Board of Education Meeting 12/3/2025

001Okay, welcome to the December 3rd, 2025 board of education meeting. You can stand for the pledge, please. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nationice for all. Okay, first order of business is acceptance to the agenda. I get a motion, please. >> Second. >> Okay. >> Any discussion on the agenda? All those in favor? I >> I oppose. The agenda is approved. Next item is the consent agenda, which is resolution 03745. The item of the consent agenda. Motion. >> Second. Any discussion on the consent agenda? >> Those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? >> Yeah. I would just comment that I thought those sound good if they need any with our kids. >> There you go. You are too good. >> Yeah. >> Any oppose?

002>> Approve. Okay. Next is public comments. Looks like we have a pretty robust audience. We don't normally get anybody here. So, thank you for coming. Uh before we get there, we release some guidelines. Board of Education encourages public participation on school related matters and board meetings. Uh the board is here to listen during this uh period of comment. Persons wishing to address the board should state the name andor affiliation organization. Uh we try to keep each speaker around three minutes so that everyone has opportunity to speak. We ask the speakers conduct themselves in a civil manner. The board can implement a public session discussion to involve individual district personnel or students. So, please don't use names of staff or students. Persons wish to discuss matters involving individual district personnel should present their comments and concerns

003the board or written statement. Uh, generally public session is not an interactive question and answer period. The board will not address specific questions or respond to specific concerns from the public at tonight's meeting. person with specific questions should address those questions D super schools and the board president shall reserve the right to discontin any public comment which violates this policy. With that said, would anyone like to address the board? >> Sir, thank you. Um, good evening everyone. My name is Steve Makowski. I live uh with my wife Andrea Macowski at 722 Kerry Road in Santa Clara Township. Um, we've worked here full-time since 2013. And we're very active engaged in the community. But we and some of our neighbors here from Santa Clara are here tonight to bring to your attention a recent significant 16%

004increase in the annual school taxes that Santa Clara Township taxpayers are now have been asked to uh pay and are paying. And I understand from at least one board member that some members of the board are not aware of uh the impact of the increase in the annual school tax levy on the various municipalities that contribute to the school district budget. I'd like to take this opportunity to explain to you what impact uh has been felt by Santa Cro Township taxpayers. Last year the context is last year the enterprise reported that the school budget was going up 4.4% 4% and we thought that was reasonable. That's what we all expected. That's and we also became aware of the new turf field and the new stadium. Uh some of us were not thrilled about that, but

005we understand that's what was passed in the referendums. When we opened our tax bills, however, in September, we were shocked by the huge percentage increase in our taxes. So again, my tax bill went up 16%. That translate to $2,500. My tax bill now is now almost $16,000 a year. Um, after contacting some of our neighbors, no one else knew what had happened. We received no advanced notification from anyone. Not from Santa Clara Township, not from the school district, and not from New York State. We just got this enormous increase. I came here to the school tax office. I asked in the office if anyone could explain why we received this increase. No one knew. They referred me to Douglas Tishner, who the tax assessor. Turns out Douglas Tishner had not been the tax assessor for

006several years. I then tracked down uh Martin uh the new tax assessor called him and he attempted to explain to me what had happened. Um so I don't know if Martin is here. He's not he was asked to come. You might have questions about it. But as I understand it, what happened was rather than reassess all the properties in Santa CL Township, they undertook what's called a reval revaluation. That was um the state the state initiated after looking at home prices in Santa Clara Township over the last 18 months. And they then went to each municipality within the Santa Clara school district and raised taxes based on that. and they were basing on recent home sales. So, as you know, from 2020 to 2024 25, a lot of home prices doubled or tripled. So, basically,

007they took recent home sales and took all of our taxes up to try to make an adjustment. So, that's where the 16% came from. Now, >> excuse me, when you say they, who's the day you're referring to? >> There's two parts of it. So I understand the first part and that's why I wish Martin was here could explain it that the state does a market valuation of the properties. They then provide that information to the school district and then the school district basically does the rebal based on the budget. Now Diane, you're shaking your head. You can you can correct me on that. I I can't publicly right now at this meeting, but we have I I will just clarify that we have no control over assessments. That is that information comes to us from

008the counties. So, just just so you know, we don't have any assessment duties or powers, >> okay, >> for assessments. >> So, that's why Liz Martin was here, but I didn't want to get too deep into No, listen. So, >> we're all taxpayers, too. >> We are. We know you're paying. So, so, so this happened. Um, and again, many homeowners purchased their homes decades ago at modest prices. They're now being taxed based on the top of the market recent home sales in Santa Claria. Home prices have tumbled in the last 18 months. Many homes on the market for years and some are going to auction. But the reval was based on the highest market prices a year and a half ago. So, contrary to popular opinion, not everyone that lives in Santa Clara is wealthy.

009Many homeowners are retired people living on fixed income. They're not seeing their annual income go up anywhere near 16%. Some homeowners now are being forced to sell because they can't afford the high school taxes. turning more of Santa Clara Township into a place of wealthy seasonal people without paying school age children because people with schoolaged children can't afford to buy there because they look at the taxes right away and they say I can't afford $16,000 a year in taxes. This is not the kind of community we want and this is the change that we're undertaking because people are starting to sell because they can't afford it. So, um, our tax assessor then said that our school taxes may go up higher, that the redial may continue, and so they're only up to 57% now. So,

010we could see our properties go up even higher, even though it was based on the highest market sales rate several years ago. So, and as you all know, the single most important factor behind our Santa Clara Township school taxes is your annual tax levy. And that tax levy has been going up a million dollars a year in each of the last five years. Correct me if I'm wrong, from 20.6 million to 1819, out of 25.5. These increases have occurred at the same time the student enrollment is dramatically decreasing. The school just announced it lowest student enrollment in the history of the district, projecting even and lower enrollment for 2026, yet spending continues to go up. The average annual budget for a thousand student New York K through2 school school district is approximately 36.3 million. Yet

011the school district budget here is 38 million, more than 2 million over the New York state average in spite of the fact key budget items such as teacher salaries are much lower here than downstate metro area public school teacher salaries. Let me sum up. We are proponents and supporters of public school education. Many of us attended public schools. We sent our kids to public schools. We're delighted to see our grandkids in public schools. Even though few Santa Clara Township taxpayers send children to to schools here, we recognize how important it is for Santa Cite to have a strong public education system. However, in light of the enrollment trends and increasing tax levy, the tax burden that will continue to negatively impact and transform the nature of our community in Santa Clara, we urge the board

012to develop a multi-year plan that establishes a goal of a 0% increase in the tax levy. We understand that an outside consultants report was finished last year that recommends significant changes in your budget and planning and the board has set up a committee to review those recommendations. However, it seems that committee consists of only community members with vested interests in the school system who made who we fear are not capable of making the kinds of difficult decisions that are now necessary to get the budget in line with enrollment. There are no truly independent members of the community on that committee. We hope you'll take to heart our concerns expressed here and get the tax levy in alignment with the Sar Lake enrollment trend and get the overall annual budget in line with the state average.

013Thank you. >> So, I appreciate you coming. I do have a couple of uh items that come to mind. Um I I listen closely to your your average schools our size. No one has a busted uh situation like we have. We have the largest busing district in New York. Running school buses is expensive >> in the whole state. So, um, we do not raise our budget by 16% per year. We are capped by New York State. We've never gone over that cap. So, the state has a built-in control. So, if we wanted to exceed that cap, that would take a super majority vote. We've never tried that. Um, we are trying hard to hold hold the line. Um, we are spending enormous amount of energy on this reorganization to see if we can somehow reorganize

014our facilities to save some money. As you can well imagine, no matter what move we make, somebody's not happy, right? Uh, we're looking at going from two bus runs to one bus run since we have reduced our student population to save money in busing. It wouldn't be in half, but it could be substantial savings. So, we're right in the middle of that. Um, a 0% levy increase is probably not realistic. Um, our expenses go up like yours. Our we pay the fuel, oil, eat. All those things when they go up, we're affected by it. It is very true. Our population has gone down. However, we still have to heat the building whether it's one kid in or 10,000. Well, a lot of our costs are not under our direct control. We have to uh meet

015state mandates, but they give us no say in. and say you will do this. Um it frustrates us to no end of budget time. This group is incredibly mindful what we spend. The other thing I would share with you that most people just don't seem to be aware of is that the state views our district as a wealthy district. We are wealthy in terms of land, not in terms of income. So our reimbursement for the state is among the lowest in the entire North. So every dollar we spend, more of it comes from the local taxpayer uh than the state. You go to a couple neighboring districts, they get as much as 90% state aid. Our last aid ratio, Daniel, you can check me on this, I think, was 54 56%. That's a huge difference.

016We have fought that to no end in Albany. We lobby for it, but we're a little teeny school district and we do not have much political power in Albany. We feel that the aid ratio is very unfair to our school district and so we continue to try to fight that fight. We're not that optimistic. We're looking at potential reductions in federal school money with the closing of the Department of Education and the shifting of funds. Um we were just told at our last board meeting that our health insurance rates are going to go up 25 to 28% this year. We have no control over. So, we're looking at everything right now to try to corral spending. And we appreciate groups such as yours to come in and reinforce that that needs to be a priority

017for us. We just don't control the amount of things in the budget that people think we do. We have little control over the vast majority of what we're required to spend. But it doesn't look at that. We put together this committee of school school reorganization to chart a course for the next decade. Not to put a band-aid on one thing. And in terms of the committee that we put together that that was open for anyone to throw their name in and what we get a dozen applicants, something like that. That's what we had. So we chose from the people that said we'll do them. Um we are going to hold some public hearings on that. I encourage you to come to those there. That's a goal of ours to make sure that anybody that wants

018to have a say in that process will have an opportunity whether they sign up for committee or not. Um the minutes are online. The meetings are open to the public. You can come to those meetings, the next ones next Thursday right here um to see what we're doing. So that's where we stand. You're not you're not speaking to deaf ears. I I guarantee you every member of this board feels what you're saying and some of us we don't like some of our tax increases either. Um so we are trying hard to pull the line up wherever we can. >> Mark, when are the budget there are public budget meetings? >> Absolutely. There's a public budget hearing. You know Nick's doing a calendar right now. >> Oh yeah. >> So it's it's coming soon. We're we

019start our budget process for putting together the calendar now. Um you know we would love to keep you informed. We'd love for you to come and and sit on those see what we do. Um >> what is it? >> May >> that's the hearing but the process is before that. >> Um we just did and we're going to do it tonight. We're going to do the the the presentation again today on the budget. Uh >> okay. Typically at our last uh uh committee meeting for reorganization, we did a lengthy uh budget review uh more detailed than ever since since I've been on the board or since I was a teacher here. And we're going to do kind of a mini version for those board members that are on that committee. Typically people that that do

020public sessions do their thing and then they don't stick around the rest of the meeting. you might want to stick around and listen to this uh presentation. Uh and we can get you the the documents to go to that if you want to look at it. I found it to be very insightful about where the money comes from and where it goes um and what we fund. It may help you understand the budgeting process for schools. One of the things that we've done that uh some neighboring districts have not done is we have about 8 to 10 maybe a dozen counts that we've been funding over a decade to try to take care of emergencies. And so when we hit vermiculite when we hit asbestous our projects we didn't have to raise taxes to cover

021that because they dedicated funds to prepare for that. In terms of the turf field that funding came from a decade long worth of savings. So that was not your 16% does not include hey we built a dirt field we're building. So that is a a common misconception out there even though we had public hearings and went through all the financing. So that was in a a buildings and grounds fund that you have at year 10 you need to spend that. So, it didn't start to be that fund, but that fund grew over a decade and that fund has been re uh authorized in our last uh election so that we could do that again. We did not wipe that fund out for that. So, there's some things that come to mind. We're frustrated. Uh you're

022frustrated. Um I I know people in Santa Clara. I live in Lake Clear, so I know people out there. I know the frustration. Um, and I think one of the most important things you said tonight is the assumption that you're you're all uh wealthy upper lake people I think is worthy of help is simply not true. All of our different uh sections in our district come with a whole mixed bag of a lot of people. So, um we're fearful of of the funding that we're going to get from the state and the federal government and some of the funding we currently get gets reduced. Um we're not sure how we're going to deal with that yet. So, we're trying to be proactive and and and get ahead of the game on some of this stuff

023instead of just say, "Oh, without any money, we'll cut this, this, and this." Trying to be smart about it, trying to be smart about uh any reductions and how we can do that to be fair to the community and fair to our staff. And if we have to do it, we're trying to do it for attrition where we can. Um we're looking at can we repurpose uh some of our facilities. So, welcome to our band. Yes, man. >> Jill Fras also on Bartlett Cary Road. How are your >> which by the way is beautiful out there. So there now, right? >> How are your meetings uh announced to the public? If it wasn't for Steve, we wouldn't have known about tonight. >> These meetings are all on our calendar on our website. Um, >> well,

024again, we don't have children, so we don't typically go to your >> So, we can we can provide you with all of our meeting dates. They're set in in our reorganization week in July. >> So, we can give you all the calendar meetings. Jim, be happy to get that. You can get all >> email on there on the signin sheet. Did you put your email? >> No, I didn't. I'll take care of >> Yeah, I can. >> So, that that calendar's set um >> July 7th. >> Yeah. And our July meeting. Uh in terms of uh any usually our meetings for the budget, Vicky back on these meetings. They're not separate meetings. Occasionally, I work second December. The meetings for the school reorganization. We can get that to you if you so desire. Um there's

025no real interaction with the public. You're welcome to listen. Um, and we'll try to publicize as soon as we set the date. We plan to have the public hearing after the first of the year for that. And and so we're plan to publicize that. That would be a great thing for you to come to so you can see what we're thinking. So we're not doing nothing, but when you see the presentation tonight on where the funds are and how they're done, I think you're going to see that of all the districts in the North Country, we've take great pains. Um, our pot of money is not like your savings account where you say, "Oo, I'm short for fuel this year. I'll grab some out of the savings." And we do that funding. It's approved by

026the taxpayers for specific purposes. And we can't just steal from one to the other if it doesn't meet the purpose. They're there. And you'll see when Dan does a presentation. So, I really I sometimes our meetings um are not the most fun things to be at. They're kind of boring. But I think since you're interested in that, you're going to find that interesting. when and by the way it's very unusual for me to speak this much during the public session but we know your bank and we know it's important and trust me you're not the only ones out there that are feeling and thinking the same thing so when we answer your questions hopefully we're answering for other people maybe anyone else like to address the board from the public >> Steve can you submit

027your written comments to Gina so we have them just to refer to if you don't mind Yeah, that'd be great. I would love to just digest that a little bit. >> Yeah, we'd love to have that on our record. >> Yeah. And again, I apologize that the Martin Kitchener, the attack successor, is not here because I'm sorry, attack >> assessor is not here because I wanted him to clarify things because this was all new to me. >> Yeah. >> Because it hasn't happened in the 13 years we've lived here. >> So, it was quite quite the shock. Um it's been quite the shock to the community. Well, it's this is not every time a township does a reassessment to one degree or another. Um it's been my experience having lived here my entire life that

028if they wait too long to reassess, then it's a huge shock. Uh the townships that reassess more frequently tend to keep these increases steady but not jolting, whatever that's worth. I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of of the monetary aspect of that, but I know when it's a jolt, we hear about >> St. Armans last year. It was pretty it was pretty rough. Y >> Franklin's doing their >> rights this year. >> We're trying and and we're glad you came here. We don't want you to think that we're numb to this, but I think after tonight's presentation, you're going to see that we just don't control the amount of things people think we can. And every board member will tell you when they come on the board, uh, fiscal responsibility is one of

029the major reasons they come on and they are shocked at how little control compared it to the size of the budget that we have. Does anyone disagree with that? I mean it's it's just shock. So any other comments with that we'll give go ahead sir >> Phil's also for carry first meeting I've attended I am very appreciative of your efforts and very educational. Thank you. >> Yeah I mean if you don't know you don't know right. So, I think you're going to get a when we did this at our last uh uh school reorganization committee meeting, I had said to Diane and Nikki, our business manager who couldn't be here tonight that I've been here close to 40 years, my involvement with the school as a student, and faculty member, now on board, I have

030never seen a budget um process that well described and that thorough. So moving along with that, >> you know, there's another avenue that you might consider as well, which is emailing Roger Catania, who is the regent for the North Country, and and they pay attention to these kind of state issues. And so I think a lot of a lot of the context that we have to operate within is is largely within the state funding context. And so like really it's people at the state that need to hear it as well. And we go as board members to those state meetings and these issues come up. but they need to know about it as well. >> How can the board just follow up on that show? How can the board get that request out to the

031general public here? Because it's one thing to tell a small group here. I don't know who that person is, but what Mark was saying also about the fact that we are cynically so underfunded uh compared to other districts because we're considered the wealthy. How many taxpayers would it take to talk to different people in New York? >> Yeah. >> Case and then you perhaps over time get some more funding. >> I I'll speak for myself. I mean every year we have multiple what are we region six region six meetings where we go and we interact with state policy makers and they hear from all of us around that. And Mark said it earlier like we just have not been successful at that. I mean, it is going to take state policy changes to change those

032kind of actuarial formulas around a and that's something that we as individual board members can express. This what you're saying is not anything that we haven't heard before in terms of the high tax low aid kind of conversation, but it really is kind of citizen action at the state level that is shift that policy. So, you know, get those people on the phone too. We we interact with them and we've had these conversations with them as well. >> We do belong agree it's going to take a community effort. >> Uh the rural schools association which is kind of a lobby effort with the small schools but if we're being 100% honest the rural schools in New York don't have a lot of political clout. Your big five city schools or Long Island schools have way

033more political clout and lobbying than we do. Um, Zor Thirst, our board member, was absent tonight. I couldn't be here as well. I spent a lot of time in Albus and I've never seen in my time here a board more active in state lobbying than we are. And I mean, I think we've made some some minor gains, but it's it's incredibly frustrating. >> It's not just the Aderondic districts, it's the Catskill districts as well. have similar issues. >> So, we're trying to band together. So, anyone else? >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Thank you. Next on uh the agenda is our financial report. >> I'm tonight. >> You are pitching for Nikki. >> I'm pitching for Nikki. So, let me just pull up my And it's a big night. So, you can you

034can let her know how I do here while So, I am pleased to announce that our audit is complete. So, I get to announce that it's the earliest it's been in most of my years here. So, that's very exciting. But we will start with the budget status report. That's in the drive as you know. >> That's for the budget transfer report. >> Oh, sorry. I just contract the contract. So, >> oh that's that's me too. You're get so tired of me tonight. >> So, sorry. >> Let's get on the table. We're doing that. >> Go for it. >> Resolution number 03 2025 a multi-year 25 to 28 contract between district and agile sports technology for use of the whole sub system for total price of 30,9205. Motion please. >> Second. uh discussion. I'll leave that

035to you guys. >> Yep. Thank you. So, I've been in contact with Chorus. We've had a lot of conversation. Um a few years ago, section seven and section 10 went to the NHFS cameras. So, you can pay to watch our games online. You pay for a monthly subscription or you can pay per game. Um and the cameras were free. So, that sounds like a good deal because we got these free cameras, but we had no control over them. Nor could our coaches use them to um record their workouts or to take that game footage without paying for their own subscription or district subscriptions, couldn't use that um for their own use. So, Huddle has come along and saw a hole in the market and we we have been paying for Huddle services because we couldn't

036get there through NHFS, but we had they do all sorts of work like you upload your own uh pictures. They will then allow you to use all of their technology to go through your your game or your practice and do all the pieces with it. So, um, Forest has been working to see exactly what it would cost us to just take NHFS off the table and move completely to Huddle. Um, I brought normally a small contract like this for the 7500, it's in his budget, wouldn't come to the board, but because we are doing it as a three-year contract, I wanted to bring a three-year contract before the board and sort of explain because NHFS didn't have a cost. Right now we're paying about $5,500 to huddle for the pieces that we are getting from

037them. So it's going from the 5400 to the 12,000. But what really happens in in that is that um now the district pays for the cameras and the rights to the cameras, but we have access. So, if we choose as a district to allow the people to watch the games for free, we choose to allow them to watch the games for free. And you know, we don't charge anybody $3 to come to the basketball game. So, my recommendation is that we don't if they can't make it here and would like to watch our kids at home. Uh we could also do some advertising and not necessarily for money, but if community schools had an event coming up, we could add our own uh Canva to it. Um and our coaches and would have complete access.

038They could record their own practices. They could record games. So the the difference is significant but the availability of it to our community. Um we try not to ask people to we already pay a lot of money to us. We ask try very hard not to nickel and dime to have them come and support our kids. So that's really why it's before you is that it's a it's a three-year contract. >> The first year when I look at the project was like >> less for the first year. Is that just like an introductory thing? >> Well, you promise not to tell Huddle what happens. So usually for NH usually what happens for NHFS is if you try to get out of their contract they charge you to come and take all their equipment and um

039but we've had such so that's why the decrease is the the 7500 for the first year instead of 12,000 is because that would be anticipated cost that it would cost us to get out of the NHFS contract. But because we've had so many problems, I think we've had 45 uh health tickets in the last 12 months. Because we've had so many problems with their equipment, they are not charging us to get out of our contract. But we didn't we didn't go back to Huddle and say, "Never mind, charge us the 12,000. We're all good here." So that's why the decrease in the first year. And the other thing I know is just in passing out like >> they mentioned all the different sections and schools that are using it but not section seven. >> Yes.

040>> It's on its way. >> Okay. >> Yeah. It's on its way. I think we're the second school in section. >> Okay. So, >> but individual sports within seven most of them that are doing something like this are using the whole software. >> Yes. >> Sport. >> Okay. So, maybe it'll change. The advantage here is right now Harle is only being currently utilized by a couple sports >> uh football and basketball >> and once we >> K >> intention for you >> just going on. >> Yeah. So if if we own it then everywhere's gonna happen. So right now you have to budget for it by the sports and you know some sports it just doesn't make sense but if they had it because we own the whole thing and we control it. The only

041cautionary tale I would make here is for years when we ran the video club on cable access we started doing broadcasting games and events we saw a market immediate decrease in people coming to stuff. One of them was my own father who was not coming to stuff because he was more comfortable watching from home. Right. But you may want to take a look at there's some ways to kind of help them out other things too. Right. It's not just right. >> That is correct. >> Correct. We will have only two cameras. Right now we have four. We have it over on the fields here at this field uh here in the gym and at Schroers. When we're done, we the the new one only has two. It's here in the gym and at Schroers, I'm

042sorry, in field here. So, it won't be at >> But you can upload stuff recorded. >> But you can up right like they're doing now. Anything that you want to personally record, you can upload it. >> And the thing that one of the neat things about this is students can make their own highlight memories. >> Correct. they could take game footage or whatever is is in the system and edit it all down and make their own thing for their own needs and then they got it. So, it's like a video yearbook or pictorial yearbook in some aspects and each kid could do it the way they want. So, there's a lot of advantage to we're paying most of this now anyways uh for for a couple of sports for a little bit more everybody's covered.

043The other thing that I'll say right off the top is if you're thinking, well, we can put the musical on there. Yeah, those all have copyright uh restrictions uh for broadcast. So that that's a non-starter. But >> you could put on your holiday concerts. All those things could go on there, right? You could put on graduation and if grandma lives in San Diego, she could watch it because we will control all that and it could be archived to go back and get. So that's that's the advantage of that. we gain more control with a greater um scope for slightly more than what the pay said. Okay. All those in favor? >> Any opposed? Resolution is approved. >> Okay. >> He had to sell me to you know this is not my thing but he's not

044>> well just been around. >> Yeah. You've done this. >> All right. Budget status report. Budget status report. Those are in the drive. Nothing unusual to report. Next is the budgetary transfer report and approval of budgetary trans. Yes. >> So resolution 039 2025 approving the current budgetary transfer report as presented uh by the superintendent for the school business executive. That's attached. Not a lot of money here. Anything you want to add on? Uh none of them are over the $10,000 threshold, but as you know, we just bring these to you so you can watch as the money moves. Mostly it's field trips just being moved from one spot to another. Nothing unusual. >> Motion second. >> A second. >> Any discussion? >> Question. >> No, just all those in favor. >> Resolution approved. >> Okay.

045Now on to the audit. Um the audit is in the drive. Did I hear that Nancy was looking at it? >> Looking at it. >> Yeah. Anybody who >> got a hard copy if anyone needs a hard >> Yes, there's a hard copy if anybody wants it. Um but our our external audit is complete. There was only one major finding. It's the major finding that we have every year and that's the district's access fund balance. As you know, we purposely keep it at about 10%. is at about 10%. The state says 4%. Um so therefore we're over by 6.49%. Um and there is a corrective action plan. Um it is the Yep. And it it's attached to her notes and it really says every year we use unrestricted fund balance to help budget for the

046next fiscal year and we will continue to do that. We also are seeing more and more grants that are drying up and we will be needing some of the additional funds to cover that as we adjust to the pull back of funding. >> So resolution 040 2025 motion please. >> Second >> any further discussion. What's the last the last conversation I had with Roger about this was that there was discussion about >> didn't happen in the last budget >> every year it's brought up at our level but is the state working on raising it we know what's going on with that >> district >> or you know different degrees Yeah. Well, >> if you know, historically, if you put your fund balance at what the state wants you to put it at and you had

047any kind of >> unintended financial occurrence, you'd be in big trouble. >> This this month, this amount is probably about 30 years out of date. And and only school districts have a cap, correct? You know, a legal cap of how much fund balance you're allowed to keep. Towns, villages, cities. They don't have that cap where they're not. >> Yeah. It's not mandated what they can. >> So, our first resolution is accepting and approving the audit. 41. >> Did we Did we vote on >> 41? >> All those in favor? >> I >> Any opposed? >> Resolution approved. So get this on the floor. Resolution accepting and approving the corrective action plan based on the results 202425 external audit of the district. Motion >> second. Discussion. Those in favor? I. >> Any opposed? Resolution is approved.

048>> Anything else adds? >> Uh, I want to talk about policy 6645, the fixed access management for first reading. >> Um, the auditor suggested that we change that. That 1500 is way too low for fixed asset. Um, so those are things that we have to tag and keep track of that in this day and age, nobody's using 1500 anymore. It's just antiquated number. Most schools are using 5,000. So, um, Cindy brings I'm sorry, Nikki brings that forward to ask that move from 1500 to 5,000. We'll revisit it at the next meeting. She's going to put it on the table. >> Correct. Hey, someone's going to be asking about >> there in the the version that's on the drive says 1500 for first reading. It doesn't say 5,000. So that just >> it's just that it

049was not. >> So I do the updating and it just hasn't made my desk yet. This this came from Nikki, but she had it set policy. So what's on there is actually policy. The only change to that policy and I'll bring the actual suggested policy in the second read. The only change you will see is the figure. >> Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. >> Yeah. The only other thing she mentioned and we talked about it earlier is that we will bring the budget development calendar uh to the next meeting for discussion >> the year flying >> that for for those that budget calendar will go online. >> Correct. >> Right. So so in addition to the schoolboard meetings being online the budget meetings are all also posted online. Those are public meetings. >>

050We haven't updated that policy since 20 Prices have changed a little since then. What? What exactly is >> something that has Oh, no. You ask me. Is it in here? It's something that has a lifespan usually >> that depreciates. >> Correct. >> I'm just confirming that I'm >> Yes. >> That is correct. >> Okay. Moving on to old business. Any uh capital uh project updates? We're ticking away at the uh at the to-do list. We're really on hold right now. We're watching Troba's HBAC work. We think we're in a good spot. I say that we'll come in tomorrow. I'll do it differently. But um we had some error. We had some unusual connections. They've all been corrected. So really, it's been pretty pretty solid for the last couple weeks. So that work is just wrapping

051up. Very little left. just making sure it's good to go before we sign off on it. Um, we're closed down here for the field for the winter. We have to have we have to have reviews every week with DBC, but we closed up shop for the winter. No work to be done. Um, so that's just on hold. Just a couple things. Sidewalks are left, some paving left for next spring. Otherwise, that's good to go also. Um, and that's really it. We we'll talk a little bit about elective busing later and then that that's it for now. There's there's a lot going on but not a lot of action closing up shop or starting a conversation. >> So our next item is the district facilities planning committee update. Um, at our last meeting, uh, we had

052a very extensive, uh, um, discussion on funding and money and where it comes and where it goes. And you're going to get an abbreviated version of that tonight for the members that are on that committee. And our next meeting next week, we're going to look at a bunch of scheduling uh, options and and see if we can't start narrowing down direction we want to go to try to um, you know, reduce our expenditures in our district. So, that move that committee's moving along well. Would either of the board members on the committee like to add anything to that? >> No, it was a lot of information. >> Yeah, a lot of information was so which I mean which was great information. It was a lot of information and I think that's why we're still kind

053of at that that level was gathering all the information to make a a informed decision. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Just love. >> Yeah. >> So, I'm gonna say this every single time we talk about this. Gina is phenomenal. If members of the public go on our website and look at those minute uh minutes from those meetings, they get a great sense of what's happening. They are awesome. Thank you again, J. It's a great amount of work. Thank you. >> Yeah. The next meeting will be focusing on scheduling and and talking about Bloomingdale School more specifically, right? >> Yes. >> So, going to get into some good stuff. >> Yeah, we've spent the first several meetings really doing background on everything and we've toured all of our facilities. Um, so now it's now gets down to

054what are the planning? What can we do? So, That's the update. >> So, a couple quick question. Well, one comment was so with I got the notes. Awesome. Thank you, Gina was going through just the one thing I was mentioning here about like not in our purview with the centralization of schools happening in Vermont. That's something we don't ever want. That's just being working in Vermont. That is a that is a giant mess that's happening there that you should never ever consider because it's just so many unintended consequences of that especially in terms of funding. Um I curious too though. So when if we were to ultimately recommend a change in any capacity for next year when is our deadline by which we need to because there's budget implications obviously so what is there a

055timeline here and I'm not saying we are making changes >> that's the question that's currently being asked by most members of committ where where is the date by which we have to get something done if we do any of these options. >> Sure. And I think after this next meeting next Thursday, we're going to have a better idea of that simply because we're going to see what the reality is of some of the things that have been kicking around. Some may have higher degrees of acceptance than others. >> So would you agree with that, Mike? >> Yes. I think you know obviously for changes to change you know for things to happen to implement them sooner than later. So, but we have to make sure that our decision is the right decision before that happens.

056So, that moving forward, I think we're looking at you know January. >> So, the idea would be but again it would be for budget season the subcommittee would make a recommendation to the board that we would discuss in >> and remember this January. Yeah, I think January, >> but but I think that we're going to be starting putting things together. You know what I mean? Like >> Dian's eyebrows going up. She wants to say something. So >> you you know and some of it's going to depend on do we do we entertain, hey, let's do it at one time leadership. Do we do a phase in? We will do a piece. I mean, we're still wrestling with all those parameters. And I think that the committee will come up with what we think is the

057best practice. Then as a board, we're going to have to look at that and, you know, make some decisions based on that. But obviously, if we do a phase in and we piece it in, some things don't need to be done as quickly as others. So, it just kind of, you know, there's some feelings by some folks, let's just get it done, and others, let's ease into it. So, we're not there yet. And we we want to make sure we'll get as thorough as we can. We really need to hold some public hearings before we say to the board this as well. >> When is when is the deadline for like I'm ask the budget planning that needs to happen if changes happen next year. When is that deadline? >> Well, I can tell you

058uh we'll vote. My recommendation would be that we go to the tax. And here's why. Nobody likes to hear that. Everybody wants the budget to go down. I live in the community also. And I pulled up the equalization rates. And I live I live in North Elba, so I'm at 100%. So I I feel your pain because I feel it every single year at 100%. So um I hear that. But the tax cap is well loved by downstate legislators who don't actually have to live under the tax cap. New York City and Long Island do not actually have a tax cap. >> Only upstate uh Hudson Valley and up have to live under the tax cap. >> Go figure. So the problem with the tax cap was the idea that the tax cap was going

059to keep taxes low. But the problem with that is that if you do not go to your tax cap, the first thing you use with next year's tax calculation is what your past year's tax rate was. So being under the tax cap any single year means every subsequent year in perpetuity you are now able to raise less money regardless of what you need to actually make your budget work. 20 years ago if you had a bad year you might go to your public and say we really need 80%. Here we are. If you had a good year, you could say we need 2%. We did pretty well last year. Reduce our fund. But with the tax cap in place, there's no ability to adjust yearly. You're given a figure and your next year and the

060year after that and the year after that, the year after that is all built on what you did the year before. >> So if you come in less, you essentially reset your cap lower forever. >> Forever. Forever. you reset your cap. So, it sounds great, this 2% tax cap, but what it really has done is locked in most districts to going to the tax cap every year. So, I hear you, Justin, but it would be wrong of me on my way out the door to recommend anything less than going to the tax cap because I would be setting up the next superintendent and the next board to >> and the community for the ability to collect fully on the taxes. >> Correct. And so it would seem to me that if that is is what

061we're looking at and we do any reorganization, reorganization would then be less not more. So when we decide what we're doing doesn't necessarily more money, be less money, right? >> Does that make sense? >> Or the same hopefully less. That's what we're doing. >> Okay. So what I'm hearing is that that wasn't really my I mean I think you answered it in a way that was above my head a little bit. So >> I get my my question was just like >> I'm thinking linear like >> the committee is going to make a recommendation to the board at some point. The board is going to discuss that recommendation. We're going to go this is the decision and my question is it my question was do we have to like when is that date we have

062to make it because it implicates the budget but what you're saying now is doesn't really matter because you're going to recommend going to the cap regardless. So regardless of what the committee decides to do, the idea would be it's going to is we're saving money that's spending more obviously. >> Okay. >> And what you'll see is that when we've had years where we have collected more than we expect, we have put them away so that when we have to upgrade the bus garage in order to move to electric busing, we have funds available. We've been >> nobody like we have tried to be good stewards. We haven't we haven't spent our budget to zero because we had the money. And we've had years where we've had money that we did not have to spend. We

063have tucked that away purposely for costs that are going to come due to us at some point so that we have the funds available. So we don't we don't have to go out asking to over the tax gap or do something for additional immediate fun >> or borrow money that then costs us money to borrow >> and why a year or so ago there were some neighboring districts that were in trouble and we were like this is why we do it this way because then we don't end up in trouble. >> That is correct. >> So with that let's move on to electric busing which is a prime example of uh state mandate that is going to cost us a lot of money and we're not sure where that money is going to come from.

064So, we're gonna try to plan as best we can. >> Well, it's not totally unfunded mandate because we did have a meeting Diane and um Dave Woodson and I met with Josh Bean who from National Grid. He's our kind of local representative dealing with uh blessing and he's kind of like you know the first step to well we we had we had we had um initially had a a uh conversation with national grid before we did the uh the study and they you know kind of gave the very uh preliminary assessment that there's not enough power that goes by the bus garage right based on what we think, you know, the our fleet size, but they had no information on on routes and, you know, charging times and all that stuff. So, this now we

065have this the study that was done by CPL, the transportation study, and and now they're taking that study and again told us there's not enough power going by. Um and but but we they could take it from there to get a more uh accurate um cost of what it what that will be. Uh he's going to come back to us with that. Uh and >> are they still saying that to bring power from the Pisca substation is is is our responsibility >> is the great saying. So they will do it. >> It depends. They they call it what do they call it? the kayak c a i c which stands for uh in my notes but whatever it it's the cost there there's bringing power from the substation to the building uh it's it's going

066to be the cost will be uh beared by both the district and national grid and um national grids bears some of the costs for the greater good of the grid and the district is responsible for the kayak. Here it is customer in aid of construction to to bring it when we need more power. But there are um there's the EV medium heavy duty make ready pilot program that pays 90% of your kayak. So there's state funding. It's not it's for the utilities. It's funding that pays 90% of the cost that national grid identifies to get to the the power to the to the building. Um, >> and that saving goes on to our side. >> Well, so this is just just money before the meter, you know, before your service panel, right? Your service upgrades

067for the building. And yeah, the 90% is is of of the district's cost share of it. There's a national grid will will take some of that cost of upgrading the line for, you know, the greater good of all the other people that are going to be using electricity uh down the line. But then the portion of that that they said is just our portion 90% gets paid. >> Let me focus. Hold on a second. Let me see if I think I I think I got this right. Let me just restate this for our guests. So if we were given all the equipment for electric buses free there's not enough power run by a bus garage to use equipment. And originally national grid said we would have to bring power from the business substation to the

068bus garage. That would be our cost. Now you're saying there is some program to defay those costs. But whether it's 10% or 5% or that is a new cost incurred to us whatever that number is. Yes. Which we don't know what that number is. Right. >> We don't know. But not yet. Not exactly. I mean at one point they they quoted something like 700,000 >> 500 to 700,000 that's what CPL estimates >> that's the 10% of the >> no no this is before the so the 90% of that would be paid for and then we would be responsible for roughly 10 well 10% of that >> and that's just the upgrades to the building and then there then there are upgrades from the building out you know into your service panel to your um getting

069power to this the uh charging stations and stuff and there is a program for that but it at this point it's 50% >> and but we have to buy that that equipment we don't realize >> not with the kayak not that that is paid internally so we would only be built for the the 10% >> so everybody likes the idea of reducing the pollution from our diesel blessing but I think for for the sake of our audience we ask you to stay this is what we're dealing with this is supposed to begin enacting next year, the year after that buses >> 27 and a electric bus is roughly double the cost for the buses we now buy. We don't have the power there. So we got to incur some cost there and then we have

070to incur cost for the chargers. So that this is all money that after any grant or funding or any of that comes in, there's still money we got to come up with and we're already at the tax cap max right now. So you see our point, we have no no real say in this. >> So um anyways, those are some of the issues. Uh Diane did we we did um bring up to National Grid that we are considering going to one bus run if you know the decision isn't made yet but when it is that uh that uh you know could could affect how what our charging rate is and they really are most concerned with your peak load you know what's the highest amount you're going to draw at any one time which is

071probably going to be daytime charging if you need daytime charging. So that's what they care about and that's what we'll um that's what the kayak will be based on. You know that there the cost of how much upgrade. Um so he so he took that information. I think Diane uh has approached CPL and asked them to um revise the numbers based on the single bus run. So I think they will send all that information or whatever right. um so that the National Grid can look at both and maybe it won't make that much difference, right? That if the peak is still this peak, um it won't um affect it all that much. But um either way, we've started the conversations with National Grid. We kind of have a next steps of what happens when we

072do want to request a work order for them to start um you know, upgrading the the electric lines and how that works. So it's still there's still many steps down the line. >> They give you any like time frame. >> I don't know if you're going to love this. >> Like like how long would it take for them to run the line? Not necessarily get to it, but like >> they said six to 18 months. >> And you have to have your plan. They won't run They won't run the line until you have your plan completely engineered, which guess how much time it takes. >> Uhhuh. >> Six months. >> Six to 18 months if we're going to get it approved by New York State. So we're 30 and we have to pay for all

073the engineering work long before we can do any kind of borrowing or >> so it's really the same process. >> Correct. Correct. The timeline >> to power that is correct. >> 2027 is we're supposed to that's when the program is supposed to be us are purchasing and doing this. But isn't there there some kind of waver? >> There's a two-year waiver. There are two two-year waivers available. The first two-year waivers, they haven't really they haven't put out the paperwork yet, but that's pretty um >> But if we start it today, >> doable. >> The two-year waiver is already eaten up by the lead time on studies, right? >> Well, you know, many districts are going to apply for the first two-year because it doesn't take or two-year extension because there isn't much to require to

074be eligible for that. If you want to go for the second two-year waiver, then um you have to show that you've done a study and you there's a reason why you need the waiver. You know, not saying we wouldn't be eligible for that waiver, but um but that's >> maybe don't know, but like us being the largest geographs of reasons why we're more disadvantaged than a lot of districts. >> And who when we say this district has to apply for that waiver, who actually is doing that? It's well it's it's state ed that the waiver would >> but the superintendent is the one that's doing that. >> So have we discussed at all >> how much power is at the bus garage? Can we put five chargers in and in >> Yes. That was a

075good that was one of >> the beginning you know what I mean where we're picking so that way we're picking off getting a bus here a bus there a bus here bus there. >> Yeah. >> While we're trying to get our sole substrate all figured out. >> Well they've asked that. Is there enough to charge two to three, >> right, >> level two chargers at this time? Um, and he said many, um, you know, many districts do that. They start with a couple buses just to see how it works into their things. Uh, really uh, he said that's an internal thing that that we need to have an electrician look at the service bill. Is there room in the service bill to add, you know, the the, you know, the chargers to it? Uh but

076there is enough to do a bus you know a bus or two not really more than that. >> Okay. >> There is uh another new piece of information as Dave shared with uh national grid who I mean I'm sure they know it somewhere but three phase power was just run along road three just in in the last year or so and that was not in the his knowledge of of where they because when they looked at it it was several years ago. >> Yeah. So it, you know, we'll see. We really, with the 500, 600, that was just a real, >> you know what I mean? Like, so that way we're not swiddling our thumbs for 16, 18 months. We can still be having some kind of charger and a bus coming and you know

077what I mean? >> Yeah. >> Well, we don't have to be totally electric by 27 to start, >> right? >> What's what's the end on that? current end date on that >> 20 well in 2027 as the law was written you can no longer buy ICE buses internal combustion engine buses in New York state that was how it was written without the extensions um and so you have to start purchasing your buses and by 2035 all your buses supposed to be electric again that's without extensions or all the there's you I've been perusing the you know online there's all kinds of um uh politicians who are trying to get rid of the mandate alto together. They're trying to put extensions for everybody to push it back. I mean, so there there's it's a really still

078kind of a moving target, but regardless, we are we are doing what we need to do at this point to know where we're at and know what needs to happen in the future. And you know, we started down that road in spending money, but we're >> we're about to spend a little bit. Um what was the I don't know >> 5800 >> yeah to that 5800 to for CPL to update >> and do the one button one bus run >> Nancy we really appreciate that you're really tuned into this >> yeah no it's >> thank you for all the behind the scenes work on this very Yeah, we'll find out just how funded it is as we go to a >> Okay. >> So, just an update from when Nancy and I met with National.

079So, I've talked to we're going to have a meeting because we this idea of just installing one or two chargers. We're talking $60,000 a charger. We're doing a level three charger. We don't want to be moving those chargers a 100 times. So even if we're just going to do one or two or three chargers, our bus garage location is tight because electric buses. It's quite and if you look at our they they uh they did a nice outline which was really nice if everybody walked to work because there's plenty of room for buses but nobody could actually drive to the site and park anywhere. We have a second we have to people to the bus garage to drive the bus. >> We have to people to the bus garage to drive the buses. So So

080we really I need them. I've been in contact with Schoolhouse and with Mosaic that we need to begin the design work of something. Would it really work? And the other thing we've talked about should Bloomale close would Bloomale make a better bus garage location? Um you know there's plenty of room out there. It's the It's the same substation. It's either the Bloomingdale substation or the Lake KBY substation. Either one. So, either both need good news. Both need upgrades. So, doesn't really matter which one we went with. So, I I think it's time to look at what our options are. Look at what the places are. um what a real outline would look like because we don't want to be putting in chargers that we then have to pay to move later on as we go.

081So, we're going to begin that process and get that going. >> And just so it's clear, there there is also money available for purchasing buses and for purchasing and installing chargers. So, it's not completely like it's all on our on our >> but it's all reimbursement. So you've got to put money out. >> Yes. >> In order to get the reimbursement >> and the reimbursement comes in in phases, right? >> The buses comes over eight years. >> Well, not not the not the naerta incentives. Those come quickly. But as far as our aid goes, that is is financially if we pull from fund balance to cover some of this, can reimbursements go back into fund balance? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah, absolutely. They can. Yes. So, we have some money and we'll talk about this.

082We have we we knew this was coming. We've known this was coming for a while. So, we have um we have 1.7 million in repair reserve because we could possibly tap into that uh for upgrades that are necessary. We also have transportation maintenance and equipment reserve of 2.2 million. Sounds like a ton of millions of money, but the bus >> um >> like 400,000. It's about three times as much as >> Yeah. 400 410 by the time we put all our cameras on it. So even with a a nice sort of half. >> It's more than that. It's a lot of it. >> Yeah. If we qualify, it's all about whether or not we qualify an average district. >> But that Well, we could talk about that. >> Yeah. But anyways, we're going to need

083outlay money for this, right? Because it's going to come back in drips and droughts over time. So, we we have money as uh to cover our other we use the fund right now so that we don't have to borrow to buy our buses. We we buy them outright. So, there's no borrowing costs. >> Saves us money. >> But it will right but it will be eaten up very quickly >> with electric buses until the aid starts falling after a few years, right? Like as we buy two, three or four, then there'll be pretty significant aid coming back each year. Yeah. >> All right. Moving on to new business. Uh district finances. >> You >> This is the highlight of the night. >> Oh boy. >> Nikki's sick or so she claims. So So you're stuck

084with me. So Gina will take all of your questions and Nikki will get right back to you with them. So, we um felt it was important for the feasibility study to sort of see our money flow. Nikki and I spent a lot of time on this and Mark is right. We don't usually present it in this form. So, we could spend hours and hours and hours on it, but I'm going to simply walk us through. I'm happy to try to answer questions. I probably can answer them. If not, we'll we'll save them for Nikki and get it back to you. We spent a lot of time on it, so I'm gonna speed it up, but Justin, when I leave you in the dust, I want you to slow it down and bring it back again.

085Okay. >> So, the first page that you have is that all of ours go back 10 years just so we can see a history. These are our revenues. So you can see where our money comes from. Um there's general aid, excess cost. Usually those are specialized students and other costs. We talked about transportation, things like that. Lottery aid. Uh we got a whole $3.82 in cannabis revenue in 23 24. Mobile sports wagering, the lottery grants. Um those are all things that come from the state. I love the way they say uh play the lottery support schools. Well, when the lotteryies came into being uh we all thought, okay, so the lottery was going to be on top of the aid that we received. Actually, they just reduced your aid by the amount of the lottery

086money that you got, >> kept the rest. >> So, so that's the way it worked, but they have broken it out. So, that's how we get money comes in different each of these different funds. The money comes in at different times during the year, but that's really the money I'm going to who've come in. That's your state aid. When we talk about state aid and what they give us as state aid, um there's also Bosey's aid. Bosey's aid is what we receive because we uh engage with Boseies for different services that they provide. Our big service that we receive from Boseies is our CTE programming for our juniors and seniors. Um that's a significant cost about $14,000 per student per year. So to send a kid to Boseies is about $28,000, but we do receive

087aid on that in the following year. So the thing about Bosey's aid is it looks like oh look at you're getting all 642,000. Well that's because we spent 2.2 two million the year before, right? It's all based on what you spent the year before and it does fluctuate. Uh tuitions for students with disabilities, that's pretty self-explanatory. Uh textbook aid, we receive uh a textbook aotment per student. Same with computer software. Um occasionally we get hardware, as you can see, we don't get much. um the library, uh small government assistance and other state aid. Sometimes we get some money. Um the uh different um government officials receive some light item grants that they can give schools. We've received that in the past. We got $50,000 towards our community school work one year. So, um, but again,

088it's not anything you can budget because that doesn't come to us until after budget season, right? And they they spread the bulk around their different school districts. We appreciate it, uh, but it's not really something we can budget on. So, that's really what the state of New York sends us. The next section here is property taxes. And, uh, you can see where we get our money comes from. real property taxes, payment and move taxes. They're pilots, so new builds, that type of thing. Often get a deal on their taxes over so many years to help entice them to move into the community. Star reimbursement, we had a lot of discussion because star reimbursement is really going down. We think it really is a reflection. You cannot receive us. Two things have happened with the star

089reimbursement. Second homes do not count. It's only on your primary residents. So as our community is more and more a second home community, we see lower star reimbursement. Also, the star reimbursement actually changed a couple years ago. Yeah, the requirements change. So we think between the two answers that interest and penalties, we get a little money to people who pay late. We get some interest on money that's held. Um that kind of stuff. So that's that's really that's what comes from our taxpayers. Um the next section >> and these ones that are just 000 are really just placeholders, right? >> Because you don't know what you're getting for that, right? >> What you mean? >> Like the 10,000 a year and the 27. >> Yes. So when you look at Oh, I should have pointed

090that out. When you look at 2526, that's our budgeted amount. Everything else is actual because we haven't finished the year. That's what we put in for this year's budget amount. Correct. Right. Same with property taxes. So we move down. Now we have some refund of Boseies expenses. So what happens is Boseies has to end the year at zero. So if we have overpaid for the year for Boseies, they reimburse us uh our share of that. Um, sometimes we have other um, prior year expenses that we get some refunds for. Um, sometimes we have tuition for other schools and they pay us two tuition if we have their kids. It's a lot of our kids that are in foster care. And then Medicaid, we are able to build Medicaid for our students who are Medicaid eligible

091and receive services and we do that. Um the next section on the next page is our interest in earnings. So that's real money. When we talk about our money that we have in our reserves, that's real money that's earning with interest. So that's the interest that comes off of those reserves. And then down below on that second page is really a catchall of all the other things that sometimes money has come in for over the past 10 years. Sometimes we just receive different things. A lot of this has been uh different grants that we've received, one time grant or a three-year grant. Um some rental properties, um sales of things. You can see we've been well, you approved it tonight. We're going to do some sales of our old equipment, insurance recoveries we need when

092we have insurance issues. that 181,000 was when the second floor flooded at Petroa. Yeah. So, you know, again, these are not things that we can really count on um beyond the other unclassified revenue. And you'll see we we anticipate that one this year will go up because we have three instructors who are working for Boseies this year. And so hostesses will reimburse us for 50% of the salary and that's where we record that in our material. So when you get all the way to the end, you can see how our general fund looks and what our revenues look like. And as was mentioned earlier, our budget is 381 and our general fund revenues are 36 because we make up the difference with our um reserves. Well, with our unallocated fund balance, that's how we get

093from the 36 to the 38. Okay, that's number one. Those are all the revenues. We're now experts at the revenues of the school district. But you are looking at all our money and where it has come from over the last. Then we move on to school one fund. Um that's important really when you look at the general the transfer from the general fund the very very um last line the requirement when school lunch fund was first established the idea was that it was a standalone program that it was not supposed to cost the taxpayers anything. However also in that requirement is that this lunch fund must always end at zero. So, there's a there's a a great there's a great story um years ago that Greg and I listened to on a podcast and it

094talked about where kids went to school and there were these two schools and one was here in New York State, the other was in Maine and the one in New York State used their uh money um to make sure that their students were robust and from varied backgrounds in Maine used a lot of their money to do farm to table and all these gourmet things and they both attracted kids in different ways, right? So, we feed a lot of kids. We are very into our our farm to school. We have all our gardens. That's that's a community goal, but that community goal does cost us money um in that every year we've had to uh support our food program until last year when we became a community eligibility program. so that we had um free

095meals through the federal and state government. So um we have had to already give some money. Satie is taking over and has made some changes and her opinion is we've got to put a little money in because we have less than well about 50% of our kids eating. Why are only 50% of our kids eating breakfast and lunch when it's free? Why are parents spending money to buy food to send with their kids when we do farm to school? All sorts of interesting things. She's like, "We've got to vary up the menu. We've got to do things that kids like and we've got to do a lot of taste testing. Once they taste it, they'll like it." And I don't know if anybody has been following our menu. Our menu's changed, hasn't it? Are you

096eating at school? I'm not putting it on the spot, but the menu has changed. So, but you should be eating here. The tortoillini is delicious. And I ate my homemade cookie today. It was very good. So, I agree with her. Let's let's do some work to get more kids eating. So, because the goal is um our students pay $2 and something, but the but this federal and state government give us over $4 a meal. So, we want our kids eating because the more they eat, the less we have to support the school lunch. So, we're get them eating. >> Well, even the wording in the menus, which I just because after we talked about that when we were walking to school, it's like changing the wording. So, instead of it being a egg, sausage, and

097cheese sandwich, changing it to sausage, egg, and cheese, right? Because that the, you know, the first thing that somebody sees is egg and they're like, well, I don't like egg, >> right? But if you put sausage first, like, well, I love sausage, right? And then they get it, you know? >> So, we're working on it. Well, we spent a lot of money. There's a lot of flow through money in the school lunch fund. >> All right, the next spot where we receive revenues is the special aids fund. And if you followed along in the spring about federal government and holding all of their funding, that's what we're really talking about here. So, we are a title school. We do receive title funds. Um, and we also receive IDA, which is 611 and 619 funds. And

098as you know when we put the budget together last year, we actually budgeted originally at zero. Um what you see in the 2526 is what we actually um >> Okay, let me interrupt you. >> You folks want to scoot out, that's fine. If you have questions in the future, please contact us. Please >> we will we're going to try to come next week. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> That's fine. So that's what we have received for title and we just did our title so I don't have to explain what that's all for. You are all good for that. Um the next section is summer guess why UPK and 21st century learning those are all based on student participation. So title in 611 is based on the year before how many students you have who's

099in what programming but these uh summer UPK and 21st century those funds flow by the actual number of students that are are participating this school year. So they they really can vary and you can see that in the numbers. >> Thank good question about title funding. >> Yes. Did title funding increase during co or were those separate revenue streams? >> Those were separate revenues. Those were whole separate >> separate. >> Yes. >> Is it true that some districts cover their costs? >> Correct. You'll see them on the next page. Okay. >> Because they're just two years. >> Just looking at these these federal funds fluctuating. >> Yes, they do. It's interesting >> that even the school lunch was 2122 when they were when they were all going home about it all 440,000. >> Yeah. >>

100But then the next year it dropped down by 120,000. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> We supplemented that for a couple years. >> We did >> to try to get more fun more and more kids. Correct. >> That is correct. >> Uh the next page is exactly what you're talking about. The next page are all sorts of grants that over the years we've received. They were short-term farm to school, wellness, kinder camp. Um those ARP that you see, that's the American Rescue Plan. So those were COVID. Um healthcare worker bonus was also COVID. The CARES Esser and CERSA were also uh co grants. The title one BSI and title one enhanced as when we were identified school district for our um test scores received some extra funding. As you can see, they've they've gone from a

101a high of 1.7 million and is at 2324 to 420,000 last year. Um and last year was the end of the of the um co grants. So they're they're all gone for this year. >> It's always fun money when they want to. >> There you go. The next page is our fund balance and reserves. I was just at a Rick Tims. We saw Rick Tims when we went to class and I and he was actually talking about 10% as the what we should be looking at for and I'm like hey I think ours is 10%. So I was like so uh Rick is sort of the rural schools guru on on funding for schools and I I saw he just worked with usable and he just worked with Temper Lake. It was just recently in

102the newspaper with the findings from his work. But as you can see, we have really tried to beef up our reserves. I do remind you that when I got here, our reserves were negative. They had used funding that was in the capital reserve um to balance the budget. And so we talk all the time about how if it's in a reserve, it can only be used for what the reserve says it can be used for. Um, but it had actually been used and it took us several years to get out of the hole to get to zero and to pay that reserve back as it was supposed to be paid back. So, there's real there's real reasons for this and this is where we have funds at the end of the year where these funds

103go to help us with future years. Capital improvement reserve at $2.7 million. I love to do uh capital work in school and I always ask people we put those brand new doors on Petrova door number two. Guess how much those doors were to to buy them and install them. >> They like 100,000 or 60,000. >> They were 50,000 for the doors. >> I think about every time I walk through those doors and I some tens of thousands of dollars. >> Yes. Yes. So people have no because of all the state rags on everything we do. Your you know your thousand door at home is our $50,000 door at school. So it sounds like all sorts of money. And a reminder that we are trying to move and we're doing a pretty good job on this.

104We are trying to move from one project every 15 years which means it doesn't matter how battered and bruised it is. We got to make it hang on for another seven years or we have to buy it out of rotation which costs more money to going to smaller projects more often without affecting um our taxpayer and the tax cap so that that stays steady. So having some funds in here helps us smooth that out as we go. Um next is the transportation maintenance and equipment reserve. Again we use that for buses and other vehicles. um repair reserve. That could be for um vermiculate. It could be when the lift broke at the bus garage and we needed a new lift. Um that reserve does not require community vote where the other first two do, the

105community must approve our use of those funds. This one is a board approval. Um ERS and TRS is for retirements. Um, there's a way to pronounce this. I can't tell you what it is, but it is the long-term costs connected with employees and employee benefits. Workers comp reserve, unemployment reserves, property loss reserves, and tax certiary. And the tax certi is sometimes we have taxpayers who um sue the the local assessment and so we use some examples of that. Donaldson's uh campground >> local >> that's correct. You know it was millions of dollar difference between what their assessment was and what they believed their assessment to be. So we actually have to put the taxes in the tax circuitary account in case moon golf wins which is actually what happened right did win and we had

106to give them back the taxes that they paid. So we have the tax circardiary for anybody every year we get notification of who who and that money gets tucked in. So it it it is different every year, but that's that's the money that's in there is the money is held in the payments in case we actually have to give the the funds back. So those are the total restricted reserve. Assigned is what we use to balance the budget this year and the unassigned then is in the orange column. And that when you look at how much we use for assigned, should we use that full amount of assigned? There aren't many years left in the unassigned. Should we use it up? We talked pretty openly and we do at t at at budget season. This

107money is not ours to just touch and use. If we want to spend more, we got a great deal and buy two extra buses. We can't just move the money out of here and spend it. So, even though this money is here, we do budget. Our hope is that there'll be about a million dollars at the end of the year that gets tucked immediately into the next year's budget. That's where when we need something that's unbudgeted for, we have some funds. And we've been conscientious of not spending that money so that we have a little start for the following year, but we also have enough tucked in that if we ran into a big problem, um, we could cover it. Next is the capital fund and debt service. So this is our borrowing. >> Can

108I just a second? >> We we started a new fund for health care. >> We did that. Well, for retirement, we did not start a new one. Yeah. For retirement. We did not. There is no So we can't Yeah, it they looked into it. we can. There's only about 18 different reserves that the state allows you to carry and right now I do not believe that that is a reserve that is allowed. >> The reason I asked that question is I'm looking at projected increases in health insurance that we have no control over and wondering. >> Yes. >> And whe Good. But then we would be using our unassigned. Yeah, we'd be pulling from unassigned. >> And we had this conversation. >> Correct. Correct. The problem with ongoing expenses is you've got to come up

109with that difference every single year. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> That's okay. >> Ongoing expenses are just that. That is correct. Uh so next is your reserves for capital fund and debt service. You can see how that plays out. Um this just lays out what we've borrowed. Uh and then if you go to the next page, you can see our our different projects. So you can see the windows and bleachers at the field was way back in 2010. Um we have made our last payment on that and our capital project phase one has now uh been in the works for a couple of years and you can see how we borrowed for that and then that drops off to eight years. So the idea is that we would be able to do the next project

110eight years out rather than 15 years out. Then you see how that will drop off again as we move forward. So in a couple of cycles we'll be on a a fiveyear cycle. So we won't won't have some of the cost that we currently have of having to do things up cycle. And then last but not least is just a big overview of our expenses. We spend a lot of time on expenses during the budget season. So these are just broad category. You can see this at any time. If you'd like to see the line by line, we can run that 23 page report for you. that's not a problem, but we look at that a lot during the budget season. But you can these are our big categories of how the how the state

111breaks down our expenses in a district and you can watch how those expenses have um fluctuated over the So you bring up a pretty good point, Joe, is that we have some some big things coming up. We are looking at 20% plus on health insurance. For us, that's about $2 million. We're looking at um about five just under $500,000 for instructional staff raises this year and uh we are negotiating with the CSEA unit um starting in the new year. And the problem we have with CSCA is that we negotiated a five-year contract. So their contract was negotiated before all these uh costs of living increases have happened to us. We negotiated the SLTA contract right in the middle of the 11% inflation time. So we have 3% 3.25% 25% in the CSEA contract over five

112years. We have 4.75 in the SLTA. So our average employee at CSEA makes what? 17 1819 an hour, you know, so 30 something or $40,000 a year where our instructional staff makes 60 or plus. So we're watching the difference in wage go like this over the last few years. uh CSCA is also able to watch the wage differential go like this over the years. What that means to us is that we are losing people to the town. We are losing people to St. Joe's. We are losing people to just about every other place because our wages have not kept up with the wages in the community. And that's why we have a lot of unfilled um CSDA positions. And that's a reality we're going to have to face when we come to the table. So

113there will not be significant savings when we see what CSEA looks like for next year. So we have some pretty strong financial um headwinds ahead of us for this coming school year. We're not alone. Um, I try never to talk about the neighbors because that's sometimes private information that I know from my meetings, but I stable, but there's right in the newspaper from their recent Rick Tims review and they are in a pretty tight spot. Um, and Timberlake also did a Rick Tims review. They are in a pretty rough spot. Um, I thought JC might fall over when she was at the health insurance consortium meeting talking about it and what the raise would be. I don't I feel for her. Our news is that we have some reserves to help us move the ship

114along. It will not be pretty. We're not going to be able to do this just by nipping and chunking. It's going to take some substantial changes. And I think the the concern I have that I put right on the table is that I think there is a thought that if we reconfigure, if we close Bloomingdale, we're going to save all this money and there will be a big decrease in the taxes. Really what will happen is that it will be absorbed by the $3 million difference between what we have available and what our new our new reality looks like. And I don't correct >> the problem with that is you can only close it once if you close >> and you can only close it once if you close it. Right. So, so I just

115just don't want I don't want people to think something's coming and then feel like they were sold to build goods that um >> it's a hard thing to explain to people too. Our enrollment is equally I think that goes like well shouldn't >> it's counterintuitive. >> It is counterintuitive because we don't control a lot of those costs. We did do some we did I mean this this past year >> this past year with with uh reducing certain class numbers >> we did >> is you know that's three less teaching as well and we reduced significant in our special area special ed we did some creative staffing with that >> yes >> so we are adjusting to correct but it's still not >> it's hard to adjust >> well it's not you're not going to see

116huge savings because everything's going up. I don't think anybody wants to see your sal 25% increase 20%. >> I thought he said it could be as much as 40. >> Did he not say that? That's a that's a >> I heard 20 and then I heard higher but I thought maybe it was only 28 >> and that's just next year and projected similar the following year >> okay thank you >> D super >> I do but I promise quick I have some really good news to report tonight. >> I know. I have some really good news that this is not all good news. I will say we've been here before. Like this is this is why we put money away, right, for rainy days and it's going to pour a little bit for a few

117years. But this is why we have some funds to balance out. >> Can I ask you >> just a clarifying question before we get to the good news? >> Yes. >> Sorry. >> Um is is one of the primary reasons that health insurance is going up also be related to the fact that it's an aging population in this area? >> No, it's just a risk pool. >> So you explained it. >> Yeah. So, I'm not an expert, so I'm going to give you just the thousand foot view on this. There are a couple things that have happened with our health insurance. Um the the health insurance, especially during COVID, grew a really healthy fund balance because nobody was going to the doctor, right? Nobody was getting um anything done. And so, the the consortium, we're

118part of a consortium. So all of FOCC's the consortium's fund balance really grew by leaps and bounds. And so uh the annual increases just like we used fund balance to help offset the the increases, they used fund balance to help offset the increases. Well, now CO's over, right? And now all those things we've put off for two, three, four years, people are now going to the doctor. And what cost $10,000 five years ago, health insurance costs just health insurance is going up. Yes. So what cost 10,000 and now costing 15,000 and we've used a pretty significant amount of the fund balance that we had acquired over co So, we're selffunded and so what's happening is that we we had a budget but everything is coming over budget for this school year >> for every district

119>> for every well because it's a consortium right so the consortium's costs are over budget >> they are talking about how much money they should hold in re so so that's the one thing is that health insurance is just blowing up with the cost. Secondly, we used to be on a we used to be on a different plan. We used to be on the Celis we were on some plan. It has a name. I've never It was gone here before I got here. Right when I got here to move everybody to POJ because it was significantly less expensive with pretty much the same um offerings, but it was a different plan. And for several years, that plan costs significantly less than what the old plan costs. But now most districts have moved everybody into the

120POJ and off the old plan. So now all it there's no difference but our POJ plan has still been under the cost of it doesn't match what our neighboring consortiums are paying for their plans that are similar. You know CEWW is about $3,000 more a plan. Um over in St. Lawrence County their plan is more expensive and we all have about the same type of plan. So, it's also an adjustment to the actual cost of a plan, bringing it up to match what the neighbors cost. And the third thing in there is that they are talking about how much of a fun ballot should they really carry. And that's been arguing back and forth is because right now they feel they're under what they should have because what do we do if the costs explode

121again in two years and we don't have fun balance because we're self because we are self-insured. Um we have to cover the cost. We have to come up as a consortium. And so we watched what happened in the CEWW. Everybody's rates went up in January by 25% right above above writing your checkbook in the middle of the year. So the consortium is having a real conversation about what is a health and fund balance. What do we need to carry for the rainy day and the belief is that we are by the belief of some is that we are below what that number should be. So we need to make up that number. So you put all of that in the mix and it's looking at not a single year adjustment because the cost of health

122insurance this will get us up to where we are but the cost of health insurance is just it's just going up exponentially. So they anticipate this will be a multi-year adjustment at these double digit figures. So, that was a long answer, but that's that's what's going on in health insurance. I'm sure there's a lot more nuance, but those are the big three that are playing into the health insurance cost. >> Good news. I have a report for Josh. Uh he says at the first quarter breakfast awards they recognized 27 students here in the high school for a variety of reasons. You aren't going to cover this are you? I'm not going to step on your parade. Okay. Um the purpose of the quarterly breakfast is to celebrate the effort, the progress, and the success these

123students have had for the quarter. This year, the Hotel Sarinac has agreed to donate gift certificates to all of the award winners and all of the adults that nominate the students for the 2526 school years. So, we want to thank Fred Rodell and the Hotel Sarin for their gener. So, woohoo. That was super nice. some pain and and the teachers couldn't believe it that they were getting it, too. Like, all right. So, yeah. So, we're gonna have community members, non-rated kids. That'll be great. But that was really thoughtful and just such a nice unexpected reaction. So, that was very nice. The other thing just came across my desk on uh the 25th of November. I love it when the state sends out things right before Thanksgiving and it gets buried. So, the office of accountability

124and the office of innovation and school reform uh sent out their preliminary ESSA accountability support model determinations for 2526. So this is all based on your 38 testing and your regent scores and I am pleased we saw that we received funding for several years because we were identified as needing additional supports. This year we are a uh local support which in the old days that used to be a school in good standing. So we are at all levels a school in good standing. They call it LSI now because god forbid we should keep any acronym for more than a year or two so that we could figure out what it all means. But we are a district in good scanding and all of our schools are schools in good standing for the 25 26 school

125year. So >> the bad news is we don't get any money. The good news is our students are are making genuine improvements with the work that we've been doing. >> Can't get money. >> That is correct. So >> well there was just that there was something in the newspaper about temper sports. >> Yes. a week or two ago and it was a little shocking and I thought and I wondered where we stood because they only covered Tupper. >> Yes. >> Because they must have given reports. >> So Nancy, did you miss the presentation that the uh teachers that the administrators did? >> No, I was here for that. >> Yeah. Maybe that was it. It was just >> Yes. The article just covered one school and I wondered, you know, were they unusually low or

126were or are we all, you know, hovering around >> around those numbers? >> You can look at our rankings the last three or four years, we've steadily like our overall grades are definitely trending in a great direction. >> Yeah. >> And and kudos kudos because we've done a lot of I see Karen here. We've done a lot of curriculum work and uh when we started our curriculum work, it was some work to change the mindset of what that really would look like. And I think uh that has really happened and I this is part of part of that that work that we're seeing real change and it's hard in a school district, right? It takes a long time to see the work come to fruition and I think we're really seeing workers worth it seems

127like >> I will I will I will send it truly it wasn't until today that I because I looked at it and the I love the letter and here's all you have to do if you are designated and you have to do and I'm like oh I don't have so today I ran it off and looked us up because like you gota talk the the chart the chart covers There's like this is page three of five. So to read the chart, you have to put all five pages together on your desk and like read across the chart and and if you're identified, you got to figure out why you're identified because then I always I always put an appeal to not be identified. So you got to be in the right mindset and lay it

128out on your desk. So even though it came right before Thanksgiving, I did not print it off and look at it until today. So it's Exactly. Be worth us to send a uh an advoy to our staff from the board. >> I think so. >> Yeah. >> So, yes, >> I'll work with Diane and Gina >> compost. I think Diane will want to do her thing. >> We should piggy back on that. >> I don't think Melissa even knows yet because I didn't chat with her today. She had she had staff. So, >> yeah. I I didn't know till I leave. >> That's great. read the first line that said Alice on the side. Also, anyways, those are my two uh those are my two items. >> Both of them very good. >> Okay, moving

129on to admin. What do we got here? Brian, you got anything for us? >> Well, actually Katie and I, we didn't even talk and we had the same three bullet items. Um so, we figured we would do it together. Um our family teacher conferences went well um in both buildings. I think I was at almost 95% uh participation with parents um coming to conferences and >> yeah we tried >> he was at 97 but >> I was going to be but we tried some new things just because attendance had slid since co and we we all know how important it is. So we did personal invites on parents square we called families that hadn't signed up. We just try to reach out in a more personal way. Teachers are always very flexible with their timing,

130making sure that we're doing that at times that are appropriate for families to try to get there. So, we were really pleased. My goal was 100%. But next time, maybe I'll have to go pick them up. >> They would probably all fit in your car. >> Um, our second thing, again, we were right in line. Um, we have our patrol of our first of three. Um, we used to call them breakfast awards, but don't really do the breakfast part anymore. Uh, we're focusing on identifying those students who have shown exceptional effort up to this point in the school year. And then our second one will be achievement, academic achievement. And then our third, our character awards. And I think you have your big red assembly on >> on Friday awards. And then we're both looking

131forward to our winter concert, which is next week. Mine is Tuesday, Brian's is Thursday. There's concerts at 9:00 and 6 and Mrs. Kogat has a nice concert planned with the theme of the the classic story book Corduroy. So, the kids are really excited about it. >> Erica, >> uh mine is really just about our students. uh our grant through the Aderonda Community Foundation supports our Aderonda Connects uh program with North Country Community College and we meet uh now every two weeks to dine with our high schoolers to check in about their employment moving along uh journey. So they identified that they did not have a job and wanted a job and what their barriers were and we are removing the barriers as a team and with local employers. And we had one young person who

132used their um skills from Freshman Academy to draft an email to Mr. Dan and to me asking um if they could work at the police station here in town and Chief Karate met with us and we that young lady has filled out a Franklin County application and will be working at the police station. We have children students children sorry students who are going to be working at the hospital. Um, and this is all because of adults who care and are moving them um, moving them along in the process. It's fantastic and they're doing it on their own. They're so motivated. It's wonderful. >> Thank you. >> Student report. >> Okay, so we had square dancing and gym two weeks ago and then the media day for winter sports was today and then sports games start

133up this week and then the cats for mama mia come out. When is that when March late March is perform? >> Are you ready? >> I am. I was cast as Scott. >> All right. Congratulations. >> Very nice. Okay. Committee reports. Nancy. >> Okay. I have a few things. Um, I was, believe it or not, appointed by Wayne Rogers, who's our area six NISBA representative. He asked me to be on the diversity, equity, inclusion committee for next year. Congratulations for NISA. They um I guess the committee has one representative from each you know area as well as you know the big five and the somebody from New York State office of black school board members and then some other stakeholders and I know I don't know that much about what it means to be on

134the committee but I think we meet like four or five times a year one maybe in person even and we do things like provide u suggest sessions for DEI programs that the ESPO will put out and I know we he said we as a committee look at the all those resolutions right and have the DEI recommendation like that's the committee does it so that's kind of cool um I joined as several other board members the Ruby Bridges walk to school day oh that was wonderful it was early like I had to get up that early get out of the house but um it marked the anniversary of six-year-old Rudy Bridges is courageous walk uh into an all-white school in 1960. This woman is still alive. And so for the kids, it's a they were really

135excited about celebrating Ruby Bridges, you know, a real real person who was courageous little six-year-old. >> The community feedback on that was incredible. >> Yeah, it was a nice art. >> Yeah, a lot of kids. Um, and then the only other thing, um, I did watch a NSBA webinar recently with local government and school boards working together to strengthen communities. I thought it was helpful to see how, you know, school boards differ than town boards and village boards, cities, you know, counties, different services that each local government offers. >> But that's it for me. Justin. >> Yeah, I have a few. I also attended the Ruby Bridges thing. Um Justin continued kudos to me and for carrying the torch. Um uh I think we probably need to talk about res. >> I apologize. >> No,

136it's fine. >> I never put it on my I put it on the email, but I never actually put it on the schedule. Yeah, I was I was on the same >> we'll do the January meeting and then maybe we'll pop one in in the spring. Okay. >> Yeah, I apologize. >> We should we should ping the committee >> and let them know. >> I will do that. >> Um the uh I I was able to attend um parent conferences at the middle school and was just so impressed with all of the teachers that my kid has in eth grade. So, it was just really fun to see the vibrancy of of those relationships. I'm just reminded of how powerful that is. The relationship between teachers and students is just really special. So, um and

137then I have an update from um from Amy at the middle school and she sends two things. Uh she said on November 21st, the sixth grade social studies teachers classes welcomed Senak Lake Police Chief Baray and Officer Buckley, formerly Officer Bi for their annual presentation, online safety, bullying, cyber bullying, and hate crimes. If you know what that is happening, um the sixth graders engaged in discussions about making responsible choices online, recognize, perform safe behavior, seeking help. Um she said, "Just really grateful for SLPD for the continued partnership with our students." That's awesome that that happens. Um, and then she also is that we've launched a December reading challenge for the library. Students are encouraged to read books of their choice. Recommendations from their peers as well. We're going to do prize drawings all throughout the

138month trying to promote independent reading and keeping kids engaged to just kind of build community. So she wanted to thank Joe. >> Yeah. Checked in with Erica. We have a make it merry craft night. Did I get that right? >> Yeah. >> Excellent. Uh that's going to be on December 10th. next Wednesday. So, mark it in your calendars from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. right here at the high school. Going to make crafts with students and their families of all ages. Please join us. That's on the screen. >> Are you joining us there? >> What? I don't remember. >> It said please join us. >> Yeah. >> Next week there. >> Perfect. Do you want to make the G yeti craft or the sand art craft? >> Yeti, please. >> Okay. Good choice. I also checked

139in with Melissa and uh she just wanted to share that session one of a four session cycle concluded uh just before Thanksgiving introduced our district-wide shift towards next ready classrooms learning environments that prepare students not only for school but for life work and citizenship. They focused on the three core components. Next ready writing, next ready habits and next ready learning and explorers engaged with the framework through demonstrations and discipline specific examples and reestablish a shared vision. Students who think clearly, collaborate productively, communicate with their reasoning and demonstrate readiness for the complex expectations of college, career and community life. This set the foundation for deeper work leading into session two record. So saw big words in there. They're clearly doing some good work scores results and good words. >> That's all I ask. >> Thank you,

140Zach. Mike. >> Okay. So we are in need of a executive session under item F medical financial credit or employment history of particular personal corporation for matters leading to the appointment motion the motion dispension dismissal or removal of personal corporations a motion to journ to executive session >> second in favor I >> opposed Five minute break. Good night. Good night. >> Good night.