City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire School Board, 8 Nov 2022

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11.8.2022 School Board

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October november, 7th election day, 8th november 8th election day, meeting of the portsmouth.

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School board welcome everyone. um Could we have the roll call? Please set okay, uh liz barrett.

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Hit clues here at least a rock report here and walker here: margo peabody here, nancy clayburg.

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Here hope fan apps here here: brian french, here carrie nolte, here teacher up daniel miles here.

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And student rep mcdowen here great okay, could everyone stand for the pledge of allegiance.

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To the flag of the united states of america.

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One nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all okay next on the agenda, is.

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Announcements and recognitions- I think brian- has an announcement. He would like to make.

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Yeah, I just wanted to bring it to the tension. The the recreation department is having a um as part.

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Of their recreational needs, study is having um their second and final public workshop at.

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Community campus next wednesday at 6 00 pm. So um that's where they're going to uh engage with the.

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Public talk about some of the findings they've had, and um the whole point is to for the community to.

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Weigh in and help prioritize for the next 10 years of what the rec center is going to be doing so.

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Just want to make sure people can get out there and get their voices heard community.

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Campus yep and 6 pm 6 p.m. On the date again uh wednesday november 16th at 6 p.m. Wednesday. No, no.

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Okay, does anyone else have an announcement.

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One I would just like to congratulate our superintendent zach. He was in.

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Washington over the weekend, as one of the outstanding superintendents in the.

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Country this goes back to his previous position. In vermont, there were 50.

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um Superintendents there he represented vermont. Obviously he came from vermont, but he had black.

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Tie receptions and he was with the department of trans of education secretary and he was hobnobbing.

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With some big people in washington dc, so we want to congratulate zach. This is his last event, as in.

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That role, so the reign of terror has come to an end. So we just want to congratulate you for that.

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um Position that appointment and we're very proud of you, thank you, nancy appreciate it very much.

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Does anyone else have something they would like to say uh who would like to talk about the girls.

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Varsity volleyball, just really quick. I you know we we get all the time um emails about our staff.

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And our students doing really nice things, and so I just wanted to share very quick emails that.

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Went to phil davis at the middle school uh and it just reads: uh coach mark lazaro led the bms girls.

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Varsity volleyball team to the playoffs tonight it was an impassioned and close three-game match.

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With fort smith, narrowly losing in the end, coach lazaro is outwardly cool while guiding the girls.

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Through the highs and lows of the night, but when we thanked him after it was clear by his sweat.

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That he was also so very emotionally invested in his players. I'd love to uh I'd love for him.

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To be recognized for his time and attention to the team, he had never coached girls, volleyball.

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Before he was a great coach for this team, my words: don't do him justice, kindly elizabeth dave.

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So just when those things come through and we do get those um a bunch, I think it's good for.

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The board and the public to be here you know from not just our perspective but from others.

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um You know what the nice things that people are doing in our district, so thank you. Welcome.

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Okay, I guess we'll just move on acceptance of minutes. The october 25th 2022 regular meeting.

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Minutes do we have emotions I'd like to move to uh to approve, but with a with an amendment, okay,.

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With the redistricting working group was asked to make a recommendation whether we needed to.

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Redistrict for next year and everything that was listed in the minutes talked about what everything.

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Talked about, but it never said that we made the recommendation not to redistrict it, that it was.

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Not necessary so that that needs to be added to that. Okay, that's great a second! The motion pick.

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The second okay did you have anything to know no, but if you notice that too, with that edition, yeah.

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Okay- okay, great all those in favor aye, any opposed motion passes. Okay, let's move on to.

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A comments uh there was no sign up on the sheet um out there. Do we have anyone on zoom.

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No, no, we don't have anyone on soon. Thank you. Okay. um We need to make a move to please.

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Public comment on pause, or do we have to approve that policy? I think we could approve the policy.

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um And then I think, probably no but you're. I think you're right we're gonna, be there in a few minutes.

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um Okay presentations: we have some presentations tonight from little harbors special, ed and.

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Lister academy, so I guess we're going to start with a little hopper correct.

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Hello hi, it's nice to see you all, um and I know that we have a lot going on today. I know.

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That you've seen my presentation, I'm going to hit some highlights and kind of draw some connections.

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For you and then, of course, we'll have time for uh questions as well. So one of the things that.

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um I've kind of chosen to focus on is our seal block, and part of this is because of the work.

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That we've done as a board as a district around student wellness and certainly to.

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Kind of I see this as kind of a culmination of a lot of different work that we've done.

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So kind of taking us back to, I think it was 2017. We had a group of teachers at little harbor that.

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um Became involved in in a reading of the deepest well and really is a way to reflect.

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On their own work, with students as educators, and um particularly around the work of trauma that.

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Led to some really great conversations that group of teachers led a book group that over 80 percent.

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Of our staff voluntarily came into, we started some really good conversations about the importance of.

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Student connection, this isn't news to any educator, but it started us really having conversations that.

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Led with this in mind, as opposed to it being kind of an outcome that we were hoping for and out of.

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That it came some work around trauma-informed instruction. The conversations evolved to be.

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Things like if this is good for some kids, is it harmful for others? Really. This is what we.

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Want to be doing for all kids, so it started some really good conversations about intentionality in.

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Terms of connections with kids and the community that we wanted to develop and part of that led to.

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Some work that we were doing with checking and checkout systems. It led to some work that we've.

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Talked about here before, with sunrise squad and community club and really being intentional about.

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The connections that students were making with one another, as well as with adults in the building.

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When covet hit student wellness became something that everybody was concerned about, and so we've.

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Addressed this in a variety of ways as we return to school. So when I think about the seal block.

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This is a new initiative, but it is certainly not a new idea. It's kind of the culmination of all of.

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These conversations we've been having as staff at little harbor, and so the seal block stands.

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For social and emotional access to learning, we also are the little harbor seals. So you know.

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um And really, this is a way that right now we're using as a beginning of day initiative, and so this.

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Is something and- and I say right now- because I think that this is new and there are certainly.

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Some tweaks and some kinks that we want to work out, but every student right now their first half.

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Hour of the day is really built around connection with adults and with peers, and so students arrive.

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Our doors open at 7, 50. and seal block starts at eight o'clock, and what that means is that there.

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Are what we're calling invitation groups that are led by different adults throughout the building.

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And every student throughout the year will have the opportunity to be involved in at least one.

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Invitation group, there are certainly students that we know need more connections or we need to.

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Be more intentional about connections, and so those are students that we might be very much building a.

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Block around, we might be really thinking about who's that grown up. We want to attach them to.

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And then how do we develop that as an interest or develop some thing? That's that's really going to.

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Drive them and motivate them so that they're engaged in that first part in the day it's.

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A little bit of kind of blowing up that idea of check-in checkout, which is really the idea of just.

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Having that moment to check in with a grown-up the benefit of this is that it also allows teachers.

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Who are in their classrooms with the students who are not in an invitation group during that period,.

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Of time to have a smaller group of students still focused on social and emotional learning and doing.

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Some activities that allow teachers to build build connections in a different way, so each.

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Grade level right now has three days a week of seal block, meaning that there are students that.

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Are invited out to groups during those three days, the other two days or days within the classroom.

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That are built around currently open circle or our social and emotional curriculum, so that the.

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Day is starting with that idea of connecting as a community. um We've only been doing this since.

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um We started with with students doing this only in classrooms. We're now on our fourth week.

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Of these imitation groups- and I will say it is amazing- to see so if you have the opportunity to.

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Be over between 8 and 8 20 popping around coming in to to view some of these. The conversations that.

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Take place are genuine, students are excited to be there. Currently, they were teacher designed groups.

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And teacher designed kind of connections, we didn't ask for input from students, it doesn't mean we.

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Didn't interview students to see what they liked, but I personally am running a rock painting group.

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Right now, which you might say to yourself, that is a great great place for a principal to be really.

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um You know I have this group of kids from kindergarten first and second grade every.

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Tuesday morning we're painting rocks we're leaving messages of kindness, but the true.

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Beauty in this is not the great little bee kind rocks that we made and hit around the.

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School, but really is the idea that these kids have had a genuine conversation with me. It's.

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Changed my relationship with these kids and some of these kids, I've known and have relationships.

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With but it's allowed me to connect with them in an entirely different way, and I think that.

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Every teacher who's been involved in this would say the same. So it's a it's not only a great.

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Thing for kids, but it's a really great thing for grown-ups, that it is allowing us to feel like that.

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Time is devoted to that student connection and I think again this is not rocket science to to any.

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Educator to know that connection and involvement matters, but devoting the time to it where this is.

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We've been clear about the idea that this is not a time for academic intervention. We need academic.

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Intervention, that's my next bullet, but um but that this truly is the the focus of this is solely on.

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Connecting with students making them feel like we're glad they're there noticing, when they're.

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Not there, these connections that we're able to make across grade levels have been really good.

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um And again, this isn't new for us, it's stuff that we've seen in sunrise squad it's stuff.

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That we've seen in community club but being able to afford this to all students in the school and.

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Not just the students that we've identified as being in need has really been a great thing and.

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So, of course, there will be tweaks and changes as we go through this we've just sent out our first.

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Feedback survey to uh to adults to say what's working, what's not working timing, transitioning.

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That kind of thing um are certainly things that will will shift and kind of make better as we go.

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um But I'll say that I think that the purpose is clear and I think.

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That we're seeing better engagement. I will also say that our tardies have.

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Dropped incredibly wow because kids want to be there to be able to start this time.

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um And so, despite the fact that it feels like we're putting off the beginning of the day, the.

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The reality is, kids, are there and, like I said, our goal is to have them be accessible for learning.

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And we're finding that that's happening, so I think this is really like. I said it's, it's not just a.

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New initiative, it's a new initiative that comes out of this work that we've been doing for years.

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um But it's nice to see kind of already the impact of that um so we'll continue to track that.

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We're continuing to kind of we we just started talking about. How do we get feedback from kids.

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um And not just that genuine, like hey, can't wait to see you on tuesday morning and guess what I.

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Collected rocks to bring to our rock club, but you know it really is one of those things that I think.

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As we get into it, and we can reflect on purpose, we can say if our goal was to make sure that we.

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Were making connections with students? We've got evidence that that's happening. Our goal was to.

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Make sure that we were thinking about ways that all kids felt connected to more than one grown-up.

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Not just the teacher in the classroom saying hey glad you're here today, but other people in the.

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School saying I noticed that you weren't here on tuesday, I'm so glad you're back and really.

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Thinking about that- and I think we've got evidence of that and then, like I said, the the marked data.

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Of things like artarities have decreased and that we have we're able to have those conversations.

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With kids about why it's important to be here on time, and it's not just because we want you.

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To have your backpack unpacked? It's because I don't want you to miss out on this really.

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Important time for you to connect with friends and for you to connect with adults who care about you.

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um So that's been really great and, like I said it's a it's a short period of time, but.

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If you find yourself with 20 minutes in the morning, please come over and and take a look.

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um I think you'll see some really cool stuff. um I the other kind of bullet that I want to make sure.

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That we're talking about is, of course, intervention, and I think that one of the shifts that we've.

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Been talking about as a staff is that for the last couple of years, of course, we've been talking about.

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What is the impact of covid and what did school closure do to our students and how can we make.

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Sure that we're closing those gaps based on that and the reality is where we are right now, is that.

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We need to be looking at the students in front of us as the students in front of us covet or not.

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And that there are gaps in development, there are gaps in learning that may be a result of of school.

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Closure, maybe not, and yet what we need to be able to do is say. How are we responding to this and.

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um Again, this isn't a new conversation but kind of a new lens on that. So some.

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Of the conversations that we've been having is really how to capitalize eyes on the work that.

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We were doing as educators the last couple of years and really making sure that we're.

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Identifying those essential skills really making sure that we're looking at what comes before and.

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What comes after so that we are concrete and succinct in what we're trying to teach kids.

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The other piece of that is how do we make sure that students are getting that that comes from.

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Engagement, that comes from the way that we're teaching that it also comes from assessment and.

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Looking at the data and so making sure that we're continuing to look at that across grade levels.

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And see how those students are transitioning from one grade level to the next. I think there are a.

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Couple of things that we've identified, um that you know I've kind of put in here and I think part of.

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This is about making sure that we have the ability to meet kids where they are, and there are some.

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Places where this is easier for us than others, and some of it comes down to quite frankly, personnel.

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um I have three reading specialists. That means that reading is an area where I could say I have.

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The personnel to be able to say how do we make this happen. um Math is a little bit trickier for.

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Us, and so we continue to kind of look at ways to use the resources around us and also to look at.

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Our curriculum and instruction to be able to say how are we carving out the time and the space to.

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Be giving kids what they need where we're closing these gaps, where we're addressing some of these.

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Lags and like I said not from that standpoint of what wasn't taught when there was school closure.

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What did kids miss when they were in second grade and didn't get enough practice time with that, but.

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Really, having those conversations about what is it that we should be doing with our instruction.

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Based on the data, and then what are we doing to drive that instruction for kids, who aren't.

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Getting it and that's tier one so again not a new conversation, but it is something that.

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We're having some new conversations about part of what we are recognizing is that we need more.

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Systematic instruction, we have great educators and I feel so fortunate to say that I can't think.

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Of a person who is not capable of kind of doing these things, but it's: how do we make this so that.

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It is seamless for a student, regardless of whose classroom they're in to know that they're getting.

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The best instruction plc's have certainly helped that conversation amongst amongst educators to be.

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Able to say what are you doing that I'm not doing or do you have ideas or have you ever seen this.

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Before and dealt with this before, um because we've got a seasoned staff who has a lot to draw from.

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So part of the work that we're doing is part of our leadership team focused this year, which is a.

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Representative team um across the the school is to be able to look and say what is kindergarten.

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Doing that first grade can benefit from what is first grade doing that. That second grade can.

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Benefit from how are we not replicating efforts, but also, how are we making sure that our systems.

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Are succinct and how are we making sure that it flows to not depending on whose classroom.

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You're in or not depending on what grade level you're in but depending on what your need is.

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um So we're really trying to tighten some of that and I think that comes down to um you know one of.

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The the pieces of any board report is what's what's the need here right and I think part of.

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This is about how are we using personnel, so one of the things that I've been fortunate to be able.

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To do this year that I also had the ability to do last year um is thanks to people having babies and.

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A lack of substitutes, there's the silver lining right is that I wasn't able to fill the those.

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Positions, and so what I've done is I held out those maternity leave positions and used those.

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People as interventionists when they came back last year, I was fortunate to have drew maycomber.

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In that situation, she and stacy together were able to really tackle some of the the holes that we had.

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In math thinking about that this year I have kate rogers coming back at the end of november.

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Excellent primary educator that is going to be able to come in and and be used in that way, so.

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What I want to make sure that I'm doing is is really thinking about how we're using staff in.

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That and what do I need to be able to do to make sure that I can hold on to an interventionist.

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Position in math and moving forward that, I think that it's essential for our school to be able to.

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Have that resource and to be able to have that flexibility so that all of this doesn't rely on.

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Teachers, there's certainly an awful lot of work that needs to go into our systems in in place to.

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Make sure that teachers feel supported in the work that they're doing and we're having some.

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Conversations about how do we free up that time time is the biggest element here. Staff is the.

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Secondary element, but time is the biggest piece no teacher wants to give up anything to be able to.

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Fit this in right! So how do we make that so that it is something that we all see the benefit and.

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The um and the need for, while also making sure that that doesn't solely rest on a teacher. So.

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Being able to work together and bring an expert lens, and I think the benefit that we've seen of.

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Somebody who has been a classroom teacher coming in is huge. I think that that's been really helpful.

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For somebody to say well in my classroom, I could do so. I know what other people's classrooms look.

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Like as opposed to somebody, who's only been an interventionist, I think the other piece that's.

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Been really helpful is that, as classroom teachers, I feel like this is a professional development.

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Opportunity in talking with drew about the position that she was kind of put into last year.

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That we designed around kind of need that really she is a stronger math teacher because of the.

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Work that she's done and her historical lens of this kind of looking at at what she's done in her.

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Classroom and how that's reflected and thinking about what comes before, what comes, after really.

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Helps to put those pieces together, so that also leads me to some professional development that.

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We want to make sure that we're doing for all staff to have some of that opportunity so that.

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Everybody feels like you know, you can be an expert in second grade um and you know you've got your.

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Lens that might go to first and might go to third, but really each of us knows that we're a part of.

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Of this puzzle, where we are not just teaching kindergarten, we're not just teaching third grade.

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We're preparing kids as they go through school, so really thinking about that intervention.

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Standpoint to be able to say how do we make sure we've got the resources to put here and how do.

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We make sure that kids are getting what they need. So that's really part of the conversation.

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That we're having like I said, a leadership in those conversations and then a lot again at plc.

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um I feel like I've thrown a lot of like here's, my story at you, but, um and certainly like I.

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Said a lot of this isn't new, but um but I'm happy to take questions if anybody has them.

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Thanks so much, I appreciate how you're um using creative resources or solutions to your your.

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Staffing shortages and I love the idea of putting people in there that they can get. I don't have.

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Anyone else that's pregnant, though hope, so we gotta think longer term yeah exactly so. My my.

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One of my questions I had a couple, but one of my questions is uh regarding math. You had me.

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I'm gonna put on my glasses, because I can't see um you had mentioned in your report about future.

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Programming and potentially alternative math curriculums um was a teacher's interest and I'm.

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Just wondering, can you speak a little more about that aaron of like what that curriculum might look.

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Like what would be the goals or incentives to the teachers for trying the new curriculum, yeah.

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um I think it you know. Some of this is big hope and I I certainly don't want to speak.

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um Without this being kind of, obviously curricular decisions are beyonce right, but.

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um When we think about where we are right now, we have done a lot of work. Looking at the way.

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That we're teaching math- and I think you know we are in we've- our curriculum is everyday math.

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And yet we have very much undone the spiral of everyday math partially because of school.

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Closure and things like that and as we've gone to essential skills, I think that it's.

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Just kind of heightened that need to kind of say that this curriculum we've outgrown.

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um And changed it's changed over time and whether that's a curriculum that we would go back into or.

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Not, I think, would be up to kind of a it would be a committee of teachers that would study those.

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Kinds of things, but I think, when I think about the the kind of work that we've done in math, you.

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Know, we've done some work around the mathematical principles and so thinking about you know making.

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Sure that those are a part of a program that currently they are not a part of everyday math.

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I think when we think about our needs as a district, in terms of being able to explain.

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Thinking and making sure that there's real world application, I think that that's work that we've.

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Been trying to do alongside of math curriculum, and I think that there's a desire of teachers to say.

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How do we bring these together as opposed to kind of teaching, math and teaching math application, or.

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Mathematical thinking and analysis and so kind of looking for something that encompasses that.

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I think that in in professional development standpoint, teachers have very much looked for.

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Programs that allow for easier differentiation so that part of that structure of math looks a.

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Little bit different than what an everyday math curriculum would look like everyday.

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Math curriculum is kind of built on the idea that I'm going to give a focus lesson. Here's.

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The lesson that you're teaching you're going to go off and practice that on your own and then.

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You're going to practice, prerequisite, skills or you're going to practice extension skills.

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So there's a lot of transfer of idea to idea, there's an idea that there's a spiral of mastery.

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As a special ed teacher by trade, I can tell you that for some kids, a spiral is not helpful.

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um You know and and I think that what we're finding is that a spiral that is not actually.

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A tight spiral um can quickly fall apart, and I think that's a little bit where we are right.

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Now so we're working to try and make sure that we're using precision of language. That means.

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We've got to have vocabulary built into this and um we're working to make sure that there is that.

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Mathematical thinking we're doing some of that. These this work with you know three-act tasks and.

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um And really thinking about how math is incorporated in terms of that thinking, so.

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Like I said that application piece is something that I think teachers would say is is a need, as.

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We go through this, so it's not something that I think is a decision that we're making right.

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Now I think, as we look at this, what we're doing is kind of using everyday math as a.

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Framework and really trying to make sure that we're building out and supplementing. But I will.

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Say that over the last few years, what we've found is that we're doing more, supplementing.

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um Than than we were, um and so that leads us to the idea that it's time for us to be looking and.

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Saying what what is a better fit for us? So that's where I I bring that up and I think that that's.

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Something that, as elementary principles, we've talked about elementary staff, will will embark on.

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That and whether that decision is next year or two years from now, I think, would be up to a committee.

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To decide and analyze and look at, but um that's some of the what we would hope to be looking at.

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Thank you very much. I appreciate that and a couple more questions, but I'll pass it to carrie and.

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Maybe they can come back to me. Thank you hope kerry. um If you don't mind it um erin, I just.

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Have one clarification for nancy? I know we had talked about sort of just where we have three.

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Presentations tonight, the questions are really under the scope of the report. Correct, like and.

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We stick to that and okay. um I just had a question regarding so I think in budget conversations and.

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All of our conversations things come up where um you know three elementary schools, everyone.

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Does things a little differently and I think, like hearing about the sale block, is so wonderful and.

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It sounds like it's been such a great fit, but part of what you described was that it's such.

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A great fit because of the energy around the training, the teacher, the staff, energy right.

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Because it was sort of like internally created- and I just this- is like such a big picture- questions.

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um If you, if you puns on it, I totally understand but there's like a piece of wanting to have.

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um Consistency across the district and then like really supporting teacher innovation and I feel.

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Like is that something you see could, as an example, be success successfully, go to other elementaries.

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Or is that something that like is successful because of the energy of your team yeah? I I mean.

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I think it's a I. I have to give you my opinion on this carrie yeah yeah. um Nobody can do the seal.

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Block because we are the little harbor seals but um but I think the reality is when we think about.

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This, what I want to echo is that this is work that we're doing around this goal of student wellness.

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And I think that that is consistent across the three elementary schools, how we might attack that.

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And what we're doing to support that social and emotional development, and really to create those.

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Connections, I will say, might look different, but if you asked kate or joanne that question they would.

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Also be able to say, here's what we're doing with that or here's how we're making sure that we're.

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We're focusing on that and, like I said, the the initial part of this that happened like I said.

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Back in 2017, out of a plc group passion group deciding that they wanted to focus on this thing,.

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um That kind of blew up, but it, but it the energy, comes from that right and the buy-in a little bit.

F

Comes from that, but a part of this is also work that we have done across the district, so everybody.

F

Has gotten work in trauma-informed schools and more than one book group has read the deepest.

F

Well or you know and been exposed to things about ace scores and positive childhood experiences and.

F

How we're combating that, so I think that the element of how is certainly unique to little.

F

Harbor but the idea of that kind of energy, around the emphasis on student connection and um and.

F

Social and emotional wellness is not unique to little little harbor um and sort of that's where.

F

It's like the same, but different. The objective is the same right. I think I just heard the lateness.

I

Addressing lateness and it's really terrible to get my child to school on time, so I was like maybe.

I

That's a good slip. Now I really appreciate my house carrie. I might use that as a bullet.

F

um You know wednesday morning, so you don't want to miss the bus you're going to miss your seal block.

F

um You know it's a day. My kids will never miss the bus, so um you know if you want to pretend there's.

F

The seal block, I won't tell your kids, I just want to say I do think it's like a fundamental question.

B

Because I think it's a board, I've definitely seen before I came and now incense there's been this.

B

Ongoing conversation about to what extent at each of the elementaries should it be be.

B

How unified should the programming be you know, and where is that and and should it be completely.

B

Unified is it completely independent and I think it's going to be on a sliding scale. Someplace.

B

Because you there is a loss that you're, I think, you're keying on, which is when we talk about with.

B

Students all the time student voice and choice and how that empowers. Students around learning.

B

It's not it's the same thing for staff like when you are committed to a certain concept. uh You.

B

Help develop it uh then you're more engaged in what that is, so it. So, I think it's not a it's a.

B

It's a really interesting question: we've been having some of this conversation right, we're.

B

We're not, we haven't resolved it, but we know we're. um We know what the some of the public.

B

Conversation has been, and we know that, especially when it comes to someone hearing about wow, that's.

B

A really cool program there, my kid, doesn't: go there yeah. I love that program. My place.

B

We're not going to be able to replicate every single program and if we did replicate every.

B

Single program, then it would be done by a group of people are like well, this wasn't our thing totally.

B

And we're we're now we're doing this thing that we didn't really. We don't even fully understand.

B

Because it wasn't ours, so it's in we we are having this conversation. I think it's going.

B

To be interesting to see where it goes, um and we want to be respectful of absolutely.

B

That the outcomes should be the same right and then, but how much and then how much? How.

B

Much narrowing do we want to have in terms of how much flexibility have people have around the house.

B

And I think we're still having that conversation, yeah yeah right.

I

It's just something that keeps keeps a sample of it because, yes, my initial is but just hearing.

I

You talk about the objective right, so if then, there's other projects that already meet that.

I

Objective at other schools and patty comes to them and says you're gonna now do this block in.

I

The morning and all your work is lost, you know what that does for motivation and passion and.

I

All of that to undo it and just something we have to recognize on on, I think not being concerned as.

I

Much of the projects and who has what and where it is, but is there are the objectives across the.

I

Board right and- and I think, as the learning happening yeah because, like I said this is.

F

Tied to certainly a professional development that we've done around this and around the.

F

Idea of student wellness- and you know so like I said, making sure that we're coming back to that.

F

Purpose as well, because it is really fun. So let me just say that right and like you know, if you.

F

Wanted to come in and see this and, like I said you might at first glance, be like what the hell.

F

Is aaron doing in the cafeteria painting rocks? Doesn't she have anything else to do.

F

um You know, and um and and yet I think when you can anchor that in purpose and when you.

F

Can remember the why you can see that value? But the outsider may not say that you know the.

F

Outsider is saying what what are you doing with six kids right now, [laughter] questions before.

C

Question you obviously you're talking about the math gaps. Our and the question I have is.

C

Obviously they seem like they're bigger than previous years. Is that what you're, saying or.

C

uh No, not necessarily brian, I think that they're different, I mean. I think that that is what we're.

F

Finding is that it is not necessarily that overall achievement has gone down the the gaps that we're.

F

Finding are splintered skills, and that is a little bit more challenging that um you know I'll. Just.

F

Use an example, but we do a math screener as part of our our universal screening. At the beginning,.

F

Of the school year- and traditionally we had done this with k to three, because it's really focusing.

F

On number sense and most kids have number sense by third grade, and you know it's looking at different.

F

Things about number sense: it's not just one-to-one correspondence or things like that. It's also place.

F

Value and it's also holding on to to value and things like that, um and so for the first time.

F

um Two years ago, we started to also give this screener to to fourth and fifth grade, and I.

F

Think that one of the things that we've found with that is that there are still gaps in number sense.

F

In fourth and fifth grade, and is that new, or is that that we didn't know it before? I don't know.

F

um And I think, as we look at the star data which again patty will speak to, I know when, when she's.

F

Talking about the universal assessments, but you know we're just getting into some of this star.

F

Data and what we're finding is that there are kids that can do higher level skills that seem to be.

F

Missing some of those concrete operations, and that I think, is different and again it might be the way.

F

That we're looking at this data, um but the overall achievement, I don't think, has- has gone down we're.

F

Not finding the kids can't grasp certain concepts overall or things like that, but the number of.

F

Skills that we're unpacking tend to be broader, so that it's not that we can kind of put kids into.

F

Three different groups and say this group needs this, and this group needs this and we know that.

F

This group is going to need some extra practice in this, but instead we're looking at 14 groups.

F

um Of kind of this kid is missing this part of the skill, and this kid is missing this part of.

F

The skill, so that splintering is absolutely something that that we're struggling with and.

F

um And I do think that some of that goes back to our consistency of instruction over time.

F

And I think the the lack of time in school and practice has kind of compounded.

F

um Because those upper level- kids, you know- are students who are now in fifth grade were really.

F

You know splintered at a time where they were looking at application of skills so that concrete.

F

Piece of things may not have been cemented before they moved on to that application, so it.

F

Is something that I think is you know? As I said, we can't constantly go back and say this is because.

F

Of kovitz, who cares what it's, because of it's the reality is this is what we're seeing now, but I.

F

Think that the the thing that's changed about, that is the number of different kind of splinters that.

F

We're seeing there if that makes sense. Okay, anyone on this side with a question margot.

E

um Thanks aaron, I saw on the report here about future initiatives. The question of many teachers.

E

Wanted to explore writing is that a k-5 wanting to change the way writing is taught or wanting.

E

To incorporate it more such that I'm thinking about from budgetary, like everything about it's.

E

A professional development is it a resource thing? Could you just tell us a little more.

E

About that, yes, I mean, I, I think the reality is a and again I think this comes back to some of.

F

The conversations that we're having about how we're not only how we're teaching writing but.

F

How kids are expected to use writing and um you know some of the conversations that we've had.

F

You know over the last couple of years, I would say that this comes up is that we want writing.

F

For purpose, you know, writing, for writing's sake is lovely and wonderful, and we want kids to be.

F

Doing some of that there's, you know there is value in writing a narrative story, because what.

F

You're doing is telling your story, but there is also writing that we want kids to be doing about.

F

Their mathematical thinking and there's writing that we want kids to be doing to be able to share.

F

What they're learning in science and so writing across purposes, and what we're finding is that.

F

um Kind of the the writing unit of study is focusing on that unit of study and.

F

um You know if we are, our units of study are kind of not meeting the multiple purposes of writing.

F

um And I think teachers are doing some reflection in rewriting and reworking of some of that and.

F

Then there's also this piece that um that we're going back to of how much practice and time are.

F

We giving to writing and making sure that kids have ample time and access to some of that, and so.

F

You know kind of exploring some different ways to do that. So I'll say that one of the professional.

F

Development opportunities that we've got teachers exploring is something called the writing.

F

Revolution and part of it is a systematic way to integrate writing into other units of study and.

F

Really be thinking about how you're teaching the structure of writing as opposed to teaching the.

F

Writing unit or lesson so I think that's something that is we're exploring that we're finding that.

F

This is a need that students have um that. Writing is an area that we don't do as well on is in sas.

F

Testing and that's kind of traditional that we're finding that um you know kind of across the board.

F

Writing stamina is lower than we've seen in the past. I think the physical act of writing.

F

Is something that we're finding is is trickier for more kids, you know having a conversation.

F

With first grade about letter formation and the amount of practice they feel like they need to.

F

Give to just simple handwriting kind of things, so I think this goes across the level of development.

F

And how are we addressing that need um and so, like I said, it's kind of a conversation. That's.

F

About professional development, it's maybe about our our structures and supports, but it's also.

F

About what's our purpose and that purpose for writing is the piece where I feel like we're.

F

Having the most conversation about, how do we make sure that kids are writing across their school day?.

F

And not just during writing time, but also, how are we teaching them to write in math, not just.

F

Expecting that they know how to do it, yeah got it. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, cool. How about one more.

J

um This is maybe it's not something you directly addressed in your memo, but I was.

J

Just curious about how that's going this year, you had started doing guidance as a ua as part.

J

Of sort of a wellness and social emotional at least- and I was just curious- is that happening.

J

More or can you share anything on how well that's working or sort of where that stands.

K

Yeah I'll say that in the beginning, yeah well and again, it goes back to that idea of how are.

F

We addressing student wellness, lisa and and um you're right in reflecting on the idea that last.

F

Year, we did have guidance as a ua for for k to five, and it was one time a week as part of our.

F

Related arts rotation we've scaled back on that because of the way that we're addressing student.

F

Wellness in other ways, and so that again is is just kind of one of the things that.

F

um That we've kind of reframed and part of that is because we were finding that.

F

Our guidance counselors were so stretched with that instructional piece of it, but also that.

F

um You know, ideally our guidance curriculum or our um you know, kind of castle standards.

F

If you will are being in are being taught and integrated within the classroom as well, and we.

F

Want to make sure that that's shared ownership. So, as we look at piloting a new program which is.

F

um That I mentioned in here um so character. Strong is a program that we've kind of investigated a.

F

Committee has has kind of gone through it. We're piloting this across grade levels to to see what's.

F

The teacher input, what's the rollout, that we would need, and um and do we really like it as much as we.

F

Thought we did during the kind of sales pitch right, um but I think that uh one of the pieces.

F

Of of any kind of guidance curriculum is that you don't want that to happen in 45 minutes. One.

F

Time a week, you want that to be something that is echoed and carried out, and I think that comes.

F

Back to all of those pieces of student wellness should be something that we're all responsible.

F

For and that a classroom community is actually the best place for that to happen. So that's through.

F

Partnerships with guidance and so guidance is still connected with every student in the school.

F

um They're supporting open circle last sins, both cali and ann, are involved, of course, in seal block.

F

With groups still doing lunch, groups still doing pull out groups that kind of thing, and then they.

F

Do have a structure with each grade level and it's a little bit different at k to two than it is at.

F

Three to five just simply based on our related arts schedule, but it's about one time a month.

F

That they'll see each class for a structured lesson that is taught by guidance as opposed.

F

To supported by guidance within the classroom, so so that connection still exists, but it looks.

F

Different, oh, that makes sense. I have one other really quick question. I was just curious. Do you.

J

Feel like after school at this point is sort of back to sort of pre-pandemic levels, or you know.

J

Is it heading? We have definitely brought back um a number of activities. I'll say you know one.

F

Of the things that uh we've traditionally had is is pep or the enrichment program, and we have not.

F

Brought that back, I think, with the you know. Part of this is because of the new structure with the.

F

Rec center and kind of offering access to those kind kinds of things, but there are certainly.

F

Programs that have been brought to back to school- and I think you know our you- may have seen our.

F

Wonderful cross-country program across the the three elementary schools, but I think little harbor.

F

Had 77 kids that started and finished the program there were about 94 kids, who participated total so.

F

um You know when you're thinking about those after school activities and things like that, they're.

F

Certainly, a desire for some of them and something like cross country felt really. You know accessible.

F

For a number of kids and was extremely successful, so um I think that there are opportunities for.

F

Community connections through those kinds of things, yeah, okay, hope one more question so.

H

um Coming into budget season, I took note of your mentions around budget, implement implications.

H

I was just curious, so you've mentioned righty you've mentioned math. We've talked a little bit.

H

About intervention, can you speak more to you? Your current and future needs that you were talking.

H

About you don't have to get deep in the weeds, just kind of an overview of. Would you see that being.

H

um More staff and materials, would you see that being something you would need shared across.

H

Buildings, one-on-one interventions only math and writing, um or do you see it really more.

H

Towards just your building needs not being able to share it, I feel like I can't necessarily speak to.

F

All of that hope, but what I can say is I think, that, across the three elementary schools, we're.

F

Having an awful lot of conversation about, how are we meeting kids needs of intervention right.

F

um And I think that you know we're sharing ideas, we're talking about staff and and like.

F

I said staff is not the the only piece of this um you know, but I do think that accessibility of of.

F

People helps to make sure that we're able to meet kind of smaller ratios and more intensity without.

F

Strain on on current staff- um and so I think that's where that budgetary piece comes in, I think.

F

That you know curriculum review is something that happens all the time and I think there's a natural.

F

And flow to some of that, and so what I will say is I think that the conversations that we're having.

F

Are not um you know unique to this budget season or this kind of state of affairs so to speak.

F

um But more about the natural ebb and flow about how things go um within elementary school, so I think there's um curricular conversations that we're. Having that I.

F

Think we want to continue to have, and that might be purchasing of programs and things.

F

Like that, I don't see those as decisions that we're looking to make this year, though,.

F

um And so I don't think that would be a likely budgetary need. No, you know, patty may.

F

Say here aaron, I'm going to hand you ten thousand dollars and I'm going to find how to spend it. But.

F

um But I don't think she's going to do that. So you know so when we're talking about those curricular.

F

Kind of things, I think that those are natural kind of conversations that we're having. I think the.

F

The intervention need for me has become number one, a little bit magnified because I've had it.

F

Right and so you're like oh my gosh, look what we can do with just this little bit more resource.

F

um And I think that, having that ability to not have to say how are we fitting everything in but.

F

That ability to say look what we can do when we have right, and so that's the piece that for me I.

F

Think has been a little bit of a silver lining, like I said, of, of having to be creative with.

F

The way that we filled these these staff and then being able to say but now I've got this.

F

Person that I can devote to a particular cause without taking away from something else and.

F

um And that's just been an absolute benefit that I would hope to be able to hold on to okay.

F

Thank you. That's helpful, okay! Erin! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

D

It's the assistant. Next, we have our um special education report.

L

Hello uh jeanette tyler, director of pupil support for those that have not met me in the past.

L

um I reached out to all my coordinators whenever I do this report and the number one thing they all.

L

Said is say thank you to the board for supporting the additional staff, uh so I made that my first.

L

Bullet on the report, um we have certainly seen the professional staff that we added. We added.

L

Some occupational therapy time we added some speech time. We added some case managers and a.

L

Bcba that we had been trying to add for a long period of time, we were actually able to hire.

L

And professional staff-wise, I have certainly heard that feedback as we started this school year that.

L

Everyone felt they started the school year in a very positive manner, with our professional staff.

L

Members, so um that came from several coordinators across buildings. Thank you for the support of.

L

Those additional staff, as we started our school year, I gave you a whole bunch of information, a.

L

Whole bunch of numbers I'll allow lots of time for questions, um but I did want to point out that kind.

L

Of the opposite side of starting out well with professional staff, is we've really struggled to.

L

Hire um paraprofessional staff and our para educators and so we're at an all-time high.

L

When I wrote this report of uh 20 open positions across the district, when I wrote this and actually.

L

Yesterday had a hey, I hired someone and I can say that we now have 19, and yet today we had another.

L

Leave of absence necessary so we're back to 20., and so uh that's how it's been this school year.

L

And that's how it's been actually the last two years previous as well, I believe the low that.

L

I've had in special education, para educators was 12 open positions across these last three years.

L

And, like I said, we're at our high right now of 20 para educators working in the field of special.

L

Education, particularly with our high school, facing the most impact currently with eight staff members.

L

Lacking at the high school, I put information about the increases of referrals and the historic.

L

Information where we certainly have seen a bump in the referrals for special education and the.

L

Evaluation processes that we've been conducting across these school years and then I also noted.

L

Transportation concerns and you can read those that is not specific to special education. It is.

L

Not specific to our district, it is not specific to our state and it goes across the whole nation.

L

And it really comes down to driver's shortage. It is not for lack of trying on the parts of.

L

Our companies that we work for we meet with them. We problem solve myself and my assistant in the.

L

Office look at maps and say: oh: if we you know they have computer programs that do this, but sometimes.

L

We know the traffic circle makes a difference and we say: oh, let's do this instead and they try it.

L

Out so there's much problem solving going on, but it really comes down to shortage of drivers and.

L

The rules around what they have to go through for training. We hear some times that they have started.

L

Training and they they promise us that we'll have our third route and then something happens.

L

Where the person doesn't finish that or doesn't pass an exam, and it boils down to there's no one.

L

There to drive the bus, the buses and the vehicles exist. The drivers are the shortage problem across.

L

We're experiencing in special ed what I know regular education is experiencing and.

L

What I'm hearing from special ed directors and superintendents from this entire area.

L

I also wanted to point out, um you know when you talk about budget, and I know that's always what.

L

We'll be talking about soon enough, I do start to uh look at what the needs are and the increases.

L

That we are seeing when I looked at those referral numbers historically and then, when you look at the.

L

Iep data that I present at the end, we are seeing upticks in numbers um and upticks in general needs.

L

Even you can say a student's on an iep, but then you also have to look a layer deeper on what types.

L

Of services are they requiring and the intensity of those services, and that's not reflected in.

L

Any singular number: that's my staff saying the students have more intensive services, they're.

L

Needing not just a reading support for 30 minutes once a day they need reading, they need math. They.

L

Need social, emotional support, we need our bcba involved and so those levels of services are.

L

Not reflected in these charts, but that's what I'm hearing anecdotally from staff and what we could.

L

Run reports on and we do as we begin to look at what the necessary staff are moving forward.

L

um We're starting discussions uh with coordinators, I meet with them once a month and then I'm eating.

L

Smaller groups, depending on what the needs are of what kind of district designs might.

L

We consider that could better support needs. um One of the things we've talked about is some kind.

L

Of individualized tutoring models at either the middle and high school for particular needs that.

L

Arise but also we're having times when students are coming to us, maybe with an iep, and we need.

L

To move to a placement, but we have a gap in time because those processes take time. We need a tutor.

L

To provide intervention in the meantime, we've had medical reasons that students are out for.

L

Medical or mental health reasons, and in order to come back into school, sometimes they need some.

L

Time to catch up and we would need tutoring in place and there again lack of staff to do that.

L

Tutoring, so could we create some kind of system that we have something built in place with some.

L

Staffing that exists is one of the things we started talking about. We've also started talking.

L

At the elementary level of do, we need some more intensive programming. Portsmouth has always been.

L

Super inclusive- and that is something that we want to keep in place, but we also have a high level of.

L

Need that, rather than looking to out of district placements and some or tapping the resources that.

L

Exist of our special education staff, could we do some more intensive programming in district.

L

And we started having those conversations of internal staff, but then also some agencies that.

L

We work with constellations and birch tree. Both are agencies that support students with autism.

L

And intensive behavioral needs we've started talking about, could they train our staff or.

L

Could we model an a program that they support staff and our regular consultation basis to.

L

Create a program internally and we're starting to see that the numbers are at a point, maybe where.

L

We could appropriately staff in district rather than look out of district in some of those cases.

L

um Going under the other column, I just put some financial notes in.

L

There, including our idea, grant that's our federal funds that come to us.

L

um Put some historic data and we are seeing a slight decline. um The department of ed in new.

L

Hampshire had a recalculation, the federal level said they were doing some calculations wrong and.

L

As a result, we've had a slight dip in our funds and I would expect that that would continue in.

L

That same range, so that just means that the items that we have in that grant, we might need to look.

L

At doing through district funds moving forward, if it stays pretty steady and our costs generally go.

L

Up we're going to need to look to district funds to help cover that, and I did make a note about.

L

Enrollment at uh st patrick's academy: that's our only private school in district and there's rules.

L

Around the way that special education supports that- and we take a number every year october,.

L

1St I say: what's your number of students that are eligible for special ed and I've, seen that.

L

Gradually going up when I first started, actually it was zero, they did not have any students that.

L

Were eligible for special ed attending on it's ticked up slightly every year and it was a high.

L

Of on october 1st, when I asked this year, they were able to provide me information about 16.

L

Students that, if they were in public schools, could be eligible for special education and.

L

That affects how I run a number and provide some supports to that school with those federal funds.

L

Provided all the information of uh the chart that I give you every year, I included last.

L

Year's numbers for comparison's sake this year, but I did want to allow an opportunity for questions.

L

Because you guys usually have some unless I gave you everything you needed do we have questions.

A

Kerry always I always have questions. um I know that before we had talked about.

I

um And I'll probably just keep bringing it up um the medicaid reimbursement for services being so.

I

Low and the idea of like having an external you know, provider that is, is partnered with.

I

The district and I loved how you talked about sort of the out of district placements is like.

I

Maybe we're reaching that threshold, and so I recall you talking about that with sort of the.

I

External clinical partner as well that at some point, will reach that and I'm just curious for.

I

Your thoughts on so to speak to medicaid. We do uh uh have a person that we work with to work.

L

With us on getting the medicaid orders um with the changes that were occurring with medicaid.

L

That became a new part of the system is obtaining obtaining a medical order, and it can only be done.

L

By a certain level of medical provider- and so we have continued that and we get our medical.

L

Orders that way, the changes to the system continue to impact our overall reimbursement, meaning that.

L

There's some things they just completely cut out guidance. Counselor services were cut out.

L

Because it's not medical, it's only educational. However. We hired, for example, a social worker.

L

At pms that is able to bill for her services, because social work is done under a license. That.

L

Is considered appropriate in the medicaid field, so we've gotten better about understanding the.

L

Parameters that we're now working under with those medicaid changes and addressing those.

L

um As far as we're always looking at and the bcba and adding one was one that we looked at at what.

L

Point where we're contracting out to provide the appropriate services that it made sense to hire.

L

Our own second internal person, and so we're always doing that with all the positions that we look at.

L

um And in district versus out of district, those are certainly individualized decisions of the.

L

Students particular needs, but we're starting to see some commonalities. As far as could we provide.

L

A resource in the district, with some additional training or additional layers of support.

L

Internally- and that involves many many things, including space in a building where we could.

L

Accommodate a program and then the staffing that's necessary when we're talking about out-of-district.

L

Placements many times it's two to three on one student depending on the level of need, and so we.

L

Would have to make a commitment to look at all the factors that go into supporting students.

L

With the high intensity that we generally look at when they're being placed in an out of district.

L

Placement but we're starting that conversation and it's come up organically, as we've had student.

L

Placements anytime, we have a student, that's in district, that we start that conversation of moving.

L

Out of district, the staff don't want to give up the student if I'm gonna, they are committed to.

L

The student uh they want to support the student, and it really is: um what else can we do when we.

L

Keep trying it's at the point where we feel like the student needs more, that we start looking out.

L

And staff always are hesitant to do so and want to provide the supports and district. So now we're.

L

Starting to say what could we do as an extra layer before we start having those conversations.

A

Any other questions pip um yeah. I have uh a sort of two-part question.

M

um Related to the uh 20 positions that you mentioned, that aren't filled, I mean that's. That's.

M

Extreme and I wonder first if you could comment on um sort of the the concrete image that this.

M

Is having on the students and what you're seeing um well, why don't I I'll? Let you ask that first, so.

L

Extreme and common right now across districts, so I was at a director's meeting and everyone had were.

L

In the same boat, we're talking 10 to 20 percent of their paraprofessional staff unfilled um and that.

L

Was common in all the neighboring districts that we meet with as a seacoast? So um it's an impact.

L

That's being felt in the area and honestly, it's there's some robbing of staff between districts.

L

If I can convince the rochester para to come to us, I will take that para and we have this open.

L

Conversation with our director's meeting of oh you stole mine, I stole yours and we'll call it.

L

Good there's swapping going on um the impact, for example at the high school, is when we've had a.

L

Paraprofessional support on ieps, let's say in an english class. It means that we're looking at what.

L

Changes class students need to be assigned to to provide that paraprofessional support, which.

L

Then means greater numbers of students on ieps in one class to create that compliance. It means.

L

We're being creative and okay, what part of the science class does the parent need to go to is.

L

It the note-taking they're, going to be in there for 20 minutes, help take the notes, provide the.

L

Notes to all the students in that section and so it's making a work burden on the existing peras.

L

That is creating a stress level that then impacts it greater. So it is kind of a cycle that we're in.

L

That's not a good good one and we are hopeful that we can come to some solutions, but thus far, all of.

L

Our advertising efforts really haven't the times. We've been hiring, have been personal connections.

L

Of someone hearing that someone's niece is there and they give a phone call, it's not been.

L

Through our advertising, it's been through personal connections of who knows someone, and then you make.

L

That phone call and bring them in for an interview. It's been people that have already worked for us.

L

That we're bringing back um saying can you come help us out at this time being so it's.

L

Our advertising efforts have not helped. It's been really word of mouth people, knowing each other.

L

That have gained us, the ones that we have hired. Okay thanks. um The second part of my question is.

M

um uh You answered it a little bit with the with what you said about advertising, but I wonder.

M

um I know uh maybe it was last year. I can't remember exactly when we did it, but I know.

M

We increased the pay for substitutes and I don't actually know whether that had an impact or not.

M

um But I wonder if we, when 20 positions open, would it make sense for us to raise the pay of what we.

M

Offer for pay and maybe be able to hire people with higher, who are overqualified for the position.

M

And and compensate them appropriately, if there just simply aren't these people available to do it.

L

um Yes and yes, so I think there are what we neighboring districts have raised, pay done.

L

Bonuses and have seen a slight increase, but not to even fill the positions that are existing is what.

L

I have heard we are in a year where we're going into negotiations with our pairs and certainly.

L

That's going to be a conversation, we have talked about short-term things, informally with the para.

L

Group, as far as what we could do to incentivize, if I'm getting that word out correctly and sympathize.

L

um Hiring I have heard also negative things that come with that, for example, hiring bonuses.

L

Neighboring district did it. People stayed 30 days and left after that, because that was when they got.

L

Their first check, so I guess I would say, open to ideas from anyone that has them. If you know.

L

Someone I've tried to make things easy by doing, and and zach was great about pitching my little.

L

Just hit this qr code and it takes you to a place where you just put your name and I'll call. You.

L

um And, like don't even fill out the application, if that's too much and um and it really generated.

L

Nothing um so I, if I, if you give me a name and a phone number, I will call them um or one of my.

L

Coordinators will call them and that's really been what's been successful when we have hired people.

D

I wondered about the behavior situation: do you have enough of the parish that that have our.

D

Behavioralists, so what I will say is that's: where our pairs go is the priority ends up being safety.

L

um Behaviorally or medically for our students that need one-to-one support for medical needs.

L

And behavioral support: that's the priority for the pairs that we do have in-house, which that is then.

L

Has meant academic concerns might take a secondary seat, so a student that might have had iep services.

L

For 30 minutes in the reading class, if we have three pairs call out, which is also impacting so, we.

L

Are already down and then there's no substitutes for that day it may mean we need someone to.

L

Shift overcover a student that has medical or behavioral concerns that are safety needs and.

L

Then the student doesn't get that support for that day in the academic setting and that's been kind.

L

Of a day-to-day shuffle in many of our buildings yeah, but with the behavior, they do get more money.

D

Correct um so we have in the para negotiations last time, pairs that become rbt certified have.

L

An increase in pay the issue with getting people rbt certified is it puts. There are components of.

L

That that require our bcbas to have a certain amount of supervision, so that we can't do like.

L

A huge pool and do everybody all at once, because it would overburden our bcba staff. We did a cohort.

L

Of five several years ago, we've had two leave, but we've also hired two. So we've been kind of steady.

L

At five rbts across the district and would love to increase that our two bcbas are very open to.

L

The idea of additional cohorts going through the training, it's a 40-hour training and then there's.

L

Supervision that has to take place, and then they have to pass some qualifying tests. So we'd like to.

L

Increase that, but it does require a certain amount of capacity to do so, but it is an incentive. Yes,.

L

And and the ones that we were able to keep and hire are wonderful, great.

E

Can't stop chewing on this pair of thing. It's been bothering me since last year, I'm wondering.

E

If we could establish like a mentoring program where our current pairs could earn money to.

E

Mentor and they could intern with students at great bay or students at unh, has a sort.

E

Of a paid internship which would then maybe they'd deliver back to us as staff when they're.

E

Done is that I, I know there's a lot of hoops to jump through the special education pairs.

E

But is there have we ever looked down the path of using graduate students as.

E

Pairs, so I will say when we had some interns from unh uh in our setting when they completed.

L

Their internship, we were grabbing them up at the end of the year to cover even from.

L

May to june, at the end of last year we do have some college students that were very aware of.

L

Their schedule of when they come back and they come and they sub in for us, but we don't have a.

L

Systematic approach working with local agencies for para educators and I think, that's kind of.

L

What you're speaking to yeah it's building those relationships? I think that I will I. I hope that.

E

We could pursue that my follow-up to that is um if, if in this dream world, if we look about.

E

Budgets would you feel like as you're getting to that capacity of what do we do? Internal versus.

E

Outsource would we benefit from another social worker or for another bcpa where's the need.

L

That's the ideal world yeah, okay, um so kind of they do different things. um So um I feel like.

L

Social work would benefit the bigger picture of family supports and the resources, for example, that.

L

I need in the homeless, liaisons realm of making coordinations with agencies, whereas behavioral.

L

Needs are kind of that on the ground in the building. You would probably hear from teachers.

L

They would uh feel the need more for a bcba supporting needs across the district, so it's kind.

L

Of a what's, the social work would benefit families and universal needs versus bcbas in district and.

L

Actually, another concern staffing wise is our school psychologist, given the number of referrals.

G

um Are only doing testing and nothing, but they are not the resource we'd like them to be around.

L

Social emotional team resources when there's risky behavior, they do nothing but evaluations. So that's.

L

Another component that could be looked at as an additional resource: okay and then my third very.

E

Quick question was if we can't get a full day para as we're looking at these ieps are on the.

E

Rise, could we consider the model of using, like almost like a tutor scenario in our success in.

E

Flex blocks where we could have the iep kit. I know again you're identifying a group which is.

E

Not ideal, but if there's a place that we could, we can only get them for a couple hours rather than.

E

Changing the schedule and clumping all of them together, could we consider utilizing that so some.

L

Conversations not necessarily around tutor, but would more professional staff allow more intensive.

L

Intervention to occur and then lessen the need for classroom support from para educators and.

L

Those conversations have begun, particularly at the high school level of rather than in class support.

L

Could we have more intensive out of class support from a professional level staff, an educator and so.

L

Should we be looking at uh teachers and additional teachers rather than para educators, and it would.

L

Require iep teams to make those decisions of what students that's appropriate for versus which the.

L

Para educator can support, ask, could more intensive intervention outside of class or co-teaching those.

L

Kinds of models could those make differences so beginning to have those conversations due to need.

L

But sometimes that ends up coming up with great solutions of different approaches. Okay, great thank.

A

You anyone on this side hope carrie. So I have a couple of questions. Jeanette you. You alluded.

H

Or you answered part of it and just your last answer there, because this paraprofessional I was.

H

On the paraprofessional negotiations with you, you know I'm not sure that we're going to solve that.

H

Problem and and I'm going to tell my age here by saying that I remember when paraprofessionals were.

H

The it was developed, um you know the position itself out of creative solutions. That was.

H

Needed for more support for teachers, so I'm just wondering: can you talk a little bit more about.

H

um What what conversations are happening amongst parents, amongst uh special ed people, like yourself.

H

Around um prevention supports so that we can maybe lower the ieps and lower the needs for paras or.

H

Rethinking this para role: um you know I'm by no means suggesting we get rid of our pairs, but what.

H

That might look like in the future. As you know, this problem continues. We we might need to evolve.

H

To something else, well, I I think part of what aaron was talking about is those interventionists.

L

And additional academic supports uh being kind of beefed up to target individualized skills for.

L

Particular students that would certainly assist with kind of the overarching numbers as we were.

L

Able to better identify prior to a referral process and going into special ed. What those.

L

Individual just academic skills needs are, and can we target those and support them prior to coming.

L

To a referral, um as far as paraprofessionals role, it's semi defined by law, they can support.

L

They can collect data, they can do interventions on a behavior plan, but they're not allowed to.

L

Do direct instruction in place of an educator, so there's is a support role that is highly needed.

L

And highly valued by the teachers and the people in the building- and we have felt this impact by.

L

Not having the staff in our building by the other pairs in the building um kind of that.

L

Stresses on them and then the teachers, when they have a classroom, that two students should need.

L

Parent support and we've consolidated to one in a group setting the impact is felt people are being.

L

Reflective, but I don't know that we have answers yet and I'm again in networks of people that are.

L

Having the same ideas, and some of that talk is a different view of professional staff and the.

L

Need for additional professional staff if we can find them as well, because we are fortunate when.

L

I talk about our professional staff being filled. It is not the case in neighboring districts, there.

L

Are many districts that are struggling to fill their professional staff roles as well? Well, it's.

H

Encouraging to hear those conversations are at least happening. I always appreciate you providing.

H

Numbers- and I know you have many numbers that you don't provide. I was curious about the the.

H

Population at phs of ieps, it's about 15 percent of the population based on the numbers uh generally.

L

Speaking in the state of new hampshire, since I've been here, it's ranged between 15 and 17 in.

L

The state of new hampshire and then our numbers have steadily gone up when I first started here.

L

It was right above 15 and we were at 17 last year. I haven't run the percentages this year, but um 15.

L

To 17 would be what I would expect across uh most buildings, okay, so and- and so that's what energy.

H

Is within their range, that's statewide. Okay. I was trying to figure if that's high, if that's average,.

H

Where it falls and then I'm just curious, do you see students kind of staying with their eyepiece.

H

um Through graduation, or do you see any roll-offs, are you tracking that by grade are you tracking it.

H

Annually that we can see any trends of like is there trends within the school year, where times.

H

Might pick up from why so um the iep law requires that at least every three years we have to do a.

L

Re-Evaluation to determine if a student is still eligible or not historically, nationwide statewide.

L

Students being dismissed from special ed is very low and the most common occurrence- and this is.

L

Just me, anecdotally speaking, is at the elementary age around things like speech therapy, a student.

L

That is only identified with a speech language disability with some intensive speech, language.

L

Disability, supports may then be dismissed from their speech therapy and that's historically.

L

Across everywhere, the most common category to then not to be eligible again, we do have some.

L

Students that have such interventions that they're at a level that they can move to less intensive.

L

Supports maybe accommodations through a 504 plan rather than direct services for reading writing or.

L

Math but those numbers are very low, particularly once you get into middle and high school right.

L

Just wanted to add to the first thing you're talking about around. I know in.

B

The some of the forums I was part of um that nancy was talking about in dc. One.

B

Of the conversations is, is this conversation about paraprofessionals and whether or not.

B

You know I think people have been waiting for like well covid's coming to an end and that workforce.

B

Is going to come back and some of the dialogue is? Is it is that structurally just gone now? It's.

B

Never coming back uh in terms of the way in which the positions are paid structured, who.

B

We're looking for how we're trying to recruit those people. Is that a resource that, because.

B

Everybody was dealing with it around the country, and it was is that a resource? That's never going.

B

To come back in the same way, and if so and now we're a couple years into this is a time to.

B

Start redrawing lines in a big way about how we think about delivery of services. Yeah thanks for.

H

That terry, with the increase in out of district placements and those numbers, um is, do you think or.

I

um Think it's either a contributor or cause the lack of paraprofessionals and that shortage of.

I

Where we, if we had the staff and could hire everyone that it wouldn't have resulted in.

I

An out of district placement, I would, I would say, no to that actually, because.

L

um Our students that are going into outer district placements are, we have exhausted every resource.

L

In district, including many times, a one-to-one paraprofessional that is very highly trained with.

L

A very supportive staff and the numbers that are in that out of district private charter school, the.

L

Adjectives have upticked slightly, but it's also, I included in that number the students that we.

L

Have on plans in our private school and then our students at charter. But there has been a slight.

L

Increase in our out-of-district numbers, but I do not believe that is a direct correlation to the.

L

Lack of paraprofessional staff again, students with that level of need, oftentimes, have a one-to-one.

L

And sometimes take cases even two to one staffing prior to a decision by a team that we can no.

L

Longer provide for their needs and meet their iep and provide them faith in district. So we have to.

L

Look for something more intensive out. They would generally have that level of staffing prior to.

G

Thank you, okay. Well, lisa did you have a question just a really quick one about the busing piece. Do.

J

You have a lot of kids that have mandated limits around transportation and are we managing that? I.

J

Mean so um meaning as part of their sometimes they're, not supposed to be on transportation.

J

For more than a certain amount of time or they're supposed to have an eight, I'm just curious. How are.

J

We managing all of that when we can so that has to factor into the roots. So um there are students.

L

That, due to even a medical need, need a short trip or a behavioral need, can only uh sustain.

L

uh A certain amount of time that is written into ieps and when we do the specialized transportation.

L

That would be a reason that, for example, a bus might be only to pick up one student take them.

L

Through to the location and back, which then, of course, adds to the time of other students and.

L

The lack of drivers to do multiple routes that are specialized in nature and is that going up sort of.

J

Along with the behavioral issues that we're sort of seeing during the school day, um meaning have we.

L

Seen any more kids transportation, I haven't seen a giant increase in that it's been fairly steady.

L

um It, however, we have additions. Our preschool students always need transportation when they.

L

First, come at three um and those as they turn three were obligated to provide services and.

L

Those just are by a birth date and if we add two or three in a week, the transportation.

L

Company saying you're just expanding your times, we have two drivers, um so I mean it's just a simple.

L

Fact, there's two drivers with two buses and we gotta squeeze in everyone on those routes, but.

L

We do have to make. We would not jeopardize a student's health or safety in doing so.

L

um So if they need a quick ride, they're going to be put into that route on a.

L

Quick ride, but then that affects everyone else with the limited number of drivers.

A

Okay jeanette. Thank you so much that was really fantastic presentation.

A

Okay: next we have the robert j lister academy, steve. I hope to never go after them again.

N

I think I've met most of you, mr emails, steve kozanowski enjoy trying to pronounce that.

N

um This would not be, as I was gonna figure, maybe doing a lot more q. A with you guys, since you don't.

N

Know me yet um so you might have more questions than the average pair so um but I'll address.

N

Some of these things um coming in has been quite an experience, but I've had some good teammates.

N

um To kind of get me going um trying to really kind of learn what it's like to be.

N

um Sometimes I call enlister kids, but just being a lister person, um because there's a community.

N

That, like you, definitely need to um it's a very strong community and I've been lucky to bring some.

N

Crazy ideas in at times and have them tried and accepted most of them by teachers and kids most.

N

Importantly, so um there are some successes there I'll get into those um one. I want to shout out.

N

Nathan over there um big ups to you, because one of the big things when I was interviewing.

N

Was like all right, I'm at this building I'll get to that, um I'm like so like I walk in the.

N

First thing is like okay, kids, kids, gotta feel safe here and welcoming, and um I think you know.

N

It's got a charm to it the building right, but um you know one of the things they kept talking.

N

About was like the food that kept coming up a lot. That day, I was there. Nathan had them.

N

Some roundabout diner, which was nice, so what was important coming in, was not to disrupt the.

N

Community, the team is very tight, it's very small, it's very small and it's not a lot of students.

N

Right, so you don't want to increase the waves, but at the same time you want to be able to kind of.

N

Steer the ship horizon guidance, um so I didn't want to ruffle too many for this, but nathan helped.

N

Me out with a big one, utilizing our buses, which sometimes don't get enough credit for all the.

N

Crazy things they have to do I'm trying to stay on the good side of nicole um but um yeah. One of the.

N

Things that we were able to do was get them to deliver the food from the high school to us in.

N

A more timely manner so, instead of being picked up by either myself or an assistant that I sometimes.

N

Have um I'll talk about that later too, um I uh I'm able to get the food there around 12 and we eat at.

N

12 25, so it just gives me enough time to be the lunch person at school and get the food out. The.

N

Lighting in our gym is a little weird, so I keep it to the side, so it looks more appetizing. I give it.

N

To them, because this is actually I've tried the food so pretty good, but getting it to them fresh.

N

Was was, I think, a big morale boost just like from the get-go, so I want to thank you for that, but.

N

um That's been, it's been, it's been important, um so that's been a success. um One of the things.

N

We do is specifically on wednesdays the way our schedules. Work is find things to get kids engaged.

N

In whatever they're going to do outside of school once they graduate right, so a lot of college trips.

N

um As well as some alternative things like, uh we just went to east coast aquaponics, which was.

N

Different sort of I've never taken a trip somewhere there before I actually didn't.

N

Get to go, but I wish I did, but they get to learn a little more hands-on. A lot.

N

More science, it's just it's it's a very immersive sort of experience, but we've.

N

Been to southern maine community college on the water which is beautiful, and I wish I went there.

N

um Your college, and so we have a bunch of those set up, we're taking a little bit of.

N

A break because we're doing our leaf busters program, which I think all of you know about.

N

I love I experienced that today. For the first time it was, it was a sight.

N

um They it was like I, it was a whole different world, seeing them out there, uh most of them taking.

N

Charge in ways that maybe they haven't done before, um having conversations with each other to try and.

N

Problem solve jumping in the leaves together and maybe setting us back a little bit of time. But.

N

um And then, when we come back, um you know back into some of those trips, but also um I want to.

N

Start doing some resume, writing and start getting out to do some different kinds of visits. I talk.

N

A little bit about new relationships which we've established, but we haven't really taken advantage.

N

Of yet so poor smith makerspace, we've partnered with them before, but they've kind of blown up.

N

um So I'm really interested in getting them and us together utilizing. Maybe our shop.

N

That we have in there it's like the nicest room we have by the way it's prestigious.

N

um And then getting them there getting their hands dirty. Maybe they take an interest in that right. We.

N

Want to kind of find what makes them all tick. um I was at the dentist a couple weeks ago, getting.

N

Some stuff done and the dentist was awesome, and now he wants our kids to come in and maybe get.

N

Some internships, maybe teeth cleaning like you know it really does take a village. So I did put.

N

Out a couple that we have reached out to and have had conversations with, so we're excited about that.

N

And we have a newsletter that I actually know parents do read, because if I forget something.

N

I hear about it, I'm like oh, but you're, reading the newsletter, so thank goodness.

N

um Because sometimes it takes a long time, um one of the biggest things I'm most proud of is.

N

You know I mean you'll hear this from me forever. I guess is restorative practice is my thing.

N

um And, what's been great about, you know saying some of the successes bringing things in.

N

Kids have been pretty open to certain things like we started actually doing circles.

N

Like we circle up monday morning and friday afternoons to open the week to close the week.

N

Kind of weird it feels weird for kids, you know and like but they're they're they're.

N

Gay and that's that's due to like you know, the staff has brought in actually.

N

um I need to take accountability with my teacher at the next staff meeting because we were actually.

N

Going to do circles- and we didn't do that today- so um that's one of the things that we do- we we do.

N

Announcements in those meetings, we do appreciation so something that you know something happened. This.

N

Week that maybe someone helped us out with um so we want to build that community. So we do those.

N

um Accountabilities when, when maybe you've screwed something up or you know, you drop the ball.

N

That happens a couple times a week with me, so the kids hear it from me me taking accountabilities.

N

On fridays, or maybe even monday mornings, um and then you know, we have talents and topics that.

N

We have to talk about we're, trying something new called tried and flied or and just trying to get.

N

The kids into a real community feel because it's what is what it is you know they do. They do chores.

N

You know like we clean up after each other, after, like we feed each other, it's so it's an amazing.

N

Place I want to thank you for putting me in that situation, um so the restorative peace and I'd be.

N

Happy to come chat because I know there's been a lot of talk about like what discipline looks.

N

Like in the district and what is restorative practice, it's practice now don't say justice.

N

Practice- and it takes time um so where, in the infancy stages of a real implementation at lister,.

N

And it I know from feedback from staff members that it can sometimes feel really slow. That's.

N

Because we're doing it right and I'm lucky, because every one of those teachers is conditioned for.

N

Restorative, because that's what they've been doing already and quite frankly, it's best practice right.

N

In order for students to be able to do something, they need to be able to feel safe. So again, we sort.

N

Of this building, where they sort of feel safe, I think they do they feel cared for. I could tell.

N

You that, because that came up in an iep meeting yesterday, why is this kid struggling? But then.

N

Why is he still strong because he feels cared for and that's testament to the people in there and.

N

The people that have surrounded and supported them, so um we still have a lot of work to do.

N

Right, what happens when a student breaks a policy and how do we hold them accountable? Like that's a.

N

Lie not like we're still finding right, because if we just suspend for the sake of suspending when.

N

They come back. We haven't addressed the problem right, so that's something that we need to build in.

N

um And you know it's been a little slow, even on my end, because I'm still learning the the.

N

Portsmouth way right the policies, the procedures, how things have been at the school, where I don't.

N

Really know what I want to ruffle, yet right, that's next year, when I just throw everything.

G

The wayside, but um so you know, I think that is going to be one of the things that really drive.

N

Success for our kids, because once they feel that safety and that connection with with teachers and.

N

The students around them that they can take those risks. um I think you know aaron talked about it. A.

N

Lot too, pandemic or no pandemic. Our kids are now less resilient than they were three years ago and.

N

They don't want to take any risk, and one of the things our kids really struggle with is feedback.

N

um You know, maybe they think the work that they've been putting in is hard work and maybe it is but.

N

um Constructive feedback taking that has been a real. It's been a real morale killer with our kids.

N

To be quite honest with you and and getting them to kind of work and write has been real hard. This.

N

Year so when I reflect on the things that we need to figure out, it's sometimes I really look at that.

N

um So we've got a lot of work to do, but anyway, so I'll keep it moving, because some people out.

N

There know that once I get going, I can't stop uh so challenges opportunities for improvement.

N

um You know I've already come in and kind of gone a little rogue and, like I I know.

N

My kids need more support in certain areas. I'm like I kind of need more bodies here so.

N

I'm already having conversations of what does the program look like next year? Do.

N

We increase the amount of kids. Do we, you know work in that transition program, that.

N

You know, jeanette has kind of you know really been. It's been bubbling right.

N

um What do our kids need like? It's just it's so like I'm, I'm into that right now,.

N

um I have an assistant who got, um who I knew was leaving for baby reasons, and then she moved.

N

Away and we hired a replacement and she moved away to um so I talked uh very famous. I guess.

N

um Portsmouth alum collins stiller to um come out of retirement three days a week and work.

N

For me, and quite frankly, she's in a lifesaver because three days of her and her institutional.

N

Knowledge is far better. I was saying this earlier, there's active in five days of just like hey. I.

N

Don't know the answer either. Let me we'll figure it out together whatever next year. You know so.

N

um That's been a challenge. You know because some days like today we're trying to answer the.

N

Door and hand out meds and do the leaf blowing thing and also run the school, and you know so.

N

um But we're trying, as I think all of us are to be very strategic.

N

um With the resources that we have um subs, you know not, everyone wants to come to lister. We have.

N

Two subs that you know we we know we can trust. um I have one that I'm we're we're recruiting.

N

um So she's gonna start as well. um I think actually, this week, she'll be covering.

N

um For someone and um so got some work there, one thing I haven't been able to really focus on yet.

N

Is internship opportunities elos for our kids? We have, I think, only one right now that really.

N

Is utilizing it um and his experience? He just came back to us this quarter because he just felt like.

N

His experience with them like he was almost a little bit of a hindrance. um You know you want.

N

Our experiences to be a little more positive, um something that, like you, don't want to kill the.

N

Joy because, if they're there for an internship, there must be a reason right. They must have some.

N

Sort of joy or interest in that, um so I think one of the things that I'm going to be looking.

N

For is you know, what are those internships look like? What are the opportunities for our.

N

Kids, but like what are our expectations for when they're there like, I don't want to just send them.

N

Somewhere to have it be yeah, you did so many hours here. You know I want it to be meaningful.

N

um So I think that's something that I'm going to start looking at with the team to try and.

N

Figure out how we can make those um stronger. I think that goes back to you know using those.

N

Hopefully, strong connections that we're building with those organizations mentioned earlier.

N

Last one is like really nitpicking, but we're still sort of in the stone age um we're working with.

N

Mike parr to kind of get us digitized parents are going to really love that because they just hate.

N

Kind of redoing everything for us if they have multiple students in the district and we need it.

N

On paper, so um those are sort of the big things I think we can improve on there's always tons.

N

Of things you know for actually being reflective, which is a big piece of my thing. um Work related.

N

To school board goals: okay: um student wellness: I know we talked about that a lot about a lot today.

N

um Obviously, the implementation of restorative practices, a lot of the reasons kids get into.

N

Sticky situations because they don't have the skills to find their way through it.

N

um So those are things we need to build and make them feel okay receiving tutally.

N

John because sometimes again, feedback and our kids are not they just don't do well with that.

N

um We created a lot of interventions to kind of figure out what our kids need, but also to.

N

Kind of well not kind of to decrease student behavior student issues, um one of those crazy.

N

Ideas I had was to bring a system where, if a teacher thought a kid might need some time to.

N

Go and reflect- or maybe he was just like, I'm about to send you to steve and quite honestly,.

N

um Like I don't want to do that, but like that's where we're heading, um so I brought in this idea.

N

Of a solo where they go and they they sort of regroup. What got me sent outside of the class.

N

To kind of you know what did I need that sort of thing and my teachers took it and ran and created.

N

A frankenstein monster, as they always do, but it's so much better than I could have created because.

N

Now we have these stations and, if you ever come to the building, um because at the end, when we do.

N

Move I do plan on having one of those rage rooms you guys can come in ten dollars for five minutes.

N

um Yeah but their stations dedicated, for you, know, students kind of take a break and not.

N

Just because they're sent there by you know a teacher, they might realize whoo. I'm really.

N

Mad right now or I'm really frustrated, I can't figure out this math problem and I'm just gonna.

N

So they leave, we have an online pass system that I brought over from my previous place.

N

We're still getting the kinks out because going from a very large student population to 20.

N

um We're still learning that curve, but um they get to go to those stations and one of them is.

N

Coloring and sudoku- and it's just like get your mind off it right. It's a lot of the next one's.

N

A physical movement one something new we had it was those grip things that, like your grandparents.

N

Always had and like you didn't know why they were there, but they're they're walking around.

N

With them now so they really like them. I gotta probably stop them from doing that.

N

um Wall push-ups that sort of thing, and then we have another one where it's a lot of fidget toys.

N

Right just again trying to recenter and while they're there before they can come back, they.

N

Will fill out a form to give us feedback? In fact, one of the things we're supposed to do in our next.

N

Meeting is to look at that data so that it informs us from core to one. What how are interventions.

N

Working, what do we need to change? um What do our kids need? What are the reasons they're they're.

N

Taking these breaks for what are the things that like, we really need to support them with so.

N

um That is kind of been I'd, say pretty successful, because it I mean it has taken.

N

We've had kids ready to blow out of the building, which is like our biggest no-no.

N

um And they've been asked to kind of rethink their choice. Take a solo, that's what we call it.

N

um Solo time and they're able to kind of get their head back together and they made a good.

N

Choice not to leave the building so like we just completely got ahead of a potential like you know,.

N

Situation where usually when they leave, I have to call the cops and no one likes that right.

N

um So it takes a lot of listening. It takes a lot of time and it takes a lot of um the kids.

N

Are going to get a lot of learning in terms of the restorative piece too, like it's a it's a.

N

It's a it's a big piece, but it's going to be really, I think, a game changer for them anyway,.

N

I'm gonna stop talking you guys. If you have questions, I'd, be happy to answer them.

A

Thank you steve. Yes, um questions, carrie, dumb question um for your substitutes. You mentioned.

I

um Having a few that go, there is, do we like offer, or does the district offer like a day.

I

That they can come shadow or like substitutes in the district could come to check it out. Like is.

I

There anything I mean we're short subs anyway, so it's not like. I don't take it personally.

N

um I don't how I don't think we do. However,.

N

um It'd be more than happy to try and figure out how to create one or just have someone come in.

N

um You know I had someone come in for the assistant position interview a couple weeks ago in.

N

The moment I saw I came out to meet them and the moment I saw them look at the building and like.

N

The kids, I knew right then, and there it wasn't the right. You know so like it's. um I next year, it'll.

N

Be different right like when they come and they see possibly a new building. That's you know.

N

But I think a lot of the ideas you guys have come up with today. Like you know, I think we do need to.

N

Start thinking outside the box, I think um we have to get ahead of the curve instead of just trying.

N

To react because I think right now we're still in kind of reaction mode from the last three years. So.

G

um Now, hopefully, we can start putting our efforts into being a solution-based proactive.

A

Any other questions hope I had a couple questions for you, stephen. Thank you. I love.

H

The solo idea: oh thanks, that's awesome and I love that your team ran with it.

H

um And just listening to you about, like I'm, always fascinated when I listen to.

H

The directors from lister academy and what you guys do with honestly the little that.

H

You have I I'm I'm always amazed by that, and I applaud you guys to that. I'm also a little.

H

Flabbergasted, sometimes to hear what you guys are having to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

H

um Not with your students but with like trying to manage resources and manage you know.

H

Food being servable, I mean things, that's like how is that happening in our district.

H

And it's not something that any other building would even have to contemplate. um So I think I.

H

Really want to pay attention to those things, but in listening to you, I, I wonder: have you reached.

H

Out to the pack at phs and tried to partner, you know: that's their parent association, because we.

H

Often forget that lister is really part of our full community and part of our high school and.

H

I just wonder how you see that we can better integrate. um You know worcester academy, moving.

H

Forward into in our students into our community, where they can feel, maybe they already completely.

H

Feel that I don't know, but it just seems like sometimes in listening to the presentations.

H

There's a miss there and um it does to me feel as a parent in this community, sometimes listeners.

H

Over here and the rest of the communities over here- and I'm just wondering, are you thinking.

H

About that, as you move forward with a new building and new opportunities yeah, I tell zach all the.

N

Time just forget, we exist and just let me know I think, and if I have a problem I'll call you but.

N

um I yes, and no, because I've had situations this year where it has been said.

N

um Or had to be repeated that, like lister kids, are portsmouth kids right, um I've had to go fight for.

N

That sometimes, um but again, part of that is me being new and not knowing the systems and the.

N

Routines and the procedures and who's this and who's that so sometimes I'm just like. I need.

N

To fight for what's right for the kids and not realizing like the 30 000 but view I do think so,.

N

Like I've actually met with the kids program from the middle school and we're trying to figure out.

N

um Ways to maybe integrate that those two programs, while not just saying that, like the kids programs.

N

Are going to lead to you're going to be a lister kid? You know we're going to sign that right now,.

N

But we're looking for ways to kind of have those that integration.

N

I honestly one of those things about being new here is, like I didn't know what the pack was.

N

So thank you for that. That's something I'd actually be very interested in utilizing.

N

um I think you know with the move and people ask like: are you moving.

N

Closer to this high school, I'm, like I don't know, I think it's the exact same distance.

N

um But I I just feel like it's a page like you're turning the page on this error and, let's be honest,.

N

Like I love doing those things like I love like, I call it guerrilla warfare like what.

N

We do at lister is like what's right for kids and some of the things like you know. I came in.

N

I was like holy crap we're doing the right thing but um yeah. I don't feel great about that. Right.

N

um But it's what it's what's right for kids right and um I think the building has had a lot of.

N

Success, I think I'm happy that you know the plan, for it eventually is to remain or whatever they're.

N

Going to do with it, um but I think eventually, when we do move it's going to be culturally, not.

N

Just great for our kids, but like kids, who might actually be thinking like I had a tour today, who.

N

um The high school is just not for me, it is too big, and I am just stressed out and.

N

um At the moment, I'm at my limit for the high school, like in district students.

N

um But I've created a, I think, I'm allowed to do this. I hope jeanette um a wait list and.

N

I want kids to feel like. Oh I'm, not just gonna go to lister right like I want them to feel like.

N

Okay, the high school is not working for me and, like I, don't want to get lost, or maybe I maybe.

N

I'm just finding that I'm getting lost and like oh, I just don't, have my crowd or like whatever it is.

N

I want their option to be like I can list, there's an option, but right now I don't.

N

Know if, like that's, how they're all feeling the kids today did felt that way, and I was like yeah.

N

You're going to the top of the list, I want this one um you know and like I'm still working on.

N

The procedure like we're still working on, like that whole process of how you you know how you.

N

Hollister kid and um it's a team process. So sorry, I'm, like diverting from your question.

N

I do think there's opportunity. I do think um even like this, like we, we just had the.

N

Spirit week right and we actually couldn't figure out if we were going to have our own.

N

Spirit week or if we want to be part of the high school and I think, like we tried to have our own.

N

um Because, like getting everyone to the high school like it's, it's still just weird: it's like.

N

I don't think they do often feel like they're part of the portsmouth community, so I would actually.

N

Love to kind of talk about that a little bit as well as reach out to the pack to kind of see how.

N

They can support our kids, so thank you, danielle. Thank you. Okay. Now I get to really grill you.

K

um I actually wanted to jump in on that a little bit and then follow up with a question. But I think.

K

um One of the things that you might have sold yourself short on is that we have more kids.

K

Taking classes at the high school right now in one shot than we have in a long time, and that's.

K

A lot of advocacy on steve's part and I think that begins to break down there- is this old standing.

K

Stigma from before I was even hired about, I mean we still have people calling us pass, and that is.

K

So old right now, um so I do think what you said about having a new building is, in you know a page.

K

Turning, um I think we, as staff have also talked about. How do we break down that stigma from.

K

Outside and within, and that that you can't just say, oh but we're different than what you think.

K

And so we, as a staff, have been trying to be really creative about. How can we develop opportunities.

K

Not only for our kids to go there, but if we're offering unique programs or opportunities or.

K

Clubs here, how can we get more people in, but then it does come back to this building of.

K

We haven't exactly been proud to bring them in, um and so we are also looking forward to this great.

K

Opportunity that it is a new space where parents, not only our parents, but the parents of other.

K

Students would be proud to have their kids coming in and taking part of what we look at as not less.

K

Than it is just different, it's things offered in a completely different way and things like the.

K

um Internship, you know, I know it doesn't sound crazy, but when you have one student out of only.

K

20, that's a big percentage who have successfully completed it and then been able to say, and I'm.

K

Ready for something different and to then have steve, say that's fine and good, but we want to.

K

Make it better like how do we improve that and make it different and make it more attractive?.

K

um I do just, I also think you underplayed yourself on the restorative practice, and so.

K

I'm sorry to take advantage of my seat right now, um but I think what you said was was.

K

um It just didn't, do it justice and I think very often, lister becomes a little playground.

K

For trying things out for the district um because we're a smaller staff that can get.

K

On board a little faster that can be taught and- and we have the flexibility to maybe grab these.

K

And get a higher percentage on board, which is really nice, but I think one of the things we.

K

Undersell, to is that we're also working with a population who have higher stroke higher.

K

Rates of struggles or higher percentages within our population, struggling from similar things.

K

um And so steve has come in with this really progressive, but gentle approach of.

K

Like we need to do this slow, but it needs to be consistent and we have to get kids on board and.

K

And staff on board as well, but I do come back to the do. You think I think it was the same question.

K

That was asked us aaron. Do you think that this is something eventually that we could create equity.

K

Across the board, because I almost wonder similar to elos, we tried it at lister and I think it was.

K

A fantastic idea that we're now seeing rolling at the high school, but it was harder for us.

K

I think the same thing you can have this idea, I think, is getting a little bit of a rockier start.

K

Some somewhat because of our population, where I think, if this was taken to a district level,.

K

um Would have profound effects and would almost be a little bit smoother in its implementation.

K

If that makes sense, yeah, and I wonder if having worked at a larger district.

K

Prior, if you would agree with that that this is something that could benefit.

K

Other buildings in similar ways, if not even having quicker effects, not greater effects but quicker.

N

There it's a great question. uh One of the things daniel also said is like.

N

Often they're like oh it's it's less than but like sometimes lister, is often more than because.

N

Of like how small it is and how we can get very strategic, and you know the teachers they.

N

They're helping to serve they're, helping like they do everything right, um they're case managers.

N

They're, anyway, daniel's question. Yes, I think this is this, isn't just a lister thing, in fact,.

N

It is a little rough because you're you're, you have to break down a lot of their preconceived.

N

Notions you have to break, you have to earn a lot of their trusts and, quite honestly,.

N

um When they end up at our school at our program, it you know you kind of have to build them back.

N

Up because of the place that they're in and they're, not in the best place, I had.

N

Three crying parents today, all I wanted to do after meeting with our superintendent was try.

N

To figure out how to find this leaf, buster's house and figure out what it was all about.

N

um The kids are great, but the parents they're struggling too right.

N

um So there's their skills that they don't even get from home. So, like yeah, our kids, it's tough.

N

We're breaking them down and rebuilding them and reprogramming them to be empathetic to be kind.

N

To be accountable to appreciate each other and to be able to trust that they can lean on each.

N

Other, which is something I think, we've all kind of lost a little bit as a society. um But there's.

N

Like any other school, you know you're you're, already ident. I mean we're starting to do this.

N

Now but you're gonna identify the student leaders, the ones that are going to buy in and what we did.

N

At sanborn, previously, where I was at, was that you start getting that small group, and then it expands.

N

And then, when the kids deal with the restorative practices- and you know whether, like they've gotten.

N

In trouble for something or they're in an argument with a friend and oh now, there's this mediation.

N

But now it may not even be coming from from. I forget where they call me now, because it lists.

N

Are its first names which is still weird to me, but I used to be k, um but now I'm steve so.

N

You know it may not necessarily be coming from me because for the kids I've had for four years or.

N

Three years, they're trying even two like they've, been trained enough to like handle mediations.

N

um So it's a buy-in not just from the top. You know it's it's from the bottom up.

N

Like the kids are what drives it and then the teachers sort of see it. um You will have some.

N

Some staff that are a little trepidatious that it's another two-year thing that will go away.

N

It's not it's not, but there's a difference also between what it is in a school setting and what.

N

It is in like the criminal justice setting right- that's still restorative justice, that this is not.

N

um So there's there's a lot of opportunity in the district to do it and to do it right. It.

N

Takes time takes resources, it takes this book that I just got the teachers that is like my.

N

New bible I've been showing it to everyone in the district because I'm really excited about.

N

um But yeah it is a reprogramming of what we do, but it's what our kids need and that's where I'm.

N

Going to just end the answer to that question: okay, are there any other questions, marco ian.

D

You want to go first in go ahead, all right, uh hi steve, I am I I was wondering uh how many total.

D

Students, you have and how many are in district and how many of district right now we have 20.

N

We'll do 20. and one out of district student. I believe we started with two and he just kind of.

N

Found himself dedicating his life to the military, um so there's a process going on there and.

N

um We do have one potentially starting next week. He came in a couple weeks ago for a tour and.

N

Now that things are starting to settle in his life, um we're able to kind of accommodate him.

N

um Well, I know it's often changes dave, I mean it can change. I mean there are times.

N

When I thought we were going to lose a kid for various reasons and then it didn't happen.

N

um You know, then, kids, who you know the one that just left. I did not see that happening.

N

um So you know it's: it's sometimes pretty fluid fluid yeah yeah thanks, michael thanks, steve.

E

um I don't know if mine are questions more observations. I love that we started with aaron.

E

Talking about seal block and we're ending with you talking about starting the weekend and in the week.

E

With circle time, I I like, when we start to have programmatic changes that overlap, whether they.

E

Were intentional or not so to me, that's always a great sign. I guess that takes me forward to I've.

E

Always been really impressed with the ingenuity coming out of lister and I'm I'm hopeful that you.

E

And your staff and the students get a large voice in how we envision the space at community campus.

E

Because I think you're right, I think what we're hearing tonight is. We are going to have to be.

E

Creative in how we do things, because I think staffing challenges are going to be there. I think.

E

um Behavioral needs mental health needs are going to be there, and I, I think we talk about this solo.

E

Program that you're doing and other things I I hope that you have a seat at the table. I heard.

E

The cities, putting together a focus group on community campus, sometimes I feel like they're.

E

Thinking about well, we have a section set aside for lister and then there's everything else, but.

E

School doesn't just happen in the walls of the school, so much of lister has been about service.

E

Learning, and so I I think it would be imperative that you are staff members on that focus group to.

E

Talk about how we're utilizing some of the space there for our service learning opportunities.

E

Or some of our trust work opportunities that we're doing so and then I would also see it in.

E

Light of what danielle's talking about, I do think there's an opportunity for us to use the service.

E

Learning at lister as a case study for how do we roll it out larger? It exists as a class at phs.

E

And at lister and nowhere else and yet we have a board goal of community and opportunity, we're.

E

Not doing that and the need is there, the success stories are there. So I I it's my.

E

Hope that as we go forward and we think about designing community campus, we really think about.

E

Not just designing lister but designing those connections that connect lister.

E

Roll it into the greater portsmouth school district and find those success stories and.

E

Branch them out like the circle time and seal block. That's a great overlap like.

E

We need to be doing that more. So I guess I didn't have questions. I had observations. I'm sorry.

N

um Thank you I uh I have. I think the team has rather had an opportunity to.

N

Up to this point at least, and I'm sure it will continue to have a say in what it looks like in.

N

Fact it's kind of changed a few times. I think. Even since I've been there- um and you know it's, it's.

N

As it happens, they've been keeping me in the loop. So, okay, I think that'll for you great.

A

Any other questions lisa. This is maybe an observation more than a question two, but.

J

In listening to what you're saying about the need to better integrate, lister with.

J

The broader high school community and ports of the community- I just wonder.

J

As we're going forward, if there's things that we can think about and just changing big picture.

J

How we do things as a district so that more opportunities for extracurriculars or sports.

J

Or other things can have moments when they are, you know more accessible to people who might.

J

Not want a huge crowd or might have other sort of needs, because I mean beyond those 20 kids there's.

J

Going to be lots of other kids, who might be like oh pep, rallies really suck because they're too.

J

Loud and too crowded, but I still have school spirit and maybe there's other ways. So I was.

J

Just thinking that might be a thread that we want to keep in our minds, just as we're.

J

Thinking broadly about where we want to go as a district, because there might be things you're,.

J

Doing that we could actually carry over it's kind of like in line with what hope was saying.

J

Steve. Thank you very much. Thank you guys very interesting. You know where to find me if you.

N

Ever need me. Thank you to all three of our presenters tonight. Yeah. It's interesting and.

A

Insightful presentations, we thank you, do not feel like you should stay. Yeah do not feel like yeah.

A

um Okay, next on the agenda is uh superintendent's report.

B

Okay, so um several uh items, uh some of which- and I appreciate um that I hand carried a couple of a.

B

Couple of these uh this evening, thanks to uh the uh event that I was at uh that nancy mentioned.

B

But we'll start with the the budget meeting uh scheduled draft that is included in your packet.

B

Nathan, nathan and I worked in conjunction with uh paulette and then checked with the city uh around.

B

Kind of making sure that these timelines met was what was going to be necessary uh on their end.

B

This basically reflects what you've utilized in the past is my understanding, uh and I don't know.

B

If anyone has any questions or concerns about about utilizing a very similar process, sorry.

E

Are you going to let us know ahead of time what um what's going to be covered in those workshops.

E

So we can prep with the budget book and to prepare what to look at. I believe, and I think that's early.

O

In the process we'll talk about who? What, when I think this came out a little earlier, this cycle.

O

Than it has in the past, because the city's getting out a little earlier preliminarily with the city.

G

Council and they needed most importantly to know when our public hearings are going to be okay, so.

O

That could be part of the city's public document. Okay, so we're a little bit further away. We were.

B

Mapping out in a little bit more detail than this, some some of the beyond the meetings, the actual.

B

Steps in our process, uh both both we kind of back, mapped from the city side, all the way back through.

B

To us, and then even before these, these things happen or the steps we're taking with our staff.

B

um So we're in terms of like the knights that particular you know things would.

B

Be appearing, we haven't fully worked out yet, but, as nathan said, some of this is is.

B

um The cities need to to at least have this much mapped out got it.

H

um I just had a quick as we're looking at plugging in um what the work sessions are going to be one.

H

Thing that was brought up last year that I would love to revisit, is when the budget requests are.

H

Brought to the board this particular year, I would appreciate also understanding um what.

H

Requests were denied and um how many times those requests have been presented or denied, and why.

H

um And I also would appreciate if there could just be some thought around how we're going to increase.

H

Communication around the budget process getting out the word of public hearings and feedback and.

H

How people need to make budget requests? Just so? Maybe we don't have an 11th hour surprises.

H

um And and hopefully can increase some engagement around that.

B

It's interesting so so one of the things I've been trying to um I've heard, I don't know if it was in.

B

The last cycle of four cycles ago, or whatever some conversation is new. This would be a new experience.

B

For me, around the administration uh under the superintendent having a process for a budget.

B

Proposal that would be, you know, is developed and then brought to you and then having.

B

I don't know if it's a full-blown culture or just some experiences where then groups of staff.

B

Members who have already had an opportunity to go through an internal process um through the through.

B

Their directors uh or principals and then up through central office and then decisions are made.

B

About what we're going to present to you, then come after the fact to say: well, we don't like that. Our.

B

Thing wasn't included and then directly directly advocate to the board around those opportunities. I.

B

Don't know I've been told that that has occurred at different times. I wonder about that. That has.

B

Not been the way in which I've approached my budgets in the past, there is enough your.

B

Opportunity as a staff member is at the beginning of the formalized process through which the.

B

um uh I, as your chief employee, would present to you a budget and we go through that process and.

B

That's your opportunity to advocate that's your opportunity to talk talk about what it is that you.

B

Would like to to see happen if it doesn't happen, you it's not like. There's like uh now we're gonna.

B

Go to round two boss and I'm going directly to uh directly to the board uh to uh and I'm gonna show.

B

Up with 12 teachers and 14 parents, who are going to say that the thing that you uh as my supervisor.

B

Didn't didn't push forward was the incorrect decision, so I don't, and that might not be what.

B

You're referring to, but I'm thinking about that in terms of like what requests were denied and.

B

um It's an interesting one, so I I bring it up because I think we have never at least.

H

um Since I've been serving on the board and just in past of being a a parent viewing board.

H

um I don't think the board even fully understood how requests were brought up to the admin team.

H

Or they're building heads and then brought up from there to superintendent and then.

H

Brought up to us so um I think it would be helpful to understand that, but I I think.

H

um There is a need for some education around. I just think it's it's. It helps.

H

With a fair and transparent process right so that there's never one point of authority that.

H

um If, if a teacher or many teachers or an admin feels that there is a need for quest and that.

H

Has been proposed many many times and it's not funneling up or bubbling up, I should say funneling.

H

Bubbling up to the top, the board should be aware of that, and, and it may be very well the reason.

H

Being like, we are revisiting it in another way or we are putting dollars towards this objective in a.

H

Different way or that's phase three not right now, um but I think it's just a matter of transparency.

H

Education and communication out to the public, as well as to the board, if that makes sense, I think.

B

It makes sense, I just think what I worry about is creating a two-tiered process um and that that.

B

Yeah, I I and then it's so if we're like here's our budget proposal, which is and here if we could.

B

Transparently, say in a lot of detail: here's how initial here's, how no no the truth is, I'm going.

B

To principles- and I'm saying here, you're marching orders on on how I want you to create your to.

B

um Here's your guidelines and I'd be very transparent with the board. This is what I'm asking.

B

Principals to do um and then and they're going to have conversations with their staff and they're.

B

Going to present to to uh to nathan patty- and I primarily here is this here- are these uh proposals.

B

That we think are advancing the end, the the goals of the board uh and, as your uh principal to school,.

B

This is my best professional recommendation as to what and then we're going to push them on that.

B

And we may or may not accept their recommendations. We were trying to make all these other pieces work.

B

And we want to hit certain numbers or we um or we have concerns about the ability to staff the.

B

Position, it could be any of those things. Then we build up our proposal. We present our we present.

B

uh Our proposal proposal with our rationale as to why we want it to be a certain way. I.

B

Then I'm trying to imagine like it's like well, here's our proposal and here's the appendix of.

B

Things that people talk to a principal about that we didn't do, um I don't think necessarily you're.

H

Looking at it in that grow of a level, I think just having an understanding of at lister academy or.

H

At the high school level, or at this grade level, here's something else that has been proposed to.

H

You know us many times and the reason that we feel like it did not make the cut just having an.

H

Understanding of why something may have not made the cut sure I think can be helpful information.

H

um Again in educating the board and alleviating the fact that if someone does come to a board.

H

Member, they can have understanding why that didn't, make the cut um and and have some history around.

H

Those details I I would find that helpful as a board member understanding the process. Okay, thank.

H

You hope brian kerry echo part of that zack, even just like from my perspective, it's more of like.

C

Even an aggregate of like, but what the pressure is down and the pressure is up, yep really just.

C

More yeah trying to understand what that is, and is that pressure because we're saying the budget.

C

Has to be this yep, whereas the pressure yeah, you don't really need that position or right. I need.

G

To be able to do this, so we're just trying to understand, I think in the past it hasn't.

C

Been very transparent for us yeah, so that's just like these are the positions we need. If we could.

C

Peel that back a little bit yeah again, I don't. I don't think we need the litany of from these.

G

For all the masks, but thank you brian carrie, I would say echo at hope and brian also said. um I.

I

Think in just steve's here- and he can pick on him while he's here but like if steve comes back with.

I

A budget- and it says I don't need any increases, I'm good and then his staff comes to the board.

I

And says: here's all the things I asked for that's a huge red flag, so I I almost think not having.

I

Increases at all with no rationale was the trigger for concern before, if that's helpful, okay, that's.

B

Because that's what I'm trying to understand! What's the opaqueness that people want to yeah.

I

I think even just an outline of this is how input was solicited we didn't have before I mean the.

I

Other thing that came up- and I think it might be- I I guess my recommendation would just be free. You.

I

Patty and nathan to talk about this, but it was my first process, so I it was brand new, but that.

I

Budget items were put in by board members from prior budgets or brought forward and just like.

I

So if I'm really passionate about pickleball- and I want a full-time pickleball person like where.

I

That comes in right, so I do think that it might be in the best interest of the process to have.

I

A conversation with the board prior to that prior to the budgeting process. Does that make sense? Yes,.

I

Around board goals and where that fits in so no I I would say- and this is a broader.

B

Conversation so it was coming off a question so, but I would say what the process that I'm used.

B

Process I've experienced in the past has been the board.

B

um Kind of creating some broad guardrails around, like generally a proposal that we would be most.

B

Interested in would include these types of fiscal considerations and would do x, y or z, things.

B

Than that, then I use that to turn into working with my people around. You know we want to. We.

B

Want to create something for you that you want. um Can I go ahead? I just want to say something with.

A

All of my experience, if you notice here, we have workshop one two, three four: those workshops are.

A

Subjects that the board wants to discuss, so we can say workshop. One is elementary schools workshop.

A

Two is special ed, whatever we design those work sessions, that's the time, in my opinion, when the.

A

Board can say: let's have this: let's have that. Let's have this, let's have that and then the.

A

Administrators, you know, after those work sessions craft the budget so or you've already, given us the.

A

Budget but it can be changed so to me those work sessions, those workshop sessions of the are the.

A

Opportunity that the board has to have some input into the budget, we decide with those workshop.

A

Sessions are, and then we discuss with the budget maker. So let's say it's special ed jeanette would.

A

Come and she would talk to us about special ed in in what her main concerns are, and then we can.

A

Work with you and nathan, am I right about that yeah I mean you've been with us for a couple of.

A

Budgets, yeah absolutely- and I I don't remember in each year when the conversation started, but.

O

I think zach and patty- and I have talked recently about you- know the school, the school board being.

O

Queried on where the? Where are the interests in terms of who comes to those different nights and.

O

What are the, what are the we just? We just talked about that a lot the last budget session. Maybe we.

O

Don't want to talk about that this year, but we definitely want to dig into something different.

A

Okay and and quite frankly, I mean you know we were all new last year when we were doing the budget.

A

And we had some students come and make request at the last minute and we honored that request.

A

And technically that was not the right way for the board too, if you, if a group of students have.

A

A request they go to their teacher, the teacher goes to the principal the principal comes to.

A

You technically, we should not, in my opinion, have approved that request. But again we were all new.

A

And you know it was an awkward time I think for us, but I think we should try to refine that a little.

A

Bit this year and um not have that happen again degree lisa just quickly. I think that goes back.

J

To exactly what hope and brian and carrie were saying, and we communicate at the beginning: okay,.

J

Like tell parents tell people in the community, teachers and staff had an opportunity to bubble.

J

Up all of their suggestions, principals reviewed it they report to us. We bring it back to you.

J

Because I think not having that piece up front super clear it kind of becomes the wild west.

J

Yeah and you'll see the emails, come into the board and sure every single one of them like.

J

Nobody wants to tell a teacher that the thing that they say they really need to do their job.

J

They can't right absolutely appreciate it. Yeah! Okay. Can we move on okay back? The next item is.

B

Item uh it's the work calendar. It just lays out the um are sketched out on presentations.

B

um Going forward when you would, with the cycle of uh rotations would be uh you know, I think.

B

What would be what's interesting is when we, as we develop agendas going forward. We talked about.

B

um We were originally looking at these as like 10 minute presentations with five minutes of.

B

Questions we didn't quite hit that mark uh uh tonight. So instead of a half an hour, we.

B

Were when you know we were clocking in an hour and a half um which is great, because these are.

B

People who have on the ground information that you need and for you to have the ability to ask.

B

Some questions is really important, but we want to think about in terms of whether or not some of our.

B

Schedule is overly ambitious in terms of two in the night. Yes, maybe one's all we can do um if.

B

If we're gonna have, if we're gonna, have this level of uh definitely not three three yeah yeah steve.

B

Coming out of the bullpen late so uh but anyways but anyways, this was our intended rotation at the.

B

Moment uh to get to get a spread of folks, but you know if we want to reshuffle things a little bit.

B

Maybe that's maybe that we want to do that. I don't know okay, we can talk about that. Okay, okay, next is.

A

Oh uh communications update, so that was so. That was one of the hand carries.

B

um You have a um you, have a memo for me, a couple pages just kind of walking through uh the both.

B

Where this kind of the conversations that have been occurring or review of the conversations.

B

We've been having around communications generally uh the the fact that it kind of an end with the.

B

New, the revised timeline on what I think I can what I think the next steps would be in get in.

B

Formalizing a communications plan, uh and but then I also wanted you to be aware, is like, while the.

B

Plans being formalized, there's a lot of a lot of things that you have collectively talked about.

B

As potential concerns are, are already things that are fixed or in are in the process of being fixed.

B

uh Already that does not you know, it doesn't mean that there's not much more to come in the.

B

um Perform wise plan, but I did want you to be aware- and I know you are aware of some of these.

B

Things, but I wanted to make sure that you had a little bit of broader picture about them. uh Also.

B

I just want to make sure I I try to have caveats in there when, when things were not universal, I.

B

Wanted to try to be really clear that, like this is we're making movement on this particular subtitle.

B

That is not necessarily perfect um so far, so I don't want to over. I never want to oversell.

B

So but I don't know if anyone had any questions concerning the memo yeah, we had to thank you. This.

E

Was super helpful and um it's nice to know what's happening? um Often we don't always know all the.

E

Finer details right: you see the end product, but we had discussed in the retreat when we.

E

Brought up communication that, after the plan is implemented, I thought it had been part of a big.

E

Discussion that we wanted to assess against the benchmark sort of use the spring as a as.

E

A testing as a as a laboratory period so that when you roll that, in with the strategic plan.

E

By the fall, we are really hitting the ground with best practice, so I'm wondering if, after you know,.

E

Board discussion of the plan and implementation, we can just not drop that piece about figuring.

E

Out a way to assess- and that could be part of the strategic plan processes we're assessing.

F

It the timeline may not add up, but I just wanted to. We had brought that up in the retreat gotcha.

I

Carrie, this kind of jumps ahead a little bit to the school board committees, but I think that.

I

This committee is so we have like school board standing committees, but this committee was just.

I

School board members correct what committee the community communications? No, absolutely not. Okay, no.

I

Never mind, though, so it is okay, it is comparable to facilities policy but didn't, but those.

I

Committees are not ones the school board created, or it is historically, I mean historically all.

E

Those committees on there, the standing committees were at one time established by the school board.

E

So just thinking about, like the wellness committee is really district run right because.

H

That's a gold board. No, it's not. It's listed the school board. It is. It is.

E

Because it supports this it any standing committee is one that directly supports.

E

A board goal that was created when we had the board goal of wellness, so it directly.

E

Serves the purpose of that which we can talk about during the committee process.

E

But it's district run.

H

It's not ran and historically, it hasn't been ran. As a school board. Wellness only came about.

E

Two years ago I know, and it's been ran more like district ran no different than our other.

E

Standing committees like facilities, all of those are the same. That's why it's a standing committee.

E

Was communications the only one that was because my apologies, but you were the chair right.

I

Or of the committee I was no, I wouldn't say I was the child. Okay,.

A

Why do we wait till we get to the committee's? uh Well, I guess my my question was: is there.

I

A need for a like I'm just trying to find figure out where this memo sits.

I

And who was on the committee- which I guess I understand from the board assignments? Who.

I

From the board was on the committee that you shouldn't confused, the memo is from.

H

Your superintendent, that's not from the committee. The committee had nothing to do.

H

With that that that's exact update to you yes around communication within this district, it.

H

Has nothing to do with the committee okay? So I guess I guess my question with the memo then is.

I

Based on the recommendation and the futures of the committee, this this communications.

I

Committee, I guess my question is beyond what did the other people think on the committee.

H

I think aren't we talking about that at com yeah? I think we should wait with that on the.

E

Agenda committee updates, okay, yeah and it's a specific agenda item of the communications.

E

Committee, because it had been requested as a agenda item last meeting, do you see it.

E

Carrie, no just committees, I have blue ribbon committee for sustainable practices and then.

E

Under is committee assignments under old business, where we talk about school board committees under.

I

Committee assignments: that's a good place to roll that question. Memo received understood.

E

That I agree: that's confusing! Okay with you on that, okay, getting back to our agenda strategic.

A

Plan updates that any other communications- oh yeah. um Oh I'm, sorry. I thought we were finished.

A

Lisa, okay, I'm gonna, say this in 30 seconds. um I just wanted to raise one other thing that.

J

I did mention to zach that has come up pretty consistently, which was to try to do something.

J

About our district calendar so that people can better understand when school is in session.

J

um That's it: okay, we'll work on that lisa, okay, anything else.

A

Big plan update, um actually, I kind of follow-up real quick, oh sure, so was it and I'm paulette and.

B

I were trying to talk about this today, based on your email um is the so is it's just the.

B

In session stuff, I was thinking it was more like events like it is trying to reframe from starting.

J

That entire conversation right, no, I just want to talk. It was like. I thought it was uh yeah.

P

I'm like more than that, okay, ever yeah yeah and it doesn't overlap, so you could be scheduled as.

E

A if you have a child in two different schools you likely have pta at the same time same night.

E

Right which doesn't make sense, it doesn't go up as a conflict, sure gotcha yeah. It's not.

H

Really that we even have one district calendar, we have multiple scattering, so that was one of those.

P

That the committee was talking about of how we can condense down to one district calendar.

H

And there were platform and software and all kinds of things that, like lisa, said we.

H

Don't want to get into tonight advice that can happen to work on that for us. Oh thank you. Zach.

A

Now strategic plan update, so strategic plan was another uh hand, carry um and um the quick.

B

Version was that you know recap it, because this was particularly late. um I just when we walked.

B

Away from the last meeting, I think the intent was we had come to a conceptual agreement upon the rfp.

B

um There were a couple little fine tweaks, we're going to do and then we're based on the discussion, then we're giving it to the city for the city to go through its process and if.

B

The city needed to attach anything that would, I think, was kind of pro forma city stuff. That.

B

Was going to happen and off it would go, and we had talked. I think that night we had talked this.

B

Is now a couple weeks ago, we were hoping that by the end of the week or the beginning of the.

B

Next that we could be out in circulation so um as the city went through its process, we then.

B

Ended up sitting with legal uh last night actually uh and having a conversation where uh there were.

B

Some things that we thought were automatics that would reflect the intent of the board.

B

Which was adding like a non-discrimination uh clause that was a typical thing that they do.

B

But then we had some additional conversation where there was some dialogue about again.

B

Not the not a restriction on you cannot put this. We would not allow you to put this out.

B

As a city, unless you do these things, however, our legal advice would be that you, you would.

B

um Remove possible liability really from cranky vendors, who don't get? Who don't get.

B

Picked uh if you were more a little bit, you know not didn't, have to be totally explicit.

B

About all the aspects of who is choosing and how is it being chosen, but if you had some.

B

A little bit more than you had in what we put forward so um so I thought it was appropriate.

B

Because it was that was conceptual in terms of change to at least come back very quickly,.

B

Since we just had this happen to briefly discuss with you and see what we wanted to do, hope, kerry.

H

That's a shift from past legal advice with our old our refugees and yeah huge. So um but I know.

H

We have our new legal representation, um but the the point of like who's, picking the winning winner.

H

We, it was even stated- I don't recall by whom, um in our last meeting, that that was you and.

H

Patty, so I was like a little confused of why that question was on there and then regarding to the.

H

Criteria, what would guide this election process again? That seems like that would be a rubrics.

H

That you and patty would come up with in in the event that you're going to be working, the most.

H

Immediate and long term, with this consultant um and and if you're going to be the ones for.

H

Viewing the proposals that are coming in so I I didn't really quite understand. If that's the case.

H

Of the the facts of information, why you would be even recommending that it needs to go back.

H

To a committee versus being able to move forward and get it out on the street and get proposals in.

H

um So let me clarify for me, I just want to make sure I think this is because.

B

When we talk to when we reach out- and we talk to people who are doing some of this work, I think.

B

Marty, you mentioned it when one you reach out to a vendor and they're like. Why is the board.

B

Reaching out on this, you know so why this typically and they're almost skeptical, like.

B

Something wrong that you're asking you as a board member are asking this stuff, as opposed to uh your.

B

Paid administrative staff- I just want to make sure, because it has been it's been such a high prior.

B

Priority for the board and um we've gotten in some some good, strong, robust dialogue about it. That.

B

I didn't just go ahead and do it on my do it on my own, and now there are times where I'm you know.

B

I feel like I should be empowered to do stuff, I'm totally fine with if the board would say yes we're.

B

Fine with exactly what you just proposed, which would be going back to nobody- and we just take.

B

Care of it, so we can get it out, quick, uh I'm very happy to do that. uh I just wanted to make sure in.

B

Light of this being the one or two key things we want to do this year, the people are okay with it.

H

Because it does seem to me that we've provided around like budget content, we provided a lot.

H

Of info around what needs to be out there, what needs to be the criteria, so I would certainly.

H

Propose to the board that we move forward with you and patty, taking the lead and getting it.

H

Out on the street for proposals to come in, I don't know if the rest of the board agrees with.

Q

That, but that would be interesting to do that I can make a motion clarify. Are you saying that.

E

um They can make those changes, the proposal and it goes out. Are you also saying that they picked.

E

The final vendor, or that they narrowed down and the board votes on the final vote. Well, my.

H

Understanding from the last meeting originally, I thought the board was going to vote on two vendors.

H

Like but but then from the last meeting it was stated in that meeting that it was going to be.

H

Picked by patty and zach and all the board nodded their heads. Yes, and the continued conversation.

H

Continued so I thought maybe I'd misunderstood somewhere. I I at this point saw that we have.

H

Been very transparent with the public as a board member, I would be comfortable with them. Selecting.

H

Again, I think the board has put out publicly what we're looking for in criteria we have put out the.

H

Rfp in our packets we have put out and been very transparent around budget and the fact that we.

H

May be working with this consultant in a more longer term view of that for operational. So I I.

H

Don't see what we have not already made public, I'm personally comfortable, leaving that to the.

H

Resolve of our superintendent, but I can only speak for myself as a okay. We have carrie and then lisa.

A

And mago, I would say, as a committee member, I'm absolutely fine with uh with zach and patty and.

I

Whoever making that decision and putting it out- and I think just to be more specific- it.

I

Does appear that there's consensus right now, but um just I think the only thing we should.

I

Talk about as a board and I'm happy to go with your recommendation is who is picking the winning.

I

Vendor, because that sounds like a a question that came up and was mentioned but wasn't discussed.

I

So I'm comfortable with that as long as we have them, you propose something now and we agree on it.

A

Okay, let's hear from lisa and then marco, I just wanted to quickly remind everyone. We also said, as.

J

Part of reviewing the rfp the last time around that we were making the changes that everybody.

J

Recommended and we empowered nathan to go back to legal and finance and make their changes and.

J

I agree with what everyone else is saying. I mean, I think if you have a rubric, I don't really see.

J

That go in other city rfts. I checked them, yes, so why they are singling you out to create some.

J

Giant thing is a little odd. Like I looked at all of them, they don't have them. So if.

G

There's a special recommendation just because we're the school department- I don't know why.

J

That would be all right. I want to make sure that the good that that I want to make sure I don't.

B

Characterize the advice, the advice we got and the nature it wasn't heavy-handed it was it was it.

B

Was just coming down and saying: look: we've we've talked about it. If you want here's, I mean it was.

B

Here's a cautious way you could approach this and so we're getting so it wasn't. Don't we're.

B

Not going to take it, we're not going to put it out if it doesn't include these things.

B

I you know, I would advise that you consider these things, but potentially before you send it out, but.

B

You know so that's where it was that's where it was, and I just want to make sure that you you.

B

Collectively were aware, because I felt it was um conceptually different enough than what we.

B

Had talked about, that was a change and nathan, and I looked at I looked at nathan. I just said.

B

I feel like this is different enough, potentially, if we're going to do it that if all of a sudden I.

B

Tacked on I took the advice I tacked on a rubric and it's you know: zach is going to decide and we.

B

Hadn't had the discussion that that potentially could have gone south depending on what sounds.

B

Like we have a consensus, we're fine, but I wanted to make sure brian. I think um my expectations were.

C

The same as hope good, but I I would say for for transparency, it would be nice when a vendor is.

C

Picked to show why they were picked sure and what the rationale was and that whatever the rubric.

C

Used or their scoring or whatever the system is um so the public can hear it. We can hear it.

C

That's what I was going to say, brian and then my follow-up would be I I really. I actually.

E

Disagree with the suggestions, I think a lot. I think it's fine to add the non-discrimination.

E

Language- I really, I don't understand it. I don't know why it's so off cue with all.

E

The other rfps I feel like it's playing your cards. I actually feel like it's bad practice.

E

um And I'm super anxious about time. We are now late on our divine, I want to add the language.

E

And get it out tomorrow personally and anything else we add is going to delay and we're behind.

E

I agree with all those components and I hope I hope uh I I hope that you collectively understand.

B

I have no problem going and doing this. It's just been, you know, there's been times where.

B

We have some very pointed uh exchanges about about what this is and what it should be and.

B

Because we had had done that multiple times, I wanted to make sure if there was um if there was.

B

The potential that someone looked as a major change that that I didn't just undertake it.

B

Without coming back to you, so do we need to vote? I don't even think so. I don't think so.

E

And will you send an email to the board when it's published yeah? Yes, yes, because and that's our you.

B

Know I I'm as frustrated with you as you are that it's like we're. Just having that conversation, I.

B

Don't blame anybody, but it's like it's like disappointing I'll say that not frustrating.

B

Disappointing that we were just having that conversation last night, yeah yeah, sorry pip has.

M

A comment, thank you. I just wanted to make sure I'm understanding correctly that right now we're just.

M

um Are we actually voting? First of all, I think we decided we just decided we're not empowering yes,.

G

Okay, but um but the question of who is picking the vendor did we also agree to.

M

That that we're empowering our superintendent, so we will not have a vote on that. We will not.

M

Approve that the superintendent assistant superintendent will choose the vendor. Okay,.

A

But will give us the rationale why they chose the one they chose. Okay,.

D

Applaud, based on my understanding, is based on the criteria that we've already been included.

H

In rfp and around budgetary constraints, yes, thank you. Thank you is everyone else.

B

Thankful, thank you very helpful. Okay and I apologize if it felt overly like we were.

B

Taking a step we didn't need to, but because we just have the conversation lessons thanks.

B

Can you just finish out with what is under item zip information? Please.

B

uh Let's see um and then so we had uh just policy committee minutes. uh We it's interesting.

B

And paula and I've been having this conversation traditionally, policy committee minutes have fallen.

B

Under the superintendent's report, we kept them there, but I always feel like we get there and.

B

It's like hey, they're here and we'll use them later, uh but they're here and it's been it's.

B

So my understanding is, it's always been there and we had this back and forth uh washington.

B

Dc I'm like, should we just move it um and it's like? No, let's just keep it the way it.

B

Is and have a quick conversation with the board, but I feel like it should just live with the.

B

Policy either committee reviews or policy the actual policy stuff when we get to it because.

B

Really this explanation of the rationale, the policy committee as to why it's doing.

B

Certain things so anyways it's here, I agree: I intend to move it in the future, so I agree.

E

um Okay, so that so do we need a motion to move it in the future. We don't need that. No we'll.

B

Just do it we'll just give you, it feels unanimous yep um all right that brings us. Did you have a.

E

Question pip: no, that brings us to school board committees. I hope it's on the screen, because.

E

I just got locked out of my own computer for some reason. No, oh it's back yeah. I had a senior.

E

You're welcome to my life, okay, so just to remind you that nancy- and I had planned this for our.

E

Second retreat, because we had so many different board members and city council was also taking.

E

A look at their committees and how committees are held, so we had planned this for the second.

E

Retreat we had such an engaging conversation about our board goals that we ran out of time.

E

um Something new and different for this board, so I will roll through it quickly. I don't know.

E

If it's, I guess it can't go onto the screen, so you have it in front of you. um The first was the.

E

Common questions, those are the questions that kept percolating among different board. Members would.

E

Come up to nancy or myself or zach, and we felt it was time to really clarify the difference between.

E

A standing committee of the board versus an ad hoc, the purpose of the school board committees.

E

Versus the city committees that we have a board member on the role of the board member on the.

E

Committees who chairs etc et cetera, so the point of the presentation was really just to clarify.

E

That so, if you follow along, um as we mentioned earlier, when it came up with carrie's question,.

E

So we have standing committees of the board and we have ad hoc committees. Standing committees exist.

E

In perpetuity and membership is not specifically limited to board members, but board members and.

E

Non-Board members and the purpose of the standing committees is that they assist the board in doing.

E

The work of the board, which is you know, we all know our jobs. It's it's budget, it's policy. It's.

E

Hire and evaluate a superintendent as well as growth of board goals and execution on.

E

Board goals, so anything related to that would be considered a standing committee. So when you slide.

E

Down our current standing committees, as of today is communications facilities, policy wellness, those.

E

Are our standing board committees, um those and the I briefly in there is there? Is you know what is.

E

Their purpose, how many times do they meet? How many board members are on it and who is currently on.

E

Our on this board assigned to those committees, now that's not to be confused with our school district.

E

Standing committees, those are ones that are owned by the district, not owned by the board, but there's.

E

A board member presence on them and that's the business, educational collaborative futures, joint.

E

Loss committee again those exist in perpetuity, they are standing committees, but they are not.

E

Board owned per se, because the work that they do goes beyond the scope of the work of the board. But.

E

Those are ones that we have board representation on, which is why we have board members assigned to.

E

Them that also lists when they meet now. The big question that comes up is okay, so how.

E

Do the standing committees differ from the ad hoc committees in general, the simplest way to look at.

E

An ad hoc committee is an ad hoc committee. Is a a fine slice, a singular purpose in mind of the work.

E

That they do so, our our negotiation committees are actually ad hoc committees, because they are only.

E

Negotiating in a short window of time, a specific contract, but we don't disband them because they're.

E

Cyclical, so they keep coming up the superintendent search committee. That was an ad hoc committee that.

E

Had the one purpose of hiring a new superintendent and it only existed for last year, if you look at.

E

Our policies, our policy bde, states that the board chair can craft or create ad hoc committees and.

E

Assign members to it at any point when they feel, as though there's a specific task that needs to.

E

Be done and the best way to execute on that would be the development of a committee. What what really.

E

Differs the ad hoc from the standing is that the ad hoc has a narrower scope and a shorter time of.

E

Service our current um ad hoc committees is our legislative committee has been was proposed as.

E

An ad hoc and the strategic planning committee or steering committee, whatever language you use, that.

E

Would be an ad hoc committee, the rfp committee, that was an ad hoc committee because it had one.

E

Specific purpose for a short period of time, and what about the redistricting, the redistricting.

A

Yeah, and and and in full public disclosure, I perp, I did not do the redistricting properly. We thought.

E

That was a working group which other members of city use working groups, but for us anything that's.

E

Discussed by the board and created as a group is a committee that is subject to the rsa 91a1, meaning.

E

All meetings are posted and minutes are taken, whether it's ad hoc standing, etc. um The role of.

E

The board member- this comes up all the time, so we all know that the chair and or and the vice chair.

E

Assigns board members to committees? Usually they give us a selection of what they want to.

E

Be on and and we try to honor that the purpose is really just a conduit of information when, when we.

E

Hear that wreck is reaching out to the community to get feedback on how services are rendered and.

E

Who's benefiting that comes back to the school board, because many of the people that we serve.

E

Take part in the rec program so and we can say: oh that's, interesting- we're about to have a focus.

E

Group on this and and rec came up here, and that goes back to the rec member to say. Oh, you know, I.

E

Was at a focus, group and people have a lot of questions on transportation and there's where.

E

We're serving as a conduit of information between the two of I hear, you're working on.

E

This here's, where it overlaps with this or wow, that's something that the board should be made.

E

Aware of that, this is following up. um It is not. um We are held to our board norms, failure to a.

E

You know follow our board. Norms in a committee meeting would result in being asked to step off.

E

The board, the committee, you know we are respectful, we do our homework, we show up um all the things.

E

That you would be expected of in a school board meeting would be expected in a committee meeting.

E

uh The other thing I wanted to put on there is that we also have been asked in historically.

E

When the city council develops committees, there are certain committees that they decide.

E

A school board member would be a valuable member on that committee, and so those are listed as.

E

Well, our blue ribbon committee for sustainable practices has a board member on it board of ethics.

E

Drawn at random, like me, is on that one, that's and that one just meets when needed. Library.

E

Board which amazon rec board and the safe water advisory group, those are all city.

E

Committees that a board member was asked to be on. There are also other city committees that.

E

They occasionally invite a school board member to be a rep on, but we are not a standing member.

E

On that committee, so that those are not listed here occasionally we're asked to sit in on those.

E

um Sharing this comes up all the time, um our current policy, and um it hasn't been revisited in.

E

A long time is that it's it's not normal practice for a board member to chair a committee unless the.

E

Chair or the superintendent identifies that so, for example, when the superintendent search committee.

E

Was formed, it was owned by the board and it is a sole job of the board. The highest zoomer tenor.

E

So it was decided by the board that that had to be chaired by board members, so that one was.

E

Chaired by board members, but none of the other standing committees that we have are chaired by.

E

Board members, um because remember our standing committees are consistent board members and.

E

Non-Board members, that's what we've been doing in practice um hope question. No, it's not a question.

H

I just wanted to all. I just wanted to correct also that the superintendent search committee.

H

Also voted and and wanted to make sure because we did put out that the board had empowered us. But if.

H

Someone else wanted to be chair and it was the superintendent search committee's decision that.

H

It was a board-owned hiring that it should be a board-chaired committee, so I just want to get.

E

That great question: that's right. We at the very first meeting we did like we were transparent on.

E

That so that comes up a lot um and again part of that is to make sure there's not one voice.

E

Of the board, if we chair there's a danger of not dangerous, not good, word choice, but it's it's hard.

E

To be the voice of nine in chairing a committee, and we don't want to get into a situation where.

E

One board member is chairing every committee they're on because it just it doesn't look.

E

Equitable, it doesn't look like we're inviting all voices. It makes it hard to be a conduit of.

E

Information and so historically, that's why it has been that way. But when we feel as though there's a.

E

Committee, that's appropriate to be chaired by a board member. It's always been voted in that way.

E

So that just gets to the last two components, which is attendance. If you have been assigned.

E

To a committee that that meets in a time that you can't we we try to honor the the.

E

Committees that people requested they wanted to be on because of an interest or a passion.

E

Sometimes it just doesn't work out that way. We all have different schedules when that happens,.

E

If you find yourself on a committee that you can no longer go to, you need to notify the chair so.

E

That you can be removed from that committee. If you don't notify the chair and it's notified.

E

To us that there are lots of absences, you will also be removed from the committee.

E

um Because you're not helping in perpetuating the work of the board by not being a president.

E

Committees, just that this has come up a couple of times this year and wanted to make it clear.

E

Committees can be proposed during a board member board meeting or like last meeting. It was asked to.

E

Be added as agenda item to the following meeting to discuss whether a committee still needed to be.

E

In existence, so they can be addressed in a board meeting while they don't have to be formed by.

E

Public vote by law. It doesn't state that for the purpose of the minutes, it's much clearer if we can.

E

Just say, motion was made motion passed committee exist and in that we need to be better about.

E

Clearly, defining when we discuss the formation of a committee, the purpose it would serve the.

E

Members, it would constitute, and the frequency by which it would meet and that's something.

E

In my time as a board, we haven't always done consistently and I think now that we all know.

E

This is the process, it's great for us to take that and go forward, which then gets to the what.

E

Do we do when we no longer need a committee, the same thing when, when the purpose has been served.

E

Either the board goals have changed, and so you no longer need a committee. That's servicing a goal.

E

That's no longer in practice, or the time has been served like with an ad hoc committee. Then we just.

E

Need to address it in a board meeting and take a vote of the board and then that committee, as of.

E

That board meeting would be considered disbanded. I did note in there that the negotiating committees.

E

We don't disband them because again they're cyclical, so though they end their purpose.

E

At the end of the contract in two years, it'll come back up again, so it would be wasteful to.

E

Go through all of that so before we go into this year's committee assignments and the discussion.

E

That was asked to be had about the communications committee. Does anybody have any remaining.

E

Questions on the role we play on committees and the difference between standing committees at.

E

Our community anything committee related, I would say well thank you for the presentation well that.

A

Was excellent, thank you, um kerry hope, I'm just curious. So I I understand the standing committees.

I

Now much much better, so thank you so much margo um the lay and I'm curious. Then this might be.

I

Now, with zach and patty here, maybe there's like a different approach but, for instance, facilities.

I

Doesn't connect to any school board goals to me, but it seems like an important committee.

I

um So that to me, like fits, maybe under more school department goals or more school department,.

I

Committees and then, similarly with wellness, it's just been my experience. That's that's more of a.

I

School department driven committee- so I think maybe uh and and I think that's kind of where.

I

My questions from communications came from is like understanding, like I understand, being on.

I

Wellness who's on wellness, and so therefore, that's why I recommend it as this district committee, but.

I

Without understanding who's on communications and that's where I'm struggling, so I think just in.

I

General, maybe there's some shifting that needs to happen based on zack and patty's recommendations.

I

Fresh set of eyes, but also maybe additional columns of who else is recommended to be on this.

I

Committee yeah- um and you know, who is the convener of the committee, um even if it's not the chair.

I

If a new committee is happening, there should be an appointed person to get the ball rolling. Yep.

E

I will say this not to um facilities is considered a school board committee because it mainly focuses.

E

On things related to budget, which is 100 in the lane of the board, not the district, so that's why.

E

Facilities in there is in there and wellness was put in there, because at the time it was created.

E

Wellness was a board goal, not a district goal, but to your point, we've morphed that a little bit.

E

So it gets really tricky because the standing committee of the board versus a district.

E

Standing committee standing committee of the board purposely serves the job of the.

E

Board, which is either our goals or those three lanes and those two fall into that.

E

But I agree shifting can happen, but I just to answer this yeah.

H

So I had a couple of things one, I understand what you're saying about wellness, but I also.

H

Do think that wellness, while it does address a goal it also like futures and.

H

um The business education collaborative with the cte, it does focus on broader district.

H

um Initiatives and efforts that are beyond just our goals, and it has a lot of staff that works.

H

Around that, so I I do see that it could be a school district standing committee as well.

H

um I also just wanted to bring up. um You were mentioning the timing uh in proposing a committee.

H

um You mentioned it should be clearly communicated what the purpose is. The.

H

Intended frequency of meetings, I would also add to that that um it would be important to understand.

H

um Who should be serving on that committee as as members for best representation and what the.

H

Role of the superintendent would be um either in support of that committee on that committee.

H

And how that committee um place out in the superintendents basically having to roll in the.

H

Day-To-Day operations of the initiatives and goals of a committee, so um because sometimes I think we.

H

Bring about committees that maybe aren't fully thought out and then there's not the execution.

H

Piece, that's thought out of how that really integrates into our district, or maybe it's not.

H

Fair timing to our superintendents and then lastly, I just wanted to say I I hope at some point that.

H

um Wherever it needs to fit in that, I can just be given the courtesy to give the background of the.

H

Communication committee, because there seems to be a lot of questions um around that and not having.

H

Contacts of that committee and I think, there's some misunderstandings there, so I would appreciate.

H

That opportunity yeah, if I can just say it's, always my understanding- that the superintendent.

A

Attends meetings as he sees fit, you know you have to schedule the meetings and then, if you feel that.

A

You need to attend. You attend. That's always been my understanding of the superintendent's.

A

Role on committees, so you know we don't make you up to come to these meetings anymore.

P

Or if the committee asks you to be there for whatever reason, so that's always been.

A

My understanding of how the superintendent pip um I just want a second carrie's suggestion of adding.

M

The convener on the um to the spreadsheet, because I recall when I was first assigned to committees.

M

um I missed some of the initial meetings because I was waiting for somebody to contact me and.

M

That never happened, and I had no idea who to contact to get onto these or to even find a.

M

Meeting schedule so I agree, and that would be really helpful and then I also just wanted to.

M

um Clarify in the disbanding of committees does that include ad hoc committees? Do we have to.

M

Vote to to disband an ad hoc committee, or is it just it's fun if, um when I went to the.

E

New hampshire school board association with the question they said if, when the committee.

E

Is formed, it's clearly defined the term it will serve for so like redistricting. We defined three.

E

Weeks rfp we defined when our timeline. So then you do not need to it's automatically disband.

E

When that time has passed, um job is finished, but the job is finished so like when we form.

E

The superintendent search it was too higher. So when the contract was signed, it was immediately.

E

Done so most of the time, but if- and so I guess I'd add to that- which I think is what hope's.

E

Saying and I think, we've gotten the feedback from several board members on that this year is when.

E

We have ad hoc or committee proposals for those of us that are visual learners, the more we can.

E

Put it in the packet, the language so we're all operating off the purpose. It allows for a more.

E

Fruitful conversation and city council does that we have not always done that, but I think.

E

Purpose the the goal of adding it to the packet would just be so that we're all sometimes the.

E

Language gets tweaked one person to the next and we forget what we were originally starting with. So.

E

Yeah yeah, I just didn't say I know we. uh One thing we could consider is the utilization of like a.

B

Template right so like so, we write down everything we just put it so so you know because, as.

B

um As I walked in, it was like trying to figure out what what are each of these things right.

B

Yeah who's, what's with the and I know this is with the city, but it really doesn't meet that often and.

B

This one and what's the purpose of this and then I talked to three different people to get three.

B

Different explanations, so I I was just looking at a you, know: a template and you a lot of the things.

B

We've already talked about like what is the title of the group. What's the background kind of the the.

B

Preface statement of what is the, why is there a need? What's the objective? What's the rationale.

B

um Who, who are the members? How often does it meet? What's it supposed to do? What's this relationship.

B

With the board, you know if we just had a certain a template for each of these different things and.

B

Then spelled that stuff out, I think then it would be easier to have this conversation about what are.

B

We keeping what are we not keeping totally whatever, as well as voting on right, because.

H

It's like a new policy, that's being introduced, you get to read it ahead of time and then- and you know.

H

Prepare a question of discussion and and when we're voting very unfortunately, I was thinking.

I

Very similarly, which means that I would propose a community, a community committee, a committee.

I

um So one of the things I know it's gross, um so I think one of the things that would be helpful for.

I

Me, and now that I understand it, I think needs to be really explicit in the descriptions is like so.

I

If facilities is going to stay, a board committee meet and discuss facility needs and long-term.

I

Planning as it relates to board budgeting, it needs to be have a really clear connection.

I

In order to keep that scope of the committee like very clear, because I think we have a lot.

I

Of we're prone to a lot of creep like not just the board but like in this town, there's a lot of creep.

I

um Across objective creep objectives: right right: okay, neander increase, not creepy; yeah, not yeah,.

I

um So I don't know, I don't know if that can just be like a one meeting, ad hoc of some sort and just.

I

Come up with a recommendation for the template for how the description is written and for a.

I

New table that has that information. Is that not something the work of the chairs could do and yeah.

A

Because you finally understood ad hoc versus standing and made of appropriate but you're.

E

Right, I have a question because I'm confused: if, if the ad hocs have a time limit, we put legislative.

H

Committee, because I recall it was like well we'll just try it for a while, but it doesn't.

H

Have a time limit so when it was um when it was proposed. Correct me if I'm wrong lisa because of.

E

Course that was the one board meeting I was not here, for it was proposed as an ad hoc, I initially.

J

Did not propose it as an ad, it's gonna be a typo brian. No brian made a motion to make it ad hoc.

J

So that we could see what the outcome was at the end of the legislative session, ah so I don't know.

R

What that means in terms of the we didn't agree, that it had a permanent like single session right.

J

Timeline per se, but we didn't make it permanent, so I don't really know so we're incubating it.

E

To the end of legislation, then we would have a discussion and at that point, decide whether it's.

E

Disbanded or rolled to a standing committee- yes, we also did not go through the things that right.

H

Right zach just talked about so I I personally would love to like at least.

H

Revisit the conversation of the committee based on the standards that we're putting around committees.

H

Or the template or whatever it is, I'm not saying that goes away, but just that there's a little.

H

More structure- and you know around the committee itself, based on what we're teasing out tonight, how.

A

About if margo and I work on this, come back to the board with uh all the extra columns that we.

A

Want to put on this- and um let have you all look at this again but there's two conversations: people.

E

Have requested if I'm hearing it properly is a conversation on communications committee. Why was.

E

It formed and does it need to exist based on the recommendation in the memo? Is it disbanded? Do we.

E

Need to have a conversation, and second one, I hope, are you asking for that legislative conversation.

E

Right now, no, no, of course not tonight. I think the committee committee got addressed by you.

I

Two being committee, so that and then coming back to report to the board. And I would like.

H

The opportunity to to just okay wait, I would like communication, I think, can we talk about.

A

Communications at our next meeting can we not talk about it this evening. I would like to make.

A

A comment to the next meeting, so in line with that, I you know my recommendation. I was I I think it's.

B

Appropriate for that to wait until we actually, you know, because I had recommendation the memo.

B

About disbanding once the the plan, the plan was done, I have you know I would. I would change that.

B

And say it's better to have the context of the template work, we're talking about to say, here's.

B

The here's, the kind of ecos you know the uh the uh ecosystem of all these different. These.

B

Different things and let's weigh them together in a context and and then have a fuller conversation.

A

Do you want at the next meeting, or is it appropriate to have it at the time.

E

Of which the plan comes to the board, I I think I think it's I think the conversation is about.

G

Happened before I think it happened before so I think I think it's really about how much time.

B

You guys need to do that: work, yeah uh and whether or not you know between now and.

B

In the 20 seconds enough time to pull it off, got it, and if it's okay, I'd love to just put.

H

Together, like a quick, not even a full one pager, but maybe at the history and context of the.

Q

Committee and send it out so people can have that ahead of time. Okay, that'd be great idea.

R

Updates I can provide a very brief update on the legislative committee.

J

Okay, when we get there, you can talk later, but I'll forget by the time.

Q

Okay, great, can we move on to um uh the turf, uh nathan and zach.

B

Nathan, do we I'm trying to see because we can't carry the no it's a one-pager? It's in.

B

The packet it is okay, there we go and I think it's it's self-explanatory. We really came to.

O

Some comfortable consensus, I think, at the last meeting we wanted to put that in writing. Make.

O

Sure it was public for your consideration and and also for the public to know unless there's.

O

Some concern or question these are the marching orders that uh that bree sullivan and the folks.

O

At gale associates will use as they continue their their work, preparing the bid specifications to go.

O

Up in our in our understanding was you wanted our recommendation, so this is myself nathan.

B

um And then kenny and tom all involved in saying this is what we focus in the.

B

Best interest all right looks great. Do we need to vote on this or consensus.

A

Okay, everyone else set with this. Thank you, oh thank you very much. Thank you.

A

Assessment overview, so in your packet you have.

S

A list of the assessments that we use in the district- and these are the high level.

S

District-Wide assessments and they're ordered mostly by grade level starting with kindergarten.

S

Going up through high school- and this is the first of three sort of short discussions about.

S

Assessments because those questions have been coming up and what you have here is a list of.

S

All the assessments that are used by grade level, what they're used for and what data is.

S

Collected for that academic based- and these are the assessments that are given to all students so.

S

What you won't see on this list are things that are used just for ell students just for special.

S

Ed students- these are the the assessments that gather the assessment data academics to help us.

S

Understand how are students doing in math? How are they doing in reading? What kind of support might.

S

They need because of that star assessments came up um when the middle school presentation was.

S

Given to us last time, and so that actually is in there it's um undergoing right now for this year,.

S

At the elementary school of pilot rollout and what we're finding with dad is because, because.

S

It mimics what the new hampshire state assessment does. It actually is giving teachers a lot of data.

S

On where their students are currently and they'll, be a couple of benchmarks for those.

S

um A few times in the fall and winter for grades three through eight because they end up getting.

S

The statewide assessment in the spring, but two six and seven will have those in the.

S

Spring also, progress monitoring when you see that term sprinkled throughout the parameters.

S

What that means is that's monitoring to see how progress students are doing as they're learning.

S

Throughout the year, so you're going to sort of give them a short test to just double check. To.

S

See are they making good progress? Do they need a different intervention? Do they need something.

S

Completely different, and so that's just really an overview of the types of assessments that we're.

S

Using in the upcoming meetings that we've got in the next two we're going to be talking about the.

S

Assessment scores that we have for portsmouth on the statewide assessment, um so that would.

S

Be the new hampshire statewide assessment for grades three through eight science grade 11.

S

And then the sat for grade 11 is the statewide assessment. So we'll talk about what those scores.

S

Are and then, in december, the state has promised to roll out the report card, which will give us.

S

um A chance to look at how portsmouth students are doing in relation to what the state benchmark was.

S

Set for so that'll be coming in a future meeting, but that's basically just a list of again high.

S

Level assessments not including specialized assessments and certainly not going down to.

S

The chapter 3 math, test kind of assessments- these are the big assessments that those students have.

A

Thank you, patty. Do we have any questions for patty? One question: do we um when we lived in new york.

E

It was a big state where parents can opt their children out. Does that exist in new hampshire.

E

Yes, it does do we see that, as do we have trending numbers on that, does it matter to us, does that we.

S

Do not have numbers as far as I know that we've captured anywhere, because when I look at some.

S

Of the data that's come in compared to student populations and grade levels, there's not a huge.

S

Discrepancy: okay, I'm sure that there's a few here and there, but it's not not it's not a trend right.

A

Carrie, um I don't and- and I don't recall exactly the exam scores that we got before.

I

um But I think when we've reviewed them in relation to equity um and just have that.

I

Conversation, I don't recall ever looking at early exam, like the the k through two exams.

I

And so it would be interesting, I think, just as we go along to consider, including one of those really.

I

Early benchmarks that so just with k through two students- that's very localized information, you're.

S

Not going to be getting that on comparison to a large scale right, like the statewide.

S

Assessment and that data is traditionally very, um very changeable because they're so young and.

S

So the information you get from them today a week from today, is going to be very different.

S

So it's it's hard for us to to capture that in a way that would be meaningful for those kinds.

I

Of- and I totally understand that I I guess my thought would just be as we've talked about.

I

Learning loss and we've talked a lot about social emotional stuff that more of the within district.

I

um Like I guess there would be a benefit like one of the budget conversations that came up last year.

I

Was kindergarten paris, and so if, for instance, we saw that you know um the reading, screening was.

I

Being passed or like 99 in the last 10 years were not at risk and now 50 are then does that make.

I

Sense of of why those numbers would be helpful because we're hearing a lot of qualitative info.

I

About concern, and so even if there isn't a state comparison, if there is like one or two data points.

I

In that early range that we could consider as a board, that would be helpful and I have no idea.

I

What those are I would trust that to whoever, but just so that we started monitoring year to year.

I

At least within our district, and also between the elementary schools, as we talk about equity.

A

Anyone else have any comments. Danielle, I don't know if this is. Maybe this is more of a personal.

K

Pick your brain conversation later, but do you know just with all of the discussion about social.

K

Emotional learning, I know on a personal level, as a teacher we have looked for, assessments um are.

K

There any that you would know of offhand that to some decent measure can like the star assessment.

K

I can't tell you how helpful it is because it not only tells you their great equivalency and.

K

But breaks it down and then gives you here's your high leverage skills for this specific kid. Here's.

K

How to group these kids here's your target to know what you're doing is working, and I just somebody.

K

Needs to package that and put it for an sc sel curriculum. So I think there are tools that are out.

B

There I'm my uh previous district. We had a about a five-year relationship with a company called.

B

Panorama, education um and they did two different. They originally started off as a as a survey.

B

Company and they were doing student surveys and when we started off originally just doing.

B

um We were serving students two times a year about their experience. We couldn't see the it was like.

B

What was their individual experience in classrooms, and so and uh and some of those questions were.

B

Social emotional uh originally and some weren't some were just I don't know they were more kind.

B

Of observational uh and then they developed over time to into a a product called student success.

B

Which was brilliant social, emotional screeners, and that would be that were that you could do.

B

Throughout k-12 and then that platform, what was great about it was you could take your star.

B

Data, uh you could take grades, you could take absences, you could take behavioral incidents.

B

um And it would pull all that information in with the social emotional data, and then you could say I.

P

Wanna so well, this is and, and it was graph it was, it was uh very user friendly and you could go in.

B

As a depending on what your level of access was, and you could say, I want to see uh all the kids.

B

um In my classes, or if I'm a principal I and see all all the seventh graders who have at.

B

Least two behavioral incidents who have more than five absences and and then that's how.

B

We created our at risk list and then we would, in teams within develop plans around those kids and.

B

The platform allowed us to build the plans inside of the platform and track what's happening, so I.

K

Need to know that as educated we're, building we're rebuilding that, so this is so. This is why we did.

P

That so we what we had done prior to that when we would do at the elementary level. You know you call.

B

It child study at the different levels. You would do other stuff, but we'd have teams sit around and.

B

Look at kids and be like who are the students were worried about, and somebody would have like paper.

B

Spreadsheets on, like who's, been most absent and something well, how does that do go with.

B

The behavioral stuff and somebody's somebody's pulling out wrinkled sheets of behavioral and then.

K

Looking at the reading information wait a second yeah. I went to a whiteboard, uh but it was so so.

B

um And then we had a digitally, but it was digitally on five different things.

B

And so the ability to have one thing that would integrate all those things was great, but it was.

B

But the core product originally was around asking students effectively how you doing.

B

What's going on so we had the the ability to have not just academic measures about how our students.

B

Doing and we've talked about this a lot as a board and a lot of communities are, but what measures do.

B

We have that tell us: how are our students feeling about their experience as a human being and inside.

B

Of our school system, so uh that's the product I'm most familiar with, and I we had a lot of it was a.

B

Very important part: it drove all of our um all of our improvement annual improvement process kind.

B

Of conversations as an administrative team came down to what's an academic goal, we're.

B

Identifying based on the accumulation of this academic data and then what's a social, emotional.

B

Goal well then, tapping into the iep processes, like I'm constantly juggling. This kid's got 15.

K

Needs I can't put 15 goals on there, but what are my high leverage skills that are going to.

K

Get the most social growth academic growth you know, can we buy that yeah? So I I mean I I it's.

B

One of those things that was a really core part of stuff that we did and in the midst of everything.

B

Else has been going on, I haven't thought about it again, a while, so when you, instead of like yes, I.

B

Do know a product that would do that and it was a big part of what we were doing if you'd like.

K

To guinea pig it on lister academy, yeah, yes, sir, and it's connecting to those things hey, I would.

I

Just say it would solve at least 100 questions that I have heard on this board in a year right.

I

Like I mean that's and- and I think regardless, although we're doing the strategic planning the.

I

Ask has always been for more data and the data at the level that you're talking about that hasn't.

I

Been able to be obtained with questions asked and also regardless equity is going to be one of our.

I

Pillars for probably a long time to come, and that sounds- and I will also say, though this is not as.

B

Like anything, this is not as easy as you parachute the product in totally and you hit the go button. I.

B

Mean there's work. You have to do with your your other platforms to make them all communicate.

B

um There's training uh involved for folks uh there's a variety of other things, but I think.

B

It's a super powerful tool to be able to quickly answer the types of questions that I know you.

B

Want to have answers to even as an individual, even as at the at the teacher level, but as a building.

K

To listen to seat, we've got the the solos, we've got, kids handing them out, and then we take those.

K

And we plug them into a spreadsheet literally and then we sit down and we're talking. But all because.

K

We're trying to measure out of classroom time and how do we engage the kids to keep them in.

K

The classroom and bank on that and we're 20 kids right like, but at the same time again, if, if we.

K

Wanted to get anything my phones here, our building, because I think we have- I mean I I built websites.

K

To try and communicate our data measurement of goals that we thought were high leverage back to.

K

Those students, so I I geek out on all of these assessment datas and I I think, the more we can.

K

um Great brush them the better, so I'm just wondering is there a place we can like park that.

H

And I'm happy because that's a superintendent report or yeah budget or wherever that needs.

H

To go, but just for respective time parked it done danielle's starting a gofundme today. So.

I

Okay, we can talk about that, a bunch of times correct, that's great or even yeah. I like the.

B

Answer idea all right: okay, okay, patty! Thank you any other comments from patty.

A

uh Consideration and approval of policies single reading tomorrow. Okay, here we go again: hi friends.

E

Okay, so um we already have a public commentary policy, but there was a new state mandate that.

E

Came down this fall that required that boards need to set aside 30 minutes minimum of time for public.

E

Comment which required us to go back and alter our um policy bdh so b-e-d-h. So what you'll see.

E

Is we've added the language around the 30 minutes of time being set aside, which you'll see in the.

E

Agenda the question that comes up across many boards is: what do you do when the like tonight.

E

We had zero public comment, um there's two ways you can respond to that and the way that the policy.

E

Committee has proposed will be responding to that is when there is no comment. The chair moves us out.

E

Of public comment session should people re-enter the public space before the meeting is adjourned.

E

The chair would have us enter back into public commentary procedure, public commentary session.

E

The way that that works neatly is that you can reopen it for people that are present in this room.

E

It's very difficult to do with online, so we've made it clear in our policy that those wishing.

E

To make a comment on public make a public comment from our online platform. The only.

E

Opportunity to do that is in the place where it's set aside in the agenda, and they do so by.

E

Raising their hand, because it's really difficult with the motions to go in and out and in and out.

E

With something that's already been online, the whole time, so the language that is reflected in.

E

The policy addresses the 30 minutes. It just also reiterates behavior at comment, and it reiterates.

E

That they need to state their name and address and that we as a board are not to engage in a.

E

Conversation on the public comment: it's really just a collection but that they can comment on.

E

Anything school board related. So that's the change to that policy that you're seeing you.

E

See it reflected in lines 23 to lines 27. There is a bit of a typo the way that these policies come.

E

Down is they get put in the packet before the policy committee can get a final read on it? So.

E

um In line 22 when it says that public comment has to be agenda, item six.

E

That should just say the board will generally schedule the public comment as an agenda item, so.

E

Anywhere in this policy, where you see reference to it being, I think it comes up again in line.

E

40 looks like that one 4d again it'll just say as an agenda item. We don't need to state that.

E

It has to be agenda item six. So if, if anybody wants to make a motion for a single reading of.

A

So I'll move and second second hope all in favor. Oh discussion, discussion, okay, um the you you said.

M

um Margo that uh that people need to state their name and address. I thought I saw that.

M

They need, I didn't see that specifically, it says um it says, identify themselves so to.

E

Us is, and I I went back to kathleen on that- okay to us has always been name and address.

E

Right and I ask that that be added in okay, which because she said it, it means the same thing, but.

E

I think we often have to. I think we need to clarify that it should be name and address. Yes,.

E

Good question: sorry, I forgot: where would you put that um I hope, where is that again um 46. thank.

E

You you're tired, so light between lines, 45 and 46, and I will give it to paulette the exact language.

A

Sad comma, by giving their name and address by stating their name and address.

D

Yeah, it was in the previous policy, so it got somehow when it got updated.

A

Thank you pip. You always pick up.

A

Okay, so um any other comment, all those in favor aye, aye aye. Any opposed motion passes.

E

Okay, continuing on um the data, governance and security, we again, this is a policy we already.

E

Had state mandate came down to define cyber security, so you'll see that which is added in.

E

Red lines 11 through 14 is in addition to our pre-existing policy, which includes the exact.

E

Language that came down in the state mandate to define cyber security and then following.

E

Through by defining it, we also had to define how we would respond to it so also in red lines.

E

51-55 is how we're responding properly to those incidents. The rest of the policy stays the same.

E

As we had previously written it again, this is coming down as a state mandate to change.

A

Do we have a motion to um accept e h, a b so second and second lisa, okay, [laughter].

A

We have any discussion all in favor, aye aye. Any opposed motion passes right and then our last.

E

Policy tonight, um policy jld, that's traditionally our school and counseling program again state.

E

Mandate came down that we needed to have specific language stating that for children of.

E

um Those parents who are connected to the military when they go on assignment we as a school district.

E

Need to provide counseling, we already do that. We just didn't, have the language of it in our.

E

Policy, so we have been doing this for years and years and years, so this is really no change. Other.

E

Than we have specific language that states that we're doing something, we've already been doing.

E

So the language that you see in red lines, 20 through 22, is specifically saying that when.

E

A child's parents are assigned abroad, we will provide counseling to them and and with line.

D

17 number five does that happen summer report at least once a year? Yes, yes, it does happen.

E

Well, that's what that's what was presented by the school lawyer, but we can go back and double check.

E

That um it's that's! The counselor gives that, at the end of the year of the students that they've.

E

Been seeing what they've been working on, because I know each time my policy kind of like to think is.

D

This, what we're doing, how are we really doing it? Are we really doing it yeah? So that's one that we.

E

Need to make sure it's added to that list. That was my question yeah. I have the same question.

M

About line 31, which is, do we actually have a plan yeah? How would we know if we had a plan.

M

Which numbers [laughter]? Oh yeah, so I know one of the things I would say broadly that one of.

B

The things that kathleen's working on right now is trying to identify and all the policies places.

B

Where we're supposedly doing things and then figuring out whether or not we're really doing.

B

Them or not, um she's, in the midst of doing a a full inventory of that, but I don't know I will.

B

Be honest and that I don't know whether or not this does or does not exist in some form on a.

B

Hard drive, someplace or not, not something that is it I'm actively aware of at the moment, but.

B

I can I'll find out and if not, then we need to create one great. Thank you. Do we have a motion.

A

To approve this policy, or should we and until you get that back to us, no, I think we can. I.

B

Think we can approve the policies one way or the other. I think we need to do it based on statute.

B

um I would the only thing I just want to mention on number. Six was interesting because the superintendent uh state superintendents we met with the military liaison for families.

B

um And um and I had had a conversation with her where effectively- which was really interesting,.

B

She basically said um I felt like got him behind I'm in portsmouth, and I haven't had.

B

This conversation with you yet and she's like well, we don't really have any. We don't have many.

B

Active service people anymore in portsmouth, because we cannot afford to to house people.

B

In portsmouth, so we so as the military we are either there's some limited base. Housing.

B

um In kittery and then beyond that, I'm like how how big a range are you talking about.

B

Said we got people in berwick, we got people in manchester. We have people in epping like this.

B

Is huge range but we're you know we're multiple years into no longer being able to afford us in.

B

The military to house people in portsmouth and it was like wow, that's an interesting and I again I.

B

Went after thinking- oh my goodness, I haven't been thinking about this. What are we going to.

B

Do it's just like you really don't have anybody uh and I'm like? Oh okay? Well so, but it's another.

B

One of those things as we talk about strategic planning- it's like you know this is who do we.

B

Say housing thing is having an impact on a variety of different things that people think of as core.

B

Portsmouth thanks it's interesting. When we had the air force base piece, we had 10 000 families.

A

Living at peace yeah when the base closed, that we lost a thousand students and 100 teachers.

D

Okay, the other caveat is before we get the email from somebody that says I do live here.

B

In mclaughlin- and uh I let me let me say I'll, let me leave open the possibility that it is greatly.

B

Reduced as opposed to there is nobody, okay, good, sorry! Okay, do we have a motion to approvements.

Q

No, no, I don't have an opposed. I have a question or so um just since we're talking about policy.

H

I don't know if I can just make the request to the policy committee. I would prefer to.

H

Then make a motion: um it's been brought up many times that there were different edits.

H

And and then what we're seeing in the pocket is different from the edits that were made in the.

H

Meetings so I'm just requesting to the policy committee to tighten the process. Is it possible.

H

That these um things going into the packets could be viewed one more time or sent out one more time.

H

To the policy committee that to the members um to have eyes on for last minute, changes.

H

Before they go into the packet, because it's our greatest hope it's a continued, I mean in.

H

All seriousness professor, it um has been like I've, been counting meetings. Oh it's everyone.

H

It's been every meeting for, like I, don't know how I've lost count at this point, so, whatever.

H

Needs to happen just for a sufficiency and for if it's going into a pocket for the public, to view.

H

I'd really appreciate not having to make a motion. Yes totally, so it's online right.

J

And my understandings thanks to kathleen and then it goes into the packet. But if.

H

It could go back to the policy committee before kathleen submits it to the packet. I.

H

Think that would be most helpful. Okay, so well. Moving on is definitely yes. This once again.

Q

Oh, I see okay.

Q

So the policy committee can work on that yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Okay committee update.

A

um Blue ribbon committee for sustainable products is that part of my voice here I am again.

E

um I I would say interesting that I get to present this tonight because I went to my first meeting.

E

I have never attended a committee meeting so well run in 20 years of attending committee.

E

Meetings, it was brilliant um if you want to be a fly on the wall, we meet the last.

E

Thursday of every month at six 30, I believe I spent six years on that committee. It's really.

E

It was a well-runner very well, but I'm glad to be here yeah, so they are doing.

E

um Light of the time and what we present with committees, what did I take away? That was important.

E

For us they're about to implement um major power changes for the city of portsmouth and one of the.

E

Things that we're talking about is how do you educate your population on? This is a need, but.

E

They want to know, what's the value to them and I was saying that's the same thing as strategic.

E

Planning we're about to implement this massive strategic plan and we're trying to educate our.

E

Community on here's, what we need and here's the value it has to you, so I was grateful that zach.

E

Had already started, one email out or video out to our population about this is coming down the pipe.

E

Be thinking about it, here's the role you'll play in it because it mirrored a lot of what they were.

E

Doing the other place that I thought had some carryover to us is, they are working with the.

E

Portsmouth 400 sustainability committee, and that has two events planned on april 21st will be their.

E

Earth day kickoff and that starts after school ends, but more importantly on april 22nd, which is a.

E

Saturday, that is their day of action, so it's going to be a community-wide work day. It would be my.

E

Huge goal because I know I've talked about this on the board many times if we could have the largest.

E

Volunteer effort from our schools take part in that to show our commitment to service. It is on.

E

A saturday I feel like if we could start the ball rolling now on and maybe even make a competition.

E

Which school gets the most participation? It would be awesome if we could be involved in that. It's.

E

Part of the portsmouth 400 it's earth day. It's a great opportunity. We've talked about wanting.

E

To make community relationships, this would be it putting our kids and our families in places where.

E

They can make um large changes so that put that on the calendar all day, long uh april 22nd, it's.

E

A saturday day of action, the kickoff for it and it does start they didn't have a time, but.

E

They knew it was after the school day. I believe it's going to be downtown will be that friday.

D

Okay, oh and the other update committee update, I had, interestingly enough slightly committee update.

E

But um the kittery school system contacted me this week because I had served um as the chair of.

E

The healthy triad program for so long and due to the 10-year success of our healthy tribe program.

E

Kittery is rolling it out and I have to say it was really bittersweet talking to them. I was.

E

um It was really sad that that doesn't exist for us anymore, because it was a really great.

E

Application of our programming- and I was glad to extend the knowledge and see it.

E

Take off in another district, but it got me thinking to that question that we keep.

E

Coming back to is what are we doing with our gardens and um we had to roll out our farm to.

E

Table coordinator, but the promise was made of that would be rolled in somewhere, so I.

E

Hope to put that as a parking lot item at some point of. What's that larger question.

A

Okay, thank you margo. um I attended the portsmouth 400 high school meeting by zoom.

A

um A week or so ago, and there were two students, marlon pinto and julian richmond, richmond.

A

um You must know them nick correct. um I know marlo pretty or marlin pretty. Well, I'm not.

T

Well, they're working really really hard on the portsmouth 400 effort. They are filming.

A

Prominent portsmouth citizens they're creating a library of videos about portsmouth citizens that.

A

Have contributed significantly to the history and the development of portsmouth, so they're.

A

Working out on that and they're getting help from ppm tv, you know the studio at ppm, tv and.

A

Also, the portsmouth high school studio, which is right there, so they're working very hard on.

A

That they're, also working with the eco club hannah duo, is the new um faculty person at the eco club.

A

And they're working closely with her and then they also came across and I I don't recall now.

A

Where they came from, but they have 400 trees that have to be planted around portsmouth, so they're.

A

Looking into putting some at ps island some in some of the neighborhoods, um so the this is a.

A

New initiative that just came about so, if any kind of chase you know they didn't say, japanese.

G

I have a city tree planted in my yard and they gave me four options. So a variety of trees are.

T

We getting 401 I'll find out more. Oh, I like the next meeting I attend so, but they do have.

A

So it but it's a very enthusiastic group. It makes you proud to be part of the portsmouth school.

A

Because these kids are really working hard to make all this happen.

T

um Before we leave, I also have a couple updates from school.

T

um One of them actually directly concerns the board uh that being the holiday raffle.

T

um So we're spinning that up again, uh we've got we're addressing letters tonight, we're.

T

Stuffing them all tomorrow, and uh so that's all ready to go out.

T

um In order to do the full fundraiser, I believe we do need board approval, though.

T

um So my understanding is, I think, if you guys just voted for that, it should be good.

T

um Yeah, it's it's not going to be substantially different from last year. um All the money's.

T

Going towards the clipper family fund um we're going to be taking donations from businesses.

T

Selling raffle tickets and then giving out gifts over the yeah the week of, I believe, the 12th.

T

Yeah cause we've done this a couple of times in the years I've been here.

O

And I don't remember coming to you guys, so I think yeah yeah.

B

Okay, so we don't need to fight on that. Okay,.

T

That I wanted to mention is that um we're going to be holding a chariot race a little bit before.

T

Thanksgiving so that would surely want yeah. So it's um it's part of a new initiative with.

T

The dual enrollment western civilization class um and we've got the robotics team on board of.

T

The building houses there um because you know of course yeah. uh Maybe I don't know it- seems.

T

Like they might be against the rules, we're trying to make one specifically for the robotics team, we.

T

Might try and slip some motors in there we'll see, um but that's gonna be in the week leading.

T

Up to thanksgiving we're not sure if it's gonna be monday or tuesday depends on what, like other.

T

Constraints lead to, but I will send out an email to all of you. I think I'm clear to invite you all.

H

Is that going to be at the high school? Where are you racing? uh It's gonna be at the high school.

T

We're looking into doing the track, otherwise we're just going to do it around the school.

Q

This year,.

I

Laying on the chariots uh not officially okay, can we move on good luck next? That.

J

Sounds like a lot of fun uh future agenda items. We talked about yeah. Oh I'm, sorry. I can barely.

J

See straight, I'm so tired, but I'm gonna try to just give a really quick. Oh you have an update.

J

I'm sorry, I'm the legislative committee. Yes, um the members of the committee at this point are myself.

J

Zach and hannah doyle at the high school and anna nuttall at the middle school and the two teachers.

J

Are kind of going to alternate because they can't both make all the meetings a lot of the assertive.

J

Structure for how it's going to work is still being worked out, but the intention is during.

J

Two organizational meetings, one later this month and one in december that we're first going to try.

J

To talk about whether we can come up with some sort of principles for which types of legislation.

J

We want to get into so that that can come to the board so that everybody will be moved in. I talked.

J

To some folks on a city council about how they came up with their principles for legislation.

J

And they pretty clearly set parameters around we're going to focus on funding or we're going.

J

To focus on local control, and so they have a list of, I think, maybe 15 20 areas where these are areas.

J

That their legislative committee can focus their attention on and then they separately kind of.

J

Worked as a council to figure out what should be sort of the guard rails or parameters around when.

J

We're even going to get into having positions or making testimony, and so that was stuff that went.

J

Before the council for approval now, our committee hasn't met. Yet these are kind of ideas that we.

J

Have to discuss as a group and then bring back to the board. But my idea would be that you know like.

J

We're not going to get into stuff that has nothing to do with education is a pretty fair. You know.

J

Initial idea, and then you know, I think that we'll probably have some consensus as a group that we.

J

Can bring back to the board around what we think would be some smart areas for us to use our boys.

J

We're then the board should be able to weigh in and say, okay yeah. We think this is a good idea or.

J

We have questions about this and the hope would be that once we have some list for which bills.

J

We want to weigh in on based on the subject that that will at least put some parameters around it.

J

Because if we just said broadly, all we're doing is education and we could spend every waking minute.

J

Of every day, watching every little amendment get slipped into all sorts of things and then.

J

Wait for the budget to come out with all of its special surprises in june, so everything is still.

J

A little bit still being worked out. um I would like to be able to give more updates, probably by.

J

December with sort of where the committee's at um and if people have time the city council on.

J

Their website for their legislative committee has their principles of legislation and what.

J

Their procedures are for how they determine when they're going to take positions on legislation.

J

And I think it would be good for people to just take a peek at that in case you have thoughts.

J

That you want us to talk about when we're having our first organizational meetings. I can, I think,.

J

I emailed it to you guys if we want to send it out to everybody's gonna, have to hunt it down. I.

J

Don't have any bigger update than that, but just wanted to. I have a question for you, lisa sure.

H

And maybe it's not maybe it's a suggestion. I don't know I'm tired, so I'm just kind of a little tired.

J

Too, I'm just gonna say it and you can take it for what it's worth the grain of salt. It's worth.

H

um I'm wondering in in talking through your process, if maybe you guys could discuss.

H

um Once you once you determine like what we're zero is, what we determine, what we're zero and on.

H

um It does seem like the process we use for the delicate assembly was so helpful that I.

H

Would love to see something similar to that where bills could be presented and ahead of time, so the.

H

Board could look and say interests, no interest, you know would like to take action, and that would help.

H

Give some you know guidance to the legislative committee help. Hopefully the efficiency of the.

H

Process- and I'm also thinking about our superintendent's time- I mean we really.

H

Hired with the hiring goals of communication, strategic planning and building climate and.

H

You know um culture and so that's probably already making him drink from a fire hose. So I just want.

H

To think about, how can he weigh in without having to attend every meeting, but still be a part.

J

um So we actually talked about that. I just I'm so sleepy. I didn't mention it, but I thought I agree.

J

I thought that the way that we handled those things was great with the checklist getting.

J

Everybody to have a chance to vote so we didn't have to spend time debating if everybody said.

J

Nope don't want to go there, then we don't really have to have a good discussion or if many people.

J

Like it that a few people have questions, then that's a good thing to discuss so yeah. I think.

J

That's a great idea and zach for the record is welcome to send uh designee [laughter].

R

um If that is preferable, but expressed an interest in being a part of it, at least in the beginning,.

R

And so you guys are meeting once a month now twice because I you mentioned once calendar right now.

J

That is twice a month because, quite honestly, as you know, with legislation, we don't want to do.

J

Things that don't have consensus and if we only meet monthly during the legislative session, we.

J

Will not be in a position to bring things to the board in a timely fashion so that we can.

J

Weigh in while it matters so at least initially we're trying to meet twice a month. I'm hopeful.

J

That we can get it down to once a month once we get a good system set up, but in the beginning.

J

When all the bills are starting to go through the education committee, if we only meet once a.

J

Month by the time we get our committee to agree and then get it on the next board meeting agenda.

J

Our position won't have that much impact, so the frequency, I hope, can be less once we get a.

J

Really good system set up for sort of figuring out where we want to pick our moments to get involved.

J

But until we refine it and narrow it down, I'm not sure how to do it. If we only meet once a month.

J

Because we'd kind of be in the same position, as you know, policy committee.

J

Where things are happening quickly and then get stuck with waiting for the next meetings.

J

And if we take a position in june, we're kind of not.

J

Influencing it we're just sort of stating for the record that we either love it or hate it.

A

Lisa, thank you you're putting a lot of time into this, and we appreciate it. Thank you.

A

Okay, next future agenda items, we talked about how we'll do an update on uh community campus.

A

At the next meeting we talked about putting the communications committee.

A

Discussion at our next meeting are there any of. Is there anything else that anybody can.

A

Just in the budget process, I think um it sounds like you have different um ideas.

I

In the budget process, which I think is great and I think we need, but it would be great to.

I

Chat about that before those budget meetings, just as like what you see as yes, an overview.

H

um Not for next meeting but for future, like probably after budget, I would like to put.

H

School safety back on the conversation, um for you know what is our crisis plan.

H

Or lack of crisis plan look like what does it need to look like? um I think we have a.

H

Lot of work to do there, how are we even defining crisis, communication and crisis in the district, so.

H

um I would appreciate that going back on with the new superintendent at the table,.

P

Okay: okay, we will put discussion of budget in school safety on future meetings.

A

Anyone else, okay, do we have a motion to adjourn so moved? Second, oh all in favor.

A

Thank you. Everyone.