001Yeah. >> Okay. Calling our school committee meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. Um, do we have a student advisory board member with us tonight? Doesn't look like it. >> All right, we're going to skip that because I think we can use the time this evening. Um, can I get a show of hands on how many people would like to make public comment? And keep your hands up so I can get a count. >> Uh, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13. Okay, so we've allocated 25 minutes. I can go a little bit longer than that, but if you guys don't stick to the the time, not everybody's going to get a chance to speak. And I know you all want a chance to speak. So, if you've prepared something
002to read tonight, you can leave it behind and we'll make sure that it's distributed and we can read it. So, maybe everybody could try to summarize as best they can and then we can read the details later just so everyone is heard. Does that sound like a plan? Can everybody manage that? Okay. So, I'm going to set a timer for about a minute, minute and a half, so everybody can come up and make a few comments. And I know we have a request for Brennan to go first. There you are. Um, so Brennan, if you could get us started, that'd be great. >> Where would you like me to stand? >> Right there at that table. Make sure when you go up, you have your name on there and where you're from. >> Just right
003where I'm from. Um, I'm a little over a minute and 30, but it'll be okay. >> I will stop you at a minute 30. That's >> fine. >> Unapologetically. I'm sorry, guys. We just to get through, >> right? >> Yep. >> All right. Good. Uh, good evening, Chair Alexander and members of the school committee. My name is Bernardon Gerspach. I'm a Masco class of 2020 alumni, a former class president, and I am currently a secondyear law student in New York City. I traveled 10 hours to be here for to speak to you for a minute and a half. >> That should say a lot about what the Chinese program means to me. This decision, this decision asked whether measanomic will uphold the commitments in its own strategic plan or permanently eliminate its only federally recognized
004critical language for a temporary budget fix. Cutting the Chinese program is a strategic error for three reasons. First, it eliminates a competitive advantage that follows Masco students into college admissions. Second, it misreads the data. Chinese is the only language in this district holding steady market share through a generation of enrollment decline across the entire middle and high school. And third, unlike every other cut available to you tonight, this one is permanent. I was recently interviewing at Kirkland and Ellis, one of the top law firms in the world. The partner stopped the interview, pointed at my resume, and asked, "Where did you learn Chinese?" I responded, "I took it in middle and high school." And then she said, "You know, I wish I had the opportunity to take that in high school." She told me that
005an attorney who understands that language and culture is a massive competitive asset to their international practice. So, tonight, you are deciding whether the next Masco student can say the same. I know the math you're looking at. You see a $ 1.5 million budget hole. You see class sizes of 5 to13. You calculate the per student cost and you see a target. But look at what the data actually says. Over the last decade, as student enrollment shrunk by 32.2%, Spanish has surged, gaining 11.4 percentage points in market share, now monopolizing 76.6% of all language students. French has collapsed, losing 9.1 points in in market share down to 18.5%. But Chinese has only moved 2.3 points in market share over the last 12 years. So let me be precise what that means. This is not a failing
006program. The program is doing exactly what it's designed to do. Attract a consistent dedicated percentage of high achievers who want the competitive advantage. and I'm almost done. And yet this program has operated with one hand tied behind his back. When only one section is offered, students are structurally forced to choose between Chinese and core AP classes. When the world language department head position is left vacant, there is no one advocating for enrollment at the middle school level. And two years ago, this committee raised the maximum classroom capacity to 24 without touching the minimum class size policy. You expanded how many students a teacher can carry, but never adjusted the floor that determines whether a class survives. That is a policy designed to grow large programs and starve small ones. All while this all while your
007own 2023 to 2028 strategic plan calls for reorientating the curriculum for its real world readiness and 21st century competencies. >> Thank you, Brennan. >> I'm gonna finish the sentence. Thank you so much. for defining exp. I'm sorry. I I've traveled a long way from the five. So in your 2023 2028 strategic plan, >> you called for reorientating the curriculum for its real world readiness and 21st century competencies. Mandarin Chinese is exactly that alignment. They make up $690 billion in trade between US and China. And behind English, it's the most spoken language in the entire world. This isn't trimming fat. This would be an amputation. So, please preserve this program. Thank you so much. >> And are you able to leave your remarks? >> I'm gonna I'm gonna send a written testimony to emails. >> Yeah,
008that's perfect. Thank you so much. Yep. >> I appreciate your guys' time. Thank you. >> Yeah, I appreciate you coming out. >> Good luck. Right. To next. >> Can you give us your name before you start? >> Yeah. Yeah. Uh, hello everyone. My name is Weston Shamsai, uh, class of 2024 at Masco. I'm currently a sophomore at Duke Kungchan University which is Duke University satellite campus in China just west of Shanghai. During my time at Masco I had the privilege of taking Chinese with Liure was no here and had not and had it not been for her class I would not be where I am today. Speaking Chinese opens a wealth of opportunities despite Chinese being the second most spoken language in the world totaling 1.2 two billion speakers, more than that of French and
009Spanish speakers combined. Speaking Chinese still presents itself as a very niche skill for native English speakers, making you more desirable in career opportunities in college applications. If you look at current enrollment numbers alone uh in current Chinese classes, it may seem easy to justify cutting the program. But I believe the issue is not a lack of value, it's a lack of exposure. Many students commit to a language in middle school without fully understanding their options. I recommend the district consider rotating language courses in middle school similar to art or STEM so students gain meaningful exposure before committing long term. With that system, students could discover interest that they didn't know they had. Cutting Chinese removes more than class. It removes a pathway. Had it not been for this program, I would not be where I
010am today. I hope Masco continues to give uh future students the same opportunity it gave me. Thank you. Next. Anybody? Folks want to line up, you can do that, too. It's up to you guys. Whatever you want to do. My name is Emily and I'm an eighth grader enrolled Chinese class. The Masinomic Chinese program has helped to kindle a boundless interest in the Chinese language and culture. Not only in school, but also outside. Every day, my friends and I look forward to our Chinese class. For those enrolled in this program, it's not just a class, it's a community. It's a challenge. It's a way to experience a different culture. What makes Chinese class so different from other language courses is the true sense of community that grows throughout the years with the same group of
011peers. When I enrolled in Chinese, I was committed. I was ready to take a course throughout all of high school. I gave my word that I would take the course and the district made a promise to provide it as an option. I fulfilled my side of the deal, but as but if the Chinese class is cut, all of us in the Chinese program would be left out to dry. Not only would we lose the Chinese class, we would have to start a new with a different language. I ask you to please consider how much the Chinese course means to all of us. Thank you for your time. Thank you. >> Already signed. My name is Heather Cotay. I'm going to try to go as fast as I can. So, I'm a full-time high school English
012teacher. I took 11th grade. I also designed a new elective, Criminal Minds. It was one of the most highly requested electives this school year. Um, I'm also the junior class adviser for the class of 27. But I'm here tonight because of potential uh cut to the English position. And it's not just a budget decision, but a student impact decision. Um I just want to clarify something important. English is structured as a 7th through 12th department. So whether it's a middle school or a high school position eliminated, the impact ultimately lands at the high school and it's the same person me that's affected. So regardless of the scenario, the outcome stays the same. uh in losing me or my my position. Masco loses innovative and engaging electives which is something we need to be preserving. Um
013criminal minds is an example of that innovation that engages students in critical thinking and real world analysis. So beyond curriculum class sizes we know will increase. Um but with that larger class size it leads to dep uh excuse me leads to limits on the depth of feedback, individual attention and support that we can provide. Uh there's also an issue regarding student leadership and culture. So, the class of 27 is entering their senior year. Advising a senior class requires significant time, energy, and commitment to things like planning prom, graduation, senior week, all the things that shape the final year of high school. Contrary to information that's been presented to you, those stipen positions are not simply filled or easily filled with new people. With fewer and fewer staff members um due to cuts or position closings,
014those roles um have very little interest from staff to take on additional responsibilities than they have in the past. Um I understand the budget decisions. They're difficult. I know that there has to be certain trade-offs, but over the last decade, multiple teaching positions have already been reduced or left unfil. And at some point, we have to ask ourselves where do cuts begin to change the fabric of MASCO. So, as everyone else is going to say, I implore you to exhaust all options and fully explore all all alternatives that exist before eliminating another teaching position. Thank you. Hello, my name is Jessica Steins and I am from Toppsfield. I'm a parent of two students at Masco, um, a freshman and a sophomore and I also have two kids at Proctor School, so soon to be Masco
015students as well. Um I am here to reiterate and just stand in solidarity with this um wonderful group of students and teachers who have come out to express their support for the Mandarin Chinese program. It has been an important program to my family and I found it very interesting that as I walked in today and I grabbed your agenda for the evening and I saw the masconomic vision for 2025 which I am assuming was developed by all of you. And the last point in your vision of 2025 reads, "Our students are culturally sensitive, globally aware through their study and experiential learning, and they act confidently with an understanding of their impact on the world. So I am assuming you developed this vision statement with an eye to um developing students that are going to be
016global citizens and keeping the Mandarin Chinese program is certainly in line with that vision. So I hope that you'll consider keeping it into the curriculum. Thank you. My name is Owen Gel. I've been taking Chinese class for 4 years. I decided to take the class because I was motivated by the challenge. Knew it was a major world language and wanted to learn more about Chinese culture. Chinese has taught me about Chinese culture through an in school field trip where we learned about different musical instruments they play in China. We got to listen to the instruments and see them played. Personally, it was the most interesting thing I have learned during my time at Maser. We also learned about the different areas of China and the tradition dishes in those areas. Chinese is a challenging language,
017but it boosts pattern recognition, memory, focus, and boost problem solving skills. All of these skills are beneficial for other classes. Chinese is one of the most spoken languages in the world. And learning how to speak the language opens path leads to Chinese culture and job opportunities. Good evening. My name is Patrick Mahoney. I've been a middle school teacher here for the past 24 years. I'm speaking tonight to tell everyone what the student impact will be on the middle school if a middle school team is cut. First, if a team is cut, here are the projected average class sizes next year based upon Power School, our school management system. In the seventh grade, the class average next year would be 22.3 students, and that's if we stop the school choice program. But in the eighth grade
018next year, the average class size would be upwards of 24. And for the record, these are averages. The school we've been using, the schedule we've been using for the past 5 years makes it impossible to balance classes. Actual class size can be five above or five below the average class size. In seventh grade, this means next year classes up to 27 and 8th grade classes up to 29 if we're unable to balance these classes. This is negative student impact at a very high degree. Classes of 27 to 29 are extremely poor learning environments for our students. There are a multitude of other negative student impacts if a team is cut. Here is just a partial list. Incoming seventh graders on the swing team would only be on a team with roughly 50 to 60 other
019seventh graders, while the other two seventh grade teams and their seventh graders would be exposed to nearly 100 students. It will be twice as hard for our swing team students to make friends because they'll be only exposed to half the amount of seventh graders as the other two teams. There are other many logistical issues such as our 12 MCCAST days in the middle school, four in seventh grade and eight in eighth grade. This poses a serious problem on the swing team because say for example, I'm the teacher on the swing team. On the four days I need to proctor my seventh graders, what are my eighth graders going to do? On the eight days that I'm pro that I'm proctoring my eighth graders, what are my seventh graders going to do? This means on 12
020MCCAST schools, I will only see and teach half my students. Similar situations would arise for field trips, field day, gradewide assemblies, and more. This would not occur on the other two middle school full teams. This is most certainly inequitable learning on the swing team as opposed to the other full teams. If I were a seventh grade parent, I would be opposed to my child being on the swing team because it is certainly a lesser experience both academically and socially. Why would I want my child to be on the same team with eighth graders and possibly be in the same class with eighth graders such as MLOCK, after school help, and even more importantly, special education labs. We have a long-standing precedent keeping seventh and eighth graders apart and especially not in the same classroom. We
021are going to change that now and do it on a monumental scale. This is neither the Masco nor the middle school way. If you want to learn more about these impacts, please ask teachers, department heads, and school counselors. Don't take no for an answer. We are very happy and more than willing to discuss these impacts further because there is nothing more important than our students. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good evening members of the school committee. My name is Colmer. I'm a senior here at Masco and I've been part of the Chinese program since 7th grade. The Chinese program has not only taught me the language, but it has allowed me to connect with the culture and connect with so many people in so many amazing ways. Alongside this, Chinese was also the main proponent
022on my resume, which allowed me to get accepted in Tus University, where I will major in engineering and continue my Chinese education. Masanama is an incredible school. In fact, 8 years ago, my parents moved me here specifically for the renowned school system. By maintaining the Chinese program, we will be able to maintain the tradition of excellence that we are known for here at Masc. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Natasha Batia and I am a senior and the class of 2026. I have also been taking Chinese since seventh grade and I wanted to share a brief anecdote on my experience in the Chinese classroom and why it has been so valuable to me. Recently, I committed to Vanderbilt University for chemical engineering, one of the top 20 schools in the entire nation.
023and I plan to continue my Chinese education there because of the monumental impact this education has had on me in my time in middle school and high school. I'm a deep thread in the masconomic community. I have done almost everything there is to be a part of MASCO. I'm a peer leader. I'm head of National Honor Society. I'm the treasurer for the class of 2026. I do almost all of it. And I also recently this summer interned at Harvard Medical School where I studied the regenerative properties of axelottals and applied it to glaucoma disease. The glaucoma disease sorry. But in all my college interviews, my college supplementals, I talked about one thing and only one thing stood out. My Chinese education. Every interview I had done for a college, they did not ask me about
024Harvard Medical School. They did not ask me about National Honor Society. They asked me why I chose to take the Chinese education and I told them because of the challenge it presented and the unique capabilities it gave me in the science world as I pursue chemical engineering. Taking away this opportunity will be monumental to students who are pursuing a science education because right now China is an emerging um country in science and during Harvard Medical School frequently we were communicating with labs in China. my professor was going and traveling to China to test the drugs that we have been doing stuff like that. It going into the science world and knowing I can speak Chinese is a key part of my education and we be a key part to when I search for jobs and
025taking away that is taking away job opportunities, college opportunities and just educational opportunities all around for the students in Masanovit. Thank you. Good evening everyone. Uh as you know my name is Zortzis and I have the honor of representing the master teachers association as its president. I will keep my comments brief but understand that I am trying to encapsulate the thoughts of our 150 person membership. I want to begin by stating that there are elements of this proposal that we are in total agreement on. We stated last year that reducing a school nurse and an adjustment counselor would be negative for students emotional and physical well-being which we believe has happened and we are glad to see that and that you agree and are willing to put these important positions back in place. Furthermore, we
026agree that adding another school psychologist to the fold is also a good idea. Our current school psychologists are overt taxed and overburdened and we have been advocating for an additional position for years. So, thank you for that consider consideration. The level of cuts, bless you, the level of cuts to our membership is a mistake. It is a mistake because it will lead to a loss of educators who work directly with the students of this district. It will lead to lost electives and class opportunities, larger class sizes, less individual time spent with students, and a host of other issues. It will lead to a completely new mastronomic middle school structure that would take considerable effort to devise and will undoubtedly lead to inequities from uh for some students. I agree with Pat's sentiment that if I
027were a parent going to the middle school knowing that my student would be on the hybrid team, I would make every effort possible to avoid that because inequities are impossible to avoid in that structure. The fact that this level of cuts are being consider considered despite the fact that we have had reductions the past three years and that reductions to our members were happening while central administrative positions were added is a mistake. What I don't want to do next year is begin my comment the way that I began this one, which is recognizing that we appreciate the fact that you're putting things back into the budget after they were reduced last year. Do not replace teachers with computers and computer carts. Do not replace them with central administrators. I assure you that these things might
028not ever come back. Computers and classes are lovely. They're a luxury, but they are not necessary. Paper copies of the SATs and paper copies of the MCCAST are available and can be distributed to schools. Thank you for your time. I recognize the extremely difficult position that you are all placed into because of a broken tax system. However, there must be better solutions considered over those proposed tonight. Thank you. >> Good evening. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. I'm Renee Young, the current social studies department head. I sent you all a very lengthy email over the weekend regarding the proposed elimination of the social studies department head position. And I just want to briefly reiterate some of my concerns. I won't go off you all about my dissertation. The department head role is not
029simply a title. It provides critical instructional leadership, curriculum coordination, teacher support, and continuity students. Social studies is a core academic area that shapes students civic understanding. historical literacy and critical thinking skills. Removing its dedicated leadership risks weakening alignment, collaboration, and long-term program development. I also struggle with the reasoning behind eliminating some department head positions in order to fund another department head position. That kind of restructuring does not represent a true cost savings. Rather, it shifts leadership resources from one core area to another. It's difficult to understand how reducing support in social studies ultimately benefits students. If the goal is efficiency or equity, I would encourage the committee to consider solutions that strengthen leadership across departments rather than redistributing it in a way that creates new gaps. I respectfully ask that you reconsider the elimination of
030the social studies department head position and carefully weigh the broader academic impact on students and staff. Thank you for your time and consideration. Hello, I'm Shannon Murphy and I have taught English at the high school for 24 years. And I wanted to come tonight because Matt Alexander and Melissa Ogden asked questions at the last meeting about how larger class sizes would impact the education of students. All students from LRC students to AP students. And I think at the risk of making myself seem less capable, they deserve an honest answer. Uh so I'll skip straight to that part. Uh education has definitely changed as have our students. That is another point that Melissa made. Uh so we're looking at different humans than we were the last time we had classes of 23, 24, 25. And we're
031trying to get them to achieve 21st century skills. Those skills require more attention for each individual student and they demand more from teachers. So why does class size matter in that? Think about the difference between a class of 26, which is my largest class this year, and 16. In the class of 16, I can spend 12 minutes with each group of four students if we're doing small group work. In the class of 26, each group receives just 8 minutes of my time. In that class of 26, many students can hide during whole class discussion because we don't have time to hear every student's voice. In a class of 26, a five minute speech requires one additional class period to get through the lesson. Something has to give. This year, my largest class wrote 12% fewer
032poems than my classes of 16 and 19. They also discussed fewer poems and than other classes and had less time workshopping their writing with their peers. The impact of larger class sizes goes beyond what happens during active dis instruction. Uh, grading a set of essays in a class of 26 takes three to four hours longer. Grading end of quarter writing portfolios takes a full day's work, eight day, eight hours longer. And then there are all the extra things that teachers do. Uh a reduction in staff means all those extras are also redistributed across the faculty who remain including writing letters of college recommendation and taking on coaching and advising roles. As optimistic as we would like to be about other teachers stepping in to fill the stipen positions vacated by reductions in staff, the truth
033is those positions might remain unfilled if teachers are struggling just to meet the basic requirements of their job. And of course, we're talking about humans, not positions. And those humans, as you have heard, bring more to the table than uh just their classes. They are passionate adviserss. They are spending time with students on Fridays uh to host battles of the bands. They are bringing new languages into the curriculum. They're spending summers developing the most popular electives at Masco. And Masco students would feel their loss. Like those teachers, I pride myself on doing my job well. I believe students deserve teachers who know them well enough to notice when they're having an off day. They deserve meaningful feedback on their writing. They deserve a teacher who updates lessons to make content relevant. Will Masco students continue
034to learn if teachers are let go and class sizes increase? Yes. Will that education be as rich, personalized, and thorough as it was before? No. Are there other positions that could be eliminated that would have a less direct impact on student learning? I believe there are. I know you're facing difficult decisions and I do not envy you for your job. Thank you so much for your time. >> Good evening. Uh I'm Arjent Shaker. I've been taking Chinese since 7th grade senior. And I would like to speak a majority of students at the fact that most students learn by understanding what you can do with the knowledge we've learned at Masco. Instead of just reading from a book, just learning just a fact, why not have students see how they apply in the real world? That's
035probably what students think as soon as they learn it. They think about all the capabilities they have. They learn to to love that subject. I know a lot of students when they're growing up in elementary school, they didn't like math that much. But now, more in high school, we've learned different ways we can use in the real world. And that's something I bring from Chinese. I remember going on vacation with my family. Went to New York, went to New York, Chinatown. I know it's not China, but still still culture there. There's a community there on the streets or going to the various markets. Some of the owners didn't really know how to speak English that well, but with with the knowledge Chinese I learned here at Mascow, I could at least bargain for a better
036deal. I could save some money and have a better vacation. But also leaving that after leaving bargaining for a better price. I felt good about myself that I learned something at Mascow and apply in the real world even if it is saving a little few pennies here and there but still something. And that's something that I want to bring forth to save the Chinese program. The fact that we can apply this in the real world has iterated so much that it's the second most spoken language in the country in the world. Why not teach it to our students? That's the main question. Why not have them apply in the real world? Sure, there might not be a big community throughout the throughout the US, but there is some instances and that's where Chinese can be
037useful. That's where we can apply what we learned here at Masow, not just for Chinese, but other classes as well. And that's what I want to bring forth to help save our Chinese education. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hello school committee. My name is Cameron Zerin. I'm here on behalf of my daughter who who is enrolled in Chinese 3 in Miss Lee's uh Chinese class and um she couldn't come so I came in her place and she wrote a two-page letter for the interest of time. I'm not going to read through the whole letter. I'm just kind of having couple of paragraphs. Miss Lee helped me learn to pay attention to details and to persist in the language. She taught me that not just in Chinese but in all classes. Consistency always win over
038cramming at the last minute. These skills and lessons have not only helped me learning Mandarin but also in other subjects and all aspects of life. I feel that I can have the confidence to achieve my goal because of the success I have experienced in Chinese over the past two years. Miss Lee is a teacher who cares who takes pride in her subject matter and deeply cares for her students. Losing her and losing the Chinese department is a massive mistake on this committee's part. To me and all my classmates here today, the Chinese department has changed our lives in so many wonderful and powerful ways, and we all couldn't afford to lose it. Many of us were hoping to continue to study this language into our junior and senior years. And this is a testimony to
039Miss Lee's leadership and dedication to both her students and to Masconomic Masanomet Regional High School for almost 20 years. Thank you. And uh that's it. >> Thank you. If you want to leave her note behind, we can. Yeah, you can just do it right up here. Yep. Perfect. Thank you. >> Good evening, members of the school committee. My name is Bel D. Carlo and I'm a senior at Masco speaking on behalf of students in the Chinese program. We respectfully urge you not to cut it. For many of us, the Chinese classroom is a place where we feel supported, taking risks, making mistakes, and growing. It's where we built meaningful relationships and gained appreciation for a culture that shapes much of our world. Learning Chinese pushes us out of our comfort zones and broadens our perspectives
040in ways few other classes do. Masco has always valued diverse and rigorous academic opportunities, which is what Chinese class brings. By cutting this program, a message is being sent that global education is not necessary when in reality it is essential. I understand that difficult decisions must be made, but I ask you to consider what we lose. Currently, we have a petition created by students to keep the Chinese program. This petition has over 300 signatures, which shows just how important Chinese is to students and this community. Please protect this program for current and future students. Thank you for your time. Good evening committee members. My name is Ella Armoniki. I've been taking Chinese since fourth grade. Um, and it kind of shows my dedication. But mainly one of the reasons that I continued to keep taking
041it through on elementary, middle, and high school is because there's a sense of community that you get in this smaller class size that you don't get in other classes. is so for example I've been with the same eight kids for 6 years we all know each other and even with Leasha our teacher there's kind of this bond that we have because we spent so many memories together and I think kind of cutting that program is cutting that beautiful experience for you know classes to come and I think I've heard so many kids from other languages um that are provided at Mascow I've heard them say I wish I had taken Chinese in middle school in high school, but I've never heard anybody in the Chinese class say, "I wish I had taken another language." Which
042proves how strong of a connection this class kind of provides. And I think my peers did an excellent job of kind of conveying that. It opens opportunities that other students may not have because Chinese is a somewhat difficult language to kind of grasp on. And I think that shows to colleges and jobs that you're willing to persevere throughout your struggles. And I think that's kind of the message that we want to send is that Masco is a place where you have an opportunity to show your strengths and I think that is a very important thing to keep and I thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. Uh my name is Stacy Mannheim Masanom art department head. Uh the sustained success of the art department is due in large part to the
043department head structure we have. The district is fortunate to have extremely talented art teachers all of whom were vetted, interviewed and recommended for hire by the art department head. As department heads, we are the coach and player on the team, subject matter experts deeply connected to the classroom who foster respectful, productive, and effective relationships with our faculty. The department head serves as the critical connective tissue between executive leadership and the faculty, listening, guiding, leading initiatives, developing curriculum, professional development, managing budgets, conducting observations, and much more to ensure our teachers and students thrive. The proposed elimination of the art department head position is more than a budget adjustment. It is the structural dismantling of a program that consistently delivers unique, meaningful, and lifelong value to our students. To diminish a department that remains exceptionally effective would
044be a profound disservice to our community. I urge the committee to protect the integrity of the masconomic visual arts program and uphold the standard of excellence we have worked so hard to build. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Zoe Chen and I'm a junior here at Masco and I've taken Chinese for the past 5 years. Um, I'm taking Chinese in first place because my grandparents speak it and I wanted to be able to speak to them in their native language. When I learned that Masco offers the language, I was excited, but I was also a little intimidated because I heard that Chinese was very difficult. But when I decided to go forth with it, it has turned out to be such a great experience for me. Through this program, I have learned
045so much about the language and the culture that not everyone gets the opportunity to learn. We have learned so much about the traditions, festivals, music, stories, food, and so much more. I have also made some of my closest friends in my Chinese class, and I've built a strong bond with all of my classmates. The Chinese program has expanded my knowledge and more importantly has helped me grow into who I am today. It has connected me with my cultural roots and helped me broaden my horizons beyond the masco communities. Also, it is a small program in size. In fact, this helps this helps us learn so much better. I am very thankful for what this program is and what it offers and I couldn't imagine a school without it. I strongly believe that Masco needs to
046keep this Chinese program because it is such a valuable part of our school and the students within it. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Sam Likos. I'm also a junior here at Masco and I've been taking Chinese for the past 5 years. Some may discredit the value of the Chinese program due to the low enrollment rate, but this should be viewed as a strength as it creates a low teacherto student ratio, fostering a more personal and individual learning experience, something lacking in some other classes at Masco. In my Chinese class, we can engage in enhanced classroom discussions and have greater overall participation from every student. Furthermore, I've been able to build a strong relationship with not only my teacher, Miss Lee, but also my classmates. I even met my best
047friend from my Chinese class in seventh grade, and I've had the same class with her for the past 5 years. A majority of my current classes consist over 20 students with my history class having 26 students. I have been able to learn and focus at a much higher level in my Chinese class than in my larger and more crowded classes. I urge you to view our Chinese program as the indispensable asset of the Masco curriculum that it is. Having the Chinese program allows us to have transformative learning experiences that will benefit students for the rest of their lives. Thank you. >> My name is Dor Hessie and I'm a sophomore Chinese student. Chinese class has consistently remained one of my favorite courses throughout my educational career here at Moscow. Our class structure offers unique sense
048of community compared to other courses, particularly because of our talented teachers and the consistency of having the same classmates each year, which has made us all close friends and fostered a trusting and productive learning environment. You can see this in the courses retention numbers. Despite Chinese class having a lower enrollment status compared to other language courses courses, many Chinese students choose to stay in the course for longer than the graduation requirement dictates. and some like my friend Ella even going on to complete their global literacy diploma which exemplifies students apprec appreciation for and success in the course. Not only is the course very important to students but it's also important to our all our futures with over 1.14 billion speakers Mandarin Chinese makes up the most spoken the second most spoken language in the world
049second only to English according to the international center for language studies. China is also on the road to becoming the dominant economic power of the future, making an understanding of the language even more pertinent to our success in the professional world. Not to mention, Singh Hua University, the University of Hong Kong, and Pekk King University, all Chinese institutions rank among the top universities in the world. If the school wanted to genuinely do its best to prepare students for college in the professional world, they would understand the importance of keeping Masco's Chinese program. Not to mention, Asian students make up the largest minority here at Masco. And yet, we're going to cut the only non-entral European language out of our curriculum. It seems entirely counterproductive to the schoolboard's focus on cultural sensitivity and global awareness and
050may even lead to further alienating these students. Many students in the Chinese program excel academically with all the students in my class being enrolled in one or more honors level courses. This accentuates how important it is to keep Chinese to the school as it offers a valuable option for students who want to challenge themselves linguistically. Overall, Masco's Chinese program offers unique opportunities and irreplaceable value to the school that should not cut. Good evening, school committee. My name is Nathan Kaiserman and I'm a sophomore at Masco. Throughout my four years at Masco, the Chinese program offered here has been a core part of my educational uh education and growth as a student. The Mandarin program has offered me a chance to build a tight-knit community with my classmates that no other language program could have attended
051here at Masco. This is in large part due to how our Mandarin program currently functions, where in the case of my class, about 15 to 20 students were put in the same room day after day, year after year, and I've grown to love both the language and of course our teachers. To take away this course from the student body would be a disservice to the school's committee's vision to make the students of Masco more culturally sensitive and globally aware. This decision would help to create the exact opposite environment the school community wishes to as this would remove the single non-European language offered here, thereby narrowing our already very small list of courses that seek to educate on Asian cultures. Furthermore, um to take away the Chinese program would be to break the unspoken agreement made
052between Masco students and the school that as long as there were people in the class would be offered all throughout their six years at Masco. Thank you for your time and I hope you will consider keeping the Chinese program. I know that it means so much to my friends and classmates. And thank you to all the people who showed up to support the program. My name is Ishan Sherea and I'm currently enrolled in Chinese three honors. I've been studying Chinese for four years now and the impact it had on me is unmatched. Learning a language and more so culture has a little way to truly understanding the world. As an Indian-American, understanding a new culture different to the culture I grew up with was teaches me to be culturally aware and sensitive as it prepares
053me for the increasingly diverse world in which we lived in. Removing this program would rob students of learning a language spoken by around a billion people along with the rich and fascinating history. With exceptional teachers like Leasha, this program would not be how it is. Leash has been an exceptional teacher that always went above above and beyond to teach us. One time, Leasha went out of her way to find people who could teach us about Chinese musical instruments and the rich culture behind them. Getting rid of a program that has teachers that work above and beyond for its students will be devastating and hurt the diverse commun. The Chinese program is such an important part of this community as to give the Asian community like myself the chance to learn more about Asian cultures. Thank
054you for listening in your time. Good evening. My name is El Blouse and I'm here in opposition to cutting the Chinese program at Masco. I'm in my fourth year of learning Chinese and by far has been my favorite part of my Masco career. I've learned so much not just about the language but about the culture and the people. Our Chinese teachers are really important and they taught me many things not just about Chinese but also life lessons and advice like how Miss Lee has always taught us how important it is to respect other people's opinions no matter how much you disagree. Chinese program at Basco has been such an extraordinary experience that has changed me for the better. I plan to take Chinese when I go to college but if the Chinese program gets cut,
055I won't be able to take the full six years of high school experience that other students are able to get. For that reason, this would be personally very detrimental to my learning career. I'm also part of the global diplomacy program where I can take two languages to meet one of the requirements. I'm currently taking Spanish as well as Chinese. However, if Chinese was cut and I was only taking Spanish, this would put me at a disadvantage in terms of the global diplomacy program and it would make the education aspect of my life much harder and I would be very disappointed that I don't get to experience Chinese class anymore. Chinese is one of the most used languages in the world and cutting it would be a huge loss personally and for Mascow. This Asian representation
056is extremely important to the diversity of Masco. Losing it would negatively impact Masanom students and the school itself. I have so many good memories of Chinese class and it has always been my favorite class since I started here. I don't know what I would look forward to without it. So, please reconsider cutting it from the Masco curriculum. Thank you. Good evening, school community. My name is Roson and I'm currently a sophomore in my sophomore year of high school and I've been taking Chinese for the last four years. I originally took this class because I wanted to learn more about the Chinese culture where I was born and adopted from and through this class, my teachers have taught me a lot about the culture and the language and I've benefited greatly from that. Um, not only
057does our teachers teach us about the language and the culture itself, but they also give us important moral lessons such as always respecting others, being honest, due diligent work and all great lessons like that. Um, also last May I lost my father and my teacher Leasher showed great support to my family and I by donating a tree anonymously in his honor and also leaving kind words on a message board for him as well. And this meant so much to me that my teacher that I've developed a close bond over the last few years not only cared about me as a student but as a person and wanted to help out my family in any way that she can. And besides some Chinese teachers I have had over the years such as Lulu and Law, I've
058also made great friends in this class because day after day I saw these same kids for years and years and we developed a really close bond. we're able to speak freely and openly to each other and we have lots of fun laughing in and out of class and we've all helped each other um learn Chinese um better together and I strongly hope you keep the Chinese program has been such an awesome experience and I and others have learned a lot and made great friends and had positive mentorship and education from our teachers. It'd be such a shame to lose great educators such as Liasha and Luashu. Also, it'd be dishearten hardened to have to stop learning Chinese after dedicating four years of my life to it and would plan to continue with it for the
059remaining two years of my high school experience and striving to receive a seal of bi literacy. So, please do not cut Chinese and stop current and future mascul students from learning Chinese. Thank you for listening. >> Good evening everyone. Uh, my name is Eileene and I'm the high school Chinese teacher. On behalf of myself, the middle school Chinese teacher Limlu, and all my students in the program, I urge you to preserve the Chinese program at Masco. Learning Chinese has profound and positive influences on our students. Beyond the general benefits of world language study, the Mascow program delivers to our students a deep understanding of a major world culture. It further provides a sense of belonging and identity for many in the program. The students and parents here tonight have spoken volumes of the value of
060this program. Removing the Chinese program would first of all unfairly rob our students of the longlasting academic and personal benefits of it also negatively affect students who have chosen it for heritage, family connection or cultural identity. Addition, add additionally it would weaken the district's academic strengths and undermine educational equity. It directly contradicts our district's state portrait of a learner competency, especially our commitment to preparing globally aware students for the future. Strategically, a three language program of Spanish, French, and Chinese demonstrates a robust and forwardthinking world language department. It gives our school district a competitive edge and sets Mascow apart from comparable district that only offer one or two foreign languages. The Chinese program started at Masco in 2007 with one pilot class and over the next five years it grew into a four five level
061program in 2012. The student enrollment has remained steady steady percentage wise with leadership support. There are many ways we can explore to grow the program rather than depriving our students of the unique and valuable opportunity to learn one of the most spoken languages in the world. So, please vote to retain the Masco Chinese program. Mascow students deserve the academic, cultural, and career opportunities the program provides. Thank you everyone for complying with the time limit. We are definitely out of time. Um, can I add something? >> I'll give you 30 seconds. >> Okay. My name is Amy Hussi. I am a parent of a student taking Chinese. And I think it's worth mentioning that there was a commitment made by the district to provide Chinese to the students who chose to take it. And I think
062that to change that midcourse doesn't feel okay. I don't know that I don't think this is the answer, but I think that that is something that needs to be considered. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Um, just a thought. I'm always so impressed by our students during budget season. You guys do a great job coming out and speaking and it's a testament to your education and the great work of our educators. So, thank you to everyone who's come out, but especially to our students. I hope you continue to stay engaged in processes like this because your voice is incredibly valuable and it's heard. So, thank you for that. Um, next we have remarks from the chair who is remote tonight. So Matt, this is your >> Thanks, Adrian. And uh I apologize to everybody in the
063audience uh that I can't be there tonight. When we have these difficult discussions, I do like to, you know, be face to face with the audience and those that are being impacted by some of these discussions and decisions. So again, my my apologies and uh I will uh do my best to be present in person at the uh next few meetings. Uh I too want to start with a thank you. Uh thank you to the gentleman who made the trip up from New York uh to share his views on the Chinese program. Thank you uh to all the former students who came and expressed their their views uh on the impacts on the cuts and you know as Adrianne mentioned a big thank you to the current students who stood up and spoke today. Uh
064it goes a long way. Um I also want to say thank you to the families and teachers who are connecting with me and the school committee uh over email. Um I I read every email. I may not respond to every one of them. Um, but I I I I appreciate that after, you know, speaking with the leadership about these various scenarios that we're talking about. Um, I I really appreciate hearing the views and perspectives of the families, the teachers, and the students. Makes me more informed, um, you know, from a from a different set of perspectives, different seats. It's also not lost on me, uh, that the cuts we're making have real impacts. They they hit home for students as we've we've heard tonight. Um they have career impacts on our great caring employees. I'm
065sorry to those uh that are being impacted as a school committee deliberates on potential cuts. I know this is stressful. I know it can be painful. Um I apologize. I think um I can safely say that nobody on the school committee wants to have a negative impact on the students or our our great employees. Um we're in another difficult fiscal year. Um we have yet again crazy increases in costs without the necessary support from the state. Um the list is long and difficult uh in the scenario and we're still not at our financial target despite the length and the difficult cuts that are enumerated right now. Um the cuts will have an impact on the Mascow experience. We've said that from day one. Um, not finding a way to balance our budget will also have
066an impact on the entire community. So, it's upon us to to find a way um to minimize the impact, make sure the students get the things and the programs that they need and to balance the budget. um so we can provide the fiscal responsibility that our community needs after years of overrides and frankly a massive capital project ahead of us. Um so I know this is going to be some difficult discussions tonight and over the next couple meetings. Um but um you know I guess with that I'll pass it back to Adrian and maybe to Dr. Harvey to jump into the the budget deliberations. Take it away. >> Excuse me. All right. >> So, here's uh the topics that we're going to uh address this evening. Um first off, we're going to give an update
067on the level service budget, especially in regards to uh health insurance. Uh we're going to review uh the requests that uh we received from district leadership that were not included in the level service budget and that's a pretty extensive list. Uh and then we're going to uh review uh scenario two. So first off on the level service update um some little bit good news. Um for FY27 health insurance premiums uh will increase by 14.4% 4% and dental will stay unchanged. >> Um we initially had a placeholder for 16% for health and 5% for dental. Uh that was in the level service budget and because of this uh um decrease uh in what they're actually going to be uh we're going to save uh just under $81,000. Um you know so that'll reduce the budget by
068that amount. Um so that amount has been reflected in the level service budget. uh it is also reflected in the scenario too that we're going to discuss uh tonight. Um so the um FY27 level service budget just to remind everyone uh reflects an increase in operating expenses of uh 2,37,425 or 4.6% uh and then or an increase of $2.5 million or 7.2% 2% in the operating assessment uh versus this current year's budget. >> So, as you look at uh the list of um requests that were not included in the level service budget, and there's about $741,000 uh that we collected from uh department heads, principles, um you know, program leaders in all of our areas. Um these are this is over and above level service. So, it's a big list. Um, you can see there
069is faculty positions that we came up with. Um, it's about $560,000. Um, things that, you know, as I said, these were not included in level service. Um, you know, things like um splitting the wellness department head and AD positions into two separate positions. Uh, restoring the high school nurse. Uh, unified sports is something we've been talking about um for several years and we have not been able to make this into the budget. I know Brad's actually he's around here somewhere. Uh, we're trying to get uh ramp funds actually this year from MEF to cover the track and field program for the spring. >> Um, but if we did that then we don't have funding for it for next year. Um, so that's something um that's on the that's on the list but not level service.
070Uh girls rashy spring golf is another pos place where we do not currently run a team. Um we've had some discussions in the past about school psychologists uh and their workload has been you know from what we're hearing from them as their workload is increasing. School adjustment counselor was reduced last year. Uh where language department head is unfilled this year. Uh down at the bottom in category two, the administrative support position. The security position was reduced uh last year. Uh instructional program cost, open sed is a uh our new middle school science program. We're looking for, you know, there was a request for consumables uh for that program. Uh Learning Ally, $3,600 request. Uh yonder bags are actually uh the bags that lock up cell phones. Um, so that's a request that came through. Uh,
071AP music theory. I know this of course we're looking to add uh and so in order to do that we would need uh textbooks for that. Uh power school e-collect is actually uh allows um us to get rid of the pencil get rid of the paper forms to uh update our power school information from families. And so there's a add-on that we would actually have to purchase to to do that. Uh L is a uh program that we use for reinforcement. We currently have it for math uh and looking to add it for science. And then some extraordinary onetime costs. Uh these three actually were on the list last year. Uh student activity accounts are should be audited regularly. They have not been audited here in several years. Uh and then the the last one
072there is a risk assessment to see how uh open we are to um you know having a fraud um done on the district in some way shape or form whenever you get those emails that's you know with the attachment and you you don't know the address. I mean those are the kinds of things that we would want to do a risk assessment and see how vulnerable we were to things like that. So that's the those are the requests. Um, >> Mike, just to point out real quick, sorry to jump in, but some of those requests as you go into scenario two, some of those requests did actually make it into scenario two, correctly? Correct. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Just this is from the level service budget, but I was going to turn things
073over to you to talk about >> scenario two. >> Yeah. Sorry, I'm trying to bring out my notes in parallel here. And Matt, just a note for you. If you can speak a little bit louder, that would help. >> Sorry, I'm trying to get over to my laptop speaker. I will try. You know, it's not my strong my strong. >> I know. I just want to make sure the audience can hear you. >> All right. Um, yeah. So, you know, we we started off with the level service budget, which was I forget Dr. our view is a million and a half or so 7 something percent increase over last year's operating budget um which we know um isn't going to uh meet the needs of the community. Um the budget that you guys uh responded
074to per our request on the school committee uh brought us down into the 4%ish range. Um and you know since then there's been uh quite a few discussions across you know various leaders um within MASCO the school committee um in terms of other knobs that we could potentially look at um including um as we've sort of alluded to already in the comments tonight um the Chinese program the uh department heads um there's also some opportunities around transportation um etc etc. So um so the scenario that we're going to look at in just a moment that uh I believe the community has clearly had an opportunity to to review reflects some of the discussions that we've had across the leadership team um and uh the school committee. So I'm going to jump down let's jump down
075to uh the next chart. So just walking through this um and I'll try to provide a little bit of context on each line. Um as difficult as this is going to be um you know the first line is reduce uh the high school um social studies teaching pro uh position. Um you know one of the things that came up with this was that um the impact would primarily be in the area of um electives when it comes to this this this position um while we don't want to necessarily get rid of electives um when we look at the trade space of different options core classes core English core math core science core social studies Um you know electives is a place where um we could consider uh turning those knobs. Um the next couple lines
076are along the uh topic of department heads. So social studies department head, a visual arts department head. Um you know the idea has been floating around the school committee for I think a couple of years now and with uh you know leadership across the school in terms of how do we run our departments what's the right balance of department heads um you know the DTL position uh etc and um you know we've identified an opportunity uh to combine English and social studies uh departments into um and um you know eliminate one of the two positions. Same with the visual arts department head uh position. Um you know we've talked about this within the context the last couple years of the performing arts department head. Um, you know, this is a an item where we uh
077we think there's an opportunity for um for us to combine the two and um and and again save um save save some money frankly, right? understanding that the understanding the impact um but also understanding that you know we have the prospect of you know some very capable candidates to be able to to run the combined departments. The next two positions were ads. Um the first is a world language department head position. Um this was a a strong ask uh by some of the leadership team and um they articulated a story where you know it's just not a part-time job um given the complexities of the world language department um the global literacy program um all the field trips the exchange programs etc. and um and so we've looked at adding this back into uh the
078budget. We also understand that there's been some challenges um around um the high school nurse um and you know we've had a a requisition open for an assistant nurse uh throughout the year that hasn't come to fruition. Um we haven't had uh frankly many applicants and you know the theory is that this really ought to be a full-time certified school nurse so that the person can um effectively perform the role that is you know based you know the workload that needs to be done really uh needs to be done by a certified school nurse not a u assistant school nurse. So that has been added back into the budget. The assumption would be that we would no longer um also we we would remove the requisition for the assistant nurse if we did this which
079which is reflected on the next line. Um the next two lines are around the Chinese program and um I genuinely appreciate the the numerous comments from the students um the teachers, the parents um the former students. Um I mean to be blunt right the the the thought here is simply enrollment. Um you know we are spending $134,000 $133,000 on um on courses that are very important to a subset of our students, but we do have limited enrollments. Um I believe that the largest class size does not even meet our minimum class size policy. Um and so, you know, there's been some discussion around what we could do if we did eliminate this program. Um there are I started looking at this yesterday. There are statecertified um online programs which will never replace a um a
080live instructor like we have today, especially the great instructors that we have. Um but maybe um you know a a second place option um to what we have if we had to get rid of this program. Um the next four or five positions represent the elimination of a middle school team. Um you know this has been something that we've looked at the numbers for. Um I've had in-depth discussions with both um um Phil and Katie on the elimination of a middle school team. I've talked to many um if not all the school committee members about this um talked to Harvey, Jeff. Um, you know, while this isn't something that is an ideal move for us, it does um it's been reflected on me that it it looks like something that the school could um could
081cope with and still provide a um a strong experience for our students. Um I understand the comments that were shared tonight around equity and um you know team size. I hope and we can't commit a future school committee. I do hope that there will be a study done in the next couple years as we move into a new leadership team to explore whether or not you know the team model is even the right model to have here at Masco. Um but that's down the road. In the meantime, um you know, this is an elimination of a team would put us back to class sizes that we've experienced in the past when um when Masco was was uh well performing. The next line is about principal consolidation. Um so this would be um eliminating one of
082the two principal positions and going to a single principal model. uh we would preserve all of the assistant principal uh positions uh to ensure that the principal uh does have the support uh around them to be successful. Uh the next couple lines as we move towards new um a new superintendent and uh you know prospectively a new assistant superintendent as well u which I think Mike has some comments on later on. um you know these are assumptions uh around uh cost savings uh in these areas. Um and so we're not going to talk too too much about these because again they're they're they're round numbers and assumptions and the school committee really hasn't had much of a chance to discuss um in executive session what these numbers would actually look like for for these new
083position for these new people. Um and then the non- salary operating cost reductions that that Jeff highlighted. um during his his um his original level service uh and scenario one briefings. So that would bring us to um uh about a million a little over a million dollars in savings. Um it would bring us down to about if I get this right 4.2% over last year's operating budget. Um, we will be talking tonight about a policy change to the END threshold uh to reduce the END threshold from four to 3% or something similar that achieves that effect um that is um you not meant to be a one-time fix to a budget but instead a uh simply a different model and um you know something that aligns with the needs of the school better than a
0844% threshold. So I believe the policy subcommittee will talk about that later on. If we pulled that uh we would be reducing the um the increase down to about 3%. Um that would so $1.5 million reduction from the current operating uh from level service uh operating. Um so not yet at 2 and a half% which is where the towns have asked us to be. In fact, I think uh TOPS may have asked us to be at 2.25%. Um but we're approaching uh we're approaching that area at at 3%. So um so I'm going to pause there for the school committee and um actually uh Dr. Harvey, I forget what the next chart is. If there is a next chart, >> next one's capital. >> So the next one's capital M. So why don't we pause
085here and um and uh let's see where we want to begin in terms of any deliberation. >> Yes. So I would like to talk about the projected enrollments for the middle school for the next three years. Um I know there's always a wild card number with the seventh grade. Last year we were within seven students of it. So 1.2% 2% or something like that, which I thought was pretty good. Um, so if we continue that, like the the middle school numbers are there's a trajectory that they're going to go up to possibly in four years, three two years actually, um, or three school years to 613 students projected for, um, October of 28. And that number sort of concerns me because that's almost that's 50 51 students more and if we're eliminating if we're eliminating
086a team and we're only expected to have 50 students on that team and then do we bring it back and what are we giving our students like we can't keep I have a concern keeping going back and forth on this to adjust for our students while not have having class sizes of 30 students in in three or four years. I don't know if that my math worked out, but it seems like 60 students and two and a half teams might be problematic. And I just wanted it to be addressed by the current administration and what they thought. >> Yeah, I think that's October 28th is 613 is the the projection. >> Um, definitely possible. I mean, it's still 50 students less than the when the school was at its largest at uh 662, at least
087the largest number I have. >> No, it's definitely smaller. It's definitely smaller, but >> they're middle school their middle school middle school students. We don't know what their needs are going to be quite yet. So I I I just think it's worth having a discussion further to explore this because it could be extremely hard in two years to add a half a team back and we've already done damage to the middle school structure. We are also in the process of hiring a new superintendent >> and they may have a wildly different idea of how to structure our school. >> So to that I do think to agree with you. Um I think it's a really dayto-day issue and concern of the amount of coverage that was brought up that you will need if half of
088your team is a different grade level. to not be there consistently is so hard for middle school students if they're being pulled in other directions for testing, etc. >> So, did you have a thought? >> Yeah, I just I just think it's worth like having to exploring this and seeing if there's not another way where we can save money um without cutting half a cutting a team. Um because I do have concerns about the students who are coming up. We've we've we've been hearing that there are concerns like with um ELA and I know that there's new programs in the elementary schools to sort of eliminate some of that project um problems or not even a problem but to address concerns with learning levels. Um but that may not we may not reap the benefits
089of that for a few years. Um, so I just I just think we have to we have to not be just like, "Yeah, it's great. that that helps us that helps our towns because I don't I think our towns want us to save money but not to disintegrate a program and a school and the value and then we'll stu our our communities have the ability to send their kids to private schools and then what will that further do if they think that their seventh grade experience is going to be derod eroded >> I think a lot of that is in the promulgation of whatever that program ends up looking like. There's a lot of fear coming out of the public comment which I understand cuz it is changing essentially the fabric of what we've known
090to be middle school for a long time. Um but if that's done properly I think a lot of those fears might be able to be quelled and I I do agree with you that we need to be comfortable with this change for years. We can't be just looking at next year or the year after that. this has to be looking, you know, very far down the road as far as we can basically because we see what we're doing now. We haven't thought about adding things in a long time. But I I'm having trouble seeing a way that we get to the town's recommendation without making this decision. >> Bill, did you have a comment? >> Yes, I did. Thank you very much uh for for noticing um you know listening and reading uh the various
091comments that we've had from uh current and former students uh educators and and parents about um the various uh cuts that are contemplated. certainly appreciate um you know their concerns and and acknowledge that they're real um and would not sit here today. I don't think any of us would sit here today and and try to claim that um any any of these cuts would uh would not have some um negative impact on on the educational experience. I think, you know, it's only fair to state that of course it would. Um, but the but I think there's an important side of this equation that um that that really hasn't been stated enough uh which is what can our three towns afford? Um and certainly during last year's budget uh discussions and leading up to town meetings
092uh had I I personally had uh meeting with uh people that were associated with the uh the council on aging in here in Toppsfield and uh I can uh unfortunately they don't come out for the school committee meetings but they came out for that meeting and certainly um I caught quite the earful for the entire length of the meeting uh that the uh constant increases in taxes were um for people that are on fixed incomes uh were were basically um really putting them in a bind um and they felt you know quite ignored uh by this by this process and frankly were quite pissed off about it. Um and they're an important you know constituent that that we have to consider uh because frankly if money was no object we wouldn't be having this discussion
093but ultimately money is uh part of the discussion and we have to be mindful of that. So, you know, I certainly appreciate uh you know, the the potential negative impact. Um, but the reality is that we really still have to figure out how we can make living in in our three towns affordable. Thank you, >> Lisa. >> Um, first I want to say the two and a half model is not an unheard of model here. We did have it here before. Um, so this is not a they've had never been done before, but also the towns when the select board and the fincom were here, they're the ones that specifically asked us to go down to a two and a half t two and a half team model. So to say the towns didn't they're
094the ones that actually put it out there and they're the ones that keep talking to us about how student enrollment is down. I understand it's going back up, but it's still not as high as it used to be and their students are still the numbers are still down from when they were. >> Melissa, >> I'd like to remind everybody around the table that we were elected as the MASCO school committee. One of our purposes, the most crucial in our policy is to deliver the best possible education to the children enrolled in our schools. The fincoms and the select boards were not elected to do that. they were elected to serve the town and to provide funding and guidance. So whether or not the the Fencoms and the select boards are asking us to do that,
095it's in our discretion to make a determination as to whether or not we are providing the best possible education for our students. And I'm not saying that. I'm just reminding us that they can talk all we want, but we have the power to put forth a budget. If we support a budget that's above the threshold or the guideline, we just have to commit to it. We have to commit to garnering support around our budget and asking our towns to support our schools. So, keeping that in mind, I understand the immense fiscal pressures that we're under. I know how much taxes have gone up in all of our communities, but I think that we also have to think about our students and what what our decisions are actually which decisions are going to to affect students
096the in the most way possible. And I have to wonder if cutting a middle school team has the biggest impact and it would have a ripple effect throughout our communities. So I I I'm just struggling with that based on the enrollment projections that I asked for. So >> um I'm going to give myself time. >> Yeah. Go ahead, Adrian. I'll nominate you. I'm going to point to myself. Um I think all the comments made are valid and all of them are on my mind. I think the challenge we're facing is that we have very few no impact options >> and so we have to look at low impact options and we have to feel confident that they are going to be low impact options and that's not not a very objective thing. right? There's there's
097not an easy subject like subjective way to say this is low impact, this is high impact, this is medium. Um, you know, every student that got up to talk tonight would be devastated by probably any one of these changes. So, it is hard. The other thing that's on my mind because we're speaking specifically about the middle school team structure is, you know, it's hard for us to go outside the box and think about other options because we are not in the day-to-day and it's it's, you know, listening to all the comments, we hear you, but there's no one coming to give us more creative solutions. We've shaken the tree as much as we can. If anyone has a creative solution out there, please get it in an inbox like by tomorrow because we are out
098of time. When I think about the middle school change, one of the things I think about is how limiting the team structure is. And it's like that for a good reason. It has pros. There's real logic there. There's real value there. But it is limiting. It doesn't allow us to be flexible and extensible and shrink and grow very easily. You have to cut the whole thing and replace the whole thing. And I'm curious if anybody has thoughts about more of a traditional junior high model and if that would make things more flexible and extensible short-term long-term that would allow us to minimize the impact to our students and their education but also give us more flexibility fiscally to do some work that we have to do. >> Okay, Bill. >> Yeah, just just a quick
099comment. Um I I you know I definitely hear what Melissa is saying and certainly you know respect her position but I think it's um you know definitely it's it's hard to imagine what if any sort of serious cut would ever survive uh the criteria that she laid out. Um and that to me just is a uh us not doing our job. It's not just that our focus is solely on the students and it's finan select board who represent the town. We also we were elected by the residents of our towns and we also represent them and that's not something that you can escape. So trying to propose a budget and pass a budget that uh that is palatable um to our voters um is actually quite important. And remember that of the two overrides that
100were um that were passed in Topppsfield last year, the second one only got passed by what was it? 41 votes. Um so clearly the appetite for additional overrides and and tax increases has really just about come to an end certainly in Toppsville, but I won't speak to the other towns. Thank you. Just to be clear, the the 41 votes was the second part of the override in the second precinct only. It wasn't the whole override. >> Um >> that's exactly what I said. Just as a point of order, do you have any comments about the middle school team structure >> or were you was that your kind of comment? >> That the the comment is that that we have we have to consider all of these cuts in order to get us to a budget
101that's palatable to our towns. >> Okay, Matt. >> Yeah. I mean, I just want to provide a little bit of context to kind of on the heels of what Bill was saying. I met with all the town officials. Uh Mike and I met with all the town officials uh Fincom, Select Board and town administrators on Thursday night about the MSBA project and at the end of the discussion we talked about how that's going to be messaged at this upcoming uh town meeting. the as a reminder, we're going to be going for a relatively small um uh debt exclusion ask at this upcoming town meeting and then in about 18 months, we're going to be going for what could be a $70 million debt exclusion ask. The reason why I bring that up is because at
102this town meeting, the way that the way that we've the town officials have been talking about how this should be presented is, hey towns, we're asking for, you know, a modest uh a couple million dollar debt exclusion today, but don't vote for this debt exclusion if you're not going to also vote in support of the $70 million debt. at exclusion next year. Right? So, I just want to remind everybody that when we go to town meeting for our MSBA project in um couple months, there's going to be that on the table as well. That message on the table as well. >> Okay, Trevor. >> Um so, I'll address where you left off. Um, I like Matt had originally brought up and when he was describing the scenario, I think I am definitely open to the
103idea. I think it needs to be studied though. I don't think we could go out on a win this year and just say, "Okay, now it's a junior high school." I think that that would be a very large change. Um, and then just for the committee, I think it would, and I get everyone wants to add the color and the perspective on the cuts as a whole. I think it would benefit our conversations if we limit them to what we're discussing in front of us because we could be here all night >> about our philosophy on budgets, but if we don't start just going through line by line, we're going to be here for a very long time. >> Maggie, >> um you asked about the team, the small team, and I have done it.
104Um I've lived it dayto-day. I've been part of it in more than one district. It actually limits scheduling options and it really kind of binds you to this to the numbers because if the numbers move at all, you're moving teachers around. You're shifting. It's a different grade, a different team. You go to humanities. So, I have found in my day-to-day experiences 25 years doing this that it's even more limiting for what you can do for students. >> But ultimately, it's not our choice to choose a model for >> Yeah. So, we're just setting a budget and whoever is in the administrative seats, they're the ones setting like we would ask them to come up with a with a model that, you know, fit in and they would they would tell us, but ultimately we have
105no vote over that model. >> Yeah. But I will say just in recalling some conversations I've had with some other with the select board of Middleton finance committee, they were open to the idea of down the road investing some money to do an have an outside firm study the issue. But whoever coming in may have experience in another district with a different model. It may work here, but just that's where we would play a role if there's additional resources needed. >> Matt, hand up. Yeah, I mean again like I I just sort of I've spent hours upon hours upon hours um you know studying some of these things with the various leadership leaders across the uh across Masco and like it's it's not ideal. Cutting a middle school team is not ideal. I don't want
106to cut a middle school team. It represents $470,000 onethird of the reduction that we need. And so it goes back to I think Adrian you said it right like if not $470,000 from the middle school team $470,000 from where? Right? Like the impression that I'm getting from the discussions that I'm having is not ideal and it's going to have an impact like Maggie was describing a minute ago. Will we survive? Will we still deliver a a very good education? That's that's the impression that I'm getting from the discussions that I've had. And I'd encourage you folk I'd encourage everybody if you'd like to have one-on- ones with anybody in the leadership team who you think might be able to provide um you know some additional perspectives beyond the ones that we're hearing um you know
107to to engage with them. And I think another part of this too is I I think it's safe to say the committee probably will not be participating in the choice program if in the middle school if we were to cut that team. I don't know. Um but so that's a reduction of 10 students that we usually project in each of those grades. >> That's Are they in part of the projection, Mike? >> Uh so we just use an average of 15 to come in between grades six and seven. And so it's a it's a met. >> Do you want to talk Chinese? >> I'm going to throw out a buffer. I'm really happy we're adding a nurse. >> Talk Chinese. >> Does anybody have any thoughts on the nurse? >> No, I like the nurse.
108They That was a bad cut last year. Yeah, >> I I we made a decision with the information we had at >> agree. I agree. >> Um >> unfortunately that's part of this. You make a decision, you see what the consequences are and we're it's a possibility that those consequ consequences were too great. >> Yeah. and and we may and we may make a we may make a decision this year that we want to unwind a year or two from now, but we're making the decision based on the data and that we have today and the needs of the community today. >> All right, Lisa, >> how many how many are in the Chinese program? There are 31 32 students. >> 32 in the high 32 in the high school, >> 19 in the middle
109school >> and six seniors graduating. >> Eight. Eight. >> And our smallest class size is five. And our >> smallest is 13. >> No. >> Oh, no. I'm sorry. You're right. >> The largest. >> You're right. >> Yeah. >> Smallest. I'm sorry. >> Yes. That sounds >> five in Chinese, two >> and it was referenced a couple times tonight. So, our policy um is like 12 to it recommends 12 to 14. It's not a shall or a must. >> It's just we as a committee should be aware um as a general guidance from 12 to 24. >> Yes. And that policy essentially exists to guide us to look at various programs and determine whether they are still serving our students and whether there are options we should explore to change eliminate. Um so next year
110without if nobody new enrolls we're talking 43 students. I'm sorry, whoever I just cut off. They We're talking 43 students next year in the program. >> Um 28. Yeah, >> Matt. >> Yeah. So I just thought I'd share a little bit of context around um you know what I what I found in 5 10 minutes of of you know research for online programs which again I will say it out loud an online program does not come close to replacing the quality of the the um education that the students are getting today from our excellent teachers. Um, if we were to pull this, if we were to pull this trigger, um, there are numerous programs that are available that are state accredited, um, that cost anywhere from $0 to um, what I found to be a
111few thousand per student um, and anywhere in between those prices. Um, and they do offer, you know, online tutoring. They do offer the world language diploma. Um, I again, like I am not the expert on any of this stuff. This was 10 minutes of research. I just know that there's options that are out there that families and and schools are using today. Um, that do count towards high school credits, that do count towards credit that could be put on a on a transcript for college. Um and so I just wanted to share you know what I found after some quick research um with the committee. >> Um there is something on the DESIE website about online learning modules as well because my primary concern with this is the kids that are already in flight in
112this program really deserve a chance to finish it plain and simple. So whatever decision we make, I think should include some consideration for how our high school students who have fully committed can see that course work through if that's what they were endeavoring to do. Um so I would I would hope I would hope there's some way for us to work that into whatever solution we move forward with. Trevor, I think I see your hand up. >> Yeah. Um, I thank you, Matt, for doing that research. I think that's very helpful. While we're having these discussions, I I mean, while I was here, there was never a commitment that a class was going to run every year I was in high school. That's just a reality. Um, you think of like computer science one for
113me, I couldn't take I couldn't No, it was I couldn't drop out because there wasn't enough kids in it. So, um, yeah, that's just an anecdote, but I, so I don't think we have to offer it all four years of high school. I I would be willing to, you know, we have a graduation requirement that requires a student take a language um, the same language for two um, years. It doesn't have to be consecutive, but two years >> of the same language. Getting them to that threshold, I'm comfortable with. Um, and who knows, the door could be wide open of possibilities if a student were to take Spanish one um, down the road and they could fall in love with that language. I I think language classes, there is a great culture built in those
114classes. I will say here, I took French. I loved it. The students I took it with, that culture is that's built in the class is very similar to the culture that we heard here tonight. So, um, I understand the concerns, but I I just this committee is always looking for numbers and datadriven decisions, and this to me seems like a very it's just jumping off the page at us, >> so for the juniors, so this will affect the I guess I'm more worried about the juniors right at the moment. How many of those are you uh in Chinese program doing the seal up of bi literacy and if we cut this what does that do to their diploma like they're a year away and I understand it's a course online but I don't know that
115that would necessarily >> syllabi literacy is done through an exam But it was my understanding it's not just an exam. It's, you know, it's a >> the whole diploma, >> right? >> Global diploma is different. >> Yeah. >> But it's like a full immersion program like more than just taking a test. There's there's more to it than just >> So syllabi literacy and global diploma are two different things. >> Okay. Sorry. The the global diploma. >> How many of those >> there? Well, there's I don't know how many are are currently engaged in that. There's six uh juniors right now in Chinese four honors. The next place for them to go is AP or Chinese five honors, but AP would really be the only option we think that's that's available. Kevin's done a little bit
116of the research on this what time we've had. So, So, but AP we'd have to look at at an outside provider. >> Awesome. Are we going to get like real answers to some of these questions? Not not that it wasn't a real answer but like concrete answers like plan for the students if there's going to be global diplomas because I'm not comfortable making any more decisions with with information not having all the information and if it affect like the global diploma is my understanding you start doing that when you're a freshman and so if someone to Lisa's point has been doing it for three years and then they're about to graduate because they're they're looking at colleges right now. >> That can change that that can really affect someone's life. >> Yeah. >> Like it
117can really affect a student and it may and look, you know, with hindsight like it it's not it may not be that big deal to us, but to a 17-year-old it's a really big deal >> and I need to know that what are we going to what are the options for these students? So we have it'll be four five classes of students, right? Uh 7th through 11th graders right now. >> It's like maybe six sections based on the bucket. Is that right? >> Like who's making >> six sections >> and because the money that we put forward we're affecting these lives and we don't if we don't have all the information how can we do it? I'm very uncomfortable with some of these questions and answers. >> Has this never has been contemplated before? Maybe
118switching to a digital model to reduce cost and provide access. >> Not in not in any kind of detail. No. >> Okay. >> No. I mean, we looked at trying to up the numbers in seventh grade a couple of years ago. Um, and it just doesn't we couldn't make it work without adding staff in all three languages. So if we did like the the third or third or third model and so you take a trimester of Chinese, a trimester of Spanish and a trimester of French, we needed to increase in both Chinese and French in order to make that work and I think decrease in Spanish um staff wise it just it was there was no staff neutral way to do it. >> Got it. >> And given the budgets over the last couple years,
119we were not in the position to be adding. our best. Kendra >> was I was going to ask following up on Melissa's question. I mean, that was my biggest um ask is what happens to the sophomores and the juniors who are already gone so far. What as far as graduation requirements? Are they going to be rejected because they don't have a certain number of timing or whatever? And is it possible to get a an example of an online or a backup plan with for the next meeting or the next two meetings? So we have okay so if we are going to remove this this is what we could have I mean I feel like that that is what we need to make the decision to know at least for finishing out the kids that are
120in high school that have put all the work in already um just to know just to have an idea because I you know would that will that affect them you know moving forward if it's only a two-year requirement for language >> it's a two-year requirement so everybody in ninth and tth grade has met the requirement because eighth is Chinese one. So Chinese 2 is in ninth grade. 10th graders have had three years of the language. Um >> can I just add >> those would be the kids that we look at. >> Thank you. >> I didn't catch that. Can you repeated somebody mic? >> Eighth grade doesn't >> Okay. >> What they did in eighth grade does that count towards the ninth grade? So it counts in terms of the curriculum in terms of >>
121the curriculum. Okay. >> But it doesn't count towards the graduation towards graduation. >> First year in high school is what counts. >> They have to take two years in high school years in high school. So the 10th graders that have to have it met. Nth graders do not. And I I will say one other piece of the graduation requirements is that you can't or a course of studies, you can't start a language your junior year in like say Spanish one. Maybe we want to look at that >> and change that and be amendable to students wanting to elect to continue taking a foreign language. Um and >> that's confirm that. >> That's what the document on the website says, but if you want them to confirm that. >> Yeah. >> Is that true? Is that
122true, Katie? Do you know? >> So, you can't take You can't take Spanish one or French one your junior year of high school. >> You can take it. >> You can request it. >> Okay. Well, the >> program of studies test >> graduation requirement. Those who haven't probably been in before, you do, but you can. We do have kids that take two multiple languages or decide they've met their French and want to try Spanish, but you're not going to be the first one in because we got to get make sure everyone hits their graduation requirements. >> So, for those of you online, the discussion in the room is about whether students could take their first year of language in their junior year or potentially senior year if they wanted to switch over and that is
123in bounds. They just don't get the front of the line. Bill, you look like you had a comment. Yeah, just real quickly. Um I I guess I'm I'm I'm starting to hear uh discussion that is all too reminiscent of our budget discussions last year and that is excuse me um that somehow um the fact that we have imperfect information means that we can't make difficult decisions and you know that's just not how the world works. um you are never uh equipped with with perfect information and never enough time. Um now you can certainly want more um and better information, but we're not seeking perfect information because we're not going to get that and the difficult decisions still need to be made. And it's too easy to to claim the fact that we have imper imperfect
124information uh as a as an excuse not to make a tough decision. >> Do you have a comment on the Chinese program? Because I thought we agreed we were going to discuss what's on the table and not philosophy. Yeah, >> that is related to the Chinese program specifically that we need to have a demonstration of what the uh of what a appropriate substitute online program would be. That's exactly what I'm talking about. >> Okay. So, you you're saying that you feel comfortable moving forward without that visibility. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm not hearing that that's the consensus of the group necessarily at this point. >> I mean, I think uh Kendra mentioned it, right? I mean, it's these are good questions, >> right? >> Let's get data. What? Let's get the data that
125we can. I mean, Mike, can you and your team maybe do a little bit of brainstorming around what a model would look like? um you know if we if we turned if we if we if we eliminated these positions what it would look like for the next year to two years to support any students that want to continue their studies. What and if and if a model can't support them, you know what completely in any dimension, you know, what would we be giving up, right? Could we still achieve the seal? Could we still just achieve the diploma? Could we do neither? Um >> $134,000. >> Well, yeah. Yeah, I think if if we're talking about the the global diploma, I think if the committee decided to eliminate the program, we can't hold students that against
126students. So, you know, we'd have to make some allowances there that they could still get it. It's not their fault, >> right? >> That's more or less what I was asking just to figure out what >> we just have to figure out now. What would happen? >> Yeah. What is the path forward? >> We'd have to figure that part out. is there 24 students grades 9 through 11 that potentially would have some kind of financial impact in terms of another online course something else that's >> the belief is that the online course could offer that path to the diploma >> that's up to us >> partnerships with community colleges yeah >> I mean that's really that's that's an internal the global diploma is an internal process that's really not anybody else's decision except for >>
127yeah we can declare that digital bound for that >> right >> um okay >> and then I think the other question >> Maggie >> yeah Maggie >> I have a different topic I'm not sure we ready to move on to a different topic >> I mean let's just maybe close out the action right I mean I know like I said I I know I looked programs that offer the seal by literacy. Um, but I mean, is it possible to, you know, do a little bit of homework on this topic, uh, Mike, with your with your team to see if there's any additional information you guys want to bring back to the school committee that would support, you know, making this decision one way or the other? >> I just have one question. How many students
128are in seventh grade? um Chinese right now >> nine. >> So the impact if they if they were the impact at the middle school level for foreign language classes if they had to go to French or Spanish at the moment would be minimal. >> Yeah, that's that would that was the discussion we had was that students in seventh and eighth grade we would put you know well students in seventh grade wouldn't have an impcoming seventh grade wouldn't have an impact. It's the seventh grade, rising seventh graders into eighth grade. We'd have them take Spanish again, you know, Spanish one, not Spanish one, the the seventh grade Spanish or French, the intro course. >> Another quick question on the seal of biiteracy. Would there be an opportunity to take that exam prior to the student senior
129year? >> No, I don't think that's possible. Right now in our program of studies it says senior year but that might be another option if we have a student performing really well and they think they can attempt maybe that's worth >> early testing for literacy is a state process so that might be restricted yeah >> because of this the way the state has it set up >> okay I don't know for sure >> thank you >> ready for a new topic any other comments >> I have clarifying question about how something's stated in scenario two in it says um the reduction of a social studies department head. We do not have added in there a new position for a combined English and social studies department head because of this is where I need the clarification
130in MASCO per their contract department heads are primary evaluators and hold lensure in that subject area. So the new department head would have to hold a lensure in six to8 humanities andor middle school ELA andor middle school social studies and high school social studies high school ELA. Is that correct? So we'd have to create a new position. >> Yes, there would be a new position at director of humanities. >> Okay. >> Would have to be >> with all of those lensures included because they are the primary evaluator and have to have >> question. Yeah, probably would have to have both licenses. >> That's a massive massive job. >> But one >> does it make more sense or like maybe we contemplate what it looks like to pair social studies and world language knowing that the
131world language department is significantly smaller than English. There's there's good synergy between social studies and world languages. they're already doing some shared curriculum things that I'm aware of. >> I think the problem with that is that world language tends to be like the add-on for socialist for the smaller departments and that would be my fear that they would get eclipsed by kind of social studies because it is I think it's just I don't know world language it it's tricky in my experience to not have social studies as their own entity. I think that makes sense. But we still have the what Maggie's raising. Yeah. But I will say I feel like looking at other districts I have seen humanities department. So >> but but in our contract the point that was raised that in our
132the contract the primary evaluator in Masco has to have lensure in that subject. That was raised a question to us about that's what's in there and I just want to clarify if that is the case. >> I believe yes but >> not every district does that. So >> be entertaining a new contract with a new job description. So >> So we need to add in a new job >> that's in the CBA. Did you say it's >> a question was raised to to us in an email about that that if we were to eliminate the social study department head, we'd have to create a new position. >> Okay. >> Because does that make sense? >> No, I Yes, I read that email. But um >> yeah, so it's not the certification. It's a brand new
133position that has to be created in the contract. It does not state the lensure. I double check today. It says that the primary evaluator has been the department head but per the law and it's not stated in the contract. They must hold that license. Okay. >> We are one of the few schools that have department heads. So they are licensed in that subject and do the evaluations. most other schools the principles and principles are doing the evaluations and they are not licensed in every subject. >> So it is a brand new position that needs to be created but you do not need to hold an ELA and a social studies. >> Thank you. Okay. So along those lines then it could be possible to do a social studies and a world language pet >> theoretically.
134Yep. >> And maybe that department humanities department isn't so huge. >> Yeah, it that would like you said that would be large >> a huge job. That's a lot of evaluation. That's a significant bar need for somebody taking that on. >> Um, that also changes our scenario too. Like we wouldn't need to well that person would need to apply to be a social studies world language or a >> well theoretically we have to post the world language position to fill it. So that position could be posted as a combination if that's the direction that we decided to go see the value in it. I I think there is a lot between the two and world language like everyone said focuses on culture as well. >> Yeah. part of it. >> It's the standard. It's It's
135tricky, but you know, I think that typically I've seen world language and visual art. I mean, kind of the smaller departments kind sometimes spend together that does, you know, so I think it's honestly this is something that I would feel more most comfortable getting feedback from the current staff and what they kind of feel what they see. I feel like we're talking about these things in in a vacuum. >> And when I to go back to Bill's saying about what I was this is the imperfect information that I am talking about >> is that we are talking about this in a vacuum. We're making decisions with the exception of Maggie. None of us are educators. >> This is so uncomfortable for me. >> So I mean let's ask ourselves this, right? Like how do we
136get out of the role as school committee members of dictating which positions precisely exist versus giving that authority to the administration and principles like why why >> this feels like it could fall into the bucket of implementation. >> Yep. Why aren't we just funding X number of department head positions and allowing our trusted professionals to be able to implement what they what they see best suiting the needs of the students with the funds we have available. I understand that the numbers aren't quite precise. The numbers kind of vary a little bit by 10,000 here, 10,000 there depending on which departments we're talking about. So having those numbers is helpful, but is there a way that we can just say we're going to fund X number of department heads? >> Matt, when would you be envisioning
137that we would know which department heads find out some next year theoretically in this scenario >> like for a person who's it's their job they're going to have to look for another job is what I'm getting >> right I mean the they'd have to move quickly on it right >> it shouldn't wait till July one we get our money from >> I don't think the I don't think the timeline necessarily changes I guess and by the way I'm thinking off the cuff here guys so bear with me I don't think the timeline necessarily changes but the delegation of authority changes to those that are more informed on the matter. >> Matt, I think we need guidance from the people who actually handle personnel and HR at MASCO and it's not us. We only hire the
138superintendent. >> Are you talking about principles, DTL? >> Well, it's actually our >> teachers. >> The visionary of our school is our superintendent. And again, we are talking about this in a vacuum. Nobody's offering any information. >> Well, we brought up the social studies world language possibly being because there was an email saying that this could be a possibility and she was willing to take on that role. So maybe the question is, you know, based on what you see dayto-day and what your sense of masco is, what's the recommendation knowing that we've kind of put these creative solutions on the table to try and >> seconds, >> you know, like >> you could do either. I It's the at least the numbers that I have, they're not significantly different in terms of people being supervised.
139don't know. I mean, I've seen seen the position be English, social studies, and world language. I think that's too many >> all one. Um, but then if you're going to combine two, you could do either way. It's not >> from a curriculum and instruction standpoint, does one make more sense than the other? >> I don't. >> Is there like >> don't think one's >> is there anything that >> No, I don't think it is. Yes. Wait to kind of No, >> not that I can not that I can see you. It's the first time hearing a social studies and language, so >> Matt, you have a comment? >> I I was just going to suggest I mean like I think it's fair to give I mean we could I think it's fair to give Mike
140and his team some feedback right now to go off and have a discussion on this topic and to come back with a recommendation. Um, I mean, I a I um I I don't think it warrants a a off-the- cuff decision. We're talking about real impacts to students. We're talking to real impacts to individual educators and department heads. And I think it warrants um an integrated team to look at this that includes >> um you know the the right stakeholders and to make this decision. And is that something you guys can do and bring back some pros and cons for us? >> Sure. >> Fairly getting long and we're meeting again night after tomorrow. >> Bill, I saw your hand up. >> Yeah, just real quickly, the um obviously be great if we could come up
141with with real numbers without any specific details involved and let uh let the the the current and the future administration fill in the details. But in reality, that's that's just never going to work. We're only going to come up with uh real numbers by by getting into, you know, some level of details. So, we have to do this. >> Some hands upgra I'm sorry, not not right now. Maggie, >> I have a procedural question. >> Yes. So if if we decide that there are certain things in scenario two that we just can't cut like we're it's pretty it's barebones right and we're saying that certain things that we cannot for the teaching and the learning and everything our vision we can't go down to a half team and we have to figure out the department
142heads what happens if we say those positions in our budget need to stay >> then does it go to override do we >> then it goes vote and have to garner support across all three towns. Okay. Six individual votes, town meeting and ballot. >> Oh, two of the three. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um but theoretically, we're all doing that job across the three towns. >> Um and if the overrides don't pass, the cuts happen anyway. >> And the first hurdle is that the budget needs eight votes from this body. So that's what we bring to the towns as a recommendation. And I just want to again remind people we are also going for to ask for this MSBA funding that we desperately need. And I I think the feeling is that if we're asking for
143an override, it's going to put a damper on our ability to get the MSBA funding that that the school students, teachers, the community needs. Okay, Lisa. >> So, Matt, yesterday you had mentioned the transportation as well. >> Yeah. Um >> um >> do you want me to share with those details? >> Well, yeah, that too. But I was also thinking like I mean because you said it was what around 100,000 but I'll let you and then I could finish my thought. >> Yeah. I mean uh the way I understand it Mike can correct me is um you know we share uh buses with the TTU. We're currently at 25 shared buses um with the TTU. There was discussion early on in the in the budget deliberations to go down to 24 buses. that would have
144saved us um about half a bus, which is somewhere in the ballpark of $50,000. The challenge is that the TTU has since decided that they're going to go down to 23 buses, which means we are fully on the hook for that 24th bus at about $100,000. I think it's 106. Um, so if we um if we do if we do nothing and stay at 25 buses, uh we'll actually need an an additional $100,000. If we go down to 24, the operating impact will be net zero compared to last year on transportation. If we find a way to go down to 23, the savings would be just about a little over $100,000. I've asked Jeff um and Jeff is working with the transportation company right now to understand what the impact to the bus routes would
145be if we went to 23 buses including uh pickup times based on the current current uh uh sort of pickup drop off locations. Um as well as you know are there knobs we could turn to mitigate um you know an an earlier start to pickup times. You know could we do um you know some number of centralized pseudocentralized uh pickup locations? You know instead of stopping at every house can we stop at every third house or something like that where where it's safe to do so. Um so anyways that's the landscape of transportation right now. U so you know it could be anywhere between $100,000 adder to this to you know maybe $100,000 savings to this or maybe no change from last year >> and we also briefly mentioned yesterday the Middleton um members met
146with the town boards. Um, so we also briefly mentioned the late buses and what cost savings might be able to be found there. >> So I did get some feedback. Uh, Mike, can you share your feedback with the committee on that? >> It's it's 25 thou $26,000. It's not not a huge amount. I think the question would be uh does that create an equity issue? Um, you know, the reason we put the late buses in in the first place was so that, you know, if a student did not have somebody at home to pick them up after school because they were staying for extra help or for a club or activity that they would still be able to access those things. And so that's what that 25 thou $26,000 gets is that access. >> And
147I I understand that, but when that was added in, we were at a very different budget place. And now it almost looks like a nice to have than a requirement. So that's just >> as a parent, it's not a nice to have. >> I I mean I never had it when I was here and we all made out just fine. >> Consider your lived experience maybe different than others. Yeah, >> we know. >> I'm just gonna say that that comes down to $132,000 savings, which is a Chinese Mandarin teaching two Chinese Mandarin teaching positions. >> Have we have we considered uh transportation fees? I know a lot of other districts do that. >> Cannot. >> We cannot. >> Okay. >> Regional school districts and districts. >> Yeah. Even like >> we must we must provide
148>> Yeah, you have to provide transportation. But aren't there ways to collect fees based on distance? >> No. >> And regional? No. >> I think it's that's why we get reimbured is because we're >> get reimbured because we get reimbured. We can't charge. >> We kind of get reimbured. >> Yeah. 70% or whatever it is. >> Yeah. The state's got to >> me up. Everyone call your representatives. That's my summary comment. >> The only thing I think we haven't touched on yet is the principal consolidation on the list. >> Um I think it's an opportunity with two schools, one campus. I think it's an opportunity. we have adequate staffing with assistant principles. I don't know. I I for me it seems like a creative solution that could work and be low impact, not no impact,
149but low or lower. I agree. And I've mentioned that before that we need to lean into feel the pros of having both schools on the same campus. And I think that's one area that that could be the case. Um, I think that position is going to require a very strong candidate to fill the role to be able to not only deal with the changes that may or may not happen that are outlined in this document, but to really manage both schools and both schools equally is going to be a hard task, I think. >> Yes. >> Okay. Same with the department. Okay. >> Yeah. >> She asked if it would be something we'd post for. Yes. >> The creation of a new >> Yeah. Any of these where you It's a new position. So, you're
150creating a new job and posting. >> Didn't see it in the thing. That's why I was confused. >> Yeah. >> So, where are we landing? Like, we need we've decided we need to cut $1.5 million to get this through the towns. Whether or not I support that, you know, it's yet to be. So, are we sending it back now, Matt and Adrian, to the current administration to say, "Give us your thoughts." We've given some specific actions on some specific items to help us be more informed to make those decisions. Um, >> when are we scheduled to adopt this? We're aiming for the 11th if possible because that was a request from Toppsfield to come in a little bit earlier. So that gives us three more meetings to deliberate. Okay. Um Okay. And let's just review
151what the actions are, right? If we go top to bottom, the first action is to get us some feedback. And I don't know if I want to say recommendation because it still places the the decision authority on the school committee to decide which department heads if we were to only fund a subset of them would be funded. But for lack of better words a recommendation on you know what they would combine. Um if not social studies and English maybe social studies and language. I think as we continue to go down, there's some action to look at what the elimination of the uh Chinese Mandarin program would mean for students in terms of saliteracy and global diploma. Um and then is there an action somewhere around the middle school team to I don't know if there's
152an action there. If I if there is I'm not able to clearly articulate it. I feel like there was an action around numbers but may enrollment numbers but maybe not. >> A quick question about that middle school um reduction and I just kind of a point of clarification. Um it was mentioned a few times about seventh and eighth graders kind of interlining in classes. Is that true? What is that? Can you clarify that? Or the issue of the hybrid team and that there'd be some crossover with seventh and eighth graders. >> I don't think that we came up with any scenario where that was something we were going to consider. I'm looking at Phil. >> Seventh and eighth graders would not be in any of the same classrooms together. They would be on the same
153team, but the teachers would teach separate seventh and eighth grade classes. They might learn in the physical same >> same physical room room but not at the same times. >> Right. >> So they might c they're going to pass each other in the hallway but they're not going to be >> seated next to each other. >> Yeah. um kind of we didn't touch on the social studies teaching visual arts department head and then the non salary operating cost reductions. The non- salary cost reductions that that is the work that was done with the department heads to figure out where they could tighten their budgets and >> they're declaring that these things are sacrificeable essentially. Okay. >> Yeah. And other things. >> And other things. >> Yeah. I mean things things where we would look at
154you know we have summer curriculum money for example that we would we would reduce. >> Okay. >> Those kinds of things. >> Okay. >> Look at line items like that. Um, so I I presume that the reduction of a visual arts department head would be considered in your action item related to the department heads. >> Okay. And then I think the social studies teaching position was driven by enrollment data if I'ming correctly >> and that it's very heavily um >> electives would be impacted. Yeah. Because Yeah. Okay. All right. Lisa, >> the visual arts, it's not that they wouldn't be without a department head. >> It would be combined somehow with some is the impression. Yeah. >> Like the performing arts >> theoretically. >> And how many people are in both of those departments? Let
155me see total around 10 and a half. >> So not a large humanities department >> situation. I think maybe an action item moving forward is that a lot of like what we're discussing there's really big gaps in equity of what we're expecting department heads to to do and instead of saying for from my lens instead of saying well combine this person with this person this department it's kind of like what is the what are the the requirements and the roles and the responsibilities of a department head >> and then you you know it's like we're doing it backwards and I just feel like this can mushroom into certain department heads position position being radically different than others. We build the job around the expert, the requirements, the roles, the responsibilities. And I feel like we're
156a little backwards on that. >> I don't I don't disagree, but sitting at the school committee table. >> Yeah, >> we go right up to and then implementation is where >> okay, >> it's on the other side of the line. So we can have discussions and give guidance, but ultimately it's up to the superintendent and their team to implement and manage to the budget that we provide them with. So maybe going back to what Matt said, like do we say this is the part of the budget that we we approve for department heads and then we would like to see a plan for how that's implemented. >> I mean, I know Bill is shaking his head. Okay. I know what Bill's saying and thinking and I don't disagree with you, Bill, but I mean, if
157we do have we we could get pretty close in terms of a funding number and and assume some maximums, right? I mean, we could assume the max on many of them and then anything that isn't a max is, you know, an operational savings. It's not going to be hundreds of thousands of dollars off. it's going to be, you know, 10 $15,000 off at the end of the day if we're off. I think that would be the the only approach you could take financially if you wanted to take the approach of school committees hands off, >> but I know like what you're saying, Bill, is not going to give us that precise number. If I'm reading back your comment, it's more about like, okay, if we if we just make some decisions about how to combine
158things to you're losing the creativity of certain departments like visual arts is so different what they need and discuss and depend like spend their department time with versus social. It's just they're all so different and they all deserve and need for our students kind of that leadership and I just think we can't just say for I don't know it just it's not sitting well. >> Can I ask and I don't mean to put you on the spot but because you are the educator at the table >> in other districts that you work at >> Yeah. >> Do these say visual arts have their own department head performing arts have their own department head? is every >> yes and no. You can do it a bunch of different ways, but it's the same across all departments.
159>> So you can't say you get a department head, but you don't get a department head, right? Yours is certified in in ELA, but not social studies. Like visual arts, you have to go with performing arts. Like that's where the equity. >> So you're saying instead of almost picking and choosing it should be combine all of them or combine medical. >> I I I think it's up for discussion. I don't think I definitely do not have no power authority to you know but I think that you could do stipen in position in addition to or it just it needs to be equitable >> and yeah I think that's the part that >> the superintendent and their team have to look at and consider and >> work with people in the building to implement it appropriately.
160Right. There a bunch of different ways to structure leadership within a department and that's up to MASCO. Masco is very unique and it's it's it's smaller than what I'm used to. So I think that that's its own lens, but I think it just needs to be equitable. Social studies deserves their own department. Head visual arts really needs their own leadership who has skills in that subject. Melissa. >> So, I'm looking at the staffing summary that's in our budget book. >> And it reminded me that our department heads actually teach. >> So like the equivalent the department head admin equivalent is only 5.9 be but there's nine department heads because part of their time is teaching. So part of that analysis also needs to look at what is the impact to teaching schedules and classes when
161we're also cutting middle school staff >> and I it I had thought of that question a few days ago but just looking at the staff and just remind me like that's important part of like the art teacher I think when the smaller the smaller the department I believe it's by contract that they have they have to s the number of supervising teachers they supervise affects how many classes they teach that like could have a huge impact if we're combining art and performing arts right >> part of our ask the superintendent is to give us some pros and cons and okay you combine it this way I'm assuming one of the things you might come back with is that will impact >> x number of sections if you go that way and why that way. Madison,
162I think you had a hand up. >> Yeah, two quick comments. One, um, yeah, Melissa, it's a great point. I will say that, um, that topic came up in my discussion with various people as as this was, um, being brainstormed. And I think that we'll see that it's manageable, but I think that your ask is is certainly valid. And I think it's another action we should take from this is just to write down what those impacts would be. Um, I I wanted to sneak in after Maggie was commenting about equity in terms of the the roles and I don't mean to say that we shouldn't be equitable. I think we should be equitable but I think we should first make sure that we are in alignment with the contract. Right? The contract was developed in
163concert with that organization and we need to align with the contract first. Okay. Any other exploratory questions? Anything else, Trevor? >> You looked like you were going to feel like we have questions coming. >> Yes, I have one. Okay. >> About the um just question, the special education teaching position, is that considered a part of that middle school team? Okay. >> And I think we did get one email kind of explaining it. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yes. >> Um, okay. Good discussion, good action items. More to do. Um, anything else before we move to the next agenda item? We're >> still good. We're still not done. So good. No, we're still not done with this. >> Oh, yeah. We're halfway through budget. Capital. Oh, the capital. Can you tell I don't want to >> I mean
164I mean look right I don't know who's going to brief this Mike I don't know if you wanted this topic or if you want me to >> uh I mean I can review what's what's here um so you can see there's 900 Chromebooks uh that we purchased uh with um coronavirus relief money back in 2020. They have uh we've been told by the IT department uh that uh Google will no longer support them uh next year. Um so they've reached end of life. Um so those those will all um need to be replaced. That's what the 900 is. Uh those also have uh carts that go along with them. Those carts are all distributed mostly in the middle school. There's one pretty much in every classroom. Um, but those Chromebooks are also used for um,
165MCCAST testing. They're used for SAT testing. Um, trying to think what the other ones were, access testing, and language testing. So, they're used for lots of different things. Um, and, uh, so that's the question on the Chromebooks. Uh, we have been, uh, asked by, uh, the building inspector in Boxford to install a ramp. um do a curb cut and a ramp on the front sidewalk uh over by the middle school at Endicott Road. And then the last piece uh committee asked for a quote on the design and permitting uh for the softball, track and field and tennis uh renovations. >> Thank you. I just did want to make a comment because it was mentioned comparing Chromebooks to educators in a classroom and choosing how we spend our budget dollars. >> I want to make very
166clear that this is a capital budget. This would never make it into our um operation. I mean the capital budget is a separate money that is funded through usually free cash from the member town. It is not included in the budget that we just went through. So, this is not a if or it's it's not a >> to make it perfectly clear. If we decided we didn't want to replace 900 Chromebooks, we don't all of a sudden have $342 to put in the operating budget >> and save the things that we just talked about. That's not how the budget works. These are separate buckets. And I that's that's a concept you often don't know when you're in the audience. So just so everybody knows that if you hear us talking about these things, it's not
167all together. It's a very separate piece. Um so are we discussing these line items tonight, Matt, to kind of >> I mean I'll we can make this quick, right? I I think that based on the discussion that Mike and I had with the town officials Thursday night, you know, I think that we probably have to be south of 400K in total capital. Um that's being mostly driven, I think it was by Toppsfield. Is that right, Mike? I think they were saying about a buck 25 they could probably fathom. They could support. Was it Topsfield that mentioned that? >> Yes. Yeah. >> So, you know, roughly if we were to say that that you gets us to about $350,000 375,000 of total capital, that's probably where we need to be. There's been a lot of, you
168know, background discussion around the 900 Chromebooks and 30 Chromebook carts. I thought the DCI met a couple days ago to talk about the prospect of cutting that by into thirds and what that means from a supportability and sustainability perspective. Um it sounded like there was a path forward there. And so um I don't know if we have anybody from the DCI since Joe's not on if anybody from the DCI can comment on what discussions were had and any outcome from that discussion. Um, but that would be a path to, you know, basically hitting 350 to 375K budget. >> He's on these. >> Bill, if you're available, that's we're looking for you. >> There he is. >> Hey. Um, so what we talked about regarding the Chromebooks is that um, I believe that uh, Jeff said
169that the key thing was that we the absolute drop dead number of new ones that are needed is 600 and 300 um, are actually in are being replaced by some operating uh, account number and I can't recall what it is off the top of my head. And then this 900 number here could could be reduced to 300. Um so basically um that 342 lose 2/3 of it and that that potentially would reduce the capital cost request. But at a minimum 600 were needed for next year. I I'm not an IT guy. So saying it's incredible would not support it. What does that mean? >> So this, you know, conversation I had with Ben Hodes about this. The real question concern we have is that we have to download apps from Desi to run MCCast testing
170and they Desi has requirements and we're worried that Desi's requirements may be that you have the most upto-date operating software because that has the security patches that are most upto-date, you know, things like that. And so, you know, that's, you know, the risk we would take if not by not having, you know, roughly 600 on hand would be what we would need to test two grades on the same day or to run SATs or or things like that. Um, you know, so that's what it, you know, they're not going to just go turn into a brick overnight. They would still probably work in the classrooms, these 900, but at some point they won't work anymore and we'll have 900 doors stops. I just the state I and that >> but that's the question is is
171the state or the college board for example too. We're downloading apps from them and they get to dictate what operating systems they're going to say are the safest and so you could we could get to we not replace them and get to next you know March and find out that the operating system isn't up to date and then we're in deep >> deep doodoo. >> Yes. Thank you, Mike, for clarifying that. >> Bill, can you just clarify one more point? Sorry. You said that out of the 900, it could be broken into basically three groups. 300 that's being funded by an piece of the operating budget. Now, I'm guessing 300 that we would fund through capital next year. No, what I said was that in addition to the 900 that we were going to replace
172through this capital request, there's already another 300 that are being replaced through an operating budget line item. >> So we we have 1,200 Chromebooks and then the high school's one to one >> and the high school. >> That's my understanding. Yes. >> I wasn't there for this. >> And how are these being funded through operating? Well, there is a 300 >> and then where what the option was instead of replacing all 900 the other uh through this this capital request that it could be just 300 so that we would have minimum of 600 to satisfy the testing requirements that Mike just laid out >> in addition to it's no it's three and three right >> so you'd have 300 00 that's replaced through operating 300 that's replaced through some through uh4 $114,000 of capital and
173then 600 that will remain unupdated unreed >> that we would in the future >> for assessment in future years. >> Right. >> Okay. And that would get us to a total of $359,154 of total capital which I think would hit our our town's request. Matt, are you factoring in the reduced Chromebook need the card need? Sorry, the Chromebook cards. >> I I haven't done that because I I mean >> marginal >> if it's marginal. It's 20,000 tops, right? Not to make $20,000 marginal, but compared to I mean if >> we could also do that, we should explore that as well. But I think the the point that I'm making is that we >> we can get to our number by doing what Bill suggested. And if we can save more by reducing the Chromebook carts,
174I think that that would be >> we should certainly consider it. >> Agreed. >> Now, I think the sidewalk is a no-brainer, and I think the design and permitting for softball, track, and field, and tennis needs to be done um given our >> major major ADA and title N issues associated with those. >> Yep. But it it does need to be marketed as the full project with the cost being very transparent or what we're projecting to cost. >> Yep. >> Wouldn't we know before the next round of testing what Chromebooks what they would need to do the testing? I'm just not sure it's a smart idea to replace all the Chromebooks and all the carts at the same time because then in five years we're just going to have to do it again. You you
175roll things out. You >> That's That's what they just said. >> We're proposing. >> Okay. >> We're proposing 300 a year for every three or five years. Maybe we get a couple years off. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sorry, it's confusing. >> Oh, no. because you were just saying there were 600, >> but I think we're at the next >> proposal is to do 600 next year because that's the minimum that we need for our testing requirements. >> But 68, >> hold on. But 600 being 300 out of an existing operating fund which I'd like to get more details on but and 300 from the capital budget request which is what we're what we're looking at on the screen right now. >> Correct. So this number 342,000 would go to 114,000 and at the in
176sometime in early FY27 we would be getting 600 updated Chromebooks that would meet the need for the school based on what we're hearing. >> Yep. Do we just have $100,000 in our budget extra that we can use without that's has it been earmarked because >> I would love an update on that in the next meeting >> because that's us Chinese man's a teacher. >> Wasn't part of that discussion. >> Yeah. So let's let's get let's get a little feedback on what that is and where that where those funds are coming from. Which cost center is that coming out of? And >> I would assume it's the IT budget that we have a hardware replacement. >> Uhhuh. >> That'd be nice. >> But we'll get clarity. >> We're going to get clarity on that. >> Yeah.
177>> Okay. Keep going. >> You going to this side? >> I think so. All right. So this is uh the budget bottom line impact on scenario two. Um general operating expense budget, the third line down after offsets is a $979,000 increase or 2.2%. Um and then when we look down at the next to last line, the impact on the operating assessment is uh an increase of $1,53,089 or 2.9% increase. And when we look at how that then gets broken down to the towns, uh, Boxford's assessment would operating assessment would increase 415,000 or 3.1%. Middleton's 297,000 or 2.6% and Topsfield 340,000 or 3.1%. said overall a million53,088 or 2.9% on the operating assessment increase. So to be clear, right, every one of the, you know, every town would have an override if we did everything in
178scenario two right now. >> Middleton's override would be roughly $52,000. So that's a very small override and a high risk if that were to say fail in Middleton for that small of a portion. I mean, I guess, you know, we got to figure out where we want to go from here, right? Even if it sounds like we need to do some more homework in terms of the things that are on the scenario right now. Um, but even if we did everything, we'd only be at 3.1%. So, you know, do we keep going? Do we keep having additional discussions? Do we want to continue to talk to um, you know, the Masco leadership team around how we would get to 2.5 if we had to get there? Do you want us to do like what we
179did last time and submit any other ideas we may have worth investigating or do you want the committee come up? I I I don't know how you want to direct the process. >> I mean, yeah, if people still have ideas, I would I would uh I would love to hear them. You know, I I know there's been a couple ideas that have been floated to me that I've floated with the administration. Some maybe we could go back and reconsider. Some there are are hard walls that we quickly run into. I know there are other positions that have been discussed as potential for being eliminated. Um, and they're they're not on the table for contractual reasons. Um, and so um, yeah, I mean, if people have ideas on how to get from 3.1 to 2.5, um,
180I'm all ears. >> Just a quick correction, Matt. We're at 2.9. >> 29. >> Mhm. >> Sorry. 29. Oh, sorry. I'm reading the chart upside down. 2.9. Thanks, Trevor. I thought we're at 29. I thought that's what it's on the previous chart. >> And just if I may make a quick point, I mean, we have to be, you know, mindful of the logistics of this process. I mean there there's very little time for um tossing out new suggestions and and handing them to someone to do an analysis and then roll that back at the next meeting because we're rapidly running ad meetings. >> That's a great point, Bill. Right. I mean, I think that Wednesday's meeting is probably focused I think if I look back at the agenda, it's focused on the superintendent search. Um,
181>> there is budget on the >> budget on it. >> There's budget on it, too. >> Yeah, >> I bring snacks Wednesday night, folks. >> Yep. >> Um, >> caffeine before, too. >> So, we got Wednesday night, we got Monday night to deliberate, and we're we're voting next Wednesday. Right. This is a good point, Bill. All right. Yeah. If people have if people have ideas um >> Yeah. >> Please send them to me. I'm happy to, you know, socialize them with the >> Yep. >> leadership >> or send them send them to the leadership too, right? I I don't have to be the middle middle person. >> Just copy me if you're going to go direct to to anybody in the leadership team. >> I can scroll if we need to. Okay. >> I guess
182step out for a minute. So, he queued up the next topic for us. >> Adrian, I'm sorry. Um I know you guys love a quorum. I I have to drop um like wicked late for a a business engagement tonight. Um >> Okay. >> But I wanted to make sure I was present for the budget discussion. So, thank you everybody for having the the hard discussions tonight. I appreciate it. >> Yeah. >> Thank you for dialing in. >> Yeah. Thanks for for driving everything tonight. I tried to make it a little bigger on your screen, but just to re um so everyone knows, the policy subcommittee um met just prior to this meeting. Um there's been discussions as of late about the possibility of amending our policy DBJ. Um specifically the portion that um talks about
183END money. Um, and uh, so I'm just going to walk through and explain kind of our thought process, where we currently are, what the changes would do, and um, just some background on END so everyone's level set. So, every regional school district is required to maintain an END fund at the end of every f fiscal year. Any surplus or deficit in the district's general fund shall be closed to the END fund. on or before October 31st of each year, every regional school district shall submit to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Um the forms and schedules they require for the purpose of reviewing and certifying a uh the balance in the regional school district's END fund. Um a regional school committee may use all or part of the certified balance in the END fund as a
184revenue source for its proposed budget. If the certified balance exceeds 5% of the budget, the committee must um use the amount in excess of 5% as a revenue source in its proposed budget. In pra in practice, the district uses the amount in excess of 4%. So, state law allows local municipalities to be less restrictive. Um, so that's where the district landed on 4%. And I don't know when that was adopted, but since I've been here, that's been the practice. um as a revenue source in the proposed budget. So, our END was submitted to the Department of Revenue on October 10th and certified by the Department of Revenue on November 20th. Therefore, it is available for appropriation. The committee last year drained essentially everything over that 4% threshold as a revenue source for this year and
185it acted like an offset to the budget. because the committee chose to do that this year under current policy. We cannot use any END to help offset next year's budget because nothing it doesn't go over that 4% threshold um as designated in the policy that we're discussing DBJ. um by lowering the threshold and allowing the committee to access access anything over 3% we would use roughly be the opportunity would be to use roughly $400,000. The committee doesn't have to use that, but the opportunity is there um as a revenue source for next year's budget. And the language the policy committee recommends adopting allows the process to be flexible but m maintains a floor to the END. that was important for us um to allow the committee to you know have wiggle room from say five
186to 5 to three but we really don't want our reserves going below that in um now that we're in the queue for the MSBA for a new roof and HVAC system I and the policy subcommittee do not believe that the district needs to carry a combined reserve of $2.8 8 million or 6.3% of the budget when you consider END and stabilization together. A reduction of $440,000 would reduce the combined reserve to 2.4 million or 5.3% of the budget which our administration as well as the policy subcommittee believes is more than reasonable. The fact that this adjustment helps to improve the position during the FY27 budget cycle is just a bonus. I will stress this point. This should not be seen as a quick fix to the budget just because we're in a challenging budget year.
187The necessary reductions in our budget should take place, but they should be in addition to whatever reduction the committee this should be in addition to whatever reduction the committee feels is appropriate. Um the amended policy still maintains the important guardrails for future committees and it grants this body flexibility to determine how much we feel we need in um basically as a safety net in reserves. >> Um so and Toppsfield had raised um a concern about bond rating. our administration does not feel that this request um would affect our bond rating. So >> technically, do we get a bond rating or is it more by like through the town? >> We do, but it's based on the town's bond rating. >> Okay. >> Because they're the ones ultimately paying the bill. >> Yes. like if you
188scroll down a little bit just I realized none of the changes weren't showing in screen at all. >> Um so we don't know when the 4% was adopted. >> Uh seven years ago probably. >> What was the budget at at that point? Probably in the 30s maybe low 30s. >> 30s. I I I feel that because I was hesitant on this idea since the start. Um it's something I spoke with Jeff at length about and he said he's been thinking about this for a while and it just so happened that it came up and the committee was supportive of the idea this year. Um, but he feels we're in a position that we can go ahead and make this change. >> For me, thinking about the the overall budget and and how it's growing, I
189think it makes sense. I think especially given the dramatic changes we've seen and financial needs of education too. So, I think having that as a lever and putting it on the table, but not necessarily having to move it, I think it's smart. I do feel strongly about a floor. I think that's important. Um, but this is definitely makes sense to me. And I will say I did speak to Jeff on the possibility that the committee this year decides to okay we're going to use nearly everything over that 3%. Um there still is a slight possibility that we would be able to use it the following year. It's not like last year where it was pretty much known that we were not going to be able to use it. There is still a possibility that there
190will be revenues above that 3% or I don't know if revenues is the right word but we >> END balance >> ED balance would be above that 3% minimum and procedurally this is a first read. I would recommend that we adopt and adopt the first reading tonight and take the next two days because it is on the next agenda um to speak to whoever you need to speak to to come to a solid um conclusion on it. If my explanation wasn't good enough or if you have questions for me, I can try to get you answers. But I think it is important to our budget discussions that we come to a determination on Wednesday. Agreed. Does anyone have any immediate request questions? No. >> Nope. Okay. All right. >> I'll make a motion to approve
191policy DBJ as amended and presented on the screen um for the first read. >> Second. >> Okay, we're going to do roll call for this. >> Yes. >> Bill. Yes, >> Kendra. >> Yes, >> Melissa. >> Yes, >> Lisa. >> Yes, >> Maggie. >> Yes, >> and I am a yes. >> Passes unanimously. >> Okay, now we're going. Superintendent report. >> Lot going on. Uh so the uh 2026 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards were recently announced and Masanovic Middle School again once once again achieve a achieve tremendous results. Uh they received more awards than any public or private school in the state. The the middle school received a total of 27 awards, seven gold keys, five silver keys, and 15 honorable mentions. Uh we want to congratulate all our talented and dedicated award-winning students, participants,
192and their art teachers. Uh the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards Gold Key Art Exhibition will be held March 14th through the 22nd uh at Breed Hall at Tus University and the award ceremony for gold and silver key recipients will be at on March 15th um at Cohen Auditorium at the Adman Arts Center. Uh and additional information can be found at www.artandwriting.org. And just give you see if we can do this quickly. Quick peek some of the student. Those are some of the middle school artwork um that won gold keeps this year. >> Middle school. >> Yep. Those are middle school. Impressive stuff. >> Yeah. >> And let's see. And then the high school also was uh announced for the scholastic art and uh writing awards and mascot high school uh again received excellent results. There
193were students received the second largest number of awards uh of all the public high schools in the state. Uh the high school received a total of 45 awards, seven gold keys, 12 silver keys and 26 honorable mentions. Uh again congratulate all of the students who participated and their art teachers and those as I said the exhibition will be held March 14th through the 22nd and the uh awards ceremony for gold and silver is on March 15th. Give you another peek at the high school awards. Little small Great stuff. >> Absolutely. All right. Uh, moving on. See, we want to congratulate uh, senior Sam Richardson. He's been named one of the top high school journalists in New England. He earned a place on the all New England high school journalism staff. Um, and this was announced
194by the New England Scholastic Press Association. Uh Richardson is an anchor and director on the morning update TV program and the editor editor and chief of the Masco messenger. Uh so he's one of the 17 students uh of the 2026 all New England staff. Uh he's one of 10 members of the all New England staff from Massachusetts and the only member from Massan Regional. The all New England high school journalism staff recognizes the top high school journalists working on newspapers, yearbooks, broadcasts, or literary magazines throughout the six New England states. Michelle Siden is the journalism program adviser here at Masconomic. Uh to enter the contest, uh Sam submitted a portfolio of his work, a resume of his journalism experience, and a reflective essay. Uh and there'll be a link to his portfolio on my blog
195if you want to take a look. Um on February 15th, Ryan Bouier uh was named state champion for capturing the onemeter diving crown. Uh this extraordinary achievement adds to his remarkable success as a member of Masco's state championship cheerleading squad. Uh makes Landon a two-time state champion this year. I don't know what he's going to do in the spring. So he's got but he's got a big uh big expectations there. Congratulations to Landon. Um, we have on February 12th, uh, Mara Suiko was the, uh, sole representative from the girls indoor track team at the Division 3 state championships in Boston. Uh, she made every moment count. Uh, Mara delivered an outstanding all-around performance, showcasing her versatility and athleticism across multiple events. Uh, she soared to a second place finish in the high jump for division
196three. Uh she earned a fourth place in the hurdles and she capped the day with a spectacular victory in the long jump setting a new Masco school record with a leap of 18 ft 5 and 1/2 in. And if that wasn't enough on February 25th Mara earned the title of state champion while competing in the pentathlon. Uh so we're remarkable achievements set a new benchmark for future Masco athletes and I want to make sure we congratulate Mara on great winter season. Um this is a little hard one for me. Uh assistant superintendent Jeff Sans has submitted his intent to retire. Uh Jeff's last day in the office will be on March 27th. Uh for the past seven years, Jeff has worked tirelessly on behalf of the masconomic community. Uh please join me in thanking him
197for his service to the community and wishing him well in his retirement. I've worked with him now >> long time >> 13 years. So big deal. >> Um so next on Wednesday night, school committee will hold its uh public hearing on the district's proposed 2627 budget uh at 7 o'clock Wednesday, March 4th. Uh this hearing will be held right here in the Masanomic Library. The public hearing is an opportunity for members of the public to be heard on any part of the budget and our mask economic budget documents will be found at the link in uh my blog. On March 10th at 7 p.m. uh the Tritown Council is presenting uh Anthony Sedary uh who's going to give a talk called Navigating Choices, My Story, Your Decision, uh Overcoming Addiction and Spreading awareness um through
198his personal story of addiction and recovery. Anthony will help adults understand how choices, peer pressure, and reactions to stress can influence paths towards risk or resilience. Uh, and there's a a QR code in my uh blog and the advertisement to for people to uh uh RSVP for the presentation. Uh Anthony will also be presenting to all of our students in the high school uh during the day on March 10th. >> I've heard he's a fantastic >> Yeah, we saw him speak at Tritown Council. It was really great. And then on March 12th at 6 PM, the Tritown Multicultural and Multilingual Family Night will be held. Uh this is our World Language Department and the Mascow Cultural Clubs. Uh we'll be putting on a fun night of games, food, and fun for the whole family. And
199that's at uh between 6:00 and 8 on Tuesday, March Thursday, March 12th, I'm sorry. Uh here in the Masco cafeteria. And then our parent coffee schedules for March. The next ones will be held at the high school on March 20th and at the middle school on March 27th. Uh those are all from those are Friday mornings from 8:30 till 9:30 a.m. We ask uh parents to report to the main office uh to check in before those coffees. Good to go. >> All right. >> Okay. We are >> schedule way behind schedule. You know, it's going to happen every every year. >> Yeah. >> Um Okay. Subcommittee reports, community relations. >> Um so we uh we did we haven't met um with last week and the storm. Um I've been a little delayed in getting a
200new meeting out, but we'll get together and set a new meeting now. just figuring out with all the the budget deliberations just maneuvering in a time to also have a community dialogue too. So um to be determined our next meeting >> community dialogue was supposed to be last week >> right and then >> but we didn't move it to this week. >> We didn't move it to this week. No, I was I was away. >> Yeah, you were stranded somewhere. I was stranded >> state >> DC budget chose the chair right Joe here. >> Yes. >> Um so anything material other than the update you gave earlier on transportation for DCI budget. >> Um >> no just our next meeting currently scheduled for March 13th at 100 p.m. >> Okay. Thank you much. Local, we
201don't have Jeff here. Policy, you guys have anything else? >> Uh, no. We met today and you voted on the fruits of our labor. >> Okay. Um, any liaison updates from the towns or CPAC? >> Um, I'll say Middleton. We had a community listening session like Topsfield has um not well attended. one person from the public came, but hey, they they had a couple they had a couple inputs that we were able to incorporate tonight. So, in the future, if you're listening, come join us. >> And I was going to Well, first of all, the police really enjoyed the cookies. I donated those. >> I also enjoyed a cookie. >> Um, but I was going to see if we wanted to try and do it again, too. >> The marrier. >> Um, I've had good
202discussions with Topsfield. we are meeting with them uh next Monday before our potential school committee meeting that's Monday um to kind of present where we are with the budget and do all of that and then we do have listening sessions coming up in the second weekend in March I think so >> one more Middleton thing um so the select board asked the school committee to come tomorrow so I'm going to go because Matt as you can see is not around um and then also So, the budget Saturday is on the 7th. >> This Saturday. >> Yeah, >> the 7th. Um, which I do not believe I'm going to be able to be there, but I think Matt indicated he as well. >> Yeah, I can be there. >> Like we're at 11:30. >> Yep. >>
203Oxford Boxford has a meeting tomorrow night. >> I just solidified ours earlier today. So, I'll let you know. And if you can attend, great. Let me know. >> Don't worry about it >> for tomorrow night. >> And then nothing negotiations. All right. Consent agenda. >> I'll second >> tonight. >> Okay. Roll call. Bill, >> yes. >> Kendra, >> yes. >> Melissa, >> yes. Lisa, >> Maggie, >> yes. Trevor, >> yes. >> And I am a yes. Passes unanimously. Thank you for the donations in there. Keep coming. >> Do I have a last motion of the evening? >> I will move to ajourn. >> Second it. >> Hey, Bill. >> Yes. >> Andra, >> yes. >> Lisa, Maggie, >> yes. Trevor, >> yes. >> And I am a yes. Say no. Say no. here. >> Thank
204you everyone.