So that's that's my concern is that we make the decision using the data that's available to us. We got here um when we looked at the state uh achievement data, we broke out data and compared it to uh districts that were similar in size and demographics. It would be interesting to know if we can find out whether those districts had um one policies also and look at that comparison again with that one variable just to see. Well, I I'd just like to say that I think it's difficult to draw conclusions when we have no control group. So, there hasn't been a group within our um student population that didn't have access to Chromebooks. And so it's hard to draw conclusions about how successful we are at. You know, we may have made great gains, but those gains may have we don't know what is attributed to technology versus targeted case managers and you know more attendance.
Yeah. Okay. So, it would be interesting though to consider how best, right? Yes. To use it in terms of do you pay down what what you could have to borrow in the future or is there a way to pay down stuff that's already bonded, right? Which I think there's some rules and regulations, right? Could you make an early payment? So I I don't think we have all the information tonight to have the discussion, but I know Michael and people are looking at that. So we'll have a discussion about that. Okay. At some point. Okay. Y Okay. And one more thing just about the budget too. Um, I did reach out to Superintendent Adams at one point um with the uh with the closure of the Department of Education or um potential closure um and regarding how much money we get from the federal government for our schools.
So I I don't know that we have a way of really looking at that. I think there I think looking more generally at um kind of objective things like we do know that there's brain research that talks about um the the impact of of um you know video versus writing. I mean it's a whole different brain function seeing things here than seeing it here. Even seeing it just visually and then doing this rather than doing this it's a whole different brain. I think we need some um I I think this is going to be a complex thing to to say we need to have people that actually have some brain research. I know that I know that um uh Christina has has done some of these things. Is that right? Yeah. So, I I just think that there's I think it's an important topic. I I don't know that it's easy to draw conclusions about whether or not we're more academically successful for having one to one Chromebooks because we didn't we didn't have half of the kids do not have them, right?
And he did respond we get about $1.1 million in federal funding. Um, basically it's it's mostly some of it about $250,000 is in um money based on economics and um the rest is about 750 is uh special education dollars. Um you know and and supposedly even if the department of education is closed that um that money will be filtered through to the communities in some other way, shape or form. But certainly nobody knows how or when or everything else because right now things are being done prior to putting plans in place, right? They're just doing stuff and then figuring it out and then figuring it out. So, yep. So, it's going to be chair. One last question with respect to uh state funding. Have we received any any uh notification or any uh potential updates as to what the cherry seats are going to look like?
It's that's that's just I don't know how we would draw those conclusions. I think it would be improper to draw conclusions without having a control group. That's I think Tom was asking with our comparison schools, not with our current students, but districts that other districts that we use for comparison would frankly I'd be surprised if there were many that didn't have one, but was more in response to the idea of but I think having information on the research and I could Google it but I don't know if I'd be getting the right information just regarding the research on the brain and development and Chromebooks and screeners in higher education to see if any of them were up on that. Um, we've had we've heard a lot about a topic that was decided for the two agenda. So, I kind So, we have a do we have a motion?
Uh yeah, they're out. The cherry sheets are out. Okay. I think we have a slight increase, but but we don't know if they'll be able to follow through on that. Okay, that's that was going to be my next question. Okay, thanks. Yeah, I I will just a little bit of information on that. um or you know you know nothing absolutely firm yet. But typically what happens is the governor releases his or her budget and then of course you know the house takes it up and issues their own budget uh followed by the Senate. And typically, like I said, uh the governor releases a certain number for local aid to cities and towns, including school aid. And the House and the Senate consecutively usually raised that a little bit. Um and so that's something that we've actually kind of expected over the last few years. Uh we've been given a news that we should not be expecting that this year.
Yes. Yes. And a second. And do we know what does staff have an idea of what that motion is at the point where we think we can put some kind of action agenda item agenda passes? Yes. Um but I mean we're going to need to we're going to have to ask some people to sit down and meet with us and make sure that we're getting because this is huge and it is certainly not a topic that our staff is going to be prepared to address. We're going to have to pull in some outside resources and certainly is going to have the expertise to address part of that. But you know, brain research and that kind of we're gonna do a little bit more. But I think working with board members and certainly community members as well. What do you want to hear about and then recognizing this is not going to be a short 10 and it will take some time to pull this together.
So, uh, it looks like, uh, what the governor's numbers are going to be or what the potentially what we're going to end up with. Okay. Thank you, Michael. Okay. Mhm. Any other budget questions for now or get to we'll get to discuss it in full detail on Saturday. Uh, project update, Michael, priority projects. [Music] Having having technical difficulties here, but I'm all I'm good now here. So, Pond Street. Yeah, Pond Street. Yeah, Pond Street. So, uh they haven't really got fully up and running yet. Uh the asphalt plants didn't open up until yesterday, but um you know, they are still planning on getting the work finished by fall of this year. And uh really, you know, they they were able to do um work in getting the wires and the poles moved a little bit more quickly than what they had originally anticipated or what they had initially signaled, I should say.
But it definitely I almost wonder if we should set a goal for a workshop instead me I'd like to offer substance motion. I think involvement. I thought run away. I'd like to move as a substitute motion that we uh create a we can't we probably make do that. It's actually outside agenda. Let's just agenda this for the very next meeting and then we can move the process. I don't know at the next meeting we can actually take action after agenda such as to create a video or to make a specific workshop you and I set the agenda, right? So we can set it as a workshop agenda and then as part of that we want to have people get the motion to agenda what it feel like on that understand what we're trying to do. Um in that case uh let's go ahead and do a voice focus because it was kind of a complex and long one.
Um but really a lot of the work now needs to be done around Spy Glass Hill. Um including some storm water work and uh some yeah some storm water work maybe um a little bit more engineering just some tweaks on a on a few things. U but again they should be finished by fall of 2025. Michael, do you know what work is being done on Elliot Street as you head toward the intersection from downtown toward 126? Any idea? There's been utility work. Okay. You don't you're not sure? Okay. I don't I couldn't tell if it was town or someone else, but it's all it's all dug up in front of the you know, right on the edge of the road across from the condos, but on on the other side. So on the um all those build Oh, they might be doing some of the storm water work cuz that Are you talking about like on spy glass hill?
Um so the motion as I understand it is just to agendaize a discussion about the use safety and um other data regarding research research regarding Chromebook usage generally and from there we'll narrow it down and that might allow for more community involvement if they know it's on the agenda how they feel about it. That's enough to spur us to and when we put if it's on the agenda, we'll be able to gather more information if we need it. That said, go ahead and vote. I think yes, go I Robinson I that is unanimous. Thank you very much. Thank you for your help for the next meeting. Um, when do you think we might see this? Well, if we're going to do it as a workshop, it probably won't be until June or July. So, will you let the parents know through a survey or something that this workshop is happening?
No, on Elliot Street as you head you know from Fruit Street before Shaws on the left hand side like across from Meeting House across from Mountain Gate. Gotcha. Gotcha. Um no I'm not aware of that right now. Okay. Anyway, I've been caught in traffic there a couple times so Okay. Uh next is Warren Barn. Yeah, the Warren Barn, Jen and and Claudia have been doing a lot of the work on this. Um, they have recently released their 90% designs. Um, and Jen, is there anything else you wanted you wanted to uh No, the just a couple other things. We're sort of working through with our department heads just to make sure that um everything like in terms of board of health or fire are being addressed in these design plans um before they you know complete them and then we're trying to finalize the lease between the town and the um and the college.
Absolutely. Not sure if Mer is trying to communicate something or just thinking. No, I'm just listening. Secret. Um okay, thank you. Thank you. So yes, um the agendas are always available for the meeting and in this case we will certainly get that information out earlier. Um we have a way to get signed up for alerts about upcoming meetings if you're not on that already. Um Eric Dino has a mailing list basically. So, President I just like to say that I would love to be on that committee if we end up creating a subcommittee. We can't take that action. Okay. I thought Kelly said we can informally get in action at this board meeting. This is just a discussion about Yeah. I guess I misunderstood. So do that. So, superintendent set the agenda. We want to expand what goes into setting that agenda item. Pull in people to help develop this agenda item.
So sort of still working there. It's but it's getting definitely closer. It's exciting. So another question. It looks like Framingham State is doing some work either on the parking lot or I'm not sure what. Um I've seen some like wetland barriers going up and they're doing some work and it's not the barn itself. It's like next to it. They're doing Yeah. Go ahead. Yeah. They're doing some work I believe on um sewage, right? They're trying to from down in the in the cabins down across next to the Okay. And they I basically they have a pumping station down there and they're trying tying into the pumping station that pumps up to Chestnut Street. Is that right, Jen? Is that what you understand? Mhm. And Okay. So, they're tying into the sewer. Yeah. And Jen, I want to thank Jen for our representation at the at the meetings.
We can do that. And so, I'm just saying when that happens, I'm throwing my hat in what I'm That's what I'm saying. I'm interested. Are we allowed to ask a question? Um, we can you can ask, we may not be able to answer. Okay. Well, just my question is you're saying we're going to put it off until June. Can we do like a parent survey beforehand? Because in June parents are going to be gone and kind of just start gathering information from parents, letting them know that in June we're going to look at it, but at least start gathering if they have concerns or questions. Yeah. And again, um, I don't know that we know exactly what questions we're going to And that's what I mean. I think this is going to take some time and some research. But I think there's other places that are doing things otherwise it's going to be a very very simple probably not beneficial survey.
I haven't been able to attend the last couple. Um I did thank you for forwarding the plans to me. It does look I know I had raised some concerns about um the the only doors were the you know kind of big barn doors. I did notice, Jen, I'm sure you noticed. I think it's on the north side that they put the um they put in one a single door. So it has it had one single door on the far end and then they put another then there's the barn doors and then there's one more. Yes. I mean I I don't know what you think. Well yeah they were sort of thinking about that as like a peek they kept calling it a peekaboo boo door meaning like it would actually be part of a opening. So when the weather is nice, you could open it, but when it's not so nice or they need other, you know, there's any reason that you'd want to just have a smaller entrance, that's so they have I think it's supposed to function as both.
Yeah. I think if you put out to your parents do they have any concerns because you're looking at doing this in June that you'll probably get quite a bit of ideas from parents. I'm just concerned don't wait until June because for the parents to know that there's a they can give input because they'll you won't get much in June. I don't have a problem. Why do you need to be later? No, I don't have a problem with the workshop in June. I would just ask that the parents could have input before June for that June meeting. Thank you. So, so every board meeting people can bring these to the floor usually twice. Correct. So, at any time, you know, you can, you know, as Carson did, you know, parents could if they're interested in this even before a survey. I mean you can come and speak to us.
But I haven't, honestly, I haven't had a chance to really dive into those 90% designs. We just got those just the other day. Yeah. And I, you know, to tell you the truth, a lot of it when I look at it is Yeah. Yeah. Not I wouldn't be able to add any clarity for anyone. They're pretty pictures. There you go. pictures weren't even that pretty. Mike, I was hoping for some color pictures. Yeah, I've got low standards, Claudia. Yes. And could And it's like, all right. And could you I need to kind of I need a compass on there, too. You know, where where's Tell me what north is, but what does that mean? You know, show me where like Henry's little tavern is and then and then tell me where everything is from there. So, but in any case, great. Well, thank you for for following up on that, Claudia, and and keeping us on track.
Okay. I think we know mostly where we're at. I hear collecting uh input from the uh community. Always a good idea. But um We can certainly do an opening question. I think we will be shocked at the lack of but if we don't try Thank you very much. Thank you again. Back in time real fast. This is just most of the board members. Order item 4.1.1. Uh there is a request to change the May board meeting. Right now in May we have both a regular and a special meeting. Um both uh the superintendent and I have outstanding conflicts of those schedules. So sure. So um on our May 7th board workshop we are talking about supporting students block schedule in terms of education. So that's the May 7th. Our regular date May board on the 21st uh really does not have a lot on it.
I just have to I just have to share um you know, just another reason why we do this work, right? Um so I one of my community center coffees recently, we had a uh a local official stop by with one of her young kids. And um so the subject of the rink came up and uh one of her other kids uh had uh had learned how to skate there um over you know over the winter. So not only uh did she learn how to skate, she had drawn and developed a whole story book about learning how to skate. And so how cool is that? Yeah. So uh so I I'll have to share it with everybody. I did share it with Dr. Hamill just uh because he's the one who was really kind of pushing this rink and I was like, "Oh, it'll never it'll never it'll never do well, right?