So it implies that you know for some students we may need to take um extra measures right to make sure that um students who whether it's special needs or you know a particular population that they're um protected. So um this is a a huge one in my mind. I mean it encompasses so many things >> and we happen to score ourselves on the lower side. So, I feel like it begs to maybe come up with a goal for this particular category. And maybe it needs to be like two different goals, you know, like the all students versus like the I don't know. I I'm open to thoughts and discussion here. I guess I'm trying to say >> the fact that we're having the discussion I think is important. >> Yes. We're verbalizing what we are, you know, it's what I internalize. And I do think we are I mean I think we made some big >> you know we've had some great discussion and even some action in these categories.
These efforts have been recognized by a lot of independent organizations but mainly I want to highlight two um standard and pores uh which is our credit rating agency has given us aa rating since 2016 based on our financial practices our economic indicators and our financial management. In fact, uh, two specific quotes speak specifically to our financial practices, saying they're strong, well- embedded, and likely sustainable. And then also, management has a record of outperforming the budget through good planning and tight expenditure controls. I'm not saying this to brag because we've done all of this together, but I am saying this so that you can have confidence that before we've gone out to ask you for more money, we've done everything we can to save yours as well. What has this resulted in? Well, Ashlin's tax bills, and I want to say I understand that for many people they are high tax bills, but they have grown more slowly than the peer average every year for over a decade.
So, uh, hats off to them and, uh, the students, uh, who, who did that and Dr. P who participated in that as well. Very good job, sir. And, um, equally, I wanted to share a newer update that I just learned about. Um, longtime Brookfield High School um, coach Brian Reef uh, will be inducted into the Connecticut uh, high school coaches Hall of Fame tomorrow evening at the Aqua Turf. Uh earlier this year, Brian was also recognized at halftime at Yukon Football Game alongside fellow Hall of Fame inductees. Um honoring his long-standing commitment to Brookfield High School and its swimming program. Brian was also an assistant baseball coach at BHS. Um during his remarkable coaching career, Brian led Brookfield to 12 state championships, 11 as the boys head coach and one as the girls head coach when he had to step in in a time of need.
>> Looks good to me. >> Yeah. Thank you for negotiating that. Uh, could I have a roll call vote, please? >> I >> 7F approved the single plan for student achievement reports, also known as Simpsons. Right. Do I have a motion? >> I have a motion to approve. >> I'll second. >> I just want to point out before you start that these are for the 25 26 school year. So, it's kind of retro back to the beginning of this year because some questions have been brought to me thinking it was for next year, but it's not. It's for what's currently going on this school year. So, anything you read in there and you're thinking, "Oh, I didn't know if that's going to happen or not." Like, it's about what's currently going on. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. And sorry about all those questions. No, that's why I wanted to point it out now because there could be other people who are wondering, wait, it says this and >> yeah, it says 25 and I see that now, but I asked questions thinking it was for the upcoming >> confusing.
Absolutely. And I think we're going to continue to as the year goes on. Even in facilities, we've made I mean addressing the RIP at Chico High, addressing bathrooms for for our schools that aren't going to be uh you know able to use the um measure C dollars for two or four years and saying we we can't let those bathrooms stay the way they are. Even in facilities, I think that's about safety, right? There's like the physical safety and then there's like the um mental health and it just is very broad >> and and I wanted to just say I I wanted to um thank you for saying this is a weighty issue and it is and I I think that is also the fact that we we scored oursel this is the lowest in in this it I think it speaks to the feeling of that weight upon us >> like this is important thing and we need to make sure it happens and and we can do better and we're striving to do better >> and that's I think incredibly important >> but I do think it's also important to acknowledge um >> that we we have made changes this year and um and I think that that's going to continue to evolve.
In fact, if you look at our region, 46 the the average tax bill has gone up 46%. In Ashland, it has gone up 38%. Um, that gap is now $2,700. So that is again compared to where Ashland is compared to the rest of the region which I believe is 18 communities. And not only this though, we have the fastest rising home values in the region as well. Now I know this impacts affordability uh for people who are just trying to buy a home. But I want you to understand that people are moving into Ashland because of what we offer, including our public schools and probably mainly our public schools. And so, um, that's my presentation for article one. Um, I'll have more information about the budget specifically when we get to article 4. Thank you. >> Thank you, Michael. There be no vote required, we'll move on to article two, but before I do, I'm going to have to ask the folks against the wall.
He retired from coaching three years ago, but has recently returned as he will serve as the girls swim coach for the fall 2026 season. Um as he missed coaching so much. So um Brian has done amazing and outstanding work for us. I'm new to his work, but I uh can only imagine the impact that he's had on so many of our student athletes. And I just wanted to recognize uh that contribution that he's made uh in the honor that he will receive tomorrow evening. Um great job, coach. Um some of my updates in regards to teaching and learning um that are prek enrollment. Um just wanted to give you an update there. all the families uh that um had uh attended uh the screening. Um and of those folks, the students that were selective have all been notified um and they are in the process of paying their deposits now.
We usually have it on the agenda sooner in the year, but >> anyway, thank you and I apologize for all those questions. >> No, it's okay. >> I retract them. >> No, they're good questions.
I know like obviously you and I all of us feel strongly about like you know the use of Chromebooks and how those are used but um I feel like we we're moving in the right direction and I just want to keep that momentum going you know whether it's like I said physical safety or it is a very weighty goal that that encompasses a lot like you said I would be hesitant to try to come up with like two goals >> only because then you're in the IEP world you're getting into these objectives, right? And if you keep it more global, even though there's a lot of things that fit in that category, it's easy to take whatever we might be discussing and and put it in there and say it it absolutely fits here. And as long as we know, my personal belief, as long as we know that, yeah, this is this is very global and it encompasses a lot um and we make decisions based on this.
There are dozens of seats down in this row. I'm going to have to ask you to sit down if you need contiguous seats. I'm sure some folks will move over and make some gaps for you folks. That applies to everyone. >> What? Donna is fine. She's checking folks in as they come in. I thank you. I know it probably sounds like a being prickly, but fire safety is kind of important. Article two, transfer from general stabilization fund sponsored by the town manager to see if the town will vote to transfer available funds from the general stabilization fund to support the FY27 general fund budget or pass any vote or take any action relative there too. The finance committee recommends the town transfer1,640,256 from the general stabilization fund to defay charges and expenses of the town including debt and interest for the ensuing fiscal year as set forth in the FY27 general fund budget.
Um there were a few uh who informed us of some other plans. So we just went down the wait list and and other students are going to be part of the program. So we are making great progress with that program uh and moving forward accordingly. port uh in alignment with a portrait of a learner. Um I believe this season, back to what I just said earlier about the band and uh then before that I was over at the science fair at CLES right before the the concert. Um students are just showcasing so many qualities and attributes of what we all believe to be the portrait of a learner when we really read it and look at what it um what it informs our students and our community. What we want to see all students walk away. Brookfield High School uh knowing and being able to do uh and that skill set just shows and displays itself so well uh in all the things that we see and again the art exhibit that we saw earlier is another fine example of that.
>> Does anyone have any questions? I just wanted to say that uh I read through the Wasuma one real real real thoroughly and I was really impressed how how much data was in there and how easy it was to to forget it and everything flowed free and it made sense and uh I think anybody could read that and see what what was going on what the problems are what the strengths are and I think I just want to commend our team for putting Well, that's >> that's Taran. >> That's strong. >> And as a new principal, you >> very very good. Very good job. >> It was very thorough and it was very self-explanatory. Thank you. It was good. >> Um, I had a question. Why does it say on the 2526 OES system that it was approved on April 8th? They have to approve it by the site council before it can come to the board.
You know that this that you know um facilities fit in here and um educational materials will fit in here and um social workers and meal will fit in here like it already fits nicely. That's just my Did you get all that? >> I do. >> Every word. >> Okay, perfect. >> Yeah, the all students is is really important because we don't just focus on one end or the other. I think we try I think the intention is I firmly believe that this board believes that we need that all students are served. I believe that that's um and we're not saying that we're not we're not hitting that five yet, but that's what we're shooting for. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Yes. >> So, any other comments on section two? Well, I will say this. Um, if you look at number six, adopt a fiscally responsible budget based on the district's vision and goals and regular monitor the fiscal health of the district.
Mr. Herbert, >> thank you Mr. Thank you, Mr. Moderator. So, as the moderator said, this is a transfer from our general stabilization fund, otherwise known as our rainy day fund. Um the transfer consists of three specific items totaling the $1.6 million. First, we have a structural deficit of $690,000 um that existed before we even looked at adding on um an override. So $690,256 goes straight to fixing a structural deficit or addressing a structural deficit, I should say. um 7 approximately $750,000 um is going towards uh municipal departments and costs associated with those departments. Um I will say that there was uh initially when we started these budget discussions, we looked at adding that 750 as part of the override. um the select board, the FINCOM and the school committee jointly decided to take this approach which is take it out of the stabilization fund this year in an effort um to make this thing less confusing and also uh the override more affordable to taxpayers.
So we're just seeing it throughout and I think the performances and the culmination of activities where students put all those skill sets together really demonstrates that portrait of a learner um outside of the classroom and we're also seeing it inside the classroom as well which leads me to my next update. I had a great opportunity with Miss Various uh to visit many classrooms uh at CLES and um WMS and BHS coming up soon uh and just great opportunities to see the wonderful teaching and learning that's going on in our community. Uh so those were were outstanding visits. um with our MTSS efforts and trying to ensure that we are able to provide all of our students with a multi-tered system of supports. Uh we had looked at um about three different um programs that can help support us with that work. Um we have identified one that we are going to move forward with.
>> Oh, site council. >> And that's something the auditor checks every year too to make sure it happened in the right order. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, the site council approves it and then it comes to the board for your approval. So, that's part of um why it's a little later on the agenda this year because I think they were trying to pull together some of the site council meetings to get it approved. >> Got it. And I guess one of my comments or questions that I had that I'm not going to retract or I it might be and and this is I guess for for Tim but um it um it was talking about how um you have a hard time getting you know parent involvement and and then Taran talked about the elections your your people are elected. Do you do the same?
That is our area of that's our highest level. And um I think um perhaps the public is also unaware of how many school districts around the state are going through incredible uh fiscal issues and um I know that in county >> uh >> it's so I think it's wonderful that we have that we can pay our bills because that's in everybody's best interest, right? It's it's incredibly important that we keep a a good safe um that we manage our budget well and I I I like that we scored ourselves well on that and there's a reason we scored ourselves highly on that. I will say some of our latest discussions seem to have revolved around really seems like we've spent a lot of time making sure that we're good stewards of our resources. >> Right. I think what I'd like to do um is I'm gonna if you're okay with it, I'm gonna tap our our goal guru Gale >> and afterward I mean not tonight, but I'm going to just chat with you a little bit about honing like that last one in and trying to I I like the idea of a big goal like that, but I'm just wondering if there's a way that we can write it in a way that can also share what might be included in school in some way, you know, because lots of times like an IEP goal, it has this goal, but then it talks about the things you're going to do to meet the goal.
And then finally, there's $200,000 that's going to capital u to help our school department as they take on the maintenance and operation of the school fields from our department of public works. Um just real briefly, the balance in the stabilization fund um is currently 8,340,000. Uh this would bring it down to 6.7 million um which would just it would still be over 5% of our budget which is um not bad but our goal is 10%. And S&P again standard andorses our credit rating agency likes to see those numbers above 10% as well. >> Thank you Mr. Herbert. To allow discussion, I'll enter hit a motion that the town transfer1,640,256 from the general stabilization fund to defay charges and expenses to the town, including debt and interest for the ensuing fiscal year as set forth in the FY27 general fund budget. Do I have such a motion?
It's a system that will help us um not only um collect any student information that we might have in the form of any type of teacher created assessment but also in statewide and uh benchmark assessments that we have as well. So, it'll warehouse all that information and it will also help us with the progress monitoring of student uh students as they're moving through uh the curriculum to see how they're doing and being able to make real-time decisions and support teams and their professional learning communities to make real-time decisions. So, that way we can better meet the needs of our students as they're going through our grades in our in our classrooms. So, we are going to be moving forward with uh a system called Branching Minds. um you can look it up and check it out yourself. Uh but it's something that we will work to build out um starting this month and through the summer so that way we can launch it in the fall of 2026 with our staff.
Do people like nominate people? Because I was thinking well maybe if you don't do that maybe people should nominate parents and maybe they would feel more like participating. just a thought. >> No, >> we don't do the same. And I believe that the nomination process happens at the meetings, but I could be wrong. Um, we don't have people come to meetings. >> Okay. >> Um, they don't come to meetings. We ask them to. I've reached out individually to people. I I've emailed individual people who I thought would maybe come and also would would do a good job. We have right now two parents that I can count on to to show up to different things if they're >> they were really good when they came to the meeting. >> Uh they're super they're very strong. >> That was very good. >> Um but just uh the number of people is is very small.