But not one single thing is bought for our students or our teachers without going through this process through the central office. And then that last step like we did earlier tonight, it shows up on our agenda agenda. Every committee member looks at that before they vote on it. If they've got questions, they ask you. It just keeps us current in into technology we should be doing and keeps us making things move, but we have to keep the the the wheels moving to make sure our district runs. Okay. Okay. Can I have a motion that the school committee vote to authorize the use of electronic signature for the purpose of signing warrants by the designated single signer voted?
Oh, you know, there's accidents where these drivers don't care because they might leave your kid at a random bus stop. Hey, I don't I'm sorry. I don't know you by name. I don't know really where you stopped. I was just told that you're near here. Go to the next one. And I feel like that you're going to get a lot of parents in the future upset knowing that their kids, they're not feeling safe on their bus. The driver don't care, you know, um being dropped off maybe two blocks, three blocks away from my house. I'm feeling I feel I came here because I wanted to I wanted my effort to be respected. I felt that that's what I was getting here with the rest of my bus um co-workers that me caring so much for these parents kids putting the effort of getting to know each child name making sure they get home safe and not worrying about the business side of it like oh I'm only here to make the company money and then you're talking about oh we're going to save so much money if we cut the bus drivers for what for one year maybe then when then what and then you're thinking about oh you know I'm I'm pretty sure it's because you guys don't want to pay us for health benefits or anything, right?
So Lori, Jess, any questions, discussion? Thank you for all your work on this and finance. Appreciate it. Great work team. Yeah, the central office finance area. I mean, night and day. Thank you. Yeah, like you said, like you said at the last school committee, walking away every day, like you said at the school committee meeting, I think it was March 12th, like we're all brand new, right? This is an entire new team of people that are working in that financial office that are are making this work. I I personally know what it's like. You're looking at thousands of lines of transactions, budget lines. I I look at that every day, too. And it's uh that's why I don't do it any longer. and not being accountable to the school district, but to the town, right? We're meeting with the town of Berlin. We're meeting with the town of Wilson.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's another way of saving money, right? Another thing, oh wait, maintenance on the buses, stuff like that. Where do you think they're going to get the money the other company for maintenance? They're just going to upcharge you to for their bus service, for their bus maintenance. It's going to come out somehow. You guys might save money for one year and then what? What's going to happen next year and the year after that? When it comes to this, your budgets are going to have to go up. Where are you going to get the money? You're going to do the same thing you're paying for us now. You're going to pay for another company. So, why not keep us that care about your kids and care about this n everybody's kids here? I'm just saying thank you everyone. Have a great night. Hi, my name is Lorie Stewart.
It's their money, right? They're trusting us with our money, their money, and that we need to make sure that we're using it and accounting for it properly. There's work and and it's important work. It's just as important as our teachers that are sitting in front of our our our students. It's what makes our school run every single day. That's correct information that we can make decisions on. So, very much appreciate ask questions. I mean, if you see a warrant and you have questions, you can call me. We'll take a look, get back to you. All right. All in favor? I against. Thank you, Eric. That motion. Thank you. Next up, uh the council. Okay. Approve. May I have a a motion, please, to approve the FY26 calendar is presented tonight. So, Lori second, please. All right. Discussion, questions. If that 25th's not used for a PD day, I would like to revisit that again.
I'm a bus aid. Um, I'm glad to hear that you may be keeping us, but I don't know if that's true or false. Um, I'm here to represent my co-workers, the bus aids, and the drivers. Um, I've been a resident of Eve Sham for a little over two years. I also have extended family in Eve Sham Township for over 30 years. I grew up coming to Eve Sham on the weekends as a child. Two cousins of mine graduated from Cherokee High School. My daughter has attended Jagard Elementary, is now attending Marlton Middle School as a sixth grader. I've had the opportunity to work for Eve Sham Township Transportation coming up on a year in this past March. My position is a bus aid. I was skeptical at first when taking the position and came to find out how challenging my job can be. In this short amount of time working here, I've learned to love my job due to the fact that I have met so many amazing children.
Shift things over, which would then shift that into school to the 15th. You're talking about I'm sorry, April August. So, sorry. If a negotiation that additional feud day is not placed on the 25th prior to school because I I would be surprised it would end up in June, but if it's not placed on the 25th of August that we reconsider to move that first day of school up to Wednesday as in prior years it has been. So the first day of school right now is scheduled for August 20th and you're saying move it up till August 27th only Wednesday. Yes. Whatever that numbers we cannot Yeah. I meanough it's tough to get into a lot of negotiation talk in this meeting, right? So No, no, for sure. Just like to keep that in mind. Yeah. So I'm just looking to get a calendar so I can get out the family.
On top of that, I've gotten to understand and learn about children with special needs. I also work as a lunch aid as well for Marlton Elementary School. It's great to see my kids smile when they see me on and off the bus. That definitely makes my days that much brighter and better and does for them, too. So, at this point in my career for Eve Township Transportation, I was originally told that my position was coming to an end. I had a plan to continue working for the township as long as I possibly could and maybe have the opportunity to move up in the department or departments if it were presented to me. Due to the fact that the township may outsource a transportation department would be catastrophic for children that ride the bus, especially special needs children in which I work with every day. These children need one-on-one attention for them to feel comfortable during the bus ride to and from school.
So at least they know that so they're not doing verifications like this department in maybe August, right? They know that we're starting before day. So I just sort of want to get that out there. But certainly after negotiations, we we'll know when that is we can do a revised count if necessary. Any other questions about it? Am I the only one that wants to change it till Labor Day? Yes. All right. All right. You drunk. Listen, you get the AC. That's fine by me. Fine. Uh, all in favor? Anyone against? So Joel, I'm going to ask you if you get that on website before tomorrow first thing that out there tonight. Thank you. Where do you want it? Let's put it on the the district website and then can we put it on all individual sites as well too? I can. Great. Perfect. That May 7th full day might I don't know for this year.
So by outsource so by outsourcing transportation the downfall would be school bus routes would be combined causing the buses to be overloaded as well. They will most likely not have the opportunity to have a bus aid on the bus every day or even at all. These children and their parents especially special needs are going to suffer in this decision is made. Stop looking at these children as a number percentage or dollar amounts. Emphasize on the matter at hand. This now will fall onto the children that truly need us throughout their school days and years. Many senior drivers and aids that have dedicated their livelihood for many years will be losing their jobs, causing them to lose their pensions and health insurance and which they desperately need. I enjoy my job every day. I like seeing the children grow every day. I've had the opportunity to grow a bond with my kids and teach them respectfulness and responsibilities of riding on the bus.
So we changed the calendar. So you talk about this year now again. So we can we put the new calendar out there. We're going to send out communications like we do anyways, but we'll go. It's updated. It has the date on it for just in terms of Oh, as we draw closer, we will for May 27th of 2025. Yes. And we have to also let Sorry, we have to also let our bus company know that as well too because right now in their calendar for just thinking I'm not sorry. We got to let them know it's a full day. Just note to ourselves. Um, okay. Uh, we next have a a field trip presentation. Mr. Bill Whitehead is, uh, patiently waited here. Thank you very much. Enjoyed every minute. No doubt. Um, so let me I will make this quick. I'm not sure how much the school committee's actually been able to look at the the share drive.
I've even had some of the kids call me mom. In this letter, I've expressed my deepest concerns for the decisions that may be made. So, I hope by saying this letter, you guys make a great decision. [Applause] I'm back again. My name is Shalica. Um, bus drivers, teachers, thank you guys for what you guys do. Bus drivers, thank you for what you guys do. I'm going to thank them before I thank you guys because again, these kids are not numbers. They're not dollar signs. They are our children. I'm going to have my son stand up. Stand up. That kid right there has phological disorder. You're gonna basically add 35 kids to a class like his that's in a LD program. You think he's going to get the help that he needs having funological disorder? go ahead and Google what phological disorder is and see how much help that he actually needs in his classroom by asking his secondary teacher for the help opposed to her saying, "Hold on, I can't help you.
Here's just a quick overview. Um, some of the talking points. So, I want to propose a club. Um, the Tonto World's Traveler, I for change the name. Um, but, uh, essentially we had a few years ago, we were able to start getting whoever wants one, take one, if you want one. Um few years ago we started getting um some really cool trips, international trips going at Tahanto stopped kind of uh because of COVID. So I was trying to think of a way to get it going again. Um some trips are done through classes and I thought of this um this club the world explorers club. Essentially it ends with a a big trip. I want buy in from the kids. So I I didn't want to just have a a a trip and kids just go on it that they need to learn about the country.
Sit down." Opposed to saying, "Hold on, I can't help you because I have 20 other kids I have to help." Right? There is safety codes. There are a lot of other things that go about that. Um, you're probably tired of hearing me talk, but I'm tired of looking at you at this point because it's every single time I have to look over like a broken record. And it's it's sad to me because you guys all have kids. If you guys didn't have the position you guys have now, would you guys be okay with everything going on in this district? Don't answer it. You don't answer questions. Um, when it comes to bus driving, thank you personally for what you do. If he's not here on a day, my son waits at the door. If he doesn't see his bus driver, he doesn't get on that bus.
So the idea would be each year there's a specific country or region. Um and we have weekly meetings learning about this country or meeting or region culminating in a trip um probably around April break. So I thought um what is a bucket list place for me and what has Toronto never done and arrived at Japan. So this proposal is for the club and the trip for April 2020 April break of 2026. Um so some of the big questions right away everyone's like yeah Japan great. How much? So um the cost I'm working with a rep from ACIS. Um, there's a few student tour companies in Massachusetts. Uh, ACIS is a you pay a little bit more, but you you get a lot more on this sheet here. And I have this all in a Google Drive set up for parents and a presentation and all that.
Why? Today I had a bus driver skip his bus stop, but come around and say, "Hey, do you need a bus? This is not a taxi. I don't I didn't call for a Uber, right?" So, I said, "Hey, what kid are you looking for?" She looks at her book and says, "Hm, I'm sorry. I don't know the kid's name. this is not my route. Do you think outsourcing is is perfect at this point? If they don't know the routes, they don't know the kids. They don't know who they're picking up. This man goes above and beyond what he does. He waits within the one or two minutes, not open close the door. You said a little while ago that you have um workers that worked about 15 to 22 years. These bus drivers has worked 30 plus years and they deserve to stay. Not only that, but if you are thinking about getting rid of them, how about pay them out their their hours that they have that they earned, that they worked for.
Um, you get um for 15 paid travelers. You would it would be a tri a private tour. You stay in better quality hotels. you stays closer um to the the uh the destinations you'd be going to. For this Japan trip, we would be going to Tokyo, the Mount Fuji area, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Ahsoka. Um Osaka. Ahsoka is Star Wars. Um surprising. Go ahead. Right. Live long and prosper. Um so next month, right, right, right. We'll eventually get into space with this trip. So um we'll suck. Uh anyway, um that price includes obviously the flights, a 24-hour tour manager, a separate tour guide in Tokyo. Um it does include tip generally on these trips. um part of the the collection is going towards a tip for the the the any drivers. This they set up public transportation and then I have listed entrance or tickets to everything listed here you would be paying some kind of admission fee.
They didn't work for free. They didn't just come here to sit on their ass and say, "I'm just going to collect a paycheck." They care about our kids the same way these teachers care about our kids when they have to realize that there's more kids in the classroom now that they can't help. But mind you, these are also parents that have to go home and help their own kids with work and they can't get a lot of stuff done in the meantime. So think about it before you make a decision that you're going to regret because in a couple of years, maybe a year or two, you probably like, "Damn, I should have never made that [Applause] decision." My name is John Rule. I live at 6 Yorkshire Court. I understand the students and the teachers not wanting any cuts. It makes sense. But we also have to realize from the taxpayers point of view.
There's also some shrines and temples that are free but I'm just listing the ones that you'd be paying for. Um the 6109 that's that's a year out. Um so the club itself would be doing group fundraising one to cover the cost of um buses to and from Logan. That's the only thing we have set up. Um and then anything after that would be group fundraising to reduce the overall cost of the trip. Um then we would be setting up and telling kids um here here's how you can fund raise to make this happen. So the question is can students afford this? The simple answer is no. they cannot afford this right now. But I went by in and have them set a goal a year out and we're this would only be open to high schoolers. Um so current 8th through 11th grade um would be able to attend next week the information session about it.
The only two that have made comments tonight on this entire board that I can see that have common sense in this are Aiden and Tracy. I understand we have to have increases. No one here expects our taxes to drop. We know they're going to go up somewhat. For you as a board to on such short notice vote to increase my taxes by $2,000 a year is unconscionable. There is no way that can be justified, especially on this short notice. At the last board meeting, we talked about all the possible cuts we can make. There was nothing talked about about having a sizable tax increase. That wasn't a dis discussion. That was a point of discussion. Now, tonight, it seems to me like from what I can see, you're going to vote to 100% approve a $15 million increase, which is going to cost me dearly and everyone else here.