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Keene Board of Education Policy Meeting for Tuesday, February 23, 2021

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Keene Board of Education Policy Meeting for Tuesday, February 23, 2021 – 7:30PM Keene Board Policy Committee met remotely. Transcription available upon request.

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and I think because we don't have a quorum at this time it might be a good opportunity to at least share the news about our policy review with the NHS Bae we did put that in the drive this evening we got it late last night wasn't a whole lot of time to give you a heads-up on it and we put it in first thing this morning we got it last night and you know it seems to be a pretty good road map and review of what we have what the what might be missing and what language we might want to incorporate moving forward at least for the a b and c sets of fall I'm so pretty thorough I was impressed A Renewed it for a little bit today Shane and I looked at it and we started talking about a strategy to assist the team Board of Education as a whole in particular the policy committee you know we're going to focus on the ones that are required by law than the ones that are recommended and then the optional 1/3 in that kind of order in envelope policies that are required by law will take a look at their recommendations will put red Redline information into our existing policies and put them forward for the policy committee moving forward probably more so in March I really just didn't have the ability we just got it last night and first eyes really this morning so but a gray only got a short time to look at it this afternoon when I saw that that email that'll be a great road map and start for the the policy committee going forward for the overall investment into having that review now that we're starting to get it back you know it for a while it was like Jesus what did we put our money into it and now when I see the product that's coming back I'm pretty pleased with what they're returning and the thoroughness in which they're investigating our policies and and do I'm at work on behalf of the district certainly one one day gone for the impetus behind that was as we pull up to her policies or legislative changes we do find these required by law that from years ago that why didn't have this so there was a concerted let's just have someone look over everything in and get our self compliance on crack right right we've got one of those right now actually credit at the middle school and high school forget the policy and I am DB noting cuz you cuz we're still under covid-19 lines we don't technically need a quorum to run a meeting I don't know if you want to give Peter a few more minutes or if we want to maybe we could do some discussion and hold off on bow to see if he comes in suggest that you go ahead and then get us rolling and we'll see if Peter comes in later I'll give him a call Mute myself and call him I'm trying to find our agenda maybe I'll pull it up I don't think Peter was here last months of with that sense I think you and I were here I'm comfortable with moving to approve the minutes I should say first George video of any changes or concerns with them know they looks good mr. Downing 26th June or 26 meeting our approach and I should also I don't know if I did it yet but I'm going to call the order the February 23rd 2021 meeting and you are correct. We don't have any policies for secondary so there's nothing that we actually need to vote on tonight so that makes me more comfortable with don't have a quorum I know we don't need one but I still feel like having input of at least three board members is important before we move anything forward so this one policy for first read I'm going to ask Rob to speak to this a witch came up last month we thought this was related the education committee brought up a concern about Friday or acknowledgement for students in the Middle School who are taking on completing High School level courses yeah competency we thought this was the policy it didn't look quite right it doesn't high-end turiello's on but Rob did you have anything under bring up what I intended to do was to Circle back to assistant superintendent Brian Campbell and after we set the policy and brought this back onto our agenda as we did I just haven't had the ability either he was away from the office or I was away from the office as heading into the vacation week and so he does know that we're going to circle back and we're going to pinpoint what we need to be incorporating and we'll cross reference at with the sample policy of nhspa to make sure that we have the wording that needs to be included in this policy in order to have the ability to more seamlessly offered credit at the 7th and 8th grade levels how can I think this could later on tonight we're also have been looking at the Extended Learning opportunity I hbh so that that may be good to look at this one in light of that once it goes through the changes and import we got from the high school guy Alford coming or not I'm looking at our policies for first read and it's we've got this one instructional needs of individual students I guess I would have to go look at the or somebody would have to go look at the the RSA reference and see what this policy is specifically looking to but we also have I am BD high school credit for the 7th 8th grade coursework and we have the yellow these are all related and I think that's a problem the edge Jason committee tripped over is that inflated all of the different topics into one I'm in it ended up being a difficult conversation because you know one person would be advocating for one thing and somebody else was trying to respond to that but was actually thinking about an entirely different topic while they were responding set along with working through these policies and what the RSA is there based on actually require we need to make sure that we're clear about what each individual policy is speaking to and arguably we need to bring in potentially Brian Campo as the assistant superintendent covering the he covers the Middle School in the high school yes yep right so and end of the relevant principles should be involved in figuring out what it is that we want to offer as a district you know our job is to make sure that these policies are in line with state law and then perhaps give some guidance the board would like to see the following things offered to our students but you know largely what's actually being offered should be coming from the school so at some point we may need to be bringing all of the above people to help guide us as we move forward make sure that we're not hamstring what they want to do absolutely and I think Rob if you could go I think I am DB is up first on our agenda and that's one you'll see in the folder that we did check as we were looking up what kind of education committee was some of the legal references set acknowledgement needs to be given if someone in the middle school is is completing a high school level work I'm in so there is some discussion of does that mean credit needs to be given or is that acknowledgement transcript and I think so nhspa sample policy and recommended policy is granting credit it's a little confusing cuz one of these legal references is actually an old reference it was replaced so we have some guidance from the nhspa that the second one 60 when he can be removed or should be removed and 26a when we looked at that actually talked more about Extended Learning opportunities and inventions the signallers I do feel like we need some more clarity of what are we legally required to do based on state law and within that framework how does the high school and middle school want to or feel that they're able to work together on this issue of students who are working at a high school level in 7th or 8th grade I'm and I'm not sure I think our thought was maybe that should come before the education committee first but maybe we should have people here Brian and particular at the policy committee to help address some of these questions if that makes sense to you George Rob I don't this is such a weird year that I don't know what people's time commitments are and I know that they have higher priorities but I'm wondering if it it may be worthwhile at some point to set up a I don't use the term committee because I don't feel like this is something that needs to meet and eat in meat but one or two time working session with some of the relevant stakeholders maybe someone from the education committee and someone from following we have overlap between those committees anyway but you know to talk about this in a conceptual manner with find out what it is that people really want to see I know that both the Anna and and dr. Gallagher have talked about I think the need would be overstating it but the desire to see more opportunities for these Advanced students but we don't want to do it you know I shouldn't come heavy-handed from the board it should be something that you organically comes schools in and reflect the desires of the of the faculties and principles of the two schools like I say I don't want to take people away from more important work but maybe we want to get a work session you know set up another feasible and I I think I'm excited and I needed this is a required policy that is a rabbit and I'm reading it I think it's I think it's a little bit shady and addressing what the sort of more contentious committee was with what is it going meant versus an actual High School Credit that means you don't have to take as many classes when you get the high school videos first census of students and 7/8 grade may take Advanced courses and apply to credit for High School graduation provided the course back maybe that is clear cuz I right now what we do and the reason we need a policy and places we do have student to at least test out of Algebra 1 and B Algebra 1 is required for high school graduation that does get noted on their High School transcript that they did in fact complete Algebra 1 but they don't get a credit for the graduation so that's been through the question of do we want to if you show that you're confident you test it out of that you should get a credit or is it knowledgement on the transcript okay and how does that fall within the law I think it's been the big question and I feel like I'm not any more clear today then was the last one for me look at this and yeah that's that's been a problem for at least a year is that we haven't even figured out how to get the clarity yet let alone actually having the clarity reaching out to the NHS PA was a was a good start but it sounds like they're almost in the same place and that the laws the rsa's have changed their they haven't had a chance to do the update yet that would would reply the new law says so that might be part of our issue is the laws are changing faster than we can get a handle on them SBA which are only the A B and C Series we know that the subsequent policy series are coming our way over the next month or two months and that might also provide a lot more clarity as they would have had that review done at their level and provide us at feedback on what our policies might be lacking in terms of of legal updates or or or regulation updates in from the State Board of Education which are the Ed references so I think it's I understand. What you're suggesting is to have someone from Palestine so much education have a time maybe to connect with Administration to to come up with some clarity that they could bring back to each committee so we can really get this moving forward in a way that fits with our goals for Extended Learning and advanced learning all of those topics together yeah that's what I was suggesting and like I said I don't want to take people away from more important work now there's I feel like this is going to happen in play as I listened to the Middle School in the high school Personnel talk about where they want to go with competency-based education I feel like a lot of this is going to organically happen anyway but I also don't want to lose first of all because apparently were lacking at least one required by law policy here and you know also because it's been a stated concern by various members of the board over the last two or three years so you know at some point we need to move that's just saying hey this is a concern and figuring out how to solve that as well so I guess I'm saying I don't want to see a drop but I also don't want to have us developing policies before we're ready to do them because that ends up hamstring everybody I'm here cuz. I'd like because it's priority I feel like we should move it forward and get feedback potentially from the larger board but also I feel like then we'll probably have to send it back for a first read with edit perhaps there's a benefit to sharing it with the word let them know that we're discussing it while the work goes on with the administration with the Middle School in high school they've been doing a lot of coordinated effort to look at their coursework will get the differences between middle school and high school and and what makes the most sense so hey Lucas has an away game ticket because things when they pop up on my screen I guess you can 3 to the board just to let them know we're working on this yet input potentially the Lord reward and then in the meantime try to get some input from Brian and and possibly the principles of the high school and middle school to give us some more Direction on what they need from us because because required by law I don't have to sit for two or three or four months either without getting some real motion going yeah that makes sense to me well move this for first read but also then the chair I would guess George will look into having one education Committee Member One policy number try to find some time due to talk with the administration and flush out what we can do to support what they're doing or match what they're hoping to yeah I can do that in on it and we'll just make sure the board members know that we really are looking for their m -1 HPA to Extended Learning opportunities this is something we've had in place for I think is about 10 years 11 years but in the past two years we really moved forward with getting a more formal yellow program going we now have a full-time ELO Extended Learning opportunity coordinator at the high school so that again came from the education committee and we had asked High School principal that yellow coordinator to look over this policy and say based on what Happening Now do they have any recommendations update status that they feel need to be made or would like to see made and do we have their notes in here I don't see their notes remember a couple of them remember it being in the education folder but this something that the doctor Gallagher just shared off her computer what did we eat while we had the yellow coordinator was actually in the education committee meeting speaking to us dr. Gallagher I'm going to pull up the February folder no hear what's up phone app no no we don't have it and I know if you pull up a couple of them oh there it is that his or her dig me this is the one that has the only edits on it okay and there were only two minor changes did you feel like there was some additional ones there is one that had to do with personnel let's see how in the second bullet point it would be ahead of his or her diet doesn't need a wanted included and then under the second bullet point their administrative supervision Mercedes-Benz roll students by certified personnel I want to clarify that was certified School personnel play just be even work there be certified King School District personnel I remember now this policy there was two versions of it in the drive only one of which we could actually access which is still the case in the education drive and the mess the the notes and updates were not displaying properly on the copy that they were showing us in education committee in there was a few more edits then we see here I agree cuz I was at least one added bullet point but we still don't I went back to the education drive and we still don't have access to that other. I don't have access to any other documents needed let's try is item 8B in the February 16th location committee you got the same thing and that was the one both dr. Gallagher in missing the gym Nancy Rafferty they were both able to share it because that's probably has been working on the document themselves but it didn't have the edits it had the edits but not the notes then went with it and they were going to share the full document with us that must've slipped everybody's mind and I should have thought to remind them as well so yes but yeah I think you're right there was one more there weren't extensive at it's a lot of it was anywhere it said you know the usual changes we've been making superintendent or designee don't be walking things down to one person and then there was that one bullet point and I I wish we had the wording all finally together but it was a Assurance of student safety and it included technology breathe if they were using I think it was more online technology and that was one and it's hard cuz we don't have a year to look at but I think that was the only added bullet point that I had had a little bit of concern and my first question which I think is answer here is yellows can only be approved how to find someone can come in and say I did this thing over the summer and could I potentially get credit would we ever Grant credit reference Glee when we've done that that would be really weird because I think that you need prior approval before you go and I'll even under the new program I think you need prior approval before you go and then start a new yellow yeah that's what this one here says that now that it needs me to prove prior to his beginning so that certainly that's how it's always been and can I have that I thought of them after our last meeting what's the question of there's obviously supper procedures that are part of this at the superintendent has in place and and will be going through but I think part of that they discuss education was a liability waiver country that if there was an organization that didn't necessarily follow our same school district standards they could do it so my concern was if we're putting an assurance of safety but we're offering a liability waiver in rare circumstances is that yeah I was just looking at the email that you sent Rob and I that's reminding me of the wording of the added bullet point was it right it was both it was in one bullet point it covered the technology and the Assurance of student safety you know it's Torrance to that our technology guidelines would be adhered to and Assurance of student safety and we had talked about in education if I'm remembering correctly was both was the wording a little bit vague on Assurance of student safety which I think are usually it is given that we came up with at least three different interpretations sentence and what is it that we're really saying and are we opening ourselves up to potential lawsuits if we don't read that correctly suggested running it past primax which I do think we want to do before we're done with this policy I think also that Cindy and Nancy said that they were going to check out other similar policies across other districts and see what wording was being used elsewhere let my recollection may be wrong but that's I forgot about that that you mentioned that. about that they should review some of the wording because there was confusion among the different members of how we all read it and interpreted it so I think beast on that at least rent because of that will to bring this back next month hopefully with some more input from them and also just with their notes to make sure we didn't forget any of their additional notes that were in here and also to see if they were able to find any burning in terms of what here and this is interesting because it actually refers to things joy that you had concerns with just in terms of the existing wording on this you know my only concern when we first started looking at this is what we've said several times we finally have a a solid yellow coordinator running at the high school and we didn't want to create this policy or alter this policy without running it past the yellow coordinator so then again we weren't getting in their way but you know that the high school look at it I'm pretty happy with it I think we just need to nail down the wording on that one edition that they were asking for 34 and a bullet points start are here and that that forget does the granting credit should be based on students demonstration of course competencies as approved by certified personnel and I should probably also personnel probably need to be a little more specific on that yeah next and would it be now that's the way to be only the yellow coordinator that could ultimately make the decision even though though it would clearly work with teachers and administration but yeah I have one point person that could clearly yeah I mean ultimate ultimately it should be a by the head of the high school right or or their designee but you know I'll just put that note in there to be more specific and I've got my notes to Circle back Cindy and Nancy regarding their notes from the education committee as we're still unable to access them and make sure we're cross-referencing their notes with the policy as currently amended to make sure we're not forgetting anything George brings up a really solid point you know we finally have an ELO coordinator new this school year which is ten years after this policy was first adopted so probably movement in the right direction for sure agenda recommend that we put this back in the day we just discussed hold on to this one sorry just going to pull up my agenda and that was all we had when we don't have any second read-through before we do have policy for reviews on things look at last month which is the board vacancies that were reviewing light of the fact that we just went through the process of appointing new board members and we look at this last month and felt like based on feedback from the people who number 5 6 and 7 the little bit hazy in terms of this whole idea of having a being asked questions and the candidates so yeah you I want a free iPad volunteered are you asked for a volunteer I bet. I've been working on rewriting for 5 and 6 based on what we are. about last month and it actually results in a change in three as well but I had to run into some questions what specifically we were looking for last so let's let's test everybody's been worried the concern and we did have John Houston and Ron Wright were both in a ton last month and they're the most Pete recent to go through this process so they both offered some input and I'm glad that they did because the concerns they brought up we're not the ones that I expected them to bring up from a the candidates I'd people don't really have an issue with our from the board side we often have concerns about how the voting works and how it seems kind of awkward and all of that but that didn't seem to be an issue to the candidates they were more they felt more information needed to be provided to them and oh no I'll be that true or not I'm not sure how much Rob can really provide them they have to do a little bit of work on their own there are other they felt at the the format was odd where they come in and just give a 427 minute speech and and that's it no given take no back in what we're talking about last month I think and then this is where my my recollection is not 100% on we would still do the. Of time where the board and superintendent collaborate on the quest it will be asked but then rather than providing them with the questions in advance we would tell them that each candidate will have what is it 7 minutes that may be something to bring up in first grade one bring this to the full of work if we're changing this format maybe we changed this time of it but they would just give a brief introduction you know how I am so and so and this is what I and this is why I would like to be a board member and then Rob fire is off the list of questions to them be the same questions for each candidate but they wouldn't have reviewed them in advance I think Rob pointed up that's how we do most of our candidate searches because part of the interview is really seeing how they react to questions that they were not prepared for an advanced I mean prison that wrong not given in advance you know what you're looking for really is both how well they prepared to themselves and how well they respond extemporaneously so what I would what I've gotten mostly written up is that for would involve what Rob does when he receives the candidates you know what information he sends out which basically would be a copy of the policy may be with a highlight of the two paragraphs of what happens when they come to the meeting and obviously the date and time of the meeting and then five would be a combination of what are currently 5 and 6 and would basically be the candidates will come into the room one at a time actually five goes away entirely the existing five goes away we don't need any of that right so this part about three business days at the tail end of five we'll get incorporated into number 3 I do think that that's important because the whole point there is for the public to be able to send an email to the board and say I see so and so is running for board I think that that's a horribly bad idea because X I think that's a wonderful idea because X that's why we have that three day. Right there so I'll move that up to 3 where we set the date in the middle Now read the date will be at least three business days so far will be what Rob does it's an application five becomes each Canada and now I'm reading off of my nose each candidate will be invited into the room one at a time in alphabetical order by last name she'll introduce themselves to the board supposed the other candidates wait outside the meeting room but that seems obvious each candidate will be asked questions by the soup will be asking the same questions by the superintendent and then will be given a final opportunity to and I don't have quite the wording down down this part but basically they did we miss anything question that you asked in a job interview you know what else you want to tell us that we haven't asked about and then and then that would be yet yes go ahead in light of that under number for probably you mad you may very well be provided to the canvas on the date following the clothes yeah for what I have for for I consider a work-in-progress because I think we really need to nail down five the procedure in the meeting because that will dictate what information gets out sent out by Rob is part of four yeah they do think asking for a resume at least what I found help remember is is asking for a resume statement indicating what your goals are wire seeking the position I've got now is notice of intent from a candidate will be directed to the superintendent of schools in preferably include the candidates resume and wear a brief statement I'd like to take out preferably honestly obviously we can't force people to do it but you know stop making it look like we don't want it the reading would actually be and she'll include the candidates resume and or a brief statement indicating the candidate's qualifications for the position intended goals of the school board member superintendent or designee so confirm receipt of the notice of intent provide the candidate with a copy of policy and notify the candidate of the date and location of the meeting at which the board will consider the candidates so I'll leave that inflation and rework 5 again I could probably do that if want so that we can bring it to a first read at the March board meeting we can do that cuz we walk public input but we can't allow that like to just come ask questions of the candidates for various reasons I could include that in three as well the date set for the meeting so I'll be at least three business days after the closing of the establish establish filing. To allow for public input from input from the public all right so let's do that for 3 and 4 is what Rob does when he gets the application 5 will be the price and then that combines 5 and 6 into 1 bullet points so then 7 through 11 all drop down by one number I think that sounds great up here making those corrections to bring it to set up and send a drop should I send them to Shana because I don't have an editable copy of this thing and I inadvertently mess up the format when I try and do it I will have her put this into a Google doc I thought she did that and let me double-check you may have is it in this I'm out of Education committee Drive she asked me about that and I don't know that I ever got back to her because honestly this has been a heck of a month's outside of school board yeah I don't see that she send that but hang on let me see if she emailed one directly to me so that you can edit that yep I will do that I'll let Shannon know when it's done so she can throw it into the March meeting as I first read that makes sense to me as well because then we can get everybody's input before we bring it back to policy committee hey Inga and I'm not a committee yeah can you hear me I just want everything that we had talked about that George was mentioning when it comes to the like when they can do their brief introduction as it says they think of the policy I think some candidates were confused. like was it just saying hi my name is as opposed to doing like the whole like this is my background this is us to Keene here's where I work at people's I guess pecan internet it was a little different than others I was just something that we spoke about I would enter zombie joke babe I need my thought would be I felt like s'more the confusion was the questions of people thought they were actually going to get asked questions my card is brief introduction is kind of interesting if you just see what people bring up and are there here Georgia guarantee Fox on verifying that I don't remember us bringing that part up but that's I can see validity for both sides I think it's less important because of the format that we're going for now we're we're not not providing questions in advance and hoping that they'll respond to them or not that was where both John and Ron and actually at least one other candidate who didn't get a position this last time around at all said the same thing they were they were surprised at the format and expected more of a given take in there for did not put as much into some of them didn't put as much into their sentence or introduction of others did Soylent if we enter in a way we address that anyway but I'm going to roughly leave it the way we've talked about tonight and see what the full board has to say about that I think that makes the most sense go back to YouTube also to the footboard and again really encouraged and put a thing of it and do we have anything else here Rob in terms of regular agenda items I do think I have another when you're all set so my other Inca is this is actually class policy committee meeting so yeah I agree with Rob I want to thank you so much for what you've done with this committee you've been a stellar committee chair you really have I had four policies and in sorting through the intricacies and I have been chair of this committee and I know that it's a challenging position and you've really done good work for us over the last couple years and I very much appreciate it and just want to thank you thank you George and and thank you you are the charity for me and a great example and a great help than having you on the committee to support and also brought thank you so much for being here and being patient to being so helpful I will Echo George's comments I shared that with you when we were setting the agenda you know you just done a really tremendous job of running this committee you grab the bull by the horns then you showing the exemplary leadership open in Charing this committee and done a marvelous job it's going to going to be a love lost for the policy committee to lose you as a chair because you just done great work throughout the time that you observed as a chair and that's has prior to you as well so big loss and very much appreciated all of your efforts you've made it super seamless and just run a really tight committee has been awesome thank you so much I will I will love Tuesdays but I will miss the meeting really well and I'm but I'm excited to see all the people who show up close in and really understand everything that goes went to the work of running a district like this and does anyone have any other nice cat Rebecca I can't get them off the table no matter what I do ants like my boys whoever is going to be the next year but you definitely in your house to say the least we will. I don't know if you'll be able to stop backdrop o this was waiting what is the it's funny you say that because you know we think that to around here all right got any other business for the last time for me the meeting is adjourned and thank you all so much and thank you Cheshire 2D and to General Tso thank you thank you good night everybody

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Keene Board of Education Policy Meeting for Tuesday, February 23, 2021

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