001Welcome everybody. It is 4 o'clock. I am going to call the Cocker Carell Regional School Committee to order. >> Oh um I will call the Conquered School Committee to order. And we need to roll call because we have two members on Zoom. >> Present. >> Keller present. >> Morano present. >> Present. Rank and present. >> Present. >> Sorry about that. >> All good. >> And with that, um, >> sure. I move that the conquered school committee and conquered Carlo Regional School Committee will enter into executive session under purpose three of the open meeting law to conduct strategy sessions with respect to collective bargaining with the bus drivers and return to open session. >> Second. Second. All right. Roll call. I >> color her. I >> Morano. I >> Hardy. I >> rank and I >>
002W I >> Okay. And we will be back for those of you that are watching in maybe five or 10 minutes. >> Um so here we are. We are back. Welcome everybody. I am happy to tell you we have the unified polling team and the unified team with us today. So, we'll call you guys up and you can join us so we can be recognized. Lori, do you want to say anything? >> Sure. So, we're really excited. Um, after some very successful seasons of unified track and basketball this this past winter just ended. Um, we launched if you want >> we launched the first unified bowling season. So, we're really excited to hear more about it and share with you. And um we're going to turn it over to coach Reed from there. >> Great.
003Um hi everybody. My name's uh Josh Reed, teacher at the high school um head football coach and and unified coach for track and field. Um just to give you a little context just about unified sports. Um so unified sports is dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences. Unified sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle. Training together and playing together as a quick path to friendship, understanding, and belonging. And to give you some context, we um myself and Mr. Jonas uh brought unified sports here to the high school and then COVID hit and then so we had a bump at a year. So our first reason was for track. Um, in that season we only had um 17 students
004involved and now this being our fifth season, we actually have um 51 students that are involved at throughout the high school. Um, and then in 2024, we were able to get unified basketball. Um, and then this past winter, we were able to get um, unified bowling, which is an incredible, you know, landmark because now we offer sports all season. Um, and you know, the the beauty of it is, um, unified sports as its core is gets everybody involved regardless of your ability level. And the relationships that I've seen over the last five years form between our athletes and our mentors has been inspiring and incredible. And um, I have three of our veteran um, athletes or our mentors that are here that are going to share their story. The great thing about it is that
005have been with us all four years. >> Um and then Catfield has been three years now as a as a junior. Um and I still remember just a quick story in the NLGO. Um is that the first year that we had unified sports, there's a lot of energy with this group and we brought them in to get uniforms and the uniforms that we had um was designed by one of our pathway students. Yeah, that's great. >> That they have here. And so this is something that we've carried through all five seasons. And a lot of them had never received a uniform before in sports. And we lined them up in the bleachers and they were all sitting there waiting for it. Quiet as mouse. No one spoke. No one everybody just waited for it. And
006the moment that you gave them the jersey, you knew it meant something. And you know it felt that connected connection >> to athletics, to the school, to the community as a whole, right? That they've never felt before. And it really just opened so many doors for everybody um as a mentor role, as an athlete. Um and just to see that pride they felt and I I have a un like I have a uniform. This is who I am. I'm a part of something and that's that's very special to see. And um and also this year I created I'm a health and fitness teacher. So, I create a unified health and fitness class for sophomores um which has been remarkable um to to see the impact that it's had and um it's just really special and
007I'm grateful to be a part of it and grateful to have wonderful mentors like this that are involved um in the school and they make the commitment to it just like everybody else does. Um so, I'll I'll go right down the line. I'll start with Presley and he can share his experience. >> Hi guys. Uh I'm Presley Rogers. I'm a senior. Uh, I just want to say like Unified Track has like changed my life and I feel as though like I've had like a nice impact and they've had an impact on me. Like I'll walk through the halls and I'll see like an athlete in the hall and like all of a sudden like I could be having a bad day, they could be having a bad day and it's just like like smiles like
008ear to ear. It's like it's the best thing in the world. It's like give them a fist bump like makes your day and it's like it's so fun. Um, yeah. It's just like my uh my story is like uh last year we had uh Michael, one of the athletes, gave a presentation and it was uh it was his birthday like the week before and uh the theme for his birthday party was unified track and they they all wore their uh their jerseys to his birthday party and like it's like their world. >> Yeah. >> And like makes their day every time. That's great. >> And my name's Abby Morano and I'm also a senior who's been on five for four years. And my favorite part is just the how supportive the community is and like
009at every like practice and meets like constantly cheering each other on and like everybody just like wants to succeed and everyone does get to succeed. Um, and I also love like seeing the athletes like in school. Like I'm in Rivers and Revolutions and one of the athletes Emerson is also in it. So like we get to like see each other every day and like he knows that like he has a friend in me and can always like come and talk with me during the day. >> Um I'm Kathy Field. I'm a junior and um I think like one of the like most like unique things about unified like sports in general is like you personally I've played sports my entire life and I've never like gone to a meet or like a game and like
010been connected to the other school as much as like unified is like connected to the other school. Like you don't go to like be like rude and like be snarky and like petty and like only try to win. like you go to make friends there and be kind with all of them. And I like I wasn't expecting that freshman year when I went, but like when I went and all these like athletes from the other school were coming up to me and like introducing themselves and saying like I'm so happy I get to like compete with you today, like I was like, "Wow, like this is just like amazing." It just gave like a whole different perspective to competition in like a like just like unified way. like everyone is like together and having fun
011without like I mean obviously there is competition but like it's more just like getting to know everyone and getting to create connections with people not even just on your team but every other team that you compete with. >> That's great. Anyone have any questions about unified sports? >> Okay. I need to know when the meets are >> Oh, is it on the schedule? >> Is it on the list? So, if you're looking for something to do, we have a meet um on Monday, April 13th at home at Emerson. >> Um and I believe it's 4 o'clock. >> All right. >> Oh, Si, go ahead. >> It's a question for uh guess the athletes. Um can you can you share maybe something that you uh learned from being part of this team that you didn't expect?
012Um, well, I learned that like like everybody wins in their own way. Like, uh, for example, like one of the athletes, Emerson, he uh he ran in the 400 for the first time with me freshman year and that was like the biggest accomplishment for him. We ran it in like probably six minutes and it was like but it was like the most fun and like even though we like we got laughed and like it was like it was it was like the biggest accomplishment for him and like like everybody can win and like everybody has their own goals not just like everybody's in a competition with one another and everybody's cheering each other on. Like we like have like a high five line across the whole thing. Like it's a blast. Anybody else? >> Um,
013I mean I think um like when you go to like all the meets like I think it's like I learned that like you can leave a competition like feeling good without like like no matter if you like win or lose or like do badly or don't like do well like you don't have to be the best like you don't have to be the best on this team. You don't have to be the best to compete. Like you just like you go, you have fun and you leave happy like no matter what the outcome was. Cuz like it's just like the whole point of is like going and hanging out with people and supporting each other without the whole like, oh, I need to win. I need to be the best on the team. And like
014in my head that's what sports was. But then after joining this team and seeing that I was like, no, that's not what sports is about. It's about something much bigger than winning. >> That's great. Well, thank you so much for coming. We wish you luck in your season. And then the end of the season, you also do something with other schools. Do you want to talk about that? >> Yeah. So, three years ago, uh, Westford, a group of seniors from Westford created this thing called the Westford and Friends, and they invite I think there's about eight schools that go and it's just it's they do it during the school day and it's it's wonderful because a lot of the classes from Westford, they'll come out to the track and they'll join like they'll be supporters
015and cheer people on and you go through different events and there's a big ring ceremony because a lot of the unified sports is um sponsored through Special Olympics and so they'll have a ring ceremony and kids will get medals and there's different activities that go around and there's, you know, firefighters and police officers that volunteer to be goalies. And it's not just track events. There's, you know, baseball toss, there's, uh, dance competitions, or there's just a way to get everybody involved. Um, and it's really cool to see teams that you haven't competed with and been able to meet. And then you get to see teams that, you know, you saw earlier in the season. Um, and then the beauty of it is that a lot of these teams now year after year, you start to
016recognize other people from other teams. And that relationship that you have with them that you had no idea that anybody recognizes you and they're like, "Coach Ray." I'm like, "Oh my god, you remember my name." Like, and they come up and it's either like this big high five or a monster hug. And it's just so special to see the impact that everybody can make. Um, >> and it was a great idea that they've continued on now. um this will be the third or fourth year that they're doing it, which is a great way to wrap it off. And I think it's um May 15th this year. >> Great. >> So, we're looking forward to that as well. >> That's great. Well, thank you for being with us. It's just another great way to showcase some
017great programming at our high school that, you know, people might not know about if you don't have kids at the high school or whatever, but follow the social media accounts and the Pats AD account is always following Unified Sports. I think Unified Bowling has its own account. Yeah, Unifi bowling and track >> and track have their own accounts. Okay, so follow the accounts if you're watching at home and um thanks for coming. >> Thanks for having me. >> Thank you. >> All right. Um and you can feel free. You don't have to stay the rest for a meeting. I know that you might have some homework to do or something like that. >> Thank you so much. >> Bye. All right, next up we have our superintendents and chairs update. I'll turn it to Lori
018first. >> Great. Thank you. This is an eclectic list, but all of it's worth, so bear with me that I didn't really put it in a logical order. Um, I want to highlight that this morning a few of us were at the audit conquered audit advisory committee meeting and um, Bob gets all the shout outs because we were able to report he was able to report that we've got clean audits for FY24 and as of this week 25 too. Um so that was really fantastic um to be able to share that with the committee and um hear the positives in terms of gratitude for how well managed our finances are now. I don't know if Sandy or Brian want to chime in since you were there. >> Um no I would just say it was
019a really good meeting. Bob did a great job answering the questions and yeah just good to have the good news especially because that hasn't been the case uh >> with some of the other audits. >> Yep. echo echo what uh was mentioned. Bob was awesome. He uh I didn't really jump up and ask for more help. Uh so, you know, I think maybe Bob, you can you can uh just send in the message that got it all under control. So, that's great. >> So, we wanted to be sure we acknowledge that here since the order of events was a little different than it sometimes could be. Um update on Mechco enrollment. We're working with MECO um Inc. to work on enrollments for the fall, not just at kindergarten. So, we're opening up some grade levels
020at the elementary school depending on enrollment sizes and revisit are going to have entry points at grades six and nine. This is a joint as a regional meeting, so nine is your important one. We haven't done that in a while, so we're excited to um hopefully build some capacity there. Uh Bob and I were out at the busy yard the other day uh with all those involved and we're in pretty active um sessions on both the grant implementation to add to the electric charging infrastructure and with Highland Bus about securing five buses and the infrastructure to go with that. So there's a lot to do there. Um there's a lot to do there and we're excited that we've got an I think a logical opportunity to help manage the financial and the logistical part of
021that. So as we get a little tighter, we'll definitely bring that to the committee because there is a financial plan that goes with that. Um and there is grant money attached through Highland. So we're continuing to move that forward. So great. >> Yeah, I'm really thrilled we finally found a path to manage the costs involved with further electrification. Um the administrative team met with Dr. Darnisa Amante Jackson yesterday. We're planning for another session with her and the teacher leaders. She is building helping us envision this really beautiful bridge between equity achievement gaps universal design to me that's one of the most important things she like it's all one thing in terms of vision of a graduate she's now incorporating in with us. So there's this really big collective visioning while we then look at how
022to plan the increments to make progress towards the vision and she's actually supporting the um principles on working some school improvement goals. So it's feeling like there's a lot of cohesion there and a lot of um synergy which is the better way to do this than all these separate initiatives when they're all about serving children. Um, we did have a Holocaust survivor at the middle school uh last week and I bring it up here because we were able to have a few of the JSU student members were interested in going over for the daytime presentation with the eighth grade. Um, so we uh had the advisor, Kelly Christine, and a few of the high school students go over and engage while the kids were getting their presentation and not have to attend the evening one.
023And um it started to build a great great um energy between the middle school and the JSU which led to how do we make sure the high incoming ninth graders are aware of all the club opportunities. And so we're revisiting that a little and much of what's driving that is all the affinity group opportunities that we want to make sure they're really aware of and maybe the big fair at the beginning of the year isn't quite the best way to help the ninth graders find those groups. So we're in active discussions on that. And my last update is we are bringing in a substance abuse program for the juniors and seniors at the high school um on May 5th and then an evening component for parents um with the same presenter and the police to
024talk on social host laws. Uh we feel it's really important to be in front of the kids as we get to prom and graduation season. reminders of the risks involved with alcohol and drugs, especially when driving, and just try to really send a cohesive message. The chief and I are, police chief and I are also going to do the combined letter like we did last spring. So, we're trying to come at it as many ways as we can to really just have people thinking about what they're doing. Um, so that's on the books and I'm really grateful Shelley and a couple of the high school uh Alison Nikki and Dan Simone were able to go to the behavioral health collective that we all are part of led by Melanie Denine the health director and they've
025contributed $5,000 in opioid fund money from conquered to help subsidize this >> for the speaker. >> Yeah. >> For is the speaker the same speaker both? >> Same speaker for both. >> Same for kids and adults. Okay. And that I mean that used that happened many years ago. You would do programming Yeah. >> during the day and at night. So I think that's super helpful. >> So trying to really bring awareness to the concerns. >> Yeah. >> Question. Um is there anything in regard to the uh u opening new grades for enrollment for anything the committee can do to help in that? >> I don't think so. It's as simple as saying please send us the kids. So, I think we're in good shape. >> Are you sure Michelle can play a role in that
026as well? >> Um, it's an enrollment process just like any other student enrollment. So, there's not a per se school committee role, but welcoming families could certainly be a piece. >> Yeah, because you'd still have to enroll at Mechco, Inc. in Boston. >> You have to do the Well, they've already done that. So, Mechco has the names and then they've got to enroll here and we onboard them and we can obviously want to be sure they feel welcome. >> Great. >> Um, okay. Hey, I only have a couple updates. Um, yesterday was a town election. So, congratulations to Drew Maglosi. I know I'm saying his name wrong because I tend to say everybody's name wrong. Um, he will be joining the school committee for conquered and for the region. And Dean Banfield, won of the
027select board race. Stefan Bader for the housing authority and Carl Reeds, our new moderator. So, all of those people will u be sworn in after this year's town meeting. And then last night, Lynette and Ryan were nominated by Carell at their caucus. They are both running unopposed for school committee and Carl. Your election is when? >> June 2nd. So after your election, then we'll see the regional committee, right? >> We already have a Carile meeting on June 3rd at 1 p.m. So we're all set for 6:00. >> Brian is the Carile chair. So thank you for scheduling that. So we double duty that day. Um we had a PTG president's meeting last this past month. We have talked about all sorts of things. um and just more communication with the PTG presence. It's a good
028opportunity for them to talk to each other about things like paper directories, online directories, fundraising, um cell phones, lots of different things come up during those meetings. Um that's all I had. And then Aisha, do you have an update for us? >> Yes. Um just a couple things. Um Lori, thank you for mentioning the enrollment. Um I've gotten several questions and support about um upping the numbers for me and conquered. So thank you for that. Um and the support was from um residents of conquered and carile um as well as other mech um parents. So um it is something that's important that a lot of people are um talking about. >> Yeah. Um so yeah just so just so everyone is aware we only have 31 students at um at the high school for mechco
029down from 40 from last year. So you know for a sense of belonging and you know it is important for us to you know try to get those numbers up and I understand the transition sometimes can be hard coming from Boston to conquer and other grades but I mean I did it in ninth grade and the transition was smooth and um it was good. Um the other updates I have are yesterday Melenthy um had a meeting with some of the parents and students um for vision of a graduate so she can get some input from parents and students which went very well. The MECO board of directors is putting together a prom um for juniors and seniors. So hopefully we can have some conquered um juniors and seniors attend that in May. And I think
030that's it for the high school. Great. >> Yep. And that's it. >> And I don't see Michelle with us. Okay. So, we're good. All right. And with that, we'll move on to our CCHS student updates. I'll invite our student reps up with us. We have Maddie and Evelyn and Mark. >> Hey, Tracy. >> Oh, yes. Andrew. Sorry, I didn't ask you. >> No, no, no worries. I just want to say Sundep and I had our first coffee um hosted, but um and it was not very well attended. uh I think one or two people and then Sundep and I had a lot of air time um to catch up. So just a um a push for the next one which I believe is in person. Um so if anyone's listening and wants to go encourage
031you to go >> on Friday >> Friday. Yeah. >> Question. >> Yep. >> Were there any particular topics that were brought up >> on on the virtual coffee? >> Yes. >> Uh nope. It was was essentially Oh, was it just you guys? Uh well, we'll hang up then. I don't think there was enough of an audience uh for for the people joining to stick it up. >> Okay. >> Any any thoughts on how we can increase that next next go around? >> I'm open to ideas. >> Add donuts with the copy. >> I know. Well, the virtual copy >> we did we did publicize. Yeah, we did publicize it um through all the PTGs have all the dates of it. They put it on their social media. It's in their newsletters. It was in Lor's
032newsletter. Um it's been on your social media. So, and I think that your your newsletter is also linked to conquered Current. So, I'm not sure if we have any other avenues like people who have subscribed >> school committee subscriber list. It went to the mosquito. It went to the bridge. Um so, more to come. All right. So, with that, um, we'll go to our students. >> Um, have we shared this? >> Yeah. Um, we can't usually share it with the Zoom. So, >> yes. >> Yeah. >> Screen sharing >> other things. Too many things at home. >> And we did ask, are you guys able to stay for our cell phone discussion? >> I when what time would it be? >> I'm going to predict uh I think we have a little bit of public
033comment, so it might be It might be a little bit might be like another hour. We have your feedback. We do have your feedback, but maybe you could just chat. Maybe you could just chat with us on some of your thoughts on um when we're considering writing a cell phone policy. So maybe while you're here, we'll do it then with you guys. Okay. >> All right. >> Yeah. All right. Okay. Hi everyone. Um to start it off with our student update for today, um Micah was held last weekend. So it's basically this statewide competition for performing arts. So our symphonic band, orchestra, wind ensemble, and chorus all went and they all won gold. Um which I think they're used to. I think they win gold every year, but we have a really strong performing arts
034team at the school. So that's really great for everyone. >> I'm trying. want here. >> I don't know why it won't let me go to presentation mode >> or maybe slideshow. That button right there. >> The problem is it'll do it on my laptop, but it won't do it on the screen usually. >> Maybe if you do the plus button. >> So, it did it beautifully here, but it isn't >> strange. >> Okay, >> I'll keep trying to make it bigger. >> Okay, so our MECO student ambassadors, which is basically um two students who were elected by each grade. It was kind of like an anonymous form you had to submit, but it's me and for the juniors. I can read them all because a few of them. Um, Zan and Laz as seniors, London
035and Jayla or that's Jayla and sophomore, right? >> Yeah, Jayla's a sophomore and Ila for sophomores. And then um London and Julian are our um freshman ambassadors. And basically we went to a youth leadership conference at MIT. Um I think it was really great for networking. I think that was like the best thing that we got out of the event. And we also went to like a bunch of workshops and talked to like colleges and like learned a bunch of stuff and had like a finance module. And then what was really eye opening to I think a lot of people is we like looked at like a paycheck and then we had to like divide like out the tax and then like your utilities, your phone bill. So then we were like down to nothing
036and we didn't even like >> we were we were in the red by the end. So that was funny. Um >> but it was a good conference. It was during school hours and it was at um MIT and we also I saw like other MECO students of course because it was like the other MECO programs and I saw someone that was like my best friend in third grade. That was super funny. Then we like reconnected. >> So I can also talk about >> how many how many schools were involved? Do you know? >> Um I I didn't have like a sheet, but I'd say somewhere near your 12. And then they rolled out like this mech ambassador program. I don't know that it works the same at every other school, but how ours works is
037two representatives from each grade, which I think it's somewhere probably the same for the other schools. Yes, of course. Um BSU and MVP had their big sale. MVP big sale was today and after school and BSU big sale was about two weeks ago. um our photos on the right there in the middle. >> Um I heard it went well. I had the flu actually. I helped plan of course, but I ended up having the flu that day and I was out sick. But we made our money. It was pretty good. Um and the last thing was the gov hypnotist um event. That was great. It's always good. It's funny. Um the like hypnotist made the kids go to like sleep. I requested for Gov to like have him do like a thing where he makes
038some like make chicken noises but I don't know if you can see but that was good as well. >> Yeah. >> Um another thing in other news the student center hosted the blood drive which you've done every year for a few years now and that's always been really successful. It's so great to have that you know the truck just parks there the whole day and you get to sign up for a time slot. Um I unfortunately was sick and so I couldn't donate blood but I was planning to. Maddie and I wanted to together. Um but yeah, all the slots filled up really quickly and that was really great. So um definitely a good thing to rally the community and um support a really great cause. So yeah, >> um um DECA had their state
039conference which is a big competition. I think we all heard about it when they came a few weeks ago, but it was I think two weekends ago and 13 students participated and I think they did really well. It's only their second year or maybe their first >> their first time actually competing, so I think they did really well considering that. Um, and yeah, there's a photo of them on the top right. It was at Bentley. >> And then the I can't say yes. Um, another St. Patrick's Day lunchon this year. It was really great. Um, it's hosted by student government. Doesn't say here. It's hosted by student government and we had a bunch of volunteers. I think somewhere near 40 volunteers. Um, these events are always great. We had the Thanksgiving one a couple months
040ago and it's usually the same people. And funny enough, we actually have we have to like watch out cuz some of them take the decorations cuz they love them so much. So, it's always funny like there's like a list of things that we need to like remember and that's like at the top of the list. >> Oh my gosh. um the interact club which is one of the clubs at CCHS um had their meals of hope event which they I think it was I think it was with AB and Minute Man and then CC and students together packaged over 10,000 meals which is really incredible and it's great that we have we have a lot of clubs at CC which like do that kind of community service but in track club is always so involved
041and they're constantly running events like these so really great to hear. Um and also I think it was two weekends ago I participated in along with a lot of other NHS students and non-NHS students who are um you know at CC we participated in the phoneathon for the scholarship fund of conquer Carlau. Um that was like in three-hour shifts. There are three of them. I think two on sat on two on Sunday and then one on Monday. Um and you have to just pick up your phone and um like call like go through all these sheets and it takes a lot of time and it's just kind of fun. Everyone's eating snacks but um it's really great. We raised I know my shift we raised like $18,000. Um I know the goal is about like
042$50,000 which is really incredible and so it's kind of cool and you end up you know meeting all these conquer residents and you know I like called my neighbor by accident and I was like oh my gosh this is you and it was really fun to to do all that. Um so yeah it's a little more pressure for people to give when they know you. So >> and then like I mean I practiced on my dad and he was like at first like who is this and then I was like I'm cold calling people. So, I think it's also great for people wanting to go into business or um kind of stretch themselves to I think it's a new thing for high schoolers to have to like put themselves in that uncomfortable position and ask
043for money and get out there and and do it. So, of course, for a good cause. >> Okay. And lastly, for the past event, the IQHFest was held um I think two weeks ago by the Reverb Club, which is a music club at CCHS. Um the event has really grown in the past years. This year there were 35 C CCHS student groups actually. So, they all come. It's gotten pretty competitive and you have to audition and go through these rounds. So yeah, they because they need to limit it to one night. Um and it was a really great event. I saw a bunch of photos and there was definitely photographers there. It was really crazy and um yeah, it was a great time and everyone did really great. >> Um okay. And then current quarter
0444 has um just started this past Monday, I believe. Yeah. Which is kind of surreal as seniors like our last quarter. We don't have finals which is nice. Um but APs are creeping up. So, >> Mhm. >> keep you updated. Um, and then also the quarter 4 internships for seniors are taking place. I don't know a ton about them personally, but I know a few people who are going to be doing them and I think you have a mentor um who's someone who's interested in like who's doing the field that you're interested in and you'll pretty much be mentored by them and um go through um a series of maybe projects or research or something that's applicable to what you want to do um in the future. So, >> I know a girl who's she's
045going to be an assistant teacher at like in a classroom at Willard, I think, which is so cool. I know there's a ton of others ones, but yeah, people are excited about this. >> Um, and then also spring sports are still running. I think the first competitions for a few sports are taking place or have taken place already. Um, so that's I'm not in spring sport, but I'm hoping to go and cheer on some teams like unified track. I definitely want to go see that. So, um, and then another current is March Madness hosted by the librarians. Basically, it's this March Madness between books and students can vote on which book club and I think we're down to the finals and it's between this Hunger Games book and a Maze Runner book. So, I think
046students really like the dystopian fiction right now. Um, but that's really been fun to follow. Oh, student advisory council elections are taking place now, I think. Um, that closes tomorrow, so I have to submit my form, but it's basically where >> you're running. I'm the advis I'm the >> I'm not surprised that's >> tape right now. I actually didn't know we had to run every year. So now I'm like scrambling to write something. But basically they like anybody can run and they elect two students um the grade the entire school votes and then they elect two students um to like go on to like the meetings with Desie and like basically I invited all of you guys but um >> I was in the bullying and harassment work group so we kind of like look
047at data and like other things to see how we can like improve all of our schools in the greater Boston area. And then Girl Up Club at CCHS um is hosting on Friday, Friday morning during our flex walk um a mental fitness like event or mental fitness in sports. And so it's going to be a keynote speaker talking about like the importance of having like you know a really specialized mindset and like um I think like positive thinking just like supporting mental health which is really great um because a lot of CC students are athletes and partic at least like one season or one sports season. Um, and regardless, I think it's really a great message to get out and so I know that there's been a lot of excitement for that. And also flexbox
048in general have been a really great for students to not only I mean I know this is something Maddie and I were only we were here one year before the schedule changed. And I just from our experience I know like flex blocks have been great and one of the benefits of them is having these speakers come in. Um, it feels like almost like once a month there's some kind of keynote speaker or someone coming in um either through a club or organized by the school like by the administrators. Um, and it's just great like this is just a great example here. So yes. And then oh government dodgeball. >> You can see in the far left. Um that was actually like an hour ago the dodgeball tournament cup. >> Um those are our winners. So
049>> fresh news. Yeah. My brother participated in that. I think he's a sophomore and I think he had a team of like however many kids it needs to be. But then all of a sudden like half of them dropped out in the last 24 hours. But I know that that got pushed like a whole week or two weeks. So there's one a lot of excitement about that. >> It was a big deal. A bunch of kids in my class were dressed up and they were wearing polar shirts and baseball caps and things and people were saying he's afraid of April Fools. Like what's going on? And then they were like, "Oh, they're a team on dodgeball." Of course. >> Yes. >> So it looks like the seniors won. Did the seniors win? >> I just
050um Okay. And then do you have any We're not in Q5. Our next talking point was about Q5. >> I am. Um I'm excited for it this year. I was actually in Hawaii last year for Q5. I did that trip. So, this is my first time actually like experiencing Q5, I feel like. Um, but I selected my options. I did the Common App boot camp, so I'm gonna be a good idea. >> It's a good idea. And hopefully I'm going to have everything done by the end of the summer, which is my hope, so not scrambling in the fall. But, um, that's my excited. >> You could choose to do things like, you know, kayaking, but Mar chose the Comet app, so good for you. >> But it's good to get that really done. >>
051There's also like lifeguarding. There's life. >> Amazing. Getting your life guarding. I think you could do driver's ed now too during that. >> So if you're younger like you can fit that in or just something that you want to do. >> Last year Evelyn and I did a we did a baking competition. >> We did cake baking and >> Yep. It was super fun. Got really competitive. >> Very competitive. Yeah, it was fun. We made like alligator cupcakes, donuts. It was so fun. We got to go into the cafeteria in the kitchen in the back. It was so cool. >> Um the last thing we have down is just an upcoming event. I think it's this Saturday which is a K-pop dance club performance which is cool cuz CCH Senate. um approved that club I
052think like last year and now they're doing something and they're collaborating with a bunch of other schools. I think it's at least three other schools to put on this um performance which is really exciting. Um and as a dancer myself, I'm a ballet dancer, I just always love to hear about the dance performances. So yeah. Um I think that's all we had though for our update this week. Um yes. Yeah. Thank you so much. >> All right. I have a couple questions for you before you leave us just logistically. So we have a meeting in May and a meeting in June. You guys will graduate. Do you know when elections are for people to take your spots? Not that we want you to leave, but you're going to go to college. >> I'm thinking in
053May. >> I think in May. >> Is it's along with the student senate elections which happen? >> Yeah, they happen simultaneously. Student senate and school committee. Okay. >> Okay. So, you'll just let us know, Mark. I'm assuming you're continuing for your senior year. Yes. >> And so, just let us know who's going to replace these two lovely ladies. Um, and then do you know who your graduation speaker is yet or no? We are voting on >> I think it's >> Oh, I don't know if this is like >> Oh, they don't say don't wear it public. >> Oh, I don't know. >> I don't know if that's public, >> you know. >> I'm definitely >> I don't want to say it. >> We'll have to be surprised. All right, great. Um, well, thank you for
054your update. It's always incredibly informative. Uh, we love to hear what's happening at the high school with our students, so we really appreciate that. Um, we did ask you for a little bit of feedback, which you provided in writing, which I totally appreciate. The school committee has not seen it yet. So, I would just want to know if you could maybe speak to it. So, what I did is I incorporated it into all the feedback I've got from school members. So, if you can just maybe talk to your thoughts on developing a cell phone policy at CCHS. >> Yes. But we actually I'm we're gonna pull up the doc so we make sure we hit our talking points because yesterday Maddie and I were at student senate which is a great time to talk to
055students of all age groups and so some of these are our personal thoughts and some of them are um you know more just general reflections of the student body. Um but from our experiences we'd say the majority of students are not on their phone most of the time. Um and so also one of the things I was talking to my mom about this because she's very much like she's so curious about how this phone thing works because obviously this is such a new thing that that we all have to navigate. Um, and it seems that the efficacy of the phone caddy policy really depends on the teacher themsel and how they enforce it in the classrooms. Um, I would say there's like two main ways that teachers can really make sure that this the phones
056like actually are in the caddies at all times. And that would be like mainly taking attendance based on the caddy. And then secondly, sometimes we'll teachers will just conduct like regular checks like every single morning. They'll come by and they'll just if the phone caddies especially like by the door as they welcome the students in, they just make sure they put the phone in the phone caddy. if they don't, they just encourage a student where sometimes right before class starts, they'll walk over and they'll like check and they'll scan and then if you don't put your phone in, they'll call your name out and it's a little bit of like a walk of shame as you put your phone back. Um, so everyone tries to avoid that even if you just forget. Um, but when
057that happens consistently, like even I have a class where like the teacher doesn't even remind people, but because we have such a habit and we're kind of fearful of what happens if we don't put our phone on the caddy, then um that seems to work. So it really and I was talking to my teacher this morning um and she was saying that that's something she realized is like earlier semester one she was really putting emphasis on like scanning the phone caddy making sure everyone's in there and then calling them out if they're not and then the second semester and that was really successful but then second semester she wasn't doing anything. she's just kind of every so often maybe occasionally like saying something to a student um like a few times a week and she's
058noticed that you know no students are really or like few fewer students are putting their phones in the phone caddy but I would say if even if they don't have their phone on the phone caddy they most students at least in our classes like they're not taking them out um >> so if you guys want to talk more I know that's just kind of talking about like how well the phone caddy has been implemented but I think there's definitely been a lot of push back about a bell to bell because I know that's something like a a lot of other schools are considering ing. Um, it just seems like people there's like a sense of autonomy that comes I think with having a phone and a safety concern that is making students wary of a
059bell to bell policy. I think there's a lot of discussion that comes around with it. Um, and people maybe don't understand like you know if we take the I'm sure that like safety concerns are taken into account if we do take on that policy. But if you guys want to talk more about your thoughts. >> Yeah. Um Oh, Mark. Um I think yeah basically we were talking to the student senators yesterday at our meeting and I think people kind of respect the phone policy that we have in place. They understand the the need for the caddies and I think most people in general um will put their phone away in every class and they understand that it's just you know for focusing. But if and I don't have many classes I'd say where people like
060there's no one who ever like really refuses to put their phone away. I've never seen that. Um, and another part of it is kind of that it's like a responsibility for yourself to be focused during class, be paying attention and doing your work. And it also helps you in the long run to like process what's going on in class and then maybe have less work later at night if you get everything done during the school day. So, I think people recognize that putting your phone away and focusing on your work is good for you. So I think that's a part of the reason why people um my students respect the phone caddy thing right now. But I think the bell to bell might feel like um a step further that doesn't seem necessary and I
061think they're worried um yeah for many reasons like the safety reasons >> and then I mean when we brought up like the possibility of a bell to bell in student senate yesterday there are two main like concerns that emerged and I think they were reflected in the draft survey that you sent to us. Um, but one of them being that frequently upper classmen and also some underassmen go off campus during free blocks and even if like sometimes they're scheduled free blocks or lunch blocks, but also sometimes the class is canceled. And so even then it's really important that students have their phones not only to like I don't know order ahead for Starbucks but also like to get directions or to like call someone if your car like something like that um just to have
062that for emergencies. Um and even to like sign out from um you know we do the sign out the at the door and so that's a concern. And the second thing being like if students are feeling ill or have a question about like last minute communication for parents with rides um or like friends um it's really important that you know students have their phones at least during like passing periods and during lunch like I found a few times like I'm not trying to skip class but if I'm like feeling really sick and I'm needing to ask my mom if like I want if I should go home like I'll text her then. And I just I think there's a concern that if students don't have their phones during the day, that that will get really
063tricky and, you know, might have to go down to the office yourself to call, which takes out like an extra 10 minutes from your day when you could just send a a quick text. Um, yeah. Do you have any more you have any thoughts on this? >> I so had a question. I was more so thinking, do we think this is like something that's not working? Like is that what we've seen past like the phone policy now? >> I I don't think it's that we see it's not working. I think the state is considering um they're putting a bill forward so it's right now it's sitting in the house and so a lot of schools are considering it so we're just as a school committee taking it up >> and also there isn't one >>
064there isn't one so we're trying to solve for the problem that there is not currently one there is a handbook policy but there is not a district school policy and typically those two >> there if there is one there is the other >> yes so and so we have a K to8 cell phone policy we do not have one for the high school currently and it's a school committee policy. A lot of people talk about policy as like oh it's a school policy. This is an actual school committee policy. So that's what we're looking at. So we wanted we thought it was important to get feedback from the students to see how it's working like what do you see during the day you know what are your thoughts on it because I think a lot
065of times decisions are made without asking everybody you know for feedback. So we are going to be asking parents, we're asking students, we're asking teachers, administrators because seven of us hold policy and so we need more feedback than that. >> Yeah, I think it in my experience it's like um dependent definitely on the class. Like I had a test, a Russian history test that took like two hours. It's a huge test. But she was very like phones phones phones caddyy and she really honestly didn't have to remind people but everybody like came and put their phone. Usually in that class like people just keep their phones in their bags and nobody goes on them. So I think it's dependent on like the class or like if we're taking a test that day, but I don't
066really usually see an issue with phones. And definitely I've never seen any students take their phone out of the caddy during class. >> No. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So I guess my question back to you would be, do you feel as though what's happening at the high school is working or not working? >> I think it's working to the degree that it needs to be working. I think it's impossible to kind of prevent all cell phone distractions. And if you do, there's probably going to be a lot of student upset. Like just the taking away the phones, I think it's going to, you know, upset a lot of students. Um, and I think regardless, I mean, we experience this with like Zoom chats and all this stuff. Like students are going to find a way
067to like connect with each other or like talk to people or like play games on like, you know, there's always like the unblock games on the laptop. So there's always like a way that students will find like a way around the policies which I'm obviously not supporting or anything but I just think that like like we're doing I think it's like the best it can really be and I'm honestly impressed by like the discipline that students have and some of my classes like it's like every single day people are just like running straight to the phone caddy and it's like they just come back to their seats and it's just become a habit and I think um if we do feel like we want to like you know if the results from the the survey
068are like no we need to you know it's too distracting we need to up it um I think just making sure that student or teachers are really enforcing that it's honestly enough like I think I'm impressed by student discipline. So >> yeah. Does anybody else on the committee have any questions before our students go? >> One question. Did we see the the survey that went out to students? >> Nothing's gone out. >> Okay. >> We're still in we're still in draft form from March 4th. >> And we also I think we left some comments on a few of the questions that were on the survey like just adding in like another option or something like that. >> There survey that you generated. >> No. No, no survey. So, we asked I asked Dr. Hunter to
069ask our reps for their feedback in preparation for a meeting >> on the draft survey that we draft that we already looked at. Sorry. So, they've seen clarified and they're giving feedback on Got >> and you're sharing their feedback. >> Yes. Okay. >> Yes. So, later so I got it. Yeah. Last night. Is it last night you sent it? >> Yes. Yes. So, so I've been I've been taking everyone's feedback and so when we get to that part of the discussion, I've tried to incorporate everyone's feedback into a version two of the survey. So, we'll see where that takes us. >> All right. Uh, Sadep or Andrew, any questions, comments for our students? >> Maybe. >> Not right now. No, that was helpful. >> All right. Super helpful. Well, thank you so much. >> Good
070luck this spring. We'll see you after vacation. We'll see you in May and then you can let us know. So we are you can let us know if you're coming in June or not. No pressure. >> Yes, >> I think we should. >> What's the June date? >> Um it is the first Wednesday in June. It's the Wednesday after graduation. I can't remember the date. >> June 3rd. Oh, June 3rd. >> We'll probably be around. >> All right. If you're around, we would love to have you >> and we'll keep you updated on the elections. >> Yeah, definitely do. Yeah. All right. Thank you so much. All right. And we are moving on to our public comment section. I know that we have some sheets from in the room. I'm just going to read our
071public comment period. It will be a period of 20 minutes. As a reminder, this is a meeting in the public, not with the public. So, the school committee will not be responding to any comments. If you're in the room, you'd like to speak, you submit a blue sheet, which I have. Um, if you're on Zoom, you can use the raised hand feature. And we're called to speak. Please state your name and address before you speak. And we'll go every other starting in the room. And you will have a limit of three minutes. >> Do you have any time? >> Yes. Brian will be timing. He's an excellent timekeeper, I'll just say. And you'll be hearing the bells. Uh should you need the bell? >> I don't know. Okay. So, Adrien Principy, we have you first.
072You can join us at the table. We have microphones in the room, so you can just speak. >> Should I sit up here? >> Yes, that'd be great. >> Okay, great. I'm Adrian Principy, 78 Road. I'm a conquered parent and the founder of Turning Life On. Um, over the years, many people, including myself, have spoken up about the harms of technology on children and teens. In February, Congress held a hearing during which one testified that this is the first generation to underperform their parents. In March, a New Mexico jury found Metal liable for knowingly failing to protect children from sexual exploitation and misleading the public on platform safety, ordering them to pay $370 million. Uh, one day later, an LA jury found Meta and YouTube negligent and liable for over six million in damages after
073determining they designed addictive platforms that harmed a user's mental health. In conquered, our youth risk behavior results reveal a terrible picture of pre-teen and teen mental health. I'm here to paint a picture um realistic picture of what our children experience each day as they enter school. Before you enter the building, do you have your video camera in case you want to capture and post an embarrassing picture or video of a classmate? Your Tik Tok app, all your Instagram influencers, your music, Netflix, YouTube, Discord, pics that are circling the school, is your geo location on, and are your 10,000 Snapchat strangers in your pocket? Don't forget your online gaming, Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox, a game you can use to beat pregnant women in minorities. and make sure you still have access to millions of pornography videos.
074To enhance your experience, we're giving you a one-to-one device to use during the day. With this machine, you can watch entertaining videos for the duration of class, alienate your teachers and peers, discover multiple ways around the firewall, cheat your way through high school, and learn math, science, and reading in a gamified way. Let Google create a digital profile for you, and allow the YouTube algorithm to lead you down a destructive path full of inappropriate content. We also track how often and for how long you visit the bathroom, nurse and guidance counselor. Lastly, when you use these school approved apps, you consent for edtech to steal and sell your information because in their privacy agreements, most say when you access or use our service, you're deemed to consent to the collection, use, retention, transfer, manipulation, storage,
075transmission, and or disclosure of your information. Most importantly though, kids, you must sign a digital compliance agreement not to misuse the drug-like devices that are designed to be addictive. As a mother of four and the founder of a nonprofit dedicated to digital wellness, it's alarming that I have to prove it scientific research why this invasive technology is detrimental to our kids when no one can produce independent research to support why it was introduced in the first place. The apps kids are accessing on their phones during the school day and onetoone devices are at odds with our school and community values. Why do we allow schools to become Silicon Valley profit centers? Why did we replace human interaction with machines? Why did we force our children to s stare at screens for hours a day when
076we had zero research on what it would do to their eyes, their brains, and their humanity? You have an opportunity. protect the current generation and all those who follow by passing and enforcing a meaningful bell-to-bell inaccessible smartphone policy >> and honor parental rights. >> Thank you. >> Looking online, I don't see any hands. And up next, Christine Spit. Um, apologies. I just kind of put this together. Um, it might sound a bit disjointed, but Christine Spin, 49 Part Cartridge Lane, for new to conquered. Can I begin? I would also like to comment on the subject of education technology used in our district schools. And trust me, I get the irony of me reading this comment off of a smartphone right now. Um, when what I am speaking to is the reduction of this tech in
077our lives. I work hard as a parent to set rules and expectations for technology in our home and with my family. And I'm obviously not the most popular person in the house, but I have to be the responsible adult because I want my children to experience the world and to learn more deeply. I'm thankful that my generation falls into this moment of time where we have learned the consequences. We have the research and the studies that are going on right now to say that this is not benefiting our children. I don't have to backpedal um any of my decisions because my ages fall in that sweet spot between when everyone is expected to have smart devices. My children do not have um phones, but they do have iPads and I keep these locked down and
078um with regard to content and I review what they see and do on them. It was my choice to give them these devices and so it's my job to monitor them for their protection. The schools on the other hand made a choice from my family without my consent to give all of these devices to my children without any proper barriers in place. These kids um throughout the whole middle school I have three in the middle school now have access to the internet where I can't see what they're doing and the school as far as we know you they're just discovering as they're um um what they're monitoring. Um so the school has put things into my home that do not align with my family values. We moved here from across the country specifically to enjoy
079the benefits of a Massachusetts education and instead I arrived to discover that system is charging wildly ahead in the same way as the rest of the country. Um with zero regard for researchbased evidence and information they've thrown social media and ed applications that where the vetting is questionable and even video games into my kids' hands. My kids are constantly behind a computer all day long and then um and then at home. Um, and I'll fast forward because I don't want to miss this part. Um, but I have no way of monitoring or keeping them from doing it. And this isn't the time to experiment. And don't get me wrong, I love technology. Technology has given us wings to do more, to know more, to be more productive. But I already had a deeply ingrained education
080to know how to manipulate and analyze and learn. Our students are not being given the opportunity to fully see, hear, share, and touch. I was a former educator in adult literacy and I understand how different students learn. Some are oral learners, some are visual learners, some are tactile. I worked with adults and like showed them like this is how they learned their letters was like drawing letters in the sand. Digital education takes nearly all of these sensory experiences away from our students. And we're doing this to kindergarteners and first graders and you know up to the eighth graders in high school. I understand. But um with the computers because they will be doing this out in the real world, but right now I we I did a project at school. We started a new service
081club and um the kids had to draw on paper and what I saw looked like what you would see third graders do and these were sixth and seventh graders, you know, with their lack of creativity and lack of handwriting and it was just um disappointing. Sorry. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Online I don't see any hands. and Emily lines. I'm sorry. Hello. Thank you for um letting me speak. I'm Emily Lines. I live at 63 Bruce Road in conquered. And I first want to um applaud the decision to open Metco enrollment up to multiple grades for next year. I think that is a wonderful step um forward. Um, thank you for the opportunity to speak today to you all and for the thoughtful work that you're doing and serving the community about the
082high school cell phone policy. I truly appreciate the effort to gather perspectives from students, families, and educators and that kind of engagement with the community really matters. At the same time, I'd like to suggest that we also lean on the strong body of data um that we already have available to us, both from our own 2024 youth risk behavior survey and from broader research to help guide our next steps. For example, we know that CCHS students report a median of 2.7 hours per day on devices for non-school use and over half turn to social media to cope with stress. Research consistently shows, however, that higher daily smartphone and social media use is associated with increased risks of anxiety, depression, suicidality, and reduced attention. We're also seeing rising feelings of loneliness and lack of belonging in
083our schools, especially in certain grades, which we know are closely tied to student well-being. So, while the survey will give us valuable insight into perceptions and experiences, the evidence already gives us clear direction, adopting a bell-to-bell off and away policy during the school day supports both learning and mental health. Where the survey results become most important is in how we implement that direction. The role of this data should not be to decide whether to act. We already have enough evidence to justify that, but to determine how to do it well. The results should guide how we support families. How we train staff for consistent and fair implementation, something that our students have already identified we need more work around and clearly something that needs help also at the middle school. And also how we clearly
084communicate the purpose and the benefits of this change to students, families, and educators. This is a moment for strong leadership. By using the survey to inform a strong roll out, education, resources, clear expectations, you can bring the community along. You can set a tone of working in partnership together. Other districts have made these changes successfully. It's not toothpaste. And we can do it, too. With a clear plan and shared commitment, we can create a school environment that better supports focus, connection, and student well-being. Thank you. >> Thank you. any comments online. Okay, I don't see any more in the room. So, with that, I will close up public comment and move on to our consent agenda. Does anyone have anything they need to remove from the consent agenda? >> Pull item D off the for
085correctness. Comments can be made included. I can send you the edits. >> Okay. So, we're going to pull that off for the next meeting. Um, just because we don't have the edits tonight. >> I can send you the >> do you Okay. Okay. Um, >> sorry, Tracy. What um what was uh what was pulled? >> February 4th. >> Item D. Okay. February 4th minutes. >> Thank you. >> Do you have them that you could share on screen or No. Um, no. I don't have them share screen, but I can send it to you so we can review them prior to the next meeting. >> Okay. Okay. So, we'll do it at the next regional meeting because they are joint minutes. All right. Anything else? Any questions? Are we >> No, but can I just say
086that um I was looking through the the five different travel trips. Yeah. And um I it makes sense that these are consent agenda, but I think it is like a shame that we don't talk about it more because it is such a great experience for a lot of kids to have access to some of these exchange programs and um just experiential learning. So >> and and just >> and the amount of thought from the teachers that went into planning it. So anyway, just a just a shout out to say thank you. >> Yep. And Brian and I talked about this at agenda planning and we opted to put it on the consent agenda because it's just a yearly um approval of trips. But for people that are out there watching and listening, um we have
087a bunch of trips at the high school that all of the information is linked to the agenda. So you should be able to see that. One point I'd make on that a question I can on on kind of siphon support because the >> trips go from a minimum of $600 to $6,500 and just to speak for a moment on do we have information on stipen support for students >> for student scholarship. Yeah. So there's a Sharon Young scholarship at the high school and so students can apply to that. Um some of the trips have scholar some scholarship built into it. Um, so >> it is one of the reasons why you see a a trip to the White Mountains. That's a very intentional shift for us to start offering closer trips. It's why you saw
088Montreal and Quebec lately. >> Um, trying to have a broader array that do open accessibility up. Um, we've talked about the equity and access issues for my entire tenure. There isn't a solution. We're trying to come at it from every different way we can. Sharon Young has a nice flow to it where we're offered able to offer some funds. Every adviser knows that they're partly responsible for helping to fund raise or find ways to subsidize the trips. So, um we're just tackling it every way we can >> and I think >> frankly those closer trips are safer right now in the world which is great. >> Yeah. Well, I guess I'll grab that nugget you just threw and um we're going to monitor all these and only send people where it's safe. We did not
089go to Ecuador this year for that reason. We undid that trip after you had approved it. So, we're always always monitoring for safety for travel. >> And just to get it out there to the community, maybe I'll do a write up for your Friday bulletin about the Sharon Young Fund. Um, just ways that people can donate because that is one thing that it's it's something that >> exists, but there's no real funding source to that mechanism. >> We have bits and drabs of ways that it gets some funding, but we don't have anybody dedicated to fundra. So sure, let's put it in. Yeah. Can you send it tomorrow because >> Yes, I will. >> Aaron's finishing that up tomorrow. >> Yep. >> Um there is one CPS item, so we have to vote region or
090both, right? >> Yes. So if you are on the region, um please say for both and if you are well, if you're on conquered, the conquer may say for both >> and if you're a regional member, say for region. >> Thank you, Brian, for pointing that out. >> Yeah. Um I'll make a motion to approve the April 1st consent agenda. seconded. >> Oh, sorry. With the exception of item D, February 4th, joint minutes. >> Second. >> Okay. Second. And roll call. >> I for both. >> Keller, I for region. Morano, I for both. >> I for both. >> Rank and I for both. >> Wat I for regent. >> Williams. I for both. >> Okay. Um. All right. Right. And those February 4th minutes will come back uh at the next meeting. So, >> Next
091regional meeting. Yes. Yes. All right. So, correspondence. We did not have much correspondence and I believe I responded to all of it. Um so, I'm just going to move right through correspondence. Um we were copied on some emails, so it wasn't actually correspondence, but we were copied on it. And then we'll move into our discussion. And so item A would be the cost of living adjustment and hiring incentives for transportation. And we have a vote on this. I'll look to Brian to make the motion. Sure. Um, we move that the conquered and conquered Carile Regional School Committees vote to authorize district administration to implement uh this bus driver recruitment incentive plan and agree to amend the bus drivers union contract to implement the increased pay rates as outlined in the assistant superintendent memo. >> Second.
092>> Okay. And I'd just like to thank Bob and Lori and Michael um for doing that negotiation with transportation and >> this discuss >> guess what the content of it >> we need to discuss the content >> public meeting. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. Details here. >> All right. So we'll do the discussion part right now while we're in the middle. So Bob, do you want to give us an update high level? >> Sure. And so u folks who saw the agenda online the u the memo is posted to the agenda and you can link and see it but essentially we were in a situation where we had uh several vacancies. We were short getting close to the point where uh we weren't going to be able to run routes and we felt like we
093needed to respond uh quickly to that. Um at the same time the the market has changed in transportation. Um, notably two districts, Worcester and Framingham, brought their transportation inhouse because of problems with outside vendors. Um, and um, since COVID, there's been kind of a um outflow. Uh, there's less drivers drivers who left um during COVID, not as many came back. So, there's been a national shortage of drivers um that's um been out there. Um, so people are competing more heavily for drivers. Conquered used to be a place that when we had an opening and we posted, we'd have 10 applicants for a job. Um, we were kind of the employer of choice. Um, we're finding more recently is we might have a couple applications um and we're also not the highest um paying district um
094or has uh some of the outside vendors also have surpassed us. So, um we wanted to be more competitive um to attract drivers, particularly licensed drivers. the last batch of drivers we've hired have come where we've had to train them and get them certified. So those are all the kind of reasons that went into this um to uh make us more attractive as an employer and give us some security in our our routes. So um financially the the impact of of these are about $18,000 annually to conquer uh public schools and 14,000 excuse me 12,000 annually to conquer Carwell Regional School District. So, it's it's certainly manageable to both of our districts. At the same time, it is uh something that I um gotten additional feedback was, you know, very much welcomed by the drivers
095and uh um helps them feel uh valued and um will hopefully help us attract um licensed drivers going forward. Um so, the the motion and the vote was to increase it by 2% immediately after this meeting um in the next payroll run and then um that would kind of roll forward. So their their contractual rates would be 2% higher than what we agreed to each of the next two years as well. >> In addition, there's a hiring incentive. Um and we're we're probably on somewhat on the low end of of what um is out there in the public, but we felt we needed to have something. Um some of the hiring incentives at other employers have have actually gone as high as 10 10,000 with one company, but uh you know 5,000 3 to 5,000
096is is fairly common. Um, so we're we've proposed um a hiring uh incentive for a licensed driver, not one we need to train, but a fully licensed driver um of 2,500 to be paid half after 6 months of service and half after 12 months of service so that we make sure they're um they've worked here and they've earned it before we pay the the incentive bonus. Uh and then there's also a referral bonus of $1,000 that would be paid after six months. So, if a person has a friend at some other school district and they referred them and they successfully complete six months, um that um that would there'd be a referral bonus of $1,000. So, that's the plan in a nutshell. >> Great. Any other discussion? >> Okay. So, now we will roll call.
097>> Her eye. >> Moreno. I for both >> her I for region. Sorry. >> Carrie stepped out so we can vote without her because we still have a >> quorum. >> Sorry, you have to go after the vet. >> Oh, you didn't hear me. I said Oh. Oh, I went before. >> You did go for me. It's all right. >> I can't do alphabetical order today. So, Morano I for both. I'll do it again. Why not? >> Bishardi for both. >> Wat I for region. Williams. I for both. >> I think Carrie's walking back in. Would you like to vote on transportation? >> Frank and I >> for both. For both. >> Great. Okay. So, >> sorry. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you for that. Um, next up we have uh the region
098the END, which is the um high school's version of free cashache, has been certified. So again, Bob's got a memo in the packet and I will turn it to Bob. >> So EMD uh stands for excess and deficiency. Um it's the call it the equivalent of free cash for a town or municipality, though the rules are a little bit different. We can only carry a cumulative surplus of 5%. Um free cash doesn't have that limitation. Um, we've just certified recently. We submitted, I want to say also on time on October 31st. And it took the Department of Revenue a very long time to certify in part because they tend to prioritize um tax rate approvals over regional school district END. So, um, typically I'd like to bring this a little bit earlier, but um, what
099we were certified for was a million772572. Uh that's five 4.38% of our FY26 budget. Uh the statutory cap is 5%. So we're we have a little bit of room below the cap. Um if we went above the cap, we'd have to uh return any surplus uh to the member towns um above 5%. So we we'd try not to go above 5%. I don't think we're going to have um I mentioned this on the FAAC call this morning. We've had some one-time revenues and we've also in the past had budget a little bit more conservatively on interest income when the rates had been below 1% for a while and we didn't adjust quite as quickly as the rates went up. Um we're now budgeting and our interest income is right in line with what we actually
100budgeted. Um so there's no surplus there and our other one-time revenues. Um we don't really have any significant events like the closure of MNHG or the EDCO where you put money up front and you sometimes get a refund later of the estimated closing costs. So, um I don't anticipate any any um large fluctuations um going forward. I also want to add that we do in our budget factor in $300,000 of END to offset our operating budget. Um we continue to do that. So, um, at some point without, you know, revenue surpluses, um, you would we would start to, um, see the END come down a little bit, but, um, I we'll be fine this year. It's something we'll just have to pay attention to in future budget cycles. >> Okay. >> There's no vote required.
101I know it says vote on the agenda. Um, you have no say in it. The town uh, the DLS sets approves it and certifies it. But don't we Bob, >> can I ask you a question then? Have >> the budget. >> So that's the motion that's in there on the budget. Sep, do you have a question? >> Yes. So So you mentioned, you know, the the 5% cap. Is there any specific range we try and keep this to? >> I mean, it's um it's not an exact science. I mean, I would say 4.5 would be a nice number. Um close to the cap, but not so close that we have to worry about going over it. >> You don't want to be under four. I' we've been under four and they started to express some
102concerns because our stabilization funds were lower. We also were in a circuit breaker shortage at the time, but under four, you probably want to start thinking on where you're at. >> Right. So, so it's it's this number is comparable to prior years and and right about where we want it. >> Yeah, I'd say I mean I if it ticked up a little bit, that'd be fine, but I I think we're in a healthy position. Thank you. >> Yeah, I mean I to me this is just we're running really tight budgets and we have an appropriate safety net. We're not holding on too much cash and like I don't know what you can ask for much more within 1% of the statutory cap. So I think to me this is like another great job managing the
103budget. Bob, >> I agree. No. >> No. Okay. Too bright. >> We don't have to vote. >> We have to vote the budget. >> That's the next. That's the next one. Oh, sorry. Sorry. Sorry. >> All right. So, let's move on to the budget. I have the budget up already. That's >> I have it on No, on my computer. Sorry. >> See if I have the right one. >> Tracy, you're very excitable tonight. You're >> I know. I think so. >> Interested in the in the budget. >> I'm really interested in the budget. >> Trying to run a timely meeting. Sorry, I have the wrong document open. >> It's linked to YouTube. >> Yeah. No, I have it now. I have two open windows. the windows. >> So, um, a technical requirement of it's a
104quirk of the way they approve END is, um, technically we're not authorized to use it in our budget until it's been certified by the Department of Revenue. So, in reality, we know it's going to be certified, so we we factor it into our budgets. Um, but we need to revote it after they've certified END. Um, I will note that we did again submit it on time and the deadline of October 31st. So, this revote is through no fault of our own. Um, but we need to revote the budget that you've already approved at the last meeting. Um, and so this memo just outlines that, um, you're going to reapprove the budget that was approved on March 4th, 2026 in the same amount. Um, and that's you can just use the motion language there. So, it's
105really just a technical requirement. There's no changes to the budget. No changes to the budget. >> For anybody uh listening on the outside who hasn't um might be listening for the first time, >> I move to approve the conquered Carlo Regional School District proposed FY27 budget in the amount presented above and the resultant assessments allocated to the town of Conquered and Town of Carile per the regional agreement formula. >> Second. >> Okay. And we'll roll call. And this is just for regions. >> Bjek I >> Kellaher I >> Morado I >> Bishardi I >> Franken I >> Williams I >> Okay. All right. Um which brings us on to the cell phone survey. Okay. Let me just I'm going to share my screen. All right. Um, this was a little more complicated. Uh, the last
106time we saw the survey was on March 4th. I brought a draft of the survey. We didn't have an extensive period of time to discuss it at that meeting. I think we had like about five minutes. So what I did is I took anyone that had sent me written feedback. I used all of that written feedback, including the feedback we got from the students. I asked Lori to get feedback from the principles of the high school. So I had a little feedback on that. Um, and I think that I've included everybody's feedback in here, but if I haven't, that's totally fine. So, what I was thinking is we should go through this question by question because at some point we have to either get the survey out this year or it's just going to dangle
107on. So, I was like I have to try and combine everybody's feedback. So, I realized you're seeing it all right now, but I was still getting feedback this afternoon. So, I feel like this is the best we could do and it's so no one has seen this yet and this is what I came up with. So, um we're just going to go right from the beginning. Actually, I'll start with uh and I'm going to just read this so people at home can hear it or those in the room add it to it. >> Oh, please add it to Can you edit it or no? Not editable. >> It is for me. >> I don't have the link though. >> Okay. No, that's okay. I'm just going to read it. I didn't send anyone the link.
108So, the school committee is seeking input from students, families, and educators to help in the development of a cell phone policy for Conquer Carell High School. The survey gathers perspectives on current practices and potential future approaches to ensure a variety of voices are considered in the policymaking process. This survey I'm going to take this out because of feedback that I incorporate from Brian. It is not anonymous because this survey takes approximately 3 to four minutes. So, um I think you can just delete that sentence, but I don't care. >> Do you want me to delete the survey takes three to four minutes or no? >> Any thoughts on that? Good to let people know. >> We're going to drop all this. >> That's fine. >> Get rid of the is. Yeah. >> Get rid of
109the is >> the survey takes approximately. >> Oh, thank you. >> Yeah. See, it's going to be live in the meeting. Um, Michael, >> I guess not on not on that particular wording. I guess the question I have is this something just for our school community or for the entire community. So I think that we should discuss >> and depending how you frame that I think it sort of determines what your the whole prologue portion of the survey should be. >> I I mean my thought I I mean I think we should talk about that and what people feel as though who it should go to. I mean I do think it should be for the school community. That would include teachers, parents and students. Um, but that's just my thought and so we can
110maybe have a discussion about if we think we should spread it broader than that. Um, because I think there's a lot of misinformation out there of what's actually happening. Um, and the education of, you know, what's happening out there? So, if anyone has any other thoughts, >> so then would it be students just in the high school or I guess families just in the high school or would you look at elementary and middle schools too? So when we get down below in the survey there it is for current parents or future parents but I was thinking just students in the high school currently. Again, the question is is is this for just the students in the school, the parents, teachers and and and our community depending on who you want to reach and depending how
111widely you want to distribute information, you want to cast the net as widely as possible. So if to speak to the misinformation you were talking about, you can dispel misinformation by the way you format the pro the prologue to this >> and then hopefully the data you get back and use that information from an informed population both school and school community and community at large to help us deliberate over what want our policy to be. >> So I would I would argue for this being sent more widely than just the just the school >> school community. >> So, why don't we kind of go around and see what people are thinking? Lynette, do you have thoughts? Sorry to put you on the spot. I'm just gonna go around the room and make sure we get
112everybody. >> Why? Um, I would think I mean I would think certainly the high school, maybe the middle schools because those parents are coming sooner, but I don't um it's those are the people it's pertinent to. Those are the commu and they are the community. They are parents and families and the students that are involved in this. There's always a forum for the community to communicate with the school about what they think. they have our email to reach out to the school committee, but I don't think the survey needs to go. I I wouldn't think Carile would I don't think our larger community would weigh in on this because it's not relevant. >> So, you feel like middle school like Carile 6 through 8? >> Yeah. >> Conquered six through eight >> and the high
113school. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Carrie, >> uh, I definitely agree six to eight and that because I didn't I I saw you added future CS because that wasn't in the initial draft. And I think on the misperceptions piece, my feedback on the initial draft was that I think it needed to be more neutral, not because I I worry that if you're looking at this as a tool to um like dispel misinformation. Um we're that's not the purpose of a survey. The survey is to actually frame things as neutally as possible so you can actually get where people are versus convincing them one way or the other. Well, they >> so and that but but I'm just saying my my feedback was to make it to take away a lot of the content that was current
114in the current one and I don't know where we I don't know where that stands frankly a lot of content >> that was one of my questions was there were a lot of things that if I were taking that without knowing the information I have being on this committee I would be like oh sure that sounds great but I actually you know I think that the the actual question we ought to be asking is more neutral >> I agree with the questions need to be neutral and nonbiased But if you're if you state that there's misperceptions and you don't at least define all the policy all the policy choices reveal no policy. >> So that was my feedback too that there needs to be an inclusion of all the policies. >> So maybe if we
115keep going down through the survey so like the question at hand is who gets the survey. So that's that's our first discussion point is who gets it. So Lynette has said 6 through basically 6 through 12 Carile conquered. Um Michael wants a broader community. >> I think I think six through 12 makes a lot of sense. >> Brian >> for students 6 through 12 >> parents educators. I think it's the people who are going to have the direct impact by this policy are the ones that need to weigh in. >> I would say parents of six to >> I thought I said that. >> Oh, sorry. I thought you were saying just students for 16 >> I mean parents I mean >> can be K and up. >> Yep. >> But um >> andrew and
116Sundi you guys want to chime in? >> Yeah. I think uh from a student perspect I mean we have a a policy for K through eight and so I I get it like sixth grader will be at high school in three in three years but I also think I personally think that's too young for them to have meaningful data points in in this like very complicated discussion. So I I would send it to eighth graders plus for us from a student perspective. And then I think it goes to all the parents of, you know, conquered and Carile public schools and including Boston parents K through 12. You know, if you have a a kid that's entering um enrolled in um kindergarten or Tracy like yourself who has their last kid is graduating in a month,
117I think everything in between uh everyone in between should take take the survey. I don't think it goes to the community who who don't have students in in the schools. I I just don't think that matters in in this in this um survey. >> Okay. All right. Sad. >> I I actually think we send it out as broad as possible. Um this this is not I mean this is not the sole input into uh the policy, right? This this is going to give us an insight into what folks think whe whether that's you know parents of kids in the middle school, parents of kids in the high school, uh high school kids and and even broader part of the community. There there's a lot of knowledge in our town that we might be able to
118tap into. It is not anonymous, right? So we can we can look at the data to see uh and and have that way I guess weigh that as a factor when we go to making decisions. So I I again I I don't know how we're going to email blast the whole town. I don't think we need to. But having this if somebody's interested, if somebody wants to win, having it as an option for them, I I'd be in favor of that. >> Okay. Can I ask a question? >> Yep. >> I guess this just goes to my like other question, which is like what is the point of the survey? Like what are we trying to accomplish by doing the survey? Is it to like literally listen to everybody and just hear what people have
119to say? Like I mean we do that all the time over email. We we're always open to the community. Um I my feeling on the survey and I missed last meeting when we talked about this so I apologize for that but my feeling on the survey is not to hear from everybody. It is really to understand um what like what is happening and how do people feel about it and and what are the what are the feelings or what are the thoughts on on a policy um shift like because I think I I actually think what you know one of the public um commenters said of like lots of people are going to have feelings on what it is but that actually isn't what people how they might answer the questions it does not necessarily
120dictate what we do. It really dictates how we do what that whatever the committee does, right? Like the implementation of it. So I guess my feeling is like what are we trying to accomplish with this survey because that then you have to determine who the audience is. >> Yeah. And I guess my feeling is what we're trying to accomplish is to give people an avenue to comment to not comment but have some opinions on it because I think what we learned I I'll just go to the amenities building. when you're trying to do things without the community having input into things, then you have no idea what the push back is going to be. Um, and I think this will inform our decision. I think it's still going to be the decision of the committee,
121but I think it's just another piece of it. And it's not going to be like, okay, 85% of the people said this, so this is what we're doing. I mean, I think this kind of discussion is super helpful um to for people to realize that we're not taking it lightly and we're not making quick decisions either. I mean, I look at how long it sat in the house and they still haven't decided on it. There's still no I mean, part of the sticking point is who's going to write the policy that's going to be followed and is it going to be Desi? So, I mean, MASC won't even write a policy for it right now. They're waiting. So, I just feel like this is going to give us some information. I'm not sure where this
122is going to go. Um, but at least we'll have some information from stakeholders. >> And I think we need that information cuz as we've seen, unless you feel very strongly on a topic, you're not going to make the time to come and make a public comment. You're not going to make the time to go to a coffee. >> This like we've got especially students, teachers, like we we got to get >> But that's also true of volunteer surveys. You know what I mean? Like Yeah. Um, however, where where do you where what's your opinion on the the reach? the reach. I still think it should be I I'm a little bit swayed. I I'll I'll be honest. I'm swayed now. Um my initial thought was six through 12. Um but then you know I hear
123Andrew say well the sixth graders when you think about that like okay they could be a little bit young. 8 through 12 might be better on the students and I was not thinking K to2 parents. Um, you know, I think if we do survey K to2 parents or community members, we're going to have to add a, you know, so we know how old the kids are. Like maybe it should be K to 6, 6 to 8, 9 through 12 parent or community member if we decide the outreach is going to go further than that. >> I mean, I think that this is uh there are two different things I think we should think about when we do this policy. one again and you spoken to the fact that there's misinformation. If you're calling for responses
124from a group that's informed by misinformation, the data we get back is not necessarily going to be helpful. So I think one part of this and that's why I pointed the prologue. prologue needs to at least give a ground the groundwork the basic foundation that people are going to be looking at so they understand what the policies available are >> what the choices are and then the second part is to look at distribute to whatever community we end up deciding we want to but if we sc it narrowly there may be families that have their children in private school now that are looking at our schools to see what we want to see what they would want and and and what we lose that if we only cast narrow. So argument be give a firm
125baseline of information. So everybody that's looking at the survey understands one what we have now two what is the roster of things available as as uh neutally as possible. we frame our questions and then we see what we get back and use that as fuel for us to deliberate deliberate on what we want the policy to be >> and to Michael's point if we are going to open it up further I also think we got to look at the questions because some of these like >> yes >> as we not be able to answer as a future parent >> right so let's go through let's take a little pause from >> the first section and let's go through the questions um Brian had sent some feedback on it should not be anonymous and And I
126do agree with that. Um I think it's important that you know if you're taking time to fill out the survey, you can put your name and email address. Um and then that way we can ensure that people aren't filling it out multiple times, too. >> That was one of my question that was part of your feedback. Um okay. Sorry, I'm making Brian be the editor live. So we're going to do both. All right. So then we have the primary affiliation with Conquer Carlo High School. So again, let's just pause and go through the whole survey. >> Um once we decide if we're going to add more to this question, >> which community do you live in? >> There's so for that one, if we go wider, we'd have to do community. We'd have to have
127like a fifth box community at large, right? >> Well, because it would still be conquered or >> it would still be conquered parallel or Boston. If other do you require other meant the other thought was maybe for staff >> you know if they could choose other or we could make the question just like staff >> let's come back to this we've already like it's going to depend on >> it's going to depend on everything else >> would you like to >> Well there's a tweet the other is also you've got kids from other communities >> other communities that go to school >> parents are staff yes >> so I think you need another >> you need the other okay um so current CCHS practice Now, I think this Can you scroll down just a little
128bit? >> Sorry. This this was done at um 3:00 the last section. I'm just going to scroll for a minute because the current policy is down here. This needs a little bit um rejiggering, I think. So, maybe I'm just going to move this section, but it's going to be complicated if I try to move this live. Um the current practice is phones and caddies during class, accessible during lunch and passing. That is our current practice. Away and out of sight. Phones are kept in bags or lockers not visible at any point during class. And bellto bell means no phone access for the entire school day including lunch passing periods and off-campus free blocks. So this is where it got combined into all of the feedback got combined together because is bellto bell um does that
129mean that our kids can't use it off campus because it's bell to bell or they can because that's going to you know change some things. >> I have a question. Yep. Um I think and this was like one of my questions was about um you know there is this line between policy and implementation. Yes. Like we are not responsible for implementation. Where does off-campus fall on in that line? >> Is that something that we have to decide as a committee or is that something you have to decide as if if the committee decides one route is that part of implementation? You need to be very clear for me as to what your expectation is on campus. >> Okay. I'm that I'm c I'm I'm just curious because I don't >> Yeah. >> So, does anyone
130have any thoughts on We cannot take comments for the public during meeting because this is not a hearing. I apologize. Um, you know, the only other the only other thing is to put something. One would be Bel restrictions with no off-campus and one could be Bel with use off campus. >> Just add add a fourth option. >> We could add a fourth option if we wanted to do that. >> Way an out of sight is actually almost backtracking from current practice because they would just be keeping them on their person. >> On their person. Yep. So, are you saying we should list that first and then cut in practice? >> I think we need to list that first. >> Yeah, I kind of actually agree. Like in this in the order of at the top
131so people know what they're talking about before they take the actual survey. >> Oh, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I was I was saying in the order of >> strictest, >> right? Exactly. >> Limit limit level. If we adopted a way and out of sight, we're actually loosening things up compared to the card practice. >> Yes. >> But this again is incorporating everyone's feedback. >> So we can take that out and we can just look at card practice bell-to- bell, you know. >> No, I I like your idea of adding the fourth option. >> You want to add the fourth one, but do we want to take away an out of sight? >> Oh, >> my vote would be yes. >> I'm fine with that. Yeah. Go back. Now, a way of I mean, I
132guess I'll play devil's advocate. Away and out of sight, >> but away and out of sight is also during lunch and passing times. >> If it's away and out of sight, >> class, >> not at any point during class, but it says nothing about lunch and passing times or free blocks. So, the the high school gets very complicated because there are different it's not, you know, there's not a free block at the middle school. Um, so I think this needs a little bit of work. So maybe with the fourth, do you want to just edit and just put we can do a little bit more work on it, but just say um, one could be Bel restrictive and one could be Bel like not including off campus. I do think that's going to be if
133you have a high school child, you 100% want them with their cell phones when they're off campus. And it is for things like Evelyn said like using your map. What if your car breaks down? What if you're in an emergency? It's not just for ordering Door Dash. >> Okay. It's really weird. Sorry. >> Yeah. >> Really making praying work. >> Okay. So, >> so we agree that at the top of this section there should be a definition of what the options are. >> Yes. >> Yep. >> Yeah. So, we go back up here. So, sorry that this is really I'm just going to write definition just as a um maybe we can put it here. I know I didn't spell that right. That's right. >> Okay. Okay. Let's go to question one. Your experience, how
134consistently is the classroom caddy practice used during instructional time including directed study and flex blocks? Does anyone have any comments or concerns with that question? >> So, I guess my comment >> the audience it goes back to the audience. It >> goes back to the audience, right? Yeah. And there wasn't a way um and there probably is a way if we use survey monkey which is something different. I think there is a way that you can say if you're in this category you get these questions. >> I just think the more complicated we make this the like harder it is to actually use the data. >> Well and this is why I'm happy we can do that with uh forms also >> in forms you can do that. So maybe Sunday help with some technical
135support on this. >> Yep. I got it. So, is this a question we want in for um students and parents? >> I think students like why would parents know >> or teachers? >> I would. Teachers and students. Yeah. I mean, >> okay. >> Parents are only going to hear it anecdotally. >> Yeah. >> I don't think they're going to hear put my phone in. Yes. Sorry. >> You do teachers and students. >> Yeah. >> And that'll just be our note. like just >> I'm actually having a problem with sequestering whoever has the pertinent information is going to answer. I'm not quite you're saying to the students and parent wants to answer it too from what their knowledge I'm not certain why I'm not certain why it's sequester. So I think we're saying just give it
136to students and like this question would just go to students and teachers because they're the only people with that information. >> The other stakeholders just wouldn't say >> because parents wouldn't know necessarily how it's working in a classroom. >> I don't know that you can say that. >> Well, I think unless your child is telling you what's happening in the classroom. >> No, I think but still that's anecdotal. >> That's not actual experience. It's not in your experience. You're just hearing it secondhand. cuz you like >> in your household. >> It's not in my household. It's at the high school. >> But again, you're But you're >> that's not I'm not You're >> because I think you're given the opportunity to weigh in on that practice in the the question above. Well, actually, wait, what's
137the question that is there anything under the definition? >> It was just >> This is really hard because we haven't looked at it like >> I know it's hard. I know. And this is why it's going to take us some time. uh we'd be able to filter questions by demographic. So like if you're a um like you know you could discount that question if you are select community at large in the upfront demographic intake or you could count it like you know >> um you I think anything's possible when you have the questions to filter by demographic >> right so if we look at that question can we agree that that would go to students current high school if you check off current high school student or current high school parent are we okay with
138Yes. >> To get that question, >> we can ask the I mean again >> not parents. Sorry. I'm sorry. Did I misspeak? Teachers and teachers and students get that question. >> Are we okay with that? >> You what? >> I have a problem with that. >> Okay. So, Lynette straw bullet. >> What was that, Cindy? >> Cindy, >> I I said throw the parents in there. >> So, you agree that the But how would the parents know if it's working or not? I mean we we'll we can look at the data and see if we get you know if there is disparity between what the students say and what the parents say. >> Strokes and and and leave the option of you know not sure right that's already there. So if parents don't know they
139can select not sure >> to Andrew's point you can dissect the data. So if you're going to add parents you might as well just keep it open and people can say I don't know. >> Okay. Okay. >> Yeah. My my other just general just thinking about this is I I think we could have five more meetings on this as a group of seven and still not come to a perfect consensus and at some point we're just going to want to we're going to get it out. >> Yeah, exactly. >> We just have to decide if we're going to get it out or not. Right. Um or when we want to get it out. So I think is a golden night to get this to like 80 or 90% and then have our statisticians on deep
140or someone like you know m make sure that we're getting the proper intake and can filter everything through and as long as we're good on the questions in general we could filter by demographic right >> yes yes I would agree with that if we could get it to like 90% to talk about this at our next meeting I think that's the goal >> okay are we good with that >> all right next question do you believe the current practice practice phone stored in caddies during instructional time is sufficient. And does everybody get this question? >> I have a very big problem with this question. >> You have a big question. Okay. Me, too. >> I just I just think it's completely irrelevant. Like I think if you have a if we ask at the top
141what you what your feeling is on these four different policy options, >> okay, >> how you feel about the current one as a standalone option is totally irrelevant. >> Okay. All right. Let's Michael, do you agree? >> I I agree with that. I think it introduces bias and I >> Lynette agrees, right? Okay. >> Getting rid of it. >> All right. So, I think this is the section that needs to move up. >> How supportive would you be of each of the following approaches? And again, this is taking everybody's input. Wait, did you just go up? >> We I feel like this should be at the Yeah, we're going to move that. >> I'm not going to move it right now. Yeah, we're not now. It's too complicated. >> Um, how supportive would you be
142of each of the following approaches? So, this is where it's important. We have the current caddy system, >> enhanced caddy system. This kind of came up as like do more than we already have. I think that's confusing personally. Yeah. >> Um, away and out of sight. Then there's that Bel with no off-campus use. Bel with off-campus use. So I think if we stayed those four, >> it needs to match whatever you need to >> match what you put. >> And I think current practice needs to have a name too. Like it needs to be like caddy caddy system. >> I would say like caddy system >> call it. >> Okay. Caddy system >> because like like it everything needs to have a name and then it needs to align those two sections. >> It's got
143to be the same in those two sections. >> Do you force people to rank these? >> Like can I come through and say I'm very supportive of all four because that's not actually going to help us. But if I can say I >> Oh, you have only one very supportive >> like can I check very supportive way down >> deep sandep our data guy >> we can set it like that if you want but to to to Brian's point um if if we if if select's very supportive everything it doesn't really yield us any good data >> so is it better to rank it do a ranking system >> all right >> yeah rank it rank it one through four Okay. Right. >> But see, but but that that leaves you option if you're not
144necessarily sure how to work, you might just want to leave it blank also. >> But yeah, we can we can put that in the ranking. >> I like that idea. Okay. >> Okay. >> We're moving along now. >> Yeah. >> Make it very clear on those which is the best the best and which is the worst or you know like most Yeah. Okay. >> One is best and lower is worse. Something like that. >> Yep. Michael, >> I think that scroll the the selections need to be consistent with the definitions >> that we have up top >> that you have up top >> and the I have a problem with the current caddy system. I think you should try to be very careful not to introduce bias in that. Yeah, >> just name caddy system
145enhanced caddy system away and out of sight. Bell's bell with caveats. >> Yep. >> So be careful not to bias. >> Yep. Okay. So >> I also think if we're if we do decide to send this out far and wide, >> you have to decide you have to define caddy system. Like before I worked here, I never knew. I was like, "What is a caddy?" Like >> uh people have no idea. >> You say shoe rack. I'm like, "Oh, that makes so much more sense." >> Like a shoe rack. I know. That's what it is. It's a literal like shoe rack with numbers on it. We could put a picture, right? Can we put a picture? >> Actually, you can put a picture in. We And I think we should put a picture in so
146people know that that's exactly >> that's in in the prologue. >> Okay. >> All right, Brian, you're doing an excellent job of being a notetaker. >> Good job. >> I actually know how to type. >> I know. It's okay, but it's my computer. That's why I really am a loud typer. And I think I've damaged my keys. >> All right, I think we're on to number six. >> Number six. How do how do cell phones impact learning during the school day? I don't like this question personally, but >> bad question. >> Yeah. >> Do we agree it's a bad question? >> I don't you don't learn anything from that. >> Delete. >> Seven. To what extent do you feel personally distracted? I don't know why that's in all capital letters. Distracted by your um phone
147during class. >> Yeah, delete it. >> Delete. I would say delete. See, it's so much more helpful when the whole group is discussing it together. Um, okay. In your opinion, when, if ever, should students be allowed to access phones during the day? And ignore this because I didn't cut you didn't cut that part out. And your choices are not during the school day, lunch only, passing time in lunch, free periods including off-campus, for academic purposes when directed by an educator, medical necessity. I have a problem with the question. At least from the the reading I've done, there things that argue against a lot of these and we want to I think the wording is problematic. It might be it might be better to ask what considerations should come to bear. Um because this is a
148question that we should get information from. Uh it's a problematic question. >> I would cut it. I feel like it's a again irrelevant. Can we put a pause on this so we can open our hearing then come right back to it >> but and hold everyone's thought on this question >> just because I don't want to just cut it without having a little bit more conversation on it. >> So if you want >> questions do we have >> just a few more but the but the hearing has to start at six o'clock because it was advertised. So if you just stop the share and we'll come I promise we'll come right back to this. All right. Look, I've left myself like 30 seconds. Um, so everybody can think and marinate on that for 30 seconds
149before I open the hearing because I can't open it till six o'clock. >> I could have given it one more minute. >> Yeah, that timing was impeccable. >> I I I mean, I really tried. I was getting nervous. I'm like watching the clock. I needed the the sec. Oh, here it is. Okay, it is 6 o'clock. So, I am going to open the school choice hearing and we will roll call in. >> Check present. >> Wait, do we have to make a motion? >> I move that the card. >> Make a motion. Go ahead. >> Oh, no. Sorry. This >> You don't need I'm just going to open the hearing and we're going to roll call in. So, her check start again. >> Herchek present. >> Keller present. Morano present. >> Bashardi present. >> Ranken
150present. >> Wat present. >> Williams present. >> Okay. Um, as we do every year, this is our school choice hearing in which we can take questions from the public and I am going to turn it over to Dr. Hunter. You have the memo in your packet and the memo is also available um online. >> So, you have to have this review and vote annually. So it is again my recommendation for 2026 2027 school year that you vote not to participate in the school choice provision of the state law for two reasons which are consistent from previous years. Um due to current enrollment is close to the school buildings capacities and there is not an equitable or adequate transportation system to allow all students to be able to attend a school in another district. So that
151is my recommendation and you can consider that in your bill. >> Okay. Does anyone have any questions for Dr. Hunter from the committee? >> I have a question. Uh over the years I wasn't sitting on the committee when this is decided last year but I think I was sitting out there. Um what has anything changed in either of these categories? And I know recently we've been reporting that the our census is declining. Does would that have any impact on >> It really hasn't. It hasn't declined so dramatically that we have suddenly all these open spaces in any one level. So we've got a space here or there that has opened up, but we've pretty quickly been able to spread out another need and utilize that space for something that wasn't adequately um situated. So there
152really isn't a change. Any other questions from the committee? Um, and I will open it up to the public for any comments or questions. Any in the room? I don't see any in the room about the school choice. And anyone online? I don't see any online. So now we will take a vote. I move that the conquered and conquered carile school committees vote to not participate in school choice for the school year 2026 to 2027. >> Do we have a second? >> Okay. Andrew Herek seconding and roll call. >> Her eye. >> And this is for both districts. >> Her check eye for both. >> Yes. Thank you. I for region Morana I for both. >> Micardi for both. Make an eye for both. >> Waters I for regent >> and >> Williams abstain. >>
153Anyone else? And now I am going to close the hearing. And we will we're going to roll call to close the hearing because when in doubt always roll call. >> Iard I. >> Ranken I. >> Wat I. >> Williams. I. >> Okay. Okay. back to I'm going to share the screen again. A riveting cell phone survey. Okay, you know where we were asked. Question eight. In your opinion, when if ever should students be allowed to access their phones during the school day? And I believe that Michael and Carrie did not like this question. >> Okay. He had some I I just I just think that um this is outside the scope of the school committee. This would definitely fall squarely into an implementation. Um and so this would be more of an administrative ask than
154a school committee ask. Okay. And Carrie is our resident policy guru. I like to call her. Not for much not for much longer. So let's uh >> see that smile on your face. I guess >> I I don't like the way the question is is worded, but I think in terms of gaining information for how we think about setting a policy, there's something something that could be gained in that. Um, but I also agree that that opinion I let me put it this way. Our community's opinion might frame how we need to educate the community toward whatever policy the data directs us. So it would be helpful for us to learn that the administration is going to operationalize that. in terms of forming the policy. This a question like this better word would give us
155the input we need to in to better tell us how we educate our community on whatever our ultimate policy is going to be. So I I I can see an importance for it. I think the wording is is is problematic. >> Okay. I one other like sorry and I'll stop talking. My only cons my like there are endless there are endless reasons why like I just think that you'd have to have 25 different squares to check you know. >> Well, and I know you're saying other but like >> but I'm thinking one that didn't make it on here was I mean some of our ELLL students use it for translation. >> Sure. >> And you know that's not on here. But those are things that, you know, as I look at some of the other
156policies that are around the around the country, around around around the Commonwealth, plans, IEPs, educational documented educational needs, those are already exempted, >> right? >> And that also is information that should be in the pro in the pro prologue so that when we send this out, everybody knows that, okay, you don't need to worry about that. That takes it out of this. So um worded differently I think there's use that can be gleaned from this question again for how we need to educate our public toward whatever policy we decide on but just need to order differently. >> Okay. like is it something like these are common scenarios where you know that often get discussed and do you support these yes or no um or to what degree? I think there can be some helpful data
157to come out of this but if we can get the question word >> it takes a word crafter to to format this in an unbiased fashion but I agree that there's information that can >> so there's information that would be helpful from this question Lynette shaking her head yes a noep and Andrew do you have any >> thoughts are they here >> yeah I'm here I I don't have anything smart to say on this I don't personally think >> you always do. >> I would provide anything of value, but you know, I'm not everyone, right? So, um, yeah. >> Okay. Andrew, you have any thoughts on this one? >> I mean, again, none of us are survey writers, right? So, >> I do think there's information here that could be interesting. >> Yeah. Um I
158do agree with Michael that you know if you preface the special circumstances where these would happen anyway then um you know this isn't like a 20 minute survey right I don't know how many questions we're going to end up so I don't know if we if we I if we redo the prompt I'm fine with it >> okay so that looks like a reword so some potentially important data we need to rework the language perfect um we're almost done I promise Um, what concerns, if any, do you have about restricting phone access during the school day? >> I think we need to split the autonomy and mental health. >> Split it. >> Yeah. >> Okay, >> that's a great good idea. >> Yeah, >> I got rid of if any or do you have concerns
159about restricting the phone access during the day? concerns on there. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, what concerns do you have? >> Check all that apply or something like that. Okay. Are we good with that you guys? >> Yes. >> Yeah. That one >> 10. What kind of communication or app access is most important for students during the school day? Urgent contact with the family. School specific apps. Um, medical necessity. And I think Aisha has dropped because I would like an opinion from Aisha and Michelle on this too. Um on this one, the I've been swayed by previous conversations, so I don't think I had an opinion on this, but um the I think there's a question of um not what kind of communication or app access is most important, but like is is app access most
160important? You know what I Like you're assuming that people want communication or app access with the wording of that. >> Yep. And so the app access and Lori, I'm going to ask you to just chime in on the My Flex Learning app and how kids I I heard Evelyn say it. I mean, I I know it from my own kid, but they check in and they check out for off campus. >> If they leave campus, >> you can do it on a computer. >> Yeah. Okay. Just like >> but the likelihood of when you're going off campus that you're gonna take your laptop out of your bag and you know check out you have to do that to leave like >> yes >> open campus is only open once you've checked out. >> Yeah >>
161we want to know where you are. >> No I think that's absolutely right. But I'm just saying likelihood is >> like if they want to leave they would have to >> they would have to take authority learn how to use >> and it would just become normal. >> Yeah. But >> you think that would become normal >> if that's the only way you can get off >> camp? So my problem is that um from what I've read, there's a way to get urgent contact with your family without a cell phone. Uh there's a question about some of the school specific apps, but as we've just talked about, um if that's the only way you can clear your time off campus by going to flexbox, the computer can do that. There are other tools that you
162that are available to do that. Medical necessity, that's something else that would be in pro programs, right? because you know kids that are that are using their their phones to for glucose monitors and whatever else that's that's going to be in there. So >> So can we take this question at all? >> I think we take it out and it becomes operational. >> Yeah. >> I mean >> can students text from their school laptop? >> Does that message work? >> We shut off shut off. >> All right. And then um this section, so there was an open-ended question at the very end, which I got a lot of feedback saying, you're gonna get a lot of information that you really can't use. So this is really just directing people and I probably got the email
163address wrong. So can you just highlight that? So we check that and it's just if you have any further comments or suggestions, you can email us. Um so I hope that I've incorporated everyone's feedback. Is there anything that anyone on the committee wishes that they saw in this survey that we've left out or I've left out? >> It's kind of hard to say because we've gone so granular. We never like took a step back to think about it holistically. You know what I mean? >> Yeah. >> But I guess the question the the question remains of like who are we sending it to? But >> so again, what I'm going to say is >> all in all, I'd rather get it out than wait for it to be perfect. >> So how about this? How
164about if we clean up the survey? Okay. >> Um, I'm gonna give two people homework. One, I'm gonna give Brian homework to Wordsmith that question. >> Okay. >> I trust you to do that. And Sandep, how about if you get the homework of um formatting it? >> Yep, I can do that. >> Is that okay? >> There was Yes, that is okay. There was >> We will not be a forum that has access to this either if we have Brian do the wording and Sandep do the um manipulation. >> I personally trust them. I do too. >> To get it out. >> Thanks, Andrew. >> Tracy, there was there was one question that I think I I don't know if it's addressed there just yet. Uh it's it's and maybe if it is, I'm sorry.
165Um it says, "What matters most in a cell phone policy?" And and I think that answer will be different depending on who we pull, right? But I think it's important to capture that >> what matters most. So >> and and and you know the the options potentially could be u reducing classroom distraction consist you know uh >> like another ranking one like a way to rank it >> um >> when you say most that's why I feel like that's a ranking. >> Yeah. Yep. It could be ease of enforcement. It's it's you know communication with family and again I I I don't know exactly what those options should be. Uh, so I'll have to give it some thought, but I I and and you know, this came to me once when Carrie was mentioning on
166why we're doing this. I I think we really want to find out um, you know, if if from the community if uh, we do have a policy, why is it that we should have a policy? >> So, we're going to clean this up and then look at it in May. >> We're going to clean it up. We're going to look at it in May and we have to decide who it's going to. Um, so I think if we as soon as it's cleaned up and it will go out with a packet for May, so everybody will see it ahead of time in like PDF form and then we'll finish it in our May meeting. Carrie will be with us. Carrie won't be with us. No, but I've offered my input my input. Do you feel
167as though you're you've been thorough enough on your input? Is there anything else? No, I'm serious. >> I said yeah, >> I felt bad. Okay. So, um, >> we can have another meeting just for this. just for this. Karen, would you like another meeting? >> Easily. >> Let me think about it. I'll get back to you. >> All right. I think this is actually >> your next meeting. >> The conquered April meeting is the 15th. Wednesday the 15th. >> Okay. >> So, um, so with that, we're going to we're going to wait again and we're going to spend some more time on this. I actually think this was a super >> He's so close to offering. >> He's offering that. Marlo comes to that and that's like why don't you guys talk to each other
168we could just have one item like at a scheduled time I'm happy to do that if we wanted to do that on April 15th. Um but that because you know what as the time goes on. So here's the issue. I mean this is not going out until May. >> Yeah. >> If we did it at the April meeting it could go out right after April vacation because I wouldn't think that we would want to send it out >> before the vacation and then we could keep it open. I would suggest only keeping it open for two weeks. I just think that like people are going to do it or they're not going to do it. >> Yeah. >> You know, unless you think that two weeks is too long. Do we have any thoughts on
169that? >> I defer. >> I feel like Lori knows about what we Okay. So be a two week. >> Um so I'm going to let our Carl members discuss that amongst themselves and if you choose to join us on the 15th, you could zoom in of course. Um we could have you. >> We do. We just need one one of them right for >> Yeah. >> Um >> moving on. I know we talked about this a lot. I it would just as we discuss this, it would be have great to have one question that gets at the point of um do we think this is a school committee policy that is the most important in in in um regulating cell phone use or is this something that should be a parent driven individual policy? because
170they they can jam phones, you know, they can restrict access everything from their own devices to their kids. And this is a a problem I see in general with with our community and maybe it's a lot of communities, but a lot of people, you know, we are in charge of protecting students, no question, what when they get on the bus to when they get off the bus, but it it doesn't mean parents don't play a role in in sort of, you know, even though they're not physically there, they can they can be there in a way. And I'm just wondering if it's worth getting a question that kind of gets at that. Um, it also might not be a good thought. So, >> well, I I think the important discussion that I know that you
171and I have talked a little bit about like is this handbook, is it policy, are we waiting for the state? We're not waiting for the state. Like there are so many moving pieces um with this. Yeah. >> That I think that's like the next version of the discussion. So maybe not for the survey, but certainly committee to discuss. >> Got it. >> Yeah. Okay. Unless anyone disagrees with that. >> No, you that's probably right. >> I think we said in February >> the families are like part of the roll out of whatever is decided. It's like >> to get their buy in to say like hey we're in this together you know like this is our opportunity to weigh in and emailing us coming to the these meetings like there's lots of opportunities for them
172to weigh in on their role and like but I think our buy in the buyin piece of it comes later. And there's we we have chunk of time where our community's children are charged and we should in a prudent and wellstudied fashion argue for what we think is best for that time mindful that the time that we don't have them >> out of control. >> Y yeah. Um, so with that I am gonna close up this discussion because we've been at this for probably like 30 minutes. >> Um, I think it was it was >> I just wanted to add that we use Panorama as you know. >> Yeah, >> they do have questions. >> There's like a sample cell phone impact survey. >> Could you share that with us? >> Yeah, I can send
173it to you if there's anything that might be useful. >> Okay. >> When will we when will we be sending that data? Uh we're about to roll it out next week. >> Okay. Um I actually just you know just so I can say I think this was a really important discussion for the school plan to have. I certainly appreciate everybody's thoughts on this because it's really hard when you write a survey you're like I don't know how this is going to land. So I appreciate your feedback. I think that um you know these are the types of discussions that I'm really you know craving at at this level because I think that it it is important. It's important for the community to know that we're talking about it. Um, and that's what I'll say about
174that. So, thank you. Okay. Uh, okay. Policies. This is the first reading. We have three policies. You have them included in your packet. Um, I do think that the first read of legislative policy ECAB. This is a new policy and this has to do with access to buildings and grounds. And this is um Lori, can I ask you to want me to share? Sure. Um, if you can just share ECAB clean and I think I put this in the overview that we do have a policy but not for the actual access. So that is this is the MASC recommended policy. >> Obviously we'll fill in the district names. >> Yes. Um, and I'm I'm assuming everyone had a chance to read this. My feeling is is this is a recommended policy and it does have
175to do with access and safety etc. Does anybody have any additional thoughts or comments on that? Michael >> just just questioning >> all of these policies all three look like they've been recently written in 2025. >> Yeah. Um just some background on you know why the mask saw it necessary to meet change. >> So in there um I think I included everything that they've had in our agenda overview. So they every year they send MSE updates and this was just part of the updates and they felt as though that their model policies needed this and so that's really the only information I have. I can certainly check anything with Alicia, but that they they felt as though they were lacking in this area. So that would be policy ECIB. And again, this is a first
176read. So the goal would be to vote these in May K1. And this is visitor to schools. This had a lot of changes in it. So I think if you just pull up the track changes. >> I think it was way too specific before. So this this seems much it's very messy with all the strikeouts, but it's much more general, which I think makes a lot more sense than some of the very procedural things that were in there. >> Right. And do we have a K K I? Do we have an R on this one? I got I don't think we do. Um, no, I think they they generalize this policy and it does have with visitors to schools and do you see any issues with implementation of this and would you recommend that this
177is a policy that you because we're supposed to ask you on your superintendent's recommendation, would you recommend that this would be a policy that we would adopt? >> Yes, I think there probably I think the LA the previous one was too specific. >> Too specific. Yeah. >> Okay. Anyone have any questions or issues on policy KI? And I should ask Andrew Sandi if I can't see you really when you're sharing. >> No, feel free to just unmute. Unmute if you need to. >> Y >> okay. >> Good. And then our third policy is on school nutrition and it is very standard school food and nutrition on meal modifications. So is are we to is there not a current school food and nutrition? >> I don't think we have a current not on meal modifications. >>
178No. >> Oh modifications. this to align with like >> I mean I yeah >> it's probably come up in some of the reviews that have happened that you need to have something like this >> that's my guess >> I don't have any issue with it I'm just curious of why >> likely it's regulatory >> yeah any other comments on policy >> yeah there's the reference right there USDA that's where it's >> yeah and to accommodate disabilities and school meal programs okay So, we will see all of these items again at our May meeting and we will take a vote on adopting all these new policies. Great. Um, discussion site bias and hate incident working group. Do you have an update for us? >> Yes. So, I have half an update. Uh actually I'll give you
179the update that I have but the the most uh recent um I'm blanking on the word uh focus group uh was held this past Sunday and I don't have any update from that but um that that that focus group was uh set up after our last meeting primarily to gauge uh um or I guess solicit uh inputs uh from a younger audience because that's something that uh we had uh previously lagged. Um I mean in the recapping I guess the last um meeting one of the things that has come through is um the the the interest in the in that group for ensuring that the make ensuring that the the the the I'm blank on words today the the tool that is uh going to be set up is uh mostly about uh ensuring that
180uh incidents are reported and and visible. And one of the uh restrictions um that has come up often in the discussions is uh if anonymous reporting is not uh allowed then people feel uh less inclined to report. So uh making sure that the the tool has anonymous reporting capability uh seems to be really important and that's something that working group is really striving to to provide. Um looking ahead uh I don't know if uh this has been scheduled yet but uh either the next meeting or the one after we are planning on inviting uh Andrew I know that email's gone out. Andrew Namichi I believe >> next one. Okay. Um so um we we we are looking to hear uh from the the schools on how that implementation process went the setting of this incident
181reporting uh bias and hate incident reporting uh system and and learn from from maybe some of the experiences that uh the school districts had and and um try not to uh duplicate uh some of the the the learning pins and and you know use that to make sure uh whatever the town is setting up is is set up for success. And I think that's it. We we're expecting to report out to the select board um on the 15th of of next month. That's uh um right after the the town meeting. >> And when does your group um end? >> Yeah, we're expecting to report out on on the 15th. Uh right about the 15th of of May. Um I do think after we report out to the select board, one of the things that we
182will do is take the recommendation, go to the community, uh and and share with them, you know, what our recommendation was and and get feedback because the the the recurring theme has been uh you know, building trust in a system and and the the the thought is we'll be able to build that trust through uh this cycle of exchanging information with the community and getting feedback. So we're going to try and do that. Right. Yep. Michael, >> so um two points I uh at the croc center meeting when this came up talked about altering the uh name and focus of this agenda item. on the name and I sent both of uh both you and Andrew uh request to have this on the agenda. um March 5th uh to change the focus the name of
183this particular agenda item to uh bias assessment and take it away from looking specifically at the bias and hate incident reporting work because just as Sandee brought up that's going to end in May but incidents of bias and hate hopefully they will decline but we still need to have an assessment a regular assessment of the climate across our campuses. So I propose that we have a name name change keep the agenda space but change the name to make it a bias assessment and as informed by input from the bias incident reporting work group or whatever tool that they come up with and is adopted. we can use that to inform us both for the community and the tool we have for our school. So >> as that be brought up for conversation. >> Yeah. And
184I I kept the this is where I I struggled a little bit because I kept the title because on February 4th we committed to putting on every agenda. So I didn't want to just change it. Um no >> and so I think like for this meeting and for the the May meeting would also be appropriate because that group isn't over >> to keep this but this is the space for it. and then you know we'll discuss after that. >> Yeah. So bring bring it open for us to discuss and make the determination. >> Great. >> Can I just ask Michael what like how you if we change it for June onwards what would that look like on a monthly basis when we're meeting as >> so >> school committee like what are we looking at
185data? Are we >> I'm I'm using this as the I'm using what we've seen the select board as a model. Um, and >> I haven't I don't tend to go to concrete select board meetings. I'll describe it for I'll describe it for you. >> U since July and the aftermath of the ADL filing, our select board has had an item on their agenda to consistently look at and in fact that's how the bias in reporting work group came into into being from the deliberations select board had on how to manage this issue across our community. So I think that Seems logical that we could have a similar item to look at how we manage how we consider incidents when they occur or our climate over the course of our academic year over the course of
186our charge. And to do that regularly and consistently requires it being a agenda item that we touch base on. We can use data from our reporting system. We could use data that we glean from the community from the layers on the select board and so forth layers on the DEI commission and put that all in the mix for us to discuss and see where we stand. Uh and if things are going great and if things aren't discuss tweaks but this would be the portion of our agenda our regular agenda and I think makes sense that it would be part of the regional because it would cover both. >> Yeah. and going forward, >> but sort of one quarter into 2026, what does that look like at the select board meetings now? What how like what
187are they doing in the short of talking about >> a lot of discussion now? >> I think it started as more discussion um you know over the summer and there there's not a lot of discussion now. I I you know there there are a lot of issues that are going on in the community and they've all filtered into discussion at the level of the select board the level of the DI commission uh and those have come back regularly in fact the uh over meeting law complaints uh that the slight board faced all have a piece related to bias this hate. So I think it's pretty safe to say that since July, the SL board in one way, shape, or another has used that to discuss issues that have been contemporary through the course of the
188of of the calendar year. And it's certainly hopeful that these events go away. Logically, they're not going to. So it's reason for us to periodically examine where we stand. And this is a vehicle for us to do that. Anyone else? >> I think it's a discussion for once the working group is done. >> Okay. Is that fair? Once the working group is done. You said a discussion for once the working group is done. So this agenda item will stay on here for May and then when the working group is done, >> the school committee can discuss it. No, I think the school committee decides either way, but I think this doesn't take away input from the working group. It it it's it's the change of name perhaps um makes a less triggering uh uh uh
189item on the agenda, but it's informed as long as the working group exists, it's informed by the information that is gleaned from the working group. It's not going to not it doesn't take that away. I think it's for us to think about focuses not just on the information with the working how that impacts or or how that influences what we do in our schools. It also makes the the the I guess the the the item a little bit broader that we're not just looking at the working group, but looking at what's happening in our house and as informed by the information we get from the working group, as informed by the information we can get from the DEI commission and how it tells us about how we should look at what's happening in our house.
190So, I don't think it needs to wait. It's not either or, it's both. hand. >> Okay. So, um anyone else? >> Okay. So, I am going to for May because again we go back to February and I committed to putting on every agenda for the rest of the year. The topic will be the same and the working group will finish in May on May 15th and then the future goes on after that. Make sense? Okay. All right. Um, case collaborative. All right. Lori uh has prepared she's sharing a memo with us and I will share this. Uh, this is on a capital. Do >> you want me to? >> Yeah, just go ahead. >> I'm like just go ahead. Thank you. >> So, as members of Case Collaborative, I sit on the board. Um, every
191anytime there's a change to the capital plan, which isn't all that often, but it formally has to be approved or you can if you don't act, it's going to default to approved. Voting probably makes more sense. Um, so we just have to give you an update on the proposed capital um reserve plan that we have an account. There's no money in it right now. So, this is not a financial ask. We're just here to give you the vision um which we need every school committee member. So all the districts that are members have to go through this in a public session um and agree that this direction makes sense or don't act at all and it will default to um approval and once we all have done this exercise then um case as a board
192can revisit how to fund some capital. So um so you'll see the highlights here and some of you are very new to case discussions. So we have special ed programming as a portion of the services case provides. We also have transportation as a very big portion of the services that case provides. We have some PD offerings also. Um PD doesn't require capital so we don't have an ask there. instructional programs which are housed either at the Colberg uh high school and building in Actton that's a standalone building or within case member schools. Um we host the summer program every year at Willard. So that that's our attempt at a contribution since we don't have any permanent space right now. Um so the the visions include land acquisition, improvement and construction. We think there's going to
193be growing needs for standalone settings because more and more districts are building programs. So that continues to be a discussion. That's why that number is so big. Um photocopers, furniture, and then transportation, similar envisioning electrifying eventually and some of those things down the road. And then um the never- ending need to purchase vans. So we're asking your consideration. Again, this is not a funding request. It's just simply um an update to the capital vision of the collaborative. >> So I would entertain a motion to approve the case collaborative proposed capital plan revision. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> And this is both. >> This is for both districts. >> Y >> check I for both. >> Oh no. Sorry. I was >> color I for region. Perfect. >> I was waiting for
194you to go. >> I know cuz I interrupted last time. Morano. I for both. >> I suppose. >> Frank and I for both. >> Waters and I for region. >> Limai for both. >> Okay. And the last discussion item I'm actually let Brian present this one. I didn't even tell you about this. This is an amenities building update because you have some news from Carla. >> Oh, I can kick it off with that. Please ask Bob to be ready. >> Yeah, Bob's going to give some additional updates, but um uh I think as we all know that the amenities building will be up for vote in town meetings uh in both towns. Um conquered this month and Carlile uh next month. Um on the Carile side, as we move towards town meeting, uh last week
195the Carile select board voted to um support um the amendment uh for CPA funding for the amenities building. Um so that's good news. >> Fully funded. >> They voted to fully fund >> their share. Um, >> April 15th, I guess I will be recording a podcast for Carlilele like I did last year to help get the word out. Um, >> so perhaps we could share that with Conquer too and push it out there if you're recording it anyway. >> Yes. Well, perhaps you want to perhaps >> I'm sure somebody else should, but um, yes, that was I just learned that today that they're >> that'd be great. >> Trying to get podcast for all the warrant articles and they are going to have one for the amenities building. So, I think we should share that
196with Conquer because then we >> Is it a monologue or are you going to >> I know. I know. We don't know. I don't know. That's what I was wondering. >> Last year I would Julie and I were interviewed so I would expect it to be like that because >> Yeah. >> Very good. >> Great. >> Thank you for doing that. >> Yeah. >> Make us proud. >> Sorry. >> Be beneficial for both of you. So, it's something that you'd see both congregate and car together. >> I mean, last Yeah, >> let's do it. Okay. >> April 15th, 1:45. Carile Library. >> Okay. April 15th. >> I'll send that to you. >> Yeah. Send that to me. >> Should be scheduled after Bates Farm is open. >> Is Kibbles open? It will be open next
197week. >> Okay. Perfect. Kibbles is open. >> Open this week. >> Opening this week. >> Tomorrow. >> Yeah. Okay. I say yes. So now your ice cream. >> There's something to do. >> April 15th school committee. I could bring ice cream to the meeting. Could you imagine? >> Brian could come. We're all working together. All right. All right. >> Things that you want to make sure um >> you know this is our last meeting. >> Sure. Just uh where we are um we've gone through um kind of the process um got um conceptual approval on you know connecting to sewer. There is a last part of the process where um our consultant uh Kyle Rowan from Gail Associates has sent the detailed technical design documents to um the department of public works specifically the water
198department and one of their engineers uh I'm not sure actually what his title is but the the he reports to the superintendent of water and sewer um we'll be reviewing that and providing you know feedback to um Kyle We I I think he's already incorporated some feedback that's come up before. So, you know, we're not expecting to hear anything, but if um there are any there's any feedback to consider some type of when I'm talking about changing the design as a macro level, I might be talking about a specific piece of equipment that they have a preference for. But so, we'll um wait to hear from them um and um you know, respond to it if there are any questions. Um so that's um they need to take some time to digest it. There's a
199lot of tech detailed technical information for them to review and assuming that goes um you that goes well. We wait till town meeting. We can then post the bid. Um this is not some we've already talked to the athletic director and the principles. This is something that you know we'd anticipate taking some time. It would happen, you know, during the school year, move over on a >> a section next to the track and we'd have to work out um built into the specs like segregating the space, not accessible to students >> like it would be fenced like a construction fencing, >> typical construction fencing. Um >> and they can sequence their work too to do certain things um like the underground pipe that they need to put in. I think they would do that first.
200uh and the actual building of the building itself would be the last thing they do. >> Um but the we'll connect to sewer that part goes underground and will go uphill towards the connection point on the access road. >> Okay. >> Um so anyway, so I think so far so good. Um and um you know, we'll be happy to move forward with this knock on wood after town meeting. Get this get this moving. So, if you you see yourself going out to bid after both town meetings and when should it be approved to build town meetings, when do you think they'll actually break ground? >> Um, in the summer, but I I think the actual building itself, there's things they have to do to get the site do the site prep first. >> So, you
201know, he he said this is going to go into the fall into potentially even into November, December. Um I I have I can um I will have more of a definitive project timeline from him. >> Um it may depend whether we have any feedback from water and sewer, but um yeah, it's not something that's going to be done over the summer. >> No. No. And how long does it take to like when you go out to bid you leave like it open for >> We want to I I would check and and see what the >> feedback I'd probably send an email out to the the business officer lister for this type of project. >> We want to allow time for people to see it and be interested and respond to it. Um, so I
202I can certainly one thought would be to put it in the >> there's a goods and services register that all these companies see to maybe put it in there early as an anticipated bid so that they see it so that when we do post it people are ready to bid on it. >> Yeah. >> But I can't share the specs until after it's been >> until after it's been approved. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So I at least a month people need to be able to review and respond and Okay. Maybe a little bit more than that. >> Okay. >> I don't remember what we did for the middle school project. It's not that big but we certainly would allow. >> Yeah. Um it's not like something else that we might just say we're just
203going to give you three weeks. It's a >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Significant. Okay. >> And cost. Are we still feeling good about the range? >> Yeah, we have a we have I mean nothing's changed to the projection. Um and we have a we do have a safety net of some capital stabilization funds. Some of that's going to cover the sewer connection fee, but there is some additional amount there if we need to access it. um if their cost ends up coming in higher and we did build some contingency into the price. I mean the first pass didn't include much contingency. So in the second pass I asked that they put a little bit more to you know say that there could be bid escalation of um closer to like you know 5 to 10%. >>
204Um but we we need to have biders and some competition too. It's just one company bidding you know. So >> but I think it's an attractive project people. This is not an uncommon project for companies to bid on. >> Any other questions or comments of the amended building? >> No. Thank you. >> I know. Thank you. >> And with that, um, >> a great test of persistence and Brian is crushing it. >> Crushing it. Yeah. >> It only took three years. >> All right. I move that the concrete school committee and conquer pilot school committee will enter into executive session under purpose three of the open meeting law to conduct strategy sessions with respect to education and not return to open session. >> Second. >> Okay. Roll call. >> Iard I. Okay. >> Thank you
205everybody. Good night.