Participants
Everyone heard or addressed on the recording. Names follow the clerk's roll, the speakers' own introductions, the project's 2015-2023 roster and the attribution report for this recording; there are no minutes to check spellings against. Public commenters' surnames are spelled as the transcript renders their self-introductions and are unverified.
| Name | Role | Participation |
|---|
| Frank Sprague | Chair | Presides; asks members to be concise and courteous, "please do not talk over each other" (0:22:56); signs the general assurances certification (1:37:19); suggests looking for creative ways to fund the preschool waiting list (1:35:42). |
| Rebecca Zullo | Vice chair | Answers the roll (0:01:03). The chair says she helps him watch for members waiting to speak (0:23:30). The diarizer did not separate her voice from Michael Petrin's in two clusters, so no other remarks are attributed to her here. |
| Michael Petrin | Member | Answers the roll (0:01:03); the superintendent notes he was interested in the grading and reporting item that was postponed (0:01:31). See the note on Zullo. |
| Michelle Pierce | Member | Asks why no parents sit on the scheduling committee (1:17:50); moves the middle school handbook (1:26:43); recalls her first vote, on the preschool program change (1:34:25); asks how student-teacher ratios are counted (1:49:00); seconds adjournment (1:53:49). |
| Jason Benware | Member | Moves the June 6 minutes (0:04:30) and the preschool handbook (1:35:20); asks whether the state must meet its aid obligations (0:33:03); moves to adjourn (1:53:44). |
| Steven Horsky | Member | Asks to table the head lice policy again "due to the fact of some new information and developments" (0:02:46); seconds the minutes (0:04:39); asks that the preschool handbook carry board members' email links (1:33:42); asks about a nominee's certification (1:45:34) and science vacancies (1:52:29). |
| Carolyn Towle | Member | Moves the amended agenda (0:03:25); offers a correction to the June 6 minutes on the school security item (0:04:49); asks why so many professionals are leaving (1:44:08); reports that the police chief may present on security August 23 (1:54:30). |
| Middleton McGoodwin | Superintendent, SAU 6 (leaving June 30) | Superintendent's report (0:06:09); recounts the four-year history behind the scheduling committee (0:52:32); presents the preschool handbook (1:29:21), the general assurances (1:36:48) and resignations and nominations (1:38:14). |
| Cory LeClair | Assistant Superintendent, SAU 6 (named acting superintendent June 14) | Explains the scheduling committee's makeup (1:18:05), the curriculum restructuring (1:41:15), paraprofessional turnover (1:44:31) and class-size counting (1:49:24); says the board earlier gave her signing authority on grants (1:37:54). |
| Michael O'Neill | Business administrator, SAU 6 | Presents expenditures, revenues and the projected fund balance (0:25:38-0:31:20) and explains catastrophic aid (0:31:59). Surname spelling follows the project roster, which marks it unverified. |
| Mary Woodman | School district clerk; recording secretary | Calls the roll (0:01:03). |
| Matt Bean | Citizens' comments, Ward 1; district employee | Thanks the superintendent for his service (0:08:21, 0:08:41). |
| Linda Patch | Citizens' comments, Ward 2 | Reads a statement criticizing the board's handling of the superintendent's departure: "I believe that you, the school board, took the coward's way out behind his back." (0:10:59). |
| Mimi Rhines | Citizens' comments, Ward 1; Stevens High School counselor | Thanks the superintendent for hiring her (0:12:11) and speaks for the nurses' role on the student support team (0:13:04). The transcript renders her name "Mimi Ryan's"; the roster spells it Rhines. |
| Karen Collison | Citizens' comments; Lempster resident; Stevens High School English teacher, resigning | Explains why she is leaving after 18 years (0:14:05-0:22:33): "I'm leaving because I'm tired of fighting." (0:15:35). The transcript renders her town "Leinster". |
| Christine Downing | Stevens High School curriculum specialist, leaving the district | Presents the extended learning opportunities report (0:34:44) and co-presents the scheduling committee update; says she sits on the Goshen school board (0:44:32). |
| Larissa Cahill | Co-facilitator, Stevens High School scheduling committee | Presents the scheduling committee update (0:54:19-1:17:39). Surname as transcribed; unverified. |
| Outgoing principal, Claremont Middle School | Principal, leaving for the Concord School District | Presents the 2018-19 middle school handbook (1:24:15). The transcript renders her surname Gerald (1:23:34) and Fitzgerald (1:38:56); the spelling is unverified, so this page does not print it. |
| Audra Buckland | Assistant principal, Claremont Middle School | Asks board members to pass on confusing handbook language (1:28:04). Surname as transcribed; unverified. |
| Unidentified board members | Members (Zullo or Petrin) | Two diarizer clusters hold short remarks, seconds and questions from a member who is either Zullo or Petrin, including the second on the nominations (1:44:03) and questions on the English position cut (1:48:09). This page does not assign them. |
| SAU 6 board chair (in the audience) | Not named on tape | The chair turns to "the essay board chair here" about adding the security update to an SAU 6 agenda (1:54:57); the replies are unidentified (1:55:18). The SAU 6 board had elected Marjorie Erickson chair on June 14, but the voice is not identified and this page does not name it. |
Order of business (reconstructed)
No agenda survives. The list below follows the chair's transitions on the recording, including the roman numerals and letters he and the superintendent read; wording in quotation marks is the transcript's.
Items in the order taken up, with dispositions heard on the recording.
| Taken up | Item | Disposition |
|---|
| 0:00:19 | Call to order, pledge, roll call | All seven members present (0:01:03, 0:01:14). |
| 0:01:22 | Agenda | Amended: the school nurses item ("Roman numeral five, be") and grading and reporting removed; nominations added beside resignations; a resignation listed in error withdrawn and two added (0:01:31, 0:02:15); the head lice policy tabled (0:02:46). Motion Towle (0:03:25); approved by voice vote (0:03:52). |
| 0:04:20 | Approval of minutes, June 6, 2018 | Motion Benware, transcribed "I move to remove the minutes for June 6th, 2018." (0:04:30); second Horsky (0:04:39); Towle offers a correction on the school security item (0:04:49, 0:05:15); approved by voice vote, one member saying "Wasn't here." (0:05:53, 0:05:57). |
| 0:06:00 | Student representative; superintendent's report | No student representative now that the student member has graduated. Superintendent's report (0:06:09). No action. |
| 0:08:11 | Citizens' comments | Four speakers: Matt Bean, Linda Patch, Mimi Rhines, Karen Collison. Closed at 0:22:56. |
| 0:23:46 | Discussion items A: expenditures and revenues / fund balance | Business administrator's report. No action. |
| 0:33:50 | Discussion items C: Stevens High School 2017-18 extended learning opportunities | "we'll go to see which is Stevens High School 1718 extended learning opportunities" (0:33:50); item B had been removed. Report only. |
| 0:52:32 | Discussion: high school scheduling committee update | Presentation and questions. No action. |
| 1:23:29 | Action items: Claremont Middle School 2018-19 student and parent handbook | Motion Pierce (1:26:43); second unidentified (1:26:54); approved by voice vote (1:29:08). |
| 1:29:21 | Action items: Claremont preschool family handbook | Motion Benware to approve with board members' email links added (1:35:20, 1:35:28); second unidentified (1:35:40); approved by voice vote (1:35:58). |
| 1:36:48 | General assurances | The chair signs the certification for the Department of Education, due by June 30 (1:36:48, 1:37:40). No vote taken. |
| 1:38:14 | Resignations and nominations | Resignations presented for information; four nominations. A motion and second are heard at 1:43:57 and 1:44:03; the chair restates the motion as "accepting nominations for the new hires and expressing regret to those that are leaving" (1:51:56); approved by voice vote (1:52:18). |
| 1:53:44 | Adjournment | Motion Benware (1:53:44); second Pierce (1:53:49); items for the good of the order; approved by voice vote (1:55:46). |
Discussion timeline
Times are taken from the dialogue transcript (Dialogue/9850 SchoolBoard062018.mp4.CSV) and link into the recording. Timestamps link to the same moment in the Cablecast recording.
Topics in the order discussed.
| Time | Topic | What was said | Flags |
|---|
| 0:02:46 | Head lice policy tabled again | On June 6 the board sent the policy to this agenda for second reading. Horsky now asks "to table it and move it to a future agenda item, maybe a few meetings out so we have time to meet." (0:02:46). | |
| 0:04:49 | Correction to the June 6 minutes | Towle, on the school security item: "he's trying to commit to the August 23rd, but I wanted to make sure that it wasn't noted that I was contacting him." (0:05:05); "That's a correction." (0:05:15). | MEDIUM |
| 0:06:09 | Superintendent's report | He represented SAU 6 at Rural Pride, which "made front page news in the Valley news" (0:06:09); about 50 identified children begin a summer kindergarten program (0:07:00). | |
| 0:08:18 | Citizens' comments on the superintendent's departure | Matt Bean thanks the superintendent "for putting students first" (0:08:56). Linda Patch: "It is with a great deal of sadness and disappointment that I have heard of the termination of Doctor Goodman as superintendent of saw six." (0:09:41); "It said in the paper that he was blindsided by this" (0:10:59). Mimi Rhines thanks him for hiring her and defends the nurses' role on the student support team (0:13:04). | |
| 0:14:05 | A departing teacher's reasons | Karen Collison, 18 years at Stevens: "I have not been sent a survey asking why I was leaving." (0:14:05); "it's not about the money" (0:14:28); the English department "does not have a designated card of computers" (0:15:35); the district "lost a curriculum and instruction director" in Christine Downing (0:16:07); "This top down model we've been using doesn't work" (0:18:03); the district no longer recognizes retirees, so staff "contribute $20 a year" for retirement watches (0:20:48). Later the superintendent says he is disappointed she was not sent an exit interview and will check (1:39:19). | |
| 0:22:56 | Chair on board conduct | "please do not talk over each other. Wait to be recognized by me." (0:22:56, 0:23:30). | |
| 0:25:38 | Expenditures: fiscal 2018 year-end projection | "the total budget is, is that 31474747"; spent "$29,700,200.61" (0:25:52). Encumbrances about $1.1 million; added costs of about $55,000 for sick and personal leave buybacks and "another $35,000" in retirement and leaving bonuses (0:27:24); "a resulting budget balance of 429021, which is just over 1% of the budget" (0:27:46). | |
| 0:29:02 | Revenues and the projected fund balance | Energy rebate revenue "16,000 this year"; tuition "this year we're going to end up around 513,000" against 341,000 last year (0:29:02). Projected revenue shortfall of about $154,006 (0:31:11); "a projected fund balance of 275,000. 032 which is money that would be returned to the taxpayers" against 311,000 projected in the budget, and "We do have some carryover fund balance of 170,000 we can use to supplement that as well." (0:31:20). | OBSERVATION |
| 0:29:56 | Catastrophic aid | The state "went back retroactively in January, and they disallowed expenditures relative to non educational hours" (0:30:16). On the formula: "anything you spend over 52,000, we're going to give you back 50%" and above ten times "we're going to give you 100%" (0:32:16); the state prorates to "about 66 to 68%" (0:32:47), "even though it's statutorily required that they pay us that." Benware: "The state is not required to fulfill any of their obligations." (0:33:03). The superintendent: "The playing field is not level." (0:33:22). | OBSERVATION |
| 0:34:44 | Extended learning opportunities | The handbook took effect "in about January of 2017" (0:35:13); three more policies are recommended to round out the package (0:36:03). Teacher stipends are $250 or $450 (0:41:10, 0:41:53); 2016-17 stipends paid were "4650" (0:42:11). "roughly anywhere from 90 to 95% of our yellows get done" (0:44:04); "we've done 95 ellos already" in 18 months (0:44:50). LeClair ties the program to the strategic action plan (0:45:52). Students named on the recording are not named here. | |
| 0:52:32 | Scheduling committee: history | The superintendent: since 2014, "with grievances, public employee labor relations board, arbitration and a hearing at the Supreme Court, we now are in a position where there isn't anything in our way" except funding (0:52:32). The committee formed in spring 2017 under a memorandum of understanding between the district and a body the transcript renders ESA, apparently the teachers' union (0:54:37) and works by consensus, using "a fist to five model" (0:58:31). | |
| 1:02:58 | Scheduling committee: surveys, visits, pilot | Open-ended surveys: "over a 60% return rate across the Student Body survey" (1:05:16), "like a 72% return rate from the staff", parents "like 28%" (1:05:31). Visits to High Tech High in San Diego and Andover High School in Massachusetts (1:08:52, 1:09:48). A grade-level advisory pilot for the fall (1:13:16, 1:15:03). "if you go on to the website, you can always read our minutes. And because they're all public information." (1:17:17). Asked about parents, LeClair says the committee meets "at 215 in the afternoon", which keeps working parents away, so they are surveyed instead (1:18:41). | POSITIVE |
| 1:23:34 | Middle school handbook | The incoming principal, Frank Romeo, "blessed the letter today" (1:26:22). LeClair: "What is printed in this agenda aligns greatly with your policies as a school board." (1:27:15). Approved (1:29:08). | |
| 1:29:21 | Preschool handbook | "We have a waiting list on this program." (1:31:53). Horsky wants board members' email links in it, as in the middle school handbook (1:33:42). The superintendent: Pierce "was the pivotal vote" on the earlier change to the preschool program (1:36:02). Approved with the email links (1:35:58). | POSITIVE |
| 1:36:48 | General assurances | "the school board chair representing the school board needs to sign the certification page in blue ink" (1:36:48); it "needs to be approved by June 30th and there is no impact" from the change of superintendent (1:37:40). | |
| 1:38:31 | Resignations and nominations | A math teacher listed in error rescinded his resignation; the Maple Avenue principal and the administrative assistant to the superintendent and special education director are resigning (1:38:31, 1:38:56). Four nominations, including a curriculum specialist replacing Downing (1:40:03). The superintendent: "you do not accept the" resignations; "Indentured servitude is illegal in New Hampshire." (1:43:25); nominations need approval "Because you control the budget." (1:43:41). A member counts "there's 59" on the resignation list (1:47:24). One of six English positions is cut "through attrition" (1:48:14). On paraprofessional pay: "Compensation is, in my view, problematic." (1:45:25). | |
| 1:49:00 | Student-teacher ratios | LeClair: at this table the ratio means the classroom teacher to the total number of children; "on average we are mid teens to mid 20s" (1:50:34). | |
| 1:54:30 | Security update and adjournment | Towle: "Mark Chase from the Claremont Police Department is bringing us an update. For security." (1:55:07), likely August 23. Adjourned (1:55:46). | |
Items flagged for review
These flags are a reviewer's aid, not findings of violation and not legal advice. Each one names the rule it rests on, as that rule read on June 20, 2018, or is labeled an observation where no verified rule applies.
MEDIUM No agenda, packet or minutes for this meeting survive in any district share
MAP.md records no Drive material for this meeting: the district's shares hold no year folder older than 2022, and the Meeting Minutes share starts at 2023. This meeting approved two handbooks, elected four nominees and heard a projected fund balance; the recording is now the only public account. It also approved the June 6 minutes with a correction whose wording is unclear on tape (0:05:05), so the corrected text of those minutes cannot be reconstructed either (June 6, 2018 page).
RSA 91-A:2, II, in the text in force throughout 2018, required minutes with "the names of members, persons appearing before the public bodies, and a brief description of the subject matter discussed and final decisions", open to public inspection not more than five business days after the meeting. This page applies the MEDIUM limb of the project's severity rule because the record shows minutes being kept: the board approved its June 6 minutes here (0:05:43). What is missing is a surviving public copy.
Sources: RSA 91-A:2, II (2017 codification; text in force Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2018)
OBSERVATION The board's explanation of catastrophic aid gave the wrong state share and treated proration as a departure from the statute
The business administrator told the board that above three and a half times the state average cost per pupil the state would "give you back 50%" (0:32:16), that the state prorates to "about 66 to 68%", and that this happens "even though it's statutorily required that they pay us that." (0:32:47). A member concluded: "The state is not required to fulfill any of their obligations." (0:33:03).
RSA 186-C:18, III, as it read in 2017 and 2018, made the state "liable for 80 percent" of a child's special education costs above three and a half times the estimated state average expenditure per pupil, and for all costs above ten times. The same paragraph provided that when the appropriation is insufficient, payments are "prorated proportionally based on entitlement", and it set no minimum percentage; the 80%-of-entitlement floor some later sources describe was added in 2025. So the share stated at the meeting was low by thirty points, and the proration the board heard described as a broken promise was the mechanism the statute itself prescribed. The retroactive disallowance of non-educational hours (0:30:16) is reported as the speaker's account; this page did not verify the department's rule on it.
Sources: RSA 186-C:18, III (2017 codification; source 2017, 156:96-100, eff. July 1, 2017); RSA 186-C:18, III (2016 codification; same 80% share and proration)
OBSERVATION A $170,000 "carryover fund balance" described as available to supplement the return to taxpayers, with no stated authority for holding it
After projecting a fund balance of about $275,032 "which is money that would be returned to the taxpayers", the business administrator added: "We do have some carryover fund balance of 170,000 we can use to supplement that as well." (0:31:20). At the June 6 meeting he had described the same money as surplus from health trust refunds that "we carried over" from year to year, $600,000 at first, then $300,000, now "about 170" (June 6, 2018 page).
In 2018 RSA 198:4-b, II allowed a district's legislative body to authorize the retention of year-end unassigned general funds up to 2.5 percent of the current year's net assessment, for emergencies or to reduce the tax rate. Under GASB Statement 54, amounts are committed or assigned only by the actions the statement describes, and only the general fund reports positive unassigned fund balance. The recording does not say whether the voters granted retention authority, how the $170,000 is classified in the audited statements, or why it remained after the year it arose. Those documents would settle it; with the audits three years behind in June 2018 (see the June 6 page), none was available to the board.
Sources: RSA 198:4-b, II (2017 codification; source note ends 2014, 190:6; 2.5% retention); GASB Statement 54, paragraphs 6-17 (fund balance classes)
POSITIVE A district committee that posts its minutes and survey results, and handbooks that will carry board members' email links
The Stevens High School scheduling committee, formed under a memorandum of understanding and reporting to the board, told the board that "if you go on to the website, you can always read our minutes" (1:17:17), reported its survey response rates by group (1:05:16, 1:05:31) and said it had added students, a counselor and others when it found stakeholders missing (0:56:24). Whether such a joint committee is an "advisory committee" to the board under RSA 91-A:1-a, VI(d), with the full duties of a public body, is not settled on this record; either way, publishing its minutes meets or exceeds what the statute would require. Separately, the board directed that the preschool handbook, like the middle school one, carry links to board members' email addresses so families can reach them (1:33:42, 1:35:20).
Sources: RSA 91-A:1-a, VI(d) (source note ends 2008, 354:1; in force in 2018); RSA 91-A:2, II (2017 codification)
Appendix: source files
Official and public sources
- Cablecast: SCHOOL BOARD MEETING 6-20 (show 9850; the Cablecast API returned 403 to this environment on 2026-10-02, so the run time is taken from the last dialogue row, 1:55:56)
- 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.
Project files
Working files this page was built from. The dialogue file is linked; the others are not published with the page.
Dialogue/9850 SchoolBoard062018.mp4.CSV (606 attributed rows; the basis of this page)Input/Videos/9850 SchoolBoard062018.mp4Input/Transcripts/9850 SchoolBoard062018.mp4.jsonInput/SupportingDocuments/MAP.md, section 71Scripts/attribution_reports_2015_2023/9850 SchoolBoard062018.mp4.md (speaker attribution report)Scripts/csv_corrections_2015_2023.md (corrections ledger; entry for rows 586-597)Scripts/roster_2015_2023.md (board and staff roster)
Laws and rules cited on this page
- RSA 91-A:2, II, 2017 codification (source note ends 2017, 165:1 and 234:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2018; next amended 2018, 244:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2019): minutes content and five-business-day inspection; no mover/seconder requirement in 2018
- RSA 91-A:1-a, VI(d) (source note ends 2008, 354:1): public body includes any committee, subcommittee or subordinate body of a school board, or advisory committee thereto
- RSA 186-C:18, III, 2017 codification (source 2017, 156:96-100, eff. July 1, 2017), and the 2016 codification: 80% state share above 3.5 times the state average, all costs above 10 times, proportional proration with no floor
- RSA 198:4-b, II, 2017 codification (source note ends 2014, 190:6): retention of year-end unassigned funds up to 2.5% of net assessment when authorized by the legislative body
- GASB Statement 54, paragraphs 6-17: fund balance classifications