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
  Roll Call

  The superintendent conducts the roll call. All board members are present, while both student representatives are absent.
• 0:03
  Introduction of New Superintendent (Angela Atkinson Duina)

  Chair DeAngelis welcomes new Superintendent Angela Atkinson Duina. Dr. Atkinson Duina briefly introduces herself, noting her previous role in Portland and her excitement to be in South Portland.
• 0:03
  Superintendent's Report (Angela Atkinson Duina)

  Dr. Atkinson Duina reports on her first four days, mentioning summer work like security upgrades and reconfiguration planning. She notes she has begun entry meetings with stakeholders to understand district needs and build relationships, and announces four staff resignations.
• 0:06
  Public Comment

  The first public comment session is opened.

  • 0:08 Carl Parsons
    A resident of South Portland, he expresses disappointment in the closure of Kaler Elementary and notes miscommunication in the community about budgetary issues. He advocates for educating voters on the importance of funding education, supporting the immigrant community, and ensuring fair teacher compensation.
• 0:11
  Finance Committee Report (Abigail Ketchen)

  Director of Finance Abigail Ketchen provides an update on the FY26 year-end financials. She reports that the spending freeze was successful and the district is unlikely to land in the worst-case deficit scenario, though she urges caution as reconciliations are ongoing.
• 0:15
  Board Discussion on Finance Report

  Board members discuss the finance update, acknowledging the "great cost" of the spending freeze on staff.

  • 0:15 Richardson
    She questions if there is a way to offer a one-time reimbursement to teachers for out-of-pocket expenses incurred during the freeze. She also asks for a future discussion on whether to use the city's offered financial help, given the better-than-expected outcome.
  • 0:20 Holman
    She expresses gratitude to staff for their participation in the belt-tightening, which has led to a better financial place. She also clarifies for the public the city's offer of up to $2 million in aid.
  • 0:21 Feller
    He asks if this positive trend means the district will not need to ask the city for financial assistance. Ms. Ketchen replies it is still too soon to tell definitively.
• 0:24
  Policy Committee Report (Rosemary DeAngelis)

  Chair DeAngelis reports that the second read of the cell phone policy (JICI) is on the agenda. She clarifies the board is only voting on the policy itself, not the implementation procedures, which are still being developed.
• 0:26
  Statement on Cell Phone Policy (Sarah Lupien)

  Chair DeAngelis reads a statement from absent student representative Sarah Lupien. The statement outlines pros and cons of various enforcement options (Yondr pouches, lockers, classroom boxes) and ultimately recommends an "off and away" policy as the most practical and cost-effective initial solution.
• 0:31
  Board Discussion on Cell Phone Policy Procedures

  Board members discuss the timeline and process for developing the cell phone policy's implementation procedures.

  • 0:31 Richardson
    She questions how the policy will be implemented on day one if the procedures aren't formally adopted by the board beforehand. She argues that high-level concepts like "off and away" vs. "locked away" warrant full board discussion and consensus.
  • 0:32 Andy Wallace
    He explains the plan for administrators to develop school-specific plans based on board-approved elements. These plans will be in place for day one and will be communicated to families, with opportunities for revision based on feedback and data throughout the year.
  • 0:44 Holman
    She expresses surprise at the limited board input on the procedures and concern over the potential burden placed on teachers for enforcement under an "off and away" model.
• 0:49
  Buildings & Grounds Committee Report (Daniel Feller)

  Member Feller provides a brief update. He notes that the grass on the middle school field is growing well, the Secure SPO project is on time and budget, and school cleaning projects are on schedule.
• 0:51
  Consent Agenda Approval

  The board unanimously approves the consent agenda, which includes meeting minutes, new personnel elections, and two grants.
• 0:53
  Vote on Policy JICI (Cell Phones)

  The board unanimously approves the second read of Policy JICI, which establishes a bell-to-bell restriction on student cell phone use.
• 0:54
  Vote on SPMS Field Trip

  The board unanimously approves an overnight field trip for South Portland Middle School students to Camp Kieve in October.
• 0:55
  Public Comment

  The second public comment session is opened.

  • 0:56 Corinne Altham
    As the librarian at Brown Elementary and SPTA vice president, she welcomes the new superintendent. She then directly addresses the finance report, stating that the budget freeze was not theoretical and resulted in schools running out of basic supplies like paper and markers, forcing teachers to spend their own money.
• 0:59
  School Board Communications

  Board members share announcements and reflections.

  • 1:00 Feller
    He states that looking ahead to the next budget, the district cannot sustain another year of cuts and must be prepared to accept a higher tax increase to properly fund schools.
  • 1:01 Richardson
    She expresses her excitement for the new superintendent, praising her calm demeanor and leadership qualities.
  • 1:02 DeAngelis
    She recounts attending several recent community and school events, including Kaler's Community Night, the track banquet, and a Kaler family night, noting the emotional nature of the school's closing.
• 1:04
  Adjournment and Workshop Introduction

  The regular meeting is adjourned. Chair DeAngelis introduces the Board Workshop on elementary school reconfiguration, to be led by Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jo Prince.
• 1:11
  Workshop Presentation (Dr. Jo Prince)

  Dr. Prince begins the workshop by outlining the goals: to generate discussion and provide input to the steering committee on community priorities. She reviews the history of the reconfiguration discussion, the roles of the board vs. the steering committee, and the key drivers, including demographic imbalances and academic outcome disparities across schools.
• 1:26
  Workshop Activity: Sorting Priorities

  Dr. Prince explains the group activity. Participants, including board members and the public, break into small groups to sort 17 potential priorities (e.g., socioeconomic balance, walkability, programmatic value) into high, medium, and low categories to surface areas of consensus and disagreement.
• 2:12
  Board Discussion on Reconfiguration

  The board reconvenes to discuss their priorities and provide guidance to the reconfiguration committee based on the workshop activity.

  • 2:12 Feller
    He suggests considering three distinct options, argues against minimizing the disruption of a transition year because the current boundaries are nonsensical, and states his non-negotiable is redrawing attendance zones this year. He also warns that a simple east/west grade-band split is unworkable due to Skillin's larger capacity.
  • 2:15 Smith
    He emphasizes that the goal should be equitable access to education for the highest-need students, not just hitting percentage targets. He frames the issue as a necessary step to address the city's deep segregation, stating that schools are the primary place to begin that work.
  • 2:17 Holman
    She agrees that addressing the inequity caused by socioeconomic disparity is a top priority for her. She states the board can no longer look away from the fact that some students are not getting an equitable education.
  • 2:21 Richardson
    She states her priority is to find a solution based on research and precedent that has successfully improved academic outcomes in other districts. She stresses the need to understand the financial cost of any plan and to be sensitive to families, like those from Kaler, who have already been moved once.
  • 2:24 DeAngelis
    She identifies her priorities as balancing socioeconomic populations, creating more opportunities for teacher collaboration, and maximizing the use of school buildings. She states that the impact on parents driving to multiple schools is a lower priority for her, as busing and walking are the district's provided options.
• 2:37
  Public Comment on Reconfiguration

  A final public comment session is held for community members to react to the workshop and board discussion.

  • 2:38 Carl Parsons
    He praises the conversation but highlights the need for more representation from the immigrant community in future workshops. He suggests the reconfiguration discussion must also include collaboration with the City on infrastructure like sidewalks and affordable housing to support any changes.
  • 2:41 Mike Knapp
    He questions how much of the demographic imbalance was already solved by the closure of Kaler and asks for more data on that. He expresses skepticism that reconfiguration would not have significant financial costs, particularly related to transportation, and urges a thorough cost analysis.
  • 2:44 Allison Springer
    She emphasizes that for many working parents, proximity to their child's elementary school is an incredibly high priority. She argues that the logistics of pickups for sick children, volunteering, and the general "choreography" of parenting young children make neighborhood schools a vital part of the community fabric.
• 2:47
  Workshop Closing and Adjournment

  Chair DeAngelis thanks Dr. Prince and the participants, noting this is the first of at least four workshops. She acknowledges the need to improve outreach and potentially hold meetings in different locations to increase participation from underrepresented communities before adjourning the meeting.