Participants
Everyone heard or named as present. Spellings follow the agenda and minutes; where the minutes name a speaker the dialogue file leaves unlabeled, the note says so. 36.8% of dialogue rows are unidentified, most of them the high school administrator's answers on the handbook.
| Name | Role | Participation |
|---|
| Heather Whitney | Vice Chair, presiding | Presides; summarizes the board's support for restorative justice (0:13:43); asks about weighting of VLACS and Running Start courses (0:19:13), the grading chart (0:19:57) and transgender athletics eligibility (0:21:00); nominates committee co-chairs; moves to adjourn (0:39:45). |
| Frank Sprague | Member | Questions the restorative-justice option for serious offenses (0:02:26) and the student-parking rule (0:15:13); moves the middle and elementary handbooks (0:23:26, 0:24:56); nominates Whitney Skillen as NHSBA delegate (0:25:25); named alternate; named liaison and co-chair of the scheduling committee (0:34:42). |
| Whitney Skillen | Member | Clarifies how the infraction chart works (0:12:27); seconds the high school handbook (0:22:58); elected NHSBA delegate (0:25:35) and co-chair of the elementary restructuring committee (0:33:27); asks for an audit update (0:36:04) and an agenda item on exit interviews and retiree recognition (0:38:04). |
| Joshua Lambert | Member | Moves the agenda (0:01:47); explains how restorative justice could follow a weapons offense (0:11:34); named co-chair and liaison of the curriculum committee (0:32:02); reads the transgender-student policy's athletics clause (0:35:03). |
| Bonnie Miles | Member | Present (minutes; “Josh third and Bonnie forths it.” 0:25:35). The minutes name her as mover of the high school handbook; the motion at 0:22:56 is unlabeled in the dialogue file. Named co-chair of the capital improvement committee (0:27:38). |
| Michael Petrin | Chair, Absent | Absent (minutes). Named, in absence, co-chair of the budget subcommittee: “Mike's not here. He can't defend himself.” (0:28:39). |
| Steven Horsky | Member, Absent | Absent (minutes). Named co-chair of the policy subcommittee (0:29:19). |
| Chris Pratt | Principal, Stevens High School (minutes) | Answers on the discipline matrix and restorative justice (0:04:32) and on course weighting (0:19:29). The minutes name “Principal Chris Pratt”; the dialogue file leaves his voice unidentified. |
| Michael Tempesta | Superintendent, SAU 6 | Supports the restorative approach with clearer wording (0:14:18); on curriculum committee meeting times (0:29:54) and committee size (0:34:14). The dialogue file's label rests on role content (medium confidence). |
| Michael Koski | Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum (agenda) | Curriculum committee to begin at the end of September (0:31:06). Label medium confidence. |
| Richard Seaman | Assistant Superintendent for Finance, Operations and Human Resources (agenda) | Audit schedule and grant compliance (0:36:33). |
| Unidentified staff member | Technical center or high school staff | Explains why an engineering elective is not listed among technical center programs (0:18:49). |
| Melissa Small | Recording secretary (submitted the minutes) | Calls the roll (0:00:45). |
| Citizens | None | No one spoke at citizens' comments (0:01:24). |
Agenda
The posted agenda (Claremont School Board Agenda 8.24.22.pdf, created in the district's Drive folder Friday, August 19) is headed “CLAREMONT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING”; the Cablecast gallery and MAP.md call it a special meeting. It was approved as written.
Official agenda items with the time each was taken up and its disposition. Agenda wording is quoted from the posted agenda; dispositions from the recording and the minutes.
| Taken up | Item | Agenda text / disposition |
|---|
| 0:00:03 | I. Call to order, Pledge | Called to order by the vice chair. |
| 0:00:36 | II. Roll call | Five present; Petrin and Horsky absent (minutes). |
| 0:00:57 | II. Minutes, August 17, 2022 | Taken before the agenda. Motion Sprague, second Lambert (minutes; both unlabeled on the recording); carried by voice vote (0:01:14). |
| 0:01:24 | II. Citizens' comments; student representative | No citizens; no student representative. |
| 0:01:24 | II. Agenda approval | Motion Lambert, second Sprague; carried (0:01:47, 0:01:51, 0:01:53). |
| 0:01:57 | III.1 School handbook approvals | Stevens High School: motion Miles (minutes), second Skillen; carried (0:22:56, 0:22:59). Claremont Middle School: motion Sprague, second Lambert (minutes); voted as approved “with those amendments”, the grammatical changes the vice chair would take up with the superintendent (0:23:47, 0:24:39). Elementary (Bluff, Disnard, Maple): motion Sprague, second Lambert (minutes); carried (0:25:03). |
| 0:25:16 | III.2 Nomination of Claremont School Board delegate and alternate to the New Hampshire School Board Association | Delegate: Whitney Skillen, nominated by Sprague, seconded by Whitney; carried (0:25:35). Alternate: Frank Sprague, seconded; carried (0:26:05). |
| 0:26:21 | III.3 School Board committee assignments (a) to (f) | (a) Capital Improvement: Bonnie Miles co-chair (0:27:47). (b) Budget: Michael Petrin co-chair, in absence (0:28:39). (c) Policy: Steven Horsky co-chair, in absence (0:29:24). (d) Curriculum: Joshua Lambert co-chair and liaison (0:32:02). (e) Elementary Restructuring: Whitney Skillen co-chair (0:33:27). (f) CMS/SHS/SRVRTC Schedule: Frank Sprague, sole board member, by default co-chair and liaison (0:34:42). Each by voice vote except (f). |
| 0:34:53 | IV. Other business | Transgender-student policy and athletics; audit and grant update. |
| 0:37:57 | V–VI. Closing activities, adjournment | Items for the next agenda; an ad hoc parliamentary procedure committee noted; adjournment moved by the presiding officer (0:39:45). Minutes: adjournment 7:15 p.m. |
Discussion timeline
Times are taken from the dialogue transcript (Dialogue/14582 SchoolBoardSpecial082422.mp4.CSV) and link into the recording. Quotations are as transcribed; bracketed words are corrections, with the transcript's wording kept where the correction changes sense.
Chronological topics with the most concrete material first.
| Time | Topic | What was said | Flags |
|---|
| 0:00:03 | Opening, minutes, agenda | The vice chair opens; the August 17 minutes are approved (0:01:14); no citizens; the agenda is approved as written (0:01:53). | |
| 0:02:26 | High school handbook: restorative justice for serious offenses | Sprague supports restorative justice but objects that the grid offers it for felonies: “if you bring a gun to school, you're ten days out from the principal, ten days out from the superintendent” (0:03:17); “Bringing a weapon to school, to me, those are beyond the scope of restorative justice.” (0:04:24). | OBS |
| 0:04:32 | Principal's answer | The principal (Pratt per the minutes): “when you look at the the infraction chart, that's really not a restorative piece at all. That's progressive discipline.” The option is offered on return, at the administration's discretion: “There's not a there's not a trade off here.” (0:08:04). He reads the handbook's statement that the option “is not automatic” (0:08:33, 0:08:59) and says restorative work targets “probably about 8% to 10% of the same kids over and over again.” (0:07:09). | OBS |
| 0:11:34 | Board members on re-entry | Lambert describes restorative work after a weapons case for a student not expelled. Skillen reads the weapons row (options under up to ten days' out-of-school suspension, possible expulsion hearing, notify police): “So this is the consequence and the restorative justice option would come into play. After the consequences are handed down, the student faces them.” (0:12:47). Whitney: the board supports the process, and “the concerns that are being brought forth are about the clarity in the handbook, not the process itself.” (0:13:43). The column heading is changed on the spot: “the live document says restorative justice option upon reentry.” (0:14:06). | OBS |
| 0:15:13 | Student parking | Sprague suggests specific consequences: “warning call home second offense towed at owner's expense.” The principal prefers conversation first (0:16:55); Sprague: “That's I'm not that's not a hill that I want to die on.” (0:17:49). | |
| 0:18:06 | Technical center courses | A member notes engineering missing from a course list; staff explain it is an elective, not a certification program (0:18:49). | |
| 0:19:13 | Course weighting and the grading chart | Whitney on VLACS and Running Start courses: “It said that they would be waited.” [weighted]; the principal: “They've been waited as honors courses.” (0:19:29) and he will check with the registrar (0:19:45). The course knowledge, skills and application chart is to be removed (0:20:58). | |
| 0:21:00 | Transgender students and athletics | Whitney says policy JBAB appears in the elementary handbook only: “We only found that in elementary school handbook and not in Stevens High School”, and questions whether district policy matches NHIAA eligibility rules (0:21:34). Reply: “Have to check with Doug.” (0:21:31). | |
| 0:22:06 | Counselor assignment | A member asks whether a family can avoid a counselor assigned by last name; the administration can alter assignments (0:22:37). | |
| 0:22:49 | High school handbook approved | Unlabeled motion (Miles per the minutes), second Skillen; carried (0:22:59). | OBS |
| 0:23:16 | Middle school handbook approved with unspecified changes | Skillen asks that the athletics policy for transgender students be revisited (0:23:34). Whitney: “what I'd like to do is make us have a vote to approve the Claremont Middle School Handbook with those amendments.” (0:23:47). Sprague: “What now? What are we voting on?” (0:24:21). The answer: grammatical changes (0:24:28). Carried (0:24:39). | OBS |
| 0:24:43 | Elementary handbook approved | Common handbook for Bluff, Disnard and Maple Avenue; motion Sprague (0:24:56); carried (0:25:03). | |
| 0:25:16 | NHSBA delegate and alternate | Sprague nominates Whitney Skillen (transcribed “Whitney Scullin”) as delegate; support from all present: “Josh third and Bonnie forths it.” (0:25:35). Sprague named alternate (0:26:05). | |
| 0:26:21 | Committee co-chairs | The vice chair proposes defining chairs' duties, which “we've lacked some clarity” on (0:26:46). Capital improvement: Miles co-chair (0:27:47). Budget: Petrin (0:28:28, 0:28:39). Policy: Horsky (0:29:19). Curriculum: no board members yet; meetings around 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. beginning late September (0:29:54, 0:31:06); Whitney as alternate (0:31:37); Lambert co-chair and liaison (0:31:51). Elementary restructuring: Horsky, Petrin and Skillen, with Skillen co-chair (0:32:56, 0:33:27). Scheduling: Sprague (0:34:42). | POSITIVE |
| 0:35:03 | Transgender-student policy | Lambert reads the district policy's athletics clause: “Students shall be permitted to participate in interscholastic athletics in a manner consistent with their gender identity.” (0:35:13). Whitney: “Not according to the NH I a because I did cross-reference it to make sure.” (0:35:26). Referred to the policy subcommittee (0:35:53). | |
| 0:36:04 | Audit and grant update | Seaman: “Yes, we're on schedule and moving as planned.” Unity and SAU audits expected “in the next couple of weeks”, and “we're initiating significant work on getting the Claremont one done also by the end of September.” (0:36:33); “Those are the 2020s.” (0:36:58); “Then the 2021 is our November.” and FY2022 by February (0:37:01). Two grant-compliance findings: “They've both been cleared.” (0:37:21). On ESSER: “That's the key thing, is to get the money spent so we can get it reimbursed.” (0:37:46). | MEDIUM |
| 0:37:57 | Next agenda; ad hoc committee | Skillen asks for “a review of, like, policies or standard practices or historical practices related to celebration of retirees, as well as exit interviews for departing employees.” (0:38:04). Whitney adds the parliamentary procedure ad hoc committee of herself, Sprague and “Mike Peter neuron” [Petrin]: “That was an error on my part, not noticing that on the agenda before.” (0:39:12). | MEDIUM |
| 0:39:45 | Adjournment | “And I'd like to make a motion illegally because I'm chair to adjourn second.” A voice: “I can make motions. The chair can make motions.” (0:39:55). Carried. | MEDIUM |
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 August 24, 2022, or is labeled an observation where no verified rule applies.
MEDIUM The business office's own schedule put Claremont's FY2020 audit 27 months and its FY2021 audit 17 months after year-end
Asked for an update, the assistant superintendent for finance said the Unity and SAU audits would be done within weeks and work was starting so that “the Claremont one” would be done “by the end of September” (0:36:33); “Those are the 2020s.” (0:36:58); FY2021 by November and FY2022 by February (0:37:01). On that schedule Claremont's FY2020 audit (year ended June 30, 2020) would finish about 27 months after year-end and FY2021 about 17 months after. For an entity spending $750,000 or more in federal awards, the Uniform Guidance due date is the earlier of 30 days after the auditor's report or nine months after year-end (March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2022), with OMB M-21-20 allowing six more months for fiscal years ending through June 30, 2021. Claremont's federal expenditures for those years are not stated in this record, so the single-audit deadline is not confirmed to apply; the flag stays MEDIUM. Mitigation on the record: the schedule was being met, FY2022 was planned within nine months, and two state grant-compliance findings had been cleared (0:37:21).
Sources: 2 CFR 200.501(a), 2022 CFR edition ($750,000 threshold); 2 CFR 200.512(a)(1), 2022 CFR edition (earlier of 30 days or nine months); OMB M-21-20, App. 3 sec. IX (six-month delay through June 30, 2021 year-ends)
MEDIUM The minutes record the presiding officer as both mover and seconder of adjournment, and drop the chair from the ad hoc committee
RSA 91-A:2, II: “The names of the members who made or seconded each motion shall be recorded in the minutes.” The minutes read: “A motion made to adjourn the meeting by Heather Whitney, seconded by Heather Whitney”. On the recording the vice chair moved and a voice said “second” (0:39:45); whoever seconded is not recorded. The same minutes list the ad hoc committee as “Heather Whitney, Frank Sprague”, while the vice chair named a third member, the absent chair, and asked the secretary to document it (0:39:12). The other motions that night carry a mover and seconder in the minutes.
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II, 2022 codification (movers and seconders recorded in the minutes; source note ends 2018, 244:1)
MEDIUM The minutes reached the public share fourteen business days after the meeting, a week after the board approved them
RSA 91-A:2, II requires minutes to be open to public inspection not more than five business days after the meeting (here, by Wednesday, August 31). The only public copy located is a Google Doc in the packet folder for the September 7 meeting, which Drive records as created September 14, 2022: the fourteenth business day, counting Labor Day as a holiday. The packet folder itself was created September 2 with the agenda, and the board approved these minutes at its September 7 meeting, so a draft existed by then; it did not reach the public share until a week after approval. Drive's creation date measures when this copy reached the share, not when the minutes were written, and a draft may have been available at the SAU office. Graded MEDIUM rather than HIGH because the minutes exist and were approved; graded above the August 17 page's OBSERVATION because the delay here is nine business days past the deadline rather than one, and outlasted the board's own approval.
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II, 2022 codification (minutes open to public inspection not more than 5 business days after the meeting); CSB minutes 8.24.22 (Drive metadata: created 2022-09-14); packet folder 4. CSB 9.7.22 (created 2022-09-02)
OBSERVATION The weapons row of the high school discipline matrix, as read aloud, should be checked against the mandatory firearm expulsion
RSA 193:13, IV provides that a pupil who brings or possesses a firearm in a safe school zone without written authorization “shall be expelled from school by the local school board for a period of not less than 12 months,” and ¶VII requires the board to adopt a policy allowing the superintendent to modify that requirement case by case. As read aloud by a board member, the matrix's weapons row lists “up to ten days of out of school suspension a possible expulsion hearing” with mediation or a student panel as options (0:12:47). The administration said the law governs serious offenses and the restorative option applies only on re-entry (0:08:04), and the column was relabeled at the meeting (0:14:06). The handbook itself is not in the packet folder, so this page cannot say whether the matrix distinguishes firearms from other weapons or cites the statutory expulsion. The point is noted for a reader with the handbook in hand.
Sources: RSA 193:13, I(a), IV and VII, 2022 codification (10-day suspension; firearm expulsion of not less than 12 months; case-by-case modification policy; source note ends 2020, 38:1)
OBSERVATION Three handbooks approved without public copies, one with changes left to be made afterward
The packet folder for this meeting holds only the agenda and the August 17 minutes; none of the three handbooks the board approved is in it. The middle school handbook was approved “with those amendments” (0:23:47), grammatical and wording changes the vice chair would raise with the superintendent and “bring it to the board”, after a member asked “What now? What are we voting on?” (0:24:21). The board had tabled the handbooks a week earlier because members had not had time to read them. No rule is applied; the observation is that a citizen cannot see what was approved, and the approved middle school text was not settled when the vote was taken.
Sources: the recording at the times cited; packet folder 3. CSB 8.24.22 (two documents per MAP.md)
POSITIVE Committee assignments made in open session, with attention to the quorum line
Each committee's membership and co-chair was stated and voted in public, and both the superintendent and the presiding officer cautioned that additional board members could join committees only “As long as we don't have a quorum” (0:31:44, 0:32:41). A gathering of a quorum of the board to discuss its business is itself a meeting under RSA 91-A:2, I, and committees of the board are public bodies under RSA 91-A:1-a, VI(d).
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, I, 2022 codification (meeting is the convening of a quorum); RSA 91-A:1-a, VI(d), 2022 codification (“or any committee, subcommittee, or subordinate body thereof, or advisory committee thereto”)
Appendix: source files
Official and public sources
Project files
Working files this page was built from. The dialogue file is linked; the others are not published with the page.
Dialogue/14582 SchoolBoardSpecial082422.mp4.CSV (323 attributed rows; the basis of this page)Dialogue/13556 SchoolBoard081722.mp4.CSV (August 17, 2022; cited for the decision to hold this meeting)Input/Videos/14582 SchoolBoardSpecial082422.mp4Input/Transcripts/14582 SchoolBoardSpecial082422.mp4.jsonInput/SupportingDocuments/MAP.md, section 173Scripts/attribution_reports_2015_2023/14582 SchoolBoardSpecial082422.mp4.md (speaker attribution report)
Laws and rules cited on this page
- RSA 91-A:2, I and II, 2022 codification (source note ends 2018, 244:1): meeting defined; minutes content, movers and seconders, five-business-day inspection
- RSA 91-A:1-a, VI(d), 2022 codification: committees of a public body are public bodies
- RSA 193:13, I(a), IV and VII, 2022 codification (source note ends 2020, 38:1): suspension, firearm expulsion, case-by-case modification
- 2 CFR 200.501(a) and 2 CFR 200.512(a)(1), 2022 CFR edition: single-audit threshold and due date
- OMB M-21-20 (Mar. 19, 2021), App. 3 sec. IX: COVID-era six-month single-audit delay