December 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
  Roll Call (Superintendent Matheny)

  Superintendent Matheny conducts the roll call of the board members and student representatives. All members are recorded as present for the meeting.
• 0:01
  Chair's Report and Land Acknowledgement (Board Chair Ryan)

  Board Chair Ryan welcomes new board member Adrian Dowling and delivers a land acknowledgement for the Wabanaki Confederacy. She notes this will be done periodically at appropriate times in the future.
• 0:03
  Board Communications Segment

  The Chair introduces a new agenda feature, 'Board Communications,' for members to commend staff and students or highlight events. She then shares her own positive experiences visiting classrooms to observe literacy instruction.

  • 0:05 Rosemarie DeAngelis
    Board member DeAngelis discusses attending the high school band concert and the city tree lighting. She also mentions visiting the robotics club and expresses hope they can present to the board in the future.
• 0:08
  Upcoming Meetings and Committees (Board Chair Ryan)

  The Chair announces a busy January schedule, including a board workshop on the athletic complex, a regular meeting, and the State of the Schools presentation. She also reviews the updated board committee assignments.
• 0:10
  Student Representative Report (Angela Kabisa)

  Student Representative Angela Kabisa reports on school activities, including upcoming concerts, a technology family night at the high school, and honor roll announcements. She also shares news from the middle and elementary schools, such as Skillin's PBIS reward and Small School's Winter Fest.
• 0:14
  Student Honors: All-State Music (Superintendent Matheny)

  Superintendent Matheny, along with the Board Chair and Vice Chair, recognizes students who earned All-State Music honors in jazz, band, and chorus. Certificates are presented to the students in attendance.
• 0:18
  Student Honors: SMAA All-Academic (Superintendent Matheny)

  The Superintendent recognizes senior student-athletes named to the Southern Maine Athletic Association's All-Academic and All-Citizenship teams for their outstanding academic achievements.
• 0:20
  Curriculum Working Group Update (Dr. Joe Prince)

  Assistant Superintendent Dr. Prince provides an update on the first meeting of the ad hoc curriculum working group. The group is exploring whether to become a standing committee and researching how other districts structure similar committees.
• 0:22
  Superintendent's Report: Enrollment and ESSER Funds (Superintendent Matheny)

  The Superintendent reports current enrollment at 2,829 students and announces that the district has successfully spent and invoiced for all of its federal ESSER relief funds, a significant accomplishment.
• 0:25
  Superintendent's Report: Community Engagement (Superintendent Matheny)

  Superintendent Matheny thanks the community for its generosity during the 'Season of Giving' and highlights the successful Mill Creek Park tree lighting event, a partnership with the city featuring student performers and PTA groups.
• 0:26
  Chronic Absenteeism Report (Superintendent Matheny & Beth Kellogg)

  The Superintendent reports a 3% district-wide improvement in chronic student absenteeism. Brown School Principal Beth Kellogg then shares school-level strategies, including building relationships, celebrating attendance, and clear communication with families.
• 0:31
  Adult Education Report (Erin Krivicky)

  Director of Adult Education Erin Krivicky presents an overview of the program, highlighting its rapid growth and heavy reliance on unstable grant funding. She explains the need for a more sustainable local funding model to support the growing needs of over 500 adult students.
• 0:47
  Board Discussion on Adult Education

  Board members ask questions following the Adult Education report, focusing on support for professionally-trained immigrants, program accessibility, and funding needs.

  • 0:47 Angela Kabisa
    Shares that her parents used the program and asks about pathways for immigrants with foreign professional degrees to get credentials recognized in the U.S.
  • 0:49 Rosemarie DeAngelis
    Asks about transcript evaluation support, student anxiety over potential deportations, and the program's greatest need, which Director Krivicky identifies as stable funding for staffing.
  • 0:56 Rauscher
    Asks if students in the hospitality-focused English language program have successfully found jobs in the industry.
• 0:59
  K-4 Math Curriculum Proposal (Erica Mazzeo)

  Director of Curriculum Erica Mazzeo presents the recommendation to adopt the HMH 'Into Math' program to replace the current 'Investigations' program. She outlines the rigorous committee review process that led to the consensus decision.
• 1:09
  Board Discussion on K-4 Math Curriculum

  The board discusses the math curriculum proposal, asking about the selection process, comparison to other districts, and the impact on families and multilingual learners.

  • 1:09 Ryan
    Asks about runner-up programs, whether the committee looked at higher-performing districts, and how significant the change will be for students, teachers, and families.
  • 1:14 DeAngelis
    Inquires about how the new curriculum will be made accessible for multilingual learners and their families, given that the family portal is primarily in English and Spanish.
  • 1:16 Schen
    Commends the curriculum team for a thorough and thoughtful adoption process that involved a diverse committee and a clear, collaborative protocol.
• 1:17
  Mental and Behavioral Health Report (Erika Boulware)

  Director of Mental and Behavioral Health Erika Boulware gives an update on her first three months, discussing the local youth mental health landscape in the context of recent student suicides. She highlights the strengths of the district's staff and engagement with support organizations.
• 1:22
  Opioid Settlement Grant Update (Erika Boulware)

  Director Boulware announces the district is partnering with SoPo Unite to apply for a three-year, $500,000 opioid settlement grant. The funds would be used to sustain and enhance mental health services across all three tiers of support.
• 1:22
  Board Discussion on Mental Health Report

  Board members ask clarifying questions about the mental health report.

  • 1:23 Schen
    Asks for a definition of the three tiers of mental health support, which Director Boulware explains as Tier 1 (Universal), Tier 2 (Targeted), and Tier 3 (Intensive).
• 1:31
  Action on Consent Agenda

  The Superintendent reads the items on the consent agenda. Following a brief discussion about the donations, the board votes unanimously to approve the consent agenda.
• 1:37
  Committee Reports

  Chairs of the Finance, Buildings & Grounds, and Policy committees provide brief updates. The Finance Committee reports a stable budget outlook and presents the timeline for the upcoming FY26 budget process.
• 1:43
  Action on New Business: Meeting Calendar

  The board holds a vote to approve and adopt the school board meeting calendar for December 2024 through December 2025. The motion passes unanimously.
• 1:44
  Public Comment

  The board opens the floor for public comment on non-agenda items. One citizen comes forward to speak about the high school athletic fields.

  • 1:45 Reverend Priscilla Draymond
    Speaking on behalf of a citizen group, she advocates for natural grass over artificial turf for the high school athletic fields, citing extensive research on health and environmental concerns. She asks that her group be included in the board's future study of the issue.
• 1:48
  Adjournment

  A motion to adjourn the meeting is made and seconded. The board votes unanimously to adjourn.