School Board Meeting - 9/17/2025

001All [Music] right, we're live. So, good evening everyone and welcome to the September 17th, 2025 Blitzfield School Board meeting. It is now 5:30 and we'll call the meeting to order and begin with the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Uh we are down a board member tonight. Mr. Shoemaker is traveling. So there will be four four of us this evening. Uh moving into our agenda this uh tonight. There is review and revision of agenda items. Any changes to the agenda this evening? Moving into consent. Any items off consent the board would like to talk about tonight? >> Yep. Okay. >> Uh summary of non-public actions from September 3rd,

0022025. Mr. Shoemaker motion to approve the August 20th, 2025 non-public minutes. Mr. Dit seconded that motion. Uh that passed 5-0. Mr. Shoemaker u motion to nominate Brenda Collins or Brendan Col Brendan Collins, excuse me, as the director of technology. Miss Ames second of that motion. That motion passed 50-0. Mr. Shoemaker motioned to adjourn the non-public session at 7:03 p.m. The same second of that motion. That motion passed 50-0. And we're going to move right into presentations this evening and turn it over to Dr. Taylor for our data report, which is near and dear to Mr. Shoemaker, and he's not here this evening. So, here we go. >> All right. Here we go. All right. Up. Yep. Okay. >> You're good. All right. So, um, just like last year, I wanted to make sure to point

003out kind of the purpose of assessments. Um so they are really to provide insights into student progression, curriculum effectiveness and the strengths and the needs for kind of in um interventions and what kind of other targeted supports we need. So there's a lot that's wrapped into the data that we look at and how we look at it and interpret it. >> You guys want to ask questions as we go? I want to understand the data before I ask questions. >> Okay. So, we'll go. Do you want me to go through each data slide and then ask questions at the end? >> Yeah. Or, you know, even this the summary slide to start would be great. >> Perfect. All right. I That was all I was going to say about the summary. >> Okay. All right.

004>> Cuz I'm not I'm not going to read the slides. >> Okay. Yeah. No, that's good. >> Okay. Well, and really this one um these slides now are like just getting right into the data. So when this is the New Hampshire SAS spring 2021 through 2025 district math data. So this is how students performed in mathematics from all the way from 2021 to 2025. We looked at this last year through 2024. So I just added 2025 to the list. So really when you're looking at the vertical columns that's how we look at like curriculum right like our how is that particular grade level like how is the curriculum effectiveness in that and then um the diagonal is looking at kind of that cohort tracking. Does that make sense to everyone? So, when you look at

005the data overall, you can see I'm going to look behind me because it's bigger on your screen than mine. Um, we do have like district overall vertical, we have some growth from 21 to 25. And then in grade three and four and then we have some areas where we're still growing and then some areas where we're like okay we need to concentrate and look at um the curriculum and where things are being implemented and um when you look at the diagonal and you track the cohorts um this is where when I say like my um one of our real focus areas and we've really been honing in on that vertical alignment. This is where you can see where that is super important so that we can continue to so we build those foundational skills and

006then we need to continue to hone those skills and strengthen them and build them in complexity as students go up in grade levels. So that really shows us like that that vertical alignment is super important and we've made a lot of traction and I'm really excited to continue to get started um this year with it. >> So can I just ask a couple of quick clarifying questions? When you say on the 2021 grade three it says 51% that's 51% of what? That's 51% of students that are scoring proficient or above on the SAS for math. >> Okay. So what that's what I thought and the over that's the in that's sort of our internal cohort. It's not the cohort that we talk about comparing with other districts. >> Correct. And we're going to that'll be

007>> that's in the next slide. Yeah. >> So what happened be what what happened between grade four and grade five. So again, we're talking about that. We talked about it last year. We're talking about transition year, right? like we really need to look at how students are transitioning to LMS cuz it's a big it's a big jump from going to you're in one homegrown classroom, right, with one teacher to many teachers with different expectations, different teaching styles, different everything. and you have to kind of traverse that and get used to that um while also picking up new learning and the curriculum really really builds in complexity. It takes a jump. So, um, as a team, as a math team, and as a district, like one of our district goals, the the schoolboard goal is looking

008at those transitions and how we can help support students and help them be able to traverse that in a more effective way and continue to learn and grow as they're transitioning. As a glass half full observation, it does look like this grade five had the highest SAS score and that the district had had in the last 5 years, four years. So of the five years of data that we have while it's still a low number the difference from fourth grade being 50% efficient to fifth grade being 50% of you know proficient that is the smaller gap than from 57 to 23 the year before. Not that again it's still an area to work on and there's still opportunities there but um >> I think this is one of the why the vertical alignment is so

009important. So when they were doing that work last year, math is my background. So I remember going in and looking at their vertical alignment and you could see that we needed to smoothen out that kind of curricular bump from fourth to fifth, right? Make sure it's consistent. Make sure it's linear in its growth that we're not reduplicating skills, but at the same time moving them forward and making sure we're hitting the markers that are going to be on on the SAS assessment. you don't ever want to teach this test, but at the same time, you should make sure you're teaching what is on the test, you know, >> so we can be ready to be successful in that type of assessment. So, you could see from that work they were doing last year, it was

010obvious to someone who who has a math background that that was an area where we need to make that um curricular smoothness, I guess, for lack of a better term, um a little bit stronger, you know, to make sure that that what's being done is forth. We're building on that in fifth and then sixth so on and so forth through the middle school there. >> I mean transitions is tough. You'll see you know we do four to five is the building change in this districts and other districts that have maybe the switch is at you know 5 to six they'll see a little drop because of the transition there. This is a pretty significant drop. I don't want to like minimize that, you know. Um, but that is kind of a a trend for whatever

011school you see in that kind of when they leave the elementary realm to more of that middle junior high realm. But we should we should be scoring higher. There's just no other way to put it like you know positive step last year. We you know went up from a low at 16 three years ago 18 sorry I can't even read 16 >> 16 >> three years ago to it's not where you want to be at 29 but it's almost doubling up proficiency scores. So, you know, you want to continue that growth that kind of future >> years. Yep. And we've like we've really started to dig in to the standards and to looking at where are where are we teaching what and how, right? So, we're really starting to address a lot of these things.

012>> Yeah. >> Already, which is >> sequencing. I think one of the very specific things are is we changed some of the grade five sequencing of the curriculum last year >> to ensure certain things were taught before the assessment in the spring. I think some of this improvement in that score specifically for that right like it was more time with it. >> If I look at the 23 to 24 the drop was less than 24 to 25. >> Which one? >> Right. Same thing grade four to grade five and 2023 was 42 down to 23. So minus 20 call it. >> Yeah. >> And this is a little bit more than that, right? It's >> Yeah. I would have hoped that cohort though in that 23 and grade four could have scored better. 42 is

013kind of an anomaly with that. Well, not anomaly is not the right term, but that 24 grade four group which was at 57 um proficiency rate just is starting at that higher mark. So I'm not surprised it's a larger drop to that grade five there. That makes sense. I would have hoped it would be less than the prior year. You know what I mean? >> Yeah. >> Because they were already at starting at a higher level. >> Yeah. >> That you I would have thought that they would have been much higher than 29%. >> Yeah. >> What that would be, I don't know. >> Yeah. >> From a percent. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think bottom line we don't want that drop. >> Right. Absolutely. number of other issues at play with great >> and this

014is where we use this data to say okay like what is what's happening here and how can we mitigate those drops like what are we doing curricularly what's happening in like Brian was saying like what was happening in fourth grade and then fifth grade looking at what are we teaching on where are those gaps happening like how can we fill those more and make and strengthen them? So, um a lot of those conversations have already started to take place. >> Yeah. And you can see it more clearly too on the next slide. >> Yeah. >> When you're comparing to the state as well. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. There is a slight drop there. State from fourth grade to fifth grade for the state numbers too. But >> it's state now. >> Okay. >> Yeah. But

015it's not as >> significant as our drop off. >> Correct. Correct. So when you're looking at the state data, this is where um you are comparing the whole state again. So all the third grade in the state is in the state data, fourth grade, etc. Um the 2025 data is not out yet. They It doesn't come out until later in the fall, >> right? >> For the state. Yes. So, and it's unfort I was hoping that they were going to have it ready earlier this year because they had us do our verify our embargo data in July this year. So, I was hopeful that they would have the state data aggregated and ready to go by um end of August or but it's not ready yet. So, um once the state 25 data comes out,

016I'll um let you guys know. But so this is we're looking at data for so when you see this district and state 2024, that's the 2023 2024 school year. Does that make sense? So it's not this last >> um April May that they took the assessment is previous. So looking at it, you can see that in several grade levels, we actually outperform the state, >> which is really awesome to see. And um something to point out for 8th grade, 2023 2024 was the first year that they did not outperform this date, but their teacher went out on maternity leave like before that test. So, um there's not saying that that's the only factor, but it does play a large part cuz they she went out well before the assessment, so they didn't get that final

017like content push if that makes sense. Um but otherwise there are several grade levels that we are outperforming the state and then there are a couple that we're not where again that we're that vertical alignment work is really going to start to bring those things up. >> I think our goal should be we should always be above the state. >> Yes. in our district, like a district of our size, of our resources, I think it's a fair goal to be above the state average when it comes to proficiency rate in our schools, both reading and ELA. So, that's our goal. >> I think that if we're measuring against the state, that's 50%. That's not that's 50% is not good. I mean, we're measuring, you know, we're measuring against >> benchmark to begin with. Yeah. >>

018You know, it's the the top number is bad. >> Yeah. But that's why I mean, we should always be above, right? Like, >> yeah, >> I would hope significantly above. >> Yeah, I think the test is a test some, you know, I'll again put my math teacher hat on. You take a computerized test to do math yet. You never do a computerized at any other point during the year or at least I never taught it that way. So, it's always a point of frustration for me as a math teacher. But that being said, yes, I would like our proficiency rate to be above the state kind of. Do we ever do these comparisons against our cohort, our own school cohort or against the best schools in the state or the perceived best schools in the

019state? >> We do eventually have access to other school districts. So, we could do that. The school that we're not like producing that on a regular basis because it's all internal work if we were to do that. We can pull the state data here and do that. >> Um, but it's certainly stuff we that I've been in districts where you do have your cohort of schools that you're looking at and then make a comparison of how you're doing on I would be interested to see how we do against school X, both public and private, you know. >> Yeah. >> Who's the best? We should measure ourselves against the best. >> Yeah. I mean, you have to be >> don't have to take this assessment. >> Pardon? >> Private schools don't have to take this assessment.

020>> Do they though? >> I mean, do they do it anyway? >> Um, they're not their data is not on the um the I achieve website. Mhm. >> So, I don't know, but I can find that out and I can certainly do a cohort comparison. That's easy enough. >> This is complete speculation, but my guess is it would fall in line probably with some of the US news reports or the niche or the school rankings because they're basing their >> part of their formulas. >> Their formula is pretty test based. And so in terms of, you know, I looked at it somewhat recently and I think we were 33rd. Does that sound right? 33rd. >> 33rd in the state >> in the state for high schools. And so obviously there are 32 schools that were

021higher and including for example Bedford School District I think was three on the list. And so if you look at their test data, I mean I have to imagine that you're going to see a correlation between those rankings. Um but >> so is it pretty common that after a transition to schools that you would see it would take like two years to see a significant jump in proficiency? Cuz if I look at our scores from 21 through 24 when that jump to grade 5 is made to get somewhere close to where the state is or above the state it's two years. So then you kind of have two years of being equal measurement and then a jump is made again. So I would assume for grades like nine and 10, we're going to see I

022mean if I would look at the projecting down does grade 9 and 10 then drop down to lower proficiency and then it creeps back up for 11 and 12 >> different assessment when you get to high school. >> They don't have they go right to test. they take the PSAT um which also does have um test against the common core state standards but it's a completely different type of test um so it wouldn't be a applesto apples comparison and we've d we've done a deep dive um into the PSAT data I think that was the March presentation that I did >> um And we saw some interesting things there because of the assessment culture >> um and needing to cultivate that more and really put the purpose behind it um and really make it relevant,

023right? Like put the data in front of the students and say here's where you're at in proficiency. like is that accurate to you from what I see in class? You know, here's what I see. Just have data conversations and goal setting conversations with students um to help bolster the level of like why does this matter to me, >> right? >> Um which is conversations we're having and we're also um like you've heard me talk about the modulars, >> right? like we're getting those in front of students so that we can look at that and where are they and how can we help get them like more towards proficiency. So we're doing modular assessments, we're going to do interrums. So those things are getting out there in front of students this year so that they have

024that information starting from quarter 1. Is it a safe or fair assumption to make that when we talk about transitions that all most school districts would transition between five and six? >> Yes, >> a lot do. >> A lot. The vast majority do. >> Okay. Then how come I when we talk about transitions here, right, I would think that that transitions comment would be true for other districts as well, but I don't see that same data step between grade five and six. I see it going down 1% a couple of percent not significantly like we do here. >> Yeah. >> So why is the transition such a big deal here and not in other districts? >> It's a good question and it's interesting to see that it's only one point because I know coming from

025the previous district that I was in. They did transition from 5 to 6 and we did see drops like pretty significant drops. Not as significant. I'm not going to sugarcoat the drop that we're seeing. Um, but there were more more than 1% drops. So, and I've talked to um surrounding people like are you guys seeing these? And they are. So um it I think that is something that we have really started to look at and like I was saying earlier how do we smooth out this transition from four to five because it's clear that there's an issue there. So we need to identify it, look at really take a look at what the curriculum looks like for both and make sure that we are continuing to build those foundational blocks so that they are solid

026so that when we get into higher and more complex application that they're ready for that part of it, right? >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean looking at it, the state dropped anywhere between 7 and 11% 4 to 5 between 20 from 21 to 24. I think again this is just historical perspective. the board has known that this particular um the the transition from four to five has been a trouble area for some time. I think that's been um talked about and been seen over the different trends. Um obviously, you know, there some of that talk went away during CO, but everybody else was experiencing CO and it still seems to have hit us pretty hard. So, >> um I think we know that's an area that that's a opportunity >> that like likely leaves those kids

027catching up for two or three years before they're >> where they need to be. >> Yeah. >> Well, I think we just continue to monitor and um you know, next year will be really interesting because that'll be the first year with data with the horizontal work that you're doing. >> Yep. and we're this year is the first year that um they have to do a modular quarter for math, ELA and science. So um and integrating it in very different ways and um so but that's going to help give us data to monitor throughout the year for you know and I was comparing it to preparing for you know the Super Bowl like you're the coach and you have the players in practice right and then the modular is a game right and you're there and

028you're looking to see how they're playing and they're monitoring themselves and how they're playing, right? And then you come back to practice again, like how'd we do? What do we need to work on? What do we need to fix up? Okay, now the interim is the playoff game, right? It's a little bit more high stakes. We need to really show up and this is why. And then we come back and we look at that like how' we do and then the summitative is like the Super Bowl, right? Like it's time to shine. It's time to really show how like what your learning was in this year. >> Mhm. >> Right. >> All right. Want to shift gears to ELA language arts. >> All right. So um again looking at the vertical um columns it you

029can see that ELA continues to be a strong point. Um district proficiency is steady grade three reached all the way to 73%. Um, and then of course there's still some areas that leave room for growth and um, conversations when we're looking at that vertical cohort and or not the vertical but the vertical column in curricular decisions and then following the vertical alignment in that diagonal. And >> we don't see the big dip in grade five >> for ELA couple years down. Nope. Yep. And that's why so math has been it's an area of focus that so for elementary there's only so many subjects that you could focus on at once, right? We have to pick a focus area subject and get that worked on and then move forward. Like when I'm talking about going to

030visit them in grade level work. So when I go to my CA grade level meetings, the focus area is math because we know that we need to beef up math and not necessarily just in elementary but obviously in middle, but we need to look at all areas and see where we can fill cuz ELA is a stronger subject for sure. And that's not new in other districts either. So if you look at the state data, you'll see it's stronger, right? Like ELA is a stronger subject testing wise for sure. Sir, are we attributing or can it be reasonable to attribute the dip in the 2021 cohort cohort from grade three to grade four and thereafter and it looks like that's the only cohort that has a significant dip to it >> co. Yes, I was

031looking at that and I said, you know what, they were in second grade. >> Yeah. >> During co and that's where you're starting to really like get your building blocks in ELA. >> So, um the fact that they got 54% in grade three was pretty awesome. >> Yeah. But grade four, so grade three is you're starting to read to learn, >> right? Like it's starts. Grade four, they're really in it and they're expected to know quite a bit more. So it's a lot more complex. So if you're building a house on popsicle sticks, right, that foundation's gonna >> get weak, >> right? But um they did start to come back up in seven. >> Oh yeah. >> So that was good. I'm excited to see what they'll bring in eighth grade. But yes, that is

032>> the Okay. No, it's just the thing that stuck out to me. >> Mhm. >> There's always quirks every year, too. Like, you know, just >> every cohort has >> Yeah. whether each cohort's unique and then even within the cohort there's just like weird things sometimes happen you know that they just had a bad day and sometimes it's as simple as that and sometimes they have a great day I mean >> uh it'll be interesting to see this grade three group here at starting off with a 73% I mean that's awesome like don't get me wrong I don't want to >> like put them >> pressure >> yeah but like >> that's awesome for like a first go around at this testing you know like if they maintain that that's awesome Awesome. That's good. But

033I mean, I wouldn't be shocked even if they're with a with a good teaching going on if that tips next year because that's a really high starting point for that group. So, it say come on Evelyn, keep going. >> Um, no. And and as anything with data and aggregates like this, right, is it's not just about what the data says, but it's reading between the lines and what the data is also not saying >> is becomes very important. >> Mhm. >> Thank you. This is great. >> Awesome. >> Okay. Any questions? Any other questions on ELA? Moving to science. >> Did we talk about ELA state? Yes. Okay. Sorry. Okay. I didn't move. I can't see behind me. Um, okay. So, um, science, we're just going to put it out there. And we've already talked

034about the fact that we it needs work, but that's true. statewide for whatever reason they've decided to test science in grade 5, 8, and 11. That's it. So, imagine being a student and you're taking the SAS science in fifth grade, but then doesn't come up until 8th grade and then not again until 11th grade. how much emphasis are you really putting in especially by 11th grade, right? Like and again talking about assessment cultures and I actually have had really great conversations with the science team at CHS um and they're excited to put in the modulars and get um this out in front of kids. And I was talking to them about like show them their fifth grade data. Show them their eighth grade data and say like can you how can how do you think

035you can improve for your 11th grade year, right? Like again put it in front of them and make it meaningful because if we don't talk about it for 3 years 4 years and then all of a sudden it's oh this is this thing that I have to do what am I going to do? Click click click click and done right >> so we really need to like make it meaningful and authentic to students so that it's not just a thing that they do every once in a while, right? It's different for math and ELA because they see it more often every year, >> but it's so I don't it's it's an interesting choice. But um we've had this I've had great conversations with the science teams um about how we can try to strengthen and

036again that vertical alignment and really digging into the NGSS standards and progressions. Um we have we did wonderful work this summer where um Michelle Silver and Holly Love and um Hannah Peterson like they looked at all the charts that were happening and they made like a vertical matric matrices um of where things are being covered and where there are gaps and we are going to we've looked at that um at the LMS PLC and I showed the science team that at um at CHS and GMS. I go there tomorrow, but we're focusing on that there right now. Um but so we're really starting to make get some momentum and have some really cool ideas and um get traction for science. Okay. >> Questions on science. >> Do we require four years of science in high

037school? >> Science is three years. >> Trying to remember the major. >> It's it's three and then there's a lot of and then you can you need a fourth year of a math experience which some sometimes be a science course. >> Right. >> They've also kind of opened the definition of science up to what can keep what can be that science credit. for example, some CTE classes can cover that science credit for kids, right? So, >> the idea that kids are taking the traditional like what I'm sure most of us probably took physical science, biology, chemistry, physics in that order for four years in high schools, some variation. There's less of that just in schools across the board now, you know. >> Um, the science ex science one as a high school person has always

038kind of perplexed me. um school I was at previously, we got the same freaking score every year on the SAS test. And I think the science department there did a great job. The Campbell drop does too, but it was just like nothing we could do could ever change the SAS test. And it was it was crazy. And just look at the state average. I mean, I'm I I struggle with the science exam. I mean, we as a state have a proficiency rate in the 30s, you know, like I don't know if this is an effective assessment for our students when that's the proficiency rate, I guess, is what I'm saying. So, >> and again, I think it comes down to it's only given three times over the course of a student's whole school career. And

039the way like human nature is we put stuff into things that matter to us, right? And if they only see this thing every once in a while and it's not given a real purpose then and observations of proctors that are proctoring this thing is [Music] >> right like >> so how do we make it important >> that's question >> by doing some things that we're doing like we are putting the data in front of the kits we are giving them those modulars. We're looking at our curriculum and making sure we're aligned to the NGSS standards. That's what this test is based off of, right? So, we're looking at a variety of different areas, but I think really just having conversations more with kids, right? And 11th graders, you can be pretty frank with them and

040say, "I know you don't like this test, right?" Like, but it's we need to like this is time for you to show out of all of your years here in Lichfield like your science knowledge, right? And are you going to get through to some? Sure. Are you going to get through to all? No. But at least you're having conversations about the purpose behind things. >> I do think when they have six in the game, it's better. So when we made the transition for and this is high school from some standardized test to the SAT which has stakes for many students because they're going to college right and you saw a shift in just from making that change you saw a shift in the numbers for state reporting and since the proficiency rate increased because they

041were more invested in what the assessment was and that's an overall arching thing I think with with science you know they're they're juniors you know, they have an idea of what they want to do in the future. They'll be invested in an SAT. Um, and then they'll try for the science testing, but just observationally, they're not sitting there and just filling in bubbles and putting their head down, you know, but it's not the same level of stakes as that SAT is, you know, >> right? >> Um, you know, we'll get to SAT in a second and want to steal Sarah's thunder, >> but you know, we we got to make sure they take it seriously and that they they do a good job with it. I'll just that for now. >> Okay. Um, just moving

042along. Want to get into I Ready. >> All right. >> So, I Ready. I know a >> bit of a grain of salt with this one, right? Because it's >> correct. >> Kids kids can manipulate the system a bit. >> Yep. So, and I've been kind of transparent on my feeling about I Ready data versus SAS data because we're looking at SAS. We're looking at first of all it's you're looking at when you're looking at state you're comparing New Hampshire to New Hampshire kids and you're doing you're it's a proficiency rating on the standards which is what we teach. We teach the standards. I doesn't they're trying but they don't correlate to the standards. they do grade level um equivalence in what they determine is grade level and it's a national normed test. So if

043you look at our data and you see how we compare as Lichfield, New Hampshire to other grades of the same grade nationally like we're doing really well, right? Cuz people always say like why is the I Ready data so much higher? Because when you're looking at math, like we are I can't see my numbers. We are like killing it in all the grades, right? So that's really good to see when you're thinking >> I don't know that I would say killing it. I guess I look at this and I see geez grade eight and I see 55% of the kid or 55% of what this is saying is at least one grade level below in the spring of grade 8. So by the time they essentially finish grade 8, if you add up one grade

044level below, two grade levels below, three grade levels below, that's 55%. >> Yeah. So maybe not killing it but much better than what you see in the SAS data. Does that make sense? So >> but do we have the SAS data for for math? >> Yeah, that's what we were looking at before. >> Yeah. So >> see the big >> but when you do look at this, you do see that when you're looking at students that are mid or above or early on, they are growing. So the bottom bar is fall, then the middle is winter, top is spring. >> Yeah. >> So they're consistently >> there's growth >> growth. There's growth in those areas, which is good to see you. That's what you want to see, right? And I Ready is the one assessment

045that we have to compare apples to apples to apples three times a year, right? And I apologize, I didn't fix my graph title. It should be fall to spring performance, not just fall to winter. But um so again but we are still digging deep into curriculum and instruction and how we can make things consistent, cohesive and effective. I think the data is I mean pretty reli not pretty reliable but more reliable for the younger grades because they don't know any better than the older grades that you know know that if they just get it wrong they get to stay on the same level and it doesn't get any harder so why try you know so looking at for example looking at kindergarten and not seeing any red on there I mean obviously I don't know

046that you can go below grade level in kindergarten because there isn't a great deal of that. But, you know, it's positive to see some of the red being less in by spring, you know, for those grades. >> Yeah. Okay. Any questions on I Ready? You want to get into reading? >> Any questions on I Ready reading? All right. Let's move into SA SATs. >> Okay. So SAT um I can only pull one year before. So um I'm going to keep the data. So I wasn't obviously here before 2024. So I'm going to keep the data that I pull so that I can start doing more comparisons like we've done in the past. is that like we just did in other in like the SAS so that we can track better but um so this is

047what I have right now is um 2024 so this is district and then state comparison so the way that the college board reports is they um report on students that met both the evidence reading and writing which is what the ERW stands for and math proficiency And then they break it out into here's your students that did evidence reading and writing met that proficiency level and the students that met the proficiency level in math on the SAT. So, um, in 2025, we went down in the percentage of who of students that met both and a little bit in well, we went down a bit in all three areas. Um, 4% in evidence in reading and writing. It's a little more nominal than the math, but again something that we're looking at and meeting regularly. I've

048actually it's been awesome. I've been at every math PLC at Campbell for the last 3 weeks, I think, and we've been doing having a lot of really good conversations about things. So, um, we're we're working on it. >> So, 2024 on ERW, we were 70%. >> That middle column? >> Yes. >> Then 2025, we were 59%. >> Correct. >> And these are juniors or is it juniors and seniors? >> Juniors. Yep. But we are um, you know, Yeah. We we were above the state. We were not. But we're, you know, again, like we were talking about like assessment culture and getting practice. We're putting in um SAT practice and making sure we talk about the assessments cuz I remember um the school board reps and they were like, "We haven't really heard about it." So

049they have been and they will continue to be. >> So it's an 11 point drop, but it's really like a 15% drop >> is >> from the 70 to the 59. You mean >> 59? >> That's significant. But I do remember the the young young lady saying they don't have enough tests that are high leverage or whatever the term is. Yeah, the high stakes testing which we just implemented this year again the midterms and finals >> um which I think is going to have a significant impact in how students learn how to sit for a high stakes exam. Um, and also too like Brian was saying, each cohort has its uniqueness and from what I was from conversation I've I've had like that this particular cohort is one of those cohorts as well. So taking

050that into consideration as well. I don't know exactly why, but >> I'm not sure I'm following that. This cohort is >> So the cohort that is in the orange um was a very strong academic year. I think they had the most scholar that's it. They they had the most academic scholars that year. It was off the chart. So many kids. Um whereas the green data um that cohort has had some difficulties over the years either behaviorally or academically or has been a little bit more challenging. >> State level the green. >> No, the green I'm sorry the color >> the coloring is off. >> I'm so sorry. >> Okay. >> I apologize. >> Yeah, >> I meant to fix that. That's right. No, but for um the the current seniors this year, the current seniors,

051last year's juniors um have a reputation somewhat of being a little bit more difficult of a cohort than the year before. I don't know how to say it nicely, so I'm trying to choose my words. I like your uniqueness. >> Thank you. >> I think what would be more helpful with the SAT data is more years, right? Agreed. because you can then see a pattern more >> and that's what was saying like I >> whether which class is the anomaly here right like there they're two very distinct classes the class that graduate this year and the class is graduating this year in terms of their strengths and weaknesses and I think it'll be interesting to see what this group comes up with are they more like the group that just graduated or the group that's

052going to graduate right what's that pattern kind of moving forward so >> and I will say again not to give you work is you have plenty of work as I saw from our committee meeting this afternoon. Um, but there the years past data is in prior meeting minutes and agendas for the school board. Now, is it easy to pull? Probably not. You'd have to go through and figure out what meeting that presentation. It's usually around August if that's helpful. Um, of years past, we get a data update. Um, >> but there would be 2023, 2022, 2021 because we have a similar presentation like this. >> Yeah. A lot of I even tried I looked back at last year's cuz Jake had SAT data, but he did he presented it in the ranges and not in

053the percentage. Got it. >> I feel like it's easier to do percentages cuz it's just cleaner >> cuz nobody knows what a 400 to 600 y >> means. But I do think that when we take it this year, we are hoping that we have a return back to where we were a couple years ago on this course. So, >> okay. >> We're implementing high stakes testing only in high school. >> Well, we're putting back what she means by that bringing back midterms and finals. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I I but that's for high school. We're not bringing that lower. No, >> I think we're doing that format, the midterm and finals back into the high school whereas like on that semester and that break thing. I don't think we're doing midterms, finals in like the

054middle school model, right? Um I mean they have assessments of varying >> depth knowledge there at the middle school, but I think it's important we bring it back to the high school and kind of see how they do for college there. Like middle school, they'll have like chapter 2, three, four, five, and then a unit test that encompasses 1 through five. I don't I'm sure they do something similar to that at the high school, but having an exam, >> it was more competency recovery days for those days and I think it's great to have those back in there. >> Agree. >> Yeah. >> Yes. The other area that sometimes we get some data on that may or may not I don't know if the board is interested is on um AP testing. >> Yes. And

055I apologize for that as I saw it in Jake's presentation >> later in the week last week and I was like >> and for your next report I think it just kind of tells us where we are um compared to other AP. Yep. I will get the AP data. Okay. Um so just to wrap it up um looking at this data and just the work that has been started these are all things why we I kept the CIA focus areas exactly the same from like I said last year when I presented um when I came in and I looked at data and I um started reviewing things that have been happening. These three areas stuck out to me and those trends continue to take us into this year, which makes sense cuz we really, really

056need to continue with our vertical alignment work, shoring that up and really using data as the forefront of our instructional practice. like where's our entry point and how do we get we know our where we want our students to be what they need to know and be able to do at the end here's the entry point how do we get them from A to B right using that data and then if we have students that are struggling or those students that are not struggling and they are ahead of the game how do we bolster them right so all of that is encompassed in the targeted intervention piece, too. >> So, there's no testing for social studies. I seem to think when my kids went through a school, they were a social studies standard. >> So,

057as of this um last year, um we are required to give high school students the civics exam before they graduate. um which is the same exam that um people that want to gain citizenship so it's a naturalized citizenship exam I don't know the exact ter name but they have to take that and pass it um but is in terms of regular like state social studies assessments there are not okay thank you for the presentation any other questions hearing none. Thank you again. >> Thank you. >> All right. You're welcome. >> Um, no student reps yet. Correct. >> Next meeting. That's >> next for us. >> We're supposed to be here. >> All right. We'll look forward to that. Uh, we have community comment on agenda items. And seeing that there's no community here this evening,

058we'll uh close community comment and we'll move right over into correspondence. >> On September 3rd, there was an email correspondence from Mr. Oblenus to the board requesting information regarding the Haramman kickoff meeting um and why uh information was not made why that meeting was not made public and recorded. There were responses from Mr. Cutter and Mr. Oblinus with respect to uh the meeting not having a quorum of the board and not being a public meeting. On September 3rd, Mr. Dit emailed Mr. Obliness in response to Mr. 's September 2nd email which was summarized in prior correspondence wherein uh they were outlining the bi-weekly meetings between Haramman and our business meetings between the superintendent and his staff and the fir and the firm Haramman not the school board not FIC are public meetings there were responses

059from Mr. Oblinus Andrew Cutter and Mr. Oblinus on September 4th there was another email from Mr. Mr. Oblinus. Uh, continuing the dialogue about the Heramman kickoff meeting and why he would consider it to be a public meeting. Uh, m there were responses from Mr. Cutter, Mr. Oblinus and Mr. Cutter. Again, directing Mr. Oblinas to the statute regarding public meetings. On September 5th, Jan Sullivan emailed the board circulating the draft public and non-public minutes from September 3rd schoolboard meeting. On September 9th, an Inamorad emailed the board circulating the 403b manifest. On September 10th, Annamarati emailed the board circulating the credit card manifest. On September 10th, Julie Darling emailed the board circulating Haramman's pre-construction proposal. There were uh responses u from Mr. Plansky and the superintendent. Specifically, Mr. Plansky had some questions and the superintendent responded that

060he would be taking those questions to Haramman. On September 11th, Annarati emailed the board circulating the accounts payable manifests which included live checks and EFT. On September 12th, Renee Burgess emailed the board circulating the draft September 17th schoolboard agenda. And on September 16th, the superintendent emailed the board circulating um first read policies that would be on tonight's agenda. And that brings us up to date as of noon. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Uh we have general business this evening and turning it over to the superintendent. >> Great. Um just our uh enrollment as usual pretty steady. No big swings. Gained one in elementary, lost a couple in middle school and high school. We flipped grades a little bit, the same number at the end of the day. So, um October

0611st, which we ironically also our next board meeting, is when we officially report our enrollment to the state. So, those will be our official enrollment numbers on that particular day. >> Um next, uh we have a personal communication device public forum discussion for uh October 1st, which is our next board meeting. I just want to go over the board's expectations uh for that to make sure we set it up correctly. >> Um I'm assuming you want that at 5:30 as like the start of the meeting. Do you want a different time like >> No, at the start of the meeting I think it's appropriate. Right. And my open to the board's thoughts, right? My >> uh thought was just really public comment, right? Let's understand what is working, what is not working, and get public

062comment on the procedures that are in place and understand um >> yeah, how it's going. >> Yeah. Um do you want to do that here? Do you want to do it in a different location >> here? Here. Okay, sounds good. >> Um we had reserved other spaces just in case, but here it works for us. Makes it easier to record. So that sounds great. >> Excellent. um to prepare for that um uh especially at the high school. Um Miss Mitchson wants to send out a survey to the students kind of toes that line whether or not it's an academic survey. So we just wanted to let the board know what we're going to send survey to the kids just to get their feelings on how it's going, right? Like do they feel >> do they

063have a choice? >> They don't. But if they >> Why send a survey? >> Yeah. I guess we're just looking for glute stakeholders. >> How it's going. They're going to say, "I don't like it." >> Actually, you'll be surprised. Like, I do think they don't mind it. I think if they had their choices, obviously, they would not want any sort of law or anything like this in place. That being said, if you just talk to like random kids and you ask them how it's going, they'll say like, "I am more focused. I am doing like I'm having more conversations with my friends. I am like having that stuff." I think if you were say like, "Could this go away tomorrow and you could have your phone back?" They would be like, "Yeah, of course." But

064like 100% >> considering I think they're they're they don't hate it with as much passion as I think they thought they were going to be. I think that would be the point of the survey is possibly to get that data from >> I think it's important to get the data. I I would be interested in it, especially since we don't have student reps yet. >> Yeah. >> Um so they haven't been able to weigh in all summer and into the school year. I I I just would love to hear from their perspective. I'd be interested how many students actually respond to it, but again for stakeholder purposes. Um, and that was the intent of the law was to get, you know, parent involvement and stake. I'd be curious about a parent survey as well. >>

065Yeah, I think we're going to do the same, but we don't have to ask permission to do the parent. So, >> yeah, >> but I I I think it would be I think the information would be helpful. Even if it is, we want our phones back. That wouldn't be a surprise to anyone here. But I we've at least asked the question and given students a chance to weigh in officially to the board. >> I'm not opposed to it. I just asked why. >> No, I mean I I think it's a valid point, >> but I'm not sure it necessarily sways us either way on what to do going forward, but I think it's important to give them a voice. >> Other thoughts? Anyone strongly opposed to the survey? >> No. It's going to be like

066a three question. I mean, it's not going to be a big >> No, go for it. >> Okay, sounds good. >> Is it really considered an academic survey if it's not related to academic? >> I think you survey because it's about their, you know, their study habits or whatever, but just to be completely transparent about it, you know. So, Miss Miss Benson's a new still. She wants to make sure she's going by the book here. Got it. So, >> yeah. >> Just in terms of the um personal communication device, technical name. Um, how much policing has been done at the high school? >> Um, it's a good question. I think, you know, but being candid, uh, kids figured out we're not prying into their pockets and and everything looking for their phones, right? So, when

067a kid's responding, you know, the beginning of class is, you know, put your phone in the in the cubby or whatever like that. And if a kid's like, I don't have my phone. I left it in my card. There's not a well turn out your pockets and prove to me you don't have the phone, right? Like there's that trust with the kid that you're telling the truth. Now when a freshman says they left it in their car, okay, that's a little bit different. >> But like with the older kids when they say that, we're trying to build trust with the kids that that's true. Now is the reality is it's in their pocket or in their backpack silenced and turned off. Yeah, that's probably true, right? But if they're not taking it out, if they're

068focused in class, if they're doing what they're supposed to do, that's the intent of all of this is to be more focused on what's going on in class. We have had to enforce it, right? Like we've had teachers who um the most common way of enforcement has been a ringer has gone off and it's in its pocket, right? So, it's hard to say it's in your car when you can hear the ringer go off. So that involves, you know, the the teachers calling Zach or Jen and coming up to get the phone and um I think it's first warning they put it in the cubby in the office and then the second one they call the parents to come pick it up. I think they've had to call parents three times to get a phone

069which means you got a couple repeat offenders. But um otherwise that's been fine. The vast majority of the kids are fine. We're not seeing it. My office sits on the library. Um, as you all know, you can definitely tell they're not on their phones in the library because I can hear all their action and they're clearly not face down looking at their phone, right? Um, which is good. Like, it's good. It's good energy, good like noise that you're hearing coming from there and stuff like that. You're in the cafeteria, they're definitely more engaged with each other when they're eating lunch and doing all those type of things. So, I think the enforcement's coming, but like yeah, as we kind of expected, we're not like if the phone's away and you're paying attention, that's what we

070wanted, right? So, you know, kids figured out that's what we wanted and then they if they follow it, then great. That's all we want to do. >> Um the middle school's a little bit different. They're a little more like rigid in the the phone and cubbies because they don't have an excuse such as I left in the car, right? Um, so they're getting more use out of the lockers than we're probably getting at the high school at this point. But that's okay. The kids know it's there. Um, and know that if we have to go to it, we have to go to it. So, um, yeah, and that's been kind of, you know, we talk about it from the state level and that's been kind of the vibe at schools everywhere. Like we all thought

071this was going to be World War II and every high school across the state and it's not. So, um, so it seems to be going okay with the enforcement of it all and stuff like that. Now, we got to keep going. It's week four of the school year, right? We can't get tuckered out from it. We got to stay across the building, you know, enforcing this. Kids got to continue to buy in. Staff's got to continue to buy in, and we got to continue to get support from our parents, you know, because we haven't really gotten uh when we've had to call that parent, we haven't gotten a ton of push back from it. So, that's helpful, too, you know. Um, so we got to continue to do that. From an IP standpoint, we've had

072some deliberation meetings. Some have resulted in a student having a valid reason to having the phone on them and some have not, you know. So, we've gone through the process. We follow that deliberation form and made the appropriate decision based upon the needs of the student and stuff. So, >> okay. Thank you for that update. >> We'll look forward to parent feedback on October 1st. >> Yeah. >> CIP. >> So, we met Monday night. I just wanted to throw this on. It was a good meeting. I thought Peter ran it. It was, you know, tight. We were there done in like an hour. Look at that crisp. Um, >> tight. Um, so I just want to provide this update because what we left with that meeting, we presented our capital improvement plan. You've seen that

073over the course of the next 20 years and stuff like that. But I think we're going to do a couple of small tweaks so we can put some things onto the town CIP. One of them uh more specific pricing on the parking lot at LMS and shifting that up from where it is in our capital improvement plan up a little bit because because it needs to be up a little bit more and defining a few things um specifically Julie's got a list where we can use the impact fees for these particular things. Right? So GMS is GMS. We have the big GMS project. Um we have significant money at LMS and I think we're targeting the parking lot for that. So, making sure we get the parking lot specifically with a price and seeing an

074intent to possibly use impact fees for that into this town CIP is what we need to do. And then some of the significant exterior kind of um brick and window stuff that needs to be done there at Campbell. Um it won't be for all the impact fees, but it could be up more above $50,000, which would allow us to put us on that CIP plan for the town, access those impact fees to take care of that. um in the future. It's on that longer plan, but again, shifting it around a little bit. So, we're going to take that CIP plan over the next week and a half, do some small adjustments. Nothing too significant. Still targeting, I think it's 2031, for example, the roof and everything at at CHS. That will stay in that slot,

075but we'll make some adjustments. I'll send that to the board so you can see it as well. And we're going to send that along to the CIP uh committee here in the town as well, so everyone continues to be informed of what we're doing from that. So, just wanted to provide that update. So my understanding there's been some communication here from Miss Kleiner on the impact fee process. >> Yeah. >> My understanding interpretation um of that communication was the fees that we've collected are based upon the approved CIP plan that was updated by the board of selectment approved by the board of selectmen last year. last year or maybe in two 202 >> 2024 I think it was last time >> 2024 >> and the fees that we've collected are specifically associated to the plan

076that was at that point in time right so if we're changing ordering of plan and fees that were already collected we're not going to be able to use them for that purpose >> I think I understand your question I'm going to try to answer it So my question is well my question is it's more of a comment more of a point. >> I don't think we can use the impact fees for parking lot. >> So we had Jay here the other day or Jay from Jay what's his last name? >> Yeah. >> And because actually there is parking lot language on the town CIP for LMS is packaged into a bigger thing. >> Is it coupled in? >> It's coupled in with a couple other things >> and stuff like that for LMS. If the

077new GMS got built we were going to do it on project. There were three separate items when you were on there and then it got consolidated. >> Baked it all in. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> So that allows us to use the impact fees for >> that allows us to use the impact fees for the parking lot and stuff like that. Now the the CHS like wall I'm going to say CHS walls cuz I'm just going to try and make it a simpler explanation is not necessarily on the CIP right now. There's general kind of like money for district-wide capital improvements of about $125,000 a year that is very broad and that can cover us in terms of this right here because it would be part of the district for CHS right there. Now my

078understand I feel like we've been learning a lot about impact fees all of us over the past couple weeks is that though that there was something done by the board of selectment when they approved projects and why and that dates back to maybe even 2022 >> like there was some sort >> there was a study was that 2022 >> it may have started in 2022 but 2024 was when the Boris Leman approved that >> the recommendations from the state, >> right? And so as at that point they had the three accounts for the schools, right? >> Correct. >> And then so right now the projects have to be school specific to match the impact fees, but we can still put projects on like into these five years cuz the years are keep going. So even

079though as long as we get the project onto this schedule before we try to access the impact fees associated with it, if that makes sense that we're okay with that. So even though CHS wall was not specifically on here, we have district improvements. We're now identifying the specific target of those improvements, which would be the district walls. We have money associated with it for impact fees in adding the CHS account. So we can use that CHS money to do that. That all being said, we should be more specific in this. And Jay says now especially as we've transitioned like any new projects that are go could possibly be approved by the planning board right suggest right but we should be identifying on the CIP what projects we're cap we're identifying for um impact fee use.

080So like when we update this with an updated cost for the parking lot for example for LMS we should make note that we're identifying that impact fees. Yeah. As impact fees being the possible funding source for it. >> Now this all changed right because I asked the question about rekeying GMS. How did we like we >> How did that happen? So that was something that was allowed under the previous I don't know if it was an agreement but previous understanding of how impact fees were used. This is at a state level. It's not a town level, >> but something changed at the state level for impact fees, which is why moving forward everything has to be on here and has to be identified as something that could be sort or could the funding could be

081impact fees to do. Did I summarize that? >> Yeah, that was correct. But I don't recall, and correct me, Brian, if I'm wrong, I don't remember Kim mentioning that it had to be on the 2024 plan. It had to be on the plan, non-specific date. And I certainly was under the understanding that we could add to the existing plan and have it then be eligible for impact fees >> as long as it's on the plan before we ask for it, right? Like we can't go ask for something now with like we can't go to the next board of selectment meeting and be like we want to we just put this thing on the CIP now for the for the LMS parking lot. We're gonna add it or it's not added or if you say yes,

082we'll add it. Whatever. Right. Right. But I so I if you have some correspondence from her or >> No, no, no. My my my thought was an interpretation of emails and email exchange was we have to establish a Lichfield school district impact fee account line item I don't know right separate from the three schools >> right for going forward right so we have the three schools now retroactively >> set aside for whatever the purposes we're going to use for those three schools and then going forward we have funds going into this one account and it has to be on the plan to be able to use out of that one account. You can add to the CIP. Yes. But to be able to draw it from that one account, right? It's got to be targeted

083and dedicated on the plan and specific to the purpose connected to that one account. Right. Because it's already on the plan, right? Right now, we have to have a purpose connected to one of the three separate accounts. Going forward, it's got to be connected to the one account. >> Right. So that's if a project is approved. it's new from whenever this account's created and from the point we add to that to the safely point forward. That's the that's the point forward where we get it connected to the new account. >> Yeah, I would be interested in in that communication because that was I understand what you're saying. Basically, what she wants us to do is spend those three accounts down first before we go into this account. >> Correct. >> But I don't know that

084that's a requirement. >> Okay. >> Regardless, we're going to update the town CIP with some of these bigger ticket projects. So they're there and with the idea that we're going to access impact fees to at least cover all of it or offset some offset. >> Do we have a quote yet for the parking lot by the way? >> We actually don't have an actual quote. I know we asked for it over the summer and then we kind of backed off a little bit. Um but we don't have a quote yet. So we need to follow up with them. So >> and do we want to take anything off of the list? >> Yeah. The other question we're going to have is I hope everyone's okay. We're going to take Stadium Turfield and Stadium Field Lights

085off the CIP list. >> Ridiculously ask for the first um >> we uh >> in the new GMS. We have renovation GMS is on there. >> Yeah, we're taking the new GMS school off the list too. There's a renovation on there. The renovation/ edition project. >> Um but we don't feel Yeah, I think goes without saying. take the turf field and lights off of the CI town CIP if and I like we are in some raffle nationwide raffle that if we get pulled by Verizon um they will pay for a new turf field and lights for us if that happens we will cross that bridge if we that one in a million chance happens so um but I think we're going to take it off the CIP list we just have other needs so >>

086okay >> the board's okay with that >> no opposition >> um and that's it for All right. Business and operations. >> All right. Um let me see here. All right. So, um with regard to impact fees, um we obviously want to spend down the um fees that are expiring for the elementary school um in November. We did um ask our legal um whether or not we would be able to utilize the um the remaining funds uh for the renovation project. Um and so essentially yes, potentially we could. It's certainly that that is definitely a good use of impact fees and it would be approved. The problem is that we haven't actually spent the money yet. So to we're asking we can't ask for reimbursement for something that we haven't paid out yet. Um, so we

087are working with Haramman to um see if we can to try to get an invoice for part of it. I think what we talked about is maybe if we look at one of the um pieces that we want to add on, say like the marketing or you know another study or anything like that, they can kind of itemize that and give us an invoice for that. Having said that, we have to firm up our contract first because we still haven't done that. So, um, that's a process that's going back and forth. We've already given them our, um, legal feedback, um, for the contract. Um, and so we're just waiting to hear back from them on that, but it is a process. Um, but that that we're still trying to work towards that goal of using

088the remaining funds that are going to expire uh, for the GMS project. >> I have an update on the Heramman contract when we get to Haramman in here. >> Okay. There few moments. All right. >> Right. DOE25. I just wanted to update that that's still in progress and we are expected we are certainly um anticipating having that submitted in time for the October 1st deadline. Um and also just wanted to say that the DRA has a MS25 um form that is due as well and that's populated directly from the DOE25. So that will be submitted upon completion. Um with regard to the audit, I do have a letter here that um I had attached to the agenda. um that just requires um it's a standard letter that our auditors give us every year um just

089basically outlining what they're going to do as a part of the audit. Um so we would just um ask that we have um the board's signature. It's actually just um for the chair is fine. >> Feel free to read it. Yeah, it's exciting stuff. >> Um and then as a part of the audit, we're still working with them. are still um you know they're still asking questions and we're providing information. Um but thus far um the findings that we have there there are six findings none of them are material weaknesses um and they are mostly with regard to student activities which is the norm um >> student activities fund >> correct um so um with those you know uh any of those you know minor infractions we I do have a conversation um with you

090know if it's a student activity account then I would have a conversation with um you know the admin assistant and principal that controls that fund. um they sign something and then we go ahead and um you know obviously try to make changes so that we don't have further findings in future years. So we'll continue to work on that. >> Why does that continue to be an issue for us? >> It I will say it's not specific to us. Um I think honestly a part of it is just that the control level is different. Um, you know, um, I think that using those funds are it's just a there's a lot more moving parts, you know, whether you know, getting all of the paperwork that's required, um, having all of the signatures in time. Um, there

091there's it's just there's a lot of moving parts with student activity fun. >> The student activity, I don't know these specific ones yet because I don't see it till the end purposely, right? But thinking back to others I've experienced in in my various roles with the student activity kind of findings are typically things like someone bought donuts for their club and organization and left their coffee on the order as well and did not designate that they paid for the coffee separately, right? Like that's the level of kind of error that we're dealing with with student activity thing. Another classic one is people don't deposit the money from an event fast enough. You're supposed to deposit the next business been dinged on that before >> and if you don't do it the next business day, you

092get hit for that, right? So, usually there's a point person in the building, usually an admin assistant who does the depositing um that runs over to the bank, if they're absent the next day and they pick the right thing and it doesn't get deposited till 2 days after you get dinged for that, right? >> Um it doesn't get to them on time. >> It doesn't get to them on time. here you have to have the two signatures uh to do produce a check here for the student activity accounts um which is uh a little bit more than other districts do some of the one of the findings last year for example was there was one signature on the check amount to two right so it's those we shouldn't have them right like we want a

093perfect record does a district have a perfect record on these type of things what you don't want to have is the um >> material weaknesses which we don't have which is That's a good sign. Um, but those are the level of kind of usually issues. Now, I haven't seen this I don't see it till the end because of the way the process plays out, but I would anticipate if there student activities is similar to that type of stuff. >> Typically, we'll see this in January time frame. So, look forward to it around that. >> Yes, absolutely. >> Do I have board approval to sign this? >> Yes, >> sure. Okay. Thank you. >> Um, the last thing I want to talk about is insurance. So, we have um for the last few years had um

094a cap agreement with Primeax. Um I believe that was um approved in 2023. Um that essentially capped it um at a 9% um increase that we could have for property and liability um insurance increase for um for that portion of our policy. Um unfortunately, that is going away at the end of 2026. So, we are going to be getting the rates for 2027 um in October, usually October 15th. Um we are anticipating an increase. I don't know exactly what that's going to look like. There was indicators that had we not have the 9% in um cap last time. Um it would have been closer to 20% increase. Um that you know there's there's a lot of moving parts there, but um unfortunately that is something that's going away. So, one of the ways that we

095can mitigate um the increase is that Primex does offer a program um that you have to basically certify yourself every year um and you could potentially get 2 and 12% discount off of both your property liability and your workers compensation which will cover both um through them. So, we're working through that certification as a part of it. There are a couple of policies that we don't currently have that we would need to include. Um, so I did include the sample policies that Primeax gave us. I've also given the superintendent a couple other policies that I found that other districts have done. Yep. >> Um, so that we can hopefully move forward with that. And >> so those will be put through the policy. >> We we did look at them on Monday. Um, >> I'm

096writing them up right now. So give you an update. I wrote them up um today actually. Um, both of them. The seat belt one's much more straightforward. We don't have anything. There's no recommendation for it. So we can we're taking Gary's um and kind of taking it word for word and then I'm going to pass it off to our legal to make sure it's fine. Even though I'm sure it is because another school district's using it and Primex recommended it, still our legal should look at it. The motor vehicle one's a little bit more tricky. We actually do have a policy this would fall under now separately. I think there's some things we need to update in that policy anyways. So this is a convenient time to kind of look at this policy. Anyways, it's

097about um the utilizing of transportation. To summarize, it's it's a policy related to transportation not involving school buses. So, if you're doing private transportation, say a parent driving a kid home from a sports game. Um, if you're using, we don't have a school van, but if we had a school van and our people were using it to to to drive in any sort of those cases, the summary of the policy is that you have to have um records checks for anyone who's going to transport students using these type of vehicles and certain insurance coverages um to be the driver of these vehicles. So, we need to add that to our policy. Um, so wrote up a new policy today. We're going to send it to legal look at. We're going to have it come through

098policy committee. Our intent is to have it for the October 1st uh board meeting for at least first read. We're going to ask Primex if we got these in in in check and um when we apply it to this two two and a half% discount credit that whole thing right there. Um the rates come out around October 15th which would be the second reading of these policies if we're looking at the timeline. Um so we'll see if it's okay if they're if we get a first reading done if they're good with it. But there's a chance I might ask you next meeting to do both first and second for these so we can ensure we get this discount um for our insurance with that. Send the policies in advance so you have enough notice to

099to kind of check them out and stuff like that. >> They're pretty common sense policies for the record and compliant with state law. >> The seat belt one is very simple. It's if you're a district employee in a district vehicle like let's say maintenance using the facilities truck, right? You're going to wear your seat belt. That's the policy. um in a nutshell. So, the other one is a little bit more in check because of the record checks and the insurance requirements, but um the seat belt one is short and sweet. Wear your seat belt. >> And we get a two 2.5% discount. So, >> yeah, it's it's worth it. >> We and there's other policies that are part of this, but we have them on the books already, so we're good. Um the other thing

100I wanted to add um not regarding Primex but another insurance issue is um voluntary accident insurance um the policy that we had is going it has gone away. Um, so I was actually on a call last week with other um, districts and everyone's kind of trying to figure out what we're going to do, whether or not we're going to continue to offer um, a policy essentially um, through the same carrier there. We can have different coverages um, but we would have to pay a higher portion of that. Um and then it also leads to a question of there are a lot of districts, it's not a requirement, um but there are a lot of districts that are moving towards ensuring um each of their student athletes. Um so that is something that we are kind

101of just looking at what is the cost of all of these things so that we can have all of our you know all of the options available to make an informed decision. Um but that's something that we would you know certainly consider. um something to think about. Um with regard to the voluntary insurance, essentially one of the big pieces of that is any student athlete has to have insurance coverage. Um if a family is not able to have that coverage for the student, this was a way for that student to still be able to participate um at a lower cost um to the family. But if we did the insurance with the district covering it, um that would be something that would not have to be an issue for families. >> This is a health

102insurance policy or >> it's accident it's accident insurance essentially. So if something happens while they are participating in, you know, said sport. Um the accident also covers things like PE class and things like that. Um as long and again as long as the the district is not doing something that is creating a situation um for liability um you know we are protected. >> Mhm. >> Um but it's just again another layer of protection. >> How were these types of situations handled in the past? >> More often like let's use student athletes for example. So when you sign up your kid for student athletes you use final forms and one of the things is are you insured? Right? every one of our current student athletes is insured through their families, right? So, no one's had to

103access this or anything like that. That is most common. Like, it's very very rare that someone accesses this type of insurance, which I think is part of the reason why it's kind of going away that it's not used. Um, so, you know, so, so that's kind of like it's not frequently used um if at all by by district, especially in a smaller district like this. Um, yeah. So, I think that's it's very rare. So, we have it by policy that we would provide the opportunity for people to have it. It's not a required policy. It's not required of us to do that. Um, I think it's for families that are looking to to get insurance. It is a cheap way to ensure that their kid can participate in things, right? And are covered if something

104happens. And sports is the most common, right? But it could be any co-curricular. You're in theater and you fall off the stage and twist your ankle. Something along those lines, right? Or whatever the case may be. Um but it is used very very rarely. So I don't know if that answers your question, but >> does >> it does. >> Yeah. >> So I I will certainly bring back um more information. >> My question is really about why are we talking about this now? >> I think it's >> why haven't we talked about it before? >> Well, I think we're going to the budget. So, like if we have to I think it's something to consider if we were going to go away from this like offering anything for our our students. Um we would need

105to change the policy associated with that and kind of go take those steps to do those type of things. If we were to look at doing one of these other coverages to to ensure whatever like for example right now by policy um you have to have insurance to be an athlete. If a kid didn't currently have insurance, we could push them to this insurance to cover themselves and still play their sport, right? But if we don't offer anything and they don't have insurance, we're then saying you can't play sports, right? Like now we could do that. Like for example, this year every single athlete we checked with Tony checked that said they have insurance. Now we're not following up on that to the extent of collecting all of their insurance. it's a trust thing, but

106like um we haven't had anyone access it for that purpose this year, right? So, I think we're looking at it. Um it's something to talk about through the budget process because these are going to be different rates. So, if we were to continue, there's different tiers, right, of coverage and stuff like that. It's about $800 currently, right? >> That was what we were paying for last. >> This is what we were paying right now. So, it's not big ticket thing, but it can get exponentially more expensive with depending on the tiers you're looking at and stuff. So we just want to bring it to your attention I think more so now. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Where are we with solar? >> Just about to ask that. It's a >> great question. Um >> um

107we are going >> So I sent an email. >> Um I'm not as nice as Julie when I send emails. Um and I haven't gotten a response yet. You know, I met with legal about it. We're trying to shut down. >> Yeah. Are they still in business? >> They have a nicer website. So take that for whatever. Um, so I've requested a meeting with our legal presence, talked to legal about a strategy. Um, >> okay. >> I'm going to bring out that, you know, the last memorandum. I don't know if this has got any teeth said it would be done over summer break and we're now two summer breaks away from that memorandum. So I view that as a violation of that contract. >> As you called, >> what's up? >> When did you go?

108>> Email. He emailed. >> Oh, this week. Earlier this week. I met with legal earlier this week and then sent the email Tuesday. >> Probably yesterday. >> Yeah, >> yesterday. Yeah, that makes sense because I met with legal the other day. Monday. Um and on the had a phone call with legal. Um >> yeah, so we'll go from there. Haven't got a response yet. So see where it is, but we're trying to set that meeting up. Trying to put some pressure on them and see where it goes. So >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> When does our solution >> power agreement for LMS run out >> now that the solar is on has started it has to be completely done the storage system has to be in >> one hasn't kicked in yet >> I

109mean this is part of where we're in this weird legal quag quagmire of it because where K the person who we deal with her argument is that we're not taking any of the financial hit she's taking it all and while that is technically true because we have a level funding and then the increase will not kick in till six years after the completion of the project, right? Like that's when it starts to kick in. But we need to plan. Like my whole point is like we need to two points. One, we need to plan, right? We need to know. We talked about Warren articles last spring about trying to set something up in case we wanted to buy out the buy all the equipment for ourselves down the road. We're not just going to have

110a half a million, 600,000. And who knows what it will be years down the road. Money is sitting around to make this purchase. We have to plan out for it. And if there's uncertainty when this completion date is, how can we plan for it? So, it is hurting us cuz we're hung up on trying to do long-term financial planning here. >> The other is just the credibility of of the project in general, right? Like, you're frustrated. We're frustrated. Community is frustrated. This was promised to be done years ago and it's not done. And it's just, you know, we're going to try to move potentially another massive facility project forward. We need to build trust with the community. That stuff's going to get done on time when it's being done, right? So, that's the frustration with

111>> I guess I I probably should have been more clear. Currently, we're paying a flat rate for electricity through Eversource for LMS. The solar grid is active. >> Yep. So who's getting the benefit of the 439 kilowatt solar grid right now? I don't think well benefit I think if my understanding of solar is correct and I'm sure it's not but like if my understanding is correct there's essentially waste here because nothing's being able to be stored right now because there's no storage for it right so we're we're taking the energy to fund ourselves right now it goes through Eversource and comes back right there's a whole certain it's not just directly from the panels to our power >> but the excess like that is being collected is just not being put to use right now.

112>> Correct. Right. It's just wasted. So >> Eversource is selling it to other people. >> People wondering Eversource making out on this credit to Eversource and because we're not storing it, right? It just stays with Eversource and they sell it to other people. >> So are we still >> But we're still paying a flat rate. >> Correct. >> When does that flat rate stop? I my understanding is six years after the completion of the project that clock starts >> correct >> because then we have to make a decision whether at that six year we have outs at 6 10 and 25 I believe and at any of those intervals we can decide to buy everything for ourselves and then we're dealing directly with Eversource with it all right right >> if we'd elect to not

113buy out after year six in the contract is an escalating amount of money, right? It goes up certain percentage every year. So 100,000 105,000 110 so on and so forth. So >> I I guess what I see is we have a potential to have a Z electrical bill for LMS currently with the solar grid on it, right? We should be generating well in excess of electricity for that building and except for at night. So, it should be dramatically minimized. And what I'm hearing is we won't see any of that until after the thing gets paid for in six years. After the project is complete, >> we won't get any of the return on the system until after it's paid for for sure. >> Well, I'm not own the system, right? because we're still going to

114be in a fixed payment through year six until we buy the system. >> Right. And so we're still paying >> more >> $97,000 a year, right? >> For Eversource Electricity for LMS even though we can generate more. >> We're paying $97,000 a year to dynamic grid, right? Yeah. To dynamic grid, right? for the energy and for the IRA, right? Under this price arrangement, >> right? >> Okay. >> Now, we still have an Eversource bill. Is there an Eversource bill on top of that, too? >> There is an Eversource bill. And then if there's a difference when I think it's there's a fixed amount for each month. And so if it's over that then K, >> right? Because we're a net metering state. >> Yeah. Y >> right. And so whatever whatever the difference is in

115usage versus what the array is putting out, we owe. >> So that's how K gets paid, right? For the six years after the project is finished, she collects the benefit for the six years until we buy out the system. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> And she's also getting paid based upon tax incentives. >> Yeah. I Okay, that just hurt my head. Okay. So we really need the storage to be able to >> in order to save >> real savings, >> right? >> That we save run the building where we >> sell it back. >> If we want to get to a net zero, yeah, we need the energy storage. But even just having the active grid on a daily basis, we could potentially generate enough electricity to where during the school day, we pull nothing

116off the grid. >> That's the idea. I mean, we 880 panels, we should be able to generate enough energy, >> right, >> to run the building per day. >> A and then the excess goes into the battery storage. So then it just satisfies itself overnight. And I still I can't find those design calculations and plans to do it. But I guess what bothers me is that this contract says that even though the project is not finished, we could see a significant savings in electricity, probably beyond the flat rate of 97,000 a year just by having the solar grid active. And basically, Eversource says you generated more electricity than you used. So, like here's energy credits. I mean, it's going to be minor in compared to having the energy storage, but that's like putting that that's

117kind of like the standard setup putting solar on your house is that you put in enough solar to generate to lower the amount you pull off the grid. But the contract is set up for six years. We don't see any of that. So >> if we pay it out after after year six >> if we pay it out. >> So that that that that's potentially six years of call it 80% of our electric bill for LMS we could be saving that we're not going to realize >> because it hasn't started yet. because it well because it hasn't started and because of the way the contract set up is that we're in a flat rate to Kay for six years if we buy it out. >> So your thought is it's better for them if they

118don't get it fully operational. >> I I >> depends on who's getting the >> Yeah, it depends on who's getting the credit, right? is in theory we're generating 439 kilowatt kilowatt hours of electricity with those 880 panels. I highly doubt we're using that every day. And so we're we're pumping electricity into the grid. The way this is typically done is the grid provider pays you energy credits. My guess is K is getting those credits. Well, that's why we've asked to monitor on a monthly basis what the output is and what the Eversource bill is. So, we'll be able to clearly see. >> I see. I think I'm getting it. >> Yeah. >> So, the idea is if I play this out, right? Like we buy it at the end of six years, we we that

119expense goes out for that. Let's just say for argument sake $600,000 round number. Then you can project out but then we're done paying the energy cost right because it's our stuff right so that bill becomes zero >> for the vast majority of the year correct >> correct yeah so once we've gotten past savings of 600 once we've gotten past that $600,000 mark that's where the savings kind of kick in right that that starts your ROI Why? >> I wonder if then we can tackle that. That's where a possible financial loss could be. There's your assumptions there. >> I mean I mean does anyone see what I'm saying? I don't know if I'm making right. So you you could tackle that from an ROI perspective. You could look at our total cost to hire K to

120do all of this work was X. It's going to cost 600 grand to buy it out. And the objective was she was they were to be completed in what 23. >> Yeah. >> Now 25. We're now seeing our start date of ROI is now 2 years later. >> Right. >> So you could take that and say we're going to incur because the panels are still aging. >> All of your infrastructure for those panels, the inverters and everything is still aging by two years. You could look at we're going to have a decreased satisfactory operational lifetime of two years now. So technically your serviceable lifetime of this system is reduced by two years >> and counting. >> Yeah, it's going to be three now. >> It it's going to be three, but now you're going to

121have to split that out by you're looking at the panels and the inverters. >> Oh yeah. >> Um and everything. But I mean it it's just I mean serviceable lifetime is 80% of maximum of rated efficiency after 25 years is standard for solar panels. So we're down to a 20 22 year lifetime on those panels. >> Yeah. >> Okay. A lot of math there. >> It's a lot of math. >> You're the math guy. >> I just got to understand it first. I can do >> solar. >> Yeah. I mean it it's I mean I don't know what the panels cost and I don't know how they want >> get the damn thing done. >> And we we need to be thinking about the maintenance and repairs bills when things do go wrong, right? Because

122it's going to >> hurt us if that thing is not fully operational. >> Yeah, >> absolutely. >> Okay. Anything else from a business and operations standpoint this evening? Anything else? >> Okay. Anything else from a curriculum? >> Uh, yes. So, just wanted to give a quick update on um the committees. Our learning outcomes task force met um last Wednesday and um had a great first meeting. We are going to continue focusing on um depth of knowledge and curating resources and what that looks like to help um keep that top of mind as we're going through the year. And then um the Lichfield Curriculum Review Committee met this afternoon and had wonderful conversations on the um novel and supplemental text process and also the movie and film approval process. We looked at um policy JK and

123um which is going to be updated based on the new ED 306 rule. So, our procedures need to be updated as well. So, we really dug into that and have some great next steps moving forward, which I'm excited about. >> Okay, good update. >> Uh, any questions? >> Nope. All right. Public minutes from September 3rd, 2025. Everyone have an opportunity to review? >> Yep. >> I'll entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve the minutes from September 3rd. >> Thank you very much. We have a motion. >> Second. We have a second by Mr. Plansky. Additional discussion. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> Opposed? Abstained. That's 4 Z. >> All right. Here we go. Policy. >> All right. First one, uh, it's pretty simple, straightforward. Uh, meeting minutes

124policy. If you go to the proposed one right there, you'll see the change. Um, HB231, I think it was, um, was passed. And due to that passing it is recommended that we add two lines into the policy. One if you click into it and you go into required content of the minutes. One addition is the name of the person who produced or prepared the minutes should be included in your minutes. And the second is that the start and end time of the meetings should be are required to be part of the minutes. So it's now required by law. We added it to our policy. That's the only change to this one. So, um I don't know how you want to do these. If you want to just do that one real quick and then we

125can >> I will approve policy BG for first and second read. >> Second. >> Motion by myself. Second by the same >> additional discussion. >> All those in favor please say I. >> I. >> Post same zero. >> Great. The next batch here there's no changes to the policies but by policy we're supposed to update you when we change the format. So we are putting it on the new format. So there they are. Um those ones got done. Uh the next set there's a set of four here that have been updated slightly. So I'll give you a quick overview of each of the updates. The first one is accident reports. The big change to it is it's also including employees um and the accident reports. Um there's some updated language to better align with the

126schoolboard association one. It is the schoolboard association policy. But compared to our previous one, our previous one was specific to students. This includes students and employees and what has to happen when it comes to filling out um accident reports relevant to that. Um so the tone of the policy hasn't changed just the addition of employees as well. Um prevention of drug and alcohol use. I'm going to do these as a group. I I can pause there though if you have questions. Okay. >> Um prevention of drug and alcohol use by students. Um just some updated language. It streamlines the policy a little bit but it's the same thing. don't do drugs and alcohol in school. It's bad for you. Um, so that's the the crux of the policy. It's updating the laws that are associated

127with it um that go along with it. So, nothing too big there. Administering medications, a very minor thing, but it's important to our nurses. So, we wanted to make sure that we have this update in here. Um, you'll see and you click in the two brings you to the two changes. Um, they're generally the same thing when it comes to medication. um they wanted to make sure there was language around where it is store how it is stored with the nurses um rather than just in general. So that opening sentence um shall be stored with um an admin shall only be stored with administrator taking by students during the school day in compliance with that that pol that procedure there by the nurses. And if you go down um to the field trip stuff, it

128also talks about including language about the storage of it, not just the administering of the medication. Everything else is essentially the same. We ran all these policies, I should have started with that, through our nurs's office, nurses in the district, so they felt comfortable with all of them. The other change, the JLCD is a minor um is minor in the terms of you should really take out the procedures and the forms of the policies. They should be there separate entity. So, we have done that as part of this policy. Our previous JLCD currently JLCD has all the forms and it has the procedures attached to it. You'll see um on the agenda here, we just pulled them out so it'll be standalone things. This is easier when people are trying to find the forms and

129everything in the folders and stuff. And then emergency plan for sports. Open it. Remember I said the right thing here. Um there's a recommended addition to add um that school sponsored activities have at least one person present who um is certified in CPR. So, we added that into that policy right there. >> And we can accommodate that. >> We can. >> Yep. >> Is there a separate smoking policy? >> I don't know off the top of my head. I can look up look it up. Um I don't know >> cuz that's not covered. >> Yeah. Specifically under drug and alcohol. >> Give me a second. I will look. >> Okay. >> Do you remember? I feel like there was >> question be under students. See if I can find it real quick. >> Would it

130be called smoking? >> Maybe tobacco. >> Tobacco >> prohibitions regarding the use >> of tobacco products ban. >> Yes, it is policy. >> We just did it. I should have known this man. ADC, GB, D, J, IC prohibitions regarding use and possession of tobacco products, ecigarettes, and e-liquids in and on school facilities and >> we updated to include all of the vaping. >> Yeah, there we go. >> All right. Thank you. >> Good. >> They all start to blend. >> They do. Let me tell you, >> Tina called it alphabet soup. >> It's brutal. >> It is accurate. >> It is brutal. and there >> just like number them or something. >> Sorry, there there is significant work that we need to do related to policies. I'm sorry, but there just is of cleaning stuff

131up and everything. So, um this is just a focus and >> it's like a spider web. >> It just catches more and more of that. >> We got like 20 in the wings. We're not going to put them all out at one time, but they're just like waiting there ready for different meetings and stuff. Last thing on that little one, if you're just curious, um we do have an emer an emergency athletics plan for athletics that we update every single year and that's a copy of it right there on the agenda if you're ever curious. So, thank you. Um so, I ask if you could whether separately or as a group, you could do those um four policies right there for first read. >> Go for it. >> Want me to do it? >> Yeah.

132>> Okay. I will make a motion for first read policies. E BBB policy J I C policy JLC D policy J LC J A >> I will second >> motion by myself second by Miss Ames additional discussion >> all those in favor please say I >> I >> opposed abstained 4 Z thank you um as we I mentioned before in next meeting you're going to see first read for those other two um policies and then maybe one more we'll see how today's meeting went with the curriculum. So that's it for new business. >> Okay. We have old business and I have one item to add for old business, but we can do at the end. >> Yeah. So we want to provide uh I have four bullets there, but I might bounce around just a

133little bit because it all ties together. Um so GMS again project, we talked about that renovation, possibly reconfiguration, that's all that. So meeting with Haramman, we had our bi-weekly meeting with them uh last Thursday. uh went well, continue to talk about the project and the steps we have to take. We've been providing them a lot of information, anything they asked for. Um good example today was we have provided them the maps for the buildings and then room associations and the adults in them. And then today we met Dan did primarily Dan and More did most of the talking, but we met via Zoom um to go over the educational programming needs of the at the elementary school level. We'll do similar conversations both with the middle school and high school principles in about the next

134weekish give or time and stuff like that so they understand the full educational needs and the current educational setups at all three of the schools to kind of go from there. Uh they've met with uh the staff at GMS already. Um obviously that's the most critical group to meet with but they'll also meet with the staff at both LMS and CHS in the time ahead. Um we've been working on the contract. I want to go over some of the questions that came through regarding the contracts. Um, we got questions from them. We met uh just to be transparent, we dismissed everyone from the meeting Thursday so we could just talk contract with them um in a more private setting. >> Um, and they've adjusted the contract a little bit. We have it. It's going back

135and forth between legals right now. Um, but this to summarize, the contract is for these pre-construction services. So it's for what they would call phase one and phase two. So it takes us through um a potential march vote for the project. So those kind of uh first two stages of it. They showed the pricing for the full project if it goes all the way through and we stay with them. But we are not bound by staying we are not bound to finish that out. For example, if this goes to the ballot in March and it is voted down, we can go our separate ways and call it a day there. if we wanted to come back for another year and stick with them, we can do that. And it's outlines um our ability to kind

136of continue to do that. If we get a positive vote on this pre on this part of the the project and for whatever reason we want to go in a different direction with the design firm that we're working with, we can do that. Like we're not bound to continue with them through this contract. If we're successful, I think we should I would recommend we continue. We would have to update the contract that time accordingly. But some of that pricing when you saw that all the way out was them trying to be transparent um with what it would take for the entire way through and stuff like that. So it's those first two phases. They um estimated those pricing when they were bidding for us. They estimated that at about $180,000 as they've gotten a little

137bit closer and seen what we're working with. They're now putting that at 7272 for the first two phases which comes out to about 144 um for the work they're going to do. They talked about through the bidding process other things they could do like the website some of the PR stuff that's connected to it which for lack of a better descriptor add-ons as a way and those are broken out in the contract and we can um we can follow through on some of those things which we should do. Um at the most add-ons would add on an additional about $21,000 right >> or 26 I'll double check that. whatever it is, it's less than the $180,000 that they quoted at us at the at the start of it. So, >> Julie, we'll catch up. >>

138Honestly, I and Dan, you can correct me because you were at that meeting, too. I my understanding from their presentation was that was part of the that was included. >> I'll be honest, I thought so, too. You know, until I saw it broken out in their contract that I don't know if I misunderstood that >> the website for the >> I think it was clear and fair for the proposal that they provided. >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean I feel ultimately comfortable because it's less than 180 they put out there for us. So if if that was something we misunderstood in that kind of presentation, then >> that's all I was I was asking. >> No, I was very question. >> I was I was a little surprised I saw those things broken out because I

139also was under the impression it was included in the overall cost that 180 they quoted to us. But maybe we misread that or something as they did that not misread but >> 26 26,000. >> It was 26. Yeah. >> Um, so 144 26 that takes us at 170 which is still less than >> so the studies do we need the studies? Don't we have like a recent study something that isn't stale? >> I would recommend I would recommend it. Yeah. >> Um I think it because those studies are studies we can use period whether or not for this project for whatever I think it's good tools for the district to have done period. Um so I would advocate doing those studies for for the project and stuff like that. Um, so that keeps us in

140the 180 we we thought it was with that 170 looks like the cap of what that money would be. Um, and we're not bound to do the rest of the stuff with them at that time. Um, sorry, I have the questions here. So, in terms of uh the grade redistribution, I think there was a question that came through with that. their proposal states they're looking at, you know, preK through two, three through six, 7 through eight. They said they're just using that as a launching off point because they got to start somewhere, right? If they go through the process and they think the configuration is different, say 4 through, you know, preK through three, four through six, something like that, 6 through 12 at the high school, whatever, they'll factor that in, but they got

141to start with something, so that's where they were starting from. But they're not bound to that. If there's something better that comes through the process, they'll go for that. um they understand that the priority is the on-site insight report specifically the first five years of that report that's where they put their focus in they showed us the the thing we produced in FIC right which had the list of the first five years stuff they have it in a slightly different form but everything kind of listed out and that's what they're prioritizing when they're going to do their work and everything as they put their designs forward and stuff like that um >> and they're working with with Mr. Mitchell on the stuff in yellow, the education. >> That was part of our conversation today, right?

142Yeah. With them and stuff like that. So, >> so my my guess would be once we get what the five-year number is to do that all that stuff, then we have he can go down and see here's the list of what we want and this is what it's going to cost and we're comfortable with. >> Yep. Yep. >> Final number. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um I think that answered all the questions. We gave it to our u legal. They gave us some suggestions on adjusting just some protection things for us or clarifying things such as that there's an out for us after different phases and stuff like that. Um Haramman seemed amendable to all that, you know. Um so they're just running it through their legal and then we should be continue to be good with

143that. >> So if you have any other questions on the contract, >> what are we doing on timeline? >> We're moving every day there's something. So, um, part of the timeline, I think I didn't list this on the agenda. I was just going to bring it up. Um, you know, we talked to Kim, uh, Monday night and then she followed up with an email where she sent the email first and then we followed up. It's all blend in together. Um, about getting going on bond counsel um for that. So, if the board's okay with that, we're going to start that work to um the recommendation is to have bond counsel separate from our typical legal, you know, so it's a separate entity. Um she gave us a a person that she's worked with from the

144town side before. So we're going to reach out to that person. Do we have the contact from before? >> Yeah, that we do. It's um Renee. >> Yeah, that's from Divine Met and Conquer. I'm pretty sure that's the person that she recommended. >> Yeah, you have it right there. >> I know. That's who she >> That's who she recommended to. So bingo. >> Yeah, she's that's her field. That's her. Um, so we're going to reach out to her as long as the board's comfortable with that and get that all all going and everything so we can start doing as much work for that as we can as we kind of go. >> That takes time. >> Yep. So that's why we want to get on it and start that's obviously new to the two of

145us. So more time the better for us to get going on that. >> Yeah. I mean I think the key for Bond is how much is it going to cost? And that's >> which brings us to our construction manager which we are get making slow progress on. Uh Haramman's got it uh sending it out to the the people who do this and then we're hoping to have one in place. >> We need to have the contract needs to be finalized. >> Oh, contract needs to be finalized. Thank you. >> We're Yeah, we're waiting to get that back from Haramman. You have >> and then hopefully we'll be rolling on the construction manager as well. Um so we're working I mean we're going to see where it goes timewise. We are on a super tight timeline.

146Like it's either going to happen or it's not, you know. Um, our goal is to make it happen for March, but also not force it if it's not ready, right? So, um, Haramman's been working. We have a lot of contact with them >> and, uh, we'll see where it goes. >> So, the construction manager is part of what we approved those the money for that >> for the out of the trust. Yeah. Up to Yeah, we estimated between 20 and 30 to that. So, >> approved up to 225. That's what I thought. I don't think it's going to be a total of 225 when it's all said and done, but if for some reason we have to come back and ask for more, then that's bad, but hopefully. >> And just to clarify for everybody

147watching, the construction manager is going to give an independent look hired by us to give us confidence in the price that Haramman gives us for for the bond, right? So it it's meant to give us reassurance, the town reassurance of we're going away from the firm and saying is this cost feasible for the project that they outline and I I think that's the key thing that that provides is that we're getting a outside independent look into the cost. [Music] The last thing is we're going to do a community forum on October 7th at 6 PM at GMS. We're going to be promoting that significantly um over the next three weeks. So, everyone's welcome to join. Not just parents of students, please. Anyone in the community is welcome. Welcome to put on social medias and our

148websites and >> posting it around town. >> I was going to say, can you send out the digital copy of that flyer? >> Yep. >> Yes. >> Yep. We got it all done in the schools today and >> Perfect. >> And we're getting it out tomorrow and Friday as well. >> We have to get into into the 55 plus communities. >> Yeah. Yep. >> We've reached out to all of them. Rene's helping us with that to get to their chairperson so we can get in front of all the 55 pluses and >> meet with them and try and get them to some of these forums and stuff if they can. But at a minimum that we can go to them and see >> um and explain what we're up to and and what we're working

149on and stuff like that. Yeah, I was going to mention that is that I saw that email came out. Joe responded and I don't know if um the other people on that email responded as well as to contact, but I think Rene is just hunting it down. >> She's hunting it down. Yeah, she's getting them off one vote. Um the other thing Herman is amendable to um presenting to whoever else needs to be presented, right? Like we want to bring them to the budget committee at some point, board of selectmen, whoever, right? So, if that's something the board is interested in, I'm not saying next week, but like as we go through this process over the fall, if you have ideas or or thoughts on who would be good people to to get them in

150front of, good committees to get them in front of, um they're definitely willing and able to come in and do that stuff for us. So, >> okay, good to know. >> Yep. Any other questions on it? >> Anything on Haramman? >> I you Joe forward me the email you sent to him on the questions that he had. So, I'm I'm good. Um I guess have we reached out about getting the signs from Continental? >> No, cuz we don't think we're going to get them. So, like >> Okay. >> Um cuz we've Dan's reached out for other things and has not gotten them. But we will, but I don't think we're going to get them. So, >> those would be the big light up construction lines to advertise signs. >> We looked into what it would

151cost to rent. It's like $750 a week to rent one. I don't know if that's a good use. >> How about the one that's uh at the end of Albuquerque? >> That's Continentals, I think. >> That's just sitting there. >> I mean, we're going to reach out, but I I've been told not to be optimistic, but I I I don't know, though. So, I'll be optimistic and maybe >> I mean, beyond that, it's just let's get them on the letter. Let's get the notice on the letter boards and let's just get it out. That's what I got. >> Great. You guys are doing excellent. It's a lot of work, right? This is a lot of work in a very short timeline. You guys, it's >> Let me know how the FIC and I can help.

152>> I think the big thing is going to be we can cover most of the school contacts, right? We got newsletters, we got websites, we got um Rene's good at keeping the our our own social media up to speed and stuff. It's the community and I will go talk to whoever. Go talk to the 55 plus community. I'll talk to whoever. >> I just don't always know who the players are and that's the stuff we need help with. >> I have a few of them. >> Yeah. >> Right. From past projects that we've had. We we've gotten into a few of them. >> Yeah. More than happy to meet and talk with anyone about this and schools in general because I think you know I mean that's my plan is to go talk about the

153district in general. Obviously this is a big part of it but >> tell them about all the good things happening so they feel included. So, um, but if you have suggestions, input, let us know. We're happy to to take the road show to wherever we need to go. So, >> okay. Anything else from your side on old business? >> No. >> The one item that triggered my memory tonight for old business, um, when you mentioned AP data, right? We had mentioned at a meeting probably some time ago about the data about the exam fees, >> how we were going to have a discussion about >> Yeah. >> that. >> Yeah. Let's do that next meeting so we don't forget. >> Mhm. Yep. I'll add it to the agenda for next meeting. It's about the requirement

154and the GPA part and all that stuff. That's good to circle back on because we're not at test signs up yet. It's a perfect time to talk about it. I'll add it for next meeting. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh moving into manifest. So, we have uh several manifest items that were signed this evening. We have payroll for $424,64945. We have 403b for $8,25156. We have a manual check for $1,6858. Another manual check for $2,398.18. Another manual check for $315.18. Two accounts payable for $88,5.38 and the second for $125,829.40 40 and a credit card manifest for $4,339.71. With that, we'll move into our second community input this evening. Seeing since nobody has joined us uh this evening, we'll close our second community input and we'll move into schoolboard comments. >> Comments. One comment I have is

155I want to give a shout out certainly to uh all the work that's being done not only across the district for opening the schools and getting everything ready for the kids to come back and just the hard work over the first the first few weeks but I recognized um the work that was done at the LMS fields. Right. So, I personally walked the fields a few weeks ago and for those that have not seen have not been down there, one of the encumbrances the board did at the at the end of the school year last year in June was to uh put some monies aside to fix up and redo the softball and baseball fields. They look fantastic. Uh we even um I got some compliments even from the rec commission, right, on how on

156how good they look. So, uh nice job. Yeah, they really came out. Absolutely. We're going to keep them up. >> Yep. Excellent. Yes. >> Uh okay. Any other comments this evening? >> I just want to say with the GMS project and everything, it's we're getting moving, but as you mentioned, um I think everyone's doing a great job. It's great to see the engagement by Haramman. Um but we we have to continuously press the engagement outside of the school systems. And I I think that that's how we get to that piece. So, um if I hear anything, if I see anything, I'll definitely we get these flyers out. Um I'll see if there's any place that I can think of to post them. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> I was just going to say, uh

157Friday night is I believe the homecoming football game is home under the lights. Um obviously a lot of students go, but it's also kind of a town event. Um, so it they sell food and there's all sorts of, you know, it's great. So if you have the ability to go, um, you know, have even younger kids, they get to go and watch and see and be a part of the community. So, >> and weather is supposed to be nice. So, >> weather's supposed to be nice. May add just a little bit to that if you're homecoming. >> So, earlier that night, that evening as well, 4:00, JV girls volleyball um, in the gym and then varsity volleyball at 5:30 on Friday. So you can make it a whole afternoon evening and then tomorrow night the

158boys soccer team will be excuse me sorry tomorrow night the girls soccer team will be under the lights at 6 for a home game as well as part of homecoming. So >> boosters usually have the girls going. There's food so it's worth it to go. >> Awesome. Lots of fun things at Campbell over the next few days. >> Yeah, should be good. All right, that concludes our public meeting this uh tonight. Uh we do have some non-public business. Uh the board will be moving into non-public session under RSA 91 A3 uh specifically BNC. To do so, we need a roll call vote uh to move into non-public, please. >> So, I'll make a motion. Do I need to make a motion? >> You do. >> Okay. I'm making a motion. >> We have a motion

159by Miss Ames. >> I'll second. >> We have a second by Mr. Duet. Roll call vote. Mr. IS. >> Mr. Det. >> I. >> That carries 4. Thank you very much everyone. We're now in non-public.