Lauren Hartelius

The meeting provided an update on the Middle School Transition, focusing on the shift to a 6-8 middle school model. Key discussion points included a review of Strategic Plan Goal 4 and action plans to ensure smooth transitions for stakeholders. Specific areas reviewed were Scheduling and Staffing, where preparations for staff shifts beginning in 2022 and future FTE-neutral staffing plans were detailed. Student Services considerations, including equitable support and counselor planning, were addressed. The structure of the daily Advisory period, which incorporates SEL and executive functioning lessons, was outlined. Exploratory Structures, including new and revamped courses such as Visual Art, STEM, and Foreign Language Exploration, were presented, along with anticipated scenarios for student schedules. Finally, timelines for Student Transition Events in 2026 and planning for Elementary School changes, including preschool consolidation and construction completion at several elementary schools, were discussed.

The meeting commenced with the Pledge of Allegiance led by students from Highland School. Presentations included updates from the student council leadership team regarding spirit days, community service projects such as a giving tree and card writing for senior citizens, fundraising activities like desk pet adoption and holiday sales, and upcoming plans including a school store and a Winter Olympic spirit day. The PTA co-presidents detailed PTA traditions, fundraising efforts (including a fall fundraiser and dining for dollars), and their ongoing project to revamp the Highland library. Furthermore, the instructional leadership team presented the three main school improvement goals for the year: focusing on grammar instruction alignment with writing resources, aligning social-emotional learning initiatives (like Second Step and Zones of Regulation) to standards, and structuring data analysis and collaboration in grade-level meetings. Data review showcased steady year-over-year growth in ECRA scores for combined math and reading, with all subgroups meeting or exceeding growth targets in reading. Finally, the fiscal year 2025 audit was presented, covering legal requirements, objectives for reasonable assurance regarding financial statements, and the impact of new GASB standards (Statement 101) regarding compensated absences, which necessitated a restatement of net position.

The regular monthly meeting featured a presentation from Whittier School Student Council officers and the PTA regarding spirit days, service learning projects, and sponsored events. The Principal reported on Whittier's theme, academic growth showing higher than expected results in math, and school improvement goals focusing on ELA instruction, vocabulary support, and executive functioning skills. Communications included various emails and several Freedom of Information Act requests. The Spotlight on Our Schools segment provided an overview of the Fall 2025 benchmarking data, showing expected growth or better in reading across all metrics, and strong performance in mathematics. Superintendent reports covered personnel updates, upcoming parent-teacher conferences, technology use of attendance letters, updates on SASED Vision Program activities, and significant progress on referendum construction phases. Financial reporting noted that expenditures were on par with previous years, with a recommendation to use the arbitrage rebate to cover the May cash flow issue. Committee reports included legislative discussions on IASB amendments and a bus seatbelt resolution, and financial committee reviews of fund balance policies and cash point assessments. The Board discussed options for a new board agenda platform, ultimately deciding to transition to BoardBook Premier in December. Action items approved included 2026 health and dental insurance premium increases (3% for health, 19.5% for dental), adopting a resolution for individual procurement cards, approving revised building rental guidelines, accepting a piano donation, and designating surplus equipment.

The budget form includes estimated revenues and expenditures for various funds, including the Educational Fund, Operations & Maintenance Fund, Debt Service Fund, Transportation Fund, Municipal Retirement/Social Security Fund, Capital Projects Fund, Working Cash Fund, and Fire Prevention & Safety Fund. It covers local, state, and federal sources of revenue, as well as expenditures for instruction, support services, community services, and debt services. The document also includes a summary of cash transactions and a comparison of budget figures between FY21 and FY22.

The committee discussed the year-to-date report, noting capital expenditures for the Fairmount playground and debt services recorded under Fund 10. A 3% increase to health insurance rates and a 19.5% increase to dental rates for 2026 were recommended. The cash flow was reviewed, highlighting a low cash point in mid-May and funding options such as arbitrage rebate, working cash bonds, or tax anticipation warrants. Policy updates included reviewing the 35% fund balance policy and considering a revision to the capital reserve policy to accommodate a percentage contribution to capital projects. The committee will discuss this topic further in November.