Dartmouth School Committee March 23 2026

001I call to order the school committee meeting of March 23rd, 2026. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call, please, Ms. Gentler. Donahue? >> Yeah. Kathleen Amaral? Yes. Mary Beckwith? Here. Beth Coughlin? Here. Thank you. Did you call his? No. Oh. Chris Oliver, here. This meeting is being recorded. It will be broadcast on DCTV and can be streamed on their YouTube channel. Um we now open the floor for public comment, and we have allowed 10 minutes for public comment from the audience on any topic of this evening's agenda. I want to note that later this evening, we will have the public hearing on

002the fiscal year 27 proposed school budget at 6:35. So, if you wish to speak about the budget, I would ask that you hold your comments until 6:35 at the public hearing. But, if you have any comments on anything else on the agenda, I welcome you to stand up, state your name, and keep your comments to 3 minutes. Thank you very much. I think we will have quite a few comments later on the budget. Um so, next up we have spotlight on kids from kids from the James M. Quinn Elementary. Uh Dr. Seaman Maguire, do you want to say anything before this begins? >> Absolutely. I I'd like to welcome the Quinn School staff, faculty, and most especially our students who are going to speak to us this evening about a program that is new at

003the Quinn, newly created, and we're going to hear from some of the founders, and these are some of our pioneers of what they are naming and the inclusive youth leadership program. So, we're super excited to hear from our students, and we'll turn it over to the Quinn staff. Oh, there There's Dr. Thomas over there. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for the opportunity to spotlight the Quinn School, specifically about our new inclusive youth leadership program. My name is Dr. Audra Thomas, and I have the privilege of being the Quinn principal. With me this evening, I have Mrs. Stephanie Ermalovich and Dr. Rebecca Hurley, our assistant principals, who are helping with our kiddos over there this evening, as well as two amazing educators on the right of me, maybe three, Mr. Leaven is finishing baseball practice, so

004he might pop in momentarily, but that's all right if not. We have Mr. Paul Paveo and Mr. Mike Capello. As always, what we do stems from our district strategic plan that we are all aware of. Here are our four focus areas. This evening, we'll be focusing on area number two, safe and supportive schools, ensuring that all students feel a sense of belonging, and social emotional well-being in our school through the use of culturally and intellectually affirming practices. This leads us specifically to our Quinn School Improvement Plan, where one of our school-based action steps that we wanted to focus on this school year was to expand our fifth grade peer leadership program. The peer leadership program was initiated about a decade ago by Mrs. Tiffany Martin, one of our school adjustment counselors. And as we know,

005our fifth graders are the true leaders of our school. I just want to say that when Mrs. Y called families to ask to tell them that their teachers chose these students in front of you and some of our fourth grade students that you'll see on a video in a little while, they were beaming with pride and some happy tears because we're so proud of our students at the Quinn School. Thank you. So without further ado, I'm going to turn this over to Mr. Mike Capello. Thank you. So, those who don't know me, my name is Mike Capello. I'm the adapted phys ed teacher and I work at all the schools and lucky enough to spend most of my time at the Quinn School. I'm going to just do a quick upfront and then I'm going

006to pass it over to Mr. Pavao and Mr. Lavin if he makes it in here in a little bit. But when we look at what we're doing here in this peer mentorship program or peer leadership, it's really a great thing. We've been doing it across the system. We have a great program at the middle school with Mr. Garcia. We have a great program at the high school, Mr. Bro, Miss KP. We really do a wonderful job and I think we do a great job at Quinn as well and we're really trying to build this up. So, we're so good at in the system traditional inclusion, which is basically basically having our special ed students or students with disabilities going into the regular education setting. This program really focuses more on reverse inclusion. So, reverse inclusion

007is when we have our general ed students going into a specialized setting and for this case it's adapted phys ed. So, we're looking at really making some nice connections, some friendships, working on those great motor skills and we know that phys ed is a great opportunity to do that. Quinn School is a great place to do it because we have six compass programs, which basically entails about nine adapted phys ed classes. So, that's a lot of opportunity for all of us to get together and learn from each other and I think that's what this program does. We're really learning from each other and you're going to hear from some of our our our great fourth and fifth graders here, but um you know, this is a big collaboration. So, this this only works because we

008have so much involved with the administration, our related service providers, there's some of them in the rooms, speech and OT, PT. We also have our clearly our phys ed department, our compass teachers, our teaching assistants, also important, and then leading to the biggest people in this room right now, which is our our learning partners. So, with that being said, I'm going to pass it over to Mr. Pavao, he'll kind of go through this this presentation and if we have any questions, um be happy to answer anything along the way. So, Mr. Pavao. Good evening, everyone. My name is Paul Pavao, um the phys ed teacher at Quinn Elementary School. So, Mr. Capello and I and Mr. Laven, we worked on this program over the summer. Um and we decided with our fifth graders and all

009like Mr. Capello just said, all of the Compass programs we house over at the Quinn Elementary School that this would be a great opportunity for some of our younger students to get involved. So, we got our ideas from the Elementary Playbook, which is an inclusive youth leadership program put out by the Special Olympics, the Unified Athletic Department, and these are just some of the um goals that the program has shows that they would like to put out there. For example, enhancing our school climate, um developing students' sense of responsibility for contributing to a positive school climate and that includes not only our peer leaders, but also our Compass students and promoting social and emotional skills between peers, and heightening the awareness of the strengths and talents of that all students possess. We are firm believers

010at Quinn Elementary School that every kid comes to the table with something special and we're just trying to bring that to the forefront. So, with that being said, now what we've done is we've taken all our overarching goals and we've tried to break them down to how it benefits our Compass students and then I'll show you how it benefits our peer partners and of course how it benefits our school community as a whole. So, for our Compass students the thing that benefits them in this situation like this with our learning partners is skill development. Our young students get to work. Our fifth graders here get to work with our students and it provides our Compass students a sense of belonging into our school community. Um it helps them communicate their needs and choices to our

011to our peer leaders as well. They're able to either verbally or non-verbally through they have little chat programs that they're able to convey how they're feeling to our to our learning partners. So, it's always that communication that's going back and forth. Um positive peer relationships which is great to see. It extends outside the gymnasium. If you've ever walked the halls at Quinn and we have some of our Compass students walking through the hall, it's just great to see and it's not just our peer leaders but everyone in the school either high-fiving our our friends in the hallway whether they're at recess, whether it's the lunch room, it's just it's it's just truly a great thing to see. And increasing engagement and motivation in school. So, you know, if the if everyone is feeling positive about

012themselves and feeling good about what's being what the environment feels like, it really does like we say motivate the person to do well in whatever surrounding it is. In this case, it would be at Quinn Elementary. So, some of our benefits now towards our peer leaders who are in the program, it builds confidence and self-esteem in them. They feel good about themselves when they come into the gym. Um I love that they're always asking, "Is today my day to come?" Um they do have schedules. Their teachers are amazing. Um They um but they're always excited and hoping that it's their day to come into the gym. Um communication skills. Um once we're in the gym working with our um with our Compass students, there's communication going on. There's motivation, which um which is one of

013them down here. There's a lot of motivating going on with our students telling them that they can do it. Um it's it it truly is a a real gift to see when it all comes down. Responsibility and accountability. All of these um students that we see in front of us, they all have a schedule. They all look forward to come. They are accountable when they're there. They know they're putting in the work. And they're there to assist. Um they're there to lead by example, and that's exactly what they do. And I talked about motivation and engagement. Um these students are definitely uh motivated to come into the gym each and every single time, and we put emotional intelligence there. Simply, um they're meeting the needs of our of our Compass students, but also they're getting

014something in return. So, when we talk about emotional intelligence, it's about giving, but also getting in return, and that's exactly what our peer leaders are doing. Now, for our school, the benefits that occur to our school as a school community, it strengthens our culture and climate within the building. Um so, when you see everything all of the all of the student body, whether it be Compass students, whether it be kindergartners all the way through fifth grade, everyone working together to support each other, It really strengthens the culture and the climate. And of course, like we said before, if everyone feels positive about themselves, it does boost student engagement in the classroom and around the building. So, the last thing, and I know Mr. Capello said this as well when he was up here, this doesn't

015work, this program doesn't work without, of course, our school adjustment counselors who got us going with this. We asked permission for them at the beginning of the year. They were phenomenal. They were super excited that we were going to add on to this. Our homeroom teachers who have helped us handpick the students that we see in front of them and those who are not here, our compass teachers and their ESPs who have been phenomenal in helping us with our peer with our peer partners here, helping us how to best engage with the students in the compass program so that they feel successful. And this doesn't work, like I said, without Dr. Thomas, Mrs. Y, and Dr. Hurley. Um they have given us nothing but support whenever um whenever we need something, they are there for

016us. So, it truly is like a working partnership in everything and um like I said, then that's the reason why I think this has been so successful this year. And I'm going to kick it back to Dr. Thomas. Thank you. Of course, we wanted everyone here this evening. Um but that wasn't possible. We do have a video that we will show, a quick video, after our students speak that have some of our grade four students, but we just wanted to make sure we highlighted students that were chosen for this program in our grade four, as well as our grade five. And then we have our student reps here this evening who are going to introduce themselves when they speak. So, what do they have to say? This is what we've all been waiting for, right?

017Valentina Alcori. One important experience I had in the peer leadership program was helping someone complete an obstacle course. I encouraged them and supported them through each part when they felt unsure. It made me feel proud and showed me how much a few kind words can help someone keep going. This experience taught me that being a leader means being kind, patient, and supportive to others even when things are challenging. Hi, my name is Katerina. What I enjoy most about the peer leadership program is making a difference in our school and helping other peers and students school-wide. Also, making everyone feel welcome no matter who they are. That is what I enjoy most about the peer leadership program. My name is Easton Fontes. This program is great for bringing lives together and making our community better. It

018also gives kids a chance to try something difficult and different. Hi, my name is Ella Paulino. What I enjoy about the peer leadership program is helping out with the kids and doing fun activities with them. I look forward to seeing them happy and smiling. Hi, my name is Haley DeMello. A memorable experience I had from the peer leadership program is playing with the kids and them having a smile on their faces. It makes me look forward and excites me to seeing them. Hi, my name is Chloe Krab. Something I like about the peer leadership program is helping the students when they need help. One time I helped another student get through an obstacle course. Seeing their smile on their face made me feel happy inside. I look forward to helping them each week. Hi, my

019name is Chloe Clark. It's very exciting to do it in the week and it's caring to us and the students when we help out. Hi, my name is Amelia Francisco. I would sum up the peer leadership program in one sentence by saying how all kids with different needs still get to have fun in their own ways. Hi, my name is Savannah Coutinho. I like that I get to help the kids when they need it. I enjoy helping them shoot a basketball or complete an obstacle course or helping them understand something they're confused with. I love that they can have fun and seeing the smiles on their faces. This program makes them feel included and accepted no matter how they're different from other people. Hi, my name is Catherine Lavalette. One of my personal favorite experiences

020is the week of scooter boards when the kids pulled us around on the the gym on the scooter boards. They obviously liked it better when we pulled them, but this was a memorable experience doing the peer leadership program. Hi, my name is Anna. The peer leadership program is fun and exciting for all. It is also very including and the kids who sometimes may not be as included may find something they like to do in gym class. And if the kids in these classes don't feel included, I know everyone tries to make sure the kids feel excited and happy to be there. Not only does everyone make sure the kids feel included, we make sure they are having fun. Amazing. We may have a little technical difficulty with the video, so while we're just waiting to

021see if that's the case, if we open it to questions while we see, that would be great. I don't know about questions, but you are all great. Um and I love that you enjoy helping your fellow classmates, and I hope that goes to all your classes. Might have started here in the special gym class, but I hope that that continues. I don't have any questions, but I'm proud of you all for um helping out. I know you talked about um obstacle courses and scooters and shooting basketballs, I think. Can you give any other examples of activities that you've done with the students? Neat. Thank you for doing this. Um leadership is one of the best things that you can get involved in, and this sounds like a great leadership opportunity for all of you. So,

022thank you for doing it. So, yeah, after listening to all of you, it really sounds like this leadership this peer leadership program has really made a difference in all of your all of your lives. Is that Is that fair to say that it's it's left a something good in your hearts, right? So, I'm certainly very proud of you. I know my colleagues are very proud of you, and you should all be proud of yourselves. You speak extremely well, and you're making a big difference in your um your classmates' lives. So, thank you for what you're doing. Yeah, I don't know. My colleagues said it said it all really well. Um I I I do appreciate uh hearing about all the fun scooter boards. I remember scooter boards. I have somebody at home who used to

023love the scooter boards. And uh you know, I I guess what I would say is that um while you're having fun you may or may not recognize that you are making a huge the the the the enormity of the impact that you're making on your um your friends, uh your your you know, the the kids in your class every day who are in your class who see you and uh um you look to you as leaders uh is just as important because you're sort of building a bridge. There's a saying in the um Special Olympics like a choose to include mantra is we're more alike than different. And it sounds like from your sharing what you are doing in this uh adaptive physical class is having a lot of fun and a couple of you

024spoke about uh it might look different, but that everyone can have fun and uh I hope you recognize that you are more alike than different and um and I will also add one other thing as a parent, um it's not only your friends, it's actually the kids you're helping, it's their siblings at home who might be a little older, who might not be in the same school but hear about the good things that you're doing to make their brothers and sisters feel included um in their family. So, thank you. And I'm supposed to follow all of that, right? I My colleagues have basically said everything. I congratulate you for what you're doing. Uh you'll look back on this in your uh middle school as you move into middle school and high school and hopefully take

025this community spirit with you and continue to be involved in uh the school as you get there. Uh appreciate listening to what you've been doing and how you're helping everyone out and keep up the good work. We're going to see if the video works. SO, IT ASKED ME WHAT'S A memorable experience you have in the peer leadership program. And a memorable experience I had was that I made so many friends and had fun times with them. What I enjoy about the peer leadership program is I get to help kids and I get to do it with friends in class. I would tell the peer leadership program that by saying that you get to play you get to play with kids and talk to your friends and tell them to do it. So, they asked me

026is what would you say to someone who may be interested in the peer leadership program in the future? They say honor to be chosen chosen to help out. My favorite thing about this program is that it's awesome. If I had to give advice to somebody, I would tell them that it's really fun. Boom. Boom. >> Great job. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. Thank you. See you. Jonathan. Jonathan. And next up, we have the student representative report from Isabella Pires. Good evening. I'm here to share a brief update from the Student Advisory Council at Dartmouth High School. Students are currently preparing for upcoming MCAS and AP exams, and the recent ELA MCAS infrastructure test ran smoothly. We've had several successful events this month. Our blood drive on March 12th had strong participation from

027both students and staff. Along with this, Dartmouth's Dartmouth's Finest was a great show with Gabriel Fernandes taking first place. On March 19th, juniors participated in the Credit for Life Fair, where they learned how to manage real-world finances through an interactive simulation. We also celebrated World Language Week with daily questions and student-staff participation. Along with this, our show choir, Dynamics, earned second place and a silver medal in their division. The class of 2028 hosted our first spikeball tournament, which was a big success with over 20 teams competing. Congratulations to our winner winners, Mike Hawk and Landon Raposa. Looking ahead, we are excited for our upcoming career fair on April 15th and the Mean Girls the Musical from April 30th to May 2nd. Thank you and have a great evening. Thank you, Isabella, and um you and

028parents and students of the Quinn School, if you want to stay for us the meeting, it is going to be exciting cuz we're going to have a joint session with the select board, and we're going to have a public hearing on the budget. Um but if you choose not to do that, to go home and maybe have dinner or do homework, that is fine. This is a great time to leave. I thought dinner was included with the meeting tonight. It's not in the budget. 6:27 Okay. Didn't sleep. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I am now going to open the meeting to the public hearing for our No, you can't >> Sorry, select board. I can't open it. No. What time is it? I don't know. It has to be at 6:35. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

029You could do the minutes. We're going to do the minutes. Yeah, we're not I looked at my my clock and I saw 28 and I thought it was 38. Um So, excuse me, we're going to move to approval of the minutes. Um so, I'm looking for a motion to approve the regular session minutes of March 2nd, 2020. >> So moved. Second. Uh Who wants it? Moved by Mr. Oliver, I believe. Seconded by Ms. Beckwith. Um any discussion? All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? It unanimously passes. Thank you. Um we could also go to the consent agenda. Um Dr. Seaman Maguire is recommending approval for the DHF Youth and Government Club, which we do every year, um attending the Model Government Conference in Boston. Um we all got information on that in our packets. Uh Dr.

030Seaman Maguire, do you want to add anything or Well, I think again, as you mentioned in your packets, is a detailed description and itinerary of what the students will be participating in. And you know, as in years past and what we've heard as far as feedback, is that this has been really powerful experience for our students and gives them a real look into what government functions really look like up close and personal. So, um it's really a wonderful opportunity for our students. So, we definitely uh want to encourage you to approve that. Yep. The trip. So, we have a motion to approve. So moved. Second. I believe that was a motion by Mr. Nunes and a second by um Kathleen. Um all in favor, I. I. Any opposed? All uh unanimously approved for the DHS

031Youth and Government Club to attend the Model Government Conference in Boston of this year. Yes. Oh, absolutely. That's great. There are three of us present currently. Oh, I'm losing my voice. Um I'm awaiting the potential arrival of an additional member. Uh we have a conflict with other meetings happening in town. So, somebody else may walk in, but at this point it is the three of us. So, I'll take a verbal um consent. Mr. Cabral, yes. Mr. O'Neal, chair, yes. So, we are officially open. Thank you. Thank you. Um we are still uh waiting for 6:35 in order to open the public hearing. Um So, while I have a few minutes >> Sure. nothing has changed, has it? Um I just wanted to >> Exactly. Um good evening, chair of the School Committee, members of the

032school committee, superintendent, members of the Dartmouth community. On behalf of the select board, I thank you for the opportunity to be here as we open the fiscal year 2027 school budget hearing. Dartmouth public schools are one of um are one of the most significant and meaningful investments we make as a community. They reflect our shared commitment to our students, our families, and the future of our town. As we begin this conversation, it's important to ground ourselves in where we are. The current school budget is now over 55 million with recent increases in the range of approximately 4% year over year, driven largely by contractual obligations, transportation, utilities, and the continued rise in special education costs. We Oh, here you go, buddy. That's all right. Um we also know that in recent years the district has

033relied in part on school choice funds and reserves to help the balance budgets. An approach that has helped maintain services, but is not sustainable long term. At the same time, the FY27 planning process is already highlighting familiar and ongoing pressures. Staffing needs, special education services, transportation costs, and the goal of maintaining current service levels while advancing the district's strategic plan. These are not unique challenges to Dartmouth, but they are very real for our community. As a select board, we are equally mindful of the broader financial picture. We are balancing the needs of all town departments, the impact on taxpayers, and the long-term fiscal stability of the town. That balance is not always easy, and it requires thoughtful, transparent decision-making. What is clear is that we share the same goal, to support a school system that

034meets the needs of all students while remaining financially responsible to the community as a whole. This process works best when it is collaborative. The partnership between the select board and school committee and the administration is essential as we work toward a budget that reflects our values, acknowledge our our constraints, and position Dartmouth for the future. Tonight is an important step in that process. We are here to listen, to understand the needs behind the numbers, and to engage in constructive dialogue about how we move forward together. Thank you for your continued leadership, your transparency, and your commitment to the students and family of Dartmouth. Thank you. Thank you. I have one more minute to kill. You do. No, I'm kidding. Can you fill it up? >> slower. You should have. It's like television and dead air,

035you know. All right. It is now 6:35 and I am opening the public hearing for the proposed fiscal year '27 Madam Chair, make a motion that we open the public hearing for the FY '27 school budget. Second. So, motion by Mr. Newton, second by Ms. Beckwith. Um, all in favor. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? It's unanimous. We are opening the public hearing. So, um, anyone who is interested in speaking, please approach the mic. Uh state your name, try to keep your comments to 3 minutes so that everyone can be heard. Uh okay. Here we go. Good evening. Uh Nathan Silva, uh speaking on behalf of myself. Did I just turn this off? No, it's on. >> good. Sorry. Um I just want to make a couple things clear tonight. Um I've sta- stood here before you

036and uh talked about how uh Dartmouth has historically provided a great educational system. And I just want to make clear that Dartmouth still has a great educational system, right? We have hundreds of of educators, administrators, and support staff that have uh devoted their lives' work to making sure that the quality of education in Dartmouth remains high despite the lack of resources that we've provided to them. Um so, my concern is not necessarily the school system of today. It's the school system of tomorrow if we continue to underfund public education in our community. Um so, thing number two that I want to be clear on is that I don't want to be in a position where we have to pick and choose, right? I don't like I I would much rather have a scenario where all

037of our departments have the resources they need uh to provide the level of services that we expect and rely upon as a community. Um but, we have heard year after year after year, as far back as you can go on the DCTV YouTube channel, that our pie is only so big, right? So, in other words, we are in a position where we are forced to pick and choose between services. Um and if we're if we're forced into that position, I don't think it is fair for our children to continually, year after year, ask them to bear the burden of the town's financial pressures. Um that burden needs to be spread out amongst the community and not put on 10% of the population of our town. So, with that, to the School Committee, I thank you

038for for asking for what you need um to main- to not only maintain level services, but also uh make up some of the losses that we've we've lost over the past several years. And to the select board, I implore you, we got to find a way to make it work. Thank you. Hi. Heather Noise for that. Um, I've been here as long as I can remember, so long time resident, um, as well as a, um, staff member. I want to thank you today, um, and for making being here a priority. Um, I want to start off by thanking the school committee for the hard line you have held in asking the town for the 6.8 funding that allows this district to support our students with student-facing services that will make a difference every day. Positions

039that will support all students and in some situations save the district money. I would also like to thank them for being the only committee or board in town that allows for public comment of this nature. They sit there and listen in times of success and hardship. And they do not shy away from listening to conversations that are hard and uncomfortable. I applaud their dedication to this civic engagement. This funding issue for our schools is not a new issue. There are school committee documents from the 1930s detailing the finance committee recommending a much smaller appropriation than was requested by the school committee. In the 1990s, my father spoke in support of the schools receiving funding they needed. He was a staunch supporter of our school system and public education. And today, I have tried to step

040into a very large footprint he has left behind to continue the fight to allow this school system to continue proudly serving this community and be sought after as a school system for others. The schools first coined the one Dartmouth slogan, building a strong, stable support system of core principles which allow for all 3,300 of our students to grow and succeed. We don't minimize one student for their needs or disregard one group of students because they require more funding. That would be a very limiting approach to growth and the antithesis of one Dartmouth. The town has also adopted the one Dartmouth slogan. However, when one and only one department, it's the schools by the way, are not are consistently told that they cannot have their level services budget, that is not the one Dartmouth mentality. The

041one Dartmouth mentality is getting all budgets funded. That is what makes a strong community. Those departments that do not bring revenue into this town are still assets and are worthy of the stream of funds they require to service this community. We were promised things would be different for funding at the June town meeting last year. I can't say that promise will be fulfilled. We need to stop framing this as a schools issue. It is not. It's a planning issue. Our children should no longer bear the challenges that our town government hasn't executed solutions for. Fully fund our schools, our children, and our community. The future of Dartmouth sits in those buildings. Thank you. Hi. Um I'm Jody Perreault. This is Joe Silva. We are co-presidents of the Dartmouth Educators Association. Um we would also like

042to begin by voicing our appreciation for the school committee in advancing a budget that actually reflect reflects the needs of the school department. At this time last year, we stood before you facing a second consecutive year of significant um staffing reductions. This occurred amid a continued increase in key student populations over the past 10 years. Including high needs students rising from 29 to 43%, students with disabilities 13 to 21%, and low-income students 18% These trends are particularly concerning when considered alongside the district staff to student ratio, which is not keeping pace with state benchmarks. The finance committee has proposed a 3.5% increase for the district in and FY2027. However, this increase would not achieve even a level funded budget and would likely lead to additional staffing reductions. For context, Dartmouth public schools currently ranks 263rd

043out of 319 districts in per pupil expenditure, meaning that 82% of the districts in Massachusetts invest more per student than Dartmouth. Over the past 2 years alone, the district has eliminated 11 positions and lost 16 classroom positions through reallocation. While reallocation may retain individual staff members, it results in the loss of many critical roles. For example, at the Dartmouth Middle School, a reading specialist position was eliminated and the staff member reassigned to a special education role. These are the difficult tradeoffs that arise when budgets fall short of meeting district needs. Our students cannot afford to lose more teachers. Mr. Kailey presented the proposed budget at the financial committee meeting on March 5th. Though there were solutions put forward, these are only temporary one-time measures. During the discussion, it was noted that the school department was

044the only town department not being level funded. A response from the town emphasized that we are one Dartmouth and suggested that framing the issue is comparative terms with was unproductive. To this, we wholeheartedly agree. However, shortly thereafter, another member made a comment referencing that this budget dilemma is a schools departments. This contradiction is difficult to reconcile. If we are truly one Dartmouth, then the financial challenges facing the town should not rest solely on one department, the school department. Instead, they should be addressed collectively as a town. Continue Continuing to balance the town's budget at the expense of our students is neither sustainable nor equitable. Our students deserve better. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Christine Penkowske. I'm a mother of two elementary school students. Dartmouth projects community with its catchy slogan, but unfortunately, I

045have found the community is not truly one when it comes to supporting our future. Our children and our schools. Year after year, the schools have to cut services, while other departments in town receive a level service budget. This means every department gets to keep what they have, but not the schools. Over the last 3 years, we as a community have lost 11.5 staff members and 16 teachers. These losses leave classrooms with no choice but to grow larger. They force the remaining staff to do more with less. However, other departments get to maintain their level of support, while the schools go without. This path is not sustainable. This path is not fair. And it certainly does not represent strength or community. One Dartmouth presents the idea of unity. One Dartmouth presents the idea of strength. One

046Dartmouth presents the idea of resilience. Powerful systems require strong investment. If we want unity, we must support one another. If we want strength, we must build it. If we want resilience, we must be willing to invest in it. Because the truth is simple. We cannot expect an engaged and empowered community without making a firm commitment to our schools. Undercutting the largest department for the third consecutive year is not a fiscally responsible decision. It is a short-sighted one. Decisions like this may balance a budget on paper, but they come at a cost. A cost of stability, consistency, and quality of education our students receive. When the same department continues to absorb losses, it sends a message that its needs are easier to overlook. However, the needs of our younger generation continue to grow and the needs

047of our schools increase. Long-term success for our district depends on thoughtful planning, not repeated cuts that weaken the very foundation of our community. We need to make a new choice. We need to support our schools. Select board members, I am grateful that some of you prioritized tonight despite there being another meeting. Listening to the community speak about the largest line item on the budget is a critical issue. I encourage you to continue to support the schools and their 6.8% increase. Please continue to strengthen and support our community so we can truly be one. >> Peter Nolton, 35 Buttonwood Road. Um I've been a long-time resident of Dartmouth. My kids are grown, they went through the Dartmouth education system, received a wonderful education, which is one of the reasons why we moved back here in the

048late '80s was to attend this school system. Uh both my kids went to Cushman Elementary School. Uh then they went to Quinn, and then they went to the high school. Uh and wonderful education, and I really appreciate it a lot. But what concerns me is when I sat through the School Committee meetings both here and also when they made the presentation with the Finance Board, and it showed the percentage of increase of children who need special needs assistance and those who need a regular assistance. The increase of 50% over the last 10 years has to be incredibly concerning to anyone who lives in this town. The students are our future. Our kids are our future for this town. I don't have any kids in the school system. I don't have any skin in the game

049other than our future. And if there's anything that we need leave as our legacy, it is that future. And I applaud the School Committee for coming forward with a very responsible budget, I thought. I sat through the presentations. I wanted to understand better what it is, what the push and pulls are within the budget and the dynamics within the town between the school budget and everything else in the town. The schools, it's a alarm bell. The lights are flashing. The emergency is being told to everybody in the town that if we don't start taking care of the budget of the school system, we could be in trouble. And I really applaud the School Committee for doing this, and I really want to urge the Select Board for taking this issue of the school budget more

050seriously than it has in the past. I understand the different the difficulties the select board is under in terms of choosing this or that, but I don't think it's a matter of choice because I don't think we have a choice when it comes to the future of our kids. I think we have to do what's right for everybody both on the revenue side and on the expense side. Um so I really applaud the school board. I want to thank them for their budget for their proposal and for sticking uh to the budget uh despite some opposition from the select board and really encourage the select board to re-look at this budget and to support what the school committee is putting forward. Thank you. Hi everyone. I'm Robin Della Fuente. I have three kids at the

051Dartmouth Middle School. I'm here to thank the school committee for asking for what you need. You have the parents' support and we're thrilled that you went that route. Our kids and educators deserve for you to seek what you need and we're psyched. You've heard stats tonight already. Losing 11 and a half staff positions and 16 classroom teacher positions in two years is an enormous burden for the remaining staff who, by the way, shout out to our current staff and teachers who are crushing it. We're lucky to have them and I'm grateful for their dedication. As amazing as they are, it's not sustainable to continue asking them to do more with less. To the select board, our special guests this evening, there's a lot of talk and verbal commitment to support the school's budget, but no

052action. There's a lot of talk regarding revenue issues in the town, but no action. How many years will this be conversation? It's time for action. Please send the 6.8% budget increase to the school committee. Please stop making our children and educators bear the brunt of financial pressures in this town. The students of this community should be the last on the list to pull funding from, and yet they're the first. How can that be? School-aged children are 10% of this community and can't be here to tell you to fund their schools the full 6.8% that they need that the school committee is asking for. Jim has done a thorough job auditing how funds are used. No more data is needed. The school committee is telling you what they need. Believe them. Stop asking the schools to

053compromise year after year. Bringing Dartmouth to the state average would mean hiring 52 ESPs. That's how far away we are from the state average. This is how much extra work our teachers and staff are doing to support the students of this community. Being this far below the state average should not be okay with anyone in this town. A voice often missing at public comment at school committees is the many school-aged parents who would like to be here but can't for a variety of reasons. I have a list of parents who couldn't be here and have asked me to read their names in support of a 6.8% budget increase for our schools. Starting with my husband, Mark Yanni, who is currently on practice pickup duty, so can't be here. Jessica Deroche, Brittney and Shawn Sipson, Justine

054and Nick Mello, Aaron and Lila, Nancy and Dennis Leary, Melanie and Jay Martinez, Stephanie and Patrick McHenry, Tanya Roota, Jennifer Goncalves, Michelle Telfair, Lisa Miguel Castanera, Jen and Derek DeMello. These are just a few of the parents I've run into in the last few weeks. There's so many more. Please hear our plea. Please support our schools with the 6.8% that they need. Thank you for your attention. Hi. I'm Meg Rogers. Um I've lived in Dartmouth for 29 of my 40 years. It's 40. Some of you have known me that long. Um and I was a teacher in Dartmouth. I went to Dartmouth public schools. I harassed John Nunes on too many band buses for too many years. And I am here because of the education that I got at Dartmouth public schools. I was set

055for college. I've been getting better and better jobs because of what I learned here and the people that supported me and cared for me. And when my husband and I were looking for a new house with a yard, I really wanted to be here so my daughter could experience that. And she is at Quinn School. And cutting budgets and removing paraprofessionals and getting rid of teachers and cutting back on class opportunities and programs means my kids' education in the system might not be as good as the one I received. And it's not cuz the teachers aren't doing their job. It's because there's not the resources there for them. And I encourage the select board to take action. Like we can't just change the budget this year and then not fix where the funding sources are.

056We need to dig deep and figure it out and figure out what the the solution to this is to get more revenue in whether it's a tax increase which no one wants to pay more taxes, but we might have to to get what we want and that's education for our kids. Thanks. Hi everyone. Can you hear me okay? Uh Zach Tavares. First I want to echo what everyone has said and thank the school department, the committee, the teachers and staff, town leadership, and the advocates here tonight. The school department presented what it needs to fund the schools and the school committee heard that and said, "Let's bring it to the select board." And that's exactly how the process is designed to work. So, I applaud that. Um I'd like to discuss the revenue side a

057little bit. Uh we hear the pie is we hear the pie is fixed and that state aid is the problem. There isn't much that we can do about it. Candidly, I don't accept that, not entirely. We don't control state aid or the broader economy, but we do control how we respond locally and how we plan and how we use the financial strength we've built. And to be clear, I'm not questioning the principle of being conservative. I'm asking whether the extent of conservatism we're applying right now still makes sense when it's producing cuts to our largest department year after year. State data shows that local receipts have exceeded estimates by two to three million dollars for the last few years. New growth has increased. Our stabilization fund has grown past the town's own 10% policy target.

058This suggests the revenue rate of growth has trended up, not down, over the last few years. It suggests a town that's been growing and not contracting. At the same time, school staff has been cut two years running with more cuts on the table. Schools rank in the bottom 15% of state in per pupil spending while producing outcomes well above the 50th percentile. Bottom 15% in funding, above average results. That tells me the biggest department in town is being efficient and effective. And they've done more than enough to prove it. They've regularly provided 100-page reports, five-year strategic plan, and presented at countless meetings. At some point, the answer is yes, they've demonstrated the need. I'd ask the leaders meeting tonight to acknowledge that. Because here's what we're actually talking about, 1.6 million. That's 1.4% of the

059budget. It's less than a fifth of last year's surplus. This is not a revenue in, revenue out equation. It's a specific bounded math problem, and a town with our financial strength can solve it. We keep saying one Dartmouth. Let's make that real. Not by pretending there's an easy fix, but by using the financial strength we've built to close a gap that's smaller than most people think. By deciding we have more agency over our town and our future than we've given ourselves credit for. Community's counting on you to do the right thing. Support the 6.8%. Thank you. Hello, Madam Chair, and through you to the members, and Madam Chair of the Select Board. Thank you for being here. Thanks for the opportunity to speak. My name's Erin Souza Resendes. I am a resident of Dartmouth, a

060taxpayer, a parent, and a town meeting member, and a proud product of Dartmouth public schools many many years ago. Um I'm here to ask the Select Board to support the School Committee's full budget request, a 6.8% increase, because our schools are strong, and strong systems only stay that way when we invest in them. Over the last 2 years, Dartmouth public schools have lost a net 11.5 staff positions, as as you've heard, due to underfunding the schools' needs, and 16 classroom teachers have been reassigned because resources had to be shifted around. If the school budget is reduced again this year, we'll lose even more positions, and while no other town department is facing staff cuts. That is not sustainable, and it's not fair to the students and educators who are being asked to absorb these reductions

061year after year. We hear a lot about a need for a balanced budget, and I agree. But a budget that repeatedly cuts the largest department in town, the one serving our highest needs population, is not balanced for our kids. Student needs rise every year, yet the school budget has not kept pace even as town revenue has outperformed projections and free cash and stabilization funds have grown because of smart and conservative forecasting. Strong schools are a community-wide issue. Strong schools drive property values, community stability, and long-term revenue. Undercutting the largest department in town for a third year in a row is not fiscally responsible. It's short-sighted. Again, I'm a parent and a proud product of Dartmouth public schools myself. I want Dartmouth to remain a place where families can thrive, where educators feel supported, and where

062every child has access to the opportunities I had and that they all deserve. Finally, I want to speak to the idea of one Dartmouth. The select board and town administration embraced this school-created concept, and I'm grateful for that. And it must be reflected in budget decisions. We're not asking to take from other departments. We're simply asking that our schools receive at least the level service budget they need. The level service funding for our schools suggesting that advocating for level service funding for our schools is somehow pitting departments against one another is insincere and frankly kind of insulting. As families managing our own budgets, we know that we invest in what we prioritize and really value. Supporting the school department's full request is not just an investment in our schools, it's an investment in Dartmouth's future

063and what we claim to care about. I urge us to deliver. Thank you. Um I also have another parent in town who is not able to come, so I am going to use some of whatever remaining time I have left to read something that she has written. Good evening. This statement is being read on behalf of Lauren Houl as she was unable to attend this meeting in person. I've had the privilege of growing up in Dartmouth and now raising my two children here. My son Owen is in fourth grade at DeMello School and my daughter Nora is in preschool. Owen has had a positive experience in Dartmouth public schools, especially this year with his exceptional teachers Mrs. Romero and Mrs. Cudo. In December, I overheard Owen talking with a friend in the car about school.

064He said, "Mrs. Romero makes me feel happy." His friend shared that she used to feel nervous about going to school, but now she enjoys it. Then Owen added, "She even makes me like ELA." That simple conversation put a smile on my face. It also reminded me how much teachers shape our children's experience in school and can change the trajectory of their lives. As a parent, that is something I feel deeply. But experiences like that depend on having the staff and resources our schools need. I am concerned that anything but a level service increase for our budget will not allow the district to maintain the level of support our students deserve. Continued reductions in services will affect classrooms, teachers, and ultimately our children. These pivotal years will shape our children's lives forever. The decisions made in

065this room will help determine what those years look like for children like Owen and soon Nora. I believe we can do better. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Erin Noonan. I'm a Dartmouth resident, a nurse practitioner in the community, a parent of a child in our schools, and I'm expecting Excuse me, another child this summer. So, I have a very personal stake in what happens in this room tonight. I want to thank the select board members who are here. We know that there is a competing meeting tonight and we appreciate that you chose to prioritize the largest line item in this town's budget. I'm here to ask the select board to support the school committee's full 6.8 budget request, not because it's ambitious, but because it is the minimum needed to maintain the level

066of service our students already have and to begin closing the gap between Dartmouth and the state average for support staff. And let's put that number into context. In FY25, our schools received just a 2.8 budget increase, the lowest in recent years and well below what was needed. FY24 was 4.6, FY26 was 4.4. The 6.8 being requested this year is not an overstep. It is in part a reflection of the shortfall our schools absorbed in FY25. When you average it out, we are simply trying to get that get back to even. In the last 2 years alone, our schools have lost a net of 11.5 positions, as you've heard. But the town's free cash and stabilization funds have grown. Revenue has outperformed projections. So, at what point does conservative forecasting become something our children are paying

067the price for? Dartmouth schools are good. I want them to stay that way. Strong systems do not stay strong when they're chronically underfunded. They decline slowly and quietly with complicity. One Dartmouth was a school board idea that this board adopted because it resonated. Tonight, I'm asking you to make it more than a slogan. Fund our schools, all of it. Our kids are counting on you. Hello. Um my name is Hannah Bordas. I am a DPS parent with two at the middle school. I have a sixth grader and an eighth grader who is very excited to begin high school next year. I have a unique perspective because I am also a Dartmouth sub in the middle and high schools and have volunteered and subbed at Quinn. I'm a licensed teacher for Massachusetts and have taught in

068public schools in Boston and at an independent school in LA with $50,000 tuition and students whose parents are very famous celebrities. So, I've seen a lot of different teaching settings, parent populations, and funding levels. One connecting thread throughout all of these experiences is the students in the middle, the children who cannot vote being at the mercy of the adults in charge of budget decisions. I've always called my students my kids, but now those children in the middle of all these adult decisions are actually my kids. And I am concerned about their education being appropriately funded. School-age children represent about 10% of our town's population and we are here tonight because they cannot vote or speak up for themselves. Our schools are truly amazing places of learning and connection and despite its overuse on social media

069lately, I do not use the word amazing frivolously. I am honestly amazed when I spend time in our schools. Our teachers are intelligent, passionate, dedicated, and funny. They pay attention to students' needs. They develop connections with their students that let the kids know they are seen and they write engaging lessons to keep their students interested while learning, which is increasingly difficult given the number of digital distractions around us. But, they cannot continue to spread themselves thin without the additional staff and resources they need. It's not fair to them or to our students. This education may suffer if their needs aren't met. In the last 2 years, DPS has lost necessary staff and classroom teacher positions. If the schools don't get the money they need this year, we will lose additional positions again. This doesn't happen

070year after year to other town departments. Many young families move here because our schools have such a good reputation, including mine. My husband and I went to New Bedford High and lived in LA for a while and I lived in Boston for a while. When we moved back home with our young children, we chose Dartmouth, and the school system was one of the biggest reasons. We need to give it the funding it needs to keep it strong and make sure our children receive the education they need and deserve. Keeping our school system strong will continue to attract people to move here, keeping our property values and community fabric strong. Thank you to the school committee for asking for what our kids need. I'm asking the select board to support the school committee's full budget request,

071which is 6.8 increase from last year. Thank you. Hi, my name is Jeff Steele. I graduated from Dartmouth High. I'm a product of the Dartmouth public school system. Um my I have two sons that are in the school system. They're fourth generation from my family to go to Dartmouth schools. We know it's doing very well, and when I hear all the numbers and everything that everyone's doing, the thing that came to my mind that I wanted to speak about was that the number that it's 263rd out of 320 towns in Dartmouth that are expense per student, and because we have such a great teachers and community, we are operating at this height with our with our teachers, and we're doing this good, but we're spending this much money, and how long do we really think

072that this is going to be sustainable, that we're spending this much money per student, and we're operating up here. So, my thing is a common sense thing, not a numbers thing. It's that if our numbers are down here and we're operating up here, at some point something's going to break. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Kimberly Bancroft. I'm the mom to two young children, one who's completing preschool at Cushman, entering kindergarten at DeMello in the fall, and another who will be entering Cushman preschool shortly. I'm here to ask the school committee to maintain their request for 6.8% budget increase and to ask the select board to approve it. This is what our schools need and it should not be sacrificed. Part of the reason that my husband and I chose to move back to

073where I grew up was the strength of the school system. We wanted that for our future children. Our experience at Cushman has been wonderful, but I worry we are risking um what what makes it so special. When we continually ask our schools and teachers to do more with less, it is not sustainable. It is unfair to ask our children to shoulder the burden of this town's revenue problem even once, let alone year after year. The loss of positions in our schools is not something that any of us take lightly, clearly. Um the fact that the schools appear to be the only town department absorbing cuts is deeply frustrating to the parents who are entrusting this community with our children. We need to act to see action that makes it clear that our schools and our

074children are a priority. I implore the select board to fully fund the 6.8% that the schools are asking for. Our children cannot wait and I hope that you will act accordingly. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Abby Vazelis. Um I am a parent of two. I've been in Dartmouth for about 10 years now. Um and a former educator and a current program administrator for education programs. Um so I want to thank the school committee for asking for what you need and I want to thank the select board for being here to listen to the comments of the families and parents who are here today and of course many others who couldn't be here who really feel this is an important topic and want to share this with you. So so far in our 10

075years I've been happy with the schools and the experiences we've had so far. Honestly, that's why I was shocked to hear that 80% of schools in the state of Massachusetts get more funding per pupil than we do. Um that to me just demonstrates how great the educators, administrators, and support staff are with the money that we actually give them. And it just shows that they are doing such an incredible job. Hearing again that the proposal is for third year in a row now to cut the budget, especially by 1 and 1/2% below level services, to me feels unacceptable. So, we moved to this town knowing we plan to raise our family here. I've also had the pleasure of meeting many young new families who've moved to town with the same goal. As an educator, I'm

076aware of the importance of providing a quality education for the young and talented human humans in general. As a parent, I want my children and peers to experience a quality education, not only to date, but also in the future. I urge the select board to fund the school committee at the requested 6.8%. We want more families to move to Dartmouth. You saw some of the amazing and talented students here today, and you know that there are so many more who live in our town that could not be here to speak for themselves. None of them deserve to bear the brunt of the fiscal challenges. Dartmouth is a great town. I would like to be able to continue to sing the praises of our town, and I do not want to see the perception go down

077if and if the choice is to continue to underfund the students, then we know that that's what will happen. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Molly Armando, and I am a resident of Dartmouth. My husband and I grew up in the town of Dartmouth. We both went to Cushman. My mom went to Cushman. Uh we made a very intentional decision to come back and raise our children here in this town because we believed in what Dartmouth represents. We wanted our kids to have the same experience that we had growing up here. But to be honest, our uh our experience has not been that. We have a preschooler and a second grader in the Dartmouth public school system. And what we've seen so far has been incredibly concerning. At our son's orientation, the the night

078that we're supposed to meet the teacher, we couldn't meet the teacher because it was so crowded. There were 26 children in this classroom and I it was the most chaotic night and we left and he was crying. It was awful. I mean, we couldn't even say hello to his teacher on the night of this orientation. And that's not a reflection of the teacher. That's a reflection of the environment that we are asking them to manage. 26 young children in one room, many of them needing additional support. Both of my children have IEPs. So, I'm not speaking in hypothetical terms. I'm speaking from a real-world lived ex- ex- examples and experiences. When classrooms are stretched this thin, the children who need the support the most are the ones who feel it first. This is not political.

079This is not personal. This is just our everyday reality of what we're experiencing right now. I would strongly encourage every member to spend a some time in the school systems and in the classrooms and see how chaotic it really is. Watch and and and see how our our school system how the teachers are actually managing these classrooms because they deserve so much credit for everything that they do on a daily basis. We've looked into private schools and like many families, that's simply not an option. So, we are left with a very real question. Do we stay in a town that we love knowing that our children may not be getting the support that they need or do we consider leaving? And I don't say that lightly because this is my home. I love Dartmouth. It

080It is everything everything that I love in a community. And if we maintain and improve the educational experience in our town, we're not just supporting the students right now. We are investing in Dartmouth's future and in our children. We We're encouraging you to uh to rais- if people are going to raise families here, there has to be a reason why and we have to support our families. But that only happens if we get this right. Thank you. Good evening. I'm Ed Pacheco. Four of my six children have either graduated or will be graduating from Dartmouth High School this year. Over the past 25 years, I remember walking my 29-year-old daughter now through Dartmouth High School when it was first constructed. And she was about 4 years old at the time. At the time, the uh

081Chronicle was still in business and did an article about Dartmouth High School and how it was going to serve generations in front of us and they actually took a picture of her. She was about this big and they put her in there and they said, you know, graduating class of 2016 or 17. And that image always sticks in my head because these buildings, these teachers, these students, the one thing that is always consistent and has always been consistent in Dartmouth is the amount of quality education that we've put into our students and then to our buildings and our in our educators. Education is a pay-it-forward system. When we went to school, someone paid for that. Well, now it's our turn. This is a very unenviable position because we have two boards that want to do

082the right thing, but they both have different things that they have to weigh. And we understand that as residents. But, what I'm indicating to you is this. I was the child of an educator who was an educator for over 30 years. I have a daughter who graduated from Dartmouth High School, who is now an educator, and I see that we're asking our educators to do more with less year over year over year. At some point, we have to draw the line in the sand as a community and decide, are we going to invest in our education system, or are we going to go by the way of other area communities that have decided that education isn't their financial priority. And they send their students to us because we have quality education. So, yes, it hurts

083for us to have to do the right things by education, but it is something that we have to knuckle down as a community and take the responsibility for and do the right thing. I appreciate your time. Thank you. >> Hi, I'm Katie Tavares. I live in Dartmouth. I have two kiddos that are at DeMello. Um, one moving into middle school and she's really excited and I'm horrified. Um, I just want to say thank you for everything you do. My husband and I chose to move here. We bought a house in 2018. Uh, when we bought the house, it had avocado shag rug and six layers of wallpaper. Um, and we were like, we can fix that. It's fine. So, we got in there and we fixed it and then we found a squirrel's nest in

084the oven and a beehive in the wall. Um, we thought it was just a little neglect, um, but it was clear this was decades of neglect. And I'm really nervous that what we're setting ourselves up for is not just avocado shag rug cuz that can get pulled, um, but that it's squirrel's nests and it's beehives and that our kids are going to suffer. I am a proud parent in this district. I am a full-time working mom. My husband works. I am proud to work with Liz at DeMello as a PTO member. They do a hell of a job over there and I'm really happy that my kids are there with them under that administration, but I know the support that we provide and I know what they wouldn't have if the PTO didn't provide it.

085And I'm proud to be able to do that and we partner, but we can only do so much. So, I implore you to please listen and find a way to make this work for the kids because the town you are building deserves it. So, thank you for being here. Okay, there Good evening. My name is Michael Cutting. Um, I am not from Dartmouth originally. I grew up down in Maryland where I went to public school throughout. Um, I first became introduced to Dartmouth when I met my future wife in 2009. And one of the things that I very vividly remember about first meeting Dartmouth was the pride that everybody I spoke to had in the town and the schools. We got married in 2014, moved away in 2015, and then moved back here in 2018

086because we wanted to be back in this town. Um since we moved back the the tone has been very different. I hear a lot of the schools are great despite or things are pretty good, but I don't hear the sense of pride and leadership and ownership that I first experienced when I first came to Dartmouth back in 2009. I've been a town meeting member since 2023. And every single one of those meetings there's been a lot of discussion about yeah, we're going to do this, but this is going to be too hard and we have a lot of hard decisions to make. It's time to make some hard decisions. There's been a lot of discussion, but not a lot of hard decisions being executed. Nobody's going to move to this town in the future because

087we have underfunded and and schools that are not performing up to expectations. This is an investment in the future and I think that leadership needs to start acting like that. Thank you. We're good. Okay. Anyone else? Madam Chair, make a motion that we close the open hearing on the FY school FY27 budget. Second. All right. A motion by Mr. Noon, second by Mr. Oliver. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Uh all opposed? That would be unanimously closing the public hearing. Thank you all for your comments. Madam Chair, make a motion that we adjourn our meeting in order to have a joint meeting with the Dartmouth Board of Selectmen and return back to our regular meeting when it is completed. So moved. Second. Uh a motion by Mr. Noon, second by Mr. Oliver. All in favor?

088Or is that roll call? No. We're good. We're good. All in All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? No, we are unanimously adjourning to meet. Recessed. Recessed. To meet with the Select Board. So, I believe we are getting a presentation. Sorry. Our town administrator, Cody Haddad. Good evening. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh thank you to the School Committee, and we have the full Select Board here this evening. Um before we get into a discussion among the Board and the School Committee, I'm joined by our Director of Budget and Finance, Gary Carreiro. As you mentioned, I'm Cody Hatcher, town administrator. Uh we we thought it'd be pertinent to give kind of general overview of the fiscal 2017 budget process, uh full perspective on that from the um on the entire town, run through some of

089our revenues, and touch on some of the concerns that we hear tonight that we heard here tonight. Bear with us, just a little technical difficulties. So, to start, uh we just want to give an overview of what our budget calendar looks like. We start our budget process in November um when we send out our fiscal 2017 budget memo and capital planning memo to all of our department heads. Those were all due on December 26th back to myself and our director of budget and finance. We meet with each department individually to review those requests for the next fiscal year um in early January. And then the finance committee begins to review those requests in February. Uh and then you see in March the schools and the larger departments have uh pub- public budget hearings. And then

090early April we begin to review the full uh fiscal 2017 budget as we prepare for town meeting in June. I also want to go over some of our financial policies that guide our budget uh annually. So, number one priority is we need to propose a balanced budget. That is um we have to do that for the Department of Revenue. We We bring forward a budget that's out of balance to town meeting. We review and and try to present a fully funded operating budget. We want to bring adequate funding for maintenance and replacement of capital. We prepare a 10-year capital plan. We our free cash should be maintained between 2 and 1/2 to 5% of the general fund operating revenues. Any free cash beyond our reserve balance goal is utilized for non-recurring expenditures. So, we don't

091want to use one-time revenue for recurring expenditures. We have a goal to have at least 10% of our general operating budget to in our stabilization fund. We fund other post-employment benefits, which is primarily made up of health care for our retirees at $200,000 per fiscal year and $1,500 for each new eligible employee. Long-term debt is limited to capital projects and confined for projects that are too expensive to be financed with current revenues. Our user fees are reviewed annually and grants and gifts consistent with the mission and strategic direction of the town. And then finally, you know, we we want to invest in economic development with the balance of the goals of the greater community. And our investment practices should be in accordance with the town's investment policy and Massachusetts General Law. We get into what

092our general fund operating expenses are. Obviously, the schools, our public safety, public works, community services, general government. We have debt service, benefits and insurance. The makeup of our overall budget is seen on the screen here. And so, you see health and liability insurance make up about 16%. You have debt service, general government, community services, public works, public safety. As mentioned this evening, schools are the largest line item on the budget. And our total cost of education, so that includes Dartmouth Public Schools, Uh, Bedford Voc-Tech, Bristol Aggie, and then the benefits that are for our school department employees encompasses about 65% of the budget, estimated around $73 million for fiscal 27. Then we get into our fixed costs. So, you know, you hear $113 million and you think, "Okay, the town has a lot of flexibility

093with the budget." When you really break it down, that discretionary funding becomes much smaller because you see based in fiscal 27, we have almost, you know, 33.4 million dollars in fixed costs. Those are those costs that we don't have a ton of discretion with. Uh, we have debt, our pension to Bristol County retirement is $7.3 million, our work and workers compensation, health and life insurance for all employees of the town is $10.75 million, uh, Medicare payroll tax, property and liability insurance, sick and vacation buyouts, Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech assessment, Bristol County Agricultural High School's assessment. We have membership and dues to regional, uh, SRPED, the regional planning agency. Our IT, um, the IT 577,000 is just for the, um, cost of subscriptions and different, um, things that we have to have there, but that does

094not include, uh, any sort of staff. Uh, veterans benefits, 585,000. We have state assessments, so you see that state aid number which I'm going to get into, that doesn't take into account we have almost $2 million in state assessments. So, that that comes right out of that. Uh, and then utilities, you know, we we run a lot of facilities between general government and the schools. And so, our between our natural gas and electric, we're over a million dollars. So, right there, you know, $33.4 million. So, now let's get into fiscal 27. What is our revenue actually made up of? The largest, uh, portion of our revenues is our property taxes, about 71% of the budget, uh, and we're limited to new growth plus 2 and 1/2%. State aid for fiscal 27, we use the governor's

095budget. That's the only budget that's available at this time is a 1.2% increase over last year. So while we're in our budgets are increasing, you know, 4, 5, 6% state aid overall is 1.2% increase from fiscal 27. Local receipts, which is a topic that we heard addressed in the public hearing portion of tonight, is a 1.43% from fiscal 24 to 25 and we're relatively flat projected from fiscal 26 going into fiscal 27. We bring in revenue from over overhead and indirect costs. We have several enterprise funds that essentially operate like businesses and we charge overhead for them for the the functions of general government and so we bring in some other funds there and then other available funds is a miscellaneous category. This is the breakdown of our general operating revenues and so I had

096mentioned about 71% is in property taxes. I mentioned state aid, that's about 14%. Local receipts, overhead, indirect and then other available funds. Local receipts is made up of things like motor vehicle excise, that's the majority of our revenue. We have a meals tax, a rooms tax, boat excise tax, interest. So we have investment income and so as you see the economy has some instability in it and your interest rates are have dropped a little bit. That that's good for the overall economy. What we see is we have investments that we now produce less income from those investments. So we have to take that into account with our local receipts. As I mentioned proposition two and a half, the levy limit increases year over year, essentially two and a half percent plus new growth. Anything beyond

097that would require either an operational override or a debt exclusion to pay for a debt. This chart breaks down the essentially our revenue, our new revenue for fiscal 27 projected. And so we project revenue our new growth at $800,000. We have debt exclusions which pays for a debt that the voters have approved essentially an additional tax and then we have our straight 2.5% which is just shy of $2 million and and then you have the base levy from the prior fiscal year. So new growth is really the only opportunity beyond 2 and 1/2% to bring in additional revenue and what you see here is our new growth has become stagnant. This is certainly not unique to Dartmouth. You we're seeing this around the Commonwealth really around the country. Development slows. One of the more unique

098attributes of Dartmouth is you know, we have a number of projects proposed right now, but that we have not seen a large single-family development in a number of years. It's just you're not seeing that in the in Dartmouth. And so that that plays a significant role in new growth decreasing. This shows you the trends in new growth and so in fiscal 26 that chart on the right is how our new growth was made up of. So of the approximately $821,000 of new growth that we saw last year or the current fiscal year I should say, only 228,000 of that was in residential. We had 58,000 in commercial and majority of our new growth this year was in personal property $484,000. And so I mention the decrease we're seeing in new growth because prior to in

09920 fiscal 23, fiscal 24, our new growth was up over a million dollars in fiscal and down to 821,000 in fiscal 26. And so there was a comment that we've been conservative in our budgeting and that's true. We have been conservative in our budgeting, but we're conservative to an extent. And so for instance, we're budgeting $800,000 in new growth for fiscal 27. Our actual this year was 821,000. That that's not a huge margin for error if the trend continues. This gives you an overall picture of our revenues going into fiscal 27. So, I mentioned our base levy limit. We have additional 2 and 1/2% that $800,000 in new growth, your debt exclusions. So, essentially the town of Dartmouth will tax approximately $82.5 million in fiscal 27. State aid, which is another big component of our

100revenues, is 16.57 million. However, we then have an assessment of almost $2 million. So, our net state aid is around $14.7 million. Local receipts, we're estimating at 11.235 million. And then those other indirect and overhead costs. So, our overall revenue we're projecting is $113,322,409. Going back to the conservative approach that the town has taken, we are with local receipts Local receipts are one of the only things that we have real kind of control and discretion over. And so, the Department of Revenue and most most finance directors, town administrators around the state will tell you you never want to go over 90% of your prior year actuals in local receipts. That's kind of where you want to be. That gives you a little bit of a buffer if there's an unforeseen circumstance. You know, we were

101fortunate in COVID. We weren't conducting mass layoffs because we had some budget discretion. And And we have some of that built in. You know, the the state is projecting potentially a billion dollar deficit this year in the state budget. And what that means for us, we're not sure. But that could mean 9C cuts for the town of Dartmouth. That could mean cuts in local aid in fiscal 27. And what we don't want to do is we don't want to have a budget that is budgeted at the maximum revenues. And if we did have cuts, we you essentially then be saying in the middle of the year, okay, we have to lay off staff and a significant amount of staff to make up for those cuts. And so, we we build some buffer in, which goes

102to the conservative approach. We are now up over 93% of our prior year actuals when we budget local receipts. So, we're we're not taking a conservative approach anymore. Um something that myself and Gary discuss regularly because one of the reasons we have been able to sustain so long without going for operational overrides like many communities around the Commonwealth is our conservative approach. 93% of prior year actuals in local receipts is not a conservative approach. That that does not give us much flexibility if we have anything unforeseen happening in happen in fiscal 27. Um so, that that is something we are concerned with. It allows us to build a little bit more into the budget in fiscal 27, but if something does happen, it doesn't leave us a lot of uh leeway. Uh we are experiencing

103The town has been fortunate in bringing in a lot of revenue um from solar agreements that we the town in went into years ago. Now, those solar panels are um they're not producing as much as they were. That's a natural thing with solar energy. And so, we have seen a drop-off this year of hundreds of thousands of dollars in that revenue that we have to take into consideration with those local receipts. Um and so, that that's something we need to be cognizant of and we are, but I just wanted to mention that. 90% is really where most munici- municipalities are with local receipts. We're at 93% going into fiscal 27. >> I can just add something to that, Cody. I think um the the shortfall that we're going to be seeing from the state cuz

104we know there's going to be a shortfall um is now over $1 billion. We're hearing estimates I'm hearing estimates close to $1.8 billion. Now, that is not in fiscal 27. That's in fiscal 26. So, that gap has to be fixed between now and June. And what worries me is that um usually they'll they they could go to the their own stabilization fund and try to correct that. But other than that, it would be potential 9C cuts within within the fiscal year within the fiscal year that we're in. So, what does that mean? If you remember back in the Romney administration, they did just that. They went and slashed state aid in the middle of the year, and there were communities that were laying off firemen, policemen, school teachers. So, the reason why I think that

105we don't as we've just mentioned budget to the max on revenues is because we don't know what's going to happen with that. We don't know what's going to happen We know what's happening. We see with solar. We know investment income is down. Um we know that these categories that were trending upward, even through COVID, are now going the opposite way. So, we have we have to be prepared for that in the budget. We We don't want to We don't want to have to cut budgets in the middle of the year. But obviously, we have no control over the state budget. That's something that uh would be handed down from us that handed down to us. We We went to the MMA conference. They talked about uh revenues already at a shortfall. They're spending more money

106than they're bringing in uh at at a substantial rate. So, this is something I think that we could um you know, spearhead. But there are communities out there that are budgeting way more than 93% that if any fluctuation in those numbers, there there's going to be cuts to their budgets immediately within this fiscal year. One of the other reasons that we take a somewhat conservative approach in our revenue estimates is In In Massachusetts, um communities essentially budget one of two ways. And so, you either budget for your capital projects, so you know what your capital projects are going to be. You include a capital line item in your operating budget, and you you raise the revenues to cover those costs. Or, you do what Dartmouth does, which is you only budget for your reoccurring operating

107costs, and then you fund your capital with your free cash at the end of the year. And so, you need to plan to have a significant amount of free cash. You saw our financial policies. We aim for 2.5 to 5% um to cover those capital costs. If we start budgeting our revenues right to the T of what we anticipate them coming in at, we then would have to start budgeting for capital. And so it's six and one half dozen another. If we were to come up with another million dollars in revenue, we now need to budget a million dollars for capital because we we have a lot of capital needs in this town that we need to meet. And so um we the town of Dartmouth has always done it the way of of funding

108it with free cash. It's something that has worked, it's effective, and a lot of communities do it. But you you do have to do one or the other. You can't max out your revenue estimates and not budget for capital because we all have capital needs. Yeah, we've been extremely lucky over the last few years to average about five and a half million dollars in in surplus free cash on the general fund side. So that means projects that we were been able to do. As a matter of fact, CIPC just met today and proved that for the spring town meeting and and put back millions of dollars into infrastructure for the town including the schools, DPW, you know, town buildings. So we're we're we're at that advantage where we some towns actually borrow every single year

109for ongoing smaller projects. I'm not talking about new construction about you know, sewer treatment plants or schools. But they borrow for those little things every single year so their debt is mainly for the short-term items. We've we're lucky in Dartmouth to be able to sustain that through free cash. Each and every year. Yeah, what is that current stabilization fund funded at right now? 14 What do we have in the in the account? 14.2 million. So um some of the challenges that we're facing as one Dartmouth as mentioned tonight is you know, inflation has slowed down some somewhat but you know, construction costs is on average 12% increase. Benefits, health insurance, you know, we believe it or not we use Maya and the rate increase this year is 8%. That was actually better than we anticipated.

110So while 8% is not great, it it's a lot better than 15 and 20% which is what a lot of municipalities are seeing this year and saw last year. Uh but that's still a significant uh hit on the budget. And then again, that as I've discussed I think in depth, our revenue constraints were were bound by Proposition 2 and 1/2. Uh we're certainly concerned about local receipts. Myself and Gary review local receipts on a almost weekly basis uh to see if make sure we're trending in the right direction and and even this year we're trending down. Motor vehicle excise which is the biggest piece of local receipts is down significantly and you think about it. What what's one of the things if the economy starts getting tough, interest rates are on the higher side, people

111start buying new cars, right? And when people buy new cars, they're higher value and that means more revenue for the town. As people's cars get older and they don't replace them with newer vehicles, that's less motor vehicle excise for the town. So, it makes sense when you think about it big picture. And these are all trends that we I mean when when I'm building the budget for um and presenting it to the selectmen and to Cody, uh these are trends that we look at prior to any fiscal year end and also trends that we look at going forward. Uh you look at study housing housing studies, the sales of auto motor vehicle um uh sales in the country are down now 1.6% uh going on for the first quarter. So, as the discretionary income becomes

112less, people are not going out there and purchasing brand new vehicles. And then that just in turn uh reciprocates with the motor vehicle excise tax that we collect in the community. So, uh there's a lot of trends that are out there that suggesting that those those benefits and those inclines that we were seeing in calendar 25 are now starting to go the other way. Uh trending downward. Including investment income which you talked about. Typically, we were getting 5% even during COVID, right after COVID. Now we're looking at about 3.9% on average for investments for the town. I also want to touch on some of the initiatives because um we heard some comments this evening that there's been a lot of discussion and not a lot of action. Um and I respectfully disagree because I think

113there's been a lot of action in in this meeting here tonight shows all the action that that's going on in the efforts going forward. So, we've put together a health insurance insurance steering committee. That's something we're actively working on, um and we're looking to make sure there's savings, not just to the town, but to our employees. That's one of the things we've heard from a lot of our school department employees and general government employees is the cost of health insurance here it it's high. Um and so we we've made a a tremendous effort, and we think we have some good options moving forward. Um but that's something we've been working on behind the scenes. Our gas utility contract. So, the town operates a little bit differently than the average um resident, where we we go

114out and we get contracts for our utilities. So, we procure our own electricity costs, we procure our own gas costs. Um our gas contract is going to be up in about a year, and we we have an energy manager consultant, Kathy Stanley, who um she you can you can lock in a new rate essentially whenever whenever you want. And so we start looking at this about a year of natural gas here to heat all of our buildings. Um and the unrest in the Middle East began about a month ago, and as you know, that is having a significant impact on utility costs. Um and we were really concerned of what that's going to mean for the town in fiscal 27, 28, 29, fiscal 30. Uh we were able to lock in quite literally a day

115before the those uh implications in the Middle East hit the gas market, and we locked in for another 3 years. Uh essentially our total impact town-wide is only going to be $10,000 a year increase gas cost for the next 3 years. That that is significant. Uh we were anticipating once the conflict in the Middle East began in the range of 2 to $300,000 increases per year. And so, kind of just one of the initiatives I wanted to touch on. We created the budget advisory group. This is a group made up of two members of the school committee, two members of the select board, and two members of the finance committee to try to create this consensus budget moving forward to the One Dartmouth approach recognizing that, right, we are all reliant on one another. There's

116one no single department that is not reliant on another. And so, we need to find a budget that works for everybody moving forward and not prioritize or deprioritize a single department. And so, we've had several of those meetings. Mr. O'Neill is the chair of that group, and I think those have been quite productive. We actually have a meeting tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. And then, we're also going to be launching within the next month a budget transparency portal on the town's website. It's as simple as you can go on. It shows you where the expenditures are, what the percentages are. You can actually even type in what your personal tax bill is, and it'll show you what what each portion of your tax bill goes to. So, if you have a $4,000 tax bill, it'll

117show you that $2,500 goes to education, you know, $600 goes to police. It breaks it down. So, we're really trying to make sure that you and the community are aware of how the town's spending their money, uh so you can see just what that impact is. Um Well, I I think one other comment, too, I think on the health insurance steering group. We heard it from We heard it last year that that was a big a big issue within town trying not only to maintain a level of bringing people in to to to work for the town, but also keeping the the staff that we have. So, you know, that that was formed, as Cody mentioned, we have some we made some good progress on this. We're meeting with the insurance advisory committee and again

118with the insurance with the health insurance steering committee. That not only save the employees money on these runaway costs for health insurance, but also to save the town some some money. So, if if the I I keep saying if the stars line up, this could be a substantial savings for everybody involved. So, we're working closely with that. Hopefully get that done before April. Yeah, that's a good point. Thanks, Gary. So, you know, we are not here to say, you know, that the budget shouldn't be funded from the school department, but what I can say is the charter is very clear in that our authority and what we are supposed to do is prepare and present a budget, a balanced budget, to the Finance Committee for review and for the Select Board for review and adoption

119to bring to town meeting. And I mention that because we are not necessarily advocates of one single department over another. It is our job to look at the town as a whole, and the school department is a is a department of the town. And so, we consider those budget requests the same we do with every other department. And we essentially have to present a balanced budget to the Select Board, and right now we do not have a balanced budget based on what we've been presented. I can tell you that in our meetings with all departments, one of the things that Gary and I have focused on early on in this budget season has been the Select Board's been very clear in basically doing everything we can to fund the school department at the highest level

120possible. And so, that has been something that we have reiterated to all of our departments and divisions. And we've made a lot of progress, and I think with that what you see is there really are no um there no increases other than contractual in the general government budget. You know, there aren't new positions with the exception of a 0.25 DPW business manager. You know, it's really a bare-bones budget recognizing the priorities of the Select Board that they gave to us and recognizing the needs of the school community. We started discussions early on with the members of the school administration team. And I can even tell you that we've made great progress there because when we first started looking at revenues and expenditures, we were we were anticipating about a 3% increase that we were able

121to going to be able to afford to give Dartmouth Public Schools. We have tightened everything up that we possibly can. And I think what we're looking at now is close to 4 and 1/2%. And that is, you know, that is with the some of the savings from health insurance. That is with some of the savings that Voc-Tech's assessment was a little bit less this year. That is with um a couple of departments that proposed new positions. We have reduced those out of the budget. And so, we have essentially cleared up as much funds as we can. That's with us going to 93% of our local receipts. So, we're really maxing out all of our revenues where we feel at least comfortable. Um and so, I I think while I recognize it's not the 6.8% that

122the school committee uh is requesting, um you know, it's certainly given that the revenues and where they are, uh 4 and 1/2% is is is it's it's it's pretty good uh considering the situation that we're in. And that with that, we'll gladly open it up for questions, discussion by the board or the school committee. Not a question exactly. Um and I appreciate your conservative approach. Um I can appreciate Mr. Kylie's um penny-pinching on our end. Um and honestly, the problem is the 2 and 1/2% on uh real estate tax. Um and unless that changes at the state level or in the town level, we're never going to win. Um I personally feel that the schools need at least level funding because to go backwards, it's very hard to go forwards again. UM AND I UNDERSTAND,

123you know, you have your rules of how you spend your money as do we about not spending one-time revenue for ongoing expenses. And we have broken our rules. Several times. That you have occasionally broken your rules. Um I would just say, you know, we don't know where this economy is going. It does seem um volatile at this moment. Um but I know that the school department is has and will continue to spend down um our school choice funds. Um and I know in past meetings we have discussed the pre-kindergarten funds, which is small, but it's a one-time revenue that we need or I personally feel, we haven't voted on it. Um we need to put in the bucket to hope that we can at least continue to be as good as we have been. Um

124we have a great uh new strategic plan and I have great hope that it's going to take us from being just above average in the state to really bringing all our students up and helping them progress and do their best. Um so I mean, my only question would be would you consider level funding taking from something like the stabilization for a year with the understanding that um we would go to the people and ask for an override or we would do a sleep-in at the State House for the next 3 months and ask them to uh change the 2 and 1/2 law. Um so it's not really a question, but if anyone This is book. I I had one question in review of the budget. Um because one of the things that we've done is

125we have spoken to, and I know Mr. Kyle also sent a letter to our state reps, um, state senators and to Boston about changing the formula on school choice. So, when I looked over the detailed the school department's detailed budget, and I looked at out-of-district public school students, there's this year there's 67. But, I wasn't sure if that was 67 students that leave Dartmouth at the high school, and so we're paying out $5,000 per student there. Because I what I what I have said is we receive 5,000, but we've all looked at this and said that it costs 19,000. So, there's a big discrepancy. It's not a little discrepancy. Um, but I don't want to, you know, after having penned the letter, now I'm like, what if I'm penalizing Dartmouth in some way? So, are

126we getting in more students than are leaving? Yes. So, the answer The answer to that is yes. We we get in about 100 Our target is about 120 students. Um, often times the students who um, so first of all, the school choice students out of Dartmouth, um, can be any grade level, depending on the other school districts that accept. And typically, what we find is it's folks who are working elsewhere. Um, so there's a lot of educators working who live in Dartmouth and are working elsewhere in other communities, and uh, often times those folks, um, like we do in Dartmouth for our own educators who have students we at the high school, we encourage them to to sign up for school choice, um, because it gives us at least another $5,000 which we're thankful for.

127So, similarly other communities do the same thing. We find that to be the trend. That's good. I was just in a panic after looking at that number thinking I just shot us. Um because I I in my letter I proposed even if they were able to do it, you know, $1,000 a year as an incremental increase until they get closer to the state average, um it would be helpful. I mean, it's not a ton, but it was just one thing when I looked at this that I thought have I stepped in it? So, thank you for clarifying that. Um I also went through your budget and looked at the state aid. Um your chapter 70. Uh state aid. So, on your pages 80 or 82, I think it was. Um and trying to get at

128um sort of the configuration of how the state is coming up with their number. And I know this was a discussion at our budget advisory um group because we know that the suburban towns and now they've even added another component calling us coastal towns are at a a loss with the configuration of how they're adjusting chapter 78. So, they have the gateway cities formula. They have a formula for the um Western Massachusetts communities, those rural communities. Um but the majority of the state is in our shoes with a chapter 70 funding formula that doesn't benefit us and doesn't show um a lot of change year to year. And my biggest concern saying that is that hearing about a ballot question that's going to be um on the on our ballot from the state which is

129asking for a percentage of um state tax to be waived. And that state tax is how we get our chapter 70 money. So I'm concerned if people don't understand how we get the aid, the state aid they're going into the ballot box and thinking I don't want to be taxed, I'll cut that. And in the end, that's exactly one of the losses that we would receive in aid. Fair point. Yes. Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, I agree. And one of the other things you got to look at is, you know the young lady in the gold dome wants to sit there and adjust the motor vehicle and do away with the marking fees type of deal, which I know come to us and go back to the registry and all those wonderful good things

130that are on the cherry sheet part of the assessment that you talked about, okay? Plus the ballot question that says we're going to cut state income, you know, to cut you know, the state income taxes down and everything else. There's a There's a lot of balls in the air here with this type of deal. Uh yeah, I agree with the the the state formula. Okay, and I've mentioned it a number of times it if with this committee at these meetings type of deal. I'm not trying to forget the gateway cities, they're their own Yeah. >> That's that own animal and that type of deal. But, when you have communities around here type of deal, and percentage-wise they're getting more than we get, there's a problem. Okay? And it's going to take our legislatures and you

131know, I think we have to be ready to fight that battle. Because they're not going to want to you know, they're going to want to take on our legislatures, take on, you know, some of the other bigger communities and cities and towns and that to readjust these formulas, but I think it's something after all these years has got to be done. Yes. Yeah, Mr. Kyte. So, I I had the opportunity, so the legislature um requested of the Department of Education that they do a listening tour regarding the Chapter 70 formula. I had the opportunity to testify at that. Um one of the things that I can say about the formula, it's been broken for a long time. Um there's been a couple of tweaks through the years, but the bottom line is that for Dartmouth

132it's very simple. If you look at the line of our Chapter 70 aid, it's almost flat. Um they believe based on this formula, the state believes that Dartmouth it should receive 17.5% of its um target share from Chapter 7 of of its foundation budget from from Chapter 70 funding. We currently are at 24.48%. So, they think we're getting too much based on the formula. 82.5% is the is the um is the largest possible share that can exist and the lowest possible share is 17.5% which is what they think we are we should be receiving. Similar to communities that were nothing like like Wellesley and lots of other communities that have a great deal more resources than us. So the formula doesn't make sense. You're right. Um it's a very easy formula for us because we

133have no chance of getting anything. So um that's but what's happened in the state is um back about 10 years ago we were one of about 100 communities in this boat. Now we're one of about more than 250 communities who are in a similar position as us where now we're all called minimum aid communities. So if it doesn't make any sense to have a formula that 75% of the communities in Massachusetts are going to get nothing but the bare minimum um out of. So hopefully that spurs action. I know it's why they did the listening tour and why I was able to testify at it but uh I we can't count on that to save us. That's you know that's going to take time. >> No, neither of the two uh the items that I've

134mentioned will save us. It I'm really bringing them up just as a point of clarification and reference and educating the public before they go to vote on that question. Mr. Tataboune. >> Thank you. Uh I hope that everyone in the room understands that how our dynamic of processes has become Looking at the budget We have two We have a staff at the school department that has a handle on it that I've never seen before. We have a dynamic town administrator. Uh there wasn't long long ago we were given a $40 million budget one line item with one number at town meeting for school budget and that was it. No discussion. We've come a long way since then. I'm not one of those old school guys, but they come a long way since then. And what

135frightens me the most about all this is the amount of constraints we now have when you consider things like uh special needs and mental illness isolation these kids are having such trouble. Here we are debating about whether we should take care of these kids or not. I'm I'm very much in favor of the 4 and 1/2% budget. I think it's critical. I would even try to persuade my colleagues to go the full 6. whatever percent that number is. Um and I'll do what I do what I can uh to persuade them, but on the other hand there's also I would like to know um I think Mr. DeVaul said it's about a million and a half dollar differential. That's what it is. From one to the next. And maybe we can look at that number

136and say what is critically important, what we have to have which really services kids and look at each one of those come up with a number that's maybe somewhere in between. There's a lot of dynamic things going on here in town. Long-range planning is very scary. We got a lot of money to spend three, four, five hundred million dollars over the next 40 years. Schools in the best Here we are looking at affordable housing in the projects where we we're in a need for water and sewer and and just buying water for that matter. So we're moving towards all those things that in my mind in a very dynamic way with great leadership from our town administrator as we go along, but I think it's in the temporary short term I think it's really important

137to look at what we're spending and look at that one and a half million dollar gap and I'm rounding off with that number and say, "What can we do to come back and tell us what's really critically important and maybe it's even more than we think, but that would be a good way to get us off this this discussion and move into something that's really concrete because I think that's what it boils down to. These are really good people with good numbers and I just want make sure that everyone appreciates that what this process has become over the years and how participatory it's been and how open it is because we can look at every single dollar we spend in the school department as well the rest of the town and it's pretty dynamic that

138way. Thank you, Mr. Brooks. You're welcome. Mr. Oliver. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh first of all, thank you to the select board for coming out and meeting with us. I think this is a huge first step. This is the first time in my 14th, almost 14 years being on school committee that we've had this opportunity that you come out here. It was great to see you. I'm sure you enjoyed listening to some of our students speak earlier. So, just you know, I think we've grown leaps and bounds with our communication over the past several years, especially between our two groups as well as finance committee. There's been a lot more open, honest communication, dialogue. I think a lot more um you know, forward movement rather than backing up. I appreciate, you know, the the 4.5%

139number you know, that you've come up to that in looking at the numbers. It's still looking at, you know, what we're proposing just level services if unless this number has changed. The last number I have is where we're at 5.02% for for our level service. So, and that's not including any new positions. For me, very simple. Anything that does not include for so, obviously, I don't want to go backwards, right? I don't think anyone in this room, we've heard from a number of passionate individuals, parents, community members here this evening that care deeply about Dartmouth. They grew up here. They're sending their students here, their grandchildren. So, we don't want to go backwards. That's one thing we don't want to do. So, at the very least, you know, the 5.02%, but for me, anything in

140obviously in the spirit of working together, anything that is not any I'm sorry. Anything that is not that is a forward-facing student position needs to stay in the budget in my opinion. So, if we're if we're looking at our budget recommendations for new FTEs for new students, it's a non-starter for me for this school. I will vote no on moving a budget forward if it's the our four elementary ESPs are not included in it, our three RBTs elementary are not included in it, our adjustment counselor is not included in it, our our job coach for the Atlas program is not included in it, our elementary instructional music program. You can see the trend here that I am looking for student-facing positions. Our students deserve this. We are well below what we've heard it before. I

141think it was 52 to meet the state average for educational support professionals. We'd have to hire 52 to hit the state average. Our teachers need the support. The behaviors, the concerns that these uh these kiddos are coming in with we've never seen before. And we want to I know that Dr. Seaman Maguire and her admin team are doing everything they can to keep them in the least restrictive environment, which is what we all want to see. And bringing the support in to help these students is only going to help keep them in the least restrictive environment. So, therefore, I know we I'm in technology. Trust me, I would love to see another I'd love to give Mr. Galleshaw, another technology person, athletic coordination. I know we've be we've beat this horse before, human resources person.

142We need a human resources director, but it's not student-facing. Any budget that that this school school committee is going to put forward, in my opinion, I will be voting no on unless these forward these student forward-facing positions are included. Thank you. Um I'm kind of in a unique position here because I sat on that side of the day as for 15 years. This building is a result of when Mr. Nunes and I fought for this building. So, there's a unique perspective that I have. But, also, I want to bring a little history. When Prop 2 and 1/2 came in, there were only three communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that fully evaluated their resources, their tax base. Dartmouth was one of them. And as a result of 2 and 1/2, it put those three communities,

143including the town, behind the eight ball when it came time to raise revenues based upon 2 and 1/2. So, we're really not at 100%. We're around 89.5% 90%. We've always been behind the eight ball ever since 2 and 1/2 came around. And this is the problem. Sitting on that side of the uh of on the table, we've always said, "You know, if we only had minimum net school spending. If we were there, if that would be so great. The closest the school department ever came to minimum net school spending was approximately, and I got it on my paperwork here from DOE reports, was approximately maybe 10 years ago or maybe 8 years ago when it came to about $1,900. Well, right now that's a little bit about $3,600. So, if you were to take the

144student population and take that difference and put it to an override, you're looking at a $12 million override for the school department just to meet minimum net school spending. And on the basis of taxes on the average median tax, you're probably looking at somewhere around 6, 700 dollars on on your tax base increases in on a minimum on a medium. So, but we don't want to do that. I don't think anybody wants to really pay more taxes. So, the decision that everyone in this community has to make is what do you want the town to look like? And when I say the town, I mean school department, DPW, police department, town hall, and everybody else. What do you want to look like? Now, everybody says Duxbury is a great place to live. Sure in hell

145is. You know? But what are we willing to do to make it better? Are we willing to take a little bit more? Are we willing to do an override? An operational override. Now, as far as looking at the numbers here, the school department between FY27 and FY26, the difference is $3.8 million, rounded it up. It's 3,799,423. The 3% gets them to 57,142,848 or 2.135 of the of the proposed budget they're not getting. A 4% gets them about a million and a half not to the proposed. So, one of the things I haven't figured it out yet. It's still trying to to work my numbers here in my head is if there was an operational override, what would be that amount? Would it be to request exactly what they want? Or something else? I mean, the

146DPW could use a little extra help. You know, the police department they're they're looking for help. You know, um I know Chris has said something about the HR person. You know, you know, the town the town pays for the health benefits, the town does the OPEB stuff, the town does this. Why not the town do the HR for the school department? You know, if we get a person an assistant to the HR person, then that solves it saves them some money, puts more money on our hand, and it gets it gets them away from dealing with all that. So, this isn't easy. I know it's not easy. And you know, for the longest time is it's I I just think there has to be some compromises here. We have to sit down like adults and

147figure out exactly what we need to do. And yes, we have to address the gorilla in the room, and that's the override. There have been plenty of overrides in this in this Commonwealth. Many of them have failed. And when you look at net school spending, You have to excuse me. Just I I spent like an hour on the DOE reports and it kind of fried my brain here. In 2020, minimum net school spending was for I'm sorry. Per pupil, the state average was 17 million 57280. 2021, that figure rose to 19,066. Why? There were There were several overrides for the school departments that did occur in Commonwealth, which drove that price up. So, in 2016, that was the closest Dartmouth ever got to per pupil spending. They were $1,490.57 per pupil away from the state

148school spending. That now figure in 2024, and that's the only figures that are available on the DOE website, is 382563. So, roughly, the town of Dartmouth is at 83.48% 83 um 83 and 1/2% of schools minimum net school Sorry. >> Per pupil. Per pupil spending. Dartmouth is at 83 and 1/2. So, the decision that you have to make, the decision that we have to make, and the decision you have to make, is whether or not you want to spend a little extra money and have an override in this town. I don't have a problem pushing an override to everybody. It has to be specific. It has to be targeted. And it's not going to be just a general override. It has to be a specific for a specific item. At that point in time, if

149we decide to go for it, it's all up to you. Because you're the ones who have to vote for it. So do we. I mean, you know, we're we're also voters in the town taxpayers, you know. Um personally, I would support a small override to the schools. And I was I would support that and I would vote for it. I don't have any kids in the system anymore. Mine are all gone. But that still doesn't that still doesn't hold me from not doing my part as a member of this community because people did it when I went to high school, Diamond High School. And I expect and it's called paying it forward. Thank you. Thank you, Sean. Mr. O'Neil. Um Heidi, thank you. So, how many how many people here are town meeting members? Good

150to see that. That's a big difference from probably 2 or 3 years ago, I would I would surmise. And and those numbers are going to be uh very important in the next couple of years. Um the budget advisory group is I've seen Jim Kylie more than he probably ever wished to see me. Uh but the the collaboration that we've we've gotten ourselves into is has been pretty good. Um we're really working hard at this. The the figures the figures don't lie. They everybody knows what the problem is. We have a structural deficit in this town. Uh 2 and 1/2 has restrained us. Uh we need to figure out exactly what it's going to take to get this department to where we need it to get to, but not have any surprises the year after and

151the year after that. What that number is, I don't know yet. We Jim's still doing some work, I understand. We've got some work to do and this issue isn't over as far as I'm concerned or any of us concerned. I think what basically from what personally I've heard is that everybody is very interested in trying to get us back to a point where we can get this department moving forward at a number that makes sense for them. Um The problem is that we're going to have to do this along with a huge capital outlay. You know, you can only kick this can down the road so long. What we've done in this town is we've kicked this can way down the road. We're we're We're having problems with the buildings that we have, the services

152that we have. We've got some additional revenue, yes. That may come to fruition, but it may not. You know, 40B's are are a funny thing. Sometimes you get all the way to the finish line and they pull the application or they get the approval and they don't do it. Or they get the approval and the neighbors block it for 5 years. So, there's no guarantee that we're going to get, you know, 5, 6, 800,000 dollars next year or the year after that from these new developments. It doesn't doesn't work that way and I'm not going to blow smoke. It just doesn't work that way. If it happens, we'll have some more money. However, when that happens, if you've got a 40B with 300 people coming in, you're probably going to have a few hundred kids.

153And if the demographic is anything like we've seen in this town, which I'm sure it is across the state, the problem that we're having right now is high needs is still going to be there. High needs are going to be brought back into the system. So, the money that you just got toward your tax is going to be spent out the door. And we know that. So, you've got to be really careful in in how you assess what the revenue is going to be going forward. Uh these guys done nice job. So, we've got some things in play. We've got the health insurance. We're really working hard at that. I think we're going to we're going to be able to to make the positions a little bit more attractive. You know, if the salaries are

154are okay now, we're filling positions. So, they can't be all that bad in all the departments, not just the the school department. They're They're They're pretty decent levels. We've got a comp study that was just done and we're pretty we're pretty in the range. Um I don't want to be the lowest guy. I don't want to be the highest guy when it comes to salaries. You can't be. You want to be somewhere in the middle. You need to be competitive. Part of that is the benefits program. Benefits program has been awful. Uh not the not the actual benefit itself. The health insurance plan, it's great. Uh the problem is that, you know, you're paying a lot for it. Um so, we're working on that aspect of it, too, to make the the positions that much

155more attractive. So, we can we can attract people uh when these positions age out and they retire. So, um so, there's a lot going on uh when you look at that. Um the participation at town meeting is going to be very important, just to let you know. Um I think what's going to probably end up happening it's going to be a combination of things. But, someone mentioned actually getting it done. Okay? I I'm I'm a guy like move forward, get it over with. Um but, the problem with that is you have to be communicative with the people that are actually paying these bills. You got to talk to the the fee rate the rate payers on fees. You got to talk to the taxpayers. Um and you've got to at least communicate with them properly

156so they understand how it's going to affect them. I don't care what it what it the overall number is. Whatever that number is going to be, it's going to be. What I want to do is I want to drill down and let people know exactly what it's going to do to their house. That's it. That's how you do your mortgage, it's how you do your line of credit, it's how you pay your bills. People just need to know. Um so, that for me is a very important thing. Um the other part of it is that we've got those capital projects that we're going to have to pay for. We can't kick the road the can down the road anymore. We're going to have to bring that in somehow, and that's going to be done by

157a debt exclusion. Debt exclusion is basically going to be a tag on onto your bill. However, just like your households, you're going to know certain number of years, this is what it's going to be. We're going to build this, it's what it's going to be. It's going to fall off in 20 years, it's going to fall off in 30 years. Um so, at least you know what you're paying for. That's important. Uh and I'll probably end up bringing something for um for the elderly and the the people in the town that are are going to have more difficulty paying this tax bill uh to try and get some exemptions maybe a little bit higher. Try and deal with uh the minimum amount of revenue uh on on the tax bill. And that'll be a a

158couple of discussions about uh things like that. So, if you if you net out this amount, we're going to take a little bit off to help the people at the bottom rung. In my opinion, that that's what should be done. Um so, at the end of the day, a lot of work going into it. It's not over. It's not all It's all not all negative from what I can see. I mean, you know, I I think we're working more collaboratively now than we ever have. Um but, there are some tough decisions that are going to be made. I want to make them, and we're going to make them. Uh there isn't anybody here that doesn't want to make them. So, we're just going to we're going to we're going to get something done. Some of

159you might not like it. A lot of people that are probably watching might not like it, but it's a town you want to live in. So, we're going to do it. All right, Mr. Michaelson. Speaking Speaking of the elderly, Um unfortunately, I'm not going to be part of that dialogue. Um, I'm leaving the school board. Uh, we've got um, my one more meeting on the 30th of this month, and um, seven more days. Not that I'm counting. No, not at all. But, it's been a pleasure and uh, a wonderful It was a wonderful experience. This was a wonderful night. Um, very, very happy to be part of it, even though it's the end of my career as as as we so speak it. Um, I really enjoyed it. We should do more of this. Uh,

160I am a town meeting member. Uh, that's where I'm going to be able to help. And I will support whatever the schools need, I will support that. Thank you all once again, and thanks to the school committee. Gary? Yes, I think just maybe to touch a little bit on what Shawn had spoke about a little while ago on an override, I think. To his point, you want to know you want to know what this community all you want to plan out what this community is going to be, not just next year, but the next 10 years. And that takes a lot of strategic planning. It takes a lot of, you know, some communities ladder in overrides, where if they're asking for a two, three million dollar override, it's laddered in in multiple years. So, the

161impact isn't such as isn't as bad on the resident for that first year. But, it does take a lot of strategy and it takes a lot of selling that override to the public to make sure that it's it's feasible, as Mr. O'Neil said, and that moving forward, we've captured everything. Not just one year's worth of expense for the schools of the town, but we've looked at it the approach for the next five to 10 years and what that looks like. Because once you go to the to for an override, it's very difficult to keep on going back for for additional overrides. So, I think that's that's a strategy that needs to take place, and I, you know, we talked about that in the budget advisory group, and that can that conversation will continue. All right,

162but let's just Dave, >> may just add to that. I I think as a maybe a goal for tonight would be um I think Mr. Oliver made a really good point about this kind of numbers that are really necessary. I think that collaborating with that with uh with with Jim and staff to maybe come up with a plan to come back and say these are the things that we have to have to service kids and those are the ones that uh we cannot do without and maybe that's a great way to get started. Uh I also think that with long-range planning we're going to be spending over the next year or two uh we're going to be able to know what we're going to do rolling out uh and then we can then talk about

163how do we finance it whether it be an override or whatever because we'll do it with a plan that's has a short and long-term uh purpose to it. And until then I think we are on the right track. Uh we're all working in the same direction uh but I think it's important we take care of next year's school budget and do everything we can to get as many of those important positions in place and then keep moving forward. And I think we're all saying the same thing here but let's hear what they have to say and maybe Jim can come back and let us know what with a collaboration because I think there's a compromise involved just to make sure that 2027 is in line with reason we can feel good about it. Nobody wants

164to penalize these kids aren't getting what they need and what and what short changing them and what's the best way we can do for the short term knowing the long term is coming and we're we're all in embracing it together to make sure it's right. Thank you, Ms. Oliver. Thank you. I'll let I'm going to make closing remarks. >> just the last thing to note um there was a comment of potentially dipping into the stabilization fund. Um you'll never hear Gary or I recommend that because that is um not not a good decision financially speaking. And the reason I say that is you've heard some of the long-range planning that we're undergoing. We know we need to replace the roof here at the high school and we're going to have a significant portion of that

165potentially four to six million dollars. Um we're going to have to a for that. We have We know we need to replace the current middle school uh in the next, you know, few years. And the way that the cost of new school construction is, our portion of that will likely be north of a hundred million dollars. And so, we have the highest bond rating that a municipality can get in the state of Massachusetts. We're a triple A community. Even in with healthy reserves, if if rating agencies see you start pulling from your stabilization fund, they can lower your rating. Gary and I review what what communities get regularly for for bonds. Uh right now, we would anticipate about a 3.25% rate. Um if we start making decisions like that, we may go up to a

1665% rate. And just to give you some perspective, that's a difference of the town paying an additional 50 million dollars in interest on these projects. So, while it may seem like a short-term solution um to to get through a year at a million or million and a half dollars, I don't think it'd be wise to do with it and cost us 50 million plus um in the future. And then, just the last thing, whatever the decision here is, uh whether that is an override in the near future, whether that whether that is some consensus, um we need to figure out a road to sustainability because I think what we look at is, you know, we we're always projecting out what the budgets will be in the next five years. Um we know what contractual increases

167are for the school department at least for the next few years. And so, you can you get an idea that we're probably looking at at least 5% budget increases for level service over the next few years, if not a little bit more. And when we're growing by 2 and 1/2% you see the math. It it there's no way to sustain this um without making some tough decisions. So, that that would kind of be just my recommendation to whatever decisions we make here, um we have to make sure they're sustainable because if we go for an operational override to cover the the gap this year, that then only grows by 2 and 1/2% next year or or the year after. So, and when the budget grows by five, you right off the bat, we're going to

168we're going to be in the same situation and so um just something to think about as we move forward. >> And it's critical to to keep that in mind right now with the um with us looking at these multi-million dollar projects um you know, going going in changing our bond rating uh because we're dipping into stabilization for operational issues. Uh the bond raters will look at that as a negative impact to the rating. So, we want to keep that in in the back of our mind that you know, we're going out potentially for you know, hundreds of millions of dollars in in in a school project uh even the school roof. Uh these the interest cost will add up very quickly. Thank you. That being said, I'm just going to say that there has been

169a and it typically is around budget season and around election season, there is an uptick in communication from parents and community members. Um you're being heard, but I need you to take that same enthusiasm all the way through town meeting and talk just not to the parents who are presently impacted, but talk to the neighbors who have no one in the school system yet or long ago um and make sure they're also aware of what the needs are in the school department as well as the needs across the town because a vote will not pass if the people in this room are the only people in favor of it. So, it's like a very old commercial and you can probably ask your grandmother about it where you tell two friends about it and so on

170and so on. So, um That's my Do you know that commercial? >> Yeah, probably. Um Uh so, I want to thank the School Committee, the Superintendent and Administration for the thoughtful presentation this evening and the members of the public for your input. Tonight's discussion underscores both the strengths of the Dartmouth public schools and the real financial challenges we face as a community. As the select board continues this process, we will carefully consider what we've heard alongside the broader needs of the town and our responsibility to taxpayers. We remain committed to working collaboratively to support our students while ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability. So, thank you all for your dedication in this process and all of you as well. Thank you. And likewise, thank you. I'd like to thank the select board for attending and our town

171administrator and assistant. Really appreciate your work. Um Clearly, this is a big ask and we will sharpen our pencils um and think about the future because clearly the future is cloudy. Yeah. In so many many ways. It was nice to come to you. You have come to us for a number of years um and our meetings are far more sterile than um and far less folks, but it was nice to hear a presentation the spotlight on schools. Remember it well. Um so, it was nice to to see that. And that helps us reminds us what it's really all about. >> Exactly. So, thank you. Yeah, but we do have work ahead um and that is clear that this is not going to be solved easily. So, I appreciate all of your input. I appreciate all

172of your input um and stay involved and I hear a motion to Oh, one more? I just want to confirm we're all on the same page what the path forward looks like because I know it seems like we have time, but we have to have a full balanced budget to present within like a month. yeah. So, just to confirm the school committee is going to work with the administration to review those kind of student-facing needs. Uh uh >> Yes. I think we have a budget discussion right after this. >> Right after Yeah, we'll work through the budget advisory group. >> weeks, we will vote on this. >> Okay. Okay, that's good. And so, we can work through the budget advisory group to try to come up with a consensus budget. Great. >> Okay. Great. Thank

173you. >> Way to go, Cody. Madam Chair, select you. Yes, Mr. McDonald. >> Motion to adjourn. Second. Motion made by Mr. McDonald, seconded by Mr. Mickelson. We are now all present, so we'll just do one vote. All in favor? >> Aye. Aye. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Thank you. And I need a motion to close the public hearing, I believe, since we had a motion Oh, no, not public hearing. Not a the Just them leaving is good enough? >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, Madam Chair, make a motion that we reconvene our uh school committee meeting. Somebody seconding that? >> Second. All right. Motion by Mr. Noon, seconded by Ms. Peck. All in favor? Aye. >> Aye. And I'm assuming there's no nays, so that would be unanimous. All right. Thank you all. We are

174going to resume the school committee meeting of March 23rd after our brief pause. And um next up, we are going to discuss Let's discuss the budget. Um I thought that was some a great presentation. Um I'm happy that they're offering 4.5%. But um I think that we need to discuss items that maybe we can let go of. And I think Chris that You made You made a great point already and if you'd like to continue, let's do that. >> Yes. Let's. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um so, yeah, first of all, um I thought it was a great meeting um as well. Um this was I think unprecedented, especially with everyone um during public comment as well. I'm just trying to pull up here. So, and this can be for Mr. Kylie, Dr. Damon Maguire, Dr.

175Damon Maguire. Um we're currently for level services, we're currently at a 5.02%. Is that still accurate? Well, if I if I may. Um not entirely. Okay. So, included in that 5.2% in the key factors, um you know, because we were presenting a budget that was um to present our needs. Yep. We've incorporated additional funding for maintenance, athletics and music um in that number. In the key budget factors number. >> Yep. Okay. So, I'd be happy I mean, if we'd like, I can go over and put my computer up there and uh show you some of it if you if you'd like. It's up to you. But um but yes, so those are included. So, those are $487,000. So, if you were to um consider the rest of the key factors, it would be 4.14%. But

176then you got to remember the school choice plan cuz we can't abandon that. Agreed. >> Mhm. So, if you add the 245,000 for the school choice plan, Basically, what you're talking about level services, current level services, not making up for things we've cut in the past, is 4.58%. All right. Yeah. 4.58%? Yep. Percent it if that's a true level service in your Yes. And So And what's that overall total Mr. Kiley? >> That's $57,970,787. Thank you. You're welcome. So just does that 4.58% include the sped team facilitator? No. It doesn't include any of the budget recommendation. >> None of them. >> Including like for instance, the job coach at Atlas is a 100% must do. There's no That's saving us money. If you don't do that, we need to add Right. >> Like couple of

177hundred thousand at least to the budget. >> Yep. So it's a That's a no-brainer. That's going to happen. So going back to Just trying to toggle between here. >> Me, too. Um the budget recommendations that we were we see here of the 1.39% and the amount of $768,500. Those are the budget recommendations on one of the previous slide starting with the ESPs and the RBTs all the way down to the elementary instructional music. Is that correct? Correct. Okay. So So they're not even included. No. Not in that 4.58 Not in that 4.58% number now. That wasn't Oh, that wasn't level funded though, right? So, those are additional positions. >> So, the town from what I heard this evening, which I was pleasantly surprised with cuz I thought it was less than the 4.5%. They're Sounds

178like they're hovering around 4.5% right now. Our level service budget is 4.58%. What I said and I'm still sticking to and I'm a firm believer in is forward-facing positions. I think that's what this committee this what this district needs to focus on. Um like I said, I I'm all about some of these other positions. They're needed. They're desperately needed, but I want to see an impact in student learning in student in directly tied to a student achievement in assisting our educators in this district. My recommendation to move forward in the budget recommendations. And who am I? I'm just throwing it out there and seeing if it sticks. Uh four the first one ESPs elementary 4.0 FTEs for 120,000. That's a must in my eyes. The RBTs elementary 3.0 FTEs for 117,000. That's a must. I

179think an adjustment counselor at Dartmouth Middle School 1.0 FTE for 90,000 is a must. Job coach which has already been decided. It's happening. Um scrolling down What I struggle with is the sped team facilitator. That's not direct uh facing. Um I understand the need and I understand we've had a lot of success with that position. Um the past with the few positions that we've added as sped team facilitators in this district. I I we've had success with that. I just don't see that as an option on the table right now. Just my opinion. Um The only other The only other thing that for me is a must, at just me, is an elementary instructional music. Let's get that back in in rotation. I think all the other ones can wait. So um So that if

180if if I >> Okay, that would be 5.3%. Yeah. Like we're adding before we're even getting down. But I would also say elementary instructional music, I would love to see that, but that's adding. It's not I mean, yes, we used to have it. >> Cuz I'm just one voice. I'm just one voice. I want all of our kids to do music. It is good for all of their brain. Um but I don't I mean, I certainly wouldn't want to cut any existing music programs, but I don't I don't know that we have the luxury of reinstituting a program that has lapsed at this moment. So Okay. But but we're already way ahead. Way more money. Well Well, I think obviously you know, I think we have a plan and like Mr. Kylie said, I think

181we need to stick to it. However I need to see a budget. This is just me. I need to see a budget that's moving our district strategic plan forward. And adding some of the If we don't add several of these positions, why are we having a a district strategic plan to make us better in the first place? We need some of these positions. Our teachers, our educators are struggling with the behaviors that are in front of them on a daily basis in their classrooms. I think this is a no This is a no-brainer for me. So, the ESPs and the RBTs and the adjustment counselor, I'll leave it at that. And if we have to use school choice, we have to use school choice. All right. Yes, Mr. Nance. Thank you, Madam Chair. Help. Chris,

182I'm afraid I'm going to disagree with you. Fair enough. Wouldn't be the first time and it won't be the last. >> the last. That's right. Uh We kind of sat here, if my memory's any good, and it usually is with some of this stuff. Back in October, September, October, when we started talking about budgets and putting things together. Uh we wanted a budget that we needed. Okay, whether it be, you know, positions and things to put back and the like. You know, when you look at, you know, the budget rep recommendations for the positions between the the ESPs and the IPTs and the such. I mean, we need a you know, the maintenance person, the human resources. You know, we've beat that one to kingdom come and back. We know we need that. You know,

183I appreciate what uh was said at the select board meeting tonight about, you know, maybe, you know, piggybacking with what the town has. But, we need somebody in district, I think, that's school related and can handle something of that nature. We know Mr. Galleshaw with all the computers that we have in all these schools and the technology, we need that. That that athletic coordination, yeah, we That's a That's a person that's in front of students because they're helping coordinate all the events. You know, helping Mr. Cristofoli because he can't be on seven different fields at one time. So, you know, that's that's needed there. When you come back to some of the And I'm not calling them pie in the sky, but the other the other items that we looked at, you know, instructional supply,

184you know, the 12% increase in industrial in instructional supplies or the nursing supplies, you know, the additional equipment for athletics and music, maintenance and utilities, all of them. Bet you dollars to donuts that the uh utility bills are going to go are going to skyrocket. As are at home. Everybody's, you know, yeah, they locked in natural gas, which was great, but you know, the electric, you know, those are going, you know, tuition. I for one, and this is again, I'm one person type of deal. I was thrilled. I think I probably said that when we had this budget presented to us back in February, last month, and we had all of these things in it type of deal. I for one am very comfortable with what we have for a budget. And my recommend, you

185know, again, I'm one person, my recommendation is this budget. I respect that. That's a It's not what I thought you were going to say. I didn't either. What did you think I was going to say? Yes. It's all about kids. >> Yes, Mr. Emerald. I mean, I I don't know what else I can add. Um I I agree with you, Mr. Nunes. I don't know if I've ever said that. >> know. I don't think so. Respectfully, of course. Um you know, when we sat down this year, you know, it was like a light bulb switch. I'm a I'm a play in the sandbox. I am I don't know the phrase. Spite my nose to whatever, you know. It's cut my nose to spite my face. Like I am uh I am greater good. And uh

186and I don't off Yeah, I I I often like to compromise and uh and take that approach. That's sort of just how I operate. Uh but we put together a budget that is an incredibly lean budget because we have an incredible person at the helm who's able to do those numbers and leadership that has is steering a ship that had with a with a clear vision and a clear pathway. Um but these, as you said, the what we have in this budget and I respectfully um actually have take issue with some of the requests that aren't funded. Um but what is in here reflects the needs of the students. We are a public education district. We can't say we don't have enough money. We're not going to take in this many students. Um I am

187so grateful of the support my family has received and uh and it is so important to recognize that the needs that are reflected in this budget are a make or break a student uh who is a school that is just I've seen them in action so deep in the weeds with a response to intervention and these tiered supports and the one day it's working and the next week you realize you're meeting at a team and you're discussing an out of district placement because this cuz what is critically needed for that student can't be met in the classroom and so what we have here are these support professionals that's like the the glue that holds that classroom together. A registered behavioral technician. Um we didn't fund a behavioral specialist so 1.0 FTE. That position, the rippling

188effects, the critical rippling effects that that position uh contributes to a positive sort of trajectory of of a classroom, it's it's just unmatched and we're not funding that. So to not fund an adjustment counselor, the coach at the Atlas. I Never mind, it's it's a it it has to happen. It has to happen not just because it's the right thing to do. I think legally these kids are in a transition plan and they rightfully are to be exposed to job training, to to uh life skills and we're doing a phenomenal job but there are things we're not doing. The music program, we took it away. There are implications to that. It is necessary. It is necessary for those kids who just thrive with that having access to learn an instrument. There is nothing in this

189budget respectfully that I would personally vote to eliminate because we were very focused on presenting a bare-bones thin very thin budget that reflects what we need and as a committee I feel it's my responsibility to put that budget forward because it is reflective of what we need. It's not what we want. It's not asking pie in the sky. We have We have PTOs that are raising tens of thousands of dollars so that our kids can go on field trips. Field trips. The school budget doesn't fund field trips. And so respectfully, I would not support um a vote to take off anything that we have on this 6.8% budget. Mr. Pike Um so um you all have more experience at this than me. Um and so I just want to ask how this then plays out

190from here. If we hold the line and say this is what we proposed, which is my inclination, but I appreciate Chris's willingness to look at um what could possibly be adjusted, how does it play out from here? I think it Yes. I I think there's a few things here and correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Kylie, that if we vote forward this budget as is, it is the select board's responsibility per state law to bring a balanced budget to town meeting. >> Right. Therefore, they will have a choice to make into whether or not they can work with us with our requests or between now and then say we can't do that and we're going to we're going to set your budget at X amount of dollars and that is what we're putting on the

191town warrant and it's going to be $700,000 less than what the budget that you voted on you proposed and then ultimately it would be up to us. Um I think that's am I missing anything? No, I I I think you're right. I mean ultimately it would not be to the warrant if we don't make some adjustment. Can I can I just jump in here? I think that you know in the conversations and we've had plenty of them obviously in the last few months but certainly in the last few weeks and more intensely in the last few days and after having the opportunity to meet with the select board tonight and I think again I've been here 3 years it's a short time but at the same time I've seen a dramatic change in the way

192that we have interacted with the select board and and the finance committee. I mean we've had I think multiple opportunities to collaborate and I think the spirit of collaboration is important here. I was really impressed to hear our new town administrator speaking the language of one Dartmouth. I mean you're hearing that I think there's a commitment here. I think there's an opportunity for us here to I don't want to use the word compromise but for us to now rethink we have some things to rethink. We found out some new information here just this evening regarding the number the percentage that the town has committed I think committed to the school department. So we have some you know we have some thinking to do and we've done some already. So what I think we could do

193is take some time this you don't you're not voting on the budget tonight. Um, we have talked about perhaps, uh, planning another budget meeting before your next, before our next regular school committee meeting, so that we have time to go back and present the committee with I don't even want to call it a compromise, but we need to do some rethinking based on new information that we received this evening. And I think again with the, in the spirit of collaboration, that makes sense for us at this point. >> referring to the additional 1% in Yes. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Cuz we were talking about that, too. It does change things a bit. Mr. Kylie, would you agree? Yes. Yeah. It was a pleasant surprise, for sure, it's to at least see some significant movement. Obviously, it

194it you know, it doesn't fund our proposal, the way we would, the way we would hope, but No, but they're We appreciate it. >> They're they're trying. Yeah. We appreciate it. >> They are they are looking under some rocks. And I think that we need to look under rocks, too. And I I know we need everything that's here. Yeah. We we We can make do another year without some of these things. And we won't fall apart. Um and maybe we can still move forward. Um I think there's opportunity. I do, I think there's opportunity for us. >> I agree with Chris that um well, I agree that there are some things on the request list that we possibly could do without. Um, it would be a bit nicer to have them, but um, but that

195doesn't even get us to level. So, there's a lot of work. And then and then would we be willing to spend our tiny little kindergarten full-day kindergarten fund and um, and would we be willing to put anything else of our non-revolving funds forward? Yes, Mr. Nance. Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. Just uh a thought with what you're saying about for discussion purposes, you know, round figures, I think it's 300,000 in the in the kindergarten staff fund type of deal. I mean, to put that into our budget this year, okay, just puts us into a problem, quote unquote, problem for next year, for FY 28, because that 300 That's one-time money. That 300,000 is not available. And if the town can't help us absorb whatever we need plus that $300,000, we go back to the position

196and the way we and we did them the right way with the upper funds when we put those positions on. And we knew that they were we were going to walk that plank. But those were positions that we needed to take care of students because of what had happened with COVID. So, we knew that that was going to come to an end type of deal. But this is just This is a one-shot. It's one-shot. You know what? No matter what, we're in a heap of trouble next year, too. Yeah. And and that that money has just been sitting there, and I think that some people in town say that we're not doing anything with it. Good. Are you Are you suggesting that we don't use that 300,000? >> No. I'm not saying What Okay, I'm

197I'm I'm not saying don't use it type of deal. I'm just saying just be careful because it's not available for 28. To if if this Once. So, if I may just quickly We've been I've been hearing about this kindergarten stabilization fund for the past 13 years. It's so much money. It's It's going to fix world hunger. My record I I certainly appreciate Mr. Noon's sentiment. My recommendation for what it's worth is we use it to help this year cautiously letting everyone in town know, the select board, the finance committee, we're using this money towards helping to fund our balance our budget and get the positions. If it helps us get the positions we need, I think the overall intention and the sentiment in this room with Mr. McDonald speaking, with some of the other select

198board folks, is that we need to the town needs to make a decision about the override. Yeah. >> That That's That's coming. But, the $300,000, for the love of God, let's just spend it. And I'm here, here. Yes. And in all cer- I mean, I'm good with that. Okay, I really am. I just Everybody has to be aware that it's one-time money. And that plank, with all due respect, that plank is going to be awful short in 28. That's That's all I'm saying. I don't have a problem using it. Yeah. I mean, look. >> Miss Emerald, would you like to add to the trouble? No, I I I've I cause enough trouble. Um but did I not hear I I just can't unhear something and maybe I misheard. By using that funding, the implication is

199that when we go for something else, we may be rated lower and have a higher rate. No, that's stabilization. Oh, okay. Sorry. If we use the town stabilization fund, then our bond rating goes down. Oh, okay. Yeah. Um, which I appreciate and I don't want that to happen. Right. But I think that we have sat on that money for a very long time and it isn't that much, but Use it. So, we haven't gotten close to getting where the town wants us to get, but even if we do, and I don't know that we will tonight, we have this problem that has been brought up that every year we need three and a half, four and a half, five, six, that we can't fund. And I don't know if the schools can ever bring that

200increase, that yearly increase down. Not for the next two years. Can we? We can't. Not for '27 and '28. >> contractual obligations. Yeah, contractual obligations and just inflation. Yeah. Yeah. Look at transportation. Yeah. Transportation is a big one. >> I I wasn't going to add to the kindergarten stabilization talk, but Yes, it's been around long before my tenure. Um, and we have no use for it in its form in the form that it was voted. So, I agree it should totally should be used, but I do caution you that when you say use it in this case, we're going to be hiring people who Yeah. if who we have no future source of funding beyond 12 months. So, you know, you're committing to this and I think you're doing it for all the right reasons,

201but there is no next Well, year for them. That that money could be just not going to um recommendations, but simply to key budget factors, which doesn't include any ads. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's just a concern, but I'm not saying we shouldn't use it. We should use it for something. Absolutely. Madam Chair. Yes, please. So, obviously worst case scenario with 2 years down the road and override fails. And we still have this issue. I'm looking at a school choice spending plan right now and ultimately by FY 30, it's we're supposed to remove all of our salaries and the way I'm looking at this right right, Jim? That by FY 30, there'll be no salaries offsets going to there. Mhm. At some point if this town chooses, just my thought, if this town chooses to

202not fund an override, we're going to have no choice, but to not only continue with school choice, but to expand school choice and move some are and offset some of our salaries onto a permanent basis into school choice. And I know other districts do that. Um it's not something that I would want to do here, but I think it's a plan B. Um and I know that kind of breaks our town financial policies. Um but we are offsetting them right now. It's not something I want to think about, but I'm just thinking long-term planning if something happens with an override, cuz right now We're in a pickle with our 5 5% increases at the very least every year for the next several years. So, it's 10 after 9. Wow. Um, we do have executive session

203tonight. And I just was curious whether uh, the committee would wish to continue this budget discussion at a special meeting, maybe a Zoom meeting, if people can't attend in person, or if you would like to continue tonight. Um, what's what's the will here? Yes, Ms. Pickwell. Um, well, it sounds like um, the superintendent and the assistant superintendent want to do some more looking at numbers. And can I just ask what is our drop-dead date by which we have to vote on the budget? >> weeks from today. Two weeks from today? >> Oh, three Three weeks from today. >> Oh, I'm sorry. You're Three weeks from today. Um, so, I'm going to propose that we allow them to do what they think they should be doing right now, and that we don't have enough information to

204continue the discussion tonight. >> Yeah. Um, and so, that maybe we do a special meeting or something like that before the next meeting, or so that we know what what is going to in front of us. Um but I think we should aim for that April 13th date, but to get some information prior to that. Does that sound doable? And does that sound reasonable doable down there? No. I have I have no I'm looking at my calendar and I mean you've got Easter next week, holy you know, that type of deal. And then the following week I I've got nothing. You've got town elections on the the Tuesday, but I've got clients all next that week. I'm straight out. I'm sorry. So, what do you say? >> So, what do you propose Mr. Noons? I

205mean I don't know. I mean I feel like we need more information. Maybe maybe over the next several days uh Dr. Seaman Maguire and Mr. Kylie can you know, put some things together and you know, get it you know, get them to us type of deal. I mean if we were able to have um uh a meeting at you know, you know, pop some dates at 4:30 I can probably you know, do like 4:30 to 6:00 type of >> Okay. But that's >> Or even could be the end of this week. Right. And and we also we were just having conversation about it. It doesn't necessarily have to be and I know people are working, but if we could step away and maybe get on to a Zoom call. Maybe it's during a lunch hour

206or it's you know, it and probably it would be about an hour. So, if you could look at your calendars and see if maybe >> How long would it >> you you and your team Not less than it would take you to post Okay. 48 hours to post your meeting. Well, don't we sound efficient over here on the committee side? You got a little punchy there, Mr. Kelly. I would not be available this week. I'm in the middle of an OSIP federal audit and I am not available like to step out for lunch. But otherwise, if it was next week, I could do that. I mean, I'll be Send us some dates. Send us some dates and times, you know, I'll make it work to the best of my ability. Sorry. Well, It's okay. Not

207being critical at all. All right. So, are we We we we will propose some dates and some times. Okay. Okay. All right, great. And we are looking most likely at Zoom. And we're looking at next week. That sounds good. Marvelous. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. Thank you. Yeah, thank you, everyone. >> everybody. Um Wow. So, now we have the Massachusetts School Building Authority Statement of Interest Application for the Dartmouth Middle School Replacement Project project, which we have gotten information on our package, um simply uh we're applying to the MSBA to uh move the new middle school replacement project forward. Um Do we have a motion to do that? Do we want to hear from Mr. Kyle? >> Oh, do we? I'm sorry. >> Yes, we do. We do. Or Dr. Savage Maguire. But

208but >> That's okay. You know what So so we were um you know what Thank you. We're we're excited to put this together. This is again is the Massachusetts School Building Authority statement of interest for for the Dartmouth Middle School building. So it does not um it it involves um replacement of the middle school building. Doesn't give you the solution, but it does offer uh um information that we included regarding the opportunity to potentially close a building if a new building is built and consolidation is one factor that the MSBA uh you know, considers as a a major advantage. Obviously, one less building for the MSBA to be sort of partially responsible for maintaining. And that would likely be the 1922 Cushman School. So um we've included in your packet the form of vote to

209submit the statement of interest. We have the statement of interest itself, and we have the closed school information if a project were undertaken. So we've explained that um the Cushman School likely would be with a grade reconfig with a reconfiguration of of of um you know, schools possibly. Um but none of those things are decided at this point. Really, all we're we're pointing out to MSBA is that the building that they assessed when they came down in in last year, in 2025, as um, a building that was um, in need of major attention. Which you can you can see the report online that the MSBA did of all every building in the Commonwealth. Um, that this is our worst building. One of the worst buildings in the area, um, in terms of overall condition. And

210it's it's not it's nothing, you know, it's nothing against the people who've been maintaining it. It's just um, It's time. It's got a lot of original equipment from the 1950s and 1960, um, when there was in the the first edition. So, so at any rate, I think it's important to uh, submit this. I I I'd like to say, I saw Mr. Tatelbaum walking out, but I think the the involvement of the long-range capital planning committee in this process has been has been great for the town in that the words out there, people are familiar with it. Dr. Seeba Maguire and I did a did a tour for town officials of the middle school and high school that I think was a real eye-opener for people in understanding what we're uh, you know, what we're living

211with there at the middle school, and it's not a modern educational environment for kids. So, we're pointing that all out to MSBA. The form of vote here is very specific. It has to be read the way it's written. And I know it sounds ridiculous the way it's the way it's written, but it has to be read that way. So, that's an MSBA requirement, so. I appreciate your consideration. I'll answer any questions you have about it. Questions? I just really quickly, just timeline. What it was like I know obviously it's going to be years, but like what are we thinking? The first the first part of the timeline after submission, which this this we've spoken with the town administration. My understanding is that if you vote tonight, this would go to the select board at their

212next meeting on the 30th. Okay. If they approve it, it will get submitted by April 17th to the MSBA. And then um and then it'll be in their pool of for consideration that I don't believe they would make any judgments on until into the fall. Um and then at that point we'd know whether we were one of you know one of the projects that was that were moving forward right away. And if not, we just reapply. Um so Okay. >> That's okay. And if we're and if we are one of the projects, there would be quite a bit of work obtaining funding for feasibility study Town meeting of town meeting approval. >> Yeah, town yeah, from town meeting and then you know a series of other it would take years to build the building. So

213if we vote tonight, essentially in the fall we would sometime in the fall we may hear back. >> That yes. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, you're welcome. Anything else, Mr. Nunes? No, I'm ready to do some reading, Madam Chair. Please. Resolved, having convened in an open meeting on March 23rd, 2026, prior to the SOI submission closing date, the School Committee of Dartmouth, in accordance with its charter, bylaws, and ordinances, has voted to authorize the superintendent to submit to the Massachusetts School Building Authority the statement of interest form dated March 20th, 2026 for the Dartmouth Middle School located at 366 Slocum Road, North Dartmouth, Mass 02747, which describes and explains the following deficiencies and the priority categories for which an application may be submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority in the future. Priority 7, replacement of

214or addition to obsolete buildings in order to provide for a full range of programs consistent with state and approved local requirements. The Dartmouth Middle School building components and systems having surpassed their expected useful life and do not meet modern educational standards for a conduct conducive learning environment, and hereby further specifically acknowledge that by submitting this statement of interest form, the Massachusetts School Building Authority in no way guarantees the acceptance or the approval of an application the awarding of a grant or any other funding commitment from the Massachusetts School Building Authority or commits the town of Dartmouth to filing an application for funding with the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Do I hear a second? Second. Okay, motion by Mr. Nunes, second by Mr. Oliver. All in favor? I. >> I. Any opposed? Unanimously passes. Thank you

215very much, Mr. Kailey, for your work. >> Thank you all. We really appreciate it. >> Dr. Saver-Maguire. Thank you. Thank you. And you're up. >> I'm up. All right, everybody take a collective deep breath. Hello. A lot of great discussion this evening, and so I'm just going to give a superintendent update and tell you all of the wonderful things that are happening across this amazing school district. So, let's all just reconnect to the fact that where there is so much great work happening across the district on a daily basis here. And so, um one of the things that we're highlighting this evening is that the district has been been engaged in a special education program review at both the middle and high school levels. And while that might not seem exciting, what it is is

216it's a good opportunity for us to look very closely at our special education practices, our systems, our structures. And Lori and her team have been working together to collaborate with Case Collaborative who they're an outside entity who come in and they do an sort of like an audit of our um of our school special ed services. They're doing classroom observations, they're interviewing staff, gathering feedback through surveys, and we'll be sharing all that information with you once we get a final report. This is really our our second uh program review this year. One was by DESE, if you remember, and again that report is available publicly. And then this is an independent collaborative who comes in and gives us again like the it gives you an opportunity to have outside perspective come in and give you

217some feedback about what is and wasn't work isn't working, and we will be sharing that with you in the very near future. We also have some exciting professional learning opportunities happening later this actually pretty soon. Dartmouth High School is partnering with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to hold a session for high school biology teachers on Saturday, March 28th. And this is the second time that Dartmouth has been able to offer this, and it's offered to the region from educators across the region. The focus of this session is on helping teachers to work with students to help them to understand the natural selection process through data analysis and modeling. And teachers will be using tracking tools to connect activities to student learning, identify opportunities for pro formative assessments, and strengthening their ability to monitor progress and

218make adjustments to instruction in real time. So, this is exciting for us at Dartmouth High School. Mr. Oliver is well aware and has been involved with our students from our TV media program who have been gaining valuable real-world experience through a collaborative collaborative process at at Bourne High School. And this is under the leadership of Mr. Parody and students have gone to Bourne to film various programs, work with students at Bourne High School. Mr. Oliver, if you want to just Yeah, I'll I'll just say that I reached out I knowing Mr. Parody for all these years and the fabulous work that he does is that we were looking for some opportunities to collaborate with our students and he was all open ears and ultimately he him and his students worked together. They put together a

219quote. They are going to be billing us for billable hours making essentially making a donation to the Dartmouth community of the Dartmouth High School media program. We are also providing transportation but students extremely well-behaved. They had an opportunity they they had lunch with our students at Bourne High School and they were around filming and doing some interviews. Great real-world experience and also exposing our students to we don't have them in media production program there. And our hopes is that we can by exposing them to this kind of class work that we should be able to start one in the next couple of years. So That's really exciting. >> Yeah, thank you to Mr. Parody and the Dartmouth High School. It seems like it's been very well received in Bourne as well. And I know, as

220you said, our students are getting quite a lot out of it. We also want to recognize our robotics team. I did have the opportunity to serve as a judge in one of their sort of mock um competitions, and it always it's incredibly impressive to see what they can do with these little machines who learn how to play games. And this one they they had to um the the robot had to I I guess throw um balls different colored balls in a certain sequence. And uh it was really fun to to watch and to see the excitement that our students have. And at the same time, I know that I am just completely amazed by what they know and what they know how to do. And hopefully um one day I'll ask questions about the actual

221mechanics of what they've done because it seems very complicated and it's impressive. But they did come in uh 20th and 21st out of 40 teams. And they have developed an original presentation. One of the things that I saw from the kids this past time that I've seen some progression is that they didn't like I have notes in front of me. They had they didn't have notes in front of them and they were really you could tell that they had truly internalized their learning and they were able to explain and to be very articulate about what they had done in order to uh be able to uh develop these robots in a way that they could perform the task these tasks. So um under budget and capital improvement and HR, you know, all the talk this

222evening about the last couple of years in cutting positions, I'll tell you one thing that I don't think what I would hope not, but I I I as a superintendent in any position I've ever had ever has wanted to do is cut positions. But at the same time what we do want to do is celebrate retirements, right? So we do have several upcoming retirements across the district and again grateful for the service of these individuals that they've dedicated their really entire careers in some cases their their adult lives. Their con- contributions have made a difference and we as we have started and I think last year we'll be recognizing them at a school committee meeting in June and we'll be sending those invitations out soon. In terms of staffing though the majority of the retirements

223are at Dartmouth High School. We actually have six staff members retiring from Dartmouth High School and if you and I know you get our daily mail updates so you've seen that there are posts that we're posting positions. We're glad to get an early start on it. We're we're advertising for biology, world language and mathematics. And so at the same time we're celebrating those retirements, we're also excited about welcoming new educators into the district. Also at the Potter we have three retirements. We have a math coach, a special educator and an ESP and we have a retirement at the Quinn School and that's a kindergarten teacher. And as I think you're aware our at central office our payroll person Dale Borges will be retiring after years of service here on the Dartmouth schools. Again something for

224us to celebrate when we talk about these long-term employees, they truly have spent their entire careers here in Dartmouth and so we'll have an opportunity to celebrate them. Um under a family and community engagement, I think we saw quite a bit of family and community engagement. I may have lost count on the number of people who came to the microphone, but I was certainly excited to see the level of investment that folks have. I think we had 15. Unless we >> have one now. Did we count Did we count Jody and Joe separate or were they one pack? I think they count as their own individual people. Yeah. Yeah. 18. Yeah, we had I'll say I lost count at 15. So, we 19? And And so, And that That's representative of the folks that were

225able to come tonight. I think you heard people refer to folks that would would wanted to be here, but for whatever reason they had other obligations. And then at the same time, I'd also add that not everybody has the courage to come to the It's courage probably isn't the right word, but it it can be intimidating to come to the microphone and make those kind of statements. So, I'm sure there's a whole lot more support out there. I'd also like to mention that I know you as a committee have had questions about Aspen and Parent Square. And in response, what we've done, um we've taken a few steps. I thank Jonathan and his team to better support families. We've created and posted a how-to or how-to videos on our website under the four families section

226to help guide families in accessing and using these tools because that is an important tool and an access point for families to be able to uh check in on on how their children are doing. And really, it's how they access student grades, parent messages in addition to Parent Square. In addition, we are scheduling parent outreach sessions where families can receive hands-on support. They can ask questions and become more comfortable navigating our district communication systems because our goal is always to make sure that our families feel informed, connected, and we want them to be confident using the systems. And really, there is help at you know, we we want them to recognize that there is help for them if they're getting stuck in any way. Um finally, I would just update you on our ongoing safety

227work. Uh, the district safety response team met on March 13th and they're continuing to develop staff and student training for our new response protocol, which is run, hide, fight. Uh, this team is focused on ensuring that our approach is thoughtful, that it's age-appropriate, and aligned with best practices. The next meeting is scheduled for March 27th and we'll continue to keep you updated on this progress. So, I thank Kim Rod Redlawn for leading this team and I think we've come a long way in a really short time. So, that's my report. Thank you so much. Thank you. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. Um, I don't have much to report, but I appreciated this meeting and Yeah. Good job. Certainly work to be done. Uh, Mr. Nunes, do you have anything to add to this?

228>> two quick things, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, thank you. Uh, our colorguard was in uh, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for WGI regionals uh, this weekend. Uh, they ended up in uh, sixth place with a score of 87.13. Uh, I watched both the performances on uh, Flow Marching and boy, they were spot on. And uh, so for nine students, uh, they did a heck of a job and they really really did well. And uh, they got back to uh, the middle school just after 11:00 last night and they were excited, but tired. So, uh, but they did well. Uh, our percussion was in the Berks at High on Saturday and they came in third. Again, they had a great show there, so you know, in the next couple of weeks, uh, couple of three weeks, we've got uh,

229NESBA finals coming up for both of them, so we'll hopefully the good stuff will continue. That's all I have. Thank you. Anybody else? We're all good. All right. So, our next regular meeting of the School Committee is scheduled for Monday, April 13th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the Dartmouth High School Media Library Media Center. Right here. Um and we will be in touch about a special meeting Zoom meeting in the interim. Um and I am now looking for a motion to adjourn to executive session to conduct grievance hearing pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement between the Dartmouth High School Committee and the Dartmouth Educators Association. Madam Chair, make a make a motion we adjourn to executive session for purposes of grievance and not return to open session. Second. Motion by Mr. Nunes, second by Ms.

230Amaral. All in Oh, no. Roll call. Roll call. John Nunes? Yes. Chris Oliver? Yes. >> Kathleen Amaral? Yes. Mary Beckwith? Yes. Scott? Yes. Thank you all. That would be unanimous. Thank you all for coming.