City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire School Board, 1 Feb 2023

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From YouTube: 1.31.2023 School Board Budget Workshop

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1.31.2023 School Board Budget Workshop

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Here margaret peabody.

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Work for both of them uh nancy clayburgh- here I hope- ben epps, here brian french here carrie.

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Nil team danielle miles teacher rap. She was going to join us. She said she's going to join.

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Us late she's over at lister, nick dallin student. Okay, can we stand for the pledge of allegiance.

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Congratulations to the flag of the united states of america and in the.

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Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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Okay, zach we'll hand it over to you too, make the introduction sure we all know so.

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um We'll uh I'll I'll do that just a moment! I'll just tell you that at your uh tables, you.

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Have in the very simple agenda for tonight, uh we also included uh we received some.

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I'd share that google doc, where people give us specific questions that we can follow up on so.

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um So we received some um several of those were in relation to it related questions which.

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uh Tom will, in part of his conversation, will either refer to or you can follow up with tom.

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um About it and then um there were a couple questions that were not directly I.t related.

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And I just include included some feedback from a couple of staff members around those questions, so.

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um And uh and then I'll roll in the tom so um so tonight we when we set out originally we were.

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Trying to just to discuss in the workshop sessions without initial feedback from the board, what you.

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Know what should we spend some time talking about and we kind of work through the three.

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Presentations we initially set up for you with the idea that, based on board feedback, we provide.

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You additional stuff that you would want to talk about, but we thought it was smart to at least set.

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The table with some initial conversations that included two kind of presentations that were.

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Were scheduled to be upcoming, which is uh tom, watts our network administrator talking about.

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I.T and so what is happening, the I.t budget and then we're going to have initially, we had given.

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You the proposal to have jeanette souther, the director of people services come in, but I think.

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What we heard- and I think that both nancy and margo hurt- and I heard was board- didn't feel.

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There was a need for that to occur. I know some of the initial conversation we've had is about.

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Focusing our next work session, very specifically on sr positions and conversations about those. As.

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A positions we are prepping around our next session talking spending most the bulk of the.

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Time talking about those esther positions, unless we get additional feedback from you, so just a.

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Heads up in terms of context, but you heard us yeah, it was pretty clear uh and I wasn't the only one.

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Listening uh nancy was too, and so was margo, so uh so I'll turn it over to uh to tom lots. Our network.

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Administrative talk through a little bit about what's happening inside of the it budget. Thank you.

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There we go okay, so I'm here tom watts, I'm the network, administrator and I.t manager for the.

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District um and uh just to give you guys a heads, uh an update on what's happening.

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In the technology with technology in portsmouth schools, I decided to keep this very brief with.

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A slideshow, so you could leave plenty of time for everybody's questions from here.

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um So, just to talk about a couple of projects that we have.

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Been working on and um some upcoming projects, so a couple of things that we've been doing is.

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um We implemented a single sign-on or sso for all staff and students this year.

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In order to kind of simplify things for folks, we combined the microsoft login with a google.

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Login so microsoft feeds google, google feeds infinite campus and the rest of the world. So.

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To speak, we can actually leverage the google login for multiple things online as well.

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um Oh can't hear.

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This microphone is on right should be.

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All right, can you hear me now? Maybe I'm not.

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Close enough to the microphone, let's move that in a little bit yeah and there you go okay and.

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Liz, could you originally hear the introductory conversation before tom? No, I did it. Okay, all right.

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Okay, so uh going back so um it projects that we've been working on, so we've been working on.

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This single sign-on sso for staff and students, and the idea is that um a the microsoft account.

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Feeds the google account, the google account feeds infinite campus and the google account.

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Can feed a number of other things, so the idea is that uh for staff and students they have one.

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Username and password that's unified across the board, so they have an email address. They.

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Have a password that's associated with that, they can then use that for logging into their.

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Device logging into wireless when they need to log into wireless log into infinite campus.

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Etc, etc, their email everything is tied back to that. So we had some some great.

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Success with this overall, we ran into a a bit of a stumble at the elementary.

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Level with some of the students who are a little bit too young to to be able to.

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um uh You know basically not being able to to uh type and learn their everything uh in order to to.

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Spell it and and fill it all out, that's okay! We rolled back a little bit to make it easier for.

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Those folks, um but by and large um we were able to to successfully move forward and we've we had.

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A great conversation on that and decided that you know really. We want to be able to implement this.

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Continue to have this in place for our middle school on up and, of course, all the staff.

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Just to make life easier for folks, um one of the other things we've done here in the background, so.

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We're we're making more uh use of uh microsoft, azure ad, um which ties into the single sign-on.

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But also we're making better use of our uh device management through uh microsoft, so we're actually.

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Able to um to take all of the middle school devices that we deployed this year as well as.

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Some of the high school devices that we were deploying uh last year and really make them.

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um More easily managed make it a lot easier for people to add a stack of software. That.

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We have already pre-packaged and you know they can draw it down to their to their laptops and.

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Things like that, um we had an opportunity to actually upgrade our firewall this year, which.

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Was kind of unexpected because um sonic wall is the the version of the firewall that we have and.

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um It was time for us to renew our software support and all that sort of thing on it and.

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They actually came to us and said well, hey, we've got a deal for you, we'll actually upgrade your.

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Whole firewall for the same cost as it was going to be to uh to upgrade this off or to.

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Just continue on our support, so we rushed that one through over the summer and put a.

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New firewall in place, it's faster and uh and a better response time and all that sort of thing.

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um This year we uh we had a major refresh of the canon copiers. We actually have almost all.

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New devices there were a handful of them that were really pretty low volume that we held on to.

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um But we were able to get um actually more color devices out to different areas. We were able to.

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Reassess what we had consolidate down to just the for the most part, the the copier class devices.

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With the more heavy duty ones, which actually are give us a better cost per page and better quality.

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And we were also able to move to a um you know to a newer version of the uh the uniflow software.

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That we use, um I think that copiers have been great. The uniflow were still struggling a little.

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Bit with a few things working with canon on that, there are some background issues.

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That we're working on one of the other things we've we've kind of made available. So I'm going.

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To call it call this a a the beginning of a major project, but we're actually talking to uh to folks.

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About consolidating um at the staff level, where they're saving all of their files, because we have.

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um Disparate locations, um as far as where files are saved some some files are saved on google.

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Some files are saved on microsoft, file uh servers. We have files in in other areas too, and what we.

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Wanted to do is really kind of make it easier for people to have a location to save files, but also.

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Make it easier for transitions? We really noticed, as we we've had a lot of transitions this year and.

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Everything it's been very difficult for the new folks to come in and be able to sort through where.

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Everything is you know, okay, you left me a pile of stuff. Is it here? Is it there is it? Where? Is it so.

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We've set up a a structure, a shared file structure in google to allow folks to to have a place to put.

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All of those files that they're going to share you know with amongst different staff members, but also.

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To have them available for the next person to come in and take over, I will say that this is going.

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To be a long-term project, because we have built a structure now we have to start using it get people.

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Used to where this is work out the different idiosyncrasies that we're going to run into.

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With all of this, and then eventually get to the point where we have everything in a new location.

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Stored backed up and all that sort of thing, so this will be a definitely an ongoing project.

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We have a couple of uh things coming up here, uh so one of the uh things we're moving into is.

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Actually, implementing uh or expanding, I guess on on our front line um products we're expanding into.

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um Working with uh the central office folks, primarily on this one, to expand into uh recruiting.

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And hiring module and the front line central module, and the idea with this is that it will be.

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Using this to streamline our recruiting and hiring process, have a checklist process that it that we.

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Go through with everybody make it a lot easier for everybody and then have all that information. Feed.

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Into frontline central as a as a database that we can have our staff data easily accessible, um so we.

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We are assisting central office with this, we're not running the show on it, but as with anything.

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That requires data, I.t and and our database folks definitely uh jump in and help and we're hoping to.

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Leverage this, for um you know as we learn more and more about it, we're hoping to leverage it.

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um For other things, as well um we're uh similar to what I was talking about earlier with uh microsoft,.

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um We're expanding we use mosul as a mdm. That's a device manager, mobile device manager is what.

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Mdm stands for, but we're expanding our use of that because we're actually moving towards.

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This upcoming year we're going to be doing a refresh of the macbooks at the elementary level.

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So we're actually going to rework the process of how we manage those and make it a lot. You know.

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Easier for us to manage it for the teachers to be able to say hey, I got a problem with.

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My macbook can I bring it to you, we can bring, we can take it, get them hooked up with another.

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One and a lot easier with a new with this new mdm process and then also um well, like I said.

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Our our google shares for data migration. This is going to be an ongoing project. It's going.

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To take several years, probably before we get to the point where we're really comfortable.

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You have a couple of database projects, we've been working on um so infinite campus payments.

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Which is allows us to actually take credit card payments for various things. We've uh we're working.

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On a an initial launch for that, we piloted it with um actually a. uh I think the high school.

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um Whatever it was calendar sales or raffle, or something like that um for as a fundraiser type.

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Of a thing we piloted it with that because it was a simple thing to to get started with um so far.

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That was successful. We learned some things behind the scenes that we'll need to do as we expand it.

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To other areas, but the goal is to actually be able to take payments for multiple things.

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um With credit cards and hopefully move us further and further away from having to take.

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Cash and checks, and all that sort of thing um we, uh where the database is concerned, infinite.

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Campus, we did onboard a train 16, clericals and administrators this year, which is uh I.

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Was talking to mike parr about that? He he does all the training for all of this sort.

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Of thing, and it's it's not easy to learn how to do everything that you need to do in infinite campus.

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um And he was just commenting, that's actually believe it or not. That's probably the most.

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Turnover we've had in clericals and administrators in probably at least a decade or more so.

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um New and exciting times right, um that's a good, positive tom. Thank you.

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So uh was that hectic we have to clean up their mess all the time. No new and exciting.

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New and exciting, um we uh also revamped the high school uh custom transcript this year.

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There were a couple of uh cosmetic changes and a couple of uh changes that need to be made for the.

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What was displayed on it um and the data audit? um We also have been working with integrating.

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um Which is a constant battle? Integrating the infinite campus data with parent squares.

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To feed the correct information into parent square so that all those notices.

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That go out to to folks for snow days and emergencies and, and you know, high school.

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Messages and all that sort of thing are all uh correct and getting to the right location.

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um Upcoming we're going to expand, like I said, on the ice, ic payments, infinite campus payments to.

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Get that into other areas um we're also looking at uh yes just in case, and I know most people.

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Are you know who have kids in the district know what infamous infinite campus is, but the primary.

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Function of infinite campuses for those who don't know- okay, sorry, yes, infinite campus is our student.

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Information system, um so all of our student data resides there um all demographic data grades.

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Classes, uh what their schedule is, the the transcript um anything and everything student.

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Related resides in that uh in infinite campuses, a student information system.

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Thank you for sure, yeah, absolutely um so. uh Infinite campus attendance tracker.

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um Is actually a uh something that we're trying to implement at the high school, in particular,.

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um It will allow students, especially like later rivals, to be able to basically scan.

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Scan in as late arrival to let folks know that, yes, I'm here and hopefully speed up the process.

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Of actually getting them checked in and to the class and we're going to test it first.

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With arrivals, it has the capability to also be able to do a scan on the way out. You know you've.

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Got a doctor's appointment and you're leaving at such and such a time and the great office.

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Already knows be able to scan your card and say yes, I'm leaving and here's why um there there's.

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A limited subset of what a student can select as reasons why they're, why they're leaving.

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uh But it's a it, should speed up the process, um we're also looking to implement some uh infinite.

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Campus events and actions now this is a this- is a powerful tool behind the scenes and we don't we're.

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Not even sure how all we're going to be able to use it, it's it's it's still fresh, but it allows.

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It allows triggers to be set for data events, so if something changes we can.

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Send out notifications for uh to the people who need to know that you know something about this.

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Student, you know, has changed and, and we need to know about it, um you know it could be something.

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Like you know hey, if this kid now has an allergy and we need to notify the nurse at.

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This you know this student now has an allergy, or maybe we need to notify the the teachers that the.

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Student has an allergy, because you know it's a food allergy or something along those lines.

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um You know various things like that um to automate some of those uh notifications and such.

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um So we're not depending upon the uh the staff to go in and, and you know see it um see what else do.

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We have we have revising the course catalog, so the high school course catalog has seen many many many.

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Changes over the years, but we're actually looking at a working with the high school to kind of.

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Revamp the whole thing, because we we have actually reached a point where we've run out of uh or.

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We're soon to run out, of course, numbers um which means we wouldn't be able to add any more courses.

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um The the smart way around that is actually to go back to the drawing board because we know we.

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Have a lot of courses that we that are in there in that course catalog that need to be retired. So.

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We're looking to actually do a total revamp of it, pull all those uh old courses, retired courses out.

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um Redo the numbering system to allow for more expansion and then add in the courses again with.

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The new numbering system so it'll be a rather um rather large project to get that one done.

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But it'll be a lot a lot better for the future so um and then we're also looking so we've been.

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Using online registration with infinite campus for a couple of years, um and uh it seems to work.

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Fairly well for uh for new students, but um the amount of the information or the way that we're.

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We're recording this information from returning students. We've noticed that it's not as smooth as.

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We would like it to be so we're looking at really kind of revamping um that and making it easier.

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For for parents to input the information and get get what just what we need.

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um Training, one of the things we continue to do is uh we've been for.

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The last couple of years, where we've been doing cyber hoot cyber security training.

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um I think this is our third year. I want to say it with it.

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um And uh we've actually had, as we get more and more into it, we've had more positive response.

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From folks who take the training we've, I know I've had plenty of people come to my office and say hey.

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I saw this email come in. It looked fishy to me because I took that cyber security training. I.

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Know exactly that, you know this is the fishy one and I should be clicking on it or hey. I got this.

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Email from somebody who it looks like a social engineering trick, they're really trying to get.

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Some information from me: what's going on um and we've been able to stop, you know a few.

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um Malicious attempts because people have had that training, so it's been been very positive.

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Can you talk just a little bit about what that? How does that work for staff members.

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What actually happens? Oh yes, are they in the loop? Are they getting it school board? Members.

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No school board members do not do not get it. Well, it's a graded exercise, so I think that could be.

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You know we don't want to create any undue tension. Sorry so yeah, so cyber hoot uh security training.

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So it's um it comes in a in the format of um basically an email, with a link to a.

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A short video they're, usually five, maybe ten minutes at the most um and uh it's once a month.

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And it's a video specifically geared towards um you know one topic: uh it might be spear fishing.

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um You know, uh which is a phishing attack focused on on one particular individual, usually on a high.

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Value type of person like a business administrator um or it might be something like uh smishing, which.

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Is um actually a phishing attempt over uh sms a text uh phishing attempt on your phone, or it.

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Might be, you know any of those sorts of things it might be? How to how do we be careful and be secure.

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If you're out and about and you use, you see uh a public available wireless, uh do you connect to it.

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Do you not connect it? What what sort of risks are you running? So it's short little videos like that.

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And then, after you uh listen to the whole video and and all that sort of thing, there's a brief.

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um Quiz at the end um that just kind of highlights what was talked about in the video and gives you.

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A chance to really think about and and process you know what was in the video.

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um They're, not you know tremendously difficult, quizzes or anything like that.

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um And I can take it a second time and you can take it a second time if you, if you clicked.

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On the wrong answer, okay, but but it is, uh it is really uh you know, gets you to think about these.

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Security, things and, and quite frankly, we've had some people who have been very happy to take them.

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To be aware of some of the things that that you might see in at home as well is not just.

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At school you know or work you get those you might see it at home. Exactly um it's a bunch.

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Of that correct yeah, so are you saying our business administrator? Is the security risk.

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Yeah, what I, what I am saying, though no but the spear fishing they specifically will go after.

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Business administrator because hey he's got all the money you know I'll go to somebody like an.

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Accounts payable, yeah, you know and it'll say: hey you'll find figure out the name of the person.

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Yeah we've been hit multiple times. Payroll gets hit with I'm changing my direct deposit account.

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Send it to this bank account now yep and uh we had a year back a year and a half back. We had.

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A spate of those like it was several of them, and they had to create new process to make sure that.

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They speak personally, I think we, I think we just got hit one. I know I had one before where I had.

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An email came from me to accounts payable, yeah, saying, hey cut me a check for a blah blah blah and.

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It was, you know, zach mclaughlin, you know whatever, but you had to look. You had to dig behind to.

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See the email was from zach mclaughlin at paypal, paypal, whatever you know so um and and luckily the.

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Person in accounts payable caught it, but it looked like if you were moving along quickly and you're.

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Trying to respond to the boss, uh it looked like something you should go ahead and do and so and.

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So those are not infrequent now, and so it's not just like ransomware attacks. We got to worry about.

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It's those types, the delivery method, the tool is really cool and it is cool mr lynch's ken's using.

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That now, with his staff to do safety, training so the same way, there's a video about ladder, safety.

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About lifting and so and so forth and a little quiz and then there's a data set, so it kicks.

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Back so that uh in his case, he's keeping track that everybody has participated and everybody.

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Has looped back through enough times I'll, let nathan until they get it right and can pass the.

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Quiz with a passing score, so anyway, I didn't mean to take this off course, but that's a it's a it's.

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A neat tool that we've made pretty good use of is it required? Yes, this required training, yeah.

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We I mean we chase right, I mean it automatically. I know I get my exact why the heck didn't you finish.

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Actually, I remember george I had to reach out to george after I had been hired, but I wasn't.

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Working here yet- and I was already getting nasty grams from cyber hooping messages and uh with.

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Hey george, can you can you talk to this clown and make sure he does his training uh so, uh and I was.

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Still driving around vermont- and I was so right- I mean the system does generate, it does yeah. It.

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Does generate a report and then and then the supervisors have to have to chase chase yeah.

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Foreign, so now, let's get into hardware and infrastructure.

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um So this year um our big uh deployments of equipment.

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um The high school uh one-to-one program we issued uh the freshmen.

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Some new chromebooks, as we do on a yearly basis and we issued the middle school.

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Sorry, the sixth graders, the sixth, seventh, eighth yeah, um some new chromebooks as.

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Well, uh we're in a rotation cycle with them, uh both at the high school and the middle school.

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So that we we issue them a chromebook as they come in, they keep it for the.

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The either three or four years, depending upon high school or middle school or high school, and then.

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um Once they're they've completed that, um then we uh we take those chromebooks and actually we're.

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We're just to the point this year, where um the chromebooks that we've sent through the.

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Cycle are new enough now that we're going to be able to take them and rotate them down into the.

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Elementary schools and get another year or two uh out of them at the elementary schools.

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um It's been a while getting to this point with chromebooks but we're. Finally, there, the other.

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Big deployment was the middle school teacher laptops which we, uh they all got new laptops.

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This year um and then, um since I know, we've had questions about this, we've been deploying some.

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Of the interactive panels, the promethean active panels as they come in and we'll talk a little.

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Bit later about that, with the how they're paid for and all that sort of thing, they're, not in the in.

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The I.t budget, but I wanted to put it on here as something that we you know we are involved with.

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uh Definitely as as they get deployed, uh okay, I don't know if this is a question for you or but.

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Is like the one-to-one lap providing everyone? Is that, like kind of a best practice now or.

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It's um yes doing. One-To-One programs um is fairly standard across the state. Now.

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Okay, pretty ubiquitous okay, yeah, um just curious yeah, and it it tends to.

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I guess I I would say it's it's. It focuses primarily across the state at the uh middle.

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School and high school level, I would say almost every most districts. I would have that it varies.

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um By district, whether how far into the elementary they they will go.

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um We we actually in in portsmouth we've kind of had some conversations along those lines and.

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Really kind of decided that we um as a district, we find that trying to get technology, especially.

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A chromebook into every student's hands way down the you know, kindergarten or first grade level.

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Is really kind of counterproductive? We have them available in carts for them to to use. We.

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Have some ipads available for for them to use as well, but um really using it having one assigned.

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To you and using it on a day-to-day basis, hasn't been that productive, so we're really seeing more.

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Of the elementary levels, the majority of the chromebook usage at the three to five level.

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So, let's talk budget, so not surprisingly, most of this budget here for fy 23 reflects what.

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You saw in the last slide, we did obviously have the middle school classroom. The laptops in our.

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Budget we basically put the the high school one-to-one in the middle school one-to-one.

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uh Initiative, those chromebooks in the budget originally but shifted them to um to be paid.

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For with the federal funds that the esser funds, if I'm calling that correctly, I always get the.

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uh The acronyms mixed up- that's the witch's which, but I believe esser is the right term.

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um And then uh for um fy24, which we're talking about now, um our major deployment is going to be.

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The elementary classroom, so the uh macbooks for the uh the elementary teachers and such um and.

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Then, of course, the phs one-to-one initiative in the middle school one-to-one initiative.

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um We're looking to uh since we have one more year that investor that we can do, uh we can use.

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That for we're going to go ahead and shift that over as well. However, if I remember correctly,.

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This is our fy. 24 is our last year that we can shift the funds over to esser depending.

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On, depending on how we spend the remaining dollars, uh the deadline for spending on the.

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Funds is the end of september of 24, which means the 25 fiscal year we could spend in the summer.

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um Out of any remaining dollars, but that would be the other end. Okay,.

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So it's just just an awareness thing that you know we have this ongoing one-to-one program and.

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um You know, we've been it's been great so far that we've been able to find fun.

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Funding elsewhere, but you know in the upcoming uh fiscal years eventually we're going to have.

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To put it into the budget and and and support it um in order to keep going so to put dollars.

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On that, this is uh folks, aren't necessarily looking at their budget books right now, but.

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These two together are an ongoing annual effort bringing in new new devices at the freshman year.

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Bringing in new devices into the middle school and or a rotation that also feeds back into the.

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Elementary correct, but both of these, which are 75-ish and 50 000 ish. So it's about 100.

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It's 125 125 000 combined. These have not hit our local budget. The last couple of cycles.

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But as we run out of esser funds, we've got to find a way back in because these aren't one-time hits.

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Of leasing, this is every year we spend these dollars to buy another set to start a three.

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Or four year cycle, okay, just want to make sure we're all on the same page yeah. That's.

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Correct so that's a future budget concern, maybe for 25 in the whole or in part, but.

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Certainly for 26, this would have to come back in what what percent right now.

F

They kind of phrase the question: what percent of this the ones.

F

That we have in this three to four cycle right now are on their way out.

C

um um The ones that we currently have at the high school and middle school.

C

um As we replace them this year, we will have, I believe.

C

I have to look it up again, but I believe it's two years left of um uh os updates, chrome, os updates.

C

Essentially, um every chromebook when you buy it, it has an end of life when it will no longer.

C

Ever end of update is, I think, is what google calls it when it will no longer get any any.

C

Updates so you you end up having chromebooks that become security risks and all that sort of thing.

C

um So I believe the ones we have now are two more years of life. It might be yeah. I think.

C

It's two: I just was curious: how that aligned with the budget cycle as well so yeah yeah, so.

C

um And and truthfully, some of these composts do get kind of beat up. So even when we get to the.

C

End of this year, we'll be taking all the ones back from the uh from the seniors and from the uh yes.

C

Eighth graders and we'll be going through them, and not all of them are going to make it.

A

And just make sure I was clear too, because I have seen this but so 75 the freshman said.

A

That comes in about 75 grands, about 75, about 75, grand and then and then the sixth grade.

A

Group is about 50 50. and then yeah. You go all the way through middle school, with the.

A

Same machine you hit the high school, you go all the way through high school with the machine you.

A

Receive in the ninth grade and the lowest and the earliest grades were rolling back.

D

And then yeah middle school, what things that are still in decent shape or rotate, the back of them.

C

um Capital improvement plan, so we have a couple of things in capital, improvement plan, the cip. That's.

C

What the the city um this year, we're focusing on network switches and um some wireless upgrades.

C

um Next year, we we put in already because we had to submit it um the more wireless upgrades.

C

We have several more buildings. We have to go through this to get completely upgraded.

C

um And then I and I apologize for the acronyms but a vsan server upgrade that's a vmware or a.

C

Virtual storage area network is what that stands for. um Essentially, that's the the box upon which.

C

Our um all of our virtual servers live. We have, we have several of them. um Basically,.

C

In a cluster and then we, the idea, is we keep on adding another node um every year or every.

C

Couple of years and then we start retiring the old nodes. So we keep on refreshing and moving forward.

G

All right, um I know we had some questions about the replacement cycle overall, so.

C

I wanted to throw on a couple of slides here to kind of highlight.

C

um How we, what we have currently for a replacement cycle, um we we our goal, is to replace.

C

All the equipment, that is, that we have in people's hands um every five years. um You.

C

Know, industry standard quite frankly, is usually three years, maybe four years we can't do that.

C

We can't afford it, um but five years is actually a fairly reasonable time for for a machine. um So.

C

You can jump into this at any point, I'm calling this year, one because we happen to be at the.

C

Elementary classroom so we'll call it year one we're looking at uh the elementary classrooms.

C

Oh and um possibly food services, but I I forgot to take that one out until later on, because we're.

C

Talking about that in somewhere else, that's okay, sure um she can afford it. This year there you go.

C

Well, that'll be good, um and then of course, our our one-to-one program at the high school and and.

C

Middle school um year, two so next uh fiscal year after this we'll be talking about the.

C

Middle school labs, we have several of those that will be part of the process and again one to one.

C

um I'm sure you'll sense a theme there uh year: three, it would be the high school rjla and uh peep.

C

Classroom so the teacher laptops are devices um at that point and then, of course, one to one year.

C

Four, we cycle back to the high school labs now, as opposed to the middle school labs, one to one and.

C

Then year five we will hit up the middle school classroom devices and one to one. So we have this.

C

Five-Year rotation where we're hitting everybody uh up in the in the process. There are a couple.

C

Of other, you know oddball little groups and such that get tagged on to one or the other of these.

C

uh The ones the two seasons things, but that's the general idea of what our cycle looks like.

C

And I think that actually yeah, that's the end of my slides here so.

A

I'm just going to say really quickly that you know tom and I have talked about this.

A

And it's you know when you think about I.t, it's it's uh you know. I.T very often is like.

A

Referees at a football game, if you're talking about I.t, sometimes that's you know if you're.

A

Talking about the referees, it's not a good sign uh everything you know, and it's very.

A

Often the same way, it's in the background, it makes everything kind of move the way we want it to move.

A

um It also, you know they do it on a reasonably small staff, there's a ton of users, a ton of.

A

Devices that we're running a ton of software lots of databases- lots of you- know lots of.

A

Hardware, it's not a huge staff and when things break down like in any organization but in ours,.

A

It's definitely the point where it's like we come to a standstill. If something you know, if things.

A

If, uh if we have a problem with like printer software, I you know, the phones are ringing off.

A

The hook from buildings with teachers not able to do what they're supposed to do or.

A

If we have some type of you know whatever it is, when those issues arise, you realize.

A

How absolutely intertwined this department is with everything that we do uh so I appreciate.

A

Tom and and the work that the department does and also know that you know as as time goes on.

A

We'll continue to be creative about the way in which we manage things and we'll also you.

A

Know there may be conversations we need to have about staff as we move into the future as well. So.

B

Thank you tom. Do we have questions from the board lisa? Do you want to go first.

H

um I have one question as we're sort of thinking about, hopefully not another pandemic situation, but.

H

The possibility that maybe in the future, we might need to be prepared to more rely more heavily on.

H

Technology than we might have anticipated, do you feel like you have what you need. I mean I guess.

H

I'm just curious as we're thinking ahead about esser and the budget. Will this replacement cycle.

H

And all the other upgrades that you're doing sort of put you in a good position. Do you think.

H

If we suddenly had to really be doing all of our education over technology again, um the answer to.

C

That, I think, is yes, I know it's like a complicated. We don't have to wait until we're there, but.

C

um If, if we were to, um if we were to end up in the same same situation, that we were in march, 2020.

C

um We would actually be in better shape now than we were at that um we we scrambled quickly. We we.

C

Had luckily, we had already started the one-to-one program at the high school and we had pretty.

C

Decent numbers in some of the other buildings, so um between those and the number of people who.

C

Had technology at home, who, you know, opted to do that we made out okay um now that we're at fully.

C

One to one at the high school in middle school, we're in so much better shape. We also have you.

C

Know a decent number of of chromebooks at the um at the elementary level as well. So we would.

C

We would not be relying as heavily on people having technology at home. I think.

C

Is where we would be so, I think we'd actually be pretty decent. Thank you sure. Carrie.

E

um Just thinking about so it looks like the like: instructional tech is within each school budget.

D

Yes, I was good, I mean it's worth saying that uh that I.t gets involved uh at some level in.

D

Software decisions um just to ensure that you know things work in the production environment.

D

And that this install doesn't conflict with some other operating element of you know on the network.

D

But right now a lot of our subscriptions. A lot of our solutions are moving to cloud-based models and.

D

So that's not that's not as significant an issue as it once was. um I think the conversation about.

D

Prometheans about um you know active panels and, and that kind of teaching tool those are.

D

Those are building based and uh and and again some of the software things are building based as they.

D

Make decisions grade level specific et cetera, how to move? Well, I will I'll say that, and we've had.

A

Some conversation about about this patty and I and tom I think I came from an environment where.

A

That was concerning, because the problem is with buildings, are making individual choices about what.

A

They're doing and they're not consulting I.t, then you're in such a it needs to service things that.

A

They may or may not be in a position to service, uh and that could be in terms of hardware that.

A

Could be connected to software, so I know we had developed over time. We had slowly moved from those.

A

Types of items appearing in building-based budgets to it's becoming more and more centralized where.

A

Buildings would make requests, but we had kind of a district level tech advisory council that was.

A

Composed of the director of technology myself, uh the tech savvy principal or two in a and a.

A

Staff member and we would screen tech purchases as people or tech requests around things that we.

A

Would purchase so that it wasn't in the situation where they would have to necessarily pick up the.

A

Ball on on something that they they might look at and be like. This is the wrong technology to.

A

Really yeah: this is not. If you had additional expertise, you wouldn't make this type of choice.

A

um And um so we've had some dialogue about, maybe the need to in the future start to.

A

Look more like that type of model, just in terms of if we are going to ask you know.

A

It to operate on a on this small staff is what they have right now. Then that's.

A

Really dependent upon you know, we have to be thoughtful about what we're purchasing, how.

A

We're doing it and it can't be willy-nilly and that's not to say that it is. But but it.

A

Needs to be more centralized, maybe than it is right now so move oh wait a minute and.

E

um Yeah I mean, I think that makes total sense and clarify some of the issues and the questions that.

E

Have come up about the boards itself, and I think you know as it comes to like the equity question,.

E

Of what's in one place or how people fit or prioritize things in their budget, I think.

E

That's really important, I mean it does sound like more work on I.t, but I mean I think, to.

E

um In the so one of the things that that we had to do in employing stuff in like.

E

A hospital or healthcare setting is it had to not I.t anyway, whoever it was had.

E

To actually look at any device that was wi-fi enabled because they were very concerned about.

E

um Privacy attacks. So if I order something for my classroom that actually has some sort of device or.

E

Is not vetted or things like that, and so I think those things are anyway I've. It sounds like an.

E

Important thing to move towards and will also help us answer some of the questions around equity in.

E

Making sure that there's kind of standards I mean- and I think I think that's part of.

E

I I guess I guess I seeing, um for instance it going to we want to see all fifth grade.

E

Classrooms science classrooms have promethean boards or whatever, that is across the board.

E

um When it becomes a common teaching tool, like the chromebooks do like in in having rollouts.

E

In that strategic way, as opposed to like when we know people are going to use them so so.

A

Like logically, we like, we would look at, for example, if it was, um you know the the third.

A

Fourth and fifth grade at dundero: it's all one to one, but only a fifth graders at new.

A

Franklin, you know we'd, look at that and be like that's like why we're not doing that. You know.

A

um And, um and so I think, we're getting it's it's a little less glaring when you go like a board.

A

That's in a classroom, but it's, but not that much more I mean again. I think you guys heard me talk.

A

About this at a different meeting where it's like, if it's a core instructional technology.

A

Then we I agree with you, I mean we should have a kind of a systemic way of thinking about where.

A

Those things are necessary and rolling those out in a way. That's reflective of the logic.

A

um And, um and, and right now through through both the way in which we make some of those.

A

Those decisions at the building level, nobody with ill intent uh about the way how people.

A

Prioritize some of that, some of um how they're going to spend their funds- and we talked about.

A

Also exterior groups contributing money for the per for the purpose of purchasing things.

A

um That leads to some inequity, so there's so um so it's a little bit complicated. We talked.

A

About that in relation to making sure we don't want to dissuage people from from contributing.

A

Stuff to the schools at the same time, we want to make sure we we do it in a way. That's very good.

F

Brian, I just had a question about the staff size for it. You talked about maybe in the future, not.

G

Not this budget, but you know how: how big is the staff and what does it look like um for mix so.

C

We have uh yeah good question, so we have um myself, I'm the uh it manager, slash network administrator.

C

um I uh we have two uh a system administrator and an assistant. We have a database administrator and.

C

Then we have three technicians so to cover all the all the buildings, one of the areas.

C

That we're actually struggling the most uh quite frankly, is actually in the database side of things.

C

Because mike parr is our database administrator and he is uh he's running himself silly with.

C

uh Reagan- I guess I should say with uh all of the projects that we've been doing, to kind of expand.

C

Our use of data- and you know what we do with it- how we, how we, uh you know, upgrade things like.

C

The hey: we want to do a new uh course catalog. All of those things take take time to set up.

C

You know to make sure that it works properly for everybody, because of course, of course, catalog.

C

Feeds all those courses feeds all the master schedule feeds. You know everything from there.

C

To that down to the students, so it's it's got to be. You know done correctly um so as we try and.

C

Do more and more of these tasks um we're finding that that's that's kind of the focus in the area.

C

That we're most likely going to need to expand, and I know what to say too that as we when we.

A

um You know in our anybody, leadership, positions or people are in different roles when we start to.

A

Look at like oh we'll bring on such and such a platform, and it will all talk to the other.

A

Platform- and it sounds like magic time right, it's all. It's all all! It's great we're just going to.

A

Plug it in and go and the reality is, there's a ton of database work in order to make that all work.

A

And then it will break down and then you gotta, you know and it's a labor intensive kind of work.

A

uh And- um and I think we in tom had in one of the positions that we had talked about, that was that.

A

Was asked for and not we didn't initially bring to you um was it was another uh database person.

A

um That was in this, so so, if not in this cycle, I think you can anticipate in a.

A

Future cycle we'd be coming back looking for someone to assist in that in that way,.

B

How much would that be approximately? What would the.

D

um Dare I say it's on your green shoes? I don't want to refer back to that, but it was it's a.

D

Hundred thousand anyway, I mean with taxes when you get into total compensation, total comp, yeah.

B

uh Cope um all right questions brian asked, um but I I am curious, with your staff being so small.

F

Are there things that we're having to outsource right now or is everything happening in-house.

C

I would say that in the sen in the traditional sense of outsourcing, no uh everything is happening.

C

In-House, um that's not to say that we don't rely heavily on some of our vendors uh for things.

C

um You know, for example, our our um canon copier and they uh roll out in the the software that.

C

They support and all that we're relying heavily upon them to uh you know to do the fixes and to.

C

Do the uh the support for it, um but in the traditional sense of outsourcing? No, we don't.

F

Contact ground support because there was a lot of support needed during.

F

And there was a lot of training that was happening and maybe even students, training teachers at times.

F

um So I'm just thinking about a presentation george did um before you guys came into the.

F

District about it was still a significant percent. I don't remember the exact number.

F

But still a significant percent of staff that needed that training um and I was just wondering.

F

Do you know where we are with staff's comfort level now, with the technology that's being used.

F

In-House and the government systems, and and where do you see the most support being.

C

um I think that I think it's something we still need to focus on, but I think it is.

C

I think the first step in that process is we're. We we need to solidify um much like we were talking.

C

About before, we need to kind of solidify what uh tools, especially online tools, are really amazing.

C

So we can focus our training on those pieces, um you know and and preferably you know, narrow down.

C

The number of tools, so if we have two tools that are very similar, we can say: oh well, you.

C

Know we like this one better than this one. You know, let's, let's all consolidate down to one.

C

We have um certainly talked about specific trainings, I know um uh patty and I have had.

C

Some conversations with the trainers from promethean now that we're getting all these.

C

You know newer boards and we're actually about, I believe I've looked it up we're somewhere around.

C

60 percent of the way, through upgrading the older style, projector and whiteboard to the.

C

Tv style interactive panel, but they can do more and really in order to make full use of. I mean.

C

Yes, you can plug in and go from day one and and have at it, which is great. But in order to really.

C

Use all those extra features we've got to get that that promethean trainor. You know online at.

C

A time when we can have everybody uh get together and- and you know, learn some more so those are the.

C

Types of things that were really you know that we that we need to focus on. um I do believe.

B

Sure and kerry. I was interested to hear you talk about the centralizing, the storage of file, storage.

I

um And I'm I know that was sort of a an issue during remote learning where, where each teacher.

I

Was familiar with one system or another, and it kind of really threw parents off when they were.

I

Having to help multiple kids and their family so but I'm curious how what the staff response is to.

I

That, and is it something that's being required or is? Are you just starting it as sort of an optional.

I

Switch or how's that going to work um well, a couple of things there um one is that.

C

um I think, since being in the midst of that chaos and everything like that, our staff has become more.

C

Comfortable with um this, with google classroom in particular, and has started to use that more.

C

As a centralized location for being able to interact with uh with the students and get.

C

The get everything back and forth um so I think that that piece is, it has definitely advanced.

C

um As far as the actual storage location and trying to get everything to google.

C

Drive so that, of course, it can be shared out through classroom and all that um it's been a.

C

um It's been somewhat of a mix, it's a little bit more of a um not not a mandated move just yet.

C

um Because we're still trying to get people familiar with how it works- and there are many many.

C

Different ways you can set up like google shared drives and things, so we want to make sure that we.

C

Kind of pilot them and and work out some of those kinks so that we understand what the best way of.

C

Doing it is and then make it easier for for folks to use and move everything over. We have different.

C

Structures too, as well, based on the way that classroom teachers work and how they share. Amongst.

C

Themselves and how they share out with students versus kind of the back end administration of of.

C

The buildings and the central office and all that so they're different structures.

C

um And so we've been working out some of the the design, if you will, of of those to make sure that.

C

What structures we give to uh to classroom teachers is really going to work for them and.

C

Not force them into something that you would use on the on the in the office and and vice versa.

C

So it's still it's still optional at this point, but we're gonna move there.

E

E

Now, if I guess for somebody but she texted me a question and she said she would look at the.

E

Youtube later for the response, if that's all right, okay, um my question is about security. How are we.

E

Protecting student data is google appropriate for storing protected student information. Do.

E

We need to invest more money in security and also do students get the same. Cyber security training.

C

So what are we doing for student security? uh First of all, you know, um as I'm sure many of you.

C

Are aware a couple of years back the legislature passed hb 1612, which basically set into emotional.

C

Law that said, we have to really pay attention to student data and privacy and all that sort.

C

Of thing, which we do, um one of the things that we do in order to protect the data privacy is as.

C

We were discussing earlier the uh various online tools um and software that we use throughout the.

C

District every we lump them all together and call them digital tools, but every digital tool.

C

That we use in this district um is supposed to go through a vetting process, which means.

C

That everything that anybody is using anywhere in the district, the I.t department should know about.

C

And we take it through a vetting process. We work with our new hampshire data privacy consortium to.

C

um Essentially, vet. All of those you know, companies and all that sort of thing, many of which we have a.

C

Data privacy agreement signed with you know it's not just with us. It's with the whole state as a.

C

Matter of fact, now it's it's like a new england consortium that they can sign. So it's really to.

C

The vendor's best interest to go ahead and sign these things. So so we do that to.

C

To make sure that, whatever tools we use, the the the the students data is protected as.

C

Far as google is concerned, it's been run through the consortium uh as well.

C

um I I will say you know google's a very, very large company and they tend not to want to.

C

Sign individual agreements, um however, the lawyers went through everything with a fine-tooth comb to.

C

Say: okay, yes, google workspace for education is in fact a secure place for the student data to reside.

C

um We one of the reasons that we wanted to go to uh the single sign-on is actually to be more.

C

Secure with the uh with the student data and make it harder for somebody to connect up, we.

C

uh For example, with google um we we provide, set in place additional measures, so by default.

C

um You cannot no one can sign into a a google account in our domain outside of the united states.

C

um So that prevents all of the many people that we can see, trying to uh just blast away and hit.

C

Up these, these accounts from you know, I don't know russia and nigeria, and wherever else in the.

C

World we actually do see those those attacks happening. um That obviously creates issues.

C

Because sometimes people do travel abroad, so we have to you know, have them contact us to. Let us.

C

Know: okay, I'm going to be out of the country, so I need to actually be able to access it.

C

To it remotely, but as a default, we we block that access. So the the google workspace uh and google.

C

Drive as a as a storage location is actually a fairly safe location for their data to reside.

C

Did I answer all the questions I think there's one more. Oh, cyber security training for students. Oh.

E

uh We don't actually do cyber security training for students, we do. We do a digital citizenship.

C

uh Training um at a at several different levels, I believe in each one of the the levels like at.

C

Elementary and then again at uh middle school and then again at high school, the students do.

C

Get maybe you can speak to this actually uh do get some digital citizenship training as they go.

C

Through there's a little bit of cyber security, um you know probably more of the advanced levels.

C

uh Certainly, if you take a class uh like the programming class at uh at the high school.

C

You're going to get a little bit more cyber security training, but that's not every student.

C

um We actually had a conversation with cyberhood about uh expanding this to.

C

All students- um and it is a possibility that we could do that they actually have.

C

Some modules that are more geared towards students um but, of course, there's a cost.

C

Associated with it- and it was when we talked about it before it was fairly substantial and.

C

We weren't ready to to move to that yet, but it might be something we want to reconsider.

B

Any other questions from anyone. Yes to speak to the student side. My experience.

J

Has been that yeah, any cyber of security training is pretty minimal. We will learn.

J

How to use computers a little bit in elementary school and then later are in my experience, I'm.

J

Sure it's actually moved back quite a bit now and then mainland middle school. But.

J

I yeah, I think, generally, it's like pretty much everything you do with in school is on school.

J

Accounts anyway, so a lot of things that I I as I understand it would otherwise be pretty shady.

J

Tend to just get blocked out anyway, so there aren't a lot of chances to encounter things.

J

Where you would need that training to begin with the google spam filter is actually pretty good.

B

I have a question about phones: do students use their phones to get the internet when they're in.

B

School, are they allowed to do that? Well, I mean: does that help with the inventory of the you.

B

Know who has the tablet? Who doesn't? Because you can look something up on your phone.

C

I'm sure I'm sure they do use them. um I think it varies by from clash into classroom. I think.

C

They're um they're certainly are more classrooms. I believe where uh the the teachers say, you know.

C

Put your phone away because you have a chromebook, you know, use the chromebook to to look things up.

C

um You know, but as a district-wide, we don't ban phones or or encourage phones, either way.

C

We're kind of ambiguous to them, um ambivalent to them uh yeah the I mean. Certainly it can be a.

C

Useful useful tool, but it's you, know more for the quick answer than than really the detailed answer.

C

um And uh you know we're not counting on the people having phones as far as.

C

um Not purchasing devices, if you will, we want to make sure that we have everything everybody.

C

Has a device and they're available and all that sort of thing we don't want to count on.

C

On the student, you know having a phone or not having a phone, and I remember a few years ago.

B

We talked about the copiers and we lease those correct. Did we have a conversation.

B

About the possibility of us potentially buying the coffee machine, what was that.

K

Maybe I can't maybe I'm not remembering that I mean that that will back a few years, oh yeah.

D

I was going to say: we've had we've I'm new to portsmouth three years, but historically we've.

D

Done that in the past and the challenge now is he was talking about google and google, chrome and.

D

Life life cycle of updates- everything today uh has has some short life and it definitely.

D

Has useful life and what we found is the reality of the market continues to be that.

D

At the end of a five-year lease with a with a with a big copier with a multi-function device,.

D

They may still take that and deliver it to the guy next door and do so at a small price, because.

D

It still has some life and some legs, but we have negotiated fair enough deals right now.

D

And we've done a good job of consolidating down onto these big multi-function machines where.

D

The click rate, the per per per image price, is so small and we've gotten rid of the majority of the.

D

Convenience printers that are far more expensive per image. We consolidated back that right now. This.

D

Leasing tool, this leasing arrangement really works because we don't own it. We don't end up.

D

With it in year, eight or ten and our stuff, our support costs are all built in our maintenance.

D

Costs are all built into that click rate, so it's there are purists or idealists among us.

D

Who would like to see us now? We have chromebooks, go paperless and do very little imaging, but as the.

D

Accountant upstairs in the business office, I'm all about paper and you all know it so.

D

um It will always be some place paper, but I think we've done a pretty good job and the staff are not.

D

Always excited about reducing their their paper consumption and their imaging, but I think they.

D

Have been agreeable over the course of the years doing less and less printing asking students less.

D

And less to output that and put a staple and hand it back instead of simply uploading it through.

D

The the internet-based device, and uh so so savings over the years, which has less paper, is being used.

D

Absolutely- and I think the hard part right now, I think we're still in a in a give and take mode so.

D

um Tom suggested that we put more color out, so we took the savings and we reinvested it and as we.

D

Got we brought ourselves back to uh fewer devices we put color on more of those devices so that we.

D

Have greater functionality out there that cost a little more than black and whites? We certainly.

D

Could have cut our costs by reducing the devices and going just black and white with more of them.

D

We put more color out into the field, so make it more flexible so that people have people give.

D

Give people a reason to walk down the hall to that device and be comfortable the fact that they had.

D

To walk down the hall instead of reaching behind them on the desk and when they get there, they can.

D

Get colored now where they never could they'd had to go downstairs or something so right now, we've.

D

Reinvested, our savings into making sure that we have better equipment and we're serving greater.

D

Need I think, eventually, though, we're going to hit a point where you know we really can.

D

Start to just shave off and shave off, we have a couple of heavy hitters in the district and we're.

D

Still chasing, why are we doing as much imaging in that building or in that? You know in that hallway.

D

um And they're doing a nice job at I.t trying to respectfully but.

D

Firmly chase that down and offer up new solutions so we're getting there.

B

Instead of putting together at the high school, do you get involved with that in helping to design.

B

It and put it online and I really don't. I know I really don't so it's honestly there's there's a.

C

Lot of things that uh that people are, you know we we give them the technology and they run with it.

C

You know, um okay, which is great, you know they're using it and and that's what we like to see and.

B

Or state money, or obviously we have esser funds, I mean: does that kind of money exist to buy.

B

You know chromebooks and all that stuff for our kids or um yes from time to time. uh One of the.

C

Things that I always get asked is, uh for example, e-rate funding, which is you know, a great source of.

C

Funding out there, but because of our demographics, we usually we qualify for the e-rate um one, but.

C

Not e-ray two and e-ray two is really the one that that goes more towards the equipment. Yeah.

C

um So I mean there are some out there that I will say that that the I would not recommend.

C

Going for necessarily for grants for things that we know that we're going to need consistently.

C

um Such as the uh the one-to-one chromebooks, because you know it's- that's a short-term fix.

C

But we definitely need to have a long-term fix for funding those. You know the the grants are.

C

Good, for you know the the one officer hey: let's try this and see if it works type of a thing, but.

C

You know, unfortunately, it's not as good for obviously a long long term type of a thing.

B

Thank you sure carrie did you have kerry and hope, um just as all the places go to two-factor.

E

Authentication um is that something we would have to do and um at I know, at unh or at university.

E

System owning I'm sure there was lots of concerns about equity um within that in um this sort of.

E

How to do that with people that don't have another device, or things like that.

E

um And so I'm just curious: if our systems would need to go that direction and if they do do, we need to plan ahead financially for some options.

C

um That's a good question. uh One thing that we we actually our goal with: two-factor authentication.

C

Yes, I think we we need to start moving that direction. I think our goal is more and our focus.

C

Is going to be initially on staff and, and uh you know, kind of getting all the staff in uh you know.

C

Familiar with and comfortable with doing it um and then kind of working our way down to students.

C

um Realistically, um you know at a at a high school level, we're probably we would probably be okay.

C

Because I mean a lot of a lot of students have a phone. So if we needed to go two-factor there.

C

um We would have a smaller number of students that we would need to come up with a an alternative.

C

Solution but there are, you know, devices uh ub, keys tokens. You can, you know pre-print a whole bunch.

C

Of codes that you can use even from google to to use as a second factor, so there are ways around it.

C

um That that we could certainly make it work.

C

I think when we get to that point, we're really going to have to take a good hard look and take a good survey and find out. You know what kind of numbers we're talking about.

C

That we that we need to support with an alternative, I think sure, oh just real, quick.

F

um My understanding from the ppt fee program that used to the course that used to oh yeah.

C

Yeah the tv program yeah um we used to do a lot of like students were used through that program.

F

Sometimes, to make promotional videos or stuff for athletic department or training videos, and I'm.

F

Just wondering um do we have equipment for things like that in the district anymore, or is it really.

F

Using the resource of like the film internship partnerships, that's the cte program has well.

C

The yeah, the the ppm tv partnership and all that was uh excuse me was I it is gone. It was.

C

A cte program specifically so so that um that course is no longer available.

C

um Which is which is a shame, because I I think that was really a good, a good.

C

Resource and a good course to have it was a great opportunity for students, I'd love.

C

To see it come back uh quite frankly, um at this point, if we are in need of.

C

um Really videoing uh something an event or or coming up with something promotional.

C

um Matt toby over here is actually um our go-to person as the media technician um and he does.

C

Have you know we have a little bit of equipment uh in the in the media program in that regard,.

C

um But it's more, uh it's limited equipment because we have limited staff. It's it's basically, just him.

C

um You know and or any volunteers like, for example, if we're, uh if we're.

C

um In a video, the uh the uh production of the uh in the theater, or something like that, um you know.

C

You might have one or two people involved in that um we have. uh That is something we have outsourced.

C

uh Though, on occasion I know the last two years for graduation, we actually had a a company come in.

C

And do the entire uh sound and video uh production for it and it you know it really turned out well.

C

um You know they had the right resources to put at it, so so for big events, I think.

C

It makes sense to kind of outsource that type of thing and do it professionally.

C

um But I would love to see that program come back and have opportunities for students.

J

uh Do we know what exactly instigated it no longer being available like? Was it just that.

J

Someone retired or was where the phone's not there. uh It was a combination of a couple of factors.

C

But yeah the um the uh um the the partnership with ppm tv um kind of uh disintegrated due.

C

To personnel lack of personnel type of a thing, and also um I chicken and egg sort of thing I.

C

Don't know whether that happen first or not, but there was a less interest in the in the program.

C

um You know- and it might just have been because it wasn't a really available to do either so.

C

Anyone else have a question of tom tom. Thank you. Oh you're. Welcome thanks once again.

B

You enlightened us and updated us on what's going on in the district. So that's wonderful!.

B

For us to have that, so thank you you're most welcome. Hopefully I answered all the questions.

B

Do you have anything else you want to say before we adjourn, I don't think so. I think we're.

A

Anticipating that, as the next conversation is the answer, conversation and um diving into those.

A

Positions and having an in-depth conversation about about that and remember if you have any.

B

Questions zach has set up the google doc forum so and we have the answers to some of those questions.

B

On this paper, so um yes for the sake of formality, would you just uh open up on the comment in case.

D

There is any because they we added to the agenda, but we didn't do that earlier. That's true, I think.

D

It's fine to do it now, but I wouldn't want to. I wouldn't want to miss the yep. I wouldn't want to.

D

Miss that I'm not sure you have to be formal about it other than to just ask if there is any and.

B

Well, I think we're supposed to have a motion to open up what was your sessions? Do we have a motion.

B

Or do we have enter into pakistan in a second? Thank you. Lisa second hope all in favor, aye, aye.

B

Okay, we will now open up the session for public comment. Do we have anyone that would like to make.

B

A public comment of the school board: do we have anyone in zoom? That would like to make a comment.

J

Going once going twice what one person, no so, okay, okay, all right! Do we have a.

B

Motion to close the public comment, section we'll be close and second hope, all in favor.

B

I'm sorry I didn't realize that was on the agenda, no sure. So our next meeting will.

B

Concern esser and then that's the 7th of february. The 14th we'll have a regular meeting with the.

B

um Public over the public hearing one more time, public hearing for the second time, because you.

B

Have to have two public hearings and then we will adopt the budget on the 24th first. I believe there.

B

Is some leeway to that 21st deadline? Am I correct about that? You tell me veteran so I I would tell.

D

You that the city manager and city finance office have asked that we deliver the budget to them on.

D

The 10th as a part of their process, the 10th of february, and I have like I like if I have.

K

For the last three years, I've said: well, you understand, of course we won't be done until.

D

The 21st, and so uh I think that if there was reasonably a concern and we weren't, we weren't.

D

Ready or able I could communicate that back to the city manager's office, but otherwise they they're.

D

Moving ahead with collecting police and fire and general government is building theirs. Now, as we.

D

Speak and I know that they're eager to to work their magic and get ready to go to the council. So.

D

um So so we're okay, you're, certainly okay with the 21st. If we weren't going to do it on the 21st and.

D

Monday, wait until after vacation, I probably should go on bended knee up there and tell them what's up.

B

Yes, carrie: do we have an interim like from our prior discussions? Do we have something else? Are.

E

We still based on the purple only so as of our conversations, our dialogue hasn't come around.

D

To any any any change, there hasn't been any consensus or decision taking a vote taken on.

D

Making changes to what was initially proposed in your book, so the purple sheet is yeah. The.

D

Staffing changes yeah the white correct, but the purple seeds got the same date and it.

D

Spoke to the proposed staffing changes, there's a couple of adjustments up and a couple down.

D

um That add to a negative 0.34, fde or third of an fde uh reduction, but those that's where we're.

D

Working from right now, I've got more information on the on the green sheet. You had values for the.

D

The five positions that are in esser when we talk next time I'll have those I have them broken out.

D

And I've run the numbers on what uh what fractions of them you know, half of all five of them. What's.

D

That cost us in the budget in terms of dollars and percentage and what, if we did all of them and if.

D

There are other scenarios I'll be ready to I'll, be ready to dodge and we even come up with different.

D

Numbers for you, if you like, because I know that that's a part of next time's conversation and.

F

Cheese on the green sheet, it's on the green sheet yeah on the back page. I think it might.

D

Be the last one: what's the last one he's 170. he's the end of the cost centers, and so that's.

D

I did them across an order, I think so. Okay, do we have a motion to adjourn al harry? Oh all, in favor.

B

Hey everyone matt once again, thank you.