Concord-Carlisle Joint School Committee Meeting - October 8, 2025

001All right, it is 5:30 on the 8th of October and I would like to call the Conquered Public School Committee in to order and we'll do a quick roll call. Um because we have Michelle online. Um Herek present. >> Morano present. >> Bashard present. >> Raikim present. >> Williams present. Michelle, can you say something again? Could you say present so we can hear you? >> Michelle, present. >> Oh, good. >> Sorry. All right, we got you now. Thank you. >> Can we can we turn that up just a little? >> Yeah, we're just trying to. >> Yeah, >> It's better than it was. Okay. >> All right. Uh, we have a brief conquered agenda before we roll into the CCRSD. I I did want to just say um I'm incredibly sorry to anyone that's listening

002that we had to cut our last meeting short. It was not ideal. We lost a quorum. Uh it was not our intention to do so. So um sincere apologies on on that front and we will have public comment tonight and of course we'll make um even a better effort next uh session which is in two weeks to make sure we are not cut short. So um thank you for your understanding. All right, first up is CTE policy. >> Yes, I'll cue Shellyley up. This is a requirement um based on some new legislation that documents what middle schools need to do to expose kids to different um options postgraduate and in the mix of that is what their high school options can be. Um we met with Minute Man who's our um member district obviously and

003worked with them on the policy requirement. This is due to desi November 1st. So Shel's going to talk you through what we've put together. The idea would be this would be your first reading tonight and your second one in two weeks and then we would meet the timeline. Many districts have asked for extensions, but I think we're in pretty good shape. So I'm going to turn over to Shel from there. >> Sure. Yeah. So as Dr. Mr. Hunter shared this is a new expectation regulation to ensure middle school students know about options post middle school and consider all of their career and academic goals um as early as sixth seventh grade um to understand what those options are and um make sure that they have equitable access to those. So in that this policy really

004is meeting the requests of what DESIE provides as our guidance around what those needs are and it requires us to think about of course what's the collaboration and connection we have with of course CT um Minute Man as our providing school or our partnership school that regular communication um along with scheduling opportunities at no essentially no cost or incredible effort for um middle school students and their families to learn about what those offerings are. So, it ensures that we have information on our website, um ongoing communication with families, direct contact with um Minute Man so that they could provide information directly to eighth graders. So we have an assembly, we have other resources and opportunities for families to learn about it. And then um guidance counselors are supposed to help support families in understanding the

005application process and to ensure that they can do some school some visits during school-based time to go see Minute Man if that's an opportunity that they would like to continue to pursue. Um so it really just provides that the details of like the student tours and access what the current um pathways are and then integrating it into how we support our middle schoolers in career and academic planning. Um and then some some of the kind of maintenance of records information that we need to share with Minute Man to make sure that they can directly reach out to families and students themselves. And yes, we need this by November 1. Um all districts are expected to provide this who have a you know CTE school available to them. And do we have a um lettering for

006that for our policy? Is it going into our policies or is it just going to be part of what we >> No, it's going into our policy. We'll talk to MASC since this is a legal requirement. I'm sure they're giving us a letter >> a letter to put it under. >> Shelley, can you just briefly share how this differs from how we've done it previously? >> It really doesn't. It really just articulates it in writing and memorializes it. But these opportunities have always existed. It's just making it much more explicit and clearly focused and so that it's public information. It has to be maintained um in our records as well as not just one message but you know multiple media sources and resources for families to see and access just to ensure that kids do

007know um and that no one is falling through the cracks. But again, these tours have always happened. The assemblies have always happened. Um the principal, you know, Justin has been able to always connect with the high school CTE high school with um Minute Man and to ensure that they are sharing the the information. So all of those things have happened. Again, it's just established here. >> So this this just codifies pre-existing relationship. Um >> do you have anything that speaks to the track record that this that the collaboration has had over the past few years. >> Um, I don't have the exact information. We could definitely get that information, >> but it it's somewhere that we could find see how how things have tracked over the years. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Um,

008do you So, so there's this one line here, right? Share contact information of all CMS families and students. >> Yes. >> Um, with Minute Man. Are there I mean we we have a lot of information about the students right obviously is all of it shared or is there restrictions? It's essentially contact information initially. If a student applies then that changes but um what they get really is email, phone, address, parent, guardian name basics so that they can directly access. It's the law that we have to give them the list. >> No other personal or no academic information or anything. >> Does it make sense to write that in there in this policy or is that a different level? I think it's so prescribed by law we don't need it here and this was a template

009given to us so I'm hesitant to make too many changes. Yeah. >> Um couple other questions. Uh I think the policy it says with particular attention to supporting historically underserved populations. Um h how do we know we're making progress in that? >> I mean we don't have any any say in that. A lot of this is an outcome of the review that just happened of the um voke enrollment and regist and enroll acceptance policies. They there's been a lot of allegation and I'll stress allegation um that things aren't equitably being handled through the enrollment processes that the Vogue schools are offering. I can't speak to the validity of that or not, but that's what the legislation is an outcome of is trying to ensure that it's fair and equitable. That's again another reason for looking

010to see how we can track how this performed over time. It'd be great if we could point to where we can find that information so that >> yeah, I can't we don't have records of who's accepted and who's not because they don't have to share that with us. All we could do is look at transfer. As far as I know, essentially all kids that apply from conquered are accepted. >> And I promise my last question. >> Yeah. uh the the the list of I guess all of the the courses on page two. >> Yeah. The pathways. >> Yeah. Uh are there any first of all I don't understand what wallto-wall means? Uh and and second is all of those if if somebody applies to those are they guaranteed a spot or is there specific limits?

011Um >> there are limits for each program. So that's considered. I think most of the kids who apply give a preferential list and not just in one choice and they try to give them their top two or three >> and that's available with Minute Proby right >> yeah when we met with her she said most kids are getting their first or second choice >> yeah in ninth grade you do exploratory which is where you're >> reviewing you indicate what your preferences or interests are but you go through all of these tracks to understand a little bit about each in your ninth grade and then you have to make your final decision about a pathway or vocational track you are taking so that you can earn certification or like certifications um to be employed uh within

012any of these fields. Um so so that's where most students are receiving their first to second choice uh within one of these tracks. >> Yeah. I I had lunch today with someone who has a daughter here and he was explaining that your first year you obviously can't go very deep on 20 different subject matters. But so you can um rank them and they do a really good job in your first year of getting like five or six deep and then for your you know from there they narrowed it down. It's pretty cool program. >> That sounds like something >> Yeah, we think very highly of Minute Man. We've toured a few times. It's an exceptional facility ever since the new building came online and um anecdotally we know that the kids we send are generally

013being very successful. >> Still a question though. Um there's got to way be a way for us to track that our students that enter the program, how they do or how we're doing in terms of getting our students into the program. There's no way we can track that information to follow it over over the years. We would have to ask minute man for a data pull of some kind. >> Would we track students after they leave? >> Yeah, we don't way to do that. >> So, how is it different from looking how we uh >> how we doing getting students from from uh u high school into colleges, >> right? But it's only the entrance into college, right? We doing this. Well, again, that that's that's I want to know how if there's got to

014be a way to get some of that information. >> Just just so I understand this policy is making sure we advertise and give people the option. I think a followup question maybe because, you know, we certainly pay good money to the program. We could maybe get a representative from them, their school, like their principal to come and answer these questions. >> Sure. I think you'd want to invite Heidi Driscoll who's the superintendent right now is probably >> so if if that's something we want to do. Let's maybe do that at a subsequent meeting. >> And if you have data requests, I think you'd have to ask her those ahead of time. So she would have a chance. >> That's a it's a good topic. I just again interest of time and this is halfway. Yeah.

015>> Fair. >> Okay. So there's no vote tonight. >> No, the vote would be in two weeks. >> This is first read. >> Yep. >> Any other feedback? >> What's the wall towall? wall to- wall is wall to wall just like within the >> you stay in the same school for academics and okay >> your program >> I've never heard that >> yeah it's a jargony >> and I'll just have to mention our car members are not here yet they're really jealous that they don't have access to >> yeah we're I'm talking a lot with Brian they're still talking a lot about how to help the Carile um students access programming >> programming they're not members >> great >> yep Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. Bob, you're in CPS. >> Can somebody uh

016make me a panelist? >> I can do that. Sorry. >> Send it to you. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, I'm going to start with uh FY25 year end for CPS, which um we didn't get to on on last week's agenda. Um and I'm not going to read through the whole report. Um hopefully you've had some time to read it. I'm just going to call out some things that I think are are worth noting on the report. Um, and at the end I will ask for a vote on the budget transfers. At this point uh in the year, our close is essentially done. We have a formal reconciliation with the town. Um, we compare our general ledger to the town just to make sure we have the same um records. Um, and that process is essentially

017complete. Um, there's some final um work to do. I don't anticipate any adjustments to these numbers, but if there are, I would send an update, just include a memo in a future school committee meeting uh later this fall. Um overall, our budget um for the general fund, um I present our base budget and I show the supplemental funding we received for homeless transportation separately because I feel it's important to um put that to the side and note that it's going to go away when the shelter closes. Um so our base budget was 46,515,713. We had a supplemental appropriation of 76309. Um that was related to homeless transportation. Those are costs we incurred um and we get reimbursed um from the state the following year. The town the me the town um basically then appropriates that

018fund to the school district as supplemental funding. Um, we ended up with essentially spending down all the funds. Um, there's an unencumbered balance of 987 out of that 46.5 million. Um, and at the end of this report, there's a summary of uh general fund transfers that were executed throughout the year. Also provided a summary of state federal grants that's included. Um I just want a couple things to call out there. The ones shaded in um mauve, whatever color that is, uh peach colored. Um those are competitive grants. Um so the other grants are entitlement grants. We we will get those every year. Um title one, you might have heard if you're following the news that the federal government's talked about some slight reductions to title one. um they are fairly small for both of our

019two districts. Um so they will have a little bit of impact to us but not substantial, not significant. Um the core, you know, federal funding grant we get is IDA funding and that has not been uh something that's been talked about being impacted currently. Um we did get some competitive grants through METCO, a special ed grant and uh a racial equity integration grant as well. Um and then we have through our health insurance company a loss prevention grant. We do have some grants this upcoming year as well. These are important um to support our initiatives um related to uh implementation of ELA programs at the elementary schools. Um but that's an FY26 grant. Um so this is a combination of uh entitlement grants and competitive grants. Most of the funding is through the entitlement grants.

020terms of revolving funds. Um, in CPS, there's three main revolving funds. Um, you might recall that we did vote to establish two new ones for this upcoming fiscal year. A facilities rental revolving fund and a non-resident tuition revolving fund for students that might attend our special education programs at CPS. Um, school lunch is self-funding. It's essentially operated break even this year. Um, you can see it it went down about um a little bit over $1,000. uh and it ends at a balance of just under 180,000. Um circuit breaker um actually increased slightly. That was not anticipated. We we uh there was a change at the state level late in the year um to allocate a larger percentage of transportation costs. Um they had not been fully funding transportation, special education costs. And um with that

021we received about $86,000 and um $86,000 boost to our circuit breaker revenues that we were not expecting. >> Um and that's what essentially drove our increase. Uh preschool we um just passed practice is we essentially zero that out each year. So we we take the uh revenues we receive and we apply them to offset preschool expenses. Um, I kind of provided a list of the budget transfers as well. You can see the far right figure is the balance that's left. Um, excuse me, the screen slit up here. The $987 um is the unencumbered balance. Um, the school committee um the approval I'm requesting tonight is to approve the uh second column figures, the budget transfers and adjustments. Um the 76309 typically this would be zero but the 76309 is the homeless transportation reimbursement supplemental appropriation.

022Um and um you know one significant um I've kind of provided some highlights of what's driving these. You likely will have seen these in the third quarter. They haven't changed too much in terms of what the explanations are. um our fixed assets. Um I delayed the um the purchase of some school buses into FY26 to save some money there in a difficult budget year. Felt that was necessary. Um the homeless transportation costs um are in the 3000 series. That's why that's so significantly over budget. um an instructional leadership. We have a variety of things that have um contributed to that. Um there were some deferrals to instructional supplies and materials that was intentional. Um we also obtained ELA grant funding. Um we had some planned expenditures that we did not need to to undertake. Um

023and there was also some savings for replacement hires and leave of absence coverage. Um so those are the the highlights. Um and um so I'll pause there and see if there's any questions and absent any questions um I would request your approval for um the motion language is further up. I'll put it on the screen for somebody. So I move the concrete school committee will vote to approve the FY25 year end budget transfers as presented in the year and summary report. >> Second. >> All right. >> Um her check I >> Morano I sorry >> I >> rank and I >> Williams I thank you. >> Thanks Bob. So u on to the next one. >> Yes please. >> Okay share this document. So this is um for the new members um this is an

024annual exercise uh with the conquered uh finance committee uh where they um request certain information from the school district to help them with establishing financial guidelines for the budget process. Um we plan to share this information with Carile as well. Um but it's in response to the request sub u provided and submitted by conquered. Um there's a lot of information in here. So, um I want to kind of walk through it. Um and as we go, if there's questions on specific areas, just just let me know. Um I share this the first part. Um our budget process is zerobased. Um we do not just carry items over from year to year. We start and we basically identify every specific need, every software that we need within each department. Department heads are um tasked with doing

025that within the departments at the high school and the middle school. Uh within the elementary school, a lot of it's um done in coordination with the principles and teaching and learning. Um, so we look for out of district tuitions at every single student that we think um is currently out of district um that we know is currently out of district and budget those and and forecast what the placement cost increases might be. Um so it's truly zerobased and this is just a reminder um that that's our process which is different than some other districts. The five-year spending projections I'll do uh next um and go into more detail on that. Um but that's something they requested as part of their process. in terms of spending level changes. Um so we talked as a leadership team

026about this and um certainly supporting the strategic plan would be one thing that could potentially uh impact our spending level changes. Although there are items in our plan that don't cost money. There are things we want to do that we're going to pursue educationally but there's not necessarily a cost to them. Um there is something that we've kind of observed that our math support um we have ELA specialist roles built into the staffing budget at each school, but we don't have that for math. It's been uh the assistant principles serving in that role. Um so we highlight that as something that could impact our spending level over the coming years. Um although we certainly would look for opportunities uh through reallocation of resources. Um that would be a a way we might consider um giving

027those roles specific in serious consideration uh in the future. >> Bob, quick question. So is is the plan for those math specialists in the coming year or is that part of the the five-year projection? >> This is the spending level changes they ask about, you know, in the next few years. Okay. >> Um so it's something that's been talked about. We don't have it. It's on the horizon. >> Yeah. We we haven't even built our staffing budget yet. um what we'd like and what we decide to do are, you know, those are things we have to weigh. Um they've also asked for an update on FY25 year end. So I provided what I just shared with you. Um I've just provided them a link to that. Um it includes a general fund. It includes the

028revolving funds for FY26. It's it's it's really too early in the year. Um I will do my first update to the school and typically I any information I present to the finance committee I present to the school committee first. Uh so I believe at the one of the next school committee meetings I'll be presenting an FY26 update. Um at that point we'll be um a little bit more month and a half close to two months into the school year. So it'll be useful. It's not really too useful to try to give that at the end of September. um top issues. Um these are are not new. You've probably heard of these. Um but this our our existing special education programs, enrollment projections continue to be something we'll have to focus on and pay attention to

029with housing developments coming online. Um there's no impact this year, but that's something we'll have to continue to monitor. Um I think as we go to get more sophisticated in how we do our projections on that. Um and then we've done a review of our curriculum needs for ELA and we're implementing that this year. Um something that Shelley and Lori have talked about is uh looking at this more robustly across all of our subject areas and kind of developing a a fiveyear or multi-year plan uh to do this. And so that's something that um will be on our uh radar over the coming years. Um the tier one and tier 2 capital programs are a separate process. So I've just kind of outlined the dates there. Um and we'll be working to meet those dates

030um for the finance committee and presenting at a school committee meeting before November 20. Um we're talking about just conquered now. So, I'll just um we have a pretty detailed assessment that we did of our buildings. Um I think it's two years ago now. Um and uh those are a guide for us as well as checking in with our principles and our new facilities uh director and team just to see uh what needs they identify. I will also note um we've heard um that this is an area there there may be some constraints this year from the town of conquered and so we are going to um do our best to um be mindful of that as we uh go through developing our list of capital needs. I we do also do stress to the

031finance committee that we don't present a wish list to either the school committee or the finance committee. We prevent a list that's been vetted. There's cuts that were made before we present it to you. Um, we feel like that's our responsibility to do that. So, I just wanted to be clear on that. There's a lot of information on student enrollment um that's been requested. I I'm not going to go through that. Um, that ends up showing up in our budget presentations and that'll take a lot of time. It's probably its whole own subject matter. Um but it is in response to what they provided. We provided some information to them. Um it's certainly in the regional budget something we're going to actually talk about in the budget workshop tonight. And in CPS um our concern

032would mostly be about our capacity. And I think in the short term um that's that's not a concern. It's more of a what do new what does new housing what does new growth do over the long term. But we've outlined what we uh answered their questions about what we see as our capacity and what some new developments might bring. We shared the um I think that's the MCI study that we shared. One of the things we're asked about uh as well with enrollment is what is if we were to grow enrollment with new housing, what would happen to our our budget? you know, you you we wouldn't have a one for one dollar increase for for every budget dollar. Um, every every student it's not gonna our costs are not going to grow at the

033same ratio as their existing costs. Um, so they we were asked to identify, you know, what portion of your costs are fixed versus variable. To be clear, this was an exercise that we undertook. Um, Dr. Hunter and I, this is not, you know, you could have one student who comes in that has significant needs that is gonna add significant costs. So, you could have another student who uh just gets absorbed into a classroom. We don't need to add any staff. Um maybe we don't even have to add um maybe a couple hundred dollars in instructional supplies. That's about it. So, um that said, we we um we took a stab at at doing what we um thought might potentially happen if we added a certain number of students. And for CPS, we used the example

034of um 50 CPS students. And so our estimate that was that for 50 CPS students, we might add one class from teacher, two special education assistants. Um, and that's based on our ratio of special education assistance um to overall student population and staff. Um, curriculums, material, software. We we estimated about 200 per student. looking at um some of our materials and software are we pay a certain amount for software for the school or for classrooms. It's not going to change with students, but some of the materials are consumable. So, we estimated about $200 per student for that. Um we came out at an increase of 182,000 uh which on a budget of 47.6 million is about a point4% increase that we'd have on our budget for an increase in 50 students. And again, this is

035an exercise. It's an estimate. Reality can vary. Um, but um, that's a question that I think the finance committee just wanted to have a sense of what it might um, what it might look like with enrollment growth. Um, I also looked at our ratios for out of district students. We're very low at CPS because of the in-dist programs we built. Uh, about 75% of our students are out of district. You know, if that were to hold, and again, that's an assumption, but if we were to assume that same ratio applies to an incoming number of students, it would take about 133 students to have another placement. A mid-range cost would be about 125,000 in tuition and 30,000 in transportation. Um, >> and that's just a model that you used and developed. It's not exact. It's

036>> We talked it through basically. Yeah. Yeah, that you talked about >> and it's, you know, it could be different next year. It could be. So, >> and is this the first time using this model or >> um I mean I've thought about it in theory, but um I I might have had to do something like this in a different my previous district, but um we know just to a certain extent that staffing fluctuates um a little bit, but not it's not drastically sensitive, but there is points when you have to add staff. So much of it just depends. If if 50 kids all come into the same two grade levels, that's going to tip the money faster than if they're spread across multiple grade levels. So Bob did a nice job of giving you

037an example of what could happen, but yeah, there's so many unknowns it's impossible. >> Certainly, like probably 10 years ago, there was an influx of 70 students over the summer, and it moved the English classes in one grade up to like 35 kids. So we There are things that can happen that are beyond your control and that wasn't even foreseen to be it wasn't in any of the enrollment data or anything else. >> Right. Right. >> In your in your look at the data, are there things that are the prime drivers? I guess the example that you that you brought up is uh a higher percentage of special needs students transitioning in um or or a lot of students coming in in one particular grade. Is there any anything that as you've looked at the

038data that you would see is that would be a key driver that could lead to a bigger expense or a lesser expense? >> Well, what you mentioned are two of the key drivers. The Yeah. I mean, so I mean also it could be just luck like we could have class sizes of >> 23 that are right on the cusp and you could get like 10 new students that causes you to push to a to an additional classroom. And in the special education um we we can't really that's when we can't predict like I I I think we that's why we just relied on if we if we were to assume the same ratio. I don't want to we don't want to say it could be um a higher proportion or could be a lesser proportion.

039It would be hard to be a lesser proportion than we have now. Um we have a pretty low percentage relative to state averages >> given that there may be ways that you can bracket our high end and a low end, you know, >> possibly. Yeah. Um so the next part in terms of education reform and mandates um this is I don't know if this really technically qualifies as a mandate per se but um we have heard at the federal level of some potential reductions to title one be approximately 15 to 20,000 if um what we've heard uh holds um that would actually be FY27 impact um so unfortunately uh IDA grant funding um is not being impacted which is substantially larger pension and oped they ask for this information it doesn't apply to um conquered

040public schools they've asked for a lot of information on um out of district uh tuitions I'm I'm not going to go through this all although I will show you that you can see the trend um from FY21 to FY25 um the total has declined significantly. Um I think that's mostly from our buildout of special education programs. There's probably also some maybe there's some drop off from as we've gotten further away from COVID. Um but probably the combination of those two. Um and you can look at our uh our net numbers fairly small. Um and we use circuit breaker and IDA grant funds to offset our general fund impact. Um so that's just the tuitions. Um there's also an example of what typical placement costs are high and low and um what the range is. So

041we've shared that with them. And then we have historical data on circuit breaker. You can see we ended FY25 in a healthy position. Um thankfully the state funded it fully um in FY25. Um, so that certainly gave us a boost. Um, so best practice would be to carry over the full amount of revenue we receive. We're not quite there, but um, we're we're certainly in a okay space for CPS. We were asked to provide information on Rippy Ripley building occupancy data. Um, so that's a listing of our spaces, our staff, and what the costs are related to Ripley. This was information we also provided to the land use study committee. Um, and we leveraged the data um, for this exercise as well. Does the I guess from looking at Ripley I understand that it's essentially

042at the end of its lifetime. Uh does that have any impact on your has that been factored into your planning as you look at the five-year projections? I >> I mean we're not planning to ask for anything for Ripley if it's still whatever's needs to be fixed will be fixed like if it's broken but we're not asking for anything. um related to Ripley given that we just completed the middle school project. It's it's included in the land use study by the town because they thought it would be comprehensive to include all spaces. It's more of a long-term look at needs. Um but um it's not something that we have. The most important thing we needed was to protect the server equipment that's in there that's worth over half a million dollars. And we that was

043a $15,000 capital article. It was in our capital budget last year. So, we actually just submitted the order and that's going to be placed. But other than that, um, >> the boilers is what keeps us awake at night. They're original to the building, >> but but just things like that. I think with the building was 55, 1955 there. >> Yeah. >> So, so looking at the things that are in it, uh, the servers. I'm just thinking about the students and the services and and looking five years ahead that's going to and if the building's at its end of lifetime planning at least for what we do around that when it reaches end of lifetime. >> Yeah, I think my thought would be to acknowledge that, you know, I've certainly in here shared what the capital

044costs are that were recommended by the consultant, but some of those are recommended. Uh we didn't necessarily think we needed to do everything that they listed there. Some of them were not um necessary. They were like, "You should probably do this if you want the space to be more usable." Some of them were you're getting near end of life on some things. Um >> I think >> oop sorry. Go ahead. >> Yeah, it's I it's a balancing act. We want to just be clear like there are some needs in the building, but we also if we don't need to ask for them, we're not going to ask for them. We've done some upgrades especially to the studentf facing preschool rooms over the last few years. Paint rugs, some reconfiguring to get more out of the

045space that's there and make sure we're meeting our needs. So, I feel like that's going to continue to elongate the timeline. Um, as far as the adults, we're only focused on basic, you know, can they work? Can they be comfortable and safe? Um, that I feel like we're in reasonable shape on. So, we're I think we're glad to be part of the land use discussion. I think the town understood this building was going to need some discussion and has just included us in the big picture, which feels appropriate to me and I think there's time to allow that process to play out. >> Yeah. And so, I represent the land use committee and they we've looked at 15 properties that the town owns and Ripley is very much part of that. We've toured Ripley. Um,

046and that's really more of a long-term um planning for the whole town with the town. >> Um, but to to your point about what those costs might be, they're they're highlighted in the next section in terms of future repair and replacement costs. Um, the consultants report gets into some things that are operating level budget. Um, just routine routine repairs and maintenance. Um, but um, a lot of this is capital, certainly the large dollars and um, you know, I don't know things like replacing a roof. I don't know that you want to do that in a building that um, we might not be in for a long time. Well, I I I wouldn't unless you know, unless it was absolutely necessary. Um, another thing they asked about was the impact of the close of the shelter.

047U, we received uh, pretty robust funding from the state on this. Um the impact it had um there's there's two parts. Um it provided support for us to hire a lot of staff primarily at Willard. Um where we needed some multilingual instructional assistance in grades K and one. We hired an ELLL teacher, a family uh liaison with the shelter. We had summer school teachers. Um all of those positions have um have gone away with the close of the shelter. So the grant funding's gone away and the positions have gone away. So the budget impact is essentially none. Um it supported what we needed last year, but um with those students moving um to other locations. Um we no longer have the grant funding and the positions were eliminated. Um the the transportation piece is very

048significant for conquered public schools. It was 306,000 last year. Um which we absorbed in the budget um through various ways. um we're going to get reimbursed for that at the end of this fiscal year and we'll be following the same mech mechanism we have in the past where we request that as a supplemental appropriation in the FY27 budget and our hope will be that we can basically build our circuit breaker back up uh through that. Um, okay. There's some information on legal costs and settlements that we've shared uh in response to questions they've uh had in that area. Um, >> Bob, question on the legal cost. Uh, is is that based on some kind of variance analysis for the say the last five years or so? >> Okay. Uh, can you say that again? >>

049Is that that cost that you've estimated is that conservative? Is that you know too? This is uh I I listed what we spent last year which was 64,000 and change and we budgeted 70. 70 is around the range we've budgeted in recent years and it's consistent with the trend. Um sometimes um we might come in a little bit under that. Um and there that includes both um just general legal issues and also special education related issues where we consult. Um they're pretty complex legally. Um helps to have an attorney weigh in with those. Um the strategic priorities, we list this um this is just in our strategic plan. We just share that with them as a reminder. Um and the circuit breaker example of funding. People always seem to have a question about that. It's

050complicated. Um so I'm just I just left that example in here from last year. There might be new school committee members or new finance committee members. So, um, those of you who are at the budget workshop already have this down, so we won't go through that again. Michael was going to explain it tonight, I think. Right. My my teeth are already hurting. So, >> um, so there's no vote for this. Um, but this that's the information we plan to share on the 16th. Um, happy to take any feedback on it. Um or you can email the chair and u but we typically present the same information to the finance committee. >> Do you want to pull up the projections quickly? >> Oh, right. >> You just go to the numbers probably. >> Um so the

051the finance committee also asked for five-year projections. Um we've took a look and this is um through our crystal ball um some sense of basically looking at where we are this year. Is there any surprises? We have some trend data in terms of what's typical for the different categories of expenses. But what we're looking at right now is we're anticipating about a three and a half% budget increase for CPS. Um this is before we've done the budget. We've done some high level looking. We seem to be about level on out of district tuitions which is a budget driver and we seem to have a handle on where we are with salaries. So this is where we are right now. U in terms of um that's our total um expenditures. The grant funding um we expect

052IDA to be um robust still. Title one a little bit of a decrease. That's why grant funding doesn't go up much. Um the revolving funds we projected a slight increase and then we also projected a slight bump because we have a facilities rental revolving fund this year. Um the combination of um some modest growth plus that um is driving that and circuit breaker is going to be fairly steady. um you know the growth there um is essentially growing consistent with about uh 3% increase of what our providers are our private schools u private special education schools are charging for tuition increases. Um and since our reimbursement is based on what we pay we're mirroring that in our circuit breaker reimbursement. Um so we at this point are forecasting fairly steady um increases. the further out

053we go, the less confident we get. We don't know what's going to happen two, three years from now, but um you know, things can change, but you know, this is a projection exercise based on what we know today. Um and in schools, things can change more quickly than maybe in a town budget. And then this just shows the um the assumptions behind those numbers. And I'm not going to go through them really in detail. We're um the only thing I would highlight is the um the out of district tuitions of um 8% um I think we have one additional placement we may have um and we don't have many moving up to out of 8th grade to 9th. So that's the um the only significant um bump um and it's mitigated by some of the

054other items. That's uh that's the projection that we have. Any questions? Um I'm trying to I guess it's something later that seeing the uh the CCRSD pulmonary five-year projections and town assessments. It's just a question that I had on that. >> We're going to do that. Yeah. On the CCRSD section. Yep. Okay, good. Y >> thank you for doing all this. >> Sure. >> And just really thank you. An incredible amount of work went into the data behind all this because all of you should have received the letter in August and it was quite extensive on the data. So really kudos to Bob and Lori for really getting this done. >> Bob. Bob. >> Thank you Bob. Again, this is Bob's night tonight. I feel like Cool. >> Thank you. All right. Last item before

055we head to the CCRSD is just to revisit the warrants that we pulled off uh two weeks ago. Um any additional questions on them? >> No. Uh my primer with Bob answered almost all my questions. >> Yes. Um again, thank you for the interest and all the I saw the back and forth. I was a spectator on the data flying around. So, thank you very much. Uh, so I do need a motion to approve this. >> I move to approve the warrants 1019, 1025, and 1029. >> Second. Second. Um, do I do all those in favor or >> you can just do all those in favor? >> All those in favor? >> I. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> All right. I think that Brian and Lynette might be in the other room, so

056I'll wait for them to come in before we call the region to order. the kids out there too. >> Find you some chairs. >> Oh, okay. >> While you're setting up chairs, um, we're going to take a quick school hoodie photo for the mosquito, the Carlile mosquito. Um, >> sharing this. >> Do the kids want to set up the chairs? >> Bob and I will take care of the chairs >> real quickly real quick. >> Go do the picture. We'll take care in the hallway. >> We're going in the hallway or you want this >> Right here. Okay. Let's do this. >> Oh, right here. Tracy. >> Thank you. >> Oh, okay. >> Thank you. >> Hi. Hi everyone. >> Hi. >> Out of the way. >> I want the chairs out of the way.

057>> There are high standards. >> You're missing Sandy. >> Oh, he >> is. >> We're missing one. >> Where'd he go? >> He's around the corner. over here. >> Okay. >> Do you want us to close these? >> Oh, that's >> a big occasion. >> Thank you for hosting us. >> Yeah, I know. I love coming out here. >> I think you're post mosquito season maybe. >> Yeah, maybe not official. >> Actually, we haven't had it. We won't give it another few days. We haven't got our first freeze yet. We haven't gotten our first freeze yet. So, >> I think it's true. >> Terrific. Yes, we need it for others a lot. >> Thank you, Beth. >> Yeah, sure. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Show on the screen. >> Yeah. >> And you're

058going to do it again when the MECO reps are able to attend in person. Yeah. >> So, when Michelle and Aisha are in person, we're going to do another one. We have two of our student reps here tonight. We need everybody. We did student reps last time, though. >> Did you get that? >> All right. Hi. >> They're not on trial. >> Okay, >> welcome. >> So, with that, I will call the regional school committee to order. And I do not see Aisha online. I think that she is working. Okay. All right. So, first up, >> oh, sorry. First up, we have CCHS students. We have the Black Student Union with us. And I don't know if Lori, you want to give an introduction? Yeah, I'm actually going to turn it over to them very

059much. >> Uh, so I'll introduce. My name is Chris Skinner. I'm the Metro academic liaison at CCHS as well as the co-advisor along with Mike Lan for the Black Student Union at CCHS. Uh, we're very proud of the work the students have done the last few years. have really grown the club and I'm very excited to see the direction that Mark is ready to take the he's the president for the club. I'm ready to see uh what he does this year. I'm very excited. So without further ado, I'll turn it over to these two. >> Okay. Is this mic on? >> It's So the mic is on for people on Zoom. It won't project into the room, so just speak into it. >> Um hi everyone. I'm Mark Johnson. I'm the president of Black Union

060at CCHS. Um, I have my leadership team with me. >> Um, I'm just going to talk about what we've been up to this year. Um, our plans and >> who's on Zoom so we can promote them and we can see them. Zion. >> I think Janiah and >> Zion and Insari. >> All right. We will promote them. >> Sorry to interrupt. >> Sorry. >> No, that was important. >> So, I'm going to pass it on to Z to talk about our core mission when he's ready. Sal with us. They're all there. Yeah, >> there they are. >> Hi. >> I'm Zion. I am a senior currently at CCHS and a member of Black Student Union. And our Black Student Union has always been an important space for black students at CC. But this year, we

061are really taking things to the next level. Um, we're making it our mission to make it more inclusive. And we believe that real progress happens when we all work together. Um, instead of pointing out problems, we want Black Student Union to be a place where people can come together, find common ground, and actually create a real effective solutions that make a difference in our community. >> Hi, I'm Kyle Amuzgar. I'm a junior here at CCHS. Uh, and I'm a new member of the Black Student Union this year. While I initially approached the opportunity with some hesitation, I was ultimately drawn in by BSU's clear focus on actionable solutions and community building. The leadership and members have been incredibly welcoming and it's become clear that is an ideal organization for any student who is serious about

062learning and fostering a more inclusive environment for student at CCHS. Hi, I'm Exari Fairborn. I'm a member of Black Student Union. We're super proud to say that all this work to be more inclusive is definitely paying off. Our Tuesday morning meetings numbers have grown a ton this year. Our main goal is to still get a lot of more diverse groups of students from all CC corners to join us. We're hoping to keep this growth going all semester because the bigger the more diverse group just makes us stronger and better. and finding th finding those great solutions like Zion was talking about earlier. >> Hi, I'm Janiah. I'm the vice president of BSU and we we absolutely have to do our products again. They were such a hit last year and they brought a lot of

063BSU from Bedford and Wakefields together. We had a great time sharing food and making connections and we're looking forward to bringing a few more local schools this time around. And secondly, we absolutely have to bring our ovens again for another big sale. [Laughter] So, yeah, we're all about growing new voices in a more diverse group this year. Um, we have two community events planned. We have the potluck and we're planning Creators to Crayons and we're going to go in that direction. I'm also I have a new Instagram page if you guys could follow it. Um, Black Union conquered Carl High School. Um, so yeah, we're just working on our fundraising and building up the club. We're also going to sell some sweatshirts and we're hoping to sell it in the Possibilities store in town. >>

064Um, and do that for fundraising. >> Are they making your sweatshirts too at POS? Are they making the sweatshirts at Possibilities? >> No. >> Can they They can if you want to connect. >> I didn't even know that. >> Yeah, it's it's our new thing. Yeah. So, >> if you haven't, >> we'll connect you with Brad. >> Yeah. >> Great idea. >> Yeah. So, yeah. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> It's great. >> Thank you so much. This sounds great. It sounds like you've really grown the club this year. Of course, Mark is also our school committee rep. So, he's just going to continue on after this. We see his leadership really coming out, so it's great. Um, so thanks for being with us. >> Actually, thank you for making presentation. Um, when I was

065in high school, there wasn't a Black Students Union back in the 1960s. And I didn't get exposed to that until I was in college at MIT. And it was an incredible safe space because I, you know, sometimes the environment can be challenging. So, I'm glad to see you presenting before us. I'm glad to see that this is is growing. And I actually have something to make you aware of. It just sort of dropped into my lap. There's a organization called uh care for equity uh coalition for anti-racism and racism and equity and it's actually one of the one of the principles is actually a conquered resident uh I know that there is a uh stipented fellowships that are offered the application process started in uh September but it runs through the middle of this month.

066Uh I'm glad to uh get the information to your your advisor uh and uh to uh uh u Andrew Namiki uh Dr. Hunter and Shelley. So you can pass that on. Even if the u uh window for this expires, there's still experiences to work with uh either community- based either in conquered or in Boston. And I know that there's one of the principles is actually listening on um and on Zoom. I'll be glad to connect them with you to follow. >> Email to me, Michael, and I'll be happy to pass it along. >> I'm glad to do that. >> That's great. Great. >> Thank you. >> Michelle's got a hand up. >> Michelle, go ahead. >> Thank you. It was so good to hear you guys. Um I love what you're doing. I just wanted

067to ask, what type of activities do you guys do in your Tuesday morning meetings? So, um, the first meeting I had like an incentivized, um, breakfast for everyone that he was bringing up. Um, just go over right now, we're going over our plans for the year. So, we're definitely changing how we run things in the meeting. Um, a lot of fundraising plans, a lot of plans for this meeting, um, that you guys see. So, that's what we've been talking about the last three Tuesdays that we've had, >> but hoping to do the Cradles to Crayons is next. And we're working with the library on doing a table of books that BSU members recommend. So >> Oh, that's awesome. >> Awesome on that. >> Great to hear. >> Well, thank you. Thanks for being with us.

068>> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Follow your Instagram. Thank you. >> Yeah, same. >> Check it out. >> Over here. >> Yeah. You can Do you want to pull up to the table, you guys? Um, let me Do you want to pull this? >> I don't know. Just stay where they finish. Yeah, if you want a table, you can you can pull that one over. >> Oh, could you go? >> Or you can pull up to the chair. Yeah. Sorry, it's a little awkward in the room. >> I know how much time you want to spend. >> Oh, thank you. Thank you. All right. So, next up we have I am moving this out of order. So, our CCHS students are up next because they're with us. And in case you have to

069leave to do homework, we would love to hear from you. So, when you're ready to start, um, you know the drill. You can share your screen. >> Yes. So, we shared the presentation with Dr. Hunter. >> Oh, okay. I'm sorry. >> If we have your email, if Do you have a CC? Because we could always share it with you in the future. It's a little easier. >> Either way. Either way, I'm >> I think coming through me is easiest. I just need to know to >> share it. >> Find it. Yep, I see it. >> I know. But sometimes when you guys are online, you share because you're online. So, >> I think this year now we want to go in person. It's a little bit different. >> I love that you're coming. >> I

070know. It's awesome. >> And I will anticipate that going forward. >> Matt today, >> Maddie. Yeah, she has a game for field hockey today. So, she's she's on varsity. So, she will not she's not here right now. She's >> having a great season. >> I know. Field hockey is really >> They're really good. >> Won't do it in presentation mode. So, we're gonna >> That was fine. It's fine. Yeah, we'll do it that way. >> Okay, >> great. Yeah. >> Does that work? >> Yes. And then >> make it bigger. >> How's that? >> Yeah, that's great. Great. >> Okay. So, we're going to start out talking about the senior sunrise, which is very exciting. I'm a senior this year and so we've already had a lot of exciting things like our last meeting we

071were just talking about um how we had the senior bake or the senior breakfast and the car pictures and things but um we had I think it was last Thursday all the seniors got up at 5:30 a.m. and we met on the field at like 6:15 because the sun rose at 6:30 and it's really special. It's run by government, but um all the seniors just come together and it's so special and there's like only like three teachers out there, but it just it's such a sweet moment and then everyone else just like goes out in their cars and we all just get Duncan after or Starbucks and we're all so tired the rest of the day and the teachers all know because we're so we're so tired. But we I added um a picture of

072Maddie and I so your two CC reps, we took a picture together. >> Um but yeah, it's a really special moment to watch that that sunrise. Um yeah, and now we're gonna talk about kicks for cancer, which is obviously something to be talked about. >> Just to add about um student government organized the senior sunrise and it took like 10 different days with weather concerns to just happy that we finally got it done. >> Um >> it was perfect. >> We're going to talk about kicks for cancer and mining boost. They were a huge success. I think we hit the $1 million mark, was it this year, which is really exciting. Um do you want to talk about the goal? >> Yeah. So, one of the most special moments I went to both the varsity

073girls soccer and varsity boys soccer games and that was so special. The crowd is just like ecstatic like throughout the entire thing. Um, and it was really special but also really sad because the boys the boys did lose their game but we we won one goal um at one point. It was and but for some reason the goal didn't go but everyone was so happy that we got this goal that the cannons are going off. I got covered in pink dust. It was so special. So that's I think what this photo is from. >> Was it outside? Was it outside? Sorry. I don't know what I don't know soccer terminology, but for some reason it didn't work and it was so sad. Um there's lots of booing, but that was just >> it's so special

074because it feels like the crowd is so united and CC's all together. So yeah. >> So um I talked about it last time. So we finally had our kicks ball which is different from in the past the pink dance. Um we chose to go in a different direction this year student government because our numbers were going down and people were losing interest. So, we decided to go with a different venue. We used the Armory and we changed the way that we did the dance and we made it a ball and it was a huge success. We were able to donate I think over $5,000 to >> just from that night. >> Yeah. Wow. >> Ticket sales. Yeah. It was great. >> Amazing. >> And like I bought a ticket, but I didn't even go. So,

075I think it was great. A really great amazing thing. Um I I was busy, but um yes, then we also had we had a very like kicks themed weekend. Um and that Friday before kicks we had a fun Friday which we have I think once a month at CC and so that's really special because during the lunch blocks um the administration just sets up like and I think the parent association I don't know exactly who runs it but um it was really fun because we had pink lemonade and we had pink starburst and all these pink favorite things and you see there's also a bunch of games so there we put on that slide some games that people were playing um but that's just really fun and it was getting people super excited for the

076pink ball pink ball later that or the kicks ball, I should say, later that evening and then kicks the next day. So, yeah. >> So, everybody had their pink on. Okay. So, we had the class government pickup ball tournament today. It was great. We had the same winners. I think it was Mac Brober in a row. >> Yeah. Always the same. Yes. And they made like special t-shirts that said like pickle ball is calling. So, >> obvious. >> So, that was a great success today for our early release Wednesday. Um, student government is trying to organize tournaments every single early release. So, there's something to do after school before sports. >> Um, and then the other thing we're going to talk about is a new organization of school events by um at CC. So, before

077it's been really chaotic at the start of the school year is all the clubs want people to join their um join the club. And so, there's been all these emails to CC students. And so, um the uh one of the leaders of Senate is actually coming together with Mr. Miller, I think it is. and the two of them are like making like a email that we're sending out every single uh I think it's at weekly now. We just had our first one last week, but it's going to be able it's going to streamline our events at CC and hopefully make it easier for students to figure out what events they want to be engaged in. And so it's going to include like big sales and fundraisers, but also just like first meetings or exciting um

078events that are happening. So I think that will be great for student the student body and um for students to know about new events. So >> that is great because I was getting a lot of emails. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So I'm going to talk a little bit about very briefly about vision of the graduate. I'm not sure if you guys know you guys of course. Yeah. So um from a student >> everybody needs to know about it. So we want to hear about it. >> So from a student's perspective I think the meeting our first meeting that we had went great. Um the program's basically it's a new project at CC talking about the ideal graduate from CC and that there's other pathways from graduating from CC and giving everyone all students um the

079tools and skills that they need to graduate from CC. So making it more equ >> and it's students, parents, teachers, administrators. Yeah, right. >> I'm going to talk about it in my update, too. >> I did see the picture and I thought so. I had a feeling. >> Queued me up really well, though. >> We also wanted to talk about the exciting unified basketball game that was last Thursday, I think it was, and the stands were packed. I wasn't able to make it, but I had a friend from another town come. I don't even think cuz I think it was against AB and she's from LS, but she said it was really great and so exciting and I've just been hearing all about it, so that was a really exciting win for us. Um, yeah.

080And then oh yeah also um I just wanted to speak to because I'm also in Senate um Senate goes through the approval process of new clubs and so new clubs come to us and they present and we learn about them and then we kind of talk about it and we make the decisions whether it should be a new club or if they should merge with other clubs. And so this year we're having an unprecedented number of clubs. We have 14 clubs in our queue right now. We're booked out until I think mid December with clubs trying to present to us which is kind of taking over our schedule because we we need to plan um other events like the spirit assembly. But um it's really great to see all of us leadership coming through and

081a lot of them are community service clubs which will be really great to hear about them and just hear about the different missions and it's just it's really nice to hear that um CC students want to get involved. >> Bob, we need more club money. Um, speaking of clubs, Finance and Investment Club um, had their first meeting, I think, was it two weeks ago and they had 110 students. >> So, they had to actually switch the room that they're meeting in. So, the clubs are going huge this year. I know we have like 10 more students in BSU just in the next like >> start of the year. So, it's really big. Great. >> I just I I mean I do have to just shout out our teachers on the clubs because the club process,

082just so you guys know, the teachers pretty much volunteer on that first year of the club to make sure it's viable. So, you know, thanks to all our teachers that are advisers for all of these clubs that are not getting paid to do it, but they actually want the club to thrive and start. So, >> yeah, >> just have to say that out loud. >> Yeah, we're very grateful. JSA also had their bake sale, so the Jewish um student union and they had a bunch of delicious things there in the top the bottom left corner. And I tried one of their like honey cakes and it was super good. So yeah, sales are definitely back. BSU is having our first bake sale of the year on October 22nd we're planning. So at an early release

083Wednesday. >> Yes. Um just two more club updates. We have Model UN which has I think really ramped up this year but they're doing a spooky movie night fundraiser. I think it's today which is very exciting and the Far East Association is celebrate just celebrated the mid autumn festival on Monday night which was really great. And then or actually I think it might have been Monday morning that they had it. Um, and then the last thing we're going to just talk about is the college fairs, which is really exciting because I'm a senior and so I've just been able to every Thursday um, stop by all the clubs and or the colleges that have stop that have um, come by and they just all set up shop within the outside the library and that's been

084really great. So, yeah, very exciting energy at CC. Um, I think everyone's really excited for the school year and I don't know if you have anything else to add, but yeah, we're looking forward to it all. So, >> well, >> thank you everyone. >> Thank you. >> Great update. >> I know that is a great update. You guys have been busy. I know the energy is great. It's a great way to start our our regional meeting. We're like, yes, we have the students here. So, thank you so much. We'll look forward to you at our next meeting in person. And you know that it's it'll be later in November. >> Yes. >> So, so we'd love to have you anytime you can come. >> All right. Thank you. >> Have a good night. >> Oh,

085you can leave it. Don't worry. >> You can leave it. >> That's fine. Thank you. >> All right. Um, and with that, I will turn it to Dr. Hunter. >> Great. Thank you. Um, so I have some highlights and I'm very focused on the high school since this is a regional meeting. Um, however, I'm going to start with a couple updates that are more inclusive and then we'll focus on the high school. Um, so just updates on the anti-semitism plan that we made this summer. Two really important things um have rolled out over the last week. They are a CPS focus, but it's the precursor to other things that'll roll into the high school. Um, we had our first staff training yes yesterday, Monday afternoon, um, with facing history for the K5 staff. It's the

086first of what we think will be a two-part series with all staff included. And we got survey results back pretty much on the spot through the facing history portal. And 87% of teachers felt it was really valuable and are eager for more. and especially the application part of the classroom. We it was really focused on history and I think we all learned things and the second part will be application. Um so that'll be at the middle school in November and then the high school staff will participate in I think December. Um we also did our playbook initiative um piece at the middle school and I mentioned this at a high school meeting because it is going to complement what we do with the 9th graders. Um we had a a Jewish focused religious scenario today.

087um with a swastika being found and had students in small groups talking about all aspects of the impact of the swastika, the interventions, the how do we prevent this, what harm is done, consequences, and a lot of just basic do we all understand aquasa is a hateful symbol and this is how it hurts people. Um, so I was able to be there. Some really great conversations started among the students. So we feel like that was a successful launch and was a big piece of our summer planning. Um, >> can I can I add a comment on that? >> Yeah, please. >> My daughter is in sixth grade. She was part of the playbook initiative. >> I heard more about that and what she learned than I've heard all year. >> Wow, that's great. >> Thank

088you. >> That's great. And they did a nice job also because we have sixth graders who haven't done as much playbook. They might have had a taste of it in fifth grade. Some of the time was about what playbook is and the purpose and I think that was a really beautiful compliment today. That's great. I will share that feedback. A lot of planning went in >> and sorry. >> No, it's good. >> Um, so my wife did uh message uh Mr. Cameron back and forth about some of the language used was very responsive and really appreciate the updates that were Yeah, I think and some of you know because your parents there, but we both with the staff and the parent community, we are previewing everything at a high level. The teachers all saw what

089the agenda was going to be and the topics, a lot of messaging of how sensitive this all is. Parents at the middle school all and teachers all saw the um scenarios. The student peer leaders, we have more peer leaders at the middle school than we had before, which is hard to believe. It's over a hundred. Um so they were all trained in the pure facilitation and then supported by adults today. So great that's great feedback and we're continuing to make that progress. Um LGBTQ is also one of our areas um of concentration in the training especially department this year and so we're working to build staff training on that and have that lined up for November, December and January at the different levels. So, you'll hear more about that, but I just wanted to mention

090we have a similar action plan, multi-year action plan, but it's really important to us given the data we've seen about how high-risk some of our students and those subgroups are that we really need to tackle this really definitively. So, um I'm going to talk on vision of a graduate which Mark referenced. So, that goes under the umbrella of we are under an accreditation process um at the high school. Our tenure um review is actually going to be 12 years since the last one with a two-part process and we had an introduction yesterday from the NE from NESC to the staff. So it seems important you all have the same information. They have modified it I don't know five or six years ago so it's not just a come once and the visiting team reads all

091your documents and then checks off what you're doing. It's now meant to be a growth process. So, we still have to do all the documents in a little bit more condensed form and there's key people now in place at the high school to do that, teacher leaders, um, etc. And then they do a site visit in 2026, two years before the renewal date, and come and work with you on what what are your areas of strength, what are your areas of growth. Collaboratively, we pick three to five, no more than that, areas of growth we're going to focus on in those two years. and then they come back in 28 and look for evidence of what's what kind of progress as well as all the baseline things. So there's a an array of things you

092must all be doing and then there's um all these principles and things we weigh ourselves on and then look at what our top priorities are going to be. Um certainly we're going to be aligning this with the other planning and goal setting that we're doing, but we're actually excited about the process and another chance to self-reflect and really set rigorous goals for ourselves and look for growth. Um so more to come. I did want to mention vision of a graduate is a component of the accreditation and it's meant to be this very iterative very inclusive process of the skills assuming the academics are in place. So it's not really about academics about what skills do we want our students to have as they leave the high school. Um critical thinking collaboration you can you know

093suppose what some of them are going to be. So these precursor planning sessions both was focus groups and then this design planning group that I sat in Mark was there and a number of others um are building toward that. There are three sessions coming up that we're inviting wide and broadly. We're hoping for hundreds of people and we will be inviting some, but we also want the community at large to know. Um October 29th, January 20th, and March 11th at 6:30 at the high school. Um there's forms in my newsletter last week, which is online. Emails are fine if you want to let me or Brian and Katie know that you're interested, but we're really looking for a wide range of both community members in the schools and far beyond the schools. So, just wanted

094to use tonight as an opportunity to share that opportunity. School committee is very welcome. You're about to get an invitation from me. Um, and then we'll just have to make sure we're not violating open meeting law, which I don't think when you're in a setting like that and we split you up into different groups that's really possible, but we'll talk that through a quorum if you want to come. You're going to get that in in email, so you'll have the dates. So, that's a big project and a lot of work going on at the high school and it's going to carry us through the next three years. Um, in other things that we're working on more imminently, um, I think I alluded Oh, sorry. >> Really quick about that. Um, you've talked about how like

095the different constituencies of people who are included. How many people are in that kind of core group? It seems >> um, there were 40 of us there the last week. >> Wow, that's a lot. >> Yeah. Um, parents, students, a lot of faculty because they're in a really important part of the discussion, administrators. Um but yeah very inclusive and inter interactive >> and there were other parent sessions prior to that focus group. There's a core group but there were focus groups prior to that. >> Yeah and that happened for teachers and some other groups as well. So there's this whole iterative path that we're following. >> Um other more imminent changes and progress that we feel like we're making. I think I had alluded um we are about for the first time to offer AP

096in English in the fall. We're still h working out the offerings and what they're going to be, but it will be ready for the program of study in January. Um, and we're excited that we're going to give more opportunities for high achievement and high growth. Um, we say that with a little caution because we are not looking for kids to take five, six AP courses. So, we started a conversation on some parameters around that. We don't have that all figured out yet, but there will be some guidance or limits um on what and how much you can take. But it seemed really important that we make this next step towards opportunities and um offerings for kids that have those humanity strengths. Not because our teachers and courses aren't amazing already, um but because we think

097we just want to open all the pathways up. Um this will be grade 12 only. We want to maintain what we're doing in the earlier grades and also kind of kind of not drive kids towards those APs till a little later into high school. >> Is that all AP or just >> just English? We don't we don't really offer anything below junior year um which I believe in because I think we want kids doing general core content with some differentiation prior to that. But I think we're making making good progress in the English department. I can't say enough about the work they're doing to get us there. So, um, Route 9, I think Brian and Katie mentioned when they were with you in the spring about, um, work we're doing in within the ninth grade

098academy, um, on executive skills. And I just want to say that's launched and one day a week the nth grade students are meeting with their nth grade academy teachers and doing study skills. Um, we're teaching them how to take notes. we're teaching them how to do things we somehow assumed they were going to know how to do. Um, and it just feels like a nice strong um, start to the high school um, academic load that we're asking of kids with more direct instruction so that they're ready for that. Um, and that's been wellreceived. They're doing amazing things and those really creative ways to come at um, what sounds kind of mundane, it's not coming off mundane at all. Credit for life. I know fiscal literacy has been a little bit of a topic in the

099um you know one of our students wrote a a piece for the bridge and I know Simon Katado is invested in this. So are we. Um a few years ago we had done what's called a credit for life fair. Um the state is a champion of these and sometimes offers little seed money to get them started. Um it it really gives kids a life. You remember the game of life where you'd spin the wheel and none of us ever play as adults because it's too realistic. At least I won't play it with my children. And I'm like, "No, no, I do that all day long." Um, but you get a job and you get expenses and the kids come and all of that. It's similar to that. Um, the kids get a profession. They get

100housing and various ranges of cost, expected and unexpected income and expenses and just have to navigate their way around the afternoon and try to come out in the black. Their eyes open incredibly like, "Wow, where did that big paycheck go?" and things just start to click. So, we're going to try to get life back into that. And what we'd really love to do, Flex Block gives us a whole new opportunity on this. We'd really like to build it out to scale and really sort of mandate it at some point once we're really solvent and up and running. It's another great opportunity for the community come into the building. Um, last time we ran it in my previous district, you know, professionals within the community come out and sit at these stations that the kids are,

101you know, so if you're if you're the veterinarian, we all have this, right? The the pet has to go to the vet. And the bill's very big, but the veterinarian actually sits there and says, "Well, for that, you know, little injury on the paw, that's going to be $500, please." And the kids are like, "What?" You know, so we're going to try to make that community um engaging as well. My last two updates, one is about internships. We're going to really start promoting that at for especially seniors. We've always had a program, but it sort of sits sort of dormant. Kids almost have to initiate it. So, we're kind of flipping that and we're working on an internship fair for different folks to offer internships and give kids exposure to what the opportunities are. So,

102we don't have a timeline on that yet, but the high school's trying to get that up and running. Um, hopefully somewhat aligned with course selection so kids will know where the windows would fit. Um, >> could they do the internship during the second semester? So, not just at that last like couple weeks in April. >> Right now, we're going to try to aim for more full semester. >> Okay. Great. >> But it's a work in progress. We just want to name that on our work on multiple paths to success. We think there's a really big opportunity there that um has been very understated for our students. Um and then finally, just I think you're going to want to know this as you go into reapprove all these trips um and travel. Um the signups are

103out for the tra the trips and so far I have awarded $1,500 to three different students in Sharon Young subsidy scholarship monies um to help students be able to access the trips. Um, we all acknowledge 500 on a $5,000 trip feels too little, but it it helps. Um, and in some cases it went toward the Quebec trip, which is a much more significant impact. But we are encouraging kids are getting the information, families are getting the information and actively applying to the fund. So, we're going to keep working on keeping it fiscally solvent. At this pace, we're okay because we've found little ways to subsidize it that have kept it afloat. But, um, at least it's operational. felt important to let you know that. >> So, those are some highlights. A lot of great things

104going on. >> Great things. Um, I'm going to be very brief with my update. Um, just a couple things to mention. The PA PTG presence meeting was this morning. Carla will be included with our meeting. Um, and I think that's a really great opportunity for Carlile to be part of the the K8 discussions going into the high school. >> Um, let's see, the select board meeting last night. Just of note to us is there's a discussion about the special town election from this past summer and some changes that they're going to make to the process for that um voter information packet and you can watch that meeting or look at my updates in the packet. I put those in there today. And then last night, thank you to Brian and Lauren Bob for going to

105the CPC meeting to discuss the amenities building. Brian will also be on tour this weekend at the high school campus on the long weekend. So, we really thank you for, you know, good getting through that and the chair's breakfast is next week. So, I don't really have anything else of note. Um, so that's it for me. And with that, we will move on to public comment. >> I wanted to make a comment if I could on uh some of the goals that we adopted as a committee. Uh, we adopted as part of our goals wanted to speak to incidents of uh hate and bias in town. And we thought it was important enough for us to do that as a committee that we set it as our goals. And I tried to reach out to

106both of you to add to our agenda an opportunity to speak to the incidents that have happened in our community over the past two weeks. That being the CCHSPA post and the incident that happened at Kicks for Cancer. Um, none of this >> So, so if I can just interrupt for a second. So, is this a request to add something to our agenda tonight? Well, I I tried to ask you to add it to the agenda previously, but I wasn't able to. And we made this part of our goals and we we chose to make certain that we speak to these issues as part of our goals and if we don't do that, we can only do that and make these statements as a body in an open meeting. If if we can't come together

107to speak about them, when when can we have that kind of conversation? So I think if we look down to our discussion of our if we can just table this to our discussion on statements from the school committee and the chairs >> from my understanding from the uh agenda outline you sent that we weren't going to talk about incidents there. >> No that's not on the agenda for tonight. If you want to request it for future agenda you could do that. >> I have requested it for a future agenda. I've requested to both of you twice and to our vice chair but been turned down. So if we're chosen to speak about these issue, we've made that part of our goals, how can we speak about them if if we can't get it on the

108agenda? >> What what I requested to add statements from the school committee on the agenda is to pull the group to see if we want to speak more to single incidents or if we if we don't want to do that. So that's what we're going to be talking about at F. >> Well, I'll look to speak to it later then. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, we're going to move to public comment. So, our public comment period is a period of 20 minutes. And as a reminder, this is a meeting in the public and not with the public. So, the school committee will not be responding to any comments. If you're in the room and you'd like to speak, you can submit a blue form to me, which I have some, and you'll be called to

109speak. If you're on Zoom, you 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 a comment on Zoom. So, I'm going to ask Lori to promote maybe the first two on Zoom just so we can be efficient. And first up is Tui Rogers. So, you can come on up. >> You do the time. >> I got it. >> I'll stand to the side so everybody can see. I'm Tui Rogers. Um, El North Street and Conquered. And >> you can actually sit because we ask that you address comments to the chair. Sorry. Did we talked about this at the chair's breakfast? Sorry. >> All right. >> It's just our process.

110>> Fine. Fine. Um, and I just have to say bravo to the Black Student Caucus and to the students reporting. I remember going to soccer games and tennis matches and loving it. I've been here for 30 years. I've voted for every school that's been built, all five of them. Um, but of of course I'm not here to talk about that joy and the joy they experienced and I hope they keep experiencing. And Dr. Hunter, I hope you keep providing them with the opportunities to do that. I'm here to talk about the I think very clearly the the broken trust that exists right now between the school committee alas and the superintendent um that started last year at the town meeting and I know you know what I'm talking about when the almost unanimous town voted

111for naming this school the new middle school after Ellen Garrison and uh it was it was such a perfect opportunity in history the 250th year of of you know anniversary of our the battle at the old north bridge. We were celebrating people whose voices hadn't been heard. This seemed like a perfect opportunity. The town voted for it and then surprisingly I went to the League of Women Voters uh meeting when you spoke up for naming it the middle school and you spoke for naming it the middle school and somehow it got named the middle school and I think that was a real slap in the face to the town. I think you know that people were stunned. Cause that's the cause. That's where it began. The effect was that Alexa was voted out. She was

112the incumbent chair and she was voted out. The town voiced its being upset and and lack of trust. The amenities building was not voted down because of reporting in the bridge. It was voted down as a result of this lack of trust. And I think that we probably all know in our hearts that we're talking about a lack of trust that needs to be rebuilt. And since then, well, during this period, the Medco PDG dissolved itself for lack of collaboration by their words with you. Um, and the the you know, uh, ADL has has filed a complaint against the school for not addressing anti-semitic behavior. This breaks my heart. I mean, I I'm much happier to come here and talk about the soccer team or the, you know, what's what the kids are doing, and

113I would like to do that, but all of you are volunteers. I serve on volunteer committees, too. Thank you for serving. This is not personal. It's about translating what we as towns people want to the school superintendent and trying to get the school to go forward with academic excellence, safety for the students, and kind of answering to the town. >> Thanks, Dewey. That's >> so I just I just want to say it's not personal. It's about what you're doing. You need to talk up a lot more about what's happening with anti-Semitic behavior and bullying. And >> thank you. Your three minutes rep. Thanks. >> And have a public forum, please. >> So online we have Andy Fall. >> Hello Tracy. Thank you. Um to the members of the school committee, Dr. Hunter and the Greater

114Conquered Carile and Boston community, thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Andrew Fall, uh science teacher and president of the Conquered Carile Teachers Association, and I would like to speak in support of Dr. Hunter. Um recently, as you all know, Dr. Hunter was the target of an outrageous and potentially criminal act of intimidation and harassment and all members of the community should express their outrage at such unacceptable attacks. Under Dr. Hunter's guidance and that of the school committee, teachers and administrators have worked tirelessly to create conditions for all students to grow and develop confidently and securely regardless of their background or identity. And to all the families who are hurting, please know that we do hear you. We will continue to seek opportunities to make CCHS a more welcoming place. And

115you should continue to insist that we do that. But please don't think for a second that we're not engaged in that work or that our leadership has sherked that responsibility. Dr. Hunter and our faculty care deeply about these values and there's no school leader better suited to take us through the current challenges we face and lead the district through this moment. The CCTA and Conquer faculty stand ready to continue to work with the school committee. Dr. Hunter, school leaders, and the larger community in creating a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our community members. And I can attest that work has already begun. I thank you for your time today and look forward to our continued work together. >> Thank you, >> Margaret Schumacher. I want to also say how positive you guys

116have been tonight about all the, you know, the soccer teams and the Black Union and everything and very positive stuff. Um, I do want to >> You can talk into the microphone. Thanks. >> Um, so thank you all for your volunteer work on this. It's so much work I can't imagine. Um, I want to read a letter um from the conquered uh bridge because I feel like with all this wonderful stuff going on, there's there's a a huge elephant in the room and it's really hard for me to move on. So anyway, that I know for many to move on and this is the letter I'd like to read. And u it start the heading is criticism of Hunter warrants serious notice. Um, it starts with a quote. Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.

117Does anyone know who wrote that? I didn't. Leonardo da Vinci. More and more we are hearing that anyone who raises questions or offers legitimate criticism of our school superintendent is engaged in bullying or even hate speech. How did this come to be? When exactly did scrutiny into the words and actions or lack of actions of our leaders become an act of bullying? As taxpayers, do we not have the right to question those in power whose healthy salaries we pay? Isn't questioning authority and seeking some level of transparency and accountability one of the hallmarks of civil democratic society? I hope so. That's the way we're taught from the beginning. There is not time here to review this min administration's repeated failure over the last three years to genuinely respond to the needs, concerns, and safety of

118our various minority students as well as our school community in general. To cite just a few examples, it's the ongoing essentially no confidence vote by METCO. the avoidance of dealing with repeated hate graffiti in a timely and proactive manner. the failure to honor the clear wishes of the community over which was recently said over the naming of the Ellen Garrison Middle School or just recently the federal civil rights complaint detailing quote detailing rampant any anti-semitic abuse end quote in the conquered Carile High School school that was allowed to take root and persist when a leader is criticized over time and that criticism is backed up with clear examples and ongoing evidence of poor or questionable performance, then that leader and the people who she or he is representing should stop and take serious notice and

119not try to dismiss it by calling it bullying or spending even more tax money, taxpayer money by hiring a PR firm. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay, with that online we have Matt Kil Martin. >> Hi everyone. My name is Matt Kil Martin. I'm the parent of a sophomore at Conquered Carile. Um feel my comments are probably a little bit more relevant than some of the previous comments considering I have students in the school and very familiar exactly what's happening at the school versus what's read in the bridge and talking of the name of the middle school from a couple years ago. Um I couldn't be more happy with the administration's um and current school committee and all the hard work um that's happening um the talking about the change of the AP uh

120work that you've even stated um specifically some of the all the training you're doing on sensitivity training and whatnot in light of some of the incidents has been remarkable. Uh the one thing I specifically wanted to praise tonight was um the work that happened this summer when uh the Doug White fields and the upper turf were completely redone. Um that was done in record time. Um there was a lot of feedback that those turf fields needed to be replaced and the school committee and administration listened to uh the feedback uh and really advocated with the town to get those done. Um why that's relevant um for some of the people listening has nothing to do with the naming of the school building. It has to do with mental health crisis which is really a lot

121more of a challenge for adolescence today um than what the name of a building is. And the um the school committee really prioritizes the whole student the learning and mental health challenges and knows that physical activity um and exercise and whatnot really helps with depression and anxiety and getting that done helps with the soccer teams. It helps with all the students to be able to have physical activity. actually helped with thousands of kids that participate as part of conquered Carlile youth soccer. Uh so it's great that the school committee pushed to get that done and I'm confident that without their advocacy um it would have been delayed and it wouldn't have happened. So really appreciate them prioritizing our students mental health and really all the hard work you're doing to make our school system one

122of the best in the state. So thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. Uh, Suzanne Keller. [Music] Hi, Suzanne Keller. It's um 244 Lindsay Pond Road in uh Conquered. Um so last spring, my family and nine other families went through a very problematic and confusing um MIAA association. So that's the Massachusetts intercolastic athletic association's uh chemical health process with the CCHS administration. Um in the student handbook that you guys have reviewed I guess uh this year already uh you'll see a portion of the policy on page 29. Um so our policy allows for bystanders. Uh these are people that are um find themselves at an event where there's alcohol um but that are not drinking um and so our policy allows for bystanders. That's not uh that's widely known and it's undisputed um but it's not

123mentioned in the handbook. Um proving yourself a bystander we were informed during our process in the spring requires you to breathalyze to prove your innocence. So, if you're at the event, you must breathalyze in order to be um seen as uh a bystander. Uh this is not documented in the handbooks either. Uh nor is it part of the training that's done as part of the athletic um preparation for athletic activity um that usually the AD or I I don't know if it's the AD or the coach uh does. Um so it seems strange that this is the case. Uh usually if an officer sees some sort of erratic behavior at an event, uh they'd ask a person to breathalyze um rather than asking a student of 15, 16, 17 years old, uh to demand one

124from an officer. Um so um I guess all of the families involved found ourselves in this like confusing situation where the policy that was written didn't define sort of the circumstances that we were being measured against. Um and the whole school review process was rushed. Um kids were determined to be in violation before the police report was available. Um which is obviously a significant due process violation. Um and um sort of explaining that to our seniors that were graduating um that they're you know that they had not experienced due process um that our policy requires due process uh was upsetting as a parent. Um, I think in all of this we can do better. Um, so this we should do better so this does not happen again because next time it could be your child

125that's at that event. Um, I will try to meet with all of you. I've met with some of you. Um, it's easy to show that the policy is unclear as it's currently written. Um, and I will email the school committee requesting an agenda item to discuss it further. um you know, I can't change my own uh child's uh circumstance, but I hope that I can fix it for the rest of you because um the way it's currently done is is is not uh correct. Um I appreciate your support. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um online we have Wendy Holt. She's been promoted. >> Hey, Wendy, >> if you can unmute. >> Okay, looks like she Oh, >> thank you. I'm sorry. I thought Whoops. I thought that happened automatically. Um, Wendy Holt, 30 Dover Street

126in Conquered. Um I'm um here to speak about uh the school committee's response to the complaint on behalf of student A that was submitted to the office of civil rights at the department of education um due to the anti-semitic bullying he experienced um that has already had reputational damage um to conquered Carile schools and to the to our community, I believe, in addition, of course, to the harm that was done to student A. Um, and it seems like this kind of situation has the potential for um some legal legal repercussions. So, given the seriousness of the issue, I'm wondering why the school committee is has not been um looking back to understand what went wrong in addressing the bullying of student A. Clearly we can understand their limits to what information information can be shared.

127But so far we've really heard only the perspective of student A and his family. What is the school's perspective? What strategies were tried and what impact did they have? What actions didn't work? The complaint states that student student A requested a restorative justice approach but this did not happen. Why are there barriers that constrain the ability of the school to respond? Um I I also was surprised that a few weeks ago when Dr. Hunter presented the her plan for comp combating anti-semitism, there wasn't more discussion of that. It was wonderful to hear some of the first steps that are happening and I'm very pleased with them. But what I would say is that the primary elements of the plan are emphasizing prevention, which is important and I endorse that. But I don't think that's sufficient.

128Education is not enough. Some middle schoolers weaponized what they learned about the Holocaust to give their soccer teams anti-Semitic names and to bully Jewish students. Complaining to the school and working on them was not enough. student A and his parents were actively communicating with the school and requesting corrections without success. And I think this gets to this issue of trust. If children in the schools and their parents don't trust that submitting complaints will lead to effective interventions, the other things will not matter. And to bit rebuild the trust, we need to see you, the school committee, engage openly with these issues among yourselves, with Dr. Hunter and her staff, and with the community. While some of these discussions will be painful and tense, working through them can help build a foundation of trust that will

129allow us to work together to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable students. We can and must do better. Thank you. Thank you. And the last comment for tonight, Court Booth. >> Thank you very much. Court Booth, 144 Wright Road in Conquered. I want to talk very quickly on two items uh in your agenda. One uh is in regard to the trips. Uh some of you will know that uh for many years prior school committees have been deeply concerned about access to these trips because of the significant costs. Um and we heard tonight that Dr. Hunter is well aware of that and sensitive to it as well. Um, so I'm here to commend uh any and all efforts by the teachers to try to uh rein in the costs and uh make the trips

130more accessible because we don't want these opportunities to actually divide kids. We want uh these opportunities to bring kids together. I thought it would be derelict of me to uh not speak about this until I stopped by the Sharon Young Fund to make a donation. So, just a heads up for you folks, the the donate button doesn't work today. Um, I tried on a couple of different browsers. Um, uh, but I would like to promote uh again the the Sharon Young Fund, which uh does help uh albeit in a modest way, but an important way. Uh secondly, because uh it's now budget season, uh some of you in the room will recall that when I was on this committee, I sought out information on the uh extent to which we invest uh identifiable money toward

131equity and inclusion within our budgets. And I was told uh that that was impossible. Uh and the reasoning uh sounded wonderful. uh equity and inclusion is embedded everywhere in our budget, everywhere you look. Um and it's so granular and so everywhere that it can't be uh really really quantified. Um, and I want to challenge that and say if indeed this district does uh zerobased budgeting and if you're starting now for fiscal 27, I think that there can be eyes on the investments made and the goals associated with equity and inclusion. And I'd love to uh see this school committee and this administration give that a try because I think we all agree or at least espouse to uh our goals around equity and inclusion and budget is one of the very few prerogatives that this

132school committee has to move a lever to make change and uh I would hope that you exercise that uh that responsibility. You heard Mr. Connory tonight say that uh uh there are reductions that happen before you ever see the superintendent's recommended budget. I think that's wrong. I think this school committee deserves to see what the educators throughout the school districts bring to uh the administration as their perceived needs. Then then and only then should the administration say here are our best uh recommendations for the reductions that should occur. But I think what we need to see is the soup before we see uh it distilled for us. And I don't think it should ever be distilled and reduced for a school committee. I believe you should see the whole picture and then be able to

133witness what uh the administration has done by way of reductions. I'm not opposed to these reductions. I think visibility is important. >> Thank you. >> Okay, we're going to close up public comment. And with that, we'll move on to our consent agenda. So, um >> I will make a motion. I just have microphone, but >> Oh, sorry. Let's share. >> Okay. I move to approve the consent agenda for October 8th, 2025. >> Second. Uh I need to move to remove something from there. >> Oh, >> and I meant to um remove u remove some things or get some clarity on others. >> Okay. Want to withdraw your motion? >> I'll withdraw. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh can you move the the September 10th uh minutes? >> Yep. >> This one mine, too. >>

134Okay, we go. >> Anything else? Um the August 27th just at least in the minutes it's uh workshop minutes not uh joint school committee workshop minutes the uh August 25th uh at least our minutes is actually September 25th communication workg groupoup minutes um and I believe that is it for that >> so the 25th minutes the 27th minutes >> correction um at least in our agenda for the uh August 27th minutes, the correction of in our agenda, the August 25th communication working group minutes, that was actually September 25th, 2025. Uh date on the September 9th, uh communication group minutes, that was September 8th. Um the error that uh both Sandep and I see in the September 10th minutes. Um, >> so just I think the easiest thing to do is we're just let's just remove

135anything that we have corrections on and then you can send forth the corrections and we'll discuss at the next meeting. >> Excellent. >> So if we can just if you could just give me which number which letters we're removing. Sorry. >> B. Yep. >> B is in boy. E as in egg. G as in golf. >> Yep. >> H as in hilo. >> Okay. And if they're just just for the future, if they're like small corrections, you can send them to me and then we can >> we can get them fixed up before the meeting and then approve them at the meeting. But if it was content, then you would just provide a change that you were looking for a change. >> Is that so? So So that content should we discuss in public or

136>> content we discuss in public? >> Yep. But like if it's a minimal like you know date change or something like that, content and if you have a proposal for a change, we would discuss that in public. >> Okay. So why don't we approve everything else? So I would entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda with the except exceptions of items B, E, G, and H. >> So moved. Second. >> Second. Okay. All in favor? >> I. So those four items we're going to table till our next meeting. And if you want to send me the changes or modifications and then we'll put it out. >> But we need to discuss that though. >> What? >> At our next meeting. >> Okay. Sorry. If if it's if it's a content change, should we still

137email or >> you can email and then I'll I'll give it to everyone with the change in the agenda overview. So you'll get it with the change and then we'll discuss that change at the next meeting. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. Yep. >> Does that make sense? >> Yep. So So Michael will send the change. We have the same change. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Great. Perfect. All right. So just to be efficient tonight. All right. So we've approved it. Okay. And with that, we'll go to correspondence. And everyone has received the correspondence. You know, in the past couple weeks, and I discussed this at the CPS meeting, we've probably had like 10 to 12 pieces of correspondence um from the public. And then we'll move on to our discussion and I will turn that

138over to Bob and he is going to run our budget workshop. >> Would it be okay if I reordered B and A? >> Committee. Willing to reorder BNA? >> We'll allow it. We'll allow it. Okay. >> Great. >> Um, sorry. I have that file open. >> Can we have the Tylenol for the headache it will induce? >> Okay. So, I'm going to start with the response to Conquered Finance Committee's guidelines requ data request. Um, a lot of the information is similar to um, some of the information is similar to what uh, I shared for CPS. I'm not going to go through items that are fairly similar. >> Oh, that's right. Okay. So, I will go through everything again. >> Um, sorry about that. >> But also has the packet material. So, if they have any

139questions, they could maybe do it that way. Okay. >> So, um, have the memo on the screen. Um I I've highlighted our zerobased budget process to anybody who um if basically is familiar with budgets. A lot of districts um do more of a inflationary increase for certain items. Um we do zerobased. We look at every position. Um we look at every uh supply line and those um are budgeted at the high school since we're talking about the region by department heads for different subject matters in coordination with the school principles. A lot of the uh central items are budgeted uh by my team in partnership with transportation, facilities, insurance, things like that. Um looking at current current enrollment levels. So it is truly zerobased. Um we're in the midst of that process. We just kicked

140it off yesterday. Uh sent the budget packages out to uh each of the um principles in each school. um our five-year projections I'll go over um at the end of this um in terms of spending level changes. One of the things um we don't necessarily anticipate a lot in the way of spending changes. We do I I do anticipate that uh we'll have to monitor our building maintenance needs and costs as the building gets older and would expect some slight and gradual increases in this area. Um it may also affect our our capital plan as well. I've shared the FY25 year-end update uh with them. Um just linked to what the what we provided to the school committee at the September 10th meeting, I believe it was. Um I'm not going to go over that

141again. You've seen that previously. And the FI26 budget update. Um we'll be doing our first update for this year um at one of our next meetings. Uh the top issues for the high school um you know similar to for CPS is is maintaining our high quality in district special education programs. Um that uh will be and continues to be a priority. Um it has actually uh helped us uh in some ways uh financially too in terms of budget relief. We've had more students enroll uh in our programs providing us offsetting um non-resident tuition funds that we can use to um cover some existing staff costs. Enrollment projections is something that's I would say a significant issue. Um both um it's more of an impact at the at the high school because it has a disproportionately

142large impact as you'll see in our presentation on the assessments more so even than our spending um assuming our spending is within a moderate range. Um, so I'm going to share that with you. Um, that that is an issue that we want to try to get um, information out to the town so they're aware of the impact. Um, you know, the the growth in this area to some extent. Um, we certainly in the schools can't control. Um, but we want to share the information that we see and what impact it might have on town assessments. the for for capital uh I don't know that we need to refer to it to tier one and tier two for um for the high school but those are the terms conquered uses. Um we're going to be developing

143a capital plan this year um really for the first time. We we wrote a memo last year outlining what our priorities were. Um the school's now 10 years old, the new school building there, there are going to be some needs. We're aware of a couple of them. I don't anticipate anything um surprising um coming up in our first plan. Um our focus in the near term will be on on the next five years. Um and we'll present that through the capital planning process. Uh our first presentation is November 20th uh to the conquered finance committee. >> Is there a standard Can I ask you a question? Mid >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Is there a standard way to present that information to the finance committee? Are they sending out templates or is it up to us

144to kind of put that to Okay. >> Yeah, it's >> they haven't provided a standard format. So, the town has one way they've presented and ours is a little different and then we've, you know, last year we combined them which was great. >> Yeah. I love the combination last year. I think it was really effective and um kind of like town meeting. Maybe we can work towards like common templates. Everyone's presenting the same. >> Yeah. >> Um the enrollment levels we we talked about. Um we we have you know the question really I think was driven by just a question of what's our capacity to absorb additional students. So our responses here attempted to address that. Um we also shared an uh study that was done uh related to MCI and the potential for additional

145housing uh going there and what the impact might be. Um so that's information we've shared in here as well. >> Can I ask one more question? Sorry. The capacity at the high school specifically is that physical capacity for like fire and security? >> Yeah, the building was built for 1,200. >> Okay. So it's nothing to do with class sizes. It's physical people in Okay. And that's students regardless of how many teachers are there. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> I have a question on that too. The um historically and I'm thinking mostly about the Prescott like are those are the projections of buildings um was that AC was that an accurate predictor of enrollment? >> Um I don't know that it perfectly was. And can we just divert to this for a minute? And I don't

146know if you want to bring your other slides up since it's very high interest on the topic. I wasn't sure. >> Yeah, he's got other slides too because we want to do that. >> I'm happy to wait. I wasn't sure which bucket this fell into. Where did this come from? The MCI. >> Yeah, why don't I just talk on that piece and then we'll go to the um Carile Conquered pieces. Um I worked with the the consultant that the town of Conquered hired for the MCI study that was just done. Um was very focused on school projections and enrollments. So they reached out to me. We did some they did the work. I provided the data. Um, we talked a lot about the N the Prescott because it's a nice barometer for us. And what

147I found, and I've had other complexes in my other districts that didn't play out this way, was that those those apartments have drawn more families and more students. The demographic in there really ranges from the 40b subsidized housing all the way to the visiting MIT professor who's here for a year and brings their family from some other part of the world. So I think the nuances of that play out a little differently here than they do um in other communities. So they really um heard some of my anecdotal story and said well give us the actual numbers. what they predicted without seeing our data was a far less enrollment coming out of the Prescott than the numbers we actually gave them and it helped them to modify their formulas for the upcoming complexes >> which

148I thought was really valuable. So the data they've given here is based on their formula that they use standardly with some adjusting for the patterns we saw coming out of the conquered complex. Do you feel like the projections that you've put in here are as accurate as we could? I mean, >> we worked with a professional who ran their formulas and accounted for our local context. I think that's as good as it gets. Um, I know we're going to want to talk more with Carile as you have your discussions of potential options here being on the T-line and all. So, we probably should talk more similarly about the Carile impact >> since we're on the topic of I guess uh potential enrollment the the comparison unit did was that just with the Prescott or neighboring

149towns as well? >> We focused they focused primarily on that as an apartment complex. They did all sorts of housing studies here in town that they based their formulas on and then the piece they didn't really have as accurate was how the rental complex impacted the schools at least in our actual lived experience there. So that was the part I provided. They did all the rest. So that's where those numbers come from in terms of capacity. You can see at the high school we have some spaceish. I mean we've been much higher than we are right now and now we're kind of at the capacity of what it was built for a little bit under. So >> that's why I was asking I I don't know when we publish this stuff do we want to

150publish it in terms of physical capacity like what's the maximum amount of kids we believe as a community you know >> per we were up well over 1300 and it was really tightly it was too tight >> it was too tight yeah we didn't have any >> so I hate to publish that as a capacity and if >> so 1 1200 comes from the MSBA documentation that built the school So we can talk if you want to rethink how to message that. >> Yeah. I don't know. I think we should, but >> yeah, >> good points for sure. >> When is this due? >> Yesterday. >> Their meeting is on the 16th. >> Yeah, I think we give them all the data and help. I mean, they're going to chew through it like we are

151and try to figure out what it really means, but the more we give them, the more to chew on. So, >> thanks, Bobby. Y >> uh related to that we did uh v variable cost analysis like if there is growth what would >> Can I just ask one other question? >> Yeah go ahead of course. >> Can you just sort of like highlight what >> what does like I I don't have kids in the high school. What does 1300 feel like? What is that? Yeah. >> If you get past that projected enrollment, what are the consequences? >> Uh we had very little flex space. So, for example, if you have a fire and there's two classrooms offline, you can't find space to re reallocate them somewhere. There's no classroom spaces at all available in the

152course of the entire school day and you're really like that was where we could feel it loud and clear was that every single space was being utilized every period. Um, and the juggling it took to cover that was tangible. Um, some of our sped programs really needed bigger spaces than they had and they were getting really anchor was like squished into one classroom when really they needed two. Um, Rivers for example and the type of experiential learning that they did. They were in their third floor room and now they've been able to spread out into an art room and have two really amazing spaces and flex through with that. Um, lunch is a piece. You know, the bigger the capacity at lunch, the longer it takes us to get kids through and the more more

153we have to do. I don't know if we could have gone to two lunches the way we have now if we were still up well over 1300. We kind of had to wait for that to to play out. So, you know, it just has this trickle down thing. Yeah. >> Thank you. So in terms of uh how this relates to budgets um you know again the way the finance committee one of the things they wanted to look at was if enrollments grow what does that do to your cost outlook? Um it's not a one for one it's not a similar ratio to your existing costs because you get some leverage. We're not going to have an additional principle. We're not going to have an additional building uh maintenance and all the infrastructure. So um we

154went through the same exercise again. This is an exercise and this is an estimate um of what could happen if we had an increase in 25 uh high school students. Um and we often in the high school we see increases or reductions in quarter FTE increments like we might need an additional section of a class. Um and one section equates to a quarter FTE. Um, so we we for 25 assumed we might need to add a quarter uh section, whatever subject matter it might be needed in. Um, and assumed $100,000, which would be might be a mid mid uh range on the salary table. That would be $25,000. Um, we might need one uh quarter special education tutor. That's based on kind of the ratio of special education tutors we have to the overall student

155body now. Um, and that would be about 11,000 for a quarter FTE. Um we assumed some consumable materials would need be needed per student. Um about 200 per student that would be um $5,000. And um so for in summary uh for an increase of 25 students that'd be about 41,000 uh on a $40.4 million bud budget about a 0.1% increase. Um again you know these are estimates. Um, again, one student could go out of district and that by itself might be $155,000. Um, >> same caveat we said to the conquered committee. It all depends >> who who comes in and where they fall and what they need. >> In terms of education reform and mandates, there's not this isn't really a a mandate per se. Um, but we're aware that title one funding uh at

156the federal level, there's discussion in reducing that. um at the rates that they've discussed reducing it, it'd be a fairly small impact. Um typo there should be a CCRSD. The impact might be 5 to10,000. Pension and OPED information is provided in the year-end report that I previously presented to the school committee and I've included a link to that for them u to my report uh previously. out of district tuitions. Um you can see the trend here and um we have a different picture than at CPS. We we've seen a spike um last year and um this is something we talked to uh we saw early. Um it happened after the budget process uh had just concluded. We had some uh students that uh one moved in, another went out of district. Um we worked with

157the finance department and out of district tuitions were held out of guideline in last year's budget process. Uh which really enabled us to um to meet guideline without impacting uh class sizes without impacting um other kind of core educational programming. um we are going to get and I'll talk to more about um in the projections about what the impact is kind of going forward which is beneficial but um by excluding it from the guideline we were able to have some stability uh to get through a bump um and there's going to be a little bit of a lower uh increase next year. Um, I've shared in in response to their information, I've shared uh request, I've shared information on kind of typical costs of placements, what the range is. In some cases, it might be

158prorated uh with another district or it might be just for a portion of the year. Um, so that's why some of those numbers are pretty low. Um, in terms of circuit breaker data, um, you can see, uh, we did get extraordinary relief in FY24, which is why that number is fairly large, 1.6 6 million. There was also um special legislation. Um you might recall with existing school committee members that we had 14% private school special education increases that hit us uh a couple years ago and there was some surplus aid that we received in FY24 uh that contributed to that 1.6 million to offset offset that that and extraordinary aid. Um we're FY25 is back down to um we don't have extraordinary aid. We don't have uh surplus aid. >> Can I just add we're

159getting notices and this is a very big topic among the superintendent and sped directors right now. We're getting notices from the out of district placements of their expected increases for next year. There's no guard rails on them. We're seeing numbers come in in double digits and our jaws are all dropping because it's happening in lots of settings. So, I expect there's going to be a lot of um lobbying and legislative discussion asked of that because the districts are really going to struggle to keep up with some of these significant increases of 12 and we had one at 23% yesterday, I think. >> How are they justifying those >> staffing? Yeah, >> that's why I mean Bob I think you can model circles around me and so take I just >> I'll just take that. That's

160okay. >> If you look at our you know CPS CCRSD budget divided by 1850 students it's what 30 grand a child. So and I understand there's fix and variable and you're really focusing on the variable but grants are drying up things are getting very expensive. I would hate to give this to the FINCOM on a like a conservative estimate. I'd ra or um >> aggressive. Yeah, >> aggressive estimate and I' I'd rather go in more conservative because I think the cost per student is actually going to somehow be higher than this. >> That's a fair point and I um I comment on that during the projections. >> Yeah. >> Um >> but I I I don't I don't try to get aggressive. We try to say what do we think it's going to be in

161the projection process as of now >> right and you did it for 25 students here but I >> I just assume you go to 50 and the number goes much higher >> certainly >> yeah in terms of the variable cost um I mean this is the first time we've we've >> done cost goes up at that point right because like then you're >> um maybe more transport like I you know I don't know like you might need to buy more >> yeah at a certain point you get you get past a certain for 25 students It's one thing for 300 students. Well, I don't know if we could fit 300 students, but um you know, within CPS, we might have to add a bus at some point, but I think we have some capacity to

162absorb that. >> Um maintenance costs I don't think are going to change. We're not going to heat or or spend anymore, right? >> I mean, maybe more students tend to break things, so there might be a little bit little bit more maintenance, but >> yeah. And again, you could spend another 40 hours on this model and, you know, maybe it's, you know, one decimal point more accurate. That's not worth it. I get that. Anyway, >> the modeling is really tricky. We were just trying to show good faith effort, >> but again, I'm not questioning >> illustrate it. Yeah, >> just it it seems right to me. >> Yeah. >> Um in terms of comment, they asked about in benefits of including or excluding it from finance committee guideline. Um the only that's up to the

163finance committee. Um the point that um we wanted to make was that regardless of the FINCOM's decision uh we don't plan to reallocate savings um from out of district tuitions to other items. Um you know if we were funded to handle a a bump last year if we have a decrease this year we're going to budget the decrease. So that's um just the point that we wanted to make. Um this certainly was a benefit last year and we talked to what that was in terms of maintaining our core programs or class sizes. Um we didn't have to reduce uh certain course offerings because um because of that um the Ripley uh okay so debt service is in here as well. They've requested that debt service. You can see the way we borrow. Um we we

164typically um well every every debt that we have right now we have level principal and so your interest payments will decline. So that's why um these you'll see these um are declining over the years pretty significantly. We've made an assumption to pay off the the landfill. Uh so the landfill ban is paid off this year. um the access road um we've assumed we're going to pay off over the next four following years. Um we could pay it longer um but you can see even doing that we still have um healthy reductions in debt um as we move forward. >> And just for new members, the landfill is the area at the high school that's kind of empty when you drive in from Walden Street. It's where the cap was. >> Mhm. >> Just >> cap

165is sorry was built. Maybe was built but is >> on the Walden uh street entrance on the left that big field. >> Yeah. >> The skate park. Skate park. >> Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. >> Um the Ripley information. Um we we also were asked to share this information with the land use committee. Um basically on our staff and the spaces that we have at Ripley. Um, so that's all here. Um, that's a long-term project from the town in terms of land use. We're not requesting anything specific, but we did just share this information in terms of costs, staffing, and and spaces that we use. We've also shared um information on what the consultants report had on uh recommended uh capital items. Some of these are actually smaller in operating items, but uh we included everything here.

166Um and um you can see those are fairly large numbers. Um and again, we I talked about this with conquered public schools. Some of these are recommendations that we don't necessarily think we need to do. Some of them um where we have some systems like the bo the boilers were end of life five years ago. They're uh well made and still moving along. >> Cross your fingers when the heat comes on in the next couple weeks here. Um and and at one point we looked at replacing them with um with with a different system. Um and we ended up pulling that back. The cost ended up we would have needed an electrical upgrade. Um the boilers themselves replacing is just one component. If we did that, we'd have to look at asbestous mitigation as well.

167That's what make that would just change the cost uh profile of that project. Um um and you know we we will look at specific needs we have with respect to capital. I mentioned u during conquered public schools uh presentation here. You know we recently um put in an order for HVAC for the server room that was part of our FY26 capital plan. You know $15,000 to protect over half a million dollars worth of equipment was kind of a no-brainer. Um there's some roof areas that we might need to do some targeted repairs on and just patch leaks and things like that um to buy us uh time on that. The the uh committee also asked us for the impact of the close of the shelter. Uh it had less of an impact on uh conquered

168carell regional school district and the high school. The majority of students at the shelter were at conquered public schools, typically at at Willard or the elementary grades. Um there was a a small number of students. I think it varied from three to five. Um we had some homeless transportation costs to transport students to their home district um that elected to continue their schooling in their home district when they resided at the conquered shelter. That was about $60,000. We'll get reimbursed that later this year and that will come into Conquered Carile's general fund revenue budget and eventually roll into END. Um the grant funding um for homeless uh for the shelter was in supporting uh students attending CCHS was 80 just under 85,000 um substantially less it's about than than was uh than we received at

169CPS. Uh we use those funds to support um and cover the cost of a tutor and a reading specialist. As a and as a side note, there is an additional student um that relocated to a shelter in another town and they elected to continue their schooling in conquered um which is their right. Um, so we'll be responsible for some transportation costs this year to the tune of about 18,000 and we'll end up getting reimbured for that the in FY27 >> and that's full reimbursement. >> Um, it's not guaranteed. Um, but it it typically um is pretty close to full. >> Okay. >> It's it's definitely improved over the last few years. There's additional information here on legal settlements um what we've paid in attorney fees and these are both related to um just general uh

170legal counsel and also specifically special education. Um so we've shared that um in response to their request. Um, and we've shared our strategic priorities from our plan and um, again the circuit breaker example. Um, just as a reference for people who have questions about circuit breaker. >> Are there any questions? Oh, and if not, I'll I'll jump into the presentation of the projections. >> Any questions? >> So So no questions on this just yet, but when you do present in December, right? >> Yes. >> I think it'd be good to see a a a pie chart that talks about the where are the allocations with regards to our strategic priorities. >> That makes sense. >> Uh I think fiscal lab you have the strategic priorities listed, right? >> And so when we get further into

171budget season 2, we're going to get >> um you'll get it at the thousand level and then you'll see all the background around it. So you're looking for >> so so around the when you presented December or something like Yeah. >> Yeah. I mean, we've we've shared information. Um I know um you know, we've talked about, you know, DEIB, for example. Um we did share some information on that, but like that's not all inclusive. There are kind of core core budget uh core just our core work is DIB related, but we do have specific line items for the budget in that. And you know, that's one. Wellness, there's certainly specific items that may be in the counseling area. Um but it it would be harder to say like what percent of my time what percent

172of um Dr. Hunter's time relates to those types of things. >> I wasn't necessarily looking at that level. Right. But if we do have >> you know >> it's it's saying we put money where our mouth is. Right. This is a priority. We're actually investing in it. >> Yeah. >> And if there is a delta that's you know showing that we'reing more it it >> there's some sub. >> We do try to we do certainly try to map it. And then there's, you know, some of the things I reported out on tonight actually don't have a cost associated. Us adding AP actually has minimal to no cost. We probably have to buy some textbooks at some point. Um, this Route 9, credit for life, like really tiny costs if any. So those those are harder

173to track because it's >> thankfully not fiscally impacted. you think about like Route 9 has a huge impact on your 300 nth graders, >> but it really doesn't cost us anything but the impact and the priority towards wellness and you know getting kids ready for their next step. >> But a bigger fiscal item like the literacy program at the elementary that we tracked very loud and clear of that being about our efforts to it is equity based any tier one improvement is and then obviously improving our evidence-based um approaches. So more to come. You're on the right track for sure. >> Okay. Um, so on to projections. >> Projections. >> I think. All right. So, so here's the five-year projections for the high for the regional school district. Um and um I'll go through this

174is the summary level first. Um and then you know in terms of how we came to these numbers I'll talk a little bit more about um but um big picture um we're projecting a a fairly um modest increase for next year of 2% 2.2% overall in our expenditures. Um and then in future years 2.8 2.8 8 2.5 2.3 and again the further out we go the less confidence we have. Things happen quickly in schools and three months from now these things might look a little bit different even. Um so um the format we have for this is to look at our total expenditures, look at our funding sources and then arrive at what our general fund budget is because we can offset some of those expenditures through those other funding sources. We're anticipating fairly steady

175funding on grants. Um the revolving funds um fairly steady as well. Um in circuit breaker we're anticipating a bump in FY27. Um and the way I've projected circuit breaker I've also um I've kind of leveled it a bit in 27 and 28. We anticipate receiving a a bit of a spike um because of the number of um placements we bumped up last year and in this year's budget. And then as people age out, which will happen in next year FY27, we anticipate lower revenues in FY um 28. But um we are um make going to try to basically allocate our circuit breaker funds that we receive in in a way that avoids us going up and down on on the general fund budget impact and the assessments to the towns. And we'll talk more about

176that as we go through the budget process, but that's kind of the idea in this projection. Um, so looking at that, basically the difference between the the overall expenditure increase of 2.2 for FY27 and 1.6 for the general fund is um is that we're we're basically going to utilize more circuit breaker funding. Um, and when we look at revenues, um, this is, um, actually good news. We, we've typically had pretty static chapter 70 revenue. We have a little bit of a bump this year. Um, and, um, you can see uh, the increase from 26 to 27. Um, the net assessments to the town uh, in in total is 1.5%. What we've typically been seeing is that the net assessments to the towns are higher than the general fund increase because the the state funding has

177declined. Um but this year with the increase in chapter 70 funding, the net assessments to the town are actually slightly below the general fund budget increase. Uh this is basically the same information, but it shows you what these increases are um in terms of to the general fund budget excluding debt. Um that's something both towns um have asked um to see in terms of our presentations is to see the operating budget separately. So when I pull out the debt assessments, which are the orang-ish colors at the bottom, um we end up at 2.1, 3.5, 3.7, 3.1, 3.2 over the next 5 years. So these are the the assumptions. And so what's driving the favorable FY27 is really out of district tuitions. You can see we're projecting a a 6% reduction. We're going to have to

178keep an eye on these communications we're receiving from out of district placements. Um and um to some extent that's factored into this, but if we continue to get more of them, we're going to need to to pause and and say, "Well, hold on a second." Um what this is really being driven by is we have a large number. We have 12 students either aging out or graduating this year. We don't have many eighth graders moving up to the high school. And so the combination of those two is driving this down. In a typical year, this would, you know, if it went up 3%, we'd be talking about a 200 $150,000 increase. Um instead, we're declining almost 300,000. So that's really the whole story of our budget this year. Um so at least overall. Uh the

179next part is how you allocate it to the towns. Um >> yeah. And so um this is >> make a comment on that. >> Yeah, >> that last slide. I like these numbers are staggering like considering this is well below even cola which is like the biggest impactor on our budget >> and then you take into consideration that while federal dollars aren't a huge factor like they are that is like a loss of funding. Um so this like when I saw this I was like what I I was surprised. >> Yeah. And this is this is where we are now. The fed the title one basically has almost no impact on the region. It's like five $5,000. >> Um the um the teacher salaries I did factor in 3.4% increases. So the cola of three

180plus steps and lanes minus any retirement impact. So that is factored in. It's it's um and we did factor in 8% for insurance. We're hoping for some stabilization there um in our second year with Maya. Um and again the tuitions is really what's what's driving it. >> Yeah. Just like the tuition wave rode up there and we needed help for a couple of years while we first bandaided our way to it and then went out of guideline last year. The waves coming back down and that's why you're getting the projections you're getting. Without the sped swing of out of districts, we wouldn't be bringing you the that number. it would be closer to >> like I think this just like speaks to so much of the investment we've made in in in house special education

181which is so good >> from a financial standpoint from a community standpoint from a kids st like I mean across the board I it's just it's very it's remarkable >> and those of you who saw the conquered out of district numbers we're at 75% of our kids out of the pipeline is not heading to the high school the way it used to so fingers crossed for things we can control um >> yeah of We're going to continue to exit kids and not fill those seats at the same pace. >> I mean, 16 out of say 15 to 16 out of district for CPS is three per grade. Three per grade would be 12 for the high school. We have 40 now. Like 12 plus maybe six from Carlile. We would drastically if if that pipeline,

182you know, some students are going to experience problems when they get older that they don't when they're when they're younger. So there might be some increases but but the yeah those in district special ed programs we have continuity that hopefully keeps them in district all the way through grade 12. Um and I think the launch program helps too. We we don't lose people to collaboratives. >> Um >> and then hopefully attracting new people with >> Right. >> We're up to eight tuition kids in at the high school right now. >> Wow. >> That's the other reason that number is like that. >> All in launch is not all in launch. No. >> Couple of different programs. That's the other reason we had some comfort in giving you that number because we know we've got a

183bit of a revenue stream there that >> allows for us to >> Yeah. >> And obviously we have to adjust based on the needs of the kids. But there is some revenue coming. >> It's really great. >> Yeah. You know, so when we saw that number, we paused multiple times and said, "Well, wait a second." >> Kept going, "Baba, are you sure? >> Are you sure?" >> Um, but we'll stress that it's a projection. >> Projection. We'll know more. And I think like another factor, sorry Ed that I'll I'll stop talking but the another factor is like we don't even know contracts beyond the next two years. >> Correct. >> I mean anything beyond FY27 is kind of interesting information but I you know do do we go back and look prior years? >> I

184do every now and then. I'm like oh that was pretty good given how little we actually knew you know um but there's no way to be sure. I look at what my assumptions were last year for increases by category to see if I'm being consistent. Um but I don't look at the total just um so we've shared this with um once we published this I think Brian is our leazison also shared it with um the town of Carile. Um so we have a big enrollment shift this year. Um so if you take those assessments and you see in FY27 we're at a 1.5% increase. Um the number of students in conquered decreased um by a healthy number and the number of students in Carlile increased by 11 I believe it was or nine. That changed

185the percentages by a little bit under 2% but that 2% has a dramatic impact on the assessments. Um conquered will have a negative 0.9 assessment. it'll be a decrease in their assessment by 0.9%. And Carlile an increase of 9.3 on that 1.5% increase. >> So we've communicated that with Brian and you've taken it from there. >> Yes. I want to say >> Can you just send an update to the rest of us on how that went? >> And good luck. >> Yeah. No, what I will say um first I appreciate Bob tipping me off sooner because he knew I was going to be presenting to the Carile Select Board. One of the topics they wanted is we know it's early but what's going you know what do you expect for both Carlile and Conquered Carile

186um in terms of budget. They were very appreciative that we got this news to them sooner rather than later. I mean, it's a, you know, for a small town, it is a a tough pill to swallow, but one member of the select board said, Carlile has to remember this is a still a very good deal that we get as a small town for quality um secondary education. So, um you know, it'll be interesting because Carile I've got my first meeting on Carile budget uh tomorrow. Um, >> we're going to show you the actual numbers in a minute and >> and you know it's gonna it will be an interesting few months but both the select board and fin appreciated the the heads up >> and I think this happened maybe three years ago >> the

187last time it happened >> and Carile um they're very good about tracking your students and so they were very prepared for like we knew this was coming we planned for this so >> this one didn't get the same head room on it I think the conquered ship shift down is bigger than we >> two things was the perfect storm and I think we knew there was movement in both directions but I don't think any of us had actually put the numbers to paper and realize and I think part of what Bob's going to do when we get to the workshop is show you the impact of just a student makes to Carlile especially because they have the smaller percentage so every student has bigger impact exponentially compared to conquered >> so a shift of 40ome

188conquered kids down and I think it's 11 Carile up 50 student swing is really going to hit Carile. >> Yeah. >> So, um >> I feel bad. >> Yeah, you can see the five years I mean 28. Um so the assumptions on this is we um >> I don't know if I have a slide on this. Um I think I do in my enrollment presentation uh for the budget workshop, but our assumptions are we're going to take current enrollment levels. We have the Carell enrollment level rebels from Desi's website. Um, we have ours from Aspen and we're just rolling those forward assuming every student that's here continues to stay here. We're not assuming new housing developments are adding peoples because predicting when that happens is difficult. Um, and and we don't assume students are going

189to um the existing students go to high private school or um or come back from a private school. Those are things we can talk about in the future. Um I'd like to have a little bit of history and data to do that and I don't feel like it would take some time to do that. Um so for now we've kept it simple to say if you roll forward your existing projections these are what the numbers would look like. Um and I'll show you um kind of the sensitivity in the budget workshop presentation. So, you know, if enrollments hold, then 28's a down year for Carlilele. It's up a little bit for conquered, but you can see even when that happens, the minus 1% for Carile only equates to 4.3 for conquered because conquered disproportionately larger

190>> in car. So, it's about three times the impact when there's a hit in Carle as there is in conquered. Um and then a little bit of a increase for Carile in 29 and then 30 and 31. You know, potentially a little bit um more in conquered than in Carlile >> until new housing comes online in conquered and that'll have to get looked at again. >> Yeah. >> And these are the budget dates we have um and we'll >> move forward. So any questions on that? So I thought that was better to do in this order. So I could jump into the budget workshops because one of the topics is enrollment specifically. >> We weren't sure what exactly everyone's expectation was for a workshop. So given the the story of the high school budget is

191going to be this assessment shift. So it's confusing to all new committee members and I think to the communities at large. They want to look they often look at our operational increases and then not fully comprehend the assessment impact which we don't have control over. So I know in my tenure I've had a lot of discussions of we bring in a certain operational number but then the the the kids in the seats shift that number changes and we should I think Carlile's leading by example here kind of not say the budget's the issue it's the assessment piece. So I think the deeper understanding everyone has of that and we did ask at least the conquered fincoms and this is recorded to at least try to listen in before we come to them. Um with some

192of what we're doing tonight so they'll have even more opportunities for understanding how things work. Um it's kind of nice to do it before the actual budget's in front of you and just do it at a high level. >> And can you share it also with Carlo >> share this presentation or the reporting? I think they're aware that we're doing >> they were aware. I did uh make a >> make that happen. Okay. >> Yeah. >> And I shared links to this with Ryan Mlan um since it was on our agenda. I just linked them to that. >> Um so I'll kind of walk through um enrollment projections, their impact on assessments. Um so a little bit about enrollment projections. We do contract with NASDAQ for enrollment projections um and historical data. Um there's some

193value to what they provide. tends to be more to have reference data, historical reference data. They do um they don't really serve as a reliable resource for future projections. They um they make similar assumptions about existing enrollments. Um there's additional fees to factor in housing um that we could potentially look to as add-on services. Um but in the meantime we um we have our own simple model we developed just to take the existing enrollments for each of the three districts RCPS Carile LCPS and CCRSD put them into a model and I'll show something here that has that and project them forward uh assuming no attrition and no growth or new moveins. Bob, can I ask a question? >> Is fixed, right? >> So, Metco doesn't factor into uh so that's important for determining capacity. Okay.

194But it does not affect the split of the enrollments between Carl Island and conquer. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Same thing with parents uh who sta of staff who have students in the district. They don't affect the unless they >> the resident students are in the assessment >> and you can see that in the October one enrollments. It's really broken down towards the end of it. So, you can see exactly >> what they're talking about. >> What kind of data do we get from Nestec? historical data that we don't have. >> It looks really nice. Um, so >> we decided not to pay for it this year because we've had mixed or negative feelings on it. We So we can rethink that if you're interested. Um, the historic ones are in the budget books that we

195publish every year. So you're welcome to go back and be like, how far wrong were they? um or how far right and see if you want to reinvest in that but we we held off so far. >> Yeah. >> Um so the model that uh we're using this year does not factor in estimated impacts of housing growth. Um and what's most unpredictable with them is the timing of when that when those units come online. Um once they are in place, it's a little bit easier to predict. uh we don't factor in current students electing to enroll in a private school or vocational or for those students to come back to CCHS from a private school which happens as well. Um and that's those are things we might look to in future years. Um and um

196I think initially our confidence level might not be high in those but if we track it and show these are what our assumptions are and see you know okay we were off here you know we can explain why we were off and maybe get better at it as we go forward. Um these are existing enrollments. Um and um this is grades three to eight. Um and so I just shared the percentages for each grade. So you can see you know there is variability. Um you know 12 and 11 are similar but 10 has a significant uh conquered um disproportionately higher than in other years and it's a bit of a dip in ninth grade. Eighth grade is high for conquered. Um >> that's what just played up. >> So you know and then fourth grade

197is fairly low for for conquered and high for carile. So as that group comes to the high school. Um so what I've done is taken these and I've rolled it forward into um what the projected enrollment levels would be by school year uh based on those grades just advancing um through each year. And um what it comes up uh and shows is these percentages. Um so you know in FY28 conquered would get a bump up. It'd come down a little bit in in 29. Um 30's not too far off from 28. Um but those um don't seem like big percentage changes um in and of themselves. But you you just saw the previous uh presentation. So I wanted to get at well what what would um a few students you know just changing a few

198students look like. So um let me go back. So this is a little bit of a eye chart so I apologize for that but I wanted to get it all on one page. Um this is what we have in our projections right now. Um FY26 is the base year. And then what I what I did here is I have examples of if our FY27 enrollment levels were level to f to to last year. Um um I should also point out one thing. Our FY27 budget is is based on October 1, 2025 enrollments. Um that's the most recent available information when we're building the budget. That's per our regional agreement. So when you see 27 uh enrollments, if we were um leveled this year uh as of October 1, 2025, we'd have the same uh assessment

199percentages as we did in 26 and both districts would have a 1.5 uh% increase the similar to the district as a whole's assessment of 1.5%. So um that's kind of the base scenario assuming no change in the enrollment levels. If we subtracted one conquered student uh and added one carile student um you can see the um let me move my I can't see it on my screen. The um conquered assessment would go from 1.5 to 1.4. Carile will go from 1.5 to 1.9. This is just from one >> add minus one conquered plus one carile. Um, so you can see the impact there. Um, >> can I can I ask a question? >> Yeah. >> I know it's really hard to carry money forward yeartoear, but is there like a vehicle budget vehicle we can

200employ like a stabil like an enrollment stabilization? >> Uh, the towns can do that. Yeah. >> Um, I don't but that's not something this the school district um we can't if we have some type of stabilization fund um it it gets equally allocated to both districts. Not equally, but it it we can't give some of it to one town and give some of it to another town in a given year. >> Um >> Bob, you had said to me when we were chatting that, you know, other districts, they don't just base it on one year. >> Like our towns chose >> to do it this way. So, >> we might want to think about that. >> I mean, >> that would be the regional agreement. We're going to want to have a really thoughtful conversation

201about >> Well, I want to regionalize the middle school, too. you. >> We're not talking about that. Um, but I guess what my point is, it's like yes, we've kind of feel bad, but it's also like this is the agreement. That's how I that's how I look at it at the end of the day. >> It is the agreement. >> Sorry. >> No, that's okay. And you can see the flip example. If you add one conquered and subtract one car, um, conquer goes up one point to from 1.5 to 1.6. Carile goes from 1.5 to 1.1. So, you know, the the same impact for one student um going in the other direction, you get the same benefit, but you're it's definitely there's more sensitivity because >> that's why we see the bigger numbers in Carlile.

202>> Yeah. >> When it swings. >> So, then I I I I >> picked picked >> um uh >> Oh, computer. >> Hang on. Hang on one second. >> I don't know what's happening. Did you unmute? >> Everybody just check your audio. >> Yeah, I unmuted by accident. Sorry about that. >> Okay, good. Thought it was a simple fix. >> Um, get back to the screen here. So the last example um share this again. >> Why while there's dead time opening the regional agreement would be like town meeting level stuff. Okay. >> Oh yeah. Oh it's a process. Yeah. Okay. >> You you would you would need to talk you would need to talk to the Carile school committee. You need to talk to the town boards. Uh we did this in a district that

203I was in before. >> It's a pretty extensive process. Um and um >> yeah, it's it's pretty involved and one district is going to >> take the hit in the first year because like you look at these numbers, if you change it, somebody's going to get the benefit of the first year, somebody's going to get the detriment. um because we change it to four years, it's not going to be exactly the same. So, people have to look past that if they want to do it, >> right? >> Um the second example is okay, if we hold one district level, one town's enrollment level and add five. Um and you can see that adding five in Carile would would bump up from 1.5 to 3% and conquered it would just push it from 1.5 to 1.6

204if you added five in conquered and held car level. So, um I thought that would be useful information to kind of illustrate the impact. Um we are obligated to follow the agreement and allocate the way it says. So that's what we do. >> Of course, >> that's actually helpful to see it like that and it really shows you what the impact is. >> Yeah. Because once we bring you the budget, it gets lost >> in the numbers. >> I agree. >> Yeah. >> So I think it's especially this year seems good week. So, that's just information we wanted to share. I thought it was relevant to this year because of the big change. Um, and I didn't get any specific requests for the budget workshop and I said that I would wing it and make

205up something I thought was useful um if if I didn't. So, that's why I picked the enrollment which is definitely relevant. Um, if you wanted another activity, I have something I used uh when Tracy and Carrie were the only existing school committee members. >> You can decide whether you have uh you think you have the time to do that or not, but um >> I wanted to give you a um a picture of um you know, kind of the process we go through in evaluating things. And so I've come up with a group exercise for the school committee um >> test. >> It's kind of like a test. And I actually think it's really I think it's great and I I think we can Can we do it in like a a limited time period?

206>> Yeah, I can certainly set time limits and put some pressure on instead of the opposite way. Right. >> Exactly. You tell us how much time. >> Um so one, two, one, two, three. >> Are you going to do it, Shel? You're going to participate with us. >> Shel lives it lives it every day. >> She she will find it very familiar. >> Validate that test. So, I have I have a limited pot of money. I'll pass this around. Um there's extra. >> Are we working with a partner or >> Yeah. So, um maybe you can work in groups of two and maybe one group can do three. >> Um >> I mean I've actually done it before. So, might I suggest >> that I don't do it and you can do it with Brian?

207>> Sure. >> Or, you know, >> do you want to just see it? I assure you, no matter how many times you do it, it'll be different. Prioritize. >> Well, actually, I can still participate a little bit. >> Pass these down. >> I'll just put it year after year after year. >> Let you two fight it out. >> Is this the same con the same >> similar concept? Some of the scenarios are different. So, we have we we've we've kind of modeled our base budget based on existing staffing and we have some requests. We kind of have a level service budget and then we have requests from different people. I've noted who they are um and what they want and you're $180,000 below the guideline established by the town finance committee. So if you could

208with your partner kind of look through and prioritize that in the next two or three say three minutes. >> Okay. Three minutes >> as a first pass. I'm gonna in in a couple minutes I'll give you a chance to ask any clarifying questions and then maybe another two minutes >> right. So it's what six requests here. >> Yeah. Six requests and we only have $180,000. >> There's seven. There's one there's one on the line to say a guideline >> to say a guideline. You have $180,000. >> There's the >> Okay. >> There's a seventh item on the second page on the back. >> We might need a couple minutes to read it before we >> Yeah. Yeah. Of course. I don't remember what year we did this. >> Oh, like it was like four years.

209I don't know. Was it Bob's first year? >> It must have been Bob's first. >> I think it was my second. I don't know. I looked. I had a hard time finding it, but I found it. >> Yeah. first. And just for anybody listening at home, some of the requests are a request for $70,000 for a social worker, $40,000 for preventive maintenance. >> That'd be helpful. I got a VPN to get access to. >> Oh, because it's >> okay. Am I doing this with you? >> Sure. >> Don't worry. >> What do we decide? >> Wait, those two are You're with Lynette. You're with Lynette. >> Oh, are you with them? Okay, great. Oh, good. because I'm not really going to participate because I already did it. >> Well, I've done it, too, actually. Okay,

210I'll participate. >> Is there no right answer? >> There's no right answer. Yeah. >> Is there I think this is Bob showing off how difficult your job is. >> Yes. Yes, it is. Yeah. >> We get it, Bob. Your job's hard. >> All right. >> I think we have to think about >> We have a priority strategic plan. >> Anyone have a priority sticking out in our group? >> I think >> so. We have what 3 minutes? >> Yeah. Do you have any clarifying questions? >> Any questions for Bob? >> So, >> okay. So, I think we can think about >> physical education >> FTEES. You know what I mean? like >> I mean I think you have to have >> we can like a portion of right that >> okay so the percentage of

211that I >> mean I think we have to do this Yeah. >> Yeah. >> This is >> I have some thoughts. Anyone have any thoughts? >> Educational. >> Are some of these required like would this be required to intervention? >> Some would be required. Got to do that. >> Okay. I think we have to say no to that. required. No, but you have all these kids. [Applause] >> I'm not saying it's not >> health insurance. >> I would do that. >> Yeah, >> I' like >> some of these I was just other resources available like for example the social worker. >> Yeah, >> I think maybe this goes through the state. Are there any grants available? say like >> maintenance I think >> obviously >> exactly yeah how do you spread that out five >>

212so then the other one that I think that comes back >> I think it's really important in the type of community in western mass that it is that they probably need this is a western mass >> y I would grant fun that grants and then I We can't find anything. >> Then I would go to the town and >> Okay. So this is not us. Give us more money. >> Yeah. >> Almost looks like >> so the percentage of the maintenance >> because >> Okay. What if we do a part >> maintenance? No. Or you've got to just divide it over a few years. >> I would do almost teacher. >> Okay. >> I would do >> You would do the classroom teacher. You said you would do the cluster. >> I said no. >>

213Yeah. Like what needs to have 30 >> and that's a lot of money. $70,000. >> How much are we at? 4550. >> Below state performance. >> Guess what? Anything you don't fund now is coming back at you in the next year. >> Yeah. >> How my world rolls. >> Yeah. >> They've already started. You're going to read >> that's what I've been saying. >> What is that? >> Anyway, I would do you could find a >> still >> well except for uh >> performance. >> The poor performance state from Corolla to like the Cadillac. It's not even >> but everybody needs >> I felt like that was like >> but that is like the work >> I was like reading >> my >> I think I think probably do some like you're going to have

214to pay for this >> doesn't sound like it's enough >> but we would present to the town and she get a few get a few less ask for a bobble hammering for a discount. >> I mean, get some like local math. It's the math program and the >> or wait manufacturing >> and a little bit of maintenance, a little bit of maintenance. >> Okay, so now back >> all right, we ready? >> We still don't have enough money. Oh, >> I need another minute. >> We can spend all night doing >> Yes. Andrew's gonna present part. >> He doesn't know. >> I think maybe we do. >> Yeah. >> You ready, Andrew? >> Um, yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. So, we're gonna we're gonna go through. We'll go we'll go just around clockwise. >>

215Start with uh So, what did you decide? >> 80,000. >> 180,000. >> I'm a little bit of an audible. We're going to do the uh middle school reading tutor >> for 37,500 >> number six. >> Yeah. So, we're going to do the math. >> That just half of it. >> So, so that Yeah, that's just 37,500. We'll do the um the um math curriculum for 120 and then um we will do um half of the deferred uh the deferred maintenance 20k. >> Okay. ELA tutor 7. So you didn't want to give any money. You didn't want to come in below guideline. We can't get below guidelines, >> but but the so we talked about had the social worker and the need for the social worker. So we might look at other ways to fund the

216social worker and get creative funding. >> Maybe grant funding and we talked about how important the agric agricultural mechanics folk program was and we would really look for state money to help us. State funding to help us help us. >> Yeah. And grant money. >> Okay. I'm going to withhold >> or go back to the town. >> Yeah. >> And say it's really important. Um, okay. Who's next? [Laughter] >> Okay. We um decided we would do a uh half FTE for the social worker. So, 35,000 um plus 15,000 for the maintenance um and the $120,000 math program. And I think that's it, right? >> Yeah. >> Um Yeah. >> And then we think that we should engage some of the local farming community to help support some of the a programming while we're looking for

217that grant. >> Yes. Exactly. The egg council. >> You guys on the block uh want to fully fund the uh $120,000 uh math program and we would fully fund the uh middle school and high school tutors. And then beyond that, we look for grant money. >> Shel's going to help us. >> She's going to help. >> Shel's really good at it. >> Shel's really good at grants. >> Compassion. There's not going to be agricultural farming at this. >> I'm disappointed in you guys for not doing any maintenance. >> Michelle, Michelle, we need your opinion because you have really relevant experience. >> We did maintenance. >> Got to do the maintenance. >> Okay. joke with me. >> So, um, so you focused on the academics. Um, >> there was a mix in yours. Um, so just

218a couple just a couple things like so the high quality instructional materials. There was a little >> hint in that. Um, there's grants for high remember it was high quality instructional materials grant. So we would >> Lelli um got a high quality instructional materials grant for ELA. So we would try to get that half funded co-unded. >> Um, so maybe that ends up being 60. Um, and I would advocate for the maintenance because I would be in trouble if our buildings weren't operating. >> But she would Lori would ultimately >> agree with you. >> Lori would ultimately make that decision. I' I'd love I'd make my my case for that. Um, >> I think we're um social I mean the example we have for Western Mass that um we we've heard um anecdotally they're like

219not just schools, they're like social service centers in some of the Western Massachusetts communities. So, um, yeah. So, I mean, you can see like it's hard to make the trade-offs. That's intend what it was intended to illustrate. It's also interesting to see like, you know, we only have seven people here and there's different opinions on it and um so we have that same type of discussion um in our meetings. Um, but yeah, thought it would be >> so we do some of this I mean this is like not an exaggeration at all. Um, we do some of this individually with them and then we put them all in the same room so they hear what we're stressed out about and what we're competing over different schools asking for different things and >> Yeah. Yeah. >>

220I think what's interesting is also understanding the tricks of the game. >> Yeah. >> Being knowledgeable of the tricks of the game is also helpful. >> Um, and the vocational school, you know, that's something you could ask the vocational school to look into building another program. I mean >> anyway but um anyways it's an exercise. It's somewhat realistic. It's not specific to our schools. >> No, we purposely made it very not >> not not specific to us. >> Well, I think it's helpful. >> I think it's helpful to understand the process that you guys are going through. >> And last year I did bring you some of the things that I didn't so that like I did bring you some of the things we didn't push forward like sped administrators. I said in the original

221budget process, I we need them and I'm not doing it. And by the spring, I was like, I've got to reallocate and you allowed me to >> do that, >> work that out. So, we have been sharing some of the things as the process evolves. >> So, that's the budget workshop. Um, >> right. Thanks, Bob. >> Thank you. >> No, this is actually helpful. It gets us like kind of focused on thinking about the budget. So, um, and we are sharing, we'll be sharing, um, all this material fincome prior to their meeting so they can post it. >> Yeah, I'll send it to uh, >> yeah, we told them after tonight we >> after tonight. Okay. >> Yeah, I can send it when I get home. I lost my battery. >> And Carlile, um, will

222they want it right now, too? If we're giving it to Cockage, who would we be giving it to Carile at the same time for the region? >> That would be good. >> Yeah, I I don't know who to send it to there. I can send it to Lois, who I >> will. Um, Victor's our liazison, so you could send it to him. >> To Victor. Okay. >> Yeah. And I can also make sure you have the chair's details. >> Okay. >> Just copy me and I'll make sure. >> Yeah. Copy. Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Great. Um, October one enrollments. Moving on. And this everyone should have seen the October one enrollments. I don't think there's a lot to discuss. It's very straightforward. It's justformational. Does anyone have any questions on October one enrollments? Feel

223like we hit the main >> points throughout it. Okay. Okay. We good. All right. Um so moving on, I'm going to turn it over to Carrie for story of the schools. Um and just just before we start on that, I you know, there's been a lot of discussion about story of the schools. There's been um you know, some people like, oh, it's been delayed. And I just want to again I'm going to say it publicly that our goal this was part of our goals from last year. So this was not this school committee's goals. It was last year's school committee's goals. So the goal was to get out the story of the schools for the community. So the community would have something at town meeting and so they'd have a handout or something just to

224really get the communication out beyond just our school age population um to the broader community. So the goal was due for town meeting which we remember was in June. So in April and I will just say it again. Um we absolutely dropped it after the accident happened and it was the right decision and I have no regrets on that. We were not at a point that we could have finished it before town meeting. It was not something that we needed our professionals and the schools working on because there was just so much care needed at our high school. So I'm just going to say that and I'll leave it right there. Um, so this summer we decided to pick it up again because the summer is a time that we actually have some time to

225finish it, get the pictures done, get all the information together. So we picked it back up in the summer and we do do it publicly. We have our discussions publicly. Um, so this has been a process and now that we've moved to our regional meetings being once a month and our CPS meetings, it just has taken longer because of that. So Carrie um chairs that committee and she's done a fantastic job of kind of keeping us focused and working with the graphic designer to get a product that I think that we can all be proud of. Um so she is going to talk about and you all have this in your packet. You have a draft version of it. So she's going to kind of talk us through where we're at and how to finish

226it off. >> Yeah. I think um the most important I mean Tracy kind of walked through the process um the most important thing for tonight the hope um coming out of this conversation is that we can vote on this so that any edits or changes that we agree on um we can take all of that feedback and vote on it um and and finalize it so that it's um document um >> this is like a first reading >> I'm hoping this is the read this we're I and I think I put like let's be prepared to vote on this >> at the meeting so we can get this out because the goal is and actually at the PTG president's meeting this morning they made some good points about it like somebody said well can you

227get this to the real estate brokers this would be really great or this I have a friend that wants to move to conquered and they're between conquered and Lincoln and like I'd love to show them something of like what our schools are somebody else is like oh is the preschool in it like yes the preschool's in it so it really does showcase our prek to 22 programs um >> at a high level very high level >> you heard All you heard this scratches like there's so much >> you couldn't possibly cover it all but it covers the data the budget things like that but >> um all to say so feedback welcome and I'm hoping um I can take some notes and we can make whatever I'm hoping we can incorporate any feedback and then

228um still vote on it tonight with agreement. And can I just say if as we're looking at feedback if there's any typos like >> I don't want to spend too much time talking about >> just email me and those >> like I feel like feedback needs to be contact. >> Yeah >> for the discussion. >> Sundep are like resident >> very good at it. >> If you could uh send me your feedback. >> We'll do. >> Um okay so with that I really just want to open it open it up. Um, >> you put a project or >> I mean I can, but I also feel like everyone's had it. We've been here for three and a half hours. >> I know. >> Maybe folks joining us on Zoom if they want to. >> Yeah.

229There's no way. No. >> Sure. Do you want to I can I have it? I have it. Um, >> just screen share. >> Yep, I can do it. >> So, >> it's phenomenal. Um, so thank you for doing that and then that work on this. >> Okay, I got it. I think I have it. >> I also think from looking at the work group's uh >> process there's things from soup to nuts. We got the group picture tonight. So >> uh you know I don't think there's a question about whether uh again beyond uh punctuation improving there's I don't think there's a question I don't have any question I don't know if the the group has any questions on whether we move forward and with the understanding that uh the work group is going to

230proof everything before the final product is done we'll see it before the final product out so I don't I Is there any real question beyond that? >> Well, I think the hope is and maybe maybe people disagree with me because we're only meeting once a month. The hope is that tonight we can take any feedback on like edits or changes beyond typos um and and vote on it so that it's final and obviously everyone will have access to it. But we won't bring it back to this committee for further discussion just because that would bring us into the middle of November and really the end of it would be January before it's a completed document. Um and so the hope is that tonight we can finalize it so we can make all of these last

231minute edits and whatnot. Um and >> then does anyone have any substantive >> that's the comments? Yeah. Does anybody have any >> is there content that we failed to include? Is there content we shouldn't >> from the committee? >> Yes. >> Yep. >> Um >> the one note I will say on the last page. Um >> okay. I'm going to just kind of I did that page. Sorry if >> I can we can just let's just like talk through it quickly. So the this the first page is just Yeah. So it's a message from the superintendent. >> Um it just talks about our mission, how people can stay connected. Um it has a QR code to Lor's weekly newsletter which is up on our website or on the district's website. Um on the next page

232it talks all about um academics. So the educational value this goes through a lot of the recent um rankings. Um it talks just about enrollment numbers. So how many students, how many staff and teachers, how many buildings and then what what are the class of 2025 went on to do. And I should also say the goal is that this would be something that this the school committee started last year and we would hand it over to the district to in the future, you know, roll this out correct >> annually. >> If that's the, you know, it's a little tricky if we don't get it out now. Like we're looking at annually being like, you know, maybe it's over the summer. It's it would come out every summer or back to school or >> that has

233to be decided by the district. >> Yep. >> Okay. Um the next page. The next page is a focus on our strategic plan um which um was last oh I guess 2023 to 2028. It's a five-year plan. This walks through um what it is and then it gives a few examples across the district of what it looks like in the schools. Um I'm realizing we need to add a caption for Rivers. >> Oh, right right there. >> Yeah. >> Yep. Um this second page is living out our values. So um the it goes through kicks for cancer. There's a message from um our from Andrew about our DEI initiatives, many of our DEI initiatives. Um talks about conquered possibilities with a plug to go see it. Um it talks about the STEM lab steam lab

234which is um I think such a cool unique >> um program. >> Uh it talks about the opening of the new middle school with a QR code to the awesome ribbon cutting which featured so many students. Um, and then it talks about our commitment beyond just academics. And, um, it goes through athletics and clubs. And it features just a few of the really great programs um, arts and music clubs, athletics, all of that. It goes into a budgeting section um with a message from Bob and about um it gives a very brief overview of what our re regional allocation is. And then it um gives an overview of where school funding comes from and how we spend it. And then there is at the bottom a section on the key capital projects that are in

235the works. And then the last page is the only kind of blank space. Um, number one, this is actually something we do need to agree on. We need to have everybody I don't know if we need to vote it or if it's included in the voting of the document, but >> it's included in the voting of the document. >> Okay. So, there's a statement um from the school committee. Uh, we will take a picture. And then there's um Tracy had asked for um our goals to be um put into a document that we could put up on the committee room meeting in Ripley. So, our goals document right now is really boring. Thank you for doing it, Andrew, but it's really boring. It's just a it's a word document with all of our goals in

236it and where we have this access right now and this has kind of been a school committee project. I would like our goals to be more visual so we see them all the time in our room, our commitment to our goals and also put the graphic on this um story of the schools. It's going to be condensed a little bit because all of the text will not fit on there, but the key >> lines. So basically the for I have it open somewhere. >> I had our goals open so I could read them. >> Um but basically like the top line of our goals um would be on here and then but for the committee room it would be the full smart goals um with a photo. So that is that is it the statement.

237If yeah >> one comment yeah >> uh we have QR codes in a couple of places. I think it'd be good to have a QR code to this document itself on the back uh >> to our goals. >> No, not to this studio schools itself. >> Oh, like where you can find it online. >> So, so if you don't want to pick up a copy, you just scan it. >> So, we talked about that as a committee. Um, we talked about how many copies are we going to print, right? Because there's printing costs associated with it. You know, when this project started last year, we had talked about >> Wait, can we can we finish the content? >> The content. Yes. >> And then we'll talk about distribution. Is that okay? >> Yes, totally. Um,

238so >> yeah. So that's sort of the run through of it. Does anybody have any content changes? >> You understood what I was saying, right? >> Yes. Got it. >> To where this document will live on our website? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Totally. >> Is everyone okay with that? >> Yes. >> Have don't have any context content issues. If what's going in the gold graph, it would be our top line from uh number one, number two, number three, and number four on a bit on our budget and all of us with our signatures or fax similarities thereof in that goals graphic. Is that what the >> So, so the goals um so we have the protocols and the goals that are on the website right now. So this would be the goals. So our

239signatures wouldn't be on it. Okay. >> I don't think they'll fit. I mean, if they would fit, I 100% would do that. >> Um because I think it is important. I think Alicia spoke to that, you know, that when you sign things and we can look towards >> um that document that actually is on the website. I actually think it might be good if I print it and we all sign it and we scan it on. I like that idea. >> Um so maybe we do that for the website and then the goal graphic will just I mean I'm assuming it's going to use the same colors that are throughout here. It's going to look similar to some of the graphics that she's done for the rest of it. So maybe the next meeting I'll

240bring a printed version. We'll all sign it. And Michelle, you're still online, I think. Yep, she's still online. >> So, um, I was not at I don't think I was at the meeting at the very end when you guys finished up the protocols. So, I added your name and Aisha's name to it. So, we'll have you two also sign it. And I just didn't tell you that. And so, I feel like I I just kind of did it and I'm like, I hope it's okay. So, are you okay with that? >> I'm okay with that. I'm sure >> the protocols that we talked about, I think it was the September meeting. >> Yeah, that's fine. >> Okay. All right. So, I'll bring that for November. The other thing I'd suggest um a meeting that I

241watched when you were talking about uh Carile's city in the woods. >> We have conquered currents here >> as another way to electronically disseminate this. >> Um >> yeah, and they also have they have that conquer I haven't listened to it yet. The conquered podcast >> that Megan's doing. Um >> and conquered Currents is I just subscribed to it and it's >> I get it. Yeah. >> Do you get it? So, you have to subscribe to it on the town website. Carl, do you have to subscribe to yours or No. >> City in the Woods. Yes. >> City in the Woods. Subscribe to it. And it's not run by the town at all. >> Oh, yeah. No. City. >> It's still a good way to still a good way to share information. >> Okay. >>

242I don't think the town would like people to think they run it at all. >> Okay. So, we could share a QR code or something in that or maybe ask for >> if there's a way that you guys could figure out how we could submit to that. >> Oh, yeah. One of us could just >> Oh, okay. Oh, okay. Great. Right. >> Yeah. I just think the more >> Yeah. >> more forms that we can use to post it out. Social media. >> Um, >> yeah, >> would be great. >> And your social media, I know Molen is always great about the reposting, so Yep. >> Okay. I'm going to stop sharing. Okay. >> Are we okay with this? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And I think I just want to say again like this

243is just one way of getting the story of the school out there. >> Um and we have to continue to think of other ways. I mean even >> um >> for the benefit of the committee, Carile has a municipal newsletter. >> Carile Public always submitted. Conquer Carile never did. We're now submitting monthly. So, like these are the things I think we all just need to be thinking about >> um to get the get the word out. >> Yep. And in both And in both towns. >> In both towns. >> Yeah. Because I think that's >> perfect segue to again now that this is together and templated >> looking at other ways for us to communicate with both communities and and have that somewhat codified because the year is rolling by. And the one thing I

244think that like what I always took away from charting the course, I know it's like my favorite thing to talk about. Um, and it's okay if you haven't done it. I mean, I know Andrew late in doing it, but he did do it. >> Yeah, it's okay. >> So, he's the new Andrew. >> Yeah. Okay, perfect. So, we could just give you a hard time the whole time. Um, but what Glenn would always say is that like every school committee meeting Oh, Lynette. Oh, perfect. >> You have a full year to do it. It's fine. But what Glenn would always say is every school committee meeting should be a chapter in in like your book of the year. So like that is part of the story too. And so all of our meetings like those

245are all part of our story. And so to try and just get information out there anyway we can. >> Yep. >> All right. So with that we're going to do it right now. So I would entertain a motion to approve the story of the schools for distribution and if there are any edits the communication subcommittee will make edits. Second. >> Could you move it? >> Oh, I thought you move. >> No, I can't move it. >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. Okay. Any further discussion? >> Okay. All in favor? >> I I >> Thank you. Big thank you. >> Yes. >> All right. Next up is a representative to the town bias reporting working group. So last night um at this we talked about this at the CPS CPS meeting last month and

246we tabled it to the regional meeting so the seven of us could discuss this. The select board did it last night. I know that a few of us were there. Um, and so this is a working group to develop a townwide incident reporting system similar to what we have in the schools. So, we've been asked for a school committee representative for that. And I've had a couple people reach out for interest in that. So, I guess what I will say is who is interested in being part of the I know we're all interested, but who um is is interested in being on the group and would like to throw their hat in the ring? >> I am. >> Michael Zandep. Anyone else? >> I'm interested, but I feel like it makes more sense for it

247to be a conquered member. >> Yeah, I thought the same thing. >> And we just wanted to you guys to be part of the discussion. So you knew that >> and I appreciate that. >> Yeah. Because I know we've had some feedback that sometimes it's like, well, can we do it because we're in Carlo? Yes, you can, you know. So I think that will be received very well given last night's discussion. Okay. So I'm going to run this the same way that um Mark did it last night. So, if each one of you, and you were both present at the meeting, so if each one of you could kind of make your statement of, you know, why you'd like to do it, and then we'll just literally awkwardly go around the room and awkwardly just,

248you know, I hate to say like vote for each one of you. Obviously, you would both be excellent candidates for this committee. I I will say that. So, I will let you make your statement of purpose and then we'll go around the room. >> So, so I don't have a whole lot prepared. Uh, but I will say this. Um, this is the the the working group. The work it's doing is is difficult. It's hard. Uh, >> can you bring your microphone closer because I feel like he's going to tell you to do that. Sorry. >> Go ahead. >> Didn't get um and and it's it's important for us to get it right. Um I I everyone here we've we've you know faced bias incidents. I I don't think it's a competition of who's faced more

249bias than the others. I I don't know what it's like to walk in Michael shoes. I don't know what it's like to be a a woman in a workplace. Uh but I have faced in instances of bias and I I I know the the the the feeling that you get when you're subject to it and and that's not something we want for anyone in this town. So, um for us to be able to get there, I think it's important for us to understand where we stand today. And that's that's I think what the goal of this working group is as I see it. It's it's um for us to hold a mirror to the community to see maybe we're not as perfect as we think because all of these incidents are taking place. Um I

250I would hate for that effort to become into something with its neighbor against neighbor. uh and and I I I don't think anyone in the the the working group right now is is trying to do that. But that that's going to be my uh emphasis I think when I what if if if I'm appointed to it is is to make sure that uh we value the the the privacy the first amendment rights of the people um in town. at the same time make sure that you know we do have uh data at a statistically significant level to find out where we actually stand. Um you know I I I think the one thing that I might bring to that working group is access to listen to a a section of the town that maybe is

251not represented on there. Um, all of that being said, if it's Michael, I will rest easy because I know he'll do a good job on there. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Michael. >> I'm um 73 years old. I was born and raised here. I've had the experience of traveling in the deep south. I've integrated schools. I've come here with my wife and raised four biracial children in the community, faced all aspects of discrimination, um bias and hate in every phase of our life in every place including here. Um the purpose of this work group is not to adjudicate anything but to look at the various different systems that are around or even create a system that's unique for reporting in our community. I think it's important in the work of doing that to have an

252understanding and a perspective on the way variety of different biases feel as came out in our select board meeting. uh the suggestion that the working group be as broadly based as possible and I think when I look at the structure of our committee I look at the structure of our royal group I I'm my my life experience might be uniquely placed to give a perspective that's not available and currently not present. So I I offer myself as a as a candidate. I hope I could be accepted as one. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Can I just ask just to help me understand how many people are joining this working group and what is the >> makeup? >> Yeah. >> What is the makeup and then what is the ultimate charter of this group? Like what

253does done look like? >> Um so the charge has been written. Um I believe it was approved in September. It's Apologize in the packet. >> It's not in the packet. Sorry, I should have put it in the packet. It's on the um conquered select board website. Paul Bow um is the select board representative. >> Uh the DEI commission. Agnes is joining from the DEI commission. Um they appointed two community members at large and I'm going to get this wrong. I think I have it right. Deborah Dorfman >> and Daniel Hart. >> Okay. Um >> I don't think there was extensive discussion of there was some discussion of everybody's background and kind of what they brought to the table discussion. Um and so the select board voted on those two community members at large >> and

254I think the schools they they'd like one voting member. I mean something that you know just kind of thinking on the spot here. Um I wonder if we could have two representatives in one vote. I was just thinking out loud. I have not asked that question. That might be an interesting question to pose back to them. Um because I would think that the more representation they have of their committee maybe the better. Any thoughts on that from either one of you from listening to the discussion last night? >> So I I think the the broader the community can reach the better it will be. >> So if they can have two, great. The charge is definitely for five voting members. That would be so I think we have to choose a a voting member and

255then I could pose the question back to the select board. >> I mean so we're all welcome to join as members at >> right. So >> right but you wouldn't be part of the discussion. So sometimes like Carrie Laflur is the um she is the representative from the town and she is a non- voting member. So she can participate but not vote. >> Right. >> And the goal is to marry this with the school reporting system or complement it. >> Well, I I spoke with Paul briefly today and I think it would be like that's like a three to five year down the road project. Right now it's just to to figure out how to get a town reporting system in place >> or or if that is even the right option. I don't think

256there is a determination that that it is. >> Yes. >> I don't know. >> And then just one other question I have. So the four people who have been identified, do any of them have students and have children who attend any of the schools? Would you >> um >> No. My reason for asking that is I just think school lens is quite important. >> Yeah. >> And understanding what's happening. Agnes Agnes has children has children in in in the school system. >> Okay. >> In in in our schools. Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, just Agnes. >> Great. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, one out of the four members. >> Understood. >> All has grandchildren. >> Mhm. >> In the schools. >> Okay. Well, thank you for your statements and I think that so this

257is how it went with the select board. I'm going to follow the same way of going. I'm going to go around the room and you can just Sorry. put your choice out there. Go ahead. You can vote for yourself or for Michael. It's up to you. And I'll give Michael the same choice to vote for you or himself. >> So, as much as you know, I I believe in Michael's ability, this is entirely unbiased going into this bias working group, I I'll vote for myself. So, >> okay. >> Fair. Michael, >> I'll vote for myself. >> Right. All right. >> Lynette, sorry, you're up next. >> Okay. Um, I guess I would vote for Sandy just to have someone else with kids in the schools and younger kids to get the full view of the

258whole community. >> Okay, Carrie. >> Yeah, I think both of you would do an exceptional job. Absolutely. Um, and um I think for the same reason I'm going to vote for Sundep. >> Yes, Sundep. >> Okay. So, right there we have four. We could do you want us to keep voting? >> I mean I will just close as well. Sand deep for those exact reasons. >> Okay. Okay. So Sandep will bear representative but I will go back to Paul and I will ask if we can have another non- voting member because we had interest. I mean I don't know why >> as a voting member >> a voting member. >> Yeah. >> And ask for two. >> Yeah. >> I'm >> Are you guys okay with that? >> I would think that. Yeah. I mean

259the schools are the >> are large part conquered. They're the the heart of the town >> and I do feel as though we ha we do have a reporting system. >> The schools do have a reporting system. So I will go back and I will ask um so I will email Paul and I'll ask for a second voting member. >> Is that what this discussion is leading towards? >> Ask. Yeah, >> I support that. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Is that okay? All right. All right. Thank you. Um All right. And then our last item up today are statements from the school committee and the school committee chairs. And due to some recent events, I'm going to let Andrew just lead this entire discussion. >> Yeah. Thank you. So, you brought this up out of respect.

260I wanted to put this on and I'll be the first to say, you know, as chairs, you ask us to make decisions. We set the agenda. We try to do best we can. I'm not saying we're right all the time, so this could be an instance where the committee disagrees. And I'm I'm totally good with the answer. But um the question came up on um when do we make statements from the committee and when do the chairs make statements on issues that happen in our schools and maybe in our town for bias and and hate. Um, currently the way it's been operating the last few years is that when there is an issue, when there's an incident in our schools, the principal of the school generally puts out a statement to that school community. Sometimes

261Lori will supplement that depending on the situation. For the district, Katie and Brian put out statements and again, sometimes you supplement that. for district-wide issues, um, Lori generally puts out statements and for extrrenuating circumstances, we as a school committee will put out, um, statements. I think in the last few years, the committee has only issued um, a handful of statements. Um, so that's the way it's going. The request is to discuss and issue statements more frequently for um incidents that occur not only in our schools but also in the town. Um I have not put that on the agenda. Um but I am very open to um putting that on if we if we want to. So, kind of like you just did, I'd like to kind of go around, get everyone's thoughts, see if

262we want to change our our way and go from there. >> Does that make sense? Did I frame it up? Okay. >> So, I'm a little confused, but maybe I'll start with the way I interpret it and then you can tell me where I'm wrong. Uh so so is is the the the discussion that we add things that are not under the school committee perview but there is interest in the school committee discussing it to the agenda. >> We could do that. We could um I think do we want to take incidents that happen in the schools or out of the schools and discuss them in open meeting? We could take one at a time or we could just generalize incidents that happen or incidents in the schools and not in the schools. And just

263the way I understand it and the way this is not an easy decision in my opinion because if something happens, school committee would discuss it, create a statement, um you can only do that in open meetings. So if we want to do that, we'd have to either wait till our next meeting. If it's a K through eight, you know, that's monthly. if it's a regional that's, you know, also monthly. Um, so we probably wouldn't be timely with some of these statements. Um, or, you know, we call call special meetings and given the frequency of events that happen in schools and towns, like we'd be talking about, um, incidents quite a bit. And then I guess I would just interject with that Andrew and I did make a statement to the community I don't know two

264weeks ago because it did involve the superintendent and so it's really awkward when something involves you to make that statement. So you're not going to do that. >> So that's why we sent that statement out. >> Does that answer your question? >> Kind of. Maybe I'll just ask it more directly. Right. So say there was an incident in town. um not not in a school building but maybe a uh >> well makes it complicated right because we don't discuss kids um >> we discussed a business of the school committee >> right so so so say say that is something that a a parent volunteer at a school does right >> they're not necessarily under the school committee >> right >> do we discuss that that's >> I have said no because I you know it's

265not they're not it's not business of the school committee. But I I could be wrong. >> But but but they may be say a patron volunteer does something egregious in a school building, then it becomes the job of the school committee to discuss >> even >> I I I don't know. I'm I'm asking >> I think that's the question. It strikes me. It strikes me that we might be missing some of the import of I understand the charge of a school committee for the community and for the schools is to be a conduit of information and to be a a beacon or an icon for best practices and what we should do. We should bring information to our citizens of what's going on and be able to hear them. And when events happen in our

266physical space, in our community, that impacts members of our community um in our capacity as following that part of our charge, I think we have a responsibility to make a comment. Now the comment is not one to to criticize or to point fingers. The comment is in in my mind's eye and at least at least in each of the cases that I've I'd hoped that we as a body would make a comment. And in cases where our community had hoped as a body we would have made a comment. The comment would have been to support those agrieved and educate those unclear on what they' done that had caused the harm. Both to point that out and again to educate. So so I see that that's part of our responsibility as school committee members to our

267community. I have a um I don't disagree with anything you said. I think what I where I differ is that our role as a as a school committee um I mean I I think that our job is to to share what's happening and to listen and all of that and when something happens our job is to make sure that it is communicated. I don't know it's our job to do the communicating meaning if there is a statement that is put out from a principal from a superintendent from anybody in the district like that is what we are to share like that is what we are to say like this is what the schools are saying about this you can have you can add your own I can add my own I'll speak for myself I

268can add my own like anecdote like I can say I'm I'm grateful that they that they said this or I don't think this went far enough or you can you can add your own reaction to it. But I think that our re our responsibility as a school community from the school committee to the administration to the buildings is to make a statement. Yes, 100%. But I don't agree that it should be us who's doing all of the communicating. I don't think we have to do all the communicating, but I do think that that in in the the uh clause in the Massachusetts Association of School Committees uh handbook for school kid members to communicate to our community. We can communicate concern to our community. We can communicate care to our community. We can educate our

269community. And certainly in some of the instances that have happened just over the past six months, one has to say that there's been a a cry from our community to hear that not just from from the the administration, but also from us. and and I think that that speaks to that and I think that's part of our responsibility in being members uh school committee members in our community. >> So So then I sorry then the question becomes which incidents we respond to and which we don't. >> Right. >> And that's something that's well it is tricky but that's why we've got all these people here sitting around the table >> to to to determine that and to discuss that. I guess I when I think about that, I don't just think about incidents of hate

270and bias. I think about like ambulances who that show up at the at the schools. I think about >> um bus tax. >> I think about a a lacrosse team winning a state championship. You know, I feel I think that there's like from all the there are so many things that we could put out statements for that I don't know how you would possibly >> I suppose I think that that those are pretty clear that we want to congratulate the the winners console the losers and that's something that the district may be able to handle. That's something the administration be able to handle. But there's an event and clearly I'm I'm thinking about bias bias uh and hate events of which sadly we've had more than our share lately. Um there I think we have

271we might have actually a moral responsibility to reach out our hand and you know we're not talking about an ambulance accident. We're not talking about a bus accident, uh, you know, or or or a a hazmat spill in a classroom where all that information needs to be conveyed and conveyed appropriately in a timely manner, but where we know that there are groups in our community that feel harm and have faced harm that we at least speak to that >> and and communicate this. We understand that. We see you and and and and to to to those that may have created the harm. uh we want to reach out a hand to help you understand and help help remediate if we can, but not not certainly not to criticize, certainly not to point fingers, but I

272think our community in a variety of different ways over the course of the entire past past two seasons has been asking for that. >> May I jump in here? Um, first of all, I just want to thank everybody for this conversation because I think this is a really uh great topic and discussion to have. Um I think that when something occurs you know multiple times over a short period and and it becomes clear that there is a pattern of incidents occurring. It's something that we need to look at as a committee and I know that these are really tricky things and hard things to discuss. Um and I'm really grateful that we're we're talking about it. Um, I I do think that there are some things that would need to be discussed, you know, coming

273from the school committee. And I think that um, you know, my experience interacting with the families that I represent is, you know, a history of feeling unheard. So if you have things like that happening and and people looking to feel heard and then something occurs and a statement is made then people start feeling heard and sometimes things like that happening are an opportunity to kind of come together as a community and and find some common ground. So you know even though negative things are happening they can be turned into a positive experience for everybody um by looking at it from a different angle. So you know trying to you know find out the line where you would make the announcements and not make the announcements may be challenging but looking at the repetition over time

274may be something that we would want to consider when making that decision. I mean I think for me part of it is we have a chair I mean or two chairs uh for some of you um we need to rely on the chairs to use their use their judgment and also we have you know it's a partnership it's not the superintendent statement versus the school committee statement. Your statement should echo what we're feeling. There's probably times where it is joint. Um, you know, Jim and I this summer sent a joint email um to the Carile community um that we worked on together. Um, I don't I personally don't think it's the communities need to hear from from Lori and always need to hear from us. I think it is a partnership and you know I

275think Bedford last week was saying there are a lot of times where she the chair issues statements on behalf of the school committee. >> Yeah. >> Um because they've voted for her to be the chair and you know she's got that um that that role as opposed to you know some >> call a special meeting and let's craft something together. So, um you know, I think part of it is just trusting the chair and the superintendent to to use their best judgment and um a lot of these circumstances in terms of when we make >> statements. Brian, agree with pretty much all of what you said. The the the only thing I might point out is Lor's communication doesn't go to everyone in the the community, right? it it um goes to the parents. So

276if there is somebody from the broader community who wants to hear if there is a way for them to you know get those statements >> goes on the district website though as well. So that's correct available to everybody. >> Yeah stand corrected >> and it's going to both papers >> I guess I still have the the the question in my mind and and Michelle alluded to it. We all know that there are populations that do not feel heard, that do not feel represented, and when harms happen to them, and we've had this example as recently as this summer, when harms happen to them, I know they've I I I know I think we've all heard the question, well, why didn't the school committee address that? And and again, not from the perspective of assigning blame,

277from the perspective of reaching out a hand to support and reaching out a hand to educate. And I see that as our job. I see that spelled out in everything that I've read when I went to charting the course. And and I think not doing that, not setting that example makes it easier for events that we've seen happen to continue. Not having difficult not having difficult discussions uh in in view of the public makes it easier for things to be brushed under the rug. And if we don't have those discussions, if we don't face difficult questions as you heard in the the DEI commission uh um candidate forum when Paul Bone broke down, but the question that came the answer that came from that is that it's important to have those difficult discussions so that

278change can take place. And if we're not going to have those discussions, um we're we're we're missing part of our job. we're abdicating part of our responsibility. >> And I think, you know, I do think that some of the challenge is determining when a statement is made or not. Like I know as a and I'll just speak for myself as a high school parent. So I'll get an email from the principal. I get an email from the superintendent. Do I need another email from the school committee? I I mean I think that that's what sometimes people struggle with is how many statements you know are you getting and then it's also how does the school committee then have a meeting to write because we have to do it in public to write the statement in

279public so there are logistics around making statements um you know we Brian and I went to a Brian and I went to a chair's roundt >> discussion Friday and like this this we talked about this topic and some school committees, you know, leave it to the chair, some, you know, have a protocol. Others are like, we don't make any statements because we are the district when the district's making a statement that we're supporting the superintendent and making the statement. So, it runs the gamut of what um different school committees want to do and and that's why I think we brought this to a discussion tonight to have it in the public and what does this school committee want to do? Yeah, I I um I'm not hearing a lot of um call for change. Um

280you have been the only one emailing me to make statements. I have not heard it from anyone else on the committee. So I will leave maybe with this um thought is that if I if we receive multiple requests to address a specific incident bias of hate, make a statement prior to a meeting from multiple people, I think we can definitely talk about it. But if it's you know one incident from one person I don't you know I think that is up to the chairs. So just to be clear we don't see that we have a role for our community to support the agrieved and to offer instruction. We don't see that as part of our charge >> as a school committee member >> as as as a body because >> we can't we can't make

281decisions. We can't speak independently. But you're saying that we can't come together either in person or virtually when incidents come up that we know harm people in our community and just say that we've got you, we see you. We can't do that. We don't see a need for that. >> I do that all the time. I do that all the time. >> But we don't see a need to do that as a body. That's that's that's the question I have. >> I think you're putting words in people's mouths. >> No, I mean Well, you sort of said that you're not going to make we're not going to agree on making a statement. So, I'm not putting words in your mouth. I'm just trying to understand is is that what we're saying? >> That's what that's

282what you're saying. >> I'm I'm asking a question. What you I'm just asking a question. >> I think it's it's late. Um I think we can there's no vote on this. I wanted to pull the committee to make sure I wasn't making bad decisions and keep talking about this. Um >> so so Andrew, what I did here is you say if there is interest from all members in the committee, it will be discussed. >> Correct. Thank you. >> Is that that that's my proposal? >> I think that's fair. >> I think that makes sense. >> I think that's fair, too. >> Cool. >> All right. Long meeting. >> All right. I think it's a good discussion to have. Um and I think it, you know, again, we we act as a body. We don't act

283as individuals. So, I think that was a good, you know, us just discussing in public, it was helpful. So, with that, um we don't have any more votes. Um I >> I will make a motion to adjurnn. >> Do we have a second? >> Second. All in favor? >> I Michelle. Thank you. Thanks for joining us. >> Thank you. Good night.