Newfields School Board Meeting 4/2/25

001okay good evening everyone I'm going to call this evening's newfields school board meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and welcome our first order of business is to do our board reorganization so we need a nomination for the school board chair please um um I would say I didn't realize this until last week I have been the vice chair for the last two years I I knew I was pastor but I had um forgotten that I was a vice chair the previous year um so I was going to say are folks okay with me POS does anybody have particularly interest in being chair i' like to be chair but it's kind of you know it's more discussion let's chat about it sure um yeah I previous a couple of years ago I think the board had

002a um practice practice it wasn't a policy or or even anything like that that the second the person in the second year of um board ship was going to um be the chair at the time that would have been me last year I didn't have any um I was just time wise and commitment wise I didn't feel um it was an optimal time and then it was also so the question about transitioning the school project um and the the momentum that had not been able to continue because of the the vote um last year and so the decision as a board we made is to have Jen continue doing it so I was hoping that I um I could possibly have that but definitely let to talk about it yeah it was just more happy

003to do it and wanted to kind of [Music] just have a discussion about it really just make sure that we're on like all the same pages and stuff like that just kind of especially since we have a lot of committees coming up um things along those lines I don't think the school project is going to come off your plate correct yeah um Jinx so uh Brian do you want to be chair do you have any thoughts on so being the newest member literally the newest member to town probably um you know I I don't know the fast practice and it sounds like they're they're both interest here um I don't a tricky spot to be in not knowing you know the if um how does the committee work as far as all the Committees de

004that afterward that's the yeah when we get to the Committees on the agenda tonight we do need to discuss who's on which committee yeah um and have that conversation then obviously talk about the Safety project advisory committee as well so we have some a a variety of agenda items that include assigning different board members to different roles right um all right are you aware of a past practice or is there a the past practice here it it was that as Bobby described that was one of the past practices um and then last year it was an open discussion as a board that we didn't want to deviate from that um but the practice here had been to you know rotate the board chair on an annual basis um depending on people's you know longevity on

005the board and to give um everyone I think an equal opportunity to be the board chair but that is my experience here and what I know to be from past practice I guess the one thing I would say is um uh this will be my last year on the board and so were I to be reelected that'd be awesome I I have another opportunity but if I weren't then I wouldn't have the the one that my one thought to be you know yes I didn't I didn't have the opportunity or I didn't uh take the opportunity last um last cycle but I was was I'm willing and ready and happy to serve um this go around I think with both of us we be either one is going to be in a phenomenal Choice like

006I'm not um well likely the other would be the vice chair right sorry right that's true that you haven't had the opportunity Bobby based on you you know you were willing to bypass your that opportunity last year although that being said I don't think there's like a an obligation for any board member to um serve as Gerald it was though sort of a practice that we would sort of rotate it MH yeah prior to that we didn't right it was just whoever had interest whoever wanted to which was before you were yes now I am aware of that previous practice prior to the last like 5 years of what that looked like as well I think the board intentionally wanted to move away from that and provide more opportunity for others to share that role

007I like at the very least just talking about I I I almost didn't love the fact that it was always you know that it became this the second the person in their second year yeah because what if that person wasn't really interested or wanted to um so yeah and that only happened once yeah let me ask this can can somebody nominate themselves yeah yes can I nominate myself to be chair and then discuss it right we're GNA discuss regardless um so you're making a motion to nominate yourself or just nominating yourself yes okay do I have is there a second yeah guess I can give you a second and then we can shat out it more I guess yeah the floor is open for discussion I guess I would um is there a concern is

008there a let's let's talk about it if there's a I have a couple of thoughts but I I don't want to I have a few thoughts on and it's nothing like you're going to be terrible because that's not true I think you'd be awesome um I think that with all NOP nope I'm good I'm good everything I can say is not going to make sense and it is probably not we can't do co-chairs that's not a thing no I've done that with previous no but that is why there's a vice chair that's why there's a vice chair and the vice chair is what's the role that so that they set the agenda with the the board chair that's the agenda runs a meetings is basically the pretty much difference um yes that's accurate can I

009ask this is there um any value or role for right last as Vice chair I was sort of ready and waiting to jump in if I ever needed to the opportunity never really arose right but is there ever a um uh potential practice for um having the vice CH have a more active role or is it really only in the sense of really up to the up to the so maybe that's something we can discuss yeah is I just have some thoughts on how to change the board around a little bit so that we're more communicative things on those signs um and as long as there is a opportunity to be listen to acted on you know I what I don't what I would like I put it this way is for this board to

010be much more transparent communicative with each other as well as the community and there's things that I would have to do to Foster that um and as long as the willingness is there [Music] to be collaborative and to communicate I think then you should be in a good spot were I to be chair I think maybe something we can consider to address that is to even have a standing um agenda item to check in on how we're doing transparency wise or communication wise yep that I think would be a good start I'm looking for board goals to also you know that's on the agenda too if we can board a goal that specifically targets that and even have a communication Le on or some sort of you know role on the board that helps communicate

011share so are you all ready to vote on the motion or would you like more discussion is doing that it it's not like the agenda has to be formally structured to this degree we could have that be a standing um checkin item yes absolutely I'm a big proponent of standing agenda items for the sake of consistency and really ensuring that we have a practice in place that supports this on regul check in with regards to the goals and the priorities okay is is this your second this is your I'm trying to think of how many terms you've had on the board is it this is my second term third five fifth year okay so technically I'm a senior tenur 10 year board member not senior that's not true 10e cour board member there was a

012break this is your first term since leaving the board is that cuz you were on the board and then on the board and then I wasn't on the board and I'm on the board again okay okay so all in favor of the motion for Bobby to be the school board chair hi hi okay and don't forget to speak up with the speaker for the purpose of the recording thank you okay so that passes unanimously so now now we the next item is to discuss a nomination for the school board Vice chair I think that would be a good idea thanks so you're making a motion to nominate J and I'm sorry I that you second that would you guys like to have additional discussion so the intent I mean we don't have to obviously can

013go any way but the intent would be for if you the vice shair would be the next the following year would be I think it's really up next year would' be up for discussion I don't we can do whatever we would like next year um it is it is nothing is actually precedent it's just um what we decide as a board we would like to do okay that just means I don't have to go next year no all right okay so all in favor of the nomination for Jane to be the vice chair hi by okay Jane is the vice chair thank you so School Board chair the first order of business is for you to you will run the agenda and the first thing to do is to open it up to public inut

014yes I'm officially opening up uh the public input at 6:14 public welcome thank you for coming if you have any input please let us know we would be happy to acknowledge um we officially open it for 30 minutes but T typically we keep it open the entire boarding um okay can I should I continue yes carry on awesome thank you uh first of off I wanted to welcome we should probably welcome Brian bander our newest board member um thank you for joining um thank you for your service we're excited to have you um and I also wanted to publicly acknowledge um JY Bishop who I don't think I had the opportunity to publicly uh thank her um because she was the chair and the agenda was already um made at that time but I just

015want to uh Jenny if you're out there which I know you'll be watching this um thank you for your service you worked your tail off um both um to run for the position and then to to be in the position for um the entire three years and you were share for two of those uh three um so thank you for all your work and I'm sure we'll be seeing all right yeah thank you um okay I think the next item here on the agenda Ellen gave me is um the minutes so we want to review the March 3rd both public and non-public minutes um so Brian what we typically do is hello welcome uh oh you weren't you weren't at the meeting last time but you can look at them uh obviously and if you

016have any questions you can let us know but I think have any changes to they were very well done they were very good actually um all right so let's do anything on the um non-public both no okay all right I will make a motion to accept the U public minutes as presented second that all in favor I I and I'll make a motion to so abstain yes sorry so two two I and one okay right thank you um and for nonpublic I'll make a motion to accept the nonpublic minut I will second it all in favor I I okay so um we will accept POS this as presented thank you thank you um next we have business so manifest the financials from Molly great thank you for signing the Manifest um in your board pack

017is a current year Financial um we just had a little bit of change from last month and so I did put the ups and downs on that we do still have the um I believe it was $30,000 encumbered for the odor um and so if that continues to go well then we'll release that possibly next month depending on um when Susie and Facilities feel comfortable I'm releasing that so that would come back into the budget if you remember a few months ago we um Reserve that money just so Susie wouldn't go crazy at the end of the year um but just just um just so you know Brian we did put in a purchase order because we had um some issues related to an odor so we have uh $30,000 encumbered for potential air something

018air handling yes um and if all goes well and the smell does not come back then we'll be able to release that back into the budget we were just waiting for the um spring cuz we thought maybe it was weather related it doesn't seem to be affecting it um but that was what the hold was more heat and humidity especially humidity is one of the thees that is at the root cause of this odor yep and then also you'll see like right here in the section here um I put in what was rooted from the the last V and we also have the targeted balances over there when will those be going into the trust funds so as long as at the end of the year we have finish the year with fund balance after

019June 30th as long as those funds are available then those trust funds would be funded with those monies so as Brian just so I should have this is our first one with new board members I should explain how this is laid out so I always prepare a little summary in front of the line by line budget so I always start with what we said last month so you'll see it says in the general fund we had $102,000 remaining last month and then I always put what are the changes since last month which comes down to new projected remaining appropriation and then in the bottom left I always have Revenue different than planned because that could be higher or lower than planned so your fund balance is the combination of your expenses less than plan and

020then your Revenue hopefully higher than plan which goes into that our right hand corner and then in the middle on the right we put what our trust funds are so newfields does have four trust funds um and then the bottom right I always put what we gave back in Prior years uh due to co it's kind of all over them that but um just so that you can see to kind of stabilize that tax year end when you think about yearend spending so that's how that and we present this every month and so right now we're looking at a projected ending fund balance 97,000 but then the first um amount would go to the trust funds which would then reduce the tax rate by 42,000 so did anyone have any questions on the DAT these

021items uh the only question I have because I was trying to remember about the 30,000 that we set aside um and then I was just trying to make um an understanding of the line is that the line on the second page with the um 5043 Z the repair and maintenance line so it's going to be in your 2600 section so where it's 11. 2600 it should be um it's like halfway down the on page two the repair and maintenance yeah yeah so that that's the line that has I just wanted to understand so if we were to replace that $30,000 in there would the budget balance be 4919 no the budget b well the B balance so right now on the bottom here it adds up to the 88 it would be 88 plus 30

022more all right I'm sorry that particular line in this oh that particular line I'm just trying to understand so there's a $4 4,919 balance over it so it would end up going down from 34 to 49 yeah yeah so right now the balance we have spent a lot out of there yeah that's what I was just trying it's just going to reduce that line okay y thank you I know I hadn't asked that question before but I didn't realize that it was already embedded in this graph that's why I wanted to just ask that sure okay great did you want me to do the U I know there's policies related to business did you want to skip to those or um that's a good question um let's see the agenda it's interesting so um Board

023of the the policies that particular one about the finances is pretty um heavy and you might I know I had questions a lot of questions from all and um or I can are you are you okay I just let's maybe check in if if for some reason one of the topics is going WR yeah but that can maybe be one of the first policies we awesome does anybody else have any questions for for Molly no I'm good although you had the same question I did so we're awesome okay all right so um the principal report is up before the Committees which I think is a really cool um switch Switcheroo especially we're going to go over a long one so um take the away sure thanks um first of all welcome Brian we're excited that

024you're on the board um Lots happened in March as it normally does one of the exciting things that happened was that four of us two classroom teachers and the school counselor and myself went to a restorative justice seminar or Workshop um we're really shifting um to make sure that our practices include just that restoring relationships and how to enter back into spaces um when something's gone a miss and so um the four of us are kind of the uh foundational team and that would be something that all of our staff is trained on next year uh and it's it's an exciting shift in in my mind if you look closely at the second paragraph um some of the questions that you might ask uh when you're reviewing a situation with a student is you know

025from your point of view what happened um what were you thinking at the time how were others affected um and one of the restorative pieces is what would you like to have happen next which is from the student that's has been offended um and then one that I did didn't um include but that is really powerful is how do you want to repair the relationship and so um just really looking at it from a relational aspect which we are all relational beings um and so like I said I'm excited about this um trajectory for us with that and then I put in that we're excited about having Ryan elected onto the school board um and then we had a um on March 11th we had a a SAU schoolwide professional development that's when in the

026morning we all attend workshops and seminars um at the SAU and uh fellow Educators which we have a very talented SAU um host those different workshops in the morning we actually had um three of our own uh do some of those workshops Melissa Toby uh jod Bennett and Kim ltha uh so they were uh showing their leadership abilities and they were very well attended and lots of uh positive remarks just goes to show how talented our educators are here at newfields um one of the highlights of the of the month of March is always when Northeast passage comes that is um where the students are able to experience being in a wheelchair and learning about adaptive Sports um and how we're all so much more alike than we are different um but giving them that

027perspective it's it's really powerful and kudos to Linda Chow it our PE teacher for um always hosting that and organizing that we had a local artist come who's also a tattoo artist um the kindergarten first and second graders saw saw him um Beth laborman does a beautiful job of coordinating with Water Street books uh book The Water Street Bookstore in exodor and I think this is maybe our third author of the year so our students really get to see authors and illustrators um which is fantastic because we want them to be authors and illustrators and in their own work uh that they do every day our after school clubs have been a huge hit this year we have I think we have um 72 students participating in after school activities and what um just a

028testament to this one of the clubs uh was specifically asked by a student if they could run or help run the club we allowed the student a leadership role and the student has so flourished in this role it's been beautiful to watch but the effect of it has been that they have really encouraged quite beautifully um the younger students in the club and one student got into their car and we like so and so thanks I'm a great hockey player and so just like the ripple effect of it has been wonderful and this has all been through um the teachers and pair professionals they've run the whole thing uh this year we've only uh will'll do only three next year we'll have four uh throughout the school year then I just went uh piece by

029piece what all of our um grades are doing I kind of highlighted what they're doing in wh and wisdom we're excited because the month of April is our kickoff to a lot of our celebrations of learning we have our first celebration of learning uh this or second of the year um with Casey Hamilton's first grade class they're going to show what they've learned about um creatures superpowers uh animal adaptations um I discussed all the different field trips that the uh students have been able to participate in and one of the things that I really appreciate about the field trips that we're taking or the field trips that we've brought into school is that they're intimately and intricately uh woven into exactly what the students are studying and so it really does enrich what they're doing

030it's not a oneoff it's not you know we're going to go to an apple orchard because we live in New England it's actually because they're studying it um so that's been fantastic [Music] um we uh behind the scenes are doing some hiring um of course you all know that we have have um D kettlewood and Tracy Hager um are two retirees at the end of the year and so we're in process of making and finalizing all those decisions of course we will be sad to see them go but we have some really strong candidates um come that are possibilities for us yes and then for our calendar so the SAU puts out a regular calendar right for all of us follow there are a few dates that I just want to make you aware of

031that need to be half days for us so in November the um two Thursdays in a row um the 6th and the 13th will be half days for our student lead conferences um before holiday break in December will is typically a half day and then in April what date on April on December December 23rd and then um in April we do that student Le conference those two days again as half days the 9th and the 16th and then the last day of school is typically a half day any questions only because just a question because I think the two half days are coming up this week for this year um and they're have to happen to be on Thursdays Thursday is like the day that works the best for the typically we like Thursday if

032you push it to Friday sure that's yeah it could turn into a three-day weekend and then we don't get students for their student L conferences it's a heavy lift it's a very heavy lift to ask the teachers to do they're going back to back and even though it's the students that are um doing the majority of the work it is late hours for them so if we only have one day okay um for them to do instruction and then they get a weekend that that's typically a favorable day to choose okay um ending to the 23rd is a half day the before the the holiday MH cool how's our kindergarten going I'm sorry how's our kindergarten enrollment going for next year or for this year next year I think we're I think we're at 18

033right now that's awesome yeah um I had a question about the after school clubs because they are amazing um and I know um my daughter and plenty of her friends have partaken um and they're also um wonderfully organized I feel like the you know we have a holiday in between them you know communicated exactly what days were going to be so hats off to the whoever's organizing it is it meay so it's it's been around on really well I was just curious about the the finan it because from as a parent it's I found it was very reasonable very affordable and I was just also thankful that we were lucky enough to have the teachers be the people doing it but if it's not my place to ask I was just curious how how it

034was got now how that was working great uh we want to keep it really reasonable yeah um certainly if someone's if a family's unable to um partake for financial reasons we take care of that um but it's a it's a great balance between what we're able to offer our teachers and it's a very um it's generous which I'm grateful for that they get a good Staten for that uh they're completely worth their time and more so so um it's a really nice balance and we don't need to because there are so many participants we don't need to raise our Praises or anything and that goes into a student account and so the only thing that can be drawn out for that is directly for a student activity or so perfect that that's what I was

035just more curious about CU I hadn't heard um how that worked so I think that sounds great do you guys have any questions about that no my girls love it yeah right tomorrow's the day cool do you have any questions for us no awesome um under principal says Staffing update is that so that was the update is that we have we have interviewed a um and we're in the process and hopefully I will be able to announce some at the next board cool awesome all right any other questions for suie about her report going easy on me yeah um so we have have our committee section next it does it is pretty long um Susie one of the benefits I think of having your report earlier is that you don't have to say till the

036end but I do wonder if um I welcome you to stay as long as you can and we're going to be discussing board goals so like sure if you can stay of course and the safety product advisory committee I be a to have her input on as well absolutely just putting out and just as a reminder too I didn't put this on the agenda or Bobby and I did not put it on the agenda when we spoke but I imply that also under this section on the agenda for committees we need to talk about the assignment of the Committees and who's going to forward yeah committees um all right so let's move to committees do you want to um maybe let's first talk about um any updates from the Committees I'll leave the policy committee

037to the end that's the bulkiest um so strategic planning committee I think that's you jene yep so we had the Community portion of the strategic planning session Susie was there for two out of the three days um I was there Molly was there you were there yes um and it was essentially an opportunity for the community to come together um for those three days help us kind of hone in on what the some of the main topics are going to be we're meeting again as a committee at the end of this month um I expect that they'll just be more more work done on it nothing like crazy to report yet on it um what we're doing we're kind of still mid mid um strategic planning process okay so um and just for Brian's purposes

038when we talk about how often does that committee typ up meet or is it still it's very at H it's at hoc so I mean it's meeting more right now because we've got surveys back things along those lines but it's you know the next meeting is this at the end of this month and I don't remember when the next one after that is so it's kind of as needed um I'll just mention the policy committee I'm the policy committee reper have been um we meet we typically would meet every month um they have marched it out to every other month uh at this stage and I think we're going to be able to keep that Cadence um sometimes they have to do a little bit more frequently um the downside of them being less frequent

039is that the volume of policies to review our greater so um they try to strike a balance which is really helpful there's also a zoom option there's also a zoom option which I very much take advantage of every time because it's at 6:00 um at night on Thursdays but we'll come back to that we'll talk about policies um superintendent evaluation committee is that you or Jenny I can't we don't have anyone assigned to that yet cuz that was PR because there hasn't met and um it probably won't meet until we don't know we'll figure that out okay how frequently does that tend to meet it well this year not much mhm but but cuz there's just I mean she we're going to do a superintendent of valy because we're legally obligated to but I mean

040okay um so I think it's to normally towards like the back half of the year for the most part and it starts ramping up right now okay I think this year is going to be like one meeting and done I would assume but Ellen will probably tell us yes um and then Safety and Security so we did meet finally after having a lot of uh snowstorms just one that's right resed um hang on one second let me get the notes out I will probably send you these notes um I took my own um but the biggest takeaway was um we had students from EHS attend which was awesome they were called the uh hope Squad they are a Suicide Prevention organization and it's this is the first chapter in New Hampshire it is the second

041chapter in New England and um what they do is they are not a resource but a kind of a somebody people that can approach them if they're having problems having issues and then they know what resources are available for other students they are not meant to be counselors they're not meant to be anything other than a here let me help you get to the right people um they are not trained in in in any you know serious stuff so um that was incredibly awesome to see their presentation there is a student in every grade at the high school um so hopefully this will continue going on they actually got a uh a scholarship a scholarship or an award of some sort yeah to fund this because they have to have counselors and everything else that

042need to be trained in this so it was amazing um the there are some final funds for some grants coming up um for some cameras things along those lines they did some tabletop exercises um for different types of accidents one of them they concentrated on was industrial accidents because of the um accident that happened to one of our SST students um training around different types of school threats um Esra brought in a new kind of door lock door barricade for doors that swing both ways which was pretty cool um and do we have any of those at this no we do not have no not yet they are quite costly no she he me the doors the door yeah do we have any of the doors doors I thought you meant the new device no

043I don't think we have any it's for doors that swing both ways so like you know um in cafeterias and things along those lines where you're going in and out the kitchen stuff like that so I don't think there are any doors that swing two ways here so it's not an issue for this building but um it is for some of our others um but I'll share this this with you you can read it in there's a couple of things in here that I don't want to mention in in public but um there's some the biggest things was really the eh EHS host but I know that doesn't affect our students and our building but it was a wonderful like student Le just um initiative and I really wanted to give them the the CEST

044they deserve for um starting it continuing it and and um bringing light to a lot of those issues and they're the first hope Squad in the state first hope in the state second in the in New England right so they did wonderful wonderfully job do we know where the other one is from New England rhod Island I believe um no it's actually not I read in the news I don't think it's RH Island I think it's um it's Massachusetts yeah it's in Massachusetts I think it's in massachusett all right all right yeah of Northern New England first yeah um and they're going to present um at the Statewide conference um next week cool yeah it's pretty awesome thanks Jam y um okay so are we ready to dig into the policies yeah time like the

045presents yeah um in the spirit of Molly still being here do you want to do yours first Molly sure okay I think that's so that would be I'll hang out as were there two of them the the last three so anything that starts with a d l four okay so the big one the monster is D so daf is um it's the administration of federal grants so the only real changes in here were um some wording changes but also adding sections uh 11 12 and 13 relating to sub recipients and then whistleblower notifications those are just new sections in the model policy that got added to our daf the only thing that did get changed in the model policy was they CH so anytime you have grants you have to you're subject to a single

046audit which is your audit of your grants daf they changed the threshold to be that you have a million dollars in Grants um I double checked with audit because that change actually hasn't happened yet so we changed it back to I believe it's the 750,000 so we might need to change this again so we might need to change it yes and so um when the Auditors were here in the fall and they're finalizing our audit reports as we speak um for fiscal year 24 they had mentioned that the the threshold would be going up from 750,000 to a million and so when I was reviewing the model policy I was like I don't think it's actually changed to a million yet so I called the Auditors and they said it's supposed to be effective as

047of the end of fiscal year 25 so come June or July 1 25 so it's not it's not active yet to be a million so we kept it at the 750b so what would that how would we manage that so that we should we just put it up to a million cons considering that this would be applied in June or what's the recommendation but we left at 750,000 knowing that if and when it changes to a million because it actually hasn't changed yet that we would review this policy again okay no if I can so at this meeting we had we have currently at least two lawyers on the policy committee who are board members and it's really helpful to have their lens obviously they don't speak on behalf of everybody but um it is

048very helpful to hear their input um we had a probably a pretty lengthy discussion about that particular topic um and the decision was um at the committee meeting to recommend that we adopt what is currently law with the plan to re-evaluate if and when the law gets updated so we might be seeing this um policy again in in the fall um we might not depending on you know if things don't actually happen that way but I don't think we'll have to if there are any changes they should be minimal and specific to that one location yeah okay does that do that yeah that just I was just curious about why would we even look at this one but considering the other changes that need to take into effect that's my assumption this is the only

049one that's kind of on a lag yeah yeah they didn't as a as a whole we didn't feel comfortable waiting on adopting this T these changes the B correct y I did not have any changes to this this was well above my um it's a long one well I I read through it but I'm like this I'm not a lawyer so I'm going to and we just adopted this last year and so there's probably a lot of conversation around it last sh yeah it was just adding the model SE the three sections in the model CL yeah I'm good with this one you have any questions okay um what second one you like so is the next on our agenda it's DB although it's not the order that we discussed that no I think it's

050order that they're in the P so DB um that I'm just trying to remember one of them stratum this match stratum U stratum was the only one that had the policy and so now everyone's else is adopting the policy and we did use a model policy but the model policy actually was a little bit more wordy and so we struck some of the words out of it that's a good summary the only change I had on this one was that it doesn't say or design KNE on it after superintendent and um I know that we typically add that language in to all of our contracts so that would probably the only change that I would make to this one let me see it's nice and short yeah yeah yeah it's nice and short but interestingly

051the discussion was not sure we had a very long discussion come and that didn't come up you're right I don't have any problem with adding that um would appreciate it yes that works for me um did you want Jen yeah Jan would you recommend putting it in both locations just the first that's typically how we do I I just want make sure you don't need to do all right Ellen can you make a note for that um for in both locations where I says superintendent or doign me yes perfect okay thanks go good cat um so the next one is did inventory management we basically struck the current policy and replac it with the model yeah it was more clear and in line with the process did anyone have any question I didn't have any

052issues with this one um I did have a question on do we have any property that has been purchased with Federal funds do we know no so this is not super relevant at the moment but that's okay so um does this specific school for this school but this isn't just federal funds this would be for this policy would apply to every day any property purchased in whole or part with federal funds so which are you looking I'm looking at bid yeah D it starts off with any property purchased in whole or in part with federal funds must be managed in accordance with board policy da no that's just the note saying any so there's this applies to all assets but it's just saying if it is purchased by federal funds then that would also have

053to be okay so but that's not applicable to us since we don't have any correct that's okay I I see what you're saying it is actually a little confusing that the note is the first thing in the policy yeah y you know what I like that it makes you sort of think that that's what it's going to be talking about I mean we could move the note to the end can we move note to the end that would be great the note um the note on D would just be moved from the front to okay that's a good it really does suggest that yeah just cuz the policy relates to all assets it's just saying in addition if it was B with federal funds you have to yeah and I think that is because it's

054at the top it looks like it is a yeah mhm part of the policy when it's just a note on the policy and typically those aren't in that location that'll probably be yeah change that one okay the only thing I can think of in all of se6 would be blue hawk house but that is not in this District at all so it is not and then the last one the last one ISD um so this I believe is just yeah just adopting the the model policy I think one of the school boards might have had it um but it's just adopting the model policy as well as the one District that did have it um well actually it's just the public hearing is not required unless the gift is over 20,000 it used to be

0555,000 that went up to 20,000 at the bottom the only questions I have on this one are are does the PTO count as a community group or organization are they not listed is that what we're saying or I don't know that's question so if we're looking at so the policy says gifts from organizations Community groups and or outside individuals which benefit the district which would be NES the PTO is absolutely a community group or organization and I would assume that any of those Services would be considered gifts to to the school um is that am I is that a correct assumption or understanding of how this is written I believe so because the PTO is a completely separate legal entity right so any type of so then let me get into the details a little

056bit more is it a gift or a accumulation of gifts so for example if the PTO had a fundraiser or donated something to the school that gift whether it be services or whatnot is that a is it each gift that it has to only have has to be under the $20,000 threshold or is it ative so all of the work they do within a specific time period has to be underneath the $20,000 threshold for it to come to this board I believe it's each gift but like if they're giving five things at once in one package that okay that's fine I mean I just that's I Jam I wanted to be clear on that because I use example of like if somebody gave us a truck that's more you know and they said yes if

057that we couldn't accept it until we had a public he and then the other question I had on this one is um and this goes back back to the Safety Committee if we do something and put a fund together for the Safety and Security project and we get potentially donations from outside companies or things like that that would need to go through this if it's over that amount of money that would need to be going through this policy yes okay just wanted to clarify that do do that route I would suggest a deferred revenue account for that separate from the Opera we can address that yeah we get um and then the last piece I had was this last bullet gifts to individual members of the staff by pupils parents or organizations shall be discouraged

058how does this affect like Newfield specifically where we try to give teachers end of year gifts or things along those lines where's the [Music] wording I kind of want to strike that one out I don't like that yeah and we just took the model I I would love to be able to strike that last bullet out I don't know what you I'd like some conversation about it just because I know that at least at NES we've always fostered a really tight relationship between you know the classroom and the teachers and we want to thank our teachers and it's such a small school I think that's appreciated as like a CL and specifically like when we're talking about something like a class gift like the fifth grade as you graduate things along those lines so I

059I like the intent of this but maybe not for new Fields but let me I want to get your thoughts on that too I I think it's just say encouraged I think it should say that we we encourage people to value our teachers and we encourage people to value our school my S my suggestion would be that we strike it because I feel like it's uncomfortable for a staff member to receive the gift they were discouraged to get and it wasn't there was not the intent of the gift in the first first place so sure um yeah I'm actually surprised that didn't come up well I think most of our attention had to do with the paragraph above because it was sort of saying that the all of these criteria it like didn't actually legit

060linguistically make sense no um I would yeah that's be comfortable striking that I would love to strike that last bullet so if we can strike that last bullet I think all the other ones are fine um but that one I would start Perfect all right I am going to make unless you have anything else leave I'm going to make a motion that we accept the four policies that we just discussed which are kcd DB DF and B as amended I'll second that thank J all in favor hi that's great yeah all right Molly if you need to go unless there's more my son did GF change was DF no daf did not change right so it was not as amended correct it was not as amended oh I'm sorry I didn't specifically say which one

061as amended that's okay we can go afterwards I'm sorry I was trying to be efficient that's okay um okay I didn't think it was so I was clarifying thank you so let's go to the top so the first policy is BCB and that is a conflict of interest one um there was a New Hampshire law about um a change in nepotism I believe was the the thing that was added um so that was a revision of a current policy anybody have any questions about either the red which is the addition or any of the box which is did you guys have a conversation about what he duty of loyalty is where is that duty of the first uh we did not do you have any thoughts on that yeah that's right there BCB um no

062I just it just kind of stands out um as as a very unusual wording like I don't know what that means and I don't know what the definition of Duty of loyalty is looks like it's a key fiduciary duty so we did not discuss it I'm just looking up to see if that's something that is like a a phrase in um board doesn't need to be resummed here I just did an O of office and that's that's inherent in my title my oath of office that I have a duty of loyalty to the community it was in there you said so me God yeah so maybe it's just a I just wonder if it's a Str it is a strange it's a strange turn of phrase strange yeah so I was just like what is

063the it's not defined I mean it is defined as to what a board member's conflict of interest is and what we should be doing and not doing um I was just C that's fine I was just curious if it came up did not um not that I think that any of this is going to be any issues that was my question okay Brian you having any the questions in that one I just have to Google that word okay the next is B DB agenda preparation and dissemination um this was interesting because I felt like a lot of the discussion had to do with um exactness of words and I wrote here some of the things that were in here were duplicative yeah um and so that was the attempt was to try to eliminate some

064of the duplication um but there was a slight change to law that sort of precipitated this this adjustment um the one thing that I do remember feeling a little bit odd about but I guess it's basically what our current thing um current policy is is that the final agenda is to be made available for the public upon request Although our practice is that we generally make the agenda available so I thought that was a funny tension that for some I was wondering why we wouldn't make that um a policy but um again the lawyers in the room and the the discussion was had that we should keep this language as is and keep our practice of um making the agenda available yeah the only um change I have for this is the designated thing again

065okay so it's coming up like a coup it's on it's the first thing the superintendent and just add oresic KN and the superintendent oresic KNE it's coming up I think just twice on this one that's what I that's what I caught two times yep okay awesome job make those changes um are we okay with the way it has written yeah okay we'll keep making our agendas public as we can um okay next is b d Brian did bedc uh has to do with Quorum this had to do with recognizing the electronic um presence of a board member which actually we did once last year and I think we did a um what we did was actually follow this policy even though we didn't have these changes y we had a quarum with the two people

066present um and I actually at that meeting had to attend uh electronically we did that twice we did that once with you and then once with Jenny yes that's right but both times we had a qu had a quum of physically present people I think that's but this Pol that's one of the things that the policy is recognizing the other one is that if there is if you're in a place where there's somebody else in the room you have to acknowledge um that identify anyone present at the location which also had a very interesting conversation about it because board members were saying well what if you're in a coffee shop right and I guess technically you really are supposed to um either not be in a coffee shop or ask folks to identify who's around

067you so I did not have any chains on this one yeah I think it's sort of how we're operating anyway but it was just good put it made sense um so that's B DC no changes on that one uh bhe uh this was I wrote here basically um the title Chang it used to just say email and so now it's the board used of electronic communications because there's a lot more additional ways that we can communicate electronic that email and so the additional text just had to do with all of those non-email electronic communications y I had no issues with this one they were all it's like solid recommend we've gone through them before and okay that's one so no changes on that one um and then b i e board member indemnification and that

068was again a new RSA that basically um threw in a very um complex and subtle legal uh component but this uh update just has that legal um RSA Edition basically same as uh I mean you can see it there I had no changes I those all made sense to me do you want me to it's a very boring uh legal but important thing um about um holding harmless the person who violates the office it's just a RSA recommendation okay and I think that was the last policy mhm okay so I will U make did the two amendments first and then do the two yeah thank you made a little yeah so the U two that I had amended was um BCB and BC first two BCB and these two that one and that one not

069the first two b b e DB is not I wrote as amended so BBD was amended oh sorry you're right and be I put no change for be DC right no change for bhe and no change for B yeah there you go okay so I'm going make a motion to accept um B BCB as amended B DB as amended b e d c bhe e and b i e do I have a second yep second all in favor Perfect all righty committees thank you um okay I am going to go here Molly my recommendation for Jump Right In as I did um I was actually going to just acknowledge because we did have a member come in after I welcom I just wanted to remind you we we are open to public input and gymnosis

070I think you do too if you have something that you want to um contribute please let us know um it's officially open for half hour it's already been half hour so we'll keep it open um is there anything time sensitive that you guys have or okay um yeah so I think should we jump into what suggest yeah I was going to suggest that on the heels of our strategic planning Summit my recommendation is that Jane continue with on the strategic planning committee um in order to keep that work moving forward if she is willing and an agreement sure I think that makes sense did you want to do the policies again since you've got some um I am in a rhythm I'm happy to continue unless Brian you are interested it's actually not that sounds

071great for you that sounds perfect I'm actually relatively quiet at the mean I bring up one or two things that maybe don't already get discussed but um I find it helpful to have already had most of the conversations Jan's also really good at being you know reading them very thoroughly so I think together yeah whoever goes to the meeting and then here we should be you guys are going to be whoever is doing it is going to be awesome um which of the other two maybe speak to you if any so the the superintendent uh evaluation have didn't have somebody on there that sounds great oh please do that that sounds great to me that that would be fantastic okay um and Jane you have been doing double duty I can do Safety and Security

072it meets once a quarter and we're not meeting again until the fall I could do that as well I kind of like it yeah me too that's why I I'm happy I'm happy to be the alternate I'm happy to be actually we have done that so that would be really helpful um and then Brian maybe as as the year goes on if if it's um hard for J to keep too you can balance it too um and like I said the policy used to meet every month the goal was to meet it quarterly and then right now it's every other month so if that changes I can we can that yeah I'm happy alternate with yeah anytime we have an issue it's like okay is meeting this month yes uh I can tell you st

073yes April 17th um it would be 17th yes 6 o' so was it do they move back every month I guess it's scheduled every month but we can sometimes it's the goal of every other month if possible um but yeah so yeah that is the 1 okay so I think we got all committees yes thank you perfect um we have board goals and nominations and then the old business um I I think that it would be nice for us to update our goals however I do remember last year we spent a good chunk of time doing so and I would recommend if unless the rest of the board is not totally on board with maybe thinking about how we might update these board goals and discussing it at the next meeting yeah let's do that

074is that I like that idea CU these goals are still good goals but um I think they need to be updated yeah updated um and in that in the spirit of what we were talking about before Jane maybe we can think about how to incorporate that standing agenda item um and folding that into the board po yep okay um so that's the new business there and then nominations for you we have nominations yay yes for the nominations for the certified staff renewals thank you so that's for you to review have for Suzy too just a reminder that if you had any questions about a specific staff member that you needed to discuss in deply we would need to go into nonp public session for that that would give you a chance to review this can

075I ask generally have are there any substantial changes to any numbers on the right there there's one change to number two and it was not a substantial change okay that's the only change based on the positions from last year to this year for the positions on this list to be specific and the so these are renewals yeah okay so the new the new not yet to be hired St in process for new hires these are our wonderful teachers that are returning that's fantastic you all have any questions is there any what is our role other than just to review it you make a motion to approve the renewal list okay does anybody like to make that motion um one of the things that AB is is not something that I'm used to seeing the years

076of service and the step and the those types of things so that I so I understand if this person's moving into um moving up a step moving into uh from their fourth year to their fifth year moving into a tenure um is that something that that t typically comes to the no most of our I think what was last I heard you have to correct me our average tenure is what about 18 years okay are you speaking to newfields or newfields so it is um significant AB it's it there's not a lot of there's a few there's not a lot of um they're steps um but most of them are at the top end but they're okay yeah so but I mean do we want to add something like that is that's going to be

077helpful I mean let me ask is that something that is um do we do you need that to I would no I just thinking um Thinking Out Loud sorry just it's different what I what I'm I'm used to seeing the the the number of years that person has been there not that that makes the difference um but just a thought and that's not it doesn't make a difference um sometimes when if someone's preservice non service like those things make a difference um but this is fine um I'll ask my question when it makes more sense later doesn't make sense right now is there a is there anybody on this list where where this would be the first time we're R doing no no so I don't know if that answerers yeah I think we'll probably

078reference this when we go into who's up for Contracting next year Paris or teachers par professional that's a good all right I'll make a motion to accept the list renewal any my second second it okay all in favor thank you oh yes and I will take the list back just and our notes along with us hey I will not look turn them over and Rec I had to like zoom in on my screen and the contract will be forthcoming the board chair signs the contracts Perfect all right we'll get your electronic signature if that's okay with you yeah be in touch with you regarding that perfect um okay old business um roof facilities update we are status quo mhm and we're keeping a close eye on it that room is being used are being utilized

079and there have been no complaints I hold several meetings in both of them it's still cold out it's still cold out which is caveat right right so that's why we're cautiously optimistic and we are persistently checking it checking in Brian um I don't know how familiar you are do you have any questions you want us to discuss here for that um about the overall I just don't want you feel like weing over overview you did okay I think um at some point if it's appropriate I you know I'd love to have a tour and and to walk through and and to do something you know I can organize that through the superintendent's office to just come around and just walk and talk you know um just to see each part of the building I've I've

080done a tour with my new student and and I was looking at it through 10-year-old eyes not board member I so love to just walk through if that's appropriate um you can make that happen poti yeah let's talk about we'll talk about it and we get back to you the plan yeah all right um so no other I guess we'll continue to Monitor and then again the 30,000 pending but are we at we April gosh that's wild um couple more months D going to say something no right um and then School Safety project and advisory committee so um I guess a couple updates um I think I just want to one of the things that we decided at our last meeting was that we would have um a zoom informational session um and so we

081were able to um advertise that we had a good showing I think we had between 12 and 15 attendees there um we did it both in person and zoom we had somebody in person which is good um one person in person yeah but it was nice and we figured out the technology of that um I did get a chance to gather a lot of information and share it with folks about the history of this particular um constellation of of observations and concerns about the parking lot um I made a PowerPoint that we shared with town you should have gotten it from uh Sue or keesa and then um our plan is actually to develop a website um on our sau6 NES um page page to house all of anything any material that's related to this

082topic so folks can produse at their Leisure um and so we did get a good amount of people engaged there were some questions asked um we were able to promote the committee um and um the call for letters to join the committee um Ellen did get how many eight we have eight letters of Interest which is awesome and on another positive note real quick is that our website specific to the advisory committee is up and running whoa shut the front door up this afternoon I even check yeah so if you go to the you know obviously through the se6 site and then you go to new Fields then from there you'll see it and it's minimal for now but that's because the committee hasn't started meeting yet so we'll build it as we go you

083know what I did notice I actually was on our website today and I noticed the picture is different there's like a little kid reading the book it's like a cool video thing um wouldn't it be nice if we had pictures of our own kids I know well there is there but I think once you get to the school page yeah I think it was the school page yeah um I don't know if that's um that might be but kind fantastic love the glasses okay so it is an offshoot is it under School Board let's see that's that's what it was for stratum let's see yes Newfield School boor sorry I said Newfield school but I meant School it's the same structure so new that's how we did that intentionally that it's consistent thank you yeah

084so the presentation is available public if you want to go there friendly um yeah and I think I made it so that you can actually download and actually see the videos I I don't want to try now but all right cool so that's great um and as far as things go today we were going to just discuss how that committee would look Jane Jane made some really awesome um suggestions or thoughts on paper about the structure and the timeline and I think we're still in the parameters of the timeline that you were originally thinking yeah um and Brian just to um catch you up I uh I don't know if you had a chance to look at the power point um yes but in general the the board at the last couple of meetings was

085U we set up a committee to get more information from the public uh to help um identify ways that we can address the identified problems and concerns um and to come up with solutions that um might look very similar to the proposed um um sketch that we had prior previous um school board meetings or perhaps in phases or perhaps even entire very different so very exploratory as to what we could do to make sure that Community is um understands is on board with and um any types of feedback or recommendations that they would have on um all or part of the um the current plan correct to change it modify it um make it better and the Hope was that this committee would meet um with uh a certain number of representatives from town as

086well as Ellen um Griffith and um at least one School Board member um and then that they would report back to the school board their um interval recommendations Etc yeah um we can discuss sort of how we want that to to look the other thing I wanted to just um throw out there was that um again similar to How I Learned after the fact stratum had a very similar kind of complicated an potentially expensive project that they had for years trouble getting folks to understand the problem really uh become part of the solution and then um become on board with the the ultimate solution they invited folks um with different expertise to the table and had a mult number of ongoing um discussions and then once that committee itself came up with certain recommendations that

087committee was part of the group to help then disseminate that information out to the public so it's sort of like a work group plan group and then a communication um committee so Ellen this is my first time being a part of developing committee like this um I remember you saying that we collected the the letters of interest and then we would discuss sort of the members probably a non-public yes we do need to go into non-public to discuss the letters of Interest one of the areas that we need to do in public is to discuss which board member will be on the committee because in order for it to be a committee there can only be one board member on the committee otherwise there's a quum of the board and it's no longer an advisory

088committee about a board meeting I actually don't have a problem with it being I know you you're you're ready for this one but I I don't have a problem with it being a board meeting I really think that um you you should absolutely lead it um um I don't know if I even want to or need to but but let me so in the there's a bunch of reasons why I think that I as somebody who came on the board last year was not completely convinced of the plan as it is now I would like to hear what the public has to say I'd like to be able to ask questions and be part of those conversations in a um in a in a structured environment so that we can make decisions if we needed

089to that day well instead of waiting for a board meeting um I think it's important for all board members to hear what the public has to say and be able to ensure that we really see a complete picture on these specific meetings and I'm I'm not afraid of it being a board meeting we can do the minimum requirements to be make it a board meeting if we need to um it just gives me the opportunity to see the whole picture see what people are saying why they're saying it what their concerns are um having all of us on the same page as we walk into like any conversation after that committee has um met and then between then and and a board meeting it it puts us everybody else in a back foot as well

090I really think that we should definitely look at it being if it has to be a board meeting and maybe it's an extra board meeting maybe it's something that we do but it gives us more options so we can say all right this is what we were talking about let's go ahead and make that recommendation now we don't have to have you come back explain everything us have a million questions you go back and forth and back and forth or whoever it's going to be we can make decisions um at that time and my assumption is is like hopefully Susie will be there anyway um because you're you're you're you're this building um the majority of the people that um should make those decisions will be at that meeting and we shouldn't we should make

091sure that we are all on the same page and working together as a Tey on this so I totally hear you about it being a board meeting versus it being a committee but if it can be a committee the only committee meeting at that that board meeting agenda item it doesn't need to be all this as well but let me hear your thoughts well I feel like I do remember you saying a version of that last month um I think we had a chance to think about a little bit more because we were within the moment talking about yeah um Brian I'm curious to hear your thoughts as somebody yeah so the idea of of a three person board's tricky because if two people are interested it does pose a challenge and so I'm comfortable

092um with one of two things I'm comfortable with making it a board meeting and joining and being a part of the conversation or I'm comfortable with either like put put change up but I'm comfortable any way we'd want to do this um that's the pth of least resistance as far as trying to get people there and and having flexibility um It's Tricky that two people want that has to turn into a formal board meeting and they get a quorum and all that so that is a a limitation of but um so I'm I'm happy to support the that concept that Jan's involved you know that but it's some other way I have a couple thoughts um one um we did solicit folks from the public with the understanding I think on the letter that it

093was going to be a board repres representative and so I don't I would feel more comfortable not planning on having it be a board meeting and perhaps if two board if if we have one board member assigned to the committee and a second board member attends then perhaps let me just we okay yeah um and so we can potentially struct I think we were planning on noticing it anyway as if it were a board meeting um we were noticing if we were doing a regular committee meeting and it wasn't going to be a board meeting our plan was to notice it regardless and we were going to hopefully um again I'm just looking at Strat on how they did things have a recording available so it's it taking minutes so a lot of the components

094are um similar similar to and would meet many of the requirements for a board meeting but um I'm going to be honest a couple things one there are more logistical Hoops to um get two out of three board members there if we're going to commit to having it be a board meeting every time and I would hate to see something that was designed to be forward moving and discussion based and potentially solution based um not happen because we don't have a board Quorum if that's if the goal was that it was a board meeting um and then also just the concept of like I said the folks who sign up these eight people um the idea was that uh they were here for an advisory committee to help inform and advise the board um after

095having opportunity to make uh have some DEC discussions so that's sort of my my thought um I also hearing what you said Jan I actually think you would you would be a really great person to be the board representative you know to have this conversation because the way I look at this I do not look at this committee as a mechanism through which to get that proposal that was um no it shouldn't be it should be let's take a look at the whole picture could truly advise the board as to the committee's recommendations are at its Inception given all of the noted concerns I mean here's the thing you know you have access you saw the the PowerPoint it's now public and so we know what the concerns are um and to that end you're

096a very organized person who I think reads things very carefully so I would be comfortable with either and Brian you're a a new board member but you have you know kiddos in the school your you're you have investment in the you might bring a really you would bring a really new fresh set of eyes to the conversation all um you know I think my thought would be if Jan's interested I I really would prefer that you took the lead in it and and with it um uh you know and I'm happy to to stay updated and stay connected so we can make quick decisions you know from your reports when the Board needs to act um I honestly I will not do this unless the whole board's there I I don't want I want to

097have as much feedback as possible as much conversation from the public as possible this can still be an Advisory board that we are listening to as a unit um so I just I want to understand it's what you're saying you're saying um if the whole board is not there you will not participate no that's I thought no absolutely not um if you want me to run this as kind of like the lead person on this Advisory board I would like everyone to be there I see I want everybody to be participating I want everybody who has invested interest in this building which is not just this board this is their principal these are committee members Ellen has an invested interest in this um these topics I want to be able to hear what everyone's concerns

098are their proposals what we could do all these other wonderful things so that we can have a plan before we go into budget season next year um and you're up to speed on everything yeah you got a ton of information like you did an amazing amount of work on that presentation um I might have put all this stuff together but you really took it um and I really think that having the information that all of us have in our strengths you have different strengths than I do as du we can all work within our strengths to be able to say okay what do we want to make sure that we are solving for next week for next meeting have those conversations make sure that our Advisory Group is focused and ensuring that we are all

099getting the same information if we have questions you have different perspective perspectives than I do I don't want this to be a bubble okay I just want to clarify that then it's not if all three of you are on the committee it's not a committee it's a board meeting not an advis it's not an advisory it's not functioning in an advisory capacity that's the difference and also if you have it as a board sorry to interrupt you if you have it as a board meeting you are mandated to you know for example offer have public input and the function of an advisory committee is that you invite the public to join the to submit their letters of interest to join the committee and yes it's a public meeting but their presence on the committee is

100their opportunity for input to advise the board in that capacity for the advisory committee if that makes sense and I do wanted to stay for State for the record again that this is in opposition to my recommendation which is that this board voted to establish an advisory committee and my recommendation is that it St stay an advisory committee to stay in alignment with what was the intention of the board in terms of how to move this project forward if you're saying that you all going to be present for the committee then again it is not a committee it is a board meeting let me ask you this um so it sounds like this board um can decide how we ultimately want the committee to look um or is it that the chair um is it

101a vote it would be a vote okay um and so that's helpful to know the board voted to establish commit so I think the board should vote if you're going to take it away then I think that would be a board vote so what you're going to resend the last right the last vote to establish the committee we're going to De establish it that would be another motion just to it seems like so one of the policies earlier today was about remote zooming if two board members are are are zoomed into the meeting and participating in that way does it become a board meeting no it's not a quorum it's not a quorum it's not a personal Quorum so if you offered a zoom option we could participate and listen and and be on the

102side but not contribute backwards L I'm just trying to think of almost like not lole but a way to because I'd like to respect what you're saying and be part of invested and be how can I give you my feedback and participate I think that really what this is a roadblock of of having three school board members instead of five which is that two of us could have different opinions which is the point of a advisory committee where one person can come out with just three people in a room two people here are different you know it's it's it's really helpful to have two views and so how do we get two views or multiple views so we can be respectful of what you're saying but not have to do all the right not change

103the rest of it so how do we contribute and how we be a part of it so that we're meeting both needs is there a way for us to contribute to the group not being I don't know I'm just trying to figure out if there's a way that we can Sol that we can do what you're asking without can I can I make a a chair um just acknowledgement um I what I wanted to do was I wanted to ask if anybody other than the four of us have to to contribute I'm not trying to put anybody under the fire but there are with people in the room um and the whole idea is to advise us as the board so I all of us wanted to have external voices to help expand the conversation

104we have some voices in the room Susie I don't know if you feel comfortable planing on this if you don't that's okay I usually have an opinion it's not a surprise um with respect uh I I am concerned that uh or right I have some curiosity around um everybody being on it because I I wonder if there is strong communication between whoever's on leading the committee which I think that's an important part and it's important to me as the head of the school when we've put something in motion and we've communicated something following through with that I'm not a board member but but that's um a value that I have um I I'm I think that all of you have relationships even though Brian is new there's a high level of respect between um you

105as board members and I'm and I would hope that communication would flow very freely and that there's a strong sense it's been mentioned several times tonight about communicating not only communicating to the public but communicating to each other that if meetings were happening that of course really strong detailed communication would come back and be able to be discussed um so you know I I I have a concern I have I have a concern about going backwards thank you um I think uh logistically it sounds like this committee can be recorded and posted and that would be an intention um it also I mean that's a pretty novel way to think about it Brian I think to the point though of what we just talked about um if somebody wanted to from the board even just

106pipe into listen if you were curious whoever the person not on the committee was um during the meeting here live I guess that's something to consider anybody in the public well I just want to clarify definitely get back to the public that I'm not so sure that b policy bedc around the Quorum and participating electronically not counting for the Quorum would be applicable to an advisory committee oh because it's not ating that's a good point so and and the intent of the policy seems to speak to when it's not reason reasonably practical for the member to attend in person um that was a good thought well but this idea of three you know it's helpful to have two board members occasionally to be a part of things just you know um we could have rotating

107Board number but that probably would be helpful that would perhaps imped the productivity I don't think that's such a terrible idea maybe it turns after like between one phase and another right perhaps the first person serves on the introductory like gets the plan commit up and commun and then after that maybe a change is over that could be a compromise another option could be speaking to standing agenda items we could you know one of the way that we've structured this or a way one of one way to structure this we already have it so that this board meets the first Wednesday of every month that's how it's set up right now if this committee for example I'm just throwing this out there hypothetically meets the third Wednesday of every month and then we have it

108as a standing agenda item for every board meeting to review what I mean it will already be on there for the Committees in terms of sure reviewing you know giving an update but we can give it specific attention and thoughtfulness about how to be I hear what you're saying about wanting to have transparent communication wanting to have abundant communication wanting to have involvement I think we can structure it so that we accomplish that through the agenda and the review of what of what occurred on the committee especially with Susie myself on the committee as well as one of you folks we will have an abundance of information to share and to add to that if we were looking at our our board goals which are we intend to come back and revisit board goals is

109it possible that we have some sort of retreat or something where we're establishing board goals or communication is is clearly um clearly outlined as an expectation not necessarily as a um yeah we can have a board retreat I hear what you're saying and to talk about what are our values as what are the board values what are our values how do we collaborate in alignment with those values what do those values look like in real time right I love the concept of I've been on boards where we've had Retreats I've not been on school board since I've been on school we haven't had a Retreats so I would be book to Ellen to see how to logistically do that with rsas and stuff but just I'm sure they were done p um was your intention

110with the idea of it being a board meeting being like an hour before we start if if we were to view your that I'm just trying to imagine what it would look like if we were all involved it would change the intention of the group right but it would change it depends because it's it's there's a couple of things that depending upon what happens it's we would need to make certain decisions whether it's go get quotes or um you know this is what the status of it is what are we going to do I can't be me making all the decisions um on everything and figuring out like what is how is this project going to move forward um it really is a collaborative effort from everybody that has invested interest in it and and

111as much as I I would like to find a way let me put it this way I'll make it very clear I would like to find a way for as many of us to be involved in in the conversations as possible I am not a Flawless person um and I want to make sure that this committee is moving efficiently that we have a plan put together that it is ready to go and that everybody is 100% aware of it and we are going to be able to move forward with something and that means you know meeting over the summer making sure that we have um potentially meeting over the summer you know where we don't typically meet over the summer as a board I so I think to that end meeting as a board in

112the summer to discuss updates from the advisory committee to me would be a logical thought um I just wanted to finish but um it is what I am envisioning the how this committee can operate is very similar to how I saw a very functioning and effective committee at SMS that met yes they have a board of five and yes they had two board members there but they were not a board it was not a board meeting um the so they weren't decisions made at that committee um at all there was communication um from that committee I believe uh and we'd have to look at how that communication was made to the rest of the board um but there was was things that happened in between each of those U meetings because they got a lot

113done and they said from the first meeting we have we have to get a lot done in a short amount of time that may be something that is part of the first meeting inviting Strat to come in say hey let us I don't if you hear that but that's i' look to Brian you can't have us both in the same day um just take it just trying to be respectful of what you're you're asking and I I'm wondering if that if there can be overlap in in having you know every third meeting have that as a work session before a board meeting or have that have that advisory committee if there's a need for increased communication once it starts and input for that to actually be part of an agenda is the first meeting they're

114presenting what's happening in the plan second meeting there's some work session they come back and so that there's like a check- in with the board so that every third meeting or something you know that that we have communication throughout the process so that it's not a requirement to change anything but it's more of a we being respectful of of where we are with with trying to get everybody involved so that that committee doeses some work sessions with the board throughout the process so there's no surprise at the end that's interesting concept because then we could just add it as an agenda item have them to the board as a work session type um every third meeting to be a half an hour with us at the board meeting where we're making decisions together and that

115way work can go on and the process for bids and all that takes 60 45 days or whatever anyways and so there's no need for there's no need to slow the progress down and um I just being the newest member I feel super confident in the ability for us to communicate and and I you know for anyone of us to communicate I have to figure out how to communicate with one board if I call you is that a quum I don't know how I got to figure out not recommended so would be more you use me as the lead Zone to help facilitate the communication so somehow you know that if that's the best way to me to be transparent and communicate to have that committee come maybe they's just a standing item every every

116two or three meetings and we have an overlap that's what I so um what I hear is that um it's been recommended more than once by our superintendent that we not plan to have this be a board meeting that and that we potentially identify um that we identify one person to be the representative I like many of the suggestions that Brian and Jane are both making to address some of the concerns or or interests that Jane is wanting to make sure that we have constant close communication so to that end Jan I know you said that if you were to be taken the lead you'd want all board members to be present so um are you how do you feel about that now is it the same you feel the same way I don't know

117okay I just want to be honest I don't know that's I this is a daunting project it's a daunting project but I don't think it's daunting to have a committee I think that's the part that's hurt that's um hurting my brain a little bit I think and I'm not put watching but you um you've been very um participatory uh and I really appreciate your participation and so um the way our board had when we established this committee was Our intention was to formalize and actualize a number of people's um perspectives from the community to come up with Solutions again not everybody can come to these meetings at at this time and so I just want that to happen and I we we had two years to have people come to a board meeting to make

118this happen yeah and it aside from you and a few other people who have come it hasn't happened we have eight interested parties um potentially that would be a um a real key driver of have making this move forward so I don't want to put you in the position of being the representative if you don't want to be the representative so I think it's important to remember too that we're following a process and the purpose when you all created the committee was to have a body that would advise the board as the project and also look at the project as a whole from a macro level and think about what were the wise what are we trying to solve for and to make sure that you know I think it's important to follow that process

119with Fidelity and you know yes it it is a don't think project but at the same time the scope of the project may change and I say that while wanting to honor the work of the committee that that we're putting the car before the horse a bit because the committee has yet to be begin meeting so I have I put a lot of value in the you know formation of the committee and and the committee members to do the work and to for us to take it as it comes in an organic fashion great can we make a decision after we pick the committee would it make sense for us to go into the committee and then look who's on the the list and maybe build some confidence in what you're saying so why we

120could do that go and on public now to revie I would say personally the reason why wouldn't um I wasn't going to fall that is cuz we saw the public in the room so um what we would likely do if we were do that is to then come back into um public come out of nonpublic and have the rest of the meeting yeah we have to come back once we go into nonpublic we have to come back into public session to adourn the meeting anyway so if folks have input we would love to hear either now the time or if you don't mind waiting for an undisclosed amount of time to come back um I don't know if I can wait and come back for um but just from like my thoughts of hearing everything

121I agree that this is like an overwhelming task and I think um it might help you guys to look at the candidates because you might feel like there's some people there who really have some knowledge of construction which I feel like is a big part of this um to answer some of your questions so that might help you out do you have what are your reservations about being the lead on it um about being what I'm sorry I don't compromise I don't have any reservations about being lead on it what I don't know that I want to happen is for me to be the lead on it and then then the board to to come and then now the board like I'm not really keen on it becoming a board meeting um and and I

122thought I heard you say they that was only a few yeah I misunderstood what you were saying like let me be absolutely clear like I may disagree with what the board wants I will absolutely honor what the board wants I'm not going to just randomly show up no I and that that's not at all the intent it's I want to be clear on what I would like the board to be so that we can all have like like very clear ideas and stuff like that so that's not my intent like you're not going to have you're not going to have a meeting and then oh I'm going to show up because I want to be there like no that's not that's not even and I do respect you uh and agree you would not do

123that I just wouldn't want to take that option away from you if you really felt uncomfortable um with that so let me just I'll nominate myself to be the the board U representative on this committee do I have a secondment sure okay how does the board feel about that did you make a moot did you make a motion I made a motion to nominate myself that's okay and Jane second did yes any more discussion so I wonder I wonder did you guys vote sorry sorry we're still discussing thank you but you know my my my question is if if is there a passionate interest that if like you know Jane if you're if you're really interested in it then you know I know we've all you guys have all been on the board longer than

124me I'm definitely the last one that should jump in and be be leading that you know unless would learn a lot I know yeah well you know I I think that if you know if there's a way that I can help in in meet in try to solve that you know as as a current School principal 15 years as a school principal and safety and all those things I'm I'm happy to jump in and and and also communicate at it but I'm also happy to trust either one of you to to lead it and so my my question is if there's there's a real underlying desire and passion that that Jan really wants this project versus then I would rather support her and and be supportive through some sort of increased communication so that you

125feel supported from us so that you because um I love safety more than anybody but I'm I'm happy to to support you in it through the outside and so um you know I feel like I'm I'm unsure what the right answer is um because we're so limited with what a form is and that I feel like that's it's just that hurts us in the situation because what we want is input in transparency and the best way to hear the same thing is to be at the same meeting um you know the second best way is is is is great communication and so um I feel like if Jean if you have an interest in this that's deep and that that really is you know you have the time to commit to that then um then

126I would support you is chair is a chair for this as would I and so I I don't know if it's right for me to make a nomination till that one's off the table but I like I I would support your your because your communication is amazing I can tell already the notes I'm cheating off you and I haven't just got um and so I'm wondering or I'm I'm also open to listening about communication and what that what you'd like the expectations to be from whoever chairs that group so that we can L where because it's it doesn't seem like changing it feels right to anybody feels right in this situation even though we're new board it feel it seems like the answer is how do we fix communication or have the right person on

127the board yeah I think either me or Bobby are going to be fantastic at it it's just thank you thank you for saying that I appreciate that because I do think that you know communication is both within the board what we want to do with this as well as communicating out what this project should be is important I um I do want this type of project to change I don't think that it was from our feedback from people who were at the deliberative and the budget hearing it was not super positive so I think promoting a a environment where we can hear make adjustments bring back whatever we need to do is really helpful I do trust you to do that um I trust myself to do that as well I'm sorry that's okay no

128you keep I don't have a problem being head of the committee I want to make sure that whatever is done is done and we are going to be in a fantastic spot come fall um and this committee should help to do that completely agree um I'm I don't want you to throw your hand out there because you're frustrated at a conversation um no I'm H I would be very willing to be on the committee I think I was looking forward to diversifying the the the this the participation and so I thought that it might be a really good thing to have you as a um as a board representative there I thought I also was hearing that you didn't quite want to and so I didn't want to put you in position to decline um

129the option to change horses Midstream is still there which I love that that another piece to speak to where you starting to speak I don't want to take your turn but I did want to clarify one thing briefly which is that Susie and I both have a lot of skills and experience with regards to running you know facilitating meetings running groups and also and Bobby too and all of you guys I'm sure as well making I think we can be really intentional at the outset of this committee to S to have really explicit conversations around what are the expectations around communication and kind of the Rules of Engagement so to speak or the group Norms around communication for this committee while acknowledging that it has been a a historic concern of the community that the

130communication was not what folks wanted it to be or they felt that there wasn't enough of it that it wasn't transparent enough and so I think we can really get off on the right foot with that notion being very communicated very explicitly um can I revise my my motion yes um um well let me res I'm I like to resend that motion I'll do that first um because we're still discussing here I do like the notion the idea of um doing phase a part A Part B um perhaps we can sort of vote on doing that how we want to split up the board representative for the planning and then the communication yeah sure yeah is there a preferred portion of that that you for you can absolutely jump in if communication is the at

131the foundation of this I don't I'm curious as to how somebody jumping in and disrupting the consistency changes that either we have great communication all the time with whoever the person is MH I hear what you're saying you it like it's not that a doesn't equal B in this one the way I was looking at the um um applying that potential thought was maybe just giving another board member the the opportunity to to be in the room hearing those people those voices and working with with the committee not so much that it it it was only the only way to allow communication to work yeah because I agree that that shouldn't that shouldn't be the case also it this board we are a new board you guys are a new board and I have faith

132that during our meetings there will be really transparent and honest conversations about and feedback about how how is the advisory committee doing with communication I'm really excited being met from the the committee like I'm looking forward to that in to the to the point where I actually had no concerns about I have no concerns about the representative on the board not being me I just want us to make a decision and I'm happy that we're talking about it but I also want us to feel comfortable about that because it is sort of the first big decision that we're going to make as a as board Su yeah if I were in if I'm looking through the lens of an Advisory Board member once you establish a team there is there is norming that happens and

133disrupting that I think is interesting to do that halfway through it's a different person if I'm a if I'm a Committee Member and I'm I've built a relationship with Jane then I I'm thinking that that's how the communication's going to go so is it such that you know one another way to think about this is that perhaps in my role as a superintendent designate say for example Jane is the board member on this advisory committee that if there's some additional work to be done and a board member wants input or more explicit information that that's something that I can help to facilitating um in terms of like whether it be like a question and answer type of situation or whatnot but my point being that there I do think there's a if communication is the

134main concern back to what Susie is saying there's a variety of ways to enhance that I'll make a motion to have Jane be the representative to the committee second Brian second on favor or a discussion sum no it's fine let's go I really think you would be a Fant thank you I appreciate that 1,00% I don't have any concerns I'm looking forward to updates um from the committee with you being the representative to me that's the whole purpose of why we're doing this I'm happy to provide support super like any feedback I can get through any channel to make sure that feel supported too so if it's a matter of if the email her to email me that's fine I'm I'm happy to respond quickly as fast as I can okay got get used to

135that that's what we do okay all in favor sure okay thank you um so we established who the board representative is um are there any questions or inputs that you guys have okay um um do you want to set a date or is that something you want to do after we get all the people I we need to set people I think we need to inform people and then we need to look at schedules and then I can set a date after okay so I think that sounds inappropriate you make a motion to go into non um yes um so I'm going to make a motion to go into nonpublic under RSA 91a 3 2 section c c at 7:58 do I have a second second thank you all in favor I I thank you

136thank you public thanks for your service thank okay it's 8:14 I like to make a motion to um get out of nonpublic I'll second that all in favor okay thank you um so I would like to um uh make a motion to accept all of the eight applicants uh who submitted letters of interest to the committee second that perfect all in favor hi perfect um so we decided Jane um as the board representative on the committee you are going to be um sending an email out to those folks as well as um Susie and Ellen uh to come up with dates and next steps MH done good all righty anything else on the agenda next meeting that was it yeah the next meeting is in May I'll get the calendar out I got I closed

137my computer sorry um May 7th perfect May 7th at 6 p.m. well actually is that something that we want to change the meeting day or time I wouldn't recommend it for the remainder of this school year I would recommend that we keep it for the same for this school year because that's all been posted and that's what we' communicated out and we can discuss it of course for forthcoming school year this May seventh work for you yeah work um I do really think it's important that we have a retreat of some sort to set goals and to really have a listening session to the school administration and figure out what um you know could kind of get a charge and U you know that's just my only pick for down the road maybe it's a

138summer thing typically we do boorder treats in the summer that would be my recommendation so yeah I think one of the homework things that I think we should all do is to come to the next meeting with some ideas of board goals and that could maybe even be one of the um the action steps from the board goal but I think that's a great a great goal and the goals will influence that Retreat yeah exactly all righty uh if nobody else has anything I did want to ask um for the committee is there any specific items that you guys would like to ensure on the agenda for the first meeting of the committee no thank you I think I would want to make sure that everybody who's on the committee will have seen the presentation

139um that we informationally shared and so you can share the website that is up and active so they come prepared um if you think that makes sense I think that's probably I tried to be as neutral um and just deliver the information beforehand um and then as far as you mean like the agenda of that meeting yeah I mean if there's any specific um things that we want to tackle first or is it just the first meeting would be like let's do an overview of what current state is now and then plan for the next meeting I really like to see a clear charge what is the expectation at the end of this outcome you know and bring it back to make sure we're all on the same page that this board will be making

140recommendations you know what is the formal charge for that committee um and then maybe you know expect expectations for communication from the committee so that it's circular so that it's you know they understand that this is how feedback will be it's public facing website you know all information is transparent and All Views are really important so the charge and communication expectations yeah Susie do you have any maybe a timeline to Brian's point of being able to to map out how to get there and do it efficiently throughout the meetings well we'll meet with Jane in advance on the setting the agenda yeah but I mean it's I think it's helpful for our brainstorming yeah for at least the conversation to start here um to that end is there I know we decided that we're going

141to have board representation be limited to one is there a way for us to as the rest of the board to know what the agenda is before then I think they'll be posted they'll be posted yes there you go what I can do is just to make sure that it's super transparent as when Ellen and I sit down to kind of prepare for that meeting when we're done and we put the agenda together and like any any thing that we're planning on doing um yes we can post it but we can also can if you don't mind sending it to the other board members that would be really helpful as as like maybe um before I send it out to the the committee members yes I think would be a nice and if you guys

142have any like oh this would be really helpful if and you can send that to Ellen and when Jane gives the committee update during our committee update portion of the agenda we can also give a foreshadowing as to what's coming next i y again lots of communication all right team and and last final bonus points if students can be involved at some point so that the communication gets home to their parents you know if at any point then through the process students can be involved whether it's understanding safety or whatever it is at some level be really cool to see because then parents will know from their own kids that this is happening I love it really good point I like that Su is really good at involving the kids in all the day-to-day stuff

143so I think that that probably once things get rolling won't be a problem that's great anything else I am good I'm going to make a motion at 8:20 to uh adjourn this meeting that's I may have second perfect thank you all right guys all in favor hi who seconded it BR thank you