"Mittens, let go. I have to get to school. You have to stay here." Being at school "Attention students, recess will be inside today due to a saber-toothed cat on the playground." Who was causing trouble on the playground? Mittens again. And even coming home from school "I'm home. Woof. Look who is happy to see Penelope. See him giving her a big hug. In fact, coming home from anywhere was harder. Look at all the things that Mittens was doing. He really loved Penelope, it looks like. After days of maths and mayhem, Penelope was at the end of her rope. That means she's had enough. Mittens, no. No, Mittens. Rip. Look at that. Ruined her, ripped her backpack all up. Yeah. I wonder what Penelope's going to do. What would you do to help make your pet be better behaved? Maybe do some training, you think? Bad, Mittens.
Uh, one other detail of the transfer is that Rockland Trust Company is providing financing for the purchase. And as part of that, they're requiring that they get a pledge of the liquor license and the inventory at the store. So that's another thing we'll need approval for. So all in all, there's just three things that we're asking the select board for tonight. It's approval of the transfer of the license to Hanaman Data Corp. It's approval of Puja Patel as the manager of record for the store. And the third is approval of the pledge of the liquor license and the inventory to Rockland Trust Company.
Um Ashland Public School or it says school department. And you'll see the FY27 proposed budget is 47,236,000, which represents a $2.75 million increase or 6.18% increase over the previous year. That 2.75 million is the amount of the override um that would be uh And so, let me explain a little bit what an override is uh briefly. Um an override, Well, let me back up. In 1980, uh, the Massachusetts legislature established a law called Proposition 2 and 1/2. Uh, what that did is that limited municipalities um, in their ability to increase the total tax levy that they assess uh, taxpayers. It limited that increase to 2 and 1/2% each year. Now, what was happening before is it would be going up wild amounts, like 5 or 6%, or they would game the system and actually play around with the assessments, so um, the assessments would go up a lot and you wouldn't see a huge increase in the tax rate, but the tax bill would go up a lot, too, because people were um, basically uh, uh, what's the best way to say, uh, kind of, um, working, let's just put it this way, the numbers uh, both on the assessment side and the tax rate side.
Dishes to Williams. Williams It goes in. Wow. Yeah, look at that. These uh the last two goals have been like in and out so quickly that we're all second guessing it, but >> Both by Williams. Just that quick. It is 6 to 1 with 10:13 left in the second quarter. And feel like we should shut this door. This window. I don't feel like It's like winter is not as bad as this. All right, so Mayhew with it now. Mayhew coming down, good speed. She's looking for her 100th goal. Look at that. She's going to get a call. That's going to be a foul on the Raiders. Going to have a great chance right here. So the Mermaids have a chance to get another goal here. Uh, look at that. All the Raiders defense. Great defense from Diaz. Think uh you know, Katie Mayhew's really going to have to work for that 100th.
Uh these ambassadors are going to be extremely useful uh especially next year when people come in. As an example, New Milford's coming in here next week. I'm not giving the tour. It'll be given by ambassadors. That's where we are now. And it's much better as you all heard tonight to hear from our kids than it is from me. So eventually I will not be standing in front of you just to say hello. I will have ambassadors doing this. That's fun. With that, I'm gonna turn it over to Miss Janeo on our Exploration Academy and tell you what she's been up to. >> Okay. Good evening. >> Good evening. I'm really excited to come and be in front of you tonight and talk a little bit about what we've been doing in the Exploration Academy. As Dan mentioned, every student that comes into Danbury High School, if you're coming in as a brand new ninth grader, you are entering the exploration academy where we are working really hard to support the transition from middle school to high school.
Parents will sometimes call you with complaints or things that happened with their children or a complaint about a staff member. And your role, the best thing you can do as a board member in those cases are refer them to the chain of command. So, if they have a problem with their child's teacher, "So, have you talked to your child's teacher yet?" If that doesn't resolve the issue, well then they can take it to the supervisor or the next administrator in charge, all the way up to the superintendent and the board. And if you get involved at a lower level, you're overstepping your role. But then you also may conflict yourself out of being able to address it if it ever does come to the board level. A lot of times it won't because your school personnel and your administrators and your staff they're professionals and they know how to handle most issues that come their way.
So, this year we implemented a new math program in eight grades K through five. Um we continue to work on our students' social emotional development, things like character education, executive functioning, zones of regulation. Um this year we also received the DREAMS the DREAMS grant um that allowed us to do a little bit more about building relationships with students. And another goal that we continue to work on is exploring our opportunities to look at the technology platforms that we are using, look for the most efficient ones um that allow us to operate seamlessly, enhance our organization, but in a cost-effective manner. So, if we're looking at our K1 math, we did implement Into Math this year in grades K through five. Um we spent professional development time um getting our teachers ready for that program. Um you know, we revised um the teachers had examined it.
Bad, said Penelope. It looks like she's really screaming at him. I'm sorry, Penelope Pie. Maybe Mittens is too much for one little T-Rex to handle on her own. And so, carrying a patched backpack and lots of feelings, Penelope left for school. Look at Penelope's face. Does she look a little sad? Wondering, oh maybe I shouldn't have yelled at my friend, Mittens. But that whole day, everything made her think of Mittens. Was he too much for her? Do you think Mittens is needs to go to a different home? When Penelope got home that afternoon, she braced herself. I'm home. Did come? Mittens? But Mittens wasn't there. Where do you think he is? He was in the backyard. "I thought Mittens could use some fresh air," said Papa. "Okay," said Penelope. Does it look like they're missing each other? Look at their faces. Mittens wants to be in there with Penelope, doesn't he?
Uh other than that, we're happy to answer any questions that the board has or just discuss any parts of the transfer. Hey, >> thank you. Appreciate that. I'll open up the question.
Proposition 2 and 1/2 put a stop to both of those practices. First of all, like I said before, it said it could only in the tax levy could only increase 2 and 1/2%. And number two, um, the properties must be valued at full fair cash value. So, there has to be a methodology behind it. Um, and so what has happened over the years is as uh, as expenses have increased beyond the 2 and 1/2%, um, communities have faced pressure in how to balance their budgets with their main revenue source being the tax levy only going up to 2 and 1/2%, everything else going up more than that. And so, communities have the ability to what they call override Proposition 2 and 1/2 by taking a vote at the ballot. Um, and that vote raises taxes above that 2 and 1/2% by whatever amount the community determines.
As you saw there. What a save by Moral. And Oh my gosh. Who just got that one? Number nine? Not sure which number was that. Birdie Dwyer It's a nice goal right there. It kind of just trickled through. Sticking with that play right there. Yeah, that was really I mean good good stuff there from Birdie Dwyer who just stuck with the play and almost seemed like it was a hockey type shot. Yeah, so now it's 6 to 2. Maddy Luboff gets it taken away. Here's Motley. Motley turns the corner real quick and now she's almost at the goal. Come in. Now it goes away a little bit. Passes back to Schneider. Schneider to Hartnett. Hartnett gets it. And scores. >> Yeah, with authority. Great answer for the Raiders right there. Yeah, great passing from uh from Motley and Schneider. Yeah, and now what's interesting is seeing Motley with the knee brace.
Um, some of the work that we've done in the c in the past three years is we have really set um our ontrack criteria. We have developed that with staff and we promote it pretty um pretty much we start in 8th grade when I visit the eighth grade the middle schools. So and that's our on track criteria that you can see up in the left corner. We really try to um start to get students to understand our credit system when they enter high school. Um our attendance policy, attendance matters at the high school because it does impact grades with our CO policy. And just some of our um some of the other criteria that we promote, bees are better, right? We know that students who attain B's or better are just better equipped to enter um the workforce or enter college after high school. So these are some of the things that um we have solidified as pillars um to be a student who's successful moving through yeartoyear.
Um but if not, somebody can take it all the way up to the board level and then you'll address it then by voting again. And even if you are a parent board member, you can go through that process as a parent as well as long as you do it in your parent role. You retain all of your rights as a parent to advocate for your own child, but you have to keep it in that parent role. But you can advocate in that way too. You just can't as a board member. So what we recommend you do, you hear a complaint, direct them to the appropriate staff member or the chain of command. Then give your superintendent a call, just let him know you received the complaint and you directed it to the appropriate channels. So who may file an ethics complaint? Anybody, really. And now that um board members are or board meetings are being recorded, that's another thing to think about too because anybody can be watching and see an ethics violation and report.
We did a lot of observations in those math classrooms this year, so we could get a sense of how the instruction looked it's looking different. Um and then we have post-observation reflection meetings with teachers, so we've gathered a lot of input. We also looked at um Into Math B2 actually came out very quickly after we purchased it. So, our teachers have examined B2, uh which also has some additional tools in it. So, um you know, moving forward with this, this budget will support the purchase of B2 Into Math next year um so that we can continue with this new math program. If we're looking at our social emotional learning goals, um you know, Mrs. Pennetti and and Ms. Pearson, who's here in the audience, they uh secured a grant called a the Dreams grant and it really is about um how to develop a positive rapport with students um and so, you know, we give it we got a lot of training through that that really enhanced um you know, our teachers' relationships with students and and managing certain behaviors.
That evening, Mittens was not at supper. Oh, no. Look at that. Do you think they're trying to teach him what he needs to do and how to behave? That night, Mittens wasn't in Penelope's bed. Penelope couldn't sleep. Her bed was too big. Cuz she was used to, right, Mittens being in there with her? Keeping her company. I know our dog likes to sleep in bed with us. So, Penelope crept downstairs. "Hi, Mittens. I'm sorry I yelled. Would you like to move?" And look who came running out of his cage. Does Mittens look happy now to see his friend? Wonder if she'll start behaving now. It was a cozy night in the Rex family house. So, his cage is empty. Where do you think Mittens is? Especially in the room, up the stairs and down the hall. Whose room are we going to see? See if it's it's Penelope's room.
Um any board members have any questions about the the transfer or what we need to do? >> Ready? So, I guess I just I just um wanted to welcome you guys to Ashland and see if you've managed um similar stores in the past or what your experience has been. Um >> yes, thank you. Yeah, I have experience. I've managed a store in NIT and also in Rhode Island. Um so, I've been in the industry for a while and I I have I have some uh background and I actually am uh was from Ashland for a long time. I went to high school, middle school, everything over here. So, yeah. >> Ah, so it's coming it's kind of coming back coming back home, huh? >> Yeah. >> Almost full circle. >> Uh, a quick question. I'm sorry, Claudia. Do you have anything? >> I was just going to say and you bought, you know, you went in and bought candy in that store.
Or, excuse me, the select board determines and puts on the ballot. Um so, in this case, the tax levy would be increasing $2.75 million more than the 2 and 1/2 percent increase. Is everybody following along with me so far? Okay. Um finance is is not a fun or an easy topic to discuss. Um municipal finance in Massachusetts can just sometimes sound nonsensical sometimes just cuz of the way the rules are.
Maybe you'd think she couldn't run down the field that quick, but review the footage, she's moving very fast. >> Maybe a spring in that thing. Yeah. >> [laughter] >> Exactly. [clears throat and snorts] It's a bionic leg. No, but it's good to see her running good with that brace. >> Mhm. So it's 7 to 2. Raiders on top. 9 minutes on the clock. We got a timeout here. Yeah, we'll be back in a second with some audio. All right, taking the field again. Ursuline hoping to answer somehow. Get back in this one. Yeah, plenty of time left in this game. Raiders have a five-goal lead. But not sure what Ursuline has after that timeout. Yep, Raiders now with it, Motley. That springy leg. Whipping. Oh, just missing, but nearly going all the way. Schneider trying to go towards the net. Schnur around, passes to Williams.
Um in our academy uh we really promote students to be lifelong learners. So we are getting them in tune with all the resources and everything that is available not just within Danbury High School but also um now with our partnerships with the outside community. And so becoming a learner that's one of the uh portrait of the graduate ab att attributes that we really highlight and emphasize as they move through that last year I mean this first year um communicators and collaborators. So not only in our academy course but throughout the core classes um we really try to um provide students with opportunities to work in groups in pairs um really work on their communication skills so that they can eventually become advocates not only for themselves but for others. Um with one of the pillars of this academy model is the micro credentials or the credentials.
So any person can file a complaint with the SCC alleging a violation. The SCC will consider the facts and circumstances that would lead a reasonable person to believe the act has been violated. There is a fine of up to $500 that can be imposed for imposed for a frivolous finding. I don't think that happens very often, but um that is the case. They have to file within 180 days of the violation occurring. But again, literally anybody in your community or out of your community can make a complaint. These are the penalties. A reprimand is basically just the School Ethics Commission saying, "Yes, you violated the code of ethics. Don't do it again." Uh censure is a little more serious than that. It's a formal disapproval by the commissioner and it has to be public public publicly read by your board at a regular board meeting as a as a board board resolution.