Participants
Everyone heard or addressed on the recording. There are no minutes to check spellings against; names rest on the roll call as transcribed, self-identification, the project roster and the attribution report, and unverified spellings are marked. Students are not named.
| Name | Role | Participation |
|---|
| Frank Sprague | Chair | Opens the hearing and the meeting and asks "Mrs. Woodman, could you do a roll call?" (0:01:17). Runs every item, describes himself as "the former, guidance student services person" (0:19:46), and tells the board the March ballot has "two openings in two candidates and it's Mike and me" (1:47:47). Urges a yes vote on the budget and agreements (1:48:45). |
| Rebecca Zullo | Vice chair | Absent. Not called on the roll and not heard on the recording. |
| Jason Benware | Member | Moves the agenda (0:02:18), the Youth in Government trip (0:27:22), the donations (1:45:25) and adjournment (1:58:03). Asks for kindergarten outcome data (0:11:49) and why a weak AP grade is weighted (1:42:33); argues against a joint city-school coronavirus meeting (0:51:47) and for spending one-time state money on capital needs (1:52:11). |
| Rob Lovett Jr. | Member | Answers the roll; the clerk reads "Bob Lovett, junior" and corrects herself (0:01:58). Moves the February 23 retreat minutes (0:02:43); the chair answers "Mr. Lovett". The only row attributed to him; the attribution report notes other lines in Benware's cluster may be his. |
| Michael Petrin | Member | Answers the roll as "Patron here" [Petrin] (0:02:02). Asks whether rehab assistant and paraprofessional are interchangeable terms (1:23:44) and how to route food-service questions (1:13:14). |
| Heather Whitney | Member | Asks about early-intervention data (0:11:16), gifted students, "because I think we have a deficit there" (0:42:03), paraprofessional training (0:44:50) and an APRN on staff for Medicaid orders (1:28:32). Business administrator Seaman says she offered to work with him on food service (0:57:59). |
| Carolyn Towle | Member | Says the retreat minutes "were not complete" and has them tabled (0:02:50). Asks for a joint city and school information effort on the coronavirus (0:49:36) and for rides to the polls for elderly voters (1:55:30). Labeled "Carolyn Toll" in the roll as transcribed. |
| Mary Woodman | Clerk and recording secretary | Calls the roll (0:01:56); asks Towle "Would you please send me what I missed?" (0:03:11); explains when officers are usually elected (1:48:10). |
| Michael Tempesta | Superintendent, SAU 6 | Presents preliminary entry-plan findings (0:28:51) and a coronavirus update (0:46:55). |
| Richard Seaman | Business Administrator, SAU 6 | Reports on his food-service financial review (0:54:56) and, in closing remarks, on the projected tax rate (1:56:57). |
| Ben Nester | Director of Special Education | Presents the Medicaid-to-Schools update (1:13:56); comments on preschool screening data (0:12:25). |
| Paige Jarvis | Director, Claremont Early Childhood Program | Self-identifies and presents the preschool program (0:03:58). |
| Preschool teachers (four) | Claremont Early Childhood Program staff | Introduced as "Terry Zullo. She's in one of the classrooms. Kelly Provost, Christina Sanford and Cindy Roberts" (0:05:43); spellings are as transcribed and unverified. One unidentified teacher narrates a taped classroom activity (0:06:11). |
| Mrs. Chesney (spelling unverified) | Head advisor, Stevens Youth in Government | Requests approval of the overnight trip (0:23:48); the chair calls her "Mr. Chesney" and then "Mrs. Chesney" (0:23:22, 0:27:19). |
| Steve Moss (spelling unverified) | Curriculum specialist, grades 6-12 | Self-identifies as "Steve Moss" and presents the program of studies (1:32:58). |
| Unidentified | School counselor | Explains the Naviance college and career program (Navy in the transcript) (1:36:27). |
| Mimi (surname not stated) | Staff member, by context guidance | The chair asks about book-award selection and then apologizes, "Mimi, I got your name wrong" (0:23:10). |
| Student representative | Stevens High School | Gives the student report (0:14:46) and comments on coronavirus news (0:53:50), lunch rules (1:07:00) and the teacher-preparation course (1:43:22). Not named on this page. |
| Public | Hearing and citizens' comments | No member of the public speaks at the donations hearing (0:01:06) or in citizens' comments (0:23:22). |
Order of business (reconstructed)
No agenda survives. The chair refers to "an agenda in front of us" (0:02:11); the item list below is reconstructed from his transitions.
Items in the order the chair took them up, with disposition as heard on the recording.
| Taken up | Item | What happened |
|---|
| 0:00:12 | Public hearing on donations | The chair reads "A total of $11,947.39, specifically for Chromebooks from money raised by Sue Taylor" and "a donation of $3,000 for the fourth grade trip from someone named anonymous". No public comment: "Seeing none. I'll close the public hearing." |
| 0:01:56 | Pledge of Allegiance; roll call | Six members answer; Rebecca Zullo is not called. |
| 0:02:11 | Approval of the agenda | Benware: "Motion that we approve the agenda as presented." The same row carries "I'll second that." in a voice the diarizer did not separate. Voice vote, Aye (0:02:26); no amendments. |
| 0:02:26 | Approval of previous minutes (February 23, 2020 retreat) | Lovett moves to accept (0:02:43). Towle objects that items are missing. The chair: "So we're going to table this until our next our next meeting." No motion or vote to table is heard. See flag 2. |
| 0:03:30 | Presentation: Claremont Early Childhood Program | Director Paige Jarvis and teachers; a taped classroom activity. No action. |
| 0:14:23 | Student representative report | Stevens High School events. No action. |
| 0:23:22 | Citizens' comments | "seeing none or close citizens comments" |
| 0:23:48 | Youth in Government overnight trip | Benware moves "to allow this trip to occur"; an unidentified member seconds (0:27:43); the chair calls the vote in one breath, "Further discussion. All those in favor opposed.", and thanks the advisor. No tally is audible; treated as approved. |
| 0:28:07 | Superintendent's report | Entry-plan findings; coronavirus update at 0:46:41. No action. |
| 0:54:33 | Food service: update on unpaid debt | The business administrator has no presentation and asks to return "probably at the next meeting". No action. |
| 1:13:32 | Update on Medicaid | Director of Special Education. No action. |
| 1:32:34 | Program of studies, 2020-21 | The chair: "We're going to provisionally approve it tonight." Vote "All in favor?" with Aye at 1:45:00. No motion or second is heard. See flag 3. |
| 1:45:23 | Acceptance of donations | Benware moves both donations (1:45:25); no second is audible; the chair calls the vote and an Aye is heard (1:46:09). See flags 3 and 5. |
| 1:46:17 | Future agenda items | A date for the goal-setting retreat (1:46:43); "the school board clerk compensation" (1:47:01); election of officers (1:48:20). The chair says the next board meeting "is going to be in April". |
| 1:48:45 | Announcements: the March 10 vote | Chair, Benware and the business administrator speak on the warrant articles. See flag 4. |
| 1:58:03 | Adjournment | Benware moves; an unidentified voice seconds (1:58:06); Aye (1:58:10). |
Discussion timeline
Times are taken from the dialogue transcript (Dialogue/10768 SchoolBoard030420.mp4.CSV) and link into the recording.
Topics in recording order. Snippets expand on hover or keyboard focus.
| Time | Topic | What was said | Flags |
|---|
| 0:00:12 | Public hearing on two donations | "A total of $11,947.39, specifically for Chromebooks from money raised by Sue Taylor. Sue, are you here? Is she not here?" and "acceptance of a donation of $3,000 for the fourth grade trip from someone named anonymous." The chair invites "any discussion from the public regarding our acceptance of those donations or not." None is offered. | POSITIVE |
| 0:01:56 | Roll call | The clerk reads "Bob Lovett, junior. Here. Rob Lovett. Junior. Excuse me." and "Heather Whitney here. Carolyn Toll here. And. Frank Sprague here." [Towle]. Benware (0:01:57) and Petrin (0:02:02) answer. Zullo is not called. | |
| 0:02:26 | February 23 retreat minutes tabled | Lovett: "I make a motion that we accept the minutes of February 23rd, 2020." Towle: "I felt the notes were not complete. There was a lot of things missing. A lot of conversations weren't included." The clerk asks her to send what was missed; Towle: "I'd have to listen to your tape recorders". The chair tables the item without a vote (0:03:30). | OBSERVATION MEDIUM |
| 0:03:58 | Claremont Early Childhood Program | Jarvis: AM and PM classes for 3 to 5 year olds, "We cap at 12 kids a class. We're at almost 90 kids right now." "We added a fourth classroom this year". A teacher describes a taped penguin activity covering counting, rhyming and fine motor skills (0:06:34). Afternoon attendance that day: "we had 39 today"; morning: "We have 45." | |
| 0:11:49 | Kindergarten readiness data | Benware asks whether incoming kindergartners achieve differently since the preschool began. Jarvis: "Last year was our first year screening kindergartners with the same tool that we're screening for preschool." Nester: "we purchased a test called the Brigance"; on how much data is needed, "three years would be solid". | |
| 0:14:46 | Student representative report | Eighth-grade transition night, a FAFSA night, the SAT for all juniors, a Signs of Suicide program for freshmen the week of April 6 (0:16:40), a Dartmouth College readiness partnership (0:17:40) and the senior play. The chair urges families to attend the financial-aid night and apply for scholarships (0:19:46); Towle: "Gave out 64,000." An unidentified speaker and the clerk add that the alumni association "Gave out over 100,000." | |
| 0:23:22 | Citizens' comments | "If any of our local people would like to come forward and address the board, seeing none or close citizens comments." | |
| 0:23:48 | Youth in Government overnight trip | The new head advisor asks "for the blessing to let youth in government go for their overnight trip this year." YMCA staff "monitor the hallways all night long"; "we have 24 students going to youth in government total this year from Stevens". Benware: "I think we need more civics. In our schools in general." He moves; second and voice vote at 0:27:45. | |
| 0:28:51 | Superintendent: entry-plan findings | "We've had 13 or 14 committees working this year in the entry plan findings. This is it's very preliminary." The strategic plan "will be a five year plan". Proposed school councils: "This is not replacing any of our existing structures." On contracts: "particularly with the up coming vote. Okay. For the budget, we worked hard to negotiate for contracts so that we could keep and retain the best and the brightest teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians and secretaries." He cites "the four new budgeted positions at the middle school" and a possible elementary restructuring with "universal pre-K for four year olds". | OBSERVATION |
| 0:42:03 | Gifted students, Running Start, paraprofessional training | Whitney asks for a stakeholder group on gifted students. Tempesta promotes Running Start dual credit: a freshman English credit "would be 2000 or $2500" if bought from a college. Benware notes a UNH talent-search program (0:44:05). Whitney asks for formal paraprofessional training (0:44:50); Tempesta describes micro-credentialing courses set up by Tammy Morris (0:45:27). | |
| 0:46:41 | Coronavirus update | The chair asks for an update after the superintendent met the mayor. Tempesta: district staff watched a Dartmouth presentation "along with 15 or 1600 other participants online"; custodians will focus on common spaces; he met the fire chief and city manager; "there have been a couple of exposures so far or presumed exposures in New Hampshire". Towle asks for a combined city and school effort (0:49:36); Benware: "Do I think that that's warrants having a joint meeting of city council and the Claremont School Board? No". Tempesta: "we weren't talking necessarily about having a meeting". The student representative reports a River Valley Community College closure (0:53:50). | |
| 0:54:33 | Food service and unpaid meal debt | Seaman: "I do not have a presentation as it relates to food for tonight." "not a lot of our kids are eating breakfast"; "If we've got 35% of our kids who are on free and reduced, we should at least be at 35% on that one." The Abbey Group contract "goes through June 30th". On the debt: "I do not have updated numbers. Assuredly, it's continued to increase". Towle and the chair are working toward a delegate-assembly resolution (1:01:30). | |
| 1:07:00 | Meal rules and caffeine policy | The student representative describes having to take components with a sandwich and an overflowing share basket (1:07:14). Seaman: "We have a policy that says, no caffeine. We can't sell a caffeinated drink." The chair cites a proposed state bill on freezing uneaten food for students to take home (1:10:18). Members will send questions for the Abbey Group through Seaman (1:13:14). | |
| 1:13:56 | Medicaid to Schools update | Nester: before the August 27 emergency rules the district was "getting back anywhere from 500 to $700,000 in funds annually." The new rules "were voted on by jail car" [JLCAR]; therapists may again order their own services (1:17:10), but paraprofessionals, or rehab assistants, account for "the lion's share" and their billable scope awaits guidance. "we have a six month retroactive period". Benware asks about the expected loss; Nester: "We put 290. I believe in the budget." The chair: the billing vendor "takes 8% currently", and a Newport office charges "30 bucks for each one" to sign orders. | |
| 1:28:32 | APRN on staff | Whitney revisits hiring an APRN. Nester: "we posted for an apron" [APRN] in September and candidates are hard to find; districts now ask children's own doctors, with parent consent, to sign orders (1:30:38). | |
| 1:32:58 | Program of studies, 2020-21 | Moss: technical-center introductory courses move to a quarter; a new teacher preparation course, "A lot of it has to do with the budget coming up in the March vote."; web and print design; Naviance; a structured language course for struggling readers (1:38:32); algebra 1 offered at three levels, "All three of those classes are going to be a year long now", each one credit (1:40:51); AP history becomes a full year. On AP exams: "a student who wants to receive the AP weight has to sit for the exam." Benware: "if we're going for competency, then why are we waiting something that somebody is not showing that they're competent in." | |
| 1:43:49 | Program of studies approved provisionally | The chair: "before it actually goes posted as the official program of studies. Any additional changes that you make due to whatever circumstances just come in and form us." "We're going to provisionally approve it tonight." Vote at 1:45:00 with no motion or second heard. | OBSERVATION |
| 1:45:25 | Donations accepted | Benware: "I move that we accept $11,947.39 from Sue Taylor's fundraising efforts to buy Chromebooks for the CMS middle school, as well as $3,000 for from an anonymous donor for the Bluff School fourth grade field trip to the White Mountains." The chair: "this is what we had the public hearing on here." Vote at 1:46:09; no second is heard. | POSITIVE OBSERVATION |
| 1:46:17 | Future agenda items and the election | The chair adds a retreat date and "the school board clerk compensation". On the ballot: "there are two openings in two candidates and it's Mike and me." Officers will be elected at the next meeting (1:48:20), which "is going to be in April". | |
| 1:48:45 | Members and staff on the March 10 vote | The chair: "Article two is the main budget." The three negotiated agreements put all bargaining groups on one insurance plan; if they fail, staff stay on "the very costly Blue Cross Blue Shield". "I think it was characterized the board's on a spending spree. I don't see that." "Mrs. Magoon is going to be getting the big, lighted signed by the police station activated." "It's important that people get out and vote. Support your schools. Support our kids." Benware: "the goal is next year to have two articles." Seaman: "we are still looking at a 56% reduction in tax rate." (figure as transcribed; the chair answers that his op-ed said "56% increase underlined", so the number is unreliable). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:55:30 | Rides to the polls | Towle asks that Southwest Community Services offer rides "to their voting stations"; the clerk describes how elderly voters reach her ward's polling place (1:56:10). | |
| 1:58:03 | Adjournment | Benware: "I'd like to make a motion to adjourn." Second and Aye (1:58:10). | |
Items flagged for review
These flags are a reviewer's aid, not findings of violation and not legal advice. Each names the rule it rests on, as that rule read on March 4, 2020, or is labeled an observation where no verified rule settles the point. No item here is graded HIGH.
MEDIUM No agenda, packet or minutes for this meeting survive in any district share
MAP.md records no Drive material: neither district share holds a year folder older than 2022, and the Meeting Minutes share starts at 2023. The recording is now the only public account of the donation acceptance, the provisional program-of-studies approval and the Medicaid figures. RSA 91-A:2, II, in the text in force from January 1, 2019, requires that minutes "include the names of members, persons appearing before the public bodies, and a brief description of the subject matter discussed and final decisions", that "The names of the members who made or seconded each motion shall be recorded in the minutes", and that minutes be "open to public inspection not more than 5 business days after the meeting" (statute text).
This page applies the MEDIUM limb of the project's severity rule because the record mitigates the gap: the chair works from an agenda (0:02:11), the curriculum specialist refers to "your board packet" (1:33:00), and the board approved this meeting's minutes on May 6, 2020 (May 6, 2020 page), so minutes were made. What is missing is their public copy, not their existence.
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II (2019 codification; source note ends 2018, 244:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2019)
OBSERVATION The February 23, 2020 retreat minutes were tabled as incomplete, and the retreat itself is outside the corpus
Towle told the board the retreat minutes "were not complete. There was a lot of things missing. A lot of conversations weren't included." (0:02:50), and the chair tabled them without a motion or vote (0:03:30). The retreat was a Sunday session of the board; the corpus holds no recording, notice or minutes for it, and MAP.md has no section for it. The clerk's answer, "Would you please send me what I missed?", and Towle's reply that she would "have to listen to your tape recorders", show the clerk had audio to work from.
The minutes were tabled again on May 6 (May 6, 2020 page) and approved on June 3, 2020 (June 3, 2020 page), about fourteen weeks after the retreat. RSA 91-A:2, II requires minutes to be open to inspection within five business days; a draft satisfies that, and whether a draft was available in late February cannot be checked from here. A member insisting that minutes record the conversations is the statute's purpose at work; the delay and the absence of any surviving copy are the open questions.
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II (2019 codification): minutes content; five business days
OBSERVATION Two approvals were taken without an audible motion or second
The program of studies was put to a vote, "All in favor?" (1:45:00), after the chair said "We're going to provisionally approve it tonight."; no member moves or seconds it on the recording. The donations were moved by Benware (1:45:25) and voted on (1:46:09) with no second heard. RSA 91-A:2, II requires the minutes to record "The names of the members who made or seconded each motion" (statute text). A motion may have been made off microphone, and the May 6 minutes approval suggests the clerk recorded something; with no minutes surviving, the recording cannot show who moved or seconded either item.
No statute requires a second as such; the requirement is to record the mover and seconder of each motion. This is labeled an observation because the defect, if any, would be in the minutes, which cannot be inspected.
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II (2019 codification): mover and seconder recorded in minutes
OBSERVATION Board members urged a yes vote at a public meeting six days before the election; staff remarks and district signs raise a question the record cannot settle
The chair told viewers "It's important that people get out and vote. Support your schools. Support our kids." (1:51:50) and answered press criticism of the budget (1:50:52); Benware made the case for spending one-time state money on capital needs (1:52:11). RSA 659:44-a, I forbids a "public employee, as defined in RSA 273-A:1, IX" to "electioneer while in the performance of his or her official duties", and ¶II forbids using "government property or equipment" for electioneering (statute text). RSA 273-A:1, IX(a) excludes "Persons elected by popular vote", so board members are outside the section.
District employees also spoke to the vote. The superintendent tied the negotiated contracts to "the up coming vote" (0:35:28); the business administrator, after the chair's appeal, called it "an important budget that will materially change the future of the financial makeup of Claremont School District." (1:57:32); and the chair reported that "Mrs. Magoon is going to be getting the big, lighted signed by the police station activated" and that banners were up at schools (1:51:25). Whether any of this was "specifically designed to influence the vote" (¶III) depends on facts the recording lacks: what the sign and banners said (a reminder of the date is not advocacy), and whether each speaker is a "public employee" under RSA 273-A:1, IX, which also excludes appointees of the public employer's chief executive or legislative body and persons whose duties imply a confidential relationship. The remarks about contracts and the tax rate were largely factual. This is an observation, not a finding.
Sources: RSA 659:44-a, I-III (2019 codification; source note ends 2016, 176:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2017); RSA 273-A:1, IX (2019 codification): "public employee" and its exclusions
POSITIVE The board held a public hearing before accepting the donations, including one below the hearing threshold
RSA 198:20-b, III(a), as in force in 2020, provides that "For unanticipated funds in the amount of $5,000 or more, the school board shall hold a prior public hearing on the action to be taken", with newspaper notice at least seven days before; for smaller amounts ¶III(b) requires notice in the agenda and the minutes and acceptance "in public session of any regular school board meeting" (statute text). The board opened the meeting with a hearing on both gifts, the $11,947.39 Chromebook fund and the $3,000 trip gift (0:00:12), invited public comment, and accepted them in public session afterward, with the chair noting "this is what we had the public hearing on here." (1:46:01).
Whether the newspaper notice was published, and whether the district had adopted the enabling article that ¶I requires, cannot be checked from the recording.
Sources: RSA 198:20-b, I and III (2019 codification; source note ends 2005, 188:1)
Appendix: source files
Official and public sources
- Cablecast: CLAREMONT SCHOOL BOARD meeting of 3/4/20 (show 10768; run time from the Cablecast API not retrieved, the API returned 403 on 2026-10-02)
- Google Drive: no packet folder, agenda or minutes. MAP.md: "neither share holds a year folder older than 2022, and the Meeting Minutes share starts at 2023 (checked 9/26/26)." Not searched again for this page, per the run instructions for meetings with no Drive material.
- Related pages: May 6, 2020 meeting (approves these minutes; tables the retreat minutes again); June 3, 2020 meeting (approves the retreat minutes)
Project files
Working files this page was built from. The dialogue file is linked; the others are not published with the page.
Dialogue/10768 SchoolBoard030420.mp4.CSV (610 attributed rows; the basis of this page)Input/Videos/10768 SchoolBoard030420.mp4Input/Transcripts/10768 SchoolBoard030420.mp4.jsonInput/SupportingDocuments/MAP.md, section 125Scripts/attribution_reports_2015_2023/10768 SchoolBoard030420.mp4.md (speaker attribution report)
Laws and rules cited on this page
- RSA 91-A:2, II, 2019 codification (source note ends 2018, 244:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2019): minutes content, mover and seconder, five-business-day inspection
- RSA 198:20-b, I and III, 2019 codification (source note ends 2005, 188:1; in force until 2023, 38:1): unanticipated funds; prior hearing at $5,000 or more
- RSA 659:44-a, 2019 codification (source note ends 2016, 176:1): electioneering by public employees
- RSA 273-A:1, IX, 2019 codification (source note ends 2014, 13:1, 2): definition of "public employee"