Brentwood School Budget/Board Meeting 11/03/25

001All right. Um, so we'll call the 20 uh fiscal year 2027 >> Waysy Central School budget workshop to order at 5:32. >> Excellent. >> Um, do we do the pledge for this? >> It's up to you. >> Typically, no. >> Okay, then we won't. >> Not usually the budget work. >> Do it later anyway. Yeah, you'll do it um >> at top of the hour. >> Yeah. Uh so turn matter over to you or open for public comment first. I think >> so it's so the board can decide if they want to delay their 30 minute public input to the start of the um you have to do 30 minutes. These meetings are back toback. So you can decide to open it now or you could decide to not open it till 6:00 after the

002budget presentation. It's really up to you. So it's combined like we don't need 30 minutes for this and >> right it's all in the same time day. >> Well um would those of us who are in the audience want to say anything now or do you rather hear the budget presentation first before making if you have any opening comments you'd like to make then we'll we'll hold public comment till after the budget presentation. >> Okay. So this this is really less of a budget presentation and more of a landscape and an overview to seek information and from the board on where they want to go around school budget. [snorts] Um you have a copy of this presentation in your folders. Um I'll also have it up on the screen for you all. [clears throat] Some

003of the drivers I think it's really important to talk about that are um related to the local public school budget. We have our adequacy funding requirements. Um, we have mandatory costs related to public education that not everyone always thinks about. We're going to talk about all of these bullets in the presentation. Our special education obligations. Um, we want to acknowledge how heavily we rely on property tax to fund our local schools. We definitely want to make sure there's budget transparency and we want to be really effective in our budget planning, which is why we wanted to have this budget workshop and get more information from the board. I also think we'd be remiss if we didn't put things in context of the local court um hearings that has happened in the just the state of

004New Hampshire in just where it's been reiterated by the New Hampshire Supreme Court that the state's adequacy based um pay is unconstitutional. Um, and then the court was the the ruling was short of issuing the legislature to do something such as payments, but it just told them to go back and fix it. But it couldn't mandate the legislator to send out payments, but it did rule that the adequacy pay um base was unconstitutional. The rand came a couple months later, reiterated the conval um results. Um, and then we had the open enrollment case that just that Pittsfield case that just came down on October 17th that said that local schools are financially responsible for any of their students that live in their district that require or request to go to an open enrollment school district,

005a district that has signed up to be a receiving school. I do not know of any local surrounding school districts that are signing up to be a receiving school, but I think it's important to remind the board that you have a responsibility to decide what you want to put in that budget structure because you were mandated to put it in and that's just something you guys have to think about. >> So, two things that I believe clarify this one. um this New Year Supreme Court ruling it's any district can off opt to be an open enrollment school. >> Yeah, >> if you opt to be an open enrollment school, you have to accept students from other districts. >> You don't have to opt in to be a any district can be a sending district without

006any action. >> Right? >> And so some a student in any district can decide I want to go to an open enrollment district. If a student decides that for whatever reason, the sending district will be required to send 80% of the u of our average spend to that district >> regardless even if we don't choose to be open enrollment, >> right? >> So open enrollment, you have to affirmatively vote to be accepting, but anyone can send students because it's an individual student choice. And then two, I think the budget line requirement that was part of the budget >> bill that passed. >> Yes. at the end of last year that every district has to budget for sending district enrollment. >> Yes. >> So basically estimate how many students we think are likely to elect to

007attend an open enrollment district and then create a line item for that budget. >> Create a line item for that. >> Yeah. The House Bill two, the um amendment, the drain amendment said you have to create a budget line for open enrollment. And so, but we didn't what we didn't know at the time was whether or not we would have a choice on whether or not school boards would have a choice about whether or not they would have or fund open enrollment. Now, we know that that's that that choice is not for the local school board. You just have to decide how you want to [clears throat] fund it. >> We could have a line item with a dollar in it. >> Right. Like you just have to have a line item. >> Yes. >>

008And it's average cost per pupil, not 80% of adequacy. >> Right. It's whatever Brentwood's average cost per pupil determined by the DOE. >> 80% of that. >> Oh, of our cost, not the cost of the to the accepting school. >> Right. It's your local district's cost per pupil. So, because >> So, they could make >> you could sending everyone out. >> District [clears throat] could be >> 80% of what we pay to have them enrolled. >> I don't want to do that. Um and that there's no local accepting schools that you know of? >> No, we're not aware of any local school boards. Um Dr. Andriski is has been reaching out. We have a a meeting on Thursday with the area superintendent to see if any local school boards are looking to become receiving schools

009cuz the hope is that we could provide you that information to help you budget. We're just trying to get you enough information so that you know what to budget for and that's the reason why we'd be reaching out to see if there would be anyone in a traveling distance that would decide to receive students, but we have not heard of any. >> Is there any further clar clarity on special education students and additional services and how that factors in? >> No, just as there's no more clarity with around the charter schools and the way we do it now is throughus via superintendent and school boards. But no, there's not it. The local district is still the LEA. >> Yeah. >> So, you're on the hook for all additional costs related to special education. Just like

010when they go to charter schools, we owe the IEP meetings, we propose the IEPs, we determine what is necessary. Either we are reimbursing the staff at the charter school for that at their cost um or we're sending our own staff to the to the cost. And it's it's so unique for a student. It really is so unique. >> Yeah. And obviously there's no empirical data around numbers of students who have left uh in open enrollment because it just hasn't existed before. But do we have data around numbers that have left to go to charter schools? >> We do. It's minimal. >> Yeah. >> In the local charter schools, there's more students that go to charter schools 6 through 12 than there are elementary school. There's been a couple charter schools elementary school and the trend

011has been and I haven't pulled it just for Brentwood. pulled it for SAU and I can't remember the non-aggregated data. Um, but they actually come back elementary school. They're more likely to return to the local school and stay in the charter school long term is what we have found. >> Um, [clears throat] but 6 through 12 there's more charter schools than there's more students that engage in charter school in 6 through 12. >> And just historically here, at least since I've been here, it's very rare for a student to attend our school then go to a charter school. >> Yeah. I don't know if there's any left. >> It's happened. It's happened once recently, but I I can't recall someone leaving to do that. But, and you're right, from from fifth grade into sixth grade,

012there's there's a few there's a handful majority go to CMS, but >> yeah. >> So, the next slide also sort of bumps out some cost drivers affecting the budget from the superintendent's office. Um, you have a bond payment for next year. And I did put the bond schedule because it was a question last month in your folder. So, you have the bond scheduled, 7-year bond schedule in your folder. Um, so a fixed cost of $15,000. I've estimated the annual cost around $36,000 from the solar panels. And that is a low estimate. Like my math, it could be up to 41,000 42,000, but it's around I feel comfortable telling the board you'll save about $36,000. And remember that the budget right that we're working on right now does not have any colas for your teachers because

013we're in the you are in the middle of negotiating with them. Their collective bargaining agreement will be on a different warrant article. There's always inflationary pressures on schools operating operation costs that are required. Um some non-discretionary costs really limit the flexibility that school boards have to do some of the funding. I mean what was required to keep a safe and operational school building and structure is what is required. Um and then I gave you an example of health care costs because we had an increase everyone in the state of New Hampshire had an entry increase for Brentward at the 5.4% over the fiscal year budget. Your budget would increase by 399,000. 288,000 of that is directly related to healthcare. So just to put that in context for you all. >> So that's a high sorry

014>> no absolutely please. >> Like 399 looks like a high number. The percentage seems to be fairly low compared to other bargaining units and certainly what are reported on ACA exchanges and things like that. >> Well it's 72% of the increase. The 399 is the total budget increase. Yeah, that would be the that's not the healthare >> 288 is health and dental >> of the 399 288 of that is if we increase the >> so 72% of the increase is health only health and dental >> okay so it's not a 5.4% 4% increase from last year. No. >> Okay. That did seem really low. >> It is low. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Because those number the health and dental increases were like around 17% or something where they >> in the SAU it went from

01514.9 to 20%. I think this district averaged what 16 something >> because it was all tied back to like ADM and EB. Mhm. Mhm. Um, but good news. If we look at the investment you've made in Sway Central School over the past few years, it's paying off. The blue is your Sway Central School's ELA. Red is the state average. Your The green is Sees Central School's math scores and the yellow is the state average. So, you have a nice trend of being well below well above the state average. These are your academic scores from last that came out. from last spring >> from the 24 25. Yep. >> Um >> and that grade five is still a co effect. >> Yeah, there's a lot of there's a that grade five those scores are consistent across

016the state across SAU and we're really delving into some of it is we really delving into it. We could have a whole another presentation on the brains and the thinking and um the higher end of the rope around Scarboro's reading and math and critical thinking. It's really the impact of co and the middle school is looking at these the scores as well in planning for it already for next year. >> Yeah. Statewide you see grade five's like uh math scores were so much lower than third and fourth grade. >> Yeah. >> Really interesting. >> And this fourth grade is the low class size. Like that's our 38. The fourth grade is that you're seeing here is their our current fifth grade which is two classes, right? >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> But they had throughout

017elementary school like 13 14 kid classes. >> Correct. >> Mhm. >> Um and then I did um Ron and I pulled your enrollment data for 12 years. I mean it it dips down, but it's also pretty pretty stable. It it it your highest point was 2014. Um, and this is this is just your 12-year moment trend we we thought we'd put in there for you. [clears throat] >> And sorry, just so those numbers is am I seeing like 325 down to like 275? Is that >> what you currently have? >> Yep. >> And is that statewide trend also? No, you're you've held Brentwood has held on to more students than some other districts in the state that have shrunk larger more than this. >> Everyone [clears throat] has shrunk. Most most districts have shrunk. >>

018We had um 36 enrolled kindergarteners last year. We have 45 for this year. So feels pretty happy with all the new registrations. So we have three budget options that we think are worthy to present to you all. The first option would be a net a percentage increase over fiscal year 26 of 6.14 and that is just maintaining full staff program full programs full everything to what we have this year. So it it takes what you have now as inflationary costs and it gives you a 6.14. Option two is the 5.4 would introduce some modest reductions including a pair of professional. We trim some supply lines um and it holds one teaching position that's unfilled right now as a contingency. >> Option one also holds on to that classroom teaching position. Option one is no cuts,

019no reduction through attrition of staff, no cutting of curriculum materials, nothing like that. Option two reduces a pair of professional and some supplies. Um, keeps the teaching position that's in the budget. And option three eliminates unfilled teaching position and is all the same cuts as option two. That's really the big options for you all. And of course, we'll do whatever you direct, but those are the three options we felt was important to share with you. So option one assumes the teaching position is filled whereas option two holds the position but it's unfilled >> or we fill it. It's it's there. Option two it's there. >> It's fill in the budget. That one pair professional cut is an unfilled position currently. Um we had um a part-time staff member leave us and uh I didn't I

020didn't replace that position. I had one last year that was unfilled. So it would just be an unfilled position there. We're not talking about a staff member for option two. Y >> this is just another comparison of options one, two, and three. Um when I I looked at it through enrollment, I looked at it through class size impact and staffing effect size. Um CL staffing effect. Um, assuming enrollment's stable, it it's not a big either option is a big hit except you would increase class size because you would go down an option three to two teachers at one of your grade levels. Um, and that's really the big the big the big differences. Um reducing the paraprofessional is um recommended because you can also go to your special education trust fund if there was a

021big move in if there was a big hit with a student with a need. Which brings us to our trust funds. Um really I think you have some really healthy trust here in this district. You guys have done a nice job planning especially for your maintenance trust and your special education trust which are the most unpredictable really difficult um if something big happened that you could have a huge huge bill with maintenance special education. So those are your balances for your trust funds. We had um sorry to keep interrupting. I want you to >> we had set targets a couple of years ago for our trust funds and I think with the exception of technology I think we're probably at or above the target for all of them if that right is anyone remembers that's

022why I noticed on your sheet Molly um there were dashes on the sort of one pager budget summary >> dashes >> um yeah defined um you know usually on your your one pager of the summary you have um trust fund a trust fund box and you have amount to be added after June 30th vote and those are all [clears throat] >> oh those are zero now because we haven't decided what we want to do >> all right >> so that usually we decide and then that gets populated and it kind of sits there until >> the end of the year when they actually get funded but we already funded them so that's why they're zero right now >> got it >> can I ask a question about these is where are they like are they

023held in any kind of interest acrewing account. >> Um, so they're [sighs and gasps] I believe yours are managed by three bearings. I think that they're managing all of the ones in the SAU now. >> Mhm. >> Cuz they [clears throat] recently took over exit and the co-op last year and so once a year we get the statements from the the um the company. >> Okay. I just was are we like are we acrewing any kind of interest? >> Oh, for sure. For sure. >> In them. So, they're growing. >> Yeah. [snorts] >> Yeah. So, if you look at the June board pack from last year, you'll see that there's increases on all the numbers. >> Got it. >> Okay. >> And it's the interest that's earned because we didn't contribute to all of the

024trusts last year. >> Mhm. >> And I believe the a lot of the towns they man the the three bearings manages both the town trust and the school trust. So, they usually come on one report. >> For some reason, I thought our special education trust goal was $250,000. >> Yeah. And it was supposedly the I remember the rationale is the cost of a single year of outplacement. So, that increases all the time, >> right? You couldn't budget for, right? >> Yeah. Um, so I don't that's why I was asking the question because I wasn't sure. Mhm. >> Uh off topic like backtracking, but are the uh SAS the SAS scores um the bar graphs percent of students scoring proficient or above or is that what's is that >> correct? Those are your threes and fours.

025Correct. Okay. >> Yeah. Um also fixed costs that are shaping the budget and I and I want to give some attention to is mandated transportation cost. We have the open enrollment um instructional operational cost. There's funding to ensure compensatory school attendance and access which isn't always talked about but there we have McKenna Vento. We have other state rags and federal regs that really mandate that you fund to remove barriers for students and families to access education. So, and we have our 306s. [snorts] Um, so these are just nondiscret discretionary forms that you kind of have to think about, which is why um your budget is what it is and why you have such little discretionary funds. Um, special education. I also wanted to bring up the um adequacy funding around special education. Um, we don't

026have updated figures from last year, but we know that a student with an IEP costs on average an additional $31,000 per student to educate on top of the cost per pupil. We also know that 83% of this cost lot comes from local property tax. Um the state talked about special educ increasing adequacy pay and um funding for special education students at the local budget last legislation section section session. Forgive me I have a cold. Um but what they did was just create a commission which is great to study the cost of special education but they haven't increase what they give local um towns to afford special education. And there's a lot of mandates around special education that you have to fund. So that puts pressure on you all. >> So what they did is just

027remain 50th out of 50 states in terms of per pupil funding. >> Yes. >> We're still 50th out in the country for adequacy and special education funding from the state. >> So this is why the property taxes carry the load. And I know when I first started working with you all, one of our first board meetings, you guys talked about how important it was to have transparency around the school budget and talk to the taxpayers, which is why we had this budget workshop to really talk about some of the drivers. And so I think there's an iceberg of hidden costs around local property taxes for special educ um for education and it has to do with what you're getting from the state and what you are legally mandated to do. So that is what this

028slide is. Um >> I just >> representing >> um could I add one comment on the the prior slide about the average cost? [clears throat] >> Yes. >> For a student with IEP. >> So it's $31,93 average cost for each kid with an IEP >> for the state >> across the state. According to our minutes from our last meeting, >> 14% of seway students have an IEP. So if 14% of the students are costing more than >> Yep. >> the what you'd expect to be the average uh and that percentage is a little bit lower compared to what it used to be. Yes. >> Correct. And compared to some other districts. >> Yeah. >> And I'm assuming that 31,000 per student is um services. >> Yeah. >> Case manager salaries. >> It's it's really Yeah.

029It's the cost per it's to service the kid. You can only have a certain number of case managers, specially designed instruction. You also have practitioners of the healing art. You have therapies. All of these are legally mandated. Special education, transportation is extremely expensive and mandated. >> And are there any legal fees built into that? >> That's just the services themselves. >> Yep. >> Um, so here are some some budget [clears throat] highlights. I broke down the amounts into different categories um for you all to look at. Um and I mean this slide is just really self-explanatory. It's just more information for you all to have when thinking about the budget. And so again, option one would be an increase of 6.1. Option two and three, you can cut cost, but the trade-off would be reduction

030of staff or positions. I should say positions because this is through attrition. This is not people were letting go. This is just positions that are unfilled in your budget that went unfilled because of for a variety of reasons. So that's that's the tradeoffs to think about. I know we were wanted to make sure you wanted information about public messaging for the school board in the budget. So that's really what this slide is. I also put in what the New Hampshire Constitution says around public education and that you know the legal right that all students have to a public education and then special education and all the ways in which we have to move remove barriers for students. This is some some ideas around messaging or thoughts um for you all. scenario of two I think

031had um accesses uh trust funds which trust >> if a move in Yep. Which one? >> Special education. >> Yeah. >> And like how much is estimated to be needed in that scenario from >> Well, it's a range. So, we cut a special pair of professional from the budget in option two. So, it would be around $27,000 if a student moved in and required a onetoone. You you'd budget around 30,000 estimated. Molly's better at this than me. I'm just going off my my my experience, right? But if the student moved in and needed additional support services, ASL, Braille, teacher of the visually impaired, um, occupational like that, your cost would go up depending on the student need that moved in. >> But there's nobody identified right now, >> right? >> Yeah. This is just if

032it it happens and it's important for me to tell you about it. I know of no one who's moving in, >> right? That's the that's the whole thing. And there's been several budget seasons where we've come in as uh no no para cut but no unfilled parah position too. So this this we're talking about an unfilled position that we would eliminate. Meaning again if someone moved in that required somebody that we didn't budget for we would be dipping into the trap. >> Yeah. And then the last slide was just board discussion prompts and questions and sort of some guidance from you all in where you wanted us to go if you had more questions. Did you seek other clarifying information um or thoughts and that the superintendent's office can help you so that you can

033prepare a budget? >> Sorry I'm late. I teach at 5. Sorry. >> I know. It's okay. [clears throat] I don't imagine that you have the numbers in front of you of of each class. I know you've given that to us multiple times. >> They're here. >> It's in today's it. Your enrollment data is also in your folder. >> Okay, great. Thank you. See, you guys just know what I need. >> So, in your folder, I'm sorry, we should have started off. Is a copy of the presentation is the This is in your folder is also option two for your budget. A draft of option two. what option drew would look like line by line that we went over. And then um the bond payment. So that was request the payment schedule is in there. And

034then Ron has his um data presentation, his data in there, enrollment data for you all. >> [clears throat] >> I don't um see the enrollment. >> It's in the packet. >> Regular board packet. >> It's in my principal board report. Let me I can give you a breakdown right now by grade level. >> Uh 46 students in kindergarten. That's 15 students a class. >> Say, sorry, start again. >> 15 students a class in kindergarten >> for three classes. >> Yep. They're all three classes except for grade five this year. >> Okay, great. >> Grade 1, 12.5. 12 students in grade one this year. >> That's 30. >> Grade two, 15 per class. Grade three, 15 per class. Grade four, 17 per class. Grade five, 19 per class. And that's in two classes. grade four was

03514 17 >> 17 this 50 so I'm just kind of rounding. >> So I think it makes sense to maintain that classroom position because of these other classes can easily be broken into just two classes and maintaining over 20. I mean, unless we're going >> I would well if we have [clears throat] 37 first graders across three classes and we have 38 fifth graders >> once they're in once they're >> two classes. So is there an anticipation of >> so we have more teachers for fewer first graders than we do for fifth graders right now. >> Right. Which seems appropriate. Didn't we say that we wanted to keep at least for K through two, if not K through three, we wanted to keep smaller classrooms >> sizes? >> Like that's the that it feels really

036disruptive to have a grade go from three to two classes every year for one class. >> And yes, part of the logic when we agreed on doing it for fifth grade was because we were getting them ready for middle school, right? they were older and we were like larger class sizes are right in these kids' future so this is a bridge to that whereas >> you have to worry about some staff grade level that I think that's what [snorts] you're getting at Megan is >> like every year there would be a shift of >> one teacher >> three to like a teacher in two grades would move right >> the one >> because one would be moving say they're in second grade in two classes when they go to third grade somebody has to fill

037the second grade I Every year one teacher would would move but you couldn't just move them back because every year it would be >> there's somebody Exactly. >> Um which is inconvenient for teachers but I think that it's not [clears throat] the end of the world as but I do think you know >> so sorry first grade has 37 kids so if there were two classes then it would be >> it would be in second grade that the two classes would be That's true. >> But it would be so it would be an 18 person. >> Yeah, that's not it. >> And this doesn't add any social emotional staff any support people. >> No, but we do we didn't put it in because we do feel like that we are covered here with our partnership

038with Sikos mental health. like we do feel like we have a we have a nice you adopt a new curriculum like I we didn't because we didn't feel like there's a D >> and the second grade group would essentially have 19 kids at least in one of the classes. Right. >> Right. >> 19 in one 18 in the other. So we're talking about 19 kids in a second grade class. >> Yeah. So option >> so n so like just to be super clear like there are lots of instances where there's 19 18 or 19 kids in a second grade class because the grades bigger. >> It just happens that this grade is smaller. So you're having the converation >> right >> to to right but like there's been lots of I mean I think all

039of my kids had that many kids like 17 to 19 kids in all of their classes. I mean, Anna had 22 in her kindergarten class because it was the year that a teacher position was cut and [clears throat] there was only one kindergarten teacher in a morning and an afternoon session. So, 40 some odd kids got split into two and one teacher had all 45 of them. >> But what did we decide is was our goal for was it tw less than 20? >> So, we so I Lety I think that you were here when we started having these conversations. I think that we were strongly encouraged not to set a number um because it should be like I don't I mean right I think we were strongly discouraged from setting a number as a

040guideline or any sort of policy but just to like maintain it >> in like conversations. Mhm. >> I mean, I will say that like when those teaching positions got cut years ago, >> it was Colin's grade, right, that had a huge fourth grade class. >> I know Liam was in one of those large kindergarten classes. >> He was right with Anna. But I think it was because it wasn't that great. I think it was Collins grade that that they were there was two huge fourth grade classes because that was the year after the cuts and we had an emergency meeting in like June to fix that. >> We had 23 students. >> Yes, they were they were really big classes and I think it was just coincidence but there have been like terrible ice cases.

041[laughter] So like there were a lot of like factors that were like >> but it was hard to get it back. I mean we had like an emergency meeting because like numbers >> I don't know. [clears throat] >> So it has to do with like your appetite for risk. And so I think that's why option two no one's suggesting an option two that we fill that teacher position immediately. It's rather keeping it in the budget as like contingency. >> I guess like but why are we doing that though? >> I mean to me and this isn't like I don't think there's really enough data know more but like looking at the test scores of the low like this grade four is a COVID class. They cop kindergarten full remote kindergarten and like they're still the

042COVID impact but their test scores are >> No, grade five is COVID kindergarten. >> Grade four. This is the grade current grade five because I had a lot of tears with handwriting without tears for a full year at home in remote kindergarten with Miles. >> And this is spring of last school year's data. There's lots of them. But that is like a COVID grade. >> And you're saying they're doing poorly? >> I'm saying they're doing well with low test scores. Like this grade three also has had pretty small there. They've had 17 kid class. >> so I'm just saying there is there a benefit. >> Silia was in was in first grade. So when we came back after the summer of COVID, these students came back as kindergarteners. Some of them were remote and some

043of them were in >> like they started kindergarten in 2021. >> In 2020, >> 2020, right? >> Yeah. >> So I just to me is there a benefit? It's like, okay, this is what we did when the funding was cut, but looking at the data that we have now is probably the reason we're not setting a number is because is there a benefit to our students for having low class sizes? And is that part of what makes sea great? >> So, I think I mean I think we all agree there is. I mean, that's why it's a guideline, right? That's why it's one of our goals, I guess. Are we splitting hairs between like 15 and 17? Like which one's small? I think anything under 20 is small personally. Like if you look at data,

044I mean me personally, I don't support or want my kids in a 12 person class. Like I I don't think that that benefits them socially at all. >> Um [clears throat] I don't think that we as a group should be supporting 12 person classes. But I also think if we just have one grade that's off that that isn't a decision maker, >> right? [clears throat] Like every other grade, like I don't think any grade that has 40 or more kids should have two classrooms. And if we're only have one grade, like is it worth going to small for one class, >> I guess, is really the question, right? >> Wait. Um the is it worth having one fewer teacher position for one class? Is that what you're saying? >> Yeah. I mean the the counter

045to that is it's it is five years of paying teacher position as they move through the school right for the and and >> when they when we really don't I mean I I'm I would be very surprised if there aren't studies on cl on ideal class sizes. Are there studies on ideal class sizes at different ages? >> I think there's research all over the place. I don't think that uh class size has firmly been researched to say this is uh the determiner of whether students are successful. I think there's more data about um teacher efficacy. Yep. >> Than there is >> true numbers. And I also don't want to downplay. I think it was said earlier that it's like sort of a pain for the teacher or something, but it actually has a tangible impact

046on student achievement as well. My third year teaching seventh grade math, I was like, "All right, I'm perfecting these lessons." Like, >> these kids are crushing it. If someone asked me to go move to fourth grade math, I'm starting from scratch on all my prep, on all my planning. Sure, it's more work for me. And I know we're not talking about that here, but we're talking about outcomes for the students. And it has an impact. If you're shuffling every year, it's like >> well and it requires like extreme teamwork amongst the teachers in a year when we have a new principal in the >> building. So yeah, so if that's what we're talking about, which is keeping this >> is moving to two two classes for this particular let's call it a cohort of students

047moving up. Then that's you know four more years of moving teachers around. When we first had this conversation years ago, there was a conversation about having like a a community study >> on enrollment and we never did it. >> But like >> she has our enrollment data for 12 years. >> No, I'm talking about coming in like so like what does the community look like and are we going to maintain the 45 >> or more? or or are we right? Is is like that group an anomaly or are we heading that way? >> And this is a question I feel like Lety would know the answer to, but I feel but is in a law pass that requires multif family housing in towns >> like something there's something a law >> not multif family housing

048but that you can have um >> ADUs okay to for more workforce housing. So, I just like if that's a town question of is this where the town is? >> I we have not asked the town about permits, building permits that have been requested or or anything like that. I have none of those figures for you. If there's been a >> 30 acres sold that a developer has put in a request to put in 50 home, I have no I have none of that information for you. Um that's sometimes districts look at that and larger districts they'll look at building permits. [clears throat] >> I mean there's a ton of building. >> Yeah. But major well traditionally the recent years a lot has been 55 plus >> plus right? >> Um >> are all those

049houses that are like the 125 that new one >> there aren't Oh that are just south of Middle Road. >> Yeah. >> If you're going south on the right there's not those are not but there aren't that many houses in there. I think there's like under a dozen going in there and then sort of behind that um closer over to 107 there's a larger development but that's 55 plus >> but you mean even a dozen big new houses >> likely to be a dozen new kids right I mean like >> so I I want to keep us moving just because we have guests here uh well guests members of the public Um, and be respectful of people's time. I know we're not required to make a decision n >> on this. >> It's just is

050there more information you want us to bring or change in the draft budget, which we can move into the regular meeting, but it's really sort of what do you want us to bring? What information do you want us to bring you? And what do you want December's draft budget to look like? So the teaching position is one aspect that we're talking about, but there's also a page in your packet that talks about uh the major percentage changes. And of course, this this prior to the the teacher contract that's being negotiated right now where we can make some trims and cuts. That's been done. >> Mhm. >> For all three budgets. So there's very little on tangible supplies where we can go much further than that. >> Does option three also eliminate the paraposition? >> Yes.

051>> Option three keeps everything in option two plus the unfilled >> the unfilled paraposition. >> It's like >> option I don't know where it is. The total option three for green the is a for option two right it's a 5.4% 4% increase of 399. 288 of that is health and dental. >> So to summarize, it seems like we have control over four things. >> Mhm. >> Unfilled teacher position. >> Yep. >> Unfilled parrot position. >> Yep. >> Trust fund balances, what we decide to do for funding, open enrollment. >> Yep. >> So those are the four things where we have input and can make a decision. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Everything else is pretty much >> we >> what the contract becomes for the teachers >> and then >> we >> supplies and things like

052that. >> I mean supplies Ron went through with it. >> Yeah. So you could always cut that but he did a really good job really good job being conservative in those areas >> and I suspect that any savings on on those would be minor around the edges thing. So the big the big things are really the that staff position. >> Yeah. >> Trust fund contribution. Although trust fund contribution is usually from unused fund balance. >> Yeah. >> And I think the our only trust fund that really would technology >> needs it. >> Well, that's a new one to fund whatever these wireless things are in four years, right? But it's a special. >> So again, to keep this moving so we can get the school board meeting started officially. Um, we can bring things up

053during the school board meeting, let you know, or let you know before the next school board meeting or before the next >> board packet comes out. >> Um, and we can make the hard decision next month. >> Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. You can absolutely talk about it during the school board meeting. >> Okay. Um, so in that case, just to be official about things, entertain a motion to close the budget workshop. Okay. All in favor? All right. The budget workshop ends at 6:17. All right. Um, let's call the school board meeting to order at 6:17 p.m. Thank you all for your patience. >> Are the slides going to be publicly available? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yep. I can put them on the website. By me, I mean someone else will put them on the website.

054[laughter] Somebody somebody will put them on the website. >> Jim, can I say I'm glad you're leaving before you started asking difficult questions. >> Not difficult, but >> you have Oh, okay. >> challenging. Um, >> all right. So, we've called the meeting to order. Uh, we'll start with the pledge of allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands nationisible and justice for all. >> All right. Um we will open public comment at 6:18 p.m. Would anyone from the public like to comment? Just it's for the people in TV land. >> I understand. [laughter] >> Hi. Um I'm on >> Yes, it is. You're not going to hear anything. It's It's just recording. >> Um I'm Letty Bard. I'm here as a resid and I saw that

055some of the other smaller schools in SAU have enrollment numbers similar to what you're seeing with this first grade class. Um do you know how they handle their small classes? Some of the smaller schools in SAU 16 have multi-age classrooms that eb and flow. >> Is that something that has ever as a way to handle those? >> We've had conversations. We've never done it. At least since I've been here. >> I know you haven't done it. That's why you're here. >> We did have conversations about it. >> Yeah, we've had conversations. >> Oh, I thought you were asking. Is that a way that you might be considering to handle this situation >> or not? Just think I will I will I will just speak broadly about the schools that have multi-age have seven, nine, eight

056teachers. They have a um very unique schedule and PD schedule. It requires a lot of planning, a lot of teamwork. Um, and to do multi-age, it's just it's just I want to say it's not as simple. It's just not as simple. It's a lot of planning. It's a lot of curriculum. It's a lot of PLC time. It's a lot of looking at data. It's a lot of multi- um multiple group flex time and moving students around. It's a whole machine. When it's done beautifully, it is done beautifully. But when you have a little ship, it's easier to steer that ship in that direction and organize it. It's harder when you have larger teachers and moving moving kids around be great. >> And it's also, if I'm not mistaken, like those are very structured, right? Like

057I mean, my sister has worked in East Kingston for years. Like it's like it's it's structured. Like it it's not an eb and flow year to year. Correct. There's a multi-age. It's not like a multi-age travels like >> right >> like one and two are always together in three or whatever. I also think that this um when this comes up, it comes up because of budget, not because it's a philosophy that our school district has embraced, right? >> So, if we're talking about it because it solves a budgetary problem, that's one thing, but we also have to embrace the philosophy of having multi-age classrooms, multi-age teachers that understand the concept. >> Yeah. I also just think of the principal is the instructional leader of the school and so we're about to get a new principal

058and um if we get a principal in here who's like multi-age classrooms all day and it's part of their philosophy and their pedagogy and they want to like sell me on it as part of a budget conversation then that's like different than forcing us one singular approach on a new building leader. >> Yeah. No, absolutely. I was just thinking mathematically if you like first and second grade numbers and divide by five as opposed to divide by six. That changes the first grade. [laughter] >> Well, then I'll stay. >> All you have to say, >> you heard it [laughter] >> on record. >> All right. Uh so public comment will remain open till 6:40 or 6:48 rather. Um any other public comment? All right. Uh approval of minutes. Everyone had a chance to review last month's

059minutes. >> Anybody have any comments? >> I have two minor comments. [laughter] >> Uh page eight. uh of the minutes. Well, it's page eight of the packet. I think it's page four of the minutes. Uh very first paragraph, top of the page, uh PLC is defined as professional learning component and it's professional learning >> community. And then um page 11 just a referral in the non-public session there's a a motion motion that was made once we came back in public uh that has Dr. Higgins motion to expand the safety security fund. I think it should be to expend. >> Expand is right. >> Um, so that's the public. Did anybody have any comments on the non-public minutes? >> I would make a motion to accept the amended minutes. >> Amen. the amended public minutes and

060the non-public minutes is presented. >> I'll second. All in favor? >> All right, that motion passes. >> All right, central office report. >> All right, so in your board pack is the current year financial. Um this a lot of the changes that you are seeing from last month are just us adding the incumbrances. um like that big health and dental encumbrance change that you see, we we see the changes that people have made in the summer open enrollment in the October bill. So, we got the October bill and we adjust that for the remainder of this year. So, that's why you kind of see that big big jump there. Um mostly everything else um you'll see I added principal Q's retirement um since that was announced and accepted. Um but other than that, it was

061really just incumbrances being added for the full year. Um, we don't have any unanticipated revenue at this time because they just called me to set the tax rate a few weeks ago. So, so anything we had known about, we put in there. Um, I still have not received information on when we will be receiving the solar tax credit. I tried calling again. I talked to the accountant who filed the tax return for us. She said it is not unusual not to be able to get a hold of the IRS at this moment. So, it's difficult to figure out where that stands right now. >> And is your gut that it's a when and not an if. >> That is a great question. [snorts] >> Really not. >> I mean, I have no indication that we're

062not getting it, but I have nobody to talk to to see when we're getting it. So, we did have an accountant submit it. So, if you remember, I submitted it, got rejected because they said you had to do it in a certain system. Um, we didn't have access to the system. So, we luckily had an accountant who happens to be a coach at the high school uh help us out uh for minimal cost and she was able to submit it in the system that she needed to submit it in. And so, she I talked to her at the end of September and she said, "Call me if you don't see it by October 15th." Called her October 15th and she was like, "That's not unusual right now." And then and so I I was like,

063"I understand." >> Okay. So, right now we're still waiting on that money. Now, when I set the plan revenue for this year, that did not include it in it because I don't we don't have it yet and I believe we're still going to get it. So, that will be unicipated fund balance at the end of the year. Um, but if I hear otherwise, I will email you all as soon as possible. >> It's just hard to find someone at the IRS to talk to right now. Did anyone have any further questions? >> Just one question on a one of the line items. [clears throat] Sure. >> Under media repairs and maintenance. >> We had a dollar general ledger budget and then spent $1,400. It was unusual equipment fix or something. Do >> you know what

064that would be, Ron? I can pull the details of the line, but it's something that the library would have purchased. I don't have to look it up. I would have to go back and >> Oh, I can pull it. >> More curiosity is anything. It's not a giant number in the grand scheme of things. Just >> I can pull it up while others are talking. >> Just cheat and look at the percentage variation on the far right column. So, it changed an awful lot. >> It's not cheating. It's doing a thorough review >> and it changed by >> over a thousand%. [laughter] that that would >> Yes. >> And it might easily be something that just was coded to the wrong line, but I I can pull it and see what what was purchased to

065that line. >> All right. Um and so fiscal year 27 budget discussion. I think we've already done a great deal of that. Uh can I just sorry one other um is it December 1st that any other retirements need to be announced? Yeah. Okay. Do we expect any other? >> Well, what do I know? I asked and no answer. So, okay. >> It's not a requirement that anybody kind of >> but I don't anticipate it. >> Just just there's just one, right? Okay. All right. And Brian, can I just ask one more question about next year's budget? is are there um like things that are generally we would incur with a new principal? Like we're not building a new wing of the school, but like is there like a any kind of like turnover costs and

066like not curriculum, but like things that there is a mentor program for new administrators. Um but at the admin level, it doesn't cost you anything. Um, and then the New Hampshire Association of School Principles offer also offers a mentor in the sea coast. So, it would be very minimal cost or anything. >> I budgeted for a new computer cuz they usually usually get a new computer, >> but that's they kind of like walk in and into whatever. >> They get what they get. Yep. Beatles me. They [laughter] keep it all. >> That's right. the license plate in your >> things are coming with me. Everything's got to go. Nobody [laughter] wants that. Be like, "It's cute. Get it out of here." >> Okay, >> that's what's going to happen. >> How much are guitar lessons?

067>> Yeah, [laughter] I'm going to have to do a lot, but are there I wasn't going to move on beyond it completely, Nick. I was going to ask further if there was further budget discussion beyond what we've already had. Did you guys ask I'm sure you had this conversation at the beginning, but what are the other town budgets going up by? >> Not determined yet. >> Not determined. >> Yeah. Oh, you mean uh I I understand your question. >> I don't mean other school. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Like usually like there's a sort of general feel for what the town is going to do. >> Is Letty still here? Not there. Not to me yet. Isn't uh I believe that number is capped anyway as a >> for general rule except for warrant articles

068if the town votes to exceed it. >> Yeah. >> And so the town will stay under the cap because they're required to. Yeah. >> [snorts] >> um the town not exceed 4% over last year's appropriation bias revenue. Um however like Dan said if select board or citizens or whoever wants to put forth articles that would exceed that that is relative rights of the voting members of that body on that day when we're in that room [snorts] that% I guess My only thought related to that right is that we want to be careful about that happening to us. >> Yes. >> So I right like I don't I don't think that we want to come in at 6% and then have them do something like that to us. I think we're better off making a decision

069that shows that we're putting our best I I what I want to say is I think that you know knowing the town and where you know the they are with budgetary things and looking at the numbers I think we should have a really good reason why we're keeping that teacher position that is you know and and and I hear what you're saying about like quality with having to change I think that's a great argument. I'd love to hear the arguments for keeping an open position. Um because keeping it just, you know, for like convenience of teachers not having to move grade to grade is not going to be a a a viable response and I think to the town of why we're keeping a a you know $100,000 tied up kind of thing. So, I

070think we need to have a really good reasoning why we're keeping that position because it's not like we have to fire someone to do it. It's not like we couldn't hire someone back if kids came in, you know, in the following year. Um, I just think we need to like think about like do we need a classroom of of 12 kids, you know, versus and it's not 12 versus 24, it's 12 versus, you know, 18 19. So I think I think that I'm leaning towards unless I can hear good arguments otherwise to kind of push towards removing that position for that next year. We obviously have a plan in place whether we need to hire a person to go back to those 18 classroom teachers K to3 or if uh we decide that we're not

071going to include that in next year's budget. We also have a plan for that. And quite honestly, I'm on the fence quite, you know, >> you're you have mixed feelings about >> I do. Absolutely. Absolutely. I think um 12 13 kids in a class in this group reaped the benefit of that for all the years that they were here. Now they're currently in two classrooms and I know they're thriving, but they've had that basis going through. but also asking the town for a couple years in a row to support our recommendation to have 12 students in a classroom is kind of a big ask, too. So, that's why I'm on the fence. I'm not really giving you a lot of great information. Do you so reaping the rewards of the small classroom size, do you

072like legitimately do you really feel as though those students are better off than the classrooms that have 16? Are those I mean I think our students reap the rewards of small classroom sizes. All of them, >> right? Like I think that we have exceptional teachers and we have very reasonable classroom sizes whether they're 12 or 17, right? And so like we have great data >> and I don't think that that great data is dependent on 12 or 17. No, that's just my personal >> I'd prefer to have uh that group of 12 be 16. I wish I could. >> Right. >> I if I could move 10 kids into this grade level, I would love it. That's the that's the perfect number. 12's kind of small. >> Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And it's

073in the way we have our elementary, you know, it's the same students all day long together, the same 12. And every year it changes a little bit, but >> yeah. And I mean, if we're talking about data on the class size, if I'm reading the academic outcome slide correctly, the group that is the fourth grade cohort on this year's class list of 50 kids was the third grade cohort last year that had high test scores just like the fourth grade class which had the much smaller classes. So, I'm not seeing the to your point, Alison, I'm not seeing the benefit of the kids in the 12 person class way outperform the kids in the 17 person class. >> No, every every class has their own makeup of students, too. I'm luck of the draw. Sometimes

074you don't know what the cohort is going to look like, even if it's a [clears throat] small group. >> Yeah. you know, >> yeah, there there is a lot of research out there on this and a good place to go to like look at a synthesis of the research is just go to the American Association of School Superintendent, go to the National Education Association, NEA. Um, >> but do they different >> they recommend for K through three? So like they all like separate the younger grades out, right? Because that's its own like 12 kids in a fifth grade class. you talk to anyone, they're like, "Yeah, that's small." But when you start to get down to those lower grades, they'll mostly recommend 15 as a good number. And so, if we have the choice to

075keep it at 15 or slightly below, uh, if we have the choice to do that versus up it to 19, that's in my mind that's what we're choosing between. And is there an option to if we were to go to a higher class size to add a par back in and have two paras and a teacher? >> Like is that a cheaper? >> It's cheaper. We didn't put that in one of the options, but we could get you the cost analysis of that. >> Would that be beneficial? I mean is that I mean it's and it's nothing it's nothing near having a >> it also relies on availability of people who are applying for the position. >> You know what I'm saying? It's not like I have a lot of people in the bullpen waiting

076to come in and take the position >> even if you budget for it. And you maybe Renee can speak to this better, but like I know like Sarah McCarthy is the steam teacher in Kensington and like I know over the years like she's been pulled in as a classroom teacher under certain circumstances for not a traditional full classroom but like a an extra help and like Charlotte Tatone did the same thing in East Kingston where like she's a math and science >> they could teach >> they can teach right they're both certified teachers and so like like and I'm just saying like it's a it's just a creative model, right? Using a certified teacher who's doing something else that has a little flexibility to come in and do like math, maybe it's only math, right,

077into those that that age group where there's only two teachers or, you know, some way to break it. >> That's the structure of the PLC in the multi-age classroom with those smaller schools. They look at data quite a bit. They organize kids into groups and the the those teachers push in and they teach specific skill sets that they're able to teach in small groups in the classroom, >> right? >> Yeah. It's very targeted. >> So, it's not just like a straight up just cut. Like there's creative ideas, too. I don't know. I I have like mixed feelings, too. But I do know that my nieces were all in 12 person classrooms and all the way through and it wasn't always a positive experience. >> Not enough people >> and we won't have [clears throat] any

078idea like people don't register for kindergarten. I probably wouldn't till like July before >> January well >> like we would >> January February we start pushing out uh the registrations for the 27 school year. But, you know, we had I had a ton of registrations over the summer, probably because I was the one doing it, you know, but I was happy. I was happy when we had more and more. So, I think [laughter] at the end of the school year, we had about 39 students and then we added another six or seven to round out this year's kindergarten. >> We have a good idea about how many, you know, >> but not before this. >> And do we >> I'm just one grade flip or a trend. >> Sorry. Do we still have a I

079know we used to when we had half day kindergarten have a big percentage or a relatively large amount of kids who came in in first grade. Do we still have that where kids >> instead of they're not here with kindergarten but they started first grade? >> Yeah. >> Not not a ton. >> Not a ton. >> Any other budget discussion? Any further questions for administration that we want information for next month or any guidance you want to provide beyond learning more about potential justification for maintaining that staff position or just taking another one of the three options or perhaps adding the option with the parah added in. I have one just so Ron if for next month or maybe you even know it but like we did have a big dump big increase this year

080right 12 new student >> right >> really evenly distributed >> distributed y okay >> I guess it would be interesting to me to know what the house growth rate is was in Brentwood that supported that and if there's the same if there's the same additional new house like I don't know if it's a planning zoning who would it right but like what is what's been approved in Brentwood I mean 12 is not huge like that's a reasonable if you have >> 12 new houses 15 new big houses put in Brentwood expecting 12 new kids is not out of the realm of possibility >> and we're only in my opinion like three to five kids short in that grade to for this to not even be a conversation, right? So like >> and it's turnover of

081houses, too. It's not just new houses. It's >> right. We can't predict turnover though, but like we can predict new. Yeah. And we could look Yeah. I would love to find the excuse for this to not be a conversation in my opinion, but I'm with Kate where it sits right now. >> All right. Um, so that's we're all set on the budget discussion for now. Well done. [laughter] >> All right. Um, >> do we need Molly for anything further? >> Molly, did you look up the library and media increase like the 14? >> No, I didn't do that yet. >> That's right. Sorry. Now it's racking my brain. What was it? >> It's not a pressing concern. >> No, no, no, no. It's supplies or something. >> Yeah, >> but um >> Well, >> I'll

082find them tomorrow, too. >> I can hang out. I'll look it up real quickly. >> Okay. >> Well, you don't have to stay beyond. >> No, that's okay. >> Anytime. >> Sorry. >> Great. Thanks. >> Uh, Mr. Q. >> Yeah, we'll just we'll just transition to our conversation on data. In your folder is uh the data packet. The first page is the graphs. And I apologize because I switched blue and red and red and blue. >> So, uh, the taller bars are sees students just so you know that. Uh, the top part of the graph and this is, uh, grades three, four, and five state testing for you. Okay. Um, the specific numbers for ELA are on the back, but what you have here is a comparison of sea students to all the other elementary

083schools in SAU16 without any of them being named and um where we fall with these other schools. As you can see, grade three was first in ELA and math for last year for third graders. second grade was second for ELA and first in math throughout the SAU. um the overall um uh fifth grade, fourth out of those six schools for math and then some struggles with ELA testing last year. But both when you combine all three grades, 75% um of our students were proficient um last year on that summitive test um which is really strong. And um >> and that fifth grade class tracked low all the way through. >> Absolutely. >> It's not a fifth grade thing here >> for a variety of reasons too. You can say co but also a third of

084them were also had um learning difficulties, learning disabilities that were supported by IEP. So it's a high number of students that you know that had goals that worked with a variety of people. So, um, the the rest of the data I have with I have for you is split into ELA and math. And, um, when you see the arch, that's Aadians data. We do Aadians for our students in K through three. So, you'll see some information for LA. And it's kind of hard to compare grade by grade because each grade levels test something different in cadence for reading, but it definitely provides a percentage of students that are below or well below benchmark and those that are on or above benchmark. And there's also a description for a cadience for what each grade level is

085getting tested on for that. The pyramid um is your I Ready math and your I Ready reading for this fall. So this is all preliminary data for current students K to five are um >> Can I ask a question Ron about like so you have 95% of first graders on or above benchmark. Is that year at like where they should be at the end of the year for first grade or is that >> for beginning of year? >> All right. So it's a benchmark. So it's not >> for the Acadians it's for the beginning of the year. Yes. >> Okay. >> For I ready it's for um expectations at the end of this year. >> Okay. Okay. >> Right. So that's why we're that's why we're seeing that combination of uh green and yellow. our

086expectation that we would see students are one grade level below. If all if all students were built the same way and they just learned right up to the end of last year, which we know that they don't, they would all be yellow and one year behind or one year below the ex expectation by the end of this year. And that's what yellow stands for. So when we see 55% of our first graders already um meeting the standard uh in ELA uh already that's that's pretty pretty good news. Um, so what I'm trying to provide is kind of our starting point for this school year and we'll take the same pyramids that we're getting in ELA um, and in math and compare them throughout the school year. We're going to do this again in the wintertime

087and we're going to do this again in the in the spring. We're moving our third, fourth, and fifth grade students early into doing I Ready because our window for doing the state testing has been shortened by the state. They decided they didn't want the window to be that long. So, we're allowed to start the week before April vacation, which we're not. We're [clears throat] not going to start our state testing then. I think our fifth graders will do their science testing only prior to April vacation and then it's the window closes by the end of May. We used to be able to go into the second week of June. So for that reason, third, fourth, and fifth grade will do I ready a little earlier than the rest of the school, which will be January.

088>> Is this last year's fifth grade? I'm a little confused. Or is this this >> this is this year's fifth grade. So you're looking at that ELA score. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, we've had conversations in fifth grade. Those students have been identified. Uh there's a great plan in place that's all about vocabulary. That's all about comprehension. Those are the trends that we see statewide that we see SAU wide as far as students at this point have a real firm grasp on uh their phonics. They know how to [clears throat] break down words. They know what the words say. They know what the words mean. But it's uh inferencing. its um author's meaning and the point of the story. Those are the types of skills that I read as testing that we see a deficit

089on. So um we know which students are in the red there and we have a plan in place for those students. >> Can I also ask like how are you addressing right like 75% of third [snorts] graders are already at what they should be at the end of the year. Like what are we doing about that? as far as >> above and beyond the classroom >> or in the classroom. >> Yeah, that's that's up to the expertise of our teachers that differentiate. Um LA for years we've had a win time for math. Now we have a win time for ELA and math. And what I like about this what I need time is it's not just a time to pull students that need extra support, but it's a time for us to differentiate. So we've

090had that in place for math, but we also now have it in place for ELA. It's in our schedule. So by definition, twice a day is no new topics are being brought forth. So it's not like you're getting retaught new material that you already know. It's a time for you to be challenged during those different times. So, we we have um we have students that are in extended learning and enrichment for math uh support in addition to students that are struggling. >> Yeah. And is that just during wind time that they're doing that extension? when I'm talking about that extension when it's getting pulled, it doesn't mean they're not being challenged throughout the rest of the course of the day, too. >> I mean, it's just it's not really necessarily a conversation for now, but

091I I think like this extended learning thing is like a problem quite honestly across the district. Um, and like like it's awesome that our students are here, right? And we want to keep pushing and we want them to be as good as they can be like I think that it's like a bigger picture that can CMS catch them where they are. Um and I my personal opinion is the answer is no right now. Um if you send kids to CMS that far ahead they're not catching them there. Um they're just kind of >> I'm really happy learning. >> Yeah I'm I'm really happy with this data. Like I want all of you to be thrilled about the data as well because I think it says a lot about >> um >> the system we have

092in place, the students that are sent to us on a on >> year after year we get sent very happy students that are ready to learn and then our teachers take it from there. >> It's a really successful school. So I'm really happy with what the data is saying to us. So, um, and I mean the best the best part of it is the traditions that have been in place are still in place and that we keep recreating things that kids can expect here. So, um, and I think we take data very seriously whenever we have and we're not just using I ready. We're anytime we have a conversation about what we're going to do with students, we have three points of data. We're creating new assessments in our classrooms um which helps us make

093decisions about um how many how many students uh need more of a challenge. So um I think data is part of our daily conversations when we get together. >> Can I ask Brian? You're going to kill me. One more FY27 budget question that I just remembered when you said that is there's a line. It's $15,000 for student body activities. M >> is that what would that >> Alanova >> that's something that like I don't we talked about at the end of last year but I like is that the cost of that like so putting that in would mean you wouldn't pay like parents wouldn't pay >> what's that for ALOBA oh parents aren't paying for ALOBA that was the conversation we had at one of the board meetings at the end of last year so

094we're not charging them a penny cuz that's just [clears throat] that like that's a place where I feel like I get alova is this we've done it for since co ended [snorts] but if sees picking up the brunt of the cost of that like >> the entire cost of that >> is there a way that we could do the same spirit of al-nova that's not an eighth of a teacher salary I would push to go back to sergeant camp so I'm not the one person to ask that questions but >> Mhm. >> and that we we used to charge parents $800, [laughter] >> right? And it was even richer. Mr. Mr. Fowler's not volunteering to go back to Sergeant Camp F. You are. [laughter] >> Yes. Yeah. I would not I would not support getting

095rid of Alnova. >> I'm not saying get rid of it, but like if we're putting $15,000 in our budget for it and it's we're our school is supporting the experience for the district. >> I just we're not supporting the Brentwood's part. >> Just Brentwood. >> The Brentwood. It's just Brentwood students. That 15 is >> and it was the conversation last year was cuz none of the other schools were charging for it. We were the only ones charging for it. >> And that's not this year's cost. Like we did not put money in the budget last year for this year's El Nova, but still I'm going to find money and not charge anybody. This year we're going to find a way to do it. Um and it is a smaller group so I don't I know

096it's going to be >> I'm just it'll be doable. >> Curious like I feel like I'm going to get shanked outside. >> Nobody's doing that. But I just like is there a way to have a really fun experience for the kids? That's >> Well, I mean the biggest part of the experience is having the >> the four small towns come together. So, anything we do has to be agreed upon with >> East Kingston and Kensington and New Fields and >> um >> Kensington >> and then I really won't say anything. I really think also the expense it was almost it was 60 students we sent last year so it was almost $15,000 um it's not going to be that much this year and also I think al no we're heading towards Aloba like donating a

097lot of their time >> not like charging us I'm not sure if that's something that's occurred yet or not but I anticipate that [clears throat] happening >> so um also you know and I think the principles were talking to me about are we still doing this? And my thought is >> um it's such a great way to celebrate being a fifth grader here that they have that to look forward [cough] to which is >> a lot of days together doing something that they [clears throat] some of them have probably never done which is you know >> climbing up a tree and doing the ropes course and in in visiting with a variety of students. Well, on the I Ready data, these [clears throat] pyramids are really helpful to see the spread at the beginning of

098the year. as the year goes on and we get middle middle of year and end of year data back in addition to these pyramids, could we also include a specific data point that I know I already has uh at an individual student level they have a typical growth target and stretch growth target >> and so it's like a really cool way of like for I'm a second grader I'm starting a little bit below grade level and so based on my based on that makeup like here's what typical growth would look like for that student, right, based on a whole massive national data set that I already has. Um, and so what I want, what would be interesting to see, I think, is like the number of students and the percent of students that met or

099exceeded their typical growth target and their stretch growth target broken down by grade level and by subject area. um so that we could really dig into the um different grade levels and subjects and see like where is the growth happening and where is the growth lagging and why. >> Got it. We talked about this last June too. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Absolutely. >> I would love to just like lock in like a template for that with you like before before you leave so that maybe we can have those types of reports. >> Sure. >> I think that that would also answer my question about the extended learning too, right? like like [clears throat] are the kids in this third grade group that 75% of them are already at the end of the year

100like are they growing? That's my concern. Are they still growing at the rate that other kids are growing even though they're starting earlier because they should be >> right. >> Yeah. I'm sorry to for the redundancy. >> Oh, no, no, you're not being redundant. >> No, no. I I remember having the conversation, too. So, uh, and I want to have something to compare it to, so we're going to be doing it. >> Nice. >> Anything further? >> No, no. All set. [laughter] >> That was great. >> Brian, just so you know, it was carpet cleaning. >> Okay. So they're all be carpet cleaning and not every >> is expensive carpet cleaning. >> Maybe your thing all them >> all the carpets [laughter] >> wrong. >> It's called carpet cleaning. >> Maybe that's a library system

101software system >> called carpet clean. >> Um do you want to formally close? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Formally close public comment. Does anyone have anything they'd like to add before we do so? All right. We'll close public comment at 7 o'clock or um and move on to um committee reports, safety and security task force update. >> No meeting. >> All right. Uh superintendent evaluation committee. uh we met on Friday and uh updated the updated question one which is just the new vision and uh equity statement and then we added a question in leadership attributes uh that Dr. [clears throat] interest requested about between the two >> and so that's it. We're it's >> solidified timeline for it all. Right. >> Y >> but that was just like looking at >> specific dates in April and

102things. No major changes, right? >> Nope. >> So that's it. Yeah. >> All right. Um I usually put poly's committee at the end, but I think this is pretty straightforward this month. There are six policies in the board materials. If you look at the summary document created by uh Dr. Bryant, u they're really one one is just review. Um the rest of them are really minor revisions based on updates to law. Frankly, the lengthiest [clears throat] discussions we had were about tobacco use at the policy meeting like whether a school bus stop is a school property for the purpose of this policy. It's not. If you want to smoke a cigarette while holding your kid to the bus, go nuts, I guess. Um, but anyway, >> we don't recommend it though. >> Yeah, as as

103a doctor, [laughter] >> as a medical doctor, not recommended. >> You do that. Um, the uh anyway, so you can see the policies in there. There's nothing really controversial or or um like major significant uh in terms of changes but there is a question >> in the first one AC like in the grievance book why do we have anything about scouting America in our policy >> it's in the statute >> like it's so weird >> yeah um and initially I think this was a point of discussion because the initial draft said boy scouts of America and I actually asked if that should still be that cuz they have changed their name cuz now girls can join >> but it's in the statute. >> Interesting. >> Or other title six I'm like would the Y be

104count? I'm like I just don't know. >> That's odd. >> Yeah. So I think I mean my point of view going into these meetings is always >> what is the loss? >> What does the statute say and make the language match as closely as possible to the statute? Um, >> okay. >> And so that I mean that did jump out looking that in advance and we did talk about like why is that there >> and that we at least updated the to the proper name of scouting America >> but um >> perfect. >> Yeah. >> So that was my question >> I'm impressed that you read the policies frankly >> I did read them. Um, so any other comments on the policies? Be a motion to adopt policies as presented. >> I'll make a motion

105to >> I will second. All in favor? All right. Motion passes. All right. Uh, board member queries or correspondence? I have not received anything. No one else. um newsletter article for December or Yeah. December, right? Because November came out today. >> Yeah. November 15th for December. >> Got to include these test scores now. >> Yeah. I do I do actually think that it's usually uh >> this is usually the state testing update. I do think that that's >> comparison to state average in comparison to other districts or schools within SAU. >> I was going to look at the Is it a front with newsletters? [snorts] It's thinking. I bet that's what it traditionally is though, right? >> Yeah, that makes sense because this would be the first big batch we get at the beginning of

106the year. Um, >> I mean, >> I just wrote one, but I'll take this one if nobody else wants it. >> Well, I >> You just wrote the last one. I wrote the one before that. >> I wrote the last one. >> Dan, this seems like it's right up your alley. >> I would love to write it then. >> Awesome. Great. [laughter] >> Awesome. >> Yeah. Um, Dan, are you on the um are you on the share drive with all the newsletters? >> I think I remember getting clipped into it at one point to just >> just if you don't see it. >> Uh, just let me know and I'll [cough] put you on there so that you don't have to reinvent the wheel. >> And when is it needed [clears throat] by? >> The

10715th of the month. >> And uh, >> presentation. If you don't have the email for the Brentwood newsletter, I'll just send that to you. >> That's Jim, right? >> It's info info. >> But you can just Google it. >> And that would be just the SAS or not ready. >> Yeah. Um, but the other thing that we covered last year uh was [clears throat] um the budget process. Like last year you guys published like this cool little like infographic >> on the budget process, >> the arrows. Yeah. >> Yeah. And I think I think Sharon reposted that on the SAPE website. Um, >> but I think I think that one is all the districts. So like you guys are annual meeting, but summer SB2. >> Yeah, it wasn't it wasn't even that D. It was

108about the budget development. [snorts] >> I think I think Sharon already reposted that on the SAU website. You don't have to do that. I'm just saying that's what I that that was what was covered again last year. I mean, it might be better for a December one that comes out in January, like closer to >> Well, I don't know. >> I don't know. I mean, I I need [clears throat] to be doing uh contributions from the co-op board. So, I could use the co-op board contribution for that their process. That's on the SA16 website. Typically is, right? the >> the co-op board budget process. >> Yeah, >> it was all one infograph. It was um >> because I had to review it to see if there was any changes and there weren't. >> Yeah, it

109was this >> that that's what we published in the November one last time. This >> Oh, I've never seen that. >> SAU 60 budget [laughter] process. >> Sure. It's great. >> Oh, there's there's one out there I can >> Well, anyways, Dan, it's all in the it's all in the folder. all of the new all the articles. So, you can um there's a number of them that we've done about state [clears throat] testing. So, you could kind of go back and look at see how it was done if you wanted something to start with. >> Are we supposed to be putting our articles in there? >> Well, you don't have to, but someday you're [clears throat] going to be gone. It'll be good to have. >> You don't have to. >> I haven't. >> I've

110written most of the state testing ones in the past, Dan, and so I know those are in there. >> Cool. And you're saying the most recent one had state testing and uh a visual of the budget process maybe. >> Yeah. I don't It didn't have the state testing in November last year. I don't know. >> And so by the 15th of November, this is for the December newsletter. Just make sure it's sent to [email protected]. >> Yes. >> Yeah. You just send an email with the letter. >> Cool. >> They reply. I'm not seeing things like I don't know if we can we'll be able to print that graphic. >> In the past we've created uh QR codes that have gone in for different things. Um if the graphic can't go in >> um strategic Oh,

111budget committee. We're still on you. Yeah. Um, we were meant to have met twice since our last meeting. We only met once because the first one wasn't uh posted publicly. So, we canceled it last minute and then um we met once last week looking at Lety because she's the select board representative on the budget committee. Now, the school board representative on the budget committee and um we actually started to look at some budgets which was cool. And um we approved like three or four of these teeny tiny ones. Uh cemetery um a couple of other ones that are very small and don't have like salaried employees or anything like that. Um and so we approved yeah three or four of those [cough and clears throat] and that's about it. We have two two meetings next

112month and so I think that's where we'll really start to get into some of the larger you know police fire things like that. >> Is there a typically they have us come in and present in either December or January? They fixed a date on when they want that to happen. >> I haven't hasn't come up now. Um I can bring that up in the next meeting. >> Isn't it going differently this year? In the past, it's helpful if we're like the first budget on the night that we go. Right. In the because some years we weren't the first budget and we'd sit there all night long waiting for our budget to be to be discussed and we would never get to us. >> Yeah. >> I don't know whether you probably remember those years. So

113>> it's nice when the school budgets it's only >> different this year. >> Okay. In a good way. >> There's just a new >> chair and he's doing things a little differently and like just things are different. >> Okay. >> Um [sighs] but that makes sense. Like we're going to meet in December and we're going to look and have another conversation about our budget and then we bring that to the budget committee in probably January [clears throat] maybe. >> I mean I think our December meeting is December 1st. Yeah. Yeah. On the agenda. So >> So possibly right before the holidays or in January, we could present. >> Okay. >> Well, Dan, I can tell you're the right man for that job. The fact that you were excited about those little budgets. [laughter] >> Um

114zoning, cemetery, there was a couple others. Yeah. [snorts] >> Anything else? >> That's it. All right. Um, strategic planning, >> no meeting. >> Well done. >> Thank you. >> All right. [clears throat] Uh, negotiations, if we're going to talk about that, I imagine we'll go non-public unless there's an update or no update. >> Um, there's minimal update. We're negotiating. >> So, do you feel we need a nonpublic to discuss anything? Yeah, maybe just to give you a quick rundown about what's what we're discussing. >> All right. Um, >> brief nonpublic. >> So, we'll do that at the very end. Old business report card committee. >> Yes. So, I put the update in the agenda. the data set. It's December 5th and that is for teachers only right now to help create and talk about this

115idea of a survey and where we're going to send it out to. And then we'll um after that, Dr. Andreki will look to recruit community stakeholders and parents. But right now, he's bringing teachers together to have a conversation about the report card, the likes, the dislikes, and what kind of information do we want. So that's December 5th. >> [clears throat] >> any other new business. >> All right. Um, then I guess we'll be motioning to enter. >> Well, the the only Oh, sorry. The one other thing is this I sent I emailed you guys all the solar most recent information kind of at like five o'clock tonight. >> Oh, okay. I was going to say >> um because I couldn't get it to print out again. I had I did talk to the solar company

116and um we did get some Eversource bills. They're very hard to understand. So, actually the call I took earlier was from Eversource, [clears throat] but of course then I didn't have everything in front of me. >> Um and I don't even know if they will talk to me once I can get on. But somehow like the it's the bill what they sent is super confusing. like it doesn't look like your home bill that says >> right. >> Um but it um from what I can understand of it so far it makes zero sense because we've been getting a credit every month and yet having a late charge. >> Yep. >> We we like owe them $100 for not paying our bill, which is a credit. So I need to call and like figure out [clears

117throat] but they haven't charging us. I just I'm afraid they're taking that out of our credit to be like you're not paying your bill on time. >> Which they weren't billing us. >> Yeah. and we don't have any credits with Eversur. It's it's really fascinating and Michelle Larson has spent two hours on the phone with Eversource, bless her, in connecting and getting a friend in there to get the information that she could. But it's still um and then tomorrow morning, Brian Sanszo, director of facilities meeting with Dr. and Drisky to get some sort of historical information because I guess part of the confusion is the meter that was set with the solar panels is a one-way meter and we needed a networking meter, but no one told you all that. So, it's just a whole

118Yeah, it's >> the solar company should have >> Well, that's what that's what Brian Sans said. He was like, I don't like this is something. So you also you're you're producing more kilowatts than you're you're using and so you're sending a certain number of kilowatts to a grid >> which we could wouldn't be able to do unless we had a net meter. >> No, we're doing it but we're not you're not tracking and getting your credits. >> Oh, right now it just is why it says bill. Yes, it's just >> in this like yield history is it like is the >> No, this is completely separate. Okay. >> Yeah, I'm not on the dashboard. So the dashboard is purely from Bington Power and so that and he said he can't tell us how much we're

119using. You can't know how much you're using until you see how much you sent to the grid and then once you say okay we know how much you produce and how much you sent to the grid and what's between that is what you used. >> That's wild. >> So we can't there's no way to track what you're using until you know what you sent to the grid. But those things right now it says zero sent to the grid which I guess makes sense if we don't have a [clears throat] net meter. If we just have a one-way meter. >> Yep. which I think we need to figure out because then it meant we that we need to figure that out. >> Yeah, >> we need to figure that out >> and you know or else

120we need to serious provided that >> power guaranteeing power. >> Yep. >> But it doesn't um >> Yeah, that would be their job. Or Eversource I mean like we got permitted through Eversource. So Eversource also knew we needed a net meter. We didn't need a one-way meter. >> so continues. >> We're still working on it. >> So, my my article is really, if anyone read it, I don't know if anyone did, it's pretty um vague. >> More to come was basically what it said. >> I don't know if this qualifies as new business, uh, but just because it's really important. um curious about the principal like uh recruitment interview process. I know you said it starts in January. Um I would just love to like just because it's really important. Not that I need asking

121to be involved in or anything like >> um understanding like what is the uh interview process like who's interviewing candidates, what's the scorecard that they're using to evaluate candidates like what attributes are we looking for? So what we typically do is we have a we have a we have a first, second and third round. Um, and the first round, um, I believe involves one or two schoolboard members, staff, parents, it's larger, and they create, um, the questions and the characteristics that they're looking for. And from that, HR comes back with a rubric for which to rate the um, interviewes answers. It's usually a four-point rubric and you just sort of rate their answers based on what the the community decided was important for the school principal. Um, and then they go to a second round.

122The second round in SEU 16 has typically consisted of more elementary school principles, more principles. Your first round might have one elementary school principal on it. Second round might be a lot more principles in SAU 16 or administrators from the K through 12. um and maybe a different perspective from student service. So if I'm running this this as a superintendent, my assistant director for student service might be on the second round to get her lens in viewpoint of that and then it really narrows down to um Dr. Andriski for the third round, send him a couple candidates, if we have a couple candidates to send him um and then he he makes a final recommendation to the board via me or he'll come here and make the recommendation. Um, so that's that's usually how it

123rounds. Like the board can create and submit questions to their representatives on the interview. We can have a conversation about your board can have a conversation if you wanted to put it on the agenda about things you're looking for. Um, in December um um we can bring a job description and a posting for you all to look at that the director of human resources thinks is appropriate and that she would use. See if there's anything you wanted to to tweak. Um Ron would look at that before you saw that because he has a really nice pulse and understanding of what he thinks the building needs. Katie Gallow, teachers, they would all be looking at that, but you wouldn't see that, but that would be conversations we would be having inside the building, faculty meetings and

124teachers and thoughts and we bring that all to you. So that's usually how it that's how it runs in a nutshell. [clears throat] Yeah, that would be really helpful to see in December the job description and and that'd be a good platform for >> and I think Dan is the only one who will have kids in the school that if you want I mean my >> I have a school [laughter] >> Sanders >> I just have for days you will be here next year next year. So, but my point is that if you wanted that one, I think that that would be wrong. >> Pulled out the bonafites. >> What would be wrong with it? >> Like if you wanted to be the super like your kids are heading in for six, eight years, nine

125years, how you I don't know how long going to be here, but >> who knows, >> right? >> Um, but what are you saying? Are we looking to like assign one person to be involved in the >> No, I'm just saying that if you really wanted to be involved in that Yeah, >> we're not doing it yet, but >> strength and numbers. Like I think if we if we bat around the job description >> and like like think about what Ron's done here and like what our >> like character traits and attributes and skills and experiences that this person should have. Um like when you bring a job description to us, will it just be like the public facing job description? Yeah. >> What about like underneath that? Is there more like scorecardy type stuff?

126>> The underneath that is what the interview committee talks about, right? And we'll bring to an interview committee. We will bring this is what the faculty surveyed said they were looking for. This is what other principles in SAU 16 said they were looking for. Um, we have in time brought a bunch of questions to an interview committee. So, they're not starting with a like a blank like everyone's starting at a blank page. just like here's 20 questions that we've asked before. We'd like to whittle it down to 10 or 12. You guys can tweak these however you want. We sort of go through that and then we get the the rubric for the interview questions after that. >> HR is sort of bringing all of that together with the interview committee and everything. >> Yeah,

127HR really runs a lot of that. Um the whole facilitation of the organizing the questions and whatnot. HR really helps. Heather Murray is amazing at that and she really helps run that. >> I mean I think it's important here. I personally [clears throat] think the staff >> feedback is the most important. >> Yeah. >> All right. Where we go next? Boss [laughter] of new business. [clears throat] >> Uh I I'm going to a school law continuing education thing on Friday. So If I learn anything of no, [cough] bring it back. [clears throat] >> I'll see you there. >> All right. At the New Hampshire Bar Association. >> No, not that one. I'm going to a same one. I'm going to a law conference for the law on Friday. [laughter] >> So many. I'd love to

128go to the bar one. Imagine how fun that would be. >> Yeah. I'm required to do so many credits of continuing legal per year that my employer pays for it. Go through it. [clears throat] >> Perfect. Um so anyway hopefully I find out interesting things that u members of the public we're going to motion to enter non non-public [clears throat] we'll come out adjourn the meeting so nothing more for you here [laughter] >> graes and go >> like to make a motion to enter non public under personnel one personal discussion Uh, I think 91 A3 double I >> 91 A3 double I. >> Good night, Scott. >> E. >> Yeah. >> All right. Motion made. I will second. >> Roll call vote. >> I >> R 55 plus. house that early 2000 >> are getting

129like our neighborhood is turning away. >> Okay. So, we're >> non public. You're good with that? >> Yeah. Sorry. >> I >> motion passes unanimously. We're back in public. Is there a motion to adjurnn? Second. Second. All >> in favor? I. We adjourn at 7:44.