And then that last piece is how are we assessing to make sure or monitoring that individualized education plans, IEPs, are actually aligned to what the student needs and they're being implemented as they were intended to be implemented when it when it was decided upon around the IEP meeting table. This is my last one. Um and so it was also IEP goals are not yet frequently and consistently progress monitored and IEPs are not yet re reviewed and revised um accordingly. This one was misleading and we dove a little deeper in this. So for the public and for the board, if a student has an IEP once a trimester they receive a progress report based on their special education goals. We're doing a good job in that. If you remember earlier, I said that the components of the IEPs were there. But because we are not doing a really effective job of monitoring our programs, then it is not giving teachers the information they need to understand, do we need to make adjustments when students aren't making um progress.
So that is the reason why based on that language if it's at the superintendent's discretion then that would it would fall under superintendent committees. But I will confirm since we're tableabling that just so I'll bring that back and have an answer to that. But I just want to clarify Miss Per why we put it there um was because of that language. Um but I'll have to look at my notes to make sure I contacted the attorney. With that, I will get an answer to that for sure. This was deliberate. Well, can I ask a question just real quick? And Dr. Thomas, you can chime in at any point, but I would assume it's under superintendent committees as well because the matter of such a committee would be sensitive information. So that's why it's at the discretion of superintendent and not the board. Right. It is, but we don't we generally do not talk about student specific issues.
Um, basically what's on tonight is what we talked about. We uh review of the bills, the treasures report, the intervention staffing plan, we discussed the tech plan, finance piece, uh the science curriculum renewal, the construction, the 2025 construction update and bid recommendations, and the fiscal year 2026 budget resolutions. Uh so next up, we have the consent agenda. Included are those items that are routine in nature. Should any board member wish to remove an item from the consent agenda, the item will be discussed at the end of section 8. 7.1 is the open session minutes from the January 8th, 2025 special board of education meeting. 7.2 is the closed session minutes from the January 21st, 2025 committee of the whole meeting. 7.3 are the open session minutes from the January 27th, 2025 regular board of education meeting. 7.4 4 are the total bills in payroll for the board approval and they're in the amount of 5,442,764.99.
All right. Thank you. That's Josh, our IT guy. Let's let him Thanks. Um the culture of MCHS has been is an evolving um positively over the last few years. Um each incoming cohort of students um affect that, but it's currently the students that are there that drive the the culture of the building. Um faculty and staff of course play a significant role in shaping and and reinforcing the culture. So when we thought we sat down and we thought about our celebrations um we're thinking about uh the focus on the whole student which is the academics, mental health and the personal growth. Um our mantra to high school is the quality of life beyond the diploma. Um we want to give you the skills and the um knowledge to choose um the quality of life after you leave high school and not left not let life choose it for you.
Um I'm personally proud. My son is going to be there on stage and I could not be more thrilled and elated. So um again, thank you for the investment um in in that um music education. And um as you may or may not know, the Ashlin Music Association provides uh funding to support those programs that are not included um expenses that are not included in that very lofty um budget. Um and so we have made an effort, Jim, thank you for meeting with us to help make visible what some of those expenses are because honestly I think that they haven't been visible in the past. And um we just a couple of things. Um if we think about all those capital expenditures, that's a lofty list. There's a few things that we just ask for consideration as you move forward. Um and one of those is um the AMA has donated instruments to the schools, the school-owned instruments.
Yes. 35,52.50 was from Conway. 28,655 was from Frontier Regional. 9,025 was from Deerfield. $59,422.50 was from Gil Montigue. $19,620 was from Pioneer Valley Regional School District. $42,900 was from Mohawk Trail Regional School District. $27,13464 was from Athal Royalston Regional School District. $2,400 was from Springfield. $5,400 was from Pittsfield. And then the balance of $65,525 was state transportation reimbursement for homeless. That totals $295,58464. Thank you, Andy. Member Ston, I have a question which hope is unrelated to anything we've been talking about and then um I would like to also make a comment just about what's being discussed. Um first I'm just noticing $22,000 uh additional for the Federal Street School elevator. Is that more than what we budgeted? we need to like approve any of that. So we did approve the base contract increase because the bid came in higher and then what you have in addition to that is there is a change order that is required because the state regulations regarding the I'm going to really above my pay grade but the casing of the elevator needed to be changed due to the timing in which the repairs were being done versus what the original rules were statewide.
So, I'm really curious to see what that says because I was rather upset when I looked at that other one. Number one, the building was dirty in the bathrooms. Yeah. So, I I think we've definitely fixed a lot of stuff. I'm just kind of curious where we kind of stand right now on that. Okay. Yeah. I I have sorry I just I have a related question which is and maybe this is a a curriculum question but the um the unit that we that got added this year around safety for students during time. I'm curious if like what kind of evaluation you're doing and if you're thinking about continuing that into next year. It'll continue Yeah. into next year. We haven't evaluated it um because we haven't gotten all the way through the year, but they're doing the lessons. We've got the behavioral staff, you know, pushing in the teachers and doing those lessons.
Thank you. Thank you for setting that up. Finance, Mr. Jeni. Uh this Friday, Mike, myself, and Dr. as uh will meet to create an agenda for the finance meeting uh to be held on Monday, April 21st. That's I believe the first day back from the uh spring vacation. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. uh policy Kate uh you'll see a number of uh policies that are on tonight's agenda for first read and then our next meeting is going to be May 12th and we'll be uh highlighting the school conduct policy that our administration is currently working on school are there any question concerning committee reports I hope that when we at this our agenda and the committee reports are in there and the minutes. We will take a few moments and go over those minutes because some of the question that we ask are asked at the uh committee meetings and then we don't have to double ask the questions at our board meeting.
Just uh and it was I just it grossed me out. Too much sugar smell in the room. But so they're learning. They have to they have to draw out their design. They have to try and make it stand up for x number of minutes. And so they're they're teachers just embrace the chaos. We had the PTA book fair last week. PTA has made it their mission to give every single student on campus a free book. And so every kid kinder through 8th grade was able to go in and buy pick out a book that PTA donated to them. And they still made over $3,000. So they bought books for next uh for the spelling bead participants that are coming at the end of the month. They are purchasing books for our library and classroom teachers also. So it's it's awesome. Uh the parent teacher conferences were last week and Diane I was thinking of you when you mentioned that.
Thank Thank you very much. Motion is carried. Let's continue on to Roman numeral 4 resolution 24-20 nonremployment of certificated employees for the 2025-2026 school year. Dr. Fuentes, please. It is recommended that the board adopt resolution 2420 as stated. Thank you very much. Could I have a motion, please? If you have no comments. Move to adopt resolution 2420. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Again, Miss Gomez, this is a roll call vote. President Boat. I. Trusty Jimenez. Hi. Trusty Nuin. I. Trustee Shrina. I. Thank you very much. Motion is carried. Let's continue down to bond program Roman numeral one. An annaya construction ratification of a cupka lumpsum agreement for the relocation of two portable classrooms to Majestic Way Elementary School. Dr. Fuentes, it is recommended that the board ratify this agreement as stated. Thank you very much. Um could I have a motion? If you don't have any comments, please to ratify.
You also have a very solid quality of life. People recognize and see the connection between investing in education and its impact on quality of life. And they understand that they need to invest in schools to make in modern facilities to protect our quality of life. The notion that it would be a not a tax rate increase is attractive. 40% strongly agree. It has a higher unknown than some of the other ones. There's still a little bit of a believability question when it comes to if you were able to make a proposal without actually keeping keeping the tax rate the same. So, it wouldn't be an increase in the tax rate. Um, there's a little bit of unknown in that one. Still very effective, but you know, critical repairs at 4.05 with 45% strongly agree. Again, all of these do very well as reasons that they're really the sentiment behind them, whether it's quality of life, school safety and security, the fact that it wouldn't be a tax increase or critical repairs, all do really well.
And so we want to um make sure that we're not only building in that capacity around the review of IEPs, but also we are building in those data systems such as branching mind. Thank you board for that because that would allow us to then be able to look at not only individual students but we will be able to look at students who are receiving the same intervention or the same type of instruction. We'll be able to monitor and say is this the right decision or does the district need to move elsewhere. And so now so I can take a drink of water. I'm going to move over to Dr. Thomas who will briefly talk about kind of where are we at right now and we when we talk about where's our current state after we know these findings we know what the report says what is our current state and then the last section of this presentation is where would we like to go next Dr.
So in that sense, it's that is kept confidential. But still it's more general and in in practical matter usually the behavior intervention advisory committee is on at the same time as the parent advisory committee. And is this a matter of um title too? I mean like so this was drafted in 2023. So I guess it's pretty recent but prior dates that it was drafted like we didn't use titles such as like behavioral interventionist in 2012 as much as we use that now. So, is it really just a matter like the confusion comes from a matter of title? Um, I don't know if it's a matter of title. Some of those some of these weren't required until much later. Okay. I just think it's I I understand um sitting down with Mrs. Potter with this. To me, it's just a matter of it is very specifically out out laid out as a board as board committees and that's why I think she's trying to stick to the alignment with what we're being told by ISB and this is just in the very if you're going to pull up press this is going to this is going to appear as right in 2150 and not a superintendent committee.
7.5 is the treasurer's report. 7.6 is the resignation dismissal retirement. There were none. 7.7 is the employment. 7.8 is the destruction of closed meeting audio recordings. 7.9 is the disposal of assets. There were none. 7.10 10 is the 2025 2026 balance budget resolution and 7.11 is the resolution to approve a designate to prepare this fiscal year 26 budget. May I have a motion to approve the following 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 7.10 and 7.11 as presented. So moved second.
Um you do all those things and the graduation will happen. Um so our celebrations are focused um on um the sort of on the personal side right so we have our sources of strength which is a uh studentled group we currently have 58 students in that group um and 19 adult uh sponsors um they do campaigns they do uh lunchtime campaigns they have posters along the wall uh that all focus on strengths and not weaknesses um that growing um consistently and they do it at the junior high as well. So, um, it sort of feeds into our program. Um, Coach Morrison talked about the Polar Plunge. Um, for the second straight year, we have raised more money than anybody in our region for our Polar Plunge. Um, I've done it every year except this year, and I caught a little grief for that, so I guess I'll do it again next year.
The maintenance and repair of those um is about we spend about $6,000 a year. It seems like such a m small number when you look at all of that, but that goes a we raise money from parents and through grants to fund that consideration for some funding in that space would make a huge difference and allow the AMA to focus our funds on providing new instruments or donating new instruments and opportunities such as we had this last weekend for students. So that's the only other thing that we ask for consideration which is a very tough job. I keep pointing up here because that's where I was looking. But u we just want to say thank you and express our gratitude and appre appreciation and um for your support of the music programs and thank you for your comments. I mean that is the point of the budget hearing for us to hear things like that um and for consideration as we move forward and figure out how it fits into the whole picture.
So that required a change order. As you can see from the report, we have the funds available to cover that. So that's what that is for. Okay, great. Thank you. Y So do we have an estimated timeline about that elevator? This this gives me hope that it's actually progressing, which is great. Yes, it is progressing timeline. I would have to get back to you on that since uh Mr. Number since this is a capital, he's overseeing that. So great. We can find out. Thank you. Um, the other the comments that I just have to make about this discussion of having balances or not and whether or not that is a good thing for us to do. I I can't help I I can't help but hear your comment that as a taxpayer to the city, you had hoped that your tax money monies that particular year would go to that year's expenses.
And so far so good. That's actually why um we had to get helmets um because we have little scooters that the kids can use for their breaks and because we did a safety uh lesson on bike safety and wearing your helmets. The kids were like, "Well, we can't use the scooters anymore until you guys buy us helmets." So, we had to buy helmets. Yeah, they called us right out. So, everything that they're learning, they'll call us right out on it, which is great because that's what you want. You want them to like take and then recognize, oh well, you're telling me to be safe and I need to wear a helmet when I'm on my scooter, but you've got scooters here at the school and I don't have a helmet. You're right. Let's get some helmets. I also understand there's a song that they learn as part of it.
So just just read your minutes if they're in your package. Yes. Um, it's still uh I'm still troubled by the policy committee adopting very lenient um uh grading standards uh if you could call them standards uh for athletes and uh artists. Uh I was my question is I I didn't think about this until later. Does for example in the sports uh conferences that we belong to are there any academic standards that we have to adhere to? Yes, the C Yes, the CIA uh for all uh athletics uh has their own standards that students have to obtain a minimum uh grade point average uh and passing rate of courses. Shouldn't we refer to that in our student policy book? So, it it is located in um your handbook for the high school. Um but certainly the policy committee um the I think the policy you're referring to, the one that was uh voted to repeal that policy um was kind of an add-on on top of that that didn't have any it didn't it didn't have any weight that was further implemented than the CIA rules.