Croydon School District

Meeting Minutes

School Board Working Meeting

Time:
May 15, 2025
at 5:30 pm
Location:
Little Red

Meeting Minutes

  1. Called to order 5:01, Aaron McKeon
  2. Roll Call – Aaron McKeon, Amanda Leslie, Samantha Nelson, Sue Blair, Beth Bierworth
  3. Discussed Public Forum. Sue mentioned SBGA has ideas on how to handle public forum
    1. Aaron offered to put together a guideline on how the board meetings work
    2. Beth – the meeting is for the board members to discuss what is on the agenda. By law, have to have the opening/closing public comments. Board does not have to be answered right then, can be added to a future agenda if needed, public should be sending agenda items to the board prior to the meeting so they can be added.
    3. Amanda – Need to be sensitive to changing the way Public Forum is changed since it has been a conversation session for as long as she can remember
  4. Update on Sheaheen Funding from Aaron
    1. Sue got a phone call from the Shaheen grant. Aaron also reached out. Committee wanted to know if we were still interested in the money since town voted down new build. YES! We will find out this fall if we get the grant money. Something like 90% of project funded. Once towns are earmarked for funding, it has to go to Congress for approval. In the last 2 years, 1 year got funded, one did not. Once it is earmarked, if it is not funded that year, you are in line for funding the following year. Congressional funding can happen as early as January, more realistically April or May.
    2. Amanda – Is it they would fund 90% of what we are asking for? Yes, $1.5M.
    3. Sue – Questioned which to go for. Advised to go for Agriculture Grant as most towns do not go this route
    4. Beth – Could start next year putting funds away to get the $150k match to what the grant would need
    5. If we bring grades back, would potentially not pull in kids who already left
    6. Amanda created brief survey for thoughts on vote outcome, as discussed at district meeting
    7. Board could create a warrant article to include in next years district meeting. If we got the money, would you….
    8. Would need/want to look at how the buildings are separated. Covered breezeway, etc. Jim did not see an issue with attaching the new build by breezeway, would not change historical data
    9. For now, stay focused on our current obligation of CVS becoming PK/K
    10. Russ ? and Amanda Hulock – interested in the PK perks to Sunapee.
  5. Update on LCHIP Funding from Aaron
    1. Aaron spoke to Board Chair Ed Anderson of Sunapee. Sunapee is in a holding pattern until the decision at the state level open enrollment happens
    2. Need to get RFP out at soon as possible LCHIP folks want firmer numbers.
  6. Updates on Milestones
    1. No questions from Board on the Construction portion of Project Key Milestones
    2. Sue will handle the handbooks and give us the draft by the end of the summer. Board will approve in December and publish by end of December.  No questions from board
    3. George Chape had volunteered to be Clerk of the Works/Owners Reps
    4. Reviewed RFP draft – Has to be published in the Union Leader, should also put in the Valley News. Amanda suggested Donny Holmes to reach out to for ideas on who he would suggest. Beth suggested to bump timeline out 1 week for all timelines noted in the draft. Needs to go on School/Town websites, add to Facebook. On submission deadline, have a time that submissions end, maybe 3pm?
    5. D – HR -Current open positions. Teacher, Special Ed.
    6. Choice – Most pressure from timing standpoint. Who will be anchor school, if any. Renegotiate contracts with area schools. Start discussion with Kearsarge. Also starting discussion with Grantham, Christine. Meeting getting setup for Aaron, Christine and possible Grantham board Chair. Will need to come up with transportation policy
  7. Upcoming Meetings
    1. Next meeting scheduled for June 19 at 5:30
    2. School Board Retreat July 12 9-3, morning will focus on transition plan
  8. Additional Business
    1. 7 seniors, trying to get them to come to a reception in Croydon
    2. Amanda has cards for board to sign. Aaron is going to try to reach out to Tim O’Neil
  9. Meeting adjourned 7:00pm