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Keene Board of Education Meeting for January 17, 2023

Added Feb 03, 2023 •

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Keene Board of Education Meeting for January 17, 2023 Keene High School LGIA- 43 Arch Street, Keene, NH at 7:00PM Transcription available upon request.

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I seen that way tomorrow evening and welcome to the Keene Board of Education regular meeting for Tuesday January 17th we're going to convene the meeting at 6:31 please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all thank you thank you all for joining us tonight it's a little different in that the primary purpose for tonight is actually the public hearing at 7 when will be presenting the budget. very much the same it'll be the same people sitting here but legally we have to run those two meetings very differently but we will start the Board of Education meeting with public input I think there's a lot of people that want 3 tonight so I really need to ask you to stay to that three limit minimum or sorry through going to maximum so that we have time to hear from a lot of people I know three minute minimum you better have brought your words and we will have to stop public input it what about 10 of in order to for us to do our preparation for the public hearing we do reconvene this meeting after the public hearing and we're willing to take more public input at that time if there's more folks that want to speak then so if there's anyone who to to get public input now just come up to that table in the center and we would ask you to give your name and address for the public record your presentation you're going to open it up for public to speak and give there, the budget is well right during the public hearing will take any questions and commentary that you have on the budget itself or not so we will leave the public input open if someone chain reminder welcome to just wave and I'll acknowledge you and in the meantime can I have a motion to a win a minute yes motion to approve the consent agenda so moved all right I am actually going to remove two items from the consent agenda there are two field trips under the education portion of consent agenda and those don't belong there so I'm going to remove those from the consent agenda any other Corrections or removals Jacqueline a December minutes page 3 last paragraph It's the Demar Marathon season Delta Lily Edward just a typo there anything else all those in favor any opposed carries 80 and then the two field trips those are actually for next year so I am going to because we don't have an education committee report as part of this meeting I'm going to table those until the February meeting when they can be presented under our normal procedure Cindy I'm not dissipating any challenge with that insist there's no rush on them so we're not going to take the time on it tonight all right preparation for the public hearing I don't think we need to take a whole lot of time I'm not Ron normally we would have the finance chair do the budget presentation part are you comfortable with that sounds like no deer in the Headlights. you and Tim can work it out together cuz I write them all right we do have the slide deck is available in I don't know if it's a hard drive but it's definitely online all right I don't think we need to do anything else for Preparation we're staying in this room so what we'll do is recess at 7 and hold a public hearing and then reconvene after that know where can we go in order I'll just have to skip down so cat you just walked in but you're the next person on the agenda if you had a report are you comfortable you want to wait a few more minutes I'll wait a few minutes I don't really think I have anything to say for this one so Catherine go out with a student representative but she's just barely been able to get in here because we have such a convoluted schedule this year so that brings us to the superintendent report mr. Malay sure thank you I first I want to say thank you to the staff who helped pull this together every month it's quite a task to put all that information we try to make sure we post these online so folks can see them as well. There's a lot of information that's included in there and what you'll see that's different this month that was not there in previous months is the inclusion of the School newsletters from around the SAU as a hole so that you can see some of the communications that are going out in different places I want to I want to highlight and make sure that it's clear that not all schools use a newsletter in the same way there are some schools that make use of our our messaging system to get their their information out to their stakeholders to their parents into their staff and so they don't have necessarily a formal newsletter they do have a process but capturing that was really difficult to try to do to go back to the beginning of the year and capture all of the messages that they sent out through the messaging system so it just wanted to make sure I noted that because it shouldn't reflect really on any school that doesn't have a formal newsletter the way others might do it it's not to say that they're not sending information out but they absolutely are any questions regarding any of the information in the report I'm always happy to answer Ben and Brian are here as well who and Rick who helped put this together Tim helped put this together as well one of the things that is not in there is the Thai discriminatory steering committee which we started working with in the middle of December or the beginning of December you'll see on Monday on Martin Luther King day there was a message that went out that was part of the work of that committee to get some of the conversation started with some of the observations that have been noticed in different buildings around our school district's not just Keen School District other school it's as well important conversations that need to continue to move forward in that committee will be reconvening and continuing that effort to broaden the participation so that it's not just the folks who are going up to the steering committee but that the goal is to create Greater Community conversations on how we can eliminate some of those practices from taking place in our school buildings going to pause there just to see if the chair wanted to add anything to that shove it because he's been at the meetings as well yeah I had a piece of that in my own report but I can slip that in here cuz it makes sense add to me this is some very exciting work but Mike's not I got thanks alright well then I can leave a little bit for me this is a very exciting piece of work that we've just started and it's ended straight of effort rather than a board effort it's been a very organic process is started at the November principals meeting here at the high school with dr. Gallagher held in person actually in the room right next to us we had about 30 parents and board members a bunch of Administrators and some students came to speak which I think that's a voice that's been lacking in these discussions and we got to give a lot of credit to these students in some ways they started this process does going and it it it takes some bravery to stand up in the school and say you know things are not going well because you have to speak up to Authority in order to do that so they get a lot of credit for that spell participating and we're trying to make sure their voices are heard too but in these two meetings I'm hearing and energy and I'm hearing some ideas around the problems of bullying and discrimination that existed in schools for as long as I can remember it's such a hard thing to get a handle on it specially when you're dealing with it here at the high school because you know the kids are already you know 14 15 17 18 years old in the talk been evolving is about adjusting the culture across the entire District starting from the youngest ages so that by the time kids get here they already know that kind of behavior is not acceptable in this talk about how to help people support each other how to be I always get this phrase wrong but I'm going to try anyway upstanders rather than bystanders we had some talk in the last meeting about creative ways to get real data on what's actually happening anybody who's been in the schools know the said one of the biggest problems involved is reporting you know if you're in the hallways and somebody harasses you said something to you grabs you if a teacher didn't witness it now you've got that whole calculus do I want to play the he-said-she-said game do I want to miss my entire next. Trying to report this or do I just hunker down and go about my day we look every year at the numbers of bull and harassment report and we know that they're low and we've never known even how to figure out what the real numbers are let alone how to address it and there was some discussion about some creative ways to get some of that real-time data so it's very early in the Pro but there's there's a lot of energy there's involvement from stakeholders that have not been involved in this before and I have a lot of hope that we can actually make a lasting difference across the entire district with that steering committee back to you just quick summary on that the call out is to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem if if individuals are causing some of these behaviors or or initiating some these behaviors the Oscars to stop stop doing it it's not okay I don't know that anyone thinks it's funny and it's disruptive in and hurtful to others if it's happening to any individual the ask is to report it even if you don't think something is going to happen from that it's important that you do report it so that we have that evidence that it was reported if you want you reportedly asked is to please share with your parent to so they can follow up and help Advocate on your behalf as well and then the last asked of being part of the solution is if you witness it don't ignore it don't say it's okay don't let others feel enabled to continue with behaviors that are unacceptable toward any other individual in any of our buildings so appreciate the work committee I think you're absolutely right there's a lot of energy and I think there's a lot of momentum and I think it's going to have a profound impact in all of our buildings as we move forward I did want to pause just real quickly because not in the report are some of the things we unfortunately we tend to focus on a lot of the negative things that take place in and I think that that's a reality that we all juggle with but there's a heck of a lot more good things that are going on last month in December over in the auditorium the first-ever unified Winter concert took place Dr lease and a team of folks did an incredible job of getting some of our students who might not otherwise have the opportunity perform that ability to perform it was really really amazing they did a marvelous job they had fun there is a lot of support and laughter and enjoyment in that event right there alone here at the high school there earlier today there was a presentation from the Mariposa Museum five of our students presented on nonprofits that they were advocating to receive financial support I tell you I'm glad I'm not a judge or was not a judge in that because you could have picked any one of those five and Ben right they were that good all five of the presentations were that amazing senior-level presentations advocating for differ nonprofits not just here locally but even as far as I think one of them was in Virginia based out of Virginia and they did a marvelous job no notes going off of their knowledge that they've learned as a verb searched in being able to present in front of their peers there were a large group of students at where they are as well as adults including the judges and they just did a fantastic job of doing that so there are a lot of other good things and I think it's important that we don't inside of those good things as we continue to have the difficult discussion we can't ignore the good things that are happening in all of our buildings it's crucial our students have worked really hard are our students we had a student that receive the president's award from the New Hampshire art I'm going to forget the acronym anyway received the presidential scholarship award for their work in art and that's someone who is going to continue at the post-secondary level and continue to study in art they receive a scholarship for that you know there's so many good things that are happening that if we don't stay focused on those as much as we focus on the negative can I create a terrible imbalance and it's not going to make people feel good about where they're going to school our students are doing a great job I've watched our students in numerous settings whether it's on the stage whether it's on the playing field weather in the classroom we had a regional advisory council meeting in our culinary program last week which brings in folks from all over the place the students were the ones who prepared the breakfast waited on the folks who were there who filled the copies who took whatever request they needed to it he just did such a marvelous job that is it something that we really need to continue to focus on the good things as much as we have questions in can Friendswood things that might not be going well we can't lose sight of that and so that's my report happy to answer any questions that anyone might have as it relates hey board questions for mr. Malay hey we got a lot of people the last 10 minutes or so we are able to take a few more minutes of public input before we have to reset for a public hearing if anybody wants to give some at this time thanks again during the public hearing will only be taking public input and commentary and questions on the budget itself but following the public hearing will come back to this meeting and we can take more public input about other school district matters at that time yes sure go ahead Mari name and address for the record please Marie Faust can you hear me with 9 Starlight Drive-In Keene I appreciate the time to speak with you tonight I'm here as a mother of four children who have all been apart the school district to graduates to currently attending I'm also here as an employee of the district currently as the school counselor at Simons Elementary I work very closely with our neediest children families and directly with our Special Education team I believe I have a good sense of what day to day operations look like and how many committed professionals are working tirelessly to meet the individual needs of our students I'm very turn about the proposed reductions in staff our staffing shift has its refer to Across The District at the elementary level of three special education teachers I agree with what has been shared over the last couple of meetings with other is an inn in terms of the data that has been shared by the people that do this work everyday and then caseload numbers is as a single data point does not give you the full picture of the job are professional teachers do everyday I have been invested in schools and the education of the children of this community for many years I completely empathize empathize with the position our Administration and board are in year after year as you try and balance the needs of our students with a fiscal responsibility to our taxpayer as a mother and homeowner I recognize that this is a very delicate balance having said that there is no greater time than now in education where we need to be providing our children with every resource we have we are still emerging and a pandemic and dealing with his impact on the education and well-being of our children we also need to be thoughtful of our Educators and recognize that teacher shortages are a real concern I have very real concerns about decisions that are going to end durability to retain and attract good people we see how the lack of substitute Staffing shortages vacant position directly impacts how we are providing services to our students I have real concerns about this and they are twofold 1 how these increases will impact delivery of quality interventions and education for a neediest students and to how these increases will impact the well-being of our special education professionals and our ability to retain them please reconsider these reduction staff of our special education teachers quite frankly we need more resources to support our neediest families not fewer thank you for your time Ricky Martin and anyone else supposed to go at this time where are we are the Port Charlotte yeah I can probably get through this is not super long that I already did the part about the steering committee the major business in front of the board has been for the last month and then we'll be going forward for the budgeting you'll have the full details about that tonight I do want to thank the building administrators and central office the assistant superintendents and the business office for all the work they put in to bring us together as well as the finance committee for the board the rest of us have been here for the last two Saturdays for about six hours each Saturday but everyone I just named is done about two months of work leading up to that I'm in Tim's case longer than that it's a huge undertaking to to develop these budgets and we appreciate the work that you guys have done tonight actually is the last time that this board gets to directly in the budget following the public hearing we can again consider any changes that we want to make to it what we vote on when we leave tonight will be the final proposed budget that will go in front of the voters at first session first session is a Saturday February 4th that starts at 9 a.m. in the auditorium right across the hall right here at the high school that is the meeting at which any registered Keen voters can come and make motions to alter budget either up or down and it is voted on by all of the voters at that meeting and those changes get input into the budget and that is binding we don't get to change it again what we come out of first session on February 4th is the budget that will go before the voters on March 14th so that's the biggest opportunity for the public to come have direct input on the budget other voting and Bobby but this is my 11th meeting in 9 days so I'm a little tongue-tied at this point we do have three board seats up for reelection as well as this year the three-year terms of District Clerk and moderator are up for re-election anybody interested in filing for those positions the filing. Is Wednesday January May 5th through the end of the work day on Friday February 3rd and you can contact the district office on the SAU offices over on Maple Ave if you're interested in any of those positions contact contact us as well for advice about whether or not a board position is right for you please ignore the 11-minute be a minute meetings in 9 days that's not normal is there anything else I don't think so. All right following this meeting we resort to our normal scheduled meetings for those who like meetings policy will meet next week and then in February we return to our normal schedule and Finance on that first meeting on the 7th and then the next board meeting is Valentine's Day February 14th if you're looking for a good date ultimately the music in our schools concert is happening that same night across the hallway on February 14th dr. Gallagher sent me a list of upcoming events but it's far longer than I can read in three minutes so we'll leave that be oh thank you yeah. next parent principal meeting here at the high school is actually tomorrow night via Zoom that link is available is it live oh you're going to be in person okay I don't know resume all right good all right Cindy where is that next door again or is it right here I got all right so that's a principal meeting will be live in the media center here at the high school all right that was all I had and this is probably so we do have a vote that we have to take us what is the chair report but I think I'm going to do that after the public hearing because we only have four minutes left yeah we could take one more person for public input before recess for the public hearing and otherwise we will recess for 4 minutes and can be in the public hearing to discuss the budget all right in life AP Physics it is a couple minutes past 7 so we're going to convene the public hearing of the Keene Board of Jason with the purpose of introducing our proposed budget to the public we might have run out of hard copies if we have we're going to have to ask you guys to to share I don't think we have the key Billy pretty more at this point we are going to be projecting the same information and bring some more okay and we are projecting the same information on the screen behind us yep so that the budget process this year I'll just frame it really quickly before I hand it over to Jim Rohr into the Ron we asked the administration to approach this with a with a zero-based budgeting witch too overly simplify it because I'm not on the finance committee so it had to be over simplified for me means that they approached each building as if they had no existing staff and had to develop the staff they would need to support the students we also tried to address since my kids have been in the schools and I have a senior at the high school now we've had we've been unable to completely fill the tutors position which is our classroom and we asked the administration to to address that in this budget and what they've done is read to find several job position and then this budget reflects meeting student by removing some of the numbers of the classroom is that we've never been able to fill and replacing those with other Staffing and I'm sure I've oversimplify the work the folks had to do for this but that's that's the gist of what we've tried to do and I won't get into the numbers cuz those what those look him up as we talked about it and it's better explained with some visuals behind me so at this point I'm going to let Tim Roth are UFO and Ron Wright the chair of our finance committee take over and walk us through good evening everybody Imran right I have the pleasure of meeting the finance committee and working with someone people here as George mentioned the zero-based budget is a really important concept to understand so we didn't dictate a number it was come to us with what you think is appropriate in my professional opinion the best way to build a budget you'll walk through it if you go then next five a total of 5 warrant articles the first one is the big one as in the budget they were proposing so of course we'll pay special attention that but they're all contracts. I think important for you all to understand and are going to be a large component of what we will go to the voters with and I just want to say thank you for everybody coming this is my third budget season I think the first year which was called Deep Cover there was like maybe one or two Zoom call next year there was a few that showed up to the auditorium and this is by far the most interest we've had and it means a lot regardless of what the outcome is that people come up have a voice provider pinion is wrong very important decisions here for our community to George's earlier February 4th is a really important date so if you have an opinion and we want to impact the budget please come I'm not just today and of course boating I'm on the 14th didn't want to go through the staff quick there's just some background information that's kind of been asked for from different boards over the years that we always present one is our cost per pupil are there's a few slide they try to get at that and many of you probably looked at this already but elementary middle and high school in the total is far right when it goes in that order and you can see that though back in 1213 we were Elementary was way above the state average we made a lot of changes we brought that down in 2122 it'll be about State average you can see the middle school we knew was way below the state average cuz they had a bubble as students and that's the divisor we had about 750 students in 1920 and we're going to drop down by 20 24 we're going to be closer to 600 so that number you're going to see that number above the state average the other thing that's going on here we would normally expect with our budgeting our total armed Elementary in our high school to be closer to State average and the reason we're not is vacancies we turn back 5.2 million dollars in Surplus as of last year we had a big Surplus in 2122 that money does it count towards cost per pupil in their formula it does when we budget and we raise taxes but it doesn't because we haven't been spending it because we haven't been able to hire during covid-19 top we're coming out of that but we still up vacancies at the high school level certainly and in elementary so there's other ways to look at it this kind of shows on the left cost per pupil Akeem and on the right the total for the state and you can see that we're tracking below the state average and this is a standard deviation in this is a way to show your percent the red line is State average and this is how far away from State average you can see we've turned the corner we're going back barely a point 78.4 percent and I expect that to keep coming unless we keep having large surpluses if we spent all the money we budgeted for last year we would have been feed a bird so it's quite quite an effect enrollment is also really interesting we do this every year you can see 14 15 through 18 19 19 20 pre covid we had substantially more students than we have now District why you know over 300 350 that's a lot that's a big change we have not made many changes in Staffing since that change we have made some the last significant Staffing changes we made was previous to this in about 2012 as you might remember some of you will be closed Jonathan Daniels because we were running about 12 students per class 12 and a half and we got that back up closer to 18 19 for some of those years so those changes what we didn't know is how we would come out of Coba time is Fleet covid had something to do with it and what we ended up with was more charter schools in the area we have more private high schools in the area and more options and we haven't seen that change I can't tell you that's why the change but we are structurally different now in 23:24 the area then we were in 1819 so you'll see a lot of other opportunities and we know we're supporting a lot of kids in those opportunities so it looks like we're going to level off we're going to be about the same next year we're sending a little bit which is better news than going backwards Ron likes this screen I think you have this data out just put this up but this is the pie chart and I think Ron's going to speak to this I'm not the only one I like this for the number before this 2.3 million is what we're going to be speaking to more and more this is just a shell how much is within personnel and other areas that are really non-discretionary things that we're not looking to adjust the touch there is just not a significant in here that we can push it work or make major changes to we have to heat our schools give the transporter kids of course we have to provide them indication with the right Staffing levels that's what we mean by it by non-discretionary that's really really important. Everything will get into is the revenue sources that would be a big impact to this year's budget which is over trying to balance as well outside of just what we pay is as I'm many members here's taxpayers so Article 1 I will read this so bear with me the main budget article salad District raise and propriate as an operating budget not including operations by good morning articles and other preparations voted separately the amount set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or is amended by vote of the first session for their proposed set for Theron totaling 71783000 under $57 should this article be defeated the operating budget Shelby 70877400 $14 which is the same as last year with Certain Justice required by previous actions of the disc by law or the governing body May hold one special meeting in accordance with our essay 40-13 XXVII to take up the issue with the revised budget only so a lot of words going to go to next slide talking about what the default budget is so if we did not pass this this is saying this is what the budget will be in really it's last year's budget plus Debt Service boss contracts plus obligations by law - 1 time expenses candidly what we want to do is pass to help you budget we do not want to get to a default budget situation but it's important that we articulate to the public what happens if the it doesn't pass so this just reiterates what Ron said you can see we started with this year's budget at 71655000 we took out the decrease in debt sir positions that were eliminated in the budget or added are not included per law Transportation contract is obligated so we had to add 36,000 for that sau29 expenses went down a T3000 so that's out expended trust funds was in this year but with a separate warrant article won't necessarily be in next year and so that's out and then non-employee Bay speciality can cost which they consider contractual because I peas are added to that at 7:19 so you ended up with the default budget that is 1506443 dollars below this year's budget it's it's about I mean below the requested budget it's about 778000 below the current year budget so that's what's at stake with the default budget it needs I'm here cuz I still have 22 23 on the bottom red line should be 2324 my apologies so summer where we started we started this year with an operating budget of 71 6:55 now 3 the request currently is 71000 780 3857 that is not set in stone that can be changed by the board tonight and then again by the public on the 4th is said the increase request in budget is 18 per cent or $127,954 small increase overall but keep in mind the contracts that Ron talked about our own separate Warren articles the large to those contracts K yet what you'll see is over $1000000 so that's not included in the base budget that would be a separate contract so that's one of the reasons we could present a fairly level budget when you talking 72 million dollars of 1 million $130,000 increase is pretty flat less than a 2.2% increase I put this in there I hope you can see it on your copy not going to speak a lot to it but one of the things I like folks to be able to have is this shows our current budget under 22 23 current budget looking across the top it shows what the school board School admin requested which is the next line item called 2324 School admin request it shows the difference in the percent of those changes then it shows what the school board is putting forward to for tonight and you can see the net changes below in the school board reduced about $600,000 in non-employee based stuff that just happened Saturday we don't have all that figured out but we know we're taking 400 from maintenance and 25 from Tack and we're still working on the rest because we don't just want to make cuts across the board the administrators have to figure out where they can make cuts at least impact students so this she does pretty well I'm showing you that stuff and it also shows you the tax impact we're going to get into that so I won't explain it all but this shows your revenues your taxes and give the tax impact estimate I just want you to be able to have that it's going to talk about Revenue decreases because you know we have a $130,000 budget increase but the real story on the tax impact did the revenue decrease right so as to mention Arnett expenses up not significant again excluding the the Kea contract in the of a Katie contract but Revenue source is about half of our Revenue source is from us taxpayers in the town the rest from numerous Avenues especially from the state and you see you've heard some opinions about that how we should be able to get more funding but as of right now are calculated fun are down from the state the other big change is to mention this earlier but we use this term Surplus are on reserve funds for those of the fancy term what that means is what we didn't spend the year before during covid our expenses were down that created the Surplus to carry into the next year that is now getting closer not there yet but closer to normal levels so the year before we had 5.2 million dollars that came into 21-22 as Revenue we won't have that much less we'll have 3.8 so right away will how do we make up that it comes back to the taxpayer so expenses are fairly flat revenues are down from outside of the city so we have to make that up as taxpayers that's what we're kind of balance overall and that's that piece that Tim showed earlier with over a million dollar increase to the the city so this is gives you kind of each Car Center so is broken up into different schools essentially an in department and what the notes kind of tells you what's going on in their budget so you can go down through Elementary General is down 1.4% they did not make a whole lot of changes in elementary general which is why you see that down overall and remember the rage is from your your group and tutors are not included Franklin School had a reduction in one special education position and addition of three paraprofessionals and a reduction of five tutors all that helped drive a 2.5% reduction our school has a reduction in one special education position we put that on there so people knew what was happening that's not included in this budget because it's in a grant but what is included in our three to the positions that are decreased Simon school has a reduction in one special education teacher and six to two positions and one pair of professional position all the schools I just mentioned did get all the paraprofessionals in tutors that they requested they weren't to save the money they were cut based on need at the time when we budgeted Wheelock school is increasing to paraprofessional positions from part-time to full-time and the preschool program has a nursing that increased from 6 the one ft e driving that budget to a 10.9% increase over all this sections down 2.6% middle school high school the middle schools up about 4% they're pretty status quo they had some stuff like new soccer goals that they need their old soccer goals are defunct their borrowing some from high school currently cart last season and a piano transport, they did have an increase of a 20% position in OT and they had some Transportation costs that went up Quinta High School is down 2% they did have some staffing that was shifted from their costs sent to the career center based on some Career Center objectives to to bolster their business department and they added a Hall Monitor and reduced three to two positions Cheshire career center an increase in transportation cost that were quite $70,000 in those had to do it to and from transportation to Career Centers in other regions where we have to partnership regions where they have a program that we don't have a vice versa they come here as well and they said that stopping ship from the high school and they have an increase in EMT fire position that's been a contracted service we're trying to Cobble out into a full-time job cost a little more the benefits that's in there so that section overalls down 1% maintenance is up 6.8% in Tire Lee driven actually that position like I showed you was cut 400,000 but that's entirely driven by really inflationary cost to Elementary Renovations that we've been doing all along if you've been in Franklin or Simon's you seen some really nice work there and part of Wheelock they finish Wheelock this year going to be a lot more expensive than it has been as you can imagine construction costs were stagnant for years while we were doing this and that was very good not the case anymore but we're still marching on we have to finish Sprinklers and Fire dates and that's what we're doing school board SIU Services is down mainly because the sau29 costs are down that's down because of surplus from a previous year in the in their budget General District is down 6.6% it's mainly it is mainly driven by early retirement stipend needs and how many people put in for that there's also Transportation cost in there but that's mainly why it's down in professional development is status quo blow their slight decreases in PD expenses technology is a decreased due to previous Investments but also what really happens it got this replacement cycle so if you had bought computers six years ago they're on the schedule to replace we're kind of in the wall next year we're no major cost center needs a replacement and that's really why the special education is this is kind of a General District special education mainly out-of-district cost in here but there's also some shared positions it has a new position that's an 80% SLP that'll be serving charter schools in relieving some of that elementary schools that are currently covering their own charter schools in their District in their catchment area there's also a significant increase the out of District placement cost English dll as an increase of slight increase in stew but it's also a model switch where we had a magnet school at Franklin and that is now not going to be the case and folks are going to stay in their home schools and we're going to have to serve them where they are and not added in National position that service is about the same down a little bit over all your up 2.4% in this section mainly being driven by cost center 32 and maintenance tax impact so all that $127,000 budget increase together with the declining Revenue leads to a 4.68% tax property tax increase or 7 3% $0.73 on the tax rate which would change the tax rate to $16.32 up from about 1550 now and that would cost $100,000 evaluation year 7275 so this budget that's out there right now with no other warrant articles would cost someone with a $200,000 home about a hundred and $45 so expensive up by 120/20 27k Revenue down by 1.4 million net increase of roughly 1.6 is that I don't know if anybody that has $100,000 house in Keene anymore but at least a hundred fifty bucks best way to think about it it's good to multiply 100 easier than if I use this is article one this is prior to again I'm just getting be repetitive purpose prior to the contract increases that we would like to get support on do that very busy spreadsheet that I was talking to earlier also has the tax impact for a hundred hundred fifty two hundred thousand and 2:50 if that helps you so this is the K it so that's I guess we take questions on Article 1 you want to keep going the questions from the public on what we presented so far Rod you want to I guess wave bigger Chris Cotes 30 Gilson Street Keene New Hampshire and first of all as always thank you for the work you guys do on the school board I mean that I know what you guys go through and I know that that it takes a lot energy in a lot of time coming away from family so thank you and if it if Aviator bed everybody here afterwards leaves and heads down the hallway is a good basketball game going on they're playing really hard right now and they're competitive and I like that coach beilein I'll get you up I want to First say that oh sorry all right I don't know if this is can you rap for me the did the first I want it want to say is that I have to I had a hard time finding anything about this budget so I'm I'm not up to speed where I need to be because it's not posted it's not on the website this is a public document it is always been on the website so that I can or others can go on and take a look at it and try to understand because coming here tonight I hate the discussion but I like to do a deeper dive to try to understand why you're doing what you're doing so I can support it not because I want to find some place to challenge it because the unit 50 if you talk about you can we talk later on. teachers contract I'm all for that 100% you know and I don't understand and if I had the opportunity I don't understand at a time when a district placement are up significantly Transportation cost I'm guessing for special ed is up to and I would have seen that if I could have seen it then I would have said why are we even considering doing this but I'm guessing it's because I would have had the time to be able to tend to try to figure out what the principles are whoever you all to be able to find out why it is that we're doing the cuts that were we're doing because I don't I don't understand when it when we when that way at a time when we're at this level of and I don't even know what the I asked this every year what's around District place with number is it 30 is a 20 is it I don't know I never know what it is it and where was it the year before has it gone up significantly because the costs have gone up so I'm just trying to figure that out and I'm just racing through this you know the the eighth day is is that a liaison now that's going to be for Charter Schools 2.8 what is a test is it Indian language I looked at a completely different that is some liaison person to point person that you don't know I don't know because I'm just looking at this Chris we did add was a point for a t e for Charter School services we didn't correct so we do the district is responsible for special ed services to Keene residents that attend charter schools in the region or private or private and and that's not reimbursed by the state so we did there are more students after the recent Push by the state and so we have had to add some Staffing in order to cover those services and that's fruit that isn't make sense dim the the the catastrophic Aid is that we still ending up on the short end when it comes to a catastrophic a two-seat up life like $5,000 but that's I mean for those behind me don't know I mean unless it's changed three times the state average when we get to that level the difference is what the state gives us towards any special ed cost is are we still getting the short end of the stick on that one week after every reimbursable to look and see if it gets better prorated much less than it used to be they've been better about it but Chris on your comments about posting I went back and looked because hold on we just got the budget finished today just the slide deck today cuz they have the budget work session Saturday and when I went back and looked at the other years it's never been posted before this meeting it's always the board votes on the bus all the documents are made and posted going in before the first session so I just wonder if that could be the case I'm not saying that you're wrong but I do not usually a like there's no official budget yet I understand but you're the doctor you're working off during during the the the process of the 22 Saturdays I'm telling you last year when I came before you I had paperwork that I got from that I was able Circle and go and do a deeper dive because because that's if you could you have the document already to what you presented them is the proposed working right and you have a two you have a Casablanca line of Coastline center right and then you have your Administration request you have both of those in hand and I don't know that's just working documents not approve but so that's what I've done in the past that's all I know and I went to go look for it I actually called your office today because I couldn't find it and they a tale told me so and the other thing is the project construction can you just give me an outline of the increase what the work is this going to be done this year that 3162000 in change so that is a sore finishing up wheelock's mostly done with done the upstairs in one of the Wings and the gym it finishes the office the class comes down that wing hallway the kindergarten room will be a small bump out of that kindergarten room in that 1400 square-foot room with turning the two so you up side by side kindergarten rooms and it has some Arkansas to finish hbac sprinklers life-safety some building fire separation issues that we have and new floors ceilings and paint and last but not least is is there any money is in there to continue to treat a plant or any programming out here our team High School to continue to move forward with some of the concerns that were brought up last year and into the I mean is that a continued I don't know it's not but Christian rock yes as the facilities cheer we have working quite bid on Capital Improvement plan we have proposed seven years is out and can do lie as news reports of what it's going to cost out for the seven years because we're looking at that would even looking at the middle school for example the middle school is 10 years old and it's having some of its other problems so basically we have a capital Improvement on every single facility that we have now and they're all prioritize nothing is haphazard how academically or store socio whatever that I'm looking for that falls under a different category whether you could going to be playing for someone financed or you going to be doing for the infrastructure that what you talking about right now I would have to say that goes under the superintendent's responsibility we we get the superintendent to general idea but he's the one who controls how delivery of Education goes no no no no no no no I'm just saying asking is it this budget is there anything that helps to address continuing to work with that's all I'm asking I'm not looking for a goddamn question you and I talked about earlier today yeah yes dr. gallo and I were talking about it a little earlier today continue the Staffing level for the hall monitoring the Cindy help me out here the safety care training you budgeted for the at-risk you know I keep turning thing to eat yeah Cindy can you either come to a mic or have broad repeat what you're saying sorry yeah the folks at home can hear you we should have gotten a handheld mic here and you can sit there Gallagher High School principal the question of what's in the budget currently in the budget affecting this group would be the safety cares training the additional Hall monitors and then what's not in the budget but is out there is the grant position the coordinator of at-risk helping with all the alternative plans and then we've done a number of things within this current budget to support next year including getting two of our staff trying to be trainers of the safety cares program which will reduce our budgeted cost to train people during off time with outside trainers and I'll add to that we haven't gotten to it yet but the two contracts that were negotiated this year we believe in the respective unions believe will put us in a more competitive position to hire and retain and arguably one of the biggest issues we've had at this building across the district is simply not enough bodies in the building we don't have enough qualified teachers enough qualified support staff and we're hoping that these contracts will go a long way toward dressing out as well thanks and it did you have more Chris thank you yes the name and address of the record please 58 South Lincoln Street Keene I'm also a special education teacher I am currently employed in Harrisville but I did working at Simon's for 5 years or no for five years is my 14th year in special education at the SAU of Masters in special education 1995 I've been doing this for a while is already teacher before that so can you help me understand why you're reducing three special education positions at the elementary school Ben and Brian can I give this to you guys to talk about how we came to those determinations so I know you've explained it to us but you guys are going to explain it better citizen here and quite surprised he probably has enough to speak loudly so I think it was mentioned earlier Ron was talking about the approach we took for budgeting this year and we did what was a zero-based budget and our goal from the beginning was to invest in the area support all students across all of Kane School District so when we develop the budget from zero with Staffing we look at everything and our cost center managers principles did a significant amount of work this year in particular it was a challenge because we are justifying all of our support staff in our existing professional staff to meet the needs that are growing more decreasing in all of our population so in this budget you'll see that there is there's ups and downs in terms of staff in terms of the special Educators we were looking at this in terms of what is the appropriate caseload that those special Educators positions would be serving and looking across all of our schools and the trend which I believe those documents were available publicly a chart of a 10-year trend of what we're seeing for students on IEPs in the student in the Learning Center and it has been ending downwards and we've we felt strongly through this budget process that we needed to budget responsibly and in the right areas and that was an area that was one that we couldn't justify in terms of those numbers been a lot of conversation around the the other service responsibilities in the service hours of Special Educators but I think it's important to note that as a district we only looked at the case management numbers I'm in special ed we we've never looked at the service hours so when we were looking at this we were looking at the caseload numbers and comparing that to not only what we have seen over the trend but also with the what you would call the Inn 3 standard and regionally and nationally so through this process we had to create a budget that was going to meet the needs of all students resulted in those three special education Mission Productions in investment in other areas symmetric to to wake a slow because of my experience is I've never seen one in this essay you where you're really looking at the mountains verses in the eye peas that the students require and the severity of disability yeah so what you're talking about is a weighted caseload and to my knowledge is District we have not done a way to K load it's when we're looking at the we have two levels of special educator because we have a collaborative special educator which service is more intensive needs so if we were looking at a weighted model they would probably rank a little higher on that and have lower The Learning Centers are more typical in terms of the intensity of those students on the case loads are not to the level of a collaborative student terms of the service hours but I get what you're saying is this is the weighted system and we do we don't have that it's a challenge and I think special education does need to look at that one student can take up 30% of a special educators time mental energy so it's it's a it's a challenge and it concerns me that that is not happening I've pushed for it I researched it other states do you have that other school districts and in other places it's not that common in New Hampshire but so just looking at case at the number of kids having done this for a long time I can tell you one student can cause me to spend an extra 15 hours a week at work for at least an additional six hours per week awake at night worrying and thinking about them so it's it's not. the number these are individual that's why we have individualized education plans and I'm just very concerned me to see these reductions because it's going to be hard to hire new people well if you do realize this isn't going to work if you let people go Jen just add in there we're looking at this in terms of positions and we currently have open position in the SIU so we weren't we weren't looking at this in terms of people losing jobs. Just want to make that point in our meetings it's is hard online to figure out I've not seen all the documents and information so but thank you hello I'm Sarah Keith special educator at Simon's 181 West Surrey Road in Keene I want to speak directly to what Jen was talking about because I think again as Doctor white has acknowledged and address a caseload is so much more than the number of students right now I am a teacher at a caseload of 18 which is sounds like right in The Sweet Spot of where the district would like us to be as Caterers with 18 students or somewhere around there that's kind of the numbers that I'm gathering and I think that the two questions I have to say they are well the two things I've said are one looking at the numbers from Saturday that were at the grass and the charts the numbers Creek over the numbers post covid the decision to cut 3 special Educators just base off that number makes a hundred percent sent by there questions we are down numbers why would you not also reduce special Educators to use those funds somewhere else or to make the budget more balanced but along with that nobody from the district has gone to level of asking a special Educators what does your caseload look like how many hours a week are you spending on teaching these students how many hours are you preparing lessons for then how many hours are you doing paperwork what does the caseload in the district right now really equal and I know I've never been asked as my second year in the district I've never had face-to-face communication with any of the administrators I'm going to know everybody's busy right now I know it's a thing of course my principal I talked to that sermon story and I think that asking those questions and really digging deep into what is a caseload and what does that look like will go a really long way to help us decide how many we needed at school so as I said I have eight students on my caseload and right now we're at school 6 and a half hours so when you take out recess duties my own lunch time I planning block there were supposed to receive which is actually right now almost never used to plan instruction but it's instead spent doing case management or testing students or writing up reports that doesn't have to do it actually planning instruction my morning meeting block where I'm down to about 4 hours and 35 minutes that I can instruct students within that time I have about a hundred service hours a week right now I'm at like 97 service hours a week which is roughly 20 hours a day within that 4 1/2 4 hours and 35 minutes to actually instruct the students so if 18 students 20 hours and 4 hours and 35 minutes that's not only a really intense teaching day where you're on the go from the second you walk in the door until the second you leave but it also wreaks havoc and all sorts of weird places that unless you're a special educator or in the building seeing the day today it's really easy to mess and oversee you can't pull students from there instructional core classes so that restrictions and timelines and when you can see students being pushing into classrooms to deliver Services you have to be really careful and deliberate about where the students are placed so that you don't have to end up being at two places at once which app quite frequently and our days trying to grab time in the day to talk to colleagues to catch up on the day if an incident happens almost never happens because those colleagues are teachers who are teaching the classes of the students are in grouping students together is really challenging right now I have a group of eight students in my room and a 30-minute time period ranging from a first grade reading level to a fifth grade reading level and I have to somehow deliver individualized suction that they're not receiving in their classroom 28 students at a time it's challenging is really hard we do it but that's not best practice for delivering instruction to the students that we need to serve but fit all of that teaching stuff has nothing to do with having proper planning time to individualize those 18 students instruction has nothing to do with evaluating students which is an additional load that the district did not used to require special Educators writing IEPs of course they take several hours for each one writing up evaluations prepping for meetings during the meeting paperwork afterwards following for parents to get signatures and whatever else needs to be followed up with record data that we take of the students instructionally daily all those other things are included in those six and a half hours that were at school which means most what is taken outside of school and that number of 18 doesn't represent all of those hours and all of those times doesn't represent the behaviors that might happen in a day where we have to stop our instruction and help us to do having a tough time all of those pieces are not represented in the number of 18 and while our numbers are down since before covid I can tell you in our schools and neither much greater per individual that the number of hours that were spent a student is much higher than before covid happened and I also have to question the numbers might be lower now since before covid happened but where the numbers before covid adequate and wear those numbers that the teacher had on their case loads are they actually able to deliver really good quality instruction that we are the district promote and say that our teachers are providing I'm not hundred percent sure and I wasn't in the district and now so I can't I can't speak to that but I know at the school I'm at now to the special ed teachers that have been there for a long time are no longer at time in school and again man may be in convention to that and may not I can't speak to that so listening to all of that like I do in a day I kind of feel like super woman standing here and like telling you telling you what I do but I also know that we as a district want to follow best practices and right now best practices look like co-teaching assistive inclusive models at Simon school we are not able to do very much co-teaching and not very much inclusive Services because of the way that we have to work across the grade levels and we have hired the all Learners Network because all our goal as a district is to create education for all Learners it doesn't matter if you're in a night if you are potentially gifted student everybody in between is if you get their level of instruction that they need until we have the District of Hardie all Learners Network I know the doctor white has worked with the network in order to create a vision for where we want our math to look like in our district in the next X amount of years and we as individual teachers got to talk with the all Learners Network these masks and talks consultants and talk about how math is going in our destruction what that looks like and I'm talking to this this woman consultant she looks super shocked when she heard that we are going to potentially cut three Elementary School positions and we talked a lot about the pull-out culture and how that's not best practice for students and how inclusive mess is the wait and how we're going to lean towards out of the district they're super glad of the vision that's that the district has created and she looked at me and she said if they're going to cut those three positions we can't we can't go forward with the vision that the district is creating and it's not going to happen because there's not enough staff to cover the classes that need to be taught in a code taught inclusive way I know at times we won individual special ed teacher would be covering nine different classes with nine different teachers and nine different lines of communication that is way too much if you're if you're trying to be in every classroom and deliver education to all the students on the caseload even a caseload of 18 whatever that looks like so I think that is really important that the district is look not what those numbers mean and looking at how does that actually affect the jobs of the special Educators and the students is our receipt of receiving that education thank you thank you sir hi Nikki crank 159 Park Ave I spoke Saturday at Saturday's meeting and I've had the pleasure of working with Jen Kiernan and Sarah Keith and I just want to reiterate the point that part of what I had Sara Sara covered a lot of the pieces that I had as well but a lot of it spoke to that data on paper that you have a room full of stakeholders parent teachers community members here tonight to speak to the fact that the data on the paper doesn't always tell the full story and people are here to kind of fill in those pieces that are missing and I can tell you from experience is that Jen and I have collaborated for hours and hours and hours on one student to try to find a way to meet the needs of that child and to help them find success I've done the same with Sarah and a number of hours talking about students and I think any teacher and any special educator that collaborate could tell you the same story and I don't think that's news to anybody but I think the point that we're trying to make is that the number on the paper is different from the store from the story that happens in real everyday life and I do have concerns that the needs of the students will not be able to be met with the decrease in Staffing additionally what Sarah said about being case managers writing IEPs hosting meetings communicating with parents teachers support staff being academic evaluators a position that was a totally separate 10 years ago was eliminated and added to the role of the special educator serving as behaviorist you know completing Behavior plans and following up with teachers and students trying to support our youngest Learners and of course they are teachers so finding time to plan for instruction collaborate with classroom teachers so I just worry about the people in our district to give their heart and soul to this position and what's going to have when we add the added stress of a higher caseload because the demands are higher than what the numbers show additionally I just wanted to point out that Simon's was recently identified as needing additional targeted support and Improvement in the area of special education and I'm just really wondering how we're going to meet the needs of those students how we're going to address that Gap how we're going to help children improve those test scores specifically in the area of special education with the reduction of a special education teacher and then again to the point of Saturday's discussion where we spoke about how this was not a new discussion that the board and the administration was having about this potential reduction but this is something that has been discussed but we wanted to wait until some normal post covid realm and I would just I was just reflecting on the 2021 2022 school year in my classroom with the guidelines we had in place for a district many districts where students had to quarantine or they had to wait a week to get tested when we didn't offer testing in schools absenteeism was still incredibly high and we did not students to special education in that time due to a high absenteeism I'm in that was in part for the safety of people in our schools that was a responsible decision that we had in our district to make sure that we were trying to prevent the spread of covid but there was an impact in that at Saturday's meeting our administrators pointed out that several students are currently being evaluated and all of our elementary schools and that although they can not say with certainty and their professional opinion they stated that many if not all of those students could be identified as special education student that will change the data to other to know with certainty but it could increase exponentially and I think the result Remains the Same the elimination of these positions will ultimately impact the needs of our students and those are the people that are going to suffer the people that we show up for every day people that we spend 6 hours a week at night awake worrying about the people that we meet for hours on end trying to find the solution to help them be successful in our schools so I guess I'm here tonight to respectfully urge the board not to eliminate those three Elementary special education teachers thank you hi Susan hey 22 Middle Street Keene New Hampshire I'm just going to get some of what Chris said that it's odd for me to be sitting in this chair since I used to be in your chairs and I know how hard your jobs are but I'm not a special educator I'm not a teacher I can't but there's a room full of them here very passionate and very certain that this is wrong for students for parents for families and yeah I want it I want to talk it out I do more reps cracked level we just our communities are schools almost every system we have has been through enormous stress in the last few years you are rightfully proposing to raise teacher salaries and I'm thrilled with that when I heard that was happening here so I can finally good but that get you halfway there you you see that is something that want to be have a draw to bring more teachers in but I would argue the teachers or anybody in a profession that they care about here's that they're fairly compensated but also needs to believe that they can do the job with until pretty that they've been hired for and I think that the Educators in this room and throughout the system know that that really isn't true now and will only be less true I admire and I understand your desire to unfairly burden the taxes the taxpayers but at this point every system is having to race cost why would we think it would be different in the school this is not the time to say we have to you know we have to pay for those increases by taking other services out not services for two are most vulnerable students not not special education not at the elm entry level I just think this is the wrong time to consider that I thought Jen's points and I've heard Jen say this before about it isn't just the numbers and and how has what are what are C I've been through in the last couple of years change the character or the severity or the just the intensity of the needs of our special education students we haven't been able to measure the difference between one student and a no and the impact on caseloads to date this isn't even more important time to do it so I think I guess I'm here saying. take those positions out take the argument to the best our schools or the hearts of our communities if we reduce the ability of them to function and I don't I don't think I'm being overly dramatic cure you know if if we can't service our youngest and most vulnerable children fairly and the teachers can't do a great job with them we just reduced the value of that you know you're not in our community so merging you to put those put those back take the argument to the community I think they can understand it but this is not the year to pull Educational Services out and we're going to have to live with her that's awesome thank you sir I met your Mana 206 Baker Street in Kane and I want to jump in this is a good time to Second something that Sue is talking about we've heard as you pointed out his retirement earlier on about how the increase yeah benefits and increase pay is going to help us be more competitive and and help us fill a lot of the positions that we have been able to fill the filling those positions is not just about increasing the pay right it's about the culture. teachers are attractive and as I pointed out that has to be a culture where first of all that they feel that the missions that they have a teacher's can be fulfilled and second of all there is it has to be any we've heard The Incredibles Lyft ride because of the passion and and the and in the care of these teachers write burnout is a real problem in the more we reduce our resources the more you put on to a smaller now people the more stressful those positions become and the harder it is for people to make it 10 15 20 years into this career that they really want to be in the other point that I wanted to make inset a slightly more philosophical a statement and that is our commitment to provide our very best efforts to every single student is at the heart of public education and I can tell you right now that there is a real effort underway the state is a lot of you know to defund public education we have two bills in Concord right now that will increase the amount of public resources going to the education Freedom accounts to vouchers by a quotient formidable amount of 15 million dollars a year right now two more bills being held heard by the house education committee this week that would increase the siphoning of public funds to voucher program by an indeterminate amount that's the language used in the financial notes placed on those bills so this is our commitment to public education at a time when a commitment to public education and as probably more important than ever so I urge you to think of these positions and both of those terms in terms of the work these incredible teachers are doing and supporting them in that work but also it's a statement about a commitment to public aid thank you what can I ask maybe you can ask your question but I might have to rule you out of order because it's what we can do during the public hearing is limited so do you want to do it thank you for supporting the region in the the circus up in Concord to Joan Murphy and Roxbury Street here in Keene I'm going to be really brief everyone who came before me spoke so eloquently and to all of the factors that impact the services we provide our students but I could not leave night meeting without going on record asking that the board reconsiders adding those three sped positions back to the budget I know it's a hard job you guys do any business Vision works very hard to to make to make good bye everybody but we're at a place where these positions need to be returned thank you well I'm Eric Murphy and I give it to 87 Roxbury Street some of you know me from past years and service on School Board I was taking time to think about what the fully loaded cost of good teachers could be and I guess I don't need to have the number but I took a guess and if I made that number $250,000 for three people fully loaded salary and benefits and then I compared it 271 million dollars we sometimes think of numbers as driving a car versation and if this number drives this conversation the number to remember is .003 $250,000 is 003 of 71 million dollars that's my public input hi I am Stephanie Moody 361 Chesterfield Road in Keene we are the how about some of the pad special education teachers of Franklin Elementary School the teacher at Franklin and I'm Jessica Hall and the resource room teacher for kindergarten and first grade the good news for you is that many of our colleagues have said what we already wanted to say so our presentation might be a little shorter but we were here on Saturday and talk a lot about what we do today we're going to talk more about our concerns and what our vision is for Franklin School over the past several years Franklin School staff of dedicated there. Peach inclusion and I know we've all heard about it today off and on but we're doing it and it's working special ed teachers regular teachers Title One staff related service providers have all been working together to get these students up in out of covid and in the classrooms with their peers are inclusion model of education allows each student to receive instruction at their instructional level within the general education as a result this means there could be several different grade levels of student in each class as Sarah so nicely talked about in order for this model to work and be successful we have many responsibilities and team of any one of our puzzle pieces right now is very scary this inclusion model at Franklin school has taken us of a school in need of improvement status it is shown statistical growth and are district-wide assessments and as well as iup goal Mastery which is important to us primarily while there is still room for improvement and growth in our model we are asking to just give us time to continue to rise and to get our students up into a level of success having a special education teacher available to every classroom allows us insight into the learning styles and abilities of every student in the classroom not just special education we can have students show progress you can have steam show progress given the support provide provided in this model without going to special ed referral and that is something to appreciate and have it we are trying to keep students out of the flashlight process as well as servicing them within the classroom to the best of our abilities our final concern is with the plan in place talks about taking these special Educators special educator is replacing paraprofessionals as of today we believe there are currently nine unfilled paraprofessional instructional paraprofessional positions in this district for the 2223 school year thank you thank you what if those para positions cannot be filled the one of the worst things I could think of is coming into school next year and having Mister Cuts tell us that there would just wasn't anybody to hire and now we have three grade levels to work with a third curriculum to learn two new teachers to learn and a whole bunch of new students also the physical balance of those sexual positions and what we pay our parents Nationals lineup come out in the wash I don't believe there's a huge fit Cisco impact for replacing a special educator with many paraprofessionals lastly I fully agree with mr. Malay amazing things are happening we felt so good at Franklin this year we are no longer against School in need of improvement our students are healthy we can see them we see their faces and then to hear that this is happening or is Patel play happening was very deflating we just need time to give these fragile students and our staff time to grow and to continue to grow which is our goal correct thank you for your time and consideration and we hope that these positions remain as they are today in it thank you hi Kate Wilson 23 Maple Avenue in Keene I'm currently case manager at Simon's school for kindergarten first grade in the Learning Center and I am a former academic evaluator for Simon school and Keene High School I did that for many years before I became a case manager and I just want to address a little piece of this which is something I don't think is reflected in the the bottom line numbers that you're all looking at the caseload numbers like to respectfully remind the board that in 2017 the district eliminated the job of special education academic evaluator there were several of us that were cut and the academic first evaluators responsibilities were then added to the case managers jobs to doing evaluations involves hours of testing hours of report writing and hours of meeting about that evaluation for each student that you tough and this is in addition to being a case manager do I have a unique perspective because I have done both jobs I was a full-time academic evaluator and now I'm a case manager who does academic evaluation sort of on the side so I went from a full-time position to now doing it sort of as an afterthought come I do it a lot at home I'll just say that not the testing but the I don't bring the kids back to my house and the the sinking the many hours have to do with thinking and writing about these students and of course this is on top of my favorite part of the job which is the teaching so we do all that on top of the case management the academic evaluating is on top of the teaching so finally I just like to say that at Simon's we already done 14 academic evaluation and it's only halfway through the school year so thank you thank you again other can put on the soffit other topics on the budget all right I passed a question down the table did you get clarity on that yet yes I do have Clarity on that I think we're going to not good news but hey I got one your mic into I need reading glasses all right so that sheet that was passed out the busy hard to read has a mistake in it in that $600,000 was reduced twice during our only meant to reduce once that is true and that was in the maintenance line item here we made it I can't help that turn sleep mode. I don't know why oh well well in any case the net result is your budget is 70 to 380 3857 that that you're going to put forward as a board or changes that you may consider because we took $600,000 maintenance and then took $600,000 again as the meeting went on last and didn't end up well and I didn't believe it and then the check some numbers and yeah it was in another cell so that is essentially I'll give you your tax impact cuz that's what we're talkin about what is 73 cents of a dollar or $99.80 on a $100,000 home so when you go back to the presentation keeping track at home turn the audience I don't know why that's not working because I still have it plugged in here so where it said on slide 19 said 73 cents and a say a dollar and the total budget is up 700 $27,954 in front of that kind of match what you remember from Saturday yeah me too just fur for people that weren't here when we started we were at like 3.8 million dollars I mean an increase in the we made adjustments to some of the areas that we had talked to you earlier so this makes more sense agreed I think so I would say it was my pleasure but it wasn't sorry but I thought we needed to come out of this with an accurate number when I agree totally yes Altima have to redo all this anyway we knew once we finish tonight it'll be an official budget and I will redo all of this because it'll be an official budget at that point so just to be clear the number work lawn right now is well that's the wrong slide to look at but it's 72383857 this number hey you can't see that candy so weird Susan's yes yep so you're right that wasn't good news but I'm I don't for a minute feel like that changes my perspective that we cannot can I make these cuts that I don't know there's other places to do it but this is at the heart of our education of our services to children to our most vulnerable children I don't know what that does to Eric's number but the fact that the the contrast is still startling that this 200 arguably 250,000 is like .00 3 so I don't think there's anybody here that would say oh okay then we shouldn't do this I believe those numbers go bad go back in I'm asking that they do and I think I think that we not just you but we could help the community understand that I don't think any of the members of the board would have thought that anyone would have changed their testimony as a result of that I think they are absolutely understand people's honest and an important fee okay. It real name is they are but yeah we want to make sure people just understand where we're starting from but a little more clarity on what happened what we were just talking about with Tim we've had the the board has had two consecutive Saturdays we've had about six our meetings for the administration building principals got their managers that facilities those bikes have doctors about the proposed budget and why they're asking for what they're asking and we were looking at and it's it's actually a very responsible budget that they brought to us but because revenues are down the tax impact was not proportional to the actual ink but they were asking for you know it's roughly a 1% increase in costs last year's budget budget over this year's proposed budget which is given that we're in the midst of an 8% cost-of-living that impacts everything that we do in our things as well it's not a prohibitive increase their revenues are down significantly primarily because a little bit because of the out-of-district in the other special ed cost that go to whisper going to but largely because we no longer have access to the the large Federal covid relief grants a good chunk of which this board has been voting to give back to property holders in Keen to keep the tax burden down during the covid years and that's gone away but our operating costs obviously if not so we're trying to find a way to make that up without too heavy of an impact on local taxpayers the finance committee and The Brood and then the board approved after that to remove in this is what Tim was referring to $600,000 from the budget to come from now on Staffing areas in because that had to be motion to through twice it don't sound like it got added into the budget twice so that's why that number was from what we're proposing the other major change that did last weekend was we are annually Allowed by law to reserve two and a half percent from Surplus as a reserve fund balance which last year was roughly 804 $7,000 and normally we just kind of keep rolling that over in this year where we voted to put that back in so that shows up as Revenue which between those two changes that brought the tax burden number down by about 1 4 million dollars US to where we are I guess we're going forward without screen projection so we still have it when you're ready all right so I guess Article 2 which is the collective bargaining agreement with the between the King Board of Education in the Keen edge of Education Association it's a proposed contract and I will let Ron Wright speak to that all right so thanks shorts that's already that's at all I'll be able to speak to a lot of activity that took place I had the the privilege of being on the group along with Rebecca and Jacqueline for the board to work with Mr Gillard in the teacher community on this together but I got to see these words so bear with me see if the district will vote to approve the car signs included in the collective bargaining agreement reached between the key Board of Education in the Keene Education Association which calls for the following creases in salaries and benefits at the current Staffing levels current Doppler level means as planned including vacancy disco year 2023 2024 1.1 1000160 $4,386 the following year 844450 to the following after that one 5525 in for the fourth year of the contract $771,867 and further to raise a preate 1164000 trinity $6 for the current fiscal year such some representing additional costs attributable to an increase in salaries and benefits required excuse me required by the new agreement over those that would be paid at current Staffing levels this appropriation is in addition to Article 1 at the operating budget the key Board of Education recommends that yes strong yes to vote upon this question all right so what are all those words mean the a couple things to understand the salary schedule for anybody that hasn't looked at it in detail we along with the Kea took a data-driven approach of what is going on around our community and her other school districts offering for starting wages all the way up to two seniors more tender level rolls we looked at ourselves compared to that an overall we were saying what are we going to do together to retain attract and retain employees what we do at racks and retain employees were going to high-five on this and at the end of the day we wanted to both of course address the cost-of-living increases that play feeling like right now regardless of what profession you're in and be adjust the schedule of the salary plan because there was there's a significant jump that happens in your 14 so will work for years and years and years and then have a significant job and we felt confident that looking at the data of of when teachers decide to unfortunate depart organization it's in the Years leading up to that is just too too long to accumulate wealth for what they're what they're doing every day and that was a center of everything you worked on so yes there are dollars here and yes there are salary increases but it's also about pushing those Investments and level setting that that schedule so we love graphs who doesn't love a graph and before you do if you looked at it it would be dirty dirty today with spiked up I'm here for this multiple years investment it's a much more gradual life which is a is comparable to other districts it we think that it'll make sense to other teachers looking at us beat a lot easier to plan we think you'll be easy to plan and build upon this but next for 2000 years so we're proud of the board and by the teacher that we literally hug and I-5 I love these people I love being a part of it so yes these are dollars to me but it's much more important similar to what team members were speaking do before with their passion bottom the special education with that dollar increases for years Movie 5 20% on average than 3.3 and 3.8 and 2.8 the Blended averages or lower because it includes benefits for the the the funds that were obligated to to put into the retirement funds there were also some other Provisions that were adjusted as part of the discussions with with a k e a I won't reduce word-for-word but some of it was around certified professional to use personal days and what we would say is a more appropriate manner the maximum number of weeks also talked about how many percent of teachers could be out on Monday so we basically didn't everyone didn't take a personal day to keep us cool down but overall majority this was spent on on the scholars excuse me the salary schedule so we would strongly request support on this end from a a total view we go to slide 22 the four-year total investment is just under under ten million dollars so my vote and it's article now and then put it in a place every realm voting at every year as we're voting on the four-year contract In This Moment In Time the year One impact of our taxes is the 1.1 but then it grows so conclusion this is just a similar to what we showed before from a tax impact obviously these numbers are not accurate in total based on what we just discovered with at 6 okay but from it the key component for $200,000 home it's about a hundred bucks a year other questions on this the good thing that's a good I'm going to add before we go on the article 3 there's a lot of credit needs to go to the negotiating team the folks from the board in the folks in the Kea who worked on this bill Gillard the president of the the king of Education Association came to the board last spring and he's been through a number of these and and he knew from experience that they can be very very painful and really hard to work and he came and proposed approaching it in an entirely New Way something that had I've been tried in this District in order to hopefully fend off the really negative perception of each other that often comes out of this kind of negotiation and the board last spring ultimately agreed with his suggestion they met several times over the summer not to begin negotiations but simply to find what is that Common Ground what is the board's goals in his neck Creations in in in allocating resources in the district what is it that the teachers want to see you know rather than finding our differences and hammering those out at the table find our common ground and use that to forward in a contract and has Ron stated the biggest concern on our side and it actually turned out to be this was a concern from the KA as well was that that very strange salary scale which ended up leaving us competitive in some years of a teacher's contract and very non-competitive and others and it really led to an unstable situation where people would often be in a situation were they like being in the Canyons School District but could do much better elsewhere simply because they weren't going to get a pay raise as significant pay raise here for another eight years and that's something that we've been trying to tackle from the board side for years without any success so we're really excited that this is worked out this time I've never seen a contract that said unanimous approval from both sides that's somewhat I'm pretty depressed search for this District in a lot of credit needs to go to the Kea and to the administration for being willing to approach this in a new way that had not been tried before so please on Martin March vote Yes on Article 2 and spread the word well let's talk about what happens if we don't right now I was at article 31 I'm going to cry myself to sleep every day free salad District if Article 2 is defeated authorized the Board of Education to call months add its option to address article to cost items only there for a particle to fails a yes vote under 3 with an able the Board of Education and Union to bring me to go to the coast signs before the voters at another disc meaning in time for the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year so that means in Practical terms if the voters do not approve the negotiated contract and they did not approve this option to allow a renegotiation that means that the teachers have to work on a flat salary from last year's contract if this is passed it allows us the opportunity to try and negotiate something so that they do still get end up getting a paper pay raise for the year all right Article 4 is a proposed contract between the association King tutors and the education has again or our classroom aides and asked Chris Roberts to speak to this one by reading an article for to see if the school board will vote to approve the cost of items included in the collective bargaining agreements between the King Board of Education Association of King tutors which cost for the following increases in salaries and benefits at the current staff level fiscal year 2023 2024 with a question 1 $119,876 20 24 2025 $103,538 in 2025 26 for $63 at $63,294 in further and further to raise an appropriate 119876 for the current fiscal year read some represent a different course the tribute to the increase in salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those that would be paid at current Staffing levels this appropriation is Edition additional to Article 1 the operations budget article the King Board of Education recommends a yes vote upon this article who are the people that remembered a few years ago we did not get a contract between the two twos and the team Board of Education and then they went to I can't remember if the mediator or an arbitrator in the arbitrator or came down this is what we should be doing for full-time employees or tutus that within a full-time capacity the people overwhelmingly the voters overwhelmingly support we would see arbitrators stated and they wanted the tutus to get paid more in we had a problem this probably will cross what we used to do is basically if we had a 22222 is assigned to a child who had that you needed that help but once that I left the school and moved on then that 22 did not have a position unless that tutor was assigned to another child for example a new incoming child that needed at 2 to services but what we were doing was instead of him going Bottom up we just kept adding more and more tutoring positions again so then we ran into problem I think we're up to 139 or 140 12 it is in the budget which we would never able to film so the board the superintendent has done it but the dress did earlier special-ed also addressed it earlier because the board said you know what we wanted to stain Bowl model that's going to drive the best educational outcomes to the students and what was happening to prior to that was saying hey we can't get enough tutors so will change into say professional that was not the best way to off read that wasn't the best way to plan and so giving me direction of the board and what the board wanted to be Administration to do and what do you ministration are presented to the board we went into the negotiation unlike another Aunt normal negotiation we went into with a model delivery that was in there was approved but it was in transition we also listen to tutors and we had we were talked about a livable wage but there was a kind of tutors except in a few cases for children that have really severe needs to tutors and not full-time employees and the tutor are not considered something that you would back to be a career so we went back and forth so the new plan is going forward we changed the model change the model to classroom assistant we got rid of the word Tudor because a lot of people have a miss if I say a math tutor I expect someone to be well-educated in math and being teaching math but I tutors a non-instructional people I'm we know that some had been helping out and instruction but this was quite we were made it well known into the contract that all our tutors who will then become classroom assistants to think named train on January on July 1st 2023 I'm non-instructional Ian and ball happens when we look at the number for 20 23 2024 average salary in total comprehension compensation increase of 7.5% with total comp compensation increased by 8.9% when you look at work the tutors would getting when you look at 7.5% that's about a dollar an hour 2024 to 2025 the average salary increase 7.2 total compensation was down 27 in 2025 and 2026 total compensation increases by 4.1% total compensation if 4.0 and so the we got the increases in we would like to ensure that got 22 / classroom assistants get paid paid paid more money than they would if they started at Aldi's the part of the with the mediator or the arbitrator we had a contribution of the health care plan it was $3,000 for any 22 that was working 30 more hours at the cost of $20,000 for the two days that electric Disco we increased the coverage from 3,000 to 4000 other Provisions the job description will be changed to July 1st 2023 as stated earlier the classroom assistants the staff will support the school and non-instructional student needs tutors May observe a delayed start or early release of a school due to the weather and can make up the time loss renew same pay. Again two days get paid in hours they work less than $1,200 a year and losing for 5 hours to make a big difference in that the salary and we tried to be able to come up to to ensure that they had the ability to I could said to make up those watchtowers previous contracted pay holidays are exchanged reflector flex days to be used on non-instructional days has assigned to substitute for an absent teacher will pay its be a stipend of $100 per day in the go to normal wages again we felt this was the correct thing to do why could someone come off the street and be a sub for $125 and basically a tutor would not get anything additional for being a substitute to quit being a substitute teacher so again they'll get the normal wages + $100 per day if they fill the role of substitute teacher or even days or increase from 3 days to 4 days personal days are increased from 12 to Payday in unpaid personal days are reduced from 3 to 2 days basically they do still have the same amount of personal days but we're replacing one of those unpaid personal days with a Payday we do have two things we would like the two it is to move up in positions and in the past we've had to tease Philly for move up the paraprofessionals and we've had some tutors that we had teaching certificate and then we'll move it up and fill those positions and we would like to continue to classroom assistants the opportunity to expand beer is a severe shortage of trying to get a license nearest assistant so what do you we proposed in the contract is any 2-door can access reimbursement for LNA license sure if she'll be required to remain employed by the district for one year or shall we tuition paid by the district so the district has put money there to district is willing and would be grateful for any of the two dudes that would love to take advantage of becoming I know a name and will pay help pay for it and then anyone who get the Ellen a license tailed automatically get 50% and 50% not 50% $0.50 increase per hour over with step level they would be on be again because we're in transition the positions that will be helping in the in the classroom to classroom assistants will end up moving over and become non-instructional paraprofessionals in one of the things that our goal is by the end of the contract they would be at the same pay level that anointed structure new apparel would be happy so we do not want they okay you've been working as a tutor we're going to make you an honest raksha know that position non-instructional para and you would take a pay cut to take that position so that was the goal is to make sure that 31 as the positions move over would not have to suffer any losses and so one is that that's one of the reasons you see the amount of compensation required going forward is going down the administration gave us the best guess of what it's going to look like up to 3 years out and so we're always going to need classroom assistants some of the positions will remain classroom assistants others will go to paraprofessional nice traction up a special totally based on the needs of the student number one priority if the boat is approved in 2023 to 2020 for the district will raised an appropriate way and additional 119800 $76 for the 20 23 2024 pay and benefits as result of this agreement this will result in increased of 5.4% I mean five point $0.04 on the educational property tax rate resulting in $5.40 increase in additional property tax on $100,000 home if it's es remains constant for 22 32024 green Creek Oyster next two years 103,000 538 for 20 24 2025 $63,294 for 20 25 2020 for three years on with his new expensive $629,999 just to goes to prove that Tim doesn't round up and basically we feel this contract feels the needs of the best interest for the education it also gives we want to show the two teams that the job is to back is respected and it's important and we want to you pay them at the hive we were willing to give them a higher percent because they're in the category along with the moment in this suffering worst form of inflation in third that we had listened to what the people that voted said on the last contract 2 years ago in we felt it was better listen to voters and give extra money to the tutors instead of going back to court and giving it to the lawyers so thank you Chris questions on proposed contract for the association can tutors this and this was a challenging negotiation for the two groups they actually did not reach the tentative agreement until pretty much the last day before it would have had to go to attrition but they did they put in a lot of hours to pull us across the line the percent increase looks High when you look at just that number but bear in mind that they were the lowest paid group Can employees and this was an effort has Chris said to to bring them into a more reasonable range following the economy that we've been doing here for the last 2 years the final more article is Article 5 with similar to article 3 if the voters vote down the proposed tutors contract this would enable if passed for the board in the tutors to sit down and renegotiate just cost items in an attempt to get a a contract in front of Voters at a special meeting they were extremely well they gave is a lot of information we listened to them in like George said that she has stated we finally got this contract done at about 9 at night we were close and we didn't go to we didn't want to arbitration and we were willing to go as late as possible in this is the latest it was only supposed to be two hours so I went over basically over 5 hours and I want to thank the people that did stay that late to get this job done yeah go ahead again looking for favorable support and March on this one as we are article two as well as article one when we finally get there 34 questions or comments on the proposed budget of the war articles yeah but they're not that important right Clancy 51 Dover I just have a question about what one quick question about the expense is is there going to be a more detailed list of those expenses such as you know what each facility costs such as the sau29 ministration building things like that or is this what we get two separate questions for reason I'll get to a second Tim do we usually put the line-item budget up when I put the app so when we leave tonight will have done a finalized budget and Tim's office will put all of those numbers together and publish a packet it'll be available on the district website as well as an in a handout format the first session that will include the line on a budget which is what you're referring to the specific item you mentioned. so you building the reason I bring it up is because the SAU the weird structure that we have here is on this is the King School District in the Canyons School District as a member of the SAU 29 but there's a stepper by that handles sau29 and that is a we just get handed that that number and it goes into our budget we can adjust it ourselves in the article or I think with the increase to taxes and stuff like that you know I strongly urge you may be slightly increase if that's possible because I don't think it's dollar is going to keep these people around landlords are going to raise our taxes because I raise our rent because their taxes are going up what was the deficit of positions open this past year you guys know that off the top of your head so the open positions at one point I believe was around 44 that we were given that sound familiar with that Tutors or is that every about tutors I believe it was around 44 Chris is a ton right about 44 248 and that number was kind of little because we we eliminated the number of shooters that we could not find and replace them with non-instructional Harris you put your point is well-taken though it is worth noting maybe it was me somebody's one thing that we tried to do is in this was what Chris was talking about with the redefining of the the classroom assistant position and as well as the definition of some of the paraprofessional test is address the fact that we haven't even before covid before this was before our economy blew up on this was a difficult position to fill until you tried to redefine all of the positions that provide those court services for students and then create Staffing that reflects that so we're not continuing to fund positions that were never filled but your point is well taken about the actual value of the of the contract thank you they also heard your consideration of of the increase the board doesn't have that prerogative to make any adjustment as it's negotiated between the two teams and they agree to where it was set at in the article speaks to so they couldn't change anything in that agreement that they both parties agreed to after the fact is it just something we could make an amendment at the negotiated item between the two sides and both sides come to an agreement which is why we get to present a collective bargaining agreement is but it's referred to as if we don't get to it an agreement then we don't have anything to vote on and so they've worked really hard to get to that point where the Tudors negotiating team in the board negotiating team said are we are we satisfied here knowing that it might not have gone the way either one wanted fully but somewhere in the middle we're both satisfied to the point where we can agree to it you know all of the this agreement is only for three years the teachers were for and that is is partly in response to that it was a recognition that while the percent was high the starting salary was low and we don't know if this will get us to where we need to so we want to be able to reopen those sooner and you know meet again with with the Tudors group and then find out how they felt about the last group and where we need to go for the next one and just at 5 Wednesday itemized budget going to come out is going to come out February 4th or no thank God we have time to be able to look over it and figure out how to make amendments and stuff like that ER so like a week before that ER I don't have a date is it at least a week before the meeting or as soon as I can do it come out I think I think I make it hard for constituents to be part of the process when we don't have time to prepare and know the system and stuff like that so I just want to leave you with that. I would appreciate it make it easier for everyone to be able to come here and know how this actually run so thank you thank you Ryan Tim's office I mentioned the essay you briefly There's 7 keen and six other towns and all of them are having this kind of meeting this week and early next week and his office has to turn around to these budget numbers were all of them so it's a huge undertaking he does that is out sooner than this one was out however I know the one I just sort of command Tim and Michelle the two of them I think I said it earlier in the board meeting the two of them gave up their their holiday yesterday and we're in the office working to get prepared for 2 you know they bark from Saturday from what are discussions on Saturday to get ready for tonight and then giving up a day and you know a holiday where they could have spend time otherwise we're going for went back to come in until prepare for tonight so they're giving up time to prepare as quickly as they can in so when Tim sets out I will get it as soon as I can you really means that but if it is Ft over promises and I who delivers then people like what you said it was going to be ready by 6 a.m. at this day and I assure you that he's given up time to make this happen it isn't my work that I can estimate we have $600,000 cut that we have to do with all the cost center managers I don't know where that comes out but I can't put the stuff out till we decide on that site at the meeting with everybody do that like it's other people I'm depending on before I can finish so I don't know the answer it's not that I don't want give you an answer we don't even have the budget set yet it's going to be set tonight and then I'm going to have to have other issues worked out before I can put out those documents if it can be done Friday that be great but I don't I don't know any final comments Nitro are you comfortable with your question coming up in the in the regular board meeting or did you want to get into the public hearing so I wanted to ask maybe doctor Maddie and Tim so if the family decides that they don't have the special needs care that they have in our district and they go to a harder School aren't we armed response offer them as a resident District to pay for their services and will not be more than the cost that it would be if we had the position and house and met that family's needs is that where you able to answer them yes we're still responsible it's too complicated to say whether it would cost more or not is not cheap I mean very dependent on my question is is as we consider this the and everybody is listening that we think about that because a lot of bro you can't give an opinion from the board at this time sorry that's my question is it would probably cost us more maybe then having the person here sorry okay I'm a novice board member sorry. They're not mad at me right you don't look mad none of them look mad at me right now none this is the kind of quality entertainment you can get if you come to our meetings more often all right with no more no more commentary on the budget or the current articles that will conclude the public hearing we're going to take a 5-minute recovery recess and then we will reconvene the full board meeting how do you make cocaine we're going to reconvene the regular board meeting from the public hearing welcome back to the Keene Board of Education regular meeting for whatever today is January 17th and we're going to retreat agenda to discussion or proposed changes to the we're going back up here to the part we skip cuz that makes more sense discussion or proposed changes to the 2324 school year budget Ron would you like to move the budget for approval yes the other number got to go back to me I think I have the appropriate number the 72 so I moved to approve the 2020 through 2024 budget at as proposed that 72383857 dollars do we have proposed amendments to that if anyone wants to move the tutor position that was moved at the last meeting and the vote failed so it would have to be somebody who voted no special education anybody wants to add the Physicians back into the budget Tim's not here is anybody remember the number can I did open for discussion it someone s at Randy yes it's open to discussion go ahead run so adding a position then but my understanding at least from Franklin is that there were three pairs added to support the inclusion model and that in the event that we added the special education position back in there will not be a need for those team members for it to me it's the motion is in to add in the full $259,000 but whatever that net of the pair reduction would be along with the special education so that the amendment or what that's what I'm thinking of what would be that's the message I just trying to say that then Ron you are suggesting a friendly yeah Chris I think the make dish clean one year the First Amendment to add and if that you successfully passes then someone makes an amendment to deduct those other three in those are really to check imparted base on the first pot passing if you put them both together and they don't pass okay fine by me all right so the motion is to add $259,000 to the budget to support the re inclusion of the three special ed positions that accurate and Tim's back I thought that was a number does that ring a bell to you to 59 I-15 the net that you're talkin about if you just did that one motion would be 74 to 08 sorry it's probably knows it has anybody want to speak 2 or against the amendment bro as I asked earlier in the statement question I want us to really think about what not having what positions would be in if those families felt that they weren't getting we do have amazing teachers here I know from personal experience then I think that we would end up just like the transportation for educate you know our education by changing our time now if it's $70,000 in buses because we change their start time but I think we really need to take a look at what that might cost us if we didn't have those positions and we couldn't support those families decided that they needed to go to a charter school where it smaller and they could possibly get that attention and then we'd still have to pay them and not get that reimbursement for them being in our district so it is I did read that it's it's not a reimbursement if they go to a charter school we have staff to service Charter Schools too so we budgeted first staff to serve as Charter Schools as well as referencing if we have a student in the district we get reimbursed from the state we get the tuition from the state right which covers some of the cost of educating and special education so the attic go to a charter school we are still responsible for the special education cost but we don't get any reimbursement from the state because they are not our student so the adequacy is what your address of the other cuz it is what we're targeting there shut up I mean I can't argue with that Monroe at all I mean if that's the case but this Administration certainly didn't put a budget forward where they felt like we couldn't serve the students that remained in our district were talking about going from and then I realized that this you done deal but it makes the administration look super irresponsible what we did was look at numbers for a decade where are special education teachers in the Learning Centers inclusion teachers had a caseload of 18 to 25 which is also the industry-standard from special ed which is also the most common number at all the other districts in the state and throughout the country and that number has dropped over covid to 1 to 10 so we are just trying to get back closer to where we've been historically and where we wanted to be so we would never have put forward a proposal felt like students wouldn't be being served so they would lead because they're under sir that mean Mahopac cost more if we were doing that but we're pro-education we want to do what's right for kids we want to put together responsible budget so whether you whether this is in or not the administration's not putting forward budgets where kids are going to be under serve every request by principal in this District except for the middle school which we negotiated was granted with respect to Specialized Staffing except those three teachers and they were all done with data and reason and every other request for stuff was granted this was not a budget cut simply an alignment for where we been for a long time where the rest of the state is and where special ed says it's the industry standard what do you put in or not is certainly your you're let me know what this process is for you here from the people and you may just do what they want because that's what you do as a board but we wouldn't put whether a budget and recommended budget that's bad for students based on their needs it's just not going to happen so I never in my mind I thought that was your intention or the district's intention obviously or this would be kind of a different conversation especially for me and you know that I think what we heard today and I experienced everyday my life is that numbers don't always tell the whole story and we live in a world that's very different we're numbers don't mean the same thing they did four years ago and I think as we continue to acknowledge that and yes covid technically it's not real over its just incorporate it into flu season now but I think what we need to look at is we looking at the weighted caseload which was discussed and that's something that was mentioned several times by the Educators and I think whatever process you guys choose from this forward to base your budget is up to you but that was just my question and recommendation based on what I've heard and what I've read and I do believe that you always have the right heart and I always get that from all of you I know that for sure, follow-up George real quick I'll be brief thank you bro I just wanted to make sure people know where we wouldn't put that for the reason that this matters to the administration why we try to put a responsible budget together is because you're talking about the three positions because those are the three positions that are being cut and people are attached to those people and position but if you saying that that that weighted-average matters that that there's other factors then shouldn't we be applying that across the district so we be talkin about doubling going from 18 to 25 which we have at we locked in the schools and saying now we need to go from 1 to 10 so we're talking about doubling our special ed teachers throughout the district if we believe that's what's to do and what I'm saying is the administration hasn't done those studies. we need to change what we've always done to double our staffing and what we're saying is well let's leave it doubled for these three schools ignored everywhere else and then go to the study and I'm saying and I think I said this before if if there's enough to believe that 10 to 1 is what we should be doing that's the only thing that can serve student then shouldn't we be doing that across fairly for everyone so that that's really where this come from like these decisions matter and these haven't been all for that long. Just added a teacher this year it's not like that was there and they were used to it they had it at this year with scant data we didn't have the data we did it we put it in general so we've gone to 1 and almost accidentally there so it's not like we were just making this stuff up we just don't have the data to say we should be doubling our special ed stuff you know so that's why looking at the data I know it doesn't tell the whole story but that's why I matters to us because we may do this now but has a trickle of fact if you if you turn your microphone on so what temp speak it was exactly right and you heard a lot of testimony from special Educators and the weighted system came into play but the reality is we don't have a weighted system it's not been something we've used to govern how we make decisions for caseloads vegetation so we use what we have available and what we've been working on over the past 10 years to make a decision and just support with him saying it it's exactly right it's the question has never been about for us saving money it's been about providing the right services for students and it would not feel good to be investing in some areas and then not making that investment in our other schools who would then be at a disadvantage Ethan has a wedding to that direction lowercase sizes so I think the point that the administration is trying to make is that we are charged with providing you with a budget based on the day that we have available in this year we used the date over the last 10 years that is consistent with how we made decisions and to use a new formula of a weighted system and its factor in the additional stories that you here today districts do that but you're not set up to do that right now so it would be a larger task so just wanted to support that feedback that Tim's giving you because it was a lot of work as an entire Administration including a cost center managers to arrive are we getting ready to go ahead thank you been thank you I'm like I did on Saturday with the amendment ministration staying here at the buck stops here you know there's somebody's feelings get hurt until it got stepped on and still be with an IP that got elected we take it on the chin it's our job to do what we think the best thing to do and we will do that and let the chips fly where they may you know where that said one thing I think we can agree on this beginning of the night is that revenues are from the state or down again and we kind of just shrug it off what Revenue to down again but this is serious if revenues weren't down if revenues actually we can went up a little bit this winter can be Dennis like yeah we know that we know the position to needed but you know we wouldn't be arguing about the Monies I'm just going to try to repeat what I said on Saturday cuz it's important we're 50th out of the 50 states and funding from the state you know we will you be able to governor in day and education Commission of a bright but a 430 million dollar Surplus for the governor it isn't a surplus when you owe money to cities in town one of the arguments I've been making over the past couple years as a state of New Hampshire just the milk that was the city of Kane 11 million dollars over the past decade 11 million dollars would have covered the whole four years that we just talked about for the teachers just in my TV LS1 Revenue source this is multiple Revenue sources every year at the state gets away with every do you hear something up in Concord that they say we're going to be Deuce attack so that really means nothing, just going to do some Revenue which means it has to be made up at local cities in town at a school at school board meetings for City Council meetings in Italian meaning that's what we all need to agree on here I think most of us and hopefully we'll agree that these positions are needed if the argument is over the few dollars I remind people if we really are that desperate to find money we can go find it somewhere else but this is education as a basic love these are young people the basic level that hopefully if we catch them now they'll be good adult down the road because it got me caught in caught proper education at a young age does not know that's what we know we need to spend the money and with that said when we look up in Concord we see what's going up there Collier State Rep the closing up up there right now we can get things done this year is that closed up there so I've always said silence is never an option if you don't like the way the revenue sources get on the phone and start complaining but in this particular case it's not our fault and I am going to endorse the Amanda the only thing I'd asked the board to consider if if you're going to put the three positions back in is the fourth Elementary School you put these three positions back in the Learning Center caseloads will go to an average between 9 and 13 in those three schools and it will leave Wheelock at 8 and a half so if you're going to put 3 and I think you know if we're going to be Equitable across start for elementary schools that you think that through very carefully and you know why not three why not four the area of Patty's done to all of our principals do an amazing job of delivering education but when you're going to lower the caseload numbers in the other three schools I think it's only fair that you do it for the other one as well so that's that's my only input you know I'm not I'm not telling you what you want to do other than consider the 4th one and don't leave them out on an island Preston I think we do a grade in Dutch Injustice 2 this isn't about the money $260,000 out of his 72-73 million dollar budget it isn't about the money we can go and say we put this thing in if we pay $260,000 I roughly compare it to the tutor so it's about maybe about $0.12 on to you the the tax roll so you okay it isn't about the money and we kept I heard a lot of things and when you hear a lot of people come up and talk I listen to them and sometimes people try to come up with different things that someone else didn't say one of the things I'm going is do we have a building principal requiring his or her teachers to work the longer than their contract hours and that problem before and as a board member I would not accept that we would have our workers have to work longer in that the building are expected to work all this extra stuff there. not getting paid for second we kept saying hours and hours and hours to write reports and if I'm listening to the way and I'm a bring them up this thing is writing reports is almost taking his 30 to 40 per-cent of the time taken away from Mom student instructional time I heard the most vulnerable students yes we have students that needs special ed in anybody who's heard me over and over again and a number of other assistance superintendent I put on the hot seat me personally I'm sick and tired of was worried about the top and 10% of the kids in the body 15% of the kids yesterday 15% of the kids who need special ed it's our responsibility to provide them what's necessary and hopefully we get them off special ed by the time I graduate from high school and become highly productive citizens we failed to do that at the rate we should be doing yes it is really good when we get to send kids to Ivy League schools or Stanford or MIT that is really that's something to be proud of what about the 60 or 70% of the kids you know I'll give you an example free reduced lunch we got some people kids that are right above cut off they miss meals aren't they both of them will catch the research says if you're not getting meals and things like that you're a Baltimore kid we should be taking care every single child's need whether it's special ed or a non what is it non that Nan would know that gentleman I know you had that your bundles would you use Saturday 9 or 9 something like that we have a lot of children who come from single-parent houses of the ones homeless children that if we just I've been that little bump up to get him to read better to get him to do beth better they become special and they become productive in this case I take it personal I'm going to kids my father when he went to sixth grade my mother went to 9th grade I had some good teachers I had a teacher that taught me how to read and I became productive none of my kids are on welfare all my kids are going to and if that's what you can do and so we need to keep stop saying most vulnerable kids I just a special ed kids some of us special kids come from higher income family who get a lot of other services so all our children are vulnerable all our children should be being taken care and then when I heard wait a minute because we have shortages here I can't do all my time in Special Ed I have to go help these kids totally ineffective of resources if we're so short on special ed and they don't have the time that number one priority should be 20 special ed kids not someone else I don't care if a principal has to have a class to make sure those special Aid kids get what they need and so it hurts me when say only special ed kids are most vulnerable kids we are responsible for every child that stepped in that door their parents expect send them out where did the plumber that's meaningful and to make them productive citizens in the country and solved yes it's going to be supported I don't agree with the process and everything I think it went wrong let's talk about all art student every student should we special we should we we should be working to bring out the potential of every child not special ed kids only let's go in the final if the building principals play Indie need this to take care of this special needs children why aren't they coming in and saying we need teachers in math instruction or reading instruction to get the other kids up the grades Georgia it went you was going to follow up yet ready got the money on Saturday for about 6 hours about those three positions we heard, tonight for about an hour and a half on those three position that were asked for but there's not a motion floor for the fourth position right now about why we shouldn't bring that up because of those were the three that were asked what I was planning to go, that was made on the floor in public appointment guess I'll good I'm good so yeah you haven't even spoken yet so yes go so I already said a lot on Saturday any of that I just wanted to say I think it's really important based on this conversation that we work this school year I'm creating a rubric which we think is really really worth what's going on was accurate with teacher could handle without you had just been leaning one way or the other too much no matter what happens tonight and something to think about when it comes to you never talking about these loads a regular education teacher you know has a caseload in the district of about 18 everything about you know what you think it was in the classroom whatever it is so the fact that you know where it's at and what not but maybe that's something that just needs to be thought of general you know if 18 regular education students that having 18 special education students to require the extra meetings in the IEP reviews and all the report and stuff that has to get done that's how you know it's a significant I'm in a lot of extra stressors in your day and something else that I just say often is that I really believe any investment in elementary pays off like you know times and times over by the time kids get to high school so that's something else that to keep in mind yes again so I'm probably the only undecided person at the table right now and Tim really touch them why I'm conflicted the testimony we heard tonight both from the public and teachers and from the other board members is much stronger than we heard Saturday I felt like Saturday was mostly an emotional plea probably because it was short notice that people had to come up with comments for Saturday but this board did Direct the administration to develop a budget based on our current student needs and they spent two and a half months working with the buildings to do that and that was where this determinate it came from and then two Saturdays ago I asked all of the building principals to come back last Saturday with comments about what was left off of their budget they would like to see and what was their wish list if we had all of that Surplus again this year and not one of the elementary principles came back and asked for those missing sped teachers no no Simon's ask for a current position they ask for a behaviorist know okay the one that the only one alright that actually matters because what has not been answer to me is what changed between the formulation of this budget and today because the administration did not do this in a vacuum they created this with building input now I don't know how the principles work within their own thanks to get input my hope in my assumption knowing the four of them is that they went with you work with you guys as well but that's why I'm conflicted the administration did exactly what we asked them to and they came back with a budget that supports our current student needs to the best of their ability and knowledge and the principles were in here justifying that budget for the last two Saturdays and yes now something has changed in between that time so that's why I'm hung up but yes you make I'm done I'm done I'm just battling now so correct me if I'm wrong crew over there but as I recall from last Saturday I think to answer your question George for what I'm recalling is you know those budgets and and your your no if you will write in terms of students and what their needs were I think that was sort of time-stamped if you will where Did We Stand October one of my correct on that roughly okay and if I remember right from some of what presented last Saturday and again we're dealing with with humans and with settling into a new school year that that's some of it was because it takes a little bit to ramp up in that new school year I'm not an educated but you know learning and hearing all of this that it it takes a bit of time to identify hey looks like Joey might need to get some testing or do is really struggling and so some of it is conundrum of you got to draw a line in the sand at some point with whatever you're doing right budgeting figuring out what your what your needs are going to be as some of this is where in this time for we're kiddos were sort of discovered and now they're being assessed but we've already sort of set that marker so I think that's what I heard on Saturday so I don't know if that helps George but I think that's where some of this has has shaken out if you will let me know if that help so I don't I don't think again it's you know I'm not casting fault any of that it's just again it's that human element to take time to figure out what kids need help and then is we heard tonight from from many of our Educators it takes a lot of time to just even do that testing and testing before you can figure out this person's okay is persons going to need extra help in these areas so I'm you know I prefer I see Ben and Brian both with their hands up so I don't know if I did a good job on that but that's sort of what I was yes I think there's a way last weekend. that's a part of it from what you heard on the previous Saturday another part that are costing her managers have you know they've been watching this and they've seen that the case numbers have gone down and in some of our schools use that as an opportunity to try different things and that's where you hear a lot about this model shifting is they employed a different type of model and you've heard co-teaching reference so do some of our schools have done elements of co-teaching some of God more heavy than others based on that excess capacity the challenges is that we're all we're in different places in our schools and we budget for the tires Keene School District cross the elementary school so a lot of what you are here is even when the building principals are speaking to this they're looking at it for their school and not necessarily across the whole King School District they're speaking more Central to what their school has been used would that capacity and as we were charged to look at investing in other areas as well so some of those supports that I've come out of different cost centers in the LL or in the charter schools was designed to help offset some of the load on special Educators in the building as these caseloads move up so there was a lot of factors that went into this and that might be playing into when you asked directly Principe they're speaking more centrally to their school and what they been able to develop in some schools Brian did you have more than cover what you needed I'm just trying to cross the sea something you know I thought we did our due diligence and made you know prudent decisions based on numbers straight numbers and now we're talking about three positions which then creates inequity disproportionate numbers with her with an R for elementary school and middle school which has 16 to 18 kids and arcade and you're going to talk about going to 10 or 12 on a Elementary caseload it just we looked at the numbers we made justifiable decision based on those numbers you can buy pathetically look at what could be. here be there 3 on field position we could fill those positions this year like we're talking about numbers could stay as they are and that were looking at rifting people next year not position so it is just I don't know I thought we did have a pretty I thought we did what we were asked to do and and now we seem like her back. Ali you know Joe 2582 there's been some talk by the way the caseload and I've looked deeply into that and talk with the Department of Ed they don't vet a wait of caseload for special ed in New Hampshire for any District so what people in my position do is we talked to each so I talked to the directors all around the state and we receive IEPs from all over New Hampshire kids move in kids move out teens IEPs are not vastly different than other eye if using the state and so my point is I really like the idea of having a weighted caseload and having a way to look at that and I know the folks in Hanover at Dartmouth are developing a way to do that and proposing it to the Department of Ed but until send the data points that I rely on are really the industry method that our peers are doing throughout other boards are doing throughout the state so we're really trying to follow those metrics as closely as we can if that makes sense thank you you're on number 40 did she sorry Kathy I know I just want to say that never like I told Tim that I feel that you guys did an inadequate job ever that never came for my mouth but never came for my where are my thoughts but I did do was listen to what I heard and what I know personally and that's part of my job is to of course worried about our our children and all of our children and so and listen to our community I'm here and so I think it's really easy to say this is not how we do things but that doesn't mean how we do things is always right and so I challenge you as you guys are very I listen to you guys present like new plans and you guys are very amazing to listen to when you show us things and I think that you are you are brilliant enough to listen to your teams and come up with something I just think that may be revisiting how things are looking doesn't mean that you did them incorrectly it just means you need to look at them again and be different be the first person that's different you don't have to follow lead and that's my point totally get that me personally row I didn't oh sorry that I formation I just wanted to say that I think the point they were trying to make his it's a it's a pivot in the middle of a cycle of budget and to do that under already a different pretty stressed timeline that work where we would be more than happy to move in that direction that's going to be better for kids but we don't have any real date special ed that can showcase that for us we have schools that have been piloting different models but we're tasked with bringing you a budget and so that's what we did but we are also very Innovative are willing to try new things and the first but I don't think this timeline would have it would have been it wouldn't have been possible in the timeline are we going off track and also running around in circles yes vote is to add 259 515 to the budget to account for the 3-speed positions previously eliminated in the proposed budget all those in favor which way are you putting your hands go opposed motion carries six to two and a half your hand was still up they know we got them Chris I am I make a motion to add whatever the amount would be to the budget so we would keep all at all preschools are credible 86505 bro seconded 2 years ago this board sat down and stated one of our goals was Equity equity Equity Equity Bowl to Walmart students give all a student Equitable opportunity Wheelock School in Franklin School buy some have some of the lowest social economic children in your school district we like school has one parent one that work during the day time and the other one works good night because they can't afford childcare and they're doing what the best they can for the children just because the parents don't show up at a school board meeting doesn't mean they don't care for their children in the future yes get 18 plus at we like the Wheelock should be at the same level as everybody else that's that's being accurate bolt that's giving all the children an opportunity in life as some people who said Elementary School is a critical time to get to these children and some people say research says if you don't have them by third grade you may never get them for the rest of their lives Rob so I am I recognized that we locked did not ask for this position and board member phileo was very correct in pointing that out when I spoke previously and so my apologies for that however I do want to articulate that we locked it not ask for the position because the proposed budget right-sized the caseload at each of the schools had had the other school had those in their budget that could have been very different for Wheelock in terms of what they're asked was they didn't ask because we were getting more consistency with one another so then noodles that a yes vote 86505 to the proposed budget to account for potential inequities in this bed delivery at the Four elementary schools those in favor post carries 721 did you want to do that counter Amendment if it's 1 853-071-8507 I would like to make a motion to adjust the Franklin Elementary budget but the removal of three pair of positions for a total of $185,307 second Tim your Ben what song is this an accurate adjustment it's accurate in Ark estimation then I mean they're not real people so one person might cost more or less but this is how we were in the dollar amount I mean is is that the proposed amendment is based on these are the approximate positions added to make up for the loss of the sped teacher in their proposed budget does this create removing these positions at that school does this create significant problems for Staffing there I would have thought it would but a proposal from the call center manager last time said that what positions were in direct correlation to the cut in teacher and that he would take that back I talked to him since and said he would get rid of those three changes and have the teacher back gladly that he plan on that as his it has his contingency contingency so he was fine so yeah I don't see that that is a challenge Rebecca and then run this was Ron's motion Ron should speak to his what you say from what I heard from both the teacher and the principal I heard the same thing during the public hearing and during Saturday that that's really what they were looking to do was to adjusting back all around the inclusion model Rebecca I was just going to ask if we were aware of the other three schools if there were other positions that were added to offset the loss of the obviously talk to you on the door but I like the other assignments or Fuller had they put other positions in to compensate like we know that no it would be a separate motion alright I'm sorry Chris this motion and again I'm not supporting this motion based on dollar figure I had I heard one individual who said a lifetime special ed Doctor Who clearly stated bad 3 professionals could not perform the duties of one special ed teacher so if we're given to special ed teacher back to the school these would be excess people the Melt a yes vote removes one 85307 from the budget to for the three pair has gotten so complicated added to Fuller to replace in Franklin to replace the sped teacher which we have now added back into the budget clear is my all those in favor opposed carries 80 the slight delay is because I'm adjusting the number as we go other proposed amendments to the budget the number currently stands at 72544570 which is up roughly 800 from what we came in at no 80 to pick up roughly 80 from what we came in at 54457 is that we have yep at least I can still mattered I had one comment on behalf of cost center managers the administration so we met as you can imagine emergency to figure out how we're going to disperse $600,000 which wasn't that easy as you thought I made $400,000 cut to maintenance if I said I was going to and I made which was not easy 350 was easy I said after that till I get 425 to Tech which was easy relatively but that left 175 that we kind of met on we we need to meet again obviously but it's proving more difficult to do that because of the exact slide that we put up today that their discretionary are supplies so I though High School able to outperform their proportional amount they need to cut most people aren't if you are a small Elementary School you're going to be cutting books and crayons and that's doesn't seem acceptable to do so we can get maybe a hundred so I'd like you to consider cutting that by 75 it's just too detrimental to try to get it all out of discretionary know we had ideas that were discretionary but we were clear that's where we were going Hugo and the real money in the budget is not in what we call supplies and books right for discretionary it's in people and programs so without cutting those it's just too it's going to be costly I think from cost center managers we have a whole list going but I think we can get to a hundred but 175 is we've only gotten to 155 now but we've essentially cut any asked that people had that was Booker Supply Beyond got a squad and I don't think that's the board's intention stop by the 5th at 4 just want to make a motion to adjourn, well does anybody wish to make a motion to draw what temperature said I will I would like to make a motion to the do I say do not trying to reduce that already reduced it by the 600 it's already been voted on and passed so if the real effect of this task would be to add 75,000 back into the budget if I like to make a motion new Administration to scratch and get back to me Jason discretion to add in $75,000 for this across all call centers second I don't need to speak to that beyond what Tim has said alright so yes vote is to address the challenge that they've run into all those in favor any opposed carries 80 I don't have a final total 72619 570 I hope 72619570 dollars up 1.3% overall yep, so the motion on the floor is to approve the budget as amended would give us a budget number of 72 million dollars 670 2619570 dollars any print out sorry on the floor any further comments or amendments those in favor of those in favor opposed carries 80 Tim there's your budget number a bunch of things to do right now we get boring so yeah you guys are free to go look look girl like this and get it in a minute because it has to be official and I answered your question you do not put that on Article 1 for SP2 I move that the board approves Article 2 and article for as recommended as written any questions on articles to enforce the contract when you go see it at all those in favor any opposed 80 on the warrant articles all right now I have to return to the report of the board chair because we had an action to take under that the education committee heard a request from the administration and the high school at their meeting how can I hear you guys are with this but they're hidden in State Staffing the state has a list of critical Staffing shortage topic areas if that topic that subject area that does not need the same credentialing you can shortcut bringing people on there is a provision in the state law that allows District to declare local critical staff shortages but that has to be approved by the board so Rebecca do you have the wording of that motion you Board of Education moves on behalf of the education committee that the game board of education authorized the superintendent to identify chemist World Language Mandarin Chinese industrial arts in Woodworking and Manufacturing is teaching areas of local critical Staffing shortages and according to the rsa1 8939 that was approved for nothing you guys had a full committee right yeah that was yep nose approved for Nothing by the committee yeah Rose because we had a motion in the Personnel committee can. We we we all agreed to that as well and pretend formational and so the Personnel committee accepted a bur passed a motion as informational to support the request from the education committee are any questions or not favor those carries 80 thank you guys we need to approve the budget transfers I don't have my motion cheat anymore just a bunch of transfer report right play I can do this movie motion to approve the budget transfer report transfer report dated December 2022 informational and questions I was in favor 80 any other public business before the board sadly I need a motion to go into non-public in accordance with our essay 91a 34 staff and student Personnel so moved well, please Jennifer hope second thank you bro Lancaster yes yep Rob do we need anyone besides you no no go home but they need to pick up the room are we able to go over there

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