City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire School Board, 28 Mar 2023

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From YouTube: 3.28.2023 School Board

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3.28.2023 School Board

A

Recording in progress good evening, I'd like to call to order the march 28th.

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Meeting of the portsmouth school board um assistant, superintendent haynes can.

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You please take roll call, absolutely sau50, rep tally. Westerberg here elizabeth barrett.

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Hip clues here, lisa rappaport, here, ann walker, here margot peabody, here nancy clayberg,.

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Air hope van epps, here brian french, here carrie nolte, here danielle miles here, nick dahlin here.

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Great, thank you. Can we please rise for the pledge of allegiance.

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States of america and to the republic for which it stands.

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One nation, under god, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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Okay, we will start with announcements and recognitions. I just want to recognize that I.

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As the vice chair am filling in for nancy kleberg, who had hip replacement surgery.

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Yesterday and it's miraculously on zoom with us this evening, so we wish you well nancy in your.

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Recovery- and we know we'll see you back here at the next meeting- other announcements, everything's.

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Going well so far, so I'm very thankful. God is good, always a positive attitude. Nancy.

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um Anyone else with announcements and recognitions nick so the high school. uh That's uh this.

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Thursday, at 6 pm in the auditorium is holding a talent show. The senior class has been kind of.

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Organizing it- and it seems like it's all, coming together pretty nicely, so we have a lot of acts.

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It'll be fun, is there an admissions fee for that or should people be prepared? I.

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Do not believe so uh we're doing concessions. I believe, okay, other announcements and recognitions.

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So on cte we had several different. The big competition for our cte students is skills.

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Usa- and there was a state level- competition where this goes back closer to st patrick's day. We had.

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Several different state winners and we had a gold medalist in culinary arts and if I mispronounced.

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Anything so I apologize elizabeth longton and then in automotive we had a gold, uh a gold medalist, a.

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Silver medalist in automotive, service technology, joey, hagan and colby frizzell and then in diesel.

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We had a gold medalist ethan lance, so all these students will then represent new hampshire at the.

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National competition in atlanta in june, so um so big deal big deal for the cte big deal for these.

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Students and just congratulations to them and their instructors and we look forward to seeing.

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How they do in atlanta? That's awesome. I always do well yeah other announcements and recognitions.

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Okay gibbon, we just met last week short turnaround at this.

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Point: let's move to the acceptance of the march 21st minutes. Do it approve.

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Do I have a second second great great thanks, nance any discussion.

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I do have a comment. Thank you everywhere. um Mine is pretty simple, but um I just wanted.

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To make sure we know that, um in the notes on the public comment from wendy poulin.

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um I was hoping that that the record or the minutes would reflect that she she requested.

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Specifically for us to consider limiting cell phone use in schools, I think that's.

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Important to note, in addition to the other, for the reasons that she mentioned thanks pep inating.

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Okay, any other comments, great we'll move to a roll call vote, since we have folks on zoom as well.

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Tally westerberg.

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um Abstain. Liz barrett, yes, hip clues; yes, lisa rappaport; yes, ann walker, yes margot peabody,.

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Yes, nancy clayburgh, yes, pope van epps, brian french, yes carrie, nolte! Yes great! Do I have.

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A motion to move into the public comment session of tonight's meeting. Oh second, second and great.

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um For those that are present with us this evening to participate in public comment, just a reminder.

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um Please state your name and address. You have three minutes to speak and, as is board policy.

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The board will not engage or respond we're not being rude. It is being recorded and noted.

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So we have people present in the audience with either one of you like to go. First.

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um Microphone. Thank you.

I

Hi, my name is judith clark. I live at 33 hunters hill avenue here in portsmouth.

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And I'm here to speak against the removal of ap and honors courses from portsmouth high school.

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Eliminating many honors and all, but one of the ap courses at fort smith, high school, is a.

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Huge change, in course, offerings and plus our high achieving students at a disadvantage when applying.

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To colleges that this decision was also made without a clear rationale or community feedback.

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Is an indication that the administration may not know the portion of the community is well enough.

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Eliminating these courses is out of step with other area high schools and will.

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Have severe consequences for portsmouth students and perhaps the city overall.

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The curriculum for advanced placement courses is standardized and internationally recognized.

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These courses offer an opportunity for an in-depth learning and just learning.

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And discussion that cannot be duplicated with any amount of differentiation in a non-ap class. Those.

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Discussions also cannot be replicated on. Vlax is the role of the public schools to meet the needs.

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Of all of their students, there are programs in place for students need remediation for students.

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Who seek a career in the trades? There must also be courses in place for students who need a higher.

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Level of academic challenge, honors and ap courses have always offered that challenge. Many students.

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Have been waiting for the opportunity to take these more challenging classes since kindergarten.

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Taking them away does not does a disservice to both these students and the city overall.

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The dual enrollment courses have their own value and should be one choice, but not the only choice.

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For students seeking an academic challenge, as listed in the course catalog, the dual.

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Enrollment course is being offered next year are not equivalent to the ap classes currently offered.

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Portsmouth students will be directly compared to area students when applying to colleges and.

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Every other seacoast high school offers a full complement of honors and ap courses. This will.

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Affect this portsmouth students, opportunities for admission to competitive colleges and their.

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Chances of earning academic merit money and other scholarships to make the playing field that uneven.

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For our kids is unconscionable, this decision pulls the rug out from under students who are already.

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In the honors ap track and doesn't even offer academically motivated freshmen the opportunity.

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To experience courses that their older friends and siblings were able to take, I strongly urge.

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You to restore these courses before the reputation of portsmouth high school is tarnished and those.

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Parents of high achieving students counting on public school for rigorous academic offerings.

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Begin take advantage of education, freedom accounts to transfer their students to.

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Private schools, where ap and honors courses are still being offered. Thank you. Thank you. Judith.

J

Thank you hi. My name is allison berry and miss. I live at 27 grove street in greenland and I agree.

J

With everything that judith said, I guess when I heard about this decision, my daughter's a.

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Freshman so we're just kind of getting into the high school atmosphere and figuring things out.

J

But it did seem to me that there was a general lack of awareness from any parent that I talked.

J

To about this decision- and I think it's a really substantial one, so I would hope that there's going.

J

To be some kind of discussion or communication, more broadly than what I've seen so far, and that's.

J

With me kind of digging around and this our middle school sending out information, and besides that, I.

J

Think there's really kind of three areas that are of concern for for me and for our family, one being.

J

If these credits, if we're going to dual enrollment to improve equity, which I fully.

J

Support it seems from what what I've seen in doing some research, that these credits.

J

Are transferable for colleges within the state of new hampshire but other other schools may or may.

J

Not accept these credits with ap, it's similar, you have to test out, but I think there's an.

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Understood standard with ap classes and that's a bit different than dual enrollment. So I just.

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Want to know of the you know the last two years, what kids that are in the honors or ap classes.

J

Went on to colleges outside of the state, would these transfer number two, I think, is the rigor of.

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The class going into college- my assumption would be you know- hopefully my kids will be- would be in.

J

The ap classes and that's now not an option, and I want to make sure that they're being appropriately.

J

Challenged within their high school career and then three and final, just the perception.

J

For colleges when, when they're having students apply from portsmouth without any ap classes and.

J

It's dual enrollment only is that disadvantaging our kids that are in the highest levels of the.

J

Programs that we offer, I have to think that if you had two equal students and one took all dual.

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Enrollment and one took all ap from southern new hampshire that those students taking ap would have.

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An advantage- and so those are the three areas that are of real concern to me. I feel like we.

J

May be increasing equity but there's a cost to it, where we're potentially disadvantaging some.

J

Of our top top learners, I would encourage this, the the board or the school to look.

J

Get some other alternative for a higher level class? I know the international baccalaureate.

J

Is used in some of the top high schools in new hampshire? I would love to see that come to some.

J

Kind of solution, not just we're substituting ap for dual enrollment and I think we're.

J

Losing something and doing that, thank you thanks allison. Do we have anyone online or public comment.

B

If you are online joining us online and you would like to make a public comment, please raise your hand.

K

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I will take that to me and no one in our zoom audience would like to join.

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The public comment, so if anyone like to make a motion to exit our public comment.

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Section I will accept that motion to end public comment. Second great, thank you.

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um We will move on to the superintendent report and I will pass that over to superintendent.

B

Mclaughlin great, so the last time we talked we met a week ago. So at the end of that meeting there was.

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A requests for some additional information on this topic, so I included a member a memo. That's.

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Really meant to be a summary uh of some of what. uh What we're hearing from the public uh and some.

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um Some of the rationalist, why you know we're taking some of the steps that we're.

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Taking, I think, one of the things that I don't include the memo, I think, is really important.

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Is that for people to understand- and I I know principal kenosi has communicated this- there is.

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Not a mandate from me or from the principal to eliminate ap courses like that is not a thing.

G

So there hasn't been a there was not a decision made behind closed doors to.

G

um To take a take, a shift that was an institutional shift, so there were, there was.

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A process where there was an ongoing conversation at the high school about dual enrollment versus ap.

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Courses uh and there were staff who made decisions to move in that direction, so we still have some ap.

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Courses left we're not closing the door on aps. Aps is still going to be a part of what we offer.

G

But um but there are, but there has been this kind of organic movement towards uh dual enrollment as.

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A bigger part of what we're doing in terms of honors level coursework, so um in our tier and.

G

I think this uh I know I had some questions again, not in the memo. uh Some people had some questions.

G

About waiting, so I think you'll see in the documents put out by the high school. They refer.

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To all three of those options, so we'll call it traditional honors courses, ap and dual enrollment.

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Are all weighted in the same way so all considered part of honors level work at the high school.

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Outside of that, I included, I think the high school did a did a better job than I would do of kind of.

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Explaining some of the differences between between these opportunities- and so you have, I pulled out.

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Of the new program of studies, a couple of things I put at the front, so you have the comparison chart.

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Between honors, dual enrollment and advanced placement to help you know help families.

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Understand the differences between these things second sheet is the is a and it's a live document.

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It's a frequently asked questions page around some of the questions the high school is getting.

G

And it's and the beauty of uh the new program studies is it's not a pdf, so I gave you a paper.

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Copy inside of your uh the full program studies is inside of your packet tonight, but it's not a.

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Pdf and it's not designed to be a pdf, so we have the ability to continue to expand what's possible.

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In terms of the answers within frequently asked questions, then you have a page that kind of breaks.

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Down what is being offered uh in the upcoming year, what's offered in terms of honors courses? What's.

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Offered in terms of dual enrollment and what's offered in terms of ap courses and then one other.

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Sheet that I hand carried, I don't know if I've got additional extra copies, but I know I gave.

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So I'll slide down that way towards at least because there's some people have some interest.

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The last page, which I hand carried, is just a four four of those courses that are dual enrollment.

G

um I had a had a question uh actually over here. I don't know sorry. What's up.

G

I need one actually thank you coming around thanks. That was mine. Thank you. Patty there.

G

You go so there's some extra copies coming around the last sheet, which was not included.

G

In the packet, but in the last 24 hours had a request for uh just an identification of.

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Who are the colleges connected to each course that is represented in the um in that last page?.

G

That that was featured in the in your packet, so uh gb uh cc is great bay. Community college snhu.

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Is of course, sj2 southern new hampshire university, uh the culinary just the culinary program, has an.

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Attachment to uh lake region, community college in laconia- and I think that speaks to all those.

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Acronyms, so those that identifies the partners who are connected with each of the different courses.

G

That are set up to be dual enrollment for 23-24. So uh outside of that, I think again my my memos not.

G

Very long is just intended to be a summary and I'm happy to take any questions from the board.

G

Around things that are in the middle carrie, I was just curious if um this was a shift that the high.

L

School intended to make like how did this come about so there has been an ongoing car, so I can.

G

Tell you, during my hiring process and during the principles, hiring process this. This question came.

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Up this ap versus dual enrollment was actually featured in a couple of different settings.

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um And I think there is a so this has been an ongoing conversation.

G

um And a couple years ago, my understanding is, I don't know all the history, but a couple years.

G

Ago the there was some there was some language put into either the program studies or the.

G

Or the handbook, which indicated that this was like a this, was like a set thing that we're.

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Going to move in that direction, that's not our intent, so our intent is to have.

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Our intent is to have a um kind of have a.

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A variety of different options around honors-based work, but some of this is driven by is also driven.

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By student kind of interest, and so the beauty of the dual enrollments is that students can take.

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More things they're able to take more things because they have they just have to do it in.

G

A semester and not over three quarters, which takes up a lot of their schedule, so there is.

G

An interest in pursuing some of those things as an institution, but not in completely freezing out.

G

Ap, what ended up happening is is that teachers made their own decisions about moving some of.

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Their courses over to dual enrollment that, in terms of the communication, was a surprise to.

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The principal, I think, because there was an eye on like a longer term conversation about moving, that.

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Direction but he had intentionally given people the opportunity to make some of those choices and.

G

Then I think it was an honestly surprised by the number of folks that shifted over. At the same time,.

G

So then it was a catch-up game on on trying to communicate that out effectively. So just.

F

To clarify this was a move on the part of like individual teachers, changing their courses because.

F

I'm I I've talked to a few teachers about this and I'm not actually sure that was the.

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Impression I got from a few of them like I know there have been individual teachers working to.

F

Do that, but no, I think, what's I and I think I yeah, I think as when, after some of the choices.

G

Were made, I think, there's been some going back to people and having some conversations and.

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um And I think in some cases- and I can all this is second hand for me, so it's going.

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To apologize, if some of what I would give is vague, but um that there were some folks who.

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Were taking a conversation about what do we want to do long term in terms of dual enrollment or.

G

um Ap and we're reading into that, like, I really should start moving towards dual enrollment.

G

um And I don't think that was the intent. So so I think in at least I think in at least.

G

One scenario that's been relayed back to me. There was a teacher who interpreted like oh, I.

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Think I'm supposed to kind of be moving in that direction, but that wasn't the intent of what.

G

Was coming out, it wasn't the principal's intent and it wasn't my intent so yeah, oh question that.

K

M

The parrots come to me and ask opinions and such- and I am a parent myself, so I just want.

M

To give a little background for people that may listen to this later or that may be coming into.

M

The high school- I I am a parent of three uh one alumni that did take ap before there were dual.

M

Enrollment classes at portsmouth, high school, I have a junior, so I am living and breathing this.

M

In real time, right now and have been part of the conversations with our principal, I attended the.

M

The parental advisory committee to pack also, what is their equivalent, the high school's equivalent.

M

Of a pta curriculum night, which I will just prefers, was put out there. If, for people to.

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Say I didn't hear about it, it was well published um to hear from our new curriculum director and.

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um And- and I am in the middle of doing college tours with my son at.

M

And I I mean this and and no privileged way, but in schools that are in the top five, our top 50.

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Schools of um to 100 schools in our country, so we were just out west. We are not looking at only new.

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England-Based schools, we are not looking at harvard, we are not looking at princeton and.

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We are not looking at yale, so I will just put that out there or stanford for our parents that.

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Are looking at very traditionalized schools, but I have taken the time to sit down with high school.

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Teachers, not at our own high school. I have spoken to professors on this matter and I have spoken to.

M

um At mission reps, as we have been touring schools to specifically talk to them about the transition.

M

Of our high school looking at dual enrollment going from ap, and I will tell you that that has.

M

Not been an issue for them that my son took ap, he took the pathway of the college board checklist.

M

And his ap did not transition for credit and my son, that is of current a junior year. He is taking.

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Dual enrollment because we are on semester classes and it allowed him to continue to take other.

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Classes that he was already engaged in, whereas if he had taken apish a push, that's a quarterly class.

M

Of three quarters- and it would mean he would have had to drop other curriculum, that he's.

M

Been highly involved in over years at the high school in sitting down with admission reps, both in.

M

New england, as well as west coast, as well as the west, each one of them have told me the same thing.

M

This is a movement that is occurring. This is not a surprise to us and if your child is measured up.

M

Against ap classes and dual enrollment, it is not going to impact them if they have dual enrollment.

M

Classes versus ap- that is not how admissions work. I will say again: it is not how admissions works.

M

In a college, nor does admissions work that there's a guarantee that my child is going.

M

To get in his first pick class because he's a new englander and I've tried to explain that.

M

You can have every checklist on the ballot if they've already filled that category guess what.

M

You're going to get passed over, I don't care if you're in philip exeter I've got friends.

M

Whose kids have gotten passed over by harvard and philip exeter? That's not the way admissions works.

M

And so, as I have been told by admission scraps is they look at and they count.

M

What is the equivalent across the board of their classes and dual enrollment is no less equivalent.

M

To them than ap dual enrollment is a higher statistical for actually getting credit than.

M

Ap ap is a is, is not an actual college level class. I do not. I do not say that.

M

um With regards to denouncing uh in any way ap, my son got a very good education from his ap classes,.

M

At at phs he had strong assessments, he had deeper level conversations. He had, I think higher level.

M

Assessments than some of his other classes, I will say that that's exactly what my son is getting.

M

In his dual enrollment classes, I have not seen a shift in the quality because it's dual enrollment.

M

I will also say that we, as parents, myself included and my household, have been told for years around.

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Sat standards that they're highly acclaimed and that's where we need to be, and now we have seen.

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A huge shift, especially since the pandemic, that that's not important, as as you once was.

M

It's optional and it's optional at very elite high level colleges. It's not colleges that some people.

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May say: oh, that's, not really a high level college anyway, it is optional and we are seeing the same.

M

Chef culturally in dual enrollment classes. I'm hearing this from professors, I'm hearing.

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This from high school teachers- and I am hearing this from admission reps- so to me it's it's not.

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Something that is a negative for us, it's something that the culture hasn't caught up. I've talked.

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To a lot of parents about it- and I understand that a cultural chef brings fear right, I mean.

M

We've relied on college board, we've relied on ap classes to be the gold standard and the reality is.

M

um There's not a lot of standard around dual enrollment yet, but that doesn't mean that it.

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Won't be because it is the new wave that's coming into colleges. Rather, people accept it or not.

M

So do I think that it would be great if we could have everything sure, but that's not reality and.

M

We are a semester-based class um or school. I do think it opens up more inclusion for kids to be.

M

Able to continue their classes that are on a semester-based class and they do ask parents.

M

Before you just jump on hey, this is what I'm used to. This is what I'm comfortable with, because I.

M

Too was comfortable with it to really pick up the phone and call and talk to admission, reps.

M

um Because they're, the ones that can really dive deep and tell you like: hey! No, if, if you're stacked,.

M

Up because the conversation is still happening, around sat scores too, if my kid doesn't put in.

M

Ict, because they can't afford to take the test or they didn't like their test score or this kid.

M

Over here took the test 15 times to finally get to their score. That they're happy of of.

M

Submitting it's it's. Why they're doing away with it? It's not equitable and again, I know there's a.

M

Lot of pretentious elite schools, especially in new england and and some ivy leagues, that have.

M

Not caught up with that bandwagon, but it is the way things are moving. Regarding the.

M

Election communication- I will just say I know that you offered up felix. I do not think felix.

M

Is a standard for our students? I I don't care if it's ap or anything else, I think we should.

M

Really look at even veloc's being offered to our students. It is not high quality and I do think.

M

That communication, while it's moving in the right direction and it's catching up to the problem here,.

M

um This this wasn't rolled out. Well, it wasn't something that parents were engaged in in.

M

Discussion, it wasn't something that we were informed about ahead of time. I would encourage.

M

People to come to the pac meetings, because our principal did talk about it. Then he did not talk.

M

About it to just confirm what zach was saying as a we're doing this, it's a transitional shift. I think.

M

It did come out the gate from teachers driving it because they understand what's coming up on.

M

The pike of of the wave of education, but it is a good place that fosters uh open and open dialogue.

M

Around various topics, and- and this is one of them, so I just want to say that having actually be in.

M

The middle of living and breathing it right now, thank you, hope. Liz had her hand up next.

N

um I have a few questions so just to create a little bit of dialogue with zach on this too.

N

um I first I guess first off I just sort of want to respond briefly to what hope said about velax.

N

um My son we've done the velax program and I, as an elementary school student, it's not high school by.

N

Any means, but we had a great experience which I know is like I talked to lisa about vlax at one.

N

Point she didn't love it, but um we actually had a really great experience with it and it really.

N

Did challenge my son academically and he has was also looking for a challenge, so I do think that.

N

There are quality programs within velax and I do like the structure of being able to allow some.

N

Kids to do online, whether they're doing it in school or at home, it gives another option for.

N

Students that may not feel comfortable in the building or or for whatever reason.

N

My understanding- and I think you have it in the packet too, is that any student can take an ap exam.

N

So they could take a dual enrollment class if they go to a college that has ap and they give credit.

N

For ap, then they could take 100 exam. It looks like there's some costs that we could provide.

N

To students, if they needed it, um but um you know, should should a student take a dual aroma class.

N

And you know want that ap credit. Then they could take that exam which you know, I think kind of.

N

um You know is a pro for switching to dual enrollment. I will also say too. um I know some.

N

Folks that work in admissions and other colleges- um and you know I never took an ap class. I did.

N

Some um dual enrollment tests that basically graduated early and went to community college.

N

um So it was kind of pre-dual enrollment, but um I think there was there's been a lot of frustration.

N

About ap classes because they tend to be more challenging than your college class. um So I see.

N

uh You know possibly calculus on here and, and I I guess um or you know certain history classes.

N

And then you get to college and you take you if you were taking the same class in college.

N

um You know at unh sure you know, I would say even bu or I don't I mean I don't know about.

N

Harvard, but I know that um some harvard law school classes can be easier than the unh law.

N

School classes because they're huge classrooms and it's a lecture, so um I think you know there.

N

Has been frustration with people taking ap and then not getting that college credit for.

N

It necessarily or or basically having taken, spent way too much time on it on a class that would be.

N

um Similarly, only one semester in college and um less rigorous um with that said, though I guess I.

N

Do wonder how the students will be affected? Who are in these ap classes? Because it does.

N

Seem like they are multiple semester classes. So when there is a transition, you know if there's.

N

A kid that missed a semester or anything I just want to be sure that um you know it sounds like.

N

This transition's already sort of in place to some extent or we're sort of moving. um If, if.

N

Not already offering some of these, so I guess you know just want to be sure that those kids.

N

Are able to complete- or you know, there's some sort of stoppage point with that with them in mind.

B

Foreign, do you mean that the kids that are that choose to take an ap currently at portsmouth high.

B

School that they're not ruled out of a dual enrollment. Is that your clarify? No, I guess.

N

I'm just I guess I just it's not clear, I guess it's just not clear to me. It seems like the ap.

N

Classes are multiple semester classes correct. So if we decide to not offer that class anymore.

O

Semester and a half, but in a single school year they end in may usually right. Okay, so we're not.

N

Going to be okay, so I just want to be sure that it's not like yeah like there's, not a kid that.

N

Maybe like missed a semester or something you know had a surgery or whatever, and they just need that.

N

One creditor- and you know I just want to be sure- that they're able to sort of do that, and I guess.

N

um You know I'm looking at what you provided in the packet. I guess I wanted to understand better.

N

um How many of these classes are they are on site at the high school? How many are.

N

Off-Site how many are online, um you know, is there an opportunity to offer more classes.

N

Online should we expand this? I also do worry. I guess that you know you get into this issue.

N

Similar to my law, school experience, where um certain classes are concentrated, but then, if.

N

You want to try something else. It's like the next thing. You know the whole class is spread.

N

And so then the class you really wants not being offered because there's not enough enrollment.

N

um And so sometimes we have to sort of focus those concentrations. So I guess I was curious.

N

As far as how many are on site, how many are off-site and how many would be online at this.

N

Point nick I'm going to lean on you a little bit yeah I mean most of these are on site right for.

G

The dual enrollment, yes, um I have not really encountered an online dual enrollment. I know.

F

There are like a couple that have like sort of a transition thing where you drive somewhere, but I.

F

Think the like the vast majority and the ones that people actually take in large numbers, I think, are.

G

That is correct, that's true, and then um so I guess you know I would want to understand and.

N

Consider more options too: you know if there are the opportunity to um have off-site or online.

N

Credit in other classes that could be considered for dual enrollment. I'd like to learn more about.

N

That too, for those type of offerings you know, maybe there are certain electives.

N

What not, um I also wondered about the cost. There was a in the packet, it talked about costs.

N

um In in comparison, you know, obviously ap was 100 for the exam, but it wasn't clear exactly how much.

N

These dual enrollment classes are, so I don't know if it's just dependent on whether the teachers in.

N

The building or you know the cost, is just incurred for out of the building. Are we paying? You know, do.

N

We have any sort of um uh you know under memos of understanding or something with you know, great bay.

N

Or unh, where um those costs could be limited- and you know, are there budget considerations in sort.

N

Of buying into these programs or the costs of these programs so hope I'm going to lean on you.

G

So, can you talk to me about your experience as a parent and then do enrollment and there are cost.

M

Costs associated um so at all the schools that we are currently partnered with. I do know that.

M

um My understanding and the communications and lisa- and I don't know if you've seen this as.

M

Well, is that if there is a cost factor for you that you're interested in taking a class and.

M

There's you're prohibited to take that because of cost, then you are directed to speak with our.

M

Principal about that, but I'm going to wait my turn because there were a bunch at hands. So I.

N

Mean can you, but can you say like how much is the average like if my kid were, to sign up for a high.

N

School class, am I looking at a thousand dollars, no you're, looking so for the dual enrollments.

N

It's not expensive. It was just over 200 to sign my child up for the dual enrollment class and there.

N

Are multiple classes or one classes? That's for one class for the class in which he does have current.

O

Pricing information available. He presented it at the pac meeting that hope was referencing. It's.

O

Based on the credit cost at the different uh branching institutions, yeah, that's right and.

O

It's provided it a substantial discount to what students would normally pay to enroll directly in.

O

Those institutions- and it is a college level class whereas ap is ap- is not a college class right. Okay,.

M

It might be a dip, deeper curriculum and a deeper um uh a deeper communication and conversations of.

M

Of the curriculum within the class, the way that it is structured then say a regular history class to.

M

A push, but it is not a a college level class, the classes that these dual enrollments are. They are.

M

Actual college classes and students, if completed with particular grades, they will get credit for.

M

The class is that your understanding so yeah, I have a actually the information so first off.

F

The cause associated with dual enrollment is not actually taking the class. It's getting. The college.

F

Credit for it right your transcript, so it's you can just take the class it's free, but if you want.

F

To like have the college credit of it yeah? No! No. I totally understand that. I guess I'm just trying to.

F

Boil down into costs, let's just waiting nick and I think yeah. I don't know it's all for me. It's.

F

Always been lower than the cost of actually taking the ap exam, but that's that's anecdotal. um Other.

F

Than that I will just say, having taken a number of honors class as well as ap, adult enrollments,.

F

um I haven't really seen like a substantial difference in the actual quality of like.

F

Conversations and education, it is still the same teachers. I think they're teaching it about the.

F

Same level that I think there's a different style where I think dual enrollment classes are actively.

F

Emulating colleges, where aps are kind of like focused on the ap curriculum and ap test for sure.

F

um I haven't seen that create a lower standard of education. I wouldn't say um I can't speak as much.

F

To how that affects competition in colleges, but it's never really been my impression that it's.

F

Substantially, worse, um yeah, I suppose that's about it! Thank you. Nick all, right just my last.

N

S out on the number take as far as I'm doing all that goes no. Okay, all right! Thank you. Thanks.

B

Liz carrie and then lisa. So I think, there's two pieces and I just wanted to share some.

L

Experience as an advisor at unh in the nursing program, which has its own kind of specifics,.

L

um But also um say that, like the communication piece is, is the challenge here and then I'll.

L

Sort of end with like what what is to be done or can we do anything here.

L

um But for us one of the issues we have is a lot of buyer's remorse, with ap.

L

um Credits, because often we only recognize them as one so, for instance, if they had a literature.

L

And a writing course and something else, those would be three different ap courses, but we only.

L

Allow one to get transferred in so then they only get credit for that. They don't get anything else.

L

And then we have a lot of um a lot of things so, for instance, if you're interested in going to.

L

Nursing school, probably you want to take a and p in dual enrollment. We don't accept any other.

L

Universities, amp, okay, so it's actually better for our students that those that want to do.

L

Nursing get through their stats and sales and marketing and all of these things, but there is.

L

um um So unh has a transfer credit database and it's shared with most new england colleges. I don't.

L

Think it goes beyond that, but you can look up each specific class, but in general community college.

L

Courses, we take new york, connecticut new jersey and they all have their designation and it's.

L

All part of this shared database, so I think that that can help, but I think what I see is this being.

L

um uh Students hitting the ground running in more ways, because if there's, if their scores, don't meet.

L

A certain mark, um etc. They can't come in and then, if it's required, if it's integral to their.

L

Major, which is most often why they're taking the ap version of the class. It's absolutely.

L

Not counted because they have to take it at their home institution um so and then I I think too just.

L

Because we've gotten communication as a board for members of the community community, both positive.

L

Like this is a great change and don't do this- this is crazy. What's the: where is this at? Is there more.

L

Discussion is there or is this, the program of study is done, and students are very selected.

G

Classes so we would have to roll back this course selection process for the upcoming year uh and.

G

Started a new after resetting: let's say that hypothetical scenario is like where we go back.

G

To the teachers and say nope, you can't change your course to do enrollment. You must teach ap.

G

um Then we would go back to students scrap in the cartoon process. Schedule redo the.

G

Schedule when the schedule is based on try, you know you go through waves of.

G

Trying to meet the needs of different kids at different levels and different things so.

G

We go through another, you know we go through quite the problem, so the the short answer is.

G

The ship is kind of sailed on this year uh in terms of beyond like beyond something.

G

Where we basically shut down everything we've done up to this point, we scrap a lot of other.

G

Things that we do this year, um you know the conversation could continue as we roll into.

G

Future years, but without something that was it's, the ship of sales is that something that.

L

Can be done like a forum just to sort of hear these concerns more broadly and help plan for.

G

Yeah, I think, there's I think the I think they're, like you, said, there's two things going on in the.

G

Communication part is a large part of it, so I think there's some things we could do to do.

G

Some additional outreach to folks to help people answer people's questions. Some of that's going.

G

To be virtual in terms of building up faq documents, those types of things and some of.

G

uh In person and some will be other some other forms yeah we'll just comment that that is a.

M

Conversation that's been going on at the pack and in the high school about potentially looking at.

M

um Would it be helpful to bring in some admission people that can better explain.

M

The process of admissions high level and different caliber level colleges.

M

um But it is a conversation. That's happening at a parental level with our principal as well lisa.

B

uh Carey, were you done? Yes, thank you lisa, so I'm just trying to not repeat what everybody.

K

Else has already said so give me a minute here, but I would say that hope is right. There have.

O

Been some parent meetings with steve kenosi since he came on board, I do think that, like.

O

Others have said the communication in terms of the rollout and just explaining the ration.

O

Now, explaining how things work hasn't been as clear as I think some people would like.

O

And I mean we all bring our personal experience to all of this, like I did jewel enrollment and I.

O

Did ap you know, I went to state universities and the dual enrollment transfer in the ap. Didn't you.

O

Know but I've talked to other people that have the opposite experience, so I think it really.

O

In terms of how it affects your admissions and your credits, it really depends on where you go.

O

um And it can really sometimes be a case of they may not take it in your major or they might they.

O

Might not give you credit, but they might let you start at a more advanced level, and that also has.

O

Value if you're interested in studying something at a more high level and continuing to challenge.

O

Yourself, so there's lots of pieces that you almost can't know until you know what school.

O

You're going to- and I mean I think, that if we have excellent teachers, how do we label the class.

O

I mean from where I'm sitting, I don't know how much that matters. You know whether we call it.

O

Ap, spanish or dual enrollment spanish, it's the same excellent teacher, who's doing it and the.

O

Kids are still going to learn spanish, you know, and I know that there's nuances to each of the.

O

Classes, but I mean from where I sit, I think the issue is more that we just haven't explained it.

O

Well- and I think people have really legitimate concerns and questions right now about how does.

O

This affect my gpa like how does this affect scholarships? How does this affect admissions.

O

How does this affect college costs? Am I getting the same quality or rigor of education like.

O

What's the syllabus and all of this stuff is a little bit of a black hole and I attend the.

O

Parent meetings, you know I'm pretty involved and I don't think it's a deliberate black hole. I just.

O

Think it came together in a way where it hasn't been well articulated. So if the ship has sailed.

O

For next year, because, yes, they've registered for classes, the incoming 8th graders have registered.

O

Like moving all those parts around is months of work by a lot of people to get the schedules to.

O

Lineup, but I feel like starting in the fall even for those orientations and letting people just.

O

Really understand like these are the choices. This is why we have these choices. This is how you can.

O

Understand the difference because, like I don't know the difference between honors biology and.

O

Dual enrollment biology, you know- and I think my kid will probably take one of those classes and.

O

I'm not saying one is better or the other, but just I don't know right, I would say, but not.

G

Even wait until the fall right because because if I've been waiting, my right, I've had a plan.

G

For my child right and my plan includes the ap courses and pushing my kids for the most rigorous.

G

Opportunities in order to get to you know that have that be the plan. That was a path that was.

G

What my parents did for me and but no, I know you weren't, but I'm just gonna. I just want to make.

G

Sure, for public's sake, it's like yeah, I I'm I just want to make sure the public hears that for me.

G

That the we would start, you know not start because it's been happening, it's just. We would amplify.

G

um What it is that we're doing in terms of communicating- and I don't think like some.

O

Of the individual teachers really quite you know when we went to the open house and asked and we're.

O

Like what is this me for what I should register for next year? Yeah, it's a little fuzzy sau50.

H

Thank you very much. um I appreciate um dr mclaughlin's bringing this to discussion.

H

Tonight- and I think it is very much on the minds of uh parents and um I'm going to try the toe of.

H

The line of being an sau50 representative and uh also being a mom and being somebody who has been.

H

A professional educator working in a school counseling department for more than 20 years.

H

um And you know, I think that we all have high hopes for our kids and we all um are obviously.

H

Very invested because we're all here and you guys sit in super long meetings, a lot of nights so.

H

Thank you um and make really important decisions about the education for our kids. um I think my.

H

You know with respect to all of the other opinions that have been shared to me. This is not about.

H

College credit- this is about admissions admissions, is the focus of this conversation, not credit.

H

um And you know my understanding of equity is that you give everyone what they need and anyone.

H

Who knows me noelle knows that I have given more than 20 years of my life to providing equitable.

H

Opportunities for kids, who are under resourced to get as far as they want in life right, um but in.

H

Terms of giving everyone what they need, you also need to give the deepest and longest level of.

H

Rigor to our highest, achieving kids, because that's what they need to go to where they want to go.

H

um And so when you uh and whether this is a movement, that's happening.

H

um You know I can appreciate that, um but until college admissions outside of the state of new.

H

Hampshire say that they are as passionate about dual enrollment and they are as passionate about.

H

um International baccalaureate- and they are as passionate about other things.

H

That have been part of this conversation um then I, I think I think it's worthy of.

H

Pausing this conversation about ap and dual enrollment, because the colleges.

H

um Ap is a nationally standardized understanding of things, um and it is the most rigor that we are.

H

Aware of and and this is no slight to the teachers, I I mean I have a freshman- I have uh nothing.

H

But wonderful things to say about every single teacher in that building that we've encountered.

H

um But when it comes to merit aid, when it comes to admissions in uh an environment in college,.

H

Admissions where yes, there's test optional right, and so the first thing they look at after that.

H

Test optional is ap calc, because ap calc is the defining benchmark for the selective colleges that.

H

um You know kids are trying to get into when we think about the increased application rates.

H

Right northeastern had a six percent acceptance rate this year and they look to aps. That's what.

H

The college admissions looks for that is what my experience has been for more than 20 years.

H

Of sending kids off to colleges um and granted, I'm not a school counselor, not a college counselor. I'm.

H

A social worker, but I've you know, work right with them for a long time and I think that.

H

um You know I understand that it is too far down the line. The ship has sailed right and god bless.

H

Those school counselors who are the ones who are having to roll out this information to parents.

H

Who haven't heard whose kids are coming home and saying? Well, I can't sign up for ap classes, because.

H

They're, just having me do the stool, enrollment thing and parents are hearing that for the first.

H

Time from their children who have gone to their school counseling meeting, for course, selection and.

H

So I think the last thing that I would say is in reading this entire board packet. My understanding.

H

Is that in your strategic communications plan, the number two bullet item is building trusting.

H

Relationships with all district stakeholders, sau50 is a significant stakeholder and the only reason I.

H

Know about this is because we discussed it in area advisory right. So all the sc50 who have uh parents.

H

Who have kids, who are younger than 9th grade? Who haven't had those opportunities to hear it at.

H

um The you know curriculum council, uh which I mean I feel like. I read every single parent square and.

H

I didn't hear if there was an agenda that said we're discussing ap and dual enrollment. I missed.

H

It even though I read all those right, um I think the rollout of this conversation um has actually.

H

Engendered some distrust, uh and I think that that is something that uh the new administration.

H

Is going to have to really work on repairing, um so um you know, I think that uh the board.

H

Is the board right? Do you guys make the decisions to run the schools in portsmouth.

H

um And whether it's sort of too far for 28 23 24, I would really encourage you to be very engaged in.

H

This conversation moving forward because I think that um you know the perception is that this is a.

H

Drastic change: it is something far different than what our constituents have thought that they could.

H

Depend on and expect from, portsmouth high school and the reputation in portsmouth high school.

B

Thank you, um I'm going to ask that we keep it to one question, because it is time that we need.

B

To and I I would like to make some comments, but I might pass on that because we do need to continue.

B

To move on with time, but liz go ahead, um I had a comment and a question, a comment.

N

I just wanted to say to carrie's point about the database. When I went to unh, I took classes.

N

In uh college, prior to my time at unh, and I was able to take my syllabus to unh and the.

N

Department would recognize the class so as far as transferring credit, that's always an option.

N

um I would also say that admissions is changing in every level, so not just batch uh bachelorette.

N

Programs, master's programs, law, school programs, it's changing across the board, so I think it's.

N

Imperative that we continue this conversation and stay on top of it and try to be the most.

N

Progressive in in understanding and making changes and being open to changes, I'd like to know from.

N

Zach, what is I mean? I briefly looked at it up, but what is your understanding about the international.

N

Baccalaureate, I don't think we've ever offered anything like that. It seems similar to ap with.

N

The credentialing type, I'm just saying ap in that it's um you know some like a international.

N

Program sort of accredits it and and as far as the process of of the of it, but I guess I was curious.

G

Go really briefly, and I think margo can probably tell you more so I can just in terms of ib.

G

My understanding iv is: it's held an even higher regard than ap.

G

um And so my my personal experience with with international baccalaureate.

G

Was around american international schools when I was teaching in china and africa.

G

um And that those most of those schools would have ivy programs which were very specific. And then you.

G

Know with the end, highly regarded and students had the ability to come back to the states if.

G

Their families were, if you're, an expat family and you were at american international school. um I.

G

Don't know I know when I was in vermont that the the supervisory union that's most closely, the the.

G

Core community in the several communities are part of it, but middlebury was the core community. They.

G

Had made a move over a five-year period of time to do a lot of their junior senior courses, ib.

G

And that was a big lift um and they got a lot of kudos for doing that. My own, the only conversations.

G

I've had in new hampshire is: I understand that bedford has a combination of they offer ap. They.

G

Offer honors they offer some ib. It's a mixed bag of stuff they're, not strictly exclusively.

G

Ib uh situation there might be others, but I'm still getting to know the state so um and you.

G

Can probably speak with more authority at ib than I can so yeah? I I teach a lot of ivy and I teach.

B

A lot of ap and the iv is far more rigorous, far more modern. The training to get certified teach.

B

Ib is much more difficult, and so a lot of schools don't offer it because the teachers haven't had.

B

The training it's really difficult to find- and I think, from talking to people that were involved.

B

When bedford started their high school, their vision was, it was going to be the first school in.

B

The state that was going to lead with ib because it was modern and it was well recognized and they.

B

Couldn't get the staff to support it and drive it forward and I think that's true. The majority of my.

B

Ib students are still all international kids other than a few on the west coast, but in terms of rigor.

B

Far more rigorous than the ap as far as the ap, you know, I've been involved in the ap curriculum for.

B

20 years in each year, the number of schools that offer it is dwindling substantially both, but the.

B

Private schools did away with a long time ago and that actually had to do it because college.

B

Board mandates how many teaching hours you have to offer the class in order to offer it as credit.

B

And because the private schools aren't held to the same number of teaching days and the classes are.

B

Shorter many weren't meeting the number of hours, so that's why they did away with it a long time.

B

Ago and made a shift for a different curriculum and then post covid a lot of the public schools.

B

Both in our best districts, zip code, wise in the country and in our most challenged, have shifted.

B

um Less out more more shifting away from aps and to dual enrollment I I cannot speak to.

B

Why they're making that shift? But I can tell you that we're not the only district. That's.

B

Considering it yeah, I'm sorry, I know you said one question, but I guess I just wondered if.

N

There's any way we could get a rev from college board because obviously they see.

N

Admission across the board, I don't know if that's something that they do if there would ever be an.

N

Opportunity to have somebody from college board speak to just admissions generally.

N

um You know, I don't know if um you know, even in our schools having somebody I mean, I know like.

N

For example, when I was going to law school, we used a certain lsac and lsac similar to college board.

N

They sort of gather everything and they know they know across the board. What everybody's doing in.

N

The rankings and whatnot and and what people are looking for so there's sort of general admission.

N

Type stuff: they only just to answer that the college board is a private business. They are.

B

Not on any college admissions team- those are two very separate entities, so I want to make sure it.

N

Works, no, I totally understand that, but I think that these that that entity doesn't do colleges.

N

Sort of run applications through college board or similar. Now it's directly to the college.

N

um I guess I just wondered you know when you take like your sat. The essay in college board.

G

Runs it they give you the option of. Do you want to send your sat to the college yeah, but as far.

N

As like, four feet perfect, but I have a feeling they sort of would understand. Like admissions.

N

Or like what like, what everybody's doing globally or any sort of like report that comes out, I guess.

N

I just wondered: how do we best gather information that about what schools are doing from the top 50.

N

I think that was part of what I was gonna yeah, so I'm gonna transition carrie, then rick and.

B

Lisa and then we're gonna wrap it up. So I think I don't I'm not involved with admissions at unh.

L

But I was at northeastern when I was doing my phd and was a whatever scholar of some sort.

L

um And so they don't use ap courses at all in the in at least there, um and part of it is that it's.

L

Not one of the ranking criteria, and so if you look at that, it's the class ranking the classic sas and.

L

The one like it's, those criteria are there, but I think to to the point is that that needs to.

L

Be vetted by the school and communication needs to go back. So it's not for me to say here's this one.

L

Little example, but that how can we make sure with some admissions folks, that's there um and then.

L

What I forgot to say before um was to nick's point um the the function of dual enrollment.

L

Being more college level, that was exactly the conversation that we had in our nursing.

L

Department about not accepting a and p because it was rote memorization in our opinion that they.

L

Were getting and we needed application, and so the dual enrollment and the community college stuff.

L

We do accept in for ap1, and so I just thought that might be helpful. Could you just in terms of.

G

People listening at home just to differentiate an ap course in amp anatomy and now, okay, just just.

G

I'm with you, okay, so our this was a while ago, but our impression was that a student who had done ap.

L

Anatomy and physiology, they could remember a gazillion, more bones and muscles and things.

L

But that at some point does not become important to nursing and medicine, because it's more about.

L

The functions of things and how does that help? Is that yeah? So so we do accept like great big.

L

Community college asp for their anp one. They still have to take two, so we make sure they're.

L

Vetted in that college process, again, I'm just one person and the bigger the bigger question is the.

L

Communication and admissions across the board for our students, nick yeah, um just to quickly.

F

Address the like bringing over somebody to like talk about it, I think I would have to guess that.

F

Admission reps are from, like colleges are probably the best source of information. I think college.

F

Board has been pretty widely criticized for their business practices, so I would, I mean, remember.

F

Regardless of the quality of the course, I would really question the merits of having a call toward.

F

Representatives speak to that they're selling us the test. Lisa was that it nexar. Yes, thank you so.

O

Being just a sort of like encapsulate everything I think what we're hearing is. We really need some.

O

Forum for people to be able to ask these questions or get some sort of broad answers about the.

O

Rationale- and I do think that the one piece that I want to circle back to is there for the people.

O

Who do want to take the ap test? They do want to know what their option is beyond just velax and.

O

You know I understand, if that's a personal choice for a student or a family, that this is a test that.

O

They still want to pursue, even if it's not offered, but it would seem like there should be some way if.

O

They're, taking the most rigorous course that we offer in calculus, and they want to take that ap.

O

Exam to have some type of in a test is available right, so just so people know so people know sort.

O

Of practically, how would this work? Because I think just tossing it out there as oh yeah, you can just.

O

Go sign up for the test is not quite the same thing as giving them that support, and I think that.

O

The communication, while there's bits and pieces everywhere that touch on a lot of these things, I.

O

Don't think it's been synthesized in a clear way where it's easy to access and find and understand.

O

So whatever we can do to kind of beyond just the fact sheets be like okay, practically this.

O

Is how it compares on cost? These are the things we know. These are the things we.

O

Don't know about how colleges will look at it at this point. This is how we're going to.

O

Try to find out more about it over the next year. This is what you do. If you have a junior.

O

Junior or sophomore and you are planning on taking these classes and now they're, not here.

O

Because I think, there's just a lot of stuff that people are kind of urgently.

O

Worried about yeah and some of the worries might be alleviated by explaining more you know, and some.

O

Of the worries might be areas that we really have to take a hard look about what we're going to do.

O

For the curriculum, because, like I was at those parent meetings where you know our curriculum.

O

Director at the high school and our principal talked about this is a conceptual idea, but it.

O

Was not presented as a conceptual idea that you were going to see implemented for next fall, so.

O

Even though they were sort of philosophically like yeah, these are issues that we're debating.

O

And having reasonable discussions about these are things in education that are bubbling up.

O

That we need to take a hard look at it wasn't presented to parents even in that context,.

O

Is next year go, and so I feel like there's a little bit of uh people just want to understand.

B

I think I think, in keeping with our goal of communication this year, we have to recognize.

B

The failures right- and there are many in this situation- not that any were um well. I can't.

B

Speak, I don't think they were intended to be massive failures, but we've identified them and.

B

I think it is in keeping with our goal that we have to do. We have to layer the scaffolding to.

B

Bring it forward and now not later, and I actually personally strongly believe from what I'm hearing.

B

Tonight it can't all be online. I think a lot of them lost in the messaging was that we're relying.

B

For all that technology and digitization has been, there has been a lot of a lot lost in translation.

B

And I think we're not acts, we know we don't access our whole parent body through parent square. We.

B

Know we don't get everybody at the pack meeting, so the question is: we've heard a lot of concerns both.

B

Online and here tonight we've sussed out a lot and there still remains some lack of trust. Some lack.

B

Of understanding and yet we're asking students this week to turn their schedules in myself.

K

As a board committed to this goal, to make a large stride in improving the communication around this.

B

Issue and I would agree, I would agree, and I want to make sure. I think that I think failure is a.

G

Really strong word for the high school so because I do feel well because because I do feel like.

G

Well, because the type of stuff, like the things that I included, that the high school produced.

G

You wouldn't have seen those a year ago. These are these are things that they were produced this week.

B

No, these are no. This is we shared the first one at the area meeting, which was weeks ago. I understand.

G

It wasn't pushed it wasn't pushed out so so, when we got the program of studies to review with our.

O

Kids to register classes, and none of that was in it yeah and it's awesome that it's online and gets.

O

Updated because that's an opportunity to add more as people have questions which is fantastic. But it.

O

Wasn't there when people were having to make the decisions yeah, I I I always want to make sure yeah.

G

That the work there's a lot of work that have been done, the timing of when the work world out.

G

I understand I just don't want to this, isn't my work. I think some of this is very good work and.

G

So I just want to make sure that that that, in the criticism of timing and um and the mediums through.

G

Which some of this was trying to be communicated? I also want to acknowledge that there's been some.

G

Good thoughtful work that has been by by the way some of the the some of the lack of speed on some.

G

Of this was making sure that all high school staff had our some of this was developed by core team.

G

And then all high school staff had a period of time to be like? Is there anything you see.

G

In this is wrong, that's incorrect that we would want to walk back after so um so anyways. I just.

G

So I I don't disagree with the overall assessment of the of the timing and the ability to get the.

G

Right information in front of the people, so they can make non-anxiety-filled. You know decisions for.

G

The children that they think is are reflective of of what they want for their kids and also.

G

I'm appreciative of the work that the high school has now has been trying to do to try to make some.

G

Of these things clearer for folks, thanks for the corruption allison, I will break president go for.

J

It I guess, as a parent, the one thing I am looking for is objective facts, so I want to hear from the.

J

School that you've talked to admissions people, and this is what they said, because we hear a lot of.

J

Anecdotes, everyone has a story, everyone can tell you about when they went to college, but I'm really.

J

Looking for the percentages and the facts coming from the school and hearing it, where we're all.

J

Agreeing that you know this is a reasonable body of evidence and based on that body of evidence, we.

J

Want to make our decisions, because you know we all come in with our own biases, and I think you can.

J

Help to bring those facts forward so that we can really make educated decisions. And so, when someone.

J

Says like oh, you can take the the test. If you take a dual enrollment, you can still take the test.

J

Great, how many people do that and how many people pass? That's the answer, I'm looking for not you can.

J

Do it yeah yeah, I want to know the impacts, that's a great perspective. Thank you hope. Last comment.

M

um I I just wanted to comment on the communication piece. Please and I recognize you want to move on.

M

But I think of everything in our agenda. This is probably the most crucial tonight.

M

Is that well, there is a lot of good information that has come out. It has come out in historical.

M

Portsmouth high school fashion of reactionary and- and you say that there was a review of saying- is.

M

There anything we need to roll back. The question that should have been asked was: what do we need to.

M

Communicate to parents before we roll anything out, and that continues to be something that troubles.

M

Me, as a parent, I was asked by a parent at a game: hey. Why are these things rolling out and.

M

I honestly could not answer that. I could answer it from my perspective as a parent of like here's.

M

The pros and cons, but there's a thousand million research articles in a thousand different opinions.

M

On that right of the pros and cons, but for me to answer their question of why this is occurring.

M

At the high school, with our principal and with our teachers, I could not answer that question.

M

And I had been in a curriculum meeting with our principal where it was conceptualized, but.

M

Never discussed as a rollout, so my question is: why does this keep occurring at the high.

M

School that teachers, what is systematically wrong, that teachers are driving a change.

M

That that to me should be coming from a principle and then bubbling up to stakeholders. I'm not.

M

Saying that you have a forum and parents come, and we say: oh well, we're not going to.

M

Do that, like fine great, we can move forward with systematic changes and parents. We don't always.

M

Get what we want, but it concerns me that we want to spend money on a strategic plan. We want to do.

M

These things, and yet it is a failure. It is a failure from a communication standpoint that.

M

We continue to have reactionary conversations at a board level instead of bringing this forth.

M

In the superintendent report and saying here's something that's conceptually being discussed, we.

M

Would welcome the input of our community, we would welcome the input of our board on the gold level.

M

Like how can this continue happening and how? What is going to change to course correct that? Because.

M

It is losing trust, and you can't expect people to engage in strategic planning if they don't.

M

Trust that they are a valued part of the community to be included in the engagement of conversation.

G

Yeah- and I think this is- I mean it's a substantial change right, it's not like you can't have teachers.

M

Saying well, I'm going to wake up and change the time of school and that's not going to be.

M

A discussion with the principal like just just imagine, so we had it so we had a decision to.

G

When people came back so there was a conceptual conversation that was occurring about about the.

G

Potential shift and people seeing the flexibility, the um the fact that what we were hearing from.

G

Admissions was that what we're really worried about is rigor and we can't determine rigor.

G

In every school everywhere in the country, when people apply it, so we count on you and your school.

G

Profile to identify for us what are the most rigorous things you tell us what's most rigorous.

G

And we have to trust you because we can't possibly vet every single country place in the country. So.

G

And we don't we don't care about the other things you do that that we can't evaluate we don't care.

G

About weight, so we take all your weights, we throw them out and we recalculate ourselves. um So the so.

G

What we were, what our folks in consultation with admissions reps, we're hearing that consistently.

G

That that's, what was what was happening and what we're hearing from students were the conversation.

G

That was prevalent, I was in vermont. Same thing, happened in the schools that I was in vermont.

G

Where kids that were taking aps were constantly in a scenario, because there were three, there were.

G

Three quarter classes were like. I can't I can no longer take this other ap or I can't. I really want.

G

To continue to do band, but that's out now, because I have to do three quarters and everything else.

G

Won't fit so we're hearing those two things and I think there was a conceptual interest. I think.

G

I want to own this. There was conceptual interests on the behalf of the high school principal uh on.

G

Behalf of some of the high school staff, on my behalf to to start potentially moving in.

G

That direction, what we didn't anticipate is giving teachers the option to make some of.

G

Those decisions that they would collectively move as many people would move at the same time and.

G

Then we had decision to make, was people had come back, had made those choices, and we could have said.

G

No and we didn't, can you explain to me how could they make those choices without the discussion and.

M

Approval of of our leader of the high school, the principal well, it's like how. How can that have? I.

M

Mean they have administrative meetings? How can that happen and our principal be talking about.

M

It on a conceptual level, but yet it's happening without his awareness. The principal gave people.

G

But people, I think people I think it's fair to say the principal gave the green light. The.

G

Green light for people to make that choice. So it's not so it's not like the principle.

G

Is not involved at all and any value judgments whatsoever and people are just uh going rogue.

G

um There was a green light to make that choice. If you wanted to make that choice, and I think.

G

What was anticipated was you might have a few people make that choice and then, when.

G

It came in a lot of people made that a lot of teachers made that choice more than I think a.

G

High school administration anticipated and at that point there was a choice to make having.

G

Said we're going to give you this choice, because we think think these are equivalent options and.

G

In many ways better for students because of the flexibility and portability, um but are we going.

G

To now say whoops too many of you went in that direction that we think we might be going anyways.

G

um And now we're going to selectively tell some of you, you can't, and the decision was to not do that.

G

um And then, and knowing that now, there's some real there's a scramble on communication, that's going.

G

To have to happen so then, so the decision was the choice was: are we going to stop this movement that.

G

I think we had green lighted with some teacher, um some professional um empowerment of teachers.

G

Or are we going to be like okay, this is happening faster than we thought.

G

um But we still ultimately think it's the right thing so now are we gonna? Are we gonna go with.

G

That are we going to roll it back, and the decision we made was it's happening faster than we thought.

G

But we're gonna go with it and now we're gonna have to scramble on communication. So while I can.

M

Appreciate that we want to empower teachers, is this how we're going to move forward at the high.

M

School procedurally of allowing the empowerment of that discussion to occur absent of stakeholders.

M

Of students and parents- that's a great that's a great question and it's a fair question. I think.

N

We're doing one question a person no, and I think I think it's a fair question about how you make.

G

Some of some of those choices and how, I think that's fair and I don't I don't.

G

Think you, you said before the example you gave was like uh teachers aren't going to.

G

uh You know we're not gonna have a survey like do. You want us to open at 10 a.m next year, right.

G

Right so, I think that some of this freedom was within was within certain guardrails and.

G

The outcome, like I said, was faster than what we anticipated, but it wasn't complete freedom. There.

G

Was some there were guard rails and people had people had some selective choice about what to.

G

Do but they were within parameters that we had greenlighted, so the principle was involved, but.

G

It wasn't involved in each individual choice about a transfer of a class. Now of any of this.

G

By the way, I think you know having steve come in to answer people's questions about process. I would.

G

Be valuable because there might be parts where he's like well, zach was 92 correct, but there's a.

G

Couple of these other little pieces that you need to know so that might be a valuable conversation.

G

Just in terms of process and about what's the vision for uh programmatic change at the high.

G

School and how do you balance the empowerment of staff and the voice of other stakeholders at the.

G

Same time, I think that's a that's a fair question. It's a good conversation to have. Thank you. I'd.

M

Just like to see us get out of a reactionary communication, I agree. I agree. It feels like.

B

At the high school, maybe what we need to consider is a like a focus group that has students, parents.

B

Faculty that went when a massive change is coming out. We run it through them first to identify.

B

Because I think, though, we were aware that the program of studies was going out and we were aware.

B

That it was going to be different, there wasn't a front page that said, here's a new program studies.

B

And ps one alert you and we we need to own that, and I and I hear very loud and clear that I think.

B

This um this need for objectivity is important in clearness, and I just ask that we put our thing.

B

Hats on and figure out, how can we operationalize a plan for creating some clearness around these.

B

Changes that um meets the need. On that note, I would propose that we move forward on to.

B

um uh We're still under the superintendent report back so dr mclaughlin. So if there's.

B

Anything else you would like to add to the report, otherwise I will turn it over.

B

You're, a good friend anything I think, you're okay, yep great nathan, take it away with our financial.

B

Report please, uh in the packet you saw a financial report. That's different. This month, uh I have told.

P

You for a couple of months running that andrew our new accountant was working with me uh and we were.

P

Reflecting the transition of negotiating pool dollars coming from the city and being applied.

P

Against salary accounts throughout the budget, so I think what you see now under this the uh the.

P

First, half of the first page is reflective of that you'll still see some minor variances anticipated.

P

In the area of admin to get some hiring and degree stipends and the like were different than what.

P

Had been budgeted based on the current staff in the area of monitors, we gave some raises to the.

P

10.50 an hour people, I think they were doing lunchroom work and so there's some there's.

P

Some some rover runs that we'll see there, but there will be minor. The biggest thing.

P

Is substitutes and we knew that we were starting to see costs uh going over in subs beyond that, I.

P

Guess I would just say to you: uh you'll, see, uh you'll, see some changes uh in the budget.

P

Outside of that, but I continue to echo what was that was taught to me by mr bartlett that.

P

A lot of this is timing. The way this financial report works. So there are no real big surprises.

P

There at this point from what we've been looking at to ask, if you have any questions.

B

Can I you mentioned in the memo that the audi district tuition is spending faster? Is it just.

B

Spending faster, but that the total budgeted is gonna is seems to be on track. It looks like we.

P

May creep a little over, but I don't think it's going to be a dramatic number this year. Okay,.

B

And then the other thing I didn't see- or maybe I missed it in the memo- is the athletics. That's.

P

A timing issue. That's a timing. I don't. I don't think. I think that um um athletic director is.

P

Not here tonight, but he wished he would be, but uh he uh I think he would tell you that he's tense.

P

Because he's had some things that came back more expensive, but I don't think they're in.

P

Crisis- I just think he's he made some decisions earlier in the year that uniform replacements.

P

And the like, and uh and so the numbers are running ahead of schedule, but he's still 85.

P

000 shy of you know the budget, so they're still working well they're still building. I think.

P

We're going to be okay, it's just the monthly okay. I think you said in the past. They tend.

G

To front loads athletics tends to be front loaded right. Okay, so I mean, I think, there's.

P

um uh Not to not to echo too much about needing ice time, but some of the costs for things like.

P

Ice rentals um have risen on him a bit and we have tried to make some budget adjustments.

P

With I don't think we kept up with some of the pace of those changes that that they've realized.

B

Gotcha any other questions. I might have missed it um in what you said, but I just um as far as.

N

The medicaid reimbursement is there a reason why that's that's a good thing, but no it's.

N

This yeah, I'm like you're, actually blazing over it you're running ahead of schedule because that's a.

P

Revenue, the red the red ink, looks good with revenue. Yep, okay got it. Thank you. Thank you.

B

You want to keep right on going summarize. It yeah go right on into that cip memo. So I don't.

P

I don't want to belabor this, um but I also want to open up and make sure that I give you as much.

P

Update as I can in the in the area of capital projects, there's a lot going on and I thought I.

P

Gave you this couple uh three or four months back maybe, but I thought it would be good to remind.

P

uh Tonight we'll talk in another moment about the turf replacement at the high school, but this.

P

Summer, in addition to replacing the carpet on the earth on the artificial field, uh the artificial.

P

Turf field at the high school we're looking at paving replacement at the entire dondero campus.

P

We're looking at roof replacement, repair and replacement both on portions of new franklin.

P

And over the cte center at the high school uh we're moving forward uh upgrading radios.

P

Emergency communications, as we continue to push to have more outdoor time and outdoor spaces, one of.

P

The things that we identify coming out of the pandemic was a need to be able to communicate.

P

Throughout the building and in the area around the building um that the others that I've just.

P

Described described are cip, funded programs that have already been through the the gauntlet of of.

P

Approval this uh emergency communication: we think we can do with esther funds. It certainly certainly.

P

Aligns with the you know, with the litmus test that the state has given us, tennis courts will.

P

Start sometime this summer and fall and we expect to have those ready for spring of 24., they will.

P

Have been without uh for a couple of seasons, so we're really hopeful that we can keep that on.

P

Target and then we're working on commissioning recommissioning at the high school, which is all.

P

About assessing 20 20 year old systems to make sure that upgrades that need to happen things.

P

That need to be replaced become part of our capital planning so that they are surprises.

P

um And then, if I skip the next one and speak to the fact that we we've done the we've done.

P

The transition, if you will, in terms of funding, we anticipate using esser funds to work on windows at.

P

Little hardware at dondero you're actually going to see replacement of all the exterior windows.

P

And doors, I think, as well as a part of that process, and there will be some facade upgrades.

P

And improvement as well, when we put that back in. If I go back then to lister, let me take just a.

P

Couple of minutes and update you about the fit out of the fit out renovation of space at community.

P

Campus for lister we met again today. We continue to have a really great experience, working with.

P

Jsa design, the architect firm here, architect and engineers that are working with us here in uh from.

P

Portsmouth we have a plan and we'll bring you an update shortly, but we've moved from the conceptual.

P

Schematic design into what's a developmental design right now and uh we have launched an rfp.

P

Excuse me an rfq request for qualifications that was received yesterday we have seven different.

P

Firms that we're looking at and we'll review later this week and first of next essentially to look.

P

For those that we feel are most qualified based on the materials and references, we'll whittle.

P

Those down to a smaller number and invite them to actually respond to an rfp that speaks to the cost.

P

Structure if they were chosen, what would be their general conditions cost? What is the overhead? What.

P

What the! What construction management fees they would, they would pull, which is essentially what.

P

Percentage of the project cost, would you charge us in terms of providing oversight and administration.

P

For that and when we have that construction management partner, they will then join us at jsa.

P

And continue to move toward buildable documents and they'll put together a guaranteed maximum.

P

Price from that and we'll see somewhere in this process with that information to go back to the.

P

School to the city council and we'll ask them then, for bonding authority for the full. The.

P

Full project cost, and the hope is that that will launch, probably not the summer, but it will launch.

P

In the fall or early winter and be work that is all indoors the work that companies that would.

P

Be interested can do through the winter months and we intend to be complete by memorial day.

P

With punch list items wrapped up by june when school was closing, is that fair yeah? Yes, thanks.

P

Kenny, um wrapped up so that as school closes, the lister academy staff can be involved in helping.

P

To to transfer everything over the most important part of that is that it provides them the entirety.

P

Of the summer and the coming back to school time to uh contemplate the norms because you're talking.

P

About completely different structure in space and and the way things the way they the way.

P

They conduct themselves, you know in in delivering every day may look different in that building and.

P

It's important that they have the opportunity as a staff to contemplate what that looks like and.

P

Then hit the ground running with their students to build a new culture in that new environment.

P

So that's the good news, I guess with lister and so just to give you a sense of all of the work. That's.

P

um It's really, this is a puff play for uh for ken lynchi, because he's here tonight, but I want.

P

I want to make sure you had an ongoing sense of the work, that's being done and give you a sense.

P

um From a timeline perspective of when things might be happening, so I'm always really questions.

B

About that any questions I have a question. Actually um I I guess I was curious. You know as.

N

We're moving lister academy over to the community campus. Is there anything that's getting neglected.

N

At lister academy, not that ken would neglect anything, but um I guess I was just curious if.

N

There's like stuff that we took and like put it on the back burner, knowing that there's gonna.

N

Be this new building, but now we still have kids there, so I just wanted to be sure or just sort of.

N

Throw that thought out there like is there in the current physical space yeah in sherman school. I.

N

Like I mean, obviously everything could be rendered. I just don't want to have our kids a fair amount.

P

Of a lot yeah, like everything, has a bit not we, ken and his team have worked really hard to continue.

P

To deliver a building that is safe, yeah and generally warm most days generally and warm.

P

um Boy, it has not been, we might need space here. It has not been a statement piece right, but I think.

P

We have, we have, we have operated, and I've only been here for a short period of time, but we've.

P

Operated in all of that time, with an expectation that soon qualified soon we got to do something.

P

We've either got to invest heavily in ripping that place down to the studs, bringing in new.

P

Electrical service and new utilities, and and start over within that within the bones of that building,.

P

Or we've got to find somewhere else to go and most of the time that I've invested has been in.

P

The direction of new places to go, we were already touring the community campus property before this.

P

Opportunity arose with the city and we're looking at potentially being a tenant over there, so this.

P

Has been a really great opportunity from the perspective of the schools, because we liked that.

P

Campus we liked that location. We liked what it offered, so uh I I think kenny would always want to.

P

Make sure that it's echoed that it's safe and that we do everything we can to make sure that we're.

P

Delivering um appropriately, but it clearly has not been the same learning environment that all.

P

Of our other students have been provided and when it was tried to be priced out a couple years ago,.

G

What that would be, it was an eight million dollar price. I think we were talking about a million, so I.

G

Mean and so you take inflation, let's call it a 10 million dollar project, yeah yeah so have we spent.

G

Anywhere near 10 million dollars to get that up to the same level as the rest of our uh our.

G

Learning spaces no, and does it look like that as a result? Yes yeah, I guess I just wanted to sort of.

N

Open the dialogues- I don't know if we, you know as we're sort of going through this process with the.

N

Community campus, I don't know if we necessarily have a firm date or if we can really put a firm.

N

Date on it, obviously once they get in there start doing stuff. You know I, I know how construction is.

N

You know sometimes things don't go according to plan all the time, but obviously we'd hope that.

N

They we they would, and so I guess I just wanted to open up the dialogue or just sort of throw out.

N

The idea that, like you know, god, forbid something needed to be done. I obviously want to show that.

N

You know we would support any sort of um you know remediation or something that might be. I needed. I.

N

Guess I I just I don't know what timeline we're looking at right now with community campus, if.

N

We're still shooting for next january, possibly, but I guess I just want to throw out that idea.

N

As we're sort of so let me say again, we expect to have a construction management partner on within.

P

The next couple of months we'll work towards a guaranteed maximum price that we could take to.

P

The city council and we expect to start that work this winter yeah early winter, maybe but certainly.

P

Not this summer- and it should be done by memorial day with a punch list to be completed by the time.

P

School ends in the second week of june, so that they can be moving in in the summer uh or in june.

P

Of 24 and they'll be there for school to start in the fall just clarify nathan, the the timeline.

G

You just mentioned is, it is, is specifically in the rfp um or just that's. What we're looking for.

G

In the proposal we would accept. No, I mean that's in a proposal that we would accept. I mean that's.

P

The time when we've laid out, partly because we don't want to continue to occupy a building that.

P

We're not making some taking some of those corrective actions with yeah as they arise.

P

Putting a roof on it half a dozen years ago, we've got new rooms. New boiler plant still do our state.

Q

Inspections yeah, so it's a health department, so we make sure that we are still maintaining.

Q

um Knowing that, where we're going to be moving out, so one of the prerequisites for any of the.

P

Bitter firms is their ability to deliver on a timeline that would bring us to that. So we've.

P

Moved away from the idea of moving in january again because to have been through an entire.

P

Semester with the norms that are driven by the space that they're in and having to shift that.

P

Into a brand new space without any real transition, opportunity was sounded like a.

P

Lift not only that there's a lot to lift as well so either way that it works better. To give the.

P

Staff time and the students time we even had some of the students who voiced not not all of them. We.

P

Didn't survey but there were some vocal folks who said just let me finish this year. I don't.

P

Want to be when I'll be moving in the mid-year, and I think the staff was on board with that too.

P

This gives them a chance to look at with a very proactively to make sure that they come in with.

P

With all the newness that comes with a space like that, okay, thank you, danielle! You wanna.

R

Just to chime in being the voice from that corner, um it's not pretty, but we've never necessarily.

R

Been looking for the pretty space, and I think there is still a consensus among us that we're.

R

Not going to believe it until we're in that space right, so we cannot picture being in that level.

R

Of what keeps being promised so like, and- and I don't want to- I personally am like okay, we'll see.

P

um There's been a lot of it'll, anything will be better than what we've got is the way they.

P

Talked about a lot and the choices we make do I mean we're a creative folk.

R

um I will, I think I can pretty confidently speak on staff's behalf of a mid-year change.

R

When we were considering that, for this year's mid-year change was was traumatizing for staff.

R

We build so much of our program on community and connectedness and the disconnect from a place. We.

R

Spend good close to half the year trying to get them centered in and feeling at home and a part of.

R

um I I yeah on a summer change, I think, is what we would all vote 100. um I think, in terms of.

R

The the there's nothing the heating goes out, but that's not in anybody's control. It's not like lack.

R

Of upkeep is doing that. It's these fluke, things that happen that I don't you know if kenny could.

R

Prevent that from happening, he he absolutely would there are these. It's just weather and.

R

It's just an old building and it is what it is um and we're prepared we do have we got.

R

Systems in place we've got hooded, blankets and extra clothes. We need to buy some space heaters.

N

If the heat was going to go out and it was not a safe, we would close. I think that's.

K

Yeah, the call is that the building would be closed. We wouldn't have kids and unsafe.

R

And that's not a me thing or even a new steve, steve one, two or three.

R

Promise they they had a great job, communicating with the kids with staff they keep giving us. I.

R

Mean 3d models that we can walk in and look at and look at the textures of what they're going.

R

To be putting on the walls and on the floors- and I mean it's exciting um all in good time- it couldn't.

R

Be soon enough like it would be wonderful if it was this summer, but we all know that's not.

R

Happening- and so I agree on the summer break- is a hundred percent better for our kids and.

R

That's what this is thanks: danielle carrie. My first question is snarky. How do I get a maximum.

L

Cost from a contractor doing renovations or work on my house, because that didn't happen when so.

L

um My actual question is: um can you just walk me through after so our? So what is there board.

L

Involvement is there public involvement in once that rfp comes out or as far as.

L

Selecting proposals- that's all district staff. Okay, just want to make sure and right now it's.

P

A partnership is this kenny and I, the school department, is represented, the city, it's a city.

P

Structure, it's the same building, so the city's facilities director is with us and and they're.

P

They've got engineers at their disposal, so we've got a great slate of folks that are.

P

That are working to review those and make sure that the partner that's chosen uh is uh is not.

P

Only qualified, but it's all is actually a good fit with jsa and with and with the goals of what we're.

P

Going to build or what we're going to renovate there in school, so nothing that you guys have.

P

To do in this case, city council will approve the appropriations okay and not the appropriations, but.

P

In this case, bonding authority, so they've already approved the the plan in general. But when you want.

P

To borrow dollars like this there's another layer, we go back and talk about what exactly.

P

We plan to do and then the authorize bond again. So thank you for all that any other questions.

B

Great moving on to old business, can we make the request to flip? Yes, a would be since kenny's been.

B

Waiting for a long time- yes sure, so I would like to make the motion to switch uh eight b to go in.

B

Advance of 8a move to approve. Thank you ann second, oh great kenny. Would you like to give us an update.

B

On the road please, I've got yeah. I wanted kenny to be in case of questions, but I uh so back to.

P

The artificial turf replacement remember this is a maintenance project. This isn't new. We've had.

P

This turf field for a dozen years it served us really well and because the lifespan really is.

P

Somewhere between 8 and 12 years on these turf fields, yeah it's time to replace the carpet so.

P

We've had this conversation, I know back in october, we had bree sullivan from our design partner, gail.

P

Associates with us, we've now been out to bid the bid results are here with us. I gave you the memo.

P

Shared with the results, when we met last, we met with you about it. There were some great.

P

Conversation around the table and we walked away with some very clear direction. We wanted to make.

P

Sure that we recycled for environmental purposes, the carpet that is taken away, we wanted to make.

P

Sure that we installed a shock pad for the added safety that that provides for cushioning.

P

Regardless of what we do, on top of that, we want to get a shock pad and then we walked through.

P

The priorities that would guide us, we talked about athlete safety and we talked about the.

P

Total project cost we talked about playability, meaning the ability for the field to support.

P

Multiple sports, multiple seasons, multiple uses, it replaces many many grass fields and the total.

P

Hours of consumption are important to us in moving forward about the environmental concern and the.

P

Maintenance needs- and in this case one particular was our ability to plow the field successfully.

P

Without pulling off much of the field and having to regret, you know, probably back in this in the.

P

Spring because we do use there are, there are athletes that share on share opportunities on.

P

That space, even in the cold months, so what we've done is we've gone out competitively and given.

P

All of that that we had discussed the board left us with the with the understanding that we should.

P

Go forth and do this, but didn't want to miss the opportunity for transparency sake to come back to.

P

You make sure you understood what the bids were that were received and know what our action plan.

P

Was moving forward? Are there any real objections or concerns, or you needed more information? We.

P

Wanted to give you that opportunity and certainly appreciate the opportunity for you to affirm that.

P

The path we're on is a good one, because we're now going to contract and go for this summer, so.

P

We anticipate that atlantic sports group will be the partner with whom we work. They not only have.

P

The lowest base bid on the project, but the rfp called for the basis of award to be the aggregate.

P

Of the base bid and the two ad alternates it by design it drives folks to sharpen the pencil.

P

And to be careful with not only the base but the alts so that we make sure we get a fair picture.

P

Otherwise, you can have people that lean with their bid one way or the other. So in both cases, they're.

P

The still the winning the winning bid, they are qualified, as were all the all the other three.

P

It does include recycling of the old carpet, it does include a shock pad that will go in.

P

And our choice is to stick with crumb rubber that has been serving us for a dozen years. It.

P

Is the anecdotal preference of our players and our coaches and uh and we've had the success.

P

That we've had so that work. We are right now on target to complete between graduation and.

P

The start of uh the fall august 14th so that the fall sports can get in. So I I brought I brought.

P

I brought kenny with me. Coach pafford is here as well to offer more credibility about student.

P

Experience and coaching experience than I could, but I'm ready to take any questions.

L

Carrie I just want to declare the the memo is very wonderful. Just wanted to clarify the final.

L

Cost they used to want you see in the memo. It's not going to be 836 000. It's going to.

L

Be that base bed of 585 000., plus the cost that we've already committed to of gale associates.

P

In the design right now and any contingency, we expect that will land somewhere right right below.

P

650 000., the good news about that is: it frees up dollars that are in that pool because it's sure to.

P

Feel I didn't say that in a moment, but our tennis courts are going to be more expensive than we had.

P

Expected the the six courts going in of portsmouth high school, so the savings has become even more.

P

Important to us, because we we need on that end, but yes should be just less than 650 000 total.

L

And probably for um coach and kenny, but the the infills. I don't remember all the ins and outs but.

L

Could you just speak to the preference for the crumb rubber by athletes and because the other.

L

Ones, I believe, were kind of greener or more mental speak to it right away. I mean we've played on.

L

All different kinds of infills over the years and there's no question.

S

The first time we went up on the nuclear field and we we played on that. Our kids did not want to go.

S

Back they wanted to stay at the high school. There was a distinct difference, just the way.

S

That you land on it and get scraped up on those shelves and all that stuff. So I'm not oh, not.

S

Expert from some of the newer stuff that they have out there, but our kids, like playing on the field.

S

We have, and it's served us incredibly well for 12 13 years. This is year, 12. awesome. Thank you.

N

Yeah, I think that's what I can't if I could speak to that, I think that's what.

N

um uh My son's been playing on turf, and so I sort of was. I have friends that that sell, turf and and.

N

uh Installed her, so it was a conversation I had with some guy friends too. So I kind of.

N

Learned all I wanted to learn about tariff and the crumb rubber seems to be um the preference.

N

Because of um how how the landing is, and so we saw all the different options that would.

N

Be passed around in those containers, but as far as studies and everything that comes with it, I think.

N

um You know there has, there isn't really a whole lot out there from my understanding, but.

N

The crumb rubber is what's been used across the board since the beginning of time of these turf.

N

Fields right, so um I think that's that sort of extra padding, too has benefits, for you know, head.

N

Trauma and landing and whatnot as well other questions on the turf replacement and the memo.

M

Okay, thank you for turning around it's going to be a tight time frame. You guys are going to be busy.

Q

And thank you also shoots on board quickly and got it off the bed. um You know, as we just talked about.

E

The infills, it is a newer version. It's pretty set back in october um of a cleaner. It's still.

Q

From rubber, but it's a cleaner version, um it is as a as a maintenance piece. It's what we know.

Q

um But as a coach to fifth and six, we play on both fields and we have to take. You know as little.

Q

Kids, we did take some extra measures of sleeves or something because it is a little bit coarser. We we.

Q

Play there three days a week for practices, um but we you know, we preference of the the body is, is.

Q

To continue what we know and what works best with us and that's where we're putting the additional.

Q

Shock pad as well under that which this shock pad will get us not only this field, but one more field.

Q

So when we do the field again in 10 12 years from now, that shock pad will stay in place as we put a.

Q

New carpet, on top of that as well, so we'll look in long term as well as we want to replace the seal.

B

One question kenny in in light of our goals of communication, I know that a lot of the people.

B

In the school community will know the trips closed over the summer, but how do we have.

B

A plan for how we'll let the general public know that the tracks closed for walking and.

B

Running and yeah, so I've talked to peter rice about that as well. So we'll look to see if we.

Q

Can get that on the city newsletter, we will make sure it gets out on our our facebook page indirectly asked one of the boston billboards at some point. If we could put.

K

It nearby the high school yeah, but that also falls in coincide with market square days and some road.

Q

Races and things like that, so we're gonna we're gonna try to do our best um to put out as much.

Q

Communication and signage and things like that, we're always kind of the individuals who'll ask.

Q

Us and then we'll try to find an alternative route, but great um yeah we'll do our best. Thank you. Well,.

B

Thanks for staying, you do not need to continue to stay coach packard, always a pleasure to have.

B

You thank you. Thank you. Listen. We have some other coaches who would have been with us, but tonight's.

P

I think I said it's already spring spring sports meeting, so they're there um [laughter].

K

Well, thank you. Thank you. Folks, thanks guys, thank you. Okay, we are back on track with the general.

B

Item 8a, taking a look for the second time at the um 22. uh Sorry 23 24 school year calendar. So I.

G

Will acknowledge upfront there's a uh that? uh I heard the concern. I obviously think a lot of.

G

This idea around putting this forward, so I am totally open to the fact of being like even.

G

With the changes on the back page that you still like just don't, do it put it somewhere on the.

G

Website but I want to give it one more shot and if it's- and I understood I heard there was like.

G

A there was, you know, close to a majority, if not a majority of folk who are like, don't stick it on.

G

That back of that, because we think it's going to be confusing to people. um So please please.

G

Now I'm not ignoring I'm trying not to ignore, we have to say I'm making one more stab at it.

G

um Just because I feel passionately about it, but I totally understand if it's still the will the.

G

Board to not include the um backpage, the other thing I'll say about the back page and then we.

G

Can get to the front is just the um uh I just I I definitely heard stuff around like start times.

G

And early release times and all that type of stuff those are not set yet for next year. So I can't put.

G

Them on the back, um we we anticipate that those that those times will be changing. um I think I.

G

Think I talked about about this before we had an interest in changing them in late august, when we.

G

Identified concerns about the buffer of in between the middle, the elementary runs and high school.

G

Middle school runs and that we were too close, and that was creating uh problems for us in terms.

G

Of buses arriving later than we wanted to at the high school, then we ultimately decided it was to.

G

You know, two-day notice for families was not going to be enough, so um so anyway. So that is why some.

G

Of those things that you asked for are not on here right now, because they're not going to be.

G

Set until later into the spring into that in the summer, and then but no, no, oh well, those are the.

G

Things that I want to speak to in the background any last questions I just wanted to commend you.

E

For hearing us about this information on the back, wonderful for principals and teachers to know.

E

About very, very informative, for that. I I kudos for that, but but not on the back of the calendar. Okay,.

E

Lisa um respectfully disagree as someone who has gone through public schools and.

O

Is now raising kids in public schools, who are often given field trips and tests and critical.

O

Work on major religious holidays that are not acknowledged by most people in our schools. I.

O

Think that this sends a message to at least acknowledge that not everybody is christian.

O

um And I think that if we're talking about equity and giving people equal access to educational.

O

Opportunities, this puts us in a direction of walking the walk and not just using the word so.

O

I would like us to have that on the back, I think being very clear that it's not telling people.

O

That school is closed on those dates, simply that these are dates that people should be.

O

Aware of is a fair way of delineating it, so I don't know if that's my first sense right.

O

Nick because I am in agreement, I think just like from where it is honestly looking at it. I will say.

F

It is a bit confusing, I think, like this list is promoted, is provided to promote awareness.

F

And provide guidance with scheduling, events and activities. That's the kind. It's not super visible.

F

Just at a glance, and also, I think, that's the kind of language where I'd look at that kind of.

F

Ask follow-ups, I think, just saying in bold like basically this and then say like and does not.

F

Reflect school days off or anything like that, would help like, I think, just to explain the.

F

Rationale: a little more, I do appreciate the like intention behind this thing. Thank you carrie. um I.

L

I like it with the description and to keep it, I think for next year, adding like some ways to be.

L

um To consider and events might be helpful for specific guidance.

L

um For instance, like not having big food spaghetti dinners during ramadan or whatever, it is.

L

um And then it looked like to me that the primary was confirmed to be the 14th which.

L

You have as an early release, um and so I think if someone else can confirm that too it would.

L

Be great to that would automatically put us out to the friday of that week.

L

And so my next question is, does that mean there's? No, it looks like there's no built-in snow days.

L

So it would go to the monday tuesday, of the following week, so the um so we have two options.

G

So the snow days we are contract with teachers is up to 180 up 287 days and we have to live. We have.

G

To do at least a certain number of instructional hours, uh and so this year, what we're able to do.

G

Was we were able to buy a long shot, live up to our instructional? Our obligation to the state.

G

Of new hampshire and that's why we didn't we didn't end up doing the additional books.

G

Nowadays, so this also would be the same thing where we would have well beyond what we need to.

G

um In terms of the instructional average for the state, and then the number of days on here.

G

Would represent the maximum number of days that we would okay great! Thank you for that. Yep yeah.

L

Just I don't know if you want to change it or the primary yeah february 14th just for clearness on.

B

And what what your per, what we're proposing is that that would shift.

B

To the latter, the next week or the week before the 7th or the 21st.

L

um I'm excited.

L

Oh, I see what you're saying you're, so it will be a it'll, be a no school. The 14th will be a.

L

No school day per the notes on the calendar now think it has to be right, if not november. No, the.

B

Presidential appointment in february february- 14th, yes, so on the bottom of the was it does it.

L

Say 13th, I see it on the 13th okay yeah, because at the bottom of the calendar it says calendar.

L

Will shift to meet presidential primary day a no school day for students and staff.

B

Oh, I see where it says that in orange- yes, sorry, I didn't see that.

M

But is that the case- because I thought the high school usually is in session? It's only the schools.

M

That are used for polling. That's true, okay, my understanding is on a non-presidential primary.

G

That's true, but on the presidential primary we use the high school, the ward, that usually.

G

Goes to ward 4 goes to the high school or for a presidential primary so that so what.

G

I've, what I've been told is that you're right in a non-presidential year, that's the way it.

G

Would go but in the presidential year then everybody's shut on that day for a prison.

G

Because kenny is the one who told me this is the way it works, so, okay, liz.

N

um So curious I haven't seen yet unless it was like within the past couple days of them.

N

Selecting a presidential primary date um that you know my understanding is that obviously.

N

It's get, you know new hampshire's committed to being first in the nation. So therefore um it made.

N

It may move um so I mean based on that, so I don't know. I haven't seen anything um and I just google.

N

It I don't see anything, maybe I'm embarrassed because my source is wikipedia. I just realized.

N

A couple other points um I do think I think I'm still with anne as far as this being confusing.

N

um But you did leave off a holiday halloween's not on here.

N

um And so you have labor day, you have some of these other days disrespectful. I don't.

N

Think it's disrespectful, it's it's literally! It's it's confusing and it's and I think halloween is.

N

A holiday in my mind, the kids were like things to school, we do stuff, we celebrate, so I think.

N

That's that's the point I'm getting across is that there's so many things listed here then.

N

On this new calendar, the new form- and I don't mean to be disrespectful in any way- I do like.

N

I mean I don't celebrate much, I celebrate halloween, so I'm gonna be honest with you. Yes,.

N

I mean in my in my world: yes, so I'm not religious to that extent, uh but I also explore all religions.

N

So I think you know I I think it's confusing um and so this calendar we have here um right.

N

Now it says you know, there's a little green x's that did that delegate that designate no school.

N

um But we have so we have on like for september, for example, we say no school for the first. There.

N

Is a little green x for labor day, but that is labor day. So I guess I'm a little bit concerned.

N

With folks that you know, may not be from the area, may not be from the country, um english.

N

As a second language, I think this calendar can be a little bit confusing if looking at it. That way.

N

Especially given you're sort of listing labor day with all these other holidays, um when we.

N

Get like for working with the state, we get a state holiday calendar and those are all of our days off.

N

um Which you know I don't know if we still get labor day or not. I assume labor day, but we don't.

N

Get um columbus day or um indigenous people's day as a holiday, so to speak. So I think when.

N

We're it says, other holidays, I you know, if we're gonna list holidays, halloween's a holiday to me.

N

um But I think I think it may be changing the title if you're gonna put it on there.

N

You know, other you know uh important, you know dates important dates to other.

N

People, I don't know, there's another way to say it besides, just holidays.

N

um Because someday we should all be christian. Well, lisa I mean respectfully I mean it's my turn.

N

To talk you can talk and and say you know, however, you feel about what I said after, if you'd be like.

N

um So I guess to that point I I just think you know, and I don't know with labor day if it needs.

N

To say no school slash labor day, if that would sort of help uh designate, I just wouldn't want.

N

Any confusion there with sort of listing holidays listing these these days.

N

um And then you know designating the day off, so I just I just figured that when I'm looking at it.

N

It's a bit confusing and I'm not saying it to be sarcastic. I do think halloween should be on here.

N

If there's any other days that I think should be on here, that I haven't seen I'll like I'll.

N

Be happy to let you know hope, so I have a few questions so it it seems to me in reading just.

M

Maybe I should start with the snow day question that seems easier.

M

um So, with the snow day, I see that I'm kind of trying to see what you have it attached to on this.

M

Colander and I thought that we were going to add, like what is our snow day policy. As far as like.

M

um State, because not necessarily are you going to call a snow day by that policy.

M

The question I'm asking is: do we get it or it's the question I have received from.

M

Parents is, are there any snow days built into our schedule? How many days you know before it.

M

Starts cutting into our summer so can we kind of clarify that if there's not room on the on the.

M

Calendar great, can we put it somewhere else, but maybe the calendar. So I, what is the sd snow day.

M

So we so my understanding is that the district over the years has.

G

Two options: one is to do a certain number of days and the other is to use instructional.

G

Hours and then in the district is used both, um so it has not been consistent.

G

um In terms of the way our our contract, like I was saying, is not we don't have a certain set.

G

Number of teacher days we have a maximum number of teacher days, so we can't bring in teachers from.

G

More than 187 days so and that's a combination of classroom, stuff, professional development.

G

That includes, if they're doing so, if we let's say that we did uh for the purposes of snow, if we.

G

Decided to do uh remote based snow day days where there was weather, but we held school remotely.

G

Then that would count every day, yeah so um and then the other and then the other methodology.

G

That schools can also use is instructional hours, and so we are well beyond in terms of what this.

G

Calendar is we're we we have like a 10, I want to say a 10 12 day buffer um based on instructional.

G

Hours compared to what the xda expectation is so um so this year- um and this is like I said.

G

This is this is not inconsistent this year, the end date that we're going this year is based.

G

On instructional hours, so we're well within we're well beyond what our expectation is from the state.

G

um I think we still have six eight day buffers nine day buffers depending on the grade level,.

G

And when we had like the extra um we had the extra extra election day whatever but anyways. We still.

G

Have somewhere between six and nine day, buffers at each school compared to what the expectation.

G

Is from the state so um what we, um I think, I think, there's a conversation to be had as to.

G

Whether or not we want to lock in a singular methodology and then be transparent about that.

G

Methodology, uh if we, if the one at which we went to was exclusively days based on 187 day, calendar.

G

Than there would be this movement, I would say this I was interested. I received far more.

G

Lots of incoming uh uh uh what I received from the public was far more like. Please don't stretch.

G

This into my summer, there was a lot of that more than I'm used to way more than I'm used to do.

G

And so people had some very specific kind of plans that they wanted to push in terms of the.

G

Summers and thought process about their summers. Some of that was around being able to just be.

G

Clear about when the last day was, but some of it was like. Please do not cut my summer shirt.

G

uh And so that was part of kind of the thought process around going towards of the two choices.

G

That have kind of moved around going towards instructional hours for this year. I think this.

G

Is a bigger conversation to be had as to whether or not we're comfortable with that is the overall.

G

Approach and whether or not that's we would want to stick to that exclusively going forward. So.

G

um So I'm hesitant to put it into the calendar right now and say based on my questions. Yes, what.

M

Is the sd snow day on here, for so what is that referencing on this current calendar.

M

Right now am I missing, or is this going to be a live document that, if you've had, I think, okay.

P

Thank you for the clarification. Okay, I didn't understand. No, no thank you for the it's lots of.

M

Good information, just in the address the question so, regarding the the back page.

M

um I, if you choose to change the title, even passing this out to parent or teachers, and I would.

M

Ask that it does not say other 2020 2024 holidays for other people. That is just not inclusive at all.

M

um If you want to change it from holidays to important dates, because, but I I also.

M

Would like clarification from what I am interpreting you or defining holiday as.

M

Religious holidays days that people would receive off, maybe in employment as well.

M

Is that how this has been so I'm not in terms of I'm, I'm utilizing it's the.

G

um I'm trying to think of the group. It's a group it's out of it's a group of college presidents.

G

um Who develop their own list and went through and so the criteria? I don't know the answer to.

G

But I can just I can find the answer to. Why is halloween, for example, not part of the list.

M

um Well, it's not unemployment, payoff right.

M

Religious holiday per se- and so I can understand that so so- maybe just change it. Two important.

M

Dates so then, if whether it's a holiday or not a holiday, we can add things to it, but I I would.

M

Not have a problem if it's on the backside, if it was explicit in this list, is provided to.

M

Promote awareness and and provide guidance to our faculty when scheduling events and activities and.

M

Then be explicit about in bold for actual days off, please see the front side of the calendar.

K

Right, like you know, this is just solely this list is solely to provide and promote awareness.

M

um But I guess my question is if it goes on and it turns out to be crazy town, um how does.

G

It sound confusing or crazy town, confusing, which I think, if you're explicit about the verbidget yeah.

M

Shouldn't be, but some people still not going to read that, um how easy is it just to remove it and.

M

Put the calendar: oh, it's just a pdf, I mean it's a pdf and it's like it's. Not. It just disappeared.

M

Because to me from an international standpoint- and I understand, there's non-english speaking.

M

People within our community, but I think it's more welcoming to see their culture included.

M

In awareness than not be included, so if it's explicit around the front of the calendar.

M

Is four days off and this is to promote awareness solely to promote awareness and.

M

Provide guidance to faculty yeah and I think it's twofold so and I think you hit both both.

G

Of the parts of it for me, they're important one is operational, so we as we were putting together the.

G

um uh The commit the the portrait of graduate committee well, we scheduled our second, our second.

G

um Date right now was scheduled on uh eid. Al-Fetter right. I missed it now, I'm I'm trying.

G

To always be thinking and foot forward on these types of issues I blew it. I blew it on the date.

G

um Because I didn't necessarily have I wasn't thinking: where is this thing right? In my face.

G

So now we're gonna have to look at reworking um reworking our second date. uh I think so. I think.

G

I think there's other examples. I think we went through this year and we looked at our district.

G

Calendar- and we looked at these- there are other examples of times where we ran what would be.

G

Significant events, if you're a family who has a kid at one of the schools, significant events that.

G

Ran counter to portions of our of our student body and their and their traditions, so that so that's.

G

Like a real operational thing, I also think that just the symbolism is important. You were saying.

G

This it's like, I think, it's important to tell people like. Okay, all your time may not appear.

G

In the functioning school calendar, which I think is a longer term conversation about, what are we.

G

Doing with who's whose holidays are going to be represented, I think that's another step out.

G

um But I think it's an important one too, but at least we're like we're saying we we, you are part.

G

Of our school community, that's right, yeah and we know this stuff's going on and we acknowledge it.

G

um And even if it's not built into the school calendar at the moment, we um it's a step in.

M

The right direction, I think and culturally to say we need to start bringing this into the awareness.

M

And recognize that our classrooms are diversified with um our community, diversify for our currency.

G

Because there's a bunch of our current students who do celebrate these things already already.

G

Happens, and for in welcoming to people who might want to come and be part of portsmouth as a.

G

Community and they evaluate, to what extent is this community. That is, I think, with nancy. We talked.

G

About you know portsmouth's as the uh the city of the open door and, if that's the tradition, that.

G

We want to live up to, I think, there's some things that we could do to to um move that forward. uh Pip.

A

Thanks, um I just wanted to echo the sentiment that I feel very strongly that it's a great.

A

Idea to acknowledge these holidays, um even if we can't give the days off yet I think it.

A

Is really important for a lot of the reasons zach just mentioned, and also.

A

um It's very much in keeping with our our primary or pillar one of our pillars about equity, and I.

A

Would say community as well, so I think with some added language at the top that specifies that that.

A

These are just guidelines for other for scheduling events, and I think it actually should specifically.

A

Say these are not days off right, we're not not particularly these offer. However, we can state it.

A

um I think we should retain it on there. Some of them are days off just to know things pip. So.

F

um Nick and then lisa yeah, I just want to say, like I think, uh yeah I'm glad this is in here and.

F

I think it I think it does serve a good purpose. I also would caution against just oh generally,.

F

Overthinking it I think, give I think people are going to understand the purpose of the gesture.

F

And as long as people understand that it's not something like actually reflecting our schedule.

F

I think that that does give us some leeway just because it's not creating any district-wide rules.

F

Or anything like that, and so I think like it, I also I. I do believe that I think maybe we could.

F

We maybe we could include a language about it, but that if people feel like their holidays are.

F

Not included for one reason or another that it wouldn't be that difficult of a fix for them to.

F

Reach out and to just add that yeah, and so I think with that in mind, I think, with the.

F

Clarification, this should be perfectly fine. Thank you nick lisa, so I would like to make a motion to.

O

Approve this two-page calendar okay, with a revised headline on page two, and I would defer to zach on.

O

The exact wordsmithing of that okay, but to reflect that these are guidelines provided.

O

To our faculty to promote awareness, this is not our school schedule for information on dates when.

O

School is in session. Please refer to page one or whatever you feel is the word definitive simple.

O

Language, but that's the motion I would make do I have a second thank you. Any discussion, liz well.

N

I don't I don't know, I think the motion, I don't know that it's appropriate for us to be voting on.

N

Whatever language the school distributes for the back of the calendar, I think the school board we.

N

Can approve the calendar generally, but I would request that either we don't vote on the back.

N

Of the calendar and zach ultimately makes the decision based on the input he's heard tonight,.

N

Or we do a separate it on a roll call vote for the back of the calendar. We just have a motion.

B

I currently have a motion on the floor. What I'm saying is there's up for discussion, so I.

N

Got called yeah, no, no, I know, and I don't think it's appropriate for us to be voting. Is it as.

N

A whole, I think we have, we generally vote for the calendar and approve the calendar. That's our role.

N

As far as approving other language that the school wants to pump out to anybody about what the school.

N

Is doing or anything on the back of the calendar, I don't know that. That's necessarily our role to.

N

um Designate, uh I guess so to speak what is said or not said on the back of the calendar.

N

um I think, generally, we vote to have the school year based on what's laid out. You know we have.

N

Contracts with the teachers union and those days off and that's sort of our role, so I I.

N

Just I would like to um you know, I don't know if I need to make a motion to separate the the lisa's.

N

Motion but I don't think it's proper to um to vote in the back of the calendar or this proposal of.

N

This going on the back another question from pip: for the same time, if you have another question.

B

Here's what I can say in our packet, this document, which is two pages, is the document presented.

B

As the 2324 calendar, and we have a motion on the floor to approve the calendar with.

B

Amended language at the top of page two, at the discretion of our superintendent, with a second.

B

So at this time we should move to a roll call vote on that motion. I would like to amend the.

N

um Amend the motion on the table to separate the vote for calendar and back a calendar is.

B

There a second she she's saying, calendar and back a calendar, but by definition of.

M

What the superintendent is bringing forward and what you just said this is the calendar, so I'm.

M

I'm confused so the calendar is presenting to us this year, as I.

M

Understand it please, superintendent, let me know if I'm wrong is a two-page calendar.

G

uh Yes front and back yes, is this 2023 2024 calendar, so I don't understand how we split.

M

That, when it does include the information from the front as well as additional information, that seems.

M

Pertinent to the awareness of our community. Well, I'm making an amendment to split the vote on the.

N

Calendar school year calendar approval versus the back of the calendar. Understood. Is there.

B

Any second for that motion motion does not pass at this point. I'd like to call for a roll call.

B

Vote of the motion on the floor. Liz barrett no hit clues. Yes, lisa rappaport; yes, ann walker! Yes,.

C

Margo peabody, yes, nancy, clayberg fan apps, yes, brian, french, yes, carrie, nolte, yes, motion passes.

B

Thank you everyone. Our next agenda item is the 2324 school board meeting calendar.

G

Okay, so this um yeah, we, the only thing we would look for in terms of uh this time around was.

G

um There was conversation and ended up not being an issue with conversation about a desire to not.

G

Repeat the tuesday night before thanksgiving thing, but it ended up. It didn't fall that way.

G

uh Anyways- uh and so this was pretty, you know standard criteria. I wish this was developed so.

B

If you run this through, we often have conflicts with the performing arts, since this is so far.

B

Ahead of next year's um concerts, performances, etc, could we pass this to the performing arts.

B

Department and say that we may not have events on board nights yeah. I think if we can make that.

G

Rule but it just isn't it so. Your your business administrator and I might have been having this.

G

Conversation a little bit about, even if it's just we can we're, always going to have elections and.

G

Things will change, but even a thoughtfulness I mean usually when we get in trouble.

G

Is concerts right? That's usually, oh this year was concerts and it was because the elementaries and.

G

I don't know the the logistical piece behind this, but they tend to do three nights in a row.

G

um At the high school and one of them goes one of them each go, and I think some of that might.

G

Be in terms of lights, logistics, etc. So they try to package all that stuff together at the.

G

Same time but anyways, the short version is, we can absolutely have that conversation. The.

G

um uh And particularly around the performing performing arts and as much as we can because.

G

We can't always anticipate elections, but trying to be thoughtful about who is on the board and who's.

G

And I have requested that and I have skip board meetings to be a part of those, because my new kid.

M

Has been in the performing arts, but um just as we talk about our community engagement and our.

M

Inclusion and trying not to discriminate from one to the other. How? How does that conversation play.

M

Out because we do have sports that takes place and we won't be able to control sports. That's.

G

An nhia thing, I just think it's a slippery slope to make a policy. No, I didn't mean to policy just.

B

A request: oh okay, yeah. Sorry, the word was uh all right. Thank you. Let's just throw in, I think.

P

This one of the suggestions was when you take this two-page calendar, we just finished and you forward.

P

It out you send this with it, yes and say, oh and by the way, to the extent that you as decision makers,.

P

Administrators directors, the extent that you can be mindful of that not only do board members want.

P

To participate both in this process and in the lives of their children, but so too do concerned.

P

Parents and citizens who want to be here for these conversations they need to be considered as well.

P

So if you can avoid overlapping with big things, you'll never do them all, but the best of them. You.

G

Got to leave the flexibility to the fact that we might there's going to be times where we're not.

G

Going to be able to avoid every holiday of that list, we're not going to be able, but the goal is.

G

To do everything we can to try to do it. I agree, okay, so um liz question um a couple points on this.

N

um So first thing is like there's a lot of school boards or um I don't know a lot of scores. There's.

N

A there's a couple good school boards uh in new hampshire that don't meet over the summer.

N

um And so I propose that we eliminate july 11th, um you know august okay, but get a rid of july.

N

And then uh I had discussed um possibly if we're gonna do retreats or we're going to do january.

N

um Budget meetings like we always do budget meetings in january. I kind of wonder if we.

N

Could start building that and we briefly brought it up before building that into this calendar, so.

N

um You know for triple or whatnot purposes. I mean you know I sort of figured, but then I kind of.

N

Thought maybe I wasn't going to have a meeting one week and and then I ended up being gone and then.

N

Sick, obviously, but um I guess I kind of wondered if you know if, if we generally have budget.

N

Meetings in january always, you know the second week the third week, if we could add those in.

N

um That would be great. I understand that we obviously have different timelines. We're working.

N

On but it seems like, we may always have a meeting. You know third week of january, so um even if it's.

N

Just like a buffer and not like the exact day like just that we're committing to those dates yeah so.

P

I think we could put a footnote on this. That again I didn't dream it up. I just inherited it when I.

P

Arrived but from january 9 until the week prior to february vacation. We have at least in recent.

P

History been here every tuesday night, either for regular board meetings or for budget workshops in.

P

Between so you could footnote that and just say, please anticipate and if we decide to go earlier.

P

And change this you may draw this out, you may start december meetings and not have to and.

M

Great carrie, thank you. Were you done this yes uh yeah, just in the retreats too, are we still having.

N

A retreat every year I mean, is that always a thing and um when, when are we doing that over the summer,.

N

As well or can we be like the cooler boards and kind of push it a little closer because of the.

B

Way our goal setting and budget cycle works because our budget gets approved so late by.

B

The city- it's always in the summer, okay carrie, um I was gonna, think. Similarly, I would propose that.

L

We consider working on scheduling a retreat now because I feel like we had some struggles before.

L

um But I think it it just as an idea doing it in june um instead of in july, because I.

L

Don't think any of our travel schedules lined up that we could all be in person.

L

um But with that I would, I would, if you think, it's reasonable forego the july 11th meeting.

G

G

Because I could see us having a june so the retreat just to say I would say the sooner.

G

The better on retreats for us, because then it allows us as we're as as space kind of clears.

G

Out in july, is you know each of us are off on different vacations, but then we also have.

G

Like a lot of yeah, it's good work time for us in terms of anything any types of like goal setting.

G

And developing plans, and all that type of stuff and then leading into our own retreat, which is.

G

In the we're in the third week in july, I think is what we're doing this time. We've already come.

G

A month two months ago, we started to book that time with administrators and just say block it.

G

um So it's better for us if we would do the board retreat in june somewhere in there. That's the you.

G

Know the earlier the better nancy and I will generate a google survey to nail down a date in.

B

June, if july operationally, I think your july is less important. I I would caution against.

P

Some places don't go either month, but I think august, coming back, you have things that anticipate.

P

Yeah the start of school, but yeah but july is a month where I've had experience with us not and.

P

I can't think of anything other than the hiring up opportunity and if you extend the privilege to.

P

To go ahead and contract people for vacancies that still existed at that point, that's otherwise right.

P

I think you're, okay, I've done it both ways. I've had I've had years where, depending on the board,.

G

The board make up the board and stuff we've, we ended up meeting um and then I've had other years.

G

Where we have done as much as bagging board, I mean sorry. We've always like called a meeting.

N

Too, if it was like absolutely necessary for a decision, so yep lisa, quick question, I guess.

O

For zach and nathan, is it feasible to do in june, while school is still in session, because I do feel.

O

Like as soon as the kids are out the door, people's schedules really do start to deviate, and I don't.

O

Know if that's practical for you, because that's such a busy time of year in all the buildings.

G

I mean it's interesting because it's a busy time of year in the build, so it depends so.

G

Here's what you can anticipate, I think, the central office level. In some ways it gets.

G

The buildings get really busy just like the opening of school buildings get really busy.

G

We're not quite as busy, but this office can be busy because usually there's.

G

um There's there's end of a school year. If there's there's, usually my experience is.

G

There are two to four special really dumb moves by somebody, uh because it's transition and it's.

G

There's just a lot going on, so I think yeah and I and it's just you, never know how much time.

G

Some of those are enormous and you basically like central office, becomes a response to the really.

G

One or two really dumb moves that somebody pulls right at the end of the year, so there.

G

Oh sorry, were you done? I'm sorry. I was just curious. Okay. I was just curious. What about.

M

um The end of may like prior to memorial day, because then I mean we only have 11 days in june.

K

Right before the end of the year, so I was just wondering before we even start getting into all.

M

The end of the year events and the craziness that would allow us to be able to why don't we identify.

B

A block between mid-may and end of school and see if we can easily find a common ground and then.

B

We'll work backwards and we have two meetings in may so. Therefore, if there was anything that came.

M

Up in the retreat that we felt like would be good to communicate out to the community before the end.

M

Of school, we would be able to do that on the 28th or the 11th, all wonderful suggestions, which we.

B

Will work on and does anybody else have comments regarding the I'm on the wrong thing here? um The.

B

The board meeting schedule: okay, the comments will be noted and we will get back to you with.

B

The changes and a survey to get going look for a survey in your inbox on dates for the board.

B

Meetings moving on, we have um the consideration and approval of teacher re-nominations.

G

So we spent a little bit of time in uh non-public reviewing uh what this is the board through.

G

um The board has a role of we have a process established through our.

G

Contracts about the teachers that we are renewing.

G

um We have gone through that process. The board was given a list of the of the um of the the teachers.

G

That we're renewing for the upcoming year uh and you have a basically uh as I talked to.

G

You about it, we showed you a template of what the actual contract is, and then we gave you a list of.

G

All the employees, the schools, their positions and their salaries, which effectively becomes the merge.

G

Sheet for all the contracts that we will produce, we have already an honesty pre-produced in hopes.

G

That you're going to approve and then we'll be distributing at the end of this week. But we would.

G

Need formal approval for you from you for both the list of teacher renominations and administrator.

G

Read nominations both of which are based on the existing collective bargaining agreements.

B

Do I have a motion to approve the superintendents? We have to do these separately, since we have.

A

Several conferences: do I have a motion to approve the superintendent's teacher.

B

Renominations for the 23-24 school year, proof and and the second was carrie. Thank you. Any discussion.

B

Great roll call vote. Please liz barrett kind of stain, pip clues; yes, lisa rappaport, yes, ann walker,.

C

Yes, margo peabody, yes, nancy clayberg; yes, pope van epps, stain brian french, yes carrie nolte, yes,.

C

Motion passes. Thank you. Do I have a motion to approve the superintendent's administration.

B

Administrator array nominations for the 23-24 school year. Hope second lisa great. Any discussion.

B

Okay, roll call vote, please liz barrett abstain, pip clues; yes, lisa, rapaport, yes and walker. Yes, marco.

C

Peabody, yes, nancy clayberg, yes, pope van epps, yes, brian, french, yes, carrie, nolte, yes, motion passes.

C

Great, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Moving on to committee updates, you will see in your packet.

B

You have the last the minutes from the last two policy committee meetings, um a couple of things.

B

To note they're, very hopefully, you read them and they're detailed uh way back in january, the board.

B

Had passed with um the note to remove the word married from the married and pregnant students.

B

Policy j, I e that we did pass that and legal has approved. We can strike the word married. That.

B

Does not need to go back to the board um you'll see that the minutes mention um our fundraising.

B

Policy that actually is not coming to the board, yet the city is in the process of reconsidering.

B

Their fundraising process so we'd like to be more lockstep with the way they do things so they're.

B

Revisiting their policy while we revisit ours and hopefully the two will align where appropriate so.

B

That's in order that you can address. I know that the um I can't remember, j-I-d jidc was sent back.

B

To the board for corrections- and we haven't had a chance to um was sent back to the policy committee.

B

For corrections- and we haven't had a chance to review those corrections because we have been busy.

B

um As time has presented to review and update policy jbab the reason that policy came forward.

B

Is it was created in 2016 and has not been updated since and needs updating, as you can tell from.

B

The notes we have involved numerous people in the discussion, including guidance and seacoast.

B

Outright to really land on what is the best policy that supports all students and um and per provides.

B

uh A clear pathway for um safe communication pathways for students to um notify teachers and.

B

um I'm trying to find the right words for it, but we've been very thoughtful about adjusting.

B

The policy and the conversations that follow are in there we've already started by changing the.

B

Title and changing some of the verbiage, we've also updated the definitions list and we're.

B

We have been most recently delving into um uh sex, segregated activities in the classrooms, as well as.

B

Bathroom designation and field trips, so we're looking at all levels that this policy would.

B

Touch on is the policy ready to come to the board yet nope, but we wanted to update you on where we.

B

Were in the process and reflect that, oh I'm just curious how the policy committee is communicating.

M

This out to the larger school community to make them aware that this is on the table again.

M

The idea of trying to prevent reactive communication on the.

M

Back end of anything that might pass and will there be discussion.

B

That's a great way, so the first layer that we went through was guidance that would have the.

B

Greatest points of contact with students that would be most that the policy would most address.

B

But your suggestion of maybe bringing in a small subset of students to help review is, would be a.

B

Great figure has this been put out like to ptas for them to be communicating to parents that this.

M

Is a policy that's under consideration? Advisement I mean, I know, because it's not yeah. That is one of.

M

Those policies that has a lot of opinions around it and again I I want to see us- be thoughtful of.

M

Those respectful dialogues and be a district that welcomes various opinions um with whatever. However,.

M

Things land that we do, that in a proactive and inviting way and not having to be reactive and.

M

It's explaining what what was passed without um without the community having the opportunity to.

M

Express their thoughts and opinions and concerns, especially since we just dedicated half our.

M

Evening around those very concerns on another topic, so I think this is a again a good example of.

M

Us being able to be proactive and engage our community and trust them to be able to.

M

Have healthy health yeah great point to note we I'll take it back to the policy.

B

Committee, I want to be clear that everybody understands we. We currently have a policy. This.

B

Is an update just like make sure that we're not coming out of nowhere? um Yes to now ton, I don't.

B

Get it right, do I what's cali? Okay? So it's okay! uh I just wanted to commend the policy committee.

H

On what looks like a very rich discussion um and is indeed taking into account all of the.

H

Important parts of a very complex discussion. Thank you. Thank you liz. uh I guess I first want to say.

N

um uh Kudos to or thanks to lisa and pip and folks working on this policy that have worked, you know.

N

With the larger community to bring in a greater discussion about the policy and appropriateness.

N

Etc et cetera there, and so I think, there's been a lot of work there um to hope's point.

N

As far as engaging the community, I think the community's engagement, because this is a policy.

N

um It would come in when we end up when the policy committee brings it to the board that I don't know.

N

If this is, this would probably be like a two vote I would assume, um and so um so there I think, those.

N

Would be the opportunities if somebody wanted to come speak or the community wanted to come? Speak.

N

um That would be the time to for to hear that public comment portion of it.

N

um I I don't know if I inadvertently approve the minutes uh for the policy. I just there's just one.

N

Point- and I just wanted to clarify because I'm thrown into it here it says um the committee with.

N

The exceptional liz agree that there's a lot of good in the policy and didn't want to didn't want.

N

A complete overhaul of the policy, I didn't say that there wasn't a lot of good in the policy, so I.

N

Want to clarify, there's two parts of that sentence, and um so um yeah. This is where the the before.

N

That so um this these are the minutes. From on the 8th, I was late and I was like in between trying.

N

To get some work done, while I had it on zoom too, so I had some work commitments that were sort of.

N

Pulled into I'm just I just want to make something february, 7th february 7th meeting. Isn't it oh? No.

N

You know if everybody meeting minutes paid for bottom of page four. Fourth, paragraph down it says.

N

um uh With the exceptional ways, everybody agreed that it was a good there's, a lot of good in the.

N

Policy that that's not so, I think that portion of the sentence. I said that I I think I threw out the.

N

Idea that there needed to be a complete overhaul, because that's essentially what I felt was being.

N

Done and I think my concern as far as wanting a complete overhaul was the fact that um the way.

N

That I read policies as as an attorney is you know I talked about like the the um you know, the work.

N

Certain words we're using and why we have the policy and you know what we're doing and what's.

N

The intent and, I think, there's a lot of different discussion about you- know offering guidance or.

N

Whether we should have a definition section and that I think I think it's the minutes- do lay a.

N

Nice did a nice job in detailing the discussion around. You know having a definition section, how.

N

You use the definition section in a policy all of that, and so that was really kind of my focus was.

N

um Just trying to be clear and understanding you know all the the the depth and the breadth.

N

Of like what we need, this policy for and how we're applying it and whatnot. So that's why I.

N

Had thrown out the idea of complete overhaul I'd, never I don't believe. I ever said that this policy.

N

Wasn't a good policy to have or it's in general, so I just wanted to sort of take out that piece and.

N

Elaborate a little bit there great! Thank you lisa did you have your hand up not yet no and I'm sorry.

E

Previously, when that policy was was being worked on some years back, there was a health class of.

E

A high school and and the policy was presented to them and that that health teacher- I don't I don't.

E

Think is there any longer okay, but there were a lot of kids involved in that kind of thing. So.

E

They very much agreed with what was being done in the policy good to know. Thank you for the.

B

Historical perspective and that's helpful yeah. um So at one point we had talked about having.

M

On the website or somewhere that teachers could access to see what policies were under review.

M

um Especially with the grade office trying to make decisions around things- and I didn't did.

M

That did that happen. The short answer I can tell are we communicating out.

M

Policy set because, while I understand liz's point that this is a form a lot of parents, don't know if.

M

The word's not getting out around policies that are being yeah, so the two short answers. One.

B

That suggestion was made to legal has not been um welcomed. Yet as a in terms of just acknowledging.

B

What's under revision, I didn't know whether it was more of a technical challenge in terms of if you.

B

Put it under revision does it seem as though that policy as it stands, is technically paused and does.

B

And we are not held to it, which is a fair point. So then it was a question of how do we communicate.

B

That the second follow-up is, you know, in a very backwards way. Obviously, the agenda for the policy.

B

Meeting state what's under revision, but very few people, look to that. So we could. We could consider.

B

Linking those in the faculty newsletters, because that's ultimately faculty and admin, I don't think.

B

um I think that feels like the right starting place of where they would go yeah. I think- and this.

G

Is a longer term, I've been thinking about this, a bunch and and as we adjust policy, what's the.

G

What's the most efficient way to communicate with staff, this changing expectation that they're now.

G

Living under and some policies, don't really have a big impact on them day to day, but still we should.

G

Be have a, we should have a system of inform um and parents and parents yeah, and parents, and separate.

G

From this I mean separate from this policy because of but just in general, some of our stuff is not.

G

That big a deal, it's some technical language, but it's more conceptually. It's the same thing.

G

um But uh I'm yeah I'm trying to figure that out, because I know what what we had done. What I had.

G

Done previously was when it was really, it was really around handbook revisions when handbook.

G

Revisions would happen, then I would front load, but that means a certain period of time would go by.

G

Without an update, a proactive update to the to the staff and the school community uh and then.

G

When those handbook came out the begin, the first page of the handbook was this is what's changed.

G

Since the last time we issued the handbook- and it would have all these here's the pages you go.

G

To and whatnot um I've thought about every time we put out a new policy putting out something to.

G

The staff that tries to summarize what has been done- it's not something I've ever done before, but.

G

I think it's, it could be a good practice and it has not. I have not started doing that yet.

G

But I think it would be a good idea to say look. Here's the whole policy can be found here. Here's.

G

A link, the short version, you know the very short version: here's a paragraph of effectively what.

G

Has changed or evolved is this and here's how it potentially impacts you and you should you know.

G

You should review this because the expectations you're living up to the stuff that sort of policy.

G

And if you have any questions, ask your principal. You know that type of thing, so we haven't done.

G

That yet I've been thinking about it and I it would be good practice first in that direction.

H

Italian, um just in line with the discussion, I'm just wondering too, if it would be possible for.

H

These google agendas to be sent out via parent square um because I think it's tricky to find.

H

Those even for people who know where to look uh tricky to know when they become public information.

H

Weren't exactly on the agenda um and even in the sense of without applicable links having.

H

The policies that are going to be discussed or have been discussed under policy review right. I.

H

Think that would be another way to communicate, um because you know jbab means this right. Then that's.

H

A way that I think would help engage the parent community and even the students right, because they.

H

Have student square or whatever so if they are curious about, what's on the agenda for the board.

B

Great suggestion, in line with our goals of thank you, improving communication. Thank you.

B

Lisa totally stole what I was going to say, but it's actually no it's good. I mean this came up.

O

Last year, and more than once before that about how we can better communicate to to faculty to.

O

Parents to everybody sort of what we are doing in this room every night, so that people who want to.

O

Be informed and involved have more opportunity yep, and I told you it would be great if parent.

O

Square is what we're using to push stuff out that way, and the policy minutes are placed and not just.

O

Specific to this policy, but for all of it, because you never know for people in the community which.

O

Specific thing is going to be like a real issue for that individual yep and I think if we can be.

O

Consistent with all of the policies yeah, you know and not try to pre-judge, which one is going to.

O

Be the one that's going to get everybody really excited because you don't always know right. Yep,.

B

Right great suggestions, other comments or other committee updates. Besides just the policies nick.

F

um I actually I'd like that idea. A lot I think for the student end. It might be good to have like.

F

A summary just because I know a lot of people are busy. I know a lot of people honestly, just.

F

Don't feel like waiting for all that, and so I think, just yeah. I I really like the idea.

F

Of conveying that information, I just I think we should make sure that it's in a way that's like.

F

Briefing up that people will be able to absorb it quickly, a cliff notes, version yeah, actually yeah.

F

It sounds like we just invented a newsletter, I don't know maybe, but I was school board. I have.

F

One of those yes other. Thank you. Other committee updates anyone. I think legislative committee.

O

Hasn't met for a bit because we've been waiting for the dust to settle. I think our next meeting.

O

Is next week and we're gonna start at that point to hopefully look through which bills have crossed.

L

Over from the house of origin over to the other house, in which things have actual legs, so that.

O

We should be in a position soon to bring to the boards some more solid and reliable information.

O

It's been a little more fast, moving and crazy than usual. This year sure has so again. If anybody has.

O

Particular bills that they are interested in us having a bigger conversation about the list, I've.

O

Shared with the board before and I'm happy to give it to you and nancy to circulate out again yep.

O

People haven't seen it. Thank you carrie. um I assume the call for school board nhsba.

L

um Proposals proposals for I'm sorry, the terminology is gone right now, but you know what.

G

Resolution resolution um will be coming up soon, uh so maybe if everyone can just think about that, if.

L

There's anything we would want to propose, and then we, if we can put that on the next agenda, for a hot.

L

Minute yep, I would say the one thing from doing: having done the survey last year, that people were.

L

Very interested in was around school lunches and food from across the board so yeah. I agree um just.

L

As an idea, yep awesome, thank you. What is like when is that like? What's the end date generally for.

N

That generally they're, due in may, I think they're due in may. A new resolution is due in may so maybe.

L

We can have a retreat before that yeah. We have to discuss that in public session. It's also just.

L

A very long term, a long thing like a resolution has to be voted consistently. I think it was three.

L

Years, three years, three years in a row to be in a row before it becomes like an advocacy point. So.

L

It's if you really want change, it's not the fastest way to do it, but it's a good. You know.

L

It's an option. We can pull up that list from last year as a as a way to.

B

um I'll try to highlight the announcement or when it goes out again and we will add.

B

It to a future agenda anything else or do I have a motion to adjourn.

K

Have a great night.