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FMRSD (SAU60) FM Cooperative Review Committee Meeting - September 21st, 2026

Video

Welcome
and uh call this meeting to order at
5:31
there in abouts.
First thing to do is pledge please.
I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
>> Uh before approval of minutes, uh any
housekeeping
name tags are over there. There are also
agendas over there. Uh and we have one
other document to pass out a little bit
later.
>> Okay. Okay. Item number two, approval of
uh meeting minutes from um September
9th. You'll notice on your agenda, it
says the 21st, but we mean the nine. So,
does everybody have an opportunity to
review it?
Any
questions?
Make a motion to approve the minutes.
>> Second.
>> All those in favor? I I
>> um we will get that to number item
three. This will be the second time I've
caught you, Chris.
>> Recognition of visitors.
>> Public public comment. Are there any
visitors here that would like to make a
comment or have anything they'd like to
add?
Nobody being recognized. We'll move
forward. Item number four,
unfinished business.
I'm going to ask Chris uh
Mr. Young to uh review as we're going to
do every meeting. Um review what we've
been going over and any takeaways. So
just a reminder last time we split into
uh three groups. We did a report out at
the end that was what was in the meeting
minutes. Uh key takeaways from that were
reflected pretty well within the
minutes. Um one thing as we move forward
I think we need to be cognizant of is
within our small breakout groups it's
important to take some general notes.
you'll see on our agenda that uh it's
important to be able to report out at
the end accurate and uh information to
be able to put into the minutes. Uh so
just keep that in mind as we move
forward uh especially as we get into our
breakout groups. We're going to use the
same type of format as we continue uh
these discussions.
Any other takeaways from the group from
last time?
>> You're so good.
>> I have a question. Should should we
formally state that Dave Atkins has
resigned from the
committee?
>> Okay.
>> Did you get the email?
>> I did. I must not miss that last
sentence.
>> Yes. Dave Atkins is formerly resigned
from the committee.
with
>> his wife has been put in hospice care.
Yes. Right.
>> Due due the obligations he has resigned
from the committee. So maybe um just
important to know it as we move forward.
>> Well, we'll reach out to look for
somebody else to be replaceable on the
committee.
We actually
we don't really need another Walpole
person, but
>> if we could find somebody,
>> one of the other towns would probably be
helpful.
>> Um,
>> yeah, we're looking at you.
>> Yeah, I'm trying. I've been beating the
bushes looking for someone. Uh, just
people are like, I'm not going to be
here for three months. I'm going away.
I'm Yeah. Um, I've got a a possible
person. Um,
but he wasn't available for this week.
So hopefully he'll be able to come next
week.
>> See, I think under unfinished business,
we should have action items for your
last meeting.
>> We did talk about getting some legal
advice. I just don't want to lose that.
>> That that is a uh area that I have
looked into.
>> Yeah. Okay. Um, I just don't have enough
information to bring it forward to this
to this meeting.
>> Yeah, if it's on the agenda, at least we
don't lose track of it.
>> Y
anybody with anything else on some key
takeaways? Otherwise, we'll move
forward. Um,
>> well, I mean, it kind of blends into
what we're breaking out.
We we were talking about some kind of
stop, but
we were in the middle of a discussion.
Steve was about that it was going to be
difficult and that uh Albert was talking
about that Charles Town could break away
and join Claremont High School and have
a savings of what you say 1.5 million
roughly.
I mean, I think that that's
that's uh a discussion that needs to be
had because probably
and not only could Charlton walk away
from the um district and save 1.5
million. Walhole could probably walk
away and save 1 million. Um every town
could walk away.
Alstead could probably walk away and
Aworth could walk away. So they
everybody could walk away I think but
that's a key component of this group
because it's going to be easier
moving forward with the new RSAs for a
town to walk away.
And I think that maybe as part of the
new agreement that that we can uh come
up with that every town has to sign like
a five or 10 year agreement because it's
I mean let's face it if if Walpole or
Charleston walked away you'd have a
difficult time keeping the district
afloat.
So, no did I and and I think that will
come out as we um I kind of picture this
as a funnel and we're just putting in
the data and all everybody's comments
into it and we'll see what comes out at
the bottom.
>> It's just that they were that was at the
>> Mhm.
>> the the end of the discussion last
meeting and we we stopped there. But I I
think that that's a key
point that you know any of the five
towns could probably walk away
and join somebody else and save a lot of
money. So, if that's the issue,
you know, if if if it's just that the
town's looking to save money, they
probably could walk away and save money.
Or are they looking are we looking to
stay together? Because
I mean, if you look at our uh our
neighbors to the west, Vermont,
you know, they're all state controlled.
The state pays for everything, and
they're heavil he heavily consolidating
districts right now. I mean, the rumor
is that they're talking about closing
down Green Mountain and merging it with
Bellowos Falls and and they're I I have
some family members that live over there
and they're shutting down elementary
schools even though the town voted to
keep them open. So, you know, one thing
you got to be careful what you wish for.
Right now, we pay for it in our taxes.
If the state takes over and pays pays
for everything in taxes, they get to
choose what they want to do.
Um,
so I mean if you threw everything into
AI, it would probably tell you to break
up the district, our district,
it would probably tell you that if we've
had
uh a a large decrease in student
population and um you know, again,
Steve and Albert were talking about it
last meeting, Charles Town could save
one one and a half million. Walpole in
the withdrawal they were could save
Steve Allesio could if if we left and
joined Keen we probably could have saved
one million. So if all we're looking to
do is save money
we should all just say that and there
would be no fall out you know you turn
it into a nursing home or something.
I I mean again we can laugh but I mean
that's that is
we've had a a severe drop in student
population
and I'm not saying I want that but I'm
saying if one of the towns does want
that it would have a you know I think
one of the one of the things that Mary
said well we're not going to ever join
Newport but
that that might be a
>> I don't think I said that
>> well they said somebody I think Steve
said well the act might you seem to take
her
>> pardon
>> I did say act could go to Newport you
seem to think that wasn't going to
happen so I don't know how you express
>> well I I'll take the hit from Mary
because I don't think that's going to
happen but so
>> anyway
>> but anyway I I understand what you're
saying Wes yeah
>> everybody could go somewhere
>> right I if if you if the group doesn't
mind I think of trying to and I Um, I
appreciate what you said, Wes, uh,
bringing up those points. Um, I think
what we really I think what we've agreed
to work on is that we need to at least
focus on
uh, because this is hopefully going to
come out a little bit more today, but
when you break out into these groups
that we're going to move into new
business is what the structure is going
to be and how we're going to appropriate
it. uh because we know that that's
really the structure is going to change
to some degree because of our
population.
So the but the other thing is is that
everybody has agreed that the something
in the methods needs to be corrected
what it is
um exactly needs to be analyzed. you
know, we c I can make broad brush
strokes, it's transportation and these
types of things or is it ADM or is it
one of these things, but we need to take
an analytical approach to this at least
from my perspective I should think and
go through it, get the data out there.
Everybody gets to review the data and
then each town as we are re representing
gets to make uh a more educated and
thoughtful um opinion on exactly how
that should come about because there are
so many west and what I mean by this
so many different orient restructuring
things that I've heard I
you know it's voluminous so um I think
when we break out today some of that
will um hopefully come out in the wash
because I I I know what your opinion is
a little bit the way you're leaning. So,
having said that, moving into new
business, if you anybody doesn't anybody
>> Oh, I'm sorry.
>> Hi.
>> Um last time in my group, I mentioned AI
and there was no response like nothing.
But
>> I think it would be as Wes mentioned um
we it may be useful especially mining
data and I volunteer to
do that.
>> Okay.
>> And uh you know recruit and pay for
somebody that might help with that.
um
to just mine the data because I think
what we could find are efficiencies,
how to use the buildings better, how to
maximize
um you know the structure
to optimize it. And if that still turns
out to be it's a no-go, we can't do it
for any less than $26,000 a student or
something, then you know, we we tried.
But that it's designed to really use a
make sense of tons and tons and tons of
data which as we know from having worked
on the budget committee is what where we
are you know and we don't have to get
into you know things to do with
any private detail of Z HIPPA or
anything like that but so many questions
have come up already about the number of
paras and the administration burden
versus students and everything. just put
it on the square footage of school, the
number of rooms, the the grades, the
students and everything and and see
whether we can't get
something, you know, have something make
sense of it without our trying to do it
ourself and struggling
with everything on a week- toeek basis
because, you know, it it will not be a a
short session, you know, 18 months I
think at this point looks optimistic if
you know name tags are six weeks.
>> Yeah. I
>> I'm not getting minutes by the way and I
don't know where they're going but I'm
not getting any minutes.
>> The right email.
>> I'm not I don't know. I You have my
email. I'm getting up from Misty. So
anyway, um that's all I wanted.
>> Yeah, sure. I should send them later.
Okay. So I I'll
>> I didn't see them last time either. So
>> go ahead.
>> So just get my opinion. I think the
first step in my mind is like we
suggested that we break out by town and
what'll make us happy. I guess
you know last week we last session we
favored breaking K to8 and leaving a
high school as a collaborative. I think
if we can agree on the structure first
and then we figure out how to aortion
cost,
>> right? It's putting cost first is kind
of tough when you don't know what the
structure is going to look like.
>> So that's where I'm coming from that we
get to a point where we say, "All right,
this is what we like as a structure for
the district."
then we can try to figure out how it
gets paid for as opposed to going the
other direction and worrying about class
sizes and everything else right away
because we'll never get there. It will
be just
another another game of wait for the
data to come.
Does
>> does everybody envision it like that? I
mean I think that's how we start is that
we're working on the structure. What
does Langden all of us all of the
communities how do they
how we're going to fit in how we're
going to do this thing is everything is
on the table everything
>> right
>> I I I have something else to offer and
>> Sure.
>> Um I have a AI generated report that my
son created that I think that we could
use and it would be useful. I know that
Steve and Steve are familiar with it.
Um, you know, the uh Oh, yeah. Okay.
And I think that if you we use that's an
AI generated if we use that, you can
tweak it any way you want.
Um,
and I have that I can send it in and we
can all use it. But you can change
>> proportion
money. You can change whatever you want
and it would it would come up with a
pretty close number. Would you agree
Steve?
>> Probably. Yeah. I mean, I'd have to look
at it more closely, but yeah. I mean,
I'll put it this way. We we use that
tool which is AI generated
and
Steve could
monitor it.
I mean you you're very familiar with all
the
right.
>> Yeah. And I think that we could come up
with a pretty close because Chris one of
your is that you know you want to know
what's the cost.
>> Yeah. And I think that um what are the
costs for each community, right? What's
really that's I think that's what we're
going the road we're going down. But all
any all the data whatever data we
assemble whether it's the data you want
to provide um
>> this is off the what I have is off
>> sure but any as we we're getting into
the data phase I should say that's what
we're we're getting into the into the
the weeds um these next couple of
meetings and from here and after. So,
what I'm saying is that anybody has
anything
they want to add, we need to put it into
the top of the funnel and see what's
spit out at the at the end of all of
this. We have something at the end that
uh is going to be provided. Um,
but if it's okay, let's move to new
business and break out into these groups
and start talking. I think uh this needs
to happen because we need to come up
with what the structure is the and then
we can appropriate the you know that in
the end. So
new business uh Chris I'll let you uh
break us up into the groups. So the goal
was to break up into the five ts. Uh
there are some people that may be a
little bit more sparse than others.
Um,
>> does it does it make sense for a work to
>> So I was going to So I was my thought
was break up Walpole, Charles Town and
maybe the three attendants alstead as a
whole or do you want to break up?
>> I feel like our problems aren't our our
challenges are so much different than
Alstead's like to do our small town
first. Okay. along with
why Aworth and Langden
joinstead
issues
>> and then alstead as a single thing right
now. Does that work as a from thestead
folks?
>> That's right.
>> You want to remind them what we're
looking for?
>> So what our goal is as we walk away is
to really have a structure as we come
back. Um, if you were to have everything
laid out the way that would best benefit
your town as a whole, what would that
look like and why?
That is kind of our objective of of
this. Um, we're talking structure, we're
talking funding formula, and we're
talking a a very broad spectrum right
now, but um, I think you're going to
dive into one specific thing depending
on the town that you're in. That's okay
for right now. Um, but let's see where
it goes in the next 20 25 minutes.
Give it that amount of time and then
come back, report out. Then we do have
something at the end that we're going to
discuss as a group or some data um which
is important for us to start really
diving into. So something for us to
digest at the very end. We'll give you
some homework.
>> What time do we want to be back?
>> Uh why don't we say 620?
>> Sure. 620.
>> 620 in here.
>> Welcome. I hope everybody had a
>> good conversation. Came up with some
practical ideas and we've solved all of
our problems.
>> You must have been in a different
meeting.
>> Oh no, I was in one. We all were. Um I'm
going to turn it over to you Chris to
slide up. Please start over in the
corner with Langden and
>> you know Mary takes good notes.
>> Yes,
>> he's taking the notes.
>> I'll speak for both.
>> So um the consensus is that uh splitting
up would not make sense for Act worth um
not make sense would not benefit Aworth.
Um it's be more ideal for students to
stay in Act worth. Um to do that maybe
we should look at the aortionment
formula to address areas of inequity
special education transportation and
others. Um and the cost per student is
not as big as keeping the students again
at work.
seem correct. Right. Okay. For um for
for Langden um we both believe that
closing Sarah Porter eventually makes
does make sense um and the students
should go to Walpole or Alstead
eventually but that would have to be but
splitting up into five borders is still
going to be a problem we think for the
small towns. Um
we have the same concern as Acid Award
had this too about finding people to
serve on those boards even though
they're smaller. Um,
I think part of that might have to be
training because if you had a town like
act, sorry, Langden, and you sent all
your kids somewhere else, that school
board would meet
once a quarter, maybe once a month
during um budget season, right? It
wouldn't meet very often meet as often
as the school board, not as big as a
lift as the school board for a
cooperative district is, right? So, it'
just be some training. Um but we really
do feel the consolidation to rice our
classrooms is is a big is um should be
one of our concerns.
>> Thank you.
>> Well, we didn't make much progress.
I think we agreed that that five
individual towns and five individual
school boards was exactly the way to
start.
But I I personally don't have any
compelling belief to believe that that's
final
format. In fact, I think it's will
remain a work in progress
as long as we can continue to deliver
good services and good data to each of
our neighboring towns because Elstead
has plenty of room for our lovely
neighbors up the hill and across the
way.
But bulcanizing K through 8 into five
individual school boards means that we
also don't have any kind of authority
to compel your participation in filling
up our empty spaces. So we would need to
make a a convincing case by means of
gerrymandering the tuition inter town
which I am fully prepared to discuss at
great length but not until there's
actually some real data on the on the
table and we're all sort of holding our
breath for October 1st to see what our
population is because once those numbers
are available at least we don't have to
argue about what they are or what they
were or how many kids were in that class
last year. I don't hear about any of
that. I want to move. I want to talk
about the future.
So, is that accurate? Well, I'd like to
add to that because in our discussion
about the difficulty of having five
separate boards, if there's an
opportunity to have one board with
appropriate and proportional
representation
and combine Langden, Aworth, and um
Alstead because um that would be ideal
and there may be an opportunity for us
to be allowed to do that. um combining
um adding 19 from Langden and 17 from
Aworth 1 through 4 or K through four or
whatever the uh the numbers are. We
thought it's definitely doable in
Alstead. So there's definitely room
there. And one of the um things that
came up in one of our last uh prior
meetings was the the downside of a child
transitioning from Langden
or from Aworth to Alstead by themselves
or without their siblings or without
knowing people. And so I think we could
certainly look at this as a big pro. If
we had the population
K through four together to begin with,
they they're establishing their friends
in their community and they're going
through the grades and they're going to
the intermediate school, the middle
school. So they'll already have a
broader u group of of people to interact
with. So I I thought that would be a
positive in terms of the costs. I mean
Joel is you know certainly if we did
this for one the first year and then say
this for the first year just say we're
going to have um a combined board from
those three schools or from all all five
of our schools um for the K through
eight. And then the second year would be
the transition to from Langden Aworth to
only
that might be more palatable as well.
That'll give us time to figure out the
the costs and things like that more
accurately. So,
>> thank you.
>> Is that all right?
>> I think that's the best we could
possibly do with that.
>> Yes.
>> A lot of moving parts.
>> Yes. Yeah. And it's hard to predict the
right.
>> That's me. Okay. Um we came up with
three scenarios.
Three and a half I guess. Um first is to
stay K8 and um but break away and be our
own K8 district and send our kids here
for high school.
Uh second scenario is to leave Fall
Mountain um completely and send our high
school kids somewhere else. And the
third scenario was to keep Charle Town K
through six
and preK through 6 and have 7th and 8th
grade come to school here at the high
school. Um that was the one that our
group really was leaning towards the
most for a lot of different reasons. Um,
we would break up our our two schools as
being prek, would have plenty of space
at the primary school and have that be a
true primary school prek through three
and then have CMS turn into like an
intermediate school and have that be um
four through six.
Um, we really like that for a lot of
different reasons, but um, we also were
talking about the separate board
conversation and how that could lead to
separate budgets, local control, which
everybody, well, not everybody, but a
lot of towns are really searching for.
Um, and also separate tuition agreements
with area towns. So if um Allstead or
somebody wanted to go to Lumpster and
have a tuition agreement with them
because they're closer then that would
make sense and it'd be less complicated
to do that and be closer to budget wise.
So did I miss anything?
Oh all scenarios we need simplified
methods.
>> That was the overarching comment.
>> Just out of curiosity what was the hat?
um the the prek to the the K to six um
was just adding on to the to sending
seventh and eighth grade year. So it was
like
an idea but plus a little bit more.
>> Steve Charlesson always tries for extra
credit.
>> Did I miss anything?
All right.
>> Thank you.
>> See bold. So
we would take K to8
and we would figure out what expenses we
would have direct responsibility for
such as facilities,
transportation, special ed,
just split out the cost which ones
belong direct costs belong to water. Uh
we'd have our own school board. Uh then
at the high school level we' have wanted
to use a fixed and variable cost model.
to kind of get the cost more equal
amongst the towns and at the SAU office
the same way. Uh fixed and variable cost
but use the SAU for superintendent maybe
finance um curriculum and so forth. Why
certain services from the SAU so it
makes it more balanced across the
district. The idea of seventh and eighth
I don't think we're opposed to it but I
don't think it would apply in more pole.
We'd probably have to do some some uh
test cases to see if the parents would
be willing to do that. Uh separating the
seventh and eighth grade out of there.
Um we have plenty of room. So it's not
not that kind of an issue. I think
that's what we talked about.
>> Yeah. It's hard to make a case for
especially when you still got North.
>> Yeah. you know, it's it's not we're not
sure what that would be, but my my gut
feel as as a selectman is that that
wouldn't fly, but um
>> certainly look at it
>> look at it certainly put it out there
and see if if uh parents would go along
with that,
>> but it has been brought up before and
it's been voted not voted down, but it's
been talked down before. So, I don't
know uh what's going on, but I think
that if we can split out the cost
appropriately in each piece, then I
think we it's essentially what we have
today, right? We're voting on our own
budgets. We're voting on the whole pot,
but what we want to do is vote on our
own budget, and it really hasn't changed
anything.
>> I have a question. Who owns North
Walpole? Who owns each facility? Is that
an SAU thing or the town?
>> North Wallpole is owned by the SAU.
>> Okay. Well,
>> and that's because of the articles of
agreement says that
>> No, not really.
>> Well, all the buildings, every town,
>> all the buildings as as they
>> if they are within the educational
system, they are owned by the district,
>> right?
>> Okay. as
buildings are I will say dissolved or
closed or whatever you want to
transitioned out or whatever you want to
say. Uh RSA would state that they would
ultimately go back to the towns.
So who can sell them if you don't use
them
>> once they go back to the town?
>> No. Or can it be sold
by the SAM?
Is it a capital?
>> I I'm I'm gonna ask that we not discuss
North Ballpole here.
>> No. Well, I'm asking because I know I
drive through so many towns and so many
states and they've changed the schools.
They're now condos or they're office
buildings or something. So they're they
become tax revenue for
>> I think I'll I'll agree with Steve, but
I think some of that okay
>> at this point.
>> All right.
>> Gets into an area that further sale
conversations.
>> I think all you really cared about with
that question was could those buildings
be eventually sold?
>> Yes.
>> I think the unequivocally yes.
>> I think it was just north because Sarah
Porter on the table like you guys were
talking on that too. any just
>> we don't use
>> there's protocols in place for that to
happen so
>> okay I didn't mean to
>> no you didn't
>> well one of the things that would happen
though with what we're discussing if we
all went to K through8s
right now the buildings are all owned by
the SAU but if we went to K through8s
all the buildings would go back to the
towns
>> respect the towns yes
>> correct if that's true
>> except the high depends on how they got
it.
>> There's no building that was built.
>> Hold on. Should we
>> Is this an all or nothing? Like we we
really liked our third option, but Wel
doesn't seem too keen on it. So, is do
we see this being an all or nothing
thing or could we would Charles Town go
with this plan and Wel goes with their
plan?
It's a
>> Yeah, it could be a Chinese plan.
>> I believe it's a chicken and egg problem
because what we're trying to do is if to
do the plan about making about Charles
Town liking 7 through 12, right?
>> What has to happen is yes, the the
cooperative has to say we're no longer a
9 through12 or K through2 cooperative,
right? We are either a 9 through12
cooperative or and then every town has
their own or we're a 7 through 12
cooperative. So, we have to change the
cooperative structure somehow. And I'm
sure the voters have to vote on that,
right? And then also getting a ring with
being the other towns going to their own
is part of that whole package. So, I I'm
not sure you could do it, you could
separate the two without having to be
the whole package. Um because you can't
have a cooperative that's if you're a
cooperative, everyone has to participate
in the cooperative that is set up. So if
it's 9 through 12, it's the property 9
through12. If it's a 7-12 property,
that's the property you belong to. You
don't get to choose, I don't believe,
which part of the property do you want
to belong.
>> Well, but if it is a 9 through 12
cooperative, so anybody any town that
wants to run 78 here could rent space
from the cooperative.
>> Well, that that's a ter those are town
those are external towns through our
agreement, right? So Gillson wants not
Gilson Gian wants to send kids here,
they can send kids here.
I think ultimately I'm sorry Kevin is
that
well I think we the structure of what we
have is are we going to maintain the
current structure right I mean 9 through
12 like you're talking about 7th and 8th
for Charleston is something we're
looking at in the future um so is that
what the other communities want in the
future
that's really what we're looking at not
that we're going to we seven and eighth
going up there next year it's a question
of how we move this for this large uh
planning process forward.
>> I do think the more
>> if you want something to pass, the fewer
changes you put forward on this, we find
this on the schoolboard all the time.
The fewer articles you put forward, the
more chance they are going to be read at
least read,
>> right? No, no, no, no, no. So, I think
if we're looking to maybe say pass,
they're saying keep the cooperative 9 to
12. don't mess with the high school and
make the five five towns their own and
then figure out then what they want to
do. Um but that's just my opinion
>> and there is nothing to say that you
can't 5 years down the road make the
change again to move seven and eight
based on whatever the population does
based on whatever sports do based on any
number of other scenarios that would
encourage
the education of here for seventh and
eighth graders or anything of the sort.
So it's not a one and done necessarily
>> and it's a question for for lawyers to
ask them. Can you have a cooperative or
people only participate in the
cooperative or certain parts of the
cooperative or we get to participate in
the whole cooperative? I don't know.
>> I don't know if it would make sense to
have one town since seventh and eighth
grade here. Um thinking about classes
and I think part of the the appeal of
potentially having that is the
opportunity that it would bring for
seventh and eighth grade students. um
languages, higher level math classes, um
all of that stuff would be a lot easier
um to offer. So, I think to have one
town say, "Oh, we're going to do it that
way." I think it doesn't make sense.
>> And filling up the building, filling up
this building.
>> Yeah.
>> I mean, that really is why we're here,
capacity issues.
>> Yeah.
>> That's the reason why.
>> But I think you go out and you pull the
towns,
>> right?
>> I think that answer the question.
I think you have to make sure you have
all your ducks in a row and really lay
it out as to why you're doing it. Not
necessarily only for a budget, it's
capacity, it's opportunity,
>> right?
>> Agree.
And it might facilitate programs
that low, you know, lower
>> maybe
>> potentially not not wall and not in
Charleston, but you know, maybe maybe
announce it. Would you really keep both
miles and else in the primary if you
didn't have seven in the eighth grade?
>> Show me the numbers.
>> Yeah, show me the numbers.
>> There may be some economies that come
out of that.
>> As long as we don't tear those buildings
down or sell no,
>> we could be wrong.
>> We can reverse course or exactly
>> or Charles Town could say, you know,
this is such a great idea. We're going
to step forward to be the pilot
>> and we're going to kind of deal with the
with the what's left of the SAU. We're
going to convince the school board to
give us a three-year trial of seven and
eight in this building.
We'll figure out the financing and and
then when it's a heroic success
well
>> you all can join. Well, when it's a
heroic academic success and the sports
friction gets too bad,
the other towns will fall into line
happily. They'll be begging to
>> That's how I see it happening though.
>> I think the benefits are 100% there for
seventh eighth graders.
>> Yes, I don't disagree,
>> but the mechanism of getting the beer to
there is a little more complicated than
just wishing it were. So, so Jen,
>> the only thing that I heard that was a
con for that last over the last few
meetings was that people were um
reluctant to have seventh graders near
the older high school students. So, need
to just keep that in mind. And
>> I work school
>> seamless.
>> I know. And and I don't see any issue
with it. But be prepared to answer those
questions.
>> And we tried to do them in a regional
middle school 39 odd years ago. That's
what killed it. You know, I mean, there
was there was a third of the people that
didn't want it because the money and
then there was a third of the people
that didn't want it. Not even 23%
wanted. And and that third
bust with with seniors and I'm saying
that's rational. I was talking slow.
>> It might be different now with how
mature the some of the younger
was
certainly technology.
>> I do remember
what
>> I think it was mostly money though.
>> You think it was mostly I think it was
mostly money. 20%. Yes. And you think it
was mostly money.
>> Wasn't that building a whole new
facility though?
>> It was. I mean
it was 678 not 78.
>> Right. I mean what we're looking at now
I mean what a catastroph that would be
if we built a whole structure population
collapse but what we're looking at now
here
I don't disagree
>> so any other comments before we move on
because we have about 15 minutes left we
have some data we're going to jump into
if people are okay transitioning
any other comments before we
>> well I I'll say that you know besides
the the vote that we've had in the past
to go to junior high school which is
always gone down in 200. We can't even
we can't even agree to have district
sports teams at the junior high level
that gets shot down every time. It was
tried two or three years ago by Gordon
right gets shot down everybody. Vias
wants to stay with Vias. Walpole wants
to be Walpole. Charles Town wants to be
Charles Town through the eighth grade.
Diminishing numbers may solve that.
Right.
>> Actually, towns have gone to play in
other towns when they couldn't have a
team.
>> Well, they need
>> but but two years ago they were asked if
they would have a district team and the
answer was no.
>> Do you think it's more of a travel
thing?
>> I think they were all their kids there.
>> There were definitely some hiccups when
it came transportation.
It's that, but it's also you'd have a
lot more kids not being able to
participate,
>> right?
>> Kids are already devastated when they're
cut.
>> And two years ago,
>> Charles Town came in second place in the
Westland soccer tournament. So, it was a
good idea that we didn't join as a
regime.
>> You're such a brat.
>> I don't That's what you enjoy about.
>> Anyway, I voted no against it. And I
remember I was at that meeting with
Gordon. So,
>> let's move on.
>> Oh, Brendan, is there any way that you
could put up on the screen
uh the docu the Excel doc I shared with
you?
So, within your
uh folder, there is a
document enrollment data from TW uh 2012
to 2025.
the outlines
um in the tabs below all the enrollment
trends
>> just so you know that it was restricted
>> we had a much less access for
>> Chris when did you was that recent I
think
>> it was put in the day after our meeting
>> yeah
document
>> did you share it anyway put it up on the
wall and let's talk about it and then
we'll solve the technical issues
meetings
There it is.
>> Did you get it?
>> I just sent it again
here. We're going to do this.
>> You want to pass out something? Should I
pass if I do this?
>> I can do that.
>> Secretary than anything else.
>> Well, I will work on rights so that
everybody has access to it. Appreciate
>> um
Google doesn't always make life easier.
sometimes.
>> Thank you.
>> So, this is a document we've been
working on for a number of years. Uh we
spent some time this summer looking at
it.
Brendan's going to throw it up in about
30 seconds.
>> Lots of pressure.
We don't have
>> Oh, he's got his
>> Steve. Do you want us
working in the screen?
>> We're going to work for paper on this
one. I was going to put the other one up
on the screen. Okay. So, if you look at
this, I'm sorry you have not had access
to it. This lays out every single
student in all the schools going from
2009 all the way to 2026.
Uh along the bottom it has enrollment by
grades. It has every year. So if you
click on 24 25 uh 20, it breaks it up.
It breaks up by grade. It breaks it up
by number of students. And it has all
the data going back. If we go back to
enrollment trends
and scroll down, we actually did some
graphing of each of those. Too cool. So,
keep going down. You can see that also
that um Charles Town primary, North
Charles Town. So you will see some
variances as they go into uh different
years. So as you see this uh when this
closed there were uh 25 but if you
remember that was preschool. So that's
just notes that you have to inherently
know or ask about. So I did not put all
the notes in there. This is just data.
Um but there's a lot in um etc.
So, it does lay everything out. Um, and
you're more than welcome to make a copy
of it and manipulate however you subju.
So,
>> okay.
>> And I'll turn it over to Steve because
he's been doing some data crunching
also.
>> What we asking question here?
>> Yep. What's the best
knowledge we have going forward?
>> I think have professional societies
looked at what the population trend or
what it looks like over the next three
to five years.
>> I know in manufacturing we look out
three to five years from now what it
looks like.
>> Yeah. Yes. That's what we're working on.
>> That's what you're working on. What do
you think it's going to look like? Okay.
How large is how large is in senior
classes?
>> It looks like your inflow rates about
>> right around 107.
>> 107. Okay. Because it looks like your
inflow rates about 100 students per
grade.
>> So if you got 107 roll off that means
not too much change.
>> It's approximately
stable through the high school you'll
see is the lowest grades are seeing
smaller influx of students depending on
what attendance you're in. That's all.
>> Where
should we move on?
>> Yeah.
>> I'm going to walk you through this
document. I'm not going to reach any
conclusions. I'm going to ask you all to
reach your own conclusion and maybe we
can talk about a little bit more at the
next meeting. So top tier
column one
that's that 35 million714 that's the
budget that was proposed because I don't
have the information I needed to do this
with the budget that passed but it's
>> proportional
>> yeah it's it's proportional
>> so column one is what would be we had
not changed the formula back in 2002 or
three or whatever it was column two is
what it is today
and And then column three is the
difference between those two. What the
formula change meant across the board.
Alternative portionment formulas. We
kicked this around before. 100% each
val. You can see the dynamic of that.
And each one of these as you go to the
right is compared to today, not compared
to a. So there's 100% each val. There's
50% val 25. And I even took it down to
10 and 90. Okay? and you can reach your
own conclusions there. Equalized
evaluation per student in the middle the
direct lift from one of the DOE reports
just so you understand the dynamics of
that as well. Um we do have Aworth above
average.
We have Walpole basically at average or
at median anyway. And then you can see
the rest. And then we have the
district's average. And then other data,
how much equitable educational aid we
get by town, what our ADM is, 2425,
which is the latest data available. 25.6
will probably be out November, December,
maybe January.
the amount of aid each town gets per
student as a result.
Uh column four, the local assessment,
that's how how many tax dollars actually
have to be raised in each town. They
have to take into account all revenues
of any sort. The net that drops to the
bottom line that each town has to raise.
And then that same thing expressed on a
per student basis. How much the town has
to raise per student. Uh 2020 census
population. I know that's all, but
that's all that was out there and what
that represents in terms of the district
population.
Uh, one footnote on registered voters. I
couldn't get the number from Aworth. If
you could help me out there, I'd
appreciate it. The other numbers are
correct. Aworth is it was an estimate
based on the ratio of the other four uh
population to registered voters. Uh, so
you can see what the vote is, so to
speak, how that cuts. And then finally,
ADM and and Chris had asked me to put in
board representation,
one out of seven in most cases, unless
of course you've got one of the ad
sheets, in which case you have two out
of seven at the moment. That's one from
Charles Town, one from Wall. Um,
a couple of footnotes on the bottom just
to tell you what, you know, what it's
what it is. Um,
and that's it. That's data.
And so I would suggest you take it home
with it, mow it over
and and it may or may not be a
discussion next meeting. It may just be
something that as we move on and we talk
about where we're going. This is just
part of where we're going or where we
could be going. So any questions?
They take this middle part that is
folded out equals equalized valuation
per student
2 million
300,000
what is per student equalized value wage
per student. So in other words in Aworth
there's a little over $2.5 million of
taxable real estate to support each
Aworth student.
real estate taxable real estate taxable
real estate
>> is that because of Crescent Lake
>> there's a lot of that certainly that's
one of them but there's a lot I I would
say in Aworth's case it's mostly because
of 92 students not a lot of students
>> right
>> uh tremendous amount of vacant taxable
land
>> y
>> that provides tax base with
>> off um I would say That's that's a
bigger puzzle than a word. Um the fewer
students you have, the bigger that
number gets.
>> Yeah.
>> And and I mean there are towns in the
north country
that are poor towns. They got five kids.
That makes them rich towns because
they're not expensive. So there really
is two dynamics there. How much tax base
do you have and how many students do you
need? Right. So and that's why you get
the numbers you get.
Anybody else?
>> Just in terms of knowing what's in front
of you, not terms of making any kind of
assumptions or
>> did those numbers that equalize value
per student that come from the state or
is that a calculation you did
>> right off the Department of Okay.
>> There's a deal
right source that will be updated
probably
January, maybe December. That usually
tends to be the pattern. Sound right?
>> Okay. Um, and when the time comes, we
can certainly update it. I don't expect
an elastic change. Equalized valuation
just so everybody understands is you you
can't just use valuation because
rebounds at different times. You do
rebounds at different times. That's
that's apples and oranges. So the state
applies
what they call it recent sales or
something and uh ratio assessment. State
looks at the ratio assessment. town that
hasn't been done in a while is going to
have a very different ratio of
assessment than a town that that was
done recently. And so that's that's an
adjusting factor. So we are looking at
apples to apples. It's not perfect. It's
not perfect because they have to
discount
>> they use sales figures.
>> They use sales figures. They have to
discount certain sales that are not
armed length
>> and the selectment can protest any
>> sometimes property passing within
families and and you know it's not
reflective of the true market value and
uh you see that with the state you see
that with so it's it's u there's a
little bit of softness in that number
but it's what the state uses because
it's the best they've got.
Any other questions for Steve?
>> I think there's a lot of things to maul
over back to the chair.
So, moving forward,
what would what would anybody like us to
focus on for the next meeting? We're
looking for uh we have a kind of a
concept of where we're going, but does
anybody want us to what do you want to
talk about at the next meeting? Evan,
did you have another question?
>> Oh,
please send our share drive. So, it's
electronic.
>> Okay,
that
snap your finger in the mirror.
>> Y
and for for housekeeping, I will make
sure that everybody has access so they
still won't understand why. I will ask
Brendan to help tomorrow morning uh
resolve that so that any document we
dump in there I'll have full access and
not ask for editing or any any rights.
>> Is it possible if you don't have Excel?
I know that the weird thing you're
looking at that it
>> so I I can print it. I tried printing it
for people. The problem with printing it
is it was about a uh like a 50page
document. No, I meant is it possible
we're not seeing it because
>> No, because I have Excel.
>> I wonder if you can open it in in you
have Google Google Sheets.
>> Yeah,
>> I opened my folders today and I didn't
even see it in there. So,
>> it's a permission. It was there just it
was just was restricting me to request
permission.
>> I didn't see it at all.
>> At all.
>> I didn't see it either, but I saw it
now.
>> Oh, that'll be fixed. That's Yeah, we're
gonna fix that.
>> I'm sure
>> Halo will fix it. Whoever that is.
>> Um, anything that you would like to talk
about at the next meeting? Mr. Kiff,
anybody? Joel, what are ideas that you
would Mary Alissa for the next meeting?
>> I bet you.
>> Well, I I think we have to move forward.
>> Right. Well, I think Whoops. Sorry, W. I
think we need to look at the data first.
>> So, maybe giving us time to process the
data and then we can come up with a game
plan.
>> Going through a data protocol.
I can share one if you don't have one
that you like, but I use one all the
time.
>> The other piece that um I was thinking
at some point we do need legal. So that
is a piece that may not be right now but
I also wanted to put that out there
>> legal.
>> Yep. Because at the last one we did
discuss what is one of the questions for
legal is what is the best method?
So
>> then you're going to ask him when we
after a few more meetings so we don't
keep going back to him like every every
week because he's expensive.
Ignance
is Ignorance is more expected.
>> Well, I think we are we already have
some questions for him, right, about
what's allowed and what isn't. Um,
can we request data for the future now?
Such as the footprints of the schools,
the capacity, the rooms or whatever that
I don't know, square footage or
something that we could measure um
capacity and and um
the population ride.
It must be something easy to
>> Yeah,
>> you always think it's going to be easy,
right? But it's not.
>> So, we can look at a portionment or
whatever else we need to
to look at.
And so, I feel like we're really on the
trajectory of splitting up and having
five school boards. And to do that,
there's a lot of research we have to do.
And we had talked earlier on about
creating subcommittees. I think it's
time to start talking about what those
subies are
>> and getting us moving forward on
um
I'd like I'd like to get more into
details and we can't make decisions
without details. So what does that mean?
That's where I'd like to have
anybody else
from your presentation earlier. Now
you're of the opinion that act with
continue to keep its school open.
>> I don't know. I mean it I think it
really just depends on
>> depends on the price,
>> right? And I just worry
about the resources that we would need
in order to be a separate district. Um I
just worry about like the human
resources
um and the capacity
>> if you kept it open,
>> right? Well, if we kept it open, even if
we didn't keep it open, just like we
would still need a school board, right?
Even if you're sending your kids to
another
>> Yes.
>> Yeah.
>> But they meet twice a year to pay the
tuition bill
>> and wants to budget the tuition bill.
What else would they do?
>> Well, the lawyer would be able to tell
us,
>> right?
>> I think they I mean, you can look at
Goan and see how they're doing it
because they're right next door. And
Sarah, I'm sure, has some information on
how to
>> school. No school.
>> No school.
>> Go has no school. That's a good example
of it.
>> So some go information would be helpful.
And then like um Gordon has the
opposite. Like Gordon has their
elementary school and sends everybody
else out.
>> KK.
>> Yeah. But they saw their own school. So
yeah,
>> they would be an option to talk about
the other word among those.
Yes. Another model how it worked.
Washington does the same. Washington
does elementary school.
>> They have an elementary school.
>> Yeah. So Washington might be another
place to look or similar models to talk
to.
>> Yeah. Lster Lster. Um
parents have a choice of where to send
their school students, their high school
students.
I I've got a question for the violas
committee in that it's been brought up.
I mean we know that closing of Sarah
Porter and Aworth but what about closing
vias which has been kind of danced
around
>> having having vias in total combined
with Charles Town Walter.
What's the feeling of that? And I I
don't have an opinion either way. I'm
just asking because it's kind of been
brought up and not directly so
experienced.
>> And I I know that I I know that it's
been talked about enough that the the
other two schools could probably handle
the
the students from Vitus.
So again, even saying money, Joel, and
>> yeah, the politics of it are pretty
simple. The vast majority of my voters
and your voters, your voters don't have
any kids or grandkids in the school
system. Show me that not much.
>> Mhm.
>> And that will help to clarify people's
thinking.
>> So that number we are just talking,
>> right?
>> We have to work for it.
>> We're going to make him do it.
>> We're going to make Steve do it.
Oh, great. I'm making him do it right
now. So, great.
>> Show me the number. I mean, I I can
center generally willing to take a look
at some
>> here to for unanticipated structure.
I don't think it's quite so married to
the idea of home rule that we would say
this is worse than filling up vital pool
with concrete is actually what we are
doing right now.
So yeah, let's talk about I'm happy to
talk about it.
>> My town is just as diverse as your town.
There will be people who will die on
this hill
>> without knowing anything more about it
than they do now, which is nothing.
>> And there are other people in town who
say
>> and eventually every one of those people
will say, "Show me the numbers."
because we can't make decisions and we
can't make taxation decisions in a
vacuum,
>> right,
>> without data. And it's complicated
because if you have five moving pieces
and each of those pieces has a chance to
escape every two years, how do you price
that, Steve?
>> Not easily.
>> With a dart board.
>> I mean, there's going to be a do series
of dominoes.
>> Yeah. So just lastly, but just to go
along with Joel, I think ultimately is
that the structure,
the grand scheme is what are our
thoughts of who, what, where. Well, that
sounds good and you're right, but we do
have to have the numbers to be able to
to to prove a theory. So, um, with that,
>> I'll take a motion because everybody
wants to leave by seven and we're
already late. I'll I'll make a move.
>> Second. Second. All those in favor?
>> I.
>> We're out of
>> Next meeting date
>> is
>> two weeks from now.
>> Two weeks from now.
I don't October.
>> October 5th.
>> October 5th.
>> October 5th. That's right. Thank you,
Mary.