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2026 08 17 Board Meeting

Video

Let's stand for the pledge of
>> allegiance
to the flag
of America to the republic for it stands
nation
indivisible with liberty and justice for
all.
All right. Are there any changes to the
agenda tonight?
And we have our first session of public
comments.
And we have members from the floor.
There's anybody who would like to speak.
members online.
Is there is there anybody online that
>> Yeah.
A little bit of technical difficulty. So
we'll
all good. Nobody. Okay. Cool. All right.
Then we are on to the superintendent
report.
>> Okay.
So,
we have a lot going on as it is we're
coming up to the beginning of the school
year and so I could we've I've regularly
reported out during the course of this
summer on facilities work which I can
say is buttoning up very nicely um in
all those areas. Um, I think it would be
nice to go and have a tour some of these
spaces, um, to look at some of the work
that's been done and to see where the
community's money is going in to help,
uh, continue to take care of the, uh,
aging facilities that we do have. Um, we
do have a floor going in tomorrow over
here in a room nearby where we are at.
We also have had um a lot of uh we've
had some good movement with community
partnership development both with
Franklin Pierce University
and with it's fine
with Antioch University.
Okay.
>> With Antioch University. Um Antioch
University. That's a revitalized
partnership that we have with them. Uh
Antioch has a very strong uh psychology
or um say counseling type of uh
department there where they can pro
where we used to work with them and
their family counseling unit and uh
COVID came and and things adjusted not
in favor of that partnership anymore. Um
we are now they are now going to be our
primary partner with the grant that
we've talked about um which is very
exciting. So we'll be presenting a whole
lot more. We still have some more of
those activities to write but they came
in with a proposal that met the needs of
the grant and then some as well as they
are going to do a thorough evaluation um
both pre and post of the work that
they're doing each time. So with them
getting both of the quotes, winning both
of the quotes in a sense because we put
that out for to a variety of
organizations.
Um we also got a discount in in that
using both using them in both places.
But it's going to be very good. So we're
very excited about that. So, not only
will we have access to a great deal of
expertise
through their school
uh and the professors in that area, also
their doctoral students will be in here
helping us uh advising and also
providing uh many several students
potentially with uh counseling supports
that they otherwise wouldn't be able to
get because they may be under uh served
perhaps when and By that I mean maybe
underinsured and don't have access to
this type of support. And there's a lot
of research about rural um school
systems. We fit into that category and
the need for mental health support. So
we're excited to continue our journey
with them and um we I'm sure you're
going to be hearing a lot of reports or
several reports in the year in the this
year but also in the years to come.
the
work that has taken place
in the last couple weeks
um in two categories.
Um it's
in the area of professional learning
communities with the teachers from the
elementary to the middle school to the
high school. We've talked a lot about
PLC's. We probably should do a lot more
conversation about what that does and
what that means uh because it's not
going to make sense to everyone. But
we'll take the time to do that through
the course of this year. We'll use some
of it within some of our data
presentations later on that I know the
board has has already requested around
um test scores and things of that
nature, but also talking about the
impact that the professional learning
communities are are having. Now, we had
a two-day session
a couple week or last I guess it was a
couple weeks now where ago when um all
of the per uh PLC team leaders came
together from across the district and
got on the same page went through the
same training and are working for the
continued continuity of the entire
district in this way uh along with
teachers presenting examples of um
impressive work um centered around data
um making decisions, implementing those
decisions, getting quite um a good
outcome from that and then going on to
another data cycle and so forth. And so
uh the work that is being done, we can
continue to get better. We want to
continue to get better in that area. But
that is um going into the item I want to
talk most about during this time frame
is that uh Charlie Iiker
would have been very proud that our
teachers are becoming more and more
astute and fluent with the use of data
to inform instruction and schoolwide
decisions.
So
many of you know that uh I can be an
emotional individual. Um I will try to
keep myself um under composure as much
as possible. Um
but uh and I'll take it slow. So, um,
this, uh, within the last couple of
weeks, uh, former school board member,
longstanding school board member, I
believe, five cycles of school board, 15
years, um, Charlie Iker passed away.
>> Oh, I didn't know that.
>> And, um, he served out his last time
with us. And um I have many things to
say. Um and I'll I'll try to be as brief
as possible, but also not
um gloss over the
depth
of the support that he provided. I think
probably in many areas within this
community, but also this school.
So, we'll start off with a couple
stories. We'll try to storytell. I've
thought about how I can best do this.
Um, because I have obviously a long
history with him, uh, 12 years with
Charlie and I can say that from the
beginning, my interview set kind of
where our relationship was going to be.
So, uh, I had I came out through these
doors. I came in through these doors. I
know the student who brought me to the
library where my interview was in 2015.
And I uh sat around with several board
members, some teachers, um some other
individuals who are in different
positions now and are here. And um I
thought it went very well
and uh I would think I think that the
group probably I could feel it like it
was we were we were doing well. while I
was answering the questions in a way
that I think that um this district had
been in a place where maybe what I had
to offer was something that the district
needed.
Charlie asked me a question and we're
not supposed to talk about what we you
know what's asked in interviews and so
forth, but this has been a while ago and
he asked me about the common core and I
gave him an answer that was technically
correct. I thought it was very safe and
uh and he clearly um showed me that he
was going to be behave and stay true to
acting on behalf of his constituency
because at that point in time there was
some controversy around the
implementation of the common core that
has since more or less gone away. But it
was a it was the first time there was a
consideration of a national curriculum.
That's a big deal, right? A lot of
people had concerns about that.
We went through uh I I did I did get
hired um eventually and we started to
work together. One of our first
uh times working together and we worked
very closely together was during the
JREA negotiations.
this JREA negotiations. Uh the history
was that the budget or not not so much
the budget, there were some always
always some budget uh conversations, but
the um contract uh had had some bumps
along the way prior to 2015. [snorts]
And so we were negotiating during that
time and
uh Charlie again was looking out for the
uh the finances of those who lived in
his community and for the district.
It was a very long negotiations and we
worked very hard in the back kind of
really off the negotiating table trying
to figure out me from one end, him from
another end. And we tended to be there a
lot over the past decade. But what we
did do was we worked together to come
together and find a solution to always
move the needle forward.
And what came out of that negotiation
along with um a wonderful group of
teachers negotiating was a contract that
allowed us to um really protect the
saving the the finances of our community
through a change in healthcare at that
time
while also being able to increase our
wages to meet the surrounding areas
which has helped us now for the past
decade. And it's allowed us to move
forward. Move forward. How? Well,
Charlie wanted this to be a magnet
school. Charlie wanted us to um have
higher AP scores, had our kids going to
higher rates of college. He wanted uh
better athletics or he wanted
everything. He wanted us always to be
better. [laughter] He did want
everything. I think that's probably what
it was. And um and he at first, I think,
was impatient. wanted it right away um
and realized through time that it takes
time to make change, but he hung in
there and never took his eyes off the
prize and continued to push. Um Charlie
Aker is a large reason why this was a
school of excellence. Charlie Art Iiker
was the reason why the school board was
I mean an easy choice for the school
board of the year in 2024.
um we've past shared those slides and so
forth. Um what this board accomplished
during that that time especially since
co and so forth was was remarkable and I
I don't know if it's been replicated
anywhere else in the state.
Um
Charlie pushed us to be efficient.
he uh would a phrase that he commonly
stated to encourage us to continuously
analyze what we were doing um to try to
improve what we were doing. He would say
you you get what you inspect. You get
what you inspect. always um encouraging
us to continue to look deeper and to
make sure that the work that we were
doing was being followed, that we were
we were always improving. He believed in
professional development, making sure
that people were always getting better
and better. He knew that that was the
life blood of of our type of business.
He saw it as a business. That was
another area where we perhaps buted
heads a little bit but again always were
able to come to almost always were able
to come to the center and and move
things forward.
Um my one of my
uh fondest experiences again everything
was
I
nothing was nothing was quick so I can't
say it was like a quick experience it
was always over a longer period of time
was the development of the prek program
here in our district.
um Charlie saw the importance. Charlie
above when when no one else was looking
at this. Um Charlie knew that it was
going to cost money, but he believed
deeply in the research. He believed
deeply that the investment was critical
for two things. for the for the future
financial well-being of the communities
and um more specifically for the purpose
of you know our schooling for our test
results that he felt you know hey it may
just make sense you start earlier you
get those individuals learning sooner
let's let's do [clears throat]
and we knew we couldn't do it all at
once so Susan the former principal of
JGS myself [clears throat] Carrie was
likely in the mix. Um, always looking at
numbers, writing on whiteboards,
planning, do we provide transportation,
do we not provide transportation?
Transportation's too much. No, we can't
do that, but this is what we can do. And
then we implemented that. And then I
remember when we had COVID and the ESRE
funds came in and we said, hey, I
remember presenting we could get two
years of universal access to preK
through this. And didn't even hesitate.
absolutely get it done. Like this is
what this is what we've been waiting
for. And we did the HVAC project and
everything else. Always wanting to make
sure that we were improving improving
improving improving using the finances
well.
Um the our prek program and the success
that we've had in that area and we've
had some es and flows. um that was his
that was his I would say major
contribution to this school district
because I don't actually believe we
would have been able to get that in
without him.
Um he was passionate about it. He saw
the importance. he
was very vocal about it and um and so
for that
uh I can say in just even that little
window there we I mean we have a
situation where through negotiations
he supported both a community and the
financial savings but also the growth of
a school district and the ability to
maintain staffing and so forth. And then
with our children, he was able to
provide them with rich experiences that
they otherwise wouldn't have had. And
the other side of that, we know that
when families are, especially in the
economy that we have nowadays, when
families have the ability to have their
children in safe and highlevel
educational environments that are
affordable,
they're able to go to work. They're able
to add to their own income and they're
able to provide for those kids better, a
better social, emotional space at their
own home and be better parents as well
as contribute better to the community.
15 years of dedication
and uh he never faltered. Um he stayed
true. you knew for the most part you
knew what you were going to get and he
um stood for what he believed and he
followed through. He came to schoolboard
meetings. I mean there were years where
he did not miss a school board meeting.
Um he had to miss some in his more
recent years.
he
is the most dedicated school board
member that I have worked with out of my
time and working with with a lot of
school board members in other districts
as well. Um,
and I think that through his consistency
and dedication,
we are progressing in the way that we
are progressing.
Um, no matter the struggles that we've
had, largely due to his dedication.
I'll sum it up with a different story.
I've told it a little bit before. Um,
former
board member um, John McCarthy also was
was here during this specific instance.
Our school district had come a long way.
This school in particular had done so
and obviously there were a lot of
growing pains and we fought through
that.
Um, and there you know there were some
people along the way who would have
liked to have bailed. Charlie never
bailed.
Charlie kept on pushing us through even
when we were having challenging
situations uh with politically
um early on in our transformation our
transformative processes here
uh when this school district was visited
by the accreditation organization the
oldest accreditation organization in New
England
um
NASC
is the
accreditation organization. They
accredit colleges, high schools, middle
schools. We became uh one of a few
middle schools here who are also
accredited through NEAS. There are not
many. We were able to because of our
continuity, because of the work that the
school had done, especially through the
area of curriculum and and our
extracurriculars and so forth and
inclusivity, we're able to get that
status.
One of the requirements was uh that
through the accreditation, I've been on
accreditation visits to other schools.
uh a gentleman who ran the accreditation
uh event where people all these outside
uh teachers come in and and do a report
uh analyze what you're doing. One of the
meetings that he had to have was with
schoolboard members
and we sat in my office and I was there.
Um Charlie
John
and this and a couple individuals from
NAS that um
what happened during that time frame was
something I could not have imagined and
I don't think I'll ever see again
was two board members
but really uh you know both of them I
mean they had both long-standing time
but Charlie
was so focused
and so articulate and so specific and
you you know how we use a lot of
acronyms. Charlie used the acronyms
properly. He knew what they were. He
knew what the research stated. He was
quoting the research to this guy. He
this this gentleman from NAS could not
believe
he had never seen in his 40 I can't
remember 40 visits or whatever he had
done or 20 years of of doing this he had
never seen board members provide as much
information and detail and know actually
what was going on in the system as the
two of them.
Charlie made sure that he not only
supported the system, he knew what was
going on in the system
and that's commendable.
I I mean I have other stories, but I
think that in general I I think I want
to say that
um I appreciate my experience, my time
working with Charlie Aker. um I'm a
better uh person and leader as a result
of my time with him and our work
together [clears throat] on on many
committees throughout the years. Um the
good times and the um uh more combative
times um
it just means that we care.
And so, um, I'm grateful and, uh,
thankful for,
um, the time that he spent here and the
amount of effort he dedicated to this
district and this district and the
community. I know he's he's done a lot.
I can't speak as much about the
community. I know he was very well. Um,
he he he worked a lot within this
community. Um, trying to make it a
better place. And uh Charlie Charlie's
efforts did not fall flat. He made this
place a better place.
>> Thank you for that. Um I will speak to
that as well. Um I knew Charlie before
school board in our um joint roles as
elected officials. [clears throat] Um he
was town moderator for many many years
in Ranch and I've been supervisor of the
checklist for over 10 now. Um, and
that's the role that I was able to find
this information through the Secretary
of State's office that he passed. Um,
currently there is no um
online notification planning there is uh
currently that is in uh you if you
looked them up you would not find
anything about an obituary. You would
not find this information. Um the family
is um not local and um
I know that people will want to um
participate in a memorial for him. I
know that the town um that the select
board knows and um and I know that uh
first week of September we have a
primary coming up and it's going to be
breaking people's hearts to go and not
see him there. Um so yeah, this was this
this was a very very great loss for the
town branch and for the district. So
thank you for that.
One thing that I observed about Charlie
is that he would
push
to get the right to to get the answer
and push us to do more.
And when he was dissatisfied, he would
let everybody know in detail.
But when he was satisfied, it was
usually a one-word answer.
good.
And that was like it was such a big word
for me because it meant we did it. Now
we can move on. [laughter]
Now we can uh tackle the next project.
He was an amazing person and I'm uh very
grateful that
I was able to serve with him. He
certainly taught me a lot.
>> I got to serve with him for three years.
Chel had called me and asked me,
[clears throat]
he said, "Hey, I need help on a school
board. Why don't you sign up for school
board?" So, I did and we we spent a lot
of time together and we did a lot of
stuff together and
he taught me a lot and uh I probably
didn't teach him anything, but but we
had a good time.
>> Thank you. Are there any questions on
the other items in the superintendent
report?
>> I don't so much have a question, but I
did drive by JGS and looked at the
windows
>> and they look super snazzy. They did a
great job.
They match the age of the facility. You
know, they they they fit
aesthetically,
but obviously they're new. Um,
and I'm very appreciative that those old
windows are are gone and that I hope
that makes this school more
safe and also more energy efficient.
>> Yes, they I mean I need to do a final
inspection on all those things.
Hopefully that will happen tomorrow.
But, uh, yeah, they I've I've certainly
been there, you know, as they've gone
along and so they look fantastic.
Absolutely. And, um, we need to still
get some blinds up. We also had all
those rooms painted, uh, so that they
are they're just they look sharp. One of
them needed it badly. They needed a lot
of mudding in the walls. They were
pretty cracked up. So, that was good
that we did that. And, uh, the flooring
also, um, has been finished over at
Jeffrey grade school. So, that's good.
Apollo Steel will do the front entryway
to the gymnasium area. The the poles um
some of them are misplaced, not aligned,
um not proper. So, they'll be doing
that, but that'll be the last major
hurdle for the um for the summer.
>> All right. Um let's move on to the
consent agenda.
We have manifests, we have payroll,
uh budget transfers for out of district
placement, tuition, and a contracted par
profofessional. Um we have lots of
appointments for activities, athletics,
and par profofessionals. And that's
wonderful to see the paraprofessionals
um coming in. Um, we have a new English
teacher and a new STEM teacher coming in
and three reservations
and um, any discussion on the consent
agenda?
>> We'll take a motion to approve.
>> I move we accept the consent agenda as
presented.
>> Thank you, Sandra. Is there a second?
>> I'll second.
>> Thank you, Dan. Any discussion?
All in favor say I.
>> I.
>> Opposed? Abstain. Pass is 600 Z.
>> We have the minutes from the August 3rd
meeting.
>> I make a motion to approve the minutes
of the August 3rd meeting.
>> Christine,
there a second.
>> A second.
>> Thank you, Sandra. Any discussion?
>> I
>> opposed. Abstain. Pass 600.
Are there any discussion items?
I guess I um I do have something. I I
know and Ruben, you and I have talked
about this that um
many families in New Hampshire have lost
their SNAP benefits.
which means that they they
lose those coupons that they can use at
the grocery store to buy healthy food or
at the farmers market.
Uh for a family, that also means that
they are no longer
automatically enrolled in free or
reduced lunch.
There's a concern that those families
will not
will not know immediately that they have
to fill out the paperwork
to enroll their children in free and
reduced lunch. So, uh we have a
situation where
it'll be harder for families to buy
groceries. these these families um it'll
be harder for them to buy groceries at
the grocery store and their potential
for their children to not immediately
get free or reduced lunch. And in
addition to that, if they're not signing
up for free and reduced lunch, um the
school, let me say it this way, when
students get free and reduced lunch,
there's also some extra
grant money through title one funds that
comes to the school and the families are
losing their free and reduced lunch,
then there's the potential for the
school to lose some title one funds.
Um, so my concern as a
school board member is both for the
children and also for the funds.
So I'm
wondering [clears throat] what we can do
to ensure that families know to fill out
those forms, you know, and um,
I guess we can start with that.
Well, we [sighs] yeah, I mean, I think
we have to make a a stronger concerted
effort to um communicate in every way
possible. So, we right now when you
register, you know, you have all those
forms, they can go fill out those forms
and so forth and see what comes in.
it will be also done from and probably
best done the communication from the
school level to families uh as they have
a better relationship with the building
principal or teachers perhaps even don't
usually have teachers promoting that.
So, we'll think about that um and what
the implications are there. But I do
think that um you know, we will we've
been make making several pushes uh in
the beginning of the year and then even
throughout the year. Um also at open
houses. We do get very good attendance
at both elementary open houses and the
open houses here have actually gotten uh
bigger and bigger and bigger um in the
last several years. Uh actually all the
events that we have had here have really
skyrocketed in attendance which is
great. Um so uh
having that there being able to answer
questions encouraging people to fill it
out regardless of whether they think
they qualify or not. That's going to be
the tact I take
>> personally is to promote this. Um I have
done that in years past and I think this
is one of those years where we have to
make a major push.
Can I also make some suggestions that we
just um
maybe print some flyers and get them
hung up in the library uh the public
libraries or maybe some of the churches
would would help us with this. This is a
true community issue, I think. Yeah,
>> I know QR codes are
>> not always perfect, but um if we could
just have maybe a QR code that just goes
right to the
to the form that might be helpful.
Anything we can do to make it helpful,
easier.
>> Yeah, like you said, it's a domino
effect or a or systemmatic if you think
of it that way. is that one you have um
you know something that is helping them
with families with food at home that's
you know um going to be a little that's
going to be more of a struggle and then
you have um that impacting
the access to food here in a financially
um accessible way for those families uh
which I do think even if they don't
qualify is getting harder and harder for
families
Um and then as a if if that happens and
we don't have the percentage of people
who you know need it signing up and we
don't have that uh reported to the state
that then impacts the resources the
school district gets from federal funds.
>> Yes. And so that then impacts things uh
all of it impacts academics but it
impacts it more directly in an academic
way as it is. We've we've been losing
title funds for years. Um we used to
fund three or three and a half full-time
positions and we're down to two.
And do you think that's because
we do not have as many impoverished
families in the area or are people not
filling out the forms or
something else?
>> Uh I think that sometimes it it could be
that some are filling out the forms. Uh
I think that you would
um I mean JGS has specifically stayed
fairly consistent you know between that
32 and 38% range. Um I think we are you
know 32 at this point the last that the
state has indicated we are at um
obviously it's a title one school so at
one point it was at least at 40% free
and reduced lunch perhaps a little
higher. So when they made that jump from
a title one,
there's different types of title one
schools. So a title one um targeted
assistance school to a title one
schoolwide school, just different rules
about how you use the funds. Um and how
you can use utilize people and so forth.
That's the difference between the two.
Um you would have had to have been over
40% at that point in time. I don't think
that we're financially as a community I
don't see the evidence that we're like
far better than that.
>> Um and I would say that regardless of
that threshold I think that they're um
and just talking I talked to a lot of a
lot of parents. I think, you know, um I
think it's even those who are above that
threshold,
they're in that zone where um they don't
meet the threshold for anything for for
any support. So, it's it's not easy
right now. Um so,
>> thank you. Um, one thing I would love to
see is um if we could have maybe the
last couple of years how many uh
students uh were free and reduced lunch
just members and then uh maybe like
October 1st or when things are kind of
due see uh if there has been a change
how much of a change there might have
been but it'd be nice to like I just
have no idea how many actively we have
or have had so be nice to see a little
just a graph of that if possible.
>> Um, the other thing I want to mention is
we're about to have a first reading of
uh very updated uh donations policy um
or excuse me, advertising policy and
hopefully [snorts] giving us an
opportunity to do more fundraising. Um,
and
I would be curious if we could fund
raise to um offset costs of lunch and
breakfasts and especially debt, but at
least, you know, get some money flowing
in. U maybe there's community
organizations that would like to give
toward it. Um, but if there's a if it's
possible for people, like if there's a
fund that people can have, you know, I
would like to donate a thousand dollars
into the into the food service fund to
offset children's lunches. Like, is that
something that's possible um through
this new policy? So, I would like to
>> I'd like I'd like to donate my salary to
>> Thank you.
And by that you mean your school board?
>> Yeah, the school board.
>> Yeah. Not my regular sal. [laughter]
>> That's very generous. Thank you, Dan.
>> All right. Any further discussion on
those?
All right. Action item. unassigned fund
balance retainage is up.
So, Carrie um and her team have
finalized this.
Um it's similar to what we've talked
about was uh you know about two and a
quarter% 2 and a half% perhaps. um
8003,320
is the amount that was in is in the
unassigned fund balance.
And so um
you have the opportunity to do something
with that. Um if the school board
chooses to retain um they can retain
up to 83,320
because the 5% of the net assessment is
higher. Um Carrie, am I correct at the
that that number is the 1,158,000?
>> No, the um that was the prior years. So
what can be the calculation is
1,196,300.
It's on the second page.
>> That's that's what the board could have
retained if we had that much.
>> Okay. Good. Yep. So on the second page
of this, I'll show this to the people in
the audience that if we had had it
available 5% one, we would have been
able to have a conversation about
retaining one 1 96300.
So 1 1,196,300.
Uh so 800
3,320
is certainly within that range. And so
you're able to retain all of it, some of
it.
And you would need to
discuss uh with one another and make a
motion uh the motion that Carrie has
written here under the action area on
that bottom paragraph. It will just read
it so that you can kind of process it in
your own minds. If this is something you
wanted to do, the Jaffrey Ridge School
Board authorized the retention of
however much of that 8003,000 and change
you're talking about. Um,
general the general fund assign
unassigned final balance for the purpose
of having funds on hand to use as a
revenue source for expenditures or to be
used as a revenue source to reduce the
tax rate all in accordance with the RSA
1984-B.
So to be clear, our choices are um spend
the money,
save the money, hold on to it or give it
back to the taxpayers and increments of
that can happen like all three could
happen in increments. But those are our
choices. Correct. I
>> think we have two choices. We have two
choices. To retain something and
whatever we don't retain, it would go to
offset taxes. Is that the would you say
that's the language we would want to
use? Um if you retain the entire thing,
nothing goes back to offset the taxes.
Um and then if you retain it, then
>> you can choose you can choose to um
>> yeah, the board has the the right to you
to use those funds for something. You
have to have a public hearing
>> prior to
spending any of those funds to uh let
people know and have an opportunity to
have a conversation about it um what
it's going to be spent on. So for
instance, we can't use it for the
purpose of uh backfilling something that
we've already kind of put into place.
>> But can we use it can we would we need a
hearing to say we would like to keep
this in an account in case something
happens in December or something like
with the insurance that happened last
November?
>> Oh, I see what you're saying. Is it
>> this is this would stay with Do you mind
Carrie if you describe where this money
stays?
>> Um and you'll need a microphone. Um
>> would you if you wouldn't mind would you
mind sitting next to Judy and then we
can move over.
>> Thank you for that.
>> So basically all you're doing is taking
that amount that's in our fund balance
and saying we're going to retain it.
we're going to hold it. So, it doesn't
like go into a different fund. It just
doesn't get returned to taxpayers and
then you retain the the money and it
just stays basically in our in our uh
bank account. Um, and if the board
chooses later to spend it on something,
as Ruben said, you would hold a public
hearing to discuss what you were going
to spend the money on and you could
retain it for the whole year and not use
it. And then at the end of the year,
part of the calculation I provided, that
would be your prior year's retainage
plus any potential new retainage to come
up with, you know, the next year's
amount that you have the ability to with
uh to retain. Does that make sense?
>> It does.
>> So, for those in the audience, like we
could we wouldn't be able to put it into
one of our trust funds.
>> Right. And while tonight we can say and
should say if we choose to retain it for
the re for the purpose of spending it,
the board should say what you want to
spend it on. It can't just be a vague
thing. But that decision is not what's
being made tonight.
>> The decisions to retain it or not.
>> All we're the decision tonight, the
action we're taking is to retain or to
not. And if we say not, then it goes
back to the taxpayers and it can be a
portion of this. Does everybody kind of
understand?
Great. Okay, Judy, you've had your hand
raised a couple.
>> Yeah. Um, do we have a deficit in our
food service program that we keep caring
over?
I'm I'm just thinking of things that
this money would be good for.
>> Um, Carrie, would you be able to come
back? I think you're going to have
several I think you're going to have
several questions.
a question specifically about food
service.
>> Is there a deficit that we carry from
year to year? I thought I saw that
there's like some amount that like
students have charged to um buy lunches
and we didn't get reimbursed. Is there
some sort of like $30,000 deficit or
something that
>> keeps getting carried forward?
>> Well, yes. So, basically we carry it at
the end of the year. it goes as an
accounts receivable and then um on the
general fund and then it moves back to
the food service fund as as um a
negative balance on the students
account. So actually never gets taken
away as a negative balance on the
students counts. It's how you record it
on the balance sheet
>> to get rid of that would be I think an
excellent one used for this money and
also to fund lunches for kids who need
them. I mean, that's just from listening
tonight and thinking of things I've
heard about. So, I think we should keep
it. That's all I'm saying.
>> Thanks. You're welcome.
>> Yeah,
>> Carrie, before you go.
>> And actually, Carrie, I think you got a
lot of stuff on here tonight, so you
never know, right? The DOE 25 and the
computer stay for a little while. Yeah.
Yeah. It's kind of
>> Okay, Carrie.
Um, this is the type of question I maybe
would ask Ruben or if Chris were here, I
would have asked Chris, but can you tell
me if we were to return this in its
entirety to the average
home in the Jaffrey Ring School District
that costs say $400,000? Like what how
much money that would be? Well, what it
does, we don't actually physically
return the money. What it does is it
gets reported as revenue. When the
revenues are finalized for this year
with the department of revenue, it gets
put on the books as additional revenue
to reduce the total tax assessments.
>> Um that the that the towns have to pay.
Do we have any idea how much it would
reduce
taxes? And is there any way to calculate
that?
>> Um,
I mean, I could I could probably pull up
my documents to see roughly how that
would translate, but the evaluations, if
the evaluations have changed this year,
it would just be a ballpark is what it
would be. Yeah.
Okay. All right. Anybody else have
opinions on this? Dan, what do you want
to do?
>> Yeah, I mean, I'm kind of mixed on it.
Um, I think that we, if I'm
understanding correctly, right now, we
have uh a zero balance in the well, we
don't because we have money, but uh in
our excess money, we this would be all
we have right now. for retainage. Yes.
Yeah.
>> So, we have basically if we didn't have
if we gave it all away, then we have we
would have no extra money and if we ran
into a problem with our budget, then we
got a problem.
>> That's correct. Yeah.
>> So, you know, that's kind of I'm not
necessarily against keeping it as a
retainer in in case, but then I'm a
little bit ler like, hey, we got money,
let's spend it. So, I'm not really a big
advocate about spending too much of
[clears throat] it. I'm kind of thinking
like it should be kept there so that if
we ever do have an issue and next year
if we have extra money, we can build it
up to the proper amount because we can
build it up to
can next year we do the same thing or do
we got to stop at a certain number? We
can only hold it up to a certain number.
>> You can only hold up to 5% of the net.
Next year we had another 800,000 and
exceed or whatever. We we would have to
stop at that number and we'd have the
total amount.
>> You can't you can't go higher than the
5% calculation. So it's whatever your
budget is at that time and you take the
calculation by 5%. I I think I'm all for
for holding it in in as a reserve, but
you know, I don't I'm not saying that
some of it can't get spent, but
>> can we do half and half, re retain half
of it and give the other 400 back to
taxpayers? We could.
>> I think I'd be in favor of that.
>> Keep keep 400 of it as a retain that and
do the other 400 back to taxpayers.
Well, I think it'd be good to have some
for sure. You know,
>> we have definitely spent
our
reserved funds in the past, not just um
a recent example that I think people
might remember is that we use our
reserved funds for
funding some of the programs that were
cut from the budget.
on a one-year basis. But we also used
those funds
uh a few years before when we were ran
into problems when we were paving this
driveway and we the project got to be
bigger than we budgeted for and we
called upon our reserve funds to
pay to finish that project. We so we've
definitely used these as emergency funds
probably every couple of years.
Um so I I agree with Dan that it is
important to have
emergency funds because these are old
facilities and we take excellent care of
them but we do not know what's
what clay pipes are going to burst or
>> hopefully we don't have any
when we had that moat underneath the
Pratt.
>> Can I point out something else too that
I don't know if everybody's thinking of
um this if it was returned to taxpayers
that will reduce the net assessment
that's that's assessed um to the towns
for this fiscal year. And if the tax cap
passes, that means your cap is based on
that lower assessment. So, is that good?
>> Depends on how you look at it.
>> So, just wanted to make sure you keep
that in mind.
>> Caps lower.
>> Y
>> I'm all for retaining a
I just think we did what we had to do
when we put the sports back in, but that
was living on the edge in my mind.
>> I don't want to be in that position
again.
Well, I think if we run a fiscal year
this year, we should have extra funds
again and then we can
>> yeah, get our retainage up to
>> I think we should do well
>> get it up to the 5% and then after that
say, okay, we've got our cushion if
something goes wrong.
>> Jared, thoughts?
>> Yeah, I mean the retainage would have
been higher, but we did spend or pay
580,000
to school care
>> in advance, right? So that helped.
What did that come out of? Wasn't that
like some kind type of advanced payment?
>> Yes. Some of 140,000 of that roughly
came out of prior years um money uh that
we didn't get to retain. We just we used
Yeah. Where would you when we some other
areas were as a result of some savings
here and there, but I think we also
>> a big chunk of it was the extra revenue
that
>> was was a lot. We got a lot of that.
>> Plus, we pre-bought a lot of Chromebooks
that would have been coming out of the
26 27 school budget.
>> We did that this year. Yep.
>> So, I mean, there's things that were
ahead on
>> already. We could retain 500,000, you
know, so we have a decent amount in
return 303. I know it's not a huge
amount, but
>> I I I'm still in favor of doing half and
half.
>> Uh when I spoke with Ally about this, um
she recommended retaining just for that.
for my part, I
would split it. Um, and I would like to
use funds to buy the two vans, and I
would like to use those funds to um to
support a um a another preschool
classroom, those things that I've been
talking about. So, those those two
pieces I could be funded with this um
and we'd still have money left for the
retainage. Um, so I,
you know, I know we'd have to have a
hearing to spend them, but I think we
all agree that we will save a
substantial amount of money with these
ants. Um, and we already know that, uh,
the early childhood program, especially,
you know, with the preschool, we save a
lot of money on paraprofessionals. Uh
that was made very clear from Jen Horn
last year when she did the um PowerPoint
that's in our um
on the website about Sputn.
Um she outlined that we had saved
numerous positions um not that were no
longer necessary for uh kindergarten and
first grade because of the preschool
because the kids came to school
prepared. We know that there is a
waiting list for the preschool right
now. Having one more classroom which was
removed. Um so having one more classroom
would alleviate the community um the
need for that and also in the long run
save us money. So both of those I think
would be excellent long-term
investments. though I would like to
retain but also with the idea that we
will have a hearing and hope to spend
this money um a little bit but we we
have to have a savings in this. We have
to have that was so hard when we got
word last fall about school care. Um
that was completely out of the blue. It
was it was unconscionable that they did
that with so little notice that we had
to pay them and then said we're going to
charge you interest if you don't pay us.
Start paying. It was it was awful. Um,
other school districts were able to with
to uh stay afloat with their unassigned
fund balance uh with that that extra,
you know, little little pocket. Um, we
were not and that was really hard. Um,
and again, kudos Carrie for for felt
like weekly you were finding a nickel
and a dime to pay this off. Really
really kudos to you. Um, that was a huge
worry. Um, so I would also vote for
retainage, but please do be thinking
about should we vote for that? Uh,
please be thinking about how we would
spend that. Um, yeah, Judy,
>> I know I'm usually kind of stingy on
behalf of the taxpayer, but I do agree
that the preschool prepares the kids so
much um before they go to regular
school, kindergarten, and first grade
that it does in the long run save us
money on special ed. And I also know
that, you know, kids are just more
receptive to learning at that age. So,
my feeling on it is
keep the money, spend it on food for
children that need it and um preschool.
That's my opinion.
>> Did you I I might have missed it, but
did you say there was a number that you
had for that that item that you talked
about
>> for which
>> the both of them? Um, from the previous
board meetings somehow I'm thinking uh I
think it was like 160 for one and 100
for the other. Like 160 for the vans. I
might be mistaken. Did we have a
>> about 140 for the vans was is a rough
estimate on that one um for purchase.
Um I mean I before we would go I mean
I'm obviously like the biggest proponent
for early any any education. Um I'd want
to be very careful before going and
adding it just in case that waiting list
people have found oper like plans you
know before adding it. I do think that
we need to I think get I would advocate
for retaining the whole thing and
whether it's not added this year or if
it is added this year um making sure
that we figure out a way to make sure
it's in that budget and capable of going
on the next even if it's like we let's
say we wanted to put one back in the
budget and then this was able to fund
like the other one for a year that type
of thing I think that would be helpful.
We have a couple other things to think
about is that when we used to have uh an
administrator another administrator at
the elementary schools that oversaw all
the pre preK and we cut that out as
well. So it adds we just have to be plan
we have to plan well
>> before doing that and we also I don't
know I don't have numbers for you yet.
Um I I know they're in the range of 18
and 19 possibly getting up to 20. our
kindergarten classes are getting very
high um in both Ring and Jaffrey. So, we
have some needs there as well um that we
have to consider. So,
um I'm
just want to give you give you the the
information because I would want to make
sure that if we put something in place
like that for this year that we actually
had the population that was going to
come in. I want to s you know again
survey and make sure because I do know
that there are two people that um I've
connected with who have put their
children into part-time placements. Now,
whether they pull those out and go back
in, that's another type of thing.
>> I like the idea of having a unassigned
balance so that we have some money
there, but then it's also like, hey, we
got extra money, let's spend it. And I'm
really I'd like to preserve it
personally, but that's just my opinion.
So, um, so then I start looking at Jared
saying and said, "Well, maybe we don't
retain it all because then we're going
to spend it." So, I don't know, you
know, it's it's it's I I look at it both
ways. So, um, I do want to keep a
balance. I really do. I think we should.
>> And what I heard you saying was using
funds to save funds.
>> Exactly.
>> And what I heard Judy saying is part
part that. And also we've been talking
as a board prior like for a couple years
now on food and security. So there these
are all these are
all good conversations.
>> All right. Are we ready to uh have
probably have multiple votes on the
retainage uh because we do need to
decide how much to retain and what
percentage. Okay. Or what number to
retain. So, let's just start with an
informal. Uh, full or what? Partial.
Okay. So, Judy,
>> full retain.
>> Okay. Dan,
>> I would like to retain 500 and uh get
back to 303
320.
>> Christine, I would like to retain all of
>> Okay. Sandra,
>> I'd like to retain all of it.
>> Okay. J,
>> I'll go with Dan's. retain 500 give back
to 303 320.
>> Okay. And I would like to retain all of
it. So let's do a formal vote then just
so we know. All right. So
>> we get a motion.
>> Yep. So we need a motion and the motion
will be we'll do the majority first. The
motion will be to retain all of it. Uh
the full 83,320.
And we'll take a motion for that.
And that's the action.
So the motion's written right up there
for someone to be able [clears throat]
to read.
>> Yes.
>> So I move that the Jeffrey Wrench School
Board authorize the retention of
>> I'm sorry.
>> $83,320
general fund unassigned fund balance for
the purpose of having funds on hand.
Okay. Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> Thank you, Christine. All right. We will
do a voice vote.
>> I seconded.
>> You seconded. Thank you.
>> But we're thinking so we will do a vote
voice vote. Uh, Vice President Judy.
>> This is for the retaining the full
>> no.
>> Okay. Christine,
>> Sandra?
>> Jared?
>> No. And I say I that passes four
420
420. Thank you everybody.
>> I hear what you're saying, Dan, but I
feel like
that's a drop in the bucket and we
really need something to fall back on. I
don't disagree with you, but I didn't
want to leave too much to fall back on
because I think we might like, you know,
when somebody's got a little extra dough
on them, they want to spend it.
>> That'll be another vote.
All right.
Do we want to stay on this? And does
anybody feel strongly that they want to
ask for a hearing to expend these funds?
>> I'd like to hear more info from Reuben
on the prek situation.
>> I'd say push it off till next meeting.
>> I can I can provide a report. I mean, I
was planning on doing it for the bus and
for the um
>> the policy that you were going to talk
about as well. Um, so the next time
around I'm going to do a presentation. I
might have enough information to talk
about it. But, uh, for the school buses,
um, I'm waiting to get a little more
clarity on how they could be utilized
better for the CTE, but I'm pretty
convinced that's where a lot of your
savings is going to be is during the
school day. If we can get that done
properly, um possibly with the use of
some volunteers, we um as well to help
with some of that trained volunteers to
drive at times because uh I think it
will be tough to do otherwise. Um you
got to have a little bit of extra
support. Um, and then we know about 2/3
you would s you would be able to save
2/3 you would be able to not budget
twothirds of your current um athletic
transportation line if you had two vans
of your own plus the usage of the one
that we have with the town which we do
pay some for um but we don't pay nearly
as much as if we use the bus company for
it. So those factors right there um it
would take you uh you might break even
this year with it. It's possible. Um if
we could ensure that we could use it for
during the day as well for CTE and we
have a lot of people going to CTE
courses. Uh as of right now anyway,
we'll find out in the next two weeks
what it levels out to, but we're talking
about 50 learners to three different
schools.
I will also present some possibilities
around using funds, whether it be these
or just other funds on um continuing the
the work on CTE here to get us back into
that game.
>> Um I think we can do it for not too
much. We had a proposal already. Just
need to update that proposal with that
information and move forward. um we
would have to plan some construction but
I don't think it would be massive
and the revenue most likely because the
data that we had would suggest that if
we put something in place for instance
in the realm of cosmetology we would
have a lot of people wanting to try to
get including our own of course.
>> Okay. So if for the next meeting you
could have prepared
>> um information of of is it viable to at
a preschool now or if that's be
manageable.
>> And information on the viability of and
and recommendation of getting two vans.
This is this is in mind of using this
fun
>> and uh the food service deficit and what
can be done to um you know what that
would cost so that we can prepared
should we want to do a hearing we can be
prepared in October to do something like
that. Yeah.
>> All right. There was no other those were
the three areas that I was hearing that
people
were okay. Okay. All right. Um, next up
is approval of DOE25 and MS25 reports.
Welcome Carrie.
Showing the DOE 25. If Carrie, you can
talk about I'm going to enlarge this for
those who are online um because this is
tough to see.
So hopefully this will show up better.
>> So, basically this is just a financial
analysis of how the school district um
did over the 2526
uh fiscal year. So this page is
basically your your balance sheet and
then in subsequent pages it'll report
out expenditures and revenues and it
then it breaks breaks it out further by
some special ed, elementary, middle, and
high school. Um I mean there's there's a
lot to it but it's it's what has to get
reported to the department of ed. and
the MS-25
which pulls data from this goes to the
department of revenue. So you're
basically approving both. But on that
first page because the board voted to
retain funds actually um
right there. So the 803320
will just get shifted up to line 32
to be um the unassigned fund balance
retained. So basically you would just
approve this as modified due to um the
board voting to retain funds.
>> Okay. Carrie, do we need to have Well,
they're going to approve this,
>> but do they need to make a specific
approval with the number changed to line
32?
>> I would include that. Yeah. Just to to
say you're approving this as um modified
to hold the retainage. Something like
>> And this is just a summary of this last
year.
And this one goes to the Department of
Ed. And the [clears throat] other one,
which is going to be fairly close to
this,
>> it's just it's the same
>> same thing.
>> Well, it's a financial report. It's just
broken out how the Department of Revenue
likes to see it.
>> Yep. And it, like I said, it pulls data
from the DOE25. So, it's
>> which is this one right here.
>> Yep. Correct. just so that people online
can see what the department of revenue
prefers
to see.
>> So both reports will be modified to
account for the retainage.
>> Okay. Any questions for car? All right.
We'll take a motion to approve DOE 25
and MS-25 reports
>> with the
>> as as amended. Okay,
>> I will make that motion.
>> Thank you, Christine. Is there
>> one motion or both motion?
>> We are approving MS25 and DOE25 reports
to be sent to the state.
>> Thank you. And any further discussion?
All right. All in favor say I.
>> Opposed? Abstain. That's a 600. Thank
you everybody. Now step we have the
handbooks and there's summary of
updates.
All right. So the summary of updates um
you have these
Lisa when the policy committee meets
um the handbook on page 35 for the CHS
learner um does not mention
the meta glasses that are now available.
It just says cell phones, smart watches,
and earbuds,
but it does not address meta glasses.
Can that be looked at in the policy
and JIC?
>> It doesn't address what?
>> The meta glasses. The meta glasses are
glasses they wear with cameras that are
constantly recording.
>> Yes. I think that needs to be added into
>> So, it's page 35.
>> Yeah, it's 35 in the CHS.
>> Mhm.
>> There's a line that says personal
devices, schoolboard policy reference
and it references that, but I went to
that policy and that policy doesn't say
anything about them.
>> Okay. So, really going back to the
schoolboard policy is the way to go if
you want to keep the language in as
this. Yeah.
>> Yeah. We can do that.
>> All right. We'll take a motion to
approve.
Do we want Do I mean, we've had these
for a little bit. Do we need to go
through them? Does someone Okay.
>> Okay. We'll take a motion to
[clears throat] approve the handbooks as
written.
>> I'll move the handbooks as written.
>> Thank you, Sandy. Is there a second?
>> Sorry.
>> Thank you, Jared. Sorry. Yeah. And any
further discussion?
Okay. All in favor say I.
>> Opposed.
Passes 600 Z. Thank you.
>> Um
policies. Um before we get into them and
we we Yeah, we're going to spend a lot
of time on KHB. This is the second
reading for the remainders. Um as you
remember the remainders are from the New
Hampshire School Board Association
legislative updates. Um these are in
general by and large mandatory policies
uh that have been updated. So we nearly
in all cases took their language. There
are a number of policies that the policy
committee sent on to administration to
review before we brought them to you.
They are also by and large mandatory. So
we need to address them but we're going
to wait till September um this to to get
into those. Um before I say this, I
would like to uh make a hugely strong
recommendation from the policy committee
to please
fix the system so that everybody has
access to the policies. Uh meaning get
rid of the wiki,
finally get a system that um
everybody offsite and on-site can open
every policy. Um right now it is still
scattered who can actually open them
which is not acceptable but staff cannot
open on site the policies that cannot
continue. So have to state that
strongly.
Um so first reading we had um some
really good conversations this summer
around how can we start better utilizing
advertising to raise funds while
protecting our students from
exploitation which has always been a
possibility and a concern. And so we
worked together as a policy committee
and with Heather and with administration
and um looked at lots of things and uh
put the policy before you. And I do want
to highlight some areas of it and make
one edit already.
>> We went off screen. Okay. Um, the piece
that Ally said when she looked at it was
she would like the word logo also
included in this. So that uh that's just
I know we have the word branding but
have um have that also be a term in
here. So sorry everybody it's off screen
but it is in the agenda. Um so just
please open up another tab and take a
look. Um, and I just want to see back.
>> All right. Yeah, the word logo is
mentioned. No logos or symbols unless
they are associated with identifying the
specific entity or enterprise and do not
represent food point or expression. So,
she had mentioned something like that.
All right. Um, so this policy is heavily
adapted. Uh, we borrowed from Conbell.
we looked at Oyster River and then I
found a great site out of Montana um
that also added some things that we want
that that you touched on. Um
but and so because this is a lot, I want
to see what we're missing. This one is
really important. This is
I I want to know what we're missing. So,
uh, general statement, Jeff Cooperative
School District encourages community
members and business owners to provide
financial support for school activities.
I will say these first two paragraphs
are pretty much word for word from
Conval. So, thank you guys for that. Um,
this is done a great deal. People borrow
from each other all the time. All right.
Uh, one permissible method of showing
support is to buy advertisements or
sponsor banners, posters, signs, etc.
for display on school property under the
conditions and restrictions set forth by
the board. JRCSD shall protect students
and parents from exploitation and ensure
that commercial activities do not
interfere with educational programs
except for instruction relating to
advertising. Students shall not be
required to listen to, read or be
subjected to commercial advertising in
the classroom or school provided
materials in curriculum related
activities except as provided in this
policy. Uh we have definitions. Um one
definition that I added um and this was
from I think it was Montana um publicity
and promotional material.
Uh so I that was more outlined. Uh I
wanted to have that definition in there.
Um I wanted to have a link to uh Kappa
uh because this is what drives our uh
need to protect students and and the
legal aspects of uh protecting students
from exploitation. So if anybody needed
to see well what laws do protect
students KPA is a great first step. Um I
added this sentence that says under
Kappa D 2025 updates strengthen rules
against third-party data sharing and
children's data retention. Kappa was
very recently updated um children's
online privacy protection act. So it was
updated in 2025 to protect against
thirdparty data sharing and data
retention. Um all of our technology
follows COPPO rules. So we we have uh
technology director who is very very
careful about what kids see what they
get access to same but same for anybody
using the district websites. Um so they
this district is very very on top of um
of the laws. Uh the next part is
regulations. Um advertisement
sponsorship. Uh, no advertisement or
sponsorship as defined by this policy
shall be allowed unless it complies with
this policy fits one or more of the
following categories and is approved by
the site administrator and or
superintendent or designate.
Uh, one do I have my I'm just literally
checking everything to see if I did the
numbers right even. Um, we have paid
advertisement in school student
publication or other district
publication.
uh instructional aids furnished by
private sources when the advertising is
reasonable, non-intrusive, and not
inherent to the content. Uh signs on
school property or at school events that
meet local sign ordinances and comply
with the policy. Advertising sponsorship
for an extracurricular activity.
Proschool sponsorship for an
organization approved by the board of
education. The display of product names
or of vending machines is appropriately
placed in the school for the use of
student staff of the public. Incidental
advertisements that appear when students
are using various internet services.
COPA
um and any advertisement or sponsorship
announcement shall be strictly limited
to identifying group, organization or
business as follows. And then it gives
the definitions of what can be seen. Um
and then publicity and promotional
materials. Non-school sponsored
advertising and publicity may be
permitted when the principal and
superintendent judge that the content
fits into the overall instructional
objectives of the school and shall have
prior approval of the superintendent.
Neither the facilities, the name, the
staff, nor the children of any school
within the district shall be employed in
any manner for advertising or otherwise
promoting the interests of any
commercial or other non- agency or
organization except in the following
situations. So those are outlined. I
won't read all those.
And then we have uh prohibited
commercial activities and those are in
our current policy. Um, no viewpoint is
permitted. No advertising or sponsorship
shall be accepted if it advertises or
promotes tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs
or weapons, hostility, disorder or
violence. Contains vulgar abuse of
obscene or sexually explicit language.
Is lielist demeans any person on group
or group based on race, gender,
ethnicity, age, disability or religion.
Advocates the violation of law or board
policy. advances any religious or
political purpose or interests,
promotes, favors or opposes a candidate
for elected office or a ballot measure,
is associated with any company or
individual whose actions are
inconsistent with JRC's educational
mission and goals or community values or
is otherwise in violation of the law.
And we have nonendorsement.
Um Shelby, we should advertising doesn't
mean that we are endorsing them. We have
the right to cancel in the next um I'm
trying to see if I added something
cancelling and amending.
Okay, now the last part I added. So this
accounting one I added in because we had
the discussion so many times of how do
we hold accountable financially for you
know how how do we make sure that
everything is uh getting put in the
right places that no group is going
rogue and just on their own making this
nice little parent group or or community
group that's going to raise money that
we have no idea where this accounting is
going. Um, and so I added this in. I
think this is from Montana. Uh,
advertising revenues must be paid
directly to the district unless the
revenue comes from contacts within one
of the approved organizations for paying
for a facility in the district
regardless of how the advertisers come
to be willing to pay for advertising on
district property or district
publications. The revenues may be
acknowledged and credited to the
district organization involved with
securing the advertising, but that
organization cannot have direct receipt
and control of the revenues except for
an approved organization paying for a
facility in the district. The revenue
shall be accounted for and reported in
compliance with the New Hampshire Bureau
of School Finance legal requirements. A
periodic report shall be made to the
board by the superintendent or designate
regarding the scope and amount of such
revenues.
So, it's a lot to it. This was a lot.
Um, is there anything we're missing to
be able to take advantage of the
publicity that Heather was talking about
with um uh with uh the televised
programs, we might be able to get
advertising now from bigger places. Like
I think what we're trying to do is
not just work on our local revenue
streams because they're tapped out. Um,
we had a great meeting uh with Patty
Farmer uh who a recent a schoolboard
member not long ago who was also on the
policy committee and she is the
fundraiser for Franklin Pierce and she
came over to help us out running this
and um and she said you got you got to
stop just thinking local because every
local business is giving to their teeth
right now. Um, there are so many
organizations that need help and and
you've got to make sure that you're not
double dipping, that you don't have
field hockey and drama and and interact
all going to the park theater to get
money kind of thing. Like you can't you
have to make sure that you know
somebody's watching this that you're not
that you're not overstimulating and over
overressing things. We want to be able
to go bigger. We want to be able to to
open this up to farther away than just
local. Um, so does this cover that? Um,
it can always be changed later, but are
you guys seeing any red flags of this?
>> Give me an example of something farther
away that would send us money.
>> I didn't hear you. I'm sorry.
>> Give me an example of a place far away
that would send us money. So if we are p
if we have um the um televised sports,
we already know that the national
scholastic associations recognize our
teams. That was made very clear when we
were cutting athletics. It was all over
national news. So in doing in the type
of televised that we have, Heather found
an option to be able to advertise
through those. So we could have Nike, we
could have bigger bigger names giving us
some money to have their things. So we,
you know, all of our all of our uniforms
are bought from one company. That's a
big company. Could they be helping us
advertise? Okay.
And part of that just so that you
understand is that if we have if we're
televising or kind of basically
televising um someone has a subscription
to our sports programs um that we'll
have some advertisements
uh we can use that as a fundraiser but
any people families from around um the
nation you know if the their
grandparents watching from you know
Oklahoma or Washington state or another
another state within our nation um is
going to we have we will have a maybe
not widespread but a but a national
[clears throat] audience when um when
our kids are playing
in their soccer games, their field
hockey games, track um I believe also
basketball now believe we have the
system inside the the Pratt at least.
All right. So, nobody sees red flags or
anything missing at this point. Okay.
So, this is our first reading. It'll
come back to us um when we have our next
meeting for a second reading. So, be
thinking about if there's any changes in
that point.
>> And at the next meeting along with the
other items, we'll present on some of
the concepts of how this could be
applied.
>> Good. All right. Uh we have a second
reading for
over a dozen policies.
Uh was there any concern in any of those
that you guys saw?
Any discussion on them? If not, we'll
take a motion to approve the group on
mass.
Motion to approve. Thank you, Judy.
>> Thank you, Sandra. Any further
discussion or amendments on them?
>> Yes, Ruben. Um
I think that uh some of these we had the
um principles respond to
um and we had some that input. We have
not put that information into this yet.
>> these are those aren't those
>> the religious neutrality one was one of
them
>> was one of them. I think that might have
been the only one then because the that
group that I gave you was completely
separate from these
>> and the academic honesty and integrity
one has some language in there that I
think the board would um it would vi it
would go against other policy you have
so just a few words that's um mainly the
the two right here that I'm looking at
and then the use of generated artificial
intelligence while not a bad policy per
say there's a group of individuals who
are um working on a perk project on that
very topic and was hoping that we could
hold off on that to see if you know have
them present.
>> All right.
>> Would those three be able to at least
>> Um be able to be held for a third
reading.
>> Yes. So, uh, Sandy, would you be open to
amending
your, uh, motion to approve the policies
barring um, ACD, religious neutrality,
religious accommodations,
uh, EH A, use of generative artificial
intelligence, and IKL, academic honesty
and integrity. So, the remaining
policies will be approved tonight.
So, I'd like to amend my motion that we
accept the second reading for these
policies except for the three that you
mentioned.
>> All right. And are you good with the
second?
>> All right. All in favor say I.
>> Opposed? Abstain. Passes 600. Wendy, do
you have those letters?
Do you have those letters that you're
Okay, thank you. We'll put those on
first for a third reading for the next
meeting. Thank you for that.
All right, we are on to public comments
number two. Um, and I just want to as
we're putting the policy up for that,
um, going back to the discussion of a
hearing,
should the board decide they want to
pursue spending some of the unassigned
funds,
whatever the board says this is what we
want to spend it on, we go before a
hearing and the public has the full
options to be, well, I think you to
spend it on this or I don't want you to
spend it on this or that's that's what
the hearing is. So it's not that the
board is set in stone saying this is
what we're spending it on. If we have a
hearing, we bring it before the public
and the public has a say in that. So
just wanted to make sure that was
understood. That was pure Charlie coming
out of me on that one.
All right. Anybody from the floor wish
to speak?
It's lovely having audience.
>> I'm good.
>> Anybody online?
All right. Uh then we will go into board
matters and I have one.
it is that time of year. Uh the New
Delegate Assembly is coming up on
Saturday, October 17th. Uh we didn't
talk about this in the spring. We have
the option of putting forth proposals
for for the schoolboard association to
vote on. Um
we have not done that for a while and we
were dealing with lots of other stuff at
that point. Um so we don't have any
proposals from our district on the
docket, but there are lots of good
proposals. If you go to the new
Hampshire Schoolboard Association.org,
or you can see the manual and the
proposals
and is there somebody that will
volunteer for Saturday October 17th.
It's generally a fairly full day ends
it's in conquered and and it's like 9 or
9:00 to like 1:00 or something. So, is
there anybody that will be willing to go
to do that?
they are very very interesting to go to.
Um all the uh most of the school
districts in New Hampshire have one or
two attendees and uh we also hear from
other school districts on their
successes. Um and that's very exciting.
There's lots of movement with the
proposals uh as far in the petitions um
just fine-tuning language. Um it is a
very interesting event. So I do highly
recommend it. Is there somebody willing
>> May I add something that might help?
>> Um, the board typically discusses these
so there will be some time to do so and
will provide information to the person
or people who go so that you know that
you're voting for on behalf of the
group. Um, and their statements about
what you believe they should advocate
for.
I'm going to be away that time.
>> Say it again, Dan.
>> I'm going to be away. So, I won't be
around.
>> All right. I'd like you to think about
it and then we'll ask again at the next
meeting. Then we need to have a decision
on that.
All right. Any further board matters?
the facilities meeting had a meeting
this afternoon and I'll press these out.
Leslie gave a um what she's doing for
the stipen reports to make them more
legible and more understanding for us.
So I have a copy for each each of you.
And so with that, if you look through
that and see, oh, I wonder if this would
be a better way or there's something
else that we need to see, we can provide
that information.
>> Like we get an answer by next
change that we want to do
>> to that
platform.
>> Amazing.
>> Also with the facilities, it's
facilities finance committee.
>> Thank you. And so we discussed a lot we
did a lot of education around what
>> really a lot of the conversation the
most of the conversation was about what
it means when we say um someone is
getting paid a salary what all is
included in that. So, while we report
out that um an individual is getting
hired at a master's, let's say step one,
and that might be $53,000.
That's the salary, but then what comes
with that? And so, there was a
discussion about New Hampshire
retirement at 19, a little over 19% that
has to be budgeted there. Um, and also
the the staff member also pays into that
as well. Um the health insurance
depending on what plan they're getting
costs different has different rates and
different um dollar amounts.
Also a uh the FICA which is even across
the board as well as some other minor
items like life insurance and uh workers
comp.
It's a good conversation because
sometimes I think the community sees a
salary
of say $110,000
for I just made that number up
>> for or they see a budgeted amount of
$110,000 for let's say a teacher and
they think wow teachers are doing pretty
well. But it is important to realize
that that amount includes salary plus
FICA insurance and all those other
things that you
>> in New Hampshire retirement's a big a
big number
>> that's almost 20%
of the amounts you're right
>> and that's a a percentage that the state
used to contribute more towards but
they've pushed that increasingly on
local taxpayers. Am I correct? All
>> y it's all it's all pushed locally.
>> Yep.
>> To the taxpayers and and of course the
people themselves contribute.
>> Okay. Um is it uh when do you think
we're going to get a um a budget
development calendar?
>> Budget development calendar. Carrie.
the Department of Revenue usually
releases their calendar right around
now.
>> So,
>> do we have that um portable mic?
>> You want me to just I'll come over.
>> So, I wait until the Department of
Revenue releases their calendar, which
is usually right around now. And once I
get the calendar, I have all the dates
and then we can work from there
typically.
>> Yeah. So, it might be out now. I haven't
checked in the past past week or so.
>> Perfect. Okay. Thank you.
All right. Anything further for We had a
policy meeting. Patty Farmer came. That
was awesome.
>> Special thanks to Patty. She really was
knowledgeable. I liked her
conversation about the difference
between advertising and fundraising.
>> Um, and she gave some I mean gave some
experience,
>> you know, for us to think about.
>> I don't have Patty's correct title in
front of me, but I believe she's a vice
president now at Franklin Pierce.
>> Thank you. Yeah, I knew I was I I knew
her specialty that she was bringing to
us, but I didn't have her title there.
Thank you. And thank you for putting
that together, Christine.
>> All right. All right. So, uh, are we
adjourning to a nonpublic?
>> We are.
>> For purposes of
>> um, reputation.
>> Reputation. So, we'll take a motion to
adjourn to nonpublic.
>> Student student reputation.
>> Okay. We'll take a motion to adjurnn to
nonpublic.
the agenda to nonpublic.
>> Thank you, Dan. And is there a second?
>> Thank you, Jared. And all in favor?
Judy?
>> Dan,
>> Christine.
>> Hi,
>> Jared.
>> Sandy.
>> I say I 600.
>> Thank you everybody. And come back to
public, but we won't have anything to
say. So,