Meeting Minutes Approved- June 1, 2026
The Board approved the agenda 9-0 and voice-voted to accept several committee minutes after pulling the Instructional Committee minutes for editing. The Board voice-approved three personnel appointments: Michael Leonard as high school football coach, Kaileen Chilauskas as CHS English teacher, and Deborah McGinty as Assistant Principal for Beaver Meadow and Abbot Downing Schools. A one-year leave of absence request was also approved. The Board authorized Superintendent Herbert’s summer hiring process and voted to extend the RFP for Eastman School broker services until July 6th. The Board acknowledged the K-12 counseling program meets state 306 requirements. Financial discussions included a request to reduce special education services costs by 1% and a directive to schedule a public hearing regarding the sale of the Dewey School. Upcoming dates include a special Board meeting on June 8th, a groundbreaking ceremony in late June, and the next Board meeting on July 6th. Source: https://files.smartsites.parentsquare.com/8931/2026-06-01_board_of_education_minutes.pdf
Board of Education Monthly Board Meeting Minutes – June 1, 2026 In Attendance: Pamela Walsh - President, Cara Meeker - Vice President, Liz Boucher – Secretary, Jess Campbell, Alex Dubois, Brenda Hastings, Barb Higgins, Madeleine Mineau, and Sarah Sadowski Absent: none Administration: Timothy Herbert – Superintendent, Matt Cashman, Jack Dunn, Michele Garon, Jeni Mosca, Terry Wolf, and Kimberly Yarlott. Call to Order Ms. Walsh called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Ms. Boucher conducted roll call attendance. Approval of Agenda The Board voted 9-0 to approve the agenda. (Moved by Ms. Boucher, 2nd by Ms. Meeker). Leave of Absence request added to item 14b. Voice vote in the affirmative to approve the agenda with amendment Consent Agenda a.) Sustainability Committee (March 5) b.) Regular Monthly Meeting (May 4) c.) Communication & Policy Committee (May 11) d.) Instructional Committee (May 13) e.) Executive Committee (May 8) Motion to accept the consent agenda (Moved by Ms. Higgins, 2nd by Ms. Meeker). Ms. Hastings asked that the Instructional Committee meeting minutes be pulled from the consent agenda for editing (Moved by Ms. Hastings, 2nd by Ms. Sadowski). Voice vote in the affirmative to approve the Consent Agenda as amended. School Celebration: CHS & RMS Monthly Board of Education Meeting – June 1, 2026 Superintendent Herbert and President Walsh thanked student Board member Aryn Bernardo for her service for the past two years, thanking her for her commitment and for ensuring the student voice was heard. Jay Richard, Principal of Rundlett Middle School, shared an overview of RMS’s first year of the YSTAY program brought to the school through a partnership with the YMCA. Mr. Richard presented along with YSTAY Program Director, Bri Hess and RMS’s YSTAY Teacher, Scott Guyer. The YSTAY Program is an ongoing collaboration between YMCA and Concord School District. The YSTAY Teacher has a roster of 20-25 students they see every/every other day for a full period. The goal of YSTAY is to provide a small group setting with a trusted adult role model. Students are identified by the Y, school guidance counselor, school administrators, and support staff as young people in need of additional protective factors in their daily lives. YSTAY provides academic support, rotating SEL curriculum, life skills, and discussion/project-based learning. Participation is voluntary and requires the commitment of both the students and their guardians. Graeme Crowther – Assistant Principal at Concord High School, along with student-leaders, shared how the Freshman Orientation program creates a more positive experience for incoming freshman. Recognitions/Reports Student Report - Clementine Mayala shared several year-end events in the next two weeks including Commitment Day, senior assembly, graduation practice ceremonies, the senior boat trip on the Mount Washington boat cruise, and graduation at NHTI on June 13th. Student representative, Aryn Bernardo asked the Board to review how GPAs are calculated at the high school. She believes that the lack of a weighted GPA puts CHS students at a disadvantage when applying for college. The Board asked the Instructional Committee to review it in the upcoming school year. Superintendent Report - Superintendent Herbert stated that a celebration for Retirees and Distinguished Educators was held last week. A nomination for New Assistant Principal, Deborah McGinty, will be brought forward for a vote. Concord High School presented a musical – Dear Evan Hansen in May. The district partnered with NAMI-NH to offer mental health resources following the performance. Scholarship Night was held at Concord High School last week. Superintendent Herbert noted that $172,000 in scholarships were awarded and thanked Erin Martin for her hard work and efforts in contacting donors. The 8th Grade Ceremony will be held at Rundlett Middle School on June 17th. The CRTC Commencement ceremony was held last week, recognizing 261 students that completed the two-year program. Monthly Board of Education Meeting – June 1, 2026 Concord High School’s prom was last Friday at the Grappone Center; and graduation will be held at NHTI on Saturday, June 13th, weather permitting. If the weather is bad, it will be held in the gymnasium at the high school. Communications & Policy Ms. Meeker brought forward three policies on first reading: Policy 901, Whistleblowers Protection Policy 542, Acceptable Technology Use-Students Policy 542.1, Use of Artificial Intelligence Facilities Update Mr. Cashman reported that the District closed on the Conant Drive property last week, which will serve as the field office. Internet and security cameras are being installed, and construction site cameras will provide progress updates online. Middle School Project Update Abutters on Cypress and Springfield Streets were notified of brush and tree removal and the installation of a six-foot construction fence. Site staking has begun, and the city engineer has been updated. Over the next 2-3 weeks, crews will remove the surface layer and replace it with three feet of structural fill, with settlement monitors installed to determine the number of rammed aggregate piers needed due to liquefaction findings. Foundation work is expected after site wraps are installed (July- September). The main water line from South Street to Conant Drive will be replaced in July with minimal disruption to the schools. The Building Committee will review 60% of construction-document cost estimates this Thursday June 4th. A traffic engineer will also be present. A special board meeting next week, June 8th, will focus on the value engineering. Construction documents will reach 100% in late July - early August, followed by fall bidding and establishment of a guaranteed maximum price. Planning is underway for a late June groundbreaking ceremony and presentation of school naming survey results. Mr. Cashman also proposed recurring communication updates, including potential collaboration with Concord TV, to showcase construction progress. Of 33 abutters invited to participate in pre-construction foundation inspections, 16 have responded; additional participation is encouraged. Instructional Committee The Board discussed acknowledgement that the district’s K-12 counseling program meets updated state 306 requirements. The committee noted that current services already align with these expectations, making this primarily a formal acknowledgment. It was clarified that state rules require Board approval of both a counseling program and individual school implementation plans every two Monthly Board of Education Meeting – June 1, 2026 years. While standards and practices are in place, implementation plans are not yet compiled in a Board-ready format. Staff will review requirements, consult with regional districts, and prepare the necessary documentation for a future vote. Class Size Policy Committee – The Committee will review class size recommendations and research optimal learning environments for students. Devices in Lower Grades - A committee of administrators, teachers, parents, and community members is reviewing research and considering potential policy updates on device use in early grades. The group will continue its work, with recommendations expected in the fall. NHSAS Report – New Hampshire statewide assessment testing ended this past week. Preliminary data was shared showing growth. Results are sequestered for a period of time for superintendents to review. Full data will be available in the fall. Improvement was noted as teachers and administrators continue to close the gap. City & Community Relations Ms. Higgins reported that the committee focused their discussion on identifying the most urgent needs at Memorial Field and to developing a plan aligned with the mayor’s cost expectations. The committee did not reach consensus on previously proposed options and instead agreed to focus on what improvements can be achieved within the available budget. Board representatives emphasized relying on design, engineering recommendations, and maintaining collaboration with the city. Athletic Director, Steve Largy highlighted the urgency of addressing safety concerns for student athletes while balancing district needs. The committee supported returning with a Phase 1 proposal that addresses the most critical needs within an estimated $12 million budget. Due to the city’s budget cycle, no additional meetings are scheduled at this time; however, Mr. Largy and the city’s recreation director, Dave Gill, will reconvene after receiving further information. A possible temporary solution at Terrell Park was mentioned but not recently explored. Board members reiterated concern about the deteriorating track and requested a quote for immediate temporary repairs to avoid further loss of track seasons. Finance Mr. Dunn reviewed the financial report and the unassigned fund balance for the year. Jeni Mosca reviewed information regarding Student Services. The Board discussed the cost of special education services and asked for a plan to reduce it by 1%. Mr. Dunn requested that the Board set a date to discuss the timeline for the sale of Dewey School for the purpose of discussing a proposed warrant article and a date for a public hearing. Mr. Dunn reported that the district received one RFP for real estate broker services for Eastman School and asked the Board to vote on extending the submission deadline. Monthly Board of Education Meeting – June 1, 2026 Negotiations CEA is reviewing the contract and potentially ratifying the contract tomorrow, June 2nd. CIT (Tutors) ratified a tentative contract. Public Comment Laura Foote who resides at 44 Noyes St. shared her disapproval of the proposed bus routes. Pat DeAngelis shared her disapproval of the proposed bus route and traffic pattern. Nila Paul who resides along one of the college streets, shared her opposition to the busing program and asked about the use of barricades and Islands to solve traffic problem. Rosemary Little who resides at 27 Noyes St., shared that her neighborhood is concerned about the proposed bus route and safety issues that will arise because of it. Mike Silversteen who resides at 108 South St shared his concerns about safety and asked about building an overpass. Personnel 1. Ms. Garon brought Michael Leonard forward as a high school football coach. Mr. Leonard will be replacing James Corkum. The Board approved the football coach as presented on a voice vote (Moved by Ms. Meeker, 2nd by Ms. Mineau). 2. Ms. Garon brought forward Kaileen Chilauskas, new English teacher at Concord High School. Ms. Chilauskas will replace Megan Birch. The Board approved the new teacher as presented on a voice vote (Moved by Ms. Boucher, 2nd by Ms. Sadowski). 3. Superintendent Herbert brought forward Deborah McGinty, new Assistant Principal for Beaver Meadow, and Abbot Downing Schools to replace Brittany Mahany. The Board approved the new Assistant Principal as presented on a voice vote (Moved by Ms. Hastings, 2nd by Ms. Meeker). 4. Ms. Garon presented a one-year Leave of Absence request. The Board approved the one-year leave of absence request as presented on a voice vote (Moved by Ms. Higgins, 2nd by Ms. Campbell). Votes Monthly Board of Education Meeting – June 1, 2026 The vote for the Tutor contract has been moved to the special June 8th Board Meeting. The Board approved summer hiring process for Superintendent Herbert on a voice vote (Moved by Ms. Walsh, 2nd by Ms. Higgins) The Board approved the 306s on a voice vote (Moved by Ms. Higgins, 2nd by Mr. Dubois). The Board approved to extend RFP for broker services for the Eastman School until July 6th on a voice vote (Moved by Ms. Walsh, 2nd by Ms. Meeker). Other Business The monthly enrollment report is in the board book and available to view online. Proposed Calendars of Meetings 6/4 Building Committee 5:30pm 6/8 Special Board Meeting 6:00pm 6/10 Communication & Policy 5:30pm 6/13 CHS Graduation 10:00am 6/17 8th Grade Move up Ceremony 5:30pm 6/18 Last Day of School 6/22 Executive Committee 5:00pm 6/22 Finance Committee 5:30pm 6/25-6/27 Concord Market Days 7/4 Independence Day 7/6 Board of Education Meeting 6:00pm 7/15 Communication & Policy 5:30pm 7/20 Executive Committee 5:00pm 7/20 BOE Retreat 5:30pm Ms. Walsh thanked Assistant Superintendent, Kim Yarlott for her service to the District. Non-Public Session RSA 91-A:3II I, RSA 91-A:3, Section II a, RSA 91-A:3, Section II d, RSA 193:3, II(a), RSA 193:31, RSA 91-A- 2, RSA 91-A:3, Section II (i) The Board, by roll call, voted 9-0 to enter into non-public session under RSA 91-A:3 A,C,I (Moved by Ms. Walsh, 2nd by Ms. Meeker) at 8:38 pm. Ms. Campbell - yes Mr. Dubois - yes Ms. Hastings - yes Ms. Higgins - yes Ms. Meeker - yes Ms. Mineau - yes Monthly Board of Education Meeting – June 1, 2026 Ms. Sadowski - yes Ms. Walsh- yes Ms. Boucher – yes Motion to come out of non-public session at 9:11 pm Made by Ms. Sadowski Seconded by Ms. Meeker Voice vote in the affirmative to exit non-public session Motion to seal the minutes of the non-public session Made by Ms. Meeker Seconded by Ms. Boucher Roll call vote 9-0 in the affirmative to seal the minutes Ms. Campbell- yes Mr. Dubois- yes Ms. Hastings-yes Ms. Meeker-yes Ms. Mineau-yes Ms. Sadowski-yes Ms. Walsh- yes Ms. Boucher- yes Adjournment Motion to Adjourn at 9:11 pm Made by Ms. Higgins Seconded by Ms. Campbell Voice vote in the affirmative to adjourn the meeting Respectfully submitted, Sarah LeMay & Liz Boucher