001Okay, welcome to the August 27th, 2025 board of education meeting. Stand for the pledge, please to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay, the first item of business is the Second of the agenda. I can have a motion, please. >> Second. >> Mike. >> Any discussion on the agenda? >> All in favor? Any oppos? Uh, next item is the consent agenda, which is resolution 015 2025. Motion, please. >> Second. Any discussion of the consent agenda? I just wanted to mention we do have a late item uh agenda item with the addition of >> relay. >> Uh Callie came and did some work study this summer with our buildings and ground. She actually thought
002she'd be doing something else and couldn't make it happen. So, she's joined us and she has now decided that she's enjoyed it and she wants to stay on and do work study this school year. So >> perfect. >> I wanted to get her on so that she could just I didn't want her to have a break because then she might decide maybe being home after school is really fun. So uh she's a late addition, but that's that's what happened. >> Perfect. Anything else? >> That's it. >> Okay. All in favor? I >> oppose the approval. That brings us down to public comments. Anyone like to address the board? Okay, thank you. Uh Nikki with our financial report. >> Yep. So, uh the budget status report, everything is saved on the share drive. Um but I
003attached the budget transfer report. There's one that is over the 10,000 threshold to cover the renewal cost of the commercial insurance package for the 256 school year. Um, this entry is typically done it has historically been done at the end of the year with closing entries, but since we have the information now, I just did it now so we could know what we actually >> Okay, resolution 016 2025 moving the current budgetary transfer report as presented by the school business executive motion. So move second. >> Any discussion on that? All those in favor? I. >> Any opposed? The resolution carries. >> Thank you. >> Um, and the next resolution I have brought forward with Diane and I together is just one addition to our extra pay and substitute rate schedule that was approved at an
004earlier meeting. We are looking to add the long-term nurse rate to this schedule. So, uh, once again, both exist on themselves without a new vision helped careers teacher and we would love to help them. Kelly Wright, our middle school teacher, is interested in doing that. >> Oh, sorry. Our ele sorry, thank you. Our elementary I do know that our elementary nurse um, our old school nurse. Anyways, she would like to do it. we are, but that leaves the building without uh it leaves the building with coverage because the middle school nurse is there but without coverage in her office. So, we do have two retired nurses who are interested in each doing two days a week. So, we're pretty full. Uh and it seems only fair that if they're going to commit to two days
005a week for the season for the school year that they also receive the bumps that our teachers and our teaching assistants receive for being long term. >> Very nice. >> Okay. So that's resolution 017 2025 approving the updated 2526 extra pay and substitute rate schedule. Motion >> second. custom. >> Any further discussion on that? >> Just think it's great that we're able to help out and keep our students engaged. >> That's a great program. >> Really is. So, >> there are 12 students right now enrolled and 10 of them are our district students. >> Oh, wow. >> Also, we're carry >> Thank you. business uh first item is the capital project update. Before I turn this over to Diane, um those of you that have seen the light test and the scoreboard test, it's pretty
006spectacular. Uh when you eventually see it, if you haven't seen it, um one of the things I won't most you probably don't know in the early um meetings of this um the scoreboard was a scoreboard and all of the stuff that contractors brought to us, their other fields was a scoreboard. was Diane's vision that it could be more than just that for um our athletics and our other um opportunities there. For example, get done what you're doing in October. >> So October 3rd, Brian and I are going to have an elementary movie night. So it'll be paired with Erica's um line dancing >> dancing program. So we're gonna have a western theme. Um so it'll be really nice. We'll have families. We have a monthly family movie night and that one will be out there.
007So, we'll be all cozy. >> So, it's those kinds of things that we're going to do. Thank you, Diane, for having the vision to see further than home away 3 to one. So, and the lighting package is the same. There's a few upgrades there that were minimal in cost, but add a tremendous amount of atmosphere. Um, and at the video training today for the video board, it's spectacular. So just wanted to make sure everyone knew that the base package was that when asked to thank involved Diane really was the champion of that deserves all credit. So thank you. >> All right. Now turn over rest as the capital. >> I'll start at the ball where all the unit events have been replaced. We have two projects actually going there. We had the EPC project uh
008did as much as they could before the end of the school year and now they finished up the EPC project mostly third floor of patroa and then we had the Gordian contract um feedback contract to do the units on the first and second floor. So um that is all finishing up. They're doing punch list items. They're commissioning it. Um they can commission the airflow. We should feel better airflow. uh through all of that. Our hope is that that will have significant savings in our fuel costs. They cannot commission the heat part until it stays cold enough to actually get the boilers to kick on, warm up, go through the process. They've kicked it on and off, but it's going to be a while. So, we may have a period when it gets colder where we're
009still working on regulating each room. Um but that's what we're doing right now is going room to room to make sure they're all commissioned correctly. they're all attached correctly. Um, because we've had work done at different times at Petroa, they were not all on the pneumatic. So, when you pulled up your screen, you could only control part of the building. So, that's all been tied in together. So, Scott Crew, make sure he's your very best friend because he can make it warmer or colder for you. Everybody's very disappointed to hear it does not have air conditioning. No air conditioning, but he can up your uh your air flow to make it feel a little better in there. So that is closing up. Um the buildings and grounds people are a little behind over there because
010the project got off to a slow start. Just some just some bumps in the road getting us going with our abatement and moving them along. Um but everybody is in their room as of yesterday. They can all get in their rooms. We do have a few rooms that did not get new floor wax and we will address that as we can. Um but otherwise that is closing up. It's been a a really good um to now pretty steady, not a lot of pickups as it moved along the project. Um back over here, we're already working on some punch list items. Also, part of this work, we're replacing the inside doors at door number four. Those doors haven't closed solidly for years. Um ever. They haven't closed solidly ever. Uh so we're finishing up some of
011those projects again doing the punch list and as you can see from the field uh we are moving along today. There was training for the uh scoreboard. The light training will be online. There'll be a team meeting. Uh the sidewalk was put in today. I've actually asked for additional sidewalk. The side so we'll close the gates on game day because we'll use door number four and the bathrooms that are in here. Um, so we want the gates closed because people are going to have to make the walk over. Um, but the sidewalk, the new sidewalk just dumps you into the into the parking lot when So I don't want people cutting through the parking lot. So that's coming. Um, they are working on a track right now. They've done spray to solidify the the surface
012and um, you can see all the plastic up. So they're going to start painting. You need six hours of good weather to paint in order for the paint to set correctly. So, of course, it's rained on and off for two days, right? But we're getting there. So, that that is moving along. We hope to have it done by Friday. It may bleed into the beginning of next week. And um the tarmac is coming also um probably starting on Tuesday. There's some back and forth across my desk of exactly what day that will be coming, but Chris is getting antsy. So, I'm going to put my money on him that the tarmac will start being poured on Tuesday. So, some punch list items, but it's sort of been as it goes. The uh bleachers have all
013been signed off on, so we can do file payment for that. They got a couple things they're going to come back and work on, but nothing nothing significant. Um, scoreboard work great. The lights have all been tested. I did read the uh letter to the editor in uh Daily Enterprise. Uh just a reminder that these are dark sky compliant lights. If you are above these lights, there is no light in your eyes. You can step in and out of these lights. So the they're the state of the of the-art lights in the aderond park. No other school district has these lights in the park. So, I understand the concern, but we are as environmentally friendly with these lights as we can possibly be. That's why they're so tall is because the light is so directed.
014And we actually were here when they did the light up and you really do walk in and out of the light and there is no light bleed in any other direction. So, I hear the concern. Um, we tested the sound system today. Don't worry, the neighbors will know when we're they will have no trouble knowing that we have events on that field. It's a great thing. So So we're moving along. We are on track to uh open it with girls soccer on uh Thursday next week. So we're pretty excited. Kids are Is it white? Is that what their theme is? >> Yeah. So the kids already have a theme going. They are aed by it. Chris Pay was here when they were testing the scoreboard. said they were playing some song. All the football players
015were practicing and they all just stopped. Like it was pretty awesome to hear that. So, so we're getting there. Everybody's been doing a nice job. Our subcontractors have been wonderful up until these last couple of days. The weather's cooperated. So, we're we're getting there. >> All good. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh next on the under business is our super dense search. last uh meeting uh we decided that we would uh partake on Bosey's deal to uh help us with that search and so we invited the come any he wants to give us >> um yes uh thank you for having me here this evening I um uh you know typically I'll just let you know once we get started with the search we would typically have the board go into executive session once we're talking
016about specific uh det details of the search, but um tonight I'm here to just go over a draft timeline with you and I need to get the board to make some specific decisions in terms of the type of search that you would like to to run. So, um if you if it's okay, I've got a timeline that I can pass out with you. And I would say every time I'm excuse me um probably every time I'm here after today um you would plan on having me here in executive session just because that's uh you know it gets to the point where you're discussing an individual position and potential individual candidates and but as far as a timeline I don't see why we can't just discuss this in open session. >> Would it be valuable for
017you to have a few minutes in executive session tonight? Um, I I I'll let you determine that. If you if you think we're approaching on something that um you feel you'd rather discuss in executive session, that's fine. But I put together a sample timeline. Um, again, Diane gave us the gift of um announcing very early so we can take a uh plenty of time to run this search compared to some of that I've done. a few here for the folks in >> but really um you know with the intent of having somebody in place who could start at on July 1st or maybe even a little bit sooner if if there was a desire to have some uh um you know a little bit of an overlap as I said when I met with you
018last time a lot of overlap people always think that's a good idea but it's usually more awkward than anything else but if there, you know, could be a little bit that's that's okay. But, um, the way, uh, I've run successful searches in the last few years, I've used our thought exchange tool to, uh, poll the community. This is a monumental shift. You know, Diana has served the district for some time now, and Thought Exchange has been a really excellent tool for just getting the pulse of your uh your school staff, your all of your school staff, involving your students, and putting it out to the greater community in terms of what they're looking for in their next superintendent of school. So, uh, I propose that we take the month of September, I'm sorry, that we,
019um, uh, start that in October where I would work with Diane and some folks within the district to communicate that out to, uh, the folks in the district and the larger community. And then looking at your board calendar, um really uh kind of the the true kind where the rubber meets the road start to the search would start on November 12th at your November 12th meeting where I would come in, I would bring you the results of the thought exchange. I would put together a um draft candidate profile based on that and we would have a draft advertising materials brochure thing like that that we would put together for you uh on that date with the intent of finalizing that by the end of November and starting um statewide advertising on December 1st. Um, again,
020because we had the luxury of time and thank you again, Diane. Um, I would recommend we advertise for two months that gets out uh out to the state um uh and really um gives a lot of people a lot of time to think about it, gather materials. We would end the posting at the end of January and then um I would in early February come and meet with you as a board to review all of the applicants and um then plan on potentially doing a first round confidential uh interview with you as a board to narrow it down to uh you know a a number of finalists, typically two, no more than three finalists that you would then put in front of a stakeholder groups. And I, you know, I'll be talking to you throughout
021the process in terms of how you would like to do stakeholder groups. Um, you know, oftentimes it's a, you know, group consisting of your teaching staff, your non-eing staff, some form of the community students. Um, typically do participate in that as well. And, um, oftentimes if you've already interviewed candidates once, the board will do a second interview at the same time the stakeholders are doing interviews. So, uh, we would shoot for doing that in early March. Um, and then, um, you know, hopefully offering, uh, the candidate a position by the end of March, early April and appointing that person in early to mid April at the latest. And I say early to mid April at the latest because it and that may seem early in some respects, but uh, say you're luring a superintendent away
022from another school district, it' be your superintendent. Most superintendent contracts have a 90-day clause uh that you give notice for at least 90 days. So, um if you were midApril, that person may not be able to start until the first couple weeks of July. So, um that's an overall timeline that I put together for you. And um really the question I have for you this evening as a board when I met with you uh earlier this year, I talked to you about the different kinds of searches. um you know we we can do a fully confidential search where the board handles it from beginning to end and the the school community and the the larger community do not know until you have named somebody. Uh that is becoming more popular around the state because um
023you know in the political environment where uh sitting superintendents feel as though they if they put feelers out uh about other jobs um there may be retribution for that. So a lot of times really good quality candidates will not put those feelers out unless they know that the search is being done confidentially. I don't think our communities in the north country are ready for a fully confidential search. I think uh it leads to a lot of conspiracy theories and done deal sorts of things and things like that. So what I'm recommending is a is a hybrid which is where we run the search as a confidential search until we name finalists. So um people can apply confidentially. I will review the materials with you in a confidential way. Uh we would do the first round
024of candidates with you as a board confidentially and then you would select finalists out of that to name publicly and then bring to the community in the stakeholder group. That's kind of a good mix. So you'll you hopefully you'll get a good slate of candidates that way. But um uh at the end of the day you are publicly named folks. Uh so that's that's really the decision or you can just you know everything can kind of be open open-ended that uh I I will caution against that because um it'll limit your candidate pool. Um but if you uh you know again if you may or may not have a strong internal candidate um and uh so you know I mentioned that to you as well. some districts will just work and do somewhat of a
025a preuncter internal search first. Um, but I, you know, it it I feels like this board wants to really just cast a wide net to make sure that the community uh feels that you're doing your due diligence. That that's kind of the sense I'm getting unless uh I'm reading the situation wrong. So, but the decisions I need you to make this evening are are simple. Do you think we can go ahead and and kind of plan on this being a hybrid search where it's confidential up until the point where we made finalists? Um, and and am I reading the situation right that you want to cast a very wide net to show the community that you're doing due diligence for the search? >> Let's talk about >> I I'm I'm all for the hybrid search.
026you know, I don't want to limit our candidate pool candidate pool by not doing it confidentially to begin with so that people can apply and not feel, you know, retribution or anything. And I think that, you know, doing that hybrid approach and, you know, being as transparent as we can, but and trying to protect the pool >> and trying to protect the pool. >> I agree. >> Yeah, that makes sense. My only one question with that is so I imagine candidates will be asked to name like letters or references. So I do a lot of search in academia and that's always tricky because it's like maybe we aren't announcing in the public who's in the pool but all of a sudden we start checking references the people that they work with now all of a
027sudden other people know. How do you handle that? So, um, in a hybrid search, uh, what I tell the candidates is I don't start doing, um, really public reference checks until or until or unless they're named as a final. >> Yes. >> Um, with that said, one of the nice things about being a district superintendent is there's 37 of us of us around the state and most of these candidates are known. So we have a pretty nice network amongst ourselves for me to you know say somebody uh you know from the southern tier ends up applying here I can call uh Scott Payne and say hey Scott do you know this guy tell me a little bit about them and I can keep that confidential so I have the ability to do that and um
028you know keep things on the on the deal. Um, and plus, you know, it saves me from having to do a ton of reference checking until we actually name some parts and and then a lot, you know, a lot of that is, you know, I I try to call the people they list as references, but I also try to do a little bit of digging um with people who aren't listed as references, like former teachers union presidents or not teachers union presidents, former districts and stuff like that. >> Any other questions for that? Another quick question, but not not on that. It's just that the timeline all I mean first time doing this sounds sounds very good, but my only question is noting the um you know the position offer that end of March or
029April. That's when we're on spring break. The district is anyway. I don't know if that interferes with >> Yeah. So this is a this is a typical timeline. I kind of copied it from others, right? We do have that twoe period. So that's something that as we move forward I'll I'll kind of f you know tweak this to >> we'll work on the calendar. we can work on the calendar. Uh really um the other things I'd like to walk away from here this evening are um even though we're not talking about showing you draft materials until November, there may be some decisions or some some quick uh questions I need answered between now and then. Um uh a lot of times the board president is designated as that contact. So I'd like you to you
030know make sure you're comfortable with that. if I could just reach out to Mark and and say, "Hey, what do you think about this? Can you know can we head in this direction?" And also, um, I usually need a an in a district employee contact to work with just, uh, if for simple stuff like, uh, can you get some pictures of kids and things that you're proud of in your district that we could use in advertising materials? I'm looking at you, you Nikki, maybe. >> What's that? Yeah. But yeah, >> Gina or Well, yeah, more Gina probably, but um usually it is the board clerk is someone who can be helpful in that, but you know, sometimes it it could be a different person. But if Mark and Gina are the right people for me
031to coordinate with on some of the uh preliminary materials, just want to make sure that you're comfortable with that. >> Okay. You know, I I still may ask uh advice of Diane on some things. Um, you know, just in terms of historically, what sort sort of constituent groups have you put together for, you know, high level positions, things like that, just to get her thoughts so that I'm not going off in a different direction. But I certainly would not ask Diane to coordinate any of that. That's uh that's not really um fair to her at this point. And again, that's somebody Gina could help me something Gina could probably help me with. they're available for whatever. >> Okay. So, I don't know if you have any other questions. Uh when I come back, we uh
032you know um and again, that's why it's good to sit in executive session at that point because we'll be going through candidate profile things and um you at that point you're talking about an uh potential individual employee and you know, you may say, "Hey, we want the brochure to say this." And and you may think, "Well, why is that so sensitive?" Well, sometimes, and again, no, I I I don't want Diane to feel uncomfortable, but sometimes they may say, "Well, you know, we'd like that in a little different direction than what how Diane operated. So maybe we should work things this way." So, it can get kind of personal. So, that's why we end up doing those meetings in in executive session. Um, so we'll review candidate profile information. We'll review um uh potential salaries
033that you'd like to put out there for the position. I'll bring with me some salary data for the north country so we can look at that um and uh we'll also review um the types of advertising we can do in an advertising budget because at the end of the day so that's that's something that maybe you and I can chat about ahead of time to make sure that there's funds available for some advertising for that >> you did okay perfect >> I just question. It's not really connected, but I like it. When we get to a developing a contract, I'm sure there's lots of sample contracts, but probably our school attorney. >> Absolutely. Yes. 100%. I I It's funny. I think back to when I became superintendent at Shadigay. So, that was um that was
034the uh uh beginning of 2008, 2007, 2008. and Steve Schaefer, who was the district superintendent at the time, walked back and forth between the boardroom and where I was sitting in a separate room um haggling on on contract stuff. And I think back and I'm saying to myself, my gosh, that that was the stone ages. Because really, um the way this works and the way it works properly, say you offer the position to someone who's never been a superintendent before, one of the first things I do with that person is I say, "Welcome to the club. There's this group called New York City Council School Superintendent. They will work with you and represent you um for contract negotiations even though you're not a member yet because they're anticipating that you are a member and they
035they will work with you. So here's uh uh Greg Burke and Jazz Convoy who are the attorneys for Niscus. Give them I'll send an email. I'll make a mutual introduction. They will share with you what they think model contract should look like. And I will call Jazz and Greg and say that the school district's attorney is >> Douglas Ghart who used to work for Niscus. >> Doug actually helped me with my first contract after the fact. Uh because he used to work for them. Um and also I'll tell Greg Greg and Jazz that Doug Ghart is the um Douglas he prefers Douglas. Douglas Ghart is the attorney for Sarah Lake. And um usually at that point uh we'll set some basic parameters with the entire board but usually the board at at that point will
036authorize again it's typically the board president to work directly with Douglas uh so as there's some kind of negotiation going on. Uh Mark can make some calls one way or another that he thinks that you'll accept as a board uh through that negotiation. But it's we let the that was a very long- winded way of saying we let the attorneys handle that. It would seem to me that at some point in this process we should have Douglas in executive session reviewing our current superintendent contract. >> I think that's an excellent idea. >> We know what that actually says. So moving forward, we know if we want to make adjustments plus or minus. >> That's an excellent idea. The one thing I'll need you to decide um relatively early on is a salary maximum. Um, but
037I think that's a really good idea because you you probably haven't looked at that contract as a group in quite a while. So go reviewing that with Douglas so that you know what things are typically on the table or what things Niscus may be encouraging folks to talk to boards about that you know Diane maybe never thought about in the past. It's an excellent idea. >> So when you bring the the salary uh range Yeah. talk to us about that. Um D and I'll work when we get close up to just give us a lesson on >> Yep. >> the current contract. >> Yeah, I think that's that's a really good idea. >> You may be able to just give us some tips as to current pitfalls to look out for, etc. >> So that
038when we're making decisions, we're doing so with the most background and current information. Now, one thing with the advertising um salary, it's it's more of a psychological thing for both the candidates and for the board. And um one of my colleagues told me this early on when I started doing searches that he recommends you no longer put a range of a low to a high because what happens is when you get somebody that you want to make an offer to um you tend to lowball a person and say, "Well, we we advertise here." and then it creates an adversarial um situation right from the start. So um I've been recommending to all the boards that I work on that you just put a maximum up to this amount and that way it gives you a
039lot of flexibility to say okay where is this person really coming in from a experience level and you know we have some flexibility to throw the dart and your community and and the board isn't necessarily defaulting to that low end of the range that you put on there. So, um, that's actually what happened when D was hired. There was a low and a high and there was extensive public conversation among the board at the time about the offer and I was actually at those meetings with athletic director. I didn't think they were respectful way. >> Yeah. So that's why I say >> enemies in anybody but I think the point is well taken that that strategy avoids insulting potential candidates >> right >> y >> so what's our time frame having >> I say you
040anytime in you know kind of that November December January February time frame >> I'll Diane and I'll try to see what his schedule looks like to get him up here >> and first we'll quiz him because he and Jazz put his put a contract together and have worked on subsequent uh amendments to that contract. So I think first thing you should do is click them and see where you >> go. I mean I think you know was you're talking November 12th for approving a draft of vacancy advertisement so that we should be doing that in October, >> right? >> Well well I mean you're not going to put a lot of um terms of a contract in the advertising materials. Really the only thing you're going to put is a as a maximum salary. So
041that's why I say you got a little bit of time. You don't need >> We should probably be educated by then. >> And then >> what's your budget here? Your annual budget >> of the school district. >> Yes. >> What's your annual budget here? >> Uh 38. >> Right. Yeah. So you're hiring the CEO of a $40 billion organization. So that's I always like to remind people of that because a lot of times, you know, local local folks oftentimes think, "Oh, we're paying these people way too much." It's you're it's a CEO of a $40 million operation >> and taking care of 1300 kids. >> As board members, um you get to see behind the scenes all that goes on that you would never know, the general public could never possibly know. >> Yeah. >>
042And um the responsibility is immense. in regular times, then you throw in someone the irregular times we've been in recently. So having a good person guiding you through that is invaluable. >> Absolutely. >> And it's it's the cost of doing business. >> That's right. >> And it's one of the it's one of the only atill employees that works in this district, too, >> for all intents and purposes. Everyone else has certain levels of protection. >> So it's it's a it's a unique position. D is is your main office in Malone. >> I'm in Malone, but I I generally albeit um you know today I spent the day in Sarak Lake at our campus there. So usually once a week I'm usually in Sak Lake as well. >> We need to just catch up on something
043formally. >> Yeah, I'm working. >> Any other questions for them? >> This is great. >> Yeah, I'm excited. Again, I think I told you this at the last meeting. every search I've done um I've gotten to know boards better uh in each of the communities and so I really look forward to doing this work. This is this is fun work for me to do. So I appreciate you trusting me and giving me the opportunity. >> We had a long conversation about we do it ourselves. I've seen this district do that. Um it was fine because it was someone they already knew they would hire anyway. >> Um I've seen the hire the private pet hunting firm. That was a disaster. um those folks made money off us but did not really have our own best
044interest at heart. I think this is the happy medium where you know you you live and work with us and our people and in our community so you have definitely an interest in it and it lends a professionalism that probably we can't do on happy to assist. The field looks awesome by the way. I'm excited for you. >> We won't charge you much. >> All right. That sounds that sounds like a plan. All right. >> Thank you, Dale. >> Yeah. Yeah. Uh my pleasure. I'll be in touch uh over some of the smaller details and and uh you know, unless something crazy happens, but I'll I'll be working with Diane first to do the thought exchange once after school gets started. >> No problem. >> Just send me so. >> Yeah. Perfect. Thanks, Mark. That's
045good. >> All right. Thank you for that. >> You're welcome. Have a good evening everybody. Have >> a good start of school. >> Yes. You too, D. Um the next item is the district facilities planning committee uh the appointment of committee members for 256 year and then a kind of a rough uh calendar to get started for the 256 year that we did catch people up. We took all of the uh folks that had expressed interest and as a board we did some voting on that. We had a couple clear candidates and then a bunch of ties. So we did a second round of voting. I'm going to discuss this in general and then release these things specifically. Um from the board side um I will be chairing the committee with Nancy and Mike. I
046think Nancy was not here. Thank her. I think Mike was here. Thank you for wanting to be involved in that. Um, so what I'm going to do is open the floor now for any further discussions on the composition committee. I don't have any questions, concerns, anything discussed at this time. I think we're okay. So let's start with the release of uh our staff member which will be Karen Demis. Thank you. >> Thank you Karen. Excited to give up more. We are appreciative you want to join us from the community side in general. Suzanne Miller and Doug France. I will note that there were four other candidates. Scott. >> Yeah. and Scott make my written list. Thank you for correct me on that and Scott Kim. Um there were a bunch of time people for for
047the last spot which required another round of voting. What I want to say and is we have every intent to hold numerous uh events where anybody and everybody can give us input. Um I think I speak for the comm the committee members. Um we are open for input at any time people want to give it to us. If I'm in the hardware store and you see me and you'd like to tell me something, tell me. Um these committee meetings are all public meetings. We're not going to hold um long public conversations interactions these meetings, but you're welcome to be here and see what we do um and hear what we're saying. J is going to be our noteaker so we have a record of what the meeting looked like and what was discussed and decisions.
048We plan at this point uh based on some internal discussion and um Josh's presentation last time to try to set these meetings up thematically so that we're not going round and round in circles every time and when we've got to a spot and we've made some decisions we'll move on and get to the next topic the next task. Um the committee as a whole will be in flux with some core members and some auxiliary members particularly from the staff end that come and go as their expertise is needed. Um and we will move this um as judiciously as feasible and practical possible so that we don't take everybody's time by continually circling back to ABCD. However, remind everybody that the committee's role is to weed through and weigh through and discuss a lot of the
049material and to sift that down for recommendations for the full board of education as a whole. And the final decision for any reorganization be one move or several steps of moves um will follow the board of education and take that vote for them. So, >> does anyone have any questions or comments about the committee makeup or procedures or or concerns? >> I have a couple questions that maybe I missed a meeting or maybe so the dates here make sense to me. So, I imagine there's going to be some obviously the committee will be charged with like this is what we're taking all this data. We're trying to make recommendation, but is the intent to enter that process with like let's figure out what our options are at this tennis committee or is the board going
050to decide that and say hey here's what the option should be because I am a little nervous if we just I it kind of feels to me like whatever this subcommittee decides is what the board is going to go with because it includes three members and the idea that the board wouldn't be in favor of what the subcommittee recommends would require all four board members not on the committee to go against on the committee which I think is going to happen. >> So this is not going to be a case where uh in April you're going to get presentation. We'll we as a as a board members are on the committee along with you we will be giving you regular reports and we can hold as many discussions here about those things as we move
051along. >> So the options of what we could what we can and would do in the future with facilities. >> We could say here's here's something that we could have at the committee meeting. Okay. And here are a couple options we're discussing and we can then discuss them as a full board. >> So we so keep in real time. >> So keeping like the old business item of district facility planning committee and it could be just regular updates from >> Yeah. I think you know as we're talking about the go map under old business an updated report on on school reorganization and there might be times there's no report. >> Sure. I would imagine most times it'll be at least summary report and uh you know uh and also any board member could ask anyone
052on the committee any kind of question. The thing where it gets sticky is I don't think we can have board members showing up at meetings because then we get it's a board meeting. We want to avoid that legal thing. Um, this is a good idea. >> My my phone is always open for anyone to ask a question, be it a board member, community member, staff member. Someone wants to call me and say, "Hey, I I you know, I went to the meeting and I got a question about that. Here's something I think you guys should think about. I'll take all input anybody wants to send my >> Yeah, I have full confidence the committee will come to the conclusion. I was more just curious if there was current options we were going to say they
053are organically come up with. here's what we could do which that that process makes sense to me. >> I don't I don't think it makes a lot of sense to at some point in the future say here take care of it. >> Sure. >> This has got to be a working document. Um you know I think that revisions are likely to be um done at some point just because that's the nature of the game and then based on this calendar this timeline the ideas whatever the committee ends up deciding the re nothing was nothing would I can't imagine changes would happen in 26 27 school year >> depends on what the recommendations were if it's kind of a phase in and some things are simple maybe >> um if the committee came to agreement relatively
054early, not likely, but it could happen and there was time we may decide that's a board decision really, right? >> Decide, >> listen, we're going to break this down into phases or I think we can do this. Let's go in September. >> Okay. >> I think that that's all to be decided based on what we end up seeing, hearing, listening, waiting through. Um, I think we made the commitment from the very beginning of this that we want to be thorough, but we don't want to spin our wheels forever on it and that uh, you know, we want to do the plan that makes the most sense for the most folks involved with, students, staff, and community. And I think we're all realistic made here, there will be constituent groups that aren't totally happy. I don't
055think there's a plan out there that will make every single person from every different venue perfectly happy >> because there's a lot of competing interests here. >> It's tricky too because at one hand we don't want to drag this out for years but at the same time we have a new superintendent coming on the first school year. So the first time we have a new superintendent we do some massive change it gets tricky. So the phase approachment works. Yes. >> It might be a question for the candidates um to let them know that we're facing this and see how they react. Right. Hey, by the way, I >> mean, there's no getting around it. There's just no getting around it, but Diamond's here for it and and Diane wants to give the retirement like. So,
056um there may be some colliding on that. That will be in my opinion where a new superintendent can have some value from a board of education that's been together for many years as a group and that turned over with in the last two years three new 10 new members or whatever. >> I think that could be an advantage >> for that person. >> That's right. Maybe a disadvantage. I don't know. We'll see. Guess who? >> So that's kind of the vision. Um, if at any time uh you think this thing's veering a little bit, I won't be insulted if you tell me. So, >> sorry, last question. Just so we mentioned before like public so these are all these meetings are all open to the public, >> right? So, there's no like separate public hearings
057like if you want to come to the meeting. >> Um, no, I think at some point we might schedule some hearings. Okay. >> Only so we get into a bigger space, give notice, allow people to come and we may do it. Say, say we come up with a theme that's got six main topics. We may do it after every couple so that once that one is done at the next hearing, we're not going back over again. Um, so that's something as a committee we're just have to decide, right? >> Anyone else? Let me chime in with our admin staff if you want to speak your mind on this now before I move forward. So feel free to >> I would just like to make a note that when I I'm not really sure what school
058closure it was, but um one of the board members voted voted no >> because of you know so I think there's there's times and places where people are going to you know not always go with the recommendation but I feel like some people have to you know go with what the what the information that's being given out you know and so I think that those those conversations do and can happen. I think you know we we are mostly unanimous in voting but I think we agreed as a group that if you feel in your heart to vote no you should vote that way that I think I'll just speak for me I want board members to disagree when they disagree but I want it respectfully and I want people to vote no if that's what
059their conscience tells them because that's the best way to represent our constituents from the staff anything you want to ask have here >> uh just a couple questions if you don't mind Sure. >> Um, just in terms of the committee makeup, I was just curious how you chose like the ratio of community members to board members or community members to staff members just out of curiosity in terms of numbers. >> Yeah. You know, I could speak on that in general terms. Um, we we started out with a total number and that quickly got bigger than we wanted. Yeah. >> So, that's when we tried to talk about we don't need everybody there for everything. So, we'll have some people coming and going. So, that got the numbers down a little bit. Um and then uh
060uh we looked at the last committee I think Josh told an approximate number of what the um community looked like and I think it was a bigger number. We we want it just a little bit smaller. >> So it just seemed to be a workable number. We we we're trying to avoid to get this thing so big it paralyzes itself but not too small that there is representation. And kind of the the fix for that is to welcome input at all times and to hold some public hearings to get the input so that people can they can speak to be making it as open a process without trying to pin people that might have good ideas and say well now we need you for 15 straight months to do this or whatever it may be.
061So that that's kind of the process behind that. >> Thank you. And then last question of the community um members who are representing what percent do they have kids in the district or >> No, I don't know if I know that answer. >> Scott does >> just out of curiosity. >> Thanks. >> Was on the was it on the market was on the bio. Some people mentioned it like a reason to be a part of it. >> Yeah. >> So we started by saying who wants to do it from there. >> And we would expect I would expect I would encourage that each people in the committee if they have their their own constituents that that they hear I would I would expect that uh our staff and teachers would would funnel that through whatever
062contacts they have. And uh same with community members. Members of the community know these people. They want to say, "Hey, here's how I see." I would encourage that >> constructively obviously and uh I just think the more eyes on this, the more suggestions, the more people look at the possibilities. When we're done, we will have done the best job we can represent the most in the widest way. Not negative. There's going to be unhappy people with with different parts of this, different people unhappy with different parts. We got to move forward with a different a different organizational structure because what we're doing now um is not financially sustainable with the population of students and staff we have. We all know now we got to do it the best way we can and I said this
063way back at the beginning in my mind there's nothing more meaningful for the next decade for our district and our community than do this right. So hopefully there won't be lots of course corrections needed immediately. Five years out we may say, you know what, the world's changed. We got an influx of people or, you know, we're having less people or whatever the case may be, adjustment to be made. But we got to chart a course that board members and staff and students and people that come to our community that are following us have a solid base to work off of. And it's not help because it's starting to get there now. to no fault of anybody. There's nobody in this room that made our population decline. It's factors that are as as we've talked about
064that are way out of our control, but the reality is they affect us and we got to do what's right by our kids, our community, and our staff. So, that's that's what we have to think about personally. Danny, you got anything you want to weigh in on here? >> I'm excited to get going. We've talked about it for a long time. >> Just I realize this is slipping into B, which are the dates, but I just wanted to mention Eugene and I talked about it. Uh, our recommendation to the board is that we hold our meetings right here in this big space. Everybody knows where we are. It's comfortable. It can see big group. Um, so I think sometimes the space you choose says whether or not you're interested in input. So I want to
065make sure that we're >> used to this comfortable. We have our auditorium if we need a big space for that and and I said this last time if you didn't hear Erica is working on a grant that will allow us to do some community work for input that uh will be val you want to speak on that real quick again I know you did last meeting but just so people that didn't hear the mic tonight because they want to hear this. >> Sure. So, uh, we applied to a New York State parenting group that would provide $5,000 to host three community cafes where we would have a large focus group to um, gain more questions and give some dialogue and in that would allow us to provide a dinner and also some apprec appreciation um,
066gift certificates for those who were able to make the meetings. >> And do we have any updates on the status of that? It's due tomorrow and it was submitted in July. So, >> so tomorrow's the deadline. >> Tomorrow's the deadline. >> Then they decide. >> Let me know when you know. >> I promise. >> All right. So, the dates are out here tentative. Um, as I look at this, uh, I know for me personally, there may be a few glitches in here, but I think that's a committee issue that we'll work out. Um either you know we may add these with public hearings or community cafes. However that works out we'll have to see but at least this gives us a framework to start to get it going. So >> yeah put the dates in
067your calendar and be there. >> Yeah. Um I don't know if we need to approve these days. Do we need to vote on that to approve? It's a subcommittee. just follow. >> So, why don't we right now Gina and Diane plan to contact people that we need to be at that first September 17th meeting and we'll get started uh at that. Let's the three of us work on a uh a meeting date where we can just put a framework together for that first meeting, a little agenda in terms of what we want to get accomplished and make sure that we we're not missing it. And I would welcome both Mike and Nancy if you got thoughts you'd like to see on that agenda, get that to us so that we can do that as part
068of our some agenda work. And uh so we're prepared for that. And if you would please um send letters to our four folks officially thanking them and giving them that first meeting >> and that's not >> you call them. >> No check. >> Okay. Would you like to add those? >> Yes, this committee can be added to our website. It's a great idea. Again, as people have ideas, you don't need to wait for one of these official meetings to say, "Hey, I have a thought. How do you guys consider this?" A lot of times people see things that you're so close to, you miss. So, I welcome it. All right, moving on. Uh, next item is new business. The breakfast lunch prices for the 2526 school year. Uh, let's get this on the floor and
069then we'll have discussion. Resolution 003 2025 approving the following meal prices for 2526 school year match New York State guidelines. Motion >> second. Yep. >> Discussion. Anything to add? >> It just said Sadia and Ruth were reviewing the New York State uh website and they have minimal required. It's not really required. We could do whatever we wanted, but to be in compliance, they have recommended base pricing for adult meals and ours were about 40 cents below that. So, they both reached out and asked for the adjustment to match the 25 26 suggested price. Again, our students are all free. This is just adults who be with us. >> Any other questions? All those in favor? I >> opposed. The resolution approved. Moving on to reports. >> The 520 that is that is the price after
070the 46. >> Correct. These are the new prices. >> Correct. >> Um can I answer? Uh >> uh no I've taken up a lot of your time. We we are ready to go. We had our final administrative meeting on Tuesday. We are as ready to go as we can. Um people are finding students. We are having a lot of movement. Some are coming, some are going. That always happens this week. This is all hands on deck week and everybody's here. We had a lot of that. So it's turning out to be pretty typical. Um we are ready for next Tuesday. We're looking forward to having our staff back. We do have a guest speaker. Dr. Joe's coming. He's going to address on Tuesday. Um really about finding the joy, setting setting yourself up for a
071good year. And then he's going to talk um to just the instructional staff on Wednesday morning. You were doing something um we haven't done in years. The last time we did it was in 2019. We're doing some work with our staff who work together in classrooms to have a collaborative conversation and sort of offer them some guided uh discussion to talk about how that classroom is going to function so that everybody in that classroom has some ownership over that classroom. Sometimes when you just push in or that type of thing, there's a feeling of whose classroom is it and am I welcome? What should I do when I'm there? So, we want to frontload that. We have all new staff doing new things this year. We really want to frontload that conversation and give them
072an opportunity to get set up for success. Otherwise, you can't stand what you're doing until Thanksgiving, which is about the time you figure it out. So, we're we're hoping to back that up to Halloween, so everybody feels comfortable working together. Uh, our buildings and ground staff is flying. There's been an awful lot of work, too. We have several members who are out. Um, so we have some pretty single-handed people who have done amazing work this summer in getting our buildings together. So, we're ready. We bring them on. Let's start the school year. >> Thank you, Diane. Josh, >> uh, we had our freshman picnic on Tuesday. So, we had over 80 uh, freshman come. They're energized, ready to go. It seemed like a great class. And then we had over 26 uh seniors and juniors
073uh come to help them open their lockers, escort them to their classrooms, and it's probably the biggest uh group of volunteers that we've ever had. So, uh it was good showing over 20 staff come in and help uh help get the freshman off to a good start. And um always a good event. I don't I don't know how old the event is, but it's it's uh I told Diane it's amazing how many kids uh take time out of their day to be there. And so it was it was great. And just the last thing, I told Diane the other day, the staff that haven't been here all summer like pull on the campus and just are in amazement over the over the field. And I think just uh everybody that will do that will will
074have the same reaction. So nice job. >> Uh we are ready and excited for the school year to start at the middle school um with tomorrow for school of course and then we have uh two options for locker day. Uh we have our annual locker day. It's tomorrow from 4:00 to 5:00. So students can go right for school, come right up the stairs with their families and walk the building, find their lockers, and put their new items in their lockers. And they can also come on Friday from 10:00 to 11:00. They come to both sessions. They could just come to one. Our counselors will be on hand so that you can talk with them and ask questions. And it's a great opportunity to quell those first day jitters. Um also just like to take a
075moment to recognize all of our secretaries. They worked really hard this summer as a team. Um, so Radia, Mimi Riley, um, Emily Gibson, and Ellie Martin to digitize our, uh, parent forms, which I think is going to be really helpful for our families. Um, and much easier to fill out all of those forms. Um, we already have, I don't want to speak for anybody else, we already have a hundred student forms back, which is great. We're we're a week out from school about, so that's amazing. And I just really want to recognize their hard work and time together. >> Thank you. Amy, >> I don't know if you know, but tomorrow is ready for school. >> It's from 4 to >> You're not busy enough. >> No. >> Uh well, we'll be hosting a wedding
076for uh our 10,20 some odd students tomorrow and their families. And uh it is definitely a celebration. So many of you will be there. Uh, and if you aren't going to be there, I encourage you to come and see all of the joy that will be brought to their to their families. And we had a unique uh delivery truck today to Petroa Elementary School. Um, High Peaks Distributing donated 1,200 bottles of Saratoga water for tomorrow's event. And it was delivered in a Coors Light truck. So if you get any calls, it was only delivering water, donated water. >> I'm the cart person. So when Erica sent me the picture, I said, "Yes, that's my special. >> You get great attendance." >> Just like the truck right there. >> Yeah. Really nice. And we did have
077a breakfast for our community uh grant uh around a community foundation grant we received and we had a small attendance but those that were there I think are thrilled with our students entering their workspace as um potential employees and um it was just a nice opportunity to uh sit and share and hear how much they want our students. Yeah. Right. That was really impressive and the the hospital especially um is like chomping at the bit like when are they coming? So it was wonderful. >> Okay, thank you Katie. >> So Bloomingdale is ready. It is shiny thanks to our custodial staff. It looks like you could eat off the floor. It is beautiful. So thank you to the custodial staff. Uh on September 2nd, we're having our open house for UPK to second grade from
0784:00 to 5:00. So we'll welcome all of our families. And then the Friday that school starts, we're going to have our PBIS behavior training and also our first we're going to call the Big Red Assemblies. That's for you, Justin. Big Red Assembly. And Big Red's going to come and make an appearance thanks to Mr. Dan. So that's always me, but I just hope he doesn't scare the three-year-olds, but I think we'll be fine. And I just I really want to reiterate to thank you to Erica and all of her um helpers and volunteers and staff that make Ready for School possible. We had three new stu students enroll. And when I call them and tell them about the event, they're coming from area districts. They're just in awe and you can hear the relief that
079they don't have to purchase supplies. Um a lot of these families are really struggling. So to know that they get to do that and it's such a nice way to welcome families. It makes me so proud to be able to say that our district believes in that. But I know the tremendous amount of work that it takes for Erica to do that. So I just publicly would like to thank her. >> I got 20 bucks for you. >> I want the course light. >> I'll come to you first. It's going to be cold. >> Thank you. Uh, not I wish I could be there tomorrow night. I'll be teaching tomorrow night, but I've got two of my four kids from now on. So, look forward to seeing him come off the shiny school material. Although,
080he insisted on having a backpack like his sister, so I had to file as opposed to getting one tomorrow. So, thank you, >> Zach. Nothing to report, sir. >> Mike, >> other than I just drove two and a half hours to get an inflatable archery range. >> Beer and archery doesn't get any better. >> Super excited for tomorrow. >> I'm going to say so with that, we are in need of an executive session uh under item, elect notifications for swag for 14 civil service law. I get a motion to adjourn. Executive. >> Thank you for coming tonight. Look at how much fun we are. >> Uh Josh mentioned to me that I should have mentioned that we have 30 elementary students here >> all week long at camp invention. It is a nationally recognized camp
081through the American um >> sorry but I mean right you should know this is so cool and they're learning about real inventors and making those inventions so claw arms um elimination uh course code it's so so cool so you can see all their goodies are right behind you in their work the projects they're making don't miss it We stuff