And so we want to um look at what revisions need to be made to IEP plans or 504 plans so that the same student isn't presenting in the dean's office with the same behaviors or similar behaviors repeatedly. So that is one thing that is an area we do need to work continue to work on. And are there other um demographics? Um is there another way to drill down even further to kind of look at uh specific demographics to identify any other uh trends that we might need to focus on? Yes, I typically at the end of the year do uh a more thorough analysis that looks at um all sorts of angles and I'd be happy to share that with Dr. mean to share with board. Thank you. All I'm going to say is uh to the group. Excellent. Um what a difference in 12 months.
Now um I see it as an opportunity to bring my expertise uh to the table. I'm the director the uh deputy director of the department of planning and development for the city of l. I've been uh working in the planning department for the past four and a half years. Um I think that expertise is fundamental to some of the things that we'll be discussing when it comes to development especially now that we are in the transition of uh trying to replace our town planner. U but I also see it as an opportunity to learn from the community and grow with them um through collaboration. I see it as an opportunity to engage with the community uh with developers, with the business community, with the town officials in open conversations about how through planning we are actually achieving the goals that we set ourselves in the ambition um Ashland master plan.
He reached out to all the local um folks where we might have to go invade their space for a little while. Um and they they had visitors, you know, our students went to visit and just led by teachers to take a walk. So now students all know um where they would go and how they would get there in case of an emergency situation. Uh kindergarten screening is one of the most important aspects of our K to2 experience. Um we have to make sure we're doing some quick screen on our students to know who the children are that are going to be in front of us next fall that begins on May 28th. Um, and my favorite day of the year was was this this week uh as Jim and I were able to go and um watch our amazing athletes at the Special Olympics. The five town Special Olympics was hosted this year by Medfields.
it it um affects our teachers abilities to do their jobs in their classrooms. Um so we're excited um and I'll talk with you in executive session about the terms of that um tenative agreement and then we're hopeful that we will be able to turn key quickly all of our marketing materials that will reflect um a change and hopefully that will help us. Um lastly, not really lastly but enough for tonight. Um we're also spending a lot of time looking at um Caliad substitutes. So um I meet with them every other week to look at data on our subutilization rate. Um we saw some really interesting things today in looking at numbers on search pricing. So picking days that we normally have low um sub participation and high attendance rates. So that that data that we're looking at now is going to help us circle around how many subs do we think we'll use next year?
Um so whether it's uh you know lack of trust and basically it's what we do encounter the most um we do have to work very diligently to make sure that we can make that connection and then like I said and for the junior high students send them back and hope that they they've eliminated that barrier of mistrust when they go back to another site or a new site like the high schools that you know with 1900 kids versus the 25 kids in their class at AFC and Cal at the at the um younger grades, the targeted case managers and the um the I think it's elementary wellness counselors do a lot of work with connecting families with the supports that their students need and then the support the family needs. what what's our um depth of support for our families because this is an area where again it's a team effort and if if you if those kids are not trusting us yet.
Because we know our teachers, the great ones, we can probably name some of them, are going to dive in. They're going to get super wet with it. They're going to get crazy and excited about it, and the kids are going to love it. We have those other people, the other teachers that we know aren't going to dive in as deep. And it's going to take the district to give that arm around them, say, "We need you to dive in deeper because you're going to enjoy it as a teacher." And the kids are going to be more engaged. So when the kids are more engaged, they're better learning. Our principles are going to like it because they're going to be fewer discipline concerns. The kids just need to be engaged. If the teachers don't know the curriculum, they can't engage the students. So absolutely, that would be my recommendation for sure.
What a difference 12 months can make. Um I will say that um about two months ago, we actually went into some of the classrooms. I'm going to stir it up a little bit and say to the teachers and people who work in those classrooms, ask for what you need. Um there's some things that I've seen that were very simple that I think could help. For I'll give an example. Um I noticed that one of the teachers was using the the pad control and the student was having to use that. The student was struggling to use that pad. Ask for a big mouse. I mean seriously a wireless big mouse. Ask maybe for a light pen or something like that. I want to just encourage the people in those areas to ask for the things because there a lot of we don't have a lot of money but there is money available I suspect or can be made available for that type of stuff because not only will it help the student but it also helps the teachers and the supporting support staff in the room so they're not struggling um for three or four minutes to get someone to use this thing that I even I can't use.
Um and ultimately for the future, right? Whatever we plan today is not only just for today is for the future of Ashland, is for the kids who live here now and deserve the right to remain in this community. making it affordable for them to stay within the community that they grew up in, staying within the friends that they grew up with, uh, within their families. And so there's, um, there's multiple opportunities to make sure that we shape that future for Ashland through today and the actions that we take today, making it more affordable, working for the business community as well. Um, and my planning background is something fundamental for this. Are you looking for a new job or No, we'll we'll keep you for planning board now and then we'll go from there. Uh you mentioned comprehensive plan. So the town, I don't know how much you're aware of, has been working on a comprehensive plan for about two years now.
And I'm proud to say that Ashland was the highest represented school district among the five towns. Our our students were having a fantastic time. The weather cooperated. It was a rain date. Um, and and it was just it's it's just we talk about Jen Chills talking about warm and fuzzies. It's the it's the most warm and fuzzy moment you can have uh for our building administrators and the special educators who work so hard with our students on a regular basis to watch the smiles that happen during the Special Olympics. And finally, I want to publicly thank our amazing Ashlin K12 PTO for the work that they do to help support our teachers. Um, educator appreciation week happened last week. Our teachers were treated to a whole week of surprises and treats from a coffee truck to lunches to, uh, supplies that parents donate to make sure our teachers have things that they need and have things off of a wish list.
What rate should we pay them? What do we think is the optimal rate um to get folks to commit to us? Um and we're looking at doing sort of an event with those um that we do have already in our subpool as a show of appreciation to have them and bring their friends and try to get them as part of our team as well. Um if all of the components that I've talked to you about this year work well for us on hiring hopefully our sub needs will reduce particularly in the area of PAR educators. So um it's a little bit tricky for us to budget but I think we're all optimistic that that's going to we're going to get some traction on that. Um, I think that's all for now. Um, you know, we're really just trying to make sure our systems are in place and that as these hiring reports are coming in, um, that we're we're ready to move and turn quickly.
It's probably also not a case where they trust the families that are waiting for them at home yet. So what are we doing to help all of that come together? So for us, I mean like for Cal Junior high credit recovery students, it starts at orientation. We stress the importance of the partnership that we're creating right in that moment and communicating with us. Uh we have two targeted case managers. Um we use categorical funding to provide another five-hour position in in addition to our full-time TCM. So they hit the road every single day. They're doing home visits. Our wonderful counselors are hitting the road every week with our interns. So, we're doing massive amounts of home visits to ask families what they need to eliminate any barrier where whether it's transportation, which I'll get into later, and whatnot, but um the amount of family outreach that our team does is remarkable and is necessary and we still struggle with, you know, getting them connected to us.
And I would just say just as a reminder, I don't want to click back through and give make everybody dizzy, but if we look at the adoption cycle, we've intentionally set it up that way primarily for our elementary folks so that they're not doing a core adoption every year because it takes a couple of years to get into something and we don't want to do that piggybacking ELA on top of math, on top of social studies, on top of science because it's just too much. A little easier for our secondary folks because they're typically one content specific. So when their cycle comes around, it's not quite so bad. But we've intentionally set it up that way to give a couple of years to get into a curriculum before we bring in something new. Other questions? I have a question. Just a comment. Thank you so much for putting that committee together and um having a wide variety on there.
I mean I only can use a wireless mouse or a wired mouse. So just encourage people to ask and um make it a no, but if you don't ask, you definitely have a no. So thank you all. Really impressive. Sorry, Dr. Lman, do you want to wrap up? No. Okay, that's that's that's that is it. That's the progress report. Thank you. Thank you. Very impressive. Okay, we now move on to item nine. Call to the public. A member of the board may not discuss items that are not specifically identified on the agenda. Therefore, pursuant to ARS 38431.01i, 01 I action taken as a result of public comment will be limited to directing staff staff to study the matter responding to criticism or scheduling the matter for a future agenda.
We're getting close to wrapping it up. Kate Jerzik, who is currently on the planning board, has decided not to run, was one of the planning board representatives to this comprehensive plan. Have either of you thought about would you be interested uh in participating in closing out this comprehensive plan project? And whoever wants to go first. Uh yeah, I've actually have been already part of the conver some of the conversations that we've had uh for the master plan. Um I worked in master plans for other communities myself for the one for the city of Lola as well. I I'm familiar with what the process has been so far for our town's process and I'll be more than happy to um step in in some of the conversations that we need to. Okay. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I remember voting like when they had the polls went out and we we got the vote on that and it's obviously it's the voice of the community and then filtered through the leadership of the town.
So, thank you so much to the PTO leadership, uh, in particular, Kate McDonald and Allison Dugen for all for all they do to to help help our help our staff. Okay, next up we have a second read of a policy. I did not hear from anybody that any changes, but there's still time. Anybody has anything they want to add or take away from that? Otherwise, I'll take a motion. Uh, I would move to approve policy BG policy adoption as second. All in favor? I. Thank you. Okay. consent agenda. We have a motion to approve the consent agenda. So move. Second. All in favor? I. And we're at committee reports. Abashek, you're up. Uh yeah. So um it's been a busy week uh in Ashlin High School. A busy two weeks. Um as AP exams have uh really taken the morale of all our students. Um but byebye.
Um, several of you have volunteered to participate in our principal interview panels, which we'll have coming up at the end of the month. Um, those are always a good way to to kind of see um, a lot of our folks to work with teachers and other central office administrators. So, also a positive boost to our um our excitement about the fall. Thank you, Kim. Okay. And then the last thing on the uh the list is just an announcement that we have kota this coming Saturday from 11 to 4 at high school. So, music performances, artwork, kids crafts, face painting, ice cream, community and familyfriendly events. Um I will be there um with the PTO for the first part of that and trying to get more folks involved in PTO and and trying to work with them to try to bring a little more excitement around that.
Uh so, our team is amazing. They they work tirelessly to get connected to the families and whatever they need. we try to eliminate. Thank you. Um, so any questions about Cal? All right. So, AFC, Community Day School, grades six through 12. Um, yes, the they're referred through the expulsion process or the SAR process or a probation referral. Um, those I love being a part of the hearings. I'll be honest, the expulsion and the SAR hearings, it's an opportunity to participate and ask some intense and very personal questions and get an understanding of what the student and the family needs and why they're in front of a panel. Um, and then from there, for me, it's really restorative versus punitive because we're fortunate to get that information. Our office manager, Malia, does a wonderful job of creating a breakdown and overview of what that process looked like and what that specific hearing shared.
I know that that's a lot of hard work. This is very um taxing, but thank you. We appreciate it. And it's good information. M is that I would first like to start off by thanking you um parents, teachers, administrators, district staff, superintendent Wyman um for your time and effort, collaboration on the ELA curriculum committee. Uh the dedication that we have to our students, the commitment to open dialogue is deeply and authentically appreciated. So, thank you for that. As a new board member, I've asked difficult questions, encouraged challenging conversations, uh because I believe that doing so helps us to refine decisions that better serve our students. I've taken a deep dive into the proposed ELA curriculum, thoroughly looking at each grade level, every single lesson. Um, specifically looking at and reviewing originally all of the curricula that was brought to the committee and then honing in on both HM and McGraill.
The board requests that all comments be limited to three minutes or less and the public refrain from use of speech or language that is offensive or inappropriate pursuant to policy 3-203. Please state your name and just reinforce you only need to state your name even a little card calls for your address. Um, Maya Jubberry. Okay, I can go now. Okay.
So, like absolutely like we have to jump in on that and drive it to um to its final state and then and then execute, right? And it's not just executing in a couple years, it's a long-term plan. So, we really got to take the wishes of the town and move those forward. So, absolutely be part of our job. Okay. So, um, as you're aware, there's 40 B's in front, which aren't in front of a planning board, but, uh, as you think about becoming a planning board member, what do you think could be done as a board to either help drive or determine what housing looks like here in Ashland or what business space looks like here in Ashland? Um in terms of development itself, I think we took the very first steps which is uh passing our MBTA communities uh overlays or or spots that we have now.