001All right, I will call the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. And should I do the non public first and then Cheryl goes or Cheryl goes first? Oh, Cheryl goes first. Cheryl, tell us. If I am unavappointedly out of state and I am therefore coming in remotely and I am home in my hotel room. Think that's everything? Yep. Perfect. Um we non- public session may be called at any time in accordance with chapter 91A 32 ABCD or [Music] I there I'm sorry I have an amendment to the agenda. There is a request to go into nonpublic um under I tonight. All right. So, we'll do that at the end. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Um do I say what when nonpublic or when um the public input starts in starts at 6:02 p.m. and will last
002for 30 minutes and I don't think we have any public input, but we we'll leave it open obviously. Okay. Okay. So, approval of the meeting minutes. I just had one little note. Did either of you guys have any notes? I didn't. Okay. The only note I had was under the uh response to the task force, it said that I spoke to the attorney and just to clarify that Renee spoke to the attorney and then shared the conversation with me just to be perfectly clear about that. And that was the only note I had. Otherwise, it looks fine. So, okay. Okay. So, I will um make a motion to approve the meeting minutes for May 5th as amended. Second. All right. All in favor? I have to do your name. Cheryl Mcdana. I Stephanie I council.
003Okay. So, committee reports. Uh, we will start with policy. Cheryl, what do you got? Um, I was so good at this committee, but I'm testing Renee. She thinks it's a little bit hands up on what happened. Renee, could you help me out here, assistant? Sure. Um, I actually did not attend this policy committee. Um, and I can in the future. Uh, but I didn't attend this one. Um, but looking at the notes out of policy committee, it seems like these are reviewer revisions of current policy based on updates from RSAs in the state of New Hampshire. Okay. I read all of the changes. Um, and to me they're, you know, pro- former. They're just changes we have to make legally, but I I was not at the meeting. It's very difficult for me to be
004at those meetings. So, we maybe at some point we want to retalk it. Sure. Um okay. Yeah, we maybe we can like look at um committees in September. September. Yeah. Okay. It's just it's not that I it's difficult for me to make it. Yeah. No. Fair. Um Okay, great. Yeah. No, I haven't seen anything. They look like all just sort of little changes. Um and there is one for withdraw. Withdrawal. Okay. Okay. So, I will make a motion to I was how to phrase this. How to make a motion. accept. Yeah. Make Yeah. Make a motion to accept the following policies. Um policy ACF E C A F E E A E E E A A E E A E A E E BB B and then withdrawing policy E E A J. Second Larson.
005Oh, no. I'm sorry. That was Carol Mcdana says I thank you Cheryl Stephanie Smith I do Larson not okay I got to keep queuing you guys. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. All right. So safety and security any updates? Nothing. No meetings till next October. Okay. All right. Um superintendent evaluation committee. We um the evaluation um was presented to Esther a few weeks ago and so that you know that closes that loop and then and I think it I think that was um mentioned at the last joint board meeting which I wasn't at. Um the next step is that Chris will present his goals for next year to the committee and then that will happen sometime this summer so that they can be presented to the joint board in September. So that is superintendent evaluation and then
006next general correspondence. Thank you. I don't have anything. All right. Um community news submission that was done. So some editing help from Cheryl. Awesome. Okay. Always like to be an editor. Perfect. We're on it. Um, and then what was our plan for how often we're going to do that? Were we trying to do it for each one or is it like twice a year? Um, it's it's it's uh it comes out six times a year. So, this is the May June issue that this one will come out in. So, we'll figure out what we want to say in the next one. Okay. Maybe it'll be about, you know, how do we start putting together a budget because it'll be about that time, right? Yeah. just keep it educational. Okay. Yeah, that sounds good. Um because
007in past years we would do it less frequently, but I think doing it for each one is a great even if it's just a short little um paragraph. Okay, great. Um strategic plan committee that is me. Okay, update is that we met our last meeting was on May 22nd. um we just sort of continue to go over the different goals that are going to be in each priority area and the strategic plan and then coming up with the measures that will be used to assess each of the the goals and the priorities. So the idea will be to have a scorecard that can be updated over the next three years to show progress on the different um goals in the plan. And one, I don't have them all here because they're they're still sort of
008being worked out, but one example is under the priority empowered and supportive educators. The measure will be staff retention and then that's a number that can be calculated. So we'll start with a baseline at what we're at right now and then we'll have a goal for sort of percentage of retention for um for staff. So that's the idea is that there'll be really um measurable goals for the plan and I think we meet again sometime I don't know what date but the plan is to have the whole strategic plan ready for September so that Chris can present it at the September joint board meeting. Um yeah that is that and okay those are all the committees right? Okay. So, business and financials. Okay. Good evening. So, in your board pack, we gave you the financials.
009And so, last month, we had remaining expense of $60,669. And we were able to re we did have a few more expenses, but we were also able to since it was the end of the year, release some expenses from the utilities that have not been used. We were also um able to move some support services um some benefits to the food service account which was the appropriate place. So we actually decreased expenses for the month $14,917. So we have remaining expense to budget of $75,585. We do also have some additional revenues. So, we're projecting the fund balance at the end of the year at the moment to be $17,23. Does anyone have any questions? No. Okay. And that 107 that's before the trust fund, correct? Taking those money out. Yeah. Okay. Um when when do
010we discuss if if anything if there's any projects that tonight okay cool great good question but one of the things we want to talk about has to do with state security so that's why we want to do it in a non public and then we can make a motion and discuss when you come out if you make a decision but we want to give you the rationale and the purpose in non-public. Okay sounds good. um for the the food service incumbrance adjustment. Yeah. Is that the only place where so the the money from like utilities like left over that went into the food service? Is that how that is? No. So so benefit so what happened is is is at the end of the year they find out those any food service people have health
011or dental or any of those they're we put their retire if they're in retirement. We move those to the food service program which is a different fund and we take it out of the general fund. Okay. So, so it's about the staff. It's Yeah, it's just taking care of putting it where it properly belongs. Okay, cool. Great. All right. Okay. Meal price increase. Um, uh, Mrs. Plord, our food service director, um, reached out about increasing our prices for both lunch and breakfast. The USDA suggesting we raise prices to $3.40 for lunch and $2.40 for breakfast. So that's um a 15 cent increase for each of those just um obviously for the rise in food costs that we're seeing. So she had said we had raised at least 10 cents but um the USDA is saying
01215 cents. So I think we should probably do that. I think her only other question and Rene you would know is trying to just keep prices consistent with East Kingston. So if this was also something East Kingston board was would be discussing. East Kingston board will be discussing it next week. They haven't made a decision yet. So I would report to them and what you guys decide. Why would it make any difference that those two um she's the director from both schools so I just think financials when we get to reimburseable meals and that sort of thing she's working with the same numbers. Mhm. Oh, gotcha. I think it' be easier for her. Yeah, it's just comparable districts and we share menus. Yeah. Menus and order food together and Yeah. So to keep the financials
013as even or as um similar as possible. And if they decided not to go up, would we still go up? Well, the board would make a decision tonight. Okay. Um and then I would report to East Kingston, but the board decided they could decide. It's still within the board's purview. Um a recommendation is for you both to go up at least 10 cents, maybe 15. I um and then the board just decides. Okay. Right now. Yeah, you guys can talk about it. Think about it. What's the difference in the 5 cents? Why? Well, I think anything less than 10 cents is not worth the hassle. And um it just gives you a controlled choice. 15 is what the USDA recommends. If you're not comfortable with 15, sometimes board members think, I only want to raise
014it by 10% each year. 10 cents each year. It's really just totally It's really totally up to you. 15 gives like a little cushion. Yeah, still I mean we don't make money for sure, but we do hire we do offer some high quality meals for our kids. Um so I think I'd be more in favor about going to 15. Yeah, I think so. Cuz it's what 3:25 now? So 340. Mhm. And God only knows what's going to happen with food prices moving forward. So yeah, we wouldn't want to be in a position of deficit more. Yeah. Yeah. um we are we do have fewer students qualifying for free and reduced lunch than we had um in previous years. So we are so we have less reimburseable meals. So which means we are relying more on
015those paid meals um for our for our revenue. Okay. Do I need to make a motion or do we disagree? Yes. Make a motion. Yep. Um I will make you want to hear the two prices [Music] again. Do you want to do breakfast and lunch? Sure. Yeah. So, lunch was 340, breakfast was 240. 240. Okay. So, include that in Y. All right. So, I will make a motion to raise the lunch price to $3.40 and the breakfast price to $2.40 for the 2526 school year. Second. Second. All right. All in favor? I Mcdana I. Stephie Schmid I. We do ours and I. All right, great. Who do you who second that? You want Cheryl or Wendy? Cheryl, she's quick. She is quick. Okay. She wants to get this over. Yes. Um needed stuff. Um and
016the next matter is permission for the super designate a hire over the summer. We usually um have school board approve our hires. Um, but because we don't meet in the summer and sometimes we have last minute resignations, it just allows the superintendent's office to hire when you're not in session over the summer. So, we don't have school board meetings in the summer. Correct. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, you could have a meeting any time, but we don't have anything scheduled and usually school boards take July off and then come back at the end of August or early September. Um, so if that's still the model that um, Kensington's going to follow, we would need permission to hire over the summer without the board. H how many you did have a resignation, correct? For special
017ed. So is that the one position, but you like you said you might we don't have a list of teachers that are resigning. We know of that and we have some paraprofessional positions that are going to be open. So that's what that's what we have for resignations and we do need to fill that just the ability to be flexible. Yeah. Just you never know what's going to happen. Every board gets asked this in June for permission to hire over the summer. I would like to move to give the superintendent's office permission to hire over the summer. Great. Second. All in favor? I'm going to abstain on that. Charg. Steph should I principal reform? Um, under positive community culture, I highlighted our Memorial Day ceremony that we had um recently. Um, it was unfortunately quite cool.
018We usually try to have that outdoors, but um that wasn't possible this May, which is of no surprise to anyone. Um but um we had quite a few um veterans, first responders, other community members there, and our guest of honor was um Mrs. Susan Lasio, and her son had been a former KES student here. um last year's ceremony, if you attended, um we added his name to our war memorial out front and this year she returned um to be able to address the students and talk a little bit about Nick as a student here at Kensington years ago and share what he was like as a young man. Um, so it was um it was a lovely ceremony um and something that I I know that our veterans look forward to each year as they
019do the veterans day ceremony. Um under meaningful learning I highlighted our market day which um recently returned to KEES um after many years of hiatus. Um it's a economics unit really for our youngest learners um first learning about supply and demand in um in a way that they understand. Um, and so our kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students made their goods and their wares and they opened up their storefronts um for parents and families to to buy their goods. Um, and um, you know, had to count change and money because, you know, we don't accept Venmo or Apple Pay or anything. Um, and they really they sold out and to the disappointment of our third, fourth, and fifth graders, there was nothing left on the tables really by the time they got in for
020recess. Um so even more um understanding of supply and demand there for our little ones. Um and so each of the classes made a few hundred and they as a class decide what charity or organization that they want to donate that to. Um the SPCA is a very popular choice amongst the first graders. So I do know the SPCA was um receiving um a nice chunk of money from our first grade students from their store. Um, and then under health and well-being, I was uh highlighting Taste It Tuesdays that I think I probably mentioned a few years ago to the board, but wanted to make sure that um, you know, that that's still continued each week. It is something that the kids ask for and if she misses it, they remind her that they didn't
021have a Taste It Tuesday. Um, and at East Kingston, they c they call it Want to Try It Wednesday. So, yeah. Um, and it's really just her way of trying to expand the kids pallet. So, um, she's recently been focusing on pizza and how do we make how do we get them to try something other than just cheese pizza or bacon pizza. So, she's been trying to put other things, always trying to sprinkle more fruits and vegetables where she can. So, Hawaiian pizza, you know, actually has fruit on it. Um, just again trying a broccoli alfredo pizza. uh just really trying to get them to new things and then they vote as to whether or not they like it and if they like it, it appears on the menu then for the next month. So
022really trying to give them some voice and choice. Democracy. I love it. Yeah. Yep. It's a good democracy. The wild banana smoothie was a huge hit. She has she does a sweet treat once a week and that was the sweet treat. Um and the kids love that as well. So, um, yeah, it's been really it's been good at, um, just putting some new things on the menu. And, um, the kids really love the hikima salad, which is like the colelaw. Wow. Yeah. Things we we've actually had a couple parents reach out to get how she made the cauliflower, I think, because it's the first time their kid ever ate cauliflower before. Yeah, it's good. Cool. Yeah. And if they ever become a a running c register at the mulus, they'll know what the things are.
023All they do is memorize the codes. How many times have you gone and they hold up a pepper? They go, "What is this?" It just happened to me recently and I can't remember what it was that the cashier held up. [Laughter] All right. Thank you. Um, all right. New business. old businesses. Oh, Charlie, I just would like to say that the reception for Barbara Greenwood was lovely and I was glad that the community honored her that way. Very nicely done. It It was Yeah, they all did such a nice job. The cupcakes were so good. Whoever And the kids were so cute. Yeah. Yeah. The little book display with her favorite books. That was really sweet. Yes. And she cried when she saw my daughter. bonus. We have just a couple more things that we'll
024do for her on the last day of school with the kids. Um, so if anyone wanted to attend on the last day for our final farewells, please. Couple more surprises. Oh, good. All right. Um, people related matters. None. Okay. And then personnel. Uh, I think you saw a copy of the resignation letter. Was it in your packet? Yes, it should have been in your packet. Yeah, it was on the back side of my report. Yeah, it's Yeah, you burned it. So, that position has been posted. We do have eight applicants um for the position already, which is great. I am hoping to um hoping to do this next week. Okay, that's possible. last week at school, but certainly going to try. We're certainly going to try to hold the interviews as soon as as we
025can. That's great. Applicances. Yes, we had eight applicants for the position. Okay. So far, um and I think Renee also mentioned we do have um three paraprofessional positions that we'll be hiring for as well. Um but this is the priority position to to start with. Okay, great. There's two case managers. Is that right? So she's great. So we just need a motion to accept we'll be with her. Well I'm not able for family reasons. She's making another choice but we'll be she was very skilled at her job. Yes. Um all right. I will make a motion to accept um the resignation of Lisa Vandalo. And we are sad to see her go. Second. All in favor? Cheryl Mcdana. I Wendy last I. Okay. So we have five more I think five or six more minutes
026for public input. Um just sit here and then after that if we can go into non-public for a little bit. Mhm. That would be great. It won't take long. I have a question about one of the policies. It has nothing to do with accepting it or not, but um the use of private labels to transport students and I know there's some requirements for um insurance to be on file and that sort of thing. Um do you know how frequently insurance would need to be submitted to the business office? You have to confirm you have the right coverage before you transport a kid every time. I Yeah. So, my question is like I did that a long time ago. So, but do I need to like send my new policy cuz I'm the only one in
027the building that's not I know that um in other districts they send it once a year if they have a copy on file. Okay. Um but they like I know sometimes they will say has your coverage changed? You still have the policy. Okay. Um it happens more with our districts with social workers. The um administration and one of the administrators will take a social worker to and from a home. Okay. Um or to or to meet a kid that's walking or something that um to pick them up. So um yeah. So I can just check with Molly to make sure what I have on file is sufficient or she needs an updated right thing. But you're thinking annually. I'm pretty sure everyone else manually this summer. Okay. Think of some of the APs that have
028submitted it. Okay. Just double check. Good question. Oh my gosh. So, he's a chip punk. He's an administrator. He'd never know if you were in the audience. Um, it was great. I think what I love about our follies and we specifically call it the follys and not the talent show because I feel like we don't take oursel really seriously with the folly and the kids just kind of get up on stage and do whatever it is that they're doing up on stage. Love that. Um and there's not a rigorous um try out. No, ma'am. And they're, you know, we don't have any professional choreographers working with our children. And um I just think they just kind of get up there and do the thing that they love. Yeah. And um all skill levels. You just
029have a time limit. Yes. I think it's like you have 90 seconds or something to do your thing that's there on stage. And I just love that the kids will get up and do it whether they're actually very good at it or not. And everybody just cheers them on. And it's a it's good confidence building. Yeah. Yeah. more public speaking opportunities and just getting up in front of the crowd and um yeah, it was really Yeah, those are powerful memories you'll have the rest of your life. I remember mine in third grade doing a dance for song. Yes, very great dance. I'm sure everyone was really impressed with it. I mean, we just had such a variety. We had um uh you know we had dancing, we had singing, we had gymnastics, we had jokeelling,
030we had violin playing, we had um some some skips I think they were um um we had some whole class dances. Um fifth fifth grade led the whole school on the crown talk salute. Um, it was just kind of like a little sprinkling of everything. Pogo, we had pogo stick jumping with pogo stick jump rope basketball combination. That's actually impressive. It was very impressive. That Yes. Um, I was a little worried for our stage because we do have, you know, just like a temporary stage, but it is heavy duty. Yeah, it's photo approved. It It's like Kensington has talent, right? But I don't want to set the bar too high because it really is just get up there and have fun and do what you love. And um we did have a a staff performance.
031Um the Beatles returned. All four of the Beatles returned. Yes. Oh, good. Yeah, it was good. Um, we finished right as the bell was ringing at 3:10, so it was a full hour and a half. Yeah. But the kids were a great audience, too. I mean, they're really they're always such a great audience when they're watching each other. Yeah. And a fun thing to do at the end of the year. Nice. That's good. Yeah. And really kudos to student council for making sure it happened because they're the ones that you know MC and and they introduced every new act and and they're the ones that we we need to make sure we have colleagues. We need to make sure we have colleagues this year. So it's really that's yeah to their credit that that we
032had to do this year. All right. We have two minutes. Two minutes. Public started at 602. So 6:32. We can adjourn. So you want to hear the biggest questions that were asked uh at North School. Oh yeah. Oh, from our fourth graders. Yeah. They had so many questions, but the biggest ones were about um you know, where do the bad boys sit when they get in trouble? You know, and um what you know Elaine was there who went to school there and they and they asked her, "What was the worst thing that happened? Did you ever get in trouble?" So, she had to tell her trouble. They were all these questions about getting in trouble. And of course they were so mild compared to what could potentially happen now. And she told them about how
033they had to sit at their desk with their hands folded and they were like, "What?" Yeah. You know, I know. I really want them to have to spend a whole day there, but there's no bathroom facilities. So, there is a bathroom, but it's it's it's like a it's not very good. Right. So, I think that's Well, one of the things I said to the historical was because being here, I've learned it costs 400 bucks to send the bus, right? The historical society's got $400. We could pay for that bus and maybe get a portable toilet or something, you know, for them to be able to spend longer. I I can get for like not I'm just not sitting here for, you know, an hour in these seats, but to really get the feel for a
034whole day in this one room. Yeah. In these desks all in a row like just a different experience. And they could be like the old timey kids and the Okay, the boys are in one line, the girls are in the other. Now you go in in your seat and you sit like that and see if that works. Write on the chalkboard and get your slate. Yeah. Yeah. They had so many questions. That's so different in all the ages. Yeah. And then to find out that, and I don't know her name, the little girl, the new little girl who just came in from fourth grade, that her parents bought the house, which was the original north school. Diagonal from Yeah. Mhm. I didn't know that. Yeah. That that was the original North School. Yeah. And the
035kids love We have the pictures on the wall when you enter the kids carrying the water. The Oh, yeah. the water thing and knowing they had to go to the well with the bucket and carry the bucket back. Well, they did a whole thing with that reenactment of Yeah. Yeah. But when they passed after they do it and then they passed the picture in the wall that we have in the foyer like, "Oh, that's makes more sense." It's a good experience for them. I think we're good. We just need a motion to go in a non-public under I I Okay. All right. I can't make it. I'm going to make a motion to go into a non-public session under chapter 91 A32 I. Roll call vote. Wendy Larson. I Mcdana I. Stephanie I. Okay. Um,
036I will make a motion to approve the expenses related to safety upgrades at the Kensington Elementary School Building as discussed during the non-public session up to $21,000. Second. All in favor? Stephanie. Wendy Larson. I Sher, will you say it again? I said Cheryl Mcdana. I Thank you. Thank you. Great. That was it. I don't have anything else on the agenda. Okay. So, I will make a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:45 p.m. Second. Cheryl, so fast. All in favor? Would you like to I should I? Daryl McDonald I. All right. Thank you, Cheryl.