Um the data and statistics continue to show that these rates are increasing exponentially each year with a widening gap in the services that are available to them in the community outside of the school. Um this makes school-based social-emotional and behavioral support even more critical. Um in our building alone, we deal with all of these diagnoses and more. Many of our students have legally binding IEPs and 504s that have counseling services or accommodations tied to them. These services alone add up to definitely more than half of the time that a school adjustment counselor can provide. Um so many of our other students fall into a gray area where they're not quite severe enough to warrant a diagnosis, not quite behind enough to need formal support, not struggling enough to warrant major interventions, but the support that our adjustment counselor is able to provide by working with teaching staff um and applying tier two interventions helps a lot of these gray area students get back on track and prevents escalating their needs to a crisis level.
So, we appreciate you doing that. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> All right, Mr. more. Thank you very much. We're fortunate to have uh our athletic director, Mr. Gwen, is here with us tonight. And I'll tell you, I've noticed as somebody that's in a lot of games, just better organization, just I think you're doing a great job on so I know you have a presentation for us tonight. >> Good evening everybody. Sorry I was all late. There was a match out there that I had to uh improvise which I was up to the beginning part where kind of presented some of the athletes and some of the achievements that happened in the fall and um I just want to start off my presentation just kind of like it's eight months that I've been around and just kind of going over five years sometimes it does.
And I understand how we would want to do that, but I'm more so I would more so be concerned how do we how do we have less than half, you know, what how do we address the fact that less than half of our middle schoolers feel feel safe regardless of what the the the percentile is. Um, and I would celebrate I mean that that as as we're considering all things, 70% of our high schoolers are saying that they feel that that they feel they feel safe. So I guess my my wondering from this is are we even for my own self I kind of went through an evolution of of reconsidering the data through the through those lenses. And so are we are we looking at the right story? Like when we look at the data are we looking at the right the right story um to to help us to to help to to isolate where to where to kind of put our emphasis and our and our focus.
Our our purpose is academics um not mental health. And so, um that's where I I have a concern. So, I would like to learn more about this model to understand what the purpose is uh for the school to be utilizing it and how far are they going to go into the framework that's being provided by this program what the annual cost looks like, what the annual training looks like uh what it looks like for our staff to have to learn and have to implement uh within the classroom as well. Again, adding to uh the plates of our teachers to have to implement. And is this something like uh Leader in Me, where the students from the minute they enter the school, every aspect of their day is uh filled with things related to social emotional learning. Um so again, [clears throat] the uh the questions that I asked, uh the responses were based on AI, but I I want to hear from um somebody who's actually looked into the program and I mean, I would I would love to uh speak to Mr.
I think a lot of initiatives sound really great. Some of them as a district we're able to support quickly, and some of them take additional time, clearances, and resources. And in and not because we have to walk within the lines of guidance and compliance means that we don't want to do it. So, Mickey said yes, she's saying yes, and um we definitely we're going to reach out to the PTO to kind of have a conversation. And I would say reach out to the school committee, too, if you need volunteers for that. Awesome sauce. To reach out to different venues or if you tell us where to go, we can do that. Okay. I think one of the first things that we'll do is share with you our um April 18th flyer. Um it should be If it's not in our social media It should be in our social media pages.
Um a half-time position would only barely allow her to serve the students that she already has the legal obligation to. The rest of these students in that gray area will no longer be able to get the preventative services that they're getting now that you may not see or hear about. Um and this will likely result in more special education referrals. Um we'll be limited on the tier two interventions that we can provide. Um so I urge the committee to please take another look at the budget. I know it's tight. Um consider both the long and short-term impacts that reducing this role would have on our students now and as they progress through our school system. Um it's a critical part of our daily function at BES, and it's it's a really important one. Thank you for your consideration. Thank you. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Hi.
I got a haircut to get rid of some of the very um but yeah, year one goal is really to kind of like learn the job first and uh learn the people at the same time. So those are kind of my my two um main things that I was working on. I talked about being visible as being something that I was going to bring to the table and then enhancing the game day experience. Um that helped a lot with that. Um and it seems as though um good feedback when it comes to um getting people to come out to the games. The digital platform, the digital ticketing platforms that we've been using the last couple years. This year there was a dramatic increase in revenue. So to me that tells that there's more people that are going to games or maybe just my ticket collector is doing a better job of collecting.
Thank you. I think for me, I went south and I said, "What next steps are you considering to act on the data?" First of all, I want to say thank you to the group that put this together. I think that um the the way that it was structured today was really helpful compared to prior years. Uh because it really you can really hone in on it and and ask the questions right to the staff. Um, one of the questions that came up is uh with the engagement uh group is that and it was a great perspective to look at it like you know the the the survey so broad we we if you break it down because Adriiana was saying they break it down to like where you have the boys the girls answering the questions. So, and then what back to what board clerk Ramos and and board member Greer said, it's there's so much to consider and I think we talked about this, right?
Cantrell just to understand um you know, why you you know, where you even heard about this program, what made you interested, and what your intention is for the school. Um That's all for now. Thank you. Board Member Van Hook, we'd be happy to set up a conversation with Mr. Cantrell uh and yourself to learn more about it. Schools to Watch is a recognition program as well as a continuous school improvement program when there is framework that we continue to look at and evolve on our campus. And what's nice about when people come and ask questions of you like Schools to Watch or even going through an A+ application, it forces you to turn around and look internally, what are you doing? Student achievement is a huge part piece of that. So, what are we doing to make sure that we have appropriate student achievement and where are some gaps that we can fill in.
And so, one of the key things, too, is everybody has their own followings. Like, please share it. Um, and then we'll definitely send that over to you so that you guys can share that, too, as well cuz it will help for the open house. And Dr. Z, we sent the Pelham and the Amherst flyer to every single preschool, every single in our listserv. So, we sent both to all Amherst and in surrounding towns. So, just wanted people to know that we did send both. And reach out to real estate agent offices, too. Or people that are relocating that are going to a different town that they may not like the schools. Got it. Didn't think about that. So, we definitely will send it to you then. Kids sent us the difference. Okay. We will move on to the budget now. Um, so, we have to have a vote tonight.
We as have one to read our eyes want to read a quick um just comment about the calendar from the BBEA. BBEA. Name and town for the record, please. Yep, Hillary Johnston, Boylston. Thank you. Um after gathering feedback of the draft calendar, two adjustments that the BBEA would suggest are making the day before Thanksgiving a half day rather than a full day off, and not taking off Good Friday. Um for an unnecessarily endorses one religion over others. If there is a concern that people will take the day off for religious purposes, then a compromise could be could be to make Good Friday a half day, which would allow people to access the services in the afternoon. And we thank you for your consideration of these points. Thank you. Any other public comments? Hello, Christina Medeiros, Boylston. Um I did want to thank you all, you're doing great work.
But either way seems to um we've been working towards that. Um the next one, my mission slide, that's should not be that foreign because I've used it a couple times, but really to develop this positive climate and culture to inspire our student athletes to grow up. My plan to serve, right? So working on building across relationships and that goes with tour that goes with parks direct that goes with our our youth leagues as well. Um but yeah, really trying to take a lot of time in developing those relationships because it's just myself and Ashley, my trainer. We're the whole department. We do need a lot of um hands to help out. Um moving on to the sixth of caring. So that's kind of like this entertaining my shle. Um that's really what I'm trying to do here is improve the culture, move the needle, and those are all the C's um that just work very collectively together.
But all that being said, I want to say that um I felt that we have you know we have increased I want to look at it the positive that we are looking at and we've done so much you know I think we've done a great job everyone the staff um the board members our district with respect to safety but I also think that we have to what I what stood out to me was the staff right because I feel that there's value in and I and I shared this with each group when when you're a frontline worker, right? You're this the work you're doing the work and I feel that when there's value in your employees that it comes across to the students, right? So, I think that if we have to take a step back and really engage our our staff because I I didn't see that they felt valued or they didn't feel like they were being heard.
And so, with this Schools to Watch conference, because we were recognized with the recognition of a Schools to Watch, Mr. Cantrell will be traveling back to Washington, D.C. to be recognized. And just for clarity, we are the only district in the state of Arizona that all of our middle schools are Schools to Watch because last year Sussman was awarded the uh Schools to Watch. And so, um as this as this group uh looks and evaluates schools, they recognize that there are really positive things that are happening at uh the Higley middle schools. And again, this one is because we have uh this conference because we have been a part and we have earned this recognition through the process that they have that Mr. Cantrell will be recognized at as well as to get to network with other Schools to Watch individuals for professional development. But I would be happy to help facilitate a meeting where you and Mr.
We have to send something to the town for tomorrow. So, we need to proceed with that. So, I guess Shannon, I'm going to ask you to start out. One second. Just for a clarifying statement, cameras that aren't viewing the exterior doors are off from 7:30 to 4:00 Monday to Friday. So, they do not come on until the internal cameras do not come on until after 4:00 p.m. And then I'll get the additional information for you. Thank you, Dr. Z. Clarify something. Yes. The So, we got the budget document and then we got this this memo about it. I felt it. Yes. Are those two separate >> Yes. So, >> two separate things. So, the school budget is going to go to the town and this request for capital support is separate from that? >> Yes, but they both go to the town. >> go to the town but we're but one is not wrapped holding into the other.
Thank you for all that. I know how much time it takes to do this stuff, and thank you all um for the numbers earlier and Aaron. Um >> [clears throat] >> I had a I just had an idea, crossed it out, so lucky you guys. Um >> [laughter] >> Um and I thank you for the clarifications earlier. That that really helped. I think that's going to help clarify for parents. But um I did just want to take a couple minutes to talk about the Prop 2 1/2. Um you know, I think we need to have an honest conversation about what Prop 2 1/2 means, and I think both towns need to do this, and school community needs to be a big part of that conversation. I think right now, there's this narrative that, you know, it's being like if we stay under Prop 2 1/2, it's sort of some kind of success um on both towns' house, and that's not true, right?
Um Some of these things I'm working on more than others. Next year there are some plans to work more so on the bottom too, but I'm going to help doing that. I'll tell what my plan is for that. Next slide. Some projects to identify. Um, revision of student athlete handbook. So, that's going to be something that I'll be taking on probably during the uh the spring recess next week and working on that because I I do want to be able to have that really shed up so when the fall registration kind of rolls out for next year, which I want to try to open up that window in June um prior to the end of school so that we can kind of like plan to see how many kids we're going to be having for junior varsity teams, something like that for fall. So, that makes scheduling a lot easier.
So I think that we need to and I asked about we do break out into focus groups. Does that mean we need to do more focus groups or we need to do I think something I recommended was you know sharing something because when you write something down you tend to feel like there's value. I'm being heard right there. You don't know if it's going to go in a drawer but that's not what matters. what matters is that you you're put you have a voice and you're putting it on a paper, right? And then it there's accountability in that too with respect to us as board members and and administration, right? So I think that when we work on staff, building our staff, listening to what their needs are, everything will, you know, uh transcend to the students, right? because they're going to feel that they're worthy, too.
Cantrell can go through it together. President Wade, thank you. And I would love to know since you said Sossaman has this, I'd love to know how they've implemented it and how have they seen this program improve student achievement since they've been part of the program if they have any measurable results? So if if you have any of that data, I'd love to see it. Thank you. President Wade, I am under the impression that there's no mandated specific curriculum or programs with this. Correct, it's not. It's it's just a process that allows us to look at what we are doing and then has a guiding framework to of how do we look for improvement as well as recognizing the positive things that we're doing, but it does not come in and we don't add curriculum because of a Schools to Watch. Correct. And and nothing's mandated, but it's up to us how we implement the program.
>> That was always a separate thing from the operating budget. Got you. Okay. Okay, Shannon. Okay, good evening. I will share my screen and I'm going to talk through this. I don't know where I can't see oh, I don't know where everybody went. I know you're still here. We're here Shannon. Keep talking. We can see you smile. I know but I like to see you all when I'm when I'm talking. Show webinar. There we go. Okay, so where we left off at the end of our last meeting was a request of three scenarios. And in all three scenarios, there was a request to increase the share of the funds from the town by 1.25% and there was a request that in one scenario, we include the addition of additional days for the clerical person within Pelham now. That was presented at the budget hearing. There in another scenario, it was asked to remove that from it and then a third scenario was requested the current person at Amherst being split to do a portion of the registration work and what that would look like.