MRSD SChool Committee Meeting 6/4/2025

001Right. Call to order at 7:03 p.m. This is the first time in my life had an echo. Coming from loud enough. Yeah, you can overdub. Um, I suspect we don't have any comments from the audience tonight. Uh with that I will uh I don't think there's a a section here tonight for comments from the chair but I would just like to congratulate all the graduates last week. It was very special being part of that and seeing all the different uh personalities and I'll just say it seemed like everybody was very very excited. Um so congratulations to the class of 2025. Um, I don't believe we have our SAB tonight and so I am going to keep on pressing. 7:15, we're already 10 minutes ahead. Um, review 2024 2025 school improvement plans and re and present

0022025 2026 school improvement plans. You're up. Let's go. Give me a sec. Good evening. Uh thank you. Pleased to be here with the executive leadership team. Um as Matt said, we're we're going to look at um this past year um and then we'll look ahead to where we're going next year. And I think I was we had mentioned to you in the fall, we wanted to adjust this timeline. Uh we feel it's important to hit the ground running when school starts with our plans for next year. I think it makes much more sense from a strategic planning standpoint. It also allows our educators to align uh their smart goals as well, which they typically do at this start of the year. Um I gave you a glimpse preview of this at the end of April.

003Um this is will be the face of our new of our school community. Um when I speak to you about the portrait of a learner competencies. This is our new visual. Um as I had mentioned to you this was the work of our graphic design class. Um you know special credit again goes to James Payne and Olen Walsh current juniors for for running with this design. We wanted to give the students an upper hand um in the development of this and this I can promise you um you're probably tired of me saying it um will be become the face of this school community um when our educators come back in the fall and it certainly continues to drive the work that we're doing for the strategic plan. Here you see the strategic objectives. Um this

004is what will uh drive the presentation this evening. We'll we'll delve into delve into all of these objectives um as they are the major buckets in terms of the work uh that we're carrying out. Okay. So this curriculum instruction goal, this is not a one-year goal. I think I've been clear about that. Um you can't you can't write curriculum in and in and align curriculum in one school year. it's impossible. Um, this is a multi-year goal and um, I did share with you several examples at the end of April. I know I spent some time really updating you on this work. So, I'll be I'll try to be brief and hit some of the high points in terms of where we're at with this um, and hopefully that allow us to spend more time on

005uh, next year's um, goals. Um but what we are doing um from a curriculum development and alignment standpoint is we're aligning our curriculum and assessments um that from a unit standpoint um our educators are focusing on the skills and habits of mind those portrait of a learner competencies those are being embedded into the work into the curriculum um they're being thoughtful uh from not just a planning standpoint uh but in terms of a philosophy in terms of where we're going I had mentioned to you some of the curriculum shifts that are happening in the district. Um, one piece that I did not highlight for you. Um, just as another example, um, is a shift. This didn't just happen this school year, but this we were able to bring in a training in the fall around

006this mathematic. Um, our entire math department was trained on this philosophy. And what this is, this is about this is about experiencing students experiencing first before the teacher steps in and formalizes what's happening. So what I mean by that is that's letting the students go. That's letting the students take a risk. That's letting students problem solve in cooperative groups um diving deeper into concepts before the teacher just comes out and says, "Hey, this is, you know, this is the formula. This is the definition. This is the shift that's happening." and has, you know, I don't want to say it's just started happening this year, but this is the type of student centered learning shift um that we're seeing and we'll continue to see across the district. And this is a credit to Sarah Smith as

007the department chair um and the teachers in the math department that on short notice said um you know Sarah and I saw an opportunity to pull this together with with um with uh the principal support and and we were in with it in the fall. So, I did want to mention that and when I was putting this together, um, you know, the department chairs were were helpful in in adding some different pieces and that's one piece we wanted to highlight as well. Um, students are really showing their skills in in in real world ways, but what we are doing is we're formalizing those processes. Um, we have started to take a look at the internship program as a whole. uh we are we would like to put our own stamp on it in a sense

008of this needs you know Madison uh was the business teacher that really spearheads this program uh she she sees the need she's gotten a lot of feedback from faculty she's gotten a lot of feedback from our students um there are some shifts that we can make that'll allow us to align do a better job of aligning to what are those portrait of aligner portrait of a learner competencies if this is where we're expected our graduates to be this is the perfect opportunity. This is a capstone that captures their culminating learn culminating learning as they graduate high school. Um so that's a piece that we're really going to look at as we move forward. We're starting to build a timeline um that's going to highlight some of the shifts that we expect to happen around the

009measurement of these skills. So we've done some internal work at some point next school year. We'll share that with the faculty. We'll have the faculty weigh in on it. Um, as Katie said to me yesterday, we're a little bit ahead of the timeline with this. We have uh was it last month we we attended uh professional learning experience with educators uh across the Commonwealth in terms of portrait of a learner and we got to hear from some of the area school districts in terms of how they were implementing this. This is on the heels of a training, a virtual training with a group of several educators here this fall. Katie and I attended a training last summer. So, we're we're done with the training, but it's good. It's exposure. It's given us an opportunity to

010see what's out there, looking beyond the walls of of mask economic and now um it's time to implement and it's time to develop our own timeline and you know, really put our own stamp on this. So, that's where we're going. Um we're using shared tools and templates. You know, I work with I work with I don't know, seven or eight different departments. So there's a quite a bit of calibration that has to be done to make sure that we're all on the same page in terms of expectations and um being consistent. So I can tell you that this work we have a consistent curriculum approach uh with our district template with our shared curriculum drive. This brings some shared accountability to the work that we're doing uh where most recently we started to calibrate with

011our performance assessments. start thinking thoughtfully about where are those opportunities in the curriculum where we can become more common and what does that look like in terms of common expectations that we set as a as a leadership group myself and um department chairs to say what you know what should this look like in all departments across the board and I know I did share that um with you at the last u when I was here at the end of April. Um, so you know, I think the good news with this is there's more of a common language. You saw the feedback from our educators that I shared with you. They they're appreciative of the collaborative structures that are in place. They're appreciative of the time that they've been given this year. Um, where I see

012opportunities are to expand interdisciplinary experiences. We saw some of those emerge this year. There is an opportunity to go across departments more. There's also an AC an opportunity to go more across grade levels. So, um, I'd like to see us do more with the feeder schools and and really, um, across middle and high school as well. So, that's something that when we get into next year's plans, we're going to highlight for you. Um, so that, as you can see, th this is a work, you know, this is a work in progress. Yes, there's been some good work happening this year. This is a multi-year goal and um, there's there's many different facets to it. any um I didn't go through every bullet, but um there that's a large goal. That's a you know that's a

013big big goal um in terms of curriculum development and alignment. Any questions before before I move on? I guess I think I've asked this question before like how do we know what good looks like? How do we know when we're there? Yeah. So, what we've tried to do um is do a answer that question for you and provide a more definitive structure in terms of next year's plans to try to have a little bit more of um you know what that'll look like. I mean, in terms of curriculum, it's I'm going to get to that um when I when I wrote when I speak to you about what it looks like next year. But if you want me to answer that now, um you know, certainly if there's a shared curriculum drive, right, these need

014to be living documents. There needs to be evidence that our educators are um having meaningful opportunities to collaborate, that we're seeing a commonality in terms of language, that our students are being when we go into classrooms are seeing common learning experiences and outcomes. Not that every classroom has to look the same, but in terms of standards and outcomes, there should be a consistency. If you are in grade, you know, if you're a nth grader, you should have a similar experience in terms of the curriculum. Um, but how the teacher gets there may look very different. Their style may look very different. Um, Matt, a lot of the work, um, I'm not highlighting it tonight, but it the work we're doing around educator evaluation, um, you know, and in the look for ours and thinking about,

015you know, I want everyone to be on the same page in terms of looking for in the class. So, when I speak to you about some of these curriculum shifts and that student centered approach, that's all part of this. Um, yeah. So, it's it's it's not always going to be about student achievement. It's that's I mean that will come hopefully, right? Um but there's so many other aspects of the data. Um I'm going to talk to you about a district data team that we're putting together that I think is going to help answer some of those questions. Um because I know I mean we left here and our heads are spinning a little bit too. You know, what what kind of data are we what can we do and what what do we need to

016produce? And um so I appreciate the ask and I think we're going to I think we're we're having those conversations and I think we're going to do a much better job of of of getting you know where we want to be. So but I'll if you can if you don't mind waiting till I get to that point really going through that too. Thanks. Um you can I'm sorry. Nope. The right place my eyesight. Uh so improving service delivery align to identified student needs. I'll let um Brad speak to this job. Yep. Yeah. Um yeah, this was it's easier to see here. Yeah. Um it this has a lot to do um obviously with executive functioning and I think anybody who has a teenager um even a pre-teen notices that executive function is uh something that

017all students need some support with or need some skill development. So, um, you know, this year we had a plan in place where, um, in the middle school, uh, one of the three school counselors, Jessica Goldberg, um, uses emblocks with each team throughout the year, um, to, uh, teach and review and introduce, um, executive function skills so that eighth graders are are learning those skills. Um in the high school we have the academic success center which I feel we've you know talked about in here over the last few years as it's been rolled out. Um, and that's been an area where we've really, you know, I think it it came postcoid, but it's now really, I think, finding its niche in working with kids um [Music] who, you know, not students with disabilities or IEPs,

018but, you know, kids who are struggling, you know, to to manage coursework, to manage tasks, to manage, you know, their backpack. I know there's quite a few backpacks that get cleaned out in there. Um so this year you can see you know 82 kids um passed through the academic success center which um you know is up from from years past and um just goes to show the work that that we're doing with kids um for executive functioning. Um guess so are you seeing results? So they've passed 82 students have received services are seeing results. are we seeing improvement in grades and school attendance and like how are you measuring whether this is successful right so um and that's again I think as this goal was rolled out you know I think we talked about this

019November of this year you know awkward timing so it's better that we're doing it now as we go forward to to next year so that we can um we can talk about that um it's it's it's tricky to base it on on grades. Um it it's supposed to be a short-term intervention where kids are are going in and you know coming out. So what would be a better measure? So they do get so every six weeks Matt Chow gives them an assessment and see how they are they improving are they doing well with their time management? Are they keeping up with assignments? is he time bless you is he's spending less time to talking to the teachers and ideally we can phase him out at six weeks and then um this is I I don't

020recall the tool but the tool he's using is then leading him to what still needs to be worked on and works with the parents okay we we've got the backpacks organized we're colorcoded assignments are getting done now we need to work on getting the grade up um and so every six weeks the students get assessed and then whether they And a lot of times they're like, "Okay, I think I'm good. Let me in study hall. Let me see how I do on my own." Sometimes we have to bring them back. Sometimes like, "You're not ready. We'll keep you in a little bit longer." But every six weeks he's assessing them with and I I apologize for not knowing the tool, but it is a executive functioning toolbox that he's using and reports back to this

021full guidance of like this is how we're doing. We're ready to release three kids, ready to bring in two more. Um, so it is sort of a revolving door, but they're assessed regularly and working with the teachers and teachers will also come back and say, "They're doing a great job. They're now turning in work. The backpack's not exploding when they walk into class." Um, so it is not a learning disability. It's truly executive functioning. They have the capability. They just can't put it out here. And so they're just But here I'm diving at like what are the other measurements? So I think as as it as it develops and I think as it's kind of found its niche I feel like this year I think the the quantitative data is gonna you know we're going

022to have to sort of mine that a little bit better. I think right now it is like to Katie's point there. I mean he does have scales that he does but it is also a lot of feedback from what teachers are seeing or what parents see. Um so this is one one person supporting 82 students that was parents and parents. So, this one teacher certified teacher and two parents that are in and this is the first year of this tool. So, so I don't really know it off the top of my head, but it's he's he loves using it. He's like, "It's great. I'm seeing success." And to your point, it is a black and white structure. Yeah. Not all anecdote. Thank you. Um tutoring program. Yeah, the peer tutoring was started by a student.

023Um it took a little bit to get off the ground. We had it pre-COVID and then we were trying to get it was just in school tutoring. Um we ended up with 20 students who were who said that they would be peer tutors. They also were vetted by their teachers to make sure they could actually tutor what they said that they wanted to. Um and we had 17 students that were looking for it. Not all schedules jived. Um, so we ended up having nine successful matches and the um, both sides, the tutor and the 2Z really enjoyed that. They thought it worked. They either met up during Mlock or they would try and do after school depending upon schedules. It just we had a problem driving with schedules um, to get as many kids. But

024um, we're going to keep going with that. And this, like I said, was the first year we got it off the ground again after many years. And so some scheduling wise with the ML block took a little bit. Um, but the teachers actually really liked that it was their input vetting the students. You know, I didn't have somebody say, "I can do algebra 2 and can't." Um, so we would send out, you know, so and so wants to tutor algebra 2. Do you feel they can do this? The teachers all had a hand in it, said absolutely. Um, and so we had nine very successful pairings. Um, and they met once a week for until, you know, they felt that they were all good. Um, but we did have 20 kids who were vetted to

025be tutors and we're going to try and ramp that up a little bit more next year, but again, it just became scheduling conflicts. Um, we talked about this um back in November as well. The ESC rolled out a new IEP um this year, the first revision in my, you know, in my history, maybe ever. Yeah. So, um it it was an adjustment. Um things are going well. I think you know we we frontloaded we had um Kelly Merdens who is an educational consultant who specializes in special ed um come in over the summer and worked with the administrative staff. Then twice in September, um, she came in and worked with all the staff. Um, which I think, you know, made a huge difference going forward, um, throughout the year with IEP meetings and, um, people

026feeling comfortable with just a different flow and a different format. And this IEP has, you know, much more focus on student voice. So, um, you know, it it used to be that you you could hold an IEP meeting without a student. Um, you know, the parents could could come and it could be the team. It's really difficult to do it now without a student because there's a lot of, you know, student facing questions, which is good because that's, you know, that's the whole purpose. So, um, we've done a lot of work there. Um, I think our staff has done great. Um, I think that the special ed folks have been phenomenal. Um, as the person who signs them all and reads them, I've been, you know, really impressed that, you know, they really um, sort

027of took to the to the new document. So, culture. Yeah. Um, and I think they came here. I can't remember the date. Um, Yeah, correct. That was awesome. Um, Tritown Council working with Tritown Council um with the YRBS data this year. They presented last year's data um and they presented that to the faculty in both buildings. They presented it here. They've they've done a number of things. Um we're already working with Tritown Council to um sort of develop and formulate the questions for next year because it's done every two years. So it's going to roll out next year again. Um so that um that will happen next year and a lot of the health teachers took the data and rolled it into their curriculum as well. So after the students presented they were all the

028staff was sent off the data to do it as they want. Um and so a lot of the teachers rolled in kind of beefed up some of their units based on what was came back as the data. Great. Um and then as we work to build capacity with work, I think MASCO has done um fantastic job over the last maybe decade um in in recognizing and acknowledging the role that emotion and uh you know students experience plays in their education. So, um, you know, with the school adjustment counselors in both buildings, there are student support centers where where kids can go. Um, and those adjustment counselors have really taken a lead role, I feel like, in in working with kids and then kind of bringing bringing ideas forward. I think, you know, the best ideas

029don't come from me. They come, you know, from people who are, you know, on the ground and who are dealing with situations every day. And that's where we began with our universal mental health screenings a couple years back. We started small. I think we did maybe one team on seventh grade. Um this past year we did the entire seventh grade, the entire 9th grade and the entire 11th grade. Um which was really, you know, a great accomplishment. um because it's not just providing those screenings for anxiety and depression, it's also then formulating plans for um the kids who score, you know, at levels that require attention. So um not only do they, you know, roll these out, they also then kind of um have a response plan in place that um oftentimes is the cognitive

030behavior therapy groups where they work with kids. um think it's 6 weeks, you know, following that. So, it's it's really it's really something question. Yeah. Since the 11th graders did not utilize the groups offered, wh why not? I didn't. Yeah. How come the 11th grade didn't utilize when they're screened? Depending upon what number level you get. So if you get screened in your emergency, you go right out an ambulance. Then there's another level where your parents are called. And then there's a moderate level where you can participate in the CBT group. And the um group for the 11th grade, I think they're under 10 students and they all chose not to participate in the CBT group. Um because you do have to get parental per and they have to be interested. Um but the high

031risk and the moderate risk you have to you know be seen and but the moderate to low risk were offering a group and the 11th graders weren't interested in partaking in it. What's the uptake at the seventh and ninth grade levels? Um they had everybody participate. I think it's also you know if you're looking for like the why it might be you know it's done to everybody. So some of those 11th graders might already have an outside provider. they might, you know, it might be a seventh grader might be the first time a parent has heard that there's, you know, a concern. So, it just seems probably more likely that the the younger students would partake in this. I guess I'm wondering if the need's going down as they get older. That's really the question

032of need going down. I think they have more providers. What it is about it could be it's exclusive to look for signs of depression, for example. So, be connected. That's Yeah. And some are already connected within the building. So they're like, "Why don't I do a group? I meet the people already." And then some have outside providers. I think in the seventh grade we're just catching them. Right. So you're saying if the ninth graders were given the option of not doing it, you think that it would be a similar I'm not going to engage like the 11th graders? No, I think we're finding as they get older, they have more providers, outside providers. Ninth graders have an option too. It's all it's it's all optional service. Same they just chose to partake in they just

033said yes. So they 100% of the ninth graders took part. Okay. Identified question. Yeah. So that's why we were surprised when 11th was like everybody else has been doing this. Um, but then in talking to the looking at who the list was, they're either already connected within the building or they're connected with others outside the building, but they don't they need the added support. What does CBT stand for? Cognitive behavior. Thank you. They said exposure. Yeah. So, in terms of uh fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment, um as you know, we've partnered with the educator commonwealth project. Um in January, we surveyed um parents, students, faculty to assess their overall sense of well-being here um in terms of the school environment. And um we did an initial dive in terms of an analysis of

034this data um with the department chairs uh well actually with the leadership team as well um you know it's going to take a little while before we start to you know we want to start to see some trends in the data but what we are um having some initial conversations um around you know some some points that are worth looking at. We're going to be meeting with the association next week on this as well the teachers association um leadership. So you know I think it's um eventually this will become my understanding is eventually this becomes public um but you know they have to draw in the desi data there's uh certainly they need to see I think it's at least two years Mike data um before something like this would even be you know become

035public because it's um it's in its infancy but it's a good step and I feel it's a nice step in the right direction um and it's another data point. Um, this is the same group we're partnering with with our work with around per performance assessments, too. They have two sides of what they do. Um, as far as the the accreditation, I think, uh, Mike and I spoke to you about this in terms of where we're at. Um, this um, as a reminder, our we'll have a visiting team here on site at the high school in October. They'll take a look at everything we do. Um, we'll be assessed across five standards. what the surveys we we administered these surveys in the fall you may recall to parents, students and faculty same all the stakeholders um

036that that evidence that that data has been super helpful to our faculty because our faculty is um you know developing assessments around these five standards right we're self assessing ourselves but we're applying into every one of those standards we're looking at the data um that we're receiving from these different stakeholder groups in a lot of cases it was affirming you know and and when we cite it within our reports and eventually this will become public how we how we uh assess because ultimately we'll be judged on those five standards for accreditation and again I think Mike you did a good job speaking about the 10-year cycle and how this evolves over time. What's the timeline for that uh in terms of the data becoming available? Yeah. Well, the visit's in October 15. What is what's

037their timeline these days? I mean, I went through a 10, you know, re I think it's Is it within a couple of months? Yeah, they before January. Before January and then we have to rely. Yeah, we'll have initial feedback before budget season. I don't know. I don't think so. Not that it's it's not public until They send they send a draft the school the school gets to look at it say okay you know get to review and say you know what you missed this you missed that they massage the report and then comes out a couple months after that I love this process not everyone shares my love first it's not the most popular um I've been through a number of these and I find it super helpful in terms of u fulfilling needs in

038a district that are identified through the budget process Um maybe I maybe not this climate, but in the past it's been super um super helpful in terms of lending support for what you what you want and need in a school district. You have an impartial group come in from the outside and say, "Hey, yeah, you definitely need this." Um and how often do our educators have that time to reflect? It's super powerful experience. I'll let Kane speak to school culture advisories and I believe Phil as well, right? Yeah. So I ran for the first six months um an MB block cultural advisory with the students. Um it kind of died out. Kids weren't interested and they came out with a lot of great ideas. Um then we're busy during MLOCK. So, I met with a

039bunch of students um recently and said we're going to reimagine who's invited because we just went with the student leaders of juniors and seniors of all the clubs and activities. We're going to open it up to anybody that would like to join um bring their concerns. One thing that did come out of it, I don't know if anybody's able to to come see it, the cultural fair um that they did a couple weeks ago with their trifolds of different countries and different foods. It was fantastic. um they want to ramp that up and make it bigger and just fully um all the bulletin boards talking about different cultures, how you know the library always has accepting everybody. Um we did work with WBMT and the morning update to be able to start collaborating through this

040group, especially now that WBMT is live streaming. Um they want to try and roll in and start calling games next year if possible um with the morning update students. Um, and we just ran into a bunch of conflicts because they really started using their M blocks and they're like, "Stop pulling me from the MB block." I was like, "It's fine. It's fine. We'll reimagine this next year at different times and maybe, you know, changed different days." Um, but they really, the kids were great. Just giving different ideas. Um, the spirit weeks got bigger. They did more promoting of it. And that's really just really giving them the voice. What do you want? The doors open. Let's see what we can do around here. Um, and they were great. It just they're busy. They're very busy,

041so they kind of petered out after a while, but they're looking forward to starting it back up. Um, and like I said, we did the cultural fair. We have all the global competencies, the band doing all these amazing things, going to different places. Our kids are and by side, the debate club, the model unit, they go everywhere and they're really doing a great job um promoting how great basketball is. And if anybody didn't hear about the Disney trip, one of the bests. They just got back. Um, huge, huge congratulations to them. They had a blast. The kids came back and said that was amazing. Um, so good news is that it was fantastic. And they're back. And they're back. A little tired today. I say I just really appreciate you, Katie, like doubling down on

042figuring out a better time to do this next year and getting more kids involved. I just postcoid slashgenerationally kids are leaving prom super early which I know you know and it's just the socialization seal skills I know it's an area that a lot of us on the committee but also parents are concerned about and we want so just you prioritizing hearing directly from students about how to build a culture beyond yeah they came out gung-ho but then they got busy but like I said even Even though the first month we came up with probably 25 ideas, three came to fruition. So we did it like got cultural flare up. The spirit weeks they really wanted to ramp up. They're already ramping up before they walk out of here the whole decorating. They're like let's get

043it organized before we leave. So like they're we're getting there. Thank you for doing that. I know that that's an additional on top of full-time job and it's really Yeah, it's I mean that's the fun part. just meeting with the kids and just helping them guide them like I'm not doing it but I'll get you there. Few eyes I didn't know were really good. Yeah. I mean they're they're great great ideas but it's also the kids that you end up meeting with are the kids who are doing everything. So we're just trying to get so overched. That's what came out. So, um, at the middle school level, actually, first I just want to say we had our eighth grade national junior honor society induction ceremony tonight before school committee. Went very well. Um, we had

044probably about 60 students that were inducted um this year, which is a a great number. Um, so we're very proud of them. They did very well um as they move on to high school. So, it was a nice recognition for those kids and their families um at the middle school level as far as school culture goes. So, um, skipping forward, Mike, to the next slide. Um, yeah, that that bottom box there. So, we did a Chinese New Year student presentation to the entire middle school. One of our, uh, students um, plays a Chinese instrument that looks kind of looks like a um, uh, self-standing guitar or harp almost, but it's not. and she played that for the entire uh student body and also talked about the Chinese New Year, exposed kids to her culture. Um

045we had a lap and foundation assembly to talk about the history of the Holocaust and the importance of recognition of um hate symbols like swastikas and how those have no place in school. Um and Debbie Colton from the Lapen Foundation came in as part of that. She and I also spoke at the state house this year um about our response uh to anti-semitic um commentary or graffiti and how we handle it as a school community, how it becomes a learning experience for students um and not just a disciplinary item. Uh we do citizen workshops um every first Friday of the month. Um we do uh chieftains of the month where we recognize two students from every team for their positive um contributions to their team or Masco community. We had art an author visit this

046year with students which something we'll continue every year. So, we have quite a bit and it's something that is a big focus for us next year with the school improvement plan is expanding that and making it even bigger through um an advisory program which I'll talk more about as we jump into the next section here. Let's go. So, the school improvement plan 2526 we'll we'll get started on just a minute. But if anybody has questions on this year's update, now's good time for quick on that. Okay, Evan, you want to get started? Sure. Yeah. So, yeah. So, we did try to streamline this for you and and uh looking at certainly goals, um action steps and what's that success criteria going to look like as we move forward. Um so, that curriculum goal I spoke

047to you about again multi-year goal. um you know I think the the stronger we can make connections across all content areas and beyond a consistent common with a consistent common language you would hope that students would experience fewer gaps right in their learning um the more we can collaborate the more we can as I said go across grade levels across disciplines more conversations with the feeder schools um you know those are those are all a big part of this and it's incumbent on us to put the structure in place and um I meet regularly with the professional development committee and um I know two of you are on the committee that are here this evening. Um but those those conversations um I can assure you are all about how can we create these collaborative opportunities

048for our educators? How can we capitalize um on the structures that we have in place? How can we be creative? Think outside the box. rethink PD professional development um which we are to some degree. Um so we have a number of of things in the mix for next school year but the point is you you need to marry the professional learning to um the curriculum goal and that's what we're certainly what we're trying to do. So between curriculum maps map that I mentioned that should be living um educator feedback and of course classroom visits and through the work we're doing with the edaval committee the joint labor committee I guess we should call it um we meet regularly there as well and we are we are making progress and we are developing common set of

049expectations we're aligning to a much more current standards and expectations of of classrooms um and Most importantly, we're going to develop a common language of u where we need to be and you know this this all goes hand in hand in terms of student learning. Um this next piece uh you know we talk about communication you know I like to think that this next piece is about an opportunity to strengthen the homeschool partnership. This idea of ensuring accessible and consistent curriculum overviews. Um, I don't see this going public for at least another year. But what I will tell you is we are I think the timing on this one I I felt the need that to I thought the timing was right because we're going to transition to a new website. Um, and so doing

050there are some some dated um the public face of the website is dated um in terms of curriculum in terms of what you see from department to department. So my goal next year will be to work closely with the with the leadership team to develop an effective curriculum snapshot. Right? what's going to help our families. Um, you know, that's not giving families the entire curriculum. That's not helpful. Um, but it's it's given, you know, a snapshot of of um of where we want our students to be, where we're going um with the curriculum. So, that's a piece that we'll we'll start to take a look at. Um, this next piece is all about the students. And um I I I said to you that the portrait of a learner, you know, our faculty understands it.

051Those competencies um it's not visible. Our students don't understand, our students are not familiar with. So that's the big push next school year. And once we make that big push, um we're going to show start to showcase student learning. Um we're going to showcase student learning in terms of um you know culminating their learning experiences over the course of their years here at Masinom. Um and you know we have a number of ideas of what that's going to look like. That's not all going to happen next year, but the idea is we hope next year to start to showcase some of our um students before they graduate in terms of their learning profiles in terms of some of that output. Uh so next year the big focus there is on the students. Um you know

052it's students don't reflect enough. Students don't I said this earlier about the faculty. I I strongly believe in in student reflection and giving students opportunities in the curriculum to reflect on their learning. They do that to some degree with their capstone. They they do it um I'm not saying we don't do it in classrooms um but we don't do it often enough. And and this is a way we'll be able to capture the big picture of what's most important. So when I talk to you about transfer skills and I talked to you about portrait of a learner, um it's being able to let's not get caught up in the facts here. let's get, you know, let's really focus on concepts and what's most important in terms of the academics, but also in terms of um

053the skill sets that you know, Eric is alluding to with kids that whether socialization, whatever it may be, SEAL, whatever you want to call it, um those are equally important. So, we'll get there. Um any questions on so that's the um curriculum continue work with curriculum development and align I mean I guess I'll I'll ask it again right like what does excellence look like? What is good when we're done? How do we know I mean these all sound like good things right? How do we know where like what gaps were are our priorities? What are our biggest gaps? How do we tie the things that we're doing to addressing those gaps? Right? How do we achieve whatever excellence is in all the different dimensions of the portrait that we're talking about? I think that when

054we're done here, I think there's got to be something that ties us back to not say data, but something more quantitative than here's some things we're going to go do and we did them and we had some kids passed through some activity or some program. There was general goodness that came out of it, but are are we there yet? right? Are we are we achieving or we approaching excellence in whatever dimension? I think that's where you look at so even that last piece where you're looking at, you know, having students really demonstrate what they can do regard relative to the portrait of a learner. Those are would be performance tests that are common and you're collecting data from those. Okay? And that's really what you're looking at is saying how many kids demonstrate that they're

055effective problem solvers. Yeah. What percentage? You know, those are the kinds of things and, you know, we'll have to start with a target number and, you know, think about what that what that makes sense. But there's nothing more powerful hearing from the kids. And that's what this does. You know, this this allows our students to like Mike said, I mean, reflect and demonstrate um they have to articulate how they got there, you know, and and uh how this is going to carry them beyond masking off. If I'm reading this correctly, the what you in the column that you labeled success criteria, most of those things could rather easily be quantitatively assessed. Is that correct? Um, I see some qualitative too, but yes. Yeah, that's the goal is the new data team to be able, you

056know, the questions are you're asking are what do you want kids to know and be able to do? And then the second most important question is how do you know that they know? Yeah. So that's you know what what the second piece is. That's what this bottom right box is is really saying, you know, we want kids to be proficient on these portraitable learner competencies. How do we know that they are? And so we have to create assessments or adapt the assessments that we already have to make sure that we're we're measuring that and then collecting information collecting data on that. Then you take the seniors with their capstone and their profiles. Ideally, we want to make a not everybody yet, but a few kids from each town, big posters. This is my name. This

057is what I've learned. This is how I got through high school. and put them at how Manning and Fuller Meadow and put them at Proctor and Sew and just say, "Look, these guys got through here. This is what they learned. This is and just try and do the K to2 and just get it structured." But our whole goal next year is we've got to come up with this. What are our assessments? What are we going to show you that we've gotten there? We're not there yet. So, that's that's why we can't give you a direct answer, but that's where we're going. We're doing the work now, though. I mean, when I talk about performance assessments and calibrating those across departments, this is all purposeful. This is where, you know, we're we're moving in that direction.

058Um, you know, the next slide I'm going to speak to this all fits together. It's not just um, you know, there's there's the district data team. Um, if you if you don't mind advancing. Can I just jump in? So, I'm sorry. I This is just kind of a point. It's not a question, but something to throw out into the universe for the future because I'm thinking about this as you're speaking and like remembering I don't even know how long ago it was when we were like in this room with working groups like it was years before I was ever on school committee talking about what are those competencies? What are we driving to? What is the mass? And so it's like kind of exciting as I'm reflecting on that to see it all coming together.

059And what I'd love like future states of Masco to be able to do is do some and I've said this before but do some kind of longitudinal study of what is the impact on the students something that you just alluded to when they leave here what are they ready for because I have lots of neighbors and friends and my own kids and their friends where I am seeing the impact is unbelievable and if you have young children you can't quite imagine how all these things that happen in the tri town stack up. But when I'm seeing what the outcomes are, what the opportunities are for the students who have been here through this program, it really is powerful. And like what you're describing, I can see what that long-term impact is going to be. And

060it feels really exciting to me right now. And I would love to be able to add on to this when we're through this phase that longitudinal study a look back. Take 10 years of Masco graduates from 2023 back or forward and say what was accessible to you because you had this experience. Like I loved the tidbits we got this year about the global diploma and where students were talk students who are in college now and out of college now reflected on what the global diploma opened up for them. And what I'm hearing in higher ed is the earlier college experiences stack up. And if you don't have the ability to attain some of them early on, it locks you out. It freezes you out of internships and other experiential opportunities. And when somebody leaves Masco

061and they've already had an internship, it makes them infinitely more employable as an early career college student. So, it's like you're piecing, you're threading all these things together that were a long play. And it's so nice to see it at this stage. And I hope future school committees can keep the study going, keep the work going, and do that look back that will really show for the towns a powerful impact that is happening here. Sorry, long rant, but want to throw it into the universe for the day I'm not on school committee. With those student profiles, what are they going to highlight? Right? I mean, this place is unreal. The the experiences, the the beyond the classroom, too, right? What are they going to draw from? It's not just, you know, I talk a lot

062about the classroom, but it's um this place is remarkable in terms of what we offer. Yeah. And you know that. So, like to see that on full display and really spotlight that, I think it's be pretty powerful. She let the cat. I wasn't gonna say that's where we That's That's where we're gonna hope to go. We give these a couple up. Get a couple. Yeah. No, and I know I know Katie feels strongly about that, too. So, we're going to make it happen. Um, yeah. So, this district data team, this is, you know, this is a necessary step because we we are collecting some good data in this district and, you know, to to be able to tell a story and and really um have meaningful conversations around the data, really inventory the data that

063we have here in the district. You know, I noted a few of the we've talked about a lot about tonight, some of those data points. Um, but certainly, you know, this is a team that I will be putting together that'll be I will be looking for representation across the district, across the schools, um, leadership, teachers, right? You name it. Um, in terms of having starting to have some meaningful dialogue around those data points, thinking about um, and actually imple starting to implement how this is going to inform our instruction and how it already is informing our instruction and how can we how can we enhance that in terms of instruction. Um, so you know ultimately you don't want this data to be one and done, right? You want it to be shared. You want to

064build on it. You want to look at trends. You want to have those data points to really work from. You got excited when I talked to you about a data dashboard. I've started to do some research. It's it's a much more reasonable cost than I than I thought it would be. And you know, I think that that's exciting. um you know if to have all the data in one place and to to customize it you know this is something um my teams promised they'll they'll they'll sit through a webinar or two coming up uh in the coming days here to really um get a sense of where we can go with this um because um there are systems that will set us up for success um you know certainly I want the people in place

065I want um I want the structure in place and And um in order to do this the right way, you know, we may need some support um as well. Um I can talk about the middle school. Yeah, go ahead. Um so the last couple boxes on there, you see middle school support implementation of literacy programming. So Brad and I have been working um together on this piece starting now because we're bringing in an outside consultant um well Brad's putting out an RFP uh to look at our middle school program um and how we offer reading support for students. We've noticed that students coming up from the elementary schools uh have a lot of identified reading needs and we find that we need extra support for those students in middle school beyond what we typically offer

066as part of our special education program. Um without really revealing too much without getting too deep into it, we we are looking at having a teacher who dedicates more of their time to providing direct reading support for students. We do have reading specialists in the building that already work with students, but this is uh some more tiered support u models that we have where we'd have teachers working with small groups. Um and also identifying I think the benefit of the consultant is being able to lean on you know their professional experience and judgment as well in terms of what you know what's possible in a public school. and what we need and and what we need what we have um you know how things can be can be rearranged I mean I've said I think

067we've got all the puzzle pieces we just might need to them around the board a little bit u but yeah it's it's something I think you know throughout this process this year you know we we heard a lot about out of district we heard a lot about reading so I think it's something definitely that we're we're paying attention to we want to make sure that we we get right so Mhm. Um question. Yeah. So, I'm going to ask the jerk question, which is why aren't some of these kids held back if they cannot read? Do you mean at the elementary level? Yeah. I'm curious. I don't think I mean nobody anybody back anymore. Yeah. There's very little of retention anymore in grade a lot of data behind it really show doesn't work. just doesn't work.

068And socially it it can be very social. Yeah. It's a big part of it. Yeah. Yeah. I I don't know this for sure, but if I would bet that they do not retain students in the elementary levels. So if you if you know you have a problem in the sixth grade level, um do you start addressing it the summer before seventh grade? I mean, is there a reason that you can't get a jump start before they even get here? I mean, this is critical. Technically, they're not even ours until like September one. So, I mean, that's that's the with the structure of the Tritown School Union versus Masanomic. That's that's really a big downfall is that we went and when we went to see Manchester Essics, I think I told you guys all about it.

069It was amazing. But it starts in second grade and you know it's impressive to see what they do by the time they get to later later grades and yeah it's so we're trying to see how we can you know starting in seventh grade what what's possible what can what can we do um and the person we're hoping to work with uh is familiar with the folks in Manchester and and their programmed. I mean, if if they were yours June 15th, would it make a difference instead of September 1st? Um, yeah. Again, it would be an optional programming in the summer for that sort of thing, but we I mean, we would have to have buyin from the parents possibly could we could try to run a program and we could offer it. Um I think

070you know what our experience has been you know through covid was there weren't a lot of takers even the we tried to run accelerationmies and math yeah students did not just math just math was the only one did yeah that the only the only one we had actually we had actually people sign up for we couldn't get people to take you know these were after school and summer right right um there's more and more conversations in sixth grade teachers than has been in the past and try and figure out we we all had the kind of staff gap of a few years of just getting kids back into the building and I know Brad's been down all just trying to be like what are you guys doing how can we do this to try and

071close the gap from both sides so we got the consultant coming are we anticipating that the new curriculum in the tritown school union the literacy curriculum the LA may help us like the goal. And then I have a comment. So, I'm hearing a lot of good stuff and that the stuff that we presented as part of our budget process and the concerns of the community are sort of we're working and I would really love some collaboration starting early from the school committee just to show us like these are we have really we graduate really great students like I know you're going to you know the unveiling of the the plan um but we have to do it to our community our beyond elementary schools. Um, and I don't know how I don't know how we

072can collaborate to that, but I just want to throw the thought out because they have supported our education programs, especially this year. Um, and we want to show that the older people living in town whose kids graduated 30, 40 years ago, that we're still producing those great students. Um, and that our money is being used to figure out how we can do better and that we're addressing the needs. So meeting with department heads is also helpful because they are working so hard 7 to 12 in their curriculum. Yeah, they can go deeper dive as to to show you how they're pulling it through. And yeah, but I think you're talking about morely how do we how do we get to you know in Topfield Town Hall? I think I don't tell my parents they're going

073to call them elderly, but you had elderly. they, you know, they used to read the Trittown transcript, right? Or I don't think they navigate, I'll tell them. I don't think they navigate Facebook or Instagram probably. So, yeah, maybe finding some mechanism that can and other than me telling them that, hey, the soccer and the and the really um the good thing about the election process this year was that the teachers union produced some really good PR for the district. And I don't know if that's a way we can incorporate we can ask you know students to help with that like highlights and again it's not going to address like the the lack of a newspaper but I'm sure there's a way that we can even if we got like the coas the um school newspaper

074I figure for is it still the chieftain chronicle basically. Yes. Yeah. It's electronic. It's a middle school one too. It isn't a a hard paper, but yeah, but if we can somehow print it and drop them off at the COAs because there's so much good stuff that comes out of Masco and we're going to have the data the data to prove it. That's good to me. So anyway, um that was just like hearing all this and being grateful for this port on our community. So that's a great idea. Um did you get the last one there? Yes, I have. There was the next one on there about the high school, right? But it's the same premise. Um, working in the high school with our student support center. Um I think as we've you know looked

075at our data and um you know seen the the language based issues that we're having in the middle school and at that transition point in the high school there are you know social emotional school engagement school attendance um type issues that uh we better address. Yeah. And that that's probably where you know we lose high school students to an outplacement um to be fair. So I think working with a different consultant who we have in mind um to just see like the student support center if you were to like ask around I really feel like that was born at maskamit. I think a lot of schools now have one but we had one in 2013. So, it's it's fully developed and it's functioning, but it might be time for like a someone to take a

076look at it and see if we can be doing things differently. Um, just because kids in 2025 are are different than kids in 2013. So, um, so we're going to hopefully accomplish that this year as well. Yeah. Um, I just we we keep talking about consultants and I just I guess for my own clarification, we just cut a bunch. So, where's the money coming from for the like I don't want people are, you know, like Melissa said, you know, they supported our budget, but I'm also hearing, you know, they want to make sure that we're doing the right thing with the budget. Yep. Um, yeah. So, it's it's a process. It's coming. um through the ID IDEIDA you know special ed grants um and it's something that you know we have to do um I

077think even the state is kind of you know saying hey you guys should just because of our placements you you've got to take a look at this kind of works both ways that we're we're kind of being encouraged to do it and we actually are at the point where we want take a look at these areas. But I think the point is like you're using the outside grant to fund it and it's it's relatively short moneyly speaking to the budget. Thank you. I know Phil wants to get to community. I the other piece I didn't mention was the u the PLC model. We talked, we mentioned the professional learning communities at the last um meeting and you know we recently met with um a group that was trained uh one year ago um and as

078what we qualify as PLC leaders um and we got a real opportunity to hear from these teachers to see what their thoughts were around the current PLC model and um what we see here is a need for really re a little bit of a reset here to set some common expectations ations around what a professional learning community is consistently across the district um in terms of defining it in terms of some clear expectations but also with the work we're doing with the data team um and as we're identifying some data points uh integrating that into these professional learning communities. So if we're looking at a data point having some allowing our educators to have some meaningful dialogue whether it's student work perhaps it's a common assessment uh so looking at some supports to support this

079process that's that's where that um you know that one's really directly related to the data team and of course the curriculum work as well. So I just wanted to put that out there. Um all right I know you want to talk about community. Not that exciting. Um, I'm excited about this next year though, uh, for community peace and our, um, building off of our citizen workshops and our culture of kindness. So, this is really something that was in place before I got here. Um Gavin Monagle, our assistant principal, who's retiring this year after I think 10, 11 years at Masco, even longer in public education, um runs our citizen workshops, which are a monthly um community building, good news kind of thing, reflection um piece for students that we do with both the um seventh

080and eighth graders during MLK. So, next year we're looking at expanding that. Um, and that's going to be something uh that I'm working with the new assistant principal on to develop an advisory program um a more robust advisory program or true advisory program as part of our MB block um programming in the middle school. So, it will incorporate citizen workshops. It will build off of our culture of kindness um and really just uh help create a foundation in the middle school for students uh to learn and develop and it's all ties into that social emotional learning piece that we know is so important now. Um we already do food drive food drives, we do clothing drives, visits the um community centers, we have partnerships and community events, but just really growing that, building it, making

081it more accessible to more students um and being able to uh support uh the entire school community in middle school so that they feel like they're part uh of a culture here in the middle school that um helps them and and supports them and and helps get them ready for for the next step in going into high school. So the advisory program for the high school um about 10 years ago we had a committee that I still have my folder. It's about this big of research and the curriculum. So we want to get that off the ground again now that we have the M block. Um and actually most of the people are still here and excited to get it off the ground. So advisory for high school is a little bit different. We would

082use the M block maybe like once a month. Um it is a curriculum based but it all goes back to the SEAL goes back to are the you know do we need a freshman toolbox in September and because our M blocks currently are mixed um you know the seniors can help the freshman in in the beginning of the year help them transition and it really by the end if you run an advisory program well the students have another conne They have all their teachers. They have their school counselors. This is somebody they see every day um in their ML block and just once a month we just bring them together and put all the work aside and say this is you know we're going to talk here's the topic of the day. We're going to

083talk about prompts. We're going to talk about dances. We're going to talk about vaping. Like um they are preset curriculums and then teachers can kind of run with it. Um so we're looking to kind of get that back off the ground. Like I said a lot of the committee members are ready to go. We'll bring out our old research and our old curriculum. Um so that's just creating a timeline to really get that implemented hopefully for next year, maybe get a couple to pilot um this year, but it would be through the through the MLO. Um we do still do a ton of community events. They have the pride parade on Sunday. We all the comm um hours kids are always going out. the environmental club is going out and cleaning up the different towns.

084They help out the apple festival, the you know the Topsfield Fair, they um strawberry festival, all the um so we do a lot of outreach and want to bring in some more and we're trying to get the internship to also do some more outreach um and do different things. But our main goal is really to get this advisory review committee back together so we can put that back into play because it's just another touch point for students. And I mean I don't know where you grew up but I know my advisor for four years in high school was awesome and it was just a math teacher like she was great. Um so just getting the consistency and another touch point to really get to know the students and build the community and some in the

085past when we had talked about it like can we combine you know do two end blocks together have a bigger group you know there's a lot you can do it so that's the goal is to kind of get it off the ground again and be able to implement it. That wraps it up for us. Um, so do you guys have any comments or questions? Just one question. Um, I this all sounds great. I love hearing all of it. Um, is the idea that all the success criteria with the exception of the curriculum snapshots will be met by end of year next year's school improvement plan. me is this I mean it says 2526 so in this time frame in 2026 there's check marks next to the success criteria on all 16 of these or I

086mean some of them say 2627 or that they're a work in progress so it's not like I'm just looking right there now it says 2627 schools development um it's not a two-year death that's process that's a you know we're adding courses that's just always ongoing. We should be capitalizing. Doesn't mean it's going to live in the plan next year, but we should be capitalizing on opportunities when we see them in terms of more vertical opportunities. So, responding to data, right? So, things are going to shift. Um, so it's always, but as far as a goal, I you know, um I'm guessing there'll be other layers that I'm going to have to uh delineate under curriculum development alignment because that's still going to be a major part of what we do. Um, but I I think

087the I don't want to speak to the other. No, I think they're good the goals. I mean, sometimes you might come back there. My thought is, you know, if I this is my day job, I'd be like, "This all looks great, guys. How are you going to prioritize this?" Because try to paint this all down and something needs prioritized. How do you decide what's going to be dep prioritized? How do you decide what's more valuable than something else? How do you decide what's made enough progress that maybe you park it and you pick something else up? I don't see a path to that. But that I think because each one of us has something that we're working on and we'll put together different committees and then we continually meet and say who's going where and

088to your point what might actually have to get tabled because it's not getting the love it's supposed to right now. Um, you know, but Kevin's got his ones. You know, we all have ones we're prioritizing with our different committees. And then we meet weekly to see how this is when ELT meets every two weeks. This is the agenda. There's an update on, you know, that's what we've been doing all year, all this year is an update on where are we on all these things. Where where do we need help? You know, what's the progress? What's the what are the blocks and how do we get over? Yeah. I would hope you'd want to you expect to see progress right now. Does that mean we're going to full meet these goals at the end of next

089year? I don't know that that's come back to in January we've already tabled. Yeah, sure. I just want to make sure that, you know, it's lofty and that we we are realistic in terms of accountability with something that's ambitious, you know, and and we respect that there is a reality behind all of this. Yeah. And that's and that's that's the process. As I said, ELT meetings every two weeks. Where are we? How are we doing? District goals of three years. Um this is but it's nice to see right where we're at each year. Yeah. It's unusual to have a any district goal being not that I consider any of these to be typically also three years. Yeah. Um well excuse me. Um under instruction for improved service delivery align to identified student needs. Um I

090that one in terms of progress for the year I saw for forwardleaning components or just objectives or action steps. Can you speak to I'm thinking specifically about uh district placements but really just identifying all student needs. Um I heard that there may be a possibility that foundations and perspectives are not offered next year and so I just wanted to see if that was a real thing or not. I don't know who this is. Um, yeah, the foundations and perspective courses are are not running 9 through 12. It's like that we're we're starting they're coming coming into the high school and then working to taper out by the later grade. Um, what was the first part of your question? Sorry, I was just referencing to you explained that for status updates for this past year, but

091I didn't see like a forward leaning and here's what our goals will be. I think it was slide seven. My computer might have just died. It was identifying the one on service delivery. Yes. Yeah. There. So, that that was this year you presented what happened, but I'm thinking about moving forward. You know, the courses of committee budgeting. We're thinking about added district placements. Yeah. I think uh professor additional yeah as we're I think the way we're looking to um address the out of district placements is by working with the consultants in both buildings in those areas. Those feel like the most um most I want to say controllable but where we can have the most impact. Um, so I think, you know, we're going to continue doing, you know, what we what we do while

092we also work to with the consultant evaluate and and look at how we're doing these two areas specifically. Yeah. I are we like do we have data to show that students are tapering off of foundations and perspectives? Will those students next year go into CP classes? Well, there they are CP classes. um across the CP stands for college prep. So those were CP we don't have a CP2 level class but they're Am I understanding what they are? So those are not strictly for students with disabilities but primarily potentially included on the roster. They're smaller classes. They would be for students who would be multiple years behind. Let's say you're going into English 9th grade. If you are really far behind and you're not set up to be successful in college prep, you'd be in a

093foundations or perspectives. Um, yeah. I mean, I think it's tricky to say, you know, to quantify how far behind somebody is. Um, it it's really I think at that point like a decision based on, you know, the teachers from the prior year when they make recommendations. uh going forward and I think for the last few years we've our our perspectives and foundations courses have um we haven't been consistent yes in in where they've been offered and what courses they've been offered in. And as we go forward into this year, we're making a concerted effort to offer them completely in ninth grade and then work to help those students transition into um you know a 10th grade co-taught class. That as a goal makes I think that makes complete sense. My concern is and I know

094you know that my husband teaches one of these classes and having taught a substantially separate classroom myself which I know this is not but knowing the needs when students are substantially behind and would really struggle. I worry especially before working with consultants about taking this away and why we wouldn't wait until after we have the consultant come in look at program like programming and then suggest that because if we are going to put students who are currently separated from the number CP one or two the foundation of CP this is hierarchically below that based on my understanding If we are to just put them in CP classes without a plan to support them, that doesn't Yeah. I mean, I think I think the the approach or the the thought is that you're not you're not

095destined to be in, you know, a foundation's course for your high school career. So, so those students who are currently or who will be in a foundation's ninth grade, the hope and the the plan really is to equip them so that they can make by 10th grade a co-taught course which still has a general ed math teacher and a special ed teacher in it. A lot more kids, right? I guess my fear in like having having experienced similar structures, my fear is I completely agree that that should be the goal. And if we have students who are taking 20 seconds with a calculator to add two single-digit numbers, placing them in CP in 10th grade without a specific support plan feels like we're really doing them a disservice. Hearing though that we're working with a

096consultant to think bigger picture about how to support students about out of district placements. I I guess I just have to say I'm extremely concerned about that choice. Yeah. I mean, I think it it it's something that we've we've talked about and you know, I'm sure the people who are talking to you and you know, where you're getting some of your info are are like they're they're part of this has been a conversation for for years where it's like how do we how do we do this? When do we do this? You know, um I I think, you know, now is as good a time as any. I think the plan of the ninth grade bringing that seventh grade, eighth grade, ninth grade and then making a move at 10th grade is is the right

097time. Um, and I think we have the people to make it to make it work. So yeah, but I I understand concern that's that's valid. I guess my last question is will all students after ninth grade just go into 10th or are we going to look at data to determine are all like would we add a 10th grade I mean I know it's across all courses yeah will it just be the schedule each year looking at so everyone building it still building it um is comfortable with this model for next year that the ninth grade will have all the perspectives and then the 10th graders they feel are ready to go into the kota If we get to the point next year when we're building 26 27 and realize those nth graders are still going

098to need it, we can always add it back. But the people building and placing the kids said, "I think we can do this. I think our kids are ready to move into 10th grade cos." So like department heads and teachers, everybody's been part of the conversations. I'm hearing really different things. I just have to be candid about that about people being part of the conversation. I mean, if it if we find we have issues for next year, we put them back. But, I mean, it's been lots of conversations about this. I'm going to I'm going to maybe suggest we just if you guys want to take this offline, keep pulling a thread, have a discussion. It'd be great. We're a half hour, 40 minutes past our allotted window for this. And uh I heard you

099guys didn't have energy tonight, but you brought it. So Oh, you got more next the next agenda item. So later. Yeah. Think so. Right. Yeah. Yeah. So thanks. Thank you. Thank you guys. Thank you. See on this agenda link. Sorry. This will actually be quick. Some of it's not new, but I just want to put it up here because it's more of a highlight as well. Um, for the handbook edits, so I gone over with the MCCAST earlier this year not being a requirement to graduate. So we just changed in the opening of the handbook the graduation requirements that I have already gone over with all of you the compassy determination the courses that this freshman class will need the MCCAST um that they'll need the science the biology and this will update again next

100year because then everyone will have been enrolled in just biology um so this is actually a slide you've all already seen but it's going into the handbook so it's a change um because MCCAST is no longer required So, it's just putting that and it's on the school profile. It's just going like all schools are putting what the competency determination is now in all their handbooks and their profiles. Um the next slide that's different um student parking rules and regulations. So, this information in the past has only been if you got a student permit. So students who just decide to park on campus don't have this information of how to park on campus, how to get a permit. It's only been on when you get by your permit and you sign it and your parents sign

101it. So we're adding it into the handbook so everybody in the building knows how to go about parking on campus no matter when you get your license, the rules of rags, if you're, you know, don't have a permit, what happens. Um, and so we're it's not again not new information. We're just putting it into the handbook so everybody has the information because like I said, it's just been on the permit registration information. So specifically people who don't have permits in park on campus will actually know that there are consequences. Correct. Correct. Because they're in the handle permit. I get it. Give me the problem with that. Right. So you got to give everybody name. Yeah, sure. So that's going in. And I'll have the updated fees that were changed, right? And the tickets that they

102get for parking violations. Talks about the blackout dates during senior week. Um, and we always say that we do continue to have the right to tow. In my 13 years, we've never towed a car. I never plan on towing a car, but that is the absolute last resort. So um so the next slide is also highlighting um so we have a big section on smoking and vaping and there was really only one line on THC. So we're adding um the the mass general laws on using THC within the school. Uh, in our handbook it does say that's a $100 fine payable to mask economic and you are um subject to suspension, but we wanted to put in the mass general laws because you actually are can be suspended up to 10 days for having THC

103in school. And so just want to make sure that we're highlighting this as more and more students are vaping and they're using THC. So, we just want to make sure we highlight not just nicotine, highlighting the THC. And then cell phones, we just made it a little bit beefier. Um, we made a change last year really getting people to keep the cell phones out of the classroom. So, saying the same thing, school expectations, we really want no cell phones or electronic devices in the classroom in your backpack. This also goes into um recording um how you use your device. You cannot record people um using social media as bullying. All that falls under cell phone and mobile media device use which also falls under with our accessible use policy for digital. Um and this so

104it it just is a little bit more structured on the rules that we're just putting it out there that um you know zero tolerance and misappropriation of videoing um or taking pictures of people or things like that within the school. And then the last one is brand new. So this is our new AI language um that is both in middle and high school. I did change this one a little bit because the middle school doesn't include seventh grade. Um so it's just saying that you know we are going to be using AI tools for educational purposes. Reason why we're using them um enhanced critical thinking problem solving but it that it is always evolving. It will be department specific classroom specific. This is a broad broad um definition of AI, but it does go into

105our data privacy. You're using our, you know, our websites, you're using our Wi-Fi, you're on Masco Gmail, um appropriate use. Um and this will go in the section of all of our digital resources as well as our cheating and plagiarism section as well. So, and this is ever changing as more and more AI is coming out and like I said also the department heads are also working within their department and their comfort level for each department. That would be interesting. That applies to the middle school as well. You heard K say ages 13 to 18. Seventh grade though will not be allowed to access AI in school because there are a large number of 12 year olds. So now that these are in the handbook, we definitely have to address them as policies in our

106So we we think they are consistent with the current policy. That's why we've put them together this way. Okay. Um, so they should be I mean we can review them. Sure. But they should be married already. We Yeah, we did go back to the policy, make sure we didn't have to change the the technology use policy that this was all consistent with that. We had it on this um our agenda for the year, our goals for the year to do a cell phone use policy for Masco. Um, you're talking about I'm talking about the AI specifically. Yes. Okay. All right. Thanks. That's thinking ahead. Let's get approval. Approve. Yeah, this does need a vote. Yeah, it's on the list. Um, we have a motion. I'll make a motion. Um, I make a motion to accept

107the handbook edit, the high school handbook edits that presented by principal. Second. Well, all in favor? Yes. Any abstensions? That's uh 900 Z. Yes. Perfect. Thank you. Okay, we'll move on to um subcommittee assignments. So, as I went through, thank you. Thank you everybody for submitting your your preferences. Um, thank you everybody for your inputs tonight. Katie, thank you. Um, I went through I tried to get everybody at least one of their ones that they marked on the form. Um, I don't know if everybody's had a chance to see this. I know it only got in the last 24 hours or so because I only provided it yesterday. Um, but uh, I did try to get everybody one of their ones. Um, I tried to put people with um, I guess everybody has at least

108a year experience now in shared positions. Um, there were a couple that were a little weird for me. I was trying to understand. We had lots of people who were interested in being either representatives with CPAC or lia zones. So, um, I guess I'll just ask if there's any passionate feedback on these assignments. There's I think probably more opportunities to partner and do you know, CPAC uh work with the three folks listed. If there are others that want to help out, um I'll certainly be relying on my Middleton partners to help with, you know, the Middleton uh folks, but um any passionate feedback. Great. Thanks. I and I wrote on my thing the need for a negotiation subcommittee because there was a note saying there were no negotiations for 25. Did I just say that

10925 hopefully hopefully um and eventually we will have to talk about um Dr. Harvey's contract as well. So my thought was that could fall under the negotiation subcommittee. Okay. Anything else on this? Okay, great. Thank you. Probably want a vote. You do need a vote. You need a vote. Yeah. Okay. I don't know if we put it on there, but I was looking at the uh need Yeah, you should have a vote for this. Sorry. Make a motion to accept the subcommittee assignments as provided uh in the attached document to the minutes. Second. Second. All in favor? I I against any abstensions 0. Thank you. I Joel just mentioned the Turf Masco Sports Foundation. I didn't put a chair there. I just assume between you and Trevor, you guys will just tag team it. So,

110yep. Um, we forgot to include warrant signing. That's right. Just thought of that. Bill has been I nominate I nominate Bill. I did a great job. Fantastic job for two years. You're a wonderful backup for us. I don't usually have to go. I don't know how you want to handle that, but I would appreciate that we right now sign. No, it's no longer DCI slashbudget. It's just DCI. Um, what is the I think it is. I think that's what it was. List the original list was we we should update it to DCI-Ludget. Okay. Catch bill. that I accept. We have to vote on this. Um, no, that's it's within the scope. It's a type. Um, I mean, if if you if the if the DCIB budget subcommittee wants to designate bill to sign the warrants,

111then we're all done. Haven't done that before. We have to if we hadn't vote. Yes. Okay. All right. Well, we have a nomination. Oh, I think it was Melissa and I She's no longer on it. Yeah, but you could still do it. Long as it's not just someone like to learn. They have to be super available available because technically I can't release a payroll or a check to a vendor with no signatur. So for the most part I was we have to actually nominate nominate or just include it as another bucket and approve it. Warren, I make a motion to amend the FY26 subcommittee assignments to add a role as the design signature for the mass economic school committee and to name that person as Bill Hodes. A second. You guys good with that? Yeah.

112Melissa. Yeah. Am I am I a backup or do you want do you need me to be a backup? Okay, then name nominate me as a backup. So I want to amend the motion to add Melissa as that's the second signature for the school. Have a second on that. Chris second. Thank you. All right. All in favor against any extensions. Thank you for that. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, moving on. Uh, approve and sign school committee protocols. So, this these this is the same document that we talked about last week. I think everybody's good with it. Need to approve and then I have a paper to pass or M on the website. Make a motion. That's the first second. All in favor? I any extensions? 90. [Music] All right. Can we keep moving while we

113while we sign? Yep. not official um tonight or do we have to get all 11 signatures? I mean, they've been voted to approved by the committee. I mean, we'll get all 11 signatures before we post it, but they were approved by a majority. Great. Uh moving on to approve associate master teacher recommendations. So we have um five teachers that uh met the qualifications for the designation of associate master teacher. Um you know we uh actually reinstated this as part of uh this the current uh teachers association contract. Uh there was a sunset and we uh agreed to take that sunset off. So we are now accepting and this is the first crop. Uh, it's Alex Bachler from high school science, Jenna Gagnen from high school English, Christa Hoey from high school science, uh, Tim Brown

114from middle school science, and Clara Flynn, middle school English language arts. So, we need to have the committee approve their appointments to master teacher, associate master teacher status. Can I ask a I was confused when I read this because I had forgotten about the contract. To be a master teacher, you have to have done a project. But for associate, masters, there's no project actually anywhere in the contract at all. Um so what associate master teacher is um professional status and um proficient evaluations as a teacher. master teacher actually talks about having a body of work that is uh distinguished. Um, and so that's what that's what a master teacher is. The threshold is much higher for master than I knew there was when we were because we hadn't been presented with this for a while.

115Yeah, it's read it and I was like anyway discussion. Do we have a motion? Move to approve the nominations for associate master teacher recommendations as presented in the agenda. Second. All in favor? I guess against any extensions. Yeah. Moving along. Approve 2025 2026 school committee meeting calendar. Got a draft. calendar for next year. Do we have a proposed grocery retry date or not yet? Don't yet. Not yet. Well, it's generally I mean the right now it's right now it's August 27th. Is that last Wednesday in August? There is it's on there but I mean this is and the calendar is all flexible so it's never in stone. Yeah. I think and the other thing that I've talked to Mike about was just the con the the prospect of having two retreats. Uh one to focus

116on traditional goal setting, the other to focus on some of the budget uh challenges coming out of last year. And that's great. We may want to do differently how we want to approach it this year. So um so yeah, so I have asked everybody for inputs on blackout dates. If you guys could just give me those. Um, it sounds like this is malleable if we need to. Oh, yeah. And yeah, so maybe we approve it and we'll plan to finalize retreat dates in the next week or so. And this is really so people get things in their calendar for next year, right? Yep. Y any other discussion? I just had a question about the retreat. Is is there a plan in place after the complaint last year? We'll just I mean we'll make sure that

117the minutes are beefed up. There's nothing nothing says we have to record it, but we'll be extra specially careful. With that, we have a motion. I make motion to approve the 2025 2026 school committee meeting calendar as proposed. Second got it. All in favor? Anyone against? Any abstensions. All right. bargaining agreement between RSD and the American Federal State Federation of State County and Municipal Employees ASL. Yeah. Uh so this is the uh contract uh that Jeff and I um took the lead on negotiating with our maintenance technicians, the NPFTs as we call them. Um there were there were no language changes in the document um except it's update all the dates so that the contract runs make sure I get this right. It's effective uh it's a three-year agreement that begins this July and ends

118June 30th of 2028. Uh, and the salary um cost of living increases when I get back down to the end are um 3.75% 4% and then 2% in the third year. So the first two years are on match with the teachers association contract and the first year is what we incorporated into the FY26 budget. So we're covered, right? the strategy behind the the numbers, you know, the 3.75 and the four and concurrent with the teachers the final two years of the teachers contract. The two is to get us back to a lower threshold intentionally on a consistent basis with all the units. That's big here. Remy, how many MPFTs do we have? There's five. It's roughly a payroll of 300K. So roughly $1,000 increase. Okay. Which has been factored into the budget. Great. Yep. Any

119other discussion? Yeah. Lisa, I just had a question. I'm looking at appendix A. Where's this C other? This says a $600 bonus in July 2016. I miss a date. No, that just is a language that was in it was already the living document. So there's no language changes in the document itself. It's just it's just revision. So at the whoever it happened it happened in 2016. Yeah, we just never we just never took it out, right? Yeah. The 20 July 1, 2013 to June 30th, 2016. We just never took the language out. The eyeglass insurance. That's what it is. And MFTt breaks or dances glasses. Oh, can I make a motion to approve the collective bargaining agreement between the Measco Regional School District and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL CIF?

120Second it. Any other discussion? All in favor? I guess any abstensions? Great. Thank you. Thank you guys for doing that. Yeah. Thank you. All right. Uh Turfield permitting services proposal and funding. So we're going to break the conversation into two pieces. Matt, that's all right. So I'll leave the first part and that's um the Stantech change order piece and then Mike will update the committee on uh its request to involve um legal representation in the process going forward. Oh yeah. So um there's some materials in the document, a letter from me and then the change order itself that I work with the folks from Stantech on. Uh so the change order reflects the scope that we had talked about the four meetings up to 100 hours. Um in my mind while we were in the

121meeting I was thinking $25,000. It came in at $25,800. So it's exactly on point with uh my expectations. So my recommendation is for the committee to approve the transfer of the funds from the stabilization account which has a current balance or a balance as of February 28th 2025 of 1,33,519. So, transfer $25,800 from the stabilization fund, which is fund 250, to the turf project fund account, which is fund 331 to cover the expenses associated with change order number four. Um, which I would execute if you were to approve the the recommendation. So, I remember last week they were saying this is TNM. Yeah. So I assume under your recommendation that we feel there's enough hours under those dollars to we need a term. So as an engineer you know that's really difficult to project but

122I think a 100 hours is a reasonable yeah isn't a that's why I recommended it a reasonable amount of hours to get us through the next several meetings. Um, I really need to um spend a lot of time with the Sant Santex folks to make sure they stay on task and we move this thing forward in a very kind of pragmatic way and not keep agreeing to additional engineering work and information and all sorts of other things, right? Yeah. So the focus is going to be let's get through the work with the peer reviewer. Let's be respectful of their requests and let's see where we can get in four meetings and I think this will take us there. Great. Thanks. Y did we get anything back from the peer reviewer this week? No, it was

123due last week, wasn't it? Right. No due date. There's no dates. says no dates. That's part of the problem. They didn't sound optimistic that they were going to get it last week. So based on the based on the dialogue back and forth last a day after the meeting that I initiated, it sounded like we would hear from the peer reviewer by the end of June. So I then told the Stantech team that they're to stand down, ask for a continuence until we hear from the peer reviewer. That was those were my directions to not provide additional you know alternatives analysis to not provide additional um specifications analysis on you know the field surface yada yada yada. So let's stay focused on the peer review the work around the peer review and let's my direction to

124the team. Awesome. I'm going to make a motion to um approve a transfer of $25,800 from the district stabilization fund fund 250, the TUR project fund account fund 331 to cover the cost of these additional services per um proposed Stantech change order number four dated June 20 June 3rd, 2025. Second. Second. Any other discussion? I mean, the one thing I will say is the hourly rates fairly reasonable. I live in a world where I'm expecting anywhere from $100 to $200 an hour. It's like this. So surprised her. It's only this much for 56 hours. Be honest. that much for 100 hours. It said 56 hours. Part of it says 56 and part of it says 44 100 hours. So three task 3.9 is for 56 hours and test 3. So $250 an hour. Yeah. Okay.

125A decimal point which is exactly what I was expecting. anywhere from 250 to 2300 to 300 depends the waiting of the senior staff versus the right um so the the gentleman Tony if he were to come to the meeting he'd be a lot more expensive than George who was the younger gentleman who impressed you right based on your comments last time George is on the on the project team uh Michelle who wasn't here but spoke at the last meeting and is very outspoken on the hearings. She's the she's the wetland scientist. Her boss is Mike Stoaltz who was much more expensive than Michelle, right? So, uh it's kind of a blended rate at 250 an hour. Feel like between a rock and a hard place like you know if we don't do this it's done.

126It's done. It's done. Yeah. They don't they'll deny the application. Right. Right. But I'm also wondering is it done anyway? Mike didn't seem to think so. Yeah. And Mike's would not get to our second point is, you know, the legal cast. Maybe this just pushes it that much further and we'll just Maybe we don't even need the 100 hours, right? We'll definitely need that. Oh, definitely. I'll be back. Yeah. We have a motion on the table. Take a vote. All in favor? I I against any abstensions. 801. Thank you. Thank you, Jeff. All right. um relative to legal counsel. So, I started last last week with our own in-house council. Uh you guys know with Greg Pagini actually left. He left. He's gone. Um but we have a new an associate from Brody Harden Perkins

127and Ken. Her name is Crystal Huff. Um Jeff and I have met with her a couple of times already and worked with her on some other things. Um, so I started with her, said that, you know, let me see where where this can go. Um, turns out that Crystal was the former sol city solicitor for Brainree. Um, so she represented the town on land use and environmental law. Uh, she also had a private land use practice prior, you know, uh, after Brainree. Uh, she clerked at the Massachusetts Land Court. Uh, and she's the former chair of the Hang Conservation Commission. So, I think she's the right person. Yeah. Um, so the only thing is she actually she was going to find out for me and I spoke with her Monday on this. Um, she in

128the past has represented the town of Oxford on a case. So she wanted to make sure it was not a conflict for her to do this. Uh, and but in the meantime, I have sent her all of our filings um from the notice of intent and the peer review document and the peerreview comments that we return to them. uh and she was going to go through those this week uh and get back to me on, you know, some advice on what we should do next. And if she felt like it found out it was a conflict of interest, she would refer us to to another council who can handle this case. So So I'm waiting to hear back from her this week. Uh we can use the funds in the operating budget to get it

129rolling, right? Um there's a $15,000 um line item from our approved budget for attorney fees. Um next year we hope to not have any, you know, heavy negotiations which could potentially free some of those funds up to cover some of these expenses. So, I'll monitor it pretty closely with Mike, kind of get a sense for her level of involvement, and then if I feel like we need to come back to you all with a request to transfer some funds to support the work, that's what we'll do. Great. You don't need anything from us today? Not right now. No, I just said she's she was reviewing the docs and was going to get back to me this week with with her thoughts on where to go from there. We just wanted to give you let you

130know that we're doing Yep. What do you define as get it rolling? Like what? Five grand. I know. But doing what exactly? Well, right now she's going to bill us for the hours that she's going to do the review all the documents that I sent her reviewing 100 pages of NOI. A couple thousand pages of documents that she needs to review, right? you know, between the filings, all the back and forth on the initial responses, and then the peer review stuff. So, there's a lot of material for her to get up to speed on. So, I shouldn't worry that I haven't heard back from her yet. You should not worry. I sent her on Monday. Yeah. Yeah. You sent her a lot. If you sent her everything you said you did, then you sent her

131a lot of And the folders were on a lot of stuff. Website from Yeah. I'm really glad we have somebody with a land use background. Yeah, it was per I was she said right in my wheelhouse and I was like really and she rled this off. The initial request to her was who can you recommend? Can you is there something you can handle or can you recommend somebody and she's like this is right in my wheelhouse. So I was disappointed with Stantex like sort of sit back, hurry up and wait sort of laidback approach that I heard that I didn't really hear the first time they presented like in the winter, but then last time like my the bells were going off in my head like oh my gosh. So um thank you for doing

132that and I'm hoping it works out with Did we get a copy of potential materials from Stantech? That came up in the last uh Conscom meeting. They talked about we've got alternatives and we'll pro provide the information to you. Has that been provided? What do you mean, Joe? The actual turf materials. Yeah. So, if you recall the meetings that we had in the basement, I know, but they asked for for MSDS's and everything else, and they said that they're going to put material in the plans that the architectural and turf field team developed as I'll call it phase one of the project. So, there's a lot of material that has been been prepared um as part of those plans. I guess that's been given to the in the meeting they said basically we have three

133options or something they're going to provide the MSDS's and the list of materials had they done anything down that I told them not to have to provide that because it's not part of the original scope or that what it's not part of the scope of what they need to decide on. Yes. So during the last meeting what they said they were to do in the cons meeting. So during the last meeting, if you recall, the kind the meeting took a turn and they started asking for um more fully developed alternative analysis. Yeah. Beyond what had already been submitted. So that's one thing they asked for. They asked for detailed manufacturer specifications around the material and infill that could potentially be used. Right? That's a ton of work. And then they asked for engineering, additional engineering

134work to be prepared um around underground storm water storm water storage tanks. Yeah. Right. Those were the three things they asked for in addition. It just keeps piling up. So I've told them no, no, and no. We're going to focus on the peer reviewers work and we're going to move that forward. which is what we had discussed originally with them, right? We can't keep adding adding because we're outside of the scope now, right? But is a peer reviewer looking at materials? No. So, we're going to get to this point and we're going to be stuck again because we're waiting on materials. I mean, I don't understand why they're not going. And well, isn't that where our attorney says to knock it off? what you're asking for is out of scope. That's why we need the

135answer. Yeah, that's why we need the ask for the materials out of scope, but sure. I mean, I think it's out of speaking on water management and an NOI, but I'm not a I'm not a land use lawyer, right? It is good sense. I got your point though, Joe. But so, as of right now, we're stopping. We're we're not going to prepare additional information. Going to focus on the peer reviewer, responding to the peer reviewer and addressing every single question that Yeah, I agree with that 100%. But I like to know what the material set is myself. Let's be honest. Say again. I like to know what the material sets are myself. Just so when people are saying you're using this stuff that's full of PAS, I can say no, you're full of it. Look,

136here's here's the sheet. See this? Find me the beef. I'd love to be able to do that with people. Can't do that today. It's all rumors. Nono. Isn't it a chicken and egg though? No. Is it a chicken or an egg? Because we haven't really voted on material. The question was, are there material sets that are pas and said we are giving you a p fast free design? You can't make that statement without knowing what the materials are. Why? I think I guess we can do that at some point. I guess our our current thinking is we really can't afford to just keep adding to this bill until it's it's necessary. That's what I heard at the last meeting. That's why I gave them the direct. So, I I'm inclined to agree with you that

137at some point in this process, assuming it moves forward, we actually won't need that. But I'm not sure we need it today. I think my thinking is let the attorney say, "Okay, yes, this is something valid for them to ask for that they will need in order to move this." But it kind of sounded like they're starting to overreach. I get what you're saying. It can't be that hard to find on the internet like what people use for turf in the material. You can't present a design and say it's going to be PA fast free without knowing what's in the design. Period. You're being disingenuous if if if you're doing that. They have to know what these things are. And these are going to be offtheshelf things from manufacturers. There should be an MSDS available

138for every single one of these things. Do we get the materials from? Do we know who we're buying it from yet? Like I'm not the one who made the statement before the concom it's in the bag free. You got to back that up. So the answer is no. We don't know because that would that'll be part of the construction procurement process, right? We'll write specifications that will specifically say PASF free, right? and that will solicit quotes from vendors for goods and materials that meet our specifications. That's how procurement process works. So, we don't know who we might use eventually, but we will write very specific specifications which we've had this conversation with the consom. They knows how they know how this works. Um, and that's how it'll work, right? But we can't say we're going

139to use the Smith company Right. Because that's not how procurement works. Right. Right. That's true. Yeah. But we've have made the statements that I've just made or similar statements to the con. I do think they more or less agree to provide material made in that last meeting. I don't agree. I hear you. What's up? So the box consum also can't hold us masco to a higher standard because of public perception about a project. So I think something that but our legal counselor is going to do. So it it seems like there's a we're being held to based on my review of the meetings we are being held to a higher standard and making it more difficult for us. And and then when Stantech was here last week, it was clear that we needed someone to

140guide the process who can look at it from the in a legal way as to scope and required. So, and I know they asked what's that? Thanking you for making So, I know that we want to we want to be compliant with this cons, but also we need to be mindful of our funds and what actually we voted for. I think I we're not at the process to really pick materials or to choose what manufacturers that'll come next year. And there's way more questions about capital things. Whole thing is super clunky. Super and like we're at this level talking about this topic and we're you know the fundraising never materialized the way we all hoped and and you know we're hopeful it would. So now we have a totally different path forward to funding it.

141the conscom is has dug in. I mean, but Joe, your point, even if we weren't subscribing to a particular vendor material, to be able to say here's a material that exists, it's there are vendors out there that make this and this is what we build our specifications to. Yeah. Be this or better. You have to make some something along those lines. But they've had those we've had those conversations with the KCON about the specifications earlier in the process before I think it was before you we're participating this frequently. You gave them examples of No, we didn't give them examples. We explain to them that the specifications will call for PAS free materials which our experts have told them exist in the marketplace and that our specifications will be written to those to that level of

142detail to attract vendors that offer PAS free materials. That's what the consum has been told. So to me asking for a materials analysis is not appropriate because we don't know who we'll be buying it from. Make sense? I think the good news is Joe, you're on the uh DCI and the turf [Laughter] up. Any other discussion? Only on the consent agenda. We don't have one. Very good. With that, I will take a motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn. Motion. Second. Second. Chris, that's all right. All in favor? I I No, wait. No, I was trying to look. Thanks. I was looking in the just the first vote based on