001Right. On the meeting to order at 7:01. Got a full agenda tonight. Great representation of all the things school committee does. So excited to dig in. Um, we have our student advisory board with us tonight. Do you have updates for us, Ethan? >> Um, just a couple current events. >> Okay. >> Um, hello everyone. I'm Ethan Solano. I'm the SAP at large and I'm a sophomore from Boxford and here are the updates since our last meeting. Some past events were we had the top school fair and I think it ended around last week and I only have two current events which is tomorrow we have homecoming. Um the theme's red carpet and it's from 7 to 9 o'clock in the large cap. And um on Friday the football team has a big game against Marblehead.
002They are currently undefeated and it's a home game and the theme's wide out and that's all I got. >> Any questions for Ethan? >> No. All right, we'll let you go, Ethan. >> Quick and painless. I mean, >> okay. Do we have any members of the audience that want to comment tonight? Seeing none, we are going into our first agenda item. We have um Mr. Cassidy with us from the performing arts department. He has two presentations tonight. The first one's going to be about um a new field trip for the performing arts department. Um so he's presenting to us because it's a new field trip. It's not the one they've been doing for a while. >> Sure. >> Um so lots of information there. first and then he he's also doing the performing arts department
003head presentation. So I think if everyone can just track questions and we can let him present and then do questions at the end of each of these. I think >> help us get through it. >> Field trip first. >> H >> said field trip first. >> Uh I see >> kind of the other way but >> it it is the department head presentation first but I don't I don't think it matters. No, >> we can start wherever. >> Cue up the right. >> Okay. >> Is there a preference? What would you like to present on? >> Agenda has the department head presentation first and then the field trip, but we can flip it >> either way. So, let's do we can do field trip first if you want. >> Let's do it. >> Okay. So,
004um first of all, thank you so much. It's so great to see everybody. So many great things going on. Uh I'll talk a little bit about it more during our um during the performing arts presentation, but it's been amazing to be second year here at Masco. Things in terms of the performing arts department so positive, exceptionally committed students. Um the families have been super supportive for myself just knowing the stakeholders and getting to know everybody's been hugely hugely um amazing and so I appreciate um all the support you've given as well. um to get down to it for the performance tour. What we're looking for um the tradition and I was here last year at the very beginning of my time actually um talking about the trip for Disney last year for our performing arts
005department. Um as is tradition with the performing arts department, they are are on a four-year cycle of trips. They go to New York City or something smaller one year, then the following year they go to Disney. Third year they go back to a smaller trip, things like that, more of a camaraderie building trip. And then they have an international travel trip which is the um the fourth year which is amazing that our students in a four-year cycle are able to um be able to have access to uh a trip of that magnitude. What I appreciate here at Masco as well is that you have a very very focus large focus on global um citizenship and global learning which is it's so important which I truly believe. So this year in anticipation of next year we
006had Disney which was fantastic last year and that worked out really well. I'll be at the timing and whatnot. this year looking ahead at what we're doing in 2027. Um I know you know you saw the agenda item already. We're looking at going to Vienna and Prague in April which is super exciting and I'll tell you about that of course in a second. Um in anticipation of that while we've gone on this four-year trajectory every year since for many years when Mr. O'Keefe was here we do understand the ramifications of COVID the ramifications of inflation and things like that. We're trying to be really really meeting the needs of and the desires of the parents and the families in terms of costs. Okay. So this year we're foregoing doing anything like overnight um as a
007field trip in anticipation of hopefully providing more um time for students to save money in terms of save money for this experience. We'll still do some like daytime things and there's a couple u ideas that we have about going into Boston and things like that, but it's not going to be anything hugely strenuous in that regard. Okay. Um, so in terms of this for um the trip next year, we're looking um April vacation. Right now the dates are set for April 17th through 25th. Um April 2027, not 2026. April 2020 2027. Okay. Um I've worked with this tour company before. I'll get to that in a second. Um this year's tour is to we're looking to go to Vienna and Prague. Um Eastern Europe is amazing. I've been there multiple times touring with students um
008internationally before. I've been there personally many times before. Um the concert halls and venues out there are just incredible. And the best part is they're not nearly as expensive to perform in as they are here in the United States. Okay. Two of the venues that we'd be performing in are is the Muth Performance Hall which is the home of the Vienna's boy Vienna Boys Chorus which is amazing. Performing on their stage and also seeing either a rehearsal and or a rehearsal and performance um there which is fantastic. And that's in Vienna, of course. And then in Prague, we be performing. There's a little bit of a caveat. Um there is a beautiful basilica there that we're looking to perform in um and in the Czech Republic. Um and it's gorgeous. However, I just got word
009today that another venue is open that I would never have thought we'd ever to. Um it is Devorja Hall. Um it is in Prague. It is it's incredible. And to have a story performance there, and I'll talk about that a little bit more in a minute because it's a caveat. That said, for both these performances, we'd also be doing an exchange with another ensemble that's performing on tour or in a local area. Music over in Europe is taken and seen a little bit different than the differently than the United States. I think that here in the States, people enjoy and appreciate the arts so much. Um, and you'll come to our concerts, you come to our students concerts, things like that. In Europe, and what I've experienced is that it does not matter who the
010group is, you'll have a big audience. It's a big push for people to come and see ensembles perform from across the world. Okay? it's a really big part of their their cultural cultural identity. Um I recently went on a tour to a couple years ago with a group I conduct in Boston and just that interaction with those musicians um even though there was a little bit of language barrier or whatnot was very very very um eye openening and so so positive. It was really really fantastic. So along with uh the performances and the rehearsals and the exchanges with other ensembles, of course, our students will be given um um time to navigate and look through sorry and be part of the cultural exchange of just the cities in general. We're starting in Prague, which is
011gorgeous. I've been there uh many times, especially during April as well. It's a calm city. I know that people think Europe, Paris, you think about London, very fast-paced, if you will. Prague is very laid-back. I love the Gothic architecture there. It's a very very mild manner community. Um, very safe. I felt I've always felt very safe there. Um, and then from there we'll travel to Vienna and as you know, some of you might know Vienna is like the birthplace of music. You think about Mozart, you think about um all of the cultural identity when it comes to classical and western music. It's pretty incredible. Okay. So, there'll be tours through um a number of museums, a number of performance facilities, a number of um towns and cities um through that as well. Okay. The cost
012of the trip is about is approximately going to be about $4,500. If you notice in the documents here as a trip is around $3,100 based on 80 participants, a minimum of 80 participants participating. That will go down um as u more if we have more than 80, but that does not include the airfare. And of course, the airfare fluctuates right now between anywhere from $600 to $850. Okay. Um so there's that aspect that we're navigating right now. Um, right now the tour company, um, World Projects, I know that Randy has used Allseasons Tours before and other, um, touring companies. World Projects is a company that I've worked with, um, for many years. Um, when I was in Lexington and I've traveled internationally with them. They're first rate, very down to earth. They are Bedside Manor,
013very positive, um, very detail- oriented, and their costs are very low. I've had a direct we've I've traveled with them to Hawaii. I've traveled with them to DC, Carnegie Hall, things like that. And they are just very very detail- oriented and easy to work with. Okay. Um they'll have tour managers on the tour with us all the way through. So it's not like we're just like Europe by ourselves. There's a point of contact at each at each location and also in Boston Logan Airport, which where we're flying out of. Um and so that's that's cared for as well. The insurance of course, same as um I was looking at the trip for um the French exchange and things like that. It's very similar in terms of liability, in terms of the cancel for any reason
014opportunity for for parents to have in terms of cancelling that. Um, and and that's that that's that in terms of like the money situation. There'll be a scheduled set of payments going through. We've already I've already talked this a little bit about what some eighth grade parents because I know eighth graders gosh need to know as they're freshman coming into the program for both band and chorus. Um, just keeping that in mind. Um the other thing that the caveat that I said about divorce call is that regardless we'll have two performances and two exchanges but with divorce call it's only available on Tuesday April 27th. Okay this means that we'd have to shift our tour dates. There's some pros to this and also some cons. I would love your perspective on this as well if
015you are amendable to us traveling. Um the first is that um our tour dates right now are exactly our April vacation the 17th through the 21st. If we moved and and took advantage of that tour time and that performance venue at um divora call on Tuesday, April 27th, we would come home on April 28th and we depart for Europe on the 21st of April. Okay? So in this case, students would be missing school for 3 days. However, we'd have that concert hall and then on top of that, students and families would have some time over April vacation to themselves from that Friday through that um that Tuesday, which I think would be advantageous just for kids to have some downtime. The only other congreg I'm going to be very upfront about this is I do
016understand that some AP exams start the following week. So, I'm trying to be cognizant about that. So, I'd like your perspective on that um moving forward as we as we want to move forward um with the approval process. Um I'm trying to think there's anything else. Um there are meals also. I should have said this too. meals included, transportation um with coaches are included. Um so that's that is something that um parents and families and students not have to worry about so much. Okay, I know that's a lot of information. I know I talk rapidly. Lisa, so if you do move the dates, >> dates. Yeah. >> Are you able to move your agenda? >> Uh, correct. Like in terms of like what we have planned for each of the days and stuff. Absolutely. >>
017Because that's a whole prevamp the entire thing and they have accessibility to do that. That's why they want us to. That's I'm glad we're meeting today because tomorrow I would have the meeting with the parents. Parents already know that we're going to haveformational meeting. be able to see how many people are going. And the tour company already has a draft of what that um tour is going to look like. They said they're working on that right now, assuming that we can move those dates. And if we can't move those dates, that's fine, too. You know, um the agenda the agenda is still amazing. And we just instead of performing at Devorakal, we'll perform at another venue um in Prague within those dates. Do >> you have a sense as to which the students would prefer?
018Um, when I talked to them, I said I was going to talk here first. I get wary about bringing that conversation into them too much because I want to get the trip approved first, you know, just the trip itself, like being able to travel first. >> You mentioned something about eighth grader. I just missed what you said earlier. >> Yeah. So, eighth graders, we have to let them know about our travel plans because they're going to be freshman next year. So, we don't want to be like, "Oh, by the way, when they're moving into high school next year as a in September, August, August, September, be like, "Oh, by the way, we're going on this tour." Now, you got to cough up like this much money when you could have had a previous like an
019extra eight months to prepare. >> Yeah. >> Yep. Do >> we know what AP exams are the next week? >> I don't know which ones those are because I think it I don't know if it changes, but I don't know. >> I don't see that as too much of a problem. I think it's a individual's choice if they think they can. >> So, just to recap, you said if you shift, you come home on Wednesday the 28th, >> correct? >> AP exams would start >> the following Monday. >> So, they would have like Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, the jet lag out. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Reset. Okay. >> My only real concern is um you know, sort of downgrading the the other trips to make this more more affordable. Yeah, if students aren't going on
020this trip, they get sort of short end of the stick. >> That's my concern. >> And that was a concern this year. And that's one reason why when I talk to the students, we're going to provide again a multiple not just like one one day thing. We're going to do a few we have a few things planned. I already have a performance for us perhaps to perform at um it's part of MCI, Music Celebrations International, right here in Boston at Jordan Hall at Newland Conservatory. I also work at Newland Conservatory as well. that space is gorgeous to perform in the fact that Boston's only like just 45 minutes away. I the students would take full advantage of that. So like we'll still have some performance venues. What's hard is that you're right though uh Mr.
021Han because last year we had some students that couldn't afford it um to go to Disney and then so this year they're like oh I can have a more affordable trip and then you know but I'm just looking at the overall cost moving forward. So we're trying to still provide as many opportunities as possible for these kids. >> 89 kids what percentage of that is of the full performing arts group? So if you think about it, our courses right now for this year have grown a little bit. So my band itself right now is 75 74 kids, 75 kids. The chorus program in total is 45 kids, you know, so we we'd have that. And then you think about like oh this thing I should have mentioned it was actually for y'all. Um there's they're
022going to there's a feasibility for us to have a shadow tour that would also contribute to those numbers. So I've already been contacted by a number of parents been like if this moves forward I like to just come on the trip and we'll pay and we'll have like a a shadow tour. They're not going to be performing with us, but they'll attend our performances. They'll have transportation, so the same access, things like that, meals. Um, and then also flexibility for them to go off on their own and do other things while we're doing our other excursions. And I think you all want to talk. >> Actually, that would really be amazing. >> Oh, I saw this and I was like, "Oh, yeah, please." >> No, that'd be amazing. Seriously. Yeah. Post a meeting. I'll see
023you live from Eastern >> retreat. >> Yeah, retreat. >> Yeah, you have to sing though. >> Other questions for Jared? >> No. Do we have a motion? >> Second. >> Okay. So, Melissa motion. Do we have a second? Any discussion? >> Do we need to discuss which way if it's the way it's planned at the moment or that off Wednesday to Wednesday? >> So what what are you proposing we decide? >> I would ask you I would love more guidance and if you want to put it up to be I can talk to the kids and then that way I can talk to the families and kids and have them vote. I think at this point though the students and parents have been they've been surveyed so many times. I think they just want to
024be like what what will work best? What what do you want? you know. >> Okay. Yes. >> The question I have is are we allowed to approve something two years in the future because it'll be a different school committee at that >> supposed to approve these a year in advance anyway. >> So >> I think we approve it and give them the option approve it with the caveat that that they get to choose between these two dates. >> Yeah, we don't we don't have to prove the dates, right? We just approve. I don't want to get into details like >> I thought he was looking for us because there would be three days that they would be missing school. >> Any exchange you have to miss school? >> Yeah. I think I mean in general
025what I'm hearing is no one has any immediate concerns that they want to raise. Is that right? >> Yes. >> Okay. Yeah. So then should we clarify clarify the motion? Motion to approve the field trip um with the music or the performing arts department choosing the dates as appropriate. >> Second. >> Okay. >> Any other discussion? >> All in favor? >> Opposed? Abstain. Pass as unanimous. Great. >> Thank you so much. It's going to be an amazing trip and seriously you should consider joining us. That would be >> awesome. Send you the detail. >> Um, okay. So then we're rolling right into the department head presentation. >> Absolutely. Awesome. Well, thank you so much. Um, so I have to first say a huge thank you for providing us the time as department heads to come
026in and talk with you all and meet with you. Um, as I said, this past year, um, it was a lot of change and a lot of, uh, transitions and things like that. We have three, last year we had three new members including myself to the performing arts department. This year we have another new department um another new department member, our drama teacher. However, like for myself, it's been phenomenal knowing how the arc of the year works. Working with all of you, working with the families, it's I'm not saying this is I'm in front of the school committee right now. This has probably been one of my my the smoothest and like most positive starts of a school year I've had in my entire 22 years teaching. It's been really really really positive. Um the
027students are working exceptionally hard and it's just been a lot of fun. total joy. So that means I'm go to the next slide and this is this comes so my format I I got a vetted too. So the format is is a little bit different um but the information is still the same. So we can go to the next slide so you know what the objectives are. So I say this all the time and it's kind of one reason why everyone you know I would normally wear a button-down shirt but I wore a shirt and this says says made by music education. Okay guy. So I I say this all the time. It's not just music and drama, not just performance arts. It's through music and drama. And sometimes it's music through music and drama
028that dot dot dot you're able to um learn the skills necessary to become a lawyer, learn the skills necessary to be collaborative, things like that. I tell my students this all the time that a performing arts, music in an ensemble, being in a band, chorus, um in a musical production or whatnot, it's a microcosm and also a laboratory for the world that we're living in right now. the way we have to collaborate, the way you have to communicate, the way you have to problem solve, um, come to consensus and also move towards the same shared vision. It's such it's such an example of that. So, I was going to ask you this, and I know for some of you a little bit of your backgrounds. How many of you um were in band or chorus
029when you were or orchestra when you were younger? Look at that. That's amazing. That's amazing. And so, um, and if you weren't, I were you part of like did you have music class when you were in school at least? Yeah. Yeah. And so, I think about um the next slide. We go to the next slide. Thank you. you just a couple quotes and I'm not going to read that obviously you have you have access to my slides but again I think that we hear a lot of times that the performing arts are so focused in soft skills which is true we're developing those u abilities to persevere to work through uh problems things like that and on top of that it enables us as musicians and artists and dramatists to really really be intellectual to
030be reflective and to really be collaborative within our own sphere to develop and expand and perspective and insights. And I think that's something that can't be necessarily um it can't be necessarily underscored because or sorry, it can't be necessarily neglected because that paired with a student's aptitude in scholastic academic achievement in other classes like math and science, it's only going to enable that student to be or that human being to be that much more of a contributing um society member once they leave our schools. Okay, that's what we want. There is some absolute data though that says that music classes really benefit students from an attendance standpoint. There are so many students that tell me that like, "Oh, Mr. Cassie, I didn't want to come to school this morning, but we had band first period.
031I know that I I need to contribute." And that's a huge thing. We have students that are think about the SAT scores and the way those um those questions are asked. Music, drama, the arts, visual art, it all contributes to a student's aptitude in that respect. Can you go to the next slide? This is a a graphic that we came out a while ago from America's Americans for the Arts. Um, I know it's a little bit of an old study from 2012, but the the lower numbers right there or the lower the darker bar I should say is if a student played music for one or one semester and the the top bar is if they played music on an instrument for a full year. So, I talk about this all the time. I know
032this is specific to playing an instrument, a physical instrument. Playing music on an instrument in an ensemble is difficult. Even sing and singing as well and being in a drama production, it's difficult because you use so many different faculties of your body. Okay, you're reading music which is different language. You are um listening with your oral skills. You're developing pitch tendency and this an understanding of intonation and balance and blend at the same time listening to each other to make sure you're together. And on top of that, if you're in front of an ensemble, I'm if I'm conducting, you're trying to get feedback from me and adjust to what I need to hear or what I'm trying to get out get out from musically. It's really really difficult. So, I think that's one reason why
033kinesesthetically, spatially, um intellectually, um orally, they're taken in. so many different um forms of learning and to place that all together. That's why they say music makes the brain so much more susceptible to learning so much more about math and science and that that sequencing and that processing. Let's go to the next slide. So, as we said, with that being said, we have a beautiful team of teachers um here at Masco now. Okay. Myself, Kevin Gant, and Kate Dubal. We all came in last year. Um those programs continue to evolve. Um Mr. Rosario has been here I think this is his 28th year working in music here at Massanit. And we are welcoming this year our drama teacher, middle school and high school drama teacher Megan Delgenio. She is phenomenal, positive, very easy to work
034with. This team is like I've worked with I come from a district where I supervised 48 performing arts teachers in nine different buildings to come to here in this place. I know it will work physically a smaller department but a with a group of people that are so like-minded. So student centered for for the true purpose of student centeredness and also a shared mission in terms of what we want to offer to our students. It's pretty phenomenal. Awesome. Next slide. Lots of possibilities. So in terms of our budget priorities that are asked of us, there are a number of things. I know budgets are always insane. Okay. Um every district, my husband is a an administrator in southern New Hampshire. He's a math and science administrator for our district. My family, everybody's in education as
035an administrator or a teacher. And everybody is feeling it. everybody's familiar with. So, I definitely understand this. In terms of our specific priorities for performing arts, I think our number one um priority is really looking at our course offerings and extracurricular opportunities. Are we really really supporting the kind of learning that our students not only need but also that they want and have interest in. Okay. Um both middle school and high school, we have curriculum for music, yes, and drama, yes, but we where's our modern band classes? Where's our piano classes? Our guitar classes. We call those harmonizing instrument classes. We don't have a music lab, a MIDI lab with digital audio workstations, sound recording, um you know, things like that. The physical infrastructure is our second one. Rehearsal, performance spaces, technology and equipment. And
036I know that my predecessor was here for many years and he had um a really really he was very organized or whatnot, but a lot of the equipment I've been able to start upgrading a lot in terms of the not only just like the instruments and things like that, but even just like having um audio visual. Um there was no like mounted projector in the band room. Okay. Before now it's there. It changes the entire learning um the learning um experience for the students. Um for other things though if you look at our auditorium and I'm wary about this because it's a shared space. Some people were talking about that grant that we just that donation we received which is so amazing. My question though my my my my pondering is okay we have a
037facility that's not only used by performing arts. So if we want to upgrade our sound system which desperately needs that sound system that you have in the art room is shot. I don't it works works but it's completely shot and I would hate to invest performing arts money in that and then have people like just leave it on all the time then have it not be cared for. Take for instance but I do know like just the basic infrastructure where the um the soundboard for the for the drama programs um for their um where the musical take for instance that's going to come up where they plug into the to the wall in the back of the auditorium. There's it goes in and out and that's not a structural issue with the board. It's a
038structural issue with the wiring inside that wall. Um technology equipment. We talked about the music technology lab having a MIDI lab. Um I've been upgrading a lot of instruments and equipment are lockers. If you've ever been in the band room at Masco, holy cow, if I some of these students have really expensive instruments and there's no way to secure them in those lockers because almost all the doors are broken, there's no locks and they're open. I would say I might use part of that donation perhaps to do that. But that's an infrastructural thing, a physical thing attached to the building. So that needs to be upgraded. The third aspect here is um oh by the way the auditorium also I'm um we're going to get a new cycllorama in scrim. That's the the white muslin
039in the back of the auditorium. We're going to replace that in the way it's hung because it's as a shower. Looks like a shower curtain right now. No, it needs to come down that way. So we're going to replace that. We're going to have that in motion. But the stage itself, those lights, I know that we go through rigging inspections and things pass or whatnot, but those lights, the fact that we have glass colored lights, that's unseen anymore and it can be kind of dangerous. We're looking, we need alpsoidal, alpoidal LED lights that are going to be a lot more energy efficient. Plus, they're going to be a lot more easy to handle and whatnot. But those glass lights, if those if those break, we're going to be um up a creek without any any
040access to lighting, okay? Along with the the sound system. Number three, distribution of faculty between both middle school and high school. I think what's unique about our department is that our middle school, sorry, our department works between both middle school and high school. So when it comes to scheduling, that's impacted. When it comes to our course offerings, that's impacted. I know right now at the middle school, we have middle school, we do have um band, chorus, um seventh grade dra drama, eighth grade is introduction communications, which is not a drama class, and we have creative music through technology. But again, that'd be a wonderful breeding ground to start a beginning piano class, a beginning guitar class, a ukulele class. We just don't necessarily have the space nor the scheduling parameters right now. It's been shared
041with me a little bit that the that scheduling students might be too hard to have that happen, but I'm like, if it's happening during the same time, Kevin Golant could teach guitar at the same time that Mario Rosario is teaching eighth grade um creative music through technology. So, you're not necessarily changing the schedule around. We're just adding things to that schedule. Okay. Um what else have Yeah. So I have to say here this also we might have a smaller department faculty wise but we have a lot of unique nuances to what we do our out of school commitments and things like that in terms of our concerts. I understand we're not required to go to festival with our students. We're not required to have students audition for districts or whatnot but it really underscores the
042value of the kind of experience our students have access to which is super important. Um formal and informal public facing performances. We were just asked even next in a few weeks to play at the Veterans Day concert which is great and I think there has to be a balance um between our formal educationally based um and sanctioned concerts and also those that are requested of us. I think that's really important. Um we also have high numbers in mixed classes. So we have classes that have grades 9 through 12 in them. We have high numbers when it comes to ensembles. Um I know like music and band and like chorus tend to have larger numbers. That's just how it is. And on top of that, I'm wondering if there's a way to be flexible with the
043numbers of stu the number of student load versus number of classes that teachers are teaching because of that student load. Next slide, please. Thank you so much. These are our focus areas. I won't read everything, but you can kind of see um essentially there's four main things. Sustainability, accessibility, school schedules, and professional development. focus areas in the sense of like we're navigating where are some solutions, what are some ideas, who are the stakeholders we have to connect with for sustainability, performing arts at large. I think one thing I'd love to see here is for our community to wrap our our arms around that idea that music and drama, they're all performing arts. I I'm wary about a student saying, "I'm a band student. I'm a core student." No, we're all performing arts students. I think
044that's really important from a cultural lens. Um, we do a really wonderful job of being intentional with the texts, um, the productions, the repertoire that we're using, um, as a means of reaching students beyond just a musical technical standpoint, but also from a, um, a social standpoint, a social justice standpoint, like themes and identity. Um, and I said thoughtful collaboration is nec is a necessity both within the department and between building administrators. I think us within our department are very very um, collaborative and whatnot. I know that that building administrators are collaborative as well. I think that can be strengthened just a little bit more for all of us to be and have that shared vision and see that come through. Professional development, I think that we have wonderful opportunities for professional development and every
045time that my teacher asks or I ask to go to a PD workshop or things like that, it's it's granted which is great, but to have even more highly relevant within our our our current structure would be great. We don't have a defined PLC for performing arts. is because our teachers work between two schools with two schedules and um um we just don't have that the scheduling conflicts happen like that. Okay. Um where we can also have time to like focus directly on assessment practices. That's something that I'm working on a lot because I think some people thinks oh man they sound great. Yes. And we also have our Massachusetts frameworks for the arts derived from the natural core art standards that expect us to be at a certain grade level just like every other
046thing a grade level expectation by the end of a certain year. Okay. Um, accessibility, breaking down the barriers that prevent students from taking part in programs. I know scheduling conflicts. I know there's conversations around schedules in general. That's right now. Um, course conflicts, course requirements, course offerings. We're honing those down. And then we talk about participation fees and things like that. Ways that we can help further support and provide access to students are super important. With that being said, I want to hear more directly from the community. So, I did this with my previous district as well. I we're coming up with an analytical um survey that's going to go out to all to students to take at Masco across the board and also to families students that were in performing arts that might not
047be that aren't anymore. Students that are in the program, what do they see? What do they what do they really enjoy right now? What kind of course offerings would they like? Parents, what else would you like to have seen? And what what kind of experiences would you like yours children to have taken advantage of from a performing arts lens? Um, school schedules, of course, disparities between the middle school and high school schedules. Even like the other day, like just navigating when something changes and schedules changes happen, but like navigating how that has a ripple effect for my faculty that our faculty that are between two schools and next thing you know, they have two classes meeting at the same time, one at the middle school, one at the high school. It impacts the way those
048students are learning. Um, additionally, I think about the middle school rotating schedule. Um, I know that the elective classes or like the arts and things like that are not they don't meet the same amount of time as a an on team class like math, science and social studies in English. However, Kevin Glenn as a perfect example. He teaches eighth grade band. He um he has them on a days one week three times a week and then he sees them only once the second week. If you're a world language class, would you expect your child to be successful learning French by seeing them three times a week and then seeing them once a week and then not for multiple days? It impacts the trajectory of learning especially when a student is learning to bet to help
049benefit and support the learning of another student in that class. Right. >> So before you leave that one >> tell me a little bit more about the accessibility question. Is that a significant issue that uh the kids are not able to I mean and they and they express this that you know they're not able to take you know >> one of the performing arts offering because of you know any any reason. >> So accessibility in that way you're exactly right and flexibility on our our part has been a mainstream thing. So right now, take for instance, I had I think a lot of it had to do with the kind of like the kind of like the curve with the schedule this past summer. I'm interested to see how work next year because this is
050my first year here last year. But just navigating, okay, if there is a singleton class scheduled against four other singleton classes, they only offer like take for in one band class and one AP class and one those kids are all fighting. They want to be part of all those. They have to make a choice. Okay. Um, I also have to say though that scheduling, school scheduling and a fill in student course request is a beast. My previous district, they paid our math department head an additional tens of thousand dollars just to work on the high school schedule. It was insane. It was insane. And that was for a school of 2400 kids though. It was big. Um, so, so that I think that's what happens. How can we be more mindful? I think yes, we
051go into powers school, they put the requests in and it pops out the matrix in terms of like, oh, who can make it? and like you know it does all the math and all the the placements for you and I think there has to be some kind of nuance to that when it comes to classes that kind of depend on it would be hard for me to have a band without any flutes in it. So right now I have a band right now that has in one section because my band got split into two. I have one section that has one obo and I have another section that has four oos. I have one section that has all my altos and I have one section that has all my trumpets but they're not together. So
052so there's no time to meet together in that regard. You know what I So, I think it's just about being intentional. I think that will get I think that will get fleshed out, though. I'm I'm I'm hopeful and optimistic about that. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Next slide, please. >> Of course, we've had a tremendous amount of successes. I've only been here for a little bit of time. That that found that donation that we received from the Cummings Foundation was phenomenal, amazing. And I want folks to understand that that is uncoupled from our operating budget. Does not mean that our operating budget is not important. It really, really is. I do have to say though with that and also the budget that we have here, we are in pretty good shape.
053I I think we're in pretty good shape to help sustain some of these programs. Um, and that was amazing. Concert band commission Steve Daniel who is an amazing concert band conductor. Um, we are commissioning him to write a piece specifically for the Masco High School band. He will be joining us this coming March for the world premiere of that piece at the end of March, our spring concert. We had our first ever performing arts convocation in the same vein as what I was talking about with um um looking at ourselves as a full department. I brought together all the band chorus drama students together in the auditorium beginning the school year and we just talked about our department goals and also introduced who we are as teachers in our in our in our shared vision
054and how we can we get more student agency and things like that. It was really really awesome. Really awesome. And of course, I put this in there just because there's been a number of transitions, lots of changes and things like that. And I don't think we'd be where we are without the constant support from like the students and the families and administrators. Like there's been so much going on and I just feel like very settled right now, which is that's it's pretty incredible after just one year. U next slide please. So this is a collaboration, planning and growth. So I think that where we are for what do we have for opportunities for collaboration professional development we take the time to meet. So even though we don't have a PLC all of us give up
055our lunch on Mondays to meet as a PLC to go over student data and curriculum um and things like that. Okay they're willing and able. They want to do that department faculty led Wednesday early release time when it's given to the departments. I have so many plans in terms of curriculum development. I think that we can bolster up what's on paper for our department as well and and I think that when we're looking at our program of studies and what we're offering those discussions can happen during that time which we will have some some of that time to do that we need a formal and consistent PLC time. I think that for us as a department so small and also that one that is so public facing to have that time for collaboration is so
056important um for us especially around student data and assessment. Um, and I'd love more involvement and support from It sounds weird. Not that you're not like not that Masco and the communities around here are not involved and supportive. Like I'd love to have you guys come in and just like um I was thinking about even having an administrator for March. Do you know that March is music in our schools month nationally and at our concert and have like an administrator come in and talk about the importance to arts or come in and sit down and and and play drums with us or you know it was amazing. We had some community members play in our pep band just the other day just at the football game which was kind of cool. You know, those are
057things that I think that would be really really cool. And also, I've always had like an open rehearsal day where I invite parents in to they can just see the ins and outs of what's going on in the class. And in terms of the school committee like you do, you would do a wonderful job of celebrating, championing, and supporting programs and um our committees as part of the core values. I would love to see that extend into the core values. Not just like, oh, the band sounds great or the core sounds awesome. Well, that musical production was awesome. But this is what mask was about. providing a high quality well-rounded education to our to our students. Um, this is really important. I've been pressing this because I hear the word core all the time. Oh,
058the core classes. Core classes. I know people are talking about math, science, social, and English. But the core curriculum as outlined by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 with the amendment of the Every Student School Succeeds Act of 2015, music, drama, art, physical education is considered a core part of the curriculum. When I get worried, a mindset, it's a mindset standpoint because when we go to our communities, back to our Tritown communities, and they're like, "Oh, it's an it comes off, it comes off, not that it is, but it's perceived that is that we're just an add-on to the curriculum." Granted, I think about when we had STEM versus STEAM, we added the A for arts and then we added something else and I eventually I was like maybe the acronym should just
059be S C H O L because you're trying to include all those things. Okay. Um and then f um supporting creative solutions. I think that's one thing to keep in mind. I know this has been brought up in the past and I know that um there are lots of healing dilemma looking at our private our private lesson instruction uh model. How can we embrace that as a community as a specific to our programming standpoint outside of school credit bearing classes? I know last year and years in the past there was questions about like jazz and I know that's like really hot topic or was a hot topic back then but there are a number of districts in this area in the state in the nation that have these programs attached to credit bearing FTE as
060well as um um directly under the umbrella of of the school district. Okay. Um, understand that our curriculum programming, again, we have very unique needs and nuances. Um, our classes, take for instance, if I was, if Kendra and I are in math together and she's getting an A and I'm failing because I just don't want to do the homework, is her grade impacted? It's not. However, in a band setting, if someone comes in and they're not prepared with their trumpet playing, it impacts my part as a clarinet in terms of our overall performance. Okay. So the that's one reason why I'm like so intent about like student placements and students having access to the class because it's like it's it it impacts the overall achievement and overall quality of the learning of every student in
061that class. Okay. Um what else I have here? Yep. I said that. Oh, ready. Cool. We can go to the new Yep. There we Okay. So this was a little bit of like I was like how can I talk about this because it looks weird on numbers >> wise. Our smallest class size is five, largest is 42, median is 19, and that's across both middle school and high school. Okay. Yes, you might have a lot a couple smaller classes. Things changed and it got adjusted a little bit to help support actually the FTE of our our staff to some extent, but also because of the uniqueness and nuances of what is needed for some of these classes. Okay. >> What class was that that just has five? >> There's five. It's there's an acting class
062and there's one percussion class. So, we'll talk about that in a second, actually. Okay. Um I know that this past year with budgets and everything like that folks are like you have to make sure we are showing and demonstrating that we are good faith effort trying to make sure everybody's full-time and go abiding by the contract and things like that. My wonder is if we can look at our classes not just by the number of classes we're teaching but by the number of students in the program. So take for instance last year I had 61 kids in my one band or whatnot that got broken into two this year understandably because I think that you know FTI and our contract says my department's smaller teaching up to three to four classes if you will broken
063into two classes but I still have I have still as many students as a full-time teacher as a department head just on numbers of students not number well number of classes now to some extent not yeah four classes okay um so I think is there a way to be flexible about that because we also have a number of I I have a number of other responsibilities that perhaps another department head might not have when it comes to outside of school commitments and things like that. Okay. Um I talk about that and I also think about like the splitting like our seventh grade band is split into two sections as well. I'm not entirely sure when that happened years ago, but it's been like that a little bit. But it's kind of like if you're running
064a uh like any sports team, it's like you're working with your defense one day, your offense another day, and then they don't get together to practice until the day of the game. That's kind of what happens right now. So I'm like, how can we do it and navigate a way that students are getting a full learning experience that okay? Um okay, so we talked about that. Where do you see opportunities to work more efficiently? So this resource right here, you have two documents, opportunity learn standards. This comes from our national association for music education. They're the ones that help our national core arts standards um um for they were a big part of that with the dance, national dance, national theater, national um media arts. So they came up with something called opportunity to learn
065standards specifically around facilities, personnel, and curricular resources. It's basically showing what does our program look like in regards to these these these main tenants. Okay. Do we have a basic program where it's being adequately met or do we have a quality program where we're able to provide something above and beyond or do does it not exist at all and why does it not exist right now where you'd be unsatisfactory. The second document that I shared is basically a recapitulation of this document. It is basically the needs assessment that I did on our on our department in our school district across the board. You'll see and you can I we won't go over it of course page by page. It'll be insane. Um the first part is all grades all content areas. When they mean content
066areas they mean band chorus um general music orchestra things like that. So I went down basic things there then and I made some notes on the right hand side. Then on page um page nine, specific opportunity needs for ensembles at the elementary and secondary levels. So in terms of jazz band, chorus, band, orchestra, we don't have any strings program here at Mascode. I'm like, huh. Um how often do they meet? Do they meet as me as long as many times as on team on team classes? Why? These are scheduled. Do you have enough personnel that are highly qualified to teach? Then if you go to page 18 there, it breaks it down by further subdiscipline, composition and theory. We don't have any theory classes running right now, music theory classes at Masco. Okay. Um we
067put it in our program studies last year, but we had a feeling it was not going to run because of um we weren't sure what was going to happen with FTE. Guitar, keyboard, harmonizing instruments. We currently do not have guitar, piano, or any other harmonizing instruments um in our in our in our curriculum right now. Um, technology. It talks about what technology classes we have. Um, and then finally, page 29 is a little weird because I cut off, they don't have grades preK through two here. Sorry, pre-K through grades five here. So, I start I just cut off the other part and just added grades six through eight. That's general music. What general music do people that are non-performers have access to in our curriculum? Okay. So you can take a look at that more
068in detail but I did if you look at the next slide. Thank you. This kind of distills that now I know NAFME is a national association for music education. However, this does parallel a lot a lot of the issues and concerns with performing arts in general with drama. Drama does not have um an ups standards um situation at this point. So this is the four main things curriculum and scheduling staffing materials equipment and facilities. And it basically talks about the what the needs based on it's a little bit redundant for what I've said but it's a re it's again it's reinforced by what the national association is saying how our program ranks okay so right here scheduling we talked about scheduling rotation the offerings the harmonizing instruments theory classes staffing the trick is the allocation
069of faculty between both middle school and high school we want to expand course offerings how can we do so when we have I would love to see our department grow I think we'd all like to see the department grow It's hard though and I understand at as as well the budgetary considerations that's all being considered right now as well. Um materials and equipment, technology upgrades, everything from the theater as well. Um think about the technology workstations replacement of instruments and equipment. There are I remember my friend did this as well. He used to to his budget. I won't do this to you yet, I promise. But he used to a staple with his music budget, my friend Phil, he's down in North Carolina, staple old pictures of laptops and Apple 2C computers to his budget
070every year. And they're like, "Why? Why?" Like every after every year. And his business administrator said, "Why do you keep doing this?" He's like, "Well, right now you see a picture of a old Dell laptop from the 1990s and an Apple 2C computer. Would you expect our students to be able to make um to to learn on those instrument on on those on those pieces of equipment?" He's like, "Of course not. That's what you're doing when we are playing on this tuba from 1960 that's not been able to be fixed or you're playing on this old string bass that's missing a fretboard. You know what I mean? So that's why he did it to make that kind of point. I won't do that to you though. I just said it right here though. But so
071then of course the facilities, our auditorium, we talked about that. Um soundproofing the rehearsal spaces. I think back when this school was built, it might have had maybe a little bit of a smaller um band program, but that band room that we're in, myself as a band director, my ears, I'm going to have to start wearing earplugs soon. I there's some acoustic stuff in there, but it definitely impacts, especially when we have drums and things like that. The chorus rooms are just regular classrooms and those ceiling heights are so low, it while they're singing or whatnot, it does impact students oral training. Um I talked about the um band room, walkers, they're in disrepair. Like those need to be replaced. Um, and I it stinks because I I don't know about that donation. I don't
072know if I want to use that money for that because that's so specific or should that be something because it's part of the physical building that needs to be replaced or it's part of a capital plan. Next, please. Yep. Culture and communication. Um, this is a on the slides as well. What ways does leadership? Actually, I'll go to that one second. How well does the current communication decision-m structure support your department success? We have weekly department head PLC's the director of teaching and learning. However, right now because of the way things are scheduled and because I teach both within middle school and high school now, I can't attend those meetings for leadership for the for department for the DHS anymore on Fridays. Um though Kevin is awesome and he meets with me separately to go
073over those things which I appreciate. Uh we have monthly leadership team meetings. We have check-in meetings. Um in addition with the director of teaching and learning, it would be benefit us for streamline communication between middle school and high school. we're in one physical building and sometimes I think we get stuck in the link being like we heard this but then there's a change here but we didn't get communicated to kind of like the scheduling thing take for instance okay and then what ways is leadership response feedback help your department serves students effectively I said it's dependent on the individual and the circumstance I think it's most effective when we are communicated with proactively invited to be part of a necessary dialogue which we so appreciate you being here and conversations and decisions are followed up
074in a positive and supportive manner um and it goes to the next slide actually because this relates directly to something I've just noticed here at Masco and I think things are evolving and changing quite a bit which is amazing. Um I talk about culture a lot. I do a lot of workshops on it. I've written I've been written chaptering books and stuff on it and things like that. You can know what a culture of a system or organization is right when you walk into a room. Okay. So when I entered this room today, this is a culture that we have here in this macrocosm of of mascanom. So when I think about culture, it's those unspoken things, the small, you know, the the aspects of how you feel, how people interact, the kind of tone
075of voice, things like that. Um, you know, and I think I say this all the time. I I love the fact that you're do like we're doing listening sessions now and stuff like that. Um, because I think at the end of the day, it gives folks a chance to like open up and and share their thoughts. And at the end, I would say this to anybody, my students, as a teacher, my students just want to feel valued, cared for, and supported. It's all they want. as as teachers I want to as a teacher I want to feel valued cared for supported by my administration administrators is you want to feel valued cared for you want to feel val care valued cared for and supported right and I think that's a part of the human nature
076and it's not like you have to have these huge overarching swift changes or whatnot it's just basic like just like small interactions the fact that you know like Kitty Dinardo came down the other day um when we had our MMPA ice cream social and she said are you all set here do you need anything I was like oh my god it's amazing when Kevin comes down he like watched part of rehearsals I really enjoyed what I saw in class A. Those kids are working hard. You know, it's those small things that make a huge difference because at the end of the day, yes, big decisions have to be made and not everybody's going to be happy, but if people feel like they're part of an open dialogue, it makes a huge difference to being able
077to move forward even when decisions might not be what everybody wants them to be. Okay, that was a lot. Sorry. Oh, okay. I'm not too off my question. Um, >> ask any questions. I just want to start by saying thank you. This is I mean your commitment and passion are so evident in this whole presentation and just your energy and everything we're bringing. We are a better district because you're here. >> I truly believe that it's amazing and I'm not surprised that you have such an amazing team that feels so collaborative because in terms of culture, you're driving amazing culture. You're doing a great job with students. You're doing a great job with your team. I think there's so much to be grateful for in all the work you're doing. Um, and I'm I'm grateful
078that you came to us with some specific questions and asks and things for us to think about. Um, because that was the whole intent of this presentation was to help us understand what the needs are, where the gaps are, so we can start having conversations about things that, you know, can help us be more strategic and plan. You know, we can't do everything next year, you know, and I think everybody knows that. But um just having the opportunity to get inside the building a little bit more and understand what you guys do every day and how you do it and how you could do it better if you had what you needed is incredibly valuable. So I'll stop talking and start over here. Trevor, >> um I echo a lot of what Adrian said. I
079appreciate all the time you put into putting this together for us. Um in terms of the the lockers, have you done any research into quotes or anything like that? >> Expensive. I mean like uh if we would want winger in the sense I get wary about like the cages cuz those those get a little bit more less expensive but kids sometimes like throwing stuff in like you can just like throw those stuff in those lockers. You don't want that. So I've had the closed ones. They can be depending on how many we get because we actually cleared out part of that hallway um in the band room that's between the organ studio the band room. So people putting lockers in there audition because our program is growing right now. Not everybody has a locker because
080of that. So, it could be anywhere from 15 to $20,000 all the way up to like $80,000. >> I mean, I would have a hard time expecting your program to have to fund those costs. I definitely see it as a part of this building and infrastructure that this committee needs to maintain. So, that's my two cents. I know it's not the committee's we haven't voted on anything, but >> appreciate your insight. And also recognize that like budgets and things like that. I'm just really happy with the team that I have and what we're able to do right now to be honest with you, but I appreciate you saying that, Trevor. >> I also agree. I love your energy and I'm very sad that my son was not in music um because I think he would
081enjoy this. Me personally, I was an orchestra and um it just saddens me that we do not have an orchestra program here. Um I guess I'm just kind of curious. Well, first I have two questions, but first is that like what would it take to even get an orchestra program here? And then my other question is um do you still require coming into seventh grade a two-year prior? Um, okay. Because that when my son was going in, it was you needed to have two years of prior some band experience to even join. >> No, Miss McGinness, thank you so much for saying that because I wanted to reiterate that. So, your first question is how do we get an orchest program? It's unique here because in Tritown we we have theaters for our elementary schools
082are uncoupled when it comes to obviously our school districts and whatnot. I have a really good relationship with I've known Sharon Fipps at at um um um Spotford Pond for many years. She's the band director there. Um, I know we just hired Michael Jo, they just hired Michael Joyce at Middleton who I know because he actually applied for you know the positions in my department before and then Kevin Z has been awesome. They want to be collaborative and I've worked with them. What would take I think we could start an orchestra a strings program at the seventh grade level. It's going to be a little bit more difficult because kids are switching into school a different school. So a lot of students are like a little bit shy about that. Oh, it's a new school,
083new environment. Do I want to also start a new instrument and things like that? Doesn't mean to say that we can't start in seventh grade. It may be ideal though strings technic typically start before band students like in a previous district I started strings my string students started in third grade and my band started in fourth grade here we have band starting in fourth grade pretty much across the uh across the three towns so I think that would be I open up that dialogue to see what is perhaps available there if we didn't do that and tried and didn't work out within us it's about like okay let's drum up interest how that's why I want to get that performing arts survey out there to say is there interest I was going to put a
084an orchestra or string orchestra in the program of studies for the high school next just to see what happens. You know what I mean? Or we can have it as part of like middle school, but I know that there are concerns about like how are we going to play students in there because of physical education and things like that. There has to be a creative way of doing that though. You know what I mean? So, I'm all about it. I'm a huge or you know, you all know the difference between orchestra and band please that you do. Okay. Because orchestra has strings and band is does not have strings except for string bass. Okay. So, um but yeah, I'm I'm all about that. And the second question was >> so switching from elementary to middle
085school this two year requirement. >> No requirement. No. And Kevin and I are very distinct about that. I know chorus is one thing. They're always like that for band. We have I there's a kid like you should join band play trombone. We need you. And he's like oh let me think about it. And he's playing euphonium for us now. You know what I mean? So I just feel like at the middle school level. So I think that we will work with anybody. We want kids involved with the program. I want to make sure people will know that. I'm just making sure because I think it was when he was when my son was trying to the class it was like no it was a two-year. >> We did see we saw some of the rub
086um the sylli and stuff like that from the past. It's not the case anymore. I just wanted to say thank you for honoring the program that was prior to you but bringing change to you know so I think I think that was a big concern two years ago from our you know all the comments and I think that you've done an excellent job of of honoring like the the traditions but also bringing new things in. So that's that's sort of what I saw through this presentation. >> Oh, I appreciate that. And I there's such a willingness. I think that like there's such a willingness from the families and the students. They've been really malleable and flexible. Like I know I do things definitely different than other people just not even just here, but like I
087get those comments everywhere. And I I just feel like just trust in the process. We're going to get there and stuff. So that's been wonderful. >> And sort of like a willingness to like be like, well, let's see what's going to happen if we kind of tweak it a little bit. That's what I see. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Um, of course, thank you for everything. This is amazing. I love how organized you are. I could never be this organized. This is very impressive. Um, but for for my own sake, and I think for a lot of us, would when we do our budget, we sometimes categorize things into like most urgent, then middle, and then least, do would you be able to sort of maybe group them in threes and just like the lockers? Obviously,
088if it's a safety thing, that could be a building issue. But maybe categorize them just into like three of like the most urgent things that we probably really should have. And then maybe second and then a lease and that'll help for me really understand what you really really desperately should have. This is awesome. I mean, this is really great to look through all of this and just see. But you're the expert, so just knowing like what is the top of the necessity of what you need for the department would be really helpful. But I love thinking outside the box like guitar lessons, piano. I mean those kinds of things are just awesome options to have that I love that you brought that up. So, >> and I want to say one more thing about that
089especially because I know you had reached out to me about Ernie Bach Jr. and the grants and things like that. Modern music in in schools is huge right now. Like we have students that are more even more they're more engaged with music than even students in our ensembles. Everybody has headphones in. Everybody's listening to music. Everybody's on YouTube learning how to play guitar or they're learning how to um I had a student tell me the other day they're doing DJ stuff and everything like that and doing mixing. That should be part of our curriculum because that's where we're going right now. And that's also going to invite and provide access to music making that's going to take our profession and our art into the future. So I think I think about those things as well.
090I was like imagine we had a mixing class. Imagine I thought about like even WBMT >> TBMT. Yeah. Like doing something with them collaboratively. We talk about interdisiplinary things like that. Do we have a recording studio? I know that we were talking they have like the the radio station. Are there opportunities there? Because that expands students can go to school not just for performance and for music education. They can go to school become a music lawyer, a business lawyer, a music business for music business person, music lawyer. They can go into engineering. They can go into sound. So many of my students have gone on for audio engineering and they're working for Bose and they're working for like those are intense careers and I don't like they're like oh it's just the arts. It's it's
091the same engineering that they'll get if they go to like >> you know what you know I'm trying to go to GE you know that same thing >> make it's what it's where it's going. So that's I like that. >> Thank you. >> So one last question. Um I really appreciate the accessibility focus you have. you know, as we know, there's a lot of barriers to whether it's cost or time or just intimidation to get in. So, reaching out, reaching down is really great. >> Yeah. >> But, um, on the other side, you just touched on that, you know, for the students are really, you know, excelling, are there pathways or doors to get to either going to, you know, Giuliard or Berkeley or going to make a career on that as they're >> and
092that's what I was talking a little bit about some of the our student schedules are so packed. It's like filling. It's like stuffing it all into like a 50 pound into a 10 pound bag kind of situation. So, it's like that's why I think about like our private lesson structure are uh is there a way to fuse that in a way where it's not just like this and I think it really underscores and provides a pathway for those students, you know, moving forward. Um, is there a way for them to have access to um um other experiences? Like a lot of students can't do necessarily certain ensembles outside during the school day because they have to get their graduation graduation requirements. Like how do we It's It's hard though because I know there's also issues
093with like contract and union and things like that. Um we navigated I was going to say we I don't work there anymore. My previous district we um they navigated it in a way that um they did make those accommodations because of the uniqueness. So I think that kind of creativity might be something that we can like maybe open up that dialogue in the future about >> on the other side I guess for students who are looking for go professionally are is there a lot of focus on that? Are you seeing students that are actually going to >> I see a lot of students here going to school for music education like which is great. A lot of students are very interested in that. Um I so I work also as the um I'm the state
094president of of our music education association and so we hold a future music educator summit every year. We think about like what does it mean to be a music educator because it's shifted and changed so much. Back when some of you were in like um elementary school or whatnot such a focus on movement and we call that the Delro metal or kadai which is like you know hand signals with singing. Nowadays music making is really about like we just talked about like you're going to school for not necessarily music profession in terms of performing a traditional instrument. However, kids are getting into school, graduate school, the laundry school of music in in Cambridge for like sound. Like they don't read music, but they know how to use Apachian system for for creating loops and things
095like that. Um, that said, in terms of performance, I don't see this much here. Um, very similar to other schools I've worked in, there's a very heavy emphasis on on careers in engineering. Um, where I was before, biomedical engineering was huge. That that part of the state is super hub of that. um a lot in terms of mechan engineering. It's like major engine. I hear that a lot around here too. Um and even still previous district very high quality music program. The difference is is that I think a lot of these students will continue to play their instruments and sing regardless if they major or not versus where I was before. These students play so well. They're playing on instruments that are $30,000 and then they just stop playing right away. You know what I
096mean? I rather have my our students go on and if they go into career music, that's awesome. if they don't, they still are able to like recognize that this is beneficial to who they are as a human being, you know, versus just using it to get into college or whatnot. There are pathways for that though is that we are trying to provide. I think that the perspective that myself and I think about Kevin Glenn and Kate when it comes to our course and band programs, we're trying to again create an environment that is for those high achieving musician like performance-based people and also supports the joy and excitement and you know for those that are just like oh I just like being part of this ensemble you know. >> Yeah. >> Right. Any other questions?
097>> All right. Thank you. This is amazing. >> Thank you. If you have any other questions, you can always reach out. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Trevor, you're up. >> All right, Mike. Do you have those? >> And I apologize. I was watching the meeting from the airport and I realized how many technical difficulties there were last meeting with pulling the policies up. So, that is my bad. Um but so before you uh is the competency determination policy IKFE. Um again this was mostly done by um principal Katie Dinardo and the policy subcommittee um went through it provided um their input and we felt comfortable with Katie's recommendation. Any questions, discussion? >> We have a motion. >> Motion to approve um IKF compet competency determination policy. I believe it's a second
098read. Second. Okay. >> Any discussion? All in favor I >> All right. Passes unanimously. >> And then our next policy which do we have a code for? >> No. We're have to have the N give us one. >> So whoever makes the motion I would just put in that to be coded at a later date. Um but so this one, principal of the middle school, Phil McManis, um he drafted for us. Uh we had a lot of edits that we thought we were going to be able to offer, but later found out that um there was a pretty strict rubric that we had to stick to. And so that is how this policy came about. And after much discussion, the committee felt comfortable recommending this policy. >> Okay. Any questions for Trevor? No. Motion. Make
099a motion to approve the Masconomic Regional Middle School Pathways Policy um to be coded at a future date by our um policy post MASC. I'll second any discussion. All in favor? I post extensions passes unanimously. Thank you. Policy subcommittee. All right. Next item, superintendent search update. So, um, we had a draft charter and job description out to you guys for the last meeting. So, you guys had time to review that. Um I think hope tonight is to capture feedback and then hopefully approval so we can formalize that and get it posted. >> Um >> question. Do we have a sense of how this job description differs from any previous ones we've had? >> I don't think it's a it's I wouldn't call it a departure. It's it's kind of an amalgamation of what's out there
100currently, what what we're seeing across districts. Um some of what is in the current job description as well. So there isn't anything I think um materially additive or deleted. It's just, you know, kind of a a refresh based on what we're seeing out there. >> Okay. charter >> um for the charter. >> Yes. >> So when it goes down to selecting finalists, I think there's some rules behind ensuring that in each step of the process you have less candidates than when the the step before basically y >> to ensure that >> and that's our intent. Yeah. >> Okay. I and I think there's some caveat in there that that safeguards confidentiality which I Okay. Yeah. Perfect. So as long as that reflect is reflected. >> Yeah. So we we wouldn't make candidates public until we
101were recommending finalists to the school committee. So everything before that point is confidential. Um and that's our intent. We would kind of have those >> kind of pairing off as we go for for every step. Yep. Any other questions on the charter? We have a motion. >> Motion to approve the charter. Seconded. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed extensions. All right. Passes unanimously. How about job description? Any other questions there or a motion? Motion approve the job description. >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> Attentions. All right. Passes unanimously. Thank you. appreciate you guys taking time to look at that and think about it. Um, and we'll have more updates in our next meeting. Um, all right, superintendent report. Uh so we want to start off by uh congratulating uh Masanovic sophomore Matthew
102Gus and senior Olivia Turo on being featured in the October 16th edition of the Boston Globe uh in the article Boxford Teens Walk in Friendship for Best Buddies. Uh Matthew and Elizabeth participated on the Matthews Troops fundraising team in the Best Buddies Friendship Walk uh that took place in Boston this past weekend. Uh both students are also active in our local mass economic best buddies chapter uh which is facilitated by uh high school teacher Kevin Karren. Um and there's a link to the article uh that'll be in the blog. So it's good good press. Uh just went actually went out to the committee last week but just for the community uh the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will be conducting public listening sessions on the chapter 70 budget formula this fall. Uh the
103first session will be right here in the maskom auditorium uh tomorrow night, Thursday, October 23rd from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Uh there's more info for the sessions uh which also include the process for speaking during a session or you can actually submit written comments uh if you actually can't make it to to the session itself. Uh and so there'll be a a link to do that uh also on my blog. Um, we're going to have uh some of our state reps come speak to the middle school. Uh, state rep. Uh, Adrianne Ramos uh is scheduled to speak with our seventh graders on uh tomorrow, October 23rd. Uh, and state representative Tron Wyn will speak to our eighth graders uh next week uh on October 30th. Uh, these are both going to take place during mlock.
104And both representatives will be speaking to students about public service and community involvement. uh Masina the middle school student uh student teacher parent teacher conferences are going to take place uh on October 30th uh from 2:30 till 6:50 p.m. Uh the link for parents to schedule conferences was sent out from the middle school last week and so if uh parents haven't gotten that uh we'd ask them to call the middle school main office if they have any questions. Uh coming up on November 4th, uh we have Katie Greer who's going to do a presentation on social media and internet safety. Um and she's actually so that'll be in November 4th for parents uh at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium. Um she's also going to be presenting to both uh the middle school and the high
105school during the school day on on the 4th. Um and we want to thank the Tritown Council for uh bringing Katie Greer to us for the day. And then coming up on Thursday, November 13th, uh we invite uh everyone to attend our annual 8th grade open house. And so this is this event is designed to help students and families who are looking to join Masanomatic Regional High School for the 26 27th school year uh to learn more about what we have to offer. Uh during the evening, uh you'll hear from the principal, meet with department heads, and explore many of the clubs, activities, and athletic teams that we have available here uh at Mask Island High School. So, we look forward to seeing everyone at that evening, and there'll be uh more details uh regarding
106the evening. They'll get uh distributed directly to the eighth grade uh families. And then we have uh just message uh regarding um some of the things that are going on in Washington. Uh as the impact of the government shutdown continues to unfold, uh we're hearing more and more stories about government layoffs uh specifically at the United States Department of Education. Uh you may have seen the Boston Globe article uh regarding mass layoffs at the Office of Special Education Programs. Um that article was actually just this week. Uh we'll continue to monitor the impact of the situation and make decisions about what's best for our students. Uh we want to assure the community that despite what's happening on the federal level, uh we maintain our highest commitment to the students of the tri town and to
107Masco uh and their legal rights to an education. We have long history providing an excellent educational experience through other turbulent times and we'll work to continue that history. Uh and if anyone has specific questions, uh we'd ask them to reach out to their uh program coordinator or to the student services office. And then uh just the upcoming uh parent coffees. Uh so the next uh scheduled parent coffee is at the middle school this Friday, October 24th. Uh and then the next one in November will be November 21st. Uh and then our next uh parent coffee at the high school is November 14th. And those are all from 8:30 till 9:30 in the morning. And you come to the main office on that Friday morning and we'll catch you the parent cost. >> Great. Thank you,
108>> Trevor. >> I don't know about your presentation, but I had a question um about the new Desi guidance from November around amending the regional agreement. Uh how they changed it. So now you have to submit to them prior to those meetings. That happened at the end of September. Se >> what did I say? November. >> You said November. Yeah. Sorry. Um >> I put in two calls to the contact on the website and heard anything just around I was just going to ask about timeline like if we submit to them say okay >> in two months how long does it take for them to get it back to us? Um just if you could try I don't know if you tried the past two days I got a call back. >> Thank you. >>
109A direct contact I can reach out to. >> Perfect. Thanks. >> All right. Subcommittee reports, community relations. >> Yes. So we um we did have a community dialogue scheduled for tonight. We did not have anybody um attend which I guess could be a good thing so far. Um but uh we will have another working meeting scheduled for October 27th via Zoom at 11:30. Um we are continuously sending out did you know flyers and information. We we've shared all of the amazing summer work that was done. um we're trying to keep the good news for Masco cycled through um that those two students with the Best Buddies program will be a great example for that. So um we'll highlight the the Cummings grant which is the $50,000 grant. Um also some upcoming events with the holiday
110senior citizen lunchon um is confirmed. It'll be Friday, December 12th and it's usually from 12 to 1:15. So we're starting now to solicit for sponsors. Usually we get Soulbean institution for savings. So, we'll reach out to some of the local businesses on that. Um, and just upkeeping with, you know, an equal amount of just regular information and good news and, you know, completions and things that we're actually getting done here, um, as often as we can. So, >> and I think if anyone hasn't shared that listening session through their social media, it's a good idea to share it um as individuals to kind of flood the zone so that people know that it's happening and can can show up if they're able or at least submit testimony because the more voices from this district that
111get heard the better. Um okay, thank you. uh DCI and budget. >> Sorry. So, uh we had our first meeting three and a half weeks ago now. Uh we have our next meeting scheduled for Friday at 10:00 a.m. Um we did uh identify the goals for the year. Very nice. Suppose once I once I get the uh minutes approved, I'll bring them to committee maybe at our next next meeting and have everyone review and confirm whether we're off off path or on path on that. Um I think that's about it really. So >> okay. Um local um no updates since last meeting. I'll I'll schedule the next one ASAP. >> Okay. Uh I'll see anything in addition to what you just >> Yep. So we are meeting on Friday um via Zoom at 10:00 a.m.
112Um on the agenda is the consideration of um a policy around student um and staff solicitation of donations. I think um MASC had come out with some new recommendations after we had just approved the whole policy manual um around that policy. And then we also have um more recall discussions um about amending a regional agreement and what that might look like. And yeah, so we're going to start Desi had listed or MASC had came come out with a slew of policies kind of late edited. So we're going to start chipping away at um correcting those. >> Okay. >> So >> awesome. Thank you. >> Um liaison updates. Has anybody been in contact with CPAC? >> So they I think they are meeting every third Wednesday. We got um a date. I wasn't able to go
113to the October 15th meeting that they had. Um so I don't know when the next one is. Is it will it be the 19th of November? >> I looked at my calendar would if Yeah, it would be the 19th. I can um reach out to Jackie after this meeting confirm. I also was not able to make last Wednesday. Um but I can reach out and see that that's definite and let you know. >> Okay, great. Um, Middleton leazison updates. >> I have not heard a word from anyone. So, >> Okay. Oxford, >> I sent out the invitation for the November 6th meeting. >> I've gotten a confirmation from the Fincom chair, Mike White. >> Waiting to hear back on the select board. So, thanks. >> Okay. >> Great. Um, Topsfield has confirmed they'll attend the
114November meeting. Um, and um, the word on the street is that the three towns have already initiated meetings around the budget. So, it would be wise for us to be prepared for that November meeting knowing that they will likely come with thoughts. As long as they leave their slides, >> I suspect they will bring something. >> We had a listening session last >> Yeah. Saturday. >> Saturday, which no regular folk attended. It was just us and uh mostly select uh select board people were there and elementary school committee members. So we just chatted amongst ourselves and um yeah that was it. >> Thank you for going >> thing about that meeting coming up. Can we if they are planning on bringing material can we receive that prior to >> Yeah. I mean I don't I
115don't I don't think that we necessarily said bring material and we'll let you present. If they bring something I think they'll be handing it off to us. not necessarily sharing it but I think what we've asked them to do is come hear the enrollment update h you know have some early discussions just be in communication where is their head for what they're going to be recommending to us I think they're all they either are getting ready to or some of them have started to think about those letters that they're going to send to us so we'll see >> middle 2.5s Yeah. Yeah. >> I mean, we know what's coming, but um yeah, the fact that they're already having discussions across the three towns is um telling. So, >> yeah, it's a good thing. >> Um
116All right. Negotiations. >> No action. Right. Consent agenda. I move that we appro the consent agenda including the October 8th, 2025 meeting minutes, warrants in the amount of 2,67,626.18 and the approval of the MEF grant. >> Second. >> Any discussion? No notice after agenda. Um, all in favor? Okay, that's uh opposed. Attentions passes unanimously. You can return. >> So moved. >> All in favor? >> I listen tomorrow. That's saying everybody had a really nice uh whatever about And first pull