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School Board — December 4, 2025

Standard agenda with no public comments, no split votes, and only modest discussion/questions on athletics and budget.

Date Thursday, December 4, 2025 Duration 2.8h Speakers 13 Decisions 7 Routine
▶ Video

Public ⁠impact

Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01

FY26 budget reductions and revenue adjustments

$99,094 in operations and personnel reductions plus revenue uncertainties from adequacy grant and enrollment Affected: All district taxpayers and students via staffing/operations impacts and tax rate
budget cut

Decisions ⁠logged

Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Approved minutes from November 18 meeting
Motion by a speaker, second by a speaker; no discussion.
Unanimous (all in favor, none opposed)
Straw poll on pursuing Bishop Brady football cooperative
Raph: Green; Jonathan: Yellow; Suzanne: Green; Andrea: between yellow/green; board requested more outreach to students/parents.
Majority support (green/yellow)
Accept $99,094 in budget reductions
Motion by D, second by E; passed unanimously.
Approved
Rescind policy IKFA Early Graduation
Motion by C, second by H; passed unanimously.
Approved
Approve suite of policies (IKE, IKF, IKFG, IHBI, IHBH, IMBD, IMGA, IMGB, IMG, EFAA)
Motion by C, second by H; passed unanimously.
Approved
Accept 3-year audit engagement (option 2) with Plodzik & Sanderson
Motion by K, second by H; passed unanimously.
Approved
Accept consent agenda
Motion by A; passed.
Approved

Topics ⁠discussed

Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 00:00 Meeting Opening and Pledge

Introductions of board members, staff, and student reps; third graders led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 00:49 Minutes Approval

Board approved minutes from the November 18 meeting via motion, second, and unanimous vote.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 01:21 Tribute to Former Board Member

Moment of silence and remarks honoring Aviva Nestler, who served -2 and championed science room updates.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 02:24 Student Performances

Harold Martin third graders performed holiday songs; photo taken afterward.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 06:02 Student Representative Updates

Lucy and Kip reported on fall sports successes, snow day, field trips, winter sports start, and upcoming events like concerts and plant pickup.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 17:18 Athletics and Cooperative Football Discussion

Athletic director Dan updated on winter sports, cuts due to participation, and proposed coop football team with Bishop Brady (Division 3); board gave straw poll (mostly green/yellow) with questions on costs, insurance, and logistics.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 34:45 Principal Updates

Kim (high school) and Dr. Sandoni/Patrice (elementary) reported on events, drives, clubs, tutoring, assemblies, and community activities.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 57:39 Student Assessment Data Presentation

Dr. Sandoni and Ms. Brown presented district-wide fall benchmark data (AIMSweb, EarlyBird) for literacy and math; discussion of MAP math/literacy data, Early Bird/AIMSweb screening for interventions, NH State Assessment (SAS) and SAT results including cohort performance, participation rates, and use for instructional decisions and trends; noting baseline timing and intervention use.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:33:04 Revenue Projections for FY 1999

Review of draft revenues including local sources, state aid (adequacy grant decrease), SWEPT, federal programs, and other financing sources like trust fund transfers and contingency use; conservative estimates noted due to valuation and enrollment uncertainties.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 1:51:46 Proposed Budget Changes and Reductions

Presentation of operations and personnel reductions (e.g., electricity rate savings, supply lines, PD, substitutes) plus additions for open enrollment tuition and audit costs; discussion of proposed cuts to operations budget lines (supplies, PD, retirement, Diligent contract), personnel (overtime, substitutes), and related impacts, based on actuals and cost-of-business increases; discussion of impacts on tax rate and Article 10 contingency.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 2:30:15 -1 School Calendar

Review of draft calendar including start dates, election/PD days, recesses, graduation, and ESY; coordination with contracts and other districts noted.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 2:39:39 Policy Approvals

Rescission of IKFA (Early Graduation) and approval of multiple I-policies plus EFAA (Meal Charging) and animal-related policies.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 2:42:01 Personnel, Donations, and Audit

New hire announcement, winter coach addition, Public Schools Foundation donation, and vote on 3-year audit engagement with Plodzik & Sanderson.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 2:47:39 Consent Agenda and Updates

Approval of consent agenda; brief committee updates and public comment on community events.

Speakers: Unidentified speaker

Controversy & ⁠dissent

Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.

Potentially controversial issues

01

Bishop Brady football cooperative proposal

Proposed coop team raises questions on costs, insurance, logistics, religious activity coordination, and whether it addresses participation cuts/gym shortages; affects student athletes and families
Board position: Proceed with outreach and due diligence before final decision
Internal dissent
Straw poll showed mixed signals (Raph green, Jonathan yellow, Suzanne green, Andrea between yellow/green); a speaker explicitly requested more information and timeline
low concern

Action ⁠items

Who owes what, by when.
Gauge additional student interest in football coop and communicate details to families; report back within ~1 month before NHIA scheduling
Assigned: Dan (Athletic Director) · Due: Within 1 month
Confirm with Primex whether existing liability insurance covers the proposed football cooperative
Assigned: Laura (Business Administrator) · Due: Before final decision
Confirm no additional cost or requirements for religious activities and coaching standards with Bishop Brady
Assigned: Dan (Athletic Director) · Due: Before final decision
Update revenue presentation to reflect $400k from Article 10 contingency and revised tax rate impact
Assigned: Laura · Due: Next finance committee meeting
Review updated revenue presentation and provide edits prior to January budget committee presentation
Assigned: Finance Committee · Due: Prior to January budget committee meeting
Develop new process for posting policies after ending Diligent community module
Assigned: Policy Committee (Andrea, Suzanne, Amy)
Develop new process to post policies after ending Diligent contract portion
Assigned: Andrea, Suzanne, a speaker (Policy Committee)
Prepare full budget presentation narrative for Budget Committee including details of reductions
Assigned: Amy/Laura · Due: Prior to January meeting
Finalize -1 calendar with HEA input and bring for vote at next meeting
Assigned: Amy · Due: Next School Board meeting

Notable ⁠statements

Aviva Nestler was thoughtful, asked great questions, and championed updates to the high school science rooms. — Unidentified speaker · Tribute to former board member ▶ 01:43
The district badly needs another gym due to high sports participation and cuts being made. — Unidentified speaker · Athletics update ▶ 18:00
Requested more information and a timeline before committing to the Bishop Brady football cooperative. — Unidentified speaker · Discussion on coop program ▶ 23:53
Sixth grade ranked number two in the state on NH State Assessment math; fifth in ELA. — Unidentified speaker · Celebrating assessment results and curriculum impact ▶ 1:23:57
Secured electricity rate of 10.31 cents per kWh locked in for 48 months plus hydro rebate. — Unidentified speaker · Highlighting major operations savings ▶ 1:58:47
New open enrollment tuition line required due to recent court decision; one student currently; highly unpredictable impact. — Unidentified speaker · Explaining mandatory budget addition ▶ 1:53:08
We asked for $100k cut; came in at $99,094 and matched contract effectively; outstanding work. — Unidentified speaker · Budget discussion ▶ 2:07:47
Board should retain flexibility to shift line items during year; do not want to micromanage small amounts like staff flowers. — Unidentified speaker · Budget discussion ▶ 2:11:08
State does not fund education constitutionally; quality relies on property taxpayers; supports future-looking planning. — Unidentified speaker · Budget discussion ▶ 2:13:13

Public ⁠comment

What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
No public comments were identified in this meeting.
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Report composed by grok-4.3, claude-opus-4-7 · analyzed 2026-05-27.