MRSD School Committee Meeting 6/17/2026

001[laughter] >> Now I know you're a good addition. >> [laughter] [laughter] >> Lindsay Bodi is my neighbor by the way. Next door neighbor, yeah. Sauce. That's going to be fun. >> Okay. I call our meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. Um I do have remarks from the chair tonight. Um just so that the community is aware of something in particular. Um as a school [clears throat] committee we'll be submitting a statement to the uh fiscal year 27 budget conference committee. These are the state legislators that are finalizing Massachusetts budget. In the statement, we're making the case that public education is facing a fiscal crisis. The state funding formula is not keeping pace with the actual cost of educating students, especially in regional districts like ours. Current estimates put Masconomet's Chapter 70 aid for next year,

002fiscal year 27, at just over $6 million, uh representing an increase of about $240,000 over last year. >> [clears throat] >> DESE data shows that Masconomet's communities are already spending approximately 174% of the state's foundation budget. Local taxpayers in Boxford, Middleton, and Topsfield are absorbing costs the Commonwealth's formula does not recognize, and they have reached their limit. We're asking the conference committee to strengthen reimbursement for transportation and special education. To maintain per pupil minimum aid and retain the foundation budget review commission that is proposed to conduct a formal review of a funding formula, which simply hasn't kept pace with what it actually costs to run a school district like ours. And I want to make this very clear that this isn't just a schools issue, it's a community issue. Rising costs are outpacing what the

003state's formula provides and the gap lands on our local taxpayers. We do encourage everyone, whether or not you have children in our schools, to reach out to your state legislators and share what this funding shortfall means for your family and your town. The more voices that they hear, the harder we are to ignore. That's it. I don't think I'm going to get an SAB report. The SAB report is schools over. So, we're good there. Um [clears throat] comments from the audience? Seeing none. Um we are going to move to agenda item E, which is our school improvement plans. Um one callout as uh Kevin and Katie are coming up to present. Um just think of this tonight as like a draft. It's going to get reviewed and ratified with our new superintendent probably in the

004next, I don't know, 45 to 60 days and probably end up back at our table within that time frame. So, I encourage everyone to ask questions, share concerns, offer feedback that you want in those conversations going forward cuz that's important. Um but I want to make sure we don't like go too crazy tonight knowing that this is just going to be revised and come back to us again. So, just for the new folks, this is different than what we typically do, but um we want to make sure that we have time to offer input for that conversation >> [clears throat] >> and let them do some work to finalize it. Take it away. >> Thank you. Good evening. Uh so we're going to Katie and I are going to share with you the progress today.

005We'll also, you know, look ahead. Certainly have some perspective there, right? With the change in leadership and everything happening. Um but it's really going to be about you see the intersection about really just providing the time um the structures and the support for communication going forward. And that's going to be an intersection um with our portrait of a learner our NEASC reports and our strategic plans. You'll see how those pieces hopefully are all coming together. >> Are you you guys aren't sharing, right? >> I see the screen. >> Okay. >> You can go ahead. Yep. You can jump right to the uh quick uh go ahead. Yep, right there. Perfect. Thank you. >> I'm going to wait a second cuz >> It's so perfect over here. >> [laughter] >> Our other screen is only partially

006sharing a corner of a slide. I don't know which one folks are seeing at home. >> What's on the screen over here is has nothing to do with what's on this screen. >> We can just turn the other screen for a lot since there's nobody in the audience looking at it. >> That would work. Yeah. >> I just want to make sure our folks at home are seeing the right screen, too. You were seeing it, Megan? >> Yeah, I just >> Okay, great. >> It's not there anymore. >> [clears throat] >> Bear with us for a minute while we navigate some technical difficulties. >> You see? >> Look at me. I was told that >> You have You have got >> Okay, are you going to It's been a week. I can't get rid of

007this. >> She's been like this every evening for us. >> Oh, no. Yeah, four more days of my antibiotics. Maybe it'll go away. >> All right. >> So You're not alone. >> She's going to do the same thing. >> Okay. >> Make two. >> Can you just Can you go back one? >> [clears throat] >> Yes, here we go. >> Thank you. Thank you. All right. So, we'll start as I said, we're taking a look um a look back to start. So, this particular goal here, um I would say argue this is our huge success. Uh this was we set out the beginning of the year to say we're going to have 90% of our core core courses aligned. And what I mean by that is we were we've been really intentional across departments about

008aligning to skills, content, standards, portrait of a learner, uh transfer skills. So, this is um you know, this is really credit to our teachers and into our department heads for we take advantage of because we've had 15 plus hours of professional learning time for this uh this school year. In addition, uh you know, teachers take advantage of additional time as well as we can um as we can create it. Um we're at 90% I'm pleased to say in in terms of our core courses being aligned. What What does this mean? Well, this means you're going to have more consistent learning expectations for students across similar courses, right? Um across similar grade levels. We want consistency. You're certainly going to still have your autonomy as a classroom teacher. But we have a certain level of consistency

009with curriculum and a formality to it. And that's where this particular goal we feel really good about. We >> [clears throat] >> No, you can stay where we were. Thanks. Um We also have 78% of our departments with at least two core common performance assessments. The reason why the last couple of years we really took on this work of performance assessments is we're thinking really ahead in terms of our portrait of a learner, right? We're trying to prepare students for post-secondary success. And what a performance assessment does is it it goes against the grain, right? It's not your traditional assessment. Um they can be performance-based. The word performance is in there, but it's not always a dog and pony show. It's a deeper level of thinking. Um it's an authentic It's creating authentic products. It's

010presentations. It's performing for an audience. And we've had This has been happening at Masco for quite a while. Um what we have done is we've been more intentional about where this is happening. Um and we're also where there's opportunities to become common, we're becoming common. So, what I mean by that is if you have two uh you know, if you have multiple teachers teaching the same grade, similar subject, again, consistency across curriculum. Um so, we're at 70% with at least two two core common performance assessments. The curriculum lives in one place. We now have a uh shared curriculum repository. This is where the curriculum lives for all of our courses, uh middle and high school. Uh which you can imagine is a it is a real advantage for uh for folks um in terms of

011being able to be transparent about what we're teaching and when we're teaching it, making adjustments. Uh so, this is a living uh, a living document. Um, but the performance assessment piece, I said this has been happening I think you and I both been probably Brad too have been invited to several classrooms over just the past few weeks alone and these performance assessments are highlighted constantly. Uh, I was just in here last week for a a comic convention. This was a science classroom um, where the students were in stations throughout the media center showcasing the comic story books that they produced. Um, and and it was really a conceptual, you know, tied to the conceptual science. And what it was the students actually came through um, and actually rotated with groups of teachers as well. So,

012this was open to the school community. Um, you know, the math classroom upstairs recently. This was a higher level math math class, the pre-calculus class, where students were taking a deeper dive with polar coordinates, creating products. Um, and it was way over my head. I asked a lot of questions, but they were bringing teams of teachers through. It was an open invite across the school community. You know, >> [clears throat] >> this is, um, these these are opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning. Not tell us what you know, but to actually take it a step further and demonstrate your learning. And that's um, you know, that's happening and that's preparing us for portrait of a learner which we're going to talk about today. Uh, data, um, in terms of our support systems, our data,

013our collaboration, our support systems to improve student learning. Uh, this is, I can tell you it's mixed results and I'll tell you why it's mixed results. Uh, we have more data at our fingertips than ever before. Uh, we have teachers, especially at the middle school, they had the opportunity to take a deeper dive with MCAS this year. We use an Open Architect platform where, um, you know, Or can do I'll I'll show you in a in a moment, but you basically it's a deeper dive across that graphics. You can take a closer look at how our students are doing. So rather than the department head actually saying, "Hey, here's our MCAS results." It it was the teachers actually going in on their own and making those decisions to say, "Hey, where are the where are

014the trouble spots? Where are the gaps? Where you know, where do we need to improve?" So, you know, that's that's an area of growth for all of us, but I got to credit the department heads for taking that leap and for our middle school teachers in those MCAS subjects uh for for, you know, taking a a deeper dive here. Um and I'll again, I'll show you that in a moment what that looks like. Um we have, you know, ample assessment tools, formative tools. We we use um you know, with our formative tools, it's a lot of what we have is is real-time information at our fingertips and teachers are using tools like Formative in the classroom. We have Delta Uh we use an IXL platform. So, there are ways that data is coming in and

015and the beauty of these, they're all AI you know, integration, right? It's all AI integration. So, the teachers are getting data at their fingertips, they're able to adjust instruction in real time. Um so, you know, that there's a lot of good data coming in. The um the struggle for us remains these PLCs. Um the a PLC is a professional learning community and they're Um the struggle with us is not every teacher has a PLC. Not every teacher can be assigned a PLC just because of their own responsibilities teaching and especially at the high school, you get a lot of singleton courses. Right? It's not always easy to schedule teachers, teams of teachers together. Uh so, this one um you know, it's it's one that we can um unfortunately, it's going to be further compromised because

016of the with the budget. Um you know, we had to balance class size for this upcoming year, so it will be further compromised. What we are going to do, and you know, I'm fortunate in that we have a professional development team that's taking a closer look at this to look at our model for next year, and we're going to really be intentional about trying to provide some some times for these teams to come together. I think the good news is it will be more equitable when it's happening because we'll be able to get everyone scheduled in during, but it will be during professional learning time. Um so we're going to have to make some adjustments there. Um but you know, we see an opportunity to real opportunity there to work with the joint labor team

017because it's, you know, that's a that's going to have to be a dual effort with the teachers association to figure out a way if we're going to really take a closer look at at data. Um you know, how do we make it happen, right? How do we make that a reality within our confines of our of our schedule? Um it's just not you can't just put teachers in a room and get them all together. So, that's that's been a struggle for us. Um You can go. >> So >> Go ahead. >> Yes, I just didn't support real quickly. Uh we have a lot of we work on the TR model. One thing that we really want to focus on um when our full central office is here is really working on we're doing the staff

018on the DCAP, which is district uh accommodation plan, which is for all students. Um we've gone over it many years, but we haven't played touch in a few years. It is a state mandate. Um and it's really a lot of the accommodations you can give all students before they end up on 504s um and IEPs. And so we really want to take a deeper dive into teachers being comfortable using that. Um but we do have like we have a lot of mental health supports, we have executive functioning supports, but that's one that we really want to focus on in the fall is really going deeper dive into the into our district accommodation plan. And that just says like teachers can work with students if you happen to need extra time on one test. If you

019happen to need an extension on something." It gives teachers leeway for all students at different times. So, that's one of the ones that we weren't 100% successful this year, but it's priority for next year. >> Yeah, that's a great example. We need the time and the structure to support that those conversations. >> Right. >> Um empowering teachers with deeper data. Now, so this is just a snapshot of what Open Architects looks like. Uh you you can see the the options here in terms of demographics. Whether you want to look at high needs or special education. Uh take a look at male, female, you name it, right? We also brought in uh I worked with the Tri-Town to get grade six scores in here this past year, which you know, I think it was a benefit

020to get a sense of how those students are performing as they come up. Uh you would you don't see it, but over on the far right would be a filter, which we built a dash I haven't built it, but I basically tell them what goes in there. But, um we have a dashboard that all those dark schools we like to compare ourselves to, all those communities we like to compare ourselves to, and you can see how we're you know, we're falling um in terms of achievement and growth. Um so, again, it's it's a it's a different way to look at the data. It's uh you know, our teachers have an opportunity to really drill drill down even at the student question level um as well. Um but, it's a learning curve for everyone. So, this

021again, we need the time, we need the structures. But, this is one aspect of what Open Architects can do. And where we've gone with it. Um culture, welcoming environment. You want to speak a little bit more to what that looks like at the high school, and then we can >> So, we've done a lot. The teachers did um kind of secret spirit weeks to see if the kids could figure out like what we were working on. The students do a ton of spirit weeks. Um for those who were there, we did the pride parade. Uh we Um, we had a group that did the special Olympics over at at North Andover High School. Um, WBMT did a phenomenal Battle of the Bands night. Uh, with lots of coalition events. The National Honor Society is helping

022at all of our different events. The National Honor Art Society, um, did the big Zoomies presentation of all of their work. Uh, between all of our dances and our sporting events, we're just really trying to build up the culture. We've got some great Instagram sites, um, for everybody to follow. So, if you're not there, you can see what's going on summer in real time, which is great. If there's like a game, they're like, you know, letting you know how everything's going. Um, theater had some great performances. Already did their tryouts, or excuse me, auditions, um, for Legally Blonde in the fall. So, we're really working together to pull everyone together and the staff and the students know like, we need the I don't want to say go over, but we need to come back with

023full spirit. There's a lot that's been lacking and we really have kids buying now. Um, it's getting more and more each year. And the staff are all for it, too. So, everyone's kind of working together to really beef up. Um, it really felt it, I think, in a lot of the sporting events this year. There were a lot of people there. It's the theater was full for the jazz concerts, for the the theater Battle of the Bands was huge. They're coming to more and more things. So, we're getting people out of their houses and getting more in the like yay rah rah. So, we're working really hard at that. >> I've seen a real civics connection, too. And, you know, I I know it's natural with like the civics projects and things like that, but

024even like the English curriculum at at the middle school and the power of one. You know, whether it's athletics or in the classroom, man, this place is impressive in terms of the uh, students constantly going beyond, you know, the classroom and teachers really providing those opportunities for students. A lot A lot of civic-minded, um, community service service-minded opportunities. Um, you know, of course, you know, the I know the middle school has the Chieftain Awards and they're, uh, the Gotcha tickets. So, there's there's a lot of those pieces that are trying to, right, produce that positive good feel climate, uh, recognize students for doing doing good. Uh, we certainly want to continue that. There's been a number of school-wide assemblies and you know, I know that the downtown coalition's been a a big support as well

025with helping us, you know, get some of those pieces in at both the middle and high school. Um, so, this is an area that is also like there's also communities or or groups of teachers that take this on, whether it's part of their like associate master teacher project. There are teams and teachers that look to create these opportunities for students and gather beyond school hours to make this make this a reality at both schools. >> Yeah, this all can't be done without our staff. Yeah. They are our the soul of everything. >> I'm not mentioning everything here cuz we're getting to some of these pieces, too, as you see with future internships. Go ahead, you can Um, all right, so, thank you. Um, so, looking ahead, >> [clears throat] >> I opened with this this

026theme of what's driving our work, right, with the strategic plan, what you will learn, our the accreditation, um, report as well. So, the best thing that we can do, that we are well positioned to do today, we feel strongly about is is building that the time and the structures to support collaboration. I've told you this before, it's a big part of what we do here, is teachers need time. They need time more than anything else. Um, and we're listening. Okay, so, you know, I get a we get a lot of feedback, uh, from our faculty. So, this is what's going to directly inform our goals with that in mind. Um you can advance if you have not read Uh sorry. >> Is this the ask? >> Yes. Let's go back. My bad. Um my eyes

027are off. Um if you have not um read the NEASC report, I highly recommend you do. And even if you just take a look at the highlights, uh this uh you know, this certainly speaks, this validates the work that we've been doing in the district. And in particular, uh well, let me let me preface this by saying the visiting team was here a couple of days in October. Um classroom observations, interviews, teachers, administrators, students. Um so, they spent a couple of days here on site. And I'd be I forget that we haven't publicly presented this report. So, I I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment to thank steering team that's been a year with Katie and I um really putting together a thoughtful report on what we feel we do well and where

028our areas of growth are. So, that's all reflected in that report. So, this isn't just about, you know, a side team coming in. This is much more collaborative. So, I hope you really um pay attention to that. Uh significant progress was noted in curriculum development and alignment, which I said was a huge success. Significant progress has been made in writing the curriculum in a common common template in a central location. The written documents include curriculum map for each course, essential questions, transfer skills, right? Alignment to the portrait of the learner. Uh the focus on curriculum instruction, community culture, and well-being in the portrait of the learner. The wide variety of assessments. Strong recognition of portrait of the learner in the work that we're doing. There is a need for greater measurement and ownership of of

029portrait of the learner, which we'll we'll speak to to you about in a moment. >> Uh go ahead. >> What's the what's the >> When you say there's been progress, there's been significant progress, what's the timeline that we're talking about here? Is it year over year, or is it a multi-year >> Yeah, when we put the No, it's multiple years, you know, obviously you want to be more recent when we're putting our evidence together. So, we're not putting evidence anything that that's in there is certainly current and and happening. Um >> They come back every 10 years. >> Yeah. >> What are the periods? >> They come back We get accredited every 10 years. Then they come back like We got the report, then they'll be back in 2 years to see how we're doing,

030and then they'll come back in 3 more years, and then at 10 years. So, when you're doing this, they have the old report that has all the the steps like did you start making progress? How are you doing? So, now we're saying from when you were here last, this is where we're at, this is where we're going. And so, they're like, "Oh, look at what you've done. Your push of the learners great." Where's where we were cited on not having one. They're like, "Okay, you're doing this." We didn't have the curriculum repository. They're like, "Oh my god, you have it. You're half your you know, one and half your um curriculum are already in there. Great. In 2 years, when we come back, we want to see like 100%." So, so they're looking at the

031old report we had, things we had to work on. They're saying, "Oh my god, you're doing really well." They're not looking for perfection, they're looking for your progress. And we've made huge progress from the 10-year report, and then when we give them the self-study, and then they come back in October, they're also looking to see progress. That's why they talked to so many constituents. They're like, "You are still continuing like you didn't just hand us the self-study that's that's um static. Everybody here says this is what they're working at. We have bigger things to work on, but we have things that we're doing very well. So, and that's those were the five Those were the five points. >> Yeah, we have we have a year to respond to the the areas of priority, which is

032really going to feed into the next two slides, so um you know, I I love the process. Not everyone loves it. I'll tell you right now. Teachers do not love it. Uh and I some embrace it, but uh you know, I I think it's it really helps capture, you know, where you're at as a school district, so. Um and the beauty of it now is this is more collaborative. Like I said, it was the visiting team basically driving the recommendations in the past. It's Now it's we we have a year to develop a self-study or reflect a reflection of the work that we do. We produce, right? And then, of course, they're a check on it on the work, right? They're not going to come in and just say, "Oh, yeah, you're doing this." if

033we're not doing it. So. All right, let's take a look at at the um at the innovation. Uh they also did mention um the I'm going to get to it. Okay. Just want to make sure I don't leave out the communications. Um All right, so innovation from within. This is really about, like I said, the time, the structures. Our faculty will tell you, and they're correct, there's a ton of expertise in-house, right? So, this is what we constantly tap into. Uh we want There are you know, we we took try to take advantage of faculty meetings this year for different topics, but it's just not enough protected collaboration time, right? Uh you I just told you what we've been doing during professional learning time. You know, so what we'd like to do, and and we're

034going to we're going to have to be creative, is we are going to build in more um time for this work within our professional learning framework. We have um a number of faculty that lead professional development for our teachers, and I always put on the full court press to say, "Hey, you could facilitate a What's your area of expertise? Let's look I'd love to see it facilitated. You know, uh uh they do it for peanuts, but you know, I I think this year one was very well received. We ran uh two four-week um sessions throughout the school year. And these are, you know, these aren't things out of left field. These are These are topics that are well aligned to the work that we're doing and um it gives us a chance for um you

035know, I wouldn't say like we're taking advantage of the teachers, but it's it's it's cheap, right? It's It's not um we're not paying someone to come in and and provide professional development. Um and we have to We We don't have much of a budget, you know that. So, we have to be creative. Um so, we're going to build in more of these opportunities. We see an opportunity for more vertical conversations. Um we also see an opportunity for more interdisciplinary conversations. A lot of the work that we do is within departments. That's great. But the times that we've had conversations, and they can be a little bit uncomfortable at times, when we're mixing and, you know, you're not in your comfort zone and you're mixing grade levels and >> [clears throat] >> you know, a lot

036of the work we did with our educator evaluation this past fall it was was that way. We want to build in more of that as well, right? We want to build a school community and you can't You can't do that by by working in silos. Um so, that's going to be a big part um looking at that professional learning framework and really building in There are some topics that teachers are starting to identify, okay? Big ticket items that they need the time to tackle. We don't want what is perceived here as a top-down approach, right? And there's some truth to that, right? Um we have some work to do with communication. We have some work to do there. So, this is an opportunity for teacher teams to really come together and um you know, it's

037uh grading for equity, um portrait of a learner, right? Um there's a number of of pieces that um I I I have been pitched already. And we run these personalized learning pathway sessions, which teams of teachers can tackle a passion. But what this is is we're going to put out some topics that teachers create that we're going to say, all right, here's a bucket, here's an innovation bucket. Who wants to run with this? I had a teacher come to me the other day and say, what do you what do you think about just having a a group looking at grants and ways to get more grant funding here and you know, doing some research around grants. Yeah, I mean, I applaud that teacher. Um There's I mean, there's so much excitement around it. There was

038another The clapping and there was another really good one coming. I get I get excited, but >> Yeah. People want to do the SEO, the Epilepsy Foundation coming in. >> Yeah? No, there's a Yeah, those are all >> And this is all the Wednesday time. >> Yeah, we have >> when this is this is all of our Wednesday half day or whatever hour and a half after school is what we're get this all done. >> Okay, I mean, now we're getting into difficult conversations. I have a teacher saying, I'd I'd like to facilitate that, you know, what that looks like and how to have difficult conversations and navigating some of that. Um so Katie what Katie's talking about is is the We've been getting a lot of support from the Tri-Town Coalition and and other

039entities. Uh work with Noish the North Shore Collaborative. Thank you. Collaborative. Still think I'm in the other district. Um So that we have about 15, I think 10 12 to 15 I'll say sessions planned for next school year, whether they're led by our own teachers or bringing in working with outside providers. We are working closely with the Tri-Town Coalition on our youth risk behavior survey. It's great they come in, they give a presentation to the faculty every year. We're in we want to have students involved with teachers during professional learning time next year unpacking that data. Um and really making some meaningful conclusions around on data and how I can better inform our So, that's that's a piece we're looking to build into. Making a lot of promises. I hope this all happens. Yeah, so

040that's you know, that's where we're we're hoping to go with that. Innovation. Go ahead and advance. Thanks. All right, so we mentioned this is an area of growth. Yes, they praised it, right? They praised Portrait of a Learner. All right, we are not there yet with full student ownership of Portrait of a Learner, right? We had those of you that were at the internship fair. Uh right, students did a fabulous job. There was more intentional alignment with Portrait of a Learner. They had to reflect on our competencies. That's like a great that is our right opportunity and and I got to really give a shout-out to Madison and Chris cuz they oversee it, but that is the culminating product. That is the culminating opportunity for our students. What we don't have though is where are

041they reflecting along the way in their you know, in their schooling. Where are they reflecting? What does it look like? Is it Is it the performance task that I mentioned? You know, where are they capturing those glimpses in building We got to look to build some sort of portfolio, have helping students build some sort of portfolio before they get to their senior year. Um what what some districts do is they they have uh profiles of a graduate and they showcase them in the community. Which you know, we talk about getting showcasing Mascoutah, really showcasing what we do. This is going to be an opportunity. Through Now, we we we have some ideas, but we got to pull a team together. We need the time. Uh do you want to speak to your idea about getting

042students together on this cuz I think it's a >> Yes, I think well I tried. So, we tried to do some volunteer and blocks like come in, talk to us about the Portrait of a learner, what are you doing in class? We got the same lovely three students every time. Um, and so they were great, but they even tried to bribe their friends to come. I was like, "We're not scary. We just want to talk to you about what's in the class." So, in looking at all of our leaders in the building, we have student council who have all been elected. We have extracurriculars who have leadership, whether they've been elected or deemed you're the president of your club. We have captains who have all been elected somehow. So, what I'm going to do next

043year is part of your leadership responsibilities is you have to come talk to us. So, there's going to be one once a month, and I'll all grab a lot of kids. I'll grab the student council group. So, that's the in school. You guys were elected by all of your peers in this building. Talk to them about, "What do we need to be doing? What are you doing in class? Are you understanding even what these all mean?" And then also, we build the culture, and so getting that group. And then another day, once a month, I'll get all the extracurricular people together. "What are you looking for? What do we need?" And again, "How are you viewing this?" So, hopefully you can get a good cross-section, but if you've been nominated or elected as a leader,

044you got to have a little bit more meat to this now. And I'm going to make you have a little bit more meat to it. You don't just get to wear the president hat and do a few things. Um, and it's just going to be part of their responsibility. And obviously, if you have to go to a class for a test or you get pulled into Ed Block for tutoring, that's great. But, we got to create a quorum that this is the group. This is when we're meeting. We set the schedule, and then go from there. Um, cuz really, the volunteers aren't really working. Um, and then we did the lunch groups. They like to eat, not talk to us, which is fine. Uh, but just starting back getting the conversations going with students. We

045want to hear that from them. And a lot of times I run into I run into some student council members like, "We want to do this. We want to do this. We want to do this." I said, "That's great." I haven't said no to anything. I go, "But, you literally are elected to get this done." They're like, "Eh." It's like, "I haven't said no. We need to figure out how we're going to do it. Let's do it." And then they kind of fizzle. So, it's like just really helping them get their ideas off the ground. Cuz it all goes together. And it's all great. It's all hopefully a good cross-section of all students. So, that's kind of our our big goal. They're not going to like this they're listening, but I'm mandating on this, but

046we'll get them all together and it'll be fun. Like it'll be a good time and figure out like, what else do we need to make Masco great? And you're also hitting all of these buttons. >> Honestly, I'm looking forward to it. It'll be It'll be a highlight for me. I love winning with kids. And unfortunately, we try, you know, and so this will be um And it's not just students. It's this is an area where yeah, we were a lot of right, a lot of high praise for Portrait of a Learner in the NEASC accreditation, but you also can read through it carefully. It's seen as top-down. I mean, where I've seen us be successful is teachers run with the students, right? And we we need that. We need help from our teachers. We need

047help from our students. Um but it's certainly coming on us to to set up the structures to make it happen um because we need to own this. And um >> Yeah, and the department heads and the staff are already doing this. But, we're just trying to We're not in there every day. So, we're just trying to hear, do you guys understand what we're doing? What are these you know, what does this mean? Or is it just a pretty graphic? Um and that's what you know, NEASC said, "You guys were starting. You're not done." And I don't know. We're never done. We're a school. We're always moving forward. Um so, we just have to get some more meat into it and get all constituents to buy into it and understand it. >> But, a lot of

048you know, a lot of around portrait of a learner, but um room for growth there, and that does take that does take time, you know, getting that that all all those pieces together. So, just um before we open it up to questions, I I think you can see that we're purpose purposefully, and I know Adrienne opened up um with these comments, keeping it a little bit open-ended um moving forward, but also not losing sight of what's most important, which is um we need to become more, right? We have a lot of expertise, and Brad always likes to say, and like there's opportunities for innovation here, right? There's there's there's a lot of expertise in the house, and and while I agree that is going to be a continuation of the work that we're doing, but

049it's also going to be um creating even more opportunity for you know, for for that collaboration to happen, because um we need to honor that, and we need to support that. So, that's really where we're um looking toward as, you know, as we move forward, and keeping our eyes on the prize, which is this here. This is all about preparing the students beyond the walls of Masco. So, every time I'm talking to teachers about PD or this or that, I'm not saying it's rare that I say yes, um but all the work that we're doing, right, is really about uh preparing our students um beyond the walls of Masco. And this is uh I just I can't say enough about the work >> [clears throat] >> our teachers are doing and our our leadership um

050in terms of providing those opportunities for students well beyond um you know, our classrooms. So. I'm sure we have some questions. Yes. >> I have a question, just um observation, suggestion. When talking about like promulgating this throughout the school, I think you're definitely on the right track, and I think that's a great idea. I think one other group you could consider tapping into are the coaches just cuz they're not always educators in the building so they might not know that this is what we're striving for as a district. And then if they know what we're looking for here, they might be able to highlight for the student athletes while they're doing their sports that this is what is happening. You're collaborating right now. Like just emphasize. >> [clears throat] >> Yeah, you know, a lot

051of times too it's not even like it's just being um just aligning. You don't have to come out and say this is fortune of a learner, right? There's been opportunities where we've taken advantage of just even creating a survey. You just trying to be intentional about the alignment of it. And athletics is an area where we can definitely >> Good point. >> Yeah. >> You um well, I guess I guess I heard a couple things. One was you have data. Right? Another thing that I heard was educators need more time. And we're asking some educators to do more. And so can you speak a little bit to the use of AI to increase productivity? [clears throat] >> Increase productivity? Yeah. >> context of all of this. >> Yeah, yeah. So we um it was part

052of our professional development program this year, right? So we have we have teachers that led sessions on AI. My tech integration specialist provide a lot of support on AI. Um we are um we use right now it's a it's a subscription for the the chat GPT. Um but now they're they're opening up the doors to as they should be to schools for for teachers. And those accounts [clears throat] are going to be free and we're going to we're looking to set those up through our IT department. Um but all of that Yeah, our teachers are taking advantage of it is a I think A train you and I were just talking about it this morning. It's it's about Um, you know, if if we can be spending our time in the right places, right? Um,

053AI is certainly should be a tool at your disposal. And I know personally it it's saving me a lot of time and in a number of different ways and it's not it's not about cutting corners. It's about when you need useful information at your fingertips, there's different ways to get it, right? So, Um, yeah. No, it's it's it's also AI literacy. Uh, we're building it into our coding curriculum. We're actually rebranding that whole course. So, the student piece of it, too, um, is we obviously are not losing sight of. Um, this is not going away, right? >> Some teachers are way more comfortable. So, you know, especially asking the students, like, "Who's using AI?" "Are you using it? Are your teachers using it?" Um, and you know, we heard a couple of different things of,

054you know, "Let's do a project all AI." Okay, now we're going to back up. This one's no AI. You can use AI as on your prompts. Um, and teachers say, "It's Some are way more comfortable." Um, a lot of students say, "I'm not using it. I I would prefer to, you know, here to learn and I want to use my brain." But then they're they're like, "Well, my teacher's helping me learn how to summarize something." Or if I've missed school, this is how I can get some stuff done. Um, so, it's really teacher dependent, but we are offering multiple PDs about it and really working with the students to know what's appropriate, what's not appropriate. Um, but it's really classroom by classroom on comfort right now. >> Yeah, I mean, I the whole AI amongst

055students thing is a whole separate topic, but I think what I'm really I'm hitting on is teachers can we make the lives of teachers and educators and ourselves better by, you know, giving them the right PD and >> Yeah, we definitely are not saying don't use >> creating a culture of trusting and viewing AI as professionals. >> I think AI >> That started for me, Matt. Think we're doing AI sessions like 3 4 years ago. >> Yes. >> Yep. >> Um what what we worked on last couple years is the policy procedures and the consistency across the district. >> Yeah, I was just going to say I think AI in in schools is tricky like saturation way behind private sector people, right? Like it's not even like there's some teachers who look at AI as,

056you know, even for their own use. And in in my department like the amount of documentation and data that we have is probably second to none and we don't use AI. Cuz there is there is no like standard and people are, you know, afraid of it. >> And then on the private sector, right? It's a race to figure out who can use AI the most effectively. >> Yeah, yeah. I mean with my gosh, people >> don't figure it out, you're going to be left behind. And I have to believe it's the same thing in the world of academia. So it's a race to figure out how you use it effectively. >> So to Matt's point, I think the biggest thing is from a cultural perspective. We've all been in classrooms at some point over decades

057and disruption and new technology happens. When the internet happened, right? Think about how much that changed the idea of is this kid just grabbing a report off of encyclopedia Britannica online versus writing, right? And the big thing to me is it's so important that that culture that we help build is around this is a new tool that we can use it to unlock more productivity for everybody, right? And obviously there's times that we have to build walls, too. And set the right expectations around how to use it effectively to learn versus as a shortcut around everything. And I think that applies to teachers, too. but like that's the biggest thing is I agree. It's like within all of the like regulatory framework we have around privacy and data and all that that's like another layer

058on top of a public school. I really think it's so important that we help facilitate that really healthy culture around using it. >> Just to just to wrap up my comment, right? I mean, I think that this is great. Thank you guys for doing it. If there was one piece that I would have loved to have seen too, it's how you plan to continue to build that mindset of AI. >> Yeah, it's um it's certainly already in the works for our part of our PD next year and because I know teachers continue to ask for it. Any of our PD providers um it's they're all subscribed. Everyone has a course in AI. Um the opportunities are there, Matt, for our educators. Um say that. Um and we need to continue to have those conversations. >>

059Yeah, it's a game it's a game changer now. >> Is that your comment? >> I do. Sorry. And if if my question turns into something that we can't talk about, then feel free to stop me. >> Okay. >> Um as somebody that doesn't I'm in a field that doesn't like AI, I never dawned on me to add that into the time that you would need for the professional development. My thought led more to should we start looking at maybe switching when the professional development happens as in rather than it being every Wednesday. Re you know what I mean? Elementary schools do it every other Friday. Do we need to go back to giving you guys that half hour half day professional development versus this hour every Wednesday? >> Like blocks of time instead of little

060tiny bites. >> Yeah, I >> was going to say I think when the new superintendent comes in those are conversations you guys are going to have. One way or another. >> Because [clears throat] this isn't the first time that you just said it a lot but this isn't the first time we've heard. There's at least one head department head that never makes professional development because he's always got something going on. So it just seemed [clears throat] like maybe this system isn't working. >> I think that's a PLC. >> That's PLC. >> Yeah, never mind. Professional development everyone Yeah. >> PLC is hard cuz they're teaching >> Is it worth looking at? Absolutely. You know, there's advantages to have an extended blocks of time. We don't have that, right? Especially if I'm working with outside providers.

061I have to get really creative. >> I think our whole structure will get looked at. >> wants to be online for training. Else? >> Yep. When we're looking at the portraits of a learner, especially the critical thinking and perseverance aspects of that, is Masco starting to implement some ways for our more accelerated learners to meet those needs for themselves? Like have they been implementing anything from the DESE continuum of services document? That were MTSS for accelerated learners. >> When you're referring to accelerated learners, I think the precalculus example that I provided, that's that performance assessment piece of, you know, we have we have a number of depart- at least one department head that I can think of also that is like training content-specific on through the DESE on performance assessments. We brought in, you know,

062we worked with this Educate Commonwealth project this past, not this past winter, last year. So a lot of the work that we're doing around that is around you know, accelerated learning and but I I don't like that word though cuz it's it's It's about it's providing you should be providing opportunities for all students, right? And so when you're doing some of these performance-based tasks, you should be hitting the mark on on all students. Um and accelerated is certainly, you know, one of those areas. So, um do we bring in like a specific DESE document? Which document are you referring to, Alice? Sorry. >> Um it's on the DESE website. What's Which one was it? Maybe the um the continuum of services guidance document. >> Uh that hasn't formally been part of it, but we work

063very closely, like I said, with the Educator Commonwealth Project, which to me raises the bar uh in terms of assessment, in terms of how we look at assessment. Um We're looking at we're even like in the world language department, which is my other hat, um you know, we have some pretty epic There's some really nice recognitions recognitions at graduation, but we have some students that are um we're getting creative with looking at some college partnerships uh for those students because they're almost placing out of the curriculum, you know? So, so we're always looking at, right? I I'd like to do more with higher ed um as well, but as far as in in schools, teachers providing opportunities for accelerated learners, and I think a lot of that's being done through your ability to um meet

064the needs of all learners, and that's happening with these uh not just instructional strategies, but these >> And pushing them the more advanced kids are getting pushed. >> A lot of choice in the curriculum. >> curriculum out. We have other opportunities that we're able to offer for specific students. Thank you. >> Hope that helps. >> Yeah. >> Just a quick thank you. Page 11, those four blocks making them clickable links to useful information to new people like me. So, that's cool. >> You can tell them to click. >> Yeah, it's great. Thank you. Thank you. >> It's a great use of AI. >> [laughter] >> Um >> You can do 3 minutes and you don't have to spend an hour on it. >> go. Done. You got to you got to use your time wisely.

065Time is limited, so. >> That's great. Okay. Student handbook? >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you guys. That's it. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You sure you don't want me for that? >> I mean if you want. One of both. >> [cough and clears throat] >> Peter, can you put up the other note? Thanks. Yeah. And just while you're getting [clears throat] that up on the screen. >> You want to turn the lights on? >> I'm being facetious. But I don't know. I'm being People really really want them on. >> Oh, I wonder what the audience >> [laughter] >> Are we fading? >> It's getting hot to write. Yeah. Yeah. >> Kevin, you got to hit the lights. >> Is it >> [laughter] >> There's There's 40 of them. Just start trying.

066Yeah. You're good. >> Oh, first try. First one. >> Yeah. Um so for the folks that you're aware, it is the school committee's responsibility to approve the handbook changes, knowing that they are aligned with policies. Um so I read through everything. I didn't see anything that needed to be flagged. We'll walk through it together. If you have questions. Great. And um we'll take a vote and adopt them. >> So before I begin on the handbook, I did revisions instead of changes because some of these already exist. So I don't know if you've had the opportunity to read the over 50 page handbook. Um but some of these, and this is where I said earlier like I'm talking about COVID. Some of these have been in the handbook. They were very strict. We held everyone to

067the line. COVID happened. We were happy they came to school. We got a little lax on a couple things. So, some of these are not new and I will point out what's new, um but we're tightening back up. Everyone needs to be here. Your job is to come to school. That's what you're here for. So, if you're walking in, your job is to come to school. We understand there might be some hurdles for some students, but we build the rules for all. Um and so some I'll go over what's completely different and what we're kind of bringing back to really hold people accountable. Back to like real accountability. No longer yay, you made it to school and out of your room, you're here. So, uh so I just wanted to start with that's kind of

068my pitch to you. Um staff has all seen these. So, start tardies and dismissals. Again, like I said, your job is to come to school. If you've ever been in the main office in the morning, you will see a very long line that goes past the restroom, past the guidance office of tardy students. So, um really in the past have not had consequences for being tardy to school. For those who do extracurriculars, in the past I've been here 14 years, start with athletics, it used to be you came in by 10, you were eligible. We moved it to 8:30. If you're late after 8:30, you could not participate in athletics or any extracurricular after school activities. Seeing that they are extracurricular, your job is to come to school. So, we decided that you can't be

069late anymore. School starts 7:35. If you're late to school, you are not eligible for any after school activities. You're not eligible to go to practice, you can't go to play practice, you can't go to Model UN. You need to be here. Now, that does not mean we're not talking about extenuating circumstances. Your car broke down, I get it. It's snowing. I get it, don't race to school. Do it safely. Um you know, there are some reasons, but as a whole, you need to be in school or you're not eligible to participate in these extras. They're extras. Um so that is a big change. It has already gone out to all the coaches. Athletics has it in the student handbook that you need to be here. We did have some tendencies of some people liking to

070sleep in cuz they were out late. You don't get to do both. Your job is to come to school. Um again, we do have exceptions um that will be made. On the flip side, dismissals. If you see you have a sub and you're getting dismissed, you have to be in school. Don't subs have lesson plans as well? Um so of that vein, if you are tardy and we're saying unexcused tardies. Doctor's appointments are fine. You went to the orthodontist. Walk in with your doctor's note. As you all know, when you go to the doctor, do you need a note for school? The answer is yes. We need that note. You went to the orthodontist in the morning. Bring us the note. You're fine. Uh but five tardies will start to add up. So five tardies

071will equal one absence. This is all the assistant principals will be following and same with dismissals. If you get dismissed, you're missing a class. That will count as one absence of that class. At five absences, I'll get more into that. It's going to be another conversation. So five tardies, an unexcused tardy, it's not your doctor's appointment, uh they'll add up. Means you now have one absence for that class. And also a big change for us, I know it's been a few years, but not having the waterfall schedule, we end up with a lot of students who are late a lot or are failing their first block class. Because the rotation isn't a 7-day rotation. So period one and two, yes. >> Do we need to have the slide up? >> Sorry, keep going with the

072tardy slide. I'm not even looking that way. Move on it. >> No problem. >> Uh >> So just saying that the expectation should be in class. And you'll see if you read the full handbook, we talk about chronic absenteeism. For the state of Massachusetts, chronic absenteeism means four to five absences a quarter. So we have students who exceed that. Um so we're just trying to to rein people in. Yes. >> In general, um I my student will be moved over to the high school. The passing period is 3 minutes between classes. Do most students Are most students able to achieve that without getting counted for tardies? >> So we have two tardies. So So we have tardy to school, right? That's one thing. Then you have tardy to class. Very few are tardy to class.

073>> Okay. >> So tardy to class is the second set of bullets. That is to your I'm going to go to the restroom. You have time to go to the restroom. A lot of kids will walk into class, drop their bag, go to the restroom. Or as you're walking, you have time to get to class. Teachers are aware 3 minutes is tight. Um but the advantage is a lot of your classes are pretty close together. Um and then if you've got to walk down to PE or you're walking down the performance hallway, they get it. Might take If you're up on the third floor in chemistry, you got to get all the way down there, you're not going to get dinged for that. But if all of a sudden it's 5, 6, 7 minutes and

074you're taking your time, then you'll get your tardy to class. And so that's the teacher. So that's That's our second set of tardies. That's a teacher tardy. And they should be giving you a detention for to be served on a Tuesday or Thursday cuz that's the after school time to serve the time that you missed. Um and again, those will add up as well to an absence. So we're really just saying the expectation is go to school, be in class. Um so we have the morning tardies, which is one set, and then we have the teacher tardies. And that's your dillydallying on your way to class. Um and that the teachers will manage in their classroom. Is that >> So the first one kind of bothered me a little bit, but I just want to

075make sure because I've been having harder and harder times finding a doctor's appointment outside of school hours. As long as they have an excused doctor's note before or after they be dismissed early because of a doctor, then it is excused and they will not lose >> Correct. >> Doctor's appointments, funerals, college visits, appointments are excused. Everything else you'll see says absent verified. So, absent verified on our system means I know that you know where your child is. Absence excused means you have provided me an orthodontist, a doctor, sadly you're at a funeral, you're at a college visit. Those are all excused because you can prove me you had an appointment. So, [clears throat] that's the difference. And we say we will accept a doctor's note up until 10 days because honestly you should be able

076to get it as you're walking out. But, you might not. But, also like we'll have students show me your appointment. Show me the email, that's your confirmation. Okay, there it is right there. Thank you, that's all I'm looking for. You confirmed you have a doctor's appointment. Um so, those are excused. Okay, so that's the difference. So, when you get used to looking at our PowerSchool, you'll always see an AV. That means I know you know your student's not here. If it's just a straight A, that's when you receive your call home. I don't know where your kid is, do you? And that's why the difference of our letters. And then if it's an EX, it's an excuse. >> Right. >> You brought me proof that you were somewhere. That help? >> So, if a child

077is or a student is tardy for school, >> it'll say TU. >> That what My question is it's that day they're not able to participate in extracurriculars. Okay. All right. >> That day. You're late, that day. Yep. >> I I going to save it for the end, but because we're talking about it, I I do have concerns that the strict 7:35 might be a little harsh. I'm all for accountability, but I mean I mean at least for us in Middleton driving over that bridge, you know you're sitting in >> Can we see that? >> of >> the morning traffic is Yeah, so we like that's I mean things like that we take into account. I get something from the bus company that three drivers are out and we got three late buses, we don't do

078tardies. Everyone go to class. Just everyone we know you're coming in late, go to class. There days we'll look outside and I'm like nobody's making the bell. So we stand at the front door and we're like just go to class. Everyone just go to class. So that we take all of that into account. And we're going to have some growing pains in the month of September. >> Senior privileges, if >> Senior privileges, they have permission to be late. So that's but that doesn't start in September. Yeah, we'll get that going in October. And that's a sign off and that's a contract between us and their families. So that's different. Yep. We got on tardies straight up. >> You think so? >> Yep. >> So next slide. So this is really not new. The only thing

079that's a little bit different is we did put the five absences. We've always contacted parents and families on excessive absences. We've always been in contact trying to where are you where are you at? And it is a state law. Like we're supposed to always be in contact. You're not in school, why you're not in school, what do we need to do, what modifications do we need to make, things do we need to help you in one way or another, what's going on? So we're using five as our catalyst. At five absences, whether it's five absences in first period or you've missed five days. Those are like those are our catalysts of like we need to have a call home. We need to contact. What is going on? The APs will work with the families, whether

080it's creating a contract, whether you know, maybe it was just a bad week and you've had the flu, we'll figure it out. But it's really keeping contact of why are you not in school? How do we get you here? If it continues, then we get to the point where maybe we have to modify a lot of stuff. Maybe we have to pull you from your classes. Maybe we have to do kind of some of our remedial things that we have at our hands. Cuz we do get sometimes into the weeds of we've got you, we've got you, we've got you, and then I have a teacher being like, I'm making a whole 'nother curriculum for this person who for whatever reason doesn't come to school and now you're asking me to do more. I'm not

081a I don't want to continue to ask staff to do extra. So, it's not penalizing a child pulling them class, like this isn't working for some reason for this class. We're going to give you something else. We're going to find something that's going to work for you. Instead of asking our teachers to basically being teaching two classes cuz they're doing so much modification. Um and that's just not fair to them. So, that is a little bit of a change. Um but we've always done the parent contact. We've always worked with families. We just need to you know, five absences is our catalyst of where have you been? What's been going on? How can we help? Yes. >> What's social probation? >> to that. >> [laughter] >> So, I can just jump right into it if

082you want. >> No, no. >> Okay. So, so that's how we're really holding kids accountable for not coming to school. >> In this plan, how are we accommodating those students with special needs on IEPs or that are autistic or other issues that have school refusal >> Yep. >> concerns? >> That's where the team comes into play. >> Okay. Yeah, cuz then if you're taking away the few positives they have to actually bring them in the >> Yep. >> That will only be further more difficult. >> That's why we start the conversation. >> It might be sooner than we already know. And we know what their plan is and we already have a plan in place. >> Okay. >> For new students or incoming ninth graders that were not sure and that you know, you're new,

083we're seeing things, all of a sudden you're out five days, what's going on? We you know, reach out to the families, get some information we might not know, then the team's going to come together and say, "What do we need to do?" We might need to make modifications to that child. We have some students due to medical issues cannot enter the building until nine. But that's your plan. >> Okay. >> So that's your plan. You're not going to get dinged because now your plan is 9:00 a.m. >> So there are accommodations for those cases. Okay. >> And that's where the parent communication is important. >> Got it. I mean, essentially what I'm hearing here is you guys are just lowering the threshold for when a more serious conversation happens so that you can address more

084of the students and get more of the intervention in place faster. >> Faster. >> Okay. >> Exactly. So we've been doing this, we're just trying to get it before it gets runs away. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Which it used to be. And like I said, some of this isn't new, we're just tightening up some stuff. And then, so next slide, social probation. Social probation we used to use all the time. Pre-COVID, we stopped. It went away. Um we also used to, if you've had kids that were here for a long time, we used to have had demerit system. We've taken our demerits completely out. We're not using demerits. They were hard to keep track of. Social probation is again, you've had so many chances. We need to now bring you in

085completely. Whether you've been suspended multiple times, social but you're not eligible for extras anymore. You you can't you've lost your right because you've either been suspended multiple times, you have you're not walking in the building. So if you're not coming in the building at all, how do I let you get on stage and be in the play when you're not even coming into the building? And again, we have We'll accommodate some things, but it's also we have to be consistent with students. >> [clears throat] >> And just if you have multiple multiple disciplinary infractions. And also, we do run into if you have a lot of obligations. You will be a lot of money. Sometimes you end up on social probation. Social probation you're only on for a small amount of time. We set a

086contract. Can you meet this? Sometimes it's a quarter. Sometimes it'll be a semester. So, it's within a time frame. It's not you're on it and you're never getting off. It's what do we need to do to tighten you up, get you here, or stop getting suspended, or stop doing what you're do you know, we work all the the RTI model. But if we're not making progress then how do we do? So, sometimes we have to tighten you up a little bit. And that's working with the families, working with the APs. So, you get on social probation, social probation contract means you can't go to things. So. >> Essentially it's just another lever for behavior change. Correct? >> Yeah. >> [clears throat] >> So, and we like I said, we used it a lot in the

087past and it holds kids accountable. They're getting their work done. They realize, "Oh my gosh, if I'm on social probation and prom tickets go on sale, I can't buy a prom ticket." So, what do I need to do to get off before I can go buy my prom ticket? Or I want to go to this event. You can't go. Like you've got to get your stuff done. It doesn't mean you can't go to like the football >> It's really a behavior modification tool. >> Asian. >> And it will be more effective as it relates to what Kevin was saying earlier about culture and as >> accountability >> as to the building is becoming more alive with fun activities well, you can't go to the football game if you're on social probation. >> Can you >>

088might have some misbehavior. >> You know, if your grades are not where they're supposed to be, you're not academically eligible to apply to go to France. You know, if you have lots of suspensions, you can't apply to go to these things. >> I guess that's where I was kind of going cuz it said travel excursions and say some some of these people have already paid towards these >> Different. >> Okay. We will not ding you on that. So, as you're applying if you're on social probation, we might depending upon the time frame. It might be that you can't apply yet. But if you've already applied and you've already paid your money, I can't take a trip away from you. Like I I I refuse to do that. And if you like we'll come up with

089something else. We've done different things in the past. >> everything else away. >> Right. Our school is going to go to France. >> And also if you end up on pro-social probation, I have I don't feel comfortable telling the parent they're out that money. We'll come up with something else. If you've already paid your money, cuz even some students, and I don't want to say this out loud, but sometimes kids are sweeties and then they fall off, but they've already paid for the trip and they go on the trip and someone says, "How are they academically eligible?" They were when they applied all the way up until about a week ago. So, I'm not going to take a trip that you paid for away. But it's more if you're not eligible to apply, that's a

090different story. That makes sense? >> Mhm. >> Yeah. Yeah, I'm not taking money and I'm not getting into that. >> Um real quick, there are other things though that will happen before social probation. >> Yes. >> correct? Like >> It's all the interventions take place before you get to social. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, there should be no surprises if you end up on social probation because we've We've all these other interventions and conversations with you and your family and now we're at social probation. >> Okay. >> Um quick question, sorry. Is chronically absent defined somewhere? >> It is in the handbook. I didn't put it on the slide. >> Okay, thank you. >> Yep, it's straight from the DESE website, so it's um 18% which is four to five classes a quarter. So, but

091in our handbook is way more in-depth than what these slides are. That'll come out in the back to school. Working on some edits. Um so yeah, so that's social probation. Cell phone, we had already gone over this. Um so this really isn't new. Just tightening it up a little that everyone will use the hanging. Um defining that M block isn't academic time. So when we say no phones during academic time, when you walk in the classroom, you put your phone in the in the um holder. It's in the holder for the entire class period. So if you go to the restroom, you're not grabbing your phone. Your phone needs to be in the holder during all academic time and M block is an academic period. So it's during that time. >> Based on what I've

092heard, it sounds like these things are in place >> Yes. >> and for the most part everyone's on board and there hasn't been a lot of pushback or issues or Okay. >> We >> Talked about going to the bell to bell, but right now that's not feasible for us. And this is working and the kids can have their phones at lunch and in between blocks. But I just want to be clear, M block is an academic time. I don't know. I mean, I I do understand your laptops can turn into phones, but yeah, it's totally fine. Bless you. >> Thank you. So that's cell phones, really nothing new. Just tightening it up. Everything's all mostly tightening it up except for really the tardy to school. Um the last page DESE review. So, um student services

093had a coordinated program review. We're just finishing getting up some of the results, but um when I met with the gentleman, these were some of his recommendations to change or update. Um so our bullying definition has been updated, which it was in some places, not others, but now it's everywhere that aggressor student and or staff member um engage in cyber bullying. In the next bullet, um we had most of this um up until um perceived differentiating characteristics. We did not go into all the other, so he asked that we add including race, color, religion, ancestry. So, these are his words. He's like, "Please add that." So, these are additions to what we already have. Um the next bullet a statement that a plan affords all students the same protection regardless of their legal status under

094the law. We did not have the word legal, so we put the word legal. We had status, so he said, "Missing the word legal." So, legal is in there. So, these are just his honing in. Um the bottom paragraph um it's cut off a little bit. Any parent wishing to file a claim or concern, we did not have that in our handbook. So, it's just um informing parents of how to um contact the Department of Ed um program of of resolution systems. We did not ever put the website or how to contact, so that is now the contact of who to contact, the website link, stuff like that. Um so, that is the newest that is the only all new bullet. The other were just some language that he asked us to change. Um so,

095it's been updated. It's all under our bullying and intervention plan and it will also all fold into our faculty handbook as well. And the staff get their faculty handbook which mirrors the student handbook and then a few extra pages. So, be calm. Yeah. So, those are those are his recommendations when I had met with him. So, those are the handbook edits. >> You know, in general these all sound like refinements. >> Like that's why I said it was a revision. >> you know, we're just adding more details to be very explicit about everything. >> And just tightening things up. >> That's great. >> If a student or family has concern about like bullying, harassment, is there a form that needs to be filled out? Like they wouldn't go straight to Desi, they'd obviously work with

096them in the district first. Is there a specific form that needs to be submitted for that and is the link for that form also included in the handbook? >> It is. It's a linkable form. >> Okay. >> Under the bullying and intervention. It's a linkable, that's the form. They also contact their AP who can also provide them with the form of contact. >> Excellent, thank you. >> Yep. Any other questions? Heather? >> I am supportive of everything besides the tardy piece, so unfortunately don't think I'm going to be able to support it. I don't I think that works if every family is conventional and every family has bought into this model, but fam- I don't think we can assume that all families can, you know, there's certain circumstances like I think to reading The Glass

097Castle in Ms. Weekly's class, if she's listening, um that was an unconventional upbringing with an alcoholic father, free-spirited mother. Like those things happen and our students are living through experiences like that. Um, and I don't know if 7:35 on the dot is enough room for a student who no fault of their own may be late cuz they still rely on their parents for transportation or what have you, Um gets to or has to miss out on their championship game. Like I don't know if that's the message we want to send or if that does more harm to the student than good. >> So, to counter is to me that's where we really get to know the kids. And conversations with the APs and home to find out that I mean, we do have students who

098get their elementary school siblings off to school. They're dropping mom off at work so they can have the car. Like to me that's the conversations. What's going on? Is it What is your reasoning? It could be cuz we're a disaster in the morning. Like there's 10 of us and we're all trying to get out of the house. To me those are conversations to try and figure it out. Um but when you have a school of 1,500 or whatever, 900 with the high school we want to try it. >> So, to follow up in in the case that that Trevor mentioned and and you described where there are all of these things happening in and around the home that are driving them to get here late. Um are you saying that that you factor that in

099and it's not automatically that they receive >> circumstances keep getting you here? >> Right. I I think >> I mean, we work with students as needed. >> I asterisks that kind of gives some some leeway to the administration to make allowances based on circumstances. I think it's kind of establishing a rule that can govern, you know, 900 or 1,500 kids and I mean, as the person who's in student services, I'll probably be involved in some of these exceptions and going to Katie and saying, we can this isn't going to work or, you know, so I totally agree with what you're saying, but I think it's going to be the exception to the rule rather than base the rule on the exceptions. >> To your point, Trevor, I feel like if you I don't think the

100intent here is punitive. >> Yeah. >> It's conversation. It's Okay, this rule's here for a reason and now we're going to use that rule as a way to trigger more conversations for intervention, support, visibility, all of that. So, I hear you. And you're I think you're making a really valid point and I think it's a way for the school to kind of push kids in this direction of more accountability and like I My kid was definitely late a bunch cuz I was stuck in that traffic. And I pushed her to wake up earlier every day. And make sure that we're doing that stuff, you know, so it does force a little more accountability for the kids, too, especially if they are a scholar athlete, a student leader, whatever the case may be. So, >> Most

101of the other schools in the area have this. >> Absolutely. >> We're one of the few that hasn't. So, I know like I got a couple staff be like, this isn't going to work. And then other staff will live in like Manchester, Essex, and Beverly like, my kid can't be late. Like, that's just how it's always been. >> Yeah, and a lot of schools do have it and it'll be a learning curve for us. >> I think I think I think >> So, so this is that's this is the one thing that I've been tied to and what I what I want to understand is what is the process look like for the exceptions? Like, how formalized is that? Who is the final arbitrator for who who is making those decisions? And because I think

102the most important thing if we have a policy like this, there needs to be a consistency that is applied to the exceptions that they're made, right? And not just a rubber stamp. We don't want this to exist on paper and then >> Totally. >> not serve the purpose, which is to get the kids in the classroom to maximize the education that the time for them in the classroom and also take the pressure off the teachers, too, right? Both of those things, I get it. But >> What's the process? >> What does the process look like? >> So, that's where the assistant principals are they going to be the spearheaders of the conversation. Then, what we typically do is anytime we find out that there's something going on at home, it brings the team. Now, is

103that team right now just the AP, myself, and the school counselor? Might just be. Or it might be they have an adjustment counselor, as well. Or they might be on an IP that includes the program coordinator. So, the team would make the final decision, not just a single tip. So, it's not just the AP saying, "You know what? Let's let Suzy go today. And I like her. She's going to always be" Like it they'll start the conversations, they'll come forward and say, "I need to pull the team together. I think we need to make accommodations." Team comes together, decides whether or not this is something we need to look at. And we can do these pretty quickly. It's not like it's a month-long process. I'm like, "Hey, I just got off the phone with a

104family, and we need to help them out." Okay, let's put the three of us or four of us in a room together. What do we need to do for them? And let's do it. Or try it for a week and or you know, a month. Try this intervention or are we being hosts? You know, kind of let's work with you, but are you trying to bend the rule, as well? >> Right. >> And so, we have a follow-up. How are the interventions going? What can we do? Is this working? And sometimes they'll say, "Thank you." You know, they're like, "This is great. You're helping me from a kid who didn't come in until 9:00, they're coming in now at 8:00." >> Yeah. >> So, that's where we we just want to get them here. >>

105Right. >> But we also have some who, when you walk in with your full iced coffee like well maybe you should not come to practice. You know and and those kids who know it was 8:28 they were in at 8:27 even with their coffee. Like they knew what the time was and again we have learning curves for new kids coming in and but they're like I mean you see them start sprinting. They're like oh oh like I'm getting close and the coaches have held them accountable when it's they get a list every day of who is late and they're like you can't come to practice today and they're like that's so hard to tell a kid you can't come to practice. But your job is to be in school. So and we really just want

106to get everybody here and we just want to tighten everything up and we're going to have a learning curve and it's going to take us a little bit. September is going to be rough. But if we can start setting some boundaries and working with families who might need assistance let us do it. We have a lot of assistance to offer. So want to help them out as needed. >> Yeah so along that line looking at the policy I don't see that kind of spelled out the like the exceptions or the asterisks. Like will that is that in the actual policy? >> Yeah so I know it's on at least the tardy page. Yeah. You know it it all comes down to any exceptions may with permission and principal and assistant principal. Okay and that starts

107once they have the conversation. It starts the ball rolling and we need to make an exception. >> Okay so it's that's kind of the all encompassing. Yeah okay. Yeah. >> So what about >> Go ahead. >> No go ahead Stacy. >> I actually wanted to move on real quick to the attendance policy yep where you were talking about students who have missed a class five times or whatever. >> My daughter has a 504. Yes. She goes to class but then she has to leave. I would have loved a phone call so I knew. Um I mean, I follow her Blackboard and stuff. So, I I get kind of a glimpse >> Right. About things are going. >> But is there like any follow-up for kids who have those interventions with parents because this is a

108great. I love this. But I I wish that I had gotten a phone call when she had missed five classes or that something had been triggered. >> So, that's what we're trying to do. >> Okay. >> We're building it in so you can't >> It's not going to be >> even if they have a 504 and they have accommodations, we're still going to get that phone call. >> I think that would be great. >> Plus, the accommodation is she can miss class. >> Right. >> Yeah, and yes. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> If you miss and that's why we want to do both kind of the class as well as >> Okay. >> because some do have a tendency to miss a class for reasons. And it's like, okay, well, you're here. >>

109Right. >> What's going on? And so, that's a mechanism to trigger the phone call. Hey, Susan's missed five classes. Do you know what's going on? Like, why is she not here? She not getting up because she knows that's first block. >> Right. >> Does she know it's last block? Like, what's up? Or we're at the nurse every day for that block. Like, what's up? So, yeah. >> One last comment on the exceptions process. Assuming this gets approved by us, I just strong really want to strongly encourage the administration coming out of the gate in September, this the exceptions have to be truly exceptions or you're going to have something on paper that the kids don't believe in anyway. They got to have to be >> They have to be true exceptions. >> Yep. >> The

110assistant principals are aware. >> I'm sure. >> I think they're That's kind of the position they're in right now and they don't want to be in that position. It sounds like our administrators are asking for our support >> Ready for it. >> to move the line a little bit more >> Yeah. >> deeper into the sand. >> And we'll get like a teacher will come and it's like, did you know there was an accident on 95? No. Okay, everybody go to class. Go to class. Go to class. Or even some staff are like I'm late and I've been stand I've been in that traffic and I'm usually 10 minutes, 20 minutes early to school. Okay, we're just going to get everybody go. But a typical >> It's still come. Nonsense, right? If somebody has a

111medical emergency at their house the night before you know, they're late. >> Give the kid a break. >> We got We got some parts here, too, you know. >> weather and all that. So, we we do get those Staff will tell you to begin email. Let everyone in. Or we'll say let them in to 7:45 cuz we think at that point it'll clear up. Like if it's a a mass let them go. >> Right. >> All right. I'm ready for a motion. >> Okay. >> Yes. Anybody ready to >> I have a motion to accept the uh handbook different updates. They were >> changing >> and revisions. >> revisions. Uh FY27 revisions. >> Second. >> Any additional discussion? Okay, we're going to do a roll call vote. We'll start with Megan. >> Yes. >> Jason.

112>> Yes. [clears throat] >> Lisa. >> Yes. >> Alice. >> Yes. >> Stacey. >> Yes. >> Bill. >> Yes. >> Matt. >> Yes. >> Trevor. >> Yes. >> I am also a yes. All right. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Appreciate the hard work. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Our next item is a faculty child enrollment request. So, this is >> Yep. Yep. So, I think it was included. Everybody's had a chance to look at it hopefully. Um but as part of the collective bargaining agreement, the teachers are teachers are um allowed to you know, ask the school committee's approval of their child attending Masco um when they live outside the district. This year there is one teacher Inedela Cruz, a middle school world teacher who um has deep connections to Masconomet and to the

113Tri-Town um already and would like for her daughter Karen to um be enrolled in the seventh grade in September. >> Any questions? >> I was going to make the motion to approve the enrollment request. >> Okay. >> Second that. >> Any discussion? All right. Megan, we'll start with you again. >> Yes. >> Jason. >> Yes. >> Lisa. >> Yes. >> Alice. >> Yes. >> Stacy. [clears throat] >> Yes. >> Bill. >> Yes. >> Pepper. >> Yes. >> And I'm a yes. Welcome to Masco. >> Awesome. She will be grateful. >> Yes. All right. And then associate master teacher recommendations. >> Yep. Also um part of the collective bargaining agreement with the Teachers' Association is the designation for master teachers um and associate master teachers of our faculty. Uh this year there are three teachers who

114are um been recommended for the master teacher designation. Um I want me to read everyone's names to you. I can. Brian Dow, art teacher in the high school, Nick Yealey, uh high school school counselor, and Jan Richard, a high school business teacher, have all um reached that status. Candidates for the associate master teacher, another designation for our faculty, um there are several. Leah Campbell. >> Yes. >> Yep. Leah Campbell, high school adjustment counselor. Aaron Clements, high school math teacher. Heather Cote, high school English teacher. Elizabeth Dean, high school wellness teacher. Jonah Fouser, high school math teacher. Madison uh Stacy Marcorelle, high school business teacher. Rebecca Marcotte, a high school adjustment counselor, Lauren McAuliffe, high school math teacher, Alex Merrifield, a high school special ed program coordinator, Nick Perianos, high school wellness teacher, Jackson Petrichone, high

115school math teacher, Scott Strandberg is a high school special ed program coordinator, Olivia Vaccari, middle school math teacher, Eric Banano, middle school world language teacher, Matthew Chadwick, middle school social studies teacher, and Holly Gross, a middle school world language teacher. That means a motion for your approval. Questions? Good question. >> Um, you said reached status, which I think that I think I remember it. There's a certain qualification you have to achieve to reach the status, and then >> Correct. Yep, and they each of these um puts together a team that they meet with throughout the year. Um The associate master teacher is um is more of um based on years of service and quality of of your work, and the master teacher is more uh more involved process for teachers who already have the associate

116master designation. >> I guess my question is is if it's a I don't When you said you reached status, it almost sounds like a bunch of check marks that you have to achieve to reach status. And if that's the case, like why why do I mean, I know why we vote on it, but why do we why would we vote no on it? >> I'm not sure I've ever heard somebody getting a no vote. So, I don't think you would vote no on it. I think by the time it comes here, it's >> You know what I'm saying? Like do we even have >> I think it just comes to the fact that it has to be >> it just comes to us for awareness and as governance over the process to make sure that

117the process is actually being followed. The group has met, there's a recommendation letter, the criteria's met, and like all of that is happening. And if you read through these letters, it it's very robust. We know things are working. Um it's a great incentive for teachers to perform at a higher level. All of that, but I think it's it's one of those things that like comes to us for visibility and governance, and less like full approval. >> They approve all of that. >> Exactly. Trevor. >> Um I think I mean, I've only been here for 5 years, ish, um but Mike I think originally had some thoughts and ideas for this program, and I think originally we used to see at least the master teacher status, we used to see a project kind of associated with

118that. Um and so that's just some background on it. I don't know if anyone else remembers Mike's vision for the program, but >> Oh yeah, absolutely. >> Yeah, absolutely. I Um as I'm sitting here, I'm vaguely recalling that I thought we made some modifications to this, like did we sunset this at some point? I >> It got brought up last >> Yeah, and it's part of the negotiations, so I'm I'm just you know, clearly it hasn't been ended. >> Otherwise it wouldn't >> Yeah, I mean, outside of my knowledge. I'm a part-timer here, but I I don't It's >> Yeah, I'm into like kind of everyone gets it, where I think Mike's point was was that it was never supposed to be >> Right, it was supposed to be, you know, real Yeah. Real work

119that was of value to the district. >> Katie, there have been some that Mike has denied their application. >> Okay. >> So you've got to get through the application part. >> Yeah. >> Um so, there have been some that were rewritten many times or the application got denied. So, once your application gets through, then you have your teams, you meet, you have your final product. I'll let you tell you Brian Dow with MRC talk about how to use the tools. Some of all of that Yeah, or bring it here. You guys like tons of pictures. Um but the application process this is usually where it's stopped. Um and I know each superintendent's a little bit different of what they've wanted and what's negotiated, but to your point, it it stopped if it wasn't approved. So,

120there were more that were put in than what is in product. >> Got you. I think it is unique to Masco and I think you know, each each superintendent has probably got here and been like, "Oh, this is interesting." and >> Mhm. >> just hasn't >> Right. >> maybe stayed. >> It's nice to have that like thing to strive for. For sure. And to have recognition for that. Once a teacher achieves that status, is that then like a permanent status for that individual or do they Is there like a recertification process that goes on? >> No, it's a it's a permanent status. There are um additional responsibilities that they have to take on each year. >> Okay. >> Um you know, whether it's heading a committee, um you know, sort of continuing to be a

121you know, a teacher leader um within the building. >> Thank you for that. I was just I wasn't aware of the how the program works over time. Thanks. >> I'll move that we approve the associate and master teacher recommendations as presented. >> I'll second. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All right, start with you, Megan. >> Yes. >> Jason. >> Yes. >> Lisa. >> Yes. >> Alice. >> Yes. >> Stacey. >> Yes. >> Bill. >> Yes. >> Beth. >> Yes. >> Heather. >> Yes. >> And I am a yes. Congratulations to our educators. Superintendent report. >> I actually do have a couple of things I'd like to mention in mine. I'll pop up here. So, um >> [laughter] >> this year at at Masco, probably at every school, there's always, you know, a lot of um

122cool events and cool things to go to and um whether I was a acting superintendent or not, I would have gone to them, so I'm going to mention them anyway. Um the Special Olympics event that Katie touched on um briefly was the first time that this has happened and it was an amazing event. It was in North Andover at the high school where the Tri-Town SEPAC, so shout out to Jackie Dubois and her team because they um they organized, you know, an amazing event for our kids. Um students from North Andover public schools, Andover public schools, and then Masco Middle School, Masco High School, and the Tri-Town elementary schools from all the towns went and competed in a Special Olympics event and it was it was fantastic. Um really beautiful day to start with, but

123then really great to just see these kids competing. Um super inclusive. It was it was great. So, um I want to credit Jackie and and her leadership there and her team. Um the SEPAC and our Masco Olympians were were awesome. So, that was one of the cool events um that I went to. The Pride Parade in Topsfield was another one that um was a beautiful day, luckily. Um almost uh but super cool event. Um our GSA was, you know, awesome. They had a booth. They were engaging. They were um inclusive. It was it was really a neat um Topsfield event that's grown from I don't think it existed 5 or 6 years ago and now it had like all of the local politicians were showing. I mean, it was a big It was a big

124deal. So, shout out to them. Um today actually was the 8th grade moving on ceremony which was a um fantastic event as it as it usually is, but um our 8th graders are are really as they walk the stage and and get the recognition and are now considered the class of 2030 which is hard to believe when you like wrap your head around that. Like, wow, 2030. Um So, those are those are just a handful of events that I was was going to and I think they all deserve some sort of recognition. Um Speaking of recognition, I'm pleased to announce that Katie Dinardo has agreed to serve as the first that I'm aware of principal of the 7th through 12th Masconomet Middle School and High School. So, Eric. Um Katie's been at Masco for 14

125years, so her experience is going to be vital. She's got an open mind. I think everybody knows she's very relational. All of those things will be key attributes in this new and probably challenging role. Um but but we are grateful, so everyone should welcome welcome Katie. Um in the same vein, Dr. Phil McManus will be leaving at the conclusion of the year, so you know, Phil's dedicated 6 years to Masco and also deserves, you know, our our thanks and our recognition as he moves on to other things. Um today, last day of school for all the students here, Uh was the MTA luncheon, which is always a big a big hit. Where the they honored our retirees. So, um we had a handful of retirees. Gina Hearn, who actually retired in September, was honored today.

126Um Cathy Rowett retired as a high school science teacher. Karen Walsh as a middle school special ed teacher. Beth Doherty as a middle school library paraprofessional. And Donna Collins, one of our long-time special education paraprofessionals, all were honored today at the retirement. Uh also, in a heart-warming honoring today, the MTA did acknowledge the work of Stacy Mannheim, um who's been at Masconomet for 23 years and approximately half of that time was the art department head. Um she got a standing ovation. It was It was really a touching moment for people who know Stacy and respect all that she brought to Masco throughout her career. So, um that was great. Uh and as we close out the 2025-2026 school year and look forward, I just want to assure everybody that the Masconomet faculty and staff have

127definitely earned their summer breaks. Um >> [clears throat] >> and they are eagerly looking forward to September. Um I know that everyone is super excited for a fresh start um and will be ready to go when we come back in September. And last but not least, I just want to thank the people who have supported me over the past several weeks as I've sort of taken on multiple different roles for me. I know the team in central office has been instrumental in sort of keeping this this thing going. So, um I thank them. The team in my office who sort of um put up with me doing multiple things and being a bit scattered. Um you guys on School Committee who have, you know, lent a supportive word or, you know, kind of supported me

128along the way, I appreciate that. Um, probably too many people to mention, um, but I think they all know who they are and more importantly, I know who they are. So, I just want to say thank you to everybody. Um, and I am ready to hand things over. >> [laughter] >> Heather. >> And you're all I've ever known in that chair. I don't know what else to >> It's scary, I know. Only go up from here. >> [laughter] >> Thank you. I I appreciate everyone in the district stepping up to guide us through what is likely to be a a little bit of a bumpy transition year ahead, but it comes with enormous opportunities. So, thank you to Brad for stepping up. Thank you for Katie Destruct stepping up. Thank you to our department heads

129who are stepping up and taking on additional responsibilities as well. Um, we've had to make some really hard decisions, but we're kind of we're taking that hit now to give ourselves even more opportunity in the years ahead. Um, and related to that, Topsfield gave us the green light on the roof and HVAC. So, even more work ahead, but all good things. Um, so, big thank you to Topsfield. And we have more work to do to make sure we are do we need to do for all of our residents, but, um, that certainly helps. So, we appreciate it. All right. Consent agenda? >> I move that we approve the consent agenda, which includes warrants in the amount of $2,110,000 $297. and 94 cents, approve the 6/3/2026 School Committee meet minutes, approve the MEF grant, and accept

130the Masco Alumni donation, and thank MEF and the, um, donation from Paul Richardson. >> Second. >> Okay, Megan? >> Yes. >> Jason? >> Yes. >> Lisa? >> Yes. >> Alice? >> Yes. >> Stacy? >> Yes. >> Bill? >> Yes. >> Matt? >> Yes. >> Trevor? >> Yes. >> And I am yes. Do I have one more motion? >> Adjourn. >> Second. >> Oh, yeah. >> Vote. >> Adjourn. >> Were we little I just wanted to say thank you. So, the Masco Alumni donation was pretty cool cuz they were just dissolving their group, so they threw it out there. And then the MEF grant goes to our Rocket 2 program. If you have not checked out what they do, it is so cool. Stop by someday after >> Friday afternoons. Friday afternoons. >> It's amazing, yeah.

131Okay, so we have our motion, we have our second. Megan, motion to adjourn on the table? >> Yes. >> Jason? >> Yes. >> Lisa? >> Yes. >> Alice? >> Yes. >> Stacy? >> Yes. >> Bill? >> Yes. >> Matt? Trevor? >> Yes. >> And I am yes. We are adjourned. Thank you everyone. >> Thank you. >> Hey.