Stratham School Board Metting 09/24/25

001All right, good evening everybody. Thanks for coming out tonight. Um, why don't we just start with the pledge of allegiance? >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I like how uh JLo is right there just looking right back at us. >> She's very glamorous by the flag. Um all right. Well, welcome back. This is our first board meeting back for the um 25 26 school year. So, uh it's exciting to be back. I guess feel like we never left because we were working over the summer, but um it's good to have everybody back. So, I wanted I we have some new faces. So, um I don't think I've met you

002face to face, but I'm so glad you're here. So, >> Oh, thank you. >> Yeah. Would you mind just introducing? >> Sure. Um my name is Britney Thompson and I am the new director of special education. >> That's wonderful. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, great to have you here and >> Yeah, it's great to be here. It's been a really nice start and >> Okay, good. >> Yeah. >> And I'm sure you've been to plenty of board meets, but you know, if you have any questions or concerns or anything, >> you are coming all the way from the middle school. >> Yeah, I know. It's a job, you know, >> is a point of order or something. >> Yeah, those are slightly different board meetings, but yeah. Um, this is a little little smaller. >> Um,

003so great great to have you here. >> So, uh, we have a lot on the agenda. Do we have a student council report? >> We do not. We don't have student council members yet, but we will in October. >> Okay, sounds great. I saw that in the SMS admin, so that's great. Um why don't we do approval of the minutes and then I'll open up um uh I'll open up the um public comment. So taking a look at the public minutes of August 18th. Does anybody have any um edits or concerns? They look fine to me. Anybody? [Music] >> I'm good. >> Okay. >> All right. Do I have a motion to approve those? >> I I will make a motion to approve the >> Thanks, Cameron. Um, I'll second. So, all in favor, please

004say I. >> I. Anybody opposed? And I think everybody was here. All right. What about the non-public? Any questions or concerns about those? Nope. I didn't either. Okay. Um, I'll move to um approve the non-public. Do I have a second? >> I have a second. >> Thanks, Cameron. All right. All in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> Anybody opposed? All right. So, that's 5 0. Thank you, Sharon. All right. So, now I will open up um public comment. Um I'll do maybe 15 minutes now and then 15 minutes later after we do um our policies. So, um I guess do I have to do 30 minutes for the policies or should I do 15 now and 15 after? >> No, it's regular public comment >> even with the device. Yep. >> Okay, great.

005So, we'll do 15 minutes now. Is there anybody that would like to talk? And just as a reminder for everybody, we do about three minutes. Just um identify yourself and your street and uh and I'll just give you like a 30 second heads up. >> Okay. Hello everybody. Uh Patrammy, 912 Pines Drive. Uh I think was the last meeting or the meeting before last session that I brought up the fact and that we needed to have the FAC put together the financial advisory committee sooner and that the fact uh members actually sit in on the first meeting in which the board hears the budget. I think that's that's essential because we were the fact was already behind the the board. Uh but when we came in the next meeting in which you the board was

006here and then we we sat in with the board it was almost like to find out the detail we almost had to be at the first meeting. So I'm just here to remind everybody that we do that. Um and it would be much appreciated. Um, I also since uh over the summer I did t talk with our uh moderator Dave Manuel about this and then made sure that he you know can you make sure you have everybody appointed sooner this time and he said yes yes I will and I suggest that he talk to you as well. I don't know if he has >> uh but um I think hopefully it runs a little smoother uh this time. Okay, that's all I wanted to hope and I I noticed that the >> November 12th is

007the board meeting in which the budget's going to be >> uh presented to the board and in that meeting it'd be great if we had at least for that part of the meeting that the fact is part of that to ask questions as well. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> That's all I want to say. Thank you >> very much. Um, so I it's not generally that we respond, but I do want to say that um Chris and I have been talking about this and he is going to talk about the fact later on and just talk about the timeline because definitely I feel that that's really important too and um that's a really important um body that advises the board. And I would say too we're looking for a clerk and fact members.

008So if anybody knows anyone, you know, um have them reach out to Chris and um we would love to have them on board. I've put out feelers myself and so um anyway would love your help. >> Yeah. Is there anybody else that wants to speak? >> Okay. [Applause] >> Just for the record, everybody should understand that it's really the the moderator who appoints, >> right? >> So they really should also try to talk find reach out to Dave >> to do that. So >> yeah. Um, I think the superintendent has a lot of information about what's involved in the position and things like that. So, that's why it might be a good first stop, but definitely Dave is good, too. All right, so I'm going to keep the timer going. If anybody else um would

009like to speak, we welcome your comments. All right, let's move ahead. Um, we'll go to the superintendent report. >> Great. Thank you. Anything I'm going to turn over Michelle and we don't have a ton with manifest, but I'll just anything that she has with the budget. Good evening. So, there are some manifests to be signed that are um floating around up there for you guys. Um we do not do financials um in this meeting. So, you we will have those ready for you in the next meeting along with the food service and the grant money information. So, if anyone has any questions on those manifests, please let me know. Thanks. So, I'm going to just skip a little bit order because I'll leave schoolboard goals as last uh since we worked on that as a

010group. Um, but just to get into the fact timeline. So, as Jennifer said, uh, we did meet over the summer with, uh, David to kind of talk about a timeline. Um, what David asks is that if anybody is interested in joining the fact to write a letter of interest and please, um, email that to myself and to Jennifer. Reason being is that David does not check his email as frequently as us, so that we don't not, and these are his words, not mine. Jennifer is on the call. So that we can collect them and then I can turn it over to David and that we can set up introductory meeting. >> Yeah. Yep. So if you're interested again and then he'll reach out to the selectman to see who the selectman appoint but again David

011will will work with that. Um and that goal is no later than September 30th. Um what we'd then get is David would look he'll make selections and then we'd have an introductory meeting hopefully in the first week of October between the 6th and the 10th where we'll talk about the roles of the fact the responsibility of the fact and at that time we will we will elect a chair for the fact that chair of the fact will then be the one person that will correspond when there's questions or answers. This will help clean us up and this will also improve the timeline last year as I think every member from the fact was trying to ask questions and we really couldn't get it back in a timely fashion and sometimes information you was brought to

012us 24 hours before a meeting and we just didn't have enough time to respond. So kind of put out a clear guideline um and and then we'll uh introduce the budget with the fact moving forward. So it's running parallel to when the school board sees it. So did take the feedback from from the public and that is the timeline that we asked. So again, if you're interested, please email Jennifer Scraford or myself um su16.org and we will uh collect those letters and I'll turn everything over to David on September 30th for him to make his selection. Great. Um second thing I wanted to talk about is that we did um our public water system. So as you know PAS has been an issue been working on getting the the water treatment um now for almost

01313 months. Um but that's sometimes what you have to do when you're you're doing it through a federally funded program that did not impact our budget in any manner. Um but we just got a letter saying that the deficiencies are completely resolved and that that system is good to go. So just wanted to put it out there that our our drinking water and and public water coming through the system is now uh completely resolved. And I also just wanted to give an update on school busing. Um so I talked with our first our transportation coordinator um and she said busing in Stratam we're at nine buses. Um, so last year, if you remember, we were not running a nine buses to start the school year. We're running behind. We do have nine buses running. So

014that is great. From the start of the school year, we did flip the runs, which was a shock to some people. Um, so because it had been a certain pattern for a number of years, so those students were getting on buses first and and getting off last or vice versa. We flipped that. We also worked on um getting stratum buses at the high school out of the parking lot first. In the years past, they were embedded in which then added more time coming here. So, I just need to remind everybody cuz we do double runs. Buses from from that get to all of our elementary schools come directly either from the middle school or from the high school once those runs are completed. So, we've worked really hard cuz Stratam is is the furthest run

015from the high school getting those buses out first. We are looking at hopefully at the beginning of the new year of adding another additional run at the high school which will free up even more time to get stratum students back. So, it is much better than years past. And uh Miss Row wanted me also to um really um express her gratitude. Uh there was a couple of different stops uh and the residents reached out and said, "Please move the stop here if you can cuz I I collect a lot of the kids and make it less impactful for a couple of our communities within Stratam." So she asked me to express that. So overall very positive u and timing seems to be down dramatically to where it was at at this point last year. >>

016Great. And thank you. That's really good news. And I know that was a parent who suggested that idea and I'm just think personally for me like I think I complained about the buses all last year. It's been so much better this year. Um and uh even I think the later buses still end up getting home earlier than was happening last year. So anyway, great. Thank you so much. >> The other two updates um is um we are still looking for someone for uh our school clerk. So, we had put it out there anybody interested uh to have it in by last Friday so we could do a public interview. We did not receive any applications or uh letters of interest for that position. So, we'll put it back out. I will work with the town

017to get it rebroadcast to get letters in. But, it's a really important position obviously for for uh voting and budget time. U but other than that, the responsibilities are a little less. Um you know, Kathleen was was uh did a great job for us last year before coming on the board. So, we have a expert who can kind of talk about those responsibilities. Oh, no. But, uh, experience in talking about those responsibilities. There we go. So, we'll be looking for that and I'll put that back out with the town um, early next week. And then the last thing was that we just need to finalize our board goals which we worked over the summer. So, I'll turn it back over to you for for that. >> Sounds good. Any questions or comments or concerns? >>

018Um, and thanks so much. I know you guys also followed up with the water stuff and I I know community members were emailing us about that. So, yeah, thank you very much. So great. Okay. Um so just looking at um board goals. Thank you guys for all um everybody did some editing. Um I had a few thoughts but what what does does anybody have any questions or comments? How are you guys feeling about them? The edited version. >> Um I didn't look at them to be honest. So >> no comment for me. Okay. Yeah. I think we um I I think probably most people have seen the board goals that are always on our agenda. So last year it was academics, communication, fiscal stewardship, student wellness, technology, and um faculty recognition. Um really we were

019focused last year on the building renovation project. That was a lot of our time and really where the board um did a lot of work. So this year we we wanted to update those but similar themes I guess. Should we just go through one by one? Did everybody want to just talk about their own? I >> was going to say I was really impressed with everybody's edits. >> Okay. Do you want to talk a little bit about your first one? Academics. >> Sure. Um so my main goal was just to make sure that we had some object objective goals. Um and so I started by saying um it is our duty as a board to work with the administration to um address the academic needs of the school. And this includes our um policy and

020budget development. And what I then put down below it was that um that included being briefed, which we get briefed frequently by our administration. And I just put in brief no less than three times just so we would have a objective goal. Um I then clarified that briefings can be conducted by whomever the administration deems appropriate including administrators, classroom teachers, the MTSS coordinator, etc. to kind of create a flexibility with whoever they thought was the expert um for that matter that we're discussing. Um and then it's just more details about the different briefings just based on what we have on the schedule this year. >> Sounds good. >> So, sorry, I'm just looking over your shoulder. That's one goal. >> That's just that's just breaking it down into objective. >> Okay. >> Goals within the

021one goal. >> Okay. So, do you have a a shorter version for us to put in there? >> No, we I'm open to edits if we think that it needs to be less verbose. >> I think I really like that first paragraph. >> Um, and then, um, I think the next three paragraphs sort of incorporate just what you were saying, more detailed, but I think if we did that first paragraph, >> Sure. >> Um, that seems a relatively succinct. >> Okay. >> Word goal. Any other questions or comments on that? Um Sophie, do you want to talk about any changes or >> Yeah, I just cleaned up the language. I really didn't change the it much at all. Um I just added I guess the last sentence, the board welcomes public input and will do

022its best to provide information to encourage discourse. I think that's the only thing I added. Okay. >> Just changed Yeah. the language. >> Okay. >> Um for me, I did fiscal stewardship. You know, uh like I said, we were focused on the building uh renovation. So, for this year, I actually changed it to um looking at the teacher contract because that's something we're negotiating right now. Um and that feels like just a huge responsibility of the board. I know Cameron and I are um really taking that seriously. But so I just talked about the school board um negotiates a teacher contract that balances fiscal responsibility and community expectations while also honoring, you know, teacher contributions and supporting um the needs of the students. So, um I think I was kind of thinking about I was

023a proponent of um faculty recognition as a board go last year, but I'm wondering too if you know if faculty recognition is incorporated into the teacher contract because you know the teacher contract has personal professional development and things like that and I think when we're in those meetings we really I mean we take it so seriously because we do respect you know the teachers and the staff so much. So, I'm just thinking maybe those two smooshed together. >> Yeah. I mean, I think the current goal for that kind of calls out the professional development things that were discussed in that. >> Yeah. >> Um, Eric, do you want to? >> Yeah, absolutely. And I just maybe if I could circle back because I had a second to think about Kathleen's because so much does revolve

024around getting briefings, getting updates, >> right? I would I would definitely encourage you if you're going to make any of those changes to just add something in there about that that first paragraph. I think that is good to ask for >> make it more succinct. >> Well, just asking for those regular briefings I think are are important and then >> um >> just to keep you know the lines of communication open. >> Yeah, exactly. So I I just want to make sure you didn't lose any of that because that was in whatever you do because I thought those were really good. >> Okay. Um yeah, I mean so I I made it different than last times. Um and it was largely or my draft was largely because of um I think feedback that we've heard

025uh towards in the budgeting cycle and I wanted to be able to sort of address that to some extent but I also wanted to kind of include some of the concepts that we had previously uh Sophie. So my suggestion I'm just going to read it just so it's so people can hear it that may be tuning in. Um, and this is around a wellness, student wellness. The SMS board is committed to fostering student wellness by cultivating a strong sense of belonging, promoting regulated behavior, ensuring safety, and maintaining a wholesome environment conducive to optimal learning. We prioritize supporting administrators, teachers, and staff with resources and training to effectively nurture student well-being, creating a supportive and inclusive space where every child feels valued, secure, and empowered to thrive academically and personally. It's a little wordy. Um, but

026uh I think the the concept is what I was hopefully >> it comes through. >> I like all those words. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. Um I don't see um an equity training in there, a yearly equity training. That's like a specific thing that I would like to have in there if that's okay. >> I'm I mean I'm I'm fine with that. I have been >> Okay. Um, I think we should call it equity, right? Not DEI. >> It should be >> equity. Equity training. >> I I do think one of the other things too that you had had in there before Sophie was about trying to make ourselves more available to get the classroom experience. >> Yeah. >> And I think that's okay too if you want to add that back in. >> Yeah.

027You know, I forgot about that, but I would also like that to be back in. >> I mean, I was able to do that last year and it was it was uh informative. So, >> and Cameron and Kathleen, do you know what he's talking about? Last year, part of the board goals, I recommended that the board kind of sit in and be kind of a fly in the wall um at least once a year to kind of have that experience. I know for myself that's really important because my kids aren't here yet. So, um that's been really helpful. I wonder if we sort of write these goals as, you know, um our ideas and then underneath as like concrete things perhaps that could achieve that goal. >> Um because then that could incorporate what you're

028talking about briefings and you're talking about monthly newsletters. Um >> that's a good idea. Yeah. Have like the goal and then just the like >> the more smart goals underneath it, like the check box how we'll accomplish that. Mhm. >> I like that. >> We Yeah, we can make it a little more succinct on the concrete. >> Yeah. More bullet pointes. >> Okay. I like that idea. >> Uh Cameron, you want to talk about technology? >> Uh yeah. So, I did um technology advocacy and the previous goal was kind of just around devices and that sort of thing. And I know that's being covered this year with the um state law on the device the device ban. So I wanted to expand it because I know there's been a lot of um usage of AI

029in the classroom with educators and students. So I I just want to address that. So this is also we may need to because I love to talk but um I said the board through policy and funding will encourage safe, ethical and educationally valuable use of technology for students and educators particularly in the emerging area of AI. The board will promote the use of technology in ways that add value to education and prepare students to responsibly harness technology in their learning. And the board will seek feedback from educators at SMS to understand how current technology, hardware, software, and policies support the goals of providing a well-rounded education for students and ensure that SMS educators can take advantage of new technologies to provide equal opportunity to all students. The board will also review and support policy for

030limiting personal electronic usage at SMS that allows students to focus on learning without distractions. And I don't even know if that last part I threw in is a reference to that. I don't know if it's necessary because we're all very aware of that. But >> and to your point, that's kind of like a mission statement of a goal. So, I mean, we could hit, you know, like here's what we're going to >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Try to actually the bullet points or whatever we're going to hit >> cuz it seems like you're saying technology like it's called technology advocacy, but really what you're saying is like when technology is effective, right? It's not and when it's needed. >> Yeah. So, I mean the >> you're looking for feedback. >> I didn't change the category. I

031mean, it was called technology advoc advocacy. I was kind of using it as like here's how we're going to use or here's how we're going to promote the use of technology but also acknowledge that you know there's like areas that we should be aware from a policy perspective >> right >> so I think I think I too am very verbose so I'm welcome to uh comments on how to >> yeah could be >> consolidate >> okay well I think these are a great start I think um do we want to go why don't we go in this month and and come up with some smart goals underneath? We can just use the same document but um uh maybe list some smart goals underneath and then we can just talk about them next week and finalize

032them. >> Okay, great. >> Next month. >> Yeah, good work. >> Okay, thank you guys for doing that. I think for me like sometimes what we handle is so complicated, right? And so I don't know for me having board goals it is a nice lens to kind of filter some of the things that come in front of us. So I think it's worth taking the time. Um okay. Uh moving on to SMS administrative report. >> Um do you want me to do the assessment at a glance first or do you want to look at the report that was shared with you via email? >> Um why don't we start with the email? Okay. >> Yeah. Did anybody oh have any questions or comment on it? >> It was verbose for me. >> This is the

033beginning of the year so there's more to add than um >> I think it's great >> would be typical. >> Yeah. >> Thank you for breaking down the different um literacy programs and math programs that are going to be used this year. Um, I thought that was really helpful to know how you're um differentiating between grades for what you're using. That was really interesting to me that you have different programs that are working for the different aged children. >> Yeah, that was interesting to me too. I one question I had is how how will you compare them against each other? How will you Yeah. compare success? >> Um, so there are like national criteria that you look at when you're adopting any sort of literacy program. Um, so that's part of what we'll use for

034sure because that's um that's more like the scientific part of like reading and literacy development in children. It's like developmentally appropriate. What's the progressions and we can certainly do that part of it most essential. Um then there's also the student data. How are our students performing based on the instruction that's and curriculum materials that are provided through those programs? Um and then there's the piece of like is it accessible to teachers? Is it um easy to use? Is it something that is multimodality and honors um all of our students? So I think there are various criteria with which we'll measure that are pre-established and we'll have both grade level and vertical teams and those will be facilitated by our literacy specialists. Um our first actual scheduled date to do that is our first inservice day

035on 1010. So those will be done throughout the year so that as we get closer to spring where it hopefully who knows um we'll be really clear about which of the two programs really had the most impact on our students and um was most accessible and usable for our staff. Yeah, we luckily give the I Ready reading assessment to all students three times a year. That's not attached to either one of these. And it's great when you use an assessment that has nothing to do with the programming that you're using or the materials that you're using to teach because it's kind of like a neutral party, right? So that will help too to see how we fare on something like that. >> Um thanks. >> Um yeah, and so special ed, how's it? >> No,

036you feeling well. I've been I've been busy training like taking anything that the state will offer and um the teachers and the related service providers have been really busy making their schedules and now they're in full swing and they are providing services. I know that actually our two occupational therapists went to the selective mutism training that was offered at the high school and they really enjoyed that. And then we are going to be training some students uh some teachers in visualize and verbalize. So >> awesome. >> And I oh I I am doing the new special ed administrator um institute at in conquered which is meets once a month and they also give me a mentor. So okay that's great. >> Yeah. >> That sounds very busy. just like things that I do like pre

037like preschool what do I need to know about preschool so taking any trainings that I can get on that and but everyone's been really >> preschool is a big difference for you >> yeah everyone's been really accommodating and helpful and the preschool staff is wonderful so no it's been good >> that's great >> yeah I want to ask about the preschool the note in here about there's like a special requirement for food in the preschool is that >> oh we just had to get like training like to be food safe basically it's not a specific >> they don't go to So, we a whole bunch of us got trained in how to properly like serve food. And I was like, "Oh." So, now I'm even looking at my refrigerator at home differently. I'm like, "Oh,

038that shouldn't be there. That should be that should be lower because it's cooked at this temperature." Yeah. I can't get enough. >> The federal law changed over a year ago about providing a meal to children when they're at school, and it it no longer mattered how many hours they were school. If they were at school, there was a meal provided. And so, it used to be their preschool wasn't here for a meal. and now they are here for me whether they're three-year-olds or foury olds. And so it was a big change for us. And last year we did it one way and we were able not only did the federal law sort of adjust a little bit, but we were able to then do some training and now we can be in the classroom which

039is actually much better for three and four year olds than to try to be in the cafeteria with older children with tables that don't fit them. Um, I know one thing I was interested in is, you know, the school board asked for assessments, taxpayers asked for assessments, but obviously there's kids on the other side of this assessment and I'm just wondering, you know, how that's going sort of handling that stress. I know Miss Vanderberg is probably very busy these assessment weeks and um just curious about I just want everybody to kind of think about the kids on the side on the other side of the assessments and just talk about a little bit how that's going. Um, I think we've worked really hard in like pre- messaging and messaging all around about like um supporting

040students and like this is just to show us what you know and this isn't this is not an assessment of like when we're looking at it's not like I want to know what Kate Lucas knows. It's like oh I want to look at what fifth grade knows so we can think systemically about what things we can be adjusting to do a better job by the kids. Um it's not something we're using to say like the kids know. It's like oh we need to do something different. We've missed teaching this or we're doing really well at this. let's think about what we're doing here that we might then be able to apply in different strands within mathematics. >> Um the other part of it is it does provide information for us and it's I want to

041be clear when we talk about the standardized test that you're talking about that is one data point right >> but it is it can be helpful when we're thinking about our gradient support model which is the opportunity for students to see receive personalized instruction. It might be um that they need more explicit instruction but it might be an opportunity for extension as well. And so we often talk to our kids about this is just one moment in time. >> Yeah. Um, and these tests actually will get harder, and that's okay. It's supposed to do that. That's that's because you're showing some strength, so it's just going to keep and eventually you're going to be like, I don't know what that is cuz I've never even heard of it. And that's actually okay, too. >> Um,

042and we're in the environment really trying to interact with the kids, not to distract them, but to really feel positive. Um, we've set limits on how long they sit at any one time so they don't have to be feeling like I have to sit here for 90 minutes. Nope, we're 40 minutes at the most. So, I think it's really being strategic about pre-meaging um how we talk about the results and what they mean to us. Um and then celebrating just even the efforts of trying. Um last year we really went to a model of like we just want to see you using test taking strategies. So if you've got your scrap paper out and you're using your scrap paper, if you're thinking about I learned how to use this graphic organizer, I'm going to actually

043use it now. I mean that's kind of what we're looking for. It isn't to say you got a four out of five. Like that isn't something we're communicating and we're not saying well that was your test score that time. Let's put it on your desk on a sticky. that's not how we're using that. Um, so I think we're really conscious of that. Um, and we honor that it is it can be anxietyinducing for many of our students. So, can we get outside more on those days? Can we offer more opportunities to be social and kind of decompress? >> Um, I'm not I don't think that that not trying to paint a rosy picture because I still think that it can be anxiety inducing no matter all of those things in place. Um, but I do

044think we're really intentional about how we present it to kids. >> Okay. Yeah, >> sounds good. Can I ask a question on that? >> Yeah, please. Okay. The way I remember it when we you're I don't know you're going to present it in October and November the results of like the I already >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. So the way I remember that is we always show that we're not like it's always not great because it's covering the topics for the whole year. >> Yeah. So that's the I Ready assessment is is made that way. So they're assessing at end of year benchmark. So at the beginning of the year if you're a year behind you should be it's where you should be. Right. >> So I just want that. So when >> we're in

045the yellow you're like yes. >> Yeah. the kids are going to see stuff that they do not know intentionally on purpose. >> Correct. >> And I think that can create even more stress when they're like, I did terrible on that. >> 100%. >> Well, and it's adaptive even beyond that. So even if they're showing that they understand the fifth grade, they'll give them algebra. Like their kids, why are there letters on my math test? And so it will go as far as you'll let them to get that edge, right? >> We tell them that upfront. >> Yeah. When this >> you're going to get to place you just don't know. >> Gibberish. That's okay. >> That's the point of it. >> Yeah. Exactly. Anyway, I was just It's almost like a test that >> we're

046expecting failure. Like it's it's a >> it's an eye ready. Right. So when we're talking about that is the I Ready assessment and we use that for both the reading and the math. >> Yeah. >> We're always like, "Oh, that's a lot. That's actually really good." >> Yeah. >> It does still show like their grade level. So when they're yellow, it says like, "Okay, they're still at end of fourth grade, which is exactly where you're hoping they are." Or maybe they're at mid fourth grade. You know, you got to do a little bit of catch-up. So it still gives us a spot of where they are, but yellow is good. We're at the end of the year. We're looking for green. >> Right. Just a reminder of why at this point in the year this

047testing is extra price stressful. That's a good point. That's a good point. And I think like they, you know, I think ele being elementary school kids, the world revolves around them, right? So they're reflecting how they do and individually. It's that's a hard lesson. So anyway, but it sounds like um I I appreciate the extra efforts taken to ease that. Thanks. >> Can I ask you a quick question? The these assessments are they related to like we had a presentation last year about the like many data points that are collected or that's more of like >> those are those are part of the many data points that we talk about those are more the standardized nationally normed ones where some of the other assessment points usually be will be like curriculum based so a measure

048that came with I ready classroom which is our math program it might be a quiz that was done on any given day so it's a mix of those data points but it um the ones that we're talking about right now are our sort of benchmark screeners that we do three times a Okay. Cuz I think it was during like the MTSS presentation about I don't know there was like 100 many things, right? So that I mean that's kind of like a >> those incremental like little quizzes. Yeah. Those that might you might get four data points across a week. >> Oh, okay. All right. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> All right. Um and this that update goes out in the minutes. >> Yeah. Great. Um okay. So >> we're going to edit that because

049I actually had started the school culture and for Kate and don't erase. You need to take that out. >> I already edited it. So I'll send that to Sharon. >> That's like I don't think that's what you meant. >> It could have been worse. And I said like don't raise it. That's nothing. I'm sending it to Sharon now. So she has >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Student assessment. Let's go. >> Oh, okay. So, um I'm going to hand this out to you guys so you have it in front of you. Um each year we develop um an assessment calendar that is um kind of going back to what Cameron was just talking about. This is not the assessments that we're talking about that are like the day-to-day informal um formative assessments that we

050do that give us like a like sort of what we call like a dipstick check on how students are doing. This is more the larger assessments that we do throughout our MTSS system that we use to drive some of our larger systemic um decisions, systems decisions. This is um there are some parts of this that are similar to years past because um there's research that supports like you really don't want to assess kids in the area of literacy in the first three to four weeks of school because they've had summer regression and so you want to be able to get and get back in the swing of things. Um and then there's um some research that suggests there should be a number of weeks between a screener before you give another one. So just really

051allowing kids the time they need to grow so that the screener is an accurate measure of where they might be at that time. Um, however, one of the things that we learned last week that has really last year, excuse me, that has really influenced that is particularly for our students in grades three, four, and five who also take the SAS assessment, the end of the year was basically just assessment every day. >> Um, because we came back from April vacation and really that's now kind of the beginning of May. Um, and they were doing all of our our like our local district screeners as well as SAS and it was for the most part there was like six days between in the month of May that they and into like the first week of June

052that they didn't assess on some level in some class in some area. >> Um, and so in reflection upon that when we were looking at our SAS scores in comparison to our I Ready scores particularly in in actually both literacy and math the kids were so tested out by the time they did I Ready they just didn't care. And that's not that's not an insult to them. They were just so exhausted. Their brains were just tired. And they're particularly when you think about fifth grade, like they're thinking about moving on. So this is like really hard to focus at the end of the year on on something like this. So we took um some of the um math and and put it for grades three through five in particular, put it before April vacation because

053it still kind of qualifies for the weeks between. They'll be able to do some of that before and then we can come back and we can wait a couple weeks before we start in May. so we can come back from April vacation, have a couple more weeks of really, you know, concentrated learning and then they can take um the SAS. So, we kind of tried to space things out. Um, additionally, you'll notice that um particularly in the midyear, we also did um math and literacy like not on the same weeks, which typically we had this like three-we window where they were all expected and we kind of separated them out um just to kind of give everybody a nice kind of like you're not assessing all day all the time. Um also aligned with the

054showcase, also aligned with progress reports. like it was just this like intense time and we really tried to make it less intense for both staff and students. So this is our um outline of this school year. >> Okay. >> Can I ask a dumb question? >> It's definitely dumb. What's the last day of school? >> June 10th. I >> don't look until >> it might be June. It might be June 10th. >> I think it's June 10th this year. >> I keep coming every day until every >> We actually come every day regardless. We don't >> I don't even look. I can pull it up really quickly. >> Is testing after SAS. >> Is that not helpful at all to our kids totally checked out after that? Okay. >> Um >> what's really nice about

055if we can get if we can complete the SAS is that there are a lot of really cool end of the year events and so to not have those coupled together is really nice. Um everything from like the wellness walk to field day but also field trips. Um and the showcase we moved into June if you notice typically the showcase is in May. we push that out to June just to create some opportunities to like finish SAF and the SAS and get excited for the showcase and things like that. Whereas if you're doing at the same time that excitement is lost, >> right? >> Can I ask what what data days are? >> Those are the best. So, all of the um data nerds at SMS um which is um our math specialist, our deliteracy

056specialist, uh Brianna, the MTSS coordinator, and the three of us um meet and we look at all the data that comes in from those those assessments at the beginning of the year and then in the middle of the year and the end of the year and we analyze, we synthesize um and then we get to meet with grade levels or talk about the data and analyze it with the grade levels and then it informs like the systemswide levels that we're doing um and then also the gradient support blocks. So, it's like to kind of like bring everything together, isn't it? Okay, cool. >> I'm looking up the calendar right now. >> It's already >> It is the 10th. Yeah, >> for now. >> Yes. >> I have a question, but I can wait. >> Go

057ahead. >> Yeah. So I was just wondering so like clearly like on the SAS great improvement great numbers last year was there anything that did did the formation of the way you guys did this this year in terms of the schedule were there any like lessons learned from last year where you're like we're going to do the same thing or we did I guess what I mean and I I don't know I I have no suggestions on this I'm just totally asking a question like was there more testing and needing more teacher like was there any of these trade-offs that happened that you found that are going to be optimized going forward or are you like, "No, last year was the playbook. It worked well. We're going to do that again this year?" >> No.

058And I I I talk so fast. Um like one of the things that we did intentionally was that we had done like when we came back from April vacation, the kids in third through 5th started and they did SAS and then they did I Ready and those scores weren't correlating where years past they were more correlation. So, we're taking I ready and moving it before that to see if we can get more correlation because there was such test burnout. But then we're going to put April vacation in two weeks of instruction in between hoping we'll see more correlation because it felt like that was a really accurate measure and if we're asking kids to sit again at a computer and take an assessment, we want it to be an accurate measure. So, that was like

059one thing that informed this. Um the other thing that we learned um not learned but one of the things that we are taking away from last year is we've re reflected and revised some of our pacing charts. So like some of the um standards whether it was literacy or math that we're like that's still kind of a sticky point. We looked at our charts and said like do we need more time spent with that? So like our pacing so those things are just constantly monitored and reflected. Um and what we another thing that we um that was really helpful for us is really analyzing the beginning of the year um to say like that must have been missed the year before or is that the second time that was missed in second grade? maybe we

060need to think about second grade even though the one's not taking SAS but maybe that's where we need to concentrate that instruction a little bit more or stretch that out a little bit because it's having implications for later learning. So there's a lot of takeaways from last year that were really helpful and things that we're like oh we will not do that again or yes that absolutely worked and we should do that again. >> That was what I was wondering. >> Our gradient support block was a monumental shift in providing what our students need both in terms of receiving intervention but also having opportunities for extension. >> Thank you. Okay. Anything else about student assessments? >> Okay. Thank you very much. All right. Moving on to um I guess I'll do I'll do public comment

061again in case anybody wants to comment on what they heard. Is there anybody that would like to comment? All right. So, uh, moving on to board reports. Building committee. Yes. Very exciting. Construction's begun. We had the groundbreaking ceremony last week, which was awesome. And, um, admin, I'm assuming, coordinated all of the students to wear these little hard hats. They were plastic and flimsy. So noisy. >> They were extremely cute. Um, so that was adorable. >> And I have not really been on site, but I have a report from the owner's rep. So, um, I'm just I'm going to not read the whole thing, but just a couple of highlighted things. Um, so completed design drawings for the project are expected this month, and the team has weekly meetings. Um, so everything's moving forward. Um, Corino

062has received a foundation permit from the town and the state fire marshall's office um completed the project, sorry, the review is complete and the project was approved on August 8th. And then for construction, the re-roofing of the school was completed this summer. New boilers have been ordered. Replacement of existing boilers is expected to start next week with completion within two weeks. Site clearing and foundation excavation is ongoing. Concrete foundations for the first edition will start this week. Installation of new underground propane tanks will be completed next week. And the first edition is expected to be completed by the end of December, ready for occupancy when students return in January. >> So, very exciting updates. And I would just love to hear from admin what it's like to live with the construction on a daily basis

063and how that's going. Yes. >> I waited 8 years to get a window and I have a big window now in my office. It it overlooks the the pit, >> the construction. >> Lucky you. >> I'm having a meeting up there like all excited like I'm decorated. I'm ready. I got my window. Like I'm feeling good. And we could not even hear each other across from each other. It's just like boug. So it's been interesting up there. But the kids are being awesome about it. Like luckily we don't have any classrooms like windows facing that area and we were talking with some teachers about like noise cancelling headphones if it gets a little loud and whatnot. The kids have been great. It was just very ironic that like so excited and I couldn't even hear

064myself think but we're getting there. It's okay. >> They're also incredible to work with. So they'll ask at our meetings like are there times we shouldn't be doing that. Is there something I mean they're incredible to work with. We meet as you mentioned once a week but it's typically Wednesdays. I think it might move to Tuesdays. Um they're just incredibly accommodating. Bob who's like the foreman of the entire thing. I don't know if that's the correct name. He's in >> I see him every day. He's out there like managing everything. He checks in with me. He's great. Um, and then the weekly meetings when you're talking about the people that sort of facilitate all of the stuff that aren't necessarily on site, they're just as great. Um, we met over the summer to reroute traffic.

065We we had plans. We talked about how we communicate that. They've been great about that. They've made signs. Like, it's been an incredible collaborative. Um, >> they have a dog. >> They do. Max. Oh, nice. >> Do he wears a hat? >> No. No vest. No hat. >> Oh, it's a vest. A hat. He wears something very creative and imaginative. doesn't make sense that she wears a little >> He's wearing a vest. Okay. >> Um >> it's cute. >> Yeah, they're great. Um and they're actually ahead of schedule on a number of items. Um and they're really good about like when they ask decisions for us to make decisions, they bring lots of samples. We can talk about them. Um they'll do mockups. Like they've been really incredible to work with. I can't say enough.

066And our um owners rep Mark is fantastic. >> Okay. >> Yay. So not huge disruption for students, you wouldn't say so far. No, >> I mean just the part that it can be loud sometimes, but they'll even come. They're here by 6:30 in the morning. They do a lot of the stuff early before kids get here. >> Um they'll check I mean like I said, they'll check in with me. It's like we need to do this. It's going to be loud. I'm like, "Okay, 6:30 sounds great." >> Now that the roots of the trees are up, we're in good shape. I think they were big. >> Yeah, there's some good. >> I know. Um the Stratam Rec camp, they had a lot of opinions about the roofers. >> I heard a lot of updates about

067the roofers. >> Yeah. noisy, >> just so hot up there. And they were very impressed. >> Yeah, >> they even then they were great. Like uh they would communicate with Zach from the rec and the other people at the campus like what do they need? Um >> they came back one day Steve had come back to me. He's like we're just worried a little bit about sending kids without an adult there just because if something comes off the roof so like could you just have a sign? Like they were great and like really thoughtful ahead of time of like these are areas you're going to want to make sure there's extra >> um signage. >> That's great. >> Yeah. And Sophie gave a speech at the at the ground o the opening which was it

068was so happy. Like that was such a happy event. Thank you so much. I agree. Like I thought it was just going to be a few of us like >> Yeah. >> You know I didn't know it was going to be the whole >> It was so cool. >> Surprise. Good. >> It was cool because having Sam who was a student here. She's a teacher here. >> Her child goes here. >> Sophie and her own. >> She and I were in the same class. >> I know. And then a student. So it was like this nice full circle like there's some power and that was really cool. >> Yeah. Very so sweet. >> Yeah. >> Oh, sure. >> A curiosity question again. Um so we're working on this side of the building to get those

069two classrooms going and is the plan to wait for those to be open before you knock the temporary camp down and build this side of the building. >> I don't know the answer to that, Chris. Do you? >> That is correct. Yeah. Right. Yeah. because you you can we move rooms to >> we need that fully occupied so we can move the students in there safely and then we can go to the next renovation and then the third renovation will be the cafeteria after school is out over the summertime. So that's the three phases of renovation. >> Thank you. >> All right. Awesome. Uh moving on the superintendent evaluation. Oh, sorry. Hi. >> Are there going to be Excuse me. Paul Porino, I'm a member of the building committee. Are there going to be building

070committee meetings, you know, with the uh with Corino and with uh Mark Jobin going forward? >> Not necessarily, unless we needed to bring the whole committee together over a big project. But right now, your your pro your work was to get us here and then hiring the owner rep. If we had issues, we'd we'd bring you in, but he speaks, you know, everything that we put together in a packet, he makes sure we cover. Um I would not recommend that we'd have to have any building committee meetings at this time. My only question is uh in the in the actual project documents, are we getting what we actually put into the documents? >> Yep. >> You know, because the engineering hasn't been done. >> Right. That that's critical. I think that that the people that

071that were involved in scoping it out with Corino understand that they're getting what we were supposed to get. >> For example, the boilers, the boilers were purchased or pre- purchased. Did those boilers meet the latest energy standards? >> 100%. >> Okay. Well, you know, I assume that's going to be the case. being an engineer, you know, I want to make sure that that's happening. >> That's all. Yep. >> That's all. >> Thank you, Paul. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, Sophie, I had a similar question about I was kind of I saw a lot of the documents says like design build, right? And I'm not that familiar with it. So, is that to accommodate for like what they're uncovering while like they're doing the I was just surprised because I I saw the note where it

072said, "Well, the drawings aren't complete and all that." I was >> I'm just going to speak to that because I think it's really important. Um there was a rapid acceleration in the changes in the original scope of the building renovation to where we ended up in front of the bond, right? Like there was a rapid accel in changes of what was like a year ago what was what was proposed to what ended up being proposed in the end. And so because of that when they did several layers of drawings, they didn't get to specific details. So they have they have all the expected criteria that will be there, but it wasn't exactly perfectly down to the detail. So each layer of drawing is like the next layer of detail, right? So like >> one layer

073of drawing is literally like mill work. Like it's cabinets, they'll be in the new spaces. That's a whole another layer of drawing. So that's kind of or like we know they're going to have um a new some additional electricity, but like exactly where that'll go in the room is another layer of drawing. So it's kind of like just the the depth at which they're getting to where the final level finer level of details. And so that's kind of part of it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. I had the same questions. Well, because I it was like the update had many mentions of like, well, this isn't finalized. The drawings aren't done. And I'm like, oh, wow. I don't how does that work? >> Like, how is the the fashed, right? Like one of the

074things we're talking about right now. >> Okay. Um, moving ahead, a superintendent evaluation committee. >> Yes. >> Okay. Yeah. Um, so at the end or it was more the middle of August, um, Chris sent us his draft goals and then the committee provided feedback on those goals. Um, and then at the joint board meeting, Chris provided the goals to the joint board. And so that's where we are in our timeline. And then um in midocctober um our two leaders will provide committee with our feedback on the 360 evaluation tool. So that's our next step. >> Okay. Yeah. And this was presented to the joint board too. So if anybody is curious, you could go back and look at those notes, too. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Um safety looks like you guys haven't had

075a meeting yet. Uh, so there's a meeting tomorrow that I found about about yesterday. So discuss that. >> Okay. Um, >> I'll be there. >> Okay. Do you need someone else to go or >> uh potentially? Yeah, cuz I just I have to run a thing at work and I I I think I'm on the list now. I saw from Sharon, but I did not know that the meeting was tomorrow. It's in the middle of the day. >> What time is it? >> It's 9 to 10. >> Okay. Is there anybody else? >> Are Thursdays your good days or are they? >> Yes, but I already have an appointment at that time. But um could I get added to that email list serve as well? Just um >> cuz I can I can switch around

076my schedule >> with more notice. >> Well, and yeah, generally I would just >> move it around, but then >> if something comes up at work, I'm usually off from the hospital on that day, so I can move >> dentist appointments and etc. around to make sure that I'm available in case you need to be. I mean, in case you cannot be. >> I appreciate it. >> Yeah, of course. >> Yeah, that may make more sense in terms of committees anyways because Cameron, you're on a couple of committees already, especially with this year. You're with the negotiations. That's a lot of work. >> I mean, if you want safety, you're more than >> I don't know if you need to be on the building committee because we have the owners rep. Of course. Yeah, I'm

077happy to take that over if you feel like that's a better >> I I mean it's I I think you know having some depth though on those two is a good thing. Just I mean we we've been busy because of the negotiation has been pretty intense the last month or whatever. But um yeah, I I just you know is somebody going to be able to So So you guys are going to be sitting in on that right tomorrow. So will you be able to like brief us on that? >> 100%. And we'll we'll send the minutes after. So we can send the whole board can take a look at it. We typically will send it to the rep so you can report it out for our October meeting, but Kate and I can cover that.

078>> Okay. >> We can do a one-on-one or one-on- two and just brief you >> because I think that's part of the process too, I guess, for me that I wasn't aware of is like there's these committees that are uh more related to the district, right? So >> I don't know if there was some process to like inject yourself into like, hey, first stratum, I was selected for this one or >> So typically we take them. So that that's an error on our end at our office. we get the recommendation. So, I apologize that didn't get brought to for the invitation out. So, hopefully we'll rectify going forward. >> I just want to make sure I didn't miss something. >> You didn't mix anything up. It was just we we had all the names and

079you left off the list. So, double checked it now and I'll add uh Kathleen add you tomorrow. >> Yep. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Welcome. >> It I think we should have multiple people >> for especially for committees that have day um meetings. That might be easier >> just in case one of us can't make it. >> Sure. We can take turns if you know both of us don't need to be there. So we could take turns and that way we'll spread out the commitment. >> I agree. >> Yeah. >> Do you still want to be on the building committee as a sub? Because right now I don't know how many meetings like I need to be at really with the owner >> with less frequent. Right now we're meeting once a week and then

080I think there'll be times where we don't have to because we'll like in the winter time there'll be pauses between things like >> they'll be able to finish over here. They'll actually pour the slab over here um this fall once we can go this winter, but then they can't really break ground because the ground gets frozen. So, there's like pauses in some of it. Um so, there won't be weekly meetings at that point that even Chris and I have to go to. Mark will probably touch it base with everybody as the owner's rep, but there won't be as frequent at least that's what they shared with me. >> I haven't even been going to the weekly meetings because I'm so busy on the farm on in the summers. I might go to them when I

081can over the winter, but um >> yeah, I don't feel like it's a huge lift that I need support with right now. >> Perfect. >> But I don't want to like cut you out of it if you want to be part of it. >> Not offended. >> Okay. >> I will be on the superintendence and then I will help Cameron with safety. That's more than enough. Thank you. >> And I suspect like the negotiation one is pretty much once that's done that's there's not going to be a lot of work on that, right? >> Yeah. Although I could see there maybe being some communications like as we talk about the >> Yeah, that's a good point. >> Warren and um >> the budget, >> right? >> We had talked about maybe doing like a fireside

082chat or something. >> Um >> about the negotiations. >> Not about the negotiations, but about the contract. >> Okay. Um yeah, we should get that on our calendar soon. >> Yeah. >> Because there's a lot of moving parts for the fireside chat. So, um, >> do you think that's appropriate once it's been approved that we talk about it before the >> you'll want to give some updates of the financial impact that what the voters are going to want to talk on. Um, but one thing we'll just want to connect because one thing that we're asking for the business department is to do a um one-page budget fact and we could add that to part of it from the SAU to work with you. And also, we want to do a um budget video for each

083each town this year. We've only done it for the co-op in the past, which is very helpful. we can get that out to many people. >> So, that is a goal that the business department is working on. So, I think we could couple that with with that make that um to get that out to more more people. >> I think that would be great. You were so good about that with the building. >> Um so, what do you what are my what should I do for that? >> Yeah. Well, I mean, we're not done yet, but once we're done, um, and we have a document, then I think we just talk about it, the financial impacts of it, and maybe what changes were made and if any. And, um, >> are you thinking a Zoom

084call orformational one page, >> like a fireside chat? I was thinking maybe a Zoom call like what did renovation? >> I don't know. >> You wouldn't be able to do it until you ratify it as a board here. Yes. So, and the union will have to ratify it as well. once they've ratified it and say this is what we agreed upon and you as a board and you'll be able to select a date after that. So hopefully January, >> February. I >> I think maybe even it depends when we get done, right? So my goal is that this is done by December and >> you and Cameron are doing a lot of work. I I think we can get to that. >> Yeah. >> Well, and I think my thought on that too is that

085we have it closer to when the warrant is being voted on because I feel like that's going to be a big piece of it. And you know what I'm saying? Like if we're Yeah. gonna pick a date. I think it would be a good to have it fresh in people's mind like here's what here's what was negotiated and here's why you know we thought this was a good >> maybe February then. >> Yeah, that's what I was thinking. >> Yeah, maybe we could >> just >> closer to the the actual vote on it. >> Sounds great. >> All right. Anything for communications? >> Um what we just talked about? >> No. Although I think the Kathleen I think wasn't on communications. Cameron was going to be on communications. >> Okay. >> Instead of Kathleen, right?

086>> Yep. >> Okay. >> Um so Cameron's going to work on um a legislative update that we can also send out. >> Um Cameron, do you want to talk about that now? >> Um no, but I do well I do want to kind of get the process down as far as like is that something that we probably need to have that for the packet, right? And then basically just because I'm just I I like to I wanted to present some of the things that are going to impact the school from a state perspective because I thought it was really useful last year when we were able to present that to um you know people voters and that sort of thing with the town. So there's as you're aware a lot of them. So it's a

087matter of picking the most relevant and trying to say like here's the impact that we're going to see here. But I think it's good to have people be informed about you know the full picture of it. So I would like to read that could probably fit in this part of the agenda moving forward and you can just give the update. >> Okay. Okay. So it doesn't need to be like in the packet or anything like that. I just don't I just don't know the process. >> I mean if you want to verbally discuss it then the minutes will include what you're saying. Um otherwise if you want to >> write it up I'm sure Sharon would appreciate that. But >> okay. >> Yeah. If it's a longer thing then it's helpful to have in the

088packet and then you don't have to spend so much time during the meeting like telling us about it. You can just say, "Are there questions or or repeat just a small snippet for the public?" >> Okay. And is there like a normal like deadline for completing the packet to submit? >> So, it's the week before it goes out. >> Okay. >> And then could you just add something to the packet when the minutes go out with it or it has to be in the >> If you want it for a packet for all of you, we send it out a week in advance. That's our That's our timeline. >> A week in advance of the meeting. >> Yes. Okay. >> So, you have a week to review anything that's in that agenda for this meeting.

089Okay. >> I think also just for like anybody that's interested, joint board has been talking about legislative updates. Chris gave a great legislative update. Um and so that's a great place to get info, too. Um okay, chair update. I think um the only thing I was going to mention is um we have um so Bob Monaco I think some of you guys know has been emailing um the superintendent and myself about looking at how we um let's see um our cash management policies and how we're like where are they where's the cash from the building renovation stored what interest is it making and so um what we wanted to do or what he wanted to do was get a small group together and do like a a review of that and work with Molly in

090our finance office and just really make sure that we're making right decisions with that money. And um so I thought that was a great idea. I wanted to He's not here tonight, but um I wanted to mention that. And then also um I think there's a policy that supports that, right? So >> yeah. So in that policy DAFF, it it says that um with coordination of the superintendent or superintendent designate, we'd work with the school treasurer >> to look at the investment. It's called the investment policy. So >> the motion here would be that if you're okay with u me working with our business department to bring Bob and some representatives in and bring in the school uh treasurer >> that they could they could discuss that as a group. >> Does anybody have any

091questions or concerns about that? >> We've been talking about >> Does it need a vote or no? I think it does need a vote. >> So c can you just speak a little more to it's a basically the it's to identify opportunities for that. It's not like like what kind of decisions are being made or >> Yeah. It's like where is it stored? Do you want to talk about it a little bit? >> I I remember you talking about this but I will I have the policy. It's actually up for review too. So DAFF is our current policy and what it does is it allows the school board as as Mr. Dr. Dr. Anders said for to allow the central office and Dr. Anders to work with your treasurer to um speak with any of

092your your town's people to talk about investing any of the cash that we have. Um so right now the the the funds that we have for the building project have already been invested in what we call PDIP and that rate that we have the latest rate that we have is at 4.34%. >> So um but we are happy to meet with anybody that has any other concerns with how we invest our monies and be glad to meet with them. But I do believe that the policy requires that the board authorize that that we meet with those people. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. And I just wanted to make sure you know that you had the time and it wasn't too much, but it sounds like um it sounds like it that would work and yeah,

093we appreciate Bob's uh interest in that. Can >> can I just ask Yeah. point of clarification and one of the things too if I could add maybe to what Cameron had asked it was um I think it's also like cash flow management of the thing right like it's when do payments need to be made and can they can we be doing something with those funds while those payments don't need to be made correct it's more like a cash flow management can we save money >> um >> instead of just having the funds >> correct >> available you know what I mean like thinking about that >> if it's if it's D is DFA. That's the investments policy that I saw. >> DFA. Yeah. >> All right. DFA. >> So, I think that one says it

094says a school board authorizes the school school district treasurer working in conjunction with the superintendent and superintendent designate to invest the funds of the district subject to the following objectives and standards of care. I don't think it says anything about the about you needing >> Okay. Like I don't think it doesn't say something specific about permission for working with that but I mean I think we would be happy to make a motion and vote on that just so you felt comfortable. >> I mean maybe in the future we think about that policy that >> it it talks about the standards of care and what you folks need to be doing but it doesn't I don't think >> talk much about bringing third parties and that sort of piece into >> Okay. But happy to >>

095So you don't think a motion? No motion? I I would do a motion just cuz you're you're directing us to work with a third party. Okay. >> And our school treasur as the policy says to look at, you know, cash flow and investments and if we can get higher yields off of what we have already. >> Um Michelle, do you guys >> and I can bring that policy that maybe that would be a good suggestion to add. >> That's a good idea. All right. Well, um, since I've been talking to Bob, I'll make the motion to, um, uh, give, um, the superintendent and the finance office, um, I guess, uh, you know, the ability to share information with Bob and a small volunteer review with the idea that we would look at some information in

096our November board meeting. >> I'll second that. Um, any discussion? All right. All in favor? >> I I >> Anybody opposed? All right. 5 0. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Thanks for doing that. Um, okay. Uh, let's see. Did we do all of them? Oh, and now we're moving into policy. >> Yeah, there's a bunch on here. The two the two main ones when we met this past week. Was it this week or was it last week? Um were related to sorry let me bring it back up. It's the parents bill of rights. Uh not going back to the ones that we previously still have that okay >> need consideration. Um but the parent bill of rights which is a new law and then also the uh devices policy. Um the we

097have a lot of conversation or there was a lot of conversation. I was actually at the high school open house so I was listening um for my oldest daughter which was great. Um it was a lot of conversation. I don't think anything was super substantive in terms of the changes that were suggested. It wasn't like a major content conversations. It was around some of the details about how some of this would be implemented. I felt like it would probably be helpful to actually ask from the admin um you know what pieces and parts in here um could be difficult to manage um because that was a lot of what our conversations were about on the devices specifically. I know I think according to the handbook, okay, we have already been sort of a device-free school

098with the exception of educational technology. So I don't know if there's like major changes with the exception of policing probably some very specific things like smartwatches and others. Those were some of the concerns about how do we do that. Um so I'll be interested to hear if folks have questions about that that they'd want to entertain to the to the administration. Um, and I these were generally on the parents bill of rights were generally pulled from the New Hampshire school boards association's recommended policy framework and there's a lot of RSA notes in there uh for what's being referenced. I would say that if you go look at what's being described in the policy under parents bill of rights, you'll probably find an RSA that was already pre-existing for most of that stuff. So, it's like

099it says >> you have a right to this um it includes but is not um limited to and then it kind of references law that was already on the books largely. >> Yeah, >> I think there's a few things about reporting. There was things about like having the the uh school the the grade card or the school report card with various metrics available to parents and it's published in a particular way or to caretakers >> being published in a very particular way. So those are things that I would be interested to know as well from the administration's point of view like can we be in compliance with with policy as written or the changes that came out of that policy meeting. Um those are my questions and my thoughts about it. I'll I'll just open

100it I know they're pretty broad topic so I'll open that up to the rest of the group at this point. >> Yeah. Um they gave us some talking points about the device policy um just so everybody knows. So it's really um devices so cell phone smartwatches are um prohibited from bell to bell basically um and then there are some approved exceptions like for students medical disability or language proficiency. Um and the policy was is going to be re reviewed annually. Um so anyway those are kind of the big talking points but I felt the same way about the parent bill of rights. like stuff that had been pulled from other places. >> I do think the devices thing a lot of the conversation came from like middle and high school that policy conversations. A lot

101of questions about how those things would be used. I'm sure we have the same similar things but it was >> field trip sports you know how do all these how do we think about all of these when >> we're within not you know could be bell to bell could not be you know some of those kind of questions. Um I think we might have a more simpler task at elementary but I'm not sure. So >> they have far less cell phones here. Far le >> I haven't seen one. >> Okay. >> High school. >> It is not a phone issue. I think that is a much bigger device. It's more noticeable. We can watches is a concern for me and remains a concern. Um this is our third year with a no device policy. It's

102been our it's been in our family handbook. Um but because the there's still some ambiguity around smartwatches because they also tell time. It has created more students with smart watches this year than any other year. Oh, >> so it is becoming >> students are way smarter than we are about technology. I want to be really upfront about that. So they I kind of like oh like I noticed and by the time I get over they have hit it and it's black and they're right. You full well know cuz they're hitting like but I can't I'm not going to accuse a student of lying. That's not appropriate. >> It is I've never seen as many because we last year were absolutely not. You had to take it off and I would call families and they would

103have to put it in their backpack. It was just a no. >> Um and now that it's more ambiguous because it's about telling time >> I can I actually it is a I'm worried about it. I think we still need to have to have conversation and further discussion about how we monitor that because I truly think it is not being used appropriately probably 90% of the time in the building. >> Okay. >> So, you're saying this like weakened the position of that? Okay. >> Can we just say no smartwatches? What what are what is the what are the cons of saying no smartwatches? >> Um I think it's important to because the language is ambiguous and we are a large SAU. It's hard if we're having something that is different than everywhere else and then

104they're going to another school and it's a different exit. Like there's some you want that continuity, right, for kids because it can be really confusing if it's not the same. And so we're trying to work through that as as I mean this is very >> it's a new law. It's not new for us, but it is a new law for all other schools and it is much harder I recognize for the middle school and high school with phones, but like we've always it's just easier. It's just no. The answer is no. Sorry. Um it is now much harder for for for watches. Phones are like super easy to manage. And what's the impact on like I know somebody mentioned about staff the other day? Like how does that law is that apply differently to the

105staff? >> Um we've had great conversations about like where the role models for our kids and so we shouldn't have our phones out. We shouldn't be using them or in front of kids. It's not like if you're in your classroom during lunch you want to check like that's not it. They all families and they need to whatever. But they're not checking their phone during the day. They're not We asked them not to take pictures of the phone which would have been something like we're like let's get iPads so you can use the iPads that are school related. We're just trying to make it so we're modeling what we expect from our students. Um the expectation with our staff or the agreement is like if you have an emergency and you know you have to have

106it, you can have it on vibrate, but you're checking with admin so we know. So when we're walking in the room, we're not like why does why does Kate Lucas have a phone at right now? That kind of thing is we also recognize that we would do that for students if their family said there was an emergency. Like we're not it's not about being cruel. It's just about distracting for everybody. And so how do we maintain a really solid learning environment with >> as limited distractions as possible? >> At least the technologydriven ones. So, it's something for some of us to think of like I'm the first person to leave a meeting with all my stuff and you try to answer an email on my walk to the next meeting. I'll be like, "How many?

107Oh my god, I have four emails." And I'll start doing that and then you realize you're in the hallway on on your phone and like what does that look like, right? >> Um or even having at the table as I do right now. Sorry. As like is that a priority? Are you waiting for something? Right. So, just like being cognizant of the messaging. >> Um some of us just try to do double duty all the time. So, we're like trying to >> Yeah. >> But, >> right. You're not online shopping. I'm not on that, >> but it does look >> I would rather >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Just try to stay afloat, but >> Right. >> We just are thoughtful about that now and don't don't do it. >> Yeah. Yeah, I get it. >>

108Eric, can I ask a question about the the way this says is is it for review only because they haven't been modified? Is that what is they just have like a yearly >> I honestly don't know. I should have asked why that was in the board packet written that way. Do you know? >> Yeah, because they are yearly reviews. So, there's no changes to that. So, >> it's just to like audit them. You you have to by by policy do it each year. >> Okay. So those are like ones that are up for looking at but haven't been changed. >> Able to knock all 12 of those off. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Was is there any other impact on any of that stuff for administration for any of the policies that are coming down that

109>> No, I mean we took a lot of time this summer and we reviewed it at our administrative retreat and really, you know, talked with Kate talked about what's our how do we how do we model these um parental bill of rights, a lot of what was in the new parental bill of rights was in a lot of other policies already. Yeah. >> So now it's just shifted to one policy. So, if you remember, you know, um objection to instructional materials, that was a lot of what's in in parental bill rights now. Um and it's not really changing. We just had to there was a couple things that we had to change in regards to reporting. Um but I think we've got a good handle on that and we've been talking about how we will

110interpret the law and and do it um and follow the policy appropriately. And then with the um you know, the personal personalized device, I think Kate knocked it, you know, on the head is a big thing is the the um eyeatcher or or watches. people still wear them for time and they're just not getting notifications. So there is the capability to not get notifications throughout the day because that's the biggest thing that that that policy is looking at is the distraction notifications that kids were getting throughout the school day. Um so very good reports over the first month of school that kids are taking it seriously and again we're modeling that behavior because that that's a really hard thing for any kid to say I can't do it but you can. So we we talked

111as a staff and this is how we're going to we're going to have our own procedures as we go forward. So, I I don't have any concerns or any other recommendations on either of those policies. >> Do you expect any of these other policies are going to be withdrawn as a result of being summarized into the parental bill rights? >> Um, I think Dr. Brian is working through other withdrawals if we see the need. You know, nothing's listed at this point, but as we continue to dig in, um, definitely if those come up, she would make that recommendation to to the policy committee to to put on our agendas as as such. >> Okay. And and can I ask you a question, Eric? Is that so it sounds like most of those things are policies

112that were already existing. So is this this is like a change in state law to comply like that's why they're being grouped into that specific parent >> for the review? Oh, >> no, no. I mean like if you're saying, hey, there's a lot of policies that already existed, but now they're rolled into that one. Is that like a specific policy objective to say we're going to have this document or it's like a a change in state law or something? >> The parents bill of rights. >> Yeah. You know, I should check I should check because I don't know. Do you know was it is it a shall create this policy that describes this? >> If it's a shall that's probably why we're doing it. If it's not, >> I mean LSRs get approved, you know,

113through the process, you know. I mean, right now they're they're setting up their LSRs. They've completed those last the 19th. So, all new legislation is going to be brought forward uh for the next year. Um I think there's about 110 right now that would affect education at this point in time. So, >> well, I was just thinking for that specific one. I was wondering like I heard several people say it's it was already things. >> So, you have right now that that go even further into parental bill of rights. So, every year you they take current policies and laws and and people look to expand on them or or retract them depending on what what they feel that they need to represent when they get to conquer. >> To your previous line of thinking though

114about this, which is what you might be getting to it, the I think the only new stuff is it really says like you have to present this on the website. you have to put this in a handbook. >> So like that wouldn't have been ever covered in any of the other things. So I think what they're trying to do is they're trying to say in this by I mean they I mean the New Hampshire School Boards Association and then by virtue of that because we take a lot of their model language >> is to is to try to capture everywhere that the parental bill of rights like had a reference to something other law and just kind of capture it there. then say and you have to do these things specific to the bill of

115rights every every whatever or in perpetuity or what and you know until the bill changes but that that's why I think that specific policy is being asked to be introduced >> okay and that's kind of the question was like what was driving that you know what I mean you were saying a lot of those are already covered so thanks >> um okay so I know um public comment is expired but I'm willing to open it up for a few minutes if anybody wants to talk about these um parents bill of rights or communication devices. Okay. Um okay. Do we want to um so we obviously have the ones that are for review only. We have the policies on hold from June. Um does anybody have any questions or comments on those? >> Don't look at

116me. I already talked about this a lot. >> Yeah. >> I don't. >> Yeah. No comments. So >> Cameron, do you want to say anything else? Are you going to abstain? Are you voting down? >> Well, I mean, I'm just going to, I guess, you know, use my vote to show my objection because I feel like we had the discussion with the um the guy I can't remember where he was from. Was he from the school board association? Yeah. Um and I thought that was interesting, but it was really like kind of a unsatisfying like which I understand. It was this between thing. So, I I think it is what it is. Like, I think we're just gonna I think we just vote on it, right? >> There's not a lot we can do, right?

117The law, >> right? >> Correct. >> All right. Any other comments or questions on the policies? >> All right. Can we do we have to do them individually? Can we do them as a >> You can make a motion with a large group if you'd like. I would I would recommend the first two those individually and then the ones for review do those all together and then anything from June if you can do those all together. >> Yep. >> Great. >> Okay. So, um do I have anybody making a motion on um parents bill of rights AB and unauthorized communication devices J I CJ? >> I'll make a motion on this too. >> All right. A motion to approve. Um do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Okay. Any conversation? All right. All

118in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Anybody opposed? >> All right. So 500 Z. >> Um I'll make a motion to I guess do we have to do the ones for review? >> Yep. >> Okay. To um approve the policies that are for review only or I guess to review the policies for review only. Um, and those are um, DFA, DV, DFD, DFF, DG, DGIC, DKA, DM, E H E I, I, H, A, M, A, J, L, C, D, J, L, C, J, L, CJ. Do you have a second? >> I'll second, Sophie. >> Sophie. All right. >> Can I just ask one thing since there's conversation about it? >> DFA is the one about investment. You want me to just go off and go ask the rest of the group what they think

119about that in terms of if we need suggesting that a board or do you want to hold that one out or do you want to just approve this one so that we have that we've done our yearly thing on these? >> Yeah, I would approve it and then I'd bring it to the board. You might get um information that you want to change it. >> Yeah. I just want to make sure. >> Okay. >> Because there may be I'm just saying we may come back with a change to something different there. >> All right. All in favor please say I. >> I. All right. Anybody opposed? 5 Z. All right. And then um looking at the policies um on hold from June and I guess Sharon, those are from 6816 to 6824. Do I have

120to read them all? >> No, you cover that in the agenda. That's perfect. >> Okay. Um the request to withdraw >> I can do that at the same time. >> Yep. >> Or EJ. >> And to withdraw EJ. Perfect. >> All right. Um, so I I'll make a motion. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Thanks, Eric. All right. All in favor, please say I. >> I. Anybody opposed? >> Thanks, Cameron. Um, so that's 410. All right, that's a lot of work. Thank you. Um, all right, moving ahead to negotiations. So, um, obviously we have confidentiality in the room. Um, but Cameron, do you want to talk a little bit about what's going on? >> Um, >> I can't hide. >> A lot. >> Yeah. >> I think it's been um really productive.

121I know it's it's the thing of like I don't know what we can what we can say and what we can't say, but I think it's been like a pretty good collaboration so far and I think it's gone gone pretty well. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I'll leave it to you in case somebody says something the wrong thing. >> Yeah. No, I think um for anybody that hasn't read the teacher contract and I guess I'll go on the record by saying like I hadn't read it super closely, but it's definitely worth it for all board members to read it. Um it's really interesting and really like I think informs so much of our work and um obviously is the livelihood of a significant um number of people um and so uh definitely worth reading. I think

122um you know we had some goals going into it and so did did they and it's just been very amiable and um um it's been a really positive thing I think um so far the the um and I anticipate that continuing. So we have we're going to be meeting for the fourth time >> um in I think maybe two weeks and then we have one more meeting scheduled after that. So, um, every time I don't know if you guys know how it works, but every time like they kind of come with ideas, we come with ideas, we talk it out. Um, some of the ideas are big and some of the ideas are small. You know, we're going to the punctuation or, um, it can be small things like that, too. So, um, and then

123we just talk it out and then, um, that's how it works. I didn't know that before. So, anyway, it's been good. So, we have a couple more meetings to go. >> I just ask a question. Is there is there a timeline? >> Do you do you only have a couple meetings or could it possibly be >> So, there's like all kind of rules. So, at the beginning, we established these are all the meetings we're going to have. >> Um, and then this is when anything you want to propose has to be submitted. So, um, we're at that point where, um, things had to be submitted that you wanted to make changes on. What happens if you don't agree or you don't come to an agreement? >> Yeah. So then um I guess do you want

124to talk about that? >> Sure. >> Yeah. We we we'd look for a mediator and so we'd pick a mediator that we both can agree upon and present it to them and the mediator would try to get us on a track and if not then they'd have to make a ruling or best interest. And if neither party wants to take it that way then you don't have a contract to be able to put on the warrant and the contract that's currently in place would stay in place until you renegotiate the following year. That's the worst case scenario that you ever want to get to. I don't anticipate us getting there with the work that's being done and and just the collaboration, but that it's a great question. >> Can I ask you a question? So,

125Chris, is this for So, is it for not this year, but how does that work? Because you said what was that? >> Yep. So, remember their contract runs through the end of this June? >> Yeah. >> And then the voters will vote on the contract that will start on for July 1st, right? And for the length of that contract. If we can't come to something to be able to put in front of the voters, then the contract in place stays in place. So there therefore you can't have any salary advancements because it's not included in the budget. What's included in your budget right now is where people are at currently. >> Any impact, financial impact would be part of that new collective bargaining agreement. So if you don't get to that, you come to impass,

126everything stays put until you renegotiate >> throughout the next whole next school year. >> How does that work? If we >> we approve a budget >> or we agree on a budget and then that changes. >> No member. So the financial impact of the of the contract is what gets put as a warrant article. So the the CBA of the stratum teachers is its own separate warrant article. >> The final impact for for next year is the first thing that they vote on and then you wrap in over the uh consequent years after that into your budget. So, we know the impact because of the steps and the salary increases. >> We we we hold fast right now of where they're at currently because we don't know we can't put a budget without knowing what

127that impact is and that's a separate impact to the budget. >> And that's why like when we were talking about the communications piece of like get because that's going to be people, you know, the town's people are going to look at that and then it's like the what we're doing now is going to be >> voted on to approve. So, I think the communication is going to be big on that. Mhm. >> And am I correct that the warrant says this is what the contract costs in year 1, this is what it costs in year two. So they're going to see >> so if you're giving, you know, a salary bump if you're whatever you're doing, it's going to be calculated out. The voter will definitely see that. >> Gotcha. >> And so that's we

128need good explanation. >> Good, good questions. >> I have new appreciation for the finance department based on the nuances that the each contract has its own thing. We were talking about like >> people can pick how they get paid and it differs from one school to another and I was I was like, "Wow, that must be fun." >> Thank you. Thank you for recognizing that. >> Okay. Um any old business? >> Okay. Any new business? >> Yeah, I just want to congratulate Stratam. We got awarded uh the robotics grant again. So, that letter came in. That's $11,75 to be able to be used through end of May. So, thank you for doing the hard work. I know Mr. Gagnon put some put some hard work into that. So, just want to share that publicly cuz

129that literally came in I think either yesterday or this morning, right? So, that's good news. >> That's great. >> Yeah, >> okay. Um, we have nonpublic. >> We do have one non-public under letter C, please. >> Okay. >> Uh, can I ask one final question before you do the nonpublic? Um, you had mentioned earlier, sorry, was trying to figure out a place to put this in about the boilers. >> Mhm. and some and uh I think Paul had talking about the efficiency is that something that we'll be able to get some sort of data on like I don't know if it's from Karino or whoever but it would be nice in the budget set like when we start doing the budget planning to say here was the like year-over-year savings from that improvement. So do

130you think that's like something we'll be able to get from the constru as far as the efficiency and that sort of thing? >> So we can give you all the specs. Usually it takes a year because I mean we're switching from oil to propane as well, right? >> So there's two different impacts. you're going from a much more high efficiency propane uh tanks. You're also your >> insulation is to this building. So, I don't think you're going to you can have a projected, but actually once we see it with a new roof and insulation that's put in there. Um and then again, our our contingency if we get to a point, we also said that we'd want to do windows or or portions of windows. So, I think they would all add in. Um but

131we could ask what what it anticipated, but I think the greater impact would be a year once all those are in place and then you actually see the true savings. >> Okay. I and I'm thinking I mean even like you're saying we're not going to have the number. It would be good to say here's what we're doing and we're going to be tracking that to show that the investment is >> and we do that when we look at our energy um efficiencies. Okay. So you know like when you put solar on a roof, how much do you save? We take a year study and then say here's now how we can put accurate um budgeting into our our budget because we're saving on >> you're already gathering that. >> We do that for other districts,

132you know, now that we've had, you know, solar on a on a building for a year. So we can say, hey, we can cut our electrical use down by x% because the solar is doing that. We would do the same here. Um Okay. Yeah. In regards to fuel costs because you're going from fuel to propane, which is a savings. Um and then how they're running in in the efficiencies where you're not having one down at some point. >> Okay. Cool. Thanks. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um I'll make a motion to go into non-public under Just tell me one more time, Chris. >> Letter C, please. >> Letter C. Um Okay. We'll do roll call vote. Um, hi. Hi. >> Hi. >> All right. Sounds great. >> Thank you everyone. >> Here. >> All right. So,

133we are now out of nonpublic. Um, I'm going to make a motion to deny the request. Um, I I know it was five minutes. Let's say that one more time. >> To deny the request regarding transportation. >> I'll second that motion. >> Thanks, Eric. Um, all right. Can we do All in favor, please say I. >> I'm gonna abstain. >> Okay. So, we It's 41. All right. Anything any other business? >> No. >> All right. Um, do you have a motion to adjurnn? >> I second that motion. >> I'll make a motion. All right. All in favor, please say I. I. >> All right. 5 0