001I'm not entirely sure. It might not I did notice. Well, you should have received it at your house for the the flyer for this year's conference. Oh my gosh. Sorry. Because they don't know me. I don't think it's this one. It's the one that's just about the conference which they posted but I don't remember. Yes, please. I didn't know the answer to that question. No, she um she texted me yesterday. She uh unfortunately she had someone pass in her So she is she is away out of state. She's finally all official. I'm finally all official. I don't know. They refer to you as a lot of different things. Will Allan be coming tonight? Chairman Allen. Vice Chairman Allen. Vice Chairman Allen. I don't know. He's a lot of different things. All right. Cuz I They
002were getting us They were getting us all mixed up all over. You know what? I'm going to hold on to it until I know I put it in my back pocket. Thank you very much. All righty. All right. Thank you very much. All right. It's already 6:31. So, um, are you folks ready? So, are we just Yeah. Okay. With four of us, we're good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We have a a quorum. Um, I can't remember if Alan said he was going to be here or not. Um, I just need to bring up something. Just want to bring up everything on my computer first. I emailed you all the slides, my slides for tonight. I've got it up right now. I just thought, you know what? Why don't I just get in the habit of doing
003that? That would be very helpful. You weren't ready until about 3:30 this evening. You've been on vacation. It's okay. I was a little I was I hope you were doing something fun. Uh, I did. Good. I was with my family on Nucket. It was wonderful. Oh, that's great. Oh, you were on Nucket today? I sure was. You and I probably texted each other. Was this the first Were you there for a few days or Oh, good. So, yeah, it wasn't only Can you tell the the the ease and relaxation that she's exuding? It'll all be gone tomorrow. It'll fade with the tan. What part of the island? Okay. Oh, really? That's a Come on. Yeah. for some reason it's just not coming up. Well, I'll fiddle with it as we're going through, but All right.
004Good. I call this meeting to order. Um I would ask that you please stand if you're able for the pledge to the flag. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you very much. Uh we'll move on to uh item number three, which is public comment. Um I would invite anyone who would like to say anything that's not uh on the agenda today um up to the microphone. Uh you have three minutes. Um and also remember that if there is something that is on the agenda, you can speak to it at length when that comes up. All right, we'll move on to our discussion items. Item four, uh 4
005a report from student representative Ed. I don't think he wants to be here considering the fact that it is the summer now. Uh 4B reports from school committee members. Jess, we'll start with you. All right. Um so we had um multiple sessions of the uh negotiation subcommittee between the last meeting and now. And I am thrilled to say that we have reached a tenative agreement. We are still meeting to hash out some of the language and make sure everything's good before we do a final MOA. Um, but it was wonderful to work together with the the team from the union and uh get that mostly in a good spot and we'll get it all sealed up over the summer. So, that's wonderful. Um, and in addition, I just want to uh mention that uh congratulations
006to everyone on the completion of a another successful school year. Uh, Chris, that extends to you and your, you know, your your pay job and all of that. So, thanks to all of the staff and administration who put in quite a year to uh get us get us all the way to the end. Um, and then just uh my policy subcommittee stuff will be talked about later on in the agenda. And the only other thing to mention is if you didn't get it already, the dates for the annual MASC conference were uh mailed out. It's going to be November 12th through the 14th. And they're already starting the registration with the discount if you sign up early and all of that. So, if you uh want to join, time to put in for your vacation
007time for those of us who have to consider doing so. So, that's my report for the evening. Thank you, Chris. Chris, uh so I got to witness and hear about a lot of the the great things that Middleboro does as we wrap up the school year, whether it's graduation or the senior walk and the promotions from the different levels. um a lot of very positive feedback from what I've heard and uh something I think we do better than most. And then uh once the agenda got posted, I got a lot of um comments, questions, and just people reaching out about the uh revision of procedures, including the bathrooms. I mean, state and nationwide uh bathroom usage presents a different set of challenges for education. So, um, hopefully the families that reached out will get the
008information they were looking for tonight. Thank you, Sue. Uh, echo some of the things that have already been said about uh the uh the many different kinds of celebrations that we had for the end of the year. I got to attend um two of the Mech uh performances. I forget what they called them, but uh just a wonderful job of celebrating the kids and what they've uh the growth that they've had during the year in very creative ways. Um that is a very special school. Uh a little biased because I had two grandchildren in there, but uh very special place. Um, also, uh, as Jess said, uh, was involved in the work for the policy committee and and I want to applaud Jess's work, research, uh, the amount of research that she does, uh, and
009the process that she's put together so that we can efficiently do the updating of the policies, uh, which, uh, was really in great need of being done. And uh and I think the collaborative process that we're going through to really look at those policies um the uh school committee policies is is a very good one. And so uh I look forward uh to the ones that are coming forward but also uh getting to work on the other ones as well. um just so people don't think that it's fallen off the table. Um the task force uh for regarding exit uh interviews um is continuing its work and we have a meeting that's going to be coming up with the MEA to talk about um their perspective on uh what we want to do with those
010exit surveys as as we continue to move that forward. Uh, and uh, lastly, there was something else, but I can't remember what it was, so I guess I will pass along for now. Uh, Alan, I'm good. Thank you. All right. Uh, I also do not have a report for this evening. Um, I just echo the same sentiments um with, uh, that Jess and Sue said. Uh I'm glad that we were able to um finally come to uh an amicable agreement u with the teachers union and I'm glad that um we were able to come to a conclusion. Um all right uh 4 C a superintendent report. Okay. Um good evening um members of the school committee. Um tonight I have four different items on the report for this evening. As promised, our new principal for
011the Nichols Middle School, Tim Mclofflin, is here. So, we'll we'll start with that introduction. Um, from there, we're going to review the progress of the district strategy for continuous improvement for this school year. From there, we'll take a turn into our student handbooks and um revisions. Any revisions that are going to be presented to you tonight will be reviewed. And then we'll conclude tonight's um report with a discussion about the elementary pool that I referenced in the uh Friday flash. I felt like it was important that we talked about it. One that you had the opportunity to talk about it as a group and two that we had some information to present that we've collected so far. Um probably a preliminary item but I I think an important one to begin. Um so with that
012I will call up Mr. Tim Mclofflin so that you can um you know ask him any questions and properly welcome him back to the Middle Burough public schools. Um as I mentioned last meeting, Principal Mclofflin was here um started with me in 2012 and he was an assistant principal at the middle school at that time and left in 2014 15 2015 to uh actually become a principal. So since that time he's been a principal in Falmouth, he's been a principal in West Bridgewwater and also New Bedford. Um and he comes back to us, I think, excited to um really come home in a lot of ways. So with that, uh Mr. McGlofflin, welcome. Good evening. It's wonderful to be here in front of all of you. Thank you. I didn't know if you had any
013questions or if you wanted him to just give an introduction, a little bit about his bio. I think we can start with an introduction and then we can ask questions. That would be nice. Sure. Yeah. Um so I um prior to my teaching uh years I served um five years in the US Army 82nd Airborne Division. Um deployed to Afghanistan and various other um interesting places of the world. Uh saw I came out of there and wanted to follow what is really kind of a family um expectation and that's public service and and education and teaching. I have I think at last count about 18 aunts, uncles, grandparents, parents, siblings that are that are teachers. Um so it's kind of a family calling for us. Um I taught for uh nine years in the Boston
014public schools um as a social studies teacher um at the middle school level and then cut my teeth as a school administrator here in Middlear. And um Superintendent Lions and I actually started on the same day working at the Nichols Middle School back in 2012. Um I loved my years at Nichols. absolutely loved my years at Nichols and and I forged some of the strongest professional bonds um and personal relationships of my career at my time at Nichols um and you know was ready to become a principal in my eyes and um so pursued those but um am beyond thrilled to come back to to Nicholls um now and um I've already heard in the last several weeks from many former students, former parents, members of the community that were happy to hear that I
015coming back and it was really heartwarming to know that my time with them um a decade prior meant so much to them. Questions for Tim. Hi Tim, welcome. Thrilled to have you here joining us. Um just a a general question. What uh led you to kind of make the transition from teaching to administration? Um it was actually my time working in Boston. Um, you know, I I had a um early on um I I had a principal who was working. It was a very tough middle school, a lot of challenges. And I kind of appreciated and admired the responsibility of that principal in terms of what his role was in making a difference in kids' lives in the middle school. And um I thought to myself that that I I felt that I could make
016the the best possible impact on students lives by making broader decisions about what's best for the school, what's best for the staff, um the educational um expectations, um and and it would influence as many kids as possible. So I kind of appreciated and and admired that that awesome responsibility of being a school leader. Um I still do to this day. I I really every day re recognize that it's 700 kids futures that we hold in our balance every day at Nichols and whatever school I may work at and that's something I don't take lightly. That's May I ask which school? I'm sorry. Which school you were at in Boston? In Boston at the Irving Middle School in Roslandale closed last year. Made me very sad. Mhm. Uh as you move now from uh being a
017teacher back at uh the middle school and moving into this position, um wondering what you think are going to be both what that gives you as uh to help you and maybe some of the challenges of that. Um, it was an interesting and I can't say I I I really think that the perspective I gained as a teacher in Nicholls is going to guide my viewpoint of what the building needs uh in a way that I probably didn't expect um or for for foresee um seeing students at a level when they're comfortable with their teacher in the classroom. It's not necessarily the the principal or the assistant principal talking to them. It's a different kind of relationship. Um, talking to staff about their needs in the building and what they see as the strengths and
018weaknesses of the building and then seeing it with my own eyes in the hallways in the classroom. Um, rather than coming in blind as the leader of the building and not having had that time to see at a classroom level what works and doesn't work, I think it's going to make me a better school leader. Um, and then this last month working with Dr. to Tucker at a transition. You know, we were remarking today, I can't think of another example in my career where I've seen a principal have a month to sit with the person who's going to be taking over for them and transition um and and be ready and and it's for me July 1st is going to arrive and I already in my head have about 15 things that I want to
019start thinking about and I think that's to the benefit of the school. That's wonderful. Um, I'm really looking forward given that grounding of of seeing where you were able to bring it forward. So, welcome. Thank you. Any other questions? More of a comment. Um, you mentioned former students and families. I've heard from a lot of current students and families. Uh, and there's a large amount of positive anticipation looking to the fall. So, I'm glad to hear that. Thank you, Zeke. Uh, as a parent who has a child, I think you've met Sully. Um, yes, sir. First, I want to say thank you to Mr. Pru. Um, we I if there's anything we can do, let us know. I appreciate it and I'm really looking forward to working with Mr. Pru to build a very strong
020um consistent, stable administrative team at Nichols and we're going to grow the school starting from that group. Beautiful. Yeah. Thank you, Tim. Uh, but I know the community is so excited to have you once more. Thank you. I appreciate it. Okay, we'll see you back here in the fall for school improvement plans. Um, with that, I'll turn into the next item, which is our strategy. Um, I really spent a lot of time thinking about how to present this information in a way that was not overwhelming and also um engaging. So, you'll have to give me feedback and let me know if if I hit that this evening. Before I get too deep into the progress, I wanted to talk just a little bit about our strategy and the fact that we are in the second
021year of a five-year plan. So, we're now at the point in our strategy where we're starting to see, okay, this is the work that we're going to have to focus on for the next, you know, three years, two to three years. And here are the pieces that we might want to be thinking about continuing on long term. Long range planning is something you're going to hear about from me through this document and in my presentations because the only way systems improve is when you actually develop pathways for continual review. So it is a little tedious but it's an important exercise to go through. Um so that's why I I raised that point here. Strategic planning is important so that you are not relying on one person's idea of what should happen. Um it's also important
022as a district to not allow one building to drive all of your finances and your decision making as well. We are a we are a district of five buildings with five identities with five different sets of needs. So strategic planning is important not only so that we're sure we're making progress and we have a way of actually checking but it also tethers us to something in common. So when you look at the plan um it really should be the basis and I think you've seen that this year where now your school improvement plans are tethered to the strategy and it flows down from there all the way to teacher evaluation if need be. Our goals, the administrative goals. Um, this is not to control anything so much as it is to actually build connections and
023pathways between our work because at the end of the day, we're all doing the same job whether or not that role looks different personto person. Um, and I say it all the time and I'll say it here tonight, the plan itself is only as strong as your system to monitor it. Plans like this in many districts have a tendency to be a stack of papers that sit on a shelf. It's very, very important to me and the administrative team that that not be our document. In fact, I have even was talking with assistant principal Dyer this evening and I said, "Oh man, we've got we've got more work to do. I have new perceptions after reviewing all of the data from this spring that I'll now be bringing to the administrative retreat this summer and
024we'll come back with renewed vigor again um in in the fall. The way this works in terms of monitoring is that it involves yearly planning with a fresh plan every year. Not that you start over, but you you shouldn't be relying on work you did last year. you shouldn't be talking about that in this year. Do you understand? You should have a whole new set of things you're going to be working on and it has to be aired through multiple stakeholders. So, what you're going to hear a little bit about is how we, you know, engage all members of our school community in this process. Um, and then finally, it also earmarks work that remains because and I'll I'll try to do that tonight with each strategic initiative, point out where I see this as
025an area that we're building on in years to come. Not every initiative is easily attainable or one year's work. And it's possible that we could get to the end of five years and still not attain that. That's also part of this process. It isn't um it isn't an exact science because you know it's human created. So the process itself is multi-layered and it begins with the executive team. So the directors and myself looking at how everything we're doing is tied back to this document. And it's one of the reason you see the strategy icons. Those are displayed on all of our agendas. That's a reminder so that we understand what are we talking about and how does that relate to that document. We uh perform the same function at the district leadership team level. That's
026all the building principles and all the directors. And then again at administrative council which is all of the administration in the district. So between those three groups, we create progress monitoring teams divided between four strategic initiatives. Last year, we made the decision to rotate the teams so that if you were on initiative one, for example, you had initiative two this year. Um, and the feedback I've already received is maybe it makes more sense to anchor to one rather than continue to rotate. So we'll review that this summer and make some decisions, but these teams will stay in place because each team is a cross-section of stakeholders across the district. So, for example, I don't have a high school team and a middle school team. You're getting multiple points of view because that's the power of
027really making sure you're not leaving any level in the dust while you're talking about um anything specific. The buildings assess our progress at each level last year and this year through professional development work. This year, we devoted April 18th for that purpose and that's actually the data that I shared with you this week. um that data was compi compiled from all five buildings um streamlined and then shared. So the presentation I'm going to give you tonight is not a complete recap because you already have that data. I certainly want to answer any questions, have any discussion you might have, but that's really the compiled data collection um from the school level. When did we get that data? That was in the dropbox this week. you would have seen it come in through building specific names.
028I think I missed it. I'm sorry. That's okay. So, you know, and if you want to talk after, you can we can always do that, too. I shared that with you purposefully, though. So, I thought it would be helpful to read about it. Um, and I also thought for presentation, it'd be more effective than um I mean, I could talk about the strategy for days, but I I don't think anyone wants to stay quite that that long um to hear it. Um so with that I am going to turn into the into the actual progress itself and I'm going to start with standard one which is personalized success for all students. As I said we have four initiatives and it's important that everybody understand those four initiatives are not equal in size and that's because
029it depends on what the focus is. This initiative personalized success for all learning is extremely dense. It's one of the biggest pieces of feedback we got, you know, hey, standard one really could be one and two. Um, but I think that that's okay because, you know, if it's too big, we're going to take what pieces aren't addressed and continue it into the next strategy. I think it's better to aim um aggressively at progress rather than try to stifle that. let's see how we do with it because all of these issues are real and if you don't include them then you run the risk of having an issue get worse by the time you're ready to review it. So that was the the thought process beside uh behind standard one. So what you'll see um at
030the bulleted points are the uh action steps in the regular font and then the italicized font are just some highlights I wanted to call your attention to this evening. This is how I'm going to go through each standard and hopefully not put anybody to sleep. The very first initiative and under standard one there are seven I believe seven for one alone but we really are looking at multi-tered systems of support to minimize barriers for students. Well, what does that look like? So, some of the highlights I included here involve our work where you would have seen this this year is in our PBIS work. That's the positive behavioral intervention and support program. um comm corner which is an initiative at um mech that's a strategy for assisting students um the use of interventionists special education
031MLL support RTI blocks are response to intervention at the elementary level there are times built right into the schedule for time to intervene with students that they're not pulled out of instruction everyone's in some type of RTI block RBT support is the registered behavior technician that we added this year at the Berkeland entry school that's behavioral support targeted behavioral support panorama intervention plans. So this is our platform that we use. The benefit of using a platform like that is if you're seeing certain things, Panorama can assist with have you tried these interventions? It's not failproof, but it's again something that um I think our teams at the Mary Kay good found particularly helpful behavior intervention plans block at the Nichols Middle School. That's a phenomenon of our of our schedule. Um common language. When we
032say common language, you'll see that across all the buildings. Everyone's trying to use the same language in order to minimize the number of ways students need to access information. If we're all using the same language and we're actually consistent through buildings, kids are going to um have more reasonable expectations and be more successful at meeting those expectations. And then PLC and team time, particularly at the secondary level, we've really taken a look at PLC. This is work you would have seen at the high school level in particular, really revitalizing this effort. When I say PLC, I mean professional learning communities and getting our professionals together. Um, and it's it's bigger than co-planning. It's actually the power of PLC is actually talking about, hey, what's successful in your classroom versus mine? Why are you having this
033problem and I'm not? Or how are you addressing this? How are you meeting with success? So, that's just one example of how PLC time would be used. Um turning into the second the second step involves tools, assessment rubrics, professional learning to review data and evaluate students. One of the things we've talked about under this initiative is how we're defining success for kids so that we're not just hanging our hat on one individual tool. So I listed just some these are just some of the platforms um and the tools that we're using. Uh Lexia, which is for reading. um panorama which we've already talked about. Star 360 is reading and math. Early bird is our dyslexia screener that we're using at the earliest levels. Our district data team, this is we've kind of talked about this
034at length, but that's the whole point of the existence of the district data team and next year to come. Building based data teams is um Orton Gillingham training. Safety care is um an intervention that you would use for students for deescalation for behavioral strategies. Um CST is our child study team. We've really spent some time looking at our child study team process and seeing if we can improve upon it. Edge elastic is used at the middle school along with that's math platform and then our vertical articulation teams. From there we looked at really for the first time launching instructional rounds. And so we I presented out on this during the year and I'm proud to share with you we did complete for the first time instructional rounds at all five buildings. the job going forward
035will now be okay great that was good that you did that but now what are we going to do going forward what's that look like in the future um so I that wasn't a one-off you can expect to hear building upon those instructional rounds in the years to come um already that looks like learning walks within the building using building administration surveys um and I'm when I say surveys here I'm talking about staff um observations and walkthroughs that are happening at all five buildings the next item looks at curriculum review um our curriculum review process and having it aligned with our core values. So where you would see this work continues to be events like holidays around the world. Actually I didn't include it in the list but the celebration of us at the Berkeland
036is a great example that brought in a cross-section of all sorts of community resources. Um that's the type of event we're looking to build. Um there are family surveys our lit teams that are now established in all of our buildings. Town when I say town meeting I'm not talking about annual town meeting. I'm talking about um a process at the elementary school where the kids all get together with all of the faculty and sort of have a a town meeting discussion on a particular topic. Um our ELA curriculum review is ongoing. We are piloting a reading program. Um and Erica's lighthouse is also used at the Nichols Middle School as well. So these are some examples. This certainly not an exhaustive list, but that's some evidence that you would see in our work just from
037this school year. The next item looks at the identification of budget drivers to facilitate long-term planning. Um, and this is really a big one and I think a lengthy one. You know, when you ask people at the school building level, you know, you're going to get a very different answer than school-based administrators. So, you will see school council and school improvement plans referenced in the data because to at the building level, that's what that means. But when you, this one you have to kind of pull back. When you look at our budget process and how we've elongated that budget process, um, that's really how you're going to identify budget drivers over a longer term planning process. Same with our work with capital planning. It's not on here, but I actually got that email this week.
038The town manager reached out about doing a budget summit again. We did that last summer. We're doing it again this summer on August 20th is the date that he gave. These are very, very important discussions so that everybody understands what the plan is long term. The town planner reached out to me. I'll be meeting with her this month. She said, "Hey, can you give me some feedback on long-term planning in the district?" I said, "Yeah, how long do you have?" Because I I can't put it in an email. So, wonderfully, she pulled some people together. we're going to get together and have these conversations um and then create documents that go along with them because whatever this work is needs to continue for years you know long long past any of us um finally or
039actually not finally on this slide leveraging technology to improve assessment and instruction of students this is one of the areas where I'll flag where this is where I want to see growth in the year next one to three years to come when you Ask educators about leveraging technology. They're going to give you what we're using. AAC, augmentative communication. Our one-to-one devices. Um, our arts department is now infusing podcasts at the elementary level. It's wonderful. Um, Lexiastar 360, StMath, EXL, Desmos. These are all platforms, academic platforms. Quizzes, Kesler Science, Newella, these are all academic platforms. When I say leverage technology to improve assessment, I'm looking at technology integration. This is the next piece that I want us to explore. Uh Sean Sisiano is leading our AI committee and AI is part of it, but it's it's
040really not. Um we're really looking at we have these very powerful devices and platforms, but how are we infusing that into education in a meaningful way for students? um we can use all of these platforms to demonstrate different levels of progress, but I also think at the same time we want to make sure we're deeply integrating what we're doing so that it's meaningful. Um okay, the next one is looking at the scope of current and I kind of paraphrased these to make them more um readable. I will say that one of the other pieces of feedback we've received on the strategy is I will be more diligent in the next strategy with my wording because I think it can be more concise and easy to understand. In this case, we're talking about the scope of
041our current curricula to prioritize depth of learning over breadth. You hear that a lot when the curriculum department comes. That's a phrase you hear out of the curriculum department very frequently. What they're saying is how much of a topic are we expecting kids to learn and understand? That's really all that that means. um how are we getting at that this year? Small group instruction, differentiation of instruction, spiral review. When you ask elementary educators, these are the answers they give you. But you also have examples of that learning coming to life. That's the science fair, the living wax museum or career fair or crosscurricular work. Um they have the middle school science fair. They're looking to kind of build on their uh civics action project. This is where you're seeing that work. um it really turns
042on its head this understanding that when you learn something you have to be tested and that's how that's how you understand it right and I think that also is a benefit to personalized learning if you're not a kid that tests very well you want to make sure you can showcase your knowledge um from there we moved into integrating into curriculum key attributes all students need before graduation this is our vision in the graduate work that you heard about this year what we have done with vision in the graduate is push that work into all schools in order to look and we're going to kind of be talking about this in particular I would say in the year to come but can we identify what the behaviors are associated with these tenants of vision of a
043graduate what's that look like at mech and then Mary Kay and that you know as you go through um and you can see that here in that work from the past year but also in youth works the myap curriculum um those are other areas where you would have seen this work at play this school there. Finally, this is just through standard one, incorporate social skills into curriculum, report cards, and lessons. This continues to be, I think, a topic of discussion in the parent community as well as the as the educator community that kids really do need concrete instruction and social skills. So, where are you seeing that this year? Our continuation with commerce choice, which is a mindfulness program, um PBIS, morning meeting. Morning meeting is an activity particularly at the elementary level that's meant
044to prompt conversation between students to promote these social skills. Um we did update the report card to embrace learner behaviors. If you've kind of compared the two documents, you can see that um mindfulness at the secondary level. Some programming at the nickels included oops versus ouch. That was part of civics as well as life lessons with Finchy, Mr. Edinch. um which we you can see that a bit in the data and get a chuckle out of it. Um and then finally at the high school some executive functioning success blocks. So these are the ways that you would have seen that work this year. That's it for um standard one. Any questions before I move on to standard two. Okay. If my wait time isn't good, just stop me. Um standard two looks at collaborative data
045informed planning and problem solving. And um here we are looking at reviewing structures to examine ways to monitor student success. Okay. And how we're doing that is using so I listed here UFly which is our um foundational literacy program our PBIS data our use of data at elementary in general our CST um updates and desire to align our CST process those panorama datadriven plans HBB's data wall PLC's and use of windblock so these are just some of the structures that um we would use to monitor that success. Um I just want to look here revising. So hold on. There's just I included there we go. Revising report cards including the pilot of standardsbased grading at the middle school. So this is something here's another area where we really do want to think carefully about in
046the next couple years how we go over this. We revised the elementary report cards in terms of adding learner behaviors, but we still we still have a committee and that work is ongoing. So I anticipate having an update next year with the rest of the elementary report card report card and you would see this through common assessments. But this issue about standardsbased grading now really becomes a conversation with our new principal. In fact, I think he was here when we piloted he's shaking his head. Yes. We piloted this probably 10 12 years ago and it wasn't successful. Now, that doesn't mean that standardsbased grading doesn't work. All right? And I and I think that's an important part, too. That said, uh, Principal Mlofflin and I actually haven't even had the conversation about standardsbased grading yet,
047considering he hasn't officially started since July 1. Probably it'll be a July 1 conversation, but uh this is something that we have to talk about and really sit down. He has to talk with his school community, see what the appetite is. When you come to a place like this in your strategy, you don't just keep going and run over anybody in the way. You stop, you ask those questions, and then we'll recalibrate. But I did want to flag that because you wouldn't you haven't heard much about this issue because we really haven't addressed it as of yet. The next item looks at creating tools to guide our database decision-making. One of the things that Principal Lord did this year was created a new office referral process at Mech for our littlest learners because she was
048saying, "Hey, you you really need something here and we want to be tracking that." So, she took it upon herself to create that. So, that's evidence of of this particular um decision-making. uh transition forms and process are also now being streamlined and there's a desire to align so that the types of information that's getting transferred from grade to grade and building to building is aligned. Panorama is a big help with that as well. Stepup day that's something that happens that I think helps reduce anxiety. It answers those questions for kids with what's coming in, you know, the next year and how can they plan fifth grade teameing. This is the other the other piece of evidence where you'll see you know we are seeing the evidence of a need to address some transition concerns from
049fifth to sixth. So this is the type of tool that that um we are evidencing from this past year. And then finally examining uh grading practices. And what I can tell you is this is one of the more meaty pieces of this particular standard because it's a hot button issue for educators. How one educator grades is different from another educator and that isn't in and of itself a problem but it can make it very sticky in a conversation to try to overlay some expectation there um particularly across content. So, we do have grade level assessments, rubrics, and committees, but this is one of those places where it would be hard to see the progress if you aren't in the room hearing the meetings, particularly at middle school and high school where I know those conversations
050have been facilitated by the building administration. Standard two was um clearly a lot faster than one. Any questions before I go on to three? Okay. Standard three is the creation of innovative, responsive and safe learning environments for all. Um, one of the the first piece I think tends to this first issue tends to be something that I think we need continued and renewed work every year, but we still need to identify, address, and narrow those equity gaps. That begins with a blind analysis of the data. And that's happening in pockets. The district data team absolutely reviews our Edwin analytics data, but this is in my opinion not yet off the ground in all the buildings. So, as we form our building based data teams, it'll really only be then when we can assuredly tell you
051if there are gaps and where those equity gaps are. Additionally, we have talked about engaging in culturally sustaining practices and developing pedagogy to go along with it. That's where you have seen this year our professional development for MLL uh multil- language learners and our lit team formation and learning. Um we've also had an expansion of our unified sports teams. So these are the ways that you would see evidence um of that part of the strategy. The next item talks about developing leadership programs for students. You can see this through an an array of ways. When you're down at the mech, you're looking at classroom jobs and star of the week. As you get through the elementary grades, there's fifth grade student council at Berkeland. You are in the process at the Nichols Middle School of
052doing a student council rebuild. Mr. Mclofflin and I have already talked about creating some type of leadership style program at the middle school where eighth graders are welcoming in the sixth graders. Sometimes they're called web program. They can be called any number of programs, but I really do see that as a frontier down the line for Nicholls. You have to have people that lead it. Um, but I think modeling our program after what Principal Brandan does up here at the high school, we, you know, we already have a successful model. It would be nice to kind of see a middle school companion to that. Understandably, that takes time to build. At the middle school, you do see the mark anti-bullying um student leaders who um are, you know, absolutely already fulfilling that uh student council
053and start strong at the high school. high school programming I think in terms of leadership is on solid ground but it's I think pushing those leadership programs to the lower levels is really the the bulk of the work going forward and certainly sustaining of the work happening at MHS as well um supporting staff to function at their optimal level when this when this strategy was created this was actually one of the biggest points of discussion we were coming out of the pandemic and there was a lot of concern about our teacher population teacher and educator population and making sure that we were supporting them in order to to do their best work. Uh, and I think that continues to be a need. So, you'll see that evidence of this progress in building based substitutes. Something
054that we've been able to do is have a consistent building based substitute in the buildings. It makes a big difference when you have a designated substitute rather than four or five different individuals walking around for part, you know, portions of the day. So that's one way we can lighten that load. Our mentor program, which you've heard from the presentations previously, continues to be a need. Um along with teacher retention efforts, all of that work this year is evidence. Um care solace, which we talk often about the student and family population, is also available to our staff and their families. So anyone needing mental health support can get it um just by being an employee of MPS. uh U Rock at the Nichols Middle School is an initiative to just identify those efforts. You can actually
055see versions of U Rock at all the buildings where people leave a positive note for each other. Um even some community building, hey, let's get together and go bowling or there's different activities that they'll do together, which I think is evidence of real community outside of just the jobs that we all do. And then at the high school, the staff strong recognition. So um I think that that piece of the strategy is well developed and absorbed by teacher by the administration. I just don't see that as ever being done. Do you know what I mean? It'll never be a scenario where okay you're now well supported enough we don't have to worry about that anymore. Um we want to develop and actually have been developing our comprehensive system of mental health support for the community.
056You would see this in Kevin Avatab's presentations. Um you can see evidence of that this year in the PBIS work, the second step work, car solless, the mindfulness calmer choice. CCBC is our effort um which is community counseling of Bristol County. I I just butchered the acronym, but it's uh counseling support that students can receive here in the building so that if you're a parent and you're struggling to get that appointment at a time when your child is able, you can actually have it happen right here at school. Mental health first aid is training that a lot of our educators have been undergoing um through Kevin Avatadi and actually Josh Porter through the town. Um and I expect that to continue as well. Our district outreach counselor, that's Kaylee Goodell, is often working behind the
057scenes. I think people sometimes don't see all that work um in terms of securing housing for families, um food insecurity, a whole host of really any need. Uh actually that was one of the feedback pieces we got continually you'll see it in that data is that we think we need to do a better job of sharing with families all the resources available to them. So I I'll be taking up that challenge that mantle in particular and then um just evidence even in our spaces there's a new chill zone at the Berkeland um that I think is really helpful to see in action. There's nothing, you know, student didn't do anything necessarily wrong, but it is a place that honors you might have, you might have a need um in a flexible space at that moment
058in time. Um professional learning to ensure equitable access to curriculum and understanding of disabilities. Here is uh really what you're looking at is our PD calendar, our PD events from the last year as well as our curriculum development and special education pieces. Um there's been presentations on understanding the disability in particular. Um and then finally, MPY, that's the Mass Partnerships for Youth. That membership we we purchase for all of our educators in our district where they can access recorded webinars on a whole host of topics. So, if you want to learn about a given topic and you have it right at your fingertips for free, um I think that's a very powerful tool at a time when you might be feeling like you really need some help in an area we haven't covered um here
059in the district. So, that's standard three. I'll move over to standard four, which is establishing meaningful family and community partnerships. The first item on this list is creating family nights to increase involvement. And here's what I'll tell you. The list was almost too long to fit on the page. In terms of events, it really depends on what you're looking for. But there are events at all five buildings very regularly throughout the entire year, whether they're literacy nights, art shows, mystery readers, career fair, science fair, promotion ceremonies, um music and drama performances, celebration of us, the high- five Fridays, the curriculum showcase that the Nicholls put on this year, school dances. There's a whole host of engagement. What I continue to to question and I and I continue to question it through one middle burrow is
060these are celebratory events that involve children. What else what else are we missing? And how can we better partner to deepen our relationship with our families and have our families feel like they've learned something from us, you know, beneficial, right? So, I continue to see this as an area for improvement, an area to continue to build on. Just take nothing away from these events because I think the events are wonderful and should continue. District communications through newsletters, handbooks, calendars, website, and actually school committee. Some of the feedback we got in the data was asking for a way to more prominently display meeting minutes from this meeting. So, I'll look at how I can better incorporate that or how maybe we should all talk about how we want to better incorporate that. Um, but district communications,
061that was the one middle bureau initiative. The website development, as I've already said, is going to be, you know, a pretty big area of focus this summer in particular. Um, I think communications like laundry will also never be done. It's always going to be a place of needed refinement. Um, but I see that as an as an ongoing student outreach initiatives and wraparound services. This continues to be a need in our district because students do have extensive needs outside of just the topics covered in school. So you see that with our partnership with S. Vincent to Paul over the holidays. Um they assist in providing holiday gifts to families in need every year. We have a snack program at the elementary level. Again that CCBC counseling services at school. Uh the Brooklyn partnered I think
062it was first grade with the Shaw home. This year we saw the Oakpoint Car Wash get off the ground. I was talking actually I was texting with um with my contact over there and he was telling me that it was pretty big success. I expect to see more events with the Oakpoint community um in the years to come. uh comfort closets. That's a comfort closet is in I think all of our buildings, but if the student has a need, you know, we have a whole host of depending on the developmental level, whole host of um supplies on hand whenever a student comes to school and has a need for something that they don't have with them. Continued uh youth works and then finally St. Jim supporters at the high school level. Um we also this
063year have in our plan the review of continuing education opportunities and platforms. So what you heard about this year involved the review of community evening school and the expansion of futures academy. Um we already have the existing dual enrollment program here at the high school. This summer I believe I'll have the folks come over from the new robotics program because I I really want you to hear about what's going on there. But this is an area again that I see development happening in the future. Um, and what that looks like I think kind of remains to be seen, but I always think you can expand. And with like light manufacturing coming into town in our industrial park, I see that as another avenue um and possibility, but you know, we kind of have to go
064down this path and and develop it as a group as we get moving. Um, so with that, I think my last one is to create stronger partnerships with our state agencies to assist students as they either age in or age out of K12 education. So when I say age in, when the student turns three, that would be the first time a student is eligible to for special education should they be we have an obligation to identify at that age. They don't start with us until kindergarten at age five. Um and we do have very good existing partnerships with Head Start a pretty robust um process for child find drop in we have outreach with area daycarees. I focused this year in looking at that's what we've done in previous years is strengthening the age in
065um we're really looking at strengthening that age out end of state agencies. So mass hire and youth works is a big part of that but also connections with DCF uh mass commission for the blind. DMH is the department of mental health. DDS the department of developmental services that includes 688 referrals for students um at the high school level transition services at the high school including Massability. So this continues to be an area and again you know the the transition if you talk to special ed families in our community and beyond. I don't think it's specific to Middleboro. They will often tell you that that transition leaving K12 and into adult service is a very very steep cliff. So the better we get at this end of K12 education, the more smooth the transition for our
066students. Um so I see this as sort of the next frontier. We're working on it now, but I I do think it's going to take us uh some time to get there. So that's my last strategy slide. Any questions? Uh I have one maybe two. Um I was interested to hear about the reach out from town planner uh wanting to meet with you around district planning and I wonder if that is something like that we do the finance summit that would be good to have a representation from this um school committee at that meeting. It just it provides an umbrella audience particularly some of the things that we would think we want to be talking about. Uh and uh if so I'd be more than pleased to uh join you. I'll put in the flash
067tomorrow. I'll put um when we scheduled the appointment. If the appointment doesn't work, I will tell Leanne, hey, can we get I'm sure she's more than willing to get together again as well. Um I do believe that meeting is next week. Nope, it's in two weeks. I'm wrong. It's in two weeks. It's not the week of the holiday. So, uh, I'll update you, but any of you are welcome. Um, coming with me is, uh, director Peron and, um, Andy Farley, our director of facilities. I think having these conversations with multiple stakeholders at the table always makes the most sense. If we had anybody that's got expertise in those areas, it might be good for that person. I'll do my best to be there as well. Yeah. Yeah. Great. And just a couple things that um
068jumped out to me from scanning through the the building plans. I learned a couple new acronyms that I had to go look up. I added it to the spreadsheet that I created if I ever have to cross reference it again. Um so just in terms of some of the elementary complex especially noted um building based concerns with just the the facilities themselves. So, another thing that hopefully will be part of this sure long-term planning, um, just looking at that assessment that those teams did. Um, something else that, uh, jumped out to me from at least, uh, the high school and one of the elementary, I can't remember if it's anywhere else, is it seems that there's um, there's a lot of requests related to professional development. There's a lot of requests related to um learning
069how to help the students more with um disruptive behaviors and and support their feeling of belonging and and all of that which I think is fantastic that everybody's kind of feeling that desire to to put those supportive mechanisms in place. The other thing that that jumped out to me for us really to be aware of as a committee is it looks to me like there are a lot of teachers that are saying don't put the PD before vacations. Um, and I don't know the makeup of all of the committees who put this together, but that is specifically noted in a couple of the things. So, that would be something I'd love to get feedback on from more of the teachers, like is there more value from the community to adjusting how we look at the
070schedule next year? Yeah, I think um that's funny. I picked up on the same thing, but I think that the trick with prof what I think you're hearing is professional learning is very very important. It's important to us as administration. It's important to our educators here in the district. by keeping the calendar with these early release they're specifically talking about early release I don't think the full day is is the issue but the early release days when they fall on a Friday tend to lead into a vacation and I think there is something psychologically to how available are you for learning you know the end of the week well I mean ask any professional out there how do you feel about a 3:00 Friday afternoon meeting right and you'll probably get a kind of cold
071response so I think to be fair you have do the the problem with this of course is that our community is now used to our parent community is now used to early release days um on Friday afternoons and you have to counter you have to counterbalance both of those asks and it's funny I was in a superintendent's group this week and this particular issue came up and the ta the this district in question was trying to prevent the moving they're on Wednesdays currently they wanted to free it up but they didn't want it to move to Fridays because the superintendent was concerned about how that would go. I do think we've had Fridays enough that um we could survey. I could I'm happy to do that. I can also talk with the union presidents and
072see if they want to solicit that information, but when we go into calendar build, which on your year-long calendar you have, it's pretty early. We do the calendar, I think, starting in November, but that's good for long-term family planning as well. So, yeah. No, I I would very much like to to get the feedback from the the staff. um to then give us the appropriate time to get that information out to the community. Sure. Um probably also talk to the name is leaving me uh the group that provides the the afterchool care champions champions you know check with them to see if you know a shift in that kind of thing could be supported by their staff just to to open up some options potentially for at least the elementary levels if there are post
073post halfday care needs that they could help supplement. I've met with champions. I have only positive things to say about champions. And um at every turn, they've made it very clear that whatever we need, all we have to do is communicate. So, I'm pretty confident that they'd be able to counter. But that's exactly the type of thing you want to communicate early. Hey, if we make a shift and there's a burden on working families, are you able to assist us so that you know they're not we're not running into a child care issue on on the second half of whatever day of the week. Um you know, you want to consider. Um, yeah, those were just a couple things that jumped out from from kind of scanning through these these long lists of of uh
074data that they put together. Well, and it's interesting. You can see when you're looking, you know, when you're going to building level educators, you are very much seeing their lens. You know, whether it depends on what you're asking, but I it it struck me, it jumped off the page. I'm asking about long range planning. They're they're giving me feedback on how they're seeing it through their eyes at one building. This is the trick. This is exactly what I was talking about. You want to be very careful with information that's um you know singular lensed. You want to make sure you're looking at it through all five lenses, you know. But yes, I I think it's all valuable and I think it's important to consider that input so that they are heard um and know that
075we're thinking about that and understanding it. at I think it was at the last meeting you were considering uh putting together a survey of the community for what kinds of things that they might want um in the one middle borrow. Yeah. Is uh is that still on on I I did I I uh opted I opted not to do it in June because I do feel like when school closes I also say this as a parent I think people are kind of you know ready to move into summer and maybe not of the mind. So, I think what I'll do is ask that in August. We all I do, you know, a welcome back. I think asking them at that moment in time where they're already thinking about the year ahead of them, a new
076school year. Um, I think that'd be a little more meaningful. I was worried if I floated it and I only got a couple of answers. Now I have to repeat it. So, that was that was why it didn't pop up in that communication, but I'll certainly do it in August. Okay. We have a a question over here. Oh, sure. Can you just state your first and last name for the minutes? Thank you. Sarah Ziggores. Do I have to do address? No. Okay. Um, so just a question on the community events bringing in families and things which are great and I think we um, you know, we have a lot of opportunities. I just was wondering how is there a a unified way that all of those activities are added to the calendar because I think
077one of the biggest issues at the middle school and this may be a conversation we have um is um that I hear from a lot of parents this is my second round there is that nothing is sent home there's no paper communications which once you're there and you're on your second round you get used to but a lot of people there for the first time don't so they're expecting those papers to come home with reminders like the Tuesday folders things this is happening this week so I I know in particular the curriculum showcase there wasn't an any information sent out directly before it for people. So I did have some people that reached out and said, "Oh, we missed it. Didn't know about it. Came late, whatever." And yes, it's in Tiger Times and there's
078other communication, but I'm just wondering if there's a a way that either communication can be sent home right before some of these things for people that maybe missed it and they need a reminder. Um, I know we're going to be moving to parent square, so I feel like some of that my son goes to BP and they use it and it's it's a nice communication platform. So, I'm wondering if maybe some of those can be sent as reminders that way. Um, but just making sure that it's that it's really pushed out there for people that may have missed it or just busy. Um, especially like May and June are just so crazy the end of the year for people. So, just a suggestion and just to be able to have um because I know like
079for PTA we email Billy in the office to add all of our meetings for the year to the calendar, but I don't know if there's a way that how everything is magically added from each building. Um but it would be good to be able to have that calendar. Some schools add everything and some don't. So, be able to have that view for people that have kids in multiple places. Yeah. So I have so two just to share because you're you're tapping into something that director Siciliano and I have talked at length about already this spring. The first is the newsletters and we're going to be doing this as a unit with the administrative retreat really analyzing um the newsletters not content necessarily specific but I mean layout and length. One of the things that I
080think when you're writing those newsletters that you miss if you're not the reader of it is that most people are reading it on a phone. And so we have to start tailoring and I and we do I do believe that we tailor our communication, but I think we can do it better. One of the things we talked about is there's two different types of communication within those weekly newsletters. There should be a section that's just important dates coming up. Want you to know this is like the end of the term. This is parent teacher conference. This is our curriculum showcase. Then the content of this is what grade eight is doing. This is what grade seven is doing. Um, so really looking at that those newsletters not again not to control creative content but to
081push exactly the issue you're talking about. We agree with you that we don't think that our families are always getting that in terms of the actual calendar and the website. This ties back to the to the website issues. The first issue we have to solve is that I'm not convinced that parents are regularly going to the website because I don't I don't think they're finding what they're looking for perhaps getting frustrated and then not not going to that as a as a source. So we have to address that issue first. But in within our calendars within our websites for each school and then also the district are multiple calendars including a filter mechanism. So if I have a child at MHS and Birkeland and mech, there is a way to look at just those three
082calendars, which I think we have to do a better job of showing parents these tools. Uh that was the other feedback. I don't know if you saw that in the data as well, that we think families would benefit from more uh not really instruction, but just acclimating to our platforms because if you have a child that's gone through the Nickels, you already know the ropes. But if you're brand new there, you may not understand that. You may not know how to use all the, you know, Aspen and looking up grades and that sort of thing. So, your point is well well taken and certainly in process. I would expect to have an update on that no later than August because we really are looking to make those improvements as well. The old Middle Public Schools
083app that we had was really nice because you could do all the filtering on your phone and so you could also add those events. You could select which events to add to your calendar right there. it doesn't work as well from the website doing it onto a phone. So, I'm hoping maybe Parent Square has something that you can then add those specific events or tailor the calendar like you said with the filtering um because it isn't as user friendly on the website as it used to be. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Yep. I think the biggest thing is that once we get these systems where we want, you know, the if people aren't successful at getting information, they're not going to go to it. So, you have to build it in a way that as
084a parent, you go to it. you got what you needed and now you're now you're going to download the app and you're going to more readily look at it. It's a chicken and egg argument a little bit because if if people can't find the information, they're not going to rely on it. But like I said, Director Sisiano is well aware of this. We've talked about this um and it's the top of our list of our summer projects. So, we're ready to get started on that. Thank you very I just have to echo one more time uh what your leadership team is doing with the strategic planning and carrying it through the strategy and the assessment. It's really impressive. Thank you. With that, we're going to turn into student handbook updates. Can I just comment? I
085was trying to be polite. Um so, Youthworks popped up on a couple different standards and uh about a week and a half ago I was at a meeting with Comore who is the state funer of the youthworks program and Mass Hire who oversees the region. Um and it's nice that it was part of our strategy, but they also recognized Middleboro. Uh they spoke very glowing of it. Um and at that meeting they did indicate that they're changing the soft skills training which is called signal success and how uh districts upload the um data into what they call the hub. It used to be called the database. And I kind of have had a firsthand um look at how different other districts are doing it. So, if anyone from the team uh has any questions or
086just wants a sneak peek before, you know, the fall hits, I'd be happy to talk with them. I I met with I met with um Lacy Foley, our coordinator of Futures Academy just today. So, um I will send her your direction. I bet I bet she would like She was talking about when we met with Youth Works and um they came and gave us the good news that they were increasing our funding by another $100,000 plus this coming year. we were talking exactly about that curriculum and you could see that they were wanting feedback on that on that data hub. So I haven't used it my myself but I will definitely send uh Miss Foley your direction. Thank you. Definitely look forward to it. Thank you. Great. Okay. Now we can turn into student handbooks.
087Um the way I kind of structured it is that we would start at the high school. So coming our way are assistant principles um Andy Daizelle and Jeff Sylvia. And if you guys want, I linked your presentation into mine. So, if you just want to click on that blue link, our fearless leaders at the high school have been hard at work on their revisions. And um they sent we put in the Dropbox the new handbook, which we'll be looking for your approval, but they also put together a couple slides just to highlight the changes. If you want to go and read the whole handbook, you can. This was designed to give you a shortcut so you could understand just the parts that are changing. Yes, we will be brief. The handbook is not. So at
088your own peril um so to begin with the process uh we we annually begin with a questionnaire to parents, guardians, students and staff. Uh we then take that data as an administrative team and we synthesize it. We break it down and then we mull and determine desired edits. And the edits are what we are going to propose to you this evening. Uh the first slide here are routine updates, updates of all dates in the handbook. Um we updated the local graduation requirements in light of DESI's um no longer using MCCAST as a um as a means to graduate or as a factor of graduation. Um updating the new bell schedule for this year. Uh updated the honor society entries to reflect changes to national charter expectations. And updated theou between MPS and MPD. So those
089are all routine um updates. The uh there is a a few deletions and a few additions to the book this year. Um one is we deleted all references to community evening school as that is um a program that's on hold for now. Um we deleted the section on progress reports as we're no longer going to be issuing those reports um at the the mid uh mid quarter time. um based on building leadership team and curriculum team. Um as as superintendent lines in uh discussed during standard two of uh the district strategic improvement plan um we're really looking at grading practices and how we communicate those grades and the decision was made to remove those progress reports. Plus Aspen is available 247. Um we added a list of tiered interventions for violations of our cell phone
090and earbud expectation on page 71. Um, it was actually a revision that we heard staff a few years ago say, "Take it out. We want more uh leeway." And now we're hearing we want it back. So, we we put it back with the caveat that we're going to put it in there and leave it there for a three-year term because we want to collect data on that because I don't want to get in the we don't want to get in the habit of doing that, taking away, putting it back, taking away, putting it back. Soup dour flavor of the month. We want to collect data and make data informed decisions in this regard. Um, so we're not going to we're not going to we're going to visit this um every year um the data per
091se, but we're not going to kind of mull it as a as a proposed change um for three years. Um we did add a clause uh to our our section on restrooms and the addition is uh the bathroom access and use is modified for students based on their individual needs. students that have medical or special education needs will be accommodated, which is something that we've always done, but now it's just in print. Um, and finally, at the direction of Superintendent Lions and the legal team, we've added MGL chapter 272 section um 98 and statute uh 2016, chapter 134 um in the appendices in our book. Um could you I don't happen to know what those are. Could you? So, so to summarize, um the MGL uh chapter 272 uh section 98 uh just protects all
092students will have the full and equal accommodation advantages to facilities and privileges of any place of public accommodation. So, everybody gets access to everything essentially. Um and then second, the statute is protection from discrimination on the basis of gender identity. That's it. Um, so this is going to be an item in each of the schools that um, based on some questions that have been asked of me that I need to understand better. So that I'm going to be asking questions probably in all of the schools about this. Uh, could you in terms of uh, as we is on the agenda of access to the bathrooms, can you tell logistically how that is uh, implemented at the high school? Sure thing. Uh, and it's in detail in our handbook that I'm sure you'll read tonight. Um,
093so so at Middleboro High School there there are four types of bathrooms. There's me men's rooms and there's women's rooms and there's all gender restrooms and there are staff restrooms. Um, and and students uh they're they're accessible before school, during passing and and after school for student use during the class time. We have uh teachers at our open bathrooms there monitoring our e-haul pass system. So So hypothetically, if I need to use a restroom, I'm a student. I ask permission from the teacher, I get an e-haul pass to the restroom, I get approval, I go to the bathroom, I check in, I use it, I check out, I return, right? Um and so we have we have bathrooms galore. Um and and so um that's pretty much it. Is there are there any other details
094about the bathroom system, the bathroom offerings that we have at the high school specifically? Uh, sure. Uh, so in the uh ones that are designated for males, uh uh there are stalls as well as urinals. Uh is it all open? What it is? What's it like? Yes, in the men's room there are two stalls, urinals and two stalls. Sorry. So two two of each. Sorry. Okay. Thank you. Um and my other question is more um again maybe showing my age uh bathroom facilities were always an area that was of concern for bullying uh when I went through school that uh that was a place where that happened a lot uh for different students. Uh, is that something that we experience here or is the what you've put in place is really helping to take care
095of that? Well, it certainly hasn't taken care of of really anything. I think we've put interventions in place to better supervise and better monitor those places. I I think in the history of high schools, bathrooms have been a problem area, but I um I really do think that this is an area of growth for the high school. Um when we adopted uh the duty system that we have now and we are able to put a staff member a outside every open restroom that we have during the school day during class time. Um we we limit uh access to four people in there at a time to limit um access to to behavior such as that. It can't take it away because we're also not going to be inside the bathroom watching every move because that's
096completely inappropriate, right? Um but but we have put systems in place to to do as much as we can at this moment to limit those behaviors that we're most feared of. Vaping, drug use, bullying, um things of those nature. Uh so so I feel very comfortable with the citizens that we have in place to be as effective as we possibly can to limit uh and to prevent to the best of our ability those types of behaviors. And that's one of the benefits of having uh one of the newer schools uh of the way that you've been able to put in uh the facilities that are needed uh to meet the needs of all sorts of different people. Absolutely. That's great. Thank you. Thank you. Question. Hi Bridgetette Karns. Um you went so fast in that
097last section. Can you say that in plain English? This MGL7272. [Music] um what you had you kind of explained it was very fast. I I apologize. Um so the notes that I have here and I might have to defer to my my resident law dog uh Superintendent Lions but all students will have the full and equal accommodation advantages facilities and privileges of any place of public accommodation. So um in essence all students have access equal access to facilities. So, um, so in terms of bathrooms where they're they're specific to boys or girls rooms, um, do they have equal access to both bathrooms? Boys can go in the girls' rooms, girls can go in the boys' rooms. Is that what that means? Everybody has equal access to everything. They just can pick and choose what bathroom
098they go to. when when students consistently assert a gender identity, they have the right to use that facility. But you just said that all students have access to any bathroom of their choice open to the public. That is the excerpt from that that I wrote down. So then all students can use any bathroom that they choose to use. So all students, so your the original descriptor would not be accurate that any anybody can plain Jane, go ahead and use whatever facility that they want. Um but students who assert a specific and consistently assert a gender identity at school um are able to use the the bathroom that they identify with. That is their legally protected right. So, but we have like so we have uh infrastructure that's built for two genders. We have we have
099all gender restrooms and we have men's rooms and we have women's rooms. So, in the high school we have infrastructure that allows for boys rooms, girls rooms and then all other gender categories. We have men's rooms, we have all gender restrooms and we have women's rooms. So you have the infrastructure to have a if you have a non-bionary situation, right? So you have boys and girls and other children um that are other genders or identify you're talking about more than two genders. Why is the solution binary? Because it's a it's a state law that asserts the right for this to happen. Okay. What about the rights of girls to have um access to safe spaces for girls and boys to have pra privacy at urinals and not um feel uncomfortable in those situations? What about
100the rights of the other students also? So in our handbook uh all students are afforded if they feel uncomfortable for whatever reason they can seek uh the counsel of a counselor and administrator to to determine best practices for uh their comfort level. But that's not that's not the same thing. You're you're saying that that student needs to be go seek somebody to help them feel more comfortable about having other people in their in Well, I'm sorry to cut you off. Gender specific space. So, we we in every uh possible scenario, we would encourage students to come see us if they're uncomfortable for any reason. But the the addition of this um of this MGL, this Massachusetts state law, is just to remind and to certify and to acknowledge the fact that um that we will
101uphold those rights. Okay. Could I have a follow-up question? Uh the all gender bathrooms, uh are those all with uh privacy stalls? Uh it's single use. Sorry, single use. So I'll Yes. So that that is the opportunity for someone that uh is uncomfortable using uh whatever their assigned janitor is or That's correct. All gender restrooms are single use. They do have the opportunity for that privacy. Yes. Thank you. Yes. I know you had a question. Yeah. Um I have a question about the earbuds and headphones policy. Sure. Um so I know that there are a number of students who rely on um kind of the the sound dampening effect of headphones or the reduction of the stimuli um in the wording of the phrasing in the updated policy. It doesn't have that same note that
102you have in other policies for um students who may need accommodations that would be honored. So, um I would just recommend that you take another look at that section. Um and you know, it's similar to the language you have in other sections as well where you just note that accommodations can still be made for students who have the need. I will take that under advisement. Thank you. It's it's one of those things that's um that's understood but maybe not stated. Maybe that should be like the the subtitle to the handbook, right? We'll accommodate you if you need. That could very well be how it's addressed is to note that, you know, if certain if students have accommodations that that some of the policies aren't hard and fast. Um, but because this got added back in
103with kind of that tiered uh how did you phrase it? The um tiered interventions tiered interventions associated to it. it does feel more prescriptive. Um, and so I did kind of read it thinking that the just a note that and more for families to understand the expectation that there are different accommodations that may be needed for some folks. Yes. Thank you. Any more questions? I did have one um another one, sorry. the no longer issuing progress reports. Um, this is actually something that I fully support because it's all like you go to Aspen and all your grades are right like one tab away from the tab where all the progress report is there. So, um, my question with the issuing of progress reports is that um I didn't see the page number to scan it
104in uh full depth, but um actually you removed the whole section. So it wouldn't be there and I have to go back and look at the old one. Um is there an uh an intent that there will still be like a a midterm notification to parents that you know as of this date all grades are in? So check on how your students doing to be aware of kind of where things stand before you do the second half of the year. Yeah. My honest answer is I I don't know. uh because because these report sorry progress reports would come at the midterm of the of the each quarter right so um being that Aspen is available 247 um and there being a an intentional shift of focusing more on the process of learning education versus the
105label of a grade that's attached to it. Um I don't know if we're going to say hey everybody it's the midpoint of the term go check Aspen. Um I think we want to more so focus on the fact that it is the expectation that all staff update their grades wi every um I believe it's two weeks or 10 days or two weeks 10 school days two weeks um and they should be as current as that. So we want to put the focus on that so that a parent, guardian, family member, student can go and get a a really accurate um portrayal of where they are in their learning at any given time. and we don't really want to highlight, you know, it's the halfway mark when students might be in a in a in a
106spot where they need a pickme up or they need a boost at home. That would be our teachers, that would be our guidance staff, that would be us as administrators reaching out to home and say, "Hey, listen. We need to, you know, giddy up and go here. We need to put more of a focus on X, Y, and Z." Um or or send some type of alert out there in that fashion. Okay. I I fully support the concept of it being an ongoing process and you know don't wait till a certain point in the calendar to notify somebody that somebody's struggling make it a continuous cycle of of evaluation. Um I I do know from my perspective at one point Aspen had a great way for a parent to get notified through an app every
107time a grade got posted and I loved that because it was really useful and then they took it away. So, um it is not as uh it's not pushed to parents anymore in the way it was before. Um but it is right there and easy to get to. So hopefully um it'll be wellreceived and you know just uh maybe uh as we transition away from the expectation of progress reports just looking at the notification processes of hey don't forget to check Aspen kind of thing. So thank you. I appreciate it. Sure thing. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you all. So we will at the end I guess we'll v have you vote on all of them rather than each time just to make that cleaner. Um we will next move to the Nicholls
108Middle School. We have assistant principal uh Steve Pru here and uh Mr. Mclofflin also um to come talk about handbook updates for the Nichols Middle School. So again, same rules apply. If you want to click in that uh slide deck then your slides will come right up. Welcome. Good evening everyone. Uh we had uh we had very little changes overall to our handbook based on the work that we had done previously the work that was done prior to me getting here. Uh there were a number of changes that went into this year's um and you can go to the next just to give you a quick overview. We had spent administration wise as well as our support staff, teachers, students, we met on a regular basis throughout the year to make sure that the language
109and and expectations within our handbook were meeting that of the community uh of our whole entire school community. So, we wanted to take that input and we've we've discussed a number of changes moving forward that we may be looking to have further discussion, but Dr. Tucker and and uh Mr. Mclofflin once he came on, we decided that we were going to put that on hold a little bit and just with a couple of things that we were adding this year um just so that we could have further discussion and and Miss Mclofflin can have her bigger voice in and some of those as we move forward. on that on that last slide. Just so you know, as you heard last year, I'm constantly looking at the format of our handbook. It is very large, very
110cumbersome. I don't like it. I I I keep playing with it and trying to reformat it to make it something that is much more easily read for you, for our parents, for you guys, and and for our community. So, um couple of very specific just word changes. Uh in page 10, we updated from telephones and electronic devices to telephones and smart devices just so that we can incorporate the ongoing changes that are coming with technology every day. Now we have smart glasses and and all kinds of video things that pe kids can use and and are trying to use. Uh and on page 12, we just updated the uh bullying and prevention link from Kevin uh to the latest 2025 plan. And as uh Mr. Daisel and and uh Superintendent Lions had discussed we have
111uh we incorporated the new bathroom procedures in our append appendix Q which is towards the end of the the handbook uh to incorporate the language that uh from the state as well as what we're trying to do and making sure that we're using the e-hole pass kids have access uh throughout the day. Um we do hold in uh into account we have some kids because they're teenagers and teenagers like to they're very busy and and and at times we we will try and limit or have to limit just because it the bathrooms become a meeting place. Um as you may or may not know there are approximately 26 different bathrooms at the Nickels. There are 21 in in all three academic wings. We have one in the nurse's office. We have two adult um outside
112the main office area and we have the the the two in the gym. So there are 26 um bathrooms that kids can access throughout the day. We do have um in each cluster we have uh boys and girls, boys and girls. Um, we also have a couple of adults as well as the allgender bathroom so that kids have an opportunity to use which one they feel most comfortable with uh throughout the day. Um, and again, as you can see, this is just appendix Q and the language that is now in that handbook just so for you guys to review. And at the end, I included, you can go a couple more. At the end, I included the language uh that came from Superintendent Lions uh regarding the regulations um from uh legal uh legal language
113and and document that. Sorry. That's it. Um thank you for the descriptions which mean I don't have a lot of questions. Um our only comment is that the language that's in this one that really um details out uh in the second part which I think goes to one of the questions that was asked that um says in language rather than in law references um I think might be helpful in the in the it's in the it's the exact same in the high school handbook. Oh I thought the way that it was written it was only reference to the law. So hold on I can help you. So there's two there's two different pieces of this. All the handbooks have the procedures laid out. So if you guys could just pull up slide five. This is
114a description of the procedure. The procedure and I want to take a moment to also clarify the procedure is not new. But the documentation of the procedure we felt was very important to not only align because this is already the practice but we thought it was important that this verbiage be in the handbooks clear. So I think you know looking at that slide would help in each handbook there's also an appendix the appendix is legal references to all different things. So you know that so the same language is in each. All right. Thank you. I missed that. The desire there was to just make sure one our practice was consistent and then two just that we're you know referencing absolutely this procedure why we're doing what we're doing as we do any other uh legal
115procedure at at the schools. Thank you. Sure. Thank you. Um so I have a question. I heard it said um from Mr. Zizelle that they have teacher monitors or they have bathroom monitors at the high school. Is that something that we could get at the middle school? Um, where there's historically many issues that happen in the bathroom, especially with people congregating. Um, I think that they probably the kids are that age, they kind of all plan to go and then do they video and record and take bathrooms uh cell phones into the bathrooms. Um, and then some do inappropriate things with them to other people, which I have a big concern about with some of the language. Um, but is it possible to get bathroom monitors at the middle at the middle school? If I
116may, um, there is sporadic staff coverage outside the bathrooms um, based on staff availability and our current schedule. It is a goal of mine for this summer to look at our staff duty lists and schedules and to be more robust. I I echo your concern about that. Having done bathroom duties myself, I understand that, you know, that's a need in the school. Yeah. And it will certainly be something that one of those things I mentioned on July 1st is bathrooms and staff supervision of such. Is it possible to also require the students to leave their phones in the classroom when they go to the bathroom? Technically, they're required to leave them in their bags. I know, but it's that that's not happening. Tik Toks and everything else in the bathroom and then taking pictures or
117recording other students is a really big fear for a lot of the kids at the middle school, whether it's happened to them or it's happened to a friend. Um, and it's a concern I have. I totally understand the concern. I I was just saying the hand already restricts it. So, I think it's more but I'm wondering if they have to leave it in a like leave it when they do their e-haul pass and go and then grab it when they come back or some I don't know. All I'll say is this. I agree with you completely. I would ask that you give me the grace to be able to to push that those expectations when we start the school year this fall. If you feel like it's still an issue as we move forward in
118the fall, by all means, give me a call. I agree with that. That's a that's a concern that we need to pay attention to. Awesome. Thank you so much. Thank you. Uh any other questions? Thank you very much. Thank you everyone. Thank you. And so if you want to before you go just go back to the other slides so that you don't abandon us there. Um we will head to the elementary school next. The elementary is unique only because we have three elementary schools with the Mary Kay. Good, the Henry B. Berkeland, and the Memorial Early Childhood Center. Um, because you are talking about our earliest learners, they h they their handbook is actually all the same. You'll see all three building identities in it, but in this case, we asked our assistant principal. There's
119no assistant principal at the MEX. So, we have um Andrea Bolton and uh Josh Dyer here, assistant principles of the Berkeland and the Mary K. good to just walk through um the updates for the elementary handbook. So, with that, I'll turn it over to assistant principles Dyer and Bolton. Welcome. Yeah. Uh thank you so much for having us. Uh school committee. Um Mrs. Lord was not able to be here as Mrs. Lions just uh just addressed, but um just to kind of review the process, we were able to meet a few times throughout the month of March to be able to uh try to go page by page to the best of our ability. There are obviously certain things that won't necessarily be changed um for the sake of this handbook for today. Um but
120we are certainly having larger discussions about what uh further handbook updates and revisions would be available for next year. Uh including seeking out student voice um to be able to get some of that insight and input uh especially at the the the fifth grade level. um those students are are have a lot to say and and and their voices should be heard after spending 5 years uh which is the longest time that students will spend in a singular building. So uh we're already working on that for for this coming school year. Yeah. So just uh some standard updates. The table of contents uh it needs to be updated to has some adjustments for uh additional staff changes across the district as well as page numbers and changes and things of that nature. Um and then
121just some grammatical updates and changes uh throughout the the text. So we didn't specifically label all of those, but um that is under underway. We are updating the arrival updates. Um the PM arrival for the mech is at 12 and in the handbook currently it says 12:15. Um and the complex gate off of Route 28 opens at 2:45 each day and as a reminder, please stay in your vehicle until 3:10. So just uh some additions there is a section that talks about uh not wearing outside materials and things of that nature. There was the clarification uh just to erase any ambiguity that hoods should not be worn during the academic school day while hats are permissible at the complex um between the buildings as well as the mech. Um hoods are not supposed to be
122worn. Uh for recess the windchill was adjusted at 22 degrees Fahrenheit as opposed to the 20. this does have the disclaimer uh to follow it that it could be at administrative discretion. Uh recognizing that there's state guidance that comes with that temperature. Uh knowing that recess is an important thing for our students to not only move their bodies but to to be able to have a bit of a reset throughout their day. Um especially for some of our youngest learners. Uh it it's an important part of their day. Um but just ensuring that they do so in a safe way. So that has been adjusted. uh the recess rules, we've uh we've added that the recess items themselves need to be returned to their carts their appropriate places. While again that is a practice that
123has been consistent, it's important to make sure that language reflects that. And then cafeteria rules it currently use the verbiage of a one- foot voice, which was uh that's a bit of an outdated um volume measurement. We uh we do levels one through four um and and things of that nature. So, we adjusted it to be a level one voice, which the students from the mech to both of our buildings are much more familiar with. Um, we are looking to delete school bus rules as posted on each bus because they are not currently posted on each bus. A question about that. Yes, ma'am. Um, so do we think it's not a uh that do we think that it should not necessarily be posted? Is it a good idea that we should be posting them in
124all of the all of the buses? So, I think that it's a really great question. I I I think uh we often talk about controlling the controllables. Um I think it's important for us to recognize that that is a it's a great pillar and standard to strive for um as our assigned seats across all buses, things of that nature. Um, but recognizing that the the bus company, they work in conjunction with us and and trying to do our best to to move toward that, that is certainly a goal that we can we can move toward, but it's it's not a universal thing that occurs at this time. So, it's it's a it's a misstatement in the handbook at this time. So, we wanted to be sure to rectify it before we we I think it's
125also we change it. Just a logistical issue. Having the bus rules posted on the a safe area on a school bus usually meant it was like on the top of the ceiling over where the up the front and you can't see it unless you're our school bus rules in the appendix are I believe they're 15 total points. Um so even in in its smallest summation size 12 it would be quite difficult. Um I I will share that we often talk at at the elementary level um and as well as the mech about those school bus rules expectations. Um we have matrix matrices across the board to be able to further identify students expectations what we as a a building and administrators expect from them what families can expect from them too so that they can
126further be held accountable to those. And how do we currently communicate those to the kids? Uh via town meetings uh which was a bit previously discussed. We do town meetings. uh we often do slides that go directly to the classroom. So there's whole level grade information that's uh sent out there, but also there's class level. Um I can I can share that that we often will uh as part of a restorative piece should there be a violation of bus rules, there's an opportunity to once more review those. Uh if you didn't get it the first, second, or third time, then perhaps that fourth time is a great opportunity to ensure that there's clarity. Um and then that can really fuel th those conversations not only with students but with families as well. Well, and if
127I may, um, your timing is good. I have a meeting tomorrow with FiveStar Bus, um, with a host of others as we start preparing for next school year. So, if you don't mind, I'll take this one and run with it because I do a training with the bus drivers at the beginning of every school year. I meet with them and I am positive we have covered the issue of bus rules. And I thought we gave them to them to hand out to riders on day one to avoid this posting issue. But if you would give me just the day, I'll meet with them and raise this and just ask how they what what's the five-star bend on this because everyone has the same vested interest which is clearly communicating the rules and making sure the
128kids follow them. So, um I'm guessing I'll get some good insight in the morning on that for you. Thank you. Are the bus rules posted in the handbooks? Yes, sir. Yes. Problem solved. I was just going to look for them. All right. Number two is to remove closedback shoes from student dress expectations. Um we have students who wear sandals or Crocs and that doesn't seem to be an issue. So we're going to remove that. But uh PE still will require closed back shoes. And we are deleting point 2 of general discipline expectations. It says to respect property and it already says to essentially respect property in another line item. So we're just looking to remove it from there. We have a parking lot update. This information has been sent out in newsletters um by the
129the principles in the buildings, but it's an important piece of information to to not only share once more, but to ensure that it's able to to last not from this year, but for years to come. Um we are very fortunate that the complex is going to be working toward um a freshly paved parking lot, which is a wonderful and exciting thing. Um so that's that's wonderful. Um, Mr. Farley has been really great about being able to to meet with us about linage and things of that nature. So, a big thank you to him um to ensure that our students at the complex are able to uh continue to have uh safe drop offs and pickups in the in the morning and afternoons and such. Um, so this information I I can certainly read it verbatim
130if if you would like, but really the the biggest thing is to to break it down for pedestrians as well as drivers about following the flow of traffic. Often times people say, "Well, I'm in a rush." Um certainly everybody is in the morning, but we want to make sure that our our our youngest students and all students are are getting to school and home from school as safely as possible. So we're adding this to the current page 12 and that's has some of our drop off procedures already. But once more, I will just clarify that with additions and amendments, some of the page numbers themselves will change. So once that uh that full change does take place following this meeting, um the page numbers themselves will be adjusted accordingly. May I just ask um I
131know last year there was a lot of discussion about the backup onto um the road at especially at the um pickup. Yes. Yeah. Um and I believe there was also some complexities at the beginning of the day as well. Have those improved over this past year with some of the adjustments to how you manage the gate time and and and all of the rest? I I would certainly say specifically for for afternoon pickup for any uh family pickups that take place in the back of the building. Uh the biggest change this year was the consistency of opening that back gate at 245. Um so previously that back gate did not open at 245 which led to as you all can imagine uh quite the backup onto Route 28 and the overflow into the Field of
132Dreams and things of that nature. And just with that being such a busy intersection, we really wanted to work toward that. Uh, furthermore, it's given us an opportunity to tell staff, including PE, we were able to move schedules around so that students are off of that back oval in that back campus area by that 245 marker to ensure that we limit any student foot traffic back there just because while everybody is doing their best, the total number of vehicles that go back there is is quite immense. Um, so I would certainly say that for that that pickup procedure, I've certainly seen um some pretty great improvements. We worked in conjunction with Middlebar police, including our school resource officer, Officer Steve Valerio. Uh, and he's often found back there for afternoon dismissals and things of that
133nature. So, um, I've certainly seen an improvement and and some of the families that have reported it back to us have shared that information that it's it's a bit a bit better. Um, we're certainly looking to improve it further. Um, you know, it's once the recipes figured out, we we certainly want to um keep doing it a little bit better each year, every day. So, great. I'm I'm thrilled to hear that it's been been better. Um, I avoid that whole area around the front of schools as much as possible as my my civic duty towards helping as much as I can with dismissal is to try to not be on a road near where any of that is happening. Um, but I I'm glad that it's made some improvements and appreciate the the safety measures
134you have put in place to clear the the back of the complex um before you start letting those cars come in. Well, and if I may, because that was too modest. So, the chief of police actually brought this to my attention, specifically the PM pickup on uh right across from Hannerford, that street at 105, no 28. 28. Why do I do that? Anyway, 28. And um he was very concerned about this. And the elementary principles and administration jumped on this right away, aligning their schedules and moving kids away in order to facilitate that change in time. And it solved that pro. I didn't hear a single concern now that I've said that, but I didn't hear a single concern last year. You know what's interesting is on July 1st I have my annual meeting with
135the chiefs. So it's the first item on my agenda to check in to say how is it but I already know the answer because I haven't heard about it. Now the morning I can tell you as a driver is still a concern. Um and that has to do with the time at which people arrive. And what I would just throw in here is that at all buildings, this is not specific to the elementary complex, but it does seem to be more of a prominent issue there because of its central location. We have many many families that arrive very early and that does create this bottleneck situation. So, and you see that at the in the PM at the other campuses as well as well as the AM. So, you know, everyone's got their schedule and
136honestly depending on where you live in Middleboro, it can take you a while to get there, but planning to arrive as close to those times as possible would alleviate that traffic pattern um as best as possible. So, just to avoid waiting around. That said, that's, you know, but I just wanted to you to fully understand not only was that issue resolved, but through the the work of these people here, um jumping on that and fixing it right away. Thank you. I know that we needed there were changes that were also made at the mech um for pickup. Um did those necessitate a change in the handbook? So this information uh because we share a handbook, this information in its entirety will be uh in in the shared handbook between the three buildings. I do know
137that Mrs. Lord has continued to work in conjunction with with MPD uh to be able to to further increase some of that. And I know that they also have some long range planning that they've um started to discuss further as well. But to answer that question, she didn't propose new language. So this was a hold over from when the roof was repaired. There was a change in procedure that initially was wellliked. This is specific to the mech community was wellliked by staff and parents alike. And then as time wore on, the roof was fixed, whatever, we got back to normal. Um it wasn't that helpful. it. I mean, it may have been helpful for some, but it created additional issues. So, they reverted back to the original process, which would be consistent with the handbook
138language because we never shifted. That said, this is a good thing to put on on Principal Lord's radar to just say, you know, let's take a look at that issue. So, I'd be happy to to relay that to her. Um, the bathroom update, as you can see, we're adding a lot in there. We did not have that originally in the handbook. Um, we took the verbiage from the high school and the middle school and we adapted it to the elementary school. Um, just to highlight at HBB, MKG, and the mech, there are times that students may use the bathroom as a whole class bathroom break. So, that's different than the middle school or the high school would do at designated times during the day and they are also available at lunch and recess when needed.
139Um, and then we um specify what the schools have um in terms of bathrooms available. So, at MECH, there are student bathrooms labeled boys and girls, as well as staff bathrooms in the hall and teachers room. Um, and at HPB and MKG, there are student bathrooms labeled boys and girls as well as staff bathrooms in the hall and teachers room. There is also a single-use stall in the nurse's office as well as the main office and are they um how how do we communicate that to the stu? I actually have some questions before that. Um so for the elementary schools we've got a very large um age range from first grade to fifth that uh people at very uh little ones we call them little learners. I love that term. Little learners at very different
140stages of their development. Um the way that the classrooms are organized and the bathrooms is it mostly students of the same age that are using the same bathrooms? It is on our side. No. show you. Yes. Yes, ma'am. So, so our the complex itself at the HB and MKG um it's very hallway driven. It's very hallway specific. So, it's very what if you a little closer, it's me, not you. Um it's very hallway driven. So, essentially in each hallway there's one or two grades that might overlap in that capacity which would permit that students to be approximately with one calendar year approximately um using the same restroom. So, first and second grade will often use the same restroom. Okay. Um and um my other question is uh the uh in the bathrooms the same question
141that I asked u previously in the I guess it only happens in men's bathrooms for whatever set of reasons. Uh that uh there are stalls in all of the boys bathrooms. Yes, ma'am. There are stalls. Yes. Okay. and um the use of the single or all gender bathrooms, are those designated? Are they is there signage? Uh are there ways that parents because for the little ones they they probably need some help with that. Um is it upon request? Is it just something that they can use as they can in the uh middle school and the high school? How does that all work? I'm I don't know if I'm fully understanding the question. So, the oftentimes the the boys and girls rooms themselves are labeled um and a lot of the other restrooms will just say
142restroom or something along those lines. Based on the age of the building, a lot of the uh the different restrooms might have some different verbiage or language on it. So, it could say, you know, teachers restroom or staff or restroom. Um so, that does fluctuate a bit. So there's not necessarily a universal cleancut answer um just because the the the building itself is is um it's tough when you're working with a older building. Yes, ma'am. Um I guess what I was asking is if a student wants to use the allgender bathroom, how do they know that they are able to do that and where they would go? Um how how do they find out that information? So, I I believe the the last line really sheds some light on that, the ability to to talk
143with a school counselor, school administrator. Um, we're very fortunate at our level that there's such a rapport that is built between teacher and student because those students see that teacher for all of or vast majority of their academic school day. Um, so being able to to lead students to or support students rather um should should they have that request um is is really how it's been navigated thus far. And I assume that that's something also a parent could ask about. Correct. Yes, ma'am. Uh and my last question I guess is again for the little learners. Um these circumstances may be very different. they may not have knowledge of these circumstances. Is there anything that we do to prepare students for the circumstances that of given uh of the way that we give access? So, um
144a young child uh ends up in a bathroom with uh another student that they may think has one gender but uh is identifying themselves differently. I'm just wondering my thought is about the community. How how is it that we uh lessen the tensions and and I know this is a very broad question so u sorry um are there any are there ways are there best practices particularly with the younger children that we prepare them for what they might experience that that is yeah that's a what a lofty question. Um, I'll say that that especially at the elementary level, there's there's always opportunities for learning. Um, there's always opportunities for the discussion and I think that that would certainly be part of it. Um, I I don't know if there's like a universal response that I
145might be able to give at this time. Uh but I certainly think that when there's opportunities for for learning and growth and and then then then that's some of those opportunities that um are important to to kind of strive for um especially for to your point the little learners the the youngest in in in our in our district. Um so should the questions arise and things of that nature I think being able to loop families in um and find support for for the the students um is really the the end goal and the main goal. Okay. Thank you. Bridget. Hi. Sorry. I I think my question is very similar to Sue's. Um because the building is old, you don't have infrastructure like the high school does to offer an allgender bathroom. And it sounds like
146what you're saying is a single stall bathroom is very remotely located. These aren't easily accessible single stall bathrooms because you don't have the infrastructure. Is that an accurate? Am I accurately kind of describing that? Not necessary. said it was in the back. It was in the office and in the nurs's room where is Yes. which are essentially located in each building, right? But the kids aren't those aren't their spaces that they're they're passing on like, you know, like that's not in their hallway. They're probably the littlest learners aren't really oriented to this single stall being accessible to them or being considered an old gender bathroom or anybody is free to use that bathroom. Any student at any time can choose to use those single stalls. Those aren't things we readily tell our littlest learners. Is
147that communicated to the littlest learners that at any point in time you are free to use these single bathrooms? Is that something that the school does districtwide? I mean, I feel like that's the simplest way to explain to a little child like all of you are free to use these single stalls if that makes you most comfortable for whatever reason. Not because you identify as anything, but because you just choose privacy. I mean, how I'm just I I mean, you don't have that infrastructure like at the high school in uh in in an ideal world. I'll be the first to say that I I I sure would love a shiny new building and and that's definitely we don't Yeah. Yes. But I I know that that's a certainly a much larger discussion and conversation. Uh
148I think you you you raised a great point when we talk about our town meetings and we talk about our advisories to follow which are opportunities like I said to do full grade level but then also classroombased so that students hear it twice, right? being able to repeat it. It feels like that possibly is is our best opportunity to reiterate to students to ensure that that message is out that if there is that discomfort to really reiterate that. So if there's anything missed in in that verbiage, it's an opportunity to restate that to them. And so it won't be a problem if you have large numbers of children who are making that decision to use the single stall in the nurse's office. Well, I think we would certainly have to see what what total number
149that would be. I'm just I'm just curious because I'm just you know if there are children that want to pull out of those bathrooms because they are uncomfortable with unanticipated um you know expectations. So um my other question is I guess and it's not targeted at you but in general um just understanding transgender you you a boy who identifies as a girl you're a girl who identifies as a boy but if you're non-binary you identify as neither. Am I accurate? So it to I'm just trying to understand. I don't want to mix it up. Certainly. Yes. Okay. Is that what non-gender is? Uh non-binary is they identify as neither. So for the purposes of bathrooms, which thing do they consistently use? It's their choice. So they can So you're saying but they consistently identify they
150use the bathroom of the thing that they consistently identify, but they don't consistently identify as either. So they could choose to use the boy's room one day, they could choose to use the girls' room another day. The student will be asked to consistently identify with which restroom they are most comfortable using and that will be where they are asked. That doesn't say that in the policy. It says that they will it doesn't say that they'll consistently make a choice and the school will hold them to that bathroom. I was just I mean it was I understood it. I asked all all people have equal access public through public accommodation. This says non-binary, but it also says that they um are allowed to use the bathroom of the gender they consistently identify with. But if you're
151non-binary, you're not consistently identifying with a gender. But then you're saying a statement that I'm not reading. So I just want to understand what you're writing in the policy. I I think that maybe the differentiation between what you're saying is it's not um each time that it's that they what they've said is that um they declare which they are going to use and they're held consistently to that. But I don't see that in the policy. It doesn't say that they're held consistently to using one bathroom. So, if they're consistently identifying as a girl and they're allowed to use the boy's room, that kind of I'm understanding that, but I'm not understanding that from how this is written. I'm understanding non-binary may exercise their legally protected right to use the restroom aligned with the gender that
152the student consistently asserts at school, but they're not asserting one of the two genders. And I understand that that is the infrastructure. So, maybe you need to remove all gendered bathrooms and just have open bathrooms. just open like there's no gender here, no gender there, just anybody used whatever bathroom and that would be equal access for everybody. It seems like perhaps the the the person you may be referencing that would be an opportunity for them to further have that discussion with a a school-based counselor or school. I'm not referencing anybody. I'm no fictitious person. I I'm just asking to understand because you're writing a policy to make it clear for me certainly or for parents or for children or for our littlest learners. But if it's not clear to me, then how is it clear
153to the littlest learner and how am I supposed to understand if a student who's not identifying as either but has I don't know which bathroom they're consistently identifying as. You're saying they're being held to the bathroom that they identify with, but there's not an identifiable thing that they're identifying with. The student is allowed to determine where they wish to use the restroom and then the request is that the student consistently do so. But if that student is saying if that student has a sense of identity that adjusts then they get to talk to the guidance counselor and they get to make an adjustment. That is their legal right. So they can choose. So you are saying you're not writing it in your policy. You are saying as the school committee member that a student may
154choose to go from this bathroom to that bathroom and this bathroom. If the student identifies that they are needing a change, they can have a discussion with their teacher and the administration and make a shift. This is not a today I feel, tomorrow I feel situation. But what if that's how they feel? Then they get the right to have a discussion with the appropriate administration in that building as legally allowed in the state of Massachusetts. I'm I'm asking what the policy says because the policy doesn't say they have to talk to anybody. They have to tell anybody. They just identify and they use the bathroom. I don't see it written in there that they have talked to the school said they identify it as this and somebody's monitoring them that they're using the bathroom that
155they're saying they're going to use until tomorrow when they use something different. It's not written in there. I I mean I don't have I so I guess the question is is this um and it might be like the last one when I asked the question I hadn't read the entire policy um when students uh identify do they uh go to an administrator and ask and tell what they are identifying and then they stick with that that's that's what I you just said I said the student chooses is right. And if they are uncomfortable in where they have chosen, they have the right to change. Right. We're talking about the littlest learners. You said they tend to go as a class. If there is a need when it isn't a classroom bathroom break, there is an
156individual way for something to happen. But you've also stated that these teachers have relationships with these students. These teachers know these students. The teachers support the students and will assist with making sure that the students are informed and able to have the rights given to them by the law. Absolutely. And I I don't think anybody's questioning that. I think what we were just asking was it sounded just and I thought that what you were saying that the policy was that when they decided if they decide they want to identify differently that they talk to someone and let them know and then well because in the elementary grades you don't get to go to the bathroom without talking to somebody and asking first. That's kind of what I mean. I misunderstood what you know if you're
157going as a class to the restroom that student is going to make a choice as to which restroom they go into. That's not what I understood you to say either. I I understood. So I just because maybe I'm misunderstanding you. Um if you could clarify that. Uh you said if they identify as this stu this way then they can choose that bathroom and and and if they choose to identify a different way tomorrow they go to their identity shifts. This is not a choice. This is an identity. It is how the student recognizes themselves when they have an identity shift that can allow them to select and choose a different bathroom. There is a difference in the wording. It is not a choice of identity. Is it a choice of the bathroom they use? So
158you I am free to use the language I want and I don't need you to correct the language I'm using. if they're choosing an identity one day and choosing a different identity another day. So they're their identity is changing. You you said to me, my understanding was that they would then seek out a guidance counselor and then they would tell them about this shift in their identity and then they would consistently be held to that bathroom. But I don't see that in the policy. So I just am trying to understand. You're saying a lot of things that I'm not reading and I'm trying to understand what this policy means in real time and how that the sentence at the end of the last paragraph that says if this creates discomfort for any student, the student
159is encouraged to contact the school counselor, discuss specific needs or concerns. That's what I was referencing. that discomfort over the bathroom you are utilizing is available for any student to go and talk to somebody about their needs or concerns. I guess I'm still not understanding the policy. I just I just think I can help clarify at least one portion of this. So when we have students who because I think your concern is that one day it's one thing, the next day it's the next thing and it can just go back and forth. Correct. Kevin, would you mind getting close to the microphone? My hearing's bad. Sorry about that. Shift their non-binary or they're fluid or I don't know all the right words. So, there's lots of different identities and not all of them fit into
160even two categories, but you were telling me that there's a two category solution to a lot of categories. So outside of that, so when clinical, when we have students who are going through any level of identity, we have support plans for those students. So for them to come in and say, "This is how I identify. This is what we're going to do." They're meeting with our counselors regularly and we're coming up with support plan for them. If they came in the next day or two days later and said, "I want to switch." We we're working to support them through that, but we're not allowing for them to just have, you know, ambiguous switches that happen whenever they want. We work with them clinically as as we would a counselor, as we would outside to try
161to process these emotions and and try to support them the best we can to put a a system in place that is safe for the school and safe for that student. And so, yes, we're working through all procedures to make sure that, you know, students who feel uncomfortable are supported as well as the students who are going through this. So, that's a lot of the work that the counselors are doing regularly. So they're meeting with these kids and their families and we're being quite honest with them about the ramifications about switching, you know, very quickly like that. So these are difficult conversations for all parties obviously and we take a lot of things into account. So you know the policy says one thing, our clinical team and all of our counselors and psychologists that meet
162with these students and families regularly, we're we're putting together well thoughtout plans and really trying to work those plans through. So, anytime we put together a plan, it doesn't mean that, you know, it's a two-day plan or a six week. Like, we're really trying to do it with fidelity. And that I think is how we make our decisions based off the safety of the school and the situations around us. So, that sounds like a much more reasonable answer than Thank you, Kevin. That's very helpful. Um, that sorry, I don't know if I need to come to the mic. That sounds much more understandable. But I think the components that are lost on that and while I understand the needs of the individual students, we need to consider the the needs of all of the students
163as well. It's very confusing for students and families to say one day they're using this bathroom, one day they're using that bathroom. They're free to use any bathroom, switch back and forth. They don't identify as either, but they can choose to use anything on any given day. So while you have a wellthoughtout plan and you have fidelity and you know what you're doing to support the student, where is the support for the other families and the other students who are not comfortable with the situation that you've um the scenario and it doesn't sound this infrastructure at the high school offers that all gender bathroom and there's that opportunity for the the infrastructure is available. doesn't sound like it's available there. And the workaround being the nurse's bathroom doesn't even sound like kids would know to
164go there. If you're in second grade, you don't know that you're just free to go to the nurse's room or that there's even a bathroom in the nurse's room. You just don't know those things. So, you can't know to go use it. We we do, for what it's worth, we do reference that the nurses suite has a restroom as part of that initial town meeting. So, that that part is is clarified. Yes, ma'am. And that they're able to use it at any time that they want and that they should use it. There's a restroom. Okay. Well, I think that it's probably something we talk about common language and about teacher reinforcing that over and over and over. Um, you're free to go use the nurse's bathroom, the office bathroom. Everybody can go take a walk
165and and use that. But, you know, I don't think it's clear. And I think what is missing in this plan is the not supporting and the not the other families. We treat allies. I don't And it's not just discomfort. It is also an understanding of um confusion. They don't know and you I honestly you can't tell them all that work you're doing but it's not relayed. It just looks like I think it's challenging too because this is such a conversation that having that conversation with elementary school kids as a school. I feel like I think that of of course it is. I appreciate that you're actually acknowledging that it's complicated and complex because what I just heard was that this was simple and that that student got to do whatever they wanted whenever they wanted.
166And that was my takeaway. I was also corrected for how I chose to speak um and what language I chose to use. Even though I'm trying to understand a complicated scenario and uh adapt and adjust and accommodate, I think we also have to consider the needs of the other families and the other students that would like to adhere to their own beliefs and maintain their own beliefs and they have the right to maintain their own beliefs while offering respect for those students. They don't. I was correcting you. I was just making sure that my words were not being misunderstood. It was not your word choice that I h was questioning. I was questioning how my word choice was being understood and I wanted to clarify and make sure my words were clear. Okay. I I
167do think that other families we need to acknowledge that not everybody is moving in that direction. I think there is a way to to include everybody to respect everybody's beliefs without um owning the other beliefs. And I think we have to consider the needs of the other students when we're writing these policies. Um because I think that's kind of been it seems like that those other families, the needs of other students, the confusions of little ones who are not understanding why there's a girl in the boy's room um are not really being addressed. I do understand what you're saying. Why? This is a very hot topic and you shouldn't be coming at it at the children, but you maybe need to at um the parent level so that there's better communication and understanding about what
168their little one could anticipate and encounter so that they can have those conversations with their child and advise them on what they think they can support their child best. And I think that's maybe what's been missed. Thank you Bridget for asking clarification questions. Um I see that you have other things here for appendix adjustments. Yes. Uh so just for just in uh following suit with uh some of the other buildings. So the addition of MGL uh chapter 272 as well as the addition of um of the 2016 um charter 134. So, so that that information is uh very consistent with the other buildings as well. So, um we can certainly discuss it if if you would like, but that verbiage is is uh the exact same as the the Nickels as well as the middle
169school. Uh the school bus rules change. So, at this time, it is currently uh listed. So, like what we previously spoke about that all school bus rules themselves are posted in uh um published in each school's handbook. Uh posted in each bus. We've already discussed that they're not posted on each bus. So that verbiage just has to shift and as well as point four, it says the superintendent of schools reserves the right to modify any of these rules. Um so we were proposing to shift it to building administrator in place of superintendent schools in the sense that should there be uh because the precursors points 1 through 12 talk about violations uh on the bus including but not limited to how violations may lead to bus suspension and things of that nature. So that is
170handled uh at the the building level. So being able to further address that at the building level um is is what we've we've proposed. Um so I it seems as though it's just an oversight in in that that language. Um there any questions on that? Great. And I believe this is the end. Um these are just some reminders. Nothing that we're changing in there. Um, but smartwatches and cell phones should be powered off and in bags during the school day and not used on the bus. This is to aid in limiting student distractions from the learning process. Um, just a reminder that the handbook is available online on the website. Um, and that the complex complex exterior space, courtyard, and playground should not be accessed until 4:30 on the during the school day. That's our
171contact info. if you did need anything as well as Mrs. Lord's contact info. But before we say farewell, we just want to check, are there any further questions from the school committee or or anyone in attendance here tonight? No, thank you very much. Thank you. Before you go, if you just go back to my the slides, just click out of that. Um and I'll continue with the last item of the evening from my report which um is to open a discussion about the elementary complex pool. So I'll invite um director Peron and director uh Farley up to the table so we can talk a little bit about this is an issue I raised in the flash. I believe it was two weeks ago. Um, and I brought it here tonight because I thought the committee
172might want to have some conversation about the information that we've collected so far. And um, welcome gentlemen. I'll I'll begin with just a historical overview of our pool because our our pool was built in 1974 and it was largely funded by the Pierce trustees at the time that it was built. it is located. There's actually some controversy around whether or not it's the HBB pool or the MKG pool. And I'm gonna sidestep that entire conversation by saying it's the elementary pool because it's sort of in the middle of the two buildings. Um what I can tell you is there is a regular maintenance schedule that involves not just the pool um and you know associated chemical testing and u maintenance of the actual pool but also the surrounding locker rooms um involving cleaning painting um
173some cosmetic procedures over the years um in term anything I'm missing n that was Mr. probably on that. Okay. Um, usage. I thought it would be helpful to talk a little bit about how our pool is used. Um, currently we do have a swim team. Actually, I should have said swimming and diving. We have a swimming and diving team um that currently uses our facility. We do from last year have a new program in student driven uh swim lessons. that was new over this school year where we were having students from the swim team um teach our younger, you know, new to the swimming world uh lessons on Saturday mornings. And then finally, our it's part of our physical education um swimming. We have units of instruction um at the upper elementary level. So that's
174currently how the pool has been used. Is it still a requirement that you have to pass a swim test to um No. No. It used to be nope. No swim test, not not to not to graduate the elementary level. You want to pass to graduate college. The uh pool facility all ha the pool facility also has potential rental capacity. Um and I wanted to make sure I flagged this for everybody. There is definitely year-round interest. One of the things that's happening particularly in our region but across the Commonwealth is that schools used to have pools and they don't have them anymore. So, that's not only impacting where kids are able to swim, but whether or not towns uh school districts have teams because it's expensive to rent a pool in order to run a team.
175So, I'm putting this on your radar because we have had some pretty significant interest in renting out that pool year round, which could be very income generating. Um, I put an asterisk for a reason. I'll come back to why there's a star there. Um, and that, as I said, that capacity for producing income, this is one of the corners of our district that has it. Whereas, you know, in in the world of facility rental, you can rent for certain things, not all things. But the pool has a natural supply and demand issue if we're one of the only gigs in town for a pool. The pool is currently closed and has been closed since early spring of 25 for repair. And there are several areas that need to be addressed prior to opening. Which brings
176me to my next slide and why I why I have both directors here with me tonight. Um I'll go through this and then I'll let the experts talk about this domain because it is uh certainly not my my strength though I know a little bit about pools like not a lot. Um, I did create a list of needed repairs and I italicized the items that would have to be fixed before we are able to reopen our pool. I'll begin with the pool suction box, which is this thing at the bottom of the pool and it is not functional. So, that would need to be repaired. I'll give you the very rudimentary version and turn it over to director Farley. The pool gunnite and tiling are also in need of repair in part because the way
177the tiling is overlaid over the gunnite or underlaid as the case may be. Um piping we are looking at piping replacement. The pipes under the pool supply the water um are in significant disrepair and cannot be fixed or patched. You are looking at replacement of piping. There is electric work that is that is likely outstanding and needed. If you remember to back a couple of winters ago when we had a power outage, we did have children in that pool. Uh they weren't in they actually were not in the water but they were in the pool area. Um and when the lights went out, it was very very dark. Um assistant principal Dyer will remember we actually had pretty lengthy discussion about mitigation um in the future. But if we are looking at repairs to the
178pool, I would insist that we talk about this issue of lighting if there was, you know, particularly if there was ever a power outage again. Um, and also dehumidification. During the um early 2020s, ESSER funds had been earmarked for a dehumidification system for that pool that I reallocated because one, there were other needs that the district had more pressing and two, this pool was already an area of concern and at the dehumidification system, to give you an idea, was a half a million dollars earmarked. I was very uncomfortable allocating that type of money. Actually, this was the first time I brought up the pool uh with some of you because some of you weren't on the committee at the time. But this is where the conversation began. I gave tours into the pool facility. This
179was I put this on the committee's radar then to say we have to have this conversation. That's a very serious investment. Um and we need to talk about that as a group. Um so with Esser funds, I did reallocate them. we did not go forward with that dehumidification system. But if we're looking at work at the pool, this there is a need for it. It wasn't out of nowhere. It certainly, you know, remains a need. Um, our diving board does need to be replaced. Um, ADA accessibility. Right now, we are legacied where we are with our pool because of the date at which it was built. Um, so and if you've ever been to the mezzanine, that second floor for spectators, you'll see there is no access. So the second we start making changes to
180our pool, we will we will absolutely need to address. The reason that's italicized is once you begin work, we will have to address this including our Hoyer lift and our locker rooms because our locker rooms um do not contain like wheelchair accessible stalls. you can't fit a wheelchair in there. And so we would we would have some decisions to make about that. Um pool decking. Again, we'll get into this in in a minute, but in order to address some of these issues at the bottom of the pool, you're minimally looking at having to take out at least 12 feet of the decking. If you've been at our pool deck, you know that it's um from the 70s. So that decking is no longer made anymore. You'll have to make a decision there about are you
181just going to replace that? Are you going to replace the whole deck? I mean this you can see how this becomes if you give a mouse a cookie. Um and then finally the locker rooms. I already talked a little bit about the ADA accessibility, but the showers in the boys room is um communal. Those showers are communal. So which is an an older model, but certainly not one if we were going to be doing work in our locker rooms that we would maintain. So I'll with that I'll turn it over to Director Farley to give you a much more technical discussion about these repairs and certainly um Mr. Farley if you have questions I was thinking of you putting this together that you might have insight as well but with that along with that 12oot
182section of the pool decking to get to the suction boxes underneath the pool. It'll be a four or five foot trench going from the middle of the deep end all the way to the wall, which I was told will be easily north of $100,000 just to fix that part of the pool. And with the pool gunnite and tiling, we would need an X-ray. They need to take an X-ray machine into the pool to see check the integrity of the all the walls in the pool, which I I can tell you there is already issues there. How far those issues go, we're not sure yet. That's kind of why we're here tonight because it's going to cost quite a bit of money to even get those those tests done. Well, and I'll just I'll jump in
183to say this has been part of one of the first questions I naturally asked was how much is this going to cost? I mean, any rational person would have this question. Um, we don't at this time have a bottomline quote in part because even if we were to receive, we have yet to hear back from the company in terms of what they've discovered so far, but they would be unable to give us a quote unless we complete this additional work to even know the depth of the repair. And the cost of this sort of exploratory um um service is is also costly in and of itself. This can you go through that X-ray process again? And it'll basically just test the walls in the integrity and to see because we have a leak in the
184pit along with all around the pool. So, did they give you a quote for what that kind of x-ray service would cost? Yes, their renovation team is working on that right now. Okay. But we are kind of have to decide where we want to start. And so that's really the kind of not to you know drop this but this is really the first kind of threshold issue we need to talk about as a group which is how how far do you want to explore this and and and you know um what thoughts do you have about about this facility? You know the pool represents a lot of things to a lot of different people in this community. I don't enter this conversation lightly, nor do I view this as something that is like the superintendent's
185decision. So, I am hoping you will engage in a conversation andor if you have thoughts or any research you want or any information I can collect, I think that's where I'd be most helpful to this conversation. Uh, so a couple of things. This is a really big undertaking. Um, either way we do it. um you know there there's a there's a couple of options here. Either we can look to repair um because there is sentimental value in this town with that pool. Um you know we do want to have you know we want to be able to keep our swim team. Um there is a possibility that they could go to other I know that because they can't use that pool as is right now. So they are going out ne this current this upcoming
186school year they will be going out. Are we going to a punoquit? So, I spoke with athletic director Sylvia yesterday to say pending this conversation, I I want him to start putting feelers out. You can co-op. Our team is already a co-op. East Bridgewater swims with Middbor. Um, so the goal for for me is that whatever happens here, you have you have athletes already in that program. I really don't want them to not have a place or a team to continue to participate in. So that's for me that's priority one. Um so he's going to reach out to Aponqua but there were a couple of other towns as well and I think it's important that we shore up that situation um just because you have many athletes on that team. Well and regardless of what
187decision we make the pool's not going to be available for the next swim team year. So making sure that they get that figured out obviously I agree is priority one. The other thing to keep in mind and Caroline had already mentioned this was that there is interest from other organizations with that pool that we could bring in rental. But there's a couple of other things to consider here, which is that we are dealing with a building that does not have a lot of space um for classrooms and we are dealing with a building that is not only small but is also outdated and eventually needs to be replaced. So even though we have two options, option to repair, option to pave over and and do something else with that space, the caveat to the to
188that is eventually it's it has to go there. The the building itself needs to go. And so how much effort do we want to put into how much how many resources do we want to put towards this knowing that it's going to leave us in a decade or so? Yes. Um is the pool drained right now or is there still water in it? There's still some water in it. So could it be drained and allowed to sit um for now? maybe to address this um when then, you know, in a few months when the next like budgets and things come out. Um just because it seems like no matter what you do, it's going to cost an arm and a leg right from the get-go. Um it just seems like a big undertaking that the
189kids aren't even going to be able to use this year anyway. Mhm. So, I don't know if that's an op if that if it can sit empty or if that poses other problems. Well, that's the thing, too, is you don't really want to leave it empty. Gotcha. either. Okay. Okay. Collapses. Oh, sorry. Alan, please. No, no, no. I'm first. I think I'm still in charge of the facility subcommittee. I'd be happy to look into this as in that role. Um, I've swam in that pool as a swim team member. I' I met I'm still friends with guys I that I swam against in that pool from the 80s. Uh pool's just a little bit younger than I am. And so I I'm hesitant to throw something away like that. We're not that old yet. Um
190the value of learning how to swim can't be overstated, especially with the the heat of the last few days. I think every single kid that could was jumping in the water. Um I have a swim on Saturday that I'm doing to raise money for a charity. Thank you very much, Sue, for your donation. I appreciate it. So these are lessons that is that I learned in the pool that are still with me today. Um I was a lifeguard. I was a scuba diver. I got my lifeguard certification and my scuba certification in the town pool in Lakeville at the at a ponicquit. Um my son and daughter were on a robotics team that used the pool as a submarine a few years ago. I I think Sullivan was seven. So, the facility I I'm very
191hesitant to throw it away and just be like, "Yeah, let's fill it and put a classroom in there." Not that there's anything wrong with the classroom, but you can learn a lot in a pool as well. Um, I think we get a a a decent estimate of what it's going to cost to get a decent estimate, I guess, first, but we need we need to know what it's going to cost us to fix the pool. And when we get that, I think we have to weigh what it's going to cost us not to fix the pool. Um, but yeah, unfortunately, it's also it's a a complex that is extremely outdated and I I'm not in any hurry to throw any more money into it. Oh, yeah. I'd much rather throw money towards a uh an
192assessment of a new elementary complex, which is a conversation this community has to start having or else it will be 25 years before we have another pool or complex. Um, but there are opportunities out there. There are people in the community who have similar memories to that I have swimming, diving, learning how to do all that stuff in that pool that I think could be helpful in this. The Pierce trustees built this pool in 1974. I'd be more than happy to talk to them when we get a good idea of what this is going to cost about how much they'd be willing to help to continue that. Um, Milbar has a long history with pools. uh the town pool, you know, was built in the what the 50s. We keep throwing money into that thing.
19330s, you know, in the 30s. So, there's opportunities here that I I'm extremely hesitant and actually unopposed to saying, "Let's just get rid of it." I think we have to look into this and when we have more information, we can make a an educated Absolutely. I was not suggesting that we that we should go. I want to make sure everybody understands not just fill in this. No, no, exactly. No, I'm not. I'm I was never suggesting, don't get me wrong, I I was never suggesting that wanted to fill in wasn't directed at you. No, no. I I I know. Um but in either event, whatever uh whatever the case may be, that area needs to be checked out and needs to be investigated and looked into for either scenario. So I think definitely first we
194should weigh our options towards the pool and looking in towards I think in order to make an educated decision obviously the first thing is how much does it cost to do the X-ray evaluation to have a better sense of what we might even be tackling to do all the repairs as somebody who is not in the field. the list of things on that, you know, what would need to be repaired, but what would also need to be added if we were to start addressing the issues sounds pretty much like a gut it and start over to me. And you know, I'm sure that's an oversimplification of everything, but in general, if you dig a big trench through a pool, there's a lot of things that go along with making it safe to utilize again. So
195that is one side of the thing we need to figure out. But then there's also the potential cost of if we choose that it is untenable to repair, what does it cost to make the space safe for it to continue to be in an elementary complex building. I don't think you can leave a big hole in the ground in a school that has children in it. So then there's the whole how do you make the space safe without caring about remodeling the room and reconstructing it to be a usable space? How do you just simply shore it up to be a safe space? Do you have to fill it with concrete? What does that cost? What is that option? And then there's also the option of what would then it costs to if we can't
196repair replace and we want to try to use the space, what would that additional cost even be? And what are the time frames? How long are we even talking? because it would be really horrible to try to come, especially when we've already been alerted that the next couple years may be tight budgetarily to come up with the funds to put into either option only to have it take five years to do and then we're starting a whole different planning discussion about where we're at in five years for the building in general. So, I think it's not a there's lots of variables and it is a very complicated decision. So, I support the idea of Allan talking um to Andrew and getting a better sense of how can we make all of these options available so
197that we can have the information necessary to make an educated decision. Well, and just to add another wrench because you know one of the concerns I have is say you want you make the decision to close this pool and reimagine that space. What happens when that's as expensive as the pool repair? Right now, I can tell you the cost of renovating schools is just astronomical. So, I I don't I don't want anyone going into this thinking it'll be like cheaper to do that because I I don't know that. And it really also depends on what you're going to do. The wrench is if the decision is made to fill in that pool and not to save money, not renovate that space. Now, if we go to MSBA and ask for a new school and we've
198got all this square footage that's closed and unused, I'm very concerned about what MSBA would have to say about that, which is a down the road conversation, but just something to consider. One of the first things MSBA will do is a feasibility study, and they will look at how we're using our space because they'll make a determination as this community is very well aware. They decide what our capacity is, not us. Um, so if we're if we've got this square footage that's closed and not used to the student population at all, it's just something that you want to consider when the time comes. I don't say if because it is a when, and I agree with you, when the time comes to um to look for a new elementary sport for an elementary building. Did
199you want to say something? Uh, most of it was brought up. Um it is no matter what it's going to be considerably expensive. Um although I do reallance cinnamon and additional to uh recreational use there's few things that you learn in school that are the difference between life and death but learning how to swim is is right up there really important when it needs to be. Yeah. Um, so is there a way to get the projection on what the three different options as well as uh and it's not really going to do anything to counteract the the the cost, but what we might think of in terms of being able if we had a working pool, what the number of rentals we could get back from it. Yeah, that I think would be easy enough
200to to get. Um, and I think athletic director Sylvia already has some figures worked out in his mind, but we I mean that I think is a lot easier than maybe the quote. Um, I think the the X-ray to see the integrity of the shell of the pool will tell us a lot how how far those renovations go. And then once we start making re renovations, getting it up to ADA specs, that'll be the next hurdle that we have to that that's going to be because there's no lift to get to the second floor of the mezzanine. So we're we're a long ways away from ADA accessibility in that space, right? and and as soon as you do the repair in the pool, you're going to hit the you have to go you're going to
201hit the mark that you're going to have to be ADA uh compliant. I I'd suggest that we really put two-prong plan forward. The first is really a solid interim plan so that we have time to think through these other things including um if we go forward with a new school at some point, how much money do we want to be spending? Can it be included in a new school? I I think the longer plan for the pool, there's a lot that we really need to think about. It's uh it it hits on a lot of different things. So, we want to make sure our students are taken care of now, but we also as we look to a future um what the different options are and what we're willing to spend um you know might
202take the year um of really looking into all of that and if we believe we have a good solid interim plan would be more comfortable of not thinking, oh, we got to make a decision. We got to make a decision because we want to make sure we're meeting the students needs. Uh but it's so comp there's so many factors that are involved. They really need to be thought through individually and then how they impact one another. I agree, Alan. I know that you I think this is a great example and no offense to anybody intended in any way, shape or form, but this is absolutely a perfect example of maintenance is cheaper than replacement. Absolutely. We have to stay in front of these things. Yeah, I agree. And I think this is a good opportunity
203to figure out and put in place things for the committee moving forward. Absolutely. And just to kind of add to that was um and I appreciate the pool. I think it was a great program. My kids went through it. But one thing I want to con I want to be considered when you're talking about some of the financial needs for the repairs is also the um ventilation system in that school really needs to be addressed especially when it gets to be really hot um the summer months and things. It's it's not um like that's a big issue again maintenance. I don't know how well it's been maintained if it's just a really old system. Um, but just to consider the fact of putting money into this versus putting money into creating a safer air quality
204in that building in general, not just temperature. Um, I think that co had kind of brought out some of that factors and the system is really old and needs to be updated. So, just to think about that before maybe putting money into the pool just to be considered. Understood. Thank you. Um I do also want to ask if there's a way to get time frames. You know if we want to pursue repairing, is there a time frame that we have to choose to do so before the pool will you know the not having it fully filled and maintained and and all of that. Is there you know we can leave it as is for five months but after that it's just going to have more damage done to it by virtue of it not being
205uh full of water and maintained in the way a pool's supposed to be. I don't know enough about the structural integrity of pools but is or do we have timelines that we have to be aware of before it will get worse you know in order to make a decision. I can definitely explore all those options for sure. Yeah. And I'm assuming Alan because I know this is what you do and that what you do that when you all get together these are you'll come up with okay what are the questions we need to answer what are the options. The first step is an assessment right? We absolutely have to have a a good honest assessment. Right. And then we can start to figure everything else out. Yeah. I think we're all kind of in agreement
206dancing around that we need the assessment first. Absolutely. We need the assessment of the assessment to decide if we can afford the assessment. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. But again, that's why we can't be cutting maintenance budgets moving forward. Yeah. These things, especially pools. Yep. Absolutely. Agreed. So, I move Yes. that uh Allan as the chair of the facilities I don't know who else is on the facilities committee, but Chris is Chris. All right. Allan and Chris be getting together soon with Mr. Farley. And I don't know if you too, Mike, but uh to come back to the full committee with a plan for a plan for decision. I don't necessarily know if that needs a I don't think that needs a motion, but I definitely think if you guys are willing and able just
207get together and and present us with with the options in a couple of meetings from now. Yeah. Great. Yes, please. Awesome. All right. Thank you very much. Awesome. Thank you. Any questions? All right. Good. I can't. Okay. Thank you. Um, that completes my report for this evening. Thank you. May I I have a question for you. Can you give us an update of where we are on the uh search for principal for HPB? I am meeting with a selected candidate on Monday um before any I don't want to give any information until final. I just that that in of itself but uh my goal would be to sign the candidate and that person would start July 1st. So, more info to come. I'll certainly keep you updated as well in the flash. Um, the committee
208did advance to members. They had a a priority and so I went with the priority person because I, as I've said many times, I strongly believe that you, you know, the building needs to choose their leaders. And so, I'm putting my support in their in their choice. And I'll keep you updated. Zeke. Yes. Uh, just real quick on the handbooks, have they been vetted by legal? Any additions? revisions or anything of the handbook? No, they don't. But they don't typically. So we um I was just thinking, you know, considering our recent history, maybe we should have legal look at them. So you can have legal look at your handbook for not a small amount of money and they will look at all of them in sum total. You can select certain portions, which we have
209done over the years. For example, that legal appendix, I always make sure they have eyes on it. So over time they've been reviewed. It's not like it's never been looked at by the legal department. But if you want me to expend that money, I can. It'll delay the process a bit. Um can we get an idea how much it it would cost? Sure, I can do that. All all three handbooks. Do you want to do the full or do you just want to pick out select policies? Any of the revisions? Just the revisions. The updates. Well, yeah. The bathroom policy. Bathroom policy. Definitely. Okay. Dress code, headphones. Okay. One other question. See if the This is It should be fine. Um I was wondering if it's about time or the appropriate time for the school
210committee to have a discussion about banning smart devices in our schools. Tot recently did it. I believe there's a a bill in front of the state legislature. I think it's about time that Milbar had that conversation. I agree. You know, I had just mentioned something. I leaned over and I there was a conversation something had triggered the question and I um I do support that sentiment. I you know I'll say that right up front that I think that you know they are disruptive to the classroom. Um I don't you know I think at we've gotten to a point where kids nowadays have have had them on their entire lives and so they're so used to having it and you know my generation you know we should have the discussion tonight. Well, no, no, I know
211I know, but I I am in support of that that that having that conversation. So, we can we can put that on the agenda. Definitely. Thank you. Are you thinking you want to have this on the agenda this summer? I don't um or remember the Well, we're leading into the next item, but our plan is two meetings, one in July, one in August. My question is this is a conversation where you definitely want your principles involved. Oh, yeah. And just timeline. Are are are you saying you want to have a conversation with the expectation of a turnaround for this coming school year? If so, it really does need to be next meeting or are you saying you want to kind of open up this conversation and have I wasn't thinking for the for you weren't
212thinking for this coming school year. Maybe January, but I know that there are some things Sorry, Bridget, I'll get to you in a second. Um I know that there are some uh like almost envelopes that they put them in, right? So I know that buying those would incur a big cost um and that would have to be a discussion on budget and soifications here. There's also a whole process that has to be implemented for absolutely um beginning and end of the school day where you have to get them into the pouch and get them secured and then getting them um released at the end of the day. So there is complexity to schedules and procedures. So I I I don't think it's something that um I agree not looking at September there's there's too many
213levels of of confusion but we may also not have to have a conversation if the state passes right exactly bill but I definitely think if it's something that we're considering that definitely the principal should be thinking about that as well yeah including because they're the ones who've drafted our current and existing procedures. So, you know what I mean? You want to look at what's in our handbooks currently on cell phones and there's what's in the handbooks and then there's what practically occurs in our buildings. And I think we have to have that conversation as well too. So, um, happy to put it on. Happy to have the conversation. Bridget, sorry, we're confused over here. What do you mean by smart devices? Are you talking about phones? Yes. I'm like, what's a smartphone? But it it
214could be like it could be a smartwatch, you know? There was a general category we were missing back here. So, yeah. No. Okay. Thank you. The chip that's going to be implanted in somebody's brain in the next three years. Yep. Um, so, uh, does that conclude your Yes, now it does. Thank you. Um, so we'll move on to item number five. Um, just letting you guys know that the school committee, uh, summer meetings are on July 24th and the 28th. I, um, have sent an email, uh, to Sean. I am going to hear back. So, Um, all right. So, after I get that about the retreat. About the Yes, about the retreat. Sorry, I thought Yeah, that was implied. Costello. Costello or do we have You were messaging him to check out his availability to
215then get correct. I have basically everyone everyone has gotten me and there are some dates. Yep. Um, subcommittee updates. Jess, I'll hand it over to you. Yep. Okay. So, for policy, um, we were able to meet as a subcommittee and go through the policies that are listed here. Um, they were all added to the Google Drive. Um, so the ones that are listed here, I'll go through just very basically. Um, so tonight is officially the first read, which just basically means the notification that we're going to be discussing them so that you now have between now and the next meeting to read them and think about them. And if you have any questions, feel free to send them to me individually. Um, we are able to go through questions one-on-one. Um, we just can't do
216it as a full group. So just make sure you send them to me and then we can um have any discussions that we wish to have at the next meeting. Um so you'll note as you look at um each of the policies what um that there's a a brief blurb of what changes are made to the policies at the top. Um so uh GBEA which is the staff ethics and conflicts of interest just had some minor changes. um to align it with the MASC model policy or to make some quick adjustments just following uh the standards of our policy manual. Um we agreed as a subcommittee that if MASC made a change for town to municipality, which it did a number of times. We're not going to do that because we still call ourselves a
217town, so we'll stick with town. Um, but you'll notice uh there are some there's a big paragraph that got added to GBEA which is just stating the state law about how often we have to do the ethics training. Um, JJH which is the policy on uh late night and overnight travel um and J I OJA which is the field trip policies. Those had significant changes. There was definitely a lot of questions when we were discussing that about what the approval process should be. And so um through research with the MASC model policy and looking at um policies across other districts in Massachusetts, I kind of compiled something together that we hope would clarify. Um Carolyn reviewed as well as asked um Ryan Sylvia, the director of athletics to review to add some input um so
218that we have something that is MPS specific um but also hopefully adds clarity to the different types of trips that we have in our building, our district. um KCD, which is the uh policy for public gifts to schools, had some um updates to make it be in line with MASC model policy, which is mostly just updating um language to be accurate based on current state law. Um and then KCDA was a policy that had been re removed by MASC. Um, we still had it which was called gifts and contributions. It really just aligns with KCD. Um, but in reviewing it with the subcommittee, there was language in KCDA in terms of what the district uh considers acceptable for gifts and contributions that we wanted to maintain. So we have taken that chunk of it and
219put it into KCD so that it's an inclusive policy and that will then allow us to remove KCDA from our manual. Um and then the last one is KHA which is the policy for public solicitations in the school and that just had some minor language changes to it. Um, so there were uh a number of other policies that got brought to us that were related to these um specific to like crowdfunding um for um for school supplies and those kinds of things. Um, we have some updates from the MASC model language, but we really wanted to take those and have a a consult with legal on getting some more clarification on those. So hopefully we'll get through that before the next meeting and we'll be able to um bring some things back for further discussion
220on those policies in the near future. Um, so um I just especially want to note because some of those were policies that the MEA flagged as things that they wanted clarification on. So, we agree that some of the language could benefit from some clarification and we want to make sure we do it within the scope of um Massachusetts law because there are a number of them related to gifts and contributions and how all the money has to be managed. Um so that's what's there. Uh the only other thing I wanted to discuss quickly is uh when we met as a subcommittee, I outlined a process that got approved for how we can attempt to navigate this process of getting the manual uh reviewed. So if you've noticed as we look at some of these policies,
221um some of them haven't been officially updated in 10 years or longer. And um we actually have a policy about policy review that we're not necessarily there's no timelines, but we we should be doing it more often than we are. Um so my goal is really to try to get everything at least into a first read process by the end of this school year. This I guess it starts Tuesday. Um, so in that and I did talk to MASC and they do have a consultation process where they will conduct a policy review. It costs $10,000 and takes three years. So, um, pay you five and you do it in one. Yeah. Pay me nothing and I'm going to try to do it in one anyway. So, um, the goal that I have is that if
222I read a policy and it exactly matches the MESC model policy and we know it's not tied to any hot button items or any controversial items in the district, I will still ask the superintendent and her team. She's got um Terry and Kevin on board as directors to review things. I'll send it to them and just say, "Hey, make sure there's nothing going on that I don't know about that makes you think these need any changes." If the language exactly matches and nobody flags it as of any concern, then I will put that as a no change policy on the next agenda so everybody has a chance to just scan it as long as it passes muster with all of us. We don't need official three reads. We just need to be able to update
223that it was last reviewed on whatever date we approve it. So something that we don't need changes, at least we can get it reflected in the manual that it's up to date. If the policy closely matches the MASC model policy and there's minor non-s substantive changes and again not tied to any hot button items then it's a similar process but because there are changes we will have to then put it on the agenda for the first read. Um the subcommittee agreed that when it goes on the agenda for the first read because it's not a substantive change but if anybody reads it and you say hey I think this should come back have further discussion it can always go back to the subcommittee and we can have discussion and we can have the discussion at
224that point of do we want it to progress along through the three reads to at least get it updated to be current with the minor changes is while also putting it back in the queue for more substantive review. So, we can get it updated but still have more discussions or we can say let's yank it. We don't want to change anything until we have a discussion. But we do not we aren't going to bring it to the subcommittee if all it is is minor adjustments. If there are more st more substantive changes, but again it's not tied to any district issues, the superintendent and her team will need to approve the changes and then um the subcommittee will be asked to approve adding it to the agenda. So it's not going to be a discussion
225about it. It will just be a here's the policy. Will you approve putting it on the agenda for a first read? If it gets approved by the subcommittee for a first read, we progress. If they feel more discussion is needed, we pull it back until we can have more discussion. Um, retiring a policy, we'll follow the we'll put it on the agenda and if nobody has an objection, we'll move it through. Adding a policy, I'll run it by the subcommittee for approval to go on the agenda before it officially goes on for a first read. And then anything that is related to a request from um someone within the district or the teachers union or somebody asks us to give something a more extensive review, those will all go to the subcommittee um after I've
226had a chance to review with the superintendent and her team to make sure that we're um I'm in the loop on any uh district policies or procedures that we need to be aware of when reviewing the item. So that's the plan. Um, it could mean that we have some policy agenda items that have a long list. I have about I think it was 380 330. Let's go with 330 for now. Line items to review either updating, removing, or adding. So, it's not an insignificant list of policies. Um, and we won't get through them all if we don't take significant bites of it. compare with other districts in terms of the amount of policies we have. Oh, it's very very similar because everybody bases theirs off of MASC and that's kind of where we all stand.
227So, there's a lot of them. So, that's the goal. Um, I know that when we have the meetings, we don't want to be talking about policy the whole time. Um, so I do encourage you if you have uh a time to uh between the meetings um I will try to keep everybody in the loop when something's ready to look at um sooner rather than necessarily just the week of the meeting and um share Google folders like we did with this one um just so that you can get your eyes on them with more advanced notice especially since we have more time between now and the next meeting. I don't want you to have to read 40 policies that don't need any changes in three days if I can give you three weeks. So, thank you
228very much. You're welcome. Questions for Jess? Only gratitude. Only gratitude. I agree. Second. $10,000 we can put towards the pool. There we go. That's a drop in the pool. Unfortunately, it is. Well, the definition of a pool, right? Yeah. A hole in the ground you throw money in. Yeah. Uh we'll move on to number seven, uh the consent agenda. Um I'm just going to read out right now, uh donations to Middlear High School, uh my lab from the Montgomery home and B meeting minutes of May 8th and May 22nd. So moved. Do I have a second? Second. There's a motion, a second. All those in favor? I. Those opposed, it's unanimous. Thank you very much. Uh we'll move on to eight the resignations. Does anyone care for me to read these out? Nope. All right.
229Um so then we will uh go to number nine which is adjournment. So moved. So moved. Second. Second. Those in favor? I. It's unanimous. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.