Laura Donahue

The board meeting included discussions on food service options for catering events, efforts to improve afternoon dismissal times at schools, and strategies to support high school students with credit deficits. The board approved the transfer of funds from the fund balance to both a Capital Reserve and a newly created Special Education Reserve. Staff resignations, nominations, appointments, and transfers were also addressed.

The board meeting included discussions and presentations on various topics. These included the approval of minutes from a previous meeting, reports from special committees such as Budget Finance and Building, and a presentation from IBEW regarding trade programs for high school students. The Budget Finance committee reviewed August financials and discussed bus purchases and federal grants. The Building committee discussed real estate proposals, project updates including ventilation and water treatment, football lighting, and field maintenance. The Policy committee reviewed the community use of facilities and the student dress code.

The meeting addressed adjustments to the agenda, including staff resignations and appointments, and the tabling of the transportation employees agreement. Public comments focused on amending the SMP, citing concerns about students not recognizing teachers due to mask mandates and the mental health impacts on students. The board also reviewed communications regarding changes to the SOP, specifically the isolation period, and heard reports, including a report of the passing of a staff member. Additionally, the board received an audit presentation for the fiscal year 2021.

The meeting included discussions on staff resignations and nominations, adjustments to the agenda, and communications regarding property leases. The superintendent reported on graduation ceremonies and safety concerns, including collaboration with Newport PD and ongoing safety drills. Committee reports covered budget and finance, building projects such as the JROTC building proposal and lead testing in schools, and education, including behavioral challenges at the middle school and presentations from teachers. Tri-county vocational programs were also discussed, highlighting industry certifications and marketing efforts.

The meeting included discussions and actions on several key areas: adjustments to the agenda, approval of minutes from the May 6th meeting, and a discussion regarding communications with town officials about election costs and absentee ballots. The superintendent provided a report covering various school activities and proposed changes to the middle school schedule to increase content time. Committee reports were given, including updates on the EDS boiler project and bathroom renovations. The board also discussed and approved preliminary allocations and expenditures for various titles, authorized the superintendent to hire during the summer months, certified the results of the referendum vote for June 10th, and addressed staff resignations and nominations.