10/28/25 School Committee Meeting

001Good evening. I'd like to call this meeting of the October 27th, 2025 school committee meeting to session. And could we rise and say the pledge of 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. I didn't know they were mad. >> If we could begin with Katrina reading the mission statement. >> Found public schools create worldclass student learning experiences. Our Clippers are empowered to pursue their goals with curiosity, integrity, and resiliency. Clippers are creative, inquisitive, and engaged learners who participate in their community as socially responsible citizens. Clippers effectively communicate and solve problems that impact the world around them. >> Thank you, Katrina. And Chris, could you read from [clears throat] our operating protocols? >> Yes,

002of course. [cough] >> In our operations, honor the school committee's policy AB, the people, and their school district, which recognizes our roles and obligations as elected members of the community, remembering that we represent the entire community at all times. in our communications. Work to build trust among between and among school committee members, the superintendent, staff, students, parents, and guardians, and the town administration by treating everyone with dignity and respect in our decision-making. Engage in critical thinking, expecting all committee members to freely offer differing points of view as part of the discussion prior to making a board decision. >> Thank you, Chris. Um, I would need to read the recording statement. The meeting of the family school committee is being recorded. In accordance with Massachusetts open meeting law, anyone who wishes to make an audio or

003visual recording of this meeting must first notify the chair. Please raise your hand and make your presence known if you intend to record the meeting. Any recorders? Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Oh yeah. >> Oh, that doesn't count for kids though who are going to do presentations. That's that's a given. >> Yeah. And then Thanksgiving dinner. Everybody can see the the whole family can see them. Okay. Um one little shift in our agenda uh uh order of presentations is we're going to hold public comment till after the kids are finished if you don't mind. Okay. So, first we will hear from our student advisory. Hello there. >> Um, recently there was a food pantry opening at the high school. So, it was BIPS partners with Cape Cape Kid meals and students can access through the

004Clipper closet. So, also receiving meals and then clothes if they're in need of that. And then from athletics, field hockey has won their last three games and we have a home playoff game Saturday. So, that's really exciting. And then boys soccer also has made playoffs and their senior nights tonight. So that's great. And then powderpuff game is coming up November 23rd. So it's junior versus senior girls flag football. So that's a um exciting tradition. Then that'll be later in the month. And then um boys basketball gets to play at TD Garden um in January. So it's a little bit far out, but that's really exciting opportunity for them. And tickets are on sale if anyone wants to make the trip. And then junior work day is November 1st. It's a great fundraiser for the class

005of 27, the juniors, and it's on Saturday. So that will be great all around the community and then raising money for their class. And then FHS Theater Company winter calendar raffle supporting is coming up. So their booster, if you haven't seen a player musical, I definitely recommend. They're really, really incredible. They're so good. I've seen Little Mermaid, Greece. They're really, really good. And then an exciting opportunity or for two years out I guess February 2027 a trip to Sagal is an option for students. So they have um an information session coming up this month and hopefully that's popular interest. So um Both High School can send students. >> Um tonight [clears throat] I see a lot of potential customers for your junior work. Um, so could you maybe turn around and tell them again when

006it is and what's available? >> Um, it's on Saturday or this weekend and it's yard cleanup. So, you can volunteer and pay a price, but it's for the class. So, they'll come clean up your yard or do like outside activities. >> Do they rake leaves? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you very much for your report. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Um, next we will >> next we will have a presentation um on Morse Pond school highlights. So good evening everyone. So we have presenters from grades five and six here tonight with the topic of science. So, these are our young scientists, and they're going to share with you some of the work they've done um up to this point in the year, including some field trips out into the field to study

007in our local ecology. And they actually brought one of their lab experiments, too, to show you. So, we'll turn it over to our young scientists from Morris Pond. Welcome. [applause] This fall we visited the Kudas River Freeway Heritage Trail in this to learn about people can protect and resto environment in their own community. >> Um, excuse me guys, could you stand behind this table? That way your parents in the audience can see you better. >> Okay. Is that all right? I mean, they all they're seeing now is their backs. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I'm sorry. [clears throat] >> Yeah. Right there. >> Nice. >> Do you parents want to stand behind us if you want to record? >> Come on down. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. [laughter] >> Don't be shy. [laughter]

008>> We'll have you guys start again. Would you mind starting over since I interrupted you? Thank you very much. >> This fall, we visited the Kunessent River Greenway Heritage Trail in Fal to learn about how people can protect and restore the environment in their own community. The Kunameset River area used to be a mill site and later became a cranberry. Over time, people noticed that the river and the wild were not as healthy as they once were. Scientists, town workers, and volunteers worked together with the Kudsa River Trust to restore the river. They removed old dams, rebuilt bridges, and planted native plants. Now fish like her can swim upstream again, and many birds and animals have returned. Today, the greenway is a peaceful place where people can walk, ride bikes, and explore nature. It's a

009great example of how a community can make a big difference for the environment. >> During our trip, we became real scientist. We collected data to see how health healthy the river is. We tested the physical features like how fast the water was flowing, how clear it was, and if it was cold [clears throat] or warm. We also did chemical testing, including pH tests, to see if the water was too acidic or just right for plants and animals. And we did biological tests looking for macro invertebrates, tiny water creatures like mayfly larvae [clears throat] that helps us know know if a river is clean. >> After our field trip, we worked in class to use our data to answer a big question. Is the economist of river water exactly good or okay? We used what we

010learned in the science and wrote essays using a claim and evidence format to explain our thinking. Our claim was our answer to the question and our evidence came from our data to observations in the field. We like to share a few short essays that show what we've discovered about the name of the road. >> The water in the river greenway is okay. My claim the water in the river way is okay [clears throat] was correct. One piece of evidence is the pH level was six which is okay. The second piece of evidence is the nitrate level was five which is also okay. My third piece of evidence is the fact that the dissolved oxygen was 5 ppm. This this also shows that the water level was okay. My fourth and final piece of evidence is

011the fact that we found damsel larvae. Damselfly larvae are semi-sensitive to pollutants in indicating that the water level is okay. All of these pieces of evidence show the water level at the riverway is okay. I predict that the Kunameset River will be healthy because there there are different animals and plants. My first piece of evidence that shows the river was healthy that it that the pH of the water was six. This is a healthy pH. My second piece of evidence is that the nitrates of the water were five, which is a good amount of nitrates. The last piece of evidence that shows the river was healthy was that the dissolved oxygen in the river. This is important for animals to live. Based on the evidence, my claim was right that the Kunames river was healthy.

012Our hypothesis about the Kunamesa River is that it is excellent because of the vegetation we see. One piece of evidence we found is that There is a lot of organisms in the vegetation. Another piece of evidence is how the trees provide shade to cool the water. The last piece of evidence is the pH was measured to be six. Seven is the best. So the pH was good. Based on the three pieces of evidence, our hypothesis is right. The weather is healthy. This project helped us meet both science and wine standards. In science with people can reduce their impact on the environment in writing practice in writing use our skills and make clear evidence to support our ideas. We also learned that science doesn't just happen in classrooms. It happens in all peers. We learn that

013People work together, scientists, students, and community. We can help nature recover [applause] when they're all done. >> Thank you. >> Good job. >> I guess they're not. >> They're not done. Oh, >> this is >> [cough] >> Good evening. >> We are sixth graders from Morris Pond and we've been studying density in science class. Density tells us how much matter is packed into a certain space and it helps us explain why something's floating in a sink. Tonight we are going to show you some hands-on experiments and tools we've been using to understand density. >> First we learn how to calculate the density of an object using this formula. density equals mass 5 by volume. We use a triple beam balance to measure mass. That gives us the amount of matter in grams. Then we use

014rulers, calipers, graduated cylinders, and overflow cans to measure volume or how much space an something takes up. Once we had once we had both measurements, we divided the mass by the volume to find the object's density in g per cubic cm or kilogram per cubic cm. [clears throat] Next, we learned about the difference like the different liquids also have different densities. To explore that, we made a density column with very with carefully layered liquids like corn syrup, water, oil because each one has a different density. The density the denser one sink sinks to the bottom and the lighter one floats to the top. We also tested solid solid objects and dropped them in and see where they end up. For example, a grape might float to the top of one layer but sink in another.

015Finally, we connected on what we learned about density to the to a real world science problem. Yesterday, my dad, who is a scientist, came to talk to our class about ocean pollution and how plastics break down in the environment. He brought samples of plastic, trash, and how it collected from the beaches and that sinks. >> [clears throat] >> We measured the density of each plastic piece to identify what type of behavior in the ocean and how to design better materials that cause less harm to the environment, different kinds of plastics and how some plastics fade over time. [clears throat] All of these activities helped us see science in action instead of just reading about it. Doing these experiments using real world tools and working together made learning about density exciting and meaningful. >> Thank you

016for letting us share what we've been working on in more fun science sixth grade science lab. [applause] >> [applause] >> Okay. Um, would you field some questions from school committee members? Anybody have a question? >> I just wanted to comment on the quality of that science research. That was incredible. And I feel like we have some serious scientists among you. I I was very impressed. Thank you for coming and sharing it. >> Yeah. >> Could they introduce themselves? >> Yes. >> Oh, that'd be great. >> Yeah. Student introduction. If you guys could come up to the mic, say your name what grade you're in. >> You could just say loud louder. >> I'm Porter Kaiser in sixth grade. >> I'm Frank Gar in sixth grade. I'm William Ready. In sixth grade, >> I'm Gavin Woods

017in sixth grade. >> Okay. [applause] Can >> you tell us your name? >> Yeah, I am Benjamin Melton Kennedy in fifth grade. >> I'm Max Humphrey in fifth grade. I'm >> in. I'm in fifth grade. >> I'm in fifth grade. >> I'm M. I'm in fifth grade. >> I'm in sixth grade. >> Thank you very much. [applause] [applause] >> Oh, go ahead. Um, I was just going to ask I'm assuming that the sixth graders also went to Kunamiset farm, but I I mean I punit River >> last year. Is that true? Yeah. So, every fifth grade gets to go. >> That's so wonderful. >> I want to know if any of you girls are going to be presenting what the sixth grade is presented >> since we only have boys presenting this year. [laughter] >>

018Come back and show us your experiment. Yeah. >> Mr. Lumpy, do you have any >> I look forward to seeing that. >> Yeah. Um, for the for the sixth graders, I was wondering if there's anything you found out that was surprising to you. >> [clears throat] >> These green beads float on the water and not vegetable oil, but the other silver and gold beads float on corn syrup. Yeah, corn syrup and not water. That was kind of interesting. And then we have this piece of wood that would sink in water. >> Oh wow, that is surprising. >> And for the fifth graders, I was wondering what your favorite part of your Kuniss at River trip was. if anyone anyone who wants to to >> we actually went to uh to see if we uh I

019really enjoyed uh catching the creatures to uh to discover uh if the level was bad, okay, or good. I think we also had a few uh flukes in that with um different groups having different like creatures found in different locations of the river. So we would have like different answers to each of our claims. >> Thank you. >> I think the best part >> come up. >> Come on up. [laughter] >> Um I think the best part was doing the chemical testing. >> I have fish at home, so I end up doing some chemical testing. So, it was fun to do it in the river. >> What I would say was the best part when I was there was that the part where we went to go look for and while we were in a

020net and then dumping them into a bucket of water caught, we all my group caught a baby eel. So pretty. [clears throat] >> Well, thank you guys. >> We learned a lot. [applause] Uh, even with all the stuff, I think that most groups either caught um like um sensitive or semi-sensitive creatures to pollutants in this like uh in all sections, not just one or two. [applause] >> Thank you. Okay, [cough] we have quite [clears throat] a group of scientists in our little town, don't we? Um, >> okay. Um, now we're going to call a recess because we will be um >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. There's a lot on the agenda. I guess I'm trying to hurry things up. Sorry. Yeah. Okay. >> So, the Mass uh Massachusetts uh Association for School uh Superintendent

021uh annually um picks a um one person out of um the senior class. Uh and so this year um I and I have the great honor to do that for Palmouth. Um this year I have um selected uh Remma Associates. [applause] I have had the honor to uh get to know Remma and u this is a welldeserved um honor. So I'm going to hand this to you and I'm going to have you hold it while I get to uh to share a little bit about you. So this is where lots lots of stuff. So, this is pages long, everyone. I got to tell you, she's a pretty special person. Um, one of the things that always strikes me about Reema is that she is so talented and creative. Um, but academically she soarses as well.

022So, it's uh in in both um languages. I'm sorry. Lori, can I just >> this way? Thank you so much. >> It's very hard to figure out where to sing it. I know. >> All right. So, um I'm going to just start with uh languages. Um she uh achieved the seal of bi literacy in French. Um she her experience that she has uh shared and I think she enjoys quite a lot uh is her internship um at the Fmouth Art Center. Um she assists um uh students uh teaching clay camps and art classes uh and then planning crafts for the kids. Uh she also is an assistant to the clay studio and she is the kids party planner. [laughter] All right. So, that's that's fun stuff. Now, we're going to get to um some of

023her academics. Um Reema has uh taken five AP courses uh in 11th grade and she is currently in five AP courses as a senior. >> Um that is quite a lift. >> Um so, last year she scored fives uh in um four of the five APs and a four in the other one. Quite an accomplishment. Wow. >> Her extracurricular activities, um, she, uh, enjoys the Fmouth High School Theater Company. Uh, she, uh, has, uh, been, uh, named roles in the fall plays and the spring musicals. Uh, she is, uh, in Sulfage. Would love for you to sing for us. [laughter] Uh, she is, uh, in the clay and stained, uh, glass internship. She's a minty artist. She is in the cro uh crochet club. >> Now, I have to say that is a very growing

024and popular um uh club at Bmouth High School, I hear. How many students are >> It's it varies, but we usually get like sixish. >> Yeah. It's And we have a um a staff member that loves to crochet that has become the um adviser to this. So, this is very exciting. Um she is uh she's a volunteer. She tutors in math and French. And now I'm going to list the honor societies. She is an inducted member of the art, um, French, math, science, uh, the tri and the national honor, um, societies. Her awards that she has achieved in 2023, she had the silver key award in printmaking at the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards. In 2024, honorable mentioned in mixed media at the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards, honorable mentioned in mixed media for Congressional

025Art Show. She's third place in printmaking at the League of Women's Voters voting contest, and she is uh best in show for mixed media, first place for crochet sculpture, first place for ceramics, first place in painting, and third place in mixed media at the Barnstable County uh Fair Youth Art Show. In 2025, uh she placed uh first in printmaking, honorable mentioned in mixed uh media at the uh SC Scholastic Arts and Writing uh awards. Uh presidential choice awards in printmaking at the National Art Educators Association. She has uh won the Harvard Book Award, the um RIT Art and Design Award, and uh the JS Limb Foundation Math Award. uh she had the highest math grade in the class of 2026. And it still gets more impressive. >> In her first three years of high school,

026she uh has a GPA of um 4.0 in all three years. And I can't imagine that that's going to change at any time during during this year. There's a [laughter] there's um something [clears throat] else special that I I want to do. She um very unusual the Fmouth Cultural Center. She is a student representative. She went before the select board and was named to the cultural center council by the select board. Uh and they wrote a little something that um I want to I want to share. They're very proud of you. Uh Reema became a member of the Fmouth culture uh council in September 20 uh 24. She has actively participated in the council's most important function of the cultural council, its grant review and decision-making process. She advocated for what youngest youngest student residents

027want in their [clears throat] cultural programming, which made a significant impact on how the cultural now evaluates the applications. Remma acts as a liaison to several of the grantees. When interviewed by the FMA select board for the uh FMA cultural council seat, Reema articulated her interest in serving a two-year term on the cultural council in the following way. As a child of first generation Armenian immigrants, I would like to bring to the council an appreciation of the importance of cultural programming. Remma uh is a student panelist for a presentation on civic engagement in Woods uh Hall. She spoke persuasively and uh authentically about how important it has been to her to be a voting member of the cultural council. Rema is talented as an artist, potter uh actress and musician along with excelling in her

028academic classes. During a difficult cultural council meeting, she remarked, "This is like high school. She lightened the mood and allowed the adult members to laugh at themselves." Remma has a great sense of humor. Uh, her smile lights up the room. She brings common sense and an uplifting spirit to everything she commits to doing. I couldn't agree more. Congratulations, [applause] >> [applause] >> I may have a few things. [laughter] >> No, honestly, thank you so much. I've been so honored to be a member of the found public schools, especially with how I've been able to outreach within the community, through the cultural council, but also just through the events we have at the school. Honestly, Felmouth is such an amazing public school experience. I've had an amazing 13 years. [laughter] >> That is great to hear.

029I think you have some special people here. Can you invite them up? >> Can you can introduce for everyone? [laughter] >> Uh, this is my mom. >> So nice to meet you. What an amazing daughter you have. And we've met you, too. >> Yes. >> And my younger brother. >> Younger brother. Hi. You have something you like to present? [laughter] >> [applause] >> So, um, thank you. Do you picture? Yeah, >> of course. Oh, yeah. I would I would absolutely love to join the family. [laughter] >> Thank you. >> That's good. All right. Thank you. >> We'll make sure. >> So, now um we have a reception for you. And so, um if we may recess for a few minutes so that we can u go out the hallway for a reception. >> Sue has

030something to say something. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Could we just ask you what your plans are for next year or what you're hoping to do? >> Um so I'm applying to like a variety of schools, but I'm thinking about majoring in art and math. Hopefully a double major there. I want to eventually go into art education, but I think that there is such a balance between the both of them that I really hope I can study. >> Great. >> Congratulations. >> All right. >> So, we're going to take a few minutes break to have a reception outside. So, we'll be back. Hold those thoughts. the meeting. That was so much fun out there, we didn't want to come back, but here we are. So, um, moving along, the next item on our agenda will

031be public comment. Um, I'll read you our, uh, statement about public comment. Public comment will be limited to 20 minutes. Where's the clock? >> Right here. >> Right there. >> In front of Kelly. >> Okay. It's in front of um Miss Welch over there. Um public comment will be limited to 20 minutes. Members of the public are welcome to speak during public comment. Comments will be limited two minutes in length. Due to the open meeting law, the committee cannot respond or act on public comment. Additional comments and feedback can be submitted by email to school committee at falmouth.k12.mma. us. >> Can I just make a little statement? Please bear with me with the clock. I'm I'm doing the best I can. Just bear with me. I'm still kind of new at it. >> Thank you.

032>> Okay. [clears throat] So, um the first um person on our agenda to speak is Megan Zati. I'm Megan. I live at Carrot Shop Road. I'm asking you not to strike the protective language from policy JICA as written in recommen and as written and recommended by MASC attorneys. This sentence, the responsibility for the dress and appearance of students will rest with the individual students and their parents or guardians is a cornerstone of students rights and parent authority in Massachusetts public education. It also protects the school and district from potential legal action. This language exists to ensure that legal policy aligns with both the desi and settled state court state case law including pile versus school committee of South Hadley which upheld students rights to determine their own dress and expression in federal court. Removing this

033clause erodess those protections and shifts power away from families without any public process or educational justification. JICA's original language reinforces partnerships between schools and families. It says that schools can set reasonable limits, but that the prelim primary responsibility for a child's appearance belongs with those who know the child best, their parents and guardians. Striking that sentence said sends a troubling message that we as a district believe government authority should override family judgment and student individuality. The clock's not going. Just so you know, >> I know >> before any such removal is even considered, there must be a non-biased legal review. A stakeholder survey, public hearing, and select board town vote. Transparency matters. Policy built in haste or under pressure creates distrust and can expose the district to unnecessary legal risk. Protecting MASC's language is about

034upholding rights. It's about respecting families and ensuring that our schools model fairness and constitutional integrity. I urge you to keep the language intact and reaffirm our commitment to civil liberties, family partnership, and student respect. This was your promise to our community as elected officials. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Megan. The next um person on our list is Moren Nolan. Hi, I actually just signed in because I thought I was supposed to sign in just to be a visitor, but I did come because I wanted to know a little bit more about the uh Lawrence school and I was instead instead of just how many kids can fit in it or which you know what the configuration for. I was hoping that there would be a redesign to that school so it would more reflect

035the middle school. um psychology and and needs rather than an old high school. But I also wanted to thank you for thank the school for bringing their wonderful children here. I'm a a member of the Kunamesa River Trust and I I was just thrilled to hear the children relate what they learned at the river and I was happy to be one of the instructors down sitting in the river waiting for them to come. And uh so that was this was a joy. Thank you very much. Thank you. >> Um, next on the list is um, Deian Rockwood. [snorts] >> Just give me just give me a minute. Make sure I get this. >> I'm going to put this down, too, because I am going to say it's hard even to hear you, Terry, right there.

036The acoustics tonight are not so terrific. >> Oh, okay. >> I'm just mentioning that. So, I don't I don't know if [laughter] I'm usually pretty loud. So, >> yeah, [clears throat] >> I'm thinking that might not happen for me. >> I got 20 minutes, Mr. Lumping. >> I think that's the time in military time. [laughter] There we go. >> Start. >> Okay. Bear with me. [clears throat] >> See what I'm saying? >> You thought it was me. [laughter] I do too. Yeah. >> Is there an app? >> Thank you. DM Rockwood, Jeffrey Lane, East Falmouth. At the sixth and final meeting of the building needs task force on June 16th, a recommendation was made to the school committee. Included in their vote was to implement an early learning center in the 2028-29 academic school year

037in order to provide ample time to reconfigure boundary lines, bus routes, program distribution, and allowing time for family and faculty input. Chairwoman Nancy Taylor was concerned about pushing this too quickly, hence the three-year timeline. This past summer, your committee assured us that we would hear pros and cons of proposals. Yet, that's not how things have played out since September 30th. There were more questions than answers at that meeting and a request once again for staff, families, students, and experts to weigh in. So, when can we expect you to follow through on your promises? I am not against change and in fact I include myself among those who will be strongly affected by any of what is proposed, be they grade level restructuring, building shifts and renovations or federal and state budgetary cuts. However, as a

038staff member, neither my experience, knowledge, thoughts, or opinions are included in your plans. Talk about your stakeholders. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this as my colleagues and I are working without a contract for the second time in three years. In fact, this is the only superintendent in my 16 years of employment with whom I've ever had this experience. In spite of our importance both to district success and that of the students, staff does not receive the same set of urgency from this administration as the irrational push to put these unbalanced presentations to an immediate and peacemealed vote. I wish you all cared about our contracts as much as you care about the navigate the future timeline. After all, you will need us. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Deion. Um, the next person on

039the list is Eric Gura. >> Oh, okay. Um, next on the list then would be Laurel Smith. just a letter to everyone, but I guess a couple things. Um, my letter, >> excuse me, for the record, could you say your name and address? >> Laurel Smith and 15 Dearborn Avenue. >> Thank you. >> Uh, I have two children, one in Morris Pond and one at um at Mullen Hall. Um and my concern is why are we pushing forward um votes to eliminate two schools? We'll be losing accreditation for two um K through8 schools if we go forward with some of these plans. um we are most of the students over half the students are not meeting academic expectations in all the subjects that are tested and I don't see how eliminating schools and combining classes

040and having less space is going to improve academic um outcomes for our students. We also have lower enrollment, but the um the number of students with special needs has vastly increased over time, and those students need a lot more space, and we're currently utilizing almost all of our space in our schools. Um so, how how can we possibly um accommodate all those students that are legally mandated to have special spaces for tutoring and other services where they're being pulled out of their classes? And I'd like to just be clear as to why we are doing this. Um, if it's financial, we need really clear delineations of what what is the budget shortfall and are there other options other than closing schools and how is this benefiting our students because I don't see how it could

041possibly benefit our students. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you, Laura. Next on [clears throat] the list is um Dominique Kirk. [clears throat] >> Hey everyone, >> Dominique Kirk. Uh Parker Road, that's what you want. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I'm here tonight to ask for the third time. Where did all the kindergarten school choice children end up for the 2025 2026 school year? When I got involved last fall, it came to our attention all school choice children were enrolled at North Felmouth. There were so many school choice ch kids that a fourth kindergarten classroom needed to be added. Certain schools are lacking in enrollment, creating an unfair learning environment with only two sections per grade. So, if we know this, we recognize this is an issue. Where did the 2025 uh

042school choice children end up? This is just another example of our questions not getting answered. Thank you. >> Okay. Um next on the list is Amanda McGonogal. Hi, Amanda McGonagal, Edgewood Drive in Felmouth. So, I wanted to come here just so that I could get on the record that decisions are being made without the answers that parents and staff have asked for and without the answers that members of this school committee have asked for. So, the Building Needs Task Force, who we continue to commend for their tireless and thankless work, recommended moving forward with the Lawrence proposal, but delaying other discussions until 2028. Yet again, we're disregarding this advice. Why? Miss Welch and Miss Maduros have asked questions about the surveys done in the past. I know multiple members have asked for new surveys to

043be done. I've asked for surveys to at least be done correctly, and that hasn't been done. You asked for that and you still haven't received it, but you're still moving forward. We paid a facilitator months ago to host a forum promising answers to our questions, but we never got them. Those answers never came. At that meeting, Miss Souza mentioned moving fifth down to the elementarymentaries. Weeks ago, Katrina requested an unbiased presentation on moving fifth grade down to the elementary schools, just as you did for eighth grade moving up. You had principles in there. Where are the PK through five teachers being invited here just like you had Doc Harris and the middle school principles to talk about the benefits of moving fifth into elementary? By not having them, you're not even pretending to take all

044options into consideration. You've contradicted yourselves with what the MSBA requires. First, it was the only needed to know how many grades. Now, it's they need to know exactly which grades. Why are you settling for this as a committee? Why are you rushing ahead without the information that you have asked for? I understand the appeal of moving the eighth grade into the high school. We just got my daughter's MCCAST scores back. She got a perfect score on her ELA. She would probably benefit from going into the high school and taking advanced classes, but the thing is is she can do that now if she were a student at Lawrence. She can go to the high school and take advanced curriculum if she needed that or if she wanted that. Same thing with kids in sports. They

045could sign a waiver. You've asked many questions, but you're not waiting around for the answers before you're making decisions. You can't just stop at asking the question. you have to get uncomfortable and stand your ground and wait for the answer and then make a decision. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Amanda. Um and that would be the end of our public comment. Thank you all for um taking the time and energy to get up in front of us and give your um opinions. Okay. Next on the agenda is a presentation of Fmouth Public Schools partnership with Cape Cod Cape Cape [clears throat] Cape Cod Cape Birdie. There's too many capes in that. Yeah. Um Bian Museum and Cultural Center. >> Two capes. That's right. >> So, I'd like to uh I'd like to introduce um

046Barbara Berggo. Um and um Barbara, you if you come down and sit sit down here. Um Barbara is here as uh one representing one of our partners uh in this work. And um we also have uh Carmela uh may ask that's also going to speak. There's a um three major topics we're going to talk about. Uh one uh is the partnership that we have with our second grade students that all visit the museum and uh also the uh cultural opportunities. Thought she was going to carry her >> and the cultural opportunities for the after school program. Um, in addition, um, we just [clears throat] had, as you'd heard, um, previous from, um, Mr. St. Julian and Dr. Pier about our, uh, sister school project and our visitors. Um, now we're going to talk about what

047their their visit was like. So, I'm going to turn it over to Barb right now, but I'm sure that there'll be some interjections from everybody. [clears throat] >> Okay. So, uh, I'm gonna go quickly because, um, Barbara's really the heart of this operation. So, I'm just the person that's going to talk about curriculum and why we do this partnership, um, and the the bookwork part of it. And Barbara's going to talk about the heart of it. Um, so basically, all of our second grade students go to the Cape Cod, Cape Verdian Museum and Cultural Center, and there are two capes in it because there are two capes involved, Cape Cod and Cape Bird. Um, so our second graders go and the trip existed before I started. Um, but Barbara and I have worked closely together

048to make it fit not only with the curriculum but also with the museum and also to allow more kids to come at one time. So our trip now in its current uh configuration has three sections. And the best part about this trip is that it doesn't, as much as I love science, those are my kids up there. We're fifth grade and sixth grade, too. But um there are other topics obviously other subjects. So the great [clears throat] thing about the Cape Verdian Museum and Cultural Center trip is that incorporates science, math and also social studies. So it covers all of those areas. So we break the kids up into three groups. A third of them go into the museum and they learn about immigration. They learned about why people from Cabo Verde came here. um

049what they did their contributions to our community and the fact that this mixing bowl or um I can't think of the other term that we have melting pot that's what it is um that we have in our community and the diversity of all these different cultures coming together is one of our strengths um and so then in our other um activity the kids actually play what we call in the United States here mcala however mcala is actually another form of the game that originated in Africa which is played pretty heavily in Capo Verde. And so the kids learn that the Monalo version is different than the Cabo Verde version. And actually, if you go to Cabo Verde, depending on which island you go to, you're going to see different versions as well. Our guest our

050guests had a diff right. That's right. It's in um in Cabo Verde. So, um, the kids come in and they play that and the great thing about it is they think they're playing a game, but what they're doing is they're doing math and they're doing strategic thinking. So, yes, they are having fun, but they're also learning about how different communities take something common and change it to fit their own tastes. Um, and also they learn math and they don't even realize that they're doing math when they're trying to figure out where they should be moving their uh their seeds. And then the third third part which Barbara runs which is wonderful is about the tartarugas or the sea turtles um and the things that we have in common because on the Cape we're usually talking

051about sea turtles getting cold stunned and being stuck here. They come over here to feed during the summer. They can't get out of Cape Cod Bay much like myself. And um they get stuck they get cold stunned and we have to treat them and return them. Whereas in Cababa Verde, they go over there to lay their eggs and hatch out. So they both they live on both capes, but for different parts of their lives. So it's a good thing that sort of brings us together, but also shows how they can do one thing in one area and something completely different in another area. >> Briada, thank you very much all of you. Um I of course am Barbara Berggo. I actually live right now in Brewster, but I am the co-founder and the curator of

052the Cape Cod, Cape Verdian Museum and Cultural Center. I always start off saying, "Thank you, Falmouth." Okay, I tried this in Tauntton where I lived all my life and it kind of didn't go so easily and I tried it in New Bedford and they said, "You live in Taton, you don't live here, so you do your thing in Taton." I tried this in Haritch and they don't understand the total commitment that it takes for a museum and the collaboration between the African and the Portuguese and the you said >> Sagal >> my ancestry just showed an update. I was 24% Sagales eight years ago and now I'm 42%. Cabo V. You must go to Cabo Veh. So we are a mix. These days they call it a salad bowl, right? Rather than a melting pot

053because I don't really want to melt into you. I want to compliment you, right? >> So thank you for sharing with your students, with your staff, our beautiful salad that Falmouth has helped us make out. You should be proud to know I only told you our little failures because the Cape Cod Cape Verdian Museum and Cultural Center is the only museum completely focused on Cabo Verde and our diaspora in the entire state of Massachusetts. You helped us function here just survive and then thrive. Lari Der deserves a lot of credit, support, and my heart. >> A lot of my heart because almost everything that I have wished for, she has helped come true. When we were going to Davisville Road and we said, "Rep." David Vieira helped us. I don't think I wanted this kind

054of a building. I wanted the Smithsonian. >> [laughter] >> uh can't get that. But Felmouth, as you well know, gave us two years rentree for us to be able to survive. It was right next to the school, East Falmouth Elementary School. So in real estate, you say, "Loc, location, location." Larry, I talked to the principal next door, Larry. He said, "Maybe the kids could come over here for a field trip." Li, what do you think? And she said, "I think I'll do you one better than that." every teacher and every school student in this school um area will be able to come to this museum and I think it has started to happen with Camela's help and of course Henry and Sonia and all that have been involved not only did we get so far

055800 students they're all learning tataruga and cape to cape but we also got some [clears throat] of your staff to Cababo last year as the sister school program started to grow. ELELLL English language learning school of Cababo. It was it is Zita Vieiraa who started this program. She graduated from Bridgewater State U. But you must know why she started this program. she um her ELLL CV program because she said coming here to Bridgewater State, which also is the only school, college, university in the United States that now has a [sighs and gasps] minor in Cape Verdian studies. I graduated in 1969. I didn't even know anything about Cabo. When they asked me what I was, I didn't know what to say. That's a horrible thing for a student to feel. So now they not only

056know we celebrate cab. So when Zita came here, she knew it was so hard to learn your studies while you're trying to learn the language while you're trying to learn the culture. So she went back there and said, "I don't want to just be a professor teaching in the university. I would like to study Saturday school to teach these children English because America is a great place for them to come and learn and grow and work and prosper. And she started 10 years ago with 15 students. She now has 450 students, two buildings full. And what did they say next after two years of us getting to well a year and a half of this program? Barbara, what do you want next? Because we're just starting a fledgling and I said, I would like a

057school that we could partner with in Kabellad to show the Cape to Cape program. Felmouth is the perfect place. You have a rich community of Cape Verdians. And not only that, I use the big word lucifone communities because you're Brazilians and you're Portuguese, your Aorian, some Miguel and Cababo. We are all Portuguese speakers as you well know, my ESOL new friend. And Portuguese speakers love to hear anything in their own language. One of the wonderful things that I saw as I went through the classrooms was as soon as Zita came in and said, "Bondia," the kids looked up and they weren't just Caverian kids. They were all sorts of kids and they said, "Bondia." And the quietest child got their bright eyes going. They were so enthused like I am. You need to know that

058one of your students came to this program, this rich, fun museum program. And it's a museum where everybody can touch. I know we said we're going to go. We're going to go. This is on the wall at the museum for everybody to see. Last year we had the prime minister of Cabo. We won a medal of merit first degree in culture from the Republic of Cabo from the government. And this is one of the things that I showed them. Pedro Pierce Institute, ELLLCV, Felmouth Public Schools and Cape Cod, Cape Verdian Museum and Cultural Center. Of course, he is Larry. Of course, he is Henry. And his wife even came along with us that day to come celebrate. And what they say in Cababo is we want to replicate this all over. I have to say

059to you, one of your students said this year when [snorts] she walked out of our museum, this was the best day of my life. [laughter] And I cried. You know, I learned about self-actualization. when you feel like you've made it. [laughter] I made it. A student came through our museum and it was the best day of her life. And what else I want you to know? The teachers had a grand time. Your staff um treated them like they were dignitaries. I only brought 10, so I'll leave them on the table. But I was just printing when I came here. Um my treasurer and I went twice last year. We met the folks there in October and we had a nice uh couple of days of information before we had to get back. This year we

060went back to Cababoad by on the invitation of the Minister of Culture and Creative Industries. He would like us to replicate the museum and what we do there in Cababo. Most of you know there are 10 islands. Last year the the recctor they say the president of University of Cabo invited us to show the military document that we did with FCTV Cape Verdian's a legacy of service and your own Andrews folks who were in it. We went there to show that they want us to start a museum in the University of Cabo. And so this year we went back and you can take this if you'd like. This is the US ambassador to Cababo, Jennifer Adams. I made a a folder of information to tell her all the kinds of things we are doing here.

061And one of the most prominent things in our folder was the picture and information about ELLLCV sister school programs. And what she did, Zita told me when she came here last week, we got an visit from the US ambassador. She loves our school and our program and she's going to support us. And I said, I think I know who told her about you. And then the other one is a a set set of photos from um information from the um Minister of Culture. He's asked us to give him a budget. he will pay for us to go back there teach not only about what we're learning here in Falmouth especially but also what we would like Kabul to help us with so your sister school program you're you're it zooming back and forth to Kabu

062from Falmouth has made Felmouth not only famous in Massachusetts we are the second only museum in the United States for Cape Verdie in specific and now you are international because they are putting us on international TV and it tells everyone in the world from Luxembourg who was supporting them to Portugal where I had a teacher today that Lii spoke to that wants to help all the way to Rome Italy they are talking about this program and this school system >> thank you very much yeah >> thank you thank you so We have any questions or comments? I guess we'll start [clears throat] with Chris. >> Um, >> I don't have anything at the moment. It's just an amazing an amazing >> Oh, I'm amazing story. >> Did Were you not finished? I'm sorry. >> Yeah.

063Well, >> we have some pictures that we wanted to share with you of um our trip and and you're going to see our >> um >> Am I blocking anyone? >> No, go right ahead. You're good. I was there if we could just [laughter] and uh if someone wants to narrate any of you want to speak up just be narrating >> ahead. >> Well, when they arrived uh we had a few different opportunities. [cough] The first night we joined Barbara uh and and Dr. Door for dinner. Uh the second night we went out for pizza. >> Uh it was a very interesting opportunity. Um they're like, "Okay, yeah, not what we thought it was, but they wanted to know." They have so many students that travel to America and other countries and they're having these

064cultural experiences and they said we're supposed to be teaching them language and culture. We need these experiences. So you'll see a few of the different ones. This is just one one picture we captured. >> Who are the people in the picture? I'm sorry. >> I'm sorry. So um so principal Vieiraa from North Falmouth is on the the far left. Three of the teachers from ELLLCV who came with Zeta on the visit. So Darcelina, uh Nick, and um excuse me. Nope, I did it the wrong way. Vera, Nick, and Darcelina. And then, um, I was so excited to have my picture there. Just waving at you. [laughter] Um, then on Saturday, they had a pretty big outing, Henry. >> Saturday, Barbara, I could not keep up with Barbara. Um, I'm going to tell you right now,

065we went all over the place. But what you can see is, uh, Candia Rose is the woman on the far right. And here she is. I'm going to say she's the mayor of New Bedford, but she doesn't have that title. But she really took us all over the place. Right there is where Ernestina is supposed to be docked, but right now it's um it's being uh was it it's on >> winter dry dock. >> It's dry dock. Dry dock. But uh so that that's with the location. So that's New Bedford. And uh the the the picture next to that that's your that's your museum. So we went from multiple museums New Bedford as well as visiting Barbara's Museum. >> Henry, let me just add on. So we have to say, we should say the schooner

066Ernestina Marsy. Okay. Only because it is the official vessel of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It was built in 1894 in Essex, Massachusetts, named the Moresy, Fem Marsy after the first captain's daughter. And then it last served as a Cape Verdian packet trade ship. We lovingly call her a Cape Verdian Mayflower. But as you probably know, Cabo Verde just got independence 50 short years ago. Thank you to the town of Falmouth. Also the select board they deemed July 2025 Cape Verdian month in Felmouth because our anniversary is July 5th. And so that room is dedicated to so they repatriated the boat back to the US. They are working with uh it is is usually docked halfime in New Bedford, halftime now at Mass Maritime Academy. It is teaching the cadetses. I worked on her in 2004

067and they teach about um the cultures. Okay. So, Inuit Alaska has caveverians and whaling. Nubet has whaling and caveverians. Hawaii has whaling and caveverians. And so we just at least even though she was in dry dock, we wanted to show the students where the Cape Verdian Mayflower has come. And so when she got here, Massachusetts took her on and she is the official vessel of Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Thank you again, Felmouth in Massachusetts. >> And on the currency on the currency >> on the currency in Cabo Bay, >> um we continued. So on here's uh the exhibit, right? This is also in New Bedford. No, no, this is >> No, this is inherent heritage. >> We went everywhere. We hit Sandwich. We hit New Bedford. >> So, because of all of our news, so we've

068been in the front page of the paper and they talk about Falmouth, the the Cape Cod Times as well as the Falmouth um enterprise. And so, people have heard us everywhere. I heard you mention about cranberry bogs with the science program. You know, we were called the cranberry pickers. I always say we're so much more than that now. But this wonderful heritage museums and and gardens um program was done because they had a huge uh uh donation of artifacts of cranberry and so they had a whole cranberry exhibit. So I thought we would teach the the students the teachers from there. The the youngest three were only 24 and 26 years old and never been to America before. So we got a free welcome by the heritage museum guide. >> Go ahead. >> Yeah, actually

069right. So two of the three had never left their island. So I mean just the opportunity that they they continuously said Barb is educating us about our history, right? And making those connections. >> This is at one of the um veterans um center in New Bedford and uh we we got to see uh Kverians as um awards in that in New Bedford. So that was that was pretty impressive. New Befit has a huge parade every year, one of the largest for Cape Verdians in the country. And I thought they should see this is the Verdian vets. And so they are heralded. Some of them are now 90 years old. This is one of the oldest clubs in um America for Cape Verdians, but they are we herald them because of course they're American veterans. >>

070So we were driving around, they saw the the pumpkins and decorations for the season. They actually asked us if pumpkins are really orange or if those were decorations. So, we introduced them to our pumpkins and we we had an opportunity. So, they were taught uh by a Lawrence school student how to carve. So, they took some time to carve and then um uh Representative Vieira and Principal Vieiraa um welcomed them and provided a dinner for them on Sunday afternoon. So, that was them preparing their their lobster boil. And then on Monday, we headed out on the road. Uh this is we visited Bridgewwater State. So as Barbara shared with you, Zeta graduated from Bridgewwater. The homecoming banner happened to be up on the road. I graduated from Bridgewwater. So we had a little homecoming moment.

071[laughter] Um but one of the beautiful things in the continuous conversation and um you can see here President Clark the current president of Bridgewwater State University uh on the right and uh with Zita and on the left is um Angelo the director of uh the Kate Berdian or the Pedro Pierce Institute for Kate Verdian Studies at Bridgewwater State. um both having a moment together in the um president's conference room but really talking one about celebrating uh the amazing work that's being done and two asking what more what next um so it was a great conversation and from Bridgewater um to mass maritime academy so talking about the opportunities and the connection to maritime um the the relationship to the schooner Ernestina um and having an opportunity to visit the cuffy global um study center at

072Mass Maritime. So, we had a little small group uh get together and celebration after lunch >> because Mass Maritime Academy reached out to us. People are now hearing what we're doing in Falmouth. So, they're coming to Falmouth to learn from us and they said there's not enough history about the schooner Ernestina timeline. There's much more about the FEM marine not so much about kverians. So we are considered some of the experts in the Cape Verdian history. So they came to meet with us at our little place in East Falmouth. Um the dean and um Patrick Norrega who lives in Fall River but um he is Portuguese, speaks Portuguese. Um he said, "How can we get you to help us?" And I said, "You have to come to Famouth. You have to come to the museum.

073The only way I'll help you is if you come see what we're doing here." And so they granted us this in the summer. Then they said, "What next?" Like everybody else, they said, "You have to go to Cape Verde. You have to go to Kver and see who what the pe who the people are that you are really talking about. We're not just cranberry pickers anymore." And so guess what? They came to Felmouth. They came to Felmouth twice and now they're getting ready to go to Capeford. >> What you can't tell there is that was the day of the torrential downpour. >> But we we were just so happy to to be together. Um this is a visit to Mullen. So um Miss Batisca um first grade teacher who also traveled to Cabo last year

074is in the picture with Zeta and the red suit coat. And again the three teachers from ELLLCB >> and they shown up as something that they they bought [cough] last year. >> Yeah. So Miss Batisa had purchased that at Sukopira right the large market in Pria which is the capital. >> Right. And I was the one who was surprised to see that I participate in the afterchool program. I'm lugging my drums in there and I'm tired and I look up AND I GO, "WOW, WE GOT C word in the school." You don't know how much this thrills me. >> Opportunity. So, you can see Barbara talking talking about all the the books and the opportunities there in the picture on the right. Uh, a little walk down Main Street in the picture on the left.

075Uh, but we had a fabulous opportunity. Barbara had um helped connect us with Sarah Hines and two authors uh one of whom was you can see here in person um who has a series um and then uh we also talked to one on Zoom who's has her first book coming out uh just a a week two weeks >> books on um Cape Verdie you know for youth but what our our museum and cultural center also has been doing for the school since you have done so much for us. We have been purchasing books with little small grants that we get and we've been introducing them to the schools >> and we thank you very much for those. >> We thank you [clears throat] >> as we continue to uh move through the schools is a

076picture from the entrance at Lawrence School. I think one of the things from Zita's first visit uh with us is seeing I am a Clipper um and kind of thinking through that. And so each time she comes, uh there's also just different pieces of how the schools are organized and how students um function within the schools. And so these posters just really caught her attention. And you know, there's a number of them in any of our schools. I passed a couple coming in the hallway >> and this one's hiding behind the table >> and thought thinking about hallways. You folks would like to know also you really are helping even couple ver in the symbionic way. Um because one of the questions that Zita had for one of your principles was they had doors locked.

077They said they could lock from the inside. They're building a new school unit for Zeta so she doesn't have two separate buildings, one big one. And they were asking if she wanted locks on the inside of her doors. So now we've gone from uh third world country when I was there 9798 for summer seminars abroad. Now they're a developing nation. They've come very far in 50 years, but they now really do have to pay attention to the safety. Like I was here for all of your lack of safety. So she asked your super your um principal whether it would be a good idea. And they really suggested do it now, do it at the beginning, do it while you're building because it will be very important. Keep your students safe. So she took his um

078advice to heart and they're going to do that there. Thank you very much. Um we had a chance to stop in and have different visits with students. Um so we happened to catch the unified basketball game last week which they repeatedly said was the highlight um of their experience visiting and seeing students. Um and then on the right um kind of a distant picture I guess but we had an opportunity uh to join with the student ambassadors at Felmouth High School in our English language development program during Clipper time. Um and the meeting very quickly uh shifted into Portuguese and it was a very powerful conversation and then they would stop and and kind of talk to us a little bit in English, catch us up and jump right back in. Um but every student

079in the room was engaged and the whole conversation was led by the co-presidents uh of the student organization. So really powerful opportunity and at the museum bring it full circle back with Barbara at the museum. Um and Barbara do you want to talk a little bit about that beautiful quilt? Zita, I had mentioned to them that they were here. They were cold. We had to we offered some of our clothes because they brought a little bit, but the K birds 80 degrees, 90 degrees all the time. They didn't have scarfs and gloves. So, we shared that with them. I wasn't sure that there was one young man. So, I have to say thank you to Sonia. Somebody said to the young man, "Well, where did you get that nice heavy coat?" It was her sons.

080So, we just shared, you know, we shared everything. But then Zita loved I I said, "I got blankets." They were going to go to the game and I said, "Well, I got little lap quilts. We do some quilting. We do some African [clears throat] quilting. I thought of the young woman who did all that art and I said, "This is wonderful. I love it. They crochet beautifully in Cabo V." And I wanted to get started with some quilting. Uh Sonia's going to take sewing classes with me soon. But Zita was thrilled when she saw this one. She said, "We've got enough clothing for the game. We're not that cold." But this was butterflies on one side. And she said, "I love teaching the kids about uh, you know, metamorphosis and then you know the I

081love butterflies." But then I told her, "Oh, no. I had made it for my little niece. I never really finished it to give her. She's grown. On the other side, it was words in English to talk about the snail and the car and the worm and those kinds of things." And so she took I finished it and took she took it back with her to Cabo. Another memory of Falmouth. And just before they left, uh, Representative Vieira welcomed them into the chambers of the House of Representatives. And, um, you can see we happened to, uh, have the occasion to be there at the same time as Sheriff Buckley, who was in a maroon suit. And so they they they all jumped together, um, and had an opportunity. And then um before they left they because

082Zita's last name is Vieira took her picture in front of David's name on the board. [laughter] Uh she very happily drives her own Cabo bird with a [clears throat] vote for rep V. Um this was just a a concluding moment uh made uh possible by Repier as we were headed in uh to the airport >> and and they took copious notes. I watched everything that they did. First of all, you'd love this that when the kids got on the floor on the rugs, they got right down on the rugs with them. The kids weren't intimidated. They, you know, they asked all kinds of really interesting questions. But those 24 and 26 year olds loved the things that you had on your walls, the ideas, the suggestions. They couldn't wait to get back to Cabo Ved

083and share some of that. And they share as much as they can with us. >> Thank you so much, Barbara. Thank you for the partnership and and for uh helping us grow um our world and the schools and and thank you for welcoming us into the to the museum because it is really fabulous. >> You're fabulous. You're fabulous. You're fabulous. Thank you very much. [clears throat] [applause] >> Yes, Margaret and I were two of the lucky staff that got to travel last year. It's almost an anniversary, Barbara. >> Oh, it's not. Did you have >> Well, I also wanted to say something. you know um one of the most the meeting the students there was just incredibly wonderful but I think one of the things that I learned about the school there and the connection

084with us is there was we asked students what they wanted to do and this one student said she wanted to come to United States to learn but then she wanted to take what she learned here to help in her country and I think that really speaks about the connection that that's being made for us and to And you don't know how important that is. The first time I went to Cabover, I was crying in 97 because they didn't have enough staff to staff the senior year in college. There was no graduating from college there at the time. And I could not believe it because people out migrated because it was so poor. It was a third world country. 80% of their food products has to be imported. And I sobbed. This is awful. how can

085the country grow? And this year, because of some of this program and what I'm learning and all the things this diaspora has done for them, mostly Americans have helped Cabo grow and they know it. They wouldn't be where they are without the US um infusion. And what the minister of culture said was, "Oh, you can't have just a museum in this program in Pria because we now have three universities." So they are now going back and helping build. You're saving lives. You're building human humanity throughout the world from this one program. They are the we are the largest population here of immigrants in in Massachusetts is from Kab right now. >> Thank you. >> Nada. >> Okay. Um, next we will have an update from the superintendent. >> All right. Thank you. Um, I'll start

086out um with the update on [clears throat] excuse me, safety. Um, we're continuing um conduct our fall Alice drills. Um, a parent had asked me uh and I realized when we talk about drills um probably most people think that um it's just from the classroom and so um and that's true probably for the large part but uh a parent asked me if if I would speak to and let parents know that um also there are times where staff members could be out on the playground, they could be in the lunchroom, they could be at different parts and so yes, we do practice from different um locations. um throughout the um the building. So, uh the fall drill was announced. Uh we have not decided uh that's a collaboration with the Fouth Police Department. We have

087not decided on the spring drill. Uh when they are not announced, that's usually when they may be in different locations um mostly. So, um just wanted to let everyone know and I appreciate uh when a parent asks a really good question, it gives me an opportunity to to share that. So, um thank you to that parent. Um we are assessing our school grounds for vulnerable areas around the schools for uh potential uh limit uh to to add limited fencing. Uh again uh thank you to the parent that um made a suggestion for a couple areas uh that uh needed suggestions and we jumped right on that and DPW um many thanks to them always. They're such a great partner um but was able to put some fencing in a vulnerable area that a parent had

088shared and it's a different perspective and that's that's part [clears throat] of that partnership. So, thank you to that parent. Um, we're continuing to um uh build our cameras um and looking at um that we're also um considering um upgrading our camera system um to a uh cloud base and um bringing on um two uh safety monitors um to monitor um these this upgraded um more sophisticated uh camera. um units um from a central location. Um the the capabilities of it are are um incredible. Uh we will not speak um to all the details about that because that's part of the safety plan. Um and just so you know, things that um we do or don't share around safety um is always discussed with the found police department about what po portions of our safety

089plan we can talk about and which we really should not be discussing um in public. So, um but but no, we are on that and we are um upgrading. We're also um we upgraded um the radios at Bmouth High School um for better communication on long range. Um so that just happened uh and we are assessing all buildings to make sure that we have the the right number of radios that we need um in all of our in our schools. So um that's a little bit on the safety. [clears throat] Um I just wanted to share um the US News and World Report announced the best middle schools. Um so that just came out uh the best middle schools in the country. I'm pleased to announce uh that uh Lawrence school ranked 164 in Massachusetts

090out of more than 359. So uh US u news and world report stops uh counting and ranking after 359. There's a lot more middle schools but they stop at that point. Um, so we are 164. Um, in Massachusetts on the Cape and Islands, Lawrence is ranked uh second only um to to Monoy. So um that's uh a great honor. I will say that within that um the rankings, MASHB and Sandwich are not uh considered um uh middle schools. Um they are considered high schools um because they have grades 7 to 12. Um but just as a reminder uh when the um US News and World Report came out with the high schools, I think it was a month ago I think when um that I announced that that Fmouth High School ranked 76 in the

091best high schools um on the uh Cape and uh that was only uh for the Cape I'm sorry 76 in Massachusetts and only second um to NSET on the Cape um uh for that. So, um, congratulations to to both our Lawrence and High School. Um, it's really great, great honor. [clears throat] So, appreciate that. Um, something new that Dusty has decided they're they're um doing is uh staff um attendance data. Now, they're going to be reporting it publicly. Um, there uh so that will start this year and it will start with last year's data. Um, it will report all staff, administrators, and teachers uh separately. Um and then it at the school level and at the district level. Um so it should be released soon. I just wanted to let you know. I've already let

092the um our staff know um a couple weeks ago that this is um this will be uh now a new um profile on uh the Dusty website. And although um uh I am not responding to one of the uh community members that just spoke uh at um a public comment u I already had it in here but here it is uh talking a little bit about school choice. Um and I want to start with um I know that in during the enrollment we said we had 175 students this year which mirrored last year at 175 students. Um something that we're actually seeing now is that uh current uh Falma students are needing to move out. Um they're uh losing the housing. They can't stay where they are. They're moving out, but they are filling out

093the school uh choice applications and they're staying. They do not want to leave. So our numbers are very quickly. This has not happened like this uh right after school starts. Sometimes it happens throughout the year, something happens, but we've had a number um after um so we are now over the the 175 that we we talked about and and um I I'm going to give um periodic uh maybe an update on um the school choice numbers. I do not like to um identify um the the school choice students um [clears throat] by grade. They're usually very very small numbers. Um, and you know, we we really do once they um are in our schools, we don't consider them separate. We don't consider them from somewhere else. They are a clipper through and through. And so

094to us, it it um it doesn't matter whether you're school choice, you're here from somewhere else, or you are, you know, have a resident of Fman public school. So, I want to make that very clear. But I know that the the um school committee um member has also echoed that they'd like to know the numbers. So this year um we have a smaller amount in kindergarten. We actually had more students come um with the upper grades, but in kindergarten we had eight new um uh kindergarten students and they um are represented represented across um Mullen Hall. Uh we have five at North Felmouth. We have two and Ticket has one. Um last year was a little bit higher of kindergarten numbers. Um we had um 16 kindergarten numbers um represented across all four elementary schools.

095Um one at East, three at Ballin, 11 at North, and one at Ticket. Uh when you get applications, they do um they do request um where where they want want to be. um at the uh elementary levels and if we can accommodate that we do. A lot of it is it's uh either proximity um to their home in a different district. Um you know that's usually the the reason why they're or sometimes it's to their work because they they come to to Fmentouth to work and so sometimes it's in location um the proximity to the work and so when we can accommodate we can do we we do that. Um I was also asked um by a school committee uh member if I would um talk about the changes um and potential changes at the

096federal level. Um [clears throat] I uh am going to um give a little bit of a report here and I'm going to be mostly focused on the special education tonight. Um the federal government uh is res reducing the number of staff at the US Department of Education. They're at about half um at what they were at the beginning of the year. So they were at uh 4133 in January, 2183 in March and 2000 in October. Um they appear to be committed to continuing to support special education programming, but they are talking about part partnering with a another federal agency. Um one such department they're talking about is the department of health and human services. However, in the uh health and human uh services department, uh they have eliminated approximately 500 staff uh specifically in the

097administration of children and families and there are plans to reduce additional positions in the HHS. So, um the federal special education funding is about approximately 15 million with 7 million students 15 billion sorry with 7 million students provided uh with special education services nationwide. Um concerns are surfacing uh regarding having enough staff for the oversight monitoring uh technical assistance. Um while states and districts will still be held um to IDEIDA and the 504 rules and regulations um states may have um the obligation to ensure that the laws are being followed. So this may fall more more on the states to to do that monitoring and technical assistance. Um approximately 70% of the complaints in the office of civil rights are related to disabilities. Um they are also seeing uh employee cuts. It has been seen

098uh for years that they are underst staffed with many open cases and often long waits um to address the complaints that they do have. Uh so um there is concern there's 605 employees and seven regional offices in January. uh one half of the employees were let go and seven offices were closed. Um so um we believe that um the OCR is down to 120 people at this time. So that's a concern um for you know our our families. Um again a lot of families but 70% of the uh complaints in the OCR are related to disabilities. Um it's important to reiterate um we will ensure um the programming determined for each individual student in Fmouth Public Schools will receive the services that um that they um so deserve. Um our teachers are skilled at working

099with our students with IEPs within general education classes as well as offering robust uh separate programs uh in the district. Um we'll have an update um at the next meeting from uh Sandy Caps and Bellis uh in um November u from more on our our programming here in in schools. Um a little bit about the Falmouth service center. Uh right now normally this time of year the Falmouth service center sees a large increase in the number of households needing assistance. According to the service center, this year it's more challenging um with the federal shutdown uh and the expected loss of SNAP funds um starting next week. Uh so we did send out something to all families um that I just shared, you know, to please um access um fill out paperwork, become clients at um

100BMA Service Center. They are there to help you. Um last week um was the busiest week they had since February of 2025. They assisted 603 households um from across the Cape and distributed 17,000 pounds of food. Approximately 70% of the households came from Felmouth. Uh for Felmouth families, the following is available. Family families can pick up food weekly. Uh the Falmouth residents can apply for uh financial help every 18 months. service center can help with uh rent and mortgage, utilities, car insurance, and car payments. Um the new um uh service center community closet is open um to our food pantry clients and has clothing for the family, household items, shoes, bedding, etc., all at no cost. Um they are currently signing up families for the turkey basket program. Uh they've already enrolled 538 Barnstable County

101households and have room for about 70 more in the program. Um they're providing um also 320 baskets for military families. and the Fmouth client uh families uh can enroll in our um in their um children's holiday program which provides a brand new coat, hat, and mittens for the uh children aged um 0 to 10 plus a gift card for their parents to shop for um for their children for Christmas um for the holidays. Um and then also they can pick up a gift card for um to to purchase items for their children age 11 to 17. uh enrollment ends in mid November. So I encourage people um to take advantage um for this for the community. I'd like to talk a little bit about SNAP. Um approximately 42 million people across the US could face

102disruptions to the food stamp u benefits in November. The agriculture department warned state agencies um of potential insufficient funds. They are looking at other funding sources but will likely fall short of approximately eight of the 8 billion needed. Um I do not know what this means for Massachusetts. U could not find that uh information at this point. Um but SNAP is outside the purview of um the schools. Uh our free breakfast and lunch program will not be interrupted. Uh so that I just you know people were asking a lot of questions whether one has to do with the other but the that our free meals will will continue. Um a part of our part uh as part of our partnership with the Cape Kid meals uh we continue to assess uh weekly um who needs

103uh food outside of the school day. So that is our weekend backpack program. Um our numbers are holding steady between 70 and 80 uh and pretty much match the same number that we had last year. But of course that could change especially as we move into November and any of the SNAP [clears throat] um you know uh benefits um may be suspended. Um we as uh you heard from Vela there is a new food pantry at Felmouth um high school. It's very exciting. Um I am passing around this uh flyer for you. I'll go this way so you get to see a little bit more of it. Um I appreciate that she had said that Cape K Mills they're providing canned and other food as well as snacks um to our high school students. Um

104this is not usual um for Cape Kid Mills to be in in the high school. So um so that's that's wonderful and thank you to BIPS u for volunteering to help u run it. Um I'd also like to thank the Walko Church and the members of the congregation. they are making a large donation um for the purpose of expanding the food pantry. We have a meeting starting on Monday that we're going to be um talking about what that might look like. So um I appreciate um Walkway Church uh and Melfields uh specifically um [clears throat] immigration enforcement uh near schools. Um, Senator Marky signed on to a letter with other senators calling for the US Department of Education to pressure immigration authorities to reframe uh from carrying out immigration uh enforcement within a th00and ft

105of any school property. Um, citing the classroom um disruptions that were in the Chicago area. Um, I want to assure you and the community that there has been no incident that has occurred near one of our schools. Um, however, I am very happy that there is action being taken uh to ensure that this uh will not happen. So, thank you to Senator Marky Marky signing on uh representing Massachusetts. Um, just also want to remind you that we set protocols in place. Should an ICE agent show up at one of our schools, those are still in place. We have not had to uh engage in those protocols, thank goodness. But um everyone is full aware of what the protocols are. Um there is a special um event um that's coming up that started um uh with

106a partnership um with um [clears throat] uh MBL and Martha's Vineyard African-American Heritage Trail. Um and involved our Lawrence students, which was pretty exciting um to be involved. I I I literally want um to turn this over to um Henry right now so you can share some exciting news. He's done a lot of work on this project. >> Thank you very much. I wish Carmemelllo was here because she's amazing as well. So um uh if you haven't gone to Mat's Vineyard, you have to go to the African-American Heritage Trail. It's amazing. Our kids go there each year at at the Lawrence Age. and uh with um suggestion with um Sarah and Gondulus at MVL she said it would be great if we can extend it into Falmouth and what her what the vision started to

107develop is like let's take one [clears throat] uh scientific institution and put a plaque there so there's 40 plaques in Martin you can go around and go check it out and the kids have all done it and so now what we did is we had uh MBL give us a list of names and some research information and they actually determine who should represent the first um the first uh what are we going to say the first spot from the uh that's going to be at uh Woods Hole and it's it's going to be MBL and they're they had a they all the kids com um had their people who they wanted to uh represent and they had a nice little project and then they presented in front of the uh Matz vineyard um directors uh

108board of directors and they chose from the kids presentation and it was competitive. It was like really they put themselves in the position and it was really a fantastic presentation and then from that decision they chose who's the next one. So the very first Woodshole uh person will be Dr. town um from the MBL and he is an amazing um he worked for 50 years. Uh he was uh the summer program for neuroscience excellence and and success advanced research training course. He's done so much in that area. And so we're very proud to have uh him to represent the first one and we hope to continue to each scientific community. So we're hoping for a new one for next year. But right now, if you can on o on Tuesday and then we can send

109this we can send an email. >> Yeah, I'm going to send it out to >> on Tuesday, November 18th, um from 12 to 1 at the row uh LA laboratory uh in which hole will will be the unveiling. They already have the plaque uh very much unveiling and we're going to bring m um the board um from the African-American uh heritage trail. They're going to come down. We're going to have officials from both sides of the island and over here and uh it'll be really nice to have uh the school committee representing that these are the kids that chose it and um they they put their foot in print. So now they can go Martha's vineyard and then come to cross the uh you know come over come over and say this is ours as

110well. So that's it's been very uh exciting and I just like that we are a beloved community based founded on a diverse population and it's all you know Barbara comes here and talks about this and it is so true vineyard as well as in Falma. So uh to teach our kids that uh that that's important. I love it. So thank you. So we'll we'll send something out to you everyone. >> Thank you Henry and and that concludes [clears throat] my update. Thank you very much. >> Okay. Thank you, Lori. Thank you, Henry. >> Can I just ask a question? >> Sure. >> Um, how can we help with the pantry? How can the average [cough] [clears throat] >> how can how can we help with the pantry? >> Thank you very much for the question.

111And since we're meeting on Monday and we're looking about how we're going to expand it, um, I will ask that the question so that we can talk through this. But thank you. Thank you for asking. >> Sure. >> Are we taking questions or no? >> Yeah. Does anybody else have it? We'll start. Kelly, you have a question? >> I think I'm good. Trina, >> no. >> So, all set. >> Um, Dr. Door, you had mentioned that fencing, getting back to your safety um update, fencing has been placed in a vulnerable area. Can you are you comfortable being more specific or do you not want to >> No, I can't. So when I say vulnerable areas, um there are um at all schools um there are paths off the schools that um you know that people

112traverse. Um and and when I say um we're looking at if there were ever a potential person that that could come onto the ground, but we on a regular basis have our community members that cross through our um properties to get from one location to another. There might be a path and then you go through you might be able to you know get to um you know McDonald's or or Dunkin Donuts or you know different locations. Um the playground um on uh Morse Pond um has sorry uh Mullen Hall needs to be watched uh because parents uh families do not know that from 7 to um 5:30 that the community should not be on our grounds. they do come on and it's it's you know it's it's innocent and that's but we're always watching for

113that and asking but there are some certain areas that we could block off so that that doesn't happen. Um and so um that we're just looking for some of those those areas um around the schools. So yes, for safety reasons we are um looking from certain areas, but it also can be a deterrent just for our our wonderful community members that just love to be on the school grounds. and we are a part of our community. Um, and it's not that we don't want them to use our grounds. It's just that between um 7:00 and 5:30 um we ask that that no one comes on the grounds. Now, we we have made signs that says that um and they are now they're consistent. We've done this over the last couple years. We've added signs consistent

114across the the schools, but um we've also I could have added that to the um we've um we're continuing to identify more and more spaces where we could just keep putting up the signs that says not between 7 and 5:30. And uh so we're doing that as well. >> Okay. Uh thank you. And just to follow up, um I know that we had um uh passed along a request that Ticket just because of its location near McDonald's um just have a a special look in terms of that kind of visual fencing. So >> that's what went up was the T. >> Okay. Thank you. >> No, that's it. >> Thank you, >> Chris. I'm good. >> Okay. Thank you, Lori. >> Thank you. learned a lot from that tonight. Yeah, it's good that we're buffering

115those things coming from the politics and federal stuff. Okay, great. Okay. Um, next we'll hear from an update from finance and operations. That would be Mr. Dart. >> We're just going to be passing out the uh, >> excuse me, >> the budget sheet. Um, >> oh, okay. Oh, we get our colors. >> We get the colors. >> We love our colors. >> Yeah. >> So, this will be a a relatively uh [clears throat] quick update. Um, >> is that possible from you, Paul? >> Yeah. >> Sorry, Paul. [laughter] Um so if you if you look on the far left uh hand side you'll see that the uh just to remind everybody the budget numbers uh for total salaries there at the bottom it's 51,601 um and uh non- salaries are 9,823,000 for the total budget

116is 61,424,000. So, um, [clears throat] what we're talking about results here through the end of September. Uh, so if you look to the far right, um, you'll see on the in the column second from the right there, totally encumbered in expense, you see 5,299 in salaries expense so far. Uh in non-s salary expenses you have a total of 6,921,000 and non-s salary expense uh for a total of 12 million 221. I don't mean to be sounding like I'm just reading you numbers. My my point here is if you move one point one column further to the left, you'll see the incumbrances and we're told we've encumbered funds for the year for things such as uh our bus contract. We we've encumbered two encumbered $2.3 million for our bus contract with the Lucini uh to provide

117regular uh transportation. Um, we've also encumbered $1.5 million for all of the utilities for this year. So, that money said, when I say encumbered, essentially we take what we expect to spend for the entire year and set it aside and pull it out of the pool. There's also encumbrances for things like technology or uh contracted services for maintenance uh for special education and so on. So that adds up to your 5 uh3 million in non-sary uh incumbrances. So that's the biggest impact is is really, you know, setting this funds aside in the in the first month of the year um and making [clears throat] sure we have sufficient funds to uh pay those bills uh throughout the year. So with that, uh we're in uh good shape. Um, I've did uh do our early estimates

118for out of district tuition and some of the out of district transportation and uh special ed contracted services. And we look to uh at this point uh be good in good shape with what we have uh for funding um through the rest of the year. However, I just caution people that uh the big period for changes is out of district tuitions can often be in the spring or you know or the late January, February period. So, we're in good shape today. Um [clears throat] uh but uh you know things may change down the road. >> So, uh any any questions on that? >> Okay. So, we would start with Chris this time, right? Didn't we start over here last time? >> Okay, Chris. >> Margaret. >> Melissa. >> No. [clears throat] >> Glenda. >> No.

119>> So, >> um it was mentioned um at our I think our last meeting. I can't remember the date, but um the admin building utilities um to maintain the admin building is $50,000 a year >> just to maintain it. Y >> um that was in relation to how much it costs to maintain Morse. And um my my question I guess is uh and I will at the end of the meeting ask for a future agenda item to on the agenda. Um if we can recoup $50,000 into our budget just by um forsaking the administration building, that would be a benefit. Um and I would like to have a serious conversation about that. So, I just wanted to bring that up. Since the administration building salaries, non- salaries was in this budget. >> Um, and we're

120talking about encumbered money, we can free up [clears throat] some of it immediately >> or as close as >> Okay, Kell. >> No, I'm good. >> Okay. Thank you, Paul. >> I make fun of you, but we do appreciate your patience and answering our questions and color coding, you know. Oh, okay. Here's Mike. Oh, >> things will get lively now. >> Yeah, they will. And Terry, [laughter] I've been here the whole time. >> I watched everything. I was very impressed with both the students in both grades. But, um, I had a question. I don't know if it's for Dr. Dora Paul, but the last meeting, I got to read a quote. Uh, talking about the Lawrence School front door. It said the front entrance was inadequate for security. And this goes into safety. I've been

121doing a lot of research on the Mass Chief site in PAS uh about entryways to schools. So I guess my question is are any of our schools entryways adequate for security? And if not, what are we doing to address that? >> What does that have to do with our update? >> Right. I I think >> and finance it depend. So what I view as adequate security might for [clears throat] uh front entrance ways where the front office in staff in particular have direct view of incoming people coming through the vestu um and so with buildings that were built in the 70s or 60s or in the Lawrence case in the 50s that's not current design. So what happens is we put a safety monitor right outside of the doorways or right inside of the doorways

122I should say to monitor the traffic coming in and about and then once they're into the building through the doorway they then check in with the front office. All right so if you think about te ticket you come in through the entrance but the front office is off to your right. Lawrence the same situation. You come into the main entrance. There's a safety monitor up in the uh right at the top of the steps and then the office is off to the right. The high school, you come right in the office. The high school's a good example of modern design where you come in through the front door and you'll have the the front office right there uh with the direct visibility of those students. So that is that's what I was referring to of

123of not if you don't have that direct site from the main office uh to the front entrance. Is that >> all right? I don't want to I don't want to tie this up was about the safety update, but um I would like and I'll ask the end of the meeting for a special meeting on safety because if a monitor at the front door, they're not walking around the building and there are some some holes in our in our safety protocols and how we're doing it. But I will again request for a special safety meeting about that because I think it's very important. But thank you for that answer. >> Okay. >> Thank you for the update on operations and finance. Um, next we will be acting on a memorandum of agreement. >> Lori. [clears throat]

124>> Um, yes. So, um I believe um I mean I I know I mentioned it and I believe when um our athletic director uh Todd um Oliver was here, he was speaking about um a potential new sport um and that's wrestling. And we started last year um with a club and we had uh just to see how many students um would come out um and you know was interested and so we had I believe 17 um at one time during the club might have um held steady at the time we talked about it that's how many uh came out and so uh we started seriously looking at um a competitive sport at our high school um for wrestling Um so uh we also MASHBY numbers um were at a point and we weren't sure how

125many we get we and this is not unusual to um combine districts uh with the sport. So we um were going together uh with MASHB to offer this sport um this year. [clears throat] Um so in this process of course you know we don't have wrestling in our um uh collective bargaining agreements. So um we uh Todd being you know like where he believes the wrestling coach would match up to other coaching positions um and um the union and we all you know work back and forth and we came up with and in agreement and this did take a little bit of time. It's a brand new um coach um position. So, we came up with that it would fall in category E and we felt that that that was best aligned. Um so, uh

126we um I'm bringing this to you because it is a new wrestling. This means a new coach head coach position. Um and so, um the union uh is is satisfied with this and I'm asking the school committee um to act. We are uh I was hoping to have this to you um last meeting um but we were still uh in negotiations and so um I'm asking you tonight if you would go ahead and approve it even though this is the first time you're seeing the MOA and that's because it's a winter sport. It starts right after um Thanksgiving. Uh and we need to um get the coach and we have to purchase equipment um for the u the sport and so we need a little bit of time to make that happen. So um I'm

127asking if you would uh vote in the positive. Uh I've had experiences with wrestling uh in the the past. The Cape other Cape schools have wrestling uh teams. Uh there are students that you know absolutely love wrestling and uh it's just another way of connecting students to our schools. >> Yes. >> I'm sorry I can't say the yes. >> Would you like a motion now? >> Yes. >> I I move to accept the memorandum of agreement between school committee and education educators association regarding the wrestling head coach. >> Okay. Is there a second >> if I could speak? >> Okay. Could I just um Sharon? So, um Sue made the motion and you got it. Okay. Sometimes when there's bad acoustics, it's hard for our recorded our um record keep to hear. I'm sorry. Go

128ahead, Sue. >> I want to thank everyone involved. Probably for the past 20 years, I've been looking forward to this. Um it [clears throat] will enable a group of kids to have another activity that they haven't had before. And in comparison to the other schools around the Cape, we have been lacking in this for that this type of kid. Um it will be very helpful and in a lot of ways um one more connection for them to stay in school. >> Okay. Are there any other comments or things? Okay. So >> maybe >> Okay. So, we'll take um a vote then. Has to be roll call since Mike is zoomed in. So, Mike, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> Okay. Gel >> Yes. Yes. >> Cohen, yes. >> Good. >> Yes. >> And Maduras.

129Yes. So, it's unanimous. Thank you very much. Okay. >> Next, we will hear a review on the Navigating the Future proposals. [clears throat] >> So, I I wanted to I when we gave the presentation um at the special meeting on um the Lawrence uh grade configuration, we had a lot of staff members talking. It was um uh and it's was was very in-depth. So I want to just give a you know first start with a why and then just give kind of a highlevel overview um before you start um your discussion. So um the why why are we discussing the grade configuration at learn school? I mean our overarching goal is to reduce our schools by one due to the declining enrollment. Um by reducing our schools by one we are being fiscally responsible. Meaning

130if we continue to keep seven buildings open we are continuing to spend dollars to maintain schools with reduced enrollment. Um we can reduce two [clears throat] middle schools into one by configuring Lawrence school with three grades. Um this is financially sound decision. I want to recap the highlights um of the presentation. Um first I'd like to um thank the entire school committee was at that special meeting and I really appreciate um being there and listening to the admin team present um [clears throat] and um to hear our recommendation. Um, I'd like to acknowledge that there were eight highly educated, highly knowledgeable, and highly experienced administrators presenting the research, the data, and the recommendation. In addition, we shared invaluable insight from our faculty and staff through uh survey results, and specific focus groups with fifth and

131eighth grade teachers. Everything we presented supported the recommendation of the highly regarded individuals on the U building needs task force. The process set last fall was for the building needs task force to review the research, review the data, and the community input. This process included rigorous discussions and concluded with a recommendation to the school committee. As admin at the special meeting, we presented both sides of the research with supports fifth grade in the elementary school and supports fifth grade in the middle school. The achievement data showed there are high performing districts with fifth grade in the elementary and high performing districts with fifth grade in the middle schools and low performing districts in both elementary and the middle schools. The same was true with the eighth grade achievement data. The research states that what's makes

132the difference is not where students are located. The difference is the pedigogy which is how we teach supports for students in the areas of academics, social, emotional and behavioral and the relationships adults nurture with students. These crit three critical components are highly valued in the Clipper experience and the approach to educating every child in Felmouth public schools. Furthermore, Balmouth outperformed the average of the district's uh achievement who had fifth grade in the elementary and who had fifth grade in the middle scores. The same was true with the eighth grade. Our educators teaching fifth and eighth grade students presented advantages and considerations but no concerns with fifth grade in the middle school and eighth grade in the high school. Therefore, if the um if if location of where we have fifth grade and where we have

133eighth grade is not a factor, it's because it's how we teach and how we support kids and the relationships we build. Then it it comes down to then what is um what is the local context, the local factors um that entered into our recommendations. Declining enrollment indicates that just a few years, we will have a high school enrollment that's half the capacity of what the enrollment was after the renovation. One of your colleagues described expertly what an underenrolled school looks like and feels like. Furthermore, all Cape high schools have eth or seventh and eighth in the high school except for one. There are also examples of districts off Cape that have eighth in the high school. We also offered a host of opportunities for eighth grade students if they were located in the high school.

134As it was noted during the meeting by another one of your colleagues, the fifth grade is currently and historically has already been out of the elementary schools. We are simply adding seventh grade to the already combination of grades five and six. Staff has supported the transition from elementary school to fifth grade for years. they expertly know what to do. Another one of your colleagues um took the time to conduct um their own research. As they reported, this research does not define one right answer. The factors that make the difference for a child regardless of vocation is pedigogy, support, and relationships. Each of you have your views which are reflected in our community by numerous communications. There are two views. Both are worthy. Whichever you decide, I have full confidence that we as administrators and staff

135of Fmouth Public Schools will make it a success for our students. To reiterate where I began, we have an obligation to make fiscally responsible decisions while providing the best education in a safe and educationally appropriate school building. The building needs task force and the administration supports 8th grade into the high school and grades five, six, seven in the Lawrence School. Thank you. >> Okay. All right. So, this is a discussion time. Um I suppose we'll just go around the room and hear discuss. So, I believe we start in the middle, which Melissa, is that okay? If you're the No, I know. I know. Okay. We'll make How about Glenda, you be the middle? And is that all right? >> Sure. Terry, before we could begin, can I just ask a clarifying question because there's two

136agenda items um one after the other and the uh superintendent's statement just then had more to do with grade configuration and so I'm wondering which one we are discussing right now. >> Well, she mentioned she mentioned all the grades so I guess we're discussing all the grades. >> No, are we review on navigating the future together? Was that what just happened and now it's discussion of grades and future? >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Oh, okay. I'm sorry. Thank you for that. So, now we're at discussion of Lawrence school grade configuration. >> Correct. >> Yeah. I I will say I'm going to um because of the way it um was set up, I was going to talk about the Morris P. I'm dividing that. I'm talking about the Morse pond before the

137Morse pond um item on the the list opposed to trying to do both before your discussion. The way that the agenda was was set. I I should have added that at the end that I have more to come on my my review but I because the the discussion the next item is about the grade configuration I stopped so I should have added I'm just a little confus why why why why are we discussing this is this in preparation just to get our questions answered in preparation for what we're not taking a vote. So what why are we why are we discussing I guess is my question. >> I guess it seemed from the last meeting that more discussion would was wanted. >> Okay. Okay. So just that was my comment. >> Could I don't usually

138start things but could I start this discussion because I I want to send people in a whole different direction. So, um, I hope you'll listen out. Um, I wrote up some stuff about the the Lawrence school configuration. Okay. All right. During our conversations about grade reconfigurations at Lawrence and Felmouth High School, we have been more or less trying to make square pegs fit into round holes. Fifth grade is widely regarded as elementary and eighth is not really high school. We have great teachers who could make things work. We know that. However, why are we not considering grade configurations that represent the widely accepted definition of a middle school which is 6 through 8? We received a letter from a constituent who suggested considering FAMA school choice numbers as a new perspective at a new perspective

139of looking at things. If we are accepted into MSBA, we have an opportunity to build a stateofthe-art middle school. So why don't we build it with a configuration as a true middle school with great academic opportunities and athletics? Maybe students from other districts would school choice it because we would be standing out it. Um, for example, if we want to make um academic um more possibilities for them, I researched and there are 12 pre courses. So, they are designed for kids who will eventually take high school courses. So, at our really great state-of-the-art middle school, we could offer something such as that, preap courses. at Lawrence. They recently added a football program that it's so successful and those kids play other schools. It's not um intramural, it's intercoolastic, I guess. So, those are just a

140couple of things that I was thinking about. I think if we um put aside our program, our discussion so far about Lawrence School and let's bring brainstorm opportunities for our state-of-the-art middle school. Other districts on the Cape have eighth graders in the high schools, but that doesn't mean that Falmouth has to. NSET is a 9 through 12 school and they are ranked, I believe, wicked high in the state. Not wicked high, high in the state. Okay. Um maybe I'm exaggerating because I'm excited about my proposition. I'm sorry. Um um so you know, we um I taught at Lawrence School for a while. This is a special grade level level. Kids are um becoming young adults and they're different at home than they are in school. There's all kinds of a peer pressure is so strong.

141It's a very very um particular age group and um I if we give them a great experience at Lawrence, I think why would they ever want to leave Felmouth then? Um, if we I think if we catch them in the middle, okay, it would make it would help our, you know, people transferring out. I also don't think if kids want to go to the voke that they should be, you know, any consideration in this because that's a special type of um um studies that a kid wants to have. Okay. We've done not a large number of surveys on grade configuration at Lawrence. I'm not sure we targeted the most important group of parents. That would be kindergarten through grade grade three parents. Surveys before were hypothetical. If we build this um what would you like

142to see happen? Blah blah blah. Now we have well if we have the money we can say okay we have this money from MSBA. We're going to build a new middle school. Where would you like your potential your going down the road grade five students to go? I mean, and I think parents would take it not more seriously, but with more meaning if they knew, okay, you really there really is a choice here. We really have this money. We're really going to build a new school. You know, maybe um we'd get more surveys. We sometimes say we send them out, we don't get enough surveys. I think if those younger those parents of younger kids knew they really their kids were going to be going there, they would um you know be more apt to

143more people would probably send in surveys. That's what I guess I'm going to say. Um okay. So, we are going to spend millions and millions and millions of dollars, the most Felmouth has ever spent on any school building um renovating it and a future um generations of kids will be impacted. We genuinely need more parents and taxpayers input before we make such a monumental decision. I spoke with a rep from MSBA and they say that the we have to decide on the configuration. That's a local decision but [clears throat] the physibility phase takes quite a while and in the first part of the physibility phase um they won't make the decision but they will guide you through the steps to make a configuration decision. Um, and we need to get that ready before a next

144April town meeting because we need to go to them and say, "Okay, here's what we want to do with our school. We need $2 million from the town to start this feasibility phase." And um the people at MSBA said by then you got to have pretty sure that the taxpayers are going to buy into this because it's a lot of money. Um, so anyway, in the meantime, before we make any decisions, I think we need to have um workshops, we need to have more surveys, and we need to have more fair um forums with parents. And I was thinking maybe the precinct leaders from the precincts in town might want to be invited in because they're with the people, the actual town meeting members in each precinct. and they meet with them. So I think

145if we have conversations, it'll be nice to invite them in. And I repeat again more from the [clears throat] parents about these kids who are going to go down the road. So that's a whole different way of thinking about things. I hope you'll consider it. Thank you. [applause] I don't do that. I don't don't do that. But thank you for considering it. Okay. Anybody else want to make comments? Which way are we going? >> Oh, >> Michael his hand up, too. >> Oh, Mike's wants to comment first. >> He's he's an outlier. So, we'll start there today. Okay. >> I Yeah. And I only have one comment and you kind of stole a lot of my thunder, but the last time we had this discussion, um I know that I think there was five or

146six of us who were asking for more surveys and more community input. like you had just said, Terry, um again, we don't need to have the number configuration by December, and we might not even get it in December. So, there's no rush in this. I think that what Terry just said, work together. Let's figure this out and spend a couple extra minutes looking at it. again when whenever we have this vote uh for the grade configuration I should I think it should be later on after we know if we get approved or not and then give us some more time to do surveys and data collection. That's it. Terry, thank you. >> Okay, so I guess we're still in the middle. Glenda, did you want to say anything now? >> Um I know you've answered

147this a million times, Paul, but just kind of building off of Mike's. If if we say that there are going to be three grade configurations but not commit to what the grade configurations are, is that going to be acceptable to MSBA or do we have to commit to the specific grades because that will give us the specific enrollment numbers? Yeah, I mean the important part is that we we give credibility to the three grade structure. We do not need to definitive decision on that but the three straight grade structure is important. So the MSBA through uh will look next year to come up with the to uh if we're invited in in December um then next year they have to start to apply a level of capital for this project. They have to set that

148aside under their own plan. And the level of capital that they applied to this project is based on the number of students. So if you have three grades and your projection is 607, that's more than where you are today at 444. Um and and therefore they're going to set aside a higher n level of capital to help with the re reimbursement. [clears throat] All right. um they will work to decide the ultimate grade structure. Um to you know but the the the really the commitment is you're going with three grades and that that has a big impact on them u then versus saying oh we we decided we want to keep two grades that that decision has to be made. >> Thank you. All right, >> Melissa. No, >> Margaret. >> I thought we >>

149um we're just starting in the middle. Okay. [laughter] >> Okay. Um, one of the things that I heard and I thought that we were aware of this is that whatever this transition is that the more time we have to plan for um would be in our best interest. And so I guess I'm a little concerned about um the difficulty of thinking about this. Um Bourne I believe decided last week um last week or last month that they were going to move their eighth grade to the high school and their school committee will be voting on it at the next meeting. They've had no in community input. They've had no conversation with anybody in terms of the reporting I've read. Um that that's happened. So I was away last meeting, but I certainly read the newspaper

150account. Thank you. and I listened to the meeting from last time you wrote Maria and so I'm a little concerned about the delay in terms of making a decision and I'm going to be quite upfront. I had many conversations with Dr. Dur in the very beginning because I had some concerns about fifth grade being in middle school and so I we went at it. Um and that's what led me to really begin to do my research in terms of what is best. I have loads of family members who are teachers. I have loads of family members who are in elementary school. So, I've talked to them, but I also did research with, you know, people from Bridgewater and from people I know who are in universities. And what I found out was that it really

151depends on good planning, good time, an opportunity to put in place what's appropriate. It doesn't matter if the fifth grade is in fourth grade with the elementary or the fifth grade is in middle school. What matters is the quality of education, how we approach it and the planning we do to put in place so that we give the administration, the principles, the teachers [clears throat] an opportunity to work this out. So it's a grave concern of mine. The other thing, by the way, it was something one of the members said is our fifth graders already in middle school. So if we move them to fourth back to elementary school, we're sort of demoting it. So, uh, what I'm saying is I think it's really important that we think about this. [snorts] It seems as if

152there is no correct answer. And so I think that we need to move forward to take a vote. Um, and I think when I heard about a new school, are we talking about building a new building? Because No, we're talking about renovating Lawrence, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. No, I wasn't much about [clears throat] school. So my position is that I think that we need to move forward as a committee, make a decision and that will help ensure that what happens to our students is in their best interest because we've given plenty of time for them to prepare to do what we decide they need to do. >> Okay. Thank you, [clears throat] Margaret. Chris. >> Um, yeah, I kind of, you know, second some of what Margaret's saying in terms of just time of

153the time is of the essence. Um, and so I'm curious in terms of the feasibility study that we'll be required to do um, for Lawrence. What what does that really entail in terms of kind of it sounded like it would be a really detailed feasibility study and I'm just kind of curious in terms of what that would kind of encompass. >> Well, it it's it's kind of three-fold. Um, So [clears throat] one is the educational uh uh profile of the district and specifically in the schools. Um another uh is on uh and the enrollment uh for the district. They're going to have us make redo our uh NASDAQ study. Um they you know they need their own data for that. Um the third is they will uh ask us to review their maintenance program and

154our capital uh program uh for the district and then as well as uh the you know to study what the educational program is for the grade structure now that you're putting in. Finally on this whole plan is build versus renovate. They will require us to study um what it costs to build a new building and what you would get from that study versus what it would cost for us to renovate uh a building and what we would get through that renovation. and they want that study to do to be done because they want the highest chance of success if they move forward with us that this whole program um gets approved by the town and and that's a critical point. So >> I think that's sort of the highlight uh of this feasibility study. Now

155just towards the end of that too is the architects and engineers are hired. you start to study uh the design of the building uh again the renovation versus the the build but then you you know if you're deciding on the path for say a renovation then you really start to take this educational plan and say all right what do I need for this building to become and fit three grades if it's five six seven it may look this way if it's six seven eight it's going look differently. You're going to have different lab space and so on. So that's the the decisions that we all make um uh you know how it how it affects the architectural uh >> uh drawings and and so on. So >> So it sounds like it would be a

156pretty comprehensive study where it would almost look at our entire district from K through high school >> potentially. So, um, [clears throat] so I feel like that study alone is is what a lot of people are calling for. um and is something that would probably help us figure out what the great configuration should be based on, you know, you know, I have a hard time kind of shaking what um member Cohen had mentioned about a high school that is a 1100, 1200 capacity school but filled half full and I feel like that can't be good for the district as well. So, I'm I'm thinking that this feasibility study when they look at that, they would want to see the overall health of the whole district. Um, is kind of my understanding of it. And so,

157you know, I I feel like that I feel like we're we're leaning towards, you know, obviously three grades at Lawrence, you know, and in terms and it seems like this feasibility study will help us to determine for our district, specific to our community, what's the best configuration based on what our high school looks like, what our elementary schools look like. So, you know, I I'm in favor of moving forward with with going with a three-grade structure at the Lawrence, but then seeing what this feasibility tells us in terms of how we move in terms of the specifics moving forward. And, you know, I'm not I'm not looking to jump ahead, but [clears throat] in terms of figuring out what we do with other schools as well. Um, so that's kind of my initial just initial

158pass that you >> Okay. Uh, or I wasn't sure which one. Um, so I I think a lot of, you know, I don't think I have a lot of new things to offer. I um I appreciate the idea of not delaying and giving plenty of time for for planning. I also Chris the that comment about the half empty school kept replaying in my brain over the last week and um and I think it's a very important consideration in general. I've heard far more comments from community members and uh and parents about the benefits of moving eighth grade to the high school than not. um which I think is an important consideration for me. Um and I've also heard you know we have heard from from people that the process has moved too fast but I

159have started hearing from a lot of people that they think it's moving too slow and um maybe it's partly what's going on in Bourne. Um, but I think we have to recognize what uncertainty feels like for families that might be impacted. And it weighs on you. You know, it we saw the weight that it h that it the weight the toll that it took on our East Mouth and Ticket communities last year when we were talking about potentially merging the two. And I don't want to discount what uncertainty does to people, not just our families, but our staff. You know, we need to respect the time that they're going to need to do this right, which I'm sure they will. Um, but I'm to the [clears throat] point now that I feel the last whole

160year plus has given me plenty of time to research, plenty of time to consider um, recommendations, parent opinion, stakeholders, and I feel very confident in my ability to make a decision now. And uh, I I think that we should proceed with doing that. I'm not interested in putting families through more surveys and more forums. And I think we've done our due diligence and now I just want us to to make the difficult decision. >> Katrina. >> Um so immediately I would just like to thank the breath of fresh air that came from our chair. That's the first time I have heard a genuinely new idea in this conversation. Um, and I recognize that perhaps I'm on the minority here, but to me it feels like we've spent a year discussing and have come to the

161exact same conclusion that we started with a year ago. Um the the weight of uncertainty is heavy but the weight of feeling like we have done nothing and have um not done as much as we should is heavier to me and I um I don't know if the chair before I carry on I wonder for my own um sense of sanity is it possible for us to do just a raising of hands who wants more surveys and input and forums on this topic? IC because it's hard to get a sense and if not enough of us do then there's really no purpose to continuing and I can leave my comments unsaid. >> Okay. Um I don't know if that >> we did it in August. We did it in August at our meeting. [clears throat]

162We raised our hand to see if we wanted Lori to >> Okay. I don't care. >> I think it's just a straw. I don't care one way. >> It would help me to know because we have said in the past there have been four to five members at various meetings who have asked for additional polls, asked for additional surveys, asked for more input, more forums, more feedback. And I'm hearing from some members tonight that that's not what's needed. And I cannot tell if the majority of the committee would like that. And I've also heard the superintendent really clarified for me that she needs to know how many people want something in order for her to pursue that. So for her, the forums, the input, the surveys, that process for her is finished. She made that

163clear to me that was last year. So for herself, the superintendent is not pursuing that. And it would be up to us as a committee to ask clearly for that. And she would need to know how many people. So, I'm wondering if before I make any more comments, can we show of hands? Who wants more feedback, input, family engagement? >> Could you put the MSBA into that um mix because now we've we know that they can help us too. >> Sure. But if we're voting for grade configuration and and um relinquishing mors before we get to that stage, that's kind of >> what Well, what can you be more specific on what kind of input? because you just mixed two things there. Okay. Graded configuration and Morse. So >> when we had our meeting on

164August 19th, our special meeting, um there were a number of us and I could um Chris I sorry I'll do last names. lumping Maduros, myself, um Margaret at a different meeting, um and Halen had all asked specifically for um staff surveys, family forums, um more input from other staff in addition to the eighth grade and high school. Um family input, I'm just reading the things I had circled here. Studentled forum, um parent surveys. you tonight asked for parent surveys for the kindergarten and first grade parents currently. So, we've had these requests and in regards I guess I'll I'll just make it in regards to grade configuration. Do we need those things before we can proceed to a vote because it's not clear to me right now and I don't want to keep um articulating my

165feelings which you've already heard if we don't have a majority of people who want more information. Is that clear? So, >> so how many people would like to have more information before they make a decision >> on grade? >> But you're saying like surveys and forms, >> right? Specific to surveys. >> Well, there was a bunch of things mentioned surve staff surveys, family surveys, um student surveys, [snorts] more input and engagement in the form of forums and listening sessions and workshopping. I've heard these terms. There's these are all terms to know what you mean, >> right? It's a plethora of engagement and surveying. Get more input. All of the above under that umbrella. >> Is that who thinks? Yep. Very. >> Okay. So, how many people >> can I just ask a question of timeline?

166>> So, if we do this um when when are we voting for just to say three three grades or or two grades? When are we doing that? We're It's already >> That's already done. Okay. So, it's just then um then when would we vote given that input? When are we voting >> 567 or seven, you know, >> depends on the answer to the strong pool? >> Okay. So, we're not really under any kind of um t time constraint to do that. We could we could vote on that in January or fe February or or I'm just wondering what our timeline would be if [clears throat] we were to have these >> um address that question. >> Yes. Thank you. >> So, um so let me just know just talk again about the Lawrence application. So

167I I I do want to emphasize sort of where we are. Um, you know, our building is one of the oldest buildings. Um, it's it's that means it moves high on the list. Um, it gives us a better chance of success with the MSBA. Um, the second is that Falmouth hasn't had a project for a build or renovate in front of the MSBA. um it had [clears throat] a predecessor or organization but not the MSBA. So that too raises Felmouth's chances of success. Then the third component is that we are lucky to be in the application pool that we are in this year and that that application pool is relatively small. So our chances of success in getting a invitation is now high because of what the factors I just I'm not speaking for the

168MSBA. I'm just saying these are the the way of how they make decisions. Uh and and so if that's the case, if we do get an invitation, then there's a sort of a sequence of decision making that has to happen. And that now builds the case not just with the uh MSBA because now we're in the program, but it begins to build the case with the town uh and and what the voters need to uh to make to make the economic decision that they're going to now be asked to make. So what's that first following the Lawrence situ? What's the first decision point? And the dis first decision point is the Moss Pond school and whether this building is returned to the town because now that decision influences the the three grade structure and they

169will need for example they will need to see a statement from us uh an S soi for the Morse Pond School filed within the first quarter. uh as a you know as part of this program. So they that decision is relatively close here. It's it's we're on that time frame. The and the other part of that is what we're telling the voters that we have this major project coming down the road and we're going to be making if invited into this again I mean good likelihood but if invited in we're now going to be asking for $2 million and so the voters are going to be thinking okay but our enrollment is declining ing. So we how is Felmouth public schools going to deal with this decline enrollment? And now what's the right campus structure?

170Because we can't continually to invest major dollars in all of these buildings while affording a major renovation of new build uh for the Lawrence School. I mean, it's just it's the town has a big capital pile out there. Not a pile, but a big level of capital commitments that they are making. We're not the only part of that uh that level. Something like $800 million in capital projects. So, we need to make that decision about Morris Pond to build credibility with the voters. that first if invited our first effort will be go to the town in April for the first $2 million allocation and then following that is the other decision now your decision on Mars pond now you into great configuration and then the final step in in the elementary school's decision so that

171is the sort of the sequence Lawrence Moss pond grade configuration and elementary schools. >> So, can I ask some more? When I spoke with a person from the MSVA, she said that as soon as you got in, you didn't have to have your grade configuration ready. You know, they don't expect you to have it ready because you've been analyzing it. And um but one thing that you mentioned that she did say was um the MSVA really wants you to educate the voters and the um not the voters, the taxpayers. I mean, they they really need to know things along the way because if somewhere along the way um some confusion arises about some wing we're going to add to the school or some science lab money um they just want them to be um they

172just want to know that they're really on board and everything with what's going on. So um that's important that the voters are with you. So, um, and but but the other thing I caught in speaking with her was that you have a few months, you have a two or three months after you're accepted and they will, like I said, they won't make the decision for you, but they can guide you. So, why, if we're going to spend millions and millions, would we throw away any information we could get? >> I mean, why would you throw away any information that's free? I mean, well, it's part of their program, but so why not, you know, wait till they wait till we get in with them, have them say maybe do this or maybe they do not.

173Again, I they're not going to make the decision, but so I don't know. That's the way I understood when I spoke with the representative. By the way, this representative was also knew found how [clears throat] Fmouth Town Meeting worked and everything because she was on the MSBA when the high school was done. So, she knows our town and our community and our history on that. So, I just wanted to throw that in. Did I misunderstand anything from >> No, I think if you're talking about great I just want to differentiate great configuration from the future of Mos. >> Yeah. >> They're not they're not the same. >> Margaret, >> we have Okay. I'm sorry. >> I have a question for that. Is that okay? >> Sure. I don't, you know, I lost track because I've

174been talking a lot in the middle of it, which I don't usually do. I'm sorry. >> Well, and I did a weird thing where I put my comments on hold to ask for a poll, [clears throat] which we haven't had yet. So, >> okay. >> Um, well, first of all, I heard something that actually the decision about Morris Pawn needs to come before the great configuration. Is that what I heard you say? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, the agenda should be a little bit different. Okay. U that's my first question. My second question is I have heard And I thought I had heard that our application for money would be strengthened if the school committee had made a decision about the great configuration. And that's what I had heard. That's what I had heard and

175I am asking for a clarification. Well, if there is, let me just say the I've I've consistently said the strongest component of our application is the age of Lawrence School, the condition of Lawrence School, the uh the where we are as a the district and not having been had a project before the MSBA, the high school was before the predecessor organization. Um and so we're not a resource uh been in front of them for a major project. Uh and then the applicant pool. Um but as we make decisions here particularly and in my view the most important is the most pawn decision right now that you you if you delay that decision then it seems to me that you keep opening up whether you're two grades or three grades in the in the you if

176you're not having made a decision about force pond, you're you still have this optionality and and I don't think that that helps. We need a you know they're going to be determining this grade that the the how much of the reimbursement we will need for this project that is based on the number of students that will be in this building. But also as you start this as I've said we need to develop an educational plan. That educational plan is dependent on the structure within the in the building and and then that you know if so you need to know what the grade structure is. You develop the educational plan. the educational plan then develops into the architectural plan because a a lab space for an eighth grade is different for a lab grade space for

177a fifth grade. I mean that's just you may not even need it for fifth grade. So we we [clears throat] you know the point is you don't have this indefinite period of time to to figure out great configuration but you really do need to start to make decisions one after they are sequential decisions. The major decision to make up front and I think this goes for not just the MSBA but for the voters is the decision on more spawn. >> Okay. I don't know where we are in that. >> Okay Susan [clears throat] >> I don't hold on one second. I'm sorry we never took a poll and we can come back to it >> but people are contributing to answering your poll I think. Okay. So, I didn't finish my thoughts and I can

178come back to my thoughts. So, I will we can carry on. I just wanted to bookmark that and make sure we're not forgetting it. Sorry, Susan. Carry on. >> Um, I couldn't agree more with Paul in regards to um we need to act on the We need to show good faith and fiscal responsibility to the town. um since it's embedded in the application as three grades um all of this should fall into place. We've heard from Dr. Harris in regards to even the eighth grade to the high school. He's confident that a program a school within a school could be developed. Um, I too considered what you've had to say in regards to the the small amount of um, students at the high school and as the NASDAQ predicted, we're down in the 600 range.

179So, by the time all of this is done, where are we going to be at? Um, if we don't have a viable high school for our students in Fallon, will we even have a high school? I don't know. But we have to correct that problem as we move along as well. Um, we're all in agreement and data shows we've got declining enrollment. Um, we have to make that financially um, sound decision and I would recommend that we handle the action on Morse Pond School first and within a couple >> point of order. This is an This agenda item does not discuss Morris Pond and people keep discussing it. This is just about grade configuration >> for the order of the day. >> Yeah. Yeah. Mike, this this isn't like your usual conversation. So, you know,

180things are >> That's fine, but I just don't like how we use Robert's rule sometimes and sometimes we don't. It's open us up to to open meeting law issues by discussing things that are not in the purview of that agenda item. >> Order of the day. >> Okay. What's the order of the day? >> So that you have to decide if if that is the order of the day or if it's not. >> Um the way I'm looking at things, guys, how many times in your lifetime do you ever vote on building schools and reconf? Don't you think you can throw away Robert's rules to let everybody have a as long as everybody can talk? >> Well, then I would like to go back to my colleague, Miss Nevin, who was interrupted about 20 minutes

181ago. Let her finish her thoughts. >> Um, >> well, I it's okay, Mike. I like, [cough] but I think part of the confusion, Terry, if I may, uh, Miss Madurus, is we have two agenda items right after each other. One of them opens up a whole can of worms because it's navigating the future together proposals and the other one is just Lawrence school grade configuration because they're both on the agenda. My read of it and maybe I'm wrong and perhaps our parliamentarian can correct me but we have them both on the agenda. All cards are on the table. Any discussion is viable at this point because these things are on the agenda and the entire can of worms is open. >> Right. I can't see that anything that Katrina just said is not debate talkable

182right now. Okay. I mean this is like I said this is millions and millions of dollars we're talking about. So um so anyway we sue please and we won't have any more interruptions. >> Um we won't. This is one school system and this talk has to be considerations of everything. We've been dealing with this for over a year and longer than that for some school committee members on this board. It's time to act now. >> Okay. All right. So, Katrina, did you want to finish what you started then? I guess. Well, all right, fine. We're doing that. So, we're sort of holding on the ultimate hand vote. Is that what I'm understanding? Until after we've had a conversation. That's fine. Um, when we began, since this is now open to everything, when we began this

183process, this whole navigating a future conversation would not have been possible. We could not have released this to the public. We would not have be having this conversation if we as a school committee had not voted to release that initial letter. We as a school committee are able at any point to reassess what we're doing. Now, what are what Paul said, none of our talk about which three grades are in the school is going to jeopardize our application because we said it will be three grades. In my understanding, even if we don't give up Morse pond for some reason, we still can have three grades in Lawrence and move eighth up or fifth down. There is no reason. And I'm not saying that we should not give up Morse Pond. I'm not saying that we

184should not have eth or fifth down. I have my own views. I'm just saying none of this conversation jeopardizes in any way our application because the application is in. It says three grades. We're moving [clears throat] forward. We as a committee can choose to discuss things that we've not discussed. It's been a long year of basically talking about the same things. I would love to have some new ideas on the table. In my view, we don't have to rush ahead with the grade configuration if we have until everything is going to be clear in December. The MSBA will come back and we will know whether or not we are in the application process with them. We'll know whether or not we've been accepted. At that point, we can then say, "Town, here's Morse pond. We're

185going to put these three grades into the school. We know that we're moving forward." Right now, the chicken has not hatched out of the egg. We don't even know what's going to happen. December is a month away. It's really not that long to wait. We're not jeopardizing the ability of our teachers to thoughtfully and skillfully transition to whatever plan we come up with. I That's my view. And as a committee, it has been frustrating in the last year that we have we waited and waited for the building needs task force to come back with a recommendation. Their recommendation mirrored everything which was in Nestec. NASDAQ mirrored everything which was in the navigating the future proposals. And here we are together again almost as if we have not had the year we've had. And I would

186love for us to discuss what our chairwoman brought up tonight. Building a new school. That's a great interesting idea. Have we gone too far down the road of our application process? I don't know, Paul. Have we gone too far to then say we'd rather build a new school? >> No, not in a new school. I didn't mean a new school. We have a new a renovated school. We have a new entity, not a new building. Okay. >> No, no, no. I didn't mean that. >> I do not I'm not interested in jeopardizing the work and the progress that has been made. Personally, I have my own views. That does not reflect on the views of the committee as a whole. What has been frustrating is that I cannot as an individual understand how the committee

187feels on things and we as a committee have not really brought in any new ideas and so it's just um so limited in scope that [clears throat] it feels like we're wearing blinders and to rush ahead and say that we need to decide on more. We need to decide on the grade configuration before we even know if we have been accepted which is a month away maybe a month and a half. It just feels silly to me. We have the month and a half to have that conversation after we know whether we're even in the process or not. And I would love I would love if we could clarify when we make statements such as I want more surveys. Does anybody else want more surveys? I want more input from the community. Does anyone else

188want more input? That way we know how each other feels and it's not a mystery. This is our only opportunity. We cannot discuss this in email. We cannot discuss this in person if there's more than two or three of us. We cannot have sequential conversations about this. We will violate open meeting law. This is the only opportunity and this is the only time we have to bring in new ideas. We've had so many great ideas from the community and none of them have ever made it to the table. This is it. This is the last chance. And if if if the committee as a if the committee majority is not in favor of thinking of new ideas and is not in favor of having new input, I will stop struggling if that's the majority view.

189But I can't right now know if that's the majority view because we never make it clear. And it's really really difficult and taxing with the uncertainty. As my co-chair, my co-ver you said earlier, it's taxing the uncertainty. And for me the uncertainty is that we as a committee have not had clear enough conversations. So please can we just be very clear. I I understand completely where you are coming from and I understand completely where I am coming from. If we can all just be very clear. >> I can go I can be clear. >> Okay. >> I am not interested in having u more forms or surveys and things. >> Oh and um new ideas. New ideas. So I actually I have a completely different take on it I think than you know it's funny

190how you can be experiencing the same thing but have a completely different take. So the fact that the committee and building needs and NASDAQ that so much of it like you said mirrored each other um to me helps demonstrate that it's probably a good plan and we could because because the possibilities could be limitless it I could see it never happening because if you take in every possible opportunity to consider everything, you might never get there. Um, and I haven't I haven't seen [clears throat] anything about the options that we're really considering that gives me substantial pause. I think that we're going to as a district be successful in implementing them if we if we just start. And so I don't know if that helps, but there's my two cents on those two topics. Okay.

191Well, we're following around the circle. What are you voting there, Katrina? Kelly voted no. Right. That's >> Oh, are we voting? >> Can I just vote? No. We haven't had a whole >> Well, I didn't the first time around. I didn't want to. So, >> you know, please forgive me, guys, but remember this is an unusual >> way we're doing conversations. So, Bliss, I'm sorry. >> Um, I don't want to jump on for a second. >> Oh, no, no, no. Go for it. >> So, um, a couple of things. Um, professionally I take notes. The Commonwealth has issued me a license to do that. When you brought up the meeting of uh, August 19th, I knew I had taken notes as to how uh, people casually voted or didn't vote. You are correct in saying

192that there were um, some conversation and discussion on that. You're also correct that uh we did take a a show of hands and chairperson Terry um asked for a loose-handed vote if people just wanted a presentation or if they wanted surveys or a forum or how we wanted and it was a unanimous all voted loose- handedly that a presentation was enough. So, I just want to clarify that yes, there was discussion. There was lots of discussion previously, but in the loose-handed vote that the chair asked for, a presentation was enough. Not denying that there was a conversation, but in the loose-handed vote, that's what it was. I do have a few comments to make about um great confidiorations and I know that this is blurred lines and I can respect um chair per um committee

193person Halen's uh comments about um calling point of order and I can appreciate um chair um committee person Suz's um order of the day and I can absolutely appreciate Chairperson Midas's comments saying that this is millions of dollars and that we have to we have to forgive each other with some blurred lines. Um, and I hear committee person Nevin's words also by saying that um, this is our only chance to have this conversation. And with that, this conversation has been going on not just for the last year, but for many years. for those of us that have been hanging around and for paying attention and not just recently and for the people that are just recently paying attention and coming to meetings and really um being involved. Thank you for coming. Your attendance and your

194active participation is appreciated. This conversation did not just start a year ago and it has um mirrored the building needs task force mirrored the NASDAQ report which did mirror navigating the future and to jump on um committee person Welch's comments that there um it is a good plan and if we were to continue to keep having surveys that that we would have endless possibilities. I feel like we've been in this limbo of analysis paralysis of which is a phrase used outside of here. Um, and I don't really know how else to describe it other than we're stuck. [clears throat] We're stuck because we have options and nobody wants to irritate anybody and everybody wants to make everybody else happy and we as the elected committee have been elected for a variety of reasons and one

195being so that we can make decisions. I think that we've heard over the last year from people that want to talk to us. I [clears throat] think that we have heard some excellent conversation. I think that we have heard some excellent uh dialogue from parents, from educators, from towns people, be it uh emails stopping you uh out in public, uh coming to public comment. um um presentations that the superintendent has given. Um you name it, we've heard it and I appreciate it. I don't always agree with everything and that's okay and that's the beauty of having these conversations, but I appreciate it. I also appreciate uh Vice Chair Cohen's comments about the you know the loneliness and the um half empty school. I I have joked not joked I have made comments over the years

196of how full schools were when I went here to found public schools of which I did K to 12 here. Um and it is because enrollment is down and people are not having families are not having five and six children as they once did. So there is something to be said for a half empty school and for kids not getting everything that they need. You hear it at the uh kindergarten level when the superintendent talks about um enrollment and how you know cutting back sections or the the delicate balance of children in classrooms that continues on into high school. Having eighth grade at the high school has a lot of positives and you can also see some negatives in there as well. I am married to a data analyst and he'll be the first one

197to tell you that you can find data on anything you want whether it be keeping eighth in a sixth, seventh and eighth [clears throat] level or moving eighth to the high school. You will find positive and negatives depending on how you look at the data. Data is manipble to be manipulated. Um, I don't think that we need any more surveys. I really don't. I think that we need to make a decision. I think that we need to get out of the limbo. I think that um committee person chair said it best when you mentioned that um staying in this limbo has not been healthy for educators, for kids, for community members, for this committee. This committee is not healthy. And I think that part of it is we're in this weird limbo. We're stuck in

198this analysis paralysis. We have to make a decision. I think it's time that we make a decision. I think that um you know, Mr. Dart has been very clear as to what will strengthen our uh our chances for getting the help that we need. I think that Mr. lumping chair um committee person lumping also brought up some great points as far as um having the natural um >> help me what did you say the natural >> no no the natural the next survey the not the survey but the next um analysis that the thank you the feasibility thank you >> the next the feasibility [clears throat] study that will organically happen with this process I think that will help us. But it's a town decision. It's our decision. The town has elected us to make

199these decisions and it's a hard one and it's difficult. And not everybody's going to be happy. Not everybody's going to be happy on the committee. Not everybody's going to be happy all around. But that's what we're here for. We have to do our job. We have to make a decision. And we have to be able to move on. Whatever moving on looks like, that's what we have to do. So, those are sort of my thoughts on that. >> So, you're a no as far as needing more time, right? >> I don't need any more time. Okay. >> I also want to just highlight that we have to be fiscally responsible. >> That's also part of our job. [snorts] >> Okay. Um, and as somebody who has been on the building needs task force as well

200as going to the previous um, forums and presentations over the last year, I I am confident in making a decision. >> Okay. Did you want to talk, Linda? I don't [clears throat] know who else wants to talk. Um just just for clarity on positions, I'm committed to voting to take Morse Pawn offline. I'm open to the grade configurations because of the evidence that we've heard for both sides. You know, nothing is persuasive. Nothing is damaging. Um both options are good. However, I do remain highly concerned about the under capacity of the high school. So that's how I stand on everything. >> Okay. >> I'm sorry. Do you want more surveys or input? >> I am of the mind of um committee member Keefe that I've heard enough and let's get on with the show. >>

201Okay. >> All right. Mike. Thank you kindly chairmanus. So uh that August 19th meeting just to I don't take any notes I just keep stuff in my brain. Um but I recall that and I recall that we all asked uh Dr. Door for presentation on her recommendation of great configuration. Uh the following meeting we got that and there was a majority five or six of us who wanted more focus groups, wanted more community input after Dr. Door's presentation. I've said this at many meetings before and I'm going to say it again. We have not been accepted yet. This is a cart before the horse as Miss Maderas has said. Uh the MSBA has templates will help guide us. They've said themselves, we don't need to have this done prior to the application process. Again, this

202is cart versus horse. And I would like to say the last year that we've discussed this, the majority of that year was me trying to discuss other options and being blocked at every single meeting. So, we have not discussed this whole situation like we should. We've asked for surveys to be done, different ideas. I know that my colleague Miss Souza had ideas that she wanted presented months ago. Um, this to me again, this is just one person's thinking. This was a plan that was pushed on us cart before horse and every step of the way. This isn't about collaboration with the stakeholders, the teachers, the parents. This is just a way to get this done and we have not been accepted yet. So before we do anything, we should see if we get accepted first.

203There's no rush. Chairman Dearus has said they will help us along the way. This is just this was the plan and plan A. It took me forever to get the tea ticket East Felmouth thing to be discussed. So we have not discussed all options and again cart before horse. We should not be voting on this unless we have an approval from the MSBA. Otherwise, we're voting on nothing because we don't have approval. Thank you. >> Can I I can still talk. >> Okay. Um, so I [clears throat] was at the dentist office with a North Falmouth parent last week and so I said to her, um, because she had a fourth grade kid, you know, how are, you know, you've been [clears throat] watching what's going on in the school? And she said, well, yeah,

204but you know, my child is never going to be affected by any of these changes. So, um, I haven't given it real consideration. And that's what sparked in my head that I don't think we've had um people talking about that know we have the money that it's their kids. So I really think what in the heck does it matter if we send five more surveys? I'll read them all. I'll put my money if we're going to spend all this money. And this is free. This is labor. This is bodies. This is not any money. It's information. Why on earth I'm going to say it again. And another thing I'm going to think about is people. Um, this isn't on the topic, so maybe I shouldn't mention it, but well, it is moving around. Every summer

205I meet with my friends who graduated from Falmouth. They went all through the school system and they would talk about during their elementary years if you lived in Woods Hole, it was tough when they were building a building because you sometimes I'd have classes in the wreck building. So anyway, these and this is 65 years later. They're still remembering. Um, one thing we got to keep in our heads over and over again, it's people, right? It isn't just money. It's people we're moving around. Why would we not want to hear from a mother who said we haven't I am not convinced that we've heard from people enough people. We just have not heard from enough people. I believe we have 227 surveys. Is it just on the topic of grade configuration or is what I'm

206not are those 227 surveys just on grade configuration? even if it's all that 227 out of the out of um all that we're going to be doing. Um [sighs] if I need to take three more months to make a decision, then um I'm a fool, but I think I mean that's what I keep saying it over and over again. Maybe I'm trying to push this on anybody, but and I'm almost tempted to quit as your chairman if you're not going to really give as much time as you have before you make if you don't want to listen to it, don't listen to it. But for if one person on this committee wants to listen to it, I think they should have the right to read the surveys and listen to what people say. If the

207other ones don't, fine. When it comes time for the vote, fine. What are we going to do when we make the vote? I mean, we don't have anything we have to do to wait for that vote. But I mean it, guys. I I don't know. I'll be quiet. I'm getting too emotional. I guess. Okay. So, I guess I don't know how many. >> Okay. >> Reach seven. >> Yeah. Chris. Um, so my understanding is so so we're accepted in and it sounds like the only thing that could potentially strengthen our um ability to get approved is making a decision about Morse Pond. whereas the great configuration, not so much. For me, you know, if if there are committee members that want studies and forms, I'm in support of that. But I would say after um

208once we're accepted and it's approved that then we're required to do the feasibility study. I feel like having that feasibility study would be a good tool with information for then moving forward with you know, surveys, forms, and that may just show that given our current district layout that eighth grade needs to go to the high school like depending on on what they choose as their factors. But I figure they're being the experts um doing the full feasibility study of the district will maybe help illuminate a lot and answer a lot of questions that people may have. So, you know, I would I would be in support of, you know, seeing how the process goes. So, so making a decision if if Morse Pond if making a decision on Morse Pond tonight is going to help

209strengthen our chance of of getting approval. um [clears throat] to move forward with that and then you know see if we are approved for being in the MSBA and then moving forward with the feasibility study as the next step and then moving forward from that with surveys or forums. So that's that's where I'm in supportive. >> So I don't know if we made a decision or not. Did we make a decision? Can I just ask a clarifying question, Terry? >> Yeah. >> So, I feel like we're talking about two different things. >> So, we we need to vote about Morse Pond and we're also looking to survey folks about um grade configuration. So, are we I think we need to be crystal clear as to what we're we're roundting voting on right now, >> loosely,

210casually, whatever. So Katrina, I hear what you're saying that, [clears throat] you know, you you want a loose hand. You know, you want to know where everyone stands. I just want to know what we're talking about because like I am a-okay voting for Morse Pond right now. But I I'd be remiss if we didn't hear from families as far as like what three grades should go in there. I mean, I know what I personally would like and I've been pretty transparent on that. There's no mystery. But I also don't want to deny anybody either. So if we're just talking about Morse Pond, if that's what we're doing, then that's what we're doing. But if we're talking about, you know, we're all talking about different things here. And I I just want to I really just

211want to be clear what exactly we're loosely. What are we doing? >> You're the one that started to. >> Okay. Um the the action item or not action the the agenda item is uh a discussion of Lawrence school grade configuration because it was paired with a review of navigating the future together proposals. We've talked about everything but the item that we're on I believe is reviewing the just discussing Laurens school grade. >> I'm not asking what item we're on on the agenda. I'm asking what you want. >> I'm just clarifying what's happening right now for me. What [clears throat] I was asking in regards to the Laurens school grade configuration. Does anyone want more input? Staff surveys, family surveys, any forums. Does anyone need anything else before we can move to whenever the agenda is

212set to vote on that? That's the question. Does that make sense? >> No. And I'm sorry. So, are we are we talking about are we voting on surveys to take Morse Pond offline? not even talk about >> when when [clears throat] it comes to which three grades will be in Lawrence school. We've already said we're doing three. Mor is separate. When it just comes to which three grades, do we want more input from the community? >> Okay. Is everyone clear on that? Margaret, >> I just want to repeat again what I said and I think it's really important um that it really doesn't matter because I really have done research about brain configurations. What matters is that we have enough time for the [clears throat] people who are going to do this work to implement

213it. And if we do not make the decision, it is a problem in terms of the because the reason we're all here is for the kids. We're not here for buildings. We're not here for anything else. We're here for the students and the best thing for students is that they have a good education and that's what we're responsible for financially, polit uh in terms of policy, in terms of making sure the superintendent does the job and does it well. Okay? That's what we're here for. We're not here for anything else. Okay? [snorts] I know a lot of people who have said to me they were going to come to meetings and they were going to talk in support of it. They never showed up. Okay, they never showed up. Now, I know uh there are

214people who disagree because they think, you know, I've listened to everyone. Okay, I really have and I've heard the concerns and I am sorry for the concerns that that people have. A decision has to be made and I believe I heard Paul say tonight that making a decision about Mars poem is very important. >> I'm not talking Okay. No, I'm just saying that's what I wanted to say what I heard that he said make a decision about Mars Pond is very important. Now, previously and I certainly heard what uh Glenda said about um I'm using first names. I heard what Glenda said about an empty high school and in a high school that's empty and and how we can keep resources there that gives the students of the high school what they need. Now, I

215have some concerns about eighth grade. I talked to Susan about eighth grade going to high school. But it seems as if we can make a decision and then people can begin to plan what they need to plan. That is what is to the best advantage of our students. And that is and and that's why I'm here because I care about kids and I care about education. And the more we kick the can down the road, this has not been going on for a year. It's been going on for 30 years and no one has ever done anything about it. It's about time that someone does something about it and that's our responsibility. It's painful. It's hard. People are going to be hurt. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for that. I really am. But we need to

216do something. >> Okay. But the road kicking the can down the road is only three months or so. I mean, you really don't you need to have a decision made by the time you go to town meeting, which is April. You know, that's when you have to have a decision made because that's what's going to be on the um feasibility study request of $2 million. So, I mean, okay, maybe I'm all right. >> It's not kicking it down forever. >> No, but that's not what I heard. That is not what I heard from Paul. That's not what I heard in terms of supporting the application for law school. Now, maybe I'm hearing it wrong. Maybe everyone else in this room heard it differently, but that is not what I have heard consistently from all recognizing

217that I have caused this conversation to go on and it's now 10:00. My peer group of my children are the ones who will be affected. Those people who have fouryear-old to seveny olds like I do are the ones that I'm wishing to survey. That's my personal interest. to survey more. The question that has caused us to be sitting here until 10 o'clock is does anyone else want to survey that group or other groups further before we just at some whatever our next meeting is when we decide our grade configuration before we get to that meeting where we're deciding it. Does anyone need more information? I want a survey and we've heard from I think it's mostly you and and um committee member Keith that I am not certain of. Can we just do a show

218of hands and just put this to bed? >> Done. Yes. >> Can we just do a quick show of hands and put it to bed? >> Sure. >> Anyone who wants a survey and forums on Morspawn configuration. >> I'm sorry, Lawrence. Thank you. >> Lawrence configuration >> that wants it. Yes. >> Four. Not a majority. >> Can we move on to the next topic? Great. That's all I wanted. It was a very productive conversation. >> So that means that that that means now that the community from this moment on has no chance for s for any speaking to us. >> They could come to any meeting [clears throat] and send us an email just like always. >> I am going to suggest that we move on to our next topic because we've been on this

219a very very long time and move to close conversation. We have been on it a long time, but again, let's remember it's millions and millions of >> But I made a motion that we close discussion and move on to the next thing. >> Okay. >> Nobody has second. >> I'll second that. >> We can either vote on it or we can just >> Oh, I'm not sure what we do. >> We can either vote on if you want to keep conversation. >> No, I don't. I Let's just move on. Okay. So, next we are going to act on taking Morris Pond School offline. Is that right? >> Make a motion that we follow the superintendent's recommendation to take Morse Pond offline given the language that you provided us. >> Second. >> Okay. Is there any

220discussion about it? >> Mike's got some. >> Okay. Mike. >> Um, yeah, I have two things. First, for clarification, Paul, uh, if I could through you, Chairman, Darus, um, giving the the taking Morris Pond offline, whether we do that or not, does does MSBA require that? because there has been some confusion about what that does and [clears throat] I understand the strengthening part but is it required? >> They're not g the me MSBA is not going to tell you how to structure your school district. What they won't do is is so if you're coming to them [clears throat] for a Lawrence renovation, they're going to look at that renovation based [clears throat] on where the school is at today. If you have two grades in that building, that's what they're going to help for uh

221help pay for. If you if you say to them, "No, I want three grades in that building," then where are you going to take it from? >> Okay. >> And and now you're into the the point where the sequential decision now you're talking about Morris Pond. So you it's Morse Pond's not going to be a one grade building. It's it's either going to be two grades [clears throat] or or return to the town. So you got to go through the sequence. So in order to get credit for three grades, you have to pull that grade from somewhere. That somewhere is Moss Pawn. >> Yes, I I understand that. But but I just I guess to clarify that does not have to get done before the MSBA application. That can be done after as well. And

222I also wanted to clarify that was said earlier that giving Morse pawn to the town is almost like a bargaining chip which again I said this last meeting and I'll say it again that's not our role and we don't know if we have the MSBA. I will be voting this down. This is a cart before the horse over and over and over again and I will stop talking but I will be voting this down and I would hope that other people would look at we don't have to do this before the MSBA application and chairs is back. Thank >> Okay, so um do we need to go around the room? Yeah. Okay, >> I'll go. Do you want to start here? >> Yeah. Okay. Um, I think I've already been clear that I I support

223um returning Morse Pond to the town. I feel very confident in that decision. I think it makes excellent fiscal sense. Um, you know, seven buildings were right for a very long time, but they're not anymore. And we need to have our number of buildings and the size of our district reflect our enrollment. Like um I don't know somebody over here said, you know, no one disagrees that our enrollment has gone down substantially. I think we all accept that and now's the time to have our our number of buildings reflect that. And um I think not doing so sort of takes [clears throat] advantage of the incredible generosity of our community that consistently supports us and you know approves our budgets and and stands behind us when we need a roof. I think not acting um

224is not only irresponsible but it sort of flies in the face of that generosity. And you know, honestly, I am looking forward to the thoughtful planning that will have Morse Pond be some kind of asset to the town. It's just not going to be a school, and I think now's the time to do that. Um, since I was running for the committee, I have thought that it would be an interesting and exciting possibility for the town to retrieve Morse Pond property. And so, in general, I am in favor at the timing though and the process that we're following. Um, I I concur with Mr. Halen and I I feel very torn because I want to say yes and I don't know if I should because the process is not correct. So, I'm hopefully can make

225a decision in 30 seconds or less. It's easy. Uh, I am honoring the the unanous unanimous decision of the task force who had considerable discussion over probably nine or 10 months with representatives from all schools as well as community members. and um I feel it is the right thing to do with the declining enrollment and being fiscally responsible. Um I want to honor this very vibrant school community and this is a um lovely campus but um Mr. arts presentation on the expenditures of the roof that this building requires and the other um capital improvements. That was a very persuasive um case that you made. So I will be voting um like my two colleagues over here to take Morris Pond offline. You know, when we started this conversation a long time ago, I thought it's

226going to be so easy to make that decision. And over the year, I've, you know, gone back and forth. Is it the right thing? Is it not the right thing? You know, it's hard when you've been somewhere and you have, you know, uh, memories and all the things and change is hard. Um, I think it's the right time. I think it it stings and it's it's a a tough it's a tough decision to make. Um, echoing uh committee person Nevin, the timing is tough, but uh I think that this is the right thing to do. I think that we have to be financially responsible. I'm also looking forward to see seeing what will happen with this building and this property. Um, and I hope to be a part of that conversation as well. Um, >>

227yep. It's uh it's time to turn uh Morris Pond back over. >> Margaret. >> Yeah. Having served on the finance committee for [clears throat and cough] a few years now, um the expenditure of of all of the schools is just unacceptable. Our town has been very generous and um you know, Barnes Pond $650,000 just to keep that building going despite what it needs. It's just impossible to provide it. You can't keep seven buildings. And I know it's hard and I know it's painful and I know many people are not going to be happy. But I think it's important that we be financially responsible for the town and we need to focus on how we can best serve the students in this community to give them the best education we can. And I believe giving now

228will help that process. >> Chris Um yeah, I definitely, you know, can appreciate the gravity of the decision on on community members and uh and everyone in the community, but you know, thinking about it from, you know, kind of the financial perspective. um especially with you know consideration of cuts that could potentially be coming and you know kind of uh increasing student populations that require kind of special assistance. I feel like the the money that can be saved from maintaining the building and and um you know eliminating those types of maintenance costs can be put towards kind of the the programming and um kind of hopefully support staff um for for our students. Um and you know and also in terms of kind of reducing the amount of transitions um between schools you know I

229feel like you know looking looking down the road the 5 10 year 15 year mark um you know it would be a better better situation for our students um you know in terms of thinking about it from the two student perspective. Um, so yeah. So I I'm in favor favor of it. >> Okay. So some of [snorts] the um emotional [clears throat] ties and thoughts that people have expressed along the way are not where I'm at. I'm at where Paul told us the um MSBA said it increases our chances of getting that money. So they think it's a wise thing to do to help us because then the town really sees that we're being fiscally responsible. It's a concrete measure. So I say yes vote to take it offline. So chair dearest. >> Yes. >>

230If I could make an amendment to add the words and administration building after the word school for fiscal responsibility and take them both offline. Um, I don't think we're ready to Oh, he made a motion. Don't I have to? >> No, he asked for an amendment, but I saw it from >> Okay. Okay. Um, I think that's a whole another discussion and I Lori and I >> Somebody seconds that we can discuss it, right? >> Um, I think >> I think it would violate open meetings. >> Yeah, it's way out of the realm of things, right? And just as an aside [clears throat] here, Mike, last night Lori and I were at the selectman's building and they asked us about it. So they're thinking about it, but it shouldn't be part of what we're doing

231now. I mean, I don't think it legally can be. Okay. >> Future agenda. >> Yeah. >> So next agenda we'll discuss offline in the administration bill. That'd be great. >> Well, I don't Okay, you can make that suggestion. Whether it happens or not, we'll see. So are we done with all the people's voting now? >> So have we voted? Did it carry? >> Well, Katrina didn't have it. >> Oh, I thought we were I thought Okay. >> Neither did Mike. >> Okay. >> So, now we have a motion to >> Does somebody make that motion? >> Yes. >> Kelly made it. I seconded it. >> Second. >> The next thing in the step would be to vote. >> And that's what I just asked to do, didn't I? >> Yeah. I just asked to vote.

232Okay. >> So, do we start with Michael >> No. Okay, Kelly. >> Yes. >> Nevin, yes. >> Augusta, yes. >> Cohen, yes. >> Madira, >> go ahead. >> That's me. Go ahead. >> Keith, yes. >> Susan, yes. >> Yes. >> Maderas. Yes. >> Okay. Next, we will have a first read on policy IKF. So, Lori, you could talk to us about that. >> U, so this is the conditions to receive a diploma. And I'm actually going to turn it over and let Sonia talk um a little bit. So, you want to review that one for us? >> Sure. Thank you. Um, [clears throat] just under a year ago, uh, we had presented a revision to you in response to the ballot question from last November when the MCCAST was removed as a requirement for graduation.

233and we had to shift to make determinations internally within the district about what would count as competency determination at the high school level. Um we are coming back to you uh this evening with this first read because then over the summer the department of elementary and secondary education released guidance uh followed by the association of school committees releasing model policy language um and then uh interacting with the working group of assistant superintendents through the association of school superintendents. Um we've had uh variety of information helping to shape this policy revision. Um and then working with a very thoughtful team in district uh partnering with Mary Gans um with Sandy with a number of Felmouth High School administration and our department heads uh we offer you this revision again u largely shapes you can see that

234the there's about a page and a half struck through and then all of the uh new information largely sourced from um the model language. Um really the only places that we could personalize it were the specific courses from the found high school program of studies that we're using uh to count as a competency determination. Um and then just clarifying what our uh course passing criteria are. Then you can see there's a specific entry there for uh additional considerations uh relative to students with disabilities, our multilingual learners of English and then there's also uh for late enrolling students and then the student body at large an appeals process that was designed. >> Okay. So we're not supposed to act on that, but does anybody else have questions? >> I just have a quick question. So, um

235I was looking at the course requirements and in my memor or at least when my kids were there, there was a requirement for like the ninth grade STEM. >> Yeah, the nth grade STEM course. >> But that's not in here. So, is that not >> No, that's a semester elective uh separate from the biology. So the other part about the courses that can be required, there has to be an alignment to the um courses or standards that were assessed at the time of the 2023 MCAST administration and our STEM class was not the whole year class by which we based our biology curriculum. It was in addition to was a semester length elective and we've also since revised uh that curriculum and there's a menu of options students can take. So, it's no longer that

236particular class. They can take other things as well. >> Yeah. >> Got it. Thank you, >> Katrina. >> Um, I have two a few quick edits. They're all the same. Um, on uh under English language arts, there's all these bullet points and then mathematics and then it goes on to science and social studies. Uh, it should say, I believe, approved by the principal or their designate. At the end of each of those, it says of their designate. >> So, I just wanted to catch those. There's four of them. Um, and then I had a quick question. Um, the footnote, [clears throat] I don't know what page that is, page three maybe, I guess. Um, the footnote that talks about, um, the equivalency being about proficiency versus mastery and the state is requiring that you refer

237to mastery. And there's a definition of what that means. And then it says that we in the district use the term proficiency. And my question is um is that does that imply in some way that we're requiring less for our students than the state is? And also is that similar in some way to the grading changes we made to the K through four where we went from exceeds expectations to meets expectations. What's the deal there? >> So to your first question, no, not requiring less. Um I think then relating to your second question through the work that we did uh largely um in the four-part series of the family grading advisory we spent some time talking about terms that were synonymous mastery proficiency right competency and made a decision that the specific language we wanted

238to use to talk about grading practices was proficiency. So in the context of the policy we're required to use the word mastery. Um, however, you know, when we're talking about it more broadly and relating it to the work that we have been doing around grading, proficiency is the chosen language. >> Okay? So, they're synonymous with each other. >> Thank you. [clears throat] >> Okay. So, we don't take any action. It's just a second read. >> Oh, I'm sorry. One more. There was one more >> on BDA >> on this one. Yes. I was just wondering all of this struck out language um and I looked at this on the computer so I don't know my pages anymore but in general the language seemed old and when I there was a reference to a a website

239um about the um partnership for 21st century skills and the 21st century skills.org which no longer is a website. So I was wondering when's the last time this language was updated because that was 2002 that website was made >> the the overall graduation. So last year we opened this up and presented it just for the piece about competency determination. I would have to go back and look. I know part of it was we had done the comprehensive policy review but um the details specifically around graduation requirements has been has been a little bit longer because we had updated it to mass match mass core when mass was introduced at the state level. >> Okay. Um, so we're done with the graduation policy. Okay. So the next item is a second read on beh public public

240participate um participate school committee. So um the only uh suggested change that was um made was changing the word citizens to committee members and that >> that has um now the policy subcommittee revisited it. They accepted that and so that's the only change to this policy that's made and that's marked in green so that you can see that that was made. >> I just love the green because it also made it easier to look at all the other policies too. >> Thank you for that. Thank Mary Gans for that. >> Thank you Mary Gans for green. >> Okay. Um so the next ones are to act upon. Um does anybody um want to comment on any of these bulleted? Um we've already >> this is our second read first comment round, >> right? We had

241a second read because we didn't have a first comment round. So, does anybody want to make any comments on any of these policies? >> Of course I do. >> Um, can we vote on them separately? We have done that in the past. >> We usually do. >> Yeah. >> Um, so sorry. Um, >> could we >> I'll make it quick. >> No, could we bump out the ones? No, never mind. Go ahead. >> Uh, Paul BDR, um, I'm wondering why are we removing the technology advisory committee? >> Because it would no longer exist. Oh, it's been disbanded. >> We we've um changed changed the um the focus and the structure. We've moved on based on their recommendation of what what needs to be the next focus which is around AI. And so we've restructured the

242conversations to make sure that it is broader discussions at each building. >> Okay. I thought that was a pretty longstanding committee. >> I I don't think >> I created it when I came few years ago. Um, [clears throat] okay. >> Can I make a joke? Didn't Margaret flunk off of that one? [laughter] >> I'm sorry. >> It's like 4:00 in the morning. >> Yeah. Yeah. [laughter] >> Because I insulted you, [cough] Margaret. I insulted you. I'm glad you were asleep. >> I can tell you what 4 a.m. looks like. >> Um, [laughter] that's what it is. the uh the fundraising, gift solicitation, raffles, those two the the questions are basically um first of all, are staff going to receive really direct instruction on how to follow this policy or like they'll be alerted that it's

243been updated? Yes. Okay. Just want to make sure. >> No, no, we um just want to make sure [clears throat] you're directing it to the >> Oh, sorry. I've already um uh we've already started doing the um uh protocol a guidance document um for both the booster clubs and the PTS. So that's the the raffle piece is is specific to that. >> Um and [clears throat] then in reference to JJ student fundraising, there was um some mention of families having different resources and the differences should not be highlighted by school activities including fundraising. And I just wanted to draw attention. My my own experience, my daughter's experience with the Scholastic Bookf Fair was exactly that actually. And I don't think it was intentional. And I'm not sure if it falls under this policy, but the

244Scholastic Bookf Fair, children are allowed to bring money in and go down during class time and buy things and then come back to the classroom with tantalizing items that may be out of reach for their classmates. Um, and it caused a lot of uh feelings of shame and embarrassment for my daughter and several of her classmates. So I just wanted to ask I guess is that the kind of fundraising activity that's meant here or is it PTO act like so PTO um in this student fundraising um [clears throat] is different that's a it's a good question I don't if you want to pull that from voting tonight we could do another read on that put it back to the the policy sub >> okie do [clears throat] I just I want to read them all

245very closely because it's actually a good question, Katrina. >> Yeah, >> I [clears throat] I do not take that that one because the PTO ones are separate, but I do want to make um just be clear on it >> before we vote. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um and then of course I have a comment on JICA. Um I took a substantial amount of time last night [clears throat] um to review on the MASC website, Massachusetts Association of School Committees. They do not have a comprehensive list of all districts in Massachusetts. They have um 272 districts listed. That's not all of them. I don't know why they're not all on there, but in general, what I'm saying is that there is a policy uh website on the MASC website where you can go in and

246look at the individual policies of those 272 districts. I went and looked at whether these districts had JICA. Um 80 of them have it just exactly as written. of those 272 um two of them took the time to refer to please look at the handbooks and one of them specified no hats. So in general of those 80 people 80 districts just took the lang language exactly as it was written. Um seven of them did not have the policy at all which to me implies maybe they didn't update their policies when that [clears throat] was added and so they didn't add it in because there was nothing there was no JICA >> just comment on that. I mean this policy has been around a long time so I can't imagine that people hadn't gone through. I

247mean, not all, you don't have to accept the mask. Just so you know, a mask is a mask model policy. Districts can accept them, not accept them. Um, when we went through the review um, eight years ago, we did not take every policy and put it into the policy. >> Okay, that's good to know. Um and then seven of the districts had their own very specific policies that prohibited like gang symbols, explicit violent distracting attire, which incidentally are um really problematic language. A lot of it specified gender related. Most of it directed at women and girls wearing specific clothing and attire that was revealing. So there were seven districts that had what I saw as really problematic. Um, the point I'm trying to make is that we will be very different from those 272 districts

248if we choose to replace the language with please look at our handbook. Um, the language is there for a reason. [clears throat] It is of course up to the committee and I do get the sense people would like to move on and that we're going to vote to remove it. But if we remove that protective language, we're going to be one of only eight out of 112 districts that did so on purpose. Um >> and >> but against that is your handbook is a legal document. It's so that legal document has that policy in it. So our policy um >> normal procedures are if things are in the handbook they're just not in our policy and that's why maybe different school I'm sure I'm not sure but I imagine a lot of schools have that

249policy. It's just where it is kept. Um, our policy manuals are cumbersome enough. So, if we have things in our handbooks and this p this item here is not to change any of it. It's just to move it. Um, >> no, that's not the case. In my understanding, JICA will be removed. That language will be gone. There will be no protective status by in our handbooks. Those that language is not in our handbooks. We voted to remove all of that from our handbooks last spring. This is the last remaining incident of this language. >> Oh, I guess I misunderstood. >> So if we remove this, it does not exist anywhere and we will be like other districts, seven of them, several of them mentioned, please go look at our handbooks. In addition, some of them

250took the time like Somerville, Cambridge, Worcester, Wurn to quote a few really took the time to elaborate. They had this language and then they built out and added their own which was even more protective specifically about gender identity. um they really built it out. They had specific things about please don't um call out someone's attire in front of their peers. Make sure that you're on equal footing. They took a lot of time. What I'm saying is that if we remove this, it is the last incidence of this protective language anywhere. And um I think it it is not a good thing. It indicates in my mind that we are um not invested in protecting our students rights to express themselves. So, having done that research, I just wanted to bring that to everyone's attention that

251it will be gone and that we would have to have a local statute bring it to the town warrant through a process to get the town to vote that they would like to accept it at which point we will be mandated to put it back in. So, removing it now seems um um fault. >> Point point of order. Could you please clarify for me? This is the second read and we are acting and um we've already established that it's past practice that we're taking these one by one but that does not mean that we are um discussing each of these. We are voting on each of these. So um I'd like to >> we never discussed it >> but but it's not on the agenda that we're discussing these. So we're we're second read and

252act. So, um, I'd like to, >> um, recommend that we move to act on these. I make a motion that we act on these policies individually as we, as has been our past practice. So, I will call the question. >> Can I ask to clarify quickly? >> What is a first read if it's not a discussion? We never had a chance to ask questions about this at our last meeting. So this is our second read which as I understood it was an attempt to make up for the fact that we did not have a discussion or ask questions at our last meeting. So in my mind that means a discussion. >> So then my understanding is that you would refer it back to policy. >> Okay. So I would like to make a motion that

253we refer JICA back to policy >> now that we know that that's the last standing example of that language. >> Okay. That to me would be a good solution. There was already um vice chair Cohen had a motion >> to call the question. >> So what do we do? >> So we have to vote and pass that by twothirds [clears throat and cough] to >> call the question >> to call the question to to to move to go to voting to for each of these. >> I'm sorry but you called the question on something that is debatable and discussable. And so I don't think that your your >> Again, why don't we just take them? >> Can we just send it back to policy? >> Can we just take them one at a time, decide

254which ones are going to go back and which ones are not? >> Again, guys, sometimes we get caught up with the mechanics of it. Um, so >> why don't we vote the ones that everyone is comfortable voting on and we'll just send the other one back. Um, >> is everybody comfortable [clears throat] sending it back or are we That is that >> actually I think we have to vote on that. >> Yeah, let's take a vote on that back. So we would make a motion [clears throat] then to send it back and you'd have to get a second and then it would have to be voted by twothirds to do that. So >> Oh, right now. >> Well, let's take them one. >> We're still in discussion. There's been no motions that have been seconded.

255>> It's just open discussion. >> I thought we were going to take a motion on each one individually. So >> there was it was never seconded. So we Katrina still has the floor, can still speak. >> Well, I made a motion to move the question and then we've just decided to just >> Yeah, I heard the motion, but there was no second. So that does not take away the floor. >> I'll second it. >> Okay. And now we have to call a vote. >> How many who we're voting to move? >> Well, actually, Chair Maderas, don't we open it to discussion first or not? Because this is a debatable motion. >> Moving. >> Move it. The last question is not debatable, >> right? Parliamentarian. >> No. >> Okay. So, we're voting. [clears throat] >> If

256a person calls a question, can you vote? >> Right. >> We don't have motion. It's not a motion. >> So, all those in favor of >> all those in favor of moving to vote on each individual policy. >> Yep. >> Basically moving on. >> SP rule. >> SB roll. >> Has to be a roll call. Okay. >> Okay. Mike, how do you vote? I I'm confused so I'm gonna abstain. >> Well, Jess, moving on means we >> I'm sorry. Chairman dear, are you speaking? >> We're voting >> moving moving on taking the discussion off and now starting to vote on each individual policy. >> So, we're still going to discuss each individual policy like we've been doing? It makes no I >> Yes, >> I'm still going to abstain because it makes no sense to

257me why we're doing this. >> Okay. [cough and clears throat] Well, Jess, yes. SJ Owen. Yes. >> Musk. Yes. >> Yes. >> Lumping. Yes. >> Yes. Maderas. So, >> okay. So, now we're voting. >> Now we're voting. >> Okay. [clears throat] I make a motion that we uh accept BDR as presented. >> Second. >> Okay. >> All right. Is there discussion? I have to ask that because it's just a plain old motion, right? >> Okay. No discussion. All those in favor? Okay. Mike >> Halen. Yes. >> Welch. Yes. >> Nevin. Yes. >> Yes. >> Cohen. Yes. >> Moske. Yes. >> Yes. >> Maderas. Yes. So it passes unanimously. >> Want me to [clears throat] keep going so that I make a motion that we accept GBBC as recommended. >> I'm in a second. >> Okay.

258>> Welch. Yes. >> Nevin. Yes. >> Yes. >> Cohen. Yes. Let's keep Yes. >> Yes. >> The dearest. Yes. Okay. That motion passes. >> Yeah. >> And make a mot I think is what >> I make a motion that we move that >> JJ back to policy. >> Oh, no. We can just not vote on it, right? >> Well, the superintendent said she would, so I don't >> I just said we could pull it from voting. >> We don't need to vote. We don't need to >> less people disagree with it, I guess. >> Oh, I guess maybe they do. Okay. I make a motion that we kick JJ back to policy. >> I second that. >> Mike, how do you vote? >> Kellen. Yes. >> Welch. Yes. >> Yes. August. Yes. >> Go. Yes.

259>> Let's keep Yes. >> Want me to keep going? >> Yeah. >> Okay. I make a motion. >> That's how it's going to be. So, >> okay. I make a motion we approve KBE as recommended. >> Second. >> Discussion. >> Okay. >> Well, yes. Neon. Yes. >> Yes. >> Going. Yes. Let's keep Yes. >> Yes. >> I make a motion that we [cough] kick [clears throat] JICA back to policy for further review. >> Is there a second on that one? >> Hen second. >> Okay. So, >> yes. >> Okay. >> Well, yes. Nevin, yes. Augusta, yes. Cohen, yes. Melissa, >> no. I We've had so much discussion. I just want it to go away, but it's okay. It's okay. >> Uh I said no. I I don't I'm not in favor of sending it back

260to policy. >> Yes, >> Margaret. >> Yes. >> Chris. Yeah. Okay. Maduras. Yes. So, it's >> back to policy. And last one, I move we accept JQ as presented. >> I second that. Halen, yes. >> Welch, yes. Nevin, yes. Augusta, yes. >> Yes. Yes. >> Maduras. Yes. >> Okay. >> So, gosh. >> Okay. Article 50. >> Um, I'm happy to start us off because it's coming from budget and I'm the one that asked for this. Okay. So, um the petitioners article 15 requests and we have it at our seat is requesting um an outside um independent audit of the school department and it was submitted by U. Raquel Russell. The budget subcommittee took it up. We've reviewed her presentation um to the select board and we had her PDF of her presentation at that time.

261We also met with um Fincom to answer their questions before they made their recommendation. And then we sat down with Miss Russell um for a lengthy meeting um to try and answer her questions and um just address the the article. Um in our budget subcommittee, we did vote um to accept the finance committee's recommendation. Um because in our view the article is um redundant um and not because of that not a good use of funds that we felt we have plenty [clears throat] of procedures uh already in place from the school committee level of having our warrants looked at every week to our budget process and um and also the processes set up in Paul's office plus were already audited twice once by the town and then once by Desie. And so um [clears throat]

262we have a recommendation >> from the budget subcommittee Sue thankfully wrote down. >> Okay. [laughter] >> Go ahead. I'd like to make a motion to accept the finance committee recommendation of indefinite postponement on article 15 and any related amendments. >> I'll second that. >> Okay. And I I >> I want to vote in favor and I want to add one more. It's not a mending, but I want to add one more thing that if you have a warrant, you have to have a budget to [clears throat] go along with what your your warrant is asking. And there is no budget for this. >> Okay. Um trying to think I feel like there was one other thing we talked about. Um >> Okay. So I made a motion. Did someone second? >> I seconded. I was

263in the discussion. I was trying to remember. I feel like there was one more thing we talked about, but I can't. >> Is it safe to vote? >> Yes. >> Okay. Oh, I I was going to just ask a question. Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry. Sorry. >> I'm I'm just perhaps I'm just tired, but I'm confused. Why if this is a motion for [clears throat] town meeting? Why are we voting on Oh, so um I requested this article because I think when I anticipate when we get to town meeting, this hasn't happened before where there was a [clears throat] school related article that was not brought forth by the school department. It's brought forth by a petitioner and I'm anticipating when we get to town meeting someone is going to ask what's the school committee think

264of this and if we haven't voted on it we can't say. So, I think everybody should weigh in on whether or not they would like an another a third external audit um so that we can respond to that request. I mean, I might be wrong and maybe it won't come up. Um but if I was sitting in town meeting, I would want to know. >> [clears throat] >> We're not only I mean if someone has a warrant requesting this and they're speaking in favor of it if no one speaks to the sort of why I mean the town does this already. It's done. This would be the third one. There is no budget for it. Someone has to speak to that proposal against it. I mean, that's what town meetings are about. I mean, you

265get just can't have someone saying, "We want this and everyone say, "Oh, yeah. Let's do this audit where there's no money and it's redundancy to the third degree." [clears throat] >> Did that answer the question? >> Just one more question. So is the is the objection to this based solely on the financial outlay that the town would have to >> in our discussion the objection was that we already do it. We already have two audits. One done by the town um that they lead and then a second through Desi. So why would we do it a third time? It seems like waste of resources. that was the [cough] basis of the finance committee's recommendation [clears throat] >> because of the expenditure that it would >> and that it was a duplication of services. >> Well,

266I think it's not just about the money but also I mean doing an outside audit is incredibly time consuming on [clears throat] our staff and why we want to put them through that unnecessarily. We have no reason to think that there's anything that needs review. I have full confidence in the processes that we have in place. Why would I want to put them through that again? [laughter] Seems so unnecessary. >> Can I speak? If I understand the process, if the warrant is brought forward, [clears throat] a person, we would not have to spend the money. The person would have to say where the money is coming from. And there is no money attached to this warrant. >> Oh, I see. >> Thank you. Didn't she say to get it from um >> it's not a

267matter of second thing is then the town would have [clears throat] to >> tell us the war that it has to be done >> and so they can't tell us have to be done if we don't have if there's nobody attached to it because once it's once it's going if I'm correct about the town meeting then the town tells us we have to do an audit. It'd be difficult for the town to tell us they have to do an audit when they already do one. >> So could regardless of the um rules about warrants, couldn't we just say though that we don't we don't think it's necessary? Are we allowed to do that? >> Oh, we would have to vote on it. >> No, I know. Isn't that what we're trying? That's what we're trying

268to do. >> Yeah, exactly. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Do you have any other questions? >> No, no. This is just new information for me, so that's why I was asking. >> I don't think it specifies where the money would come from or how much. Is that correct? >> I'm looking at the uh email version. >> I thought she said it. >> It says raise and appropriate. >> It doesn't say how much or from where. >> No, it does not. >> Okay. >> Chairman Darus, can I ask a quick question? >> Is this article still on the town meeting agenda? because I had thought that we had gotten a communic that the >> that was a different different >> that was a different one. Okay, just clarifying. Thank you. >> Okay, any other discussions or questions?

269>> Okay, Mike, how do you vote on this? >> Halen abstain. >> Well, well, chess abstain. Augusta, yes. >> Cohen, yes. Keith, yes. >> Yes. Maderas. Yes. So that's 7 to2 at right. >> Did I get it right? >> Y. >> Okay. So hopefully we don't have trouble with our minutes now cuz it's >> we shouldn't. >> Just about everything else we had, but that's okay. It was big items we were going over tonight. All right. Um, so routine business would be approval of the minutes. Is there a motion to accept the minutes? >> So move. >> I'm on a roll. >> Taylor, yes. >> Welz, yes. Nevin Cohen. Yes. >> Let's keep Yes. >> Okay. Maduras. Yes. Is that enough? Okay. Um committee [clears throat] reports. Anybody? >> Um I already updated on the

270budget subcommittee meeting and we're starting to talk about um items that impact next year's budget. I also went to the Abutters meeting that Lori had mentioned. I was just curious, so I went. Um, and I thought it was really interesting. It was really just about the layout of the high [clears throat] impact, high efficiency septic system. If anybody wants to know, just call me. I'll fill you in. Um, but I also did take a picture of the layout of where the houses will be um in the properties that are about the high school. So, if anybody wants it, let me know and I'll send it to you. Um, and negotiations is still ongoing. Um, we're still waiting on FA to ratify and then we will be bringing um bringing it to the school committee. >>

271Any other committee reports? Chris? >> Um, so Glenda and I had our kind of community conversation um kind of open open office hours at the library on the 18th. Um, so we had one community member that came um and stayed with us for the whole hour and kind of chatted with us. So some of So I'm just going to read some of the the points that this this member made. Um just uh let's see [clears throat] you know in general they were saying they weren't opposed to plans but they had just questions regarding if if the Lawrence um was deed for education um and possibly what numbers could look like in the future um you know for putting three grades at Lawrence. what it would look like in the future if it would end up

272being a half empty building. Then um they were just wondering uh if the the money used for building is best for our kids. Um what the projection in enrollment versus projection of birth rates. [clears throat] Um what we're doing um as a district for keeping K to6 kids. Um, you know, this person mentioned kind of uh the school where their children attend has a very strong community. Um, so, you know, kind of wondering what what other elementary schools did in terms of kind of fostering kind of community with the teachers, community with families and kids. >> [clears throat] >> Um they also mentioned uh their school had a good um before and after school programs. Um let's see. Just had questions regarding the early learning center if it was best for students. [clears throat] Um

273bear with me. Sorry. Oh, um kind of talked about the drop in enrollment, but at the same time having an increase in students who need special services. So, kind of talking about kind of the special education programs like tips, connect, TLC, um all the services that are offered at every single school like PT, OT, ELLL, speech and reading. [cough and clears throat] Um, and then talking about whether whether it's uh beneficial to have a safety or threat audit. Um, and then possibly all this doors at the elementary school possibly being fobbed. um having fobs whereas not all the doors have fobs but maybe some maybe trying to make sure all of them do have fobs in case of you know students being outside or teachers being outside and during a threat you know being able

274to easily access the school through whatever nearest door they had. Um and so so from that, you know, we kind of grabbed kind of I think three main points where that would be helpful. And one of them was maybe when we go to each of the different elementary schools, maybe hearing about um what the schools do for before and afterare programs, you know, how what kind of programs they offer just to kind of have a better understanding of of how they kind of foster their community. Um, one was related to fencing kind of better demarcation where it sounds like we've already, you know, Dr. Der has already um kind of addressed that. Um, and then the other one was maybe having a presentation regarding um kind of all the special education programs that we have

275and all the services that are offered at the schools. So, you know, especially based on the superintendent's update in terms of, you know, federal funds for special education programs and not really being guaranteed and maybe being under fire in the current environment and kind of really putting it out there like what our district does and and what we have available at the schools um to kind of put it at the forefront so people are aware of you know what, you know, what we do and and how important it is for our students. So that's kind of the gist of it. [clears throat] >> Okay. Thank you, Chris. >> Any other [clears throat] committee reports? >> Go ahead, Katrina. >> Um I attended the um BIPS and parents uh Alice training at Ticket School. Um and

276it was really great. It was very informative. The police officers who led the training really um shared a lot of information and answered everybody's questions really um thoroughly. And I found the training itself, like the slideshow part of it was really helpful. The in the classroom reenactment training portion was very disturbing. I didn't I mean I thought maybe it would be, but I didn't fully anticipate how jacked up my heart rate was going to be for hours afterwards. And um so I've I had the teachers in my mind because they're the ones who do that training. the students, it was made [clears throat] clear to me, do not undergo the same kind of like um recreation of of scenarios, which was helpful to know. Um there were a few things that came out of it

277that um the the police really did say several times that they would they wish that they did these trainings more frequently and that um we we do fire drills four times a year and schools hardly ever catch on fire was what they said and we only do these trainings um yeah, knock on wood. Sorry. >> So, like it's not common that a school will catch on fire, but school shootings statistically are still not common, but why don't we do these trainings on par with the frequency that we do fire drills. Uh, I thought that was an interesting point. Um, and they really would love to do more of them. They do them for all the organizations, anybody who wants them. It's for not just schools, synagogues and churches and anybody really. Um, I highly recommend

278it. Uh the other two points that came up were um some of the parents and um volunteers were asking about inconsistency that they had noted in how different schools and different grade levels are teaching what to do. And it doesn't seem like there's a age specific um way. There's not an age specific across the district expectation for exactly what a first grader versus an eighth grader versus a 12th grader should be learning. and the Alice training is the same for all [clears throat] the staff and then the breakdown of what they should do is kind of seemed like maybe it was up to the teachers and the building and the administration a little bit. Um so the inconsistency was one thing and then also personally being in the room you can put a kitty chair

279into the door, the main door and secure it and it has a lock. Um, but the other two doors did not have interior handles. And so the advice there was to either barricade it or put a rope and pull it closed, but there were no ropes in the go buckets and there was no rope in the classroom. And so um, just for myself going through that, it was very apparent that there was really no way to secure those interior doors. And, um, I wanted to just mention that because it was, um, a little frightening if you didn't have the option to evacuate in the scenario. But overall really really great training. I recommend it highly and I hope that they do more for parents and volunteers as well as staff. >> Meliss did you have

280one? >> Um I was just going to talk about policy um that we you know kick we brought things back for tonight and I was also just going to mention negotiation that we're just awaiting uh FBA response. So, >> are there any requests for followup? >> Katrina, >> I'm sorry. It's 11 o'clock. >> Um, the conversation about the administration building, uh, myself and Mike Halen have expressed interest in having a conversation about the budgeting and what pros and cons there might be to returning that to the town. I heard that the town's expressed interest in having that conversation. Um, if the administration of the school district can be in that building without any renovation being necessary, I imagine any municipal body of the town could easily move in and use that building just the same.

281And if it saves us $50,000 just in operating costs, I think that is a worthwhile conversation given our federal landscape and where we're at with all all the other things we're considering. So, um, myself and Mr. Halen have requested that. Does anybody else have interest in that just for the superintendent's clarity? in support. >> I mean, I'm in Yeah. Yeah. I'm very [clears throat] Yeah. >> Okay. So, we'll take note of that. >> Okay. I guess >> here, Maduras. >> Yes. >> I'm behind you. You couldn't see my hand. >> All right. So, I would like to ask for information on safety. Now that we have voted on offlining schools, etc., I would like to look into having secured vestibules at all of our buildings when you immediately walk in and an overall as uh

282Miss Neans has just said uh go buckets being fully staffed just an overall a longer safety meeting where we can really get into kind of the weeds of things. Um because there's still a lot of people talking to me about safety and I think that if we follow the pass and the mass chief's association uh we can use that. I think we should have that discussion. >> Okay. >> Got it. >> Um I'd like us at our next regular meeting to vote on grade configuration. I think we talked about it enough. Our next meeting is before >> our next regular meeting. >> It's before town meeting. >> That's not a regular. That's like a short one, right? >> Yeah. >> So, like the one after that 24. >> Well, then along those lines, can I

283request that we don't vote until after the MB MSBA? >> Great. >> Okay. Everybody's got a lot of requests. >> All right. Okay. So, I guess um >> are we having executive session? >> We're headed into executive session. So, I like to make a motion to move in executive session. >> Second. >> Okay. >> All right. I have to read it first. >> That's a big legal thing. Um, we're going to move into executive session to discuss strategy to discuss to discuss strategy session regards negotiations with unions FBA units A, B, C, D, and pursuant to general laws C 30A and 21A 7 to comply with or acting authority of any general or special law or federal grant in aid requirements. Purpose seven, citing to the open meeting law. Oh my goodness. GLC 3A and

284I don't know what those signs are. 22FG. Having these discussion open session will have a effect on the school committee's bargaining position. Is anticipated the school committee will not return to public session. Okay. Roll call vote. My >> welding.