Participants
Everyone the recording shows taking part, as named in the project's dialogue file. Where the dialogue file leaves a voice Unidentified, this page does too.
| Name | Role | Participation |
|---|
| Brian Rapp | Chair | Presided; added Maple Avenue traffic to the agenda (0:02:27) and described the complaints (2:24:29 to 2:25:11); stated the nonpublic exemption (1:16:28, 1:20:01); said interior camera wiring was supposed to be done in the high school renovation (1:27:04). |
| Chris Irish | Vice chair | Spoke of his own childhood experience in the trauma discussion (0:42:49 onward); asked about working with Vermont schools (1:16:36); questioned camera and door costs and the renovation wiring (1:25:27 to 1:26:25); asked for data on how graduates fare (2:12:40). |
| Michelle Pierce | Member | Spoke on counseling resources and her own family's experience (0:56:37, 0:57:01); moved to come out of nonpublic session (1:20:54). |
| Frank Sprague | Member | Moved the amended agenda (0:02:22); raised reliance on West Central Behavioral Health (0:49:03, 0:51:13); moved acceptance of the program of studies (2:18:15), the resignations (2:24:17) and the fundraiser (2:33:01). |
| Patrick Adrian | Member | Asked for clinical feedback on classroom environments (0:54:31) and that the topic go to the joint city and school board meeting (1:02:27); questioned the high school credit requirements (2:07:36); asked for the technology slides (1:55:13). |
| Rebecca Zullo | Member | Thanked the robotics team and the TLC clinician (0:41:41); asked what "camera indoor. Access" meant (1:23:14); raised teacher time for professional development (1:51:25). |
| Michael Petrin | Member | Short remarks on the meeting date and the fundraiser (2:19:23, 2:31:58); seconded the fundraiser (2:33:03). The dialogue file places him by elimination only (low confidence). |
| Middleton McGoodwin | Superintendent, SAU 6 | Reordered the agenda (0:01:10); superintendent's report (0:07:34); framed the adverse childhood experiences discussion (0:31:24 to 0:34:11); asked for the nonpublic session (1:15:40); introduced the technology follow-up (1:21:27); presented the resignations (2:23:44); promised to call the police chief about Sims Street (2:26:42). |
| Cory LeClair | Assistant Superintendent, SAU 6 | Reported a trauma-sensitive-schools grant not won and a coming second chance (0:51:34 to 0:52:32); the community film series (0:45:50); presented the National Honor Society fundraiser (2:28:03 to 2:31:48). |
| Chris (surname not established) | Special education director | Presented the five-year out-of-district cost comparison and the need for mental health supports (1:04:53 to 1:14:29). Introduced as Chris Bezos and Chris Bezel in the transcript; the surname is not established. Named his out-of-district coordinator, Dave Cochran, as present (1:05:31). |
| Josh Malloy | Director of instructional technology | Answered the eight questions from May 3: security plan, cameras, six-year technology spending, staff survey (1:22:04 to 1:55:06). |
| Charlie Gessner | Technology integrationist (spelling unverified) | Described technology in the curriculum and staff training (1:39:49 to 1:52:26). |
| Patricia Barry | Principal, Stevens High School | Presented the 2017-18 program of studies (1:56:22 to 2:18:11). |
| Melanie Williams | Clinical supervisor, TLC Family Resource Center | Spoke on adverse childhood experiences, trauma and resilience (0:34:50 to 0:41:19) and on evidence-based treatment (0:49:53). |
| Mary Ann Lovett | Student representative | Student report (0:04:01 to 0:07:07); asked whether she could attend the nonpublic session (1:19:09) and was asked not to (1:19:33). Named "Mary Ann Lovett" in this dialogue file and Marion by the superintendent; the May 3 file names her "Marion Lovett" (spelling unresolved in the roster). |
| Steven, Josh, Matt, Allison | Rogue Robotics SeaPerch team (students) | Presented their underwater robot before the national competition at Georgia Tech (0:16:36 to 0:28:30). |
| Unidentified | Robotics mentor and others | A robotics mentor (not named) introduced the program (0:12:39); roll-call and nonpublic roll-call responses (0:00:53, 1:20:18); 89 of 812 rows (11.0%) in all. No one spoke in citizens' comments (0:11:57 to 0:12:12). |
Order of business (reconstructed)
No agenda for this meeting is posted online, though the board works from one ("after I emailed the agenda last week", 1:56:03) and amends it at the table. This outline is reconstructed from the chair's transitions. Hover over (or Tab to) a clipped entry for the full text.
| Taken up | Item | Agenda text / disposition |
|---|
| 0:00:10 | Call to order; pledge; roll call | Chair Rapp (0:00:38 to 0:00:53). |
| 0:01:01 | Agenda | Superintendent added resignations and reordered the discussion items (0:01:10 to 0:02:13); the chair added Maple Avenue traffic (0:02:27); the assistant superintendent added a National Honor Society fundraiser (0:02:53). Moved as amended by Sprague (0:02:22), second (0:03:24), voice vote (0:03:25). |
| 0:03:25 | Minutes | Minutes of a prior meeting (date not stated) approved; motion and second (0:03:41), voice vote (0:03:44). |
| 0:03:55 | Student representative's report | Mary Ann Lovett. |
| 0:07:31 | Superintendent's report | Student events; the Abbey Group toured the schools ahead of a food service presentation (0:09:00). |
| 0:11:57 | Citizens' comments | No speakers; closed at 0:12:12. |
| 0:12:12 | Discussion: Rogue Robotics | SeaPerch team presentation. No vote. |
| 0:31:13 | Discussion: adverse childhood experiences | Superintendent and TLC clinician. "tonight we're not going to have a resolution." (0:33:12). No vote. |
| 1:04:08 | Discussion: special education, out-of-district versus in-district | Five-year cost comparison. No vote. |
| 1:15:40 | Nonpublic session | Requested by the superintendent to meet with building principals; exemption stated as heard: "91, a two Roman numeral two." and C. (1:16:28, 1:16:31), then "91, a Roman numeral two. See?" (1:20:01); second and roll call (1:20:09 to 1:20:30). Came out on Pierce's motion, voice vote (1:20:53 to 1:20:59). No decision announced. |
| 1:21:27 | Instructional technology follow-up | Answers to the eight questions from May 3. No vote. |
| 1:55:45 | Action: Stevens High School program of studies 2017-18 | Presented by the principal; motion Sprague "that we accept the programing studies as presented" (2:18:15), second (2:18:19), voice vote (2:18:21). |
| 2:18:33 | Date for the food service presentation | Wednesday, May 31 at 6:30, to be confirmed with the business administrator (2:22:38 to 2:23:19). No formal vote. |
| 2:23:40 | Resignations (added) | Shane Collins, math teacher, and Tyler Berg, guidance counselor, both Stevens High School (2:23:44, 2:23:58). Accepted "With thanks and regret", voice vote (2:24:08 to 2:24:21). |
| 2:24:25 | Maple Avenue traffic (added) | Speeding on Sims Street at pickup. Superintendent to call the police chief (2:26:42). No vote. |
| 2:27:59 | National Honor Society fundraiser (added) | Overnight "shantytown" homelessness-awareness fundraiser, June 4 to 5. Motion Sprague (2:33:01), second Petrin (2:33:03), voice vote (2:33:07). |
| 2:33:23 | Adjournment | Motion and second (2:33:27), voice vote (2:33:31). |
Discussion timeline
Chronological, from the dialogue CSV. Times are the start of the cited exchange, taken from the CSV's own second count. Hover over (or Tab to) a clipped cell for the full entry.
| Time | Topic | What was said | Flags |
|---|
| 0:01:10 | Agenda reordered | McGoodwin: "I'd like to add resignations to the agenda"; after the special education presentation "I recommend we go into nonpublic" (0:01:39). Rapp: "I've been getting a lot of complaints about, pick up and drop off for Maple Ave." (0:02:27). LeClair: "the National Honor Society proposal to the school board for an upcoming fundraiser. So it would need to, likely be an action item." (0:02:53). | OBSERVATION |
| 0:04:01 | Student report | Saint-Gaudens art exhibition, underclassmen awards, an SAT result, the spring musical, and a student who "won the Stock Market Challenge competition for the state of New Hampshire" (0:06:11). | |
| 0:07:34 | Superintendent's report | "Referring to Mike packet within the school board's packet." Thanks to Adrian and Pierce for representing the board at the prom grand march (0:08:03); "last week we had the Abbey group do a tour of our schools" (0:09:00); the adverse childhood experiences topic is one to discuss "publicly as well as privately and not public" (0:09:55). | |
| 0:11:57 | Citizens' comments | Rapp: "Anybody for citizens comments." (0:12:07); "Close citizens comments." (0:12:12). | |
| 0:12:17 | Rogue Robotics | The SeaPerch team, "in two days are going to be going to Georgia, at a national competition at Georgia Tech"; students described the robot's design (0:18:57 onward). A student: "We beat out a Navy prep school and underwater robotics." (0:30:38). | |
| 0:31:24 | Adverse childhood experiences: framing | McGoodwin: "we have a small number of children who have very important and specific needs"; "it's time to talk about this publicly." (0:32:41); "tonight we're not going to have a resolution." (0:33:12); TLC "has become a partner with the Claremont School District." (0:34:11). | POSITIVE |
| 0:34:50 | TLC clinician | Melanie Williams on the film "resilience, the biology of stress and the science of hope" (0:35:22); "we had more than 60 people come to see resilience" (0:36:18); "one person who understands and believes in a child and listens to them can change their path." (0:40:50). | |
| 0:49:03 | Capacity and West Central | Sprague: "I worry about relying too much on West Central. I've seen a lot of people whose particular insurance situations prevent them from accessing that." (0:51:13). LeClair: "we did apply for a grant, to get some technical assistance to help train our school personnel to create trauma sensitive schools." (0:51:34); "Did not get that grant." (0:52:06). | |
| 1:01:02 | Budget implications | McGoodwin: "when I say assistance, I'm not talking about sending a child out." "Looking at our budget and how we can address this need long term" (1:01:33). Adrian asked that the topic go on "the agenda for the joint to the city and board" (1:02:27). | |
| 1:04:53 | Out-of-district costs | "a five year comparison, of our out of district costs. So if you look at 2017, we are estimated at this point to come in about 2.1 million as compared to last year at 2.5 million". "We have about 25% that are identified special education students." (1:07:30); "between 5 and 7 kids right now" at extreme risk and "there are no more placements" (1:09:11, 1:08:08); "what we're talking about here is containment versus education." (1:09:42). | POSITIVE |
| 1:12:22 | District of liability | "Claremont did have just have a recent we had a big win and and it, it sort of revolved around a district of liability case"; the student was in a placement "at a tune of one $120,000 a year." (1:13:31). Talks with Newport on a shared program (1:14:29). | |
| 1:15:40 | Request for nonpublic session | McGoodwin: "I would like to spend a few minutes in nonpublic with our building principals. It would be inappropriate for a building principal to discuss a matter about their school. Because of the size of the community, we're not going to be talking about children's names with you." "So you have this sensitivity about the seriousness of this, and also the direction that we anticipate heading in the near future through the budget process" (1:16:06). | MEDIUM |
| 1:19:09 | Student representative and the nonpublic session | Lovett asked permission to attend; McGoodwin: "I think, Marion, it might be best if you not participate in that." (1:19:33). | |
| 1:20:01 | Motion and roll call | Rapp: "I'll take that motion. 91, a Roman numeral two. See?" "Second roll call, please." (1:20:09); "Yes. Yes yes yes. Yes yes." (1:20:18). Back in public session: "Come on in on public." (1:20:53); Rapp: "this is going to be a conversation that that comes back. We'll be able to do that without any, any specifics" (1:20:59). | MEDIUM |
| 1:21:27 | Technology follow-up | McGoodwin: "You have in your packet eight items that came from the May 3rd presentation"; Malloy: the security plan puts phones and intercoms at "This building and the middle school" this year, and "It's not planned for cameras and door access until 1819" for the high school, tech center and middle school (transcribed "shows SR, VRT, C, CMS"), then the elementary schools in 2019-20 (1:22:44). | POSITIVE |
| 1:25:27 | Camera costs and the renovation | Irish: "I'd love to know how many cameras and what kind of directors we're talking about"; "the wiring for new cameras and doors was supposed to be done during the renovation." (1:26:25). Malloy: "There's no cables going anywhere for cameras right now." (1:26:48). Rapp: "It was my understanding, and I was here for the this whole conversation that everything was going to be wired." (1:27:04). McGoodwin: "certain ticket items were compromised because of funding. That's my recall." (1:27:36). | OBSERVATION |
| 1:28:53 | Six years of technology spending | Spending 2011 to 2016 on projectors, Chromebooks, laptops, wireless and servers; "900 laptops, desktops and servers all together, and 625 Chromebooks." (1:29:47). Staff survey: "does technology enhance your pedagogy? We're getting 80, 89.2%. Yes." (1:33:19). | |
| 1:39:49 | Technology in the curriculum | Gessner on elementary products and the middle and high school curriculum; Zullo on teacher time for training (1:51:25); Gessner: "A lot of our staff now travel an hour to get to work and go home." (1:52:26). | |
| 1:56:22 | Program of studies | Barry: social studies reduced "down to 3.5, and that matches still with state scholars"; "We did reduce our social studies staff by one this year" (1:58:36); "We are now doing a forensic check on every single transcript" (2:01:18); she would like the budget to "pay for any student who takes an AP test." (2:03:02). Accepted (2:18:15 to 2:18:21). | |
| 2:18:39 | Food service presentation date | Conflicts in early June; Sprague: "The bidding closes on the 23rd." (2:21:16); McGoodwin: "There are two vendors. One is Abby Group and one is Fresh Pix Cafe." (2:22:38); settled on May 31 at 6:30 (2:23:19). | |
| 2:23:44 | Resignations | "Mr. Shane Collins been a math teacher"; "Mr. Tyler Berg, who is one of our three guidance counselors, he is electing to depart." (2:23:58). Accepted (2:24:08 to 2:24:21). | |
| 2:24:29 | Maple Avenue traffic | Rapp: "I've received a lot of complaints, a lot of concern about Maple Ave School because they come down SIM Street. People come down very fast." (2:25:00). McGoodwin: "I'll make a phone call tomorrow." (2:26:42). | |
| 2:28:03 | National Honor Society fundraiser | LeClair: "the money raised will be split between the National Honor Society and our one for all space." (2:28:42); "Claremont Police Department will be surveilling the area behind the middle school throughout the night." (2:31:17). Approved (2:33:01 to 2:33:07). | |
Items flagged for review
Flags are a reviewer's aid generated by comparing the meeting against the law in force on May 17, 2017. They are not findings of violation, and nothing here is legal advice. Each flag names the rule it rests on; where no verified rule applies, it is recorded as an observation. Ordered by severity. This page carries no HIGH flag: nothing on the recording shows a binding rule clearly missed.
MEDIUM Nonpublic session under the reputation exemption for a general briefing on school conditions and budget direction, with no student names to be used
The superintendent asked for "a few minutes in nonpublic with our building principals", saying "we're not going to be talking about children's names with you" and that the purpose was for the board to have "this sensitivity about the seriousness of this, and also the direction that we anticipate heading in the near future through the budget process" (1:15:40, 1:16:06). The chair stated the exemption as heard: "91, a two Roman numeral two." and C. (1:16:28, 1:16:31), then "91, a Roman numeral two. See?" when taking the motion (1:20:01); a second and a roll call followed (1:20:09 to 1:20:30). The exemptions sit in RSA 91-A:3, II, not 91-A:2, so either the chair misspoke or the transcript misheard three; the recording cannot settle it. The law in force required the motion to state "on its face the specific exemption under paragraph II", confined the session to the matters in the motion, and allowed exemption (c) for matters that "would likely affect adversely the reputation of any person, other than a member of the public body itself". A briefing on the direction of the budget and on classroom conditions described without names is not, on its face, a reputation matter; the other reading, stated fairly, is that in a small community principals describing specific incidents could identify students and families even without names, which is the reason the superintendent gave. The session was brief on the recording's evidence, no decision was announced on return (1:20:59), and the roll call itself was properly taken. MEDIUM: a probable fit problem between the stated exemption and the stated purpose, and the minutes that would show what was discussed are not online.
Sources: RSA 91-A:3, I(b), I(c), II(c) and III (2017 codification; source note ends 2016, 30:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2017, and 280:1, so the text in force on May 17, 2017).
OBSERVATION The agenda, packet and minutes for this meeting are not available online, and three items were added at the table
The superintendent had emailed the agenda "last week" (1:56:03) and refers to "the school board's packet" (0:07:34) and to "eight items" of written follow-up in it (1:21:27). At the table the board added resignations, Maple Avenue traffic and a fundraiser needing action (0:01:10 to 0:02:53), then approved the agenda as amended (0:03:25) and a set of prior minutes (0:03:44). None of these documents, and no minutes of this meeting or of its nonpublic session, are posted in the district's Drive shares, which begin with 2022 and 2023. The recording shows minutes being kept and approved in this period, so under the project's severity rule this is a finding about what the district now publishes online, not evidence of a lapse at the time. The law in force required minutes to be "open to public inspection not more than 5 business days after the meeting"; its notice requirement covered "the time and place" of the meeting, not a fixed list of items, so the additions at the table are recorded as context rather than as a rule question.
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II (2016 codification; source note ends 2016, 29:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2017, so the text in force throughout 2017).
OBSERVATION Members believed the high school renovation included interior camera wiring; the technology director found none, and the superintendent recalled items cut for funding
The vice chair said "the wiring for new cameras and doors was supposed to be done during the renovation" (1:26:25); the chair said he had understood "everything was going to be wired" (1:27:04); the technology director reported "There's no cables going anywhere for cameras right now." (1:26:48); the superintendent recalled that "certain ticket items were compromised because of funding" and undertook to come back with specifics (1:27:36). This continues the May 3 exchange in which the vice chair asked whether earlier technology money had bought cameras (see the May 3, 2017 page). No rule is engaged by the recording; recorded because the scope of a bonded renovation, as members understood it, and as delivered, was in dispute on the record, and the answer promised is not in this meeting's record.
Sources: No verified rule; recorded as an observation.
POSITIVE Out-of-district special education costs and student mental health needs were laid out in public, with five years of figures
The superintendent said "it's time to talk about this publicly" (0:32:41) and kept the discussion in open session until the principals' briefing. The special education director gave a five-year comparison of out-of-district costs (about $2.1 million estimated for 2017 against $2.5 million the year before, 1:04:53), the share of students identified for special education (1:07:30), the shortage of placements statewide (1:08:08) and the district's approach to disputes over which district is liable (1:12:22). Placing cost drivers of this size before the public ahead of budget season exceeds any legal minimum. The figures are the speakers' own and are not checked here against the district's financial reports.
Sources: No rule required; recorded as good practice.
POSITIVE The board's May 3 questions came back in writing two weeks later
The superintendent: "You have in your packet eight items that came from the May 3rd presentation"; "We didn't expect on May 3rd that Josh Malloy would answer everything, but your questions are very helpful." (1:21:27). The technology director answered the questions on cameras, the security plan, six years of spending and staff outcomes (1:22:04 onward), and a member asked for the slides (1:55:13). A standing practice of written follow-up to board questions exceeds any legal minimum.
Sources: No rule required; recorded as good practice. The questions: May 3, 2017 recording, show 9073.
Appendix: source files
Official and public sources
- Cablecast show 9098, "SCHOOL BOARD MEETING 5-17-17": Claremont Community TV. Every timestamp on this page links into this recording.
- No Drive material: neither the Claremont nor the SAU 6 share holds a year folder older than 2022, and the Meeting Minutes share starts at 2023 (MAP.md section 33, checked 9/26/26). The agenda, packet, superintendent's report, out-of-district cost comparison, technology answers, program of studies and minutes were not located.
- Related page: May 3, 2017 (the technology and security questions answered here; the first food service scheduling).
Project files
Working files this page was built from. The dialogue file is linked; the others are not published with the page.
Dialogue/9098 SchoolBoard051717.mp4.CSV (812 attributed rows; the basis of this page)Input/Videos/9098 SchoolBoard051717.mp4Input/Transcripts/9098 SchoolBoard051717.mp4.jsonScripts/attribution_reports_2015_2023/9098 SchoolBoard051717.mp4.mdInput/SupportingDocuments/MAP.md, section 33
Laws and rules cited on this page
- RSA 91-A:3, I(b), I(c), II(c) and III (text in force from January 1, 2017): nonpublic motion states the exemption, roll call; discussion confined to the motion; reputation exemption; disclosure of nonpublic minutes.
- RSA 91-A:2, II (2016 codification, text in force during 2017): notice of time and place; minutes content and five-business-day availability; no mover/seconder requirement until January 1, 2019.