Montpelier-Roxbury School Board - September 16, 2026 [MRSB]

[music] We'll call the meeting to order. Um, today is Wednesday, September 16th. This is the Montia Roxbury Board of School Directors. And, uh, we will start the meeting. Welcome all. Glad to have you here. We'll start the meeting as we've started um the last few this school year by reminding ourselves of what our norms are. And in the past couple of meetings, we've started at that end of the table. So, we're going to switch things up. Oh, Casey, I think you were sitting at the that end of this. [laughter] >> Radio shows when you read these. >> We're just gonna we're just gonna start with Casey every time. That's the idea. >> We provide input and ask questions with curiosity and appreciation. We seek input and questions with gratitude and openness. When others challenge our thinking, we listen without defensiveness. We stay curious, admitting when we are wrong, knowing we don't have all the answers, and keep asking how something can work before deciding it can't. [snorts] We approach our work with optimism and a belief in our students and staff's potential. We make decisions based on evidence and a belief that people can grow. We set a clear direction and trust the team. Our job is to set expectations and hold the district accountable for results. >> We make decisions based on evidence. Good intentions and loud voices aren't enough. We ask to review the data and we affirmatively look for opportunity gaps. >> We make space for celebrations and joy. Celebrate the journey, not just the destination. Progress is worth naming. We make a point to recognize the people doing good work and the ground we've gained, not only when we've crossed the finish line. >> We welcome hard questions. When something doesn't sit right, we ask about it before we form conclusions. Always assume good intent. >> Right. Thanks everybody. [cough and clears throat] And again, these are the norms that we've established for ourselves to help with um good communication and collaboration as we make decisions as a board and and work together. Um and then the next item on our agenda is public comment. Um this is where it's a chance for the board to simply hear from the public on um things that are important to them having to do with our schools. And um looks like we don't have anybody in the room for public comment. Is there anyone online who'd like to Okay. Well then that item we are finished with. Um, and the next uh item on the agenda is the consent agenda, which are a series of um basically documents for the board to review and make sure get in front of the public. Um, but are pretty pro-forma. Um, things like our payroll and minutes from meetings. Um, if there is anything that any board member wants to discuss, they can pull it off the agenda. Um, but otherwise, I will um, well, let me just see. Is there any item on the consent agenda anyone wanted to ask questions about or discuss? Okay. So then all those in favor of passing the consent agenda, please signify by saying I. Any opposed? And any abstensions? Okay. All right. Well, then we will move right into the first item on our board discussion agenda, which is the uh report and presentation of our facilities that we get once a year. Um, thank goodness you showed up early, Tom. [laughter] Thank you for being here, everyone. This is Tom Allen if you haven't met him yet. He's the um director of our facilities and >> good. Um, so yes, if you don't know who I am, I am Tom Allen. I'm the director of facilities here. I've been uh your director now for the I'm working on my second year, but I've been with the school district for 14. This is my 14th year. Um, so I did put the um kind of just put it kind of out there with the with my beginning. I would like to congratulate the school board for um being the school board that pushed the windows forward. Um, like I said in my uh uh opening there, it had been 10 years in the in you know in the talks of doing this project and like I said in my thing too, it was nearly doomed from the start but we got it done and we got it started. So um we we will try to continue to kind of spring forward all the information we possibly can to allow you guys to make the decisions in the next two years over the next um steps of those. Uh we will be meeting tomorrow uh because we did get our numbers from Pella uh for the next step. Uh so I want to match up with uh Andrew and um uh Mike Conensy tomorrow uh and kind of be able to present that to our our committee and be able to bring that forward to you guys with all the the best information we possibly can going forward. Um I same token I would like to say thank you for letting me have Andrew. Uh his 15 hours about average every month helped me tremendously with this process. Uh as you can see I had quite a busy summer here. Um and at the same time we were able to wrap up a few projects and I don't think I would be able to do everything without Andrew's help. So me working with him for the last eight years really helped. We already had a good relationship going into this and then we were able to get through a lot of little hiccups throughout the entire summer over things and it worked out really really well. So >> our new board members Andrew is Angela Rosa who used to be our director of facilities and retired before Tom took over. The three of us have been through quite a few little crises together. >> Yes. >> So we know each other quite well at this point. >> Yes. Um so the other thing was we did uh push forward through the playground project. So that did get done over at Main Street Middle School. Uh we need to get rid of some of the contaminated dirt over there which was a costly expenses always over at that school. Um so we were able to get rid of that. Um able to take our our mount mount pillar away. Tim I always I always look at you that because you're the one that named it. Um but that was a a um a collection of soils over a couple different projects and was able to actually take some of that soil from that pile and actually put it over at Main Street Middle School. It saved us a few dollars over there by able to utilize the urban soils we had here at the high school. Um, but we did have to haul away all the urban soils at Main Street Middle School through Coventry. Um, so that was all done with stone environmental and we've everything's been signed off. So we did did everything by the book over there and was able to get rid of some of that that contaminated soil over at at that school. Um, the other thing was the storm water project and again I'm going to look at Tim Denn made another comment to me. I was going to stick my head sidewalk to nowhere. Um, so I'm going to keep picking on you, Tim. Um, but at the same time, um, it's, uh, you know, again, that was a stormwater project for the 3acre project that we had here, and that was the final conclusion of that, getting the trees planted, getting the permable asphalt put in, and now it looks a little bit better, Tim, because we did have picnic tables and a bike rack on it. So, >> which are using at lunchtime, I've seen. >> Yes. Yes. I'm hoping like I asked I asked Jason about it today about, you know, the kids are like using the flag pole and everything else. just kind of start pushing them over there and kind let them to use start using that. Um so and then the last thing one of the major projects too was get finishing the track. It was a three-year process for that getting that that last bit done. Um and we're we're hoping for the best uh with with the ability to utilize track in a in a safer manner than we've had in the past. Um but at the same time on the third year we were able to do a lot more stuff that we were going to plan on doing three years ago which was removing some some dead trees. Um we were get rid of some poison ivy that that that the flood waters kind of helped us with. Uh and at the same time we were able to kind of clean the whole entire area up uh over there and uh make make it a little bit safer for for runoffs or someone if a student was able to a student athlete is falling or something like that. Uh they're not going to have any kind of wood or anything like that in in any way around that track at all. Now, so and then of course the final thing was the the flood mitigation uh things that we did over the summer too was the final part of it was the uh finishing up of the of the um the the basement stuff with the with the flood panels and stuff like that we installed uh in the boiler room to stop any kind of flooding in that area. So um so with that kind of a snap open it up to any questions anyone had um that I can might be able to answer for you. So on any of the subjects that are in the report asking about last night um the so the flood mitigation on the high school >> as [clears throat] I remember from our tour um I think it what we've done kind of protects us against a hundredyear flood. >> Is that [clears throat] would you say that that's about right? >> Yeah. And then if if there was an event like that. So it seems like the building is pretty well protected, but I remember the exterior there could be some problems like the track and you know other the fields and stuff like that. Is that is that about right? >> Yes. Yes. I mean one of the things that happened uh was you know when we had a clay softball field out in this area here the river it's in the river path there. it's in the flood path. And so basically what happened was that it was able to wash away really quickly. Um by utilizing now as a throwing center for the track and field, we've actually got grass planted in there. So it'll actually be able to take that amount of of of water a lot better than the clay track did where we had damage to the softball the baseball field too. But it was right in the river corridor right where our bulkhead was and right where the softball field was. Um, so within hours of it of the flooding bouncing off over the top of the Billy Avenue bridge in the in crossing the right there, um, we basically had water right almost to our bulkhead within the first few hours. Um, and that's where we just felt that that's where the, you know, our main entrance of a lot of our our flood water was. It was coming in that bulkhead. And so basically taking that out, I really feel that we we uh we're going to stop a lot of water from getting in our basement. The city has done a considerable amount of work >> around the Bailey Avenue Bridge area to widen and all that kind of thing which will only help. And then the drainage system that's behind our property. You know what I'm talking about? Yes. >> Yeah. Yeah. And that was one of the things that they found too. Part of this area down here was uh was plugged and so we you can see some of the piping that we I put in the that's where we had the flooding in here in the uh in the library here in the back. We actually had a stand pipe that collects water from the from the uh roof and drained down and it goes directly to the river. Well, basically those all back backflowed and they actually plugged up a lot of the drains and stuff like that that we had here. Um but we were able to get some of those just flushed out naturally. Then others didn't. That's why we had to do it. We had to do that last um in 24. Um it was to open up some of these drains in here, go up through the pipes and actually snake into there and get all the rock and debris out of those out of those pipes. The city actually did that last summer here, excuse me, the summer before that. They actually did the their they found their sewer line that runs along our property along bike path was plugged about threequarters of the way. U so they actually had to do that too. So they did find a lot of problems and now they were working on the problem over by the Bailey Avenue bridge now. Um so that's again that's for for storm water and um and sewage. >> And the basement is designed now where water could come in but it's just going to go right. It's like a bathtub. >> Right. Right. And we we know that we're basically going to have some kind of water infiltration. I think Jakey were in the tour. I think we you made it to the basement too with us. Um where we where you have pipes that they're you know that come through walls, you're probably going to have seepage come around that. There's really no way you're really going to stop that. Um, but with the idea that we made the Alamo the the boiler room and then knowing that we basically are going to slow the amount of water that's basically going to go in the boiler room because when the sub pump failed the first time during the flood, it actually got debris in it. Um, because all that wood came from underneath the stage area where that was all storage for their for their props and and their sets designs. all that 2x4s and all that lumber and everything else floated right into the boiler room and got right down into the hole and then basically lost lost the sub pump that way. Uh so when that stopped pumping out, we lost that ability to try to to keep up with the water that was coming in. So >> So we're pretty well protected on a 100redyear event. >> Um which I think the 2023 flood was >> along those lines. So it would it have to be something more than that. Yes. To threaten the building. >> Yes. Y and just knowing that like when we took out Mount Pillar again pick on you some more time. Um that uh you know knowing that we were able to lift those conics boxes up that are over there that's well above it now. So that's a great area for now for even where our um solen sizzle uh trailer. Um those and like our canoe trailers all that stuff. They're all going to be up in that area now where we usually would have it out back here. Uh and during the flood we basically had an issue with those um you know in the in basically right in the flood plane too. So now that list allows us to put everything over there and if we do have an ice jam in the middle of the winter, that's where those will be stored in the winter. We won't have to worry about them. >> Thank you so much. There's I know there's a tremendous amount of work that that goes into the report, but then also a tremendous amount of work that um is described. So that's that's awesome. Um there's also a lot of great recommendations, projects identified, that sort of thing. Um I have two questions about those the projects that are identified in the report. Um one is could you could you rate maybe like the top three or five like high priority in your mind um and and why? And then the other is many of them have TBD um for like the funding source, right? >> And I'm wondering what can we as a board do to help like clarify that that funding source uncertainty? >> Well, I one of the things I would say, Scott, is the um one one of the things we did when we put the coding on the roof a few years back, it kind of kicked the can a little bit farther down the road for this the high school roof. I really believe the high school roof here on the main part that hasn't been done yet. That would probably be one of the next things I would really start to kind of f kind of focus in on. Um because we w up getting the cafeteria roof done and the auditorium roof which was showing signs of fatigue um before the high school roof was the main main body of the high school roof. Um, and so that's helped us out tremendously. And we're really going to see the signs of that is because of the larger span over there with the insulation that compacts the rubber membrane will will drop down with snow loads and it actually then it rips on the sides. So it's a good telltale sign that that that that coating that we put on helped us tremendously in that part. Um, and then you know to use this pun, we had a window of opportunity to get the windows done in three years um because of that. And I feel that that would have been the next huh Yes. [laughter] >> Um, so that would be my, you know, that was my thing is I really felt that we had a great plan. Um, I've shared with you on our committee with the 2620 line I call it all the time and those are those ones that come up in our principal meetings and our our meetings of okay, doorways or entranceways. And there's big dollar items that kind of we really can't budget for um in that one 2620 line because we only put anywhere from 50 to 65,000 into that generally where our um you know our budget was every year. Um but at the same time that's where our capital kind of helps us out with that where where we were in on that bridge before the capital we were able to do those two the worst two science rooms upstairs along with the LED lighting and that's where we find those little projects to kind of keep doing with LED lighting and stuff. Um the other one too, Scott, I don't believe you made it to the UEES uh tour over there with the pumps in the basement over there. >> I made it to Yeah, I was there. >> Were you for that one? Um so that one is they're old. Um and they just like to sit there and run and [clears throat] run and run. Uh where the ones here right now are saying, "Oh, there's no demand for hot water." Guess what? They're off right now. Um so those are the problem with those that keep continuously circulating. Uh they're just an older style pump and they just need to be modernized and that's it's a big ticket item. So >> awesome. >> Yeah. And then the the I know I asked a lot in one one long question, but the the TBD around funding, >> right? >> I know there's a lot of uncertainty is what can we as a board do to help there? >> Well, that's where I would say if we designated on a 2620 line where we can do it in a summer project or we have to designate it as a as a long-term uh capital improvement uh where the where where those land. So on the capital land. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Hi. >> One of our norms, one of the things we think is really important here is to make space for celebrations and joy. And um this is a very long report and a little bit dry, but um first of all, 14 years here, thank you so much. That's incredible. And uh I just really wanted to say out loud in front of folks that watch this later on at home that this is a really important report to read and there's so many things in here as we think about evaluating mergers, as we think about what matters to us as a district and as a community. Um you know, the idea that we've put money behind a middle school playground is pretty significant in my mind. It's beautiful. It looks great. Um >> kids love it. >> Kids love it. >> Kids are loving it. >> The kids are loving it. And you know, there are lots of communities around the country where middle school playgrounds just deteriorate because they're considered to be too old really to play. And so I think that's worth calling out. Um, other things that matter to us a lot here are safety, physical fitness, including our track, an investment in the future. Um, I also really noted the diversity of your staff. Um, you know, we have a lot of Afghani families here and you have a lot of of them working for you. Uh, and the facilities look amazing. So, just wanted to be sure to say thank you so much for all the hard work and uh you know, thanks for bringing this to us. >> Um that's really it. >> Thanks. >> No problem. >> Um just to add um on to the middle school like playground thing, I have a little brother in middle school and he has come home like probably three times so far this year and he talks about how much he loves the playground now. Um and how everyone really enjoys it and how it's so much better and he really appreciates it. So, yeah. >> Any other questions or things to share with Tom? >> Great. Well, thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for being here. See you tomorrow. >> All right. And then I believe you're up, Libby. >> Okay. So, um, Mia asked if I would just take the themes from last board meeting, from everything we talked about last board meeting, and put them together for y'all. So, let's really dig in deeply. So, I use my good friend Notebook AI um and I I did give a credit on the sheet that you all have um to put together a slideshow around the themes as well as um an executive summary for you all. So, you all have that um you have the the notes so you can do your own analysis of that as well. Um but these were just the the major strategic themes for potential merger. We looked at the four pillars um four pillars here with educational opportunity, financial opera and operational impact, governance and long term stability. These were kind of given to us by the law. We didn't choose them but they were given to us. They're relatively good good pillars to look at. The overall consensus I actually liked what notebook LM did here. The core from the comments that they that it came out with is a shared commitment to the continuous growth of student outcomes, protecting class sizes, and expanding MTSS. The MTS model is our core of what most of the notes were pointing towards that. Then there's some supports there with governance and the financial impacts ensuring extreme transparency in our governance structures that we want a shared proportional power among towns and a clear path to savings for taxpayers. And then the long-term and sustainability is the outside bit the environment cementing the school system as a community epicenter and designing um work that outlives its current creators. So if we looked into the educational opportunity, um we value on this board holistic support systems, expanding strong and MTSS systems to meet kids where they are while maintaining that commitment to student belonging always. Um, we want to ensure that there are curriculum and pathways to to getting at the curriculum that ensuring seamless alignment K12 and preserving our flexible pathways um to not only to shrink opportunity gaps but to give kids multiple ways to to get um the learning and the experiences they need. And then um the baseline is we have a universal mandate across groups to protect class sizes while addressing current potential current gaps in um athletics and co-curriculars. Language offerings, AP offerings was on that list as well when I was looking at the data. >> Um that kind of thing. The outside I asked um the AI generator to to like include the outside ideas, the ones that were kind of outliers here. um the geog geography gap of addressing physical specific physical and logistical distances between Mont and Roxbury specifically to ensure equitable access to any kind of expanded offering. Um there was the idea of ch early childhood expansion utiliz utilizing the merger as a potential catalyst to dramatically expand prek which we know is good for all kids um throughout any type of new district footprint. And then u faculty daycare which we've actually talked about quite a bit um in former years when we were looking for new central office space um to using that as a staff retention piece if we were to merge in a new district. Could we think about faculty daycare >> that also provide opportunities for students to >> could be as a flexible pathway? Absolutely. >> That's another really good opportunity there. >> Yep. Yep. CBCC just reopened their early childhood development program. I can't remember if that's the name of it, but >> yeah, something [clears throat] along those lines. Yeah, >> I think it's colllocated at U32. Maybe they were talking about it, but I don't know that they were able to >> get we had faculty daycare opportunities. It' be game changer. >> We could make money. [laughter] >> Yep. um contact >> governance uh dynamics was the other thing we were looking at governance and some of the the pieces that came out of the conversation from last board meeting is that this board values one unified school board representing the entire district. So what I hear there is no supervisory union. Um that the power must be shared among all towns proportionately and that this board values extreme transparency and constant engagement with the public. And that any new board would need to have a a strict and well-defined demarcation of what the board is responsible for versus what the administrative operational duties are. So this rule clarity idea um and then clarity also on which decisions require a public vote versus which would be board votes. um some of the non-negotiables, the the [clears throat] closure question of how to close school buildings was part of many of the conversations according to the notes from last time. Um and it seems that the um what more of the notes pointed to was that the decision to close school rests with the board, not with the community um as a voter referendum. So um I found that interesting. I did not see that. I saw it in a couple spots, but I didn't see it as an overall broad theme, but um the AI generator certainly pulled it up as an overall AI broad theme. So, that was interesting to me. Um but any in any regard, whoever makes the decision that the prospect of a school closure must be very transparent and um with lots of conversation as this board has learned. Um we have a dual dynamic, community dynamic. Um, so some of the questions that were asked is if a school is closed, what is the precise legal and community mechanism for what happens to that physical building? That was a question that was raised by a person in the notes. And then distance questions of how do we intentionally minimize the travel distance between schools if if our footprint is consolidated. So really it's who goes where is [laughter] what that question would be if a new merger happened. In terms of pillar three, the financial and operational realities. This board uh values efficiency. Um facilities and capital costs should be shared proportionally to use. The economies of scale leading to a clear path of savings for each town and taxpayers feel they are receiving a higher value for student outcomes as a result of any merger. Um and then looking at integration costs, the financial reality of mandating salary leveling across different contracts will be ginormous. um the increased systemic transportation cost potentially. I think that that is more of a fear-mongering technique from some some people than it actually would be in reality, especially for our area. Um and the unknown variable variable of rising or declining for people spending is a question. >> When you say that it's the fear-mongering, is it are you saying people are saying it's going to cost so much to bus kids? Yes. you won't have any savings anyway. I see. Okay. >> So, our situation, so as an example, I know this because our situation with Roxberry and Montpillar was used in an example of how much transportation costs increased when schools are closed, >> which is simply not reality that we had the same amount of buses running, >> right? People ignored the fact that we were already busing. >> Yeah. There was there was no getting on a bus in Roxberry. >> There was zero change in transportation costs um >> when that school was closed. So, but we were used as an example by what's called the rural school alliance, >> people who did don't want to close schools. Yeah. >> Um, so financial outliers and data imperatives, how do we maximize financial leverage? Is there a possibility with this CISA alternative instead of full mergers? Um, and then making sure that when we're comparing, we're comparing all the numbers we need to compare. So, that's just a list of questions. um financial returns of of merging versus not merging. Do we have data from that from act 46 when we did this before um all the historical data around school districts in terms of debt profiles and asset val student composition budget past fail rates and what's the defined maximum distance we're willing to have kids travel. Um, and then in terms of long-term sustainability, uh, we're talking about design. I like this nimble architecture. This making it nimble enough that I think I think I was No, this is Kristen. I loved it. It was I was being nimble enough to rapidly adapt to legislative changes and involving state mandates. The unicorn principle is what I'm now calling that. Um then looking at the systemic focus on students always building a cohesive co-creative system of student success that lives far past its original creators and retains long-term staff. And then the community epicenter ensuring school systems act as the primary reason young families move to an area contributing to the vitality of towns. Um so those were the um big pieces. Um it's like the epicenter versus the black hole. I'm not sure where this was pulling from because I couldn't see it in the data and then I couldn't figure out how to get rid of this. So, we're [laughter] gonna keep moving. >> I heard some I I I wondered about black hole, too. So, I went back into our notes. I found it. It was in the I think in the group you were in, Justin. >> Okay. Justin and Scott, you guys were talking about black holes. [laughter] >> I was in a dark place. That's true. >> Um, so we'll keep going. The board mandate because I could find it. That's interesting. The board mandates for um crucial unknowns. So real non-negotiables were governance power must be shared proportionally from this board, decisions on school closures has to be made. Um that there's extreme transparency and public engagement at every step of any process and that looking at things we value like class size and our MTSS model is is held tight and if it's protected and if not expanded by any potential merger. um the unknowns. So we we have financial realities of sav salary leveling vers and shared capital efficiencies. We have tax rate projections um historic budget pass fail rates of similar merged districts. If this all goes through we won't have budget votes anymore. So that's an interesting piece but it does it is a indicator of support for schools I think. um establishing the maximum acceptable travel distance and transportation costs and looking more about the CISA model over time. Um, so we're all pretty clear of like we want to compile we got to compile all the district data in the coming in the coming weeks and um I'm sure Tim will get his marching orders as soon as those um merger meetings start talking or start meeting >> that we want to have we definitely want a community strategy where we're drafting a framework not only about communication but what do we what do we put all the data and the evidence up against based on our values here in these communities. um and that the board priority isn't to intentionally engage with the community to be involved with creating this framework for decision- making. That's what those were the big themes from the conversation last week. I think we're off to a really good start with those themes. any comments, questions of each other or me or >> um or things you want to make sure you add? >> Well, my question is, do we do we want to have a mechanism for sharing this with some of the this with some of the other districts in our merger committee group? or is that premature or are we thinking about trying to do something like that somewhere down the line or is that a question that will come up that that will be answered by the murder committee itself? >> I mean I was thinking the first meeting like getting to know you logistics and kind of all that business. I would I would imagine within the first three months we're starting to kind of share what our board's sensibilities are. I I mean at this point I really have no idea till we show up and just start seeing how the facilitators sort of facilitating and whatnot but I think this is going to be really helpful to have like I think it's always better because you know I think the role there is not to be what Tim thinks it's what the board thinks so any of these materials that have like this is board consensus thinking >> is like really helpful I think >> I have a what's the MTSS This [clears throat] multi- tier. Oh, any board any board members want to answer that? Board members. >> Justin Justin wants to answer. >> I had to ask it last time. >> That's support picking on us. >> Multi-tered system of support, >> computer science, [laughter] >> something else. >> But then also, what does multi-tered system? >> Go for it, board chair. >> Heard me talk about it enough. >> Well, you know what? I actually was just explaining this the other day to someone, so I'll do my best. Um, it's essentially the the way that we deliver education, how teachers teach it in in these multiple different tiers. Tier one is just what you're going to get in a classroom every day. It's called which they also call universal instruction because the universe of our students is getting it. Um, and then at tier two is where they're saying, "Oh, okay. this concept didn't totally click with either one student or a set of students in my classroom and so I'm going to go back and kind of retach it. So that would be the same teacher kind of reteing it in a different way >> like in full. >> Yeah. And then um tier three is when we have um an interventionist come in, somebody who's extremely specialized in math or literacy come in and and give like extra extra support to the students. So those are the multiple tiers in our system of supports. I did pretty well. >> I know the difference between universal >> universal design is a is one way to frame high quality instruction >> for the third tier. Um I know that the students like there's like a mentoring program or something going on where like students will mentor like other students at the school. Is that is that what the third tier is? More of a tier that would be more of a tier two support. >> Okay. Even [snorts] if it's not the teacher, the same teacher teaching you. Okay. >> Yeah. Tier three is really like someone's really struggling with reading like is very far behind in in where they we would expect them to be as a reader. >> So, it's it's they're working on very different skills what you might work on in AJ's class. >> Okay. So I think I also want to add in like part part of the hard part is sort of identifying at a really really small level what where kids are are needing that that help because the quicker you can find it, >> the quicker you can address it. And so the data is really important and how teachers acquire it and use it. >> I'm so proud of my kids. [laughter] >> We're doing a very we listen. We listen. That's the um but then this is one thing that I think I remember which is that it is it a requirement at the state level that every district have an MTSS model? Yes. Yes. So I think one of what just getting it back to merger conversations. It's not like we're going to go in to these merger conversations and say, "Okay, one of our requirements is that you have an MTSS model because everybody's going to have one of those." But I think it's more about the conversation of like, well, how do you use it and what is different across the, >> you know, people have applied it in different ways and we want that's we we believe ours is working really well and maybe there's things we can learn from other people's, but maybe there's ours is really great. And so that's going to I think be part of the conversation, you know. If and when a merger happens, it'll be a tricky part of it, I think. >> Yeah, probably. >> Um, I know that we're very proud of ours. Is there evidence that our MTSS is, you know, excellent or different or >> Well, Jake, if you were to look at the state test scores, yes, if you use VCAP scores, then yes, compared I mean, we're we're high above the state average in our scores and they have been going this way for a while. When I when we first got here, they were like this, which means they were dependent on a kid, not dependent on instruction. And so now they're starting to smooth out a in a more gradual way which tells me that the system is working. It's not dependent on the cohort of kids that are in front of us. >> I would say that's the biggest like most general way I can say that that we have evidence of success >> and we'll look more look at that more either next board meeting or the meeting after we have the fall data data academic data coming in front of us. Libby, there's a lot in there about class size. Is there an easy answer to what our class size is across the district? >> Policy. I usually I monitor that right before budget season so it's really fresh in your brains um because it's so connected to budget too. So um that monitoring will be coming up. I think I I schedule it like either the last one in October or the first one in November. So, it's really fresh in your brains. So, yeah. And in our there's now statewide class size and we're um above it at K8 and we're hovering around it in at the high school. So, in the core classes is a generalized answer, but yeah, you're going to get a whole analysis of what every class is. >> And the state one is just minimums. It doesn't have a maximum, >> but we have maximums in our policy. >> Um, and it would be worth looking at to see if that's all still, >> I don't know, best practice or I we don't not exactly sure where those numbers came from. At least I'm not. >> No. >> Um, >> but they're not unfair either. >> Yeah. So, um, it's just interesting that there's no max to the state one. They were really just trying to set a floor. >> Um, >> and they're doing that to make it harder to run a small school. >> Well, yeah. Yeah. >> Mhm. >> But it's important as we think about possible mergers based on district, how many middle schoolers, for example, there are in the district, uh, or would be in a merge district, >> then maximums could really come into play. >> Yeah. Let me go back to Jake's question because I think so the the data that you're pointing to really that's that's correlational. It's not necessarily causal, right? So we can say that our test scores are going up and we have this MTSS. We can't say that it's the MTSS that is causing the the change in in scores. I don't know what the right answer is, but but it would be interesting to to to find out if there is a way to um yeah compare MTSS to get at the answer to Jake's question. So, >> a different answer to that would be at our middle school the the standard for um kids needing support like tier three support >> um versus not is about an 80% 20% like 80% of your students should be proficient with tier one and tier 2 supports at least. Yeah. Right. >> And so for a while we were a lot we were like 6040 in our middle school we are at about 8515 now. Uh-huh. >> So, we're in a much different place than where we were previously at the middle school level, like that's another measure that I can say yes, we have we have an effective system. >> Uhhuh. Yeah. So, if we could if we could generalize that to the entire district and then compare that to another MTSS and see like that would be really interesting and I think we would, you know, sort of get to the heart of of Jake's question. >> Think we need to randomly assign students [laughter] to Oops. Um, I'm not I'm not actually >> another wacky idea. What's in Jake's mind? >> So, you what you're saying about the middle school is not about BTC cap. >> No. >> Um, >> cool. >> Primary method for comparing across m across districts, >> right? But do we do we do you have any sort of anecdotal um information about whether or not other districts are accumulating data in a similar way or tracking it in a similar similar way or whether they're trying to figure out how what what the proportions are whether it's 6040 or 85. >> I don't know. I haven't had that conversation with people to be honest. Um well it's little right it's a it's a little known fact in the brain his brain like it's going to stick there forever. Um I do know that one of the reasons why I feel our MTSS is successful is that we have a very clear delineation of roles and responsibilities and definitions. So, in I've worked in other districts, for instance, where if I said, "What's the difference between tier 2 and tier three?" Nobody'd be able to tell me. It was all the same, right? And so, we've put a lot of emphasis into the fact that tier 2 is based on our priority standards. And if a kid's not reaching your priority standards, the best person to teach the priority standard is the grade level teacher who knows that standard the best and knows how to teach it the best. And so it's um that's what the professional learning communities really work within that area. So we've done a lot of work there with roles, responsibilities, and definitions. And we actually do have data from last fall that Mike Barry did very short surveys around concepts like that in MTSS to so we could check ourselves to make sure teachers were understanding it. And the responses were amazing from of just like understanding roles, responsibilities, what things mean, that kind of stuff. So, we were pretty impressed with that. We were surprised actually, but we were also impressed. Um, and there's lots more opportunity to ask questions around the data when we get the presentations. um either [clears throat] I can't remember if it's next board meeting or the one after coming back to these themes um and actually data was one that I noted didn't really show up in the themes that AI pulled out but I did actually hear people saying so I think that was one that maybe was missed in the summarizing um and I want to make sure we don't miss it because I do think that we have come a long way in the amount of data that we use and how we use it and that is definitely something that it is going to be important to maintain um if a merger happens. Um so I just wanted to note that. Um yeah, any other questions or thoughts related to the themes? I think it's sort of tangential thing. Um, and it comes from this conversation I had with my neighbor last night. >> You had a pretty in-depth conversation with your neighbor last night. >> Talk at me blah blah blah. He's a nice guy. Um, but and good good history of, you know, school stuff. Um, he's a good guy. Um, but um, in his mind, like what's going on now is is akin to like Act 46. >> Yeah. um you know, he's under the impression that like um you know, you can kind of choose who you merge with and you may or may not merge and there might he thinks there's tax rate incentives involved, which is something that did happen in act 46, but it's not happening now. So I was thinking that um for the edification of the community and possibly the board too, it could be good to talk about like what is the overall vision, you know, like why do taxes not really matter anymore in the future state? Um and what are the pressures on us to merge? like is it just a dance partner choice where you can sit along the wall and not dance with anybody like I did in middle school or like do you have to dance? Um so um I think that that could be good. I would recommend it for a nearterm board meeting. >> So like a presentation on act 170. >> Yeah. Like what's going to go on with tax rates, budgets, which we won't be doing anymore. Libby just mentioned that. But we do there is going to be like a potential uh it's called supplemental district spending right would we would be integral of [clears throat] >> um and you know they say that you needed to have 2,000 kids in your district. Um >> you should try to get to 20. You can't have less than 750 and you should try to get to 2,00 >> right and we're at 1,000. So um yeah that kind of thing. foundation formula also [clears throat] >> foundation formula [snorts] >> to have it. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And we don't we don't have updated numbers on the foundation formula but Libby did analysis on the last one and showed what the impact to our district would be under it. Um and that's pretty eye opening. So you know it's really those those kind of key pieces um in my opinion. If a district is I mean this is theoretical but if a district is under is under the foundation formula does that mean what happens to the surplus you can't be under it so this is what how other states fund education >> well I mean right now if our budget is what it is and our cost per pupil is x and the foundation formula is x plus $1,500 per kid, then we're operating at less than what the foundation formula will provide. And so that means what do we do with that? Do we add more teachers, add more programming or >> more windows, >> more windows, more more playgrounds? You know, likely the goal of the state is to have it go the other way. kind of try and start starve the districts a little bit more so it's less than what they're spending I think it's right that's the cost >> what you're referring to right is something I would welcome it' be a happy surprise >> that's what I'm thinking like >> I don't think it's >> here comes to what would happen you know the budget for the third time this year and under the foundation formula they would get guaranteed money so then the question to them would be you know what do you want to do with And so yeah, it's it's a valid question. Um hopefully the answer would be like bring bring back programming that they cut >> have cut had to cut up their facilities for many years. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Yeah. So I'm hearing a request for presentation on just the basics and the vision of what Act 70D is setting out. Act 170 is setting out to do. I just sent around a link that I don't know if it's helpful or not. It seems like it does. >> Okay. >> No, I've been very busy. Uh there's another one. Um [snorts] bted education reform.com. It like summarizes the three acts and pulls them together and talks about a timeline. >> For me, it worked. I'm assuming it's all accurate so we should probably double that before we use it but it may do what we are looking for for us. >> Oh well thank you. >> I would say anything you read just take out the adjectives >> like that's my rule. >> There's very few adjectives got the deepest change just the change. >> Got it. Exactly. So, if there aren't any other questions or comments or thoughts on the themes that came out of last week, last board meetings discussion, we can transition to the engagement, community engagement that we're going to do. And just to kind of set the table for this, we had that discussion last board meeting to see where the board's head is at on around those four main pillars and what are the main things that are most important. And um we're going to just kind of like leave that there for a little while and get out into the community and ask folks from their perspective, from where they sit, what's most important in if it's a caregiver, their children's education. and if it's a community member in educating children in general because we know that in our community, yes, taxes are certainly on the minds of voters, but they're also thinking about this as an investment in the education of our children. So, what do they see as most important in educating kids? Um and then after doing that for, you know, September, October, maybe even into November at different um activities around the community, we're going to come back together and kind of do a compare and contrast and meld them all together. And that will give us that not give us, we will have created co-created with our community the framework against which we're kind of pumping up the the merger um within the realities that we have of Act 170. So that's the process that we're going to be going through over the LA next few weeks and over the course of the fall. Does that make sense to everybody? >> Have a question. >> Okay. Um, do we think there's value kind of to what Rhett was saying is like using that that presentation that we just walked through to help level set the people that we're going to be engaging with because in the few conversations that I've had like it's basically like a where are you guys starting because I have no idea thinking about this problem >> and [snorts] you know my response is like we're just starting to think about this and So I my concern would be like if I went [clears throat] and had a dinner party on Saturday night and said tell me what you think everyone would say tell me what you think or I don't know what to think I don't have enough and so I kind of feel like if we all agree that that is our kind of current state with with the like caveat that like draft and we are going to modify this based on the [clears throat] work that we do and the community feedback we get that this is like our first step community. How do you want to modify this? Or how do you want to further support what you see from the board currently? Would that be useful? Or do we really want to start with like tell me what you think and have people sort of start from a blank blank slate? >> Well, remember we're not going to be asking them just what what do you think about merging? >> No, I know. But I just But I think you have to I I don't know. I feel like I'm not sure if folks are in the right context for even how to think about what we're going to ask them for feedback. >> I think that um I think Jake said it at a couple meetings at our last meeting like anything if we're going to the community to ask about values and priorities that's not just going to help us think about what we have to hold tight to and the merger conversations or help Tim hold tight to in the merger conversations. It's also going to help us in in budgetary conversations and all that kind of stuff. So, um I I the way I think about it is this first phase is to really get that get our values and priorities down and collect questions people have. Um and there are some people like Jake's neighbor who might dig into that, you know, those themes that the board came up with in the four things and say, "Yeah, let's get into let's get down and dirty in this." Um and but I don't think that's where most people are. If you ask them what they value most about educ How does school um prepare kids for their world now and their world in the future? People got ideas about that. So that's what that's how I think about it in terms of phase one. And then when we really have evidence and data to work off of and things to share that like this is how the merger would impact those values and priorities. That's the big education piece I feel like that is further down the road because we don't know a lot of those questions yet. Yeah. >> And I will say having Mia and I did the um high school open house the other night and so some of the paperwork we had in front of us like Libby has a good graphic that I think does help just orient people to the fact there'll be a vote like that has a a timeline right because I think people are hearing the word merger they know it sort of feels amorphous of what does that mean? And so even the conversations we were having is like that there there will be a vote, right? That it's not just the board is going to decide that for everybody kind of when that timeline would be, it definitely helped with people that like, oh, but that's so far in the future to say, no, no, it's it's happening now. We have a rep already that's going to be on the committee. Um, so some of that I found to be really helpful just to remember where people might be at in terms of their understanding of this process. Um, and I definitely think some of the stuff that we're talking about in overview could be like a second sheet if people kind of were like, "Oh, I get that there's going to be a vote and do we have to dance or why do we keep talking about dancing?" Um, >> so yeah, I think it's some of both, right? Like we have some specific questions that Libby wants us to gather data about and then also some information sharing around like timeline and sort of what does that mean? So the goal is to gain as much information as we can from the community and then once we have that information to establish our values for what we want the merger to look like what we want schools for our kids to look like regardless of which district they're in. >> Okay. >> So if we have these values and priorities for instance and we can't financially sustain them by ourselves then merger makes a whole lot more sense to us. But if we have these values and priorities and we can sustain them by ourselves in light of a change in the financial formula, then that question around merger gets a lot more complicated. Um, I know you're just we're all just getting started with this conversation, but do you have a vision for how you want Hazel and I to maybe put something out into the high school community or the middle school community and to try to get that information because I know it's really important to be talking to everyone in the community including parents, but I I think also students have a lot to say about that. Um, so if you have any ideas or like initial thoughts for what Hazel and I's part in this could be. >> Yeah. Yeah. Thank you, Astred. We're going to talk about that on Monday. >> Yes. On the 20 Libbyy's going to come to our meeting on the 28th um with the the and we can like build that like the specific whether we call it a calendar or whatever. But tonight we are going to talk about the discussion kits are right. >> So that's next up. But I and I think why don't we go to that and then we'll kick it to Casey to talk about the different events that all board members can attend including Hazel and Astred. You can come to these as well. Um and you can also think of yourselves if you'd rather you know knowing that your capacity is limited focused on students. So >> yeah, >> um to add on what Asha was saying, um we already made a doc after our meeting with Libby. Um, and I added a little bit to it on just like rough draft questions that we can ask middle schoolers and elementary schoolers on what their thoughts would be um on like regarding the merger because I feel like it's going to be different like how we phrase the questions for like elementary schoolers compared to high schoolers. >> Sure. Um so like yeah making it a lot simpler for those who need that and then like getting a better understanding of what >> more. Yeah. >> Thanks. That's awesome. We had a good conversation. Okay. So this is the ask of board members and our caregiver council groups. So one of the boards more or one of the equity and engagement committees more um uh I don't even know what to call it. one of their goals is to talk to a whole lot of people. I believe 500 was the number. Um, and so I got thinking of how do we really access a lot of people because unless it's a survey about COVID schooling, we haven't gotten that many people answer a [laughter] survey. Um, and so not advocating a community. >> No, we're not doing that. Um so I have given one of these kits or I will be giving one of these kits to um all of our people who are on the caregiver councils and you all which is approximately 30 people. Um and here is the ask if you're willing is to have you know one or two small group conversations because I think the conversation piece is important. We don't want to lose it. Um just facilitate that. You have a whole facilitator's guide around that. So, um, grab your neighbors, say, "Come on over. Um, I've got some question for you." And you have some questions there. You have an opening there that you can use. And all your job is is to not really ask questions or get involved with it at all, but just take notes. And so, um, I'll show you in a different spot. There's a link to a Google doc you can use to take notes on, or you could take notes yourself. Um, the idea here is that you have every single thing you need. One of the things that I was worried about when we were saying let's go out in the community is that we would be asking different questions. Everybody would be asking different questions and we want people to ask the same questions um because that's important. So you'll see the facilitator's guide has four different questions um so that's part of it. If you um flip that over yours as an example here. The other way you could do this is that lots of you have small feedback cards. So you have these small feedback cards which have the same questions on it. So if somebody didn't want to come to Casey's living room or wherever, she could say, "Well, okay, great. But could you fill this out for us?" So giving give the feedback card. The QR code on the back also has these four questions on a Google form. What do you know? [laughter] like there's no excuse to provide input. >> There is no excuse to not get people to provide input. Um, so all of these things. So you also have these grid QR codes which takes you right to the survey. Um, and >> self-dress stamped envelress stamped envelope to get it to us. Just drop it in the mail of the box really quick and it comes to me. And what I will do with all of these things with Sam's help is we're going to put it into one huge Google doc of all the comments. Um, so that's that's kind of the ask. In your packets, you also have um what Ella was referring to just a quick like timeline. I made this before Harwood made their decision to ask to move to a different group. So Harwood is still on there. We honestly don't know if any group is any school district is going to join our ask to join our group, too. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Twinfield come on. So, um, this could change. So, just know Harwood that's the only change on this, but this is your timeline. >> They asked. >> We don't know if they're going to >> Yes or no yet. >> I would be surprised if they weren't, >> but it would be a tough >> right. Yes. >> You also have It's missing from Mia's. >> It's missing from everybody. So, I will make sure that you have you should have another document. I'll show it to you. Um, sorry. Pull it up. Uh, a good suggestion that Ella had and was built on uh from uh MSMS's caregiver group. And Justin, I'm going to apologize to you because you're going to hear this spiel three times. So, you're gonna be really good. Okay. [laughter] Um, I will I will send this to you and make sure we'll make sure that you get that the other kids get it. It's too bad. Um, so Ella had a really good idea of like including like a helpful information. So, what if people um want to dig a little deeper? Well, there's our website. Please point them to our website on Act 170. You've got to That's weird. All right. All right, spread those out, guys. Do share. Um, >> get one. >> I >> I'll make sure I share with the whole board. Um, like it people can always contact me. I've said it before. I do not want bad rumors going around. Like if people have questions, have them contact me. I met with a community member today in my office who came in uh for a cold meeting. Um, I'm holding focus group and would like to type my notes in a Google doc. Where can I find a place to put those? That was from the MS SMS carrier. There's the Google doc link. Just make a copy. >> Great. >> Um, when I'm holding a small group conversation, should I get some limited demographic de info? Yeah, you've got the questions right on the back of your feedback card. Get those that get that information. You can let me know when you send the information, the notes over to me. Um, what we'll be doing with all this? We hope to collect lots of data that you all collect through survey link mailing in one place. And I'm starting a doc where I'm cutting it. I'm just going to cut and paste answers in there. Um, and once we have a good mass, I'm going to start to code the data to find it find the themes. Um, can I expense anything to the district? That was Misella's question. Unfortunately, no. While we'd like to get everyone a fancy coffee while they chat, I don't think it would really be politically savvy to do so in light of the commentary about education spending. We do, however, have district swag. If you would like some district swag to hang out, hand out, we can do that, including insulated grocery bags because we order too many. And um Sam is also making some fun stickers for people's water bottles if they participate. Um so those of you who sign up to do the farmers market, do let me know because I think those insulated bags would be really great as long as you hold them tight until you get the survey answers back. >> Quint pro. >> Um and uh do you want contact information? So I would if people want more indepth information, I am starting a mailing list particularly for our community members who are not parents. Um because parents will get the information through the district newsletter and school newsletters. Um but if you're there I'm collecting kind of like social media marketing kind of thing collecting a mailing list. I've already started that. Um but if so if they want more in-depth information than like what they might see on Prompor forum from me then by all means have them collect their emails and say this person needs to go on the mailing list. Do students fall into that or are you thinking they're getting they're already in the the nose voters? >> They could fall into this if they wanted to. Yeah. >> So Hazel and Astrid have gotten these packets and they're thinking about how to make them a little more studentfriendly right now. >> Um my question was um for like the big QR code, I was thinking like we could like put it up possibly like make more copies and like maybe put it up around town. [laughter] like put those poppies up like around town because I feel like then people who aren't even parents like will have access to it just like in their day-to-day lives just like around and I think that that would make publicity for this better. I think also making it um how making it more of like a flyer poster situation >> or aesthetically pleasing. >> We may need to rely on our student board members. >> Can do that. I'm sure and I would be happy to do that. not to put that on anymore, but I do think especially in our school, we have so many flyers for so many things that both of it gets looked over. >> So, I think um yeah, that could be good. >> Yeah, definitely making it like stand out more will be good. >> So, any questions about discussion kit in the box or in the folder in the colorful folder? I'm sorry, but like I need >> So, we should you should strive to have like two gatherings and try to hand out some of those feedback cards by the end of October. We're trying to get everything in by the end of October. So, if some things start to come come in through November, it's not a huge deal, but we really want to get going that coding. Assuming this type of activity works, we should get a lot of responses, you know, like one one parent on the MSMS caregiver council was like, well, I'm such and such at my church and I can give this survey out on Sunday and everybody [clears throat] will take it, you know, like so hopefully we get that kind of response like thinking in that way. So my fingers are crossed. It's a different kind of way for getting feedback than we've ever tried before. We've never done this before. So hopefully it works with a little personal touch. >> This is awesome. Thank you so much. Um what about Front Porch Forum? >> So another part of my strategy is you may have noticed that I'm posting on Fridays on front porch forum around whatever merger news there is. is and I'm starting with a blob of blur blurb just quick blurb of what 170 is and then any any updates. So I'm doing that once a week on front porch forum. Um now it depends on forum in Montpielar especially comes out 17 times a day. So you might you might just delete that one that you know comes out in. Um but so far we've gotten a couple responses from those two. So Tim got an email about it. I got a couple responses. Are we able to um I I've never like I don't know the back end of front porch forum but can we like request information from front porch forum like where because they're collecting all of these data right could could we ask for you know like what's everything that's related to merger in MRPS you know like and you're shaking your head Justin >> search for it is that what you mean >> yeah We're saying yes before I guess your question. >> Um >> like to to do like a an [clears throat] inventory of who's posting on these types of topics. >> Not necessarily not who but like what >> how much and what's being said? >> Can you s Can we can just search? >> I mean that's search it. Yeah. I'm wondering if there's a a tool or service that I maybe we have to pay for it, but where they we like we could basically get an uh export >> of like I have no idea that >> so far the chatter hasn't been a whole lot. >> So I do read the 17 month posts that come through. So um >> I gave up on that. Um the other the other thing bouncing around my head is is um that we like how do we make sure that we're getting a a good um like representative sample of the community and not a whole bunch of techsavvy folks who you know have QR code uh you know QR readers and and go and take it um the survey online like and and I appreciate there's like a diverse um set of tools in this toolkit. which I really like. Um but yeah and so how do we how do we ensure that we're using those tools um across all of their >> good I think that's where the next part of this comes in which is what Casey was going to share with us about the other places we're where board members >> were asking to be to be out in the community because another >> way of asking your question Scott is if we and the um caregiver councils are talking with people we know that is really a fairly limited section of our entire community. So, we also want to get beyond those >> um clusters of our own networks. Um so, that's where the equity and engagement committee has started to build out a list and Casey's going to tell us about where we're what's on that list of places we could be out in the community. >> Love it. >> I think it also is a little bit of an extrovert challenge. Um Liz was teasing me that I would like so we can just invite anyone talk you might want to do that. I don't want to. So for me, I'm like, okay, how do I get as many taxpayers who are not caregivers to come and talk with me or knock on doors or whatever so that because I'm comfortable talking to random strangers or a wall um you know, so hopefully we, you know, push the boundaries a little bit or we were talking about um you know, I worked for a nonprofit where we did you invited 10 people to dinner at your house and so there were hundreds of dinners around the city at on the same night to gather data. Um, and so one way to do it too is to invite five people you know or two or three people you know and have them bring somebody. Um, so they might not be people you directly know but perhaps a neighbor of theirs or someone who has older kids and is not an active caregiver or you know someone who's elderly or whatever it might be. So, um, happy to brainstorm ideas for pushing your extraversion, uh, comfort zone, too, Scott, you know, for this. And then obviously Casey's going to talk about how we're going to be out in the world. >> Yeah. So, I think that out in the world component gets at what you're talking about, Scott. Um, and I'm going to call it a calendar, but it's not a stagnant calendar. So, if you have any ideas of things that are not on what I'm going to send you eventually, just let me know and I can either put them in um as good opportunities to have that additional exposure. But uh the folks that were on the board last year, we used the calendar maybe with a little less intention than what we're trying this year, but the idea is still similar in that we're trying to look out the full year to get things um set up that we can be tableabling at having these conversations, having the budget conversations in November, December, and then having the the so what, how's the merger conversation going in the spring. Um, I sent around like the the Google calendar invites because we know Justin really likes Google calendars um as a starting place just to get things on your schedule for this next month because we were realizing the month was getting away from us. So, please accept that invite. Look at who's accepted it if if you're on the fence about joining a a event or not. Um, we're looking to get two to three people at each of these events or the time slots for these events if possible. Um, I'm going to share a ex a Google sheet version of that calendar as well because I'm realizing that I don't really like the Google calendar option for like laying out my year in front of me. Um, so that'll I I'll get that out by the end of this week. Uh, we're looking um trying to tie up some of the like permissions and making sure that the farmers market's okay with us being there and other groups. Roberry Roots is okay with us being there. Um, so we'll get that all finalized and I'll share it around and please sign up. Um, our next event, so Mia and Ella went to the open house for MHMS, MHS, and had some good feedback there. The next one on the calendar right now is the farmers market this Saturday, which I think likely will be possible, and we've got some folks signed up for it already. Um, >> come grab some bags and grab some bags inside your office on Friday. >> When we start figuring out who's going to what, we're going to have to figure out the logistics of banner and table and bags and all that sort of stuff. So, there'll be some internal communication that has to happen to make it happen, but sign up first, please. >> So, we can look for that Google spreadsheet of the events soon. Yes. But for now, if you're interested, it's you can look at the >> the September invites have been sent out. I'll send out October invites too once as we start to solidify what those uh opportunities are. >> There's a spreadsheet on the document on the agenda. Is that it? >> It's that one is like that's like the equity and engagement working one that's a good take a look at it so you can see the list of things. But I think Casey, you're going to make something that's >> I'm making it just a simplified one with dates and time slots to actually sign up in. One last really quick question. I think I understand this. >> This survey right here is exactly the same as these, right? So, it could be either take the survey online or the hard copy, right? >> Yes. And that's what Ella and I were doing at the open house on >> Love it on um last Thursday. If you do the hard copy, they should hand it to you, but if they want to stay anonymous or do it later, >> they can mail it to me. >> They can take one of the envelopes. And if you all get a bunch, just give them to me whenever you go. You never see me. We get a lot of feedback from men in particular. You don't want to see my handwriting. I'm like, that's good. I type this. >> So, they can do it in the moment, but on my phone. >> Legit. >> Yeah. So, this is it. This is how we are going to engage our community in um figuring and determining the key priorities and values that we have for as we were saying it's a lot of it has to do with figuring out this merger business but also informing our budget for the next school year and what should our schools look like for all of our kids. So, thank you in advance for being getting out there. Um, anything else on that before we move on? >> Thanks for following. >> Yeah, I'm hoping it works. Me, too. If it does, we can replicate it for other things. And please share like if you're doing something or you're doing this and you're finding that something either works really well or the alternative like >> good point. Yeah. >> Don't stand behind the table. >> Put me in I found >> Yeah. >> bring stacks of them. Walk around. People just >> be engaging. >> Yeah. People gloss over. >> It definitely pushes the extrovert that exists in somewhere inside me out. Um, but the introverts that exist inside me would rather stand behind the table. But >> the girl and you saw Ella going out in front. >> I gotta hand out more of those slips than Ella does. That's for sure. >> We do have S on Sam too in my office. There's like a big stack of those paper forms if you need more. >> Okay, >> great. I can email it to you. >> So then the next item on the agenda is really just an announcement to each committee. This is something that I've been meaning to do for a while, but um make sure that you write down your charge. So, this is a good thing to put on the agenda for your next committee meeting is like let's just get it written down. It should take you 15 minutes at the most. Ideally, somebody some member of the committee can come with something drafted. Maybe there's something that we can use as a jumping off point that a different school board's committee already has or um but we just want to get these written down and they should so that they can go up on the committee page of the website um so that anybody who's perusing the board website and or the district website and finds schoolboard committees it's like oh wonder what they do. We want the them to be able to see that very easily. And then it's also just good for us as a reminder like okay this is this is here this is what we're charged with doing. Um, and for some of the committees that's seems fairly self-explanatory, but it's good for us to have that consistency across committees. So, please have that be an agenda item on your next um SMU meeting. >> Mia, we have five standing committees, right? Um, negotiations committee. Does that need a charge? >> Yeah, I think we should have one. >> Who's the chair? R, are you the chair? >> [laughter] >> I mean, >> you were the one that sent out the the warning, right? So, I assume that you were the chair, but >> I mean, we [clears throat] appreciate it. Not a heavy lift, right? >> Yeah. I'm sure you that's not shouldn't be too. >> I'm sorry. I mean, just for consistency. So, we're all kind of working towards the same thing. Are we talking like two three sentences? >> Yes. >> That's what we're trying. Yes. >> Yeah. Not like a big page. >> Yes. Good clarifying question. >> Pretty simple. All right, let's move on to policy monitoring. We have four tonight. Um, it's too early. Um, A23. Actually, we just have three that we're monitoring. A23, A24, and FM101. Um A23 is the community engagement and vision. A24 board and superintendent relationship and FM101 is the budget. Um is there any one of those three that anybody wanted to ask questions about or discuss? Okay, seeing none, then I will entertain a motion to approve the monitoring reports for all three of those policies. I'll move that we approve the monitoring reports for all three of those policies. >> Thanks, Casey. Is there a second? >> All right. Thanks, Justin. Any discussion? >> I wanted to say in terms of community engagement, Libby, thank you for putting this together. It I mean, I find this to be pretty exceptional and not something that everybody is doing. and the committee, the equity engagement committee sort of set this high goal and you were like, "Okay, let's figure out how to do that." And so, um, that's pretty exceptional. So, thank you. >> Yes. Thank you. And thank you in advance to all of us who are going to be >> doing this doing this engaging. This is to to Ella's point, we're I don't know how many boards are making this very concerted effort to make sure that our community is part of this conversation from the beginning. So, pretty great. Uh, with that, all those in favor of approving the monitoring reports, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay. So, I'm seeing that the policy was not actually on the consent agenda. >> Yeah, it should have been up there. >> Up there. >> Um, you can still vote on >> I think we should just vote just to be certain. >> It was warned as a policy adoption. So, great. We're we followed those steps and needs to be on that. >> Yeah. [clears throat] >> So, then let's formally vote to approve the cell phone and personal device policy. Um, is there a motion? Move the cell phone device policy. >> Thanks, R. Is there a second? >> Second. Thanks, Ella. Um, any discussion? >> Great question. [snorts] >> I'll jump on. >> Um, and then just as a reminder, this is what we saw a draft of at the last board meeting, and everybody on the board said, "This looks good. It's also what's required of us and it's the language that's required. So there's not really anything we can do to tinker with it. So let's make this simple and get it on the books. So just as that's what why it's just in front of us. Okay. All those in favor of approving the cell phone and personal device policy, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay, great. Thanks everybody. Um we'll do a our short debrief. um on how we did at the meeting um before we go into executive session so that we can do this part in open session. So this is just where we kind of check in with ourselves and see how we did at um working at the the work we wanted to accomplish this meeting and also how we did at using our norms. Um so let's see how did we do at accomplishing our goals this meeting. Um we're going to use the same zero to five. So, if you thought we didn't do well at all, you're showing the zero. And if you think we did great, no notes, then you're showing the five. Awesome. And if you want to abstain, you can do that, too. >> You got to show at the same time. >> Oh, I thought that. >> That's good. >> Um, all right. We'll do that on the norms. How did we do it using our norms? One, two, three. Shoot. Jake with influence. You pause. All right. It looked like fours and fives across the board. So, great. Thank you, everyone. Thanks for a good meeting. Um, we are about to move into um executive session. If we could just get somebody to make a motion, please. I move to enter executive session for the purpose of discussing the evaluation of the superintendent under the provisions of title one section 313 A3 of Vermont statutes evaluation of a public officer or employee. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thanks Justin. Um all those in favor I. >> Any opposed? Okay. >> [music] [music]