Like I would just be surprised if that was the case. No, I don't think they're 72 seat buses. And I would say for the purpose of this, we just kind of flatlined with all the big buses, but yeah. No. Okay. All right. Thank you. Uh other questions about this one? You're going to see it's the other ones are two-tier, but the cost is a little bit little bit less. Um and here you can see this is this is has a later high school start time of the the 8:15. Um the next proposal is the more costefficient two-tier. So if we tried to the f if the focus is not aligning age bands together and we say how can we do this the most cost-effective way running two tiers with an earlier high school start time then this is the configuration. So what you can see is that CHS would start at 7:45 which is 15 minutes later than it currently starts.
Any questions concerning policy? Yes, not a question, but just a reminder to folks that this policy is being revoked because it's being replaced by the previous policy that we just approved. All in favor, please I I oppose. Motion carry. Lauren wants to eat. I make a motion that the board of education accept for second reading and adoption policy 5141.21 student health services school district medical advisor as recommended by the policy committee and end in accordance with 25-98. Motion made by Lauren. I hear a second. Second by any question seeing none. All in favor I I oppose. Motion so carried Louise policy E. Motion that the board of education accept for second reading and adoption policy 5141.21 21 student health services policy 5141.22 communicable and infectious disease as recommended by the policy committee and in accordance with 25-9. Motion made by Louisa. Could I hear a second?
So, um, and then we I guess if it if it's if it is September, do we want a Saturday or I mean we we usually I'm not speaking for myself, I'm speaking for all of you, but usually people do end up taking a day off for the summer retreat. So, if a weekday is a possibility, um, we can for that. U, if you prefer not to look at week dates, then we would have to look at Saturdays. Marcy had a concern about that. uh she has more kids than we all do that are still involved in in all of the activities. So that that is bit of a challenge for her. So again, I don't know that we're ever going to find the perfect time or date, but um we we just want to put a little bit more effort into trying. So I don't know um how are people feeling in general about I mean it sounds like there's it doesn't seem like there are any issues that you need our input on before the beginning of the school year.
There are no excuses. Today, I look at the builders, creators, innovators, doctors, engineers, and workers of tomorrow. And today is the beginning of that journey. As we stand on the edge of our next chapter, the most prominent transition phase of our lives to this point, we leave with not just skills and knowledge, but a mindset. A mindset built on effort, perseverance, and courage. The world needs us in this moment. There's never been a better time to be skilled. There's never been a better time to be in vocational education. And there's never been a better time to be you. Now classmates, I ask that you please rise with me for to move our tassels in our capass. Let's move our tassels from right to left signifying four years of growth. And on the count of three, throw our caps as high as our ambition will carry us, remembering how far we've come and those who have helped us along the way.
um you know, you'd have those two tiers, but the elementary schools would be split between two tiers, which they are currently. Um but then we'd have the the early run and the later run. Uh and Dodd would shift 30 minutes later than it's currently going. Um this is the most coste effective two-tier model. I have one more to show you. And this is because at at most we're running 46 buses, which is 10 over what we're currently running. And the cost implication here is about $730,000. And what what's the number of years of the contract for this? Five or 10 for the um the bus contract. We are currently I think in year two of a three-year. I'll double check. Um but we have an option to extend. Um so I I'll I'll check back to see what what it is. Where would that go right now?
All in favor of the motion could I? I oppose. Motion to carry. Dr. Cron G. I need that board of education acceptance. [Music] Motion made by Dr. Tony. Could I hear a second? Juanita. All in favor of the motion, could I hear I? I oppose. Motion so carried. One need could um you make a motion to policy number eight H policy five policy 5141.25 students with special healthc care needs. Motion that the board of education accept for the second reading and adoption policy 5141.25. 25 students with special health care needs as recommended by the policy committee and in accordance with 25-101. Motion made by Wanita. Could I hear a second? Second. Seconded by L.
there's nothing that we maybe need to, you know, decide or kind of collectively come up with our, you know, thoughts on before the school year starts. So, I think September makes sense. I think it it's beneficial to have all of us there. So, I think I I I would agree to to wait for when Marcy would be available. And in terms of timing, I mean, with enough advanced notice, a weekday would be fine for me. It's just a matter of I I think my only concern day is is it possible for you guys focused on all that happening and we're we're at the point where again I I think we have these conversations even in our admin team meetings now. Uh it's unless you know Rome is burning, you know, leave us alone. Let us do our work and let us have no serious day.
I'll give you a second to take the pins out of your hair. Okay. 3 2 1. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating the class of 2025 on four of the most extraordinary years in Essex Tech history. The sky's is the limit. Congratulations. Congratulations. We have to get a photo. All right. I'm just going to finish this up. Thank you for joining us this evening to celebrate the graduation of the class of 2025. A link to the photos from today's events will be emailed to families and posted to our social media platforms coming days. Again, congratulations graduates. [Music] [Applause] clear to brea tonight. Take this walk, but a sun will be alive. Going to try to clip your wings, pluck you up and make you sing. I don't have a cage but a dream. So fly away cuz we've got where the pages in the wind.
and we have a 3% escalation per year. So, let me let me just clarify. If we went from 36 to 49 buses, I'm guessing that if we're going up by, you know, 35 or 40% the number of buses, we have very few contracts associated with that rather than just like a one-year uh contract extension escalation because they got a huge they got a huge capital outlay right there. Yeah, it probably Yeah. And I think that there's some some real considerations in terms of feasibility with asking for this many more buses. Uh there's already kind of a bus driver shortage. And so I think that that's a consideration as well when we're looking at maxing out more buses. Is this something that we can do um with our current conditions. Obviously we want to, you know, work with a vendor that we're able to do what we need to do for the schools, but there's a, you know, a driver shortage everywhere.
Any questions concerning the policy? All in favor of the policy, could I hear I? I oppose. Motion carried. Thank you. I know you were all trying to figure out where I was going. Half the time I don't know. I'm just trying to be sure that we're all working together. Okay. You forgot me. I'm sorry. Two sad news. Okay. Board chair, the report is very brief. I want to thank everybody for a beautiful Memorial Day give away. It was exciting. The weather was beautiful and we gave out a lot of bookmark that the kids were just excited about. The color was beautiful and it was just a beautiful idea and I thank you. um which graduation is uh May the 30 and I think it's city uh 10:30 I'm not sure but check your email I would like for someone to attend that has time I have to uh attend a panel and I would like someone to be there to represent the board one or two whoever you know it doesn't matter tomorrow.
Give us a couple hours. We can take a few hours. We can take a half a day. We can take a day. Um if something was so urgent, they know where to find us. But but to piggy back on your thought, most of the time when we have these, unless you're talking about macro level budget stuff, when we talk start talking about, hey, how does this affect build, we typically bring in correct uh our administrators, too. And so to to piggyback on that, that seems like a big ask that we're pulling you, Mike, Chris, and potentially other building administrators in during school. Well, but then we're the other flip side of it is we're asking them to give up Saturday. So, I think it it depends, I guess, on what's on the agenda. If it was the kind of year where we really need everybody, then obviously it's we're talking about like a person here or there depending on what we want to talk about, then it's probably not the agenda items.
And so, um, we just have to be considerate of what this type of model would do for our contract. And I think it would be, uh, open for consideration and and seeing what what this would do for our contract, but Okay. Okay. So, they but they gave you the number, the $48, and they didn't bother saying you didn't have a discussion about the number of years the contract. It was just continuing. No, it's just like the 3% escalation that's built in already per bus. So, it's that's what we pay. And then, you know, if we're we're running more or less per year based on our needs, they're saying, "Okay, well, this is your per bus price." So, that's that's what you're paying. If there's little variability in number of buses per year, we're not we're not set for a number of buses. It's the per bus cost that we're paying.
Yes, it's Friday. No, I said Friday, May the 30th. Friday, May the 30th. I think so. I know the superintendent's going to be there, but I, you know, I have no say that I go. How do you confirm it? Five street is that's my word. Right. So that's that's where it was supposed to be last year, but they have changed it. Um so I'll confirm uh with with Jenny Lopez on the location. Yeah. So it used to be last year they had inside the the rich. Yeah. They had set over at the um what's it called? walk. So, we we'll we'll confirm just to make sure. I think you changed it up a little bit. I know they excited, but I see it wasn't her last year. Oh, yes. It was a gentleman is Friday. Hold on. In the morning is Friday until next morning.
I have no it it's I I think our focus will be budget financial and and where the it was pretty evident at town meeting right when not just the school committee but select board as well as the fincom uh in their statements and their comments about we we really need to to dig deeply in into where we are as a community. uh and even before I would bring in principles or directors, I I think we need to sit around the table and have these thoughtful discussions as to what it is we're trying to accomplish and then we bring in, you know, the the micro level, if you will. So, I think we have to look at it from a macro standpoint, start the starting point. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Happy to try to find a date. just pull up my calendar. Can I You're here. And Marcy said the same thing.
Yeah. Five and three/4er hours of drive time. Thank you. Uh yeah and the la I guess the last thought that's going through my mind right now also is that increasing the number of buses uh that from my perspective um there's seems to me like there's a a likely environmental impact when you're it's like the embedded energy of a car. Do you you know you're you might be able to go get a more efficient car with better mileage but then are you asking people to go dig up those raw materials and build a whole new car for you which is what we're doing building whole new school buses. So just in general preference would be to um get more use out of a smaller fleet but I also look at life cycle costs. So I'm not sure about that. I'm just giving a general thought that I I'd probably lean toward environmentally I'd probably be leaning more toward a three tier than a two-tier, but that's just one small piece here.
It's not. It's at East Road. [Music] Yeah, we'll send out a confirmation. Everybody knows Right. So, as we'll send out confirmation, clear it all up. Clear it all up. There's a lot of graduations. There's plenty for everyone. So, as uh we move forward to coming to the close uh in the month of July and August, we do not at the board meet. Uh, so I want you to start thinking about not put too much in, but when we come back in September, everyone come back. Uh, we need to start preparing for a board self evaluation. And we need to get that done before November. Okay. So, that's going to be one of our tests. Okay. Board self evaluation. Is that going to be over at building in September? I can't think. Yeah, we'll see. So, you know, our first goal is to get um the staff and students in on the on the school side and uh we'll see how what the process will be to get the board of ed more than likely we'll be able to utilize the boardroom early on whether whether or not uh this will still be available.
With enough notice, she could take a day from work. There's Yeah. And I guess the only other thing is how do our conversations around that parlay into conversations you need to have with Michael that we need to maybe have with the select board and fin? And is there just from a timing perspective of waiting until that time to have our conversation and iterate through whatever is is that going to compress any other conversations that you think might need to happen? I don't think so. Uh in the latter part of the year? I don't think so because I think any of the conversations that say Chris and I might have over the summer uh once we you know close out the year which takes quite a while through even through August um then we're kneedeep in 25 26 but then starting to look at 26 27 already um and we are uh I think the process of those communicating with the select board fincom and Michael um I don't think he's in a he's going to be in a position right now with the turnover he's had uh and and onboarding of of people within um you know the general government.
Thank you. Uh the last model that I'll show you for today is a the most costefficient two-tier system with a later high school start time. So the difference here, I just showed you the earlier high school start time. This is just a later high school start time where instead of 7:45, uh, Chesher High School would start at 8:15. Um, again, we're moving from three to two tiers and all elementary schools um are in an early tier and have the same school start time. Just I have to edit that that says 7:20, but it should say 7:30. Um, and this is I'm just double checking the this is the middle of the road for the two-tier proposals, right? So about $800,000. So and we're running 47 buses at a max. So that's two um that's sorry, let me make sure I did this right. Yep. One more than the earlier high school's time.
So, sure um but we'll we'll know how many of our you know how many of the offices we're going to be able to consolidate and move over there uh in August. But my my guess is that this group here will go a little bit more delayed, staggered, um to make sure that the focus stays on the kids and the staff, get them into the building. So, it's going to it's a tight turnaround. So, we're going to be uh a little bit patient here on the on the on getting into that building. So, um we had a tour when it was a show and we did a tour beforehand. Now that it's done, yeah, it's getting close. Um, I think I believe Antonio mentioned May, so we'll follow back up. Do you have a solid date? We don't. Last I spoke with Antonio, they were there were some concerns about shutting down the site, which they have to really clean up, make sure there's nothing exposed.