July Regular Meeting

Note: Transcripts are generated from video auto-captions. While highly accurate, they are non-official and do not meet State Archivist record-keeping requirements.

• 0:00
  Call to Order and Roll Call

  The meeting begins with a roll call of the board members.
• 0:00
  Pledge of Allegiance

  The board and audience stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
• 0:02
  Student Representative Report (Eliot Wertheimer)

  Eliot Wertheimer reports on student achievements, including ArnaudSiohofor winning the GatoradeMaineTrackandFieldAthleteof theYear award. He also discusses summer programs like the MaineConstrictionAcademy ELO, Summer Academy credit earnings, and various rec camps, and notes the district's participation in the PortlandPrideParade.
• 0:05
  Superintendent's Report (Tim Matheney)

  Superintendent Matheney highlights ongoing summer programs and partnerships, and notes the five-year anniversary of the board's vote to approve the middle school referendum. He introduces upcoming presentations on AI and high school data.
• 0:08
  Artificial Intelligence Steering Committee Update (Andy Wallace)

  AndyWallace, Director of Technology, provides an update on the AISteeringCommittee's work. The committee has decided to adopt a 'walled garden' software tool, Magic School AI, to allow teachers to control which AI tools students can access for specific assignments.
• 0:19
  Board Discussion on AI Initiative

  Board members ask questions and comment on the AI initiative.

  • 0:19 Claire Holman
    Ms. Holman expresses support for the 'walled garden' approach and requiring instructor competency, noting the importance of guarding against AI's potential for inaccuracy and bias.
  • 0:19 Elyse T DeAngelis
    Ms. DeAngelis asks about the scope of the AI rollout beyond the high school and the primary areas of disagreement within the committee. Mr. Wallace confirms the tool is for all grade levels and identifies debates around the creative process and the potential overuse of AI for writing.
  • 0:27 Anjeloise Kabisa
    Ms. Kabisa suggests using an extended home base period for AI training at the high school, as morning home base attendance is often low.
  • 0:27 Susan Rauscher
    Ms. Rauscher thanks Mr. Wallace for the work and suggests that as AI matures, it should be integrated into a formal curriculum committee, which the board plans to discuss in August.
• 0:29
  SPHS Data Update (Sarah Glenn)

  SarahGlenn, in her first presentation as SPHS Principal, shares end-of-year data. She reports a 6.8% decrease in chronic absenteeism, a 66% reduction in out-of-school suspensions, and a decrease in the course failure rate from 6.7% to 4.4%.
• 0:35
  Board Discussion on SPHS Data

  Board members ask for clarification and further details on the high school data.

  • 0:35 Molly Schen
    Ms. Schen asks for the overall student body absentee rate to compare with the chronic absenteeism data.
  • 0:37 Jennifer Ryan
    Ms. Ryan asks for a breakdown of chronic absenteeism between planned and unplanned absences and what a reasonable goal for this metric would be.
  • 0:39 Elyse T DeAngelis
    Ms. DeAngelis asks if the course failure rate data is for all courses or just required ones and requests a breakdown by department to identify trends.
  • 0:40 Nicole Ratliff
    Ms. Ratliff asks about the new goal for chronic absenteeism and what strategies led to the recent improvement.
  • 0:42 Anjeloise Kabisa
    Ms. Kabisa questions why the chronic absenteeism rate increased between the 21-22 and 22-23 school years and what plans are in place to prevent a recurrence.
• 0:45
  Facility Improvement Projects Overview (Tim Matheney)

  Superintendent Matheney presents the details of three proposed bond referendums totaling $16.2 million. The projects include $3M for elementary school security, $1M for deferred maintenance, and $12.2M for the SPHS stadium complex, for which he recommends IRONTURF and BrockFILL products.
• 1:01
  Board Discussion on Facility Improvements

  The board engages in a lengthy discussion about the facility proposals, particularly the stadium project and the choice between natural grass and synthetic turf.

  • 1:01 Claire Holman
    Ms. Holman questions the cost difference between the synthetic turf option and a natural grass option, which is about $3 million cheaper. She expresses concern about being locked into expensive plastic fields that require replacement and disposal.
  • 1:06 Jennifer Ryan
    Ms. Ryan notes that a natural grass surface doesn't solve the main issue of playability, as it would still be subject to frequent cancellations due to weather, limiting its use for both school and community activities.
  • 1:10 Anjeloise Kabisa
    Ms. Kabisa argues that investing in a more expensive but durable and highly usable turf field is a better long-term value proposition than a cheaper natural grass field that will require more money over time.
  • 1:11 Susan Rauscher
    Ms. Rauscher shares research from peer-reviewed journals indicating that while results are mixed, turf fields are associated with a lower rate of head injuries. She also notes that athletes need to practice on turf to avoid injuries when competing on it.
  • 1:12 Elyse T DeAngelis
    Ms. DeAngelis emphasizes that the board's role is to send the questions to the voters, who will make the ultimate decision. She states her support for letting the public decide on the three separate referendum items.
• 1:25
  Public Comment on Agenda Items

  The board opens the floor for public comment on agenda items. All speakers address the proposed facility referendums, with a strong focus on supporting the stadium renovation and synthetic turf.

  • 1:26 Andrew Greeley
    Mr. Greeley expresses support for all three referendums, highlighting the importance of security and functional roofs. He points out the irony of having a Gatorade Player of the Year in track while the home track is falling apart and not regulation size.
  • 1:27 Rick Bartucca
    As a parent and youth football coach, Mr. Bartucca speaks in favor of the turf field for its reliability, which would prevent game cancellations and transportation hardships. He also notes the benefit of having a durable outdoor space for community use.
  • 1:29 Amy McLaughlin
    Ms. McLaughlin, a parent of a middle schooler, supports the turf field, citing the increasing rain due to climate change and the difficulty of finding playable fields for youth sports, which often leads to cancellations or long-distance travel.
  • 1:30 Brad Ross
    Mr. Ross, a coach for multiple youth sports, states his support for the turf field. He argues that while the current grass field at Wainwright is great, it's often unusable, and a reliable field is a clear win for student-athletes.
  • 1:31 Janet Grant
    Ms. Grant, president of multiple youth sports leagues, argues that while the district meets academic needs, it is failing its athletes. She describes the embarrassing state of the current facilities, including the smell from porta-potties, and cites a 28% reduction in concussion risk on turf fields.
  • 1:33 Jen Bartucca
    Ms. Bartucca supports all three referendums and urges the board to let the community vote. She encourages citizens to research the issue, noting that the proposed IRONTURF is recyclable and that natural loam used on grass fields can contain PFAS.
  • 1:35 JD Dobson
    As the football boosters president, Mr. Dobson calls the current stadium facilities embarrassing and a deterrent for families considering the district. He argues that the poor state of the fields shows a lack of care for student-athletes and their safety.
  • 1:37 Ralph Baxter
    A former board member, Mr. Baxter urges the board to send the referendum forward, recalling a past instance where a project was blocked from a public vote. He highlights benefits for the marching band, field hockey, and physical education classes, and notes the significant cost increase from when the project was last proposed a decade ago.
• 1:41
  Consent Agenda Vote

  The board votes on the consent agenda, which includes approving minutes, new personnel hires, and rescinding a long list of outdated policies. The motion passes unanimously.
• 1:42
  Finance Committee Report (Molly Schen)

  Ms. Schen reports that the FY24 budget is closing with a very thin margin but likely in the black. She also notes that grant drawdowns are caught up and celebrates a new $169,000 summer learning grant.
• 1:43
  Policy Committee Report (Claire Holman)

  Ms. Holman reports that the committee is continuing its work, led by Joe Prince, to review and clean up the district's policies. A number of policies are up for a first read.
• 1:45
  Vote on New Business Item 8.1 (Security)

  The board votes to recommend a referendum for up to $3 million for school security improvements. The motion passes unanimously.
• 1:45
  Vote on New Business Item 8.2 (Maintenance)

  The board votes to recommend a referendum for up to $1 million for deferred maintenance projects. The motion passes unanimously.
• 1:46
  Vote on New Business Item 8.3 (Stadium)

  The board debates and votes on the stadium complex referendum. Ms. DeAngelis successfully moves to amend the motion to explicitly include 'synthetic turf fields' and adjust the cost, which passes 6-1. The board then passes the amended motion 6-1 to send the referendum to the City Council.
• 1:55
  Executive Session

  The board votes unanimously to enter into executive session to discuss the evaluation of the superintendent.
• 1:56
  Adjournment

  The board votes to adjourn the meeting at 9:25 PM.