001You folks ready? >> Yeah, we're good. >> Whenever you're ready. >> We're ready now. >> It was originally me that >> they were just like I was >> We're going for it. >> I did. >> All right. >> Call the March 2nd. Nope. We're not yet. We're going to say the Situate School Committee is committed to approving to providing an environment of respect during meetings. We ask all members to interact in a polite manner even when there is disagreement. We value the participation of our community and want all participants, including marginalized and minoritized communities to feel welcomed and respected. We ask our committee members and all who participate, to commit to these standards to support and respect our community. We'll call the March 2nd, 2026 school committee meeting to order at 6:06 p.m. tonight and
002we will begin with public comment. Seeing no one live and in person, we will check our virtual participants. Seeing none, we will move on with our student report. Um, all right. Starting off, we just want to acknowledge the girls and boys hockey teams who are continuing to make it far into the playoffs. And I think girls hockey is this weekend at the ball. Is it Wednesday? >> Wednesday. Oh, this Wednesday. And then boys hockey, I think, might be Thursday, which is exciting. Um, and then the boys basketball team also played in the playoffs, which is fun, but they unfortunately didn't make it far. But, um, the cheer team also competed in the regional finals on Sunday, which is exciting, and it was at the situation gyms. >> Um, our school store was recognized as a
003an outstanding school-based enterprise. Uh Situ High School was among 989 school-based enterprises nationally uh to achieve gold level certification for this year. Uh so they'll be recognized during DECA's International Career Development Conference on April 25th in Atlanta, Georgia, which is pretty cool. Um on Thursday, February 12th, feels like so long ago. Um uh the Fathom Literary Mag lit literacy magazine uh group hosted a poetry slam at the studio at Situ Harbor. Um eight outstanding students were showcased. Uh the fan favorite went to Elena Ryell and the best overall poem was presented uh to SHS senior Hannah. Um, also this past weekend, four members from the community service club here at Situit volunteered at the senior center jazz brunch. Um, which is just a wonderful way to represent Situ as a school. Um, and it that
004was Jane Griffith, um, William Capel, Ne Desmond, and Olivia Ali. And then also more recently with the snow, I know it's been an inconvenience to all, but um, we were just talking about the high school. I think even teachers face this issue with the um snow in parking spots and especially towards the end it's a lot of people are like competing for the spots and visitor and with that when there's actual visitors it's hard for them to find parking and I've had friends and just peers come into class late due to that. So, I'm unsure if that's anything that I don't know who fixes that, but um that was an issue. And similarly with the snow on the field, um I've heard complaints or just like questions from spring sport athletes um questioning what they're
005going to do with their season as it's approaching. And I maybe next week is promising with the snow melting, but um I know they're unable to plow the fields because of certain town rules, but um I had heard like offers for shoveling or whatever they could do um just to get some practice in and what was allowed versus what wasn't. I'm not sure. >> I I can address the last part. Um unfortunately, because they're turf fields, we can't shovel them or we'll damage the turf. >> So, we just have to wait for them to melt. I I will speak to the AD about plans for the beginning of the spring season. I think we still have a week, week and a half. So, like you said, it's supposed to get much warmer this weekend. We're
006supposed to have some rain this weekend. So, hopefully things will melt in the next week and a half. Um, but I would strongly discourage people from trying to shovel the fields because you can tear the fabric. Got it. >> And it's a very expensive thing. So, but I know they're aware of it and I'll speak to the AD tomorrow and ask him to put some information out through the coaches about the spring sport. >> I'll pass the message, >> please. Yeah. Thank you. Um, and then the last thing that I saw come up, which feels like ages ago now that we've had break and everything, but um, I thought getting the student perspective and especially the athlete perspective regarding the equity audit and everyone's opinions was just super beneficial. I know hearing from other athletes
007um, perspectives and like what they've experienced was very eye opening because I feel like a lot of times it gets brushed to the side and you don't think much of it um, especially as a female athlete. So I thought that was really important for like the female and male student body to hear those perspectives and also for people addressing the issue. I thought that was really student perspective. >> I spoke to Mr. Granitino today and he was actually excited about his opportunity to talk to the captain's council or students involved. He learned a lot from so he was very happy. >> Yeah, I did too. It was honestly a lot. It was nice to hear. Thank you. >> Thanks guys. All right. We have uh approval of minutes from February 9th. Thank you. >> I'll
008make a motion to uh accept the meeting minutes from February 9th, 2026. >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I great. All right. We have a new elementary school naming update. Share my screen. Okay. All right. Excited to co-chair here with my colleague Maria Fenwick on the new elementary school naming task force update here. Um, so this is something we've been working on now for a good while and we're excited to tonight um bring some updates to everyone community and the committee if I can get it out. We'll do it this way. Thank you. We'll do the workound. All right. So, um just a little history, timeline history um to start here. So, our school naming task force first convened back in August of 2025. Uh we pulled together a representative group of stakeholders
009uh consisting of uh principles, parents, community members, and educators. Uh we met twice in August to discuss and brainstorm ideas for the naming of the new elementary school. Uh main takeaways from both of those meetings were that it was really important to have a name for the school of historical significance that there was a connection to SPS core values. Uh we looked at the strategic plan for that was designed for SPS. Um that there were ideals that students could learn from. Um something that came through uh multiple conversations were prominent women. Um it was pointed out by students, staff that we had spoken to, faculty, parents, pretty much every stakeholder in the community mentioned that there were no other buildings named for women specifically. Um students in elementary school, middle school, and high school actually
010was kind of noteworthy that that came up multiple um multiple times. Um and it was also really really important to us as a committee that there was student voice and student involvement in the process. So starting from there, we um head into the school year. So in September, October, um some initial takeaways from that work that began in the late August timeline were that we really felt like um summer was tough for students to really uh be available to do any of that summer work. Our summer work really predominantly um there were staff and faculty and principles. There were parents, there were community members, there was myself as a school committee member, but we didn't really get student voice during that time frame. Um, so we really, really, really wanted to get uh additional opportunity
011for student involvement and we really wanted to partner with uh the Situate Historical Society and get further community involvement and to add a layer of historical research and expertise to the process. Um, so we were we're fortunate enough to have uh Sam Lesniak as our history department chair who is so fantastic and she went above and beyond and designed a fabulous assignment for students to research a geographical point of interest uh or historical figure. they really had um pretty good leeway as to what they could research and they were able to then take uh that and present their work to a panel of educators, department chairs, historical society representatives, central office leaders and school committee members and that took place in October. Uh and so we were so impressed, so just takenback by the fact
012that over 80 students submitted their work um to this project in addition to their already full plates as students. It was around homecoming time. They had so much going on just like getting the ball rolling with back to school and settling into their school years and sports and clubs and everything going on. and they took this work on in addition to that and many of them were Cushing and Hatherly graduates so they had a connection to these schools and it really meant something to them to do this research. Uh so we were just really impressed by all of them. Um from there the history department selected 15 student entries to present to this panel. After much much discussion, the panel narrowed to uh the list of five names um and two of which were also
013shared by the original summer task force for consideration. So we combined the work of both groups and then in November December the names were shared with the historical society representatives for further research just to vet through and see that we weren't missing anything in our research any connections that um you know we could have missed any deeper u dives that maybe our students um hadn't considered or found in their initial research. And then uh that's brings us up to the near to the present where in February the original task force recon reconvened last month for a final discussion to narrow down to three finalists and give feedback on the draft community survey. Turn it over to my colleague Maria to All right. So um given that the name options that we have as finalists are
014Enz Hayes Irwin Elementary, Satuit Elementary and Venus Manning Elementary. We'll share a little bit more about each of those three in a moment. Um so we have over there on the side again just a reminder of what we what the group prioritized um in the process that historical significance the connection to the core values ideals that students can learn from the idea of prominent women um and that notion of student involvement and they were truly involved through so many layers of the process. So >> um so we will be releasing a survey that has um more information about each of these charact um but on the slide I just we put a couple of bullets summarize them quickly. So this is Enz Haynes Irwin. She lived from 1873 through 1970. She was a prominent author
015and leader of the suffragist movement. Um, she hosted other suffragists here in Situit, making it an important secondary hub of the suffragist movement. She wrote a children's book series that takes place partly in Satuit that is actually housed at the historical society. Um, she summered here but eventually settled here full-time on Second Cliff and is buried here in Sichu. >> Yeah, I know. >> Yeah, she's historical. >> The next is Satuit. Um, a word that is probably familiar already to many. Um this word likely originates from the Wanoagak language and means cold brook. Um to it here refers to the small stream that flows into Situate Harbor for which our town was named. Um using indigenous place names is important to the preservation of history and the recognition of the first occupants of this region.
016And this is Venus Manning. Uh she lived from 1777 to 1860. She was born in Situit in a part that is now known as Norwell. Um she was able to acquire wealth over her lifetime um due to lack of records. It's unclear precisely how she was able to do that, but we know she was financially literate and owned um dividend paying accounts of both Situit Savings Bank and South Suit Savings Bank as well as three shares in the Boston and Albany railroads. Um, she was a lifetime member of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society and left money in her will to promote the cause of abolition of slavery in these United States. So, um, can you put that? So, um, these names will be shared this evening via parents wear with the, um, with the Situate Public
017Schools community, um, at 8:00m. The email is set to go. Um, and we will be also sharing more broadly with the town. But this is what the survey looks like. So we have at the top the image, the artist rendering of the new building. We have this opening letter that again describes the process that we've just discussed here in case people are not listening to us discuss. Um, and then if you scroll down, I'm just going to give kind of an overview, I guess, of what this looks like. Um the first question um so at the top it shares the three names. It reminds people they're not voting or choosing a favorite or anything like that. They're really looking at each individual name and talking about it. So the first question up there asks them
018to space um to identify you know where their perspective is coming from. They can select all that applies. You see, we're looking for input from a variety of stakeholders, whether they are a current SPS student, a former SPS student, someone who um lives in town, um someone who teaches here or works in our schools or is a member of our business community or something else. Um so, we're really interested in hearing from a lot of different perspectives here. And then each of the possibilities has again the um name and photo um and a longer paragraph. And these paragraphs were um the ones that were submitted by students which we then did edit a bit to add some more detail and kind of format them more similarly to one another. But this gives a little bit
019more detail about each of the names. And then beneath each are two questions. So we're asking how appealing is this proposed name on a 1 to5 scale and how well does this proposed school name reflect or represent our town on a one to five scale. After that there's an open box for optional comments if people wanted to put those in. Um and so each of the names has that same exact format. And then at the very bottom of the for of the forum there is a reminder of our timeline. So tonight we're kind of unveiling these and discussing them for the first time. The survey will be open until March 9th. Um we are anticipating kind of a first formal reading and discussion of this um I think at our March 16th meeting and a
020vote on our March 30th meeting. So timeline is going to be quick from here, but that's good because the um builders actually it's helpful for them when we can finalize the name, they can start to think about signage and there's different ways that the name will impact the school building. So it's helpful for them if we can get this done actually. Um at the bottom there's another open response spot there. And we are reminding people that um in order to honor the process that we have followed to date, we're not seeking alternative name suggestions, but if people have any other kind of bigger picture comments or questions, that's so that is a lot of work. >> Very excited to finally be able to share this. Yeah, >> I think we have one more slide here.
021Y part of our original presentation. >> Well, actually two. This is our timeline just to reiterate what's remaining here. >> So, as we mentioned, the survey will be open until the 9th. Um, on the 16th, we will have our initial discussion, kind of like our first reading, you could call it, I guess. Think of it that way. Um, folks are welcome to come and talk at public comment. They can always email after the survey closes, things like that. We anticipate voting on the 30th. Finally, thank you to everyone who has supported this initiative so far. Yeah, these are some of the staff, family members, educators who've been involved giving their time and extra meetings and emails and all all of those things. So, we're really appreciative to all their time. >> It's been awesome. Thoughtful
022discussion. The student input has been just unbelievable. >> Staff just really great. >> It's a really unique opportunity that we have. I think a lot of people really understand that. Yeah. It's really special. Yeah, >> I also appreciate your comment about how the open comment is not for offering other names. I think it's really important that the public because it is to I mean >> yes >> all these people plus those 80 students that submitted like really honoring that process isn't this isn't about us shutting down conversation but there was clearly a very long process that was followed >> and so I appreciate that that was it was just smart to include that so we don't have unnecessary arguments that >> it's just too late that part so >> appreciate that yeah thanks for all
023the work >> yeah that's pro I think um I guess the first presentation we had those names. I was a little bit nervous of the direction, but it seems like you guys clearly took feedback and and changed course and did what we need to. My only question is um it's going out Parent Square, so it's only families in the district that have the opportunity to respond to the survey. >> No. So, it's going out tonight on Parent Square. We're going to be pushing it in other places as well. So, I'm assuming >> we will get it out on the district's um social media. We can share it on so like I have a school committee account. I'll share it. You can share it. Um we have a poster that's going to go in the senior
024center. Okay. Um so we can be um pushing it out once you >> send it to somebody who it's the classic uh challenge we always face having a newspaper is how do we get information out? I think we're all just going to kind of do the best we can in getting it out. >> Um it's it's >> anyone can weigh in. >> Yeah. Anyone can weigh in. It's not a scientific survey. So, like, you know, >> we can't control who answers it or all that stuff, but we're but in the spirit of trying to just, you know, have as many people feel like they're getting opportunity to weigh in, I think, is really nice. Um, and we're hoping that people get excited about it. >> That's great. >> Yeah, I certainly did. Learning about these
025people research, you know, then you can start researching more and it's really neat to to learn about these books. >> Yeah, it's great. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um, just on the naming, I think you guys answered this a while ago, but the Hadley Cushing families are Is there anyone to communicate with? >> A little bit at the Cushing School Council actually. Um I think um in all of the elementary school school improvement plans that we will see this spring um they're working on a goal about redistricting and I know for both of those schools at least I know Hley I don't know about sorry I know about Cushing I'm not sure about Holly there was conversation about sort of the retiring of the name of Cushing and I think that's something that in those particular
026school improvement plans there might be a place to think about that because certainly um there's a lot of historical significance there that could be honored you other ways. So, we that's something definitely to think about, but we have, you know, some time. >> Great. >> It did make me also look up our policies about naming and they're a bit of a mess. A lot of contradictory policy language. So, might have to skip ahead and listen to that. They're a little Yeah. that they all are like in contradict each other. >> So, we got to do some clean up on the policy language, but then I think once we do that, there could be some other perhaps opportunities to think about. Um, >> no, that's awesome. And then the only other I guess question I have
027now is the I know that right now it's Ann Vinyl Road. >> So has this group or with another group that maybe discusses naming of the >> the little street that goes up to the school in case maybe >> I don't know confus >> or one of these names that maybe if one of these names doesn't get used it could be like >> whatever. I don't know, but just something. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. It could be like whatever. >> Like an honorary name. >> Yeah. Like one of these like these >> only one is going to get chosen. So there's >> just something else. >> But that doesn't have to be decided. >> That's the only one. It'll be one time, >> right? >> That's great. Thank you. >> Okay. So Paris email going
028out. Yeah, >> I know. We almost went with 6:30, but we weren't sure. >> They better not be. >> Peter, >> I'm just saying I wrote it. >> Oh, you did? Oh, good. >> Good. Just making sure. >> Nicole and I are offended. >> I didn't know you guys wrote it. >> How do you do? How do you even do it? >> A Google doc and give it to them. All right, it's gonna be okay. >> All right, then anyway. So, >> all right. Up next on our action items, gonna introduce Melissa Costa, our new director of support, engagement, and advocacy. Welcome. >> Turn it over to Dr. Ra. >> Thank you very much. Um, while Melissa's making her way to the table, I'm very pleased to introduce Melissa Costa as our inaugural director of
029support, engagement, and advocacy. Informally, she'll be known as the sea director because, of course, this is situated and everything has a nautical theme like that. >> You guys are the whalers. >> Well, there you go. >> Now you're sailor whale >> in mid January. We convened an interview committee of 17 people. The committee was represented by administration, teachers, par professionals, counselors, parents, community, town, DEI committee, metco, and high school students. The committee carefully reviewed 14 applicants for the position and narrowed it down to seven candidates for first round interviews. A huge thank you to Ty Fluger, our director of human resources, who led this strong and diverse committee with an experienced hand. After contacting the seven candidates, five chose to come in for interviews and after a robust two days of interviewing, the committee actually
030advanced two candidates for further consideration. However, one of the two withdrew for family reasons. So, though we had one finalist remaining, I felt it was important for Melissa to spend the day here in Situ and get to know everyone. She would be interviewing us as much as we were interviewing her. Melissa Costa spent the entire day on Friday, January 23rd, meeting with constituents from around the district. She held an open forum with the community via Zoom, met with the administrative team, individual members of the school committee not part of the interview process, adjustment counselors, our high school GSA group, and then the last hour with Mr. Lynch and myself. At the end of that long day, I knew we had found our person, and I was hoping she agreed. Melissa knocked it out of the
031park. During the interview process, she expressed a solid commitment to MTSS and strengthening Tier One services and the importance of our students being seen, heard, and respected in the classroom, as well as a commitment to belonging. Further, as a licensed clinical social worker, she has a strong academic pedigree that gives her credibility among the staff as well as in the wider community. Melissa will be a strong advocate for our adjustment counselors and spend some time digging into our SEAL program at all levels. In addition, she's only a couple of classes and a dissertation away from her doctoral degree. I'm very pleased to introduce Melissa for your consideration and vote this evening. >> Thank you. >> I'm just excited. Yeah, I was a part of the search committee and it was >> it was great. I
032mean, your interview was fantastic and obviously you have the experience. She was on a school committee which I think is an interesting additional experience too. So, um I'm just thrilled that you're here joining us. Really? >> Sure. >> Yeah, I would echo. Um, I met Melissa just through the at the very end I think of her journey through uh meeting >> that was about midday. >> Midday midday. >> There was several hours last. >> No, as Dr. Rap says like um I think she's a perfect fit for what we're looking at and what the experience is. I agree that the school committee aspect I think is really really interesting. Um I think will be a great benefit for everyone. Um, I'm thrilled to see what what you do for our district. >> I think we
033continue to hear um reasons why we need your role um each day or each time we are or just in every time we're talking to, you know, families and and teachers. And so I think you're coming into a place where we have a lot of great things happening. Um, and I think you're going to just be kind of the cherry on top that ties it all together and really moves us into the next phase of what of what we need for kids. So, we're really looking forward to having you. >> Yeah, >> it's definitely about coherence. >> Yes. >> Right. Like I I learned throughout the day of the site visit there's a lot of silos and I think that happens in systems. >> Um, and so how do we tie it all together, right?
034and like who's overseeing all of those, you know, all the great things that are happening here at Situate as much, you know, like Dr. Rob said. Um, it was as much of a two-way interview that day and I knew when I left that day that this is where I wanted to be. Um, as much as, you know, I was hoping that it was vice versa. So, I was very, very pleased to, you know, be given the opportunity and, um, I look forward to starting next Monday. >> Awesome. Welcome. Really happy to have you here. Wait for you to start. >> All right. Take a vote. >> Voting to approve the contract. >> Um, all right. I make a motion that the school committee vote to approve the contract of employment for director of support engagement
035in advocacy as presented. >> Second. All right. All in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> Welcome. >> I actually find this meeting very interesting, so I'm just going to >> I'm actually texting my superintendent. >> Oh, no. >> You could always watch it. It just being recorded later in person. We love having someone in person. I don't know why everybody doesn't think it's fun. We we don't know why. >> All right, Dr. Rob. >> Thank you. I only have two things. I wanted to remind the entire community that we do have our redistricting public information session Wednesday night. So, Wednesday night in the gates dining comments at six o'clock. And there'll be an inerson version, but there will also be a Zoom as well. So, at the same time, so similar to what we do here,
036um we'll have it up on the screen as a Zoom. So, if you can't make it in person, I'm going to urge you to go onto the Zoom and listen carefully. We're going to be presenting options for redistricting. We're not making any final decisions Wednesday night, but it's an opportunity for the community to really hear for the first time some of the options and the rationale and what we've been talking about and then give everybody a couple of weeks to react to that. Um, and then the committee will have another discussion at the end of March as a draft discussion and then vote at the end of April. So, a lot of things happening quickly, you know, between the naming and this, but it's all moving toward our September 2027 opening of the elementary school.
037So very exciting time and I would just urge people to come even if you're not quite sure. Um I don't think the meeting will be more than an hour and I think it'll be a great opportunity to really get firsthand information, ask questions. We'll have our consultant there who's been working closely with us. Real excited about that. And then the second thing is um if you saw on Citro Community Television last week, we had our topic off ceremony for the new elementary school. Thank you Mrs. Pregni for coming by. It was awesome. It was a lot of fun. Um we got to raise the beam, the last beam for the school. If you've been on and vinyl and you've seen the school going up, it's amazing how fast the steel is going up. Uh next
038steps are decking, which is the flooring and studs. And so really in the next month or two, you'll start to see the building enclosed. And you can start to see now the design of it and how that matches some of the pictures that you saw earlier. So it's kind of exciting to see it happening. >> Um but it's all on track, under budget, on time, and >> my favorite. >> It's wonderful. on track and under budget. >> Under those love, >> great stuff. But that's all I have um for this week. >> Mr. Lynch, teaching and learning update. >> Thank you. So, as you know, next week we begin our teaching and learning presentations with our elementary curriculum coordinators and department chairs. So, we'll have some um great uh sorry, two weeks 16 some excellent
039data. Um K through 12 and we're excited to share that with you. Um before that, this one is more of a fun story from Gates Middle School. Also, um, last week the Boston Globe carried a story about our two teachers from Gates, the ELA teacher Brian Hickox and our teacher Tracy Woodford, uh, who collaborate together to promote the Ididarod Trail Mail Design, which is a national contest that asks students to, uh, create an artistic design that honors the history of sled dogs delivering mail along the Idog trail. So, after uh being inspired by the teacher's opportunity, uh Gates sixth grader Violet Hanks ended up winning the national contest um to design the um to make the design that would be delivered and stamped on all of the trail mail carried in this year's Adidro. It
040kicks off on March 7th. And uh I put inside your packets the actual article and um Violet's design was chosen by two famous Alaskan artists um who noted her use of watercolor and also profile of the female veterinarian. Um, so congratulations to to Violet and also to uh Brian Hickox and Tracy Woodford uh who collaborated together and shared this opportunity and um for our student to come through and um to win the national contest. So just want to congratulate everybody who is who is involved. >> Very good. >> Thank you so much. >> Sure. All right, policy subcommittee. Hi, what you got for us? Um, we are a little behind in our in our reading, so we're going to pause on our whole committee um review of of policies for this week. I know you
041guys are probably heartbroken. Um, um, between the snow and having no power, we lost uh we lost a meeting last week. So, um we are about a third of the way through the B policy like like line revisions. Um so, our goal is to get through um all of the B policy line revisions. By which I mean like we've already gone through those as a whole committee and now we're just going through them one by one and doing all the little changes. Um our goal being to bring them all back as a package to the whole group. Um them at once. Um, most of them are are small changes, but a few of them are, you know, there's like just some confusions we have to clear up. Um, so again, I know you're heartbreaking heartbroken,
042but we're not going to be talking about the others today. But, um, the other policy we did circle back around to is the entrance age JB. So, at the last time we talked about this um we had proposed um an adjustment um about to add a waiver um so that the student who had a birthday in the week after our cutoff could potentially apply for a waiver. Um, I don't know if you've had a chance to look at the memo that's in the packet, but we received um a document compiling concerns from elementary principles and some um what I presume were kindergarten teachers, although I wrote kindergarten teachers. I don't actually know that for certain, but the way it was written did seem like they were, but anyway, I guess I should have said teachers,
043not kindergarten. Anyhow, um some of the most salient concerns that they shared are summarized as um concerns about the use of the screening tool tool for that for that purpose that we were proposing it as. Um I think when we understood screening tool we were thinking about it as something that could actually tell us if a child was ready for kindergarten or not. Um and in fact they described it as something that is not designed to determine kindergarten readiness but is instead used for early identification of intervention needs um special education services or to kind of balance out classrooms. So I think we were thinking about it in a different way than what it is. >> Yeah. So that was their concern was that, you know, if we are misusing that tool for that purpose,
044it could cause us to pushing be pushing kids into kindergarten before they're developmentally ready. Um, another one was that we just implemented our new policy last year where we extended the date past September 1st. We are apparently, I did not know this, um, only one only in the top 10% of districts or only in 10% of districts who have done that. who are already um you know accepting ch children into kindergarten on the very young end. Um and so I think there's maybe a desire to have a little more time to get used to that before we extend it even further. Um and then lastly, um one of our reasons for updating our policy last year was to try and shrink the spread of potential ages at a given grade in recognition that uh educationally
045speaking, it is easier um when children are sort of around the same um developmental age um for the for the curriculum, you know. Um, and so one of our goals was to sort of add in that language about if kids are um if parents are thinking about holding their kid back a year, you know, we kind of tried to um shrink that back. Um, we can't technically um tell parents they must send their kid to kindergarten when they're five because kindergarten is not mandatory in Massachusetts. So, we kind of took from other towns around us and kind of strengthened it as best we could. We did look at some numbers um the current elementary grades and to see how many um kids are in fact um a year older than their peers and we found
046that per grade so this is across the district it's between nine and 19 kids in the current elementary grades. So 19 is pushing that's like almost 10% of a given grade that is in it could be pretty high. And so if we do this, we're again widening that uh that age range. So those were kind of the most I would say salient of the concerns that were raised that that particularly large cohort was during a co. >> So we thought that it it is sort of during a co year. It's the current fifth grade. >> Right. >> Or fourth, something like that. >> No, it's fifth. I'm forgetting it's our class right now. >> But what we realize but what we realized though is that those kids they would have their parents would have made
047that decision before. >> Okay. So it doesn't No, it doesn't actually happen. Um but any >> um and obviously there's a range of reasons why a parent would decide that. Sometimes it's the right thing to do. So it's not like it's not like it's always the wrong thing to do, but it's just an observation, you know. Um, so I think, you know, as a subcommittee, we kind of discussed that given those concerns, the number of them that we received, they came from principles and teachers, it felt like a a pause was warranted. Um, especially because, you know, it's not like we're hearing from a large number of families who are really change in the other direction. So we felt as a subcommittee that it made more sense to pause. We did keep in the language
048we had originally proposed. So it's in the memo. >> That did I get everything? >> Y anything else? >> Uh I would I just appreciate all the work the policy subcommittee did. The only other thing I would add is just that um in terms of the point about trying to maintain a narrow the most narrow range we can due to the policy change last year. We also had the highest number of students obviously born between September 1st and September 8th of any grade currently in the system due to the policy change. So just to add data to the point about giving some time for us to um evaluate the impacts I think that's really important because there's not been a grade in the system with this number of students um based on the changes we've
049made. We're very confident our teachers and schools can adapt to that. that is a significant um number of students who are born between the first and the eth that we haven't adjusted to or >> had you know as much experience. So that's just one point. >> Yeah, that feels like I understand the overall number but I think what's more important is where in that distribution right because if you look at prior years there's only three that were like one to eight versus 14. Yeah. So that so like that number's only five different but it's a real big difference in the distribution. So, I think we'd want to know, >> yeah, >> we'd want our teachers to watch that part of it. What is that, what's that curve look like, right? Is it >> It's been
050fascinating. It is interesting data. >> It's hard to not look like. >> You're able to um determine um how many kids that should have entered kindergarten did not enter kindergarten. >> So, >> right. So those that are technically eligible decided not to send their child. >> So those are the those are the eligible children. >> So you have to look at the year. We don't know that they're not coming until next year when they do come. You know what I'm saying? >> Like we don't know that they like So >> I'm saying in the current current school current Yes. district. >> That's the 9 to 19. >> The the Sorry, you're looking at last time's memo. This time's memo has this. I don't have a table for it, but we do have a table. I
051just didn't put it in. >> Just put the range. >> Okay, >> I can do the table if you want to see it. But it's the range is 9 to 19 kids in a given year who should have come agewise >> to kindergarten were eligible for kindergarten didn't come. What was that? What is that? August birthdays. Is that July? >> That I don't >> that's what I >> I mean we'd have it but I don't have it in my within the range of eligibility. I want to know July, August of those that are deciding not to send their kids. >> Some are like >> some necessarily it could be April, May, June. >> Yeah. >> Anyone that's not choosing to send their >> That number is anyone. That number is anyone. >> I'm curious what
052the data is. >> Yeah. >> How many? >> Yeah. >> But because per Maria's point, kindergarten isn't required. It It's like It's >> We can't If you knew that number, Peter, what would it help you? If if we're trying to make a policy to allow more kids to come enter school, why should we not have a policy about sending your kids to school? >> We can't. >> I know, but but we're making a policy on this. We're kind of defeating the purpose. We're letting families hold their kids back if they have June, July, August birthdays, but letting them send their kids if they're younger. >> We're bound by the state on one end, but not the other. >> I know. But something that we need to address. How many kids are are families choosing to
053hold back? And is that skewing >> 9 to 19 to 19 per year? >> That's why we're pausing. We're recommending >> but n but 9 to 19. What? But so that could be any date prior to September 1st. >> Yes. >> That's any child who technically would have been eligible but did not attempt to get her when they were eligible. >> And we can't do anything about that. >> Yeah. >> Because it's not required. >> Yeah. >> Well, I understand that. So every district has to have a cuto off date of like you know you have to be five by this date >> because otherwise >> you could be >> it's first grade isn't >> you know that that's the other side of the coin and what some teachers were pointing out is if we
054say you know it's September 15th and school starts on August 27th or 30th then you have four year olds in kindergarten >> next to six year olds in kindergarten and we can control not having foury olds but we cannot control not having six year olds. Do you know what I'm saying? >> I do. Yeah, I understand. >> It's just >> So that's what we're trying to do is to say, well, if we can't control one side, maybe >> from an enrollment standpoint, it's actually a good policy because if you're actually losing people who make a choice not to enroll, then you're bringing in students so that the enrollments don't like >> Yes. >> And I fully believe that there are some children who need to wait. fully believe that there are some people who are
055ready, you know, definitely September who are ready, you know, like we know this. >> We know them. Well, >> that's like, you know, >> some October people that are ready, >> but they couldn't go. >> But I think one of the points that was really motivating to me was the notion that this tool that we thought would help us sus that out in fact is not going to help us sus out. So to me, I'm like, uh, you know, that doesn't feel like a right move. I think other districts might have more robust screening systems, which is fine, but then that is a thing that we're going to have to ask principles to do. >> Um, I also think we want to be really careful with using a single measure screening system because we know
056we don't just single metrics of anything. So, I don't really want to be in that business. >> And we're also in a great time of flux in the next two years in general in our elementary schools. So I'm kind of like willing to pump the brakes on something like this. >> More information gave us what >> the more information was fascinating I think. >> Yeah. And I've helped I think you educator but you mentioned research about the narrowing of the distribution being better just can you if you remember can you send us a link to >> some of those? I had not heard that. I mean it makes sense to me but it makes sense. I would just like to read and I'm not surprised but I just hadn't thought about that part of it
057>> even like as they age. >> Sure. Sure. >> Kindergarteners. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, it makes sense. But we don't really talk about that, >> right? Not even doesn't come up unless he's talking about kindergarten. There's no other place to affect it, >> right? I'm thinking about fourth and fifth graders. >> Yeah, that makes sense. I just would like to see where something Yeah, it comes up like this came up in someone's message like this 13 years. Yes, it is. >> Yes, exactly. >> Yeah, for sure. >> That's just my mental health. >> For sure. >> Okay, great. >> Pumped. >> Thank you. >> Brakes have been pumped. >> We don't have to do anything. Correct. >> Warrants. We >> do not have any this evening. Great. >> Um, subcommittee are there two? >>
058I don't know if >> Oh, Irene is on but she's she's not >> I don't have um committee reports is raised hand is raised. Thanks. I do have them here. >> Okay. I had to wait to be unmuted. >> Sorry. Hi. >> That's okay. Hi. Um I do have two warrants to read in if you'd like them. >> Sure. >> Okay. Bear with me. I just have to get to that page. I purposely had them open so they would be available. And here we go. Okay. So the first one, the warrant number is S26219 and that means that it is from February 19th. It is in the amount of $86,141.98 and you've got the backup for that. The second warrant is number S26226. This is from February 26. This is a much larger number. 2,87,060.97.
059And you will see that the reason for that very large number is primarily from the um school building project. Okay? that the school building project uh represents $2,8760 and $60.97 out of the 2,260,000. >> Okay, great. >> Any questions? >> No, thank you. Great. Thank you so much. >> Uh people. >> Exactly. >> I was thinking we have some office hours coming up on Tuesday, March 10th with myself and Dr. Veroski. We'll be at the library in the book club room from 10 to 11:30. Do you have any office hours? >> I don't have them memorized. I apologize. >> Sorry to put you on the spot. I couldn't remember if you had any up and coming. >> I'm sure I do. And then Carrie and Maria have some office hours uh next month on April
0603rd uh 10 to 11:30 via Zoom. Oh, that's great. >> That's great for you guys. >> It's linked in our agenda. So I think it's also linked on our >> wrote on parents eventually >> and it's linked in Parents Square. >> So it'll send a reminder. >> Yeah. >> Great. Have fun. Thanks. >> All right. Uh I think that's all we have for tonight folks. >> Can I say one thing? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So I just wanted to share for folks who are watching who are watch the recording that um one of the privileges of being part of school committee is you get to see how the sausage is made around snow days >> and calling school. And I just wanted to thank um our superintendent, his leadership team, the folks in town,
061the police, the fire, the um town administrator. They have a committee that meets and we know that this is not an easy decision and that no matter what you do, I always say to people, no matter what he does, somebody's not going to be happy. And I just really appreciated the transparency, the thoughtfulness, and the coordination. Um, and I also wanted to thank our custodial staff and the DPW for I mean just working their tails off in both these storms. So, I just wanted to publicly thank you and your team for for the work that you did in this storm. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Not easy. >> You're right, Carrie. It's never an easy call. >> It's a thankless call. Yeah, no matter what you do, someone's not >> nine out of 10. Maybe
062except for that Monday. Monday was a for sure. >> I mean, I'm on I'm on the school committee and I was not happy about Wednesday and I understood why it was called. So, you know, I I appreciate that. >> Not easy at all. Highly appreciative of all all the decision making and people at that table. For sure. Agreed. >> Fantastic. All right. down there. >> Motion to adjurnn 658. >> Second. All right. All in favor? I