 Reception of this Orca and thank you Tiffany for being here. I'll let you guys start with the board orders so I can run the meeting and 1.2 agenda review and regissons I do have Under the discussion item to add a 3.4 Communication plan slash posting of meetings And when we get to that point I can elaborate more and have the discussion about what I mean by that Because depending on where the Direction of this new board is going this will be our last meeting for this local board until like October and November when we Approve the audit from the last fiscal year so Public comments and correspondence, I don't have any pertaining to this board. I did have some stuff for the new Merge board for the budget questions on that but that's totally separate And as far as future meetings We'll just have one later this year Um 2.1 Approved minutes of May 8th May 13th May 16th and May 21st and May 23rd Did anybody have any changes? that they need to make Whether it be a statement that was Different or any grammar or spelling first? I didn't have any I did not have any of them if none to approve The minutes as stated all those in favor, please say aye. Aye All right 3.1 discussion agenda the playground Talk more about it tonight, but one of the things that We have been talking about throughout the year is thinking about some additional playground equipment and or More pre-k appropriate equipment out there There are regulations around pre-k for what they have for play structure and fencing and things like that Right now. There's been some efforts to do some fundraising. It's definitely preliminary and some enthusiastic parents that want to help I am more on top of it now than than before in terms of How that fundraising is being approved and what it's going under What I want to do is in the fall or when school starts back up I want to form a playground committee made up of parents The teachers want to participate. We see myself and really having it Start as a more formal process to what do we want to fundraise for you know, what's kind of our target? structure And Have some student Choice on what they'd like to see on their Playground So this committee my my eyes would help solve that organization of you know, what is going to do? The time line the fundraising If there's any, you know Support by any other financial means we can we can find and See if maybe by the spring or the following summer we have something to Put in place just to add to the playground. So That's where we're at right now A lot of folks asked me throughout the year, you know We're gonna do some of the playground and I think just now to get my first year here under under my belt I can focus on that next year is something that we work towards So I do actually have some questions regarding the process in the way that it was approached when started and Who and how is the money being handled right now because a lot of the events that are happening are Not necessarily all cat or not all pay with checks I think some is being paid with cash, especially with the close swaps that's happening and other things that are happened have happened so that piece for me is Making sure that there's checks and balance with How long money's with somebody in their personal hands? When is it getting to Lori? How is it being tracked? and The second piece to that I Think when the fun when the conversation came up about fundraising for the playground that it's super important both building community and Getting others involved that a committee should have been started from the beginning and not added on Later on in the process So I think before multiple things are done this summer for fundraisers that a committee should be formed sooner than later And if it's can if it's a committee that starts in the fall than the fund readers the fundraisers should coincide with a group who have input in That fundraiser process I Think it's a great effort and I totally support the playground needing more equipment, but I think there was a process the last time that we did this and We were really pushed by bill at that point to follow his process with Having a committee having to be thoughtful with what people what's being put out to the community and when we're asking businesses to support a fundraiser that they know what they're supporting and I think in the preliminary process that's hard to do when we don't know what we want, but That's part of working through that committee so that that information can be put out there Because we've struggled with that in the past where multiple people are going to different With the same businesses, right? And we had the bottle drives going simultaneously. Yeah, that was kind of awkward. Well, yeah, so anyway, I just I want to make sure that There's a point person which should be you right and that anything that is happening for fundraisers It's going through you and I definitely want a follow-up on the financial part of it as to Is there anything established yet for that? well typically whenever we do have An event where there is funds the money comes right to Glory we have it. We have it checked and verified. So That has been what we've always done so that's what you communicate to folks I'm worried has where to put that Right. Yeah, so I'm not really sure exactly from As of July one because it's right now It's going to playground fund I'm assuming because a playground fund a cow had been established From the previous one and I think it's still I think it's on our financial as a separate line item But I'm not sure exactly what's going to happen with those funds as of July one Yeah, that's right So that that is a question we're going to have to follow up on How that works now that we're Yeah, the question came up about other you know Whether it be a club or you know line items within It all becomes one thing and I would hope and Assume that I would hope that it could stay by building you know go by a specific thought whether it's Like Eastmont player has a few different Funds for Events that they hold and I would just I would hope that it would stay by building But I don't know that that's the way it's going to be so I just want to make sure that how do we find out? You know the whole hoping isn't really like concrete. No, and I don't have I'm not I would have to ask Lori Bebo at Central Office What like what like what does it mean with our one Budget and the fund raising going with this I know going I'm sorry Go ahead. I'll say it Say I know going into next year with each school budget that was approved. I mean within the within the system that Lord uses for purchase orders and ordering and That it is Coated each school has a different code. So there's still some separation going into next year With the local budget. So that's why I assume I would also trickle to the these other smaller pieces of You know accounts of things So when for this fund the playground front, but do people make out? Checks to do they know what to do? Do they mean right? It worries me, too. Yeah, I I Know I I have to rein in what has Taken place so far with with fundraising, you know, again There was there's been some enthusiastic folks and I you know it had talked to me about it and I said, okay Started to get a little bit further and I had talked to some people and say you got it just and so I need to do a little bit more work with with Reaning things in and starting over Community sooner than later. I think it's a good idea. So so what will we do if there's there's two, right? There's clothing and then the booth There's a clothing swap then the lawn sale and then the lawn sale Which I mean I'm okay. I mean they've already been advertised like right a lot and I'm okay with those I guess my biggest thing is there's nobody that's here to take the money from that day So it's obviously going with somebody that day which hasn't been approved approved by our board or a committee and Again, I just want to make sure that Somehow that weekend that money's checked in and checked out like There's just no checks and balance there whatsoever and it doesn't be our public school doing fundraising for our public property So I think there needs to be some oversight on that piece of it. I think it's very different when it's just Cash written out to Berlin or I'm sorry checks written out to Berlin elementary school for playground, right? Those are easy those are easy to follow and Not to say I mean, I'm not saying that there's anything shady when I'm just saying for me I want to make sure that there's For all parties. Yeah, exactly. I mean even though Looks gather in it I'll make sure that things are Be handled properly if these two upcoming ones. Okay, that would be great. Do you just a question? Does it have to be two people when it has comes to counting money or taking money like No, that's what I'm used to in the past, but I'm not sure here So the last time that we created a A committee we ended up appointing like a treasure of the grand committee Which ended up being Renee McGew and her and Lori worked hand-in-hand. I Think there was only One event and it was actually a It was actually done here at school. So it didn't really matter It was a coin each classroom did like a coin warm as when it's called where they Had a competition of which classroom could bring in the most. Oh, right. Yeah Change other than that. I mean like the bottle drive that we did the Redemption center wrote the check rate out to Berlin elementary all the other stuff was Mr. Dodge wrote the letters out to the businesses So he had the direct contact with businesses and those checks again were made right out to Berlin elementary So I think we were in a little bit of a different situation in that We weren't doing cash donations That's the thing yeah, yeah I've just I know for like Berlin residents to it It's come up multiple times like at the coin drops that the fire department has it's come up with the Berlin Community like who's double-checking those point drops and who's doubled so I just I know there are things even with other Other groups within our community that you know those questions have come up. So I just want to make sure that Those pieces are covered So to answer your question, no, I don't think that there has been two people Like checking checking out money, but that's all something that a new committee can I Think appointing a trend like a playground treasure person so that I Know Renee kept track of all of the money Coming in from businesses and Lori did so that we all made sure that we knew what we had for money Right moving on to 3.2 Summary of our Absences this year so the nice thing about it from the campus is we can Help us with our attendance and and truancy and tardies so this is the attendance report and the broken down by Grade level so you can see percentage at the far right column of The attendance for the year and then the total at the bottom so 96.3% attendance this year overall so Anybody has any questions more specifically about procedures or How does that compare to other schools Average We have a goal as a reunion, but that should be But that's not real I Don't know what other schools have I don't have access to I have to ask I guess the data for mock data If we get to know and is there what's What's the steps of someone's late versus someone who's absent so how many absences can you have and then does it go gets record? What's the policies? right so in our in our procedures At Remember I'm upshot my head at five days. There's a at five days of Originally it was unexcused unexcused absences Parents would get a notice that you're at five unexcused absences at But that has changed now correct that has changed now because we talk about that too. Yeah, go ahead No, go ahead if you want to talk about the change so This past year the local DCF DCF and the state's attorney asked At least our issue and I'm assuming other schools in the area to track And he's doing that is that is absent That they're only excuse to make it unexcused is Sick and the parent has to have a doctor's note. So if they are just sick for the day To for it to be excused that the parent has to get a doctor's note And After so I'm talking up to I'm had five It's five ten and fifteen or if it's five seven and ten in terms of days. So five days There's a letting parents know that child is miss five days And then as it gets a little bit more You know, there's a meeting with the parents, you know, the top of the plan to you know, see what's going on Is there anything that we need to discuss to help get your child to school? And then what what DCF and the state's attorney has asked is that any parent that fits that That again a ten or fifteen mark that an affidavit is is sent and Again, if somebody takes a five-day vacation Over here, and they're just going to Florida. I still technically by that rule as unexcused It goes forward. I'm hearing that From another principle that you know, she has been sending all the letters whenever kids hit that mark and They're a little bit overwhelmed with Paperwork they're getting and not even looking at some of these so they're kind of you know shoot themselves in the foot with this But this and now they're getting inundated with with letters and paper and The flexibility is just a little bit not there with this Initiative so Came came came in like February March when this came down and I mean for the rest of the year I was a little bit more flexible with sending some people in taking vacations in the fall and You know, I'm gonna go send the letter to DCF about it. So We had a good the next year. We're supposed to track it that That even if you know what they're doing Even if you know that they're on vacation Yeah, right, but but they're not even looking at it like right there. Yeah So it's kind of it's kind of silly but Is any funding connected to any school funding like government funding state funding federal funding No, and even like one thing in Students that are tardy it's very hard to heard that I mean The other no teeth other than some sort of consequence at school and sometimes it's not the students all, you know parents so it's hard sometimes to Have some sort of procedure where if you're tardy so many times to you know, this upon the student when Might not be their fault And sometimes it is and the parents love it. I mean in my other school. We had a pretty strict tardy thing not so much here I'm not seeing That's a lot of tardies here Karen, do you know how the membership days are calculated except I took This set of the student count times our school days Yeah, it's something weird like Like a pre-k student is counted like one and a half in the in the ADM and Students get older. It's kind of a little bit less So I'm not sure how the calculation we work here, but when it comes to that that ADM that we talk about a Younger student is counted more than one person One hand if you will it's like one and a half or something like that Which still I don't know how they're doing the calculation because if you look at the student count like for triple either seven But the ADM is less Yeah, I'm not sure Because we did we have more I was just curious because like looking at like great six And The membership days are about thousand but the absent days are actually significantly high And it's the entire fifth grade which I would think that would drop the percentage down a little bit more than less than 96% Because the absent days for fifth and sixth grade together are significantly high, but again, it's it's obviously average now 34 students, but That's like over a calendar year of school days At 180 days So I would be curious As a follow-up as to how I see Like what some of these columns and how they calculate it just for my understanding of looking at this report rather than just The last column and seeing that percentage I'd like to know how they get to that percentage because some of the grades seem significantly high for absentee rates Which which in effect it truly affects their their daily classroom Curriculum and what what they're getting out of their classroom at a very important So I would like a follow-up Sure, that's why I was saying like it's like to have a goal Is there a benchmark is it like we can look at this all we want but at the end of the day We're not They have a goal or a benchmark or something that drives us to be concerned about it. Correct. It's good thing for me I mean, I think probably You know if these these other procedures cause more Well, they don't want vacation during That's one thing that this new procedure can do is to put a little fear unfortunately into the parents, right? I think Yeah, I mean When kids are sick this I think from my perspective when you ask about holes and benchmarks, I think My approach would be One to look at like the three or four-year-old preschool I mean obviously we know that is a little bit, you know, sometimes transportation is hard or sometimes they have less days because of either a Late start for school first no days or an early dismissal But their attendance is better So I guess I would like to actually research it a little more to actually like find out Especially the unexcused days Well, maybe what just on educationally like test scores will affect their star Testing when they miss school effects the more you miss school the more You Could be intertwined with some other reports There's value in the data, but we Figure out what's that value, right? So I'm looking at a copy of my principal's report, but I included I Included our focus areas in my report on the first page there numbers one through six are What would constitute goals in our action plan there's an SU-wide CIP And I know that's something that is being going to be revised so what I live listed here are things that that Either have work work that has that has been started prior to my arrival and things that I've seen in my first year that I know we need to to start to Dive deeper into so I'll just go down through the list here and share and talk about what each one one is at the last meeting I talked about our Multi-tiered system of support in EST plan and this is a Systematic way to support all students in the school Each Vermont schools are required to have an EST plan or Format so Berlin kind of had one and coming on board there was there was Talk of well doesn't really function doesn't really exist. So this year we spent a good chunk of time making sure that We have a system in place. So the students are the parent or teacher In the student support intervention might not be working, but there's an actual procedure for them to meet with our team to help further look at What else we can do to support that child? The multi-tiered system piece is looking at how all pieces of the building work So if we think about literacy intervention and math intervention special education Behavior support, you know, how is it all working together? in a Clear and consistent way. So that's what the MTSS part is. It's putting it all together. So everybody knows What to do when and how it works? So we'll we're gonna be continuing work around that next year a really big Piece going into next year is our new math program. So the supervised union adopted a math program called ready math and We're excited about that. You know what Berlin? Math outcomes with kids have not been strong over the years our language arts assessments are stronger than our math. So This is something that Again kind of coming on board and not seeing Anything that some teachers can use even as a guide has existed. So the ready math. I think it's a really good program Teachers piloted it throughout the year and as we go into next year, we have a very strong professional development plan Tyler Smith who is going to be taking Kim Ferrone's spot as interventionist. We've been meeting over the last couple of months with Jen Miller Arsenault our curriculum coordinator and Ellen Dorsey one of our SU math coaches and we've developed some strategies that he will use with with teachers Along with Ellen throughout the year to ensure that you know people understand the program But there's some consistency with the scope and sequence of each unit and making sure that we provide materials Just being sure that there's an understanding of the program Carried out with with fidelity monthly data analysis teacher coaching All that will be will be in place. So We're excited about that in language arts and jumping with questions, please if you have any we are going to be starting training in Wharton, Gillingham and This is something through the Stern Center that has I've been grant funded for folks that do apply and next year I have this fall we have seven teachers that are going to be Attending the introductory course and I took it in the last spring of last year and It's a really amazing not only course, but just help help teachers with that understanding of English language down to its core. So It helps with and more phonics based understanding of of teaching reading and It's not a program. So it's not like oh, we're gonna buy or we want to purchase something It's more of just an understanding of how the English language is broken down At the at the very basic level. So everyone's really excited about that There have been some folks here that have taken Pieces and parts of it in the past and they're really excited that we're we're gonna look at it as it has a whole school That's that I just lost my Can I ask you a question? Yeah So is In here indicates that the six teachers will be attending the five training days at which what grade levels? So two first and second grade teachers are taking it Um Fifth grade teacher and the two kindergarten teachers, I believe Pull that up specifically That's cool. I was just wondering if it was represented amongst the different. So, yeah, that's five I would hope that one of the three four teachers are going Yeah, I'm pretty positive one of them is I have to pull up my list. I have to find it My files My head was exactly taking it. So I know one two Jane and I can't I can't recall top of my head Might might be okay. Thank you And the hope is that in the spring there's another Specifically if I'll end a spring so in the spring we have more folks that haven't had a chance to do it. So Okay, I wanted to mention Scheduling One of my I guess philosophies is as a building administrator. You want to have a good Comprehensive and solid schedule. So if the workings of your building are going smooth and there's no frustration and Going into next year one of the things that And thinking about the time that we have spent on math instruction could be stronger so in next year's schedule We are looking at a 60 to 90 minute window for Instructing math In some cases part of that 90 minutes is is intervention. So Because math is a need and a goal there hours because we have the new program we've been able to look at The schedule for next year and allow 60 to 90 minutes guaranteed for for each each classroom We have to have two PE days per year or per week We will have Music heart guidance and library As we always have for specials and then the two PE classes per week and for the most part You were able to Our specials were able to not just be first thing in the morning but a little bit later in the morning and into the afternoon just to You know allow that first part of the day to ask it's a fresh to Access learning so Yeah, morning meeting is Something that I'll teachers do the first You know 20 minutes 30 minutes for sometimes the younger grades for team building for SCL social emotional learning Another introduction to the day so that's a little bit around that One of the things that we did a little bit of this year, but we will definitely be doing more next year is What I call assessment to instruction So at least once a month teachers will look at Assessment data It might be benchmark data. It might be Student assessments that they may have done, you know that week. It might be an end of the unit math assessment and there's a protocol that we use to Really look at and try to understand what's going on in the data to then Revisit Any strategies that the teacher might need to do to reteach or you don't understand that they didn't get it or Maybe they all did and they can then go on to something else. So it's a way to really think about Not just not just teaching and hoping that they get it but to really understand are they and what can we do if they're if they're not So we'll be doing that a little bit more regularly, especially with the math We want to make sure that there's just a clear understanding of Program, but also how our students how our kids are doing Also throughout our staff meeting time We will be looking at Social-emotional learning so we are piloting as a supervisor union and we don't know what What program yet, but there'll be a few that will be piloting next year and then the following year Look to implement something School-wide so social-emotional learning program our two kindergarten teachers here are gonna be piloting it and I'm not sure if another teacher is but That will be upcoming in a couple of years so And of course as part of our our teach point supervision and evaluation system I visit classrooms as often as I can Sometimes through the system I can conduct a walk-through so I can actually you know come in sit and It's like a mini-observation, so I'll know what's happening and provide feedback to the teacher So it's good for me because I can see what's going on at a more microscopic level and it's good for them to get some feedback But I'm on visiting popping around in classrooms throughout the week anyway, so but it's a little more formal way to Look at the more supervision side of of teaching So those are the big goal areas, you know some other small things that will continue to work on throughout the school But also the supervised union is the Trauma-informed practices Some of the work with with Dave Melnick that's been happening over the years and a Lot of that work has been really trying to understand how How trauma in Students and adult lives affect their learning They've been a lot of research recently on just how much it does impact learning and students and adult well-being and We've been really Talking a lot about how we can support students that might Have trauma in their lives or might you know be living in a constant state of stress And how we how we communicate with them at school And how we help approach And support them with with what their needs are so I have Questions in put so We number four the scheduling and time built in for morning. I know that The morning meeting time slots are very individualized based on the teacher in the classrooms I do know that there was some classrooms that actually For what responsive classroom was made to be for the morning meeting time were not happening this last year so One feedback would be to highly encourage you to do some walkthroughs during morning meeting time for all the great levels to Make sure that those morning meetings to build that social emotional learning and their classroom Community throughout the year is still happening as part of responsive classroom This second piece to the scheduling is The The bulk of the learning being held more in the morning than in the afternoon which was definitely a difficult balance this past year I Think we tend to lose some of the kids Having a literacy time at the last block of their day, which I know you can't avoid some of those I'm just asking to put some extra special Yeah, what we're able to do is to Make it so it's so it's more in the morning for most great levels. Yeah And then onto the staff meeting part Is there any like self evaluation of The staff meetings as far as like I know different staff do different things that stuff Is there a way to make sure that there's either like a survey after a staff meeting or I'm not asking for you guys to put An extra time to create another Thing to do but an evaluation to make sure that the staff is getting out of the staff meetings What they needed considering or taking those Wednesdays away from classroom time for the kids to learn from three to three thirty five I just want to make sure that the staff is getting the most out of that thirty five minutes or however long that they're in their staff meeting As much as possible and sometimes doing a self evaluation of how it went during the staff meeting is It's very informative and beneficial Sure. Yeah, so some more feedback Yeah, I mean I just so you know It's just just so everybody knows I I consider that sacred time, you know, and There's there's never you know, like anybody's job is never enough time in the day to get things done. So it is nice to Be able to have that time I look at I Plan out months in advance what the work might be so it's not always like You know, it's not it's it's pretty specific And they fill up quick with with things we might have to do But also looking at what the needs are so Yeah, I Would be happy to and should get a little more feedback from folks if you know, they're feeling Other means are going And give you feedback negative this year saying that we were wasting time or When felt that there was always plenty of work to do so Have you gotten feedback? I Have got a feedback and not that they were not productive It's the attendance level for the people who maybe don't necessarily think they need to attend something or okay So like a topic might not apply to them kind of thing Yeah, you know, but I think topics apply to to all staff members in one way shape or form And it might be a trickled-out effect. It might be something that happen in first grade Or you're looking at something the data for first grade, but it does affect the whole You know group of grades. Yeah in some way shape or form and I just think that um It might not be a specific topic that ace a staff members needs to attend, but they should attend Yeah, I think about that a lot because so select out So we have around math and You know, do the do the allies teachers attend for you know, for example That's just an example and if it's a If it's a primary topic, you know to fifth and sixth attend So I think about those things as we plan and do my best to judge if they showed or not Does anybody else have any other Scheduling so 60 90 minutes of math what for every grade level. What was it before to compare it to? You know more than 60 sometimes 50 depending on you know the Yeah, it wasn't you know always 60 in some cases. So this is definitely 60 and which is what was Not only recommended, but across the SU I Have to at least 60 and I said, you know what we really need to work on math So a little bit more time even if it's just to be able to Have some more flexibility with with intervention or perhaps they want to go a little bit further with the lesson Gives us more time to To go into it. I think I think research would show that You know 60 is probably a bare minimum and more than that is what would be recommended So I just felt that to to provide 90 Would be very helpful so And you're seeing in that 60 to 90 minutes is their regular math class and intervention Well, it depends on it depends on on the lesson. I think so In my experience with any math program 60 you can You can just get through a lesson and over and done in in 60 minutes, but sometimes it just feels cut short and Feedback from teachers also, you know, like we just need feel like need more time To just have those discussions with the kids are getting a little further into the lesson because sometimes I'm just generalizing here You know a canned math program. You just kind of go through it. It's over and done and you're out of time It sometimes just feels rushed so this will just allow us to Just go a little bit deeper and yeah, so it's not necessarily like 60 minutes and then intervention. It's it's creating that flexibility to Go a little bit further and Just for feedback with the flexibility I think also for the kids and there's definitely kiddos at every grade level that after 90 Between the 60 and 90 minutes of math for their the ones that need the intervention But there's still ones that need the enrichment so that different differentiated Teaching of the math to make sure that those students who need the enrichment are also getting that piece of it. Yeah, absolutely Yeah, some teachers have attended a math. It's called the math menu and I believe Only a few years ago it started to something here across our schools that Teacher started to learn about and It's basically more of a student-centered approach where you kind of front load might be five or six different Activities and then at a certain point a student can choose They have to get them all done, but they can choose what they want to do first or second And you know some reinforce some of the skills some might be more of a of it a team game kind of kind of approach But they can look at the menu and then decide okay. I want to I want to do this today and then Give them a little bit of choice. So that's where some of the enrichment handy events of the Intervention can come in as well So The structure of lunch and recess more structured what I guess I just need to understand you're What you've had before yeah, what you're having no, that's a great question Yeah, so This year lunch In recess overlapped each other. So as students who were Going into lunch There were still students in there finishing their lunch. It was a little bit chaotic It wasn't like a kind of a clean cut off. So the class was coming in the other class had five more minutes and it was a Staff struggle to you know get these kiddos lined up somewhat Sibling And Those coming in to have to kind of deal with that's those kids transitioning out Just you know just caused a lot of Promotion and struggle. So This is just a more clean like and one is classes going in the other classes coming out. There's no Dreesiness and even just the flow of coming in and out And you know how students are Coming in for recess. We'll have some more what's the more procedures in place just so it's so it's Doesn't feel as chaotic. I guess Fuller duty schedule is more Right. So do I have that on there too? Yeah, so our teachers are Contractually help with lunch and recess duty so This year there were some times when Other days had more folks than others. So with this with this it'll be well staffed with teachers and some pair educators as well being able to Hope will perceive recess and lunch supervision so Just to know with the Memorial Day celebration That event was it was a great community Event it was very well put together and I just want to say thank you to all those who organized putting that together It was a good event and I would like to see That continue along with some of the other traditions that It was a good event. Thank you. Thank you. There's more things in my report Just want to note that was it a boss was a really I felt positive production this year to all the help that Took place there the Nichols the roaches the canizarros Director this is Smith Soon, it's just a really great job with the performance Just so folks know we are housing summer program again here this year like we did last year They'll be less kids because we don't have the high school students, but July 9th August 7 It's our summer program happening. That's a SU program as well They do use the three to five and five three to three four and five and six classrooms but I work closely with Staff to make sure that you know Everything is going well with maintenance and cleaning so you have a plan for that this summer as well Just in terms of maintenance over the summer just some of our focus areas obviously painting classrooms that need painting Chuck and I talked about possibility looking into blacktop ceiling usually out like in the basketball court Obviously classroom work with floor polishing and Any furniture repairs Our second floor they did a great job last summer cleaning out old junk and things we didn't need and more work again this year landscaping Playgrounds not you know just making sure everything's out there is maintained painting the kitchen cleaning and A little bit of contractor work. We talked about that this year a little bit That's the list of happening this summer Just wanted to say thank you to all the folks that helped with sour DNA and of your picnic graduation Very successful. I want to thank Vera for all the work that she's done She received our friend stone award for volunteerism and I'm very honored to present you that award and from all the staff in deciding There you've been the risk recipient Very happy and really appreciate all that you've done here. So thank you Take care All right, so 3.4. We're gonna jump right back in to The added discussion item which is communication slash posting of meetings so a Couple of things a little bit of history first We had talked about communication plan a few months ago, which I realize Will be a different group of people For the meetings from here on out. Yeah, however, I do think it is More important now than ever that our Berlin residents knows what's going on with this new merge board how things are going to work How communication is going to get out and in what forms So I guess I'm looking for feedback as to if you Were not a school board member What forms of communication do you look for from what's happening here at school? What's happening in our community? Do you utilize front porch forum? Do you utilize Corinne's news to know? What forms of communication? Do you guys feel our best? At a minimal cost other than time to make sure that our Community is getting the information they need and in the ways that they need it So that's my first part I Think When I think about it Knowing that there's a such a diverse there is such a diverse population in Berlin that like I don't I don't even know because I'm rarely Not always in our county right for but it feels like there it may be in need for something other than electronic format To get to the diversity of our population. I don't know necessarily what that is but Curious of others opinion that that might be a missing piece for us. I definitely I think it's a missing piece. I think So as of right now, there is a school board tab on the website for the town for the school Since I took over as being chair in March, I have not you know I don't have access to it nor have a obviously utilized it But that's another piece that people are going to that piece for News and what's coming up in our agendas and our agendas are posted on a different part of the website, which is very Well, all of our websites have been super clunky. They're super clunky. Let's you know, it's made on that one I have a suggestion sure Since You know going to this merged board one board one agenda. I would suggest that This is just a suggestion, but if everything was housed on just the WCSU page Then there's just one place for it to be And Then there wouldn't be any error amongst six more schools all of our six other schools on those individual pages of You know what goes up and you know, what's accurate? Only because the nature it is that there will be one board so if somebody at central office was just consistent at Just posting it on the WCSU web page and everybody would know that's that's where would they go It's accurate. There would be any error in going to every other school's website and you know principles or administrative assistance messing up What gets posted? You know doesn't it doesn't answer the question of like what other methods or places information can be but Just a thought that Yeah, I think that's spot-on in the sense of it is a centralized place And I do agree. Yeah, my only Concern with that would be That Somebody might not know what to look up for the WC UUSD To get to our meetings or calendars or agendas I Guess they're already on the site or just getting them to the site so say somebody moves into Berlin Yeah from California, and they don't know it's W. Yeah, no one's gonna know so they're gonna look on the Berlin website Yeah, so I guess I would rather see it simultaneously and it does cut out for sure if we're having one agenda versus six that It just simultaneously get put up on both websites the new district's website and each individual school's website Why don't you just put links on the individual school sites that will go to the one to the to Aaron's point of Except for it's very clunky like you said to find some of those links that are there already like the one to the To the school board. Yeah link It brings you to a calendar, and that's it. It's a blank calendar at that How do we fix that who Well each individual school right the front office handles that that's where they can get well who is it for the whole district? I think Christa mostly Overseas the whole Website but the website that we used to have whoever actually Built that website was very well done The calendar was well done The actual website itself brought you to like the ptna link. It brought you to Well, maybe we need to just address that it's not working We need to tell our board members of the district It's a conversation that we're already having as a new morgue merged aboard for sure And I think the piece of What other forms of communication and I mean what I would love to see is Not necessarily like a PR person who can do a monthly You know, these are the things just a quick sniff. This is what's happened at the last few meetings This is what's coming up, you know, whether it's like budget season or just that way On a monthly Mailing yeah, maybe even a quarterly mailing we need something to get out To our community members so like what do I think at the other times in our district like We are in Alice does a lot. I'm not sure. Do you know Dean exact like how this seems to be well informed somehow? I mean, I don't know who does it for them on their school website, but they're more the When you go to the meeting resources, they're there. They're there, you know, and they're there Really early and you guys aren't for what I know who does I know I've heard the feedback It may be the person's out, you know what I mean? So the person who normally does it Krista sends it out But you know, if it's going to somebody who's not there then it's not getting done in a timely way. So, you know That's not I think that that cures itself if it's one and Krista just says okay I plunk it into this to the central website and put it into each one of the individual ones because it's the same You know, there's no right. There's no difference to it And you know, but you know, it takes out the I'm sending it to the secretary at one school and the principal at another school And you know whoever I don't know who does it, but they but they do do it more timely And if Cal is honestly, I don't know if they have like Saturday morning coffees, but they seem to be able to have like Community conversations often like their community members are well informed About what is going on and they have been through this whole since I've been on the articles of agreement committee two years ago It was mostly the callous residents that attended those meetings and I don't know if it's just their interest Right, I was going to say but I mean we we have interest here in our town I just want to make sure that they're getting the information that they need and to make sure they're informed More than ever because there's only two they're presenting like it's critical Just something I know It'd be great like on the school side, you know when the meetings are like in that, you know When we have dates on the calendar, we know this is what a meeting is Maybe we can highlight the stuff from Berlin, you know itself And then if they want to see what the other towns are doing they can Click go to a certain spot. Maybe they'll see if I'm printing I like paper too. Like I like every kind honestly because I'm so busy Sometimes I I see it on front porch Paper anything and paper reminds me because it's in my face I hate paper, but I do think that there's a population here in Berlin that Don't want to like I I do too. Yeah, this is hard. Um, I like the news to know as well like current's news to know. I like all of it um, just keeping up with it, but You know, like I business and people some people don't want to go on the computer They don't want to do anything. You just want to call me, you know, that's all they they don't like any of that electronic To appeal to all exactly So looking forward, I guess my hope would be somehow is to make sure that every classroom newsletter that goes out And again, I'm assuming it will be Myself or george that takes on this Point of contact to make sure whatever we're doing at our new district meetings That that communication comes back to go out here Amongst the whole school newsletter, but also individual classroom newsletters. Yes Right, and so that means we have to have like a point of contact here here I mean Council's contents at the board the new board yet, but that may be sort of Yeah, I've reached out to find specific You know information on the website coming from that group as opposed to the board, which is looking at everything Correct, and I'm really interested. So I definitely want to see what's It'll just it reminds people So I Erin if you could help navigate through who Who here if I send the information to Is it going to be lorry that's going to distribute it to go into the classroom newsletters? I'm happy to build a list and send it to the classroom teachers to put in a newsletter I mean they can just cut and paste. It's not going to take any more of their time I will provide them the information or somebody will Yeah, the best would be to to send it right to lorry and then we can get it to everybody Yeah, and then that way she can also put it in And the other thing too is we can always Do this is the thing that I always do an email blast to everybody in that that way also So it's email. It's paper Um The email is good. The only thing I struggle with to the email is is that we don't get all the Berlin residents, right? Yeah, right At least if the news like the classroom newsletters and the whole school newsletters, but again if they don't go to our website Yeah, it still doesn't reach But maybe the other thing to do is our classroom news not our classroom newsletters, but our whole school newsletters Sending it to the town clerk and assistant town clerk and they can post a copy over there For the monthly ones that are published That's a great idea because a lot of people go in and out of that tempers office And if they have one posted over there monthly And there's another paper copy out there, right? How do we do paper to not just here but the residents? What were you thinking? The government has cost-associated There is a cost association. That's why I'm thinking if we at least have one coffee Everyone that's published at the town clerk's office and both current and rosemary have those If people come in for whatever reason to the town clerk's office, they could be right there and kind of Look it over read it scan it and they can always make photocopies if people wanted to take it to go They could certainly have copies there too Have we ever thought of having like a monument sign and that's like technical name of it We a sign out front and it posts events or things You know We talked about it and we ended up with a grant at Berlin elementary school sign That would be great too. I mean like a digital For I don't know the letter, you know where you put the letters in it's white You stick the letters in whatever I mean I would love it as a parent for sure, but that's such a we have like Such a busy area out there. Yeah, well, I definitely think um If we could Get the newsletters starting right at the beginning of the school year and be consistent with it and getting it As many places as we can Um, I think that's a good first step Like just we've got to have some maybe some more diligence of getting the consistent message All the all the places And so obviously we've already talked about the posting of meetings, but um Again making sure those postings are happening on our website, which legally we have to have it on our website It has to be posted here in the school And it has to be posted at the time first office, which Typically, like I don't know that it hasn't been posted at the time first office, but the other two pieces for our June 17th meeting were not posted which I can totally understand with all of the chaos and the constant change Totally get that it didn't get posted. So by no means It is it all worked out anyway because we didn't have a quorum so I just want to make sure that somehow there's a point in person For me to communicate with so I can just make sure that Those meetings are being posted. Yeah Lori would be the person but CC me would help too. So I double E on top of it. That's okay Yeah, and typically anything I send to lori. I always send to christina you and lori. Yeah, so then Everybody's getting me So, okay, so obviously it's going to be A work in progress with making sure communication and post-embedness is happening But at this point if we could make sure that the newsletters are going to the town office Would be a great start for the start of the school year and making sure that Our school calendar Has our meetings on it When I say our I mean the new wc uusd board meetings And moving forward I will work with lori on little updates that can be put on our website Probably bi-weekly because we will be meeting every other week for the foreseeable future. So if you bi-weekly updates and as Like budget time comes around or those bigger things that are happening town meeting day big changes If the classroom teachers could put in there some newsletters. So that's where we'll start with that and again I'm open to any other thoughts and Ideas for that on how to get that It looks like the school board calendar one is I mean callus has nothing on there going back I mean, it's just like it's there. It's like something that's there to be used But nobody nobody uses it Maybe they have community building events like like you said a coffee or I don't know I don't know but those callus residents know what's going on Dave do you have any idea how many residents in the town of Berlin receive the times artists? Probably find out but I mean I know we're going up and down my row and I see the male there are the newspaper boxes so I can say most of Hill Street extension and Stewart road have A box a newspaper box but That doesn't really give me much. No, it doesn't mean that they get a newspaper either Anywhere right true right right Reports to the board administration on page 10 So That was my board report. Yeah, so that was my board report and I shared the You did all that was that stuff? Yep All that stuff There's pictures. Yep Really great stuff That's another piece that actually Came up at one of the new merged board meetings was In the reports having like a snippet of what to celebrate what has happened But also more of a focus on the what is going to happen. That's coming. What's coming so it's Giving the board a chance to weigh in on the up and coming stuff rather than waiting until it's already happened And you don't get a chance to have That input until the next go around So that's a conversation that is Continuing to happen. I think at a retreat on How to better set up the reports so there's more with the what's coming up And the financial report Without having lorry here or bill. I'm not sure if there's any significant changes I didn't compare this to the previous one, but it's still a pretty good Ending in our fund balance It's over 4% Do you know of any changes to it? No, not from last time I I would like to say that I think You know, we do a good job here of being Fugl and conservative The our our food service program our kitchen this year came in under budget. So we're happy about that And we made sure that Dave being new here as well got used to The operations of the kitchen and the ordering and So, you know, we we we try to Obviously We're just, you know, we're careful when we we make Purchases and if it's sometimes finding A deal on something that we might need We're very conscious about that. So It looks like this has been updated because I have the june 2019 expenses for the technology equipment and The school-wide spending update. So it looks like it has been Entered as much as possible through Through the end of this fiscal year, which leaves us with a pretty good Fund balance to close out the year even with what a few bills will come in Right through the end of this month So it looks like the bigger chunks have been extended And then On page 50 So there used to be the playground fund on that page, but I'm assuming because That was I had looked for it before. I don't know if you said that I didn't see it Yeah, I'm not sure. I'll have to ask Lori what exactly happened to that in there And Erin can you just follow up in an email at some point? When you check with Lori here to see where she's Putting the money Yep, definitely That would be great. And if you could also like In your principal's report monthly, maybe just let us know like with the different events how much we're making On those events. I agree. Okay. It's actually a good way to find out what's successful to What's in those events To the action agenda 5.1 except the new hire Okay, 16 Um, does somebody want to make the motion first and then I'll go into the discussion to people the new hire To approve the new hire? Yeah There's two It's hard to approve someone if I don't I don't know any We can start talking about what's going to be the motion. Okay. I motion to approve jessica Cosma and nz And mary beth downing So now we're open for discussion on that So a couple of things for the new hires that have been done in the past that was Pretty successful with The board approving the hires There was always a parent And or a community member on the interview slash hiring committee of which Was not the case in either of these no, we we did have We did have a committee member a community member parent on on this So one of them you've got best listed Ashland is that Oh, you're looking at the the five six. Yeah. Yeah. I mean I could talk More about that if So I had had a conversation with bill like he had he supports actually having a parent in a or a community member Or a school board member on the hiring committee Specifically because when we're asked to approve a hiring it's at least nice for a Some kind of one of the board members to have that first Interaction And also To have a part of getting to know that person before approving for a hire And I had I talked to bill about these when they were in our packet for the June 17 and The other piece in the Years past when we actually had the person on our agenda to hire them They would come to our meeting to introduce themselves to see Who the board is and just get to know us and just be You know just to be here for the approval and I'm not saying that I'm expecting them to come on a beautiful Monday night right after school ended. However in this situation, I actually would have asked them to be here Had bill still been here But in the transition of superintendent and you being you here. I can totally understand how The chain of events happened But especially with this new board I think it's more important than ever when a hiring is going to go out to the full board That some board member be on a hiring committee Regardless of what the hire is from custodial to Principal I think it's super important for a board member to be on the hiring committee Or if not a parent that works closely with the board that Would represent Communicating with the board as to what their thoughts are about the candidates and the hiring the person we're hiring I would assume that there'd be some procedures created for I think all principals would question like what's the hiring procedure moving forward with the new entity We don't have any guidelines today on that right other than just It's a good yeah, there's always been a representation of a parent and or a board member And one I mean just for Looking you know at this paper and seeing names so The the committee under mary beth including that parent Was able to interview and See teach Just a gc so I mean I can explain the details of how You know why Her name's not on there the parents names not on there, but We did that's is on the three four Yeah, they say best, but it's five six that did not it will confirm that there was not We have a right. So what happened was we we posted the three four and we had 30 applicants We posted the five six. We literally had like four Jessica applied for the three four and the five six Mary beth applied for the three four So we interviewed mary beth with everybody on this Interviewed by including best We interviewed mary and jessica So Speaking specifically about best being the parent She she was at the interview. She was at the teaching demos And because jessica had also applied for the five six We Myself jessica hyants kate and ashland since They were going to be on the five what would have been the five six committee We talked to the five six team um I had talked to best, you know There wasn't a separate interview because she was One of the only ones that applied for the five six And since she was considered for the three four we felt like well, you know, this is great to have To really two good people So it's kind of a a combined interview process almost which I totally get all that I guess from my perspective as a board member Um Being And it's a process piece that if If one of us couldn't be on this committee and it was best that was on the committee for both interviews Which is perfect. I would have asked best to be here tonight to get her input It's especially I mean I want to expect these two candidates can potentially like their summer just started if they're Both currently teaching so Um just having that piece of information It's hard to approve it just just Right and that's what I'm saying and that's why in the past as much as these approval forms have come before the board There's always been other Board members that have served on the committee and been part of the process Right to give us that information about them when they came back So I I guess even even moving forward with the new board I would assume but I would support the new board having if a parent or Board member is on the committees that they would come to our meetings when we approve a hacker from this point forward And I mean it just the whole process piece that I think some contracts also have been out without our So that whole process piece I think needs to be kind of reeled back in and follow what the process is So there is a process. There is a process that we approve on for contracts go out I he I was I was not given specific guidelines on On hiring Yeah, um You know You know, I am a I don't I don't issue the contract itself. That's a central office thing. So that's not a school thing, but Sounds like we have a couple gaps in the existing process that we should probably address as well and just If you can't we can't hold anybody accountable for Right. I'm in a process I think it makes sense what you're I agree with what you're saying at the same time It's the right check and balance to have other people engaged in that You guys as well I can turn around Question um I'm assuming they Both fell in the range of salary for what? the out point Or what we had budgeted for I mean, those are questions that I would have asked before Yeah Because a lot of those questions come up during The degree thing after the committee Knows what the salary ranges and I'm assuming it was In the range of what we've have budgeted for those positions Um, I don't know off the top of my head. Um, considering their experience Um, I would say that it would fall into The the range. I think lori does a You know kind of middle of the road budget with A family plan For insurance, so It would make sense for these two folks that it would fall under that. Yep Any other questions or discussion on the two hires? if none Nicole you had made a motion to approve The two new hires All those in favor, please say aye Aye 5.2 approve capital transfer from general fund Um A very um mixed thoughts about this Um So i've been told that we actually have to transfer the capital funds, which i'm not quite sure if we have to do something why It just Can't wrap my head around something that We have to do but can't just get done. So um I Never saw a final dollar figure on what exactly we're transferring for the general fund Which leaves me a little leery to Transfer something that um We don't know what dollar amount we're transferring right? I don't know either. I mean I can assume that it's what's um That's projected ending balance in The general fund, but we haven't continued closing out our year through the end of june So I don't know exactly what The other boards didn't pick a dollar for you. They just said You know, whatever two percent of the budget is that stays and everything else goes over Okay, I mean you have a fall apart idea of what it is You know, but you you know when the books close just leave two percent and move everything else over And my understanding is we're moving that over so that What was left over from this year that we didn't spend gets put in a Safe net account to be extended for Berlin Only and that's why it's going into the capital fund because the act 46 Law doesn't allow us whatever current money we have in our capital fund stays within your building and doesn't go into the big pool of The everybody Um And my understanding is the two percent and maybe you can clarify the state is left there to cover Unexpected expenditures Yeah, and bills that haven't haven't come yet, which actually a lot of them are delayed and not clear probably until probably I would say mid to late july, you know Because some of the bills like that will end on june 30 as she might not get a statement until like july 10 And that chaperone ron won't go out, but it's still in this fiscal year that the work occurred so Let's somebody like to make a motion for that Motion uh, I motion to approve the capital transfer from the general fund I would do we say an amount? Well, we don't have the amounts Anything over the two percent Dave, do you know how It's hard to Someone moved to approve the transfer of funds in excess of two percent of the june 30 of 2019 total to the capital fund from the fund balance That was seconded Exactly Which uh, which board was that? That was he's popular. He's not there. Okay. I'll just go in there and take there What they said that's our motion Okay Thank you. That was from which meeting? I must have been there the 17th. Yes. Okay. Yes All those in favor, please say I I Okay 5.3 Approved resolution for transfer of property If somebody wants to make the motion then we can start discussion I approve the resolution You make a motion I have a motion to approve the resolution for transfer of property So on page 18 so With three of us on this board I'm not willing to sign this resolution for the transfer of property I think As a whole district board we need to figure out like what's happening with the property and nobody really knows at this point There's been statements made by judge mellow. There's been statements made by Multiple people on the new board Several of the other school boards did not sign this resolution on June 17th, so we're not I don't think any of them So, um, we're not the only ones in this situation to not sign it I'm Open to Discussing it in your input I'm not sure at some point if we might have to We're on another meeting as our district board to revisit this So, um, if there's definitely discussion about it In your thoughts and love to hear them I just I'm not at a point where I'm ready to transfer the property over Without really knowing How the supreme court Is going to rule and what's going to happen With the other pieces that are still kind of hanging out I agree That's fair So we still have to take a vote so, um That may vote with me for no so If you're in favor to approve the resolution for transfer of property please say I Opposed please say nay Motion did not pass Board orders I didn't sign that because I don't Need to explain I don't know what I got but the other one So right there, yeah Go ahead. Um, that's the resolution You did sign it or you didn't? We did because We I'm just going to pull that page out and that would be great Then we cannot get this Please For a process piece this piece of paper is to give a blanket authorization to sign. I'll pay real checks Through the summer months when we wouldn't meet But there shouldn't be anything that we actually need to have them sign I'm okay with signing this document. I just I'm a little leery of a process because it was not on our agenda But it wasn't at all, but I do believe it was on some of the other board agendas to approve it And on our wc UUSD board meeting that we were at last time when we had this it was The doc knew was there for us to sign and it was on our agenda to take a vote on Can you say it again for a second? There was a sense on there that there's other checks and balances that would Completely cover that I'm fine with signing it And if you are not Nicole, that's totally fine. I'm not sure that they will have anything August on I mean, well, no, this would literally so this specific one is just for the brolin school District, which as of june 30th will no longer Exist so It's pretty much just to basically close out the rest of this year if they need to sign checks because we won't meet in july So i'm okay with signing that one and that's Pretty generic of what we've always had in the past Out of it's not on our agenda does Well, do you just said it was not on eSmart players? I know me it seems like it came up that night though Did it come up at the su level? Yeah, it did. Yeah, maybe that was the only time that it did come up We had the discussion at the su level and basically they said all local boards Approved it So i'm going to put this one in here Aaron I am going to follow up with christa just to make sure that It's okay to sign this without it being on our agenda If it needed to be on our agenda, then we might have to reconvene by phone To actually approve it for that piece Um board orders It's really hard to run a meeting again board orders used to come out prior to our meetings They would get scanned in and sent to us. So we had a chance to look more because it's really hard to kind of run the meeting Sorry, yeah to the tummy and then come back and do this Yes, i'm Especially with only three of us being here because I like to look through them before I sign them So i'm just going to take a minute to look through them And that's anybody has anything that stuck out to them Some of you seem quite old What do we give to turtle island? If it's probably a preschool that chose not to come here, but we still have to pay for Where's the act? Yeah, 40 Not whatever They can choose for their own three and four-year-old preschool They don't have to come here, but we still have to pay a portion of their Program, I think up to 10 hours a week Yeah Mm-hmm And it could also be a triple e thing too. So either one So I will make a motion to approve the board orders in the amount of 30 74 dollars and 19 cents Any discussion None all those in favor, please say aye I We've already gone over board communication unless anybody would like to revisit that one again I will make a motion to adjourn at seven 15 by consensus by consensus perfect