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September 3 2026 Public and Non-Public Meeting Minutes.pdf

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Berlin Public Schools
183 Hillside Avenue, Berlin, NH 03570

Telephone: 603/752-6500; FAX: 603/752-2528

Climbing to achieve academic excellence for college and career
readiness for all students.

Berlin Board of Education Public Meeting Minutes
September 3rd, 2026 - 6:00 PM
BMHS Library - 550 Willard St.
Berlin, NH 03570

Board Members Present: Matthew Buteau, Chair; Eamon Kelley, Vice Chair; Deb Foss, Secretary;
Mark Evans; Amy Poirier

Board Members Absent: None
Student Board Members Present:
Student Board Members Absent: Lola Aristegui-Burke, David Page

Administration Present: Tammy Fauteux, Superintendent; Evan Arsenault, Business Administrator;
Paula Frank, BES Principal; Sandy Pouliot, BES Assistant Principal; Andy Rancloes, BMHS Principal;
Tony Valliere, BMHS Assistant Principal; Jesse Arsenault, BMHS Dean of Students; Danielle Demers,
CTE Director; Judy Arsenault, ASP Director; Holly Munce, Title | Program Manager; Dawn Gilliatt,
SASS Project Manager

Guests and Public Present: Christian Judson, Paul Guerin, Drake Leveille, Gina Welch, Jamie
Welch, Lisa Connell, Diane Taupier

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 6:02 PM by Matthew Buteau, Board Chair.

Approval of Minutes:

August 13, 2026 Public Meeting Minutes, Nonpublic Meeting Minutes, and Facilities Subcommittee
Minutes:

A motion was made by Eamon Kelley and seconded by Deb Foss to approve the public, nonpublic,
and facilities subcommittee meeting minutes dated August 13, 2026. On a voice vote, all in favor;
motion carried.

Approval of Warrant:



A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Eamon Kelley to approve the warrant dated
September 3, 2026 (amended from the original date of September 7, 2026 due to assumed clerical
error) in the amount of $533,594.54. On a roll call vote, all in favor; motion carried. The following
morning on 9/4/26 Superintendent Fauteux notified the board that the correct date was September
7th.

Comments from the Public:

Diane Taupier, 265 Champlain St, Berlin, NH: Expressed curiosity regarding who makes decisions
about the school mural. Recalled a book in school in 1998 about how to worship Satan, and stated
that public schools need faith, God, and good morals.

BES Auditorium Hallway Mural Preservation Discussion & Elementary
School Artwork & Beautification Project:

Deb Foss presented photos of the West Side Auditorium Hallway Mural and Door B, highlighting two
different perspectives in the community: those wishing to preserve the art for its historical value, and
parents/citizens who believe the artwork is not age-appropriate for elementary students. She
proposed finding a solution that honors both the school's heritage and its future. She showcased the
completed East Side mural project stenciled by Alexis Fortin, noting it was completed in less than two
weeks using donated materials and volunteer labor at no cost to the district.

Eamon Kelley noted that grant opportunities (such as the Moose Plate grant) could fund a
preservation project, but a non-profit entity would need to spearhead the effort, gather quotes, and
apply before the March deadline. He urged citizens to collaborate with the historical society. He
mentioned a private donor willing to provide materials, though labor must be secured.

A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Eamon Kelley to suspend the board's prior
authorization allowing administration to paint over the existing auditorium mural until the November 5,
2026 meeting, allowing time for a citizen preservation committee to form and submit a plan. On a roll
call vote, all in favor; motion carried.

Approval of Revision to Nurse Benefits & Guidelines:

The board discussed proposed revisions to the nurse benefits and guidelines policy, including the
addition of a mentoring stipend to mirror programs for other staff and help address high turnover. Deb
Foss noted erroneous remote work language in the text, which will be reviewed and removed.

A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Eamon Kelley to approve the revisions to the
nurse benefits and guidelines policy. On a roll call vote, all in favor; motion carried.

Administrator Reports:



Special Education: Two SPED Teacher positions are vacant, but working on a plan to make it
work in the meantime.

BMHS: Fully staffed with high energy on day one. Parking lot traffic flow is an ongoing project;
plans are underway to adjust flow next year. 800-watt parking lot lights were installed to ensure
sufficient lighting while minimizing glare for neighbors. Chair Matt Buteau asked that the Backers
attend an upcoming Board meeting to hear about the field and lighting project.

After School Program (ASP): Officially opens on September 14, 2026, with 74 students
registered (including over 20 from BMHS).

SASS: A new School Liaison person assigned to the district, Dawn Gilliat provided an update on
planned grant expenditures.

Title I: Fully staffed with two interventionists per grade level.

BES: High attendance at the "Meet the Teacher" event and a great first day. Students responded
positively to the new hallway mural at the Door B entrance.

Policies:

Review Updates and Revisions:

AC-R2: Approved revisions to remove references to the closed Boston OCR agency. A motion
was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Amy Poirier to approve as presented. On a roll call
vote, all in favor; motion carried.

JICK (Bullying Prevention and Safety): Approved revisions regarding bullying prevention and
safety. A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Deb Foss to approve as presented.
On a roll call vote, all in favor; motion carried.

JJJ: Approved revisions to align with passed House Bill, granting Education Freedom Account
(EFA) students access rights to district programs. A motion was made by Mark Evans and
seconded by Deb Foss to approve as presented. On a roll call vote, all in favor; motion carried.

Second Reading:

EEAG-R(1) - Statement of Insurance on Private Vehicles: Approved second reading with an
added requirement specifying that personal automobile insurance is responsible in the event of
an accident during private vehicle transport. A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded
by Amy Poirier to approve as presented. On a roll call vote, all in favor; motion carried.

EEBA - Vehicle Operation Safety Policy: Approved second reading with amendments striking
the minimum driver age requirement and removing all references requiring state inspection. A
motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Amy Poirier to approve as amended. On a
roll call vote, all in favor; motion carried.

Superintendent's Report:

Audio and Meeting Logistics: Explored potential upgrades to the audio system or relocating
meetings to City Hall due to hearing concerns. After discussion, Tammy Fauteux and the board
decided to maintain the current meeting location, noting that turning off the air conditioning



units/fans during meetings significantly cleared up audio quality.

¢ School Year Opening Update: Welcomed 26 new staff members during new staff orientation.
Staff PD days went smoothly. The district established a new tagline that summarizes our work:
"Empower. Educate. Elevate."

e Bell-to-Bell Cell Phone Policy: Shared survey results and governor's press release details. The
policy committee is reviewing usage outside of school hours while maintaining the core
bell-to-bell policy, with plans to survey families and students.

e Facilities Tours: Scheduled facilities tours at BMHS for Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at
5:30 PM, and at BES Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 5:30 PM.

e HB1300 Property Tax Cap Legislation: Discussed concerns regarding statutory interpretation,
the single-vote structure for two separate issues. Superintendent Fauteux and Evan Arsenault will
coordinate presentation/discussion details with the City Council. Central office expenditures
remain at 4.8%, below the proposed 6% cap.

Comments from the Public:

Jesse Arsenault, 634 Howland St, Berlin, NH: Expressed agreement with earlier public comments
regarding putting faith first. Stated a desire to protect children from certain mural imagery,
emphasizing that children's protection should come before historical preservation.

New Business / Member Comments:

e Mark Evans: Acknowledged that school staff often feel their work is a thankless job. Offered
personal recognition and support to any staff members feeling discouraged or unacknowledged.

e Matt Buteau: Expressed a desire to see the full board attend the upcoming homecoming parade
together.

Non-Public Session:

A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Eamon Kelley to enter into Non-Public Session
at 7:27 PM under RSA 91-A:3, Il (a), (b), and (C). Roll call vote, all in favor.

A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Amy Poirier to exit Non-Public Session at 8:08
PM. Roll call vote, all in favor.

Staffing:

A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Deb Foss to approve staffing as discussed. On
a roll call vote, all in favor; motion carried.

Nominations/renominations for Board Approval:

Noah Dumas - Family Support and Community Resource Coordinator

Superintendent Approvals since last meeting:



William Gibson - BES Custodian (nights)
Heather Kaufman - Paraprofessional

Nominations/renominations (not needing approval):
Taylor Dupont - MTSS B Advisor

Jen Landers - BES Athletic Director

Madisyn Buteau - MS Girls Soccer Coach

Staff Leave Request
Jenna Dawson - Maternity Leave

A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Amy Poirier to authorize the hiring of
paraprofessionals without prior board approval until the next meeting. On a roll call vote, all in favor;
motion carried.

A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Eamon Kelley to approve a coverage stipend
for the BES Assistant Principal for extra duties due to the BES Assistant Principal vacancy. On a roll
call vote, all in favor; motion carried.

Adjournment:

A motion was made by Eamon Kelley and seconded by Mark Evans to adjourn the meeting at 8:12
pm. On a roll call vote, all in favor; motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Deb Foss
Secretary, Berlin Board of Education



Berlin Public Schools
183 Hillside Avenue, Berlin, NH 03570
Telephone: 603/752-6500; FAX: 603/752-2528

Climbing to achieve academic excellence for college and career
readiness for all students.

Berlin Board of Education Non-Public Meeting Minutes
September 3rd, 2026 - 6:00 PM
BMHS Library - 550 Willard St.
Berlin, NH 03570

Board Members Present: Matthew Buteau, Chair; Eamon Kelley, Vice Chair; Mark Evans; Deb Foss,
Secretary; Amy Poirier

Board Members Absent:

Administration: Tammy Fauteux, Superintendent; Evan Arsenault, Business Administrator

Nonpublic
A motion was made by Mark Evans and seconded by Eamon Kelley to enter into Non-Public Session

at 7:27 PM under RSA 91-A:3, II (a), (b), and (C). Roll call vote, all in favor.

e Preparation for union negotiations was discussed.
e Staffing and coverage compensation were discussed.
e A tuition student's enrollment was discussed.

A motion was made by Mark Evans, seconded by Amy Poirier, to exit the non-public session at
8:08 pm. Roll call, all in favor; motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Deb Foss
Secretary, Berlin Board of Education

(a) The dismissal, promotion, or compensation of any public employee or the disciplining of such employee, or the investigation of any charges against him,
unless the employee affected (1) has a right to a meeting and (2) requests that the meeting be open, in which case the request shall be granted. (b) The hiring
of any person as a public employee. (c) Matters which, if discussed in public, would likely adversely affect the reputation of any person, other than a member of
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