MVSD School Board Meeting April 6, 2026

001Do I still call >> Colorado? You can call her out. Go ahead. >> Here we go. two big speakers. >> Okay. Thank you. I'd like to call the April 6th meeting of the Marramac Valley School Board to order, please. Roll call. >> Tracy Bricky >> here. Spencer Dickson >> here >> Jessica Wheeler Russell >> here >> David >> here >> Julia Jones >> Stacy Jarvis here >> thank you if we could all rise for the pledge of allegiance silus will to the flag of the United States of America to the stands. One nation. >> Thank you. So, um, we had minutes from the annual meeting on March 5th and the schoolboard meeting in March 9th. They were in your, um, online documents. I know that Ryan sent in some uh he might be the new

002Sally. I don't know. >> Somebody's gonna take up the pen. >> Ryan sent in some uh >> just typos, don't they? >> Just some typos. They weren't anything sub substantive. Um anybody else have any they noticed and they would like to uh call to order for us? I'm sure probably found the ones I found. >> Okay. All righty. Um then can I have a motion to approve the minutes from March 5th and March 9th? Uh moved by Julia, seconded by David. Thank you. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay, perfect. Next is public comment. Anybody public comment? Um Pamela Dunlap Bosquin. Um I I'm not sure. This is first meeting I've ever been to. Um, I am a bus driver from the Marramac Valley School District. Um, I

003will tell you a little bit about myself. I had a son that graduated from this high school. Um, three of them actually. One went on to commit suicide six years ago. And I really struggled in a career. And when I came to MB, I came to find something that was homey and that would be good, that I could use my talents in a good spot. And I have grown with these children that I have had since September. I have multiple children coming up giving me, "Congratulations, you're the best bus driver ever." Whoa. But, you know, for me, I finally feel like I found a purpose in taking care of these kids, putting a smile on their face every morning, and letting them know that, you know, it's going to be a good day. Um, I

004would just really, really be sad if it wasn't under the Marramac Valley School District anymore because that would be the reason why I would be coming. I would have stayed. Um, unfortunately, I will not stay if it does if it goes over to first unit. >> Thank you. So Danny Flores, I also live in Boston and I'm a bus driver here. Um to one of the questions that was proposed last time was a plan B or even a plan C between the district and first student was you know if people left what would the district do to rehire or for a student to rehire? And on this list is 16 leave or eight leave and eight undecided which as we all know just means leave. So my question to both the district and for student

005would be do you have 16 people lined up to cover these people that aren't going to stay because you're selling out for a maybe satisfaction and a maybe short-term solve. So 16. I'm also not on this list and there are some people who are not on this list. I have air brakes. I choose to stay here for this pay that we have, which I have no gripes about, but I too have kids that I look forward to seeing that look forward to seeing me. I had one show me her cup today that she got on vacation. That's are are you willing to sacrifice that for a deficit that we as a transportation company are not responsible for? >> Thank you. >> Bill Hines Boswin. I'm going to weigh in on the transportation issue because it

006looks like there's an action item on the agenda. I thought I heard at the last meeting, the uh transportation committee meeting that there wasn't going to be a decision made today, but I do see that there is an action item on the agenda. So, I'm going to assume that we're going to take up the first student contract, make a decision about whether to go forward or not. Um I'm eager to hear actually today the first student folks speak and and hear hear this topic flushed out. I think there's there's a lot to hear about it and um but at this time I think it's a little too short a notice and I don't support it. It's not to say that I'm not Bill Hines. I didn't disappear. I still would love to see the savings

007and I think the taxpayers would too. But I also think the taxpayers would like to know or like to have a hand in what's going to happen with the the revenue that we're going to get from this and make a decision about the budgetary aspects of it. previously the savings then we could uh could maybe make some some cuts in the budget that reflect the savings that we might feel. So um that's really in a nutshell I think where I come out. I I have more comments here. Um maybe I'll I'll share them with you later. I'll I'll keep it short and sweet. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> Heather Wel Boswin. Um on April 1st, I ma emailed all 11 school board members. Um a uh comparison to SAU1 figured numbers and our

008numbers going all the way back to 2019 2020 school year and down to the current school year. I also email in that email was the comparison to SAU 103 and us. Um, I hope all of you received it, read it, opened it, did your own research. I only heard from two of you saying that you received it. On April 2nd, I emailed the uh, Department of Transportation Fuel uh, distribution the following question. As a taxpayer, I said, I have a question. Um, can tax I pay taxes to a local school district that the district buys fuel from the state. The school district is looking to contract out to a school bus company. If that company buys all the school buses, can the school district continue to fuel the buses from the state for the buses?

009Right now, the buses have G plates on them. If the company changes them to a plates, are the school districts still label able to fuel the buses? April 3, I got the following answer. And I will summarize this because some of this I read um at the committee meeting. There's a law out there um that pertains to who can buy fuel from the state because it's tax exempt. Um so she the person said um that they have some districts that do contract out some of their um services and they extend that tax exempt to them. However, underlined and after the word however, the school district remains responsible for assuring that the fuel consumed by the private entity is only being used for taxexempt purposes i.e. transporting students. So therefore, if first student buys all those

010buses, they own them. They can do whatever they want with them. So my question is, how is the board and the school district going to guarantee to the taxpayers that my money that is sitting in those fuel tanks right now is only going to be used to transport MB students because we've got Carter Winth house four miles that way and we've got the grapon center that way. We all know that first student makes their money from doing charters. Being smack in the middle, you don't think they're going to take advantage of that. So again, how are you going to guarantee that the fuel my tax dollars that are in those fuel tanks are only going to be used for NB students? >> Thank you, Heather. >> Thank you. >> Hi, Michelle Heaton from Penook. Um,

011I am new to this discussion. I heard about this kind of last minute, so my comments may be way off, but I just wanted um to come out to um I understand that there are budget issues and that, you know, transportation may be one of those items that we want to maybe make cuts on, but I would strongly urge you not to. Um, there's a lot of people in many school districts that really rely on these buses, whether it's getting to school or getting home from school. As we all know, families across the state are getting squeezed with inflation. You know, all of the other things that are going up. And to have to add another burden to them if buses were to get cut or bus services were to get cut is something that

012we really need to think twice about. All of the things in the school budget are important, but if the kids can't get to school and students start missing school because they have unreliable transportation, then nothing within the school matters because they're not getting an education. So, I think at the very least getting children to school is one of our number one priorities. I know um I have a kindergarter, so I'm relatively new to the bus situations, but I know there's been shortages. And I have got to say that our bus driver is amazing. She puts a smile on all the kids' faces, and I would hate to see anything happen to her because she has been wonderful and reliable, and the kids have really come to um appreciate her. So, that's all the comments I

013have right now. Thank you. >> Um, my name is Emily. I'm from Penuk. Um, a lot of the reason why we've been told that this is being brought up is because transportation has been told many times that we've our department is over budget. um the transportation staff. However, based on the public information currently divided on the Marramac Valley School website, our budget appears to actually be under by 190,000. And that's just with our salaries and the repairs and maintenance alone. Um, you can find that information in the CBA, the 20 2025 to 2026 proposed budget, the 25 to 26 employee salaries, which is listed under the middle school and high school campus section. Um, in the proposed budget, there's several lines where I pulled all this information from, going from 993 all the way down

014to 120, all in the 2700s. So, from salaries alone, we are about $100,000 under budget in the repairs and maintenance. Um, from line 162, we are also $94,000 under budget. Um, and another important point I want to make is that the athletic trips and field trips appear to be charged under the transportation budget. The athletics alone is 58,000 and field trips is 13,000. If we don't count that, we are still approximately $126,000 under budget. >> Thank you. Anyone else? Public comment. Okay, I'm going to close public comment. Uh, next is the >> Tracy, could I just address just a couple of of items. Um, >> so first and foremost, I'm not sure who Emily told you that this was done because transportation is over budget. Um, I've never once said that. Um, that that's the

015purpose. The purpose of looking into transportation, just like we do all facets, is to see if we can save the district money um while still taking care of the the employees. Um, Bill, I think you mentioned something about revenue. Um, we're not necessarily going to make any revenue. I don't know where you're sitting, but um from the change. It's it's really based on on savings that could possibly happen. Um the fuel I did reach out to the bureau of um at the state of New Hampshire for fuel management and they said a similar answer to what Heather brought up that um as long as the buses were being used to transport our students um we could continue utilizing those those areas um in order for that not to happen because the fuel card system would

016would still be in place. So the same drivers would have a fuel card. They're not just arbitrary fuel cards that that we'd be handing out to first student. Um and I just want to emphasize that there are our plan overall is always to retain everyone. To hear the stories about our bus drivers and the impact that they make doesn't surprise me. Um, which is why if we make this change, we hope all of you come back. That's that's our goal. That's from from the get-go. Um, is what we want to happen. >> Thank you. Next is the finance report. Sam, up to you. >> So, it was in the packet. Um, again, the the yellow highlights and I tried to put some notes to to let you know sort of the status of what it

017was from last time. So the 1210 function um last time it it was decreased by about 27,000. Now it's it's increased from that number. Um it's still down about 16,000 from its highest point uh during the year. There's been no change in the 1211 function, the 1300 function which is for the CRTC program. The little note that the state is not reimbursing the district at 75% as promised. It's about 38% when I last checked. Um, so that's something certainly we'll have to look at in next year's budget. I don't think that's going to get any better. The 2122 function, just like last month, we're working with a vendor and I think after this sort of went to print, we heard from the vendor that um they have made the corrections. We've been able to figure

018it out. So next month we should not see a a negative in that line. has been no change since the last one. Uh 2213 is a newer one and part of that is if professional staff were already enrolled in some professional development getting a higher degree to help them deliver services to our kids and you know we we've tried to honor that program for them. So we're a little bit over about 2700 in that line. Uh 2490 there's no change there. 2660 again we'll we'll get most of that well more than than what we are in the negative back once all the work is done. So, if you remember, you authorized the use of the safe grant, which is reimbursement. We don't get paid until we submit all the invoices that the work is complete,

019and that will be done prior to the end of this fiscal year. Questions? Jess? >> Um, I want to go back up to 1300. So, the state promised 75% and they're only giving 38%. Yep. And there's no a like there's no avenues for the district to pursue to be like this is what you said and they're just gonna >> No, I think they basically um suspend the law and say this is what we're giving you if I understand it correctly. >> It's like IA same thing. >> Oh, okay. >> Same thing. >> They promised us 40% and give us 60. >> Yeah, I know. Um, that seems like a awful challenge for a lot of school districts that the state is just unable to manage their own money to give what they promised. >> Yep.

020>> Thank you. >> Remember that in November. >> Just saying. >> I have a question because when I look at 1300, it says vocational programs transportation. So, it's all that we pay the transportation or is there something that >> 1300 I'm sorry. >> Yeah. So that's the vocational transportation. The state reimbures us about $24,000 towards vocational uh transportation. That's how it's sort of been the last few years. >> 10 cents a mile. >> Where's the rest of the transportation? >> That's in the 2700. >> Not the transportation. The rest of the CRTC. >> That's in that that same function right there. So it just says purchase services, right? So, purchase service because we have to to pay. >> Okay. It's not on the street. Maybe it's on. >> So, >> um let's see. Oh, that

021just says transportation right right there. Yeah. So, it just says I think the 500. Now, I understand what you're saying. The five I was looking at a different one. The 500. We probably should put the 300 or the 400. I'll have to look and see what the budget line is for that exact one. But basically transportation and the tuition that we pay conquered gets lumped into the same same grouping and that's why it it it sort of it shows that I should change the word transportation though to purchase services. >> Thank you Laura. Anybody else have any questions on the financial report? >> A motion. >> So moved to accept the financial report. >> Thank you. Moved by Jess, seconded by Julia. All those in favor of the financial report say I. >> Any opposed?

022Any abstain? Okie do. Good news. So, there was plenty of good news in the digital packet. Um, it was all fabulous. I love I love reading that every month. Thank you very much to all of the administrators out there. Um, and we do have a report. We do have a report from Louden Elementary School. >> Okay. Um, thank you very much. My name is David Barllet. I'm the principal at Lowden Elementary School. I have a small posy of humans that you can see back there that are going to be a part of this. Um, what we're presenting on today is called WOW. And for those of you who don't know what WOW is, it stands for working on wellness. And it's what we did as a district when we lost the UA unified arts last

023year and we all kind of had to figure out a way to deal with it. This is how we dealt with it. So there's a quick five minute video for you all to watch and then we have some kids and adults that are going to come up and talk and share their experiences and maybe give some treats. I heard are there treats kicking around out there somewhere? Yeah. Look, It's going, Delaney. It's going Awesome. So, I'm gonna the kids, can you guys come up here? And do you guys mind? I think there's some parents who might want to record their kids. Are you all right if they come up here and kind of sit or record? Are you okay with that? So, any parents that want to film and do that stuff? So kids are

024going to come up and then I'm going to turn it over to each individual adult who kind of did and they're going to talk a little bit about what they did. Not too much. >> Promise. >> Hi, I'm Aaron Eid, school social worker at Lowden Elementary and WOW teacher. Um, so there is a common thread that ties all of our WOW classes together. Whether it's learning skills that are needed in an emergency, how to work together to be successful in completing team challenges, building robots that can color, understanding the importance of nutrition and how to follow a recipe, being able to identify and work through emotions, or learning how to type. That common thread is growth mindset. Yeah, go show him. We have a little we have a demonstration. Um the common thread is growth

025mindset. >> Can you guys come in to the middle here? All of all of the students come into the middle here. >> That way you'll be on camera so everybody can see you at home also. So >> give a little wave. >> Yeah, >> it's your moment. Um so growth mindset the the belief that knowledge, skills and abilities can be built and enhanced through effort and persistence rather than being fixed and innate traits. Growth mindset is the ability to embrace challenges and believing that you can do hard things. Through our WOW program, students have had the opportunity to practice their growth mindset by being exposed to new material, working through problems that might feel hard, not succeeding instantly, and needing to try different strategies to make something work. We have a few of these students

026here with us tonight who would love to share their experiences with WOW at less. Can we have Julia and Juny first? Hello, my name is Juliet Flanders and I'm here to present Mrs. Mason's well class. In her class, we learned about safety, CPR, and first aid. We've never had a class like this before, and I felt clueless at the beginning, but by the end of our class, I felt so much more knowledgeable and confident when it comes to my safety skills. We talked about emergency scenarios and had a lot of classroom discussions. We were able to practice CPR and first aid on stuffed animals and go through emergency procedures step by step. Personally, I have loved all the wows so far. I think there are perfect learning great learning opportunities. Thank you. Good job. >>

027Hi, my name is Juniper, but they call me Juny. and I want to tell you about my WOW class. I learned so much on how to stay calm and what to do in an emergency. I learned and practice my phone number and address so I can tell the helpers where I live. We also learned first aid how to help with cuts. My favorite part was practicing CPR and helping with our stuffed animals. It made me feel like a real helper. I really like this class. It helps me know what to do if something scary happens. I feel brave and ready to help. Thank you for listening. Hello, my name is Lily Cunningham and I am here to talk about my experience engaging in WOW with Miss Eids. Our team building class has helped me learn

028how to work with different people and improve my growth mindset. I feel more comfortable working in a group of people who I have not worked with before and more confident handling challenges that might come my way. My favorite my favorite part was learning about non-verbal communication through a game where the class had to give us feedback using hand gestures in order to do a specific pose with a partner. I loved learning about skills that we would use our whole lives by playing fun games and doing challenging activities. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share about vow at L. The boys are next. >> Yeah. Do you want to just show them? Yeah. They might have another um demonstration. Watch your heads. Nice job, boys. Did everyone see the robot that colors? Yes. >>

029Awesome work. >> Awesome. >> All right, the Billings are next. You >> want to come up and Not that you need those, but there >> sure. >> Hi, my name is Okay, that's loud. Hi, my name is Lincoln Billings and this is my sister Lwood. Fun fact, kids are picky eaters than adults because we have more taste buds. The good news is that we get new ones every two weeks. So eventually we probably won't be so picky. >> In well with Mrs. Gilman, our school has made foods like applesauce, apple crisp, granola bars, frozen pretzels, s'mores, smoothies, and homemade ice cream. We worked on sharing talking talking terms and practicing waiting for on our I don't know turn to cut or scissor and some even tried new things. We also made some craft with yarn

030which felt hard but we kept trying and persevered. Please enjoy some applesauce and chocolate granola chip granola bars we made. Thank you, Christopher. Hi, my name is Christopher. I want to share about Typing Club in WOW. Typing Club is a tool that Miss Murray is using to help us learn how to type. I learned that my keyboard has bumps on it that show me where my pointer fingers are supposed to go. I also learned that my thumbs go above the space bar. I had so much fun learning typing that I ask practice at home. F and J were the first letters I learned to type. I was able to score five silver stars. I practice typing so much at my house, I got all the way to G and H. I think practicing typing will

031help me when I get older and have to do assignments on my computer. I want to share because I think typing and writing stories is an important skill. Thank you for listening. All right, last but not least. >> Hi, I'm Maya. >> And I'm Taylor. We're going to talk about social skills during WOW. Social skills. Social skills means how we interact with each other. My favorite part was when we learned about how to stand up to a bully, like in the book Bully Beans. We even made our own magic jelly bean jars. I also liked when we played Don't Let Your Snowman Have a Meltdown. You got to add to your snowman only if the card you picked showed the right way to deal with a problem. We really liked Wow this year. All of

032the WOW classes were really fun. That's it. >> So, I just want to make sure we recognize Mrs. Mason who's our school nurse, Mrs. Gilman who works in student support, Mrs. Murray who's our school counselor, and Mrs. Eids, a social worker who taught. We asked a lot of them, and we talk about growth mindset. They kind of had to steps outside of their comfort zone. Some of them had never taught before, and it really wasn't part of their job description at all. And I kind of went to them with this idea and said, "Hey, what do you think?" And it certainly didn't make their days easier. and their planning and all the things they had to do. So, I can't thank them enough for what they did and the way they stepped up to the

033plate to take on this challenge. It was a big deal and it's a lot of work and I think you can kind of see it's been fairly successful and they've done a wonderful job. So, I just want to make sure that they got a little plug because it was awesome. So, >> yeah. Are there any questions? Kids, that's it. You rocked. You were awesome. >> I will. >> You guys have to stay for the rest of the meeting probably in about 10. So, you'll be all right. >> Oh, they're still playing with their robots. >> We don't have snacks, but we have jokes. Up next. The applesauce is good. >> The applesauce was very good. >> Goodbye, >> Mr. York. You doing okay over there? >> App. >> Okay. Next, our student rep report. >>

034Give me a second. Um, I'm gonna need to Oh, >> all right. Um, starting off with Boswin. Special thanks to Dr. Wormald for helping the Boswin kids with their evening of steam, bringing in a VR headset with things like the earthquake simulator games, coding critters, painting, uh, planting, and more. So, thank you. Um, on March 12th, uh, Boswin Elementary School had a very successful annual PTA candy bar bingo night. I did not go. I would if I knew it was there, though. It sounds very interesting. Um, the music program is looking very bright uh, for the future as Mr. Noith, Mr. No at Mr. Noith at Salsbury has been slowly transforming his classroom into a mini band studio, teaching children at the school music lessons and many other music related things to guide students through

035the basics of being a musician. Salsbury third to fifth grader students also enjoyed a spectacular production of Luna Goes to Mars presented by the University of New Hampshire Arts Reach Touring Program. The play brought science and storytelling together to create an equally engaging and educational space and science lesson to every student who watched it. Salsbury second and third graders got a visit from the New Hampshire Telephone Museum where they were given a hands-on experience that taught them how people used to communicate long distance through the ages. Um, moving on to FBLA uh for the high school. We're kind of jumping around with the grades for this one, but uh FLA attended the state leadership conference last month. They had tons of opportunities to network and learn new things and they also won the following award

036awards. Third place gold seal chapter uh the second place to local chapter annual business report. First place with distinction in broadcast journalism uh to Nick Galinus which who will be attending the national conference. Third place in data science and AI uh Aadia Horn. First place largest percent increase in membership with uh 41%. >> Third place SLC scrapbook and second place in two state officer projects. Thank you Silas. Moving on, uh Louden Elementary School, kids were able to participate in Kids Vote New Hampshire on Tuesday, March 10th. Uh the kids vote is a voting experience that's held annually in March for Kids with a goal to simply bring a fun and civically educational experience for children. I was lucky enough to be one of the high school students I was there helping. Um I learned how

037awful it is trying to handcount ballots. Um never want to do it again. It was actually awful. Uh, but they got to vote on three things. The 2026 Loud and Old Home Day theme. They got to vote between going on Safari, Dinosaur World, and My Favorite Movie. Um, surprisingly, we only had a few over votes. Um, so the and under votes. We only had a few kids that didn't scratch it off. Um, but they uh decided to pick my favorite movie for the theme for Lal Day. They also got a vote on the 2027 I voted stickers. So, they chose um out of three one the best sticker that they liked that were actually drawn by students at less. And then last but not least, they were able to choose the New Hampshire Motor Speedway

038official mascot. We all know it's Milo La Moose and that's where they went, but the other option was Loud and the Lobster. Many schools got to have fun during Maple Weekend with some schools visiting various sugar shacks and some even getting to tap their own maple trees. The middle school Winnie Dip team took on the frigid challenge of dunking into Lake Winnabasaki through generous generous donations. The team also raised over $7,700 for the Special Olympics team. Um the theater department sold the most tickets in years for their production of Hades Town Teen Edition sold over 1,100 tickets over four shows. Guys counselor, Mr. Shimaro said it was the best show he'd seen in his 27 years of being staff at Marramike Valley High School. So, we've had raving reviews for our four shows. If you

039saw it, Silas and I were both in it. Uh, so yeah, everyone said that they really enjoyed it. Uh, the theater department also recently performed their original fall play, Time at the NHG Regional Theater Festival at Kursarge High School. The judges did like our show and MV was in the top three from that event. So, we now move on to the state festival, which is this weekend at Guilford High School. We will perform Saturday at 3:30. Spring sports are beginning with official games next week, but the teams have already done tryyouts. They're doing um scrimmages and stuff right now. The juniors completed their SATs on Friday, so I was not in school because I'm a senior now. I don't have to be here for SATs. And uh this is an important date. Senior Project Night

040is Thursday, April 23rd. That's the Thursday before we go off to April break at 5:30 here at the high school. Once again, Thursday, April 23rd at 5:30 right here at the high school. Come check out all the senior projects. I got to start working on my trifold. That is a week of project. And now we have some Aprilish jokes. Do I get the first one? You're welcome. >> You can take the first. Okay, this is a basic. Julia, you're looking at them. >> Why was the frog late to work? >> Why, Julia? >> I don't know, Nick. >> Because his car got towed, >> silus, >> why is everyone so tired on April 1st? because they just finished a 31day march. >> Oh, >> that's all we got for you. Yeah, >> that was fabulous.

041Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay, so next is committee reports. Policy first. The policy committee met March 23rd. Uh the newly elected chair will report. Minutes are in the packet for board review. My arms weren't long enough. Sorry about that. Um, so we have one policy that is in your packet that is on a second read. So we would like board action on that one tonight and it's IHCD. We did not get any feedback before the meeting last um month and I don't know if anybody has anything to add to that policy or questions about it. Okay. Uh, in your packet are also policies be DG about meeting minutes. Um, we hadn't looked at that one in quite a while. It was last approved in 2004. So, we pulled that one up. We really

042did some minor edits to it. Nothing uh major. Um, we did have a discussion about the um non-public meetings and sailing minutes, but um we felt it was important to have it in there in case we ever needed to do that. Um, policy JF was enrollment and enrollment capacities. So, we also met about that one, made very few changes. Most of them were grammatical errors or commas. And then the same thing with EHLB, which is subpoenas involving district students, officials, and employees and their records. Um, and that particular policy, just make sure that one is new to us. So, we do not have an existing policy. This came from school board and it is a recommended policy. >> Those are all first read. >> Yes, those are all those three are all first read. The

043first one I mentioned we do need action on. >> So if anybody has anything to say once you read those over if you have any comments or something then get those comments to Melissa between now and the next meeting. I would like a motion for IHCD. Stacy Stacy motion David second. Any discussion on IHCV. Okay. All those in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Any abstain? Okie do. >> We do have a meeting date as well. >> Thank you. >> Our meeting date um is set for April 20th at 6 PM at the SAU. >> April 20th. >> Yep. which are Monday at 6 p.m. at the >> Thank you. >> The um second committee reports will be the transportation committee. Transport transportation committee met March 30th. The newly elected chair will report and the

044minutes are in the packet. your >> Thank you. Um we met we many several best drivers and other members of the transportation department present. We started out with um public comment on items on the agenda and we had a public comment very long public comment session in the minutes and then um somewhere in there I was elected chair again and then we went on to new business and Sam talked to us a little bit about the u the idea of uh in the information he had gathered about uh working with the bus company trans uh contracting our transportation and gave us some information. And then we had another a second public comment period about what we had just heard about. And a lot of people commented that again. And we had a motion. Melissa made

045a motion to bring the discussion to the full board. It was seconded by Stacy Jarvis and it passed unanimous unanimously. So that's where we are with this. Um and that was basically what happened in the meeting. It's all in the minutes. >> Thank you, Laura. And um we do have a we do have two representatives here from first student to uh >> Hello. Sorry. >> That's okay. >> Um is it okay if I plug in my >> Y up top? >> Thank you. >> So as as Ryan's that's Ryan Stanley. Hi, Ryan Stanley. Uh, first student, um, director of business development. My colleague Herby is right up front there in the black jacket. Works locally here with a lot of school districts. Go ahead. As Ryan's getting set up, so the whole point in looking

046at transportation, other services as part of the district really goes back to the the fiscal responsibility um, and trying to look at every aspect. uh transportation happens to be the one that we're looking at tonight. Um as I mentioned in the committee meeting um part of their proposal will offer approximately $1.3 million to the district for purchasing the fleet, the tools and the equipment. The potential savings could be upwards of 300 to $500,000 for in district transportation. Their proposal has a 4% increase each year over a fiveyear period. So that's about $482,000. Our health rates at 14, health and dental at 14.2%. If that were to stay at that percentage for the remaining four years beyond next year's budget, that would be about breaking even. So, it's about $6,000 less that we would pay for

047health and dental to the transportation department as we would pay to first do. Um, if we look at the current CBA, the drivers over the next two years are looking at about $59,000 in salary increases of what they're currently making. The first student proposal brings that to about $226,000 of increased salary over what they'd be making currently. So, it's a, you know, $167,000 difference. Um, that doesn't include unemployment potential or summer routes. That's just for the days that are in their initial contract. Um if the board votes to move forward um and authorize the SEU administration to negotiate with first student um and then bring it back in May for the final vote um you know I'll I'll make time to sit down with every single driver individually and we can look at exactly what

048that pay structure would look like for them. Um and I can answer further questions as they go on. But I think Ryan >> Yeah, we're going to share that tonight. Yeah, too. So, I mean, you know, first student, we're we're very transparent in what we're going to share with you tonight. I mean, I'm going to go through some high level of what we are. I'm sure some of you guys know who we are, of course, but um you know, and I've committed, we've committed to Sam and the district of what we're going to pay the drivers to be, you know, and we're sticking by it. I mean, I have sheets. I'm going to hand them out like I hope it's uh something we could share. So, just real quick, I want to go through I

049like 10 minutes, guys. I'm not going to like bore you to death with powerpoints, I promise. Uh just high level who we are. We're the biggest transportation company in North America. We have we transport 5 million students every single day across the country. That's a billion trips a year. Um 63,000 employees, 47,000 vehicles. Um you know, we kind of zoom in locally, you know, around here, right? We work with over 50 school districts in New Hampshire. We work with over 200 in the greater New England area, but 50 in the state of New Hampshire work with us already and some of them for many decades. Um, as you can see on the slide here, we've been working with your other SAU partner district uh and over uh since 2010. You know, we have a contract

050with them for four routes until 2028. Uh, that's been going well. Uh, Herby in front here uh oversees those four routes and has been for the past, you know, eight years or so. Um so we already have a working relationship with you know the leadership here at SAU 46 with Sam and superintendent um looking to expand that. So we have 12 other nearby locations with 600 other drivers you know provides stability and support uh if needed. Districts trust us every day to deliver every day. Um this is just a quote from former superintendent over at do school district. We're recognized nationally, you know, for safety, innovation, and our impact in the communities we serve. Um, you know, your mission is why we're here. Of course, our mission is simple is to provide unmatched care to

051the safest ride to school so students arrive and end their day to um for an exceptional experience to meet their full potential. Just some of the highle proposal highlights. This is not just there's more to it of course, but yes, like Sam said, we're buying the fleet, cutting a check for the district for $1.3 million. Uh we're actually going to be potentially operating two out of district routes that'll save the district. Uh those are already contracted out to other transportation companies, but looking at um those costs, we can save the district about $79,000 a year on on just those two out of district routes. Um, so that's on top of the savings in ter uh with the end district. We're going to provide everything's included. There's no nickel and dimeming. We have all the technology

052to help us be safer and more efficient. One of them being a parent app that's standard. We can offer it to the community for parents to track the bus in real time. The district can track the fleet in real time with the we call it the district dashboard. Uh, but it's just, you know, GPS and using Sam Sarah's GPS, which is like a 4se secondond ping. So it's as live as it can get. Um and then you know market appropriate wages and reduce step scale. Um that's really the big thing we'll hit on in a minute real quick. Um we're going to take over routing. We do the routing. We have a routing. We have 60 people that are just dedicated to routing at our company. That's all they do. The average tenure of those

05360 people is 15 years. We've been doing routing since it's been on computers in the 80s. We route 30,000 school buses every year. We're going to route them here. We're going to take a high level look at the routes and make them efficient and of course safe as possible. >> Um, first serves want to touch on at f first students the only transportation company with an internal student services division. What that means is that we we basically train our drivers and our monitors uh more than the industry standard. What it equates to is more prepared drivers, uh, effective and better communication, and with coupled with our, um, electronic student behavior tracking that we do, we keep we keep track of student behavior on the bus electronically, so it gets to the the people that need

054to know it quicker. Uh, we've seen a 27% reduction in uh, negative behaviors on the bus. So, it's basically bridging the gap between the classroom uh, and the school bus, right? It's a program that connects the transportation staff with behavioral professionals, district leaders, families, and caregivers for the students and uh help deliver a program that so the students have a a good experience on the bus, all students. So, you know, like I said, we have a lot of technology that helps us be uh as safe as possible. Of course, transportation that's always number one and always will be number one, but it also helps us be efficient as well. Um we invested you know hundreds of millions of dollars into technology just in the past couple years and it incorporates everything to do with transportation

055you know the maintenance the safety operations communication driver support you'll see with you know what we do there and uh you know keeping track of us performance like how are we doing we can give you guys reports very easily on every little thing you could imagine so district leaders can see the fleet in real time like I said families can see the uh the fleet for their for their students bus to be clear on their app. There's also um a portal online for be able to uh you know log a complaint, a suggestion, a question, and we answer that in 24 hours. All vehicles will have tablets for the drivers to do their pre and postrip inspection. I'll talk more about that in a sec. Um and our operations team has the ability to see

056everything, right? So the parent app, you know, over a million parents are using it today. Um it's, you know, the number one app on the market, Android, of course, Apple, Google store. um real time view of just the bus. It's not tracking the students. Um the tablets for the vehicles, all vehicles have them. It's standard. Drivers can do their pre post-trip inspection with it. They can record maintenance defects on the uh tablet that's on the bus so they go to maintenance quickly and get fixed. Uh turnbyturn direction, of course, recording the student behavior on the tablet. All of it is done and um just simplifies and makes things easier. Makes the driver's job easier. That's the student behavior tracking piece where you can actually just track, you know, when there's a behavior issue instead of

057paperwork. It's just on the tablet of course when they're done with the route, not the moment it happens. Um, and then it comes through our team and then goes to whoever in the district it would need to go to, principles or anyone um, you see fit. And the point is is that it gets it gets taken care of, right? We want to know if something happened on the bus with a kid that maybe acted out in a way he shouldn't and someone addresses it, right? Instead of it going lost in paperwork shuffle. Um this is the website I was talking about where you can just it's just a simple for what button you want to click and uh you know question complaint um and you just we get back to you in 24 hours. This

058could be anybody in the community. we just, you know, we're driving down the street and someone doesn't have a kid in the district and they just think the bus is going too fast. Happens all the time, right? Instead of them calling, they can go here or um and we can answer it. We take care of all customer service. So, you know, this is the big part here. This is what matters. This is what you know, listening to you guys earlier about the pay. Um this is a big slide here. Okay. It's got a lot of information on it. I printed off more copies. You can take them with you. We stand by what we said to the district and to Sam many months ago. Hasn't changed. We're sticking to it. Um, be crystal clear. We

059want to hire all of the drivers and the monitors. And we also want to hire the transportation staff and the mechanics. We don't want to bring other people in to do it. It's the same bus, the same driver, the same kids. The only difference is you're getting a paycheck from us and it's going to be for more money. There's also bonuses involved. So I'll go through this like you know one at a time. All the we're going to have a guarantee per day. This is something we do in the industry. It helps with with recruiting and retention. So all drivers and monitors will be guaranteed five hours per day. Now of course you if you work more than five hours you will get paid for what you work of course. Um, but if your route

060is only four hours, for example, and that's all you do, no middays, no late runs, and you don't want to work anymore, you'll get paid for five. We're reducing the steps. We're only doing two steps, a new higher rate and the top rate. Currently, your CBA has 15 steps, right? Um, talk more about that in a sec, but that's another helps for retention and recruiting and really for retention for you guys, right? Like at the end of the day, the most important thing is we're honoring the seniority of all the drivers that are here and the and the monitors. And what does that mean? It means that all the drivers and monitors will go to our top rate next year. And those top rates are listed right there. So CDL drivers, every CDL driver, even

061the one that's making only $24 this year for their first year, they're going to go to 3110 next year. All of the nonCDL van drivers, I think there's only a few of them. They're going to go to $24. All monitors are going to go to the top rate of 2250 next year. All of those rates will increase by $1 every year. We have a five-year contract that we proposed. So, for example, in the fifth year, the CDL drivers will be at $3510. All of them. Um, we do have a new hire rate. If some new hires we need to hire, it's like a few dollars less than those. So they know, like for example, the new hire rate for a CDL driver is $28 next year. Now, we hope we don't have to use that.

062We hope we all just hire everybody, but if we do, that $28 driver will move to 3210 next year, right? So a significant increase for them to stay. Um sign bonus, $2,500 for all drivers, $500 for all monitors. Another big thing to understand is that you can collect unemployment. Okay, you cannot do that now. Working for a school district, the 10 weeks during the summer if you don't want to drive the summer routes and you know, uh, Christmas break and spring break coming up in a few weeks, that's like 13 weeks. Um, if you are a CDL driver, for example, that could be about $5,000 additional that you just can't get working for the school district. Um, significant amount more money. Um drivers will all get eight paid holidays and two and a half paid

063vacation days paid. Um and then access to our part-time benefits including medical, dental, and and vision insurance as well. I know it's a lot there is why I printed them out and you know Sam can share with you guys too. But yeah, this is a long-term partnership and we provide reporting so to the district. Even the board can have a report every month of what our performance is and what we're doing. On-time performance, driving, recruiting, and hiring, where are we at? Um, routing discussions. Um, that could be anything you guys want reporting wise. We are very transparent. We want to provide it to the district and to the board uh to review at any time. >> Yeah, that that's about it. I mean, you know, we want to build a a a partnership here. This

064is not just like a vendor. We just do it. We are part of the community. We're already around the community. Um but we're excited to um be part of your community. So, thank you. And Sam, I can take any kind of questions from the board if you'd like or >> Yeah, sorry. >> I have a few questions to get started. Um, first you said you were offering a contracted five hours a day. >> Uh, yeah, the five hours a minimum that we pay drivers and monitors. So that's like just per day minimum. >> So it is slightly different than what they're currently being offered. Correct. >> Well, right now the so we we got the routing information. A lot of the routes are right around the five hours. Some of them a little bit more,

065you know, some a little bit less, if you will. Um so that but then there's also middays and there's you know activity trips that the drivers will do. Um so >> and it is less than their current contract. >> I don't I don't think they have a minimum Sam. >> Yeah most are six. >> Okay. So that is a big change. Um >> there is no minimum is my understanding but okay go ahead. >> And then >> but so the minimum is five but >> they could work. >> Yeah. Most are going to work more than five hours. If they work six, then they'd get paid for six. They wouldn't get paid for five. >> 100%. Yes. The minimum of five is just there as a minimum that the drivers will get. >> Yep. >>

066Mr. Stanley, when did you start working on this bid? >> Um, I started working on it not that long ago. I mean, we we were in touch with Sam and the district, you know, for um earlier last year. Um, but the formal RFP came out just I think the 16th and it was due the 23rd. >> Okay. I was just clarifying because you said that you told Sam months ago. So, I just wanted to know >> Yeah, we've had some discussions but nothing formal. >> Thank you. >> Go ahead. >> And you Sorry, go ahead. >> All right. Just um a couple question couple questions. So, you you had paid holidays and vacation. Is there any sick time? >> Um, no. Oh, if a driver is sick, of course, like we don't want them to

067come to work, you know what I mean? So on we don't have sick days, paid sick days. >> So it's unpaid if they have to be sick. >> Yeah. Okay. >> And some of these things are still open for discussion. You know, the fact is is that we did look at, you know, we have eight paid holidays now. And we're we're doing that, right? And two and a half paid vacation days. And we're doing that. Um so we're sticking to what they have there. Um to be honest, that's probably more than most drivers in the state, like to be clear. >> Okay. And another question, um, a while back we were dealing with an issue where we didn't have enough bus drivers and we were potentially looking at a mile and a half walk zone.

068If something like that came up again, is that your decision or is that come back to us? >> No, 100%. We go by the districts, whatever district wants to do. If you want, we go by district transportation policies. Okay. But we can work with you. We can give you suggestions if you guys want to change the walk zones or shrink them or whatever or make it whatever you want to do. U we can look at the routing how that affects routing because it would right. >> Um so that's something we that's just what we do. We we can do that with you. Yeah. There's no extra cost, right? >> Jessica, then Stacy, >> I just want to say one thing real quick. There was a a comment in public comment about, you know, reducing busing

069or reducing routes or and that is I just want to be clear that is not part of our plan here. You know what I mean? Like we're not coming in and like saving money by having less routes or less buses. We're operating the same 20 routes. Yeah, I just wanted to be clear about that. >> Okay. So, um, couple questions. Um, though one of them does touch on what you just said. So, if the recommendation for efficiency and routing, so you folks would take the routes we currently have now, >> feed it into a team or a software program. Yeah. >> And try and find the most efficient routes possible for the district. >> Correct. I mean, you guys already use routing software. I think it's Versatrans with the routing team and um it they

070could be already pretty efficient, right? I mean, I haven't dug into it myself. We took your routing and looked at it, but yes, we can. >> Yeah. >> And so, um I do >> do a routing study is what we call it. >> Yeah. Um, so then if it were to come up that you were to look at this and the routing software suggests removing something like the uh or adhering to the current legisl um current law, which is, you know, you can have a walk zone within two miles. You would you would recommend that, but it would still be for the board to decide. >> Yeah, 100%. We do nothing without you guys' policy, you know, policies like that. >> Um, >> okay. So then um if there are any driver shortages which I

071have heard of um on routes how do you inform families >> without >> like the like the day of and like immediate like you know we don't know. So our our goal is we call it a full complement in the business which is all the drivers hired plus 10% spare factor. So, if we have 22 routes here, for example, we'll have two extra spare drivers that are hired and ready to go in case someone calls in, that is what we do. That's what we that's not what we're going to say we're going to do. That is what we're going to do, right? Um, so we don't want to double up runs or anything like that. Uh, we understand there's been some driver shortages. Obviously, through CO, you weren't alone. I mean, the whole country was

072short drivers. Um but that the compensation has come up to take care of that. I mean look at seven years ago drivers are getting paid $20 an hour top rate. Now it's 30, right? 31 for here. Um so we think we believe that the driver compensation plan is the basis of being able to have a full staff of drivers and recruit and retain them. Well, to answer your question more specifically of like the emergency situation of, you know, one is the spare drivers ready to go. That solves that problem that you just talked about, but we also have a lot of resources nearby. Like Herby has a bunch of drivers that work for him. I don't know how many Herby, how many drivers work for you? 50 drivers work for that guy right there on

073top of the other 700 or something in the state, right? And he there's spare drivers there and they they could help and they're not busy. So, he he will cover it essentially. >> Um, That's what the power of first student is. We have >> so many drivers. >> So then we could potentially also be having our drivers going out to other districts in that reverse scenario. >> I mean potent we don't potentially I guess if we're we're so hired up here we got too many drivers here that they need that would be great that you know but >> at first we're focused on let's get all the drivers you know first. Um so then um some of the information that you have given has actually been contradictory to some of the other school boards I've

074reached out to. So I am curious if you could just maybe elaborate more on if there happen to be not enough drivers. How do you inform families that there is maybe a disruption in service that's not the app? Because there will be families who do not have access to that kind of technology or choose not to use it. But sorry, Ryan, before you do that, but so Ryan would obviously communicate that >> with the district and we would probably use our method of communication like we did last year. >> Okay. >> Um we have a new potential for um notifying families. >> Yeah, you can through question not everyone not everyone not everybody uses the app. So >> ours that is our that is our primary method now >> but still the email correct after

075that. So it would go through you guys then back to the families. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Just like just like now. >> Okay. >> Yeah, we would work with you guys on what you want, of course. >> Um, so I'm gonna hold I have more questions, but I think Stacy also had a few, too. >> Okay. Hi, Stacy. >> Um, do you mind just I know if if this were to follow through, we have a contract with a specific I think it was 4% increase. >> Correct. Five. It's a fiveyear contract proposed and 4% for years two through five. contract. >> Okay. After that contract is up, do you have any indication on what the increase might be? I guess my concern is the contracts up, >> right? >> And we have a significant increase

076beyond the 4%. >> Yeah. So, I mean, I can't state exactly what the increase would be for years six through 10, for example, because I mean, it's my understanding that a five-year contract limitation in New Hampshire. Um so but I will say and I think uh our colleague touched on this with Sam is that um co days you know more you know the increase was big in the past five years right so some districts we've hit you know two three years ago in the past year with 20 30% increases in order to get to make money because the drivers are getting paid way more we don't see that happening so we see it more being more stable I you know can't say quote me on it on video and saying it but it could be

077just like another 5% and then five five or four four. >> Okay. >> Or maybe a little 10 and then five five5 something like that. >> Okay. >> So, it's more stable and I think that's part of the reason the district is excited about this. It's a very stable, you know, uh year-to-year to know your budget >> doesn't change. >> Thank you. >> Uh okay, Julia, then um well, then I'm gonna see if because you've already spoken, so you already asked questions. Okay. So, Oh, no. You You're not allowed to. You can speak as many times as you want. I'm just going to have people who want to speak first speak. >> Julia, speak. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> You haven't spoken yet. >> Um, have the employees been able to ask questions to Mr.

078Stanley? >> Not yet. So, that's the point, I think, of tonight. And Sam, if you want to, is kind of to Well, because technically we're not in public comment. >> Correct. So, so the idea is is for the board um if this were to >> if the board voted to authorize that then my understanding from talking with with Ryan's colleague and I think actually Ryan you touched on it when we spoke last week is that they have specific onboarding meetings with the drivers. So, one of their things is is they'd want to get a meeting together and speak directly with the drivers. >> Yeah. this tonight would if if you know so voted in would initiate that process. We're going to work on a contract, you know, getting that signed and so on. But in

079the meantime, we're moving forward, right? And what that means is that we'll have an initial um a meet and a meet and greet, we call it, okay, like we are tonight, but formally with our operations team, okay, I I help with bringing new business in and I work very closely with our operations team. Uh but Ben Henry, he's a he's the area general manager. He's not here tonight. He was going to come, but he's got sick. Um, but he works with Herby. Herby reports directly to him. He's going to oversee the operation and have that meet and greet with you guys and then would be from there what we call an onboarding event where you simply um sign up to to work starting July one. So, >> and there's a lot of of course training

080and so on and stuff that goes on if you need air breaks or anyway >> you're still me. >> I I feel like again I know we're not public comment, but I feel like it would be beneficial to the board to have the bus drivers present at the meeting be able to ask questions to Mr. Stanley. >> Sorry, that's not how it works. I'm sorry. >> I mean, I go ahead. >> I can certainly answer any questions anyone has and um but we respect the process and that's why I go ahead. Sorry. >> No, Melissa. I just wanted to share that I'm familiar with First Student. I've worked with them before um in our current district. Um >> as they've already said that the they call the district. We are the ones who communicate with

081families. We haven't had runs canceled. We have had our bus doubled sometimes like a route needed to Yeah. A double run. Um but they always get kids to school. Um and they communicate very well. And I will say in terms of student discipline, we are notified right away. Um, and they leave that process up to us as a district in terms of how we are handling it. Sometimes it's the removal of a student from a bus for a temporary period of time. Sometimes it is putting a bus monitor on the bus. Um, so we work with the first student to do that. So, >> thank you, Muscle. Appreciate it. >> Thank you, Ryan. Um, earlier someone mentioned that subsidized versus unsubsidized fuel. policies, procedures in place for that. >> Yeah, the fuel thing. So, I

082think if you guys keep the G plates, we can keep them on and then it's that simple. We just roll in there, pick up the fuel, the district's going to our proposal, to be clear, is the district continuing to pay for the fuel. And that is because you guys get this the you get the tax break. Like, if we bought it and we put it in the fuel, you pay more because we don't get that discount. But it was good information because the reality is is that we could have our own plates and still get the fuel from there and you guys still get a discount if that answers your question. I don't >> Well, to follow up if um do you plan on using any of the Marame Valley school buses for charters and

083then how would you track >> That's a good question. Yeah, we we we could but um we would always track the fuel. So, we have a variety of school buses that have G plates on them as all of you know. Um, we also have SB plates and we also have commercial plates. So, we use our buses that have commercial plates strictly for charters or whatever. We can use the SB plates for any um school district that we please to, but we're not, you know, the the G plates go directly to the district and the rest of it. We have um com data cards that we use for our drivers doing charters or whatever it is. We don't intermingle anything. So, And sorry, one more question. In the event of a charter, would our the current

084bus drivers is that like a requirement? Would that be an opportunity? >> Another opportunity to make wasn't on the slide. I couldn't fit it. I wanted to put on the bottom and I tried but I couldn't fit it. Yes, there is opportunity CDL drivers only big bus drivers out smallly the CDL drivers have the opportunity to weddings whatever trips may be going on. >> Do you mind if I say a few words just to >> Sure. >> I see there's a lot of love here. Um, my name is Herby Bon. I'm originally from Franklin. Please don't hold that against me. Um, I presently live in New London, so I'm really local. I've been doing this for first student for about eight years. I've been in transportation for 40 six years. So, um, I know what

085you guys are going through. I've been through it myself in my life, but um the opportunity here, you know, I I I listen to the stories of when I first came in, what really hit me hard was the relationship between the bus drivers and the kids and even some of the parents that are fairly decent. But, um it's a big deal. And if you go to any one of my districts or bus lots, you're going to hear the same thing. I love my kids. I don't want to leave. I don't want it to change. And the change part here is really very little. You're going to be on the same roots if you desire. Okay? Going to have the same kids, um, same bus. So, there's very little change. There is some worry in probably

086every one of you. And I understand that. But um I can tell you how I treat my people. And if you ask anybody that's worked for me personally, they will tell you um they've never had a better boss. And I believe that. I treat everyone with respect and I understand your plight during the day. There's so much you have to deal with. You shouldn't have to deal with a boss that's beating you up when you come through the door. So, um, I don't have anything else to say. If you got any questions, I don't know. >> So, Amanda, >> Amanda has a question, but is there anybody who has Amanda and Jess have questions, but is there anybody? Laura, >> I didn't I'm not sure I understood what you were saying about the 1%. Is

087it 1% per year or 4% per year? Okay. Um, also um there's a Okay. What if a parent complains? What if a parent says something like, "A registered sex offender just moved in down the street right where my child gets off the bus, but you know, I'd like the child to be dropped at my house. mile up the road. I mean, this is pretty big spread out area. How would you handle that situation? >> That that Laura, that would be up to the district to um take care of the bus routes. The routes are up to the district. >> The stops and all that stuff are up to the district. The first first student would be whatever our whatever our routes are. >> Okay. Thank you. make a change of stop, >> right? We've had

088a situation in one of my towns um where a sex offender moved in right across from the elementary school. So, I went right to the police with that one and they were not aware, believe it or not. So, um so that was resolved fairly quick. So, >> thank you. Anybody else for the first Well, it's not my first. I just >> You had another question. You >> Well, it's a clarification question. So, if we vote today, it's only to to go to the next step to allow the bus drivers to have an individual conversation with first student. It's not voting to go with this contract. >> No, the the vote today would be that the um the contract would They don't meet with the with the bus drivers until we have until we have the

089contract. >> You're you're committing to the negotiation between the SAU administration and first student. So, you're authorizing us to negotiate to get the contract, hopefully get it signed. Um, and then we could present all of that at the main meeting and and you would then have the the vote based on what the negotiations entail. And that's how I I wrote out a motion for um to be read tonight. That kind of goes by what what Ryan said is is kind of copied what some of the other motions and his other uh conversions have have done. So we so we would see the contract that you negotiated and still have another opportunity to vote up or down on that. >> Yes. >> Amanda, then Jess >> and then Julia. Sorry. >> If I could get some

090clarification. I'm a little confused on I've heard three to four different or contradicting statements. Rerouting. Mr. understandly expressed excitement in the slideshow about how to use the software to reroute our routes to be the most effective and efficient. Um, okay. So, I have a few questions about that. If we're rerouting the bus to be the most efficient, how are we guaranteeing I'm sorry, I forgot your >> No, you're good. >> Um, that it's the same bus with the same kids in the same route. >> Yeah, >> I'm that's I'm just I don't understand. >> I know it it does. I get it and I'm confusing myself probably. I mean uh at the end of the day like the routes right now we haven't we looked at them. We we for time we wanted to see

091how long are these drivers driving for so we know how to how much to pay them. We didn't go any further into it right we don't know we didn't say okay is this efficient or not. We haven't done any of that. That's what we can do if you guys want us to. >> Right. I mean you guys you're you're a transportation director and your assistant director and you you guys know your routes and better than we we don't know you know >> we can help if you want help to like with them to change but to be clear like we kind of want to maybe for the beginning the first year even keep it the same if it's efficient you feel it is and it's safe then we don't need to change them that's my

092point I don't know I'm trying to >> and that would be >> find the middle ground here yeah >> because that's money out of your pocket if we're not being efficient Well, no, no. I mean, we're not going to change the pricing. It's not going to change whatsoever. I mean, uh, we've already locked into a daily rate to provide to the district. So, you know, and then something else I might have misread or misunderstood, a a new driver with one year experience versus a driver with 20 year experience, what is the pay difference? Is there a pay difference? >> What scale does that look like? So, a driver with one year experience and a driver in 20. Same. They're going to both get paid 3110 next year. That's not It's true. Promise. Um, we can

093hand these out. So, we only have just a new hire rate. So, if we have to hire someone new and train them how to be a CDL driver, get their license and so forth starting, you know, July or August, then that driver is going to make $28 next year. But then they're going to go to the top rate in year two which would be 2728 school year and they would go to 3210 because it's a dollar more than the 3110. Right? That makes sense. Like the diagonal they go from >> that's only for a new hire driver. All the current drivers that work for the district today whether they're here a day or they're here the entire year or 20 years are going to go to 3110 next year. CDL driver. But if you hired

094someone out of the district >> next year, if if we have to hire someone new because you're because we're short because someone doesn't want to come over. We have to, you know, we have a process. We have to hire them and pay them. We pay them 28 for next year instead of 3110. Our goal is we don't have to do that. We want to hire all the drivers that are here for 3110. Pay them the bonus and everything. Yeah. And while we can't have the bus drivers ask you questions today before we choose to move forward or not, >> um, >> are we able to ask the questions in the email for the questions that went unanswered from the drivers? >> You may ask questions. >> We may. Okay. Am I allowed to speak again

095if I put the mic down? >> Well, >> Jess is going to go next and then Julia. >> Okay. >> Uh, I promise to be brief because you're good. We also have to have a discussion with each other after this. Um, yeah. So, I want to go back to something that you said about um having what is essentially like a 2% contingency around the number of drivers in a district. Is that correct? Do you understand that? >> We call it a a 10% spare factor. >> 10%. >> Thank you for correcting me on that statement. How many of your school districts like in our area actually have met that benchmark? >> Um, you know, obviously that's that's a lot of them. I mean Herby, I don't know how many spare drivers you have or meaning

096that's our goal. That's what we want to do, right? But >> 10% spare factors. >> Everywhere except for Andover. So we're working on that. >> Just the way that's unfortunate. >> There are only two there are only two buses in Andover. Correct. >> Right now this next Monday there's going to be three again. So >> Oh, okay. >> Finally. Uh well, it's it's a long story. >> Good. Thank you. >> Yeah, we we definitely have spare drivers and um >> we will cover every route always because we're we have we have we call out of town drivers. I we call them out of town. They could be the town next door that could be Connecticut, could be Massachusetts, wherever, Maine, Vermont. They come cover the routes. I mean, because you're not going to pay more

097for that. That's on us. >> Oh, you led into the next question I was going to have. Um, do your contracts typically include midyear adjustment triggers of anything for pricing or anything like that? If there's a >> Okay, thank you. That is what I have for now, >> Julia. >> I too can't open it. I tried. I can't open it either. The bus drivers are asking questions. >> What happens to the current retirement plan and benefits and their current sick time? >> So, that's all part of the negotiation. We've had internal discussions at the SAU, but it's not prudent necessarily to share them here. >> Sure. Um, but this is something that that we have talked about and something when I met with the drivers, I I mentioned a couple of things that potentially could

098happen. >> Okay. I I mean, I would have to assume that whatever was discussed wasn't informative enough if they're still asking, right? >> I hope some tonight. You know, obviously the vacation time we cleared up, right? Eight paid holidays, two and a half vacation days paid. be clear on that. They will have access to um to healthare and and benefits on parttime. >> I'm sorry to interrupt, but I mean I want to clarify what you were asking. Are you asking about the payout for the vacation that we owe them or are you talking about just in general what they would get in this new position? >> No, there are questions specifically here. Yeah, >> about payout. >> I'll just continue down the list. Does longevity carry over? >> Uh yeah, we're honoring seniority and >>

099Okay. >> Yeah, >> but our seniority is only like I said two steps. So everyone everyone goes to the top, right? And and we we'll honor their route too. >> Yes. >> Okay. I asked the pay rate question already. Um, >> does the rate of pay change from home to school, school to home, extra work, such as field trips, athletics, and middays? >> It does not. No, I know some companies do that. We do not do that. It's the same pay rate. And of course, when they work more than 40 hours, they get overtime, right? Yeah. >> Thank you. Some I >> time and a half forward. Yep. >> Thank you. >> Which some drivers might hit that. They're doing it. They're doing a midday. They're doing activity trips. They're doing charter work for us.

100That falls under everything. So, yeah. >> Okay. And even with the rerouting question, I asked personally earlier, can you guarantee no one will lose their job or position? >> I know you st they're just asking. >> I think we're more worried the other way. Yeah, we >> 100% want to hire everybody. When the initial contract ends, are they still guaranteed employment? >> Uh, yes. I mean, >> well, as long as you renew it. To be clear, there's if you didn't renew it that we probably might have positions 48 other districts, but you know, our goal is long term here, not just five years. I mean, five years is seems like a long time, but it's not. And, uh, we believe if the contract is over in five years, we could do another five years contract.

101I'm just going to read this word for word. Sure. And what happens to the employees that do not have a letter of employment through transportation? For example, the seven out of 11 bus monitors that came from various school buildings and the afternoon dispatch. Will they also remain employed? If not, is for a student equipped to provide those people and positions to ensure the safety of the students? >> So, those aren't paid through the transportation department. um that they get a different rate if the district or a school um knows that we need to provide a monitor on a bus. I think Melissa actually touched on it that um you know when they've had to increase monitors for a student works with the district in order to get the right people in place to make sure

102that our kids are supervised properly. >> Yeah, correct. >> Okay. What happens to the spare and/or transfer drivers that are on call that we utilize to avoid contracting out to help keep costs down? We currently have six drivers in that position and two coaches in training. These drivers have been an asset in keeping overnight trip costs low and as well as athletic trips while maintaining our daily home to school, school to home. >> So was a question. You have six spare drivers right now. >> What happens to the spare? What happens to the spare and/or transfer drivers that are on call that we utilize to avoid contracting out? >> I think we would still utilize them, right? >> Yeah, for sure. >> We currently have two mechanics, an assistant director and director who regularly drive

103to help cover trips and routes to keep costs down. Will first student continue to have people in these positions that essentially work two jobs in one? >> We don't want >> We don't do that. We we typically don't do that. We if they're techs or mechanics or whatever. >> Yeah, that's what that's what their job is to do that. We don't >> but that wouldn't affect our rate with you, right? Like that's out of your Okay. >> Have we considered pay to ride for all high school students to cut cost? >> That that's a we we haven't. >> No. Nor will we? >> No. >> Unless the board decides to do that. That is not ne that would never come from me. >> No. >> To ride situation. I can say that I would never

104I mean you you know I have two more years so in two years if that's what you guys want to go with then you go with it but I can't imagine that this school board would ever go with having students pay to ride. >> Um have we considered purchasing MPV vehicles to help offset the over $700,000 contracted transportation line to keep these in house? >> Yes, we have. Okay. If in the potential new fiveyear contract it states that we cannot be moved from location to location, does that change when it ends? >> We the several of these questions talk about when it ends at as Ryan spoke and if we go into a contract for a student, we don't want it to end as long as we're happy with it and they're happy with it.

105So, >> but that's not a guarantee, right? That's Well, we don't we don't have a guarantee now with the current CBA. It's renegotiated after three years. So, every contract gets renegotiated at some point. >> These are I just want to remind you these aren't questions from me. These are concerns from our drivers. >> I get it. But not all of these concerns are the purview of the drivers. >> I think it's beneficial for them to feel that we are speaking for them and answering their questions. So, I would appreciate some kindness as I read off their question. I'm not being unkind. >> What happens to the maintenance vehicles and learning center vehicle? Would first students still provide maintenance services to them? >> That would be part of our negotiation. >> Thank you. >> It was

106mentioned in the RFP that the district may continue to provide the fuel. I think we spoke on this. Um, >> yeah. Let me reread it. Okay. So, first student, this is a personal question. First student doesn't register the buses. We are still responsible for registering the buses. >> We would take ownership of the buses, right, when we buy them. So, we just move them over >> and you can register them with G plates. >> We can register them. Um we can register those the G-plated ones on the Tido OA Marramac Valley School District and and for a student the other buses the SV commercial and any vans will be under us solely. >> Okay. So some will be G-plated for fuel cost and some will not. >> Okay. Thank you. has cost difference between government

107pricing and um I'll read the question directly. We also receive parts at cost or government pricing because we are owned by a school district and funded by taxpayer dollars. Has anyone looked into the cost difference here? >> No, because first student would be charged with paying for those. >> Yes, >> we wouldn't. >> We would maintain the fleet. >> We get a pretty good deal. We buy, you know, a lot of parts. So >> will a side-by-side comparison of savings and projected longevity be shared with the board line by line items before >> we only have one line item from first student. It would be their proposal. So there isn't a line by line situation. >> Where is the money that was allocated um for next year's budget realigned to? >> We would have to

108pay for the transportation contract. What is that total? That's a personal question, not from this list. >> Um, the total transportation budget including out of district is about 3.5 million. In district is around uh 2.8. I think I shared that last time with the transportation committee. >> Um, somewhere in that ballpark. When did the school board decide to put us out to bid? >> Uh, I think it was the last meeting we spoke about transportation and and non-public. >> Does a bid an RFP need to be out for 30 days if it's worth more than $50,000? >> No. >> Where is it required to be posted? It has to be posted in public in two spots. So, we chose a new source of the patch and we put it on the website. >> Well, first

109student charges separately for the small field trips like we currently do for SCS, Wes, Chorus, etc. >> Yeah, that's built into their proposal based on the known field trips that we have. >> Thank you. I uh to to go to your previous question, I also reached out to the other transportation companies that I had reached out to previously um and let them know directly that there was an RFP. >> Okay, thank you. Why are the daily FAT trips not included in the RFP? Those require RF those require one to three buses throughout the week >> like middays or something. Yeah, there are midday trips listed um as part of an overall price of for the package based on I I sent them all the routes that we that we have that Noel had shared with

110me. Um so all of the companies that were trying to submit a bid all had the same information. >> Will first student continue to share the MPV vehicles with the special ed department and various principles? Will they take on that liability? >> We haven't discussed that. >> Will they continue to assist with job site transportation for the high school students or will that be charged like a field trip midday or will it continue to be hourly like a route? >> So right now I think that person um isn't paid by the transportation company. >> Okay. Will first student continue to provide transportation for impact students >> or will this become contracted? >> Well, it it would be if we provide it now as part of our routing for in district transportation, it would be part

111of the new contract. >> Okay. Can I can we assume that's the same for um the project search? >> Yeah. If if if what we do now is part of our run, then we would do it. >> Okay. Yeah. >> And again, can we assume the same for MVLC shuttles? >> The MVLC um if it's paid through transportation department, then it would be part of it. If it isn't, um depending on who's driving it, then we would do the same thing that we do now. >> Spalding is not listed in the R I think it's supposed to say RP um as year round out of district transportation. This route follows a different school year calendar and is required to work on our paid holidays. What happens to this route? Will it remain or go to

112contract? >> That's out of district transportation. So that's not part of the in district transportation proposal. >> Thank you. CRTC vote programs. How will these be? >> Same as they are now. >> Thank you. Can you guarantee drivers for the summer programs? There is a mention of ESY program in the RFP but nothing for the kindergarten boot camps or STEM programs. In addition, if drivers now qualify for unemployment, how can you guarantee that at least 10 drivers will be willing to work? >> We can't guarantee it now. Um Noel, when I spoke to her about the summer runs, she had mentioned that ideally we'd have 12 drivers. I think the minimum we could kind of get by with was nine, right? Um, so again, drivers would be eligible for unemployment, but they're going to make

113a lot more if they were driving one of the summer routes. >> What are the guarantees for student gives for driver shortages? Do we still pay if they cannot fulfill their contract? With multiple first student locations hiring, already being short staffed, can you guarantee the district won't end up paying for empty buses? Last school year, while the driver shortage was across the nation, MB was able to stay operational well within state guidelines, only having to cancel buses located in the 1.5 walk zone and athletics had to utilize parent transportation at the end of the year. This year, we've canceled nothing, though the driver shortage remains across the country. >> That's a lot there. Um, >> yeah. So, I think it just comes down to >> Yeah. So, I think they touched on that that they

114their goal is to have a couple of spare drivers. Um I think last year we were cancelling upwards of three different buses at different times. Um you know my my kids were impacted as well and you know no one's immune to to driver shortages. Um if like we do in Andover, right? We've been running two buses instead of three. So we don't get charged for that third bus. We don't get charged for things that aren't provided. Okay. >> I think that answered all of it. >> Yes. Thank you. And I'm just going to read how this email was closed. We understand that our department needs does not have a choice in the decision of the priv privatization of our department and these questions and concerns are not meant to be confrontational. We do hope that

115they are heard, considered, and answered. We hope all aspects of this change are considered before such a giant change is made that we would never be able to go back from. And this is just a personal comment of my own. Um I feel very unsettled that they have a sheet stating eight of them will leave and eight are undecided. >> Hope that changed after they see the driver compensation package. Let me just say that right now um one of the things that you asked about right now the um the CBA that was agreed on last year the beginning rate for bus drivers is 253 >> that that's the lowest rate that we pay someone currently as a driver >> right and um the highest rate for somebody who's on step 20 is 3110 10. So,

116um, the I just wanted to put those and >> for next year for next year. Just wanted to put that out there. >> That's our CBA. >> Sorry, I have one more. One more. I promise one more. Um, though moving them from public to a private contracted company, they would be in a 401k situation or a 40 >> 401. We do offer 401k the driver's >> but not the New Hampshire retirement system. Correct. Which is public. Okay. That should be factored in in the pay because that's different than what the retirement is now. And just to put that out there. Anybody else? Any questions? I would like a motion that the school board >> Before you do that, y >> can we just thank Ryan and Herby? I think I think we're we're all good

117with Ryan. >> No, thank you so much. And I if I don't mind closing out just two seconds. I mean, >> yep. >> One, two things. One, you know, we want to offer the top compensation in the state, and we are. I mean, we have we looked at it. Um, and two, and and I think Herby did a much better job than I did, uh, is that it's how we treat our our employees and how we take care of them. And it's not just, you know, it's extra support. It's the training, but it's just also just, you know, being treated well. And, um, I think if you ask around enough, you'll find that we treat our people really well. They want to work for us and they, you know, at the end of the day,

118want to help their kids, you know. >> Thank you. So, I'd like to entertain a motion that the school board award a 5-year contract for student transportation and bus services to first student effective July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2031, subject to the SAU administration and attorneys finalizing and approving the terms and conditions with a final vote scheduled for the May board meeting. So what that means is I would like the motion that they continue with the negotiations, come up with a contract and we vote on it whether or not to accept that or not in the May meeting. Anybody willing to make that motion? Melissa second it. Um, I'd just like to see once there is proposed contract, could we have some kind of public meeting to get input from the public before we

119take that? >> Will that come in May? >> A public hearing. >> Yeah. >> Can we do that? would have to be meeting, >> right? >> Okay. >> It would have to be before the May meeting. How >> May the fourth be with you. Yes. >> Um >> or could we >> You know what? Before we discuss that, >> we still need a second. >> I still need a second. Are you willing to second it? >> Ryan's gonna second it. Okay. So, now we can discuss that. So, um so we would like a um a public meeting. Uh okay. So, let's go with the discussion right now about the contract. Spencer, >> you and me again. >> Spencer, >> um, I'm having a really hard time coming to grips with selling the assets and hoping

120we have a good contract again in five years because it seems to me we have no leverage in five years. If things don't go well, we don't have any buses. We don't have any equipment. They're going to poach the good drivers. They're going to take the good transportation directors. And we're hoping that maybe other companies want to bid. Uh so that's my biggest issue. >> I wonder I wonder what the um Thank you. That's a good question, Herby. >> Is it if I question. >> Thanks. >> I'm the chair. Um I can do whatever. No, I can't. I cannot forget I said that. >> Okay. Forget I said that. Um Herby, what is the length of contracts that First Student has with districts? Like do they go five years and then people say, "Ah, we

121can't stand you. We want out." or do you have contracts that are years and years and years? I It's a very good question that Spencer had. >> So, we have a variety of uh contracts. We have a straight threeyear, we have a three-year plus two. So, you can look at it after three years and if it uh suits you, then we continue on. If it suits us, then we have straight fiveyear contracts and that's about it. >> But how long have I'm sorry I didn't make I didn't make my question very clear. >> How long have people how long have districts been with you? Like do people are people with you for five years and then >> booking? >> No, that's that's very rare. I've been here for eight years. I don't know any of

122my districts that have changed to another area. Yes. >> Typ typically districts when they contract out you guys are doing like what we call a conversion in the business, right? You're converting you're contracting out. They don't ever take it back, you know. So, uh they you in five years you could put out an RFP, maybe STA or some other company, Durham, the other two big companies, um or Butler's Bus or whatever might bid on your work and if you wanted you could, you know, give it to them instead of us. I guess we don't want that. >> I think the question you're asking is the the districts that we have presently, how long have they been with us? >> Yes. And Hillsboro Daring well over 10 years if not longer. Hopkin has been with us

123for probably 15 years and I can go on and on. Andover it's been how long >> is >> how long was Andover 16 years. >> 16 years. So >> every single district >> that'd be great. I'd appreciate that. >> Uhhuh. I would like that. Thank you. And I'll share it with the board. >> Okay. Follow up is like, what else are you going to do? You don't have any buses. You got to go with somebody. And since they're you're going to go with the devil, you know, instead of the devil you don't know, right? I mean, what can we do if we don't have any equipment? So that's that's that's what I'm having a hard time getting to. >> Thank you, Spencer. Thank you, >> Amanda. Then Jess, I I think just kind of bouncing

124off what Spencer said and um in five years, they didn't they weren't able to strongly answer their longest contract. Um We were not inundated with RFP responses, which leaves me nerve-wracking. They're here. They know that they're the only ones that responded. Where does that leave us in five years at the mercy of them? Because if it's like this year, we got we got one. And um I just like to say that makes me incredibly nervous to only have the one response. >> Thank you, Jess. >> All right. given the short time I say shorts but a month or so um looking at this I took a lot of time to review patterns um and what other school districts have done and I'm also um lucky enough to have a community of schoolboard members across the

125state so I was able to kind of network with them and ask how's it going and I'll be clear it's about a 50-50 shot with first student 50% % of them, Hillsboro Dairy included, was one of these folks I spoke with were like they're okay, like they're fine. Or in the case of Dover, they told me we love them. It's the other 50% that makes me really nervous because some of the stories that were coming out of my peers and other school districts were things like um the rates increased quite high than what they were expecting. and they also expressed some concerns much like Spencer and Amanda are right now is because it's almost a monopoly um in that in that fashion. Um the other the other one that I actually has me even more

126concerned was um I've read there was a couple of news articles that I found um about first student in New Hampshire that just left some districts high and dry and just were like nope we can't sorry which is very similar honestly to what happens to us regularly. I understand that. But the difference is we have a fallback in some of these. Although I was, you know, reassured that they try to keep a number of drivers on hand. Sure. But that's not what I'm hearing from other school board districts or schoolboard members. Um, and so there's that piece which is making sure our drivers are, you know, taken care of, but also the other half of what we should be doing, which is being judicious with taxpayer dollars. That I get and I understand. This is

127a fire hose of information that came down really fast. I am not comfortable moving forward with this at all. um especially given some of the other concerns that the drivers had raised and some of the you know personal stories um and I'll loop back around that in a second but I think it would make more sense for us to take the good initiative that's been shown and perhaps instead do a like traffic feasibility study coupled with a safe routes to school study to analyze inefficiencies and also potential cost savings. other than hearing from a company what they could save us more of what would be more of a third party right saying that it might be better if you do decide to move forward with a contract contracted service um so I think that would

128be the route I would much rather take is kind of pull back for a little bit and do something like that to proof of concept that money will be saved over time instead of just yes now, but who knows later. Um, the other piece I want to circle back around on is coming from somebody who switched from public service because I used to work for the state to a private company. Yes, the pay is better, but the benefits aren't always. And I will set aside the healthcare because that's a different question. But when you're saying things like they'll make, you know, $31 an hour, which is great on paper, and that is more money in your pocket, the retirement portion really makes me nervous. Um, honestly, that because that, you know, can often bite people

129without um intention. So, what I I'm hearing and I guess what I'm trying to express is what I said before. I think we should pull the brakes, no pun intended on that one, um, and try and look at studies first to see if we can make routes more efficient because again, I can't trust that our drivers will be fully taken care of. And I also can't trust that these companies won't leave Penicut kids hanging again. Like, like that's the horror stories I'm hearing from other school boards. And so that's all I really have to say about it for now. But yeah, >> thank you Amanda. No, you already asked. Sorry, you were first. Then Jess Laura. >> Well, I'm feeling I'm not comfortable with the idea of selling the buses to somebody. I'm not real

130comfortable with the idea of not having our own drivers. I I would be comfortable doing something like trying contracting out a couple of special ed out of district roots and seeing how that goes as a starting point on working with for students. Um I just too many concerns. I'm not where you let go of the of the buses. I'm not really where you let go of the drivers. I have a question before I call on you, David. Okay, Kathleen, can you tell me how many of the bus drivers are in the retirement system? >> Drivers or total employees? >> Transportation employees. >> Okay, I think I'm going to pull up your spreadsheet here. We go. Oh, >> there are six total. >> Six. >> There are four listed as drivers and two listed as bus

131monitors, but we Next, I think um one of our mechanics is also in the retirement system. >> Uhu. >> U. So, as far as drivers and monitors, there are six. >> Thank you, >> David. >> Okay. I think that Spencer's concerns are incredibly valid and I want to appreh. I think we are jumping a little bit too fast on this. I'm certainly willing to give a positive vote if we do some studies with a little bit more information. Uh but at this point I'm I'd have to say I'm a no. >> Thank you. >> Julia, >> can you just um reiterate the motion that you made, please? >> Sure. It was uh the motion I Yep. It was to award a 5-year contract for student transportation and bus services to first student effective July 1st,

1322026 through June 30th, 2031, subject to the SAU administration and attorneys finalizing and approving the terms and conditions and a final vote scheduled for the final vote of the school board scheduled for the May meeting. >> So, you're not looking for a vote tonight? >> I'm looking for a vote for them to go forward with the negotiations. We wouldn't vote on the contract until we saw it in May. Stacy, um, just a question about timing for that. In that period between voting tonight and before the May meeting, do we know is that when Sam you're going to talk to the drivers individually or would you do that after? >> I Yeah, that my intent was to to set up some times where they could swing by if they wanted to, you know, give them a

133two or three hour window >> um either in between the morning and afternoon or during April break >> um if they were around. >> Okay. They couldn't then they could always reach out. >> Okay. So when we were to come back, the idea is for when we were to come back in May, all that would have been done. >> Yeah. >> So that we'll have all the information before we do a vote. >> Right. And my intention is only to go through what the the pay structure would be for them individually and what it would mean to them. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> But if we all vote no right now, then there's no contract to be had at all for May. Is that correct? >> Correct. No negotiations. Do we have any

134idea when the contract might be ready for review? >> Based on a conversation, I think with our attorneys, they could have it done fairly quickly. Um certainly in time for the the May meeting. It's really the the language that they would have to to work out. The the actual back and forth um between the SAU and first student would probably be between Ryan and I or Ryan Ben and I. Um there there isn't a whole lot of things to work out beyond what has already been done. Um I will say that first student did offer for us to keep our buses um and then they would adjust their rate um based on that. Um, I told him that I I felt that for the best interest of being able to move those buses around in

135the biggest savings, it would certainly seem more prudent to sell the buses. One of the things that we talked about as well is, and I can't remember the exact wording, Ryan, but um, basically it's a, you know, we can walk away clause. Okay, I'll call it that. Um, it's >> Yeah. Right. And that's where a lot of the savings comes from is the the parts and and stuff like that. As far as you know, them purchasing the buses. Um there are options. Um you know, their proposal for the buses, I think, is just the buses is 1.209 million. Um when I did the depreciation on it, I was within $2,000. So, um, it's pretty straightforward depending on whether you consider it's an eight-year life cycle, a 10-year life cycle. Um, so should we want to

136then turn around and say goodbye to first student? Yes, we would have to find a way to come up with the amount of money to purchase the buses back, but that would be could be an option at that time. Um, but I I understand, you know, it's it's a big step. Julia then Amanda. Yeah, that's it. >> You can let Amanda. >> Okay, whatever. >> Can I direct the question to first student? >> Are they still involved in the conversation? There's been um within the last 14 months litig heavy litigation towards the safety of your students and your buses. What has changed in your policy since that litigation to protect the students? >> I'm speaking specifically on February 20 >> February. So I we have a lot of lawyers. We're a private company. I can't

137comment on any kind of pending litigation or pending kind of uh I don't even know what you're talking what what date. I'm sorry. >> Okay. No, that's okay. This is again just a personal question. So I just think a litigation of that size if it doesn't like ring a bell to the top of your head. >> What what size I'm sorry what is specifically are you asking >> if you've implemented any new safety policies since February 2025. >> February 2025. I'm sure we we we implement the policies of the district. The district dictates the policies that we go by with our own standards which are very high. >> Amanda, does it say where? Like >> Yeah. I don't I don't >> company. So, >> no, it's New Hampshire. >> Okay. >> Does it say what?

138>> Yeah. I just um I It's more of a personal question. I think a parent >> understood. >> It see It just appears that maybe the safety um >> safety is always going to be the highest priority. I mean, we are the safest in the industry. It's all I mean, we are very big. We're 55,000 things happen, >> but we don't want of course don't want them. >> How often are you running are you rerunning background checks? Do they I know you have mandatory reporting, but are you ever looking, you know, what's the word I'm looking for? Continuously investigating to make sure that the drivers are still fit to drive our children. >> Yeah. I think we go by the laws, right, Herby? I mean, we or just employees in general. I mean people people

139accidentally >> there was 12 plaintiffs in what I'm complaining what I'm talking about there was 12 plaintiffs and what I'm talking about I don't want to read the names of it um you know that's a significant amount so I'm I'm just a little surprised honestly that you don't I don't know what I'm talking about, but I'm going to leave it at that. Thank you. >> To answer an earlier question about the years of service with first student. So, there are few there's a less than a handful that it looks like they have new contracts, but um besides that, there's 30 years, 13 years, 24, 25, 28. I I sent the list to Tracy um the PDF that Ryan sent me. Um, so there's a lot of 20 plus years. >> I think I counted like

14037 25 years or more customers in New Hampshire. >> Sounds right. >> Tracy, can I make a motion to have a roll call vote for your motion? >> Sure. >> Thank you. >> I don't know that I don't know that we're ready yet. You don't >> not. >> You do not. >> But thank you. >> A lot of rules. A lot of rules. >> A lot of rules. >> I figured we going to >> No, not yet. >> Okay. Um, I was just wondering in the board if there's any appetite for maybe extending things a bit, stretching it out and not making it a 30-day yay or nay. >> I would think there isn't room. Correct. >> There isn't if if we're going to have first student take over July 1. >> Yeah. So maybe

141maybe not this year, maybe next year. Yeah, we would have to go back in and and see if, you know, put out probably another RFP for for the following year and see if there's still an appetite. >> Yes. >> For that. Um, so yeah, I guess what I'm saying is maybe not >> as uh these guys this year, maybe let's the board think about it for I guess another year, you're saying, and have the send the RFP out next year again. >> I'm not saying it. You are. Yes, I am. >> Yes, I am saying >> study. >> Our pricing is valid for July. >> Pardon me. >> Our pricing proposals for July 1. >> Yep. >> Yeah, he has. >> He walked away. Um, >> Ryan, >> I was I was just thinking if

142if we go forward with a contract negotiation and we turn it down in May, there's no reason we couldn't bring it up again next year. >> True. >> So, yep. >> Right. Or if we say no today, it's >> okay. >> We can bring it up next year. >> Personally, I feel like it's pretty hard to make a decision without seeing the contract. So, I'd like to vote yes to see the contract and the negotiation and final terms. That's where I stand. >> Thank you. So, um just uh just to remind you the um motion I don't see any other hands, so I'm going to go with this. The motion is to award a 5-year contract for student transportation and bus services to first student effective July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2031, subject to

143the SAU administration and attorneys finalizing and approving the terms and conditions with a final vote on the contract to be had at during the May board meeting. >> Yep. accepted. >> They're they're negotiating the contract. We will look they >> If we say yes, they're going to negotiate the contract and we'll look at it in May as to whether or not we agree with the contract or not. >> There is you can say no. Could we amend the motion to have the contract available publicly for one week before the vote? >> Uh, I don't know that we can >> I don't know that we can have that contract. Oh, I don't know. I would have to >> right that the timeline would be the >> I don't know what the timeline would be, but >>

144I can't guarantee they the lawyers would be done with their wording one week ahead of time. We would like them to be >> the pricing the pricing isn't going to change which is which is a major portion of that. Um >> can it be sent in the packet >> if it's ready? >> Yeah. We get the packet pricing being made available before the final contract terms. >> So the pricing I think I made available I think it's in the transportation minutes as far as that I didn't put every year. Just think multiply by 1.04 4 you you'll get the following year. So >> So that is already available I think. Yes. >> And you said thought I wrote it down 1.209 is what they're going to pay for the >> for for the bus fleet.

1451.3 total for the um inventory and parts and you know >> all that. Okay. >> Snow scraper. Perfect. >> Sure it has a technical name but >> the one that Yes. >> Okay. So, um Candy, y'all ready? >> Okay. Perfect. >> Yes. No. >> Yes. >> No. 65. So we won't go forward with it. Okay. So let's uh next is old business. Sam, if you want to talk about the media drop. >> Sure. So, you had in your packet the total number of engagements that were um part of the media campaign. One of the things that I think isn't a surprise is that the budget media drops drove the traffic. So, once those came out, um that's where our our heaviest traffic was. um there there really was no um correlation to necessarily the the

146type of media other than people didn't want to watch the videos. So whether that was the content, the length of time, um the interactive ones uh were the most popular, but those also kind of stemmed from the budget. So I think that kind of went hand in hand. So um as you can see, I think the the great thing is we had almost 4,000 engagements. Yes. >> Um, in that time frame and people are still looking at it. So that was when I put this together. Um, some of the the more recent ones sort of um outperformed some of the ones that had been on there for for quite a while. They sort of trended hot as um when when I when I looked at it. So um I think it's very encouraging and it

147it's a it's a campaign that we certainly should continue for next year. I think there'll be some similar themes. I think we learned a lot as we went through this. Um, you know, we we spent a lot of time putting these together. Um, trying to address the things that we thought the public wanted addressed. Um, you know, and and it seemed to change based on conversations in the hallway or um, whatever it was. We were like, "Hey, wouldn't this be a great idea? Let's see if we can put something together." So, we already have ideas for next year. >> Um, >> and so I I think we'll cut the videos out. Um yeah, >> you know, maybe we we try we turn something into a podcast. Maybe people want to listen instead of watch. I'm

148not sure. Um but we'll certainly um do the same type of things on the budget because that that seemed to go well. I think the feedback from the public um has been overwhelmingly positive. Um, I think we saw by the number of questions that were asked at both the public hearing and the annual meeting, um, the questions were were very different >> um, than they were in previous years. And I think that's because we were able to get that information out ahead of time and and have people take a look at it. Any questions on the media drops? >> Um, no. Just I think it was great. Uh, it's 4,000 people. We'll take off the 500 times it was me. Um, but it was 4,000 people. That that's huge engagement. And uh, even if the

149videos didn't pan out, I think I think it was we learned something and this is great and I hope to continue this along with the like inerson meetings next time. It was it was a good change, I think. >> So, thank you for doing all that work. >> I wonder if when people saw a video, they thought, "This is going to be long. I don't want to listen to it." >> Well, I think if they opened it, they'd see it was it was a minute and a half, two minutes. But yeah, you you you know I >> that may have scared people away. >> Just the word video. >> Pam, I think you got to tick tock it. >> Yeah. >> Uh yeah, you know, we don't have any of that. >> We have Fred

150narrating one of the videos. And I'm surprised that didn't grab a lot more attraction, but we'll uh see maybe Fred can put together a little Tik Tok dance for us for next year's uh CIP. seven years ago. >> Okay. >> Is he still here? >> He left. >> Darn it. We would have said it if he was here. It's okay. >> Um, next new business, authorization to hire. So, I need a motion to allow the superintendent on deck >> to hire and have contracts signed between board meetings so that candidates are not lost. >> Um, just clarification. Uh, starting in June or May. >> May. >> Starting now. >> Starting right now. Starting tonight. >> What's the date? >> Because Okay. >> Yes. It does not include administrators. >> It didn't last year. >> No.

151>> Or or will it? Sorry. it it hasn't before, but we do find ourselves in a unique situation right now where we are facing a a pretty urgent need um in a very small candidate pool. So, I would ask that it be extended to administration and also potentially to um the appointment of an interim candidate or a hiring um depending on what is best for the school. Could we do it for just the one position or would you >> would that be too complicated? >> Um I think we have two positions. >> We have two. That's news to me. Yes. >> Right. Because we are not prepared to bring one >> right >> tonight. Yeah. So there there are at this time two, but that doesn't mean there won't be more. >> Okay. >> So

152do our new board members need clarification what this means? >> Yeah. So that just means that normally what happens is the Kathleen will bring uh will bring the nominations to us >> and we say yay or nay. Um >> in my years here we've never said nay but um but what happens is as we get closer and closer to the end of the year um the pool gets smaller and smaller to choose from and um in order we don't lose candidates. Some school boards meet twice a month and we don't and exactly and uh so I think that that's that's part of the reason why we would have Kathleen I mean they do a great job of vetting all the candidates anyway >> is >> and >> sorry >> that's okay >> I thought you

153were done talking yeah >> not that I'm trying to get out of here but um Is is there a way to say yay to non-administrative and then keep admin? that we can I think that we need >> not that I don't trust >> I I think that we need to talk about that >> but I I would it would be my thought that we allow the superintendent on deck to hire whoever needs to be hired before our next our next meeting >> if it it just right now in education let's Let's face it, people are not coming into education in droves. And I just I worry that if we wait till May the 4th, be with you. Um it it would be too late. >> We have two administrative openings right now. >> We could

154have more. Who knows? I mean because because the thing that happens is people are applying elsewhere. they somebody might get a job elsewhere and then we would have three administrator jobs open. Um I >> now is like the the the time the year. Yeah. >> Well, that's what I'm think I'm thinking like even in two weeks you were to say, "Hey, forum of whatever to hire like I feel like >> um >> but do we not trust Catherine?" I mean, did we hire Katherine because we thought she could do a good job or not? >> I'm gonna >> I don't think this is a trust thing. >> Yeah. I'm going to loop us back in. We need to have a motion on the floor to discuss. So, I'm going to make the motion. Um, >>

155we do have a motion. >> Did somebody already >> Oh, >> no, we didn't. >> Okay. Second. >> So, um, >> yeah. Um, I will make the motion. >> And then, could you just remind me of the end date for this? Not that I haven't been doing this for six years. >> September. Okay. >> So, it would be from now until September. >> And we we've done this previously. >> Yes. >> Um, but usually not admins. So, I will then release the conversation back. >> Thank you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I made the motion and then nobody said yes. That's my fault. >> So, the admin thing was a relatively recent switch. In the past, it had always been any position that was open. >> So, there was a switch and it was only about

156four maybe five years ago. Prior to that, it had been it had been open. Um if if you were saying to me if it was a superintendent instead of a superintendent on deck right now, I would feel that it is a lack of trust. And really the the SAU board hires the superintendent. The superintendent is charged with hiring all of the other employees. All this does really is so that we can lock down a candidate because if somebody came in tomorrow, we're now a month out and think about where folks are coming from. If they're coming from another school district, they have to meet with their board. And if their board meeting is the next night, they may or we may not be able to lock that person down if we have to tell them

157it's going to be May. Same thing if it's the day after the May meeting. And I get you can call an emergency board meeting, but there's a lot of inherent problems with trying to get folks together when they're when they're not expecting to. Um, you know, and certainly during the the summer months, if you know, we've had people leave in July and leave in August, that's even more difficult to try to pull those things together. So, I really feel this is just something to help with the overall operations of the district. uh to allow the superintendent on deck um that ability. Um and it's not like it goes unchecked. All of the same processes are in place that would be if we're waiting for everyone to to just give the nod of the next at

158the next meeting. >> Sta Stacy had her hand up first. >> Then I'll ask then you can Laura. >> I've had my hand. >> Oh, sorry. Amanda. No, Stacy. >> Okay. Um, I fully support it. I mean, I trust our administration. We have a great group of people in there. Um, but just because I don't understand, can you clarify when you say um administr administrators being hired, does that mean building level or is that also SAU office? >> Uh, building level. >> Oh, okay. >> We currently have um a high school opening and an assistant principal opening. So SAU would have to be through the SAU board. That wouldn't be a a board that this board couldn't give that level of permission. >> I apologize. I misspoke. We are going to in in we are

159going to address the AP and nonpublic. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. Still learning. >> No problem. >> Okay. >> Let me say this. If you're going to get to how more than the two administrators we talked about, can we at least get an an email that you're looking for somebody? You know, like if it's between board meetings so we know what's >> what's open. >> Okay. Say a third administrator. You have a third administrator and you don't want to wait till the meeting. Okay. But will you at least send us an email that you feel that position? Sure. >> Okay. >> Amanda, >> I'm looking for clarification on the open position. I'm in support of this as well. Um, the high school principal vacancy. I just want to be clear that that's the

160vacancy that was just filled last year. >> And what was the candidate pool for that position at that time? >> Okay. Thank you. Yep. Any more discussion on the motion that Jess made? Thank you, Jessica. >> Yes, sure. Whatever. Yes. The motion was to allow Katherine to hire um and have contracts signed between board meetings from now until September um as we did last year. Yep. So, Any more questions? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstaining? >> Okay, then that's good. Um, the board meeting dates, the new board meeting dates for the 26 27 year. Um, there's uh the first one, remember, we don't meet as a board in July. We do have the um board the New Hampshire School Board Association training like we did last year. Um

161those people who attended last year um I know David was there, Jess was there, Melissa, Lorna, >> it'll be different. It'll be different. >> We're going to continue it like we did last year. >> It was very good and very useful. So I hope that as many of you who can be there are there. I know that it's July and that is a difficult time to you know to do things. And then the other ones um the first Monday unless that first Monday is a holiday like September. Um remember the SAU board meetings December 1st SAU board meeting will be in Andover and um the SAU board meeting May 5th will be here. That reminds me though um The SAU board meeting this year is also on May 5th. That's weird. >> It's in Andover.

162>> Andover, >> but it's in andover this year. >> Right. Yeah. No, but what I'm saying is just May 5th and May 5th. It just was weird that they were both. >> So we are So next So next month we meet on May 4th for new board members. We meet on May 4th here and then May 5th we meet in Andover and we meet at six >> at the elementary schools. Yes. >> Yep. >> Yes, it is. >> And we'll have um will we have >> senior project? We'll have some senior project presentations. They're so good. >> That reminds me um Sorry, a little bit off topic, but it just reminded me of what Nick said. Um, April, Good job, Nick. April >> 33rd >> 23rd is senior project night. If you guys can come

163to it, it's amazing. Just amazing. >> Do you need a motion to accept the 26 27 dates? >> Yes, please. >> So, moved. >> Julie moves the dates. Stacy will second it. Sorry, Lorna. I didn't catch you soon. >> I'll get you for the next one. Okay. >> All right. >> All those in favor of uh the board meetings for next year say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstaining? Excellent. Good. Manifest and journal entries. Melissa and I signed them digitally. >> Any questions? Okay. So, I I take a motion Lorna sec motion made by Lorna to accept the manifest and journal entries. Seconded by David. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstaining? Good. >> I'ming they make jokes about you. Okay. >> Assistant superintendent report. Catherine. >>

164All right. I have some good news to pass around. Here's Mubo. If you haven't seen that, uh here is an update from Donor's Choose on the donations that we have received uh for this year. It's and that is a resource that a lot of our teachers utilize. Um, and then an kid governor. Can't get enough. So, I'll pass that around. >> Um, so Nick stole a lot of my >> That's okay. That's that's okay because I know Julia's eager to get out of here. Uh, so I did >> there is an update that um I did want to share in regards to the eighth grade trip for the 26 27 school year and I know Mr. Lynch is is here. Um, so unfortunately this year's eighth grade class trip was this year's eighth grade class

165was unable to attend the DC trip due to the government shutdown um and then closures within the city. So we were really fortunate because we were able to get full refunds for all of those expenses. However, >> that that was we were very fortunate uh because they did all of those companies did not have to provide those to us and and we worked with them for a long time and thankfully they were able to do that. But uh this experience really exposed uh the financial risks of planning a large-scale trip like that inhouse. So in looking forward to next year, we started exploring uh and I say we this is not this is Mr. Lynch and and Mr. Wheeler who coordinates the trip uh using a travel agency which is what most school districts do

166to ensure the trip um would be financially insured. However, this changed the projected uh trip cost significantly. So this year's trip to DC was going to cost $775 per student. Um when we work with a travel agency, we were quoted at 1,400 to,700 per student. >> Um and and this cost is just it's simply >> too high. Uh and it would it would limit the opportunity for our students to participate together, which is part of the the purpose of this trip. So, um, instead what MVMS is planning to do is a new culminating trip to Camp Cody, which is located locally in Freedom, New Hampshire, and we're going to move it to May, uh, rather than in the fall. So, the 25th to the 28th of 2027. So, it's going to offer a outdoor summer

167camp experience focused on team building, bonding, and celebrating the end of middle school. It will be three nights and four days. Uh students will stay in bunk houses with all meals prepared and served on site. Um a full schedule of outdoor activities led by professional camp counselors and the eighth grade staff will also be in attendance as chaprons. Um and by moving it closer to home, it reduces travel time and and many of the logistical challenges. Um so we're able in doing this we can reduce the financial burden on families. The anticipated cost is between $450 and $500 per student. Um so Mr. Lynch has communicated this with families and provided a a survey uh to gauge interest. Over 60% of the respondents so far are in fact interested um in doing that. So that's

168the direction that we're looking to move in with that trip. If you for you those of you who've been on the board for several years, you know that the trip has in recent years had to be cancelled or rescheduled >> on several occasions. Um committes. >> I have a question. >> Sure. >> Are you saying that it's So the eighth graders didn't go get to go to DC this year? Are you saying that that trip is being offered? So they don't have a trip at all? >> No, this year's eighth graders don't have a trip. Um they'll have I mean they have events, end of year things that are being planned, but no, they don't have a culminating trip like like this. >> Have we entertained the idea of sending them with the Andover kids?

169They do like a white watering. >> Um I no we have not entertained that idea. I don't know that that I don't know that the trip that the Andover students go on would be available to our students just because there's such um there's so many more students and has a very small How many eighth graders do you >> feel? They're so they're not the only that aren't having this experience because in recent years the DC situation has has come up. >> Nick said he got to go to Smitties. >> Yeah, we went to Smitties twice. Top Gun Maverick, National Treasurer. >> And then we went to Ry Beach. >> I'm assuming that >> I can tell you last year at the high school we tried to organize our own trip for the kids who had

170missed out on their eighth grade trip and there there wasn't enough interest. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> It's hard when you get to high school. >> You get jobs. It just doesn't it just doesn't work. >> Any other questions for Catherine or Brian or Brian? >> Thank you, Brian. >> You skipped your report. >> My report. The only thing that I have coming up is that um remember when the kid governor was inaugurated, it was a snow delay. So the class didn't get to go to see her inauguration on April 21st. The kid governor's class is getting to go to the state house so that they can go through that kind of thing again. All right, because I don't have many of these left, I have about 43 minutes, I think. Um, and my one

171of my closing addresses, this is this one's for you, Julia. >> I haven't >> The uh the open enrollment uh process has been developed and it's up on the website. Um, we have information about the process and an application form. Uh, so it's right on that main header. Uh the cuto off date for applications is May 1st with a notification date at the end of May. Um and most schools in the area do have a 0% out clause. So we don't expect to see uh huge numbers of of students, but uh just to let you know it's out there if you want to go and and check it out. We put together a little uh nice little uh web page and and some information um on there. And one other note uh the retirey t

172even though there'll be another opportunity. It's going to be May 20th at 4 o'clock. Uh so just to kind of put that on your radar and we'll we'll send something out, but I just wanted to those of you that are advanced planners, uh you can mark that down on your on your calendar. >> Is that May 20th of this year? That's of this year. Yeah. Of 2026. >> 28. >> That's all I got. >> Sorry. >> Trying to put it on my calendar. >> What time? >> Four o'clock. >> 4 p.m. And it'll be here. >> Okay. Next is non-public under RSA 91A colon 3. >> Oh, I did skip public comment. >> Sorry about that. Um, public comment. Thank you. Nice job, Nick. >> Yeah, Dan Nud Webster. So, I just want to say

173I was surprised to see the proposal of the um transportation change. Um and I think some of the board members, maybe I'm wrong, look just as surprised as I was that it came about so quick. I don't know if I'm for or against it, but I think as a taxpayer, if we're going to do an RFP next year, let's talk about it at the annual meeting. Let the taxpayers, the bus drivers, most have left, I think, have a say. That's all. So, >> thank you. >> Anybody else? >> Okay, now we're going to go to non-public. Can we have a break before >> under RSA 91A >> 2 BC? >> Tracy, are you just making those numbers? >> Yep. I