thousand times 825, >> right? >> If it's 825,000. >> Yeah. I I mean could do it. Yeah, I have a spreadsheet, but I don't know if that >> Oh, I I can review the spreadsheet together if you want. >> That would

126be so helpful. Thank you. >> Let's do it. Um yeah, >> I um I just want to say I really appreciate that um for the um health increases you said what the national average is going up because >> that it makes it really um helpful to compare to say this is what ours is going up but nationally this is what everything is going up and so that we can say um you know this is what's happening across the country and then the second part that I really think is wonderful ful is that you're giving actual numbers for how much and not just a percentage or uh >> you know the tax the tax rate for me is still a little difficult to comp it's just a lot of numbers and so if we can give

127>> confusing >> if your house is this much this is approximately how much is going to go up so people can have like a concrete number to see how much per month it's going to affect their taxes so that we can concrete numbers are always better than just hypotheticals Right. So, I think that's fantastic. >> So, if you want to schedule time with me, I did a they just finished setting all the tax rates. So, I do a sideby-side analysis of all the tax rates in SAU and it lists every aspect of your tax rate, the town portion, the school portion. Um, if you want, we can go through it and we can show you it might you might find something that we could show that might be helpful to explain it. >> Okay, that

128would be great. Um, do you want me to email you to find a time? >> Sure. >> Thank you. Any other feedback questions? >> I feel like it's really accessible. Like I feel like anybody sitting here can glean really important information from it. I think that's really hard to accomplish. So great job. >> A lot of complicated stuff. >> That's what I wanted it to be. Just like boil down. >> How can we be clear as clear as possible? >> Um >> were you trying to get on one page? >> Yes. >> I That's great. It's awesome. I have a question for you. I think it might be helpful on the like the national hike if we're going to quote something else. Let's Can we put a reference in there like whatever wherever you get

129it from? Yep. >> Just so it doesn't get >> okay >> torn apart. Um I think the thousand bucks I thought was like I think it's like 600 bucks based on what was proposed today if I did the 834 time 72 cents or whatever. >> Um so maybe that's just SMS's portion. So the only other thing too is I was thinking like I'd like to make it clear like we're not speaking for the co-op either. We're like when we say 70% I think 70s something percent represents all the effort for the school all the tax effort for the schools. Uh right not just SMS. >> So on your tax card it's all lumped together >> right? >> There's two lines but it comes to >> but you see what I'm saying. I don't want them

130to just think we're speaking the local tax effort. >> I think it is but I think Molly's saying it's it's the combination of both. It's us paying for everything that like our that Stratum has to contribute to and the I just don't want to speak for the co-op. I think >> I think it'll be super helpful for us to walk through my spreadsheets. Okay. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Great. >> That's my only suggestion. >> That's what I was asking about the town, too. I don't know what the town's looking at. >> So, Eric, you're saying um you want to just focus on the stratum school budget and not >> unless we could come up with a combined thing because we say SMS a lot, right? presented by the SMS school board. >> A lot

131of times people come here and they think everything that has to do with their tax effort >> is this school, >> right? >> And it's not. And I'm not trying to sherk the responsibility that we have for our portion of the budget. But if we're going to speak for all local schools that we're responsible for and put numbers in it, I just want them to know there's two aspects to that. There's the here aspect and then there's the co-op aspect. >> I'm thinking about that, right? >> Yeah. So, how can we make that more clear on this? Do you think >> I think either we either we wait for Chris's stuff that he said he's going to get next week where we're going to have a better understanding of the tax effort at the co-op

132and maybe we do we work together to come up with a combined communication that shows what that is overall or we just say this is this is SMS's >> um >> impact and then we call out the fact that the co-op is also part of your your taxation go to those meetings participate there um be Sure. You understand? >> The town has this cool thing with a dollar bill. >> Yeah, I know. >> Yeah, >> I always like that. >> We should do that. >> I'm thinking like this could be a little bit more graphic. >> That's what I was going to um >> that's what I was playing with tonight is like, >> you know, could I make this a little bit more graphic because I think all of these would be awesome slides

133for a presentation. >> Okay. >> Maybe we um >> like infographic kind of. >> Yes, exactly. >> Can I ask two questions? So I'm wondering about if you wanted to say antip anticipated tax increases in 2026 rather than rises. I just just like grammatically I think that might I know I'm being like semantics but I'm just wondering. >> Yeah. >> And then I just have a question about number one the second half of the final sentence which by um which will be calculated and due in next November's tax rate for the first bill for the first time I should say November's tax bill for the first time. >> I guess bill. Yeah. Good catch. I tried to make the the fiscal year thing so confusing. I was like, okay, which is which? >> Trying to

134um those are all really helpful comments. Any other feedback? >> I think it's impre um the fiscal year writing out exactly what school year it is is also very helpful because people don't understand exactly what the budget is for always. It's confusing that we're always planning a year ahead >> and so we're always >> relying on the admin to anticipate what the school is going to need and kind of making their breast guess. So the fact that you put the actual school years >> very helpful. >> Great. So it sounds like next steps um I'll connect with Molly and then um maybe we wait for the co-op members to come in next week. Does that sound >> I kind of agree with Eric that we should just stay separate. Um >> I think we're gonna

135have to clarify that. So my problem is that if the line item is school, right, and we're saying, "Hey, this is our portion. I just don't want us to own all of that." You know what I mean? Because we can't affect that. And it's not reflected in the tax bill that it's >> Yeah. I mean, let's be real. The SMS portion of that is like what 90% of it, you know? It's like I don't think so. >> No. Like it I say it's like >> we have almost as many kids in as many grades if not more that go to the co-op. >> Yeah. >> I mean I'm not saying it's the same. >> No, but No, I'm just I was trying to calculate as well and trying to run into the same numbers. Yeah.

136>> I have no idea. >> You'll see it all when we walk through the spreadsheet. >> Okay. >> So many spreadsheets. >> I'm kind of jealous. >> That might be the spreadsheet. Oh, I mean if you want if you want in on this >> I kind of want to come. I need to understand budget stuff better. >> I will CC you on this email. >> Thank you. >> Welcome. >> Love a good budget discussion. >> Isn't it great? >> Um thank you >> for this. I will be >> I will be. Yeah, this is the Google doc. I you're on it. >> And if you guys want to come together after we talk about >> it. I think it would be really helpful since this is like my first year on the board. I just

137want to make sure I fully understand >> Yeah. >> as much as possible. >> Yeah. >> I hate to say this, but so we were going to do the >> the talk thing right in February. So I can I also go >> just so I can like >> Oh, you can't do three. All right. Right. Right. Okay. Never mind. First come, first serve. >> I'll Yeah. Yeah. Well, I'm just thinking that we're going to have to speak >> separately. >> Yeah. I appreciate it. >> You can be in the hallway with the spirit. >> So, you can each stop. >> Um, why don't you CC him on the email because if I can't come, like if it doesn't work, >> then Cameron can definitely take >> set up another time next. >> Yeah, that's fine.

138I just met so that we can speak to it when we're holding. >> Of course. Yeah. >> Yeah. And Molly generously said she could come to that fireside chat in February. So that's awesome. We'll record that, >> have it maybe on the SMS website, and then um I'll have another one on Zoom um right before the district meeting for anybody who has last minute questions. But >> thank you. >> Um thank you, Molly. I'm volunteering Millie and her um co-stars Oh, yeah. >> from the tea to interview the board before budget. They would be fant. Yes, >> we sent it out to the community >> and send it out to the community. It would be great. We have a group of students that are doing the tea. They call it the tea. It's a weekly

139podcast. It would be so >> Yes. It would be great for them to interview the board about like priorities, budget, whatever, and then send it out. Be great. >> Okay. >> Really hard questions. >> The questions are so hard. >> Like it rapid fire. >> They're learning to >> Millie is a journalist, huh? >> Okay. Wow. >> They didn't really recording this year. I was like, "Girls, you're killing me right now." >> A lot of questions. >> We'll book them agents. >> That's awesome, >> Mr. Chatter in between the questions. >> Oh, >> yep. Very cute. >> Okay. All right. Awesome. That's it. That actually a great idea. >> Okay. So, yeah, I definitely want to get this out before the holidays. Do you have time in your schedule or Okay. >> Yeah, we can

140try and I'll try and as soon as we can >> Yes. >> meet with you. >> Mhm. get that nailed out and then once we have that updated numbers for that section then I can everybody else good thumbs up circulate. >> Cool. All right. Thank you. That's all for communications for now unless Cameron do you want to do policy anything? >> No, I didn't have anything. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. Chair update. Um, I got some emails um about the budget and then um also I'm looking forward to a chair's meeting in January talking about fair funding. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> Um so I'm looking forward to that the beginning of January. >> Um policy committee. >> Yeah. Thank you. So we had um there's I think there's minimal changes here.

141There are going to be some that are specifically related to the high school. So um that that was the majority. So, when you saw that, just know those already went through. They got accepted. Um, if I recall correctly, based on the way the meeting went, or they were going to be, they had already been reviewed. Um, so I I don't I don't I don't think there's any I don't have a problem with any of those that are in there. And it's around like the uh all the graduation stuff and what you need to be able to do to graduate. the public import input at board meetings was um interesting conversation um among the policy committee because Brentwood has a different way of doing this. Uh I personally like our way of doing it. So if

142you if you care to go look, you can go look at Brentwoods. It's not in the packet because it wasn't uh adopted as what we wanted to present out of the out of the policy committee. Um >> I thought that was legislatively required. Oh, it is. Okay. But it's different. They chose something. They chose to word it differently. Okay. So, they still have the basic fundamental building blocks of what's required by RSA. >> So, they're definitely compliant there, but they have some they have some additional things that they they put in there and they exclude certain things. I personally like the way we do it. If you guys want to read this and go read that and see what you think, that was the the main conversation um around it. The the additional item that

143you see there is that the bullet point number one um which is on page 34 of our packet where it says what the purpose of public input is. Um you can get up and talk about whatever you want as a member of the public. You don't have to stick to something that's germanine. We're just saying as a board our policy is this is this is why this is what we're trying to promote. Uh in terms of public comment, um there were some questions about can you have people who are outside of town um who offer public comment and sometimes there's this concern that people from other towns are coming just to um maybe agenda driven to be able to share something. Um, but it does it the the the RSA doesn't say you can exclude

144anybody. Everybody's paying for this for for education. So, if you're paying state taxes and in a number of ways, you're going to be paying for for it as well. So, my opinion on on that would be nothing should be changed there. Um, but I I was supportive too of of stating what the purpose was. I didn't think there was any problem with that. Um, even though I'm a super strong first amendment say whatever you want advocate. >> So, can I ask about like this says district resident staff members and I thought in the past if you weren't a resident you had to get like clear I'm just confused about that like as far as I think you would have to be a stratum resident to speak at the meeting, right? >> Uh, it doesn't say

145that. >> Well, I know I know it doesn't say that but I think that's what we've done. >> I I think that would be something probably worth asking council about. Would you agree, >> Chris? We could we could run that by council whether we could actually exclude I think we talked to the people who were we have a couple of lawyers who were in the policy committee and that wasn't >> Oh, I so like the town meeting last year there was somebody who wanted to speak and you had to there was a vote on whether we were going to allow that to happen as a body. So I I don't know if it's the same as >> that's the rules of the of the annual meeting. You have to be a resident to be able

146to speak, >> right? So like you like if somebody's outside the district, they would have to every all the residents would have to vote to say yes to speak. >> And that's annual meeting different than a board meeting, >> right? >> Yeah. >> Even in the board meeting, we've had to vote to allow teachers to speak. >> Yeah, that's what I was thinking. >> Maybe maybe we didn't though. >> That's the question, >> right? Maybe we can get clarity about that. >> Yeah. >> So the Brentwood does say it has to be residents of Brentwood to speak or staff members. That's directly in the their policy. That's what's different. Your policy does not have that. You have to be a So, you could be a resident of uh Newfield such as I am and I

147could speak at your board meeting under the 3 minutes and topic u that I want to discuss. >> Yeah, I feel like we should discuss that because I feel like like I get the point about the co-op and we're all paying but like you would go to that meeting to speak to on that, you know. So, I guess I mean something we can talk about. I guess my point was not that. My point was that everybody in the state of New Hampshire is paying like we get money from the state. That was one of our line items was the uh whatever >> adequacy. >> Yeah, it's not a lot but everybody's paying public the public event. I' I'd be interested to see if we could get like legal guidance on >> So we did get

148legal guidance in Brentwood at the time where they did say >> they said it's okay to do you can exclude >> because they they are the the governing board that supports the budget and they're making decisions of of of supporting that that budget or or topics in there. >> Yeah. >> Y >> well we could try that too if you if folks wanted to. I don't think it's been a problem for us per se like we haven't seen that but um and I think for them it had or something or it was something they were trying to prevent that >> there was a time because I was you know the designate at that time and there was a lot of times that we'd have non-residents that would come and want to speak about specific things

149whether it was how we were getting back into school or masks or things of that. So um at the time they made a motion that you had to be a resident of of Brentwood to make to have that that public comment. >> Right. I think the other one too that that we mentioned was if somebody had a had an opinion that like you almost have to dox yourself in some cases, right? Where you come up and you say where you live. And that was a question that we had too where somebody had something that was >> uh an opinion that might not have been received favorably. You have to say where you live in town. >> And that was a question too that people thought was like you know is that something should you require

150that people always we typically do that customarily here. will come up and say where we're from and most people are comfortable with that. >> But that was another uh thought process that was >> that was discussed in the policy meeting >> which is kind of interesting. >> So it's interesting though because like if you say your address, right, that would mean I like why would we do that if it wasn't required to be a resident. >> Yeah, but it's not it's not required by state law anyway to to make you say your where you're from. >> No, I know. But I'm just saying what's >> it's just been press practice. It's a Yeah, it's been >> No, I'm just saying like to the point about like the state advocacy point, like there's a place where

151you can go for that. Like you can go speak at the state house. Like that's not something we're deciding on. I I don't I just I don't think anybody from outside of Stratam we've seen speak at the meetings. >> And usually when it's one of the more organized like not the school board meeting, but like the town hall, we've always had to get special dispensation to allow somebody who wasn't a member. And I thought to Sophie's point that we did that once with somebody who wasn't a resident, but they were a teacher here. >> Yeah. Yeah, I would love to have teachers always feel like they are welcome to like I want their feedback. I don't want them to feel like they can't speak at our meetings. >> And and that's the thing about this

152this red line here is it doesn't specifically restrict something or allow something where I think Brentwoods kind of does this just says the purpose of that does allow for people who are really involved in the school. So school district staff that's what that additional sort of red line thing under one is. So at least it's kind of purpose driven around what what we're suggesting but whatever you guys want to do too by the way um I just wanted to share all the thought and because I thought it was an interesting conversation that we had around this everything else seemed pretty all the other policies just by the way were >> lesser contributed to >> I also noticed you know public comment in the first half of the meeting which I I do agree with but

153I do enjoy having the discretion, especially if I know we're going to talk about maybe something controversial or something at the end. Um, >> yeah, I agree because I feel like I've heard that comment where it's like, hey, we had the public comment, then you talked about the thing and now we can't comment on the thing. So, >> we do a joint board. It's always like, oh, I bet people would want to talk about some of the stuff we talked about board, >> but too late. >> So, are you saying you want to change that point? No, I like how Well, it says generally scheduled, so I feel like that >> that's vague enough that allows you to have the discretion. Okay. >> Yeah, it doesn't limit us on who can speak. >> And I

154think we can I would like to change to just say are you a stratum resident? Yes or no? >> Like why give the address? That feels very personal. >> Nobody's ever complained. >> Yeah. You could just say like tall pines, but >> for example, >> with the school boards do like a sign up and then that way they just say their name, but they've signed the details. >> I think we did that. >> We suggest that too. That's I think that's still suggested. It says you can do it, but you don't have to do it. >> Those deals. >> Oh, yeah. >> Your call, chair and vice chair. I I it's not mine. Um I was comfortable with the way that it came out of the committee obviously otherwise I would have I would have

155spoken up and and said my you know my disagreement with it but whatever folks want to do is I'm good with it. >> Um what is what's I where are you coming out on this Cameron? Well, I'm just trying to like, you know, you're talking about a pol a person that might come from an outside perspective, right? I'm saying if you're not a Stratam resident, like what vested interest do you have to speak at the the meeting here >> other than and to the point about COVID, there was a lot of that with people wanting to push whatever their agenda was at the meeting. It really wasn't relevant to the school board or they weren't from the town. So if we're saying that there's no I mean like if the board chair could say like

156hey maybe we have a bunch of residents here that want to speak we don't need I don't know just something that would be like hey I have a right to speak at the meeting and it's like well what's your vested interest in the stratum school system like if you don't live here. >> Yeah. It doesn't look like I know this might go against what you were saying, Eric, but it doesn't look like the chair >> can um skip people. >> Yeah. >> Or something. >> Well, well, it it's actually kind of the opposite, right? Because it's saying in the thing that's being added, >> it's saying the purpose is to give current residents. So, this is I think satisfies what you're talking about, >> Kim. But then it's also it says current school district staff.

157Those could be folks who aren't from here from Stratam. Any guardians or caretakers of students currently enrolled. You could have a situation where you've got, you know, a a family who's >> um district or something. >> Well, a divorced family or something where one of the parents lives in a different town. So, I think this I think it covers it because it's kind of saying everybody who's kind of gerine to the school. Now, it doesn't say you can skip people. Mhm. >> It doesn't say that, >> but you could always preface most conversation, most of it with a >> I don't know, 3 minutes is not a long time to have to listen to >> Yeah. >> to the, you know, to the hordes of I I don't think we've ever had that experience. >>

158People always wonder about this though, that person who is maybe talking then wants to come up again. >> Yeah. But that's not that actually is not what's that that's not that's not >> it's not it's not a rolling like that 30 minutes that's open doesn't give you The way this is written, if public comment ends in five minutes or six minutes, let's say there's two people and you've got 24 minutes left, it doesn't mean that you can get back up and keep repeating those and and be uh recognized again. >> Um there, right, Chris? I mean, I didn't see that at all. >> What's ever in your policy because it it the only thing that's under the RSA 18974 is that it has to be at least 30 minutes, right? and that you have to

159do these kind of things to kind of make it somewhat equitable or something which we've done. And that means that >> so you can leave it open, but that's not saying that you get 24 more minutes to go through and continue >> like the same person can't come up and just use the 24vailable, >> right? The policy has been determined that you have three minutes. You can't delegate your >> time to somebody else. those things have been specified. >> I mean like point 11 says that if the chair thinks that the person is violating the privilege of addressing the board, they can >> deem them a disruption and have them remove. So if you feel like >> it's inappropriate, they're not sticking to any of the policy >> y >> guidelines, then you can say

160you're out of order and >> yeah, >> remove them. I always really enjoy the public comment. >> Yeah, >> I'm very pro public comic. >> Me, too. >> Okay. >> I wasn't trying to say that. >> I just want to clarify. It was just more like the Germaine to the people that were here. >> Yeah. And >> I think we're try that. I think this is what we're trying to do. >> Current residents. It's pretty >> I think this is what we're trying to do is trying to >> focus on the current residents, >> but it's really anybody who has a >> truly vested interest in the school. >> And I was wrong. I think Brentwoods is in there. Brentwood was in there, but wasn't it Chris? >> It was at the It was the

161one that was after it. >> Yeah, it was one after it. So, if you guys want to look at that at some point or whatever. >> I just wanted to correct my misstatement that it wasn't in there. It was. Yeah. 38. >> I was wondering why that was in there. >> Yeah. >> One. >> Mhm. >> And it was because they're Anytime you have one that's different in those policy meetings, we kind of cover all of them like Yeah. Yeah. You cover because it's all the districts. >> Yeah. I like who they say in number one. residents, sta staff, any guardians or caretakers of students. >> I do think your point, Eric, about uh split families is really important. So, if a a mother lives in a different town, >> they're just as invested just

162because they live in Newfields. Maybe I think it's great that they have an opportunity to talk to the board. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And this does specifically say one opportunity to speak. >> Yeah. I don't know. Well, I tend to more the more liberal approach to free speech on or the ability to speak. >> Yeah. >> I don't It has not been a problem. >> No. >> Yeah. I like it. >> Well, >> okay. Any other conversation about any of them? >> Um, the summer activities one I thought was weird. Like that just doesn't feel like a policy to me. Yeah. >> Why is that a policy? One sentence. >> Have to have it. >> Yeah, it might have been better enough to have more policies. >> um I think it's Yeah, it was that

163legal reference. Was that ED 306? >> Mhm. >> Toward the B toward the end and local purchasing. I mean, I love the intention behind it, but it's also one sentence. >> That that actually I think we talked about that one for about 15 minutes. >> It was good. It was actually a good conversation, but yeah, it was >> okay. >> Yeah. >> Horrible book reading. >> Um, yeah. I don't know. I don't know how anybody else feels about the summer activities one. To me, it feels like >> Why is that a Why does it have to be a policy? Is it from the >> the board encourages families to have a plan for summer activities that support student learning? >> Such activities may include >> a book reading list, yada yada. But yeah, like great.

164Why is that a policy? >> I think it I think Eric's right. I think it's connected to 306, which was just updated by the state. They just what maybe a year ago, Chris, was 306 updated. >> Yeah, they were adopted. Yep. >> Yeah, >> exactly. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Whatever. I no one's going to disagree with you, which is why. >> Yeah, the remote learning one was really hard to read for me because it was all different fonts and sizes and there was a spelling error under B3A of earring versus earning. Also, what are safeguards for student learning? That was a said you must have proper safeguards for student learning for remote and I was like what what does that mean? I don't know. It just seems so vague like why put >> I think

165it was I think it was more around computational stuff and and like uh like if you were to use technology, >> right? >> Yes. >> Yeah. So like stuff still needs to go through like your VPNs and your content and all of these things to ensure that you're >> sure I can understand what the examples might be. I just thought it could be spelled out and clear if it's a policy and you have to do this like what are the safeguards that they're requiring you to do? Um, yeah, that's a good one. I think it's I think those change somewhat to be I don't know how specific like what do you mean? >> That was my question reading this trying to figure trying to remember exactly. >> Well, I think if if you want to

166get really specific, you know, you could be like, oh, well, it should be a web filter to ensure that there's not >> Well, that's usually what >> it aligns to something like that. But >> if it's a requirement, then it >> Yeah. >> should say what it is. >> Sure. I think we can >> I think it does. So if you read it, the district will provide safeguards for students participating in online instruction activities and policy EGA district internet. So I think it does if you were to go to EGA and those things that would be the safeguards that are in place. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Like it would detail the safeguards. >> Gotcha. Thank you. >> Um you stopped reading the spellings. >> Yeah, there was that that was a lot. >> Yeah.

167Is there spell check after we approve these or >> I don't know. >> I always feel like nitpicky being like that's spelled wrong but it's a policy. Should I be saying that or is somebody else taking care of that? Like what? >> No, Alison does appreciate if there's spelling because she'll go back and she make those corrections. Yep. >> Okay. >> And if you picked it up the likelihood another board picked it up, too. So, okay. >> If they didn't, it's good to have that. >> Okay. That'll be great. >> All right. Just looking at the time. Any other questions or concerns about these policies? >> Nope. Nope. >> Um, I've heard different people's comments. Should we take them one by one or do them in mass? >> Should we take the policies one by

168one >> or do them in mass? >> Good. Do them all. You're looking at me. Well, just you're thinking about um >> I think the discrepancy here was I was reading what was in the summary. >> Mhm. >> And it it's not as it's more broad than what is in the actual language. So I don't think it's actually to your point it says district. So I think it could be up to the chair to >> Okay. >> do that. >> We can do uns. >> Sophie, you want to make a motion or does anybody want to make a motion? >> Eric's the Oh, Eric. >> I don't have to make the motion. I'll make a motion. Sure. I'll make the motion. >> Okay. >> To accept all of the policies as presented with the exception

169of a couple of typos that we'll address. >> Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Okay. Any conversation? >> No. >> All right. All in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> Anybody opposed? >> All right. 500. Um, no old business that I know of. Or is there any old business? No. >> No. >> Has anybody has everybody doing their shadows? >> I would I would also recommend this is something Well, um could we shadow the second grade class like cuz that's that's like on the you know docket for us to make a decision about. So I think for me um I would like to shadow that class just so or a class in the second grade. >> Totally should. Um, I think that that would be good for us as a

170board to do that. Um, >> I'm also going to shadow the shadow requirement of the year. >> This could be a good one. So, I'm going to reach out to Kate um to see if I can shadow >> second grade. >> Okay. >> Sounds great. Anything else? >> Anybody else? >> I sent you all the tax file. >> Oh, thank you. >> The spreadsheet. Mhm. >> All right. >> For you, Molly. >> All right. I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Uh, anybody wants to >> I'll second. >> Okay. All in favor? Time >> time 0.