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Dresden School Board 8/18/2026

Video

Okay, welcome all. We'll call this
meeting to order at
>> 08:08
>> Thank you for everyone understanding
what something we did not obviously
expect. So, we are a little
close to each other tonight. Whether
that's good or bad, I'll leave it up to
you.
And so, let's get started. Hope everyone
had a great summer and all that kind of
stuff. That said, I know SAU's after
this, so we will be prudent.
I don't know.
All right.
Agenda review. Does any- anyone have
anything they wish to add, subtract, or
edit to the pre-existing agenda?
Seeing none, we'll keep moving along to
public comment. If you're a member of
the public, and I see we have people
both in on Zoom and in front of us
tonight, wish to speak on something not
already on the agenda, now's the time to
do so.
I will ask again when we finish when we
get to certain specific topics.
Anyone wish to speak tonight?
We'll move along then to report of
council. Ella, welcome back. Hope you
had a good summer.
>> Yes, thank you. Hope you guys had a
great summer. Glad to be back. Um,
council has yet because school hasn't
started.
>> [laughter]
>> So, I'm mostly just here to listen and
report back to council, but I'll have a
full report once school starts.
>> Well, we always look forward to hearing
from council's opinions, but it's
understandable you don't have one quite
yet. We look forward to hearing from you
in the future. Any questions for Ella?
That makes sense.
>> All right, we'll move past and we'll
welcome aboard our new RMS principal,
Tim O'Leary, who goes by O'Leary.
Welcome, sir.
>> Hi, everybody.
Um, I was told to be brief, so
we've been doing a lot this summer.
We're really excited Do you want me to
stand? Is that the practice? Great.
>> Typically, yes, for the owls.
>> We've been doing a lot this summer
and learning traditional practices,
finding where we can uphold and shine
light on the good parts, and then
tightening up some of our systems for
instructional leadership, overall just
like vision of the school, and then
figuring out where our priorities will
be based on the New Hampshire SAS, now
just called SAS, I'm learning.
Data.
It's all in the report.
What questions do you have?
>> Uh first, great report, especially for
your first one, much appreciated. Great
level of detail.
Since it is a public-facing document, if
you could just do things like define the
abbreviations and stuff like that just
for future stuff. Um other than that,
looks great. Welcome aboard. Any
questions for O'Leary? Yes, Gina.
>> Um I just I love I'm Gina. Sorry, I
didn't introduce myself in the hallway.
Welcome. I love how you're data-driven
you are, and one thing I would ask if it
would help us when I come in to do my
homework, I'm coming in hot, and if you
could maybe frame the data with like
here's the strategic question I was
looking at into or here's what I was
trying to answer, and then this is what
I found. It would help me be able to
better support you in your what you're
asking.
>> Totally.
>> Okay.
But thank you.
>> Welcome.
>> Any other questions for O'Leary,
especially things like the math
percentages that he quotes, which maybe
are of some interest to certain numbers
up on the board, or anything else of
that nature?
Going once, going twice. Yep, Renee, hit
it.
>> Um well, I do think that we've talked
about the math stuff quite a bit, and it
is worth noting the
I think the thing that stuck out for me
wasn't necessarily like I I didn't
necessarily want to dig into the
specifics, but it the thing that stuck
out is that you guys are looking at it.
You're looking specifically at 6th, 7th,
and 8th grade math, thinking about how
do we actually improve. I saw your note
about parents also wanting more direct
instruction in 7th and 8th and kind of
given the thread of conversation we've
had over the past say what was it a
year, year and a half or so?
Um
uh it sounds like you're there's like
movement in the in the positive
direction. There was a note that I think
might actually
kind of be about the kids that are
moving into high school now that I think
was unanswered
in the spring which was around the the
kids who
kind of were hit hard when they were in
7th grade that then moved to 8th grade
and that are now in 9th grade that are
lower performing compared to their peers
prior and after them. And so there's a
question of how are we supporting this
maybe those kids as they're moving into
the high school but then also of course
there's the question of I think what
you're addressing which is how do we
make sure that doesn't happen again?
Um and so I I think that's where my math
question is but it ties together both
schools. It's like how are we thinking
of that that cohort of kids?
Um where I believe one of our fellow
board members who I don't know if
they're online um
>> He's not.
Uh was highlighting the fact that we
don't want to have
>> [snorts]
>> um
kind of a a teaching to the middle like
we we might have kids who are awesome
and accelerating and like very strong
and we don't want to have a land in a
place where we're kind of bringing
everybody
into the the same mode
um but how can we support everybody
where they are? Um I think that was a
theme that came out of that conversation
too.
So.
>> I'm going to attempt to answer some of
these.
>> Cuz I was
>> It's not a specific question. It's like
a theme of like how we're addressing
math.
>> Julie's been great and has like opened
up her whole school so thank you.
to me and RMS which has been great cuz
we're delivering students and so we have
this bubble right now
that you're mentioning and so we went
with Conant
who's really math department chair, and
then the ELA department chair, and the
ninth guidance team to try to figure out
how we can streamline this and what the
communication should look like and where
we should start backward planning to
prevent it in the future. Corrine's
talking about like extra sectioning for
this year so we can catch those
students.
For right now, to your question, Julie
actually will answer it far better than
me though.
But really, we know it happened and now
we're backward planning to make sure not
only does it not happen again, but we
have systems in place that just create a
smooth ramp for kids and families to
feel like it's a predictable series of
events.
>> Thank you.
>> Yeah.
>> Yeah, Kelly, go for it.
>> Um I'm just curious because I've been
gone for a year, so I've missed a lot of
conversation on this topic. Um just
looking at the proposed curriculum
updates, at would I be right in
understanding that the plan is to move
from the current self-paced curriculum
to just a one level per grade
framework?
>> I don't want to jump too far cuz I've
only seen 3 hours of school.
>> And so, I think I'd be like wrong to go
and say we're throwing everything away.
There's room for direct instruction and
so, we have that built in this year in
eighth grade. They are the eighth grade
math teachers have been great, already
revising eighth grade so it fits this
vision and also re-implementing
standards they removed that will speak
to the new after state assessment to
close that gap. And what we want to
figure out to answer your question in
the long term is where the curriculum's
mapped in. So, if you come in as a sixth
grader or seventh grader coming in your
seventh on your seventh school, where
are you getting to or how are you
getting there cuz right now there's not
a clear food line yet. Um
there's a few avenues, but having some
of the advanced math jump out, but then
everyone falls back into eighth grade,
which is one
bucket. We're trying to figure out where
we can make that more clear for families
and students.
So, I don't know what we're going to do,
but we're going to do a lot of learning
this year. We'll keep the momentum
going.
Thank you.
>> I think um yeah, Kelly.
>> Sorry, just quick question for board
members actually. There were some emails
around sports that went that were
intended for the entire board. I just
wanted to make Are there people who did
not get
Okay, that's what I thought cuz there
was mention that they had trouble
sending. So, I'll just make sure that
everybody got that.
>> I thought I replied to everybody.
>> I It was the initial email had some
errors and so we'll make sure you get
>> It's good. I got the original, but I did
not get follow-ups.
>> They they contacted me directly.
>> Interesting.
>> Speaking of board members
>> I want to say thank you for that
process.
>> I was part of that. So, thank you. I
know that was like I helped them Ready
make a decision.
>> Yeah, happy to be [laughter] happy to be
here.
We're not done yet, but we're getting
>> Yeah, it's a new program, right? So,
yeah. So, thank you for that process.
>> Okay, Lisa go for it.
>> Sorry, going back to the math and not to
pile on.
>> Welcome aboard,
>> Here we go.
>> But, I'm also wondering and maybe I
missed this. I did read this and
I would encourage you also to work with
the elementary school parents about the
communication of how middle school math
classes are selected cuz I can say for
my first child
I was totally we were totally caught off
guard. We had no idea. Suddenly like
we were told everything was fine and
then suddenly he's not in a math with
his peers and it just
if you're new to the school system and
you don't know that there's a math test
and you don't know that there's teacher
recommendation and you don't know that
there's different levels of math at the
middle school which we honestly knew
none of the above. Um it I would just
encourage you to
push down a little bit with
communication too is
I I appreciate that you're working with
the high school, but make sure the
parents like in maybe fifth and sixth
grade know what's happening.
So, I'm not telling you how to do it or
anything, just making sure the message
gets down there.
>> No, [laughter] I know nothing. Let's I
that. This is helpful. To that point, I
think before O'Leary officially joined
us, and Anne Ryan sent a nice note, I
believe, to the staff and to the
principals and us. I don't know if that
filtered down to individual parents at
the elementary schools, you know? But it
is much more defined now than it used to
be cuz it was amorphous before, and now
it is more
>> I mean, you just sort of got your
schedule, and you're just like, "What
just happened?" So.
>> Can I Can I ask clarify? Specifically,
I'm assuming just based on Mary and
Cross specifically, I mean, like
>> Yes, we we were we were we were I don't
know what happens at the race school,
but I was I I don't know whether those
parents got more communications about
the levels at RMS, but we
at least for my first child just didn't
know anything. So.
>> It was nebulous at the beginning,
especially with the fact that for RMS,
the MC schools are in seventh grade
rather than sixth grade. So, the metric
of
of which tests were they given, what
scores were appropriate or not varied at
the school, and it really shouldn't
have. And that has been rectified, I
believe, roughly half a year, 6 to 9
months ago, at some point.
>> Yeah. And we had a line
>> Right before your time.
>> A couple of years before that, too.
>> Yeah. But there was a a perception that
there were out there were some
discordances there.
I think that's standardized now. We can
get the nitty-gritty later.
Everyone good for O'Leary?
>> That's all.
>> Or if you'd like more?
>> For those of us who didn't get the
replies on the sports, I would I am
curious because it was forwarded
>> I didn't get the initial one.
>> Even that. I I was I didn't get
>> I don't know It actually looked right to
me when they sent it out.
>> They got I think they got bounced back,
so I don't Are we talking about
>> I think we're talking about the
standardization of sports and things
like that, where there was some
There were some concerns by several
coaches that went, I thought, to all of
us, and the emails looked right to me,
which is why I
didn't
>> get anything from coaches, just from a
parent.
>> Okay. Yeah, several coaches and I and
that we we did respond. Um
Robin and I and several others replied
and fairly good conversation. I believe
now you're meeting with them in a couple
of weeks or something like that.
>> Yeah, one school got settled sometime in
September. It's in the calendar.
>> And then
there's another one that just came
through about field hockey, do we have
enough students to field
to field a field hockey team. So, we
should be okay on that front.
Um granted, but that's
That was another one that came through.
I don't know if that went to the board.
That's what we're trying to figure out
where things have gone.
That was in my inbox today.
>> Yeah, long story short is sixth grade
Hanover students are welcome for
track and field and cross country. And
sixth is it sixth graders Norwich as
well or do you know?
>> No. Cuz they have a Norwich prep.
>> Exactly. They're in Norwich. That was a
decision made by the administration.
That is not us just to clarify.
And but that was not previously it was
seventh and eighth grade only all
sports.
And now sixth graders are opened up for
track and cross country specifically
within Hanover.
>> Which is more common.
>> Yeah, kind of matches the practice for a
particular sport.
>> Anything else?
All right. Thank you very much, Olivier.
Julie, you've done this before.
>> Um just to again, since you asked about
sectioning, so for math, um
the good news, which you didn't say, was
that um
>> we don't have a pre-algebra class next
year. Everyone's entering in algebra.
Right? So, there's a positive in in that
realm. Like we've been able to shut down
all of our pre-algebra sections and
everyone's entering in algebra.
the issue we have more We have more
algebra one class not issue than we had
Geo a few years ago coming into that
high school.
Um the Algebra 1
question um right now that we're in
terms of shutting down a section is some
parents feel that their kids are not
placed properly and want them to be in
Geo. So they're taking placement tests
this Thursday and Friday and depending
on how those go, we'll shut down one of
the Algebra 1 sections and open up a Geo
section. Um we also have, which is
really interesting with this cohort
given the testing and stuff, um a number
of students who are entering into
precalculus
more than in the past. Um we didn't
believe it to be true and they all got
tested. They all got the final and the
semester exam and they all knocked it
out of the park. So this particular
group of ninth graders may have people
scoring lower, but there's also a cohort
of them that are high and and I think
it's just a people feel like it's a
bubble um and haven't you haven't talked
to the eighth grade teacher, but we've
been talking about it a lot.
>> So that's good. Like I think that's a
healthy thing, so it's good and so we
think that well on its way to being
sorted. How we we just have to figure it
all out. Yeah. So I think we'll be fine.
Hopefully. Um and then
um
you saw our goals for next year. I think
they fit well, at least the first one
with the district goal. Um
and that which so I think it fits right
in, which was lucky for us. Um and then
I just gave you our laundry list of
stuff we work on in the summer just so
people are aware that even though it's
quiet in our parking lot, there's a lot
that goes on and I think there was a lot
going on for you.
and we've created a good relationship
with the middle school in terms of admin
um and we're it's a little slower with
Kelly at Ray. Um and so we're going to
work a little harder on that and that's
this week um towards the end of this
week. Um where our admin team is meeting
with her admin team to talk about budget
and talk about
SDC stuff. So,
I and we had a little meeting about just
trying to be more coordinated as admin
between the three schools that were
a team um that that tries to make some
decisions and move together on things,
which I think will be easier for all of
us.
So, I'm excited.
And I'm excited about 10th grade of
stuff. Cuz I think we all could learn a
bit from that and so as much as I'm
hoping to learn a lot now,
I think it's going to help us a lot.
>> Great. Any questions for Julie?
Gina?
>> Oh, you go first. I've talked already.
>> Um,
>> [clears throat]
>> we might be saying the same thing. I'm
just curious you said to we're a team,
we're aligned with the three schools.
I'm just curious about Marion Cross and
there like I I just am
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I want to make sure
they're not
>> I think Ray and Marion Cross have been
doing a much better job the last few
years about being
coordinated and so we won't forget
Marion Cross, but also I think Kelly
won't because I think they have forged a
good relationship so whatever is
happening
there I think will carry over, but we'll
try to be cognizant of that.
>> Julie, was that your point as well?
>> No, it was a different question.
I was wondering if you could tell us
more about the education of boys topic
and staff development.
>> So, we had um we put out a bunch of like
what should we do next year for PD cuz
we've tried to do PD together um over
the last 5 years and so I felt really
strongly that we do PD together. Some of
it's going to be around goal one
and then a number of staff members, you
know, that created the majority in the
voting block of this wanted to do a
little bit more with boys um in terms of
the culture of boys. Um, there's a movie
that came out I'm trying to forget
the name of it but it had a number of
Hanover High School students
in it surrounding um
boys, their education,
um are we losing them,
you know,
I
I did a paper on this when I was in grad
school. So, it's not old it's old news
it feels like to me, but it also I think
people are feeling like you know, maybe
we have female leadership more on
council. Maybe we have our girls
suspended less. Maybe they're attending
school more.
And so,
and then when you and also when we did
our data the data that we did do around
equity, what we noticed was there was a
three sort of male
um IEP
low socioeconomic triple hit that it yet
you might end up with a B+ instead of an
A minus in high school. I mean, we're
not talking about
>> Right.
>> it's dire dire straits, but you can see
the difference in
you know, if you get that triple threat,
right? So,
that was So, people said because of the
data that we looked at they felt like we
should do a little bit of a focus on
that.
>> It's gone, guys.
>> Yeah, it's gone, guys. Gone, guys.
>> Yeah, so that's you know, people feel
differently about that. Some people are
really excited to dive into that. Some
people feel annoyed by it, but that's
what we're going to dive into.
>> Did did you wish to speak to the
calculus update at all
Did are the graphs
>> Oh,
um thank you for putting it in cuz I
feel like that email went by me and
>> Just that our practice teacher wanted to
share the news and Robin put it in to
share with you. It looks like good news.
>> I'm putting on my English hat, but I
know this isn't the only AP exam
students here take.
If we're going to single out one, why
don't we look at all of them?
>> We could.
>> We could bring that information for you.
>> Yeah. I mean,
>> We have a lot of students who take APs.
We could put it all out there.
>> I know. I just feel like this is
weird.
>> Robin needs to attest to the weirdness
and then we'll get to that.
>> I'll speak to the weirdness. I added to
the agenda because Shubha shares the
data with me every year.
>> I've had the data shared by other staff
members.
>> Oh.
>> But I'd be happy to
>> Yeah. I want to know how they do it in
English. I want to know how [laughter]
they do it in English. And in
AP
and history.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Improvement. And she really
looks carefully at the data to see how
kids are growing over time. So I want to
share some good news for once.
>> Cuz I feel like all we ever hear is you
know
>> I'll go for it.
>> negativity around math. But honestly,
like our students are excelling like
Julie talked about. We have students
this year and we talked about this last
year. We're moving into precalculus in
mathematics at ninth grade this year.
That is unprecedented for us. And it
creates some other problems for us in
that you won't have enough necessarily
math
courses for students to take over time.
So something that we need to think
about. So our students are continuing to
excel.
>> Uh yeah, I'm two quick things. The first
thing as someone who took several AP
exams, I'd be really interested to see
that data just personal curiosity. Um
and also on the topic of the
conversation on boys and education, I'm
really interested in that topic and I'm
glad the conversation is happening. I'm
curious to what extent [clears throat]
there's been conversation around working
that into the health class curriculum
for 10th grade because I know there is a
unit on um sexual assault and consent.
And so I'm wondering if that's a topic
that the school is thinking about that
incorporating somehow into that semester
curriculum.
>> We haven't had that conversation.
>> The um
you know the quality indicators the time
we bring that, I think it's around when
we bring March intensive. Maybe that
would be a good time to share the AP
scores.
>> Quick one on a separate issue on the
graphs, especially if we're going to do
all the AP scores, that has the the
means of the GPA averages and the
percentage of the scores, but it doesn't
have the count of the number of students
taking the test. Can we get that in the
next iteration?
>> We can try.
>> Did you have the same thought?
>> I was going to ask if the number was
similar, the number of students was
similar over that 3-year period, cuz I I
think I saw the number in sort of the
narrative for the for the current year,
the most recent, was somewhere in the
30s, but I wasn't sure how that tracked
with the previous years.
>> I feel like it's been around there, but
I would be I haven't checked. Yeah. So I
>> Yeah, that would just be helpful in case
there was one year that there were, say,
15 or 50.
>> Or there was discouragement of those who
got the lower grade score taking the
test at all or things like that.
Anything else for Julia on this or any
other topic? Oh, Kelly.
>> Just as someone whose kids
have said, "Oh, there are nobody's
taking the test." So I don't know how to
take the test. Sorry, I always out my
kids, but
>> I'm talking about APs. Yeah. It
It [clears throat] would be helpful. I
don't know what the deadline is even to
sign up for those, cuz they didn't take
them.
And they did fine, so full disclosure,
they did fine. But um it would be
helpful to kind of maybe think about
that earlier. I don't know if March is
too late. I think it's too late.
>> Oh, to sign up?
>> Yeah, there's so in the principal's
weekly they keep putting it in the
counselor's session over and over again,
but I was a parent who didn't read the
weekly, so I'm not going to say that.
[laughter]
Right, I'm sorry.
Right, even though I get really angry
that people don't, but I didn't either,
so I'm not going to be upset about that.
>> Um
but I do wonder like are there other
ways
>> to
>> encourage
>> I was really excited about You probably
didn't get it cuz you signed up your
student, but my
um my reminder for registration that I
sent out a voice message.
>> Oh, no, I had not, and it was a lovely
message. Thank you.
>> Like I was thinking of them. ways of of
>> you know, hey, don't forget what you
know, or hey, really proud of how
everyone did. Like a few of those, which
eventually I'll be Jamie Teague doing a
snow day call, but it's just
>> different ways because I know that those
weekly's people work so hard on them to
add things to them and then people feel
like they're in the dark and
all the information was there, so
yeah, so we try to try and figure that
out like if there's a different way we
can do it.
We can get the word out.
>> And it's it's a curious problem with the
email addresses because we we hear about
communication communication. We've heard
about for years on the survey data and
from parents who didn't know things. But
then when we actually tried I don't know
if you guys saw it, we snuck in the
survey to the high school report that
speaks survey before we before Robin
sent out her individual email and it was
single digits people who know who
actually filled out the survey after
several days.
And then that targeted email got it up
to 600 something. So we know that people
are not reading those emails. And that
it's not just HHS, all the schools have
that this issue. But then
how do we send this out? What else do
parents read besides emails?
>> They don't.
>> They text well. People will click on
attachments and texts and all the other
things.
>> I write a newsletter that has over 600
people subscribed to it and people will
come up to me and say, oh, I didn't know
anything about this. And I said, what
was the first item in the newsletter I
sent 2 days ago? Oh. You know, people
don't read.
They just don't read stuff. So we can
keep trying and we can keep sending it
out, but
>> I also think it's information overload
and I think I think that sometimes
people say they want information all the
time and they don't always. Like there's
a thing there's a level with the survey
data I think of like
balancing what a communications person
might teach us versus what somebody
might say like, yeah, I want daily
email, you know, like what you might say
on a day or yeah, I love a weekly email
from my high school the high school, but
you don't read it. Whereas if it only
came out once a month, maybe you would
or I don't I don't know, but I think I
think for me there's a moment of
it is total information overload for
folks and so there's also always a bit
of like how do we sift to make sure that
we get the prioritization out there and
or are there
humans that do this for a living that we
could ask like how what are successful
ways that people with all the multiple
>> tech
that are actually working right now.
This isn't we're not the only people
with this problem.
>> Anything else for Julie?
>> Robin.
>> I just want to say a big thank you to
Julie and Liz and Dave and Suzanne Lee
Chamber for helping. They've been
providing a lot of support to Tim.
And one of the things that has been so
amazing for me is just seeing the
collaboration now between our high
school and the middle school and
continuing into the elementary school.
We have had a lot of collaboration
between the elementary schools anyway,
so this is really just so refreshing and
such a positive change for us as a
district. So, thank you.
>> I have a quick clarifying question for
the RMS principal. Is it Tim or is it
O'Leary? Which would you prefer?
>> you call me O'Leary, you have to call me
Stevenson.
>> Do you want us to call you Stevenson?
>> No.
>> I'll answer to whatever I'm very I'm
very well trained. I can
>> All right, you.
>> We'll move on then.
I don't want to move on.
>> Yep. Yes.
>> All right. Business Crime Discussion
reading of policy.
Uh this is me. Policy has been busy.
This is a bit of more summer and early
summer wraps up spring and early summer
wrap up. We have a few big ones in
policy concerning screens and AI and
other things that we are still working
through. So, these are more of the
smaller ones that are ready to go. So,
there are six here, so bear with me.
>> So, the first one is EEAEA
just drug and alcohol testing. This is a
first read for Dresden tonight. It has
already been adopted at Norwich and at
SAU. It is drug and alcohol testing for
drivers. This was discussed back in May
in policy. This is in response to a
change in the law in 2021 that requires
updating the policy to include
contracted carriers, which are non-bus
drivers that transport students. There's
a further description in the policy. And
it's also needed to help our
administration with writing grants and
assurances in those grant submissions
for student safety with travel and
things like that. It went through policy
with no changes. Norwich's is carved out
a little differently due to specifics in
the Vermont law. And this is also a
second reading at SAU later tonight.
Any questions on that one?
Okay.
For IBIHBH, excuse me, that is a first
read for changes to this policy. The
policy itself already exists. This was
discussed back in May and June. Lots of
discussion within the high school as
well as as well as with CPP. Deb is on
both of those committees. There was a
large presentation to Dresden in the
spring for those of you who remember on
the extended learning stuff. We had some
students come and give examples of what
they've been up to. It all sounded very
cool. And the language within the policy
itself, the changes center around how
the administration handles timelines,
incomplete work. A lot of those extended
learning opportunities don't necessarily
align with standard semester or length
of activities. And basically how to
handle those things. Fairly short,
fairly sweet, I hope.
Any questions on those? And also for
members of the public, please feel free
to chime in as well. Neil.
>> so for that one,
would it be possible to define what
HQINC
and WR in the new language?
>> INC is income.
Yeah.
>> Yeah. I mean, I made some assumptions,
but I wasn't sure if my assumptions were
correct. And it's the only place in the
document that those acronyms are used.
>> They're not previously defined.
>> Mhm. That's a good
>> And I thought Ben, as in the acronyms
are, you would have been all
over this. [laughter]
And I'm somewhat disappointed that you
didn't pick up on this before I did.
>> Well, in the pink below, it says
highly
>> It It In the pink that's being deleted,
it spells out highly qualified teacher,
which is what the HQ responded.
>> or places, but you're right. It can be
spelled out.
>> And I just said the same thing to Tim
about half an hour ago.
>> And And sorry, and they go I And I also
think that there's a slight typo in the
sentence that reads if a student
requires more time to complete an ELO
with approval from the principal,
principal's designee, or assigned HQ
teacher
and INC.
>> I think it's in INC.
>> and be documented.
>> The call outs, I would say those are
grammatical
>> or clarifying things that we need to
revisit to policy. If everyone's okay to
We'll make those changes made back for a
second read.
Any other concerns on this one? I'm
thinking we'll go for that carbon.
All right, we'll move right along then
to third one going down the list, ILD.
This is a curious one. So, this is a
policy broadly about surveys that was
prompted by some privacy concerns that
were brought up to a high school
specific survey not the big survey we're
doing within the high school about a
year ago where some parents came to
select board members with some concerns.
They were quite valid and prompted the
addition to this policy that was
discussed back in July. Now, one of the
caveats to this is I wrote this one. Um
so, I'll tread lightly on that. This is
not from NH SBA.
So, it's it's fairly lengthy. Uh Deb and
the rest of the policy committee helped
me tone it down a little bit. Um but
>> Yes.
>> with some edits and some formatting
things, but broadly speaking, it
addresses a lot of the concerns that
people have with surveys in general,
such as privacy, appropriateness of the
subject matter, who are the target
audiences, what can we do or not do with
students, do we need permissions from
certain people or parents on certain
things. What's the general subject
matter, confidentiality of the data,
security of the data, dissemination of
the data, particularly if it's the quote
raw data.
Appropriate use and accessibility of the
results, um how do we hold on to the
data, can you ever be forced or required
to take a survey, things of that nature.
So, it's fairly long and fairly
detailed, and I left it at that for
discussion right now.
That said, this is a first read, and
we'll come back again. Any concerns that
people see so far?
And that was several pages in. Neil.
So, I
in reading this, it includes a
definition of confidential survey.
and I'm curious whether well, that in
particular, and if if all of this has
been reviewed by legal counsel.
>> Mhm.
>> I believe it hasn't already.
>> No, it hasn't.
>> I don't think so.
Yeah, so that then A, I would encourage
that cuz I'm curious if you could
I'm not certain that we could simply
call a survey confidential and thus have
it excluded from disclosure.
I don't think that that's a thing.
>> Yeah, I agree with you.
>> Right? Um
and then the other thing that caught my
eye was there was a sentence that reads,
"Personally identifiable
personally identifiable survey responses
should be accessible only to the
superintendent, principal, or designee,
the survey designers and organizers, or
contractors with a legitimate
educational interest."
and here's where I think I would want
legal counsel to opine on this because I
I think that FERPA requires that there
be a legitimate educational need to have
[clears throat] access
to personally identify identifiable
information. So, I don't think that that
last section
legitimate educational interest needs to
needs to apply to everybody, not just
this not just the contractors, right?
And it actually makes me question what
we need to be pretty careful
when we have like even as board members,
we we aren't privy to
you know, information [clears throat]
protected under FERPA.
Um and so as board members, if we were
the ones that were primarily the survey
designers and saw all those responses
come back, like I'm not even sure that
that was appropriate or should be
appropriate.
>> So, that was the initial point of that
part was um the contractors in our case
we didn't make them ourselves and had
someone else do which is fairly common
practice in surveys. They contract the
specific language and then going contact
information to companies that do this as
like their day-to-day. And in particular
for some of the free text responses,
people self-identified
themselves and their kids.
>> No, I I I get that. I
>> that's where it that's where it came
from. I agree with your point.
>> Yeah, we I think
I would be more comfortable with the
legal review of this policy. I think
there's some sections on this that that
that need that um
review.
>> And I thought we had done that. I
apologize if that was already complete.
>> I'll check with Ryan, but I don't
remember it.
>> Okay. Ella.
>> Uh it's more of a question from the
council perspective. I know we send out
a lot of surveys during the year on a
variety of topics, student life to um
advisory, um sometimes curriculum based
stuff as well. And so, I I guess I'm
curious how this would apply because I
don't know that everything that we send
out, especially related to student life,
is educationally necessary. It's more
from a student leadership perspective.
Um how do we make school more enjoyable
enjoyable for students? How do we
structure the curriculum in a way that's
most enjoyable for them.
Um and then
my other question is there's the section
about how personally identifiable
responses should only be visible to the
superintendent, etc. If we're conducting
the surveys and then there's a response
that maybe has information where we
could see that and guess who submitted
that response.
Um how So, I I I guess I'm just curious
how this policy applies to surveys
conducted by council.
>> So, I I will say that one of the impetus
is for this policy was when something
like that happened where students could
figure out who it was and then did some
things with it.
>> So, the intent is that it should not be
identifiable or if someone identifies
themselves that be an escalation to
appropriate staff members, especially if
given the context of what they're
talking about.
So, this would be if it goes through and
the reason that I created this or at
least took the first draft of it because
there isn't one at NHSBA and it became
quite clear that with these issues for
those of you who know about it that we
needed to come up with something. And
this is the attempt to address it. That
said, it's an internal document the
moment we created so we're more than
happy for suggestions on how to handle
Uh Tara and then Carrie Gerante.
>> So, there's a sentence under purpose
that says
this policy governs all surveys, blah
blah blah.
by the district or by outside
organizations during school sponsored
activities. I'm not sure
if council falls under by the district.
It certainly doesn't fall under an
outside organization during school. So,
as this is written, I would interpret
this and I'm not legal and legal can
you say whatever they'd like. It does
not sound like this policy would um
would really cover if it was meant to be
an umbrella, the surveys by council.
>> Yeah, particularly if and further upon
that point, is a great point, is you
might be asking a question there
which is getting gathering opinions
about things, which is necessarily a
saying or you what grade are you in or
all these different sort of demographic
type information.
It It mean I haven't seen the specific
question, but saying that that may not
be
what this is. But accounting for council
that survey is a survey that we can
certainly take back
and follow up with that. Uh follow up
and then we'll go to Carrie and anyone
else?
>> Yeah, I think some of the surveys we do
send out definitely do ask grade. Um
just some specific demographic questions
just to help us sort the data and
understand how certain patterns apply
based on grade, especially advisory
curriculum with which changes from grade
to grade. So,
any survey related to advisory is
probably going to ask students what
grade they're in.
Um so, yeah, I guess that's that's a
concern that I have. I obviously see the
need to protect students
um in case that anyone wants to use
their personally identifiable response
to
uh carry out any sort of harm. I I just
I would
recommend that a second look be taken
just to see how that would apply to
council surveys because I think
I I wouldn't want any council body that
wants to carry out a questionnaire or a
survey to run into any sort of trouble
with the school or legal trouble, etc.
just um if this policy is passed.
>> Great Great points. Carrie, your points
still there?
>> Um my point is still here. When I read
this initially, I think my thought was
and I
it's not super well formulated and I
don't have a great answer and so like
I'll couch it in that, but it felt like
a policy that's trying to lay like I
think about writing like behavior
policies in school and like you try to
list like this behavior will
result in this consequence and this
behavior will result in this consequence
and you just can't do that, right?
Because you're never going to be able to
imagine
everything that happens. And so for me,
when I think about reaching out to
legal, it's about in general from a
policy perspective how to write this
without trying making an attempt to
think of every possible scenario
that a survey's going to come up.
Um because when I read this
and I'm not great with the detail of
like which sections jumped out at me or
what how I would do it different, but it
just seemed like too many attempts to
name every single kind of survey, which
I think is what ends up getting you in
trouble because it's very unlikely that
we'll guess at what the conflict is
going to be that comes up.
>> It sounds like it was written by survey
guy rather than a lawyer.
>> Yeah, kind of tagging on with that
section five of required versus
voluntary sort of struck me because I'm
trying to how do you and I guess I'm
kind of looking at Julie on this one at
a high school I mean you we can't really
require
a kid to respond to a survey. I mean
like they they
I mean we have to implement some for
federal policy, but
so I just am wondering if it's even
worth defining that because on one level
it's very hard to require participation
in a survey.
yeah, so I just want to I wondered how
that happens.
>> I think that's what we're trying to make
was to explicitly say it is not
required.
>> Right, but then you talk about unless it
is required by state or federal law,
instructional purposes, or necessary for
school programs. And again, you can't
really force
a student to fill out a I don't think we
can force a student to fill out a
survey. So is there such a thing as a
required survey?
>> Well, like the most behavior survey we
make everybody do, but then they can get
a parent can call in and say
>> Right, but they also don't necessarily
have to answer it.
>> No, right.
>> Yeah, I mean like that's the other part.
Like
>> We're just trying to the the point that
we did we said it was like
that it was like an assignment
or there would be repercussions. If you
don't if you don't complete assignment
just like it would be for anything else.
>> But that the point was that if it's a
voluntary thing with real data, real
answers, that it is not required unless
it is actually a graded thing within the
class. And we kind of get to Carrie's
point when try to go down the road of
being too if this if this if this if
this
>> Right. Right. I I guess I just I work at
a very different school and a lot of the
kids in the required surveys put their
name in it and then don't bother to fill
anything out.
>> This is
super super minor, but the Roman numeral
sections are out of order.
>> Yeah?
Um confidentiality and data security
It goes 8 9.
>> Oh, that's probably that's when we're
cutting and pasting.
>> Yeah. Yeah, I mean it really doesn't
>> Yeah, fair point.
>> It just at some point needs to be
rejiggered.
>> And I can actually tell like this was
moved around by random probably for
formatting purposes as well.
>> Okay, fair enough.
>> It's a first reading.
>> Yeah, it's a first reading. We will take
all this back to policy and work on
those things, which is not surprising
for something like this, especially
something that I created. So, apologies
for that. We will get it back. Anything
else at the moment? Ooh, Kelly and Ella
again, love it.
>> I just wanted to thank the policy
committee. This is Hannah, by the way. I
wanted to thank the policy committee for
all their work this summer. You guys
were the only
active, dare I say hyperactive
>> committee this summer.
>> Yeah, nobody told me that before I was
asked to join it.
>> I joined in May. Thank you, Deb.
>> Yeah, we did a lot of [laughter] work to
bring him in.
>> That's what I was thinking, negotiation.
>> Well, that's not a meeting, so don't
worry about it.
>> Well, thank you for that as well.
>> You're welcome.
>> Yeah, I'm sure it
>> Uh Ella.
>> I just wanted a couple sections from the
council's perspective that stood out to
me. Um should I send those in an email
and if so
>> Yeah, send those directly to me and then
we'll discuss them at policy.
>> Perfect.
>> Thank you for that.
Okay, we will move right along to but
next one. We're halfway done. Thank you
for bearing with me. All right, next one
is ILK homework. Note that there's some
slight discrepancy in the policy coding.
It's I'm sorry, it's IKB, not ILK, in
case you want to know the nuances.
Um this one is up for review from the Ed
306 stuff that went into effect at the
state level in New Hampshire.
Keep that caveat in mind.
But the general goal, if you believe the
stuff at the 30,000-ft level, is to
allow greater flexibility at the class,
grade, and building level when it comes
to homework.
It allows, and indeed encourages, two
things that
uh policy put in there will not be any
any homework in X grade, or the homework
won't make up more than a certain
percentage in X grade or X class. So, it
gives us that ability to add those types
of carve-outs, and you'll notice we
don't do that as much in the policy.
Although, we did discuss this over
multiple meetings and multiple months at
the policy committee level, concerning
level of detail, how helpful do we want
to be in giving feedback to staff, and
not so specific that we're
micromanaging, and kind of finding that
balance. We took feedback from within
the policy committee, from the
principals, who all seemed to okay with
it, and they're here to ask questions if
we want. Um it's mostly covered anyway
by syllabi that teachers provide at the
Dresden level. Although, I will note
that Ray administration was also fine
with it as well. So, we didn't actually
have too many concerns from specific
staff members or specific schools on
this, and we left it
largely untouched.
So, with that context, it's also fairly
short and fairly sweet.
Any clarifying questions for a first
read?
>> I My question is If you said um you left
it untouched, did you take it from
>> NHASBA, sorry.
>> Yeah. Thank you.
Yeah, sorry. I didn't say that. The call
>> No, I got you. Um
>> I apologize for not noticing this last
week, but um, the last paragraph talks
about for homework accessibility
teachers are encouraged to use online
learning management systems, parent
portals when available to communicate
homework assignments. It uh just would
encourage the reflection of that with
wherever you guys decide to go with the
intentional tech
>> Correct.
>> world of things.
>> Working on that concurrently and we will
we are keeping those in mind as well.
Yeah, the the tech stuff um also
sometimes like screen time policy has
been discussed at length including this
morning. That's not ready for prime time
yet. If you look at the policy committee
notes, you'll see there's several
different iterations that we're looking
at anything from one paragraph long to
many additional pages of
various specific advice and we're still
threading that needle.
>> Sure.
Yeah, well.
>> Also just in relation to this, this is
specific to
online learning management systems like
Schoology that would let parent It's
really about communicating to parents
information about homework and
assignments, things like that.
>> Which people have commented on us to
look at this in the past on that issue
of parents trying to get see homework
and see grades of homework, figure what
the assignment is and all that kind of
stuff. So
Any other questions on this first
reading?
Yeah, Tim slash over.
>> I just want to make sure I'm reading it
right. The last sentence of the first
paragraph, we're okay with the flipped
classroom model still when applicable,
right?
>> Because it's talking about
an application or adapt or adaptation of
a classroom experience, so
make sure like a flipped classroom is
still
on the table. Not that we use them all
the time, but there's certain parts of a
lesson or unit that that might happen.
>> Sorry, I'm a little I'm a little lost on
where you're going.
>> Um, when you would have like um
during the stamp of this part?
>> Uh, you write your question.
>> Okay. Sorry, I've got two questions.
if a teacher was introducing something
new, they could send a video module home
with a small exercise for students to
do. So, that's where the initial
learning happens, and that flips the
classroom cuz that used to traditionally
happen with like teacher pupil in the
room. And then when students come back
to the classroom, they do the work
independently that they learned last
night,
um and then the teacher is able to like
monitor and collect data and respond
here. So, homework is no longer
isolated.
Like, who's going to help me sort of
thing if someone's not home or doesn't
have access to that sort of content
knowledge. Uh it's now teacher
supported. It's helpful when you're
launching a new idea or unit. It
shouldn't be like a daily practice kind
of thing, but in how this is worded, I
just want to make sure if our teachers
are to utilize it, we're not
accidentally going to push against a
wall.
>> That's a good question. I will say that
from my understanding of it, can folks
correct me if I'm wrong, is that the
state is trying to go in a different
direction. That's sort of minimizing the
need to have done the homework.
And that's sort of New Hampshire
politicky stuff.
but that is a great point you raise that
I think we should put this off we bring
back and discuss that further. And
Deb Tarem.
>> Deb.
>> I
You know, I
I have this approach, this personal
feeling about stuff that comes from the
state.
And it is to spend minimal time
unthreading it because we could have a
change next year.
Yeah, and I I understand what you're
saying about flipped classrooms.
And I just I think let's just
put this in place and move on,
personally.
>> I think it can be fixed just by adding
two words, adaptation of a classroom
experience or goal,
or effort, or endeavor, or add another
thing that says this is an educational
>> Thank you whoever did that.
>> Thank you Thank [laughter] you, Deb.
>> It actually could be experience or
purpose.
>> I'm sorry, where are you?
>> Um end of the first end of the first
highlighted paragraph, the very last
line. Adaptation of a classroom
experience or
purpose, endeavor, goal, whatever. That
that would cover it. It would allow more
flexibility and I think still have the
same spirit
that you're looking for.
>> Anyone disagree with that approach?
>> I like [snorts] it.
>> Yeah, I like that, too.
Okay, we will get that in and do a quick
addition for you.
Also, break our vote here.
Everyone okay to move on?
>> Yep.
>> All right, next one, IKF high school
graduation. This is a third reading.
We'll read that in just a moment.
[laughter] Thank you all for your due
diligence. Last discussed in policy in
May, so [snorts] it's been a while with
the end of the year and all sorts of
stuff.
The previous issues around this
graduation policy was largely around
scheduling and requirements,
particularly for folks who attend the
Hartford area career and technical
center. Requirements of world languages
and art were sometimes causing
logistical issues with that and now
there's more variation between
what the state requires. The state is
reducing their level of requirements.
The high school had had a
a more rigorous requirement level.
There's a lot of discussion of this
within the high school. So, if you're
okay with it, I'm going to happily punt
to Julie for your sort of final
[laughter] discussion and wrap-up.
>> Okay, this looks exactly the way the
state requirement reads except we have
one credit of art versus half a credit
of art.
Last spring when you saw it and you
probably passed it, I can't remember
what it was.
Um it had half a credit of art cuz
that's what I was recommending. The
staff had a very lengthy discussion
about it and voted to override my
decision, which I was happy for them to
do. So, Robin, I think Robin's
supportive of the staff saying one and
so
one is what we're putting forward.
And one has been in the
>> That's what we had before.
>> the requirement for I don't know how
long, but for
significant years.
I think so.
Thank you for letting me.
Anyone's thoughts on a
third reading of this?
>> It looks fine.
>> That is decided it's fine.
[clears throat]
>> That was making a presentation on our
policy. I love it.
Okay, we all good to move on?
>> And then lastly, we have one that we
would like to
remove and actually
and that is the IJNDB which is an
internet acceptable use policy. We think
we should retire it and I'll explain
why. It was created in 1998 or 20 years
ago and was last revised 15 years ago.
So, it is fairly obviously irrelevant
and outdated. The IT department agrees
and we have no concerns about removing
it and as we've already talked about
briefly, there are several technological
policy updates in the queue that are
going to handle this stuff much more
directly in a way that's much more
relevant.
>> It's really sweet though in a kind of
naive way.
>> It advises you to not share your
password among other things.
>> Be polite. I like that.
>> Thanks little strips of paper.
>> Timing of that could be a little
>> I don't know. Okay.
>> Any concerns about rescinding that
policy?
All right, we will do some voting on
the retiring and the third reading later
today. The others will talk about that
at a different time.
All right, thank you all for that. With
that it done, we'll move on to the next
part of B which is the budget guidelines
and timelines.
Renee, is this you?
>> I I it's me.
>> Yeah, go for it.
>> Uh,
the big thing is that the things that
are attached are examples from last
year. So, if you were confused as a new
board member, for example,
I was also confused.
>> We're we're turning on.
Um,
yeah, so, um, and uh, if you have any
questions on those, ask Neil.
no, the I guess the first one really is
the thing that we're moving forward
with. So, there's um,
uh, as you are all fully aware, the
budget process review committee
was a thing, uh, in the spring. Um, we
are still here,
uh, just trickling by. Um, our big thing
that we're working towards across all
budget committees is the strategic
alignment meeting, which is intended to
kick off the whole budget guidelines
process. Um,
and that I did The idea is that, for
those that have not been privy to all
the things here, uh, that all four
districts would be
kind of chatting together,
um, and saying, "Here's what our
priorities are. Here's what we want to
make sure we're aware of and thinking
about in terms of the Norwich context,
in terms of the Hanover context for our
taxpayers, um, moving forward in the
next year." Because we are all one
district, we have all these kids pre-K
through 12, we should be thinking about
how to support them all in the best way
possible instead of in our individual
silos, knowing that there's just some
things that are crazy between New
Hampshire and Vermont. Um, so, there's
always going to be little asterisks, but
that's the
the mentality um, behind the budget
process review committee
and that strategic alignment meeting
number one.
The recommendation from the budget
process review committee was
essentially, like, as early as feasibly
possible, let's have that strategic
alignment meeting.
Then that meets reality,
uh, which is always a little kind of
like change. Um, and so, the
conversation,
Tara, myself, Teresa, Robin, um, got
together,
I don't remember, July something, just
to talk about, um, what does the budget
process, like how are we going to kick
it off moving forward, uh, this year.
What do we want to be doing to make sure
we can positively implement the two
recommendations especially that were
voted on by the Dresden board, um, or
the SAU board, same same, um, which was,
I it's in my back somewhere. Um, one was
about making sure that we could have the
initial conversations when we're setting
our budget guidelines uh, with the
materials that really inform it
holistically. So,
uh, revenue, budget deficit information
early on earlier on in the process, what
are the priorities, what is the, uh,
student performance, cuz that's really
important to understand if we need to
invest more in one area or not. Um,
and a variety of other things that if
you look at that meeting, the notes are
there about what we are asking for. I
can't remember all of them. Um, and then
another big piece of that is this, uh,
multi-year financial forecast. Um, so
the idea being that, you know, best
practice being, you know, I'd love to
have this like multi-year model. Like we
understand there's so many limitations
that are uh, part of our financial
office and also all of us, uh, exist in
this world of reality. So, how can we
start to get to a place where we are
building routines and processes that we
can then just improve year over year.
So, the multi-year financial forecast
aspect of that, um, if you hear the
words quick quick model, um, in the past
that has been a one-year look of, um,
expenditures. So, how are we going to be
saying, you know, here's what we spent
this year in these various areas, what
do we think we're going to be spending
next year. And that really was the basis
for a lot of the, um, the budget
recommendations.
We learned,
um, you know, I think over and over
again, but we had a a you know,
conversation later on in the year last
year, where revenue became
problematic. Um and so we are trying to
push having the conversation about
revenue just within that quick new
updated quick model context. Um
for the sake of this conversation.
Uh and the conversation that Tara and
Robin, myself, and Teresa had was um we
can just have one number for revenue and
that's fine for this year if that's all
capacity allows. So that we can still
have a conversation of net assessment
across the kind of a few years.
And over time we can build that out or
we can decide how we want to handle
that, but we have the opportunity to at
least have one document that has some
version of expenditures and revenue
in a way that allows us to have the
conversation more effectively. Um
so that's the kind of one evolution to
quick model. Um the other is the
multi-year look, so we know and we're
going to hear a bit more about the
capital improvement stuff, which is
going to be awesome. But there's going
to be
you know, our teacher contract uh is
this year, that's a big question mark.
but multi-year contracts that we know
already exist, we can start to put those
in place over the course of like two
more years in the out years. So we can
say, "Okay, what does it look like?
Where where are we actually going?" Um
and therefore does that actually impact
what we want to be setting for our
budget guidelines this year?
That is all. Uh the intent of having
those conversations will be September
17th. If you are on a budget committee
and do not have that on your calendar,
let me know.
the idea is that there is a kind of a
big deep dive meeting um for that day.
Yeah, let me know.
Cool. We are going to
>> I'd love to be there.
>> We're going to make sure you guys are
there.
>> don't worry.
>> Awesome.
>> Um the intent is to have kind of that
across you guys,
>> have that conversation. Yeah.
>> Do I need to bring things to September
17th?
>> A budget.
>> That's pretty good.
>> This isn't fun.
>> That's phase two.
>> Don't jump the gun on the talking phase
yet, [laughter] okay?
>> Start at zero.
>> Is it hot?
>> Uh
we
we'll be talking about different
priorities. Um so there's there's going
to be um
fits and starts, I think. There there's
going to be some growing pains this
year. So
>> Terra, if you want to add to it for
later on.
>> Things that we would love to hear about
at that meeting which would be super
important would be any major
programmatic changes that will require
us to spend more or less money
um than the previous year. So we will
not be able to capture that particular
delta without your input because our,
you know, you're where the rubber meets
the road and we're way higher than that,
right? So we need to know what's
changing that you might need your your
financial support.
>> We already talked about it.
>> But that's what [clears throat] we need
for that meeting.
>> Um I want to give just a little bit of
context uh Deb, but
>> Or maybe we can have the comments later.
>> Just yeah, so the um
so September 17th, I think I had
mentioned like is later than usual cuz
we want to get all these things in
place. There are a lot of competing
factors that I think we've all heard,
but just to say again for
um our wonderful audience, um
the finance team is
going strong, but not fully able to
tackle all kind of the adjustments given
there's the closeout of the what 2025
audit,
New Hampshire and Vermont uh reports
that are due really around the same
time, but it would be really nice to
have this kickoff meeting. And so in in
an effort to make sure we have our
staff
with us um and fully supported, uh we
were suggesting a later,
um,
strategic alignment meeting to be Sept-
to be September 17th instead of anytime
in August or September 1st. And then
that also means that there's some
logistical stuff that needs to be worked
out in the next week or two around,
okay, how do we make sure that we have
the ability to talk about the Hanover,
Dresden, SAU, Norwich, if you would like
to, um, budget guidelines before our
September
um, before the end of September, which I
think will mean we would need to warn a
very short meeting right before our SAU
and Dresden meetings in September to
say, here's the budget guidelines that
we just talked about last week, um, just
so you guys are all aware, uh, that that
would then be voted on in the next
meeting. That's the logistical stuff.
All of that is
in context, so yeah, how about it? And
then dead will vote.
>> Content stuff.
We need to know from the board to inform
the budget process what the priorities
are for directionality of the district,
the longer term goals, one, two, three
years out, so we can try and bake that
in. And so, I guess
I don't know when else we're going to
get that except for like now.
>> Um, and we have two that may be quite
easy and that we can knock out of the
park, depends what everyone's opinion
is. One is the social worker that we've
talked about for a long time. Um,
and the other,
I mean, the other's for Hanover, it's
the pre-K portion, but those are the two
things that we have discussed as, you
know, various groups, and we would love
like head nods, discussion, board to
say, yes, that's what we need to bake in
on 17th.
And if there are any others that we
haven't, we maybe have talked about in
general, but not specifically, have not
gotten to the level of being in an
actual budget and then cut out like some
of the others have.
>> I don't know if she's still with us.
>> This is this is actually a question and
I noticed that you have the sabbatical
back in for next year. And so well, it's
it's in this bullet point thing.
>> It's last year's notes.
>> This is last year's.
>> Oh, oh, oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank
you. Thank you. Thank you. [laughter]
>> This is the reference document this last
year.
>> Thank you. Oh, yeah.
>> This is 206 to 207.
>> It's confusing. It's okay.
That was easy.
>> Yeah, just to go back to your question.
I'm assuming the capital improvement
plan stuff will be
So, we don't need to talk about building
things right now.
Because that will be part of that. Okay.
Just wanted to make sure.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> It would be helpful [clears throat] if
that group had something to track for us
as well.
>> Because we can't capture it in the
budget process.
>> I just wanted to make sure that that was
there by the 17th. Like something from
>> We're going to talk about it tonight.
>> And at the Terrace Point here, this is
before the next Dresden SAU meeting. So,
in terms of specific things, please
mention now or pass them along to either
me or Tara or Nate.
>> It needs to be almost a board consensus.
It can't be just one or two people
saying, "Hey, I really think this is
important." We
with the strategic plan in mind as a
group need to say, "Hey, we're
converging on these things which are
part of our long-term goals and vision
vision and we are not going to cut them
out of the budget because it's the
easiest thing to do to take the one new
thing off. So, this would be a we are
committed. So, are there committed
things that we as a as board goals that
we are going to include in the budget
process?
>> Well, noting that this is not a vote on
the budget. What do we want to see as
specific actual numbers involved?
>> And this is part of the discussion of
why we had this particular committee,
why we're trying to make this process
more impactful, this budget process, is
because we need to pick the point on the
horizon as a board to steer the ship.
And the only way to do that from a
budgetary process is have the discussion
about goals in tandem with the
discussion about money. Otherwise, it
does not happen. Otherwise, we're having
a philosophical conversation that never
gets actualized. And we would like that
to change toward the actualization end
of the spectrum. So, that's why this is
important.
>> Wait, but that's just like putting the
cart before the horse.
>> Not a
I mean, I think we've had meetings. Pat,
this is not a brand new concept. We are
not introducing It's not our intention
to introduce any brand new concepts.
We've had retreats. We've had previous
other meetings. We've talked about these
um these specific items um
extensively.
Can we
say, yes?
It is, you know, general head nods,
vote, whatever. It doesn't Do we agree
that that a social worker finally gets
60,000, 80,000, whatever? Is it
important to really say, that will be in
the budget and that's part of the future
of our district. [snorts]
>> I think it would be super helpful to the
board if Robin there are things from the
strategic plan that have been discussed
that you as the leader are would like
our support on. I would find it easier
to make the recommendations you're
asking if our fearless leader has said,
these are where I think strategically we
need to go. So, I can input there cuz
it's other I think you're right and I
think it would be great for us to help
prioritize things, but I think
for me personally, I'm relying on Robin
and her team to help also make sure
we're aligned with strategic plan goals.
>> Can I just say one thing?
>> I should have brought the report that um
Michael Costa did. That was a
culmination of a discussion with lead
the leadership team and Robin that
listed a number of items that was
presented What it was presented back in
June at this point. So, it's not fresh
for any of us.
>> Yeah. Yeah. That's the last time we
talked about this.
>> Except for those of us who sat through
some very long meetings about it then.
So,
Um you know, I I I think
one of the conversations needs to be
if we're if we're if we're future
looking if we're forward looking on this
and
right now it stands that Vermont is
likely to move to a foundation formula,
right? And then
that new setup then the revenue piece of
things changes. So, no longer do
the residents of Norwich get to decide
how much they want to spend on their
schools. The state says, "Here much
Here's how much money you get.
Make it work."
Right? So, when we're talking about
budgeting for next year, but with the
eye on a potential future where those
revenue sources are constrained.
And we don't And we may have the ability
so that there is potentially an option
that the town of Norwich could raise
additional money beyond what the state
would give you.
Does it make sense
And this is just a question, right? To
add things to the budgets now
with the possibility that in the future
you may need to cut those very things or
cut something because you're going to
see a dramatic decrease in revenue?
Or is it better to withhold spending in
those things now knowing that that's the
potential future that you're likely to
to incur? Like that's the discussion
that I think
the body needs to have when when you're
looking at a scenario where potentially
1/3 of the Dresden revenue source may be
very tightly constrained.
>> May I have an turn?
>> I think there's um
like there's so much context and that
feels just so much harder than what we
have here. You know, there's like
there's
stuff getting thrown at us from all
sides. Um,
uh, but the thing that I want to make
sure we or the the thing we should not
lose track of are
um, conversations of trade-offs.
So, yes, we need to be mindful of like
these crazy potential scenarios, but if
the social worker, just hypothetically,
is a is a more impactful investment than
something else we're currently doing
that we invested in several years ago, I
would want to hear from this this school
leadership to say, "Actually, we're
going for ma- making sure we're planning
for whatever 0% or in like a crazy world
like negative whatever percent, but we
also want to trade off to make sure we
are investing in this particular
resource cuz it's going to be the thing
our kids need more than this other
thing." That conversation
should be enabled more and I think is
something that be more at like the Robin
and and Teresa level, um, but we would
want to hear about it because it's
it's not just saying we're adding on.
We're We're adding on, but intentionally
taking this money moving it elsewhere.
But wait, I I just want to make sure
like that conversation should happen,
but what I heard in your point, Neil,
was like
let's not even talk about the social
worker at all.
Just want to make sure we're clear.
>> Yeah. Um, no. No, I I we need I want us
to have that conversation about all of
these potential additional expenses to
the budget um,
with the understanding that the future
may require us to go
I've I've I've served on this body far
too long to know that what typically
happens, right, is that we'll go and
we'll add stuff in one year and then the
next year be encumbered with some tax
rate projection that is not good and
we're like, "How the hell did that
happen?"
And I'm like, "Well, it happened last
year when we added all of this extra
stuff to the budget." And so, I don't
want future us to be upset with current
us because we did something and and
weren't fully mindful of the
repercussions that we were
>> dealing with potentially dealing with,
right? So, just I want us to have an
informed conversation.
>> And whatever decision we come to, I'm
fine with it, right? I just want it to
be with the with with the understanding
that there's, you know, here's what
could happen.
>> Yeah. Terror and carry.
>> Yeah. Just wanted to clarify. You said,
you know, worried about this or that the
the adding on. Under no circumstances
was I suggesting that the district spend
more money. What I'm speaking about is
setting priorities and then probably
belts tightening in other places because
we don't get a bigger pot of money just
because we want to. That doesn't mean we
should not choose our priorities to
spend the dollars that we do have as
wisely as we possibly can. Um and I see
budget constraints on our side as well,
on the New Hampshire side, um as a a
significant potential. But, um one of
the reasons why we're doing the
three-year budget planning cycle is so
that we won't add something in one year
and then we'll lose it the next. This
would not be a a let's sort of shot in
the dark, try and make this work. This
is let's make a multi-year plan so that
we do bring the benefits to the
district.
>> Um I think I wanted to say the same
thing, but I think in a more a
simplified version. I think it's the
painful conversation of at a time of
budget cuts, things may be cut.
And like in my black and white,
non-financial person speak,
that like something may be cut
and there may be new things. And like
what I heard was the ask of what are the
driver? Like how do we identify like
this is a thing we're doing and it could
be upsetting because it could mean that
this thing that has existed for a long
time get smaller or because there's
there are budgetary
concerns coming. Um
and I think that's particularly like
when I
speak to people in this community, that
is what feels really hard is that
it is pie and if sometimes if money's
going somewhere, it does have to come
out of something else and um
this community, we're so privileged,
right? People are used to
having really awesome things in their
schools and money is tight.
>> Yeah, that's what we're trying to do.
Any input from the public as well?
People online?
Renee?
>> I just have a clarifying question about
committee members.
>> I noticed there's a still a couple
question marks
next to our wonderful Jim.
>> Where are you seeing question marks,
>> In the committee list.
And then also on the um
Where's the committee list?
Uh it is a saved link.
>> You saved your link?
>> What is wrong with you, man?
>> What is wrong with
It's one of my many tabs.
>> Should be in Google Docs.
>> Um but more importantly, um Neil, I
think you it says that you're on the
Dresden Budget Committee according to
the committee list. And you're not
written um
as part of the committee reports
in our committee
list.
So I'm wondering, um would you
uh pretty please be part of that
committee?
>> Yeah, I I assumed I was.
>> Great.
Wonderful.
>> It's on my calendar.
>> Great. [laughter]
Was that your immediate concern, Renee?
>> That it was most it was a clarifying to
make sure that Neil doesn't walk away
from this
not seeing his name and then not showing
up.
>> Yeah, that could be a that could be a
four-chairs thing.
>> Yeah, currently has Yeah, like Jim has
question marks under all of his stuff
and they're all budget committee and
they're all but he's on all three budget
committees with the question mark.
>> mark.
>> I'll say no for that.
>> Okay, but as long as you guys can
>> Maybe four-chairs can gather up fairly
expeditiously and clarify this cuz I I
thought we had clarified this or else it
would be a update or someone overrode it
or something cuz I thought this was all
clear.
I wonder if some of them might have like
vanished.
Maybe we should ask the question to the
floor.
>> It sounds like there's
more meetings that would be great to be
a part of. Could I get on the
be invited to? I just My calendar's
quickly filling up and I don't want to
miss something or have to like table the
chair.
>> If there are some actual meeting
invites, that'd be a Ryan thing. Um some
of these are public meetings where it
may or may not be clear to whether
you're expected to be there or not. Um
that'd be a question for Robin.
>> Yeah, I like it.
Yeah, that is for someone to get them on
there soon.
>> Strategic alignment meeting.
>> Yeah, so for budgetary stuff specific to
Dresden or SAU wide, yes, you'd be
expected to be there.
>> I would Yeah.
Which is just if you're looking at the
calendar right now, the strategic
alignment meeting is Thursday, September
17th from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.
>> That's in Robin's office.
>> It is in Robin's office and currently
Robin only the budget committees appear
members period so.
But
>> And I guess while we're talking so
Dresden is you, Neil, and is it Terry is
the third person in Dresden? Yes, okay.
Tim again, I love it.
>> Are there Yeah, are there some for
October cuz you you seem to have dates
for it.
>> Yes, you have we have you
>> Should I just wait or should I get them?
>> I I don't have those yet.
>> All right, let's move on.
>> Right,
make the business requiring action.
These are all things we are usual
suspects including the third revision to
IKF which is the graduation stuff as
well as the receding of the outdated
internet use policy. I will note I will
need a motion for as amended for IKF
because Julie pointed out to me there is
a slight typo in the very first sentence
that's how we all missed it. It's not
2020 when it goes into effect it is
2030.
>> You don't want to have
>> I don't think anyone was
so if Debbie wants to do it as amended
I'd appreciate it.
>> I move to approve items B through E with
the amendments as discussed in the
policies by consent.
>> Thank you for that. Seconded by Lisa. We
have no one online tonight so we can do
this all hands up. Any opposed?
All 10 of us it is unanimous for the
note taker board members Michael Costa
and Garrett Palmer not with us tonight.
We're moving on to reports and
communications for report of the chair.
Welcome back everyone. Thank you all for
being here we appreciate all that you do
staff members and board members
included. I want to give a special shout
out to Derek Butler at RMS who recently
won the
>> history teacher of the year award for
the state of New Hampshire.
He is awesome.
>> From the Gilder Lehrman Institute of
American History.
>> I forgot to
say that at the thank you Debbie.
>> No, they're really good.
>> He is awesome. My kid had him and he
continues to be awesome so congrats to
Mr. Butler.
And secondly on a more prosaic note I
will be missing next month's meeting.
I'll be traveling and out of town so I
would ask vice chair if he is able to
chair that meeting on the spot. Um
September 22nd do you think you'll be
able to make it Neil?
And if we can talk offline as well that
would be great.
>> If the money's right I'll do it.
>> All right.
I promise [laughter] you exactly
nothing. Thank you very much.
That is it for me. We do have a few
committees that wish to speak tonight as
well some legislative updates we're
reporting within committee work.
Anything so we heard about budgets.
Council hasn't met yet so I don't think
there's anything there from either of
Um, hear anything from Hartford yet?
>> No, their first meeting is the 30th of
September.
>> Looking forward to that. And then any
tuition updates and we do have some
non-public related to that tonight.
Anything
>> So much to talk about later.
>> Yeah. Anything facing right now public?
And some legislative updates.
>> And Sally I think you're going to take
team as needed.
>> I think you might We you might not know
this one.
>> Okay, I'll take that one.
>> Um, so late on Friday as in this past
Friday
um, the state filed a 120-page brief.
Um, I was on a Zoom yesterday for an
hour and I'll just share a couple pieces
to the
um, the brief which is basically
eliminated the right to state-funded
adequate education, overturning
Claremont 1 and 2.
and if they have to keep Claremont,
courts have no right to be involved.
Taxpayers don't have standing.
Uh, reverse special education. Judges
should not be able to decide whether the
legislature is actually providing enough
money for an adequate education.
Um, they're basically
looking to avoid our Constitution and
avoid any kind of funding the public
education. And the question one might
ask
others before hopefully before they vote
in November. Do you think kids have the
right to a public education?
And so I took a lot of notes but
information is going to be shared out. I
talked to one of our local state reps
and she said, "Oh yeah, we've been
anticipating this." And part of it is
because the judges have turned over and
there are more conservative individuals
than were when previous court decisions
about funding education were in place.
So, they are hoping
the other side is hoping to have a more
amenable decision to what they want to
do as far as funding and public
education. So,
Neil
>> New Hampshire could be joining you.
Anyway, it's going to take a while to
work through, but
I can type up my notes and share them
with you, but I think stuff is going to
be coming out.
I did take a screenshot of one slide,
but I don't think they really want to
push out a lot of those screenshots yet.
So, this is just letting you know, it's
been filed, it's going to take a while
to go through.
but it's it's pretty
startling.
>> Um Kelly, anything to add?
>> So, I sent you guys a document um that
hopefully at some point will be attached
so that the public can see it as well.
Um HB 1300 was signed into law, so this
is not a question of advocating to
prevent this from happening, it's
happening.
Um and so we are required um each
community is required in uh the November
general election to put um
uh
an article on the ballot and it's it's
clearly stated and essentially that
if it is if it is a voted in by Hanover
voters, um it would restrict our
year-over-year budget increase to CPI.
There's a whole bunch of problems with
that, but um
it's a lagging indicator. I mean, it's a
you know, there's a lot lot of problems
with it, but um
the uh end result would be
um that there there's no local control.
There are no carve-outs for special
education. So, for example, if we had a
an exceptionally high cost um
out of district placements, say 400,000,
we're cutting programming, we're cutting
I mean, it it it it really hamstrings
what we're able to do.
so, I've put some details in there. Um
you know, if our voters in November do
not approve that,
then it comes back 2 years later. That's
how the law is written, so it would come
back in 2028.
Um but there are It's It's not an
automatic restriction, right? It's It
has to be approved by Hanover voters.
So, the challenge, of course, is that
our the It's the general election, so
it's the entire population that would be
voting, including students, including,
you know, everybody.
Um and that um
it is divorced from our normal budget
season, when we're pushing information
out, when we're talking to people, when
we're getting um very pro-school,
pro-education voters to come out in
March. Um so, it's divorced from that.
It's It's in that November process. So,
um we have, I think, some um I would say
a lot of um
PR work to do and communication work to
do with the town, um with our voters.
So, I know um Carrie and I think it was
Deb volunteered to to kind of be really
plugged in on this um from the Hanover
side, um and and give us assignments,
things to do. Um but to be clear, cuz I
mistook this at the last meeting, so I
apologize. Um my brain had not flipped
over yet. Um if this is voted in in
November, it would be impacting the
budget that we are currently kicking off
with our September meetings. So, the
decision-making, the planning that we're
doing in the next few months um
would be impacted by that vote. So,
there's a lot of complex nitty-gritty in
the law. You could take your time and
read it.
>> While it's going on, we have any
communication with the town, as as Kelly
mentioned, Um,
some of us have a lot of work to do with
messaging and PR and all that kind of
stuff. There is a meeting tomorrow for
that the chairs are invited to. School
Board Action Network and kind of getting
in front of this and
messing in that so we will be in
fairly regular communication on this as
that's what two and a half months away
or something like that.
>> And Robin has um, have you already had
the meeting with the mayor?
>> Next Tuesday.
>> To understand how does this impact a
district that has, you know, a
significant portion of our funding
coming from another state? And what
does, you know, what does that mean um,
for all of us? So.
>> Say that again.
>> And there is also, I think I I don't
even know what I did anymore. I think I
shared it with the chairs
uh,
social media toolkit on school funding
caps. But
>> I added that to the document so that
>> Perfect. Okay.
>> So you can see that there's a Zoom on
Sunday, September 13th if you're looking
for something to do.
You can join us.
>> Renee.
>> Um, just to clarify and
sorry that I'm missing this right now.
So if the voters said
Yeah, uh, so if they say no this
November, it comes back in two years.
>> If they say yes,
it comes back in two years?
>> Okay, so it's in both no matter what?
>> And it would apply for the next two
years?
good question.
>> it just
>> I believe that's right.
>> It's 2023. Each one is a two-year cycle.
>> That's right.
>> Okay. So they're voting this year for a
two-year cycle.
>> And then they would vote the next time
for a two-year cycle.
So regardless if they vote yes or no,
like we're not in the clear if everybody
votes no, right?
>> We have to do this
>> every two years.
>> And if they vote yes, the current budget
that we're working on gets shredded and
we have to start over.
>> It is applicable to 26-27.
>> Woo.
>> Neil, and then Lisa.
>> Yeah, yeah, I guess I'm so sorry my head
over colleagues.
uh, I've heard some mention of we need
to get out communication and we need to
do this. Has the A is the Hanover board
taking official position on this and can
we expect that the Hanover board or
individuals from that organization might
be advocating the public to vote a
certain way on this measure in November?
And then thirdly to the point that Deb
was raising before, is there an
organization whether it's the NHSBA or
others that is actually fighting for
public education in New Hampshire at
this point in time that that we all
might want to get behind?
>> Multiple, yeah, is the answer because
the
Oh, sorry.
>> Yeah, Deb, go ahead.
>> Um, the group that I was
on the call with Oh god, everything is
not opening now, but it's like
>> Engaged New Hampshire.
>> But it has AFT New Hampshire, NEA New
Hampshire, Moms Rising, Public Schools
Strong. They're all these
organizations and there's actually a
group that meets every Monday
>> absent from that coalition?
>> Yes, it is.
>> Can't imagine why.
>> Yay.
>> We could re- we could go out together
after this meeting and reminisce about
our past conversations. [laughter]
>> Uh, we still have Hanover or Neil still
going?
>> Uh, no, I mean I just
>> we know what I meant. And I use that I
mean it's a collective we are willing to
help where we can, but we we can't let
this go skating through in November
without
without communication and and and you
know, I mean this
of anything this is where we need to put
our efforts I think at this moment. Um,
I would I would hate to say this as a
member of the budget committee, but
the budget stuff comes second. Like this
in my mind this comes first.
>> And in answer to your sorry, in answer
to your question we did not take an
official position.
I think we were remiss in not doing that
officially. We certainly have a
position. Um so, at the next meeting we
will definitely take that. That's a good
idea. I think probably for this body as
well, the next meeting to officially
take a position.
>> You said we're going to get in there.
You want to go first?
>> Yeah, just Yeah, just a quick Um my
question was question number three
for um that Neil had, but
I would want to appreciate I'm assuming
the Hanover board is talking about this
more than we are in Norwich. And um
it would be helpful maybe if there was
some sort of summary cuz
I try to look through your minutes for
the Hanover meetings, but I'm not always
perfect at it. If there was some sort of
summary that you could send to
all the like to either the Dresden board
or the SAU board like wherever it lands
that is just sort of like this is what
we talked about. This is what would be
most helpful. This is what we're
thinking of. So, um
cuz I just This is so important. I don't
want it to get lost because I didn't
happen to read the Hanover's minutes
from last week.
>> I sent
>> So, I sent you guys a document just
summarizing what it is.
>> But the what we're doing about it,
that's a good idea.
>> But just like a quick you know, like
these are the three things that we're
doing this week or whatever. So,
>> The The chair's going to be in touch on
what we're doing, especially when it
comes to
>> Cuz I I definitely want to help, but I
don't want to I don't want to go in
cross purposes or
you know, if there's a lot of work
dividing and conquering makes a lot of
sense. So.
>> And then we we mentioned [laughter] it
briefly what Robin is doing just
clarifying it tomorrow if other folks
are out of state. Um actually next week
and then
after that we'll get more clarity on
what we can and should be doing.
>> After the fact that I'm saying this, but
should we form quickly a committee just
to get on top of this and to put the
heads together so that we have an action
plan?
Because it's not I am. I hate that I
just did that, but I did.
>> So not like me.
>> I think it is.
similar to
We had two people volunteer to
>> Don't you guys want there?
>> But an
actual committee might be helpful
because public and other invested
parties could actually attend and
>> Yeah, duly noted.
Uh, Carrie.
>> Yeah, I didn't know if it was important
to name. Sorry, I was distracted by
trying to get the invites for the
meetings, but that when we talked we did
talk about a committee versus waiting on
a committee because of the um
these groups are meeting.
Like needing to go to some of these to
consolidate before we have a separate
committee from the work that's like
>> Just want to help. Whatever whatever to
help and have a okay, on this date at
this time we are going to sit down and
talk about this and formulate a plan and
people will get homework assignments to
do. I mean, I think having a committee
is sort of formalizes that process. Um,
if you don't need a committee to roll
that process out, I support you.
However, if a whole bunch of us show up
in the room at the same time, we would
have to warn that anyway.
>> And I think part of this we we need to
hear what all these different groups
have to say. We have to talk to them in
equal terms of what we can and cannot do
in terms of elections and we got to hear
what's going on with the superintendent
statewide thing going on.
>> But I think there are some first steps
that we can take that do not require the
information gathering and that are very
critical as Neil stated to begin right
away.
I mean, [clears throat] even putting on
the SCU meeting agenda a group vote as
to our position on this would I think be
a helpful exercise.
If the chair would
>> Neil.
Um, well, to that last point I wouldn't
do that tonight. I do think that that
requires a little bit of prep work and
discussion. Second thing is the question
is whether or not that should be a
Dresden committee or a
Hanover committee.
Right, but the third thing is but
I'm sorry.
>> Sorry, the law is SAU, so I don't know
>> Or or should be SAU
yeah.
But the third thing is I mean there is
no harm in establishing a committee
because
I understand like all of those other
things that you think you want to wait
for to happen, but to have a committee
established and a date picked for a
first meeting typically is the majority
of work for getting things going
>> and you might want to get that done
first while you're waiting for those
other things to happen so that you don't
then
find yourself behind the eight ball by
the time that those other things have
happened like oh we need to get a
sorry oh crap
>> committee together right and we need to
schedule a meeting and people aren't
available at this date and we can't make
it like just get the committee
established pick a date or two for
meetings you can always cancel a
meeting.
>> Yeah, I was I was slightly too oblique
but I was agreeing with Caleb that this
should probably be an SAU thing.
Give you a
few minutes to talk.
So whenever we get there.
>> Keep going.
>> So is everyone okay to be done with this
conversation right now or bring it up in
a slightly different context at SAU?
>> Five minutes.
>> Hopefully not 25 minutes realistically.
Um so
Evan probably know you hit us with a lot
of legislative stuff anything else cuz
there's always other things going on at
the actual level.
>> I think I'm out for now.
>> Oh I would just remind people a lot of
times a lot of folks I've spoken to
think the primary is September 15th in
New Hampshire and it's not. It's the day
after Labor Day. It's September 8th.
That's the second Tuesday. So those of
you from Vermont you don't need to
listen to me.
>> But it's here. [laughter]
>> It's here at the high school in the gym.
And
>> Any clarifying questions or anything
else from board members or the public on
this before we move on to reports?
So, I was going to talk a lot, guys. I
appreciate it. Thank you for your
patience.
All right, move on to the
superintendent. Robin, not calling all
these other things.
>> What's going on?
>> You should have called me.
>> That's what we talked about.
I did submit my report. Yeah, things
have been gearing up, obviously, to
return [clears throat] to school. So, we
have our marrying cross staff returning
tomorrow.
The entire staff comes back on Monday.
We'll have our opening celebration
again. I sent you the information about
that. You're all welcome to come. I'd
love to have you there if you're
available. We'll have a breakfast in the
morning, and then we'll move into
like a little pep talk speech, and then
we'll have some awards, and we'll have
student panel again. So, it was well
received last year. I'm continuing that
this year.
And then, just keeping up with all the
legislation, we had a great um
leadership team retreat.
>> Everyone attended. I'm just so impressed
with all of our new directors and
principals. It's been just so joyous to
be with everyone. So, really excited
about the new year.
And I'll leave it at that. And I'm
excited to welcome everyone back.
>> And it's only the summer.
>> Yeah, that's all of these new staff.
They're all incredible. What more bells
and whistles?
introduce yourself. They're talking
about amazing people. So, special shout
outs to everyone.
Any questions for Robin?
Um Jam, did you invite Lauren over?
Jam, are you still there?
Um so, we'll shift you over to Lauren
when you're ready.
Lauren, you with us still?
Okay, we will
>> I have it what to open. I can't see it.
>> Skip Lauren for now. We'll come back to
her.
>> She's still here.
>> Yeah, she's still here. Um
Let's skip over to the DBA. Uh Teresa,
lots going on on your end. Anything you
want to highlight for us?
>> Where she's
Uh I have uploaded tons of reports.
>> Everything else.
>> Highlight it.
>> My highlight, um
if I if I don't go to detail everything,
the highlights I put on that front page
and everything else for you to access
and read. Um the food service management
contract
for Richmond Middle School because
um [clears throat]
Austin has been there quite a while. He
did resign this year. So, that
situation, um we needed to decide
whether we're going to continue in-house
or go ahead and contract out.
We got the bid and quote and everything
else from Whitsons. Um we did decide to
go with
doing a contracted service joining the
rest of the group. Everything else. Um
So, at this point and I probably should
have had Ryan put this up above for your
consideration for um approval.
For cuz I believe just we do a formality
of it's just the one-year contract. So,
we we can sign it, but I believe you
still as a formality just toward
approves
and accepts it.
Um so, that'll be something that I'll be
asking for.
And I have attached it and everything
else. Um the FY 25
um I still don't have the final final
reports, but the MD&A that highlights
all the
details of the report. There are um that
is attached to
Oh.
I will mention that I didn't put on here
speaking of house bills
the The one that we're not really
highlighting, but we should, probably is
House Bill 564.
So, that one now says that the SAU
budget, even though we decide what it
is,
we have to now put that on the ballot.
And it goes underneath the bond.
It's a New Hampshire thing.
>> It's changed. It's a New Hampshire
change.
>> It's a New Hampshire thing. So, now we
have to
>> So, do you want to do a quick
what that means?
>> And what it will mean is that as we move
through the budget process for the SAU,
like we normally do,
and we do the assessments to each of the
districts, we'll do that portion is the
only portion that goes on that
particular ballot. So,
Henniker School District will just
display their dollar amount assessment.
And we'll do the same for the
minus Norwich.
Um so, we'll do it for two districts
anyhow. Everything else and so, it has
to go
um right underneath bonds and before the
schools' budget.
Taxpayers get to vote on it.
Over here, we don't have default
budgets.
So, if somebody else's fails, it goes to
the default. We follow Vermont's method
voting on budgets.
So, if it fails, you go back to the
drawing board,
which means that it affects
everybody's budget.
I still don't understand how that's
going to fully work, and there's still
questions on this because you could have
your school budget pass,
>> and your SAU
budget fail, but you would go back and
again, you'd have to
It's a little messy on that one, too.
>> A little bit.
>> I'm I'm resigning from budget committee
>> Just wanted to remind you so that you
know that HB 1300 if it passes in the
vote, it limits the SAU budget to 6% of
the overall budget.
>> Which is why we are well under it.
>> I know, but
depending on how the rest goes, if you
shrink the rest of the budget, then
you're going to have a shell game to
deal with. All the gaming.
So, some of the conversations needed
air. We need to talk to people about
that one.
>> Um we have Evan.
>> Evan, okay.
Also, legal budget also goes into the
SAE budget.
>> And the um any funds left over for the
SAE, too?
Get a portion back.
>> So, we get to keep those rolling,
either.
We can get
>> What do you mean? Proportion back where?
>> Um to the districts.
>> So, they get returned back to the
districts.
>> Yeah, okay.
>> Rami, what is our current percentage?
Does anyone know offhand?
>> For legal?
>> No, for SAE.
>> 5.2.
>> Oh, that's what I had in my calculation,
but I didn't
>> didn't carve out everything.
>> Okay, but it's not so close you need to
>> For you.
>> I wouldn't worry about it at the moment.
>> Um not right now.
>> So, Teresa, am I understanding you
correctly? You need a vote from us
tonight on this contract?
>> Yes, please.
>> And that's the letter of intent or
>> Yeah, I did the I I already did the
letter intent, too. That way they could
go forward with actually procuring food
personnel to be there and stuff like
that. Um
and again, with the anticipation,
there's an assumption there with the
anticipation of the other three schools
having contracted services, they came in
pretty good with the very comparable to
what we've been running for the program
over there.
Um and they all for the most part um
if things status quo, we would have like
a $6,000 anticipated
loss that we'll supplement with.
But, things go good, we won't.
>> Well, first of all, I apologize to board
members for springing this on you guys.
That's um we'll try to keep working on
>> Please have it.
>> That's it. I'm going to leave. have
already taken our collective votes
tonight within our normal cycle. We do
have a future vote
after we come back from public, so I
will save that until then. Folks can
remind me of this in case I miss it. I
appreciate it.
All right,
are we all good with Teresa right now?
Okay, thank you Teresa. And Lauren is
now with us online, so Lauren, when
you're ready, you want to give us what
we need to know. I do see you on my
screen. Welcome.
>> Thank you. Welcome to you, too, and
welcome back, everyone.
We'll start with the Dresden fiscal
monitoring report. I will make that very
brief. If you scroll to the very end, it
says during the review, the New
Hampshire Department of Education did
not notice any immediate concerns. So,
that's a big woohoo, and just simply the
follow-up to what was already presented
at Dresden last year. We had our audit.
Dresden passed fabulously. And a major
shout-out to Teresa and team, as well as
Robin, for getting all of the structures
in order that then I could take over and
continue with the process of applying
for all of these grants, and then using
the money to supplement what we already
have going in our schools. So,
congratulations to everybody getting
through that, and feel free to read
through that final report.
As for my report, many of you have heard
most of it before. It is submitted for
your review, and I would just highlight
that Bear Camp and the RMS Summer Search
Camp
seem to be a huge success in getting our
students into the building over the
summer for a variety of reasons.
You know, for me this year, I loved
sitting in my office and watching all of
our new high school students coming down
the sidewalk all together, you know,
with the hope and anticipation of a
great year over at Hanover High School.
Um, we use Title I funds to support both
of those camps and as you noticed up top
right now, we're looking at a pretty
significant decrease in Title I. Um,
hoping to bring you more information
next board meeting about how we're going
to be working with that decrease. Um, a
huge welcome again to uh O'Leary or Tim,
whatever we're going to decide on. Um,
it's been a real pleasure working with
him this summer um along with all of our
teams and I'm really looking forward to
supporting our associate principals
again this year and we're going to do
both one-on-ones and some cohort
meetings and I'm very excited about
>> Uh, if you scroll down to the end, I
would also just want to highlight uh
when I wrote this report, we were
planning our new staff orientation and
in that moment, we had only 11 people
that were signed up and by the time
people showed up in the library for
orientation, we had over 20. And so,
major kudos to our human resources
department and all of our interview
teams across our schools who found some
amazing talent and then got them hired
right in time for us to kick off a year
together. Um, had a really fun time
especially on the bus tour. Uh, next
year I would encourage all of you to
join us. It might you might get a kick
out of it. Um, and then I look forward
to sharing more about our Dartmouth
partnership day um in our next meeting
as well. I wrote the report before that
happened and I will end by saying um
I've had a really fun time learning
about learning way more about Frontline
Professional Growth which is uh the
platform that we use for evaluations
um and also to track staff development
and my hand in that this summer was to
do some work to consolidate our profiles
for evaluation and do some work in
forms. Um, I really learned a lot and I
would say I just sent an email to our
leaders that said, "I've battled
Frontline and emerged victorious, I
think." Because as of right now, all of
our school goals and our district goals
have been populated into all of our
teachers and staff members professional
growth plans, so that our leaders can
hit the ground running assisting our
leader or our staff members and teachers
in creating their individual goals and
making this year very successful. And
I'm happy to answer any questions.
>> Thank you, Lauren, as always. Any
questions for Lauren?
>> Hearing none, you nailed it, Lauren.
>> All right, thank you for that. Moving
on, we do have a need for several
different nonpublic things tonight with
apologies for our public who are so
graciously being here, but I will take a
motion for discussion topics B, C, and
uh sorry, did I miss something?
>> Nailed it, Doug.
>> Well, just a question before we do that.
I am curious if any members of the
public actually are here for the SAU
meeting, and if it would make sense
to postpone the remainder of the Dresden
meeting till after the conclusion of the
SAU meeting.
I'm in favor of that.
>> Okay, I'm in with Larson having out some
folks in the public who are indeed here
for SAU meeting.
Um just to clarify, Dresden had to pick
out those beforehand, and so that start
time is a moving target.
>> Yeah, but for anybody joining online,
they don't know that.
That's a good point. I can't see them
right now because that's a separate
meeting. Okay. That's a fair enough
point, and this would be a fairly
lengthy
nonpublic as most of us know.
Okay. Kelly.
>> Does that Is that a table this meeting?
>> Uh no.
>> I would move to postpone the Dres- the
remainder of the Dresden meeting until
until the conclusion of the SAU meeting
this evening.
>> I second.
>> So, I believe we would need a roll call
vote for that, right?
>> Why not?
>> All right, so motion seconded. Um
All those in favor, yeah, starting with
Neil.
>> Odell, yes.
>> Sullivan, yes.
>> Deacon, yes.
>> Tatum, yes.
>> Christie, yes.
>> Lewis, yes.
>> Nelson, yes.
>> Russell, yes.
>> McConnell, yes.
>> And Keaney, yes.
Jam, uh did you hear all that?
>> So, are you going to do that for the
psychological sense?
>> Uh maybe.
>> All right. I have faith in you, sir.
Okay, so on that note there will be
Yeah, that's all related to that. Okay.
All right, so we're done. Um we'll take
a 5-minute bio break.
All right, um so Jam, if you want to try