001[Music] >> out of control. >> Totally out of control. >> Thank you for not start taking care. >> I'll call to order uh 702. Um, first is coming from the audience. Nobody. Okay. Um, remarks from the chair. Uh, I don't think I really have any remarks tonight. I hope everybody's having a great fall. I hear school is still off to a great start. And, uh, thank you to everybody for all your hard work as always. So, um, now that we're 13 minutes ahead, uh, >> student advisory board, >> there's not much to talk about today, so um, >> 20 short and sweet. Um, our only upcoming events currently is homecoming. It's coming up on October 23rd and the theme is red carpet. Um, the seniors are playing their senior Halloween dance and I believe it
002is on October 30th and the peer leading has started selling their boo bags where you pay $3 to give another person candy. That's all I got comments. >> How's the sentiment among students right now? Is it generally pretty positive this time of year? Yeah, no one's really complaining about anything. >> Yeah. How's the stress level? >> Pretty low. >> Good. Yeah. Crank it up a lot so far. >> All right. Well, as always, you're welcome to stick around. Um or if you have work you need to do, by all means, but thank you very much for the update. All right. Next, uh mask annual conference. couple of things. Take it out. So, um the conference look at the dates. Conference dates are November 12th through the 14th. Um anybody from the school committee is welcome
003to go to attend. So, guess we're looking for volunteers for that. And then also to uh then if that person can actually serve as the delegate person or per one person that would go would serve as the delegate to the conference who would then vote based on how the committee votes on the uh resolutions tonight. >> I'm unable to make that. >> What's that? >> I'm unable to make it. Can anybody else >> not able to attend this year? I did go last year and it was a great experience and I learned a ton and I think it would be awesome if someone or lots of people could attend but I cannot this year. >> What was the dates? A fall 14 of March. >> November. It's the it's the first link in the agenda.
004It's the conference update. Is there any Is there anybody that wants to attend? Is there anybody that can attend? >> I just got to check my schedule. I'll kind look back around offline. >> Thanks. Um, >> I might be able to. I'll have to look into it. >> I mean, Mike, it's okay if we >> Yeah, we we have to Do we have to vote on it? I suppose we do. We have to vote on >> We do, but we still can do that if we don't have some vote on somebody tonight. You could do it at the next meeting. >> Okay. >> Because that's still before the >> the conference 14th. >> Okay. >> Why do I have October 20 in my head for a deadline of something? There is >> Oh, actually what?
005You're right. >> I'm just looking at the nomination form must be received by October 20th. >> Can we vote to have Bill and or Jeff go and then we'll keep our fingers crossed that one of them can make it. >> We have to register. >> We got to send the form in. Yeah. Well, I'll talk to Bill and or Jeff before the 20th and get one of them. >> We won't meet not here. Just we nominate somebody who's not here. >> It allows you to do an alternate on this, too. So, >> that's fine. >> We can figure out later or something. >> The official delegate and an alternate. >> Okay. >> Then do we punt the resolutions another meeting? >> Well, that should be comparison. >> You can vote on the resolutions. >> So,
006delegates just vote, right? >> Yeah. really need to talk about the resolutions if there's a delegate to represent us on those resolutions. >> Right. Well, I'm going to I think we should go out on a limb and say we'll have somebody to represent us. >> I'm optimistic and thank you. Thank thankful that you guys will look at your calendars at least and remember something. Um, so do we have a do we have a a an awkward motion to uh delegate already our voting authority to bill andor Jeff? >> Move. >> Second. >> Um, we don't have anybody online, so let's do a voice call. All in favor? >> I against any abstaining. No. >> Okay. So, that's how many we got tonight. 479 900. Awesome. All right. So, uh Jeff, Bill, if you could just
007connect with Mike, Adrian, and myself. Uh I appreciate it. Maybe over days. That's possible. Thank you. >> Okay. So then we go into the actual resolutions. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I can't pull them up on this computer. I'm sorry. >> There you go. >> So resolution one, removing BMI testing from schools. Are we reading all the way through? >> You don't have to read all the way through it, I think. >> Okay. It's more Do folks have them hope the folks have the resolutions up in front of them because I'm sure they can't read what's on the screen there. >> Yes. Right. So, how do we do this? Do we >> confer? The committee needs to take a position support or >> against or against I guess I'll first ask is there any discussion? >>
008I have some discussion. Any idea what they do with the data? Is it just FYI for parents? Is they doing >> it's not reported anywhere. It's just done. just looking to see. Yeah, I don't think it's it's actually that anything that is done with it. It's just that um they're supposed to do it. >> Most healthcare providers do not lean on a BMI anymore, >> which is why I think this is coming up. It's not a metric that they use in healthcare anymore, so it probably makes sense that it would follow being removed from other places as well. >> Actually, it says it gets reported to DPA um the Mass Department of Public Health. Well, I'll make a motion to um agree with the MASC recommendation to remove BMI screening requirement from public schools. Second,
009thank you. Any other discussion? Okay. All in favor? I >> abstain. Thank you. Next one. Okay. So, there's these. The next six are ones that were already um >> authorized. >> Well, they were sent they were sent to the delegate delegate assembly already. So, they're on for three years before they actually get approved or if if they don't get approved, they they come back for three more years. So it's the regarding sanctuary laws for transgender students to increase the maximum balance allowed by the special ed reserve fund membership of the board into elementary and secondary education preserving local governance for Massachusetts schools personal financial literacy education and establishment of the regional school assessment reserve fund. So >> we vote on all of them as one package however you would like. I'm going to make a
010motion to um have our delegate approve the reauthorization of the previously approved resolutions. >> Second, >> discussion. All in favor? I >> againstain. Thank you for that. Was quick. That's it. Right. >> It's easier from last year. >> Throw a lot more last year. >> All right. Plowing along >> policy reading. See what you can do, Melissa. >> Okay. So, um we had two policies that um came up that required by Desi. The first is the competency determination policy and the second is the middle school pathways exploration policy. um we met at our at our last meeting. We went over them, made changes as discussed and um agreed to bring them to the school committee for a first read today. So um the first one is with the removal of MCCAST as a graduation requirement,
011um each district has to come up with competency determinations. Uh, Princonardo made those put together the policy. I I >> when I looked through this, I noticed and this I presume it was a cut and paste error. They have Manchester Essex Regional >> District in there. Is that >> No, miss that. I thought I had it pulled it up. >> I mean, we can approve it with that little change, I presume. >> We p Did we pull the wrong one? >> I don't know if that's the right one. >> I did send a email to Trevor about this this afternoon. Was late. We just pulled from our last meeting. >> I'm sorry. >> You're on >> when it's linked in the >> one in linked in the document. >> The doc has >> one. >>
012Yeah, this is a different doc than a different document, Katie. Um, I'm just trying to pull it up if you can. >> Yeah, trying to pull it up too. >> Ask a question while people are looking. Is this different than the graduation requirements? >> Yes. >> Okay. So our graduation requirements are more stringent. >> Yeah. So this is like >> yes >> is requiring Desi shared guidance with all schools and they're requiring all schools to essentially within their guidelines create their own plan for determining competency MCCAST used to do >> certain areas and so this is the plan to assess competency and preparedness in lie of MCCAST. Okay. So this will be reported out these metrics for someone to >> send this to you. >> Change that too. >> I just sent you the link.
013I did also pull up the one that was in your agenda. Um, but I did have the opportunity to compare the the two. >> Yeah, it's much different than the one that >> that's the one Trevor sent me. I don't know. >> Yeah, I don't know what changed >> from and I apologize. I didn't >> Yeah, this is the one we were all looking at. That's if you go back if you refresh the agenda. Should be the right one now. Yeah. So the idea is every um for English language arts, math, science and beginning in class of 2027, social studies there has to be we have to identify coursework and how coursework that students have to successfully complete and then how they demonstrate mastery. Um that is at the old MCCAST mastery level. Um so
014in this case the coursework is English 9 and English 10 they would have to successfully complete the course and you see in English nine students will complete a portfolio of work that'll be how they demonstrate mastery English 10 they'll complete a project and reflection at the end of 10th grade and you can see um we've identified the courses and then how they demonstrate mastery in English language arts, math, science and then US history and there's some notes there. The one um interesting thing is they allow um if students take algebra 1 in 8th grade, they allow that to be counted um as a course towards mastery and >> I'm still getting the old one. When do we have to have this done by? >> When do we have to have this approved? >> Has to
015be uploaded by December. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Probably wait till the next meeting. >> Got to get this on. Yeah. We're trying to get to a couple other topics and see if we can manage it. Should this be >> It's there. I just got a note that it's there. >> Yeah. Yeah, if you try it now, I I saved and closed out of the original. >> Now it's a Word doc. >> It is should be a a straight up Google doc. >> I'm seeing people coming in. There it is. So this is the one that you guys finally agreed upon. >> Yes. It just asked we actually have to add the legal references to it at the bottom which are not there but should be taken from the version that >> Okay. All right.
016So, what do we do here? >> Hold on. Still reading. So math is the only one that's just a little bit different, >> right? In terms of the coursework can so they can literally complete it in eighth grade. >> Yes. And a lot of our students take algebra 1 in eighth grade. So and then they take geometry in ninth grade. So it it works for us. folks just want a few more minutes to read through this or Melissa, is there something explicit that you have to walk through? I'm assuming you guys spent some significant time, excuse me, reviewing this and feeling that it met both the state and our requirements. >> Yeah, we relied on Katie to um >> Yeah, I mean it the state sent a template to everybody and this is based right
017off the >> motion to approve. >> Second. >> The discussion. All in favor >> I >> against abstain. >> So this have to come back for a second reading at our next meeting. >> Yep. >> Great. >> Okay. Second one. >> The second one is also a policy that is required by Desty. It's called middle school pathways policy. um for career technical education. Um this was put together by principal Mcmanis um and drew together the requirement the statutory requirements as well as um um it's personalized to our district and the fact that uh the the regional vocational technical school that our students can apply to is Essex Northshore Agricultural and Technical School. And we also reviewed this made a few suggested changes and um the caveat is that mask doesn't believe that it should be
018a policy but desi is requiring us to have a policy. Um Mike reached out to Desi and got an answer that was like >> not helpful. >> I know. >> So they Yeah. I mean it's Desi's called this a policy all along and as kind of know policy is school committee so school committee's responsibility um and so yeah I asked Essie the school committee actually have to vote on this because it's MASC had a had an opinion that it it didn't um and then you know the answer was you need to follow your local practices and deciding what you want to do so I think to be on the safe side school committ be adopted as a policy. Makes sense. Um and then there's an annual requirement that we certify to Desi that we're following
019this this policy. >> Is this what we're doing now? >> Pretty close. Um so what happened is um there were there was a change to the regulations um on um the acceptance procedures from our vocational schools. It used to be, you know, like they they actually could screen kids out in a lot of ways. Um, now it's a lot more uh of a, you know, sort of a lottery process. So that's what they tell the the vocational schools is that >> um you can wait some kids applications, but really if you get more um applications than you have seats, you got to randomize your selection. Um, so there was a I guess a grand bargain in this and that the you know it the vocational schools randomized their application procedures then all of the eighth
020grade pro programs had to do work to uh expose eighth graders to uh the offerings in the local vocational school. And so that's >> that's what we're that's what we're doing. We we've already um had a really good relationship I think with Essex Northshore um where they've come and done presentations um and had meetings with students and interviews and things like that. So it's not very different. Um one of the big differences in here was the requirement that um if Essex Tech uh wants to do a tour during the school day, wants to offer kids the opportunity, they have to pay for it. the transportation. Um although it's kind of interesting and I'm afraid Essex Essex Tech isn't going to do that. So um but that's those are some of the pieces you know that
021we have to uh make sure that we're going to provide student records to Essex Northshore which we already do as part of the application process you know um we really have to talk with kids about what the uh what all of the options are tech and our high school. Um, so again, this was a there's a template that came from Desi that Dr. Manis and um I think Julie Gatis was part of this and middle school guidance may have been as well um in putting this together. So motion to Oh, I'm sorry. >> I just want to make So we only have to do it for the one that is in our region. We don't have to like >> Yeah, it's that's who we're our towns are members of is the Essex Essex Tech. Technically,
022you can go to any vocational school in the state. >> Well, that's always, you know, Whittier or someone up in Lawrence. >> Uh it's Whittier up in Haveril. Um Greater Lawrence LOL. I mean, you know, if there's a program that's not offered at SX Northshore, kids can access a a different school if it's if it's available in a different school. Um but yeah the requirement is that we talk about our the one that we belong to. Okay, that's Yeah, >> we wouldn't be sending tours to you know greater LOL. >> Bill, you were saying motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any more discussion? All in favor? against any abstain. Great. Also, thank you to you and the the policy team. >> Really, Trevor? I'm just standing. >> I take no >> right on moving. So,
023superintendent search update. >> Um, okay. So, Little less than an hour ago, I socialized a couple of documents that were output from our very first meeting that took place at 5:00 today. Um, we covered a lot of ground. Uh, great first meeting. Um, we re we discussed and refined a draft charter for your consideration and we'd love for you all to take a look at that and hopefully uh approve it for adoption tonight. Um we also discussed and refined a draft job description which again we would love for you all to review and um approved tonight. Um we also had some additional discussion about uh forming a community advisory committee. Um we are going to discuss that in detail at our meeting next week. Um so that's on the agenda for next week's um meeting.
024Um, in addition to that, um, I'll have a couple of administrative asks, so I'll coordinate with, uh, Jackie and get some help there. Um, and then we decided we're going to meet weekly on Wednesdays at 5:00 going forward. Um, if we don't need a meeting, we can drop one. But, um, just to socialize that for everybody. Um, what else do I need to call out? Um and then I'll be bringing forward um an initial request maybe for some material creation from community relations. Um we don't have all the details yet but um you know we have access to some tools like Canva and things so it'll be um we'll need some support maybe. So know that that's coming. Um and we also had discussion around um the possibility of securing support from a firm or
025MASC. Um the pros and cons kind of landed us on no, we don't want that support. Um the pro was it's less of a lift for the subcommittee. The cons were it can be expensive. Timeline would be impacted and it would likely extend our timeline potentially significantly which was a big drawback. Um and then there was some discussion around um folks assessment on previous experiences. Um and my my collection of that was neutral to negative. So it didn't really net a support for securing any of those services. Um, but we will make a request to understand what our discretionary budget is so that if we need to have materials made or we want to pull in any kind of support, we understand what our limitations might be. Um, so if folks have questions, I'm happy
026to answer them. >> Um, >> do you want me to pull them up over here? You can make them. >> Yes. I can't get anything on my computer tonight. Um, I'm okay though. Do you how did you guys come up with the job description? >> Um, so there was a a draft that was socialized. I asked folks to um send me information in advance of the meeting um so that I could kind of consolidate things for consideration. So we had a draft and then I sent that to folks to say look at it on your own. Come ready with comments, questions, thoughts. So we ratified it pretty quickly. Chris, >> and the original draft included uh kind of like a review of recent job descriptions posted and developed by MASC and other school districts, prior
027job descriptions used by this district, some of the items that are included in um our own review of superintendent priorities that have been socialized in conversations. So there were a lot of inputs that uh helped us land on a draft for everyone to start reacting to. The committee then reviewed and iterated on it and or the subcommittee and we just wanted to get the ball rolling and we're not wedded to this document and we're very open to more input from the rest from the broader committee on what else might be included. And what would you do with the job description in the next say two weeks if we approved it tonight versus in two weeks? If we approved it in two weeks and gave a little bit of time for the group's feedback, would that
028screw up the timeline? >> Can we just take a quick look at the charter? Um I'm having computer trouble. >> It might slip a little. Yeah, we put a very ambitious timeline out there. We'd like to get it posted this month so that we could have applications in and close that out in November. >> Yep. I understand. So, um I assume not everybody had had I assume not everybody has had a chance to read the job description yet. >> Is it posted anywhere? I can't find it. >> He emailed it to all of you directly. And >> um and so I might suggest since we are an hour almost an hour ahead of schedule, 45 minutes ahead of schedule, I might suggest we take 5 to 10 minutes and read through it because I'd like
029to get a vote on this tonight and allow them to keep moving. So let's do that. Does everybody have access to it? We can access email through >> in the uh service here. So, >> can we pull it up on the screen and read the slide and then I I like to think and provide comments. Doing on the fly is isn't really ideal, but >> Chris, sorry. >> Say, could we pull it up on the screen and discuss, but um looking at the timeline the So, is it okay, Adrian, that I'm jumping? Go ahead. I don't mean to be over talking. Um the goal is to because we're ideally we would have had this ball rolling in July, right? And um because we want to be competitive in the market, we want to be um
030have somebody who is also in a position to be able to say yes and give their school district um the right amount of notice and have some overlap here with leadership. If we could get this posted and activated and actively marketed, which I think collectively we all can do and can socialize and folks know that this is happening in this district. It word has really spread then we could potentially what's the data proposal like closing the applications by >> I think it was November 30th is >> yeah the application deadline would be November 30th. So, let's say if we were to get this posted by October 15th, that gives us 45 days of the application being open. Um, that's a that's a very good amount of time. Um, yeah. So, if if the if if
031we were to get this posted by then, I think that gives us a good amount of time to receive applications. And during that time while applications are incoming, we would not be evaluating them until we've had a full search committee secured and approved, agreed upon. And then when the application date closes on November 30th, then that search committee can be begin getting together to review applications and move forward with screenings and interviewing. I think if we when is our next meeting as a full school committee? Two weeks. weeks >> and that date is October 22nd. >> 22nd. I I think we're I think if the broader committee feels better approving it with more notice, then we should push it in the and we could say we'll post it on the 23rd. >> We'll just have
032to have everything frontloaded. is we don't even have a plan to post it tomorrow like exactly where we're going to post it, how we're going to receive applications because that's another logistical question that we have is how are we receiving applications? Like when MASC runs the search for you, they do all of that for you. >> Yeah, >> we're going to need administrative support from Jackie in order to do so. >> Yeah, because I I think it does say post next Wednesday to post it by next Wednesday. >> Yeah. So, we'll have to we'll have to push that out a week. And I think that's fine. We it would be better to have everybody's line and input on. >> Yeah, let's do that. >> Okay. So, should prevent us from doing the other stuff. So,
033>> say that again. >> It shouldn't prevent the subcom, it should not prevent the subcommittee from meeting two more times and doing the other work we need, >> right? So, then I guess the discussion goes away from the job description because we're allowing more time for that. that back to the charter. Are folks comfortable accepting that tonight? >> I can't read it. I'm not getting any emails. >> It's behind you. >> No. >> Yeah. I just like I don't like reading things on the fly. >> I I get it. But if we actually want to proceed, I think we have to have this chartered. Um, I'm happy to walk through it verbally to help people orient it and ask questions. That's helpful because we do have the time. >> Personally, I I think you guys
034can if there's going to be changes to this charter, it's not going to be big things in it. So, I think you guys could continue to work as if this charter is is a is an appropriate starting point over the next two weeks. Um um and we can we can finalize it at our next meeting. Personally, I think that's that's acceptable. I mean, you're not going to stop meeting and you're not going to stop pushing ahead just like you did today. So, I would just say keep doing what you're doing and and if we need to tweak this when we next meet, then that's that's how we'll finalize it. Is there >> anything you guys could do over the next couple weeks that would be concerning in terms of the child you guys would want
035to head out at least? research committee, right? >> The community advisory committee. Yeah, maybe forming that. I don't know that >> forming the uh advisory committee. >> Yeah. you guys would start to put some structure around what that would look like and would you be reaching out to people for applications in the next couple weeks? >> We would likely socialize. Yeah, we we'd finalize what that would look like in the next meeting on next Wednesday and then we would very quickly socialize it for people to approach us >> and that was in the discussion that we talked about a couple weeks ago. So >> it was so I personally I don't see a big risk with that. If anybody else does, please speak up. But >> yeah, I'll try to make sure everybody's good with
036that. >> Is there anything else that you guys are doing the next couple weeks that you'd be sensitive to in this? >> I think so. No. >> I was just saying to Chris, I think we need to find a different meeting time because we're going to be running into this every Wednesday. Then if we're meeting at 5, the full committee is not going to have time to process what it is that we just did at 5. So I think we do need to find any meeting time. >> We can do that offline. We'll see that. I >> think once you out of the gate though, >> once you out of the gate, it's pretty much operational. Yeah, I don't think we're going to have a I mean, we'll we'll bring updates forward, recommendations forward for
037the committee to consider, but once we have the charter, job description, and then um we're pretty much good to go from there. It's just us facilitating the moves. Um, so if everyone approves the charter and job description in the next meeting, um, we'll collect their feedback and that will help us operate within what everyone's thinking and then we'll we're off to the races officially. >> I just know how it's it's a challenge to get logistically get meetings where people can >> the hardest meeting I've ever had to schedule my license. >> I've scheduled meeting 50 stakeholders and it was easier than this. Busy crew people. Exactly. Exactly. We're in high demand, but we were super effective, which is great, right? >> Yeah. >> Pick meeting. >> We did. We accomplished a lot. >> Yeah. >>
038So, we had uh all five members at the meeting tonight. >> No, there were four of us. Four. >> Yes. That was as good as it got. And we're all on Zoom. >> Yep. That's That's all good. I was just trying to understand how many people were actually um kind of preapproved are already good with these two documents. And it sounds like four of you at least are good with these two documents. Not >> Yeah, four. I All right. Yeah. I mean, I I would press on as if these are going to get approved. Um I I think we should we want to vote to just give the subcommittee the approval to go ahead and establish a search committee or whatever advisory committee. >> I think yeah, it was like a community advisory committee. That
039seems like a big step and a major milestone. >> Is that approval or is that just part of the is that something actually needs formal approval or is that just >> can they just go with it? >> I mean they're asking for it in the >> charter >> in the charter. So we're not giving them approval on the full charter tonight. But I wouldn't mind giving them approval on that one thing so they can go ahead and go do it and we just have it documented. >> And if there's any discussion or thoughts around that that we can pull into our discussion for next week. Sure. Back to that maybe. >> Yeah. So let's let's discuss that for a few minutes. Maybe do you guys want do you have any initial thoughts on who would
040be in the advisory committee? >> Yeah, I mean I think the long pole in the tent is who do we include in this, right? You don't want it to be so big that it's untenable and you want it to be large enough that it's representative of our stakeholders and that everyone feels like they have a voice. Um so some initial thoughts were um uh potentially middle school, high school representation. Um parent representation obviously from each town. Um potentially a town official from each town. um and maybe one person from um the administrative team as a starting point for folks to think about react to. So if there are other thoughts, I'm happy to capture them here. >> There about nine people >> uh one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. Yes. and they're
041not going to have any sort of voting authority or anything like that within the subcommittee. They're just advisers to you guys, right? Um I think that yeah, the vision is that they would be looking at the initial set of candidates with us and kind of providing their input and feedback for us to consider in our recommendations to the full committee. So, we're handling the kind of the first round of things to narrow the field and then we'll be bringing forward the final candidates for you all to interview and appoint. >> But those final those candidates that you're recommending that is coming from a vote of the five subcommittee members, not the vote of the 14 members, right? 14 people. >> You have thoughts here? >> There's two different ways to approach it. I would actually
042recommend a process where the initial let's let's say we receive a hundred applications. Um it will be very easy at right out of the gate to whittle it down to say 20, right? That's standard recruiting practice because there'll be people who apply who don't meet the qualifications. They just hit apply. Um but you could bring 20 to 25 candidates to the broader committee with the community members involved um to review the candidates and discuss and that would we'd have a clear rubric by which everybody would be evaluating. Um the last time I participated in this we had a subcommittee of the broader committee that was willing to look at and review applications. It was a very straightforward and easy process. We aired on the side of screening, doing initial screens with a larger pool than
043that. If anyone was if anyone was in disagreement over someone, we offered them the initial phone screen. Um and then a consistent group of three people participated in the first round of screenings that were um notes were taken and submitted to the whole broad advisory committee to um evaluate and there was like a met a clear rubric a clear metric that everybody was measured on. And from there a group of five people uh or you know give or take four to six people would then be interviewed by either the school committee subcommittee with um observers from the broader committee present or the entire committee uh advisory committee with the subcommittee members could participate in that interview. I actually recommend you do a panel interview with the entire group present of the semi- finalists with three
044people questioning but everybody observing. It really really helps buy in. Um and then a a confidential meetings are held where it is discussed and voted on to bring finalists through. When we got to the point of two finalists that those finalists are then just interviewed by the school committee and voted on and discussed in public setting by the school committee. >> So you guys will document that or whatever you guys decide to bring to the school committee as a process. >> I just may have missed it but the advisory committee the non-school committee members of that they they're just to provide feedback and advice not deciding members of any of this. Correct. I didn't hear your last phrase. Decide what? >> You know, they don't have veto vote power. They're just there by input and
045feedback. The non was kind of what was suggested. >> They will vote on they have a say in who is moving forward in the process. They do not have the final say on who gets the offer. This body does that. >> Right. I'm worried about the the first screen that I think which is in the remmit of this group here. I'm just going back to we had this conversation about the building committee where we you know it's a school committee owned process so we should own the the final vote and very I'm very open to having feedback and thoughts but having people not part of the school committee making final decisions makes me a little uneasy >> right the final decision is always a vote of this body >> for the first round the narrowing
046down from 20 candidates to 10 candidates or the 50 candidates 10 candidates or a large number of candidates down to a smaller number of candidates that I think you're suggesting is would be valuable to the subcommittee um to have them play that role. >> Yeah, we want we want public input as to right >> who we're hiring. So they we need to get there between input and deciding vote. That's my concern. Right. But even for the for every screening process, I think we should definitely be seeking advice. But the decision and the you know the logic process should be through school committee members only hesitant to take that like approach just because um I think we need to come together as a mass community in deciding superintendent. So if we can have a search committee
047and it's more collaborative process, we need everybody needs to know that we're listening to them. So that's just my concern if we sort of take that hard stand. In the end, we're going to have four votes, five votes, half of the >> Another part of the process too that um is baked into this plan is there will be community listening sessions um both for the teachers and for anyone in the community to come and meet with the um two finalists. We rolled those out really robustly when we when we introduced Scott Morrison. We had very little attendance from the broader parent community, which kind of shocked me at the time. So, I won't be shocked by that this time, but we want to offer it and like at times that are convenient to both working
048parents and non-working parents um and um advertise it really really broadly. So, >> I think I'm on the same page. I'm all for transparency. It's it comes out just final control. I wouldn't want someone to be taken out of consideration or pushed in at the school committee in this update specifically didn't endorse and that's where I get into the it's minutia but it's to me it's important >> it's just a different you you have a different opinion >> so I think you've got some feedback from the school committee it doesn't sound like you guys have to make the rules in the next two weeks but what you want to do is establish the advisory board and I think maybe at the next meeting you could probably come to some conclusion and vote on what that
049advisor board is going to a finally consist of in terms of members and b what their role is within the broader search team. >> Does that sound fair? >> So, we'll work on defining that. Um, and I think one of the things we can do is put out a request for people to send a letter of interest to participate. >> So, that will get the ball rolling. >> Sounds good. Um and that is a big part of the process like we hope we get a lot of interest in participating in the committee so we have choice in that um in who um participates in the committee and we want people who are like really engaged and supportive of the mission and you know >> big life it's a >> we also want somebody from all
050three towns too we don't write just one or two towns from four maybe five people people are already starting to reach out. How can I get involved? >> I I do wonder. I mean, if you're at about nine right now, would would 12 really break the bank if you want to have two parents from each town participate? >> Two parents? No. One from each constituency? Like one parent, one teacher or one municipal leader? >> You're getting too big. If you do two, right, that's six. that 17 people on the committee, five of us, 12 community members. You can't do that. Other towns have done them that big and it is failed. >> It's hard. I mean, this is hard with 11 people. >> I did like the idea of keep having someone from administration in
051there. There's definitely a lot of technical, you know, behind the scenes things that we probably don't understand. Just having that that visibility and input would be nice. Okay. Um, do we have a motion to move uh the sub the superintendent subcommittee superintendent search subcommittee to go and um establish >> to establish a draft letter of intent screening process roles and responsibilities for the committee and uh list of potential participants. and release a quest for interest. >> Yeah, that's the And release the letter of intent of interest, not intent. >> Yeah, so moved. Thanks. >> A second, professor. >> I know, right? >> We might want to clarify that one. >> Yeah, whoever's doing the notes, we apologize in advance. Please call us. Can we make the title longer? >> Great. >> Uh on any more
052discussion in favor? >> I against any. >> All right. Thank you guys for jumping on this. >> Okay. All right. Mike, over to you. Superintendent report. >> All right. Uh so first up uh back in 2019 a group called open sed developed an open-sourced highquality standardsbased science program for grades 6 through 8. Uh last year you may remember Masanama Middle School was fortunate to receive a generous uh $44,700 grant from the8 foundation uh to support our adoption of the open sed curriculum over the next three years. Uh this funding provides us with hands-on science materials as well as professional learning opportunities for both educators and administrators. Uh we want to uh recognize and give our thanks uh to the following teachers who recently attended a 4-day curriculum launch prep uh curriculum launch in preparation for
053bringing the open sed uh to our seventh and eighth grade classrooms. And then uh our seventh grade science teachers Mike Serret, uh Deb Wescott and Caitlyn Robel. Uh and in our eighth grade science teachers Tim Brown and Pat Hogan participated uh in this uh training and as a result of their commitment, our teachers now possess a strong understanding of the open sad approach and pedigogy. Uh the preparation ensues ensures that students will experience science learning that is both rigorous and authentic. So thank you all for >> that. I know uh Kevin's here. He's actually been instrumental in working with that and he was how many days of that did you attend? >> There was only one >> one day for administrators. Dr. McManus and Mr. Se went >> young families wait for their families for
054four days. So it's >> it's a big deal. >> Thank you. Uh we also want to remind everybody um tomorrow night uh October 9th at 7 the Tritown Council is presenting uh speaker John Mattelman uh and his secret lives of teens and tween and that'll be in our auditorium. Uh this is a parent and caring adult program. Uh Mr. Melman's presentation will provide insight onto into what's going on in adolescent brains, the complexity of their lives including anxiety, depression, and suicide. uh what they do and say and why and how caring adults can better support them. So, it's tomorrow night free. Uh and also at the same time, the Tritown Council is also hosting an open gym uh in the fieldhouse from 7 through 9 tomorrow night. Uh this will be open to middle school
055and high school uh youth. Uh it's a chance to get together and shoot hoops, play games, or just hang out. Be a great thing to bring your kids and drop them off from the fieldhouse and then go over the auditorium for uh Mr. Madam's talk. So, thank you for the Tritown Council for for putting that together. Uh, just to repeat the turf field update. Um, our application for a permit to construct official turf fields on the campus was reviewed by the Boxer Conservation Commission uh on September 18th. uh Stantech, the district designer on the project, has responded to all the questions in the peerreview study conducted uh at the conservation commission's request uh from engineering firm Williams and Sparges. Uh the conservation commission will now like the district to document its requirements for PAS free
056materials in the artificial turf. Um, the project is due back before the Conservation Commission at its October 16th meeting and I actually received the draft um a document on the requirements about two hours ago. So, we're going to have to try and get them turned around tomorrow morning. So, they they're due to the Conservation Commission tomorrow. Um, so >> you said the next meeting is the 16th. >> Uh, what did I say? Yes, October 16th. And uh um our Masanomic Music parents are doing a electronic recycling fundraiser on Saturday, October 18th from 9 till noon. Uh that'll be in the middle school parking lot in the front of the building. Um there's a list uh on that'll be on my blog about items that they can accept and what the uh sample donations are are
057for those items. um things like cables, chargers, phones, iPod, iPads, tablets, electric razors, cameras, modems, and routers, hair dryers, laptops, keyboards, um VCR, DVD players, printers, small appliances, leaf blowers, bicycles, and then bigger things like air conditioners or grills, empty propane tanks, exercise equipment, uh and then TVs and monitors, um up to uh up to and over 46 inches they'll take. Um, and as I said, there's a there's a list of what the donation uh are for those different items. Uh, the preliminary SAT, also known as the PSAT, National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, uh, is a practice version of the College Board SAT exam. Uh, this year, Mascanomit will offer the PSAT to all current juniors uh, on Wednesday, October 15th. uh in our fieldhouse. Uh juniors are automatically registered for the PSAT uh and
058the Masanava School District provides the exam at zero cost to families. Um and people families uh parents of juniors should have gotten emails uh with additional information on on the day. Uh middle school will be uh hosting parent conferences on October 30th from 2:30 till 6:50 in the evening. Uh counselors will be contacting parents of struggling students to schedule appointment times. Uh and the general signups will open on October 16th at 6. Uh a link will be sent to all parents and care caregivers for the general signups. And again, this year we're hosting uh parent coffees on Friday mornings at 8:30. Uh these coffees are opportunities for members of the public to meet with school school principles, members of district administrative team and me to ask questions and discuss uh issues that concern the Masanama
059district. Uh our parent coffees this for October will be held in the high school on October 17th and in the middle school on October 24th and those are from 8:30 till 9:30 in the morning. >> Great. Thanks. All right. Subcommittee reports, community relations. >> Okay. So, um we had our meeting um a couple days ago and we organized kind of a summary of what we just talked about here. We're going to do a did you know and it'll be a little flyer that I'll we'll send for approval with three to four things highlighting just activities. So for this week that included obviously the superintendent search um the secret lives of teens and tween with a link in it and I can send it tonight um so that people can see the flyer have the link
060get the information. So it'll have that event the secret lives of teens and tween the electronics drive and also a list um of the summer work completion so that people can see all the great stuff that we have done and have gotten accomplished. So every like maybe every other week we'll have updates on did you know like the homecoming is coming up next week, parent coffees, things like that. Um for the good news for Masco alert that we'll we'll put out also sporadically. This one we were going to highlight the $50,000 grant that the um the Cummings Foundation gave for the performing arts. And then we'll you know we'll do the holiday senior citizen concert that's coming up on Friday, December 12th. So, we'll kind of keep a rotating alert of good things happening, also
061important stuff going on, and then once the budget comes, it'll be a little heavier on the budget. But, um, as of now, we're just trying to get good information out there, a lot of information out there for for people to have in an easy way. Um, our next dialogue will be October 22nd at 6:00 here in the library. Our next working meeting is going to be we're going to try to do it on a Monday via Zoom after our second meeting that we have in our schedule. So, it'll be October 27th at 11:30. And um I think that's pretty much it. So, we're going to align ourselves with DCI budget and the superintendent search throughout all of this, the dialogues, the postings, and everything. So, we'll we'll try to get as much info as we
062can out in an organized way. I think that's kind of uh DCI budget. I know Joe's not here. If anybody else has any status on DCI budget? No. Okay. We'll punt on that one today. Uh Vocal, >> sure. We uh just met a few days ago. Um it was really just a listing session. We had a people from the school in and um we're just really getting organized and trying to figure out how to attack our goals right now. So it was good. I think we have some good plans, some good engagement. So I got the next one scheduled ASAP. >> Policy. >> Um we had our last meeting on the uh two weeks ago or a week ago. Um, our next meeting is the 24th during the via Z 24th. >> Um, and I
063haven't seen the agenda yet, but I know Eric, do you remember? I think we have to discuss recall. Yeah, >> thank you. >> Um, I do have some notes from the last DCI meeting. I could certainly provide those. Um, sorry it took me a few minutes to find them. Uh, we met on 26th of September. So I think that was our last school committee meeting. And our approach is going to be to um get a percentage um increase recommendation to the administration by the 15th of December or earlier. Um and this would also be based onation from from our our towns at that point. Um regarding capital, we expect uh an MSBA decision sometime in the fall and uh the electrification study will be taking places here. And then we've got to clarify the timing
064of of the various ask and projects. Uh continuing on with turf uh as well as the uh uh the the title N and the ADA mandated improvements uh to the campus. And then there was some um other you may recall category three um items that uh that will break forward, but we haven't decided those yet. Um >> say that again, Bill. uh the the category three items. You may recall how we had bucketed things in the in last year when we looked at it and our thought was that we would once again cherrypicked the most um vitally important items uh in that category and and and bring them to uh the school committee as well as the towns for for approval. And uh we anticipated that we would meet sometime during the last week. Um
065I guess October 24th. That wasn't the date. I think that's just the is that that's that's the Friday >> I had in my book. That's what I said. Melissa, I actually had the 17th for policy. >> Had to change >> change it. >> It's capital budget on the 24th. >> 24th. So I think there may have been some question whether everyone could meet that Friday morning or not, >> but likely sometime that week. >> Thank you, Bill. >> Uh Leah, >> Joe's Boxford, I think his name. Yeah, >> absolutely. >> Topsfield. >> Um, extended an invite to town officials for our November 4th meeting. Um, is planning to attend. Um, select board chair is likely to send a delegate, so we'll have representation there. Um, and then, uh, I'm going to try to coordinate with
066my Topsfield colleagues, um, kind of a morning coffee or breakfast session just to stay in touch, you know, every couple of months with these folks and make sure that we're fostering better communication and transparency throughout the process as well. Um, and we have a listening session coming up on October 18th at the Chops Library. Um, I'm not sure who if any of us can attend. Um, I know Melissa can't. Um, and I don't think I can either, but >> I think I can. I'm not >> not positive. I think I can. >> Okay. Um, but, um, if we're not there, other officials from Toppsville are there and they would love for folks to stop by. >> Great. And from Middleton, um, we're going to take a page from the Toppsfield and Oxford books and try
067to do a listing session in Middleton coming up soon. I'm overdue to get that scheduled as well as uh probably a quick tag up with select board. So, seems like you guys have been those have been positive things that you've done and we'll probably duplicate what you're doing. And then >> Oh yeah, we know we get CPA on here. I assume there's nothing for negotiations and CPAC. >> Yeah, I reached out to Jackie. I don't know when their next meeting is. Haven't heard. >> Do you know, Ken? >> I don't know yet. I also asked. So waiting waiting on an answer and a date from them. >> Thank you. All right. Uh, consent agenda. Approval of September 24, 2025 meeting minutes warrants in the amount of 1,792,893.32 accept Boxford Historical Society donation to the art
068department. >> Question ticker. >> I'll second that. Anyone heard it? >> Any discussion? All in favor? >> I >> any abstain? Well, folks, I think we set a record tonight. >> Uh, it is 8:09. And do we have a motion to adjurnn? >> This is a new uh standard. >> Let's go. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Who's first? Uh, Erica was first in the second. All in favor? Hi >> and everybody. >> Your name >> is the year for >> the clock at night at night is usually meetings. >> Y >> it's gonna change eventually. Tunuda.