Um one of them is do we include that we are working towards this long-term goal of restoring foreign language or do we just have to continue supporting exploratory integrated arts and >> perfect right there. That's it. So you think that is >> No, I I disagree. Okay. >> I'm going to disagree. I mean, I was there for with you in the trenches when we cut the Spanish teacher here and I think it is important. >> Well, we cut the arts at the elementary schools, too. >> We do, but I think it's important for parents to see that and community to see that we are starting to get we're doing our best with the budget we have to get our students. >> This budget isn't going to be able to support maybe. I mean, I think this is a draft, >> but I think when we get down to it, I mean, I don't know what.
So, this is the other question. I don't even know what exploratories are being offered at the middle school. So, that is a question that needs to be answered. So, >> what exploratories do we have? >> QAS. >> Yeah. >> You unified arts. >> Oh, theater. >> Theater. >> Maker space. Theater. >> Maker space. >> Art. >> PE. Gym health >> band is an option too. Not everyone takes band sign up into band >> um e health >> graphic design >> that falls in the art but >> that falls in the arc but it is a separate >> so the the hard question is do you give something up maker space or graphic design? >> I would not recommend those. We're just saying to you, >> kids will riot over me. >> I'm saying to you as somebody who's been a middle school principal, >> I will hardest thing to put a kid in is foreign language who doesn't want to be there.
>> I mean, they will clean your car for you every day. They will do anything not to go in there if we make that. It should be >> So, your should tell them they have to either take Latin or provide free labor. I mean Latin is not a bad idea. There is something to >> Latin mology. >> I I think that is something. This is why you need somebody to put all the exploratories. I mean there are some that are mandated by the state and there are others that are still lingering because of ELT. And >> so I guess my my question is the language on this specific goal about supporting exploratory integrated arts. Do we want to say that uh what are the reasoning why like so that they can they are prepared to make their choices at the high school or do we want to leave it here for maximum flexibility in our budget >> because it seemed like your big concern was specifically listing foreign language would get us in trouble because we had tried well >> there was a little dishonesty >> yeah there was dishonesty >> did not >> did we take we have social studies and science in there right still >> well that problem That's done.
That's checked. >> Okay. >> This budget doesn't you know >> so do we need to put any extra detail to supporting exploratory integrated? >> I would leave it that way and then we can debate like the agree now. >> Okay. So we can move on to the next one um which was talking about grants and at the time uh Steven did not see need for that to be a budgetary priority. um and he had his reasonings there. So that's something that it is ongoing but will not require a significant investment in time. Time equals money beyond what we're already doing. That's something that's already in the budget. >> Support for complete >> if it's easier for you to read on my screen. No, >> I'm I'm good. It's close. I'm bad. Okay. Ask Stephen what support for competitive grants. See, there is no way, you know, if I that you can be an assistant superintendent and a full-time grant writer.
It just does not >> correct correct me if I'm wrong. >> Well, no, he's not a full-time grant writer. He does a lot. Steven wears many, many, many hats. >> Correct. That's what I'm saying. >> So, I think where I am on that is a grant writer who is good at their job will pay for themselves. >> Exactly. >> But you have to pay for them first. And in this budget year, do we have the pennies to scrape together to pay for >> they pay for themselves? >> Because it is, but we have to have the money upfront before they can start pulling in and paying for themselves. There are districts that don't even tell you in the Birkers can't even run without grant writers because >> so the question is are we ask are well I suppose this would go to the full committee to vote to ask that we put a grant writer position in the budget.
>> We used to have one. >> So is that what you are asking? >> Yes, absolutely. >> Okay. Kenzie, how do you feel about that? >> Yeah, I mean I feel similar. And does the administration have comments on the school committee asking to include a grant writer? Like if you think it's a bad idea, then that is something we should know before we make this recommendation to the full committee. >> Are there a lot of grants out there? >> A lot of grants. But >> do we fall in the bracket for some? >> Oh, yeah. We're probably in the bracket for many. I think like the challenge with some of the grants, even those that we receive, is getting the people >> to fill the positions to do the grant work. Like getting the grant, I don't think has been so much of an obstacle, but filling the positions like to fill our vision for the grant in reality, I think that's been the challenge in some grants, right?
Some grants it's not a problem spending it down at all. others. It's like we're constantly trying to either repost or find somebody else or tweak the the posting. Um, so in that respect, it hasn't been the grant writing. It's been fulfilling the obligation of the grants, especially when it comes to people or people's time >> and the grant writer won't really help with that. >> No, you know, and it gets to be I think as an ask, right? It's a positive thing. It depends on what level are you thinking of a grant writer? Are you thinking of a grant writer at the level I'm talking dollar level to hire >> as a unit a member? Some districts do that as somewhat of a teacher leaving the teaching mode for the time being paid that or is it administrative level a central office level where it kind of cranks up a little because you now may be probably working year round for that and then to ask is always fine in life but when we come down to May >> y >> and then you're asking me hey Roland we want you to have a a grant writer or um I'm making this up your secretary right and I'm thinking yeah get rid of the grant writer like but it's not my call but you're asking my opinion that's what it is right because there's going to be priority so >> big >> so the priority there would be in a perfect world heck yeah we wouldn't say no to that at all there's a reality I think and I think what you're hearing from and I I hope I say politely that you're lucky and I think you are lucky to hear from Steve and Andy and I that we'll give you the reality factor right we know we're not getting 1.7 million right are we getting a grant writer well and then you're going to tell me and not you, but the central office is overstaffed or we need this and we need that.
You want a teacher? Well, okay. So, on the priority list, reading or grant writer, right? The grant writer is going to come down and you're only going to get x amount of priorities. You're probably not going to get there >> to that extent. Yeah, >> that's the reading to the grant person who's down on the list, >> which is damn, but it's going to cut something else. My question would be like what's the like what's the reason we're getting the grant writer if it is >> to make us more money or to save us money like there's a scenario in which I'm going to throw out just a round number you could say well we want to save $25,000 then I could look at writing grants in a different way to offset my salary by $25,000 so that comes out of my salary line and goes somewhere else so you have $25,000 that you're more flexible with or I won't even just say my salary even though I did I could offset other people's salaries through grants as well.
Um it can't supplant it needs to supplement >> but there are like even in title one and there are allowances that would offset certain salaries too. So, I guess if we were going to explore this, I guess I would just want to make sure I'm clear on the purpose to see if I could help think through what it could be. And it certainly could be a standalone position. Um, I guess if we were committed to making a standalone position and they were just writing grants and overseas, is that a full-time position or is that >> a partial FTE? Greenfield would not we would have not come out of bankruptcy without grants. ELT kept us alive. I mean, it's always been grants that kept us moving forward. And we've had full-time grant writers. We had a full-time and a part-time at one, two, one and a half.
I think it'd be realistic, I know I'm interrupting, to even put in a part-time to start with and then maybe look re-evaluate again >> for next year. I >> mean, I'm I'm always for like a big ask and then you, you know, get a little bit I mean, this the city has a full-time grant writer who's saving bringing in a lot of once they know this has always been the problem in Greenfield. Nobody can articulate what somebody wants to do and then the grant writer goes out and finds a grant that matches that and that really had to do with the fact that we had overturn of principles. So I mean so I understand where you're coming from because then it falls on the grant writer to find people who want to invest in teaching whatever differently or whatever it is. I get that. But I also know that without that kind of innovation, they used to have on school committee in Greenfield an innovation subcommittee and John Lunt was the chair of that.
And without those thing that innovation happening in this building, I wrote a $50,000 grant to do multigrade for five when fourth grade was here. without those things happening um without a core knowledge school, without math and science, people just see us as we're not doing something different. We're just doing everything the same. So, I think there's the innovation career pathways running at the high school, right? We just got an early college grant to look college. So we're like I think in those spaces we're trying to differentiate ourselves. I think you're right when it comes to the elementary schools. >> Yep. >> Like we've like I keep saying it like that foundational piece and say like >> we need to have a better structure in place so that when our students get to third grade they're switching from that idea right like learning to read to read to learn as they're exiting third grade.
And I think that has been like the most glaring gap that we've seen in our data and a lot of focus and attention has gone there. And I agree like I said before it's difficult as a public school to say we can be everything to everyone. And I fear sometimes like grants allows us to start going into some of those places and being like we have this and we have this and we have that and then our capacity and then sustainability becomes a question too. So, I think what I'm hearing, Mel still wants a full-time grant writer. >> The administration thinks realistically there's not going to be the budget for it this year. >> And then, um, >> I think if we're, you know, part-time in would be a good faith effort. >> So, it looks like we do not have a consensus here. Is this something that we think should be discussed at the full committee level?
I say we table it till our next meeting. >> I I would agree with that. >> So here here's the this okay where we're sticky. Uh we were explicitly asked about these goals to bring them >> though uh to the next meeting. So um like I'm tempted to have a note to put you know to put a note here asking the full committee to weigh in. >> Sure. >> Yes. >> Okay. Um, now how should I phrase this? Uh, I'm going to get rid of the strike through later request for >> and I do think >> input. >> We've had committee input >> tougher time filling any positions in life member web. I think a halftime >> would be difficult. >> Yeah, I don't think anybody's gonna bite. >> No grant writer would bite that. >> Nope. you know, in a different scenario in different economic times.
Absolutely. >> But um in this time I I'm not seeing that. >> Okay. So I have this request for full committee. >> You can just do full You can take out the part. I'm not going to I was just thinking because I know we're in like a hard budget that >> but as as mentioned, right, if they were to approve that, you would I use the word expect I think member Budwin right somebody to make their money. >> Oh absolutely >> and to bring it in. >> You're told that right in the job interview. >> You lose your job if you don't bring in >> at least your salary or double >> right. If you can take 5% or 10% of grant right >> you write yourself in yourself in yes >> been there done that >> some do some of that but there are some maybe some ways for >> six billion North Adams man.
>> Okay. So we we've got this here request for full committee input on this specific goal. >> Yeah, >> I think that's good. >> Okay. And then the assumptions and guidance that we are working under um provide adequate resources to meet the legal mandates reflect the terms of collect bargaining agreement, sufficient resources to maintain, including maintaining staffing, uh best available information to project changes in cost. I mean, none of this is terribly It's just who we are. >> So the question is do is this document because I only went over the things that we had flagged. If you guys in reading before the meeting had seen other questions is this document ready to be sent to the full committee with telling them here are our budget priorities our goals for making this budget the assumptions and guidance. Our goal is to do this and then we've got this one staffing priority question where we do want the full committee to weigh in before we direct the superintendent to add this, you know, to create this position.
>> I don't want to take the time now to go through it and read it one more time, but I'd like to have before we have time to read it one more time. >> Okay. Um, do you need to read? >> Do you want to do it now or do you want to >> just have I tell you sorry about it but until Thursday or Friday to get it in the agenda? >> But do we need to vote to put it on the agenda? >> Oh to vote because >> I thought you just meant the doc. So you >> yeah the document would be set but we need to I think we need >> because when we did this we were not >> you know >> well or or would we not need to vote on it if as chair of the subcommittee I include this as the report >> there we go genius >> and then we can have discussion and if I catch something I don't >> Yeah I like that genius >> okay >> sometimes a genius last night.
>> She can make a computer do whatever she wants. >> So, in that case, we >> I think we might be done unless anyone has something urgent. Um are moving forward. I'm going to get us scheduled for the 23rd. >> I have I have something. >> Me, too. >> Okay. What do you got? Mine Mine is I I would like to um I know this is not the right time to do this, but I would like to kind of check and balance our I guess this is more for Andy. I want to make sure we're check what we are getting from AAL, what's going to the city side and that's what's coming back to us. Making sure that that's being regularly checked. what what >> like what AAL gives to the city to deposit and then what comes back to us >> the process >> you've got >> because when I was when I was talking um when when I went over and looked at the warrants when I was talking it doesn't really get like double checked that that's what's happening in the hands >> like what what >> yes >> who turn copies of turnover sheets and everything.
>> Everybody's bonded, right? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Not sure what I would need to know more, >> right? Okay, because I know like if you remember watching or there are times because of the fact that we check everything that I've had to report out that there have been revenues that have not yet posted that we we know we have that at you know just for timing reasons or what's going on the city side and it's not just any it's all revenues for some reason seem to have been a delay in post but our internal we always reconcile internally that >> that was just my concern if it had has been. >> So, >> but there might be some rumors that there is a problem with reconciliation. Is that the correct word? >> That's what I would say. So I think it may be something you might >> want from the issues and I remember whenever I brought up I'm not doing it as far as like taking shots at the city finance site.
They had had just as much turnover there as we have experienced. >> I'm not taking shots at anyone. I just want to be like, "Hey, we're making sure like what we're depositing. they come in a lot of us every year and so I think the understanding and concerns and that's we regularly do reach out to them and saying you know we've given them running list of we've seen that this month's deposit for all our revolving accounts you know x you know have not been posted yet and everything and they'll tell us we're going to get to them >> so I want to make sure we don't get too deep into the weeds on this because it wasn't posted in the agenda What I'm hearing is for an upcoming meeting a request from member web to have some more information on the reconciliation process between AAL and the city.
>> Yeah, in general. >> Okay. Or just reconciliation in general, city side, school side. So it's just a request for information. >> Okay. And then member Goodwood, you had some. >> So I guess my concern was that one of us is not on the hiring committee for the business manager. And I think during a tough budget year and I don't see why we can't have more than one school committee member be on that committee because when I listened to member Denive, she described special ed director. She described a lot of people in the room. So what I'm saying is when we did our superintendent search there was three correct and I think our business manager is just as important as our superintendent. And so my proposal or motion would be that we have three people the mayor should included. >> I think this might be something for the full meeting rather than for this subcommittee.