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Keene Board of Education Meeting for February 8, 2022

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Keene Board of Education Meeting for Tuesday, February 8, 2022 Keene High School LGIA- 43 Arch Street, Keene, NH at 6:00PM Transcription upon request.

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good evening and welcome to the team Board of Education meeting for Tuesday February 8th 2022 please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag live America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all I will open tonight with public input we do have one member of the public are to speak name of the dress as usual so William Dillard Westview Ave Keene New Hampshire Ka president so I came tonight to speak to the board to make a request of the KOA has sent a formal request to the board through mr. blame mr. Downing to begin negotiations for the successor agreement to the current collective bargaining agreement that the teachers have to the bargaining agreement expires next year and so typically negotiations will begin on or around September 1st given the given the circumstances in the world today and in our schools it's impacting our schools the K is requesting to begin this process sooner than we have in the past and I Was preparing to kind of give all the reasons for that tonight and I believe it it it it warrants a greater or more Namek conversation with the school board and so I'd like to request of mr. Downing and the board to have a formal conversation with the school board about the negotiation process simply about the process not in the garage Nations themselves but how we go about them when we begin them and because I think it's really important that the board members are able to ask questions about what has been done in the past what has gone well what hasn't gone well and have a dialogue simply about the process to see if we can do it better I believe that one of the reasons that our schools have been successful through this pandemic is is because of our ability to say we're not going to do things the same way you know Union has worked collaboratively with superintendent Malay often for the past two years to solve problems in ways we've never done before and I think we need to apply that same line of reason to negotiations we were in a position right now where we're not fully staffed and and we don't have all the teachers we need in our district and we need to make sure as a collective commute the board that the teachers union you know and administration that we do everything we can to stop our schools because our kids deserve that education so that really what we're looking to do and hopefully the board can discuss that tonight and respond to the KA as to how that might be possible to thank you very much FedEx bill open up that discussion under new business tonight as well all right next on the agenda which I found ye is approval of the consent agenda can I have a motion to a the consent agenda has anybody have any documents they which removed from the consent agenda all those in favor any opposed 620 add a reminder to board members because we're live stream tonight make sure that you lean right into your mic when you're speaking report of the board chair I need to open I need to thank everyone who is Malden producing the proposed budget and bringing it successfully through first session this past Saturday we have already publicly thanked him Roar and his office and the administration across the district for their hard work leading into budget season and I do want to repeat those thinks that is a lot of hours that you guys put in and it was a very solid budget and justification he brought forward this year I also want to thank the rest of the board for your diligence during this process budget season is a lot of meetings it's a lot of hours it's a lot of weirdly time to meetings it's a lot of work so I appreciate all of the work that you all did in helping us get here as well finally I need to thank the men the public who came to for a session this last Saturday there were 61 registered voters in attendance the board would love to see a lot more people attend but that doesn't mean we need to extend even more thanks to those who did manage to come this fast I appreciate your willingness to come out to learn about the budget to ask questions and to make suggestions for improving moving forward as well as ultimately for approving next year's budget the final step is a second session with I know better as voting district voting will take place this year on Tuesday March 8th all Wards in Keene vote at the Keene rec center on Washington Street we vote from 7:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. besides the budget to be approved there also to reserve funds that we are proposing moving some money into 1 for buildings and maintenance and one for unexpected special education costs and there's also believe it or not eight candidates running for three seats this year so please take the time to learn about the budget learn about the candidates and then come out and vote for what you think is best for our schools and our community is moving forward this iteration of the board is nearly finished our final meeting will be next month Tuesday my moving forward from there I want to encourage the board to schedule the annual reorganization meeting shortly after the election this year that will allow the new board to be seated and move forward with business because coming up in this next year we will need to address changes in the pandemic status in the community and what that will mean for our schools and our protocols that we have two big contracts to negotiate including you guys girl just mentioned to be a k e a contract are teachers and we also need to pick up some of the topics that we had to postpone during the pandemic most importantly working on what our adopted goals around a diversity equity and inclusion inclusion actually mean and how we're going to begin moving the district towards those outlying schools that's what I have for you tonight I'm just going to let him report to the superintendent so you all have my report in the 5 in as always I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have at this time or in the future or if you have them even before we get to the meeting happy to entertain them but I wanted to stay on y'all just a couple things there been recent public comments and statements regarding the status of Keene high school and some of the issues that have been taking place in the building by members of the school Community I think it's important to understand that none of these issues are brand-new War you need to Keene High School the board has been advised to these that the district administrators are aware of these and together we're continually and proactively trying to address some of these concerns the two primary concerns are excessively disruptive students and having a full Workforce in the building both of these concerns have been exacerbated by the pandemic and quite honestly through Rumors in the you social media to point fingers into place blame that further escalates the real issues that we are all working hard and wanting to resolve both of these concerns have an impact on the culture of the building as a whole throughout the school year mitigating measures have been and continue to be put into place to address these issues for example with regard to disruptive student Behavior this board granted the authority to the soup intended to extend suspensions of students that are disrupting the school environment students that refuse to follow the code of conduct are being held accountable for their behavior up to and including expulsion as we are well aware additional Personnel have been added to the Staffing pattern to have more adults monitoring students while in the building an alternative placement for students that cannot follow the code of conduct while in the building is presently being established with specific roles and responsibilities for additional staff to oversee that effort and staff members throughout the building are being visibly present during non-instructional time to reinforce appropriate student Behavior with regard to having a full Workforce the recruitment efforts have continued throughout the year I want to know that school districts across the state and across the country are all engaged in same efforts the board has extended the authority to hire to the superintendent to help expedite these efforts when a suitable candidate is found so that we are not delaying the ability to bring new staff onboard substitute rates were increased earlier this school year that included a bonus for days work per semester per diem hourly rates were extended the staff at the high school to substitute during their Preparatory periods and contact everyday agencies are being contacted to provide additional staff but they too have had issues with Staffing themselves however I just want to go on record to state that we must not blue side of the reality that we have really good students and dedicated staff in this building doing so would inevitably in wrongly this devalue the efforts that the majority of our students and staff have been making prior and prior to and throughout the pandemic there should be very little doubt that those efforts will continue after the pandemic as well Keene High School is a good place with good people working here and would Goods ending please I ask that you do not lose sight of that reality as we continue to address the primary concerns that I listed earlier and help recognize that good does exist I believe we can all use do more good in our lives thank Rob and you made me realize that I skipped an entire paragraph in my report which subsequently closed so I will try it summarize it very quickly in a similar vein I did touch on the actions the board has taken to support both the high school and the other schools but I want to reiterate that most of our time this year has been spent handling pandemic concerns and the actual reality that our buildings are facing primarily social emotional issues after a year where we were all at home and forgot how to people and the Staffing shortages that we see across our buildings and the continued trauma that much of our community is facing it doesn't show a whole lot of these full meeting because we have a strict agenda and we try and run through it and trying to get people back home but all five of our committees have been focused on these efforts and we spend a considerable amount of time working with the administration to determine what supports our schools need we do get frequent input from parents from students from community members asking for support for our schools asking us what we're doing the challenge that were in his we are not Educators up here we are not and most importantly not in the school's ourselves we have made it clear that we are willing to help in any way that we can but we do you got input back from the school so I'm in that list that Rob just gave you has been the result of a lot of that but I want to reiterate the board has full faith that our teachers and our administrators in this building and in the other buildings across the district are among the best people in the profession and and we fully support what they're doing and continue to stand behind them all right was that set are there any questions for mr. Malay on the superintendent's report alright standing committees mr. right is not here for a buildings and Facilities he does have a written report in the drive and he indicated that we didn't have any actions that that committee needed to take on any of the discussions that were held could be summarized next month instead education was Lancaster education has not met since our last school board meeting so I will have something next month for you thanks Rebecca Finance Minister Robert yes before I get into some motions and one of the because we're mr. Roar is going to be busy with the Roar and 10 dually have made a list of a traded list of projects that that need to be done there been prioritised in based on available funding that may become available he we bring in those projects to the facilities committee for approval and under the normal seizure that recommendation would come to the full board for the chair to redirect it down to finance committee it is did Dad any recommendation for current year projects that the that the facilities committee May approved go directly to the finance committee which follows right after right after the facilities committee and then you'll see one on the agenda then we can bring that to the full the full board the following week instead of her bring a month delay I do have any motions Chris I'll make that motion pedophilia nem construction projects that are approved by the finance committee to the end of this fiscal year be allowed to go directly to the finance committee Rebecca second hey board members have most of most of you were at the meeting at the committee meeting when we talked about any concerns or questions for mr. Roberts all right all those in favor any opposed carries 60 we have a fun transfer as well move that the King Board of Education move to approve the budget transfer report dated do a 2022 as informational second their concerns or questions on the funds transfer all those in favor any opposed Gary 60 we have a a gift in the drive as well would that be during that was up in the air was out and consent I'll bring that out to the finance committee that the King Board of Education accept with gratitude the gift in the amount of $750 from our berkline ink for the Keene High School class of 2025 to be deposit in the class of 2025 activity account can I get a second all those in favor any opposed carry 60 and then we'll go back this was a recommendation by the facilities committee and then we went right to finance committee on this one move on behalf of the finance committee that the King Board of Education approve you $500,000 of the 20 21 20 22 Surplus for note for new windows at we like in Franklin Elementary Schools in window screens at Simon Elementary School the we felt this was important because we do have a lot of windows in the school district that you can look but you can't see out of which is not really healthy Aura of children and this was some of the things we always put this on the back burner and say next year the next year the next year but because of the ship for some different grants that we've got from the federal government and money that was saved in the current budget we felt that this was a really good opportunity to take something that we've needed to do for years thanks for this project had all those in favor of approving this funds enclosed 360 you were recorded as a positive vote cuz he didn't vote either way because Rob was distracting Soviet and thank you just prior to this meeting we had a few topics that we covered we reviewed open positions that are now being provided monthly and we for the last few months stop from the HR land and has it just take a look at those those are of course posted if anybody's looking for a job we would welcome you to apply another piece we had public input in in which the topic of additions and the Kea explaining some of the differentiation and like that we're going to be talking about that further in non-public this evening the other piece that we chatted about was the desire to look at aggregate information from exit interviews to make sure that we understand and can think about how that might that process might be supported to that our school district's make sure we understand fully what's going on so we're going to be looking at that next month that's the end of what I have this evening thanks. Policy committee we got a lot on this one I apologize we're still trying to work through that long list of newly required by law policies from last year's legislature first step is I hbi this is listed under first read however the high school administration is asking that we suspend board rules and approve this policies this month as a mended rather than sending it through another month of review so I will move on behalf of the policy committee set the Keene Board of Education suspend board rules and approve policy I hbi Alternative Learning plans as presented second thank you so I ate be why is required by law and it's not on our books yep oh good morning you're right without discussing yeah do we need the recipe a Girl by the high school asking for that all right so let me recalibrate my head at the motion is to suspend the rules to consider approving this policy tonight rather than next month those in favor opposed but that motion carries 60 I think I was worded that also included that the the committee would like to approve this do it moves at the board approves this so I HPI is required by law and we don't have it on our book so we do need to get it approved fairly quickly the normal procedure would be that it would go back to new policy one more month to be clear policy committee has had this for several months and has it has beat it up fairly strongly this policy is intended to provide an alternate route to graduation not just only targeted at behavioral issues it is for anybody who is uncomfortable in the high school setting and is looking for an alternative route the intent of the law was to reduce the number of simply drop out of school to provide them an official means of working with the school district to find an alternate route to graduation the high school also considers this a vital component of their plan to address the behavioral concerns at the high school there is a small percentage of students who simply do not want to be in the high school setting anymore they're ready to move on to what's next and it's some of them not all but some are contributors to behavioral issues as well but they're still our students we can't simply kick them out and I think we've made that clear and then several meetings recently this policy would allow those students and the school to collaborate in finding alternative plan trees in the high school with a customer approved as presented at this time so that they can begin utilizing the tools outlined in the policy as presented this policy is the template from nhsp a New Hampshire school boards Association changes from the high school administration to ensure it meets their practices and goals as well as recommended changes from legal counsel following a legal review so questions on is bi as written or why were trying to improve it all right seeing not a yes vote is to improve as presented all those in favor they opposed I carry 60 hey we do have a number of policies for first read ACAC Title 9 sexual harassment policy and grievance procedure there's been considerable changes to the laws governing Title 9 this new version of the policy reflects those new laws and has been reviewed both by our district and by legal counsel we're hoping to approve next month it is included in your drive if you want to review it and you can send comments either directly to me or to mr. Malay I will consider them at the next policy committee meeting in 2 weeks tell me 19 pages long yeah that's the only one I didn't I never print that one out cuz I don't have them at the paper hey Emil charging required by law we don't have it this one is the NHS be a template it's been modified to buy mr. Roar and buy Miss Paris who is our director of Food Services to reflect the current administrative procedures that have been place for about ten years now it really won't have any changes to how we operate we were already meeting with a new law requires but we do have to have the faulty on the box so again will be reviewing this in the palace coming in 2 weeks i h a m a teaching about alcohol and drugs in tobacco required by law we don't have it this is the nhs-b a template and as written it reflects what we already do anyway I did have this reviewed by several Administration members to make sure that was true today I CD is more involved this one is student conduct discipline and due process it is at first read it's another long policy so you may want to take a look at it I'll be aware however that this will not make it to the full board until probably the April meeting we do have some significant proposed changes at the policy committee will be reviewing in a couple of weeks so it remains at first read at policy at this time, but it may be worth your while to to get a head start on that one all right for a second read most of these are easy move on behalf of the policy committee that the full board approves policy ihca summer activities as presented ihca is required by law in from a statue that was passed by the last legislature this proposed policy is the nhsda template and it reflects the wording of the state statute requiring this policy I was in favor any opposed carries 60 i j o r k a is two identical policies School family and Community Partnerships move on behalf of the policy committee that the King Board of Education adopt a Joka as presented again required by law and the last legislative legislative session the nhsp a template here reflects the wording of the state laws that require policy all those in favor and you posed carry 60 I'm sippin through all of these new state statute ones if somebody does want to slow me down and ask questions please just throw them throw something at me move on behalf of the policy committee that the cane Board of Education adopt policy Ike promotion and retention of students again required by a new law this reflects the wording of the state law that requires the policy all those in favor just because in the policy it states that the the rules are more or less the procedure I'm assuming is to be approved by the board do we want to see that with us or is that we have which one is this promotion and retention of students we did spend a couple minutes of this in policy committee the other ones we just went right through because they were straightforward yeah the store. these these already exist this is already what we do it's now it's how we move the students forward from grade level to grade level and we did after that the existing procedures be collected and brought to policy committee for review so there's no change in the procedure they do it doesn't change anything that we have to actually do what we've already done anyway because we would have been pretty dysfunctional if we weren't in those rules won't change the line which of the policy there's enough food if we have to approve them if you'll be just wise to do it at the same time if they were to come to us together procedures will be administrative procedures so we'll just received them informationally put on them on here it says the rules will be approved by the board now okay well then we'll do that no it doesn't have to be done at the same time and some of those procedures will be changing as we move to a more competency-based system as well that's a good point Roberts bring this either either approved or not let's bring Ike back to policy Committee in in 2 weeks just to discuss that portion of it all right though the favor of approving as is any opposed Carrie's 51 then that was Scott in the negative move on behalf of the policy committee that the full. approve policy imah daily physical activity this is another one new statute from the state from the last session and basically saying that we encourage our students we outside some portion of the day everyday it's required by law this template reflect the wording of the state law that requires the policy all those in favor and you posed 60 all right now the two little little more complicated move on behalf of the policy committee that the Keen board approve policy a g b e e c drug free workplace this one was laughing approved by the board in 2007 as you can imagine there's been an awful lot of changes in both the language of the law and in best practices surrounding a drug free workplace as well as Eva if the language surrounding what that means for example e-cigarettes did not exist it weird they weren't even thought of when this was first approved this proposed version the scraps the hire existing policy which was really pretty weak to begin with and replaces it with the NHS be a proposed template with some changes recommended by Administration to reflect our own District procedures I had is also been dude several times by legal counsel and specifically the policy committee asked legal to make sure that this would still allow our nurses to dispense legally prescribed medications as they do now and that was answered in the affirmative by legal counsel questions on policy GVEC / Advocate be another one of those that has multiple identical policies all right with no further discussion yes vote approves this policy has presented those in favor any opposed carries 60 finally jebb assignment pupils listen to this motion cuz it's a little different I'd like to move on behalf of the policy committee that they can board vote to remove the accompanying procedure from policy jebb second all right as you all know if we vote as a board to approve an administrative procedure that becomes a policy rather than an administrative procedure and any further changes to it have to come through the full policy review process taking several months at a minimum normally we do not vote to approve procedures we accept them as informational specifically so that administrative procedure this can be properly adjusted by Administration as needed Ben White is currently working with the principles specifically on this policy which is the one that has signs incoming kindergarteners to specific L M N preschools and had our last night wasn't my wise they were sitting on a DUI last education committee meeting he was talking about hoping to move forward with some changes to the procedure and that was when we realize that this is actually been approved his policy which really slows down to work that he's trying to do so the education committee sent this to policy with a recommendation to remove the procedure from the policy I would return it to administrative review and policy committee looked at the request and saw no reason not to do that and that's why we're making this proposal questions either on what we're doing or concerns about why we're doing it George got her brother kind of like to see before we take this stuff what then comes back with after meeting with the principal of the elementary principles like in the revisions of the procedure would be I don't want to kind of put the cart before the horse and take this away before we know what's what I mean is that if there's going to be any big changes with the procedure I do it as a package deal I don't know just me personally cuz there's another kind of goes with another policy that we're looking at an education so ideally okay with it maybe like sitting with policy or staying in education for a little longer but we're also looking at the other class size policy but I think it kind of goes with this and I don't like to unless there's a rush to separate this now I kind of like to see just wait on I know Mister wait just welcomed their babies when I want to rush I'm okay letting this kind of switch until we can look at both houses together and see what the new procedure is that's being crafted by the principles with mr. White Rebecca you forwarded it. the policy committee I thought you guys were sitting with coming this month my apologies I didn't make that clear if everyone wants to go forward separating the two that she know it is what it is it's fine with me I'm not just my personal preference so the will of the board and some other thoughts are, Georgia is on the education committee and I'm comfortable with moving what we're doing I will say you been was certainly planning to bring the revised procedure back to you guys that was never a question and was open to discussing the policies and even if they've been it didn't meet expectations all right we'll leave this phone here you've heard what the initial request was in you've also heard and Rebecca's thoughts on it so those in favor of removing the procedure and returning it to administrative review opposed that carries for tattoo all right and that thankfully is all I have for fall School liaison things going on I guess it was Monday and Tuesday so as today is Tuesday it was some new did some testing that was being done for the 9th and 10th graders and or beginning in that process it's also the end of the winter sports isn't hard to believe that the way just starting to get the feeling that it's winter or at least slush season lately and the others have begun training and bear with me I open the right tab other things going on which is really great to see some really welcome activities going on as so many other things have been continuing to find a means to navigate these times with this Friday having a Chinese Lunar New Year celebration in the cafeteria then on Saturday evening the 12th order Valentine's dance Tuesday the 15th music in our schools concert place and then there's always the opportunity to speak with dr. G or via zoom on the 16th at the principals parent advisory meeting last thing believe or not we're almost February vacation as well and that will be the week of February 21st through the 25th thank you good rub to Scott you probably did not get this but mr. Atkins did forward an email with regard to the winter sports in their average GPA from the first and second quarter and I'm very proud to report that the ranges for the teams that competed during the win Collective gpas for their teams range from 2.9 to 12 a 3.79 one we won't tell you who the 2.9 was but the three-point 791 was the girls indoor track team so congratulations to them on those high standard and the only other thing I would add to your event list this Friday for in the bird's nest UniFi. the ball against over in the quarterfinals of the state tournament thanks. Thanks Rob Chester career center bro is not with us tonight so we don't have an update the career center Keene Middle School Jacqueline tidings anything to report this month Deanna and I have you know so far this this school year been regularly meeting on Zoom but with budget season and with Middle School finishing there first semester give her a little breathing room so I'll report next month alright thank you Franklin mr. ormerod principal Eric crash reports high in culture and climate at Franklin School I think it's driven by his new status as a social media star which was highlighted in the superintendent's report because they did a post about him helping snow and apparently did very well good love likes on that so good for good for Eric crest he also shared that the student council raised $800 for field trips from the demand worst what is the program that you normally have between their different classes there was a competition that's pretty good for an elementary student council wind project so he's very pleased about that the winter reading and math test results are up which is which is quite encouraging and he's insured engagement among all students cuz they know how each of them has a specific learning goals that were I braided with and engage with the teachers and he also reports that cases of student absences of long duration are still there but they're starting to decrease which to the increased engagement and climate and culture at Franklin an excellent thanks Riley Fuller mr. Macy is not with us this evening Simon's is Lenka I'm so the winter aimsweb testing is all wrapped up tomorrow is 100 day at Simon's I'm assuming all of our other schools as well and they're very excited I spent the little bit time of the Pasco is counting on a hundred of a lot of little things turn on my house tomorrow night is also PTA for Simon's head is virtual as it's been this year I believe it's 6:45 in the morning should be on the PTA Facebook page just wanted to let you know personally I have just a really big thank you to all the you know if not just our assignments but all of our teachers for making it through January cuz it has been a quite a go this the last month's just was kind of sleeping through the area and I know what time is in the truth with o other schools that yeah it was it was rough and I think everyone just did it and I'm using job stepping in and helping and we're helping out where they could do to the teachers and the students in the whole finance committee just a really big thank you from the board for I'm fishing through and thanks Rebecca Wheelock mr. right cuz not with us Jonathan Daniels Keene Community Education Mister Roberts don't have anything I had something from the preschool I don't remember what it was maybe I'll come back to me as we move forward all right it's not going to be extremely long but just to point out that the Full House meets February 16th and 17th after their governor State of the Union Address and there's a number of Education bills that are due out of committee this week so if you're watching certainly pay it directions to bnhspa website and their emails but some of the ones that were somewhat notable as far as the ones that were acted on last week was hb101 for allowing meeting spiritually at which the NS New Hampshire School Board Association supports now that majority report of the committee didn't want to start with the inexpedient to expedite but the Minority Report I still trying to work in a minute to that so that's one thing that we should be watching on cuz it affects how we do it you going to do business here I also want to try tension to the HP 1234 1234 background checks and then the HP 1311 which is prohibiting persons who have been convicted or cute even accused him of assault or control possess the reason I'm putting that out because our policy on on on that may be a little bit at odds cuz we don't take any action for those that are just accused but that's why we need to watch this particular one because it may there may be reason to take action against those her only accused of that it would why this is interesting of although about three dozen policies and education is at the Ennis New Hampshire School Board Association supports this and the committee say that these are likely to pass the one thing we've been watching about is the Senate Bill 236 which is establishing the Committees to study the New Hampshire teaching shortage in recruitment incentives Prince sorry they're all the all the principles are struggling with recruiting new new teachers and the superintendent male has mentioned this is a problem across the state and across the country but what we want to do is say they are believe they're going to get this new New Hampshire School Board Association supports and I believe this one past that they're going to stab what's the commute to really study how to recruit and retain and have actual incentives for bringing more teachers to New Hampshire that is a other some other notable bills but I think that I think that these are the main ones that we should be paying attention to unless there's anything else that you wanted to react me to to investigate but thanks Riley and I do encourage people to read the legislative update from nhspca when you have the opportunity it covers a lot of these bills a minute believe they discussed how you can give input on the bills as well when you're when you feel so inclined there's a lot of educational bills coming through this year and some of them say herbal for what we do and some of them unfavorable for what we do and there's a couple that we have some pretty significant additions to our budgetary bottom line if they pass I know it's a lot keep track of our legislature is extremely busy in any given year or more so this year and I do expect as we've just been working through policies that came from last year's legislative session that will be dominating policy work next year as well the ones from there also I did put the NHS be a webinar schedule into your drive for tonight's meeting they are about to start up their spring webinars from your basic how to be a board member all the way through minutiae dealing with right to know laws How to Be an Effective board all sorts of stuff coming up this year so we're taking a look at 9 the next full essay you board meeting is Wednesday March 30th I know that's a month out but it's good to get it on your calendars now this is the annual spring meeting of the SAU board we will be presenting a new evaluation tool for evaluating the superintendent at that time and then shortly after that meeting will be starting the evaluation process and some of you will recall that last year we discussed that that tool is not the one that were using is no longer really appropriate for where I mr. Malay is in his career Arc so we're trying to improve that all right now we also have an exact board meetings coming up shortly but that only affects me on this board alright old business I have nothing under old business but we do have a number of items under new business will open with blizzard bags and snow days for the coming year are there is in public input on an email I think that most of you have seen this it came in a while ago and it's gone through as a some committee as well and some of you will have seen it actually in your email but it's from an elementary parent who had a lot of concerns with the implementation blizzard bags this year so that inputs that I wanted to take this opportunity to remind mr. Malay that the board did ask that he revisit blizzard bags after this year's blizzard back season is over which it's not quite yet I know my kids were asking me if we could have a blizzard bag day today because of the ice but hey we do want you to take a look at this again once we're through the season probably work through the principles to get at the school communities but we need to know from both teachers and families what works and what didn't work and come to some sort of consensus as to where the community as a whole wants to go next year absolutely do you want that to go through the Ed committee that makes the most sense that we don't want to do it here so I don't know how you define one blizzard back season is over July because that's the problem I suppose I suppose after March we have a new board seated and such a very transparent you know there are a lot of challenges with with managing and navigating blizzard bags oh and some that we're working through from last week Friday internally throughout the district throughout all of the district's for that matter but absolutely when it when it's all said and done will bring it back to the Ed committee and make a decision on what makes the most sense moving forward but I know a couple of you've brought lizard bags up to me to discover what you need covered at this time the Rebecca will have that will make sure that that gets to your committee and then yeah probably probably start looking at him at the end of April be ready for me. Probably for the May meeting all right jhsf3 house model I think this was your update yeah I actually should have mentioned this during the superintendent but because it was on the agenda in case board members weren't aware high school has shifted back we talked about this at our last board meeting from the two house model with the dean of students back to a three house model to divide the student body a little bit more evenly to make it a little bit more manageable so that there's better support for students a little bit more consistent manner initial Returns on its in Dr looking favorable at this early point in time you know so things are already in place it's been it is widely to the parents to the students I know when they returned for semester to they had assemblies to make sure that students knew where they were with regard to the different houses so that there wasn't any confusion their behalf are still maybe but that might be because they weren't listening and that the time that they did do it but they seem to be moving forward relatively seamlessly since making that shift so I just wanted to update you any questions are not for mr. Malay all right we actually have two more items under new business but you'll only see that on the agenda that seeing a sin the email this morning. And we do have the 22 23 Keene School District's proposed calendar in the drive and I believe that the administration is looking for a motion to approve that tonight so let's go ahead and take that motion and then we can discuss the calendar itself motion to approve Keene School District 2020 to 2023 school year calendar as presented second I think you calendar is in your drive and I'll give you guys a minute to take a quick look at it if you haven't already and then go ahead and fire away with questions Georgetta question I just wanted to know if this calendar reflects doing blizzard bags exactly does I don't know if that is built into his calendar do we take this out like the potential snow days if we don't go forward without plan for next year and now that is you know it's not set in stone so I don't know if we're doing something that could by proving the sound like a potentially have to get changed if we reverse track at all with what's happening with blizzard bag so the discussion has been that you know we can put a little less there at the end of that if we want typically what we've done in the past as we put 5S is there they're not instructional days however if we have six snow days or seven snow days those five really are kind of a moot point we make up everyday that don't come in when we have snow days so we just Queen this we just left it that way without putting a nest there but if we are not using blizzard bags those days will be made up and added that the the school year for clarity we've never had in our actual calendar dropper days days that we have and left we don't need what we've done is indicated these days might be needed if we do have snow days and I like but it sounds like what the calendar committee has said is that that created confusion regardless of whether we have lizard bag days or not if we don't have an instructional day we have to make it up because we are still required to do 180 instructional days a year we got a blizzard bag days then the calendar in front of you if we approve it would be that we would know that the last day of school would be June 16th and I would the required Workshop day a couple days later if we don't move with blizzard bags next year then the end date would be June 16th plus however many snow days that we have but that happens whether we put  at the tail end of this or not so I guess that's a conceptual discussion but it sounds like the calendar committee feels that it's it's a stronger do not put that there dumb either yell really loud or make your way to the mic but it's not over here I'm just wondering if it is rather than putting those days in that are confusing should be having note on the bottom that says any an instructional day cancellations will be added on to the end of the schedule so that we don't get that argument later on that Rebecca stop all we can't make changes now because this is supposed to be the last day of school and people made plans for that yeah we can we can build that in just when we make that decision whether or not blizzard bag happen. We can add that note and republish the Cal it won't change 99% of it'll just be an added sentence on yeah it's not only that we've been off we've had we've had instruction days lost for flood connect to the other reasons that we charge like she's right we could just that note on here anyway just to make that clear any lost instruction right exactly June 6th and then that would actually leave you room for that decision about Blizzards for the blizzard bag versus snow days to change without having to bring the calendar we can put that in there Chris procedurally yeah do we have to pull back our Vote or can we approve it knowing that that changes going to be made to it yeah you can poop you can approve it with that change you just that thought that's why you discussing it right now alright other thoughts I know in the house has been concerned about Workshop days and such I know this year the blizzard bag discussion was the biggest Scott you were on the committee where there are controversial issues this year Jaclyn Smith into the microphone I've done better Jacqueline think the one piece that condition to figure out was a bag or not and I don't think there's a lot of time spent in there was balancing out and making sure that we or the it admit the the workshop needs the educational needs and my big push was making sure Juneteenth is in there I did see that show up this year I don't think I'm missing anything Big Rob very good conversation I was glad George called on you because I was going to thank you for sitting on the committee and being a good attendee and participating the committee itself is composed of teachers administrators on this year we had board members we had Fall Mountain principal attended we invited the Monadnock folks they weren't able to coordinate times to be with us at the same time so I ain't it's a it's a very large committee because it includes all seven of the district's in the SIU it's not just Keen we usually start with the key in calendar and then we build out to the sounds that way we went back in for to the buildings to get input from larger volumes of Educators as well just to get there and put it on it as well as universally we continue to hear that the best start to the school year is starting with a 345 school day approach after the summer so that we're kind of easing our way ramping our way back up into the regular flow and I think that you have with the wait days fell this year for next school year I think the committee did an outstanding job pulling this together are there any further questions or concerns a yes vote would be to approve it with the one that added sentence all those in favor and opposed I carry 60 I get back to the George just a little organizational question when I like adding a sentence light inside is there a way we could just put in a couple like and maybe ashtrixx or something in the on the calendar as  cuz I do agree that sometimes that's why I don't want parents to look at the calendar and I sincerely think like I'm definitely done 16th guess what it comes to schedule a vacation so he would and all that kind of good stuff I just want to make sure that we're people are just missing the fine print and we're somehow like I don't just indicating that clearly on the calendar that's it thank you rob you can overrule this. But but my thinking would be we need to have the calendar approved before we're going to have this lizard bag discussion because the calendar is needed for purposes outside of just our work so my thinking would that we we go ahead and send this for extra we just voted to do that so we couldn't let me finish because I do want to address your concerns to I think that if the District of the SAU decides that where it's in the basket wrist to go back to snow days or some kind of half know they have blizzard bag system then we would probably want to put something like you're suggesting on the calendar as well as pretty prominent messaging to make sure that people don't know anyway I think you're right I think we do need to notify folks if we go back to anything that might extend to the end of the school year so let's try not to try not to lose that and when we have that blizzard bag discussion in the education committee let's try and remember that it also affects what we do with the calendar all right anything else on the calendar yet Chris the way I read it which is far as the calendar we're just approving the dates and everything on the calendar any administrative notes and everything is not really in our Barry wood that's what would be your ministration would be working out with the other school districts yeah that makes sense to me thanks for us all right two more items candidate Forum request again the public input and I just received it today and I apologize for that but it but I did put it in the den to drive and it's about the two sentences long basically the partnership for public as Payson that's the community group that's been coming to our education committee I think I also came to finance advocating for support for our Public Schools they have a gray to host a candidate Forum because we do have eight candidates running for board this year they've already worked with mr. Julie to to secure a location for that they would like to live stream but they don't have funding and nor any source of funding so what they've sent us is a requested that since I should probably just open it up. please go ahead. Go ahead and set the partnering for public education it's a group of local citizens is George said they'd like to host a forum on Thursday February 17th, but they do not have the funds to LifeStream I'm with AMT Productions which is estimated the cost to be around 600 to $800 for the event and they're asking the board to see if we if the district I should say specifically would be willing to the cost of the LifeStream and their justification for the request is that this would be in the benefit of the entire School Community moving forward so I guess we need initially emotion trust God since I'm one of the candidates can you slide over to the place in someone's the candidates I have to request the diabetics use for Mom you don't have to come back tonight I was going to cover that after the motion but I can cover it before the motion I reached out to Legal a couple issues having to do with this does it affect both you and Rebecca so either one of you either both of your accuser neither of you were Crews Will Phillips from an hsba explicitly said he doesn't think you need to Adam did not answer that specific question he did say that we should check and make sure that you need to recuse under a conflict of interest in and knows you know the direct definition conflict of interest is only if you receive only if it has a financial impact to you so their opinion would be that you don't need to however I would not have jacked if you still feel that you guys should recuse from this particular vote yeah. Chris the one there isn't a financial impact even thought her it's small amount but the problem is if Rebecca and I both abstain from it then you only have four people and then you don't have a quorum I did check on that one too and then that one they are both a hundred percent agreement that we're still well first of all they said isn't there any way you can get your people they're not there to participate remotely and of course we can't do that because the large venues that we meet and don't have teleconference capabilities however they said that and I'll dig it up if you need me too but once we have convened with an actual Quorum and we have 16 people here for the remainder of that eating we just need a majority vote of those six people even if two of you refuse so if you guys are accused and the other four people still vote in favor we still have a majority vote of Quorum meeting even though you were refused yourselves from the meeting and Adam actually cited the trsa stuff if you need that yeah I anticipated all of this stuff once I got the request and knew that it was going to a shortboard tonight and that several of you would want to recuse so I would I guess yes okay do you want the motion before you raise your hand okay so I guess Chris and Rebecca you guys need to decide I guess what you want to do we can we can move forward even if you recuse I just feel comfortable with using myself as an expected you're probably working okay all right now I need a motion to approve the proposed expenditure can I ask a crush is the motion going to be I'm happy to make the motion that are we making a motion to recommend that the district or that just that the board approved the district would fund the soul ice cream cost I'll make a motion to approve the district pay for the live streaming cost for the Keene Board of Education candidate Forum on Thursday February 17th second yeah I got it done this is an interesting one and commend you for accusing yourself I wasn't worried that you would be have a conflict of interest but what I'm worried about is what you're voting to do is an outside group to host a forum that will either make you look positive or negative in the dino there that they're basically depressed they're hosting it and what I worried about is if someone votes and no does that affect how you're treated at candidate night for example and I'm not saying that this group would do that I'm just saying it sets up a very funny action and I would urge the board to at least talk about I do know what the right answer is hosting their form and funding at themselves first of all even outside group that's going to want to use your space for free I don't know that they have insurance and I don't like that the district is being asked to pay for that they I can run it but I think it should be a school district function so you can get out of your policy that requires you to treat them as an outside group even though they could get a they could get a waiver for the rental but if the if we have to have a custodian the cost of running this and I don't like that the members who need to look favorable there you know you feel like you have to fund them as a board coming in and I realize I just put you in a funny situation so it heard you to consider hosting the event and bringing them into organized it if that's who you wish to bring in but just consider I don't I don't want to say this is what you should do but I do think that it sets up very strange and her actions I don't know but I just bring that up for discussion and but I am not advising you on what to do but I I'm worried about your rental policy with the group that may not have insurance for example and may need a custodian and we don't wave custodial fees things like that we're basically hosting event but maybe the school district should host its event and invite all candidates and then invite a group like that to run it and do the questions that's 100% cleaner yes that makes sense thank you Tim you didn't before you run away so one of the one of the concerns to hurt you if you wait until he got to his seat and then said before you run away I'm going to wait till he sat down just one of the concerns would be that we don't want it to appear that the board is trying to promote incumbents either so trying to delineate that this is not being run by the school district to the school board whatsoever was the thought process on that but what you stated is really really valuable that perhaps this is something that the district should do regularly I was thinking that you could host it and you bring a third party in so it's impartial just like anybody else but it's really your event and the reason for all the reasons I stated and maybe I'm making too much out of it but it is a very strange interaction good point to be clear I think that there was actually yes they were probably even better solutions to be found but there is an extreme short to pull this off they're trying to avoid hosting it during school vacation week at least two of the candidates aren't available that week in the audience obviously will be smaller because a lot of people are planning to head out of town so they really have that one week to pull it off so there are probably even better Solutions than this I did that first bite of the Apple I mean we Jacqueline and Rob and I have talked about before partnering for public education even came to watch the three of us have talked about the viability of hosting us because we do feel that the Sentinel has not adequately covered this election for at least two years running and probably a little bit longer and now with this many candidates and in a year where there's this much interest in what the schools are doing we feel that it's important to get this publicity out there and we did as Rob said we did talk about objects but I guess we have now has 10 points that we kind of have the same Optics either way either we're hosting at or more funding someone else to host it it might actually look better what we do is you know a candidate forum how did the King Board of Education is hosting a candidate forum operated by partnering for public education nothing operating is the right word book yeah I got a job offer at just one slight correction the district would host it not the board of it because then that really would be and and I would get out 10 second also I guess thank you for for pointing that out and I just personally feel very strongly as as I know we've all had all of these discuss you know having our community having our Keen you know residents participate more showing up here this evening showing up to budget session this is another one of those puzzle pieces where we need more understanding more exposure this is about us communicating and showing the public-at-large what it takes to be on the school board with the role of the school board has forces that you know where that fine line is school board versus District so you know no matter what we need to have this and like so much else the Silver Lining with the pandemic is now it's more accessible to loot to do live streaming folks are used to that we have to have that component it would be foolish to not have this live stream yeah go ahead there's also some rest I think that you can talk to your attorney about but when we send out flyers from the school or whatever and we give someone equal space if an alternative group comes up and says they want to host a forum you're going to have to treat in the exact same way and fund it so it can be a form could be you know in our account free Staters come in and say we want to have a form and ask all the questions and if you fund them you're going to have to find that other form as well for example so just to keep that in mind. It's just a strength I have no commentary on the people that are doing it or what group you're choosing but there is some issue with funding one request you're going to have to find equal request from another group and that's why I think it's important for you to think about those issue Raleigh I'm leaning towards taking back or voting down the first mission the first proposal and coming up second one that says that the school district will host this and we will invite them to facilitate ya RAB could could I offer a recommendation that who direct the superintendent to host a public forum to meet the candidates and work with a third-party to facilitate that forum and make sure that live stream is made available for that event as well yeah I think we're on the same page that's a jack when you would have to retract your motion I'm sorry will retract the the motion that's currently on the table while you  it up I will track my second anyone comfortable saying what Rob does I was kind of consider myself so directed I mean you could do that formerly in the motion it's just got a monetary cost I think we do have to be so your directing the superintendent to host a candidate Forum in partnership with a third party to include live streaming don't try to do it or I mean all right. You're the one who hasn't weighed in thoughts I love the solutions thanks Tim all right sorry thanks Tim all right those in favor supposed carries 40 can I help hello go ahead last offer a suggestion that we look at how this might fit into the manual of the board moving forward so that it becomes a little bit more regular that's a good thought all right directions to policy committee alright one more Rob going to let them sit down now Tim just one more all right and this one was it request also committee meeting access options in this has two components to it and it's again a reminder to the administration that we need to be moving forward in making remote teleconference participate available at the full meetings you know we just demonstrated how that would have been helpful tonight and we need to be moving forward in a way to live stream the committee meetings so that people can still view those if they can't attend to the I know you're working on both of those I'm not going to direct data to a committee at this time just a reminder we need to get there all right anything else for the public session before the board Chris the request from Kea to schedule some kind of a powwow about moving forward with negotiations is that a public discussion no that wouldn't be because chances are when you talk to me about that you may be talkin about strategy and some other stuff that was my suspicions but I wanted to make sure before we bailed on this run and ended up somewhere else I checked with Matty before she said she doesn't have anything tonight and she's going to be a shield work on something for us next month that I requested okay write any other business for our public session all right see you in on thank you the mystery Gillard he's headed out but hopefully he hears and I thank you for his input thank you two folks watching the livestream thank you to Alex probably an auntie productions for providing the live show to the high school for hosting us into our student representative Maddie waters for coming and listening to us battle for an hour and a half and I have a motion to go into non-public in accordance with our essay 91 Dash a 3/4 staff and student personnel and negotiations thanks him a call please Jennifer Manhattan gas Smith Lancaster I think of a run

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