001One minute. There you go. Have a good meeting. >> Should be all set. >> Okay. Thanks. Oh, hold on. >> Okay. The Citro School Committee is committed 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 wants 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. Right. Let us call the November 17th, 2025 school committee meeting to order tonight here at 601. And I will start tonight with public comment. Anyone in person who would like to come to the microphone or any one remotely who would like to make a public comment,
002please raise your hand. At this time, we'll ask you to unmute. Okay, not seeing anyone. We will move forward with our student report. >> Really just for those. >> Okay. >> Just speak loud. >> All right. >> Um well, for athletics, the following teams qualified for the state tournament. uh boys and girls soccer, girls volleyball, uh field hockey, golf, and football. Uh the October sailors of the month were Colin Maloo, uh Finn Sears, Stephen Baznack, uh Katie Long, Riley Peterson, Mike Kazagrad, Kazagrand, Aiden Williams, and Micah Whitaker. Uh, Situit High School continues to grow academically and rigor to put our program of studies. Our innovation career pathways, project lead the way programs, dual enrollment courses, and schoolto career internships are thriving. This month, Situ High School has added anatomy and physiology, physics, and pre-calculus as
003dual enrollment classes. uh the SHS administration team attending a webinar on chronic absenteeism in high school across the state. Uh with our with a current attendance rate of around 96% each day, helping students with chronic absences remains a main goal at Situit High School. SHS held the first MTSS meeting on Wednesday, October 29th. Supporting struggling students remains the focus of our MTSS initiative. SHS is excited to announce that 11 students have earned the opportunity to receive college credits at the Rochester Institute of Technology uh because of qualifying grades and test scores in a project lead the way class. Uh also congratulations to our 2025 BFW Voice of Democracy winners. SHS is proud to announce the winners of this year's uh BFW speech competition. First place was Elena Ryell. Second place was Victoria Dosmo and third
004place was Bridget Ryan. Also, congratulations to the math team which finished second overall in our first uh at the first of four SMML math meets at NDA. SHs students Kristo Brown, Charlie Kins, Maya Robinson, Emma Quirk, Nolan Maguire, Isa Anderson, and Haley Gil attended the sportsmanship conference at Gillette Stadium where they learned the importance of teamwork. 41 SHs students have qualified to receive the John Abigail Adams Scholarship because of their high academic achievement on the MCCAST exam. Uh, Mr. Langer emailed at home a letter congratulating the recipients and personally handed the students their letter of achievement. Uh for guidance news, the PSATs were successfully administered last week to the entire sophomore class as well as about a 100 juniors who signed up to take the exam. A big shout out to the department chairs and
005the high school counseling staff who protoed the exams for students. Over 23 of our senior class has already applied to at least one higher education institution. As of November 10th, the counseling department has processed over 800 applications for 120 students so far during the college application season. We're not done yet. Uh we've had over 25 college rep visits to SHS this fall. We're pleased to report that many students took advantage of the opportunity to meet with college admissions officers in a small group set. And then for an upcoming event, the school counseling department will hold a postsecary uh planning event for caregivers of college Brown juniors on Thursday, December 4th at 6 PM uh in the high school library media center. More information about that is to follow. Thank you, Luke. Have any questions for
006any model, right? >> Oh, yeah. >> How was it? >> It was so much fun. >> Welcome back. >> Yeah, thank you. It was >> snow in Canada. >> Yeah, there's a lot of snow. A lot of work. We had uh some long committee sessions, but it was it was a lot of it was very rewarding. >> Awesome. How did SHS do up there? >> We did pretty well. We got uh three awards, which is pretty good. It was a pretty competitive conference, I think. Um, so we got three outstanding delegates, which is was pretty good. >> Excellent. >> Did you have a favorite takeaway from >> Oh, I don't know. My committee was uh was like a court case. It was an ICJ court case, so it was a different format for me. Um,
007but I really like that. Exploring, so good. >> Welcome back. Thank you. Thought everything went well. Thank you so much. >> Feel free to stay as long as you are able to, but if you have other, you know, obligations at any point, do what you need to. >> Yeah, of course. Thank you. >> All right. Up next, we have a presentation by Matt Craropper who is with Cropper GIS Consulting and for a presentation on redistricting of the new school. Uh, Dr. for having me introduce. >> Thank you very much. So, we have Matt Croper who's with us virtually. His firm is out in Ohio, so he's joining us virtually today. He'll come in person for some of the later visits, but he's here to outline a six to eightmonth process of how we're going to
008walk ourselves through the redistricting. We know that we're opening the new elementary school in September of 2027, and now is the time to start thinking about all of that. So, he's here. He has a slide deck. we can start teeing up that slide deck and then he'll walk us through the process. And this is really the first public opportunity to start talking about this. So feel free to listen, feel free to ask any questions that you have and then we're anticipating the first public session in the school. >> Great. >> So it's going to all be happening well. >> Thank you, Dr. Rob, members of the board. Can you guys hear me? Okay. >> Yes. >> Okay. Well, thank you for the opportunity to present to you this evening. Um, I'm here, as Dr. Rob
009said, to give you an overview of the process with with uh regarding the redistricting study that we're about to um undertake. Um, I did send you a slide deck. It was it was longer than what I'm going to present. I have a lot of the slides hidden that are kind of the more detailed information that we're going to present in December, but um, if you have any questions or follow-ups, we can always refer to those. So, um, we are Cropper GIS Consulting. Uh we are K12 planners and we do this kind of work for school districts all across the United States. I'd say we probably do about 10 to 15 different redistricting studies on an annual basis from of different magnitudes and different levels of community engagement and sort of different processes. Um but uh
010honored to be working with you guys on this particular effort. This is just the just right the type of work that we do on a daily basis. I am Matthew Craropper, president of the company and honored to be working with you on this. Um, our company is is is um 20 years in business here in about a month and so we've been doing this a lot and um and honored to be working with you guys. We've done a lot of work in the in the across the United States uh anywhere from 1500 to over 150,000 students. And so we bring a lot to the table in terms of how other communities have tackled challenges and how they've addressed different different elements of redistricting. Um we also bring uh experience with the technology to the table
011uh with geographic information system stands for GIS. Uh um GIS stands for geographic information systems. It's basically a mapping tool that that your town uses. the Census Bureau, pretty much all all communities and and uh government use GIS to map things out. So, we we collect a lot of their data and we develop a lot of data from the school district to be able to make accurate estimates and um as we work through it, it's a good way to communicate, but also make sure that we're efficient and accurate as we estimate enrollment and look at various options. So, why are we doing this? Why is I think everybody knows, but just to recap, the district is launching a redistricting study for uh to prepare for the fall of 2027. You're opening a new elementary school
012on the Hatherly school site and also discontinuing the use of Cushing Elementary. So, our primary objective is to create zones for the remaining K5 schools, the remaining three schools in the district. You've got the new school at Adley, Wampauck, and Jenkins Elementary School. >> Mr. proper, can I interrupt you just for one moment? >> Do you want us to be having the slide deck posted? >> Oh, yeah. Do you not see it? >> No. >> You were doing such a great job. I didn't want to interrupt you, but >> thanks. >> Yeah, you should be able to. >> Yeah, there you go. >> There we go. Okay. So, yeah, but just a little backtrack. This these are the districts that we worked in. You know, a lot of districts of different sizes. Um, and then
013just who I am. I think I covered that pretty well. But um these are the objectives. So basically the primary objectives to establish zones for the district's 3 K through five schools including the new school at Hatherley, Wampauck, and Jenkins for the fall 202728 school years. when it's planned to be implemented. We're going to look at zones um and and enable the community to be part of the process and have have uh the give give them the ability to see what's happening to to give them resources to be able to look at maps and provide feedback. And as we do this, in addition to looking at capacities and programs, we're going to be looking at other criteria and other factors. Um and I'll talk about those in a second. So we were hired to use
014utilize our expertise in doing this to facilitate the work with committee with a with a with some different stakeholders in the district um and then ultimately work with this planning team to uh provide a recommendation to the school committee when it's all said and done. So as we look through uh options development and when we start getting into mapping and looking at boundary options, we always look at a set of criteria and these are criteria that we work with across the United States. I would say they are best practices um things that we district most districts have this use this set of criteria and um I would say that when you look at these criteria think of them all in a in the same basket. the the best plan is going to be one that
015touches on these criteria in terms of adhering to them but uh not focus too much on one element of the criteria. If you focus only on one of these criteria, you start to deviate greater uh further away from the other elements of the criteria. And so um these include to balance school facility utilization. So people sometimes ask do these criter criteria have any weights or priorities? I would say that balancing school utilization is really kind of the one that takes precedent over any of the other criteria because it's kind of an objective and a criteria. We want to make sure that there's equitable space in all the schools as we go through this effort. Uh but then also we want to be mindful of the future growth potential where are areas may be seeing more
016students, maybe some housing coming in, whatever whatever the dynamics are. Different areas of the district, we may we may need to uh add more students to a school that may be sort of in an area that's that's not that doesn't have a lot of development growth potential and fewer students in area that's growing a lot. These are all kind of things that we'll have discussions about, but we at least be mindful of what not only where the kids are now, but what we anticipate with future enrollment. In addition to utilization, we're also going to be measuring and tracking the uh demographic composition of schools. So, what is the current uh demographics of the schools? And as we develop options, what would the demographics into what are their estimated demographics? So that's going to help us
017make sure that we don't create any any further imbalances of demographics and if anything if possible try to make schools be very similar to the communities of the whole district that that that you serve. Um looking at close proximity so try to assign students as close to their home as possible. Um and so that kids you know knowing that these are children um getting on and off bus you want to make sure there's a little bit of time on a bus as possible. try to assign students as close to their home if we if we can. But that also segus into bus efficiency. So if we have zones that are efficient and sort of the sort of the school is centered around the zone if possible, you have more um efficient bus transportation. So that
018kind of comes along for the ride. Um we want to try to make a contiguous zone. So, what we don't want to do is go into the middle of an area and draw a circle around a neighborhood, a subdivision, or an apartment complex and zone it to a different school further away. You want to it's the best practice to have one zone per school if if at all possible. Um, feeder patterns aren't uh something that we we can look at, but I don't think it's going to be so much in play here. It's going to be the focus is really on these elementary schools. Um, and we're also going to be looking at major roads and geographic features, roads, water bodies, uh, railroads, um, natural and man-made features to kind of draw the lines along.
019And that helps kind of align with the other criteria really. Um, and then in every single effort that we make, all the options, we will be measuring how many students would be impacted. And so in doing so, we want to try to make the plan that m that moves the fewest number of students, minimize the overall impact and um on students as we make these changes. So we will be looking at data that supports decision- making as it relates to these criteria when we start working through options development. And I will always tell the the the team the planning team and members of the public that this these are the kind of the data points the criteria that we will focus on. I think the hardest part with redistricting is that it's there's a very
020big emotional component to it. People have emotional ties, loyalties to schools. They they love the school their kids go to. Um and and so they they are very emotional if they have if they see the potential of them getting moved. We did we take that into consideration. That's all things that we're compassionate for the emotion. But it's most important to separate the emotion from actual making datadriven decisions and focusing on what's best for all children in the district as we work through a plan and not just focus on the needs of one particular neighborhood or subdivision or school community. So um so this helps us stay aligned in making datadriven uh decisions. We have a series of stakeholders here. I I've talked about us as consultants and that we are basically facilitating the work and
021providing all the materials to help facilitate the work of the of the stakeholders and providing resources to the public and our planning team. The planning team is the group that we're going to work with mostly uh a couple meetings a month to look at options, develop materials, look at um look at uh the the resources that we're developing for the different public and community engagement meetings. And so this planning team consists of district administrators, senior leadership, uh people like from transportation and people who know things about the programming. Um and this group is going to work with us through options as we start to prepare draft options to share with the public to get feedback on. Um this group will try to build consensus with this group as we work towards a recommendation to uh
022to provide to present to the school committee the public. We will invite them. Our first public information session is on December 9th and u the slides that I'm sharing with you will be shared in addition to some other slides um that kind of give the public an overview on the resources and tools that we're building. But we're we're developing a website that helps that will help be a resource guide for people. And on that website, there's going to be things such as a background report that gives them kind of the all the the criteria, um maps, uh the stakeholders, all our objectives, all that that sort of background data will be there for the public to be able to use as a resource. We'll have an online interactive map that pe that the public can
023see and also the planning team and myself use it very very uh heavily to kind of zoom in on areas and see how the what the geography looks like and how the the areas laid out and and as we start to evaluate options. So, the public will be um will be invited to uh to to to to look at this website on the 9th and then we'll also have a general feedback form that's kicked off that night where the public can start providing feedback to us and give us any insights even before options maps are shared. Um and so the school committee is sort of more of a high level uh role in this process and that they're going to give us our marching orders but then um let the let the planning team do
024their work. The school committee often h handles things that are related to policy related decisions um and things that are the high at higher level that that that are not typically handled by school administrators keeping the committee with um to make those decisions. But ultimately, you as members of the school committee are going to be voting on an on a redistricting study, redistricting plan. And um you'll have the ability to make changes if you see fit. I mean, every I always tell people that nothing is final until it's approved by the school committee. So everything is draft. Even once it get comes out as a recommendation from us and in your hands, it'll still be draft. Nothing's final until you approve a plan. So looking at our timeline, uh we've been preparing uh we're meeting
025with the uh planning team uh on December 4th. Our first meeting on December 4th and we're going to talk about the first public information session that's scheduled for December 9th at 6:00 p.m. Um that's actually going to be a webinar where we'll have a presentation and then we will have a Q&A after. We found that um at at this session, options maps aren't being shared. Um and so typically when we do these in person, this first public info session, they're not as heavily attended because there's not a whole lot of breaking news at this meeting. But with the webinar, we'll we usually have at least 10 times as many people participate in the webinar because they feel like they could chime in, check in from their couch, and get things done and ask questions and
026have some dialogue even doing it. uh virtually like like we have uh slated here. Um working from that point on from December 9th, we're the the planning team is solely focused on bringing a series of maps and options to the public which will be shared on on February 25th and that's going to be an actual on-site where we'll have a presentation and then we'll have a gallery walk to look at maps that'll be on easels and statistics. public members will be able to stand and look look at the maps up close. Planning team members and consultants and staff will be around the maps to to have discussions with them. And there's also going to be a survey that accompanies um that at that public information session that's going to give them the ability to give
027us further input. Like like I said, the December 9th, we're going to have a general feedback form that's going to be introduced to the public. So, they're going to be able to already give us input or any kind of opinions or thoughts even before maps are shared um as along with all the other materials that we're going to um introduce to them. So, after February 25th, we're working with the planning team that that survey is going to run for a couple of weeks. Um and then we're going to regroup with the planning team, finalize recommendations which are planned to be presented to you on March 30th. And then if everything goes as planned, school committee is anticipated to vote in April uh on a redistricting plan. That gives you plenty of time once that's done
028to go through sort of the big the three biggies that I call are notifying parents of where they're going to go and students. Uh work through staffing and what you know with the new school estimated enrollments, what do you do with staffing? And then um transportation and how do you uh route buses and working through all the transportation logistics to make sure kids can get to school via the transportation methods that you have. So um next steps after that December 9th public info session, we're going to be meeting with the internal planning team one to two times per month going through options and materials. Um that public info session is on February 25th and that's where we'll have maps like I said and then leading up to a final presentation of recommendations to the school
029committee on the 30th. So uh look out for us uh for December 9th. That's where we're going to have the webinar and we'll share a lot more details on what's to come and how the public can participate in this process. And with that said, that's all I have to present tonight. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you so much. Any questions? >> Uh yeah, I have a just a general question. Um I know that >> the uh Thank you for that. It was helpful. Um I know that obviously the purpose of this is because we're building a new school, but are you collectively looking at the entire district relative to attendance at each school or you just specifically focused on the new school? No, it's uh we will be we
030we are going to be looking at the entire district and how to distribute enrollment among the schools with the changes that you're making to schools. We're looking the entire district. So I I would say like I said, we're going to try to minimize the impact, but I think the expectation is that any student or any community in the school district could be affected as a result of these recommendations. can put a final point to that too. It's it's all four elementary schools are impacted. So the internal planning team will consist of all four elementary principles. We know that the new school has four sections of each grade level. And currently when you combine Christian and Aid's five or six sections depending on the grade level. So you know likely anywhere from 8 to 12 sections
031and have to move out to Lucky and Jenkins. The entire purpose of this study is to have figured that out. So all four elementary schools impacted by this. >> I have a question. Um one thing we've noticed historically is that sometimes there are kind of national trends to enrollment data that we see here locally like the kids who are currently in kind of the tail end of the high school is a bit of an enrollment dip. And that's true I believe also nationally. I've seen articles about how it's kind of going to be easier to apply to colleges this year because of that honestly. Um, and then we see currently a bit of a an enrollment spike in the early elementary schools currently in our town. And so I was just curious um how you
032think about kind of that those that national trend data and if you are also taking that into consideration when you're looking kind of further down the road um if you sort of how you kind of think about that. >> Yes, I think that's it's always good to not like with with the data that we're working with. We're going to be working with current enrollment. So, it's the best data set to use to set the foundation for schools because um it's just it because we know where the where the kids are living and what grade levels they're at they are and what schools they go to and things like that. So, it's the best best data set to work with. But with that said, we're also going to be looking at other information such as um
033we like to look at break it down by grade level so we can see are there bubbles moving through. Do we see sort of a bigger outgoing classes and small and smaller incoming classes or the or the opposite? And so that all kind of comes in comes into play when you when we think about not only the current but trying to have these hold as long as possible and and to to to have as much longevity as possible. Um typically when we do this kind of work you won't need it it's not something where you're going to need to go back and revisit or evaluate boundaries for several years. I think it's the these do hold they they in our experience once we're done with the plan and have our estimates they hold for a
034good long time. So unless something something substantial changes um but but they but we do focus on on not only current enrollment but also looking forward and see what kind of what kind of things can be thrown at these options that may cause fluctuations or un unanticipated changes in utilization and um and that's something that we we definitely try to hit it from that angle as well. >> Thank you. Well, it's more of a more it's more of a Tom and Ryan question than any. So, I've I've I've seen these studies happening where I've lived in urban areas where they've come in now and I've been to public meetings that because of the way they're held, they end up being wild and disastrous. Um, and it's because things are lost in translation. And so I'm
035just wondering, you know, while we play a high level role, I'm thinking about the open office hours that you've been offering and I'm just wondering, are you planning to sort of continue those as I just feel like people are going to need a place to come and be like the numbers say this, but here's my reality to be able to sort of get that in there somewhere. So I'm just wondering what your thoughts are on that process. >> Absolutely. I absolutely plan on continuing the office hours. That's been very helpful for me. In addition, there is community surveys built into this process. So we'll be asking people for their experience. I've had conversations already about what happened 25 years ago at seriously you know and some of the pitfalls that were happening and you know
036one of the stories that's been related to me is you know we did all this work and then at the end of the day the bus couldn't get down the road and so it changed. So I've heard some of those and we're listening carefully to that. >> So no I think this is one process we're going to be absolutely collaborative. Certainly at the end of the day, we're going to have to make some tough decisions, I'm sure, but I'm really hoping we can get 90 95% of the way there with a consensus kind of people understanding what they need to do. Um it really comes down to the enrollment and it comes down to how many students we do get to move >> from the two schools and and that's exactly why why we have
037the two proper with us. >> I just think it's a nice combination of the GIS data and then the sort of lived experiences of folks will be really important and I know the surveys will get that but even in survey data that can get sort of reductionist if we're not careful. So I think having those open open office hours and qualitative well we can't accommodate everybody but like if we're making our best efforts to hear and listen and understand. So I'm glad and maybe even the school committee could hold the office hours. >> I would actually not to decide tonight but perhaps at the next meeting one member with an internal party would be great one member. So not to add more meetings too much but it would it would allow one member to kind
038of think about it. Yeah, >> thank you. Just first glimpse into things and build on from here. >> Y >> thank you. Thank you so much for the presentation and for joining us tonight. >> Thank you. Have a good night. Happy Thanksgiving, too. >> Thank you. You as well, >> Matt. >> Thank you. That's crazy. All right. Up next, Marcel St. Jeene and Course Foundation presentation update. Hello. co-ager. My name is Marcel ZG and I'm here um on behalf of the PR Foundation, also known as Sichuid Community of Resources for Special Education. GR Foundation has been uh is a nonprofit organization that was established about 25 years ago and this uh and our nonprofit organization helps fund in a variety of programs to ensure appropriate staffing in ratios and very sorry in ratios of special
039education expertise to all children those with or without special needs in the age range of 33 to 22 so that they can successfully participate uh together within their community. Some of our programs include um Best Buddies, which is um is in elementary, middle school, and high school. Um some of our silver programs are maritime adventures and skateboarding. Um we also have nautical mile that runs twice uh runs throughout the year. Um there's a fall session and a spring session and also during during the summer. And we're also partnership with um Central Recreation and um Citro Public Schools. Uh some other programs that um well the reason why I'm here is that I'm we are wanting to get our name back out there in the community um and to make uh help you know we have
040a lot of new families. We have some a lot of existing families and we just want to get our name back out there and help um introduce reintroduce ourselves and to help bring in some new families and of course keep our alums. But um just we're wanting to to reach a broader a broader group. Um like I said, we know there's a lot of new families in the area. So just want to get our name out there. And um some of the other programs that we do um or that we Sorry, let me go back. Um we we supply um we we have programs um that run during the summer and um we get funding from from grants and also from fundraising. Um some of our fundraising events is the North Pole Express which we
041actually just had was a drive-in movie which we just had on Sunday. That was yesterday. Um we also um have um we're planning on having a giving Tuesday to help uh raise some funds and a new event that we established uh during the springtime was fun which actually was during April which was during autism awareness month. have that autism. The theme was around autism awareness. Um in middle school some the um our funding helps um helps with a band consultant for the Gates Middle School band program is Mr. Sarantino. Um he's actually been helping out for since the inception of the gates uh band program and uh this year he's working with 33 percussion students and of which 16 students are either on IEPs or have fal so that's what some of our funding goes
042to help out with and also um we help support we help provide funding partial funding for agendas for the fifth sixth seventh and eighth graders and that was established um I believe about three or four years ago we saw that there was a to help out with um with some the executive executive functioning um piece and um so we between the PTO and our and the and course we help supply funding to um for the agendas and we also um help provide um t-shirts for the sixth grade orientation uh for the uh seventh and eighth grade student volunteers that help out during sixth grade orientation in in August. And the other nice thing about our programs and some of our um events, it also provides opportunities for high school students to earn community service hours
043and for for graduation. And we do actually have a lot of reoccurring students that come back and help out because they not only do they enjoy the programs, but they really do enjoy working with a diver diverse group of children within our community and they find it very rewarding and enjoyable. So, we're very grateful for our high school volunteers. Um, and we've also in previous years, we've also provided funding to help support um music therapy and yoga in um our prek classes over at the the early childhare center early childhood center and over at Howerly in the ILC and the PLC, which we're hoping in the future we'll be able to um work with them again to provide those programs. Um so again um the course foundation has been around for about 25 years and
044um we get funding through grants and also from our um our events and um and I apologize if I repeated my if I repeat myself but um we are coming one of our next um fundraising events is going to be forgiving Tuesday. So, we hope everybody can be on the lookout for on our social media pages for on Eating Tuesday and um also um working on some other spring events such as like the danceon um will be held at school. >> Does anybody have any questions? >> Um well, so what can we do as a school committee? And if you don't, you know, this is more just like food for thought, like if there's anything, you don't have an answer now, but is there anything we can do as a committee to support you better
045from our role if you can ever think of anything from your stance that you think we could be helpful in any way from our where we sit where you sit in partnership? Yes. What could the school district do differently or better to help support you? We're always here to listen and learn and do better from our seat. >> That's a very good question. >> You don't have to have an answer, but just to know that, you know, we're always here to support you. >> We appreciate that. >> Of course. Um it's I would say that the past several years I just with everything that's kind of happened with uh COVID and um change of um of things on the board that you know that's in the change and within the community as well like we
046have a lot of families that have aged out of it. We're kind of in a middle piece where we have a group of kids, but it's not quite the same as our older and not quite what we have for younger. So, I guess kind of maybe helping with our younger our families with younger children. Um, and even middle school because middle school is the tricky area, you know, you're in the you're in the middle there. Um, as for specifics, I would I would go back to >> Yeah. So, like bridging some of the gaps, maybe getting >> maybe more younger families or like newer families involved to sort of get more. >> Yes. >> I know one of the things we're trying to do is also get some of the stuff that you referenced like
047the music therapy and yoga programming into our budget. Yeah. So I know that doesn't necessarily build up course, but it does take something that course is not offered and provided for kids and put it into our operating budget. And so you know that's a way that I think is a material way for us to really support the agendas and families. The agendas are another, you know, thing to think about. And I know some of the special orientations for kids coming into gates that are particular in the summer like those I think is another good example. Um yes, we do offer the um the summer sessions for the incoming sixth graders. >> Those are great. >> That just gives some of the extra time to be in the building. But yes, um helping out yes with
048some of the for the funds that are that could go into the into budget would would be helpful because there are some longstanding programs such as the music therapy that has been over at the um the ILC ILC and PLC and um that to help continue those to go through the some some assistance with could we help like bridging that? Yeah, it's almost like established and launched by course, but then if we can almost since you've founded those and are clearly needed, you know, and wellun just kind of core now for the district that the need has been established. We need we need these components and they're clearly they've served students well and they're yeah need to remain that we can you know the value's there so it should be maybe picked up. I can
049also tell you that, you know, I volunteer at SCF and we're also going through some growing pains kind of similar. Yeah. And so I think also there's just value to some of the smaller kind of like little nonprofits that existed and then co happened and that kind of shook us a bit. I think there's just value in us connecting too. So maybe we need to connect on the side just at some point about that because I think there's a lot of parallels. >> Yes, there is. >> I would um I'll speak as a past board member one of the early on. Was it has it been 25 years? >> I that's just >> about 20 probably 20 or something. But um I think just speaking about the success of course and what made it so
050successful early on was that the parents of the kids with special needs were really active and they're the ones that I from my perspective they're the ones that made it successful. So I think that probably some of the younger families aren't aren't aware of it and once they become aware I would assume that they would support it as well. So I would might recommend as you already noted that inform the younger families that these resources are out there >> and try to generate that. I know I'm sure you're already doing that. That would be my perspective for sure. >> But maybe they need the district to like connect with those families. Yeah, I think it would start like ECC, start with those families because that's where the majority of them are. >> Yes, >> I
051would think. >> Um, >> and I think like you said, it's important for the community to know what you guys are doing to support the district and their students. Um, I just have to say it, but I know that one of your big budget items is probably um, Best Buddies. >> I'm assuming that's where you spend a lot of your money. I would just continue >> in between Best Buddies and also um it was with the music therapies. Yeah. >> At the at the at the ILC and the PLC. Yeah. >> And at the um at the ECC. Yes. Those >> um >> Yeah. So I I would just I would again now that I'm on the other side of it as as Nicole said that you guys already of course already established these great
052programs and if we think that they're important enough to continue that we could find a way to support them so that you guys don't have to do anything. >> Understood. I'm actually looking forward to meeting with a board. I haven't had a chance to get all our community partners yet. So, this is one of those opportunities. >> Yeah. Like I said earlier, we are we are in a planning mode of getting back out there between PTO's and starting with with the um school committee is to more or less, you know, reintroduce ourselves, but to say we're still here and we still provide these programs and um to help get our help people who um may not be aware of us and what we do offer. and also let you know that there are lots of
053resources that we can help help out with when it comes to families with with with children special needs and is just trying to help bridge that gap in in reaching those families. It's great. There we go. So, as as the business person, my first thought was DECA. Uh so for help with marketing uh we have the DECA club active in the high school and I believe in the process of improving correct me if I'm wrong Tom um business marketing as one of the pathways. So again potential for working with your group as one of their projects or or other type things or another way as you already mentioned of fulfilling community service hours. Um, yeah, I just wanted to say like you brought up DECA. Um, I'm in that club and I know a lot
054of kids in Best Buddies who really like it. Um, and so I'm sure that a lot of students would be happy to collaborate and reach out to, like you said, kind of spread the word and get more people involved. He's been a former >> former helper volunteer. >> That's I do have some somebody's interested. But I do thank you for for your time and thank you to come and to speak. >> Thank you. Thank you. Okay, teaching and learning update. This is Superintendent Lynch. >> Uh thank you. Uh for this portion of the agenda, I have a few updates on uh teaching and learning. So last Monday, November 10th, we had our professional development day. Um that was our third full professional development day of the year. Each year we have we have four. Um
055so all of our staff just some highlights all of our staff PK through 12 were trained on the open architects platform um by the um professionals at the at the company. We had a separate uh PK5 session and then we had a 6 through 12 session just because uh the focus on the data can slightly be different. obviously like early elementary they're looking at dibbles and universal screener for numbers uh number sense um the secondary level more time is spent on sometimes course grades and things like that. So, um it was good to have the time to have the open architect staff train our teachers and then the session was followed by some time for our teachers to look at their own uh their own student data. So, um some of the preliminary feedback in
056the survey from teachers was that they appreciated that time. Uh they'd like more of it. Um but it was uh it was a milestone for us because we spent a long time uh collecting uh assessment data from various platforms and pulling it into one uh space. And that was really an important roll out for um our staff to be able to access that data and think about how it can help them support students um target areas where students are doing well and look at areas where students might need more support. Um the platform's not perfect yet. Uh we like to say there's no um there's no system test like go live. So we've gotten some good feedback on certain aspects that um some of the data can be uh improved a little bit. But there's
057been a lot of work put in by department chairs, curriculum coordinators, and principles to really make sure the dashboards look like uh they need to look for our teachers. So, we're excited to be able to um to grant access to all staff and and move forward with um a little bit more of a simplified uh data focus. So, that was an exciting part of the day. Departments also spent time making progress uh towards specific um focus areas. We had some project adventure work in uh PE, some grade level math collaboration time at the elementary level. Um our district nurses worked together with Citra Fire Department. So we always appreciate that time to work together and build our skills. So that was um how we spent November 10th. Uh speaking of student data and benchmark testing,
058we've completed at the beginning of the the year benchmark testing at the elementary and middle school levels. Um, an exciting improvement this year was extending the length of time that teachers have to analyze the student data. So, each grade level has a half day data meeting to uh work together to review the results um think about intervention groups. Our school adjustment counselors and school sites participated in that and shared some of the um HSA data. So in in the spirit of MTSS where we have academic and social emotional learning data that was an important step forward and at our next school committee meeting I will share the grade level of results for um beginning of year assessment so we can all uh track track progress. I also wanted to share that we uh we do
059share that benchmark data with families too. I don't know just as a reminder in um the state passed a regulation that the early literacy um data regulation that said that we had all districts have to notify families at least twice a year in grades K through three if their student scores significantly below the benchmark. That's the minimum requirement. uh here in Siguit where we're we're sharing uh benchmark data K5 not just literacy but also math. Uh we did have a couple of uh technical challenges uploading the reports those were fixed thanks to the efforts of our curriculum coordinators and Steve Dross our our MIS person. Um but I just want to highlight that we think that's really important for all parents to have information about how their students are are performing. So, we we're trying
060to share the best data that we can. We have some improvements to make, but um I just I just wanted to reflect that uh we're sharing more than just the minimum um you know, for students that might not be could be significantly below the benchmark, we're sharing with all families. So, we're going to continue to do that and make sure that we're technically doing it the best we can. But that was also part of the beginning of the year benchmark testing. So families can expect more data um when we do our middle of the year in February. And lastly, um teachers are at the elementary level are also engaging in cross district professional development days. We've heard feedback from teachers, they really appreciate that time to work as a grade level team. Uh so for
061example like October 28th our grade five teachers came together at the Citra Town Library to work together to discuss um ELA focus areas. Some of that information came from MCCAST testing and our uh curriculum coordinator and reading specialist provided some good strategies for targeting those areas where more support was needed. It was great to see all of our grade five teachers from all four schools along with some of our special educators participating. So, uh we're really excited about that and appreciate the work that teachers do uh to be out of the out of the classroom but with their colleagues. And that will um each grade level have an opportunity to do that. And during November, K teachers are going to get together to focus on um ELA and the grade three math one is coming
062up as well. So, um, yeah, that's just three three bullet points I wanted to share on some teaching and and learning data for this month. >> Thank you very much for the update. Right, we're going to stick with you on the calendar for 26 27th. >> Great. [Laughter] So, >> one of one of our favorite topics. >> So, thank you for uh Sorry, would you like me to start? >> Always. >> Uh thank you for the for the to the committee for the feedback on uh the first draft calendar that was presented um at our last meeting uh October 20th. I I believe >> uh the only other change that we made is to parent conferences. So, I think I kind of flubbed this question last time and um just to be really clear, there's
063only one date for parent conferences and it's K through 12. That date um is going to be Tuesday, December 15th. That's when we offer conferences at the elementary, middle, and high school level. We moved it to that week closer to the holidays uh because we want to make sure we can get past day 60 at the elementary level which is when report cards are produced and that provides a good topic of teacher parent meetings to have the to have the report cards available. So our principles agree that conferences in December 2026 will be on Tuesday uh December 15th and that's when we run a half day so that uh students uh go home early and then teachers are available in the afternoon and evening um to to to meet with families. So those are the
064two changes that um have been made to the um the calendar the proposed calendar for uh 2627. Well, I might ask the same question. >> Yeah. About the conferences because, you know, we've had them historically like different, you know, elementary is one day and then middle is another because you have might have a family that has like a student in every grade like every >> Sure. So what are we going to do? >> So what we do with that is the same way we do it this year when they're run on December 11th is there's a I'm sorry I don't have the schedule immediately in front of me but the elementary have uh openings during the day and then high school middle school will go into the evening. So if you needed to do your
065elementary conference there'd be plenty of slots during the day and then there's middle school both in the afternoon and in the evening. So, we feel like it's our thought that there's enough flexibility that if a parent even had students at all three levels that they would be able to find uh times to um speak with their students teachers. >> I think it's hard to schedule. It is hard. It's always hard to schedule these. We've gotten feedback every which way. Don't do it during the day. Don't do it during the day. Don't do it. you know, like if there's it's not an easy thing to schedule. I think what where we mostly land is if a parent really can't make it work, they can always reach out to the teacher who can then set something up
066outside of that day. So, I think as we try to message to people. >> Yes. >> And so, it's it's just >> it's never going to be even if you do it three days in a row, it's still going to be tough. >> I agree that part no matter what. However, this is probably the hardest version perfect to do it all in one day is tough or it's going to it feels tough to receive it. I would say just to say like, oh, >> it's also going to be hard though to see my elementary school gets out early on Tuesday, my middle schooler gets out earlier on Wednesday, my high schooler gets out earlier on Thursday. >> That's also sort of like back that's kind of like back to school night. So, >> yeah. So,
067you don't win either way. So that is Thank you. That is >> The signing up is >> also regardless. >> It is like it is the middle school to get that teacher. So >> but again teachers in general are just >> Oh 100%. But I I think for newer families I think the message also needs to be just that which is you don't have to wait till December. And yeah, maybe that's, >> you know, that kicking off at the back to school night. Maybe you're trying to meet the teacher before because there's a chance you may not get a slot. Just think for newer families who don't know that it's like getting Super Bowl tickets or Taylor Swift concert tickets. >> Um, >> yeah, >> it is though. It's true. So, I mean, I end
068up doing separate times other than that because it just doesn't work either for our schedules or the teacher schedule. On that point, I would also advocate for the back to school night to be more presentation focused because I do think that's a time, it's a golden opportunity for the teacher to have captive audience. Yeah. Um of families in front of them to really get out a lot of those like here's how I do grading, here's where you find my materials, here's how blah blah blah blah blah works, you know. And a lot of those early questions are answered all at once. Yeah. You know, in that moment. Um, but if it's not done as a presentation, then that's kind of just a missed opportunity. Um, and then a lot of those questions kind of are
069lingering and then I think turns into a lot of emails and this I need to I got to talk to this teacher. You know, the parent conference is really supposed to be I I need to talk to this teacher and this teacher, maybe not that one. You know, you're not really meant to necessarily just every teacher, you know, it's really >> 10 minutes or eight, six minutes or whatever you have. You gota really think about who you're going for and why. You know, you gota know a quick question. It's not meant for anything other than that. So, >> we're putting the back to school. >> Yeah. I just wish that would be an opportunity to kind of resolve some of that need >> earlier. >> So, can I just highlight two important points that I
070think that you made? One is um that this isn't the only opportunity. Um number one, it's the only only opportunity for parents to and caregivers to check in with teachers and that teachers are very flexible and communicative about student progress and are passionate about that conversation. So whenever people feel like families feel like they'd like to reach out, we encourage that. And then number two, sometimes at our our higher grades, we don't um see as much participation. And so with this event on the calendar, we do encourage families, even if you're fully tuned in to Aspen and how your student is performing, to take this opportunity to check in with your uh students teachers and to hear about how they're doing, if they're doing great, still helps to hear um news about how your student
071is performing. So, we would also encourage some of our families at the higher grades to um to take advantage of the opportunity and and to check in with um with teachers on this night. Um so, those are just like two important and we recognize they're short. Um we try to fit in as many as as we can. >> No, there's no perfect solution. >> Appreciate the effort. The calendar is always tricky. >> I said I just have two specific questions that don't ask the answers to. Um, first is I'm assuming all these conferences are in person and not online. I know that during co there was like a hybrid approach. I'm not sure what it was. >> It was nice. >> I just didn't I I don't necessarily care which way it is as long
072as we as long as everyone knows that there's hybrid. >> Some schools do still do. >> Yeah. Just want to actually offer >> that just makes a teacher really have to switch to like they have to be super succinct in their time. >> That's just a question. I don't that doesn't necessarily impact. And the other one was um do at these teacher conferences will adjustment counselors and or guidance counselors be included in this at the high school level? >> Do we know? >> And it may not be appropriate to speak to them at that point, but I'm thinking that it could be. I think probably more so on the guidance counselor potentially. I'm not sure. Just a question. Uh it's my we can we can check on that but it's my understanding that all staff
073uh participate in in conference night as part of the it's part of the contract. So um if that's someone that the parent wanted to meet with I'm sure they could make an arrangement to do that via email. just um last day of school June 18th is a half day. >> That's correct. >> Okay. And if this is just me, I know that we go to June 25th. The last the last day of school will always be no matter what day it's on. >> That's correct. still wish that there was a way to not have the kindergarten start so disjointed from I know that it's a product of this particular start date but >> not only the third day >> I know it's the third day it just feels so disconnected from the rest of the
074district because it bumps it a week I just wish there was a way and I know if they started on the third they'd be going one day and then >> it's just connect to start with the same >> not sure I think they may do screening I think that there's lots of picture taking that happens as well and uh >> trying to break a system that's not >> no I'm just >> I haven't got a clear answer but I'm pretty sure they do screenings and so forth >> they do they have like remember those like little I just remember I have a first fresh my mind they have little small group meetings you go in you learn how to like do lunches backpacks, you know, like they do they said like the parent training they're
075coming off a long weekend. It might not be as disconnected as it feels. It's like the older kids will be starting >> fresh on that day, too. So, it might actually not it might not be as bad as you think. >> Yeah. >> It's not like >> they're the kids are going like all week and then the kindergarters come in like on a Friday or that day, right? They've only been there. >> I think the K doesn't open house too on that second day of school, but on Don't be wrong. >> They get a little bit of time. >> Want it to feel like lag for them. >> And I do think that I think it's good. >> Didn't want it to feel like a weird. >> It does feel like a lag, but I'm
076not sure. >> Just wanted to bet it. >> Yeah. >> I'm always looking at >> I know. We're obsessed with >> any little thing I can please vote. >> Janice is about to bring up a vote. >> Seriously, motion. >> Yes, please do. >> All right. Um, I make a motion that the school committee approve the school year 2026 2027 school calendar as presented. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I Yes. Yes. >> Uh yes, passes 5. Okay. Committee goals 2526. Second read second review. >> This is circuit board. Is it me? Ryan, do you have >> I'm Ryan. Oh, it's me. Okay. >> Oh, okay. Just scroll up to the last >> slide. >> I don't know. >> Just go to the last. >> Okay. >> Can I get bigger? >> Yep. So,
077as a reminder, we started talking about these in August. We had um then we had a workshop with Sean Costello from Mass who also gave us some background education on school goals and how they flow with other goals in the district. This is what we wanted to work on this year. This is our second reading. Excellent. Um any questions or feedback from school community members having reviewed these goals? >> I think I think these goals are great. I just had a question I guess as I'm looking at the the superintendent goals and just with some of the other things going on in local communities. Are do we have a regular monitoring of the budget? I know that we had talked a little bit over the past years. I'm just not sure if we have a
078schedule or a calendar of when we might want to see an update. You know, I don't know if it's every three months or four months or whatever it is. But just I think in these times we have to be extra careful that >> we just talked about that in the mask. >> Yeah. >> And I know that we have talked about the mask. I just wasn't sure when we were next on the calendar for that. >> Probably second quarter. My hope was to do quarterly reports and as I began this school year, my plan when I wore the other hat was to start doing quarterly reports. So Irene and I have spoken about it and I know she'll be preparing a second quarter report for the committee's confidence other than everything we >> Okay. I
079just want to be sure. I know that I was looking, you know, rereading these refreshing my mind like these are great, but are we missing the obvious? I think that that's part of our understood goal anyways. I think we have to restate it. >> Ongoing work. >> Yeah. No, just I mean that's our job is to oversee the budget. >> Absolutely. Yeah. >> We just need to make sure that we don't have some other experiences that other districts have. >> Understood. I would anticipate FY26 transfers by the end of December. Then you'll at that time you'll also be able to see expenses to date. Okay. And then as we go into the plan for 27, you start to see those updates. I mean, we could add, if you want, Peter, a bullet underneath the third
080one that mirrors the bullet that's underneath the second one that says superintendent will share progress or share budget updates for early. >> Sure. >> And I just want to add that >> we Tom and I will certainly be talking about, you know, year-to-ate spending significantly more frequently >> in every quarter. >> Yeah. Fantastic. >> It's helpful. I think it's just helpful. >> Yeah. discuss those enrollment updates that are sort of that too >> you and I discussed >> when we see the budget presentation we'll see a lot more information >> we can add it as a goal >> I think it's just a I don't know if it's an extra goal it's just a a sub bullet under let's >> I actually think when we look at that goal I think the financial part of
081that is going to be the easy part I actually think the progress outputs and outcomes is going to be the more challenging because we really haven't >> done that at least formally. We see it in presentations, but I think it's going to be really important for the same reason that Peter wants to see the numbers that we're able to demonstrate if we're spending X number of dollars on curriculum that, you know, this is these are the benefits our students are seeing. Um, so yeah. Well, I think it goes back to the pyramid too for us where we fall in the pyramid. >> Well, and someone someone was, you know, the community >> hard for us to measure. >> Well, and I think the community criticized us a little bit from using the idea of ROI,
082but I think it's really important as good stewards of our budget that this this isn't about a business like return on investment. This is if we're going to choose, we have limited resources. We want to make the best decisions we can and be fiscally responsible. And so one way to do that is to see >> right, >> you know, and our job. >> And the difference is that we aren't asking for everything to be complete every time. It's progress, outputs, and outcomes, which could be that we've created this thing that will then eventually lead to this other thing, right? That's the output part. >> Um, so it's not just >> it doesn't function well. It doesn't function is what we heard from Ryan today in some ways, right? Yeah. >> Hearing about the We've been
083hearing about open architects in theory for a long time. I'm hearing now that it's rolled out to teachers is a major milestone. >> Exactly. >> Right. Yeah. So, so do we want that to read superintendent shares financial updates quarterly? >> Do I want to be specific year-to- date spending? Do we want to put anything in there specific or just >> whatever? I think I think that's fine. >> Request. >> What do you want? quartly >> financial financial people >> that is the recommendation >> so theoretically September would be the first one theoretically >> we could probably put >> as needed >> September yeah the first quarter right September 30th so there's not a whole lot to report in that first month of the school year we certainly could put it together, but it would be
084easier to start with December 30th because then we have the half year point and you could be confident that we can put it on together. >> Um, >> one of the reason >> we want to meet our goal, we already would have failed. >> So, do you mean September? >> No, we haven't >> beginning with second quarter. >> My goodness. >> No, it's a it's an annual goal. >> Yeah, it's rolling. >> We're not there yet. a great second reading. Okay. >> Yes. >> One of the things I and I talked about is beefing up presentations on this. So that's one of the things we've started to to talk about what we're going to put forward not only in terms of budget but like you mentioned and one of the reasons why Mr. Lynch mentioned
085at the next meeting we're going to do an update on the first benchmarks is for exactly what you're talking about to start to see that data start to see what we're looking at. So I think you'll see a lot more data driven information coming. Fantastic. >> All right. So, I'll make a motion that we approve the draft school committee goals as amended with that new sub. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Excellent. All right. Turn it over to you and Dr. Rob. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Members of the committee, I'm happy to report a second reading of our director of support, engagement, and advocacy, job description. Uh just to go over some of the changes, you do have the updated document in your file as well as a memo with some
086bulleted changes. So we did add LGBTQIA plus among the list of underrepresented marginalized students and that came out of many of our our our ser community surveys. Um in the second bullet, school culture and climate we added and ensure those efforts are strongly linked with comprehensive SEAL efforts. So this way we're putting together the DEI efforts and the SEAL efforts. Um at the request of the committee we deleted and implementation from curriculum definition. So this way the person's responsible for the curriculum but they're not actually teaching in the classroom. And we added to the qualifications experience in building and managing teams and familiarity with data analysis. So those are the changes we made. Um and certainly any other input that the committee would like to make tonight. But I would appreciate a vote this evening
087so that we can post the job description. >> So I'm not opposed to the description, but the the last point around the familiar the familiarity with data analysis in my humble opinion doesn't feel strong enough. Um and some of the comments I got from the public were really hoping we we sort of >> Yeah. beat that up and highlight underscore that. So I wanted to offer and we can tweak this but this afternoon I was playing with it something like experience interpreting and applying data findings to create strengthen and expand programs and policies something around there >> just feels more like >> familiarity is too too broad >> yeah because they could just say I know what it is I've taken on it I'm familiar with >> familiar with the law >> that just feels
088like they'll have to bring examples of what you are >> can you Sounds more like you mean business to do something. >> I do. >> Yes. Business with that. >> You said that one more time. >> Yeah. Again, we can tweak it. Experience interpreting and applying data findings to create create, strengthen, and expand programs and policies because I was like new stuff, >> foundational stuff will get stronger and maybe foundational stuff will get expanded is what I was trying to cover. So, >> replace the last B. be curious if Todd and Ryan have any thoughts on that seeing as you guys are kind of closer in action than we are. >> I'm open to tweaking. I just feel like it needs to be stronger than familiar that was all >> I appreciate that I we
089were hearing that we needed to include data among bullets and we were actually struggling with the best way to say it. Oh, >> you can do >> I think that works. [Music] >> Excellent. >> Well done. >> Well, anything else? >> No, I don't have um No, I I like all this. My question is I know is the timing. Do we I'm assuming this isn't the easiest time to hire for a position. Is that of concern and at what point might we delay the hiring process? I'm assuming it will depend upon the applicants we get. >> That's exactly. So, I really want to put this out immediately and see who's out there, but we want the best candidate. And so if the committee feels that the interview committee feels that that we don't have the
090best cabinet, then we'll make a motion to approve the uh job description for the director of support engagement and advocacy >> As amended. I'll second. All in favor I. Okay, Dr. Leadership Report >> goals. >> Thank you. So, this is again being new in this role here at Situit, I wanted to present an opportunity for the school committee to review the goals and then with an anticipated vote to so this is an opportunity for for me to gather feedback um and to really think about what I'm putting down here. These are my thoughts right now and I really would appreciate feedback from the committee so that I can tweak these and update these to make sure that they work for both of us for the rest of the school year. So the first thing that
091I do and this is a a a way of presenting goals that I've done before that I found successful but again I'm open to anything. Um the first thing I like to do is I took a look at all of the the standards for superintendents here in Massachusetts and I identified six that really become power standards for us. These are the things that I'm going to be looking at. Certainly, I'm required to be proficient in all of the standards. Um, but these are the six that I want to really focus on. The first is instructional leadership around evaluation of teachers. Um, later we'll talk about a course that we're all taking together and um that's really going to strengthen our evaluation for all the teachers here and the administrators as well. Um, as we've talked
092about over and over again, data informed decision-m as part of a proficient superintendent, and that's certainly be one of the goals that I'm going to be striving for. We talked about fiscal systems. Um, developing a budget that supports the district's vision, mission, vision, and goals. And so, that'll be a big part of what we do. I didn't explicitly put a budget um goal in my goals, but I felt it's a power stand that I've been working on. Certainly, you know, my background and experience has kind of understood that that's what's going. Um and then two on communication both for family and community engagement as well as professional culture and really focus on communication all the way around and how we communicate with the staff and community. Um you know in in many of the staff
093know that I've been publishing ramblings around evaluations and how we're doing evaluations to support the department as principles. In the future I have plans on more communication in the community you know with the Christian pathway project and different things like that. So people will start to see more communication coming from my office. And then in professional culture, continuous learning, I'm a student just like everybody else. I'm taking the next steps in my career and I'm making sure that I'm always continually growing and I want to make sure that that's a priority for the district. So if we look at the five goals that I've articulated, um the first one is a professional practice goal, which really talks about the two major courses that we're taking. Um the first the first is analyzing teaching for student
094results and all administrators assistant principles department heads curriculum coordinators Mr. Lynch and myself are taking this course through RBT and it's really strengthened our ability to do evaluations and teachers will have assistance evaluations that know what to expect and then a smaller group about six of us is taking leading strategically another course that will help us focus our efforts this year. So it works really well for professional practice for me to take those two courses not only for my own professional development but they'll be direct impact on the district here during the year. >> Um do you want me just plow through them and then you can stop for each one or I'm open to either whatever works for appreciate that two and three are similar. um they're written they're written pretty similar. One is
095focused on ELA and the other is focused on math. So as we started to unpack the district data, we are trying to strive for a three-year goal of 80 to 85% students proficient advanced. And in that situation, we want to see how we're going to get there over the next three years. And so I took some time over the weekend now that we've all been trained in open architects and took a look at the data. >> Oh, that's >> we didn't know we were gone. We didn't know. >> We're back here. They can hear us. We're good. Not really much. weird. >> Yeah. Weird. Yeah. >> Like who's the studio? >> Yeah. >> Sorry. >> So, I broke down goals two and three. Goal two is focused on ELA. And again, to try to make
096this a little bit more specific and measurable, I've focused on grades two to five star benchmarks as kind of the area that I'm going to be focused on. Not because I'm not interested in what's happening at the middle school, but the middle school, they're doing STAR for the first time this year. And so before I get evaluated on it, I want to have some sense of where they're going, what some of the trends are for the middle school. Um, and and at the high school as well, nine and 10th grade start. This is the first year we're doing it. But at the elementary schools, they have a history over the last three or four years of doing STAR benchmark data. And so I want to approach 70% meets or exceeds expectations by the end of
097this year. And as I took a look, we're not that far off. And grade two was 60.1%, grade three was 65%. I know this says fall 2026. It's fall of 2025. I'm not reporting the best update, but it's I I think of the year as FY26. I get sometimes 25 in. >> Um and so, >> right, you're thinking ahead. >> I think ahead. Um and in in uh fourth grade we were at 61%, in fifth grade, 62.2. So, we're not that far off from that 70%. And one of the things that I can do is really now that I have access to open architects and continued to that one of the things that open architects does is it looks at the state standards and indicators for each one of the students specifically our results and
098that allows me to work directly with the principles not only on resource needs but what is happening in the classrooms? What can we do particularly at the superintendent level superintendent level to make sure that they have what they need to meet these goals? Maybe that's more classroom materials to increase text complexity. Maybe that is particular manipulatives that the teachers are looking for that would work in math and ELA. But those are the kinds of things that I want to work very closely with the principles on and make sure that we have equitable resources. Some of the elementary schools I didn't report individual results here, but you know, I want to focus on that, making sure that the equity is there. Um and so really what this is about is that second action step which is
099reviewing needs with each elementary principal to ensure equitable resources are available and then resume reviewing the results. I'm going to start attending some of these agency meetings not all of them but just to get a sense of what's happening what the teachers are talking about they understand that they have support at the top for what they're doing and I think that's important. I think it's important for the teachers to see that we're right in there with them as they're figuring all of this out. So goals two and three are the same except goal three is math focused. Um and in math I'm actually challenging myself for 75%. Because in math in this first fall 2025 benchmark um grade two it's 67.2%, grade three 67.9% meets or exceeds expectations. Grade four 69.3% and grade five 73.6.
100So because we've seen a significant increase in the fall benchmark for math, I'm challenging myself to 75%. 70% high. Um and I, you know, I wrote approach because again, we're going to do everything we can to try to influence that. Um and we do have a three-year goal internally of getting to 80 85% in the next three years. So, we're um I think this will help take a significant step along the way and it will help the teachers understand that I'm committing to this just as much as they are. So, I'm I'm putting my own as far as what we're looking for as the insurance. So, that's goals two and three. Um goal four is a district improvement goal. And and here I really did want to challenge myself as we've been talking about hiring
101as director of support engagement and advocacy. I put it down as a goal. We're going to do it anyway, but I put it down as a goal because again, the goals are where I'm going to focus a lot of my time and this is something that's very important to the district. And so I want to make sure that we have the time and resources available to do it. Um, and so I've articulated what we just did tonight, create job description for the new position and then we'll be working on an interview committee and we'll be asking members of the committee and a member wants to committee as well. Um, and then as I said in January, interview selected candidates and hopefully make an appointment in February. But again, as Mr. Gay said, you know, we're
102going to pick the best candidate. If that doesn't emerge, then we'll come up with a plan to debate. And then finally, um, my fifth goal to write the trienal plan that the the district just mentioned. So, this is exciting for us because this really will align everything that we're doing around ELA. >> Such a nerd. I love it. So, and you know, we've done a lot of work already on this. The administrators met in a retreat this summer. They started putting together a lot of the MTSS go to. And so, we'll be working together over the next two or three months to put this together. I would hope to have it complete by March of 2026. I think it it it needs a bit of a runtime. Um, it's this is a lot to commit
103to. Um, but we're really going to be focusing on ELA, math, as well as the SEAL, DEI for the district. We want to create a roadmap through the end of 2028 that allows us all to know where we're going and what we're doing and then also to align our school improvement plan which you'll see at that time as well with this triangal plan. So we're really trying to the pyramid you showed earlier really trying to align everything will be more direction. So I'm committing to it by making it my goal >> and that's really kind of where I'm at. So I'm open to any feedback any thoughts changes. So, I have a couple of thoughts. I'll start with the easier one first. Um, in goal four, it's interesting because goals two and three feel very
104ambitious and goal four doesn't feel as ambitious. So, I would love for you to think about an action step being something of like semblance of a plan or something where it's not just we've hired this person, but this person and your team are already thinking about what this might look like in its first iteration. That feels more I don't know. I just would like to see it. If we're going to hire someone in February, they've got a bit of time. It'd be fun to hear like even just what are the preliminary thoughts and ideas of what this could look like. So just a suggestion, not a requirement. Um, can I ask my other questions? Okay, great. >> Um, for goals two and three, um, I did not bring my data binder. I thought it was
105online. I thought we had it online. >> We do. I couldn't find it. >> I'll have to look. I was I love that you're being aggressive. I think it's so important that we really start pushing this needle. I also want you to you you and your team to be successful. And so I'm wondering how much did you look at the year-to-year percentile change to see if a three-year 80% goal is possible? >> I don't know. Did you do that? You did. >> So, Open Architects actually shows us the last three or four years. So, and I've been able to go back and take a look at it. Yeah. >> And see that over three years, I think 80 to 85% is possible. Okay. >> I feel like I'm starting a little slow here. >> Oh,
106perfect. Thank you. >> And you actually don't have the first fall benchmarks in your data binders yet. >> Welcome to this slide. >> Okay. >> Yeah. The other thing I think that'll be really cool is the the fact that you're doing it in this way. I wonder if in those data meetings and using open architect you'll be able to start to figure out like what are the what are the pieces that really start to move those percentiles. I think I mean I know these are different kids, right? Um, but I just wonder like what are the again this goes back to like um process outputs and outcomes and really being able to say we know that when we do this we get a little movement in that percentile. So that's cooling. >> Yeah, that's what
107I mean. I don't feel like we've really done this. So that's what I've been looking for. >> I was really into it over the weekend when I was looking at open architects and seeing how some of the standards were in and the indicators of what we're doing with those really beginning to unpack those and I started to write some of that and I felt like I was getting way in a week. So this was an overview and then we are certainly >> great. I I just wonder uh in goal number one how you have the time to take a course doing it during the school day. >> Are these courses online or in person? >> No, it's in person. >> A combination of in person and online, but it's during the school day. >> So,
108we've actually put the entire administrative team together. We're actually on four days into it already. Um we started over the summer. We had it one a couple of weeks ago and the next one's in January. Um but you know, it's it's a three three credit legit graduate course. Yeah, we're 57 done. >> I like both. I'm almost done, but like just spent a lot of time and um >> yeah, it's been really helpful to get everybody on the same page with evaluation and >> we heard that >> consistent feedback, trying to give educators consistent feedback, um implementing the new rubric that people have. So that's um the course has really been helpful in doing that. But it is a lot >> every administrator in the room for a full day. >> So we have two
109left January and February but it's yeah just spend the time researching by the teachers. >> Yeah. I actually have a question about I know this is the des form and so therefore >> there are things about it that you might not understand but no it is this is much more and I'm very happy I was more curious about the way it asks if something is a team goal >> because I imagine that you were sort of like um well it's my evaluation so if I say yes how how does that make sense but if I say no you know how you're not actually doing some like I was just curious how you were thinking about that and therefore how we should think about that and it's not an easy it's not like a black or
110white answer I'm thinking but I just might be interesting to just talk about it a little in this early stage or maybe next time I don't know if we had time to think about it but I just it struck me >> thank you no I actually have and I actually thought about deleting this because they're all team goals at the end of the day you for responsible parties right but it's your evaluation So like you don't want to sh responsibility but also you can't do these things. >> Exactly. >> None of this is going to be done alone. >> Yeah. Okay. >> I left it no because it's it's clearly my evaluation but you know as I talk to the principles as we develop their evaluation. My question you had answered while you were sort
111of outlining things was just why what drove you to focus on grades two to five specifically and you given that >> this data history makes sense. >> Yeah. And I liked how you separated out math and ELA um sort of in your goals. That was really nice. Um, just sort of calling out the strategic plan that we have and and sort of its shelf life and how I I like that we're sort of refreshing it because it's a choice to just let it exist and play it out, but I think that it's easy to are just the work of the district and to to not do that and to sort of get in there and freshen it up and address it and and do what we need to do for for everyone. one for for
112but ultimately for students and to just to do the trienal plan is I think really smart and will have a better impact and outcome for students. I think it's I think it's going to be a really smart plan. Um, one other thing I was thinking about was just now that we're um using Google um instead of the X drive um it would be great to be able to think about how to link some of the artifacts that you're sharing as you go. Um so that when it comes time to go back and complete the evaluation, especially if we're going to be trying to do this like on a quarterly basis in some way, shape or form, um we have that information. especially if like today Ryan's um update was verbal, but some of the things
113that he shared could be evidence towards this. And so just thinking about how we're collecting those artifacts um and making them easy to reference in future so that we're not sitting there being like, "Oh, when did he say that? And what what eating was that?" And that's kind of a thing that we've all dealt with in the past. So we're digging back through files and trying to find things. And so just any thought we can put towards how we might um organize that as we go. It just makes everything easier for every party. >> Yeah. Because it's really >> Yeah. Please, >> I made another note when I was reviewing it just that I noticed that it's just a theme of culture of growth and support for all that you're creating and I think we
114support that even through our didn't mean to attack the micro we're I think through our goals too tonight we're sort of trying to support that as well you know that we're setting goals we plan to review our goals and self-evaluate as we do annually and we're sort putting that forward, you know, putting ourselves out there, being vulnerable, being open to that. And you can see that in this set of goals and that we're sort of all doing that together and uh, you know, setting that same culture of growth and support for all, you know, throughout the district, I think, is really important. >> Else I can put some links in it. Very easy to read. >> All right. Up next, we have our special educ director of special education tuition. mic or >> Yes. >>
115to project your mind. >> Yes. >> Okay. Good evening. >> Teacher voice. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Good evening. Thank you for having me. I just wanted to uh request the school committee to consider an increase um to our tuition for our ECC preschool general education program uh for our four year olds who attend in the afternoon. So currently we have um uh four morning session and four afternoon sessions. The morning session is for three-year-olds. Our afternoon is for our four-year-olds. We are increasing the amount of days available for our preschool students with the focus for next year on our four-year-olds to get them ready for uh kindergarten. And currently each uh program charges a tuition of $2,500 uh for the year, which is um a very good deal if anyone has ever sent their kids
116to private preschool. Um, it's also very competitive within the region. We are asking for a mild increase for our afternoon program for the four-year-olds to go from 2500 to um 3,100. So, just increase of $600. The uh rationale is that it will help offset the extra cost of hiring um changing our pair of professionals from a 0.8 to 1.0 0 or actually a 0.9 um because they would only be working um an extra half day. So that will uh certainly go uh far to cover that and um we already started preschool registration. Families have been notified there may be a change in the tuition for the five day a week program. >> And just to be clear, this is just for the regular education peers. >> Yeah. >> The students on IP charge. >> Yes.
117and it's probably only going to impact about 24 families um depending if our uh current subseparate program it um runs subs separate next year. So uh if there are peers in the afternoon program it might um be an additional eight so anywhere from 24 to 32 maximum. if there's any questions. >> Um just um I know you mentioned that it's you added the extra afternoon to prepare them for kindergarten. Is that the only reason parents asking for this? >> Um parents were asking. We also had met with the um with doing our uh contract negotiations and things like that. Um preschool is an interesting uh situation. It's both a general ed and special ed program and public preschools. Some some programs uh some school districts offer four days a week for preschool. Some do a
118two and a three-day and a five day. Everybody handles it differently, but um there was a I guess I don't school committee might be able to better um able to voice it, but I think there was some concern about um being able to provide more opportunities for our students and given a transition um for next year to have four and a half days of teaching and the the um on the table is for the following year to do five days of teaching. this was sort of a a good place to start with the older kids. Does that make sense? >> Yes. >> I have uh I guess my own question is if so if you enroll in PM kindergarten, you're going five days, you can't say, "Oh, I want to go four and pay it."
119>> Um >> Good question. You mean for prek? >> For preK. Yes, good question. Um, I think that would be certainly considered. Um, preschool is not mandatory. So, um I don't you know it's I guess on case by case we haven't really thought about that but um I think sometime I think actually >> as I'm thinking about it I think some families have elected to have their student go two days a week and not the four and then we try to like split the spot. So that would certainly have to be considered. It's obviously optional for families and we want to help them. I have a question. Do you offer a sliding scale? Can people apply uh for any reduced reduction? >> They can apply for reduction, but we don't have a sliding scale per
120se, but anybody can apply for reduction. They just talk to >> rights assume you. Yeah, I think that's one of the reasons we want to keep the rate still kind of low because we want to encourage families to um take advantage of this. >> Um like some some programs >> for five days, you know, a lot more 3,920 or 4,600 a year. >> So even just the increase is still pretty a pretty good deal for very high quality program. And what we've done to help families too, which seems to work well here, is monthly payments. So, you know, the traditional way to do it is, you know, three or four payments, but if it's easier to do monthly payments, you know, Mrs. Copper will put out, you know, in the books. We've done everything. >>
121I mean, it seems really makes sense, especially looking at the comparison. That was helpful data to have kind of understand, >> you know, where other towns are. So it seems like we're right in line still even with the increase under where all the other towns are program. I make a motion that the school committee vote to approve the increase in DCC tuition for 2026 2027 as presented. Second. All in favor? Hi. >> All right. So, we have some stuff to revisit from two meetings ago that we had tabled because it was a very long meeting. Yes. >> Um and so we wanted to go back to those things first and then we can continue. So those things included um we had talked about mask had recommended including a memo at the front of our policy
122manual that just sort of gives an overview of the policies. It's a standard language. It looks like they had actually prepared it for us back in maybe right I don't know five years ago but for some reason we never hosted it. I wasn't around. I don't know. So anyway the opportunity arises again for us to consider putting that together there. Um, I made a couple of quick updates to it. Things such as changing loose leaf papers to um electronic files, you know, keeping us current. Um, but otherwise it seems like a really >> chalk boards. Um, seems like a worthwhile uh thing to have at the front of the manual, you know, for when people are accessing it. kind of just gives you he even answers some of the questions that we ourselves had in
123fact. So I thought that makes sense. So that was the first thing we wanted to talk about and then we'll get into the second half of the A's and the first half of the B. >> So any thoughts on adopting the the the policy the intro? Yeah. Policy manual intro >> and we can we'd either adopt theirs or are you proposing that we create our own? >> I am not proposing we create our own. I'm proposing that we adopt the one that I have edited that is theirs. So like >> I literally took out loose leaf and replace it with electronic. Um >> there was like no problem with this you know a couple of like there was a couple of strange things that I thought like all copies of this manual are the property
124of the school committee. It's not a manual anymore. It's electronic. So like we don't need to say that right. You can just say this manual is the property of the social school committee. all, you know, it's just things like that. Um, I I reformatted a certain section that it was for um yeah, introductory back in 2017, but it was just never posted. >> So, >> I don't feel originally. >> Yeah. This was a long time ago. was predated, I think. >> Yeah. So, the question is just do we want to put this? >> Personally, I like a good preamble. It's a preamble. Yeah. >> Where's Where would we put it though? Um, I assume that at the top, so if this like right now our policy manual like how it starts up here, I assume
125it would just be another tab >> up there. >> We can look at what other districts do. >> Like right now it just looks like >> identical to mask, you know, that it's how do we >> I'm sure other we can look at what other districts do. I'm sure other districts have it. So we can just figure out how they format it. We'll just do the same. We have to ask them to reformat, right? >> Yes. Yes. Send changes to them. >> They probably know where they usually put it. >> Yeah. Even if it just >> Wait, I have it up because I had >> introductory memo. >> Yeah. Introductory. >> This actually is its own tab. It's its own tab. It says introduction right underneath. It's before the A's. >> Copyright 2016. Y >>
126are we voting on this? Do we need a vote piece by piece? >> No. Just the do we or do we need to vote to say that we want to put this in? >> We don't have it in our >> No, it's not a policy. >> Not a policy. >> It's literally like do we want to place this there? >> Yes. >> I think so. >> Okay. All right. And then we wanted to just revisit this first half of the A's that we didn't get a chance to talk about from our last leftovers from the 1020 meeting. So that was AD group AE. I wasn't sure if anyone had any um comments or questions or thoughts they wanted to bring forth. Yes, me. Um I think that so the mission similar to what you just
127sort of brought up same type of u in spirit of that the mission statement I was perplexed by on ours and it became less perplexing when I cross referenced it to masks because it does appear to be sort of like a boilerplate type situation. Ours is just an outdated boilerplate version. But I guess the question would be like because it seems like the instructions are you can take this one and boiler plate use it or like it even says somewhere take it or leave it. >> We've created this for you to use or you can do your own. >> I think it would be a great exercise to do to put this on the back burner of doing our own. I think it's a front burner situation, but like it reads as very outdated, >>
128you know. Um, >> what do you want to do if you want us to >> I think it reads as outdated. I think we could make it a little more user friendly to someone who wants to know statement, you know, >> right? I mean that was I guess the second question is like well then >> who's going who rewrites the mission statement and what should it say? >> I would not be opposed to this to the policy subcommittee and we can take a look at what some other districts have produced and kind of get a feel from like do other districts stray far from this or do they stay close to it? Like there are certain lines I feel like we could just probably do without or adjust a bit. Like in today's society, our
129children are continuously excited by new and challenging. >> It's a little bit weird. I don't like it. A little out. >> Like I'm a fan of boil material when it's just like >> But this is so not us. >> I think we can do better. >> I'm not saying everyone's running to read it, but also it's kind of awful and it is a vicious. Yeah. No offense. >> Okay. We can task that. We can add that to the >> Sure. [Music] >> Well, the mask one. Now, that one I thought was a great case of the mask one covers vaping and it actually lists out all the various relevant product that >> Okay, we can add that to our list as well. >> That one seems to be like a an uptoate copy and paste.
130>> Yeah, makes sense. I I did get into these. >> I mean, it does say any tobacco, but I feel like these >> ADC. Yeah, the mask version was like it spells it out. >> ABC. >> Yep. >> Got it. Um the wellness policy we talked about um asking questions >> um we asked about having the wellness um committee that's referenced in here. I forget the precise name for it, but um getting them to come to our meeting because it does say in here uh that the district wellness committee will convene quarterly throughout the year, right? And then it says that they will uh review the policy uh on a every three years. And so we figure we're probably due for that review. And so Ryan did take that on to make sure the run
131schedule for that get that updated >> because this is quite a long policy and it's >> did you so if you cross reference it with masks it's not >> it's not as up todate as masks is. >> Okay. >> And it the mask one um in fact advises that a school committee member be a part of that policy and it It looks like when our policy was updated, we maybe shifted ourselves out of that role and mask advises per conversation with Sean Pastello that we do our job and get back into that role that we shouldn't be should be in line with what mask recommends. If if the mass policy says a school committee member if they specifically call that out, we shouldn't be saying or designate. I mean like we can but we are
132technically not quite in line. >> Does anyone have any idea when this was >> October >> says 2022 at the bottom. >> Does anyone remember this? I remember the one with policy just like pages. >> Yes, it's >> and it had like names of people. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So we're on schedule for an update of the policy. So I think maybe we could hold that in about this committee who's on it. >> What are you saying we would add into the level? I guess >> it says that in the actual regulation um that the superintendent um shall appoint committee members including a designate to serve as a liaison between the committee and the superintendent and ensure the active functioning of the committee. So it does sound like from the regulation it would be a
133a lia at minimum a liaison to the list. Okay, >> that's a good catch. Anything else from the A's? >> The link is broken in there, too. >> It redirected for me at some point. >> Oh, it did? >> Yes. If you wait long enough, it redirects. >> Oh, okay. Or it did last time, I think. >> Yeah. Yeah, you're right. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I I >> the other one down below. >> Yeah. I don't know if that's just like a CDC problem or if it's our >> Yeah, because the other one USD, so I don't know. >> Yeah. >> Okay, that's um Okay, not to belabor this. We got other stuff to do. Let's get into the bees. So, we did the first half of bees as well. We were looking at Uh,
134anywhere it says select men, it should be that there were a bunch of places inclusive language. There's a lot of gendered pronouns as well. Tons of >> Yeah, this is BA through BDF. >> Yep. I believe that those things can be cleaned up just like by housekeeping. I don't need to like vote on them. I think we just so >> remember Sean said like >> we don't we just review a policy >> and not make major changes to it. You can still >> stay like review and then date >> because a lot of these don't have any you can go back now. >> That's true. all the policies that we've read this year so that at the end of this year people will be like wow we're so busy 25 26 >> but honestly it'll
135just be good historically for us to write >> like when did we even >> particularly if we were to have a new member join the committee >> just helpful historically >> yeah I'd like to do that definitely know it is helpful yeah there were a few policies in this section that we have and asked does not have. Um, and so I know Nicole started to do some investigation as to why that would be and so we're still sort of figuring that out, but I don't know if you want to add anything else from your research thus far. >> Yeah, sometimes it just depends on certain nuances and rationale of like why. Sometimes it's housekeeping. It's like if if it's a policy that sort of doesn't some committees have just sort of cleaned them out like
136if mask says they've condensed policies and absorbed them into other places like alcoh or like tobacco use got absorbed into certain other one and they've just like cleaned them up a little bit and if we did not combine we chose to keep them separate so we have baa instead of just like you know not absorbing other times there's different um you different legal statuses or something to where like we have a pol a different a required one like if we have some kind of a contract that requires us to have a policy on something that we might have that policy for that reason. Um so it it really is there's just different little nuances to why we might have a policy on on something in our district and another district might not. So, but always
137checking with MASC and uh MGL and legal counsel as needed. Um I did notice in the sub BDE subcommittees um policy um I think and this came up at mask as well at one of the sessions that I went to touched on this. I believe our subcommittees are supposed to have chairs. >> Yes. and secretaries and I don't think we've been >> and I think yes I think we kind of unofficially have but I think we might want to just like that's a tiny box to check but like this is why we're doing this right to make sure we're doing this. So to me it was like something to pick up on this to me feels like an area where we could strengthen our work. One of the sessions I went to, um, they talked
138about the use of memos from subcommittees as like a a strength just because it helps shorten the amount of time. Talk about something. Um, I think that's good to think about doing all of our committees as well. >> Um, it was brought to my attention that we don't have policy BA which time is timing it goes. It's good timing with our >> goals. >> Oh, evaluations. >> Evaluations. >> Yeah. >> Right. >> Yes. We do not have BA. >> Does anyone know why? >> I don't know. >> We just have never I don't know. It mustn't have never been adopted. So, we could add that in. >> We could add that. >> So, yeah, >> I think it would be good to add that in. I think unless we've done some evaluation of ourselves in
139the past, it's hard to find. I feel like we've done a lot of >> appropriate tools is my only thing. I've tried some in the past, but I think you know this makes sense to me. Looking at the mask one, >> mask has BAA. We do not >> evaluation of school committees operational procedures. BAA, >> you want to add that to the subcommittee. >> Yeah, it we we followed a policy we do not in fact. Right. >> Well, yeah. We do a lot of stuff. Yeah. That's why we didn't have cold, >> right? That's probably right. That's probably true. That's a genius move. >> Yeah. >> If you don't have a ball, you don't have goals then. I guess there it is. Okay. We'll add that to our non-emergency list. >> I mean, BA does
140say conducting concrete and preactive >> BA. So, maybe That's an example of how it was almost like condensed into >> and may have separated them and elaborated. >> Right. That's what I'm saying. Like we just together, >> right? >> The mask model policy does call out smart goals >> particular every time they say goals again. Mask updated 2022 perhaps. >> Yeah. >> Not done. >> Yeah. Well, perhaps but yes doesn't reference the date. >> Um all right. Yeah. Anything else on that our routine review? >> All in all though looking. >> All right. So we have some next steps for our policies that we need to add to our list. Um we do have an important policy to uh review tonight which is the competency determination policy. Um so not going to give too much
141background because this was already in our memo. Um and there's a link to the policy there. Um but just as a reminder quickly, this is to um help strengthen the policy that we created last spring in reaction to MCCAST being removed as a graduation requirement by state ballot question. And the long and short of it is once every district was allowed to do whatever they wanted there, Bessie saw what everyone did and thought, h >> we're going to issue a little more guidance here. and then they did and then this is the result of that additional guidance coming through and we need to have this approved um by January first. >> Correct. >> You want to add anything to that Ryan? >> Uh I would just add that in order to graduate from high school
142students and master step to meet the competency determination and the local graduation requirements. So question two in 2024 took away MCCAST as the competency determination. So even though kids are reading the local graduation requirements, they were missing that competency determination. So now districts have to make their own. I'm sure you've also seen that there's some spirit in state debate about trying to be possibly make end of course common assessments and things like that. So that's not part of this. that's sort of being debated, but this fills the lack of competency determination or so kids who graduate from high school. And it deals with the first two years because that's what MCCAST dealt with. So you'll notice that some of the requirements in this have to do with two English courses, two math courses, one science
143course, sort of parallel to what the MCAST was assessing. So this is this is the compet competency determination part. And then students need to meet also need to meet the local graduation requirements. When they do both, they get a diploma. That's all I would like to add. Thank you. Any questions? So, the meat of this I think lies in the document that's linked here. the policy um to meet competency determination requirement students must and then it it has that bullet. It talks about um mastery is attained by successfully completing the courses below passive grade during grades 9 and 12 and then those courses are outlined there. Then we have, you know, some call outs for students with disabilities, special education, English learners, late enrolling students. There's appeal process. That's all stuff that Desi requires of
144us to put in. So all of that is compliance. So this is just the first reading. This much different. Um Nicole's question was is this different from other districts? It is not that different from other districts. Some districts have talked about putting impass I think right um but that's been the biggest like most controversial thing that people have done. I think otherwise it's pretty basic and this is typically what people are >> the wild card of course is just like what does it need to pass in class >> true that might look different district to district. And so there's work to be done for teachers to really calibrate and make sure that they're solid and on the same page about that. Um it all was just a first reading. All right. We have um an
145approval of some minutes here November 3rd. Not here. Any comments? Anyone? I make a motion to approve the minutes from November 3rd, 2025 as presented. All in favor? >> Yes. >> October. >> Oh, yeah. >> So, I I asked. >> So, these are these are from the summer. So from July 10th, warrant S250710 in the amount of $84,66.15 from July 17th, warrant S25717 in the amount of $844,0003. $3356 from July 23rd. warrant S250723 in the amount of 646 $111489 from July 31st warrant S250731 in the amount of $252,12150. 50 cents from August 6th. Warrant S250806 in the amount of oops, there's no comma there. 200,61566. Last one from August 14th. Warrant S25 154,5576 uh correspondences or business. Yes. >> I wanted to give a reminder that um Carrie and I will be offering office hours
146on Friday morning from 9 to 10:00 a.m. and we are the location has changed. It's going to be at the Gates Middle School and so anyone who's wishing to come should check in at the Gates Middle School main office. Um and the room is very close to the main office. That's the first that's where people need to come to the main office. It's 9 to 10 a.m. on Friday. >> Square it will go on Parent Square as well. Yes. in today's uh town update. >> I did I did watch them. >> Um I just wanted to comment on the um the hashtag at the football game. The dance team and they were awesome. >> Oh, it was so much fun to watch. So I mean the cheers were always great, but the dance team's out
147there doing their thing. >> That was really fun. >> Excellent. Um I don't know. I just I don't I attended my first um uh C school council meeting. >> Oh yeah. >> At Wampa. >> Um and I thought I thought it was great. And our sole item was MCCAST. >> So we spent an hour talking about MCCAST, diving deep into the data and trying to figure out ways to improve. So, I think that um it was probably one of the more um productive school counsel meetings I've been to. I I know we took a hiatus for a couple years, but prior to them, this was direct. They knew what they were focused on and trying to improve. They're going to dissect the data even further. Um they're using the open architect information to do that.
148So, I thought it was great meeting and again it was solely on MCAST. That must have been me because I went to one too early in the week or last week and they were doing mamcast also whole time. >> Yeah, that's good. >> That's good. >> Excellent. >> All right. >> Any future agenda items that anyone knows? I know they're doing new career stuff over at the middle school because I occasionally get information from my eighth grader and I I don't know if um Tammy's doing that or other people. It would be great to hear what's going on, what they're learning because I feel like it's pretty new. It seems like >> well it's it's it feels like it's an amalgamation of high school selection, career selection. >> There's a lot of survey taking so
149I just would >> Oh, the CTE thing >> just we could actually get up. >> Yeah, I just would like I mean you only get so much from the eighth graders which should actually makes me think of somebody I spoke with at the conference. It was I have the flyer at home, but I know we haven't talked about all the colleges that come in uh here for the kids to talk to, but there are like instruction companies and people that can come and talk to students about careers and you know they offer all the class classes and employment. >> That is exactly the note that I wrote. I would love to hear about things other than college applications. I recognize that in situ it's probably like 90% going off to college, but that 10% is
150here. >> Yeah. >> And they should feel seen and heard and I was thinking the military and especially where we're on the coast the day, >> right? >> It' be nice to hear that reported, but it's like colleges like armed services. I haven't heard yet that because I I know I have this information and I can bring it in here to also have other companies that might >> please share it also. >> Oh yeah, there's the EMT school that's coming up for high school kids. >> Yeah. um shared with the high school um high school update. >> I wanted to agend the mask for anyone who had gone and also I noticed they're switching the location to Northshore next year. >> I see that excited. So that may or may not influence our ability to
151go though as easily. You know, >> you guys can stay up >> and and um the national conference this year is in San Antonio and we haven't really talked about whether or not any of us are going and we've gone in the past. It is really I thought it was really cool last year to go. Um it is really great opportunity. So I wasn't sure now is probably the time to talk about it. At least it's in April. So yeah, >> that's a future. >> I'm so excited to hear about a relocate D. >> Great. Exciting. >> Yeah. [Laughter] Same like day trip type thing for us. >> It is and it probably actually takes us. >> Okay. >> Yeah, it'll be equidistant. >> Just check. >> Yeah, it'll be the same. Yeah, right. Same
152amount of time travel. >> All right. I'm so glad you mentioned that. My name reinvigorated Maria for the rest of the evening. >> Okay, with that make a motion to adjurnn here tonight. >> Motion to adjurnn at 8:13. >> Second. >> All in favor? Bye.