2026 07.20 Amherst School Board Meeting

Speakers are labeled SPEAKER_N. This transcript is machine-generated.

Recording

to order.
For all those who are willing and or
able, please rise for the pledge of
allegiance.
>> Got to get a flag up here.
>> Where is it?
>> The wall. Okay. To the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
All right.
Um, has everyone had an opportunity to
take a look at the agenda? I know
assembly is being a little funky for
some of us who me. We're good.
>> Um,
any questions about the agenda? Are we
good?
>> Good.
>> All right. I will open there is no
public present and there is no one
online but I will open up public comment
at 5:05 so that we can run our half hour
of of public comment make sure that we
have public comment open for that period
of time so public comment is now open at
5:05 if well it doesn't matter there's
nobody here to talk to about it
>> one online it doesn't look like
>> all right Terry is also online but she's
not on the panelist she has a panelist
Terry you Yeah,
>> I am. And I'm hoping for the best. I'm
in the middle of the canyon in Wyoming.
[snorts]
>> All right.
>> All right. So,
>> yeah. So, we got a update, right? Far
update.
>> Yeah. So this is the
um this is just on the building
renovation project. I have a summer work
update in the next section. So this is
just the building renovation project and
uh so in your docu in your uh supporting
documents you have two documents. You
have the first one is the amorous
project schedule. That's the timeline
that you know tried created for Beno and
Harvey and us to work off of. Uh we are
still on uh on course. Um Trident
received the hard costs from uh Harvey
end of last week. They before they
release them to us, they [snorts] need
to review those hard costs and have any
conversations they need to do with
Harvey and Vanwell before we get them.
But they have them. And uh so um I do
have a a personnel update in regards to
the project in non-public for the board.
>> Okay.
>> Okay. Uh the second document that you
have there uh we wanted to do a little
more work around clarifying the uh the
the purpose for the mockup classroom.
And so we worked with Trident RV and
Banwell to develop a a reasons on why
they think it's a good practice to to do
that. and as it fits into us potentially
having down the road to do something
similar like we're doing AMS where we do
a section of the roof and some
classrooms and so this is we want to
explain kind of our thinking around that
to the board and um you know so we
presented that today if you guys have
questions at the next meeting we can we
can talk off of that so I know you're
seeing it for the first time today. All
right. All right. That's all I have for
that section right now.
Uh I'll go into the superintendent
report if it's okay with you. All right.
>> Um
[clears throat] first is a
um we have a uh
a staff staffing update throughout Clark
Wilkins and and Ammer school district.
We have a a handful of positions that
we're trying to to fill. We have a
speech language path pathologist
position that we're looking to fill and
we have a a special ed um educator
position at AMS we're trying to fill.
We're in the process of that. I'll keep
you updated. Uh we're confident that we
will fill them. We're just you know
going through the process to make sure
we find the right match. Uh we have uh
SAU staffing update uh just just for
courtesy um that uh you know Sue Ledger
our our person who uh receptions at the
door who managed our professional
development greets everyone is retiring
I believe it's September 1 and uh D is
going to be replacing Sue Ledger and we
are very very very happy about that D
right and uh it's a good thing and uh
it's a Right now, DA is also doing some
work in our HR department. We always
have someone come on for the summers,
you know, they need a little additional
support within the department. So, DA's
there and we're going to transition into
that role. Um, we're in the process of
bringing on a communications
coordinator. Uh, we have interviewed
last week and we brought a second a
person in for a second round today. Uh,
and continue to go through the process.
I'll keep you updated there. Um so then
summer work update
>> question of the communications man
>> is that um person who hired last year
who was like a former editor of the
newspaper is that person still on our
paper that was a one
>> that was he concluded on tenure March
15th.
>> Okay. Is that somebody you were
considering for this new position or
Okay.
>> He took a full-time position within the
Pemrook school uh district. They had a
full-time opening and applied for that.
>> So what you're looking for though is a
senator skill set. Is that right?
>> Uh it's still skill a similar skill set.
Absolutely.
>> Yep. Just Pat had we we met we talked
about the other day we we met I met
seven people. We interviewed four
communication coordinators have a
variety of skill sets and they and
backgrounds. We're looking for someone
with a little bit of a you know
communications degree, a little bit of
public relations, a little bit of uh
social media.
It's hard because parttime position. So,
got that. Uh, summer work updates. It it
it presented funny in Simly, so I don't
know why it does that sometimes, but the
exterior cocking that that project is
scheduled. This is all the work that you
guys approved on July 6th. The window
repairs parts are ordered. There's a
four-week lead time will be scheduled
and they have ensured us, James McCain,
the director of facilities, that that
project will be done by the start of
school. Uh, cable repairs are completed
out back behind the school. Uh we are in
process with the Federal Pacific
Electrical on internally. You guys know
Shelton fan that internally. So we're in
process of that. We're currently in
process and they're working on the
repairs to the exterior trim boards. Uh
tenatively it's they started it. They
should be completing it by the end of
next week. Um so we have that. Uh
bathroom improvements are in process.
We're handing that internally. Dylan
O'Brien is taking the lead on that. And
then um we walked uh the the building
with Harvey and um and Fanwell around
the the mockup and the obsessives
removal. Uh there's two projects as you
guys know. There's like a spectus spots
throughout the school. There's actually
four different spots that we looked at,
right? Four different spots. So, we have
that planned for this week as well as
the inbestous abatement in the uh
hallway and the classroom areas where
we're renovating the summer. So, that's
happening uh June 22nd. And then at AMS,
the roof project is on schedule. It's
going relatively smoothly. Um they meet
weekly, you know, we meet weekly with
the the project manager. Bob McCarthy,
you guys met on the project advisor
committee. come to a couple board
meetings. That project is on schedule,
too. I know there was there potentially
could be, you know, some some people
thinking we're behind schedule. You
know, uh we're not. The modular uh site
work began today. The modulars were
delivered. That was quite a project in
itself to get them from Georgia up 95 to
here, but they're here. um they're not
staying where they are, you know, that
was a question that popped up, you know,
like and so um and then that's the
update I have for you there on the on
the work. Any questions on that?
>> Question on the uh Fed Pacific panels. I
think you said that we're doing it
internally, but I thought Sean had some
vendor that he was saying.
>> Yeah. So, he's going to do the work.
He's going to send the parts out to be
reconditioned
>> to that vendor.
>> Okay. I was nervous to heard that one.
Um, and then the asbesus removal, you
notified the state about all that.
>> Yeah. Okay.
>> Wait, that wait 10 days, which is why
we're starting.
>> Perfect.
>> So, thank you.
>> All right. And then the piece that I
added in there, and I just want to kind
of give you guys a heads up. I talked to
the Ford chairs back in the spring about
this. Um, so I'm interested in uh
creating a a video around the framework
around the work that we've been doing
the last couple years and the work that
our teach the good work our teachers
been doing a good work uh uh a film that
we can show at welcome back days. We can
show reuse and and show when we onboard
new teachers about here here's the work
that happens. Here's what education
looks like here. here's how we're
aligning between the three districts. Um
there's a gentleman out there that does
all sorts of work throughout New England
predominantly in Massachusetts and New
Hampshire. Um he does all different
types of work from strategic planning
work to to videos to highlight academic
achievement to you know he's going to I
got into an initial conversation with
him around open enrollment
you know because we if that comes to
fruition you are going to be wanting
something out there to communicate what
your SAU and what your districts are all
about and so it's a it could be a
strategy for that. Um he's done facility
stuff and he has relationships with
departments of education, superintendent
associations and secretaries of state to
to do that. So I just want you guys to
see it and you can see all the different
stuff that's in there. So that's what
you have. Um I you don't need to do
anything with it right now. I just
wanted you guys to have it and if I come
back and say, "Hey, here's a project
we're we're thinking about or we'd like
to work on." I it's not coming. That's
not something you haven't heard before.
Does that make sense? All right. So,
that's where we're at with the
superintendent report. Um, any
questions?
>> So, I I mean, are we spending money on
this for sure?
>> No. Yeah. I just want you guys to see
it.
>> I think my my concern with these videos
is always like the the good videos have
good writing, good content. It's not
always a videographer comes in later and
>> makes a really great video without good
direction. So I feel like I I always
feel like these videos don't add enough
value. I think the exercise of thinking
through what you want to say in a clear
way and then putting it out in any
format that's you know about that
usually against putting in videos just
where I'm at right now.
>> No, I I I appreciate that that you know
uh take a look at it you know and if I
get serious about it on a topic I'll
I'll come back to you guys. Okay. Um but
I I don't want I just want you to see
it. Uh this guy's a former journalist
out of Savannah, married some from New
England. He's got a long career in this
type of work. It's very professional and
you'll see a lot of highowered
organizations use and for various
projects. So more to come. All right. Uh
JFA policy. So um this is the [snorts]
admission of tuition and non-resident
students. We have a draft in there
because as you know we um voted to um
being in an open enrollment Ammerst as a
district where zero go out and we can
accept one and so in order for to have
an accept you have to do two things. You
have to have a policy that allows you to
do that and then you have to have an
admission procedure where we're at and
we had the sagen retreat last week. We
have this policy. Um, I I was able to
partner with some the schoolboard
association and talk to some other
superintendent that are out and like
doing this work right now because they
we're not getting guidance from the
schoolboard association around policy
work until early August, but we can't
wait in my mind. We'll at least start we
have to tweak our policy. We can do
that. So, I I talked to Superintendent
Keane who who spent quite a bit of time
with that and and he and I met and we
talked about what it could look like and
and uh so you see some of the amendments
to the policy here. Um what I'm asking
for is at least a first read tonight to
to keep it going. I know policy's
meeting this this Friday, you know, so
and uh so um so we'll go from there. Um
but that's that's kind of where we're
at. plugging away on this.
>> Does anyone want to pose the counting?
This is the first read of this policy.
>> All right, go ahead. Question the
policy. So, the way it's written now, it
just kind of reiterates what the warrant
article said. It's kind of meaningless.
It doesn't add anything new for you.
>> Are you looking for a policy that helps
you helps you say how we want you to
pick this one student? Do we want it to
be from a lottery system or from some
first serve or is there other
>> That's a great question. I'm I want to
keep the policy open because I think the
admissions procedure process will be
more detailed and when we come back to
you with what that looks like, but I
need to keep it consistent between all
three districts. So right now this open
enrollment
both Mount Vernon and Amherst are going
to accept one.
>> Sagen is a little more robust. they they
can accept up to uh 14, you know, 2% of
their population. And so what we're
doing as a building administrative team,
they're working on the processes and
they're in conversations with other
schools to try to keep it consistent.
We're going to have the same process,
admissions process at South Keaggan,
Amhurst, and Mount Vernon, but right now
Skegan is driving it because they have
more work to do on it. And so then I
will by I hope by the time we talk about
policy again here then I can bring you
the admissions process you can weigh in
on the missions process and give some
feedback on that and if that if we have
to adjust the policy because of that we
we can do that in this process.
>> Do you have any um clients for this open
enrollment spot?
>> We have inquiries. We do. Okay.
>> We have inquiries. um a question that
you know we're going to have to grapple
with and name you and I have talked
about it like right now we accept um
non-resident students right who are
>> uh children with teachers who pay
>> that's open enrollment though
>> that's not en open enrollment however
depending on the district they come from
maybe that they want to apply for open
enrollment right they can still
technically do that
>> they can't be not included in that you
want bill you're going to give anyway to
enrollment spot. So,
>> so I I looked into the
>> It says to Yeah. of the staff and um
they're currently
those students all come from districts
who are not allowing students to leave
with the exception of one district that
didn't pass a policy. So, Manchester.
So, I'm assuming that means that
Manchester could send a student. So, and
I don't remember if that was an Ammeris
facility.
I just want to give you guys a heads up.
Plenty of me time to know what we're
grappling with
>> and then we'll keep plugging away. So,
if we could count this as first read.
>> My last question on this is um I'm going
to remember the the rules here. So, now
that the town has adopted an open
school district,
how do we change the number? Does that
have to go to Marshville or is that
something that the board can do to
change number from like zero to one or
1% 2% whatever? Yeah,
>> we said I went back and forth last year
a couple times though. So, I just want
to make sure
>> is confusing.
>> This is really simple. I don't
understand the reason why we need to
wait for second grade, but um happy to
wait.
>> It's up to you.
>> You need to buy My question is like you
have a student applying it sounds like
requiring but not applying. So, you
don't need it right now,
>> right?
>> We'll have to for you in a month if we
don't do it today. That's okay with you.
>> Yeah, that's fine where I'm at right
now. And if I have to
>> if I if if I like you guys when we meet
on Friday, you tweet and dang it out.
It's all the same all three districts. I
think I think that's
>> Chelsea's done some good work that it
has each district will have their own
like little jab
>> and then uh she'll present that to
policy and we'll just kind of keep the
conversation going.
>> Great. Thanks.
>> Thank you. All right. Consent agenda.
>> Consent agenda. We have two uh sets of
draft minutes. Uh one from July 6th and
one from June. I don't remember the
exact day. 70 is still
22. So, uh, do I have a motion or is
>> I want to break 22 out.
>> You want to break 22 out. Okay. So,
we'll do them separately then. Um, so do
I have a motion to accept the June 22nd
draft?
>> I want those. So, that
>> Yeah. So, now do it.
>> Well, so we'll do
Yeah. Okay. So, what do you want to
edit?
>> Okay. I'll let edit on page nine. Um
Rene, we had oops
one file. We had uh I think it was typo
um the third line. So Mr. White remarked
he would be comfortable tying it the
policy. I think it was uncomfortable. So
this is the goal six where I wanted to
have the board give one point of
feedback to superintendent in the year
and discussion was Mrs. Beam uh started
off saying she'll talk with six was that
you level remember that?
>> Yes.
>> Okay. So the third line says Mr. white
mark you would be comfortable tying the
policy. Did you mean uncomfortable?
>> No, I think I said com. Yeah.
>> Okay. All right. And so the whole time I
have that in the second line where it's
my my my comment first comment that he
would like to leave the larger point um
of superintendent oversight and I think
I said in the time uh according to RSA
194 just want to add that
>> last word again there. That's it. And
what um
>> page nine the second word block second
paragraph
>> according to
>> 194 RC1
that's it.
>> So do I
>> I'll move to accept to accept those
minutes as I just modified as amended.
>> Do I have a second? Seconded by Mr.
Bull. Uh any other discussion? Seeing
none. Roll call vote starting with Miss
Beam. Miss Beam, you still there?
>> Beam. Yes.
>> Oakley. Yes.
>> White. Yes. So, the motion passes
unanimously. I will now entertain a
motion on the July 6th draft minutes.
>> July 6th minutes as
second.
>> All right. So, so moved by Dr. Frank,
seconded by Mr. Gold. Any other
discussion, please?
All right, roll call vote started on
this beam.
>> Yes. Yes. White is stain. I was not
present.
>> So that was 40s. One extension.
>> 30 minutes.
>> No way. Yeah. No, we're not. They have
30 minutes. [clears throat]
>> So we can go to nonpublic and come back
out. Mhm.
>> Yeah, we can do that.
>> So we can go into non
for six more minutes.
minutes is what you're saying
>> or just whenever we're done and that
meets the requirement.
>> That's it.
>> You can come out and make have another
public comment after nonpublic.
>> You can call non public at every time.
>> Yeah, there's there's nobody on now.
>> Okay. [clears throat]
>> You do have uh three people on.
>> Three people on.
>> So, we wanted we wanted to public
comment. I mean, good man. I could put
myself away.
>> Okay. Uh, so I'll open up the second
public comment. There's nobody in
person. So, if you are online and like
to make public comment, please raise
your virtual hand. You will then be
raised to a panelist. We'll be asked to
turn on your camera, state your uh name
and talent of residence, and then you
will have three minutes.
All right. See, no.
>> We officially start after.
>> Yeah. 504 public.
>> Let's go. Yeah, we'll go public. We'll
go back out.
>> Yeah. All right. So, um I'll entertain a
motion to enter nonpublic. It's under
three different letters. Simply not
working for me. So, one of those three
off the top my head.
>> C D and K. 91 A32. C D and V. Right. So
now entertaining that motion. I'll move.
So move by Dr. Fritz. Is there a second?
>> Second by Mr. Gold. We'll call vote
starting with Miss Bean.
>> Fritz. Yes. White. Yes. We are now in
nonpublic at 526.
>> Big.
>> Yes. We are added now public at 5:50.
We now reconvene and [clears throat]
do we have to make up the minutes?
>> No. What I need you to come out is I
need you to approve the best interest
placement as presented.
>> Uh yes.
>> Sorry everybody.
>> No, no, no. It's not. It's all good.
Stare each other awkwardly.
Look at that.
>> We do a we we didn't record it now
public, right? Yeah.
recording.
>> Huh?
>> Yes, it's recording.
>> So, yes,
>> Red Sox are moving along.
>> They sure are.
>> Are they?
>> Yeah, they play.
>> Was he Yankees?
>> Oh, New York. I think Yankees guy.
>> Yeah, I grew up in New York on that.
I can appreciate the red socks. I'm not
I'm not bitter or it's usually a little
more bitter,
>> We have to do a little change.
>> We are in a very big job, I'll tell you
that.
>> But still, still
>> no. Ammeritus. So I'm I'm acting
>> acting.
>> One more week. [laughter]
>> I thought the first of July you were
done. No, you still on.
>> I'm acting.
>> I'm actually hourly, but I'm
>> Oh, but you're done with your contract.
Your salary is done. This is the next
thing. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
>> It's actually the in between because I'm
like still the VA. So
>> August will be worth
>> July 27th will be support.
>> That's when Dave Plat begins. Starts
July 26.
>> Okay. Yeah.
>> So, good deal.
>> Great.
>> No. And like, you know, I'm very pleased
with the progress being made at Wilkins
with uh um with Kathleen, Dylan, and
Jason kind of coordinating pretty
regularly to get it to get moving on
that. So, that's a positive. It's a real
positive. So,
>> have you seen the asphalt in the back?
>> I It was just done today. I haven't seen
>> So, I got an update. It looks good. They
said cool. The right grade. right now
for this second
trail are big in front.
>> Yeah, they are beautiful.
>> They are big
beautiful.
>> It uh we talked a little bit about it.
>> You know the air quality in the existing
portables.
>> You heard a little bit about that. We we
do have a plan being developed. It's is
he
>> called an EVR system and J King kind of
came up with the idea. He's researching
that that will allow us to circulate air
for example.
>> And then we're also
>> repairing the the siding and the panels.
You know how some is sliding off and
falling off and you notice that back? We
are repairing that as well.
>> The lattice will have fun.
>> That was fun.
>> The big dogs.
>> Oh yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Star TV.
>> Yeah. Did they start paying the road
that they approved the police?
>> He was much calmer
and he had
>> they went down
a nice car.
Don't go over there. Yeah.
will you know
they do it for
>> you know [laughter]
right
>> periodic updates
>> yeah we did the vote
>> that's fun
>> I have one of these every year one of
these kill 30 minute meetings
>> oh
>> the worst Yeah,
>> it must be close, right?
>> The whole comment and the whole time we
get three minutes.
>> Yeah,
>> I don't think anybody rejoined this. No,
>> one of us made any
staff.
>> You guys are
>> more thanks.
>> You have a terrible job.
>> I'm open to that feedback. Thank you.
I go back on
We got a lot of policy stuff done guys
when we have our update officially a
lot. There's a lot of
coming on Friday.
>> We bring it to the SD meeting and then
come back here. It's a lot.
>> I'm coming Friday.
Zoom in. Yeah.
>> Okay. Well, yeah.
Crap.
Why is your so short when you're g
comment and so long when you're waiting
for nothing?
What's the next full meeting for our
board?
>> No, September.
>> We don't have anything in August, right?
Right now the only thing scheduled for
August is uh Mount Vernon has a retreat
and as I say you has a retreat which we
hope to do some strategic planning.
>> I think we're going to need that policy
open before August.
>> Yeah. So we'll we'll see where we go
with that.
we'll pass it now.
I'll pass. Uh J
Fab Fab as written
on a second and
>> it's up to you.
See you guys in a couple weeks then.
>> Yeah.
>> Thought the inte
Yeah, I know. We'll clean it later if we
need to. But for God's sake, let's just
get some tools to get this thing open.
So sometimes I wonder like you know how
we do the
>> the approval of uh personnel in between
meetings
>> and uh I wonder if we can do that
sometimes.
>> Oh yeah policy motion.
>> Nope. dump nature of the term.