Concord Carlisle Joint School Committee - December 17, 2025

001All right, it is six o'clock. >> Sorry, that's me. Me, too. Okay, sorry. Welcome everybody. I would like to call the Cocker Carell School Committee to order. >> And I would like to call the Conger Public School Committee to order. >> And apparently the school committee is having some challenges with their audio. So, um, welcome everyone. First, and I will just say Aisha is online with us. I don't see Michelle here. Um, Aisha is here. All right. So, first up tonight, we have our recognition and we have some students joining us from the South Asian Student Society with, I believe, their advisor. Come on up here. And Dr. Do you want to say anything before they begin? >> Oh, be happy to. Um, so we're excited to have the South Asian Student Society here. They're

002going to share with you mostly the Diwali event, right? But probably you can share some other things you're working on, too. And um, we're thrilled you could come and that you took some time to put some information together and that we can share it with the entire community. So I am going to share your slides and just for anybody that's watching we do get our recognitions that are recommended from our high school principles at the region and the middle school not the middle school rec I'm sorry the conquered public recognitions also come from our principles and the superintendent. >> Great. So thank you Saf. We just wanted to start off by thanking you all so much for the time to present here today. We're really excited to be coming to you from uh the Society

003at Conquer Carile and we're going to share a little bit about the celebration that we recently. >> My name is Leia Pavlov and I'm Celeste Pinto. >> Okay, >> you're gonna I'm gonna [clears throat] be your person. Tell me next slide. >> Okay, [laughter] point at me. Whatever you want to do. >> Yes. >> Perfect. So, we had the idea to start SAS as a South Asian student affinity group two years ago when we identified a cultural need in our school community. Um, we created SAS as a space for students to connect, share and learn more about our respective heritages and increase representation for ourselves and other South Asians in the conquered Carlile community. Um we have representation from several several countries and regions within India including Gujarat, Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. [snorts] Um

004one of our major goals when founding the club was to celebrate South Asian events and holidays drawing inspiration from the Far East Asian Society and the their Lunar New Year celebration. Um, our priority when organizing this event was to create a space where everyone in the community could celebrate South Asian culture and traditions that have been honored for generations and bring together the vibrant, diverse South Asian community already present in the school district. Next slide, please. And maybe if you want to click the slideshow button, >> it won't project that. It'll show on my computer but not on the screen. So, not sure why. >> Okay. So, >> so thank you So, like I mentioned before, my name is Leia Pavlov and I'm Celeste Pinto. >> And unfortunately, Maya Sto couldn't join us here tonight,

005but we three are the club leaders and co-founders of the South Asian Student Society. Our club adviser is here tonight. Um, Madame Pinto. She is a French and business teacher at CCHS. Um, our club is always growing and especially as we are graduating because we are all seniors now. Um, we are excited to see what our club has to offer in the next couple years and to see it continue to thrive. Next slide, please. Yeah. So, we're thrilled to share with you all that on November 9th, SAS hosted uh CCHS's first Dwali celebration in collaboration with several members of the town DEI commission and several parent very helpful parent volunteers. And so we're very excited to have this opportunity to tell you guys a little bit about the next slide. So the volley is a

006time for renewal, reflection, celebration, um with the focus on spreading joy, love, joy and love. Um it also serves to commemorate the triumph of life, light over darkness, um good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. The volley reminds us that no matter how tough things get, there's always light at the end of the tunnel. Um, we were so happy to be able to celebrate the Bali because it's a holiday that is celebrated by over 1 billion people across the globe. And so we were especially honored to be the first to bring it to the CCHS community. Next slide, please. >> So, one thing that we prioritized in this event was intergenerational and multilingual representation. So, uh, we had several forms of outreach. So, we, uh, pushed out our messages and information about the event in

007several WhatsApp groups. We emailed known contacts and an example is Leia emailed one of the middle school teachers about performances and we put posters around schools and we also had uh one of our community members Rupa uh she brought posters to the middle school to extend our information also to the middle school. Um we had posters here uh just a piece about the multilingual representation we had them in available in uh several of the more commonly spoken South Asian languages in this area. Oh, next slide. [laughter] So here we attached just as a little example of our program and so we started at about 1:00 uh with volunteers arrive that arrived an hour and a half early to help set up the decorations and all the decorations mostly came from Rupandi um and so uh

008we had a lot on our agenda so we were really grateful and and happy that we were able to include everybody that was interested. >> Excellent. >> So at our event we were fortunate enough to have some lovely speakers. We had two state representatives, um, Representative Carmen Gentile and Simon Catalo. Um, it was so sweet to hear their meaningful words and also uplifting words. We also had DEI Commission member Rose Kley um, speak and she has been a big pillar of support and an amazing resource for us um, since our event and also since we founded our club. Um, we also had on the right side you can see um, Sid Vicram. He is a seventh grader at the Carlile public schools and so he enthusiastically shared more about what Dvali is and how people

009tend to celebrate. Next slide please. Okay. So next on the agenda that Leia is going to talk about is some performances and we pushed out this information and the available opportunity through Google forms. And so we emailed our community asking anybody who is interested to perform or to bring food to sign up uh to do so. >> Yes. So as you can see in the top left corner um our SAS leadership team put together a little performance. It was a fusion of Indian classical and Bollywood dance. Um on the right you can see some im images of some of our elementary school and middle schoolers who volunteered and put themselves out there to perform in front of as you can see our large audience in the bottom left corner. Um in addition to our large

010audience we also had Midman Media there to cover it. Um so if you're interested on their YouTube channel you can find the event. Um in the middle we also had the New England um school of music some musicians from there who were playing the drums on Indian drums called the tabala. Um in addition to performances and speakers we also had some arts and crafts stations set up um for the little kids. So you can see in the top middle photo um my little sister who has henna on her hands. That was one of our stations. We also had coloring pages and stations to decorate dia lanterns which is like tea tree tealight lanterns. Um, next slide please. So about the food uh we pushed out a sign up. So another one of those sign up

011forms through communication channels the ones I mentioned before for people to bring food potlike style. So we had about 20 signups. So for different sides, main dishes, desserts and more. We also had people bringing uh different cutlery and plates and napkins and all the necessary items. And so we waited till after the performances so everybody would be able to enjoy the entertainment and then get their food. And so people had the very enriching opportunity to taste both familiar favorites and to try things uh try new dishes. I think it was a really great experience because it's always amazing to connect over food and to experience South Asian culture through taste as well. >> Um that is the end of our presentation. So thank you so much for welcoming us. Um, we really just wanted to

012emphasize the importance of celebrating and honoring heritage um, together to ensure that the CCHS community um, is one where students of diverse backgrounds can feel belonging, inclusion, and welcome. Um, we really wanted you all to learn more about our affinity group so that together we can pave the way for affinity groups in the future. >> That's awesome. >> Thank you so much. question for you. So, seniors and and you've really developed an incredible thing that you're going to hand down to underassmen. I hope you've nurtured underassmen and so that they can take the step forward to to continue this because I've met you and your family. I met you through through through through through through events like this that that foster multicultural awareness and finding how much we are alike and the difference. So, so

013kudos to you and tell us about how you're going to pass the torch. >> Sure. So, our biggest thing is continuity and so we've chosen we already have somebody in mind who has been attending all the meetings regularly and who is very committed to uh assisting us whenever we need help. So to organize this presentation or to give us feedback about the event that we were going to share with you all. Uh so we do have uh two people in mind actually. So one person who's been coming to the meetings very regularly and then a sibling of Yes. [laughter] >> Yeah. We also >> tones, right? [laughter] >> We also sent down the information about this uh school committee presentation tonight so that some of our even our middle schoolers can just gain more understanding

014and knowledge of what our club is about so that when they're coming up to the middle or high school um they can hopefully want to join. So yeah. >> And how much um crossover is there with Carile? Because you mentioned that you're the seventh grader from Carile. >> [clears throat] >> Carile aware of this event and you feel like you've gotten it out through Carlile communication also? >> Yep. No, Carile was definitely aware. Um, invitation was Carlile school committee. >> And then my stood, our other leadership member, she's actually from Carile, so she helped us to push out that message on that. That's great. So I think I was in charge mainly of like the middle school communications and conquered because I went there and then Maya did a lot of the Carile communications and

015then al together we did town and high school. So it's great >> very effectively. >> Yes. Yes. >> So you guys mentioned learning [clears throat] from far east Asian society. Um what kind of ways do you think you can collaborate with other groups and maybe were lessons learned in summer. >> I mean, we have a goal right now to collaborate with even like the conquered academy school and Middle Sex School because they also have South Asian affinity groups. So, we're thinking about maybe for Holy collaborating with them to have some sort of celebration that is even bigger and reaches a wider audience. Um, >> yeah. So, we were thinking of even if any of the other clubs are in the area or having any events of attending those just to communicate with them and maybe

016get ideas for our own community. >> And I feel like a big thing is affinity groups supporting affinity groups. So, like once we know that a celebration or event is happening like showing our representation there and so hopefully we could get the same. >> It's great. >> I'll put on my hat say how incredibly proud I am that that she >> Yes, we are so happy. um Sundep Uncle here. Um [laughter] I call him um but he we were so happy to see you there. Um, yeah, >> I mean, just a comment. I [clears throat] I think the way you're presenting tonight is really organized and articulate and I think it's definitely reflective of the event, the event that you guys um put on, which is just awesome. And growing up in conquered, you know,

017I didn't have a lot of exposure to like, you know, other parts of the world. And this is one of the most celebrated events in the world. And so, it's really cool to bring a piece of it to conquer. So, thank you. >> Yeah. So, thank you so much again for the opportunity to speak tonight and to share this with you all. >> Thank you. Excellent job. We love starting off our school communities for our students. So, thank you for coming and thank you to your advisor who's also with you, I think. Um, okay. >> And we are on to our CCHS student update. I see Mark here. Mark, do you know if um [clears throat] Maddie or >> So Maddie um I think it's their first day on the snow. Maddie stuck at ski.

018I think she's still on the bus back. I think it's like an hour um long ride and I know Evelyn said make sure to say that she has the flu and she is not doing great. So >> sorry >> it's just you today. Um >> never just you Mark. Come on. Never just you. You got it. >> I wasn't feeling well earlier and I went home. So that's why I'm on Zoom today. I wanted to make it. But um had to show up. Okay, we can jump right into it. I shared the slideshow. It's the same ones from before. If you can pull it up, I can reshare it to um Dr. Hunter, but >> Oh, sorry, Mark. >> Yeah, >> did you reshare? >> Yes, I can. I can just copy the link and

019reshare it. >> Oh. here. >> Yes, please do. Sorry. >> No, >> you can probably share from there >> in the chat. >> I'm on my desktop. >> Screen share. Yeah, screen share should work, but send it to me if that's [clears throat] easier. >> I just sent it. Um, but I can start talking about um some of the stuff on here while you're pulling that up. Um, so for the past we've had the spirit week assembly which was great. Um, we had like the conquered grape. I didn't even remember that from last year like the mascot and he was running around and then we did like the whole pie eating contest so that was super fun. Um, the thanks the Thanksgiving football game at Thunder was great. That was my first time going. Oh,

020now we have it up. Perfect. Thank you. Um, we had the game. It was great. Um, I believe we won. I really do think so because I saw >> we won by a lot, Mark. It was like 32 to nothing. >> It's coming back to me. Remember I saw um, Miss Morano. >> I know. We saw each other at dinner. >> Yes. And then we took a photo together. >> We did. [laughter] We took a selfie. >> Yeah, that was fun. Um, >> and Mark, you know that I always say to my kids like, "You're going to want this later." So that's why I take pictures wherever you go. Like you just don't know it right now. >> Okay. So student government um Oh, I can jump to Thanksgiving lunch and that was great. I

021co-led that with um junior Charlotte Jackson um on student government and that was super great. we did with the cockpit um aging on council and we did it last year but this is the first time leading it and um it is a lot more work than it seems getting the donations together um and reaching out to like different businesses but it was worth it in the end and I know um the people from conquered council really enjoyed it um okay student government and key club so we joined together with key club um I'm technically on Key Club, but I haven't been in a while because it clashed with my other clubs. But they did their own drive for food um food drive for Open Table and we all were doing it in the same week

022during like Thanksgiving leading up to it. So, we decided like why not just join together. So, we did separate bags but did one big like donation and we ended up um donating 770 pounds of food in cans and beans and stuff like that. Um for the next one, oh the boo concert. So the like language department um French did this contest where I guess it's some type of cake. Maddie out of this. But my other friend Maddie um participated and I know that it's like a thing that they do every year where it's like a roll cake and then you like have this filling and it's like a contest to see who has the like best Noel and they go around to like tables and then try them and like rate them and then I

023guess somebody wins at the end. I'm not really sure what makes like the perfect. I think it has to do with like the roll and I know that it takes like a lot of time to be able to like roll it. I'm not sure if anybody's familiar with that. Um, the Bush Noel also um it says Jaclyn Turner. This is my first time seeing her real name, but Coach JT retired after seven seasons as varsity head coach. Um, I'm actually shocked she retired because she just loves it so much. But I know she just had a baby and her baby was adorable and she was bringing her baby to every practice in every game which I thought was like crazy that she could multitask like watch the baby and then watch over here and it

024was just like amazing to see. But I'm happy to see that she's um she's focusing on her baby and I know she's taking some time off. I'm not sure if she's planning to come back. I know she's retiring from CC, but >> I don't know with the newborn. Um, so CCHS DECA um I'm also on DECA. So we had a competition I believe one week ago and it went well. Like a lot of kids um went on to states. I know three of my friends at least did. They won their um competition and they're going on. I wasn't able to make it because I had test that morning and I didn't want to miss my test for competition, but I definitely want to compete next year and um it's a lot of fun. >> Mark,

025we're gonna have them come. It's a new club. >> It's a new club [clears throat] still here. >> New to CC. I know a lot of other schools have it, but I know that it was new to CCHS. Yeah, they're it's a lot of it's a lot of fun and they're taking a lot of students are taking it very very seriously. They were studying for hours and hours and hours and there was like a practice exam and a whole thing to it. So >> um >> can you just talk about what exactly you guys study and do and what you presented because I think we have a lot of non- high school parents here that >> Yeah, I can describe it. So DECA is basically um it boils down to the competition but in every

026Friday we meet at 7:30 in the river's room and we basically sit around in different groups. One is like finance, one's like marketing, one's like different types of business and we just learn about those topics and in the past couple of weeks it's been like preparing for this first competition. So people were doing like various quizlets and signing up for like DECA plus which is the website and just learning about the program because there's so much like to it. We're just trying to like break it all down each week. Um but that's where we are right now. I haven't gone too deep into it. I've just like signed into the program and um I did the exam and I passed. So we've just been doing stuff like that. But I know at the competition you

027are in front of a judge and it could either be two people in a group or three people or one and you have to like for some argue your case. So I use the example of like copyright. I'm not sure if this was one of the events, but I was thinking that the judge would present this case and you kind of have to like argue both sides and then you're going against like other schools. I believe LS has DECA and majority of our students won their cases which is great. So then you advance to states and then it goes to nationals. Um I don't know if you have any questions about it. >> No, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um yeah, so girls swim and dive three and 0. This is my first year.

028I actually joined swim and dive and I've been loving it. I've been diving. Um and it honestly just feels like its own little family. They have celebrations like every weekend. We have a Christmas party Friday, then we have like a babysitting night Saturday. So, it's been amazing. The group is amazing. And they've been performing really well this year, as they usually do when they win states. Um, wrestling is running a popcorn fundraiser. I added the little QR code down here at the bottom if anybody wants to scan it to donate, but I guess they're just fundraising for the season. I was talking to my friend um Kyle who was on also on BSU with me. Um he was here on school committee and he's one of the captains so he asked if I could include

029this. Um Prism Ha is having the concert this upcoming weekend. I can explain a little bit about Prism because I'm still learning about it. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I know that it's a concert and that it's majority student le and it's happening this weekend and there's like little sub things that happen. It happens at CCHS in the auditorium is what I know. I'm hoping to make it there this weekend um after before the Christmas party for a swim. Um and everybody's super excited about winter break and um I can jump to multi patrol fast. I think that's better. Um, I know for a multicultural food fest I'm trying to have a table this year, but it is a lot of work to set up and I really applaud everybody that like

030makes it out there, especially if they live like far away like Boston to come and have a table and set up and do all the stuff. Um, yeah. I don't know. I also know that vision of the graduate which I'm also doing this year is they have a subgroup in the group and it's like the families that speak other languages and I think they're working with Dr. I'm not sure what they're doing again but I know that they're working on the multicultural food to get more families that u might not speak English to come join us. I'm not sure if you can speak to that but >> yeah that'll be vision of a graduate and my update too. So, I'll take it from there. >> Okay. As always. Okay. >> Great job, Mark. Wow. >>

031I know. You did an excellent job. Always a lot going on at CCHS. >> Well, hey, Mark, what don't you What are you not involved with [laughter] >> every bullet you're like, I do that. I do that. And you're like, oh, casually. I drove I joined the dive team. [laughter] I do that. >> Um, [laughter] >> I like that. No, it's all good. You don't have to. >> You're so engaged, Mark. It's really impressive. >> I know. >> Good for you for joining the dive team because I had a diver and diving is not for the faint of heart. You have to have a lot of courage to get on that board. >> So, good for you. >> Yes. >> But it is I I will say the swim and dive culture is just so

032great and it is like its own little family. There's like a little dive family, the swim family. They all get together. It's great. So, enjoy it. Thank you, Mark. You did a great job carrying carrying that tonight. >> Nope. Good for you. >> Thanks, Mark. >> Bye. >> All right. Um, [clears throat] and we will move on to the superintendent and chair's update. Um, do you want to go first or do you want us to start? >> Yeah, sure. I'll go first. Okay. I uh I am bringing just a few highlights. There's obviously so much happening, but I thought I'd just pick a few. Um, I will follow up on the vision of a graduate process. We met as a design team. Mark and I are both on that. There's 20 of us varied stakeholders.

033And what what we're really working on now is getting feedback from as many wide ranging stakeholders as possible. So he mentioned his the subgroup he's working on which is ELLL families. I'm on a subgroup working more on higher ed and how we can connect with colleges. Um and there's other groups working on other ways to reach out. So there's a lot of activity right now and I think in January you'll be seeing or hearing about a number of different ways. Each group had its own ability to decide how to gather that feedback whether it's a survey whether it's a focus group whatever fit the group you are working working for. So I'm excited for what that will be and that's meant to bring feedback into the process in this stage as we're crafting the vision

034not later after the vision's been crafted. The other takeaway I had and it was a question I posed to the design team was this the time to bring in the prek8 conquered and carile work and the answer was yes please. So, we've started to build um processes for that to um also engage faculty, parents, staff here, and we're still working on the details of all of that, but that is in the works. So, everyone's part of the building process and not just receiving later. Um challenge success, I don't know that we've talked a lot about that at the high school lately. Uh they had a group, it's another multi-stakeholder group that meets regularly at the high school. is able to join them um the later part of their meeting this week. Um and you're going

035to see this some of the work they're doing there is just getting the space to think of how we can make school joyful, take the edge off of things, and you're going to see this really wonderful graphic they created go out to all the schools um about these five things they can do over break. And it it's it's about putting screens away. It's about valuing some family time. One of them I loved I think and it's numerical so I think learn two new things do one service act over the big just this really powerful graphic [clears throat] um with a message of like take the break and make it meaningful. So we're working on making it so it's going out to all of the prek 22 schools this week um as a common vision of

036and you know don't just chill and do nothing. Yes, relax. But like where can you find those special moments um with the time offs that we have? So I'm excited for that and I think that was a nice way to loop back to challenge success and how much that matters to us and the the work that is still so impactful at the high school through that program. Um we did have our first meeting of the anti-semitism coalition a couple of weeks ago. Again multistakeholders. Um we were able to have uh parents from both conquered and carile from the um anti-semitism group that has formed. Uh we had students which was incredibly important from the JSU both advisors [clears throat] um and a number of their administrators school committee and just an ability to sort of

037talk through where we were at. Um Rabbi Tomaso was able to join us. Rabbi Darby had a conflict but we'll make sure he comes to the next one. Uh and it was just it was a really inv valuable discussion. Um a lot of great conversation about what we're working on, the impact it's had areas of growth still and I can't understate the student voice in the room and how much that mattered. Um and just continuing, you know, intent and impact. If we can do all the things we want to say we're going to do and if we're not really impacting their worlds then it's not what it needs to be. So >> what what what did you take from that interaction at the anti-semitism coalition? What did you take from the uh from from feedback

038and how how how the various different stakeholders were feeling? I mean, I think there was a lot of validation which that the things we put in we started to build in the summer and the plans that we said we were going to work through were starting to matter. Um, and then there was just this ongoing dialogue of we need to continue to open these conversations up. One thing we've heard from a number of the student groups is the message is anti-hate that they want to promote, not just any one group. And I and I've heard that from multiple groups now. So, I think we're really trying to embrace that message um especially in the new year as [clears throat] that's the goal, right? We want everyone to feel safe and that they belong. >> And

039Lynette and I um sit on that committee from the school committee and it just just hearing from our students and you know, one of our seniors, he he said, "I'm just so grateful for the opportunities that we've had and and and like they almost couldn't believe that they've gotten the JSU up and running so quickly." So that was really good feedback for us. Um they have two adviserss that came with them too. So to really hear about what's happening in the high school. Um it it was really impactful. So yeah. And then my last update is on sustainability. We are reconvening the district sustainability committee which is on your agenda to help me know who wants to attend. Um we're working through some structural pieces in terms of the teacher leadership role and trying to

040look at that. Um Priscilla Gy who we're so grateful did it for a number of years um stepped back and we're also we're watching for grant opportunities. I know this is a joint meeting but we're certainly supporting solar on the middle school and working with CMLP effectively. Um and the list kind of goes on and on. So, we'll have more updates after that committee meeting, but it's certainly a important value for us and I'm glad to get the structures back in place >> and that that includes multiple stakeholders as well. A good number of community members from some of the other committees in town come and that's been really powerful. >> Are the PPDs involved? >> They are have not been directly involved. Some have representatives. Let me say it this way. Some of them

041have their own green leader within the PTG. Often [clears throat] they will come and it's really meant to be a spoke to all the other work. >> Yeah. >> Thanks. Uh before Andrew and I give our update, uh Andrew and I met with Michelle and Aisha and so what you won't see it on the agenda because the agenda was posted too late and we met after the agenda got posted. Um but as part of our chair's report, we're going to add an additional metco update um to this section. So, we're going to have Michelle and Aisha give us an update and then we'll go on to do our chair's update. >> Question going forward, will it be a separate plan? >> It'll come right in here. Yeah, it'll come right in here for uh superintendent

042chairs [clears throat] go updates and then Santi reached out to me today about a very timely update from a group he leazes with. So, we moved away from liaison updates verbally because it's typically us going to I'm like the select board leaison. So, it's a public meeting. Everyone can watch a public meeting. So, for me to update our committee about a public meeting isn't always the best use of our time, which is why we went to written updates. But, if there's something timely from a committee that you're on, just reach out to Andrew or I and you can give the update. You know, if there's an event coming up or something that you know, you're looking for survey feedback or anything like that, we can do that in this section. All right. So, I'll turn

043to Michelle and Aisha. >> Is Michelle Michelle. >> Michelle's on. Yep, she's on, too. Yeah. >> All right. Um I'll do a K through8 update real quick. Um I met last week with a small parent group and met leadership parents. Um met with Solange and discuss some issues uh achievement gaps and questions about um additional help for kids that are struggling and Solange was uh very helpful. Um, today we had the MECO end of year party at launch and I was able to meet up with Andre from the middle school and there I learned that 23 out of the 26 uh MECO students in the middle school made honoral and four of those students made the principal list. So that was really great to hear. Um, what else is going on? Um, we have a

044meeting set. I think Aisha will speak to this about the potential of a new uh parent group forming set for next month. Go ahead. A sh I'll let you go. [clears throat] >> Yes. Um, so it's been exciting to hear. We've gotten a lot of feedback from different parents um at all three levels, the elementary, middle, and high school. Um, parents that are interested in forming another group um whether that be a PTG or just a a mech parent group. um there is a ton of interest now um to form one. So um I think that there is a great need for it and um we're looking forward to it. >> That's great. And do you have that meeting did you have a date for that meeting scheduled yet or is it just in January

045at some point? >> Michelle, do we do we lock down a date yet? >> January 10th. >> Yeah. >> All right. So you'll give us you'll continue to update us on that and where we're at. So, that's exciting. All right. Anything else? >> Um, no. Did do you um Dr. Hunter, are you planning on meeting with the BSU? I know you met with the JSU. Are you >> I did I was there um a week agoish, something like that. And I'm planning on going back regularly. >> All right. [snorts] Thank you. I know they have a potluck they have a potluck planned for next month, too. So >> Oh, great. Well, that sounds like a great meeting to go to. [laughter] All right. Thanks so much. And you know, it was it was great that

046we met because I think that like here's like a good thing that comes out of sometimes things we do in between meetings is to make this a regular update. So you'll see this going forward. So thanks so much. >> One thing I wanted to point out tonight because of the meeting we won't be able to attend but over the Harvey Wheeler I know is the >> the Hanukkah >> fifth I believe annual Hanukkah celebration for our community. uh collaboration between the town, the DEI commission, the tourism bureau, and uh I didn't get a chance to get any of the food, but there was singing and and and and some dancing. And we should keep mine only scheduled for next year, but it's a wonderful thing. Again, collaboration between affinity groups, community need and and our

047town. So wonderful. >> Great. >> Were you Did you go at five? >> Yeah. >> Oh, so you popped in? >> I popped in before we came here. >> Good for you. All right. didn't dance to came back [laughter] >> but did not eat. So >> did not eat. Okay. Thank you. All right. Andrew, do you want to do CPS and then we'll do the region? >> Uh yeah, I don't have um but it's all been been all about budget the last couple weeks. So um and Bob, I don't want to steal your thunder, so you will talk about that. [laughter] >> All right. >> Can I talk? >> All right. Great. Um I'm just going to be super brief, too, because we're really gonna try and be cognizant of people's time tonight and keep

048us on schedule. Um just at the region the big news is that the amenities building um which is the bathroom building at the high school CPC in conquered has agreed to fully well they voted and they haven't agreed to they they voted to fully fund um the amenities building the conquered share of that and then we also went to the water and sewer um commission and had approval on the appeal of that. So I think that we learned an awful lot about sewer and water hookups and things like that. It's really exciting. But, you know, I I think that the end result of it is the collaboration between all the committees and the conversations that happened in between meetings, you know, between chairs and answering questions and getting some of those things resolved. Um, it

049was just it it's been really great. So, now we're looking forward to going to Carile and Brian is going to lead that charge. >> Yeah. And we've started the conversations and Carile um Carile CPC actually just had their first meeting on Monday night. Okay. And it is known that this is an application that's forthcoming. >> Great. >> And it's mainly the same numbers [snorts] from last year. So they're quite familiar with it. >> Okay. Okay. So we're going to fingers crossed on that one. >> Um [clears throat] I had the this morning was the chair's breakfast which is always informative of everything that's happening around town. So I learned about the conflict this morning between the event at Harvey Wheeler. So that seems like it was a great event. Uh and then the only other

050thing I had is the chairs round table of school committee chairs is going to continue. Conquered will be the permanent host because apparently out of the 20 towns we are exactly central. So one of the other chairs from AB put it into chat GBT and said where's the most central location and it's us. So um we'll be meeting mid January and then we'll continue to meet monthly and it's actually a really interesting group. Um like I you know you can pose a question out there. So for example, cell phones, I posed that question to all the chairs and you get almost immediate feedback from all of them. So we have a pretty good email system and you filled out the spreadsheet. So thank you for that u from Carl. So Brian also will hopefully be

051able to join us um in January. >> And I that's all I have for the region. Uh, oh, the only one other thing, um, just to let the committee know, um, on January 21st, we are inviting our school attorney, Peter Summoners, to do a school committee training and workshop. We have a meeting that night. Conquer does and Brian and Lynette are going to come at 5 for the workshop. And it may be on Zoom if you'd like to zoom instead of coming in person. >> Okay. >> Happy to come over in person. Okay. And so this far. >> Yep. So, this is just um legal requirements around student privacy. So, we're going to do that training on January 21st. So, that will be an earlier start time. Is everybody good with a five o'clock start

052on that? >> Yeah. Okay. Good. I see guesses from Aisha. All right. Thank you. And that's all I had there. >> All right. So, I will move on. >> Oh, sorry. Sep. Yes. I said at the beginning, but not at the end. Sorry. >> Same time. Um so so we're part of the the bias reporting group. We've had multiple meetings over the last monthish, right? It's been at every one of the rooms. Thank you. One of the things that we discussed is how do we get more feedback from the community? So one of the things we settled it on was a focus group. So the rest of this is going to be for the public. Uh what uh the the the working group is doing is we're planning on holding multiple focus groups uh where

053you can come in and provide your inputs to uh one of the the folks on the the working group. The first one is scheduled. It's on Jan 12th uh at Harvey Wheeler. Um the the the link to indicate interest. It'll be from what I understand post on the town page, the DEI page. Uh, and I also believe there will be an ad on the bridge. Um, if you're not able to find any of those, shoot me a note. I'm happy to take your name down and and uh give it to the the working group so we can get your inputs. >> Do you think there's a way that your group could what we've been doing what Lori's done with conquered currents is to put that into her bulletin like a little link at the bottom

054and then our bulletins going to the town for conquered Currents to [clears throat] put in. Is there something that you guys >> We will get that. This is just, you know, if if there are folks that don't get that, this is another way to get to to one of the folks in the community. >> Great. >> And that link I I think we're still working on updating a couple of of words in the memo, but it should be awesome. >> Okay. Thanks, Andy. Anybody else have anything timely pressing? All right. Moving on to public comment. Um, our public comment period will be a period of 20 minutes. As a reminder, this is a meeting in the public and not with the public. So, the school clay will not be responding to any comments. If you're

055in the room and you'd like to speak, you can submit a blue form to me and you'll be called to speak. If you're on Zoom, you can use the raise hand feature and when called to speak, please state your name and address before you speak. And we will go every other starting with a comment in the room and then taking one on Zoom and you will have a time limit of three minutes which Brian will keep track of. So, we will start with um John Safia. Come on up. You can come just take a seat in front of us. >> Thank you, Tracy. >> Thank you. >> Hello. >> You'll have to excuse us if you know Dr. Hunter and I might be like fan girls here. Um, [laughter] >> we might have both had

056your test. >> I got to chest. >> Did you get to the meeting? Yeah. >> My name is John Safir. I'm from Newbury Court, apartment 3319, [snorts] 100 Newbury. First time I was in this building was 1978 when I had student teachers in the Ripley School. And uh subsequent to that uh I started an organization called research for better teaching and we were hired to develop the teacher evaluation system through the 80s that you all had. So besides my four children going through your school system, our school system very happily, I've had a lot of contact and affection for what goes on here. Uh I I thought I'd like to share a few vignettes with you this evening about things that I've experienced. Uh and they speak to the power of all school assemblies when

057there are destructive incidents happening, incidents that car carry moral weight and the way we handle them sends very powerful messages to our students about character development, about cohesion in a community. Um and you know, we've grown to the size where we now work in about a 100 districts a year. So, I've been involved and also uh sometimes participated in responding to these in many places around the country. So, here here's the first vignette. It's a middle school. It's not far from here. There's an autistic boy who is being subject to merciless teasing and put downs by a small codery of other students in the school. So the principal of this school, who used to be, by the way, a guidance counselor in Carlile 40 years ago, calls an all school assembly, everybody on the staff,

058every student comes in and he says, "I'm not asking for blood, not asking for the shirt off your back. All I'm asking for is a little kindness." Now that that message was delivered to everybody, made a big difference and totally transformed that student's experience in the school. Here's another vignette. This one comes from Montgomery County, Maryland, where we've been active for a long time. 211 schools in Montgomery County. Walt Whitten High School is the highest achieving high school in that entire county. And this is an incident involving Robbie Dodd who was principal at the time when there are a number of hateful incidents very parallel to the ones that we have experienced here over the last four or five years. So u Robbie um calls everybody into the uh gigantic auditorium they have at Walt

059Whitman and delivers a five minute speech. Here are a couple of sentences from that speech. We have a problem in our community and the only prayer that we have of solving it is to work together. However difficult that may be at times. Ultimately we want students to lead this work parenthesis from John and I complement the work I heard about tonight where you're bringing student voice to the anti-semitism and the anti-racial groups. So Robbie goes on, we applaud members of the student body who have stuck with our student anti-racist program through uncomfortable moments. This is the level of commitment that's going to give life to our counternarrative, our counternarrative of inclusivity, kindness, and empathy. Every student deserves to feel like witness their school safe and welcoming place to thrive. It's the responsibility of each of

060us to stand up and speak out against hate. Now, uh the the fact that everybody in the entire school community hears that message at one time makes a big difference in the kids' understanding of what the grown-ups stand for and what they want for us. So I I would, you know, a school committee by Massachusetts law has the power to make policy for how things go without micromanagement. And I'd like to suggest that the school committee make a policy that that when when there are hateful incidents, anti-racist, anti-semitist, whatever kind, there should be an all school response that we put in the hands of our own administrators to figure out how to do appropriately. But the fact that everybody would be involved in hearing these messages would then set a tone which would boost the

061steps that you've already taken in order to deal with these incidents. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. Sorry you're at time. >> Well, [clears throat] finish just right. >> Just right. [laughter] >> All right, that's we line. Is everybody online? >> No one online. Okay. Ellen Quacka Bush. I have to say amen to Dr. Um so I Ellen back push 20 to 06 Prairie Street. I am so happy that the conquered police has successfully identified the sole perpetrator of the hateful scarecrow displays and his message is directed Dr. Hunter and that other members of the school committee have interpreted as personal threats to themselves and their families. The conquered police did their job as they committed to doing so so many times. Now these shameful events are in the hands of the courts as

062they should be. However, I'm sad to observe that as these two scarecrow events develop the public and I'm going to say that the also school committee but Tracy has objected to that just no one's not supposed to convert but I want to recognize that um we're quick to jump to the conclusion that these acts were of hate were a work of a small but vocal group with no skin in the game and no direct experience conquered schools. We've heard these phrases over and over again. that is folks like me whose children have already graduated from the contract public schools. And speaking as a member of this supposedly destructive group, I'd like to and I'd say constructive commenting group, I'd like to share the following three observations. I invoke because I care. Um because and want

063current students to have the same supportive school environment in which my children flourished. And I do have skin in the game because every quarter when I pay my real estate taxes, 35 to 45% of my taxes go to the conquered schools and unlike private schools, the public school does not have to solicit me for this donation. It's automatic and I happily pay it by the way. And I do have direct experience with the schools, but in the past, not in the future, not in the present. So as CCH imagines the vision of the student, I think that's a spectacular program. As a parent of two CCH alums, I can attest to the future of the student and I think DECA is actually a beautiful model for just this. I know the DECA program, it really

064does a great job of uh connecting with business and career opportunities and how the conquered schools made my children engaged citizens and successful adults. You probably could learn something from parents like me. I shared many of my stories with Dr. Hunter who very kindly thanked me for some of my stories. So my asked at school committee, the next time an expression of hate emerges, and sadly I do believe this will happen, please do all you can to counter any course of blame that directs anger to anyone group. [clears throat] And please encourage the public to allow the conquered police and any other relevant public authorities to investigate the incident and report back citizens of conquered. And bottom line, to encourage everyone to respect the public process of accountability because we all own creating civic a

065civil discard in our community. I'd ask you to take a look at the public statements by Mark How. I think he has done a great job in calling out proactively quote the placement of disparaging signage along the public way that does nothing to promote for further productive dialogue. I think that's what I'd love to hear from school to make proactive statements about this is us. I think that'd go a long way to damping down some of the unfortunate dialogue that's happened in town. Thank you. >> Thank you. Oh, let me look online. Sorry, Pat. Hang on one second. [laughter] [clears throat] I'm not First off, I'm really glad that they found the person creating Scarecrows. It was creating very tight time. Very proud. Our concrete police did a great job and I love the idea

066of the focus groups. I think that's great and going in some good directions. Pat Brewer 132 Right Road. After attending the October 8th school committee meeting in Carile, I was compelled to send an email to Mr. Herchuk, which I did on October 13th. After more than a month without a response, I resent the letter on November 10th. Today, I have still not received a response. So, I'm reaching out to all of you. In my letter to Andrew, I referenced the October 188th school committee meeting during which people expressed a strong wish for the school committee to allow for an open and candid discussion regarding the ongoing incidents of hate and bias in our schools. This request by a member of the school committee and then reinforced by both METCO reps was sumearily dismissed and the

067topic dropped. I reminded Mr. Herek, this desire for an open discussion around these troubling incidents has been expressed in various ways over time by many members of our greater school community. And even though these discussions could be uncomfortable, we need to have them for the sake of our children and our community. After observing the November 19th school committee meeting where concerns again were brought up by Miss Lton and again dismissed, I feel pressed to write and to ask. By ignoring this, isn't it saying these requests within your committee as well as those of the broader community don't have value or merit? Isn't it through these hard conversations that trust community are built and problem solving happens. If these issues aren't on the agenda, how does meaningful change happen? I've been a special educator for more

068than 40 years. I actually did many trainings with Dr. Sapper when I was in Lynfield. I've worked in both private and public schools and in diagnostic clinics at children's hospital alongside pediatricians, always advocating for children. I do have gray hair. I don't have kids in school right now. You won't see me at your soccer games, but you will see me advocating for all children in our schools. And I welcome your thoughts. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And I hope you all a nice holiday. >> Okay, Kristen. >> No, not >> and this will close up public comment. >> Kristen Hagerty, uh, Revolutionary Roads. Uh, thank you all for being here, our elected officials. I appreciate it. I have two, uh, topics that I wanted to address. First is you're going to talk about the

069cell phone policy later. And I wanted to just let you know that I have an eighth grader who does not have a cell phone. He does very well in school and he was able to fly to visit a family in another state and back without a cell phone. So I think he can be okay during the day in school without a cell phone. Um the second thing that I wanted to address was similar to what Miss Brewer said. I was at um or I listened to a recent meeting and and I and I was in many meetings and I hear the words inclusive. I hear the words welcoming um all the time and especially with the amenities building and and I know that it also applies to your own group of people and I know

070that you always try to model everything for what students see and so I know that you have to have an efficient meeting. These are very long and you're coming after work and things like that. It's you want to do things as efficiently as possible, but when you're not allowing your own members to speak, particularly when they represent a group that you have invited to be part of this group, we we've asked the MECO representatives to be here is a is an extra big commitment. They don't get a vote and yet we ask them to come and contribute. So, I think it's especially important that they are in intentionally included like you're doing now. I'm sorry that it's taken, you know, a few years to do that, but I think it's a great idea. Um but

071but most importantly I I think that when people speak with um any intonation in their voice whether it's passion whether it's fear um sadness whatever it is it's uncomfortable to hear but that's not their problem that's our problem as the listener to handle. And so when somebody comes and they represent that they have fear for their own child in your school, that's what you should be hearing. Not that this is uncomfortable for me to hear and I don't have time for this, but acknowledging what that person's experience is, particularly if they represent a larger group that you're trying to include. I think it's important to acknowledge that and then make sure that they're followed up with and that if there needs to be something on the agenda that's included. So thank you. >> Thank you.

072All right. Uh, next up we have our consent agenda. And does anyone need to pull anything off the consent agenda before we vote on it? >> Yes, I'd like to pull B, C, D, and E off. Uh, B, C, D. Uh, I've already framed language. I pull them off for tone and contact the language. [clears throat] can look at them later >> before the next meeting. Yeah. Okay. >> Before the next meeting, I can get it out later today next meeting. >> E uh put up at the October uh 8th meeting and I still have questions about it. So, it's something I think we can move on to. So, B, C, and D, I will supply the language I want considered. Uh, EU just have some questions on me before we >> Okay. So, why

073don't we um so E, you have questions on first? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, let's vote first on um I would entertain a motion to approve items A, F, G, and H. >> So move. >> And do we have a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Any further discussion? All in favor? >> I >> Okay. So we will pull up B, C and D and you will get me the edits and then we'll do that before our next meeting. >> Excellent. >> All right. [snorts] Uh the proposed language I should say. Yes. >> Because I think Sandep you had some um typographical edits >> but not Yeah. So but not language. Okay. So item E middle school um pathway policy revision. >> Sorry. >> So >> and this is just for CPS. >> Yes. So as

074we discussed and uh I actually reviewed the the questions I have are not about this policy but about some things we talked about as possible following uh questions that I have about um the contact date October 15th um it's fine that the see that that the men should have access to to contact the internet families. Is there any particular reason can't be since we've already got that data? We know world students are could it be sooner just to give them more time to work? >> Yeah. So, we would this is the language Desi gave me to have you edit. >> Um, we would want to we would want to submit our October 1st data because that's the cleanest version of it is that October one report. So, we could do it right after that and

075be ahead of the 15th. It would probably be between the first and the fifth. >> I guess the question was just to make certain that the idea is just to make certain that we give uh minute man ample time to get in touch with interested in >> the law says no later than the 15th which is why that date is there for all the reasons you're >> clear up for me whether there was any uh impediment earlier. The other thing we touched on was whether you know we can track since there are other municipalities that are sending kids to Minute Man, we can track how our students are getting in. We can also have a information on how they're doing when they leave Minute Man and getting into their career. It's something that we can

076use as billing inside to say look at this because look at where our formal directors have gone. Um, I understand that's not determining this, but we brought that up at the time. And if we can find a way means having the uh the uh director of uh uh Minute Man come to speak to us just in foremost. That's something like for us to do just for moving forward and giving us a better understanding of the the bang if you move that. >> So that would be minute man information. So maybe we could just reach out to Minute Man and see at some We could. >> Yeah, I can ask. >> Yeah, just ask. >> So, a question on that. You're obligated to do >> Yes. This So, this is just the policy we're going to

077vote on. >> So, if say we try to get back from that man and we're not able to facilitate that, we still need to vote on this. >> Yes. Yes. >> This is not a question. >> Yeah. Because it's not a question of the policy. This is like an added like an added bonus >> things that came up during the meeting. I just want to have clear up and this is the perfect point. We should do that. So, >> okay. So, so are you good with the policy? I'm I said go to the policy. These are questions that I had. >> Okay. All right. So, why don't we vote the policy? So, I would and this is just for conquered public schools and school committee members. >> So, I guess I can move it because

078I'm not chair of CPS. I would move to approve the CPS middle school uh pathways policy as written. >> Seconded. All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you. All right. So, we are all set with that. And items B, C, and D, you will see again at the January. >> I'll have it to by tomorrow morning. >> Okay. >> I've already got them written. Just just again, so carve out an agenda for getting a meeting from minute at some point in our future calendar. >> Okay. All right. So, more information to come. Um, correspondence. [snorts] I asked Brian to review correspondence for me. >> Yep. Um so for the region uh there were six emails. Um the general themes were related to questions about previous meetings. Uh cell phones as well as the scarecrow incident.

079>> Do you want to do CPS? >> Oh, I didn't have it in front of you. >> I have it. I think there's only >> I think it was just Oh, there was just one about an absence. >> Yeah. and one about an absence and uh and then a a question about our mechco representatives that I >> and because Pat you're still here. I have not received any emails from you so I don't know if >> I said >> it's a spelling I just looked in my inbox and I'm trying to go through all this stuff so I I don't have it. Um I can >> the one I sent today. >> No >> really. Did you send it to Sorry, I know this is probably a little bit, [laughter] >> but it's the chair's

080um Did you send it to the school committee email address or directly to Andrew? >> A her specific my letter went specifically to him because he was the one I was questioning. It was a herch at conqueredps.org. >> So, his last name's a little tricky. Is it CK or K? I still don't remember. >> It's just K. >> Just K. So, if you did just K's. >> Yep. >> I have your email here in our database. I'm going to send you an email if you can reply to it. Chalk. >> Oh, >> say [laughter] >> P. Brewer at Oh, no. >> No. >> Yeah. Okay. I will follow up with you after this meeting. I'm sorry to take the time. I sincerely did not intend to not reply. I just have not gotten your email.

081>> Yeah, that's >> Yeah. Oh, thank you. I appreciate. >> All right. That's helpful. Okay. Great. Uh, moving on. Sorry. We are going to move on to our discussion. And up first, we're [clears throat] going to have Bob. Are you ready for a budget discussion? Now, just to line this up. We all have all the materials on the budget. I will say that Andrew and I attended finance committee meeting, so we have some information leading into the budget season. They set their final guideline. Um, the region is at their guidelines. So, if we have questions, Bob's going to give us a very high level presentation of the budget. Um, we're not going to go line item by line item. We have all the information. We are at guideline. I hate to like, you know, ruin

082all the good news, but give it to you, Bob. >> Well, good news and conquered >> in conquered. >> Um, yeah. So, and I'm I'm going to queue up budget discussions this year with some the budget story and >> I added a slide this year to give me that little bit of window. Um, and then Bob's going to talk the numbers and we're going to do that at a 50,000 foot view. You have the slides. We'll post them to the agenda tomorrow so the public has access to them as well as the line item budgets. Um you also have a hearing coming up January 7th which will be the public hearing on the budgets. So that'll be a follow-up opportunity for discussion as well as obviously the public um opportunity for discussion on the budgets

083this year. So in terms of the regional budget, maintaining level service is has and is our priority and we did accomplish that in this. Um we're always looking to sustain simultaneously our initiatives and our goals and you know how many goals we have set both school improvement goals, strategic plan goals um the goals I have with all of you. So we're definitely focused on that as well. what's fed into the story this year in terms of the budget and the finances is declining enrollment. Um we've referenced it. I think this is the window and the timing where we're going to talk about it as we bring the numbers forward. The high schools down um about 1150 students at one point a few years ago they were well up over 1300. So that's significant. Um and

084it's time we really we've been adjusting. You'll see the numbers as you go through the slides, but it's time to just keep adjusting. And I'm using the words right sizing. Um, we don't want to be overstaffed for the um student population that we have. Um, Bob's going to definitely mention health. Now, this is the region, so we're carrying health care costs. We're carrying everything in this budget, unlike either Carlile or the CPS budget where the town is carrying those numbers. Um, and those are in guideline and conquered, which is worth noting because because they're in guideline, they feed into the big picture to reach that number. And obviously, they're going in the opposite direction from where we're trying to get to. Um, industry special education programming, we are continuing to look at our special education

085students and seeing a slow decline at the high school, which is good news. We predicted that. Um, we're also bringing revenue in and the numbers sizable enough that our programs are robust enough, other districts are sending children to us, we can actually factor that in as an offset. Um, what is not in this budget is any additional staffing. That doesn't mean there isn't a short list running of what we might wish we have. We're wondering if we can do some reallocating down the road. We have a retirement incentive program out right now that you're all aware of. That deadline is January 15th. So that might bring us a window of opportunity, but we also don't want to use up any of that opportunity um should other needs arise. So very important to us has been

086not just Conquer's needs this year because we'll be frank, Conquered is going to pay less this year than they did last. We we were able to maintain that as we firmed up the budget. Carlile is facing a 9% increase. So a lot of our mindset was yes, we want to meet the conquered guideline, but very much because we want to minimize costs to carile as best as we possibly as best as we possibly can. >> My understanding that's largely demographic driven. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. The assessment shift with a number of Carile kids going up and the conquered kids going down simultaneously has driven a significant increase to Carile and that's part of what we're going to need to be talking about with them over the next few months. So in some ways it's great

087conquered we're going to say thanks we're all on the same page and now we need to focus on helping Carlile manage what this all is. So, >> and then I guess just before Bob starts, there's been an incredible amount of work done on the conquered side, um, meeting with Bincom, meeting with the chair and the guidelines chair over the summer, meeting again last week before their final guidelines meeting to really have an understanding of the school needs. Um, and I would hope that that this process will continue. Brian's also done a lot of work in Carile, meeting with select board. He does lies significantly with the Caroff income which is great. So, you know, just building those relationships to really help people understand what the budget increases are because everybody understands that they're limited resources.

088>> Yeah. And I think just kind of the asterisk I'm putting on a year that's feeling overall successful. Declining enrollment isn't going to keep declining. We're hitting the stabilized place there. special ed. We're going to not be able to just I mean the pipeline, you know, CPS, which is for later tonight, we only have six kids out of district. You're not going to keep realizing savings year over year and six six-digit numbers. Um so with a and then a contract that all the contracts are at about 3%. So can we sustain the numbers that we're bringing you this year? I don't know. Um, I think it's good timing that we're able to bring in a budget that is overall what percentage >> 2.75 of the region [clears throat] 1.63 >> 1.63 operational increase with with

089a health health insurance increase of at least 14%. >> Like I just don't know. I feel like this might be the year we're just glad it's working out that way. I don't know that it'll continue. And obviously we'll keep working hard to zero base and find the savings and bring you the tightest budget that we can. Um but you know just that asterisk of next year may not look like this. >> Would you remind me the the assessment? What what's the cut off date for that? When is that determined >> the um the split between conquer and it's based on the October 1st enroll next year? >> Last this past two months ago. >> Yeah. So Bob will take it from there and it's a conversation not a lecture. So feel free to and >>

090I think I asked this last year but if we wanted to think about the enrollment shifts and the seessawing that goes between conquered and carile and try to smooth it out. That's a town meeting vote. >> You would need to open the regional agreement and look at a different formula. There's a three-year rolling average is a common formula, but yes, it's a >> it's a whole process and eventually has to land at town. stinks for Coral this year, but it will probably stink for us. >> You need to have alignments with all the boards before you even talk to. >> I know. I know. Just But no one wants a 9% increase like >> No. No. But >> especially when you can see it coming. >> You can kind of see it coming. >> Yeah.

091And you open it for that one thing. What else? Uh >> I open it for the cons. >> And there has been some discussion on the conquered fin about it. They, you know, they'll there'll be a few comments here and there. It's like it's gonna really stink for one town in year one if you decide to do that, you know, because it's somebody's always gonna feel that. >> Yeah. Yeah. There's also methods of doing it that don't go backwards. Could they could just you could go to two-year average then three like you write the agreement and know there's ways to do it. It would take a lot of time to work through and talk through, but um you could you could not be pun you could do it in a way that's not punitive. >>

092Um [snorts] >> so >> we're not suggesting that for tonight. [laughter] >> No. No, no, I know it's just I was trying to jog my memory. It's a huge project, but it's just it's a shame. >> So, this just a quick high level of where we are in the process. We've done all of the ground work. We've um >> prepped. We've um had the all the administrators have prepared their budgets. We've done reviews. We've made adjustments. And so, here we are in the green space tonight. And but a little over two weeks from now, we'll present to the public in an open hearing. and you'll hear the same presentation again because it's really the first time to the we have the open hearing. Um and then you know we'll certainly we have the feedback loops

093as well. Um but we are at guidelines so we're hoping that um we'll see how that goes. Um these are our same objectives each year. I just think it's important to leave a highlight here. I'm not going to go through those but um straightforward. So this is our our high level summary. Um we're at in the bottom right there 1.6% 1.63% increase over FY26. Um each of these lines I have uh slides for I'll go through kind of the key drivers. Um but really when you look at um teaching and learning um it's a 1.5% increase but the dollars are significant because you can see it's it's over half the budget. That's where all of our our teacher costs are. Um and then you know what jumps out is the fixed charges which includes insurance.

094that's um 12% increase or 544,000. Um and then the offsets are in debt service and um and on district tuitions. Um so I'll go through um those kind of key drivers. Um [clears throat] we do make budget assumptions um on hiring and sometimes we factor in savings we don't realize and sometimes we receive more savings than we realize. So um that's kind of what's driving the administration um increase. within teaching and learning. Um, our overall increase on salary accounts across teachers, tutors, admin, clerical is 1.4%, an increase of 285,000. Um, that factors in that we have a 3% cola and staff increasing um advancing steps and lanes. What it's offset by is a reduction um in four and a half um FTEES. that's um based on enrollments and enrollment driven. Um we also um have

095mentioned this that we have non-resident tuition offsets of 157,000. Um we have six students in um special education programs in our pathways program, our launch program and our anchor program. Um bulk of them in the pathways and launch program. Um three additional students and our tuition rate next year is 48.6 6 48,600. Um and then we have an increase our rate this year is 45,000. So for existing three students, we also realize an increase there. Um we've held our rate constant for three years. Um this increase is uh relatively modest. It's um 6 and a half% I think it is. Um so six and a half% over four years is is very fair to the sending communities. And so these are students from other towns that don't have a program in their town. They pay

096tuition to the region to come to either pathways or lunch. >> And we're able to >> essentially >> a program a program. Yeah. >> And we're able to support them with their existing staff. Um if they had a need for a onetoone support, for example, they would pay for the the tutor that we needed to hire for that special education assistant. Um so this is it is budget relieving it and also it's not just financial it gives our students a peer group peer group um in the programs um in some cases you might have a small peer group and this helps >> but I would wager it also works as long as the tuition and students don't put too much strain on the infrastructure that >> we balance that >> we do balance that >>

097and we only would accept if we didn't feel like that was going to be the case we capacity program directors or program staff. Um we have an increase this is one time or or you know as we go through this process for portrait of a graduate u some contract service costs. Um it's a went to the session. It's a great uh great uh process that they're going through. So we anticipate those costs continue next year. Um >> sorry >> on the u on the out of district um on the districtricting in tuition the 486 I know we we um discussed and approved a new tuition was that last year or the year before? >> Uh you approved it in November. >> This year. Oh that was this year. Okay. How often it does that get

098looked at? >> Uh well school committee approves all fee changes. If you want us to look at it each year, we can we can tell you what our fees are. >> But we're really only in year two. Are we in year two or three of tuition in three, two, >> three or four, but it's >> we just looked at it increase. >> It was just one I think one student the first year I we created. >> I was just thinking because I remember we did because this this seems like very fair. Um but it was like that was a that was like a big jump, >> right? Like it was >> so you went from 45 to the 48.6. 6,000. >> Okay. >> Um, which is still a very appealing to the other districts. Um,

099okay. >> And we're providing an inclusive >> environment for their students. >> Okay. Great. >> So, and we've communicated them so they can factor into their budget. [clears throat] >> Um, >> can I just ask with portrait of a graduate just to clarify, were there expenses in FY26 annual? >> Yes. >> Um, the process is part of our um NESC accreditation or NEASK accreditation. Um this year is the building of the vision of the graduate. Next year will be the actual creation of it and implementation like the how are we going to do what we come up with. Um so we're excited by all of that. Next year also ramps up more of the other parts of the NASC. There's actually a little money in here. We have some on-site visitors coming in October to

100start doing some ground work there with a final visit, not until 2028. So, my guess is we're going to have to carry some level of >> play costs from now till the final visit in 2028. >> We didn't budget for it in 26. We had to move some money around to make it happen. We just now know the numbers. >> Okay. Thank you. >> But this is something that every district has to do since it's sort of mandated. >> Yes. There's no uh little stipen for the state. Would >> that be nice? >> We're taking a finger. Give a speck a finger now. >> Um the only comment I'll just make on this is the uh especially transportation is going up 76,000 11%. Um the wrership their formula for this um it lags a little

101bit in terms of it uses prior year data. So as you see our out of district uh transportation our out of district uh placements decline um the impact transportation probably lag one to two years but otherwise u we're you know pretty modest increases for this category transportation is relatively flat I don't really have much to call here these are um it's 2.5% overall um so >> are the case transportation vehicles in good shape Um, can >> I was at a board meeting Friday. Um, we're actually building into the FY27 budget a case a pretty substantial number of vehicles to replace the fleet. The vans case uses are the same ones Amazon uses. >> So, the supply chain [clears throat] dried right up there for a while. So, we got behind. >> So, they're looking to

102increase new vehicles and actually drivers. case has been on a road back from the pandemic still and um we are hoping that they can easily meet all of the demand because all the private vendors that if we get stuck are much much more expensive. Yep. a question that I had um was just November 19th sent out the DESIE uh um notification that the Department of Education was changing its grants for title one, title two, title three, and the uh transportation the forgetting the acronym for it. Uh how has that played into the budget? I know that nothing's >> the money the grant fund the grant originators are changing from DOE to Department of Labor. >> Yeah. But given what's happening, uh there's no qu it's I when I looked at something like a quarter million

103between those for concrete. >> Um that's not the information I have in terms of um but what we are expecting is that title one will decline. >> Um we don't receive a lot of uh a lot of reimbursement on title one. Um >> it was like 117,000. >> Yeah. We I I budgeted to to have a decline about 20,000. [clears throat] >> Um you know we were given guidance of you know assume 10 15%. >> That's conquered right. >> Yeah. >> The region gets much less. >> Yeah. >> So um we haven't been advised that IDA funds are going to decline. That's what's critical. Um that those numbers are are much more substantial. I actually have a slide in the CPS that shows our other funding sources. I don't in the region but I will

104get it into the before the open hearing. The question is just the notifications that came out just said that we're changing funding, but that usually makes you want to wonder when the next few the other shoe is going to fall. >> Yeah. >> And just so that that consideration is factored into the budget. I know it's small numbers, but I thought when I added everything together, title one, title two, title three, title 4 A and B, and the transportation thing, it was about a quarter of a million, but >> you might maybe think maybe you're referring to Mckin Vento. >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah. >> Um >> Mckenn Vento. >> Yeah. There's also ongoing, you know, we I um I get some notices from Desi. There's push back from the states on well the IDA grant

105shouldn't move to another agency. the the ESSA, the title one, two, and four. Maybe they will. So, they moved to the Department of Labor instead. So, um the 26 grants are already done and awarded. Uh they're in the 2 for them, the 27 budget cycle. And um we I mean, we'll certainly stay connected and see if we get any news. Um again, we catastrophic to districts, you know, a lot of districts aside from us, particularly for the special ed grant. So >> only bring it up just to to know that you know it's it's it's in a hopper in terms of thinking about how do we how do we protect [clears throat] or how do we right >> how do we steer if this eventuality comes to be. >> Yeah. Um so we yeah know

106we'll keep our eye on that. >> Um so this is really the the I don't know if it's a surprise but um last year we had a sizable increase in insurance. We were hopeful for not the same story this year. Um but we received some preliminary guidance from Maya, our health provider, that um we could expect possibly around 14% on average rates. They've given a range of 10 to 20. Um and we'll say our experience rates in terms of what our claims are relative to our premiums is actually relatively not it's it's not unfavorable. It's it's it's decent. So, um, you know what my perspective might be? I'm not the one that sets the rates. It's Maya. But, um, >> do we get a rebate in that case? >> No. No. They they use that

107to they use that to factor in what um I think it's kind of like just they price our insurance next year based on that. >> Um, and then they factor in Maya as a whole and our specific experience. So, they combine the two. So they don't just look at us, but they say they're overall we have a a lot of claims particularly because I think it's the O the there's some weight loss reduction drugs that are driving a lot of these increases >> ones GLP [clears throat] ones. Um and so MA is looking at whether they're going to cover that or not next year. Um anyways, just big picture [clears throat] they're they're projecting about 14%. Last year I budgeted a number that turned out to be 4% below where they landed. Um so we

108have that effect as well. I thought I was budgeting conservatively. Um but it was 4% plus I budgeted 12% this year because there are some discussions about plan design. So I didn't go all the way to 14%. I did initially but made an adjustment. And then we also have some increased participation levels. So 487,000 20% um you know we have some one-time savings on some things. This is what I hope to be um you know something that doesn't continue next year. It needs to stabilize and um that's certainly something a lot of communities are comparing to Maya and um and other insurers. Um the other increases are relatively modest. Um really it's the medical health insurance that's driving this. Overall 545,000 um of our increase is from this 12%. This is relatively small, 21,000. I'll

109move you past that. Um, our debt service, um, we did pay off our landfill remediation ban. Um, that's the space as you drive in on the access road on the left, that open space. Um, we have an access road that we repaved that bond. We've restarted, we started repaying the principal that's factored in this year. And then all all of our existing debt service, all of our debt service is set up to be um that we bonded um flat principal payments. So over time you see that the interest payments decline as the principal balance goes down. So that's what's driving this 226 reduction is decreased interest payments. >> What's left on the CCHS building? Do you know directional? >> Um I don't know off the top of my head, but I think our overall debt

110is somewhere between 30 and 40 million. Um, and I don't remember. Yeah, it's working down here around 35. >> Um, and then out of district tuitions. Um, so we had anticipated it a little bit more. What I what I didn't what I didn't note here, well, I'll just go through the slide first, is our tuitions are are going down 97,000 um 2.4%. We're also um because we've had more placements last year, our circuit breaker in offset is going up. So really the IDA is flat. It's about typically the same amount every year, but our circ we're able to draw more from our circuit breaker reserves. Um in part also we're trying to keep our our increase down this year. Um so the combination of those two factors is helping us keep our overall tuitions down

111by um 323,000. Um, also in this line of the the 9,000 category, we have assessments that we get for chart students that elect to go to charter schools, school choice, and that's some students at like um state hospitals or in hospital settings. Um, those are increasing by 54,000. Um, the net of all of this is a savings of 13% or 323,000. It would be greater, but we've been notified of some large increases from private um out of district organizations that have um petitioned the state for increases. They're permitted to do that. >> I don't know. Sometimes >> historically, uh two school committees ago probably the increase was going to be 14% and we were all panicked about 14%. And now you're talking about 20 to 30% increases. Um that's just astronomical. >> Can the state

112say no or have there? >> Yes. Yeah, they they actually there's a there's an authority uh approving body, the um operational services division that approves tuitions. Um I think I think senior administration at Desi I think might have gotten involved a couple years ago because a lot of school committees wrote letters and school districts wrote letters >> saying this is and they came up with a mechanism to defay um I was called but it was kind of I think it was added to our circuit breaker. There was some type of additional circuit breaker relief they gave us. So there was some help that they provided. Uh not that it fully offset it. Um I don't know what's going to happen this year. some of these increases are um beyond what they were a couple years

113ago and it's being driven by um I I guess what we hear you know anecdotally is they have a hard time finding staff um and this is kind of ways that they can they need to increase what their pay is to to draw more staff >> but it's a lot I mean we can't I I can't imagine going to our towns and say we want to increase our taxes 25% >> right [clears throat] >> so we would have we were thinking when We presented our forecast that we would [clears throat] be at a lower number here. Um we've had to use a little bit more circuit breaker because of it and we've also um been a little bit more aggressive in some of our other offsets um to try to get back to what we

114forecast to particularly to Carlile. I mean we're we're negative to conquer. Um this is just a breakout showing it's consistent across both categories salary and non salary. really gonna go through that. Um and um just showing you that our OPED fund is is relatively well funded and then from 2024 to 2025 you can see it increased 1 1.3 million in change. Um it goes through an audit um it's going through its year-end audit now. We budgeted a contribution of 375,000 this year. Um, you might recall that I proposed in our capital plan presentation that we repurpose this to capital stabilization this year and next year so that we don't have to ask the towns to find the memorial field replacement and and a couple other small things. So Bob, can you just clarify that because

115OPED came up in last night's joint >> Yeah. >> um Carlile select board fincom meeting. So this year it's 375. You're proposing that that goes into capital stabilization and next year you also proposing 375. >> Yeah, I'm proposing that we repurpose OPED, you know, >> but it was it's 375. >> 375 a year is in there. Um, and I think, you know, we have constraints in Car, you know, in both towns and we're at a high funding level. So, you know, this leads to either we, you know, if somebody wants us to cut this, then we have to ask for money to fund Memorial Field, right? >> If somebody um said, "Well, keep this in here and find a you know, it it's anyways it's a way to take the pain away." >> No, I

116understood. I just wanted to make sure I knew the amounts. >> Yeah, >> it's largely because OPIVV is so well funded >> and you can see it's healthy increase again this year. >> Yeah. And right now we're making um revenue on the interest that is continuing to grow the OPED. >> Yeah. >> And so account question from the uh FINCOM select board school committee meeting two Mondays ago. >> Uh I think I'm recalling from that meeting. Um where will where would OPED be with those two consecutive 375 375,000 not and you >> that's some of your calculations. >> Yeah, I I think the 375 is what's less less important is the 375. What's probably going to impact it more is the the the rates increases in our premiums. >> Okay. >> So that that will

117potentially cause the funding level to you know be the investment earnings are going to be offset by you know increases in our in our premiums. So we had over a 10% increase. So if our premiums went up 14% last year, it might it might stay, you know, about level. There's a lot of factors that go into the actual calculation. Like I can't go too much further than that, but fair it's walking walking clouds. >> But fair to say then that this moving money from Peter to pay Paul is going to have a time limit on it. >> Yeah. That's not a permanent plan. >> Fair. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I I think we know we have one specific significant capital need at the high school. >> The other items um I I don't

118know that I can't think of other things that are 900,000. I can think of things that could pop up. >> Well, not that we're going to be asking the town >> right. [clears throat] >> This is our revenue picture. It's it's I just overall it's relatively stable. Um I I don't not going to point too much out here. These are we're trying to keep ch excess and deficiency level. Um and u you know overall it's 2% increase. I I have to moderate the interest a little bit. I brought it down because I think we're going to come in right around 275 this year, but interest rates are coming down a little bit. So I I can't keep that up too high. Um, I'm not going to go through this slide because it really just is

119shows the calculation of how to get to the next slide. And this is what the towns are interested in. The top number is showing our assessments without factoring debt and the bottom section which is the impact to taxpayers is showing it with factoring in debt. You can see on the far right our operating our increase without debt is 2.49 with on the bottom slide it's 1.59. What uh really jumps out is that when you look at each town because of the enrollment change, conquer in the bottom slide is negative0.79% a decrease of 214,000 in Carile an increase of 770,000 9.37 increase. Um which you know that's the the challenge and you know we know we're going to be talking to Carlile we can so far to to get to this. I mean, yes, it's a

120challenge, but I also want to point out like a budget increase of 1.6%. Like it >> this headline could be a lot worse. >> I want to make and I know we're going to have conversations next month, but like I appreciate >> Yeah. >> Um definitely appreciate the work and keeping that in mind. >> It's a scary number, but it could be a lot scary. >> Yeah. >> And Bob, can [clears throat] you remind me, does Carla look at it with or without debt? I always get this confused. >> I don't know. I I um >> or do you know >> I think they ask for both. >> They ask for both. They just want to know what both of them are. >> Okay. >> Um >> but in conquered they ask for with debt

121service. >> Conquer really likes to focus on the without debt service. >> The debt service declines drops the number down because we're declining debt. >> Yep. Yep. >> But even still 2.5%. >> Right. 2.49. I I don't think there's going to be that many communities that are below us. >> Not especially not the 1.6. six, but like um but the the 2.49 and I think we're across both districts were >> I mean because I know the number we're looking at just in Carlile and it's not 2.49. >> Yeah. >> This this shows the shift the you know so it doesn't take that many students. I mean it is a decent number of conquered students that declined. We had a big graduating class and only an increase of 11 in Carlile but that change right there

122equates to $650,000. Um, >> all right. So, so this is what I was confused. So, we're looking at the numbers in FY27 enrollment. >> Uh, the FY26 enrollment percent that's used is um that's the Well, I talked FY27 enrollment. We're building the 27 budget now. We can only use the information we have most recently available, which is October 1, 2025. And then the 26 enrollment there is October 1, 2024. Does that answer your question? Yeah. So, and I think I answered it differently before because of how we're talking about which year we're referencing. >> So, so the budget is FY27. >> Yes. The numbers on October 1st of 25 >> and and that's the 76%. >> No, that's the the bottom number. >> 76%'s from 24. October of 24 drove FY26. >> Wait, but but

123it says FY26 enrollment percentage. That's >> 26 budget enrollment percent. >> Yeah, we're mixing you up with the labor. >> And we're not on calendar, so it makes things worse. >> Yeah, I could call it budget instead of [clears throat] really it's it's not what the actual enrollment percentage was that year on the left. It should say FY26 budget enrollment percent. >> Then I'm good. >> I could put the dates on it, too. >> I was just confused with >> Yeah. No, we just have to >> Yeah, it's easy enough to edit put it for the budget open hearing >> just as a dry run for >> Yeah, that's what This is we're cut out the kings here for the budget hearing. Um anyway, bottom line is the red $650,000 shift. Um which is what's

124driving this. Um our END I don't have an update. It's being reviewed right now by DLS. So I just left last year's number in there. Um we're expecting it might go up a little bit. >> And can I ask a question about that? Does DS certify it? Like certified? >> Yep. Yeah, that's our equivalent for regional district on three cache. >> Okay. >> It's not exactly the same. We have a little different rules, but it's very similar. >> Okay. >> So, that's um that's the budget in a nutshell for the region. >> Excellent. [clears throat] Okay. Do we have any questions from the committee out there? >> Online. Any questions? >> Nope. Okay. She looks good. Um and just for everyone, the budget hearing. So we'll see the same presentation at January 7th. Now the

125only difference between a hearing is members of the public can ask questions during the hearing. So that's coming up and then there's another hearing >> finance committee hearing con is in March. >> Conquered is in March >> and we have dates to work through with >> Carla. Carl Y. >> Y um not so much a question but a comment again just coming out of last night's meeting and something to be thinking about ahead of >> when the Marla did come as their marathon meetings in January. Um, student fees did come up. I don't love student fees at all. I mean, as someone who, you know, and Carlile got to pay for kindergarten um on top of the $20,000 plus tax bill. Like, I don't like student fees, but the question will most likely come up,

126are there places where the region should consider student fees? I'm just going to plant Yeah. >> that seed in the leadup. >> Yep. So, you know, just so we're all on the same page, you you charge for parking now. You charge for athletics. You do not charge for clubs. >> There's the answer. >> And just, you know, and I'll just say it publicly like other towns are looking at putting student fees in, you know, right next door to us in Bedford, they're now putting student fees in as part of it. We are $300 per sport with a $900 family cap. So, you can end up paying a lot of money. Um, there is definitely financial assistance available for our fees and the parking fee is $300 per year. >> Yeah. And I'm gonna say it

127again, I do not love the fees, but the question will come up. So, >> I might have done the calculation recently as my youngest is graduating and I'm almost at $10,000 like and just for public school when you really look at that and that's be, you know, >> then you're also asked for money to support boosters and things like that. So, >> oh yeah, no. I finished kindergarten fees and then this year it was seventh grade bus fee. You know, it's like you just can't escape them. >> We do not have a bus fee >> and you never would want one at the region because you're reimbursed for transportation. You actually can't. >> Yeah. >> Um the student clubs uh we don't uh you're not allowed to pay an adviser from a fee. So we

128wouldn't be able to pay advisors of clubs with student fees and we don't typically we pretty much they raise their own money like so we don't we're not there might be a couple clubs that um get direct to cocurricular fees but for the most part they raise their money and they that's what they spend. We don't you know spend like if they went to an event they raise money for it. >> Okay. Any other questions on the regional budget? >> All right. I'm really gonna try. >> Thank you. Yes. Thank you, Bob, for all this. This is And this is really >> Yeah. And you guys, you both did a great job with the grilling from from the FinCom. I mean, really answered all their questions. It was It was fun to watch. >> It

129was great. Um, okay. So, next up, we have the competency determination policy, which we saw last month, and this is just a formal vote. So, I would entertain a motion to approve competency determination policy. So move >> and do a second. >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> Question. >> So, so I think during the first meeting I may have asked a question that's Jason to ask, but um how do you go about competency determination, you know, for students that are in IEPs or or English language support and all this? >> Yeah, it's the same process. we have to look at the courses they're taking and map it against what we're outlining here. So what's going to be new and different is without the MCCAST being the the tipping point. Um the this becomes more

130weighty at least until the state changes it. Um, we did this in COVID because there was no MCCAST there for a few years and we would go student by student to look at what course they participated in and what outcome they had. Anyone else? Okay, so ready for a vote. All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Um, and now we are moving on to a cell phone policy process. And I will just preface this that this is our very first discussion. We're going to stay really high level on this. Um, but I'm gonna share my screen and we'll kind of go through a few things and then I'll be looking for some feedback from the committee. So, let me see if I can share this. It's always tricky to see which screen I'm sharing,

131especially at night. All right. Can you see it? He's [laughter] a hard time like teasing me. Okay. So, um and I am also going to preface this with we actually do have we don't have a school committee cell phone policy, but we do have a a cell phone policy in our CCHS handbook. So when when we're talking about types of policies, there's a bell to bell policy, which pretty much means kids keep their phones away, bell to bell from the beginning of the day till the end of the day, and it doesn't come out at all. And we have bell to bell at CPS. Um, and you actually told me what you have in Carl. What do you have at Carlo? Bel. >> It is bell to bell. >> It's bell to bell. And so

132you see that in a lot of elementary and middle schools. You absolutely see the bell to bell, >> but again, not a formal policy in the handbook. >> It's just in the handbook. >> Yeah. Um, and then off and away. So, phones are off, stored out of sight the entire day. And this is where, and I took this information from the attorney general's cell phones and social media toolkit. And so, often away it says in backpacks, lockers, or designated areas, which are shoe racks. Now, we have shoe racks at our high school. We have cell phone caddies. So, during the day at CCHS, every student, they enter a classroom, they put their cell phone in a pocket in the front of the classroom. They do not have their cell phones during instructional time in the

133classroom. When they leave the classroom, they pick up their phones, they walk to their next class and put it in the next class. So, the only time our students really have their cell, they have them in their physical hand or backpack in between classes and during lunch. And then limited use, which f phones are allowed during designated times throughout the day. So, lunch, passing periods, and placed in backpacks or designated areas in the classroom. So, I would say we're pretty much limited use at CCHS right now. And I did include some and I will um share this with all of you after our discussion because I think we're going to add to this. So, um our current handbook language, I just literally cut and paste that for our handbook. And for people that are in

134the room that can't see this, I'm just going to read it. Students are required to place their cell phones in numbered slots in the classroom phone caddy when they enter their classrooms. They may collect them at the end of class. This will minimize distractions, increase engagement, and have a positive impact on learning. This doesn't mean students will be completely denied cell phone access. According to PEEDW research, most teens use cell phones just to pass the time, but it is still a complicated relationship. Uh, in recognition of this, students will have access to their phones between class and during lunch. So, that is what we have approved in our current CCHS handbook. So, as we embark on this process, if we choose to have a school committee policy, and I I want to say that again,

135if we choose there, there's a possibility we don't have a policy or we do have a policy. That's something that we have to talk about as a committee and decide if we want to embark on a cell phone policy. What I had posed to um some local school committee chairs is, do you have a policy? Do you have a school committee policy? Is in your handbook. So, Brian of course immediately responded and it's in their handbook. So that's definitely kind of all over the place from school to school. So I think we need to do our homework and we need to figure out what's happening in like districts, what's happening across the state, what's coming down the pike for the state, and what's happening locally. So this is where I think what we can do

136as a school committee is decide what do we need to make this decision. Um, and I just generated a list of everyone that I thought that we could get information from. So, I would ask all of you if there's anything else that you think that we need or any other type of input and I will just add it to this list. So, it's kind of our live brainstorming session of what we think we need. Just looking back on the conversation that started last spring uh from CPAC to mothers out front to turning life on there there's uh a host of advocacy groups. Uh there's a host of material in the public domain for all of us to become uh comfortable with uh to understand. There's also again looking what's come out of the attorney general's

137office governor's office had to say and what's happening in throughout the northeast. I believe that New York State took a strong posture. >> Um, and I'm not certain that I think we'd be hardpressed as a as a committee to sit in our community and not have a digital devices policy for for our schools. So, I'm not certain that that's a viable option. I think we need to look at something that's going to be something that's not going to put the onus on the people on the front line. Uh, and sits appropriately with with the body of knowledge as it relates to and this is I'm thinking back to a CPAC presentation um at the Goodwin forum about a year ago. Uh, I think just just from looking at the lay literature, there's ample evidence that

138um there's there there's there's there's harm generated and and even though we're we're only part of the data, there's harm generated. A lot of what what was in the attorney general's uh uh monograph uh suggests that what we do would not just be part [clears throat] of the schools but also work in partnership with the power centers that are in our community to make the tone not just we set in school but what we set in our community. So um yeah I I think there are a lot of other places to look at including the lay literature um not only our surrounding municipalities or surrounding states and then you doing the homework and getting something put together because I don't think not putting something >> Yep. Yep. So um so I'm going to kind of

139look at these three the next years the input from stakeholders additional information that might be needed um and then next steps. So what you're talking about is gathering data information literature for us to go through. Okay. So and I'm going to assign people some homework too. Um gathering data. We have a lot of resources just here in our community. We've heard from a lot of community members on this. They've actually sent forth articles. So I think if we can compile all of those and you know have a share I love a shared drive. [clears throat] >> I love a shared drive as you know. So >> put everything in there. [snorts] >> Yep. Yep. So I'm going to say gather articles literature. Anything else? >> I just Oh, sorry. In that one. >> No. >>

140Okay. >> I was gonna besides articles of literature, I think. Examples of other districts. >> Yeah. The examples of other districts. I on that front like I well so I almost wonder is it you know I like loathe to say like a subcommittee but I do feel like I do feel like there's like some type of like working group or >> yep sub you know subcommittee of people that isn't just members of the school committee but like a member of the high school staff like someone from the ad administrative team high school team a couple students like actually a community working group that is to look at this and conduct surveys and [clears throat] you know really look at the data of >> what do people what do different what do different groups of people

141think about this um >> what are the things because I think the the apps used like the you know flex time the app to sign up for flex time how would kids sign up for f like there's lots of things that like we as a we as sitting at this table aren't thinking about that people use cell phones for that would be impacted Like I'm gonna I'm gonna add to this. What apps are used at CCHS? Sorry, it was just like a little brain dump. >> Yeah. But I think I actually wonder if there's like a there's like a working group sort of like you did with um what did you do with it for? >> Well, we've done it for a bunch of >> I know you do it all the time, but like

142I feel >> anti-semitism coalition that has students and >> I mentioned that sustainability. I mean we do it all the time. >> We do it all the time. But I feel like, you know, a couple school committee members like >> Yeah. yada yada yada. >> Is Michelle trying to Michelle, are you trying to get in on this? >> Yeah. >> Yep. I was waiting for a pause. >> One other thing to keep in mind when when looking at this uh policy. I know at my son's school they take it very seriously and they actually have like a two-phase approach to it where with the freshman it's a very strict bellto bell no access to their cell phone all day long and then with the upper classmen it they get a little bit more access as

143they go because they have more free time and they have more um you know opportunities where they need to use their phone if they're going off campus or whatever the situation is. but it it's pretty heavily regulated. So, I like the idea of looking at, you know, other schools and other districts policies because I think it's really important, especially freshman year, to really have a very strong approach to this. >> Michelle, can I ask, is this school open campus like juniors and seniors? >> Um, yes. >> Okay. Examples of other districts. I'm just going to put notes in here so we know. Sorry. >> I I I I think that uh a a working group that's multi-isiplinary is good. I guess I I always come back to the unless all of us are educators, many

144of us are, but but all of us aren't, that that deal with digital access and digital competency. It's nice for us all to get I'm going sort of back to the body of knowledge >> that whoever's going to be in this working group um should be cognizant of the material and have an understanding have a grounding in the knowledge so that then you can come to a working group with uh with students, educators and have something to offer rather than everyone sort of without a a necessary fund of knowledge in the field sort of trying to get get to an answer. Someone someone in that someone in that working group should have have a fund of knowledge at least from our body the people in the working room should have fund of knowledge. So I

145think you know getting comfortable becoming aware of the literature is probably first and foremost so you can bring that understanding whatever understanding you glean to be u to rub up against the on boots on the ground experience of educators in the classroom to the feel of the students and how it's going to encumber them or not >> and and and then looking at the apps coming out with with fund of knowledge so I think that you getting comfortable. Whoever's going to be in the working group, working group, good idea. Whoever's going to be on the working group should have the fund of not should be aware of what's what what it encompasses. And then you can go to try and put together a a product that we could at some point once we've refined it

146then bring back to this body and then to the community to to look at. Just in terms of thinking about next steps, and I was actually thinking about this coming off of your little survey the other day. >> What is the benefit of having it as a policy versus just >> in the handbook? >> Um, because I hadn't really thought about the fact that Carla, we don't have a policy. And actually in Carla, I want to clarify is probably more often away as I look more at the definition look at the your definitions that you have there. >> But does just having it in the handbook potentially allow us to be more nimble as technology changes versus a policy? And I'm not trying to push this back on >> the administration. I'm just ask like

147what I think we have to look at these pros and cons, >> right? >> Obviously, if there's a state mandate, that's a whole different story. But um technology is just changing so quickly. >> And again, MASC doesn't have any policy right now. There's no policy written on it. I mean, we could also choose to adopt what we're currently doing as a placeholder into our school policy, too. Some districts are doing that. They're taking their handbook language and they're converting that into school policy. So, there are definitely options. Um but I think that's something for a working group to kind of work through. I'm missing >> I agree with Michael that we absolutely should have a policy but >> because finish please >> I just I mean I I think it's all been said in the

148CPS discussion I don't think my opinion doesn't really vary much between CPS and CCRSD so I don't want to get into the like merits of what the policy ought to say because I know that's not the purpose of tonight >> but I think that there is a lot of value in um I think from a implementation standpoint point. It makes a lot easier for the administration to implement it if there is a policy backing up what the handbook says. >> Yes. The policy the the handbook actually what's in the what's in the handbook should be driven by the policy because when things go ary um your policy sort of sets set set the guid guidance for what you do. So you have to have something firm there that says so when this is working really

149well no problem when it's not working well [clears throat] when there are issues um the policies so I I think you probably need both >> yeah and again if if Dr. Dr. Hunter and others say need the policy to help enforce the handbook. I'm all for it. I just like just again I'm just trying to understand the differences. I also I want to make it clear I think something has to change. I don't think the current use of cell phones within the younger population is you know it's working generally speaking and like we do have to give some thought to it. I just want to make sure we're >> I think that's the question I I and I'm not going to speak for Dr. But I think probably the if we were to make a

150change to the current policy to the current handbook to what's in the current handbook it would likely need to be at the policy level. >> Okay. >> I mean policy is one of our core >> right this is what we do. >> I think this is what we do. >> Yeah. This is absolutely what we do >> whether it's a that's my opinion. We'll wait for what the the the subgroup. So, are we agreeing as a group that we want to move forward with a policy? We're not saying what the policy is, >> but I'm just going to straw poll it. >> Is a policy different than a handbook item or is it maybe the same >> writing just in a different >> Well, we don't know what the writing is. >> Echo the policy.

151>> That's what I'm saying. >> Yeah. >> Can we step back for a second? Let's get ourselves informed on what the I think maybe agreeing that There's a body of knowledge we need to be comfortable with. Uh and folks comfortable with that body of knowledge should be part of the working. Let's let's get attuned to the to the body of knowledge and work on that before we start talking about policy and and and handbook. Let's understand the body of knowledge first and then flesh out how we're going to move it forward. Getting a working group sounds good. Getting the body of knowledge sounds good. We can't work on those other things until we understand the domain we're we're dealing in. We all have we have all have ideas about it. We've all heard the bad

152things or seen the bad things that have come but understand this and bolt and work from there. So let's put policy and and handbook sort of the end. We know that we're going to get there, but figure out what what we know and what we don't know and then go from [clears throat] there. Suggestion. >> So for January, um because this will just be a recurring item on our agenda. Um this is definitely at the core of what we do if we're talking policy, but we're going to study it. So I think for January the goal would be to gather um some research gather you know some that's already been submitted and I will put um a folder into the drive and so what I would ask all of you to do is now you

153get over go out there find some research talk to some people in the community we've gotten a lot of community feedback we've gotten a lot of research already and let's put it all in the same place so I'm going to put a folder in the drive and if people can just add some things to it and then maybe our next meeting we'll kind of decipher what we're going to really focus on and read and go from there. So, it is a beginning step and it's going to take a little bit of time. I do think that um the more time we flesh it out the better. I think it's not something we want to jump to like let's do this right now. Like it's going to take surveys. It's going to take input from students,

154from parents, from teachers, from community members, school committee, and we want to make sure we are if it does become writing a policy, something that the high school can really implement. >> The the the intent to do it makes a big difference in effort and time we put into it. >> Yep. >> Because nobody really wants to do it or trying it on. if you want to do it. So I think that's we need to figure that out fairly early on. >> I think one of the next steps is sorry >> is establishing a timeline like we should do that and leveling expectations that it's not going to happen in we're not going to have an answer and a policy in February. It's going to take >> probably the better part of the second half

155of this school year. >> That's okay. I don't think our community will let us not do something. >> No. >> So, >> I agree. >> I I might suggest that we all have a little bit of homework to to In fact, I cheated. I started mine right after the last our last meeting. So, um we'll have a little bit of homework. Maybe for the next meeting suggestion that we have take a straw poll and find out who wants to really think about this and think about working on it more going forward for our next meeting with all of us having done some homework between now and then at least getting appraised in in the domain >> um and then see what happens but you know as you say more to come at the next meeting

156>> so um Aisha do you have anything. >> I don't mean to put you on the spot, but I don't want to forget about you either. >> Um, no. I mean, I I agree. I think we need to do some homework. I know that um speaking to some of the high school students, they do um use their cell phone for like leaving campus or um some of the apps. So, it'll be good to do a little bit of research and um before I leave feedback. >> All right. So, um, Lori, can I ask you to do some homework? Ask Laur out loud to all of you, it's December 17th and you meet on January. >> Oh, [laughter] no. I know. And we're meeting again at the end of January. >> I would temper your homework,

157>> right? >> Oh, I'm going to between now and the 7th of January. >> No, I haven't. >> So, you didn't talk about the five things to do over the break. >> Yeah. Did you see me try to be like, >> well, [laughter] and I I was at a land use committee meeting today and I I literally said I was like, okay, um if we need information from the schools, we can get it on by Monday or we're not getting it till the new year. Like there there is a break and we certainly want um you to have a break. >> So the only homework I would ask is just um any apps that we currently use at the high school. That's it. >> And that would be it. >> Current and wishful thinking. >>

158Yes, >> there's a list we're not executing and >> and I might have seen maybe one of the principles on the call too. So, I'm sure that he is listening. >> Yeah, you caught their attention. >> I definitely did. So, thank you for joining us through this. Um, and there's definitely more to come. But I think for all of us, I'm I'm going to continue to reach out to school committees and school committee chairs to kind of see where their policy sits and maybe we'll have some type of so we can't all work on a Google doc together um just of what other districts are doing. So I will assign myself that and there's more to come in January. >> Yeah. And until like I think temper what you're going to be able to do

159[clears throat] between now and January. Absolutely. My point. >> Absolutely. [laughter] >> Well, two meetings in January, right? Yes. Um but the second meeting will be a conquered public meeting. >> Second one's conquered. >> Yeah. >> So the regional meeting is first. >> Okay. >> I mean I will throw it out there if we're coming for a workshop. Anyhow, if there are if there's other >> necessary if there's other business Carl might say >> might as well maximize our >> Okay. Okay. We could have a short regional meeting >> and a longer conquered meeting. Okay. We'll worry about that then. All right. >> Thank you so much. All right. All right. Moving right along. Um, sustainability committee appointments. Lori talked a little bit about [clears throat] this. The sustainability committee is going to meet. Um,

160they will have three meetings. So, we're looking for anyone on the committee who would like I didn't hear from anyone over email >> and these are after this is after school and there's usually a hybrid option. >> So, like 3:00ish, >> closer to 3:45 or 4 because I need >> Okay. >> elementary to I I was confused. I because when I when I when I saw this entry and I looked to the town and realiz saying well there's no sustainability committee in the town anymore the the officers. So this is explain explain what what what we're talking about in >> Yeah. So this is the school's this is the [clears throat] district's sustainability the schools focused on the school work in sustainability. Usually we have representatives from some of the town committees, the climate action

161committee, >> um, mothers out front, a number of the groups usually have someone in the room with us plus school representation and someone from you. It's usually on your list of uh, committees at the beginning of the year and we just held off. >> How frequently is it? >> It's going to be three times between January and the end of the year. >> I'll do I'll do >> a couple students too. >> And kids. Yeah, a couple students. Me too, >> Carrie. I'm happy to do it. >> Car's happy to do it. Okay. All right. >> Um, >> and if you can't, I'll I'll >> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Yeah. >> All right. Um, and then on to the calendar. Uh, the 2026 2027 calendar. This is a first reading of the

162calendar. So, Lori, I think, is you want to share that? >> Yeah. >> And Carrie has been our representative from school committee on the calendar committee. So just to talk you through um Labor Day is September 7th which is the latest it can be. Um per our contracts we have already bargained to agree on the 27th the teachers. So that is why the Thursday Friday start is laid out that way for staff. Um the students would return on the 31st. we would have a four day week because our contracts also say we have the Friday of Labor Day off. So that's the ramp up plan. >> This is the first time after a while that we're starting on Monday. It's usually a Wednesday. >> Yeah, we had in the research we did with we had

163this plan laid out for um 2020. Didn't really ever happen. Um we re reworked the whole calendar, but it was laid out this way in 2020. Um, and then I'll just highlight things. I don't I don't want to go through every date. We do have all the early releases in here. There's districtwide ones that and high school ones. The high school remembers just an hour a month. The district-wide is when everyone releases like we did um last week at, you know, a true early release and we do vertical and horizontal work. Um, we were able to align with Carlile on some of your early releases for the first time. I thought that was really fantastic. >> Um, other things to highlight, conference dates are here, CCHS, and you're going to see there's a range of

164these. Um, CCHS in October, the elementary schools in November for the first one, April for the second, and this is the one that, um, jumps out at you a bit. Um, middle school would like to move to January to have time for their studentled conference preparations. Obviously, they know they need to interface with parents and Carrie and I asked a lot about this um interface with parents much earlier than that if there's any concerns going on. So that'll be a big part of the discussion that the middle school if we go with this January conference date and then the PD day the middle and high school because they only do one conference day they get a partner PD day we propo always propose that at the semester switch to align with the high school. Everything

165else fell really easily um and pretty straightforward. The end of the year pushes out because of the way the beginning of the year starts. So for the first time in a while, we're already at the 15th for the 180th day and we noted Junth just because that feels like for the first time we might actually have school acknowledging it where normally we've been out um by then. And then graduation is also one that a little off track from the typical patterns because of the late Labor Day. We would not hold graduation on Memorial Day weekend. >> And we need to get to the 168th day. Brian's listening. He's going to tell me I didn't get that right. But um we're going to June 5th for graduation. >> I didn't realize that there was >> Yeah,

166I think it's 168. He's going to text me. I'm going to be like, "No, it's 163." I [laughter] don't know. Anyway, there's a number we have to hit. >> So, >> the um the [clears throat] link to the um observations, I couldn't get that working. >> Okay. Yeah, Erin, I'll check that. >> Okay. >> Oh, and you know what? It might not be drafted all the way yet. >> It is. >> Yeah, that that's Andrew Namichi's office that works on that. I don't know if it's all flushed out yet. >> And so, I should know this and it's embarrassing, but I'm assuming this is a too long of a list to just put on the front end. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. So, normally what Andrew does and it's a work in progress. That's why the

167link doesn't work. Um, he buil he's surveyed every so often to the community and we work off of some of the major institutions and the list they provide. I try to mirror them all just for awareness. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, this is not her vote tonight. This is just so we could see it. >> First read and we will vote on this in January. >> Yeah. I'd love to have you vote at the seventh. There's a lot of um hope to have this released soon so people know what August looks like. >> Okay. Right. >> This is a a top I'll call it top 10 question I get being on the school committees. When's the calendar? >> I know. >> That's an easy one. >> We're actually running this year with the September 7th.

168>> It came up. >> Labor Day. I've gotten it many times. >> Yes. >> When is we started earlier because it is definitely a question. >> Definitely. And if you wanted to bring the kids through July, I wouldn't. [laughter] >> You actually legally can't. I'm sorry. You can't. >> You cannot go past June 30th. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, with that, um, [clears throat] >> I'm going to adjourn the retail school. Thanks, Brian. >> Yeah. Thank you all. Happy holidays. >> See you right when we're back. Indeed. >> Right when we're back. Brian says 168. >> 168. [laughter] >> He's always on top. Aisha, are you signing off, too? >> Happy holiday. >> I hope you feel better. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Good night. >> Hi. >> All right.

169So, with that, it's all you, Mr. Her. >> Hand it over to Bob. CPS FY27. and we've all really studied the CPS, [laughter] memorized it, and we're very um experienced with it. >> Well, joking aside, I I guess um >> we followed the uh FINCOM and we came in at three and a half%. >> That was our projection. Three and a half projection during just the initial information gathering. >> We were given a two and a half preliminary and then settled on 2.75. >> Right. We initially were at 2.94. >> We made some reductions. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Start the presentation. And at the FC con meeting, I'll just add um as Bob's starting this um we're currently at 2.94. We're currently at 2.94%. >> We were at 2.94. We made we made assumptions on

170people taking advantage of the retirement incentive. >> So the assumptions are in this >> and that brings us to 2.7%. >> Yeah. So some background on the things I feel need to be said before Bob brings you the numbers to go with it. again maintaining level service and supporting our initiatives and goals, declining enrollment again at CPS. Um, mostly focused at the elementary schools as we as the shelter closed. So, I'm going to leave it at that. And I guess I probably should have said this at the region, too. You know, we're facing real layoffs here at a small number, but significant to those people. Um, so we're we're going to have a lot of work to do on that as we get into January. Um, in terms of in district special education programming, um,

171we are going to have six children out of district in the fall at CPS, which is an astonishing number. Um, >> six. So the number you know the success of the programs just continues to thrive and um it doesn't come without challenges and without a lot of work and an incredible effort by everyone in the buildings and an incredible joy and what they what these programs have brought for inclusion and belonging in addition to providing services to those children. Um so the >> can you just maybe mention when you came into this district how many kids were a district? So when I came here in 2017, um we had over a 100 students out of district K prek 22 and you are going to open in the fall of 26 with six at CPS and

17230ish. >> Yeah. 32 or so >> at the high school. >> Wow. And again, it's certainly had fiscal successes, but the energy in our buildings and the belonging that we're all talking about is real with um the level of diversity that's there and the joy that comes with that. Um we do have some possibility of some revenue coming in there. Nothing's not quite actualized. We have different districts inquire and potentially could even come together this year. you did set up a revolving account to accept tuition for CPS so it will stay within the schools and um the you know otherwise we had to give it to the town's general fund so that potential is still there but not actualized we've had a lot of success of grant funding at everywhere but I think the amounts

173are very notable at CPS it's been a huge piece of the literacy program roll out um as the headline and [snorts] we continue to be watching for grants all the time. Probably the part I want to stress most with the concrete school committee is there's no additional staffing here. So any hope we had of mass specialists not realized in this budget, that's a concern pretty substantially. I didn't feel that given the conversations we were having in the place we were with guideline that this was the moment to bring you a budget that started to take that into account because I wouldn't be a we wouldn't be a guideline but it's not there. Um Shelley's had some requests for curriculum leadership. We have a uh one elementary coordinator trying to work with her on all subjects

174and actually we've had to use her part-time at one of the schools for the literacy roll out because to do the special ed administrators she is halftime now doing literacy coaching instead of just the coordinator work because remember I tra I reallocated and with your blessing we brought the sped administrators in but we gave something up to do that so there's some concern there on curriculum leadership at the elementary level. Um, and we've had some discussion among the special ed programs. We have some really amazing special ed providers, but the level of content need in those rooms is also something that we're discussing as to whether it's significant enough. And especially as you get to middle school, if any child needs a substantially separate content area, we need a certified person in the room. So,

175we're doing okay. That's not a barrier right this minute, but it's a discussion point. So, none of that's proposed in this budget. And I just want to name that out loud that yes, we got the guideline and there's a list that we aren't asking. And if for some reason, you know, there were an excessive number of retirements that you that you I mean, I'm not suggesting that's going to happen, but if for some reason that did happen, >> then potentially >> that'll be, you know, that that's information we bring to you and debate. I think um what Bob's already said to you, we to get to guideline, we're proposing there will be three that um are a work in progress. So, uh yeah, >> these math specialists, are they like tutors or they >> certified

176math teachers >> specialists? >> So, they they float to different classrooms or >> usually they do pull out small group intervention services, >> right? Okay. >> Yeah. >> And some math [clears throat] coaching. need full-time or multiple full-time. >> Uh we would love full-time in every building. Yeah. What's happened since >> and again I think this story is worth saying in public to put in assistant principles. We have in two out of the three schools we get assistant principles who are the math specialists. >> Yeah. >> It's not really panning out that way. Of course, right? Um at the because we had a retirement there. We just hired a straight AP and kind of stopped pretending it was working. So throws now down a math specialist and a half-time or at least a halftime if

177not full-time ELA person. >> So we've made some tradeoffs. >> Does Carle have these math math specialists? You know, >> I don't know. >> Okay. >> A lot of places have mo I'll say most without all the data in front of me. Usually an ELA specialist and a math specialist. >> You mentioned the the ELA support. >> Yeah. um without the dedicated specialist, how how are we going to make sure the the service kids doesn't >> Yeah. So we so this is a model we're trying to make our way through it. We've had two a reading and an ELA specialist at each school because of the declining enrollment. The one person has been able to do the intervention piece and the subsidy and the coaching is coming from the central office right now. So the

178studentf facing part feels intact. So I get it's mucky partly because I'm not bringing in my perfect world, right? There's ELA, there's math, there's assistant principles that are just assistant principles and you know, we're just going to struggle to get from where we are today. So that all said, there's a lot that's working. Even despite all of that, the wish list is there of like we could probably be doing this a little differently. um math we've got to figure out some supports because >> we don't have enough you know the intervention part is a struggle right now so I I I >> I suspect if we can't go to specialists I maybe proposing math tutors >> if we can reallocate based on so there's a lot more to come but I just thought it was

179important to name >> that's what I was asking on Carile if there's a way to share a resource with Carile I know >> that would be very mucky but >> I don't All right. So, that's the premise behind how we got here. Um, and I'll just the big asterisk is the same. There's very little special ed savings to be found because >> we've already found it. >> We're saving it. We're already saving it. And declining enrollment. It is this this I think will get us to where we're right sized for the enrollments that are stabilizing. Um, so I don't really foresee a lot more ability for the riffing and layoffs. That's a good thing in a lot of ways. Um but financially, >> all right, Bob, I'll give you the big picture view. >> This

180is the same as the other district. I'll skip this one. Um objectives are the same, just a high level. The budget is a 2.75% increase. We are aligned to the penny with the concrete fincom guideline. Um, you know, our first pass was 2.94. We factored in three retirements to get to 2.75. Uh, as you look down the list, I have slides for each each of these categories, but you can see the key drivers, the fixed charges. Um, the, uh, teaching and learning, teaching instructional support is where um, at CPS that's like over 70 about 75% of our budget. Um, so even it's a 3.1% increase overall. Um, but that contributes 2 million to the total and then we have um offsets in out of district tuitions which um I'll explain a little bit well actually

181explain it here because I have it in the slide but I [clears throat] we have a net negative number in FY27 um we have we're going to get have more circuit breaker in IDA funds to apply u than we have actual out of district expenses um I've listed it in this category for we can't have a negative number in reality but I've listed it here for comparability year-over-year. Um, in actuality, we'll probably, well, not probably, if if this holds, we'll repurpose those funds. You're allowed to use circuit breaker funds to support any special education costs. So, we'll we'll have it support like a teacher cost, for example, and relieve the the teacher line, but um I didn't want to cause kind of false variances by moving it to a different line. Rather just leave it

182here and when it comes to >> So, it's visible. >> Yeah. You can see the difference. >> Yep. [clears throat] Um, so 2.75 overall. Um, and I don't include in this total. The town has a mechanism to give us back Mckin Vento homeless transportation funds. Um, spend like close to 70,000 the prior two years. Uh, last year we spent over 300,000 on McKini Vento funds. We've actually talked to the town about uh we're going to get that into the warrant as a supplement to this. And what that does is kind of restores funds we had to use to pay for something we didn't budget. So that 300 homeless transportation we had to cover and kind of had to draw down our our reserves and circuit breaker to help cover that. This will help us restore

183it. Um so I don't >> and that's not done at town meeting. >> That's not a town meeting. I don't put it in these numbers because that's that's a a floating u non-permanent number. It's not, you know, if we don't have homeless transportation, we're not going to get the money. This is our core budget and we leave that separate. >> And just a question and going forward that uh Transportation is virtually nil. >> It's it's a lot a lot less. Yeah. It's it's less than 50,000 I think this year. Um and I think in future years it should be less. Yeah. >> Um and without the shel there are times when you know in my last district you know you might have a homeless student from time to time within the community that you're transporting.

184Um, so you could have we could have, you know, 10 15,000 for expenses, but certainly nothing that we've seen the past three years. >> Yeah. >> Um, Lori already talked about the story, but I just, you know, the decline in um, out of district enrollments from 13 to six. I just wanted to point out the case transportation. We do have an increase. Um the the benefit we get of reducing though some of those uh people out of district doesn't really show up in our transportation number until a year or two later. So I just wanted to point that out. We have enrollment related staffing adjustments and we've also reallocated staff to meet student program needs. FTE wise we're down 1.5 FTEES to last year. Um our tutors and aids are up 1.78. Um we've funded

185two special education administers by reallocation. um of positions. One of those was the ELA specialist role. We also had a I believe a section that we um reduced in one of the kindergarten areas. Um and then we have and you know it's also important to note we now have one special education administrator in each of our elementary buildings and also at the middle school we have very robust programs. Um and that's that's how we're able to get and reduce 13 out of district students to six. It's not just students moving up to from 8th grade to 9th grade. That includes bringing some students back into the district through consultations with families and um demonstrating that we can meet their needs. So um the special education team has done a great job. Um administration um this

186is we have costs here for just our core salary increases. We have communications firm costs. some web hosting costs and administrative software. Um so it's a 5.1% increase over last year teaching and instructional support since it's such a large part of the budget. It's only um it's up 3.1%. U to arrive at that though um this includes 3% cola. It includes stepped in and land increases um includes special education administrators. includes reductions of three FTEES and we've also assumed three CTA members will opt for the early retirement incentive. Um we already had a couple retirements um in addition to those three that we were already factored in because we were notified earlier in the year. Um and our non-teer salaries increased by 4.5. Some of that's a slight increase in FTE. There's also a $20,000

187decrease in title one backing that I factored in to the point Michael brought up earlier. But this is offset by a decline in instructional supplies. Um it's not really any one account. It's across all various subjects and various schools. 31,000. And um contract services declined by 23. Um this factors in us um the cartwheel program for mental health support is something we've had at Carford Carile High School for two years now. Um the year we're in is the first year that we're doing it at CPS, but we didn't have it in the budget. We we um we allocated funds to find ways to support it this year. Um so we're putting we're building it into the FY207 budget. It's a support that allows students to get access to mental health services very quickly. Um when

188in the marketplace right now, they're experiencing a lot of delays in getting access. Um we cut out translation services uh just to bare bones. We had a grant funded printer that >> I never told you about that grant. Yeah, we have this cool printer copier that does all the translate a lot of document translating for us now. >> Oh wow. >> Really put it through and it comes out another >> amazing. Wow. >> Angel should tell you about that. She wrote the grant for them >> and it's uh it's accurate. >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> I don't understand the other languages so I assume it is but [laughter] >> better than Google. Yeah, that's what that's what we were told. >> Wow. >> It's really cut our translation services down. >> That's amazing. >> Yeah.

189Um and then we have a $40,000 reduction in special education contract services as well. Um this really is just driven by the case transportation assess assessment at 83,000. The rest of it's aside from that would be um kind of just inflationary increase below 3%. Um, maintenance is really an inflationary increase. It's half of that's coming from utilities increases. Um, and and there's contractual increases for custodial maintenance staff. Um, insurance is driving the increase to fix charges 21%. We have a nice beautiful new Ellen Garrison building at the conquered middle school and uh, it's worth a lot more than PBD and Samborn. We didn't ensure PBD and San full replacement value. Not that they were worth much. um when they were in their late stages. So we have um [clears throat and laughter] a building of

190a higher value. >> Yeah. >> And we have premium rate increases because we've had some losses um >> which we don't want to talk about. [laughter] >> Would those losses carry over from puberty and Samuel? >> No, not at peour. We had um >> the fire pipe burst >> pipe at will, >> right? Okay. >> Those effect all CPS's together. Yeah, they look at they look at CPS together and they look at our experience rate as one part and then the other part is that the building is worth more and then the other part is some of this is the industry just uh rates are going up prices >> they throw everything in when they tell us their rates um claim that PB or Sam board should wipe fall off right >> they look at

191us as a total they don't look at us building by building like u they look at us as a whole AC one entity all of our buildings Um but pee and sandborn buildings are no longer on our policy. So their values aren't um part of our coverage. Um the Allen Garrison building is and it's um whatever 110 million. Um so that's what's driving the 57,000. It should be steady next year because we have it on the books. Um and then out of district tuitions, you can see the the savings. Um the you know I presented two ways the gross tuition amounts. Um so that you can see that we went from 1,452 to 726,000. Um it's actually exactly in half. Um I didn't notice that till now, but um $726,000 to uh decrease at at

192the gross tuition level. Um but with less tuitions, we're going to get less circuit breaker money. We'll we'll receive the same IDA funding. Um but we've we've ratcheted down our circuit breaker usage because um you know we're only going to get reimbursed for six placements, not 13. >> I think the thing that's worth noting like there will be a of course if a student needs to go out of district that's going to happen and there will be kids we can't service. So it almost feels like we have to look at you and say there probably is going to be a tuition we're going to have to figure out how to cover um given that. But that is the purpose of circuit breaker, right? >> Yep. >> Yeah. So if that happens then we would increase

193the reserves, right? >> Yeah. We'll we'll talk more about that minute actually. >> Um this is just a shows a breakout of salary non- salary. The non- salar is driven by the out of district tuitions. This just give you a picture of um our other funding sources. Um just we've included in the budget book. I just thought I'd show you here so you can see these are other things that contribute to um offsetting some of our costs. Preschool fees pay for a portion of our uh preschool teachers, facilities rental mostly just it's not a lot. It pays for custodial overtime and then we get a little bit that we can apply to whatever facilities repairs costs we have or operating costs. Middle school athletic fees um defay um they they don't cover everything but they

194cover a portion of the athletic costs. Then the grants at the top. Um we use the IDA fund for tuitions. Um the special ed circuit record for tuitions. Um this year we'll use some of the ladder for other special education costs because we have more than we can use for tuitions. And then title one, 2A and four. Um we identify purposes that we think we can best meet our needs in a given year. Um this is something I added because um just just to make you aware of um it's a it's a recommendation that we've wanted to float. Um there's something uh called the special education reserve fund. Um I believe there's also a special education stabilization fund but the reserve fund is the one I'm more familiar with. Um, the language is sometimes interchangeable,

195but I prefer to the specific act. It allows us to set up a fund to um, use for unanticipated or unbudget costs of special education. This is right from Desi's language. Um, so I've just shared this for you to be aware of. Um, I'll talk about >> the proposals just to create the fund. >> Just to create the fund. Yeah. >> So, in order to create the fund, we'd be required to have majority vote of school committee and also the local legislative body which is town meeting >> I believe is town meeting it's town meeting and it probably good to have the blessing defend common select board >> um >> and you have the date I know you already have the date but um Carmen uh Carmen mentioned it this morning January 9th is the

196date that they're looking for language they're looking to work with they can absolutely >> yeah we usually get some grace as long as we hit the deadline the warrant closes um that you're meeting on the seventh is hopefully aiming for the ninth. >> Yeah. Um so this is just some information about it that's just I wanted to share. Um and >> the benefit of it >> uh so I'll go to the Y right now. Um >> the um >> we're going to have circuit breaker uh funding of >> you know potentially 400. Yeah 400. [laughter] Thank you. Well done. That was not Clint. Um, so [laughter] about 400,000 if we had two students. Um, I used the scenario I had in my last district that had twins that had to go to New England Children's

197Center at $330,000 each. That's $660,000. Or do we want to um go to ask for money at a fall town meeting and or ask for a special town meeting to fund that? Do we want to have um Dr. Hen or I trying to figure out how to cover that by >> finding money that I mean that's a lot of money. That's at that point. >> Um, and this is a mechanism to put money aside. There's rules around how we access it. So, the town even has say in when we're able to pull money out. It's not, you know, we can't decide to access it. You can't decide to access it. We can recommend it. The town still has to approve it. So, there's controls. >> You need a special town meeting to approve it. >>

198No. Once the funds created, the select board can approve it. >> Um, they can approve it being released. >> Being released. Okay. Um, so my my our concern would be that we get to such low levels now that um if we if we had a couple boy what if we had a couple students move into town. >> Yeah. >> Um that had some significant needs that we or they already had an existing placement. So um you know the I don't think there would be a lot of controversy about creating the fund if we don't ask for money. So that's why I thought um we don't wait for the emergency to both explain the fund and also fund it. let's maybe put it out there and see if it's received well and we create the fund

199and don't have any funding in it. We can wait and I don't know if we we can figure out the funding later. Um but um >> so [clears throat] I'm curious to know where would the money come from. >> Uh if we had money at the end of the fiscal year, we could we could put money there. Um >> so instead of it going to free cash at the town, it could >> we could ask we'd have to ask the Yeah. Um that's something we'd have to figure out. And so because I don't have a mechanis answer for that now I thought you know let's >> that this this this sounds wonderful. You've made a strong argument for the need. Um but but didn't you tell us two minutes ago we had like 937 something

200left over at the end of the year? Was we had a small >> circuit breaker? No, no, no. You were talking how to fund this. How to fund this. Our budget was so finely tuned >> last fiscal year that when we got to the end of the year, we were almost scraping bottom. >> Yeah. So, yeah. That's why we can't I'm not proposing to fund it. >> No, no, no, no. I'm not I'm not asking you propose to fund it, but I'd like us to speculate. I like this. It makes sense. You've shown the need. Can we speculate how we would fund it? >> Yes. it systematically. >> Yeah. I I don't know. So, I think if I just >> Is that homeless transportation money? Yes. >> In here? >> There's possibility if we don't

201need to use the homeless transportation money to kind of shore up our circuit breaker that we could re we could ask to repurpose that. We also could get a tuition uh we talked about like a our indistrict special education programs. Maybe we get a tuition or two. Um and if we put money into it too, you can contribute to it over time. You don't have to fully fund it all at once. >> Agree. Yeah. I >> I think the [clears throat] the the I I pose the question so we can it is it makes very good sense. >> Yeah. >> But while we're thinking about it, we should also think about so where would the money come from that we're going to put in? That's that's that's what I'm I'm trying to uh fuel on

202the the the likelihood of us having two kids move in that are going to generate a $660,000 >> expense is also about as likelihood as us getting you know kids go out that we'll have a win a windfall that we can put into it. So, >> we need to think about >> but I don't think it's unreasonable to have like one or two students go in a district like that are a couple hundred thousand like that that's that's not >> unrealistic. Well, and I think somebody could move for our programs and then get here and then, >> you know, we don't know what the student's profile is and we think they've written our program, but then all of a sudden they don't program >> and I think it's also just a create the mechanism. >>

203Well, >> that we can then figure out as we have at least we have it as a tool in our toolbox say like we have this money is this a good option to put here? Maybe not, you know, but >> you know, I think about something this predates Lori. There was a movie set at the high school and Oh, was that for you? >> Yeah, but those that money's gone to the town. >> Two times I've agreed. >> Oh, we didn't have a We didn't have a mechanism. So, the money to the middle school like you'd never know, you know, >> Sanburn was a popular request there for a while because everybody wanted a 19 >> old building. I [laughter] don't know. >> But the town benefited from that, which is fine. Or you never

204know if somebody wants to do a big basketball tournament in our brand new beautiful middle school. >> True. >> You know, like money like that. That's unexpected. >> I guess just the take home would be that this seems very logical. It seems very well well thought out and well reasoned. We should as we're as we approve this or as we go to the town to get it approved, we should also be thinking about how how we get money into it. >> Yeah. [clears throat] >> You know, so they should sort of they should probably be doing the two-step together and so that we once we get this in place, we can all say and these are the ways we've thought about doing it. >> Yeah. Well, I I think for now it's important for me

205to just let people know about this because because our enrollments are going down so much. Um, and I mean I how it typically gets funded is typically it's free cash from the town, but I ask for that. So, um, that's typically how it would be funded. >> But it but if you know if you have the fund and you had to move in and we had to go to the town for free cash at a special time, [snorts] we would have a mechanism to accept it, right? >> Yeah, we we would. We don't know, >> right? I mean, they they also have the ability to do a town meeting, special town meeting to allocate just additional budget funds to us. That requires a town meeting. If we had money in this fund, the select board

206could approve it. So, it's um so we haven't talked about this with the town yet either. So, we just wanted to float the concept. Um so, anyway, and what I don't want any messaging to turn into is bringing all, you know, having all these programs and not having out of district is a negative because the reserves aren't as deep. Like that's not anyway. [clears throat] I just want to be sure we don't conflate things somehow. [laughter] >> You have to vote on that. Is it >> so to do this you would need to propose a warrant article in Janu, you know, you need need to vote in January that you want to put a warrant article forward, >> but it said the the school committee has to approve it, right? Also, >> the school committee

207would have to approve it on January 7th to say you want to put a warrant article into town meeting. >> You can always change your mind or withdraw it. What you can't do is if you miss the deadline, added after January. So, might be something you put in and then keep to paid. >> Yeah. >> But this is very much what other school districts have these accounts like Carlo did theirs I think three years ago. >> Yeah. A lot of places are starting to and they all have the same discussion of where's the money going to come from. >> Yeah. Yeah. [laughter] >> U so that's I just wanted to share that. >> That's so y [clears throat] >> Thank you so much. >> Sure. I think just the numbers will explain the logical reason

208behind it. >> Yeah. Same comment like we watched the fin stuff and you did a great drilled view on this all these questions. >> Yeah. I just thought it was important to to highlight special education reductions didn't just come from chance. >> Yeah. >> And I thought you said it well with authority. I think you said luck. You know it wasn't luck. >> It wasn't just luck. Yeah. Because there was a comment like something came up like that and Bob's like, "Oh, this was careful." >> It was not >> He said didn't mean communicate. >> Exactly. Exactly. >> So, um and this is, you know, this is a product of like Lori and I presented all the principles, the central office team. um there was hard work in identifying some of the staffing enrollment related

209reductions and there's still hard work left particularly at CPS and so u they're >> sharing this >> right there's a moment of >> in agreement with the town but we have a lot of work to do to execute these budgets and some of it's going to be really >> sorry when is the early retirement program >> January 15th okay >> yeah so we'll know where we are then Cool. >> Great. >> So we want to move >> exact session. >> I move that the congress enter into executive session under purpose three of the open meeting law to conduct strategy sessions with respect to collective bargaining with the CTA and the CTA support staff and not return to open session. >> Second. >> Uh roll call her check. I >> I >> rank I. Williams eye.

210>> Thanks, Michelle. [snorts] >> Thank you, Michelle. Thank you,