 Looks like we have a quorum everybody's here call the meeting to order at 5 33 All right, is there any adjustments to the agenda? maybe There's a lot in the business department tonight and Tara and I have to go to jihad. So I was gonna recommend that we move celebration of learning after Discussion items if that's okay. It will buy us a little bit of time Okay Do we have somebody specific coming to do that? No, it's just something you think yeah, okay? Yeah, and then I was gonna recommend That even though it's under reports to the board That maybe we do nine point four nine point five and nine point six Following the celebration of learning just so that after Tara's report we can get to the the budget Discussions and things of that nature sure Just to ensure that that she's here for that Okay Do we want to a Sun and times no timekeeper? What do I would need help? Things are gonna take We've been alright. Okay. We'll just go for it Okay All right, then off four point one. We need to a point a new board chair. I move and maybe be our Board chair a second All right any discussion All right, no discussion on all in favor say aye. All right All opposed All right, I guess I'm the new board chair That's okay. I've got a team behind me, right There was no assumption by having the vice chair listed And so then we do need to appoint a vice chair. I move to a point bill Second any discussion None no discussion all in favor say aye. Hi. Hi all opposed All right, thank you bill Well, I'm kind of surrounding Bullage into it Okay Then we need to appoint a full board member because yeah, Ethan was one of your three And the three the two other two are it's bill It was Ethan and the third voting member. I thought it was you Amy. Yeah Just wanted to make sure he made and bill so then we need another Full board member for the SU board to be a voting member Look, I don't know if this helps actually Patrick You've been really good about coming to policy committee meetings. The full board meeting is right afterwards. I know I'm just trying to think if I can Yeah, I think I can do it I nominate gonna coach basketball to is only Tuesdays. Yeah Okay, yeah Nominate Patrick to be our full board chair next month. Yeah All right any discussion All right all in favor say aye. Hi. Hi all opposed Thank You Patrick Okay Consent agenda approve the minutes of Thursday December 8th 2022 a motion to move those I read through them. It looks good Tertane a motion to approve those minutes so move Second by bill on any discussion on Favor say aye Opposed great those minutes are approved We move on to number six public comment Don't believe I see any public on okay Right then moving on to board comment. I don't know if this is the right time to ask this But is there any way we can get the Reports and documents any sooner feel like I never have any time to put any Thought into any of them. I'm like kind of looking while I'm working and stuff on the day of the meeting or the day before I Don't know if I know it's part of a lot of stuff But I feel like I'm not doing a good job at my study if I can only look at it for a few minutes You should have received them on we try to get them out the Thursday before the meeting That I'm in today So you get that as a reminder We all got it. You should have all gone when the warning comes out justine From okay. Yeah, we should come from Christie and then Ray does that as a reminder the day of yeah We got him on the 29th The 29th, you know anything on the 29th, but yeah, 29th at 2 17 To be exact I try to make certain the packet is with the agenda when we post it And it's hard to get them before Thursday because we you know we're for example We were prepping two budgets last week That both went out Thursday, so I can't promise you anything quicker than the Thursday prior because yeah We have board meetings Tuesday night and then the fall then agendas go out for the next two districts two days later So I think this one I just must have missed or I haven't looked for it over the weekend I couldn't find it so I might have deleted it by mistake or something on my phone And it was a pretty cumbersome package So I feel your pain Yeah, you're Monday so the turnaround we have to warn Thursday really to make certain they're posted. Yeah, okay Thank you Then the other board comment, okay, well, then we move on to the superintendent's report So yeah, I'm gonna report in hand The the only thing I would add I don't think I mentioned this in my report in terror We'll talk about it at length is that As we suspected the CLA's And many of our our district towns have dropped significantly and are up for reappraisal I think it's going to be really important that as a board and as administration that we are teaming to help folks understand what's driving Some of the local district local town tax rates And why there's some discrepancies in our districts? We're seeing significant differences in our unified districts across Two towns based on the sale of real estate and how that's impacted the CLA's and I think sometimes that's That's frustrating for voters because I don't think they understand why is a tax rate different in one town versus another It's something I'm gonna try to do some education materials on over the upcoming months leading up to town meetings and of course the other thing that is I Think good for us this year is that our town meetings and votes will be in person So that will allow us to educate our voters Before they're voting, right? I think sometimes it's hard to understand that if you just get the mayor But they'll have the presentation to be asked those questions in person prior to Moving a vote, which I think will be helpful Are I'm really excited about our current strategic plan It's going to the printer this week and there'll be copies available In all of our schools and we're trying to have them available in town offices and things like that So folks can get hard copies. I pushed out electronic copies last week in a letter to the our community And then the other good news I had is I met with the agency of education with a few other Superintendents I had been and Tara had been concerned about now that we're in year three of universal free meals we saw Significant decrease in the number of our families that have filled out the free or reduced lunch Application I was in in my colleagues have noticed that too Specifically when we think of our smaller districts as well, right when because they base that off percentages well 10 not being completed this year compared to last year is a lot in your district, right? It's about 10% so not quite but Point being that it's enough that it really can impact us And so I was concerned about it impacting title funding the good news is the agency is using some other Census data because they recognize that that was going to be an issue so it won't impact our allocation For title one funding moving into the next school year They are working on a new form for families to fill out that they're going to be rolling out hopefully soon They also plan to try to leverage Medicaid data that they have Regularly available to try to better get an estimate of Right, so maybe they could use those numbers Families having to do it at this level. Yeah, that would be pretty amazing So stay tuned on all that the good news is they've recognized there's an issue with it And I am appreciative that they're working on some planning on how to address it Because it was certainly concerning for us as you'll see in the revenue line We certainly budget title funding here. Yeah to offset some expenditures. So otherwise, I'll take any questions folks may have So a comment I totally agree with the importance of educating the public their educational communities about common level of appraisal CLA and it's complicated and So we need to get a message that's understandable and clear And we need to look at ways To get the word out as many different avenues as we can and I really appreciate you taking a proactive Point of view on that the other part of that I keep talking about is income sensitivity The two-thirds of our households pay their school tax based on their income rather than on the value of their property And so that provides a cushion unique to Vermont so that School costs don't go off the charts How do you do a good job if you keep cutting cutting cutting? It's just this isn't a possible So I think I would encourage us to look at ways that we also can tell that story as well, but thank you very much I think that education piece is just key to be for to help people understand Yeah, on how the numbers that we're showing actually really affect Them and why yep, all right any further questions for the superintendent Great Move on to the principal's report So the first report is my normal report in front of you Seems like a while since we've had kiddos in the building But I will say a big focus of what was December and then again What will be January is we will roll out our direct instruction literacy programming to students starting tomorrow So all our staff have been trained. They'll be coaching starting this Friday with Janie right away So it'll be great To see that going and it's also kind of an ideal time because we will also do what's called the dibbles assessment again during the month of January, so we'll get which Gives us data on students ability to code words So it'll give us a good baseline around where we are and how that Instruction improves For our students their ability to decode words The other thing I think that's pretty exciting is we've been teaming with the Occupational therapist who comes to our school to focus on some handwriting work as well using what's called the size matters handwriting program and It's there's a lot of research out there that shows students inability or struggles with writing really comes from their handwriting Or not understanding how to write or it's not comfortable. It can be a lot of different things So the occupational therapist comes in and team teaches with the teacher on like Different strategies to use and what's you know having your feet flat on the floor all those fun things Going from there and it's about 10 to 15 minutes a day, and it's called star worthy Make your letters a number star worthy so they can tell you what's a star worthy Number or letter when they write it. That's the little kid the younger Version and then we will start winter wellness up starting on the 13th, and that'll be all our said students First do sixth grade together at pico and then our kindergarten Kids will get together from both buildings and do snowshoeing and ice Yeah, exactly Not sure if it might be a little local hike Next week if there's still no snow For here, but it looks like we're supposed to get great And so if there aren't questions about that I can move on to the social emotional data So in front of you what you have is our social emotional data which You know ODRs so office discipline referrals There is a little key, but it's kind of at the bottom, so we'll go Further down and if you're working your way left to right the 2020 years is color-coded 21 is blue okay, and then red is 21 22 and 2021 We were full Yeah, back fully masked exactly that was the first yeah first year that was the return back Yep, and then 2021 would be last year and then 2022 to 23 is this year, so it's important to just say that 20 2020 and 2021 and then 21 and 22 that's for the entire school year that data that you're looking in front of you versus 22 2022 to 2023 is through December. It's just September September through December So this is actually how we break it out for our social emotional teams. We have two teams. We have our what's called our PBIS team Which meets monthly and reviews this data as well as and you'll see it in the celebration of learning Like our hands or our ticket counts in our celebrations, but what we focus on is kind of the why? What makes sense about this? Why is Wednesday a harder day versus Monday? Like you see Here in the day a week, so we break it down by day a week the month So he's fascinating that November is hard, but As I mentioned in my report we find that there's a lot of stop-and-go in November There's a lot of short weeks And that does make a difference for kiddos. That's harder. What's the number on the left? Is that the percentage or that's the number? It's not a percentage Yep, as well as location and one of our big focal points coming back in the new year is around how we've taught playground expectations What we're finding is Students are using hands-on not necessarily like fistfights, but just instead of words. We're putting hands on a lot. We're not Falling the expectations, so we're trying to reteach Model with examples so they understand what it looks like and it's just a learning curve For a lot of kids to be able to use words in a kind way as well and then The popular one That we focus a lot on is by gender male versus female breakdown It's pretty common and has been a trend for us for several years now that there's more It more office discipline referrals for males versus females so typically What we do is then we have a targeted team that reviews these office discipline referrals like specifics by By student by space to really make sure There's not other supports we need to put in place for a student and or That we don't need to put we don't need to change how we're doing things as adults It could be twofold right it could be we're not explaining something the right way it could be transitions are hard It could be a wide variety of things and the targeted team really works specifically Looking at a student's attendance data how frequently they're in the nurse's office the bathroom The whole the whole picture to come up That's called a targeted target our targeted social emotional team. Our PBIS is like the whole Looks at this from the whole but then the targeted team starts to narrow it down and help come up with a support plan I Would say The other big thing around this is we're really working on self Regulation skills or zones of regulation skills with students. So there's Green zone the blue zone the yellow zone and the red zone and we're trying to work And there's different emotions that fit in each of those zones Ideally you're in the green zone When you start a day, that's not the case for some of our friends But we work on different strategies to help students get to the green zone and then yellow or red is like Frustrated you're angry and then red is you're out of control with your body And we're trying to head some of that off using what's called our peace place or a peace corner We're a teacher or student can self-direct to that in the classroom And then we also have what's a yellow or a red pass to help identify what zone An adult or student might feel like they're in and then they can take that space outside of the classroom It's only for about five to ten minutes and then they go back in So working on some Working on some preventative Proactive measures, I'm not just reactive It's a good strategy actually had good feedback. Yeah. Yeah Yeah, it is cool. It was good to hear that like from her, right? The kid I think kids wrap their brains around it easier than adults do meaning like they Don't see it as a time to play or a time of discipline They see as an opportunity to reset and restart and go back and that's how it felt when she was telling you about it And it's actually harder to get adults to wrap their brain around that Right, it's just perception right totally different. It's different than when all of us were in school That's a very positive way because that's what it's all about right is positive encouragement Yeah, no, that's access you're learning and sometimes your classmates can't access their learning if they're if you're not in the right space to learn So really trying to focus on some of those skills because what we've found is just the lack of outside activities that came with COVID those are other social interactions the kids used to have That now are coming back But they haven't had for a couple of years and that makes a huge difference in what what they know how to do when they interact with their friends Crucial time there in their development that right changed That's great I have no magical insight on that other than it's probably been a long vacation Any questions about that Questions is outdoor and considered the classroom or other on this chart. Yep outdoor Ed is considered It's considered other location Okay, not my other question is has the targeted team looked into any? correlation between the academic topic in the classroom and when these ODRs happening Right Yeah, so outside of the playground like taking recess out of the picture Yeah, in the classroom One of the bigger times of struggle is when transitioning from one activity to another it's not necessarily a specific academic content area there was I think it was last year you could pinpoint it from like 10 to 11 was a very hard time for pretty much most of our students and Sometimes it's avoidance so this office discipline referral form has like what would be the motivation would it be avoidance? Would it be attention seeking? What could be the why behind it hungry, right? Are they hungry? It could be a lot of things. So yeah, so right now. It's mostly transitions and Getting really really excited is the way I would describe it to go to whatever the next thing is usually to a special or to short recess or longer recess and that's when Most of our students struggle with some body control and following directions Yeah, what about the other side of the spectrum as far as Rather than getting too excited about the next Subject avoiding it or not wanting to leave what they're doing Having a hard time walking away from it. Yeah, sometimes not as not as much That that zones work though that they do with miss Sam will work on that Yeah, so part of what they also identify in there is like We call it that we get like stone brain like we just and what that means is they just get stuck, right? Like you and so we try to teach them to be super flexes They're these characters within the curriculum and super flexes about becoming more flexible, right? So like if I'm really engaged in something it don't want to transition Then some language that teachers could use to queue in is like I'm seeing that you're pretty stuck right now How could we get you unstuck? Yeah, like can we become like think about super flex? Yeah? Yeah, yeah Oh What a question just Comparing different elementary schools or SU Is this look familiar around or one question is this anomaly or All our elementary schools are struggling right now in this respect and then secondly do teachers and principals exchange ideas and information about what's working there to move or lower the the columns of number of Of times that the kids misbehave is there a is there anything that we need to learn on this one? Or is it just not just or is it? We're doing everything possible. Well, I would say that schools across the country are struggling right now with behavior And so I would say that, you know, I think one of the reasons why I think this data could have increased to and I appreciate Lindy didn't go there I do think that maybe folks are getting better actually recording the data and not just sending kids out So I would say that I think that this is probably a more accurate view of how much you've had for office Referrals in the past, but that we've gotten a lot better about being diligent about documenting it so we can use it and You know, we have some schools like I just saw a data report that's coming in next week where, you know, they average about 1.5 referrals a day That's really good. I mean the target range, you know, PBIS would say is a school that is our size Ideally, we would have about two referrals a day And so I don't know what this data breaks off to if you broke down the average Averaged office discipline referral. It's a little bit higher. So it's higher than that, but You know as far as collaborating the principals in the SU all get together weekly without central office there So I'm assuming this maybe comes up. I can't speak from Lindy But the one thing we do at central office is that Michaela Martin our intensive programming system support coordinator. Some of you have met her at the full board level Bill during our MTSS presentation She sits on all of our target and intensive teams across the SU to be able to share ideas And just to also remind resources that we have across the SU You know, I think it can you can forget like, oh, yeah We do have a board certified behavioral analyst through Claire Martin that serves the SU who comes here and does Functional behavioral assessments on students and helps build behavior plans But she's there just to remind those teams about the other resources that we have outside of just the building That are SU wide resource Thank you Any other questions for Lindy regarding the social data report Okay, then we'll move on to the business manager. So you all have my report the only update I have since I wrote the report was on Friday Stockbridge was awarded The fresh fruit fruit and vegetable program grant from the child nutrition team. So they have $3,450 that they can realize When they come back this month through the remainder of the school year to continue to have fresh fruit and vegetables in The classroom and to run the educational programs that we have in the past for that Rochester was awarded earlier It's based on your free and reduced percentage. So as grant funds are awarded They start at the higher level and then as there's additional funds available, they reduce the free and reduced percentage Allowability so Stockbridge is now eligible and was awarded. Which is another reason for people to fill out those That's my only other update outside of what's already there. There's any questions Obviously, it's a busy time of year Business manager regarding her report Not we are going to be moving on to the ten one the draft budget All right, so you all have the next draft of your expenditure budget So what is different in this one versus what you saw last month? I Met with Eric at EEI on Thursday and we went through all The financials again, so in this draft you see there is the 15-year performance lease added Page I don't have it printed in front of me. Go next one only 6 10 so 26 10 26 10 page seven so if they all look at the Orange there's where the mean numbers are Sorry, no last page Paging yep 50 20 is your object code debt services added 15-year performance lease 50 20 so page 8 you'll see where it's been added. I reduced What you wanted to transfer into your capital reserve fund by the amount of the 15-year performance leases So under function code 26 10, which is your operations of building you will see savings are reflected on In the comments the notes on the side Savings at each elementary for upgrade increase propane for upgrade Increase due to adding high school savings at each elementary for upgrade So you'll see those notes have all been added into this draft and Then the SU assessment has been updated based on the approved Budget for the SU that was done at the board meeting at the end of December So that's also in there now At the appropriate assessment percentage your transportation is still a projection because We will have to go out forbid for our transportation contract We were hoping for an extension, but they're unable to do that So we will do a bid for them and so that right now is just a placeholder Until we get the actual bid results And how many years was is the contract usually we were coming off a five-year So that's what's different on your expenditure budget Yeah Help me here on fun recommended fund transfer to capital assets That's what we was at the $65,000 we had before yeah, and I reduced that has to be reduced because Some of the savings that we were budgeting for Second go around that seemed to be a little robust. So we were being more conservative there We changed it because I needed to add in your performance leads So you don't have that full 65,000 debt service available Yeah, but we're because of the lease we were able to adjust other lines to Savings, yeah, absolutely. Okay. Okay, so I understand that. Thank you. I'd like the for the board to consider Our goal and because I think we're pretty united on the importance of Building up a capital fund to do what's necessary and in too many times and I've been on boards where quote We can't afford it and we kick it down the next Next year whether it's a vehicle or whether it's a building and I'm concerned that 65 was not thousand was wonderful, but it certainly isn't robust We could use considerably more than that. I encouraged that last time we met So I would like to at some point have the board focus on whether or not we want to amend that fund transfer amount at least get it back to the 65 that was originally proposed by the superintendent and and get some feedback from Tower on the superintendent on whether that Puts us in a lot of land and has some unintended consequences or something like that, but I We just we need to lay away some moneys And we got an aging plant Patrick knows and Robert far more than I do but so Amy However, you want to handle that I'd like to have a discussion on that some point Yeah, I think now would be the time. I think this was you know Tara's Adjustment was based off of just the CLA. Yeah, right So know that that certainly informed some of that decision-making and The savings still are pretty good. I mean really the savings that you're gonna see in Some of your efficiencies around propane and things. We're only talking about fight about what was it about? $5,500 a year difference. So it wasn't this budget's actually down a little bit On that that side of it because we didn't add as much into the fund transfer You know, it's just it's really hard for me to get a sense of where our communities are at like two years ago I I mean I felt like we had to be at a 3% budget, right? That's not with inflation and increases in tuition and things. That's not realistic Right now by any means. It's just I don't have a good pulse That's why we look to the board for me to help have a sense of where our communities are I just I don't have a good sense right now and We haven't had it, you know I think the communities feel like we're doing a pretty good job on the educational end and we haven't had as much Public in general at my board meeting. So throughout this budget season I haven't had a lot of direct feedback from folks in the community about where they're feeling I've got budgets right now throughout the SU anywhere from like 3.8 percent Up to almost 10 percent right now on expenditure budgets. So we are all over the map and Tuitions and things are We're generating some of that part of the conversation is the fact that Stockbridge is CLA went down 14 percent So that Makes a quite of an increase when you get down to that specific homestead tax rate I I hear Bill though that we need to be saving for our buildings Almost two pennies is about what it is because if you go to your your tax sheet form 28,000 is a cent Okay, so You know the difference is about two cents Meaning if you went back to the 65,000 versus This budget Okay, that way Stockbridge residents sit with With the I mean, that's why I throw it out that way, right? I think that's all we know we're talking about look at how much it's up already Stockbridge is up 17 18 cents because of the CLA Yeah, because of the CLA I want to specify that because of your CLA your actual equalizer Tax rate went down Which is crazy and that's because you're yields up also. It's good. Yeah, I mean that that's huge But I realize people are putting a money away like that. I feel like Sooner than later we need to do like a campus walk around Figure out the improvements that need to be made that way we can then Dictate that to the to the community. Hey, we have look at this list Well, we know the big list, right? Yeah, that was part of the EI's original assessment. You have that Yeah, so why can't we there's roofs the strategic plan has some big items In it so for your two districts. We need to go together essentially saying we have this so we need to Rather than just say hey, we put sixty five thousand dollars away and the community going well what for why well Here's our list. We're gonna start like we have her share that before it becomes a conflict. I agree But how you know how yeah, and again I took Part of the nice thing about EI's assessment was it gave us a punch list And so you'll see in the strategic plan some of those big items are listed in each one of your buildings For the next six years and it's gonna need sixty five thousand every year to even try to remotely get there Right, like so I'm a proponent of putting it away. I also Oh under I also understand like That folks are it's hard times, right? Like I get it going into the grocery store is real expensive So I just I think that's where I'm looking to the board to just make some decision This is you know, and I've always said to you. This is your biggest policy statement, right? Like the budget We also increased some FTEs based on the board's Request like you could reinvest those FTEs back into the your reserve your building reserve fund You have some like you could make some decisions here Without even necessarily having to add even more to the tax rate is my point right like there's I mean yours in one case we're investing in personnel and the other in investing in buildings and In the 30 what is it 32 33 years since they started being on boards over and over again We kick the stuff down down the road, you know, and we have deferred maintenance and this is make it I mean putting in 65,000 is You just say straight out if we don't put this away We're gonna have to defer maintenance and then it becomes exponentially more expensive too, right? Yes You just say this is it's bookkeeping trip. It's just like maintaining your home In your revenue budget right now your projected surplus for FY 22 is 169,000 I use 169,000 is offsetting revenue with the intention of putting in your warning again to we put the remaining Surplus into your reserve funds, which would be a hundred thousand. Yeah, if you did So it would be immediately for a hundred thousand into that capital improvement from this surplus or We can put 65 more in to the budget and line item Back out. Yeah as well Kind of does the same thing it's it's hard and Older guy and kids are growing up and so I don't know I can't speak for the town it just I Know from experience in that if we don't keep up a physical plant, okay, we're gonna pay for it and Not only us, but the kids and the teachers in a dilapidated plant and secondly once you established a level Reinvestment every year say 65,000. Yeah, let's know it's accepted It's when you wait wait wait then all of a sudden you got a blip everybody's going what right? So I Think I'd propose at least at this juncture that we We amend this back to the original Proposal by our superintendent The 65,000 as you say it is a statement Very articulate people on this board they can speak Would we want to entertain putting more of the surplus back in then to help I'll set that that revenue and which would just Put a little bit less into the building reserve fund. So I Love to have the building reserve fund show 65k Now how we get there is is whatever but that's what we seems to me so we can show this is balanced budget every year we're putting away and I Guess what was what is proposed now is that there's a hundred thousand that would go in from our surplus projected not That would go into that bill okay in addition to the 65 that we're putting in our budget I kind of I do think that putting it as a line item in a bar our budget as 65 is a statement saying that We are investing and we want to continue to invest. I would maybe suggest that we reduce some of the Surplus and add it back in as some revenue. So we're not Hitting that No, the 65 was that a recommendation by you? Yeah, no, was that a number was what that the lease was so it was in it was in your Okay, I guess for me, it's you know rather than just picking a number we kind of need to know What these caught like the cost we need to have a ten-year plan and then Budget for yeah, we can't just pick a number every year We you know you got to have projects associated with it And but also growing the cap, you know growing the account while taking care of improvements each year So we have been spending 65,000 for the past well our entire time as the RCD That was in our budget and so that to spend each year it was in our budget It was you we it was to pay the bond that sure so it was bond payment It was in there and so instead of taking it out there We just said okay Well, let's leave it in there and make it and turn it into the capital expense. Okay instead adjust team Yeah, I was kind of piggybacking on what Patrick was talking about and And what Jamie had asked About what stock bridge things and I feel like if we're going to be educating the public on this particular topic I don't know if there could be a further breakdown between the buildings that could be shared or In addition to be very clear that this isn't for repairing the high school building I think it seems very obvious to people like us that that's not what it's for But I think people certain people who might not be paying attention other than chit chatting at the grocery store or you know They I think just we have to be very clear to kind of put that out there because I think that Just the word building in the town of Stockbridge gets a little You're gonna have in your morning is specific to what they passed as your voters last year They established their Rochester Stockbridge capital improvements and maintenance of facilities fund So when we ask voters to put the surplus there that is the fund We will be using now It won't be for the individual locations like you had last year because that's why we established that so we can even put Right in the budget itself here where you see it says transferred a capital asset fund I can name that very specific the ARSAD capital assets fund so that it is identified that it is a district-wide fund That sounds good to me. I mean if we're going to educate the public I just feel like just the word building is an inflammatory word Thank you, and I felt like the education needs to be a combined community education and not Rochester Yeah, definitely Thank you. I I agree So I think We're clear that we would like to go ahead and put that We you want the mission the some of your FTE increases or not and administrative Right, okay, right. We'd like a memory. I think was So, I mean That's like 14 grand. Yeah, I mean That's as administration we did there was a couple like that example of the FTE Increase was not something that Lindy had requested Now it doesn't mean she can't utilize it, but in general There could be some funding there that could go back toward this as well So there could be an opportunity for us to play with the revenue some and look at that get that back up to 69 And not have even more increase in tax rate I mean, I think voters vote a couple ways when they're in now being in front of us I think helps right, but I think my experience is They vote bottom line expenditure increase because they don't understand all the other stuff, right and they vote Based on their tax rate because at the end they can figure out what that is at the bottom Now we it's our job to in to educate them what that bottom line expenditure gets them for programming and for their investment in the infrastructure and For us to help them understand that their tax rates not all driven by our expenditure budget There's a whole lot of other figures in there and I feel better about We were where we sit right now because we are gonna be able to be in front of folks I would be very fearful throughout my whole SU right now the way the CLA's have gone If we were in Australian ballots and folks were just voting based off of the question in front of them And or whether or not they happen to attend our informational meeting or happen to read our materials we put forward, right? So I feel better knowing that we're gonna have We're gonna have a captive audience that we get to educate Before they moved the boat that evening, and I think that that does serve us well I'm feeling like I have direction for us to work on the next one. Okay. Yeah, great Okay, so we briefly touched on your revenue side That's what we use for the prior year surplus. I've made adjustments to your tuition revenue Based on the number of students we've had this year So I dropped that down from 22 students to 18 students. This is right now Yep, this is right now using your FY 23 rate because one of your action items tonight is to approve your FY 24 rate So once you've done that I will adjust Any necessity there on the tuition side you have six students in for pre-k What's that pre-k rate now because that's set by the state, right? $3,764 and that is set by the agency and then the other adjustment I made on your revenue side was I increased the forestry grant based on your FY 23 grant amount and Then down on your other grants You'll see that there's an adjustment been made on the school-wide consolidated federal program title one Which is based on The FTE that is funded in the budget and then also the Medicaid Revenue from the SU has been adjusted based on the nurse funding in the budget on your tax sheet Is this a good time for you to give us a quick briefing on your analysis on the trust funds that are under our school board's Control and I thought you had a recommendation for For for us that would increase our Revenue budget you put those funds in the revenue budget, right something Amy and I discussed Because the way these special revenue funds work is It should be handled the same way that your capital reserve funds are used Lindy should come to you as the administrator With a plan and a specific request for the utilization of those funds because that's what our auditors are looking for You're allowed X number of dollars based on how the funds grow each year and Amy gets that report and she's done a phenomenal job pulling these all together But it shouldn't it is not a guaranteed revenue because if the fund doesn't perform You don't have those funds available. So then you're budgeting for a revenue that you potentially don't get Where if they're treated as a reserve as a special revenue fund similar to your reserve funds, it is safer That's my word of caution. I'm putting it in your budget And you've been lucky every year that Stockbridge has given you $9,000 But if their funds don't perform they could turn around one year and say no we can't give you this money this year well also The one of the funds specifically talks about not Putting anything towards brick-and-mortar and when you're dumping everything into the revenue budget. I mean, it's hard to check it gets muddy So, yes, there is fun For specific things and I think it you know and I think every year at this point we can say the learning All right, we've got you know here. We're gonna be able to have this much for fun So, you don't have to put in the budget. We're gonna be able to do these programings, you know with this all the way Thank you, Bill. Yeah, thanks questions on the revenue at this point Thank you So on your tax sheet I'm gonna start right up at the top because I know we have a new board member down there who this might I'll be new for Well, I'm seven years old since I've been on a board. So So on your tax sheet we start right at the top so we look at what your expenditure budget is thank you Parker Which is your four million seven hundred twenty two thousand forty dollars all mine's different sorry because I just made a change on this Yes, I already made the sixty five thousand dollar adjustment Okay, so yes, so looking at what I gave you in your packet you've got the four million six hundred seventy five thousand four hundred and forty seven thousand dollars and Then we take your offsetting revenue, which is what we just went through quickly on the revenue side Offsetting revenue with any local revenue. So anything you're getting that is not from the state education fund So that's where that number comes from and we reduce the expenditure budget by that amount and then that gives us our act 68 Education spending which is three million eight hundred twelve thousand eight hundred and forty one dollars and You divide that by your equalized pupil and you'll see an FY 23 your equalized pupil was a hundred and seventy five point nine five And we have a projected increase in first draft of our equalized pupil from the agency It's not the final yet, but right now. We're at one eighty one point two nine So you divide your act 68 education spending by your equalized pupil and that gives you your education spending per pupil cost Which is twenty one thousand two hundred eighty eight dollars and seventy three. I'm sorry looking at the wrong one Thirty one dollars and seventy two cents and then that is then divided by the yield Which you'll see is fifteen thousand four hundred and seventy nine dollars per the December first tax letter And as you recall that does change throughout the year based on what they do with the education fund And if they keep all the surplus and the ed fund in taxes that will stay pretty consistent But we had three different yields last year right so we could see the same trend this year without the governor has Recommended that they put it all of it in yeah, but it's up to the yeah the committees So we divide that and then that gives you your equalized tax rate, which is one point three five eight seven So you'll see that that is a reduction from the current which is one point four five one two So we're reducing. Yeah, actually. Yeah, so and you're under the Penalty still was in action. You would be under the threshold because the threshold this year was twenty two thousand two hundred and forty four dollars But they're not there's that's not on the table right now. There's a okay hold on the Penalty until twenty twenty nine right now, but that is not Safe. Yeah, okay? AOE thinks it's coming back. So Just don't know when we're under right. So you're under and that's all that matters so Non-residential tax rate that's also set by the tax department that is currently projected to be one point six four So you'll see that in that projection as well. So then we move down to Each of the individual towns So you'll see in Rochester the CLA was ninety five point six three last year This year it is eighty seven point oh one. So it's a reduction of eight point six two percentage points So then that brings the homestead tax rate in Rochester to one point five six one six Which is an increase of point zero four four one over the current in Stock bridge their CLA dropped from ninety point ten percent To seventy five point nine eight percent. So fourteen point twelve percentage points when it falls under eighty five percent it Triggers in necessity for a reappraisal and didn't they just get it appraisal done? I don't know when their last one was maybe bill I think it was recent. I think Lori said that was completed in June of 2020 So it does necessitate by statute that and that's just from so many sales Above above what the market value is because of COVID So that gives you a stock bridge homestead tax rate of one point seven eight eight three Which is an increase of seventeen point seven six cents Which is crazy that we have actually reduced the tax rate By what was last year's by how many by right here in the top corner by nine by nine cents We've actually reduced the tax rate by nine cents, but because of the CLA it has increased stock bridges by 17 cents and Rochester's by four cents. I Think Rochester's one down last year right and stock bridge only went up a penny maybe. Oh, it was pretty slim last year Yeah, I do remember that much the merger Incentives is this the first year? We don't have any of that went away last year. We went away last year here. Okay I don't share that stuff. Yeah And that's where the numbers fall So last year it was with the final yield Rochester went down seven cents and Stock bridge went down point zero zero three four I think one of the things that we're talking about We've got a responsibility of telling the story is accurately and clearly and forcefully as we can between now and May and One story is the last four lines on this page preferable spending It's gone down $1,700 per kit so that tells another story they were increasing our educational outcomes and performance and meanwhile Reducing our costs. No, I know I'm not so 1700 excuse me They're proposing that oh, okay, excuse me. Oh, excuse me. Yeah, miss. I Boy, yep. No, it went from 19 to 21,000. I went up. Sorry and that right now is the language That's in the warning so Vasbo Superintendents Association Vasbo is the Vermont Association of school business officials We are asking the legislature to consider changing the statute warning for the budget Article because that is what it focuses on now. It's not what your actual budget increases It's the cost of your per pupil spending and what that increases so that oftentimes Confuses voters. Yeah Because it's not The per pupil cost is what is shown your mate your primary budget line plus the per pupil cost and the percentage increase Versus what the tax rate increases or what the equalized tax rate is for merged districts? So, thank you for that correction Well, I am very proud at What we have accomplished of the school as a district. I think we are going in an incredibly great direction We've we've increased learning we've increased our English reading we're working on math and Unfortunately, it does cost some money to do that. Yep. Yep I mean, you can't be held responsible for the CLA. I mean, you know, you got to Try to convey this top big picture of all the work you've done to keep things low and still increase programming You know, the CLA thing is going to be a tough tough thing to explain As a lister I could try and maybe help get some language to for Jamie Yeah, and I put quite a section in my letter But I don't know how many people actually you know read my letter in the annual mailer But I do talk about what how it is and how it impacts or tax rates So we do try to make sure it's out there and if you're like our presentation that we gave last year If you remember I had an entire slide about the CLA. Yeah Yes, and I think that is really important because I think you're you know all letters are wonderful But you know, there's a certain amount of people get through so much better And that's not what this is a lot of numbers big bullet points a sticking out So I do think it'll be really important when we do our presentation this year that we again We focus on those areas of the presentation and that it's there for the community when they come to to hear the meeting I agree Is there any other questions regarding the tax So yeah I want to do that before I leave and your announced tuition is 10.5. I don't know if you move that one up I can't remember if you move that one up or not. I think we bumble all of your stuff. Okay, so as far as the 21-22 audit I have first draft of Almost all of the district's audit. I do have first draft of yours. I have gone through it I have sent back corrections to the auditing team For the next draft. We are also working through corrections in the supervisory unions audit Which obviously will have any impact on all of the districts based on any reassessment that we have to do with the Close of the fiscal year. So those are currently the two outstanding items. The big one for you Was the insurance refund for the high school claim didn't come in in the same fiscal year So we have to make sure like all those Documentations are supported and I'm working with the new adjuster that has been assigned to the claim to make sure all of that Stuff is appropriately documented so that the auditors can accommodate for that in your audit so that's part of it and then obviously like I said the SU assessment and then Working with them through obviously all the work that Amy did on the special revenue funds making sure that those are all updated And appropriately documented for in your audit. So those are the items that we're still working through for yours Questions for Tara on that audit update All right, then the enough tuition. So new this year you saw a different form So this is actually the agency of education's form got mine. I didn't remember to print that one from home So this takes into account How the AOE determines your allowable tuition rate once we file our stat book So I'm using this form moving forward So you'll see it starts right off at the top what your projected enrollment is which is 97 currently And then it takes your expenditure budget and this was done on the last draft So obviously, you know it changes, but we don't change your announced tuition rate once after we change the budget then we back out the expenditures that are not included in allowable tuition, which is your assessments to the supervisory union and Any tuition payments so your secondary tuition payments don't count and your announced tuition rate so that's all backed out and then the projected offsetting revenue is backed out and Then they take that and divide it by your Enrollment so we have a projected announced tuition rate of 16,141 Dollars and then I had given you in the packet the memo which gives you the historical announced tuition rates So you could see where you have been You didn't change it last year. You stayed consistent at the 169 50 and what is the What is the cautionary of Announcing a tuition rate higher than what we don't build back into a district So we chose as a supervisor union as a whole that if your announced to wish if you're allowable tuition rate comes in Higher than what you announced. We do not build back your the Grandville Hancock unified district in Pittsfield Which are the two districts that send into our said we don't build them back So otherwise if we as a supervisor union chose to do that That is where you get those tuition billbacks, which in the past have been pretty substantial from not Appropriately allocated announced tuition rates meaning if we were too low and the actual amount came yet higher We don't go back, right? But we don't credit back either so you keep well, that's what I was wondering it by keeping it the same It it's okay. I Yeah Regardless of whether it's higher or lower. Yeah, and I think that is a I think billbacks have been are tough on districts to try to to do and I think that that is wise that are That we don't do that In our revenue budget the tuition that was used to calculate was the 169 50 My recommendation would be to not to increase that at all all right and to stay at that I'm we the sheet shows that we could shave off a little bit, but on the other hand You know that is only my suggestions we we stay at the 169 50 Anybody have comments or questions for Tara and we do this now because by statute it has to be Voted on by January 15th, or you get whatever you had in the past So that's why we do this before you approve a budget Why does it say 169 50 up here because this is if you go to the calculation yeah, she's the 16141 is like the minimum what it's been calculated. It's gonna cost that's the projected That's the projected calculate. So you want to go with year 22 and 20 you are you have been 16 So the top one is what you're at in 23. Okay, and then down below is where you have been so in 22 21 20 And so this is on the towns of anybody who sends their child to Stockbridge or office or pace the district Well, I'll move that for FY 24 tuition is 16,950 second Is there any discussion Being no discussion all those in favor say aye All those opposed you guys have it the tuition rate is set at 16,950 Welcome then do you want me to stay for your discussion on your funds? Are you good? Oh, yeah, if you can So Great updates about the Update on Endowment funds Do you everybody received the email that sent them earlier this month that kind of use gave a summary on the Court of Front Endowment funds that Rochester That we have from the Rochester side Yeah, I did read through Yeah, there's Tara All scored away So we do have a couple different funds Fun for excellence We haven't used any of it since we've been a district The funds have grown but of course in the past few months as the the stock market is Changing so the funds are not growing So Yeah, I don't really know where to go with this what we're trying to do here so Darsley benefits students for opportunities for learning and recreation Well for seems to me and I haven't been here very long yet for the first time thanks to your efforts and diligence that the SU board has in front of them understanding of what Endowments are under our responsibility where they stand financially. What's the purpose of each endowment? Tara's also added how They may be expended relative towards income and So we have that and we can build on that each year and we can decide I think one of your recommendations We don't have to decide tonight whether some of these funds would be better managed through a professional financial management Process and I think that's something we should consider put on a future agenda item It doesn't have to be now With one of our lenders who has a financial management team Yeah, and it's the lender that handles your tax anticipation notes I have a meeting with them this week to go over each of your funds and to see you know What they could do and provide for services because I do have other districts that also have funds similar to yours That I'll be meeting with them on so I should have also some more updated information at our next meeting We've got a really dynamite Team that's this that's helping stock bridge. So I just before we make a decision. I'd like to see what you've got going Oh Excuse me, not I take that back. I'm personalized. I think the board should Right should have a clear understanding on that. I'm sorry Yeah, I love that one that through that Absolutely, and there's with the market down now. It's a great time to invest You know, you don't want to when it's here. You want to do it here and let it come on up So thank you for all your work on doing this as well as they're all your other burdens just I want to stay with Elon Musk right now Well, I don't know. He's going to be supplying the all electric buses through Tesla, I don't know, but thank you support Advice about looking into financial management for us to look at that idea Right way yeah, thank you. That's the last thing that we Yeah Okay We attend for well I'm a little confused if we're continuing on discussion items or circling back to the reports of the board with the policy Nine four five and six. Do we need to wait for? I'm going to go leave Jamie Learning ten four if we could postpone to next meeting Because I would like Matt to be here and he had a conflict So we're tape tabling ten four table ten four. I think we're going to do the celebration of learning now And so that Jamie has time to come back and then we will continue on from there So the celebration of learning is kind of the flip side like you saw the office discipline referrals in that report Well, here's some of the proactive Pieces and it just kind of highlights it. It's pretty short It was a tough night to ask anyone to come and present moments People's vacation, so I tried to take it off folks plate so This summer just to back up we sent We sent nine teachers and staff members to what's called responsive classroom training which really focuses on building a morning meeting Building relationships and routines and expectations through strategies such as modeling and scaffolding Which means you do it step by step day by day So they don't walk in on day one and are expected to know what morning meeting looks like or what their reading block looks like or anything On those lines. It's really to focus on building a positive community It goes hand-in-hand with our PBIS which is our positive behavior Intervention systems, so it really emphasized it was four days In July that folks went to that and that was through some aster funding and then we had a team of four Which was think five including myself Which was our targeted team that went to the positive behavior intervention systems, which is called training in June Which is called best Institute and That focused on specific training around looking at data and targeted plans and supports to put in place But these are strategies that we use for every student every classroom preschool through sixth grade So every student starts their day With a morning meeting and to the right is the morning greeting or message Live from today for tomorrow Then there's some sort of share activity which depending on the age group is the different guidelines Responsive classroom also gives you a lot of prep so it could be if you could go anywhere in the world Where would you want to go or? If you could travel in time Backwards, what time would you travel to and why different prompts like that? And then a group activity, which is always the highlight This is usually an energizer or get to know you popular one is called fraud detector Which means they like sit with their eyes closed and one student is picked to send the like you're out message and Usually by sticking their tongue out at someone which is why it's super popular and then another person is the Interactive and has to try and guess And then it kind of ends with this. This is what your day is this morning message So it sets the goal and the tone for this respectful engaged learning and Really a climate of trust because you can't do these activities in a classroom if you don't trust your peers or Your teachers to make sure that it's going the right way. They're about 20 minutes long morning meetings anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes long It's really made a huge difference Just in how students interact with each other they can help explain routines We've had several new families move in we have it Two new families that have moved in one in each building one in December and one starting This week and students are able to teach those new friends what to do and how things work through this So it's it's making gains and it's great that we're doing it vertically So they know that that's what? Even when they change classrooms, they're still gonna have morning meeting and they know what the structure of morning meeting looks like So that's one aspect a proactive aspect that we're trying to do now By by telling them what what's upcoming for the day? Yeah thing kind of sets the tone sets the tone It's where you get your jobs for the day whose line leader The primary grades that's an important one You know who's in math in number corner like who gets to be the calendar person and turn the card over and run number corner Who's the office runner? There's a wide range of jobs. I took a snap shot of one I think it's in a later slide that just kind of shows it all those things happen in that morning meeting It's good to be getting them managing your day, right? Yeah, exactly And we all think like what are the things we need to do today, right? Do you find doing that can also help with the transitions through the day because they know? Because they know what's coming like tomorrow will be hard, right? They haven't been in school for 12 days It'll be hard to get back in a routine and each day will get a little easier I think the piece about this is that it's structured the same now in every classroom So even though it changes the games might change the group activity might change the share might change as they get older Some of the constants are the same figuring out what your jobs are Going over your schedule of the day. Those are all the same no matter what grade you're in and that does make that transition From one classroom to the next easier I use a timer for my kids when it's time to go right if I don't do that. It's like Disaster right got ten minutes. I put it on my phone exactly that goes off there And the more visual that was kind of something else that came out of this responsive classroom training the more visuals We can provide because students can't necessarily read social studies or science like they They associate an image with it first more visuals We can put into place for students like a visual timer, right? The more successful things are so this responsive classroom was way more than just building your morning meeting But it was a lot of things like that how to build in your visual timers Things like coming back from lunch and recess and pretty much every group at lunch and at the end of lunch and recess either has quiet time Which is like ten minutes no talking you can color you can read to self You can just be in your own space or it's like a read-aloud and they're drawing during it And that was a responsive classroom tool You can't expect students to come back from recess and lunch, which is high energy because they're so excited to be with each other and Pretty much as long as we're you know following some pretty simple rules They get to like it's the one part of their day. That's not super controlled for them So to come back and oh by the way now we're gonna sit here and practice writing Like that's not something that they're gonna try then So this ten minutes And the responsive classroom training I attended it as well You Learn how to do everything by they walk you through it the way you should implement it. So like we only learned A share the first day like we all circled up in morning meeting as Adults and had to learn the share how to do the share activity. So it was very Great and now we're gonna go back to them for two half-day trainings on Managing misbehavior and using some of the strategies we built this way This is actually really good to say When they transition on to the other schools, you know, you have Homeroom advisory and that's your one moment in the morning where you can kind of put your whole day together with your advisory If you have issues, you know anything like that to talk about kind of your right You're settled into the school day routine And so this you know as they as they get older and move on still most of the middle and high schools You know already I've been doing this, you know for most of them there So it'll be a good transition. How long is it the morning meeting? It's about 20 to 30 minutes some some teachers will pair it up with number corner So they'll jump right into some math as part of it others just do it as its own entity and it's It's rough roughly about 20 minutes. I think some days depending on the group activity The kids would like it to be longer But then on the flip side of that we also do something called closing meeting at the end of the day So they all circle up and the circle piece is important too So they can see everybody's eyes and have that face-to-face contact And they talk about what was easier hard about their day and kind of decompress and unpack the day too And that's five to ten minutes and five is probably more Spot-on because your day kind of turns to run long and the bus dismissals getting called and those other things It's something that we've implemented throughout both buildings. It's been great, right? Yeah So the next piece is really on building routines and expectations in the classroom So you can see there's different helpers different jobs and then visual schedules every classroom has a visual schedule Up we found that's been a huge component and things that help kids To know Like kids will go up and be like nope. We're right here. Don't try and move anything That's where we're supposed to be and they know sometimes because they can read the words about other times because they also Just know the order of schedule So that's been something we've really been building in and not just in classrooms There was as long as it wasn't knocked over like there's hallway expectations like you don't run down the hallway You walk down the hallway. There's And it's all things about what you're expected to do not what you shouldn't do So I just gave you a bad example But we walk in the hallway our voice level is a zero which means voices are off So you don't interrupt what's going on in other classrooms and We spent six weeks of school the first six weeks of school You you start the first week is nothing but teaching routines and expectations And then you start to scale in the academics and build up how this is how we do our phonics work This is how we do this. So they learn the how to We provide an example and a non example So especially at this point in the year when students come back tomorrow It'll be a lot of focus on routine and reminding of routine and expectations Through this is how we should do it versus this is how we don't do it And that just creates a clear boundary again for students and it's modeled visually We also through PBIS recognize students for meeting expectations So they get either a ticket or a hand it's called something different in each building but it's literally this big piece of paper and You're recognized by adults for saying, you know, thank you for being ready to learn by having your pencil out and being at your seat and All our learning around social emotional learning and praise is that for every one redirection you should have five positive reinforcements and that helps Students to understand what they should be doing And wanting to meet that kids want to meet what the expectation is the end of the day And again, we teach those not just in the classroom, but playground lunch hallway bus specials classes all those different places And then we recognize students not just through our hands or tickets, but we also do student of the month or rocket of the month It's once a month Our fifth and sixth grade students lead the assembly. It's a script. It's In students get to nominate peers who they think should do it and then adults also nominate and there's representation from all the classes. We do make sure that at some point in time every student in each classroom is recognized and all our classes come to that at the same time so you get to see what other students are being recognized for And then classroom celebrations. So those tickets or those hands they total up the kids count every month and you can be You have a classroom goal and we have a school goal, but in the classroom goal They will get to pick something fun pajama day is always popular crazy hair day is popular Cooking you usually start to see some bigger classroom celebrations as the year goes on. They like to do more Some teachers do a poll at the end of the day to recognize someone because they all go in one collective area We actually have two students from Stockbridge our four five six teacher in Stockbridge does something called a row bank her last name's row So she does the row bank and students can trade them in like currency for different things And that and use them how they want and we had two students save up 125 Hands in Stockbridge is what they're called to be superintendent for the day. So this coming Friday I don't think they know what they got themselves into but He does he was very open to it. He picked the day So this coming Friday those two students will go it's more like an afternoon, but they'll go for a whole afternoon With him and get to see what it's like at central office and then go to another school And see what a different school is like and what he does when he goes to other schools So with your own currency you're saying yeah, like they there's a list of things she has so for like 25 hands you can have I think it's 25 they can cash in lunch And from the pit stop with me or they can for five hands they can get a piece of gum or Or I think it's like 70 hands They can pick a class wide game So they try and do different things Because for older students the buy-in is not as Exciting as when you're younger and there's crazy hair day and there's pajama day and there's right things like that Six the the money it's that they feel like they're they're getting something So these is your bridge box there. There was a teacher Fifteen six was bridges and you did bridge box. It was very similar. Yeah, or we would all bring things from home that we didn't want And you would exchange money Yeah, yeah, so um, it's just it really depends on the group of kids in the classroom. It's pretty kid Driven, which is cool what their celebrations can be Um, and then same with all school celebration, which is what's next. I think if I remember correctly So, um, this is when we meet a school-wide goal So for example at the beginning of december each school earned had earned more than 3000 hands or tickets Uh collectively and so now they have another goal and I think it's like 4500 in each building Um, and then they get an all school celebration. They're about 20 to 30 minutes The ideas come from students. It's a brainstorm list that comes from morning meeting and they all get to participate in it So we've done dances. We've done games with bagels. We've done Different like they just did a winter craft going into a vacation I'm trying to think what else All school hikes. So there's usually one bigger one at the end of the year They all feel like they're really part of this collaborative effort. Yeah, and Um, it is the groupings of students is k-6 preschool sometimes too will join it just depends on what the activity is but So it's not just like five sixes by themselves Like they are with other kids and it really creates a lot of leadership opportunities, which has been great We've made chocolate chip cookies before we've done a lot of different things. So great. They really enjoy it So those are kind of it's like the flip. It seems like a good time to do the flip side of the discipline Referrals but that's Kind of a snapshot of what goes in on social emotional Excellent. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, you're welcome. Does anybody have any questions for lindy on the celebration of learning? That was great. I love this part of our meeting. Well, I do too All right. Okay. Now. I don't know where you go. Yeah, I guess we're gonna move on to the policy committee and draft three of the flag policy and uncorresponding documents so I think Okay, right after Here we are How far down is it? You're on the policy committee. Yes And this is the most important draft of the flag policy that um So you're recommended. Is that correct? Yeah, and we we uh Motion to move it I believe right Yeah out of our committee so now essentially we're just looking for feedback from uh from the the local boards and Okay Did everybody see bills? Email and Yes Uh, I did um Do a little um just internet searching on you know, the flag policies that's been going on and in vermont and with the different Other schools and such and good. Um, one thing I thought was uh very interesting is one of the Fairfax school board member That the policy was a flag pole policy and not flag policy And I kind of liked that thought that we are actually talking about what the flag pole what goes on the flag pole um Uh, I I guess you know, it's It's tough it's it's like a deep issue here. Um, and I do agree with um bill statement. I guess that that's my opinion um that That there could be a lot of potential, um Issues that arise up by um By having the opportunity to fly other flags than um possible other flags on our flag pole um And to for the board to have to make the decisions on What flies are appropriate and are not appropriate versus um You know They're not running into any discrimination Issues around that. Um, I think it puts the board at a It's a liability there But uh bill one do you want to take it away? Sure um they If we go beyond the flag As a symbol and we talk about the underlying The most important thing to underline that issues is something goes way back and that is um social and racial justice social and racial equity and I come from a generation that grew up with um With that issue front and center um a few years ago John Ruiz died who is um a phenomenal civil rights leader that put his body in his life on the line bloody sunday down in And um Selma in march of 65 and um there are shortly thereafter there are 24 Students from syracuse university that went down to louisiana. Why because One of the students, um, it was down there the summer before trying to register voters and almost got Um Didn't come back And just so happened that the klu Klux Klan firebomb two black churches between bloody sunday and um It was a tough time if you go back to the 60s Um, if you read about them or you the whatever you want the moves everything else So you had not only bloody sunday, but you had the reign of terror and Uh, rural louisiana you had Um Freedom riders that were being killed in mississippi um You had um a woman by the name of biola La usa Who was a volunteer from detroit drogan down there trying to help out And she was gunned down while she was driving in her car because she picked up a black person We called negro's back then Because he had run out of gas and she was going to drive him to a local filling station to fill up um And it was weird because The fbi told the students before they left syracuse university that They couldn't insure they warned the students they couldn't insure Their safety much below Cincinnati I just think about that for a second much below Cincinnati. So these students went down anyway um Below since the nanny the black students hunched down so they didn't look like they had an integrated car Um when they got into louisiana the cars didn't go faster in the speed limit But they were literally bumper to bumper because of the experience of the freedom riders was that um The laggard car Could be cut off and those students could be isolated and in some cases killed Um, they made it down there They were welcomed by a Cross Cross burning On their freedom house door They started rebuilding a church Um, it was eventually completed. They marched with students Who high school students that left the high school because this is a negro school lousy plumbing leaking roofs The library with the shelves Empty or with books going back to the 40s or 50s They're their their coach being fired because the coach attended one of their Rallys and the Syracuse students joined them and as a result The governor of the great state of louisiana came apologized and promised that they turned some things around My point is that students no matter what their age can make a difference And we need students today to make a difference and racism and and and Attacks on lgbtq Q Are continuing today. We read about in the paper. We've dealt with it in our own su And so this issue is extremely important. The reason I came up with my amendment is that We want to focus on how how can we continue to make sure that um social justice equity Is in our programs is in our hearts. It's in our Schools and all our activities And i'm concerned about if the issue is a flag rather than the underlying Beliefs of what we should be doing That can disrupt us That can get people confused that can get people angry and That's that disunity is just at a time that public education and are what we're doing here is more and more Somewhat challenged and important and so I Would like to think that we can make sure and as part of our The leadership team to make sure the right things are happening in our schools But we do not have to Prove that by having our flagpole that all these years has been for governmental flags Um raises another flag now what's unique about what patrick's committee has done is because they've looked at all these scenarios And we've had school committees that have said no the flag is only the american flag and the vermont flag and others said no There should be a student A petition process that would be reviewed by the administration and the school board to finally decide What our our committee's does policy committee has said we're going to Have not only a flag policy about a flagpole, but also Representations within our schools And it's leading it to the To make that decision, correct? Yeah, and and those decisions are made. That's the other thing is made by the school boards Whether it's the su board and it for the various boards So I think that's moving right in the right direction. What i'm concerned about is that Through the second approach, which is students can petition and and Show why they want to have representations and flags within the school building Is important to them why it is part of their education. It's part of their What they feel is important in our society to achieve or to try to achieve is important we've we The that policy within allowing that within the school buildings, I think is Should energize and certainly not dampen the enthusiasm of our students who try to do the right thing To bring that outside and say no, we've got to have a flag Whatever that flag is going up and down that pole I find is not necessary To achieve that underlying goal, which is social and racial equity and that's why I'm suggesting and there's no vote of Jamie was so nice to give us a policy a 30 that says basically we Give feedback the policy committee has been working on this for months. I think four or five months They've gone through at least five or six drafts Um, but I wanted to share my thoughts because I think the On I think the su board is meeting on January 24th The policy committee has now voted unanimously for the policy that you have in front of you They're going to be presenting that policy to the su board the su board Will either vote it amend it or or send it back for further consideration This is one idea. I feel very strongly about because I want to underline goals of what we're all about as human beings Not to be thwarted, but at the same time our task as school leaders We need a united community. We're in fact a symbol of united community as it being a public school And I'd hate to see that unity Unnecessarily torn apart Um, so that's That's what I've got all about here. Thank you So just for that so that so bill's right So this policy was crafted in a way that you as a rochester stock bridge unified district Could say that you are the only it starts by saying the only flags flown are for the roma in the united states flag A district could choose to have the area of display be the flagpole And that's something that a district can choose to do I think where we're across the su I think where we are This was a compromise within the policy committee to try to meet everybody's every district's needs Um, there are some districts that are very passionate About wanting to be have the ability to designate the flagpole as a place that where students could fly They proposed flag and so that's that's why this policy was crafted the way it was Yeah, it's it's just it's hard to just to explain Convincingly why this flag and not that flag. It's just Well, I mean, I think I think you have We go through this process, but I'm talking about I'm on the street. I'm driving down the street I see that flag waving and I'm saying, okay. Well, I've got a flag. Why can't that? Well, this is very I understand reading this why But I'm not sure the the person in That live on our communities are going to read all the fine print and say, oh, yeah that and not that So And the other thing about it gets going to be harder is let's just say We say only we say we're going to reserve our flag poles for the Vermont flag and the Um, the United States flag And then in Bethel They vote to have Not only the governmental flag, but the non-volunteer flag there They're going to say Why that and not why in your community and not that community We become it's almost like a political football here. How do when you have that That ability for each district to decide and I don't think it's I can Quite honestly understand the in building Differentiation because you have different grades and classes and and all that sort of stuff But on a flagpole, I'm going to conventionally say well We're right in this district, but they're right on that even though they're different I think that's going to be a hard thing and That's one reason the policy that I propose is on the flag poles It's we reserve it for the governmental and inside the schools That can do whatever the school boards and the and the principals want I understand that there's passion on this. I'm passionate on this My generation is passionate on this and we Feel not we personally feel that we need to do more So I'm sounding like kind of weird because I'm maybe proposing something that sounds like it doesn't advance that In my life the flags didn't matter. It was the kids getting out there and doing things their parents doing out there and doing things and We can still do that and be believed passionately in that And reserve the flag for the united states and in vermont I would think there's going to be quite a debate and I don't know what you're going to come down on that But I just wanted to share that that feeling with you I'm sorry it took so long Is there any other comments on that Um on the flag policy and and uh bills Oh Just And the su or to the policy committee Is this something that our board is feeling the same on or is this just individual? No, I I guess from my question would be okay. Well with these two scenarios what What outlining factors is going to make the difference between their Being a conflict arising whether the flag is on the wall inside or on the flagpole outside is it For you or in your mind, is it the fact that now the whole community is seeing This coming by and now you have outside members from the school that are now involved in this policy as opposed to just the students inside or faculty or Parents that are in the building Is that I mean because I'm just trying to understand. What's the difference? Yeah Um, one is the difference and it is visibility Um Why can't I have this flag? Okay. I and there's an answer to every request Um, but it's awfully hard for those proponents. I want to have the blue stripe American flag shown because I believe our police are being totally blah blah blah blah So how do you say no to that? How do you say no to the Gallison flag, which is don't tread on me, which is a historic flag that now has been It's now in In the political process seen as representing something else. It's There's no win. This is I call it in this this is a zero-sum game outside What we have in the school. So is we've got the whole environment we've got Plays classrooms literature readings poetry musical events All those things that you can express And the flag is another one, but it's what a perfect setting. Look at us here And uh, so I I think there's An opportunity in the building to to do everything we're trying to do as educators. That's that's the reason And I'm quite honestly I we need to vote We need people to believe in us Even if I'm sorry taking too long, but the last thing is this Our job is not To make what's the political correct decision our job is do what's right and we've recently done that as an su We've done that with the anti-racism policy that took a long time a lot of drafting It wasn't unanimously Aliked or appreciated in our communities, but it was the right thing to do and it's a hugely important building block We have another one on transgender students um, another thing that We've fulfilled our mission our job is to do things like that whether it's politically correct or not I happen to think that to say no, we'll reserve our flagpole for what they've been flying is Is Is not discriminatory In a negative way, and I'm So that's why I don't know. Yeah. No, I'm not one way or the other. I'm no and please Nice thing about our group. We can disagree And we learn and we respect each other, so I I'm not asking for anything Loyalty or whatever it is. I would just ask you to think about it because it it is important For the kids as well as Is for a whole issue. I'm jamie. You mentioned that there are districts though. They're For like adamant about using Yeah, is there a reason those representations on your policy I'd like to take justine's question next. She had her hands up for a while Justine hi That's really a question. It's more of my opinion about the flagpole in general like it kind of piggybacking on On bill at the same time as I like the idea of the in school forum I also recognize that I don't think it's necessarily Going to do the trick for what the whole point of this concept is because it's not It's going to be within a building where it's not a broad political statement So I feel like it's kind of pushing it into a less important category than maybe what the purpose of them It you know request Is But that being said, I sort of see us as a board as being Representative of the greater community And by making these decisions on specific political Stances, I I'm not sure that that's our role. I feel kind of awkward making that decision and voting on this political Choice When it's based on what's you know, maybe students are proposing, but then we're deciding. Yeah, we want to support that I don't know. I just feel like it's kind of a weird relationship between school and the greater community because We're making you know We'll essentially make this decision on what we think the school's political stance is and we're going to flag the flag So I feel I I like the I like the idea of being able to have the forum within the school I though I recognize it's doesn't It kind of Dampens the importance of the concept, but I also feel awkward in Voting for this political stance Just based on you know, some students within the community I don't know if it's our role to be voting for that that kind of thank you that No, I think justin brings up a good point And I have a thought about that. I mean if if we don't want that I mean The whole point is for the students to have a voice So why couldn't there be a process involved where say the final say is the board? But why can't the students vote? Yeah, I still I go back to just what justin just said though. I mean, it's not our role to make the political decision You know political statement and unfortunately that's what a lot of what it is and what I was saying earlier is You know making a political statement I mean, that's weighty and also you don't want to discriminate against any Any group for making a decision of one way or the other. Um It's very tricky. So um by eliminating the That statement outside eliminates that potential um problem area But by having a form inside for the students to um To to voice and to it makes sense to me Robert Well, I know it's always uncomfortable to be forced into A political statement one way or another but in our anti-racism or our our TQ Policies, I mean Whether we like it or not in this climate. We're making a political statement. So and we're being Where we're we're making it and the question is Is Um You know that may be uncomfortable, but if we're truly backing those policies sometimes we have to We have to get uncomfortable and and air it whether that goes to Doing it on a flagpole is is certainly a valid question, but it's I think we were we're um Forced to air uncomfortable uncomfortable statements in support of our policies Right. That's our waiting for the policy comes out. Yes, just Dan I think well, I disagree with that statement because I feel like discrimination racial discrimination is is is law And and how we deal with that in our in our school is is civil rights and it's there's there's legal implications in that But flying a flag Showing a political stance is not You can fly nothing and you're not breaking the law, but if you're racially discriminating against Students you are breaking the law So I think that they're totally different Um And I just wonder, you know, I do think it's inadequate to have just the kids be able to express themselves in a In a private forum. I think that's not the point of this I wonder if there's another public forum We could offer them that does not allow for us to be making a political decision or statement that It you know shows that we're deciding something for our community but given, you know Some other way that that they could have a night where they're Presenting or some other political Public forum Where it's not just inside. We're not shutting it in the door, you know within the school, but we're not making a decision as a district that we believe A certain political stance No, I just want to Ride with that because I Outside it's very hard to see the flagpoles other than a political statement inside the School, what's in the school classrooms? What's in the school the gymnasium? What's in the school an auditorium? so Talking about what justine is talking about You can have a concert that that that highlights any number of a musical Tributes or genres that that that tell a story we can have plays or tons of plays That our drama club could can put on to tell a story And and that's open and you want the public to come and attend it's that's Inside the building. This is the educational decision. It's it's harder to see an educational decision when you You step outside and stare at those flagpoles. It's very hard not to say Gee, that's our flagpole, even though technically it's under the school departments rules of regulation. This is our school. This is our Flagpole, but inside that school. I think there are opportunities justine where The that voice and that message can be conveyed to the public They also have student newspapers They have take home material that They've got Journals, they've got yearbooks. They've got all sorts of things. They've got letters the editor to tell the story. They want to tell Yeah, absolutely. I just mean Instead of just to me it seemed like well, maybe there could be another place they could put their flag That's what I was take how I was taking Your your your idea And to me that's kind of like well, that's just shutting them in a building. Yeah, so Just real quick. I think it's important for the board to know this has come about because they student group petitioned a board To fly the pride flag in june. Yeah at one of our member districts and That district's board answer was no because we didn't have a flag policy Governing it. So that's where this came from. So I just think to get perspective from some of our district boards That that is why this policy was drafted is that the white river unified district board requested That the su pursue a flag policy Right Could be any flag that was asked that gets asked to be put up though. So But I think at this point it's not out of It's come out of the policy committee and it's at the su for them to look at um Well, I'm going to warn her for vote because I we got to move on So I'm going to warn her for a vote at the at the su level in january and the board can decide to move on this or not Because it's been kicked back to policy twice The committee the committee has been unanimous and I think we just got to get an answer on it Um, because we have other policy work to do as well I'd recommend going to that meeting to voice Any opinions one way or the other and uh, we will see where it goes. Um From there and it will be brought to our board for us to Uh review an amend or um, except so we'll have our own opportunity with that Yeah, thanks for be thinking about it for listening and sharing. I appreciate it. All right, uh 95 policy review policy a 30 rule and adoption of school board policies This is probably just today because we were trying to go Yep, and I think it's good A policy about policies about policy And I So jessica knows. Yeah, we realized we just wanted to try to keep up with going through what our policies are and review them make sure that Yep, we're still on board with that or if we had any, um, you know concerns I I didn't have any concerns with with this policy or anything that I felt we needed to um Change it's nice. It's nice to reread Be familiar with them Did anybody have any um other comments or any um anything to discuss regarding, uh, nine five the policy review um, I just wanted to in Researching the flag policy and all that I was looking a whole bunch of supreme court cases And there was one most recent in the city of boston where they allowed flags to fly and uh, they finally turned down a flag and uh There was appeal all the way to the supreme court and the supreme court voted eight to one that the city of boston Uh was an error one reason they were an error was they didn't have a policy And so what our policies why we have policies and why we have a process of creating policies Really goes back to if you don't you can get in trouble And you don't serve your organization well at all. So, um, the nice thing is that our Supervisory union has got a bunch of women. They're pretty darn sound. So thank you There's no further comments. We'll move on to nine six Is there any Yeah, just uh real quick and bill you can jump in it's just we adopted The su budget for 23 24 It's essentially if and you could see that in your assessments updated It's pretty much flat between special ed and all the other offices and and the reasoning for that is We continued to be able to Realize some savings and special education based on the alternative programming That we've built. So we we have alternative programming. We had it grades Um two through eight. We've expanded that through nine through 12 Um, and so it's resulted in us being able to save some money and out of district to do Tuitions, um, that budget does support an additional 2.0 ft One's a 504 coordinator, which will coordinate 504s for secondary Schools across the su like for our side for those students Who um get 504 services and those schools that person would be at those meetings To really make certain that we are monitoring those secondary 504s once they leave our buildings So i'm excited about that and it does budget for one more Special educator at at the nine through 12 level That was most of the work at the at the full board this past month was The budget really getting adopted and we definitely did talk about policy a little as well Which is uh, we're working on a drafted policy For board member, um, conduct. We always adopt the vsba code of conduct At the start of the year at your annual reorg, but we're looking to provide a policy that provides Really the parameters if someone didn't align their work as a board member in alignment to the code of conduct that folks Say that they're gonna abide by so That there was a concern that had been raised and it's we had multiple board members asked for a draft policy in that regard So that will be forthcoming as well That's all yeah, okay. Anything else film? Um, no other Board unanimously for the strategic plan. Oh, that's right. Yes, and our Negotiations are still to kick really kick off with the special educators because they're still they're still working on On other proposals And we'll hopefully get together with them soon Okay Great. Well, we'll move on then to 10 6 the proposed sale of high school property and property line adjustment possible action Who's going to take this one away? I've given you a handout And uh, basically there's a problem in the the background is In doing grant applications of your property Includes being in the um floodway. It makes your application much more complicated In this case the amount of property of the proposed sale of the high school just clips the The edge of the Floodway and it's a non essential piece. You look at the map. It's just this little triangle And what would like to do is off that piece It doesn't really affect the status of the We want to have that Be go back to the the school district. It doesn't really really affect their status because there's a lot more other property that's in the floodway That this the school will be retaining So we just want to get rid of that little piece and that'll simplify our grant applications a lot now by the other sheets There's a discussion of Uh With the members of the planning commission that really We don't need to go through a subdivision process. We can just do a boundary line Adjustment so what this is going to require is for The board to The the school district to Have the survey done to get a new new property line and then Apply for the the adjustment as far as the I've checked in the cost of Having the survey done will be Will be Paid for by the there's extra money left in the grant for doing the the feasibility study So it won't cost the right the school district, but we have to have the school school Well, first we have to have the the school request the engineers To create that property line And then we had there's a form that's mentioned and we have to Apply for the property line adjustment based on A survey once it's complete So i'm a little confused with the black line on this map the area that we're Discussing is this um The area that has uh sideways lines Yes, that's right to put that area back into the school district right um Because it's in the floodway where Where is it exactly like pitch like I know what the back of the school looks like it's it Is it where the road is is it is it is it over the hill? Is it on that flat hit flat part of the hill right is the field involved not probably not because of the hill there Right, I literally field the baseball diamond. I wouldn't be able to tell you um, uh, dick robson's online dick you there Maybe not. Oh, yeah here Maybe you could answer that question Um and that little section is uh before the land drops off so it's um and It would be let's see um um you know Out past where the dumpsters are past the road okay, um Going towards this the old soccer field I don't know where that is The tennis court area right so you mean I was talking about the girl's soccer field Oh that one coming coming back isn't that where the dumpster is is that you come on the road around the high school And you get to the to the baseball diamond, but then the road keeps keeps going And there's dumpsters and the road would keep going to what used to be the high school soccer field And is it is it that little area back there kind of that road Yes, it's before you get to the soccer field But it's after the dumpsters and is the road part of it I'm not I I'm sure the road goes through part of it. I couldn't exactly the road has um What do you call it when some does the town has access through that road, right? It's a um right away. Thank you There's a right away there I think they only have the right away I was just wondering if that complicated anything with With this we just have to make sure that that that same language of that right away is put back in Right because that gets down to the septic the town septic We we would ask the surveyors to check on that. Yeah Well, I see no problem was Reclaiming some of that maybe we can even put our dumpsters back there I mean it was all all property before Is all this this larger property before um, it's not going to cause us any additional issues because it's just field that was already in the floodplain anyway And um, I think it would help out move this forward floodway floodway. Excuse me floodway So I would I'd be my opinion. I think it's fine. Is there any problems? Yeah, it's kind of an extension of the outdoor education area Yeah, I think we're good the side there, you know, so it would still I mean we probably would continue to use that area Depending on whatever happened with the high school properties So we we it could be quite useful to us right along that that edge of the field in the The riverbank No, I think in general when the survey was done. It was just they lopped it off down Sentiment down that middle. I think they were they were just trying to get as you could see the yeah They get the whole building into a space. So Yeah, I said anybody want to make a motion Take action I make a motion that we direct the um, the taboan king to uh adjust the um property line for the high school Purchase such that it eliminate it Takes away the area that is in the flood away Henry turns that as back to the elementary school parcel and that the cost of that to be borne by the The the grant that's uh Feasts funded the feasibility study for the repurposing of the old high school And that on completion of that survey that the school The school district will Apply for a property line adjustment So that's a hope you got that Any discussion great all in favor All right 745 we are moving on to the Board development study book and I'm honest with you I was not able to get through the chapter because I was Busy reading a lot of other things. Um, so I would I would like to Um table until next time. Um, I don't know what everybody else's opinions on that is I I read about A quarter of it almost a half, but I didn't get through it Yeah, I didn't get through it either and I could do better. Yeah, they would give me time to catch up I just got my book tonight Then let's table that and pick it up again and um, I know it is a lot of reading We there was definitely a lot to review this week and I think we all did, you know pretty good job Let's just you know, stay on top of you know, we're viewing and reading and being prepared for our meetings and uh Yeah, I mean, we're doing good. Let's just keep up the good work and every effort we can put into it was Is better and like I said, I I myself as well Okay, so we're gonna table that Um, we did the uh Announcement of tuition we did and the property line adjustment. Yes, so we were uh new hires as a nation Do you guys do your celebration? Yeah? Oh, I know I did all your guns. That's all right. You're fine. I'll go back and watch No, we do not have any. Okay Um, is there any public comment? Okay, next meeting is monday february 6 5 30 in stockbridge Uh, we will do book study. Um chapter three as our future agenda item And the solar and the solar solar maybe what's a good time for me to have Matt Doesn't matter The guide for the solar matt Cooper, uh, array of sunshine who would be would be the one At the board meeting. Yeah, I want to come to the reason I wanted the table I really want him to be there and he was busy Well, we'll do budget first probably so I would say let me I'll I give you within a week an email Yeah, yeah, I can give you a couple weekly time. Amy and I start building the I try to start building the agenda a whole week out before you guys Yeah, then that way I can work better sense that okay I have a question. Yes, or actually a request. Uh, I realized that I didn't make my um my motion long enough I request that uh, you get a quote on the survey And and gets feed it back to us before we proceed just to make need to make sure that there's enough money to cover it Well, hopefully since they've done it once maybe they'll give us a A deal because they already have all the information maybe Maybe, yeah Okay, okay All right entertain a motion to Second. All right