001sorry like to call to order a joint meeting between the somerset school committee and the somerset berley Regional school committee on this Thursday March 17th 2022 6 p.m. du notes haven't been posted we are at suers high school library pursuant to the open meeting law any person may make an audio or video record of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium attendees are therefore advised that any such recordings or Transmissions may be made whether proceed or un proceeded by those present we have satv channel 15 with us this evening and this will be rebroadcast throughout the next few weeks roll call of members present Mr Mado present Mr gordet Mr G here M Gary here here Mike mcdonal here we also have with us this evening attendent of schools Jeffrey schover
002director of business and finance Ronald Taro director of curriculum Elizabeth Pascal director of special education Megan Aon we also have administrative assistant Robin Maro here Mr here here Mr here Mr here i al to the flag of the United States of America First up is uh I will entertain a motion to session pursu to Massachusetts General Law chapter 38 section 2182 have strategy and preparation for negotiations with nonunion Personnel to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion Personnel director of business and finance Ronald Taro director of special education Megan Aon the committee will return back in Open Session that's my [Applause] motion motion by Mr second by Mr M roll call vote Mr M hi Mr G yes M Gary yes and I might hi hi hi first thing our new business is
003our Wellness Plan update so our I the chers of the wellness Council and um in just a moment when this Wars up you'll be able to see um the members of The Wellness Council um you may recall earlier this year um we had um taken a look at the uh wellness policy um that you all approved and part of our wellness policy includes annual smart goals for us to um um they are they are annual so it's it's um they are onee goals although we have tried to um maybe create some stretch goals that may take two or three years to achieve but we're really trying to um create a vision in terms of Wellness um and our Wellness Plan is aligned with our um proposed strategic plan that we have been working toward and
004and the pieces of that we're working really hard to ensure that all of our plans are aligned including our school Improvement plan and um and so you're going to see some things that look familiar to you because we've been talking about them a lot um in both districts so um again some of this is reviewed we already talked about it earlier this year but um as part of our Wellness Council um we have these are in part of our Wellness Plan andc we have these different areas including cultural proficiency School food and nutrition promotion comprehensive physical activity physical education and health education healthy school environment safe andal supportive schools health services and staff Wellness so what we have chosen to do is in each of these categories we have actually created some mini teams so
005people who are on the wellness Council um have chosen which team or teams they'd like to be part of and so um The Wellness council is required to meet four times a year but our many teams are meeting in between and doing some of the work um for each of these different areas so what I'm going to do now uh this evening is I'm going to go through all of the smart gos that we have created for each of these areas I'm going to talk to you a little bit about um some of the action steps that we have in place and the progress that we've made so far um and actually we are scheduled for our next meting first week in April so so you can see over on the left hand side that
006is the mini team and over on the right hand side that is the smart go for this year so we are working to build cultural proficiency and awareness in Somerset and Somerset ber Regional School Districts we have created a um a diversity equity and inclusion team it has uh consisted primarily of um Mr schoonover um who heads the team um Kim dudo who is the assistant principal here at Somerset Berkeley um and myself uh we have been working together to um with a teacher here at the high school um a couple of other principles um and we're really talking about uh what does it mean to be a culturally proficient school district and um we have begun with this smaller team in really focused work and our next steps are going to be to expand
007to our full leadership team and then expand further um to our students our faculty and staff and how can we include uh and connect with our community um actually we just met is it yesterday okay we just met yesterday um it was it was actually a really um fascinating and interesting meeting because we have some of those strands already beginning work um so here at the high school um during blue Raider block um Mrs Judo has uh invited some kids to come and talk about diversity equity and inclusion and kids are so thoughtful and insightful um I also I neglected to include um I just have a parent on the team um and she has done um some work with Equity circles and um she adds a lot of insight um and Ive and so
008we have talked about how we might bring her in um to do some work with students um and with our faculty and staff um we have created a list of uh some books that we might like to do some book studies on um some speakers that we might like to bring in and work with us in terms of professional learning um but also uh to talk to kids and so um it has been uh the beginning of our journey um and we're looking forward to what it's going to look we move forward School food and nutrition promotion we are working to increase student voice and choice in the cafeteria that is something that had already started here at Somerset ber Regional High School um with Jason morenzi and his team and we have expanded it
009um Mr schaer the assistant principal at um Somerset Middle School um has worked with Jason and they have started to work with kids it began last spring and has continued into the fall um because kids have some pretty clear opinions what they think about food and uh what they're offering in the cafeteria um and so it has been a really nice partnership um and we will continue to do that and expand it and we have also um been working with our elementary or started talking to our elementary principles about how we might include um elementary students also to give them some voice and choice in um what they what they can eat with bacteria um and we want it to be healthy right we're we're looking to really promote that Wellness piece of it making
010good food choices um and there's also an opportunity for our health teachers to work with um Jason Mory in terms of you know the Rainbow on your plate and um how we can you know um enjoy Foods even when they're healthy for us so um comprehensive physical activity physical education and health education um they're really uh kind of melded them together because that is our um that is how our K12 Team Works um they are working to review and update the health K through 12 so the high school is actually um in really a really good place in terms of being in working order as you may remember Nas is coming in um for a visit uh the first week in April and so they have been working really hard to really update uh where
011we are um to do an inventory um and to also identify maybe some areas that we might like to talk more um about or include in our health curriculum and theal pieces of of this so um I yesterday was an early release day at the elementary and I got to work with um our Specialists including the health and visit team and so uh we have also been talking about the health curriculum and um some of the resources that they may need actually um K through 12 uh there there have been some resources that I have um shared um and they are reviewing I think actually Mr tar and I talked about the possibility of going ahead and um bringing some of those resources in and updated for our teachers healthy school environment um I have
012had the opportunity to work with um Mr Al and um Mr Taro also um uh Mr Campos uh before he retired and um we are we want to make sure that we are constantly updating when we are making um healthy updates in our schools um in terms of the facilities um and uh so one of the things in terms of the example that I'm putting of is uh Co and some of the air filters um those would be some of the things that we want to make sure that we're updating the community um and putting it on um the website so when we visit our website on the wellness piece of it you'll be able to reference some of the work that we are doing because we are constantly ensuring that our students and our
013staff are safe as they safe and supp um we would we are using Universal um social emotional screener um at the uh K8 we're using the Des screener um and the data to provide ongoing supports to students um we are also researching at the high school level what we might use we have a variety of um options and so we're at a little bit of a different place because we started uh we piloted the Desa screener um at the elementary first last year and so this is first year for the Middle School the second year for the elementary and we're still in that research phase um at the high school um and so we really want to make sure that we are providing the supports that that kids need on an ongoing basis um and
014this screener is helping us do that um so I just I I did two at a time two different boes just um Health Services um Implement uh covid test and stay in Somerset Somerset ber Regional School District so that was our original um we have made an adjustment things happen so quickly um so we were in really good shape and we had test and stay up and running and we had met that goal and as you know we are no longer wearing masks and test and day is no longer what we are doing um but I kept it there on purpose because I wanted to celebrate our success so um our team as you know our team of nurses worked really hard and I think that it is so worthy of celebrating that success um
015and I probably should have mentioned that in terms of the Desa screener also I mean it's March and I know you know it's it's a school year but there's a lot happening all at once and for us to be able to make such progress and do good things um for for kids and and for our staff is really um exciting and and we're grateful for all their work and then staff Wellness uh create a means by which to support St and social emotional Wellness in a concrete and meaningful way so we are trying to um create some um opportunities for staff to maybe um work out uh after school one of the things we actually were at a building committee meeting this morning and um and one of the things that was mentioned was maybe
016some you know pickup basketball after school th those were things that that used to happen um more often um and so we would like some of those things um Partnerships with um you know area um facilities maybe the YMCA um and so uh we also have some staff who offer things at the schools um mindfulness and yoga and so they might offer it before school so that teachers and staff can come and participate and start their day feeling home and uh you know moving forward so those are things that we would like to continue to cultivate um and any questions April first week in April do and meeting of year [Music] us right so what we're going to do at our next meeting we will um it'll be like quick hit any progress that we
017have made and the many teams are working to um create grafts of what they might like their smart goals to be for next year so we are we are they again kind of running on parallels working on the work that we have for this year but also thinking ahead especially you know when we are hitting some of the goals already and we're meeting those action steps what are The Logical next steps related to this category um and for some of them truth you told we may not get to we may not complete that goal um making progress toward it we're happy with that um and then so we there may be a repeat of you know one of these or it may be um you know we've identified um for example um a screener for
018the high school and then maybe next year the next logical step will be that implementation that will allow um for this year so um those are some of the things that we're trying to be mindful of and to look ahead we're also trying to make it um so smart gos are um um it's supposed to be attainable um that that is the the a um and so sometimes you know we have to really be mindful of okay that sounds like a maybe a bigger yeah a bigger project or a bigger Focus um so we we are you talk about some of those things there was one more thing I wanted to mention and I'm sorry I neglected to do that in terms of the STA um Wellness but um also uh there's some professional development
019that we have looked at um for mental Heth uh first a and so we are looking to offer that this spring um or maybe in the summer um and and uh that was something that was very high interest and um especially postco um and really helping trying to help kids um to manage some of their emotions or some of their feelings or recognizing when a a student is um struggling so um that that is something that we have reached out and looked at how we might be able to offer that so glad you said that I wrote that down before you said that iing mental health up I must got your mental life we did however everything just funnels into because when you do all those things that we all know you feel good about
020yourself and I just want to say that I think that this is know students sta just kind of inates everything we talked our last talk our last meeting how can support them while with that and how can they support each other you know um friends are the that but this is it really touches on my son's a big supporter of the he said the two lines had different bread sticks this week and he got the ones that he didn't want but the other side had the good on we went he's like you don't mind to so I think it's pretty I think this is it's very we have a great team yeah we have a great team questions absolutely thank you evaluation chair from the region and I discussed that he's going to be moderating
021and I have just one spokesman and then on both committees for further coms will lead I know that everyone see this at their spot today first I'll go through the process anyone sees a Miss let me know if I missed anything but the process and those wasu go set up and then Super gos layu so what I thought we might do is just folks let know maybe have this includes comments also a great job so uh step one in this process one is assessing the progress towards gos and in doing this there are five category six categories actually that you can have progress toward so the goals are professional practice goals in this case here the votes were expectations student learning goals simar the last one issing on we'll get into more detail on some
022of these things later on but the second is assess performance on standards and these were similar VES so we got a standard one which is instruction leadership and then get into comments some cases comments go through each all this dialogue I'm going to try to highlight some of the things that seem to be common thre and if I miss something the summary of this section comments seem to be Comm to a lot of them again know developed a strong administrative team exceptional operating not one but two school efforts today simp check ax to showc and effective St truly in the right focus on improving teaching learning student achievement their social uh next up we have the uh superintendent's goals first one is professional District M strategic plan District establishes strategic goals toide Equity inclusion on
023stand overall lehh comment EnV next perance overall standards excep job is to policies Eng per comments SCH issues super perance St resp last overall continues to support profession devel too students kind of the rough read off of evaluation one of the things that I saw kind of a lot of we did all these great things I start com back ining of 2020 weing of didn't know where we were going at the time building sa enough to we're all you know super love reading your evaluation today had some time to read it had to read twice again there so many good comments in you know you're just an excellent Communicator when it all back to you're an excellent Communicator um and when I look at even though you took us through the pmic you would never
024even know that there was a pic teaching and learning is going on we know the first the last three months of the school year in 2019 the whole country but you took us to another level um and I thank you for that and you know you have a common effect about you you you make everyone feel welcome and that's important make everyone feel comfortable and I think there was a com up here the open door policy which I know always have you know 2014 you were the right person then to Ste the ship of this school district and here we are 202 and you continue to be the right person we are fortunate to have you the next so whenever the next 5 years so thank you that's all I can tell you thank you
025very much I know it's my last name fantastic pleasure any I'll just say um for the public sake um you know this is this a very interesting process it's my first time doing this but there's a lot of check check on this and that is considered a indicates the that that practice significantly exceeds proficient it could serve as a model of practice regionally or Statewide and I think that that that really sums up um your service here especially in the last two years obviously we see what we every other school district kind of what what they were doing how things were unfolding and you pivoted at all the right and it was constant um you know Miss said tonight one of their goals they have goal now it's so everything changed fast a lot and
026uh the news didn't even know was going on but somehow you kept everyone in school onl didn't apptive I think that the your evaluation is very well deserved and I would certainly that prek side last person to run for reelection Victor and before that the last person to run for reelection was um [Music] Chris Sean and myself I know I called you constantly with all these great ideas I have and they're all they were all great ideas but unfortunately you had the displeasure of me why they work why tried this and unfortunately for you as Mike and Chris are leaving you're going to get two new ones next year again and it's a challenge for you as a superintendent to get us up to and I appreciate you taking time with me and taking all
027my calls and listening to my ideas MC or Desi or something was preventing them even they were great ideas they were kind they just state regulations aren going to allow and that's the end of it but some of them were very good ideas and we use some of them and that's the thing if I come up with 10 ideas and get one good one it's a home run I'll take it um but thank you very much you helped me a lot over the last few years grow as a school Committee Member and learn and I'm sure you'll do the same for the three new ones coming in one the region thank you Mr over the years um and you're have two more you're going to have to work put out again on the school get
028a lot of time put makes you feel you know the superintendent we actually have we have the opport speak a lot uh he always picks up my calls and uh so one of the things that I can honestly say is that I appreciate you know the open door policy he takes advice he um gives advice and best yet he's he he secured enough to tell school committee members that U they are going the wrong direction regardless if they're a junior member or even a senior member like myself uh he focuses strictly on the success of the uh the districts so uh I think he's the right person for it he continues to prove me incorrectly because uh in 2014 I was one of the minority votes in choosing the superintendent and uh then we all
029agree that he is the right hand but he continues to prove me incorrect uh year after year so I appreciate that but the thing is you are the right person for the role and I think us extending your contract um kind of expressed how loyal we are also to you because we can see the great work but the thing that's amazing and I'm sure uh you know we all heard it is 10 of us had to do this process and we all ranked in pretty much the same so it's it it pretty explains that you're doing an excellent job um but I also like that you say you know I still have more to go and uh and I think that's what makes you grow but I also appreciate how you have built a culture
030where you are working closely with your Administration you are now I the thing that I appreciate most I see a delegating more uh to your Administration which I think is great because it gives you more time to do strategic and things that we really need you to do so um I know I had this conversation with you the other day uh I couldn't ask for better super thank you um that you you said it um and as you were reading comments I was going through them I know this is this my evaluation but this would not be possible without people sitting beside me and we are uh incredible principles assistant principles and and we all know our teachers are amazing as well um wees easier with me and you guys don't mind as members of
031um leadersh you know i' love when you guys talked about building that really does Ste our ship and our um but he does that with policy um coming into a new District during this crazy time was a huge Challenge and um all of the administrative team um especially je open anytime you have question or if event or R something you know and just like said don't even always have to do Ace people like well offers Insight um in a very supportive measure so um appreciate that you got such great7 evaluation and I I think one thread that comes through here is that your datadriven decision Mak has up in this I didn't as out what and surve other evaluations where I think actually impr and I have to say that I see it in work
032other super to your very I [Music] thing I really like your reaction was the first thing you did be enjoy working with you I know when the director manag doesn't cred out some work hard something feel so you're always so quicking principles St staff anybody whoes app if I could just say I haven't had time to go through all these comments but I can see that you all spent a good deal of time really reflecting on this and proving this feedback so I will read this carefully and take inform so we can build estess the support of the school committee I will entertain a motion to approve the superintendent's graduate program of study second by m second by Mr all those in favor any opposed thank you everyone I'll just to make a quick comment
033about Meg Ashton um I've been on this committee for a very long time as Mr G pointed out U the last couple Ed out but one of the things I have worked with many um special ed directors um for the last 16 years and something that maybe many people don't know this is actually the very first time I'm actually going to RW a contract um I I think the work you doing is incredible um I think we LED out having you I think by this uh by the contract we gave you with the turn the years and all that we are really committed to you just like we were as I mentioned to Mr skuno I think you're doing a great job I love when uh even just um after the show of the uh
034the show choir show the chorus um apparent was waiting and um she called me over and she said you know she helped my grandson out you know without you know so I just want you to know you are making a difference between even bringing kids back so kudos to you and thank you for what you're doing us I think you're doing a great job as well however I am a no tonight because I don't agree with the years so I do agree with a lot of M said even though years of experience you think you're doing a great job bringing kids back in the district um I was in favor contct so I am no vote but I I will entertain a motion on of Somerset school committee to approve the contract ofemployment of Megan
035Ashton for the period of July 1st 2022 through June 30th 2027 all those in favor I any opposed 4 to one thank you same same pretty much the same thing you know and it seems like you're going above and beyond and one thing about Mr tarell that I I always get hot broken because I don't think anyone is as tough as he is on himself he you know when there's something that wasn't perfect I can see it in his expression I can see that you know he hates not being prepared um the man's running two districts uh two budgets you know retirements all of these things um I'm really happy that we're getting you some support to help you because I think it's definitely a two-man job uh but you go above and beyond and
036uh what's that did I say two oh two person sorry oh I social media that I'm going to hear now uh but honestly uh you're doing a a great you know I can't say enough I think you also came in when we needed you and you took it to the next level and I can always see that you're even there are other things that you want Implement and I have a feeling you'll get it to in the next couple years so Bud glad just want to say that you know this is my fault but I will miss de because for two Islanders at heart see small we do so many people people but we a lot of good conversations I will miss you but that's my said that I will entertain a motion on behalf
037of Somerset school committee to approve the contract of employment with Arnold tarell for the period of July 1st 2022 September 30 2024 with one mutual option to extend the contract from October 1st 2024 December 31st second all those in favor any oppos thank the agenda we have the uh vote for the collaborative I listen to it as I drove thank questions I'll just I can entertain a motion on of I have question ra it discussion if you want I'm curious as to how much of the million on the hook it's um the plan is to fund this in two ways one through the regular budgeting process uh sort of the way that this Regal schol district there and also so that's really so it's hard to say exactly how much is going to from the
038of and for us it's really just it's our tuition there hasn't been a discussion about percentage because I had an inter BAS a l of to so I know not necessarily at that school level right now have aot of just that not su3 determining the method the amount hasn't been but cting model the fun right if it's if the operating budget is going to increase obviously that the revenue so I'll entertain a motion on Improvement of properties and Lease properties provide money for payment of the lease for Public School location during periods of time when is below expectations and prepare to purchase the location of the academy public school to eliminate the expense of least Beyond years and to approve the limit of million as the amount that may in I will entertain a motion
039on behalf of the somerset school committee to approve the reasons for the re collaborative Reserve fund maintenance of improvement of re properties and Lease properties provide funding for payment of the lease for re Academy Public School location during periods of time and enti to to purchase the location of the Academy public Day School to eliminate the expense of at least Beyond 10 years and also to approve the limit of $4 million as the amount that may be held in the capital reserve the fund Reserve motion made by m Gary second second by Mr all those in favor any opposed matters there matters we have minutes of Sage that in fav I will entertain a motion on behalf of Somerset school committee to accept the joint open joint executive session minutes of February 15 2022 as
040amended so second by Mr second by Mr M all those in favor any oppos thank you very much I have some public input on the agenda so do this um I asked that Robin write last meeting and I thought was Ser region at some point at the meeting of the suet school committee on March 17 2022 a citation was prepared signed by members of the committee and voted inscribed in the permanent records whereas Michael McDonald served as a respected member of the somerset school committee for the past few years having served as Vice chair chair and as a valued M of the planning facilities policy sick Bank superintendent schools and collective barg bargaining subcommittees as well as the Middle School building committee he also served for two years as one of the committee's representatives on
041the regional school committee and whereas he conscientiously performed the duties of a school committee member on behalf of the students and staff of the Su school public schools Mr McDonald was instrumental at keeping the committee on task by provid providing a calm steady voice during difficult situations and whereas always put the needs of the students and staff first and foremost and he will always be a starch supporter of the somerset Public Schools NBA hereby resolved that the members of Somerset school committee men Michael McDonald in his in the official minutes recorded this expression of appreciation and gratitude to an honored member of the school committee and extending best wishes on all his future events thank you [Applause] I just want to say comment me I just want to thinkk you know these joint meetings have
042been fantastic the regional school committee great work it's just been a great years for me I just learned so much from each and every one of you um if I could I'm also going to say to Mr I know this is one of your last meetings with us and um I just want to thank you for all years to moderator leing into the intering into the high school Regal high school not to mention the SP so many years of your I've learned so much from you and dedication so just want to thank each and every one of you'll see a while but thank you than whereas Christopher gett served as a respected member of the sunset school committee for the past three years having served as Vice chair and chair as a valued member of
043the capital planning facilities and collective bargaining subcommittee as well as the Middle School building committee and whereas he conscientiously perform the duties of school committee member on behalf of the students and staff of Somerset Public Schools Mr gardette brought perspective to the committee having served on somerset's advisory and finance committee and as Mr gardette consistently asked thoughtful questions and offered practical solutions to the issues at hand while always having the students and staff's best interest in mind and being hereby resolved that the members of the somerset school committee command Christopher cette in the official minutes recording this expression of appreciation and gratitude to an AED member of the school committee and extending best wishes on all his future inbs [Applause] thank you it's been it's been a long three years a challenging three years but
044it's it's nice to work with so I learned a lot a lot different thanal it's a lot more it was good I learned a lot and on that note I will entertain a motion for the somerset School comme toour Jer second all those in favor any oppos none thank you guys