Keene Board of Education 11.18.25

001Good evening and welcome to the Keen Board of Education meeting for Tuesday, November 18th. Uh tonight's meeting is called to order at 7:04. uh slightly late because we had to cram both the education committee and the full board into one night this month. Uh can you please rise for the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Thank you. Uh we would open with public input. Um there is no public out in the audience tonight. Uh public input will be open until 7:34. Uh public input can also be emailed to the board. Do you have public input, Cindy? Dr. Gallagher is here for some of our topic agendas. And she is actually a member of the public and and could also address us at this time. Um public input can

002be emailed to the board. um s pelky sau9.org uh in care of the superintendent and will be forwarded to all board members. Can I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? >> Second. Any concerns? Any documents people want moved? Any uh typographical errors? Seeing none. All those in favor? Any opposed? That carries. 80. Uh next up is the report of the board chair. Um primarily what is going on this month and next month is uh budgeting. Um so I want to briefly go over the upcoming meetings. Uh some of them are a little bit out of the ordinary. So uh board members please take note. Um we do have our normally scheduled policy meeting will be uh next Tuesday. um policy committee members watch for an email communication from Shaina. Um I cannot be

003at this meeting so we need to make sure that we have a quorum. Um and if we don't we probably need to reschedu it because we will not have a December meeting. Uh so we need to make this November meeting happen even if it's on uh an alternate date. Uh facilities and finance will be normal on December 2nd. On Thursday, December 4th, there is an SAU board meeting at 5:30m. That's here in this room at Jonathan Daniels. Uh this is um the SAU board of which all Keen board members are um automatically members of the SAU board as are the members of the other six sending town school boards. Uh this is a fairly important meeting as this is the meeting at which we will um have a public hearing for and then pass the

004uh SAU budget. The SAU budget is a line item on our budget. Uh it cannot be adjusted at our own meetings or at our own public hearing. It can only be adjusted at this SAU meeting. Um so this is the one to come and have input. It is open to the public as well. Um, our regular uh board meeting will be on the 9th. Uh, Rob, the calendar shows that we have a board meeting on both the 9th and the 16th. Um, I assume that that's just an error copied over from this month. Um, there's not an extra meeting that I'm unaware of. >> You are right. >> Oh, good. >> It's an error. >> Um, just with regard Sorry. >> No, with with regard to December 9, um, it is the winter concert and

005for those of you might not be aware. It is also the final concert of our outstanding coral director, Dr. Matt Lee. So, I know that we're scheduled to be here, but um there might be a desire to move to the LGIA for that one meeting so that we can bear witness and offer congratulations. Totally decision of this board, not of me. And on that note, I may not be with you on the 9th because my son's performing in that concert. >> All right. Uh, your son's in college. >> Sorry. Um, moving on to January, which is when all of the real action happens. Saturday, January 3rd at 8:00 a.m. Um, is the first budgeting session meeting. That is technically a finance committee meeting. Uh so it's only mandatory attendance for finance committee members. Uh at

006that meeting the administration um meaning Tim Roar uh and his office supported by um Ben Campbell Ben Campell Brian Campbell and Ben White. I'm going to swap you guys' names until eternity. Um as well as all of the building administrators will be presenting their proposed budget for next year. um and finance committee will be uh diving into that in depth, asking questions as they go. Uh this is the only meeting at which they will be in person presenting the entire budget. So um if the rest of us can be there, it is highly recommended. Um questions can be submitted um usually until the following Tuesday. Is that right, Tim? That's when you need them by to get them answered. Okay. Um, and those questions can come from anyone on the board, not just finance committee.

007Um, Saturday, January 10th at 8:30 a.m. the meeting will be here in this room. Um, that again is finance committee. However, it is immediately followed by a full board meeting. So what happens on that meeting is starting at 8:30 the administration will come back with answers to any questions that had been presented um over the previous week. Uh the finance committee will sequester and discuss what they want to do with the budget. Then they will come back out into public and make motions and vote on any adjustments to the proposed budget. And then they will make a recommendation to the full board. At the full board meeting, uh full board will receive that proposal from the finance committee. Um they can make further changes, ask for further clarifications, but we come out of that meeting

008with our proposed budget. Um so those are really the two well two of the three really vital budgeting meetings. Um our regular board of education meeting um the following Tuesday will be a public hearing at which we present it to the public. um the public can come and ask questions about why we're spending money on this that and the other thing. This is not the meeting where they can change things. This is when they can come and hear what we're proposing and why and um ask questions about it. Following the public hearing, we can make any more changes based on what we heard that night on. Wait, I've got the date. Saturday, February 7th. That's first session. That is the one. 9:00 am. Is it the third? I'll take your word for it. I don't

009know why I wrote seven. >> Okay. Yeah, it's January 3rd, February 7th. So, Saturday, February 7, 9:00 a.m. Tim, is that here or at the high school? Have we decided? >> High school in the auditorium. Okay. First session is where any registered keen voter can attend. make a motion to change the dollar values of items in the budget. Uh well, that's not exactly accurate, but it gets the point across. That's the one the public can come and make motions to either increase or decrease our budget um and vote upon it in that room. And what they vote becomes the budget that goes forward to the polls. the keen board no longer has the opportunity to take action on it. We can defend our budget verbally at that meeting. U but in any other respect we

010are just keen voters and in fact it is run by the moderator not by the board. It's not our meeting. It is a keen school district meeting rather than a board meeting. Um, and that's the one, um, those of you with longer memory will remember when, um, there was an organization in Keen dedicated to, um, basically eliminating all school taxes in the city. Um, and they tried to rally people to come to those meetings and make motions to cut 50% of our budget, to cut um, half of our positions, um, to tie all sorts of things to tax increases. Um if enough people come who are opposed to the school district, they can decimate our budget. We've seen it happen in three neighboring districts over the last five years. So is an important one for

011us to attend and it's an important one for us to get the word out to the public uh to please come and support public education. That's uh February 7th. And then March 7th is when we go vote on it in the polls. That's not a board or a school meeting. And that's just the polls. Did I get them all? What did I miss? >> Nothing much. You were excellent. But keep in mind that so George outlined it. The first step is the administration's request, then finance committee's recommendation, then the school board's budget. Then it becomes after first session, as George said, it becomes the district's budget. That's what goes forward. What you will be required to do on every warrant article that has money is to recommend or not recommend passage of that warrant regardless

012if it's your warrant, a petition warrant, if the warrants been changed for dollar figure, but that's what you're required to do. So the voters will go to the polls with what ever comes out of your first session, those warrant articles, but it any dollar article by law has to have your recommendation or you do not recommend passing on every one of those articles. So that's where your voice is still heard. And then everything else George says I have nothing to add to is perfect. So, I more or less rattle that off now, but that's because I've been through this 11 times now. Um, I certainly the first five or six times I was still uh insanely confused. So, if you have questions, feel free to bring them to me or to Tim Roar and we'll

013uh explain in further detail. I do have a written explainer somewhere in my Google Drive, so I'll try and find that and send that out to everybody as well. >> Yeah. All right. Any questions on budgeting? Uh, Raleigh, we have >> Mike Yes. Do we have the dates for filing for board members open yet? Do we have that decided what those dates are? >> It's usually the third week in Sorry. It's usually about the third week in January, right to the end of January. We'll get those exact dates though. >> That'll be published in the newspaper with your hearings and such like that. But you'll get that. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. I just have a conflict that I need to get coverage for. because of the radio thing. So, I need to know. >>

014Thank you. >> Yeah, I'm sure the dates are actually also set by law, I think. So, they they exist, but um we'll have to bug the central office for them. All right. Um other news, the uh negotiations with the tutors association are continuing. I think their next meeting is later this week. Classroom assistance is later this week. Tomorrow. Okay. Excellent. And um I already said this in the education committee, but I do want to commend both Wheelock School and the district staff on their response to the uh neighborhood fire a little over a week ago. Um the school had to be evacuated uh in the morning. Uh and it went as smoothly as we could hope for something that does not happen um basically ever and that they haven't been able to practice for. So

015well done uh both wheelock and the staff that supported them. All right, that's all I have. Next up is the super Yes, Jason. Um yeah, steal steal somebody's mic. >> I'm sorry. I should have asked when you came in. That was my bad. >> I was going to say you probably don't need the mic because Um, it's not broadcasting tonight. Um, and I know because I've I've talked about this with many of you that it's important to all of you to make these meetings public and to broadcast them and be transparent. Um, I think there's a lot of people in the community who can't come out like this like I like I can't. Um, so I think I think maybe if the SAU could prioritize making sure that the videos get out, um, I think

016it would be important for not only me but for, you know, the rest of the city. Um, yeah, I guess I guess that's that's what I want to say. Did you I forget to remind you. Did you have a name and address when you started? What's that? >> Did you give your name and address when you started? >> No, it's um Sorry, it's Jason Washer. It's 8 Roosevelt Street. Um like I read I read part of your um your uh superintendent report today and every month you open it with you know in the interest of transparency, we want to be as transparent as possible. >> So that's kind of >> that's my fear when you came in honestly is that you were here because broadcast wasn't going out. >> Yeah. Um because honestly, I'd rather

017be I'd rather be home. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Okay. Um so you all received my superintendence report back on October 31st. It went out to the public the first week of November as well. Lots and lots of information in there. I know the ED committee went through a bunch of the data with the with the elementary schools right prior to this meeting, but I'm happy to go anywhere in the report that you want to. If you don't have questions at this point in time, feel free to reach out and I'll get answers to you um and blind copy the rest of the board members so that they are also in case they have the same question. So, yeah. >> Um I have one question. I started drafting all

018my questions, but I'm just going to ask one tonight in the interest of time. Uh, with respect to the um, let's see what a strategic plan update. >> Um, I love the Excel, by the way. Uh, and I was curious if you had any concerns with goals anywhere on it, but particularly years one to three that were marked not yet started or >> No. Any concerns? I'm not I'm not overly concerned. Sometimes um schools say, "All right, I know this is a one to threeyear target to get moving. Um but it's not our number one priority in years one to three." So, I'm not overly concerned. I know that all of our principles are very mindful of the different actions that are in there and they're paying close attention to that. Um and different buildings

019are going to be in different places with all of those all of those actions. So, uh, because they're not all the same and and that's something that we've got to wrap our head around. It's really hard. We want to say, well, all of our schools should be in the same spot. They're not all going to be in the same spot. There are a number of factors why they're not going to be in the same spot. So, with that in that regard, I'm not concerned about that. U we spend a lot of time every month with our administrators and we touch the strategic plan in some form or fashion on a month-to-month basis. You heard tonight at the ed committee the scorecards that are also tied back to the strategic plan and those are the priorities

020in those buildings that you heard from tonight. Um so you know in general I am not concerned. Um bear in mind that that strategic plan also it is not just the Keen school district's strategic plan. It's for the entire SAU and so similarly outside of Keen school district they're in different places as well and they need to set the priorities based on what the needs are in their context. >> Super. Thank you. >> Anything else for the superintendent? All right. Thank you, Rob. Um, report of standing committees. Um, our meetings were a little bit disjointed this month, so we'll see how this part goes. Um, building and ancillary services. Um, Randy, you were not. Yeah, I forget who >> right. And Chris is not with us tonight. You you share Did you chair facilities or

021finance? >> Facilities. Okay. All right. You want to give a shot at her report? Do you want me to just pull up the agenda? I don't think there was a ton in facilities this month. I know that um Ken gave us a brief update on um the fire safety inspections u which came out uh as well as I've seen them over the last couple years. Um you know, a couple frequent flyer things, a little bit of equipment brought in from home that doesn't belong there and stuff hanging from the ceilings that can't go there and stuff like that. But um all easily correctable. So they've done a lot of work in getting up to date on that. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um and I guess one of the one of the items that was particularly

022interesting was we were we were going through the SNAP program suspension. And um we had lined up uh to have breakfast funded for the entire year and then everybody who qualifies could get a free and reduced for free and reduced lunch would have the potential of also getting a meal to take home. So that was exciting. And then we tabled some of the um policies to get them into word Tim. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, I forgot about the snap. That was the other major thing that we talked about that meeting. All right. Um education committee which we just which just happened five minutes ago. You might have to pull it out of the education drive. I forget where. Well, you should you're going to need to go in the education drive for their next

023motion anyway, which is going to be program studies. Oh, I'm sorry. >> And a motion. >> Oh, >> motion first, then discussion. >> Okay. Um I move uh >> it's on behalf of the education committee you move to that the full board approve the field trip as presented. >> So moved. >> Okay. >> No, you say so moved. >> It comes from the chair of the education committee. >> So moved. >> Now you say second. There we go. >> Right. All right. Um yes. Uh, >> sorry I threw you right off track. >> You did. You did. No. Um, this will be a field trip for the uh Keenh High music department up to 130 students uh in the band and the chorus. And is there any other any other group going? >> Orchestra. Band.

024Uh yeah, band chorus orchestra. and they are um would like to attend a event called Music in the Park Festival. It takes place at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia. They will be taking um coach buses down there. Uh and it is a three nights from Thursday, May 28th to Sunday, May 31st. uh where they will be um musicing, singing, playing, doing all of the all of the things that they do. And uh in a >> competing competing uh it uh the cost per student is $651. But later on in the meeting we will hear about how the um the boosters or the music uh is it the boosters group uh is fundraising in order to pay for all the students to go. So, this looks like a fabulous opportunity. Um, it passed 420 that we

025should recommend this. >> Any questions or comments on this field trip? Seeing none, all those in favor? Any opposed? Carries. 8 Z program. >> Uh, program of studies. Um did we >> same motion except program of studies instead of >> okay on behalf of the education committee um I move that we approve the program of studies as presented Ben's got it up on the screen All right. I sat in on education. Um this is a more significant change to program of studies than we've seen in the past. Um as they start to align it with some changes in state law as well as um align the language in the program of studies with um the competencybased system that the high school is now using. um there was still uh language that more or less referred

026to the old grading system. Um there's also some clarity about transitioning from grade 8 to the high school and how students are recommended for which varieties of of classes. Um there's some significant changes in um math in English and social studies. All of which are well social studies is even more than this but um they are initially to address changes in state law in uh required competencies as students move through the high school. Um as well as required exposures. Students now need an exposure to English and an exposure to math every year that they are in the high school. Um so there's changes to some of the classes and the class descriptions to reflect that. Um there was discussion in education committee about what qualifies a class as um meeting an exposure um versus I

027forget the language now. What's the other term? Embedded versus an embedded credit which means you could get um a credit in those in those topics. This applies a lot in career center classes. Um but there was discussion in the education committee about how those definitions are set. It's not just kind of chosen randomly. There's um expectations to be met to meet those requirements. Now, um as well as um adding a rhetoric credit or a rhetoric competency, um and a financial literacy competency, um social studies has been um completely revamped in terms of the course sequences. Um for a number of reasons, the legislature has been adding requirements that have landed on um their department for a number of years in a row, and they've had to adjust to that. um as well as um discussing

028how to move forward um with their staffing and with the potential for change as our student population drops. I think Oh, and there's a couple changes in the career center. Um so I think I caught everything. Yes. Okay. Questions? program of studies um comes to us under the policy that says um the board must approve changes to curriculum. Um this is the easiest place for us to deal with that. It's much harder at some of the other school levels. The high school says here's our curriculum in the program of studies. It gets included in the um student handbook. It goes out to every student as they choose classes for the next year. Dr. Gallagher is here to explain anything that I screwed up. if you guys have questions. All right, seeing none, all those in

029favor? Any opposed? All right, carries 8 Z. All right, that's not all you did at your meeting. So, did you want to summarize the rest of the presentation from the principles? >> You did that already. Okay. >> Yay. All right. Cool. All right. Um, finance committee, Miss Edings. >> Good evening. A lot covered, so I'll try and keep things moving along uh as quickly as possible. Uh, in our consent agenda this evening, just to recap, we did approve um the financial report for fiscal year 2425 as well as um uh where we're at right now isformational with the 2526 um as well. the quarterly grant report. Uh some uh good news that we can finally close the chapter on the cyber attack with the bank fraud that happened August of 24. Um again, many thanks

030to central office business office um for their due diligence with that. And um the reason why we can finally close the chapter on that is the small remaining amount of $26,000. Um, we filed the claim with our insurance company. That's been received. So, that is done and completed. Um, we'll do that. I'll get on to the budget stuff uh later. Let's um move forward with our budget transfers that are in the drive um under 07 C1 in our share drive this evening. Um we've got several of them. Um, most of these are again where we've um had the challenge. We're continuing to do a lot of hiring. We've filled a lot of positions, but where we still have the challenge, and it's not unique to the Keen School District, is in specialty areas. So, speech

031pathology, psychology, etc. So, for the budget transfers that you see in your drive, uh we've got one for Franklin Elementary to contract services for special ed. Um and we move those funds out of the budget line item that was allotted should we have a full-time or whatever that staffing level is for that position. So, that's for $12,000. The next budget transfer is for Simons. You can keep scrolling down, please, Ben. for um special ed uh consulting and again that's getting transferred out of uh professional salaries. And then the third item is coming from Keen Middle School also to contract speech services for 2526 as we've been not been unable to hire a district provider. Um, so those are uh, oh, and I apologize. There's one more also for Key Middle for special ed um, for

032behavioral analytics services in the amount of $36,136. And, um, then for Wheelock Elementary, we've got uh, contracted services uh, with moving funds to support um, in the student health area. And then under the umbrella of SAU29, you've got in total $46,168 for IEP services, which which are required by law. Um, and so we do have to retain a contracted service provider. And then we've also got um smaller one. This is for our high- five program for $1,992. Uh that's coming out of our staff development stipens because we will be having a pair professional participate with that this year with um our professional development committee. And continuing to scroll along, we've got Keen Middle uh with health services for pupils for $100,000. uh we do need to contract for LNA um services for students that are

033in need of those. And uh then for the high school, we've got some equipment um requests to move. And then the last few are smaller amounts. Uh $248 from for some assessment software uh for Kenduli in our maintenance area replacing some equipment. We a new freezer at Wheelock. And then Fuller rounds us out. I think I'm finally at the end. No, it keeps going. And then Simons is also in need of some software. So that will be getting transferred out of their staff development line. And then middle school is needing some speech services. Again, this is an unfilled position. So we are required to provide that service and need to the student. So that will be 8,921. And then for SEU 29 uh out of our cost center 32, we um have budgeted for 20%

034of a salary BCBA position. Again, that position is vacant. Um so we do need to move uh the budget out of the salary line to pay for that contracted services. And uh then moving on, we've got it fuller the need for uh school psychologist. So transferring money to there. I know that was a lot, but again you see the highlight and again this is not unique to Keen School District. This is um happening across the state, New England uh and the country. So um that that's what we have to do again to serve the needs of the students. Um so uh I'll make the motion and then if there's any questions we can entertain those. Uh so I'll move on behalf of the finance committee that the king board of ed accept the budget transfer

035report dated October 2025 isformational. >> Sorry >> just one clarification that BCBA1 I know it reads SA29 as the department but you're not transferring money into SA29 that is actually should special education >> was just mistype. So I don't want you to think that you're transferring money into the central office. >> Thank you. Good clarification. >> A nice catch, Rob. Any questions on the budget transfers? All those in favor? Opposed? Carries. 8 Z. >> Okay. Um I'll sprinkle in a little bit of good news. We already did it on on our consent agenda, but for purposes of the minutes and for the public to know, we did approve this evening um three very generous gifts. So, we always like to uh mention those and accept those with gratitude. Um we received a and it's a

036long letter but it's in your drive but we received a very um generous uh donation um through the Manadnock region afterchool partnership program to help support our project keep which is our afterchool program. Um, it's going to help support uh paying for some interns uh up to $3,600 per intern for uh this August through December. Uh and then as well also providing uh support for some school enrichment supplies, technology purchases, etc. Uh so we appreciate um Miss Leonard Solless collaborating with um Manadnock United Way who then connected us with the Manadnog Region After School Partnership Project. So very generous gift and we're very appreciative of that. Uh and then also for Franklin Elementary, uh we received a generous donation of $1,000 um from Robert and Maryanne Muha for um their Franklin Cares project and it's

037going towards the nature's classroom trip. So we're very um pleased to receive that. And um then the last uh item that we had approved with our consent agenda this evening is uh the Keen uh high school music boosters uh club is working on raising $85,150 for the chorus band string orchestra to attend the music in the parks at Bush Gardens where they will be I love this new word now where they will be musicing. So anyway, so that was the the sprinkle of good news. Um, next up, let's uh discuss our tuition rates for 2627. In your drive, you should have seen um a letter from Mr. Roar. This is an annual test that we have to um uh review and approve prior to uh November 15th so that those districts that participate in the

038AR a agreement or Winchester um tuition agreements can then work towards setting their budget for 2627. Um we can open it up to questions for either myself or Mr. Roar to answer. >> Yep. Sure. Thank you very much. I'm trying to be mindful of the time and I'm cruising along too quickly. I apologize. So, >> so we'll have to remember that next year because we're delinquent because contractually we have to have this vote before by December by November 15th. >> But I didn't realize we were moving the meeting. So, >> well, that's time warp. >> But next time we do that, we have to move it before November 15th if we do that. >> That's probably won't happen again while we're here, >> right? But I I just want to point that out >> in

039at least a decade. So, I'll get them out tomorrow, but y >> that's what we're contractually obligated to do. >> So, with that said, I move on behalf of the finance committee that the Keem Board of Eds at the 2026 2027 tuition rates as presented. >> Sorry. Questions on the tuition rates as they've been shown. >> Finance went into a little more detail on how they're determined. Um, it's important to note that we don't use them as a way to make money. Um, we try as best we can to charge what it costs um to educate the students. All right, seeing no questions, all those in favor? Any opposed? Carries 8. >> Okay. Uh and speaking of budgets, as we're um looking ahead for what's uh coming up here in January in uh our finance

040committee last week, Mr. Roar shared with us that he's already met with every cost center manager. Um you know, for us, we don't really start to see anything with next year's budget until January. Um but this has already been a work in progress really since um September. So that is in motion. Um and it was also shared with us um that for the 26 27 academic year it will be our lowest enrollment of students. Um we're we're looking below a thousand students at the elementary schools. Um most likely below 600 students at the middle school and either at or below,00 students at the high school. Um so uh we we've seen that decline. This is not some you know new surprise. Um but obviously that does impact our budget and how the budget is shaped.

041Um so just sharing that news that came out of our committee meeting last week. Uh then the final large item that we discussed at our committee meeting last week uh and it's in your drive is um safety renovations and there's four projects um that are going to be happening if you will um then I can make do you want me to make the motion first and then have Tim do his presentation. Okay, sure. All right. So, um, at finance committee last week, we, um, approved our motion to move it to full board three to zero. Um, so this evening I'd like to move on behalf of the finance committee that the Keen board of ed approve the use of $375,000 in surplus funds to cover safety renovations, mass notification systems, emergency command center and design

042work as presented. >> Second. >> So you'd like to Okay. Yes. >> So, the project consists of $3,500 to design a mass notification system for the high school, which will allow us, as we are able to to come up with the design to to install. It's obviously going to be a multi-year project. It's it would be very costly to implement. Um, but we might be able to do it in stages. Uh, but we need to get that design done to begin that process. $3,500. Fuller, we already started to implement a multi-notification system. That's a a system that's together with the fire alarm system can alarm for fire alarm, uh mid-level emergencies, shutdowns, stuff like that with a separate tone and light and uh you know, a mass shooter event. Um that would have a different

043set of circumstance, a different light. All of which can be practiced at certain levels, probably not at others, but um we think it's really important given where school safety requirements have gone and the challenges that are facing us. We'd like to get all the buildings done. We don't have those funds. We're starting at Fuller. We've already implemented some. Um we're not allowed to use the part that we've implemented till we fully implement. So there's $231,52. So we can finish that for the start of next school year. If not, we'll do it within our regular renovation there, but it'll be two more years before we're ready to implement that. And it seems uh more urgent than that. We need to get it implemented, learn from it so we can get on to the next building. So

044that's why I asked the finance committee to recommend these these expenses unbudgeted. Keen High School um safety renovation is something that we've been working on. We hope to get building aid. That's not going to happen. If you know what's happened with building aid, but we need to design finish designing that project. It's something we've been working on for a couple years. That would cost us about $35,680 to go forward with an architect firm. So, if we get safety grants that come available, we're ready to do pieces of that project. But we need to design it maybe not to construction but maybe 70% design so that we can start picking off sections of that because we really need to add those changes to the high school to make it a safer building given our current climate.

045Uh the fourth one is an emergency management infrastructure communication infrastructure that would make two locations. We've already begun this. Uh, we need the communication piece that would allow us and our partners in fire and police to use two different locations districtwide and be able to communicate by radio and on camera to view cameras for every location in our build in our school. Um, the police are very interested in us doing this. We've been working with them. Um, fire we work with a little bit less on this project. Um, but they're involved and we have a meeting with a specialty firm to work on this tomorrow with police and fire and um mutual aid uh invited. Um, so we think it's really important both we need to have more than one location so if something happens

046at that location we can be elsewhere. Um, we've already started training with SWAT last summer. I shouldn't say we started. They started using our facilities for training and using the SAU for a base, but there was no communication besides their own. Um, fire generally uses a mobile command post, but that would not have our cameras available. That becomes more of a concern when we're talking some kind of active threat. Um, and uh, so we're we feel like we're maybe behind the eight-ball, not in New Hampshire, but in the country. Uh, and we are anxious to get these things installed. Um, so we would like to spend $375,000 to put these in this year. If we don't have sufficient surplus to fund these, if it turns out at the end of the, you know, we don't

047talk surplus spending in November usually. If we don't have surplus to significant surplus to buy down our tax rate, then I would suggest and I have suggested to the finance committee that we would talk about using the funds that we have in reserve for such a purpose. We have 2.5% saved just under a million dollars. So that would offset these costs if we would need to do that at which time you would have to have a public hearing. I would come and recommend that we do that and then you would talk about releasing the monies to offset those costs in the rears. So that's what I'm thinking. Um because I can't be for certain that we'll have significant enough surplus to both have a fair tax rate for next year and fund these projects. I

048hope we will, but if we don't, that's why I I feel safe in doing this now. And you can tell by the nature of these projects that they're not wish lists. I think they're really important and we need to get serious about safety and that's where all of these issues come down. Questions on the proposal either what it's going towards or the financing. Rley, >> thank you. I don't have a question. I want to speak in support of this proposal. It's extremely important. Um, we're seeing a rise in in mass shootings, some of them in schools, some of them in other public weddings. We had one in at a wedding in New Hampshire this September. This is u I I I support making this a priority and getting these safety enhancements done as soon as

049we can. Jacqueline >> Tim, I'm not sure if you touched on this in the highlights, but I'm remembering also one of the benefits you mentioned at finance last week was um you know with the high school, we know it's a very big campus. It's very spread out and some of these renovations will also enable us that if let's say there's an issue over at Cheshire Career Center, uh maybe smoke alarm going off, you know, some kind of situation over there, we can be able to focus just evacuating the areas that are impacted rather than right now by default the entire campus has to be cleared out and vacate the building. Um, am I highlighting it right? I think in your example, >> you handled that perfectly and said it exactly. Our building's big enough that

050in our new fire alarm multi-notification system, we would compartmentalize based on the building's smoke and fire compartments and be able to if you have if you're in the tea or over near the back right hand corner of the building, if you will. If Chester Career Center had to evacuate because of a fire alarm, you wouldn't have to evacuate that section, which means false alarms, things like that are much less disruptive. It's a it's an enhancement. It's not a reason to do it, and we're talking a lot of money, but it's an enhancement. And we hope to bring we'd have a state-of-the-art notification system that can differentiate between different emergencies all enunciated so they know exactly what to do, what the alarm is, and make the kind of safety adjustments that we need to keep up

051with the current challenges. >> Exactly. That way students can keep learning and carry on with the day. I hesitate to do this, but this is like my re real career when I'm not in this room. Um, if you're basing your vote solely on that last point, don't um it is possible that that can work, but it requires more than just the notification system being annunciated. There needs to be actual um safety shells. Um, basically they would have to be able, for example, if you had a fire alarm in the career center wing and you wanted to only evacuate the career center, you would need to be able to 100% seal that wing from the rest of the building. And I don't know that I assume Tim, you don't know either. We'll have to but somebody

052would have to engineer that to make sure. >> You're absolutely right. We would have to. So when you have a building this big, as you probably know, there are rules of smoke and fire penetration between the different segments of the building, it could only divide where those segments exist, and they would have to be tested to make sure they're they're built correctly. But that's how it's designed so that only the buildings that act fire and smokewise independently of one another could be a zone. Um, and you're absolutely right, but that's how that's how they're designed to work. We would have to en ensure that. Like I said, that's a benefit of this system possibly, but it's not the reason that we're putting this system in. >> Yeah. And I would agree with Raleigh. The rest

053of the benefits from this system speak for themselves anyway. Anyone else? All those in favor? Any opposed? Carries. 8. >> And I believe that was it for finance. Unless Mr. Roar thinks I missed something, I think we got everything buttoned up. Thank you. >> All right. Um, we're going to close public input. Um, and I think unless I'm missing something, um, Tim Roar is free to go. I don't think there's anything else on the agenda for him. So, he is he is excused. All right. Um personnel personnel did not meet tonight um due to our weird meeting schedule. Uh so moving on to policy. Um we have two policies up for second read. Um but I'm going to start by immediately upsetting the uh proverbial apple cart. And I'm going to bump AC back to

054policy based on um input from one of our board members. Um, Paige took a look at AC and sent a couple suggestions to the policy committee. Um, and I think um, one of them would have fit under the scribblers errors term. Um, there's a there's a choice that we can make um, for a title of an office and um, we didn't actually delineate what we were going to use in that space. Um, I think that we could have safely done that without going back to policy committee. However, there was also concern about the um section on retaliation and um as well the section H, the district anti-discrimination plan. I don't know how we've missed this. We've actually voted on this with this as a full board with this language in here, but it still says

055that the superintendent will create a plan no later than October of 2020. um which you know that's already passed a long time ago and the plan is already created but that whole section needs to be revised to reflect that and that's more than a scribbler's error can cover. So um we're going to bump this back to the policy committee um hopefully for next week um with these notes um I don't think that they're too heavy of a lift but um we'll have to do it there and bring it back. Um, so this still qualifies as a first read. Um, and hopefully we'll be able to approve AC as a full board next month. Um, the other one on our slate for second read. I will move on behalf of the policy committee that the board

056approve policy JLA, supervision of students as presented. >> Sorry. >> Thank you. JLIA U is not on our books. It is required by law. Uh and basically it um affirms that anytime students are um under the opaces of the school district, our school is responsible for their supervision. Um pretty much we took this straight from the NHSBA recommended policy which was taken straight from state law. Um the one change that we made um was some clarification around um bus riders and bus stops um to affirm that um and this was was run through legal to make sure that our change was accurate. Um we are not responsible for the students when they're um when they've been dropped off or are waiting for a bus. That's not school grounds. That's not our responsibility yet. And um

057while they're riding the buses, they are the responsibility of the bus company um which is covered by both our policies and some state laws um rather than under the opices of our administrators directly and other than that it is exactly as presented um in the original laws and it's what you guys saw last month for a first read. Questions, concerns? All those in favor? Any opposed? carries 80. Um some policies for first read AC has been bumped back to first read now. Uh yes, and we'll address it next month at second read. Um we're also uh in your drive is IHBI alternative learning plans. Um a couple changes from straight state law there as well. Um and some clar clarifying language. um the what's in your drive will show still the notes that were taken

058um and the revisions that were made if you want to take a look at those IKB homework um there's again changes in state law our homework policies was already pretty comprehensive um and already covered most of what the state wants us to cover. Um we are asking that it be um looked at uh by a couple district personnel as well to make sure that it still applies to how we're using it. Um and J instructional resources and instructional resources plan. Um we did not have this on the books. Um so this is a new one for us as well. Oh and we do have two policies for reaffirmation. um which is these policies came to the policy committee at the recommendation of the NHSBA um with minor changes. The policy committee looked at them and

059has decided instead that we would like to reaffirm our existing policy. So on behalf of the policy committee, I would like to move that the Keen board of education reaffirm policy IB class sizes. that. >> So this one um basically it's a maximum size and it's delineated by grade or school level. So there's a maximum for K12, a maximum for 345, maximum for middle school, and a maximum for high school and class sizes. Um the that our policy was based on the previous state law. The state legislature has across the board increased these numbers for maximum class sizes um in some cases into sizes that are larger than our existing classrooms. Um they did not do this with any educational justification. Um and the policy committee felt that the class size maximums that we have

060have been working for our district. um our building administrators are both comfortable with them and used to working with them in terms of budgeting. Um so lacking an educational reason to change these numbers, the policy committee feels that we should leave them where they are. So that's why we're recommending reaffirming questions dissension all those in favor any opposed carries 800. On behalf of the policy committee, I would move that the Keen Board of Education reaffirm policy Ike, promotion and retention of students. Second. >> All right. Um, there was no major change in state law. The NHSBA recommended changes to this policy. Um the discussion in policy committee circled around the fact that if we're really going to look at this policy, we need to look at it in terms of competency based education. Um we

061were certainly not ready to do that at the policy committee on our own. That would be an educational committee thing. Um but honestly I we felt that that needs to be districtdriven. It needs to happen when the barring state legislation. that needs to happen when the administration feels that it's time to hold that discussion. Um so our recommendation is simply to reaffirm the policy at this time and bring it to the attention of the administration that legislation and state level school boards are starting to make noise about if we're shifting to competency, maybe we have to revisit what it means to promote and retain students. But we're not going to drive that from the board. That needs to be driven from the administration side. comments, dissension, all those. Go ahead, Paige. >> Um, uh, I

062my comment on this one is similar to the AC policy where, you know, I feel like it looks like we last adopted this in 2022. And so wondered what people thought about possibly putting in a due date of some kind or, you know, when when do we feel comfortable to have the administration look at this? I don't I don't know how we would decide even what an appropriate timeline would be. That's why that was I mean policy did talk about that. Well, actually what we did is say hey Rob um and Rob said, "Well, I don't know. I would really have to go back to to my assistant superintendent and my building leaders to find out." So Ben um >> I mean I'll just say like obviously right now we're in the thick of budget.

063Um so I would say probably after budget would be the best time to do that to engage in that conversation only because we would be engaging with all of our principles who are also engaged in the budget and they've got multiple meetings to prepare for. So I just would like to be thoughtful of that but of course we serve at the pleasure of the board. So that's just my feedback. I just want to be clear. I'm not trying to push this, but it like with the AC, we called out, you know, October 15th, 2020. And just thought that I do think it's important. Seems like it's been on the books since 2015. >> It's been there longer than that. This has been in state law for decades. Gets revised every now and then at the

064state level. Um, but I would say competency based statewide is a bigger shift than other things that the state has pushed on us over the years. Um let me finish my thought and then I'll go to you Brian. Um I I think it would be appropriate not to look at it during budgeting. I think everybody's focus especially in the um the administrative level has to be on budgeting for the next two months. But um I think what I would recommend is putting an update on the education agenda um for some time in the spring. Um, and I also think that this could be much like implementing CBE in the first place, this could be a multi-year conversation because we want to get it right rather than just pushing something in there. Go ahead, Brian. >>

065It's certainly going to be a multi-year conversation. I mean, you got you have and you can find research for or against anything you want to find, but you have the philosophical underpinnings of an elementary that you socially promote. You don't hold kids back. um for for a number of reasons whether it's self-concept issues. Um you know then you start getting into well what resources we have available if a student only doesn't pass the competencies of social studies pass all the other competencies how we going to redefine that how we how we going to hold kids to those what resources we have there are so many there are so many variables associated with standardsbased education versus whether you're holding kids actually to the competencies and there's so many so I would I would suggest that we

066have some sort of ad hoc committee in the spring to start the conversation but this is going to be a multi-year conversation and it really becomes tricky when you have a high school who is a hybrid system because you have juniors and seniors who on a traditional methodology and you have freshman and sophomore who started to transition to competency and it's a credit based program. So there are a lot of things that to discuss. I did give Cindy Gallagher um my previous school's board policy relative to promotion and retention to start thinking about because it also brings into um co-curricular accountability and participation relative to that relative to academic progress. So she has those, but I think having some sort of ad hoc committee and maybe eyeing 2027 as an opportunity to unveil something because

067you know we need to look at the financial aspects. We need to look at so many variables that this would be a 2526 spring conversation and then a full year 2627. the in for element, we utilize this actually at the elementary level around retention conversations. Um, so it's going to look a lot different in K5 than it does in other grades. So it'll be fairly straightforward at the elementary level because the retention of a student is a really serious conversation. It's rare that that happens, but it I just wanted to make that delineation. It probably will be more high school, middle school Yeah. So I wouldn't want the conversation to be limited by the statemandated title to the policy. Um the reality is switching to shifting to competency. Um changes the way that we look

068and think about student advancement. And I think that Brian's suggestion is exactly the right one that you have an initial exploratory discussion in the spring of this year at which you lay out who needs to be involved in the discussion moving forward. What it is that you're even discussing because while the policy as it currently stands is is very straightforward. I think when you bring competency into it, it makes some real shifts between how you look at each set of grade levels. Um, and it's a much broader conversation than the previous policy. So, I'd be in favor of of and and I really would want the administration to lay out the initial ground rules to what it is that we're talking about and looking at. But I mean I I think I think that would

069answer your question if they're willing to have that exploratory discussion in the spring. >> That's exactly I just wanted to have some kind of what's next as opposed to feeling like we were kicking the can down the road. >> Anyone else? Well, just one thing, Joy. I think, you know, be really I would certainly invite board members to be a part of that initial exploratory conversation, but you have to you have to look at it through the lens that we've held kids back because they didn't complete assignments. It was assignment driven, compliance driven. This is not compliance driven. This is about learning and the depth of learning. So now you're looking at academic achievement and passing an experience and obtaining something through an entirely different lens that is not compliance-based. So we need to have

070that exploratory conversation because it's going to require a great deal of shifting mindsets in order to get kids to that level that we want that is about learning and about achievement and not about need not about doing every assignment because it's compliance based. So, I would love to have that conversation and we'll certainly invite certain administrators to participate and if a couple board members want to participate in that conversation, but I think starting in the spring would be wise. >> Well stated because this particular policy is not tied to statute. It's tied to ED rule ed rule 306.04 And the actual language requires policy on promoting students from one learning level or grade to another based on achievement of competencies in alignment with the district's academic standards. So you're spot on. All right. Anyone else?

071All right. All those in favor of reaffirming the current policy opposed. Carries 8 and0. And we'll we'll discuss with education committee um what's an appropriate date for you to come back with thoughts. All right. Um that's all I had for policy. Oop. Sorry, Jennifer. Go ahead. >> Oh, yeah. Cindy was saying IKF has to be passed at the next meeting. Y >> so that it can be included in the program of studies that we just >> Yeah, we're on top of that. >> Okay. >> Yeah. IF has been IKF is the graduation policy. It is part of programming of studies. It has been on first read at this level for two months now. um policy committee was waiting for a little more clarification which we now have. So we need to address that uh whenever

072that meeting happens prior to December 9th. So it can all be passed along with the program of studies. Um and actually I had one more thing um which is uh Jennifer has asked to be relieved from policy committee because she has joined the library board of trustees. Yes. Which is excellent. Congratulations. Um, but that does mean I will need um someone else to step into policy. Um, policy meets the >> fourth, thank you, Tuesday of the month. Um, please take a look at your calendars and let me know if that's something you'd want to do. We can move people around so that people are not overloaded. Um, but we do need to put somebody different onto that spot. Are you available this month or have you already started? >> Yes, I can. I told them

073I would start in January so finish up. >> Okay. Yeah, because we might not have a quorum if you can't do this month. All right. So, and and I'll have Shaina um query people about what's going on with that later, but please uh consider that. I know that's very few people's favorite committee besides me, but we do still have to have four people on it. All right, that was it for committees. Um school liaison Keen High School, Mr. Wormrod. >> Oh, yes. >> Yeah, there's been a little bit going on over there. Well, I'm going to hit some of the highlights and I met with Cindy um a couple times. First time was on November 4th, and there's a couple of academic milestones and achievements that we wanted everyone to know about. Their 11th grade

074SAT math scores exceeded the standards, which is we're really really happy about that. Um we've been kind of hoping and working towards that for a while. Also, I think she also mentioned that we're off the ATFI list for special education as well. ATSI, thank you. As as well be um so those are two really important and significant academic things that have happened as well too. >> Just to just to clarify, it's not math. Math they closed the gap to getting to the state average. They exceeded in reading >> and they exceeded in science. >> Okay. So, >> but the science is not an SAT exam. It's the NA exam. So, they exceeded state average in science. They exceeded state average in reading and math. They drastically closed the gap from where they were in 2024.

075So, a huge progress in all three areas, but two of them have exceeded the state average. >> Well, thank you for the clarification. And the third is running up close to it. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Another thing is that we talked about is that enrollments are really down consistently. If you're looking versus last year for the for the entire school, um if you look at the September enrollments, down 38 students. If you look at the October 1st, down 33. And if you look at November 5th, they're they're down 35 students as well, too. So, just want everyone on the board to be aware of that that this seems to be a very very steady trend. If you want, I can put it in. Okay. Okay. Good. some, you know, events coming up and things

076that have just recently happened. The the drama club put on a great show this last this last weekend. And in fact, looked like there was more people the first night and the second night. Almost every seat was full and they ran out of programs, two nights at that program. and want to, you know, give credit to the students, the officers, and everyone that's participating in that program. And also to Matt Olsen has who has been working very very hard publicizing the program and developing the students. So that's really kind of a big win for for the community on save the dates. Um just so that everyone knows the Thanksgiving recess where there's going to be no school November 26 through 28th. The winter instrumental concert is December 2nd. Um, it's the coral concert that's December

0779th. So, the instrumental concert. So, George, I would be good for December 9th to keep that meeting here. I did like the idea of possibly moving it over as as a superintendent suggested to L LGIA, but I kind of put that under a new business item as well for us for us to discuss. Um December 11th is early release and December 12th is a workshop day. Another thing that uh we wanted everyone in the community to know is that the food resources the Manadnock region the Cindy and the others working on working on the the beacon the Blackird beacon listed 15 sources of assistance for food. We're all very concerned about that con considering the uncertainty of the SNAP funding and other cuts as well too. 15 different organizations. One of them is Moco, which

078um surprised and delighted me that amid the uncertainty among SNAP funding, they're pitching in for snack packs as well, too. So, let's, you know, certainly certainly keep that in mind. And uh we got winter tryyous, you know, starting presently as well too for many of the winter sports are going on. And that's about all I want to say for this because we got a lot on the agenda for everyone else. >> I'm gonna jump in quickly on your note on the um SNAP resources, the food resources. Um Rob, this was an idea that was brought to me from a parent from the Wheelock capture region. Um in some years, Patty Jorgger has put together a list of food resources for families that are struggling. And I'm wondering if we can um pull something together that

079we can make available to parents um in the current economic climate and the the concerns with whether or not SNAP benefits are going to continue. That seems I know Tim has been looking at some more extensive ways that the district can help, but that seems like an easy lift. Um I don't know whose department that would fall under, but um just pulling together all of the different food pantries and other um resources in the area. Jacquine, >> uh, just for clarity, you're asking like for that to be on the website as well as some sort of mass distribution thing. >> Yeah, that makes sense. But it seems like an easy list and a lot of our families are kind of struggling these days. So, and I can we can you and I and EGA are

080talking next week anyway, so or later this week, so we can talk about it then as well. All right. Um, just your career center, Miss Freriedman. >> Uh, so I didn't get to meet with Richard Town. I do know that um the CTE advisory board met um I was supposed to go to it except I was interviewing IT director candidates. Um those uh those interviews got moved. So um I don't have much to report but I will in December. >> Oh but I do because I went to the advisory. >> Oh you went >> I was I was not going to go because you and Rob were both going to be there and then your interview stuff got moved and that was the day of the wheelock fire. So Rob was a little busy. Um

081so um it was it was actually a really good meeting. It was kind of long. So I will just pull out the the highlights. The new u or the updated regional agreement um which this board has signed off on is um still waiting. One of the three schools has not signed it yet. Uh Richard called them out in the meeting, but I'm not going to call them out uh here. But they're on top of it. Um and once all three of us have signed it, it goes to the state for approval. Um there's not significant changes anyway and we've already gone over them here. Um but that is moving along and hopefully we'll see that. Um calendar alignment for next year is looking really good. Um, if you've been here for a while, you'll remember

082that at one point we had upwards of 30 calendar conflicts between us and Manadno and Fall Mountain. and that is down below 10 um due to some concentrated work on aligning our calendars in some places as well as the ability to have um remote learning on our early release days for Manadno and Fall Mountain students so they don't um automatically show up as a conflict just because uh we had because we're the only of the three districts that have early release days. The center is nearly fully staffed um for the first time in my memory. All that is lacking at this time is uh the programming department um which if you if you think about the demand for uh that job title um and the pay that kind of makes sense that it's a little

083challenging to fill that. So they're working to get that. Um they have not asked for yet but could certainly use a second teacher in the new electrical program. um that is consistently full with a weight list that would amount to an entire um second teacher if they could find one. Um but they're pretty happy that they have one in the first place. Um so that was exciting to hear. Um some of the course alignment stuff you just saw show up in um the program of studies. Uh they are working to build um a full accreditated pathway of some sort or another for every one of their programs. This has meant um redesigning several of their programs um into a more linear uh fashion so that that you can actually take them um in a sequence

084and and get some sort of um career-based accreditation when you complete them. Um and they are still looking at some new programs that they may be adding in the future. But it was it was a good meeting well attended and the center is in good shape right now. Um he also talked about the potential for upcoming renovations um which we are long overdue for u but that is a complicated discussion as it involves a lot of stuff at the state level so I won't go into it tonight. All right u middle school Miss Walker >> I met with Mike Smith and uh he said that the opening has gone very well. Uh first quarter report cards just closed. Uh they recently had a strings in a band concert that were well attended and went really

085well. Uh also they recently had the innovation institute for those of you who are not looks like everybody knows what it is teachers teaching teachers. Uh real positive feedback on that. And then finally, one of the students in the extensions program had invited Maggie Goodlander to come visit the school. Uh in 48 hours notice, Mike was given, she came and visited uh and had a tour of the school and popped into some of the classes and uh really really had some positive things to say about the school. >> Thank you. Where are we? Franklin School. on the settings. >> Yes, I got an update um from principal Crest and Eric reports uh several good things that have happened uh so far this month and then what's ahead for the rest of November. Um the fourth

086grade led a schoolwide assembly focused on gratitude. Um they had a schoolwide gathering on Veterans Day um singing patriotic songs and also learning about the holiday. Um, all of the third through fifth graders uh took the experience survey this month and they're anxious to get the results and uh the parent caregiver and employee experience surveys were also conducted and you know they're looking forward to getting the feedback from that cohort. Um their annual turkey trot is next Monday because again next week is believe it or not the Thanksgiving week. Um and with their turkey trot, it's an annual tradition where um students will participate by running, dancing, and having worm cider or hot cocoa, and then the families come out. So, it's a real good communitywide event, not just for the the students and the

087staff, but uh families and caregivers as well. And uh added note, this year, Mr. pastor, who's the PE teacher, helped raise over $1,000 for the student activity fund, which will help students with their nature's classroom trip. Uh, and then they're also going to have a canned food drive for the community kitchen. And the fifth graders will be delivering all of those donations that were collected at the end of the day. And um, there's now going to be uh, a visit from a therapy dog once a month named McKinley um, whose handler is Jen Ward. So uh this month the kindergarteners were treated with the very first visit from uh McKinley. So that's a nice uh added bonus for the students to help with uh with their dayto-day. That's uh that's all from Franklin Elementary >>

088because you brought it up. The surveys uh wrapped up yesterday and there were three surveys that went out. There was an employee u an employee survey, parent, caregiver and student survey. Just looking at the returns of our keen schools, they all received the lowest number is 155 total returns. Um for a couple of our elementary schools all the way up to 728 at actually it was King Middle School that had the most return. Um but employ side of it. It looks really well participated in. Student side, it looks really well participated in. Um maybe not as much as we would have liked to have seen from the parent side of it, but this was year one for the parents. This is year two for the employees. It was also year one for students. In order

089to get the stu students to participate, it's a non-academic survey. You need parent permission. You can't just say, "Okay, home room, everyone fill out the survey." Without that parent permission, we can't do it. So, we were pretty diligent about making sure we weren't administering it to students who we did not have permission to administer that survey to. It will take, and I can tell you this because I'm the one who's compiling that and it took me four hours today to get through one school. It'll take a little while to complete all of the outcomes on that. Um, the goal has been to get it back to the school leaders in the beginning part of December so they can share it with their st So, I'll get there. >> You're not working over Thanksgiving, are you?

090>> Because because I get in trouble with your wife when you work over Thanksgiving. >> All right. Fuller school, Mr. Filio. >> Yes. Um, we're going to be meeting later this week. We delayed a little bit, so I don't have anything uh really new to update, but I did want to follow up with what Rob said about um at Wheelock School. happened to be down to that fire and um I went by wheelock school because that I thought because the wind was blowing that way and you couldn't see the school. It was it was that much smoke and I rushed home to email Rob to let him know the email was already on my laptop. We're evacuating Wheelock School. So kudos. I mean you could not see Wheelock School. It was in that much smoke.

091So nice job. >> You know what? Sorry. Yeah, I mean Patty does a great job of running her ship and she let us know, hey, look, there's fire down the road. We're monitoring it. We're going to keep you informed. The wind changed direction and she said, uh, we're going to need some help. And Ben, Tim, myself, um, our transportation provider all showed up on site. We we said, "All right, well, we've got to get you out of here. We can't just send the kids home because there aren't going to be people there to receive them." So, is our best option. And we considered a lot of different things. We considered um the Colonial, we considered the rec center. Um but we're dependent on other people, other personnel. Uh we talked about Weelock Park next to

092Simons and said, "All right, if it's too cold, then we'll go into the gym, but it really was too cold. So, I'm glad we didn't go that route." And we said, "What about the auditorium over at the middle school?" You know, and we can do some things there. And once we made that decision, the bus the bus folks were quick. They had eight buses there. They normally have four buses that service we lock. They had eight buses over there to bring the students and the staff. Tim was on the phone to Andrea to say, "Hey, look, we're going over to Keem Middle School. Can you have lunch ready for them by 10:30 so we're not disrupting the middle school schedule?" Andrea and her team were phenomenal. had everything ready um by 10:30 for them to

093uh do that. The teachers were great. They um kept the kids calm. Most of the kids had no idea like we're going on a field trip today. And they're like, "Yes, you are." And Paige Paige talked about the um band and the strings concert over there. What an opportunity for them to have a rehearsal with an audience. Although it wasn't really planned, it ended up working out. They was like, "Hey, look, go have a rehearsal. We've got some people the audience and the kids thought it was great. They're like, "Whoa, I get to do this when I come to middle school." So, I mean, it was a wonderful outcome for something that could have been a lot worse and really proud of everybody who was involved and to make sure that kids were taken care

094of, staff were taken care of. Um, >> it was a lot of work. It was not plan A, wasn't plan B, and we had to really put our noggin together and come up with something that was logical and made sense and kept people I think we did that. I think we accomplished that. A lot of feedback from parents when they sent out the email later that evening. Parents from Welock very appreciative. Um sent a lot of nice comments in return. Patty, the incredible leader that she is sent out thank you notes to everybody who came and helped um just to say, you know what, we really appreciate it and really making lemonade out of lemons. Thank you. All right. Thanks, Randy. Um, Simon's school, Miss Gillian. >> Yes, I had a chance to go to

095Simon's school at the end of October and met with Susan Grover. Uh, she gave me a tour of the school. We went through every classroom. I spent really literally an entire morning at the school. We had extensive conversations about a variety of topics. Um, getting to know the school community, understanding the traditions and some of the reasons why they're successful, and also learning about some of their challenges. Um, she mentioned a few of their community building activities, uh, like their fancy etiquette meals, uh, terrific Tuesday lunches and Friday, uh, fancy Friday lunches where they pair some younger students with older students and and, uh, drink out of real goblets. and that's a community bonding experience. Um, they did their annual pumpkin carving and a Halloween parade in October. They have the turkey trot coming up

096on the 25th of November. They have a word of the week. When I was there it was chaos. This week the word is scrumptious. Um, there have been some field trips. So each year the first graders at Simon School plant a garden in the in the you know ne that garden that's over there next to the playground um in the spring and then the following fall the second graders who are the same students harvest what they had planted in the spring. So in October they uh as part of their harvest unit they uh the second graders visited Stonewall Farm and then they had a return visit from Stonewall Farm on the 14th of November. The fourth graders visited fort number four in Charles Town after reading Enemy in the Fort by Sarah Masters Bucky, which

097is a historical fiction account that takes place in Charles Town. And the fifth graders went to High-5 in October and then High-5 came to them uh just last week. Uh we did talk about some challenges. We had a frank discussion about some challenges that persist with respect to support services and high high level of need within the student population at Simons. Um, Susan explained to me that she was telling me the importance of early intervention. Um, and that students with early and robust support in the early years could potentially be discharged from their IEPs later in their later grades, which would help to lighten their loads in grades three through five. But that's been challenging because they don't have um necessarily the staffing supports that they need in the lower grades just because of all

098of the um just the way the numbers and uh case loads pan out. Uh so it seems that she's very happy with her staff and they're doing an incredible job and they're doing what they can with the resources that they're given. It was a rewarding uh morning and a good chance to make a connection. >> Yeah. Thanks Heather Wheelock. Mr. Germano, >> I have not had time to meet with Patty, but again, just I'm going to echo the appreciation that we have for all the effort that went into making everything go smooth during the fire and just thankful that every everyone's okay and safe and sound at this point. So, that's it. >> All right. Thanks, Dylan. Um, Jonathan Daniels in community. Chris Roberts isn't here. Rob, >> no, it's not specific for either either

099one of those. Um, but because Raleigh had mentioned that the high school was taken off the ATSI designation, you should also know that so was Key Middle School might not have gotten that notice before you were able to meet with Mike. Um, you know, and that's pretty big that they are off designation. The other thing that I'm happy to report is that there are no none of our schools are designated are new designations. We still have one that is an ATSI school. They'll be working throughout this year, throughout the testing to get off of that. Um, but it it's not as involved as being a CSI, a comprehensive school in need of support. Um, it's really focused on a specific subgroup of students in that building and they'll continue to work to get off of

100that. So, two of them have been removed from designation. We've got one more to go. >> And Mr. U Mr. Downing at the next ed committee in December, Dr. Gallagher and Mr. Smith will be here to discuss the steps they took to get off ATSI um and the steps that they plan to take to remain in good standing academically for all cohorts, all demographics in the building. So, that's a December ed committee conversation. All right. Thanks. Um NHSBA, um I'm not sure what happened to my agenda. Paige is still our NHSBA rep. However, uh Dylan was our representative at the delegate assembly. Did you have any updates from that? >> Uh yeah. How in depth do we want to go? >> Yeah, we Yeah, we all have Yeah, we all have access to um the

101results that we got from NHSBA. So um >> I guess just a quick reflection on your >> according to the way that we felt about them when we voted. So, for the most part, it went what we would call a success. So, nothing too major to report. >> All right. Thanks. Um, yes, some years uh there's a couple contentious talk topics that take a long time to work through that room, but um it looked from reading the minutes, it looked pretty good this year. All right. Um Oh, yes. Go ahead, Jacqueline. I just wanted to say thank you again, Dylan, for stepping in last minute and representing us well and and taking extra time, especially on a weekend. So, thank you. >> No problem. And yeah, definitely was more kind of legislative. Um, and there

102probably plenty of familiar faces that I see in conquered a lot, so easy fitting in. >> All right, SAU 29. Um the major thing on that is as I've already mentioned the regular SAU board meeting is December 4th. That's uh in this room at 5:30. Um for anyone watching the live stream that is open to the public and that is the meeting at which the SAU budget um will be proposed and voted on. Um which is the only opportunity to make any changes to that. Um we did have an ARA meeting um shortly after our last uh regular board meeting. um middle of October. Um that's the meeting at which the middle school and the high school administrators come and give an update on everything going on with their schools attendance, achievement, um exciting activities,

103that sort of thing. Um and so that was it's always a fun meeting. Uh it's a very different tone than our own board meetings because there's nothing to be voted on and approved on. It's just an opportunity for them to tell us everything that's going on with their schools. Um not really anything else we need to cover on that. All right. Old business. We have any old business that did not make the agenda. New business? Raleigh? >> Yeah, I had a couple. Um, first the easy one, uh, Rob's suggestion of moving the December 9th meeting to the LGIA. How do you want to go about deciding if you want to do that? >> Is anyone opposed to that? The reason for that? Uh well the the main drawback is that obviously we would not be

104broadcasting. We're not going to hire um Alex's crew to come in um just for a regular board meeting. Um so we would not be able to live stream that meeting. The advantage to it is um as Rob mentioned the uh winter concert will be coral concert will be going on just down the hall. It will allow people the opportunity to duck out and watch their own students perform um without having to miss the entire meeting. Um, I guess those are the major pros and cons. Is anyone opposed to that? >> Yes. Yeah. So, Rob, if you want to check into that or have Shaina check that and we'll let you guys know well in advance if we're going to move that meeting over to the high school. >> Second item of new business is we

105had a report tonight that the live streaming wasn't working. Is that true? And if so, what's happening with that? Because I agree we need to make sure that that's working and that we can operate it. >> It's working now. Um Rob called it up on his phone. Go ahead, Ben. >> So, it's been it's been streaming, but what I think what happened is uh some settings were shifted when we had some work done in here. And uh sometimes that shifts it from public to private as a default. So, when it was on, it was on private. So, we switched it over to public, which was the issue this time. >> So, the default now seems to be private rather than public. And we're going to have to get the habit of checking. >> Yeah. >>

106We haven't had that issue before, which is why I was surprised. And I think it's because there is some changes in the system, but we will rectify it. So, it's on a default to uh public moving forward. >> All right. Thanks. >> Yep. Just just with regard to that, even though the streaming portion of it is private, it it still gets recorded and posted, right? >> So someone can watch it after the fact. So it's not like it's not available completely. >> Yes. Uh people could watch it at their leisure uh because it will be it is being recorded and it does get posted. >> Yeah. Um, I think it'd be prudent to if we do use the LGIA to communicate well in advance that we will not be um taping that that board meeting.

107Yeah, I think if we change venue, we'll have to do a couple announcements um more than you. Normally, we announce our meetings just with the agenda and there's the live stream link on it. Um but I think that you're right. If we change the venue, we'll have to be a little more proactive about both notifying people of the change in location and the lack of the live stream. Yeah. >> Thank you. Well noted. Anything else, Raleigh? >> That's everything I had, George. >> Anyone else? New business? Seeing none, can I have a motion to go into non-public in accordance with RSA 91 A3 for staff personnel? We have student. >> All right. >> So moved. >> Second. Uh, roll call, please. Jennifer. >> Yes.