2026-01-13 School Committee Meeting

001Everyone, happy new year. Welcome to the January 13th meeting of the Cherillo Regional School District. We are going to reconvene open session. Gina, >> thank you, chair. We're going to begin with recognitions. No, wait. I apologize. We're going to begin with closing and sealing of executive session minutes. I recommend closing and sealing the executive session minutes as required. Okay, we have a motion. Do we have a second? Linda second. All those in favor? No, not unanimous. All those opposed? Anyone abstaining? That is Tyler. Okay. Thank you. Disclosure of disclosure of executive session votes. I'm going to turn that over to our vice chair, Laura Chapman. >> Good evening, everybody. There were five votes taken exe in executive session tonight. The first vote was to red was to review land options. That vote was unanimous. The

002second vote was to approve executive session minutes from December 16th. We had eight in favor and two abstensions from Pat Puyot and Craig Luzon. The third vote that was taken was to approve homeschooling requests. That was unanimous. The fourth vote was to rep to approve the NEAOU. Nine in favor, one opposed. The opposed was Purcell. The fifth vote was taken to go back to open session and that was unanimous. Thank you, Laura. So we have a few of our school committee members tonight that are going to participate in the recognition section of our agenda and the first member is Jess Purcell who is going to update us on some Kala recognitions. Jess. >> Okay. The the Kala team and internship coordinator Kevin Hooper would like to congratulate the following students for completing the academy internship

003program. Anthony Antonio Mayo, Lily Smith, Nebs, Kaden Bonsells, Cadence Janise, Andrew Spywok, Mike Gyer, and Gio Santo Spirido. Um, Calla would also like to thank the following businesses for supporting the program. as concrete forms, Dunkin Donuts, East Side Market, Fresh Cup Coffee, Great Grey Line Landscaping, Onpoint Pizza, and Stop and Shop. >> Thank you. So, on to sports recognition. We've got um our vice chair, Laura Chapman, will read the recognitions and acknowledge recognitions in wrestling and boys basketball. for wrestling. Congratulations to Aiden Fman, 157 pounds, and Enzo Falconee, 106 pounds. Each finished second overall in their respective weight classes for Cherho on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026, at the Chad Ant Memorial Tournament at Westerly High School. Cher placed ninth overall with 67.5 points in the team standings. Congratulations, guys. For boys basketball, on January 2nd,

004Dayton Lee scored 27 points with seven rebounds and eight assists as Cherrow rallied from a double-digit deficit to hand Moses Brown its first loss of their season, 85 to 72. Sam Ellis finished with a career-high 14 points, including a pair of three-pointers in the second quarter when the Chargers scored 28 points to pull to pull within 46 to 44 at the half after trailing by 12 after one quarter. On Saturday, January 3rd, Riley Conroy scored 15 points and Chero raced out to an 18-10 lead after going to um acknowledge achievements in girls basketball and indoor track. girls basketball. On Friday, January 2nd, Tessa Aello, 15 points, went four for four at the foul line down the stretch to seal things in leading Charo in a 60- 51 victory over West Warwick. Manokei Harris scored 11

005points and Adriana Noka had 10 points for the Chargers two to five who pulled away from a 3937 lead after three quarters [applause] indoor track. Nick Willowsk tied for third in the high jump 5 to 10 for Char at the Ritka Indoor Track Invitational. Ethan McCain took fifth in the thousand at 2 minutes 42.75 with Leo Haxton in eighth at 2 minutes 46.67 for the Chargers while Isaac Graham took seventh in the 600 at 1 minute 2835 or 1 hour 2835 with Gus Fre love in ninth at 1318. Lydia Taber placed fifth in the 300 at 43.58. [applause] Thank you members. We are on to the public forum section of our agenda. We have three speakers tonight. Those who signed up to speak will be asked to come up to the podium and state your

006name and town that you reside. You are welcome to speak about items not on the agenda. Per our public forum policy. The speaker who makes a public statement has the responsibility to be accurate, present facts, present information based upon personal knowledge, not hearsay, and be considerate and allow others to speak without interruption. As the chair of the school committee, it's my responsibility to ensure decorum and be mindful of time management. With that being said, I'm asking community members to refrain from any outbursts or disrupting the speaker who has the floor. Per our public um forum policy, this comment time is not to exceed 30 minutes. So, we have three speakers tonight. So, each speaker will um each be afforded four minutes to speak. So, Laura Chapman, our vice chair, will keep time. And when the

007timer goes off, even if you're not finished, I'm going to thank you and we're going to move on to the next speaker. And thank you very much for signing up tonight. Our first speaker is you all set? Okay. Our first speaker is Amy St. Pierre from Hopkin. Amy, >> good evening to the committee. I just wanted to come in today. I was a little apprehensive to come and speak. I did speak last month in December as well regarding an incident with my daughter in an assault from a male student. I have since waited to kind of follow up with this with everyone in the room, but I wanted to bring this to the attention of everyone. There's been new facts that have come to me that I wanted to share with the group. So, as

008we know, my daughter was assaulted on November 25th. I now am in place of a police report from the Richmond Town Police Department, and this young man is being charged with simple assault and battery on my child after further interviews of witnesses and other administrators at the school. At that time I spoke with the chief and requested a police report for what I was advised of a additional incident at the school that I mentioned in my meeting here in December as well and also received that police report that there was an incident where the child actually was brought to the hospital by their parent as noted in the police report from an assault at the school dance. The school dance incident is noted in the police report. There was a resource police officer on detail

009at the location of the school dance, but was not notified in the moment in the incident at the school dance that this occurred, which is quite alarming considering it probably could have been remedied or handled in a different manner. That is a concern of mine and continues to be a concern of mine of the safety of my daughter in the school district. I was apprehensive to bring this to the school committees today because I am finally going to be sitting with our superintendent and the administrators at the school tomorrow for the first time after this incident had happened on November 25th. I requested a meeting twice and was told when I requested my first meeting with the principal to include our superintendent, the school resource officer to make sure that the safety plan is adequate

010for my daughter moving forward. And at this point, there had already been two violations on this new safety plan with my daughter after the incident of the assault. So my concern was is I want to sit down and make sure that the building is adequate and the resources are adequate to keep her safe. After the two violations, I was told by my request to the principal that the soonest our superintendent could meet with me was January 7th. This incident happened on November 25th. And ironically, when I brought that and said, "This is not sufficient." I was then reached out by the first time from our superintendent via email. Happened to be right before the December school committee meeting. So, I waited and I sat on it. I'm like, "Well, maybe when I bring it to

011public forum, I'll get contacted and they'll see the severity of the situation." I still wasn't contacted. No immediate action after I spoke to the school committee on December 16th. We are now sitting here January 13th, 49 days since this happened to my daughter and I have not sat down face tof face with the administration to include our superintendent to make sure my child is safe in the school and the safety plan can be ex executed effectively safely where my child can be at school undistracted and not have to worry about looking over her shoulder every single time she's walking down the hall. She's still nervous, still concerned, still talks to me about it every day and asks me what's going on. The last couple days have been great because the student has not been in

012the school from what she has told me. She's calm. She's happy. She's her bright light self that she used to be before this happened. I want action moving forward on how this is going to be safe for my daughter. I want action, not words, not a safety plan that states that the children were separated. that perceived that my daughter was involved and that was day one perception from our administration. She was not involved. She was attacked and they did fix the safety plan to state that she was he was removed off of her. That was my first straw where I'm not going to drop this until something is in place to protect my child and other students in the school from incidences just like this in the future. I'm going to stick up for my

013child and any other child who may not physically have a voice. There may be kids getting bullied that can't stick up for themselves and they need to have someone that's going to protect them and that is what our school administration should be doing. >> Thank you. Thank you for coming. >> Um Tim St. Pierre from Hopkin. >> Good evening everyone. Tim St. Pierre Hoffington. So, I uh my wife and I spoke last uh last session and we didn't stay for the entirety of it. We went home and watched the remainder of it on YouTube. The we just I just want to address some things that were said at the end. Um it was quoted uh that the behavioral codes are reviewed every year. Um I brought it up last session as well. the behavioral code

014in the student handbook and on the behavioral code itself has not been documented as updated uh since 2023. Even on the school website um for review and for transparency, the last uh reference material for the school behavioral code is uh 2023 24. There's no 2425. There's no 25 26. I I don't know why that is. Um it was it was said that it was reviewed every year and then um somebody said by who it was by and then it was an incoherent I don't it was like a mumble. I think it might have been some school improvement team's review. Um I just don't know because it's not documented. So if it if it's not documented I don't know if it really did it did it really happen. And then there was a quote uh the

015charges the the changes the St. Pierre's I think uh are looking for is not about the behavioral code it's about law. There's a difference but sure you can pull the behavioral code. That was uh a response after one of the school committee members uh brought up the need to address the behavioral code. Um and it was it it seemed to have been blown off uh in a condescending manner. And I just don't know what law that is. Is there an RIGL I could be um reference to so I can just look at that myself. Um there are some things the school really does well. Um sports, we talk about sports, every school committee. Um and I noticed that the Westerly Sun is cited as the sort reference material for tonight's topics. Um I would offer

016the the Independent out of Naragansit. Let's not forget about the boys ice hockey team. It's a co-op between Chero and Narroance. I would offer that as well. Um I think I know that there's people have different persuasions here and you know some people think differently than others and and that's fine and that's that's everybody's right to do so, but I think coming up with sound policy and having a consequence and infraction as it's listed in the behavioral code is good practice. And I think the uh the the safety of all students, not just this is beyond our daughter's incident. There are others that are going to occur. And I just want to ensure and offer that we have a sound, transparent policy in which we can follow when infractions occur and then there are consequences.

017we shouldn't have to do the school's job by going to the police uh and and having this child actually receive services um from uh I won't get into that. That's but that that's all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you. So this I think the superintendent wants to comment on um your remarks, Mr. St. Pierre. And I I made just made sure that you finished your thought and then um the superintendent would like to respond. I believe >> I just wanted to double check the law that you wanted us to get to you. So I'm clear um but before but while you look for that you had mentioned I just want to clarify that uh in the behavior codes it states and I'm reading directly from that policy. This code is reviewed with faculty input

018and amended periodically by the administration the superintendent and approved by the school committee. The code is to be administered consistently with equal enforcement for all. The rules and regulations set forth by the behavior code are intended to follow the policies as set forth by the charo school committee as well as state and federal statutes. Any changes in or differences decreed at state and federal levels would take precedence over the char middle school behavior code. Consequences for infractions will be assigned according to the code listed below. Any modifications of the code in the issuing of consequences will be done at the discretion of the administration and in consultation with the teachers from whom disciplinary referrals originate. So, just to clarify, you know, that legal uh John Anderson um I'm not sure if John is still here.

019Um uh John reviews this um with us as well to make sure that it's reviewed. The school improvement teams do look at it um and if they have no concerns or changes, then we typically don't advise the school committee for for review. Mr. Anderson um does a very nice job with us. We actually the last time it was updated we aligned uh the feedback from our parents was the high school and middle school they they seem to be differentiated too much to the point where the transition from 8th to 9th they felt it wasn't cohesive. So Mr. Zenian was the principal when we did that and we did a lot of work that way. I just want to make sure I uh if you're looking for a behavior code that says if you do this

020this happens what the department of justice has shared in 2017 in back in I maybe 2017 uh you can't predispose discipline so for example and most people know this in their own jobs kind of thing [clears throat] you can't give somebody discipline without ensuring you review and have an investigation of due process makes sense so what you have to do is you have to provide a a overview of the level of uh behavior. So what uh my advice was to the chair and to legal council is that Mr. Anderson sit in on a policy meeting behavior code to ensure that the school committee hears directly from legal that would be public so you would be able to attend. Um but first we would review the um questions based on uh like you have like when

021how would that what does this work sometimes scenario basis help people understand because I'm not at liberty to discuss any issue in public because it involves obviously the confidentiality of students. You can share whatever you believe. What I will say is I think um I will disagree with some of the information shared tonight. Um I know Mrs. St. Pierre has a meeting with me tomorrow. I'm happy to discuss with that specifically. But um what I want to make sure is that you understand the behavior code. Was it confusing because it didn't have like updated years? Is that why you thought? >> Yes. In in the back it says it has all the revision dates and there are no dates. Right. And >> and Right. And it just says it. Um, that's why in the parable

022at the top, the preamble at the top, that second paragraph, >> are we talking about the the first page or the >> the first page? Yes. >> Yeah. I'm I'm I got it right here. >> So, it just said it, if you look at that, it has doesn't have the date because reviewed and input. If we make no changes, what we would do is, for example, Miss Drake or Mr. Zenian would have said to me, um, do you think we should say this? We would run it by legal counsel and Mr. Anderson would would give us counsel yes or no and we have no new input that would make a revision to our plan based on faculty input and amend it. The school committee can bring up any policy and I know um Miss Hopkins

023has brought it up and Miss Chapman but because that a lot of this is based on new laws that people don't remember or didn't realize existed including the police departments and I met with both Chief Johnson who oversees this main campus to review those laws. uh and and he and I are great partners in the work, but in the end we can't the law in school is different than the law outside of school. >> And it's based in statute and that's why I want to make sure I understand what RIL are you looking for like the suspension law are you looking for the the way we have to handle behavior? >> I it says unless it's superseded by state or federal law. So I was just I was curious because you stated uh last session

024uh that what I was concerned about what you believed I was concerned about uh is about law not about >> suspension law correct >> not about right so to address the the you can't have >> um infractions and consequences after this paragraph that you read the next 13 pages >> go specifically into infractions and consequences >> correct >> but you can't predispose those >> correct We have to have we have to review the incident, investigate, but they it gives the >> Who does the investigations? >> The principles. So, would the school resource officer be a smart law? I can give you that law, too. >> Okay, perfect. Um, so it what what what's the recourse? And the main that I brought up last time, we just wanted a report. That's we just wanted the incident

025in writing and we based on that incident and how we had to readress the verbiage of it because it said that our child our children were or there was a child and my child separated when really that wasn't the case. Our our child was assaulted. >> So are you attending the meeting tomorrow? >> Uh I I may I don't know. >> Um if you but if if not if you could just let me know exactly what you're looking for then I can get the documents. I I wrote down the RILS you're looking for. So, if there is something specific that you want to make sure that we either discuss tomorrow or that you want to follow up with me on a phone call, happy to do that, too. >> I just the the the big

026thing was is what do we do when we don't feel as though that investigation is fair and impartial when our child was assaulted, but yet the child is still in the school with our child and also was in violation of the protective order. Again, >> I can't recall if you were on the if you were on this email, but I responded to um Miss St. Pierre that that's the what we call the appeal process. And she had said in the new email recently for um upcoming meeting that she wasn't looking for an appeal, but first she wanted a conversation. So, it just to be clear, it's important the process in the schools is the principal leads the investigation. I can't lead every investigation because then there would be no way to do my job. So

027that there's all things you know that we have to make sure that we do. So in essence I always review cases. Miss Brett and Ninny or any principal would be the lead in their own building. If a parent appeals then I would get involved. >> Right. There's there's no there's no appeal process that's generally publicly known that we that we're aware of. So this was our this was our appeal is is just try and bring it up and to the school committee to get some eyes on it. >> So they actually school committee has a policy and I'll send that to you. the appeals policy for any kind of thing like this. But it and I think Miss Purcell has made this point. The website's not necessarily if you don't know what something called. Like

028if you called it, >> people call it like the um code of conduct. We call it the behavior code. If you don't have the right word, sometimes it's hard to find. So I what typically happens is the principles should have advised you of the appeal process. >> Okay. So we'll we can talk, >> right? >> I can send you the appeals policy. So, I think tomorrow >> you can have your one-on-one meeting with the superintendent, and I'm sure the superintendent will go through the appeals process, and um we appreciate you coming tonight and addressing the school committee. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh our final speaker tonight or person that signed up for public comment is Chris Coner from Richmond. Chris, how are you? >> Chris Coner, Richmond. Uh I'm responding I'm responding

029to Vice Chair Chapman's remarks during the last school meeting uh about a resident who's concerned about the departure of three senior administrators over the last year. It's a concern I share well. Obviously, there's a number of reasons why folks may leave a job and they need to make decisions that help to advance their career and help support their family. But when Mr. Jen Carelli left last year, he highlighted an additional aspect, one that should be of central concern to the school committee. To quote Mr. Jen Carelli's departure letter. I have growing concerns about the recent school committee decisions that will impact where this district is headed. I believe it's important to be honest when something no longer aligns with one's professional's values and vision. Please know that a decision does not come from a place

030of frustration, but rather from a deep desire to be in a space where I can leave with joy, confidence, and purpose, and where I feel I can make the greatest impact. I'm glad to see that Miss Chapman has started to take an interest in the impact the school committee is having on the retention of Cherho administrators, teachers, and staff. When the staff perceives that the school committee is not operating in the best interest of the with the students in mind, we run the risk of talented and experiment talented and experienced educators leaving. They are looking at what the school committee puts on their and and remember these perceptions are informed by actions, not by statements. They're looking at what the school committee puts on their agenda and what decisions they make. You have a key

031role to play in creating a stable environment where administrators and teachers can lead with joy, confidence, and purpose. I look forward to seeing how the school committee members will meet this challenge, not only as we continue to seek a new administrator for the high school, but as a community looks to recruit and retain a talented district staff. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay, on to business. Item eight, approval of school construction capital improvement bond language for legislation. We have attorney Karen Grandandy here to um lead us in this discussion. Uh Superintendent Bard, do you want to set the stage before Miss Grandandy comes to the podium? So, I would get right up Karen because this is her wheelhouse. While I while she has taught me a lot in bond legislations over the last few

032tries, um I will always give to her expert experience. But uh Karen, you shared with me just a few I think maybe an hour or two ago um the update. Should I forward this to the school committee if they want to reference what you're discussing? Okay. Because I want to make sure that this is the right thing I'm doing. Um so what uh Karen did was we um we asked Karen to design the legislation for the upcoming bond referendum vote. So this is really what the question a lot of this is boilerplate and um a lot of it mirrors the charaho act as it should but the only difference is you see in the boiler plate is where our charaho act takes precedence and then any changes that you want to make this is what

033she would have to know but she's done it based on and I believe she said this we have uh the school committee in 2005 had something similar >> uh part of the legislation is similar to what we did in 2005 we were trying to deal with a a unusual circumstance where uh the school committee wanted the voters to know more than was just in the four corners of the ballot question. Uh and so uh we accomplished that by putting in the legislation that the secretary of state has to allow this explanation language to be on the ballot itself. So, um, >> which basically is if I there seems to be sometimes that there's concerns that how voters perceive a perspective. So, that's possible if you had that if you have a concern. Um, I think

034Karen, you know, I we uh had some questions for her around 2:30 3:00. She had uh she gave us that input. She was going to share it tonight, but I am very comfortable with what she's uh begun as a draft for you all to give your input with the goal. And as you know, session's open now. They they like to receive the bills within four weeks. Does that mean they won't? No, they will. But we have to, you know, make sure we're moving things along and following the the the sort of the checklist. >> So, Miss Grandandy, do you have slides to show us? Is that why this is >> I'm going to She has a language she just sent to me. >> Oh, okay. So, I'm going to >> I have a draft of

035the legislation which we can pull up. Uh the the legislation really needs to um you know contain certain information and adequately apprise the voters of what they're voting on. So the the primary elements are how much the school district is looking to borrow uh a description of the project uh and any conditions to the issuance of the bonds. All of that is set forth in this legislation. Do you want me to uh wait, Gina, until you pull it up or just >> No, I'm gonna actually print it for everybody and then you explain it and then I'll I'll go get it. >> All righty. All righty. So, uh, so this legislation, uh, you know, obviously we've been bond counsel a long time, you know, since probably the, uh, I think the late 1980s. And so,

036we've worked on many pieces of legislation. So, this one is primarily, uh, based on the last bond legislation that we drafted for you because that seemed to work out uh, pretty well for improvements to the Switch Road campus. Uh this legislation would authorize uh up to 11 um10,200,000 of bonds. I understand from talking to uh some of your consultants that that number is still being refined uh in connection with the stage two planning process. And the other thing I typically recommend to clients is that uh you build in some you know some margin of of some cushion some wiggle room so that uh in the event that yeah the construction doesn't start uh for a couple of years and inflation continues to go up uh that you won't find that you are um you know

037caught with insufficient funds. We we have seen that happening recently. Uh there's you we have one client who already had their large bond issue uh passed a few years ago and now is going back to the voters for some additional funds. And so to the extent that can be avoided, that's a good thing. So it's always better to put in for a little bit more than you actually need because that doesn't mean you have to borrow it all. It's up to the school district. The voters may approve 1102, but if that's not what it costs, you could always issue less. So, the not exceeded number is is a place where I would uh or on the side of of ask putting in for a little bit more than you think you may need. >> May

038I ask what's your definition of a little bit more? Well, that that's partly up to uh you know the design consultants, but I say like you know 5% maybe more than you actually think you're going to need because things change, costs go up. Uh you know, hopefully they've bu built in a factor for inflation in the modeling, but still always good to put in for a little bit more than you think you may need. uh especially if there's something that comes up that's unexpected. Maybe uh you start, you know, digging excavation and you learn that there's some substances there that you didn't know about. You have to do remediation if that wasn't in the original budget. You know, there's there's ways that uh costs uh accumulate. >> Kevin, I apologize because I was looking at

039the printer. Did you mention uh the War example? Because there's also the North Providence example. I don't know if you did that legislation. I I did not do North Proidence the Warick they want to go to one school because they have the enrollment keeps decreasing but because of the language and the bond they're limited so they cannot do that. North Providence didn't limit the language and it was able to shift priorities based on the needs of what was happening and they weren't losing enrollment but the the North Province is five square miles and it to have five elementary schools is not necessarily the most efficient. So, um they they we uh instead of making making three schools that would have to be minimized based on cost, they decided to go with two instead of the

040three for the for the second bond that they went out for. But, um that's just an example of making sure that the flexibility allows the school committee. Um, for example, like if there's something that want you want to sort of veer off, you can't if um the language is too and even if it's going to be better for the town and everybody agrees, it wasn't in the way the legislation was written because I think Warick would tell you both the town and the school want that to happen, but the legislation doesn't meet that need. >> Yeah. in Warwick. Uh the legislation provided that there would be two new high schools to replace uh Pilgrim and Tollgate. And so there was no way to do a a unified school. So our first crack at this legislation

041had provided for a unified regional elementary school uh just you know one building but we've revised it so that it uh provides for one or more elementary schools so that in the event um something happens we we put some language in here maybe you find that you can't find a parcel of land because I know that Mr. Zenyan's been working long and hard at that. Well, the land is under confidentiality because of negotiation. >> Yes. But if if you couldn't find one and therefore um >> you needed to have you couldn't do the unified school, this legislation would let you do a different configuration. So, it's it's one or more. >> An example would be like we have to have certain land testings. If for some reason the testings of the land that was selected

042doesn't meet the criteria, you just want to make sure you you have your options. >> Correct. because you actually have it's called the green building standards policy. It's on the website um in the policy document page which I know to Miss Priscell's point is not the easiest website to navigate. Um so if you type in green building standards I think Greg and I were looking for it today for Karen and we were like what did we call that? Because it's basically the CHPS um requirements for any school with any land for the school building authority and falls under general law. So, we're just following the same thing the state already requires. >> Exactly. Exactly. Uh the other uh thing that we put in here that we we did last time as well was uh to

043make the issuance of the bonds contingent on getting state housing aid at a certain level. Uh you are typically eligible for 61% as a regional school district. So, we have put that limit in the legislation. if for some reason ride came through with uh 60% instead of 61 then the bonds couldn't be issued. So that's something to pay attention to and make sure that you you feel comfortable with it. References just as anformational point really that uh you may be eligible for more. I mean that's kind of to apprise the voters that that you may get a higher ratio, you may get four additional points. they don't have uh the the um incentive points program on a forwardgoing basis at Ride uh anymore. So you you are not going to be getting a lot of

044additional uh points for for you know newer and fewer and >> that was my question Karen. So, uh, the chair and I were at a meeting on Friday with the Washington County, South County legislators, senators, reps. Um, and one of the things we talked about was, um, seeking additional, uh, legislation, which I'm working on, uh, to present, uh, with, uh, Megan Carter and Tina Spears, a 5% for districts, not just chars that embark on CTE enhancements and renovations or new construction uh, for what ride calls CTE for all. So, I'm using their term, but I'm asking for a bonus, which did exist differently. It used to be called educational enhancements, >> um, with the same idea. We used the same legislation as a backup and we sort of like bringing it back to the surface.

045>> Um, is there something we should we could do in here or it would hurt us if we did that? >> I I would say that any law that they pass that's going to apply to all school districts will apply to you anyway, even if it's not in here. >> Right. Exactly. And um you know if they perceive that you're trying to uh write in a benefit your for yourself that others don't have that might not be wellreceived at the general assembly. >> We'll go the original route then. >> Yeah. Um so the uh legislation authorizes the the issuance of the bonds has some again bo bond boilerplate about uh the terms and provisions of the bond syncing fund redemptions uh things like that. Um it says the bonds can be issued for a term

046not to exceed 30 years. In most cases uh the uh leg the bonds actually are only issued for a term of 30 years. Uh however the legislation for all cities and towns special legislation like this uh typically authorizes uh up to 30 years. >> So I got it up for you Karen. I got the beginning link. >> There we go. So we we covered a lot of that getting the printed copies. >> Yes. Um so this screen shows what I was just talking about. Instead of authorizing a uh the financing of a unified regional elementary school, it authorizes one or more so that we have some flexibility. Uh you know, the the plan, you know, is to do a unified school, but if that doesn't work out, we don't have to go back to the

047general assembly and back to the voters again. uh to to get this changed in. Yes. >> Oh, go ahead, Paulie. >> Um the only thing So, if we're doing 110 million and >> Well, that's that's what Matt Blaze gave us. So, that's the actual >> Yeah, that's what it says there. And the one doesn't go through, it doesn't give us an option to do renovations. So by the way that it's reading it's say it's saying one or more elementary school. So the construction furnishing and equipment equipping am I you know what I'm saying like >> this is new construction. >> Yeah. So it would [sighs] you're correct this legislation in this form uh contemplates >> we didn't ask. So the it doesn't say that because that's not part of the stage planning that you would

048that you had in your contract with Slam. You had specifically asked them to draft. We do not have a conceptual design for any renovation. >> We have we have a uh what it probably would cost you, but we would have to that would cost you more money if that's what you wanted to do. >> I got it. >> And you you'd have to resubmit and do a new contract with SLAM to do that. So, uh, to quote my colleague Tyler Champlain, this is going to be wildly unpopular, and I'm not trying to be disrespectful to Miss Grandandy or to the superintendent, >> but I pride myself on being prepared for reading this in advance. And now I have 12 pages in front of me that I'm supposed to digest and make an educated vote on

049tonight. And that's going to be really hard for me to do. >> No, no, you don't have to do it tonight. >> Okay. So just we were just explaining that the legisle >> I thought this was this agenda item which is for you to have the conversation about what you want her to put in this. >> Okay. But >> but I I understand but I >> you're not voting to um >> we can say >> yeah I >> you just need to give her we need to give Karen feedback so she can she can look to and adjust what the feedback is. We went based on what was typical charho act and the money from Matt Blaze and our current plan. So what we need to know is uh what would you like to have

050because you do have lots of meetings in January which is a nice thing. Okay. >> And we've done this if remember at like beginning of budget workshops is 6 to um usually 7:30. You could do this at 7:30 after a budget workshop for example or you could add a meeting. All those are on the table. This is to get so we don't know. You haven't decided or told us any direction yet other than a unified school with Slam said we have the number because Matt Blae gave us the number but all we have is the Charact. So if there's any changes that's the conversation for the purpose of tonight's meeting, >> right? we'll need to come back and have you pass a memorializing resolution asking the general assembly to introduce and support passage of the

051legislation. Um so this this I think in my view is kind of like a work session work session and now we would but now we're doing it we're January but we knew that we had a lot of meetings so that you had a little bit more time. Karen said we both uh she explained to me, you know, now that thing these bonuses didn't exist, it was actually going to be a little easier u because we're not racing against the clock. >> Understood? >> You have time. >> Okay. So, I just for the record, I'm not again I'm not trying to be disrespectful. I know that this is a work session. I appreciate the work session. The way that I like to work is I have the document in my hand as part of my packet

052of materials to read through so that I could use your time wisely and efficiently as part of a work session. So that's just my comment. >> Sure. Did you guys not get the bond legislation? We gave you everything from the last time. The only change is really this. >> Yes. >> But I didn't get I didn't get this. I don't know. >> No, this one question. You did not get this question because we we actually just revised it again today. >> Right. I don't I don't know that they had the original draft. >> No, they had uh the one that we did last time at the example >> from last time, >> right? >> Um it probably was in your December packet. I bet we put it back out in the sample. >> Yeah, we

053had the sample. >> It was just the >> Right. Right. Right. Okay. >> Right. So, it actually wasn't my expectation that we were going to go through this written draft tonight. I thought I was just going to stand up and talk about the things you might want to think about. Okay. so that next time uh you would be ready. I I shot it off um with the expectation that it would be reviewed >> maybe not in detail tonight, >> but um so just focusing on the things that I'd like you to think about. Uh uh we um on page three, if we can go down to page three, which is in section two, and scroll down a little bit more. >> Uh page three. >> Oh, page three. >> Yeah, page three. There we go.

054The highlighted language >> that's in blue. Yes. Right there. So, so um this was some language that um was was suggested be included. Uh we didn't put it in the caption of the act because that turns into the ballot question and it seemed like it would be very long and very complicated. But uh the thought was that it was important uh for folks to know that as I just described a moment ago, in the event the school district is not able at a reasonable cost to acquire property uh that complies with CHIPS standards for a unified elementary school, then you'll uh construct one or more schools and that the facilities will be constructed in accordance with certain standards. So to us to provide uh for safe, energy efficient and cost effective schools in accordance with

055northeast chips, >> right? >> Um Karen, excuse me. Yes. And Linda, you had your hand up a couple minutes ago. >> Go through. >> Thank you. No, I was going to say um just so that when we are reviewing it, are there uh certain areas or certain things that you would like us to focus on? And I'm glad you're doing that. That's okay. Yes. So, so you know, as we we're talking about on the first page, principal amount, project description, uh, is very important. The the subject to condition legislation saying we're not going to issue the bonds unless we get 61% state housing aid. Um, you know, I will say that I have on occasion seen that number come really close. So that you know you're at like I'm trying to think of a good

056example but you know say it was 60.5 what do you do then >> sort of thing. So >> I just want to I want to make sure because I thought Polly had a good question and I want to make sure it's clear. So I want to make sure Polly that you're able and you and I have the same language so that we're aligned. So when uh she asked about the renovation and the unified elementary the difference is new construction has a formula and that when Matt Blaze gives you the formula with the money it's tied to that those formulas renovation as we all saw when we did that sort of uh road show comes with different set of review because there's no formula to do that. You have to actually hire more architects and do

057more uh more because there's a lot of concerns of the age of the building. So that's why if you if this doesn't pass like this and you know that and that and then now you have unified [clears throat] and if you can't find the land that meets that need you have two if you don't do either one of those you got to go back to bond to do something like Paulie has requested because you got to then we have to start the stage one for a renovation purpose versus a new construction >> please ask any questions so that we're clear. Okay, Karen, >> I understand that we're trying to cover ourselves by saying if we can't >> plan doesn't meet the stand. >> Correct. If we can't do the unified school, we're covering ourselves that

058we could do multiple schools. Again, um I think the word equitable or um needs to be included so that if if we end up doing more than one elementary school that they are similar like similar or same. >> So just to cl That's great. Um I'm going to Karen is going to help me. She'll help with that language. I have no idea how to do that. But what I want to say too is that what um it's a good point because when you do this, when you have like the one or the two versus the renovation, you're able to ensure that people understand. Um and I'm losing trying to figure out how to say it. So Karen or Karen, you keep going, but I want to make sure I say it correctly. So I'm not

059going to just say something. I'm just think about it a little bit longer. Go ahead, Karen. >> My concern is the public perception. >> Yeah. that we voted on the multiple schools and it failed. >> And I truly understand the land piece um and cannot thank Mr. Zenyan enough for all of his hard work. I don't want this to fail before it even gets out the door. I understand. But we have to if we are moving forward with this, we really need to make it clear that our goal is a single unified school and that this isn't some kind of bait and switch. >> So, one of the things that helped me with Karen, so I because I want to make sure I just had to write it down for myself to make sure I

060said it correctly, was that um we all have sort of have like PTSD from, you know, because the bonuses made it like a race like you had to like we were like chasing this thing down. Later on the agenda, you see the reset for stage one. That's why so by by doing the stage one and keeping our line in the queue, you you give us time to talk to the community about this before the bond legislation so it doesn't feel like a race to the top. The difference is that legislation has to be done before June before they leave the session because they're not there in the fall. And if we don't get the legislation done then we then ride will make us do a new stage one again in February because we won't have

061enough information. Just out of cur how much does a stage one application cost? >> How much did the last one cost? >> Well, it's usually depends on how much work. So they've gone our first how many stage ones have we done that we've paid for and then approve a new architect. You have to go you have to do the process. >> This stage one and two you're about $1.1 million in >> a million stage two. Yeah. Stage one. So >> So I just did anyone else have their hands up? Craig and then Tyler. >> So going on what you're saying right here, >> is that still utilizing the dollar figure we had for the one building? >> Yes. Correct. >> So we can't proportionally say, well, we're going to build two because we can't find

062appropriate land for the one big buildings, but we can find appropriate land for two smaller, you know, three grades in each. Um, >> but we need an additional 20 million or whatever. I'm just throwing that out there. We can't put that type of wording in this. >> Well, you would have to put in the uh the at that extra 20 million as part of the 110 million2. So, it would be 130 million2. You could put in some language that says uh if you only do one school, then you won't borrow the extra 20. But you have to put the maximum amount of >> upfront. But you could put a condition to the issuance of that 20 million to the extent it's earmarked specifically for uh the situation where you have multiple schools. >> Okay. Thank

063you very much. >> Am I staying here Karen? >> Um >> yeah for now for a minute. And I would say um if we did something like that, you can we'll get to the point where we do the explanation at the end. We would want to have an explanation of how that works too within the explanation because that that's unusual >> and I understand that. But this is basically alluding to you should be prepared to the possibility of it. >> Yes. Yes. And and that's uh again because we've been seeing lately where you have a piece of legislation that says you have to do this configuration and then uh the community comes back and says well can we do this instead because that doesn't seem to be working out so well for us and the

064answer is no. Not without going back to the general assembly and back to the voters again >> and at back to a stage one and stage two application. >> Right. Right. >> Okay. Tyler. >> No. I mean, I just echo what Karen said. Um, just want to be careful of how we put this out there um to to the public. Uh, to be 110% honest, I've talked with a lot of folks in in Hoffington. Um, there's a lot more support for one school than I expected there to be, especially in the um, I say this without offending anybody, the older community. um which quite frankly is surprising um to me and and actually I mean it you know I've said this to a few people you know we need to do something we need to

065rip the band-aid off and move forward um so I'm just concerned with how this is going to look to the public you know not to say what Karen said but the bait and switch the one to two uh so that's >> um Paulie and then I I would just like to weigh in also >> um we're gonna fall into the pitfall trap of one to two. Okay, we can't get the land for one. Which two of the three and that's going to be Yeah, >> that's a great question. Just to clarify, we're not saying only this is not renovation. One school gets one two schools get new and one gets nothing. It's moving to two schools, not one school. So, you would be closing another school. But they we on you'd have we already have

066three properties. We already know that to your point the bond did not pass for three schools. We've tried that. This says okay the only options left are one and two because I'm going to guess nobody wants four. Right. So we just had had that. So you'd have one or two or yes if it voted down you would have to go into uh stage one and stage two for renovation. >> Just want to make that get that out that >> right. And this currently says one or more. It doesn't say one or two. So that might be a refinement that you want to tell me to make. >> 20 little >> So I concur with my colleague from Richmond's comments, U Member Reynolds. Um we're trying to establish trust within the community. We had a robust

067discussion about one new elementary school and the pros and cons of one versus two. We already voted down three and then renovations. So I think we have to be really really mindful of how this bond language is worded because people in the community are going to slice and dice it a lot and um there's a lot of um I think reticence moving forward with with any proposal. So I think we have to be really mindful of being good stewards and sticking to you know our original plan and any communication that gets out there should be sticking to our plan. I mean, we voted as a school committee and it was a resounding vote to move forward with one new elementary school, but but I'll Karen, I'll let you move forward after the superintendent Yeah. weighs

068in. >> So, after um just to that point, so you have I forwarded you both versions. This has both in them because it's redlined. >> Um if there's something here that you agree on, then that's an easy one for Karen and I to keep. If there's something here like Louis said if we want to just say it says unify if that's something that the committee wants to go talk to some constituents come back or you say take it off the table tonight and you agree on that then that we know that. So anything you're not sure about then we can come back with that and you have more time to talk to your constituencies. Anything that you can agree on is great because we know what you all think we like that language that looks

069fine. Um, obviously I would the Matt Blaze numbers I can't change because that's what they are. But in the end, what we really need from you is direction. Which ones don't sit well? You need more time. Which ones are yay, we all agree kind of thing. >> Okay, Laura. Um, so it just kind of sounds like that maybe the having the the one or more is would be a little bit confusing, but from what you're saying is that if we take that like if you don't put that in there, then you end up having to kind of go back to the drawing board with the bond language itself if you had to change. Is that what you were saying? Well, it I mean if we take that out then you will be doing or you

070won't be doing at all one unified school. So the so the intention here is to try to give you options for for flexibility. Um if you want the one unified school language, yay or nay, uh you know that's perfectly fine. Uh we can draft it that way and see where it goes. would be, you know, really helpful, I think, uh, to know if you have property because if you know that you have you have some property, then you know, you can do the one school and you can take out the contingency. >> So, and you know, again, we we do have some time as I was um chatting with some folks earlier about the the general assembly. Technically, you are uh considered a city or town for legislative purposes. And technically, cities and towns can

071put in legislation anytime up to the end of the session. There's a a a earlier deadline in April for any amendments that affect the general laws. Actually, they tell you that they want it in January, but before the April break, you can get in legislation that affects the general laws. This does not. it's specific to uh the Teraho Regional School District. So technically it can go in after that. However, uh what you tend to find is that you know the farther into the session you go like if you came in with this in May and asked to have it introduced. Uh it very well might get introduced but people would be pretty unhappy about it. you might need, you know, special permission, you know, to have it introduced, another vote on the floor, something, you

072know, to to get it in the process. >> That's what we did last time. So, they the speaker asked us to come and and give a brief summary um because it was the bonuses and that's exactly we had to and Karen sort of my PTSD. She said, "No, no, no. You have more time this time." And I'm like, "Oh, okay." So, um, I took a big sigh and then, um, because we wanted to make sure that any that that the the resubmission of stage one, we we spoke with Ry, we spoke with Karen, we spoke with our legal counsel and our, um, OPM and then slam so that we could ensure that none of none of this was going to cost us extra dollars. So, if you all do not want the contingency, then we

073put the unified school in and be done with it. Um it's just a matter of to make sure that you know what we know is what's what's consistent is things become inconsistent. So we just want to make sure you understood what was happening in Warick right now just in case somebody says to you as a constituent, well what are you going to do if you end up like Warick? We had all that kind of conversation previous. So right now that's in the news and we wanted you to be prepared so you could say oh I understand or touch my constituents just we wanted to say this. >> Okay. Who whose hand was up first? >> Jess and Karen. >> So, I'd like just to walk the timeline forward a little bit with this bond legislation.

074We know when that has to be submitted. We just discussed that. But if we move forward with, you know, upcoming agenda items to change the stage to application to September, [clears throat] excuse me, to September. Um, I would anticipate that before voters vote in November, they would know if it's one or more schools because the benefit of moving the stage two application forward to September is that we have more time to figure out the land piece to figure out. So this because because otherwise if we didn't know what it was in stage two and we only you know say for instance it's the unified school then that's fine. We know it's the unified school that's what the stage application says. We have the land that's all settled. The bomb legislation may say one or more,

075but we know that the plan submitted to ride is for one unified school. But if between now and then some I think we would know before the the vote happens if it's one or more. Correct. I don't think it would be oh >> everyone voted to approve this and now the stage two >> was wrong and it has to go to two schools. I I think we would know by November. So the only thing you could you would probably know, but you couldn't change this in September. So yes, you're correct. The timeline for the school building authority and the state law tells you the way the plans have to work. So you would be absolutely in compliance with all of that. If it doesn't hit the finish line, right? So if you keep it unified

076and you change your mind September, I can't Karen can't come back in and amend the bond legislation. So that's where we just want to make sure you understand. you've got to think about that a little bit. We would suggest you take a little bit more time with that and talk to your constituencies, um, your town council members because that's where we want to make sure that it's clear that we give you the language to clearly explain it. You can ask questions and um, I gave all of you and the community like a little FAQ about the other reason for stage one, but in essence, you know, I without disclosing anything in executive session, you want we have to ensure that we meet the standards. So we have to when the land testings come back, we

077will know. It's just we may not know by the close of legislation if once everything gets done. >> And I would say that if we follow that theory that people will know by November whether you can do one or whether you have to do more than one. We probably would not want to have uh that first sentence in there because that kind of makes it mandatory that the only reason that you wouldn't do uh one unified school would be if you couldn't find appropriate property. So, so if we were following that approach, I would not recommend putting in that first sentence. >> I have a followup. Um, okay. Can I continue? >> Yes. >> Um, my next question is, you know, with the omnibus next week, I know that the agenda says budget, but would

078it be possible to add an add an item for this to be discussed? No. No. That was that's been something um God rest your soul, Scilhurst um would have asked for as well. But in the end, there's been a lot of minutes explaining that the omnibus purpose is specifically to adjust the budget alone. And this isn't one where we're asking um for something specific in the way this works. So you got to be really careful because it's the budget presentation and there's no conversation really about this. We kept it separate for obvious reasons because it has less of an impact. We had to ensure it was in um not last year's but the years before because we had to do an extensive amount of money because of the stage applications. Okay. >> But we could

079add an agenda item for the budget workshop. >> Yes. >> Okay. Karen. >> All right, Miss Grandandy, continue. >> Surely, please. Um, so moving right along the uh again on page five, section four, we can Yeah. A couple pages down. >> Yeah. Page 70 what? >> Uh, page five. >> Oh, page five. >> Section four. This is just again some language that relates to uh the issuance of the bonds being contingent on getting the state housing aid. So we put it in there because we're supposing that you want to keep that contingency. If you did not uh want to make it contingent, then we would take this out. >> So this is probably a good idea while it's on RID's website. the our reimbursement rate, our reimbursement rate for FY uh 26. Um an example

080is the War uh lawsuit that's out and about around uh CTE tuitions. So with uh and RID is re-evaluating, you know, tuitions. I would be careful that you want to make sure that's in here in case any changes happen. They have to give you this regardless because that's what it says right now. >> Okay. But that's also theoretically subject to change by the general assembly. Something to keep in mind. Um then page 10 actually page nine. Yes. Section 13. Uh so the way we have drafted this sometimes we draft it saying uh it's going to be at election on a date determined by the regional school district committee. In this case we've drafted it to say uh November 3rd which is this year's general election. Uh people have different theories about whether it's better to

081go at a general election or a special election. Um, so I just I draw your attention. >> It does cost more money to do special. >> Yes, it does. >> And I did not budget for that, right? So I would have to add that. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All righty. And so then you see the ballot question which basically tracks the uh the language on the first page. One thing I did not uh draw your attention to on the first page. If you see on let's see looks well no. I'm sorry. I wanted to stay where we were >> actually, but I'm just saying it it appears on the first page as well. >> Yeah. So, I was starting on page stops. Uh I think it's 19. And so, um you'll see it says one

082of more elementary schools serving the towns and improvements at the Switch Road campus. So, the reason that I thought about including that is that this is essentially a one-purpose bond issue. And my experience is with other communities when you have a singlepurpose bond issue, uh if there's a little bit of money that's unspent at the end, they typically want to spend it on another school project, you know, or something that's related, but it doesn't fit the exact project description. and uh you know therefore and then they come and say can we do this and I have to say well no because it's not within the project description so uh I added this for you to think about uh you know whether that was a good idea to include the switch road campus just other improvements

083there um I don't know if people have any thing they want to say about that >> Karen excuse me did you have your hand up >> we put it in would decide, well, we don't have anything that we need to do and we would maybe save a little bit of money. Do we have to uh do the put the money or once you borrow the bond, you have the money, you have to spend it. >> Well, if you don't spend it on project costs, you have to use it to pay debt service. >> Okay. Well, I didn't know that. Thank you. >> Yeah. Okay. Thanks. And if you wanted to do that, you could put that in the legislation too if you want. If that's something that would help the voters say that I would

084love that any funds go back to the bond, >> correct? Yes. >> Yeah. Well, it currently provides that as an authorized purpose. >> Okay. >> It doesn't say you must. >> That's my point. Yeah. So, you don't you all have the right to do that even if it because it already says that. >> That's what I'm saying. You make that decision. >> Correct. Correct. you would decide that when the time came, >> right? The the one thing that I want to make sure the committee understands um which I think you do. I just want to make sure that um I clarify it because people come in at different points of the conversation. So when we talk about the um it's my brain fog as I get older and it gets later. I want to make

085sure I say it correctly, right? Um, I want to make sure that when we talk about the projects and we talk about the like the debt service and things like that, the more that we can explain as a constituency that you have the ability to make lots of decisions once the voters decide building committee will oversee. So, it's really important for you to be thinking with your town councils that when we talk about the DFM, the district financial meeting this year, I will be putting that on the agenda to make sure that we're aware that those appointments as they come up after the election will be very important to seeing. So, if you have a purpose statement, I would make sure you're as aligned as possible um with your councils because they will appoint three

086members each and then you all will have representation that you vote on at your subcommittee meetings and you always you'll do that after the November election. So, you just want to be mindful of that. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All righty. And then moving along to the next page, pen again in the highlighted language. Uh this is what I was talking about before. So um the ballot question traditionally what happens is the ballot question which is this language that's all on caps on the first page. You don't have to go there because it repeats it above. Scroll up a little bit to the all caps language on page nine. >> On nine. >> Yeah. On nine. Sorry. >> So you can see that is the form of the ballot question. >> One um one

087or more. >> Right. Yeah. So >> line 18 >> starting on line 15 actually. So that is the ballot question. >> Got it. So I'm going to highlight all. >> So we basically copy and paste that and that's what gets put in the voting booth. >> Okay. >> 15 through >> through it looks like four >> through four on page 10. >> Correct. So that's your ballot question. um to the extent that you want to say more about it because there's a lot of information that comes out in the press etc newspapers the Supreme Court has said that that information is not really relevant. What's relevant is what's >> on the ballot. And you also are required um to put out certain voter information regarding the projects for them to consider and what it's going

088to do to the tax rates etc. And we as bond council suggest that you don't deviate from this. So to the extent you have other great ideas to expand upon and we say don't deviate because this is legally what >> is the relevant language >> and this gets signed off by each town clerk Karen myself like this once you all make that decision um and we have once the legislation uh approves what you approve then we work with the town clerks to make sure that the November ballot is accurate. >> Correct. Now, if you can go back to page 10 again to that highlighted language. Now, um we discussed putting something in this legislation that would require a particular explanation to be on the ballot. I will tell you the Secretary of State's office does

089not like this. um especially for general elections because the ballots tend to be pretty long to begin with and they're trying to cram everything into as few pages as possible. Um so with that caveat, I have put this language in. This is also something that you, you know, could put in your voter information booklet um to the extent you have one or your advertisements, you know, your notices regarding the the uh ballot question. So, it doesn't necessarily have to be here, but if we don't put it in the legislation, then the Secretary of State will not put it on the ballot. >> Right. And just a reminder, this is the the CHPS and the North. That's the policy that we call it on our website, green building standards. You approved that back in 2024, which

090is a requirement of the school building authority. >> Okay. So, it's not necessarily necessary legally. I think >> it just helps explain to the public, >> right? So, this would be something you might put in so that they would see it on the ballot and it would make them feel better about the the legislation and the the bond issue. >> Excuse me, Karen. U member Hopkins, did you have a question? >> I do. And um back on page nine further up where you have a list of and improvements at the Switch Road campus including but not limited to costs of demolition, design, health and safety projects, playgrounds, landscaping, paving. >> What line are you on? I'm sorry. 21 22 >> right in that highlighted stuff. >> Can we add in there sports and athletic fields

091so it doesn't get construed as landscaping because it's not? >> No. because a ride doesn't approve fields. [laughter] >> Well, >> not part of our new they >> you could say it, but they may not. You haven't asked that yet in the stage two. And they typically um especially if we say we're going to work with the towns, they they say, "Well, that's not the purpose of the bond." It gets tricky, but I'm what I'm going to do is I actually um I think that may be a good question. Like when we have um our necessity for school construction, we may want to bring in Ride to have that conversation. uh maybe um for an upcoming update. >> Well, so then my follow-up question, >> can I say one more thing about on that point,

092which is that >> you are allowed to finance sports fields with bond proceeds. They're just not reimbursable by ride. So, it's 100% on your >> nickel. Okay. So, Paulie, did you have a follow-up? >> Well, that's kind of a pickle situation. [laughter] Um, yeah. I mean, if we're going to have >> like >> I do. That was my nickname as a kid. So, um, >> I'm looking at this and I'm thinking the voters are going to say, "Didn't we just approve a giant bond for the Switch Road campus?" And >> no, we reduced it because it was 30 million and we went to 15 because we knew we had to do this. >> So, but we live in a very frugal corner of the state. >> Yes, we do. And I'm wondering if they're going

093to see this and be like, "What?" Like, "Didn't they get enough?" >> Um, and also these um descriptions of the, you know, demolition, design, health, and safety, that relates to the entire project, including the elementary schools, not the Swiss road. If it's okay with Polly, I would think uh if you could hold that question because we have an a building committee update that I think mayo you know that they will tell you we don't have enough money to do what we want to do because things we're doing our best but things take time and to get the reimbursement you have to follow the rules. If you don't want to get reimbursement you can do whatever you want and some districts do that but here like you said we are frugal so our towns don't typically

094like if we if we were spending dollar for dollar. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. So, I think that covers what I wanted to cover >> as far as things for you to think about, concentrate on, focus on, make some decisions about because a lot a lot of it is not super optional because it is required by state law that you say certain things. >> Karen is really great. So, if there's questions you would like me to reach out with her for when we do our follow-up, please just share that with us. >> So, the agenda says approval of. So, um, >> you don't have you don't have well, you can unless there's something you definitely all agree to right now. You don't have to do any approval. >> No, >> that that approval language your

095agenda always says you can approve and sometimes um I I was a little busy so I didn't I just let the approval go because it's not a big deal but you can do anything with the agenda item. It doesn't have to be approved tonight unless there's something you want. motion to table approval. Just to >> table it. >> Before we make a motion to table, is are there any other points that we want to talk about relative to other language that we potentially want to include in the in the bond language? Pat. >> Um, I would prefer, this is my personal opinion opinion, I would prefer to have something under contract and then we know where we're going and then we can just clean this up because I I I don't want to um, you

096know, go back to what Karen said, mislead the public. So if we have something under contract, then we know we have the property available, then we don't have to worry about all this additional stuff. >> Yes. So go ahead. >> Approximately March 15th, we have to this language should be really submitted. Correct. >> That's that's >> I mean that's a give or take >> how it should go. Yeah. So, anything after March 15th, you're then playing with the Hill and whether or not they're going to um put it on the floor. And if they don't, then it's not going on the ballot. >> Well, I would say to be completely in an orderly fashion, we should have a resolution of this committee by about March 15th. It really needs to be in the legislative data

097system before they go on break in April. >> Right. So I don't you know I don't believe you will have what you're asking for by that date. >> And the budget again to uh the chair's point you have the budget workshop where you can add agenda items. That's why it's important for us to know what would be the most helpful so that we can do if you if you say don't do that at necessity for school because necessity for school is different than bill committee. really is a more um advisory if you will because you all make the decisions. You can avoid that and we can ask you know ride to come in for any questions but they they don't do they don't deal with bonds they deal with um the rules kind of thing.

098Any other input that we want to discuss to give Karen some direction? Tyler and then Diane. So, as I said, I've talked with a lot of folks about this. Um, when we made the decision as a committee to move forward with one school, um, I was surprised by the amount of people who thought it was a a a good idea. I mean, again, I I I also think it's a good idea at this point. The one school makes most sense fiscally. Um, one thing I have heard and and and many people, a good handful that I've talked to have asked is um discussing the one-third split of the three towns uh with a unified school having the three towns split e the cost equally instead of using the cheroo act funding formula. Um, so I'm

099just going to put that out there. Um I think we have that ability in the bond language to put if we would like >> uh that would have to be in the legislation >> in the legislation right >> because then it would override the chero bond act the tero act for this particular bond issue only. Okay, Diane. Um, and I know in uh uh you know, previous discussions, previous bond discussions, um we talked about having um all three towns approving the bond. Okay. There's been some upsides, downsides to it. You know, I've heard people go back and forth on it. Um it's a split thing, you know. Um, but you know, like Tyler said, having all three towns share that expense, I think would be better than having all three towns approve because I think

100if all three towns accept the expense, then there won't be a need to have all three towns approve. You understand what I'm saying? So if we get that bond language in that all three towns should split the cost equally, I wouldn't need necessity for all three towns to approve. But if that particular bond language doesn't go in, I would request that all three towns approve. >> So based Okay, so we've got >> Yep. Laura and Craig. >> Um just a question on that. Is there for as far as the the um you know the main campus this is the a shared you know regional middle school high school is that Craig maybe you know the answer to this is that split evenly third is that split evenly a third a third and third >> no

101>> well the funny thing I was doing some math before this meeting and um >> it's not your question >> yeah okay thanks >> we have 23.13% of the students So that's what we pay on. >> You did do it for the Kala project. Um no 2010 >> Kala Kala was no no town paid more than a third. The district paid the difference, >> right? >> But it was so small we could afford to do that. >> Thank you. That's Yep. Thank you. >> Okay. So Craig, did you have any another comment? pal. I was ex Oh, where'd he go? >> Um, I was expecting this to arise and I I personally would would suggest that the three town council sit down and discuss this and this should not be in the domain of the

102school committee >> if there's a so it's not on the agenda but it this uh one of the things that you can do because it's bond legislation and I had had this conversation quickly with the chair but we have lots of conversations so just if you don't remember that's fine to say it. We talked about you could um and you may remember we did it um two bonds ago the resolutions um you know Richmond and Hopington were not necessarily on board with um getting a resolution that sort of supports a project or a doesn't have to be because you you operate like a city and town but sometimes you can you can um draft not a resolution but a letter stating what you're thinking about and asking for feedback because I think and I'm not

103playing John Anderson but I think based on the way the agenda item is written because it's bond council. You could be seeking advice and input and you know um you would you would love to see them meet but then you would ask me um you would ask me to draft that letter to the councils. That's something you could do that as long as it's focused on the bond legislation and that what um advice you're seeking. >> Okay. So Craig, are you willing to make a motion to ask Gina to submit a letter to the three the town councils to discuss this? >> That's a great suggestion. I and I stand by that that motion. >> I'll second that motion. >> Okay. So, we have a >> So, it is a motion for the superintendent to

104draft um a letter to all three town councils asking all three town councils to discuss us evenly splitting the cost of one new elementary school. >> Thank you. >> And I can have the draft prepaid for a budget workshop so you can review it. >> Tyler, >> are we voting on that or are we discussing still? So, it's a motion. It's a motion. >> It is a motion. All right. So, we have a motion and we had a second, right, Madam? >> So, your motion may want to say the bond. >> No, it has to. It has to be the bond because of that. >> No, but she's getting into the language of the bond, which may or may not be the language of the bond, >> but we say just the potential lang because

105remember this is the workshop. So, I'm as my school committee hat, I I'm pretty sure we won't file any OMAs based on the language. So, Madame Clerk, can you can you reread that, please? Because we have a motion and a second on that. >> Motion was for the superintendent to draft a letter to all three town councils to discuss that all three towns will split the cost evenly for the bond >> of Yeah. of the bond >> of the bond. The bond legis >> I would if you could just use the agenda item that would be great. >> [snorts and laughter] >> because then you make sure the omay all you have to say um if I may um the motion uh to request town council to um that that it it is at their

106discretion but you highly recommend that they um that they convene a conversation that the that you are thinking about language in the bond and would like their feedback on the following which um and then we I would explain the one-third example that you just gave. So, I'm not trying to get in the weeds here, but we had a motion in a second on specific language. So, do we need to resend that? And then >> I don't reintroduce Angela. Reread it. I can >> Did you Gina, I apologize. It was going a little fast. >> Just tell me what the original motion was. >> The original was for the motion motion for the superintendent to draft a letter to all three town councils to discuss all three towns splitting the proposed bond evenly for the one

107unified school. um as it and all I would add then um as an amendment is um as it relates to bond legislations. >> Okay, agreed. >> So we have a motion and a second not what Gina's amendment was yet. So we can add that in a second. >> I can't amend but I can re you can recommend that. >> Okay. So we have a motion and a second on that. All those in favor of that motion >> with the amendment. Not. No. We'll get to the amendment in one moment. But I thought we do the amendment. >> You do the amendment first. >> Yeah, you do the amendment first, then the vote >> because it makes doesn't make any sense, but that's how you do. >> So, I make a motion to amend >> my

108motion. >> The motion to include what Gina just said. >> All right. >> Second. >> Okay. >> All those in favor? >> I >> unanimous. And now you do that. >> Now the motion. >> Okay. So is all those in favor of the original motion >> As amended. There we go. All those in favor the original motion as amended. Unanimous. Okay. I think I'm done with the evening. >> Thank you Karen. I appreciate all your nice seeing everybody. >> Thank you for your uh your comments. >> On a light note we're going to talk about the budget. >> Hang on. >> Hold on. We got Larry and Karen. Um, I would like to make a motion to move >> BNC Falcom or Mr. Coulter >> can do his presentation and get out of here. >>

109Oh, yep. I'm fine with that. Okay. So, we are So, we have a motion and a second to move >> the building committee update first before the budget presentation. All those in favor? Unanimous. >> Okay. So, is Mr. Coulter here? There he is. >> Good evening. >> Thanks. >> So, let's um make sure that we are giving Mr. Coulter our attention. School committee members. >> So, uh we're just going to wait for uh Kathy uh to put something up on the screen. Okay. Okay. My u I'm Bill Coulter. Um I'm the vice chair of the the building committee. Uh and I represent the town of Charletown. Um we as a committee first met just a year ago uh tomorrow it'll be for our first meeting. Um we have a $15 million bond that we're stewards

110of those funds. And uh so these uh projects that are up on this PowerPoint right now, you'll see there's 10 of them with five of them that have uh a yes for completed and the other five are uh the wheels are turning on them. Some of them closer to completion, some are not yet started. So, um I'd like to uh say that we uh we never got the bond approval. um well our bond closed on our bond I'm sorry not approval until July and so uh we didn't start spending uh the 7.5 million of the first portion of the bond until then um on those completed projects up there you'll see that um we spent $2.3 million and uh that's a $760,000 savings from what was projected that we were going to spend. We have

111five more projects started or waiting for the materials to start that'll total $3.75 million. And um of those projects um the roof mechanicals at the uh career and tech center are um that's closest to completion and we're uh projecting that we'll have more than a million dollar savings on that. >> Good job. So we we've tried hard but I h I have to explain that we've been trying to be aggressive on this to move forward. Uh costs are not going to get cheaper over the next 5 years and so that's why we accelerated the process and did what we have done here. Um so once all these projects are uh are completed we um will spend $6.8 million uh less the savings. That that was the projection. And uh we're going to have to move

112forward to close on the the second portion of of the bond another 7 and a half million to complete things. Um I'm going to say that um you know this committee has worked well together. When I first got on it, I didn't really understand. It's a building committee and um we had nothing to do with the decisions that were made that was those decisions were made here in this forum. We're we're administrating these funds and um we've worked well together. We we've talked a lot about wants and needs and and we've put uh our priority on needs and um with that being said, um if there's any questions, I'll answer what I can. May I just give a comment? >> Yes, of course. >> So, I want to thank Mr. Coulter and the entire building

113committee. They really have done great work. Mr. Zenian Jason Sullivan have been instrumental in ensuring that they have those at the table that can help them understand the needs um in particularly they're not only being just fiscal stewards they're really understanding the safety piece of what we have to do and the educational piece um some of the projects are on the CTE you know expansion of our welding classroom to be able to expand something that we all know is that is growing is really important so um as you know ride requires the building principles where the projects are involved to be a part of the conversation. On the building committee, they don't get votes. They get votes on necessity because it comes back to you. But I really want to say thank you to the

114building committee for listening to the admins and explaining why certain projects uh not only focus on safety but educational enhancements to ensure that our programs meet our current student needs. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> And um is there anything else? I just wanted to ask, are there any other members of the building committee here tonight? Um, [laughter] >> just the ones from the school committee. >> Thank you very much. Yeah. Thanks very much for your for your service and good work. >> Yeah. >> And um if you'd like, I could come back in 6 months and report on uh on what we we've completed to that point. And at that point, we will be uh looking to close on the the second portion of the bond. So, >> did anyone else have any

115comments for Mr. Coulter, Laura and Karen? >> Is the spreadsheet available to the committee members or >> It will be um I mean once he presents typically Mrs. Denny and I would you >> Okay, thanks. >> I just want to comment that um being on the building committee has been a learning experience. Um I appreciate all of the great conversations that we've had, all of the very hard work that Mr. Zenyan and Kathy have done and Jay to keep us all informed and to host as many meetings as we have had. Um I appreciate uh a couple of members stopping us a couple of times and reminding us about wants and needs and about being fiscal stewards of taxpayer funds. It's been a it's been a great committee to be a part of. >> Anyone

116else? Polly, >> speak in the spirit of your wife. If we saved 763,000, how big of a horse and how many horses can you get a horse? [laughter] I >> I'd like to I'd like to point out one thing now. So, these projected costs um uh this bond has a a 5year lifespan. Mhm. >> So, so these numbers are high now, but there's they they're projected out for 5 years where they might be borderline covering at that time. >> So, that's why the uh the mentality has been to accelerate and do what we can as fast as we can so we can get the the biggest bang for our buck. >> Right. So, what I I want to make sure everyone understands is that while we appreciate that, Mr. Zenian what what he helps the

117building um understand is the process with bride um this stage three this is our first stage three since I've been here [snorts] and um it's a learning curve for a lot of people to really sometimes um because if you don't put things into a portal correctly or and Mr. cult knows this all too well. Ride can reject your project and they have and then we've had to come back to the drawing board and we've we've gotten there but um sometimes for example the OPM cost is one of those examples where I I and I've said this to Mr. Danny and I and I'm happy to say it in public. While we want to save money, you don't want to butt your nose to spite your face. You don't want to say I don't want to

118spend 5,000 on OPM on a big project that has to meet compliance because then you risk reimbursement. So that's where we want to make sure that the reimbursement piece comes into play. So Mr. Zenian leads that role to make sure that they understand that if we don't do that piece of the puzzle, the project doesn't get reimbursement. So sometimes you have a savings, but one wrong step and they're all over us. But that's why we want to make sure and and thank you because Mr. Zen has shared with me at those meetings that the building committee has been very responsive and understanding. Not that we all love how that works or understand it all the time, but they um they we recognize that these rules were into place because somebody was naughty in a district

119and um but I want to say thank you for uh the understanding of the entire committee as we work this process and being so thoughtful about it. >> Good. I just, you know, we as a group wanted to make sure that you understand and that the taxpayers understand, you know, what what is going on here, how we're we're trying to be responsible and the process isn't easy, but uh it's working. >> So Karen, thank you for inviting Mr. Coulter and Mr. Coulter, thanks for your presentation. We appreciate it. >> Very good. >> Thank you. Good night. >> Good night. >> All right. Next is the fiscal year 27 budget presentation. Superintendent Micard will be taking the lead. Okay. While that presentation gets posted, I would like to just begin by um saying welcome to everyone

120for this year's budget review. I want to thank the entire chair. Oh, I'm still connected. I thought I was How did that happen? >> Let me go like this. You did disconnect. Go to the >> I did that to the >> Yeah. >> Okay. Now you're Okay. So, good evening again. Welcome to the budget overview and I do want to thank our entire team. This is a process that never ends. Sometimes we say we start in October. We really don't really October is just a re a reinvisioning. So, for the school committee members when we talked about like the budget subcommittee, it really starts now for you to think about this process beginning today. The presentation that is designed for you tonight was meant to be a um it should look different because it it

121involves a different group of school committee members who have come together and what I've tried to do is create a presentation that speaks to all of what you've been asking um and make sure that we get clear about what really would be helpful. So this is not the end. This is the beginning of the process where what this budget will do will represent our vision 2029 vision 2026 uh sunsets in December 2026 and your your state accountability data is always a year behind which is why your visions have to be a year ahead so you can continue to refine. So, um I just want to say thank you to all of the principles, secretaries, clerks that um uh teachers that give us input, feedback, and really make sure that we can come in front of

122our community with a very robust budget, but ex explain that sometimes uh the complexities that come with education funding. The governor is presenting tonight. So, I just want to remind everybody that this is preliminary because it's based on state projections. Um my ask of our representatives is uh please don't give us less at minimum give us what you gave us last year. So um that's what they that's what they told me they will try to make sure very hard they do. Uh I will have points in this um opportunity where uh we can share advocacy moments and many of our communities say what else can we do? Uh my ask of the school committee is to be thinking of not just fiscal stewardship of tonight but how uh all of you can um help me

123become a stronger advocate at the state house by allowing me the opportunities to really um be present so that you all can focus on local and I can focus on state but when you you need me bring me in. But I think that we are at the point where we are becoming much more aligned through our councils and our school committee and I think this school committee is working very well to be able to begin this conversation in a very productive way. I think our transparency and our accessibility are central to our budget process and we encourage ongoing review and dialogue as we move forward. Um we always welcome um questions as you know this is more for you to sort of just take stock in what we're saying so you can think about we've

124moved to the omnibus to be before your budget workshop so you have time to sort of digest this listen to your town councils and your constituency and then have your workshop um and that's kind of the process. So the budget subcommittee would wants feedback on things like that too like does that still make sense? Does that still meet our needs? So if you want to be doing both in tandem, that's always a great opportunity. So this year we changed the budget book a little and we gave you the presentation. The school committee received it via email. It get it will get posted tonight on the website. Um but what you will see is exactly um and if there's any changes that the committee asks me to make, I will make those for the public presentation

125um to ensure that this represents what you all need it to represent. So, in spirit of that, I'm going to read the letter into record differently than taking sort of a page out of my the chair's book um to make sure that we can double down and remember our purpose. So, every year in the budget book, there was a memo, a budget memo from the superintendent. Um so, I'm now this year, I'm going to read it aloud instead of doing my overview. The FY27 budget marks an important milestone for the Charo Regional School District as the first year of vision 2029. And there should be copies on the table for anyone who would like one. It represents a deliberate shift from planning and reflection to implementation and measurement. This budget strengthens systems that already serve

126students well while ensuring they are coherent, aligned, and sustainable over time. As part of our ongoing governance and financial oversight, the district's financial systems were reviewed with no findings or recommendations. This confirms that Charo's fiscal practices are sound, transparent, and responsibly managed. The FY27 builds on this strong foundation, recognizing the stewardship of public funds is essential to maintaining trust and long-term stability. While enrollment trends across Rhode Island reflect a gradual decline, the needs of students and schools continue to evolve. Purchasing decisions are therefore guided not by enrollment alone but by the supports and structures required for students to succeed in today's educational environment. This budget reflects a continued shift toward investments that strengthen instructional coherence, student support systems, and organizational alignment. At the core of this budget is the district's multi-tered systems of support framework.

127And in your words, it's a way we differentiate for every student. MTSS guides how Cheraho supports students academically, behaviorally, and socially through an integrated system rather than disconnected initiatives. The FY27 budget prioritizes strong tier one instruction for all students. Tier one means core instruction uh grade level standards with a measurable focus on early literacy, numeracy, classroom engagement, and consistent instructional practices across all schools. Progress will be monitored through universal screening data, classroom based assessments, and student growth measures. For students requiring additional support, the budget strengthens tier 2 systems by supporting timely targeted interventions and progress monitoring. Effectiveness will be measured by the percentage of students demonstrating adequate response to intervention and successively returning to tier 1 supports. For students with more intensive needs, tier three systems remain coordinated and responsive with success measured through individualized

128goal progress. reduced crisisdriven responses and improved attendance and engagement. The budget also reflects a continued commitment to alternative learners and flexible pathways. Vision 2029 affirms that student success does not follow a single path. The FY27 budget supports learning environments and structures that increase student engagement, credit attainment, persistence towards graduation. Outcomes will be measured through ontrack indicators, credit completion rates, and re-engagement of students at risk at risk of disengagement and successful transitions to postsecary education, career pathways, military service, or their individualized plans. Vision 2029 will emphasize systems thinking as a guiding principle. The FY27 budget advances this work by aligning professional learning, data use, student supports, and operational practices. Professional learning investments are tied to measurable improvements in instructional practice. Consistency of our MTSS implementation, again, that just means making sure we accommodate students needs and

129staff capacity to respond to those student needs. Implementation will be monitored through fidelity reviews, cross school consistency checks, and analysis of outcome data to ensure resources produce the intended impact. As the first year of vision 29 will begin with this budget. The budget establishes clear expectations for accountability and continuous improvement. Student growth, engagement, attendance, and responsiveness to intervention will be reviewed alongside system level indicators such as consistency of our tier one practices, effectiveness of our intervention cycles, and alignment of services across all schools. These measures ensure the community can see not only where resources are invested, but how those investments translate into meaningful outcomes for students. The FY27 budget reflects confidence in the district's direction and responsibility in its planning. It honors the strengths of Charaho school staff and systems while positioning the district to

130respond thoughtfully to future needs. The budget is not an end point but the beginning of a new strategic chapter focused on coherence, clarity, measurable impact, and continuous growth. Thank you for listening for my overview. And now we'll get into the meat of it. So, as I stated a minute ago, the governor's budget as preliminary, he's letting us know tonight. Typically, we will see that budget impact usually by Thursday, Friday, or we start hunting it down with our I start texting representatives to did you get it yet? Can you give it to me? Um because they have to go live and I wait for that FY27 to go live. So with that being said, tonight's presentation reflects, I believe, a shared commitment between school committee and administration to put students first. Uh the chair started uh

131the session, if those of you weren't ready, um asking us to reflect in the new year to work together and I believe the collaboration will be very um important as we embark on our budget season. This budget continues strong academic and operational results and it reflects discipline, not expansion. Although the chair said to me, you know, what's on the short list that didn't make it while there's things that um and we'll get into that, you know, the wants and needs and I'm hoping through this presentation you can see where we had to give although you don't want to, you have to sort of um outweigh the pros and cons and we had this conversation about other things and some not nothing when you're cutting anything for students. Um there's always going to be someone who

132says it's it's needed and they're not wrong. It's just if I had all the money, I could do everybody's priorities. And this will this will show you um based on what the school committee has asked us to do and how we're able to coordinate that information. So, um school committee members hold different perspectives as we know, but those perspectives are really valuable to us as administration because it helps us align and speak to the constituencies um that are asking questions and maybe don't understand the complexity of of educational uh budgeting. So if we could go to slide two. So I often talk about the achievements and and and this is an area where I really want to make sure um in uh if I if the chair doesn't mind she calls it like our mission

133moments and I love that terminology and I think what we can say is we what I would like to ask all of you is there are so many wonderful things going on in Charo and if I if we haven't said at the school committee I want to make sure that we can do that for you. So when you know of a mission moment that you think is important for us to share with our community, letting us know that to highlight that in a more strategic way is also very beneficial. And we've done that. We bring in students all you know when we want to talk about the strategic plan so you can see it live. Um and that's where I believe my happy place is with the kids. So if um if that's something that's

134always helpful, I can do more of that. But please think about that as a way because that's where the investment is. Our investment is our teachers, our students and understanding what they need to move through a path that delivers strong outcomes. Slide three. So I do believe Charo delivers strong outcomes. The examples you just saw on that second slide is a testament to that. So now this talks about high results and return on investment. We are very proud. This is another what I believe is a mission moment where not only did our audit come back with no findings and no recommendations. Uh but the league of cities and towns last year and this year had a presentation that recognize us through the day through RID's data dashboard and the comparison across the state that we

135not only deliver strong outcomes, we have a high return on investment. So quadrant one is called the quadrant of success where Chero lands um since it started last year both years. So that's another mission moment that I think the school committee should be proud of and the district should be proud of and that's thanks to our finance team, our teaching and learning team because we really are a welloiled machine and really uh allowing our teachers to do their jobs and invest in their classrooms is where we want to make sure we're moving our needs from facilities to instruction. So one of the things I think that's important is that the evidence of where this all comes from. So we are slide four. So this is an example of fixed cost systems. A lot of us

136will hear about um why does the budget go up? How is this important? I want to give you an example about transportation. So transportation costs in Cheraho we're 128 square miles. The next largest district with busing would be exit or west Greenwich. So as two regional districts, we're investing millions of dollars in transportation and often times we have people compare us to Barington. Everybody compares themselves to Barington. So the chair and I were at a legislative meeting and we talked about the fact that Barington they have they're walking distance. So they're not spending the same amount of money on transportation. So, while we're fighting to get regional allocation dollars for transportation, and by the way, our state legislators over the last three years have done a great job. We have received more money every year

137since Representative Carter and Representative Spears have come to the table. Representative Kenny really did lead the charge. Uh, and Senator Algier before he retired. And then, um, Representative Kenny continues to to keep us afloat. But when Regan and Tina came in, he had support and now we had we have more money than before. And if we can keep it the same, that's what we budgeted for. So that's the goal. So there's an advocacy point that I need from all of you. I need us to talk to our senators, representatives to to give them support, not to shake our fingers in their faces because they are doing the work. the state local funding the state funding has gone up and we were on a top 10 list that I don't like to be on but I

138I think it's because the state funding formula doesn't necessarily understand rural and regional >> and I think that's where your advocacy comes in the needs of a rural district do not mirror and I have implicit knowledge about this I am somebody who worked in Providence and bus stops are not the There's no sidewalks there. There my our kids can't drive right down the road or take a bicycle. Some can, some do, by the way, but not all can do that. It's not possible for those that live on our outskirts. So, it is the even with the funding formula. You saw the the um the Rhode Island Foundation put out a report. That report is I think well intended like most of us are but it misses the boat because it still doesn't take account rural

139or regional. It's looking at the same pot of money and giving it and giving it to for example more urban communities which they need but this is where I where I ask for advocacy. We have a building like Kala that I need to make sure has its due diligence. I need the uh the representatives in our state and our department of education to support systems like our kala alternative learners in general like they support them at the charter schools. Uh we did not see that level of um I was very disheartened that the board of education has still not stepped foot on this campus after six years of superintendent and I personally invited all of them at our meeting in August and I didn't even get an email back. So this is not us against

140our senators, us against our representative. This is about us advocating to all of our legislators to make sure Wright is listening and to make sure the general assembly is listening. That um while I believe everybody's well intended, the the southern county, the Washington County, because I've learned that South County is not a real thing. It's Washington County, but we call ourselves South County. um we are coordinating as a cohort now to really make an impact so we can show people that that formula isn't equitable because they don't understand how regionals work that bonus doesn't even while I while I need regional funding it's not enough it doesn't cover what we need and that's where I think we need to be really mindful the unified elementary school will definitely support and refine that but not if

141they do what they want to do Um, with the with the new funding formula request, I have heard that it's not going to go anywhere this year, but that's where I need us all to pay attention. This is where the advocacy letter, if you can't go, give a letter. Um, and when we will be sort of um, highlighting some of those bills as they come up to show you where we need the most advocacy. Um, I've asked the school committee to be thinking about myself at the state house once a week so that I can be a presence. They they do know me. Um, and when I'm down there, we make an impact. And I think it's because they know we're passionate, but we're getting results. And, and RID is using Kala as an example,

142but they're not changing the state accountability system. They're in they're still um what's the word, Mr. Dr. Camela? They are um holding us accountable to standards that not holding charters accountable to. So, um I'm going to go on to the next one. So slide. There we go. So um the other question always has where do the dollars go and I promise they go into investments. So that's so if you look at this slide there are buckets in the budget book that the school committee um have become uniquely aware of. Dr. Camil uh Mr. Jenny and I have discussed, you know, helping you thinking about the the numbers like Tyler and um Miss Chapman are very good at like 5100 series. They know it's salaries. I don't expect everybody to know that. So, we're we figured

143for the budget workshop, we're going to give you a little table that reminds you, but what I want you to hone in on is this is the four big buckets in our budget where our dollars are invested, staff and benefits. And I'm really proud the the school committee did a very nice job. uh led by Diane Tap as the chair um Louise Dinsmo, Laura Chapman and Pat Pulot um negotiating a contract that invested in our teachers and had saw a slight increase. I think it was just about three um two little more than 2% overall for the for 5100 series just it was it was I was surprised um because based on movements we were able to give a good investment but show little impact on our budget. So that was great. So, I thank

144the school committee for that because it helps us stabilize our teachers and understand that we value them and it was um some of the largest raises that they've ever seen and I'm proud of that with the 2.65 increase knowing that inflation is 3.2. That's not an easy task. So, that's that's due to this committee. So the more that we can help our community understand that this school committee are good fiscal stewards um my responsibility to all of you is to ensure that I give you the information you need so that you can work with facts and that uh I can design it that way. So if you go to the next slide Dr. Canelo. So reductions and reallocations, this is an area where um people tend to glance over where we've reduced the budget um

145because everyone's looking at where it went up, but often times when a one area goes up, something else is coming down because we're sort of trading off the needs. So we call that sort of reallocation of resources and and thinking. So if you look here, you can see the staffing. We talked about um reductions not in the the investment of our teachers but based on enrollment and programs. So um this is where uh I I'll take the chair's example of what was on the short list. Programs that we would love to grow but enrollment is is just declining in those programs and you I would have a very hard time explaining why um to raise a classroom size in elementary school even though it's contractual like Mr. Chevlin knows it says that we can go

146up to 25 but what we know is that we have students with more needs who need more teacher student ratio and we've been and you have been really mindful of that in elementary schools. So any reduction I've made um should be seen through attrition. I don't think, you know, unless they're not certified in in in uh in their in an area they they would be they would be able to stay, but in the end I I can't in good conscience continue our program. While I want to um to get investment, I think right now we our towns aren't ready for that level of investment. And that's where um that's where sort of my heart sort of like goes oh because I know that kids are interested but you know you have maybe 15 in one

147and you have 80 in another and you sort of have to make some decisions. So that's where it gets really difficult deferred capital projects. So u member Hopkins member Chapman member all of you have been brought up the the char cowboys on example the field hockey. So, we put in um I asked Jason Sullivan and all of you have asked for a review of what what it would cost for us to like get our fields ready if we wanted to be able to share that cost. I had I had to cut it. And now you can put it back, but it's $500,000 more than we had more than we would do for what we already do. So we kept in what we normally do and we we wanted to share that figure with you because

148that figure includes the the trucks that would be necessary. Um we need two trucks. One was for this purpose one because and my plow was dead and in with the snow we realized you know we if it if it stays this year I'm going to be happy. But we're we're we're sort of deferring costs now that I can't continue to defer um because it's getting it's going to be um it may cost us more money in the long run. So that's why we want to make sure we don't do that. The zero furniture budget I I just I I I had to make some decisions and there's no money in supplies. So now furniture is going. Um so any request for furniture was just removed any um and I again I that's not I believe

149that they don't need it but it's like the needs and the wants like I I I believe they do need it but if it's not broken and maybe you know we we we figure it out for a little while and it's not great but we we are doing it and we we're very teachers are very um thoughtful about it and in the end we have furniture so it's not like kids won't have desks. Everybody has their desks and they have plates. Um, is it as nice as we want them to be? No. But it's it's it's something that they can use. Um, techn So, when you hear people say they don't they're not getting any new furniture. They're they're not based on what I've suggested. This is my recommendation. Um, the technology efficiency. So, one

150of the things was that um we have some data dashboards and Dr. Camila does a really nice job of ensuring that we're not duplicating systems. So, we have a K to8 system that we've been using. We're getting ready to make some shifts, but we do think that there's uh um a technology enhancement that would be reduced in our um in our technology. Remind me, is it 5,300, Kathy? The techn if we're talking about like um site licenses 5,300. See, I'm getting there. Um so, that's where you would see some of those reductions in the 5300. You're going to also see increases and I'll show you why. Next slide. So, Chromebook replacements, uh, unavoidable increases. If you recall a few years ago, um, the the committee asked us to think more about a longer run for

151Chromebooks. Uh, we we removed apples because they were more expensive and it wasn't, they don't love it. Um, and the seniors, they try and the junior, they kind of try to get those back in there. Um, but in the end, it it the Chromebooks have less of our cost. But we all then we went to a six-year reimbur um replacement versus a fouryear and I can tell you I I would recommend five years. We're on year six now and we're barely making it. Kids break things and you know we we we we they type and then sometimes the keyboard and but there's so many things and my friend Eric O'Brien can explain this even better than I can. But overall, when you think about the Chromebook replacements, that's an item I I I would never

152recommend to touch because it would impact the way we we provide instruction um and the way the teachers deliver instruction. So, state state mandates, some of the important things to recognize is that there are things where we used to get a lot more money in Perkins grant um back in like 2017, we got one, we got a ton of money. Um, Chavaho was a regional center and when Governor Raando changed and and had her PEK initiative, she opened up the gate. Um, which was great. I I'm a believer in opportunities for students, but what they didn't do was completely fund it. So now they've opened up opportunities for students, which is awesome, but they're underfunding the need. So now all the things that we used to pay for in our Perkins grant becomes less and

153less every year. An example in this budget specifically is our CTE assessments. So things like their OSHA requirement certified tests that are required um our students who are in health and wellness who had to have transportation to their clinicals that used to be in the Perkins. Now this is in that this budget. Um things that are required to enhance these programs. If we don't do any of this, we risk losing our programs and we risk um the opportunity to be able to keep students in areas where we know are very very well needed and very supported. Um and we would lessen the experience for them. So we we would not I was not willing to compromise on students clinicals on their basic needs to ensure um that that they have what they need. So the

154other state mandate with um the multilingual learner mandate we get um it is in the funding formula it is not fully funded but it's in there and that's going to get me to um and I think I've covered the majority oh actually no the one other thing I want to mention it's before I talk about the uh the professional development is the con we did the contractual for the salary but the other thing um so everything comes with a cost I'm so proud that our ban and our our chorus are booming. Our middle we have grown since co that was one of our concerns and we have done a great job and it's growing with that comes more events and more police and fire. So the overtime rates have gone up. We are required um

155to always pay the four hours and when we have more events and now we're required to do it at open house. Why? We got more. This year the middle school had the best attendance we've ever seen at open house and that was awesome but the fire marshall says okay now you need to make sure you pay me and the police and we okay we're going to do that moving forward but the but Kathy Coil comes in my office and she goes we'll never be able to have that event. So I talked to the chiefs and the fire marshalss we met with them and they get it but they can't compromise what they want to do. So, while we're excited about this work, it comes at a cost. So, when you look at the uh police

156and fire and I believe that's also in 5300 purchase services, 5,400 purchase services, that's where you're going to see those changes. Um, and that's why we think the table may be helpful and this delivering this presentation may be an easier way to know why we're making those decisions. But this is where the budget subcommittee needs your feedback on um what what's helpful. So uh the other if you go to the next slide Dr. Camilo so this is about enrollment this slide you know we hear this all the time their enrollment's declining why isn't the cost going down and you heard me say it in my memoir because students needs are up and it's not because um it's behavior or discipline or they're not they don't know how to do math or they don't know how

157to write. It's a for a variety of reasons. So, I I'm actually gonna go to the next slide first and then we're going to go back to the enrollment so you can take a look. Actually, where's the high cost special? Where did I put that one? Sorry. >> But I just wanted to talk about this for a second. So, this is an example of um underfunded and why enrollment doesn't equal uh budget decline. And the chair and I were at a legislative meeting where where uh Dr. Cummings, the the superintendent narantic gave a a a quick a quick presentation on the legislation that we are putting in and supporting to be able to make sure that districts are getting funded. Right now, the state of Rhode Island funds special ed cost only if the cost

158of the student it hits the fifth time. So, they have to be four times the per pupil rate for you to get any reimbursement. Massachusetts and Connecticut funds it fully. So, think about this. They're telling us our most vulnerable students. So last year they only covered 50 half 56% of what it costs the state of Rhode Island to cover those needs. So when I say the um I you know I don't know about you, but I I'm never going to suggest anyone not ensure their most vulnerable students have what they need. One, the IDEIDA law doesn't allow that. But again, do we really need a law that tells us that students should have what they need? So, I don't even know how many people realize we have students we have adults on staff who are

159toileting um 18-year-olds. That's a real That's a real need. Charter schools don't have that need. So, when we think about and I'm I am not charter schools. I I have friends who run charter schools who work in charter schools. They're lovely if they're held to the same standard and if the budget, there's no board like this overseeing the fiscal stewardship. They're allowed to do the same per pupil expenditure, but they have a superintendent or CEO. They have a director of curriculum. They have a finance director. So, you don't have 35 districts, you have 61, 66. And they keep approving applications. So, the pot of money is becoming smaller. That's why you're getting less. It's And I I get it. It's easy to sort of blame us. Um, and I'm not saying there's blame. I'm saying

160that the system as it's designed is broken. [snorts] And I I believe Washington County is ready, you know, to to step in it together to to do this work. And I am happy and proud. And I told them I I will do whatever I need to do. But that's where the rubber hits the road. We need to stop arguing with local because we're on the same team. And I I do believe what Tyler said. I think the unified school allows us to see we're not Charle Town, we're not Huffington, we're not Richmond, we're Charo. And in the end, what if what if Charo was a village within South County? We were we're going to be thinking about how can we get you know ride and the general assembly to realize a lot of us are

161very smart and can think about doing things differently instead of just putting a commission together. We need to be advocating to do the work that we know we can improve the data and results. And you there's a lot of brain trust in Rhode Island, but in the end, it's who's coming to the table. And right now, we're we're only stronger if we we work as a collaboration across the region beyond Charo because that's when um we all have the same needs. EWG and I are fighting the same battles in a different way. And so, uh, Naragansit, Westerly, we're all fighting to build CTE programs where we're only matching opportunities. We're not enhancing opportunities. So, if we want to really enhance opportunities for for uh, Rhode I mean Rhode Island is in Texas, we would be

162one school committee, one district. So, people get worried about that. So, I'm not talking about regionalizing. I'm talking about collaboration where school committees work together versus maybe your charact kind of idea. This is where we have to think differently. We're playing defense. We need to play offense. And that's where I need your help. If you can go back to the other slide for enrollment. So enrollment, the enrollment shifts. This is another thing of the budget that never makes sense to me. That one-page summary at the bottom you have Charles Town, Richmond, and Hopington. And I I remember saying to Ned when I got here and now Ned started when I started. Why do we do it like that? That is so out of context. That's not even a real number because it doesn't make sense.

163It's like me saying to you, I now get a dollar a day. You used to get 50 cents and you still get 50 cents. You go to 0% increase and I and I and I was getting zero cents and I have a 100% increase. That doesn't make sense. my our budget chair host budget your the budget I'm recommending is 2.65%. That's the increase. But what's happening is we're looking at our towns and that that's so now I said so I say to Greg I hate that whole thing. Why do we do that? And he says because it's on the Ned said it's on the sheet but then you know Ned said the towns you know the members of school committees and the towns want to see their portion but it's taken out of context. So,

164what is it? I I'm now fighting four battles. I'm fighting the Charo battle, the Richmond battle, the Hington battle, and the Charleston battle. And what you want us to do is work together. Um because we don't want we want to understand that when I said uh at one of the meetings, I don't control tax rates. I don't because I can only tell you what I don't have any control over police and fire, but I have to pay it. But that's a town decision. And I'm not saying that they don't need us to pay that to the police. I'm just saying that I have no control over that. So, we have to think DPW. I I don't decide how many trucks they get or what the sand is, but in the end, we're we're not we're

165we have to rethink how we work together so that we are on the same page. So, our budget increase is 2.65% as I've recommended. >> 2.76 I apologize. 2.76. So, and it's under the 3.2 inflation. So, and we'll just keep it one more second. Go back to me in a moment. So you can see Charles Town has a very small.17% decrease, right? We're we're at 23.26%. Um Richmond fell negative.21. So they they're just under where they were last year, but Hopkins saw a 39 increase. Hopkin continues to increase. One year they had a small one, but in the end, here's what we know. People want to live here. People want to come to our schools, and that's a good thing. That brings in revenue. And I can tell you if a charter school opens up

166anywhere, we're going to get less money because the pot gets thinner. So the public still pays. Um private schools h have no state accountability, right? So they can do whatever they want and they can close school and open school and snow days and because they don't get state funding. We follow different rules and the charters follow the same rules, but they don't have the same rules as it relates to funding. They get the entire per per pupil expenditure just like you would get but they don't have your overhead. I got I mean I may lose. So uh if you see this this example I thought was really poignant and we used it at the legislative meeting. Um we shared it not on a slide but in in conversation that if we had example was 80

167student decline across 13 grades which is typically what char would see. This is a very good example because this is what we see. you're talking about 1.5 students. I'm still putting on the heat, turning on the water and and and keeping the grounds up and running. So that's why enrollment doesn't equal the funding, but that's how the funding formula is built. So if we don't make sure that the funding formula, if we don't start with high cost special ed, we've already lost because that's where the most vulnerable needs are because you can't violate federal law, idea. You'll spend more money. you'll you'll be sending these schools these students out of district. Okay, let me go to the Okay, so this is the inflation is real. I promise I didn't make this up. This isn't Gina

168Card's inflation rate. This is New England. You can you can fact check us, but I'm really proud that every year we provide a budget to the school committee that's under inflation. And I so believe we are doing excellent work for our students and our teachers. Do I get everything I wish we could get? I think the chair calls it my wish list. No way. [laughter] You trust me, you don't want that conversation because I have um I have a different sense of the educational world and what I would my wants are very different um because it's a beyond just things looking nice. It's really about uh identifying education for individual students. But I think what I want to make sure you understand is that we're doing a good job. That means that when we have

169our audits, there's no findings, there's no recommendations, and we made sure that this budget is nowhere near is not going to where the inflation is. So even with all the increases, I believe I'm putting forward a budget that makes sure that we can go forward with a vision 2029 that keeps our momentum at a thoughtful pace. Is it a fast pace? No. But it's a pace that will keep us moving. If you want us to move a little bit faster, then it has to change. And I'm gonna give you an example. Sharon Martin came in and and uh well, all of all of our principles were here and I I may have been the chair, but I I'm not sure who asked someone asked um what what do you need what do you need? What

170what would be helpful? And and Mrs. Martin talked about writing and she talked about a BCBA. Um, we actually are interviewing for a BCBA this week and but that's not the that's not the star, right? That's not the but that's a step forward and it's a good step forward. The difference with the B a BCA is a board certified behavior analyst. It will help teacher assistants and our educators and our BMAS to understand how to draft behavioral plans, how you monitor them, what kind of skills, how you teach a skill set for a child who may need need that support. It's your clinical psychologist, which we don't have one on staff, but this budget includes through retirement a clinical psychologist because I have a um we have a contracted service for our our kala charal

171and learning academy. Um her name is Dr. Erin Churchill and she's amazing and Dr. Churchill has done uh wonderful work with us to ensure that our our multi-tered systems of support are realigning to what the law ensures for our students who have needs where it relates to neurode divergent needs. She then ensures that the board certified behavior analyst is taking in the the brain development and the child development and the human development of how people learn as they draft the behavior plans. You can't have districts try to do one without the other and what happens is you fall into a place of compliance and then that's when students needs increase because it's not a compliance driven need. It's actually an an emotional regulation need. It's it's more about uh teaching a skill set. An easy

172way to explain this um I love the example of Inside Out. I don't know if you've seen it. It's a Disney movie. I'm a big Disney fan. There's four emotions. Sadness, anger, fear. Uh well, there's more. Joy. There's all there's a there's like the basic emotions. That's like your baseline emotional regulation. And then when you when you think about it other ways, sometimes anxiety throws it, you know, um who had butterflies, you know, when we're talking about the bomb like oh like short agenda items. That means that doesn't mean that we're disabled. It means that certain things make us anxious but we have coping strategies. Not everybody has strategies. So what we're talking about is investing in ensuring that we give kids strategies to be successful and what they need. You want to the next

173slide? Next slide. You did that one. Okay. So final takeaways. I I'm I'm not going to reiterate a lot, but I think we're making great strides. We have great success. We should be very proud of our district and we have very clean audits. Um our budget is driven by the strategic plan. This is um this budget represents not a new beginning like I said in in the in the overview, but it really is a sustainability plan to enhance the work that we're doing and bringing it to the next level. And in my superintendent reports, if I hope you stay, most people leave, but I hope you don't. um my superintendent reports. I'm going to talk about the strategic plan and where you should all be thinking about how your schools are going to be informing

174um their families and how I will be informing the school committee because that's the work. This budget does not represent just I need this money. This represents how we are moving the school forward with FY27 being year one of vision 2029. And then finally, what I would say is that I also believe it sustains the high quality that our students and teachers expect and it manages the risk for the district to ensure that we're doing our due diligence. So, I want to thank you all for your time. >> 76%. What's What's going on? >> I'll let Greg take it. So the 2.76% is the increase of um the spending >> and then the the 6.79% is the increase after your state aid um when we were looking at all this um we went back and

175forth. Should that whole bottom square row be taken out of the budget? Because it's not that's um your increase after your state aid, but you're getting your state aid and then what you're really paying is the box above it, the 4.3 right there. So, this goes back to that that context. It's I I left I told you I left the bottom line in but it provides confusion because it doesn't represent your actual budget increase. It's giving misinformation I feel and that's where I need your help. I need your help to understand why that row was that row is not required. It's something that was created for this school committee because you wanted it delivered this way. But when you do it this way, this is not it's not recommended by auditors. It's not recommended by

176finance directors, but it was what the school committee requested back way back when. So, we do it, but it wasn't a vote, but they've done it out of courtesy. What I'm suggesting, and this is where the budget subcommittee needs feedback, this takes your budget out of context because you're getting state aid. The state aid has to come to us. The towns aren't aren't collecting state aid. It's statewide taxpayers. So what you're doing is you're giving you're giving information that doesn't provide the context. Our budget increase is the 2.76 before state aid, but the state aid's coming in. They're not going to find it. It's coming to them. And the way that we get So for example, we're a regional district where the money goes to the towns and then then we get it. That's not

177in the Charo Act, but that's what they that's how you all decided the finance directors get it. That's fine. No problem. But what's happening is you're they they're asking you to calculate it this way which is out of context and doesn't represent what the budget really is. >> Craig, did you follow up? >> This is you have a followup. Uh, first of all, >> listen that go ahead because that's why you know Greg's and Greg's and uh uh he and I we went back and forth if we wanted to have this conversation but I don't think I can get get to a point that we need to get to without this conversation. >> So I >> I look at it this way. A, it's been in effect since before I've been on this committee, which

178is longer than anybody here. And and two, it's it's still offsetting the cost to each community. >> So, we have to this, by the way, when we run this sheet, we can't run this in Keystone the way we want to because it's it's like I told you, it's not advisable. So, we have to create a separate sheet to be able to do that because it doesn't represent your actual budget. So that's where I think I can actually give you better reports and better information if you adhere to sort of the fi the financial guidance of thinking of cheroo as a district not separate towns. So you're you're you're comparing apples and oranges and that's where Listen, I get it. I need you to wrap your heads around it. I I'm going to ask my friend

179Tyler Champlan, Laura Chapman to like really push us on how we can help explain this to the public. I welcome anyone to come sit with us and really um provide because I agree with you. This is what this community is used to. So I didn't just pull it but this is the conversation. It can't wait any longer. >> Tyler, >> Gina, and and I think I've asked this before, but do we actually build the towns? >> Yes. Yes. Like we send them a bill. >> We send them on this. Hold on, Greg. Hold on. Hold on. on this one page sheet, right? Which we all hate. [laughter] >> I like it's all on one page. >> What number are we sending to the towns as the bill? >> Greg is I don't do the bills.

180>> So the town So part of the problem honestly is that the the towns receive the state aid. >> Understand? Right. But so what number are we billing the town? We build the 6%. Because the state aid, but the local taxes are 2.65 increase overall to char. >> 2.76. Thank you. I don't know. I could I think because >> So Tyler, you're looking for a concrete answer. >> So um Charles Town would be build >> not tax. Did I say taxes? >> 14,763,587. >> All right. So we're looking up that next line. for the members town contribution with debt service, >> right? >> That's what they would be build. But 1.5 million of that if we use last year's numbers would be state aid. >> So at the end of the day, the number that

181the town is expected to pay >> is 13,263147. >> Yeah. Okay. And then if you take that number >> and you subtract it by the 12,651648, you would see the different the increase for that town. >> Yeah. >> Because what you're going to argue back is that if you go above 4%, you have to get permission from your town. >> But >> you don't. The town has to get permission from the state. >> The town has to get permission from the state. So And what is what I think has always been confusing with this budget is um we look at it as we we speak about charo but then we divide it into towns and then there's always the arguing among the towns about the budget. >> Yeah. Well, I mean being a regional district

182that that's a conversation that has to be had, right? Unfortunately. Right. There there's there's an overall increase to a district but it it hits each town different. Yes. >> May May I make um may I make a point? So la last year's omnibus um if you go back Sylvia Thompson had asked a question about our fund balance and I shared with her that if you go to the town's websites all of them their fund balances are much higher than ours. Our fund balance I and my budget is at two and a quart 2.25 Greg I think >> 2.25 25 and it doesn't give me one month of expenditures. That's a problem. The auditor has told you that three year every year they come. All the new auditor, the old order told you you need minimum

18310. But if you if if you want to start someplace, start at seven. But what we know is it doesn't meet our needs. If we have foster glosser just had a $600,000 bill because students moved in and needed statewide transportation and they didn't budget for it. When you don't have a fund balance, that becomes you have to now talk to the auditor general and do that. And I get it. They don't want us what they people call it surplus. It isn't surplus. It's basically saying unexpected cost. Hi. I had two students move in in the last two months and I have to make sure that I meet those students needs. I I didn't budget that way, but I'm required to do it. So then you have to make these changes that impact and and then

184you get phone calls sometimes and says oh why would they do this in the middle of the year I can't say oh I have new high cost special education like so we have to manage those risks so what we want to be able to do is ensure that we have so Sylvia said the fund balance and I she I she said well we have to have it high because we don't know about state aid I said but if you directed the state aid to this district you wouldn't have you would no longer have the worry about paying us. So again, that's where I think the conversation is we've got to think differently about how we've done this. If the towns can agree, and this may be some of the budget workshop, this may be an

185omnibus conversation. If they gave the state aid directly to us, and I get that there's been a trust issue, then they're no longer planning for this downwind, and then we can become chapo because the why the state they can't the state aid can't be diverted. So let's say the state aid gets higher or less. They don't get it back because it's legally educational funding. So there's no benefit for the town to actually take the money. Especially if they want this line. If you want this line, then give me then send the finance to us and you'll see that go down really fast because it doesn't make sense. You just need to understand that this the point is the state funding they're holding fund balances at 17% in some cases. Take a look. I'm not and

186they're telling us they're doing it because of us. And I said to Sylvia at the bus, well then direct the fund this way and you no longer have to do that. >> Tyler, did you have a follow-up? I mean, the town's fund balances are what the town's fund balances are, but whether the the state aid goes directly to the town and then to the district or goes to the town and then to the district or direct comes to the district, the state aid is not going to change. It's not going to change that number, >> right? >> So, uh it's either in one hand or the other. It's still going to the same place. >> But the budget conversation changes the context. I agree with you, but it's the way they're looking at it, Tyler.

187That's what I need help with. I need to help understand people how people are um Ryan Callahan used to say to me, how do we draw this in crayon so that it makes the easiest sense and now that's why I'm going to ask for your help >> especially to those of us who are not finance you know have MBAs in finance I mean that's >> because digest if I see a number >> if I see if someone says to me something's going up 10% I go what if I understand oh well that's only going to be this much for me that's where we're sort of um we're we're making it more difficult than it needs to be and we're sending a message that's not accurate. So this isn't about pulling the wool. This is about

188getting people to understand when other districts say I have a 2.76 increase that's what they focus on here. It's like I have 13 six eight but it's b you based on enrollment and I I told you I can't fix the enrollment. I can't fix it. Hopkins is getting more kids. So if we're going to be Charo, then we've got to stop talking about each other's towns and just focus on Charo. And this is one of I think after the unified school, it's the next step. >> Jess, >> so I take your point philosophically. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Polly, you had your hand raised. >> Do you want to go? >> Go ahead. >> I had a very short question. >> Okay. Polly and then Jess. >> Only because I heard this earlier today, so I'm

189going to be that person. Where did you get the 3.2%. >> Oh, it's Can you go back to Mike? because I can New England. It's the New England inflation. >> New England inflation. Okay. Because I was >> It's right there. If you go If you Google the consumer price index, this is the New England's uh inflation rate. >> I think 2.6 >> 2.6. >> Yep. It's holding steady. Maybe >> I haven't seen >> and I heard >> we checked it on Friday. >> Yeah. I heard two something today. So I quickly Googled it up and AI shot out 2.6. [laughter] So I was like, "Okay, so where'd she get that number?" So, and I see on the CPI, but how is that different? Because things are more expensive in New England than they are in

190the rest of the country. >> Yes. >> Yep. >> And we're going to go 100% green energy in less than 10 years. >> And your school projects have to be >> push back on that. >> It's ridiculous, >> Jess. >> Okay. So, >> but can I add that that is another increase in your budget $12,000 for composting >> because we were doing it with grants and the federal government cut the very grants they they we we had it and they said we're not doing this anymore. So now um I have to tell you I'm very proud of our students. They're emailing the legislature. They shared with shared a letter with me which I thought was great um because these are our student interns that you've met from scales and they are requesting that the legislature

191do more collaboration so that uh they have great ideas by what how we can do this ourselves. Um so I'm hoping that this $12,000 for us this year becomes nothing for next year. But this is where another advocacy point. This underfunded is the compost waste management law and rl books that came in uh two years ago and we had to implement by last year. Jess. Okay. Um, so Gina, I understand and I appreciate your point that we're chair, we're one district, but the reality is this bottom line shows you the discrepancy between what each town gets for state aids. And it's pretty big discrepancy what Charles Town gets versus what >> the other two towns get. >> Why? >> I think because of um the number of students they have and also the wealth of

192their town. So child pays a higher per pupil. >> Absolutely. >> So this is this let me keep not getting off track with what I'm trying to say. Um and so this bottom line you're saying let's do away with it. But this has been a big part of how everyone has understood the budget for as long as I've been doing the budget. It's this is what your town increase is going to be. Your municipal tax bill is going to show an increase of 4.83 6.11. So if you want to do away with this like that's fine but people I don't people will be surprised and I didn't hear anything about doing away with this line the whole time the budget subcommittee met. Can we talk about >> because I I didn't talk about it because

193it's exactly what you said. >> I had did not make that recommendation. Let's let's be let's just be transparent. I'm I'm >> December >> January of last year there was a lot of changes. We had a new chair. We had a lot of new members that added and it it wasn't the o it just wasn't the time to do that and I I and the chair were working together. We we're um we're getting more in sync because there's more conversation. We're learning how how how each other works and I think that's helping the school committee and the public. But in [snorts] the end, it doesn't mean that we always agree, but it means that when the chair asks me a question in in a way that um she's understanding it, helps me understand how the

194public understands it. So, what I need from all of you is that line I found out from Ned. It's it's not a real line. He said this, nobody does this. the student graduates were told to do this and before Sue it was Brian Stanley because it was a request from school committee because their town councils asked them to do it which is great but it takes it out of context so it so they don't understand it because they're not understanding I mean how many times you can go back to my slide decks and you can see um and I'll uh Craig Lazison is always asking for the chart I know now because everyone misunderstands this child pays are higher per pupil because they get less state aid. Hopington gets more state aid, so their per

195pupil is different, but you're still comparing apples and oranges. What I'm saying to you is I'm just asking that we compare apples to apples. >> I need I need to see an example of how you want to do that. >> No problem. I didn't do it this year yet. >> Taking this away is not helpful. Well, I I do need it right now in Crayon because I need to be educated on what you're trying to do, how it's going to look, and how we're going to explain it to residents. >> That's where I got to get to. That's what I need. >> Okay, >> Tyler. >> And that's where Jess, I completely agree. Well, Gina, I I I understand where you're going theoretically with the apples to oranges comparison. However, our towns care about that

196bottom line that you want to take out because that's what's going to hit their budget. That's what's going to hit their tax increase. That's what they care about. >> So that's the funding formula. >> Funding formula or not, this is what's going to go into our town budgets next year or this coming year, whenever it is, right? So that's what we care about. While I understand that overall it's only 2.76 and to me overall that sounds relatively reasonable. Um, probably the year-over-year New England CPI actually per the Bureau of Labor Statistics is actually 3.3, not 3.2. If you look at November to November of 24 to 25. >> Thank you, Tyler. >> So, >> still >> I'll update it for the omnibus. >> The the piece that the piece that the towns care about are

197that bottom line piece, right? If if if I'm going to my to residents in the town of Hopkins and saying, "Hey, [snorts] school budget's increasing 8.76%." That's going to hit our town's bottom line. and that's going to hit your tax bill. Well, 8.76 is a big difference from 2.76, >> right? >> It's it's all the funding formula and it's that's I mean that's the Cheraho Act. It's based on enrollment and that's how it's calculated. >> I'm going to I'm going to May I >> Yeah, go for it. >> Here's why I need the advocacy. It is the funding formula and it's not the Cheraho Act. The Cher Act mirrors the general law. Every district, regional or not, is charter schools too. It's based on enrollment. The funding formula is broken and the plan that they

198put out which why I believe it's well intended and and hit like the high cost special ed absolutely they caught it. They got that piece right. What they didn't get right was they didn't take into account regional districts. We are not and actually Megan Carter said this very well. She said we're regional. Some of these other districts think regionalizing is going to help them. We're saying it's not helping us. The funding formula is broken and they didn't do anything with regionals. Uh that's where we need to advocate. Our town councils and us with along with all of South County needs to go to the general assembly. We have plans and say start with the high cost special ed and we'll show you how to fix it. It's the funding formula that is penalizing us for

199being regional >> and for also paying our bills on time. And well, >> Laura, >> no. I I just I am recalling a a conversation I had last budget season with um uh the town manager. I can't remember. I think it was from Hopington actually. >> Brian. >> Yeah. And um I remember him saying that it has something to do with the timing the timing of when the the town budgets versus the um the school budgets are being presented. And that I believe that that was also had something to do with where this this line that you're referring to that had something to do with the timing. >> So actually I I I think I don't know for sure because I'm not positive but but just so you know the t all districts will tell

200you not just regional that the timing is terrible because we don't even know what the state is. So, we're asked to create a budget. All districts are and some some like North Smithfield has to have it by November for their charter and Cranston has to have it at this time and North Province has to have it at this time. We all are required to give our budgets to the towns prior to their budgets. That's how the system works, but the state doesn't tell us. So, we're we're we're actually really they should come they should be in session now and we should be in session at the end. It it's backwards. That's where the advocacy has to happen. You we you have the superintendents in in in across the district. You have leaders across the district

201that that really understand this. But with if but we're fighting ourselves instead of really fighting the funding formula being thoughtful even beyond what they put out. It's it's not comprehensive enough. It only scratches the surface. The only thing I I I would say I would anchor to right now is the high cost special ed. I think if we all start there as a state, we've made headway. So I as long >> as you keep transportation >> as long as right in the again we get a bonus for regional and we have to fight for it like it's a like at the hunger games. [laughter] >> So I have a comment um because you know obviously messaging is everything. So I appreciate Jess's comments, Tyler's comments. Um, and in looking at this, it's going to be

202really, really hard if you know, Hopington and Richmond are looking at and Charles Town, too. You know, 8.76 for >> Hopington, Richmond 6.11 and 4.83 for Charles Town, but then in the sort of the next breath, we're talking about an overall budget increase of 2.76%. When you look at the bottom line numbers between fiscal year 26 and fiscal year 27, it's less than a $2 million increase. Am I reading that correctly, Greg? 69,765 and change. >> It's just under two million. >> It's just under2 million. So, it's just under a $2 million increase for a school district that's in the top quadrant of success. So, it's really hard to for me to wrap my arms around the 8.76 number on the bottom. >> So, what you're probably not going to Well, you have to, you

203know, you have to look >> That's what I need your help doing. >> Yeah. >> And and you have to look a little bit further down the the one pager and realize that your 2.25% fund balance this year only gets you 2.1 million. Last year got you almost 2.5. >> Yeah. Um, >> it's 300 grand. So what I mean it's 300 grand difference. >> Well, but Tyler, all this starts to adding up. You you you spent 2 million more, you got 300,000 less, you got a half million less in income. I mean, we just talked $3 million. >> So like you'll see I think um like the utilities, the water uh from Hope Valley, Hope Valley um saved you money, but inflation is at 3.2. So in the end, and by the way, in the

204budget, you will see Hope Valley annexed because of the prek. So I don't that's why you see that >> Craig. >> Uh I'd make a recommendation that next week for the omnibus to to respect tradition and go back to the way it looked before like last year >> budget presentation. >> Yeah. No, no, just the these numbers. Uh this page >> I didn't page. It's your page. >> I didn't change that page. >> Those are your num. >> Are there columns missing? >> No, there's nothing missing. the numbers. >> No, this is exactly the same. It hasn't changed yet. Craig Craig, >> I mean, you probably didn't change it. >> I I do want to point out when um this budget was being created and there was much discussion around needs and wants um and

205none of the wants were cut out. This was at 8.88%. >> Which which what's which number >> 76 number 76. So when um people came forwards and said you know the field hockey field is in disarray needs to be fixed and the varsity field should be in better shape and all the all that we included all that in and it was so every time someone came up to the podium >> or you or you asked we included that in our original budget and um it was at eight so Hopkins was at 14% I believe it was the numbers were I mean beyond imaginable >> the reduction of this budget. Um >> so >> um you know you're going to have to look at you know where you think there are more you know things that

206are wants versus needs. But um every time someone gets up to that podium and makes a request, if we if we're going to honor it, you're going to very quickly see 10% budget increases. And I I that's what this budget originally started as we were going to try to um you know, this committee has to say no to certain things. We there's no way every ask that comes to that podium can we afford to pay for. >> Okay. Gina, did you have a comment? And then >> I was going to say that um a little bit differently. When I look at your budget, I'm looking at the strategic plan. I'm looking at the purpose of what we're doing, right? Student success, ensuring our teachers have the tools and resources necessary to educate our kids and

207to keep us at our top 10. Um, and I believe this budget does that. And I showed you some of the big picture cuts. The only thing left to get you to the way you normally do this, and again, it's going to mean you're going to have to either raise class sizes or cut student programs or cut transportation and look at deep, but you're going to have to make some changes of how we run our business. Changes of how we operation. It's class size. It's cutting programs. I'm building band which I agree with but it brings in more cost for fire and police and auditorium usages and now you know we're updating our attorney. That's great. All of these things are wonderful but they come at a cost. So I I just need to understand

208from you uh we because there there's it's no no money and supplies we we're like and that's why the budget workshop the the questions that you have after you go through your budget are going to be important but in the end we we did impact I impacted programs or my cuts but what I tried to say uh I tried to at my core focus on the needs of the strategic plan and the investment for our kids T uh teachers can't do without. By making cuts, you're looking at staffing programs and the way we do business differently. >> So, we're almost at 10:00. >> Yeah, that that's why I had my hand up to make a motion to go past 10 o'clock. >> Okay. So, we have a motion to go past 10 o'clock. We have

209a second. All those in favor? >> Okay. Who's Who is opposed? Diane and Karen. Anyone abstaining? No. Okay. So, the motion carries, >> Jess. Okay. So, I'm back to this bottom line and I'm really wondering if we've all been misunderstanding this bottom line for years because I'm reading it percent increase contribution to district after state aid. If this were the increase per town, would it say percent increase contribution to town? Like I want to see what it sounds like we've all interpreted this as this is the town's increase. >> Correct. That's how I interpreted it. >> Always. >> If it's not that, I need someone to explain it better. I need you to draw it in crayon. I need you to show me each town's increase to their tax base. >> I mean, I think

210that that's exactly what that number is, >> right? What's happening is just the confusion comes in because of the state aid. So it looks like because they're because they're taking in the state aid, it actually goes to them. So that bumps their number because their state aid is different. Which is why the confusion when people say child pays less, they actually don't. Their per pupil is higher. And that's where I I need to be able to I need you all of you to help me get to the point where I need per her pupils under great and understandable but at the end of the day the bill suggests that we're sending our towns >> is for Richmond is $23,727,000 $7,146. We send that bill to Richmond. Richmond receives from the state 6,378,48. Right. >> So

211at the end of the day, Richmond's budget is impacted 17.349 million. >> Yep. >> By Cherokee. >> Yep. >> Which is >> the funding formula, >> but >> whatever the funding formula, the district, the bill's coming from the district. So that's an increase over last year of 6.11% or roughly it's actually almost a million dollars flat to the >> but it's based on enrollment. >> Right. And that's how I've always understood it. >> Yes. And your understanding is correct. Um I'm not sure what the confusion here right now is. >> The confusion I think that the I I'm not saying that there's necessarily confusion. What I'm saying is you're fighting multiple battles. You're you're you're trying to put in context every every town's budget in your budget where most districts right when they re regional

212districts have conversations about their budget. You all have taken a different way to think about it which is not like it's wrong just the numbers will match up but it doesn't give you the clear context of what's happening. So let's say when Sylvia Thompson mentioned the funding the fund the fund balance the towns are budgeting higher in their fund balance because of the state aid they would be able to reduce their fund balance cost as one example right if the state aid came to us so they would be decreasing that side of their house on fund balance >> but that won't affect our budget >> affect no affect that's a that's a good point for something else that >> your fund balance isn't enough to cover one month's expense theirs is Right. >> But if

213if they're saying to all of us, they and you heard them say it, Sylvia Thompson said it, we have to we're get we're asking for 70% because of the state aid. If they stop budgeting for their fund balance at 70% because they're doing it for us because we're taking in the money, then that number is going to get lower because they're not going to be budgeting to worry about the school. So, what I'm asking for is is a context, not that the number changes, but the way they're budgeting looks different because they're not budgeting in case of emergencies for the school. >> Yeah. And I know what you're saying. I think that's an overall picture. But I think for me as a school committee member, I can't really that's not really my area. Um, and

214I think, you know, overall, I think your presentation, there were a lot of moments where I wanted to know like, well, what's the number for that? Um, >> I haven't, >> you know, I wanted to make sure that >> some of us I think it might be helpful if some of that information was included like there was you you had the number for the composting, but it was >> Yeah, we're going to have a table, >> you know, um the fund balance, how much is what would it be? What what is one month of expenditures for the Cherhost school district? I think that would be eye opening for folks to know. >> Um maybe seep the percentages into of the four big buck four big buckets. Could you just go a little slower because we

215want to make sure we c I mean we can watch the tape but just want to make sure on the top of mind. >> So um where the dollar goes there's the four big buckets. Maybe it could be a percentage. How much of each bucket is in the budget? >> Yep. >> Um doesn't have to be exact but a percentage. Um how many positions were lost due to attrition? >> Um how much furniture how much was cut in furniture? How much was that the amount? Um, >> and typically in the past I had those numbers, but I'm I'm trying to give a p a a different picture so that we can help understand context because clearly this budget battle has been going on since the 1900s. >> Yeah. >> And if nothing changes, nothing changes.

216And what's the definition of insanity, everybody? Do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result >> after 10 p.m. >> All right, Karen Henry, chest, you all set? Yeah, I'm set. Hand raised. just just email me. So >> my final my final question here because I I think we have to I think we have to move on. >> I don't think I'm going to understand anything after this. >> Um the information that we've received all along up to this point is if you go over 4% you need state approval. The towns need it. >> The towns need state approval. >> That includes their tax. >> Okay. So, we don't even know what the town budgets are right now. So, what percentage on this page, this one pager, is going to be the

217real number for the towns when they're measuring a potential 4% increase. When you include state aid that they're getting from the state, it's that number that you see. It's the bottom line number at the bottom of the page. That's going to be a hard cell for us, ladies and gentlemen, which is why I want to explain it. Think think about that hard sell in in in an environment where we're also trying to sell a bond to our residents. >> That's that was my concern because that payment's all that's a bond that's gonna >> Larry >> I don't know how it is there's something about we might not be getting like 7 something million dollars. >> Yeah, she was talking about that with funding. >> So that blue ribbon commission I don't think that that anything

218like that is going to happen this year. That's going to not going to happen this year. >> Okay. >> I would not put all the eggs in that basket. >> Right. So, what is our >> So, what is our recommendation to the superintendent and to Mr. Zenyan about next week's omnibus meeting? Do we have any recommendations from this committee? >> Well, it's we're always we're for the kids all the time. Correct. >> That's our motto. >> For the kids. We want what's best for the kids. Maybe we got to start with up at the top. and maybe have to thin the herd out a little bit >> at stop. >> So what does that mean? You're talking about reductions in >> reduction in administration. Do we need >> 15 clerks? You know, I'm just >>

219that's not administration. That's that's ESP union. >> Okay. >> That that's a drop in the bucket really. It's staffing. I mean, it's what Gina said. It would be looking at class sizes, cutting teachers. Um that's where you're going to get the most bang for your buck. Laura, >> I mean, I guess my my the the my bigger question is if knowing that it from what I'm looking at on this form, I mean, it seems that every town would need to they're over that 4%. Right. >> Yeah. >> Just with the just with the school budget, not with the town budgets. So, you add you got to add the town budgets in too, right? So then with that being the case is I mean what is the other option for the school if we if if

220we're only if you're only presenting a 2.76% increase then in order to get below that you either have to level fund the budget. Is that right? >> I I don't even think level funding the budget's going to get you to where you want to be. >> Yeah, I agree with Right. That's what I'm saying. I I I would make a request, Gina, to see what level funding the budget would look like. I don't want you to I don't want you to tell us where you think the cuts can be made or anything like that. I just want to see what it looks like. >> Can do we need a motion on that? >> Before you make a motion, can I ask that Laura and Tyler look at that one pager one more time? Um, Lynn,

221Kathy, Mike, and I have run the numbers. I mean, we have run that page every way, but something just doesn't seem >> No, it doesn't. And >> something doesn't seem right. Something doesn't seem right, but we can't. I mean, again, >> I would love for one of you to tell us we made a mistake. >> Here's what I'm You have it in Excel form. >> Let me look at it real quickly. Yeah, if we could get it in Excel, Greg, that'd be help. Number one. Number two, your top line 71.669.7. That's 2. That's That's 1.9 1.9 million increase. >> Yes, that's a $ 1.9 million increase. I go to the bottom line. I got 48177 48 45152. That's a $3 million increase. Something doesn't make sense there >> because the state aid included at the

222state exactly the same as last year. >> But that exactly the same, >> Tyler, that I can put on pretty quickly. You got a 1.9% increase in um in your 5 in your 51 52 53 all that top right we agree on that it's 1.9 correct >> yeah roughly >> okay so roughly then when you go down >> I mean you have reduction in revenue right Greg >> you have a $300,000 reduction in revenue >> but then you also have a um almost >> a $400,000 reduction in um your fund balance >> 300 >> so the reduction in revenue wasn't because of CTE. It was because our our char alternative learning academy is at capacity and I don't have the space. >> I don't I can't take more out of district kids. We we were

223getting kids from other schools, but we we we need that those num we need that space because we have students who need it. >> So, are we in agreement that perhaps in the next few days Laura and Tyler can take a look at this and they could uh huddle with Greg and uh Dr. Camela? Is that possible? >> I'll I'll attempt. I don't know if I have time this week to be 110% honest. >> Yeah. I mean, if you can send send me the spreadsheet, then I can certainly take a look at it. >> I mean, I'd also like to request the 49 pager in Excel, too. >> Yeah, please. >> I think we've done that before. >> Yeah, we've done that before. >> Yeah, >> is that possible? >> Right. Not the one the

224both the page 49, >> right? Just make sure that when we talk at this meeting, you use this book >> always. [laughter] Okay. >> My only other comment is is that just anticipating what might be mentioned at the omnibus, >> especially from the Hopkin delegation on the town council side, >> maybe all of them, I don't know, is that, you know, Hope Valley is now closed and there was an $895,000 reduction in the budget as a result of closing Hope Valley early. So, you know, I think that we're gonna hear that and then see these numbers down there on the bottom of this page. And it's just, you know, it's it's all about how you package it, right? So, okay. Are we ready to move on to the next agenda item? Paulie, >> I just

225have one request. Um, and I I want you all to consider it what it would look like and how much we would save if we removed computers from sixth grade down. I know. I know. >> You've stated >> it would cost us love that idea. >> It actually cost they charge you more for a textbook than a site license. It cost us more. >> I know. I I I got they got me coming and going. >> Sure. But I do see my kids do have textbooks and they come home with workbooks and stuff and if it's all about what's best for the kids, studies are showing that what's best for the kids is >> less screen time. less screen time. And I can speak from absolute personal experience of having three children in this school

226system. They don't need those computers in my opinion until they hit about 8th grade. Otherwise, I'm actually we're taking them away from the youngest one because he's playing games on them and we've taken screen time. Oh, I'm checking my email. I'm doing homework. No, you're not. You're playing games. >> I just want to make sure. So, you're asking me to bring an increase for the textbooks? >> I would I would like to see what it looks like if we did not renew five grades of computers. >> But it's not just the computers. I understand. There's licenses. There's >> because if I don't have a site license, I need the textbook, which costs three times what the site license costs. >> The last time we bought textbooks that we have that are >> Oh, no. buy

227them because c certain things you have we we still have textbooks but the more >> everybody >> no no that's they because of the paper and the and the environmental laws it it's it's three times what it would cost >> but >> I don't disagree with you Paulie >> but it's what's best for the kids too so we have that conversation >> I'd love to see it but >> you know [laughter] just like I can't differentiate from the numbers >> how much of that is in there if you cut it at sixth grade and below. I can't I can't tell. >> But just remember, you have to buy. >> So, I'm going to give you that number. Yeah. >> Yeah. Thank you. That's my only request. >> All right. Can we move on to the

228next agenda item? >> Okay. Agenda item business 8D. Approve submission of the cherho necessity of school construction stage 1 to ride for February 15, 2026 and the stage two application for September 15th, 2026. I'm going to turn this over to the superintendent. Hello. >> And actually Deb Faith is here from Collier. So I am recommending approval of the station one to give us the time necessary to ensure we have the information for our community around the land so that we can share more. Right now as you know it's an executive session because it impacts um our negotiation abilities and what we need to be able to do. So, if Deb's here, if any questions you have regarding um this the it's basically a repackaging for no additional cost >> and so that we keep our

229uh keep our space in the line and then you'll approve the actual stage two in September. Gives us more time with our community. Do we have a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second discussion. >> We are so sorry to keep you so >> really. If I knew that I would have made this >> guys work sorry we would have had you first. Oh good. Um, so Gina, my only comment on this is is that out in the public, the stage one application has already already been accepted by RIDE. So are there talking points or anything that if constituents come back to us and talk to us about, okay, well, I thought our stage one was already approved. Do are we are we prepared to answer those questions

230in the community about why this timeline has now changed? So I did the Q&A. So what I want to suggest is if if that whatever you know I believe I I thought that we covered that in the Q&A but I can work to add question if there's something that I could say it differently that would help just take a look at that because that went to the community too and I haven't received any any feedback other than people were like almost some people said it was like a gift it seems like a gift of time. I'm like that's exactly right. But in the end, if there's a question you have, um, I can I can add that to the Q&A and, uh, that will go public. >> That is public already, but the revision. >>

231Yeah. I mean, if that letter that went out to the community this week, if we all feel that that is sufficient information and that's clear, >> then I don't have any >> No, I want to follow up on >> any ads. Okay, Tyler. >> So, the Q&A question four, why is the stage one application being resubmitted? >> It just [snorts] says to keep our plan active and current. So it fully aligns with the scope of the community discussions. Is are we really just trying to give the community more time to get together and talk about it or is there something is there another reason why we're resubmitting it? Because if we've already submitted it and it's been approved and we're on track to get stage two submitted for September, why the resubmission? So um >>

232yeah give you chance to >> to think um >> you know hearing all the other discussion tonight you know we're still focusing on the one school like that's all our team is is focusing on and it's a restart of the clock so that the stage two can be done and the problem um without having the um you know the the land for for certain like uh you know >> all the land studies >> yeah exactly well it's quite a a lot of things. It's the environmentals. It's it's um you know checking the soils and the water table and and as well as having a foundation study and your site plan and it's it's a lot of um subconsultants. So they have to be brought on board and they've already been contracted by the designer and

233then they have to set out and do the work. But we don't want them doing it twice. So, if we have a piece of land we really really are hoping for and then send somebody out to go do all that work and then that land doesn't come to fruition, we don't we can't spend that money. So, it has to be just a oneand done. So, there really needs to be a commitment about where the land is going to be and then all the subs will be set out to do all of the work. Um and and and that I think is all part of the um the process and g getting until September I think gives a really robust really professional report. If we were to do it um you I have a I'm from

234up north and I have a term for that when you set something up and it's not done all the way. So we don't want to do that. It's not professional. We want it to look good and we want um to save them money and the stage one won't cost any more money because it was done last year and I have to just replace in kind with reports that I already have for stage two. So it's really just a literal repackaging. >> So if my understanding is correct, the whole reason we're resubmitting stage one is because of the land issue. But what what's required when we have um what's required to study on the land, >> right? So because we haven't identified that because we haven't acquired it, that's the whole reason for the for the

235>> we haven't settled on one. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. I think that would be a better response. >> I have to be very careful how I work, >> which is understood, but saying, "Hey, we haven't identified and or acquired a piece of land yet. That's why we have to repackage and resubmit stage one, I don't think steps over any boundaries. Right. I I I would be really pleased. >> It's okay. We all live in all stand >> I can't say I fine. >> You're saying things that that I I have to be careful about. >> I won't say anymore. >> Just >> Yeah. >> Things that were discussed in executive session that we can't disclose at this point >> and and I'm not asking you to disclose anything. >> Understood. But that's that's why

236I'm just saying it's um and not about a piece of land. It's about the right piece of land that that will meet the requirements. >> Sure. >> And we have to have that that study done or stage two will say, for example, it'll say that it's incomplete >> and none of us want to share anything that's incomplete. >> Agreed. I'm trying to be very good. Okay. [laughter] >> Can we move on? >> Yeah, I'm good. >> Anyone else have anything to add? No. >> Let's rock and roll. Okay. Should >> we vote? >> No, we have to vote. >> We have to vote, Madam Chair. >> We have a motion in a second. We have a vote. >> We have a motion in a second. Okay. All in favor. >> Unanimous. >> Thank you for

237waiting. I'm so sorry. >> I'm sorry. >> Okay. Upd update on progress for a revised rubric for the superintendent's evaluation. So, I have an update and I know that Gina will weigh in as well. So, um just a quick overview. We all know that we did vote in November for the superintendent and I to work together collaboratively to put together a rubric for the superintendent's evaluation with one of the goals being professionalizing the process and sort of bringing the process um to an elevated level. Um and uh there was a stalemate among this committee. So, Gina and I uh with your approval decided to work together on this and we've collaborated extensively up to this point on uh this item of developing a rubric. To give you an idea of the process, I reviewed the

238materials that GINA provided to all of the school committee members on this topic several months ago, which included one, a white paper created by the American Association of School Administrators entitled Evaluating the Superintendent. two, a document entitled building administrator professional practice rubric. Three, Rhode Island standards for educational leaders. So those were all materials that Gina provided to our to our committee. In addition to those materials, I proactively researched the national standards on this topic. The National Policy Board for Educational Administration publishes quote professional standards for educational leaders, formerly known as the ISL standards, which provides a robust framework for effective educational leaders. And just so you know, ISL is short for interstate school leaders lensure consortium standards. That's a tongue twister. I created a draft of the rubric mostly based on the national policy board

239for educational administration standards and sent that draft to the superintendent. The superintendent reviewed the initial draft, added some items, revised some areas and in the end we were able to agree on a draft document. So what we have done now is now that uh the chair and I are aligned uh we've uh we're going to ask John Anderson to review on behalf of the school committee to ensure that the process meets the legal requirements of the state legislation meets the the needs that the school committee has set forward of what they want in the superintendent's evaluation and that it reflects um your prior approvals legal considerations and best practices for superintendent. So once uh John gives us his feedback, the chair and I will meet again. We'll review it and then our goal is to

240have a draft in front of you in February. Well, I mean we'll give it to you for that, but to discuss it at that meeting. >> Okay, that is our update. Are there any questions? >> Thank you. >> Oh, >> you're welcome. Okay, thank you. Moving on. Update of uh approval, excuse me, approval of budget transfers. >> So moved. All right. Who said who said so? Moved first. All right. So, Tyler. Okay. >> It was me. >> Whatever. I It doesn't matter. >> All right. Polly and Craig. >> All those in favor of approval of the budget transfer. We did We had a mo we did have a motion in a second. >> All those in favor of the budget transfers, >> unanimous. >> We should serve alcohol after we can't do it at school.

241state. >> We're getting punchy. All right. Consent agenda items for approval and vote. >> Um, do we have a Are we taking these all as a group, ladies and gentlemen? Is anything being pulled? >> Okay, we're taking these as a group. >> Yes. >> I make a motion to move the remainder. But before I do, two things. I accept the minutes not being at the last meeting because I think Angela did an incredible job on the minutes. [laughter] So, with that being said, I would like to also acknowledge two donations. A donation of pizza strips to the Ashway Elementary School for their holiday bizaar event in December, a value of $215. and two, a generous donation from the Ocean State Bus Company of hats, gloves, and socks for students at Richmond Elementary School in December.

242>> Second. >> Okay, we have a motion. >> We have a second by Karen. All those in favor of the full consent agenda items unanimous. No, not unanimous. Okay. Anyone opposed? >> Yes or no? >> Oh. Oh. Any abstensions? Thank you. Okay. Uh reports, Gina. So, um, well, I know you all want to get out of here. The super reports are supposed to be important. So, I'm I'm going to try to make sure that I do my due diligence, but I understand you have the health and wellness to review on your on your own and all the other reports. I would like to focus on the strategic planning updates and the update of civics's engagement because those are going to be how your budget gets impacted in our strategic plan and how the school committee.

243Um, the chair has asked and many of you have asked, what does input look like if we're in a new strategic plan? And for those of you that may not have been here the first time around. So I want to make sure you understand how that looks. And if um if this is not something that you that you think will fly this year, then I would need feedback because we have to make sure that we follow the state law, but that we're also thoughtful about how the school committee wants to be and provide their input. So as we prepare to sunset vision 2026, uh Rhode Island requires us to update strategic plans every three years. We used to have the opportunity to do five or three. the state law changed and it must be every

244three years. It must be approved by the school committee now no later than June 1st to be able to be submitted to the department of education per the general law. Um our work is underway as you saw with FY27 and we do believe our budget reflects uh that we ensure continuity in the vision, coherence and fiscal responsibility and the strategic plan begins with our school improvement plans. So what the state does is they now is a statewide uh template for all schools to be able to not just use but they're required to have certain data. So they must have academic goals that that meet um math, literacy, and science embedded in their school improvement plan. And obviously the the laws that come to fruition um like MTSS while I think we all all agree doing

245what students need is important it is part of the law and and our budget reflects the law to ensure our continuity. So uh I noted last month that the school improvement plan our principles are underway right now in January and the beginning of February reporting out to their sit on their progress to their school improvement plan. We're meeting on Friday with all leaders where they will then uh provide Dr. Camella, myself and and their colleagues with updates based on individual school performance. We will do a comparison across the district schools, across the state schools to ensure that the vision 2029 draft that we work on um reflects not just individual school needs but an overall district-wide set goals to ensure that we meet all schools needs. So what how that looks for the next steps

246for the district's direction is that um to be clear vision 2029 is a continuation and a refinement of priorities launched in vision 2026. So when when we think about our school improvement and our goal setting, we want to ensure instructional improvement, fiscal stewardship, facilities planning and long range strategy um which sometimes we talk about as innovation, right? Think about how we can be um thoughtful and creative. So but by being fiscal stewards as well. So we want to make sure that so what happens next is that as part of the process our admins and sit teams once they do their review we will present a draft to the school committee in March or April officially at a meeting. You as school committee members this year um because it's now the second time the state has

247done this process. The first year it looked a little bit different and it was more like you all were asked to send a liaison to us to ride and now that we've all had sort of the training and the liaison the ask is that um we would share the draft with you. We'd give you some kind of a feedback tool where each member would share we would summarize those include them into the draft um and then March or April present to the public our final draft for review. And that's where typically you see like students come, teachers come and they sort of explain to you what it looks like in in their real life application. Um that's typically how we do it based on that. So if uh please make sure that if there's anything

248we need to touch base before that, we might want to add that to a meeting or a budget workshop to talk further because that's an option as well. um following winter break uh uh or February break, I would say you should begin seeing the draft because that's we're in the process of um reviewing our progress to date. So Dr. Camella's presentation was a baseline of where we are and then what we what you want to be able to look is that data and how we're how we're meeting the needs based on the data that we saw in November. So that's the vision you'll see year one and then basically what we expect by the end of year three which is the 2029 um civics engagement summit we had our first annual civics engagement summit inaugural

249last year. It was very um exciting. It was one of my favorite events of the year and uh Mr. Mr. Whitaker and Miss Hall were the two instructors at the high school along with the advent team that supported that very important work to ensure that we are investing in our students understanding community and local government. And um this year it's the 250th celebration of the United States of America. So Charles Town has asked Cher uh to be a part of their committee a couple years ago and um Richmond Hogington have not. That's okay. But they uh we have really found that our input into that 250day celebration has allowed us to really think about our civics engagement summit and how we can um think about that as sort of our core focus for the year

250and our students this year are now a part of the planning to our juniors are in giving input to Miss Hall and Mr. Whitaker. And then they they will then select two members of uh of of that group to then uh be part of our committee to plan with our goal being the first week of March to be able to embark on our second civics engagement summit and really making sure that we um we have a learning opportunity and and that we it shouldn't look the same every year. We wanted to involve in a way that makes sense for our communities and our local governments. Um but the interest should be there. students who are interested. Um, juniors and seniors are where we do we started. Um, that's where we're staying right now. But, uh,

251we also have a video that will go out to all of our students that I will share with the school committee that we created last year with Mr. O'Brien being our videographer to ensure that we could promote this differently for our students who are maybe interested. But they're chomping at the bit. We're proud that they want it done earlier because they their information was that in May, Mrs. Bard, we have AP exams and SATs in April and don't do it then. We want to do this more and I didn't do this and I wish I did this. So, we have taken that feedback and we're trying it in March and they're thinking even maybe next year at the following year we might try this to do this more again earlier because of the big election.

252So, I think it's amazing the students push us every day to get better and better and their creativity and their feedback is going to make our second civics engagement summit really one to be proud of. Thank you, Gina. >> Please look at all the coming events. >> Thank you. >> All right. School committee requests for future agenda items and legal opinions. Does anyone have anything that they would like to take up for future meetings? >> Email you. [laughter] >> Okay. >> Email the chair. >> Madam Chair, Madam Chair, I make a motion to adjurnn. Second. >> Okay. Motion in a second. All in favor? >> Unanimous. Good night.